1 PHilosophers make a double growth. One per aggregationem ma­teriae, by gayning of more matter: Thus Rivers grow by the accession of tributary Brooks; heaps of Corne waxe greater by the addition of more graine; and thus stones grow, as some would have it, though this more properly bee termed an augmenta­tion, [Page 90] or increase then a growth. The other per intro receptionem nutrimenti, by receiving of nou­rishment within, as plants, beasts, and men grow. Of the latter growth, wee understand the Apostle in the Text, and will prosecute the Metaphor of the growth of vegetables, as that which the Holy Spirit seemes most to fa­vour, and intend in these expressions.

2. Here is one thing presupposed in the text, & laid down for a foundation; namely, that those to whom S. Peter writes, were already rooted in grace & goodness. These must be an Vnit at least, before any multiplication, a Basis before any building upon it: no doubt they were such as to whom S. Paul writes, Eph. 3.18. [...], Being rooted and grounded in love, such as the Colossians were, Col. 2.7. Rooted in Christ, and established in faith. And such I trust you are, to whom my discourse is directed, or else it were in vaine for me, or any to give you instructions for Growth in Grace.

Object.3. But why is it said in the Text, first in Grace, and then in Knowledge; this seemes to be an [...], the Lanthorne is to go first, Knowledge is to be the Vsher of Grace, infor­mation in the understanding must goe before reformation in the will and affections.

Answ.I could answer, the holy Spirit is no whit curi­ous in marshalling these graces, which he put­teth first, they need no herauld to shew their pe­digree, w ^ch wil not fal out for precedency. But to the point, their is a two-fold knowledge, one [Page 91] precedent grace, as disposing one therto, & ma­king capable therof; the other subsequent, & is an effect therof, & a reward of it through Gods mercy. These that have gracious hearts do dai­ly better, & improve their knowledge, in mat­ters of salvatiō, & some herein arrive at a great heigth, as David, Psa. 119.99. I have more under­standing than al my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditations. 4 However see the Apostle puts grace & Knowledge together, What God hath joyned, let no man put asunder. We must grow ac­cording to both demensions, both in heigth, in knowledge, & in bredth, in piety, both in head and in heart, both in speculation and practise, we must not all run up in heigth, like an Hop­pole, but also burnish, & spread in bredth, then shall we be wel proportioned and compleat, and indeed practise without knowledge is blind, and knowledge without practise is lame.

5. Three things are required to make a plant to grow; first that it hath life within it. Thus the Christian must have in his soul a quickning vivifying faith. Secondly it must be watered in a man with the dew of Gods Word, Isa. 55.10. For as the rain commeth down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shal my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth, &c. And the same allegory is followed by Moses, Deut. 32.2. My doctrine shal drop as the rain, my speech shal distil as the dew, as the smal rain upon the tender herb, & as the showers upon the grass. Third­ly, [Page 92] the blessing of God is requisite, with­out which both the former are nothing worth; Paul may plant, and Apollo may water, but God gi­veth the increase. It was observed of Master Greenham, that painefull and zealous Preacher of Gods Word; that though hee was very in­dustrious in his calling, yet his people still re­mayned most ignorant; and as one saith,

So true it is, that Gods blessing is the Key of the worke, without which all is but la­bour in vaine.

6. Now wee may take notice of two re­markeables in the growth of a Christian. First plants have their [...], their bounds, both in heigth and bredth set by nature: (Hither shalt thou come and no further) to which when they have attayned they grow down-ward, and waxe lesse; yea all sublunary things, Ha­bent suos terminos, quo cum venerint sistunt retro­cedunt ruunt. But growth in grace admits of no such period, but still there is Plus ultra: What Saint Paul saith, Pray continually, rejoyce ever­more, 1 Thess. 5.17. is as true of spirituall growth, grow continually, encrease ever­more, never stop nor stay in grace, till thou commest to glory. Secondly, trees dote as well as men in their old age; yea then they [Page 93] are barren, and bring forth little or no fruit; whereas Christians on the contrary, Psal. 92.13.14. That bee planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Court of our God, they shall still bring forth fruit in old age: They shall be fat and flourishing. Like wine, they are best when they are oldest; like Caleb, able and active men, even at four-score years of age.

7. Come wee now to set downe those things, which doe either in part hinder, or in whole destroy mens growth in Grace. For the first let us take heed of Suckers in our soule, such superfluous excrementall sprigs, which like so many theeves, steale away the nourish­ment, which should maintaine the tree. By these Suckers we may understand those feloni­ous avocations of worldly employments, which either out of season, or out of measure, busie our soules in earthly things, when they should bee employed in heavenly matters. The onely way to prevent this mis­chiefe, is to prune and cut off these Suckers, and speedily to stop up these Emissaries, by out-lets and private sluces, lest they drain dry the very main channell of grace in our hearts.

8. As for destroyers of grace it is two-fold: first the blighting or blasting of a con­science-wasting sinne: Thus drunkennesse and Incest destroyed grace in Lot for that very in­stant, till hee recovered himselfe againe by un­fained repentance. Secondly, the drowth, [Page 94] and scorching heat of persecution. How pro­mising a Plant? what a shoot in Goodnesse did he give on a sudden, who said to our Sa­viour, Master I will follow thee whether soever thou goest? But how quickly was he withered with one scorching beame, when Christ told him, how hard service he must undergoe?

9 Observe by the way: There is a double rooting in Grace, the one a sound and sure one, the other but shallow and superficiall: The former rooting belongs to the Saints of God, and these though they may bee blighted with sinne, or scorched with persecution, yet still as I may say, there is a secret sprig of life in the root, though in outward appearance, the leaves and bowes may seeme quite dead, and in Gods due time they grow out of their sins by repentance, out of their afflictions by pati­ence. Let us therefore take heed of being too tyrannicall, in passing sentence of condemna­tion upon them before the time. Cambd. Brit. in Northum­berland. Scotus that famous Schoole-man being in a strong fit of an Apoplexy, was by the cruell kindnesse of his over officious friends, buried before he was dead. Many over hasty in their uncharitable censures, seeing one fallen into a sinne, bury him alive in their judgements, counting him a Cast-away and Reprobate, when by Gods mercy, and his owne repentance he may reco­ver againe, as still retaining in his heart some sparkes of spirituall life. As for the wicked, [Page 95] which have onely a superficiall hold in grace, rather sticked than rooted in it; wee see what our Saviour saith of them, Mat. 13.4. And forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepe­nesse of earth; and when the sunne was up they were scorched, and because they had not root they withered away. They were quite dryed up, and here made fuell for hell, never recovering them­selves any more; whereas the godly, though they seeme dead in the winter, they may grow againe next spring. Vse 1.

10. This Doctrine if applyed, serves to confute many: First, those that grow back­ward in grace, and are worse now, then they were seven yeares before; like the Galatians, You have run well, who hindred you? Secondly, those who stand still in goodnesse; like those women, whereof the Apostle complayneth, that they were Ever learing, and never come to the knowledge of the truth. Thirdly, those that grow, but not proportionably to the long time, wherein they have beene planted, the fat soyle wherein they have beene set. The long time wherein they have beene planted, Heb. 5.12. For when for the time yee ought to bee teachers, you have need that one teach you againe, which be the first principles of the Oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milke, and not of strong meat. The fatnesse of the soyle wher­in they have beene set, and plenty of water powred on them, and herein no countrey [Page 96] comes neere to ours; and therefore wee are most unexcusable, if wee grow not in grace. Out-landish men call our Iland the Rainy Iland; because wee have such plenty therof, arising of the store of vapours, from the vici­nity of the sea. They call it also the Ringing Iland, because it hath bels, so many and so tuneable; I am sure without flattering it maybe thus called in an higher sense, the dew of Gods Word is no where powred more plentifully, and we have (God increase their number) many and melodious bels, tuneable amongst them­selves, and loud-sounding the Word of God to others: Most heavie therefore will be our account, if wee yeeld not some proportiona­ble growth in grace, to these great means God affords us.

11 Now in examining themselves, I find three sorts of men to be deceived. Some ac­count themselves to be growne in grace when they are not: others esteeme themselves to be not growne, when they are. Of the former some account themselves to bee improved in goodnesse, when God takes from them the ability to commit sinne they had for­merly. An old man saith, I thanke God I am growne in grace: well, how shall this ap­peare? Thus, saith the old man: Twenty yeares agoe I was given to lust and wanton­nesse; now I have left it. Alas hee puts a fallacy on his owne soule; for the sinne [Page 97] hath left him, his moysture is spent, his heate abated, and hee disabled from performing the taske of wickednesse. So the Prodi­gall, who hath spent his estate, hugs him­selfe in his owne happinesse, that now hee is growne in grace; because hee hath left Vanity in clothes, Curiosity in dyet, Exces­sivenesse in gaming; when alas needs must the fire goe out, when the fuell is taken away; he is not growne in grace, but decreased in estate. Others construe it to be growth of grace in themselves, when only God takes a­way from them the temptations to sinne. Hee that living in a populous place was given to drunkennesse, who now being retyred to a pri­vate Village, takes himselfe to bee turned very sober. Alas, it is not hee that is altered, but his place, he wanteth now (a want with gain) a crue of bad good fellowes to solicite him to the ta­verne; but had he the same temptation; let him examine himselfe, whether he would not be as bad, as ever hee was before.

A third sort count themselves, growne in grace, when they have not left, but onely exchanged their sin; and perchance a lesse for a greater: Thou that abhorrest Idols, committest thou sacriledge? Rom. 2. Some thinke themselves improved in piety, because they left prodiga­lity, and reele into Covetousnesse: left Pro­fanenesse, and fallen into spirituall Pride, or peevish affecting of out-side holinesse. [Page 98] Thus like the Sea, what they loose in one place, they gaine in another, and are no whit growne in Grace.

1 12. Others conceive themselves not to bee growne in grace when they are growne; and that in these foure cases. First sometimes they thinke that they have lesse grace now, than they had seven yeares agoe; because they are more sensible of their badnesse. They daily see and grieve to see how spirituall the Law of God is, and how carnall they are; how they sinne both against Gods will, and their owne, and sorrow after their sinne, and sinne after their sorrow. This makes many mistake themselves, to be worse than they have beene formerly; whereas indeed the sick-man be­gins to amend, when hee begins to feele his paine.

2 13. Many thinke themselves to have lesse saving Knowledge now, than they had at their first conversion; both because (as we said be­fore of Grace) they are now more sensible of their ignorance; and because their know­ledge at their first conversion seemed a great deale, which since seemeth not increast, because increast insensibly, and by unappearing de­grees. One that hath lived all his life time in a most darke Dungeon, and at last is brought out but into the twi-light, more admires at the clearnesse and brightnesse thereof, than hee will wonder a moneth after at the sun at noon-day. [Page 99] So a Christian newly regenerated, and brought out of the darke state of nature, into the life of grace, is more apprehensive at the first illumination, of the knowledge hee re­ceives, than of farre greater degrees of know­ledge which hee receiveth afterwards.

14. Some thinke they have lesse grace now, 3 than they had some yeares since, because a great measure of grace seemes but little to him that desires more. As in worldly wealth, Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit; So is there an holy, heavenly, and laudable covetousnesse of grace, which deceives the eye of the soule, and makes a great deale of good­nesse seeme but a little.

15 Many thinke they are growne lesse and 4 weaker in grace, when indeed they are assaul­ted with stronger temptations. One saith se­ven years since, I vanquished such temptati­ons, as at this day foyle me; therefore surely I am decreased in grace. Non sequitur, for though it be the same temptation in kind, it may not be the same in degree and strength; thou mayest still be as valiant, yet thy enemies may conquer thee, as assaulting thee with more force and fury: when thou wert newly converted, God proportioned the weight to the weaknesse of thy souldiers, bound up the Devill, that hee should set upon thee with no more force, than thou couldest resist and sub­due. Now thou hast gotten a greater stock of [Page 100] 5, grace, God suffers the devil to buffet thee with greater blows.

16 Some thinke grace is lesse in them now than it was at their first conversion, because they find not in their souls, such violent flashes, such strong impetuous (I had almost said) fu­rious raptures of goodnesse, and flashes of grace and heavenly illumination: But let them seriously consider, that these raptures which they then had, and now complaine they want, were but fits short and sudden, Nimbus erat, cito preterijt, not setled and constant, but such as quickly spent themselves with their own vio­lence: Whereas grace in them now may bee more solid, reduced, digested, and concocted: Bos lassus fortius figit pedem, more slow, but more sure, lesse violent, but more constant; though grace be not so thicke at one time, yet now it is beaten and hammered out to bee broader and longer; yea I might adde also, it is more pure and refined: This we may see in Saint Peter, when hee was a young man in a bravery, he would walk on the water, yea and so daring was hee in his promises; Though all forsake thee, yet will not I: But afterwards in his old age hee was not so bold and daring; expe­rience had not only corrected the ranknesse of his Spirit, but also in some sort quenched, sure­ly tempered the flashes of his zeale for the ad­venturousnesse of it; yet was he never a whit the worse, but the better Christian, though he [Page 101] was not so quick to run into danger, yet hee vvould answer the spur when need required, and not flinch for persecution, when just occa­sion vvas offered; as at last hee suffered mar­tyrdome gloriously for Christ.

17 To conclude; Grace in the good Thiefe on the Crosse, like Ionah's Gourd, grew up pre­sently, for hee was an extraordinary example; but in us it is like the growth of an Oak, slow and insensible; so that wee may sooner find it crevisse, then crescere, it must therefore bee our daily taske all the dayes of our lives; to which end let us remember to pray to God for his blessing on us: our Saviour saith, Matth. 6.27. Which of you by taking care is able to adde one cubit unto his stature in the corporall growth? Much lesse able are wee in the spirituall growth, to adde one inch or haires bredth to the heigth of our soules. Then vvhat vvas pride in the Builders of Babel, vvill be piety in us, to mount and raise our soules so high, till the top of them shal reach to Heaven. Amen.

IN these words Naomi seekes to perswade Ruth to returne, al­leaging the example of Orpah, who as she saith was gone back to her people, and to her gods; where first wee find that all the Hea­then, and the Moabites amongst the rest did not acknowledge one true God, but were the [Page 104] Worshippers of many gods; for they made every attribute of God to be a distinct Deity. Thus in stead of that attribute, the wisedome of God, they fained Apollo the God of wise­dome; in stead of the power of God, they made Mars the God of power; in stead of that admirable beauty of God, they had Venus the Goddesse of beauty: But no one attribute was so much abused, as Gods Providence. For the Heathen supposing, that the whole world, and all the creatures therein was too great a Diocesse to bee daily visited by one, and the same Deity; they therefore assigned sundry gods to severall creatures. Thus Gods Provi­dence in ruling the raging of the seas, was counted Neptune; in stilling the roaring wind Aeolus in commanding the powers of Hell Pluto; yea sheep had their Pan, and Gardens their Pomona; the Heathens then being as fruit­full in faigning of gods, as the Papists since in making of Saints.

Now because Naomi used the example of Orpah, as a motive to worke upon Ruth to re­turne; wee gather from thence. Examples of others set before our eyes, are very potent and prevalent Arguments, to make us follow and imitate them, whether they bee good exam­ples, so the forwardnesse of the Corinthians to beleeve the Iewes, provoked many: or whe­ther they be bad, so the dissembling of Peter at Antioch, Drew Barnabas and others into the same [Page 105] fault: But those examples of all others are most forcible with us, which are set by such who are neer to us by kindred, or gracious with us in friendship, or great over us in power.

Let men in eminent places, as Magistrates, Ministers, Fathers, Masters, (so that others love to dance after their Pipe, to sing after their Musick, to tread after their tract) endea­vour to propound themselves examples of pi­ety, and religion to those that be under them.

When wee see any good example pro­pounded unto us, let us strive with all possible speed to imitate it: what a deale of stirre is there in the world for civill precedency and priority, every one desires to march in the Fore-front, and thinkes it a shame to come lag­ing in the Rear-ward. Oh that there were such an holy ambition, and heavenly emulation in our hearts, that as Peter and Iohn ran a race, who should come first to the grave of our Saviour, so men would contend, who should first attain to true mortification; and when we see a good example set before us, let us imitate it, though it be in one, which in outward respects is far our inferior: shal not our Masters be ashamed, to see that their men, whose place on earth is to come behind them, in piety towards Heaven to goe before them? shall not the Husband blush to see his Wife, which is the weaker vessell in nature, the stronger vessell in grace? [Page 106] shall not the elder Brother dye his cheeks with the colour of vertue, to see his younger Bro­ther, who was last borne, first reborne by faith, and the Holy Ghost? yet let him not therefore envie his Brother, as Cain did Abel, let him not be angry with his Brother, because hee is better than himselfe, but let him be an­gry with himselfe, because hee is worse than his brother, let him turne all his malice into imitation, all his fretting at him into follow­ing of him. Say unto him, as Gehazi did of Naaman; As the Lord liveth I will run after him: and although thou canst not over-run him, nor as yet over-looke him; yet give not over to run with him, follow him, though not as Aza­el did Abner, hard at the heeles; yet as Peter did our Saviour, a farre off; that though the more slowly, yet as surely thou mayest come to Heaven; and though thou wert short of him while hee lived, in the race, yet thou shalt be even with him when thou art dead, at the marke.

When any bad example is presented unto us, let us decline and detest it, though the men be never so many, or so deare unto us. Imitate Micaiah, 1 King. 22. to whom when the Mes­senger sent to fetch him, said, Behold now the words of the Prophets, declare good unto the King with one mouth, let thy Word therefore I pray thee be like to one of them; Micaiah answered, As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith unto me, that [Page 107] will I speake. If they be never so deare unto us, wee must not follow their bad practise: so must the sonne please him that begot him, that hee doth not displease him that created him; so must the wife follow him that married her, that she doth not offend him that made her; wherefore as Samson, though bound with new cords snapt them asunder, as tow when it feel­eth the fire; so rather then we should be led by the lewd examples of those, that be neere and deare unto us, let us breake in peeces all their engagements, relations whatsoever.

Now here it will be a labour, worthy dis­course, to consider how farre the examples, even of good men in the Bible are to bee fol­lowed. For as all examples have a great influ­ence on the practise of the Beholders, so espe­cially the deeds of good men registred in the Scripture (the Kalender of Eternity) are most attractive of imitation.

Wee find in Holy Writ nine severall kinds of examples. First kind of examples. First Actions extraordinary, the doers whereof had peculiar strength, and dis­pensation from God to doe them. Thus Phi­neas in an heavenly fury killed Cozbi and Zimri; Samson slew himselfe, and the Philistims in the Temple of Dagon; Elias caused fire to descend on the two Captaines of fifties; Elisha cursed the children, the children of Bethel.

These are written for our instruction, Vse of them. not for our imitation, if with Elisha thou canst make a [Page 108] Bridge over Iordan with thy cloake, if with him thou canst raise dead children, then it is lawfull for thee, with Elisha to curse thy enemies. If thou canst not imitate him in the one, pretend not to follow him in the other.

Abuse of them. When men propound such examples for their practise, what is said is imputed to Phineas for righteousnesse, will bee impu­ted to us for Iniquity, if being private men by a Commssion of our owne penning, wee usurpe the Sword of Iustice to punish Male­factors.

Second sort. Actions founded in the ceremoniall Law, as Abra­hams circumcising of Isaac, Hezekiahs eating the Passeover, Solomons offering of sacrifi­ces, &c.

Vse of them.We are to be thankful to God, that these sha­dows in Christ the substance are taken away. Let us not therefore superstitiously faine, that the ghosts of these Ceremonies may stil walk, which long since were buried in Christs grave.

Abuse of them.By those who still retaine them. Excellently Ignatius, Epist. ad Magnesios, [...]. Yea, wee must forfeit the name of Christians, if we still retaine such old Rites. Let those who are admitted in the Colledge of grace, disdaine any longer to goe to the schoole of the Ceremoniall Law, which truly may bee called the Schoole of Tyran­nus.

Third sort. Actions which are founded in the Iudiciall [Page 109] Law, as punishing theft with foure-fold Restitution, putting of Adulterers to death, and raising up seed to the Brother, &c.

These oblige men, Vse of them. to observe them so farre, as they have in them any taste or tin­cture of a Morall Law; and as they beare proportion with those Statutes, by which every particular Countrey is governed. For the Iudiciall Law was by God cal­culated alone, for the elevation of the Iewish Common-wealth. It suted onely with the body of their state; and will not fit any other Common-wealth, ex­cept it be equall to Iudea in all Dimensions. I meane in climate, nature of the soyle, disposition of the people, quality of the bordering Neighbours, and many other parti­culars, amongst which the very least is coside­rable.

When men out of an over Imitative­nesse of Holy Presidents, Abuse of them. seek to conforme all Countries to Iewish Lawes. That must needs breake, which is stretched fur­ther, than God intended it. They may sooner make Sauls Armour fit David, and Davids Sling and Scrip become Saul, then the particular Statutes of one Coun­trey, adequately, to comply with another.

Actions founded in no Law at all, Fourth sort. but onely in an ancient Custome, by God win­ked and connived at; yea tolerated [Page 110] at the least wise not openly forbidden in pre­cept, or punished in practise. As Poligamy, in the Patriarkes having many wives. Indeed when God first made the large volume of the world, and all creatures therein, and set it forth, Cum regali privilegio, Behold all things therein were very good, hee made one Eve for one Adam. Poligamy is an Erratum, and needs an Index ex­purgatorius, being crept in, being more than what was in the maiden coppy: It was the Creature of Lamech, no worke of God.

Vse.We are herein to wonder at, and praise the goodnesse of God, who was pleased herein to winke at the faults of his deare Saints, and to passe by their frailty herein, because they lived in a darke age, wherein his pleasure was not so plainely manifested.

Abuse of them.If any in this bright sun-shine of the Go­spel, pretend as a plea for their lust, to follow their example.

Fifth sort. Doubtfull examples, which may so be termed, because it is difficult to decide, whether the Actors of them therein did offend or no: so that should a Iury of learned Writers be em­pannelled to passe their verdict upon them, they would bee puzzelled, whether to con­demne or acquit them, and at last be forced to find it an Ignoramus. As whether David did well to dissemble himselfe frantick, thereby to escape the cruelty of Achish, King of Gath. Whether Hushai did well, in counterfeiting [Page 111] with Absolom, or whether therein hee did not make Heaven to bow too much to earth, I meane Policie to entrench upon Piety; and so in this act was so good a States-man, that hee was a bad man.

Let us not meddle with imitation of these actions, Vse of them. that are so full of difficulty and dan­ger, that our judgements therein may easily bee deceived: The sonnes of Barzillai, Ezr. 2.63. Because their Genealogies were doubtfull and uncer­taine, were put by the Priest-hood, till a Priest should rise up with Vrim and Thummim, by which wee may understand some especiall man amongst them, who by Gods Spirit might be able to decide the controversies, which were questioned in their pedigrees. So let us refraine from following these doubtfull examples, till (which in this world is not likely to bee) there arise an infallible Iudge, which can determine in these particulars, whether these actions were well done or no.

By such who though they have roome enough besides, Abuse of them. yet delight to walke on a narrow Banke, neere the Sea, and have an itch to imitate these doubtfull Exam­ples, wherein there is great danger of mis­carrying.

Mixt examples which containe in them a double action, Sixth sort. the one good, and the other [Page 112] bad, so closely couched together, that it is a very hard thing to sever them. Thus in the unjust Steward, there was his wisedome to provide for himselfe, which God doth commend; and his wickednesse, to purloyne from his Master, which God cannot but con­demne. Thus in the Hebrew Midwives, Exod. 1. when they told the lye, there was in them, Fides mentis, & fallacia mentientis, the faith­fulnesse of their love to their Countrey­men, and the falsenesse of their lying to Pha­raoh.

Vse of them.Behold, here is wisedome, and let the man that hath understanding, discreetly divide be­twixt the Gold and the Drosse, the Wheat and the Chaffe; what hee is to follow and imitate, and what to shun and avoyd. In the first yeare of the raigne of Queene Eliza­beth, the students of Christ-Church in Ox­ford, buried the bones of Peter Martyrs wife in the same Coffin, with the ashes of Frids­wick a Popish Saint, to this intent, that if Popery, (which God forbid) should ever after over spread this land, Papists should bee puzled to part the ashes of a supposed Here­tike, from one of their canonized Saints. Thus in some actions of Gods Saints in the Bible, which are of a mixt nature; wicked­nesse doth so insensibly unite and incorporate it selfe with that that is good, that it is very difficult to sever and divide them [Page 113] without a sound, and well advised Iudge­ment.

In such as leave what is good, Abuse of them. take what is bad, follow what is to bee shunned, shunne what is to bee followed.

Actions absolutely bad, Seventh sort. so that no charitable Comment can bee fastned upon them, except wee will incurre the Prophets curse and woe, To call good evill, and evill good; such were the Drunkennesse of Noah, the Incest of Lot, the lying of Abraham, the swearing of Ioseph, the Adultery of David, the De­niall of Peter.

Let us reade in them first a Lecture of our owne Infirmity: Vse of them. who dare warrant his Ar­mour for proofe, when Davids was shot through? Secondly, let us admire and laud Gods mercy, who pardoned and restored these men on their unfained Repentance. Lastly, let us not despaire of pardon our selves, if through Infirmity over taken, God in like manner is mercifull to forgive us.

When men either make these their patterns, Abuse of them. by which they sin, or after their sinning alledge them for their excuse and defence. Thus Iudith did, Iudith 9.2. For whereas that murder, which Simeon and Levi did com­mit upon the Shechemites, Gen. 34.12. was cursed by Iacob, as a most hainous and horri­ble sinne; yet shee propounds it as an he­roick [Page 114] act, and the unworthy President for her imitation: O Lord God of my Father Simeon, to whom thou gavest the Sword to take vengeance on the strangers, which ope­ned the wombe of a Maid, and defiled her, &c. Well, if the Arme of Iudith had beene as weake as her judgement was herein, I should scarce beleeve, that shee ever cut off the head of Holophernes.

Eighth sort. Actions which are onely good, as they are quali­fied with such a circumstance, as Davids eating the Shew-bread in a case of absolute necessity; which otherwise was provided for the Priests alone. Such are the doing of ser­vile workes on the Lords day, when in case of necessity they leave off to bee Opera servilia, and become opera misericor­diae.

Vse of them.Let us bee sure, that in imitating of these, to have the same qualifying circum­stance, without which otherwise the deed is impious and damnable.

Abuse of them.In those which imitate the example with­out any heeding, that they are so quali­fied, as the action requires.

Ninth sort.The ninth and last sort remaines, and such are those, which are eminently good; as the Faith of Abraham, the Meeknesse of Moses, the Valour of Ioshua, the Sincerity of Samuel, the plaine Dealing of Natha­niel, &c. Follow not then the Infide­lity [Page 115] of Thomas, but the Faith of Abraham; the Testinesse of Ionah, but the Patience of Iob; the Adultery of David, but the Chastity of Ioseph; not the Apostasie of Orpa, but the Perseverance of Ruth here in my Text.

THe Stoicks said to their affections, as Abime­lech spake to Isaac, Gen. 26.16▪ Get you out from amongst us, for you are too strong for us: Be­cause they were too strong for them to master, they there­fore would have them totally banisht out of their soules, and labour to becalm themselves [Page 118] with an Apathy: But farre be it from us, after their example to root out such good herbes, (instead of weeds) out of the Garden of our nature; whereas affections, if well used are excellent, if they mistake not their true ob­ject, nor exceed in their due measure. Ioshua killed not the Gibeonites, but condemned them to bee Hewers of wood, and Drawers of water for the Sanctuary. Wee need not expell passions out of us, if wee could conquer them, and make Griefe draw water-Buckets of teares for our sinnes, and Anger kindle fires of zeale and indignation, when wee see God dishonou­red. But as that must needs be a deformed face, wherein there is a transposition of the colours, the blewnesse of the vines being set in the lips, the rednesse which should be in the cheeks, in the nose; so alas most mishapen is our soule, since Adams fall, whereby our affections are so inverted, Ioy stands where Griefe should, Griefe in the place of Ioy. Wee are bold where wee should feare, feare where we should be bold, love that wee should hate, hate what wee should love. This gave occasion to the blessed Apostle in my Text, to dis­swade men from loving that, whereon too many dote. Love not the World.

For the better understanding of which vvords, knovv that the Devill goes about to make an unfitting match, betwixt the soule of a Christian, on the one party, and this [Page 119] world on the other. A match too likely to goe on, if wee consider the simplicity, and folly of many Christians (because of the remnants of corruption) easily to be seduced and inveagled, or the bewitching entising, al­luring nature of this world: But God by Saint Iohn in my Text forbiddeth the banes, Love not the world.

In prosecuting whereof, wee will first shew the worthinesse of a Christian soule, then wee will consider the worthlesnesse of the world, and from the comparing of these two, this Doctrine will result that.

It is utterly unfitting for a Christian to place his affections on worldly things.

Let us take notice of a Christians Possessi­ons, and of his Possibilities; what he hath in hand, and what he holdeth in hope: In posses­sion he hath the favour of God, the Spirit of Adoption, crying in him, Abba father, and many excellent graces of sanctification in some mea­sure in his heart. In hope & expectance he hath the reversion of Heaven and happinesse, (a re­version not to be got after anothers death, but his owne) and those happinesses which eye cannot see, nor eare heare; neither it can enter into the heart of man to conceive.

Now see the worthlesnesse of the World; three Load-stones commonly attract mens affections, and make them to love, Beauty, Wit, and Wealth. Beauty the world hath none at [Page 120] all. I dare boldly say, the world put on her Holy-day Apparell, when shee was presented by the Devill to our Saviour, Matth. 4.9. She never looked so smug and smooth before or since, and had there beene any reall beauty therein, the Eagle-sight of our Saviour would have seene it; yet when all the glory of the world was proffered unto him, at the price of Idolatry, hee refused it. Yet as old Iezabel, when shee wanted true beauty, stopt up the leakes of age, with adulterated complexion, and painted her face; so the world in default of true beauty decks her selfe with a false ap­pearing fairenesse, which serves to allure amorous fooles, and (to give the world, as well as the Devill her due) shee hath for the time a kind of a pleasing fashionablenesse: But what saith Saint Paul, 1 Corinth. 7.31. [...], the fashion of this World passeth away: The wit of the World is as little as her beauty, how ever it may bee cryed up by some of her fond Admirers; yet as it is, 1 Cor. 3.19. The wisedome of this World is foolishnesse with God, and Cuilibet artifici creden­dum est in sua arte, what wisedome it selfe counts foolishnes, is folly to purpose▪ her wealth is as small, as either what the world cals Substance, is most subject to Accidents, uncertaine, unconstant, even lands themselves in this respect are moveables, Riches make themselves wings, and fly away; they may leave [Page 121] us whilst wee live; but wee must leave them when wee dye.

Seeing then the World hath so little, and the Christian foule so much; let us learne a Lesson of Holy Pride, to practise heavenly Ambition. Descend not so farre O Christian, beneath thy selfe, remember what thou art, and what thou hast, loose not thy selfe in la­vishing thy affections, on so disproportioned a Mate: There is a double Disparity betwixt thy soule, and the world: first that of Age. Perchance the world might make a fit mate for thy old Man, thy Vnregenerate halfe, thy Reliques of sinne; but to match the old, rot­ten, withered, worme-eaten World, to thy new Man, thy new Creature, the regenerated and renewed part of thy soule, gray to green, is rather a torture, then a marriage, altogether disproportionable.

Secondly, that of quality or condition, thou art Gods Free-man: If I have freed you, (saith Christ) then are you free indeed, the world is, or ought to be thy slave, thy vassaile, Iohn 1.5.4. For whosoever is borne of God overcom­meth the world, and this is the victory that over­commeth the World, even our faith. Bee not then so base, as to make thy vassall thy mate. Alex­ander denyed to marry Darius his Daughter, though proffered unto him, scorning to bee conquered by her beauty, whose Father hee had conquered by his valour. Let us not make [Page 122] the world our Mistresse, whereof wee ought to be the Master, nor prostitute our affections to a slave we have conquered.

Object.Yea may some say this is good counsell, if it came in due season; alas now it commeth too late, after I have not only long doted, but am even wedded to this world; Infant affection may be easily crusht, but who can tame an old and rooted love: Thinke you that I have my affection in my hand, as Hunters their dogs, to let slip or rate off at pleasure; how then shall I unlove the world, which hath been my bosome Darling so long.

Answ.Art thou wedded to the World, then in­stantly send her a Bill of Divorce. It need ne­ver trouble thy conscience, that match may be lawfully broken off, which was first most un­lawfully made: Yea, though wert long before contracted to God in thy Baptisme, wherein thou didst solemnely promise thou wouldst Forsake the Devill and all his workes, the vaine pompe and glory of this World. Let the first contract stand; and because it is difficult for those, who have long doted on the world, to unlove her; wee will give some rules, how it may bee done by degrees. For indeed it is not to bee done on a sudden, (matters of moment cannot bee done in a moment) but it is the taske of a mans whole life, Rules how to unlove the world. til the day of his death.

1.Looke not with the eyes of covetousnesse, [Page 123] or admiration on the things of the world. The eye is the principall Cinqueport of the soule, wherein love first arrives, Vt vidi, ut perij; now thou mayest looke on the things of the world, Vt in transitu, as in passage (otherwise wee should be forced to shut our eyes) and wee may behold them with a slighting neglectfull fastidious looke; but take heed to looke on them with a covetous eye, as Eve on the forbidden fruit, and Achan on the wedge of Gold. Take heed to looke on them with the eye of Admiration, as the Disciples looked on the Buildings of the Temple, Matth. 24 1. wondring at the Eternity of the structure, and conceiving the Arch of this World, would fall as soone as such stones ri­veted to immortality, might bee dissolved. Wherefore our Saviour checketh them, Verely I say unto you, there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not bee cast downe. Ex­cellently Iob, chap. 31.1. I have made a Cove­nant with mine eyes, that I should not behold a woman. A Covenant? But what was the forfiture, Iobs eyes were to pay in case hee brake it? It is not exprest on the band; but surely the penalty is employed many brac­kish teares, which his eyes in repentance must certainly pay, if they observed not the Cove­nant.

Silence, that Spokesman in thy bosome, I 2. meane that allurements of the flesh and Devill, [Page 124] who improveth his utmost power to advance a match betwixt thy soule and the world. And when any breach happens betweene thee, and the world; so that thou art ready to cast her off, the flesh in thy bosome pleads her cause: Why wilt thou (saith it) deprive thy selfe of those contentments, which the World would afford thee? Why dost thou torment thy selfe before thy time? Ruffle thy selfe in the silkes of security, it will be time enough to put on the Sack-cloath or Repentance, when thou lyest on thy Death-bed. Hearken not to the Flesh, her Inchantments; but as Pharaoh charged Moses, to get him out of his presence, he should see his face no more, Exodus 10.28. So strive as much as in thee lyeth to expell these fleshly suggestions from thy pre­sence, to banish them out of thy soule, at least­wise to silence them, though the mischiefe is, it will be muttering, and though it dare not hallow, it will still be whispering unto thee, in behalfe of the world, its old friend, to make a Reconciliation betwixt you.

3 Send back againe to the world, the Love-tokens she hath bestowed upon thee, I meane those ill gotten goods, which thou hast gotten by indirect, and unwarrantable meanes. As for those goods, which thy parents left thee, friends have given thee, or thou hast procured by Heavens Providence on thy lawfull endea­vours, these are no Love-tokens of the world, [Page 125] but Gods gifts; keepe them, use them, enjoy them to his glory: But goods gotten by VVrong, and Robbery, Extortion and Bribe­ry, Force and Fraud, these restore and send back: For the world knoweth, that shee hath a kind of tye and engagement upon thee, so long as thou keepest her tokens; and in a man­ner thou art obliged in honour, as long as thou detainest the gifts that were hers. Imitate Za­cheus, see how hee casts backe what the world gave him, Luke 19.8. Behold Lord, the halfe of my goods I give to the poore, and if I have taken any thing from any man, by false accusation, I restore him foure-fold.

4. Set thy affections on the God of Heaven, the best wedge to drive out an old love, is to take in a new, Postquam nos Amaryllis habet, Ga­lataea reliquit: Yea, God deserves our love first, because God loved us first, 1 Iohn 4.19. It is e­nough indeed to blunt the sharpest affection, to be returned with scorne and neglect; but it is enough to turne Ice into ashes, to bee first beloved by one, that so well deserves love. Secondly, his is a lasting love, Iohn 13.1. Ha­ving loved his owne that were in the world, he loved them to the end. Some mens affection spends it selfe with its violence, hot at hand, but cold at length; God's not so, it is continuing. It is re­corded in the honour of our Look Lord Bacon in his life. King Henry, the seventh; that hee never discomposed favorite, one only excepted, which was William, Lord [Page 126] Stanly, a rare matter, since many Princes change their Favorites, as well as their clothes, before they are old: But the observation is true of the Lord of Heaven, without any ex­ception; those who are once estated in his favour, hee continues loving unto them to the end.

Hearke then how hee woes us, Hoe every one, Esay 55.1. that thirsteth, come yee to the waters, and he that hath no money come, &c. How he woes us, Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all yee that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Love his Love-letter his Word, his Love-tokens, his Sacraments, his Spokes-men, his Ministers, which labour to further the match, betwixt him and thy soule. But beware of two things.

1. Take heed of that dangerous conceit, that at the same time thou mayest keepe, both God and the World, and love these outward delights, as a Concubine to thy soule. Nay, God he is a jealous God, hee will have all or none at all. Munsters Cosmog. de Germ. l. 3. pag. 143. There is a Citie in Germany, per­taining halfe to the Bishop thereof, and halfe to the Duke of Saxony, who named the Citie Myndyn, that is, mine and thine; because it was theirs Communi jure, and at this day by corruption it is called Minden. But God will admit of no such divisions, hee will hold no­thing in Coparceny, hee will not share or part stakes with any, but hee will have [Page 127] all entire to himselfe alone.

Take heed thou dost not onely fall out with the world, to fall in with it againe, ac­cording to that,

For even as some furious Gamesters, when they have a bad game, throw their cards out of their hands, and vow to play no more, (not so much out of mislike of gaming, as of their present game;) but when the cards run on their side, they are reconciled to them againe; so many men, when the world frownes on them, and crosses them, and they misse some preferment they desire; then a qualme of piety comes over their hearts, they are mortified on a sudden, and disavow to have any further dealing with worldly contentments. But when the world smiles on them againe, favours and prospers them, they then return to their former love, and do­ting upon it. Thus Demas 2 Tim. 4.10. would needs have another farewel embrace of the world, even after his solemne conversion to Christianity, Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present World. But when we are once at variance with the world, let us continue at deadly eternall feuds with it; and as it is said of Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.15. that the hatred where­with hee hated his sister Thamar, was greater then the love wherewith he loved her: so (what was cruelty in him, will bee Christianity in us) [Page 128] once fallen out with the world, let the joynt bee never set againe, that it may bee the stronger; but let our hatred bee im­mortall, and so much the stron­ger, by how much our love was before.

THis Text is a Glasse, wherein Gods Iustice is plainely to be seen. David had formerly falsely forsaken Vriah, and now God suffers Achitophel to forsake David.

Vriah neither in loyaltie, nor valour, though placed the last in the List, of the List of Davids Worthies, [Page 130] was any whit inferiour to any of Davids sub­jects. How did hee sympathize with Gods Arke, and his fellow souldiers, stayed still in the Campe, though hee was in the Kings Court, in that hee would not embrace those delights, the Marriage-bed did afford him: No, though they practised upon him to make him drunke, yet in his drunkennesse, hee was so sober, that all thier wine washed not from him his first resolution, but hee remayned still constant. But how falsely did David for­sake him, sending him with that Snake in his bosome, which was to sting him to death; I meane the Letter, which was Vriahs Pas­port, to his own Grave. Well Vriah placed much confidence in the love of David, who de­ceives him; David with no lesse trust relyes on the loyaltie of Achitophel, and see what my Text saith. And one told David, saying, Achito­phel is also among the Conspirators with Absalom.

Observ. 1.Before we goe farther, let us learne, when our friends forsake us, to enter into a serious scru­tinie of our owne soules: Hast thou never played foule or false with thy friend; if not in action, yet in intention? Dost thou not mean to prove base, if put to the tryall, and if occa­sion he offered to deceive him? If so, know thy false friend hath only got the start of thee, and playd the fore-game, doing what thou meanest to doe. Rayle not then on the times, nor speak Satyres against the faithlesnesse of men, but [Page 131] laying thy hand on thy mouth, confesse God hath justly found thee out, and dealt with thee, as hee did with David.

Secondly, Observ. 2. hence we may observe: The most politicke heads have not alwayes the faithfullest hearts. Achitophel was the Iewish Nestor, or their Salomon before Salomon, and like the Oracle of God for his wisedom, but like the Oracle of the devill for his deceitfulnesse; for whilst David swaied the scepter, who more loial to him then Achitophel, and once when David is in banish­ment, he fals first to Absalom, he loved to wor­ship the sun rising; yea whils David the true sun was but over-cast with a cloud, he fals adoring that blazing star, that Comet only fed with the evaporations of pride and ambition, which shi­ned for a while, and then went out in a stink.

Reasons why the most politick are not al­wayes the most faithfull.

• 1. Because that cement which conglutinates hearts, and makes true friends indeed, is Grace and Goodnes, wherof many politick heads are utterly devoid, 1 Cor. 1.26. For ye see your calling Brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.
• 2. Politick men make their owne profit, the rule and square of their loves, they steere their course by the pole-star of their own good. And as in their actions, so in their affections, have an invisible end to themselves, which beginneth where that end endeth, which is apparent to others.

[Page 132] Vse.Doe not then undervalue and despise the love of those, who are of meane and inferior parts; wise men have made use of such ser­vants, and found them more manageable, and more profitable, though their judgements were weaker, their affections might be stron­ger, than wiser men.

Observ. 3.Thirdly, observe. False friends will forsake thee in time of adversity. Hee that beleeveth, that all those who smile on him, and promise faire in time of prosperity, will performe it in time of his want, may as well beleeve, that all the leaves that bee on trees at Mid-summer, will hang there as fresh, and as faire on New-yeers day.

Come wee now to consider, what good uses one may make to himselfe, from the un­faithfulnesse of friends, when they forsake us.

1 First consider with thy selfe, whether thou hast not beene faulty, in entertaining Tale­bearers, and lending a listning eare unto them: Solomon faith, Prov. 16.28. A whisperer separa­teth chiefe friends. Whethersoever hee com­meth, he bringeth with him, the fire, fuel, and bellowes of contention.

2 If herein thy conscience accuse thee not, examaine thy selfe, whether there was not a Laesum principium, in the first initiation of your love: How came you acquainted, whereout grew your amitie, whereon was your intima­cie grounded? Didst thou not first purchase [Page 133] his favour with the price of a sinne? for know, friends unjustly gotten, are not long comfor­tably enjoyed. Thus Absalom, by sordid flat­tery stole the hearts of the Israelites, descen­ding too much beneath himselfe, 2 Sam. 15.5. As alwayes ambitious spirits, when they would personate Humility, over-act their part, and play basenesse: Wee see King Heze­kiah, who procured Senacharibs love by his sa­criledge, enjoyed not that purchase, which he made God and his Temple pay for, 2 King. 18. 16. For Senacharib no sooner received his money, but hoc non obstante, persisted in his for­mer enmity and hostility against the Iewes, and as it followeth in the very next verse, sent up his Captaines to besiege Ierusalem.

3. If there be no fault in the inchoation; Examine, hath there beene none in the conti­nuance of your friendship, hast thou not com­mitted many sinnes, to hold in with him? If so, then it is just with God, hee should forsake thee: Thus Tyrants often times cut off those staires, by which they climbe up to their Throne: Yea, good Princes have often times justly sacrificed those their Favorites to the fury of the people, who formerly have been the active Instruments to oppresse the people, though to the enriching of their Princes. Hast thou not flattered him in his faults, or at least wise by thy silence consented to him? If so, God hath now opened thy friends eyes, he [Page 134] sees thy false dealing with him, and hath just cause to cast thee out of his fa­vour.

When Amnon had defiled his sister Thamar, the Text saith, 2 Sam. 13.15. that the hatred wherewith hee hated her, was greater than the love, wherewith hee loved her. Poore Lady, shee was in no fault, not the cause, but onely the object, and the occasion of her brothers sinne, and that against her will, by his vio­lence. Now to reason, A minore ad majus; If Amnon in cold blood viewing the hainous­nesse of his offence, so hated Thamar, which onely concurred passively in his transgression, how may our friends justly hate us, if haply we have beene the Causers, Movers, and Pro­curers of their badnesse. If wee have added fewell to the flame of their ryot, played the Pandors to their lusts, and spurred them on in the full speed of their wantonnesse, de­serve wee not (when their eyes are ope­ned, to see what foes we have been unto them, under pretended Friendship) to bee spit in the face, kik't out of their company, and to bee used with all contumely, and dis­grace?

4. Hast thou not idolatrized to thy friend? hath he not totally monopolized thy soule, so that thou hast solely depended on him, without looking higher, or further? Tu pa­tronus, si deseris tu perimus. Thus too many [Page 135] wives anchor al their hopes for outward mat­ters, on their husbands, and too many children leane all their weight on their Fathers shoul­ders; so that it is just with God, to suffer these their woodden Pillars to breake, on whom they lay too much heft.

5. Hast thou not undervalued thy friend, and set too meane a rate and low an estimate on his love? If so God hath now taught thee, the worth of a Pearle, by loosing it? And this comes often to passe, though not in our friends voluntary deserting us, as Achitophel did Da­vid, yet in their leaving us against their wils, when God taketh them from us by death.

But here this question may be demanded; Quest. whether is one ever againe to receive him for his friend, and to restore him to the old state of his favour, who once hath deceived, and dealt falsely with him?

Many circumstances are herein, Answ. well to bee weighed; first did hee forsake thee out of frailty, and infirmity, or out of meer spight and maliciousnesse? Secondly, hath he since shewed any tokens, and evidences of unfained sorrow? hath hee humbled himselfe unto thee, and beg Gods, and thy pardon? If hee hath offended mischievously, and persists in it obstinately: O let not the strength of thy sup­posed charity, so betray thy judgement, as to place confidence in him! Samson was blind, before hee was blind; the lust of Dalilah de­prived [Page 136] him of his eyes, before the Philistims bored them out, in that once and againe being deceived by Dalilah, hee still relyed on her word: But if hee hath shewed himselfe such a Penitent, and thou art verely perswaded of his Repentance, receive him againe into thy fa­vour. Thus dealt our Saviour with Saint Peter, Marke 16.7. But goe your way, tell his Disciples, and Peter, Peter especially; Peter that had sin­ned, and Peter that had sorrowed, Peter that had denyed his Master; but Peter that went out and wept bitterly.

6. Sixthly, and lastly, it may bee God suffers thy friends to prove unfaithfull to thee, to make thee sticke more closely to himselfe: Excellent to this purpose is that place, Mica. 7.5. Trust yee not in a friend, put yee no confi­dence in a Guide, keepe the doers of thy mouth from her, that lyeth in thy bosome: For the Son disho­noureth the Father, the Daughter riseth up against the Mother, the Daughter in law, against her Mo­ther in law; a mans enemies are the men of his own house. But now marke what followes; there­fore will I looke unto the Lord, I will wayte for the God of my salvation. As if hee had said, is the world at this bad hand? is it come to this bad passe? That one must bee farre from trusting their neerest friends; it is well then I have one fast Friend, on whom I may relye, the God of Heaven. I must confesse these words of the Prophet, are principally [Page 137] meant of the time of Persecution, and so are applyed by our Saviour, Mat. 10.21. Howe­ver they containe an eternall truth, whereof good use may bee made at any time: Let us therefore, when our friends forsake us, prin­cipally relye on God, who hath these two ex­cellent properties of a friend; first he is neere to us, so saith the Psalmist, Thy name is neere, and this doth thy excellent workes declare: They have a speedy way, of conveying Letters from Aleppo to Babylon, sending them by a winged Messenger, tyed to the legs of a Dove; but wee have a shorter cut to send our prayers to God, by sending our prayers by the wings of the Holy Spirit, that heavenly Dove, whereby they instantly arrive in Heaven. As God is neere to us, so hee is ever willing, and able to helpe us: On him therefore let us ever relye; and when other Reeds bow or break, or run into our hands, let us make him to bee our staffe, whereon wee may leane our selves.

THese words are a par­cell of that Scrip­ture, that converted Saint Augustine. He, (as hee confesseth of himselfe) at the first was both erroneous in his Tenets, and vi­cious in his life, when running on in full carreare in wicked­nesse, God stopt him with his voyce from [Page 140] Heaven, Tolle et lege; take up thy Book, and reade; and the first place which God directed his eye to, was these words in my Text, and after this time being reclaymed, hee proved a worthy Instrument of Gods glory, and the Churches good. Now as those receipts in Physicke are best, which are confirmed under the Broad Seale of Experience, and set forth with the priviledge of Probatum est; so my Text may challenge a priority, before other places of Scripture, because upon Record it hath been the occasion to convert so famous a Christian. Neither thinke, that the vertue of these words, are extracted by doing of this one Cure, or that my Text with Isaac, hath onely one blessing for him that came first, no by Gods blessing it may be cordial, for the saving of our soules. To day therfore part of Samsons Riddel shall be fulfilled in your ears: Out of the Devourer came meat, Gluttony that vice, which consumeth and devoureth food. The discourse thereof by Gods assistance shall feed us at this time.

WHEN I call to remem­brance. Observ. 1. It is good to feed our soules on the memories of pious persons: Partly that we may be moved to prayse God in, and for his Graces, given to his Saints; and partly that we may bee incited to imitate the vertues of the deceased. Ahaz was so taken [Page 152] with the Altar at Damascus, 2 King. 16.10. that hee would needs have one at Ierusalem, made according to all the worke-manship thereof. When we call to mind the vertues of the de­ceased, and cannot but be delighted with their Goodnesse; let us labour to fashion our selves after their frame, and to erect the like vertues in our owne soules.

Obser. 2. Godly Children occasion their Parents to bee called to memory: Saint Paul beholding Ti­mothies Goodnesse, is minded thereby to remember his Mother, and Grand-mother Eunice and Lois; they can never bee dead, whiles hee is alive. Good children are the most lasting monument, to perpetuate their Parents, and make them survive after death. Dost thou desire to have thy memory conti­nued? Art thou ambitious to be revenged of death, and to out-last her spight? It matters not for building great houses, and calling them after thy name, give thy children godly edu­cation, and the fight of their goodnesse will furbish up thy memory, in the mouthes and minds of others, that it never rusts in oblivion.

IN this Chapter, Naa­man the Syrian coms hurrying with his Horses, and ratling with his Chariot to the doore of the prophet Elisha, to bee cured of his Le­prosie. Now hee said in his heart, (I could not have told his thoughts, except first hee had told them mee) [Page 164] hee will surely come out to mee, and stand and call on the name of the Lord, his God, and strike his hand over the place, and reco­ver the Leper: Thus hee thought, that the very noyse of the wheels of his Chariot, should call Elisha to come to him, because hee was Captaine of the Hoast of Syria, hee thought to be Commander of Gods Prophet, and hee expected a great deale of service from him, and truly hee might expect it: For the Prophet beate him at his owne weapon, out­shot him in his owne bow, out-stated him in statelinesse it selfe.

• 1. Called him not in, but let him stand at doore.
• 2. Came not to him in his person, but by a Proxie.
• 3. Sent him a plaine and cold answer, Wash se­ven times in Iordan.

By the way, I dare boldly say, Elisha in himselfe was not proud at other times, hee could fare hardly on Barley Loaves, and feed hungerly on plaine pottage; but at this time his affecting of state, was both lawfull and ne­cessary. First it was the sight of Naamans shoe, which made Elisha so high in the Instep; with the stately, hee would be stately; the rather because hee did perceive that Naaman must bee humbled, before hee could bee healed, and [Page 165] the proud flesh first taken out of his heart, ere the putrid flesh could bee cured in his body. Secondly, Naaman, though hee was a Prince, yet hee was but a Pagan; and in this respect, the lowest Hebrew was higher than hee; Elisha therefore would teach him to learne himselfe; that hee was not proper to receive so great favours, as being but a Goat, and no lost sheepe of the Fold of Israel. Lastly, Elisha was an extraordinary man, hee might well stand upon termes of double distance, who had a double portion of Elijah's Spirit.

You my Brethren of the Ministery, let us know, that wee succeed to the office, but not to the Eminencies, to the place, but not to the personall perfections of the Prophet Elisha. And let us know, that Humility is our Honour and Crowne; so that except wee be forced unto it against our wils, Se defendendo, to maintaine the Honour of God, and our office, to stand upon our points, let us leaving the Patterne of Elisha's state­linesse, rather follow the president of Saint Pauls Humility, I was made all things to all men, that by all meanes I might gaine some.

To returne to Naaman: The mention of the water put him into a fire, hee burneth with Choler and Passion: Are not Aba­nah, and Pharpar, Rivers of Damascus, [Page 166] better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be cleane? so he turned and went away in a rage: Well, his servants come to him, to perswade him, and bring with them good Logick, and Ethicks, good Arguments, and good manners; good Lo­gick reasoning a minori ad majus; If the Pro­phet had bid thee doe some great thing, wouldest thou have not done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash and be cleane? Good Ethicks, my Father, my All-speaking in one person, so unanimously they consented in one opinion; Father, as if they had said, wee confesse thou art wiser then wee are, of more age, of more honour; yet you are neere unto us, you are deare unto us, wee wish your weale and wel­fare: O what a deale did they speake in a little, and how many sentences are comprised in this one word, Father: These words so wrought on Naaman, that the Lyon became a Lambe; hee that formerly had conquered his foes, now subdues himselfe, down came he in his stomacke, and downe comes hee in his person.

SVch is the subtilty of Satan, and such is the frailty of the flesh, though things be ordered never so wel, they wil quick­ly decline. Luther was wont to say, hee never knew as good order last above fif­teene yeares: This speedy decaying of good­nesse, you may see in the Church of Corinth, [Page 178] from which S. Paul was no sooner departed, but they departed from his Doctrine. Some more carried by fancy, then ruled by reason, or more swayed by carnall Reason, then gover­ned by Grace, made choyse of some particular Pastor, whom they extoll'd, to the great dis­grace of his fellow Ministers, and greater dishonour of God himselfe. Now Saint Paul not willing to make these Ministers, a publike Ex­ample, concealeth their persons, yet discove­reth the fault, and making bold with his Bre­thren. Apollo, and Cephas, applyeth to them and himselfe, what the Corinthians spake of their fancied Preachers. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, and I am of Cephas, and I am of Christ.

Object.But the Apostle herein hath made no good choyce, to mention Cephas: For hee was onely knowne to the Corinthianss, by his fame, not by his person, seeing it appeares, not either in Scripture, or Ecclesiasticall Story, that ever Cephas (that is Saint Peter) was ever at Corinth.

Answ.This hinders not the Application of the Apostle: Granting Saint Peter was never there; For many Ministers are most admired at distance, Major è longinquo reverentia: Like some kind of stuffe, Tacitus. they have the best Glosse, a good way off, more then a Prophet in his owne Countrey. Thus the good esteeme, [Page 179] which Forrainers have conceived of the Piety and Learning, of the Geneva Ministers, hath been the best stake in the hedge of that State.

I need not divide the words, which in them­selves are nothing else but division, and con­taine foure sorts of people, like the foure sorts of Seed, Mat. 13. The three first bad, the last only, [ I am of Christ] being good and com­mendable.

I am of Paul; as if they had said, there is a Preacher called Paul; his matter is so power­full, his Methods so pleasing, his Doctrine so sound, his Life so sincere; his Preaching I affect, or his person I preferre, I am of Paul. Tush (saith another) what talke you of Paul? Indeed his Epistles are powerfull and strong, but his bodily presence is weake, and his speech of none effect; there is one Apollo, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, hee stands highest in my esteeme; I am of Apollo: Fie saith a third, why name you Apollo, one that learnt the best part of his Divinity from Aquila, and Priscilla, a Lay-man, and a weake woman: There is one Cephas, that caught three hundred soules at the preaching of one Sermon; that is the man for my money: I will say of him, as Gehazi did of Naaman; As the Lord liveth I will run after him, I am of Cephas: Well, saith a fourth, Paul I know, and Apollo I know, and Cephas I know, men endowed with great Grace, and eminent Instruments of Gods [Page 180] glory, I acknowledge them as the Channell, but on God alone, as the Fountaine, of Faith and Conversion, and doe attend on him alone in these his Instruments, I am of Christ.

The Staple Doctrine herein to be observed, is this: Doct. The factious affecting one Pastor above another, is very dangerous. Indeed wee may, and must give a famous part of Reverence, and a Benjamins Portion of respect, to those, who ( Data paritate in ceteris) excell in age, paines, 1 Parts and Piety. In Age, for hee is a Traytor against the Crowne of old Age, who payeth not the Allegeance of respect due thereunto: Such Reverence the hoary haires of Gousartius did deserve, when for more then fifty yeares 2 hee had beene a Preacher in Geneva. In Paines, being such as have borne the heate of the day; so that the stresse of the Ministery hath layen heaviest on their shoulders; such an 3 Elder is worthy of double honour. In Parts, being stars of the first Magnitude, brightly shining, 4 with their rich endowments. In Piety, which setteth a lustre on all the former. But the fa­ctious affecting of Ministers, lavishing by whole sale, all honour on one, and scarce Reta­liating out any respect to the other, raysing high Rampires to the prayse of the one, by digging deepe Ditches to discredit, and dis­grace an other, is that which Saint Paul doth reprove in my Text, and wee must confute at this time.

[Page 181]Foure great mischiefes will arise from this practise. Misch. 1. First it will set enmity and dissen­tion betwixt the Ministers of Gods Word.

I confesse, wee that either have, or intend to take on us the high calling, and holy Function of the Clergy, ought to endeavour by Gods Grace, so to qualifie our selves, that our affections never mistake the true object, nor exceed their due measure: But alas such is our misery (rather to bee bemoaned, then amended; the perfect removing whereof, is more to be desired, then hoped for) that as long as wee carry Corruption about us, wee are men subject to like Passion with others. Hence is it come to passe, that as the Gre­cians, Act. 6.1. Murmured against the He­brewes, Because their Widdowes were neglected in the daily Ministration: So Ministers will find themselves agrieved, that people in the partiall dispencing of their respect, passe them by unregarded. Perchance the matter may fly so high, as it did betwixt Moses and Aaron, Numb. 12.2. And they said, hath the Lord indeed spoken onely by Moses? Hath hee not spoken also by us? It will anger not only Saul, a meere carnall man, but even those that have degrees of Grace, Hee hath con­verted his thousands, but such a one his ten thou­sands: These discords betwixt Ministers, I could as heartily wish they were false; as I doe certainely know, they are too true.

[Page 182] Misch. 2. It will set dissention amongst people, whilst they violently engage their affections for their Pastors: The woman that pleaded before Salomon, 1 King. 3. The living Child is mine (said shee) but this dead Child is thine: Nay (said the other) but thy sonne is dead, and my sonne is the living. Thus will they fall out about their Pastors. The living Minister is mine; he that hath life, spirit, and Activity, in the manner and mat­ter of his Delivery; but the dead Mi­nister is thine; Flash in his matter, confu­sed in his Method, dreaming in his utte­rance; hee commeth not to the quicke, hee toucheth not the conscience; at the most with Ioash, King of Israel, 2 King. 13.18. He smites the Aramites but thrice; Leaves off reproving a vice, before people bee fully reformed. Nay (saith the other) my Minister, is the living Minister, and thine is the dead one: Thy Pastor is like the fire, 1 King. 19.12. Flashing in the flames of ill tem­pered, and undiscreet zeale; But the Lord was not in the fire: or like the Earthquake, shaking his Auditors, with ill applyed terrors of the Law, but the Lord was not in the Earth-quake: whilest my Minister is like to a still voyce, and the Lord was in the still Voyce, stanching the Bleeding hear­ted Penitent, and dropping the Oyle of the Gospel into the wounded Conscience.

[Page 183]It will give just occasion to wicked men, Misch. 3. to rejoyce at these dissentions, to whose eares, our discords are the swee­test Harmony. O then let not the Herds­men of Abraham and Lot fall out: whilst the Canaanites and Peresites, are yet in the Land. Let not us dissent, whilest many Adversaries of the truth are min­gled amongst us, who will make sport thereat.

Lastly, Misch. 4. it will cause great Dishonour to God himselfe, his Ordinance in the meane time being neglected. Heare is such do­ting on the Dish, there is no regard­ing the Dainties: Such looking on the Embassadour, there is no notice taken of the King, that sent him. Even Maries Complaynt is now verified: They have ta­ken away the Lord, and placed him, I know not where. And as in times of Popery: Thomas Becket dispossessed our Saviour of his Church: in Canterbury (instead of Christ's Church, being called Saint Thomas Church): And whereas rich Ob­lations were made to the Shrine of that supposed Saint, Summo Altari nil: No­thing was offered to Christ at the Com­munion-Table: So whilest some Sacrifice the Reverence to this admired Preacher, and others almost adored this affected Pastor: [Page 184] God in his Ordinance is neglected, and the Word being the savour of life, is had in respect of persons.

To prevent these mischiefes, both Pastors and people must lend their helping hands. I begin with the Pastors, and first with those whose Churches are crowded with the thickest audience.

Let them not pride themselves, with the bubble of popular applause, often as causelesly gotten, as undeservedly lost. Have wee not seene those that have preferred the Oni­ons, and Flesh-pots of Egypt, before hea­venly Manna, Lungs before Braynes; and sounding of a voyce, before soundnesse of matter. Well, let Princes count the credit of their Kingdomes to consist in the multi­tude of their Subjects: Farre bee it from a Preacher, to glory when his Congregation swels to a Tympany, by the Consumption of the Audience of his Neighbour Mini­ster.

Yea, when Pastors perceive people trans­ported with an immoderate Admiration of them, let them labour to confute them in their groundlesse humours. When Saint Iohn would have worshipped the Angel, See thou dost it not (saith hee) worship God. So when people post head-long, in affecting their Pastors, they ought to wave and de­cline this popular honour, and to seeke to [Page 185] transmit and fasten it on the God of Hea­ven. Christ went into the Wildernesse, when the people would have made him a King: Let us shun, yea fly such dangerous Honour, and teare off our heads, such wreathes, as people would tye on them, striving rather to throw Mists, and Clouds of Privacy on our selves, then to affect a shining appearance: But know, whosoever thou art, who herein art an Epicure, and lovest to glut thy selfe with peoples ap­plause, thou shalt surfet of it, before thy death, it shall prove at the last pricks in thy eyes, and thornes in thy side, a great affli­ction, if not a ruine unto thee, because sa­crilegiously, thou hast robbed God of his Honour.

Let them labour also to ingratiate every Pastor, who hath tolerability of desert with his owne Congregation. It was the Boone Saul begg'd of Samuel, Honour me be­fore my people: And surely it is but reason, wee should seeke to grace the Shepherd in the presence of his Flock, though perchance privately wee may reprove him, disgrace him not publikely before those that are un­der him.

I am come now to neglected Ministers, at whose Churches, Solitudo ante ostium, and within them too, whilst others (perchance lesse deserving) are more frequented.

[Page 186]Let not such grieve in themselves, or re­pine at their Brethren. When Saint Iohn Baptists Disciples told him: That all flock't to Iesus, whom hee baptized beyond Ior­dan: I must decrease (answered hee) and hee must increase. Never fret thy selfe, or vexe out thy soule, if others bee preferred before thee, they have their time, they are Crescents in their waxing, full Seas in their flowing: Envie not at their Prospe­rity. The Starres in their course did fight against Sisera; thy course of credit may chance to bee next, thy turne of Honour may chance to come after. One told a Grecian Statist, who had excellently de­served of the Citie hee lived in: That the Citie had chosen foure and twenty Officers, and yet left him out: I am glad (said hee) the Citie affords twenty foure abler than my selfe: So let Ministers triumph, and re­joyce in this, that the Church yeilds so many men, better meriting then themselves, and be farre from taking exception thereat.

And let us practise Saint Pauls Precept, by Honour and Dishonour, by good Report and Disreport: Seven yeares have I served God in good esteeme, and well respected, by the time I have served God so long in disgrace and reproach, perchance the Circulation of my credit may returne, and with patience I may regaine the esteeme I have lost; and if other­wise, [Page 187] let him say with David, Lord here I am, doe with thy servant as thou pleasest.

By this time mee thinkes, I heare the people saying unto mee, as the Souldiers to Iohn Baptist, Remedy 1. but what shall wee doe? Now the Counsell I commend to you, is this. First, ever preserve a reverent esteeme of the Minister, whom God hath placed over thee. For if a Sparrow lighteth not on the ground without Gods especiall Providence, surely no Minister is bestowed in any Pa­rish, without a more immediate and pe­culiar disposing of God, and surely their owne Pastor is best acquainted with their diseases; and therefore best knoweth to ap­ply spirituall Physicke thereunto. And as Gods Word hath a generall Blessing on every place, so more particularly is it sanctified and blessed there, to those Parishioners from the mouth of their lawfull Minister. Let not therefore the Sermon of a stranger, who perchance makes a Feast of set purpose, to entertaine new Guests, be preferred before the paines of thy owne Minister, who keeps a constant house, and a set Table, each Lords day, feeding his owne family. Wherefore, let all the Ephesians confine themselves to their Timothy; Cretians to their Titus; every Congregation to their proper Pastor. And I hope Pastors considering the solemne oath they tooke at their Institution, and the profit [Page 188] they receive from their people, and how irrationall it is to take wages, and doe no worke, and the heavie account they must make at the day of Iudgement, will provide Milke in their brests, for those who must suck of them. As for those, whose necessary occa­sions doe command their absence from their Flocks, let them be Curats of their Curats; over-see such, whom they appoynt to over­see their people. Columella gives this counsell to Husband-men, never keepe a horse to doe that worke, which may be done by an Asse; both because Asses are of a lower price, and cheaper kept: But God forbid Ministers should observe this Rule, and so consult with their profit, as to provide unworthy Sub­stitutes, to save charges.

Remedy 2.Let them not make odious comparisons be­twixt Ministers of eminent parts: It is said of Hezechiah, 2 King. 18.5. That after him, was none like him, of all the Kings of Iudah, neither any that were before him. It is said also of King Io­siah, 2 King. 23.25. And like unto him, there was no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soule, and with all his might; neither after him rose up any like him: The Holy Spirit prefers neither for better, but concludes both for best; and so amongst Ministers, when each differs from others, all may bee excellent in their kinds. As in comparing severall handsome persons, [Page 189] one surpasseth for the beauty of a naturally painted face: A second for the feature of a well proportioned body: A third for a grace of Gesture, and Comelinesse of car­riage: so that Iustice it selfe may bee puzled, and forced to suspend her Verdict, not knowing where to adjudge the Victory: So may it bee betwixt severall Pastors. Ones Excellency may consist, in the unsnarling of a knowne controversie; an other in plaine ex­pounding of Scripture, to make it portable in the weakest memory. One the best Boanar­ges, an other the best Barnabas: Our Iudgements may bee best informed by one, our Affections moved by a second; our lives reformed by a third: I am perswa­ded there is no Minister in England, for his Endowments like Saul, Higher then his Bre­thren, from the shoulders upwards; But rathes some hundreds like the Pillars in Salomons House, all of a height: But grant some in parts farre inferiour to others: was not Abishai, a valiant, and worthy Captaine, though hee attayned not to the Honour of the first three? And may not many bee ser­viceable in the Church, though not to bee ranked in the first forme, for their sufficiencie?

Let them entertaine this for a certaine truth, That the Efficacy of Gods Word de­pends not on the parts of the Minister; but on Gods blessing, on his Ordinance: Indeed [Page 190] there is a Generation of Preachers, that come upon the Stage, before ever they were in the Tyring-house, whose backwardnesse in the Vniversity, makes them so forward in the Countrey; where what they lack in Lear­ning they supply in boldnesse: I could wish, that as Gen. 21.19. When Hagars Bottle of water was spent, God opened her eyes, and shee went to the Fountaine againe; So when these Novices have emptied their store of set Ser­mons they brought with them, that their Parents would remit them backe to the Vniversity, the Fountaine of Learning and Religion, to furnish themselves with a better stocke of sufficiencie: Such Ministers as these, I account as none at all; but as for those that have the Minimum ut sic, the least degree of tolerability, to enable them in some measure, to discharge their Office: God may bee, and often is, as effectuall in, and by them; as by Rabbies, of farre greater parts.

To conclude, let us with one mind, and one mouth, advance the Glory of God, that thereby the Gospel may bee graced, Wicked men amazed; some of them con­verted; the rest of them confounded: weake Christians confirmed, to the griefe of Devils, Ioy of Angels, Honour of God himselfe: Amen.