Samuels Encounter with Saul, Doctrine 1
Doct. 1. Littleplace for reproofes, among Chriſtians.
VERS. 13.
And Samuell came to Saul, and Saul ſaid vntounto him, Bleſſed be thou of the LORD: I hauehave performed the Commandement of the LORD.
The ground of the firſt doctrine.
NOw to begin with Saul (with whom we heard the Lord was ſore diſpleaſed, and therefore Samuell came to him in tender compaſſion and louelove, ſeeing the plague neare him, to counſel him to auoyd it by meeting the Lord with true Repentance) he was ſo farre off, from looking for, or hearing any rebuke from him, that before Samuell could ſpeake to him he preuented him, but how? not by confeſſing his ſinne and accuſing him ſelfe for his ſlight and negligent executing of the Lord his charge committed vntounto him, which he had iuſt cauſe to hauehave done, before the Prophet came vntounto him, and much more, when he ſaw he was comming: but by iuſtifying himſelfe boldly in the euill he had done, ſaying, that he had obeyed the Lord his Commandement, euen then, when the prophet came to tell him of, and reproue him for the contrary; and who doth not ſee that hee ſhewed himſelfe thereby to be farre from the grace that became him to hauehave, & that was in the Theſſalonians, 2. Theſ. 3. 4.of whom Paul ſaid, he was perſwaded before he wrote, that they were readie to do whatſoeuer he ſhould require of them. Saul I ſay was farre from that grace, (for elſe he ſhould hauehave feared and relented for that which he had done)
And thereby we may ſee what little place there is for reproofes & reprehenſions, among Chriſtians (ſuch a one as Saul was) though there be neuer ſo iuſt cauſe giuen thereof; and how men harneſſe & arme themſelues againſt the ſame, by preuenting them, and by defending and iuſtifying that in themſelues, which is vile and naught: yea, and they will hauehave them, whoſe office it is to tell them of their faults, to know and thinke that they are as well reformed, as the beſt reformers themſelues; and when all that liue with them ſee their liues full of diſorder, yet not onelyonly they will acknowledge no ſuch thing, but contrarily they boldly beare out all, and defend their own doings. True it is, they will not ſay they doe wickedly and that they will doe ſo ſtill (for then it might bee hoped that they might be made aſhamed of ſo great boldneſſe) but they doe worſe, for they call euill good, and ſo being wiſe in their owne conceite, they ſhew that there is more hope of a foole, then of them, Pro. 26. The beſt men and moſt approued ſeruants of God that we read of, how good ſoeuer they were, yet in the time wherein they liued, would ordinarily and daily humble and caſt down themſelues before God, becauſe they were ſinners, and ſay, Lord, if thou looke ſtraightly what is done amiſſe, who ſhal be able to abide it? Pſal. 130. And our Sauiour hath taught his, that when they hauehave done God the beſt ſeruice, yet that they ſhould count themſelues but vnprofitable ſeruants, Luke 17. 10. If the beſt be but vnprofitable, and that God may iuſtly challenge them; who ſeeth not that they are farre of from a good eſtate and condition, who bluſh not for the manifold ſinnes which they are priuie to in ſecret, and which men are able to bring againſt them openly? And yet as fearefull a condition as this is, to this point multitudes are come in this our age, that as ſome are growne ſo ſeared and hardned, that they will not at all come to the light, leaſt their euill deedes ſhould be made knowne, Ioh. 3: So many other ſo handle the matter, that whatſoeuer reproofes they heare, that doe moſt concerne them, they will admit none, but hate to be reformed, becauſe they louelove darkneſſe more then light, and with the Adder ſtop their eares at the voice of the charmer, charme he neuer ſo wiſely. And as they ſhift off reproofes in the publick place after this manner, ſo they hauehave learned as cunningly to deceiue themſelues in priuate. For as this age affordeth not many, who are ſo careful to liue innocently duplicate page duplicate page in their owne life, that they may be bold to tell others of their faults, ſo they, which are ſuch that they dare rebuke a mortall man, for taking away honor from the immortall God, they are knowne well enough,Men are ſhy of ſuch as will reproue. and noted for the moſt part: and they who are faultie and offenſiue in their liues, will be wary enough how they come into their companies; eſpecially they will be ſure to hauehave no familiaritie with them, that ſo they may be free from their reprehenſions, counting ſuch no better then mad men, 2. King. 9. 11.
Againe, God his faithfull ſeruants pray with the man of God in the Pſalme 141 Let the righteous ſmite me▪ And the Diſciples of ChriſtPſal. 141. when they were yet but weake, hearing their maſter cōplaining, that one of them ſhould betray him, could not be quiet nor ſatisfied, vntill they might be reſolued, which of them was the offender, and therefore ſaid one after another, Maſter is it I, is it I? But how many on the contrary, are ſo far off from this readineſſe to heare of their ſinnes, that if in publique preaching they heare any thing to ſound that way, and to come neare them, they deadly diſlike it: neither doth any thing make their liues more pleaſant, and better liking to them, then in their deepeſt ſecuritie, to be without reprehenſions: nor nothing more ſting & vexe them, then when they are conſtrained to heare iuſt rebukes. So farre are they off, from reprouing themſelues ſecretly, as (if one ſhould marke it, or could know what they doe) that hee ſhould not heare one of many to ſay,ler. 8. 6. Yet reprouers muſt be cautelous. what hauehave I done? I graunt that reproofes muſt be kindly, not arrogantly miniſtred, that it may beſeeme the reprouers. They therefore hauehave great grace, who hauehave learned and are reſolued, to heare and admit the words of exhortation, & to be ſubiect to reproofes with willingneſſe, that they may be kept from euill. But (Lord) how many hauehave turned away from receiuing admonition and correction, till with the foole in the Prou. 5. they ſay, P… …. ….I was almoſt brought to euill for it. And this be ſaid by occaſion of Sauls preuenting the Prophets rebuke.