Chrilliln meekr:~eil'e mufibetent· perd with ChriO:ian -z;u!e. v1n Expojition vpon \ I ' I Apoi"ile vfct.h it. Anfi•. This pracHfe of the Apofllc ( hauing an extr:wrdinaric fpirit of rc– uclation) is •no rule for any man,no not tOr the Mini!l:er ordin?nly c;a\lcd. Our rule left vs by . f -..-- · A confider 2.thirigs:lirft:,what.iSthcwayofCam: I I I fccondly, why they arc fa1d to walke in this way of C:tine. The way of Caine is that courfc oflifc which C~tine tookcvp to himfclfe,in fol- \ Chrifl is to bhj{ea11dnot curfe, Matth. 5. 44· Rom.12. 14. w.h1ch mull: be vndcrHood ofpar– ticul;t.\' ,rcrfon~,for othcrwife the M1nif1er hcnh \ authontic ~o accurfc impenitent Jinncr5 in ge– neral!; but not this or that p:micular pcrfon;no not in Gods caufe : for hcc knowes not what (hall be the future cfl.ate of this or that man in parcicular:mucllldfe·may priuatcmen in priuat caufc:s vrc curfings or imprecations again!t 0then> :which condCncth their wickedpraC'bfc, who in their anger and impatience brcake out intocurling ofthen· childrtn,fcruants, friends, yea or enemies; our contraric dmic mull be to hlejfe, as wee arc called vmobleffing. Thirdly, mark the ApoH\cs clifpofitions; they wcrethC.:. fcluesmoH mecke in dealing with men, who called others Vnt0 mcckcndfc; their owne pa– tient tnind('S were knowne VntO all men in <ill the matter's ofmcn:but when Gods gloric was called into queftiou, and the faluation of men hkely to be hindred,thcy lay afide their mcek– nes,and put on fcucrity & roughnes,their zcale in Gods matters would not admit fuch lcnitic and patience, as towards men in mens matters they were wilJi.ng to cxercifc. They had an A– poftoUcallrod, which in fuch cafes they vfed a– gainll ?ffendcrs. Mofes the mcckdl nun vpon the earth, when he fa\\'e the Hi-aclhes wodhip the golden Calfe, was fo incenfed with wrath, that hce brake the Tables which were in his hands, and tooke his (o.,vord, and together with the Lcuitcsflewe three thoufand of them the fame day,Exod. p.z7. Chrilt himfclfe though be would not brcake a bruifed recdc; yet d.ca– ling with the Scribes and PhariGes who had corrupted the .... ·hole lawe, Jaded them with woes and curfcs, Matth.13. Paul, who other– wife was all things to all men; yet V\' hen Gods glory was imp<lyrcd by E'J·ma& his with!lading of hin1, he (lrokc him blindc: and curfed .Alex– anderout of a rightly ordered and holy zealc: all ~·hieh examples teach vs the religious affe.. Ction, that when Gods honour is in hazzard, our zealc fhould be inflamed ;-when mans fal– uation islikdy to be hindred, our meckeneffe mull be for the time fet al1dc, that the zcale of Gods houfc may cucn confume vs, Pfal. 69. 9. as it did Chrifl himfclfe when he fawe his Fa– thers houfc d1fhonorcd,and ofa houfc ofpray– er made a c!enne of rhecucs, vnto whom wee are daily to be conformed. They haue followed the way of Ca;ne.l In thefe words the Apofile rcwrncth to the for– mer pan ofthe reafon, whereby he bath ::alrca.. die by three forenamed llnnes· prooucG thac thcfc fcduccrs 3re they which take libcnic to llnnc; and vnto thcmaddcth this fOurth: Th::at thry hm1r: followed the w<ry of Caine. In which, fidl we will !hew the meaning of the words; and then obfcruc the doarines. In the former lowinl? the lufls of his ownc heart againlt the will of G.>d. Jt is dcfcribed in Gen+ofwhich way there be fcaucn flcps or degree~, but cuc– ry oneout ofthe right way. The firfi fl:cp ,Nas his hypocrific, he worfhippcd God by offering facrificc as Abel dicl;but his heart \"'.'as not a br– keuingheart as Abels Was; hi~ worll1ippc w::~s outward and ceremonious, but not in fpirit & truth, for his heart was an eui/1/uartof vn.~'eleefe. Thcfecond his hatredof his O\\'ne, onc– ly, and naturalIbrother, profccuting 1-iim with B "''rath and indignation, tcflificdby thecafiino down ofhis coumcnancc vpon him;thc reafo~ of all which was btca::fehUowne rriTrlz!swere e.. uill, and his hrothcrsgo~d, 1. I oh. ~. 12. fo <!S (his brothers offeringbeeingaccepted and his rcicC\ed) hec feared that Abet might get the birthright, and b~comc the Pricfi, Prophet, and King in the family, and cucric way (as hce deicrucd) be.prcfmcd before him: for thus much is Ggnificd in thcfe words, Gcn.4. 7.that if lice did well, Abelsajfc{];onjhonli!beefob;,[f vnto him,and he fl1ouldhold liis ru!c oticr him. Thctliird, his murther·whcrcby hce flcwe his righteous brother. The founh, hi's l}'ing \'nto God,faying,hek._newnot ·where his brother was, hauing flain him; and Cxrcnu;:ning his fin ne de– nied himfclfto be hii brothers k,:epd.Thc fifth, C his deJPeration, after that God had cOnuiCted him, and pronouncedTentence againfl: him: for beeing cu'rfed for hisflnnes he cuneth-offhim– felfe from thc·mercie OfGod,in faying, Jt&pu– nifhmentisgreaterthen I amable tO /Jeare, The ftxth, his[eCfi'Yitie, :md.·car~lcfndfe; he regar– deth not his finnc, nor' the confcicnce ofit,but buGetli himfclfc in buildinga Citie,and calleth it afcCr the nameo(his childc : that fceing his name·was not wricten in heaucn, he might yet prefcruC his n:1mc and rilcmorie in the canh. The feaucmh and l:lfi, which vvas the highcfl: lteppc ofhis way, was his prophancnes:forfrom thencefotth he cafl off and contemned all the care and praetife of Gods wor01ip; which ap– ·pcareth, Ge11.4.26. Then men began tocallvpD on thenameofthc Lord. Which wordshauere– l3tion to the "''hole Chapter concerning Came and his poflcdtie,who had vttcrly rcicC}ed the feruice of God, and becaken themfdues ro o– thel· affaires: Caine himfcife to his building; Lamub to hi5lufl, bccing the fir!l founder of Polygamic; for he rookc vmo him tvvo wiues: laha!to the fr:uning· and pitching of Tents: /uba/1 to Mi.Jlique: Tuhal-C(Iin to other curi– ous workes. Bm when Enoch was borne , then men began to affeCt becrer things, to call voon' thc name of the Lord; then the true ' ";orfhip of God (formerly negleCted ) began tobe rdlored. This is the path \\'hereinCainc >Palk}d. _l.:blli~ond point is in \\•hat regard thefc ---· fcdu- ·--------
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