FOUR SERMONS, WHEREOF TWO, PREACHED AT TWO ASSIZES, this present year, 1638, at MAIDESTONE in KENT, the other two, in his own charge.  
By ROBERT ABBOT, Vicar of Cranbrooke in Kent.  
The Titles and Texts follow on the next leaf.  
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Paine, for P. Stephens, and C Meredith, and are to be sold at their Shop, at the sign of the Golden Lion, in Paul's Churchyard. 1639.   


THE LORDS ASSIZE, 1 The Text judg. 11. 27. The Lord the judge, be judge this day, betwixt the children of Israel, and the children of Ammon  
NATURES ASSIZE, 2 The Text. Math. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.  
THE CHRISTIANS THRIFT in KEEPING, 34 The Text, 1 Tim. 1. 19 Holding faith, and a good Consci●en●    

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, AND RIGHT HONOURABLE, WALTER LORD BISHOP of WINTON, High ALMONER to the KING'S most excellent Majesty, & PRELATE of the GARTER, honour in Both lives.  
RIght Reverend, and right Honourable; many men are willing to cast in some of their superfluity into the Lord's treasury, the poor widow was willing to cast in all, yet little. It is a wonder that she should be commended above all those that had fuller hands. But when Christ looks to the giver, a poor widow, and not to the gift, two mites; to the plenty in the heart, not to the penury in the hand, the wonder ceaseth.  
My present gift is like the widows, from my poverty; yet should I be an unthankful liar if I should say, it is all I have. God hath vouchsafed me a double calling: from himself, insuch gifts as have made me willing according to my abilities; and from the blessed church (wherein I humbly thank God, to be borne, brought up, and l●ve) in such power to exercise the ministry which I have received, by reading, doctrine, approbation, and imposition of hands.  
Whatsoever I have by both, I hearty desire may be for God's uses, and the service of the Church of God amongst us. I cannot commend them as they are acted by me, it is by a weak body, and a weaker soul. As Saint Augustine complained of old, heimihi! quam contrarius sum egomet mihi; ego in spiritu, et ego in carne: so more justly may 1 I have a long time been trained under fightings within, and without and ever and anon, am ready to be overpowered with sin, or grief. But as the ram in fight draws back, not to quit the field, but to gain a course, to give the greater bruise at the next shock: so do I desire to be in my infirmities. I seem sometimes to myself to faint, and almost to fail, and to bear about me a dying spirit every day. Quocunque oculos converto, video documenta meae aetatis, said Seneca of old, and so say I  
Yet looking to what I have received, some strength yet, to work, and a conscience to keep me within my traces, I press hard forward, and find that I lose not too much ground, through him in whom I am able to do what I do.  
This holds me up in my work, and keeps me in canonical obedience to my calling, that I may say at last with blessed Augustine, liberavi animam meam, yea, and sometimes also (though more to satisfy others than myself) scribimus indocti, doctique, I stain paper with my pen.  
How unable am I for any great task, no man knows better than your honour, who from my youth have been a stay to my ways, an help to my studies, and a comfort to my age, since by your Honour's self I have been accounted worthy to be your Honour's servant. But since I have not had a resolved face to deny my poor glean after the harvest, to be brought forth to this learned light wherein we live, I humbly pray that they may first rise or fall, by your honour's censure.  
This first presents itself, my labour that God may judge, in the judgements of men. Next to that, my desire that Nature be not silenced in her good law, when we practise that we call justice. And if any thing else follows help faith, and conscience in our whole course, both public and private, whosoever have been my friends, from whose motions these thoughts have been drawn out, your Honour shall be my first judge here, and patron (if your Honour please, and need require) to that which is with humbleness confessed to be unworthy of you. I need not plead reasons, I am your Honours for humble service: it is a just debt from me; and that due to your Honour now, and while I am. Due for your undeserved favour to myself. Due for your encouragement to my eldest son while he was at Oxford. Due for your exhibition to my youngest son now he is in Cambridge. And if this could be a perpetual register of your Honour's love and bounty to me, and mine, I should hearty rejoice. But because moths and time will eat this out, I shall humbly desire to lay up a stock of prayers, for your Honour, in heaven. This is all that I can do, and this is all from me that your Honour desires. Would I do more, I could not, could I do less, I would not. This I (by God's Grace) can, and will; and so continue.  
Your Honour's humble servant to be commanded. ROBERT ABBOT.   

TO THE TRVELY RELIGIOUS, HONOURABLE, NOBLE, AND Worshipful Justices, and other Gentry of Kent, who have heard, and may happen to read these poor Sermons, especially to those of his own Parish, all good.  
HONOURABLE, Noble, Worshipful, you may justly ask, whence this sight comes? I must excuse it a great deal, from importunity. But what is the present? A cup of cold water to good Disciples of Christ: and you know that brave commander who did accept of as low a present, from as poor a man as myself. It will be rejected; because there is too much of that already: Charity and justice are too much watered, they are grown cold, they have waded so long that they are benumbed, and less apt for use. I hope better things. They may be dwarfed in some, like those three bones in the head of a man which Anatomists call Malleolus, Incus, and Stapes, which are as big in a child as in a man▪ but the less the body is in this (I hope) the more is the heat, the more vigorous the spirits: & it may be this may water by an Antiperistasis may make this heat greater, but cannot lessen it in those that are so full of goodness.  
Your worths are well known to others, and are beleveed by me: go on still to do worthily in Ephrata, and to be famous in Bethlehem. Do worthily in piety, do worthily in private charity; and do worthily in public justice. We have an age made up of too much sin, profane swearing, and brutish profaning of the Lords day, drunkenness, and malicious quarrelings cover too much christians ground amongst us. As it is with the sea, there goes that Leviathan, and creeping things innumerable; so is it with the land; there are too many master sins, and untellable other sins, which wound single, but oppress by heaps. A King we have by God's blessing never better; laws never wiser, and provisions never more wary: but to make all right, as the orator magnified pronunciation, so do I execution.  
Many hands make light work: and your hearts will set them on work; up and be doing. I need not provoke your willing minds: yet may I show you what you do, or should, though I press you not to what you do not.  
A poor oppressed 
Surius in vita S. Basil.  woman did observe Saint Basil to have some credit with the governor of his place. She solicits him to write to the govenour in her behalf. The good Bishop presently took pen, ink, and paper; and wrote to this effect. This poor woman came unto me saying, that my letters have great weight with thee: If it be so, hear her, and show it. The woman carried it, the governor read it, and writes back this again. Holy father; for thy sake I would have had pity upon this poor woman, but I could not, except she pay all that is required of her. The good Bishop writes again (once more) thus. Seeing thy will is ready but thy power is wanting, it is a tolerable excuse: but if thou couldst, and wouldst not, Christ will make thee so poor, that where thou wouldst, thou shalt not be able. These words were prophetical to this unjust governor: for not long after he fell into the Emperor's displeasure, was cast into prison, and expected punishment. But then he remembered Saint Basil, whose intercession he sought, and obtained, and by that means, his liberty. He than came to Saint Basil, called to mind the poor woman, sent for her, and restored to her the goods, he wrongfully withheld, twofold. He would not hazard a second punishment for an act of Injustice unrepented of.  
My observations upon this story are these; It is a great honour to be in authority, it makes the Saints of God on earth to sue unto them. It is a miserable place to be upon earth, oppressions may be done to God's poor servants. It is a fearful thing not to relieve the oppressed when it is in our power; it casts the mighty from the throne, and brings them to shame. It is a brave thing to do justice at first: but better late than never, better of love then when it is whipped outwith strokes▪ It is glorious too, not to refuse to do right at last, when at first we have done wrong as he: for not one of a thousand meets with such a day.  
You will be pleased ever to be better precedents of justice than that justicer, and not to stand in need of his best part, his late repentance, whereof you are not sure. And thus, the eyes of the Lord will be upon the just, and his ears will be open to their prayers: His eyes will be upon the just. As he that hath made a goodly picture, looks upon it again and again, that he may supply to every defect at last: so God deals with the godly that are just. His ears are open to their prayers. When they call he will hear, when they cry, he will say Ecce adsum, behold here am I, nor behold I will come because he is hard at hand to comfort them with blessings, who comfort others with upright justice.  
I cannot teach the meanest amongst you in your way: only I have presumed to present this story, and withal to offer to your eyes (if you please) what you have heard with your ears, The Assize of God, and The Assize of Nature. If these may stand you in the least stead to show you what you are and do, and put you in mind what you must continue, it is all the hearty wishes, & humble prayers (upon this occasion) of him that is, and will be  
Your worthinesses to use in possible services ROBERT ABBOT.   


THE CONTENTS OF THESE SERMONS in short. 1 The Lord's Assize, from judg. 11. 27.  
1 Which is fitted to the time, or setting down a trial of 

1 The life.  
2 The liberty  
3 The goods.  
4 The goodname.  
Of Israel▪  
Of Amonn    
2 And propounded to persuade all trials by the Lord the judge. Where both. 

1 What keeps the Lord from judging. 

1 When truth is witheld in unrighteousness. 

1 By denial.  
2 By false accusation.  
3 By profit.  
4 By lingering delays.  
5 By flattery, fear, hope, etc.    
2 Where (if truth appear) judgement do not attend upon it in full glory,    
2 What brings the Lord to judging. 

1 When such persons sit to judge as God would have.  
2 When the whole work is carried for the honour of the God of truth. 

1 By an holy heart.  
2 By an holy hand.  
3 By an holy eye.  
4 By an holy mouth.         

THE CONTENTS OF THE Second SERMON 2 Natures Assize from Math. 7. 12.  
1 Where for introduction 2 knots are clea●ed. 
1 


What it is inferred upon?  
How it is the law and the prophets? 

1 Whether in the law there been more than one precept?  
2 Whether there be a connexion of all virtues, where one?        
2 Where for tractation: 

1 Are examined. 

1 Laws of nature.  
2 Principles 2 of nature.    
Are showed. 

1 The praises of this law.  
2 The power of it. 

1 Brief. from Christ. 2 Plain. Nature.       

1 In sense: laid down 

1 Negatively. 

1 Not what we list.  
2 Nor what others do to us.  
3 Nor what others do to others.  
4 Nor what themselves would.  
5 Nor what we have been accustomed.  
6 Nor what profit, honour, pleasure persuades.  
7 Nor as the laws of the land permit.    
2 Positively, As would others do to us. 

1 Whence this rule ariseth?  
2 When self-love is right charity?  
3 How this rule of justice must be carried?      
2 In application. 

To all.  
To the occasion. 

1 With 2 means to do it.  
2 With 2 motives to further it.         

THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD, and fourth SERMONS. 3 The Christians Thrift in keeping, from 1 Tim. 1. 19  
1 Where we are taught. 

1 To keep faith, where. 

1 How we must keep it? By holding, 

1 The ground of faith.  
2 The object of faith.  
3 The act of faith.  
4 The power of faith.    
2 Why we must keep it? 

1 Faith is our life.  
2 Faith is our power of working.  
3 Faith is our workman.  
4 Faith is our best light here.  
5 Faith makes earth heaven.    
2 To keep our keeping of it, and to use means ro keep it.    
2 Where also we are taught. 

1 To keep a good conscience: where. 

1 How we must keep it? By keeping. 

1 The light of conscience.  
2 The love of conscience.  
3 The work of conscience.  
4 The charge of conscience.    
2 Why we must keep it? 

1 If it be gone, God will be against us.  
2 Without it nothing will do us good.  
3 Without it nothing can do us hurt.  
4 It carries with it more than the whole world.    
2 To try our keeping of it, and to use means to keep it.          

THE LORDS ASSIZE, OR A SERMON ON JUDGES 11. 27.  The Lord the judge, be judge this day betwixt the children of Israel and the children of Ammon. 
RIght Honourable, Right Worshipful, and Beloved; Be pleased to hear these words out of the Judges, by God's assistance, driven to an issue before the Judges. Object. 
Verbum diei in diesuo.   
It may be, you will say, they are not fit: they yield not a word in due season: they speak of the Lord the judge, and these here are men.  
It is true; they are men by Answer. 
Psal. 82. 6. 2 Chron. 19 6.  nature, but they are Gods by Communion of office, (I have said ye are Gods:) and their Judgements are the judgements of God, for God, saith jehosaphat. But you will Object. say, this day will bring forth a Judgement by ordinary Justice, not by war as that is here.  
This is true too; yet by the Answer. 
Rom. 13. Distantia 1 Perfectionis. 2 Oppositionis.  sword: for the Magistrate bears not the sword for nought. As all sinners fight against God: (for they stand at a double distance from him; a distance of perfection, and of opposition:) therefore God hath a controversy with his people, & proclaimeth war. So criminal offenders fight against the face of government, the just laws of the kingdom. This is the controversy, whether the laws shall be kept or broken? And as God, in case of rebellion, doth provide famine, beasts, pestilence and the sword: so Magistrates come against such, not with the sword of the mouth as Preachers, but with the 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 34.  mouths of the sword, to be edged by the laws for correction, or confusion.  
The greatest difficulty will be to fit the persons, and causes to be tried and Judged.  
It is confessed, that there will here be some difference. Hear a pretended title of land is that which draws on the whole quarrel: but this day will bring forth other controversies. Hear the proper sword of war decides the doubt: but this day draws the borrowed sword of peace, for peace. Hear Israel is against uncircumcised Ammonites: but this day will unveil christians by profession, not by practice, in those particular acts they must fall in, and for.  
Yet look more narrowly into the present business betwixt Israel and Ammon, and ye shall see all the causes of this day intertwisted.  
Ammon charges Israel with unjust possession of land held from them to a long succession. Iphtah the now Judge, being loath to fall upon such a desperate. Phlebotomy as Ammon was prepared for, would first plead out, juridically, the cause, by embassies, to clear the justice of his sword.  
He confesseth that they have that land in question: and he pleads a threefold right unto it. The right of a 
1 Jus belli justi.  just war; it was gotten by the sword. The right of God's gift; God, whose is the earth, 
2 Donatio Dei.  gave it us, and cast out the old owners as forfeiters. The 
3 Praescriptio.  right of prescription; we have had it four hundred years without claim or charge of wrong.  
But for the ancient possessors of it (that he might cross Ammon's charge) he pleadeth two things. First, that it was the land of the Amorites, who fought against them under Sehon their then King: and of the Moabites who were justly ejected by God. But secondly, for the Amorites (the now plaintiffs,) they had none of their land: that was a false charge, a picking of an unjust quarrel.  
And that this plea was good is manifest in the Records of the law, those old reports of God himself. God said, 
Deut. 2. 29  thou shalt not distress or meddle with the children of Ammon: for I will not give thee their land which I have given 
Deut. 2. 37  to the children of Lot. There is God's edict, with the reason of it. And Moses said, to the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river jabbock, the land now in question. There is their obedience to God's charge, which they kept to that day.  
Thus Israel's case is clear, yet this prevails not with Ammon. Lies would have dominion over truth: and Ammon would fight though the cause were cleared against him. He joins issue, takes out his nisi priùs, appoints the day of Assize, and he will have a trial, for life; whether Ammon or Israel must live: For liberty, whether Ammon or Israel must be homagers: for Goods; whether Ammon or Israel shall have the spoil; for name, whether Ammon or Israel is of better credit. And thus the text comes up to the whole business of the day.  
Now, when all things were thus prepared betwixt guilty, and innocent, plaintiff, & defendant, the wretched Ammonites were like prisoners in 
Acts 8. Pro. 5. 22. Rom. 11.  the bonds of iniquity, holden in the cords of their sins, shut up in the prison of unbelief, and could not see the Judge set to be the avenger of his people. But jephtah was at more liberty. He sees with fuller eye the Glory and presence of the just Judge. He (like a man confident in his cause) appeals unto him; calls for these prisoners, and plaintiffs, to the bar; prepares for hearing, judgement, execution; and because he would not have the glory of the day himself, but would give it to the Judge of right & wrong: therefore as joab before Rabbah, when he was ready to take it, sent for David, saying, Come thou and take it, lest the 
2 Sam. 12.  victory be attributed to me, and the city be called by my name: so doth Iphtah invite God to the day for all honour, the Lord the judge, judge betwixt the children of Israel and Ammon.  
But still you may say, that Object. they were Ammonites that were to be judged there, and of these there were none here.  
It is true personally, individually Answer. it is so: but for the cause, under pretence of land they would have life, liberty, goods, and good name of Israel at their mercy, for spoil and prey, and so there are too many here, and every where.  
Israel had all their life in and from the God of mercy; all their liberty from the God of freedom; all their goods and lands from the God of bounty; all their credit and renown, from God's protection and cohabitation: yet Ammon unjustly seeks to dispossess them of all these. He puts them in fear of life, and seeks it. He presents death, and pursues it. He hunts after their liberty and would have it. He desires their goods, for a rich booty. He basely takes away their good name, as usurpers not worthy to live: therefore I appeal to the God of Caesar (saith Iphtah:) the Lord the judge, be judge, etc.  
By this time (I hope) you see Israel's and Ammon's case brought to the full work of an Assize, wherein ye have presented three particulars.  
1. The Judge set for the trial of guilty, and not guilty, plaintiff and defendant, the Lord the judge.  
2. The causes to be heard, the life, liberty, goods, good name of Israel, and Ammon.  
3. The persons betwixt whom, the children of Israel, and the children of Ammon.  
And now, what shall I say? the same or such like causes are the work of this day. Let it therefore be all our wishes, desires, prayers, purposes, and practices, as it was Iphtahs',  
That the Lord the judge may 
The issue of the Text.  judge them.  
1. If he do not Judge, he will Judge the Judgement. He only is reason itself, wisdom itself, justice it 
Summa ratio.  self.  
2. If he judge them, he is 
Gen. 18.  the judge of all the world, whose ways are equal and cannot but judge justly.  
Thus we shall have an happy assize for the maintenance of virtue, and punishment of vice, which is always the issue when the Lord the Judge judgeth.  
But what? shall we wish to decline the judgements of Object. men?  
God forbidden: God is the Answer. 
jam. 5.  only Saviour; yet the prayer of faith saveth too. God only converts the heart; yet 
Luke 1. 16, 17. job 33. 23, 24.  john Baptist shall turn many hearts of the fathers to the children, and of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. God only delivers from hell; yet the Interpreter, one of a thousand, shall deliver a soul from the pit. God only forgives 
Mic. 7. 18. joh. 20.  sins, out of authority, as the great Judge; yet whose sins ye remit shall be remitted. In a word, God accounts them as authors with him, that are instruments from him of good. If therefore men judge with God, from God, the Lord the Judge judgeth too. So be it this day, we decline them not, let them judge and spare not. There are two things 
2. What keeps the Lord from judging. Rom. 1. 18 1 When truth is withholden in unrighreousnesse.  keep God from judgement seats. First, when truth is withhold in unrighteousness: when it is held in prison that it cannot speak. Thus the Gentiles did in themselves: when a beam of natural knowledge was ready to break out of them, to give them light to see more of God than they did, they withheld and smothered it, and so God judged not in them. Thus it may be at the bar.  
Be pleased to conceive it thus. As in a reasonable man you may see an Assizes set: for there is a judge, Conscience, which views and censures all the ways of man. There is a jury of natural or revealed principles. There is a prisoner to be tried, and that is truth; Her case is this, whether she shall be set at liberty yea or no, to go freely, speak freely, rule freely in all our courses.  
Truth pleads, I am the 
Veritas odium parit.  daughter of the great King: his very Image: But when I appear, I am hated and suppressed, and this bringeth this trouble upon me.  
The jury of natural principles is silenced or corrupted by carnal reason and wisdom. The judge hearing no evidence is silent: and as loath to trouble himself, is content to put off enquiry till another time, as Foelix. Hereupon the will triumphs 
Acts 24. 25.  over truth I will do as I have done: and all the affections put 
jer. 44.  in after the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. And thus is Truth 
1 john 2.  imprisoned, and God the Judge judgeth not in man.  
So in places of judicature truth is tried too. There are judges set, godly, wise, grave, impartial, hating covetousness, and persons out of the cause, who are ready to pass sentence according to allegation, and proof, set on with all good conscience. There are juries of natural subjects and brethren; who should not be like Diogenes his man, who was called Manes, à non manendo, because he ran away: so jury a non jurando, because they forget the oath of God, and run away from it: but must present according to truth so help them God. There is a glorious Martyr to be tried, and that is Truth; which would have truth in person of Judge, jurer, guilty, innocent plaintiff, and defendant: and truth in cause too; nothing but truth objected, nothing but truth answered, that all may cry, great is truth and it prevaileth.  
But now, if on all sides 
joh 18. 38  there be pilate's good motion what is truth. But no further sifting into the nature, and power of it by witness, oath, circumstances: then are at 
Si inficiari sat est ecquis erit nocens?  hand, these prisons to with hold truth. The first is venially, I did it not. And if it be enough to deny, who shall be guilty?  
The second is false accusation 
Si accusasse sat est ecquis erit innocens?  by those who are Graeca fide testes, knights of the post, and will swear any thing for a fee. And if it be enough to accuse, who shall be innocent?  
The third is Profit, in those 
Canes venaticos.  who will rouse up Verres his hounds, who continually do 
Dare offam Cerbero.  lie in the wind for gain, except a man will stop their mouths by some fat morsel.  
The fourth is off-putting to 
Frustratoriae dilationes.  another time, that is, lingering and costly delays, though the case be never so clear in truth.  
The fift is malice and all ill will, which never speaks well, in those that pant after the earth on the head of the 
Amos 2. 7.  poor, and turn aside the way of the meek.  
And lastly, that which helps on all these is, self-flattery, friendflattery, fear, hope, or some other by-place for truth's oppression: These or the like prisons are in a readiness, and then truth is clapped up, and kept out of sight, like some malicious man's adversary, who is with great care put in prison before the day of hearing comes, because he fears his cause.  
Say I pray: who Judges now? not the God of truth, but the Prince of darkness, lying, and vanity.  
Secondly, God is kept from 
2. When judgement doth not attend upon truth in full glory.  judgement seats, when (if truth do appear) judgements do not attend upon it in full glory. All judgements of men are not good enough to wait upon truth. There is darkness in them, and nothing but light in truth: Yet if God will so honour our judgements, as to put them into that service; whensoever she appears we must be glad to follow her: and for truth's sake to do, and for truth's sake to die; because God is in truth, and the faithful witness, Christ is in truth 
Apoc. 1.  too.  
To conceive it, call to mind that God requires (as you know) a threefold duty of chief magistrates. First, to 
1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  advise, consult, and take care for common good, as our good King doth. These are the secrets of government: which 
Arcana imperij.  if they were discovered, the strength and weakness of a kingdom would soon be discovered to all the world: Therefore privates meddle not with these things, that last is too large for their shoe.  
Secondly, to provide by 
2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  laws, edicts, and proclamations to keep every man under them in good order. And thirdly, to give judgement, 
3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  according to his laws, and ordinances, for the punishment of evil doers, and praise of them 
Rom. 13. 4.  that do well.  
And Judges know their duties under them, that is, according to laws, edicts, orders helped forth by the God of truth, to wait upon truth, and pass judgement for it, with an equal balance of causes, a blind eye to persons, and a sharp sword of offence, and defence as need requires. Now, if this be away, God judgeth not. He is kept from judgements seats, because his truth is not honoured and his 
2 What brings the Lord to judgement seats.  kingdom of truth advanced. These two keep the Lord the Judge from judging amongst men.  
There are two things also which bring God to judge. First, when such persons sit to judge as God would have. They should be shepherds to defend and keep their flocks: 
Psal. 77. 70. Ezek. 28. 12. Gen. 50. 20. 2 Sam. 14. 17.  signets upon Gods right hand, to seal no rescripts and warrants but his: saviours, to preserve and save much people: and Angels, to guard the good, and inflict punishment upon the wicked. God hath made them images of his excellency, 
1. When such persons sit to judge as God would have.  in being set aloft; of his wisdom, in making and applying laws; of his justice, in punishing malefactors; of his mercy, in passing by, and pardoning if need require; and of his goodness in fostering and cherishing his people. Therefore he maketh glorious Emblems of them in the Scriptures: we read of one, in the image of an he Goat 
Dan. 8. 5.  with a notable horn betwixt his eyes. There is an horn for glory and strength to offend and defend. A notable one visible to all his subjects that stand in need. An horn between the eyes, because it is used with circumspection and wisdom: such must be a Judge. And let it not grieve them, that they are set out by a beast, when Christ himself is called the Lion of the tribe of judah.  
We read of another in the image of a goodly spreading 
Dan. 4 19  tree. A beautiful tree, because of majesty. A spreading tree, because he offers access to others. A fruitful tree, because of his doing of good. A shadowing tree, because of his mercy. And a tree having branches for birds, because he extendeth favours to others according to qualities: Such must be a Judge.  
But above all, we read of 
1 Kings 10. 18, 19, 20.  salomon's goodly throne which was thus set out. On each side were six Lions, because all the twelve tribes were subject unto him, not Levy excepted. Two Lions before the stairs, because two tribes, in after-defection, should not departed from his house. The assent unto it was by six steps, whereon when the King ascended (as the Rabbins say) the crier proclaimed thus, when he was upon the first, wrist not judgement; when he was upon the second, accept no man's person; when he was upon the third, take no bribe; when he was upon the fourth, plant no groves for Idols; when he was upon the fift, erect no pillar to honour them; and when he was upon the sixth, kill not an ox, to sacrifice unto them. And all this to put him in mind of religion and justice. If they be such as God hath thus resembled, this brings the Lord to judge: now, Gods are come down unto 
Acts 14. 11.  us in the likeness of men. Not as if God did not judge though the persons are faulty: for if sentence pass according to God's truth, though it be by Antiochus, a wicked person; Herod, that Fox; or Ananias, that painted wall; yet these sit in Moses Chair, hear them: But when their persons, qualities, and judgements centre and meet in holiness, than then are they the fuller image of the Lord the Judge; and he bows the heavens and 
2 When the whole work is carried for the honour of the God of truth.  comes down among them.  
Secondly, this also brings the Lord to judge, when the whole work is carried for the honour of the God of truth. When truth in witnesses, Oaths, Allegations, Evidences, Judgements, and Records meet, than Christ's kingdom is advanced, and God is Judge indeed. For here is a conformity betwixt truth and the things that are to honour God.  
If now you shall ask me, Quest. how this may be? I answer; By an holy heart, hand, eye, and mouth, in the whole work of the Assize.  
There must be an holy heart, Answer. 
By an holy heart. john 6.  when all persons are faithful to the rruth. Christ distributed bread, and fish by the hands of his Disciples to the hungry people: they kept none for themselves, but gave for Christ, and gathered for Christ. Here was faithfulness. josua divided the land of promise to the Israelites: and as if he had forgot himself, he reserved not a part, nor would have any to hinder his office. Here was faithfulness too. joseph might have amassed up a world of wealth to himself in the time of famine; but he was content with the portion from the King: and here was faithfulness also. When all you shall receive from the Lord, the King, and the law, & distribute faithfully, without seeking yourselves, this is an holy heart, God judgeth.  
There must be holy hands, 
2 By holy hands. Hos. 4. 18. Gen. 14. 21.  when all persons are not guilty of shameful Give, Give. Higher powers will hate it: but may they not be abused by some inferiors who love it too well? The King of Sodom, when he was rescued, said to valiant Abraham, give me the souls▪ take the goods to thyself: but just Abraham would have none from a thread to a shoe latchet, lest he should say, he had made Abraham rich: Here were holy hands. Ye know how it was with Balaam, he would for a reward have said good of evil, and evil of good, in cursing 
Numb. 22. Esa 5.  Israel. An Angel meets him, his Ass speaks, and Balaam wonders not, but speaks to his Ass again, thou hast mocked me. Saint 
August. lib. quaest. V  Augustine wonders at that, and lays the fault upon the love of money, which blocked him up so, as he could not see miracles to keep him in a right course: his were not holy hands. Take heed: let Israel be Israel, and remember Balaam.  
There must be holy eyes, 
3 By holy eyes.  which may be two ways▪ first, when all are looked upon without any respect of persons. The Judge and the Altar are all one (said an heathen of old,) all appeal unto 
1 King. 1. 50. & 2. 29.  them. As Adonijah runs to the horns of the Altar; so Absalon in his case, refers himself to the King the Judge. Therefore Cleon of old, when he was delegated to the helm of the common wealth, called all his old friends into a chamber to him, to dissolve all relations and respects of old friendship, that he might look upon all with impartial eyes. And the old 
Ephe. 25. Bona est erga pauperem misericordia sed non contra Judicium. job 31. Gen. 12. Gen. 18.  Judges of Athens called A●eopagitae did hear all causes in darkness, where they could see no persons: why should it not be thus still? especially considering Gods saying, thou shalt not respect a poor man in judgement. Surely mercy to a poor man is good (saith Saint Augustine) but not against judgement: this is an holy eye.  
Secondly, when the cause is searched out diligently. As God, in the case of Babel-builders, and Sodomites came down to see whether the case were according to the cry: so must all do that look towards judgement.  
Philip the Macedonian, sitting in judgement upon one Machetes, was not attentive: he was more ready to sleep then 
Dormitabundas.  hear (saith the Historian:) yet at the end of the pleading he pronounced sentence against him. Poor Machites cried out, I appeal. To whom saith Philip? A te, ad te: from thee half asleep, to thee whole awake: with that Philip roused himself up and heard the cause again. And though he would not reverse the sentence, to discredit his public judgement, yet he himself paid the fine to punish his own sloth. Hear is an image of an holy eye. 
4 By an holy mouth.   
Lastly, there must be an holy mouth, when nothing is spoken in judgement which doth not become an holy mouth. Christ looketh upon himself, as the Judge of the world, and saith, I can 
joh. 5. 30. Non per infirmitarē sed per integritatem faciendi, sed per observantiam judicandi. Examinat causae merita, non mutat. Ambrosi.  do nothing of myself: what nothing? he saith not so for weakness, but for integrity; not for his impossibility of doing, but for his uprightness in judging. And again, As I hear, I judge: not judging by pleasure, but by the religion of right judgement. He is not indulgent to his own will, but doth examine the deserts of causes, and determines without alteration. Hear is an holy mouth. Again, wicked men had taken a wicked woman in adultery even in the very act. Christ came not to judge as an earthly governor; and therefore he pronounced not sentence according to the law. He doth measure them all as wicked persons, and saith, he that is guiltless throw the first 
john 8. Put a vit lapidandan sed non a lapidandis. Ambros.  stone. He though her worthy to be stoned, but not by them that would have done it: they must pull the beam out of their own eye, before they undertake that in their brothers: Here again is an holy mouth. Again Marry Magdalen was not invited to 
Luk. 7.  the Pharises house, but yet she came, and pressed upon Christ; while others entertained him with meat, she did it with tears. Christ command's her not to be shut out of doors though she troubled him at dinner: no he commands 
Omnium horarum judex. john 3. john 4.  the grumblers to let her alone. He is for all hours, for Nicodemus that came to him by night; and for her that interrupts him at meat. It was meat and drink to him to do his father's will: Hear was an holy mouth. Yet once more, Publius' Rutilius the Roman, when a dear friend pressed him hard with an unjust suit, denied him. His angry friend cries out, what need I thy friendship, if thou wilt not grant me my request? He should have been a Christian that thus answered, what need I thy friendship if thou press me to sin against law and justice? Here is an holy mouth.  
Right honourable, Right worshipful, and beloved, oh 
Application.  that all that are to deal in any passage of justice this day were thus good! as that they had such hearts, hands, eyes, & mouths! then should the Lord the Judge, judge in the judgements of men.  
I confess that justice (as every other virtue) is harder in practice, then in contemplation, for not only the Minorites 
Hist. of Council of Trent.  but the Majorites are the objects of reformation: high as well as low are two guilty; and an ox flays hardest when he comes to the head. Besides our vices 
Vitia sunt a dulta & praevalida  are not infants, they are grown men and strong: and as Livy of old complained of 
Neque vitia neque remedia ferre possumus.  Rome, we neither can endure faults nor their corrections: so may we say of some popular and Epidemical vices and sicknesses of the soul now. This made David groan under the burden of joab, who had slain Abner a prince, and a great man in Israel, when he could not do as he would for the present, I am this day 
2 Sam 3. 38. 39  weak though a King, and the sons of Zerujah are too hard 
Mar. 14. 18. In bonum universitatis.  for me: yet if every one in his place do what he could, for the common good, upon sound examining of witnesses with all circumstances (which is that which doth bring the edge of the law upon offenders,) then the Lord the Judge judgeth.  
But if it fall out that reason 
judicium legis est judicium solius rationis: judicium hominis est Judicium rationis & libidinis.  sound regulated rule not, (for the judgement of law is the judgement of pure reason, the judgement of the man is the judgement of reason and lust:) or if witness be not truly weighed (as in pilate's case, who sentenced Christ to death though he might legally know he was innocent, because 
Mar. 14. 59  the witnesses agreed not: or if circumstances be not 
2 Sam. 1.  well sifted, as David did, who justly put the Amalekite to death upon his own confession, that he killed Saul; (for though Saul killed himself, as at least after known) yet considering these two circumstances: first, that his confession was not out of Frenzy and discontent with his life, but out of full reason to claw David: and secondly, that his bad thoughts were discovered by himself against the Lords anointed, which justly make him an unworthy traitor;) his death was justly inflicted by David:) or if it fall out that conscience be not fully satisfied with the light of truth before verdict, and judgement, and so proceed be precipitate and hasty (which Nero himself could scarce endure, in his first part, and therefore being moved to set to his hand to an execution, he would say, I would I 
utinam nescirem literas.  cauld neither read nor write.) If either of these four fall out, than the Lord the Judge judgeth not.  
Now (I beseech you) you having heard thus much; both how you may drive God from, & draw God unto judgement seats, preach the rest of this judge to your own hearts, that ye do not this day wilfully sin against his judgement; and so I turn to the children of Israel, and the children of Ammon and their cause.  
The children of Israel are 
2. 3. The parties judged, and their cause  here in full colours: something like Adam in innocency making all the beasts before them to tremble. They have 
1 The children of Israel.  all the advantage of laws, liberty, Judges of Israel, and the Lord the Judge looking upon their cases.  
You are not Israelites according 
Though wronged.  to the flesh, yet God prevailed with for abundance of blessings upon you. Notwithstanding some of you have been feared in your lives: some of you have been spoilt in your goods: some of you have been hurt in your names: 
Must get the Lord to judge.  some of you have been disquieted in your possessions: some of you have been battered in your members: and in this only different from the children of Israel here: As you have the Lord the Judge let the Lord the Judge judge for you in the judgements of men.  
When Hezekiah received a blasphemous letter from 
By declining revenge. 2 King. 19 14.  proud Senacherib, he went to the temple, and spread it before the Lord: he thus appealed to this great Judge: you are now as in the temple, even so do you. Show God your cause with honest hearts, and seek, and receive judgements as from him. How gloriously will this work? it will make you proceed, not in the lust 
Non Libidine unidictae sed amore justitiae.  of revenge (which God hates) but in the love of justice (which God loves,) you have the sword of justice in your hands upon the best terms: and in truth, Christ saith for you, sell a garment and buy a 
Luk. 22. 39  sword. But hear how an ancient worthy meditated upon that text: O Lord, why dost 
Ambr. in Lucam.  thou bid me buy a sword, & forbiddest me to strike with it? Surely it is for just defence, not for revenge. Thou hast showed me that I could revenge, but I will not of conscience to thy command. Even so do you: So be it. Love law, love justice, love peace, love truth, but 
Rom. 12.  vengeance is mine, saith the Lord the Judge.  
Philosophers say that seeing is the noblest sense (if not for discipline) yet, for general use: because it suffers not by contrary objects. It can look upon black and white without an appetite of revenge on either. Why should it not be thus with Christians who are better enlightened by him who is all eye? If your annoyances be great, let the Lord the Judge judge by his Iphtahs', lieutenants, and deputies: and rest in that without the picklocks of new vexations.  
But if they be less, cloy no●, surfeit not the honourable bench. Is there not a wise man amongst you? shall the pillars 
1 Cor. 6.  of the earth wear themselves out in bruising dust small, when there are mountains enough to level? God forbidden. If you and your causes are such, the Lord the Judge will not judge for you at last.  
But for the children of Ammon, 
2 The Children of Ammon.  where are they? It is pity they have not a ring in some place of this crown, that the word may fall upon them like rain upon the dry ground. They are peeping out of their gates, thinking this time too short, which (haply) some of you do think too long. I can say nothing to them, because absent: yet give me leave to speak a word of them, against them, for them. This be spoken of 
1 Of them.  them. They are such as love not the law. Though let the 
Vivat Rex, currat. Lex.  King live, and the law run be the good subjects prayer: yet the old law julia could not please adulterers; nor the law Cornelia, murderers; nor the law Rhemnia, promoters; so nor our laws can please those wicked Belialists: Their blisters must be let out.  
This be spoken against 
2 Against them. Ne sint pedes nimium lanei, ne tandem, manus fint nimium ferreae.  them. They have lived in this blessed Church, where they might have been better taught, or, if they have been taught, where they have unlearned many a good lesson. If the ministry can do no good, the magistrate must take the care. Let not your feet be too much made of wool, lest at last your hands be made of two much iron.  
Magistrates, and ministers are compared to the teeth. Some are Cutters, which cut the meat, and 
Incisores.  form the voice: these are like ministers who convince 
Tit. 1 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Molares.  cuttingly. Some are grinders, which bruise the meat and fit it for passage: these are like magistrates who (by justice) bruise the sons of wickedness in pieces, and send them down into the draff of the world. Neither let it grieve you to be so compared, seeing Christ is called the Rock of offence, that breaks them in pieces on whom he falls.  
This lastly, be spoken for 
3 For them.  them. They are subjects, (though bad ones;) for else the law could not fall on them. And though they have made themselves of christians in name, Barbarians indeed in particular acts: yet are they of two sorts. Some are misled, 
Errones: Turbones.  and some are misleaders: some are apprentices to sin, some monsters in that black art.  
Now do but consider how 
For mercy of Gods making.  careful the Lord the Judge is, lest he slay with the wicked the righteous, who are so either in present act, or under charitable hope. If he work a work of mercy, he delighteth in mercy, if a work of 
Mic. 7. 18.  justice, he calleth it a strange work, because he shaves with 
Esa. 26. 21  a razor that is hired, if he had no justice of his own. If he 
Esa. 7. 20.  be to work a work of justice, he is slow to anger, & comes to 
Exod. 34.  it when there is no remedy: but if a work of mercy, he is rich 
Chro. 36. 15.  in mercy, abundant in goodness. If he look upon occasions, it is a great matter that moves his justice: when the sins of the Amorites are at the full; 
Gen. 15. 16.  when all flesh had corrupted her ways, and the wickedness 
Gen. 6. 5.  of man was great in the earth; when old and young, even, all the people from every quarter 
Gen. 19 4  were given to sin: but a small matter moves him to show mercy. If there be but ten men in Sodom; If 
Gen. 18.  there be but one jacob in the house of Laban, one Moses praying for Israel, one Phinehas executing judgement, and one man in jerusalem 
jer. 5. 1.  that seeks the truth, he will spare multitudes. So do you, and prosper when it is fit. God is well pleased if you follow his own son, who excused his disciples in some infirmities, saying, their spirit is willing, their 
Mat. 26. 41. Eph. 5. 9  flesh is weak, and he is never angry, if ye follow him as dear children in works of imitable mercy.  
Only know, this is God's 
Salvis prietate & justitia.  rule, that mercy must never be showed, but when piety and justice can be kept safe and sound. Thus do, and ye shall this day be jephtahs' appealing to the Lord the Judge to judge betwixt the children of Israel, and the children of Ammon.  
And that ye may do thus, the Lord the Judge grant unto you, who looks upon no man in his person, all men in their cause: and hath made himself to you a pattern of executing justice and mercy; and that for JESUS CHRIST his sake, who is the Lamb of mount Zion, the Saviour, the Lion of the tribe of judah the judge, and is angry with them that honour not the father, kiss not the Son, and grieve, resist, quench, and despise the Spirit; to the which coessential, coeternal, and coequal Trinity, be all kingdom, power, and glory henceforth and for ever  
Amen.   

NATURES ASSIZE, OR A SERMON ON MATH. 7. 12.  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the Prophets. 
RIght Honourable, Right worshipful, and beloved: the last time I presented unto you the Assize of God, and now I shall (if God please) lay before you the Assize of nature, if both shall meet in God's rule, example, and your imitation, ye can not fail in the work of the day.  
All scriptures are good, and fit to make perfect, yet have 
2 Tim. 3. 17.  they an accidental difference as instruments of music. Some like jacobs' hazel rods, 
Greg. Mar  are partly peeled, and partly covered: some, like Ahabs' 
Heb. 5.  house of Ivory, are without a covering. Some are like milk, some like stronger meat. Some are so clear that the 
2 Pet. 1. 19 2 Cor. 3.  daystar ariseth with them in our hearts: and some are dark through the veil upon 
1 Cor. 15.  our minds. As one star differeth from another in glory, yet are all heavenly bodies; so is it with the scriptures: some are large in handling weighty matters, same bind up much in a word.  
This here is of the plainer sort (as all highly necessaries are.) So clear that he is blind that sees it not: so emphatical that he is an adamant that is not moved: so short that a snail hath more blood, than 
Plus habet limax sanguinis, quam ille sensus.  he hath sense that receives not much in a little. Yet must you suffer a little more than a word of exhortation, to convey unto your souls that little which I can commend from them.  
They contain a sure rule of justice: but every word must be scanned to bring it to the practice even of a willing people.  
The very first word (therefore) 
1 Therefore what it concludes.  is not without a knot: for it may be asked, upon what it is inferred? Some think it to refer to the justice in the chapters foregoing; but this Quest. conclusion would be too fare separated from the premises by the God of order. Some think it to be redundant, as many elegancies in the Scriptures are. But certainly it is Answer▪ not in vain: It is of good use, and a note of an excellent conclusion to be for ever held out of itself. Nature teacheth it, the law and the prophets revive it: therefore hold it, do it.  
The last words have a 
2 How this is the law and the Prophets.  greater knot. For how can this be said to be the law and the prophets, seeing they set down the love of God, and the promises of salvation by Christ, as well as justice to each other?  
Hereupon two questions are disputed in the schools. Quest. 
Whether more than one precept. Rom. 13. 9  First, whether in the law there be more than one precept yea or no? The doubt ariseth thus. Saint Paul saith, if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: And Christ saith here do as you would be done unto: for this is the law and the prophets: therefore it seems there is but one. But Answer. seeing the Apostles mentioneth 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Eph. 2. 15. Aquin. 1a. 2ae▪ q. 99 Art. 1.  one law of many commandments; it is resolved thus, that there is but one precept with the respect to the full end, charity: but there are more with reference to the means subservient to it.  
Secondly, hence it is asked, Quest. 
Whether there be a connexion of all virtues. jam. 2. 10.  whether there be such a connexion of virtues, that where one is in truth, there are all the rest? This doubt ariseth from two texts too. Saint james saith, whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all. If it be thus in breach, it is thus in compliment. For there is but one body of legal justice, either to do, or sin against. And Christ saith here, that to 
Io. de corb. come. theol. lib. 5. c. 8.  do as we would be done unto is the law and the prophets. If justice to men be the law and the prophets, then surely where that is in truth, all that they require is by way of concatenation, and chayning 
Wall. Eth Arist. Majores extravitia quàm intravirtutes.  together. This question is expounded to be understood of perfect and gratuitous virtues, which are by infusion, not of such as are acquired by industry. Of these it is said of the grave moralists of old, that they are greater in being without vice, then in being within the lists of true virtues. Of those there are some that are more noble than others: and therefore are they called the mothers of virtue. Thus Faith is the mother of virtue in original; 
Matres virtutum. 1 Origine. 2 Educatione.  for out of the acts of faith these flow: Charity in education; for it feeds them all with faiths provisions: humility in conservation; for they being raked up in her ashes are kept alive: and prudence 
3 Conservatione. 4 Regimine.  in government; for it she do not order them all, they are not carried without a blemish. Though these have thus their due glory, yet where one is in truth, there are all the rest in link.  
Some subtle doctors go against 
Scotistae.  this being overswayed (as they think enough) by experience. But though of the shadows of virtues this be true: yea, and this be as true of true virtues, that some are more conspicuous than others by humane aptness, fitness of the instrument, office, time, and occasions: yet Answer. it is better resolved affirmatively. The subject requires it, a virtuous man, who can not be at one time good and bad, happy and unhappy, which yet he could be, if he had some virtues, and wanted others. God's bounty requires it, which gives not one virtue, to fit receivers, without the others. The weakness of solitary virtue in it self requires it: for as one member needs another, so doth one virtue need her fellows. And lastly, the use of virtues must have it so too. For they are to oppose all and singular vices: therefore must there be a linking of all virtues, to oppose and repress the chain of all vices.  
As if there be but one string wanting in an instrument, there can be no perfect harmony: so nor spiritual melody in the soul if one virtue be absent. As a soldier is not well furnished against an enemy, except he be in complete arms: so nor the christian soldier except he have the whole virtuous armour of God. As the stars, and planets are always in their spheres to make a perfect firmament: so are these lights of virtues to make an upright soul. And as a physic garden, or Apothecary's shop, are defective, if any herb or drug for use be wanting: so is it with a soul that hath not the whole body of physic against the whole body of sin and death.  
Thus therefore we might conclude from hence: but we need not go such a circle to untie Christ's knot here. For Quest. if it be asked, how justice to our Answer. neighbour's can be the law and the prophets? you must understand 
Secundun subjectam materiam. 1 Cor 9 22.  Christ speaks according to the matter in hand. As when Paul saith, to all men I became all things, he must not be understood to comply with the stool of wickedness, but that in matters indifferent, which were neither commanded nor forbidden, he did so. Even so Christ speaks here of all things concerning charity and justice betwixt man and man.  
We are thus come from 
1 This text is a law of nature.  both the ends to the heart and middle of this text, which lays down a great law and principle of nature for the advancing of justice among men, to do even so to others, as we would that others should do to us.  
It is a law, and there are 
3 Sorts of laws.  three sorts of laws. The eternal law in God; which is his counsel and will for the being, supportation, and order of the world. By virtue of this we have a creation, and a providence. The natural law in the creature; which (referred to man) is the law of God written in his heart, for 
Rom. 2. 15.  the view of the understrnding to inform, and of the conscience to bind to do, or to bind over for not doing. Lastly, the imposed law upon the creature: which is that positive law in the scriptures, to revive and perfect the law of nature which through tract of time, and custom in sin was in great part worn out.  
This here was first a law of nature, now positively revived: which through the foul shoes of sin though it be worn into rags and shreads, because we are made vagabonds from our own hears 
Facti sumus fugitivi a cordibus nostris.  (therefore we read of ancient Germans who did allow of theft, and of our Northern borderers, who were persuaded that the eight commandment was of King Henry the eights putting in:) yet is it of excellent use to revive these old statutes, as Christ doth in this place; that we may be helped to feel our degeneration, and find our need of the law of Chris. Thus it is a law.  
It is a principle of nature too 
2 It is a principle of nature also. 1 Primo prima principia.  and there are two sorts of principles which are bound up in the heart of man. The first before others, which are made up without discourse, and help from without. Though these be not always in perfect act, yet may they always be known, as a stone by the weight may be known to move downward, though it do not always so do. The second next unto the first, which 
2 Secundo prima priucipia.  are made up of the first by discourse, as conclusions contained in them. As thus, I may not defile my neighbour's wife, hurt his goods, life, or the like, because I would not have another deal so with me.  
This here is of the first sort; which if it be quickened is hard at hand to promote justice. As when you writ upon Paper with the juice of an onion (as many say) the letters at first are not legible, but bring it to the fire and warm it, and then ye may read it. So at the first (in some) ye can read little or nothing of this law: but bring it to the fire of the word and conscience, and all Justice to men will appear to your comfort, or conviction.  
Thus doth our blessed Saviour here. He knows that if the flies of Egypt get into our eyes, the frogs of Egypt will soon get into the chambers of our hearts, and then the caterpillars of Egypt will destroy the fruits of our lives. Therefore he rubs and chafes the light of the law upon their, and our consciences, that it may be better read and done in after times. As if he should say, I am sure that 
Amor 1 concupiscentiae. 2 charitatis.  some of you, by the love of lust, others by the love of charity, do love yourselves; ye would not be hurt in honour, life honesty, justice, or truth: therefore all things whatsoever ye would that others should do to you, even so do to them.  
To bring the law, and 
2 The text opened & applied.  principle close up unto you, be pleased to receive,  

1 The praises of it,  
2 The power of it.   
The praises of it are these: 
1 By the praises of the law.  that it is Christ's brief, yet plain sum of all justice to men. To be short for memory, and plain for understanding, do seldom meet in the words of men. If we labour to be 
Dies brevis esse laboro obscurus fio.  short, we are so much the more obscure, But this is so short, that the poor man cannot complain, he cannot buy it: so plain that the ignorant man cannot complain, he cannot comprehend it, when it is propounded to him and it is thus short, and plain from Christ's mouth (as well as nature's voice), who is the wisdom of the father▪ that one lawgiver, and Judge of the world, for rewards and punishments.  
Therefore certainly it extends to all his subjects: none can plead immunity from the sound and transcendent equity of it, and from the way to blessing or cursing according to our dealings with men. For they will not thaet I rule over them, (saith the same Christ) bring them forth and slay them before me.  
It may be you will say: If 
Ob.  Christ have given me so plain a sum, what need I so much preaching to teach me justice to men?  
I answer; though it be never Sol. so brief and plain, yet preaching is necessary for a double use.  
First, to expound, and apply the particulars: Husbandry, is a ploughing, sowing▪ reaping, threshing; yet there needs teaching an art in all these, or the commonwealth would starve: so must we be taught an holy art in our christian duties. Secondly, to persuade 
Heb. 13. 22.  the practice of it. I beseech you brethren (saith the Apostle) suffer the words of exhortation, for I have written unto you in few words. The fewer words the necessary rule hath, the more words of exhortation are necessary to draw on doing. The understanding is blind, and may judge amiss of plain things, as Zebul said, they may see 
jud. 9 36.  the shadow of the mountains like men: and as the blindman 
Mar. 8. 24.  under cure said, I see men walking like trees: so may the understanding misgive us. The will is perverse, therefore beauty, and bands must come, the rod, and the spirit of meekness, line upon line, precept upon precept, till judgement be brought to victory.  
But yet you may urge for Object. your own quiet, that without more ado Christ's words are full of brief and plain equity; therefore say no more. This is true; and I humbly Sol. pray that they may prevail accordingly. Oh that all our laws were brief, presenting the majesty of a commander, not the art of an expounder!  
It is an old saying of a wise 
Lex jubere, non disput are debet: Sen. 1 Cor. 1 4.  Stoic, the law must command, not dispute. Oh that our laws were plain! for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who will gird himself unto the battle? The riddles of the old oracles bred many a man's ruin. Oh that all might fall upon all with equity. The law should not be a mother 
Non aliis matter, aliis noverca.  to some, and a stepdame to others: but (circumstances considered) should look with the same eye upon rich and poor. But because, be it never so plain, brief, and equal, yet it is rather to be hoped, then found, in all points, as it should: therefore ascend we from the praise of this law, to the power of it, which will be seen,  

1 In the sense, and  
2 In the application of it.   
No man disaffected to the truth is an enemy to the sense of any of God's oracles. The 
The sense of this law.  sense of this may be taken up two ways, first, negatively, secondly, positively.  
Negatively, we must do 
Negatively.  to others, not what we list. It is cruelty and tyranny to run 
Sic volo, sic jubeo.  this race, thus I will, thus I command. Our wills are corrupted, & if we follow them, the cart goes before the 
Fertur equis aurigae.  horse. If a man have power, and employ it thus, Salvian will salute him thus, a rich power, 
Dives potestas pauperem facit esse rempub: sal. de Guber. lib. 2.  not well regulated, makes a poor Church, commonwealth, or family.  
We must do to others, not as others do to us; men's actions towards others are ordinarily thus excused, why did he thus to me? therefore are they at an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, even by private revenge. They hold this good charity, to deceive 
Fallere fallentem nonest fraus.  him that deceives me, is no deceit in me. But as Saint Peter saith, we must not render evil for evil: so Xenophon did when one railed on him, thou hast learned (said he) to speak ill, but I to contemn it, and speak good,  
We must do to others, not as others do to others. Examples 
Exempla haberi possunt pro testimonio. Sal. lib. 2.  are too often accounted testimonies (not only of things lawful, but of things necessary, though without a law,) that gins presently to be lawful, which by patterns is grown public; men are 
Incipit esse licitum quod solet esse publicum. Cypri.  too apt to look upon precedents. Plato's scholars followed his crookedness; Aristotle's stammering, and Alexander's courtiers his stooping: so will men follow others, though to their own and others wrong. It is safe (saith the politician) to offend when 
Tutum est peccare autoribus illis.  such, and such, go before us. But we must live by God's rules, not by the examples of men, we must do to others, not as men themselves would. Saul would have had his Page kill him, and Abimelech would have so died, out of pride, that it might not be said, a woman had overpowerd him. It is said indeed, that to him that is willing to 
volenti non fit injuria.  receive it, an injury cannot be done. But this is not always true, yea sometimes false: therefore joseph had learned to run away, when Potiphars wife would willingly have had him to her justful embraces: and the friends of the Demoniac pulled him out of the fire, and water, though in devilish raptures he would cast himself into them.  
We must do to others, not as we have accustomed to do; Saint Ambrose wondering how it came to pass, that our forefathers did themselves, and others, so much wrong, as to have many wives, answereth, surely 
Certè cùm fuit mos, non suit eulpa. Amb.  when it was a custom; it was no crime But custom is no good plea, though in common course it sometimes finds reasonable plea, and passage; yet will it hardly be heard in the court of conscience, against equity. For the custom of sin, will blunt the sense of 
Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati. Cedat consuetudo veritati. Text. 6 Pro 30. 15. vivitur ex rapto.  sinning, either against ourselves, or others; therefore let custom veil the bonnet, and give place to truth.  
We must do to others, not as profit persuades. If the horseleeches two daughters cry, give, give, then are men apt to be wolves to others, and to live upon the spoil. Gehazi will lie, and deny for gain: Achan will steal for 
Lingua idoli, sic gladius ab antiquis.  the golden sword, and costly cloak of the Idol: and judas will betray his master, though it be Christ himself. Thus by the unrighteousness of sin, profit will make men fall into the unrighteousness of vengeance. It is an ill rule of justice.  
We must do to others, not as pleasure allures. If this prevails, Ahab will be sick for Naboths vineyard; Dives will roll in pleasure while Lazarus starves at his gate; and Israel will have the calves of the stall, wine in bowls, and instruments of music like David, but withal he will forget the afflictions of joseph. Pleasure cannot be the rule of justice: for I said to laughter thou art mad, and to 
Eccles. 2.  joy, what is that thou dost?  
We must do to others. not as honour prickcs us on. He that affects to rise from the ground to the stirrup, from the stirrup to the saddle, from the faddle to the throne, from the throne to the triumphant chariot, had need of a different law to this, to rule in his carriage to others. He will make a path of men to walk upon, horses of men's shoulders to ride upon, wine of men's bloods, carousing cups of their sculls, and sacrifices of their persons to honour him in the way. If Haman would have all the honour, all the Jews must dye as well as the offender. If Absolom would judge, his own father must suffer. Yea, if but a praise (the shadow of honour) falls from the mouth of one that should be punished. In such a case, when the Devil praised Christ, he cried out, hold thy 
Mar. 1. 2 4 3 5. Laus mea est silentium tuum, nolo me laudet vox tud, sedtormenta tua, poena tua laus mea. Chrysost 9  peace, as if he should say, my praise is thy silence, I will not that thy voice praise me. but thy torments, thy punishment shall be my praise. But men do fare otherwise: this is a bad rule of justice.  
We must do to others, not as the laws of the land permit. Though high honour be to be given to the laws of nations (for they are the wall of virtue, and the bridle, and scourge of vice) yet must we not absolutely rest in them for all justice. Sometimes they are permissive, not preceptive, like Moses' bill of divorce for the hardness of men's hearts: such is the law of usury. Sometimes they are corrosive commanding; provided to eat out the dead flesh of vice, therefore applicable only in such cases: such is that for taking of forfeitures, which is unjust, when the cure can be had without such a remedy. Sometimes they are for terror, not for constant obedience; as when they set down the worst to keep unruly spirits in better course. In such a case, extreme right, is extreme wrong. Therefore 
Ius Rhadamanthaeum, et reciprocum.  the whole law of the kingdom is made up of common, and conscientious extremity, and mitigation, rigour and chancery. Therefore not always what law permits, is the rule of justice.  
If now we may not do to others what we list, nor what others do to us, nor what others do to others, nor what others would, nor what we have used, nor what profit persuades, nor what pleasure allures, nor what honour pricks us unto, nor what the laws permit, what then is our rule of justice?  
Positively, we must do to 
2 Positively.  others, so as we would that others should do to us. The answering of two or three questions will clear all of this.  
First, whence the rule doth 
Quest. 1. Whence this rule doth arise?  arise? It ariseth from self: what ye would to you. This cannot but direct aright: for no man hates himself, intentionally, but loves and cherisheth himself. It may be you Object. will say, the love of ourselves may be vicious, and then it is no safe rule of our love to others. This is most true: Sol. therefore if the love of God be opposed to the love of ourselves, in this case we must not love ourselves, nor in such a case love our neighbours as ourselves. For than must we hate ourselves unto the death, and ours both 
joh. 12. 25. Apoc. 12. 10. Luke. 14. 26. Math. 24, 16. Deut. 33. 9  things, and persons. It is a precept, then to deny ourselves: and it was the practice of Levi, not to see his father and his mother, nor to acknowledge his brethren. But if the love of ourselves be right, and Christian, then must we love ourselves, and others as ourselves.  
It is worth your notice 
Quest. 2. When self-love is a right charity. 1  se.  then to know, when our love is a right Christian charity? A man may love himself three ways. First, when a man loves himself as himself; this is not good: It makes self a God. But man hath a superior, at whose beck he must stand, and fall to himself. Secondly, when a man 
2  finem principalem. Pro. 16. 4.  loves himself as his principal end. This is not right neither: for man is made for another's end, as Solomon saith, God made all things for himself. Thirdly, when a man loves himself in order to God: that 
3 In ordine ad Dews.  is, when the love of God, and of ourselves, are sweetly subordinate: when we love ourselves in God, and for God, and his will sake. This is right christian charity indeed: and then, if thou 
Si nosti diligere teipsum, tunc committo tibi proximum quem diligassicut teipsum. August. Quest. 3 How this rule of justice must be carried?  knowest thus how to love thyself, I will commit thy neighbour unto thee, whom thou mayest love as thyself.  
But now you will ask, how this rule of justice must be carried? It is certain, that four sorts of persons would ill to themselves: children, idle persons, malefactors, and malcontents. Children see not the benefit of education and correction; If they might be cockered and spared, they would do so to others, except in pang, and passion. Idle persons know not the comfort of a sweeting and well ordered life. They go on themselves in an unprofitable course, and would that others would do so too, though it end in ruin. Malefactors and sons of Belial, not being sensible of the overthrow of church, commonwealth, and family by lawless courses, would be let alone, and would let others alone: therefore do they cry down reformers as busy persons, and no good neighbours. Malcontents, swelling with pride, and not enduring the floods of opposition, care not, with Abimelech, and Spira, if others would kill them, and with Potiphera, if others would dishonest them: and so would be an ill law of justice to others.  
Therefore you must know 
Voluntas 1 Inordinata.  that there is two sorts of wills First, disordered wills, (as most are) which would indulgence to all vice: what these would have others to do to them, they must not do to others. For they care not if there were no king in Israel, if every man did what he list: when all is in a combustion, they would then fish in troubled waters. Reason is clouded, and the showers of wickedness would fall upon men. Secondly, there are ordinate and regulated wills by the 
2 Ordinata et regulata.  law of justice and charity. From these wills ariseth this law: If ye have orderly and well governed wills, than what ye would that others should do to you, even so do ye to them. Thus (as I could) ye have the power of this law in sense.  
And now for the application 
2 The application of this law. Minoris criminis rea●us est iegem nescire quàm spernere. Sal. lib. 4. Terrae filius, nihili nepos. Greg. Naz. Aures omnium pulso, conscientias singulorum convenio. August.  of it, which is the life of the law, know for certain, that it brings a less guilt to be ignorant of the law, then when you know it, to cotemn it: therefore be sure to be doing.  
Though man be the son of the earth, and the nephew of nothing; yet God hath given him a law which must be kept for use: yea God hath made him a law to himself in his justice to others: therefore I knock at all your ears, and would fain talk a little with every conscience here present.  
This law of Christ and nature, might be an help to us upon many occasions. Suppose there fall out a new case wherein there is no law to order it; we must not say, I'll do what I lust: but in want of a law, this must supply, what ye would that others should do to you, that do you to them.  
Suppose there be a law, but we are ignorant of it, we cannot walk by rule, when we know it not. Hear have recourse to this, which will show the effect of the laew, written in 
Rom. 2. 15.  our hearts, and will work us to do well to others, because we would have others not do amiss to us.  
Suppose we have a known law fitted to our case, but it is so imperfect that holes of evasion offer themselves to a russet coat. Have then recourse to this: for of this it may be said, as that Philosopher said of old, when he was asked what he had gained by his study? I have gained this, in brief, that what others do 
Summum hoc, quòd quae alij non sine legibus c●acti faciunt, sponte faciam.  not, but as compelled by the stroke and whip of the law, I do it of my own accord.  
Suppose ye be to give rewards to others, we read of one Crates, who gave to his flatterer six hundred pounds; to his whore threescore pounds, to his Cook an hundred 
Diog. Laert. invita Crat.  crowns, to his Physician eight groats, to his Philosopher (who was his divine) three halfpences, and to his Lawyer (for his words) fume and smoke. But if we walk by this rule, we will not set best rates upon basest things, and worst upon best: for by a well ordered will, we would not be so dealt withal ourselves.  
Suppose lastly, we are to administer punishments for others, one punishment for all faults were not just: neither must we punish in life, when a member would satisfy; nor in body, when goods are enough; nor in goods, when loss of credit is more than sufficient; nor in much in any thing when a little would serve the turn: we must look with a charitable eye to both proportions, 
Proportio. 1 Arithmetica. 2 Geometrica.  for we would be so done unto ourselves.  
Upon all these, or like occasions, wear this law before our eyes, as Christ and nature would have it, it would be a Samson of justice, to destroy princes of Philistines by heaps.  
But for want of this, as Theocritus said, of a great talker, 
Incipit verborum flumen, ingenij ne gutta quidem.  now begins a flood of words, but not a drop of wit: so have we floods of accusations, aggravations, actions, without a drop of grace or modesty.  
If we could take a view of all the law of justice knit up in this one, we might convince the world of another world of sins, and sins.  
All inferiors do lay the honour of superiors in the dust, from the subject under the throne, to the people under the priest, yea to the child in the poor man's cottage, for want of this in power, what ye would that others should do to you, that do you to them. All malicious, and envious strikers, oppressors, wounders, and hurters of body, and spirits, do prejudice the comfortable lives of others, because they forget what ye would that others do to you, that do you to them. All adulterous persons, of lustful eyes, hearts, hands, or other members, do hurt the chastity of others, because they contemn this, what ye would that others should do to you, that do you to them. All trusters in wrong and robbery, hurt the goods of others; all liars, backbiters, & slanderers hurt the goods, and the truth of others, because they neglect and put in the back part of the wallet this glorious law, what ye would that others should do to you, that do ye to them. All that rob themselves of their own hearts, and spoil that sweet contentment they might have in the God of Love, by vexing themselves with what others have, do slighte the royal law, what ye would that others should do to you, that do you to them. Oh the world of transgressors against this law! Give good manners, and 
Da bonos mores et legis scita pro nobis sunt. Sal. lib. 5.  the requirings, and ordinances of the law are for us: but by our wicked lives this is against us, and will burn the conscience like fire in the day of God's fierce wrath.  
But I'll go no further than the proper business of the day. The honourable judges will be pleased to remember that the judgement-seate endures not either rash judgement, or riper, if it be overswaide with wickedness. If rash oaths be employed, vexing contentions nourished, or suits drawn out at length: If judgements like some conclusions follow the worst part of the plea, they know, that they do not as they would be done unto.  
The witness must speak nothing but truth, and the whole truth (as the cause requires) so help him God, if he overweigh the wheels of the clock to make it strike false. If (like Nauplius to deceive the Grecians homeward) he set up a beacon upon a rock, and make the judgement suffer 
Pro 6. 26.  shipwreck, he nourisheth contentions, and doth not as he would be done unto.  
The jury must find according to truth of evidence, else life, goods, and liberty, (the precious things of a man) will fall before the injurious: and then he doth not as he would be done unto.  
The Lawyer must remember that of Solomon, that the gathering of riches by a deceitful 
Pro. 6. 26.  tongue, is vanity tossed too and fro by them that seek death. But if he speak good of evil, and evil of good, he doth not as he would be done unto.  
The Plaintiff must not load with false accusations, as 
1 King. 21 9 10.  jezabel who accused Nabeth of blasphemy; the jews who accused Christ of forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar; and 
1 Kin. 21. 9 10. Luk. 23. 2. Act. 24. 5.  Tertullus who in a starched speech presented Paul to be a pestilence. If he do, he doth not as he would be done unto.  
The Defendant must not colour his fault with false glosses against conscience, or deny it when his sins are on his skirts, and written in his forehead, or refuse any legal trial. If he do, he doth not as he would be done unto.  
The Register must preserve faithful records, and not closely, and illegally take off what is legally put on for the punishment of vice & maintenance of virtue. If he do, he doth not as he would be done unto. Oh how hard is it to be a good naturalist! much harder to be a good Christian in observing this one law of justice  
But that ye may do better 
2 Instructions for the keeping of this law.  according to the full bend of this law, receive but a double instruction. First, ye must be extraordinary persons. As it is with a batte or flindermouse, it is a kind of bird, but an extraordinary one. It flies 
1 Be extraordinary persons.  like a bird, and so is among the fowls of the air; but it brings not forth young like a bird, nor feeds them like a bird, nor feeds itself like a bird: so be you singular among 
Mat. 5. 47.  men, one of a city, and two of a tribe. Ordinary men do love the world to a miracle. They forget they are the generation of God; and so (to the dishonour of their race) the world and worldly things do blot out this law of justice.  
But as we read of Hercules when he wrestled with the mighty Mauritanian Antheus, so often as he threw him to the earth (his mother), he soon recovered his strength again; but when (beyond ordinary course) he lifted him up above the ground, and so held him at arms end till he was breathless, he soon vanquished him. So when ye wrestle with your own hearts for justice (which are earth, earth, earth), and throw 
Ier 22. 29.  them to the ground, ye never go away conquerors: for they are where they would be. Therefore lift them up extraordinarily into another element, and have your conversations in heaven, and ye shall soon gain the victory, to do this law of justice.  
The prudent searchers of nature, consider the soul of man according to the three powers of it, and speak (though not so accurately as others) of three parts of it: The reasonable, angry, and 
1 Rationalis. 1 Irascibilis. 3 Concupiscibilis.  lustful part. From the reasonable part proceeds reason itself, judgement, discretion, and wisdom; and this they seat in the head. From the angry part, issue the hot motions of fortitude and courage; and this they seat in the heart. From the lustful part, come desires and appetites after meat, drink, and other pleasures; and this they seat in the ventricle.  
These three may represent unto us, the three ages of the world. In the first, they 
Melanch. post.  were wise; then wisdom flourished, arts and sciences, were invented: and if we seem to be more in this then they, it is because we are Pigmies upon those Giants shoulders. In the second, they were valorous. From Ninus to julius was the age of warrious. Then David, Samson, Achilles, and Hercules were in prime. But in this third and last age, most are given to appetite. The understanding and heart have had their times, but now the Belly is the great God: and as hunger after pleasure, profit, or honour prevails, so all laws of God and nature are more or less neglected. Had ye not need then to be singular (now) if you would do, as you would be done unto?  
Secondly, being singular & 
2 Let the Spirit of Christ dwell in you.  extraordinary, let the spirit of Christ dwell in you, as well as the law of nature; even that spirit wherewith he did revive this. Nature is a good mistress, if Christ be our master. Nature shall well direct us in our works of justice, when by Christ's spirit we are created to good works. Therefore be sure that you be in Christ by faith, & that Christ be in you by the life of justification, sanctification, & comfort: and then as Christ teacheth this law of nature, so you, through Christ, shall grow more and more abounding in the practice of it, so long as you are.  
Experience teacheth that a tree lives longer than a man, or fowl, or beast; and we ask the reason of it; It is resolved 
S. Fr. Bac. Nat. Hist.  thus. Other creatures grow to their full stature, and then grow no more but in excrements, as hairs, nails, feathers, and the like: but a tree, (live it never so long) grows in proper parts, and so draws juice and sap, from the root, through the whole body to quicken it.  
So if you inquire why a man in Christ doth keep all laws better than another man? I answer, because he is never at his height so long as he is here. He daily sucks in, and draws (in his growing parts of greatness or goodness) the heavenly oil, and liquor of Christ's spirit, which 
Phil. 4.  inables him to do all things through him that helpeth him.  
Be it (in the name of jesus Christ) thus with you; and ye shall not fail to do as you would be done unto in minds, mouths, and members. I'll 
Motives to observe this law.  give you but two incentives, and so an end.  
The not doing this, will much discomfort you in the day of death. In many cases betwixt you and others, you have seen, or heard, variety of opinions: and for want of judgement or goodness (by witty evasions) have been swayed this way, and that way. But then, let conscience have her perfect work, and when it spies that, by these means, ye have not done as ye would be done unto, it cries, & pricks, and wounds, and ye know not what to do, especially when death comes to draw you to the barie of God. Therefore as Pythagoras gave a precept to his scholars, not to taste of any thing that had black tails: so do I advise you here, and I pray God you may follow it in my christian sense.  
The king, saith (according to the old picture) I rule you all: the soldier saith, I fight for you all: the husbandman saith, I feed you all: the priest saith, I pray for you all: but death saith, I devour you all. And then, if notwithstanding your pretence of faith in Christ, you have impenitently, not done, as you would be done unto, hell will say, I will torment you all.  
Lastly, consider that the doing of this, will comfort you when that day comes. Put case ye have not had brains to search into every particular case, to reach to the depth of every wise law, to untie every knot in things to be done or forborn; yet, if in indighting, witnessing, pleading, answering, judging, and recording, ye have done as ye would be done unto; then shall your memories bless your understandings for seeing; your understandings bless your memories for recording; your understandings and memories, bless your wills for decreeing; your wills bless your affections for maintaining; the whole soul bless the body for practising; and God shall bless all for cleaving unto his law of justice from Christ, and nature. And if with this you have also the law of faith, and piety, and follow them according to the rule of Christ, then shall you hear, well done good and faithful servants, enter into your master's joy.  
To which joy our good God bring us all in his good time, through his way of piety and justice: without holiness no man shall see thee, O Lord; therefore bring us thither through the way of piety. He that doth not righteousness, is not of thee, O God; therefore bring us thither by the way of righteousness also. Oh let us serve thee here in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives, that in the end, when we shall come as a shock of corn to thy barn, we may be happy in thee, through jesus Christ our Lord: to whom with thee and the blessed spirit, be all Kingdom, Power, and Glory, now and for ever.  
Amen.   

THE CHRISTIANS THRIFT IN KEEPING: OR TWO SERMONS Preached on 1 Tim. 1. 19  Holding faith, and a good Conscience. 
THe men of the world are much for keeping, the father presseth his son, the master his servant, the friend his friend, to keep. They would have them keep their houses, keep their land, keep their stocks, keep their credit, keep surely whatsoever 
1 Tim. 6. 20.  they can get honestly. This is among the best.  
The Christian must be for keeping too. He knows whom he hath trusted, and 
2 Tim. 1. 12  would fain have him keep his soul to the day of Christ. And because he keeps not them that do not keep themselves, and save their souls 
Act. 2. 40  from this froward generation wherein they live: therefore he desires to do it himself, and to press every member else within his reach, to this golden rule, which blessed Paul gives to his beloved Timothy, keep, or hold faith, and a good conscience.  
A brave work, worthy a Christian! If there had been a better, Paul would have set it upon Timothy's soul. Other things he presseth unto: but if he give him a thousand tasks, of diverse matters, if this do not give life and form to them all, they may do others good, but they shall do them none: therefore be thou holding, faith, and a good conscience;  
Timothy was a brave young spark of grace, blown up to a great blaze in the church of God. He had so well approved himself to men, and God looked upon him with so right an eye, that there went about prophecies of him, for the great use the Church should have of him, and the manly service he should do to God. Paul therefore 
ver. 18.  puts him in mind of them, and provokes him to take such a course as may make them good, by holding faith, and a good conscience.  
And to raise him up to a greater vigilancy, he sets before him some that had made shipwreck of them, together with their punishment, and 
ver. 20.  end of it.  
This is the scope then, to provoke Timothy to hold whatsoever may be useful unto him, to make his employment in the church comfortable unto him, he must hold.  
If you say, he must only Object. have them; for so the word Sol. soundeth: I answer, so to have, as to hold. As when (Saint Paul saith,) that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope, that is, hold it through the whole course of life for use.  
If you say, it is enough to Object. Sol. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Rom. 15. 4  hold them for the present. I answer, no: it is in such a part of speech, as signifieth a continual act, holding today, tomorrow, and for ever. Therefore in Timothy's person, it commends these two savoury rules of life unto you; that when ye have faith, ye must hold it, and when ye have a good conscience, ye must hold it too.  
Ye must hold faith. Faith is 
1 Ye m●st hold faith. Gal. 5. 22. 1 Thes. 5. 19 Apoc 3. 3  of a flying nature in itself. It is but a fruit of the spirit, and we are apt to quench it. But as Christ saith to the church of Sardis, remember how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast: and to the church of Philadelphia, hold that fast 
Apoc. 3. 11  which thou hast, that no man take thy crown: so be you all sure to hold faith.  
I shall labour (with God's 
1 How ye must hold faith.  help) to clear these two particulars, how ye must hold faith, and why ye must do it. First, as he that would hold his possession and inheritance must have a good ground of tenure; his right by gift purchase, 
By holding.  or descent; a good object of tenure, his deeds and evidences; a good act of tenure, to say with confidence this is mine; and a good power to use it as his own for his proper benefit. So if ye would hold faith, ye must hold  

1 The ground of faith.  
2 The object of faith.  
3 The act of faith, and  
4 The power of faith.   
The ground of faith, is 
1 The ground of faith.  your saving right to it, without which you have nothing to do with faith to save you. And what is that? it is an humbled soul: none have right to faith to save them but such. To make a lose and broken ground the foundation of an house, is the next way to see the ruin of it: but to make a broken heart the ground of faith is the only way to see it hold. Come unto me all ye that are weary 
Math. 11.  and heavy laden: if ye be such, then build upon me for the rest of your souls. God carried the Israelites forty years through the wilderness to 
Deut. 8. 23  humble them, prove them; and to make them suffer hunger, and then he fed them with Mannah. God makes the house of David look up 
Zach. 12. 10. 11.  to Christ pierced, and mourn as a woman mourneth for her only son: and then in that day he opens a 
Zach. 13. 1  fountain for the house of David, and the inhabitants of jerusalem, for sin, and for uncleanness. The Holy Ghost convinceth the world of sin, and then of righteousness, 
joh. 16. 8. 9 10. 11.  that Christ hath fully satisfied, because he is ascended: and then of judgement, to set up a throne and cast out Satan by degrees. Even as physicians do first purge to pull down rebelling humours, and then give cordials: So God first whips by the Schoolmaster of the law, and then 
Gal. 3. 24.  brings us to Christ: this is the ground of faith.  
The object of faith is, the 
2 The object of faith.  deeds and evidences of it, the whole word of God. There are no other deeds and evidences of saving faith but there. These are the testimonies, and records of God: he that believeth 
1 joh. 5. 10  not God, and his record which he hath witnessed, hath made him a liar. This is that for which God looks to be credited. A very knave looks to be credited for his pawn or bond; an honest man for his honesty; a noble man for his honour; a Prince for his word: much more God. Ye must therefore look to the Precepts of God like David: who when he took notice of 
Psal. 119. 4 5.  God's commandments, given to be kept, he had an heroical motion to do more than he could, he prays that he might be taught them, that he might keep them, and be 
ver. 48.  quickened by them, and resolves to lift up his hands to God's commandments, which he had loved, to do them. Ye must look to the Judgements and threatenings of God, as the Ninevites, who were presently 
jon. 3. 2 Chro. 34. 27.  in sackcloth, and josiah who rend his , with weeping eyes, and melting heart. Thus David's flesh trembled for fear of God, and 
Psal. 119. 120.  he was afraid of his judgements, ye must look to the promises of God as David: who hide 
Psal. 119. 11  them in his heart that he might not sinne against him. Whatsoever is in the word, ye must have an eye unto. For though they do not so immediately concern you in the way of life and death (as many Genealogies, Chronologies, Histories, and Prophecies) yet you must be ready to understand 
Praeparatione animi.  them and their uses as God shall offer them: yet ye must principally hold precepts to direct, threatenings to humble, and promises to allure and comfort; ye must hold them, by understanding what the will 
Eph. 5. 17  of the Lord is, till (if ye can) ye come to all riches of the full 
Col. 2. 2.  assurance of understanding. Ye must hold them by assenting to them: yielding to all the truth of them, as Saint Luke to the story of Christ whereof he was fully persuaded. Ye 
Lu●e 1. 1.  must hold them, by bringing your bodies and souls into subjection unto them. For in jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith working 
Gal. 5. 6.  by love. This is the object of faith.  
The act of faith, is to say, 
3 The act of faith.  this is mine: to adjudge and appropriate father, son, and holy Ghost unto yourselves; without this ye cannot feel any comfort of what you believe. Therefore as David, and Christ said, My God, My 
Psal. 22. 1. joh. 20. 28  God: as Thomas said, My Lord, and my God: and as the 
Luke 1. 47  Blessed Virgin said, my spirit (that is the quintessence of my soul acted by the spirit of God) rejoiceth in God my Saviour: so by way of adherence, (when most times ye have no evidence) ye must take God in Christ as your own, as he offers himself. I am the Lord 
Ex. 20. jer. 31.  thy God, I will be thy God. This is the act of faith.  
The power of faith, is to make use of the riches of it 
The power of faith. Psal. 32. Psal. 45. Rom. 4. Act. 15. Mal. 4. Eph. 3. Heb. 6. 2 Cor. 4. 13.  for thy own proper good. Great is the power of faith, and it prevaileth. It covereth our sins by the garments of Christ our elder brother, and so is imputed to us for righteousness. It cureth our sins, bringing Christ, who hath healing under his wings, to dwell in our hearts by faith. It brings forth a world of the labour of love, we having the same spirit of faith, believe, & speak, and think, and do. For by 
Eph. 2. 10.  faith we are God's workmanship created in Christ to good works, to walk in them. And this affirm constantly that they that have believed in 
Tit. 3. 8.  GOD, be careful to maintain good works. This is the power of faith.  
Now, this ground of faith, 
2▪ Why ye must hold faith.  this object of faith, this act of faith this power of faith, you must hold upon these five Grounds.  
First, faith is our life; we live by faith, not by sight; and 
1 Faith our life. 2 Cor. 5. Hab. 2.  every just man must live by his faith. Not efficiently: for so, in GOD we live, move, and 
Act. 17.  have our being. Nor meritoriously: for so saith Christ, I am the way, the truth and the life. Nor by way of immediate 
joh. 14.  application: for so the holy ghost is a quickening spirit, as Adam's soul was the 
1 Pet. 3▪ 18. Gen. 2.  breath of life. But as a prime instrument of our life in Christ, without this we cannot have life, either before God or in this miserable world. This 
Rom. 1. 17 Heb. 10. 38  unites us to Christ, and receives a quickening spirit (as the virtue of Christ), from the spirit of Christ, in the means of salvation. As men say of their trades, and hands, under God, they are my living, take away these, and take away my life: so say we of faith: it is your life: therefore hold it.  
Secondly, faith is our power 
2 Faith is our power of working.  of working, to do us our best good. In a natural man, his reason is his power. He is borne naked, with abundance of bodily weakness; a beast hath a great deal of bodily strength: and if a lion rationally knew how to use his paws, a dog his teeth, a bullock, or buck his horns, or an horse his hooves, how few men would there be in the world? But let man come in with his reason, and he subdues them all. But in a believer his faith is his power: and what is the power of reason to this? As Christ said of miraculous faith, it pulls up trees by the roots, and removes mountains, it makes sun stand still, and go backward: so much more of this saving christian faith in another kind. It covers more sins than heaven and earth can cover. Get the heavens to cover them: our sins are more than the stars, and are come up above the heavens. Get the sea to cover them: the sea can cover the sands at a full tide, but our sins are more than the sands of the sea. Get the earth, and all the creatures to cover them: our sin's overtop them all, and make 
Rom. 8.  the whole creation groan under the burden. But get faith, and as love covers a multitude of sins in others, so faith covers all sins in ourselves. It brings the garments of Christ, and then we cannot 
Apoc. 16. Phil. 3. Dan. 9  be naked. It brings the righteousness of God, the everlasting righteousness to dwell amongst men, and then, God cannot but be there, where his righteousness is, to give grace and 
Psal. 84: 16  glory, and every perfect gift. It is your power to do your best good, and therefore hold it.  
Thirdly, faith is your workman. 
3 Faith is our workman.  Set faith about any work, and what can it not do? Art thou at God's 
Gen. 12.  word, to go a great journey, thou knowest not whither? Faith did it for Abraham. Art thou to fight against lions, 
Heb. 11. Gen. 22.  bears, Philistines, and other puissant enemies? Faith did it for David, Samson, Gideon, Barach, and their fellows. Art thou to do what nature abhors? Faith did it for Abraham in the sacrifice of his son. Art thou to cleanse the unclean stables of sin? Faith will take Christ's spirit, and arguments, and do it. It cries out, shall I that am dead to sin yet live 
Rom. 6:  therein? Shall I sinne that grace may abound? God forbidden: I will mortify the deeds of the 
Rom. 8.  flesh by the spirit. Art thou to suffer persecution?  
Faith will suffer it for thee in goates-skinnes, and sheepes-skinnes, 
Heb. 11.  in the craggy wilderness. Art thou to overcome Death, and Hell? Faith will do it too. Faith receives 
Heb. 11.  the dead to life; and sends a defiance to the greatest enemies of it, O Death, where is 
1 Cor. 15:  thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God for jesus Christ, the Captain of my salvation. O who would be without faith! It is our workman, hold it. 
Rom. 7. 4 Faith is our best light here.   
Fourthly, faith is all the comfortable light, ye have in the world. Without the sun the earth would be an Egypt, and without faith we are in a region of darkness. The wisemen 
Math. 4. Math. 2.  came out of the east and worshipped Christ, offering also gold, frankincense, and myrrh: why? what did they see in him? They saw a child, not a man: they saw him in a stable, not in a throne, in rags, not in robes, crying in a cratch, not thundering in the clouds; how then came it about they now worshipped? Faith saw God in him, for the heavens waited upon him in his star. Faith saw in him a prophet, a priest, a king, and their oblations were answerable. The thief upon the cross cries out unto Christ, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom? was he a Lord that was dealt with like a slave? had he a kingdom that was disgracefully thrust out of the world? Can he remember him, that would not remember himself, when they cried, come down from the cross, and save thyself? Faith casts away these mists, and saw glory in shame. Ye know what the Centurion said, verily this man was the son 
Mat. 27. 54.  of God, what? a man, and the son of God too? The son of God, that could not have the favour to live, or dye so well as the son of man? Surely, some spark of faith saw life in death, light in darkness: It is your light, hold it.  
Lastly, faith makes earth 
5 Faith makes earth heaven. Math. 13. Gen. 28. Eph. 2.  heaven unto you, and the church the kingdom of heaven, the house of God, the Gates of heaven, and sets us on the seats of heaven here below. Before we come to the proper place and mansion, which Christ hath 
joh. 16.  provided for us, by faith we sit with Abraham, Isaac and jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Put case we hope for it, we see it not: faith is the ground of things hoped for, the evidence 
Heb. 11. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  of things not seen. It stands under the weight of the whole world, and yet says, heaven is mine. It sees nothing but earth, and sinners, and beasts, and trees, under the canopy of the starry heaven, and yet says, heaven is mine, as if it had it already. O the world of grace and glory that is in faith! therefore hold faith.  
Oh that I now knew how 
Application.  to screw myself into your souls to search whether ye hold faith! How many thousands have it not, and cannot hold it? How many thousands have it a little, and know not whether they hold it or no? ye are to be married to the lamb, and till that day come, 
Annulum sponsalem.  ye have but the wedding-ring of faith, to have and to hold, first for promise, then for fruition. Tell me then:  
Do ye hold the ground of 
1 Try the ground of faith Rom. 8.  faith? Then ye are humbled souls: ye have passed through the spirit of bondage, whereby ye have been shut up in prison under Moses, till the son hath made you free, 
joh. 8.  and ye walk humbly ever after for fear of losing this estate. This lays the foundation of faith deep enough. Hymeneus and Alexander 
1. Tim. 1. 20.  built upon the sands, and so they shipwrecked against the rocks of the world. Therefore you must down lower, under the sands, earth, rocks, to the gates of hell, and then, Out of the depths have I cried 
Psal. 130. 1  unto thee O Lord. Are ye thus in some measure, or other, according to your sins? Say it if ye love faith and your salvation. Are ye convinced 
joh. 16. Act. 2.  of your sins? are ye pricked at the heart for your sins? Are ye so all this, that ye are at utter enmity with all sin? Then keep this ground of faith.  
Do ye hold the object of 
2 Try the object of faith.  faith? This nourisheth and keeps faith alive. It is like oil to the lamp, like fuel to the fire, and like sap to the tree. Have you full assurance of the knowledge of the scriptures? Can you say, I'll pawn my life, body, and goods, and soul, that, though I cannot conceive all, yet all in the scripture is true? what I know is true, and I resolve to learn more: what I know not is true, and I will do my best to comprehend that too. Have ye a free assent to all the truth of it, and to that alone for salvation? Do ye not come off basely as Agrippa, almost thou 
Act. 26. 28  persuadest me? Have ye a belief to all the precepts, promises and threatenings of the scriptures? Do ye say all the commandments are true, & I must do them: all the threatenings are true, and if I live in 
Deut. 32.  sin, I must undergo them, even to burning in the nethermost hell: all the promises are true, and I must relieve my flagging and drooping spirit with them, in despite of my unbelieving heart? Doth thy faith in the knowledge of them change thee, as it did David▪ who when he could 
Psal. 40.  say, that in the volume of thy book it is written of me presently cries out, Lo I come, to do thy will? If it be thus, hold faith. But dost thou not rather hate the being of the word in thy understanding? Thou knowest it will strip thee of all thy lusts. Dost thou not therefore say as those miscreants, depart from me, I desire 
job. 20.  not the knowledge of thy laws? dost thou not hate the nature of the word, to will as that wills? Hear that cursed voice, and fear to find it in thyself, I will do as I have done, 
jer. 44.  whatsoever the word of God saith. Dost thou not hate the rules of the word? Art thou not sorry they are true: wouldst thou not they were false? Can a fleshly-man love that, flesh and blood cannot inherit 
1 Cor. 15.  the kingdom of heaven? Can an old sinner love that, the child shall dye an hundred 
Es. 65. 20.  years old (so ripe shall he be for God) and the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed? Can an usurer love that, he is not for God's tabernacle, and holy hill, that 
Psal. 15. 5  putteth his money to usury? Can an whoremonger love that, whoremongers and adulterers 
Heb. 13.  God will judge? or any of those sinners that, be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor 
1 Cor. 6. 9 10.  idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thiefs, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortiovers, shall inherit the kingdom of God? If they love not the nature, being, and rules of the object of faith, this is not to hold faith.  
Do ye hold the act of 
3 Try the act of faith.  faith? Do ye rest with confidence upon the promises of God in Christ? ye pule and cry in the sorrow of your hearts (even when your sorrow hath turned you to God) and say, I know not what to do. This ye do; but ye look not upon the new and everlasting covenant, and say, God is mine, Christ is mine, the holy Ghost is mine, and I Object. am his. Alas, say you; I am Sol. not worthy. Surely there should not have been a saint in heaven, nor out of hell, by this argument. Though your wilful unworthiness will discard you, yet God ties not himself to you by your worth, but his own. Oh therefore hold faith, as jacob did God, I will not let thee go 
Gen. 32. 26. Ruth. 1.  except thou bless me: and as Ruth did Naomi, whithersoever thou goest, I will go with thee both in life and death.  
Do ye hold the power of 
4 Try the power of faith. Rom. 16. james 2.  faith? Say then, what doth it make thee to do? Show the obedience of faith: show me thy faith by thy works. It is as the plummet on the clock-line which makes you strike. It will make you look upon sin which pierced Christ, and 
Zach. 12.  mourn for it, and cast it out (as Agar the bondwoman) with a, Get thee hence. It is in thee as in the sea, there is that Leviathan and creeping things innumerable: so there are in 
Psal. 104. 25, 26.  thee, master sins, and creeping lusts innumerable: but let faith lose upon them, and then as when God made man after his Image, he said, let him have dominion over the fish of 
Gen. 1. 26  the sea, and every creeping thing: so doth God say to faith, be it unto thee as thou believest, even 
Math. 15.  against the whole host of sin. It will make you look upon Christ and love him above all, and delight in all that belong unto him, the word of faith, the prayer of faith, the seals of faith, the household of faith, for it will not let you stroke the head, and strike the body: yea, it will make you desire the appearance of the Lord jesus, that ye may be with him for ever: you will stay his leisure, but with winged desires▪ O make haste my beloved, and be like the Roe: come Lord 
Cant. 8. 14 Apoc. 22.  jesus, come quickly. It will make you look upon God the father, and depend upon him for all things, (for faith reasons thus, if he have given me Christ, how shall he not 
Rom. 8.  with him give us all things also?) yea, and submit unto him in all things, (for the children of Abraham, will do the works of Abraham; 
john 8, Gal. 3. 7  and they which are of the faith are the children of Abraham): yea, and go boldly to the throne 
Heb. 4. 16  of grace, that ye may have his strength to do all obedience, and to trust in him in hardest 
job. 13. 15  times. It will make you look to God the holy Ghost, and submit to his work of conviction, and conversion, yea, and to do whatsoever he enableth unto. He is the great master of faculties, who helpeth 
Rom. 8.  your infirmities: you take his help by faith and do it. It will make you look upon yourselves, and work the work of God upon your souls with power. The fowls pick-up the good seed so soon as it is 
Luke 8.  sown, because it is not mixed with faith: but the word 
Heb. 4. 2 1 Thes. 2 13.  works effectually in you that believe. Yea, it will make you fight the battles of God insuperably. When Paul came to Ephesus, there arose no small stir about that way: so when 
Act 19 23 Math. 2.  faith in Christ comes, Herod is troubled, and all jerusalem: but faith makes you like the house of David, grow stronger and 
2 Sam. 3. 1  stronger, and sin like the house of Saul, grow weaker and weaker: It makes you like Rachel, 
Gen. 30. 8  who wrestled with the wrestle of Christ, and prevailed. Let the world fight against you: this is your victory, 
1 joh. 15. 4 1 Pet. 5. 8  even your faith. Let Satan come; resist him, steadfast in the faith. Let the flesh come; as those beasts had their dominion 
Dan. 7. 12  taken from them, yet their lives were prolonged: so faith spoils the flesh of her Kingdom, though it must live as a jebusite. Let God himself desert and forsake thee, yeth faith saith, though 
job. 13. 15  thou kill me I will trust in thee. Lastly, faith will make you look upon your brethren, and fill you with mercy and 
'tis 3 8. Eph. 2 9, 10  good works. When Dorcas believed, she made coats and garments to  the naked. 
Act 9 39  When Tyrus was to believe, she would nor treasure up merchandise, but get it for them that dwell before the Lord, 
Es. 23. 18.  to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. When the disciples were taught to forgive their brethren, they cried out, Lord increase our faith; as if 
Luke 17. 4  they should say, faith will do it: the more faith, the more mercy; for if you believe your own ten thousands forgiven, you will forgive others ten: yea, when you look upon your brethren, faith will move you to draw them to Christ. It sets you upon the high mountains, which do make the valleys fat with the drops that descend from them, when 
Luke 22.  thou art converted, strengthen thy brethrens, saith Christ to Peter. If Andrew have found Christ, he calls Peter; If Philip have met with him he calls 
john. 1▪  Nathanael. If thou thus have the power of faith, hold it: If thou have it not, be humbled in time, get faith and hold it,  
It may be thou wilt say, 
What we must do to hold it.  what shall I do to hold it? if than thou wouldst have all in a word, stop thine ears against the enemies of faith; I was 
In hac fide natus sum. August.  born in this faith, is a loose plea, it is the gift of God. Hear duly the friend of faith, the preaching of the Gospel. Pray the prayer of faith in the name of Christ. Use the seals of faith, the sacraments. Keep experience to nourish and fatten faith. Buy faith, but sell it not for a thousand worlds: part with all domineering sin for it; they that set not this price upon precious faith, shall never have it, nor ever hold it. Thus do and thou shalt give glory to God, and bring comfort to thy own soul for ever and for ever,  
Amen.   

THE SECOND SERMON, on 1 Tim. 1. 19  And a good Conscience. 
YOu have seen the holding of faith. The second savoury rule which Paul under the person of Timothy, commends unto us is, when we have a good conscience to hold that also.  
Ye must hold a good conscience. As faith is of a flying nature in itself; so is a good conscience too; it hath many wings to fly away from us, the weak owners of it. It flies 
A good conscience is of a flying nature. 1 By fears  away, first by fear, Abraham was afraid of the court of Abimelech, and Pharaoh, and therefore weakly taught his wife Sarah to tell a lie: and Peter was afraid in the high-priests hall, and he denied his master with cursing: Daniel, and the three worthies banished fear from their souls, and would worship God alone, and pray unto him what ever came, and so kept a good conscience, whereas Abraham and Peter lost it. Secondly, by unmercifulness: Adonibezeck 
2 By unmercifulness. judg. 1. Luke 16.  was cruel, and what a wicked conscience had he in cutting off the thumbs of seventy Kings, and using them like dogs? Dives was so too, and what a conscience had he in denying the crumbs of his table? Thirdly, By the love of 
2 By the love of the world▪ Gal. 6. 12.  the world: the false Apostles making a fair show in the flesh, constrained christians to be circumcised; only, lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ: and thus a good conscience did fly away. Fourthly, by the love 
4 By love of sin.  of sin: David loved the sweet sin of Bathshebah; therefore he contrived the death of Vriah, and so conscience fled. Fiftly, by the love 
5 By love of honour.  of honour; Achitophel was not honoured above Hushai the Archite, and he hanged himself. Adonijah was not honoured above Solomon, and he ended in rebellion. Bigthan and Teresh had not honour answerable to their minds, and they proved treacherous. Haman could not have Mardocaies knee, and all the Jews (if he can help it) must die for it. And thus a good conscience fled from them. Sixtly, by the guilt and 
6 By the guilt and horror of sin.  horror of great sins: judas was pressed sore with what he had done, and he went out and hanged himself: and thus a good conscience did fly from him. Lastly, by 
7 By profit Psal. 73. jer. 12. job. 21. 2 Tim. 4 10.  the profits of the world: David, jeremy, and job had not the prosperity of wicked men, and in a passion they fell to grumbling against God: Demas had it cast▪ upon him, and forsook Paul, and embraced the present world: and thus good conscience was almost in the first, altogether in the last chased. What shall I say? There are some sins of daily incursion, which are lamented, 
Peccata quotidianae incursionis, et vastantia conscientias.  groaned under, and fought against, which may be lived with, though not lived in, and yet a good conscience may stay by us: but if any sin lay waste the conscience by selfe-libertie, and presumption: good conscience flies, and therefore hold it.  
To help you in this also, I 
1 How to hold a good conscience.  shall labour to show you two things: how you may hold a good conscience, and why you must do it.  
If ye would hold a good conscience, ye must hold four things,  

1 The light of conscience.  
2 The love of conscience.  
3 The works of conscience.  
4 The charge of conscience.   
1 The light of conscience must 
1 Hold the light of conscience  be held. Be a workman never so good, he cannot show it, if he want light to do his work by: so is it with conscience. Now conscience hath a double light: 1 the light 
1 The light of nature.  of nature, which light still presents some principles to frame our life by, as that there is a God, that he is to be worshipped, that we must do to others, as we would be done unto: and if these be not followed, conscience checks. 2 The light of the 
2 The light of nature.  word, which fully presents the particulars of those generals, and shows with what, how, and when God is to be worshipped: together with that honour, life, honesty, goods, truth, and quietness of nature, wherein we must so do to others, as we would they should do to us. If ye keep not both these lights, conscience can never be good. 
Three eyes view all 1 of God. Heb. 4. jer. 9  There are three eyes that look upon all things done: first, the eye of God who hath all things naked before him. He sees and writes with a pen of iron, and point of a diamond: and either he censures here, or hereafter. Secondly, the 
2 Of the world.  eye of the world: this sees all things manifested; and would make you believe, through squinteyed jealousy and suspicion, that it sees more than it doth, and so passeth censures accordingly. Thirdly, 
3 The eye of conscience.  the eye of conscience. This sees all that it is enlightened to see: but if it have not light, it sees not, and censures not; therefore hold the light of conscience.  
The love of conscience 
2 Hold the love of conscience Gen. 31.  must be held, If ye love it not, it will away. As jacob, when he saw Laban's▪ countenance changed, and his wages too, and that ten times, away he goes: so doth conscience. As David when he saw himself not loved in the court of Saul, away he goes to the Philistines, Achish, wilderness, any whither where he could find entertainment: so will conscience deal with you. As therefore ye say of that you love, I thank God for this, I would not be without it: so say of conscience, I thank God for conscience, I would not be without it for a thousand worlds: thus hold the love of conscience.  
The work of conscience must be held too. It is an officer under God to determine, upon 
3 Hold the work of conscience  information, of all our actions for excusation, accusation, conviction, or conversion: and can God's officers be idle? The officers of men may be idle, yea, foundations may be out of course. The outward 
Psal 83.  officers of God may be idle too: magistrates and ministers, may too often be found to be idol shepherds: but this privy counsellor, and immediate internal officer, 
Zach. 11. 17  conscience, cannot be idle. God sits on the throne with it, and though it seems to sleep, yet in still silence it registers all acts and neglects, omissions, and commissions; and when a man would think that all is forgotten, then (In an evil day) it brings forth all, and lays it in order before us, 
Eccles. 12.  to our shame and confusion. Hold therefore the work of 
Psal. 50.  conscience; and what is that? It is threefold.  
First, to propound unto you from the light of nature, and 
The work of conscience is threefold. 1 To propound.  the word, what ye ought to be, and do in the whole frame of life, and course of living. It lays the rule of GOD'S Image, and will, before you, and says thus you should be, and do so and so: as to Adam, I should not have eaten the forbidden fruit, I should have kept the 
Gen. 2.  covenant of my God; for he said, do this and live: to David: I should not have committed adultery, or contrived murder; for God hath said, thou shalt not do so.  
Secondly, to apply (by way 
2 To apply  of reflection upon themselves) what ye have been, or done. I should have been, and done so, and so: but I am, and have done thus and thus. As to Adam, I should not have eaten the forbidden fruit; but I have done it: to David I should not have committed adultery, and murder; but I have done them: and to all of us, I should have repent, believed, hoped, loved: but I have not done them as I ought. 
3 To pronounce.   
Thirdly, to pronounce impartial judgement upon your persons & actions: as therefore I am a wicked man, have done foolishly, and am accursed: 
2 Sam. 24.  or therefore I am in Christ, have done uprightly, and am blessed. Thus David, I 
Psal 119. Luke 1. 5.  have gone astray like a lost sheep: thus the prodigal, I have sinned against heaven and before thee: thus Paul, I was a persecutor, blasphemer, oppressor: & thus Hezekiah, I have walked before 
2 Tim. 1. Es. 37.  thee with a perfect heart. This work of conscience will make you run out of Sodom with a shower of brimstone at your heels: or make you pass through the wilderness under a cloud of comfortable protection: therefore hold it.  
Lastly, the charge of conscience 
4 Hold the charge of conscience  must be held also. It hath a large Diocese over every secret, and every manifest thing of yours in person, or by communion. It hath a charge over inclinations. David's conscience saw the inclinations & proneness of his heart to cleave unto the dust, and therefore he flies to GOD, incline my heart 
Psal. 119.  unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness. It hath charge over the understanding: therefore Agurs conscience looks upon that, and complains, surely I am more brutish 
Pro. 30. 2  than any man, and have not the understanding of Adam in me. It hath charge over the memory: therefore God presents memory to his people, they remembered not the Lord 
jud. 8. 34 Psal. 106. 7  their God: they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, that their consciences might work accordingly. It hath charge over thoughts, wills, affections, 
Es. 55. 7  and desires. Let the unrighteous man forsake his thoughts, saith God to conscience: 
Math. 15.  the thoughts defile a man, saith Christ to conscience, therefore, how long shall your wicked 
jer. 4, 14.  thoughts lodge within you? ye 
joh. 5.  will not come unto me that ye may be saved, saith Christ to conscience. Oh how I love thy 
Psal. 119. Psal. 18. Psal. 119. Psal. 42.  law! yea, I love thee dearly O Lord my God; I hate all wicked ways (saith David) from conscience. My soul longeth for thee, as the hart panteth after rivers of waters; I desire to be 
Phil. 1.  dissolved, & to be with Christ, say david's and Paul's consciences: but wicked men's consciences shall cry at last, we desired not the knowledge of 
job. 21.  thy laws. Yea, the charge of Conscience reacheth to your words, and deeds. Ye must give an account of every idle 
Math. 12.  word to God, and your consciences; of every idle word, that hath no natural, civil, or religious end: therefore David's conscience pleaded against him, that he said in his haste, all 
Psal. 31. 22. Psal. 116. 11  men are liars, even Samuel himself in his message from God, and Peter's conscience lashed him to the purpose for his detestable words in the high-priests hall. David's conscience also comes to his deeds, I have sinned greatly in that I have done; I have done 
2 Sam. 24. 10.  very foolishly & Ezra, when he presented others consciences as well as his own, cried out, and now what shall we say? 
Ezr. 9 10  for we have forsaken thy commandments. O the large charge of Conscience! As ye must hold the light of conscience, the love of conscience, and the work of conscience; so hold the charge of conscience, that ye may do as Paul would have you, hold a good conscience.  
Would you now know the grounds of holding a good 
2 Why you must hold a good conscience. 1 If it be gone, God will be against us.  conscience? Do but mark these four that follow. First, if conscience run away from you, GOD, & your own souls will be against you. God's eyes are purer than to behold iniquity, with approbation; and when he with rebukes doth correct man for sin, as a moth he makes his beauty to 
Psal. 39 11  consume away: he doth not presently thunder out of heaven, but secretly gnaws out the comfort of their hearts, when he is to Ephraim as a 
Hos. 4. jer. 20. 3, 4 Pro 28 1 Levit. 26. 37  moth. He makes them plagues to themselves, magor missabib, flying when none pursues, at the sound of a shaking leaf, making every moat a beam, and every beam an whole house. Yea, by conscience he makes them an whole wilderness of woe. Hezekiah complained that God would break all his 
Es. 38. 13  bones, that he could not speak for anguish of spirit, but chattered like a crane or swallow, and mourned like a dove jobs bitter 
job. 12. 26  things that God wrote against him; made him cry out, that the arrows of the Almighty 
job. 6. 4. 8. job. 7. 14. 15.  were within him; scared him with dreams and visions, and made his soul choose strangling and death, rather than life. David's bones waxed old with roaring all the day long, and his moisture was like the 
Psal. 32. 3. 4.  drought in summer, when God's arrows stuck fast in him, through the power of conscience. Therefore hold a good conscience.  
Secondly, nothing will do 
2 Without it nothing will do us good. Psal 51.  you good without a good conscience. Have you all houses, lands, gold, silver, kingdoms, Empires, they will do you no good without this; no nor faith itself: for a pure heart, 
1 Tim. 1. 5  and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned will go together; they all work one for another, a good conscience riseth from a pure heart: and faith unfeigned cannot be without a good conscience. There is a 
A fourfold sting in sin.  fourfold sting in sin; the guilt of sin, the fruits of sin, the service of sin, & the habits of sin. Faith in Christ pulls out the two first, & a good conscience from Christ the two last. If therefore ye would have any good of what you have, hold a good conscience.  
Thirdly, with a good conscience 
3 With it nothing can do us hurt.  nothing can do you hurt. It stands out against all the world. Let slanders come, Paul sets the sentence of his conscience against them, with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgement: for I know nothing by myself: & though this justify me not before God, yet it comforts me against your clamours, Let a thousand troubles come, job sets his conscience against 
job. 31. 35. 36. 37.  them all. Let mine adversary (saith he) writ a book against me, I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown, and declare my steps, & go as a Prince against him, yea, a good conscience shall go with you through the pikes of death, and the grave. The warfare of our faith, & hope, shall end in sight, and having but our love out of a good conscience, shall pass all, and continue for ever.  
Lastly, a good conscience 
5 It carries with at more than the whole world. Rom. 2.  carries with it more than the whole world to do us good. It carries God along with it. If God go with an ill conscience to accuse, much more with a good one to excuse & comfort. The sentence is the judgement of conscience, but as God's interpreter: & what conscience speaks (when it is well regulated) God confirms, as ye see in Adam for ill, and in job for good. It carries all the host of heaven and earth along, as Gods great and mighty train. The good conscience of Daniel 
Dan. 6. Dan. 3.  is attended with mild lions; of the three confessors, with an unburning fire; of penitent jonah, with a sanctuary in the 
joh. 2.  hellish belly of the whale; of Elijah with a raven to cook & 
1 King. 17 2 Ring. 6.  cater for him; and of Elisha with an army of Angels to guard him. And if yours be not so attended, it is with better; with the immortal seed of the word to make you bring forth unto life, and with powerful prayer, which landed jonah, quenched the thirst of 
jon. 2. judg. 15. 2 King 19 Iosh. 10. Ex. 32. 16  Samson, slew an hundred fourscore and five thousand enemies, stopped the course of the sun, and is the wel-pleasing bonds of God to hold him close to you for obtaining all good. Therefore hold a good conscience.  
Thus you see how you may 
Application.  hold a good conscience, & the grounds of it. Oh that I could now dwell in your souls, to set them on work, totry whether you conform to this rule of holding a good conscience, yea or no.  
I find some good people, 
Some think they have no good conscience, and why?  who (being clouded with temptations) think they have no conscience at all, and therefore that they cannot hold it. They look for more in themselves then God hath given: They measure God's sea, not their own buckets: and are therefore unquiet, because they have no more. They set patterns before them too high for them to reach at an instant: Abraham's full sail of faith, Paul's chariot of conscience, and those first Christian's ecstasies of joy, with joy unspeakable 
1 Pet. 1. 18.  and glorious even in the fiery trial: and if they are not thus (though their cases differ) down they fall. They read themselves still in a lecture of the law, and look for a deal of legal righteousness to purge conscience, before justification by the blood of Christ, made theirs by faith, to pacify it: & if they have not, at the first 
Deus et natura non faciunt saltum.  leap what they would, they put off good conscience, as the highpriest judas, what is that to us?  
I find more wicked people, 
Sun think they have all good conscience, and why?  who think they have all good conscience. They sleep out the storm, and do not feel the heart-quake. The God of this world blinds them with prosperity. If he can, they shall not fail of profit, pleasure, or honour, while the vines, & olives, and figtrees are blasted, the brambles grow to a full height: therefore their consciences cannot but be good. They are rocked a sleep, and are not awake yet, they look not into the perfect law of liberty, and therefore (for want of fight) covenant with hell and death. 
Es. 28.  They have leisure to do nothing but to draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were 
Es. 5.  with cartropes: they still their consciences with sweet words, & cozen them with outward 
Luk. 15. 1●. Matth. 7. et 25:  formality. They are in their own delights, as in their own proper places: and then as elements are not heavy when they are where they would be: so sin troubles not their consciences while it is in its centre. They are dead in sins 
6 ph. 2.  and trespasses; and if you lay the load of the whole world upon a dead man, he feels it not: so, nor conscience the heavy burden of sin. But as a melancholic man, in his passionate pleasures forgets his own thoughts, but when the game is ended, he thinks more dismally, though for the present he is set up to the merry pin: so the poor sinner lays aside his pensiveness to indulge to his presenr fancy, till the time of rousing comes. Hence, or from such like springs, wicked men think they have a good conscience, and therefore they think they 
Therefore try whether ye hold good conscience 1 Try the light of conscience  hold it: therefore it behoves you to try whether you hold a good conscience, yea or no.  
Do ye hold the light of conscience? good souls do desire to inform themselves in every particle of Gods will for faith and manners, As a good master desires to give light to his servants, that they may see to work: so deal good christians with conscience. But do not you love ignorance? Indeed, ye come to the church, and hear the word, but ye quickly lay it aside, like a straight payr of shoes, wherein he cannot go in ease. How shall conscience work (think you) if it have no light? There is an in 
Lumen. 1 Innatum. 2 Seminatum.  bred light which will help in some things; but if ye have not that sowed light which the sour went out to sow by the word of Christ, it is not so good as it should. Works of darkness will be committed by men ●n darkness, who love not light, because their deeds are evil: Do ye therefore hold the light of conscience?  
Do ye hold the love of conscience? you will all say, yes: & 
2 Try the love of conscience  I grant that ye love it as a dog loves a cudgel. It is ready to smite you at every turn, as it can spy day at a little hole, and to make your hearts heavy in the midst of laughter, and do you love this? A good man's loves it dearly. Oh saith he, let me have a good conscience still! let a righteous conscience smite me still: let it be my counsellor, comforter, corrector still. But had you not rather be without it? ye cannot gain so much as you would for conscience: ye cannot drink so freely of pleasure as you would for conscience: ye cannot advance yourselves as you would for conscience, Oh how it troubles you! therefore ye wound it, smother it, stop the mouth of it, and will not hear it, though a good man might by it be satisfied from 
Pro. 14, 14.  himself, Is this to hold the love of conscience?  
Do ye hold the work of conscience? 
3 Try the work of conscience Es 57  A good man will let it perfect its work in the fear of God. He propounds fairly; he that is broken hearted shall be comforted: he that is weary and pressed down with sins shall 
Math. 11. Apoc. 2.  be refreshed: he that fights the good fight of faith, shall have the crown of life: he that adds to his faith knowledge, to his knowledge virtue, & so forth, shall make his calling and election 
2 Pet. 1.  sure, because he shall neither be barren nor unfruitful: he that hath the fruits of the spirit, 
Gal. 5. 22. 23.  against him there is no law to condemn. He applies as truly: but I have a broken heart, I am weary of sin, I fight faithfully according to strength received, I chain my graces together in act (as occasion is offered) as I have them in habit, and as I have the fruits of the spirit in me: therefore he concludes as necessarily, therefore so long as I continue in this estate, I shall have comfort here, and salvation hereafter. A wicked man will sometimes suffer conscience to work too, according to light: Abimeleches conscience will not let him wrong Abraham's wife, which 
Gen. 20.  comes not because the conscience is good out of faith unfeigned, but good out of fear and awe. But tell me: do ye suffer conscience to work in all things? Then would ye so powerfully conclude against yourselves, that ye must say, 
1 Cor. 6. 9 10.  I must amend, or perish. No unrighteous person what ever, whether fornicator, adulterer, reviler, drunkard, covetous person, extortioner, shall inherit the kingdom of heaven: but I am so, and so; therefore in this estate, I shall never get heaven. He that neglects the call of God, shall call upon God, and God will not hear, but laugh 
Pro. 1.  when his destruction comes: but I have done so; therefore God will deal so with me. He that being often reproved, 
Pro. 29 1.  hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed without remedy: but I have hardened my neck against all reproofs; therefore what may I look for (if I amend not) but destruction? Do ye thus conclude for your amendment? Do ye not rather conclude quite otherwise? God's word saith so, & so; but I do not so do; or if I do otherwise, God will save sinners, and I shall escape. Is this to hold the work of conscience?  
Lastly, do ye hold the 
4 Try the charge of conscience.  charge of conscience? What an universal bishopric hath conscience over the whole man, and all of man? There is no inclination, imagination, power, thought, word, or deed, but it is under the power of conscience, and do ye hold this? David's conscience looked to his inclinations; I was 
Psal. 18. 23  upright before God, and kept myself from my wickedness. Agurs conscience looked to his understanding & thoughts; if thou hast done foolishly, if 
Pro. 30. 21  thou have thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth. David's conscience looked to his words; I will keep my mouth with a bridle: and to his deeds, 
Psal 39  I said I will take heed unto my ways. But as Christ did mourn within himself, when he saw the multitude, because they were as sheep without a shepherd: 
Mat. 9 36.  so may you for the neglect of conscience in all these. Ye are inclined to every evil way, yet conscience takes no notice. How is your understanding overwhelmed with ignorance, and stuffed with worldly vanity? How are your memories charged with unprofitables, and your affections lavished wickedly, and yet conscience is silent? your thoughts, words, and deeds, are not visited by conscience as they should. It neither views, nor censures, nor corrects, as is meet. Oh why do you not hold conscience? Let it look to every secret, and when it knows the duty, let it look about and apply it (as need is) to every part & power of body and soul. This will work amendment for the present, and care for the time to come, and so shall ye hold conscience.  
It may be you will say, how 
How to help to the holding of conscience.  shall I help myself forward to such a glorious work? I answer, Get a a rich mine of grace and duty into your hearts. As a good man hath a good treasure in his heart: so must you, by laying up the word in your 
Deut. 16. Pro. 6.  hearts, and binding it to your hearts, by a powerful impression. Present this treasure to your consciences, that it may make you smite yourselves upon your thighs, and say, what have I done? Then walk in the presence of God, as David, when I awake, I 
Psal. 139.  am ever before thee: and then the servant will work when he is before his master. Next, have a settled watchfulness over all your ways, covenanting with heart, eyes, tongue, and hand, not wilfully to sin against God.  
And lastly, commit your waeyes to GOD by hearty prayers, and he will rectify all by the blood and spirit of your JESUS: and so, surely, shall you hold both faith, and a good conscience too, to the comfort of your souls, and to the Glory of your GOD, to whom be praise, power, and Glory now, and for ever,  
Amen.  
FINIS.   

Imprimatur  
Sept. 1. 1638. Tho. Wykes.