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<DATE>2014-09-29</DATE>
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<NAME>Anne Simpson</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>Some Pious TREATISES BEING
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. A Bridle for the Tongue: <HI>or,</HI> a Treati&s;e directing a Chri&s;tian how to order his his Words in a holy maner.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. The Pre&s;ent Sweetne&s;s, and Future Bit|terne&s;s of a delicious &s;in.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. A Chri&s;tians Groans under the body of &s;in.</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. Proving the Re&s;urrection of the &s;ame body committed to the du&s;t: <HI>al&s;o,</HI> The not dying of the Soul with the Body.</ITEM>
<ITEM>5. <HI>Tractatus de Clavibus Eccle&s;iae.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>Written by CHRISTOPH. BLACKWOOD, a &s;ervant of Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed for <HI>Giles Calvert,</HI> at the Black Spread-Eagle neer the We&s;t-end of <HI>Pauls.</HI> 1654.</P>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Right Honorable Lady, The Lady <HI>FLEETWOOD,</HI> Daughter to His Highne&s;s OLIVER CROMWELL Lord Protector.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>MADAM,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_I Offer this Treati&s;e, as a Point of no mean con|cernment, e&s;pecially in this Age, wherein there is &s;uch a confu&s;ion of Tongues, as if the whole earth were become another <HI>Babel.</HI> Whence are tho&s;e po&s;sionate &s;peeches, bitter &s;landers, and raging in|vectives, <HI>which &s;et on fire the cour&s;e of
<PB REF="3"> Nature?</HI> Whence proceed the notorious lyes, the proud boastings, and horrid bla&s;phemies, which dare even God him|&s;elf, &s;ave originally from a wicked heart, &amp; in&s;trumentally from a wicked tongue? <HI>Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!</HI> To draw water out of the Well of &s;alvation, for the quenching of this fire, &s;hall be my endeavour.</P>
<P>Behold here, as in a Looking-gla&s;s, the evil of the Tongue: yet much more comes from it then is here expre&s;s'd. The beholding our &s;elves herein, may (through Divine ble&s;sing) be both an help to our Humiliation, and a mean to our Refor|mation. That God may guide our Tongues, that we may &s;o &s;peak, as in his pre&s;ence and fear, is the prayer of</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Ladi&s;hips humble &s;ervant, CHRISTOPHER BLACKWOOD.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="3">
<HEAD>A BRIDLE FOR THE TONGUE.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>COLOS. 4.6.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Let your &s;peech be alwayes with grace, powdered with &s;alt.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THe Apo&s;tle having given rules for faith, come in this Chapter, as well as the former, to ex|hort to practice, as to Chri&s;tian watchful|ne&s;s and per&s;everance, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 2. to pray for their Teachers, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 3, 4. to walk wi&s;ely to them that are without, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 5. and here to have their &s;peech &s;avoury, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 6.</P>
<P>In the words two things con&s;iderable.</P>
<P N="1">1. A precept, <HI>Let your &s;peech be alwayes with grace:</HI> that is, what&s;oever &s;peech you have with your neighbours, e&s;pecially un|believers, let it be &s;avoury, and with grace.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="2" REF="4">2. The end of the precept, that you may know how to an|&s;wer every man, according to the divers di&s;po&s;itions and inclina|tions of men.</P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> What is it to have the &s;peech <HI>with grace, powdered with &s;alt?</HI></P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> 1. That our &s;peech be &s;avoury, not idle, unprofitable, or ob&s;cene; but holy, harm le&s;s, reli&s;hing of a principle of grace, from within; &s;o that as &s;alt drawes out putrifying humors out of meat, and makes it reli&s;hable for the palate, and fit for dige&s;ti|on, &s;o a principle of grace in the heart &s;hould offer to the tongue holy and &s;avoury di&s;cour&s;e, and &s;hould &s;uppre&s;s rotten and un|holy conference. Hence two rules are in the text: 1. It mu&s;t be <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>with grace,</HI> that is, reli&s;hing of the grace of Chri&s;t in the heart, for &s;peech without grace reli&s;hes no more then meat without &s;alt: <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 50.16. To the wicked &s;ayes God, <HI>What ha&s;t thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth?</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. It mu&s;t be <HI>powdered with &s;alt,</HI> that is, with the &s;alt of inhe|rent holine&s;s; <HI>Mat.</HI> 5. <HI>Ye are the &s;alt of the earth.</HI> 2. The &s;alt of the Word, which was &s;ignified by that <HI>Levit.</HI> 2.13. <HI>With all thy offerings thou &s;halt offer &s;alt,</HI> that is, the &s;alt of the Word.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Q.</HI> What is meant by this word <HI>[alwayes] alwayes with grace?</HI></P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> 1. Con&s;tancy of holy language, &s;ome (when they are a|mong good per&s;ons) will &s;peak godlily, as <HI>Jehu, Balaam, Saul;</HI> but in other company talk wantonly and fooli&s;hly: We ought to &s;peak holily, not onely when we are on our &s;ick beds, and in godly company, but al&s;o at other times.</P>
<P N="2">2. Perpetuity, that we &s;peak not well only by fits, but let it be the u&s;ual practice of our whole life: carnal men, though good words may now and then drop from them, yet are they pre&s;ent|ly tired therewith, more then Saints are with wicked di&s;cour&s;e, becau&s;e of the remainder of corruption in them.</P>
<P N="3">3. This word <HI>[alwayes]</HI> intends other Chri&s;tians as well as the Colo&s;&s;ians, who&s;e duty it is to look to their &s;peech, that it be winning, and edifying, not hardening, or corrupting, and that the con&s;tant purpo&s;e of their hearts tend hereto, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 39.1. <HI>I &s;aid I will take heed to my wayes, that I offend not with my tongue.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Q.</HI> What is meant by this phra&s;e, <HI>that you may know how to an&s;wer every man?</HI></P>
<PB N="3" REF="4">
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. The Apo&s;tle meanes fitne&s;s of time, and place: <HI>Pro.</HI> 15.23. a word &s;poken in &s;ea&s;on how good is it? <HI>A word fitly &s;po|ken is like apples of Gold in Pictures of &s;ilver.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Fitne&s;s of per&s;ons, that we &s;peake reverently to &s;uperiors, mode&s;tly to equals, and conde&s;cendingly to inferiors.</P>
<P>The words thus expounded, let us gather &s;ome ob&s;ervations, and doctrines, as fir&s;t from the precept, we may learne this doctrine, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<P>Doct. <HI>The &s;peeches of Christians &s;hould be con&s;tantly and conti|nually gracious and &s;avourie.</HI></P>
<P><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 17.3. <HI>I am purpo&s;ed that my mouth &s;hall not tran&s;gre&s;s,</HI> P&s;al. 19.14. <HI>Let the words of my mouth be ever acceptable.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 1. Becau&s;e there is no time wherein we ought to give liberty to our tongues to &s;peak carnally, we have an univer&s;al negation or denial, <HI>Eph.</HI> 4 29. <HI>Let no corrupt Communication pro|ceed out of your mouth.</HI> It's the &s;peech of wicked men to &s;ay, <HI>our tongues are our owne,</HI> P&s;al. 12.4. <HI>who is Lord over us?</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e all our words are noted by God, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 139.4. <HI>There is not a word in my tongue but thou &ocirc; Lord knowe&s;t it altoge|ther.</HI> Not &s;ucce&s;&s;ively as man, but altogether as God: the Hea|thens &s;aw this, <GAP DESC="foreign">. If a per&s;on were by us that bookt all our words from morn to night, from day to day, would we not be careful what we &s;poke? Why God is by and hears all, <HI>Mat.</HI> 12.37. <HI>Of every idle word,</HI> if per&s;ons re|pent not, they &s;hal <HI>give account, Iude</HI> 15. Chri&s;t will convince ungodly &s;inners of all their hard &s;peeches.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e by language con&s;tantly gracious, we may be in&s;tru|mentall to worke grace in others, <HI>Eph.</HI> 4.28. words that are good for the u&s;e of edifying, mini&s;ter grace unto the hearers, al&s;o <HI>the lips of the righteous feed m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ny, Pro.</HI> 10.21. <HI>Solomon</HI> here com|pares tho&s;e Soules, who feed others with gracious words, to good hou&s;e keepers, who keepe open-hou&s;e to pa&s;&s;engers to refre&s;h them&s;elves. As corrupt communication corrupts good man|ners, 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 15. &s;o holy communication builds up per&s;ons in an holy conver&s;ation.</P>
<P N="4">4. From the nature of contraries, which cannot be at one and the &s;ame time, in one and the &s;ame &s;ubject, <HI>Jam.</HI> 3.11. The Apo|&s;tle argues, if one tree cannot bring forth contrary fruits, nor one
<PB N="4" REF="5"> Foutain contrary waters, &s;alt and fre&s;h, then cannot one tongue bring forth words &s;avory, and un&s;avory, ble&s;&s;ing and cur&s;ing, v. 9. one cau&s;e may bring forth contrary effects, in diver|&s;ity of &s;ubjects, as the &s;un &s;oftens wax, and hardens clay; but contraries here ari&s;e from contrary cau&s;es, in one and the &s;ame &s;ubject.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But we read of &s;undry Saints that have &s;poken ami&s;&s;e: <HI>Mo&s;es &s;pake unadvi&s;edly with his lips; David</HI> in a pa&s;&s;ion &s;aid, <HI>all men were <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ars, P&s;al.</HI> 116.11. <HI>Samuel</HI> and all who told him he &s;hould be King: <HI>Job</HI> and <HI>Jeremy</HI> cur&s;t the day of there birth.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. Pa&s;&s;ions in holy men &s;omtimes u&s;urpe the govern|ment of the members, as Rebels do the thrones of Princes, but this wicked frame the Apo&s;tle taxes, is not onely when Soules are in a pa&s;&s;ion, but when out of a pa&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Apo&s;tle &s;ets forth the mon&s;trou&s;ne&s;s of a wicked tongue, in that it produces contraries; which nature in all other things abhors. For ble&s;&s;ing and cur&s;ing are contraries towards one and the &s;ame &s;ubject.</P>
<P N="5">5. By un&s;avory communication we grieve Gods Spirit, <HI>Eph.</HI> 4.29.30. Let no corrupt communication, proceed out of thy mouth, the Apo&s;tle brings two rea&s;ons; 1. From the benefit, good words tend to the u&s;e of edifying; Mini&s;tring grace to the hearers.</P>
<P N="2">2. From the lo&s;&s;e, and grieve not the Spirit, this copulative <HI>(And)</HI> &s;hewes it is another rea&s;on again&s;t it, as if he &s;hould &s;ay, if any corrupt words proceed from you, you will not only mini&s;ter &s;in to the hearers, but al&s;o grieve the Spirit: we are <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oth to grieve a dear freind, let us not then grieve the Spirit, &s;uch unholy words grieve the Spirits of godly friends, who are but in part &s;anctified, much more do they grieve the Spirit, who is holine&s;s it &s;elfe.</P>
<P N="6">6. It is the &s;cope at which all Saints &s;hould ayme, to have their words con&s;tantly gracious, <HI>Iam.</HI> 3.2. <HI>If any man &s;in not in word, the &s;ame is a perfect man;</HI> As if he &s;hould &s;ay, perfect men &s;hould ayme at this, to have their words without &s;in, we cannot have our words perfect with a legal perfection, but we may with an evan|gelical: however let us not de&s;pi&s;e our words, as if &s;infull words
<PB N="5" REF="5"> were a thing of nothing, <HI>Pro.</HI> 19.16. <HI>He that de&s;pi&s;eth his waies &s;hall die. David</HI> praid, <HI>Let the words of my mouth be ever accepta|ble,</HI> P&s;alm. 19.14.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But if our words mu&s;t be &s;o &s;avory, then we mu&s;t talke of nothing but religion.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> It follows not, for our &s;peech is &s;avory, when it is ac|cording to the Word, though it be not of the Word, but of com|mon employments.</P>
<P>Be&s;ides, either the matter of our talke &s;hould be holy, while we &s;peake only of good things; or the manner of &s;peak|ing holy, when we talke of earthly things, in Chri&s;tian plain|ne&s;s, and in Gods feare, avoiding fal&s;hood. Yea &s;ometimes, we may &s;peake of harmele&s;s mirth in Gods feare, <HI>Eliah</HI> broke a je&s;t upon <HI>Ba<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l,</HI> that he was either a&s;leepe, or in a journey, yet mu&s;t we take heed of the lightne&s;s of language, in many per&s;ons, who&s;e words tend only to provoke to laughter. If thy tongue be inclining hereto; &s;ay thou, <HI>I will lay my hand upon my mouth, Iob</HI> 40.4.</P>
<P><HI>V&s;e.</HI> It's a ju&s;t reprehen&s;ion of tho&s;e, who in&s;tead of having their &s;peeches con&s;tantly gracious, and &s;avory, have them con|&s;tantly ungracious, and un&s;avory; this is an argument of a grace|le&s;s heart, <HI>Mat.</HI> 12.35. <HI>An evill man out of the evill trea&s;ure of his heart, bringeth forth evill things.</HI> Neither &s;hould we barely &s;peake of good things, but &s;peak of them out of a de&s;ire of being edifi|ed by others, and of edifying of others, which carnal men do not. Many throats are like open &s;epulchres, out of which come many filthy vapors, <HI>Rom.</HI> 3.13.14. <HI>The poy&s;on of a&s;pes is under their tongues, the</HI> poy&s;on of them is &s;o &s;trong, that there is no re|medy for them that are bit with them, but that the member bit|ter be cut off. <HI>Pliny,</HI> l. 8. c. 18. As we may know of what country a man is by his &s;peech, as whether of <HI>France,</HI> or <HI>Spaine,</HI> &s;o we may know of what country the&s;e men are of by their &s;peech, they are of hell, their &s;peech bewraieth them: in particular, many per|&s;ons come under this reprehen&s;ion, as.</P>
<P N="1">1. Prophane &s;peakers, who never &s;peake of God or his attributes, unle&s;s in admiration, as, O God! O Lord! O Chri&s;t! what is more then yea, and nay, cometh of evill, <HI>Iam.</HI> 5.12. 2. Cur&s;ers; if thy cur&s;es fall not on their heads, to whom thou
<PB N="6" REF="6"> wi&s;he&s;t them; they fall back, on thy owne head, &s;ome degree of murther, is in a cur&s;e, and herein thou de&s;ire&s;t God to be an executioner of thy lu&s;t, &s;o evill are they that they are not to be vented again&s;t an enemy, and wicked men are branded by this note; that their mouths are full of cur&s;ing, <HI>P&s;alm.</HI> 10.7.</P>
<P N="3">3. Vaine je&s;ters. I will not with <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> condemne all je&s;ts; for God having given us a power of laughing, hath given us objects, and occa&s;ions of laughter, but biting je&s;ts, which delight &s;ome, and offend others, and &s;infull je&s;ts, which make a mocke at &s;in; <HI>Pro.</HI> 14.9. And Scripture je&s;ts, which mocke at the holy word of God, are prophane, and abominable. Though a Chri&s;tian may now and then breake an harmele&s;s je&s;t, yet is it no prai&s;e for a Chri&s;tian man to be a je&s;ter, for u&s;uall je&s;ting brings a man into a light frame of &s;pirit, &s;o that the &s;oule cannot feed upon &s;erious things.</P>
<P N="4">4. Swearers, whether tho&s;e that &s;weare by Gods name &s;imply, or tho&s;e that &s;weare a compound oath, joining a praier thereto, &s;aying, &s;o let the Lord help me, or plague me, if it be not &s;o, <HI>Ruth</HI> 1.17. The&s;e when taken (otherwi&s;e then before a Magi|&s;trate or in ca&s;e of confirmation, for the ending of &s;trife, or the di&s;charge of &s;ome tru&s;t in us repo&s;ed, <HI>Gen.</HI> 24. <HI>Heb.</HI> 6.) Are all prophane, again&s;t which is that flying rowle of cur&s;es, mention|ed <HI>Zach.</HI> 5.3.</P>
<P N="5">5. Vaine complementers, who in &s;alutation u&s;e the phra&s;e of <HI>God &s;ave you, God be with you,</HI> without inward reverence; not that it is unlawfull &s;imply to u&s;e Gods name in &s;alutation, if our hearts be affected according to our words, for we may bid <HI>God &s;peed</HI> to a man that is about a good action, 2. Epi&s;t. <HI>John.</HI> v. 10. and <HI>Boaz</HI> u&s;ed it lawfully, <HI>Ruth.</HI> 2.4. But becau&s;e at &s;uch times we &s;eldome remember Gods name, therefore it is better to change our &s;alutation into other phra&s;es, as, <HI>I am glad to &s;ee you, how do you, your &s;ervant;</HI> farewell; the learned languages u&s;e &s;uch &s;alu|tations, the Greeks u&s;e <GAP DESC="foreign">, rejoyce; the Latines, <HI>Salve,</HI> art thou &s;afe? or be thou &s;afe.</P>
<P N="2">2. Filthy &s;peakers, <HI>Col.</HI> 3.8. The Apo&s;tle bids us put away fil|thy Communication out of our mouths, as if he &s;hould &s;ay; per|haps it may ri&s;e up in your heart, yet let it not come out of your mouth; if thou ha&s;t thought evill, lay thy hand upon thy mouth,
<PB N="7" REF="6"> that it may not proceed any further, <HI>Pro.</HI> 30.32. Filthy &s;peeches that tend to the corrupting of manners, hence <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> would not harken to his mi&s;tre&s;&s;es words, <HI>Gen.</HI> 39. &amp; <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth, Eph</HI> 4.29. The Ephe&s;i|ans are bid that fornication and all uncleanene&s;s &s;hould not be named among&s;t them, as becometh Saints, <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.3. <HI>Deodate</HI> on the place ob&s;erves, that among the Heathens, that which was vile to be &s;poken, was vile to be &s;poken much more among Chri&s;tians: the Apo&s;tle would have us to name the contrary gra|ces, not to name the &s;ins.</P>
<P N="3">3. Idle talkers, condemned <HI>Matth.</HI> 12.36. <HI>Of every idle word that men &s;hall &s;peak, &s;hall they give account.</HI> An idle word is a profu&s;e, or needle&s;s word, u&s;ed ra&s;hly, or unadvi&s;edly, wanting a rea&s;on of ju&s;t nece&s;&s;ity, bringing neither honour to God, nor edi|fication to &s;peaker, or hearer, nor conducing to any profitable end. Many per&s;ons are guilty herein; as,</P>
<P N="1">1. Over-talkers, who &s;pend an hundred words, when ten would &s;erve, if we can &s;peak any thing by two words, it is in vain to u&s;e three.</P>
<P N="2">2. Onely talkers; <HI>Pro.</HI> 14.23. <HI>In all labour there is profit; only the talke of the lips tends only to penurie.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Unprofitable talkers; <HI>Eccles.</HI> 10.13. <HI>The beginning of the words of their mouths is fooli&s;hne&s;s, and the end of his talke is mi&s;che|vous madne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Un&s;ea&s;onable talkers, that place one word, where another &s;hould &s;tand, their words are like mi&s;placed words, and letters in a Printers pre&s;&s;e, which marre the &s;en&s;e, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 8.4. <HI>A wi&s;e man di&s;cerneth time and judgement;</HI> He meanes it of a &s;ea&s;onable admoni&s;hing of a Prince.</P>
<P N="5">5. Ra&s;h talkers, who &s;peak fir&s;t, and think afterwards; <HI>Herod</HI> ra&s;hly promi&s;ed to give <HI>Herodias</HI> what &s;he would aske. <HI>Be not ra&s;h, with thy mouth, Eccle&s;.</HI> 5.2. God hath &s;et a double bar to the tongue, the teeth and lips, that we &s;hould not &s;peake ra&s;hly, words once &s;poken cannot returne, when once &s;poken they are no more thine, but the hearers; A man that thinks before he &s;peaks, &s;eldom repents of what he &s;peaks; &s;ilence is far better then ra&s;h &s;peaking.</P>
<P N="4">4. Proud talkers; of the&s;e there are, 1. The di&s;dainfull &s;peaker,
<PB N="8" REF="7"> who di&s;dains God, and man, &s;o <HI>Pharoah, Who is the Lord? I will not let the People goe, Exo.</HI> 5.2. <HI>Our lips are our owne, who is Lord o|ver us? P&s;al.</HI> 12.4. God will di&s;troy, <HI>the tongue that &s;peakes proud things. P&s;al.</HI> 12.3. Clamorou&s;ne&s;s, &s;cornfulne&s;s, and &s;lighting|ne&s;s, are declaratives of a proud tongue.</P>
<P N="2">2. Boa&s;ters are reproveable, it's a common di&s;ea&s;e incident to to the tongue, mo&s;t men will proclaime every one his owne goodne&s;s, <HI>Pro.</HI> 20.6. The tongue boa&s;ts great things, boa&s;ting men are called <GAP DESC="foreign">, &s;hiners above others, <HI>Rom.</HI> 1. as the &s;un above the &s;tars; yet when we are wrongfully di&s;paraged, we may &s;peak of our owne goodne&s;s, in order to free our &s;elves from reproach, &s;o did <HI>Iob,</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.29.13.14. He was eies to the blind, feet to the lame, a Father to the poore, &amp;c. al&s;o, <HI>Cap.</HI> 30. &amp; 31. He would never have told us of this, had not the cen&s;ures of his friends cau&s;ed it, &s;o <HI>Paul.</HI> 2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. The undervaluing of the fal&s;e Apo&s;tles made him tell of the great &s;ufferings he endured by labours, &s;tripes, fa&s;tings, &amp;c. All boa&s;ting is bad, but that is the wo&s;re, when we &s;hall boa&s;t in an empty gift, <HI>Pro.</HI> 25.14. or in a &s;infull act, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 52.1. Be&s;ide God &s;trips many of their riches, and honours, for boa&s;ting in them, <HI>E&s;th.</HI> 6.11.12. <HI>Haman</HI> boa&s;ting of his wealth, and the Princes favors, lo&s;t all in a few daies, <HI>Nebucadnezzar</HI> glorying in his courtly ornaments, heard that voice, <HI>Thy Kingdom is departed from thee, Dan.</HI> 4.30.31.</P>
<P N="5">5. Uncharitable &s;peakers, of which there are diver&s;e &s;ort.</P>
<P N="1">1. Cen&s;urers, who judge others, for mores, or infirmities, to which the holie&s;t are liable, when them&s;elves are full of beames, or reigning &s;ins, <HI>Mat.</HI> 7.3. Or for things indifferent, as meats and daies, <HI>Rom.</HI> 14.3. Every one that doth well, hath as much right to his good name, as our &s;elves, thou art not able to judge of other mens actions, as being ignorant of many circum&s;tances therein, for thou knowe&s;t not with what minde he did it, nor to what end; holy men are much in judging them&s;elves, and &s;paring in cen&s;uring others. Be &s;paring in cen&s;uring; if we cen&s;ure other mens evills, let the evills be evident, and to warne others, not to cau&s;e joy in our owne e&s;tates, by looking on other mens falls, <HI>Gal.</HI> 6.4: <HI>Let every man prove his owne works, that he may have rejoycing in him&s;elf alone, not in another;</HI> that is, not in another mans fall.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="9" REF="7">2. Backbiters; &s;ome backbite others out of lightne&s;s and bab|ling, having no intention to wrong, this is the le&s;s, but it's &s;o much more, when per&s;ons out of a &s;pirit of hatred backbite others; ma|ny tongues are like &s;harp razors, <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 52.2. yet may we in love &s;peak of other mens faults to them who have power to reforme them, as <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> told his Father his brethrens faults, 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 1.11. pretend not for your &s;lander that the thing is true, for it was true that <HI>Doeg</HI> told <HI>Saul</HI> of <HI>Abimelechs</HI> releeving of <HI>David;</HI> but becau&s;e <HI>Doegs</HI> intent was to make <HI>Saul</HI> think that <HI>David</HI> con&s;pired a|gain&s;t him, therefore he was a &s;landerer. Be carefull &s;eldome to &s;peak of other mens faults, <HI>Titus</HI> 3.2. And when thou heare&s;t thy neighbour &s;landered, it's thy duty to maintaine, and ju&s;tifie his innocency; by thy &s;ilence herein thou become&s;t guilty of &s;lander. It was a good coun&s;ell of one to backbiters, when they backbite for that which is good, &s;ay, nay rather this per&s;on de|&s;erves to be commended, and you bring a woe on your &s;elfe, for calling good evill; <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.20. If it be doubtfull, tell him, chari|ty judges the be&s;t in doubtfull ca&s;es. 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 13.5. If it be a manife&s;t offence, and but a &s;mall one, tell him in many things we &s;in all, if it be an enemy, tell him, <HI>ill will never &s;peaks well,</HI> if it be his friend, tell him, he deales uncharitably, to &s;peak ill of his friend, if he &s;ay he &s;peakes nothing, but truth, tell him he mu&s;t <HI>&s;peak the truth in love.</HI> Whi&s;pering is of the &s;ame kinde with &s;lander, one|ly the whi&s;perer backbiteth in &s;ecret, and the &s;landerer openly. This is the common evill of the times, exceeding de&s;tructive to humane &s;ociety in general, and friend&s;hip in particular, for the whi&s;perer &s;eparateth very friends, <HI>Pro.</HI> 16.21.</P>
<P N="3">3. Liars; lying is a voluntary in equality betwixt the heart and &s;peech, when a tongue &s;hall affirme things to be true, which the heart knowes to be fal&s;e, or to be doubtfull or uncertaine; opi|nions and reports, mu&s;t be affirmed, as they are, and not &s;poken for certainties. Yet tropicall &s;peeches, as <HI>Metonimies, Jronies, Metaphors,</HI> and <HI>Sinechdoches,</HI> and <HI>Allegories,</HI> for as much as they are invented to teach both with more plea&s;ure, and more de|mon&s;tration, are not lies; being very frequent in the holy Word, &s;ee <HI>Amos</HI> 4.5. 1. <HI>Kings.</HI> 22. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 6.6.119.36. No more are parables, and &s;imilitudes, being not only u&s;ed in the old Te&s;tament by holy men, 2. <HI>Sam.</HI> 12. 1. <HI>Judg.</HI> 9.7. 2. <HI>Chron.</HI> 25.15. but even by Chri&s;t
<PB N="10" REF="8"> him&s;elfe, <HI>Matth.</HI> 13.20.21.22. &amp;c. Nor to lie hid in general &s;peeches, when a man is not &s;ifted to particulars, is no lie. How prone are our tongues to lying? &s;o that the Spirit doubted not to call <HI>every man a lier, Rom.</HI> 3.4. Yea it hung upon <HI>David,</HI> when he was in the highe&s;t pitch of regeneration, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.29. Take from me the way of lying, yet are the lies that flow from Saints upon &s;uddaine &s;urprizal, &s;eldom or never upon deliberation; &s;o that a Chri&s;tian will no more deliberately lie, to &s;ave his life, then he will &s;teale or deny Chri&s;t delibarately, to &s;ave his life, and therefore if thou ha&s;t a purpo&s;e to deny any evill formerly acted, by thee, when in time to come charged upon thee, I may groundedly que&s;tion, if not po&s;itively deny, thy regeneration, thou maie&s;t refu&s;e to an&s;wer to the que&s;tion, or put the que&s;tio|ner off with other truths, or &s;how a di&s;ta&s;t of their curio&s;ity, but thy purpo&s;e mu&s;t bee to incur rather &s;hame and blame, nay death it &s;elfe rather then deliberately to lie, for we are to chu&s;e affliction; rather then iniquity, <HI>Job</HI> 39.21. And true re|pentant &s;oules have their purpo&s;es &s;et again&s;t all &s;in, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 66.18.</P>
<P>But becau&s;e there are diver&s;e ca&s;es, wherein per&s;ons are apt to la&s;h out in lying, as to gratifie a friend, the Hebrew Midwives lied to &s;ave the males alive, <HI>Exo.</HI> 1.19. <HI>Rahab</HI> lied to pre&s;erve the &s;pies, <HI>Jo&s;.</HI> 2.5.6.2. To beaveng'd of an enemy, thus <HI>Act.</HI> 6.11 <HI>Mat.</HI> 26.60.61.</P>
<P N="3">3. For pious ends; as, 1. To advance Gods glory, <HI>Job</HI> 13.6.7: <HI>Will you talke deceitfully for God?</HI> 2. To pre&s;erve our owne or a friends life, &s;o <HI>Michal</HI> lied to &s;ave <HI>Davids</HI> life, 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 19.11. to the 18. Not to &s;ave a Soule, Rom. 3.8. Good intentions will not make evill actions good, for then a man might &s;teale with an in|tention to give to the poore.</P>
<P N="4">4. For mirth, <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 7.3. The Prophet blames tho&s;e who made the King and Princes glad with their lying mirth; if Princes who by rea&s;on of their government are mo&s;t oppre&s;t mu&s;t not be re|fre&s;hed with lying &s;tories, or je&s;ts, much le&s;&s;e mu&s;t any other man.</P>
<P N="5">5. For complement; It may be que&s;tion'd whether <HI>Abigail</HI> did not lie in that her deep complement, 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 25.41. If &s;he did not, I am confident I have heard many that have lied in&s;en&s;ibly in a long &s;eries of Complements.</P>
<P N="6"><PB N="11" REF="8">6. In profe&s;&s;ion of friend&s;hip I have known &s;ome, that have &s;tretched out far in words to in gratiate them&s;elves with &s;ome per&s;ons, who&s;e hot friend&s;hip hath in a &s;hort time, proved key cold for a trifle; of the&s;e &s;ee <HI>Pro.</HI> 26.23. <HI>Burning lips and a wick|ed heart,</HI> That is, words that are full of fire of love, and meane not what they profe&s;s, they are like a pot&s;heard covered over with &s;ilver dro&s;s, which for the unprofitablene&s;s is ca&s;t out of doors.</P>
<P N="7">7. For advancement of our owne gaine, <HI>Pro.</HI> 21.6. the getting of trea&s;ures by a lying tongue is a vanity to&s;&s;ed to and fro of them that &s;eeke death. No man can tell how apt the tongue is to flie out in this ca&s;e, but they that have watcht their hearts: <HI>It's naught, &s;aith the buyer, Pro.</HI> 20.14. this helpt on <HI>Ananias</HI> and <HI>Saphiras</HI> lying, <HI>Act.</HI> 5. and <HI>Juda&s;&s;es, Joh.</HI> 12.6.</P>
<P N="8">8. For e&s;caping &s;ome Cro&s;&s;e, per&s;ons are apt to lie, to &s;hun reproach, impri&s;onment, bani&s;hment confi&s;cation of goods, and death, remember that of <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 56.7. Shall they e&s;cape by iniqui|ties? no &s;ure, for <HI>Solomon</HI> gives the an&s;wer to that que&s;tion, <HI>Pro.</HI> 12.3. <HI>A man &s;hall not be e&s;tabli&s;hed by wickedne&s;s,</HI> and <HI>Ezekiel</HI> adds, Cap. 7.13. that <HI>no man &s;hall &s;trengthen him&s;elfe in the iniquity of his life.</HI> The martyrs that died, many of them needed not have died, would they have told a lie.</P>
<P N="9">9. In ca&s;e of pretended mode&s;ty, and humility, &s;o many will deny the gifts, and graces of God in them. Many a&s;&s;ert tho&s;e things in words, which they meane not, to gaine the opinion of an humble per&s;on, that of le&s;s then the lea&s;t of all Saints differs from that of the Roman Antichri&s;t, who calls him&s;elfe the <HI>Ser|vant of the Servants of God,</HI> but indeed intends to rule over prin|ces.</P>
<P N="10">10. In the advancement of any worth in our &s;elves, as our parts, our pedegree, our valour, our cha&s;tity, our bounty, our right, and title in any ca&s;e, <HI>Pro.</HI> 20.5. Any thing of &s;elfe, we are ready lyingly to cry it up, al&s;o our innocency, again&s;t accu&s;ati|ons we are wont highly to vindicate that.</P>
<P>To remedy that pronene&s;s that is in us to lying, &s;peake neither more nor le&s;s of thy &s;elfe, or any thing el&s;e, then it is; our tongues are made to be &s;ignifications of our mindes, and not to lie is an act of power, for God cannot lie, not becau&s;e he is im|potent,
<PB N="12" REF="9"> but becau&s;e he is omnipotent. If thou come&s;t to any &s;tature in grace, thy heart will &s;mite thee for this &s;in in &s;peciall, and thou wilt hunger and thir&s;t after truth, and mourne for it, which babes in Chri&s;t do not &s;o much note.</P>
<P>Contrary, con&s;ider the gloriou&s;ne&s;s of truth, which is mo&s;t beautifull when mo&s;t naked, as <HI>Adam</HI> was. Now that is truth which is what it &s;eemes to be, and that is fal&s;e which &s;eemes that it is not; as <HI>Iehu,</HI> who &s;poke that he had a great &s;acrifice to do to <HI>Baal,</HI> when he intended to de&s;troy the <HI>Baal</HI> wor&s;hippers. The <HI>Pri&s;ciliani&s;ts</HI> in <HI>Augu&s;tines</HI> time, held that the Soul of man was of the &s;ub&s;tance of God, that a man might lie for the &s;aving the Soul, or body of another, that a man might deny the truth he beleeved, if he kept the truth in his heart, &s;o that when they were among <HI>Catholikes</HI> (as they cal'd them) they would &s;peak a|gain&s;t <HI>Pri&s;cilianists,</HI> and when they were among <HI>Pri&s;ciliani&s;ts,</HI> they would &s;peak again&s;t <HI>Catholikes.</HI> One <HI>Con&s;entius,</HI> and diver&s;e others, who were Catholiques, would faine them&s;elves to be <HI>Pri&s;ciliani&s;ts,</HI> that they might di&s;cover the&s;e <HI>Pri&s;ciliani&s;ts,</HI> and bring them back to the Catholique faith; or if incorrigible, turne them over to the Magi&s;trate; <HI>Augustine</HI> writing hereof to <HI>Con&s;entius,</HI> one of the chiefe of them, prai&s;ed his Zeale, but his manner of prooceding he flatly condemned, &s;aying, <HI>how can I per&s;ecute lies, with lies?</HI> Moreover, as the Sun is light without darkne&s;s, &s;o is God truth, without fal&s;ehood, who&s;e truth is the mea&s;ure of all truth in the creature, for the commone&s;t truth that is, as to &s;ay that <HI>Je&s;us is the Lord,</HI> is not but <HI>by the Holy Gho&s;t; Rom.</HI> 12.3. As all lies &s;poken though by Saints, proceed from the Devill, <HI>Joh.</HI> 8.44. So all truth &s;poken, though by a wicked man, proceeds from the Holy Gho&s;t. As from one face of one man in many looking gla&s;&s;es, many &s;imilitudes, and repre&s;entations are begot, &s;o from that one efficient and exemplarie truth in God all truths are begot.</P>
<P N="4">4. Flatterers: flattering &s;peech is condemned, <HI>Job</HI> 32:21. Flat|cery is the application of a mans tongue deceitfully to the will of another for profit &s;ake, <HI>adulatio</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, it's a &s;ervile condi|tion to be a flatterer; there may be a &s;mooth &s;weetne&s;s of &s;peech, whereby we &s;peake kindely to all in reference to make them friends, or le&s;&s;e enemies, 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 9.20. Yea there may be an ac|knowledgment
<PB N="13" REF="9"> of the gifts and graces of others, in order to fur|ther proficiency 2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 12.11. neither is it reverent &s;peaking to &s;uperiors flattery, nor affable, and mild &s;peeches (whereby we &s;peake courteou&s;ly to all, and forbeare roughne&s;s to good per|&s;ons, and in ju&s;t cau&s;es) is no flattery, neither is a verb all pro|fe&s;&s;ion of thankfulne&s;s for benefits received flatterie, but this is flattery when we &s;hall deceitfully dawbe men up with fal&s;e prai&s;es,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mi pater <HI>Leo,</HI> crede n&egrave; Syre|nes i&s;tos, qui te Deum poti&ugrave;s qu&agrave;m hominem appellant.</NOTE> as <HI>Luther</HI> &s;peaks of &s;ome flat|terers, that made Pope <HI>Leo</HI> believe that he was rather a god then a man. <HI>Ezechiel</HI> &s;peaking of &s;oule-flattery, calls this <HI>dawbing, Ezek.</HI> 13.15. As a Dawber makes a ruinous hou&s;e look like a new hou&s;e when it is rotten within, &s;o do flatterers, as the people did to <HI>Herod,</HI> when they cried, <HI>It's the voice of God, and not of man.</HI> It's a judgment on per&s;ons who love to be flattered, that they &s;hall not have any to reprove them &s;incerely.</P>
<P>To prevent flatterie, let us prai&s;e men when they are ab&s;ent; &s;o did the Jews prai&s;e the Centurion, <HI>Luke</HI> 9.4. Chri&s;t prai&s;ed <HI>Iohn Bapti&s;t</HI> behind his back, from his con&s;tancy, that he was not a reed &s;haken with wind; from his moderation in apparel, <HI>Mat.</HI> 11.7, 8. And he prai&s;es not <HI>Iohn</HI> till <HI>Iohns</HI> di&s;ciples were depart|ed. Al&s;o fora&s;much as flattering &s;peeches may be carried &s;o cun|ningly, that man cannot well di&s;cern it, con&s;ider God knowes thy intention, 1 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 2.5. <HI>Neither at any time u&s;ed we flattering &s;peeches, God is witne&s;s.</HI> Al&s;o take heed of admiring great men, from whom we hope for gain, <HI>Iude</HI> 16. <HI>Having mens per&s;ons in admiration becau&s;e of advantage.</HI> Now becau&s;e flatterers dare not reprehend vices of great men, unle&s;s it be in trifles, as for neglecting their health, not for their drunkenne&s;s or oppre&s;|&s;ion. To evidence your &s;incerity, practi&s;e &s;erious reprehen&s;ion where you practi&s;e commendation.</P>
<P N="5">5. Tale-bearers, who u&s;e to &s;peak evill of others with &s;ome fine pretences, but have a <HI>but</HI> that is dipt in gall and vineger. As Pedlars carrie their wares from place to place, &s;o do the&s;e their pack of tales: the&s;e bu&s;ie bodies &s;tir up much contention in pla|ces: of the&s;e <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;peaks, <HI>Pro.</HI> 26.<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">0. <HI>Where there is no tale-bearer, &s;trife cea&s;eth.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. Railers and revilers, who either revile when reviled, or re|vile
<PB N="14" REF="10"> without being reviled: Learn of Chri&s;t, who when reviled reviled not againe, 1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 2.23. when he was called devill, made no other reply but this, <HI>I am not a devill, Joh.</HI> 8.48, 49. and when Satan &s;tood at <HI>Io&s;hua's</HI> right hand before the Angell of the Co|venant, no doubt reviling <HI>Io&s;hua, Io&s;hua</HI> &s;aid, <HI>the Lord rebuke thee &ocirc; Satan, even the Lord that hath cho&s;en Ieru&s;alem rebuke thee, Zach.</HI> 3.1.2. <HI>Michael</HI> dur&s;t not bring a railing accu&s;ation again&s;t the de|vill, only &s;aid <HI>the Lord rebuke thee, Iude.</HI> 9. railing is fitter for the mouth of a <HI>Nabal,</HI> 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 25.14. or of a <HI>Shimei,</HI> 2. <HI>Sam.</HI> 16.7.8. or of a <HI>Rab&s;hekeh,</HI> 2. <HI>Chron.</HI> 32.17. then for the mouth of a Chri|&s;tian, who is not to give railing for railing, 1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 3.9. but con|trariwi&s;e ble&s;&s;ing. <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.44. Among other &s;inners railers are ex|cluded heaven, 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 5 11.</P>
<P N="7">7. Pa&s;&s;ionate &s;peakers; many per&s;ons in a pa&s;&s;ion &s;peake they know not what, nor care not what, <HI>Ionah</HI> being ask'd whether he did <HI>well to be angry,</HI> replied, <HI>I do well to be angry even to death, Ion.</HI> 4.9. <HI>David</HI> in his ha&s;t &s;aid <HI>all men were liars, P&s;a.</HI> 116.11. <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> in his pa&s;&s;ion <HI>&s;pake unadvi&s;edly with his lips, P&s;a.</HI> 106.33. being provoked thereto; He re&s;pects tho&s;e times when he bad the Lord kill him out of hand, <HI>Num.</HI> 11.15. and c. 20.12, when he cri|ed, <HI>hear ye rebells: Nebucadnezzar</HI> in his furie commands the for|nac<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to be heat &s;even times hotter, <HI>Dan.</HI> 3.19. <HI>Cain</HI> in his pa&s;&s;ion &s;naps off the Lord, <HI>am I my brothers keeper? Gen</HI> 4.5. <HI>Saul</HI> &s;peak<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to <HI>Ionathan, thou &s;on of the pe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ver&s;e and rebellious woman, ha&s;t thou not cho&s;en the &s;on of David to thine owne confu&s;ion?</HI> 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 20.30.</P>
<P>To prevent the&s;e pa&s;&s;ionate &s;peeches wherewith furious men abound, <HI>Pro.</HI> 29.22. give rea&s;on leave to interpo&s;e, let not a furi|ous &s;cold beare downe a reverend Judge; con&s;ider that every cup of affliction comes from the hand of a father, <HI>Ioh.</HI> 18.11. to looke at the hand of providence is an e&s;peciall meanes to bridle an ungovern'd tongue; be&s;ides pa&s;&s;ionate tongues are ready to &s;peak beyond the bounds of truth, moreover meditate of humane weakne&s;&s;es in all relations, as children, &s;ervants, to hear pa&s;&s;io|nate men &s;peak beyond their bounds, as they do often, who would not think them mad? Moreover, think how &s;uch &s;peeches grieve the hearers ears, and wound the &s;peakers heart: if pa&s;&s;i|onately calling <HI>Racha,</HI> empty brain or fool, be &s;o dangerous,
<PB N="15" REF="10"> <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.22. what is it to flie into many di&s;tempered &s;peeches? If you fear your pa&s;&s;ion will break out into un&s;avoury &s;peech, do as <HI>Ionathan</HI> did in the like ca&s;e, who being &s;orely provoked by his father, departed the room, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 20.31. to what mea&s;ure of &s;corn and table-talk do many per&s;ons by pa&s;&s;ionate language ex|po&s;e them&s;elves? when per&s;ons call for fire from heaven, by what &s;pirit are they moved? <HI>Luke</HI> 9 54.55. The &s;ame medicine of &s;ilence that cures anger in anothers heart and tongue, would al&s;o cure it in our own: cro&s;s replies are like wood to fire, but if nece&s;&s;ity require us to &s;peak to provoking language, let our an|&s;wers be &s;oft, <HI>Iudg.</HI> 8.1, 2. The men of <HI>Ephraim</HI> chid <HI>I<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pthah</HI> &s;harply becau&s;e he called them not to the battell again&s;t the Mi|dianites, he replies ver&s;. 2. <HI>Your gleanings are more then my vintage.</HI> Cannon &s;hot lo&s;es the force when it is &s;hot again&s;t a feather-bed: <HI>Pro.</HI> 15.1. <HI>A &s;oft an&s;wer turneth away wrath, but grievous words &s;tir up anger.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. From contentious words; the&s;e words are the &s;eed of &s;trife, <HI>Proverbs</HI> chap. 16. ver. 18. <HI>A froward man &s;oweth &s;trife.</HI> Contentious words are compared to the taking away the banks of a river, which being once let out, cannot ea&s;ily be redu|ced or bound in in the proper channell, <HI>Pro.</HI> 17.14. <HI>The beginning of &s;trife is as when one letteth out water:</HI> therefore leave off con|tention before it be medled with; fire and water know no bounds when once let out: How was <HI>Abimelech</HI> and the men of <HI>Sichem</HI> de&s;troyed by &s;trife, <HI>Judg.</HI> 9.20. A fire of contention came from <HI>A|bimelech</HI> to de&s;troy the men of <HI>Sichem,</HI> &amp; from the men of <HI>Sichem</HI> to de&s;troy <HI>Abimelech.</HI> Be&s;ides, how often are contentious words taken up only for victory &s;ake. Contentious words to corrupt natures are as fewell to fire for to kindle it, <HI>Pro.</HI> 26.21. Some men are &s;o contentious in words, that if you bring the mo&s;t demon|&s;trative arguments in the world, they will not obey the truth, nor give over the error; of &s;uch &s;ee <HI>Rom.</HI> 2.7, 8. It's our honor to fall down before truth: if others be fire, pray that thou maye&s;t be water to quench them. Imitate <HI>Peter, Acts</HI> 11.1. to ver&s;. 18. who when charged by the circumci&s;ion brethren for eating with the Gentiles, he gave a rea&s;on of his &s;o doing in meekne&s;s, with which the circumci&s;ion brethren were &s;o &s;atisfied, that they held their peace, and glorified God. From the beginning of a con|tentious word, to what a height hath Satan boyled up &s;trife? We
<PB N="16" REF="11"> &s;ee in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Miriam, Numb.</HI> 12.1. but e&s;pecially in <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Barnabas,</HI> &s;o that they parted companies, <HI>Acts</HI> 15.38, 39. Indeed in things that concern the glory of God, we may contend, as <HI>Nehemiah</HI> did again&s;t the Nobles of <HI>Judah</HI> for oppre&s;&s;ing their <HI>Brethren, Neh.</HI> 5.8, 9. and for their taking &s;trange wives, <HI>N<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h.</HI> 11.25. and again&s;t all evill doers, as <HI>David</HI> did, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 94.16. yea we are commanded &s;o to do, <HI>Prov.</HI> 28.4. but we mu&s;t take heed le&s;t the fire of our lu&s;te kindle herewith. The mi&s;chief of many fa|milies is the contention therein, the contentions of a wife are a continuall dropping, from which a man cannot be &s;evered, <HI>Pro.</HI> 19.13. The mi&s;chief of Churches are contentious members, witne&s;s the Church of <HI>Corinth.</HI> 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 1.11. The mi&s;chief of cities are the con+tentions therin, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 55.9. <HI>Hab.</HI> 1.3. To prevent this, remember it's an honor for a man to cea&s;e from &s;trife, <HI>Pro.</HI> 20.3. But every fool will be medling out of vain glory or conceitedne&s;s, to have the la&s;t word. See an example of this in <HI>Ieremy,</HI> cap. 28.9, 10. who cea&s;ed from &s;trife. How full of contention are the times about Religion, &s;o that we may &s;ay as <HI>[Melch. Adam.]</HI> a certain German, <HI>Quis me liberabit ab hacrixo&s;ae religione?</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>V&s;e.</HI> Exhortation, to inure your tongues to &s;avory &s;peeches, not for a fit, as <HI>Saul,</HI> who when in <HI>Samuels</HI> company, could utter good words, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 15.13. <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be thou of the Lord, I have ful|filled the commandement of the Lord:</HI> or <HI>Laban,</HI> though a great worldling, when he &s;aw earings and bracelets upon his &s;i&s;ter, he could &s;ay, <HI>come in thou ble&s;&s;ed of the Lord, Gen.</HI> 24.31. But let our words be con&s;tantly &s;avory, not only when we come upon the bed of &s;ickne&s;s, or in &s;ight of death, but let our words be &s;o con|&s;tantly. <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;aith, <HI>A whole&s;ome tongue is a tree of life, Pro.</HI> 15.4. the tree of life was a &s;igne of everla&s;ting life to <HI>Adam</HI> and his po&s;terity, had he kept clo&s;e to God; &s;o are our words, when &s;avory, a &s;igne of an happie life here, and a glorious life here|after.</P>
<P>Now &s;avory language hath the&s;e properties or qualifications.</P>
<P N="1">1. Our word mu&s;t be holy: as worldlings talke of their Corne, Cattell, Lands; the Mariner of the tide and winds, the Plowman of his plow, the Soldier of the battel, &s;o &s;hould wee talke of God, <HI>Deut.</HI> 6.7. When we lie downe, ri&s;e up, walke abroad, we &s;hould talke of all Gods wonderous works, <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 105:<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. God hath
<PB N="17" REF="11"> not done &s;o many wonders onely to be beheld, but al&s;o to be &s;poken of, <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 145.5.6. <HI>I will &s;peak,</HI> &s;aies the Prophet, <HI>of the glorious honor of thy maje&s;ty, and of thy wonderous works;</HI> and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">peaking of other Saints, he &s;aith, <HI>they &s;hall abundantly utter thy memory of thy great goodne&s;s, and men &s;hall &s;peake of the might of thy terrible acts,</HI> ver&s;e 7. <HI>and th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y &s;hall &s;peak of the glory of thy Kingdome and talk of thy Power,</HI> ver&s;. 11. I wi&s;h we could have but as bold a face to &s;peak of goodne&s;s, as wicked men have to &s;peake of prophanene&s;s, then might we &s;peak of Gods provi|dence that reaches to the ravens, yea to &s;parrowes, then might we tell to our children Gods deliverances, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 44.1. <HI>E&s;a.</HI> 38.19. Laying a&s;ide &s;infull ba&s;hfulne&s;s let us &s;peake of Gods te&s;timonies before Kings, and not be a&s;hamed, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.46.</P>
<P N="2">2. Let our words be meeke, <HI>Pro.</HI> 15.1. <HI>Grievous words &s;tir up anger. A &s;oft an&s;wer breaketh the bones, Pro.</HI> 25.15. That is, it over|comes a &s;trong anger which is as hard as a bone. See two exam|ples hereof, the one of <HI>Iephthah,</HI> who although he had bitter words given him, yet he an&s;wered meekly, <HI>Judg.</HI> 8.3. the other of <HI>Abigail,</HI> 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 25.24.</P>
<P N="3">3. Let your words be wi&s;e, <HI>the heart of the wi&s;e teacheth his mouth,</HI> that is, teacheth it to &s;peak wi&s;ely, <HI>Pro.</HI> 16.23. deliberate before hand what to &s;peake, <HI>Daniel</HI> an&s;wered the Captaine of the Guard with coun&s;ell and wi&s;edom, <HI>Dan.</HI> 2.14. unle&s;s we be advi&s;ed in our &s;peeches, wee may overthrow our lives and &s;tates in a moment, <HI>Pro.</HI> 18.21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, contrarily, in the mouth of the fooli&s;h is a rod of pride, to whip them&s;elves, <HI>Pro.</HI> 14.3. But the lips of the wi&s;e &s;hall pre|&s;erve them, that is from the la&s;h of others.</P>
<P N="4">4. Let your &s;peeches be true, whether we &s;peak in je&s;t or ear|ne&s;t, &s;peech though adorned with fine&s;t eloquence, is worthle&s;s, if void of truth. The head and members mu&s;t be proportionable, and one member proportionable to another, hence the Apo&s;tle drawes his argument, <HI>lie not one to another, for we are members one of another, Eph</HI> 4.25. as we Chri&s;tians are members of our head, Chri&s;t, &s;o are we one of another. It was a &s;peech &s;avoring more of policy then piety, that he that followes truth too neere the heeles, it may chance to &s;trike out his teeth. The lip of truth &s;hall be e&s;tabli&s;hed, <HI>Pro.</HI> 12.3. We are borne for this end, to
<PB N="18" REF="12"> &s;peak and witne&s;s truth, <HI>Joh.</HI> 18.37, yea the citizens that &s;hall dwell in heaven, they &s;peak the truth with their tongues, which they conceive in their hearts, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 15.2. Herein not onely lying &s;peeches are condemned, but al&s;o all equivocations, as if a felon being asked whether he did &s;uch an evill, he an&s;wers, no, meaning with an intention not to manife&s;t it to you, the&s;e re&s;ervations o|verthrow the nature of te&s;timonies, and the per&s;ons that u&s;e them have a deceiving intention, the&s;e may not be u&s;ed in any ca&s;e, no not if a Judge &s;hall examine us beyond the bounds of law or of his commi&s;&s;ions, in &s;uch ca&s;es we may an&s;wer <HI>non teneor re&s;|pondere,</HI> I am not bound to an&s;wer; yet if the words u&s;ed have di|ver&s;e &s;ignifications, and that which a man hath in his mind agree with one of them, he maketh not a lie though the man that hear|eth him conceives otherwi&s;e, &s;ee 1. <HI>Sam</HI> 16.7. <HI>Ier.</HI> 38. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 12.13. <HI>Math.</HI> 16. moreover if we grant mentall re&s;ervation, or the re&s;erving of &s;omthing &s;ecret in our mind, which is neither &s;uppo|&s;ed by the hearer nor propo&s;ed by the &s;peaker to be lawfull, then there is nothing &s;o fal&s;e that may not be freed from a lie, what&s;o|ever we have done &s;een or thought, we may &s;ay without a lie, <HI>we did it not, thought it not, &s;aw it not,</HI> that is to &s;ay in this &s;en&s;e, to tell it to you: &s;hould &s;uch principles prevaile, no Judge in the world could believe any mans te&s;timony, &s;eeing the mo&s;t ignorant man could e&s;cape the reach of the Judge this way; and e&s;pecial|ly the Papi&s;ts (who in &s;ome ca&s;es maintaine this doctrine) may be ju&s;tly &s;u&s;pected in what they &s;ay; words are not &s;igns of the mind to the &s;peaker, who under&s;tands his own mind wel enough with|out words, 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 2.11. but they are &s;ignes of the mind to the hearer, who cannot tel our mind, unle&s;s we by words reveale it.</P>
<P N="5">5. Let your words be &s;ea&s;onable, there is a time to &s;peake, and a time to be &s;ilent, <HI>Eccles.</HI> 3.7. <HI>Eb<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dmelech</HI> &s;poke to <HI>Zedekiah</HI> for <HI>Jeremies</HI> deliverance &s;ea&s;onably, had he a day longer defer'd &s;peaking, <HI>Ieremy</HI> might have been &s;tencht up in the dungeon, <HI>Ier.</HI> 37.8. <HI>Iobs</HI> friends &s;poke well to him, but it was un&s;ea&s;onable, &s;ea|&s;onable words are compared to <HI>apples of gold in pictures of &s;ilver, Pro.</HI> 25.11. Golden apples when they are &s;et forth in carved &s;ilver di&s;hes, are &s;o much more glorious and excellent; &s;uch are good words when &s;poken in &s;ea&s;on. <HI>A word &s;poken in &s;ea&s;on how good is it? Pro.</HI> 15.23. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;poke a word &s;ea&s;onably to the Athenians
<PB N="19" REF="12"> from the altar of the unknowne God; <HI>Pauls</HI> &s;i&s;ters &s;on &s;pake &s;ea&s;onably to <HI>Li&s;ias</HI> the governor for <HI>Pauls</HI> deliverance, an ad|monition given in &s;ea&s;on, when we are in love with a per&s;on, may prevaile, which if deferred till there be &s;ome difference, will not availe, how many good elections have been made by putting in a &s;ea&s;onable word to &s;peake? al&s;o in the ju&s;tification of &s;ome truth of God cont<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">dicted and oppo&s;ed may be &s;ea&s;onable, for want whereof ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y goe away with wounded con&s;ciences, for want of &s;ea&s;onable &s;peaking, many oaths are &s;worne, and much ribaldry &s;poken, wherwith we partake, for want of reproofe, <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.11. How con&s;iderate was <HI>Abigail,</HI> who would not reprove <HI>Nabal</HI> till his drunkenne&s;s was over? 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 25.36.37.</P>
<P N="6">6. Let your words be plea&s;ant, plea&s;ant words are as an honey combe, <HI>Pro.</HI> 16.24. that is, they are plea&s;ing to the eare, as the ho|ney combe to the ta&s;t, every man &s;hall ki&s;&s;e his lips that gives a right an&s;wer. <HI>Pro</HI> 24.26. a ki&s;&s;e was a &s;igne of honour as well as love, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 2.12. that is, &s;uch per&s;ons &s;hould be loved and honor|ed. The preacher &s;ought to finde out <HI>acceptable words, Eccl.</HI> 12.10. be&s;ides, the whori&s;h dre&s;&s;e of abu&s;ed eloquence, there is the matron like dre&s;&s;e of plea&s;ant words, which are like the &s;ound of a mu&s;icall in&s;trument, and like the lovely &s;ong of one that hath a plea&s;ant voice, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 33.32. <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> hearing <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> for his e|loquence, while&s;t it entred into him, how &s;weetly he &s;peake? it entred into him, how truly he &s;pake? <HI>N<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">phtali is a hir de let loo&s;e, be giveth goodly words, Gen.</HI> 49.21. profitable truths, mingled with plea&s;ant words, are wont to have good &s;ucce&s;s.</P>
<P N="7">7. Let your words be powerfull, full of &s;ound rea&s;on, <HI>Eccle.</HI> 12.11. <HI>the words of the wi&s;e are like goads to prick forward the dull o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e,</HI> &s;o &s;lothfull are we, lying under the heavie burthen of &s;in, that by powerfull words, we mu&s;t be prickt forward, and as nailes place things &s;table, and unmoved, &s;o do powerfull words, through divine ble&s;&s;ing, render per&s;ons &s;table in the faith, the powerfulne&s;s of words ought not to be judged, from the lowd|ne&s;s of the voice of the &s;peaker, (as ignorant per&s;ons often judge) but from the &s;ub&s;tantiall rea&s;on of the thing &s;poken, <HI>Iob</HI> &s;aith, <HI>how forcible are right words;</HI> but what doth your arguing reprove? <HI>Iob</HI> 6.25. as if he &s;hould &s;ay, words, or arguments, that have not force in them, are of no worth: whereas many
<PB N="20" REF="13"> times in forcible words, the hearts of the hearers are all on fire; <HI>Luk.</HI> 24.32. <HI>did not our hearts burn within us whilest he talked with us by the way?</HI> It was a &s;aying of <HI>Luther,</HI> I greatly love tho&s;e ar|guments, <HI>Quae uno qua&s;t ictus omnia jugulant,</HI> which do as it were with one blow &s;trike things dead. It was the excellency of Chri&s;ts preaching, that he &s;pake with power, and authority, <HI>Matth.</HI> 7.29. onely remember, that our words are made mighty through God, 2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 10.4. <HI>To the pulling downe of &s;trong holds,</HI> how|beit the Lord u&s;ually u&s;eth rational, demon&s;trative and powerfull &s;peaking, rather then empty words, through which he cau&s;eth conviction to come upon the Soul, &s;o that the Soul hath more to &s;ay for God, and his waies, then any tentation can &s;ay again&s;t them.</P>
<P N="8">8. Let your words be few. It's hard for a man that &s;peaks much to &s;peake to purpo&s;e. A fooles voice is known by multi|tude of words, therefore let thy words be few, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 5.3. al&s;o in the multitude of words, there are diver&s;e vanities, ver&s;. 7. A man of wi&s;edom &s;pareth his words. So <HI>Solomon, Pro.</HI> 17.28. even a foole, when he holdeth his peace is counted wi&s;e, and he that &s;hutteth his lips is e&s;teemed a man of under&s;tanding; as if he &s;hould &s;ay, it is a point of wi&s;edom, to be &s;paring in words, &s;ome &s;peak much in a few words, others &s;peak nothing in many words, for a man that can &s;peak to purpo&s;e, it's a part of a foole to be &s;ilent &s;aid one, onely herein we mu&s;t take heed of conceitedne&s;s, for a man that cannot &s;peak to purpo&s;e, it's a part of a wi&s;e man to be &s;ilent, which if duly thought on, &s;ocieties would not &s;o of|ten be troubled with di&s;cour&s;es which are like Cipre&s;&s;e trees, tall, but fruitle&s;s.</P>
<P>And &s;urely as <HI>Soloman</HI> &s;aies, <HI>in the multitude of words there wanteth not &s;in, Pro.</HI> 10.19. as herein there is much &s;lander and fal&s;ehood vented, &s;o is there much unprofitablene&s;s while&s;t the &s;avorie words of others, that can &s;peak to purpo&s;e, is much hin|dered.</P>
<P>For prevention of this evill of much &s;peaking, take heed of conceitedne&s;s, and vaine glory, your parts will in due time &s;how them&s;elves, if you make them not abortive, per&s;ons will be of|ten bragging how they an&s;wered &s;uch a man, or how they &s;pake in &s;uch a cau&s;e, <HI>Si&s;eras</HI> Mother and her ladies conceitedly talke
<PB N="21" REF="13"> over, and over the &s;ame thing, <HI>Judg.</HI> 5.28.29.30. Many to be wi&s;e and to be counted learned, by their immoderate talking, make every one look upon them as fooles.</P>
<P N="9">9. Let your words be mode&s;t, &s;uch things as may cau&s;e blu&s;h|ing we are apt to put into the be&s;t words we can: <HI>Gen.</HI> 4.1. <HI>Adam</HI> knew <HI>Eve</HI> his wife: 1 <HI>Sam</HI> 24.3. <HI>Saul</HI> uncovered his feet: We &s;hould &s;hew our mode&s;ty, by forbearing to name words which may pollute by naming, as to repeat other mens oaths or unclean &s;peeches. Mode&s;ty al&s;o is &s;een in concealing our own prai&s;e; <HI>Io|&s;hua</HI> (it's thought) pen'd the Book of <HI>Numbers,</HI> and omits his own name. When it is &s;aid of <HI>Cal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">b,</HI> that he was <HI>of another &s;pi|rit, Numb.</HI> 14.24. for <HI>Io&s;hua</HI> was al&s;o of another &s;pirit then the Spies were, as well as <HI>Caleb. Iohn</HI> in the Go&s;pel conceals his own name. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks of a man taken up into heaven, but conceals his own name, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12.1, 2. <HI>Let another man prai&s;e thee, and not thine own mouth, Pro.</HI> 27.2. It's related of the Conquerors at the Olympian games, that they did not &s;et crowns on their own heads, but waited till they were crowned by others; and &s;o much appears 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2.5. And if a man &s;trive for ma&s;teries, yet is he not crowned except he &s;trive lawfully.</P>
<P N="10">10. Let your words be edifying; It's &s;aid of the Spou&s;e of Chri&s;t, that <HI>honey and milk are under her tongue, Cant.</HI> 4.12. that is, they mu&s;t be &s;weet as honey, and nouri&s;hing as milk. Many in|&s;tead of honey have poy&s;on in their tongues, corrupting o|ther mens manners with their evill communication, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.33. The tongues of good men are compared to refined &s;ilver, in that they are free from the dro&s;s of lewdne&s;s, and babling. <HI>Pro.</HI> 10.21. They are al&s;o not compared to a brook that is drie in &s;ummer, but to a Well that hath water at all &s;ea&s;ons, <HI>Pro.</HI> 10.11. <HI>The mouth of a righteous man is a Well of life,</HI> from which flow admo|nitions for the unruly; 1 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 5.14. Con&s;olations for the wea|ry; <HI>E&s;a.</HI> 40.1.50.4. In&s;tructions for the ignorant, directions for the doubting: Hence <HI>Pro.</HI> 12.18. <HI>The tongue of the wi&s;e is health,</HI> in oppo&s;ition to ungodly tongues, that wound, and are compa|red to a razor, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 5.2. and to &s;harp arrowes, and burning coals of Juniper, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 120.4. and to the piercings of a &s;word, in this place, the tongue of the wi&s;e is as a healing medicine, to heal the corrupt &amp; unholy language of others: Hence &s;uch holy tongues
<PB N="22" REF="14"> are compared to the tree of life, which was a pledge unto <HI>Adam</HI> of everla&s;ting life if he continued in his obedience. <HI>A whol&s;ome tongue is a tree of life. Pro.</HI> 15.4. So the con&s;tant graciou&s;ne&s;s of our lips is a pledge unto us of our eternal life in heaven. The Saints, when wicked men &s;pake again&s;t the providence, calling the proud happy, and a&s;&s;erting that they that tempt God were deli|vered, and therefore that there was no providence; they that fear|ed the Lord &s;pake often one to another by way of confirmation, that undoubtedly there was a providence in the world, what&s;o|ever the&s;e men thought, <HI>Mal.</HI> 3.15, 16.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Means whereby our words may be con&s;tantly &s;avoury.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. GEt an holy frame of heart, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 19.14. <HI>Let the words of my mouth, and meditations of my heart, be acceptable,</HI> in|timating, that the words will not be acceptable, without an ho|ly frame of heart <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 45.1. <HI>My heart is inditing of a g od matter, I will &s;peak of the things J have made touching the King.</HI> So Chri&s;t, <HI>Matth.</HI> 12.34. <HI>How can ye being will &s;peak good things?</HI> they might pronounce them, but they could not &s;peake them, becau&s;e &s;peech is the image and pourtraiture of the mind. Al&s;o ver&s;. 35. <HI>A good man, out of the good trea&s;ure of his heart, bringeth forth good things; for out of the abu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dance of the heart, the mou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h &s;peaketh:</HI> as if he &s;hould &s;ay, there mu&s;t be a trea&s;ure of grace in the heart, before gracious words can con&s;tantly flow out: wicked per&s;ons reproved for prophane &s;peeches, &s;ay, we have as good an heart to God as the be&s;t, nay, thou deceive&s;t thy &s;elfe, if &s;o much filth and rottenne&s;s come out, there is much more within <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 5.9. there is no faithfulne&s;s in their mouth, their inward part <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s very wickedne&s;s; their throat is an <HI>open Sepulchre;</HI> as if he &s;hould &s;ay; If &s;o much evill come out of the tongue, there is much more in the heart. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 37.30.31. the mouth of the right<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ous &s;peak|eth wi&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dom, and his tongue talketh of judgment; why, whence is it? The law of God is in his heart &s;o <HI>Pro.</HI> 16.23. <HI>The heart of the wi&s;e teacheth his mouth;</HI> as if he &s;hould &s;ay, whence have godly men the good language that flowes from them? why, their own renewed hearts teach and prompt their tongues.</P>
<P N="2">2. Bee much in praier, that God would governe thy tongue,
<PB N="23" REF="14"> <HI>Neh.</HI> 2.4.5. Fir&s;t <HI>Nehemiah</HI> praid to the God of heaven, then he &s;poke to the King. So <HI>David</HI> praies, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 19. <HI>Let the words of my mouth bee ever acceptable, P&s;al.</HI> 51.15. <HI>Open thou my mouth, and my lips &s;hall &s;hew forth thy prai&s;e, let my mouth be filled with thy prai&s;e, and thy honour all the day, P&s;al.</HI> 71.8. <HI>Set a watch O Lord before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips, P&s;al.</HI> 141.3.</P>
<P N="3">3. Get an holy bent of heart again&s;t unholy longuage; <HI>J am purpo&s;ed that my mouth &s;hall not tran&s;gre&s;&s;e, P&s;al.</HI> 17.3. <HI>J &s;aid I will take heed to my waies, that I offend not with my tongue, P&s;al.</HI> 39.1. when the will is &s;et again&s;t a thing, the members will hardly be drawn to it; hence he addes, <HI>I will keep my tongue as with a bri|dle,</HI> ver&s;. 3. &s;o that as the bridle rules the hor&s;e, &s;o the will rules the tongue. It's related of one <HI>Pambus,</HI> that being de&s;irous to learne a <HI>P&s;alm,</HI> and hearing this ver&s;e of <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 39.1. already cited, would heare no more, &s;aying <HI>if I can indeed performe this, this one ver&s;e is &s;ufficient;</HI> and when he who had taught him that ver&s;e blamed him, that in &s;ix moneths he came not to him, he an&s;wer|ed, that he had not indeed fulfilled that ver&s;e, and living long after, being demanded of a familiar friend if he had learnt that ver&s;e, <HI>hardly, &s;aith he have I fulfilled it in forty nine yeares,</HI> Hi&s;t. Tripart. l. 8.</P>
<P N="4">4. Suppre&s;s &s;in when it is in the motion, &s;o will it not come forth to word, as we breake cocatrice egs before they come forth of the &s;hell, <HI>Pro.</HI> 30.32. <HI>if thou hast thought evill, lay thy hand upon thy mouth.</HI> What mon&s;ters &s;hould we bee if all the evill of our hearts &s;hould come forth of our tongues? <HI>Mat.</HI> 15.19. <HI>Out of the heart,</HI> that is the corruption of the heart, <HI>proceed fal&s;e witne&s;s, bla&s;phemy,</HI> hence <HI>Col.</HI> 3.8. the Apo&s;tle bids us put filthy commu|nication out of our mouth, that is if it ari&s;e in the heart, yet let it not come out of the mouth.</P>
<P N="5">5. Con&s;ider the ob&s;ervation that is taken of thy words; if one were by us alwayes, to book every word we &s;peak, how exact would we be in our words? be&s;ides men, who often record thy words in memory, and &s;omtimes in writing, as they did again&s;t Chri&s;t, <HI>Iohn</HI> 2.20 compared with <HI>Mat.</HI> 26.61. Satan he notes our words, yea the very &s;ins we confe&s;s in prayer. When the &s;ons of <HI>Sceva</HI> adjured <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he Devil to come out, the Devil an&s;wers, <HI>Je&s;us I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? Acts</HI> 19.13. Satan hear|ing
<PB N="24" REF="15"> profane &s;peeches come from us, will be ready to tempt us to the &s;ame; Satan knowing <HI>Ahabs</HI> prophets to be given to lying, &s;aith, I <HI>will be a lying &s;pirit in the mouth of all his Prophets,</HI> 1 <HI>King.</HI> 22. Be&s;ides, God notes thy words; <HI>There is not a word in my tongue, but thou O Lord knowe&s;t them altogether, P&s;al.</HI> 139.4. Hence he will convince wicked men of all their ungodly &s;peeches, <HI>Jude</HI> 15. When wicked men &s;pake ami&s;s of Gods judgments, then God hearkened and heard, <HI>Jer</HI> 8.7.</P>
<P N="6">6. Bring thy words to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span">; in appointing future things &s;ay, <HI>if the Lord will, Jam.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. <HI>Heb.</HI> 6.3. You put children to learn languages which th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y are to u&s;e but a while, teach them the lan|guage of Canaan, which is to be u&s;ed for ever: In difficulties &s;ay, <HI>in the mount it &s;hall be &s;een, Gen.</HI> 22.14. upon renewing of mercies &s;ay, <HI>it is the Lords mercies that we are not con&s;umed, Lam.</HI> 3.22. And to &s;peak a little concerning worldly word<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> on the Sab|bath: For as all our words, &s;o tho&s;e on the Sabbath ought to be brought to the rule, &amp; as neer as I can I &s;hall endeavour to &s;peak my own apprehen&s;ions, leaving others to their light. I will not &s;ay &s;imply, that all worldly words are unlawful, when &s;poken on the Sabbath, for if they be, then if a man come and ask me a que|&s;tion, whether I will go to <HI>York,</HI> or <HI>London,</HI> or any other place, or if he &s;peak any other worldly que&s;tion, though never &s;o &s;hort, I mu&s;t reprove him, and &s;ay I am not to &s;peak a worldly word this day; for I am to chu&s;e any cro&s;s, rather then &s;in again&s;t my con&s;cience, in committing any iniquity: For, &s;uppo&s;e &s;peaking a worldly word were but a little &s;in, yet doing it again&s;t my prin|ciple and con&s;cience, it's an heynous &s;in, and going on again&s;t my principle and con&s;cience, with the repetition of many acts, it's a que&s;tion whether &s;uch a principle be con&s;i&s;tent with &s;aving grace. Therefore however the Prophet <HI>E&s;ay</HI> &s;aith, cap. 58.13. that we mu&s;t not &s;peake our own words on the Sabbath day, yet being there is an end put to that Sabbath, <HI>Col.</HI> 2.16. (for if the old Jewi&s;h Sabbath, or the &s;eventh day from the creation, be not there put to an end by God, God having once commanded it, it ought &s;till to &s;tand, but it &s;eems to me there to be put to an end) and &s;eeing there is a change of the wor&s;hip to the fir&s;t day of the week, now to affix all the duties of a day that is changed or ab|rogated, to another day that is appointed in&s;tead of it, without
<PB N="25" REF="15"> command from God, which here is &s;carcely producible, I &s;ee no convincing rea&s;on; the day that we ob&s;erve now for wor&s;hip, the Holy Gho&s;t calls it the Lords day, and &s;o it is of divine authority.</P>
<P>For to an&s;wer to that place of <HI>E&s;ay,</HI> the Prophet neither en|joined &s;ilence on that day, nor &s;econdly did not univer&s;ally for|bid a worldly word, but.</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>E&s;ay</HI> under&s;tands it of &s;uch words as an&s;wered to their wicked will, which formerly he had condemned in the preceding part of this Chapter; he enjoines them not onely a ce&s;&s;ation from deeds of their owne carnall de&s;ires, but al&s;o from words thereof.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But the&s;e kind of words are forbid every day, <HI>Luk.</HI> 1.75. we are to &s;erve in holine&s;s all the daies of our life.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI> So the Lord doth, but he forbids them then e&s;pecially, when we have opportunities for an holy Communion.</P>
<P N="2">2. Worldly words are &s;o far forth unholy, as they put us out of an holy frame of heart on that day, for we ought to have our hearts holy before hearing, and praier, and holy after; yet if a|ny man &s;hall ask me a worldly que&s;tion before the Ordinances, or betwixt them, or after them, I &s;hould not &s;cruple briefly to an&s;wer him, yet would I get rid of him as &s;oone as I could, le&s;t by a continued di&s;cour&s;e my heart &s;hould grow carnall.</P>
<P N="3">3. In refraining from all worldly &s;peech, look upon thy re|frainment as a matter of expediency in order to a &s;pirituall good, not as a matter of nece&s;&s;ity, as if thy &s;peaking &s;ome few worldly words were &s;in.</P>
<P N="4">4. What we may do, we may talke of, &s;aith <HI>Greenham,</HI> pag. 223. of the Sab. now there was a fea&s;t, where Chri&s;t was on the Sab|bath, <HI>Luke.</HI> 14.1.2.3.4.5.6. for there was &s;triving for places at it, now there could not be a fea&s;t, but there mu&s;t be conference a|bout it, which if univer&s;ally unlawfull, Chri&s;t would not have been at the fea&s;t.</P>
<P N="5">5. The le&s;&s;e thou &s;peake&s;t of any worldly thing on the Sab|bath, the more &s;pirituall thy heart is like to; bee and therefore, he that can refrain altogether, doth be&s;t.</P>
<P N="6">6. Beware of carnal conference, that it bring thee not into a carnal frame of heart; for it is a &s;ure rule, that the frame of thy heart ought to be &s;utable to the duties thou art conver&s;ant about. To conclude this point, many Chri&s;tians ra&s;hly receiving this principle, that now on the Lords day we mu&s;t not &s;peak any
<PB REF="16"> of our owne words, that is, words of common bu&s;ine&s;s, walke nothing according to this rule, but &s;in grievou&s;ly again&s;t their con&s;cience, and by this principle come to have a &s;light opinion of &s;in, becau&s;e they do &s;o commonly &s;in on the Lords day, by &s;peak|ing their owne words, whereas it is the duty of Chri&s;tians to chu&s;e any cro&s;&s;e, rather then &s;o deliberately, and continuedly to &s;in a|gain&s;t the Lord.</P>
<P N="7">7. Bee &s;paring in &s;peech, men that &s;peake much cannot &s;o well ponder their words. Fir&s;t meditate what to &s;peake, then &s;peak: full barrels make but a little &s;ound, and empty barrels &s;ound much, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34.13. he that would live a long life, and an happie, <HI>let him refraine his tongue from evill.</HI> The Prophet for feare his tongue &s;hould la&s;h out, kept it as with a bridle, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 39, 2.</P>
<P N="8">8. Remember Gods judgment again&s;t ungodly &s;peakers, again&s;t murmurers, <HI>Num.</HI> 14.36.37. who died by a plague, again&s;t bla&s;|phemers, <HI>Levit.</HI> 24.10. to 17. the bla&s;phemer was by Gods com|mand &s;toned to death: <HI>Senacherib</HI> for his bla&s;phemies was &s;laine by his owne Sons, <HI>E&s;ay.</HI> 37. <HI>ult.</HI> and had this in&s;cription on his combe, as <HI>Herodotus</HI> &s;aith, <HI>who&s;oever beholds me, let him learne to be godly.</HI> So <HI>Olympus</HI> (as <HI>Paulus Diaconus</HI> mentions) belching out bla&s;phemies again&s;t the Trinity, was &s;laine by lightning from heaven in a bath at <HI>Carthage:</HI> again&s;t &s;lander, remember <HI>Doeg,</HI> who for &s;landering the Lords Prei&s;ts was pluckt out of his dwel|ing place, and de&s;troyed for ever, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 22.9. compared with <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 52.5. again&s;t lying, remember <HI>Ananias,</HI> and <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aphina, Act.</HI> 5.5. again&s;t vaine-glorious &s;peeches, remember <HI>He|rod, Act.</HI> 12.23. who was eaten up of wormes for not giving God the glory. Again&s;t cur&s;ing, remember <HI>Shemei,</HI> who was cut off many yeares after for it in the daies of <HI>Solomon,</HI> 1 <HI>Kings.</HI> 2.8.42:43. again&s;t fal&s;e &s;wearing, remember there is a roll of <HI>cur&s;es,</HI> the roll is written on both &s;ides, <HI>Zach.</HI> 5.2.3. again&s;t malicious, undermining &s;peeches, remember <HI>Daniels</HI> accu&s;ers, who them&s;elves came to be ca&s;t into the den of Lions, <HI>Dan.</HI> 6.24. again&s;t pa&s;&s;ionate &s;peeches, remember <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 7.16. <HI>the Princes &s;hall fall by the &s;word for the rage of their tongue. Beza</HI> tells a &s;tory, of his own knowledge, of a man who bad the Devill take one of his children, upon which the child was immediately po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed by
<PB REF="16"> an evill Spirit, from which though by the praiers of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> he was relea&s;ed, yet before he was perfectly recovered <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Ho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> 26. <HI>in Hi&s;tor Pa&s;&s;ionis.</HI> Again&s;t uncleane &s;peeches, re<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Fotiphars</HI> wife, and <HI>Amnon,</HI> 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 13.11. Again&s;t &s;editious <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> rebellious &s;peeches, remember <HI>Corah, Dathan,</HI> and <HI>Abir<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Num.</HI> 16.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Motives to &s;avoury &s;peech.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. El&s;e all our Religion is in vain: <HI>If any man among you &s;eem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, thi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> mans religion is in vain, Jam.</HI> 1.26. that is, every pure wor&s;hipper mu&s;t refrain his tongue from &s;uch faults of the tongue, as profe&s;&s;ors are inclining to, as contention, cen&s;uring, backbiting, if he do not, his religi|on will be in vain; if by this rule we take a mea&s;ure of mo&s;t mens religion, we &s;ee what it is. When the Holy Gho&s;t came up|on the Apo&s;tles, <HI>Acts</HI> 2.1, 2. <HI>They &s;pake with new tongues:</HI> the mira|cle is cea&s;ed, but the moral remains, that where ever the Spirit of God comes, there is a change in the dialect, I mean in the tongue.</P>
<P N="2">2. Con&s;ider the danger of an ungodly tongue, a man may e|very day die by it, <HI>Prov.</HI> 18.21. <HI>Life and death are in the power of the tongue: James</HI> &s;ets it out by &s;undry &s;imilitudes, <HI>Iam.</HI> 1.6, 7.1. Of a fire, in an hours &s;pace a fire is able to con&s;ume a city; &s;o an ungodly word in a moment fires per&s;ons with pride, revenge, uncleanne&s;s; we are carefull of our fire when we come where flax and powder are, &s;o ought we to be of our words, for if they do not make mens hearts burn with holy affections, <HI>Luke</HI> 24.32. they fire them with profanene&s;s: careful are we of being not guilty in firing our neighbours hou&s;es, yet carele&s;s are we of be|ing guilty of firing our neighbours hearts, with revenge and con|tention. What a fire do contentious words kindle, that <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Barnabas</HI> part companies hereby? <HI>Arrius</HI> at fir&s;t was but a &s;park, as <HI>Hierome</HI> ob&s;erves, but becau&s;e not pre&s;ently quencht, he de&s;troy'd the whole world with his flame, <HI>in</HI> 5. <HI>cap. ad Gal</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The tongue is a world of iniquity, there is no &s;in which the tongue bringeth not forth, either by commi&s;&s;ion, as oaths and lies, or els by per&s;wading, as &s;trife, provoking and drunkenne&s;s.</P>
<P N="3">3. It defiles the whole body; as poy&s;on when it is drunk goes into the whole body, &amp; cau&s;eth it to &s;wel, &s;o by the &s;ins of the tongue the whole body is &s;tigmatized: hence we call a per&s;on a &s;wea|rer
<PB REF="17"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">kard, becau&s;e of the ungo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ernedne&s;s of his tongue.</P>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ts on fire the cour&s;e of nature, or as in the Greek, the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> nature, that is, it fires the whole cour&s;e of our life, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> with we are continually rolled along, from the day of our <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> to the day of our death, as with a running wheel. By na|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">re <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e means <HI>&s;aeculum,</HI> or generation, becau&s;e age and the world <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">re taken for one and the &s;ame, as <HI>Matth.</HI> 28.20. &s;o that the Apo|&s;tle means this wicked world, &s;o that to &s;et on fire the wheel of nature, and to &s;et on fire the world of iniquity, are one and the &s;ame, though we may add this, that it &s;ets on fire the whole cour&s;e of our actions.</P>
<P N="5">5. It's &s;et on fire of hell, that is, of the Devil of hell, by a <HI>Metoni|my</HI> of the &s;ubject, he names hell rather then Devill, becau&s;e the Apo&s;tle had &s;poken of fire before.</P>
<P N="6">6. Becau&s;e tongues, if not renewed by grace, are more un|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ameable then any other creature, then birds, bea&s;ts, &s;erpents, ver&s;. 7.8. the <HI>Tongue can no man tame, it's an unruly evill,</HI> &s;ome carrie it to our owne tongues, which no man can &s;o rule, but one time or other they breake out into an idle word, but the Apo|&s;tle meanes it of other mens tongues, who though they can tame and governe all &s;orts of creatures, yet can they not tame other mens tongues, but they will breake out into &s;landers, re|proaches, brawlings, murmurings, lies, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="7">7. It's full of deadly poy&s;on, that is, the tongue naturally is alwaies ready to doe deadly mi&s;chiefe; <HI>They have &s;harpened their tougues like a Serpent, Adders poi&s;on is under their lips, P&s;al:</HI> 140.3. the Prophet compares the reproaches of the &s;landerers that were in <HI>Sauls</HI> court, to the poi&s;on of A&s;pes, becau&s;e by this poi&s;on the &s;en&s;es by little and little faile, the head being made heavie with &s;leepe, as the A&s;pe ca&s;ts out her poi&s;on at a di&s;tance, as &s;ome ob&s;erve, &s;o a reproachfulll tongue afflicts a per&s;on farre ab&s;ent,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Plut. in vita Antonii.</NOTE> and &s;trikes him that doth not feele the &s;troke; &s;o that <HI>contra mor&s;um &s;ycophantae non e&s;t remedium,</HI> as in the proverbe, again&s;t a &s;lan|derous tongue there is no remedie. So that as <HI>Mercury</HI> water, rats bane, <HI>Hellibore,</HI> in a little time &s;trikes per&s;ons naturally dead, &s;o doth a malicious and &s;landerous tongue &s;trike per&s;ons civilly dead; an uncleane tongue poi&s;ons the hearers with uncleane mo|tions;
<PB N="29" REF="17"> we &s;hould doe with poi&s;onous &s;peeches as men u&s;e to do with poi&s;on, when they have taken it they &s;trive to vomit it up before it be di&s;per&s;t through the veines to the heart. So keep out &s;uch poi&s;onous &s;peeches from uniting with the Soule, by &s;ighing at them, when thou heare&s;t them, or if thou ha&s;t received them into thy Soule, ca&s;t them out by humble confe&s;&s;ion and acknow|ledgment.</P>
<P N="3">3. Meanes; con&s;ider, that an holy tongue is the glory of a man, <HI>Gen.</HI> 49.6. <HI>Into their a&s;&s;embly, my honour,</HI> or my glory, <HI>be thou not united;</HI> and &s;o <HI>Junius, Molerus,</HI> and <HI>Polanus,</HI> render it, as if he &s;hould &s;ay I never gave a word of command or approbation for &s;laying the Sichemites <HI>David, P&s;al.</HI> 16.9 <HI>My glory rejoiceth, i. e.</HI> my tongue. Al&s;o <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 30.12. to the end, <HI>my glorie may &s;ing prai&s;e to thee, and not be &s;ilent;</HI> our tongue is called our glory, becau&s;e it is the in&s;trument of glorying, or boa&s;ting, al&s;o becau&s;e a mans glory or prai&s;e is much &s;eene in a well ordered &s;peech; contrari|ly an unholy tongue is a mans di&s;honour, hence when we would brand a man, we &s;ay, he is a liar, a &s;wearer, a filthy talker.</P>
<P N="4">4. The account wee mu&s;t give of our words at the day of Judgment, &s;hould make us carefull to governe our tongues: <HI>Of every idle word that men &s;hall &s;peake &s;hall they give account at the day of judgment, Mat.</HI> 12.36. Chri&s;t warnes the Phari&s;ees again&s;t bla&s;phemous &s;peeches, which they &s;poke again&s;t Chri&s;t; he argues from the le&s;&s;e to the greater, if idle words mu&s;t be reckoned for in the day of Judgment, then much more bla&s;phemus words, e|very idle word makes hell-fire hotter again&s;t ungodly men: thou thinke&s;t that becau&s;e thou forgette&s;t thy oaths, lies, or &s;landers, that God forgets them, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 50.19.20.21. <HI>Thou give&s;t thy mouth to evill, and thy tongue frameth deceit, thou &s;peake&s;t again&s;t thy bro|ther, and &s;landere&s;t thine owne mothers &s;on; the&s;e things hast thou done, and I kept &s;ilence, but I will reprove thee, and &s;et them in order before thee: Molerus</HI> renders the Hebrew word, as if it &s;ig|nified to &s;et before in an orderly catalogue, <HI>Jmprimis</HI> this lie, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 58.3. <HI>Item</HI> this oath; <HI>Item</HI> this cur&s;e, &amp;c. if a man &s;hould &s;ee a catalogue of all his prophane and idle words, as his &s;lan|ders, ribald &s;peakings, &amp;c. how would he &s;tartle at them? how much more at the day of Judgment will he &s;tand aga&s;t? and to the con&s;ideration of this day, the Prophet in this <HI>P&s;alm</HI> pro|vokes
<PB N="30" REF="18"> the wicked, from ver&s;. 1. to ver&s;. 6. al&s;o ver&s; 22.</P>
<P N="5">5. The carele&s;s neglect of the tongue will be the mi&s;cariage of the whole Soul, <HI>Jam.</HI> 3.3.4. the tongue is compared to the bit in the hor&s;es mouth, and to the helme of the &s;hip, now if a man &s;hould neglect the helme of the &s;hip, would not the &s;hip run upon the rocks? if a man &s;hould ride upon &s;ome hor&s;e, and be carele&s;s of putting in bit, or bridle, might not the rider hereby break his limbs, or neck? &s;o, if thou be carele&s;s of thy tongue, it will da&s;h thee on &s;uch rocks, as thou &s;halt never come off from them, <HI>David</HI> &s;aith, <HI>They &s;hall make their owne tongues to fall upon them&s;elves, P&s;al.</HI> 6.4.8. he compares the tongues of men to execu|tioners, <HI>Pro.</HI> 18.21. <HI>life and death are in the power of the tongue.</HI> A man may be made an off<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">der by a word, <HI>E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a~.</HI> 29.21. <HI>Adoniah</HI> &s;peaking for <HI>Abi&s;hag</HI> to have her to wife, <HI>Solomon</HI> replied, <HI>God do &s;o to me and more al&s;o, if Adoniah hath not &s;poken this word, against his owne life,</HI> 1 <HI>Kings</HI> 1.23.</P>
<P N="6">6. The ab&s;olution, or condemnation which &s;hall be pro|nounced upon men at the la&s;t judgment &s;hall be according to their words, <HI>Mat.</HI> 12.37. <HI>By thy words thou &s;halt be justified, and by thy words thou &s;halt be condemned;</HI> look as a wi&s;e Judge can determine of the guilt or innocency of the pri&s;oner at the barr when the pri&s;oner gives an hint of the fact by his words, even &s;o and much more can the Judge of the World judge, concern|ing us by our words.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> As <HI>Abraham</HI> the Father of bel<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">evers, and <HI>David</HI> were ju&s;tified, &s;o are Gods people, the children of <HI>Abraham</HI> ju&s;tified, but they were ju&s;tified by faith, <HI>Rom.</HI> 4.1. to ver&s; 9. not by words, therefore &s;o are wee.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI> Ther's a twofold ju&s;tification; particular, when every believing Soule in the act of conver&s;ion is ju&s;tified, through the propitiation of Chri&s;ts death, apprehended and applied by faith, thus <HI>Abraham,</HI> and <HI>David,</HI> and all beleevers are ju&s;tified, <HI>Rom.</HI> 3.25.</P>
<P N="2">2. There's an univer&s;all ju&s;tification, when all beleevers are de|clared ju&s;t at the day of judgment; now becau&s;e true faith whereby per&s;ons are accepted is a thing invi&s;ible, to this ju&s;tifi|cation God brings forth their fruits, both of good work<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, <HI>Mat.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">5.34. <HI>I was hungry, and yee gave me meat,</HI> and al&s;o their fruits
<PB N="30" REF="18"> of good words, faith is onely knowne to God, but works and words to men, hence God, to cleere his ju&s;tice, will alledge the&s;e, not as &s;atisfactions to divine ju&s;tice, but as evidences of their in-dwelling faith, and of the acceptation of their per&s;ons, and to di&s;cerne their true faith from the counterfeit faith of hi|pocrites, there needs no great examination of men, the words of men at the day of judgment, their oaths, lies, &s;landers, &amp;c. will &s;hew what they are. In conver&s;ion we are ju&s;tified by Chri&s;t meritoriou&s;ly, by faith apprehen&s;ively, receiving that pardon, Chri&s;t purcha&s;eth; and by our words and works declaratively, and &s;o ju&s;tification is taken, <HI>Iam</HI> 2.21.2.5. Contrarily a loo&s;e tongue will be a &s;ufficient evidence for condemnation.</P>
<P N="7">7. The way to an happie life is to rule our tongue, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34.12. the Prophet puts a que&s;tion, <HI>What man is he that de&s;ireth life, and loves many daies, and that he may &s;ee good; keep thy tongue from evill, and thy lips from &s;peaking guile;</HI> as we de&s;ire a long and happy life in the end, let us de&s;ire it in the meane, <HI>Pro.</HI> 21.23. <HI>Who &s;o keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his Soule from trouble.</HI> This word <HI>[keep]</HI> is a metaphor taken from porters, who in great mens hou&s;es, &amp; in the courts of Princes, keep out vagrants, and idle per&s;ons, or from the watchmen of a citie, who look well to the citie, who comes in, or goes out; the mouth of a man is as the gate, or doore of the Soule: let us watch narrowly what comes in, or what goes out, how great troubles have we often procured to our &s;elves, by the unadvi&s;edne&s;s of our words? <HI>Solo|mon</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Thou art &s;nared with the words of thy mouth, thou art ta|ken with the words of thy mouth, Pro.</HI> 6.2. The Spirit compares ra&s;h words to &s;nares and nets, which hold the &s;uprized crea|tures, that they cannot get out, &s;o do words, &s;ee <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 5.1: thou thinke&s;t thy words are but wind, but when thou promi&s;e&s;t ra&s;h|ly, vowe&s;t ra&s;hly, di&s;covere&s;t thy mind ra&s;hly, thy words hold thee as fa&s;t, as the &s;nare doth the wild bea&s;t; when we &s;peak an in&s;naring word, we know not how &s;oone another man may catch it to our ruine. When <HI>Ahab</HI> &s;aid, <HI>Benhadad is my brother, Benhadads</HI> me&s;&s;engers ob&s;erving what would come from him, catch'd hold of this word, <HI>Brother,</HI> which became a ruine to <HI>Ahab,</HI> 1. <HI>Kings.</HI> 20.32 33. Such unadvi&s;ed words are compared to a deepe well, wherein fooli&s;h men are &s;wallowed up, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI>
<PB N="32" REF="19"> 10.12. <HI>The lips of a foole &s;wallow up him&s;elfe.</HI></P>
<P>The &s;econd part of the text follows, which is the rea&s;on, <HI>viz. That we may know, how to an&s;wer every man.</HI></P>
<P>Ob&s;. <HI>Chri&s;tians, ought to have a fitne&s;s of &s;peech and an&s;wer to the per&s;ons, with whom they conver&s;e,</HI> Luke. 11.38.13.1.2.14.7.8.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> Becau&s;e God hath made every thing beautifull in its &s;ea&s;on <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 3.11. to a &s;uperior give intreaties, 1. <HI>Tim.</HI> 5.1. to a parent &s;peake reverently, <HI>Mat.</HI> 1.6. to a ma&s;ter &s;ubjectively, our words &s;hould be as the raine, which when it comes in &s;ea&s;on, re|fre&s;hes every creature; If equall, &s;peake &s;o that we may pre|&s;erve equalitie, to inferiors u&s;e per&s;ua&s;ions in &s;tead of commands; ingenuous &s;pirits are rather drawn by loving &s;peeches, then dri|ven by compul&s;ion.</P>
<P>Q. How &s;hall I know fitly to an&s;wer every man?</P>
<P>A. 1. Con&s;ider the benefit that is like to come, by thy &s;peak|ing, and the hurt that is like to come by thy &s;ilence.</P>
<P><HI>He&s;ter</HI> knew &s;he was called to &s;peak to the King, becau&s;e had &s;he been &s;ilent, the Church had been undone, the woman of <HI>Abel,</HI> 2. <HI>Sam.</HI> 20.16. to 23. knew &s;hee was called to &s;peake in her owne vindication, and the vindication of other innocents, becau&s;e el&s;e the Citie would have been de&s;troied, for the trea|&s;on of <HI>Sheba</HI> the Son of <HI>Bichri.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Beg wi&s;dome of God, when to &s;peak, and when to forbeare, <HI>Pro.</HI> 3.6. <HI>In all thy waies acknowledge him, and he &s;hall direct thy &s;teps P&s;a.</HI> 25 12. <HI>Jam.</HI> 1.5. not onely the preparations of the heart, but al&s;o the an&s;wer of the tongue, is from the Lord, <HI>Pro.</HI> 16.1. therefore de&s;ire him to give you coun&s;ell.</P>
<P N="3">3. Con&s;ider whether &s;peech or &s;ilence be better: in many ca&s;es &s;ilence may be better then &s;peech, as concerning our owne parts, <HI>Pro</HI> 12.23. <HI>A prudent man concealeth knowledg,</HI> concerning works of mercie done by us, <HI>Mat.</HI> 6.3.4. do not &s;ound a trumpet, &s;o concerning private duties of pietie, <HI>Mat</HI> 6.6.18. as private praier God will not deny, but acknowledg every good thing that is done in &s;ecret, for your father &s;eeth in &s;ecret; So con|cerning matters of our calling, apprentices mu&s;t keep &s;ilent their ma&s;ters &s;ecrets; Lawyers their clients ca&s;es, Divines their peo|ples con&s;ciences; Phy&s;itians their patient di&s;ea&s;es, married per|&s;ons,
<PB N="33" REF="19"> conjugall pa&s;&s;ages, friends their friends &s;ecrets, for he that is of a faith<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ull &s;pirit concealeth &s;ecrets, <HI>Pro.</HI> 11.13. When revealing any of the&s;e &s;hall be again&s;t charity, concealement and &s;ilence ought to take place.</P>
<P N="4">4. Get knowledge, as in the text, that you may know how to an&s;wer every man, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 8.5. <HI>A wi&s;e man di&s;cerneth both time and judgment, i.e.</HI> when to an&s;wer.</P>
<P N="5">5. Get meekene&s;s, and patience, that you &s;uffer the &s;peaker to &s;peake what he hath to &s;peake before you an&s;wer. <HI>He that an&s;wers a matter before he heare it, it is follie and &s;hame unto him, Pro.</HI> 18.13. many to be counted quick of under&s;tainding, breake off another mans &s;peech before they heare it, and have their an&s;wer (whereby their follie appeares) nothing to the matter intended.</P>
<P N="6">6. Studie what to an&s;wer; ra&s;h an&s;wers procure long re|pentance; <HI>The heart of the righteous &s;tudieth to an&s;wer, Tro.</HI> 15.28. The tongue in the body is like the helme in the &s;hip, which mu&s;t not be moved ra&s;hly. In weighty matters de&s;ire time for deli|beration before you an&s;wer, <HI>Rehoboam</HI> though fooli&s;h in the re|&s;ult of his councell, yet did wi&s;ely in this to take time to an|&s;wer, &s;aying, <HI>Come againe unto me after three daies,</HI> 2. <HI>Chron.</HI> 10.5.</P>
<P N="7">7. Con&s;ider the per&s;on whom you are to an&s;wer, whether he be wi&s;e or fooli&s;h. <HI>Pro.</HI> 26.4. <HI>An&s;wer not a foole according to his folly,</HI> that is a &s;cornefull foole, &s;uch as <HI>Rab&s;hakeh</HI> was, 2 <HI>Kings</HI> 18.36. to an&s;wer the&s;e men according to their folly, were to ca&s;t holy things to dogs, <HI>Mat.</HI> 7.5. al&s;o <HI>Solomon</HI> under&s;tands &s;hal|low brain'd fooles, with whom in &s;peaking of things above their capacitie wee &s;hall enter our &s;elves into the l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t of conten|tion, and become as fooli&s;h as they; now on the other &s;ide we are bid to <HI>an&s;wer a foole according to his folly,</HI> ver&s;. 5. <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;peaks this of a &s;elf-conceited foole, who think<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> him&s;elfe wi&s;e, we are bid to an&s;wer &s;uch with words of wi&s;edome, that they may come to &s;ee their folly, ignorance and mi&s;takes, and &s;o come to wi&s;edome, &s;ome conceited fooles thinke their argu|ments, and words (for I dare not call them rea&s;ons) cannot be an&s;wered, when indeed they are not worth the an&s;wering; the&s;e are to be an&s;wered, &s;o that they may &s;ee their ignorance, and re|pent
<PB N="26" REF="20"> of their errour; contrarily when we are to an&s;wer wi&s;e men, &s;tudy what to an&s;wer and come to the point in few words.</P>
<P N="8">8. Con&s;ider the que&s;tion in hand, and &s;peake to it, as &s;ingled from all other que&s;tions, let your an&s;wer looke right upon it, <HI>Pro.</HI> 24.26. <HI>Every man &s;hall ki&s;&s;e his mouth, that giveth a right an|&s;wer.</HI> Chri&s;ts pertinent an&s;wers to the Doctors que&s;tions in the Temple made the hearers a&s;toni&s;hed, <HI>Luk.</HI> 2.46.47. Many when asked a que&s;tion, an&s;wer to another que&s;tion, or el&s;e an&s;wer by a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">king another que&s;tion.</P>
<P N="9">9. Let your an&s;wer be with di&s;cretion, <HI>Mark.</HI> 12.34. Chri&s;t prai&s;es the Scribe for an&s;wering di&s;creetly; <HI>Pharoah</HI> prai&s;es <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> for his di&s;cretion, <HI>Gen.</HI> 41.39. which he &s;hewed in an&s;wer|ing his que&s;tions. Th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> did <HI>Solomon</HI> an&s;wer all the queene of <HI>Shebat</HI> que&s;tions, 1. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">gs</HI> 16.2.3.</P>
<P N="10">10. Let your an&s;wer be without <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ne glory, and o&s;tentation, <HI>let not the wi&s;e man glory in his wi&s;edome, Jer.</HI> 9.23. how humbly doth <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;peak, when he an&s;wers King <HI>Nebucadnezzars</HI> hard que&s;tion, <HI>Dan.</HI> 2.30. As for me this &s;ecret is not revealed to me, for any wi&s;edome, that I have more then any living; many men of parts are ready to be lifted up in the punctualne&s;s of their an|&s;wers; <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The an&s;wer of the tongue is from the Lord, Pro.</HI> 16.1. therefore the Lord &s;hould have the glory of it; in &s;ome ca&s;es, as in ca&s;e of witne&s;&s;ing the truth, God hath made &s;peciall promi&s;es to teach us how to an&s;wer unrepliably, <HI>Mat.</HI> 10.19.20. as <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> face &s;hone, though he did not know it, &s;o do humble men &s;hine by their humility, as well as by pertinent an&s;wers.</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="20">
<P>The pre&s;ent SWEETNESSE, AND Future Bitterne&s;&s;e OF A Delicious Sin.</P>
<P>WRITTEN By <HI>Christopher Blackwood,</HI> a Servant of IESUS CHRIST.</P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>2 SAM. 2.26.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Will it not he bitterne&s;&s;e in the end?</P></Q>
<P>LONDON, Printed for <HI>Giles Calvert.</HI> 1654.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="21">
<PB N="35" REF="21">
<HEAD>The pre&s;ent Sweetne&s;&s;e, and future Bitterne&s;&s;e of a delicious Sin.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>JOB 20.12, 13, 14.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Though wickedne&s;s be &s;weet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue;</P>
<P>Though he &s;pare it, and for&s;ake it not, but keep it &s;till within his mouth:</P>
<P>Yet his meat in his bowells is turned, it is the gall of A&s;ps within him.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>THe foregoing words are <HI>Zephars</HI> an&s;wer to <HI>Iob,</HI> the &s;um of the foregoing ver&s;es, together with the whole chap|ter, is to &s;hew the mi&s;erable condition of a wicked man: he begins the di&s;cour&s;e, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 5. and &s;ets it down po|&s;itively.</P>
<P>Two things again&s;t this are objected, 1. <HI>Ver&s;e</HI> 6. That wic|ked men have a great deal of glory and excellency here on earth: to which he an&s;wers, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 7, 8, 9. He &s;hal peri&s;h as dung, as a dream, and his po&s;terity &s;hall be forced to re&s;tore what he hath unju&s;tly got: and further, that the&s;e evils do for the pre&s;ent fill his bones with putrifaction and rottenne&s;s, and hereafter they &s;hall lie down with him in the du&s;t.</P>
<P>A &s;econd Objection is, that wicked men have a great deal of &s;weetne&s;s and plea&s;antne&s;s in &s;in, to this he &s;aith, true, but con&s;i|&s;ider what the&s;e &s;weet &s;ins will be in time to come. They will be to him, as if he had drunk a cup of poy&s;on, or as if he had been bit with a viper, ver&s;. 14.</P>
<PB N="36" REF="22">
<P>In the words two things; 1. The pre&s;ent &s;weetne&s;s &s;inners find in &s;infull ways, &s;et down by &s;undry Metaphors; it's like a piece of Sugar in his mouth, which a man holds clo&s;e under his tongue, or in the mid&s;t of his palate, as <HI>Vatable</HI> reads it.</P>
<P N="2">2. That he &s;pares it, as we do tho&s;e we love, <HI>Mal.</HI> 3.17.</P>
<P N="3">3. He for&s;akes it not; as when we love a per&s;on or thing, we will not for&s;ake that per&s;on or that thing, <HI>Ruth</HI> 1.17. <HI>Ruth</HI> would not for&s;ake her mother <HI>N<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">omi.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The future bitterne&s;s of &s;in, &s;een in two Metaphors, 1. It's like meat turn'd in the bowells, which though very &s;weet in eating, yet when the &s;tomach hath dige&s;ted it, and &s;eparated the impure from the pure, it becoms as bitter as it was &s;weet before.</P>
<P N="2">2. It's like the gall of A&s;ps it afflicts his &s;oule as a cup of the &s;tronge&s;t poy&s;on doth the body, when it is drunk down.</P>
<P N="1">1. Ob&s;. <HI>Wick d men, that h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ve their &s;oules joyned to any &s;in, they reli&s;h it &s;weetly, and favour it tenderly.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Ob&s;. <HI>Darling &s;ins, though very &s;weet for the pre&s;ent, will one day be very bitter to the &s;pirit.</HI></P>
<P>Ob&s;. <HI>Wicked men, that have their hearts joyned to any darling &s;in, they reli&s;h it &s;weetly, and favour it tenderly.</HI></P>
<P>Two things. 1. What a darling &s;in is: 2. Why the hearts of wicked men are &s;o joyned to it.</P>
<P N="1">1. What it is. It's a &s;ecret &s;in, proceeding from &s;ome inward corruption, and furthered by &s;ome &s;utable temptation, whereby the heart rejoyceth in &s;ome lu&s;t above, any thing, fearing and ha|ting every thing that may rob him of his lu&s;t: wherein ob&s;erve, 1. It's a &s;ecret &s;in, per&s;ons hide it in their bo&s;ome, <HI>Iob</HI> 31.33. No man &s;hall know of it &s;ave con&s;cience, no not con&s;cience neither, if a man can po&s;&s;ibly by any tricks and di&s;tinctions keep it off. <HI>Gehezi,</HI> 2 <HI>Reg.</HI> 5. <HI>Achan, Io&s;.</HI> 7.19, 21. as <HI>Rachel</HI> hid her fathers images, <HI>Gen.</HI> 31.34.</P>
<P N="2">2. It ari&s;es from corruption within, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 14.8. and &s;ome &s;u|table tentation without, Satan without, and corruption fill the heart, &s;o that &s;ome lu&s;t is exalted above God, <HI>Acts</HI> 5.3. <HI>Ioh.</HI> 13.2. Satan put it into <HI>Iudas</HI> heart to betray Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="3">3. The heart delights in it. As the Saints delight in God and his Law, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.22. So do wicked men delight in &s;ome evill, <HI>Prov.</HI> 2.14. Now as all delight and joy in any good thing
<PB N="37" REF="22"> ari&s;es from love to it, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.47. So it is in evill things.</P>
<P N="4">4. The &s;eat of it is the heart, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 33.31, 32. A mans out|ward expre&s;&s;ions may be quite contrary.</P>
<P N="5">5. The &s;oul rejoyces in it above all other things; rather then <HI>Herod</HI> will let <HI>Herodias</HI> go, he will part with <HI>Iohn,</HI> yea with half his kingdom. <HI>Haman</HI> will give 10000. talents but he will be re|venged of <HI>Mordecai</HI> and the Jews. Though <HI>Balaam</HI> &s;eemed to have &s;ome ta&s;t of the powers of the world to come, in that he de&s;ired to die the death of the righteous, yet had he rejoycing in <HI>Balaks</HI> gold above all.</P>
<P N="6">6. The &s;oul fears and hates every thing that may take away the lu&s;t; what we love, we fear that which may rob us of it, as we love life and goods, we fear &s;ickne&s;&s;e and robbers that may di&s;|poyl us of them; &s;o men that live in &s;in, they fear powerful Ser|mons and books that may reveal what is not con&s;i&s;tent with truth: &s;o they hate what may take away their lu&s;t. Ask them what they ayle, and they will &s;ay as <HI>Micas</HI> did to the men of <HI>Dan, Iudg.</HI> 8.23, 24. <HI>Why, you have taken away my gods. He that doth evill hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds &s;hould be reproved. Ioh.</HI> 3.21.</P>
<P N="2">2. Why their hearts are &s;o joyned to it.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;</HI> 1. Becau&s;e they think they &s;ee &s;ome apparent good in it; good either reall or apparent is the object of love: the worldling thinks ther's &s;ome wi&s;dome in being covetous; the proud man thinks ther's &s;ome good in being cap'd and cring'd to, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> but did &s;inners &s;ee the cur&s;e and the heavy doome in future, they would not be drawn to it.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e of the daily &s;atisfaction a deare lu&s;t brings to cor|rupt nature, there are daily incomes of profit and plea&s;ure, you know how men are affected to tho&s;e things that come in that way; <HI>Demas</HI> left <HI>Paul,</HI> and embraced the world, becau&s;e he &s;aw the world plea&s;ed his palate, and procured him ea&s;e and free|dome from the cro&s;&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, <HI>Jam.</HI> 1.14.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e every darling lu&s;t is a mans idol, it's his God, he ex|alts it above God; as the Saints reli&s;h God and his pre&s;ence &s;weetly, &s;o do they their lu&s;ts, they give them the chiefe&s;t &s;eat in the &s;oule, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 14.8. They &s;et up their idols in their heart, from the&s;e God takes &s;oules, when he brings them home to him,
<PB N="38" REF="23"> <HI>Ezek.</HI> 36.25. <HI>From all your idols will I clean&s;e you.</HI></P>
<P><HI>V&s;e. Inform.</HI> See why per&s;ons are &s;o loath to leave their lu&s;ts, a man that hath a peece of &s;ugar in his mouth would be loth to part with it when he ta&s;ts the &s;weetne&s;s; &s;o the&s;e men are loth to leave their lu&s;ts of uncleanene&s;s, lying, worldline&s;s, pride, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> becau&s;e of their &s;weetne&s;s, that which <HI>Naman</HI> &s;aid in another ca&s;e, 2 <HI>Reg.</HI> 5.18. they &s;ay, <HI>in this thing the Lord pardon.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. See why we need not wonder that wicked men are &s;o pu|ni&s;hed, why becau&s;e their hearts have &s;uch delight in that which is contrary to God.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Dehortation;</HI> To take off wicked men from their &s;weet lu&s;ts, as anger, pride, revenge, or one of the&s;e two rocks mu&s;t da&s;h their &s;oules, either they hear of &s;ome duty, and they will not clo&s;e with it, or el&s;e are warned to part with &s;ome &s;in, and they will not part with it: Now to di&s;&s;uade us from living in &s;in, or embracing the&s;e &s;weet &s;ins, con&s;ider the&s;e &s;even things.</P>
<P N="1">1. Thy &s;paring &s;ome darling &s;in, it will be thy de&s;truction, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.13. It will be with us as with <HI>Saul</HI> in &s;paring <HI>Agag,</HI> and the be&s;t of the cattel, for which God ca&s;t him off, 1. <HI>Sam</HI> 15 or as the Prophet told King <HI>Ahab,</HI> for &s;paring King <HI>Benhadad,</HI> 1. <HI>Reg.</HI> 20.42. becau&s;e thou ha&s;t let go a man whom I have ap|pointed to death, thy life &s;hall go for his life: by &s;paring this thy &s;weet lu&s;t, thou wilt undo thy &s;elfe. M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n do with their darling lu&s;t, as <HI>David,</HI> did with <HI>Adonias,</HI> 2. <HI>Reg</HI> 1.6. none might di&s;plea&s;e him or aske him why he did &s;o. Loth would we &s;pare an enemy when if we let him alone, wee knew he would kill us. Oh let us be advi&s;ed not to &s;pare a deare lu&s;t, lea&s;t it kill us.</P>
<P N="1">1. So long as thou &s;pare&s;t any &s;in, and live&s;t therin, thou art not in Chri&s;t, 1. <HI>Joh.</HI> 3.6. <HI>he that is in Christ &s;ins not</HI> (in purpo&s;e or allowance, for el&s;e every man &s;ins, 1. <HI>Reg.</HI> 8.46. <HI>Eccle&s;</HI> 7.20) but thou art of the devill, 1. <HI>Joh.</HI> 3.8. and not borne of God, ver&s;. 9. <HI>who&s;oever is borne of God &s;ins not; i.e.</HI> re&s;ervedly, approbatively, re|&s;erving or approving any &s;in, he never laies a&s;ide his purpo&s;e of repenting, never laies a&s;ide the habit of faith, love, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> though he intermit the acts.</P>
<P N="3">3. So long as thou &s;pare&s;t any &s;in, thy religion is no better then mere nature, no man but will obey God in &s;omthing, and abhors &s;ome vices, becau&s;e there is a di&s;proportion betwixt them
<PB N="39" REF="23"> and this naturall inclination; or mere athei&s;me, when a man be|lieves there is a God, he will &s;erve him according to his pre&s;cript, not|with&s;tanding all oppo&s;itions of plea&s;ure or paine; or el&s;e mere hi|pocri&s;ie, in that we do many things, but not all, or el&s;e mere pre&s;upmti|on, while&s;t we know &s;uch a thing to be a &s;in, yet will do it, <HI>Num.</HI> 15.30. how dangerous is it when mercy that &s;hould lead us to repen|tance, leads us to &s;in.</P>
<P N="4">4. If thou &s;pare&s;t one &s;in, thou can&s;t not have a conjunction with God: God is compared to a jealous husband, that will not indure a|ny to be loved before him; that one &s;in hinders this conjunction, ap|peares <HI>E&s;a.</HI> 59.1.2 1. <HI>Joh.</HI> 1.6. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 5.4. 2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.14.15. <HI>There's no fellow|&s;hip betwixt light and darkne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. So long as thou live&s;t in one &s;in thou art not upright with God, 2. <HI>Sam.</HI> 22.24. nor is thy praier, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 66.18. nor per&s;on acceptable, <HI>Rom.</HI> 6.2. but God remaines thine enemy, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 68.21.</P>
<P N="6">6. So long as thou &s;pare&s;t one &s;in, thou endeavoure&s;t to &s;erve two ma&s;ters, commanding contrary things at one and the &s;ame time, <HI>Mat.</HI> 6.24. one ma&s;ter onely can be obey'd, <HI>Rom.</HI> 6.16. if thou ac|cu&s;tome&s;t thy &s;elfe to do evill in any kinde of wickedne&s;s thou can&s;t not do well, <HI>Jer.</HI> 13.23. <HI>Iam.</HI> 2.10, 11.</P>
<P N="7">7. One &s;in thus &s;pared is an eminent &s;igne of death, 1. <HI>Joh</HI> 3.16. if thou love&s;t not thy brother, a mortall wound and life cannot &s;tand together, no more can a living lu&s;t, and &s;pirituall life, now that is a living lu&s;t which though now and then we have fits of re&s;i&s;tance, yet wee cheri&s;h it and &s;ay it's our nature, and &s;o &s;pare it.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But I do not live in &s;in, I know it's dangerous and therfore I hope all is well with me.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> If thou live&s;t in a purpo&s;e of &s;in, or an omi&s;&s;ion of a known duty or unre&s;olvedne&s;s again&s;t any &s;in, it is all one; what if thou do&s;t not purpo&s;e to &s;in, yet do&s;t thou purpo&s;e not to &s;in?</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But could I be convinced &s;uch a thing were a &s;in, I would not do it, or &s;uch a thing were a duty, I would do it.</P>
<P><HI>Sol</HI> If the truths that are brought to thee bring convincible light and thou through carnall di&s;tinctions or winking again&s;t that light will not &s;uffer it to convince thee, God will puni&s;h thee as if thou had'&s;t had convincement, <HI>Mat.</HI> 13.15. <HI>they have clo&s;ed up their eyes lea&s;t they &s;hould &s;ee.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. If the not being convinced would beare a man out at the day of judgment, then no man almo&s;t would be condem'd; few Roma|ni&s;ts condem'd for Popery, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><PB N="40" REF="24">3. Examination, whether thy heart cheri&s;h any &s;in &s;weetly, or whe|ther thy heart is &s;ecretly ingaged in &s;ome way of wickedne&s;s, which it &s;pies not; hence <HI>David</HI> praies, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 139.24. <HI>See if there be any w y of wickedne&s;s in me.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Q.</HI> But how &s;hall I know this darling &s;in that &s;ticks &s;o clo&s;e?</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> 1. By the checks of con&s;cience, that for which con&s;cience ch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cks thee ofte&s;t ob&s;erve it, 1. <HI>Iob.</HI> 3.20. <HI>Titus</HI> 3.11.12.</P>
<P N="2">2. By thy loathne&s;s to leave it, <HI>M ch.</HI> 6.6.7. give any thing, even the fir&s;t fruits of the body for the &s;in of the &s;oule, <HI>Pilate</HI> affected <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI> f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">vour; hence he was loth to leave it, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.29.20. It's like the cutting off a right hand or eye.</P>
<P N="3">3. By thy inability to with&s;tand it, many a man given to pride, pa&s;&s;ion, lu&s;t, drunkenne&s;s, he yeelds to the&s;e, though he may have &s;ome fits of re&s;i&s;tance upon check of con&s;cience, and feare of hell, yet u&s;ually he yeelds to it, and &s;aies, oh it is my nature, and I cannot do otherwi&s;e.</P>
<P N="4">4 By the impatiency of reproofe for that &s;in, as <HI>Herodias</HI> was im+patient to heare her &s;in reproved, <HI>Mat.</HI> 4.3. &s;o <HI>Ahab</HI> to heare <HI>Micaias</HI> or <HI>Elias,</HI> 1. <HI>Reg.</HI> 22. the Jewes heard <HI>Stephen</HI> patiently till he came to touch them for their re&s;i&s;tance of God, <HI>Act.</HI> 7 54 work|ing plai&s;ter be laid to a whole place, it will not &s;ting nor paine, but lay it to an ulcer, it will paine, &s;o when men have &s;ome darling &s;in, they are impatient to have it reproved, though they can endure the Mini&s;ter to be very zealous again&s;t other &s;ins.</P>
<P N="5">5. It's that which mo&s;t terrifies thee in an evill day, as in the appre|hen&s;ion of death or danger, <HI>Gen.</HI> 42.21. lay all the &s;in that ever thou committe&s;t in all thy <HI>life,</HI> of what kind &s;oever, they will not all &s;o &s;ting thy con&s;cience as &s;ome one &s;in in which thou live&s;t; then <HI>Judas</HI> covetou&s;nes paid him home to purpo&s;e, <HI>Mat.</HI> 27.5.</P>
<P N="6">6. By a mans lothne&s;&s;e to confe&s;&s;e it in ca&s;e it be charged upon him, for any other &s;in he will be free to confe&s;&s;e it, &s;aving that &s;in: &s;ee it in <HI>Saul,</HI> 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 15.13.20 and in <HI>David,</HI> though a good man, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 32.3. yet after confe&s;t freely, 2. <HI>Sam.</HI> 12.7.</P>
<P N="7">7. By a mans conference, when a mans tongue is &s;till running upon &s;uch a thing, <HI>Mat.</HI> 12.35. a worldlings tongue runs upon the world, 1. <HI>Ioh.</HI> 4. a vile per&s;on &s;peaketh of villany, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 32.6. an uncleane per|&s;on of uncleanene&s;&s;e.</P>
<P N="8">8. By the reproch of enemies, malice is a vigilant informer though a bad judge, <HI>Iob</HI> 27.5.6. when <HI>Iobs</HI> enemies reproved him, it made him looke home. When enemies call thee hypocrite, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> &s;earch thy own
<PB N="41" REF="24"> heart. <HI>Iob</HI> de&s;ired his adver&s;ary would <HI>write a book, Iob</HI> 31.35.</P>
<P N="9">9. By the pretences and excu&s;es we have for it, 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 15.20.21: <HI>Saul</HI> had a covetous de&s;ire to the <HI>Amalekites</HI> &s;poyle, and hee covers it over, that the people did de&s;ire it, <HI>Pilate</HI> prefer'd the favour of <HI>Cae&s;ar</HI> before Ju&s;tice and righteou&s;ne&s;s, and delivered Chri&s;t; and &s;ee his pretence, he takes water and wa&s;hes his hands, <HI>Mat.</HI> 27.24. &s;o <HI>Iudas</HI> for his covetou&s;ne&s;s pretends the poore, <HI>Iob</HI> 12.6.</P>
<P N="10">10. By our inclinations in vacation times. As the needle in the compa&s;&s;e, when it is in motion, you cannot &s;ee any &s;impathy in it to one place more then to another; but let it &s;tand &s;till, it will di&s;cover its &s;impathy and inclination to the North; &s;o when a per&s;on is hur|ried with bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, a man cannot &s;ee whereto he is affected, but let the heart have a little re&s;pite, it will di&s;cover it &s;elfe. The affections are &s;till working upon their adequate object, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.5. &s;ee then where|to thy heart tends, when there is an intermi&s;&s;ion of bu&s;ine&s;&s;e.</P>
<P N="11">11. By that we are delighted in others, uncleane per&s;ons love un|cleane talke in others, and &s;o other &s;inners, <HI>Rom.</HI> 1.32.</P>
<P N="12">12. By the provi&s;ion we make, what&s;oever a mans darling &s;in is, for that he provides mo&s;t, <HI>Rom.</HI> 13.14. a proud man is &s;till making pro|vi&s;ion for pride, &s;o uncleane per&s;ons; what a man loves dearly, he provides fully for.</P>
<P>The &s;econd thing is the future bitterne&s;&s;e of a darling lu&s;t, in that it is like meat turn'd in the bowels, or the gall of A&s;ps.</P>
<P>Ob&s;. <HI>Though darlings &s;ins be for the pre&s;ent very &s;weet, yet in time to come they will be exceeding bitter,</HI> Pro. 23.32.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 1. Becau&s;e one &s;uch &s;in makes God an enemie; now it mu&s;t needs be bitter to have God an enemy, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 68.21. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 116.7. <HI>Luk.</HI> 19.27. that man that goes on in his &s;ins is called one of Gods enemies.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e one &s;uch &s;in robs a man of true peace of con&s;cience, the con&s;cience tels a man that he mu&s;t have re&s;pect to all Gods com|mandements, <HI>P&s;al</HI> 119.6. now when a man excepts &s;ome, what peace can he have? I may &s;ay to many, as <HI>Iehu</HI> &s;aid to <HI>Iocan,</HI> when he askt <HI>is it peace,</HI> 2. <HI>Reg.</HI> 9.22. what peace &s;o long as &s;uch &s;ins are &s;trong in thee, as lying, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> when con&s;cience cries to a dying man, thou ha&s;t beene an earth-worme. <HI>&amp;c.</HI> it's like a dagger at the heart.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e one &s;uch darling &s;in will damne the &s;oule, one mortall wound will kill a man as well as a thou&s;and, 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.99. reckoning up &s;ins he &s;aith, <HI>he that doth any of the&s;e &s;hall not inherit the Kingdome of God, Mat.</HI> 5.29.30. it's profitable that one of thy members &s;hould
<PB N="42" REF="25"> peri&s;h, and not that thy whole body &s;hould be ca&s;t into hell: as if he &s;hould &s;ay, our &s;in that is deare to us will ca&s;t into hel<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">: <HI>B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">laam</HI> lov<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ng the wages of unrighteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, though he de&s;ired to d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e the dea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h of the righteous, yet never obtain'd his de&s;ire. <HI>Iehu</HI> &s;pari<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g the calves, 2. <HI>Reg.</HI> 10.29. lo&s;t not only his temporall Kingdom, but (we may feare) heaven al&s;o.</P>
<P><HI>V&s;e.</HI> Information of the &s;ad condition wicked men are in, in the mid&s;t of their jollitie. Imagine a man had a delicate fea&s;t made him of all vari<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ties and as &s;oone as he had eaten of them, knew he were to be put to death, what comfort could he have in them? this is the &s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">te of wicked men who frolicke them&s;elves in &s;weet &s;ins, as &s;oone as they have ta&s;ted the&s;e a while, hell &s;hall &s;eize on them; wicked men as <HI>Gehazi,</HI> looke on vineyards and oliveyards, but con&s;ider not of a future lepro&s;ie.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But &s;ome wicked men will object, we know it's a dreadfull thing to hug or imbrace any &s;in, but we do not do &s;o.</P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> It will appeare you do cheri&s;h it,</P>
<P N="1">1. Becau&s;e you &s;et your affections on it <HI>Iam.</HI> 4 4. as the adulterer and adultre&s;&s;e do affect one another.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e you reject all in&s;tructions and exhortations of the word that may draw you from it, <HI>Pro.</HI> 1.22.23. men will do much with intreaties, but all intreaties will not draw a wicked man off from his lu&s;t, 2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.20.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e hope of heaven will not take them off from it, <HI>Mat.</HI> 19.22. gaine will make a man do much, but the gaine of heaven will not make a wicked man part with his lu&s;t.</P>
<P N="4">4. Becau&s;e a wicked man can take no comfort in any thing if he cannot enjoy his darling lu&s;t, <HI>H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t.</HI> 5.13. he was full of riches and ho|nour, but &s;aith he, <HI>all this availeth nothing &s;o long as I &s;ee</HI> Mordecai <HI>&s;itting in the Kings gate.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. In that notwith&s;tanding all threats of hell and wrath they go on in them; let wrath be threatned to the uncleane per&s;on, <HI>H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">b.</HI> 13.4 to the lier, <HI>Apoc:</HI> 21.8. yet will they not leave their deare lu&s;ts.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>V&s;e.</HI> Admonition: Fo&s;ter not any &s;weet &s;in, <HI>Pro.</HI> 20.17 <HI>bread of deceit is &s;weet to a man, but afteward his mouth &s;hall be filled with gra|vell:</HI> So &s;ay I, when &s;in makes her banquet of &s;tollen waters and plea|&s;ant bread, <HI>Pro.</HI> 9.16, 17. remember ver. 18. that her gue&s;ts are in the depth of hell.</P>
<P N="1">1. One &s;uch &s;in will wa&s;t thy affections, that thou &s;halt not con|&s;tantly fa&s;ten upon any good, it will be like a theefe in the candle,
<PB N="43" REF="25"> which wa&s;ts the candle, how many good things were there in <HI>Balaam, Herod, Jehu,</HI> yet hereby they came all to nought. One &s;uch &s;in fo&s;ter'd in thee, makes thee the &s;ervant of &s;in, <HI>Joh.</HI> 8.34. and that in a mo&s;t &s;ervile manner, &s;uch a per&s;on mu&s;t go when his lu&s;t commands him, week day, Sabbath day. If there be &s;uch a reigning &s;in in thee, the Devill holds thee by it as a child doth a bird by the wing, who though he let it flie high, yet he knowes it is but twitching the &s;tring and then downe it comes. 3. True Chri&s;tianitie will not &s;tand with re&s;ervation of evils, <HI>Jam.</HI> 2.10.11. if thou art almo&s;t only, and not altogether a Chri&s;tian, what art thou more then <HI>Agrippa? Acts.</HI> 26.29. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.101. <HI>Joh.</HI> 15.14.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>V&s;e.</HI> Terror to all tho&s;e who live i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> any &s;weet &s;in, it will be as the gall of A&s;pes; foure things &s;hould feare thee,</P>
<P N="1">1. God hath &s;et forth &s;uch a bredth in our obedience, that we mu&s;t part with every &s;in, and if thou wilt not come to what God requires, there can be no union betwixt God &amp; the<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">: <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">wo per&s;ons that fall out, though about a trifle, if neither give way, there can be no union, 1. <HI>Ioh.</HI> 3.7.10. unle&s;&s;e thou meane&s;t to part with thy God, thou mu&s;t part with thy lu&s;t, we mu&s;t be <HI>righteous as he is righteous.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Con&s;ider how will it be when God &s;hall call thee to an account for thy &s;weet &s;in before the Angels, here thou can&s;t not endure that a man like thy &s;elfe &s;hould &s;peake to the<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> but then God will judg thee for the &s;ame before the Angels, <HI>Iude.</HI> 15. will God then damne for ever the re|bellious Angels for one &s;in, becau&s;e it was habituall in them, <HI>Iude</HI> 6. and &s;halt not thou be in like manner puni&s;hed?</P>
<P N="3">3. Thou living in &s;in &s;ette&s;t God at nought in all his attributes. A man may live and die in a &s;in of ignorance, and yet be &s;aved, becau&s;e had he known it to be &s;in, he would have left it, but in a &s;weet &s;in, wherein we allow our &s;elves, wee &s;et God at nought in all his at|tributes; in his omni&s;cience, as if he could not finde us out; in his truth, as if he would not puni&s;h it &s;o &s;everely; in his power, as not able, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Thou never ha&s;t obtained any freedome by the &s;pirit, &s;o long as thou live&s;t in any &s;in, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3.17. <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.2. <HI>Joh.</HI> 8.36.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But even tho&s;e th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t are freed by the &s;pirit do cheri&s;h &s;weet &s;ins.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The unregenerate part doth, but i'ts one thing to weare a chain of gold as an ornament, another thing to wear it as a fetter: it's one thing to yeeld obedience as to a Prince, another thing to yeeld obedience as to a tyrant, <HI>Rom.</HI> 6.12. he &s;aith not, let not &s;in be, but let it not reigne in you. There's diff<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rence betwixt numbne&s;s and &s;en&s;le&s;ne&s;s, betwixt &s;lumbering and dead &s;leeping, betwixt a &s;lip and a fal, betwixt &s;lipping into the mire,
<PB N="44" REF="26"> and rowling in it after the manner of Swine.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But if one &s;weet &s;in be &s;o dangerous, why do men cheri&s;h it &s;o in their bo&s;omes, and not for&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ke it?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. Pre&s;ent &s;weetne&s;s, <HI>Mal.</HI> 14.3. How &s;weet was <HI>Herodias</HI> to <HI>H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rod?</HI> 2. Ignorance and unbelief of the wrath of God coming on &s;uch &s;ins, <HI>Pro.</HI> 9.18. <HI>Col.</HI> 3.6. He knows not that her gue&s;ts are in the depth of hell. 3. Hope of repentance, and &s;o of finding mercy: but there's no mercy without for&s;aking, <HI>Pro.</HI> 28.13. He that confe&s;&s;es &amp; for&s;akes &s;hal find mercy. 4. Vain confidence of e&s;caping puni&s;hment, <HI>Deut.</HI> 29.19. Tho&s;e who&s;e hearts turned from God, ble&s;t them&s;elves, &s;aying, <HI>I &s;hall have peace.</HI> 5. Their frequent e&s;caping of the hand of ju&s;tice in the commi&s;&s;ion of that &s;in, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 8.11, 12, 13. 6. Gods purpo&s;e to de&s;troy them, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 2.25. and hence he gives many men to walk in their own coun&s;els, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 81.12, 13.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But if one &s;weet &s;in will bring &s;uch bitterne&s;s, what means mu&s;t I u&s;e to get rid hereof?</P>
<P><HI>An.</HI> 1. Believe in the Lord Je&s;us and repent of it, and &s;o there is par|don, <HI>Luke</HI> 24 47. <HI>Acts</HI> 10.43. Now from Chri&s;t we have, fir&s;t &s;atisfaction to the ju&s;tice of God for the guilt of that reigning &s;in, which pulls out the &s;ting of it: Secondly, &s;anctification of our natures from the filth of it; when pride was the reigning &s;in, or revenge, &amp;c. the Spirit humbles and meekens the &s;oul, &s;o that the &s;oul being thus changed by Chri&s;ts &s;pirit, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3.18. into Chri&s;ts image, approves, works, choo&s;es and aimes as Chri&s;t doth. 2. From this change comes a vehement hatred again&s;t the &s;in formerly belov<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d, &s;o that now none are more hated then it, <HI>E&s;a.</HI> 30.22. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 14.8. as <HI>Ammon</HI> hated <HI>Thamar,</HI> more after it, then he loved it before, <HI>I<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r.</HI> 2.19. <HI>Levit.</HI> 11.<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">0.43. 3. Meditate much on the threatnings again&s;t thy darling &s;in, as <HI>Eph.</HI> 4.5. and on the promi&s;es of God to heal thy rebel|lion, <HI>Mich.</HI> 7.19. <HI>E&s;a.</HI> 57.17, 18. 4. Content not thy &s;elf that thy darling &s;in is changed, but &s;trive to find an actuall death of it in thee. Many change their reigning lu&s;t, from pride to covetou&s;ne&s;s, &amp;c. which is but the taking off bolts from one leg to another. Many cut off onely the outward acts, and yet the habits remain, which is but the cutting off the branches of a tree, leaving the root &s;tanding, but dig at the root; let there be a death, in the frame of the heart, and in the habits and then the acts, will die, <HI>Rom.</HI> 6.6. <HI>Col.</HI> 3.5. <HI>Rom</HI> 8.13. 5. Avoid all occa&s;ions of it, <HI>Iob</HI> 31.1. if thou knowe&s;t thy &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lfe to be given to pride, drunkenne&s;&s;e, pa&s;&s;ion, if we keepe not our &s;elves from occa&s;ions, how &s;hall we looke that God will keepe us from the &s;in? 6. Looke upon the ugline&s;&s;e of that &s;in where|with thou ha&s;t beene in&s;pared, as &s;uppo&s;e a man had beene inveigled with a painted &s;trumpet and after &s;eeing her paint off, and that &s;he were
<PB N="45" REF="26"> an old withered hag, he would hate her the more after; &s;o look upon thy &s;in, that it will deprive thee of the greate&s;t of goods, look upon it as the procuring cau&s;e of judgments, temporall and eternall, as that which blemi&s;hes thy name, perplexes thy con&s;cience, e&s;pecially in an ev<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ll day, as that which ca&s;ts thee downe from thy excellency. 7. Con&s;ider the end why Chri&s;t died for thee, which was to redeeme us from all iniquity, <HI>Ti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">us,</HI> 1.14. <HI>Mat.</HI> 1.21. <HI>Acts,</HI> 3.26. either then mu&s;t thou part from this thy &s;in, el&s;e can&s;t thou never look to be &s;aved by Chri&s;t; he was &s;ent to turne eve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y one of you not only from iniquity, but from his iniquities. 8 Be earne&s;t with God to let thee &s;ee the prevailing evill of thine own heart, <HI>Iob</HI> 13.23. <HI>Iob</HI> 34.31. <HI>P&s;al</HI> 139.23.24. it is with a &s;weet &s;in as with the mines of the earth, that you mu&s;t dig deep before you can come at them, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.7.9. 9. Cro&s;&s;e and &s;tarve that prevailing evill in thee, when thou come&s;t to &s;ee it, when it puts thee on revenge, remember, <HI>Rom.</HI> 12.14. what&s;oever it &s;ugge&s;ts, do the contrary at that time, and &s;o &s;tarve it by with-holding what may maintain it. 10. Purpo&s;e again&s;t it, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 17.3. <HI>Iob,</HI> 34.31.32.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> But &s;ay wicked men, I have purpo&s;ed a 100. times, yet am overcome.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI> There's difference betwixt the purpo&s;es of wick<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d and godly.</P>
<P N="1">1. Wicked men purpo&s;e conditionally, <HI>Mat.</HI> 8.19. <HI>Ioh.</HI> 12.42. they will confe&s;s Chri&s;t if the State will bear it, they will not &s;in if they can live o|therwi&s;e, but Saints purpo&s;e ab&s;olutely, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.106. it's a duty, I will do it <HI>Acts</HI> 20.24. it's a &s;in, I will not do it, <HI>Iob</HI> 36.21. 2. The purpo&s;es of the god<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y are o t renewed; purpo&s;es for want of renewing are apt to wea|ken, til th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ul hath worn them out, but by renewing them in time, they become u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">terable: wicked men not renewing their purpo&s;es, in time they come to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hing. <HI>Saul</HI> had a purpo&s;e not to hurt <HI>David,</HI> 1. <HI>Sam.</HI> 24.16 yet it being on a &s;uddain, and not renewed, he per&s;ecuted <HI>David</HI> again, 2 <HI>Sam</HI> 26.2. 3. The purpo&s;es of the godly are in times of pro&s;perity, but w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cked mens purpo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es are in times of extremity: the one is in time of pro&s;perity p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ace and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h, ari&s;ing from a hatred and contrariety to &s;in, <HI>Gen.</HI> 38.26. <HI>D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n.</HI> 1.8. <HI>Daniel</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eeing <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ho&s;e meats might bring him into the impure pr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">tices of the Babylonians, or els becau&s;e they were ble&s;&s;ed by an idol Prie&s;t, w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s purpo&s;ed not to defile him&s;elf therewith. Now wicked mens purpo&s;es are in times of ext<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">emity, when in &s;ome great danger of death, or &s;ome great hand of God is upon them, <HI>Exod.</HI> 9.27, 28. or upon the apprehen&s;ion of the fla&s;hes of hell: now the&s;e purpo&s;es ari&s;ing in the &s;oul from &s;ome great fear, when the fear coms to be over, the purpo&s;es come to be over, as in <HI>Pharoah.</HI> 4 The purpo&s;es of wicked men ari&s;e from an unchanged heart, illumination of mind, &s;hewing a man the vi&s;ible
<PB N="46" REF="27"> danger of carnall cour&s;es, and a de&s;ire to come to heaven, and a fear to be damned, may make a man purpo&s;e to leave &s;infull wayes; but the&s;e purpo&s;es for want of change of heart are like new pieces put into an old garment, the rent is made wor&s;e after: many wicked men in their &s;ickne&s;s they purpo&s;e they will never be drunk more, but for want of a changed heart, if God re&s;tore them, they are the &s;ame men &s;till. So many men pur|po&s;e to do duties, as he, <HI>Mat.</HI> 8.19. and to leave all for Chri&s;t, <HI>Luke</HI> 14.26. but their hearts being unchanged, their purpo&s;es come to nothing. Contrarily, the purpo&s;es of the Saints ari&s;e from a chang'd heart, <HI>Acts</HI> 11.23 <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.35, 38. <HI>Paul</HI> had &s;uch a purpo&s;e of heart, that he was per&s;wa|ded no creature 'twixt heaven and earth could divide 'twixt God and him. To many that have good wi&s;hes we may &s;ay, Oh that there were &s;uch an heart in them, <HI>Deut.</HI> 5.29. 5. The purpo&s;es of the godly are in Gods &s;trength <HI>Acts</HI> 18.21. they determ<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ne nothing without Gods power, <HI>Eph.</HI> 6.10. an Gods will, <HI>Jam.</HI> 4.15, 16. A certain Martyr &s;aid, <HI>for&s;ake me not Lord, le&s;t I for&s;ake thee:</HI> the unchangeable God mu&s;t make our purpo&s;es unchangeable, els they come to nothing. Now wicked men purpo&s;e in their own &s;trength, they will &s;et upon a new cour&s;e of life, whereas of our &s;elves we can do nothing, <HI>Joh.</HI> 15.5. 6. The purpo&s;es of wicked men are according to the fle&s;h, but the purpo&s;es of the Saints are not, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 1.17. There are two properties of fle&s;hly purpo&s;es; 1. Incon&s;tancy, when a man will be yea, yea, and nay, nay, from which <HI>Paul</HI> clears him&s;elf; what doctrine he taught he was con&s;tant in, what promi&s;e he made them of coming to them he was con&s;tant in; the Saints are &s;tedfa&s;tly pur|po&s;ed, <HI>P&s;al</HI> 119.106. I have &s;worn and am &s;tedfa&s;tly purpo&s;ed. Contrarily, wicked men are un&s;table in all their wayes, <HI>Jam</HI> 1.8. if in all, then in their purpo&s;es. To the Saints it's promi&s;ed, <HI>Iob</HI> 17.9.9. <HI>the righteous al&s;o &s;hall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands &s;hall grow &s;tronger and &s;tronger.</HI> 2. Ra&s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;&s;e: Many do not deliberate and con&s;ider what they purpo&s;e, they purpo&s;e to leave a lu&s;t, but they con&s;ider not how many plea&s;ant &s;in|full mor&s;els they mu&s;t part with, <HI>Pro.</HI> 15.2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. without councell purpo&s;es are di&s;appointed, and &s;o they purpo&s;e to follow Chri&s;t, but con&s;ider not what rubs they mu&s;t meet with. Contrary, the Saints are deliberate in their purpo&s;es, they ca&s;t up before hand what the leaving &s;uch a lu&s;t will co&s;t them, many a far mor&s;ell of preferment, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> they ca&s;t up that true grace and a pu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">po&s;e of &s;inning are incon&s;i&s;tent, they ca&s;t up what the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t may co&s;t them, <HI>Luk,</HI> 14.26.28.</P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="41" REF="27">
<HEAD>A Chri&s;tians Groans Under the BODY of SIN.</HEAD>
<BYLINE>Written by <HI>Chri&s;topher Blackwood,</HI> a &s;ervant of Chri&s;t.</BYLINE>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Rom. 7.12.</HI></BIBL> I finde then a law, that when I would do good, evil is pre&s;ent with me.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_IN this Chapter are three things: 1. The de&s;cription of the &s;lavery of a natural man, til he be freed by Chri&s;t, <HI>viz.</HI> that <HI>he is bound to the cur&s;e of the law, as fa&s;t as husband &amp; wife are bound to one another, till he be freed by Chri&s;t,</HI> v. 1, 2, 3, 4. which he amplifies from the &s;ad condition they were in under their fir&s;t husband, in that the m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tions or pa&s;&s;ions of &s;in, which formerly &s;eem<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d dea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> by the law, were &s;tirr'd up, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 5. and from the happy condition they were in under the &s;econd husband, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 6. they being freed from the former husband by his death, &s;erve
<PB N="42" REF="28"> their husband Chri&s;t <HI>not in the oldne&s;s of the letter; i. e.</HI> out of the force of natuaral con&s;cience, or by the &s;ole guiding of the letter of the command, which bids <HI>do this,</HI> but gives no power; <HI>but in newne&s;s of the Spirit,</HI> i. e. from a new principle of &s;piritual life, the Spirit writing the law on our hearts.</P>
<P N="2">2. An apology for the law again&s;t &s;ome cavils which &s;ome did rai&s;e from <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 5. as if the Apo&s;tle &s;hould &s;ay, The law was the cau&s;e of &s;in and death; to which he an&s;wers, 1. The law prohibits and di&s;covers it, therefore it cau&s;eth it not, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 7. 2. Di&s;tingui&s;heth 'twixt the cau&s;e &amp; occa&s;ion: the law is an occa&s;ion of &s;in; as wine is an occa&s;ion of drunkenne&s;s, and beauty of lu&s;t, not the cau&s;e, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 8. 3. Whereas we are liable to eternal death, it is not by the law, but by &s;in, <HI>ver.</HI> 9. onely the law &s;hewed me my condition. From which an&s;wers the Apo&s;tle concludes, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 12. that &s;eeing the law of it &s;elf neither brings forth vitious affections nor death, but that inbred corruption brings forth both; the law ought not to be accu&s;ed, but rather we may hereby &s;ee the exceeding &s;infulne&s;s of &s;in, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 13.</P>
<P N="3">3. Here is a complaint from <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 14. of his corrup|tion or fle&s;h that did combat in him, and in all regenerate men, again&s;t the Spirit, from <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 14. to the end; in the which ob&s;erve, 1. The combatants, <HI>viz.</HI> inherent corruption, and inherent grace. 2. The complaints the regenerate man makes in re&s;pect of his corruptions, that it hinders him in all his in|tended good, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 18, 19, 21. and furthers him in all his di&s;al|lowed evil, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 15, 16, 19. the burthen &s;o pre&s;&s;ed him, that it makes him cry out, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 24. 3. The con&s;olations, 1. That he did not allow the evil in him&s;elf, but hated it, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 5. 2. That his heart did clo&s;e with the law, though in many things his practice failed, and he con&s;ented to the Law that it was good, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 16. 3. That he had power to will (<HI>ver&s;.</HI> 18, 21.) what was go<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d. 4. That he delighted in the law ac|cording to the inward man, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 22. 5. That though with his fle&s;h, <HI>i. e.</HI> his unregenerate part, he &s;erved the law of &s;in; yet with his minde, <HI>i. e.</HI> his regenerate part, he &s;erved the law of God.</P>
<PB N="43" REF="28">
<P>Que&s;t. <HI>Whether doth the Apo&s;tle make this complaint in his own per&s;on, or in the per&s;on of another, de&s;cribing &s;ome prophane or unregenerate man, or the nature of man &s;ince the fall, what it can do without grace?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Re&s;p.</HI> He &s;peaks in his own per&s;on, as apeares <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 25. <HI>I my &s;elf &s;erve the law of God;</HI> he &s;peaks not a word of any o|ther man; in all the twelve <HI>ver&s;es</HI> he names him&s;elf.</P>
<P N="2">2. Que&s;t. <HI>If he &s;peak of him&s;elf, whether doth he &s;peak of him|&s;elf as he was in his natural &s;tate, or as in the &s;tate of regene|ration?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Re&s;p.</HI> As in the &s;tate of regeneration, 1. Becau&s;e, to will a &s;piritual good, and to hate not this or that particular evil, but what&s;oever evil ari&s;eth in the heart, is onely proper to re|generate men; but &s;o did the Apo&s;tle, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 15.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e he hath an inner man, <HI>i. e.</HI> a principle of &s;pi|ritual life, which is onely proper to regenerate men, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 22.</P>
<P N="3">3. To be delighted in the Law of God, is onely proper to regenerate men; but &s;o was the Apo&s;tle, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 22.</P>
<P N="4">4. To finde not onely this or that practice evil, but al&s;o the whole body of &s;in to be a burthen, is onely proper to re|generate men; but &s;o did the Apo&s;tle, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 23.</P>
<P N="5">5. Becau&s;e he gives thanks to God, for &s;erving God with his minde, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 25. neither of which any natural man doth.</P>
<P>In the&s;e words are two things, 1. The bent or inclina|tion of a regenerate will, whereto it tendeth, <HI>viz.</HI> to will good.</P>
<P N="2">2. The pronene&s;s of corruption to intermix it &s;elf with a regenerate will: <HI>evil is pre&s;ent with me. I finde then a law,</HI> or <GAP DESC="foreign">, I finde therefore a law to me willing to do good, <GAP DESC="foreign">, that evil lies by me, or is neer upon me; which is more then <GAP DESC="foreign"> is pre&s;ent; &s;ignifying, how adherent corruption is unto us, even in our be&s;t actions.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>For the former, ob&s;erve,</HEAD>
<P><HI>Ob&s;erv.</HI> That though there be many infirmities in a childe of God; yet &s;till his will is &s;et for doing good.</P>
<P><HI>Ob&s;erv.</HI> 2. Evil and infirmity doth clo&s;ely accompany the
<PB N="44" REF="29"> good that regenerate men do: for the former, That though there be many infirmites in a child of God; yet his will is &s;et for doing good, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.5, 6, 30, 31, 106. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.122.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Cautions.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. That this will in regenerate men cannot alwaies pro|duce it &s;elf into act, by rea&s;on of adjoyning corruption; but re&s;ts in a great mea&s;ure in a bare habit oftentimes.</P>
<P N="2">2. The good we mean, is not onely a moral good, which is the object of the app<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tite, as Philo&s;ophers call it, <HI>Omniae appetunt bonum,</HI> whereby the rea&s;onable &s;oul makes choice of &s;ome moral good from the knowledge it hath had thereof, as learning, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> but al&s;o is carried after &s;ome &s;piritual good, whether it be that which is e&s;&s;ential goodne&s;s, and is from it &s;elf: &s;o <HI>Mat.</HI> 19. <HI>There is none good but one, that is God,</HI> or whe|ther it be derived goodne&s;s, which is communicated to the Word, Sacraments, or, in a word, to any thing that God &s;hew|eth to be good, <HI>Mic.</HI> 6.8. <HI>He hath &s;hewed thee O man what is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ood;</HI> &s;piritual good is the ultimate bound of a godly mans de&s;ire.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The Rea&s;ons are.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 1. Becau&s;e he hath a will to means that lead to good, therefore he hath a will to good it &s;elf; as a wicked man &s;hews he hath a will to evil, becau&s;e he hath a will to that which leads thereto; he hath a will to drunkenne&s;s, becau&s;e he hath a will to exce&s;&s;ive drinknig, &amp; to bad company; &s;o regenerate men have a will to goo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, becau&s;e they h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">e a will to means leading to good: as carnal men &s;ay, for earth<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ings, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 4. <HI>Who will &s;hew us any good?</HI> meaning temporal good; &s;o the Saints for &s;piritual good, <HI>Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance on us.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e there's nothing is a &s;uitable object to the pre|vailing principle of grace which is in him, but &s;ome &s;piritual good; as every life i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> carried to &s;uch food a maintains it, &s;o is the life of grace i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> whom it is, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 4.6, 7. God and tho&s;e things that partake of his nature, are the object of a holy mans will, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.30.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e a regenerate man knows, that a holy frame of will is accepted of God in &s;tead of deeds, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.11, 12.
<PB N="45" REF="29"> that is, when a man can do no more then will, God accepts it for deeds; as in the widows mite, <HI>Mar.</HI> 12.43. Many delude them&s;elves, that they have as good a will as the be&s;t, though they do not bring forth things into act; truely it's not <HI>volun|tas,</HI> but <HI>velleitas,</HI> if it come not forth. Goats-hair was accepted towards the building of a Sanctuary, if a man could bring no better; but if he could bring Gold, Goats-hair was nothing. Though <HI>David</HI> could not build God an hou&s;e, yet God &s;aith, 1 <HI>Kings</HI> 8.18. <HI>Whereas it was in thy heart to build an hou&s;e to my name, thou did&s;t well, that it was in thy heart.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Becau&s;e of the &s;ighes and groans that flow from him, that his actions cannot an&s;wer his will, tho&s;e do prove the reality of his will, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.131. <HI>Oh &s;i po&s;&s;em!</HI> as <HI>Luther:</HI> his bed, his clo&s;er, his garden can witne&s;s the&s;e &s;ighs and groans; the &s;oul can &s;ay, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 38.9. <HI>All my de&s;ire is with thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee.</HI> Look as a poor captive that lies in <HI>Argier,</HI> cryes, <HI>Oh that &s;ome would free me from this &s;lavery;</HI> &s;o doth the &s;oul groan that it might have more power to do good, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.23.</P>
<P N="5">5. It appears from Gods acceptation of actions wherein there hath been much frailty and weakne&s;s, 2 <HI>Chron.</HI> 6.8. having no command from God, it may be &s;uppo&s;ed that he err'd herein; &s;o in Gods taking notice of <HI>Jobs</HI> patience, and pa&s;&s;ing by his impatience.</P>
<P N="6">6. Becau&s;e his under&s;tanding is inlightned to &s;ee good, therefore his will chu&s;eth it; the object the will pitcheth upon, is &s;omething the under&s;tanding &s;ees to be good, at lea&s;t in appearance; as the choice of inordinate plea&s;ures, of re|venge, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> the under&s;tanding &s;ees &s;ome good, though &s;uch an under&s;tanding is like a fal&s;e looking-gla&s;s that pre&s;ents not things as they are: hence, becau&s;e a childe of God cleerly &s;ees things that are good, his will is bent for the &s;ame.</P>
<P><HI>U&s;e inform.</HI> Of an e&s;&s;ential difference 'twixt regenerate men and carnal men: carnal men have a will for &s;in &s;till, <HI>Joh.</HI> 8.44. no will for good. <HI>Jer.</HI> 44.16, 17. <HI>We will certainly do what&s;oever thing goeth out of our own mouth;</HI> If at any time they do Gods will, it is not becau&s;e it was Gods will, but becau&s;e Gods will
<PB N="46" REF="30"> by accident fell pat upon their will, <HI>Jer.</HI> 42. <HI>Jer.</HI> 6.17. <HI>Hearken to the &s;ound of the trumpet: but they &s;aid, We will not hearken.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Cant.</HI> The will of Gods &s;ervants is for God, <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 26.8. <HI>Nehem.</HI> 1.11. yea, even though they through weakne&s;s be overtaken, yet their will is for God, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.12. See it fur|ther in <HI>Paul, Act.</HI> 9.6. in <HI>Cornelius, Act.</HI> 10.33.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Exhort.</HI> 1. Content not your &s;elves with velleities, or imperfect willing of good; but get a right will. Chri&s;tians mu&s;t go beyond all the wi&s;hings of hypocrites.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Properties of the will.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Con&s;tant;</HI> That we have not the will floting hither and thither; not onely when a good mood comes on us, as <HI>Bala|am</HI> had, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.106. not for a fla&s;h, as he, <HI>Mat.</HI> 8.19, 20.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Free.</HI> Many men when they &s;ee they mu&s;t die, they'l part with any thing, any lu&s;t, or do any duty, but it's onely &s;o long as they are over-powred with danger, like <HI>Jonah's</HI> Mariners, that would pray and offer &s;acrifice, &s;o long as the &s;torm la&s;ts. Our will to good, mu&s;t be free, out of the exel|lency we &s;ee in Gods waies.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Earne&s;t. John</HI> 4.32. As a hungry man goes to his meat, or a thir&s;ty man to his drink, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 110.3. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.32. Now to run, a man mu&s;t be earne&s;t; if wicked men come to hinder, he is earne&s;t in the pur&s;uit, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 110.115. if preferments or reproaches come to put the &s;oul off from the object, it will not, <HI>Heb.</HI> 11.24, 25, 26. he cho&s;e to &s;uffer affliction with a good con&s;cience.</P>
<P N="4">4. It is proportionable; as the good is greater, &s;o mu&s;t the will be enlarged. A childe of God hath a will for every thing that is good: but when it is &s;ome great good, then the heart is enlarged.</P>
<P N="5">5. Determinate: <HI>Jo&s;h.</HI> 24.15. Many men approve things good, but dare not chu&s;e them, for fear of cro&s;&s;es and per&s;e|cutions, or the aver&s;ne&s;s of the times: but it's otherwi&s;e with a regenerate will: Let me do my duty, though I go to pri&s;on, or lo&s;e preferment. <HI>Act.</HI> 11.23. they clove with <HI>a full pur|po&s;e.</HI> Many a mans will for good, is ju&s;t like <HI>Orpah,</HI> that &s;eem|ed to go along with her mother <HI>Naomi,</HI> but in a while ki&s;s'd
<PB N="47" REF="30"> her, and departed away: &s;o do many men: but a right Chri|&s;tian is like <HI>Ruth,</HI> who was re&s;olved not to leave her mother.</P>
<P N="6">6. Deliberate: that we con&s;ider the good, what it is that the &s;oul goes out after. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 4.6. <HI>Many &s;ay, Who will &s;hew us any good? but Lord lift up the light of thy countenance.</HI> P&s;al. 119.82. <HI>Mine eyes fail</HI> with looking on this and that good: <HI>but Lord, when wilt thou comfort me?</HI> Ho&s;. 2.7. When <HI>I&s;rael</HI> followed after lovers, but could not overtake them, meaning her idols; &s;he &s;aith, <HI>I'<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l go to my fir&s;t husband: for then it was better with me.</HI> Many are mi&s;taken, &s;o that they take an ap|parent good for a real; as the malicious thinks there's a real good in revenge, the drunkard in his cups.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But how can we will any thing that is good? we are not able to think any thing that is good, of our &s;elves,</HI> 2 Cor. 3.5. <HI>much le&s;s to will it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 1. We will when we will, but God makes us for to will. <HI>Phil.</HI> 2.12, 13. After he had bid us <HI>work out our &s;alva|tion,</HI> he addes, ver&s;. 13. <HI>It's God that worketh in you both to will and to do.</HI> Yet when God hath wrought upon our will, our will doth co-operate. As my paper whereon I write, receives the ink pa&s;&s;ively, and brings nothing of its own to the wri|ting; for I could have writ upon another piece of paper: but being written upon, it becomes an in&s;trument with me of the writing; and as I write more and more, &s;o it &s;till co-operates with me, though in it &s;elf there be no natural be|ginning of the writing. So it is with the will of man in con|ver&s;ion: though God might have pitch'd upon another will, when he wrought upon ours, yet ours being wrought on by him, doth co-operate; and as paper can make no re&s;i&s;tance, no more can man's will. Not as if mans will had no princi|ple of re&s;i&s;tance in it &s;elf naturally, but becau&s;e grace takes off this re&s;i&s;tance.</P>
<P>Now God in bending the will to good, doth it three ways.</P>
<P N="1">1. By removing natural rebellion, <HI>Acts</HI> 9.6. So the Pro|digal, <HI>Luke</HI> 15.</P>
<P N="2">2. By pre&s;enting unto us objects of good, <HI>Deut.</HI> 30.15.</P>
<P N="3">3. By inclining us to the choice of the good propo&s;ed, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.36.</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="48" REF="31">3 <HI>U&s;e Con&s;ol.</HI> To the Saints that finde their wills for good. It was a principal comfort that &s;tayed the Apo&s;tle amid&s;t his infirmities. A holy &s;oul can &s;ay, Lord, thou knowe&s;t the bent of my heart is for thee. As the creatures, being made alive, are able to produce living actions; &s;o the will of Gods peo|ple, being opened, is able to open it &s;elf to God. <HI>Cant.</HI> 5.2.</P>
<P>That which many &s;ay formally, a Chri&s;tian &s;ays truly, <HI>Mat.</HI> 6.10. <HI>Thy will be done in earth as it's in heaven.</HI> Neither do they &s;tand in &s;ome of Gods will, as a wicked man may, but in the whole will of God. <HI>Col.</HI> 4.12.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But to what purpo&s;e is it for regenerate men to have a will for good, when they want power? What comfort can there be hence?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> God looks upon true de&s;ires and willings, when a man is able to do no more. <HI>Prov.</HI> 19.22. <HI>The de&s;ire of a man is his kindne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. They are not onely able barely to will, but al&s;o by the Spirit of God, which is a Spirit of liberty, (2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3.17.) they are enabled to bring much of that they will into act. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.32. Though they cannot do &s;o much as they will, be|cau&s;e their will is extended according to the latitude of the Law, but their performance is extended according to the mea&s;ure of &s;anctifying Grace. The performance of God's people is &s;omething, their endeavours more, but their de&s;ires infinite. It is with Gods people in willing and performing good, as it is with a man that i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ick, that ri&s;es to walk a jour|ney, and being up, he is hardly able to walk three or four turns in his chamber, much le&s;s to walk his journey he pro|pounds; yet doth he walk a little; &s;omething is done, though not &s;o much as he would.</P>
<P N="3">3. It is a great con&s;olation to regenerate men, in the &s;mal|ne&s;s of their performances, that they have a will turning from all evil, and clo&s;ing with all good, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.15, 16, 17, 20. though corruption of nature be apt to hinder in the accom|pli&s;hing of the good willed, ver&s;. 18. The fle&s;h is an impu|dent gue&s;t, that wil<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> not leave his ho&s;ts hou&s;e, though his ho&s;t &s;hew a di&s;ta&s;tful di&s;like of him.</P>
<P N="4"><PB N="49" REF="31">4. Though the will be &s;o divided in it &s;elf, that it &s;eems to go two contrary ways, being like a pot with two ears, on the one of which grace lays hold, and on the other corrup|tion, <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.17. yet grace gets the upper hand of corruption. Every regenerate man hath as it were two wills &s;triving in him together, like <HI>E&s;au</HI> and <HI>Jacob</HI> in <HI>Rebekka</HI>'s womb, or the di&s;ea&s;e and the antidote in the body of a &s;ick man: but yet, according to the promi&s;e, <HI>Rom.</HI> 6.14. <HI>Sin &s;hall not have domi|nion over you;</HI> the regenerate will gets the ma&s;tery.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Motives to will what is good.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. The excellency of the thing offered or propo&s;ed. Chri&s;t is good, and the Law good, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.14. <HI>better then gold, yea, then fine gold,</HI> P&s;al. 19. If I &s;hould propo&s;e inheritances, riches, honours, and bid you chu&s;e the&s;e, every man would be ready to chu&s;e. O the&s;e are not to be compared with &s;piri|tual things, to have the heart brought into an univer&s;al con|formity to Gods will, that the &s;oul &s;ays, <HI>Father, not my will, but thine be done.</HI> Is not this an excellent object?</P>
<P N="2">2. The freedom of will which believers have in the very fir&s;t act of believing. Hence the Scriptures warn us to yeeld unto God when he calls us, to open to him when he knocks at our hearts, <HI>Apoc.</HI> 3.20. And el&s;e why &s;hould the Prophets and Apo&s;tles &s;o tax us when we do not con&s;ent? <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.40. <HI>Luke</HI> 19.27. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 33.11. The&s;e three places, and many o|ther, &s;ignifie, that the very con&s;enting or working, the <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>con&s;entire</HI> or <HI>re&s;puere,</HI> the <HI>non con&s;entire, non re&s;pondere, non ope|rari,</HI> are acts of the will of man, working after its natural motion; onely when it doth well, it comes from grace; and when it re&s;i&s;ts good, it comes from corruption. The threat|nings, promi&s;es, and precepts, &s;ignifie the &s;ame to us.</P>
<P>Indeed, before grace came to us, we were not onely like the wounded man that betwixt <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> and <HI>Jericho</HI> was wounded, and left half dead, <HI>Luke</HI> 10.30. but we were whole dead, <HI>Eph.</HI> 2.1. The &s;oul was like a man in fetters: the Under&s;tanding was chained up in blindne&s;s, and the Will in rebellion: but now, we being enlarged, are made able to run, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.32.</P>
<P N="3">3. Chri&s;t wills good always, <HI>Joh.</HI> 8.29. &amp; &s;o do the Angels,
<PB N="50" REF="32"> <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 103.19. and &s;o &s;halt thou in heaven: learn to will it here on earth.</P>
<P N="4">4. It's the badge of a natural man, to have the will bend|ing to evi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 66.18. 2. <HI>Tim.</HI> 2.26. <HI>led captive by h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m at his plea&s;ure:</HI> if the devil plea&s;e to u&s;e them for pride, whoring, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> they mu&s;t do it. Even as a &s;ervant doth his ma&s;ters will, &s;o mu&s;t they do the will of Concupi&s;cence, <HI>Rom.</HI> 6 19. <HI>Job</HI> 15. <HI>drink iniquity like water:</HI> they have &s;uch a will for &s;in, that it is as their &s;leep, meat and drink. <HI>Prov.</HI> 4.16, 17.</P>
<P N="5">5. The clear light which the under&s;tanding hath of good. It's &s;ad to &s;ee, that when there are glorious truths in the un|der&s;tanding, yet, out of a love of lu&s;t, and lothne&s;s for to undergo the cro&s;s, men chu&s;e not according to them; &s;o that <HI>light is come,</HI> (Joh. 3.20.) <HI>and yet man love darkne&s;s.</HI> In the days of the Prelates, many were enlightned to &s;ee their cor|ruptions in Wor&s;hip; yet cho&s;e not according to it: and to dawb over the matter, they found &s;ome witty di&s;tinction. There's no natural man, indeed, chu&s;es according to the light which he hath, but <HI>withholds the truth in unrighteou&s;ne&s;s.</HI> But Chri&s;tians mu&s;t take heed, <HI>Joh.</HI> 15.22. This takes away all cloke from you, and will &s;er e to ju&s;tifie God's damning of you, That you &s;aw good, and did not embrace it.</P>
<P N="6">6. All the glorious &s;hews and garni&s;hes, which inwardly delude our &s;elves, or outwardly delude others, are nothing, unle&s;s we finde the bent of our will for good. That they have every mans good word, That they lead ci<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">il li<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es; nay, have a profe&s;&s;ion of Religion; They practi&s;e duti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s of Reli|gion in their families, Able perhaps to di&s;cour&s;e of any point of Religion, yea, to pro he&s;ie, as <HI>Balaam,</HI> an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> tho&s;e <HI>M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tth</HI> 7.22. They frequent pub<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ike A&s;&s;emblies, and do not a little rejoyce in the notions there delivered, and perhaps reverence the Preacher that deli<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ered them; yea, and perhaps the Mi|ni&s;ters all about, and godly people too, have a good e&s;teem of them: nay, perhaps as <HI>the &s;tony ground,</HI> upon &s;ome ta&s;te of <HI>the powers of the world to come,</HI> thou ha&s;t &s;ome joy in the good things thou hear&s;t of, as they are good in them&s;elves, though not as they are thine, as the &s;tony ground had. Nay,
<PB N="51" REF="32"> if for the performance of &s;ome of the afore&s;aid things thou ha&s;t &s;uffered &s;ome kinde of per&s;ecution; yet, if the bent of thy will be not really for good, thou do&s;t but complement with God, as a woman doth with a man that comes a &s;uiting to her; &s;he makes him good chear, lodges him in the be&s;t chamber, gives him courteous language; but all this while, denies her will and con&s;ent unto him in marriage. The&s;e glorious &s;hews are like unto a dead carca&s;e which is &s;tuck o|ver with many &s;weet flowers, and hung about with many goodly jewels; yet, wanting the &s;oul, is but a dead carca&s;e. So all the&s;e glorious things forenamed may commend us to men; but we are not accepted with God, till the Will be wrought on for what&s;oever is good.</P>
<P N="7">7. The willing of good which is in regenerate men, is in Scripture made a touch-&s;tone of their &s;incerity and good con|&s;cience: &s;ee 1 <HI>Chron.</HI> 28.9. <HI>Serve the Lord God with a perfect heart and willing minde.</HI> Heb. 13.18. <HI>We tru&s;t we have a good con|&s;cience in all things, willing to live hone&s;tly.</HI> All metals ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e their Touch-&s;tone; Arts and Sciences have their Rules and Prin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">iples to prove them. This is a rule to prove a perfect heart. <HI>Neh.</HI> 1.11. The Apo&s;tle in this Chapter had &s;till this, as a comfort of his uprightne&s;s. <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 17, 18, 21.</P>
<P>So that look as in natural men there is a willingne&s;s to gra|tifie men in their wills, <HI>Foelix was willing to &s;hew the Jews a plea&s;ure, and left Paul bound,</HI> Act. 24.27. &amp; 25.9. And the people of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> walked willingly after the commands of <HI>Je|roboam, Ho&s;.</HI> 5.11. And <HI>Herod</HI> was willing to grant his Neece her demands, <HI>Mar.</HI> 6.22. &s;o contrarily, the wills of &s;incere Crhi&s;tians are for good, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.5.</P>
<P N="8">8. Tho&s;e that have their wills for good, &s;hall have the good which they will. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 81.10. <HI>Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it,</HI> i.e. the mouth of the will, <HI>Apoc.</HI> 22.17.</P>
<P>It's the torment of the damned in hell, that they &s;hall ne|ver have their wills; for they would come out of torment, but they never &s;hall: but Gods people alwaies have their will, becau&s;e they bring their wills to God. Wilful men talk much of their wills: My wi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l to me a kingdom is, though none
<PB N="52" REF="33"> are more cro&s;t in their wills then they; but none &s;ave Chri&s;ti|ans have their will.</P>
<P>Object. But Chri&s;tians Object, <HI>They would fain get power over corruption, that the fountain of original &s;in might be dried up; and they would fain have their heart wholly &s;ubjected to Gods law, and fain be in heaven.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Chri&s;tians &s;hall have the&s;e good things, and all other good things which they will, in Gods mea&s;ure, and in Gods time, and &s;o far forth as God &s;ees it good.</P>
<P N="9">9. The commanding power which the will hath over all the faculties and members, if that be gained to good, the tongue will &s;peak of it, the ear will hear, the hand work, the de&s;ires and affections long for it; it's like &s;ome Garri&s;on that commands the Country about.</P>
<P><HI>The fourth U&s;e of trial whether you will good aright.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. By the readine&s;s and nimblene&s;s we have in doing good, 1 <HI>John</HI> 5.3. the yoke of Chri&s;t is ea&s;ie to tho&s;e who&s;e natures are regenerate: if it be to &s;hew mercy, he can do it cheerfully; if it be to pray, he can rip up his heart bleedingly; if the Church be in di&s;tre&s;s, he can &s;ympathize feelingly; as it was with the Centurions &s;ervants, <HI>Mat.</HI> 8.9. <HI>Goe, and he goeth.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. When we do good with a love to it, <HI>Prov.</HI> 21.15. <HI>It's a joy to the ju&s;t to do judgement. P&s;al.</HI> 40.8. <HI>I delight to do will.</HI> Carnal men do many good action, which might befit a Saint of God, nay an Angel of heaven; but they love not the good they do: &s;hame of the world, cry of con&s;cience, ap|prehen&s;ion of death, &s;ets them a doing it.</P>
<P N="3">3. When we di&s;allow the evil we do, not onely becau&s;e the natural con&s;cience condemnes it, but from a new princi|ple whereby the will and the law clo&s;es together; as in <HI>Paul</HI> here, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.15, 16.</P>
<P N="4">4. When ordinarily and u&s;ually the will &s;tands aver&s;e un|to contrary commands, as a &s;ervant doth unto the commands of tho&s;e that are not his Ma&s;ter, e&s;pecially when it is com|manded by &s;ecret &s;ins, <HI>Levit.</HI> 19.19. <HI>Gen.</HI> 39.9. and by &s;mall &s;ins. He that truely makes con&s;cience of a little &s;in, doth much more make con&s;cience of a great &s;in: &s;o when the
<PB N="53" REF="33"> &s;oul &s;tands aver&s;e to &s;ins of calling, &s;ins of the times, which carry little or no di&s;-e&s;teem, by rea&s;on of their commonne&s;s.</P>
<P N="5">5. When in ca&s;e of falling into any &s;in, thou art unquiet till thou ha&s;t recovered thy &s;elf, and returned unto thy wont|ed obedience; as the point in the compa&s;s re&s;ts not till it come to the North: &s;o <HI>David, P&s;al.</HI> 51.10. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 38.3. <HI>Da|vid</HI> had no re&s;t in his bones, by rea&s;on of his &s;in: wicked men decline from good by degrees, and never be di&s;quieted with it.</P>
<P N="6">6. When a man wills good, notwith&s;tanding lo&s;s of enjoy|ments, and propo&s;al of &s;ufferings, <HI>Mat.</HI> 16.24. <HI>Mo&s;es, Heb.</HI> 11.25. &s;uch a &s;oul is willing to go thorow fire and water to do his duty. <HI>Act.</HI> 20.22, 23, 24. there were many troubles like to come upon him, as bonds and afflictions, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 23. and other troubles which he knew not of, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 22. <HI>but none the&s;e things move me,</HI> &amp;c. when duty to God bindes me, Many men that think their wills are for God, do their duty with this &s;ecret limitation, So far as it &s;hall be free from per&s;onal danger: if there be danger, they fall off, like <HI>Henry</HI> the fourth, that told <HI>Beza, He loved to put no further to &s;ea, then he could put in again in ca&s;e the &s;torm &s;hould ri&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>We come to the &s;econd part: <HI>Evil is pre&s;ent with me.</HI></P>
<P>The word is <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>lies by me,</HI> or <HI>is neer upon me,</HI> or <HI>is ad|herent to my be&s;t actions.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Ob&s;erv.</HI> Though regenerate men have a will to good, yet is there a remaining principle of corruption, which is cleav|ing unto them in their actions and &s;ervices, even when they will good. <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.17. <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.15, 16, 17.</P>
<P>Now to under&s;tand this, con&s;ider, 1. That it is of &s;in in the reliques, not in the reign. <HI>Rom.</HI> 6.14. 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2.19.</P>
<P N="2">2. Though the&s;e reliques of corruption do cleave to a re|generate man in his actions and &s;ervices, yea, to his principal faculties, as his will, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> yet his will doth not cleave unto them.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 1. Becau&s;e God hath no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> appointed an utter aboli|tion of &s;in till death. God doth with his people, as he did
<PB N="54" REF="34">
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<PB N="55" REF="34">
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<PB N="54" REF="35"> with <HI>I&s;rael</HI> when he brought them into <HI>Canaan,</HI> he would not ca&s;t them out all; nor could the tribes of <HI>Mana&s;&s;eh</HI> and <HI>E|phraim, Zebulon</HI> and <HI>A&s;her,</HI> ca&s;t out the <HI>Canaanites</HI> from among them, onely they made them to become Tributaries unto them, <HI>Judg.</HI> 7.27, to 36. &s;o we cannot altogether ca&s;t out the remaining evils in us, onely they become &s;ubject unto the prevailing principle.</P>
<P>God will in the mean time have the&s;e reliques of cor|ruption left in us, 1. To exerci&s;e our graces, as faith, re|pentance, &s;elf-denyal, which are &s;tirr'd up by the oppo&s;ition of the contrary.</P>
<P N="2">2. That we might long to be di&s;&s;olved from this body of &s;in, and have a full deliverance, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.23. <HI>Phil.</HI> 1.23.</P>
<P N="3">3. That God may crown the conque&s;ts of his Saints in heaven, <HI>Apoc.</HI> 2.17.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Rea&s;.</HI> Becau&s;e mortification is onely in part in this life: it is indeed in every part, 1 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 5.23. as health is in a man that is begun to recover out of &s;ickne&s;s; health is in every faculty and part, yet is there &s;ome reliques of his di&s;ea&s;e, though the &s;tate of health get ground of the &s;tate of &s;ickne&s;s.</P>
<P N="3">3. It appears from the contrary motions of the will; for the will cannot fight with it &s;elf, about the &s;ame Object, and be di&s;tracted into contrary parts; were it not that as by the habits of grace it's inclined to good; &s;o by the reliques of &s;in it is driven to evil.</P>
<P N="4">4. It appears from experience, in that we finde an adhe|rency of corruption, 1. In things pertaining to God. 2. To our neighbours. 3. To our &s;elves.</P>
<P N="1">1. In things pertaining to God, as 1. In a&s;&s;enting to be|lieve, we are ready to draw a model of God according to our conceptions, not according to his nature: &s;o in believ|ing the attributes of God, corruption cleavs to our belief of his power, <HI>Numb.</HI> 11.21, 22. &s;o to the belief of his promi&s;e, <HI>Gen.</HI> 18.13, 15.</P>
<P>So in the belief of the Trinity, the creation of the world, the incarnation, death and re&s;urrection of Chri&s;t, the la&s;t judgement, the re&s;urrection of the dody, faith and unbelief
<PB N="55" REF="35"> is mixed in the &s;ame &s;oul: <HI>Mar.</HI> 9.24. his tears and confe&s;&s;ion &s;hews his faith, and his que&s;tioning, <HI>If thou can&s;t do any thing,</HI> &s;hews his unbelief. So the <HI>The&s;&s;alonians,</HI> their faith &s;tood in need of perfecting, 1 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 3.10. What que&s;tionings had <HI>A&s;aph? P&s;al.</HI> 77.8. Many that think their faith &s;trong, were it a&s;&s;ailed with tentations, either to for&s;ake enjoyments, or to endure &s;uffering, they &s;hould &s;ee the weakne&s;s of it.</P>
<P N="2">2. In practice: What wearine&s;s in holy duties! in prayer, <HI>&amp;c. I&s;ai.</HI> 43.21, 22. So look in duties of the fir&s;t Table: in our love to God, how doth &s;elf-love, love of the world, and plea&s;ures adhere! in &s;peaking of God's Name, what a want of reverence! <HI>&amp;c.</HI> what excur&s;ions in prayer! what by-ends in following our calling! Ru&s;t not onely comes up|on iron, but even upon purer metals, gold and &s;ilver: cor|ruption not onely hangs on wicked men, but even on the Saints.</P>
<P>So in duties of the &s;econd Table. I might go thorow every Commandment: &s;elf-love is mixt with love of our neighbour, pride with humility, hypocri&s;ie with &s;incerity, di&s;tru&s;tful fears of poverty, in exerci&s;ing acts of liberality.</P>
<P><HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. <HI>for Inform.</HI> What a mi&s;chief the &s;in of <HI>Adam</HI> hath brought into the world: That there's no way to root it up totally, &s;o long as we live here. It's like a tree; though you cut off the branches, it will grow again; though you cut it down, it will &s;prout again, till the root be quite dried up. <HI>James</HI> 3.2. <HI>In many things we &s;in all.</HI> Look as it is with a Patient that hath r<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cei<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed &s;ome deadly wound, he is for|ced to lie under the Sur<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eons hands, perhaps many months, that he may be cured: &s;o it is with us; we have received a dead<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y wound, and we m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">ie under the hands of the good Samaritane to be healed, <HI>Luk.</HI> 10.33. and yet till death come, we &s;hall never be perfectly cured.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Inform.</HI> How far man is &s;wer<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed from the &s;tate where|in he was created: all the powers of the &s;oul were then made <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 7.29. The &s;en&s;iti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e appetite was &s;ubject to the minde and will, and both of them to God, <HI>Gen.</HI> 1.27. We were then in Gods image, and could have done his will
<PB N="56" REF="36"> as perfectly as the Angels. But now, not to &s;peak of unrege|nerate men, who <HI>drink iniquity like water,</HI> even regenerate men have corrupt di&s;po&s;itions hanging upon every faculty and every action.</P>
<P>But if corruption do cleave to regenerate men thus, wicked men may object, <HI>What are Gods children better then we herein?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Corruption in wicked men, po&s;&s;e&s;&s;es all the powers of their &s;oul peaceably, <HI>Luke</HI> 11.21. but in regenerate men there's &s;till a principle to oppo&s;e it, and to combat again&s;t it, <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.17. Hence, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.23. Grace and Corruption are com|pared to two Duellers, one of which fights again&s;t the other.</P>
<P N="2">2. Corruption in unregenerate men, hath the guilt of e|ternal death joyned to it; but in regenerate men, that groan under it, the guilt of it is taken away. <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.1. after he had &s;et down the combat and the complaint of the regene|rate man, he addeth, <HI>There is THEREFORE no condemnation to them that are in Chri&s;t Je&s;us.</HI> Ho&s;. 13.14. Rom. 8.3.</P>
<P N="3">3. Corruption in wicked men is ea&s;ie, and no burden; as the elements in their proper place are not ponderous; as a million tuns of water in the &s;ea is not ponderous; but if you take a bucket-full out, it weighs &s;ore. <HI>Fools make a mock of &s;in,</HI> Prov. 14.9. and <HI>it's an abomination to them to depart from evil.</HI> Prov. 13.19. Prov. 15.14. The mouth of their will feeds on folly: but in God's children it's <HI>an heavie burthen,</HI> P&s;al. 38.4.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Reproof</HI> of the Papi&s;ts, who teach, <HI>that inherent righte|ou&s;ne&s;s doth altogether expel original &s;in.</HI> We finde it other|wi&s;e,</P>
<P N="1">1. By experience, That we, when we are mo&s;t holy, have corruptions to combat with; as di&s;tractions, deadne&s;s, for|getfulne&s;s of good, &s;ecurity, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. By the complaints that &s;undry of Gods people have made. <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 64.7. they complain of their dead-heartedne&s;s, in that they &s;tirr'd not up them&s;elves to turn away God's di&s;|plea&s;ure. <HI>Nehemiah,</HI> chap. 1.6, 7. yet, ver&s;. 11. he counts him|&s;elf one of Gods &s;ervants, that de&s;ires to fear Gods name; yet he &s;aith, <HI>I have &s;inned.</HI> So for their de&s;pondencie of &s;pi|rit.
<PB N="57" REF="36"> <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 43.5. for their watchle&s;ne&s;s, <HI>Cant.</HI> 1.6. &s;o <HI>Agur, Prov.</HI> 30.2, 3. how inclining was <HI>Paul</HI> to privie pride, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12.7. and how doth he pray again&s;t it? <HI>Job</HI> 40.4. though a perfect man, <HI>chap.</HI> 1.1. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 9.27.</P>
<P N="3">3. By plain Scriptures, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 64.6. there were filthy rags a|mong their righteou&s;ne&s;s: 1 <HI>John</HI> 1.1. the Apo&s;tle &s;peaking of all regenerate men, &s;aith, <HI>He that &s;aith, he hath no corrupti|on, is a lyer. He that is in Chri&s;t not onely by vi&s;ible constitution,</HI> as Joh. 15.2. <HI>but even by mystical union, &s;tands in need of purging. Every branch in me that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.</HI> Therefore there is &s;omthing in &s;uch that needs purging, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.16. <HI>Our inward man is renewed every day.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.18. <HI>Paul</HI> di&s;tingui&s;heth grace from nature, not the &s;oul from the body; el&s;e he had not &s;poke truth, &s;aying, <HI>In my fle&s;h dwels no good thing.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Exhort.</HI> To be humbled, that there is &s;uch corruption cleaving unto us, &s;o that we may cry out as the Leper, <HI>Levit.</HI> 13.45. <HI>Unclean, unclean, unclean,</HI> in prayer, in hearing, reading, in buying, &s;elling, eating, drinking, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Oh what car|nal rea&s;onings again&s;t clear truths? what re&s;i&s;tance of holy motions, &s;ecret pride, <HI>&amp;c?</HI> As it is in &s;ome childing women, though good whole&s;ome food be propo&s;ed unto them, yet have they a vehement longing de&s;ire after &s;ome &s;libber&s;auces not fit for the life of man: &s;o though goodne&s;s be &s;et before us, yea, &amp; the will chu&s;e it, yet &s;omething hangs back, &s;omething would carry us from the fountain of living waters to broken ci&s;terns, <HI>Jer.</HI> 2.23. When a holy command is named, the un|regenerate part of the will hangs to the contrary.</P>
<P>When any thing is to be done or &s;uffered for God, corrup|tion &s;till pre&s;ents the contrary; if we be to chu&s;e any of Gods waies, corruption (like weights or fetters upon a man going to run) hangs upon the will to pull it back.</P>
<P>If a man had the pox or &s;ome &s;curff all over his body, eve|ry man would blu&s;h and be a&s;hamed of it: how much more &s;trive to be aba&s;ed in the &s;ight of God and con&s;cience, that there are &s;o many corruptions cleaving to thee, and defiling not thy body, but thy &s;oul, and the principal powers there|of! as,</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="58" REF="37">1. The under&s;tanding full of curio&s;ity and vain thoughts.</P>
<P N="2">2. The will is di&s;tracted into contrary parts, and ready to hang after evil.</P>
<P N="3">3. In the &s;en&s;itive appetite, whereby, however good be known by us in the under&s;tanding, yet the concupi&s;cible fa|culty longs after the contrary.</P>
<P>Many of Gods people hence in their private clo&s;ets, &s;it wringing their hands, pouring out tears, and &s;ighs, and groans, in re&s;pect of this adherent corruption; and &s;o much the rather, becau&s;e it doth &s;o ea&s;ily be&s;et us, <HI>Heb.</HI> 12.2.</P>
<P N="4">4. In the con&s;cience: It let's us go on in dead works, when it &s;hould accu&s;e us; <HI>Heb.</HI> 9.14. and often when it &s;hould excu&s;e us, it doth through needle&s;s &s;cruples accu&s;e us, <HI>Rom.</HI> 14.2.</P>
<P><HI>Grounds of humiliation under this adherent corruption.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. The example of the Saints: <HI>Abraham</HI> calls him&s;elf, <HI>du&s;t and a&s;hes, Gen.</HI> 18. <HI>Hezekiah</HI> was humbled under the re|lique of pride and unthankfulne&s;s, 2 <HI>Chron.</HI> 32.25, 26. <HI>Paul</HI> groans under it, and calls him&s;elf <HI>a wretched man, Rom.</HI> 7.24. <HI>Bradford</HI> from the remainders of hyporcri&s;ie, calls him|&s;elf <HI>a very painted hypocrite. Job</HI> abborr'd him&s;elf in du&s;t and a&s;hes for the reliques of his impatience, <HI>chap.</HI> 42.6. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> was a holy man, &amp; yet he &s;aith, <HI>Wo is me, I am a man of polluted lips! I&s;ai.</HI> 6.5. And <HI>Ezra</HI> from the &s;ight hereof confe&s;&s;es a|gain&s;t him&s;elf, as if he had been the gro&s;&s;e&s;t &s;inner in the world, <HI>Ezra</HI> 9.6. <HI>David, P&s;al.</HI> 130.3. <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 1, 2. The Prophet had de&s;ired God to be attentive to his prayer; &s;aies God, Thou art a &s;inner full of inherent corruption, cleaving to thy prayer, and to all thy &s;ervices: to which he an&s;wers, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 3. <HI>If thou, Lord, &s;hould&s;t be extream to mark what is done ami&s;s, who &s;hall &s;tand?</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The exceeding filthine&s;s of it,</P>
<P N="1">1. In <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hat is take occa&s;ion from the very command to tran&s;|gre&s;s, <HI>v.</HI> 8. as in an <HI>Antiperi&s;ta&s;is,</HI> the more inten&s;e the cold is, the more the heat puts forth it &s;elf; &s;o the more the law keeps in corruption, the more it rageth; as an angry dog, the more he is re&s;i&s;ted, the more cur&s;t he grows: &s;ee <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.13.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="59" REF="37">2. In that there's no good thing in this unregenerate part. <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.18. <HI>I know that in me (that is, in my &s;le&s;h) dwels no good thing.</HI> In the very devils there's &s;ome good, as their power, and their nature, which they have from God; but their will is from them&s;elves: but here's nothing good.</P>
<P N="3">3. In that it maintains a con&s;tant war again&s;t the contrary principle of grace, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 23. So that the Saints of God are forced to fight with it from day to day, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 9.27.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Ground.</HI> The clo&s;e adherency of this corruption: It is not onely cleaving to every faculty, but to every grace; faith and unbelief, hope and de&s;pair, &s;elf-love to the love of God, where they contend together like light and darkne&s;s in the &s;ame horizon, or like heat and cold in the &s;ame water, or like health and &s;ickne&s;s in the &s;ame body.</P>
<P N="4">4. The continual di&s;abling of us from doing the good that we would do, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.18. <HI>To will is pre&s;ent, but how to perform that which is good, I finde not;</HI> if we call upon God, how doth it carry the heart out in fruitle&s;s excur&s;ions? if we would me|ditate, how doth it pre&s;ent unholy and vain objects to us? if we are put upon the doing or &s;uffering any thing for good, how doth it put us upon by-ends? It's like a &s;ickne&s;s that ac|companies a natural body: when the &s;ick man thinks to eat, meat is brought to him, but he cannot; he thinks to walk, but his &s;ickne&s;s di&s;ables him: he walks a turn, but lies down again.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>U&s;e of exhort.</HI> To endeavour the &s;ubduement of the re|maining adherent corruption, that doth thus cleave to us<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> two Grounds hereof.</P>
<P N="1">1. It takes away our comfort in re&s;pect of the mea&s;ure of it. When <HI>David</HI> was drawn away with his lu&s;ts and remain|ing corruption, it kill'd his comfort, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 51.8, 12. How oft do the&s;e remainders cau&s;e the &s;oul to que&s;tion its e&s;tate: Am I God's, or no? is not this evil I do a reigning &s;in in me? So <HI>Peter</HI> after denial of Chri&s;t, he had no comfort, till Chri&s;t was fain to appear unto him after his re&s;urrection. Saies the &s;oul, I have prayed, but Oh the by-thoughts in it! I have &s;hewed mercy, but Oh the &s;mi&s;ter ends in it! I have own|ed Gods cau&s;e, but how little have I done it unto God? I
<PB N="59" REF="38"> have been a Preacher thus long, but how &s;eldom have I preacht unto God!</P>
<P N="2">2. It is ready treacherou&s;ly to betray us to Satans tentati|ons: it's like a traiterous Governour in a Gari&s;on. So <HI>Davids</HI> pride betrayed him to Satan, when he provoked <HI>David</HI> to number <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> 1 <HI>Chron.</HI> 21.1. As <HI>Dalilah</HI> did with <HI>Samp&s;on,</HI> plea&s;ed him a little, that &s;he might deliver him to the <HI>Phi|li&s;tines;</HI> &s;o the fle&s;h plea&s;es us, that it may treacherou&s;ly betray us to Satan. 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2.11. he bids the <HI>Corinthians</HI> forgive the in|ce&s;tuous, <HI>le&s;t Satan get an advantage: for we are not ignorant of his devices;</HI> &s;o that as &s;oon as a weakne&s;s is in a Chri&s;tian, Sa|tan gets an advantage by it, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7.5.</P>
<P>Now the tentations of Satan whereto remaining corrup|tion betraies us, they are,</P>
<P N="1">1. Tentations to &s;in: So the corruption in <HI>Peter</HI> betrayed him to Satans &s;ugge&s;tion, <HI>Mat.</HI> 16 when <HI>Peter</HI> being moved thereby, he coun&s;elled Chri&s;t to &s;ave him&s;elf.</P>
<P N="2">2. Tentations to di&s;couragement: When corruption breaks out in pride, and worldline&s;s, and hypocri&s;ie, and &s;elf-love, and inordinate affection, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Satan will di&s;courage Gods &s;er|vants, and tell them, They will never be able to hold out to the end; but either per&s;ecutions or &s;ufferings on the one hand, and the lo&s;s of &s;ome earthly enjoyment, or the &s;trength of &s;ome corruption, will prove their un&s;oundne&s;s; and Satan takes advantage of their infirmities, to make them conclude they have no &s;incerity, no truth of grace in them.</P>
<P><HI>Means to &s;ubdue the evil that cleaves to us.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. Complain again&s;t thy &s;elf: Lord, I have &s;o much pride, &s;uch pa&s;&s;ion and frowardne&s;s, &s;o full of carking cares, dejecting &s;orrows, de&s;pairing fears, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12.7. when pride, the me&s;&s;en|ger of Satan, which he &s;ugge&s;ts from revelations, (as indeed <HI>In tentationibus carnis &s;emper e&s;t aliquis con&s;en&s;us,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Durandus) Paul</HI> falls to prayer again and again; he be&s;ought the Lord thrice that it might depart from him: in the end, God an&s;wers his prayer thus; <HI>My grace is &s;ufficient for thee.</HI> All that are weary, <HI>Mat.</HI> 11.28. are bid to come to Chri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t: now he that complains again&s;t him&s;elf, is weary. God &s;ometimes defers
<PB N="60" REF="38"> to hear the&s;e complaints, but it's onely that the&s;e infirmities may be more odious to the eye of con&s;cience, &amp; that we may the more value the deliverance from them, when we obtain it. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 51.10, 11. <HI>David</HI> complained again&s;t the uncleanne&s;s and crookedne&s;s of his own heart, though <HI>Nathan</HI> had told him, God had pardoned his &s;in. <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 63.17. How did Gods people complain of their own hardne&s;s of heart! for they were believers, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 16. So <HI>David</HI> al&s;o complains of him&s;elf, for a mi&s;-apprehen&s;ion of Gods providence in the di&s;pen&s;ati|on of earthly things, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 73.21, 22.</P>
<P N="2">2. Draw by faith healing power from Chri&s;t. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 14.4. He that when he was on earth heal'd blindene&s;s and deaf|ne&s;s, can he not now in heaven heal the&s;e? <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 35.5. Look as the wound draws a healing power from the medicine; &s;o &s;hould we, being compa&s;t with remainders of &s;in, draw heal|ing from Chri&s;t again&s;t the remainders of malice, <HI>Luke</HI> 17.5, 6, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> we being by faith joyned to Chri&s;t, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.17. and made one Spirit, &s;hall from this Spirit receive healing power; onely we mu&s;t excite and actuate our faith, if we mean to have power from Chri&s;t derived to us.</P>
<P N="3">3. Watchfulne&s;s: When an army knows that they have not onely an enemy lying clo&s;e again&s;t them, but even with|in them&s;elves, they had need watch: this is our ca&s;e: we have the fle&s;h within us, in prayer, hearing, reading, to carry us to di&s;traction; in &s;uffering, ready to &s;ave our skins, though with lo&s;s of con&s;cience; in works of mercy, to carry us to vain-glory; ready to carry the eyes to lu&s;tings, the ears to li&s;ten after unclean things, our ta&s;te to exce&s;s <HI>Prov.</HI> 23.1. had we a pilfering &s;ervant, we would ever and anon have an eye upon him.</P>
<P N="4">4. Apprehend God's all-&s;eeing eye, <HI>Heb.</HI> 4.13. how he &s;ees every &s;tirring of corruption in thy &s;oul. This did great|ly awe the remaining corruption in <HI>Job</HI>'s heart, chap. 31.1. compared with ver&s;. 4. When inordinate affection &s;prings up, &s;ay, Soul, dare&s;t thou do this, when God looks on? Say as <HI>Solomon,</HI> Prov. 5.20, 21. The thinking that God &s;ees not, hath been a principal means to &s;trengthen corruption. <HI>Job</HI> 22.12, 13, 14. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 8.12.</P>
<P N="5"><PB N="62" REF="39">5. Be per&s;waded of the exceeding &s;infulne&s;s thereof: &s;ee it, in that it takes occa&s;ion to work &s;in and death, even by that which is good, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.8, 13. Be&s;ides experience, which is much herein, we &s;tand in need of the Spirit to convince us hereof. 2. In that it gives all advantage to Satan: Satan could have had no power again&s;t <HI>Ananias,</HI> to fill his heart, <HI>Acts</HI> 5. nor again&s;t <HI>Judas,</HI> to enter into his heart, <HI>Joh.</HI> 13.2. much le&s;s with <HI>D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">vid,</HI> to have numbred the people, had it not been for this in-dwelling &s;in. Hence Gods people, in their confe&s;&s;ions, never once mention Satan, but onely this corruption, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 51.5.</P>
<P N="4">4 <HI>U&s;e,</HI> to God's people, that &s;till finde this corrupt princi|ple a&s;&s;ailing them from day to day, even when they will good: thus will it be in regenerate men, even when they have a will to good. Thus was it in <HI>David, P&s;al.</HI> 143.2. and 130.3. It &s;hould be a matter of humiliation, but not of di&s;|couragement: it &s;hould make us long to be at home with the Lord, but not deject us, that we become unfit for our journey. This is our comfort; though corruption &s;team out helli&s;h mo|tions, like a filthy dunghil; yet we re&s;i&s;t them, and abomi|nate them, and the fountain whence they come. The more holy any man is, the more he loaths him&s;elf for this adherent corruption: as in <HI>Abraham, Gen.</HI> 18.27. <HI>Suffer du&s;t and a&s;hes to &s;peak.</HI> So <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 6.5. and <HI>Job</HI> 42.6.</P>
<P>This is our comfort, That this Corruption is not in the reign, becau&s;e our will is not for it, but for good; we di&s;al|low it in the root and branch, in the fountain and &s;tream: we hate it, and groan under it.</P>
<P>And for the reliques, this is our comfort, That we have a Phy&s;itian giving us a daily purge, <HI>Joh.</HI> 15.2. and that we are daily going towards a &s;tate of &s;oundne&s;s, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.16. our <HI>in|ward man is renewed every day:</HI> which appears, becau&s;e a prin|ciple of grace carries a command over our wills, our wills over our affections, our affections over our actions.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Con&s;ol.</HI> to Gods people in point of infirmities. It can|not be, but many infirmities will be cleaving to them: then they fall to que&s;tion whether they be God's children. Tru|ly-regenerate
<PB N="63" REF="39"> men, having &s;uch a corrupt principle, it cannot be but they mu&s;t have many infirmities: As,</P>
<P N="1">1. In re&s;pect of God; as weakne&s;s of faith, of love, con|fidence, knowledge, de&s;ire of communion with him. The&s;e and many thou&s;ands proceed from corruption: &s;o that as he prayed concerning his faith, <HI>Lord, help my unbelief;</HI> &s;o had we need to pray in all other graces, Lord I love, help my igno|rance, &s;elf-love.</P>
<P N="2">2. Towards men, <HI>i.e.</HI> wicked men, whiles &s;ometimes we &s;trengthen them in their &s;ins, by our uneven walking: &s;ome|times in&s;ult over them in their unregenerate &s;tate, not con&s;i|dering <HI>who made us to differ,</HI> 1 Cor. 4.7. In &s;tead of reprehen|&s;ion, we too often laugh at them: in &s;tead of walking wi&s;ely towards them, <HI>Col.</HI> 4.1. we too often corrupt them, and cau&s;e them to &s;tumble, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 12.14. In &s;tead of <HI>&s;hining forth as lights,</HI> Phil. 2.14, 15. Matth. 6.16. there's much darkne&s;s in our paths: and all this is from our corruption.</P>
<P>Secondly, towards the Saints. Sometimes,</P>
<P N="1">1. Again&s;t the Church in general; when we do not re|joyce in their happine&s;s, and &s;orrow in their mi&s;ery, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12.26. &s;o when we forget it in our prayers, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 122.6. &s;o when we &s;hall for fear of per&s;ecution mi&s;lead the people of God, as &s;ome of the Circumci&s;ion-teachers, <HI>Ga<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> 6.12. and &s;o did <HI>Peter,</HI> when certain of the Circumci&s;ion came from <HI>James,</HI> he forbore to eat with the Gentiles, when formerly he had eaten with them; and <HI>Barnabas</HI> was led away, and others al|&s;o, by this di&s;&s;imulation, <HI>Gal.</HI> 2.11, 12, 13, 14. But &s;pecially when corruption &s;hall prevail &s;o far, to carry us to &s;ome &s;can|dalous practice, whereby all Gods people &s;hall be branded for our &s;ins; as <HI>David</HI> and the ince&s;tuous per&s;on did, and tho&s;e <HI>Ezek.</HI> 36.20.</P>
<P N="2">2. Towards Chri&s;tians in particular; as in want of charity to one another. If we compare our &s;el<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e, with tho&s;e pro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">erties of charity mentioned, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 13.4, 5, 6. we &s;hall &s;ee how corruption &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">raitens us: &s;o in want of edifying by mutual vi&s;iti gs, as that of <HI>Mary</HI> to <HI>Elizabeth, Luke</HI> 39.40. by mutual provokings to good works, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10.24, 25. by
<PB N="63" REF="40"> mutual conference, <HI>Deut.</HI> 6.7. by mutual admonition, <HI>Rom.</HI> 15. and mutual con&s;olation, 1 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 4.17. mutual &s;ympathi|zing, <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 58.10. the&s;e infirmities are either in &s;trong to weak, or in weak to &s;trong.</P>
<P N="1">1. In &s;trong to weak: As when the &s;trong &s;hall draw the weak to do things again&s;t con&s;cience by their example; as they that had knowledge, and went to their Idol-fea&s;ts, drew weak ones &s;o to do, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.10, 11, 12. &s;o when &s;trong do not bear the infirmities of the weak, <HI>Gal.</HI> 6.1, 2. &s;o when the &s;trong de&s;pi&s;e the weak, <HI>Rom.</HI> 14.3. and &s;et him at nought, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 10. as God carries him&s;elf to &s;uch weaklings, <HI>Mat.</HI> 12.20. he doth not breake them nor quench them, no more mu&s;t you. 1 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 5.14. <HI>Support the weak.</HI></P>
<P>So in cen&s;uring them for infirmities, when they know the con&s;tant cour&s;e of their life to be holy, <HI>Jam.</HI> 3.2. Many make more of an infirmity in others, though they &s;ee the whole cour&s;e of their life is truely to plea&s;e God, then they make of gro&s;s &s;ins in them&s;elves, though they take no cour&s;e to plea&s;e God. This is a great corruption in many towards them that are different from them in judgement: condemned, <HI>Rom.</HI> 14.4.</P>
<P N="2">2. In weak to &s;trong: As when a weak brother judges a &s;trong in an indifferent thing, as in ca&s;e of eating or not eating; <HI>Rom.</HI> 14.3. So <HI>Johns</HI> Di&s;ciples tax Chri&s;ts Di&s;ciples for not fa&s;ting when they fa&s;ted, <HI>Mat.</HI> 9.14, 15. So for ob|&s;ervation of dayes, 1 <HI>Col.</HI> 2.16. <HI>Let no man judge you,</HI> &amp;c. Weak Chri&s;tians, through ignorance of Chri&s;tian liberty, &s;om|times through needle&s;s &s;cruples, &s;omtimes through unacquain|taince with other mens wayes, may condemn things lawful and laudable in the &s;trong.</P>
<P>So when weak brethren, through over-valuing them&s;elves, undervalue others that are &s;trong; &s;o in &s;ome places new con|verts having got a little knowledge, put forth them&s;elves too forwardly in company of the &s;trong, and &s;o hinder them|&s;elves and others of benefit by conference. The weak bre|thren of <HI>Corinth</HI> undervalued <HI>Paul,</HI> which the Apo&s;tle tells them of in a continued irony: &s;ee 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.10. The&s;e bre|thren, <HI>Gal.</HI> 2.6. that &s;eemed to be &s;omething, added nothing
<PB N="65" REF="40"> to <HI>Paul</HI> in conference. Humility and mode&s;ty well befit new converts, and a reveren e to the Saints of God, that were in Chri&s;t before them, <HI>Rom.</HI> 16.7.</P>
<P N="3">3. Infirmities in re&s;pect of our &s;elves: If we look on du|ties of Religion, as prayer, receiving, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> how many wan|dring thoughts carry us as far from the duty in hand, as hea|ven and earth are one from another? No holy end we pro|po&s;e, but many by-ends are thru&s;t in by corruption. Look upon our ho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ie&s;t action, corruption like a filthy rag hangs on it. <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 64.6. Many godly men look like a pure fountain, yet as a pure fountain when it's troubled, you &s;hall &s;ee abun|dance of mud to come up, which makes the water look thick and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ro&s;s; &s;o when tentations come, many godly men &s;hew much weakne&s;s, as when wrong is offered to them, or when they are to witne&s;s matters for Chri&s;t that expo&s;e them to hard&s;hip.</P>
<P>So in the u&s;e of things indifferent; as apparel, diet, recre|ations, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> whereas &s;obriety ought to bound them, together with an aptitude for our Chri&s;tian calling, commonly mens e&s;tates bound them: &s;o that Gods people are oftner over|taken in the abu&s;e of indifferent things, then in committing things in the whole kinde unlawful; and &s;o are oft driven upon vows to abridge them&s;elves, and &s;o fall into &s;nares; for too often vows become &s;nares.</P>
<P>Object. But &s;aies many wicked men, <HI>If there be infirmities hanging on Gods children, then I may be comforted; for though I commit many &s;ins, yet are they but infirmities.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> I'll &s;hew two things: 1. What a &s;in of infirmity is. 2. The difference 'twixt the infirmities of the Saints, and pre|&s;umptions.</P>
<P>What it is. It is any &s;in committed of weakne&s;s again&s;t the univer&s;al pu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">po&s;;e of the heart, either through want of delibe|ration, or neglect of Chri&s;tian watching, or violence of ten|tations.</P>
<P>In which ob&s;erve, 1. The cau&s;es of it. 2. The nature of it.</P>
<P N="1">1. The cau&s;es, of which I will name &s;ome, as,</P>
<P N="1">1. Want of watching: So <HI>Lot</HI> was overtaken with drunken|ne&s;s
<PB N="66" REF="41"> and ince&s;t; and <HI>Noah</HI> with drunkenne&s;s; and <HI>Hezekiah</HI> with pride, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 39.2. and the Di&s;ciples with &s;leep in a time of tentation.</P>
<P N="2">2. Want of deliberation: For want of debatement of the unlawfulne&s;s of things with our &s;elves, we oft commit unlaw|ful things: had <HI>Jeho&s;aphat</HI> con&s;idered but what it was to keep company with wicked men, yea, idolators, I &s;uppo&s;e he would not have <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">inkt him&s;elf &s;o with <HI>Ahab.</HI> Somtimes Gods people are overcome, not having time to deliberate; &s;ome|times they have not light.</P>
<P N="3">3. Violence of tentations: &s;o divers of the Martyrs &s;eeing the fire before them, recanted, as Mr. <HI>Benbrigge,</HI> and o|thers; yet after came to &s;uffer: &s;o <HI>Bilney,</HI> &amp;c. So &s;ome think <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> in not going to <HI>Pharaoh, Exod.</HI> 4.10, 11, 12. compare 19. &s;o long as he thought any were li<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing that &s;ought his life, he dur&s;t not appear before <HI>Pharaoh;</HI> but when God told him, <HI>They were all dead,</HI> pe&s;ently he went. So <HI>Abraham</HI> to &s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e his own life, ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">arded his wives cha&s;tity. Violence of fear made <HI>Peter</HI> deny Chri&s;t. Vio<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">en e of &s;orrow made <HI>Rac<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">el</HI> mourn immode|rately. Violence of &s;elf-love made <HI>Eli</HI> cocker hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ons. The vi|olence of the pa&s;&s;ion of lu&s;t, made <HI>David</HI> commit adultery.</P>
<P N="4">4. Strength of lu&s;ts, and weakne&s;s of grace: As the body from the ill-temperature of the humors, becomes &s;ick, and by &s;ickne&s;s weak; &s;o the Soul hath it's di&s;ea&s;es and &s;ickne&s;&s;es, by which it becoms weak, that howe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">er it &s;ees and allows better, it follows wor&s;e. Hence <HI>David</HI> committed adultery and murd<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r, though he knew them to be &s;in. Look as &s;ometimes in a &s;torm &s;trong windes dri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e the &s;hip to &s;hore, though the &s;hip-ma&s;ter doth what in him lies, to &s;teer a contrary cour&s;e; &s;o grace being weak, and corruptions &s;trong, they draw us away, either from not actually thinking of, or attentively con|&s;idering the evil that we do, as it was in <HI>David.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The nature of a &s;in of infirmity is &s;een,</P>
<P N="1">1. In that it's of weakne&s;s; for the more any &s;in partakes of the will, the neerer it comes to pre&s;umption: if there were &s;trength of Spirit, there would be con&s;tancy to hold out, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 15.29. e&s;pecially if together there be light in the un|der&s;tanding.</P>
<PB N="67" REF="41">
<P>It's again&s;t the unive&s;al purpo&s;e of the heart. Gods chil|dren have &s;trong re&s;olutions to cleave to God; &s;o that when they are overtaken, it's again&s;t this purpo&s;e, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119.106. <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 5. Hence &s;ome think all the &s;ins of regenerate men are &s;ins of infirmity: &s;uch a purpo&s;e is wrought in every regene|rate man in the act of conver&s;ion.</P>
<P>Now for the differences 'twixt Saints infirmities, and wick|ed mens pre&s;umptions.</P>
<P N="1">1. Sins of infirmity, are oft committed of ignorance, ei|ther univer&s;al or particular, habitual or actual.</P>
<P>Now pre&s;umptions are again&s;t light: &s;ometimes the light of the natural con&s;cience, as in <HI>Pilate, Mar.</HI> 15.10. who when natural con&s;cience cri'd for the acquitment of an innocent per&s;on, yet he condemned him to death, for fear he &s;hould lo&s;e <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI> friend&s;hip: &s;ometimes light of education, as tho&s;e that have been brought up in good families, and under godly ma&s;ters, yet after come to &s;peak evil of the good wayes of God. By how much more clear the light is we go again&s;t, the greater is the pre&s;umption; as in the <HI>Gentiles, Rom.</HI> 1. al&s;o <HI>Saul,</HI> 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 13. God ca&s;t him off from being King, for forc|ing him&s;elf again&s;t con&s;cience, to offer &s;acrifice.</P>
<P N="2">2. The infirmities of the Saints, are mo&s;tly of pa&s;&s;ion; as when <HI>David</HI> &s;aid, <HI>I &s;hall one day fall by the hands of Saul.</HI> And thus was <HI>Job</HI> impatient, <HI>chap.</HI> 3.1. the temper of his heart was otherwi&s;e, <HI>chap.</HI> 1.20, 21. compared with <HI>James</HI> 5.11. &s;ee what infirmities <HI>Jeremiah</HI> fell into, <HI>chap.</HI> 20.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. the cau&s;e was pa&s;&s;ion, occa&s;ioned, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 7, 8, 9, 10. by the d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ri&s;ion, mali<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e and defamation of wicked men. So when <HI>Jon<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h</HI> fled from the Lord, it was a pa&s;&s;ion of &s;elf-love, in a fit: he thought it would be irrecoverably the lo&s;s of his credit, whil&s;t he &s;hould &s;peak one thing, and God do another; &s;o hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> anger for a gourd was a pa&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>Now the pre&s;umptions of natural men, are done with de|liberation, as in <HI>Balaam,</HI> many dayes came betwixt <HI>Balaks</HI> &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ding for him, and his project, <HI>Apoc.</HI> 2.14. to confound Gods people, that he might get the rewards of di<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ination. <HI>E&s;au, Gen.</HI> 27.41. compared with 32.6. and 33.10. he had
<PB N="68" REF="42"> a purpo&s;e of killing <HI>Jacob,</HI> and twenty yeers after came with 400 men with a purpo&s;e to kill him, had not God turned his heart. So <HI>Judas, Mat.</HI> 26.14. being provoked that he could not make a gain of the box of oyntment that <HI>Mary</HI> poured on Chri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s head, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 9. which was done a matter of &s;ix daies before his &s;uffering, as appear, <HI>John</HI> 12.1, 2, 3. he did &s;ix daies deliberately harbour his murtherous intentions again t Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="3">3. Infirmities are known by the irk&s;omene&s;s in the doing: the regenerate part hangs back. Something that is born of God, &s;ins not, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 3.9. which makes the &s;oul go unwilling|ly to it; like tho&s;e that are troubled with a <HI>Diabete,</HI> or a bad retention of urine, they would retain it, but cannot: &s;uch do not &s;ell <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hem&s;elves, as <HI>Ahab,</HI> but are &s;old by another, by in|dwelling concupi&s;cen<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e, whi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h &s;old <HI>Peter</HI> to deny Chri&s;t, to have his life continued. So <HI>Paul, Rom.</HI> 7.14, 15, 16. Now a wicked man &s;ins with a full will, <HI>Joh.</HI> 8.44. &s;in is like a beaten path to him, it's his element, as the air is for fowls, the earth for bea&s;ts. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 66.2. When the Prophet &s;et God<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> waies, and con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">upi&s;cence &s;et their own waies, they cho&s;e their own waies, and their &s;oul delighted in their abominations.</P>
<P N="4">4. Infirmities are known by di&s;allowance. Gods people with many a &s;ad groan and tear, aggravate and circum&s;tantiate them again&s;t them<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">elves, <HI>Job</HI> 7.20. 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 24.10. They get into the &s;oul as a thief, who again&s;t the will of the ma&s;ter of the family gets into the hou&s;e.</P>
<P>Now the falls of wicked men are with allowance. <HI>Bal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">am,</HI> what pretence &s;oe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">er he made, he <HI>loved the wages of unri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">te|ou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> 2 Pet. 2.15. they have a great readine&s;s and dexterity in &s;inning. As a &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a-man or artificer, if he be out of his proper place, he hath &s;mall nimblene&s;s; but turn him to his &s;hip, there he i full of motion: &s;o take a wicked man about a holy duty, he can do nothing; but in wicked way, he is nimble and moti e, <HI>Prov.</HI> 6.18.</P>
<P N="5">5. Infirmities are again&s;t the purpo&s;e of a mans heart, as in <HI>Peter, Mar.</HI> 14.29. &s;ee how vehement he was, <HI>v.</HI> 31. Any one that &s;ins of infirmity, can &s;ay, I have a purpo&s;e again&s;t every &s;in,
<PB N="69" REF="42"> and for all Gods waies: he knows he is not right, if the bent of his heart be wrong. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 66.18.</P>
<P>Now wicked men have a purpo&s;e for &s;in in time to come: <HI>A|nanias</HI> &amp; <HI>Sapphira</HI> had a purpo&s;e to re&s;erve their money again&s;t all times and hazards, though they profe&s;t the contrary.</P>
<P N="6">6. Infirmities are known by tenderne&s;s of con&s;cience, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 24.4, 5. in <HI>David,</HI> who&s;e heart &s;mote him for cutting off <HI>Sauls</HI> lap. <HI>Peter</HI> was after his fall pre&s;ently &s;mitten for it. So <HI>Jobs</HI> con&s;cience for impatiency, <HI>Job</HI> 42.6. And <HI>Davids</HI> heart &s;mote him for numbering the people, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 24. When the heart doth &s;mite, and that for &s;mall &s;ins: and the &s;ooner it &s;mites, the more it &s;hews our &s;ins are infirmities.</P>
<P>Now contrary, wicked men in their pre&s;umptions are mo&s;tly &s;tupid, &s;en&s;ele&s;s, and remor&s;le&s;s; they have hardened their hearts, <HI>Mat.</HI> 13.15. and are pa&s;t feeling, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 4.18. unle&s;s it be for &s;ome great &s;in which is again&s;t the light of nature, for then the mo&s;t wicked mans con&s;cience may check, as we &s;ee <HI>Cain</HI> and <HI>Judas,</HI> who&s;e con&s;cience checked them for murther, though not for formality and hypocri&s;ie. Many a wicked man wi&s;h this e&s;tate, that they may &s;in without check; and through the repul&s;e of the con&s;ciences checks, &amp; the Spirits motions, the &s;oul goes one way without controu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, &amp; they obtain their de&s;ire: yet is it one of the greate&s;t judgements under heaven.</P>
<P N="7">7 The godly when they are like to fall into &s;ome infirmity, upon any whol&s;ome admonition, are ready to give out, as <HI>David,</HI> 1 <HI>Sam</HI> 25.32, 33. and can ble&s;s God heartily, for &s;uch &s;ea&s;onable coun&s;el; but a wicked man, notwith&s;tanding all admonitions, goes on in his &s;ins, <HI>Jer.</HI> 6.17. So <HI>Pilat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">,</HI> though con&s;cience, wife, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> call'd on him, yet he went on, <HI>Jer.</HI> 44.16, 17. yea, if any coun&s;el go about to hinder them in their way, they are angry at it, as we &s;ee in <HI>Herod</HI> and <HI>Herodias</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Bapti&s;t. Mar.</HI> 6. this makes them count faithful Prophets enemies, as <HI>Ahab</HI> did <HI>Eli&s;ah,</HI> 1 <HI>R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g.</HI> 21.20.</P>
<P N="8">8. Infirmities are known by a pronene&s;s in a man, to judge him&s;elf for them after comm &s;&s;ion, as <HI>H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">z kiah</HI> fell into prid, but he humbled him|&s;elf for it, 2 <HI>Chron.</HI> 32.26. and &s;o when <HI>God</HI> came to let <HI>David</HI> &s;ee the ug|line&s;s of his &s;in, &s;ee how he judges him&s;elf, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 24.10, 17. Now wicked men in their pre&s;umptions are full of excu&s;es, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 15 13, 14. they would make a great &s;in &s;eem &s;mall, and a little &s;in none at all. The&s;e men mu&s;t never look to pro&s;per, <HI>Prov.</HI> 28.13. &s;uch per&s;ons are wont at mo&s;t onely to que&s;tion whether &s;uch a thing be lawful, after being held in captivity, they &s;et it down to be lawful, and &s;o they excu&s;e it.</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB N="70" REF="43">
<HEAD>A SERMON Proving the Re&s;urrection of the &s;ame body committed to the du&s;t: AS ALSO, The not dying of the &s;oul with the body.</HEAD>
<BYLINE><HI>Written by</HI> Chr. Blackwood, <HI>a &s;ervant of Chri&s;t.</HI></BYLINE>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><P>Spes vitae immortalis e&s;t vita vitae mortalis.</P>
<P><BIBL><HI>Job 19.25.</HI></BIBL> In my fle&s;h &s;hall I &s;ee God.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P><HI>_JOb</HI> had many mi&s;eries pre&s;t him down; as the apprehen&s;ion of pre&s;ent terrors from God, ver&s;. 11, 12. e&s;trangement of friends, ver&s;. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19. al&s;o con&s;uming di&s;ea&s;es, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 20, 27. Yet in the mid&s;t of all the&s;e pre&s;&s;ing evils, he draws up a con&s;olation, ver&s;. 25, 26, 27.</P>
<P>Which may be re&s;ol<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed into two branches.
<LIST>
<ITEM N="1">1. His faith he had in <HI>his Redeemer,</HI> ver&s;. 25.</ITEM>
<ITEM N="2">2. His faith he had concerning <HI>his own re&s;urrection,</HI> ver&s;. 26, 27. </ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>Which hath two branches:
<LIST>
<ITEM N="1">1. That he believed that he &s;hould ri&s;e again, though he
<PB N="71" REF="43"> felt a con&s;umption of his reins, in the&s;e words, <HI>I &s;hall &s;ee God.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM N="2">2. That he believed the &s;ame body committed to the earth &s;hould ri&s;e again.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>From which, two Propo&s;itions:
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. That the Saints believe there &s;hall be a re&s;urrection.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. That they believe a re&s;urrection of the &s;ame body.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P N="1">1 <HI>Ob&s;erv.</HI> Saints believe there &s;hall be a re&s;urrection of their bodies. <HI>Acts</HI> 24.15. <HI>Joh.</HI> 11.24. <HI>Apoc.</HI> 20.12. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.19. <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 26.19.</P>
<P>Concerning the re&s;urrection ob&s;erve three things.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. The kinds
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. Special: <HI>Lazarus, Jairus</HI> daughter, <HI>Tabitha,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. General: <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.28.</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. What this Re&s;urrection is.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Why Saints believe it.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>Fir&s;t, What it is. It is called <GAP DESC="foreign">, of <GAP DESC="foreign"> again, and <GAP DESC="foreign"> a &s;tan<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing; when that &s;tands again which had fallen down: &s;o <HI>Martyr.</HI> Or, <HI>Elementorum con&s;ervatorum concur&s;us mutuus ju&s;&s;u creatoris.</HI> So <HI>Aretius loc.</HI> 18.</P>
<P>Secondly, Why Saints believed this.</P>
<P N="1">1. Becau&s;e God hath promi&s;ed it, <HI>Joh.</HI> 6.39, 40. <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.28, 29. <HI>All that are in the grave &s;hall hear his voice, and &s;hall come forth.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e God is powerful to rai&s;e them up. <HI>Gen.</HI> 18.14. <HI>Luke</HI> 1.37. <HI>Rom.</HI> 4.17. Again&s;t all carnal rea&s;onings, oppo&s;e <HI>Rom.</HI> 4.21. What he hath promi&s;ed, he is able to perform.</P>
<P N="3">3. From the re&s;urrection of Chri&s;t, who ro&s;e as a <HI>fir&s;t-fruits,</HI> 1 Cor. 15.20. He was as a head to the body: the members &s;hall not lie under ground always, being the head is above it.</P>
<P N="4">4. From ab&s;urdities if there be none, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15. <HI>then prea|ching vain, faith is vain,</HI> ver&s;. 14. the Apo&s;tles fal&s;e witne&s;&s;es, ver&s;. 15. Chri&s;tian<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> mo&s;t mi&s;erable, v. 19. in vain baptized, v. 29. hazard them&s;elvs in vain, v. 30, 32. yea, then they need not care what they do, v. 32. <HI>Eat and drink: for to morrow they &s;hall die.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. It appears from re&s;emblances in nature; as trees &s;eem dead in Winter, yet revive in the Spring. <HI>Job</HI> 14.7, 8, 9. If it be &s;aid, <HI>They were not altogether dead;</HI> An&s;w. <HI>No more is man.</HI></P>
<PB N="72" REF="44">
<P>Object. <HI>The condition of bea&s;ts and men is both one,</HI> Eccle&s;. 3.19. <HI>Now bea&s;ts ri&s;e not again;</HI> ergo, <HI>not men.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;peaks in the per&s;on of Athei&s;ts. 2. <HI>So|lomon</HI> &s;aith both are a like in dying, but not both in their con|dition after death: <HI>As the one dieth, &s;o dieth the other:</HI> And when he &s;ays, ver&s;. 21. <HI>Who knoweth the &s;pirit of man that goeth upward, and the &s;pirit of the bea&s;t that goeth downward?</HI> (though <HI>Gregory Neocae&s;arien&s;is</HI> under&s;tand this of <HI>Solomon,</HI> that wrote this of him&s;elf when he gave him&s;elf to plea&s;ures, his thoughts began to be &s;o bruti&s;h, that he thought there was one and the &s;ame end of man and bea&s;t.) Yet I take it, <HI>Solomon</HI> means, that the knowledge, of the&s;e things by natural principles is hard to come by.</P>
<P><HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. <HI>Inform.</HI> Of our duty to believe that the &s;ouls and bodies of men &s;hall one day be new coupled together, either to be rewarded or puni&s;hed, <HI>Act.</HI> 24.15. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.52. What though Heathens count this doctrine babbling, <HI>Act.</HI> 17.18. &s;ay that after death is nothing, and that death is immortal? yet we know otherwi&s;e, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.26. <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 13.14.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Repr.</HI> Of tho&s;e who are Sadduces in judgment, not one|ly Heathens, but Chri&s;tians in pretence; &s;uch as Pope <HI>John</HI> 23. and Pope <HI>Paul</HI> 3. Boldly they &s;ay, that you &s;hall never make them believe that the body &s;hall be rai&s;ed again. Ready are profane per&s;ons to put &s;coffing que&s;tions about it; as the Sadduces, <HI>Mat.</HI> 22.23. to ver&s;. 31.</P>
<P N="3">3 <HI>Exhort.</HI> Be careful to keep a good con&s;cience, <HI>Acts</HI> 24.15, 16. in hope of it.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But &s;eeing all &s;hall ri&s;e again, what differcnce 'twixt Saints and others?</HI></P>
<P><HI>A.</HI> Great will be the difference.</P>
<P N="1">1. The Saints &s;hall ri&s;e by vertue of the union with Chri&s;t, and the working of that Spirit, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.11. but the wicked by his powerful voice, as he is God, which &s;hall be uttered by the la&s;t trump.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Saints &s;hall have a better re&s;urrection, <HI>Heb.</HI> 11.35. and &s;hall &s;ee God for them&s;elves, <HI>Job</HI> 19.27. tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> is, for their good. Wicked men &s;hall &s;ee God again&s;t them&s;elves, that as
<PB N="73" REF="44"> &s;oon as they look out of their graves, <HI>they &s;hall &s;ay, Mountains, fall on us,</HI> Apoc. 6.16.</P>
<P N="3">3. They differ in the ends. The Saints &s;hall awake to <HI>ever|la&s;ting glory,</HI> but wicked per&s;ons to <HI>everla&s;ting mi&s;ery,</HI> Dan. 12.2. This was re&s;embled in <HI>Pharaoh</HI>'s &s;ervants: the butler was taken out of pri&s;on, and re&s;tored to his place: &s;o the Saints: but the baker was taken out to be hanged. Wicked men &s;hall be at the re&s;urrection in a di&s;graceful e&s;tate, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 66.24. <HI>Matth.</HI> 25. and they &s;hall be clogg'd with all mi&s;ery and want, as <HI>Dives</HI> was, <HI>Luke</HI> 16.29. Hence the Article of the Re&s;urrection is put between the Article of Remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins and Eternal life, to &s;hew that re&s;urrection of the body is then onely a benefit, when remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins goes before it, and e|ternal life follows after it. See the different ends, <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.28, 29.</P>
<P N="2">2 <HI>Exhort.</HI> To Chri&s;tians, not to be hopele&s;s concerning your &s;elves or friends, when you come to die. 1 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 4.13, 14, 15. What though Heathens &s;ay, <HI>Vale &s;pes,</HI> Farewel hope, let not Chri&s;tians &s;ay &s;o. If a man take a long journey, his wife and children do not u&s;ually weep, becau&s;e they expect his return ere long home again: no more let us, in regard of our friends. We Saints, when we die, onely go to a plea&s;ant bed, <HI>I&s;ai.</HI> 57.2. <HI>Job</HI> 3.17. &s;weetned by Chri&s;t's lying down therein fir&s;t. What though the grave be a pri&s;on-hou&s;e to wicked men? yet it is a &s;tore-hou&s;e to the bodies of Saints.</P>
<P N="3">3 <HI>Exhort.</HI> To all Saints, to believe the re&s;urrection. We &s;tand in need to have our faith &s;trengthned herein. Of this <HI>Paul</HI> had a&s;&s;urance, and &s;peaks of all Saints, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.14. In d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ath, we are not de&s;troyed, but di&s;&s;olved. Souldiers when they de&s;troy a hou&s;e, they care not where they fling the tim|ber and tyles: but he that di&s;&s;olves it, takes it down piece by piece, becau&s;e be means to build with it again. So the Lord he knows where the bodies of men are laid, &s;o that where|&s;oever they be, they are &s;afe. Are the Saints called <HI>The chil|dren of the re&s;urrection,</HI> Luke 20.36. and &s;hall they not hope for it? <HI>Heb.</HI> 11.35.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But the difficulty of the re&s;urrection &s;tartles my &s;oul.</HI></P>
<PB N="74" REF="45">
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Hath not God made heaven and earth, and pre&s;er|ved <HI>Noah and his family, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly?</HI> brought I&s;rael thorow the Red-&s;ea out of Ae|gypt, and from Babylon? brought <HI>Daniel</HI> out of the lions den, and <HI>Jonah</HI> out of the whales belly? the three children out of the fiery furnace? the Manna from heaven, and water out of the rock? Why &s;hould it be then thought a thing incredible, that God &s;hould rai&s;e the dead?</P>
<P>The &s;econd Point from the&s;e words, <HI>In my fle&s;h &s;hall I &s;ee God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Ob&s;erv.</HI> The Saints believe there &s;hall be a re&s;urrection of the &s;ame body: <HI>Joh.</HI> 2.19. <HI>In three days I will rai&s;e IT up.</HI> 1 Cor. 15. <HI>This corruptible</HI> (pointing at his body) <HI>mu&s;t put on incorruption.</HI> Joh. 11.24. <HI>He &s;hall ri&s;e again in the re&s;urrection.</HI> Now <HI>Lazarus</HI> had a body as well as a &s;oul. <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.11. <HI>He &s;hall quicken your mortal bodies</HI> by his Spirit: no other but them. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 26.19. <HI>Thy dead men &s;hall live, together with my dead body &s;hall they ari&s;e.</HI> Job 19.26, 27. <HI>Job</HI> &s;aith, <HI>In his fle&s;h he &s;hould &s;ee God, and his eyes &s;hould behold him:</HI> he means not the eyes of his &s;oul, nor the eyes of his under&s;tanding, becau&s;e he &s;peaks of his <HI>skin,</HI> of his <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> and his <HI>eyes:</HI> yea, he &s;peaks po&s;itively: <HI>I, and I my &s;elf: Ego, ip&s;e ego, non alius:</HI> and negatively, or exclu&s;ively; <HI>not another,</HI> not a &s;tranger.</P>
<P>The Rea&s;ons are,</P>
<P N="1">1. From the Ju&s;tice of God: It's ju&s;t that tho&s;e that have been partakers of good and evil actions, be partakers of re|wards and puni&s;hments. But the bodies of men are partners with the &s;oul in good and evil actions: it's equal then, that they be rai&s;ed up, and not a new body. If <HI>Job</HI>'s eyes have wept tears, it's rea&s;on the tears be wiped from them, and not from a pair of new-made cheeks. If they have retained them&s;elves from &s;trange objects, <HI>Job</HI> 31.1. it's meet they be rewarded with the view of better objects. Shall <HI>Paul</HI>'s bo|dy be &s;courged, and another for it be glorified? Shall he <HI>bear in his body the marks of the Lord Ie&s;us,</HI> and not bear in the &s;ame body the crown of his glory? What comfort were it
<PB N="75" REF="45"> for the body to abridge it &s;elf of much plea&s;ure, and to &s;uffer many afflictions, and another &s;trange body &s;hall &s;tep up, and come in, and carry away the crown, <HI>Luke</HI> 23.25. 2 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 1.6.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e if the &s;ame body were not rai&s;ed up, it were not a re&s;urrection, but the creation of a new: whereas the fore-named places call it a re&s;urrection. Therefore men are not new made of the four element<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, as of a new matter. Nor is this &s;amen<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;s onely a &s;amene&s;s in re&s;pect of the form, <HI>viz.</HI> a rea&s;onable &s;oul, and therefore to be &s;aid to be the &s;ame in number, becau&s;e of the form; but there &s;hall be a &s;amene&s;s of matter, or fle&s;h: &s;o that fai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h believes God will rai&s;e up the &s;ame body, <HI>idem ens,</HI> the &s;ame being in number, the &s;ame individual body.</P>
<P N="3">3. It appears from types and re&s;emblances in nature. <HI>E|zek.</HI> 37. to the &s;ame dead and dry bones life came; &s;inews and fle&s;h grew on them. This the learned think not onely a prediction of the deliverance of I&s;rael out of Babylon, but al&s;o a typical confirmation of the re&s;urrection of our bodies. Such a compari&s;on could not be deduced from bones, unle&s;s the &s;ame &s;hould happen to bones. Be&s;ides, <HI>Aaron</HI>'s rod turned &s;erpent, and his &s;erpent rod: he that re&s;tores <HI>Aaron</HI>'s rod that vegeti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e life it had before, will much more rai&s;e <HI>Aa|ron</HI> him&s;elf from the dead. <HI>Jonah</HI> in the whale's belly, was the third day re&s;tored, as lively as he was received. At the re&s;urrection of Chri&s;t, many bodies of the Saints came out of their graves, and appeared to many, <HI>Mat.</HI> 27.52, 53.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>How is it po&s;&s;ible a body which hath lain rotting a thou&s;and yeers, &s;hould ri&s;e again?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Though it be above Rea&s;on, yet it is not again&s;t Rea|&s;on. We &s;ee the flyes that be dead all winter-time, when the &s;ummer comes, with the heat of the &s;un they live again. So the corn rots in the ground, and revives again. <HI>Tertullian</HI> &s;aith, It &s;eems an harder matter for God to make man, being nothing, out of the du&s;t of the earth, then to rai&s;e and repair him out of the du&s;t, being &s;omething. Here are &s;ome reliques towards a reno<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ation: bury it, it will turn to du&s;t; burn it, there will be a&s;hes. <HI>Joh.</HI> 6.39. <HI>Apoc.</HI> 20.13.</P>
<PB N="76" REF="46">
<P>Object. <HI>But the du&s;t of men are mingled together.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Can a man that hath an handful of &s;everal &s;orts of &s;eeds mingled together, &s;eparate one from another? and is not the Lord able to &s;eparate one du&s;t from another? Can Chymi&s;ts draw out of an herb the four elements, Fire, Wa|ter, Earth, and Air? and cannot God &s;eparate du&s;t? He knows where the materials of every body are.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>When one man eats another, then that mans fle&s;h becoms one with another mans fle&s;h; in which ca&s;e, if one ri&s;e, the other cannot.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The man devoured &s;hall have his fle&s;h re&s;tored, the eater his repaired, enough to make them the &s;ame individu|als. One man eating another, becomes part of the other for the time; but yet he was a perfect man before he eat the other, and the other a perfect man before he was eaten. Eve|ry man &s;hall ri&s;e with his own fle&s;h, but not with every thing that was once a part of him: as, if a man have a piece of fle&s;h cut off, and new fle&s;h comes in the room of it; or have a tooth &s;truck out, &amp; another come in its place, he &s;hall not ri&s;e with both the&s;e. <HI>Totus homo,</HI> but not <HI>totum hominis re&s;urge<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI></P>
<P>Que&s;t. <HI>But &s;hall there be no alteration in the body when it &s;hall be rai&s;ed?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Yes, it &s;hall be new in qualities; as tho&s;e blinde men Chri&s;t cured, received no new eyes, but onely &s;ight to the eyes they had before. The &s;ame body in number &s;hall ri&s;e again, another in glory. I &s;hall not be another, but ano|ther thing: not <HI>alius,</HI> but <HI>aliud.</HI> So that there &s;hall not be a diver&s;ity of &s;ub&s;tance, but of conditions, qualities, and pro|perties. This Chri&s;t implies in the Word <HI>rai&s;e, Ioh.</HI> 2.19. <HI>I will rai&s;e it up in three days.</HI> As the body ri&s;eth up more fre&s;h after &s;leep, &s;o &s;hall our bodies after the &s;leep of death. And the Apo&s;tle clearly an&s;wering the que&s;tion, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.35. <HI>How are the dead ra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ed? with what body do they come?</HI> He an|&s;wers, ver&s;. 36, 37, 38. As a corn of wheat ca&s;t into the earth, being rotten, comes forth not naked, dry, hard, and without life, as it was &s;own; nor rotten, as it was in the earth; but keeping the &s;ame &s;ub&s;tance and kinde, it comes forth with
<PB N="77" REF="46"> new qualities, with ears, and husks, and &s;talk, being living, and full of juyce: for, ver&s;. 38. <HI>God gives to every &s;eed his own body:</HI> So in the re&s;urrection, the &s;ame body in number &s;hall ri&s;e again, though with more glorious qualities.</P>
<P>Que&s;t. <HI>What are tho&s;e qualities the bodies rai&s;ed up &s;hall have at the re&s;urrection?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. Immortality. Men keep much ado, to keep their bodies from putrifaction; they wrap them in Lead, and em|balm them in &s;pices, and immure them in marble; but this will not perpetuate them. But in the re&s;urrection they &s;hall die no more. <HI>Luke</HI> 20.35, 36.</P>
<P N="2">2. Impa&s;&s;ibility; free from tho&s;e pa&s;&s;ions that hurt; as hun|ger, grief, &s;ickne&s;s: not from tho&s;e that delight; as, the ear is plea&s;ed with &s;ounds, the eye with colours: &s;o &s;hall it be then.</P>
<P N="3">3. Spirituality, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.44. called <HI>a &s;piritual body,</HI> becau&s;e without contradiction it &s;hall obey the Spirit of God, and becau&s;e it &s;hall move nimbly like a &s;pirit, being made able to <HI>meet the Lord in the air,</HI> 1 The&s;&s;. 4. Neither let any man &s;ay, How &s;hall our heavie bodies be able to abide in the air, or to abide above the clouds? for God's a&s;&s;ignement is that which makes the proper place of a thing: as we &s;ee the clouds, which are heavie, and full of wet, yet fall not to the ground, becau&s;e God appoints the air for their proper place. Be&s;ides, the &s;pirituality of our bodies will be in this, that they &s;hall not &s;tand in need of phy&s;ick, meat, drink, or cloathes.</P>
<P N="4">4. Gloriou&s;ne&s;s Saints bodies &s;hall be rai&s;ed like the <HI>glori|ous body</HI> of Chri&s;t, <HI>Phil.</HI> 3.21. &s;hall <HI>&s;hine like &s;tars,</HI> Dan. 12.3. like <HI>the &s;un,</HI> Mat. 13.43. It would be well, could we rai&s;e up our meditations to con&s;ider the glory our bodies &s;hall have, a|gain&s;t the crawling of worms, and future rottenne&s;s. We &s;hall be at that day <GAP DESC="foreign"> equal to the angels.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But if the &s;ame bodies ri&s;e again, they ri&s;e with a num|ber of needle&s;s parts: What needs teeth, &s;eeing they &s;hall eat no meat? what needs &s;tomach, &s;eeing there &s;hall be no dige&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">on? what needs bowels, &s;eeing there is no redundance to fill them?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Though we &s;hall not need our teeth to eat with, yet &s;hall we need them to &s;peak with, in prai&s;ing God. For the
<PB N="78" REF="47"> other parts of the body, they are for &s;ight and comeline&s;s, to beautifie the body.</P>
<P>There is a Que&s;tion propo&s;ed, <HI>In what &s;ex and age &s;hall per|&s;ons ri&s;e again?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> For the &s;ex, though per&s;ons <HI>in the re&s;urrection &s;hall not marry,</HI> yet &s;hall they ri&s;e in the &s;ex they died. The Queen of the South &s;hall ri&s;e in her &s;ex, <HI>Mat.</HI> 12.41. For the age, there is nothing revealed of that: but it's probable our &s;ouls &s;hall receive tho&s;e bodies from which they departed, all im|perfections being done away: but however, every age is ca|pable of ble&s;&s;edne&s;s.</P>
<P><HI>U&s;e Con&s;ol.</HI> In life and death. In life, we are troubled with many di&s;ea&s;es; in death, we apprehend a future rottenne&s;s: yet one day &s;hall this body of thine be rai&s;ed, yea more glo|rious then it is for the pre&s;ent. <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.11. the Apo&s;tle to the Objection, ver&s;. 10. <HI>You Saints die as well as others,</HI> gives a dou|ble con&s;olation: 1. ver&s;. 10. Though <HI>the body be dead, becau&s;e of &s;in;</HI> yet <HI>the &s;pirit is life, becau&s;e of</HI> Chri&s;t's <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s.</HI> 2. Ver&s;. 11. <HI>The Spirit of him that rai&s;ed up Chri&s;t from the dead, will al&s;o rai&s;e us up.</HI> The head being alive, the body &s;hall not be always dead. 1 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 4.14. <HI>Phil.</HI> 3.21.</P>
<P>I will not &s;peak of other comforts, as the pre&s;ent happine&s;s of the &s;oul in death: for the body, this is enough, that God will rai&s;e it again. As God &s;aid to <HI>Jacob,</HI> Gen. 46.4. <HI>I will &s;urely go down with thee into Egypt, and I will bring thee up again,</HI> the &s;ame &s;aith he to our bodies, I will go with them to the grave, and bring them back again.</P>
<P><HI>Exhort.</HI> 1. To believe the re&s;urrection of that body thou carrie&s;t about thee. Can the art of man of a&s;hes make cu|rious gla&s;&s;es, and of rotten rags make white paper? and can|not the wi&s;e God rai&s;e up glorious bodies from the du&s;t? What though thou know&s;t not where the materials be? yet God knows to give to every one their own fle&s;h in the re&s;ur|rection; not the lea&s;t limb, vein, or artery &s;hall be wanting.</P>
<P><HI>Exhort.</HI> 2. Keep thy body undefiled. What a &s;pectacle wilt thou be before God, Angels, and Men, when tho&s;e hands that have robb'd, tho&s;e eyes that have lu&s;ted, that
<PB N="79" REF="47"> tongue that hath &s;landered, tho&s;e ears that have li&s;tned after filthine&s;s, &s;hall be rai&s;ed up in the &s;everal abominations?</P>
<P><HI>Exhort.</HI> 3. To &s;ee the dead Saints decently intombed.</P>
<P N="4">4. Wait for the adoption, the redemption of thy body; groan for it, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.23.</P>
<P N="5">5. To conver&s;e in heaven, in hope of it, <HI>Phil.</HI> 3.20, 21.</P>
<P N="6">6. To do good to the poor, in hope of it, <HI>Luke</HI> 14.13.</P>
<P N="7">7. To &s;uffer the cruelties done to thy body, in hope of it, <HI>Heb.</HI> 11.35.</P>
<P>The thought of the re&s;urrection made <HI>Paul</HI> keep his <HI>con|&s;cience void of offence,</HI> Acts 24.15, 16.</P>
<P>As it will be a comfort, that thy members have been em|ployed for God; &s;o contrarily, what a di&s;comfort, when they have been employed for &s;in?</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Terrour</HI> to all ungodly men, That the &s;ame body &s;hall ri&s;e again. Well were it with wicked men, if their bodies might never ri&s;e: but alas! they mu&s;t all come forth out of their graves, like toads out of their holes. <HI>Apoc.</HI> 20.12. How terrible is this day to &s;uch! <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.29. <HI>Dan.</HI> 12.2. 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.10. The preaching hereof, &s;tartled <HI>Felix.</HI> If a man after his next &s;leep were to be put to death, how would this a&s;toni&s;h! yet wor&s;e is the condition of wicked men: after their bodies have &s;lept a while in the grave, they awake to everla&s;ting mi|&s;ery. Devils fear this day, <HI>Mat.</HI> 8.29.</P>
<P><HI>Confirmation.</HI> 1. That when thou die&s;t, thou <HI>re&s;te&s;t in hope</HI> for thy own body, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 16.9. and 90.3. and friends body, 1 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 4.14, 15. <HI>Matth.</HI> 22.31, 32. Now God could not have been <HI>the God of Abraham, I&s;aac, and Jacob</HI>'s &s;oul, unle&s;s their bodies had ro&s;e again.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But when will this re&s;urrecton be?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> At the day of judgment, <HI>Joh.</HI> 6.44. <HI>Joh.</HI> 11.24. <HI>I will rai&s;e him up at the la&s;t day.</HI></P>
<P>Object. <HI>But I may be drown'd in the &s;ea.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol. The &s;ea &s;hall give up the dead,</HI> Apoc. 20.13.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But perhaps the per&s;ecutors may burn my body; and when they have &s;o done, they may ca&s;t my a&s;hes into &s;ome river, as the heathens ca&s;t the bodies of the Saints into the river Rhodanus. to hinder their re&s;urrection.</HI></P>
<PB N="80" REF="48">
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Yet &s;ee a firm comfort, <HI>Joh.</HI> 6.39. Nothing given to Chri&s;t &s;hall be lo&s;t, but he will rai&s;e it up again.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But by whom &s;hall my body be rai&s;ed up, &s;eeing I, being dead, have no power to rai&s;e my &s;elf?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Chri&s;t will do it, 1. Meritoriou&s;ly, <HI>Joh.</HI> 6.39. he by his &s;ufferings hath de&s;erved our re&s;urrection, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.14.</P>
<P N="2">2. Efficiently, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.20. <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.28.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But &s;hall all bodies be rai&s;ed?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> All that are or &s;hall be dead, &s;hall be rai&s;ed: but for tho&s;e that then &s;hall be found alive, they &s;hall be changed, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.51. <HI>We &s;hall all be changed in a moment.</HI> 1 The&s;&s;. 4.15, 16.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But what &s;hall become of the &s;oul in the mean time? &s;hall that &s;leep in the body?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> No, <HI>The &s;pirit returns to God,</HI> Eccle&s;. 12.7. <HI>Dives</HI> &s;oul was in hell, when his brethren were here on earth. <HI>Steven</HI> at his death re&s;igned his &s;oul to God, <HI>Act.</HI> 7.59. The thief on the Cro&s;s went the &s;ame day into Paradi&s;e. 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.1. As the devils take a wicked man's &s;oul, the &s;ame day he dies, and carries it to hell, <HI>Luke</HI> 12.20. <HI>This night do they require thy &s;oul of thee:</HI> &s;o the Saints pre&s;ently go to heaven: <HI>Laza|rus,</HI> as &s;oon as dead, is in <HI>Abraham</HI>'s bo&s;ome.</P>
<P>But to &s;peak a little more concerning the &s;ouls not dying with the body, becau&s;e it hath been a great controver&s;ie in the&s;e times, I &s;hall adde, That the &s;oul dies not with the bo|dy, by the&s;e Arguments.</P>
<P N="1">1. Grace in the Saints is <HI>a continual well of water &s;pringing up unto life everla&s;ting,</HI> Joh. 4.14. which could not be, if there were any moment wherein a believer were in &s;oul and body dead: for though it might &s;pring up in future, it could not &s;pring up <HI>in him</HI> at pre&s;ent.</P>
<P N="2">2. It appears from contraries. If unbelievers die in body onely, and not in &s;oul, <HI>Luke</HI> 12.20. <HI>This night &s;hall they</HI> (that is, the devils) <HI>require thy &s;oul of thee;</HI> then it follows, belie|vers die onely in body, not in &s;oul. <HI>Dives</HI> was in torments, when his five brethren were here on earth, <HI>Luke</HI> 16. The <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ies of <HI>Sodom</HI> and <HI>Gomorrha</HI> &s;uffer at pre&s;ent <HI>the vengeance
<PB N="81" REF="48"> of eternal fire.</HI> The&s;e hi&s;tories were long before the day of judgement.</P>
<P N="3">3. The Scriptures threaten everla&s;ting de&s;truction on the wicked. <HI>Joh.</HI> 3.36. <HI>He that believeth not, the wrath of God abi|deth on him,</HI> for ever: But how can this be truth when a Preacher preacheth it, if they &s;hall be free from torment till the day of judgment?</P>
<P N="4">4. The Scripture tells us of a pre&s;ent enjoyment of our crown: 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.1. <HI>If our earthly tabernacle be di&s;&s;olved, we know we have an eternal hou&s;e in heaven.</HI> Phil. 1.23. <HI>I de&s;ire to be di&s;&s;olved, and to be with Chri&s;t, which is much better.</HI> As &s;oon as ever he was di&s;&s;olved, he was with Chri&s;t. If he &s;hould not have been with Chri&s;t till the day of the re&s;ur|rection, it would not have been the better condition to have died, much le&s;s the <HI>much better</HI> condition; nay, indeed it had been wor&s;e, yea much wor&s;e.</P>
<P N="5">5. A&s;&s;oon as we are <HI>ab&s;ent from the body,</HI> we are <HI>pre&s;ent with the Lord,</HI> 2 Cor. 5.8. A&s;&s;oon as we are <HI>unclothed,</HI> we are <HI>clo|thed upon with an hou&s;e from heaven,</HI> v. 2, 4. A&s;&s;oon as we die, <HI>mortality is &s;wallowed up of life,</HI> as the rivers of the &s;ea, and time Of eternity. Which could not be, if the &s;oul died with the body. Be&s;ides, ver&s;. 6. <HI>Whiles we are at home in the body, we are ab&s;ent from the Lord.</HI> Wherein <HI>Paul</HI> &s;hews how long believers are ab&s;ent from the Lord, even whiles they are at home in the body, and not longer.</P>
<P N="6">6. It appears from the &s;afety of &s;ouls departed from the body. <HI>Rev.</HI> 6.9, 10. Le&s;t the Martyrs &s;hould faint becau&s;e of the bloody face appeared in the ten fir&s;t per&s;ecutions, <HI>John</HI> tells them, The &s;ouls of &s;uch decea&s;ed Martyrs were &s;afe, they were under a defen&s;ive &s;helter, they were under the de|fence of Chri&s;t, who is called a Chri&s;tians <HI>altar, Heb.</HI> 13.10. The comfort runs thus: Though your bodies peri&s;h, yet your &s;ouls go to Chri&s;t. And withal, the Spirit &s;aith, That <HI>white robes were given unto them;</HI> that is, the crown of glory, wherein was no &s;pot; onely they were to re&s;t for the fulne&s;s of their glory, till their fellow-&s;ervants were to be crowned.</P>
<P N="7"><PB N="82" REF="49">7. The &s;oul dies not with the body, becau&s;e per&s;ecutors, though they <HI>can kill the body,</HI> they <HI>cannot kill the &s;oul,</HI> Matth. 10.28. which they might ea&s;ily do, yea mu&s;t nece&s;&s;arily do, if the &s;oul died with the body. But Chri&s;t &s;aith expre&s;ly, <HI>Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the &s;oul:</HI> where al&s;o we &s;ee that &s;oul and body are contradi&s;tingui&s;hed one from another.</P>
<P N="8">8. The principle of the &s;ouls dying with the body is con|trary to Morality. Were wicked men per&s;waded that they &s;hould be without any feeling of torments till the end of the world, they would do what&s;oe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">er their inclination led them to: <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 8.11. <HI>Becau&s;e &s;entence again&s;t an evil work is not pre&s;ently executed, the hearts of the children of men are fully &s;et in them to do evil?</HI> How much more, when this puni&s;h|ment is deferred to the day of judgement? The Lord's <HI>de|lay of his coming,</HI> made <HI>that evil &s;ervant beat his fellow-&s;ervants, Matth.</HI> 24.48, 49. Be&s;ides, holy mens endeavours would be blunted, when after the race of life is run, they mu&s;t tarry many days for the prize.</P>
<P N="9">9. The &s;oul is without matter, and therefore cannot die with the body. Rea&s;on tells us, that when all body is ab|&s;tracted, there remains a &s;ub&s;tance, a thinker, an <HI>ego;</HI> though liver, lungs, kidneys, tongue, hands, legs, were taken away. Be&s;ides, the various an&s;wers the &s;oul gives to que&s;tions, proves it. Be&s;ides, &s;uch as the effect is, &s;uch is the cau&s;e: now there are abundance of immaterial notions in the &s;oul, as concerning God and Angels, the apprehen&s;ion of Nega|tives, and the infinity of capacity, in taking in innumerable objects, without dri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing out one another; and the infinity of acce&s;&s;ions; all which do openly di&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">laim form, quantity, and matter: for what hath quantity, or is a body, cannot admit a new thing unto it, unle&s;s &s;ome other thing do fir&s;t go out, to make room for that which comes. Now the more the &s;oul receives, the more it is able to receive. Be&s;ides, though the Fancie be the nimble&s;t of all bodily things, yet the Soul in di&s;cour&s;ing contains more in it then is in the fancie.</P>
<P N="10">10. It's a Ruled ca&s;e in Philo&s;ophy, <HI>That the &s;oul of man is
<PB N="83" REF="49"> indivi&s;ible.</HI> Brutes are de&s;troyed, by parting their blood from their fle&s;h, or by the evaporation, or quenching of the natural heat: but the &s;oul is indivi&s;ible, and cannot admit of any quantitative parts; and therefore cannot be mortal.</P>
<P N="11">11. If the &s;oul &s;hould die with the body, it would die by degrees, a man's Rea&s;on and abilities would be le&s;s and le&s;s. But we &s;ee, when the body is exceeding weak, the &s;oul is &s;o active, that it can order a kingdom, &s;peaks often to a&s;toni&s;h|ment of by-&s;tanders. If any &s;oul's abi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ities fail, it is for want of an organ; as when the brain is hurt, the &s;oul cannot exerci&s;e its actions: but if it receive a &s;ound organ, it pro|duces the &s;ame acts and operations it did before; which proves that the &s;oul remains unchangeable in it &s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">f. When the &s;oul and body are at the point departure, or point of death, could the body recover it &s;elf, the &s;oul would be the &s;ame it was.</P>
<P N="12">12. It appears from the di&s;tinct actions of &s;oul and bo|dy, that the &s;oul dies not with the body. The one is &s;ick, the other well; the one pre&s;ent, the other ab&s;ent; the bo|dy in bed, the &s;oul in <HI>America,</HI> and in a moment it comes from thence to <HI>Euro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e,</HI> from thence to heaven: the one weeps, the other <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aughs. How &s;hall the &s;ame thing be in a million of places at once? yet &s;o is the Sun, when a million of people think of it. How can the quantity of the heavens be &s;hut up in the quantity of a man's brain? How can place and time pa&s;t be removed in another place, and another time, when in the mean time the body remains one and the &s;ame, in one place, and one time? Now all this proves, be&s;ides the immateriality of the &s;oul, the di&s;tinct actions of &s;oul and body.</P>
<P>Yet I will not deny, but that there are &s;ome pa&s;&s;ages of Scripture that &s;eem to hold out, as if the &s;oul no more then body were to have any crown till the day of the re&s;urrection; as, <HI>Job</HI> 14.12. <HI>Man l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eth down, and ri&s;eth not till the heavens be no more: they &s;hall not awake, nor be rai&s;ed out of their &s;leep.</HI> 2 Tim. 4.8. there's <HI>a crown which the Lord &s;hall give AT THAT DAY, to all that love his appearing.</HI> By <HI>that day,</HI> he
<PB N="84" REF="50"> means the day of judgement: 2 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 1.6. <HI>God will render tribulation to them that trouble Saints, and re&s;t to Saints:</HI> But when? even <HI>when the Lord Je&s;us &s;hall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.</HI> Heb. 11.39. <HI>They without us &s;hall not be perfect.</HI> Be&s;ides, the reward or puni&s;hment &s;eems often to be re&s;pited to the coming of Chri&s;t. <HI>Col.</HI> 3.4. <HI>When Chri&s;t &s;hall appear, we &s;hall appear with him in glory.</HI> Al&s;o, <HI>Revel.</HI> 22.12. <HI>Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me.</HI></P>
<P>The&s;e and many other places mu&s;t be expounded of the crown in fulne&s;s, not of a total delay of reward or puni&s;h|ment till that day, being the far more plain places of Scri|pture &s;eem to urge &s;o much: though I mu&s;t needs confe&s;s, that divers of the Fathers (as <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> again&s;t <HI>Tripho,</HI> and others) were of this opinion, that the &s;ouls come not into ble&s;&s;edne&s;s till the day of the re&s;urrection.</P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="85" REF="50">
<HEAD>Tractatus de Clavibus Eccle&s;iae.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Mat. 16.19.</HI></BIBL> What&s;oever thou &s;halt binde on earth, &s;hall be bound in heaven: and what&s;oever thou &s;halt loo&s;e on earth, &s;hall be loo&s;ed in heaven.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_HAVing &s;poke of the former part of this text, come we to the &s;econd part, in which two things,</P>
<P N="1">1. The Churches power of cen&s;ure, <HI>on earth;</HI> which reaches to what&s;oever impenitent per|&s;on, or what&s;oever &s;in they &s;hall binde.</P>
<P N="2">2. Gods confirmation, <HI>&s;hall be bound or loo&s;ed in heaven.</HI></P>
<P><HI>O&s;erv.</HI> The Church, con&s;i&s;ting of Elders and Brethren, have power to binde impenitent &s;inners under the cen&s;ures of the Church, and to binde &s;in upon their con&s;cience: and in ca&s;e of their repentance, to relea&s;e them, of the &s;ame, <HI>Mat.</HI> 18.18. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.4, 5. 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2.7, 8. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 149.8, 9.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> Becau&s;e the keys of binding and loo&s;ing are commit|ted to them, as in the text: they are Gods deputies here upon earth; as the Magi&s;trate is Gods deputy in civil things, &s;o is the Church in divine.</P>
<P N="2">2. It appears from the confirmation in heaven of the Churches act here on earth; onely with this limitation,</P>
<P N="1">1. That there be no error in the keys; for if there be, cau&s;le&s;s cur&s;es hurt not, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 109.28. the&s;e cur&s;es flie over the head <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ike a bird, <HI>Prov.</HI> 26.2. Gods Saints may be com|forted in that, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.11.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="86" REF="51">2. There mu&s;t be an agreement in the name of Chri&s;t: where there are &s;idings and di<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i&s;ions, tho&s;e cen&s;ures binde not, for the promi&s;e is onely upon agreement, <HI>Mat.</HI> 18.19. and if the<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e be an agreement, if it be not in Chri&s;ts name, it is no|thing, though a whole Church &s;hould concur in the &s;ame thing.</P>
<P N="3">3. Becau&s;e we finde the Elders and Churches blamed for not cen&s;uring &s;inners, <HI>Apoc.</HI> 2.14, 20. which they &s;hould not have been, had they not had power.</P>
<P N="4">4. From examples, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.4, 5, 6. <HI>Paul</HI> in &s;ome Church or other delivered <HI>Hymeneus</HI> and <HI>Alexander</HI> to Satan, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 1.20. <HI>Chamier</HI> &s;aith, part 2. pag. 524. <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> excommunicated <HI>Theodo&s;ius, Theodoret</HI> lib. 5. chap. 17. and <HI>Maximinus</HI> the Ty|rant <HI>Sygebert</HI> anno 390. <HI>Ana&s;ta&s;ius Antiochenus</HI> did dai y pro|nounce <HI>Anathema</HI> again&s;t the Emperour <HI>Ju&s;tinian Evager, l.</HI> 4. chap. 39. <HI>Adam</HI> and <HI>Eve</HI> were &s;hadowes hereof, ca&s;t out of Paradi&s;e. <HI>Cain, Gen.</HI> 4. Al&s;o <HI>Myriam</HI> &s;hut out of the campe &s;even daies. So in the &s;eparation of the unclean, till expiati|on was made. So, in that unclean per&s;on<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> might not eat the &s;acrifice of peace-offerings under pain of being cut off, <HI>Levit.</HI> 7.20.</P>
<P><HI>Inform.</HI> 1. Of the great tru&s;t God hath be&s;towed on Churches, and therefore wi h all fidelity to di charge it: re|member that the keys are not your own, &amp; that you have not power to binde and loo&s;e at your plea&s;ure, <HI>Luth. de clavibus, tom.</HI> 5. <HI>pag.</HI> 234. terrifies &s;uch men: their con&s;ciences will rack and torment them, by accu&s;ing them, that without the command of God, they have bound and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oo&s;ed according to their own lu&s;t; and &s;o not onely wrong<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d their innocent neighbour, by depriving them of the company and commu|nion of Saints; but al&s;o they have taken the Name of God in vain. Let &s;uch per&s;ons and Churches remem<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">r <HI>Ba|laams</HI> &s;peech, <HI>Numb.</HI> 23.8. and the Prophets woe, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 5.20.</P>
<P N="2">2. Di<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ection to Church<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s, that they be advi&s;ed in the exerci&s;e of the power of binding and loo&s;ing. Now that there may be no mi&s;take herein, O<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;erve the&s;e rules:</P>
<P N="1">1. Look that there be a preceding of private admonition
<PB N="87" REF="51"> (unle&s;s the offence be publick, for then the rule is, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5.20.) this is &s;et down, <HI>Mat.</HI> 18.17. in giving which admoniti|on, ob&s;erve the&s;e ru<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es,</P>
<P N="1">1. Let it be out of charity, not out of the de&s;ire of re|venge.</P>
<P N="2">2. Applied to the quality of the per&s;on to be admoni&s;ht; if thy inferiour, more boldly; if thy &s;uperiour, more mode&s;tly, as <HI>Nathan</HI> o <HI>David,</HI> 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5.1.</P>
<P N="3">3. Zealous: Not as <HI>Eli</HI> to his Sons; let thy zeal be &s;uch, that the &s;inner may know his &s;in, and Gods wrath due for it.</P>
<P N="4">4. Gentlene&s;s: 2 <HI>The&s;&s;.</HI> 3.15. mixt with the former zeal.</P>
<P N="5">5. Patience: as &s;oon as one is admoni&s;hed, and repents not, wait a while; if he &s;till mend not, take one or two to witne&s;s his contumacy; but if it may be, that they may be helpers of him to repent.</P>
<P N="2">2. A preceding of publick admonition, <HI>If he will not hear the Church;</HI> therefore the Church mu&s;t fir&s;t admoni&s;h, as to admoni&s;h him of tho&s;e things which have been either a cau&s;e or an occa&s;ion of falling into &s;uch a &s;in, as not to be &s;een in an Inne wich &s;uch per&s;ons whereby he hath been &s;u&s;pected to be drunk.</P>
<P N="3">3. A proceeding to excommunication, which is called by divers names: 1. <GAP DESC="foreign">, becau&s;e &s;uch per&s;ons were execra|ble to God and men. 2. <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>John</HI> 16.2. <HI>John</HI> 9.12. 3. <GAP DESC="foreign"> or <GAP DESC="foreign">, a <HI>&s;eparation</HI> or <HI>&s;hutting up:</HI> when a bro|ther becomes &s;tubborn, or falls into &s;ome gro&s;s &s;candalous &s;in, though not &s;tubborn, he is to be ca&s;t out.</P>
<P><HI>Defin.</HI> Excommunication is an action of the Church, made by the authority, and in the name of Chri&s;t; whereby the Church, according to the form pre&s;cribed Chri&s;t, &s;eparates a wicked brother from the fellow&s;hip of the faithful, e&s;pecially in tho&s;e things which concern the wor&s;hip of God: and that for the &s;alvation of the party excommunicated, and the good of the Church, and glory of God, <HI>Mat.</HI> 18.18, 19. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.4.</P>
<P>About which, con&s;ider two things: 1. The form of it. 2. What it contains. The form of it con&s;i&s;ts in four things.</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="88" REF="52">1. In a particular declaring of the wickedne&s;s of that man that hath refu&s;ed all admonitions, or committed &s;ome enor|mous crime.</P>
<P N="2">2. In calling upon the name of Chri&s;t, <HI>i. e.</HI> the power of Chri&s;t to this action, as it's expounded, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.4.</P>
<P N="3">3. In delivering the excommunicated per&s;on to Satan, <HI>i. e.</HI> declaring him to be under the wrath of God.</P>
<P N="4">4. In cutting off the excommunicated per&s;on from the bo|dy of the Church, as a rotten member whom all ought to &s;hun, 2 <HI>John</HI> 10, 11.</P>
<P N="5">5. In publick prayers to confirm the excommunication, that the excommunicated per&s;on may feel the &s;evere judge|ment of God in him&s;elf. And le&s;t the Church &s;hould be fear|ful in proceeding, or &s;tubborn men de&s;pi&s;e it, Chri&s;t &s;hews, <HI>&agrave; minori,</HI> that if two of them with con&s;ent &s;hall ask any thing of the Father, they &s;hall obtain it, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 19. how much more &s;hall the whole Church, binding and delivering an impenitent &s;inner? If two can obtain any thing, <HI>Mat.</HI> 7.7. <HI>John</HI> 14.13, 16, 23. much more many can obtain this thing. Nay, for further ratification, it &s;hall notonely be e&s;tabli&s;hed of my Father, but <HI>I,</HI> my &s;elf, <HI>will be pre&s;ent in the mid&s;t,</HI> as the chief Judge of the Church to ratifie the &s;entence, <HI>Mat.</HI> 18.20.</P>
<P N="2">2. What excommunication contains.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. A pronouncing of an impenitent per&s;on, (whom the Church for his &s;tubbornne&s;s deems to be &s;eparate from Communion with Chri&s;t) to be bound in the hands of Satan, and to be &s;eparate from outward Communion with the faith|ful. As in the Law the Prie&s;ts cen&s;ure of the leper, declared him to be infected.</P>
<P N="2">2. It &s;eparates from inward Communion with Chri&s;t: but this it doth onely on condition of final and ob&s;tinate im|penitency, yea, if an elect per&s;on &s;hould be ca&s;t our, as it may &s;o fall out, &s;hould they fall as <HI>David</HI> did; though they cannot be &s;eparate wholly from a life of grace, yet may they be &s;eparate from a life of comfort: <HI>ex gr.</HI> when the finger is by &s;ome cut &s;eparated in part from the hand, it hath &s;ome nouri&s;hment from the hand, le&s;t it die altogether; yet
<PB N="89" REF="52"> not &s;o much as before, when it was whole, joyned to the hand.</P>
<P N="3">3. It contains a binding of &s;in upon the &s;inners con&s;ci|ence: <HI>Matth.</HI> 16.19. <HI>What&s;oever thou &s;halt binde on earth;</HI> not onely <HI>whom&s;oever,</HI> but <HI>what&s;oever:</HI> &s;o that if godly, his heart is for pre&s;ent more void of comfort; if wicked, he becomes more hardned in &s;in.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>U&s;e Exhort.</HI> to Churches, To binde and loo&s;e onely &s;uch per&s;ons whom God binds and loo&s;es in heaven.</P>
<P>But the Church may &s;ay, <HI>How &s;hall we do this?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> That you may do this as God would have, Look there be
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. Right ends.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. A right ground to binde or loo&s;e.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P N="1">1. Right ends; as,</P>
<P N="1">1. The good of the party excommunicate; as, that the fle&s;h may be tamed, the old man killed, and the new man quickned, and &s;o the &s;oul &s;aved, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.5. <HI>in the day of the Lord Je&s;us,</HI> that is, at the day of judgement.</P>
<P N="2">2. To bridle men that are wicked in doctrine and practice, le&s;t they <HI>leaven the whole lump.</HI> Gal. 5.9. 1 Cor. 5.6. <HI>Au|gu&s;tine</HI> calls it. The &s;eparating the rotten &s;heep from the &s;ound, <HI>de Correp. &amp; Grati&acirc;.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Le&s;t the Church &s;hould bear the puni&s;hment, for &s;uffer|ing one wicked per&s;on; as in <HI>Achan,</HI> Jo&s;h. 7. and in <HI>Perga|mos,</HI> Apoc. 2.14. and <HI>Thyatira,</HI> ver&s;. 20. for <HI>Jezebel.</HI> As the Phy&s;itian is not cruel, if he cut off a leg, that the whole bo|dy may be pre&s;erved; no more is the Church cruel in cutting off a rotten member for the &s;afety of the whole Church. The Mariners were puni&s;hed for not ca&s;ting out <HI>Jonah,</HI> I&s;rael for not ca<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ing out <HI>Achan,</HI> the Benjamites for not puni&s;hing tho&s;e that ravi&s;hed the Levite's concubine.</P>
<P N="4">4. That the Church may be well reported of, whiles &s;he will not &s;uffer &s;uch per&s;ons or &s;ins. As <HI>the Name of God is bla&s;phemed</HI> when we &s;in; &s;o when we condemn &s;in, and cha|&s;ten the &s;inner, by ca&s;ting him out, <HI>God is glorified.</HI> As the A|po&s;tle &s;peaks of Prophecie, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14.24, 25. &s;o unbelievers, when they &s;ee wicked men are not &s;uffered in the Church, are edified.</P>
<P N="5"><PB N="90" REF="53">5. That the &s;everity of this Cen&s;ure may deter men from &s;inning. As <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Deut.</HI> 13.11. &s;o I. For as the ma|&s;ter of the family puts and &s;huts out of doors untractable &s;ervants and children, not that they may peri&s;h with cold or hunger, but that they may be reformed in their maners, and &s;o return in again; and other &s;ervants and children be warn|ed by their example: &s;o doth the Church. And truely, if the Church forbear to take it into their hands, God is wont to puni&s;h it more &s;everely.</P>
<P N="6">6. That the &s;inner may have an inward communion with God. This power is not given to the Church for any mans ruine, but for edification: not for to make it a money-mat|ter, being glad when a &s;in is committed, that they may have a &s;acrifice, <HI>Ho&s;.</HI> 4.8. but that the &s;oul by repentance may come to have inward communion with God.</P>
<P N="2">2. That Cen&s;ures be admini&s;tred upon a right ground.</P>
<P>This mu&s;t be looked to,
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. In Excommunication.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. In Ab&s;olution.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P N="1">1. In Excommunication: As,</P>
<P N="1">1. Living in a purpo&s;e of &s;in. Though this be hard to know, yet by a frequent repetition of the &s;ame &s;in, God may give &s;uch an intimation, that the Church may go on in cen|&s;ure.</P>
<P N="2">2. Notorious &s;ins are thus to be puni&s;hed; as here&s;ie, <HI>Tit.</HI> 2.10, 11.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But here's nothing but</HI> reject <HI>him, after the fir&s;t or &s;econd admonition.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> The rea&s;on is, becau&s;e the offence of Here&s;ie is publike, and therefore there needs no private admonition. Many Copies read, <HI>After the fir&s;t admonition, reject;</HI> meaning the admonition of the Church, or of the Elders therein, whereof <HI>Titus</HI> was one. Now that &s;uch Hereticks are cen|&s;ured, appears, becau&s;e t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ey cen&s;ure them&s;elves; they are condemned of them&s;elves: for Hereticks commonly preven|ting the judgement of the Church, &s;eparate them&s;elves &s;tub|bornl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> from the communion of the faithful. Others are un|willingly ca&s;t out of the Church, but Hereticks &s;eparate them|&s;elves.
<PB N="91" REF="53"> Excommumcation being a certain condemnation, as the Fathers call it, a certain anticipation of eternal condem|nation, and the highe&s;t fore-judging of the great judgement; it follows that an Heretick &s;eparating him&s;elf thus, doth con|demn him&s;elf. For tho&s;e Hereticks that thus condemn them|&s;elves, there needs no further cen&s;ure from others.</P>
<P N="2">2. For all notorious &s;ins, as ince&s;t, whoredom, drunken|ne&s;s, idolatry, contempt of Ordinances, contentions, <HI>Rom.</HI> 16.17. in a word, for all tho&s;e &s;ins the Apo&s;tle excludes &s;in|ners out of heaven, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.10. <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.3. <HI>Col.</HI> 3.5, 6. e&s;peci|ally &s;ee 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.11. If we may not eat with &s;uch, (as &s;ome think, and I querie) much le&s;s may we eat the Lords Supper with &s;uch. 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.14.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But what if the &s;inner &s;ay he repents, and be &s;orry? as in ca&s;e of adultery,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> It is not enough to &s;ay &s;o, but there mu&s;t be &s;uch a repentance as is de&s;cribed <HI>Joel.</HI> 2.12. by &s;ighs, humble deportment, or tears. <HI>Paul</HI> would not have the ince&s;tuous per&s;on received, till he &s;hewed manife&s;t &s;orrow. Antichri&s;t teaches, that it is enough to receiving into grace, if a man &s;ay he is &s;ory for his &s;ins, and that he will amend his life.</P>
<P>Yea, though there were never &s;uch an humble deportment when per&s;ons are &s;o overtaken, the Cen&s;ure of Excommuni|cation mu&s;t proceed again&s;t &s;uch; becau&s;e, 1. Tho&s;e tears and humiliations may come from the reproach of the Cen|&s;ure, not for grieving &s;uch a Father. 2. That the Church may clear their hands of the evil. 3. That they may &s;ee whether it be a true repentance, by the continuedne&s;s of it, or onely but for a fit. Onely the Church mu&s;t have a care that the &s;in|ner be not &s;wallowed up of over-much &s;orrow.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Cen&s;ure of Ab&s;olution is to be admini&s;tred after the &s;inner hath lain &s;ome convenient &s;pace of time under the Cen&s;ure; as three, four, five, or &s;ix months, according as there is ju&s;t occa&s;ion. <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> after eight months was received of <HI>Ambro&s;e. Cyprian, l.</HI> 3. <HI>epi&s;t.</HI> 14. blames tho&s;e Prie&s;ts and Deacons that did receive too &s;oon and too ea&s;ily &s;uch as were fallen into grievous crimes, as denial of Chri&s;t, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> without
<PB N="92" REF="54"> looking at ths fruits of their repentance: and he addes, That in le&s;s <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ns, &s;inners made repentance a ju&s;t time: (<HI>i.e.</HI> they re|mained in the &s;tate of exclu&s;ion from Church-communion, bringing forth the fruits of repentance for a certain time.) <HI>W<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at then</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Cyprian) &s;hould be done in more haeinous offences, as denial of the truth, partaking with idolatry?</HI> See more of thi, <HI>Epi&s;t.</HI> 16. <HI>l.</HI> 3. He blames tho&s;e Prie&s;ts that would com|muni ate with tho&s;e that were fallen, and give the Sacrament to them, when they ought to come to the&s;e in order: or when in le&s;s offences which are not committed again&s;t God, repen|tance be made a ju&s;t time, and confe&s;&s;ion be made, hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> life be|ing look'd into that doth repent; nor can he come to the Communion, unle&s;s there be fir&s;t an Impo&s;ition of hands by the Bi&s;hop and his Clergie: how much more in tho&s;e mo&s;t grievous offences ought all things to be ob&s;erved warily and moderately, accor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing to the di&s;cipline of the Lord? <HI>Haec ille.</HI></P>
<P>Where we &s;ee the maner of the Di&s;cipline of the ancient Church, in receiving tho&s;e that wee fallen, to communion.</P>
<P N="1">1. The Church commanded them to remain a certain while in the &s;tate of repentance, in which they might bewail their &s;ins, and mortifie their fle&s;h, and be attentive to the Word preached, and be in&s;tant with God in prayer. And this was no other thing then was done with the ince&s;tuous per&s;on.</P>
<P N="2">2. Their life being tried, they made a publike confe&s;&s;ion both of their life and their offence, and of their faith. Which is no other thing then ought to be done now, that per&s;ons mournfully confe&s;s their &s;ins, and their &s;aith in Chri&s;t for the pardon of them.</P>
<P N="3">3. When their repentance was evident, the Bi&s;hop with his C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ergie, in the name of the Church, <HI>i. e.</HI> the Elder&s;hip of the &s;ame Church, of which one was cho&s;en to be chief,) re|cieved them into favour by impo&s;ition of hands, and then to the Supper, and Communion <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">f the Church. Some &s;mall er|rours were in this; yet for &s;ub&s;tance it was right, <HI>viz.</HI> That the Church, neither by her&s;elf, nor by her Elders, did receive them, till their repentance was evident: which was the &s;ame thing practi&s;ed by the Apo&s;tle in the ince&s;tuous per&s;on. And
<PB N="93" REF="54"> truely that Church or tho&s;e Elders bear fal&s;e witne&s;s, that ab|&s;olve impenitent per&s;ons.</P>
<P>There was another way of receiving penitents, mention|ed by <HI>Schitlerus, de pote&s;tate Clavium. Anno</HI> 265. an Order was &s;et down, by <HI>Gregory Ponticus</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Neocae&s;aria,</HI> and the Eccle&s;ia&s;tical Synod, as appears out of the hi&s;tory of the Synod of <HI>Antioch</HI> a&s;&s;embled again&s;t <HI>Samo&s;etanus.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. They were made to &s;tand in black garments is &s;ignes of their gui<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t, at the Temple-door, but without it, &s;ome days; and to intreat them that entred to pray for them. This was called <HI>profletus,</HI> or a fore going we<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ping.</P>
<P N="2">2. They were admitted to hearing within the Temple, in a certain place behinde the <HI>Catechumeni;</HI> they did not go further in, as being unworthy to be pre&s;ent at the prayers of the godly.</P>
<P N="3">3. They came in fight of the Church, and &s;tood among the <HI>Catechumeni,</HI> and went out with them.</P>
<P N="4">4. They &s;tood among the faithful.</P>
<P N="5">5. They were admitted to the Church-communion.</P>
<P>We &s;ee &s;omethings were brought in by men; yet &s;till they held the &s;ub&s;tance, that per&s;ons ca&s;t out, 1. Should be a cer|tain time in a &s;tate of ejection. 2. That they were not re|ceived in without humiliation.</P>
<P>There was a practice not much unlike, ob&s;erved in the Church of <HI>Rome, Tripart. hi&s;t. l.</HI> 9. <HI>c.</HI> 35.</P>
<P N="1">1. There was a certain place where they made their repen|tance.</P>
<P N="2">2. The penitents, when the Ordinances were done, not receiving the Communion, ca&s;t them&s;elves on the earth with weeping and mourning, with whom the Bi&s;hop and common people wept.</P>
<P N="3">3. The Bi&s;hop prayed for the penitent according to the occa&s;ion, and &s;o di&s;mi&s;&s;es the Congregation.</P>
<P N="4">4. The penitents of their own accord afflicted them&s;elvs after, by fa&s;ting, or other<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i&s;e.</P>
<P>So that excommunicate per&s;ons, when they &s;hew &s;ignes of their faith, repentance, and purpo&s;e of new life, and with
<PB N="94" REF="55"> bleeding hearts promi&s;e amendment, publikely, are to be re|ceived again into the Churches fellow&s;hip, with the greate&s;t gentlene&s;s and good-will.</P>
<P>Now for the maner of receiving &s;uch a per&s;on, let the El|ders in the name of the Church propo&s;e the&s;e Que&s;tions:</P>
<P N="1">1. Whether he confe&s;s the crime for which he was excom|municate.</P>
<P N="2">2. Whether he think him&s;elf ju&s;tly puni&s;hed.</P>
<P N="3">3. Whether he be heartily &s;orry for the offence commit|ted.</P>
<P N="4">4. Whether he de&s;ire forgivene&s;s of the Church.</P>
<P N="5">5. Whether he have a purpo&s;e to mend his life, to war a good warfare, to hold the faith in a good con&s;cience.</P>
<P N="6">6. Whether he would have the Church, whom he hath of|fended, to pray for him.</P>
<P>After which, let the Pa&s;tor adde a grave Exhortation con|cerning Gods wrath again&s;t &s;in, both in puni&s;hments tempo|ral and eternal; of the danger of Scandal; of the frailty of man's nature; of true repentance; of free pardon in Chri&s;ts blood; of the loving affections God's people ought to &s;hew with gladne&s;s to a per&s;on repenting; of the gentlene&s;s the Church ought to &s;hew, <HI>con&s;idering they al&s;o may be tempted,</HI> Gal. 6.1. with a de&s;ire to the brethren to &s;hew all gentlene&s;s to this poor &s;oul, as <HI>Paul</HI> did to the <HI>Corinthians</HI> for the ince&s;tu|ous per&s;on.</P>
<P>Now the brethrens duties to a poor penitent &s;oul, are,</P>
<P N="1">1. To <HI>&s;et him in joynt</HI> again, <HI>Gal.</HI> 6.1. <GAP DESC="foreign">, which &s;ignifies, <HI>Set the member which was out of joynt, in joynt.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. To <HI>comfort</HI> &s;uch an one, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2.7.</P>
<P N="3">3. To <HI>confirm their love towards him,</HI> 2 Cor. 2.8. that is, to have as firm a love towards him, as if he had not fallen.</P>
<P N="3">3. The third thing to be lookt at, is, That there be a right power: for though a man de&s;erved to be hanged, yet would per&s;ons be careful, that it be done by a due power: and this power is partly in the brethren, <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. they had liberty to joyne with the &s;ounder part of the El|ders, to bring tho&s;e teachers that troubled them with ju&s;tifi|cation
<PB N="95" REF="55"> by works to publick cen&s;ure; and the Elders both to examine the matter before, and after judicially to &s;entence. There is an ordinary &s;imilitude of the Jury and Judge that expre&s;&s;es it: when the Jury give in their verdict, yet is not the offender condemned or executed without the Judge: no more, as &s;ome think, where there are Elders, is the &s;inner ca&s;t out upon the di&s;cerning cen&s;ure of the brethren; but upon the judicial cen&s;ure of the Elders, wherein the bre|thren al&s;o binde and loo&s;e by con&s;enting thereto, and after by withdrawment of Communion; but where there are no Elders, the power is in the Church. Neither is this other then was in <HI>Cyprians</HI> time, who writes to <HI>Cornelius</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome,</HI> That <HI>he had laboured much with the common people, that peace might be given to tho&s;e that were fallen:</HI> which if he could have given him&s;elf, he would not have wearied him&s;elf &s;o in per&s;wading the people. So <HI>Augustine</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Donati&s;ts, We mu&s;t then cea&s;e from excommunication, when all the people are infected with the &s;ame fault, becau&s;e,</HI> &s;aith he, <HI>they will not agree to the excommunication, but will defend him whom thou &s;halt ex|communicate.</HI> By which he &s;hews, excommunication was not wont to be done without the con&s;ent of the brethren.</P>
<P N="1">1. Again, tho&s;e things which belong to all, ought not to be done without the con&s;ent of all, &s;aid Pope <HI>Leo.</HI> Now what more belongs to the whole Church, then to cut off a member from the body?</P>
<P N="2">2. The relea&s;e of this cen&s;ure is a&s;cribed in the &s;ame word of forgivene&s;s unto the Church, as unto <HI>Paul,</HI> 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2.10. <GAP DESC="foreign">. Now they having power in ab&s;olving, they mu&s;t needs have al&s;o power in binding.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But this thing belongs onely to one Bi&s;hop or Sur|rogate.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> No. 1. Becau&s;e this overthrows the medicine Chri&s;t had provided for &s;uch a &s;ore, <HI>Mat.</HI> 8. Chri&s;t would have tho&s;e that would neither be healed with private admonition, nor wiTh admonition before two witne&s;&s;es, to be brought to the Church. As the fault grows, &s;o Chri&s;t would have the number of them, before whom, and of whom he is to be re|proved, to grow.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="96" REF="56">2. Chri&s;t &s;peaks in the plural number, <HI>What&s;oever &s;ins ye binde:</HI> therefore one Bi&s;hop cannot be the per&s;on binding.</P>
<P N="3">3. The cen&s;ure inflicted on the ince&s;tuous, was done by more, <GAP DESC="foreign">, this di&s;honour was inflicted by more, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2.6. therefore not by one Bi&s;hop.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>Paul alone did excommunicate the ince&s;tuous per&s;on; therefore the Bi&s;hop may do &s;o.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 1. It's denied the Bi&s;hop may do what the Apo&s;tle could.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Apo&s;tle onely as a penman of the Sccripture goes before them in his Apo&s;tolike duty, &s;hewing them the way they &s;hould go, taking nothing from tho&s;e commands, <HI>Tell the Church,</HI> and <HI>What&s;oever ye &s;hall bind;</HI> he &s;aith nor, I have delivered him to Satan; but, <HI>let him delivered by you to Satan, and purged out by you, and put away by you,</HI> ver&s;. 13. If the Mini&s;ters of the Church of <HI>Corinth,</HI> with the re&s;t of the body, had not purged him from the Church, although he had been worthy to have been call out, yet had be not been ca&s;t out.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But what if the brethren will not con&s;ent, that one that is contumacious again&s;t the Church, and manife&s;tly wicked, &s;hould be ca&s;t out?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 1. A con&s;ociation of Churches is nece&s;&s;ary, that the brethren that &s;tand off, may pre&s;ent their rea&s;ons to be &s;can'd; and becau&s;e in multitude of Coun&s;ellors is &s;afety in difficult ca&s;es, as in the election &amp; ordination of Elders, excommuni|cation of an Elder, or any other eminent per&s;on, it's good to proceed with common con&s;ultation and con&s;ent; &s;o we &s;ee the Apo&s;tles con&s;ulting one with another, <HI>Gal.</HI> 2.1, 2, 3. And the Church of <HI>Antioch</HI> and <HI>Hieru&s;alem, Acts</HI> 15.</P>
<P N="4">4. That this binding and loo&s;ing be done in a right man|ner: As,</P>
<P N="1">1. That there be a con&s;ultation with other Churches, in difficult &amp; intricate ca&s;es; as a wi&s;e Chirurgion doth not pro|ceed to the cutting off an hand or an arm, unle&s;s be have the judgement of other Chirurgions.</P>
<P N="2">2. As the Chirurgion &s;eldom proceeds to the cutting off a member, and &s;caring of it, before he fir&s;t tries all other re|medies,
<PB N="97" REF="56"> and oft he perceives it better not to cut it off, then thereby to hazard the health of the patient: &s;o ought the Churches, rather to contain them&s;elves within the bounds of admonitions, exhortations and threats, then to proceed to cutting off, if it may be.</P>
<P N="3">3. If there be no remedy, but that they mu&s;t proceed to cutting off, then ought they to do it with great grief and &s;ym|pathy, as if they were going to cut off one of their own mem|bers, <HI>Rom.</HI> 12.15. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.2. <HI>Tiberius Cae&s;ar,</HI> when he was to &s;ub&s;cribe to the death of any condemned per&s;on, was wont to &s;ay, <HI>Utinam literas ne&s;cirem! I would I were ignorant of letters!</HI> If the&s;e di&s;po&s;itions were in men, they would be more careful in denouncing this &s;entence. A certain fooli&s;h Suffragan (as <HI>Peter Martyr</HI> relates the &s;tory) did degrade a certain Prie&s;t who was to be burned becau&s;e he had preached Gods truth. The Suffragan &s;aid he would &s;eparate the Mar|tyr both from the Militant and Triumphant Church of Chri&s;t. To whom the Martyr wi&s;ely and con&s;tantly an&s;wered, <HI>Why do&s;t thou &s;ay thou wilt &s;eparate me from the militant and trium|phant Church of Chri&s;t? There's no creature can pull me from thence; and thou do&s;t in vain endeavour to cut me off from the body of Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. That you withdraw your company and communion from &s;uch a per&s;on &s;o cut off: <HI>let him be an heathen,</HI> with whom the Jews had no religious communion; <HI>or as a Publi|cane,</HI> with whom the Jews had no civil communion, as &s;ome think.</P>
<P>Yet in ca&s;e they be per&s;ons to whom we are bound by the law of Nature, as wives to husbands, children to parents, though excommunicate, we may conver&s;e with them in civil, though not in religious communion: onely take heed, le&s;t in conver&s;ing with them ye bol&s;ter them up in any &s;inful pra|ctice. For others, where there is no &s;uch relation, &s;ome think we are <HI>not to eat with them,</HI> nor <HI>bid them God-&s;peed.</HI> Yet mu&s;t we not cea&s;e to reach and admoni&s;h them, yea, if in want, to relieve them, becau&s;e Excommunication mu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> not be extended further then Charity. Nor is the hatred of the per|&s;on
<PB N="98" REF="57"> excommunicate to be feared: for if he ju&s;tly weigh what is done again&s;t him, he may &s;ee it proceeds from charity.</P>
<P N="5">5. That when &s;uch a &s;inner repents, you be not &s;o &s;evere again&s;t him for his &s;in, that you &s;uffer him to be &s;wallowed up of too much &s;orrow, (as it &s;eems the <HI>Corinthians</HI> were too eager again&s;t the ince&s;tuous, that the Apo&s;tle was fain to write to them to receive him) but u&s;e all gentlene&s;s towards him, and &s;hew all gladne&s;s for his recovery. Shall there be joy among the Angels for the repentance of &s;inners, and &s;hall not we be glad hereat?</P>
<P N="2">2 <HI>Exhort.</HI> To &s;uch &s;inners as are bound under the Cen&s;ure of the Church, That they &s;hew their unfeigned repentance, that the Church may relea&s;e them from that &s;evere Cen&s;ure.</P>
<P N="1">1. It &s;hould be a great grief to a holy heart, to have Gods people to think ill, much more to &s;eparate them from their communion in a Church-way: it &s;o afflicted the ince&s;tuous, that he could never have peace till he was taken in. <HI>Augu|&s;tine</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Excommunication is a greater puni&s;hment, then if a man were executed by &s;word, fire, and wilde bea&s;ts.</HI> A man is more pitifully bound with the Churches keys, then with iron or adamantine manacles. <HI>Cart. annot. Rhem. Te&s;t. in Matth.</HI> 18.17.</P>
<P N="2">2. If in ca&s;e of private wrongs we are bound to give &s;a|tisfaction, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.24. how much more when a Church is of|fended? O de&s;pi&s;e not the Church! 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11.22. <HI>What they binde on earth, is bound in heaven,</HI> Mat. 18.18. It is a mo&s;t &s;ad puni&s;hment, for any per&s;on to go out of the world, &amp; to have the ju&s;t cen&s;ure of a Church lying upon him. Thou can&s;t have no a&s;&s;urance of the pardon of thy &s;ins, till thou ha&s;t repented, <HI>Acts</HI> 5.31. Now thy repentance, if it be right, it mu&s;t be for publike &s;ins publikely.</P>
<P N="3">3. When thou ha&s;t been ju&s;tly cen&s;ured, and ha&s;t not made thy peace with the Church, thou art, for any thing we know, in no better ca&s;e then under Satan's clutches, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.5.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But to deliver men to Satan, is nothing but to deliver men to be tormented of Satan: therefore no Church-cen&s;ure is meant in that place.</HI></P>
<PB N="99" REF="57">
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> It is one thing to deliver to Satan, another thing that which followed this delivery.</P>
<P N="1">1. To deliver to Satan, is to declare a man, whom the Church deems to be a &s;lave of Satan, for his impenitencie, to be no more a member of the Church, but a &s;lave of Satan.</P>
<P N="2">2. That which followed this delivery to Satan, was, to be afflicted with di&s;ea&s;es; as <HI>Miriam,</HI> when &s;he was put out of the Camp for &s;landering <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> was &s;mitten with lepro&s;ie, <HI>Numb.</HI> 12.10. and <HI>Uzziah,</HI> 2 <HI>Chron.</HI> 26.16. Sometimes the excommunicate per&s;on was tormented by Satan: &s;o when <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> had excommunicated the Scribe of the Emp. <HI>Stili|con</HI> by name, God delivered over the Scribe to the &s;pirit of Satan to vex him. Sometimes they have horrour of con&s;ci|ence, whereby God declares the e&s;tabli&s;hment of that in heaven, which is done upon earth.</P>
<P N="4">4. So far as man can judge, thou art no better then an Heathen or a Publicane, <HI>Matth.</HI> 18.17. Thou tremble&s;t to be in &s;uch a condition, yet doth the Church of Chri&s;t look on thee in no better condition; yea, if it be po&s;&s;ible, in a wor&s;e, becau&s;e thou &s;in&s;t again&s;t the light they never had.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>I would make my peace with the Church, but onely for &s;hame.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> It's a great &s;in in tho&s;e that &s;hall deride any that &s;hall be humbled in this ca&s;e, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.2. Further: it's no &s;hame: for hereby thou publi&s;he&s;t not thy &s;in, which is the onely true cau&s;e of &s;hame; but thy repentance, which is ho|norable. All Saints will ble&s;s God for thy repentance, though &s;ome leud per&s;ons &s;hould &s;coff. See <HI>Gal.</HI> 1.24. 2. Who thinks wor&s;e of <HI>Myriam,</HI> of the ince&s;tuous per&s;on? <HI>He that thus hum|bles him&s;elf, &s;hall be exalted,</HI> Matth. 23.12. 3. Suppo&s;e hereby thou &s;hould&s;t lo&s;e thy credit for ever, yet art thou bound to prefer thy duty before thy credit. See <HI>Joh.</HI> 12.42, 43. The parents of the blinde man would not do their duty in con|fe&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, for fear of being ca&s;t out of the Synagogue, <HI>Joh.</HI> 9.21, 22. but the blinde man would follow the dictate of his own con&s;cience, though he were ca&s;t out, <HI>Joh.</HI> 9.32, 33.</P>
<P N="5">5. What Cen&s;ure the Church executes upon thee ju&s;tly,
<PB N="100" REF="58"> God e&s;tabli&s;hes the &s;ame in heaven, <HI>Mat.</HI> 18.18. and what they loo&s;e, is loo&s;ed in heaven. This &s;hould &s;tir thee up to make thy peace. Which promi&s;e was &s;o prevalent with the an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ient Chri&s;tians, that their repentance was always publike; not onely when a man was accu&s;ed for &s;ome crime, but when any man would freely have the remi&s;&s;ion of the Church for &s;ecret &s;ins, he confe&s;t his &s;ins publikely, and &s;o was excom|municate, and placed among the penitents: then his repen|tance being done, he was reconciled. The matter that mo|ved them to this, was the certainty of the promi&s;e, <HI>Who&s;oever &s;ins you remit, they are remitted. Spalat. l.</HI> 5. <HI>c.</HI> 7. <HI>num.</HI> 26. <HI>&amp;</HI> 37. <HI>Dido<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> lev. p.</HI> 248.</P>
<P N="3">3 <HI>Exhort.</HI> To members, to be careful that they come not under the Cen&s;ures of the Church. Means hereto,</P>
<P N="1">1. Commit no &s;uch &s;ins whereby the Name of God may be bla&s;phemed. 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 1. <HI>Whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to bla&s;pheme.</HI> If thou ha&s;t no care of God's glory, the Church mu&s;t have no <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">are of thy credit.</P>
<P N="2">2. Be not ob&s;tinate in defending evils for the which thou art reproved: for that makes way for private evils to be brought to the Church.</P>
<P N="3">3. Hear and amend tho&s;e things which a brother reproves thee of.</P>
<P N="4">4. Take heed of gro&s;s enormous faults, which Gods chil|dren, though they ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e been guilty of in times pa&s;t, yet after God calls them home, are &s;eldome overtaken in, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.9, 10, 11. <HI>Tit.</HI> 3.3. 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 4.3, 4.</P>
<P N="5">5. Make con&s;cience of &s;inning in &s;ecret. For not making con&s;cience herein, God gives per&s;ons up to &s;ins whereby they become notoriou&s;ly infamous. <HI>Judas</HI> made no con&s;cience of covetou&s;ne&s;s, and God ga<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e him up to murder Chri&s;t, and him&s;elf. So <HI>Anan<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">as</HI> and <HI>Sapph<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ra</HI> their h pocri&s;ie was &s;ecret, God gave them up <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o a &s;in that after became <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i&s;ible. Many per&s;on<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> take exceeding liberty in &s;in, when they are alone. Say, a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Gen.</HI> 39.10. <HI>How can I do this, and &s;in!</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. Make no factions nor breaches in Churches: <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.12. that is a &s;in that cannot be put up in a Church, becau&s;e it
<PB N="101" REF="58"> cau&s;es the Name of God to be bla&s;phemed, <HI>Rom.</HI> 2.24. Fir&s;t you mu&s;t proceed orderly, and bring things to the Church; and if the Church bol&s;ter up &s;in, then you may have &s;ome co|lour to withdraw, and yet not a full ground, I &s;uppo&s;e, &s;o long as you prote&s;t again&s;t &s;uch an act, or &s;hew your di&s;like herein. But making a breach before you bring matters to the Church, I know not how you can in ju&s;tice e&s;cape admonition; and, if you be ob&s;tinate, excommunication.</P>
<P N="7">7. Tho&s;e &s;ins which exclude out of Heaven, ought to ex|clude out of the Church. Now we &s;ee what &s;ins exclude out of heaven, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.9, 10. <HI>Gal.</HI> 5.19, 20, 21. <HI>Eph.</HI> 5.5, 6. <HI>Col.</HI> 3.5, 6. O then take heed of &s;uch &s;ins! 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.11. If I mu&s;t not eat with them, then &s;urely they mu&s;t not remain in com|munion.</P>
<P N="8">8. Judge thy &s;elf heartily before the Lord in &s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ret, for thy e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ils thou commit&s;t, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11.31. Per&s;ons not judging them&s;elves, God d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">th not onely jud e them at the day of Judgement, but cau&s;es the Church to fore-judge.</P>
<P>Que&s;t. <HI>But what need of excommunication, where there are Chri&s;tian Magi&s;trates?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> There is great need.</P>
<P N="1">1. Becau&s;e the doctrine appointed for eternal life, ought to ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e continual u&s;e in the Church; but the doctrine of ad|moni<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ion is &s;uch, as appears, <HI>In this thou ha&s;t gained thy bro|ther;</HI> and &s;o the doctrine of excommunication, as ap<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ears, <HI>In that the ince&s;tuous per&s;on was <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">elivered to Satan, that his fle&s;h might be de&s;troyed, and his &s;pirit &s;aved.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Works of charity are of perpetual u&s;e; but &s;uch is ex|communication.</P>
<P>Object. <HI>But where is charity &s;een?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> In hindering a per&s;on from &s;uch an action, where|by he bring judgement to him&s;elf, as unworthy receiving is.</P>
<P N="3">3. The offi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e of a Magi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">rate is to puni&s;h &s;inners, whether they repent or not; but the cen&s;ures of the Church are to puni&s;h onely the impenitent.</P>
<P N="4">4. T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ere are many &s;ins which the Magi&s;trate is not bound to puni&s;h, as malice, pride, hypocri&s;ie, denial of the truth,
<PB N="102" REF="59"> which do not di&s;turb the publick peace; but the&s;e by Chri&s;ts in&s;titution mu&s;t not be &s;uffered in the Church.</P>
<P>Que&s;t. <HI>Whether is a per&s;on excommunicate, upon his &s;aying he repents, to be admitted into the Church?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> No: <HI>John Bapti&s;t</HI> would not admit to his bapti&s;m, unle&s;s whom he was per&s;waded had repented, <HI>Mat.</HI> 3.6, 7. If per&s;ons do not &s;hew fruits of repentance, it appears they have not repented, though they &s;ay they have repented. The ince&s;tuous per&s;on was not received in, till he &s;hewed mani|fe&s;t &s;ignes of repentance.</P>
<P>Que&s;t. <HI>What are the publick &s;ignes of repentance, wherewith the Church may re&s;t &s;atisfied?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. An holy &s;hunning of all &s;ins, by an un&s;potted life, and in particular the &s;in for which he was ca&s;t out.</P>
<P N="2">2. A de&s;ire of reconciliation with the Church, with a trembling to remain out of Communion.</P>
<P N="3">3. A &s;orrowful bewailing for all his &s;ins: in particular, for the &s;ins for which he was ca&s;t out, accompanied at lea&s;t with a dejected countenance, if not with tears, with a promi&s;e of humble obedience; aggravation of &s;in, &amp; &s;elf-condemnation being joyned herewith. We read not that the ince&s;tuous per|&s;on &s;hed a tear, but yet he was full of &s;orrow; but to weep for other things, and not to weep for &s;o great an evil, doth not declare a good pul&s;e of &s;oul.</P>
<P>Que&s;t. <HI>Whether is it in the power of the Church to receive a pe|nitent into their Communion, which been ju&s;tly ca&s;t out of another Church?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Yes: 1. For &s;uch a per&s;on is in the condition of an Heathen and a Publican. Now may not any Church receive an Heathen, in ca&s;e he repent of his his heatheni&s;m, and embrace the faith of Chri&s;t? It is the power of &s;uch an hea|then to chu&s;e to what congregation he will joyne; provided he can orderly re&s;ide with them.</P>
<P N="2">2. Divers mi&s;chiefs would follow, if one Church might not ab&s;olve tho&s;e another Church ca&s;ts out.</P>
<P N="1">1. For then if a Church &s;hould di&s;&s;olve after they had ca&s;t out a &s;inner, (as among all Judgements, both of Presbyteri|an,
<PB N="103" REF="59"> Independent and Bapti&s;t, it &s;ometimes falls out) the &s;in|ner &s;hould never be ab&s;olved.</P>
<P N="2">2. If the Church &s;hould remove a thou&s;and miles from the penitent, or he from them, he mu&s;t be forced to take that pilgrimage, or el&s;e he mu&s;t not be relea&s;ed, and &s;o be &s;till in &s;cruple of con&s;cience of being bound in heaven.</P>
<P N="3">3. Or in ca&s;e the Elders &s;hould pro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eed maliciou&s;ly or proudly, (as <HI>Diotrephes</HI> did, who ca&s;t out the Saints for doing their duty) there would be no way to right them. 3 <HI>Joh.</HI> 10. he would not &s;cruple a jot, to recei e tho&s;e Saints into com|munion. When the Jews ca&s;t out the blinde man, Chri&s;t ne|ver &s;ent him to that Church to be ab&s;olved, but Chri&s;t freely received him.</P>
<P>But fora&s;much as <HI>God is a God of order, and not of confu&s;ion,</HI> therefore, where it may with conveniencie, by the rule of Order, tho&s;e that have ca&s;t out, are to receive in, and no o|ther Church: provided there hath been a ju&s;t proceeding by the Church or Elders; for el&s;e there may happen to be confu|&s;ion and emulation, in &s;tead of con&s;ociation and union among Churches.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</GROUP>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
