then to keepe the dayes they thought it enough to leaue the works of theyr calling though they did neuer forsake the works of the flesh and therefore he chargeth them that their hands were full of blood verse 15. So is it with vs we rest for the most part in the outward ceremony in honouring God with our lippes and bodily presence in his house we bring no more but our outward eares to heare and neglect the preparation of the heart and yet flatter our selues as if we had done all that he requireth Howbeit God reiecteth and refuseth such duty at our hands hee cannot abide the seruice and sacrifice that is offered in this manner Hence it is that he saith I hate I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies though yee offer mee burnt offerings and your meate offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fatte beasts Amos chapter the fift the 21 and 22 verses Not that almighty GOD hated or abhorred the thinges themselues hee did not reiect their works but the euill of their works Esay chapter 1 verse 16 so he cannot abide that we come before him in that corrupt manner but we assemble for the worse and not for the better and by our corruption turne his sauing ordinances into sinne 16 And in the fourteenth day of the first moneth is the Passeouer of the Lord. 17 And in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the feast seuen daies shall vnleauened bread be eaten 18 In the first day shall be an holy conuocation c. 19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by sire for a burnt offring vnto the Lord two young Bullocks one Ramme and seuen Lambes of a yeere old c. 20 And their meate offering shall be of c. 21 A seuerall tenth deale c. 22 And one Goat for a sinne offering c. 23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning c. After this maner c. 25 An on c. Wee come now to the yearely feasts and sacrifices whereof the Passeouer hath the first place wherein beside the dayly sacrifice they were to offer two young Bullocks and one Ramme and seuen Lambs of the first yeare without blemish for a burnt offering and their meat offering must be of flower mingled with oyle and they must eate vnleauened bread seuen dayes the first day the seuenth must be an holy conuocation wherein they must do no seruile worke Of this feast wee reade at large Exod. 12 18. Leuit. 23 5 7. Deut. 16 1. Of this feast we haue also spoken before at large chap. 9 2 3. And it was of great importance euen the foundation of all the benefits which the Iewes receyued at Gods hands without which they had beene no people separated and dedicated vnto almighty God This Paschall Lambe was not a bare ceremony Vse 1 without doctrine and instruction The Iewes departed in great haste out of Egypt And how not armed or with bannners displayed as if theyr enemies had stood in feare of them but they went out like a company of poore fugitiues or banished persons The women carried theyr children vpon theyr shoulders the men tooke vp theyr stuffe vpon theyr necks and fled out of the Land as Lot did out of Sodome for theyr liues They were a people that had no skill to handle the sword or weapon of warre defensiue or offensiue they had beene vsed like Oxen for labor and like Asses for burden And when they must depart it was saide Get you hence Exod. 12 29 they must trusse vp the Corne they had grownd and bake cakes by the way to eate This solemnity they obserued yearely wherin they did eate cakes without leauen which serued to put them in minde that when theyr fathers departed out of Egypt they were a poore distressed people and ranne away like silly Lambes pursued by deuouring wolues This should teach all of vs that God would haue vs remember such deliuerances out of danger as he hath sent vs. We are apt to forget what he hath done for vs as the Iewes were and therefore we must consider to what end God commanded his people to celebrate this feast euery yeare that not for one day but for seuen dayes together and doth so often vrge it vpon them as we see in the Scriptures And albeit this feast haue no place in the new Testament but is iustly abrogated abolished because the shadow must giue place to the body and the ceremony to the truth yet wee must not thinke the commending of it euery where to the Church to bee in vaine For it serues to put vs in minde both of Gods mercy and goodnesse vnto his Church who though he bring them into sundry perils that are ready to oppresse them yet he is ready to deliuer them out of all yea when things seeme to bee most desperate and also of our duty toward him to giue him thankes for our deliuerances and to praise his Name Secondly from hence it followeth that it Vse 2 was a vaine and friuolous controuersie which troubled sundry Churches and rent in sunder one of them from another touching the keeping of the Passeouer Some would haue it kept on the 14. day of the moneth after the manner of the Iewes and others on the Lords day after lest the Church should follow the Synagogue Victor Bishop of Rome did threaten all the East Churches with the censure of excommunication because they celebrated the Passeouer another day then on the Lords day But Ireneus and other holy Bishops reproued him of obstinacy of pride and arrogancy wrote vnto him that he did not well in that he cut from the vnity of the body of the Church so many and so great Churches of Christ which obserued the order deliuered vnto them from ancient times as appeareth in Eusebius For the Churches of the East pretended that they followed Iohn and Philip and the Churches of the West alledged the examples of Paul and Peter for theyr warrant and one clayme was fully as good and haply as true as the other This strife doth the Bishop of Rome at this day nourish and renew againe that had bene long buried in the graue and couered with ashes by his new Calendar and thrusteth vpon the Church his owne ordinance concerning the obseruatiō of Easter as a diuine precept and consequently necessary to be kept and obserued of the Church vsurping iurisdiction and authority ouer all Churches to rule ouer them and their faith at his pleasure Cardinall Bellarmine going about to establish traditions against the all-sufficient doctrine of the Scriptures auoucheth that we must necessarily beleeue that the Passeouer is to be kept in the new Testament on the Lords day onely because they haue bene accounted heretikes who kept it otherwise and yet this cannot be proued by the Scripture I answer the former controuersie was at the last thus defined and
before our eyes the example of Balaam hired to curse the people of God o Iohn 5 34 36. who gaped after gaine and promotion and gaue mischeiuous counsell to the Moabites and Midianites to worke their death and destruction This truth is confirmed by sundry the Apostles Peter Iude and Iohn in the new Testament who mentioning this history declare both that bee loued the wages of vnrighteousnes and laid a stumbling-blocke before the children of Israel to intrap them was reprooued for his iniquity by his Asse Who spake with mans voice and forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet These things being duly weighed and throughly considered do sufficientlie teach vs who is the author of this Booke not man but God and that the authority of it is diuine and not humane Now let vs see what vse may be gathered from hence and how it may be profitably applyed to our instruction Seeing the Author of this Booke and so of Vse 1 the rest of holy scripture is not man or Angel or any creature but the Lord of heauen and earth we learne that they want not nor stand in neede of the confirmation and approbation of the Church or of men seeing they are approued vnto vs by a greater authority and as it were warranted vnto our consciences from on higher Court where God himselfe sitteth present and president of the same So then as Christ our Sauiour speaketh p I receiue not the record of man but I haue a greater witnesse then the witnesse of Iohn We may truly say the same of his word we haue a better ground to stand vpon and a fairer warrant then the testimonie of the Church to beare record of the dignitie and authority of the word Hence it is that he saith in the same place The works which the Father hath giuen me to fin sh do beare witnes of me that the Father sent me and the Father himselfe which hath sent me beareth witnes of me This serueth to conuince the Church of Rome of the spirit of errour which teacheth that the scripture receiueth authority and credite from the Church insomuch that some of them are not ashamed to auouch q Eckius in Euchirid de autho Eccl. That the authoritie of the Church is greater then of the Scripture and others feare not to blaspheme r Hermannus that they should haue no more authority in regard of vs then Aesops Fables except the authority of the Church did procure it And as they are bold to maintaine that the Church is aboue the Scripture Å¿ Bellar. de verbo dei li. 4. cap. 12. so they teach that the Scriptures are not in themselues necessary neyther were written to be a rule of our Faith Thus they fall from one heresie into another proceed from worse to worse as euill men doe But the assurance of our Faith touching the Scriptures is not builded on the Churches authority but vppon the illumination of Gods spirit shining euidently in the Scriptures theÌ„selues The holy Ghost openeth the eyes of those that are his that they know discerne his voice from all others For as the Sun is not seene by any lighâ— but his owne so we iudge of the truth and all false Doctrines by the Scriptures How do we discerne sweet from sowre but by it owne taste And how can wee better discerne the rellish of the Scripture t Psal 19 10. Which is swâ—eter then the Hony and the Hony-combe to the taste then by the goodnes and excellency of it selfe True it is wee doe not reiect and refuse contemne or condemne the testimony authority of the true church as the Papists slander vs u What the office and authority of the Church is but wee confesse these points of the Church First it is as the keeper of the rolles and records to preserue them not to authorize them He that is custos rotulorum doth not giue authority to the writings but hath them of trust committed vnto him Secondly it is as a touchstone to distinguish them from bastard counterfeit Scriptures not to make that Scripture which is no Scripture The touchstone of the Gold-smith doth not make gold but discerneth and distinguisheth gold from other mettall what is base and what is rich stuffe so doeth the Church Thirdly it is as the voice of a x Chrisost hom 1. in Epist ad Tit. crier to preach and publish and promulgate and teach the truth as a cryer pronounceth and proclaimeth the Edicts and Decrees of his Prince but cannot adde to them nor take from them nor authorize them nor any way alter change them Fourthly it is as an Interpreter and expounder to expound and interpret them according to the Scriptures As the man of Law deliuereth the sense of the Law but doeth not make it to bee Law These are holy and honourable seruices of the Church and these wee willingly acknowledge to belong vnto it But that the Scriptures should receiue credite from it or bee of no authority without it we cannot admit or acknowledge For they are cleere perfect firme and worthy of all respect and reuerence without the testimony of the Church for the Authors sake The Apostle saith y 1 Ioh 5 6 9 It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse for that Spirit is truth and afterwarde If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater Thus then wee see that the chiefe cause why wee beleeue that the Scriptures were deliuered from Heauen is not the witnesse of the Church nor the authoritie of man but because the Spirit speaketh euidently in them so that we can no more doubte of the truth of them though the Church should hold her peace then if we heard God openly speaking vnto vs froÌ„ the highest heauens Let vs therefore detest the wickednesse and blasphemy of such as say the authority of Gods worde dependeth of the testimony of man which were to preferre man before God to make all his promises hang vppon the vncertaine credite of man and to make the hand-maid take place before the Lady and Mistris which were a presumption and saucinesse not to be endured Secondly we learne from hence who is the Vse 2 best Interpreter of the Scriptures and who is the sole and soueraigne Iudge thereof namely God himselfe who is the author and inspirer of them For as the authority of them dependeth not vppon the Church so the interpretation of them dependeth not vppon the will and pleasure of man according to the saying of the Apostle z 2 Pet. 1 No prophesie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation Euery man is the expositor of his owne worke euery Law-giuer knoweth best the meaning of his owne Law a 1 Cor. 2 For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God for God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his
bee receiued To conclude let our obedience be surely grounded vpon the infallible rocke of the scriptures let it be performed heartily not hypocritically let it be discharged cheerefully not grudgingly let it bee done entirely not to halfes let it be constant not intermitted and interrupted lastly let it be present not put off from day to day then shal we be sure to be accepted and that God will crowne our obedience in this life with a full and finall recompence in the life to come 20. So were the sons of Reuben Reuben Israels eldest son by their generations by their families by the houses of their fathers according to the number of their names man by man euery male from twenty yeares and aboue as many as went foorth to warre 21. The number of them I say of the Tribe of Reuben was sixe and forty thousand and fiue hundreth 22 Of the sonnes of Simeon Simeon by their generations their families and by the houses of their fathers according to the number of their names man by man euery male from twenty yeares and aboue as many as went foorth to warre 23 The summe of them I say of the Tribe of Simeon was nine and fifty thousand and three hundreth 24. Of the sons of Gad Gad. by their generations and so forward vnto the ende of the Chapter In the words before we haue seene the obedience of Moses set downe in generall that hee did all as the Lord had commanded him Heere we are to consider the same more particularly what was the summe of euery Tribe wherein somewhat is set downe common to them all that they are numbred first by their generations secondly by their families thirdly by the houses of their fathers fourthly according to the number of their names fiftly man by man sixtly euery male seuenthly frō twēty yeare and aboue eightly as many as went foorth to warre These things are noted of euery Tribe particularly somewhat is sette downe that is proper to each Tribe to wit to what summe it accrued to wit 1. Of the Tribe of Reuben were numbred 46500. 2. Of the Tribe of Simeon were numbred 59300. 3. Of the Tribe of Gad were numbred 45650. 4. Of the Tribe of Iudah were numbred 74600. 5. Of the Tribe of Issachar were numbred 54400. 6. Of the Tribe of Zebulun were numbred 57400. 7. Of the Tribe of Ephraim were numbred 40500. 8. Of the Tribe of Manasseh were numbred 32200. 9. Of the Tribe of Beniamin were numbred 35400. 10. Of the Tribe of Dan were numbred 62700. 11. Of the Tribe of Asher were numbred 41500. 12. Of the Tribe of Naphtali were numbred 53400. The totall summe 603550. Here is a particular view and suruey taken of this people together with the generall summe of the whole From hence diuers Questions arise that are to bee answered before we do handle the doctrine proper to this Question 1 place First it may be demanded how this people could multiply to so great a number in so short a time For from the birth of Isaac to the muster heere taken are not much aboue 400 yeares and they went into Egypt with a few soules how then could one family the Tribe of Leui also excluded and the vnwarlike company of women and children of olde and sickly persons not comprehended how I say could one family grow to so great a multitude The Atheists account this incredible and vnpossible Answer and therfore make a mock at it as they do at many other partes of holy scriptures which they wrest to their owne destruction Neither is this to be beleeued by the authority of the Church rather then thorough the testimony of the Scripture and the holy Spirit speaking in it Cocleus lib. 2. de author Eccles et Script as some of the Papists speake of many like places Heerein appeareth indeed the wonderfull blessing of God in increasing seuenty persons to such a multitude in the space of two hundred sixteene yeares for so long was it and no longer from the coming downe of Iacob into Egypt with his family vnto this numbring of them by Moses in this place whereby God did make good his promise vnto Iacob Gen. 46.3 I will make of thee a great Nation For as his iustice appeared and the seuerity of his hand that of all this great multitude which came out of Egypt onely two of them to wit Caleb and Ioshua entred into the Land of Canaan all the residue because of their murmuring idolatry and disobedience perished in the wildernesse some were slaine with the sword some were swallowed vp of the earth some were consumed with the pestilence some were stung with the serpents some dyed a natural death Numb 14. so that neither their eyes saw nor their feete trod vpon the Land of promise as the Lord threatned them so the wonderfull mercy exceeding blessing of God was seene shewed in this wonderfull multiplication vntill they came to so huge a multitude August de ciuit dei lib. 18. cap. 7. Mornae de ver rel Christ c. 26. Neither need we to hold as many doe that this was miraculous and contrary to the course of nature or that euery one brought foorth two or three at euery birth We see by experience in numbring that a small number by addition and multiplication and doubling therof in a small time ariseth to a great and an innumerable company Some in our time yet liuing auouch that they haue knowne in their owne daies one woman who saw of her posterity that came out of her owne wombe an hundred and sixty persons and yet a principall part of them had no issue at all some of them leading a single life others beeing preuented by death The heathen report in their Histories that the Egyptian women bring foorth many at one burthen but to leaue them it is most probable that all the Hebrew women were very fruitefull Willet Hexapl. in Exod. cap. 1. p. 9. cap. 12. Simler in Exod. and none of them barren and that they began betimes to beare children and continued long the LORD thereby making a way for the execution of his decree and the accomplishment of his promise notwithstanding theyr cruell bondage heauy yoke intollerable labor wherewith they were oppressed and oppugned Now to giue a taste of this increase how it might be effected by ordinarie meanes albeit by an extraordinary blessing that God might verifie the worde spoken vnto Abraham consider with me that seauentie persons in thirty yeares supposing they begate euerie one but one onely in a yeare as manie might do moe will bring forth two thousand one hundred persons If we cut off the odde hundred and admit that the third part only of the former number was apt for generation to wit sixe hundred which make three hundred couples and so many marriages these considered as the former in thirty yeare more will beget and multiply nine thousand and yet we are come
those workmen that builded the Arke for others but were drowned themselues Let vs then labour after the especiall comfort consisting in the deliuerie of the whole will of God that though our hearers perish and go vnto destruction yet wee may find peace and comfort to our own harts This was it which the Apostle rested in hee preached Christ not onely as a Sauiour to theÌ„ that beleeue but as a Iudge of them that contemne him he saith We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued in them which perish to the one we are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life for we are not as many which make merchandize of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake wee in Christ 2 Cor. 2 15 16 17. Thus doth the Prophet Esay prophesie concerning Christ bringing him in on the one side complaining of the contempt of his preaching and on the other side comforting himselfe that his worke was approued of God I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Esay 49 4. If we be found faithfull we shall be partakers of this comfort blessed shall that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing So then this duty serueth to comfort such as haue taught the word of God not only truely but wholly and onely so that they are able to appeale to the consciences of their hearers to witnesse with their sincerity Thus did the Apostle Paul in many places In the 20. chap. of the Acts vers 18 26 he saith Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men Where he maketh them witnesses of his diligence in preaching and of the discharge of his duty in his calling and therefore they could not deny it Thus he speaketh in his second Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3 v. 1 2 The like manner of speaking dealing hath beene vsed by the Prophets and Apostles as appeareth in sundry places yea by Christ Iesus himselfe Samuel cleareth himselfe before the people Behold heere I am beare record of me befere the Lord and before his Annointed 1. Sam. 12 3. So Christ speaketh Which of you can accuse me and rebuke mee of sinne Iohn 8 46. This is a great and singular comfort to all the Ministers that in truth shal be able to auouch to their people this their diligence vprightnesse and to say in the face of the Congregation Ye know that I haue done my duty I take you to record that I haue admonished you I haue blown the Trumpet and taught you the way of saluation This is expedient and necessary for the Minister to vtter of himselfe both in respect of the godly and vngodly of the godly that their soules gained to the faith might cleare him and God haue the glory Of the wicked his aduersaries that they might be left without excuse that their mouthes might be stopped they haue nothing iustly to lay against him But contrariwise when the people haue beene ignorant and without instruction thorough the want of performance of this duty this should bee as great a greefe and anguish of spirit and bring as great trouble of conscience to consider his negligence and want of loue to their soules that were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ Thirdly this serueth to confute and conuince Vse sundry errors and to correct sundry euill practises and corrupt abuses First it meeteth with many errors and heresies of the church of Rome which maintaineth the sowre leauen of false doctrine and poysons the truth of God with their owne inuentions And seeing the Minister is to set downe but the truth of God we must learne to detest apocryphall additions and their humane traditions both which are a derogation to the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures For touching the Apocryphall Bookes which they haue lifted vp into the chayre of estate and giuen them equall power and preheminence with the Canonicall Scriptures they are but base counterfet coyne and no part of the Churches treasure they haue drosse mingled with them are not pure and perfect mettall They were not endited by the Spirit of God nor penned by the Prophets 〈◊〉 3 16. Pet. 1 19. the Lords Secretaries as the Scriptures were which haue God for their author and the holy Prophets for their Penmen Againe they were neuer committed of trust to the Iewes nor receiued of them into the Arke as not onely the fathers but the aduersaries themselues confesse and acknowledge but the ancient Church of the Iewes receiued and approued all the Canonical Booke Rom. 3 2. God did commend them to their care committed them to their custody for this was one chiefe priuiledge of the Iewes that they were credited with the Oracles of God And howsoeuer they shewed their ignorance in false interpretations yet they discouered no vnfaithfulnesse in wilfull corruptions additions alterations or manglings of any Bookes for then they should haue beene charged with this â—â—h 5 21. as well as with the other Lastly they containe sundry things that disagree from the true Scriptures of God likewise from theÌ„selues as might be declared and demonstrated by many particulars Seeing therfore these bookes called Apocrypha were neyther penned by the Prophets nor deliuered to the church of the Israelites neither are free from diuers contradictions we conclude that the Church of Rome hath no warrant to equal them with the holy Scriptures make them of like credite and authority with the Scriptures Againe 〈…〉 Ses 4 they offend in teaching humane traditions in making a word vnwritten equall with the word written and holding the Scriptures to be vnperfect maimed lame not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation not fully enabling the Minister to discharge his Calling But the holy Scriptures are perfect absolute and all-sufficient to teach the truth to conuince errors 〈◊〉 3 16 17. to correct vices and to instruct in righteousnesse yea to make the man of God perfect and throughly instructed in euery good worke and are of strength ability and sufficiency to make him wise to saluation Lastly they are accursed that adde any thing that take away any thing froÌ„ that which is written Deut. 4 2. Prou. 30 6. Reuel 22 18. and therefore no such vnwritten verities are to be taught or preached to the people as the matter of our Sermons or the instrument of our faith or the means of our saluation Moreouer it serueth to redresse and amend sundry corrupt practises too common and familiar among the Ministers of the Gospel Some in stead of building vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus
is a seruice that is well pleasing in his sight forasmuch as we shew thereby that we do not depend on the pleasure of men but rely our selues vpon the authority of God And as it is the praise and triall of a good subiect who is content to beleeue and obey the lowest messenger and least officer that commeth vnto him with a message and commandement from his Prince so heereby it appeareth that we are true Citizens of the kingdom of God his adopted children if we heare his word with feare and reuerence albeit it be preached vnto vs by the meanest and poorest of all Gods seruants On the other side as it is a note of contempt toward the Magistrate himselfe to disobey or resist any Serieant or seruant that commeth from him how base soeuer he may seeme to be so wee make our selues guilty of rebellion and high treason against GOD when wee despise such as speake in his Name and contemne them that haue authority committed vnto them from the most high All such as loathe the truth for the Teachers sake when their owne consciences conuince them that it is the word of God which soundeth in their eares let them assure themselues and perswade their owne hearts that the contempt of their persons redoundeth to the Sonne of God yea to the Father himselfe Let them marke this point weigh it diligently who take it hainously when they are reprooued of men equall vnto them or inferiour to them or if they be contemptible to the world by reason of their poore estate The fourth reproofe Lastly it reproueth those that go about to shake the faith of many and to weaken the assurance and certainty of our saluation hauing the promises thereof propounded vnto vs in the doctrine and by the writings of the Apostles Hence it is that sundry scoffers and prophane spirits aske the question who is Paul and who is Peter or what is Iohn that wee should of necessity beleeue them Who gaue them authority or whence haue they power in the Church to set downe and prescribe vnto vs a rule of faith The doctrine that now we deale withall serueth very fitly to stoppe the mouthes of these Atheists and containeth a soueraigne preseruatiue against the poison that they offer vnto vs inasmuch as Christ the eternall Sonne of God maketh them his messengers his witnesses his heraulds to spread abroad his sauing health and auoucheth that he speaketh in them acknowledgeth himselfe to be author of that truth which they deliuer Gal. 1 8. so that if an Angell from heauen should preach any other Gospel then that which they haue preached to the Churches hee must bee holden accursed This therefore we ought to apply vnto our selues and gather as an argument of great comfort that when remission of sins and eternall life are promised to them that are truely penitent and lay hold vpon Christ by a liuely faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles we must assure our selues it is the voice of Christ and he will ratifie it in the highest heauens Neither is this true onely touching the Apostles themselues that had their calling from God and not from men and were conuersant with Christ in the daies of his flesh but likewise of all the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ that haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen committed vnto them When we assure forgiuenesse of sinnes to those that haue contrite and broken hearts it is no doubtfull or vncertaine assurance but grauen with a diamond and written as it were with a pen of steele to continue for euer forasmuch as it is the assurance of Christ and of God himselfe The voice of the Minister is not the voyce of a priuate man but of one that is a publike person it is as the voice of Christ himselfe Art thou humbled and cast downe for thy sinnes and doth thy soule cleaue vnto the dust He sendeth his Minister vnto thee and putteth the word of reconciliation into his mouth so that if thou vnfainedly turne vnto God be as well assured of the mercy of God toward thee as thou heardst Christ himselfe say vnto thee as he did sometimes to the sicke of the palsie Sonne bee of good cheare Math. 3 2. thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Againe when the Ministers of God on the other side doe threaten and thunder out the sentence of condemnation against the vnbeleeuers and such as cannot repent this also is no lesse the voice of the Sonne of God which no power of the world nor authority of man can hinder or call backe forasmuch as whose sinnes they reteine they are reteined Iohn ◠This iudgement howsoeuer it be either denied or derided or doubted off among the vngodly yet will Christ make it good and execute the same vpon them to their confusion This doctrine reacheth to the true Ministers of the word who haue their calling from God his word As for the Bishop of Rome that challengeth sole authority to forgiue sinnes and will haue all his decrees and decretals no lesse acknowledged then the word of God it is more then childish and ridiculous For he hath nothing common with the Apostles and cannot proue his succession wherein he glorieth by any sound reasons and yet arrogateth more vnto himselfe then GOD gaue or the Apostles tooke or the Church acknowledged to be due vnto the Apostles forasmuch as the Lord tied thē by an expresse commandement that they should teach the people to obserue those things which he had commanded them Vse 3 Thirdly this serueth to informe the Ministers that it concerneth them much to adorne their calling and to magnifie their Ministery that it bee not blemished and euill spoken off through their default This ought aboue all other things to be a spur vnto vs in our sides and as a fire kindled within our bowels to inflame our hearts with a zeale of Gods glory with a loue of his people with a care to discharge our office committed vnto vs with an earnest desire to encrease the kingdome of Christ Iesus For seeing God accounteth vs as his owne Embassadors sent out to do his wil and vouchsafeth to ioyne our labour with mans saluation we are bound in duty and conscience to preach the Gospel truely purely painefully sincerely and soundly It is required of vs not onely to teach but to teach the truth and to teach the truth with a right affection For we can neuer challenge the names and titles of being the Messengers of God vnto our selues and to be respected as the person of Christ himselfe except we preach the pure word of God and commend to the Church the pure doctrine of Christ If wee preach corruptly and make merchandise of the word of God and mingle wheat with chaffe and good corne with darnell or that which is worse we are not to bee accepted receiued as Christ but to be reiected and refused as false teachers that speake in their owne
possesseth where all things are saide to bee in peace Luk. 11 21. Secondly let vs neuer look Vse 2 for a perfect agreement or perfect vnity in this life Such are falne into a deepe sleep and dreame to finde heauen vpon earth We must embrace the truth before all be agreed or els we shall neuer embrace it forasmuch as there is much ignorance the matter or mother of error euen in the most godly Happy wil it be for vs wheÌ„ there shal be an end of these daies of sin for then shall be an end also of all contention Thirdly let vs follow mens examples Vse 3 no further then they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11 1. There are defects and infirmities in the best We aime at perfection but wee cannot hit it Though we haue multitudes to go before vs we must know whom they follow before we follow and ioyne our selues vnto them Many men may fitly be coÌ„pared to a flock of sheep who at the first make many offers before any will aduenture but if one begin to leap ouer the rest follow amain so is it with diuers men that pinch curtesy at the first and keep themselues entire in the most holy faith but if they see others giue their assent they follow after stick at nothing neither try the spirits whether they be of God or not Lastly it is our duty Vse 4 to cut off all occasions of debate and as it were to take away the fuell that kindleth and continueth the fire 1 Cor. 1.10 Paul beseecheth the Corinthians as brethren by the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that they all speake the same thing and that there be no diuisions among them but that they be perfectly ioyned together in the same minde and in the same iudgement Verse 2. And they saide Hath the Lord indeed spoken onely by Moses The true cause of this their murmuring and contention was pride and ambition selfe-loue ostentation vain-glory â—â—â—trine 〈…〉 â—reater â—e to the â—â—â—rch then â—ion Hereby we learne that there commeth no greater plague to the Church of God then by ambition desire of preheminence when men desire to ouer-rule others to haue the sole command of all things in the church and neuer to be commanded This was the sinne that caused our first parents to fall from God and by their fall to ruine all mankinde they would needs be as Gods knowing good and euill Gen. 3 5. The ambition and pride of Amaziah the priest of Beth-el would not suffer the Prophet Amos in the land of Israel but he commanded him to flie away into the land of Iuda and prophesie there Amos 7 10 12. We see this apparently afterward chap. 16. of this booke in Korah Dathan and Abiram This moued the high Priests the Scribes and Pharisies to persecute Christ and his Apostles to wit the loue which they had to their owne kingdome and hierarchy more then vnto the kingdome of God they feared that if all men were brought to beleeue in Christ they shold lose their place and authority Iohn 11 47. Math. 23 6 7. So was it among the Apostles they also stroue who should bee the greatest among them So the Apostle Iohn speaking of Diotrephes sheweth that hee loueth the preheminence 3 Iohn 9 10. Hee was a proud and ambitious man affecting rule and authoritie ouer others and thereby brought much mischiefe and trouble vpon the church of God pratling against the Pastors with malicious wordes and not content therewith neither doth he himselfe receiue the brethren forbiddeth them that would and casteth theÌ„ out of the church Neither is this euill dead with these for this is a great plague of the church to this day and very pernicious Nothing hath more ruined the church of God ouerthrown piety corrupted religion hindered the Gospel discouraged the Pastors and professors of it nothing hath more erected the kingdom of Anti-christ then these petty popes the true successors of Diotrephes such as desire to be vniuersall byshops and to reign alone to haue all the dealings in their owne hands and the whole flocke to stand at their becke and conclude what they list Reason 1 The mischiefe hereof appeareth by sundry reasons First it causeth a great rent and diuision in the church and disturbeth the peace of it Nu. 16 1. Korah and his company went apart as scismaticks caused a great contention to arise where was peace vnity before Reason 2 Secondly it setteth vp men putteth downe the Lord and his ordinances vrging compelling and commanding against the truth Act. 4 18 19. Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and Iohn and Alexander a proude generation of ambitious prelates commanded the Apostles not to preach and teach nor to speake at all in the name of Ieus whoÌ„ Christ had charged and commanded to preach And whereas he would haue them teach whatsoeuer he had commanded them Math. 28 20. they will limit them and stint the Spirit of God how far he shall go and what he shall not do Thirdly Reason 3 it proceedeth from very euill rootes and bringeth forth very euil effects as an euil tree bringeth forth euill fruites The causes from whence it floweth are Satan pride contempt disdaine of others selfe-loue in our selues Zeged loci communes no loue of the truth no zeale of Gods glorie no desire of the good of the church like mother like daughter as the root is so is the branch The effects thereof are trouble disquietnesse feare flattery enuy and subtilty Let vs come to the Vses It reproueth the Vse 1 Byshops of Rome and the Romane Cleargy which beare themselues as Lords ouer the flocke of Christ hauing all things to stand at their becke therefore the Apostle Peter saith the Elders that feede the flocke must not bee as Lords ouer Gods heritage but examples to the flocke 1 Pet. 5 3. and Christ our Sauiour when the two sonnes of Zebedeus ambitiously desired to be aboue their fellowes and stroue among themselues which should bee greatest Christ Iesus therupon sheweth how and which way euery one should be great who ought to bee had in highest regard and reputation euen such and onely such as do the best and greatest seruice to the church Mark 10 42. Lu. 23 24. Whosoeuer wil be great among you shall be your Minister and whosoeuer of you will be the cheefest shall be seruant of all So then the honor and the labour should not be diuided but go together howbeit in the church of Rome they haue most honour that doe the least labour and contrarywise they are least respected who haue most labored and taken greatest paines among the people But howsoeuer this be a common receiued custom it shall bee altogether otherwise in the next life when the great sheepheard of the sheepe shal appeare then shall they be most honored of him that haue laboured most euerie one shall receiue not onely for his labour but according to his labor 1 Cor. 3