Foure sermons whereof two, preached at two assizes, this present yeare, 1638. at Maidestone in Kent, the other two, in his own charge. By Robert Abbot ...

FOVRE SERMONS, WHEREOF TWO, PREACHED AT TWO ASSIZES, this preſent yeare, 1638, at MAIDESTONE in KENT, the other two, in his own charge.

By ROBERT ABBOT, Vicar of Cranbrooke in Kent.

The Titles and Texts follow on the next leafe.

LONDON, Printed by Tho. Paine, for P. Stephens, and C Meredith, and are to be ſold at their Shop, at the ſigne of the Golden Lyon, in Pauls Church-yard. 1639.

THE LORDS ASSIZE, 1 The Text Iudg. 11. 27. The Lord the Iudge, bee Iudge this day, betwixt the children of Iſrael, and the children of Ammon NATVRES ASSIZE, 2 The Text. Math. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatſoever yee would that men ſhould doe to you, doe yee even ſo to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. THE CHRISTIANS THRIFT in KEEPING, 34 The Text, 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith, and a good Conſci • en •

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, AND RIGHT HONORABLE, WALTER LORD BISHOP of WINTON, High ALMONER to the KINGS moſt excellent Majeſty, & PRELATE of the GARTER, honor in Both lives.

RIght Reverend, and right Honorable; many men are willing to caſt in ſome of their ſuperfluity into the Lords treaſurie, the poore widow was willing to caſt in all, yet little. It is a wonder that ſhee ſhould bee commended above all thoſe that had fuller hands. But when Chriſt lookes to the giver, a poore widow, and not to the gift, two mites; to the plentie in the heart, not to the penurie in the hand, the wonder ceaſeth.

My preſent gift is like the widowes, from my poverty; yet ſhould I bee an unthankfull liar if I ſhould ſay, it is all I have. God hath vouchſafed mee a double calling: from himſelf, inſuch gifts as have made mee willing according to my abilities; and from the bleſſed church (wherein I humbly thanke God, to bee borne, brought up, and l • ve) in ſuch power to exerciſe the miniſterie which I have received, by reading, doctrine, approbation, and impoſition of hands.

Whatſoever I have by both, I heartily deſire may bee for Gods uſes, and the ſervice of the Church of God amongſt us. I cannot commend them as they are acted by mee, it is by a weake body, and a weaker ſoule. As Saint Auguſtine complayned of old, heimihi! quam contrarius ſum egomet mihi; ego in ſpiritu, et ego in carne: ſo more iuſtly may I. I have a long time beene trayned under fightings within, and without and ever and anon, am ready to bee over-powered with ſinne, or greife. But as the ramme in fight drawes backe, not to quit the field, but to gaine a courſe, to give the greater bruiſe at the next ſhocke: ſo doe I deſire to bee in my infirmities. I ſeeme ſometimes to my ſelfe to faint, and almoſt to faile, and to beare about mee a dying ſpirit every day. Quocunque oculos converto, video documenta meae aetatis, ſaid Seneca of old, and ſo ſay I.

Yet looking to what I have received, ſome ſtrength yet, to worke, and a conſcience to keepe mee within my traces, I preſſe hard foreward, and finde that I looſe not too much ground, thorough him in whom I am able to doe what I doe.

This holds mee up in my worke, and keepes mee in canonicall obedience to my calling, that I may ſay at laſt with bleſſed Auguſtine, liberavi animam meam, yea, and ſometimes alſo (though more to ſatisfie others then my ſelfe) ſcribimus indocti, doctique, I ſtaine paper with my pen.

How unable am I for any great taske, no man knowes better then your honour, who from my youth have beene a ſtay to my waies, an helpe to my ſtudies, and a comfort to my age, ſince by your Honours ſelfe I have beene accounted worthy to bee your Honours ſervant. But ſince I have not had a reſolved face to deny my poore gleanings after the harveſt, to bee brought forth to this learned light wherein we live, I humbly pray that they may firſt riſe or fall, by your honours cenſure.

This firſt preſents it ſelfe, my labour that God may judge, in the judgements of men. Next to that, my deſire that Nature bee not ſilenced in her good law, when wee practiſe that wee call juſtice. And if any thing elſe followes helpe faith, and conſcience in our whole courſe, both publicke and private, whoſoever have beene my friends, from whoſe motions theſe thoughts have beene drawne out, your Honour ſhall bee my firſt judge heere, and patron (if your Honour pleaſe, and neede require) to that which is with humbleneſſe confeſt to be unworthy of you. I need not plead reaſons, I am your Honours for humble ſervice: it is a juſt debt from mee; and that due to your Honour now, and while I am. Due for your undeſerved favour to my ſelfe. Due for your incouragement to my eldeſt ſon while hee was at Oxford. Due for your exhibition to my youngeſt ſonne now hee is in Cambridge. And if this could bee a perpetuall regiſter of your Honours love and bountie to mee, and mine, I ſhould heartily rejoice. But becauſe mothes and time will eate this out, I ſhall humbly deſire to lay up a ſtocke of prayers, for your Honour, in heaven. This is all that I can doe, and this is all from mee that your Honour deſires. Would I doe more, I could not, could I doe leſſe, I would not. This I (by Gods Grace) can, and will; and ſo continue.

Your Honours humble ſervant to be commanded. ROBERT ABBOT.

TO THE TRVELY RELIGIOVS, HONORABLE, NOBLE, AND Worſhipfull Juſtices, and other Gentry of Kent, who have heard, and may happen to reade theſe poore Sermons, eſpecially to thoſe of his owne Pariſh, all good.

HONORABLE, Noble, Worſhipfull, you may juſtly aske, whence this ſight comes? I muſt excuſe it a great deale, from importunity. But what is the preſent? A cup of cold water to good Diſciples of Chriſt: and you know that brave commander who did accept of as low a preſent, from as poore a man as my ſelfe. It will bee rejected; becauſe there is too much of that already: Charity and Iuſtice are too much watered, they are growne cold, they have waded ſo long that they are benummed, and leſſe apt for uſe. I hope better things. They may bee dwarfed in ſome, like thoſe three bones in the head of a man which Anatomiſts call Malleolus, Incus, and Stapes, which are as bigge in a child as in a man▪ but the leſſe the body is in this (I hope) the more is the heate, the more vigorous the ſpirits: & it may be this may water by an Antiperiſtaſis may make this heate greater, but cannot leſſen it in thoſe that are ſo full of goodneſſe.

Your worths are wel knowne to others, and are beleveed by me: go on ſtill to doe worthily in Ephrata, and to be famous in Bethlehem. Doe worthily in piety, do worthily in private charity; and doe worthily in publick Iuſtice. Wee have an age made up of too much ſinne, prophane ſwearing, and brutiſh profaning of the Lords day, drunkenneſſe, and malicious quarrellings cover too much chriſtians ground amongſt us. As it is with the ſea, there goes that Leviathan, and creeping things innumerable; ſo is it with the land; there are too many maſter ſinnes, and untellable other ſinnes, which wound ſingle, but oppreſſe by heapes. A King wee have by Gods bleſsing never better; lawes never wiſer, and proviſions never more wary: but to make all right, as the oratour magnified pronunciation, ſo doe I execution.

Many hands make light worke: and your hearts will ſet them on worke; up and be doing. I neede not provoke your willing mindes: yet may I ſhew you what you do, or ſhould, though I preſſe you not to what you doe not.

A poore oppreſſedSurius in vita S. Baſil. woman did obſerve Saint Baſil to have ſome credit with the governour of his place. Shee ſolicits him to write to the govenour in her behalfe. The good Biſhop preſently tooke pen, inke, and paper; and wrote to this effect. This poore woman came unto me ſaying, that my letters have great weight with thee: If it be ſo, heare her, and ſhew it. The woman carried it, the governour read it, and writes backe this againe. Holy father; for thy ſake I would have had pitty upon this poore woman, but I could not, except ſhee pay all that is required of her. The good Biſhop writes againe (once more) thus. Seeing thy will is ready but thy power is wanting, it is a tolerable excuſe: but if thou couldeſt, and wouldeſt not, Chriſt will make thee ſo poore, that where thou wouldeſt, thou ſhalt not be able. Theſe words were propheticall to this unjuſt governour: for not long after he fell into the Emperours diſpleaſure, was caſt into priſon, and expected puniſhment. But then he remembred Saint Baſil, whoſe interceſsion he ſought, and obtained, and by that meanes, his liberty. Hee then came to Saint Baſil, called to minde the poore woman, ſent for her, and reſtored to her the goods, hee wrongfully withheld, twofold. Hee would not hazard a ſecond puniſhment for an act of Injuſtice unrepented of.

My obſervations upon this ſtory are theſe; It is a great honour to be in authority, it makes the Saints of God on earth to ſue unto them. It is a miſerable place to bee upon earth, oppreſsions may bee done to Gods poore ſervants. It is a fearefull thing not to relieve the oppreſſed when it is in our power; it caſts the mighty from the throne, and brings them to ſhame. It is a brave thing to doe Iuſtice at firſt: but better late then never, better of love then when it is whipt outwith ſtrokes▪ It is glorious too, not to refuſe to doe right at laſt, when at firſt wee have done wrong as hee: for not one of a thouſand meets with ſuch a day.

You will bee pleaſed ever to bee better preſidents of Iuſtice then that Iuſticer, and not to ſtand in neede of his beſt part, his late repentance, whereof you are not ſure. And thus, the eyes of the Lord will bee upon the juſt, and his eares will bee open to their prayers: His eyes will bee upon the iuſt. As hee that hath made a goodly picture, looks upon it againe and againe, that hee may ſupply to every defect at laſt: ſo God deales with the godly that are juſt. His eares are open to their prayers. When they call he will heare, when they cry, he will ſay Ecce adſum, behold here am I, nor behold I wil come becauſe hee is hard at hand to comfort them with bleſsings, who comfort others with upright Iuſtice.

I cannot teach the meaneſt amongſt you in your way: onely I have preſumed to preſent this ſtory, and withall to offer to your eyes (if you pleaſe) what you have heard with your eares, The Aſsize of God, and The Aſsize of Nature. If theſe may ſtand you in the leaſt ſtead to ſhew you what you are and doe, and put you in minde what you muſt continue, it is all the hearty wiſhes, & humble prayers (upon this occaſion) of him that is, and will be

Your worthineſſes to uſe in poſsible ſervices ROBERT ABBOT.

THE CONTENTS OF THESE SERMONS in ſhort. 1 The Lords Aſſize, from Iudg. 11. 27. 1 Which is fitted to the time, or ſetting down a triall of 1 The life. 2 The liberty 3 The goods. 4 The goodname. Of Iſrael▪ Of Amōn 2 And propounded to perſwade all trials by the Lord the Iudge. Where both. 1 What keepes the Lord from judging. 1 When truth is witheld in unrighteouſneſſe. 1 By deniall. 2 By falſe accuſation. 3 By profit. 4 By lingring delaies. 5 By flattery, feare, hope, &c. 2 Wher (if truth appeare) judgment doe not attend upon it in full glory, 2 What brings the Lord to judging. 1 When ſuch perſons ſit to judge as God would have. 2 When the whole worke is carried for the honour of the God of truth. 1 By an holy heart. 2 By an holy hand. 3 By an holy eie. 4 By an holy mouth. THE CONTENTS OF THE Second SERMON 2 Natures Aſſize from Math. 7. 12. 1 Where for introduction 2 knots are clea • ed. 1 What it is inferred upon? How it is the law and the prophets? 1 Whether in the law there bēe more then one precept? 2 Whether there bee a connexion of all vertues, where one? 2 Where for tractation: 1 Are examined. 1 Lawes of nature. 2 Principles 2 of nature. Are ſhewed. 1 The praiſes of this law. 2 The power of it. 1 Briefe. from Chriſt. 2 Plaine. Nature.

1 In ſenſe: layed downe 1 Negatively. 1 Not what we liſt. 2 Nor what others doe to us. 3 Nor what others do to others. 4 Nor what themſelves would. 5 Nor what we have bin accuſtomed. 6 Nor what profit, honour, pleaſure perſwades. 7 Nor as the lawes of the land permit. 2 Poſitively, As would others doe to us. 1 Whence this rule ariſeth? 2 When ſelfe-love is right charity? 3 How this rule of juſtice muſt be carried? 2 In application. To all. To the occaſion. 1 With 2 meanes to doe it. 2 With 2 motives to further it. THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD, and fourth SERMONS. 3 The Chriſtians Thrift in keeping, from 1 Tim. 1. 19. 1 Where we are taught. 1 To keepe faith, where. 1 How we muſt keep it? By holding, 1 The ground of faith. 2 The object of faith. 3 The act of faith. 4 The power of faith. 2 Why we muſt keep it? 1 Faith is our life. 2 Faith is our power of working. 3 Faith is our workeman. 4 Faith is our beſt light here. 5 Faith makes earth heaven. 2 To keep our keeping of it, and to uſe meanes ro keep it. 2 Where alſo we are taught. 1 To keep a good conſcience: where. 1 How we muſt keep it? By keeping. 1 The light of conſcience. 2 The love of conſcience. 3 The worke of conſcience. 4 The charge of conſcience. 2 Why we muſt keepe it? 1 If it be gone, God wil be againſt us. 2 Without it nothing wil do us good. 3 Without it nothing can do us hurt. 4 It carries with it more then the whole world. 2 To try our keeping of it, and to uſe meanes to keepe it.

THE LORDS ASSIZE, OR A SERMON ON JVDGES 11. 27. The Lord the Iudge, bee Iudge this day betwixt the children of Iſrael and the children of Ammon.

RIght Honorable, Right Worſhipfull, and Beloved; Be pleaſed to heare theſe words out of the Judges, by Gods aſſiſtance, driven to an iſſue before the Judges. Object. Verbum diei in dieſuo.

It may bee, you will ſay, they are not fit: they yeeld not a word in due ſeaſon: they ſpeake of the Lord the Iudge, and theſe here are men.

It is true; they are men by Anſwer. Pſal. 82. 6. 2 Chron. 19. 6. nature, but they are Gods by Communion of office, (I have ſaid yee are Gods:) and their Judgements are the Iudgements of God, for God, ſaith Iehoſaphat. But you will Object. ſay, this day will bring forth a Judgement by ordinarie Juſtice, not by warre as that is heere.

This is true too; yet by the Anſwer. Rom. 13. Diſtantia 1 Perfectionis. 2 Oppoſitionis. ſword: for the Magiſtrate beares not the ſword for nonght. As all ſinners fight againſt God: (for they ſtand at a double diſtance from him; a diſtance of perfection, and of oppoſition:) therefore God hath a controverſie with his people, & proclaymeth warr. So criminall offenders fight againſt the face of government, the juſt lawes of the kingdom. This is the controverſie, whether the lawes ſhall be kept or broken? And as God, in caſe of rebellion, doth provide famine, beaſts, peſtilence and the ſword: ſo Magiſtrates come againſt ſuch, not with the ſword of the mouth as Preachers, but with the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Heb. 11. 34. mouthes of the ſword, to bee edged by the lawes for correction, or confuſion.

The greateſt difficulty will be to fit the perſons, and cauſes to be tryed and Judged.

It is confeſſed, that there wil heere be ſome difference. Heere a pretended title of land is that which drawes on the whole quarrell: but this day will bring forth other controverſies. Heere the proper ſword of warre decides the doubt: but this day drawes the borrowed ſword of peace, for peace. Heere Iſrael is againſt uncircumciſed Ammonites: but this day will unvaile chriſtians by profeſſion, not by practiſe, in thoſe particular acts they muſt fall in, and for.

Yet looke more narrowly into the preſent buſineſſe betwixt Iſrael and Ammon, and yee ſhall ſee all the cauſes of this day intertwiſted.

Ammon charges Iſrael with unjuſt poſſeſſion of land held from them to a long ſucceſſion. Iphtah the now Judge, being loath to fall upon ſuch a deſperate. Phlebotomy as Ammon was prepared for, would firſt pleade out, Iuridically, the cauſe, by embaſſies, to cleare the juſtice of his ſword.

Hee confeſſeth that they have that land in queſtion: and hee pleades a threefold right unto it. The right of a1 Jus belli juſti. juſt warre; it was gotten by the ſword. The right of Gods gift; God, whoſe is the earth,2 Donatio Dei. gave it us, and caſt out the old owners as forfeiters. The3 Praeſcriptio. right of preſcription; we have had it foure hundred yeares without clayme or charge of wrong.

But for the ancient poſſeſſors of it (that he might croſſe Ammons charge) he pleadeth two things. Firſt, that it was the land of the Amorites, who fought againſt them under Sehon their then King: and of the Moabites who were juſtly ejected by God. But ſecondly, for the Amorites (the now plaintifes,) they had none of their land: that was a falſe charge, a picking of an unjuſt quarrell.

And that this plea was good is manifeſt in the Records of the law, thoſe old reports of God himſelfe. God ſaid,Deut. 2. 29 thou ſhalt not diſtreſſe or meddle with the children of Ammon: for I will not give thee their land which I have given Deut. 2. 37 to the children of Lot. There is Gods edict, with the reaſon of it. And Moſes ſaid, to the land of the children of Ammon thou cameſt not, nor unto any place of the river Iabbock, the land now in queſtion. There is their obedience to Gods charge, which they kept to that day.

Thus Iſraels caſe is cleare, yet this prevailes not with Ammon. Lyes would have dominion over truth: and Ammon would fight though the cauſe were cleared againſt him. He joynes iſſue, takes out his niſi priùs, appoints the day of Aſſize, and he will have a triall, for life; whether Ammon or Iſrael muſt live: For liberty, whether Ammon or Iſrael muſt bee homagers: for Goods; whether Ammon or Iſrael ſhal have the ſpoyle; for name, whether Ammon or Iſrael is of better credit. And thus the text comes up to the whole buſineſſe of the day.

Now, when all things were thus prepared betwixt guilty, and innocent, plaintife, & defendant, the wretched Ammonites were like priſoners inActs 8. Pro. 5. 22. Rom. 11. the bonds of iniquity, holden in the cords of their ſins, ſhut up in the priſon of unbeliefe, and could not ſee the Judge ſet to be the avenger of his people. But Iephtah was at more liberty. He ſees with fuller eye the Glory and preſence of the juſt Judge. Hee (like a man confident in his cauſe) appeales unto him; calles for theſe priſoners, and plaintifes, to the barre; prepares for hearing, judgement, execution; and becauſe hee would not have the glory of the day himſelfe, but would give it to the Judge of right & wrong: therefore as Ioab before Rabbah, when hee was ready to take it, ſent for David, ſaying, Come thou and take it, leaſt the 2 Sam. 12. victory be attributed to me, and the city bee called by my name: ſo doth Iphtah invite God to the day for all honour, the Lord the Iudge, Iudge betwixt the children of Iſrael and Ammon.

But ſtill you may ſay, that Object. they were Ammonites that were to be judged there, and of theſe there were none here.

It is true perſonally, individually Anſwer. it is ſo: but for the cauſe, under pretence of land they would have life, liberty, goods, and good name of Iſrael at their mercy, for ſpoyle and prey, and ſo there are too many here, and every where.

Iſrael had all their life in and from the God of mercy; all their liberty from the God of freedom; all their goods and lands from the God of bounty; all their credit and renowne, from Gods protection and cohabitation: yet Ammon unjuſtly ſeekes to diſpoſſeſſe them of all theſe. Hee puts them in feare of life, and ſeeks it. Hee preſents death, and purſues it. Hee hunts after their liberty and would have it. Hee deſires their goods, for a rich booty. Hee baſely takes away their good name, as uſurpers not worthy to live: therfore I appeale to the God of Caeſar (ſaith Iphtah:) the Lord the Iudge, bee Iudge, &c.

By this time (I hope) you ſee Iſraels and Ammons caſe brought to the full worke of an Aſſize, wherein yee have preſented three particulars.

1. The Judge ſet for the trial of guilty, and not guilty, plaintife and defendant, the Lord the Iudge.

2. The cauſes to bee heard, the life, liberty, goods, good name of Iſrael, and Ammon.

3. The perſons betwixt whom, the children of Iſrael, and the children of Ammon.

And now, what ſhall I ſay? the ſame or ſuch like cauſes are the worke of this day. Let it therefore be all our wiſhes, deſires, prayers, purpoſes, and practiſes, as it was Iphtahs,

That the Lord the Iudge may The iſſue of the Text. judge them.

1. If he doe not Judge, hee will Judge the Judgement. Hee onely is reaſon it ſelfe, wiſedome it ſelfe, juſtice itSumma ratio. ſelfe.

2. If hee judge them, hee isGen. 18. the Iudge of all the world, whoſe waies are equall and cannot but judge juſtly.

Thus we ſhall have an happie aſſize for the maintenance of vertue, and puniſhment of vice, which is alwaies the iſſue when the Lord the Judge judgeth.

But what? ſhall we wiſh to decline the judgements of Object. men?

God forbid: God is the Anſwer. Iam. 5. onely Saviour; yet the prayer of faith ſaveth too. God onely converts the heart; yetLuke 1. 16, 17. Iob 33. 23, 24. Iohn Baptiſt ſhall turne many hearts of the fathers to the children, and of the diſobedient to the wiſedome of the juſt. God onely delivers from hell; yet the Interpreter, one of a thouſand, ſhall deliver a ſoule from the pitte. God onely forgives Mic. 7. 18. Ioh. 20. ſinnes, out of authority, as the great Judge; yet whoſe ſinnes ye remit ſhall be remitted. In a word, God accounts them as authors with him, that are inſtruments from him of good. If therefore men judge with God, from God, the Lord the Judge judgeth too. So be it this day, wee decline them not, let them judge and ſpare not. There are two things2. What keepes the Lord frō judging. Rom. 1. 18 1 When truth is withholden in unrighreouſneſſe. keepe God from judgement ſeates. Firſt, when truth is withhold in unrighteouſneſſe: when it is held in priſon that it cannot ſpeake. Thus the Gentiles did in themſelues: when a beame of naturall knowledge was ready to breake out of them, to give them light to ſee more of God then they did, they withheld and ſmothered it, and ſo God judged not in them. Thus it may be at the barre.

Bee pleaſed to conceive it thus. As in a reaſonable man you may ſee an Aſſizes ſet: for there is a Iudge, Conſcience, which viewes and cenſures all the waies of man. There is a Iury of naturall or revealed principles. There is a priſoner to be tryed, and that is truth; Her caſe is this, whether ſhee ſhall bee ſet at liberty yea or no, to goe freely, ſpeake freely, rule freely in all our courſes.

Truth pleades, I am theVeritas odium parit. daughter of the great King: his very Image: But when I appeare, I am hated and ſuppreſſed, and this bringeth this trouble upon me.

The jury of naturall principles is ſilenced or corrupted by carnall reaſon and wiſedome. The judge hearing no evidence is ſilent: and as loath to trouble himſelfe, is content to put off enquirie till another time, as Foelix. Heereupon the will triumphsActs 24. 25. over truth I will doe as I have done: and all the affections putIer. 44. in after the luſts of the fleſh, the luſts of the eyes, and the pride of life. And thus is Truth 1 Iohn 2. impriſoned, and God the Judge judgeth not in man.

So in places of judicature truth is tryed too. There are judges ſet, godly, wiſe, grave, impartial, hating covetouſnes, and perſons out of the cauſe, who are ready to paſſe ſentence according to allegation, and proofe, ſet on with all good conſcience. There are juries of naturall ſubjects and brethren; who ſhould not be like Diogenes his man, who was called Manes, à non manendo, becauſe he ranne away: ſo jury a non jurando, becauſe they forget the oath of God, and runne away from it: but muſt preſent according to truth ſo helpe them God. There is a glorious Martyr to be tryed, and that is Truth; which would have truth in perſon of Judge, jurer, guilty, innocent plaintife, and defendant: and truth in cauſe too; nothing but truth objected, nothing but truth anſwered, that all may cry, great is truth and it prevaileth.

But now, if on all ſidesIoh 18. 38 there be Pilates good motion what is truth. But no further ſifting into the nature, and power of it by witneſſe, oath, circumſtances: then are atSi inficiari ſat eſt ecquis erit nocens? hand, theſe priſons to with hold truth. The firſt is venially, I did it not. And if it be enough to deny, who ſhall be guilty?

The ſecond is falſe accuſation Si accuſaſſe ſat eſt ecquis erit innocens? by thoſe who are Graeca fide teſtes, knights of the poſt, and will ſweare any thing for a fee. And if it be enough to accuſe, who ſhall bee innocent?

The third is Profit, in thoſeCanes venaticos. who will rouſe up Verres his hounds, who continually doeDare offam Cerbero. lie in the winde for gaine, except a man will ſtoppe their mouthes by ſome fatte morſell.

The fourth is off-putting to Fruſtratoriae dilationes. another time, that is, lingring and coſtly delayes, though the caſe bee never ſo cleare in truth.

The fift is malice and all ill will, which never ſpeakes well, in thoſe that pant after the earth on the head of the Amos 2. 7. poore, and turne aſide the way of the meeke.

And laſtly, that which helpes on all theſe is, ſelfeflattery, friendflattery, feare, hope, or ſome other by-place for truths oppreſſion: Theſe or the like priſons are in a readineſſe, and then truth is clapt up, and kept out of ſight, like ſome malicious mans adverſarie, who is with great care put in priſon before the day of hearing comes, becauſe he feares his cauſe.

Say I pray: who Judges now? not the God of truth, but the Prince of darkeneſſe, lying, and vanity.

Secondly, God is kept from2. When judgement doth not attend upon truth in full glory. judgement ſeates, when (if truth do appeare) judgements doe not attend upon it in full glory. All judgements of men are not good enough to waite upon truth. There is darkeneſſe in them, and nothing but light in truth: Yet if God will ſo honour our judgements, as to put them into that ſervice; whenſoever ſhe appeares we muſt bee glad to follow her: and for truths ſake to doe, and for truths ſake to die; becauſe God is in truth, and the faithfull witneſſe, Chriſt is in truthApoc. 1. too.

To conceive it, call to minde that God requires (as you know) a threefold duty of chiefe magiſtrates. Firſt, to1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . adviſe, conſult, and take care for common good, as our good King doth. Theſe are the ſecrets of government: whichArcana imperij. if they were diſcovered, the ſtrength and weakeneſſe of a kingdome would ſoone bee diſcovered to all the world: Therefore privates meddle not with theſe things, that laſt is too large for their ſhooe.

Secondly, to provide by2 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . lawes, edicts, and proclamations to keepe every man under them in good order. And thirdly, to give judgement,3 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . according to his lawes, and ordinances, for the puniſhment of evill doers, and praiſe of them Rom. 13. 4. that doe well.

And Judges know their duties under them, that is, according to lawes, edicts, orders helped forth by the God of truth, to waite upon truth, and paſſe judgement for it, with an equall ballance of cauſes, a blinde eye to perſons, and a ſharpe ſword of offence, and defence as neede requires. Now, if this bee away, God judgeth not. He is kept from judgements ſeates, becauſe his truth is not honored and his2 What brings the Lord to judgement ſeates. kingdome of truth advanced. Theſe two keepe the Lord the Judge from judging amongſt men.

There are two things alſo which bring God to judge. Firſt, when ſuch perſons ſit to judge as God would have. They ſhould be ſhepheards to defend and keepe their flocks:Pſal. 77. 70. Ezek. 28. 12. Gen. 50. 20. 2 Sam. 14. 17. ſignets upon Gods right hand, to ſeale no reſcripts and warrants but his: ſaviours, to preſerve and ſave much people: and Angels, to guard the good, and inflict puniſhment upon the wicked. God hath made them images of his excellencie, 1. When ſuch perſons ſit to judge as God would have. in being ſet aloft; of his wiſedome, in making and applying lawes; of his Iuſtice, in puniſhing malefactors; of his mercy, in paſſing by, and pardoning if neede require; and of his goodnes in foſtering and cheriſhing his people. Therfore he maketh glorious Emblems of them in the Scriptures: we reade of one, in the image of an hee Goate Dan. 8. 5. with a notable horne betwixt his eies. There is an horne for glory and ſtrength to offend and defend. A notable one viſible to all his ſubjects that ſtand in neede. An horne betweene the eyes, becauſe it is uſed with circumſpection and wiſedome: ſuch muſt bee a Judge. And let it not grieve them, that they are ſet out by a beaſt, when Chriſt himſelfe is called the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah.

We reade of another in the image of a goodly ſpreading Dan. 4 19 tree. A beautifull tree, becauſe of majeſtie. A ſpreading tree, becauſe he offers acceſſe to others. A fruitfull tree, becauſe of his doing of good. A ſhadowing tree, becauſe of his mercy. And a tree having branches for birds, becauſe he extendeth favours to others according to qualities: Such muſt be a Judge.

But above all, wee reade of1 Kings 10. 18, 19, 20. Salomons goodly throne which was thus ſet out. On each ſide were ſixe Lyons, becauſe all the twelve tribes were ſubject unto him, not Levie excepted. Two Lyons before the ſtayres, becauſe two tribes, in after-defection, ſhould not depart from his houſe. The aſſent unto it was by ſix ſteps, whereon when the King aſcended (as the Rabbines ſay) the cryer proclaymed thus, when hee was upon the firſt, wreſt not judgement; when he was upon the ſecond, accept no mans perſon; when hee was upon the third, take no bribe; when hee was upon the fourth, plant no groves for Idols; when hee was upon the fift, erect no piller to honour them; and when he was upon the ſixt, kill not an oxe, to ſacrifice unto them. And all this to put him in minde of religion and juſtice. If they be ſuch as God hath thus reſembled, this brings the Lord to judge: now, Gods are come downe unto Acts 14. 11. us in the likeneſſe of men. Not as if God did not judge though the perſons are faulty: for if ſentence paſſe according to Gods truth, though it bee by Antiochus, a wicked perſon; Herod, that Foxe; or Ananias, that painted wall; yet theſe ſit in Moſes Chaire, heare them: But when their perſons, qualities, and judgements center and meete in holineſſe, then then are they the fuller image of the Lord the Judge; and hee bowes the heavens and2 When the whole worke is carried for the honour of the God of truth. comes downe among them.

Secondly, this alſo brings the Lord to judge, when the whole worke is carried for the honour of the God of truth. When truth in witneſſes, Oathes, Allegations, Evidences, Judgements, and Records meete, then Chriſts kingdome is advanced, and God is Judge indeede. For here is a conformity betwixt truth and the things that are to honour God.

If now you ſhall aske mee, Queſt. how this may be? I anſwer; By an holy heart, hand, eye, and mouth, in the whole worke of the Aſſize.

There muſt be an holy heart, Anſwer. By an holy heart. Iohn 6. when all perſons are faithfull to the rruth. Chriſt diſtributed bread, and fiſh by the hands of his Diſciples to the hungry people: they kept none for themſelves, but gave for Chriſt, and gathered for Chriſt. Here was faithfulneſſe. Ioſua divided the land of promiſe to the Iſraelites: and as if hee had forgot himſelfe, hee reſerved not a part, nor would have any to hinder his office. Here was faithfulneſſe too. Ioſeph might have amaſſed up a world of wealth to himſelfe in the time of famine; but hee was content with the portion from the King: and here was faithfulneſſe alſo. When all you ſhall receive from the Lord, the King, and the law, & diſtribute faithfully, without ſeeking your ſelves, this is an holy heart, God judgeth.

There muſt bee holy hands, 2 By holy hands. Hoſ. 4. 18. Gen. 14. 21. when all perſons are not guilty of ſhamefull Give, Give. Higher powers will hate it: but may they not bee abuſed by ſome inferiours who love it too well? The King of Sodome, when hee was reſcued, ſaid to valiant Abraham, give me the ſoules▪ take the goods to thy ſelfe: but juſt Abraham would have none from a thread to a ſhooe latchet, leaſt he ſhould ſay, he had made Abraham rich: Here were holy hands. Ye know how it was with Balaam, hee would for a reward have ſaid good of evill, and evill of good, in curſingNumb. 22. Eſa 5. Iſrael. An Angel meets him, his Aſſe ſpeakes, and Balaam wonders not, but ſpeakes to his Aſſe againe, thou haſt mocked mee. SaintAuguſt. lib. quaeſt. V. Auguſtine wonders at that, and layes the fault upon the love of money, which blockt him up ſo, as he could not ſee miracles to keepe him in a right courſe: his were not holy hands. Take heede: let Iſrael be Iſrael, and remember Balaam.

There muſt bee holy eyes, 3 By holy eyes. which may be two waies▪ firſt, when all are looked upon without any reſpect of perſons. The Judge and the Altar are all one (ſaid an heathen of old,) all appeale unto1 King. 1. 50. & 2. 29. them. As Adonijah runnes to the hornes of the Altar; ſo Abſalom in his caſe, referres himſelfe to the King the Judge. Therefore Cleon of old, when hee was delegated to the helme of the common wealth, called al his old frinds into a chamber to him, to diſſolve all relations and reſpects of old frindſhip, that he might looke upon all with impartiall eies. And the oldEphe. 25. Bona eſt erga pauperem miſericordia ſed non contra Judicium. Iob 31. Gen. 12. Gen. 18. Judges of Athens called A • eopagitae did heare all cauſes in darkeneſſe, where they could ſee no perſons: why ſhould it not be thus ſtill? eſpecially conſidering Gods ſaying, thou ſhalt not reſpect a poore man in judgement. Surely mercy to a poore man is good (ſaith Saint Auguſtine) but not against judgement: this is an holy eye.

Secondly, when the cauſe is ſearched out diligently. As God, in the caſe of Babelbuilders, and Sodomites came down to ſee whether the caſe were according to the cry: ſo muſt all doe that looke towards judgement.

Philip the Macedonian, ſitting in jvdgement upon one Machetes, was not attentive: he was more ready to ſleepe thenDormitabundas. heare (ſaith the Hiſtorian:) yet at the end of the pleading hee pronounced ſentence againſt him. Poore Machites cryed out, I appeale. To whom ſaith Philip? A te, ad te: from thee halfe aſleepe, to thee whole awake: with that Philip rowzed himſelfe up and heard the cauſe againe. And though hee would not reverſe the ſentence, to diſcredit his publike judgement, yet hee himſelfe paid the fine to puniſh his owne ſloath. Heere is an image of an holy eye.4 By an holy mouth.

Laſtly, there muſt bee an holy mouth, when nothing is ſpoken in judgement which doth not become an holy mouth. Chriſt looketh upon himſelfe, as the Judge of the world, and ſaith, I can Ioh. 5. 30. Non per infirmitarē ſed per integritatem faciendi, ſed per obſervantiam Iudicandi. Examinat cauſae merita, non mutat. Ambroſi. doe nothing of my ſelfe: what nothing? he ſaith not ſo for weakeneſſe, but for integrity; not for his impoſſibility of doing, but for his uprightnes in judging. And againe, As I heare, I judge: not judging by pleaſure, but by the religion of right judgement. He is not indulgent to his owne will, but doth examine the deſerts of cauſes, and determines without alteration. Heere is an holy mouth. Againe, wicked men had taken a wicked woman in adultery even in the very act. Chriſt came not to judge as an earthly governour; and therefore hee pronounced not ſentence according to the law. Hee doth meaſure them all as wicked perſons, and ſaith, he that is guiltleſſe throw the firſt Iohn 8. Put a vit lapidandā ſed non a lapidandis. Ambroſ. ſtone. Hee though her worthy to bee ſtoned, but not by them that would have done it: they muſt pull the beame out of their owne eye, before they undertake that in their brothers: Here againe is an holy mouth. Againe Mary Magdalen was not invited toLuk. 7. the Phariſes houſe, but yet ſhee came, and preſſed upon Chriſt; while others intertained him with meate, ſhe did it with teares. Chriſt cōmands her not to be ſhut out of dores though ſhee troubled him at dinner: no hee commandes Omnium horarum judex. Iohn 3. Iohn 4. the grumblers to let her alone. He is for all houres, for Nicodemus that came to him by night; and for her that interrupts him at meate. It was meate and drinke to him to doe his fathers will: Heere was an holy mouth. Yet once more, Publius Rutilius the Roman, when a deare friend preſt him hard with an unjuſt ſuite, denied him. His angry friend cryes out, what neede I thy friendſhip, if thou wilt not grant mee my requeſt? He ſhould have beene a Chriſtian that thus anſwered, what neede I thy friendſhip if thou preſſe mee to ſinne againſt lawe and juſtice? Here is an holy mouth.

Right honorable, Right worſhipfull, and beloved, ohApplication. that all that are to deale in any paſſage of juſtice this day were thus good! as that they had ſuch hearts, hands, eyes, & mouthes! then ſhould the Lord the Judge, judge in the judgements of men.

I confeſſe that juſtice (as every other vertue) is harder in practiſe, then in contemplation, for not onely the MinoritesHiſt. of Councel of Trent. but the Majorites are the objects of reformation: high as well as low are two guilty; and an oxe flayes hardeſt when he comes to the head. Beſides our vicesVitia ſunt a dulta & praevalida are not infants, they are growne men and ſtrong: and as Livy of old complained ofNeque vitia neque remedia ferre poſſumus. Rome, wee neither can indure faults nor their corrections: ſo may we ſay of ſome popular and Epidemicall vices and ſickneſſes of the ſoule now. This made David groane under the burthen of Ioab, who had ſlaine Abner a prince, and a great man in Iſrael, when he could not doe as he would for the preſent, I am this day 2 Sam 3. 38. 39. weake though a King, and the ſonnes of Zervjah are too hard Mar. 14. 18. In bonum vniverſitatis. for me: yet if every one in his place doe what he could, for the common good, upon ſound examining of witneſſes with all circumſtances (which is that which doth bring the edge of the law upon offenders,) then the Lord the Judge judgeth.

But if it fall out that reaſonIudicium legis eſt Iudicium ſolius rationis: Iudicium hominis eſt Judicium rationis & libidinis. ſoundly regulated rule not, (for the judgement of law is the judgement of pure reaſon, the judgement of the man is the judgement of reaſon and luſt:) or if witneſſe bee not truely weighed (as in Pilates caſe, who ſentenced Chriſt to death though he might legally know he was innocent, becauſeMar. 14. 59. the witneſſes agreed not: or if circumſtances bee not2 Sam. 1. well ſifted, as David did, who juſtly put the Amalekite to death upon his owne confeſſion, that hee killed Saul; (for though Saul killed himſelfe, as at leaſt after knowne) yet conſidering theſe two circumſtances: firſt, that his confeſſion was not out of Phrenſie and diſcontent with his life, but out of full reaſon to claw David: and ſecondly, that his bad thoughts were diſcovered by himſelf againſt the Lords annoynted, which juſtly make him an unworthy traytor;) his death was juſtly inflicted by David:) or if it fall out that conſcience be not fully ſatisfied with the light of truth before verdict, and judgement, and ſo proceedings be precipitate and haſty (which Nero himſelfe could ſcarce endure, in his firſt part, and therefore being mooved to ſet to his hand to an execution, he would ſay, I would I Vtinam neſcirem literas. cauld neither reade nor write.) If either of theſe foure fall out, then the Lord the Judge judgeth not.

Now (I beſeech you) you having heard thus much; both how you may drive God from, & draw God unto judgement ſeates, preach the reſt of this judge to your own hearts, that ye doe not this day wilfully ſinne againſt his judgement; and ſo I turne to the children of Iſrael, and the children of Ammon and their cauſe.

The children of Iſrael are2. 3. The parties Iudged, and their cauſe here in full colours: ſomething like Adam in innocency making all the beaſts before them to tremble. They have1 The children of Iſrael. all the advantage of lawes, libertie, Judges of Iſrael, and the Lord the Judge looking upon their caſes.

You are not Iſraelites accordingThough wronged. to the fleſh, yet God prevailed with for abundance of bleſſings upon you. Notwithſtanding ſome of you have been feared in your lives: ſome of you have beene ſpoyled in your goods: ſome of you have beene hurt in your names: Muſt get the Lord to judge. ſome of you have beene diſquieted in your poſſeſſions: ſome of you have beene battered in your members: and in this onely different from the children of Iſrael heere: As you have the Lord the Judge let the Lord the Judge judge for you in the judgements of men.

When Hezekiah received a blaſphemous letter fromBy declining revenge. 2 King. 19. 14. proud Senacherib, hee went to the temple, and ſpread it before the Lord: hee thus appealed to this great Judge: you are now as in the temple, even ſo doe you. Shew God your cauſe with honeſt hearts, and ſeeke, and receive judgements as from him. How gloriouſly will this worke? it will make you proceede, not in the luſt Non Libidine unidictae ſed amore juſtitiae. of revenge (which God hates) but in the love of juſtice (which God loves,) you have the ſword of juſtice in your hands upon the beſt termes: and in truth, Chriſt ſaith for you, ſell a garment and buy a Luk. 22. 39. ſword. But heare how an ancient worthy meditated upon that text: O Lord, why doſt Ambr. in Lucam. thou bid me buy a ſword, & forbiddeſt mee to ſtrike with it? Surely it is for juſt defence, not for revenge. Thou hast ſhewed me that I could revenge, but I will not of conſcience to thy command. Even ſo doe you: So be it. Love law, love juſtice, love peace, love truth, butRom. 12. vengeance is mine, ſaith the Lord the Judge.

Philoſophers ſay that ſeeing is the nobleſt ſenſe (if not for diſcipline) yet, for generall uſe: becauſe it ſuffers not by contrary objects. It can looke upon blacke and white without an appetite of revenge on either. Why ſhould it not bee thus with Chriſtians who are better enlightened by him who is all eye? If your annoyances bee great, let the Lord the Judge judge by his Iphtahs, liefetenants, and deputies: and reſt in that without the picklocks of new vexations.

But if they be leſſe, cloy no • , ſurfet not the honorable bench. Is there not a wiſe man amongſt you? ſhall the pillars1 Cor. 6. of the earth weare themſelves out in bruiſing duſt ſmall, when there are mountaines enough to levell? God forbid. If you and your cauſes are ſuch, the Lord the Judge will not judge for you at laſt.

But for the children of Ammon, 2 The Children of Ammon. where are they? It is pitty they have not a ring in ſome place of this crowne, that the word may fall upon them like raine upon the dry ground. They are peeping out of their gates, thinking this time too ſhort, which (haply) ſome of you do think too long. I can ſay nothing to them, becauſe abſent: yet give mee leave to ſpeake a word of them, againſt them, for them. This be ſpoken of1 Of them. them. They are ſuch as love not the law. Though let the Vivat Rex, currat. Lex. King live, and the law runne be the good ſubjects prayer: yet the old law Iulia could not pleaſe adulterers; nor the law Cornelia, murtherers; nor the law Rhemnia, promoters; ſo nor our lawes can pleaſe thoſe wicked Belialiſts: Their bliſters muſt bee let out.

This bee ſpoken againſt2 Againſt them. Ne ſint pedes nimium lanei, ne tandem, manus fint nimium ferreae. them. They have lived in this bleſſed Church, where they might have beene better taught, or, if they have beene taught, where they have unlearned many a good leſſon. If the miniſtery can doe no good, the magiſtrate muſt take the care. Let not your feet bee too much made of wooll, leaſt at laſt your hands bee made of two much yron.

Magiſtrates, and miniſters are compared to the teeth. Some are Cutters, which cut the meat, andInciſores. forme the voyce: theſe are like miniſters who convinceTit. 1 13 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Molares. cuttingly. Some are grinders, which bruiſe the meate and fit it for paſſage: theſe are like magiſtrates who (by juſtice) bruiſe the ſonnes of wickedneſſe in peeces, and ſend them downe into the draffe of the world. Neither let it grieve you to be ſo compared, ſeeing Chriſt is called the Rock of offence, that breaks them in peeces on whom hee falls.

This laſtly, bee ſpoken for3 For them. them. They are ſubjects, (though bad ones;) for elſe the law could not fall on them. And though they have made themſelves of chriſtians in name, Barbarians indeede in particular acts: yet are they of two ſorts. Some are miſled, Errones: Turbones. and ſome are miſleaders: ſome are apprentices to ſinne, ſome monſters in that blacke art.

Now doe but conſider howFor mercy of Gods making. carefull the Lord the Judge is, leaſt he ſlay with the wicked the righteous, who are ſo either in preſent act, or under charitable hope. If he worke a worke of mercy, hee delighteth in mercy, if a worke ofMic. 7. 18. juſtice, hee calleth it a ſtrange worke, becauſe hee ſhaves with Eſa. 26. 21 a razor that is hired, if he had no juſtice of his owne. If heEſa. 7. 20. be to work a worke of juſtice, he is ſlow to anger, & comes toExod. 34. it when there is no remedy: but if a worke of mercy, he is rich Chro. 36. 15. in mercy, abundant in goodneſſe. If he looke upon occaſions, it is a great matter that mooves his juſtice: when the ſinnes of the Amorites are at the full; Gen. 15. 16. when all fleſh had corrupted her waies, and the wickedneſſe Gen. 6. 5. of man was great in the earth; when old and young, even, all the people from every quarter Gen. 19. 4 were given to ſinne: but a ſmall matter mooves him to ſhew mercy. If there be but tenne men in Sodom; IfGen. 18. there bee but one Iacob in the houſe of Laban, one Moſes praying for Iſrael, one Phinehas executing judgement, and one man in Ieruſalem Ier. 5. 1. that ſeekes the truth, hee will ſpare multitudes. So doe you, and proſper when it is fit. God is well pleaſed if you follow his owne ſonne, who excuſed his diſciples in ſome infirmities, ſaying, their ſpirit is willing, theirMat. 26. 41. Eph. 5. 9. fleſh is weake, and hee is never angry, if yee follow him as deare children in workes of imitable mercy.

Onely know, this is GodsSalvis prietate & juſtitia. rule, that mercy muſt never bee ſhewed, but when piety and juſtice can bee kept ſafe and ſound. Thus doe, and yee ſhall this day be Iephtahs appealing to the Lord the Judge to judge betwixt the children of Iſrael, and the children of Ammon.

And that yee may doe thus, the Lord the Judge grant unto you, who lookes upon no man in his perſon, all men in their cauſe: and hath made himſelfe to you a patterne of executing juſtice and mercy; and that for IESVS CHRIST his ſake, who is the Lambe of mount Sion, the Saviour, the Lion of the tribe of Iudah the Iudge, and is angry with them that honour not the father, kiſſe not the Sonne, and grieve, reſiſt, quench, and deſpiſe the Spirit; to the which coeſſentiall, coeternall, and coequall Trinity, bee all kingdome, power, and glory henceforth and for ever

Amen.

NATURES ASSIZE, OR A SERMON ON MATH. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatſoever yee would that men ſhould doe to you, doe ye even ſo to them: for this is the law and the Prophets.

RIght Honorable, Right worſhipfull, and beloved: the laſt time I preſented unto you the Aſſize of God, and now I ſhall (if God pleaſe) lay before you the Aſſize of nature, if both ſhall meete in Gods rule, example, and your imitation, ye can not faile in the work of the day.

All ſcriptures are good, and fit to make perfect, yet have2 Tim. 3. 17. they an accidentall difference as inſtruments of muſick. Some like Iacobs haſel rods, Greg. Mar are partly pilled, and partly covered: ſome, like Ahabs Heb. 5. houſe of Ivory, are without a covering. Some are like milke, ſome like ſtronger meate. Some are ſo cleare that the2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 3. day-starre ariſeth with them in our hearts: and ſome are darke through the vaile upon 1 Cor. 15. our minds. As one ſtarre differeth from another in glory, yet are all heavenly bodies; ſo is it with the ſcriptures: ſome are large in handling weighty matters, ſame bind up much in a word.

This heere is of the playner ſort (as all highly neceſſaries are.) So cleare that he is blind that ſees it not: ſo emphaticall that hee is an adamant that is not mooved: ſo ſhort that a ſnaile hath more blood, thenPlus habet limax ſanguinis, quam ille ſenſus. hee hath ſenſe that receives not much in a little. Yet muſt you ſuffer a little more then a word of exhortation, to convey unto your ſoules that little which I can commend from them.

They containe a ſure rule of juſtice: but every word muſt be ſcanned to bring it to the practiſe even of a willing people.

The very firſt word (therefore)1 Therefore what it concludes. is not without a knot: for it may be asked, upon what it is inferred? Some thinke it to referre to the juſtice in the chapters foregoing; but this Queſt. concluſion would be too farre ſeparated from the premiſes by the God of order. Some thinke it to bee redundant, as many elegancies in the Scriptures are. But certainely it is Anſwer▪ not in vaine: It is of good uſe, and a note of an excellent concluſion to be for ever held out of it ſelfe. Nature teacheth it, the law and the prophets revive it: therefore hold it, doe it.

The laſt words have a2 How this is the law and the Prophets. greater knot. For how can this bee ſaid to bee the law and the prophets, ſeeing they ſet downe the love of God, and the promiſes of ſalvation by Chriſt, as well as Iuſtice to each other?

Hereupon two queſtions are diſputed in the ſchooles. Queſt. Whether more then one precept. Rom. 13. 9 Firſt, whether in the law there be more then one precept yea or no? The doubt ariſeth thus. Saint Paul ſaith, if there be any other commandement, it is briefely comprehended in this, thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelfe: And Chriſt ſaith heere doe as you would bee done unto: for this is the law and the prophets: therefore it ſeemes there is but one. But Anſwer. ſeeing the Apoſtles mentioneth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Eph. 2. 15. Aquin. 1a. 2 ae▪ q. 99. Art. 1. one law of many commandements; it is reſolved thus, that there is but one precept with the reſpect to the full end, charity: but there are more with reference to the meanes ſubſervient to it.

Secondly, hence it is asked, Queſt. Whether there be a connexion of all vertues. Iam. 2. 10. whether there be ſuch a connexion of vertues, that where one is in truth, there are all the reſt? This doubt ariſeth from two texts too. Saint Iames ſaith, whoſoever ſhall keepe the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all. If it bee thus in breach, it is thus in complement. For there is but one body of legall juſtice, either to doe, or ſinne againſt. And Chriſt ſaith here, that toIo. de corb. com. theol. lib. 5. c. 8. doe as we would be done unto is the law and the prophets. If juſtice to men bee the law and the prophets, then ſurely where that is in truth, all that they require is by way of concatenation, and chayningWall. Eth Ariſt. Majores extravitia quàm intravirtutes. together. This queſtion is expounded to be underſtood of perfect and gratuitous vertues, which are by infuſion, not of ſuch as are acquired by induſtry. Of theſe it is ſaid of the grave moraliſts of old, that they are greater in being without vice, then in being within the liſts of true vertues. Of thoſe there are ſome that are more noble then others: and therefore are they called the mothers of vertue. Thus Faith is the mother of vertue in originall;Matres virtutum. 1 Origine. 2 Educatione. for out of the acts of faith theſe flow: Charity in education; for it feedes them all with faiths proviſions: humility in conſervation; for they being raked up in her aſhes are kept alive: and prudence 3 Conſervatione. 4 Regimine. in government; for it ſhe doe not order them all, they are not carried without a blemiſh. Though theſe have thus their due glory, yet where one is in truth, there are all the reſt in linke.

Some ſubtile doctors goe againſtScotiſtae. this being overſwayed (as they thinke enough) by experience. But though of the ſhadowes of vertues this be true: yea, and this bee as true of true vertues, that ſome are more conſpicuous then others by humane aptneſſe, fitneſſe of the inſtrument, office, time, and occaſions: yet Anſwer. it is better reſolved affirmatively. The ſubject requires it, a vertuous man, who can not bee at one time good and bad, happy and unhappy, which yet he could be, if hee had ſome vertues, and wanted others. Gods bounty requires it, which gives not one vertue, to fit receivers, without the others. The weakeneſſe of ſolitary vertue in it ſelfe requires it: for as one member needs another, ſo doth one vertue neede her fellowes. And laſtly, the uſe of vertues muſt have it ſo too. For they are to oppoſe all and ſingular vices: therefore muſt there bee a linking of all vertues, to oppoſe and repreſſe the chaine of all vices.

As if there bee but one ſtring wanting in an inſtrument, there can be no perfect harmony: ſo nor ſpirituall melody in the ſoule if one vertue be abſent. As a ſouldier is not well furniſhed againſt an enemie, except hee be in compleat armes: ſo nor the chriſtian ſouldier except hee have the whole vertuous armour of God. As the ſtarrs, and planets are alwaies in their ſpheares to make a perfect firmament: ſo are theſe lights of vertues to make an upright ſoule. And as a phyſicke garden, or Apothecaries ſhop, are defective, if any hearb or drugge for uſe be wanting: ſo is it with a ſoule that hath not the whole body of phyſicke againſt the whole body of ſinne and death.

Thus therefore wee might conclude from hence: but we neede not goe ſuch a circle to untie Chriſts knot here. For Quest. if it be asked, how juſtice to our Anſwer. neighbours can bee the law and the prophets? you muſt underſtand Secundū ſubjectam materiam. 1 Cor 9. 22. Chriſt ſpeakes according to the matter in hand. As when Paul ſaith, to all men I became all things, he muſt not bee underſtood to comply with the ſtoole of wickednes, but that in matters indifferent, which were neither cōmanded nor forbidden, hee did ſo. Even ſo Chriſt ſpeakes here of all things concerning charity and juſtice betwixt man and man.

Wee are thus come from1 This text is a law of nature. both the ends to the heart and middle of this text, which layes downe a great law and principle of nature for the advancing of juſtice among men, to doe even ſo to others, as wee would that others ſhould doe to us.

It is a law, and there are3 Sorts of lawes. three ſorts of lawes. The eternall law in God; which is his counſell and will for the being, ſupportation, and order of the world. By vertue of this we have a creation, and a providence. The naturall law in the creature; which (referred to man) is the law of God written in his heart, forRom. 2. 15. the view of the underſtrnding to informe, and of the conſcience to binde to doe, or to binde over for not doing. Laſtly, the impoſed law upon the creature: which is that poſitive law in the ſcriptures, to revive and perfect the law of nature which through tract of time, and cuſtome in ſin was in great part worne out.

This heere was firſt a law of nature, now poſitively revived: which through the foule ſhooes of ſin though it bee worne into ragges and ſhreads, becauſe we are made vagabonds from our owne hears Facti ſumus fugitivi a cordibus noſtris. (therfore we reade of ancient Germans who did allow of theft, and of our Northerne borderers, who were perſwaded that the eight cōmandement was of King Henry the eights putting in:) yet is it of excellent uſe to revive theſe old ſtatutes, as Chriſt doth in this place; that wee may be helped to feele our degeneration, and find our need of the law of Chriſ. Thus it is a law.

It is a principle of nature too 2 It is a principle of nature alſo. 1 Primo prima principia. and there are two ſorts of principles which are bound up in the heart of man. The firſt before others, which are made up without diſcourſe, and helpe from without. Though theſe be not alwaies in perfect act, yet may they alwaies be knowne, as a ſtone by the weight may be known to move downeward, though it doe not alwayes ſo doe. The ſecond next unto the firſt, which2 Secundo prima priucipia. are made up of the firſt by diſcourſe, as concluſions contained in them. As thus, I may not defile my neighbours wife, hurt his goods, life, or the like, becauſe I would not have another deale ſo with mee.

This here is of the firſt ſort; which if it bee quickened is hard at hand to promote juſtice. As when you write upon Paper with the juice of an onion (as many ſay) the letters at firſt are not legible, but bring it to the fire and warme it, and then ye may reade it. So at the firſt (in ſome) yee can reade little or nothing of this law: but bring it to the fire of the word and conſcience, and all Juſtice to men will appeare to your comfort, or conviction.

Thus doth our bleſſed Saviour here. He knowes that if the flies of Aegypt get into our eyes, the frogges of Aegypt will ſoone get into the chambers of our hearts, and then the catterpillers of Egypt will deſtroy the fruits of our lives. Therefore he rubs and chafes the light of the law upon their, and our conſciences, that it may be better read and done in after times. As if hee ſhould ſay, I am ſure thatAmor 1 concupiſcentiae. 2 charitatis. ſome of you, by the love of luſt, others by the love of charity, doe love your ſelves; yee would not be hurt in honour, life honeſtie, juſtice, or truth: therefore all things whatſoever yee would that others ſhould doe to you, even ſo doe to them.

To bring the law, and2 The text opened & applied. principle cloſe up unto you, be pleaſed to receive,

1 The prayſes of it, 2 The power of it.

The prayſes of it are theſe:1 By the prayſes of the law. that it is Chriſts briefe, yet plain ſumme of all juſtice to men. To be ſhort for memory, and plaine for underſtanding, doe ſeldome meete in the wordes of men. If wee labour to beeDies brevis eſſe laboro obſcurus fio. ſhort, wee are ſo much the more obſcure, But this is ſo ſhort, that the poore man cannot complain, he cannot buy it: ſo plain that the ignorāt man cannot complaine, hee cannot comprehend it, when it is propounded to him and it is thus ſhort, and plaine from Chriſts mouth (as wel as natures voice), who is the wiſedome of the father▪ that one law-giver, and Judge of the world, for rewards and puniſhments.

Therefore certainely it extends to all his ſubjects: none can plead immunity from the ſound and tranſcendent equity of it, and from the way to bleſſing or curſing according to our dealings with men. For they will not thaet I rule over them, (ſaith the ſame Chriſt) bring them forth and ſlay them before me.

It may bee you will ſay: IfOb. Chriſt have given me ſo plain a ſum, what neede I ſo much preaching to teach me juſtice to men?

I anſwer; though it bee never Sol. ſo briefe and plaine, yet preaching is neceſſary for a double uſe.

Firſt, to expound, and apply the particulars: Husbandry, is a ploughing, ſowing▪ reaping, threſhing; yet there needes teaching an art in all theſe, or the commonwealth would ſtarve: ſo muſt we be taught an holy art in our chriſtian duties. Secondly, to perſwadeHeb. 13. 22. the practiſe of it. I beſeech you brethren (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſuffer the wordes of exhortation, for I have written unto you in few wordes. The fewer wordes the neceſſary rule hath, the more words of exhortation are neceſſary to draw on doing. The underſtanding is blinde, and may judge amiſſe of plaine things, as Zebul ſaid, they may ſeeIud. 9. 36. the ſhadow of the mountains like men: and as the blindeman Mar. 8. 24. under cure ſaid, I ſee men walking like trees: ſo may the underſtanding miſgive us. The will is perverſe, therfore beauty, and bands muſt come, the rod, and the ſpirit of meeknes, line upon line, precept upon precept, till judgement bee brought to victory.

But yet you may urge for Object. your owne quiet, that without more adoe Chriſts words are full of briefe and plaine equity; therfore ſay no more. This is true; and I humbly Sol. pray that they may prevaile accordingly. Oh that all our lawes were briefe, preſenting the majeſty of a commander, not the art of an expounder!

It is an old ſaying of a wiſe Lex jubere, non diſput are debet: Sen. 1 Cor. 1 4. Stoick, the law muſt command, not diſpute. Oh that our laws were plaine! for if the trumpet give an uncertaine ſound, who will gird himſelfe unto the battaile? The riddles of the old oracles bred many a mans ruine. Oh that all might fall upon all with equity. The law ſhould not bee a motherNon aliis mater, aliis noverca. to ſome, and a ſtep-dame to others: but (circumſtances conſidered) ſhould look with the ſame eye upon rich and poore. But becauſe, be it never ſo plain, briefe, and equal, yet it is rather to bee hoped, then found, in all points, as it ſhould: therefore aſcend wee from the praiſe of this law, to the power of it, which will be ſeene,

1 In the ſenſe, and 2 In the application of it.

No man diſaffected to the truth is an enemy to the ſenſe of any of Gods oracles. TheThe ſenſe of this law. ſenſe of this may be taken up two wayes, firſt, negatively, ſecondly, poſitively.

Negatively, wee muſt doeNegatively. to others, not what we list. It is cruelty and tyranny to runne Sic volo, ſic jubeo. this race, thus I will, thus I command. Our wills are corrupted, & if we follow them, the cart goes before theFertur equis aurigae. horſe. If a man have power, and imploy it thus, Salvian will ſalute him thus, a rich power, Dives poteſtas pauperem facit eſſe rempub: sal. de Guber. lib. 2. not well regulated, makes a poore Church, commonwealth, or family.

Wee muſt doe to others, not as others doe to us; mens actions towards others are ordinarily thus excuſed, why did he thus to me? therefore are they at an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, even by private revenge. They hold this good charity, to deceive Fallere fallentem noneſt fraus. him that deceives me, is no deceit in me. But as Saint Peter ſaith, we muſt not render evill for evill: ſo Xenophon did when one rayled on him, thou haſt learned (ſaid hee) to ſpeake ill, but I to contemne it, and ſpeake good,

Wee muſt doe to others, not as others doe to others. ExamplesExempla haberi poſſunt pro teſtimonio. Sal. lib. 2. are too often accounted teſtimonies (not onely of things lawfull, but of things neceſſary, though without a law,) that begins preſently to be lawfull, which by patternes is growne publick; men areIncipit eſſe licitum quod ſolet eſse publicum. Cypri. too apt to looke upon preſidents. Plato's ſchollars followed his crookedneſſe; Ariſtotle's ſtammering, and Alexanders courtiers his ſtouping: ſo will men follow others, though to their owne and others wrong. It is ſafe (ſaith the politician) to offend whenTutum eſt peccare autoribus illis. ſuch, and ſuch, goe before us. But wee muſt live by Gods rules, not by the examples of men, wee muſt doe to others, not as men themſelves would. Saul would have had his Page kill him, and Abimelech would have ſo died, out of pride, that it might not bee ſaid, a woman had overpowerd him. It is ſaid indeed, that to him that is willing to volenti non fit injuria. receiue it, an injury cannot bee done. But this is not alwayes true, yea ſometimes falſe: therefore Ioſeph had learned to run away, when Potiphars wife would willingly have had him to her Iuſtful imbraces: and the friends of the Demoniack pulled him out of the fire, and water, though in deviliſh raptures hee would caſt himſelfe into them.

Wee muſt doe to others, not as wee have accuſtomed to doe; Saint Ambroſe wondring how it came to paſſe, that our fore-fathers did themſelves, and others, ſo much wrong, as to have many wives, anſwereth, ſurely Certè cùm fuit mos, non ſuit eulpa. Amb. when it was a cuſtome; it was no crime But cuſtome is no good plea, though in common courſe it ſometimes findes reaſonable plea, and paſſage; yet will it hardly bee heard in the court of conſcience, againſt equity. For the cuſtome of ſinne, will blunt the ſenſe of Conſuetudo peccandi tollit ſenſum peccati. Cedat conſuetudo veritati. Text. 6 Pro 30. 15. vivitur ex rapto. ſinning, either againſt our ſelves, or others; therefore let cuſtome vaile the bonnet, and give place to truth.

Wee muſt doe to others, not as profit perſwades. If the horſe-leaches two daughters cry, give, give, then are men apt to bee wolves to others, and to live upon the ſpoile. Gehazi will lye, and deny for gaine: Achan will ſteale forLingua idoli, ſic gladius ab antiquis. the golden ſword, and coſtly cloake of the Idoll: and Iudas will betray his maſter, though it be Chriſt himſelfe. Thus by the unrighteouſneſſe of ſinne, profit will make men fall into the unrighteouſneſſe of vengeance. It is an ill rule of juſtice.

Wee muſt doe to others, not as pleaſure allures. If this prevailes, Ahab will be ſicke for Naboths vineyard; Dives will rowle in pleaſure while Lazarus ſtarves at his gate; and Iſrael will have the calves of the ſtall, wine in bowles, and inſtruments of muſicke like David, but withall he wil forget the afflictions of Ioſeph. Pleaſure cannot bee the rule of juſtice: for I ſaid to laughter thou art mad, and to Eccleſ. 2. joy, what is that thou doeſt?

Wee muſt doe to others. not as honour prickcs us on. He that affects to riſe from the ground to the ſtirrop, from the ſtirrop to the ſaddle, from the faddle to the throne, from the throne to the triumphant chariot, had neede of a different law to this, to rule in his carriage to others. Hee will make a path of men to walke upon, horſes of mens ſhoulders to ride upon, wine of mens blouds, carouſing cups of their ſculls, and ſacrifices of their perſons to honour him in the way. If Haman would have all the honour, all the Jewes muſt dye as well as the offender. If Abſolom would judge, his owne father muſt ſuffer. Yea, if but a praiſe (the ſhadow of honour) falls from the mouth of one that ſhould bee puniſhed. In ſuch a caſe, when the Devill praiſed Chriſt, hee cried out, hold thy Mar. 1. 2 4 3 5. Laus mea eſt ſilentium tuum, nolo me laudet vox tud, ſedtormenta tua, poena tua laus mea. Chryſoſt 9 peace, as if hee ſhould ſay, my praiſe is thy ſilence, I will not that thy voice praiſe mee. but thy torments, thy puniſhment ſhall bee my praiſe. But men doe farre otherwiſe: this is a bad rule of juſtice.

Wee muſt doe to others, not as the lawes of the land permit. Though high honour be to bee given to the lawes of nations (for they are the wall of vertue, and the bridle, and ſcourge of vice) yet muſt wee not abſolutely reſt in them for all juſtice. Sometimes they are permiſſive, not preceptive, like Moyſes bill of divorce for the hardneſſe of mens hearts: ſuch is the law of uſury. Sometimes they are corroſive commanding; provided to eate out the dead fleſh of vice, therefore applicable only in ſuch caſes: ſuch is that for taking of forfeitures, which is unjuſt, when the cure can bee had without ſuch a remedy. Sometimes they are for terrour, not for conſtant obedience; as when they ſet downe the worſt to keepe unruly ſpirits in better courſe. In ſuch a caſe, extreame right, is extreame wrong. ThereforeIus Rhadamāthaeum, et reciprocum. the whole law of the kingdome is made up of common, and conſciencious extreamity, and mitigation, rigour and chancery. Therfore not always what law permits, is the rule of juſtice.

If now wee may not doe to others what we liſt, nor what others doe to us, nor what others doe to others, nor what others would, nor what wee have uſed, nor what profit perſwades, nor what pleaſure allures, nor what honour prickes us unto, nor what the lawes permit, what then is our rule of juſtice?

Poſitively, we muſt doe to2 Poſitively. others, ſo as wee would that others ſhould doe to us. The anſwering of two or three queſtions will cleare all of this.

Firſt, whence the rule doth Queſt. 1. Whence this rule doth ariſe? ariſe? It ariſeth from ſelfe: what yee would to you. This cannot but direct aright: for no man hates himſelfe, intentionally, but loves and cheriſheth himſelfe. It may bee you Object. will ſay, the love of our ſelves may be vicious, and then it is no ſafe rule of our love to others. This is moſt true: Sol. therefore if the love of God be oppoſed to the love of our ſelves, in this caſe wee muſt not love our ſelves, nor in ſuch a caſe love our neighbours as our ſelves. For then muſt wee hate our ſelves unto the death, and ours bothIoh. 12. 25. Apoc. 12. 10. Luke. 14. 26. Math. 24, 16. Deut. 33. 9 things, and perſons. It is a precept, then to deny our ſelves: and it was the practiſe of Levi, not to ſee his father and his mother, nor to acknowledge his brethren. But if the love of our ſelves be right, and Chriſtian, then muſt wee love our ſelves, and others as our ſelves.

It is worth your notice Queſt. 2. When ſelfe-love is a right charity. 1 Vt ſe. then to know, when our love is a right Chriſtian charity? A man may love himſelfe three waies. Firſt, when a man loves himſelfe as himſelfe; this is not good: It makes ſelfe a God. But man hath a ſuperiour, at whoſe becke hee muſt ſtand, and fall to himſelfe. Secondly, when a man 2 Vt finem principalem. Pro. 16. 4. loves himſelfe as his principall end. This is not right neither: for man is made for anothers end, as Salomon ſaith, God made all things for himſelfe. Thirdly, when a man loves himſelfe in order to God: that3 In ordine ad Deuus. is, when the love of God, and of our ſelves, are ſweetly ſubordinate: when we love our ſelves in God, and for God, and his will ſake. This is right chriſtian charity indeede: and then, if thou Si noſti diligere teipſum, tunc committo tibi proximum quem diligasſicut teipſum. Auguſt. Quest. 3 How this rule of juſtice muſt be carried? knoweſt thus how to love thy ſelfe, I will commit thy neighbour unto thee, whom thou mayeſt love as thy ſelfe.

But now you will aske, how this rule of juſtice muſt be carried? It is certaine, that foure ſorts of perſons would ill to themſelves: children, idle perſons, malefactors, and malecontents. Children ſee not the benefit of education and correction; If they might bee cockered and ſpared, they would doe ſo to others, except in pang, and paſſion. Idle perſons know not the comfort of a ſweating and well ordered life. They goe on themſelves in an unprofitable courſe, and would that others would doe ſo too, though it end in ruine. Malefactors and ſonnes of Belial, not being ſenſible of the overthrow of church, commonwealth, and family by lawles courſes, would bee let alone, and would let others alone: therefore doe they cry down reformers as buſie perſons, and no good neighbours. Malecontents, ſwelling with pride, and not induring the flouds of oppoſition, care not, with Abimelech, and Spira, if others would kill them, and with Potiphera, if others would diſhoneſt them: and ſo would bee an ill law of juſtice to others.

Therefore you muſt knowVoluntas 1 Inordinata. that there is two ſorts of wills Firſt, diſordered wills, (as moſt are) which would indulgence to all vice: what theſe would have others to doe to them, they muſt not doe to others. For they care not if there were no king in Iſrael, if every man did what hee liſt: when all is in a combuſtion, they would then fiſh in troubled waters. Reaſon is clouded, and the ſhowers of wickedneſſe would fall upon men. Secondly, there are ordinate and regulated wills by the2 Ordinata et regulata. law of juſtice and charity. From theſe wills ariſeth this law: If ye have orderly and well governed wills, then what ye would that others ſhould doe to you, even ſo doe yee to them. Thus (as I could) ye have the power of this law in ſenſe.

And now for the application2 The application of this law. Minoris criminis rea • us eſt iegem neſcire quàm ſpernere. Sal. lib. 4. Terrae filius, nihili nepos. Greg. Naz. Aures omnium pulſo, conſcientias ſingulorum convenio. Auguſt. of it, which is the life of the law, know for certaine, that it brings a leſſe guilt to be ignorant of the law, then when you know it, to cotemn it: therefore bee ſure to bee doing.

Though man bee the ſonne of the earth, and the nephew of nothing; yet God hath given him a law which muſt be kept for uſe: yea God hath made him a law to himſelfe in his juſtice to others: therefore I knocke at all your eares, and would faine talke a little with every conſcience heere preſent.

This law of Chriſt and nature, might bee an help to us upon many occaſions. Suppoſe there fall out a new caſe wherein there is no law to order it; wee muſt not ſay, Ile doe what I luſt: but in want of a law, this muſt ſupply, what yee would that others ſhould doe to you, that doe you to them.

Suppoſe there be a law, but we are ignorant of it, we cannot walke by rule, when wee know it not. Heere have recourſe to this, which wil ſhew the effect of the laew, written in Rom. 2. 15. our hearts, and will worke us to doe well to others, becauſe we would have others not do amiſſe to us.

Suppoſe we have a known law fitted to our caſe, but it is ſo imperfect that holes of evaſion offer themſelves to a ruſſet coate. Have then recourſe to this: for of this it may be ſaid, as that Philoſopher ſaid of old, when hee was aſked what hee had gained by his ſtudy? I have gained this, in briefe, that what others doe Summum hoc, quòd quae alij non ſine legibus c • acti faciunt, ſponte faciam. not, but as compelled by the ſtroake and whip of the law, I doe it of my owne accord.

Suppoſe ye bee to give rewards to others, wee reade of one Crates, who gave to his flatterer ſix hundred poundes; to his whore threeſcore pounds, to his Cooke an hundredDiog. Laert. invita Crat. crownes, to his Phiſitian eight groates, to his Philoſopher (who was his divine) three halfe-pence, and to his Lawyer (for his words) fume and ſmoake. But if we walk by this rule, wee will not ſet beſt rates upon baſeſt things, and worſt upon beſt: for by a well ordered will, wee would not bee ſo dealt withall our ſelves.

Suppoſe laſtly, wee are to adminiſter puniſhments for others, one puniſhment for all faults were not juſt: neither muſt wee puniſh in life, when a member would ſatisfie; nor in body, when goods are enough; nor in goods, when loſſe of credit is more then ſufficient; nor in much in any thing when a little would ſerv the turne: we muſt look with a charitable eye to both proportions, Proportio. 1 Arithmetica. 2 Geometrica. for we would be ſo done unto our ſelves.

Upon all theſe, or like occaſions, weare this law before our eyes, as Chriſt and nature would have it, it would bee a Sampſon of juſtice, to deſtroy princes of Philiſtins by heapes.

But for want of this, as Theocritus ſaid, of a great talker,Incipit verborum flumen, ingenij ne gutta quidem. now beginnes a floud of words, but not a drop of wit: ſo have wee flouds of accuſations, aggravations, actions, without a drop of grace or modeſty.

If wee could take a view of all the law of juſtice knit up in this one, wee might convince the world of another world of ſinnes, and ſinnes.

All inferiours doe lay the honour of ſuperiours in the duſt, from the ſubject under the throne, to the people under the prieſt, yea to the child in the poore mans cottage, for want of this in power, what yee would that others ſhould doe to you, that doe you to them. All malicious, and envious ſtrikers, oppreſſors, wounders, ahd hurters of body, and ſpirits, doe prejudice the comfortable lives of others, becauſe they forget what yee would that others doe to you, that doe you to them. All adulterous perſons, of luſtfull eyes, hearts, hands, or other members, doe hurt the chaſtity of others, becauſe they contemne this, what yee would that others ſhould doe to you, that doe you to them. All truſters in wrong and robbery, hurt the goods of others; all lyars, backbiters, & ſlanderers hurt the goods, and the truth of others, becauſe they neglect and put in the backe part of the wallet this glorious law, what yee would that others ſhould doe to you, that do ye to them. All that rob themſelves of their owne hearts, and ſpoile that ſweete contentment they might have in the God of Love, by vexing themſelves with what others have, doe ſlighte the royall law, what ye would that others ſhould doe to you, that doe you to them. Oh the world of tranſgreſſors againſt this law! Give good manners, and Da bonos mores et legis ſcita pro nobis ſunt. Sal. lib. 5. the requirings, and ordinances of the law are for us: but by our wicked lives this is againſt us, and will burne the conſcience like fire in the day of Gods fierce wrath.

But Ile goe no further then the proper buſineſſe of the day. The honourable Iudges wil bee pleaſed to remember that the judgement-ſeate endures not either raſh judgement, or riper, if it bee overſwaide with wickedneſſe. If raſh oathes bee imployed, vexing contentions nouriſhed, or ſuites drawne out at length: If judgements like ſome concluſions follow the worſt part of the plea, they know, that they doe not as they would be done unto.

The witneſſe muſt ſpeake nothing but truth, and the whole truth (as the cauſe requires) ſo helpe him God, if he overweigh the wheeles of the clocke to make it ſtrike falſe. If (like Nauplius to deceive the Grecians homeward) hee ſet up a beacon upon a rocke, and make the judgment ſufferPro 6. 26. ſhipwrack, hee nouriſheth contentions, and doth not as hee would be done unto.

The Iury muſt finde according to truth of evidence, elſe life, goods, and liberty, (the precious things of a man) will fall before the injurious: and then he doth not as he would be done unto.

The Lawyer muſt remember that of Salomon, that the gathering of riches by a deceitfull Pro. 6. 26. tongue, is vanity toſſed too and fro by them that ſeeke death. But if hee ſpeake good of evil, and evil of good, hee doth not as hee would be done unto.

The Plaintife muſt not load with falſe accuſations, as1 King. 21 9. 10. Iezabel who accuſed Nabeth of blaſphemy; the Iewes who accuſed Chriſt of forbidding to pay tribute to Caeſar; and1 Kin. 21. 9. 10. Luk. 23. 2. Act. 24. 5. Tertullus who in a ſtarched ſpeech preſented Paul to be a peſtilence. If hee doe, he doth not as hee would bee done unto.

The Defendant muſt not colour his fault with falſe gloſſes againſt conſcience, or deny it when his ſinnes are on his skirts, and written in his forehead, or refuſe any legal tryall. If hee doe, hee doth not as hee would bee done unto.

The Regiſter muſt preſerve faithfull records, and not cloſely, and illegally take off what is legally put on for the puniſhment of vice & maintenance of vertue. If he doe, hee doth not as hee would be done unto. Oh how hard is it to bee a good naturaliſt! much harder to be a good Chriſtian in obſerving this one law of juſtice

But that yee may doe better2 Inſtructions for the keeping of this law. according to the full bent of this law, receive but a double inſtruction. Firſt, yee muſt bee extraordinary perſons. As it is with a batte or flindermouſe, it is a kinde of bird, but an extraordinary one. It flies1 Be extraordinary perſons. like a bird, and ſo is among the fowles of the aire; but it brings not forth young like a bird, nor feedes them like a bird, nor feedes it ſelfe like a bird: ſo be you ſingular amongMat. 5. 47. men, one of a city, and two of a tribe. Ordinary men do love the world to a miracle. They forget they are the generation of God; and ſo (to the diſhonour of their race) the world and worldly things doe blot out this law of juſtice.

But as wee read of Hercules when hee wreſtled with the mighty Mauritanian Antheus, ſo often as hee threw him to the earth (his mother), hee ſoone recovered his ſtrength againe; but when (beyond ordinary courſe) he lifted him up above the ground, and ſo held him at armes end till he was breathleſſe, hee ſoone vanquiſhed him. So when yee wreſtle with your owne hearts for juſtice (which are earth, earth, earth), and throwIer 22. 29. them to the ground, ye never goe away conquerours: for they are where they would bee. Therefore lift them up extraordinarily into another element, and have your converſations in heaven, and yee ſhall ſoone gaine the victory, to doe this law of juſtice.

The prudent ſearchers of nature, conſider the ſoule of man according to the three powers of it, and ſpeake (though not ſo accurately as others) of three parts of it: The reaſonable, angry, and1 Rationalis. 1 Iraſcibilis. 3 Concupiſcibilis. luſtfull part. From the reaſonable part proceeds reaſon itſelfe, judgment, diſcretion, and wiſedome; and this they ſeat in the head. From the angry part, iſſue the hot motions of fortitude and courage; and this they ſeate in the heart. From the lustfull part, come deſires and appetites after meate, drinke, and other pleaſures; and this they ſeate in the ventricle.

Theſe three may repreſent unto us, the three ages of the world. In the firſt, theyMelanch. poſt. were wiſe; then wiſedome flouriſhed, arts and ſciences, were invented: and if wee ſeeme to be more in this then they, it is becauſe we are Pigmies upon thoſe Giants ſhoulders. In the ſecond, they were valorous. From Ninus to Iulius was the age of warrious. Then David, Sampſon, Achilles, and Hercules were in prime. But in this third and laſt age, moſt are given to appetite. The underſtanding and heart have had their times, but now the Belly is the great God: and as hunger after pleaſure, profit, or honour prevailes, ſo all lawes of God and nature are more or leſſe neglected. Had yee not neede then to be ſingular (now) if you would doe, as you would be done unto?

Secondly, being ſingular &2 Let the Spirit of Chriſt dwell in you. extraordinary, let the ſpirit of Chriſt dwell in you, as well as the law of nature; even that ſpirit wherewith hee did revive this. Nature is a good miſtreſſe, if Chriſt be our maſter. Nature ſhall well direct us in our workes of juſtice, when by Chriſts ſpirit we are created to good works. Therfore bee ſure that you bee in Chriſt by faith, & that Chriſt be in you by the life of juſtification, ſanctification, & comfort: and then as Chriſt teacheth this law of nature, ſo you, through Chriſt, ſhall grow more and more abounding in the practiſe of it, ſo long as you are.

Experience teacheth that a tree lives longer then a man, or fowle, or beaſt; and wee aske the reaſon of it; It is reſolvedS. Fr. Bac. Nat. Hiſt. thus. Other creatures grow to their full ſtature, and then grow no more but in excrements, as haires, nailes, feathers, and the like: but a tree, (live it never ſo long) growes in proper parts, and ſo drawes juice and ſap, from the roote, thorough the whole body to quicken it.

So if you inquire why a man in Chriſt doth keepe all lawes better then another man? I anſwer, becauſe he is never at his height ſo long as hee is heere. He dayly ſucks in, and drawes (in his growing parts of greatneſſe or goodneſſe) the heavenly oyle, and liquor of Chriſts ſpirit, whichPhil. 4. inables him to doe all things thorough him that helpeth him.

Be it (in the name of Ieſus Chriſt) thus with you; and ye ſhall not faile to doe as you would be done unto in minds, mouthes, and members. IleMotives to obſerve this law. give you but two incentives, and ſo an end.

The not doing this, will much diſcomfort you in the day of death. In many caſes betwixt you and others, you have ſeene, or heard, variety of opinions: and for want of judgement or goodneſſe (by witty evaſions) have beene ſwayed this way, and that way. But then, let conſcience have her perfect work, and when it ſpies that, by theſe means, ye have not done as ye would be done unto, it cries, & prickes, and wounds, and yee know not what to doe, eſpecially when death comes to draw you to the barie of God. Therefore as Pythagoras gave a precept to his ſchollars, not to taſte of any thing that had blacke tailes: ſo doe I adviſe you here, and I pray God you may follow it in my chriſtian ſenſe.

The king, ſaith (according to the old picture) I rule you all: the ſouldier ſaith, I fight for you all: the husbandman ſaith, I feede you all: the prieſt ſaith, I pray for you all: but death ſaith, I devoure you all. And then, if notwithſtanding your pretence of faith in Chriſt, you have impenitently, not done, as you would be done unto, hell will ſay, I will torment you all.

Laſtly, conſider that the doing of this, will comfort you when that day comes. Put caſe yee have not had braines to ſearch into every particular caſe, to reach to the depth of every wiſe law, to untie every knot in things to bee done or forborne; yet, if in indighting, witneſſing, pleading, anſwering, judging, and recording, yee have done as yee would bee done unto; then ſhall your memories bleſſe your underſtandings for ſeeing; your underſtandings bleſſe your memories for recording; your underſtandings and memories, bleſſe your wills for decreeing; your wills bleſſe your affections for maintaining; the whole ſoule bleſſe the body for practiſing; and God ſhall bleſſe all for cleaving unto his law of juſtice from Chriſt, and nature. And if with this you have alſo the law of faith, and piety, and follow them according to the rule of Chriſt, then ſhall you heare, well done good and faithfull ſervants, enter into your maſters joy.

To which joy our good God bring us all in his good time, thorough his way of piety and juſtice: without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee thee, O Lord; therefore bring us thither thorough the way of piety. Hee that doth not righteouſneſſe, is not of thee, O God; therefore bring us thither by the way of righteouſneſſe alſo. Oh let us ſerve thee heere in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of our lives, that in the end, when wee ſhall come as a ſhocke of corne to thy barne, wee may bee happy in thee, thorough Ieſus Chriſt our Lord: to whom with thee and the bleſſed ſpirit, bee all Kingdome, Power, and Glory, now and for ever.

Amen.

THE CHRISTIANS THRIFT IN KEEPING: OR TWO SERMONS Preached on 1 Tim. 1. 19. Holding faith, and a good Conſcience.

THe men of the world are much for keeping, the father preſſeth his ſonne, the maſter his ſervant, the friend his friend, to keepe. They would have them keep their houſes, keepe their land, keepe their ſtockes, keep their credit, keepe ſurely whatſoever 1 Tim. 6. 20. they can get honeſtly. This is among the beſt.

The Chriſtian muſt bee for keeping too. Hee knowes whom hee hath truſted, and2 Tim. 1. 12 would faine have him keepe his ſoule to the day of Chriſt. And becauſe hee keepes not them that do not keep themſelves, and ſave their ſoules Act. 2. 40 from this froward generation wherein they live: therefore hee deſires to doe it himſelfe, and to preſſe every member elſe within his reach, to this golden rule, which bleſſed Paul gives to his beloved Timothy, keep, or hold faith, and a good conſcience.

A brave worke, worthy a Chriſtian! If there had beene a better, Paul would have ſet it upon Timothies ſoul. Other things hee preſſeth unto: but if hee give him a thouſand taskes, of divers matters, if this doe not give life and forme to them all, they may doe others good, but they ſhal doe them none: therefore be thou holding, faith, and a good conſcience;

Timothy was a brave young ſparke of grace, blowne up to a great blaze in the church of God. He had ſo well approoved himſelfe to men, and God looked upon him with ſo right an eye, that there went about prophecies of him, for the great uſe the Church ſhould have of him, and the manly ſervice hee ſhould doe to God. Paul thereforever. 18. puts him in minde of them, and provokes him to take ſuch a courſe as may make them good, by holding faith, and a good conſcience.

And to raiſe him up to a greater vigilancy, he ſets before him ſome that had made ſhipwrack of them, together with their puniſhment, andver. 20. end of it.

This is the ſcope then, to provoke Timothy to hold whatſoever may be uſeful unto him, to make his imployment in the church comfortable unto him, he muſt hold.

If you ſay, hee muſt onely Object. have them; for ſo the word Sol. ſoundeth: I anſwer, ſo to have, as to hold. As when (Saint Paul ſaith,) that wee thorough patience and comfort of the ſcriptures might have hope, that is, hold it thorough the whole courſe of life for uſe.

If you ſay, it is enough to Object. Sol. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Rom. 15. 4 hold them for the preſent. I anſwer, no: it is in ſuch a part of ſpeech, as ſignifieth a continual act, holding today, tomorrow, and for ever. Therefore in Timothies perſon, it commends theſe two ſavoury rules of life unto you; that when yee have faith, ye muſt hold it, and when yee have a good conſcience, ye muſt hold it too.

Yee muſt hold faith. Faith is1 Yee m • ſt hold faith. Gal. 5. 22. 1 Theſ. 5. 19. Apoc 3. 3 of a flying nature in it ſelfe. It is but a fruit of the ſpirit, and wee are apt to quench it. But as Chriſt ſaith to the church of Sardis, remember how thou haſt received and heard, and hold faſt: and to the church of Philadelphia, hold that faſt Apoc. 3. 11 which thou haſt, that no man take thy crowne: ſo be you all ſure to hold faith.

I ſhall labour (with Gods1 How yee muſt hold faith. helpe) to cleare theſe two particulars, how ye muſt hold faith, and why ye muſt doe it. Firſt, as hee that would hold his poſſeſſion and inheritance muſt have a good ground of tenure; his right by gift purchaſe,By holding. or deſcent; a good object of tenure, his deedes and evidences; a good act of tenure, to ſay with confidence this is mine; and a good power to uſe it as his owne for his proper benefit. So if yee would hold faith, yee muſt hold

1 The ground of faith. 2 The object of faith. 3 The act of faith, and 4 The power of faith.

The ground of faith, is1 The ground of faith. your ſaving right to it, without which you have nothing to doe with faith to ſave you. And what is that? it is an humbled ſoule: none have right to faith to ſave them but ſuch. To make a looſe and broken ground the foundation of an houſe, is the next way to ſee the ruine of it: but to make a broken heart the ground of faith is the only way to ſee it hold. Come unto me all yee that are weary Math. 11. and heavy laden: if ye be ſuch, then build upon me for the reſt of your ſoules. God carried the Iſraelites fourty yeares thorough the wilderneſſe to Deut. 8. 23 humble them, prove them; and to make them ſuffer hunger, and then hee fed them with Mannah. God makes the houſe of David looke upZach. 12. 10. 11. to Christ pierced, and mourne as a woman mourneth for her onely ſonne: and then in that day hee opens a Zach. 13. 1 fountaine for the houſe of David, and the inhabitants of Ieruſalem, for ſinne, and for uncleanneſſe. The Holy Ghoſt convinceth the world of ſin, and then of righteouſneſſe, Ioh. 16. 8. 9 10. 11. that Chriſt hath fully ſatisfied, becauſe hee is aſcended: and then of Iudgement, to ſet up a throne and caſt out Satan by degrees. Even as phyſicians do firſt purge to pul downe rebelling humours, and then give cordials: So God firſt whips by the Schoolmaster of the law, and thenGal. 3. 24. brings us to Chriſt: this is the ground of faith.

The object of faith is, the2 The object of faith. deedes and evidences of it, the whole word of God. There are no other deedes and evidences of ſaving faith but there. Theſe are the teſtimonies, and records of God: hee that beleeveth 1 Ioh. 5. 10 not God, and his record which he hath witneſſed, hath made him a lyar. This is that for which God lookes to bee credited. A very knave looks to bee credited for his pawne or bond; an honeſt man for his honeſty; a noble man for his honour; a Prince for his word: much more God. Ye muſt therefore looke to the Precepts of God like David: who when he tooke notice ofPſal. 119. 4 5. Gods commandements, given to be kept, hee had an heroicall motion to doe more then hee could, hee prayes that hee might be taught them, that he might keepe them, and bee ver. 48. quickned by them, and reſolves to lift up his hands to Gods commandements, which hee had loved, to doe them. Yee muſt looke to the Judgments and threatnings of God, as the Ninevites, who were preſentlyIon. 3. 2 Chro. 34. 27. in ſackcloth, and Ioſiah who rent his cloathes, with weeping eies, and melting heart. Thus Davids fleſh trembled for fear of God, andPſal. 119. 120. he was affraid of his judgments, yee muſt looke to the promiſes of God as David: who hid Pſal. 119. 11 them in his heart that he might not ſinne against him. Whatſoever is in the word, ye muſt have an eie unto. For though they doe not ſo immediately concerne you in the way of life and death (as many Genealogies, Chronologies, Hiſtories, and Prophecies) yet you muſt bee ready to underſtandPraeparatione animi. them and their uſes as God ſhall offer them: yet yee muſt principally hold precepts to direct, threatnings to humble, and promiſes to allure and comfort; ye muſt hold them, by underſtanding what the will Eph. 5. 17 of the Lord is, till (if ye can) yee come to all riches of the ful Col. 2. 2. aſſurance of underſtanding. Yee muſt hold them by aſſenting to them: yeelding to all the truth of them, as Saint Luke to the ſtorie of Chriſt whereof he was fully perſwaded. YeeLu • e 1. 1. muſt hold them, by bringing your bodies and ſoules into ſubjection unto them. For in Ieſus Chriſt neither circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, but faith working Gal. 5. 6. by love. This is the object of faith.

The act of faith, is to ſay,3 The act of faith. this is mine: to adjudge and appropriate father, ſonne, and holy Ghoſt unto your ſelves; without this yee cannot feele any comfort of what you believe. Therefore as David, and Chriſt ſaid, My God, My Pſal. 22. 1. Ioh. 20. 28 God: as Thomas ſaid, My Lord, and my God: and as theLuke 1. 47 Bleſſed Virgine ſaid, my ſpirit (that is the quinteſſence of my ſoule acted by the ſpirit of God) rejoyceth in God my Saviour: ſo by way of adherence, (when moſt times ye have no evidence) yee muſt take God in Chriſt as your owne, as hee offers himſelfe. I am the Lord Ex. 20. Ier. 31. thy God, I will bee thy God. This is the act of faith.

The power of faith, is to make uſe of the riches of itThe power of faith. Pſal. 32. Pſal. 45. Rom. 4. Act. 15. Mal. 4. Eph. 3. Heb. 6. 2 Cor. 4. 13. for thy owne proper good. Great is the power of faith, and it prevaileth. It covereth our ſinnes by the garments of Chriſt our elder brother, and ſo is imputed to us for righteouſneſſe. It cureth our ſinnes, bringing Chriſt, who hath healing under his wings, to dwell in our hearts by faith. It brings forth a world of the labour of love, wee having the ſame ſpirit of faith, believe, & ſpeak, and thinke, and doe. For byEph. 2. 10. faith we are Gods workemanſhip created in Chriſt to good workes, to walke in them. And this affirme conſtantly that they that have believed in Tit. 3. 8. GOD, be carefull to maintaine good workes. This is the power of faith.

Now, this ground of faith,2▪ Why yee muſt hold faith. this object of faith, this act of faith this power of faith, you muſt hold upon theſe five Grounds.

Firſt, faith is our life; wee live by faith, not by ſight; and1 Faith our life. 2 Cor. 5. Hab. 2. every juſt man muſt live by his faith. Not efficiently: for ſo, in GOD we live, move, andAct. 17. have our being. Nor meritoriouſly: for ſo ſaith Chriſt, I am the way, the truth and the life. Nor by way of immediateIoh. 14. application: for ſo the holy ghoſt is a quickening ſpirit, as Adams ſoule was the1 Pet. 3▪ 18. Gen. 2. breath of life. But as a prime inſtrument of our life in Chriſt, without this wee cannot have life, either before God or in this miſerable world. ThisRom. 1. 17 Heb. 10. 38 unites us to Chriſt, and receives a quickning ſpirit (as the vertue of Chriſt), from the ſpirit of Chriſt, in the meanes of ſalvation. As men ſay of their trades, and hands, under God, they are my living, take away theſe, and take away my life: ſo ſay wee of faith: it is your life: therfore hold it.

Secondly, faith is our power 2 Faith is our power of working. of working, to doe us our beſt good. In a naturall man, his reaſon is his power. Hee is borne naked, with abundance of bodily weakneſſe; a beaſt hath a great deale of bodily ſtrength: and if a lyon rationally knew how to uſe his pawes, a dog his teeth, a bullock, or buck his hornes, or an horſe his hoofes, how few men would there bee in the world? But let man come in with his reaſon, and hee ſubdues them all. But in a believer his faith is his power: and what is the power of reaſon to this? As Chriſt ſaid of miraculous faith, it pulls up trees by the rootes, and removes mountaines, it makes ſunne ſtand ſtill, and go backward: ſo much more of this ſaving chriſtian faith in another kinde. It covers more ſinnes then heaven and earth can cover. Get the heavens to cover them: our ſinnes are more then the ſtarres, and are come up above the heavens. Get the ſea to cover them: the ſea can cover the ſands at a full tide, but our ſins are more then the ſandes of the ſea. Get the earth, and all the creatures to cover them: our ſinnes over-top them all, and makeRom. 8. the whole creation groane under the burthen. But get faith, and as love covers a multitude of ſinnes in others, ſo faith covers all ſinnes in our ſelves. It brings the garments of Chriſt, and then wee cannot Apoc. 16. Phil. 3. Dan. 9. bee naked. It brings the righteouſnes of God, the everlaſting righteouſneſſe to dwel amongſt men, and then, God cannot but be there, where his righteouſneſſe is, to give grace and Pſal. 84: 16 glorie, and every perfect gift. It is your power to doe your beſt good, and therefore hold it.

Thirdly, faith is your workman. 3 Faith is our workman. Set faith about any work, and what can it not doe? Art thou at GodsGen. 12. word, to goe a great journey, thou knoweſt not whither? Faith did it for Abraham. Art thou to fight againſt lyons,Heb. 11. Gen. 22. beares, Philiſtims, and other puiſſant enemies? Faith did it for David, Sampſon, Gideon, Barach, and their fellowes. Art thou to doe what nature abhorres? Faith did it for Abraham in the ſacrifice of his ſon. Art thou to cleanſe the uncleane ſtables of ſinne? Faith will take Chriſts ſpirit, and arguments, and doe it. It cries out, ſhall I that am dead to ſinne yet live Rom. 6: therein? Shall I ſinne that grace may abound? God forbid: I will mortifie the deedes of the Rom. 8. fleſh by the ſpirit. Art thou to ſuffer perſecution?

Faith will ſuffer it for thee in goates-skinnes, and ſheepesskinnes, Heb. 11. in the craggie wilderneſſe. Art thou to overcome Death, and Hell? Faith will doe it too. Faith receives Heb. 11. the dead to life; and ſends a defiance to the greateſt enemies of it, O Death, where is 1 Cor. 15: thy ſting? O Hell, where is thy victory? Thankes bee to God for Ieſus Chriſt, the Captaine of my ſalvation. O who would bee without faith! It is our workeman, hold it. Rom. 7. 4 Faith is our beſt light here.

Fourthly, faith is all the comfortable light, yee have in the world. Without the ſunne the earth would be an Aegypt, and without faith we are in a region of darkeneſſe. The wiſemenMath. 4. Math. 2. came out of the eaſt and worſhipped Chriſt, offering alſo gold, frankincenſe, and myrrhe: why? what did they ſee in him? They ſaw a child, not a man: they ſaw him in a ſtable, not in a throne, in ragges, not in robes, crying in a cratch, not thundring in the clouds; how then came it about they now worſhipped? Faith ſaw God in him, for the heavens waited upon him in his ſtarre. Faith ſaw in him a prophet, a prieſt, a king, and their oblations were anſwerable. The thiefe upon the croſſe cryes out unto Chriſt, Lord remember mee when thou comeſt into thy kingdome? was he a Lord that was dealt with like a ſlave? had hee a kingdome that was diſgracefully thruſt out of the world? Could he remember him, that would not remember himſelf, when they cryed, come downe from the croſſe, and ſave thy ſelfe? Faith caſts away theſe miſts, and ſaw glory in ſhame. Yee know what the Centurion ſaid, verily this man was the ſon Mat. 27. 54. of God, what? a man, and the ſonne of God too? The ſon of God, that could not have the favour to live, or dye ſo well as the ſonne of man? Surely, ſome ſparke of faith ſaw life in death, light in darkneſſe: It is your light, hold it.

Laſtly, faith makes earth5 Faith makes earth heaven. Math. 13. Gen. 28. Eph. 2. heaven unto you, and the church the kingdom of heaven, the houſe of God, the Gates of heaven, and ſets us on the ſeats of heaven heere below. Before we come to the proper place and manſion, which Chriſt hathIoh. 16. provided for us, by faith wee ſit with Abraham, Iſaack and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven. Put caſe wee hope for it, wee ſee it not: faith is the ground of things hoped for, the evidence Heb. 11. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . of things not ſeene. It ſtands under the waight of the whole world, and yet ſayes, heaven is mine. It ſees nothing but earth, and ſinners, and beaſts, and trees, under the canopie of the ſtarrie heaven, and yet ſayes, heaven is mine, as if it had it already. O the world of grace and glory that is in faith! therefore hold faith.

Oh that I now knew howApplication. to ſcrew my ſelfe into your ſoules to ſearch whether yee hold faith! How many thouſands have it not, and cannot hold it? How many thouſands have it a little, and know not whether they hold it or no? yee are to bee married to the lambe, and till that day come,Annulum ſponſalem. yee have but the wedding-ring of faith, to have and to hold, firſt for promiſe, then for fruition. Tell me then:

Doe yee hold the ground of 1 Try the ground of faith Rom. 8. faith? Then yee are humbled ſoules: yee have paſſed thorough the ſpirit of bondage, whereby yee have been ſhut up in priſon under Moſes, till the ſonne hath made you free, Ioh. 8. and yee walke humbly ever after for feare of looſing this eſtate. This laies the foundation of faith deepe enough. Hymeneus and Alexander 1. Tim. 1. 20. built upon the ſands, and ſo they ſhip-wrackt againſt the rockes of the world. Therefore you muſt downe lower, under the ſands, earth, rockes, to the gates of hell, and then, Out of the depths have I cryed Pſal. 130. 1 unto thee O Lord. Are yee thus in ſome meaſure, or other, according to your ſinnes? Say it if yee love faith and your ſalvation. Are yee convinced Ioh. 16. Act. 2. of your ſinnes? are yee pricked at the heart for your ſinnes? Are yee ſo all this, that yee are at utter enmity with all ſinne? Then keepe this ground of faith.

Doe yee hold the object of2 Try the object of faith. faith? This nouriſheth and keepes faith alive. It is like oyle to the lampe, like fewell to the fire, and like ſap to the tree. Have you full aſſurance of the knowledge of the ſcriptures? Can you ſay, Ile pawn my life, body, and goods, and ſoule, that, though I cannot conceive all, yet all in the ſcripture is true? what I know is true, and I reſolve to learne more: what I know not is true, and I will doe my beſt to comprehend that too. Have ye a free aſſent to all the truth of it, and to that alone for ſalvation? Do ye not come off baſely as Agrippa, almost thou Act. 26. 28 perſwadeſt mee? Have yee a beliefe to all the precepts, promiſes and threatnings of the ſcriptures? Doe ye ſay all the commandements are true, & I muſt do them: all the threatnings are true, and if I live inDeut. 32. ſinne, I muſt undergoe them, even to burning in the nethermoſt hell: all the promiſes are true, and I muſt relieve my flagging and drooping ſpirit with them, in deſpite of my unbeleeving heart? Doth thy faith in the knowledge of them change thee, as it did David▪ who when hee couldPſal. 40. ſay, that in the volume of thy booke it is written of mee preſently cries out, Loe I come, to doe thy will? If it be thus, hold faith. But doeſt thou not rather hate the being of the word in thy underſtanding? Thou knoweſt it will ſtrip thee of all thy luſts. Doeſt thou not therefore ſay as thoſe miſcreants, depart from mee, I deſire Iob. 20. not the knowledge of thy lawes? doeſt thou not hate the nature of the word, to will as that wills? Heare that curſed voice, and feare to finde it in thy ſelfe, I will doe as I have done, Ier. 44. whatſoever the word of God ſaith. Doeſt thou not hate the rules of the word? Art thou not ſorry they are true: Wouldeſt thou not they were falſe? Can a fleſhly-man love that, fleſh and bloud cannot inherit 1 Cor. 15. the kingdome of heaven? Can an old ſinner love that, the childe ſhall dye an hundred Eſ. 65. 20. yeares old (ſo ripe ſhall hee bee for God) and the ſinner being an hundred yeares old ſhall bee accurſed? Can an uſurer love that, hee is not for Gods tabernacle, and holy hill, thatPſal. 15. 5 putteth his mony to uſury? Can an whoremonger love that, whoremongers and adulterers Heb. 13. God will judge? or any of thoſe ſinners that, bee not deceiued; neither fornicators, nor 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abuſers of themſelves with mankind, nor theevs, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortiouers, ſhall inherit the kingdome of God? If they love not the nature, being, and rules of the object of faith, this is not to hold faith.

Doe yee hold the act of3 Try the act of faith. faith? Doe yee reſt with confidence upon the promiſes of God in Chriſt? ye pule and crie in the ſorrow of your hearts (even when your ſorrow hath turned you to God) and ſay, I know not what to doe. This yee doe; but yee looke not upon the new and everlaſting covenant, and ſay, God is mine, Chriſt is mine, the holy Ghoſt is mine, and I Object. am his. Alas, ſay you; I am Sol. not worthy. Surely there ſhould not have beene a ſaint in heaven, nor out of hell, by this argument. Though your willfull unworthineſſe will diſcard you, yet God tyes not himſelfe to you by your worth, but his owne. Oh therefore hold faith, as Iacob did God, I will not let thee goe Gen. 32. 26. Ruth. 1. except thou bleſſe mee: and as Ruth did Naomi, whitherſoever thou goest, I will go with thee both in life and death.

Doe yee hold the power of4 Try the power of faith. Rom. 16. Iames 2. faith? Say then, what doth it make thee to doe? Shew the obedience of faith: ſhew me thy faith by thy workes. It is as the plummet on the clockline which makes you ſtrike. It will make you looke upon ſinne which pierced Christ, andZach. 12. mourne for it, and caſt it out (as Agar the bond-woman) with a, Get thee hence. It is in thee as in the ſea, there is that Leviathan and creeping things innumerable: ſo there are inPſal. 104. 25, 26. thee, maſter ſinnes, and creeping luſts innumerable: but let faith looſe upon them, and then as when God made man after his Image, he ſaid, let him have dominion over the fiſh of Gen. 1. 26 the ſea, and every creeping thing: ſo doth God ſay to faith, bee it unto thee as thou believeſt, evenMath. 15. againſt the whole hoaſte of ſinne. It will make you looke upon Chriſt and love him above all, and delight in all that belong unto him, the word of faith, the prayer of faith, the ſeales of faith, the houſhold of faith, for it will not let you ſtroake the head, and ſtrike the body: yea, it will make you deſire the appearance of the Lord Ieſus, that yee may be with him for ever: you will ſtay his leaſure, but with winged deſires▪ O make haſte my beloved, and bee like the Roe: come Lord Cant. 8. 14 Apoc. 22. Ieſus, come quickly. It will make you look upon God the father, and depend upon him for all things, (for faith reaſons thus, if he have given mee Chriſt, how ſhall hee not Rom. 8. with him give us all things alſo?) yea, and ſubmit unto him in all things, (for the children of Abraham, will doe the workes of Abraham; Iohn 8, Gal. 3. 7 and they which are of the faith are the children of Abraham): yea, and goe boldly to the throne Heb. 4. 16 of grace, that yee may have his ſtrength to doe all obedience, and to truſt in him in hardeſt Iob. 13. 15 times. It will make you look to God the holy Ghoſt, and ſubmit to his worke of conviction, and converſion, yea, and to do whatſoever he enableth unto. Hee is the great maſter of faculties, who helpeth Rom. 8. your infirmities: you take his help by faith and doe it. It will make you looke upon your ſelves, and worke the worke of God upon your ſoules with power. The fowles pick-up the good ſeede ſo ſoone as it isLuke 8. ſowne, becauſe it is not mixed with faith: but the wordHeb. 4. 2 1 Theſ. 2 13. workes effectually in you that believe. Yea, it will make you fight the battels of God inſuperably. When Paul came to Epheſus, there aroſe no ſmall ſtirre about that way: ſo whenAct 19. 23 Math. 2. faith in Chriſt comes, Herod is troubled, and all Ieruſalem: but faith makes you like the houſe of David, grow stronger and 2 Sam. 3. 1 ſtronger, and ſin like the houſe of Saul, grow weaker and weaker: It makes you like Rachel, Gen. 30. 8 who wreſtled with the wreſtlings of Chriſt, and prevailed. Let the world fight againſt you: this is your victorie, 1 Ioh. 15. 4 1 Pet. 5. 8 even your faith. Let Satan come; reſiſt him, ſtedfaſt in the faith. Let the fleſh come; as thoſe beaſts had their dominion Dan. 7. 12 taken from them, yet their lives were prolonged: ſo faith ſpoiles the fleſh of her Kingdome, though it muſt live as a Iebuſite. Let God himſelfe deſert and forſake thee, yeth faith ſaith, though Iob. 13. 15 thou kill mee I will truſt in thee. Laſtly, faith will make you looke upon your brethren, and fill you with mercy and Tit 3 8. Eph. 2 9, 10 good workes. When Dorcas believed, ſhee made coates and garments to cloath the naked.Act 9. 39 When Tyrus was to believe, ſhee would nor treaſure up merchandiſe, but get it for them that dwell before the Lord, Eſ. 23. 18. to eate ſufficiently, and for durable cloathing. When the diſciples were taught to forgive their brethren, they cried out, Lord increaſe our faith; as ifLuke 17. 4 they ſhould ſay, faith will doe it: the more faith, the more mercy; for if you believe your owne ten thouſands forgiven, you will forgive others tens: yea, when you looke upon your brethren, faith will move you to draw them to Chriſt. It ſets you upon the high mountaines, which doe make the vallies fat with the drops that deſcend from them, when Luke 22. thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethen, ſaith Chriſt to Peter. If Andrew have found Chriſt, hee calls Peter; If Philip have met with him he calsIohn. 1▪ Nathanael. If thou thus have the power of faith, hold it: If thou have it not, be humbled in time, get faith and hold it,

It may bee thou wilt ſay,What wee muſt do to hold it. what ſhall I doe to hold it? if then thou wouldſt have all in a word, ſtop thine ears againſt the enemies of faith; I was In hac fide natus ſum. Auguſt. born in this faith, is a loſe plea, it is the gift of God. Heare duely the friend of faith, the preaching of the Goſpel. Pray the praier of faith in the name of Chriſt. Vſe the ſeals of faith, the ſacraments. Keepe experience to nouriſh and fatten faith. Buy faith, but ſell it not for a thouſand worlds: part with al domineering ſin for it; they that ſet not this price upon precious faith, ſhall never have it, nor ever hold it. Thus doe and thou ſhalt give glorie to God, and bring comfort to thy own ſoule for ever and for ever,

Amen.

THE SECOND SERMON, on 1 Tim. 1. 19. And a good Conſcience.

YOu have ſeene the holding of faith. The ſecond ſavoury rule which Paul under the perſon of Timothie, commends unto us is, when wee have a good conſcience to hold that alſo.

Yee muſt hold a good conſcience. As faith is of a flying nature in it ſelfe; ſo is a good conſcience too; it hath many wings to flie away from us, the weake owners of it. It fliesA good conſcience is of a flying nature. 1 By feares away, firſt by feare, Abraham was afraid of the court of Abimelech, and Pharaoh, and therfore weakely taught his wife Sarah to tell a lye: and Peter was afraid in the high-prieſts hall, and he denied his maſter with curſing: Daniel, and the three worthies baniſhed feare from their ſoules, and would worſhip God alone, and pray unto him what ever came, and ſo kept a good conſcience, whereas Abraham and Peter loſt it. Secondly, by unmercifulneſſe: Adonibezeck 2 By unmercifulneſſe. Iudg. 1. Luke 16. was cruell, and what a wicked conſcience had hee in cutting off the thumbes of ſeaventie Kings, and uſing them like dogges? Dives was ſo too, and what a conſcience had he in denying the crumbes of his table? Thirdly, By the love of 2 By the love of the world▪ Gal. 6. 12. the world: the falſe Apoſtles making a faire ſhew in the fleſh, conſtrained chriſtians to be circumciſed; onely, leaſt they ſhould ſuffer perſecution for the croſſe of Chriſt: and thus a good conſcience did fly away. Fourthly, by the love 4 By love of ſinne. of ſinne: David loved the ſweete ſinne of Bathſhebah; therefore hee contrived the death of Vriah, and ſo conſcience fled. Fiftly, by the love 5 By love of honour. of honour; Achitophel was not honoured above Hushai the Archite, and hee hanged himſelfe. Adonijah was not honoured above Salomon, and hee ended in rebellion. Bigthan and Tereſh had not honour anſwerable to their minds, and they proved treacherous. Haman could not have Mardocaies knee, and all the Jewes (if hee can helpe it) muſt die for it. And thus a good conſcience fled from them. Sixtly, by the guilt and 6 By the guilt and horrour of ſinne. horrour of great ſinnes: Iudas was preſſed ſore with what hee had done, and hee went out and hanged himſelf: and thus a good conſcience did flie from him. Laſtly, by 7 By profit Pſal. 73. Ier. 12. Iob. 21. 2 Tim. 4 10. the profits of the world: David, Ieremy, and Iob had not the proſperitie of wicked men, and in a paſſion they fel to grumbling againſt God: Demas had it caſt▪ upon him, and forſooke Paul, and imbraced the preſent world: and thus good conſcience was almoſt in the firſt, altogether in the laſt chaſed. What ſhall I ſay? There are ſome ſins of daily incurſion, which are lamented,Peccata quotidianae incurſionis, et vaſtantia conſcientias. groaned under, and fought againſt, which may bee lived with, though not lived in, and yet a good conſcience may ſtay by us: but if any ſinne lay waſte the conſcience by ſelfe-libertie, and preſumption: good conſcience flies, and therefore hold it.

To helpe you in this alſo, I1 How to hold a good conſcience. ſhall labour to ſhew you two things: how you may hold a good conſcience, and why you muſt doe it.

If yee would hold a good conſcience, yee muſt hold foure things,

1 The light of conſcience. 2 The love of conſcience. 3 The works of conſcience. 4 The charge of conſcience.

1 The light of conſcience muſt1 Hold the light of conſcience be held. Be a workeman never ſo good, hee cannot ſhew it, if hee want light to doe his worke by: ſo is it with conſcience. Now conſcience hath a double light: 1 the light1 The light of nature. of nature, which light ſtill preſents ſome principles to frame our life by, as that there is a God, that hee is to bee worſhipped, that we muſt doe to others, as wee would bee done unto: and if theſe bee not followed, conſcience checks. 2 The light of the2 The light of nature. word, which fully preſents the particulars of thoſe generalls, and ſhewes with what, how, and when God is to bee worſhipped: together with that honour, life, honeſtie, goods, truth, and quietneſſe of nature, wherein wee muſt ſo doe to others, as wee would they ſhould doe to us. If yee keepe not both theſe lights, conſcience can never be good.Three eies view all 1 of God. Heb. 4. Ier. 9. There are three eies that look upon all things done: firſt, the eye of God who hath all things naked before him. Hee ſees and writes with a penne of iron, and point of a diamond: and either hee cenſures heere, or heereafter. Secondly, the2 Of the world. eye of the world: this ſees all things manifeſted; and would make you believe, thorough ſquinteyed jealouſie and ſuſpition, that it ſees more then it doth, and ſo paſſeth cenſures accordingly. Thirdly,3 The eye of conſcience. the eye of conſcience. This ſees all that it is enlightened to ſee: but if it have not light, it ſees not, and cenſures not; therefore hold the light of conſcience.

The love of conſcience2 Hold the love of conſcience Gen. 31. muſt be held, If ye love it not, it will away. As Iacob, when hee ſaw Labans▪ countenance changed, and his wages too, and that ten times, away he goes: ſo doth conſcience. As David when he ſaw himſelfe not loved in the court of Saul, away hee goes to the Philiſtines, Achiſh, wilderneſſe, any whither where hee could finde entertainement: ſo will conſcience deale with you. As therefore yee ſay of that you love, I thanke God for this, I would not bee without it: ſo ſay of conſcience, I thanke God for conſcience, I would not bee without it for a thouſand worlds: thus hold the love of conſcience.

The worke of conſcience muſt bee held too. It is an officer under God to determine, upon3 Hold the worke of conſcience information, of all our actions for excuſation, accuſation, conviction, or converſion: and can Gods officers bee idle? The officers of men may bee idle, yea, foundations may be out of courſe. The out-wardPſal 83. officers of God may bee idle too: magiſtrates and miniſters, may too often be found to bee idol ſhepheards: but this privie counſellour, and immediate internall officer,Zach. 11. 17 conſcience, cannot bee idle. God ſits on the throne with it, and though it ſeemes to ſleepe, yet in ſtill ſilence it regiſters all acts and neglects, omiſſions, and commiſſions; and when a man would think that all is forgotten, then (In an evill day) it brings forth all, and layes it in order before us, Eccleſ. 12. to our ſhame and confuſion. Hold therefore the worke ofPſal. 50. conſcience; and what is that? It is threefold.

Firſt, to propound unto you from the light of nature, andThe work of conſcience is threefold. 1 To propound. the word, what yee ought to bee, and doe in the whole frame of life, and courſe of living. It layes the rule of GODS Image, and will, before you, and ſayes thus you ſhould bee, and doe ſo and ſo: as to Adam, I ſhould not have eaten the forbidden fruit, I ſhould have kept theGen. 2. covenant of my God; for hee ſaid, doe this and live: to David: I ſhould not have committed adultery, or contrived murther; for God hath ſaid, thou ſhalt not doe ſo.

Secondly, to apply (by way2 To apply of reflection upon themſelvs) what yee have beene, or done. I ſhould have beene, and done ſo, and ſo: but I am, and have done thus and thus. As to Adam, I ſhould not have eaten the forbidden fruit; but I have done it: to David I ſhould not have committed adultery, and murther; but I have done them: and to all of us, I ſhould have repented, believed, hoped, loved: but I have not done them as I ought.3 To pronounce.

Thirdly, to pronounce impartiall judgement upon your perſons & actions: as therfore I am a wicked man, have done fooliſhly, and am accurſed:2 Sam. 24. or therefore I am in Chriſt, have done uprightly, and am bleſſed. Thus David, I Pſal 119. Luke 1. 5. have gone aſtray like a loſt ſheep: thus the prodigal, I have ſinned againſt heaven and before thee: thus Paul, I was a perſecutor, blaſphemer, oppreſſour: & thus Hezekiah, I have walked before 2 Tim. 1. Eſ. 37. thee with a perfect heart. This work of conſcience will make you runne out of Sodom with a ſhowre of brimſtone at your heeles: or make you paſſe thorough the wilderneſſe under a cloud of comfortable protection: therefore hold it.

Laſtly, the charge of conſcience 4 Hold the charge of conſcience muſt be held alſo. It hath a large Dioceſſe over every ſecret, and every manifeſt thing of yours in perſon, or by communion. It hath a charge over inclinations. Davids conſcience ſaw the inclinations & proneneſſe of his heart to cleave unto the duſt, and therefore hee flies to GOD, encline my heart Pſal. 119. unto thy teſtimonies, and not unto covetouſneſſe. It hath charge over the underſtanding: therefore Agurs conſcience lookes upon that, and complaines, ſurely I am more brutiſh Pro. 30. 2 then any man, and have not the underſtanding of Adam in mee. It hath charge over the memorie: therefore God preſents memory to his people, they remembred not the Lord Iud. 8. 34 Pſal. 106. 7 their God: they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies, that their conſciences might worke accordingly. It hath charge over thoughts, wills, affections, Eſ. 55. 7 and deſires. Let the unrighteous man forſake his thoughts, ſaith God to conſcience: Math. 15. the thoughts defile a man, ſaith Chriſt to conſcience, therfore, how long ſhall your wicked Ier. 4, 14. thoughts lodge within you? yee Ioh. 5. will not come unto me that ye may bee ſaved, ſaith Chriſt to conſcience. Oh how I love thyPſal. 119. Pſal. 18. Pſal. 119. Pſal. 42. law! yea, I love thee dearly O Lord my God; I hate all wicked waies (ſaith David) from conſcience. My ſoule longeth for thee, as the hart panteth after rivers of waters; I deſire to bePhil. 1. diſſolved, & to be with Chriſt, ſay Davids and Pauls conſciences: but wicked mens conſciences ſhall cry at laſt, wee deſired not the knowledge ofIob. 21. thy lawes. Yea, the charge of Conſcience reacheth to your words, and deedes. Yee muſt give an account of every idle Math. 12. word to God, and your conſciences; of every idle word, that hath no naturall, civill, or religious end: therefore Davids conſcience pleaded againſt him, that he ſaid in his haſte, all Pſal. 31. 22. Pſal. 116. 11 men are lyars, even Samuel himſelfe in his meſſage from God, and Peters conſcience laſhed him to the purpoſe for his deteſtable words in the high-prieſts hall. Davids conſcience alſo comes to his deeds, I have ſinned greatly in that I have done; I have done 2 Sam. 24. 10. very fooliſhly & Ezra, when he preſented others conſciences as well as his owne, cried out, and now what ſhall wee ſay? Ezr. 9. 10 for wee have forſaken thy commādements. O the large charge of Conſcience! As ye muſt hold the light of conſcience, the love of conſcience, and the worke of conſcience; ſo hold the charge of conſcience, that yee may doe as Paul would have you, hold a good conſcience.

Would you now know the grounds of holding a good 2 Why you muſt hold a good cō ſcience. 1 If it bee gone, God will be againſt us. conſcience? Doe but marke theſe foure that follow. Firſt, if conſcience runne away from you, GOD, & your own ſoules will be againſt you. Gods eyes are purer then to behold iniquitie, with approbation; and when hee with rebukes doth correct man for ſinne, as a moath hee makes his beauty to Pſal. 39. 11 conſume away: hee doth not preſently thunder out of heaven, but ſecretly gnawes out the comfort of their hearts, when hee is to Ephraim as a Hoſ. 4. Ier. 20. 3, 4 Pro 28 1 Levit. 26. 37 moath. He makes them plagues to themſelves, magor miſſabib, flying when none purſues, at the ſound of a ſhaking leafe, making every moate a beame, and every beame an whole houſe. Yea, by conſcience he makes them an whole wilderneſſe of woe. Hezekiah complained that God would breake all his Eſ. 38. 13 bones, that hee could not ſpeak for anguiſh of ſpirit, but chattered like a crane or ſwallow, and mourned like a dove Iobs bitterIob. 12. 26 things that God wrote againſt him; made him cry out, that the arrowes of the AlmightieIob. 6. 4. 8. Iob. 7. 14. 15. were within him; ſcared him with dreames and viſions, and made his ſoule chooſe ſtrangling and death, rather then life. Davids bones waxed old with roaring all the day long, and his moysture was like the Pſal. 32. 3. 4. drought in ſummer, when Gods arrowes stucke faſt in him, thorough the power of conſcience. Therefore hold a good conſcience.

Secondly, nothing will doe 2 Without it nothing will doe us good. Pſal 51. you good without a good conſcience. Have you all houſes, lands, gold, ſilver, kingdomes, Empires, they will do you no good without this; no nor faith it ſelfe: for a pure heart, 1 Tim. 1. 5 and a good conſcience, and faith unfayned will goe together; they all worke one for another, a good conſcience riſeth from a pure heart: and faith unfained cannot bee without a good conſcience. There is aA fourefold ſting in ſinne. fourefold ſting in ſin; the guilt of ſin, the fruits of ſin, the ſervice of ſin, & the habits of ſin. Faith in Chriſt pulls out the two firſt, & a good conſcience from Chriſt the two laſt. If therefore yee would have any good of what you have, hold a good conſcience.

Thirdly, with a good conſcience3 With it nothing can doe us hurt. nothing can doe you hurt. It ſtands out againſt all the world. Let ſlanders come, Paul ſets the ſentence of his conſcience againſt them, with me it is a very ſmall thing that I ſhould be judged of you, or of mās Iudgment: for I know nothing by my ſelfe: & though this juſtifie me not before God, yet it comforts me againſt your clamors, Let a thouſand troubles come, Iob ſets his conſcience againſtIob. 31. 35. 36. 37. them all. Let mine adverſary (ſaith he) write a booke againſt me, I would take it upon my ſhoulder, and binde it as a crown, and declare my steps, & goe as a Prince againſt him, yea, a good conſcience ſhal go with you thorough the pikes of death, and the grave. The warfare of our faith, & hope, ſhall end in ſight, and having but our love out of a good conſcience, ſhall paſſe all, and continue for ever.

Laſtly, a good conſcience5 It carries with at more then the whole world. Rom. 2. carries with it more then the whole world to do us good. It carries God along with it. If God go with an ill conſcience to accuſe, much more with a good one to excuſe & comfort. The ſentence is the judgment of conſcience, but as Gods interpreter: & what conſcience ſpeaks (when it is well regulated) God confirms, as ye ſee in Adam for ill, and in Iob for good. It carries all the hoſt of heaven and earth along, as Gods great and mighty train. The good conſcience of Daniel Dan. 6. Dan. 3. is attended with mild lyons; of the three confeſſors, with an unburning fire; of penitent Ionah, with a ſanctuary in theIoh. 2. helliſh belly of the whale; of Elijah with a raven to cook &1 King. 17 2 Ring. 6. cater for him; and of Eliſha with an army of Angels to guard him. And if yours bee not ſo attended, it is with better; with the immortal ſeed of the word to make you bring forth unto life, and with powerfull praier, which landed Ionah, quenched the thirſt ofIon. 2. Iudg. 15. 2 King 19. Ioſh. 10. Ex. 32. 16 Sāpſon, ſlew an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand enemies, ſtopt the courſe of the ſun, and is the wel-pleaſing bonds of God to hold him cloſe to you for obtaining all good. Therefore hold a good conſcience.

Thus you ſee how you mayApplication. hold a good conſcience, & the grounds of it. Oh that I could now dwell in your ſouls, to ſet them on work, totry whether you conforme to this rule of holding a good conſcience, yea or no.

I finde ſome good people,Some think they have no good conſcience, and why? who (being clouded with temptations) think they have no conſcience at all, and therefore that they cannot hold it. They look for more in themſelves then God hath given: They meaſure Gods ſea, not their own buckets: and are therfore unquiet, becauſe they have no more. They ſet patternes before them too high for them to reach at an inſtant: Abrahams full ſaile of faith, Pauls chariot of conſcience, and thoſe firſt Chriſtians extaſies of joy, with joy unſpeakeable 1 Pet. 1. 18. and glorious even in the fiery triall: and if they are not thus (though their caſes differ) downe they fall. They reade themſelves ſtill in a lecture of the law, and look for a deal of legall righteouſnes to purge cō ſcience, before Iustification by the bloud of Chriſt, made theirs by faith, to pacifie it: & if they have not, at the firſt Deus et natura non faciunt ſaltū. leap what they would, they put off good conſcience, as the high-prieſt Iudas, what is that to us?

I find more wicked people,Sōe think they have all good cōſcience, and why? who think they have all good conſcience. They ſleepe out the ſtorme, and doe not feele the heart-quake. The God of this world blinds them with proſperity. If he can, they ſhal not faile of profit, pleaſure, or honor, while the vines, & olives, and fig-trees are blaſted, the brābles grow to a full height: therefore their conſciences cannot but be good. They are rock't a ſleepe, and are not awake yet, they look not into the perfect law of liberty, and therefore (for want of fight) covenant with hell and death. Eſ. 28. They have leaſure to doe nothing but to draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and ſin as it were Eſ. 5. with cart-ropes: they ſtill their conſciences with ſweet words, & couzen them with outward Luk. 15. 1 • . Matth. 7. et 25: formality. They are in their owne delights, as in their own proper places: and then as elements are not heavy when they are where they would be: ſo ſinne troubles not their conſciences while it is in its center. They are dead in ſinnes 6 ph. 2. and treſpaſſes; and if you lay the load of the whole world upō a dead man, he feels it not: ſo, nor conſcience the heavy burthen of ſin. But as a melancholick man, in his paſſionate pleaſures forgets his owne thoughts, but when the game is ended, he thinks more diſmally, though for the preſent he is ſet up to the merry pinne: ſo the poore ſinner layes aſide his penſiveneſſe to indulge to his preſenr fancy, till the time of rouſing comes. Hence, or from ſuch like ſprings, wicked men thinke they have a good conſcience, and therfore they thinke theyTherefore try whether yee hold good conſcience 1 Try the light of conſcience hold it: therefore it behoves you to try whether you hold a good conſcience, yea or no.

Do ye hold the light of conſcience? good ſoules do deſire to enform themſelves in every particle of Gods will for faith and manners, As a good maſter deſires to give light to his ſervants, that they may ſee to work: ſo deale good chriſtians with conſcience. But do not you love ignorance? Indeed, ye come to the church, and heare the word, but yee quickly lay it aſide, like a ſtrait payr of ſhoes, wherein he cannot go in eaſe. How ſhall conſcience work (think you) if it have no light? There is an in Lumen. 1 Innatum. 2 Seminatum. bred light which will helpe in ſome things; but if ye have not that ſowed light which the ſower went out to ſowe by the word of Chriſt, it is not ſo good as it ſhould. Workes of darkneſſe will bee committed by men • n darkeneſſe, who love not light, becauſe their deedes are evill: Doe yee therefore hold the light of conſcience?

Do ye hold the love of conſcience? you will all ſay, yes: &2 Try the love of conſcience I grant that ye love it as a dog loves a cudgel. It is ready to ſmite you at every turne, as it can ſpy day at a little hole, and to make your hearts heavy in the midſt of laughter, and doe you love this? A good mans loves it dearly. Oh ſaith he, let mee have a good conſcience ſtil! let a righteous conſcience ſmite mee ſtil: let it bee my counſellour, comforter, corrector ſtil. But had you not rather be without it? yee cannot gaine ſo much as you would for cōſcience: ye cannot drink ſo freely of pleaſure as you would for conſcience: ye cannot advance your ſelves as you would for conſcience, Oh how it troubles you! therefore ye wound it, ſmother it, ſtop the mouth of it, and will not heare it, though a good man might by it bee ſatisfied from Pro. 14, 14. himſelfe, Is this to hold the love of conſcience?

Do ye hold the worke of conſcience? 3 Try the worke of conſcience Eſ 57. A good man will let it perfect its work in the feare of God. He propounds fairly; he that is broken hearted ſhall bee comforted: he that is weary and preſſed down with ſinnes ſhalMath. 11. Apoc. 2. be refreſhed: he that fights the good fight of faith, ſhall have the crown of life: he that adds to his faith knowledge, to his knowledge vertue, & ſo forth, ſhall make his calling and election 2 Pet. 1. ſure, becauſe he ſhal neither be barren nor unfruitfull: hee that hath the fruits of the ſpirit,Gal. 5. 22. 23. againſt him there is no law to condemne. Hee applies as truely: but I have a broken heart, I am weary of ſin, I fight faithfully according to ſtrēgth received, I chaine my graces together in act (as occaſion is offered) as I have them in habit, and as I have the fruits of the ſpirit in me: therefore hee concludes as neceſſarily, therfore ſo long as I continue in this eſtate, I ſhal have comfort heere, and ſalvation hereafter. A wicked man wil ſometimes ſuffer conſcience to work too, according to light: Abimelechs conſcience will not let him wrong Abrahams wife, whichGen. 20. comes not becauſe the conſcience is good out of faith unfained, but good out of feare and awe. But tell me: doe yee ſuffer conſcience to worke in all things? Then would yee ſo powerfully conclude againſt your ſelves, that yee muſt ſay,1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. I muſt amend, or periſh. No unrighteous perſon what ever, whether fornicator, adulterer, reviler, drunkard, covetous perſon, extortioner, ſhal inherit the kingdome of heaven: but I am ſo, and ſo; therefore in this eſtate, I ſhall never get heaven. Hee that neglects the call of God, ſhal call upon God, and God will not heare, but laughPro. 1. when his deſtruction comes: but I have done ſo; therefore God will deale ſo with mee. Hee that being often reproved, Pro. 29 1. hardneth his necke, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed without remedy: but I have hardened my necke againſt all reproofes; therfore what may I look for (if I amend not) but deſtruction? Doe ye thus conclude for your amendment? Doe ye not rather conclude quite otherwiſe? Gods word ſaith ſo, & ſo; but I do not ſo do; or if I do otherwiſe, God will ſave ſinners, and I ſhall eſcape. Is this to hold the worke of coſcience?

Laſtly, doe yee hold the4 Try the charge of conſcience. charge of conſcience? What an univerſal biſhopricke hath conſcience over the whole man, and all of man? There is no inclination, imagination, power, thought, word, or deed, but it is under the power of conſcience, and do ye hold this? Davids conſcience looked to his inclinations; I wasPſal. 18. 23 upright before God, and kept my ſelfe from my wickedneſſe. Agurs conſcience looked to his underſtanding & thoughts; if thou haſt done fooliſhly, if Pro. 30. 21 thou have thought evill, lay thy hand upon thy mouth. Davids conſcience looked to his words; I will keepe my mouth with a bridle: and to his deeds,Pſal 39. I ſaid I will take heede unto my waies. But as Chriſt did mourn within himſelfe, when he ſaw the multitude, becauſe they were as ſheepe without a ſhepherd: Mat. 9. 36. ſo may you for the neglect of conſcience in all theſe. Yee are inclined to every evil way, yet conſcience takes no notice. How is your underſtanding overwhelmed with ignorance, and ſtuffed with worldly vanity? How are your memories charged with unprofitables, and your affections laviſhed wickedly, and yet conſcience is ſilent? your thoughts, words, and deedes, are not viſited by conſcience as they ſhould. It neither viewes, nor cenſures, nor corrects, as is meete. Oh why doe you not hold conſcience? Let it looke to every ſecret, and when it knows the duty, let it looke about and apply it (as need is) to every part & power of body and ſoule. This will work amendment for the preſent, and care for the time to come, and ſo ſhall yee hold conſcience.

It may be you will ſay, howHow to help to the holding of conſcience. ſhall I helpe my ſelfe forward to ſuch a glorious work? I anſwer, Get a a rich mine of grace and duty into your hearts. As a good man hath a good treaſure in his heart: ſo muſt you, by laying up the word in your Deut. 16. Pro. 6. hearts, and binding it to your hearts, by a powerful impreſſion. Preſent this treaſure to your conſciences, that it may make you ſmite your ſelves upon your thighes, and ſay, what have I done? Then walke in the preſence of God, as David, when I awake, I Pſal. 139. am ever before thee: and then the ſervant will worke when hee is before his maſter. Next, have a ſetled watchfulneſſe over all your wayes, covenanting with heart, eyes, tongue, and hand, not wilfully to ſinne againſt God.

And laſtly, commit your waeyes to GOD by hearty prayers, and hee will rectifie all by the bloud and ſpirit of your JESVS: and ſo, ſurely, ſhall you hold both faith, and a good conſcience too, to the comfort of your ſoules, and to the Glory of your GOD, to whom bee praiſe, power, and Glory now, and for ever,

Amen. FINIS.

Imprimatur

Sept. 1. 1638. Tho. Wykes.