The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Dedication 2 – Exposition 2
TO THE VVORSHIPFVLL, RICHARD ATKINS, Esquire: at Tuffe-leigh, in the Countie of GLOCEST. My speciall good friend; Grace and Peace.
YOur bountie (Worshipfull Sir) besides my obligation to your aRichard Atkins, Esquire, Iustice in one of the Welsh Circuits, and one of his Maiesties Councell in the Marches of Wales.Fathers name, after his blessed death, hath deserued a better oblation then the tender of this small Booke; which, by way of thankefulnesse to you, and remembrance of Him, in all thankefulnesse, I send to you, and abroad into the world vnderunder your Name. It pleased, that your Religious and (truly) godly Father, to seeke Mee out in a darke skie, or night of distresse, to doe me good: which he spared not to doe while he liued; For, as another Onesiphorus, he often refreshed mee, 2 Tim. 1.16. the Lord giuegive mercy to his House, and Posteritie for it. Also, I know few like-minded, who will faithfully care for our matters, as he did: and, where men (earthly minded) seeke their owne, that is, seeke that, and that onelyonly, which is nothing worth when they hauehave it; he sought in his life, and found in his death that which is Iesus Christ, Phil. 2.20.21.
But what neede I to embalme him (being dead) with my report, who (liuing) had so good report of all who knew him, and the grace in him: and dying sweetly in the peace of his Master, and his good conscience, like that boxe of oyntment, which (being very precious) the woman powred on Christs head, in his breaking by death, cast forth that name, that is better then the best oyntment, Eccles. 7.3. Mark. 14.3. A name of a right good sauour, such as hath filled the house; and may be an ornament and crowne of reioycing to the House and Stocke hee came of? For you that now liue, the Heire of his House, and (I trust) of his good minde in good things. You are to remember (as I hope you forget not) that your life is in that age and time, wherein you may, as in the morning, sow your seed, Eccles. 11.6. the good seed of the doctrine of saluation, in the field of your owne heart, and furrowes of those that are of your familie and proper charge.
I beseech you, let not your hand rest, and bee diligent to take heed to your selfe, and them, for all necessarie instruction in the way of life: so tilling them, spiritually, for GOD, and his true feare, that your whole House may bee as the field of the righteous, which the Lord will blesse, and the name of it may be, The Lord is there, Ezek. 48.35. So did your good Father in the middes of You, whiles he liued: and so (good Sir) doe you constantly in the mids of your owne House, by his example, who (now is gone. Hee learned of Abraham, who commaunded his householde after him in such matters, Genes. 18.19. and learne You of Him, that the blessing of Abraham may follow You and Yours. I write not doubtingly, and I hauehave good confidence in the Lord, that you are so minded. In which good meaning, and intention of yours, to a worke so full of spiritual consolation and godlinesse, you must looke for aduersaries. The more truelie you feare God, the more you shall finde what enmitie is against it. Looke for this in eueryevery good purpose vnderunder the Sunne. The world that is not of the fashion of Heauen, Rom. 12.2. will be against you. The flesh, that is all for it selfe, Rom. 13.14. will lust against the Spirit, and the good motions of the Spirit in you, Galat. 5.17. and the Deuill (the Centurion of the band) will pursue you with his armies of temptations, on your right hand, and on your left, Ephes. 6.12. But Hee that is with you is stronger then all these, and, as long as Michael is your leader, and his Angels your fellow-Souldiours, what can doe you hurt? if God be on your side, what matter who be against you? Rom. 8.31. If you louelove the louelove of Christ with all your heart; who, or what shall separate you from it? who, or what shall make you to forsake it? vers. 35. Neither the worlds iniuries, nor the fleshes allurements, nor all the mallice of the enemie, ouer all which you are more then Conquerour, through him that hath loued you, verse 37. shall be able to take Christ from you, or the holy Spirit of Christ out of you; by whom you are sealed to the day of Redemption, Ephes. 4.30.
Striue (therefore) forward (cheerefully) in this narrow way of life: fight the good fight of Faith to the end: whet your heart vponupon the Word, and make the Statutes of IEHOVA, your Meditation and Counsellours: pray in your holy Faith: holde that you hauehave with increase… get ground of the commune enemie daily; and that by doing well, while you hauehave time. This matter requireth your earnest meditation, and deepest thoughts: and, therefore, against all incumbrances and impediments of spirituall life, already remembred, or further spoke of by Saint Iohn, as the lusts of the eyes, the lusts of the flesh, and pride of life, 1 Iohn 2.16. put forth your selfe couragiously in the name of the Lord of Hostes, who will order the whole battell for you, and finish it to your euerlasting victory, and ioyfull triumph ouer all powers, earthly and infernall.
How ill they proceede, that doe not so striue, I hauehave endeuoured to shewe in the meditations that follow, concerning the sinne and punishment of the prodigall sonne: perswading my selfe that of Him you hauehave nothing in you but his repentance, and grace to come home to your heauenly Father, where you hauehave with Him (young and ignorantly) in anything; (and who hath not in bIam 3.2.many things) declined from obedience to God, or the wayes of his truth. These I tooke to taske the beginning of this last Sommer, at what time the Lords storme fell, that caused so generall a feare: I would it had effected a like generall amendement in vsus. For the now comming forth of them, the Apostle, who saith, Be instant in season, and out of season, 2 Timoth. 4.2. shall answere for me, if any shall thinke them vnseasonable.
Besides, how can that bee, or be iudged, with any colour of soundnesse, vnseasonable, that teacheth vsus to remember what GOD would not hauehave forgotten: namely, his wonderfull workes, which hee made, the last two moneths of May and Iune, to be remembred? Psal. 111.4. Or, if all his workes must praise him, Psal. 145.10, why should not those praise him in the Gate, which he wrought so fearefully, and so lately among vsus? And, is it euer too late and vnseasonable, to shew to the world how graciously, and how strangely, the Lords late mercies got the better hand of his other fearefull workes, by taking his frownes from the skie, and by putting a more louing countenance vponupon it, in the blessed weather that ensued? I call it the Lords merciemercy, or not the least of those mercies that are ouer all his workes, Psal. 145.9. For, did our repentance, or any worke of ours seeke and finde that comfortable alteration at Gods hands? Or, did not the greatest number desire a better, and more kindely season, and complaine of a season so (generally) hurtfull and intemperate with sinne in their right hand? was one Sabbath for all that power of thunder that so cracked about our eares, and pouring Raine that so fell vponupon the Earth, that is, in such abundance, that it made Brookes and Riuers to rise, and the water to stand in the Furrowes, lesse prophaned in Towne and Countrie? I doubt not, but some stood, as Aaron in that breach and gappe with their Censer of seruent Supplication to the Lord, by whom (in all likelihood) hee was entreated, and who sought and found him in due time, Psal. 32.6. Yet what was that to the generall inconformitie that still beareth sway? And heere who can but prophecie? for seeing that neither Iudgement nor merciemercy can preuaile, what can wee looke for, but destruction vponupon destruction? Esai. 1.5.
The last Winter, which was in the yeere 1612, what merciemercy did GOD shew, to make it so milde in so great want of F…dder as was then: so great, that (I thinke) greater in our time hath not beene obserued? Indeed, it beganne sharpely, and proued sharper to true Christians, and louers of the GOSPELL, Nouemb. 6. Anno 1612.then that sharpest Winter which about foure yeres since, destroyed all our Flowers: for, it tooke away our most beautifull Rose and Flower: our Carnation-Flower, the fairest in the Garden of Christendome, which the LORD pluckt vp for himselfe, to plant in the Garden of his owne presence: I meane, the beloued of GOD and Men, HENRY, our late Prince, the Flower of our Age, whom the Lord tooke from vsus by death in the Flower of his Age, that was so louely. But, who is more turned to GOD for it?
This last Sommer begunne roughly, and in stormes, which caused weedes to come vp abundantly: which weedes GOD sent, as Lions, vponupon the standing Corne, to pull it downe. The latter ende of it, was with great mixture of fauour, and in a fruitfull calme: and GOD in merciemercy, hath giuen vsus, but with great abatement, those fruits that some despaired off, yet hauehave wee not turned to him that hath smitten vsus, Esai. 9.13. Amos 4.6.8.9.10.11. And now, if neither the sweet louelove of GOD can stirre vsus, nor his smart wrath rowse vsus, what will doe vsus good? But I will end: praying the Almightie God of the spirits of all flesh, to inspire Your heart more and more with all grace and gracious parts, needfull for soule and body; for the wayes of this life, and for Your sure way to eternall life hereafter. So I commend this poore testimonie and Mite of my thankefull heart, to your Worships kinde and fauourable acceptance; and You, and Your Christian Yoke-fellow, to the speciall grace and keeping of your, and our, most mercifull GOD and louing Father in CHRIST IESV; with a minde to be what the same God shall inable me to be, for the further helpe, and seruice of your Faith: and rest
Febr. 19. 1613. Your Worships to his power, in the Lord Iesus, ROBERT HORN.
AN EXPOSITION on the fifteenth Chapter of Saint LVKE.
Verses. 13.14.15. &c.
So not long after, when the yonger son had gathered all together, he tooke his iourney into a far country, and there he wasted his goods with riotous liuing.
14 Now, when he had spent all, there arose a great dearth throughout that land, and he began to be in necessitie.
15 Then he went and claue to a Citizen of that country, and he sent him to his Farme to feed Swine.