• Archippus a Minister
• Aristarchus
• Aquila—

two priuatmen.

NEighbour Aqui­la, as I wish you may prosper, euen as your soule prospereth; so I can­not [Page 2] but aske, what meane [...] those cheekes of yours so bedewed with teares?

Alas brother, is not this the time euen of Ia­cobs trouble? you heare how great the affliction of Ioseph is abroad; and you know the reproach that lyeth on vs at home, and how in [...] quity getting the vppe [...] hand, doth with Esay 48. 4. the iron sinew & brow of brasse, so out-face & beare down the Heb. 13. 22 word of exhortation, tha [...] now (as in the Prophet Ho [...] sea his time) Hos. 4. 4. no man may striue nor reproue an other for this people are as the [...] that striue with the Priest yea, they [...]. 5. 10. hate him tha [...] rebuketh in the gate, an [...] abhorre him that speaketh vprightly. Hauing there­fore [Page 3] so great cause to feare, that Amos 8. 10. the end hereof may be as a bitter day, euen the Hos. 4. 5. destruction of our Mo­ther, as the Prophet speaks: is it not better to weepe in Sion, for keeping out of Ba­bel, then in sitting downe by Babels riuers to weepe for Sion?

I confesse that as this is a Esa. 22. 1 [...] day wherein the Lord God of hoast cals to weeping and mourning, and wherein hee that Psal. 122. 6. 9. lo­ueth Sion, and seekes her good, should with good Neh. 1. 4. Nehemiah, and Psal. 109. 136. Dauid, weepe and mourne: so if men will not bee Amos 6. 6. grieued for the affliction of Ioseph, nor Eze. 9. 4. mourne for the ab­hominations of Ierusalem, the Scripture marketh [Page 4] them out (as with a blacke cole or a Amos 7. 8. plumbe-line) for Amos 6. 7. slauery, or for Eze. 9. 5. 6. the slaugh­ter. But shall tel you how in this very day, they that loue to play the good fellowes, (saying 1 Cor. 15. 32. lot vs eate and drinke, for tomorrow wee dye) talke of vs Esa. 61. 3. mourners in Sion? Oh say they, let them, according to the Scriptures, Iam. 4. 8. cleanse their hands, and purge their hearts, as well as mourn & weepe, and so Iool 2. 13. turne to the Lord, as well as rent theit hearts; else what is all their mourning better then Heb. 12. 17 E­saus blubbering, or their hearts-renting then Mat. 27. 3 Iu­das his repenting?

Let Luke 4. 23 the Physitians ther­fore heale themselues say they; and let them Mat. 3. 8. bring [Page 5] forth fruits worthy of re­pentance, in dealing their bread to the hungry, and couering the naked, &c. or else the Esa. 58. 5. 6, 7 Prophet tels them, that all this afflicting of their soules, for a day, with their heads bowed downe like bul-rushes, and sackecloath and ashes spred vnder them, euen all their fasting and mourning is as plaine a mockery as our merriment and fast-eating.

Though Pro. 26. 18 19 mad men make sport in casting firebrands and arrowes, and death, and the Psal. 11. 2. vp­right in heart be the speci­all marke such mad fooles priuily shoote at, out of the very Esa. 26. 11 enuy they haue a­gainst Gods people, where­of they shall one day be a­shamed: [Page 6] yet this reproach stickes as a Psal. 42. 10 sword in my bones, and it may Psal. 69. 20 breake our hearts to thinke how many of vs that are large in shewes of humiliation, are too strait—laced in workes of mercy, and 2 Sam. 12. 14 giue great occasion to the ene­mies of the Lord thus to blaspheme.

And for my own part, when I consider what Hos. 10. 1. empty vines many pro­fessors are in these respects, and how much fruit they beare to themselues, as the Prophet speakes; and how according to the goodnesse of our Land, they make goodly idols of backe and belly, of purchases and buildings, whereunto they sacrifice the first fruits, the [Page 7] fat and bloud of all their substance and increase in excessiue superfluities: when in the meane time the Lord Jesus (to whose Pro [...]. 3. 9. honour these should be dedicated in more Heb. 13. 10 pleasing sacrifices) is suffered to lye in his poore members harbourlesse, here hungry, and there naked, yea, sicke and imprisoned, and yet vnfrequented and vnuisited: when I thinke on these things, I say, my Hab. 3. [...]. belly trembleth to con­ceiue how speechlesse ma­ny a professor will be found in that great day of recko­ning, when Math. 25. 35 account wil be exacted of these very parti­culars.

The Lord therfore graunt that in the meane time the reproches of those [Page 8] that Ier. 20. 1 [...] watch for our halt­ings, may serue vs as Tit. 1. 13. cut­ting rebukes, to make vs sound in the Faith, the 2 Tim. 1. 5 vnfained faith which Gal. 5. 6. wor­keth by loue; that wee Heb. 12. 13 may make straight steps to our feete in these 2 Tim. 3. 1. last pe­ [...]ilous times, wherein Rom. 2. 2 [...] the [...]orme of Knowledge and 2 Ti [...] 3. 5. shew of godlinesse haue so shrunke the sinews of the power thereof, that few a­mong many Gal. 2. 14. [...]. foote it a­right, according to the truth of the Gospell. For Gal. 6. 7. God is not mocked, Iam. 2. 13. but hee shall haue iudgement without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy, and mer­cy reioyceth against iudge­ment.

I call to remem­brance this day, a great fault [Page 9] of mine in a higher straine of mercy, and I would to God it were not a generall fault of professors, and yet it is generally lesse heeded.

What is that I pray?

Euen that which at first your complaint might haue minded vs of, that wee haue suffered the duty of exhortation to be husht and put to silence a­mongst vs. For to what end hath the Lord put Cant. 3. 11 hony & milke vnder our tongues, I meane the 1 Pet. 2. 2. sincere milke of the word, Psal. 19. 10 (sweeter then hony and the hony-comb) but that wee should looke to Pro. 10. 21 lip-feeding, as well as to hand-feeding? And if a man should hereupon aske vs, whether is greater, the [Page 10] body or the soule (as our Lord did in an other case, Mat 6. 25 whether is greater the bo­dy or the [...]ayment) might he not soone lay the finger to the soare? If wee deale our bread to the hungry bodies onely, may not Mat. 5. 46▪ e­uen a Publican, a Pagan, doe so? Euery foole tha [...] ri [...]h is, if they would bu [...] Mat. 6. 2. sound the trumpet, an [...] play the hypocrites, migh [...] winne the applause for do­ing such almes: but Pro. 11. 30. hee [...] wise that winneth soules and he Pro. 10. 21 the righteous man (in Gods account) that fee­deth many with his lips.

Howsoeuer therfore na­turall men, 2 Pet 2. 12 as bruit beasts made to be destroyed, can­not sauour this Ioh. 6. 27. food that endureth to eternall life; ye [...] [Page 11] we that are 1 Cor. 2. 17 spirituall, and should discerne all things, should be more sensible in Rom. 8. 5. minding the things of the spirit. Otherwise for vs to bemoane the Apostacy of the times, to sigh for the ab­hominations of the land, and to cry out (as many doe) on the Ier. 23. 11 15. prophane­nesse of Prophets, from whom prophanesse is gone forth into all the land; if in the meane time we forbeare lip-feeding, and restraine those Ioh. 7. 38. riuers of water of life, that should flow from vs to quench this Iam. 3. 6. world of wickednesse, that being set on fire of hell, may set on fire the course of nature among vs: what is it else, but as if men should looke to acquit themselues as mer­cifull [Page 12] neighbours by bewai­ling their neighbours house on fire, and all-while for­beare the casting on of wa­ter to quench the same?

You haue opened a veyne that may make our hearts bleede within for the bloud-guiltinesse of our neighbours soules: and my soule hauing now in re­membrance that speech of our Sauiour, Mat. 12. 30 hee that ga­thereth not, scattereth, is humbled in me to cry with Dauid the Prophet, Psal. 51. 14 Lord deliuer mee from bloud­guiltinesse, Psal. 19. 12. cleanse thou me from secret faults.

And your so sen­sible remembrance cals to my minde, what you and I with many others heard pressed to the full not long [Page 13] since by a Preacher out of Hebr. 3. where he Heb. 3. 13. shewing that exhortation was inioy­ned, as a preseruatiue a­gainst apostacy, concluded thence, that the neglect of the one, attracteth the guilt of the other.

What now re­maineth, but as euer wee hope to be 1 Ioh. 1. 7. cleansed from this so great a guilt, by the bloud of Gods owne Son, so wee walke in the light; and shew so Luk. 7. 42. &c. much the more loue in a future zea­lous performance of that which wee haue so much neglected? And to this end, I pray helpe call to minde with me, what wee thence heard concerning the duty of Exhortation.

Oh that this [Page 14] might bee as fully perfor­med, as it is seasonably mo­ued. But vnlesse your me­mory by better then mine, I feare wee shall proue as slippery riuen vessels, in Heb. 2. 1. letting slip much of that doctrine, which then so Deut. 32. 2 dropped, and rained, and showred vpon vs.

In this you may say to mee; Lame, helpe thy fellow. For euen when I begin to remember, feare takes hold on mee, that I shall finde it to be with my memory, as with many a false seruant, who is dee­med trusty, till he be called to reckoning: and this is a lamentable effect of our want of Heb. 2. 1. earnest heed to the things wee haue heard. O what a candle did God [Page 15] light within vs, when that doctrine was taught vs! But when by repetition, conference and practise, we should haue Mar. 4. 21. set it on a candlesticke, to giue light to our families and neigh­bours, we in part did put it vnder a bushell. And now the Mar. 4. 24. 25. same measure is mea­ted to vs, which we measured to others: as we had not (for our Masters aduan­tage) that which was giuen vs, so that which wee then had, is now in part taken from vs. And if all were ta­ken from vs, and our selues Mat. 25. 30 cast with [...]he vnprofita­ble seruant into vtter dark­nesse, we had but our own deseruings.

But though our memories may much [Page 16] fayle vs, yet God, who Esa. 66. 2. looketh to the contrite heart that trembleth at his word, will Heb. 13. 5. neuer fayle vs; either in 1. Cor. 11. 31. ac­quitting those that iudge themselues, or in Iac. 4. 8. dra­wing neare to those that draw neare to him. Re­member, Dan. 9. 20. &c. whiles Daniel the Prophet was speaking and praying, and con­fessing his sinne (as we doe now in part) the man Ga­briel was sent vnto him with consolatory infor­mation, as flying vpon the wings of the winde. And while the Luk. 24. 15 &c. two Disciples were sad and perplexed in their conferences about their Master, Iesus himselfe drew neare; and rather then his truth, should faile [Page 17] to be their sheild and buckler, hee himselfe out of Moses and all the Pro­phets expounded the things concerning himselfe, to cleare their scruples. But loe, who comes yonder I pray?

If is euen M^r. Archippus himselfe, who is best able to bring all to our remembrance that we heard from him, and there­fore l [...]t vs without delay addresse our selues towards him.

M^r. Archippus you are welcome as Iob. 33. 23. one of a thousand, and blessed be God, Act. 1. 7. in whose hands are the times and seasons, that he hath sent you vnto vs so seasonably, and Esa. 50. 4. gi­uen you a tongue of the lear­ned [Page 18] to minister a word in season to vs, who are now full Mat. 11. 28. weary of our for­mer heedlesnes in hearing you.

What is the mat­ter my deare brethren?

Oh Sir, you re­member what not long since you taught vs (out of Hebr. 3.) concerning the duty of exhortation to the full; and we tremble in our selues to finde in our ac­count, how little of so much wholsome doctrine we haue either put in pra­ctise, or kept in memory. As therefore we now feele how it will be Phil. 3. 1. for vs a safe thing, so let it not be grieuous to you (we pray) to rehearse summarily the same things to vs: whom [Page 19] Esa. 50. 4. God hath now awakened to heare, if not as the lear­ned, yet surely as those who vnfainedly desire to learne of you.

Blessed be God, who hath thus Psal▪ 40. 6. boared your eares, and the Lord Mic. 3. 8. fill me with power and iudgment by his Spirit, to satisfie your desires, and to stablish your harts in a duty so necessary. And for your better memory I will re­duce the summe of all into thee rheads, insisting, 1. in the necessity of the duty, 2. in the reasons enforcing it, 3. in the right manner of performing it. And seeing we are now Marc 4 10 apart (where your questioning will di­sturbe no publique mini­stery nor audience) be [Page 20] bold I pray, with Chrish Disciples, to aske the full meaning of any thing that may seeme as a hidden pa­rable vnto you. For this is noted as a remarkeable property of Luk. 8. 9, 10. Mar 4. 10. 11 those, to whom it is giuen to know the mystery of the King­dome of God: such Go [...] teacheth Mare. 4. 34 Luk. 10. 23. a-part, when others, though presenta [...] publique teaching, are Mat. 13. 11 13. &c. no­thing the wiser; & such a [...] of Gods priuy councell and haue the Psa. 25. 14 secrets of the Lord reuealed vnto them, from which Luk. 10. 21 others are kept as strangers to their dying day.

Brother Aquila, in guilt of our owne vn­worthines might not we say with the Ioh. 14. 22 Apostle, Lord [Page 21] how is it that thou wilt ma­nifest thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the world? But seeing it is Gods good plea­sure thus to sequester vs from those Act. 13. 41 despisers, that wonder and perish in their infidelity; God forbid that wee should stand in our owne light by any vaine admiration or inquisition. And therfore as our Luk. 4. 20. eyes are fastened on you M^r. Archippus, beeing Act. 10. 33 heere present before God to heare all the counsayle of God that you shall reueale vnto vs: so according to your methode first shew vs the necessity of exhortation we pray.

Mutuall exhor­tation [...] is a duty so necessary, that none can be, or abide [Page 22] in the state of sauing grace [...] but [...] only who indeauour the performance of it.

Before you goe on▪ I must intreate you to ex­plaine fully the meaning o [...] those two words, mutua [...] exhortation.

The origina [...] [...] Heb. 3. 13. word in Hebr. 3. which [...] commonly translated, exhort, signifieth properly, t [...] call vnto.

1. It is sometimes tak [...] in a strict or limited sence as where Saint Paul saith 2. Tim. 4. 2 reproue, rebuke, exho [...] with all long-suffering an [...] doctrine. Heere that whic [...] the Apostle speaketh ( [...] shew what he meant b [...] preaching the word) ma [...] according to the twofol [...] [Page 23] vse of scripture (Specula­tiue as they call it, or practi­call) be reduced into two heads. First that which con­cernes the informing of the vnderstanding and iudg­ment, which is done either by reprouing, called else­where Tit. 1. 9. conuincing; or by doctrine, elsewhere called Rom. 15. 4. learning or teaching.

Secondly that which con­cernes the reforming of the will and affections, which is done either by rebuke, called elsewhere 2 Tim 3. 16 corre­ction; or by exhortation, called elsewhere Verse the same. instru­ction in righteousnes. And heere doctrine, though ranked in the last place, is yet so added as that which must be inter-weaued with the former, as the woofe [Page 24] with the warpe, being the chiefe of all the rest. For reprouing goeth before but as an vsher, by remouing errors to make way for doc­trine to enter; and doc­trine is that which both in faith and manners giues life and strength to rebuking [...] and exhorting. So that by exhorting heere we are to vnderstand neither repro­uing, nor rebuking, no [...] teaching (it being distinct from all these) but that only which in other places is figuratiuely expressed by 2. Pet. 1. 13 [...]. rowzing, or Heb. 19. 24 [...]. whetting. Whereby we are to learne, that albeit the state of Gods children may be such, that they need not so much as others to be either reproued for errors, or rebuked for [Page 25] disorders, or informed in faith and manners: yet euen these are sometimes Mat. 25. 5. slum­bering and sleeping as the wise virgins, and then haue need of rowzing; & some­times Heb. 5. 11 dull as the belee­uing Hebrewes, and then haue neede of whetting.

And thus exhortation in a strict sence signifieth only rowzing or whetting, which if it be for with-stan­ding ill or errors, is called 1 Cor. [...]. 1 [...]. admonition; if for pur­suing truth or goodnes, its called 2 Cor. [...]. 2. Rom. 11. 14. prouocation; If for sustayning difficulties or grieuances accompa­ [...]ing both the former, its called Rom. 15. 4 consolation.

2 Exhortation in other Scriptures (as Heb. 3. 13 Heb. 3.) where it is not restrayned [Page 26] by other words or circum­stances of the text, is taken in a large sence, implying all the former meanes of building vp our selues in our most holy faith. And it this large sence, Saint Pa [...] saith, 1 Thes. 5 13 exhort one another, and edifie one another▪ where hee addeth the simi­litude of edifying, to ex­plaine the general meaning of the word exhorting. Fo [...] as in materiall buildings, some stones are to be hewed for their hardnesse, some planed for their softnesse▪ some rammed in for their vneuennesse, others suppor­ted for their weaknesse, and euery empty place filled▪ the crooked straightned, the high leuelled, and the low aduanced; that so the [Page 27] whole frame may bee fitly proportioned, and fully erected: So in 1 Pet. 2. 5 building vp each other as liuing stones, a spirituall house for God; some are exalted with high imaginations against the knowledge of God, they must bee 2 Cor. 10. 5 cast downe with the word of reproofe; some are hardened in their sinnes, as rockes or ada­mants, they must be Hos. 6. 5. hew­ed or Ier. 23. 29 broken with re­buke; some sinne as chil­dren, for want of know­ledge, their emptinesse must be supplied by Eph. 6. 1. informa­tion of doctrine; some are out of square by vnruli­nesse, no 2 Cor. 13. 2. & 10. 10. weight of admo­nition must bee spared to bring them within com­passe; some fall too short by [Page 28] negligence, by Heb 6 11, 12. prouoca­tion must they bee drawne forward; and some are sunk downe by feeblenesse of minde, and they are to bee raised vp with 1 Thes 5. 15. comfort. And thus in this large and generall sence doe I now presse this duty of exhorta­tion.

Blessed bee God for such a Luk. 11. 52 key of know­ledge, whereby he thus Acts 16. 14 o­peneth our hearts, as wel [...] as the Scriptures; wee now wai [...]e for the explanation of the other word, mutuall.

The Greek Heb. 3 1 [...]. [...] word, in Heb. 3. which is transla­ted, one an other, signifieth properly your selues; as the translators in an Iude verse 20. other place render it. Yet here as Col. 3. 16. else-where, well doe they [Page 29] expresse the meaning of the spirit by these words (one an other) because in the same Heb. 10. 24 [...]. Epistle, the spirit so explaineth himselfe, saying, let vs consider one an other, to prouoke vnto loue and good workes; and so more plainely in an 1 Thes. 5. 11. [...]. Beza: singuli, singulos. other place, saying, exhort your selues, and edifie one another; where the spirit, who 1 Tim. 4. 1. spea­keth expresly (being the best interpreter) doth in­terpret the word, your selues, by the words one an other; as the word exhort, by the word edifie. And this is that which I meane by mutuall exhortation▪ viz. that eue­ry one of vs must exhort each other: that as wee are 1 Cor. 12. 27. the body of Christ, and memoers in particular, so [Page 30] Verse 25. the members should haue the same care one of ano­ther, the Verse 21. head being not able to say to the feete, I haue no neede of you. And vpon this very ground, the spirit saith, ex [...]ort your selues, when [...]ee meaneth, euery one each other; not onely because beleeuers may not be hypocrites, (to w [...]om he s [...]ith, Rom. 2. 21 thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe?) but chiefly because being 1 Cor. 12. 13. all one body, as Eph. 5. 31. man and wife are one flesh; hee that teacheth another, teacheth himselfe, euen as Verse 28. hee that loueth his wife, loueth him­selfe.

Blessed bee God, 1 Sam. 25. 32. who hath sent you this day to meete vs with such [Page 31] a 1. Cor. 12. 4, 10. gift of interpretation: proceede now I pray to shew vs the necessity of this duty.

To prooue that none can be or abide in the state of sauing grace, but they who endeuour the performance of this duty, I will chiefly insist in that of Heb. 3. where the Apostle saith, Heb. 3. 12, 13 Take heede bre­thren least there be in any of you an euill hart of vn­beleife, in departing from the liuing of God: but ex­hort one another dayly, while it is called to day, least any of you be hard­ned through the deceipt­fulnes of sinne. Heere we see that if they who Heb. 3. 1. are partakers of the heauenly calling (whereby they [Page 32] Heb. 6. 4. 5 were once enlightned & haue tasted of the hea­uenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost; and haue tasted the good word of God and the po­wers of the world to come) if they, I say, take not heede and exhort each other, sin with its Iac. 1. 14. [...] baites & Sa­tans 2 Cor. 11. 3 subtilty may through 1 Ioh. 2. 16. the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life deceiue any of them, were he in shew as holy and righteous, as in­deed 1 Tim 2. 13 14. the Woman was, that was deceiued in Pa­radise.

Secondly as sinne may deceiue them, so the custome of sin may har­den them by Zeph. 1. 12 setling them on their [...]ees (as by con­tinuance [Page 33] the Iob. 38. 30 face of the deepe is frozen) and then their consciences (though wounded) may haue no more feeling of sinne (as it is the 1 Cor. 15, 56. sting of death) then wounds that are 1 Tim. 4. 2 Esa. [...]4. 4. seared with an hot iron. Their neck is an iron si­new, and their brow brasse; in which case they can now neither Ier. 6. 15. blush, nor Ier. 2. 19. feare.

Thirdly an hardned heart may transport them to an euill heart (as bad almost as Mat. 13. 19 the euill one the diuellLuk. 8. 12. himselfe) when men Eph. 4. 19. being past feeling may giue them­selues ouer to worke all vncleannes with greedines, Iob. 15. 16 drinking iniquity like water, and making no more conscience of any [Page 34] sinnes be they neuer so grosse. Be it Hos. 4. 4. swearing, lying, stealing, whoring, killing, yea or Psal. 14. 4. eating vp Gods people as bread, they are all now Pro. 4. 17. as meate an [...] drinke to them, yea a [...] Iob. 20. 12 13. sweete morsels, which they are loath to depart withall; nay their Pro. 4. 16. sleepe departs from them, vnle [...] they cause some to fall wit [...] them.

Fourthly when men a [...] come to this pitch of a [...] euill heart, then whiles they are Esa. 4 18. drawing iniqui­ty with cordes of vanity, and sinne as with a cart­rope, the diuell drawes and holds them to an heart o [...] vnbeleife; wherby they are Rom. 1. 28. giuen vp to such a repro­bate minde, that they are [Page 35] now as T [...]t. 1. 16. [...]. contumacious or refractary, as before they were abhominable: euen such a Mat. 17. 17 faithlesse and per­uerse generation, that no means, fayre or foule, nei­ther Pr [...]. 29. 9. raging nor laughing as Salomon saith, nor Mat. [...]1. 17 pi­ping nor mourning as Christ speaketh, can worke vpon them to 2 Cor. 5. 11 perswade them. Yea though a Mat. 13. 52. Scribe instructed vnto the King­dome of heauen should bring out of his treasure things new and old, as our Sauiour speaketh; euen all that Heb. 12, 18 &c. mount Sinai or Ve [...]s. 22. &c. mount Sion may afforde, all the precious promises of the one, and all the trem­blable curses of the other: yet all would be to them but as Ier. 5. winde, and no bet­ter [Page 36] in their esteeme the [...] Act 17. 18. babling, or 2 Cor. 10. 10. speach contemptible, or idle addle talk against all which they ca [...] set their Zach. 7. 12 harts as adaman [...] stones, and Psa. 58. 4. 5 stop the [...] eares like the deafe adde [...] which will not heare th [...] voice of the charmer, char­ming neuer so wisely.

Finally through this be­guiled hardened euill ha [...] of vnbeleife they depa [...] from the liuing God, an [...] that not as heires of salua­tion who may be Iac. 1. 14. with drawne in part, and Ion. 1. 3. de­part for a season; but these Heb. 10. 39 are of them that draw back vnto perdition, euen by a Ier. 8. 5. perpetuall backsli­ding, with a Ier. 5. 29. reuolting and rebellious heart, and with a Rom. 2. 5. heart that cannot [Page 37] repent. For it is Heb 6. 4. 5. 6 impossi­ble for those who were once enlightned (so as we shewed before) if they fall away, to renew them a­gaine vnto repentance; seeing they crucifie to them­selues the Sonne of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Now out of all the pre­mises wee thus conclude, that for as much as mutuall exhortation is prescribed in this text as a speciall remedy to preuent this fearefull finall apostacy: therfore as those professors that make no conscience of giuing or receauing the word of exhortation, wil surely depart from the liuing God, and can not abide in the state of sa­uing [Page 38] grace; so in departing from God they shew plain­ly that they neuer were in the true state of sauing grace, that is, they neuer 1. Cor. 1. 30. were of God in Christ Iesus. For saith S. Iohn, 1. Ioh. 2. 19 if they had bin of vs (that is, not in profession and shew only but indeede and in truth) they would no doubt haue continued with vs; but they went out that they might be made ma­nifest, that they were not all of vs.

And this is as euidently to be proued out of Col. 3. where S. Paul saith, Col. 3 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wise­dome, teaching and admo­nishing one an other, &c. Heere the Apostle sheweth, [Page 39] that they who haue the word dwelling in them in all wisedome, (that is, they that heare and doe the word as Mat. 7. 24. wise men in deed, being 2 Tim. 3. 16 made wise thereby vnto saluation) they must approue themselues to bee such in teaching and admonishing one an other. And there­fore those professors that bee Iam. 1. 22. hearers onely, and not doers, (Iam. 2. 10. offending in this one point of mutuall exhortation) doe but de­ceiue themselues, and will proue Mat. 7. 26. foolish men in the end, when all their high profession wil be the occasi­on of their Verse 27. great downfall.

Likewise the same Apo­stle 1 Thes 1. 5. &c. to the end of Verse 11. tels the Thessalonians, that as children of the light, [Page 40] and of the day, must watch and bee sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and loue, and the hope of salua­tion for an helmet, Go [...] appointing them not t [...] wrath, but to obtaine salua­tion: so by a word of rela­tion, including all the pre­mises, he inferreth that they must still acquit themselues to bee such, by exhorting themselues, and edifying one an other as they did.

To this purpose, the sa­uing-graces of the spirit are set forth by such compari­sons as shew this dispersing and communicating pro­perty in them; as to Ioh. 7. 38. & Eze. 47. 8. riuers of water of life, flowing and issuing out, and going from place to place; euen as all riuers are euer run­ning, [Page 41] in comming or re­turning, as Eccl. 1. 7 Ecclesiastes sheweth. So likewise to [...] Ioh. 2. 27 ointment, which cannot bee hid from be wraying it selfe, as Pro. 27. 16 Salomon speaketh: to Mat. 3. 11. fire, which being shut vp in a mans bones, will make a man weary of for­bearing, as Ier. 20. 9. Ieremy com­plained: and to a Mark. 4. 21 candle on a candlesticke, which as Mat. 5. 15. our Sauiour saith, gi­ueth light to all that are in the house. And finally, as the Pro. 10. 11. mouth of a righteous man is compared to a well of life, and his Verse 20. tongue to choise siluer; to shew as well the current, as the pre­tious vse of them: so the righteous man himselfe is likened to a liberall house­keeper, the dore of whose [Page 42] lips is open vpon all iust oc­casions, to Verse 21. feede many with his lips; euen as many as in his Eccl. 10. 4. place, and 1 Cor. 7. 17 20. cal­ling, he can Gal. 6. 10. opportunely▪ and 1 Cor. 14. 40. orderly, extend him­selfe vnto. Nay, lest any should thinke womens tongues to bee tyed short from all lip-feeding. Salomon brings in the Pro. 31. 10. ver­tuous woman, as clad with the honour of the same si­militude, saying, Verse 26. [...] Trem. & I [...]n. Lex benigni­tatis. she ope­neth her mouth with iudg­ment, and in her lips is the law of kindenesse, or boun­tifulnesse, as the Hebrew word importeth. And thus I hope it fully appeareth vnto you, how necessary this duty is for all that will bee numbred among the righteous.

O that the pra­ctise might be as full on our side, as the proofe is on yours: and for our better encouragement, I pray adde some examples to your for­mer arguments and simili­tudes.

The Scriptures are so full of them, that I may say as the Apostle did in an other case, Heb. 11. 3 [...] time would faile me to tel them. No sooner heare wee that Phillip had found Christ, but wee heare withall, that Ioh. 1. 43. &c. by his perswasion, hee brought Nathaniel to Christ; as Andrew likewise Verse 41. &c. brought Peter to Christ. And the same Peter, accor­ding to Christs Luk. 22. 32 charge, did no doubt strengthen his brethren when hee was [Page 44] conuerted: euen as Dau [...] also professed for his part that when God should re­store him to the ioy of hi [...] saluation, he Psal. 51. 12▪ 13. would teac [...] transgressors his waies, an [...] sinners should bee conue [...] ­ted vnto him. And lest any should thinke that this pra­ctise might be peculiar vn­to them by vertue of their Propheticall and Apostoli­call callings: both Prophet▪ and Apostles doe not one­ly propose this as a com­mon duty of euery righte­ous man and good steward of the grace of God, (to Psal. 37. 30 talke of iudgement, to 1 Pet. 4. 10 speake as the oracles of God, that their Col 4. 6. speech be alwaies gracious, seasoned with salt, and Eph. 4. 29 good to the vse of edifying, to minister [Page 45] grace to the hearers) but accordingly they also re­cord and recommend vnto vs, their practise of the same. As in that generall de­fection of Ezraes time, how powerfully was worthy Ezra himselfe Ezr. 10. 2. &c. exhorted and encouraged by Sheca­niah? So in the Prophet Malachies time, when reli­gion was downe the wind, and men Mal. 3. 14. said, it is vaine to serue God; it is registred that Verse 16. then, they that fea­red the Lord, spake euery man to his neighbour, or spake often one to another, as the kings translators ren­der it. And what spake they? no doubt that which was good to the vse of edi­fying▪ as many their fel­lowes did before them, [Page 46] saying, Hos. 6. 1. come, let vs retu [...] to the Lord, Ier. 50. 5. come, let▪ ioyne to the Lord, and [...] c Psal. [...]22. 1 vs goe into the house▪ God. And as for this [...] speech, come and let [...] goe vp into the house [...] the Lord, &c. the Prophet (foreseeing that the Gen­tiles should receiue the spi­rit of faith, and 2 Cor. 4. 13 beleeue and therefore speake) d [...] Esa. 2. 2, 3. Mich. 4. 1, 2. testifie before, that th [...] speech of mutuall exhort [...] on, should bee the commo [...] language of all beleeui [...] nations, when in the la [...] dayes, the mountaine [...] the Lords house should be [...] exalted aboue the hils, an [...] people should flow vnto i [...] And accordingly wee hau [...] it recorded, that in the daie [...] of the Gospell, not onely [Page 47] the Mark. 5. 20 Demoniacke and Luk. 2. 17. 8 Shepheards among the Iewes, performed this du­ty, to the admiration of their hearers; but Act. 10. 45. 46. Corneli­us also with others of the Gentiles, to the astonish­ment of the Iewes that heard them. Yea, Ioh. 4. 28. &c. the wo­man of Samaria, though she were but a poore Tan­kard-bearer, (as it should seeme by her water-pot, which for hast shee left be­hinde her) yet she no soo­ner in her heart receiued the Messias, but out of the abundance of her heart, her mouth so spake, and mini­stred such grace to those that heard her, that she was a blessed instrument to bring many Samaritans to the faith of Christ. Here­unto [Page 48] may be added Tryphe­na, Tryphosa, and Persis, wo­men among the Romans, and other women among the Philippians; of whom the Apostle giues this com­mendation, that they Rom. 16. 12. la­boured, yea much labou­red, yea, and Phil. [...]. 3. laboured (some of them) with him­selfe in the Gospell: which they could not doe, but by priuate exhortation, as Acts 18. 26. Priscilla did; seeing by the Apostolicall Canon 1 Cor. 14. 34 wo­men were silenced from speaking in the Churches. And memorable aboue all others, is that example of the Luk▪ 23. 40 41, 42, 43. theefe vpon the crosse, who then (at last cast as we say) beleeuing, did so speake▪ to the rebuking o [...] his fellow theefe, and to the [Page 49] iustifying and magnifying of the Lord Iesus; that im­mediately Iesus himselfe, Heb. 12. 2. [...]. despis [...]ng the shame, and all contradiction of sin­ners, did with his Psal. 45. 2. owne lips, full of grace, as Psal. 24. 8. king of glory, crowne him as it were on the crosse; and there Col. 2. 15. triumphing ouer all Principalities and powers of darkenesse, euen in Luk. [...] 53 the very houre and power of darkenesse, hee proclaimed him an heire of Paradise, and promised him seizin and possession thereof, to­gether with himselfe that very day; as a present re­ward for the fruit of his lips, whereby he had so ma­nifested his faith, and ho­noured his Sauiour. So that [...]t fareth with euery belee­uer, [Page 50] who hath found hi [...] lost soule, as with Luk. 15. 8. &c. that wo­man in the parable, who ha [...] found her lost peece of si [...] uer; who as shee fate no [...] moaping in a corner with fullennesse, when shee ha [...] lost her piece, but Verse 8. lighted a candle, and swept the house, and looked diligent­ly till shee found it; so ha­uing found it, she could no [...] sit smiling in her sleeue, bu [...] Verse 9. shee called together h [...] friends and neighbours saying, reioyce with me [...] for I haue found the peec [...] which I had lost. And [...] Christ applied that to th [...] Verse 10. ioy of the Angels ouer on [...] sinner that repenteth; so may as truely here apply [...] to the Rom. 14. 17. ioy of the hol [...] Ghost, that accompaniet [...] [Page 51] righteousnesse and peace in all vnfained beleeuers. And I likewise say vnto you, that such ioy there is among beleeuers, ouer any one sin­ner, whose repentance may be by their meanes, either begun or perfected; that 2 Cor. 4. 13 according as it is written, I beleeued, and therefore haue I spoken, so they be­leeuing, Acts 4. 20. cannot but speak, for the Iude ver. 3 common salua­tion of others with them­selues. And let this suffice for the first generall point.

M^r. Archippus, you haue set such a Iam. 1. 23. glasse be­fore vs, and Heb. 12. 1. compassed vs with such a cloude of wit­nesses; that when we be­hold our faces in the one, and cast our eyes to the [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] other, wee may Ier. 3 [...]. 10. strike on our thighes and be asha­med of our backwardnes in a duty so necessary, where­in the primitiue beleeuers were so forward. I pray therefore proceede and whe [...]e and rowze vs throughly (dullards and drowzy headed as we are) by your forcible reasons.

For your better remembrance, you shall haue all included in 4. ge­nerall motiues, concerning 1. God and our Sauiour, 2. our neighbours, 3. our selues, 4. our enemies.

First therfore you know the Mat. 2 [...] [...]7 [...]. first and great com­mandement, which is Mare. 12 [...] 30, 33. more then all whole burnt offerings & sacrifices; thou shalt loue the Lord thy [Page 53] God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, & with all thy minde, and with all thy strength. And from the Psal. 119. 5, 8, 20, &c. vnfaigned hearty de­sire and endeauour of kee­ping this commandement no gospeller can pleade im­munity; because being freed from the Rom. 6. 14 & 10. 4. rigour and Ga [...] [...]. 10, 13. curse of the Law, by the grace that Ioh 1. 17. came by Iesus Christ; we are euen by the bonde of grace so bound to Ep. 6, [...]. loue the Lord Iesus in sincerity, that if 1 Cor. [...]6 2 [...] any man thus loue not the Lord Ie­sus Christ, let him be Ana­thema Maranatha, saith S. Paul. Signifying heereby, that such a man is excluded from grace, and therby left to a curse more Heb. 10. 29 heauy then all the Law could [Page 54] haue imposed on him: be­ing 2. Pet. 2. 9. reserued to the day of iudgment & the Reu. 6. 16. wrath of the lambe heauier then the rocks and mountaynes; to be punished euen by the 2 Tess. 1, 7, 8. Lord Iesus himselfe, when he shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, ta­king vengeance on them that obey not his gospell Now Ioh. 14. 15 if ye loue me saith Christ, keepe my comman­dements; and againe, Ioh. 15. 14. ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaund you; and againe he saith, Ioh. 14. 23 if a man loue me he will keepe my words. And therefore the word of ex­hortation and dutie of lip­feeding being one of his especiall commandements, [Page 55] so frequently inculcated as wee haue heard: He that saith he loueth him (though he say it againe and againe and call the Lord to witnes for it, as Ioh. 21. 17 Peter did) yet if he keepe not this his com­maundement, 1 Ioh. 2. 4. he is a lyar and the truth is not in him, as S. Iohn saith.

Secondly, whatsoeuer sticketh deepest in the loue of the heart, wil soonest be­wray it selfe in the vtte­rance of the tongue: for out of the Mat 12. 34 abundance of the heart the mouth spea­keth. Why doth the Psal. 37. 30 tongue of the righteous man so talk of iudgmēt, but because the Vers. 31, Law of God is in his heart? What made the Prophet Dauid, to Psal. 34. 1. & 35. 28. blesse the Lord at al times, [Page 56] to haue his praise continu­ally in his mouth euen all the day long? Why did his Psal. 34. 2, 3 soule so make her boast of the Lord and so stirre vp others to magnifie the Lord with him, to exalt his name together, to Psal. 105. 1 2, 3. thanke him, to call vpon his name, to make knowne his deeds among the people, to sing Psalmes vnto him, to talke of all his wondrous workes & to glory in him? Why, the Lord was the Psal. 16. 5 portion of his inheritance, his Psal. 42. 1. heart panted after him, his Psal. 63. 1. soule thirsted for him, and his flesh longed for him: yea he cals God to witnes to his soule, saying, Psal. 73. 25, 26. Whom haue I in heauen but thee? there is none in earth that I desire besides [Page 57] thee: my flesh & my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart & my portion for euer. So looke to the spouse in Cantic [...]es, if Christ be he whom her Cant. 1. 7. soule loueth, if he be the Cant. 5. 10 cheifest among ten thou­sand vnto her; how fre­quently doth she Cant. 1. 12 & 2. 3. &c. talke of him, how passionately doth she Cant. 3. 9, 5. 8. aske after him? how eloquent is she to discourse of him how potent to Cant. 5. 9, 6. 1. per­swade others to enquire af­ter him? All the excellen­cies of Art and Nature, the Cant. 5. 10 13. &c. white and [...]uddy orient colours, the sweete flowers and odoriferous beds of spices, gould rings set with berill, and pillars of marble set vpon sockets of fine gol [...], and the like (such as [Page 58] would seeme to others like wonders of nyne dayes to talke of) they are not heare of out of her lips, but as they may serue her either for resemblances to set forth, or as Organes to sound out the beauty and sauour, the worth and ex­cellency of her beloued & friend, whom her soule [...] loueth.

And if the tongues [...] righteous men, of the ma [...] after Gods heart, and of th [...] spouse of Christ, be not enough to schoole Psal. 71. 15 or mouthes to shew forth, an [...] our Ver [...] [...]. tongues to talke o [...] the righteousnes and salu [...] tion of our great God an [...] Sauiour, euen all the da [...] long: as Christ in an othe [...] case Luk. 16. 8, 9 puts vs to learne [...] [Page 59] the vniust steward, so heere say I, learne, for shame lets learne of wordlings, of Mammonists, of Belly Gods whose Psal. 17. 14 portion is in this life. Consider the men of these perillous times, that are as S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3. 4. lo­uers of pleasures (or of riches and of the glory of the world) more then lo­uers of God. How doth proud Haman crake and vaunte of the Hest. 5. 11, 12 glory of his riches, and the height of his promotions, and the preheminence he had aboue all others in the Kings fauours and the Queenes banquets? How doth the rich foole talke and boast of his Luk. 12. 17 18, 19. plentifull crops, of his pulling downe barnes and building greater, [Page 60] of disposing all h [...] fruits & of his much goo [...] layed vp for many yeare [...] &c? Yea euery voluptuo [...] faulkener and huntfma [...] nay euery base pot co [...] panion, how doe they in a [...] companies prate and bra [...] of the sport, the game, th [...] good fellowship they thu [...] and thus met withall, as [...] they had no sweeter, n [...] worthier, no louelier God to consecrate the fruit [...] their lips vnto? Shall the thus talke and fill the [...] mouthes with discourses euery man of his Idoll; h [...] uing nothing, else bu [...] Pro. 15. 14 foolishnesse for their mouths to feede on; and w [...] hauing for our portion the [...] Ioh. 17. 3 only true God, and Iesu [...] Christ whom he hath sent [...] [Page 61] the Tit. 2. 13. great God and our Sauiour, whose Esa. 9. 6. name is wonderfull, the prince of peace, the Heb. 2. 20. Captaine of our saluation, the 1. Tim 6. 15 blessed and only potentate, who hath Reu. 1. 5. loued and washed vs in his owne bloud, and so 1 Tim. 1. 10 abolished death, and brought life and immorta­lity to light, through the great and glorious mistery of the gospell: shall not we Psal. 106. 5 glory with his inheritance and Psal. 105. 2 talke of all his won­drous workes? Therefore they shall be Mat. 12. 27. our iudges, and accordingly as our Sa­uiour foreteils euery man of vs, saying, Vers. 37. by thy words thou shalt be iusti­fied, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned; so shall they who haue so [Page 62] many words to witnesse their loue to their idols, Vers. 41. rise vp in iudgment and condemne many a profes­sor for his louelesse silence.

Thirdly as the glorious and gracious workes of our great God and Sauiour should set our tongues on worke; so the reproches indignities & blasphemies which wee see and heare daily, whereby men Esa. 3. 8. pro­uoke the eyes of his glory, should force vs to break si­lence: and for his names sake wee should not hold our peace, if there be any sparke of the loue of his name abiding in vs. Wee know what our Lord saith, Mat. 10. 37 he that loueth Father or Mother more then me, is not worthy of me; and he [Page 63] that loueth Sonne or Daughter more then me, is not worthy of me: that is, not to be 2 Thess. 1. 5 counted wor­thy, no not by the Iac. 2. 12. Law of liberty, or by the Rom. 3. 27 Law of faith. And accordingly elsewhere he explanes his meaning, saying, Luk. 14. 26 if any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children &c. (so farre forth as they Psa. 139. 21 hate Christ, he meaneth) he can not be my disciple. Now what one of vs that is not Rom. 1. 3 [...] without natural af­fection, can keepe silence in seeing and hearing Fa­ther or Mother, Wife or Child, pearced to the heart or trampled vnder feete? O how passionately, how powerfully Gen. 44. 17 18, &c. pleaded Iudah [Page 64] against the bondage of young Beniamin, when he fore-saw how that would euen pearce the heart of his old Father, his life being bound vp in the lads life, and bring downe the gray haires of his Father with sorrow to the graue? How affectionately, thinke wee, said Dauid, Sam. 1 [...]. 5 Deale gently for my sake with the young man, euen with Absolom, when all the people (saith the Text) heard the King giue all the Captains charge concerning Absolom? Was not this young man now an old traytour? Yea, but he was his Sonne though most vnnaturall, and be­cause hee is a childe Dauid cannot cast off the naturall affection of a Father; he is [Page 65] perplexed with care with feare of the blow before it fall on him; he is sensible of his wounds before they bleede: and when he once heareth that he was pear­ced to death, he mournes, he weepes, he cryeth, as if he could speake no other lan­guage; Vers. 33. O my Sonne Ab­salom, my Sonne, my Sonne Absalom, would God I had dyed for thee, O Absalom my Sonne, my Sonne. So the Mother of that Child which by Kings Salomons sentence was presently to be diuided in two by a sword brought before the King [...] a 1. Reg. 3. 16 &c. harlot though she were, yet being the true Mother of the liuing child, as soone as she saw the sword and heard the sentence [Page 66] pronounced, out of her bowels yerning vpon her Sonne how did she pre­sently powre it out with her lips saying, Vers. 23. O my Lord, giue her the liuing childe, and in no wise stay it.

What shall naturall loue thus pleade and cry against blowes and strokes and pearcing griefes, but yet ap­proching towards our Fa­thers or children? And ca [...] wee see and heare our hea­uenly Father blasphemed yea [...]eu. 24. 11 [...] pearced and striken through (as the 2. King. 18 21. Hab. 3. 14. Hebrew word signifieth) with blas­phemies and curses; and our louing Sauiour Heb. 10. 28 29. tro­den vnder foote, and Heb. 6. 6, cru­cified afresh by wilfull sins▪ and apostacies: and shall [Page 67] not our spiritual loue make his case ours as he made ours his? shal not our hearts rise, our bowels yerne, and our tongues powre out, and speake in the behalfe of our mercifull redeemer, and his Father and ours? Wee see how affectionately righ­teous Lot spake in the be­halfe of the two Angels of the Lord, whom hee had entertained, and how for preuenting the foule indig­nity tendered to them, hee boldly aduentured not on­ly the Gen. 19. 5, 6, 7. safety of his owne person, but also the Verse 8. Virgi­nity of his two daughters. Likewise young Elibu was so full of Iob 32. 5. kindled wrath in his makers quarrell, that his Vers. 18, 19 belly was as wine without vent, ready to burst like [Page 68] new bottles, and speake he would, (he saith) that hee might be refreshed; as if his soule had fainted within him at his long forbea­rance. So Ieremy the Pro­phet, full weary though he were of speaking in the name of the Lord, Ier. 20. 7. 8 because the word of the Lord was made a reproach vnto him, and a derision daily, so that hee had resolued to make mention of him no more: yet he found himself Verse 9. more weary with forbearing, for his word was in his heart as a burning fire shut vp in his bones, and hee could not stay. And so Dauid the Pro­phet, albeit for Psal. 69. 7. Gods sake he had born such reproach, that shame had couered his face; yet Psal. 119. 46 would he speake [Page 69] of Gods testimonies before Kings, and would not bee ashamed: yea so did the Psal. 69. 9. zeale of Gods house eate him vp, and the reproaches of them that reproached God, were so fallen on him, that when his tongue could not preuaile for the honour of Gods name, Psal. 119. 136. riuers of waters ranne downe his eyes, because men kept not his law. Whereunto then shall wee liken the men of this generation, whose lips are sealed vp from any such testimonies of the loue and zeale of God? They are like a sort of gracelesse children and faithlesse friends, who hauing tasted some sweet­nesse of profit or pleasure in the society of their friends and parents ene­mies, [Page 70] they can familiarly and io [...]undly, talke and walke, conuerse and com­merce▪ yea, feast and sport with them; and in the midst of all this see and heare their friends and Parents spitefully disgraced among them, yea, trampled vnder feete, or stricken through, and swallow vp al in sence­lesse silence.

Fourthly and finally, let vs heare the Lord pleading his owne quarrell by the Prophet, saying, Mal. 1. 6. a sonne honoureth his Father, and a seruant his Master; if [...] then bee a Father, where i [...] my honour, &c. saith the Lord of hosts? Now where in shal it be known that we honour God our Father, o [...] Christ our Master? Shall we [Page 71] come (as the Micha 6. 6. hypocrite saith) before the Lord, and bow our selues before the high God? Verse 7. will the Lord bee pleased with offerings and such formall comple­ments of religious seruices, wherein, the hypocrite, if he might be beleeued, would not spare to Verse the same. giue the fruit of his body for the sinne of his soule? Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good, and wherein he will be glo­rified; euen in this, that wee Ioh. 15. 8. beare much fruit, and Dan. 12. 3. Act. 11. 18. 13. 48. turne many to righteous­nesse. For as Pro. 14. 28. in the multi­tude of the people, is the Kings honour, so this is as the Cant. 3. 11. setting of the crowne on the head of the Lord Ie­sus, when now in the day of his espousals, euery pri­uate [Page 72] Christian, 1 Cor. 16 16. Rom. 16. 3, 9 men and Rom. 16. 12. Phil. 3. 3. women, labour much in the Gospell, and be helpers together with the Prea­chers; that many may bee 2 Cor. 11. 3. presented as a chast Vir­gin vnto Christ. Now then priuate Exhortation being a helpe to Iam. 3. 19, 20. conuert and Ioh. 1. 43, 44, 45. bring others to Christ, yea, and a meane whereby a Prou. 9. 9. wise man may bee yet wi­ser, and each Heb. 10. 23, 24 prouoke o­ther to loue and good workes: this therefore is a speciall duty whereto al be­leeuers must addict them­selues; that so many con­uerts, and much fruit may abound, to the honour of God our Father, and Christ our Master. And otherwise for any professor to lift vp his eyes to heauen, and to [Page 73] say, Our Father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdome come, &c. and to cease from mu­tuall exhortation, whereby his name is hallowed, and his kingdome inlarged: is as plaine & grosse mocke­ry, as for a Plough-man and Goade-inch, or a Car­ter and Seedes-man, in a faire seede-time, to lift vp their hands and pray, Our Father, &c. giue vs this [...]. 1. 8. day our daily bread, and so withdraw their hands from the plough, and with-hold the seede from the ground, spending all the se [...]d-time in some other trifling bu­sinesse. For as their Masters bread will soone faile ano­ther yeare, if his fallowes be not turned, and his arables [Page 74] sowne: so the Eze. 1 [...]. [...], 18. &c. glory of the God of Israel, will soon [...] by little and little depar [...] from among vs, if the Ier. 4. 3. fa [...] low ground of mens hear [...] [...] 2 be not broken vp, and th [...] ^e immortall seede of th [...] 1 Pet. 1. 23. word sowne, as wel by hel [...] of mutuall exhortation, a [...] by publike preaching. An [...] let this suffice concerning my first generall motiue.

M^r. Archippus, yo [...] haue so approued your fir [...] motiue to our ^f conscienc [...] [...]. 4. 2. in the sight of God; that o [...] ^g hearts cannot but co [...] demne [...] 3. 20 vs of great defect our loue to God and o [...] Sauiour in the ^h fruit of o [...] Heb. 13. 15 lips, whereby his nam [...] might haue bin more ble [...] sed and praised, and o [...] neighbours better edifie [...] [Page 75] And wee may with Ezra, Ezra 9. 6. blush to lift vp our faces, and call God Father, or Christ our Redeemer, when wee consider how iustly God may stop our mouthes with that answere which Absolom gaue to Hushai, 2 Sam. 16. 17. Is this your kindenesse to your friend? or as the Pro­phet answered the Priests, that by their lame and sicke sacrifices despised the name of the Lord, saying, Mal. 1. 8. offer it now vnto thy Gouernor, will hee bee pleased with thee, or accept thy person? &c. But seeing the Father of mercies is well pleased to accept vs as his schollers, to be informed to the full, vp­on condition Eze. 43. 11 if wee be a­shamed of all that we haue done (as we are at this day) [Page 76] how hopefully ma [...] you proceede to the rest of your motiues, whereby we may be stirred vp to Deut. 32. 6 requite the Lord in a better Tit. 2. 14. zeale here­after, as becommeth his re­deemed peculiar people, and Mat. 11. 19 children of wise­dome.

Though happi­ly you may feele as much terrour in my second mo­tiue, as shame in the for­mer; yet in your desire o [...] well-doing, 1 Pet. 3. 6. feare not my deare brethren with any slauish terror, because there is Psal. 130. 4 mercy with the Lord, that he may be feared with filiall feare: and your hap­pinesse it shall bee, so to [...] Hab. 3. 16. tremble now, that you may haue rest hereafter, for th [...] furtherance whereof I now proceede.

My second generall mo­tiue is drawne from that royall law as S. Iames cals it, viz. Iam. 2. 8. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. Here by our neighbour wee are to vnderstand, not onely, no nor chiefly, his body and life, food and rayment, &c. (after which the Mat. 6. 31. hea­then seeke, as our Saui­our speaketh) but princi­pally his soule. For Mat. 16. 26 what is a man profited, if hee should gaine the whole world, and loose his owne soule, or what shall a man giue in exchange for his soule? Now as there is for the body a Ioh. 6. 27. perishing meate and rayment▪ for which most men are so so­licitous and laborious, that Christ cals for a Mat. 6. 31. diuersion [Page 78] of mens thoughts & paines from these; so there is for the soule Ioh. 6. 27. a food enduring to eternall life, and a Esa. 61. 10. robe of righteousnesse, or gar­ments of saluation; and of these most professors are so carelesse, and in a man­ner sencelesse, that the Lord not onely Reu. 3. 18 councel­leth, and Ioh. 6. 27. Col. 3. 2. commandeth, but with a Esa. 55. 1. &c. solemne O-yes, or cry, calleth most earnest­ly, euen on men already called, that they should more minde, and chafer and labour for these, and Prou. 4. 7. with all their getting▪ get them. Moreouer as Ioh. 6. 35. Christ is the onely bread of life fo [...] the soule, and his robe o [...] righteousnesse its Reu. 7. 14. & 19. 8. ray­ment, and the soule that Gal. 3. 26, 27. puts not on Christ, an [...] [Page 79] Ioh. 6. 53. eateth him, hath no life in him: so the onely meane whereby wee Verse 63. spiritually eate and put on Christ, is Verse 40. 54 faith, and the soule that liueth in vnbeliefe, is Eph. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 6. dead though it liue, being Ioh. 3. 18. alrea­dy condemned.

And now what is this f [...]th I pray, whereby Christ is made our foode and rayment? Is it possibly an idle historicall faith, such as the Iam. 2. 19. diuels themselues haue? No, neither surely a temporary fained faith, such as Mat. 13. 21 Luk. 8. 13. hypocrites haue, no, though therewith they could worke wonders, 1 Cor. 13 2 re­mouing mountaines, and Mat. 7. 22, 23. casting out diuels in the name of Christ. But it is the Tit. 1. 1. faith of Gods elect, which onely a Mat. 20. 16 few among [Page 80] many professors obtaine euen a 2. Pet. 1. 1. precious, 1 Tim. 1. 5 vn [...]ai­ned faith, which Acts 15. 9. purifiet [...] the heart, Gal. 5. 6. worketh by loue, and 1 Ioh. 1. 7. walketh in the light, being 1 Tim. 1. 19 kept in a goo [...] conscience (desiring in all things to Heb. 13. 18 liue honestly) as a Iewell is kept in a cabi­net. And this sauing-faith being ioyned with Eph. 4. 13. know­ledge of the truth (where­unto all must 1 Tim. 2. 4 come that will bee saued) and with 2 Thes. 2. 13. sanctification of the spirit▪ (Heb. 12. 14 without which no ma [...] shall see the Lord) eue [...] with the Tit. 1. 1. acknowledging of the truth which is after godlinesse; and it being not in man Mat. 19. 6. to put a-sunde [...] what GOD hath couple [...] together: as for lacke o [...] knowledge all ignoran [...] [Page 81] persons are excluded from faith, so are al the prophane for want of holinesse. And therefore howsoeuer any of these, whom the Scrip­ture thus shuts vp in vn­beliefe, may say vnto Christ in that day, Mat. 7. 22. Lord, Lord, &c. yea, Luk 13. 25 &c. knocke and cry presumptuously, Lord, Lord, open vnto vs, presuming on the great things they reckon to re­ceiue at his hands, for the profession they haue made, and the wonders they haue done in his name (as if the name of Iesus had beene all in all vnto them) yet as surely as by ignorance or disobedience they abide in vnbeliefe; so assuredly will Ioh. 3. 39. the wrath of God abide vpon them, and the Lord [Page 82] Iesus will haue nothing in that day to render vnto them, but 2 Tess. 1. 8, 9. vengeance with euerlasting perdition, as to them that know not God, so to them that diso­bey the gospell.

Now wee that 2 Cor. 5. 11 know the terror of God, and how the iudgment-seate of Iesus Christ will know no dif­ference betweene the Ier. 9. 25. cir­cumcised and vncircum­cised, betwixt an vn­washen Turke and an ig­norant or wicked Chri­stian (the one being Vers. 26. vn­circumcised and 1 Pet. 3. 21. vnbap­tized in the heart, as the o­ther in the flesh) doe not we by this euidence o [...] Scriptures see discouered euery where among our neighbours a multitude o [...] [Page 83] Reu. 3. 17 poore blinde, naked, and st [...]rued soules; howsoeuer some of them may be Luk. 16. 19 cloa­thed in purple and fine lin­nen, and fare deliciously, or sumptuously, euery day, with the damned glutton, and the most of them tra­uaile with high conceipts of their Reu. 3. 17. riches & increase of goods, as if they had neede of nothing, like the luke-warme Laodi [...]an? And by how much the more blind and insensible they are to know an [...] feele this their spirituall pouerty & nakednes; are they not so much the more Verse the same. wretched and miserable, that is, so much the more to be pit tyed of vs, as they are wo­full in themselues? Heere then Phil. 2. 1. if there be any con­solation [Page 84] in Christ, if any comfort of loue, if any fel­lowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies: must not euery one of vs shew the same by Esa 32. 8. deuising of liberall things, and by [...]sa. 58. 10 drawing out our reple­nished soules to these hun­ger-starued naked soules; that by our Pro. 10. 21. lipfeeding they may be sed with the bre [...]d of life, and cloathed with the garments of salua­tion: And that if it Rom. 12. 18 be possible, as much as in vs lyeth: we may Iam. 5. 20. 1 Cor 9. 22. saue all of them from staruing and famishing? And is not this the chiefe mercy and almes that the royall Law requi­reth of all Christians that haue obtayned mercy, say­ing, Leu. 13. 17 Thou shalt not hate [Page 85] thy brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise re­buke thy neighbour & not suffer sin vpon him? And doth the 1 Ioh. 3. 16 gospell by vertue of Christs loue to vs, call for our liues to be layed downe for our brethren; & shal we be sparing of the rebukes which the Law so v [...]hemently presseth vpon vs [...] saying, as it in the He­brew Text, Leu. 29. 17 rebuking thou [...] shalt rebuke, that is, asmuch as possibly in thee lyeth, that thou mayst not suffer sin vpon him. As S. Iohn saith, 1 Ioh. 3. 17 Who so hath this worlds good and seeth his brother haue neede, and shutteth vp his compassion from him; how dwelleth the loue of God in him? May not I much more [Page 86] heere say, who so hath tr [...] Mat. [...]. 11. good things of the Luk. 11. 13 hol [...] Ghost, or the Col. 2. 3. treasures [...] wisedome and knowledge and seeth his brothers sou [...] haue neede, and shutteth [...] his bowels of compassio [...] from it; how dwelleth th [...] loue of God or neighbou [...] in him?

I conclude therefore, th [...] it is no lesse then a hatefu [...] mockery to naked destitu [...] soules (as to bodies, as [...] Iac 2, 15, 16. Iames sheweth) to fee [...] and warme them one▪ with faire wishings an [...] wouldings (as we say) a [...] not to giue them tho [...] things that are needefull [...] the soule. And whatsoeue [...] pretences of tender lou [...] and affections men ma [...] make, insparing to woun [...] [Page 87] mens consciences; as in ef­fect Pro. 13. 24 he hateth his Sonne that spareth the rodde: so he hateth his brother that spareth the 1 Cor. 4. 21 rod of rebuke; because it is the best Psal. 141. 5 kind­nesse to smite there-with Pro. 19. 18. whiles there is hope, [...]ea to smite and Verse the same. not to spare for his crying. It is better once to smart, then euer to a [...]e, as we say; much more then to Mat. 25. 30. weepe and gnash the teeth in hell (as the Scripture saith) Marc. 9. 43 44. where their worme dyeth not, and the fire is neuer quenched. Where-vnto then shall wee liken those many among vs; who Act. 1 [...]. [...]5, 16. caring no more then Gallio did for matters of the soule, bestow all their care, cost, and paines for the worldly welfare, [Page 88] wealth and creditte of the [...] neighbours and families & then Deut, 29. 19. blesse themselues in their harts, saying muc [...] like Idolatrous Iudg. 17. 13. Mica [...] now know I that the Lor [...] will doe me good, seeing I haue lou [...]d my wife, chil­dren and neighbours; as if they had neuer heard that Iam. 4. 4. the loue of the worl [...] is the enmity of God, or Mat [...]6. 26. what is a man profited i [...] he should gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule? The Eph. 1. 18 vnderstan­ding being the eye of the minde, as the Mat. 6. 22. light o [...] the body is the eye, and the will and affections of the soule being as the vitall spi­rits of the heart: and the Luk. 16. 9 Mammon of vnrighteous­nes and 1 Ioh. 2. 16 pride of life wit [...] [Page 89] all the things of the world, being not to be compared to the excrements of mens haires and nayles; (which might be better spared, then the parings of mens nayles, if men would Esa 46. 8. remember & shew them­selues men and bring to minde what verdict the Scripture hath past vpon those that dote most on them; namely that 1 Ioh. 2. 15 if any man loue the world, the loue of the Father is not in him) these premises being considered, is not the comparison in our mouth and in our heart, wherunto wee shall liken them? Sure­ly they are like witles, mer­ciles parents, that take great thought and spare no cost for trimming and dressing [Page 90] their childrens hayre, an [...] suffer their eyes to rot ou [...] of their heads: or that are most curious and carefull for curing the white o [...] their nayles, and carelesly suffer a gangrene to eate out their very hearts. And in all such is that prouerbe verified, Pro. 12. 10 The tender mer­cies of the wicked are cruell.

Againe, if wee looke to the rest of our neighbours, not only those that haue a Rom. 2. 20 forme of knowledge and 1 Tim. 3. 5. shew of godlinesse, but them also that haue 1 Tim. 3. 13 pur­chased to them-selues a good degree & great bold­nesse in the saith; euen a­mong these see wee no [...] some 2 Thes. 2. 2 shaken in minde, an [...] Esa. 1. 6. reuolting more & more [Page 91] (in a fearfull manner, as I at first shewed out of Heb. 3.) And these must be fetcht onward and stablished with the Eccl 12. 11 words of the wise, as with goads and nayles fastened by the Ma­sters of the assemblies. O­thers are Gal. 6. 9. Heb. 12. 3. weary and fain­ting in well-doing, and they must be Pro. 27. 9. refreshed with the oyntment and perfume of hearty coun­sayle. Sundry are Cant. 2. 15 sicke of loue, and Pro. 12. 25. stooping vnder heau [...]nesse of heart, they must be stayed with fla­gons, and cheared with good words, and words fitly spoken Pro. 25. 11, like apples of gold in pictures of siluer. Finally some are bruised by the 2 Cor. 12. 7 buffets of Satan, and pearced with Ep. 6. 16. his fiery [Page 92] darts, so that their Iob 11. 20 hope is as the giuing vp of the ghost: in this case our Cant. 4. 11 lips must drop as an hony­combe, and hony & milke must be vnder our tongue▪ that wee may giue them Zac. 1. 13. good words, and com­fortable words, and Pro. 16. 24 plea­sant words, such as may be sweetnesse to the soule and health to the bones, and more to be Iob 23. 12. esteemed then our necessary foode. No [...] it being a Luk. 10. 3 [...] &c. neighbour [...] duty not to passe by on the [...] other side with the Prie [...] and Leuite, when we se [...] men stript and wounded: but with the Samaritane to binde vp their wounds powring in wine and oyle and supplying their wan [...] with our store: shall Chri­stians [Page 93] 1 Ioh. 2 20 who haue an vnction from the holy one, and knowing all things should know how Gal. 6. 2. to beare one an others burden and so fulfill [...] Law of Christ; shall they I say in the midst of all this passe­by on the other side, not powring out 1 Ioh. 2. 27 the anoyn­ting which they haue re­ceaued, and so Mat. 25. 18. hide their Lords treasure with the Vers. 26. wicked and sloathfull ser­uant?

Howsoeuer vnder Vers. 24. 25 pre­tence of difficulties and Pro. 24. 12. blinde excuses, they may for a while quietly Gen. 49. 14. couch downe betweene two bur­thens (their brethrens fay­lings I meane, and their owne conniuence) because looking through such false [Page 94] sp [...]ctacles, and not through the glasse of the word, they may Vers 15. see that rest is good Yet as surely as they Num. 32. 6 &c. sinn [...] against the Lord in thi [...] neglect of their brethren so Vers. 23. let them [...]e sure their sinne will finde them out; and then themselues will be [...]ound little better, then as mercilesse stewards an [...] Surgeons; who being sen [...] into the haruest, and into the battaile, with store o [...] foode and balme, and wit [...] strict charge therewith to refresh and reuiue the hun­gry labourers and woun­ded souldiors; they goe and giue the gaze vpon them; beholding some faynting in their hunger, and others languishing i [...] their wounds, and so passe­by [Page 95] them, onely with th [...] courtesie o [...] th [...] day, [...] good wishes giuen them neuer bestowing either their foode or balme for the relieuing of any o [...] them. Now if a man should aske the bordering neighbours that see and heare all this, what they say an [...] deeme of such stewards and Surgeons; happily they being not priuy to the store and charge committed to them, may commend them as courteous quiet passen­gers that disturbed or abu­sed no man: but if ye aske the Lord of the haruest, and the generall of the field when he heares of this, will not he cry out (and that iustly) fie vpon such mur­derers? And heere if ye re­call [Page 96] to minde what before ye heard from the mouth of the Lord; namely th [...] he who rebuking rebuketh not this neighbour, hateth him in his heart in suffe­ring sinne vpon him; and thereto adde what he hath told vs by his Apostle, viz: 1 Ioh. 3. 13 whosoeuer hateth his bro­ther is a murtherer: see ye [...] not how the former sen­tence Zac. 1. 6. takes holde on all silent Christians, as a Eccl. 12. 11 nayle fastened and riueted to the Psal. 24. 9. doores of their hearts and consciences; where the Lord yet Reu. 3 20. stands and knocks Zeph. 2. 2. before the decree bring forth execution, that by Mat. 5. 7. shewing mercy they may obtaine mercy, and that their Iam, 2. 13. mercy may re­ioyce against iudgment [Page 97] Deut. 32. 29 O that they were wise, that they vnderstoode this, that they would consider their latter end; yea 2 Cor. 5, 20. in Christs steede I beseech such a one, whosoeuer thou art, not to Rom, 2. 4. despise the riches of Gods good­nes and forbearance and long suffering, leading thee to repentance, but that thou wilt be reconciled to God. For if thou shouldest [...] harden thy heart in im­ [...]enitency, [...] Vers. 5. thou treasurest [...]p to thy selfe wrath against [...]e day of wrath; when his soule-murdering sinne [...]hat now lyeth lighter on [...]y conscience then corke [...] feathers, will in that day [...]eme heauier then the [...]eight of Reu. 6. 16. the rocks and [...]ountaynes.

O therefore that my Dan. 4. 27. councell might be accep­table vnto thee, and that thou wouldest imagine, that the iustice of GOD should euen now meete thee (while Mat. 5. 2 [...]. thou art in the way) with such a gree­ting as he gaue Gen. 4. 9. Cain, say­ing, Where are thy neigh­bours and brethren? wilt thou answere, am I my Brothers keeper? Eye on it, it was the speech of a Verse the same. mur­thering Cain, and if thou Amos 4. 12 prepare not to meete th [...] Lord with a better an­swere, he will proceede say­ing, Gen. 4. 10. what hast thou done the voyce of thy neighbours bloud cryeth vnt [...] mee from the earth. W [...] thou reply, thou didst n [...] uer giue wound, or dea­blow [Page 99] among them with sword or fist? But thy neigh­bours haue soules (as well as bodies) and they may bee slaughtered without sword or fist. Yea, but for their soules thou wilt say, thou didst neuer seduce them with error, nor poy­son them with heresie; for thou didst seldome or ne­uer exchange a word with them about soule-matters. A goodly answere, as if a steward being called to reckoning for murthering his Masters seruants, by de­taining the meat and drink which hee should minister vnto them; should answere, I neuer baned them with meate, nor poysoned them with liquor, for they had none at all from mee. But [Page 100] all the world knoweth, bo­dies may bee murthered as well by want of meate and drinke that should bee gi­uen them, as by bane or poyson in lieu thereof mi­nistred vnto them. And so may soules likewise be Hos. 4. 6. de­stroyed for lacke of know­ledge, and Pro. 5. 23. & 10. 21. dye for want of instruction and wise­dome; wherein Mat. 12. 30 he that is not with Christ, (for sauing soules) is against him, and he that gathereth not, scat­tereth. And therefore 2 Tim. 2. 7. the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things, whereby wee may 1 Tim. 3. 9. haue the mysterie of the faith in a pure consci­ence, that so wee may bee Acts 20. 26 pure from the bloud of all men. And thus you haue my second generall mo­tiue.

Brother Aristar­chus, how truely may wee with the two Disciples, say one to another, Luk. 24. 32 did not our hearts burne within vs, whiles the Scriptures haue bin thus opened vnto vs? The Lord bee mercifull to our former luke-warme­nesse, and grant that our af­fections thus now kindled, may bee for the time to come, Cant. [...]. 6, 7 like those coales of loue, which many waters may neuer quench. And to this end, we pray you M^r. Archippus, to proceede, and 2 Cor. 13. 2. spare not; though the word of GOD in your mouth be Ier. 23. 29. like a fire, and your lips as Ier. 6. 29. bellowes to make the flame vehement; that you may not leaue vs, as the Verse the same. Founder that mel­teth [Page 102] in vaine. How much better is it, seeing the har­dest frost must sooner or la­ter haue a thaw; that our frozen hard hearts should melt here, that we may bee 1 Cor. 3. 15 saued, though so as by fire; then to bee Iob 21. 30 reserued vnto the day of wrath, to bee thawed with Esa. 33. 14. euerlasting burnings hereafter, which Mat. 24▪ 51. is the portion of hypo­crites.

Blessed bee God, that by Esa. 4. 3. the spirit of iudge­ment and by the spirit of burning, doth purge the bloud of Ierusalem; and thus 1 Pet. 4. 17 begins iudgement at his owne house here, that they may not be 1 Cor. 11. 31. condemned with the world. And to your comfort be it spoken this tender Esa. 66. 2. contrite heart [Page 103] of yours, thus trembling at the word, is a powerfull blessed Iob 33. 23, 27. effect of Gods gra­tious aspect towards you, as Heb. 12. 23 his first borne that Esa. 4. 3. are written among the liuing in Ierusalem. O my bre­thren, how should you Luk. 10. 20. re­ioyce in this as our Sauiour saith, that your names are written in heauen [...] And as I haue spoken these things vnto you, that this our Ioh. 15. 12. Sa­urours ioy might remaine in you, and that your ioy may be full, so whatsoever I shall adde, is intended as 2 Cor. 1. 24. a furtherance of this your ioy, though by the way a­ny thing should 2 Cor. 9. 8. make you sorry for a season. And so I proceede.

My third generall mo­tiue deriued from the con­sideration [Page 104] of our selues, is this▪ that wee all professors being here in the militant Church (Can. 6. 10. terrible as an ar­my with banners) and ha­uing our 2 Cor. 10. 3 life for a warfare▪ and the 1 Tim. 6, 12 good fight of faith for our combat: as e­uer wee looke to Eph. 6. 13 stand in the euill day, so must wee put on the whole armour of God, especially the 1 Thes. 5. 9 brest­plate of faith and loue, and the hope of saluation for an helmet. And passing here by loue as already dispatch­ed, I say Faith is compared to a brest-plate, because as this is the safeguard of the heart wherein the naturall life consisteth; so Faith is the safeguard of Rom. 2. 29 1 Pet. 3. 4. the hid man of the heart, wherein spirituall life consisteth. [Page 105] And therefore as wee are said to Gal. 2. 20. liue by faith of the Sonne of God, so Faith is said to be 1 Ioh. 5. 4. the victory that ouercommeth the world; and we know the te [...]or of the Gospell is plaine and peremptory, Mar. 16. 16 hee that be­leeueth, shall bee saued; but he that beleeueth not, shall bee damned. Vpon this ground I inferre, that I must either make good proofe of my faith, or quit clayme to the sauing-state of grace. Now wee know what eui­dence S. Iames cals for, Iam 2. 17. 18. &c. shew me thy faith by thy workes. Aske yee what workes? Search the Scrip­tures, and among all out­ward ordinary works, they produce that in the prime place, as the prime-rose and [Page 106] fairest euidence of Faith, which is in least esteeme with worldlings; I meane the fruit of our lips, where­by we blesse God, and edi­fie our neighbours. [...] Cor. 4. 13 Wee hauing the same spirit o [...] Faith (saith S. Paul) accor­ding as it is written, I be­leeued, and therefore haue I spoken: we also beleeue▪ and therfore speake. Ag [...]ine, Rom. 10. 9 if thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus, and beleeue in thy heart &c. thou shalt bee saued. An [...] this he doubleth again wit [...] a reason annexed, saying Verse 10. For with the heart ma [...] beleeueth vnto righteous­nesse, and with the mout [...] confession is made vnt [...] saluation. Thou wilt sa [...] then, that the fruit of th [...] [Page 107] lips being, as I auouch, the prime-rose of outward workes, belike the Apostle teacheth men to bee saued according to their workes. In no wise; but this I say, that the confession of the mouth, being the chiefe euidence of true Faith in the heart, whereby wee are iustified as by Gods priuy seale: in the reuelation of Gods righteous iudgement, wee shall bee admitted by confession, as by Gods broad-seale, to passe from iustification to saluation▪ And search the Scriptures, and you shall finde, that both before, and in the time of the Law, as well as in the dayes of the Gospell, the fruit of the lips is not onely culled out as the [Page 106] [...] [Page 107] [...] [Page 108] choise, but made as the epi­tome of all outward works, being alleadged in stead of all the rest; and produced as Gods broad-seale to di­stinguish Gen. 4. 26. 6, [...]. the Sonnes of God from the Sonnes of men, Ier. 10. 25 Psal. 14. 4. the beleeeuers from Infidels, and Ioel 2. 32. Act. 2. 17. 21. Rom. 10. 13 the saued from the damned.

And for this cause the Scriptures attribute to the tongue, aboue all other members of the body, the title Psal. 5 [...]. 7. 108. 1. of our glory: because though it bee for matter a small member, yet in ver­tue and power it ouersway­eth all the rest, Iam. 3. 3. 4 as a Bit in the horses mouth, or a Helme in a Ship; Verse 2. and if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the [Page 109] whole body: and yet this is not all, but chiefly because there is no member like it Psal. 108. 1 3, & 57. 7, 8, 9 to glorifie God, when it is set on worke by the feruent spirit of Faith; as there is none so bad, if Iam. 3. 6. it be set on fire of hell. Looke we to it therefore, for Pro. 28. 21 death and life are in the power of the tongue, as the wise man speaketh. And howsoeuer the wisedome of world­lings, Rom. 8. 7. being enmity against God, doth thwart & sleight this, and iudge of speaking (as of 1 Cor. 2. 18, 21 Preaching) estee­ming it as light as foolish­nesse, to be put in the bal­lance with workes high in their esteeme: yet a Mat. 12. 42 wiser then Salomon (euen the Acts 17. 31 man ordained to iudge the whole world, and therfore [Page 110] must needes Gen. 18. 25 iudge, an [...] doe right) auoucheth th [...] same, saying Mat. 12. 42 by thy wor [...] thou shalt be iustified, an [...] by thy words thou shalt b [...] condemned. What the [...] though thy feete be swift [...] Eccl. 5. 1. goe to the house of God and Esa. 1. 12. treade his courts, thy head bowed downe Esa. 58. 5. like [...] bulrush, or as Ier. 9. 1. a fountain [...] of water to Heb. 12. 17 seeke the ble [...] sing with teares; thineq Psal. 119. 37. eyes turned away from b [...] holding vanity, thine ear [...] shut from Psal. 15. 3. taking vp a reproach against thy neighbour, & Eph. 4. 2 [...]. thy hands stron [...] to labour, and so stretche [...] out to the needy, that th [...] shouldest 2 Cor. 13 [...] bestow all th [...] goods to feede the poor [...] yea, and giue thy body to be burned; yet with [Page 111] out the right vse of the tongue, thou art nothing. For if thou refrainest not thy tongue from Mat. 12. 36. idle words, and Eph. 4. 29 corrupt com­munication; if thou Pro. 15. 14 feedest thy owne mouth with foo­lishnesse, in stead of feeding others with thy lips; if thou Ier. 9. 3. bend thy tongue like thy bow for lyes, but art not valiant for the truth vpon earth, to Esa. 59. 4. call for iustice and pleade for truth; if fi­nally Mat. 12. 35 out of the good trea­sure of the heart, thy tongue bring not forth good thinge that may bee Eph. 4. 29. good to the vse of edifying: thou Iam. 1. 26. de­ceiuest thy owne heart in seeming religious, and fai­lest in one maine proofe of thy faith, which Iam. 2. 20. one lack­ing, will proue thee no bet­ter [Page 112] then a transgressor in al [...] the rest. And Mal. 1. 14. cursed be [...] the deceiuer (faith the Lord) that hath in his floc [...] a male, and voweth and sa­crificeth vnto the Lord, a corrupt thing. The Hos 14. 2. calue [...] of thy lips not rendred to God, proue all the rest but lame sacrifices: and thy glo­ry, thy tongue I meane, the most glorious instrument of Faith, wherewith thou shouldest Iam. 3. 9. blesse God, and Iam. 5. 20. saue thy neighbours soule, is Pro. 3. 27. with-holden from them to whom it is due; &c what faith or righteousnesse can then be in thee?

And that herein thou maiest no longer be faith­lesse, but beleeuing, reach thy hand I pray thee, to the Scriptures alleadged, and [Page 113] search with the Acts 17. 11 noble Be­ [...]reans, whether these things bee so: namely, that the Pro. 10. 21 lips of the righteous feed many, but fooles dye for want of wisedome: so that no lip-feeder, no righteous man. And againe, Pro. 28. 4. they that forsake the law, praise the wicked, but such as keep the law (in faith and a good conscience hee mea­neth,) contend with them; that is, as others praise them with Psal. 12. 2. flattering lips, To these Psal. 141. 5 smite them with [...]eproofes, and so fight or contend with them in bat­ [...]aile; as the [...] Prou. 28. 4 Hebrew word [...]ignifieth, and as the kings [...]ranslators Deut. 2. 9. 24. else-where ren­der the same: Whence we conclude, as before, no [...]ip-feeder, no righteous [Page 114] man: so here, no lip-sm [...] ­ter, no beleeuer. Wherfor [...] Pro. 9. 12. if thou be wise, be wise [...] ­thine owne soule, to make sure the euidence of th [...] faith, which is thy bres [...] plate. Then as 2 Tim. 2. 3. good soul­diers of Iesus Christ, ye wi [...] Eph. 6. 17. take the sword of the spi­rit, which is the word o [...] God, and therewith teac [...] your tongues to 1 Tim 6. figh [...] the good fight of saith, no [...] onely Eph. 6. 12. against flesh and bloud, but also against the Principalities and power of darkenesse, according to the Deut. 29. 12. couenant and oa [...] of the Lord your GOD whereinto yee entred by Baptisme. And as thus fighting, yee 1 Ioh. 5. 4. haue the vic­tory that ouer commeth the world, euen your faith, and [Page 115] [...]hereby Heb. 4. 3. enter into rest, (e­ [...]en Mat. 11. 29 rest to your soules, which is a heauen vpon [...]arth) before many of your [...]rethren (like as the Iosh. 1. 1 5 sonnes of Reuben and Gad had [...]heir rest and possession be­ [...]ore their brethren) so yee may not sit still here, as [...] Moses told them, andd Num. 3 [...]. [...] [...]our brethren goe to warre without your assistance; [...]ut yee must passe armed [...]efore your brethren, (as Iosh. 1. 14. Ioshuah charged the Rou­ [...]enites) and fight for them with the sword of Christs mouth, till the Lord haue giuen them rest with you.

And concerning hope, [...]t is compared to a helmet, because as it secureth the head, wherein the braine is seated, whence the animall [Page 116] spirits proceede, that sti [...] vp the sences, and mo [...] the sinewes of the body so hope is the preseruati [...] of all those spirituall motions, whereby the spirit stirreth, and groweth in grace▪ Therefore it is called a1 Pet. 1. 3. liuely hope, because i [...] quickeneth men (as th [...] Acts 26. 7. twelue tribes) instantly to serue God. And so neces­sary a thing is hope to the sauing-state of grace, that [...] were better for our bodie [...] to bee headlesse, then ou [...] hearts to be hopelesse. Fo [...] Rom. 8. 24 we are saued by hope: an [...] Eph. 2. 12. without hope, withou [...] God in the world. Now Heb. 11. 1. faith being the ground o [...] l Rom. 10. 17 thing [...] hoped for, and fait [...] comming by the word o [...] God heard▪ where we haue [Page 117] no word of promise to be­ [...]eue, there I can haue no [...]pe to waite for. What [...]erefore saith the word of [...]omise? Mat. 25. 29 To euery one [...]at hath (to imploy for [...]e Lords aduantage) shall [...] giuen, and he shall haue [...]undance; but from him [...]at hath not, (so to im­ [...]oy) shall bee taken away [...]en that which hee hath. [...] worldly treasure the ri­ [...]er a couetous man is, the [...]ore vnwilling hee is to [...]mmunicate and distri­ [...]te to others; because the [...]ore he giues, the lesse hee [...]inkes remaineth for him [...] feede Eccl. 5. 11. his eyes withall. [...]t in the true riches of [...]race, the Prouerbe is veri­ [...]d, Pro. 11. 24 There is that scatte­ [...]th, and yet increaseth, and [Page 118] there is that with-holde [...] more then is meete, but [...] tendeth to pouerty. No [...] therefore hast thou hope t [...] stand, when others fall, an [...] to thriue in grace when others turne b [...]nkerupt [...] make good then thy hop [...] by Heb. 3. 6. holding fast the conf [...] dence, and the reioycing [...] the hope, firme vnto th [...] end. Aske ye how? The A­postle sheweth, by Verse 13. exho [...] ting one an other daily whiles its called to da [...] This is the way to hold fa [...] the profession of our hop [...] (as of our faith) witho [...] wauering, Heb. 10. 23 24. when wee con­sider one another to pr [...] uoke vnto loue & to goo [...] workes, by exhorting o [...] another. Herein deuise [...] the Prophet Esa. 3 [...]. [...]. saith of lib [...] rall [Page 119] things (like a liberall lip-feeder) and by liberall things thou shalt stand: yea▪ the more thou winnest soules to God by imploy­ment of thy talents, the more shalt thou increase in thy owne stocke, with Mat. 25. 20. &c. the good and faithfull seruants.

Looke on such as by rea­ding, praying, catechising, and singing in their fami­lies, and by mutuall exhor­tations, and conferences imploy their talents: how are they, as Cant. [...]. 16 gardens whose spices flow out? how is their Pro. 4 [...]8. path, as the shining light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day [...] how Hos. [...]4. 5, 6, 7. grow they, as the Lilly, and cast forth their rootes as Lebanon? how spread their branches with [Page 120] beauty, as the Oliue-tree▪ with smell as Lebanon; so that they that dwell vnder their shadow, returne? On the contrary, take a view of Ministers and People, that with the sloathfull seruant, hide their talents. How ma­ny of those, that once be­gan to shine as starres, and dislilled doctrine as raine vpon the tender hearbs; be­came afterwards as clouds without raine, and starres without light, yea some like snuffes in scokets, whose wimpering light cannot be so comfortable, as their stench is abhomi­nable? And how many o­thers among the people, that once flourished like greene bay-trees, and yeel­ded refreshing like Ionas [Page 121] gourd, to all about them; ceasing afterwards from mutuall exhortation, haue bin blasted as forward buds with vntimely frosts, and withered as Ionas gourd, smitten with the worme? How is the knowledge of some ouercast with fogs of ignorance, and vnresolued doubts, as the light with clouds of darkenesse? their [...]ast looseth their sweet re­ [...]ish in the things of the spi­ [...]it, as the Israelites in their Manna, their memories that, marble-like, could [...]st [...]etaine the good things [...]hey heard, are now as lea­ [...]ing tubs, or out-running [...]eues; and the dore of their [...]ips that was wont to open [...]ith the law of grace, is [...]ow lockt vp from good [Page 122] words, or moues as door [...] on rusty hinges, with mur­muring and complaning and words tending rathe [...] to the peruerting of the hearers then godly edify­ing. They haue left their first loue, with Reu. 2. 4. Ephesus, their zeale is cooled, with Reu. 3. 16. Laodocia, and they haue a name that they liue but are dead, with Reu. 3. 1 Sardis. A [...] ye see these things, so con­sider them I pray, and look on them, (as Salomon did on Pro. 24. 30 31, 32 the field of the sloath­full) and receaue instruc­tion.

And if all this be not enough to rowze the [...] take heede left while a spi­rit of slumber fall on thee▪ Hos. 7. 9. strangers deuoure thy strength, and thou know [...] [Page 123] not, as the strength of Gods spirit departed from Iud. 16 19, &c. Samp­son whiles he slept on Dali­lahs knees. And then when thou art awakened to see what foule spiritual wicked­nesses are vpon thee, thou mayst fondly imagine (as Sampson) to goe out, as at o­ther times, & shake thy self, when thou wast wont to breake the bonds of ini­quity, as Sampson did the Philis [...]ines withes and ropes: But alas the Lord being de­parted from thee, the po­wers of darkenesse may so surprize thee, that they may not onely put out the eyes of thy minde, but binde thee with fetters worse then of brasse, and make thee grinde in any base seruice and filthy drudgery of the [Page 124] vncleane spirit, as the Phi­listines made Sampson grinde in the prison-house. And how many may you see or heare of to be thus kept grinding at the Diuels plea­sure, some in play-houses & whore-houses, others in ta­uernes and lehouses, and not a few in extortions, vsuries, abundance of idlenesse, pride and new-fang­lednesse, and many other abhominations? Yea, but yet haue all these free liber­ty in the midst of all this bondage to come to the house of God, and there to present themselues among the sonnes of God. I an­sweare, what can this auaile them, when Iob. 1. 6. Satan him­selfe may be there aswell as they? Nay vnlesse in better [Page 125] manner they make good their 1 Ioh. 1. 3. hope, by purging themselues as God is pure; their presence there, and all their praying, hearing, and receauing of the Sacraments, whereto serue they, but as Iud. 16. 25 Sampson when out of his prison he was presen­ted among the Philestines? euen to make sport for the Diuell and all his children; who hauing espied what a foundation of goodly hope these men began to lay, and how ill they are able to fi­nish it, Luk 14. 29 30. begin to mocke and say, loe these men be­gan to build and were not able to finish? Wilt thou therefore be without feare of such [...]ellish slauery and scorne, let thy glory (thy tongue) then awake and [Page 126] bestirre it selfe, to the glori­fying of God and edifying▪ of thy neighbours; disperse the fruit of thy lips and giue to poore soules so shall thy Psal. 112. 9 righteousnesse endure for euer, and thy horne shall be exalted with honour. Yea, though men and Deuils may grieue and gnash the teeth to see it, and Iude, Vers. 13 like raging waues of the sea foame out their owne shame against thee, yet this thy Heb. 6. 11. 19 diligence shall make to the full assurance of hope vnto the end: which hope thou hast as an anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vayle; to secure thee, that as thy diligence shall be blest with perseue­rance [Page 127] heere, so it shall be crowned with glory here­after.

Last of all, this hope of the glory that shall be re­uealed, should be a strong motiue to all of vs that with Heb [...]. [...]6 Moses haue respect to the recompence of reward. For as in bodily almes, so much more in spirituall; 1 Cor. 9. 6. he that soweth sparingly, shall reape sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully. And if Mat. 10. 42 a cup of colde wa­ter giuen in the name of a disciple shall not loose a re­ward; how much more shal the excellent oyle of re­proofe, the precious per­fume of harty councell, and the fruit of the lips▪ feeding many hungry soules for [Page 128] Christs sake, Act. 10. 4. come vp for a memoriall before God & Phil 4. 17. aboun [...] to our account S [...]ith the scripture in vayne Pro. 11. 30. hee that winneth soule (vsing all a [...]t and cunning & industry to catch soules, as fowlers doe to take birdes, as the Hebrew word [...] importeth) he is wise? The wise, saith the Dan. 12. 3. Prophet Da­niel, shall shine as the brightnesse of the firma­ment; but they that turne many to righteousnesse, as the stars for euer and euer. How should this make vs with the Apostle to be 1 Cor. 9. 22 19. made all things to all men, that wee may by all means win and saue some; yea, and make our selues ser­uants vnto all, that we may gaine the more? Shall they [Page 129] that runne in a race Vers. 24. 25 and striue for the mastery, so temper & stretch out them­selues for a corruptible crowne, and not wee for an incorruptible? Shall wordlings so striue, euery husband-man, who may haue the best crop at har­uest, euery merchant who may haue the best returne in a Mart, euery souldier who may haue the best booty in a conquest? and all these as vncertayne ven­turers vpon doubtfull hopes, which are sometime swept away as spiders cob­webs? and haue we a hope so sure and stedfast, groun­ded vpon the truth of God that can not lye, and on his omnipotency which being infinite can neither fayle [Page 130] o [...] it selfe, nor be mated by any [...]uerse power, which at greatest is but finite? And heare wee the righteous Iudge encouraging vs, say­ing, Reu. 22. 11 12 He that is righteous let him be righteous still, &c. and, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to giue euery man according as his work shall be? And shall not we be 1 Cor. 15. 58. stedfast & immoueable alwayes abounding in this worke of the Lord; in this fruite of the righteous, which is a tree of life?

M^r. Archippus, you haue twisted such a threefold corde in your 3. motiues already dispatched, that is able to draw any faithful heart to the practise of that you presse. We pray [Page 131] you therefore, that briefly touching the 4. you may come to your directions for the right manner of per­forming the same, which our resolued hearts long to heare.

My fourth gene­rall motiue is drawne from the consideration of our enemies. Wee Eph. 6. 12 wrestle, saith S. Paul, not against flesh and bloud (onely, or principally) but against principalities, against po­wers, against the rulers of the darkenes of this world, against spirituall wicked­nesses in high places: And therefore wee must not onely Eph. 6 11. 13, &c. put on the whole armour of God, and stand euery man vpon his 1 Pet. 5. 8. watch and 1 Ioh. 5. 18 guard: but as [Page 132] euer wee hope to stand [...] and quite our selues lik [...] men, and be conquerou [...] in the good fight of faith wee must Phil. 1. 27. stand fast in on [...] spirit, with one minde str [...] ­uing together (as the A­postl [...] saith) for the faith [...] the gospell. For in battaile they that look to conque [...] are careful to put their soul­diers in array, to march in rankes, supporting and en­couraging one another, a [...] Captaine Io [...]b tolde Abisha [...] saying, 2 Sam 10, 11, 12. if the Syrians be to [...] hard for me, then thou sha [...] helpe me; but if the chil­dren of Ammon be to [...] strong for thee, then I wi [...] come and helpe thee: be o [...] good courage and let vs play the men, &c. And wo [...] to the battaile, where the [Page 133] array is broken, and euery man shifteth for himselfe, being diuided each from other. So if we ioyne 1 Thess. 5. 8 loue with faith in our brest plate, and Col. 3. 14. put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse, and so with vnited forces fight together the good fight of faith, encouraging and strengthning each o­ther; our 1 Ioh. 5. 4. faith is the vic­tory that ouercommeth the world, and neither men, nor deuils, nor gates of hell shall preuaile against vs. For Eccl. 4. 12. if one fayle, two shall withstand, and a threefold corde is not quickly bro­ken. But Vers. 10. woe to him that is alone (that is vncharita­bly or presumptuously a­lone) when he falleth; for he hath not a second to [Page 134] help him vp. Loue there­fore Col. 2. 2. knitting vs together, is not without cause called the bond of perfectnesse; because, as a bond ioyning many weake sticks fast to­gether in a fagot, makes them too strong for a man of strength to breake; which yet a weake childe may breake one by one, being loosed from the bond: So if the saints of God be knit together in loue, they are Cant 6. 4. terrible as an army with banners; too strong [...]or that strong man armed, and all the powers of hell.

If Mat. 12. 26. Satan be diuided a­gainst himselfe, how then can his Kingdome stand? Nay, the diuell, our aduersa­ry is wiser then so. If Reu. 12 7. the dragon fight, his Angels [Page 135] shall fight with him; and though they be Marc. 5. 2. 9. legions yet they ioyne together as if they were all but one spirit, as they are all, named Eph. 2. 2. the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. And this wise-dome the di­uel so teacheth his children, that Pro. 11. 21 hand ioynes in hand among the wicked. And howsoeuer in their oppo­site lusts they may agree as ill as hounds about their bones; yet as the whole kennell can ioyne and run together with one mouth in pursuite of the Hare, so they against Christ and his members. Luk. 23. 12 Herod & Pilate, Mat. 22. 19, 16. Pharises and Herodians, yea Mat. 16. 1 Pharises and Sadduces, (most Act. 23. 8. contrary one to an other in their seuerall opi­nions) [Page 136] can be good friends, and stick together against Christ. Gen. 11. 3, 4. Goe too, said the old Rebels one to an other, let vs make brick, and goe too let vs builde &c. Pro. 1. 11, 14. Come with vs, say the theeues to their fellowes, cast in thy lot among vs, let vs all haue one purse. Esa. 56. 12 Come ye, say the drunkards, I will fetch wine, and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke, and to mor­row shall be as this day and much more abundant. Likewise the Idolaters Esa 41. 6, 7 helped euery one his neigh­bour, and euery one said to his neighbour, be of good courage; so the Carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer, him that [Page 137] smote the anuill. And how doe our Pharises of Rome compasse sea and land to make proselytes, by their Rom. 16. 18 fayre speechs deceauing many simple ones among vs? And how may it vexe euery righteous soule a­mong vs to see and heare, how idolaters▪ blasphemers, and others who should not dare to whisper or mumble betweene the teeth, doe from day to day Psal. 12. 3. 73. 8, 9. talke so proudly and loftily with their mouth set against the heauens and their tongue walking through the earth; as if they had the domi­nion ouer vs?

O how should this stirre vp the spirit within vs to contend in battaile ag [...]inst all these with the sword of [Page 139] Christs mouth, Deut. 32. 31. their rock being not as our rock, euen our enimies themselues be­ing Iudges? O ye that are named the family of faith, the armies of heauen, and the good souldiers of Iesus Christ, 1 Ioh. 4. 4. Is not he that is in vs greater then he that is in the world? Is the Esa. 59. 1. Mich. 2. 7. hand, or spirit, of the Lord short­ned, or are these his works? That ye who haue giuen your names to Christ, and vowed to fight manfully vnder his banner against the world, the flesh, and the diuell, should in the midst of all this be fearful or asha­med of him, and his words, in this▪ sinfull and adulterous generation; and Psal. 78. 9. with the children of Ephraim being armed turne [Page 138] back in the day of battaile, till Vers. 61. his strength be deliue­red into captiuity, and his glory into the enemies hands? Doe ye thus re­quite the Lord, O ye fear­full and shamefull souldiers, euen the Captaine of your saluation; who hath Reu. 1, 5. loued and washed you in his owne bloud; who with his vesture dipt in bloud hath fought for you, and Heb. 2. 14 by death destroyed the diuell that hath the power of death, that Rom. 8. 37 ye might be more then conquerors through him that hath lo­ued you? Remember this I beseech you, and shew your selues men, bring it againe to minde all ye that by baptisme haue Deut. 29. 11, 12 entred into couenant and oath [Page 140] with the Lord your God euen all of you from the hewer of wood to the dra­wer of water: gather your selues together 2 Tim. 2. 3 as good sou [...]diers of Iesus Christ, and as Reu. 19 14 the armies of hea­uen, follow him who is faithfull and true: gird on the sword of the spirit, and stand fast in one spirit, en­couraging each other, and with one minde striuing together, and contending earnestly for the mainte­nance of the faith and the power of godlines. And he that Reu. 19. 11 sitteth vpon the white horse, and iudgeth and maketh warre in righteous­nesse, will for your sake Psal. 45. 3, 4, 5 gird his sword vpon his thigh, as the most mighty▪ with his glory and maiesty, [Page 141] and in his maiesty ride prosperously because of truth of mee [...]enesse, and righteousnesse, and his right hand will [...]each him terrible t [...]i [...]gs: and [...]is ar­r [...]wes shall b [...] sharpe in the ha [...]ts of t [...]e Kings [...]n [...]mies whereby the people shall [...]ll vnder him.

Wherefore Eph. 6. 20. my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, and Phil. 1. 28. in nothing be terrified by your aduersaries, seeme they as terrible as Num. 13. 33 those giants the sonnes of Anak, and ye but as Gras­hoppers in their sight: for as couragious Caleb said, Num. 14. 9 they are but bread for vs, their defence is departed from them, and God is with vs, feare them not. Behold Deut. 2. 24 as [Page 142] the Lord gaue into Israel: hand Sihon of Heshbon, and Deut. 3. 3. 1 [...]. Og that huge giant o [...] Basha [...]: so the Lord hath deliuered into our hands the most giant-like sinners and the stoutest Cham­pions vnder the whole hea­uen, that beare a head a­gainst vs in our good fight of faith; to be either by the 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. mighty weapons of our warfare brought into cap­tiuity of the obedience o [...] Christ, or to Esa. 1 [...]. 4 be slayne by the breath of his lips, and Re [...]. 19. 14 the sword proceeding out of his mouth. If in this our day of saluation wee would call one vpon an other and set to it, Deut. 1. 30 The Lord would now againe goe before vs and fight for vs, according to all that he hath done be­fore [Page 143] our eyes in Egypt; I meane that Reu. 11. 8. spirituall Egypt of Rome, whose man of sinne, and mistery of ini­quity, hee so wonderfully brought downe among vs and consumed with the breath of his mouth. Yea except Deut. 32. 30 our rock had solde vs & shut vs vp, how (long erre this) should one of vs haue chased a thousand and two haue put ten thousand to flight, not onely of those hellish Locusts and Romish merchants that Reu. 18. 11 12, 13. make merchandize of the soules of men, that Zac. 11. 5. sell and slay them, and say, Blessed be the Lord, as if they were guiltles; but also of those Esa. 29. 20 2 [...], terrible ones that watch for iniquity & make a man an offender for a word, and [Page 144] turne aside the righteous for a thing of naught; and of tho [...]e that Hab. 1 14, 1. deuoure the men more righteous then themselues, that with their angles, nets, and drags, catch and take and gather vp all, making men as fishes of the sea, or as creeping things that haue no ruler ouer them; together with all those hellish troopes of raylers, swearers, ly ars and all abhominable liuers, whom the Lord for Iud. 2 2, 3. our disobeying his voice hath no more driuen out from before vs; but left them to be Ios. 23. 13. snares and traps vnto vs, yea scourges in our sides and thornes in ou [...] eyes?

What should I more say? If by all that hath bin sayd professors be not pressed in [Page 145] spirit to cast off all carnall shame and feare of man (that hath Pro. 29. 25 brought so many snares among vs) and to be couragious (as 2. Sam. 10. 12. Ioab said) and play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God, for the Sanctuary of the Lord & the beauties of holinesse (that the right hand of the aduersary be not exalted with their ensignes dis­played, and the enimies roare wi [...]h Edoms cry in the midst of the Lords congre­gations, to the defiling of his dwelling place and the reproaching of his great and terrible name) let them know what that is which the Lord spake saying, Le [...]. 1 [...] [...] I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me: and [Page 146] Heb. 1. 38. if any man draw back, m [...] soule shall haue no pleasur [...] in him. And let them hear [...] what the Angell of the Lord said, Iu [...]. 5. 23. curse ye Meroz▪ curse yee bitterly the inha­bitants thereof because they came not to the helpe o [...] the Lord, to the helpe o [...] the Lord, against the mighty. And if any such thinke by saying, Lord, Lord, to finde the Lord Iesus fo [...] their refuge, he tels the [...] before hand whereto they shall trust, saying, Mark. 8. 38 who­soeuer shall be ashamed o [...] me, and of my words, i [...] this adulterous and sinfu [...] generation; of him al [...] shall the sonne of m [...]n b [...] ashamed when he com­meth in the glory of [...] Father with the holy Angels. [Page 147] Then to their euer­lasting shame will they learne, that as he that Mat. 12. 30 is not with Christ is against him, so they and all their fearefull Companions, that are not valiant for the truth vpon the earth, shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous. For Reu. 21. 8. the fearfull, aswell as the vnbe­leeuing and the abhomina­ble, shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death. And on the contrary, they that haue the testimony of Iesus, and loue not their liues vn­to the d [...]ath to hold it, and resist vnto bloud, striuing a­gainst sinne, and so fight a good fight, and keepe the faith and ouercome; they [Page 148] Reu. 2. 11. shall not be hurt of th [...] second death, but receau [...] 2 Tim. 4. 8. the crowne of righteous­nesse, & Reu. 3 21. sit with Christ i [...] his throne, Reu. 2. 26 27. hauing powe [...] ouer the nations and ruling them with a rod of iron, & breaking them to shiuers a [...] a potters vessels. And le [...] this suffice for the reasons enforcing the duty of Ex­hortation.

Concerning you [...] reasons wee witnesse wha [...] wee feele, and our feeling makes vs say with Iob, how forcible are right words Oh that wee were as we [...] inabled to exhort in the right manner as you haue made vs willing to set a­bout it. Now therefore wee pray shew vs in what man­ner wee are to performe [...]

For as much as wee haue heard that to Ex­hort is to edify or build, and that not a sheepe-cote, for a swayne, nor a pallace for a Prince, but a spirituall house for the King of glory, and temples for the holy Ghost; Eph. 2. [...]. built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone: therefore it behoueth 1 Cor. 3. 10 euery man to take heede how he build thereupon. For as [...] Cor. 4 2 it is re­quired in stewards that a man be [...]ound faithfull: so is it in builders, that a man be found Mat. 7. 24 wise & skilfull. And of this, aboue all other buildings begun Luk. 14. 28 29. without fore-cast & cost counting, comes an end with confu­sion [Page 150] and mocking. For your better capacity there­fore and memory, I will insist in the metaphor of e­difying, and thence deliuer your directions for the right manner of exhorting in fiue distinct considerati­ons, shewing first, who must be builders; secon [...]ly, with what tooles they must build; t [...]irdly; what be the materials whereon they must worke; fourthly, what is the methode of buil­ding, and fifthly, what is the fit season wherein they are to worke.

Concerning the first, as it is not for euery common quarry-man or vnskilfull bungler to set hand to buil­ding in any goodly frame; but hee must bee such a [Page 151] workeman as is fitted and allowed to build: so it is not for euery Christian in name, to presume to set hand to this worke of edi­f [...]ing soules, but such one­ly who haue receiued both ability and approbation from God to set to it. All they therefore that will ex­hort, and teach, and admo­nish others, must first take heede to this, that they themselues be 1 Thes. 5. 5 11. children of light, Heb. 3. 1. [...] partakers of the heauenly calling, Col. 3. 16. hauing the word of Christ dwel­ling in them richly, in all wisedome; in a word, such as are Rom. 15. 14. full of goodnesse, and filled with all know­ledge (as the Apostle saith) are able also to admonish one another▪ Not as though [Page 152] admonishers of others were Phil. 3. 12. already perfect, either in goodnesse or knowledge; for we [...] Cor. 13. 9, 10. know but in part, and our greatest perfection and fulnesse is here but in part▪ but they must bee sound in faith and charity, holding the mysterie of the faith in a pure conscience, and in this sence full and perfect, as perfection is op­posed, not to imperfection or pollution, but to vn­soundnesse and dissimulati­on: perfect as S. Iames mea­neth, that is, Iam. 1. 4. intire, wanting nothing, nothing of those essentiall or necessary parts of knowledge and good­nesse that belong to sincere Christans; though the de­grees of their growth there­in may differ as much as [Page 153] 1 Ioh. 2. 12 13. little children from Fa­thers, or young men from them both.

For if fooles that want knowledge, will here bee medling, and full of words, like empty caskes that giue the greatest sound; as Eccl. 10. 13 the beginning of their words will be foolishnesse, so the end of their talke (if they may be [...]arkened vnto) wil be mischieuous madnesse. For as blinde men cannot iudge of colours; so these hauing not the vaile remo­ued from their hearts, nor their eyes anoynted with eye-salue, 2 Cor. 2. 14. cannot discerne the things of God: they are all vnder the Esa 5. 20. Prophets curse, calling euill good, and good euill, putting [...]ight for darkenesse, and [Page 154] darkenesse for light. And therefore, Mat. 15. 14 if such blinde should leade the blinde, both will fall into the ditch. And strange folly should men impute to GOD▪ to t [...]inke that euer hee gaue commission to such kinde of leaders; for Pro. 2 [...]. 6 he that sen­deth a message by the hand of a foole, cutteth off the f [...]ete, and drinketh dam­mage.

Againe, though men haue a form of knowledge, yet if they be vnsanctified, they may not with Gods acceptation Psal. 50. 16 17. take vp Gods word in their lips, which they cast behind their back in their liues. For therein they Eze. 2 [...]. 39 pollute the name and word of God, causing men to loathe it passing [Page 155] through their lips, as men 1 Sam. 2. 17▪ abhorred the offering of the Lord, passing through the hands of Elies wicked sonnes. Who can indure willingly to heare a notori­ous thiefe or strumpet, dis­coursing of true dealing and honesty? or what stomacke loatheth not to re­ceiue physicke from his hands, who is knowne to haue the plague, and the botch running vpon him▪ Secondly, such builders pull downe more by their ill-liues, then euer they can build-vp by their good words. For there is as well in ill conuersation as in ill doctrine, a contagious po­wer of infection. 1 Cor. 5. 6. Know ye not that a little leauen [...]owreth the whole lumpe? [Page 156] And Eccl. 9. 1 [...] one sinner (saith Salo­mon; especially if he may be listened vnto) destroyeth much good. Let such Phi­sitians therefore first heale themselues, and free them­selues from sinne raigning, before they presume to cast stones at others: otherwise Pro. 26. 9 a parable in such lewde mens mouthes, is as a thorn going vp into the hand of a drunkard; wherewith as they much trouble all a­bout them, so they most of all hurt themselues, making hereby, themselues the Rom. 2. 1. more inexcusable, and their vengeance so much the Luk. 12. 47 more intollerable. Then shall they feele the burthen of this question wherewith the Lord now poseth them, according as [Page 157] it is written; Psal. 50. 16 to the wicked, saith God, What hast thou to [...]oe to declare my sta­tutes, or that thou shoul­dest take my couenant in thy mouth? &c.

M^r. Archippus, we feele doubts and scru­ples so fast arising out of your directions, that accor­ding to your owne wish, we shall now bee bold to aske your full meaning in all wee shall doubt of. First therefore resolue vs I pray, if wicked Husbands, Pa­rents, and Ministers, take vpon them to exhort their Wiues, Children, or Peo­ple, whether their inferi­ours are bound to hearken vnto them, who haue no allowance from God to ex­hort? [...] [Page 160] ill manner of attempting so good a worke, will with woe be found speechlesse, as the euill seruant, when they shall be posed with this hea­uy question; Rom. 2. 21 Thou that tea­chest another, teachest thou not thy selfe? Or Mat. 7. 4. how wilt thou say to thy bro­ther, let mee pull out the moate out of thine eye, and behold, a beame is in thine owne eye?

But if no igno­rant nor prophane men haue commission from God to meddle with the duty of Exhortation, may not they deeme themselues happier then the righteous, to be freed from such a bur­then?

Happier say you? then let theeues and rebels [Page 161] count themselues happier with their manacles and fetters, because it is not for them in these cases to walk abroad, and be doing good among their neighbours, as true and loyall subi [...]cts. O how much rather should they hereby take notice of their woful Heb. 2. 15. Ioh. 8. 33. 34 bondage, wher­in they are so fettered in chaines of darkenesse and bonds of wickednesse, that they haue not the power so much as to speake one good acceptable word, ei­ther for the glory of God, or the good of their neigh­bours soules, or their owne. Mat. 12. 34 O ye generations of Vi­pers, saith the Lord, how can ye being euill, speake good things? Mat. 7. 16. Doe men gather grapes of thornes, [Page 162] or figges of thistles?

Why then say they, doe you so complaine of them for want of exhor­tation, which they cannot performe?

It is true, that Rom. 6. 20 while men are the seruants of sinne, they are free (as S. Paul saith) from righte­ousnesse. How free? so that they are not bound either to doe righteousnesse, or to yeeld account for default of it; God forbid, the Lords owne Rom. 6. 18. 22, free men vnto righ­teousnesse haue no such immunity, much lesse the seruants of corruption Shal vntrusty seruants sent with money to the m [...]rket to buy and bring home their masters prouision, wast all their money by the way, [Page 163] among riotous gamesters, and then say why doth our Master complaine for want of that prouision which wee were not able to buy? Eccl. 7. 29. Loe, saith the Wise-man, this onely haue I found, that God hath made man vpright (being Gen. 1. 27. created in Gods owne image, and thereby inabled vnto all Eph. 4. 24. true holinesse & righteous­nesse) but they haue sought many inuentions; that is, Rom. 5. 12. by one man sinne entred into the world, and in and by him all haue sinned and Rom. 3. 23. come short of the glory of God, 2 Cor. 3. 18 of that same image of God wherein man was created. No reason then that God should loose ei­ther the prerogatiue of his right in commanding, or [Page 164] the glory of his iustice in punishing; because men haue by their owne inuen­tions lost their ability in performing. Nay, seeing Rom. 5. 18 by the offence of one, iudg­ment is thus come vpon all men to condemnation; & God as wee see Psal. 51. 4. will be cleare when he iudgeth, & Rom. 3. 19 iniquity shall stop her mouth; O how should this moue all men that haue dyed in the first Adam and yet remaine Eph. 2. 1. dead in sinnes and trepasses Ioh. 15. 5. vnable with­out Christ to doe any thing that good is, to pant and thirst after 1 Cor. 15. 22. 46. Christ, that se­cond Adam, and quickning spirit, and in him to be made aliue, and to liue by faith in him? So shall they recouer in the last Adam [Page 165] a better, a surer estate, then that which they lost in the first; & Christ being made vnto them of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. wise­dome and sanctification as well as righteousnes and redemption, they shall be inabled and accepted to exhort others, & to walke worthy of the Lord, vnto all pleasing. As therefore to all that are not thus quick­ned in Christ, I must with griefe say as Ezr. 4. 3. Zerubbabel said to the aduersaries of Iudah, you haue nothing to doe with vs to build a house, a spirituall temple, I meane, vnto our God: so to all that are awakened & stand vp from the dead, I must say with earnestnes as Ezr. 10. 4. Shecaniah did to Ezra in another case, Arise, for [Page 166] this matter belongeth vnto you, be of good courage and doe it.

Wee must con­fesse that though you haue made the way plaine be­fore vs, yet we [...] haue bin hindred by many thoughts arising in our hearts, and sundry Scriptures that see­med to vs to stand in our way; namely, 1 Cor. 7. 20 Let euery man, saith S. Paul, abide in the same calling wherin he was called; 1 Cor. 12. 29. Are al teachers? And againe, Vers. 28. God hath appointed some teachers to Heb. 13. 17. watch for mens soules as they that must giue an account: Teaching there­fore being the proper cal­ling of such as God makes watchmen, what haue wee priuate men, say some [Page 167] to doe with teaching?

To teach and preach publiquely in the church is the peculiar office of those whom the Lord sends; and this honour Heb. 5. 4. no man may take to himselfe (no more then the priest­hood) but he that was cal­led of God, as was Aaron: as it is written, Rom. 10. 15 How shall they preach except they be sent? But all Christians that haue the word of Christ dwelling in them, as wee haue heard, may and must be Col. 3. 16. teaching and admoni­shing one another priuate­ly, as God offereth occa­sion. Yea, to this end they must Heb. 10. 24. [...], consider or watch one another with a holy iealousie, to prouoke vnto loue and good workes: yea, [Page 168] and sometimes Col. 4. 17. speake a word to the watchman himselfe, that he take heede to his ministery to fulfill it. For all Christians are called to be 1 Pet. 4. 10 good stewards and Luk. 10. 36 37. neighbours, and must ther­fore euery man as he hath receaued the gift of grace, minister the same one to another; and help with the Samaritane where he seeth neede. Imagine a deep dan­gerous quarrey in a streete, where a watchman is hired to giue warning for sauing all passengers; a tradesman by in his shop espies one ready to fall headlong for wa [...]t of warning, the watchman being asleepe or at the ale-bench: shall [...]e in this case suffer his brother to perish, rather then giue [Page 169] warning, & say he is guilt­lesse, because there was a watchman set for that pur­pose?

Why then saith the Apostle, that wee must 1 Thess. 4. 11. study to be quiet and to doe our owne busines? And likewise Salomon, that Pro. 20. 3. e­uery foole will be medling?

It is manifest that Salomon there speakes of medling, not by way of ex­horting, but by carnall strife and iangling: and so the Apostle of busying our selues with others, not out of conscience of Gods com­mand (charging vs Phil. 2. 4. not to looke euery man on his owne things, but euery man on the things of o­thers) but out of idlenesse, when men are busie with [Page 170] other mens matters, be­cause they 1 Tess. 4. 11. 1 Tim. 5. 13 worke not with quietnesse doing their owne businesse; or out of curiosity, when men 1 Tim. 1. 6 turne to vaine iangling and 1 Tim. 6. 4 do­ting about questions and strife of words, whence commeth enuy▪ strife, ray­lings, euill surmisings and peruerse disputings, rather then edifying, which is in faith: or out of malice and malignity, when men ta­king things in the worst sence, and louing all de­uouring words, will be Rom 1. 29 30. whisperers and backbiters, or taletellers and false accu­sers, as 1 Sam. 22. 9, 10, 22. Doeg the Edomite: or out of enuy and con­tempt, when men fall to be murmurers and com­playners, like Num. 16. 3. Korah and [Page 171] his Complices, and Iud. Vers. 8 despi­sing dominion doe speake euill of dignities and Eccl. 10. 20. curse euen the King aswell as the rich, which men should not dare to doe, no not in their bed-chambers, least the bird of the ayre carry the voice, and make the fooles lips to swallow vp him­selfe.

But though no­thing else but conscience of Gods command so stirre vs that sometimes wee can not but speake and rebuke out of the Scriptures: yet are we presently a by-word in the lips of many, saying, what should ignorant sinful soules, such as coblers and poore trades-men meddle with such high and holy matters as the Scriptures?

How contrary are such scorners vnto God, who Hos. 8. 12. complayneth of his people for medling so little with the Scriptures, and that they were accounted as a strange thing? And when the Scriptures are by God himselfe compared to the Col. 4. 6. Mat. 5. 13. salt of the earth, and the Psal. 119. 105. light of the world, were not this a strange1 Pet. 1. 19. mockery to heare great men cry and say, what should base poore trades­men haue to doe with salt and sun-shine? Leauing therefore such vnreasona­ble men to the Lord, against whom they sport them­selues, who will one day answere them for him­selfe: 1 Pet. 4. 14 your happinesse it i [...] to be reproached for th [...] [Page 173] name of Christ, who also for your sakes was Luk. 2, 34, a signe to be spoken against. And to the comfort of all poore artificers, God hath put it in his sacred records for a perpetuall memoriall; how Aquila and Priscilla Act. 18. 3. being by their occupation Tent­makers, Vers. 24. 26 tooke vnto them Apollos, an eloquent teacher and mighty in the Scrip­tures, and expounded vnto him the way of God more perfectly.

Yea but we must needes acknowledge our selues to be, as they say, ig­norant, and sinfull soules. And hauing many of vs a poore measure of know­ledge, how little is the fruit that our lips can yeeld, and what small good are wee [Page 174] like to doe in edifying▪ when euery mocking San­ballat will be ready with in­dignation to scorne our endeauours, as Neh. 4 1, 2 he did the Iewes, s [...]ying, what doe these feeble soules, will they fortify themselues, will they sacrifice the calues of their lips, and reuiue the stones out of the heapes of the rub­bish? Againe they seeing many faults in vs, and wee being conscious of many more whereof our hearts condemne vs; alas wha [...] can wee say? when euery scoffing Ismaelite will stop our mouthes with the Scriptures, saying, Mat. 7. 5. first cas [...] out the beame out of thine owne eye; and Ioh. 8. 7. he that is without sinne among you let him first cast a stone at vs▪

Howsoeuer men, as deuils, may vse and abuse the Scriptures, 2 Pet. 3. 16 peruer­ting them to their owne destruction; yet they may not deterre any repentant sinner (were his sins as soule and notorious as the theifes that hung on the crosse) from rebuking o­thers. And as for the Scrip­tures alleaged, they are not to be vnderstood of sinnes of infirmity (for then Eccl 7. 20. there being not a iust man on earth that doth good & sinneth not, there should be none at all to rebuke) b [...]t of raigning sinne and hipocrisie: 1 Ioh. 5. 18 and wee know that whosoeuer is borne of God, so sinneth not; Rom. 6. 14 sinne hauing no dominion ouer any that is vnder grace. [Page 176] Now concerning your small measure of know­ledge, and as small hope of any great good that ye may doe; Remember how it is written, Zac. 4. 6. not by might, not by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord: and againe, Vers. 10. who hath despi­sed the day of small things? Be thy knowledge neuer so small, so that it be the true sauing Ioh. 17. 3. knowledge of the onely true God, and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent; were it but Mat. 13. 31 32. as a graine of mustard-seede, which in­deede is the least of al seeds, the Kingdome of heauen is with it, by vertue whereof the birds of the aire may lodge in the branches ther­of. God respecteth not, as man, the greatnesse of [Page 177] mens gifts, or their great and glorious effects: but in Gods account Luk. 16. 10 hee that is faithfull in that which is least, is faithfull in much▪ and 2 Cor. 8. 12 if there be first a wil­ling minde, it is accepted according to that which a man hath, and not accor­ding to that he hath not. The Lord in his sacrifices accepted as well Leu. 1. 2, 14 & 5. 7. doues and pigeons from poore men, as goats or bullocks from the rich; likewise in the of­ferings for the tabernacle, as well Exo. 25. 3, 4. brasse, as gold and siluer, and goats haire as wel as purple and scarlet. Yea search the Scriptures, and to your comfort you shall finde the Luk. 21. 2. 3. poore widowes two mites mor [...] in Christs acceptation, then all the [Page 176] [...] [Page 177] [...] [Page 178] abundance of the rich; and the 2 Reg. 5. 10, &c. words of Naamans seruants greater in opera­tion, then the words of that great Prophet Elisha. And as Salomon speakes of Eccl. 9. 14. 15. one poore man by his wise­dome deliuering a citty be­seiged by a great King; so wee 2 Sam. 20. 16, &c. reade of one wise wo­man by her gratious words to preuaile against despe­rate Ioab, for preseruation of another citty.

Your mention of women mindes vs of one obiection more, wher­by some with great indig­nation would stop all wo­mens mouthes from teach­ing & admonishing. Saith not S. Paul (say they) 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. Let the woman learne in silence with all subiection? And [Page 179] againe, I suffer not a wo­man to teach or to vsurpe authority ouer the man, but to learne in silence.

Such men are as good disciples of S. Paul, as Ioh. 9. 28, 29. the Pharises were of Moses, whom they alleaged and magnified not for any faith or credit they gaue him, but to couer their malice in vi­lifying the Lord Iesus. For if S. Pauls meaning should be as they vrge, that no wo­men might teach in pri­uate, he should be contrary to himselfe and the Scrip­tures. But plainly else where doth he expound himselfe? Saying, 1 Cor. 14. 34. let your women keep silence in the churches. And as for womens teach­ing in priuate, were they not willfully blinde on that [Page 180] side, they might see the same Tit. 2. 1. 4. Apostle charging Titus to teach it as found doctrine, that the aged wo­men should teach the youn­ger women, &c. Is it not also registred, to the com­mendation of Salomons Pro. 31. 1, &c mother, how & what she taught him? Yea and to womens praise the Scrip­tures witnesse, that they haue taught, what, inferiors or equals onely? nay, as neede required, they haue giuen a word of exhorta­tion to their superiors, and that not onely in the fami­ly as 2 Reg. 4. 9, &c. the Shunamite did to her husband, but also in the Church and common­wealth; as Act. 18. 26. Priscilla did to Apollos, a preacher, and 1 Sam. 25. 24, &c. Abigail to Dauid the Lords [Page 181] annointed, For sometimes Gen. 21. 9, &c. Sarah the weaker vessel may hold staunch when Abraham may faile, and then what must Abraham doe? In this case Abraham himselfe, though Sarahs Lord, is Vers. 12. commanded by God to hearken to Sarahs voice in all that she tolde him; wherefore although the world set this as a brand of iust reproach vpon 1 Tim. 5. 11, 12, 13. wanton, idle and light hus­wifes that they are tatlers and busy-bodies: yet when God sets forth the Pro. 31. 10 price of a vertuous woman, one of her excellencies, whereby she is valued far aboue Ru­bies, is this, that Vers. 26. she ope­neth her mouth with wise­dome, &c. and who is he then that should dare to shut it?

You haue so ful­ly satisfied vs in your first rule of direction, that lay­ing aside all blinde excuses, and friuolous pretences, we shall henceforth gird vp the loynes of our mindes, and be more ready to this good worke of edifying; where­unto, the Lord stirre vp all whom hee hath sanctified and made meete for this his seruice, be they male or female. Helpe vs onward therefore wee pray, with your further directions.

The second rule of direction, is to take heed to that of the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4. 17 if any man speake, let him speake as the oracles of God. For it is Act 20. 32. the word of Gods grace, that is able (as a fit toole or instrument) to [Page 183] build vp new men, as S. Paul saith: being compared sometime to a Ier. 23. 29. hammer, sometimes to an Mat. 3. 10. axe, some­times to a Esa 28. 10. line, and some times to a Gal. 6. 16. rule. This is that wee are called to looke vn­to, Esa 8. 20. to the law, and to the testimony; which must be carefully heeded, as Verse 16. bound vp and sealed among the Lords Disciples, though cast aside of all others: and if men speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Wherefore it is not hu­mane Philosophy, mora­lity, or politie, though ac­commodated with Histo­ry, and adorned with Poe­try; not the edicts and sta­tutes of Kings and Parlia­ments; [...]o, nor the decretals [Page 184] and Canons of Popes and Councels; that are fit and complete instruments for the edifying of soules, ei­ther for conuerting or per­uerting them. For this is a speciall prerogatiue that God hath reserued to his Law and holy Scriptures, aboue all the glorious workes of his owne hands: according as it is written. Psal. 19 7. The Law of God is perfect, conuerting the soule; and 2 Tim. 3. 15. 17 the holy Scrip­tures are able to make the man of God perfect and wise vnto saluation. For this cause the Scriptures beare the title of Pro. 8. 6. [...]. Chiefe­taines or Leaders, and of Eccl. 12. 11 [...]. Lords of collections, (as the Hebrew words import) because they are as Leaders, [Page 185] and Lords paramount a­boue all other words and writings of men, that euer were collected into vo­lumes; which are not one­ly to bee made subordinate vnto them, but no other­wise to be admitted for vse, then as attendants and ser­uants vnto them. And this preheminence is to be gi­uen to the holy Scriptures, first in regard of their dis­cent, 2 Tim. 3. 16. being all giuen by inspiration of God, and 2 Pet. 1. 21 holy men of God speaking therein as they were mo­ued by the holy Ghost; se­condly, in respect of their authority, they being au­thentique of themselues, and teaching, Mat. 5. 21. Mark, 7. 14. like Christ, of their owne inbred au­thority, all others teaching [Page 186] by commission and autho­rity from them: and third­ly, in regard of their vse and extent, being Psal. 19. 7 perfect, and Psal. 1 [...]9. 96. exceeding large, as well for reforming the will and affections, as for infor­ming the vnderstanding and iudgement in Pro. 2. 9. euery good path: so that in all things concerning either faith or manners, they are 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17 profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correcti­on, for instruction in righ­teousnesse, that the man of GOD may bee perfect, throughly furnished vnto all good workes.

Is there then I pray no vse to be made of mens workes and writings and of the great Booke of the Creatures in edifying soules?

As the Prophets and Christ himselfe vsed Hos 12. 10. similitudes, and Mat. 13. 34, 35. para­bles for illustration, to make heauenly things sensible by earthly resemblances; and examples of Ier. 35. 24. men, Ier. 8. 7. birds, Esa 1. 3. beasts, and of Esa 1. 2. Ier. 5. 22. sencelesse creatures for prouocation and conuiction: and as S. Paul dealing with Pagans, disputeth with them Acts 14. 13, 17, 24. &c. by the principles of Nature, and Acts 17. 23 their own inscripti­ons and Poets; and else­where against 1 Cor. 15. 33. euill-spea­kers, and Tit. 1. 12. slow-bellies, al­ledgeth the testimonies of their owne prophane wri­ters, to leaue them the more inexcusable: so in like cases to the same ends, may wee vse the same meanes: pro­uided alwaies that it bee [Page 188] done respectiuely and spa­ringly.

What meane you by that respectiue and spa­ring vse? I pray tell vs fully your meaning; for wee doubt, too little respect is had of that.

First, that for the conuerting, directing, and perfecting of soules, wee carefully obserue, and reue­rently preferre the preroga­tiue of the word of God. For that is the hammer that Ier. 23. 29. breaketh the rocke, the stony heart in pieces; the mighty engine to 2 Cor. 10. 4. cast downe the strong holds of Sathan, the quicke and po­werfull sword of the spirit, Heb. 4. 12. sharper then any two-ed­ged sword, piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of [Page 189] soule and spirit, of ioynts and marrow, for crucifying the old man: in a word, it is not onely the Lauer that Ioh. 15 3 cleanseth vs, the immor­tall seed that 1 Pet. 1. 23 regenerateth vs, and the heauenly Char­ter that Ioh. 8. 32. freeth vs from the power of darkenesse; but it is the Esa 11. 4. Psal. 110. 2. rod and scepter of Christs mouth & strength, to conduct vs in the king­dome of grace; and the Psal. 11▪ 9. 105 lampe of our feete, and the light of our pathes, to leade vs in the narrow way to the kingdome of glory. The more to blame are they, who without the word, and with speech vn­seasoned with salt, will bee forward to giue aduise and direction in matters of faith and manners; and haue no­thing [Page 190] to alledge, but their me thinkes, and me seemes (as they vse to say) and the o­pinion of the learned, the precedency of great ones, the example of multitudes, (such as are the ordinary intelligencers of their con­sciences) wherein there is often as much rellish and good sauour, as in the white of an egge. As if such men had neuer read nor heard, that Psal. 94. [...] God know­eth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity; that Pro. 14. 12 there is a way that seemeth right vnto man, but the end thereof are the waies of death; that Iob 32. 9. great men are not alway wise, and the Mat. 7. 13. way of the multitude is the broad way [...]ading to per­dition. Thes [...] are like foo­lish [Page 191] and presumptuous buil­ders, that will goe to work, and leaue their tooles be­hinde them; or set to build, and lay aside line & plum­met, rule and square, or hang them at their backes, trusting only to their own ayme and discretion. Thou foole, wilt thou offer that folly and presumption in e­difying the Temple of the Mal. 1. 14. great King and Lord of hosts, whose name is dread­full among the heathen; which thou wouldest shame to Verse 8. offer in building the Palla [...]e of thy gouer­nour, or the cottage of thy neighbour? And yet how many othe [...]s are there, who being ouer-hasty in rebu­king, lay aside the holy Scriptures (profitable for [Page 192] reproofe and correction) and all words of Pro. 8. 6 righte­ousnesse, Act. 26. 25. truth, and sober­nesse, and haue little else in their mouthes but that which is Pro. 8. 8. froward and per­uerse? pouring out of their distempered stomackes and vnaduised anger, those say­ings of Racha, foole, and o­ther such corrupt speeches and carnall threatnings; such as Iude ve [...]. 9 Michael the Arch­angell durst not bring forth against the Diuell, contending with him, such as God will not allow Eph. 6. 9. in Masters, dealing with their Seruants; yea, such as the Lord threatneth with Mat. 5. 22 danger of the councell, yea, and with danger of hell too, as a meete recompence for Pro. 16. 27. the burning fire in their lips.

Secondly in our exhor­tations wee [...] beware how we preferre 1 Cor. 2. 4 the enti­sing words of mans wise­dome, and Verse 13. words which the wisedome of man tea­cheth, before [...]. 1. 13 the forme of sound words, and 1 Cor. 2. 13 words which the holy Ghost teacheth: as, some loue to fill their mouthe [...], with filed phrases, and pomp of humane authors, as if some raigning Iust of Ioh. 5. 44 seeking honour one of an other, by pleasing itchi [...]g eares, had compelled them togather vp broken pieces of brasse into the Lords treasury, to helpe forward the Lords building, and to leaue so many golden plates, which beare for cre­dence the stampe of Gods [Page 194] spirit, sleeping in the deck. Must Gen. 21. [...]9. [...]0. &c. the bond woman and her sonne be cast out, rather then the sonne of the free-woman should re­ceiue scorne and disparage­ment from the sonne of the bond-woman? And was it in Salomons time an eye­soare Eccl. 10. 5. 7. to see seruants ad­uanced in Princes saddles? And seemeth it a small thing in our eyes, that in this worthy worke of Edi­fying the Lords Temple. Vnderlings should be pre­ferred before the Chiefe­taines, and Seruants before the Lords, the holy Scrip­tures I meane, which are called the Lords of Colle­ctions? Can this be accep­table to God, who is 1 Cor. 14. 33. not the author of confusion. [Page 195] but chargeth Verse 40. all things to be done decently and in order? And if in priuate ex­hortation this be not tolle­rable, God graunt it may be duely considered of those, who in Moses chaire aduance such things as should bee taught to know their distance, though not by an vtter exclusion, yet by a sparing admission. Ier. 23. 28. He that hath my word, let him speake my word faith­fully: What is the chaffe to the wheate, saith the Lord? Or what is Cor. 3. 12 wood, hay, and stubble (as the Apostle speaketh) to gold, siluer, and precious stones? 1 [...]2. If they had stood in my coun­cell (saith the Lord) and had caused my people to heare my words, then they [Page 196] should haue turned them from their euill way. Take we heede therefore that we vse the right tooles where­with we may edifie each o­ther, for, some as well Verse 32. by their lightnesse, as by their lyes, bring no profit at all to Gods people.

We haue yet one main doubt that hath much perplexed vs, wherein wee desire your full resolution, and this it is: How wee are to vse Gods word for edi­fying each other in things indifferent. For in these things wee can no sooner admonish men to take heed, according to the word, but we are presently answered, that in such things men haue liberty, and are left to their owne [Page 197] discretion. What say they, must wee aske counsaile of the word, of what dish at table we shall eate, or what rayment wee shall put on, or whether we shall ride or goe on foote? Away with this peeuishnesse say they, for whereto tendeth it, but to cast snares on mens con­sciences, and needlesse feares, and to discourage from the narrow way of life, such as are comming on?

You now put me to it indeede, and in handling this point, how would discretion and con­sciousnesse of mine owne weakenesse, perswade mee for the resolution of this question, to say with Mo­ses, Exo. 4. 13. O my Lord, send I [Page 198] pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send: But seeing Verse 14. Gods anger kin­dled therupon against Mo­ses, may schoole me to say with Samuel, 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should cease to shew you the right way: I will keep nothing backe of that which I conceiue to be the consaile of God, desiring the Prophets to iudge of what I shall say, though I may seeme to speake as a [...] Cor. 4. 10. foole for Christs sake, vn­to some that are wise i [...] Christ. Confessing there­fore that there may bee▪ fault as well in Eccl. 7. 16, 17. straight­ning as in widening the way of the Lord, as we are apt to Esa 30. [...]2. erre on the right hand as well as on the left: I pray God our eares may [Page 199] so heare that word behind vs, that we may come forth out of all extreames, and follow that good way wherein wee may finde rest for other soules as for our owne.

First therefore concer­ning things indifferent, we are to know that 1 Cor. [...]0. 29▪ 30. by grace we are partakers of such a li­berty, that Tit. 1. 15. to the pure, all things are pure, and [...] Cor. 10. 23. all things lawfull; that is, all things in different, as wel as creatures: and Verse 25 no questi­on to be made of them for conscience sake. Wherefore as we ought with the Rom. 14. 14 A­postle, to be perswaded by the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe, (nothing of that which God simply forbids not) so [Page 200] I beseech all beleeuers to stand fast in this liberty, which is Verse 16. your good, as S. Paul saith: a good wher­by much peace may accrue to your consciences, and much thankesgiuing vnto God. Stand fast therefore I say againe, and be not mo­ued from it by any subtile iniection, snarling obiecti­on, or idle scruple, that di­uels, men, or your owne hearts may disturbe you withall, though for the pre­sent you cannot assoile them: as you will hold fast the maine Articles of your faith, though you cannot answere euery doubt, that a subtill sophister may obiect against them. For if here the conscience be once cast into a snare, there is no end [Page 201] of doubting and superstiti­on. But as the doubting conscience soundeth hea­uily as a Shaulme, Rom. 14. 23. to him that doubteth it is sinne; so the superstitious conscience cryeth as a captiue subiect to worldly ordinances and traditions of men, Col. 2. 20. 21. Eate not, taste not, handle not▪ [...]uer plunged deeper and deeper, as wee see in the poore Papists, whose con­sciences are so captiuated with those chaines of darke­nesse wherewith the Coun­cell of Trent hath fettered them, that they shunne the omission of any rite or tra­dition which the Church imposeth on them, as a damnable sinne. And thus both conscience looseth that benefit & peace which [Page 202] which is the sweet fruit of Christian liberty; & Christ looseth the thankes of his rich liberality. Wee must therfore beware of supersti­tion, as of prophanenesse, & remember that it is a spice of superstition as well to doubt of things lawfull, as to make a religion of things in different.

Secondly, knowing and enioying this Christian li­berty, wee must not 1 Pet. 2. 16 vse it for a cloke of maliciousnes (Iude ver. [...] turning, as some doe, the grace of God into laciuious­nesse) but as the seruants of God. Aske ye how? Psal 123. 2 As the eyes of seruants looke to the hands of their Ma­sters; so must our eyes be towards our master Christ whose name is [...] 9. 6. wonder­full, [Page 203] and Counseller; and waite on him, being our Psal. 84. 11 sunne and shield, aswell for direction as protection. For as this liberty is not our owne, nor bought with siluer and gold, but with the precious bloud of Gods owne sonne; so therein must me liue 2 Cor. 5. 15 vnto him that dyed for vs, and not vnto our selues either for­mally or finally. Not for­mally I say, as though wee might Prou. 3. 6. leane to our owne wisedome, and Eccl. 11. 9. walke in the sight of our owne eyes, and Esa. 30. 1. take counsell, but not of him, Eccl. 11. 9. For all which things God will bring men into iudgment, howsoeuer mens hearts may cheare and blesse themselues in their owne discretion. [Page 204] Nor finally, as if in things indifferent wee might serue our owne credit, pleasure, or profit; for, Mat. 6. 24 no man can serue two Masters, so contrary as God and Mam­mon; and 1 Ioh. 2▪ 15. 16. if any man loue the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or pride of life, the loue of the Father is not in him. Wee must there­fore, Pro. 3. 6. as acknowledge God in all our wayes, taking councel of our great Coun­cellor, Esa. 59. 21. whose spirit and word are euer with vs to aduise vs, Esa. 55. 1. without mo­ney, without price, and 2 Tim. 4. 5. watch in all things Psal. 119. 9. taking heed there-to according to his word; and therefore in things indifferent aswell as all things else; so, Col. 3. 17. what­soeuer wee doe in word [Page 205] or deede, wee must doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus; and 1 Cor. 10. 30 whither we eate or drinke, or whatsoeuer we doe (be it neuer so much indifferent) wee must doe all to the glory of God. For otherwise Verse 23. all things being not expedient (in choise or vse) that are law­full, and indifferent in their nature; because though all things be lawfull for vs, yet all things edifie not: If men loue not to be vnder Mat. 11. 29 Christs yoke, learning of him who was meeke and lowly in heart (as if the yoke of Christ were too heauy and soary for their faire necks) but loue ra­ther with Ephraim to be turned loose to their owne discretion and will, Hos. 10. 9. as a [Page 206] heifer that is taught, and loueth to treade out the corne: as surely as they harden their hearts from that feare of watchfulnesse in all things (which Pro. 23. 17 should keepe their hearts from enuy of sinners, and in the feare of the Lord all the day long) so they Pro. 28. 14 shall fall in­to mischeife as Salomon saith. Yea into such mis­chiefe may they fall, that they may goe Luk. 17. 26. &c. eating and drinking with the men of the old world, and buying and selling, building and planting, with the men of Sodome, to the Iude ver. 7 vengeance of eternall fire, and the 1 Pet. 3. 19. pri­son of hell.

But say men, this is a nouelty and strange doctrine, that men should [Page 207] be thus yoked & directed, as babes, in the choise and vse of things indifferēt. And againe, if in those things men should not be left to their owne discretion, what stops and amazements will this cast in mens wayes? Admit this, say they, and it shall not be with vs as with the Centurion, who could say to his seruant goe, and he goeth; doe this, and he doth it: but euery seruant will first haue his warrant and direction of Gods word before he stirre.

First I answere, that though Gods word call for stops and feares, Ier. 6. 16. saying, stand ye in the wayes, and see, and aske for the old pathes, where is the good way: and Pro. 23. 17. be [Page 208] thou in the feare of the Lord all the day long: yet this is not to stop or fray men from readinesse and diligence in doing seruice, but from wisedome in their owne eyes and foole-har­dinesse Pro. 3. 5, 6, 7, wherby men leane vnto their owne wisedome, & acknowledge not God in all their wayes, that he might direct their pathes. And concerning the obe­dience of seruants, they could not lightly haue gi­uen a fitter instance, where­in the spirit of God doth more striue to stop all such froward mouthes and per­uerse lips: charging Col. 3. 22. 23. ser­uants to obey their Masters in all things, not with eye­seruice, as men pleasers, but in singlenes of heart, fearing [Page 209] God, doing heartily what­soeuer they doe, as vnto the Lord, and not vnto men: and that also Eph. 6. 5. with feare and trembling, 1 Tim. 6. 1. coun­ting their Masters worthy of all honour, and Tit. 2. 9. plea­sing them in all things; not aunswearing againe: and all this to be performed 1 Pet. 2. 18 not onely to the good and gentle, but also to the froward: and the end of all is, that Tit. 2. 10. they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things, and that the 1 Tim. 6. 1. name of God and his doctrine be not blas­phemed. So that a happy world (may men say) it would be for Masters, if ser­uants could be brought to watch in all things accor­ding to the word.

Secondly, if men were left to their owne d [...]scretion in things indifferent, why then doth the word ex­presly charge them with so many directions, iniun­ctions and restraints, aswell in doing things indifferent as all things else? Namely, that Phil. 2. 3. nothing be done of strife or vaine-glory, 1 Cor. 10. 33 no [...] with giuing offence, Rom. 15. 1▪ no [...] with seeking our own pro­fit or pleasing our selues, but let all things be done Col. 3. 17. in the name of the Lord Iesus, all 1 Cor. 16. 14 in loue, Eccl. 3. 1. & 8. 5 sea­sonably, 1 Cor. 14. 40 decently and in order, and 1 Cor. 10. 3 [...] all to the glory of God, and 1 Cor. 14. 26 vnto edify­ing.

Thirdly, when men are loath to put themselues to the pay ne to Ier. 6. 16. enquire for [Page 211] the good way, and to Prou, 2. 4. seeke & search for knowledge as for hid treasures, as God commandeth: then they verifie the Prouerbe, that Pro. 26. 16. the sluggard is wiser in his owne conceipt, then sea­uen men that can render a reason. Iob 11, 12 Vaine man would be wise though a man be borne like a wilde asses colte, and Ier. 51. 17 euery man brutish by his owne know­ledge; and the longer they liue without guidance of the word, the more brutish, neuer more Rom 1. 22. playing the fooles then when they pro­fesse themselues to be wise; euen more stupid then Esa. 1. 3. the oxe or asse, as the Prophet Esay sheweth. And is not this a strange pride, that man so brutish Psal. 10. 4. 5 through [Page 212] the pride of his counte­nance should not seeke after God, but puffe at all his opposites? And the truth is, because pride will not suffer them to enquire for God, nor to desire the knowledge of the great things of his law, they are well content that such things be nouelties to them still, let God Hos. 8. 12 complaine and Zeph. 1. 4, 6. threaten neuer so much against it. And if ye will haue the whole truth, it is plainly thus, that Pro. 8. 13. pride and the euill way being copem [...]tes, men are surely euill doers in those things wherein they are proud, and Ioh. 3. 20. they that doe euill (in things indifferent, as in things simply naught) hate the light of Gods word, and [Page 213] preferre their owne dimne reason and discretion, as a­dulterers doe the twi-light before the day light, and as false drapers doe their f [...]lse light before the clearest sun shine.

But the Law con­sisting of things comman­ded or forbidden, they can­not see say they, how the Law should medole with things in [...]ifferent, whose nature consisteth in per­mission, being neither com­manded nor forbidden: vnlesse we deny the whole nature of things indiffe­rent.

No can? What say they then to all the former directions and limitations?

They say they are certaine generall rules, [Page 212] [...] [Page 213] [...] [Page 214] which are to be respected (they confesse) in the vse of things indifferent: but say they, men must bee wise [...] then so to debase the law of God as to teach men thereby what foode & ray­ment they should weare, & whither they should ride or goe on foote.

Yea but say I, these generall rules (and all such like, except those that haue relation vnto Christ, which properly be­long to the Gospell) are but particular branches or abstracts vpon particular occasions extracted from the Law of God, which is Psal. 119. 96. exceeding large, and con­teyneth far more then is conteyned in such particu­lars. For, is not Psal. 19. 7. 9 the Law [Page 215] of God perfect and righte­ous altogether? Then must [...]. it needes conteyne a per­fect direction for Pro. 8. 4. men of all sortes, Psal. 49. 2. both high and low, rich and poore toge­ther; and that in all their wayes, Pro. 8. 2, 3. in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the pathes, at the gates, at the entry of the cit­ty, at the comming in at the doores; & that at all times, Pro. 6. 21. 22. continually, leading vs when wee goe, keeping vs when wee sleepe, and talk­ing with vs when wee a­wake; & that in 1 Tim. 4 5 Tit. 2. 7. all things, and 1 Pet. 1. 15. [...]. in all manner of con­uersation, vp and downe to what thing soeuer wee turne vs, and therefore in things indifferent aswell as in things simply good or [Page 216] euill. For the law of God comm [...]ndeth and forbiddeth not onely what is sim­ply good and euill, but all t [...]e meanes and occasions of them both, as our Saui­our sheweth in his Mat. 5. 21. 22, 28. exposi­tion of seuerall commande­ments: and thereupon hee teacheth (how fearefully & yet how profitably, iudge in your selues all yee that haue any feare or care of your owne soules) that if Vers. 29. 30 thy right eye, or right hand (wherby he meaneth things in themselues lawfull, as vsefull, or delightfull,) of­fend thee, thou must by plucking out and cutting off, cast them from thee, or thy whole body may bee cast into hell: Whereunto an other Mark. 9. 43, 44, &c. Euangelist, for [Page 217] the greater, terror makes an addition, which hee repea­teth againe and againe, say­ing, into the fire which ne­uer shal be quenched, where the worme dyeth not, and the fire is not quenched. That it might bee duely▪ waighed what a mad discre­tion this is, that men should rather runne the hazard of such a heauie eternall ven­geance, then abide the que­stioning, trying, and remo­uing (if need be) of their moment any light pleasures and profits in things indif­ferent: when Mat. 18. 6. it were bet­ter for a man that a mil­stone were hanged about his necke, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea, then that he should offend (himselfe, yea or) [Page 218] any one of those little ones that beleeue in me, saith the Lord. Wherefore, things indifferent, for as much as they cannot bee vsed but they helpe or hinder to the the maine end of the law, accordingly as they are v­sed, so are they found as ne­cessaries within the verge and censure of the law, and concluded to bee good or ill in practise, though in their nature in different and lawfull. Will ye haue a ge­nerall instance? 1 Cor. 1 [...]. 23. [...]. All lawfull things (saith S^t. Paul) are not all expediēt, that is, they helpe not the maine end: Why? all things lawfull e­difie not. Doe they not e­difie? Then the law that 1 Cor. 14. 26. commandeth all things to bee done vnto edifying▪ [Page 219] iudgeth them in that re­spect sinnefull, though in their owne nature lawfull. And that I may not balke the particulars obiected▪ what more indifferent then this or that meate? Rom 14. 17. The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke; and 1 Cor. 8 8. nei­ther if wee eate are wee the better, neither if we eate not are wee the worse: Yet, be the meate neuer so pure, Rom, 14. 20. it is euill for that man that ea­teth with offence, and [...] Cor. 8. [...]2 he sinneth (saith S. Paul) and that not onely against the brethren in a degree of murder, but also against Christ; and so in a thing in­different breakes both Ta­bles of the Law. So, though to drinke wine or water, to weare costly or course ap­parell, [Page 220] be things in their na­ture indifferent; yet when Pro. 21 17. hee that loueth wine and oyle shall not bee rich, is it not a sinne for poore men Pro. 13. 23 through want of iudge­ment to destroy or deuoure the labour of their hands by swilling-in wine instead of water? And is it not likewise a sinne in women Deut. 22. 5 to weare mans apparell, or 1 Tim. 2. 9. costly array beyond their ability, or broyded haire in garishnesse, though it be the cheapest of all trimmings? And finally, though it be a thing indifferent to ride or goe on foote; yet Salomon saw Eccl. 10. 5. 7. an euill in seeing ser­uants vpon horses, and Princes as seruants walking on the earth.

Secondly, if the law bee [Page 221] perfect, then it bindes the whole man Mar. 12. 30 with al his hart, & with all his soule, & with all his mind, and with al his strength; whence Christ concludeth, that Mat. 12. 36 euery idle word that men shall speake (men hee meaneth that are not vnder grace) they shall yeeld account thereof in the day of iudge­ment; and if of euery idle word in the mouing of their lips, then of euery o­ther idle voluntary moti­on of their mindes and bo­dies. And let no man here, thinke me a foole, and that I debase the Maiesty of Gods law in bringing it so low, that will not impute debasing of Gods proui­dence to the Lord Iesus; when hee makes it stoope [Page 222] and looke so low, as Mat. 10. 2 [...] 30. to the falling of the least Spar­row on the ground, and the very haires of our head, which he saith are all num­bred. Nay, when by the dim [...]e light of nature, hea­thens▪ could see so much, as to say [...] that a reasonable man should not doe the least thing whereof hee could not yeeld a reason: is it not lamentable, that in the cleere light of the Law, and Gospell, great Rabbies, and seraphicall Doctors, should magnifie their dis­cretions in exploding the former instances, as worthi­er of derision, then of mans consideration▪ by the word, or of Gods examina­tion in iudgement? Yet as the Prophet saith, Esa 31. 2. God al­so [Page 223] is wise, and will not call backe his words, but as the 1 Cor. 1. 2 5 foolishnesse of GOD is wiser then men, in Verse 21. making the wisedome of this world foolishnesse: so the day is at hand, when the Verse 25. weake­nesse of God will proue it selfe stronger then men; when the Lord Iesus shall sit on his throne, as 1 Tim. 1. 17. the onely wise God, and iudge euery man [...] foole that will not beleeue what hee now fore-tels, with an asseuera­tion, saying; Verily I say vnto you Mat 5. 18, 19. till heauen and earth passe, one [...]ot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the law, till all be ful­filled▪ whosoeuer [...] there­fore sh [...]l breake one of these least commandements and [...]hall teach men so, he shall [Page 224] bee called the least in the Kingdome of heauen.

M^r. Archippus, as it is your duty Tit. 1. 9. by sound doctrine, not onely to ex­hort, but also to conuince the gaine-sayers, so we pray you, bee not weary of this good worke in the full conuiction of the rem­nants they haue yet to say. No doubt say they, but yee are the people, and wise­dome shall dye with you; wee also haue reading and learning as well as others, yet cannot wee possibly comprehend what perfect direction the law containes for all humane affaires. What must husband-men learne out of the Scripture, how to plough a furrow well, or huswiues how to [Page 225] grinde their meale, and kneade their dough well? Finally, to what perplexed horrors and despaire will this driue all sorts of men, to tye them in all their en­deauours to such a directi­on, the perfection whereof they cannot reach vnto?

As I looke to reape, so I must not be wea­ry of my worke, though it make mee cry out by the way, who is sufficient for these things? Now concer­ningDeut 28. 66. 67. their last obiection, first, I answere, that horrors and despaire are the proper concomitants of the Esa. 51. 20. wic­ked: because they Ioh. 12. 35 walk in darkenesse, and know not whether they goe, which must needes be ghastly and dreadfull. Howsoeuer many [Page 226] of them being as the Apo­stle saith, 1 Thes. 5▪ 7 a-sleepe, and drunken in the night, are Pro. 23. 34. as he that lyeth downe in the midst of the sea, or vp­on the top of a Mast, ha­uing no more sence of their horrors (till with Foelix and Iudas, their consciences be awakened) then drunken men of their dangers, or men a-sleepe of broken bones. But Gal. 6. 16 as many as walke according to the rule of the word, peace bee on them, saith the Apostle; and he that makes Gods Psal. 119. 24. testi­monies his Councellors, shall finde them his delight, and the Verse 11 1. reioycing of his heart. For the Pro. 3. 17. waies of wisedome are the waies of pleasantnesse, and all her pathes are peace.

Secondly, I answere, that the Esa. 28. 24. 26. &c. discretion and facul­ties of ploughing (as of grinding, and all other lawfull Trades, Mysteries, Arts, and Sciences) are na­turall endowments, which God bestoweth on the rea­sonable soule of man, as he doth the sensible faculties [...] Psal. 94. 9. Pro. 1 [...]. 12. Iam. 2. 19. of hearing, seeing, tasting, &c. on the body. And as it is not the Scripture, but the sence of seeing and ta­sting, that teacheth men to iudge of colours, which is white, and which blacke; and of sauours, which is sa­uory, and which tainted: so it is the discretion and faculties of all manuary Trades, and Arts, and Sci­ences, that teach men how to plough, grinde, write, [Page 228] or speake well; well I mean, not according to ^w that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God, (which it may-be they intend not, nor vnderstand) but well, according to the rules and methode of each seuerall Trade, Art, or Science: and so men may be said to doe well, as S. Iames saith, and be no better all while, then children of the diuell. Yet the Scriptures being not ordained to such ends, are 2 Tim. 3. 16 perfect vnto all such supernaturall ends, for which they are ordained. I grant therefore, that the word doth not exclude the helpe and vse of naturall reason in the former instan­ces; yea, I adde, that in matters morall, politique, [Page 229] and domesticall, there is such a worke of the law, written in mens hearts, that Rom. 2. 14 Gentiles which had not the law, haue done by nature (that is, by naturall light of reason) the things contained in the law, that is, many things materially good which the law re­quires: yea, & that in some of them, and Trades, Arts, and Sciences, many natu­rall men haue out-stript and excelled many chil­dren of light; as Gen. 4. 20. 21, 22. cursed Caines posterity were the first great Trades-masters & Arts-masters of the world. What then? may we hence conclude that naturall rea­son (being now corrupt) can without the word, giue sufficient direction to doe [Page 230] any thing well and accep­table vnto God, [...]ccording to his perfect will? Then was the Apostle farre wide in point of discretion to teach, that Tit 1. 15▪ to the vncleane all things are vncleane, and Rom. 8. 8. they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Indeed naturall reason (as it is cor­rupt) is of it selfe sufficient to Rom. 1. 20 make men without ex­cuse, and to Rom. [...]. 6. leade them to death: but that it should afford sufficient direction to doe any thing well, and acceptably vnto God, in ploughing, grinding, or any other voluntary action indifferent or morall, is vt­terly impossible: because as Rom. 8. 7. the carnall minde is enmity against God, so Heb. 11. 6. without faith, it is impossi­ble [Page 231] to please God, and faith teacheth vs 1 Pet. 4, 2. to liue, not to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. And there­fore as Salomon saith, that Pro. 21. 4. the ploughing of the wic­ked is sinne, so Christ saith; Mat. 24. 41. [...]o women shall be grin­ding at the Mill, one shall be taken, and the other shal be left.

Thirdly, concerning that argument of theirs, that they with all their rea­ding and learning cannot conceiue what perfect dire­ction the Law containeth for all humane affaires, and therefore it doth not: I an­swere, what meane they? Would they bee set to schoole with that Rusticall, of whom the Roman Ora­tor writes, that hee could [Page 232] not possibly see how the Moone did containe grea­ter quantity then his wiues Cheese-fat? Must it there­fore be so concluded? Tell me, O thou vaine man, was Dauid a man of no reach nor learning, hee that was wiser Psal. 119. 98. 99. 100. then his enemies, and had more vnderstan­ding then the ancient, and all his teachers? To what end then saith hee I pray, that the Verse 129. testimonies of the Lord are wonderfull, and that Verse 96. he hath seene an end of all perfection, but Gods commandement is excee­ding broad; if there were no more therin contained, then our crazed vnderstan­ding can comprehend; why prayeth hee, Verse 18. open thou mine eyes, that I may see won­drous [Page 233] things out of thy law; why complaineth hee Psal. 40. 12 of innumerable euils compassing him, and his sinnes moe then the haires of his head? why cryeth he out, Psal 19. 12 who can vnderstand his errors; cleanse thou me from secret faults? But that he espied in the law of God, an height aboue his ken, a depth beyond his reach, a great inquest, greater then his heart, able to finde out more sins then his 1 Cor. 4. 4. owne conscience could be priuy vnto, and to Rom. 7. 13. & 6. 20. make sinne become exceeding sinfull: yea, such a perfection of holinesse, in comparison whereof Esa. 64. 6. all our righte­ousnesse is but filthy rags.

Wilt thou now say, why [Page 234] then or how with any com­fort can I endeauour to find out in Gods Law, a perfect direction for my choise and vse of all things indif­ferent▪ when no man liuing can comprehend the perfe­ction of the same? Fro­ward folly, whether wilt thou? Shall not a banke­rupt endeauour to pay his debts, so farre as his goods can reach, because hee knoweth he cannot pay al? Or wilt thou cast away all care and endeauour of hea­ring, praying, or of▪ doing any thing that good is, be­cause thou canst doe no­thing in that exact perfect manner that the Law re­quireth? See now how fit­ly God doth couple toge­ther Pro. 8. 15. pride and arrogancy [Page 235] and the euill way, and the froward mouth: a hatefull messe, fitter for those that 1 Cor. 10. 21. partake of the diuels ta­ble, then for vs partakers of the Lords table. O that thou wert wise to consider whether thy mouth could haue bin so froward, if thy way were not euill; and whether it could euer haue bin so ill with both the former, if pride and arro­gancy could haue suffered thee to ponder that which is written: 1 Cor. 1. 19. I will destroy the wisedome of the wise, and will bring to nothing the vnderstanding of the prudent. 1 Cor. 3 18. Let no man de­ceiue himselfe, if any man among you seemeth to bee wise in this world, let him become a foole, that hee [Page 236] may bee wise. Be intreated therefore I beseech you, to come out of that fooles pa­radise, that conceited suff [...] ­ciency of humane discreti­on and naturall reason: bee humble and meeke, and cast downe that crowne of pride at the feete of that great Councellor, the Lord Iesus, (who Psal. 25. 9. will guide the meeke in iudgement;) and become fooles, that hee may bee 1 Cor. 1. 30 made vnto you wisedome: Mat. 11. 29 30. take his yoke vpon you, and learne of him, for hee is meeke and lowly in heart, and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules, for his yoke is easie, and his burthen light. Indeed if God should Psal. 142. enter into iudg­ment with vs, in his sight could no man liuing bee [Page 137] iustified. But being Rom. 6. 14. not vn­der the Law, but vnder Grace, [...]hereas the more wee see Rom. 5. 20. [...] to abound by the knowledge of the Law, so much the more we shall finde grace to ouer-a­bound and free vs from all the rigour and curse of the Law: what should now dis­courage vs, when if there be but a Esa. 1. 19. willing minde to obey, God will accept 2 Cor. 8. 12 ac­cording to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not: and if we haue but a Psal. 119. 6 respect to all his Commandements without guile in our spirits, no shame of imperfections or polluti­ons shall lye vpon vs to hin­der our happinesse, for God will not Psal. 32. 2. impute iniquity vnto vs. Yea, so will God [Page 238] Ma [...]. 3. 17. spare vs (like a man that spareth his owne sonne that serueth him) that he Mat. 12. 20 will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking flaxe, till hee send forth iudgement into victory, [...] Cor. 12. 9. perfecting his power in our weakenesse, and Phil. 1. 6. fi­nishing the good worke he hath begun in vs.

What man is there of you, that setteth before his sonne a most perfect cop­pie for him to write by; i [...] his sonne in a humble▪ wil­ling endeauour, set pen to paper, and his eye on the coppie, though hee come not neare the perfection thereof, nay, though his aberrations should bee as many as the motions of [...]is pen▪ yet if hee st [...]iue to doe [Page 239] his best, and sign and cry, and craue pardon for that he can doe no better, will his father in this case giue him blowes, or frownes▪ or any dis-hart [...]ning words? You know our Sauiours inference, Mat. 17. 1 [...] If yee being e­uill, know how to accept, and incourage, and reward your childrens good en­deauours; how much more shall your Father which is in heauen, deale graciously with his children? On the contrary, if any sonne, out of despaire to attaine to the perfection of the coppie, should be so contemptuous that hee would not set pen to paper, nor his eye on the coppie; or be so presumptu­ous, that casting the coppie behinde his backe, hee [Page 240] should stirre his pen accor­ding to his owne discreti­on; and in his high conceit tell you for a finall an­swere, that hee is no beast, and hee hath done the best according to his discreti­on: would not the Father frowne on such a sonne, yea, and backe-beate as well as brow-beate, and rule and ouer-rule him, or turne him out of his fatherly gouern­ment? Consider what I say, and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things.

Wee, and many with vs, will be thankefull to God (I hope) for this comfortable resolution, and now in conclusion, we de­sire you to furnish vs with some speciall reasons and [Page 241] directions whereby wee may stirre vp our selues and others to take heed accor­ding to Gods word in the choise and vse of things in­different.

You haue alrea­dy in our former discourse, many reasons (if you ob­serue them) to this purpose, drawne, first, from the right vse of Christian liberty, which is Gods seruice; se­condly, from the precious price of its purchase, which may not be vilified; third­ly, from the mischieuous [...]ellish danger of the con­trary heedlesnesse; fourth­ly, from the ready awfull seruice which it will pro­cure in inferiours; fifthly, from the many rules that the Scriptures giue concer­ning [Page 242] it▪ sixthly, from the strange pride that keepes men from submission to it; seauenthly, from the perfe­ction of Gods law▪ that ex­tendet [...] it selfe not onely to all things simply good & euill but to al the means and occasions of them both; eightly, from the sweete peace of conscience that doth accompany it; ninthly, from the insuffici­ency of our corrupt natu­rall reason to guide vs; tenthly, from the wonder­full holinesse and righte­ousnesse of the Law, where­unto we must ayme, though we cannot attaine: and fi­nally from the Law of li­berty and grace, whereby all beleeuers being free▪ from the rigour and curse [Page 243] of the Law of workes, shall finde most gracious accep­tance with God, and rest to their soules in all their hum­ble willing indeauours. But seeing the discouery and approach of dangerous e­nemies are the readiest of­ficers among men for pro­curing watch and ward, I will thence briefly dispatch a few more arguments for your full satisfaction.

Wheref [...]re as the Scrip­tures a [...] [...] 12. sobri [...]ty vnto righteousnesse a [...] g [...] nesse, because that is [...] nurse of both the [...] so they 1 T [...] 5. 6 [...]t-soones [...] watchfulnesse to sobri [...]ty▪ [...] [...] 4. [...]. because that is as the mo­ther [...] Pet. [...]. 8. of this. For b [...]ing a­wakened out of the dea [...]y sleepe of sinne, to liue in [Page 244] holinesse and righteousnes, by watching & taking heed to our waies, according to the word, wee keepe our selues waking, that we may walke circumspectly & so­berly, temper and keep our selues from 1 Cor. 6. 12 being brought vnder the power of any law­ful or indifferent thing whē it is not expedient, that wee may 1 Cor. 7. 31 vse this world as not abusing it. We must there­fore be sober, and watch, as many as purpose to liue ho­lily and righteously (yea Luk. 21. 36 watch alwaies, saith our Sa­uiour, & in 2 Tim. [...]. 5. all things saith S. Paul;) and, why so watch? For first, the 1 Pet. 3. 8. diuel your ad­ue [...]sarie, as a roaring Lyon, walketh about seeking whō he may deuoure, & as he is a Lyon for strength, & roa­ring [Page 245] for greedines, and cir­cuiting for diligence, and seeking to deuoure not yours, but you: so he is a 2 Cor. 11 3. serpent for subtilty, an Reu. 12. 9. old serpēt for experience, & for efficacy such a cheater that he Verse the same. deceiueth the whole world. And no meruaile, for to this end 2 Cor. 11. 14. he is transfor­med into an Angel of light, holding forth the present pleasure, profit, & credit of sinne, (by Gen. 3: 6. which traines he first beguiled Eue) as a false Draper sheweth forth the faire end of his cloath, but keepee back out of sight the middle, & the other end; inward remorce of consci­ence here, & eternal punish­ment hereafter. Secondly, there is the Ioh. 15. 19 world that hates vs, a world of vngodly men [...] 2 Pet. 2. 5. [Page 246] [...] [Page 247] [...] [Page 246] that 1 Ioh. 5. [...]9 lyeth in wi [...]kednes whose Eph. 2. 2. course is according to the prince of the power of the ayre, whose office it is to be the diuels Factors in 2 Tim. 3. 13 deceiuing others, as them­selues are deceiued: who by their terrours and al­lurements, customes and multitudes, raise dust in our eyes, that wee might not discerne things that differ, but be inuolued and carri­ed away with the sway and currant of the euill times. Thirdly, there is in our selues Gal. 5. 17. the flesh lusting a­gainst the spirit, and 1 Pet. 2. 11 war­ring against the soule, and the wisedome of the flesh is Rom. 8. 6 death to v [...], as it is Verse 7. enmi­ty against God; in respect whereof, the Ier. 17. 9. heart of man is said to be desperately wic­ked, [Page 247] and deceitfull aboue all things, that is, of greater efficacy to deceiue our selues, then all other men or deuils. For Mark. 7. 21, &c. from with­in (out of the heart of man) arise euill thoughts, (and all things that defile a man, as naturally as sparks out of a furnace) which of them­selues, without the diuell, or the world, are able to set on fire the course of na­ture: whereas they both, with all their temptations without this, are but as fu­ell and bellowes, that could neuer make sinne to flame [...]ut of vs, if they had not the sparke of Iam. 1. 14. our owne concupiscence to kindle it.

Now, hauing in all our wayes to deale with such crafty, deadly, enemies had [Page 248] wee not neede, vnlesse it were good taking of our worst foes to bee our best guides; had wee not need (I say) to stand vpon our watch and ward, and Pro. 4. 23. a­boue all keepings, keepe our hearts, that we take not vp from them the choise or vse of any indifferent thing before wee trie it by the light of the Word, exami­ning both ends with the middle, and circumstances of it. Nay, when in things indifferent, most of all Sa­tan sets his snares for Gods seruants (knowing how Psal. 97. 10 they that loue the Lord abhorre euill, and all things simply vnlawfull) as hee met with Gen 34. [...]. [...]. Dinah and 2 Sam. 1 [...]. 2, 3. Da­uid, in their walking; with Gen. 9. 21. Noah and Gen. 19. 33 Lot, in their [Page 249] drinking of wine; and with Luk. 22. 25 Ioh. 18. 25. Peter, in warming himselfe at the fire: had we not neede watch and ward most in those things wherein the diuell most makes assault, vnlesse it were wise watching to watch against enemies a farre off, and to neglect such as are nearest at hand to cut our throats?

Now, for directions how to take heed; all that looke to doe any thing well and acceptably vnto God, in the choise and vse of things indifferent, must looke first of all to that which is the roote and foundation of all good actions since the fall of the first Adam, name­ly, to that Ioh. 6. 29 worke of God, that they beleeue on him [Page 250] whom he hath sent, and be Phil. [...]. 9. foun [...] in Christ as Iohn 15. 2. &c, bran­ches in the Vine; that so, Col. 3. [...]7. whatsoeuer wee doe in word or deed, may all bee done in the name of the Lord Iesus: for hee is that Reu. [...]. 3. Heb. 13. 10. 15. golden Altar, on, and by whom we must offer vnto God all our spirituall sacri­fices,1 Pet. 2. 5. and seruices; that be­ing per [...]med with his l [...] ­cense, they may Phil. 4. 18 (as o­do [...]s [...] a sweet smell) bee accepta [...]e and well-plea­sing vnto God by him. For hee being t [...]e onely begot­t [...]n and beloued Sonne, in Mat. 3 17. whom God is well-plea­sed, and he being Heb. 1. 2. appoin­ted heire of all things, through whom (wee be­ing his by faith) [...] thingsz 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. present, & things to come, [Page 251] are all ours. As wee Ioh. 15. 5. Heb. 11. 6. can doe nothing without him to please God; so, without him we haue no more right in Gods sight to the vse of any thing, then a thiefe hath to the vse of a true mans purse.

Secondly, being in Christ we must know that as for al things necessarie & simply good, we haue warrant out of the Word by Deut 6. 5. 25. expresse command or iust conse­quence; so, for things in­different wee haue a war­rant by Gods permission ei­ther directly expressed, as in the particular matter of [...]meats, or thence necessari­lyb De [...]t 12. 15. 20, 21. collected, as in all things of the like nature: whence the Apostle concludeth, that not onely meats, but [Page 252] all things of like indifferent nature, are 1 Cor. 6. 12 & 10. 23. all lawfull, Rom. 14. 20 all pure, and Tit. 1. 15. all cleane to the cleane, whose Rom. 14. 22, 23. conscien­ces are purged from dead workes by the bloud of Christ to serue the liuing God. And of this warrant of the Word wee must bee perswaded, that the parti­cular indifferent matters we meddle withall are not vncleane of themselues, but pure; else whatsoeuer is not of this faith is sinne, euen in things indif­ferent, sinne (I say) to any that doubtingly and vn­necessary shall aduenture thereon.

Thirdly, being in Christ, and hauing knowledge of the lawfulnesse of the par­ticular matters, wee must [Page 253] trie whether the doing of them bee 1 Cor. 6. 12 & 10. 23. expedient, that is, helpe to the maine end of the Law, which is 1 Tim. 1. 5. loue, out of a pure heart and a good conscience, and faith vnfaigned. For God com­manding 1 Cor. 16. [...]4 all our things to be done in loue, 1 Cor. 10. 3 all to his glory, and 1 Cor. 14. 26 all to edifying; that is, so as all may helpe and further our selues and our neighbours in holines and righteousnesse: what­soeuer choise or vse bee made of things indifferent, [...]f it bee not expedient to these ends, (1 Cor. 10. 23, 24 expedient, I say, for our selues, and 1 Cor. 6. 12 ex­pedient for our neighbors) it must needes be sinne, be­cause it 1 Ioh. 3. 4. transgresseth the Law in these respects, how­soeuer the thing chosen & [Page 254] vsed, bee of it selfe lawfull. So that that rule of our Sa­uiour, Mat. 12 30 he that is not with me, is against mee, must of necessity holde, as well in the vse of things indiffe­rent, as of things necessa­ry.

Fourthly, when being in Christ, wee know our war­rant for the lawfulnesse of the matter, and see the ex­pediency of it to the fore­said ends; then that which before was indifferent in nature, become now Ro [...] 19. 21. good and Acts 15. 18. necessary in vse: and we must set about it, as thus in the right manner and end, so with obseruation of all due circumstances; namely, that we do it Rom. 13. 4. 5. con­scionably and Eph. 6. 6 [...]7. Col. 3. 22. 23 willingly, as to the Lord (who com­mandeth [Page 255] the doing of it, as it is expedient) Eccl. 8. 5. 6 seasonably, [...] decently, and 1 Cor. 10. 30. circum­spectly, according to all o­ther [...] Eph. 5. 15 knowne rules of the Word, not conformed tov. Rom. 12. 2 this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minde, that we may prooue what is that good, [...]at a [...] ­ceptable a [...]d perfect will [...]f God. And heere let no man say that [...] destroy the whole nature of all in­different things, c [...]ctions; for schoolem [...]n themselues confesse, that G [...]rs [...] in [...]ogul. mor. no action, though it be indifferent as it is considered in it's na­ked nature, can be indiffe­rent as it is [...]ad with it's particular circumstances in doing. And Tho. Aqui­sum. pa [...]t. 1. q. 18. [...]. 9. no particu­lar morall action, or no ac­tion [Page 256] of the reasonable soule proceeding from rea­son, can possibly be so in­different, but it must of ne­cessity be good or euill, and either conformable to the rules of Gods holy Word or disconformable there­unto.

Now, if any man, not­withstanding all that hath beene said, shall loue to range where he list after the sight of his own eyes, Eccl. 11. 9. with the young man, or to bee turned loose to the wayes of his owne heart, with the Luk. 15 12 13. prodigall Sonne, and say the indifferent things wee meddle withall, are for the most part sports and trifles, or petty matters; and in such light matters at least, men haue sufficient war­rant [Page 257] to make choise and vse according to their own discretion, so that nothing bee done against the gene­rall rules of Gods Word; or else men shall be left in per­petual suspence and amaze­ments. First, I answere, that Psal. 119. 168. all our wayes being before God, wee cannot play out of Gods presence, no more then pray; and if in play, or other wayes, any man draw backe, seque­string himselfe from Gods presence, as Heb. 10. 38 Gods soule shall haue no pleasure in him, so hee may looke to haue the diuell for his play­fellow. And when God hath branded such for Psal. 106. 13, 14 ex­ceeding lust, that waited not for his counsell, must not we set God alwayes be­fore [Page 258] vs as did Psal. 16. 7, 8 Dauid, that hee may giue vs counsell▪ whereby we may be direc­ted, as well to play, as to 1 Cor. 10. [...]0. eate and drinke, and to doe whatsoeuer wee doe to the glory of God, as hee commaundeth vs. And when we reade that 1 Sam. 13. 14, 23. rebel­lion in not obeying the voyce of the Lord, is as the sinne of witchcraft, though in a light matter, as Saul esteemed it, as the sparing of a few cattell: Nay, when we heare of such wrath re­ueiled from heauen against petty matters, as m [...]n would deeme, as 2 Sam. 6. 6, [...]. touching and 1 Sam 6. 19 looking into the Arke. Num. 15. 32, 36. gathering a few sticks o [...] the Sabbath, and Gen. 3. 6. &c. eating of an Apple; alas, what meane men yet thus to talk [Page 259] of things so fearefull, as but of trifles and petty matters? Wee know him who saith, He that breaketh the least Commandement, &c. For the authority of the com­mander is violated in the wilfull breach of the least tittle, as of the waightier matters; and one Iam. 2. 10. poynt wilfully offended, makes a man guilty of the whole Law: as one little leake let alone may sinke the whole shippe, one little hole in a shooe may make the whole foote watershod, and one little claw held fast in the s [...]are, brings the whole bird into the Fowlers hands. And why doth the Scrip­ture tell vs of 1 Tim. 1. 19 shipwracke of faith, of Eph. 6. 15. feet sh [...]d with the preparation of the Gos­pell [Page 260] of peace, and of 2 Tim. 2. 22 men taken captiue in the snare of the diuell, but that men should fore see, if happily they might feele those spiri­tuall dangers by such earth­ly similitudes.

Secondly, concerning mens owne discretion i [...] choise and vse, so that no­thing bee done against the generall rules of the Word, I answere: that if herein they intend to lean to their owne wisedome, and not to acknowledge God in all their ways, they haue alrea­dy broken the pale of the Lords Pro. 3. 5. 6. direction, Hos. 5 10. like them that remooue the bound, and are 1 Tim. 6. 9. fallen in­to temptation, and a snare, whereby they may fall into many foolish and no [...]some [Page 261] lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destructi­on. But if herein they in­tend to take heed, accor­ding to the Word, as that which must be bound con­tinuallyPro. 6. 21. vpon their heart, to bee their Psal. 19. 1▪ 1 admonitor, their [...] counseller, and theirPsal 119. 24. [...] leader. Then they mustPro. 6. 22. acknowledge with reue­ [...]nd [...] Caluin, that seeing theCalu. inst. lib 3. cap. 10. sect. 1. Scripture giues generall rules for the lawfull vse of actions and things indiffe­rent, our vse is to be limit­ted according to the same. For Mat. 12. 30 hee that is not with Christ (the great Counsel­ler of his Church) is a­gainst him. And therefore whatsoeuer the subtill ser­pent, or the world, or thy owne carnall wisedome by [Page 262] peeping and muttering shall say against it, remem­ber I pra [...], that they are all dead in sinnes and trespas­ses, and hearken to the li­uing GOD, that saith, Should not a people, (a people that hath t [...]e Esa. 8. 16. t [...]s [...]i­mony bound, and the la [...] sealed among them, as the Lords D [...]scipl [...]s) should n [...] such a people Vers 19. 2 [...] seeke vnto their God? from the liuing to the dead? To the law, an [...] to the [...]imony, if they spe [...]ke not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them. Ah my brethren, why should any Disciple be here so amazed, as t [...] say, Iohn [...]. 60 This is a hard saying, who can beare it? Why should any cry out of Psal. 2 3. bands & cords, [Page 263] like those Luk. 19. [...] enemies that would not haue Christ to raigne ouer them? A [...]a [...], why should the Pet 2. [...] chie [...] cor­ner st [...], el [...]c [...] [...] bee [...]ad [...] a [...]bli [...]g, [...] that stu [...]bl [...] at [...] being [...] unto a [...] [...]? Esa. 30. 1. [...] to [...] [...] ­ous child [...]e [...] [...] saith the Lord, that take counsell, but not of me: Ver [...]. 8. &c g [...]e now write it before them in a ta­ble, and note it in a booke, that it may be for the [...]ime to come for euer and euer, that thi [...] is a rebellious peo­ple, lying children, children that will not heare the law of the Lord: which say to the Seers, see not; and to [Page 264] the Prophets, prophecy not vnto vs right things, speake vnto vs smooth things, prophecie deceits; get yee out of the way, turne aside out of the path, cause the the holy One of Israel to cease from before vs. O what amazement will that bee to all that despise thi [...] Word, when Verse 12, 13, 14 this iniquity shall be to them as a breach ready to fall swelling out of a high wal, whose breaking commeth sodainly at an in­stant, and shall bee as the breaking of the potters ves­sell, that is broken in pieces without sparing, so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sheard to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withall ou [...] of the pit.

Thirdly therefore, con­cerning suspence and a­mazements, I answere, Esa. 8. 11. be thou instructed not to walk in the way of this people, Pro. 3. 7 be not wise in thine own eies, but Esa. 33. 16 shut thine eyes from seeing euill, and Esa. 45. 22. looke vn­to Christ thy Counseller; and then Esa. 8. 12. 13. 14 feare not their feare, nor bee afraid. San­ctifie the Lord of hoasts himselfe, and let him bee thy feare, and let him bee thy dread, and hee shall bee for a Sanctuary vnto thee; and in the waste howling wildernesse of this world where thou knowest not which way to take, hee will goe before thee, as Exo. 13. 21 22. the cloudy pillar by day, and the fiery pillar by night to leade thee in the way, to [Page 266] Deut 32. 10. to instruct thee, and keep thee as the apple of his eye: as Vese 11, 12. an Eagle stirreth vp her nest, fluttereth ouer her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth thē on her wings; so will the Lord leade thee. It was an olde tricke of sin­ners in Sion, and of hypo­crites, that would not hum­ble themselues to walk with God, when they were Esa. 33. 14 sur­prised with fearefulnesse, to cry out, who shall dwell with the deuouring fire [...] who among vs shall dwell with euerlasting burnings And sure Heb. 10. 31 a fearefull thing it will bee to fall into the hands of the liuing God for any man, that with such Ier. 12. 8. hatefull out-cries sha [...] turn Heb. 12. 25 away from him tha [...] [Page 267] speaketh from heauen. For Luk. 19, 27 those mine enemies (saith hee) that would not haue me to raigne ouer them, bring them hither, and slay them before mee. And those that will not binde vpon their hearts his law and testimony, louing darkenesse more then light, Esa. 8. 16. 22. shall be driuen to darknes, where they Verse 15. shall stumble and fall, and bee broken, and bee snared, and be ta­ken; and so goe Psal. 49. 19 to the ge­neration of their Fathers, and neuer shall see light. Yea, seeing they refuse him in whom is all Ioh. 1. 16. fulnesse, that Eph. 1. 23. filleth all in all, with­out whom all creatures are as huskes without graine, subiect to vanity and emp­tinesse: therefore euen in [Page 268] earth where they will Iam 5. 5. liue in pleasure, and nourish their hearts as in a day of slaughter; they shall Hag. 1. 6. eate and not bee satisfied, they shall Pro. 14 13. laugh, but their hearts the while, shall bee sorrowfull; and they Esa. 8. 21. 22. shall passe through it, as hardly be-sted, as hungerly vnsa­tisfied; and (their consci­ences being awakened) whether they look vpward or looke to the earth, they shall in desperate disconten­tednesse, curse their God and their King, whom they haue preferred before the Lord Iesus; who will Mat. 21. 44 grinde to powder all that fall on him, as a stone of stumbling, and rocke of of­fence.

But what of all this? [Page 169] Is not Christ yet still the Pet. 2. 6. 7 chiefe corner-stone, elect and precious to all belee­uers? Yea, by all meanes, as Heb. 13. 8. yesterday and to day, so the same for euer: and as Ioh. 1. 16. of this fulnesse wee haue all receiued, so 1 Pet. 2. 6 hee that beleeueth in him, shall not be confounded. God forbid therefore that any beleeuer should here in amazement cry out with Peter, Luk. 5. 8. De­part from mee, for I am a sinfull man O Lord: but seeing hee is our Councel­lor, (though wonderfull) let vs in the midst of all back-sliders, say with Pe­ter, (when hee was better aduised, being put vnto it) Ioh. 6. 68. Lord to whom shall wee goe? thou hast the words of eternall life. And there­fore [Page 270] howsoeuer the Esa. 11. 4 rod of his mouth, his word, whereby he will counsaile and rule vs in things indif­ferent, as in all things else, may seeme at first terrible to bee thought on, in re­spect of the perfection and extent thereof; and Sathan would faigne perswade vs to keepe aloofe off, as Exo. 4. 9. Mo­ses fled from the rod of the Lord, when in his sight it became a Serpent: yet at Pro. 4. 13. Gods commandement, let vs lay fast hold on it, as Moses did on that, and we shall finde and feele it, not onely free from the sting of death, and so fearelesse, but vsefull (as the rod of Moses was) to worke won­ders for our guidance and safety in the midst of all our [Page 271] spirituall enemies, Deut. 33. 29. who shall be all found liars vnto vs, and we shall treade vp­on their high places.Mat. 14. 30. 31. Yea, but as soone as thou pit­chest thy conceit on the Law for direction in all things indifferent, thou be­ginnest to sinke in the depth thereof, as Mat. 14. 30. 31. Peter did in the sea; and thou art at such an amazement with 2 Chr. 20. 12. King Iehoshaphat, that thou knowest not what to doe. Yes, being Gods childe, thou hast receiued the spi­rit of adoption, whereby thou canst cry Abba Father: let thine eyes then be vpon Christ, as Iehoshaphats were vpon God, and cry with Peter, Lord saue mee; cry with Dauid, Psal. 119 18. 19, 20. Lord open thou mine eyes, that I may [Page 272] see wondrous things out of thy Law: I am a stranger vpon earth, hide not thy commandements from me, O let me not wander from thy Commandements. Thou canst not bee so rea­dy to looke and cry vnto him, as he is ready to leade and saue thee: it is but Mat. 7. 7. aske and h [...]ue, seeke and finde, Esa. 45. 22. looke vnto him, and bee saued. For Deut. 4. 7. what nation is so great, that hath God so nigh vnto them, as the Lord our GOD is in all things that wee call vpon him for? Call, yea, Esa. 65. 24. before we call, hee will answere, and while wee are yet spea­king, he will heare.

Yea, but thou wouldest haue me shew thee present­ly, that perfect direction of [Page 273] the law in the choise and vse of things indifferent. So would Exo. [...]. 18 19, 20. Moses haue God shew him his glory, when good man, hee asked hee knew not what, for hee could not liue & see Gods face. But answere mee, wouldest thou see the full eare while the blade is springing, and the stalke growing? or can a grow­ing-childe comprehend what belongs to full age? Or canst thou bee in thy heauenly Mansion-house, whiles thou art in thy earthly Tabernacle? Then and there shall wee 2 Cor. 5. 7. walke by sight, but now by faith; 1 Cor. 13. 1 [...] now wee see through a glasse darkely, but then face to face; now we know in part, but then shall wee [Page 274] know euen as wee are known. Such perfect know­ledge, as it is too wonder­full for vs Pilgrims on earth; so it is neither for our owne safety, 2 Cor. 12. lest we should be exalted aboue measure in the abundance of reuelati­ons; neither for our Saui­ours glory, Verse 9. whose strength is made perfect in weake­nesse. Be content therefore now with Moses, Exo. 33. 23 to see his backe-parts, whose face cannot here bee seene; thy Sauiours Verse 13. 14. presence shall still goe with thee Esa. 59 21. by his spirit and word; whereby he will be so gracious, as to make 2 Cor. 12. 9 his grace sufficient for thee. Onely humble thy selfe to walke with thy God, shew thy willing minde, and endeauour to [Page 275] keepe his word; and he wil be thy aduocate to pleade for thee, that thou hast1 Ioh. 17. 6. kept his word; namely, in that euangelicall manner and measure, which grace requireth of thee. Yea, but here is a doubt, how thy humble willing indeauour must bee made manifest? Herein let no man deceiue himselfe with his faint wi­shings, and sluggish woul­dings: neuer can such wi­shers and woulders thriue in the kingdome of hea­uen, which Mat. 11. 12 suffereth vio­lence, and is taken of those that Luk. 16. 16. presse into it, and take it by force. Here there­fore, if euer, thou must bee Iam. 5. 16. feruent in prayer, and in­stant in 2 Pet. 1. 5. giuing all dili­gence; that aboue Pro. 4. 7. all get­tings, [Page 276] thou maiest get wise­dome and vnderstanding: thou must Pro. 2. 2. cry for the spi­rit of wisedome and vnder­standing, and ply all means (as they that Verse 3. digge for trea­sures) by continuall Ios. 1. 8. me­ditation, Iam. 1. 19. Pro. 8. 34. hearing, Reuel. 1. 3 Col. 4. 16. rea­ding, and Psal 119. 13. 48. Acts 17. 11. conference of the word: that so thou maiest bee Col. 1. 9. filled with all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding, in applying generall knowledge to par­ticular practises; by Heb. 5. 14. reason of which vse thou maie [...] haue thy sences exercised to discerne both good and e­uill, and so Acts 24. 16. exercise thy selfe to haue alwaies a con­science void of offence to­ward God & toward men. Then when the Psa.. 119. 21. proud that erre from Gods com­mandements [Page 277] shall bee cur­sed, and Esa. 45. 24. & 65. 14. all that be incen­ced against him, shall bee a­shamed, and howle for vexation of spirit, being snared in their owne trans­gression; thou shalt Pro. 29. 6. sing and reioyce with the righ­teous, and shout for ioy in the 2 Cor. 1. 12 Pro. 15. 15. testimony of thy con­science, as in a continuall feast.

Yea, but by the former meanes applied, thy consci­ence accuseth thee of ma­ny sinnes, yea, of Gen. 42. 21 sinne many yeares past, and of the Iob 13. 26. sins of thy youth, sins Psal. 40. 12 more then the haires of thy head: and the more thou lookest into the glasse of Gods law, the more thou seest thy sinnes to abound. Yet being washed in the [Page 278] bloud of the Lambe, were they multiplied to thou­sands, and euery penny debt increased to a pound, to a talent; the Heb. 9. 14. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. bloud of Christ, who through the eternall spirit offered him­selfe without spot to God, doth purge thy conscience from them all. So that they may now serue thee as good remembrancers, to magnifie that grace that hath Rom. 5. 20 ouer-abounded them all; but Rom. 8. 1. condemne thee they cannot, being in Christ Iesus, and walking after the spirit. Yea, but as thou walkest, thou art still yet erring on the right hand, or on the left; and how farre so many errors may carry thee, thou canst not but feare. But Gods [Page 297] promise I say, stands for thee, that Esa. 30. 21 in all these er­rings, thine eares shall heare a word behinde thee, say­ing, This is the way, walke yee in it: and this shall Psal. 19. 13 keepe thee backe from pre­sumptuous sinnes, and thou shalt be innocent from the great transgression. Yea, but sometimes thou stumblest fouly thou sayest, and fallest downe flat. Yet Psal. 37. 24 though thou fall, thou shalt not vt­terly be cast downe, for the Lord vpholdeth thee with his hand; yea, Deut 33. 27. the euerla­sting armes are vnderneath thee to raise thee vp, and Psal. 34. 7. Angels encamped round about thee, Psal. 91. 11. who haue charge ouer thee, to guard thee in all thy wayes. Yea the Psal. 121. 4 5. Lord himselfe, that [Page 280] keepeth Israell, and neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, will be thy keeper; he Psal. 37. 23 will order thy steps, and delight in thy way; leading thee fa­miliarly, as a Ioh. 15. 13 15. friend that hauing laid downe his life for thee, will not keepe his secret from thee; compas­sionately as a Heb. 2. 13 1 [...]. & 4. 15. Brother, who partaking the same flesh with thee, can be tou­ched with thy infirmities, and is able to succour thee; and most louingly as a Esa. 62. 5. husband reioycing ouer thee, as a Bridegroome doth ouer the Bride, Cant. 2. 6. with his left hand vnder thy head, and with his right hand imbracing thee, Psal. 45. 11 greatly desiring thy beauty, and Cant. 4. 9. his heart being raui­shed▪ with the loue of [Page 281] thee; to whom thou art Can. 7. 6. faire and pleasant for de­lights, (Can. 2. 14. thy voice sweet, & thy countenance come­ly) his Loue, his Can. 6. 8. 9 Do [...]e, his vndefiled, faire as the Moone, cleare as the Sun, Cant. 4. 7. all faire and no spot in thee. For he being the Sun of righteousnesse, hath [...] blotted out all thy sinnes as a cloud, and hee hath Micah 2. 19 cast them all into the depths of the sea of his mer­cies, which in its vastnesse can swallow a thousand as one, and mountaines as mole-hils: so that Ier. 50. 20. no sins of thine can bee found, though they be sought for, but Ier. 54. 17. euery tongue that ri­seth against thee in iudge­ment, shalt thou con­demne: Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay [Page 280] [...] [Page 281] [...] [Page 282] any thing to the charge of Gods elect, it is God that iustifieth, who shall con­demne? It is Christ that dy­ed, yea rather that is risen againe, who is euen at the right hand of GOD, who also maketh intercession for vs. So that committing our way to him in things indifferent, as in all things else, we may Esa. 45. 25. glory in him, in whom wee are iustified, casting downe the gantle [...] of defiance against all our spirituall enemies; for Rom. 8. 31 if God be for vs, who can bee against vs? so that for ioy of heart, wee may sing to him with Dauid, Psal. 73. 24. thou shalt guide mee with thy counsell, and [...] afterward re­ceiue me to glory.

M^r. Archippus [Page 283] you haue euen rauished our soules with the admiration of Christ our Counsellor: Wonderfull may his name well bee, who is such a friend, and brother, and husband, as well as coun­cellor vnto vs. The chil­dren of this world, that are wise in their generation, if they haue a Lawyer at hand, of whom they may aske counsaile vpon euery occasion at their pleasure and free-cost, will bee sure to doe nothing wherein appeareth any suspition of danger, without aduise. And haue we a Councellor so nigh vs, with his word in our mouth, yea, with his spirit and word in our heart; so wonderfull in his friendly familiarity, in his [Page 284] brotherly compassion, and husbandly louing kinde­nesse; with whom wee may in all things con­sult without money or price, who is neuer weary of our conference, but de­lighted with our voice and presence, and neuer displea­sed with vs, but either for Esa. 30. 1. 31. 1. not asking, or Pro. 1. 25. 30. not fol­lowing his counsell: and shall wee children of light, sleight him, and presume on our owne discretion without him, especially where there is such deadly danger in the abuse of things indifferent? would not the children of this world so rise vp in iudge­ment against vs? Surely confusion already couereth our faces, to thinke on our [Page 285] former foole-hardinesse and whiles we liue, we sh [...] neuer more say to our di [...] cretion, [...]u art our gui [...] Now [...] procee [...] we pray you, to your t [...]ir [...] [...]ile of direction for our mutuall edification.

My third rule concerneth the materials, the parties I meane whom wee are to edifie: and they are principally the 1 Pet. 2. 17. brother­hood & houshold of Gal. 6. 10. faith; for they are Esa. 61. 3. called trees of righteousnesse, and 1 Pet 2. 5. liuely stones: because they are al­ready fit to be built vp, a spirituall house, an holy Priest-hood, to offer vp spirituall sacrifice, accepta­ble to God by Iesus Christ. And among them, 2 Tim. 5. 8. especi­ally those that are our own, [Page 286] and of our own house, our Phile. verse 16. brethren both in the flesh & in th [...] Lord. Yet may notDeut. 11. 19. Gen. 18. 9. our loue that edifieth bee restrained onely to those; for the same Scriptures that order vs to doe good, espe­cially to the houshold of faith, and to loue the bro­therhood; charge vs also to 1 Pet. 2. 17. honour all men, and to doe good, euen Gal. 6. 10. to all, [...] Thes. 5. 15. yea, to Mat. 5. 44. loue, and to doe good to our enemies, yea though they be our hateful, spitefull persecutors; much more then to our friends and families, and other neighbours.

But say some, what man can edifie all?

As when the Scripture saith, Heb. 12. 14 follow peace with all men, the [Page 287] meaning is not as if any good man could haue ei­ther commerce or concord with all: for besides all those whose [...]aces he neue [...] saw, there are some Psal. 120 6, ha­ters of peace, against whom Dauid made his protestati­on, saying, I am for pea [...]e, but when I speake▪ they are for warre: as also hee com­plained of furious Ioab, that 1 Reg. 2. 5. he shed the bloud of warre in peace: but as the Apo­stle saith, Rom. 12. 18 If it be possible, as much as lyeth in you, liue peaceably with all men; so here wee meane, not as if any could edifie all; for besides those milli­ons of people, whose faces we neuer see, how many of those with whom wee conuerse, are as stones, [Page 288] crumbling all to crattell, as soone as we begin to ham­mer them, and as timber falling to splinters, when we fall to hewing of them, (both which are fitter for the high-way, and chim­ney corner, then for Gods building) and other such 1 Sam. 25. 17. sonnes of Beliall there are, that a man cannot speake to them; they are 2 Sam. 23. 6, 7. thornes that cannot be taken with hands, but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron, and with the staffe of a speare: will such euer be edified? Nay, they shall be thrust away, as thornes, saith the Prophet, yea, vtterly burnt with fire in the same place. The mea­ning therefore is, that if it bee possible, as much as [Page 289] [...]lyeth in vs, wee should edify all; and 1 Cor. 9. 22 be made all things to all men (as euery mans calling and opportunity can permit) that wee might by all mean [...] saue some; yea and those that are Vers. 19. free from all men should make themselues seruants vnto all men (Gal. 5. 13 by loue seruing one another) that they might gaine the more.

But say others, 1 Cor. 5. 12 what haue wee to doe to iudge them that are without? Re­proofe therefore is to be [...]estrayned onely to bre­thren in religion, at least in outward profession. And others obiect, that all who [...]re not truly religious, are dead in sinnes and tres­ [...]asses, [...] Eph. 2. 1. and therefore in ex­hortation [Page 288] [...] [Page 289] [...] [Page 290] we haue nothing to doe with them; what say they, must wee speake to carkases and dead men?

First I answere, that S. Paul in the former place speakes of iudging by publique censure of the Church, which can reach to none, but to those that are within the Church: which may not restrayne priuate 2 Thess. 3. 14. 15. admonition, no not from such disorderly, disobedient persons, from whose company the bre­thren themselues are re­strayned by the Apostle. Nay by how much the lesse the censure of the Church can reach to those that ar [...] without, so much the mor [...] must wee admonish them priuately as wee haue op­portunity, [Page 291] if wee intend the doing of any good vn­to them, as wee are bound to doe, euen Gal. 6. 10 to all, though they be not of the hous­hold of faith.

Secondly they who are dead in sinnes & trespasses according to the Apostles meaning, are yet 1 Tim. 5 6 liuing in the flesh though dead in re­gard of spirituall vegeta­tion: and may be quickned as Eph. 2. 1. those were of whom the Apostle speaketh. Nay wee al that now Gal. 2. 20. liue by faith, were dead as they by nature; and may not they then as wel as we be quick­ned by grace? As the A­postle pleading for the Iewes that were cut off, saith to the beleeuing gentile, Rom. [...]. 18. 23. Boast not against them [Page 292] for God is able to graffe them in; so say I to thee, despayre not of these; for God who quickned you in their case, is able also soone to quicken them together with you. Should a man that hath escaped danger of drowning by fauour of a draw-bridge afforded him, pluck vp the bridge from his indangered fellowes following after him? Be­hold, Ioh. [...]. 24 thou hast passed from death to life, by the grace of him who is I [...]h. 14▪ 6 the way, the truth, and the life; and wilt thou stop this pas­sage of gra [...]e from thy fel­lowes behinde thee? Mayest thou not so prouoke the Father of mercies, who Exo. [...]4. keepeth mercy for thou­sands▪ to speake to thee in [Page 293] his wrath, as the Lord saith in the parable, Mat. [...]8. 32 33 O thou wicked seruant &c. shouldst not thou also haue had compassion on thy fellow as I had pitty on thee? Doth thy soule abhorre those enuious Gen. 26. [...]8. Philistins that stopped Abrahams wels, wherewith cattell were watered and refreshed; and wilt thou stop the Ier. 2. 1 [...]. fountaine of liuing waters, the Zac. [...]3. [...]. fountaine that is ope­ned for sinne and for vn­cleannesse to refresh thou­sands of mens weary soules? O how are they branded that Psal. [...]8. 41 limited the holy one of Israell in his power? and art not thou blame­worthy if in thy thought thou limit him in his rich mercy; who is Rom 10. 12 the same [Page 294] Lord ouer all, rich vnto all that call vpon him, who hath Rom 11. 32 concluded all vnder sinne, that he might haue mercy of all, gentile as well as Iew, and of the elect yet vn-called & without, aswel as of those within. For this purpose must not Ma [...]. 15. 15 the gos­pell be preached to euery creature in all the world, and that Mat. 28. 20 euen vnto the end of the world? Now therefore as well as in the dayes of the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. 1. is the accepted time, behold now is the day of saluation; and the houre is not yet expi­red whereof the Lord of life saith, Ioh. 5. 25 verily, verily I say vnto you, the houre is comming and now is, when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God, [Page 295] and they that heare shall liue. And if by hearing they that are dead in sinnes and trespasses shall liue, then you see the dead must be spoken vnto that they m [...]y heare and liue.

Thou wilt say perhaps, true, and were I a preacher, 1 Cor. 9. 16 woe were to me if I should not preach the gos­pell to the dead, Act. 20. 28 of whom I am made an ouer-seer. But say I, thou art a neighbour, though no preacher; and if they that be dead in sinne be thy neighbours, the royall law chargeth thee to loue them as thy selfe; if their bodies, which none will deny; how much more then their soules? Yea were it but thy neighbours, nay thine Exo. 23. 4. 5 enimies oxe stray­ing, [Page 296] or asse lying vnder a burden, thou must in pitty help him. What, doth God take care for oxen and asses as the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 9, 10. saith? No doubt for our sakes this is written, that he that seeth his neighbour [...] soule lying vn­der the burden of sin; Leu. 19. 17 must not (as the Law saith) hat [...] his brother in his heart, but he shall in any wise rebuke his neighbour, & not suffer sinne vpon him. Whereto cut off all such cauils, as if onely brethren in religion or profession were to be rebuked: the Lord himselfe makes brother and neigh­bour termes conuentible, or of equall extent: and in this case euery soule that thou seest to haue neede, is thy neighbour, though he [Page 297] be the man whose face thou neuer sawest before, as Luk. 10. 29 &c. Christ sheweth at large in that parable, where he tels the per [...] Lawyer who is his neighbour. And heere Deu. 15. 9 be­ware there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, to Zac. 7. 10. imagine euill against thy brother in thy heart, saying, he may be for ought thou knowest a vessell of wrath fitted to destruction, and neuer to be quickned. For Deu. 29. 29 the secret things belong vnto the Lord our God, but those things that are reuealed, belong vnto vs, and to our children for euer, that wee may doe all the words of this Law. Whither God will quicken this or that particular m [...]n or no, is a secret yet known [Page 298] onely to him [...] Tim 2. 19 who hath this seale, the Lord knoweth who are is: thou seest thy duty of loue reuealed which thou must doe to helpe quicken him: and it is thy want of 1 Cor. 13 7 charity not to hope that he may be quickned, till thou see God reueale the contrary; for what knowest thou whither thou shalt quicken and saue him, when the Pro. 10. 11 & 11. 30 mouth of a righteous man is a well of life, and his fruit a tree o [...] life?

But say some, when wee deale with such men, wee finde them not onely as beasts without vnderstanding, but rude as horse and mule: wee can no sooner meete them with a word of rebuke, but they [Page 299] are snuffing and kicking with the heele, and off they turne vs with reprochfull and beastly vsage: and who that wise is, will trouble himselfe with such beast [...]?

I aunsweare, where is now that Tit. 3. 2. gentle­nesse and meekenesse that must be shewed vnto all men? Or haue they for­gotten, that 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25 the seruant of the Lord must not striue; but be gentle vnto all men, apt to teach, patient: in meeknesse instructing them that oppose themselues, if God peraduenture will giue them repentance &c? O if thou wouldst call to re­membrance the dayes past, Tit. 3. 3. were not wee our selues sometimes (as they are now) not onely vnwise [Page 300] and disobedient, but liuing also in enuy and malice? Could not wee shew splene and stomacke more then enough, to the man that should haue stopt vs with a word of rebuke, when we serued our diuers lusts and pleasures? May not the best of vs, if wee consider our selues, Ier. 31. 18 19 bemoane ourselues with Ephraim, yea strike vpon our thigh, and be confounded to thinke how wee played the vn­ruly beasts, when God first began to chastise and turne vs? Nay, since wee were conuerted, haue wee not oft played the Psal. [...]3. 22 beasts (as Dauid) in our ignorant foolish thoughts and cen­sures? Yea, and sometime when wee haue bin set in [Page 301] withall for acknowledging some darling sins, haue wee not bin Psal. 32. 3, 4, 5, 9 as horse & mule which haue no vnderstan­ding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, least they come neare thee? Remember therefore how in times past Iob 33. 14 God spake once, yea twise, and thou perceauedst it not; yea often Ier. 22. 21 he spake vnto thee in thy prosperi­ty, when thou saidst I will not heare, behauing thy selfe as Iere. 2. 24 a wildasse vsed to the wildernesse that snuffeth vp the winde at her pleasure, in her occasion who can turne her away? Yet was Esa. 65. 1. God found of thee when thou soughtest him not; Esa. 30. [...]8. he wayted that he might be gracious vnto [Page 302] thee; yea many a time and long Reu. 3. 20. hath he stoode knocking at the doore of thy conscience, Cant. 5. 2. till his head was filled with dew, & his locks with the drops of the night: and had not he wrought for his great names sake to Ioh. 6. 44 drawe thee and that Hos. 11. 4 with cordes of loue, yea and sometime with Eze. 20. 34 37 a mighty hand to rule thee, causing thee to passe vnder the rod, and Luk. 14. 23 compelling thee into the bond of the couenant (the Gen. 19. 16 Lord being mercifull vnto thee) & 1 Pet. 1. 5 keeping thee by his owne power through faith vnto saluation: thou mightest for euer haue perished in thy dung, as a beast, or thy latter end might haue bin worse then [Page 303] thy beginning. Now let thy soule haue these things still in remembrance and be humbled in thee, to reade vnto others a lecture of thine owne experience as Psal. 32. 8 &c. 66. 16 Dauid did; and shew mercy to thy neighbours, as God hath had compassion on thee.

But when wee assaye to doe their soules good, and finde nothing in them but ignorance and brutishnesse, may wee not then leaue them? Why else saith Salomon, Pro. 14. 7 goe from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceiuest not in him the lips of knowledge?

Salomon in your place alleaged, forbiddeth all vnnecessary familiarity [Page 304] and society with such wicked fooles: because as they are Mat. 23. 3. Serpents by na­ture and haue an inbred serpentine Gen. 3. 25 enmity against the seede of the woman (that is, Rom. 9. 8. the children of God and of the promise, which are counted for the seede) so their euill speach 1 Cor. 15. 33. corrupteth and 2 Tim. 2. 17 fretteth like a gangrene, their wick­ednesse spreadeth and sow­reth 1 Cor. 5. 6. like leauen, and their society is as Pro. 13. 20 perillous, as their language is vene­mous, and their liues conta­gious. But enimies though they be, and full of deadly poison; yet wee may, nay wee Pro [...] 25. 21 must giue them bread to eate if they be hungry, and water to drinke if they be thirsty; and if to their [Page 305] hungry and thirsty bodies, then much more to their hungry and thirsty soules. So that wee must watch an opportunity to 2 Thess. 3 14. 15 admonish euen them, with whom we may haue no company; and men must be 1 Tess. 5. 14 warned though they be vnruly, yea the more vnruly men are, Tit. 1. 10. 12, 13 as euill beasts, the more sharply must they be re­buked, Iude 23. and saued with terror. And this is the choisest cunning of all hunting and fishing in the world, when men, as good huntsmen and Mat. 4. 19 fishers of men, are Pro 11. 30. wise to winne or take soules, and to Luk. 5. 10 catch men, though by nature as vnruly as euill beasts or Sea-monsters. And though Christ call his Apostles [Page 306] Fishers of men, because they and their successors in prea­ching, are the chiefe Eze. 47. 10. Fi­shers and net-spreaders by those waters issuing out of the Sanctuary: yet Salomon applies the same similitude of fishing or hunting, to e­uery righteous man; be­cause they must be helpers and labourers with Prea­chers in the Gospell, as for­merly wee heard; and they being Verse 12. trees that grow by the bankes of the waters of the Sanctuary, their fruit must be for meate, and their leafe for medicine; by whose lips many must be cured, as well as fed, to fulfill that which is written, The tongue of the wise is health,Pro. 12. 18. or medicines; and a whole­somePro. 15. 4. tongue is a tree of [Page 307] life. Now when all these si­militudes of curing, hun­ting, and fishing, import not onely cunning and wisedome, but a great deale of labour, watching, and long-suffering: wee may not turne off our neigh­bours for a little rudenesse and vntowardnesse, or vt­terly leaue them if we can­not presently catch or cure them. In the former case, if thy neighbours Oxe going astray, or his Asse lying vn­der a burthen; if the Oxe when thou offerest to bring him backe, should fling dirt in thy face; or the Asse should assay to bite thee, while thou assayest to helpe him from vnder his bur­then, wilt thou presently leaue the one and the other, [Page 308] and thinke to answere Go [...] with a cold assaye, whe [...] God chargeth thee, saying, Exo. 23. 4, 5. Bringing thou sha [...] bring backe the one, an [...] helping, thou shalt hel [...] the other; that is, as muc [...] as in thee lyeth, if it be po [...] sible, thou shalt bring ba [...] the one, and helpe vp the other? Wherefore if there [...] any bowels and mercie [...] any meekenesse and patience, when thou seest soul [...] straying in the Mat. 7. 13 wide wa [...] of perdition, or 1 Ioh. 5. 19. lying wit [...] the world in mischiefe, he [...] is matter for them all t [...] set on worke: namely, 2 Tim. 2. 24 &c. t [...] be gentle vnto all of them apt to teach, and patient in meekenesse instructin [...] those that oppose themselues, if God peraduentur [...] [Page 309] will giue them repentance [...] the acknowledging of [...]e truth: and they may [...]ouer themselues out of [...]esnare of the diuell, who [...]e taken captiue by him at [...] will.

But say they, the [...]cripture it selfe saith, Pro. 9. 8. Re­ [...]roue not a scorner, lest he [...]e thee, and Pro 23. 9. speake not [...] the eares of a foole, for [...]e will despise the wise­ [...]ome of thy words; And a­ [...]ine, Mar. 7. 6. giue not that which [...]holy vnto dogs, neither [...]st ye your pearles before [...]ine, lest they trample [...]em vnder their feete, and [...]ne againe and rent you.

I answere, that [...]ere are two sorts of dogs [...]d swine, of fooles and [...]orners. First, some are [Page 310] such by in-bred corrupti­on of nature, and such were wee all by nature: Tit. 3. 3. no [...] onely vnwise and disobe­dient, deceiued, and ser­uing diuers lusts and plea­sures; but also liuing in ma­lice and enuy, hatefull, and hating one another. Such was the Acts 2. 13. woman of Sama­ria, who could checke, and quip, and taunt our blessed Sauiour▪ such were those scorners, who said, the A­postles were full of new wine; and such was Paul▪ when in his ignorance, he was 1 Tim. [...]. [...] 3 a blasphemer and a persecutor, and so iniuri­ous, that hee was Acts. 9. 11. excee­dingly mad against the Saints. And yet none of [...] these was such, but that as God would haue pearles▪ [Page 311] and holy things tendered and giuen them, so they, af­ter they were soundly con­uinced and pricked to the heart, and humbled, most penitently imbraced them. Secondly, some are fooles and scorners by acquired wilfull blindenesse, and scornefull obstinacy; who after the light reuealed, Mat. 13. 13. winke with their eyes, lest they should see, and are [...] the more blinde for theu Ioh. 9. 39. light; not onely despising the words of wisedome, and▪ trampling pearles vn­der their feete, but will so much the more maliciously hate, scorne, and persecute, all that shall offer to giue holy things vnto them. These are not onely natu­rally dead in sinnes, and [Page 310] [...] [Page 311] [...] [Page 312] trees without fruit, but Iud. vers. 12. trees whose fruit withereth, twise dead, pluckt vp by the rootes: not onely dogs and swine by nature, but such as to whom, 2 Pet. 20. after they haue escaped the polluti­ons of the world, it is hap­pened according to the true Prouerbe, The dogge is turned to his owne vo­mit againe, and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. Such were Luk. 23. 8, 9. Herod and Ioh. 18. 19 20, 21. Caiaphas, and Ioh. 19. 9. Pilate, when Iesus vouchsafed not to an­swere them: and such were those Marke 11. 27. &c. chiefe Priests and Scribes, and Elders, to whose question Christ gaue an answere, answerelesse, stopping their mouthes with another question. It is [Page 313] not therfore euery rude and bruitish entertainment, nor once or twice refusing of re­buke, no nor scorne, or in­ [...]rrection against the rebu­ker, that may conclude men to bee such dogs and scorners: for 2 Chr. 15. 8. &c. Asa himselfe, a couragious, zealous king, whose heart was said to be perfect all his dayes, did yet 2 Chr. 16. 7. &c. in wrath and rage kicke [...]nd spurne against Hanani the Seer that reproued him: and good King 1 Reg. 22. 14. &c. Iehosha­ [...]hat, when hee could sit-by with wicked Ahab, and heare & see the Lords Pro­ [...]et Micaiah to be so snib­bed and smitten on the [...]heeke, and committed to prison for speaking the [...]uth in the name of the Lord; and he all while sit­ting [Page 314] like Acts 18. 17 Gallio, cared for none of those things, so much as to put forth a word for iustifying wisedome▪ or deliuering the Prophet; was not he also as Obad. Ver. 11, 12 one of them that scorned and per­secuted him? Nay, and King Dauid, 2 Sam. 6. 8 &c. when God himself by a sodain strange iudgement had actually re­proued him for carting the Arke of the Lord, which should haue beene 1 Chr. 15. 2 carried on the Leuites shoulders, how was he displeased, and how vntowardly spake he, as if the fault were more in God, then in himselfe, tha [...] there was such a breac [...] made in Vzzah?

Wherefore vnlesse wee would vnaduisedly con­demne the generation o [...] [Page 315] Gods children, we must be wary how wee condemne men for dogs▪ and swine, in the latter sence. O consider I pray, what terrible thun­der-bolts from heauen are those threats, when the Lord saith, Hos. 4. 14. I will not pu­nish your Daughters when they commit whoredome, nor your Spouses when t [...]ey commit adultery: and againe, Micah 2. 6 they shall not pro­ [...]ecy vnto them, that they shall not take shame. For Pro. 6. 23. reproofes of instruction, being the way of life, needs must this iudgement bee most fearefull, for a man to be in the way of damnati­on, & to haue all reproofes [...]ept from him, whereby he should bee reduced into the way of life. What, for a [Page 316] man to bee poysoned or deadly wounded, and to haue all physicke & chirur­gerie kept from him? For a man to be blinde, and to haue all guides restrained from him; and yet to walke there where the treading awry is the tumbling into hell; O how wonderfull is this case? If in capitall of­fences, where mens liues were to pay for it, GOD charged the Israelites to Deut. 13. 14. 17. 4. make search, and to aske diligently, and to see that it were truth, and the things certaine, before they should proceede to any execution: how much more in this case, where mens soules lye at stake, without meanes of recouery to bee ministred vnto them, should wee by [Page 317] all diligent means of inqui­sition, see it to be truth, and the thing certaine, that men are dogs and swine, and such fooles and scorners to whom our pearles and holy things are not to be giuen; till euer wee execute this fearefull sentence on any man? God forbid therefore that wee should yeeld vp our brethren vn­to such a dreadfull case of Pro. 29. 1. destruction, and that without remedy, before they harden their neckes against often reproofes, and that in such manner, that they not onely Pro. 23. 9. despise the words of wisedome, ando Mat. 7. 6. [...] trample them vnder feete, but also Pro. 9. 8. hate, Verse [...]. scorne, andr Mat. 7. 7. [...] rent vs for tendring such vnto them. For Eccl. 7. 22. often-times [Page 318] also our own hearts know­eth, that wee haue not spo­ken the best of others, that haue reproued vs, & Esa. 63. 17. har­dened our hearts from Gods feare. Now conside­ring our selues, this should make vs pause in respect of our neighbours, Ier. 31. 20. since we spake against them, wee should remember them still as God did vs; and as Gods bowels were troubled for vs, so let ours for them: and let the pitteous case of their soules pleade with vs, as ours did with the Lord, saying, Esa. 63. 15 Where is thy zeale and thy strength, the soun­ding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards mee? are they restrained? And in imitation of our mercifull Father, who cryed out, [Page 319] Hos. 12. 8. how shall I giue thee vp Ephraim? how shall I deli­uer thee Israell? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kin­dled together, &c. [...]o should we say, How shall I giue thee vp brother? how shall I deliuer thee O my neighbour? how shall I make thee as a swine, how shall I set thee as a dogge? my heart is turned within me, and my repentings so kindled together, that I wil neuer execute the feareful­nesse of this doome vpon thee; till in feare of our iea­lous God, who forbids the giuing of holy things to dogs, I dare no more cast pearles before thee.

Remember I pray, that the Apostle would haue no Tit. 3. 10. Heretique reiected, till af­ter the first and second ad­monition. Yea, our merci­full Sauiour in priuate per­sonall iniuries, requireth Mat. 18. 15 &c. a threefold distinct admo­nition (if neede bee) and each of the two latter, more solemne then the former, for the recouery of our bro­ther; till he should be vnto vs a Heathen, and a Publi­can. Nay, if he Luk. 17. 4. trespasse a­gainst thee seauen times a day, and seauen times in a day turne vnto thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgiue him. And if thou wonder at this and say with Mat. 18. 21, 22. Peter, Lord, vnto seauen times? remember Christs answere, I say not vnto thee, vntill [Page 321] seauen times, but vntill sea­uenty times seauen. And who among vs hereupon feeleth not cause to cry with the Luk. 17. 5. Apostles, Lord increase our faith; and to remember our Sauiours ca­ueat giuen vs in respect of brotherly admonition, Verse 3. Take heede to your selue? For who almost heeds this, that if our brother offēding vs, come not to reconcile himselfe vnto vs, as our Sa­ [...]iour vpon fearefull tearms chargeth him to doe: yete Mat. 5. 24. wee should Mat. 18. 15 goe, and tell him; and why? If he heare thee, saith Christ, thou hast gained thy brother. Now who among many, takes [...]eed to himselfe in this? For as the good Father hereupon saith, If in doing [Page 322] this thou gainest him; then he had beene lost, if thou hadst not done it: and so with the losse of thy bro­ther, thou hadst also lost the gaine thou hast in re­couery of thy brother, whereby thou maist Dan. 12. 3. shine as a starre for euer.

Men are sensible of worldly losses, but who al­most takes to heart these losses? Is it a small losse to loose a brother, when the sonne of man, yea the Son of God himself came down from heauen Mat. 10. 21 to saue that which was lost? Or by thy vncharitable negligence, wilt thou suffer a 1 Cor. 8. 11 weake brother to perish, nay, wilt thou Rom. 14. 15. destroy him for whom Christ dyed? For, in this case, Mark. 3. 4. not to saue, [Page 323] is to kill: wilt thou say, thou art sure, that Ioh. [...]7. 1 [...] none of those for whom Christ dyed can bee lost, or euer perish? True, and thankes be vnto Christ, that Ioh. 1 [...] 28 29. none shall be able to plucke them out of his hands: but that is no thanke to thee, who in doing that which ten­deth to his destruction, art iustly charged by the Apo­stle, with destroying him. And neuer tell me, that thy brother may see thy chari­ty & patience in forgiuing him, and letting him alone without rebuke, whereas he would perhaps impute thy rebuke to anger and ha­tred. For Pro. 27. 5 better is open re­buke, then such secret loue, that appeareth not in deed And take the answere of [Page 324] that good Father that saith, that because thou art not angry enough to hate and smite with reproofe the sinne which would destroy his soule, in this thou art conuinced of so much the more hatred against his per­son, whom thou shouldest Iam. 5. 20. saue by turning [...]im from his euill way. For as the Fa­ther saith, suppose a boy swimming and sporting in a floud, by the violence whereof he may be carried and cast away, thou if thou seest it, and patiently suffe­rest it, thou hatest him; and thy patience is his destru­ction. And neuer tell mee that thy brother hauing trespassed against thee, ought to come to thee for reconciliation, Should hee [Page 325] [...]? Yes, and so ought thy [...]-away child to come to [...]ee too: but if hee be so [...]unded that hee cannot [...]me to thee for weake­ [...]esse, wouldest thou in this [...]se stand vpon thy tearmes of pr [...]cedency? nay, woul­ [...]est thou not hasten to him as soone as thou hearest of [...]it? O remember then the [...]ffence giuen to thee, is a [...]ound giuen to his owne [...]oule; else God would ne­ [...]er haue said, Hos. 14. 4. I will heale [...]eir backe-sliding; and lest that which is haltingq Heb. 12. 13 bee turned out of the way, let it rather be healed. And if Sathan hath conspired [...]ith carnall feare & shame to with-hold him from thee (as by Gen. 3. 10. these he with­held Adam from God) [Page 326] shouldest not thou goe to him, as our Sauiour char­geth thee [...], to rescue hi [...] soule out of the hand o [...] such enemies? Yea, know­ing him in such a case, shouldest thou not euen whiles he is afarre off▪ haue compassion on him (as the Luk. 15. 20. Father had on his Pro [...]i­gall sonne) yea runne and imbrace him, and receiue him into thy fauour? As Rom. 15. 7. Christ also receiued vs to the glory of God, andu Cant. 2. 8. came leaping vpon the mountaines, and skipping vpon the hils, passing ouer all obstacles and difficul­ties; and pauing his way Heb. 9. 12 by his owne bloud ente­red into the holy place; and hauing obtained eternall redemption for vs, Eph. 2. 17. came [Page 327] and preached peace to vs [...]suing and as it were 2 Cor. 11. 2 wooing vs as his spouse, by his Ambassadours, who 2 Cor. 5. 20 prayed vs in Christ [...] steede to be reconciled to God) whiles wee were yet Eph. 2. 12, 13. afarre off and of Rom. 5. 6 no strength to come vnto him; yea and so farre from any such mo­tion, that wee stood off as enemies, and Col. 1. 21. alienatedc Vers. 10. in our mindes by euill workes.

Now if in imitation of thy Sauiours mercy (whose Ioh. 4. 34. &c. meate it was to doe his Fathers will, and to finish his worke in reaping and gathering soules, as Mat. 3. 12. wheate into the garner) thou feele an hungry ap­petite to recouer thy neigh­bour; and in some cases [Page 328] fearest to transgresse thy Sauiours inhibition, in gi­uing holy things to dogs: thou mayst deale with him, as an hungry labourer doth with his pottage; which though they may be perhaps too hote and scal­ding to goe downe with him, yet being very hungry he will giue a suppe or an assay, to try whither they may be endured: So doe thou likewise, and try whi­ther possibly holy things will downe with thy neigh­bour; if not, thou mayst stay a while by thy charita­ble assay: yet giue him not vtterly ouer, but as God Esa. 30. 18 wayted that he might be gracious vnto thee, so waite thou on him, & try againe and againe, whither his [Page 329] obstinacy and malice be deepe and spreading with scorne and renting, and the thing be certaine that he is a dogge and a swine, till t [...]ou dare iudge him so. And let vs all learne by the s [...]adowe, what great sus­pence and warynesse God would haue to be obserued in the substance, when wee reade in the Leuiticall Law; that in a doubtfull case of leprosie, Leu. 13. 4. &c. the Priest was to [...]hut vp the man seauen dayes for tryall; and then if the plague in the Priests [...]ight were at a stay, and [...]pread not in the skinne, he was to be shut vp yet [...]eauen dayes more: and behold, if the plague were somewhat darke, & spread not in the skinne, the Priest [Page 330] was to pronounce him cleane: and if the scab spread much abroade in the skinne, after he had bin seene of the Priest, yet for his cleansing he was to be seene of the Priest againe, and the scab to be seene euidently to spread in the skinne, till the Priest was to pronounce him vn­cleane.

M^r. Archippus, you haue so stirred our bowels within vs, & kinde­led our repentings toge­ther, that wee now feele it is no vaine word when the Apostle tels vs; that Iam. 3. 17. the wisedome from aboue is first pure, then gentle, easie to be intreated, full of mer­cy, and good fruits, with­out iudging, and without [Page 331] hipocrisie: and that 1 Cor. 13. 7 chari­ty beareth all things, be­lieueth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things. The Lord increase this heauenly wisedome and feruent charity, that wee may 1 Pet. 3. 8, 9 haue compassion one of an other and be pit­tifull and courteous, not rendring euill for euill, nor rayling for rayling, but contrariwise blessing, Rom. 12. 21 and ouercomming euill with goodnesse. For our better accomplishment whereof, wee now desire your fourth rule of direction for our mutuall edification.

My fourth rule of direction comprehen­deth the right manner and methode of exhortation: which respecteth first the [Page 332] parties exhorting; secondly the parties exhorted; and thirdly the matters where­about exhortation is con­uersant. First therefore the parties exhorting are care­fully to obserue the Apo­stles methode, prescribed not onely to Timothy, saying 1 Tim. 6. 2 teach and exhort; but also to all Christians, saying, Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisedome, teaching and admonishing one another: First by teaching to in­forme mens vnderstanding and iudgment, and then by exhorting or admonishing to worke vpon their will and affections. For as God being a God of order, that Eccl. 3. 11. made euery thing beauti­full in his time; hath giuen [Page 333] men vnderstanding and iudgement which should order, and by their light guide the will & affections (whereupon our Sauiour s [...]ith, Mat. 6. 23. If the light that is in thee be darkenesse, how great is that darkenesse?) and as in good things men are first to Luk. 12. 4 [...] Iohn 13. 17 know the will of their master, and then to doe it; and likewise in euill first to Pro. 28. 13 1 Iohn 1. 9 acknowledge and confesse, and then to for­sake: So wee must first seeke to enlighten mens vnderstanding and in­forme their iudgment▪ that in the word held forth as a Phil. 2. 16 light or a Iam. 1. 23. glasse, they may see and discerne what is good, and what is ill: and then wee must labour to draw, or withdraw their af­fections [Page 334] accordingly. For whatsoeuer is not well grounded in the vnder­ [...]ing a [...] iudgment can [...] w [...]rk [...] [...]ffect [...]ally, [...] abide [...]irmely in the will and affections. Why did t [...]e Israelites Heb 3. 10 alway erre in their heart, but be­cause they knew not Gods wayes? And why came Ie­rusalem to be Mat. 23. 37 38 desolate for her wilfulnesse, but Luk. 19. 42 44 be­cause she knew not the time of her visitation, and the things that belonged to her peace were hid from her eyes? That therefore men may know the things that belong to their peace; wee are to know that as he who Pro. 15 32. refuseth instruction can lesse hearken to re­proofe; so wee must first [Page 335] [...]egin with instruction, and then come on with re­proofe, remembring that [...] reproofes of instructiona Pro. 6. 23. are the way of life. For want of this wisedome to direct mens exhortations, many haue spoken much to small purpose: putting the cart before the horse, & rushing vpon mens affe­ctions without informa­tion first giuen to the iudg­ment. As if a man meeting with his neighbour halfe [...]trangled in a rope, where­ [...]ith he would needes hang a [...]mselfe, should with might and strength tugge and pull downe the body, when with a discreet eye and cunning hand he should discerne & vntye the knot, or cut the rope. And as [Page 336] such bring little helpe to o­thers, except it be to helpe them with more speede to some mischeiuous end: so oftentimes they procure much hurt to themselues, like those bungling Car­penters or foolish wood­cleauers, to whom Eccl. 10. 10 Salomon alludeth; who when the iron is blunt, put too more strength, when they should put on a better edge; and so insteede of cleauing the logs, hurt their owne shinnes with rebound of the wedges. But as Salomon Verse the same. there saith, wisedome is profitable to direct: and as one soft stroake makes the wedge cleaue better if the edge be well sharpened, then many hard stroakes when the edge is dull: so [Page 337] Eccl. 9. 17 the words of a wise man are more heard in quiet, [...]n the cry of him that [...]eth among fooles.

Others contenting them­selues with information of mens iudgements by tea­ [...]ing, striue not to worke on mens affections by ad­monishing or exhorting: wherein like carelesse hus­ [...]andmen and planters, [...]ey haue suffered much good seede to be deuoured by the fowles of the ayre for [...]ant of couering; and many a good graffe to rot and come to nothing for [...]ant of close binding. For [...]is with the word as with [...]eede, and Iam. 1. 21. a graffe; if it [...] Mat. [...]3. 3. 19 [...]e not Psa. 119. 11 h [...]d in the heart, and there rooted; if it be [...]ot set in and close bound [Page 336] [...] [Page 337] [...] [Page 338] as a graffe in the stock; it will neuer prosper to the sauing of mens soules. Now because naturally, men are so farre from setting their hearts to Gods word as God Deu. 32. 46 commandeth, that they are all naturally prone Act. 13. 46. to put it from them, there­fore as we loue their soules, wee may not content our selues with bare instru­ction, but by application we must help put the word to their hearts, that it may Io [...]. 5. 37, 38 abide in them, else it will neuer doe them good, howsoeuer Vers. 3 [...]. for a season they may seeme to reioyce in the light of it. And let no man heere say, that if mens vnderstandings be once opened, euery man can then apply to himselfe. [Page 339] For, naturall men, how euer they may be wise to doe euill, yet Iere. 4. 22. to doe good (to others, or to their owne [...] Sam. 24. 5. soules) they haue no know­ledge, but are as foolish, as sottish children, saith the Prophet. Now Phisick and Surgery were like to doe much good▪ were they not, if pils and corrasiues were left to children to apply them? Nay children of wisedome themselues, how­soeuer they be sensible of sinnes, as of 2 Sam. 24. 10 blowes or wounds, and of reproofes as of Psal. 141. 5 balmes or excellent oyles: yet in long pursuite of any sinne their Esa 63. 1 [...] hearts come to be hardened, as the water with long frost; and in great sinnes they Hos. 4. 11. loose their sence as men [Page 340] that swoune in great wounds; and in these cases they haue neede as others to be plyed and wel-heated with sound application (as wee see by the 2 Sam. 12. 1 &c example of Dauid, and the disciples) till they come to them­selues,Luk. 24. 25 32 and recouer their spirituall sence and [...]eeling.

Secondly in respect of those whom wee are to ex­hort, wee are to Iud. put a dif­ference as S. Iude saith; and that in regard both of their inside, and of their outside. In regard of their inside and state of their soules, we must carefully obserue that difference of Pro. 29. 9 anger and laughter that Salomon sets downe; of Luk. 7. 32 piping and mourning, whereof our Sauiour speaketh; and of [Page 341] 1 Cor. 4. 21 the rod and spirit of meekenesse: the choise of either of which is to be made, not as wee would i [...] our voluntary inclination, but as the state of our neigh­bours soule requireth. And this the Verse the same. Apostle maketh euident, saying, what will yee? Shall I come vnto you with a rod, or in loue, or in the spirit of meeke­nesse? Intimating heereby, that the choise heereof lay rather in their condition, then in his owne dispo­sition: For besides all the former particular diffe­rences of mens inward estates, Page 27 & 28 which I at first expressed in explaning the meaning of the word (ex­horting) by the word (edi­fyng) and Page 90 & 91. &c afterward a­gaine [Page 342] in my second gene­rall motiue (all which, being long to be repe [...]ted, I pray you heere to inserte as in their proper place) besides all those, I say, there is one maine difference o [...] men vnregenerate, and of men regenerate, which I am now further to insist vpon. First therefore some men, namely, all the vnre­generate, haue not onely Eze. 1 [...]. 19 stony hearts naturally, but by continuance in that na­turall estate and custome of sinne they Zach. 7. 12 make their hearts as adamant stones; making them harder by actuall transgression, which were hard enough by na­turall corruption. By which augmentation they grow to be a generation of [Page 343] Esa. 48. 4 iron sinewes, and browes of brasse, without [...]ere. 6. 15 shame or Iere. 2. 19 feare; and men of 1 Tim. 4. 2 feared consciences, and Mat. 13. 15 Psal. 119. 70 hearts fatte as grease, with­out sence or feeling. Now if euer wee looke to worke good on such men, wee must as the Apostle saith, Tit. 1. 13. rebuke them sharply, and ▪saue them with feare, pul­lingx Iude 23. them out of the fire. For as it were extreme cruel­ty towards a man fallen in­to the fire, vnder pretence of soft and gingerly hand­ling, to suffer him there to burne; when it were mercy rather to pull him out by head and eares, though we made him black and blew in pulling: so is it in this case of mens soules, mercy and not cruelty, to stick in [Page 344] such mens Psal. 45. 5 harts the sharpe arrowes of Christs qui [...]er, to Act 2. 37 prick and Heb. 4. 12 pierce them through with the sword of the spirit, sharper then any two-edged-sword, and to rub their seared crusty con­sciences with the Mat. 5. 13 salt of Gods word, till they begin to smart and bleede, and become sensible of the 2 Cor. 5. 11 terror of God, that so they may be fit patients for Christs cure; whereby Mat. 13. 15 they may be conuerted, and he heale them, when they thus stand forth in the ranke of those that feare his name,

Deut. 5. 29 O that there were such a heart in men thus to feare God, that it might be well with them for euer. And in the name of the Lord looke [Page 345] wee to it; for if any man by [...] closing his eyes and eares,Mat. 13. 15 [...]ill be wilfully deafe, and blinde on this side; and [...]artle & fling away, when in the feare of God he should Mal. 3. 2. stand and abide the day of the Lord his phi­sitians comming (though he belike a refiners fire, and like fullers sope) let him tremble lest while he har­ [...]en his heart, and with­stand and out-stand the way and day of his cure, [...]e Lord for a Rom. 11. 9 recom­pence vnto them, giue them the Vers. 8. spirit of slum­ber, that they may neuer be conuerted nor healed. Mal. 4. 2. But vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord [...]eauing Vers. 1. all the proud and all that doe wickedly to the [Page 346] burning ouen of his fiery wrath and indignation) shall the sunne of righteous­nesse arise with healing in his winges. And why onely to them that feare his name? But because as Christ himselfe saith, Luk. 5. 31 the whole haue no neede of the ph [...] ­sitian, but they that are sick▪ I came not to call the righteous (that is Luk. 16. 15 tho [...] that iustifi [...] themselues be­fore men) but sinners to repentance, that is, such as Mat. 11. 28 labour, and are heauy laden with the Psal. 38. 4. burden of their sinnes. The Gal. 3. 24 Law therefore must be the Schoole-ma­ster to bring men to Christ; from mount Sinai, they must come to mount Sion; from Heb. 12. 21 feare and quaking to Vers 24. [Page 347] that speaketh better things then that of Abel: and neuer any receaued the spirit of adoption to cry Abba Father, but they first [...] receaued the spirit of bon­dageo Rom. [...]. 1 [...]. to feare. For vnlesse men come to Christ with a [...]hes and mourning, and the spirit of heauinesse, how [...]all he Esa. 61. 3. giue them beauty for ashes, the oyle of ioy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse?

This is that which is euery where spoken a­gainst, as the Act. 28. 22 doctrine of the Apostles was: and say men, this is to begin at the wrong end. For say they, you must first begin with faire and soft words to winne the loue of men, or [Page 348] else you will neuer doe o­ther good then stirre the world about your eares, and make variance and combustion, as some crackt-brained preachers doe where [...]re they come. And in common discretion (say t [...]ey) how should men expect the quiet fruite of righteousnesse from others, if they gash and cut them to the heart with such ter­rors and sharpe rebukes?

First I answeare; this sounds, as if some young conceited scholler, not knowing what belongs to husbandry, should tell a ploughman whom he seeth breaking vp his fal­low grounds and plough­ing, and grubbing vp his thistles and thornes, alas [Page 349] [...]r what meane you, can [...]ou looke, your ground [...]hould euer yeelde you good crop, if you vse it [...]us hardly? Or like as if [...]ome Shepeards swaine, be­ [...]olding a wise builder pul­ [...]ing down ruinous towers, and digging vp and casting out the rubbish, that he may lay a sure foundation; should blame him for ma­king such heapes & ruines, where in his conceipt there needed not but a few pla­ [...]tering or dawbing repara­ [...]ons. And when we heare the Lord Iere. 1. 10. setting the Pro­phet to roote out and to pull downe, to destroy and throw downe, and then to build and plant: and when accordingly the Pro­phet chargeth the men of [Page 348] [...] [Page 349] [...] [Page 350] Iudah, and Ierusalem to Iere 4. 3. breake vp their fallow ground, and not to sow among thornes: who is so simple, but he that will not learne, that may not heere­by be instructed how to begin spirituall husbandry and building? This is not therefore to begin at the wrong end; for thus began God himselfe with Adam and Eue after their trans­gression, by Gen. 3. 7, 8 &c. shame and feare, and iudging them to lay a ground in their hearts for the Lord Iesus the cor­ner stone, that so they might be fitted to receaue the promise of the blessed seede. And as all the Pro­phets held the same course so Iohn Baptist, greater then all the Prophets, began his [Page 351] [...]uk. 3. 3. preaching with the bap­tisme of repentance for the [...]emission of sinnes; and [...] so did the Lord Iesus vv Mat. 4. 17 himselfe, and Luk. 24. 47 directed also his Apostles to the same course; which not [...] they obserued in Heb. 6. [...] Act. 20. 21. laying the foundation first of repentance from dead workes, and then of faith towards God: but all that in the primitiue times prea­ched with Apostolicall ap­probation, as S. Paul 1 Cor. 14. [...]4 26 wit­nesseth, so conuinced and iudged all vnbeleeuers, that they fell downe on their faces worshipping God, and reporting that God was in them of a truth.

Secondly, concerning the combustion, and vari­ance that accompanieth [Page 352] the Zac. 7. 5. ministery of the spirit, and the 1 Thes. 1. 5. 6. Gospel where euer it comes not in word one­ly, but in power and in the holy Ghost, (which is a Esa. 4. 4. spirit of iudgement, and of burning) let me intreate men to stay themselues, and seriously to consider of what spirit such men are; who now dare to cast that as a reproach against Prea­chers, wherein our Sauiour gloried, professing that he Mat. 10. 34 came not to send peace on earth, but Luk. 12. 49 fire & sword; and for which hee so high­ly magnified the Preaching of Iohn Baptist, saying, Mat. 11. 12 From the dayes of Iohn Bap­tist, vntill now, the king­dome of heauen suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. What, will [Page 353] [...]ey indite afresh the Lord [...]us, as the chiefe Priests [...]d, who when they had [...]othing else to say, layed it [...]eauily to his charge, say­ [...]g, Luk. 23. 5. Hee stirreth vp the people, teaching through­out all Iury, &c? Or shall [...]ae spirit of Festus, or any wi [...]e temporizer, stand vp againe against those fiery­tongued men that 1 Pet. 1. 12. Prea­ [...]hed the Gospell, with the [...]oly Ghost sent downe [...]rom heauen, and iudge [...]hem to bee Acts 26. 24. madde with [...]uch learning, or at least, as [...] men besides themselues:k 2 Cor. 5. 13 because Verse 11. knowing the ter­ [...]or of God, they so power­ [...]lly perswaded men, that [...]ey turned many from i­ [...]ls, and turned out diuels, and ouerthrew idolatrous [Page 354] and diuellish crafts and gaines; whereby they Act. 16. 19 &c, 19. 24. &c. ex­ceedingly troubled (as some cryed out) their city; and Acts 17. 6. turned the world vp­side downe, as others said? Or must wee now at last cast, yeel [...] vp that chosen vessell S. Paul, to be a Acts 24. 3. pe­stilent fellow, and a mouer of sedition through the world, as hee was accused; because he was 2 Tim. 3. 11 persecuted at Antioch and Lystra, pel­ted and Acts 14. 19 driuen away with stones from Iconium, Acts 16. 22 &c. open­ly whipt and stockt in Phi­lippi, Act. 17. 5. 6 forced to hide his head at Thessalonica; and his ministery generally oppo­sed and blasphemed with Acts 18. 6. [...] insurrections, Acts 19. 28 20. 1, vproares Acts 21. 30. 34 tumults, and Acts 22. 22 23. out-cryes following him, and [...] bandsy Act. 20. 22. [Page 355] [...] afflictions in euery ci­ [...] abiding him?

I confesse, that the wise­ [...]me from aboue, is peace­ [...]ie as pure, and neither [...]eacher nor Professor, [...]ay either carry in his own [...]eart, or kindle among o­ [...]ers any Iam. [...]. 14. &c. bitter enuying and strife, which is earthly, sensuall, and diuellish: the [...] seruants of God must not [...] 2 Tim. 2. 24. [...] striue; but rather as bles­ [...]ed peace-makers, they must raw water out of the wels [...]saluation, to quench all [...] fiery passions that are [...] on fire of [...]ell. But the [...]th is, that as Iam [...] [...]. the spirit [...] dwelleth in vs, lusteth [...] enuy, and all men natu­rally are full of enuy, and malice within; so it neuer breaketh forth, and ra­gethc Acts [...]. 54. 57. [Page 356] geth more, then when i [...] meeteth with the word o [...] rebuke: as hot lime neue [...] smoaketh so much, as whe [...] cold water is cast on it, an [...] as filthy cold dung-hils n [...] uer euaporate so man [...] sticking vapours, as whe [...] the Sunne-beames mo [...] pierce into them. No [...] were not hee a wise ma [...] trow you, that should cry out and blame the cold water for the fume of the one or the warme sunne for th [...] stinch of the other? Again, as long as the diuell ca [...] keepe men in the chaine [...] of darkenesse and bonds o [...] iniquity, hee is wiser the [...] Luk. 11. 21 to disturbe his owne pos­session; as a mercilesse Iay­lor is quiet among his pri­soners, as long as they suf­fer [Page 357] their giues and fetters [...]t about them: but as hee [...]estirreth himselfe, and rai­ [...]h hue and crie all the [...]untry ouer to recouer [...]em, if they breake prison; [...]o when Christ comes to [...] loose the workes of Sa­mane 1 Ioh. 3. 8. by Luk. 4. 18 Preaching deli­uerance to the captiues, and Esa. 61. 1 the opening of the prison [...]o them that are bound; [...]en the diuell cryeth out as one tormented to looseh Luk. 8. 28, 29. [...]s prisoners.

And yet this is not all, [...]or where Christ comes [...]ith the scepter of his [...]outh, to set vp the king­ [...]ome of heauen on earth; [...]ere he is Mal. 3. 2. like a Refiners [...]re, and Fullers sope; and [...]ill Esa. 4. 4. wash and purge men by the spirit of iudgement, [Page 358] and by the spirit of bur­ning, and Mat. 3. 11. baptize them with the holy Ghost, and with fire. And in respect o [...] this principally, Chri [...] came (as he saith) to sen [...] the sword and fire on earth not the fire of carnall contention and strife, but o [...] heauenly zeale and feruency of spirit: whereby in opposition of sinne, Satan and the serpents seede, me [...] should fight the good figh [...] of faith; and H [...]b. 12. 4 resist vnt [...] bloud, striuing against sin and Iude 3. earnestly contend fo [...] the faith, and Luk. 14. 26 hate Fathe [...] and Mother, Wife & Children, Brethren and Sisters yea, and their owne life also; rather then they shoul [...] hinder them from Luk. 16. 16 pres­sing into the Kingdome o [...] [Page 359] God, when it is Preached. Now if any in wilfull hud­ [...]inke will not see when the hand of the Lord is thus [...]fted vp to Tit 2. 14. purifie vnto [...]mselfe a peculiar people, [...]ealous of good workes; out enuy and grudge that this fire of heauen should ta [...]e and kindle amongst men, they shall be ashamed (saith the Prophet) forr Esa. 26. 11. [...]heir enuy at the people; yea, the fire of Gods ene­mies shall deuoure them. [...]et men therefore refraine [...]emselues, lest while they seeke to quench this fire which Luk. 12. 29 Christ would haue [...]o be kindled, and to re­ [...]te the sword of the spirit, which hee will haue Heb. 4. 12. to pierce to the diuiding asun­der of soule and spirit; they [Page 360] be Act▪ 5. 39. sound fighters against GOD, and Luk. 19▪ 27. enemies o [...] Christ, that will not haue him to raign ouer them▪ & what then can be their end, but to Iob 36. 12 perish by the sword, and by that Heb. 10. 27 fiery indignation and fury pow­red out like fire that Nah. 1. 6. shall deuoure the aduersaries? For as wee haue heard, so haue wee seene, that Christ Psal. 110. 1. ruleth, and hath ruled in the midst of his e­nemies, yea, and 1 Cor. 15. [...]5. he must raigne till hee hath put all his enemies vnder his feete.

But say men, you bring strange things to our eares; you will haue vs win soules to God, and yet you will haue vs fright them with terrour of Gods Law: Is not this to catch Hares [Page 361] with rattle bags? Can wee [...]ooke to haue theeues and [...]ebels come in, whiles wee follow the one with hue [...]nd cry, and the other with [...]ts of rebellion? But a proclamation of pardon is [...]at, which easily brings [...]em in both.

Indeed were men [...]ensible of spirituall, as of [...]dily dangers, and as rea­ [...]y naturally to receiue re­ [...]sion of sinnes for their [...]les, as pardon for their [...]mporall liues: men might [...]ll glory in such discreet [...]asonings, whereby we are [...]ged as fooles. But why [...]en doth the Euangelist [...]nesse, that Christ Ioh. 1. 11. came [...]o his owne and his own [...]ceiued him not? And [...]y did himselfe com­plaine, [Page 362] saying▪ Ioh. [...] [...]. Yee [...] not come to mee, that yee might haue life? And a­gaine, Ma [...]. [...]. [...]7 O Hierusalem, how often would I haue gathe­red thy children together, as an Henne g [...]her [...]th her Chickens vnder her wings▪ and yee would not? Nay, let themselues iudge, [...] these very theeues and re­bels they talke of, should be so bewitched, that they should verily thinke them­selues to be true and loyal [...] subiects; would they not thinke scorne in that case to haue pardons offered them? Euen Ioh. [...] an those be­witched bond▪ slau [...]s of sin, when they heard of the truth to make them free, an­swered Iesus▪ Wee be Abra­hams seede, and were neuer [Page 363] in bo [...]dage to any man▪ [...]ow sayest thou▪ yee shall be made free▪ This is [...]ust the case of all men vnre­generate; except that some­times they are as sea-sicke with [...]aging stormes of [...]eir consciences, they are Zac. 1. 1 [...]. all at rest, and with Luk. 12. 19 the [...]i [...]h foole, s [...]g a Requiem [...]o their soules, crying, 1 Thes 5. 3 [...] peace and safety. As S. Paul witnesseth of himselfe, that [...] whiles he was without theGal. 3. 22, 23. Law, (that is, the know­ [...]edge and sence of the law) [...]ee w [...]s aliue; that is, hee [...]om. 3. 19. thought himselfe in a hap­py case▪ yea▪ so was he be­witched, that when he Act [...] 26. [...]. was exceedingly madde against the Christians, and did the worst he could doe against the name of Iesus, he verily [Page 362] [...] [Page 363] [...] [Page 364] thought with himselfe, that he did but as hee ought to doe. And the like sence­lesnesse doth Christ disco­uer in others, saying, Ioh. 16. 2. the time commeth, that who­soeuer will kill you, will thinke hee doth God ser­uice. And therefore, when as Salomon saith, Pro. 27. 7. the full soule loatheth an hony combe; and [...] 9. 12. they that bee whole, neede not a Phy­sitian, but they that are sicke: we had need by the terrors of the Law, to pre­pare such soules for receipt of the promises of the Gos­pell; vnlesse we would pro­stitute the Gospell to scorn and contempt, like impor­tunate Phisitians and Sur­g [...]ons, that will presse the receipt of physicke on heal­thy [Page 365] persons, and lay plai­ [...]ters on whole skins, where there is neither soare nor ache. My meaning is not that the corasiues of the Law should be ministred to any without the cordials of the Gospell; for it is the Gospell which is the 1 Pet. 1. 25 word of life, and the Rom. 1. 16. power of God vnto saluation, which strikes the maine stroke in the conuersion of a soule, and in turning a sinner to God: but Gal. 3. 22, 23. before faith come, the Law must con­clude men vnder sinne, and [...] guilty before God; and [...] Rom. 3. 19. [...]ut them vp (as condem­ned malefactors) vnto the [...]aith afterward to be reuea­led. And 1 Pet. 4. 6. for this cause (saith S. Peter) was the Gospell preached also to [Page 366] them that are dead; that they might bee iudged ac­cording to men in the flesh, but liue according to God in the spirit.

Yet wee see (say men) by common experi­ence, that the vnregenerate are best pleased, and most wonne by gentle and faire meanes: and wee see say they, in all the Epistles of the Apostles, with what Phil. 2. 1. & 4. 1 sweete insinuations, and louely perswasions and in­treaties they beseech men Rom. 12. 1 by the mercies of God, 2 Cor. 10 [...] by the meekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ; yea ye ma [...] p [...]rceiue say they, how 2 Cor. [...] [...]. sorry and vnwillingz 2 Cor. [...]3. [...], 10. they were to grieue men with terrour and sharpe­nesse, like wise & mercifull [Page 367] Surgeons, that are loath [...] come to section and [...] ­on, till after they haue first tryed all faire remedies.

I grant, that naturall men are best pleased [...] Mic. [...] [...] with gentle meale-mou­ [...]ed Teach [...]s, as trua [...]tly schollers with such School­masters a [...] least vse the rod. But as light of nature taught men to say, that the thing must needes be naught which wicked Ne­ro accounted good: so it was a greater light of grace that inspired S. Paul to say,Gal. 2. 10 If I yet pleased men, I shold not be the seruant of Christ. And as for the winning of such men to bee professors, is it not like the Pharisies Ma [...]. 23. 15 making of Proselytes, who were made two-fold worse [Page 368] the children of hell then themselues? For as Samuel confounded 1 Sam. 15. 13, 14. Sauls goodly verball profession, by the actuall lowing of the Ox­en, and bleating of the Sheepe which hee heard, contrary to Gods commis­sion: so say I here, what meaneth the prodigious swearing and blasphemy, pride, & newfangled-nesse, vsury and oppression, abun­dance of idlenesse, and o­ther abhominations, that to the vexing of all righte­ous spirits, we see and heare in many so easily wonne to bee professors? Are those men wonne to God, when of prophane sinners they are thus made grosse hypo­crites; and become Iude verse 12. spots in our assemblies (which [Page 369] should be Psal. 110. 3 the beauties of holinesse) to pollute the [...]ame of God, and to pro­uoke the eyes of his glory? The truth is, these men being neuer laden with their sinne, came [...]oo easie to Christ to be eased by him; and therefore finding as [...]le loue in their hearts to Christ, as they finde r [...]st from him, they can not take his yoke vpon them as [...]e bids them; but powre out themselues to al excesse of riot, and resolue to [...]ay all the reckoning on Christs score: making Christ to serue with their sinnes, as noble men make their sumpter horses to beare their burdens, whiles they sport at their plea­sures. Better had it bin for [Page 370] such men neuer to haue learned Christ, then thus to learne him [...] &c. contrary to the truth which is in Christ Iesus: iust as the Father of lyes would haue it, whiles they claime him for their Sauiour, whom they dis­claime for their Lord. Is not this to Heb. [...]. 6 crucifie to themselues afresh the sonne of God, and to put him to an open shame? Is not this to crowne him againe with thornes insteede of a Dia­deme, and to put a reede in his hand in li [...]ue of a scep­ter; crying haile Master, but standing in no more awe of him then of a Iack­strawe, in respect of any hearty reuerence or obe­dience they meane to yeelde him? Now may any [Page 371] vaunt of winning such men to Christ; who haue none to mock and make sport withall, but the Reu. 19. 16 King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? Surely Esa. 57. 4. a seede of falshood they are, neuer begotten of God by the word of truth; and mani­fested so much the more to [...]e bastards and no sonnes,l Heb. 12. 8 by how much the freer they are from chastisement: and men may with as much credit boast of winning them, as whore-masters may of begetting bastards; who if they be not past shame, haue neuer more cause to be ashamed, then when they most see the faces of them. And surely when God shall arise to iudgment, and make en­quiry [Page 372] by what means his sonne is thus mocked a­mong so many Professors: the hand of God will be heauy and wofull as well against Eze. 13. 9, 10, 19, 22 priuate flatterers as Ier. 23. 14 15. 32 flattering Prophets for their dawbings and sowing pillowes to arme-holes, by saying peace, where there was no peace, and by sa­uing the soules aliue, that should not liue, in promi­sing them life; by which lyes and lightnesse they haue made many so to erre in vanity and prophannes, and so strengthned their hands in euill doing, that none (almost) doth re­turne from his wicked­nesse.

Secondly, concerning that gentle louely methode [Page 373] of the Apostles writings, it [...]omes in heere iust as sea­ [...]nable as Pro. 26. 1. snow in sum­mer, or raine in haruest. For they to whom those Epistles were directed, were such among whom the Apostles, as wise builders, had formerly layed the Heb. 6. 1. foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God: where­by they had not onely Rom. 8. 15. receiued the spirit of bon­dage to feare, but in such [...] power of the holy Ghostr 1 Tess. 1. 5. had they also receiued the word, that it wrought a­mong them like a refiners fire and fullers sope; so scowring and cleansing them, that whereas 1 Cor. 6. 10, 11. some of them had bin theeues, and couetous, and drun­kards [Page 374] and reuilers, and ex­tortioners; they were then washed, as the Apostle saith; that is, they were as well sanctified from the filth of their sinnes by the spirit of our God, as iustified from the guilt of them in the name of the Lord Iesus. Now to take those faire titles and praises, those louely intreaties, and gentle perswasions which the A­postles conferred on them that were iustified and san­ctified; and to apply them to those that are yet in their sinnes, and neuer washed from their filthinesse wher­in they are securely setled: what is it, but [...] Mat. 15. 26. to take the childrens bread and giue it to dogs, and to doe as those of whom the Pro­phet [Page 375] complayned; that they [...] chanted to the sound ofAmos 6. 5. the viol, and inuented to themselues instruments of musick, like Dauid? Like, I say, in forme and sound of the instruments, but most vnlike in the intention of the hearts that vsed them. For whereas Dauid vsed them to make melody to [...]e Lord, with grace in his heart; they vsed them to make melody to the diuell, in Vers. 3, 4, 6. sacrificing to their bel­ly-god. Let men therefore with Iob 32. 22 Elih [...], tremble to giue flattering titles, and Rom. 16. 18 goodly words, and faire speaches to serue, not the Lord Iesus, but their owne bellies; Esa. 32. 5. in calling the vile person liberall, and the churle bountifull, and euill [Page 376] good, which is Esa. 5. 20. wofull. For all such flattering rhe­torick, being excluded from all those in whom Esa. 32. 1, 5 Christ raigneth, is nothing else but a Eph. 4. 14. cogging sleight of men, & cunning craftinesse of methodicall guile, which the diuell vseth to Rom 16. 18 de­ceaue, Pro. 29. 5 insnare, and Pro. 26. 28 ruinate many a simple soule. And such flatterers may be compared to faith­lesse stewards, who bestowe the choise prouision of foode, and rayment, pre­pared for their Lords owne children, and faithfull ser­uants, vpon deboshed rogues, and idle vagabonds: which how much it may vexe and prouoke to anger the children and seruants, and strengthen the others [Page 377] in their roguery, I leaue to others to iudge.

But saith not the Scripture (say some) [...] why iudgest thou thyRom 14. 10 [...]bother? And, Mat. 7. 1. iudge not, that ye be not iudged; and againe, 1 Cor. 4. 5. iudge nothing be­fore the time vntill the Lord come.

The first place now alleaged is against the erroneous iudgement of such men as would iudge others in Rom. 14. 3, 4. meates & dayes things that were then in­different:) and so iudging and speaking euill of others without warrant of the Law, they did therein Iam. 4. 11 speake euill of the law and iudge the law; as if they had bin wiser then the Law­giuer to finde out euill: a [Page 378] shamefull presumption.

The second place is a­gainst the rash & malicious iudgement of hipocrites, who would be Mat. 7. 3, 4 pulling out moates of their bro­thers eye, and not consider beames in their owne.

The third is against the vntimely iudging of such secrets, as are reserued to the Lords iudgement to be manifested, as appeareth in the same place. Now as this last place may not hin­der the iudging of 2 Tim. 5. 23 some mens sinnes, which are open before hand, going before to iudgement; so neither may the second place restraine the 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Saints, who shall iudge the world and Angels, how much more, things that pertaine [Page 379] to this life? And least of all may the first place stop righteous iudgement, in iudging the trees by their fruits; which Christ him­selfe not onely Mat. 7. 16 &c. warran­teth, but also Ioh. 7. 24 inioyneth, and was effectually 1 Cor. 5. 12 put in2 Cor. 2. 6. practise in the primitiue Churches.

Yea, but yet say they, S. Paul saith that wee should be Tit. 3. 2. gentle, shewing all meekenesse vn­to all men, and that 2 Tim. 2. 24. 25. the seruant of the Lord must be gentle vnto all men, apt to teach, patient, and in meekenesse instructing those that oppose them­selues, If to all meekenesse and gentlenesse must be shewed, then to the vnre­generate also: and where [Page 380] then will be roome say they for terror and sharpnesse?

I confesse those places may haue relation to men vnregenerate: but looke to them both and they will shew you that by meekenesse, gentlenesse, & patience the Apostle exclu­deth all 2 Tim. 2. 23, 24. foolish vnlearned questions and strifes, and all Tit. 3. 2. euill speaking, and brawling (which make Ministers and people vnfit to teach and help others out of the diuels snare) and not terrour and sharpnesse, which S. Paul, and S. Iude prescribe as the means to saue some, and to make them sound in faith. Yea, search the Scriptures, and ye shall finde that regene­rate men themselues, haue [Page 381] sometimes neede of them: is the best bodies may be [...]icke of repletion and plu­ [...]es sometimes; and then [...]eede purging and bloud­ [...]etting as well as others; as Mat. 16. 23 [...] S. Peter, [...] Cor. 6. 1 7. &c. 2 Cor. 13. 2, 10. the Corinthians, and the Gal. 3. 1 &c Galatians. And therefore a reproofe vpon an obedient eare is compa­red not onely to Pro. 25. 12 an eare­ [...]ng and ornament of gold; but also to an Psal. 141. 5 excellent [...]yle, and soueraigne meane of Pro. 29. 1. cure: implying, that without these the Saints themselues might some­times loose not onely their grace and beauty, but also their life and safety. How much more then doe the lawlesse and disobedient neede sharpe rebuke and terror for their recouery? [Page 382] For 1 Tim. 1. 8, 9. the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawles and disobedient, that is, to such principally and properly belongeth the [...]gour and curse of the law, which the Apostle calleth the lawfull vsing or the law. And yet our sharpest rebukes and terrors may not be ministred, no not to the worst, without gentlenesse, meekenesse, & patience: First, that with a 2 Cor. 2. 4 & 7. 8. pittifull resenting heart wee apply them, euer ex­pressing most Iere. 4. 19 20, & 9. 1. griefe and lamentation, when we areLuk. 19. 41, 42 &c. most vrged to proclaime desolation.

Secondly, that thereby we may patiently Gal. 4. 12. put vp all iniuries of enuyings, swel­lings, euill-speakings, and [Page 383] [...]rutish out-rages, that our [...]st reproofes may meete withall; and that wee mayRom. 12 21. ouercome all those euills [...]ith good. Thirdly, that [...]ng-sufferance wee may exhort dayly, whiles it isHeb. 3. 13. called to day, wayting i [...] peraduenture 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26 God will giue them repentance, that they may recouer them­selues out of the diuels [...]hare, who are taken cap­ [...]ue by him at his will. And [...] all this will not yeelde [...]em satisfaction, to whom [...]all I liken them, but to [...]owzy or festered froward children; who hauing their [...]eads crawling with flit­ches of lice, & their soares [...]anckling; would yet neuer acknowledge any gentle­nesse, meekenesse, and pa­tience [Page 384] in their most tender harted tending nurse-mo­thers, except they will cast away all combes with their sharpe teeth th [...]t must fetch out the vermine; and all mundifying waters or play­sters, that by their smar­ting must draw forth the corruption that may other­wise kill them.

Wee haue but one doubt more in this which wee pray you to re­solue, which is this; that when Christ sent forth his Apostles to preach, they were first to tender peace vnto euery house where­into they should enter; yea though the house were vn­worthy thereof: which Christ himselfe also suppo­seth and answereth by way [Page 385] of preuention, saying, Mat. 10. 13. if the house be not worthy, let your peace returne to you.

Though Christ there speake of Mat. 10. 12 saluting the house, and not of tea­ [...]ing; yet I must confesse that in this salutation Christ would haue his Apostles to intend the peace of the Gospell to be conferred on [...]e houses whereinto they entred. But shall any man [...]inke, that he that was greater then Salomon, was either ignorant or forget­ [...]ull of what Salomon fore­tolde; That Pro. 27. 14 a man may be earely vp to blesse his friend with a loud voice, when all shall be counted a [...]urse to him? God forbid. And therefore Christ Iesus [Page 386] the Esa. 9. 6. Prince of peace▪ would not haue his Ambass [...]dours hand-ouer-head [...] cast their peace, as Princes a [...]mne [...]s doe their almes: because a Psal. 112. 4, 5 good man guideth his affaires euen of compassion and fauour with diseretion. Looke therefore to the same place, and there may you finde if you wel-heede it, th [...]t Christ before-hand charged his Apostles, Mat. 10. 11 12. into whatsoeuer citty or towne they shoul [...] [...]ter [...] to ea­quire who in it was wor­thy, and there to abide, saluting [...]uch a house wit [...] peace as they entred. And where Psal. 150. 1 [...], 11. righteousnesse loo­king downe from heauen; may meete with truth sprin­ging out of the earth▪ can any man forbid that [Page 387] righteousnesse and peace should kisse each other, where m [...]rcy and truth meete together? [...]et because iudgement of charity, which vpon probable grounds hopeth the best, may be deceaued▪ and re­port (as the heathen man te [...]s vs) is prodigall of her fauours, bestowed some­times vpon most vnworthy persons: therefore Christ was so iealours of his loue­tokens to be prostituted to any adulteres [...]e any Iam. 4. 2. friend of the world, I meane; that he would not haue his Am­bassadours to conclude their peace simply vpon their first enquiry. But if for want of faith in Mat. 10. 13 14. hearing their words, which should worke by loue in Verse the same. recei­uing [Page 386] [...] [Page 387] [...] [Page 388] their persons, they found any house not wor­thy; their peace was not to come vpon it, but Verse 13. return to them to bee bestowed vpon the right owners▪ and the Verse 14. dust of their feete was to be shaken off for a testi­mony against them, that not peace, but vengeance belonged vnto them, and that more Verse 15 intollerable then that of Sodome and Go­morah.

You haue giuen so full satisfaction in this point, that you may say with the Apostle, 1 Cor. [...] [...] if any man bee ignorant, let him be ignorant. Proceed now we pray, and briefly shew vs, how in exhortation we must deale with men rege­nerate.

In this and all directions ensuing, I must [...]e so much the briefer, by [...]ow much the longer I [...]aue beene in the former. Concerning therfore men regenerate, we are to know that they hauing past vn­der the Ier. 23. 29▪ hammer of Gods word, haue had their stony [...]earts broken and contrite; [...]ea, Eze. 1 [...] ▪ 19 God hath taken the [...]tony heart out of their [...]esh, and giuen them an [...]eart of flesh; wherby they [...]o [...]sa. [...]6. 2. tremble at the Word, [...]nd Psal. 119. [...]6 [...]. stand in such awe of [...]t, with their Psal 40. 6. eares so boa­ [...]ed to receiue it▪ that a Pro 1 [...]. 10 re­proofe entreth more into a [...]ise man, then an hundred stripes into a foole. On such therfore wee must general­ly Iude verse 22. haue compa [...]sion as [Page 390] S. Iude directeth vs, and learne of our meeke Saui­our, Mat. 12. 20 not to breake [...] brui­sed reed, nor quench smoa­king flaxe: but as wee see an [...] such Gal. 6. 1. ouer-taken with a fault, we that are spirituall must restore such in the spi­rit of meekenesse: dealing as gently and tenderly with them, as if we were hand­ling bones vn-ioynted, as the [...]. originall word impor­teth, which the Apostle there vseth. And generally I say, must we thus handle them, because in some ca­ses, if Gods children stagger in faith, and by Satans buf­fets, swoune and loose the sence of their saith, they must be fetc [...]t againe with smiting reproofes, and hea­ted with the word as fire, [Page 391] till they Luk. 24. 21 25. 32 feele their hearts [...]uen to burn within them: [...]nd if they play the fooles with Hos. 13. 13 Ephraim, and stay [...]ong in the place of the [...]reaking forth of the chil­ [...]ren▪ and bee so Gal. 3. 1. 3 foolish, [...]at hauing begun in the [...]pirit, they will bee made perfect by the flesh; they must bee handled accor­dingly, and befooled, and [...]e sorrowes of a trauailing [...]oman must needes come [...]pon them, seeing they put [...] others againe to trauaileo Gal. 4. 19. [...] birth of them. And as I [...]ewed before, if their [...]earts bee oppressed with [...]rfetting, or cares of this [...]e▪ or s [...]rcharged with ful­nesse; what else should wee [...]oe for them, but bloud­ [...] and purge them? vn­lesse [...] [Page 394] wounds that should bee bound vp and healed, and by their cruelty, making the rent worse, that should be repaired. What is it a small matter for these men to E [...]e. 13. 22 make sad the heart of the righteous, whom God hath not made sad; but they must also De [...]t. [...]. 18. with A­malek, smite the feeble a­mong them, when they are [...]int and weary in the way of their p [...]lgrimage? Let men looke to it for as Zac. 1. 14. God is iealous [...] Sio [...], with a great iealous [...]e, so saith our [...]auiour, [...]. 18. 7. shall not God a [...]eng [...] [...]is own elect which cry day and night, though he beare long with them? It for this, Iob 42. 7. 8 Gods anger were so kindled against Iobs friends, that he would not [Page 395] put it vp, nor beare it at their hands, vnlesse they would put themselues to [...]ame, and humble them­selues vnto his seruant Iob, whom they had vnadui­ [...]edly grieued in the day of [...]is calamity: let men trem­ [...]le that arrogantly & ma­liciously doe this, lest the Lord s [...] are in his wrath a­gainst thē as he did against Amalek, that he will neuer put it vp, but Exo. 17. 16 haue [...]a [...]re with them as with Amalek, from generation to gene­ration.

As you haue now giuen vs full direction for the difference we are to put in respect of mens in-side, so now wee pray, shew vs what difference our exhor­tations are to put, in regard [Page 396] of mens out-sides.

In regard of mens outward condition, some are our elders and superi­ours, some our inferiours, and some our equals. If su­periours, we are to obserue that rule of the Apostle, 1 Tim. 5. 1 rebuke not an Elder, but exhort him as a Father. Where the word rebuke, is [...]ot to bee vnderstood sim­ply, as if no manner of re­buke were to bee giuen to an Elder; for in the same Chapter, the Apostle spea­king of an Elder, in respect of authority as of age, saith, Verse 19, 2 [...] Them that sinne, rebuke, &c. And Leu. 29. 17. rebuke being an effect of loue, it is to be ren­dred as a Rom. 13. 8 due debt to euery neighbour, as occasion re­quireth. But the Apostle [Page 397] there prescribing the man­ner of exhortation, in re­spect of seuerall sexes and ages, would not haue an Elder to be rebuked with­out reuerence, but to bee dealt withall as a Father, with all humble modest re­spectiuenesse, and not to be contemptuously handeled, or contēptuously lashed or [...]erked with the scourge of the tongue, as if he were a puny: & so much doth the 1 Tim. 5. 1. [...]. Greek word there import, being far different from the word Verse 20. [...]. rebuke in the 20. vers.

Secondly, we are to ex­hort our equals, as 1 Tim. 5. 1. bre­thren and sisters, sugering the bitter pils of reproofe, with the sweet promises of the Gospell, and seeking to winne them with brother­ly [Page 398] compassionate perswasi­ons, and not to goare them with sharpe reprehensions and taunts, as if we inten­ded our owne oftentation, more then their edificati­on.

Thirdly, if they bee our inferiours, we must Tit. 2. 15. rebuke (if neede bee) with all au­thority, that none despise vs▪ by our authority, Deut. 6. 7 [...]. whetting our exhortations, & setting an edge on them; as it is witnessed of Abra­ham, that he so Gen. 18. 19. comman­ded his children and his houshold after him, that they kept the way of the Lord. Thus authoritatiue­ly must we deale with infe­riors, if neede require, as I said before: for otherwise it is not for Eph. 6 9. Masters, that [Page 399] know they haue also a Ma­ster in heauen, to vse need­ [...]esse threatnings, but Phile. verse 8, 9. for [...]oues sake ra [...]er to be­ [...]e [...]ch, though they might be bol [...] to enioy [...]ne,

For want of regard to these differences, many Pa­rents, with olde Ely and Dauid, haue made by their too much indulgence, ma­ny a wanton 1 Kin. 1. 5, 6. traiterous Adoniah, and many chil­dren, 2 Sam. 2. 12 23. 29. sonnes of Beliall: many mopish husbands [...]aue made many a wi [...]e to pearch aloft and crow o­ [...]er them, as 1 Kin. 21. 5. 6. 7. &c. Iezab [...]l did on Ahab; and many fond Ma­sters and Rulers, haue made their Pro. 29. 21. Seruants their vn­timely heires, and their 2 Sam. 3. 7, 8. &c. vn­derlings, to loose the bridle before them, and Esa. 3. 5. the base [Page 400] to behaue themselues proudly against the honou­rable. Likewise on the con­trary, many inferiors hun­ting after feruency of spi­rit, without humility and reuerence, haue Eccl. 10. 4. le [...]t their place, and exasperated their superiors with little profit to them, and lesse comfort to themselues.

Now that you haue satisfied vs concer­ning the manner of exhor­ting, both in respect of the persons exhorting and the parties to be exhorted: we pray you to giue vs directi­on concerning the matters whereabout exhortation is conuersant.

Concerning the matters we deale withall in exhortation: some good [Page 401] good things are of lesse moment, as Mat. 23. 23 Mint, and Cummin, & some waigh­tier matters of the Law, as iudgement, mercy, and saith: some euils are in com­parison but as Mat. 7. 3. moates and Mat. 23. 24 gnats, some as beames and camels: likewise some [...]ults are committed of [...] ignorance and Mat. 26. 41 infirmi­ty,e Acts 3. 17. and some of Heb. 10. 26 2 Pet. 3. 5. wilful­nesse and Psal. 19. 13 Mat. 27. 18. presumptuous malice: According to all those differences is our zeale and earnestnesse to be intended or remitted. For when men are nice and scrupulous of Mi [...]t and Cummin, and traditions of men, and make no con­science of Gods Comman­dements, and weightier matters of the Law; when [Page 402] men cannot endure moats, and suffer be [...]mes, straine gnats, and swallow ca­mels: they be wray them­selues to be no other then painted sepulchres, and whited wals, and no lesse, then very Mat. 7. 5. & 15. 6. 7. & 23. 23. hypocrites. Consider therefore what I say: it is not onely the blinde eye that cannot dis­eerne things that differ, but the distempered eye too. Some haue such fiery eyes sparkling with rage and su­ry, that they cannot dis­cerne any fault with loue and compassion, with gen­tlenesse and meekenesse; but with rigour and cruel­ty Eccl. 7. 21. marke all that is done amisse; not remembring that it is a Pro. 19. 11 mans glory to passe ouer a transgression, [Page 403] and that 1 Pet. 4. [...]. loue couereth a multitude of sinnes: and [...]forgetting themselues, andn Eccl 7. 22. Tit. 3. 3. Gal [...]. 1. that the Prophet Dauid saith, Psal. 130. 3. If thou Lo [...]d shoul [...] [...]iest marke iniq [...]ties, O Lord who shall stand?

My meaning is not, as if our loue were to couer foule publique sinnes; or [...]uch priuate secret faults as are enormeous against Gods glory, or our bre­threns safety. For Deut. 13. 6. 8. piety towards God, and Acts 23. 17 chari­ty to our neighbour, requireth the detection of such malefactors as will ca­pitally dishonour God, or [...]amnifie their brethren: and in such cases a concea­ [...]er may be no better then a consenter or a partaker, as [...]n the case of treason, euery [Page 404] hypocrite can iudge. Nei­ther may our charity by complacence or conni­uence be made a bawde to any other priuate iniuries or secret transgressions, so to couer them, as to suffer them vpon our brethren, or our brethren to lye in them without rebuke, which were Leu. 19. 17 Mat. 18. 22. hatred of our brethren, as I proued be­fore: But such, Luk. 17. 4. were they seauenty times seauen times reiterated with repentance, our loue must so couer and passe ouer, as that wee nei­ther vnnecessarily blaze them, with Gen. 9. 22, 23. 25. cursed Cham, nor Pro. 10. 12 contentiously or Pro. 17. 9 spitefully repeate them, nor heede them to be Rom. 12. 19. reuen­ged of them; but we must so couer them, as wee may [Page 405] cure them, and Iam. 5. 20. conuert the sinner from the error of his way; so shall we saue a soule from death, & hide a multitude of sinnes, not only from the eyes of men, out also before God.

Againe, some on the contrary haue such watry eyes, so abounding with pittifull colde humours, as they cannot discerne any [...]eynous offence with due seuerity; a beame and a moate trouble them much alike, they are Bsa 30. 20. smoothing, when they should be Hos. 6. 5. hew­ing, and touch a skirt, when they should rent the heart. But hee that hath the right scope for his eye sight, to glorifie God, and edifie their brethren, will looke with a cleere and temperate [Page 406] eye, both to the fault, and to the offender; so that n [...]i­ther his compassion to the person shall s [...]ake his zeale against the sinne, nor [...]is zeale against the sinne shut vp his compassion from the person; but hee will learne of Christ to Mark. 3. 5. looke anger­ly, and mourne too, for the hardnesse of mens hearts in great offences.

Finally, some sinnes are priuate, and more secret, these as our Mat. 18. [...]5 Sauiour tea­cheth, must bee reproued priuately and more secret­ly: some are publique and before all, these are to bee 1 Tim 5. 20 rebuked before all, that o­thers also may feare; as Mat. 16. 23 Christ and Gal. 2. 14. S. Paul re­proued S. Peter, and S Au­gustine, Hierome, Chryso­stome, [Page 407] Ans [...]lme, Caluin, A­quinas, and others, doe proue ou [...] of [...] Tim 5. 20. and Gal. 2. 15. For as he is a defamer and betrayer of his brethren (as s [...]me of those Fathers [...]en say) ra­ther then a reprouer and a corrector, that insteed of priuate rebuke, blabbeth a­broad vnnec [...]sarily, or o­penly reproueth his neigh­bours secret or priuate faults: so when S. Augu­stine saith, a publique scan­dall needeth a publique re­medy and cannot be cured priuately, as S. Ierome saith; let mee for the loue of our heauenly Father, intreate men to consider, whether it bee not a betraying of Gods name and honour, which is Eze. 20. 39 polluted, and Rom. 2. 24 [Page 408] blasphemed by publique hainous offences, to wrap vp all with a priuy check or reproofe in secret?

But say men, dis­cretion would that wee should first deale priuately with publique sinners, for feare of exasperating them and making them worse; especially if they be great men, in respect of their credits, and auoyding scandall: and to this pur­pose many vrge vpon mens consciences that rule of our Sauiour, tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone.

So did many vnder faire pretence vrge circumcision in the Apostles times: but what, out of conscience of Gods command? No, but [Page 409] out of a Gal. 6. 12. desire they had to make a faire shew in the flesh; onely lest they should suffer persecution for the crosse of Christ. I speake not this to accuse or shame any of my brethren, but as my beloued I be­seech them to be warned, that when they speake for directing and pressing mens consciences, they speake 1 Pet. 4. 1 [...] as the oracles of God, as S. Peter saith; and not out of the wisedome of the desh, which is as Rom. 8. 6. damna­ [...]le to men, as Vers. 7. opposite to God and his Law: that they may haue where-with to answere the Reu. 12. 9. 10. accuser of our brethren (the diuel I meane) when in the euill day he may heauily lay these things to their charge. [Page 410] And when S. Paul profes­seth, that Gal. 1. 10. if he did yet please men he should not be the seruant of Christ; iudge in your selues I pray, whither that discretion they talke of could be so well pleasing vnto men (1 Cor. 2. 14 naturall men I meane, to whom the things of the spirit of God are foolish­nesse) if it well serued the Lords turne to stayne the pride of flesh, that the Esa. 2. 17. loftinesse of man might be depressed, and the haugh­tinesse of man abased, and the Lord onely exalted. Nay when Christ himselfe tels his disciples, Woe be vnto you when all men speake well of you, for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets: and when God [Page 411] chargeth his Prophets Ier. 1. 17 to speake all that he com­mands, Eze. 2. 7. whither men will heare or whither they will forbeare (that is, whither they will be the better or worse) and not to be dis­mayed of mens faces lest he confound them: were not this a goodly discretio [...] to winne mens applause with Christs curse clea­ning to it, and to Mat. 10. 28 feare them which kill the body, and not him which is able to destroy both body and soule in hell?

Secondly, concerning the words of Christ, which they make their shelter; the meaning of them being restrayned to secret of­fences, they will finde that couering too narrow to [Page 412] wrap themselues in. For it being the same Lord, as S. Augustine well obserueth, that saith by S. Paul, 1 Tim. 5. 20. them that sinne rebuke before all; that out of his owne mouth saith, Mat. 18. 15 tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone: God forbid that our construction should make discorde be­tweene the words of the Prince of peace, seeing Pro. 6. 16, 19. he is an abhomination to God that soweth discorde a­mong brethren. Where­fore as there was a time when the Lord himselfe sayd, Gen. 17. 11 euery man-childe whose flesh of his fore­skinne is not circumcised, the same soule shall be cut off from his people; and a time when the Heb. 10. 1. very image [Page 413] or substance of things sha­dowed being come, the Lord saith by S. Paul, [...] if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing▪ so heere, distinguish the times saith, S. Augustine, [...] [...]mini in Mat. 18. [...] 26, and the Scripture is at con­cord. Some sinnes saith [...]e are committed before all, they are to be reproued before all, and those are to be reproued more secretly, that are more secretly com­mitted. The same distinctiō puts M^r. Caluin, auouchingCalum [...]st. lib. 4. c. 12. s. 3 that Christ speakes of secret offences, and S. Paul of publique; and saith, that those words of Christ (if thy brother sinne against thee) cannot otherwise be vnderstoode (vnles thou wilt be a Cauiller) then in [Page 414] thy knowledge, so that others be not priuy there­to.

Thirdly touching the pretence of scandall, they are quite besides the Cu­shion as S. Chrysostome Chrysost. in 1 Tim. 5. 20 auoucheth; for as he well saith, men are rather scan­dalized, if being not igno­rant of the sinnes, they see no grieuance inflicted: For as impunity in sinning makes many delinquents, so if sinnes be punished many addict themselues to vertue. Therefore rebuke saith he not perfunctorily or for fashion (as wee say) but seuerely; for so also others will feare. And this reason S. Ierome yeeldeth, whyHier. in Gal. 2. 14 S. Paul reproued S. Peter before all, because a pub­lique [Page 415] scandall cannot be cured priuately. And as Anselme saith, if S. Paul Ansel. in Gal. 2. 14. should haue said those things to S. Peter alone, the Iewes and gentiles had lost the benefit of his reproofe; therefore before all he spake that he might profit all.

Fourthly, concerning the credit of men, and espe­cially of great ones: as S. Iames chargeth vs Iam. 2. 1. not to haue the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of per­sons: so S. Paul to remoue all personall respects from hindering publique re­proofe, which he had en­ioyned, addeth a most so­lemne charge, too high and heauy for any earthly [Page 416] potentate to dispense with­all, saying; 1 Tim. 5. 21 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ, and the elect Angels, that thou obserue these things without pre­ferring one before an other, doing nothing by pa [...]tia­lity. And sure if publique sinnes were to haue pri­uate admonition before publique reproofe, then would not the Prophet Elias so 1 Reg. 18. 18 & 21. 20 instantly and openly haue reproued king Ahab, nor our Sauiour so haue Luk. 13. 32 taxed king Herod for a foxe, nor haue said so openly to Peter, Mat. 16. 23 get be­hind me Satan &c. nor to the ruler of the synagogue, Luk. 13. 15 thou hipocrite &c. nei­ther would S. Paul so haue Gal. 2. 14 reproued S. Peter before [Page 417] all, nor S. Peter himselfe, haue so said to his auditors, Act. 2. 36. Iesus, whom ye haue [...]ru­cified &c. and againe Act. 4 15. this is the stone set at nought of you builders, &c. Now if rulers, if Apostles, if kings be not to be spared, who men? Doubtles it is a great [...]ult and no lesse then an Eze. 22. 2 abhomination to Verse 7. set light by Father & Mother, to Iud. vers. 8 despise dominion, and to speake euill of dignities, for it is written, Act 23. 5. thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people; that is by Exo. 22. 28. any reuiling manner or cursing as the law expres­seth the meaning. But this is no reuiling, when reue­rence and honour being exhibited to dominions and dignities, and that with [Page 418] all feare and trembling, as vnto Gods vicegerents on earth, the scandall of a publique flagitious offence is sought to be remoued by a publique reproofe. And most famous through the Christian world is that commendation which The­dosius, Vid. Theodo­ris. hist. Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 17. the Emperour, gaue to S. Ambrose, saving that he had hardly found a tea­cher of truth, and that he knew onely bishop Am­brose worthy of that name, because Ambrose had open­ly reproued him, & Ruffinus his fauourite, for their pub­lique scandalous faults. And to the euerlasting praise of our gracious Soueraigne King Iames, it is worthy to be written with the point of a Diamond; how Anno [Page 419] Domino 1619. in dete­station of the impudent whorish attire and habits of some man-like mon­strous women, who with a whores fore-head then out-faced Church & Court; his most excellent Maiesty commanded the Lord Arch-bishop of Cant: and other Bishops by him, to charge the preachers in his royall name, publiquely in their pulpits to rebuke such women, and put them to open shame. And for as much, as by noto­rious haynous offences Rom. 2. 24 Gods name is blasphemed, and many soules endange­red (notorious offences be­ing as Heb. 12. 15 powerfull to cor­rupt others as a 1 Cor. 5. 6 little leauen is to leauen the whole [Page 420] lumpe? What reason that the honour of our heauenly Father and the safety of many soules should yeeld to the vndeserued credit or respect of any one man; Vnles it were good piety towards our parents to heare them capitally slaun­dered in publique, and to dismisse the slaunderer with a reproofe in secret; or good charity towards our neighbours, to suffer a whole citty to be infected, rather then they should heare an Alderman pub­liquely rebuked, for going among them with the botch running on him?

Finally when I heare how the loue of euery na­turall childe, cryeth to haue the plaister as broad as the [Page 421] wound giuen to his Fathers honour: and remember the verdict of our Sauiour say­ing, Mat. 10. 37 he that loueth Father more th [...]e, is not wor­thy of me. Againe when I consider that as M^r. Perkins saith, Perk. in Gal. 2. 14. liberty in reprouing is not the fruit of a rash dis­position, but the fruit of Gods spirit, and so to be acknowledged, as the Pro­phet Mic. 3. 8. Micah sheweth: and that S. Paul is neuer any where so witnessed to be filled with Act. 13. 7, 8, 9, 10 the holy Ghost, as when he set his eyes on Elymas, and openly to his face said (though he were a man in respect with the Deputy of the Coun­try) O full of subtilly and mischiefe, thou child of the diuell, thou enemy of all [Page 422] righteousnesse &c. Last of all, when I remember, how in the dayes of Iohn Baptist, (Mat. 11. 12 when the Kingdome of heauen suffered ruiolence, and men tooke it by force) men were Mat. 3. 6. baptised of him in Iordan, confessing their sinnes: and how afterwards in the dayes of the Apostles preaching, the Act. 19. 18 &c. word is said so mightily to grow and preuaile, that many beleeuers came and con­fessed and shewed their deeds, and many great curious artists brought their bookes together and burnt them before al men, though the price of them being counted was found to be 50000 pieces of siluer, about 800 English pounds: and how long before these, [Page 423] Num. 20. 10 11, 12. Moses the seruant of God, Psal. 51. 1, in the title of the Psal. King Dauid, Ion. 1. 3. 5 Ionas the Prophet, and Act. 22. 4. 5 & 26. 9. &c Paul the Apostle (for an example to all the w [...]d) being all 2. Pet. 2. 21 inspired by [...]e holy Ghost (that 2 Tim. 1. 6 spirit of power and loue, & of a sound minde) stoode forth as voluntary penitents with their pub­lique writings, accusing & confessing against them­selues their publique no­torious offences, and shaming themselues to glo­rifie God and edifie men; When I call to minde these things, and lay them to heart, my belly trembleth to conceiue in what dis­grace and contempt the word of publique reproofe is held, being censured as the froth of a rash and gid­dy [Page 424] braine, rather then the fruit of Gods spirit; and how it is husht and almost buried in silence as well in pulpits as p [...]ru meetings, to fulfill the prophecies written of these last and perillous times: namely, Mat. [...]4 12 because iniquity shall abound (as Christ saith) the loue of many shall waxe colde; 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 5. and men shall be louers of their owne selues (as S. Paul saith) hauing a forme of godlinesse, but denying the power there­of.

Concerning the manner of publique reproofe, I gain say not any discretion or respect to men that good is; but wish all hea­uenly skill and humble endeauours therein to be [Page 425] vsed, either by helpe of pa­rables as the 2 Sam. 12. Prophets dealt with King Dauid, and 1 Reg. 20. 39 &c. [...]ing Ahab; or by way of intercessio [...] [...] humble ad­uise and intr [...]aty, as Dan. 4. 19, 27. Daniel delt with King Nebuchad­ [...]ezz [...]r, and Iere. 38. 20 &c. Ieremy with King Zedekiah; or by any [...]uch louely 1 Sam. 12. 10 &c. Act. 3. 17. lenitiues and mittigations, 1 Cor. 4. 6. figuratiue translations and applica­tions, or 2 Cor. 2. 4. 5 & 12. 20 & 13. 7. compassionate insinuations 1 Cor. 12. 2 & Reu. 2. 3 4 &c. & preambles of deserued praises, vsed by Prophets or Apostles. But for the matter of reproofe, it selfe I must take leaue to say with Elihu, Iob. 32. 20 21. Let me not I pray accept any mans person, for I know not to giue flattering titles; in so doing my maker will some take me away. And if any [Page 426] heerein for preseruation of mens credit professe better skill, as Boaz told him that was so forward to redeeme his brothers and, saying, Ruth. 4. 4, 5 what day thou buyest the field of the hands of Naomi, thou must also buy [...] of Ruth the wife of the dead, to raise vp the name of the dead &c. so must I tell that man, whosoeuer he be, that what day he shall be ready to redeeme mans credit from publique reproofe, he must redeeme it also from that bill of complaint and strong plea which the great King and Lord of hoasts hath put into the court of our owne con­sciences for the mainte­nance of his owne honour; saying, Mal. 1. 6. A sonne honoureth [Page 427] his Father, and a Seruant his Master: If I be a Father, where is my honour, and if I be a M [...]st [...]r, where is my feare? Verse [...]. Offer it now vnto thy Gouernour, (offer it to thy Father) will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of hoasts?

M^r. Archippus, the Lord so inable you to end as you haue begun; now remaineth onely the fit season of edifying, wher­in wee desire your directi­on.

Concerning the season of edifying, as there is a day time appointed by GOD for bodily labour, Psal. 104. 21, 22, 23. when the Sunne riseth, and the Lyons, with the beasts of prey, gather them­selues [Page 428] selues together, and lay them downe in their dens; and then man goeth forth vnto his worke, and to his labour till ti [...]ening▪ so when Christ Mal. 4. [...]. the Sunne of rightcousnesse is risen vn­to men, and the Diuell, that 1 Pet. 5. 8. roaring Lyon, with his Eph. 6. 12. principalities and powers of darkenesse, are as driuen to their dens (for Christ Luk. 10. 18 beheld Satan, as lightening fall from hea­uen at the Preaching of the Gospell) then the Rom. 13. 12 night is past, as S. Paul saith, and the day is at hand: that is, the Esa. 60 2. & 25. 7. grosse darkenesse that co­uered people, is remoued, and the Luk 1. 78, 79. day-spring from an high visiteth them, to giue light to them that sit in the shadow of death, and [Page 429] [...]o guide their feete in the way of peace. 2 Cor 6. 2. Behold, now [...]s the day of saluation, saith S. Paul, the day Heb. 3. 13. of exhor­ting each other, as the Apo­stle saith, whiles it is called to day. And as when the Can. 2. 11. winter is past, and the [...]aine gone ouer, the flow­ers appeare on the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, the Psal. 104. 30. face of the earth is renewed, the Psal. 65. 11 13. yeare is crowned with Gods goodnesse, and the valleyes are couered ouer with corne, they shout for ioy, they also sing: so where God sets vp his hus­bandry of sowing, plan­ting, and dressing, and do­ctrine distilleth as showres vpon the grasse, and the Sunne of righteousnesse a­riseth [Page 430] [...] with his heate to [...] and quicken mens [...]: it should in this spring time of grace, be as naturall vnto all new crea­tures to teach and admo­nish one another in Psalms, Hymnes, and spirituall Songs, and as trees planted by the riuers of water, to bring forth their fruit in their season, and by mutu­all prouocation, to be filled with the fruits of righteous­nesse. For, (saith the Pro­phet) Esa. 61. 11. as the earth brin­geth forth her bud, and as the Garden causeth the things that are sowne in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righ­teousnesse and praise to spring forth before all the nation [...].

Now therefore is the time for our Cant. 4. 13 &c. Camphire and Spikenard, Saffron, and Calamus, Cynamon and Frankinsence, Mirrhe and Aloes, with all the chiefe spic [...]s, to flow forth from e [...]ch to other, as if we were a fountaine of gardens, a well of liuing waters, and streames from Lebanon; now as trees of righteousnesse should wee Hos. 14. 5, 6. cast forth our rootes as Lebanon, and our branches should spread; our beauty should be as the O liue tree, and our smell as Lebanon; wee should Psal. 92. 12. &c. flourish like Palme-trees, and grow like Cedars, we should flourish in the Courts of our God, and still bring forth fruit in olde age, and bee fat and [Page 432] flourishing, to shew that the Lord is vpright, and to fulfill that which is written of the trees of righteous­nesse; Eze. 47. 12 their fruit shall bee for meate, and their leafe for medicine, Hos. 14. 7. they that dwell vnder their shadow, shall returne; and in P [...]o. 11. 30. win­ning soules, the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. For if in this our day, wee know not the things that belong to our peace; if in this spring and summer-sea­son wee haue nothing but leaues for a vaine shew, and neither fruit for meate, nor leafe for medicine; if after so many yeares planting and watering, digging a­bout and dunging, wee still frustrate the Lords expecta­tion: what can men expect [Page 433] but Luk. 19. 42 43. the enemies to cast a [...]ench about vs, the Mark. 11. 13. 21 curse of the barren figge-tree to [...]ize vpon vs, and that wo­ [...]ll doome, Luk. 13. 6. 7 Cut it downe, [...]hy cumbreth it the [...]round? Looke we to it, if [...] spring time the voice of [...]e Turtle be not heard in [...]r Land, if this be not a [...]me for birds to sing, trees [...] bud, and corn to sprout, [...]hen then? if in Summer [...]d Autumne, the corne [...] not full in the eare, the [...]ees bee not laden with [...]it, and the vines with [...]usters, when then? Lift [...] your eyes, and looke on [...] fields, as Christ saith, [...]hough it bee all as dead [...]inter in many places of [...]e Land, yet where the [...]ord of the haruest hath [Page 434] thrust forth faithfull labou­rers, blessed bee God, the Ioh. 4. 35. 36. fields are white already vnto haruest, and hee that soweth, and he that reapeth, may reioyce both together; and shall others now Pro. 10. 5 sleepe in haruest, as sonnes that cause shame? May not the Ier. 8. 20. haruest so passe, and the summer bee ended (as the Prophet saith) and such sluggards neuer bee sa­ued? What, shall the Mar­riner obserue his winde and tide, the Lawyer his Tearm, the Chapman his Market? Nay, shall the Ier. 8. 7. Storke, the Turtle, the Crane, and the Swallow, know their ap­pointed times, and obserue them; and shall not Gods people Luk. 19. 44. know the time of their visitation, but bee [Page 435] snared [...] an euill time,a Eccl. 9. 12. [...]ken in an euill [...] birds caught [...] GOD forbid. [...], as wise builders [...]bserue their sea­ [...] [...]lding (so Gal. 6. 10. while [...]pportunity) wee [...]ood to all, espe­ [...] he houshold of [...]fying each other [...] faith, by exhor­ [...] other whiles it is [...]ay; because the [...]nmeth, as Christc Ioh. 9. 4. [...]oman can work. [...] say some, the day [...]el hath bin long [...]s, and blessed be [...] still to continue [...]y among vs.

As the Prophet [...]in a like case, so [...] en, the Lord doea Ier. 38. 6. [Page 436] so; and the Lord for his great names sake, prolong this day of the Gospell a­mong vs, euen to the day of the Lord Iesus. But what saith the Lord by his Pro­phets? Esa. 28. 23. &c. Giue ye eare, and heare my voyce, hearken and heare my speech, doth the plough-man plow all day to sow, &c? Amos 6. 12 shal horses runne vpon the rocke, or will one plow there with Oxen? for yee haue turned iudgement into gall, and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlocke. Ier. 5. 26, &c. For a­mong my people, are found wicked men, with their houses full of deceit, as a cage is full of birds, they are waxen fat, they shine, they ouer­passe the deedes of the wicked, they [Page 437] iudge not the cause, the cause of the fatherlesse, nor the right of the needy: shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord, shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this? A wonder­full and horrible thing is committed in the Land: the Prophets prophesie falsly, and the Priests bare rule, by their meanes, and my people loue to haue it so: and what will ye doe in the end thereof? Againe, Hos 4. 2. 4. by swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they breake out, &c. yet let no man striue, nor re­proue an other, &c. M [...]c. 3. 10, 11. yet will they leane vpon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among vs? none [Page 438] euill can come vpon vs. Therefore Hos. 4. 5. shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy Mother: Mich. 3. 12 therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Ieru­salem shall become heapes, and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the forrest. Now 1 Cor. 10. 11 these iudgements happened to them for ensamples, and are written to admonish vs, vpon whom the ends of the world are come. For Acts 10. 34 God is no accepter of per­sons, but they that will be Reu. 18. 4. partakers of Babilons sins, must receiue of her plagues; and if Hos. 5. 5. Iudah will be in the same iniquity with Israel and Ephraim, Iudah also [Page 439] shall fall with them; and if Ier. 7. 14. Ierusalem bee wicked as Shilo, God will doe to his house there, as hee did to Shilo, he will cast them out of his sight, and cause Eze. 10. 18. his glory to depart from it. Wherefore as the Lord saith, Ier. 7. 12. Goe yee now vnto my place, which was in Shilo, where I set my name at the first, & see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people; so say I, goe now & see what God hath done to the Churches of the Palla­tinate, of Bohemia, of France, &c. what was the Lords had shortened, that it could not reach vs as well as them? or suppose yee that their abhominations were grea­ter then ours? or haue wee beyond them all Pro. 22. 3. seene the [Page 440] plague and hid our selues, and Amos 4. 12 prepared our selues to meete the Lord with fruits worthy amendement of life, so that his wrath is pa­cified, and his fierce anger turned from vs, whereby we rest as a centre, quiet a­midst them all, whiles they haue beene whirled about with such wofull stirs and bloudy tumults.

Ah my brethren, should Amos 6. 9. men of wisedome see Gods name (as the Pro­phet saith) heare the rod, and who hath appointed it? Or may not men that Hab. 2. 1. stand vpon their watch, and will watch to see what the Lord saith; by propor­tion of sinnes and iudge­ments discursiuely see Amos 7. 8. A­mos his plumb-line, Eze. 2. 9. 10. Eze­kiels [Page 441] roule of lamentation, mourning, and woe, with Ier. 1. 11. Ieremies rodde of an Al­mond tree, and Ioel. 3. 13. Ioels sickle commanded to bee put in, and the full presse and fat ouer-flowing, be­cause the haruest is ripe, and the wickednesse great? Surely, vnlesse wee take forth the Prophets lesson, to Esa. 26. 9. learne righteousnesse while the iudgements of God are thus in the earth round about vs: vnlesse we Luk. 13. 3. repent, (as Christ saith) we shall all likewise perish. Nay, when wee remember these exaggerations of the Prophets, Esa. 26. 10 Let mercy bee shewed to the wicked, yet will hee not learne righte­ousnesse, &c. And Dan. 5. 18. 22. thou his son O Belshazzar, hast [Page 442] not humbled thy selfe, though thou knewest all this, &c. (to wit, the iudg­ment of God vpon his Fa­ther) Eze. 16. 56 and thy sister So­dome was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride: as in these re­spects, our prouocations haue exceeded the iniqui­ties of our sister-Churches, so because we Lam. 1. 9. remember not our last end, may not our Church (as Ierusalem) come downe wonderfully? And what though the sha­dowes of the euening that began to stretch themselues ouer vs, seeme to bee well blowne ouer; yet if we giue not glory to the Lord our God before he cause darke­nesse, may not hee cause our Amos 8. 9. sunne to goe downe [Page 443] at noone, and darken our earth in the cleare day; and Ier. 13. 16 while wee looke for light, may not hee turne it to the shadow of death, and make it grosse darkenesse? Ioh. 12. 35 Yet a little while the light is with you, walke (saith Christ) while ye haue the light, lest darkenesse come vpon you.

Againe, though the day of the Gospell be prolon­ged, yet our Iam. 4. life being a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vani­sheth away; nay, our deter­mined dayes Iob 9. 26. passing away as the swift ships, and as the Eagle hastening to the prey, Verse 25. swister then a Poste, or a Iob 7. 6. Weauers shuttle: and no man Eccl. 8. 8. hauing power ouer the spirit to retaine the [Page 444] spirit, or power in the day of death, to Iob 14. 5 passe his ap­pointed bounds: may not the day of thy life be short, and Psal. 140. 4 & 1 [...]4. 29. thy breath so­dainly goe forth, and thou returne to thy dust? And then Psal. 30. 9. the dust being not able to praise God, nor declare his truth; that other day of the Gospell is thine no longer for performance of exhortation. Nay if Heb. 3. 7. 8, 13. while it is called to day, thou harden thy heart from hearing Gods voice that chargeth vs to exhort one another dayly; may it not Zac. 7. 13. come to passe that as God cryed, and thou wouldst not heare, so thou mayst cry and he will not heare? and he that Reu. 3. 7. hath the key of Dauid, and shutteth and [Page 445] no man openeth, may not he shut thee vp in vnbeliefe and an impenitent heart; and then what good will the day of thy life, yea, and the Gospell it selfe doe thee; vnles it be the more to Ioh. 12. 39, 40. blind and harden thee, that thou mayst waxe worse & worse, & fulfil thy sin alway, that the wrath may come vpon thee to the vttermost? Eccl. 8. 6. Because to euery purpose, there is time and iudge­ment, therefore the misery of man is great vpon him, that is, vpon euery man Luk 19. 44 that knoweth not the time of his visitation. Men may out-stand the acceptable time of grace, and the op­portunity of doing good, as foolish chapmen doe their faires and markets; and [Page 446] then they may sit long enough, till the like be of­fered them againe: yea the season being slipt, men may crye and yellow as with the voice of dragons, Mat. 25. 21 &c. Lord Lord open vnto vs, and all too late when the doore isLuk. 13. 24, 25. &c. once shut. Eze. 24. 13 Because I haue purged thee (saith the Lord to Ierusalem of old time) and thou wast not purged; thou shalt not be purged from thy filthines any more, till I haue caused my fury to rest vpon thee. And for this cause the Lord Iesus Luk. 19 41 42. wept ouer Ierusalem at last, saying, if thou hadst knowne, euen thou at least in this thy day, the things that belong vnto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. And we know [Page 447] he told the disciples, Luk. 17. 22 the dayes will come when yee shall desire to see one of the dayes of the sonne of man, and ye shall not see it. And surely if the Lord had no­thing else against as but this that we Reu. 2. 4, 5 haue left our first loue in whetting vp each other to loue & good workes, wee, euen we, pro­fessors (except wee repent of this) may be the men will cause God to remoue our candlestick out of his place; or to Iob 2 [...]. 20, 21. hurle vs out of our places, as a storme or as a tempest, stealing vs away in the night.

But though many are called and few chosen, yet I hope you speake not this as if any of the elect could either fall short of [Page 448] grace, or euer fall from grace.

No, but those terrible threats and iudge­ments are like thunder­claps; though they strike but some, yet they should feare vs all from security; and make vs Heb. 12. 15 looke dili­gently least any man faile of the grace of God, and Heb. 3. 12, 13. take heede and exhort one another daily, whiles it is called to day, lest any of vs be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne. And this I adde, that though Heb. 10. 38 39. the iust shall liue by the faith of Gods elect, when hipocrites draw back vnto perdition: yet con­cerning euery righteous soule that either being cum­bred with many things [Page 449] neglecteth the golden op­portunity of edifying others in the faith, or leaning to his owne discretion, pur­sueth not the right means and manner of edifying; though himselfe shall be saued, yet it wil be 1 Pet. 4. 18 scarce­ly, as S. Peter saith, and 1 Cor. 3. 15 so as by fire, as S. Paul saith. He shall not onely Vers. 14. 15 suffer losse of the reward which otherwise he might haue receiued, but through much Ier. 10. 9. Luk. 24. heart-burning must he enter into the king­dome. For though the righteous cannot loose the being and habit of faith vnfaigned and sauing grace till they 1 Pet. 1. 9. receiue the end of their faith, euen the sal­uation of their soules (be­cause Rom. 11. 29 the gifts and calling [Page 450] of God are without repen­tance) yet by negligence and security Psal. 51. 10. &c. may they loose the degrees & acts of sauing grace in that mea­sure of the strength of the spirit, of the ioy of salua­tion, of peace of con­science, of sweete commu­nion with God, and of well being in the state of grace, which once they enioyed: which may cost them hea­uily the recouery, yea the losse of some part of them to their dying day. And therefore as Christ in an other case said, Luk. 17. 32 Re­member Lots wife, so heere remember Iud. 16. 28. &c. Sampson say I; lest wee see the day, where­in wee may count it our happinesse in this world, if with the losse of our liues [Page 451] we may redeeme the shame and griefe of such spirituall losses.

Wherefore as wee haue opportunity, let vs doe good, and euery day (as the Scripture saith) while it is called to day let vs ex­hort one another; and as Eph. 5. 15, 16. Wise men redeeme the time, because the dayes are euill: especially euery Sab­bath let vs double our ex­hortations (as the Iewes did their Num. 28. 9 sacrifices) for then aboue all dayes wee may not be Esa. 58. 13 speaking our owne words. And at all times pray wee God so to Psal. 141. 3. keepe the doore of our lips, and so to Psal. 51. 15 open our lips, that our mouth may shew forth his praise, by that Esa. 50. 4. tongue of the learned, [Page 452] whereby wee may know how to Minister a word in season: that is, how to Verse the same. time a word as the Prophet Esay [...] speaketh, & to Pro. 25. 11. set a word vpon his wheeles, as Salo­mon speaketh; that our words may be like apples of gold in pictures of siluer, not onely precious for mat­ter, being Eccl. 12. 10 words of truth, but delectable for order: and then Pro. [...]5. 23 a word spoken in due season, how good is it? To this end wee must with the Eccl. 12. 9. Preacher, giue good heede and seeke out, and order our words accor­ding to the circumstances of Time, Place, Persons, & Occasions. I say of Time, as when 2 [...]am. 14. 1 &c. Ioab perceiued king Dauids heart towards bani­shed Absolom, then he put [Page 453] words in the wise womans mouth for his returne; of Place, as when the Mat. 13. 36. Marc. 4. 10, 34. & 7. 17 disci­ples keeping silence where Christ taught the multi­tude, respited to aske him the things they doubted of till he came into the house and was with them alone; of Persons, as when 1 Cor. 9. 20 &c. S. Paul became as a Iew vnto the Iewes, to them that were without law, as without law, and all things to all men that he might by all means saue some: and of Occasions, as Ios. 24. 22. &c. Ioshua when the people had witnessed with their owne mouthes against themselues, that they had chosen the Lord to serue him; he thereupon presently perswaded them to put away their strange [Page 454] Gods, and that very day made a couenant, statute, and ordinance with them. And so S. Paul, Act. 17. 23, &c. when among the Idolaters at Athens he had espied an al­tar with this inscription, To the vnknowne God, he thence tooke occasion to declare vnto them the one­ly true God, whom they ignorantly worshipped. And because it is the pro­perty of a Eccl. 8. 5. wise-mans heart to discerne both time and iudgement, therefore by due obseruation of all cir­cumstances wee are to dis­cerne, first whither it be a fit season for vs to speake, and secondly whither the season be fit for others to heare.

Comcerning the first of [Page 455] these, for as much as a Pro. 29. 11 foole vttereth al his minde, and the Pro. 15. 2 mouth of foolesse powreth out foolishnes; whereas a Pro. 12. 23 prudent man concealeth knowledge, and Pro. 29. 11 keepeth it in till after­wards; therefore as gene­rally wee must set a watch before the doore of our lips, and be sparing of our words, Pro. 15. 2 studying to an­swere before wee speake: so especially in the presence of our betters in gifts of grace, callings, and yeares, wee must Iob 29. 9. refraine talke, and lay our hands vpon our mouthes: knowing our distance, and obseruing humility in speaking as in sitting, Luk. 14. 7, &c giuing the first place to the more honoura­ble, as our Sauiour taught [Page 456] the guests. And then if they speake not at al, or not fully to edification; if any thing better be reuealed to vs, wee may & must speake for our parts. Thus Elihu (being young, and Iob, and his friends very old) though he werefull of mat­ter, yet he Iob 32. 4, &c. wayted for their words, and long at­tended vnto them, till he answered his part. For want of this obseruation, as empty caskes sound lou­dest, and [...]ase mettals ring shrillest; so many vaine tal­kers and tatlers powre it out when euer they come, be­fore their wiser, their bet­ters, in foolish and vnlear­ned questions, in prophane and vaine bablings, no way good to the vse of edifying, [Page 457] but to the 2 Tim. 2. 14 subuerting or 2 Pet. 2. 8. vexing of the hearers. Wherein as they bewray the Iam. 1. 26. vanity of their religion in not refrayning their tongues, and Pro. 10. 19. no want of sinne in the multitude of their words: so Mat. 12. 37 by their words they shall be con­demned, not onely because they edifie not, but because they hinder those that would edifie: like the Mat. 23. 13 wo­full Scribes and Pharises that shut vp the kingdome of heauen against men, neither going in them­selues, nor suffering them that were entring to goe in.

Touching the second, wee are to obserue that some times fooles are in a rage, then Pro. 17. 12 let a Beare rob­bed [Page 458] of her whelps meete a man rather then a foole in his folly, saith Salomon: and then Pro. 21. 23. who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue, kee­peth his soule from trou­bles. For as the Iam. 1. 2 [...]. [...] wrath of man (euen of a man regene­rate▪) worketh not the righteousnesse of God; be­cause Pro. 27. 4. wrath is cruell and anger is outragious: so a fooles wrath is Vers. 3. heauyer then the waighty sands or heauy stones. And there­fore at such times either wee must keepe our mouth with a bridle, and keepe the doore of our lips close shut; or at least-wise our Pro. 15. 1. answere must be soft, to turne away wrath: else what doe wee but as men that will be rashly opening their [Page 459] doores to raging beares, or Eccl. 10. [...]. remouing waighty stones? in both which without great warines men may soone get no little hurt. Againe, in times of prosperity the hearts of most men are Luk. 21. 34 surcharged with cares and pleasures of this life, and drunke, but not with wine as the Esa. 29. 9. Prophet speaketh; as others are sometimes drunken with Naball, Hos. 4. 1 [...] wine and new wine taking away the heart. Now as wise Abigail wayted an opportunity 1 S [...]. [...]. 36. till the wine was gone out of Nabal, and then tolde him his owne: and as God because Ier. [...]. [...]1. he speakes vnto men in their prospe­rity and they will not heare, which is their manner [Page 460] from their youth vp (be­ing as hardly to be diuerted in their occasions, as Ier. 2. 24 the wilde asse vsed to the wil­dernesse, that snuffeth vp the winde at her pleasure) doth therefore Iob 36. 8, 10. binde them in fetters, and hold them in cords of affliction, to open their care to disci­pline: and then in Esa. 26. 16 trouble they will visite him, and powre out a prayer when his chastening is vpon them: so must wee looke and wayte for the like op­portunities in dealing with the like persons.

And as they that seeke the wilde asse, will not Ier. 2. 24 weary themselues as the Prophet saith, because in her moneth they will finde her; that is, once a yeare [Page 461] comes her foaling moneth, & then she is tame enough to be dealt withall: so when Esa. 26. Gods iudgements are in the earth, the Inhabitants of the world (saith the Lord) will learne righte­ousnesse, much more the inhabitants of Ierusalem: then are mens consciences awakened, as were the Gen. 42. 21 Pa­triarchs, to call their wayes to remembrance; then are mens Leu. 36. 41 vncircumcised hearts humbled, to 1 Reg. 8. 38 47. know euery man the plague of his owne heart, and to be­thinke himselfe: and in af­fliction not onely Gods children will Hos. [...]. [...] acknow­ledge their offences, and seeke Gods face, and seeke him earely; and become as tame as Lambes and Kids, [Page 462] so that a Esa. 11. 6. little child shall lead them, and Eze. 20. 37 bring them into the bond of the coue­nant while God causeth them to passe vnder the rod: but hipocrites them­selues will Psal. 78. 34 &c. returne and enquire earely after God; and they that were as vnru­ly as Ier. 5. 8. fed horses, euery one neighing after his neigh­bours wife, are brought to Pro. 3. 11 12. mourne at the last and say, How haue I hated in­struction and my heart despised reproofe? Where­fore affliction being a fur­nace, wherein as God will make the hardest hearts, were they Ier. 6. 28. brasse & iron, to Eze. 22. 20 21. melt when he bloweth vpon them in the fire of his wrath; so he purgeth o­thers and new mouldes [Page 463] them as choise vessels vnto honour, choosing them as the Prophet Esa. 4 [...]. 10 saith, in the furnace of affliction. Wee must therefore watch to strike when the iron is hot as men say, remem­bring that one sound stroke of reproofe may then doe more good then an hun­dred before. Finally, there are some speciall acceptable times of grace, when it pleaseth God more then other times to Mar [...]. 6. 33 Ioh. 4. 30. 35 stirre the hearts of men, as the Iohn 5. 4. Angel moued the water of the poole Bethesda: then he that is wise to winne soules, must learne of Christ to apply himselfe to the op­portunity, as Iohn 4. 35 husband­men that fore-cast foure monethes before▪ hand to [Page 464] attend their haruest: wee may not then stand vpon set houres or other busi­nesses, but borrow from our meale-times, as our Verse 31. 32. Lord and his Mark. 6. 31 34, 35. Disciples did, and from our bed­times, as Acts 20. 7. S. Paul did, and from our worke-times, as Acts 18. 26 Aquila and Priscilla did, to further the Lords haruest, and to edifying each other in our most holy faith.

Though for my owne part, I haue so failed in the wise mans heart, to discerne both time and iudgement, that I may blame my selfe for many successelesse speeches: yet say others, that thinke it too strict to be held euery day to this duty of exhor­tation (and therefore are in [Page 465] and out, off and on, like aguish stomackes, that haue their good daies and bad; to day opening the doore of their lips, and ministring grace to the hearers, and tomorrow shutting it with deepe silence, and many dayes as silent as if it were cleane off the hinges) say they, what will yee haue men doe? Wee haue often and long laboured and waited, and taken the op­portunities to deale with men, and yet we can work little or no good on men; shall wee still spend our strength for nought, and labour in vaine?

As wee say, they are void houses where the dores daily open not, and there wants oyle when the dores [Page 466] moue not without crea­king, as on rusty hinges: so a shrewd token it is, that the 2 Cor. 4. 13 spirit of faith is no in­dweller, where the dore of the lips is not daily open to set forth Gods praise; and sure great want there is of the Esa. 61. 3. Psal. 45. [...]. oyle of ioy and glad­nesse, when mens lips like rusty hinges, moue not without Iude verse 16. murmuring and complaining. It is with the spirit of regeneration, as with the winde, Ioh. 3. 8. which bloweth where it listeth, for God Rom. 9. 18 hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will, he hardeneth. And Christ that Psal 45. 7. was annoin­ted with the oyle of glad­nesse aboue all his fellowes, could finde matter of Luk. 10. 21 re­ioycing in spirit, & thanks­giuing [Page 467] to his Father, in that which seemed good in his Fathers eyes, both in hiding and reuealing the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen. And as Christ and his Apostles ceased not to giue witnesse to the truth, no, not when it see­med that rhey Esa. 49 spent their strength for nought, and their labour in vaine; be­cause their iudgement was yet with the Lord, to 2 Cor. 2. 1 whom they were a sweete sauour in them that liued, and in them that perished: so should wee be 1 Cor. 15. 58 stedfast and immoueable, alwaies abounding in this worke of the Lord, for as much as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord; whether we be 2 Cor. 2. 1 [...] the sauour [Page 468] of death vnto death, or the sauour of life vnto life. God that could not endure Deut. 23. 9. 11 Miscellane seede, nor Lin­sey-wolsey in Israell, can lesse endure that his people should bee Ier. 12. 9. as a speckled bird, here of one colour, and there of another, or Hos. 7. 8. as a cake not turned, hot on one side, and colde on another; this variablenesse cost Ephraim full dearely, when his Hos. 6. 4. goodnesse, being as a morning cloud, and going away as the earely dewe, it made Hos. 5. 14. God, euen God to teare and goe away, to take away, and none could rescue him. And we know it is Phil. 3. 12. &c. perseuerance that carryeth away the price, which by Rom. 2. 7. patiēt con­tinuance in well-doing, and [Page 469] Mat. 10. 2 [...] enduring to the end, hath the promise of saluation and eternall life: whereas the double-minded man that is vnstable in all his waies, is so farre from re­ceiuing a full reward, that he not onely 2 Ioh. vers. 8. looseth the things which hee hath wrought, but hee must ne­uer Iam. 1. 7. 8. looke to receiue any thing else of the Lord, sa­uing an Mat 6. 2. hypocrites re­ward.

The time was, when Iesus bidding Simon toLuk. 5. 4. &c launch out into the deepe, and to let downe their nets for a draught, Simon answe­red, Master we haue toyled all the night, and haue ta­ken nothing; neuerthelesse at thy word I will let down the net: and then they en­closed [Page 470] such a multitude of fishes, that the net brake, and they filled their owne ship and their partners▪ till they both began to sinke. In like manner sometimes it fareth in fishing for soules At the first Preaching of the Gospell, little was the good that Iohn Baptist and Christ himselfe wrought vpon soules; for the fruit they reaped from most men for their labours, whether they piped or mourned, was nothing else but ^g ray­ling [...] 1. 18, [...]9 and scorning. And the Preaching of all the Apo­stles being added to the for­mer, yet small was the glea­ning they all gathered, till Christs ascension; for the greatest assembly of Disci­ples that wee reade of till [Page 471] then, and Pentecost ensu­ing, was but about the number of Acts 1. 15. 120. to fulfill that which was written, Esa. 53. 1. who hath beleeued our re­port, and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed? And when on Acts 2. 1. 3. 4. the day of Pentecost, Christ had in the appearance of fiery clouen tongues powred out the holy Ghost vpon them, at first when they spake with strange tongues as the spirit gaue them vtte­rance, how were all their auditors Verse 12. & 13 amazed and in doubt? and others how mocked they, saying, these men are full of new wine? Yet afterward so mightily preuailed the word of God, that Verse 37. many were pricked in heart, saying, Men and [Page 472] Brethren what shall wee doe? and the same day there were Vers. 21. added vnto them, about three thousand soules. And afterward: ^o came in (as wee reade) theRom 11. 25▪ fulnesse of the Gentiles to fulfill what Christ had foretold, saying, ^p NowIoh. 12. 31 32. shall the Prince of this world be cast out, and I, if I be lifted vp, will draw all men vnto mee. Finally, it is with the word of God spoken, as with seed sowen, wherin Iohn 4. 37 that saying is true, one soweth and another reapeth; and the successe may be good, though not presently apparant. And therefore a foule-fault it is to be weary of well-doing, and to cease exhorting any day, while God commands [Page 473] vs to exhort euery day, while it is called to day. Wherefore, as in hand-fee­ding, so much more in lip­feeding Eccl. 11. 2 giue a po [...]tion to seauen and also to eight; for thou knowest not what euil shall be on the earth: nay in hope of Gods blessing omit no opportunity of doing good, but Ver [...] 6. in the mor­ning sowe thy seede, and in the euening with-hold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whither shall prosper this or that, or whither they both shall be alike good.

To GOD (onely wise) be glory.