Use. It is a word of instruction, hence persecution is a plea for exactness: no poverty can excuse a man from duty; if no affliction can hinder from following of Christ, then no affliction can give excuse for not following of Christ; it is no plea to say, my neighbour hindered me: when Peter denied Christ▪ he did not say, Lord, I was in great fear, I loved thee well, yet denied thee basely: we hear no such matter, but he wept bitterly, he saw his sin, and was ashamed of it: this should be our course, Phil. 1If there be any thing that is honest, any thing that is pure, think upon these: a man might reply, the cause is good, there are honest things, but trouble accompanies them; what of that? yet if there be any thing that is pure, think on that; yea say some, the practise is pure, but it is reproachful: now saith the Text, there is no pretended inconveniency that should be a hinderance in a christian course: do not think of reproaches, but if there be any thing honest, any thing pure, think on that. All you Ishmaels that scoff at purity, if Paul were good, ye are naught, Heb. 13 4.5.2 When we are married, we must look to our families; no saith the Text, avoid covetousness, do not say, the cause is good, but my family must be looked to: drunkenness should be hated saith one, but then I should lose my custom. It is good to pray, for the Scripture saith, Pour down thy wrath on such as call not on thy name, but it takes up time; and I should be scoffed at, and counted a Puritan, and therefore I pray have me excused. I cannot excuse you, for is ⟨p. 200⟩there not a God to be pleased, as well as a customer? when the heavens shall b•rne, and the works thereof be consumed, do you think this will excuse you, to say, I would have prayed, but my Master would have beat me, my neighbours would reproach me, &c. If you fear your neighbours more then God, then get you to hell with your neighbours, and then let them succour you; these are not sufficient excuses, therefore delude not your consciences; will you tell God, a cross troubled you? he will tell you, you should have taken it up: had Christ said to us, I wish you had been saved, but then I must be spit upon and crucified, but that I will not, woe had been unto us, had not Christ been forsaken, I had been damned, do not think to drive the bargain to the last farthing:
Vse. It is a word of instruction, hence persecution is a plea for exactnesse: no poverty can excuse a man from duty; if no affliction can hinder from following of Christ, then no affliction can give excuse for not following of Christ; it is no plea to say, my neighbour hindred me: when Peter denyed Christ▪ he did not say, Lord, I was in great feare, I loved thee well, yet denyed thee basely: we heare no such matter, but he wept bitterly, he saw his sinne, and was ashamed of it: this should be our course, Phil. 1If there be any thing that is honest, any thing that is pure, thinke upon these: a man might reply, the cause is good, there are honest things, but trouble accompanies them; what of that? yet if there be any thing that is pure, thinke on that; yea say some, the practise is pure, but it is reprochfull: now saith the Text, there is no pretended inconveniency that should be a hinderance in a christian course: doe not thinke of reproaches, but if there be any thing honest, any thing pure, thinke on that. All you Ismaels that scoffe at purity, if Paul were good, ye are naught, Heb. 13 4.5.2 When we are married, we must looke to our families; no saith the Text, avoid covetousnesse, doe not say, the cause is good, but my family must be looked to: drunkennesse should be hated saith one, but then I should lose my custome. It is good to pray, for the Scripture saith, Poure downe thy wrath on such as call not on thy name, but it takes up time; and I should bee scoffed at, and counted a Puritan, and therefore I pray have me excused. I cannot excuse you, for is ⟨p. 200⟩there not a God to be pleased, as well as a customer? when the heavens shall b•rne, and the works thereof be consumed, doe you thinke this will excuse you, to say, I would have prayed, but my Master would have beat me, my neighbours would reproach me, &c. If you feare your neighbours more then God, then get you to hell with your neighbours, and then let them succour you; these are not sufficient excuses, therefore delude not your consciences; will you tell God, a crosse troubled you? he will tell you, you should have taken it up: had Christ said to us, I wish you had been saved, but then I must be spit upon and crucified, but that I will not, woe had beene unto us, had not Christ beene forsaken, I had beene damned, doe not think to drive the bargaine to the last farthing:
- 1Phil. 4.8.
- 2Heb. 13.4.5.
