The Christian gouernour, in the common-wealth, and priuate families described by Dauid, in his 101. Psalme. Guiding all men in a right course to heauen. Herewith also a part of the parable of the lost sonne. Luke 15. Both expounded and opened by Robert Horn. With the doctrines and vses thence arising. The more particular contents see on the page following.

Vses.

A confutation to Poperie: Papists

adde to the written truth, their vnwritten truths, as they call them truths, which they affirme to be as necessarie rules of faith to saluation as the Scriptures are; and so the Papists require a supply: but wherefore a supply, when the thing is sufficient? That Booke that was sprinck∣led with the bloud of the Lambe, that onely was put into the Arke, and fetched from thence, Heb. 9.19: and this is the word of faith which we preach, Rom. 10.8. Also we reade of a sure word of the Pro∣phets, 2 Pet. 1.19: and the same Apostle chargeth the Christians of his time, and vs in them, to take heede vnto it; not to the vncertaine breath of man, but to the most certaine word of God: for who will walke in a blinde way, when hee hath a knowne way to goe in? But that place in Mathew is notable to this purpose, where an Angell, in his message to Ioseph, would not vse his owne credit and autho∣ritie for that hee speake, but alledgeth Scripture for it, Math. 1.21.22.23. Ioseph might haue maruelled that his Wife should bee with childe by the holy Ghost, though an Angell had spoken it;

but when hee heard Scripture for it, he beleeued.

An instruction to Christians,* 1.1 chiefely to such as haue charge of others, to read much & deliberately in the word: for it is it onely that can make vs perfect to all good works, both in respect of knowledge, what ought to bee done, and of power to doe it.

Quest. But may a man be perfect in this life, seeing Dauid saith, Hee will doe wisely in the perfect way: and Christ ex∣horting, sayd, Be perfect, as your heauen∣lie Father is perfect? Mat. 5.28.

Answere. No man, who is not more then man, can: and therefore where Dauid promiseth to walke perfectly; and Christ exhorteth to bee perfect; Dauid meant not that he could be perfect, saue in respect of Gods imputation, or as he stood in balance with others, who were ruder in knowledge, and weaker in faith then himselfe: and Christs words, Be perfect, as your heauenly Father is perfect, implie onely a like qualitie, but no way an equalitie.

Obiect. How (then) can the Scrip∣tures

make vs perfect in all good works?

Answere. The Scriptures are able to make vs perfect, if there were no defect in vs (the obiect) they worke vpon: and yet the way of the godly is called perfect, not in respect of action, but of endea∣uour and desire, Luk. 1.6. There are great infirmities in our best works, yet if we striue against our imperfections, and labour to perfection, the euill that we doe shall not bee remembred, the good that wee would doe, shall bee taken as done: for we are by imputation, what we are in affection; and hee is no sinner, who for the loue that he beareth to righteousnesse desireth to be none. If (then) we would be perfect in Gods account and by impu∣tation, and bee meanes to make others so, wee must attend to reading, and (as it were) weare the Booke of God in our hands, hauing it alway with vs, Deut. 17.19. The practise of this we reade, Psal. 119.97; Oh how loue I thy law, it is my medi∣tation continually! Where the Prophet sheweth that the loue of God is the loue of his word, and that so much as we loue him, so much wee loue his truth. The

King must exercise it, Deut. 17.18. and God be thanked that our King is so well exercised in it. Now is it necesssary for the King often to reade in the word, to teach him to rule? and is it not as ne∣cessarie for common persons, and all in∣feriours (that haue more time) to medi∣tate in it, that they may learne to obay? Is it necessarie for him to grow learned by reading, and by meditation to bee made wise in the Scriptures, that he may not by the swelling of the heart (a grie∣uous disease in Kings) commaund things vnlawfull and intolerable? and is it not as necessary for these, with like diligence, to exercise themselues in the word, that in too great a basenesse of minde they yeeld not themselues (seruilely) to obay man rather then God? That we may giue our selues (thus) to the studie of the word, we must pray that we may loue it: for where loue is, there is delight; and what we loue to doe, that we delight to doe. The rich man loueth to be rich, and therefore meditateth of riches. The am∣bitious person loueth prayse, and therfore casteth to be praysed. The Naturall man

loueth naturally, and therefore liueth na∣turally: and so, if we had no greater plea∣sure, wealth, or glorie, then to meditate in the word, our loue (this way) would constraine vs continually to reade and meditate in the same.

* 1.2A reproofe to Popish superstition, and our common peoples prophanesse, who are so farre (themselues) from rea∣ding the word, that they abhorre that o∣thers should read it. The Papists keepe it from the people vnder the Lo••ke of a strange tongue: and our people, that may reade, and heare it read in their Mother-tongue, neglect it altogether. Of such we cannot say, by their fulnesse in the word, that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, Luk. 6.45. For if wee shall iudge of their inward knowledge by their barren tongues, we may truely giue sentence against them, that there is no droppe of heauenly lear∣ning in them, and that their Fountaines within are as a long drouth in Summer. So farre for the manner how the Pro∣phet will doe these good duties; the time how long followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vse 2.
• * 1.2

  Vse. 3.