and out of which he is shortly to depart Or will he be patching that Tent and Tabernacle which hee hath pitched for a day or two We dwell in earthly Tabernacles as in houses of clay 2 Cor. 5 4. 2 Pet. 1 14. What wisedome then is it to bestow daies and moneths and yeares in plotting plodding for the world for riches and the vanities of this life Let vs also prepare and prouide before hand for the day of our dissolution that such as God hath blessed with this worlds good set their houses and their estates in order as the Prophet in this regard warneth Hezekiah Esay 38 1. Set thine house in order for thou must dye And we may learne this necessary practise of Ahitophel though liuing in wickednes and dying in despaire of whom the Scripture saieth wheÌ„ he saw that his counsell was not followed he went home vnto his City put his house in order hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 17 23. This duty is to be thought vpon in health as that which deepely concerneth our selues and our posterity When we haue rightly disposed the things of this life let vs prepare for a Nunc dimittis let vs commend our spirits into the hands of God let vs resigne vp our selues willingly to death when we must enter into a particular iudgement For so soone as the soule is departed and separated from the body God holdeth his Sessions to which we are summoned by his messenger death to come into his presence to receiue in part according to our workes whether they be good or euill Euen as we see in the affaires of this life how Iudges and Iustices keepe their sessions and assises wherein malefactors brought out of prison are arraigned so God holdeth his time of iudgement and iustice to reward euery one according to his works We haue all a cause and case to bee tried the greatest the weightiest the worthiest that euer was handled not touching siluer gold not concerning house or land not of titles or inheritances but of the euerlasting saluation or daÌ„nation of our soules for euer and therefore it standeth vs in hand to be well armed thoroughly appointed that we come not as the foolish Virgins without oyle in our lampes or as the vnprepared guest without our wedding garment We see in temporall Courts when men haue a cause to be tried and an action to be determined either of goods or good name how carefull they are before hand to reade Euidences to produce witnesses and to search Records that the suite may passe on their sides how much more carefull ought wee to be to answer before the eternall Iudge where no man shall be admitted to appeare by his Atturney but all must come in their owne persons none shall be suffered to put in sureties This wil be a great day wheÌ„ the whole world shall appeare together at once high and low Prince and Subiect noble and vnnoble according to the description that Iohn maketh I saw the dead both great small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the booke according to their works Reuel 20 12. And was buried there Hitherto of the death of Miriam now of that which followed her death to wit her buriall See heere when life was departed what they did with the body they committed it to the earth The Doctrine from hence is this that it is a necessary duty to bury the dead Doctrine A commendable duty 〈◊〉 bury the dead This appeareth by many examples of the godly which haue practised this duty Gen. 23 4. Abraham the father of the faithfull bought a possession of burial of the Hittites who by the sight and light of nature had their Sepulchers therefore answered Abraham Gen. 23 6. 35 29 50 12 13. Thou art a Prince of God among vs in the cheefest of our Sepulchers bury thy dead none of vs shall forbid thee his Sepulcher but thou maist bury thy dead therein So ch 25 8 9. when Abraham yeelded the spirit and died in a good age and was gathered to his people his sonnes Isaac Ishmael buried him in the Caue of Machpelah in the field of Hephron where Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife The like we see done to Isaac when he gaue vp the ghost being old and full of daies his two sonnes Esau and Iacob buried him Now as Iacob did to his father so his children do to him according as hee had commanded them for his sonnes carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the Caue of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought The like may be said of Moses Deut. 34 5 6. for albeit the people buried him not neither knew of his Sepulcher lest they shold abuse it to idolatry yet rather then he should want buriall he was buried of God The men of Iabesh Gilead are praised of God and rewarded of Dauid because they buried King Saul and his sonne and aduentured their liues to do vnto him their last duty 2 Sa. 2 5 6. The same might be said of the rest of the Patriarks Prophets Iudges Kings Gouernours and Priests yea of Christ himselfe whose buriall albeit he were able immediately to haue raised and restored himselfe to life is set downe in the Gospel that his death might be confirmed and his farther humiliation manifested These examples teach that it is a christian and commendable duty of the liuing to be performed to the dead of children to bee performed to their parents and of the people of God one to another to commit the body of the deceased to the graue to put dust to dust and so to couer earth with earth And no maruaile For first among all creatures Reason 1 man is most loathsome and vgly when life is departed As in his birth and bringing foorth into the world of all creatures hee is most fraile and feeble without strength to stand without helpe to defend himselfe so being dead he is most fraile filthy and deformed He that a litle before gloried in his beauty comelinesse feature proportion is now become the mirror and spectacle of a deformed and mishapen carkasse Such a confusion and wracke hath sinne wrought and brought into our nature This made Abraham to say to the Hittites I am a stranger a forreiner among you giue me a possession of buriall to bury with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23 4. This is noted in Lazarus who hauing lien buried but foure daies his bâ—dy stanke Iohn 11 39. Reason 2 Secondly buriall is promised as a blessing from God and the want of it threatened for a plague and iudgement God offereth it as a mercy to Abraham â—5 15. that he should be buried in a ripe age and to Iosiah that he should bee put in his graue in peace â— 22 19 and
9. Acts 2 23. Luke 19 8. The reasons First because repentance onely Reason 1 made generally confusedly for knowne sins is neuer true repentance but a common hypocriticall repentance of one resolued and setled to continue in sin not yet touched with a true feeling thereof True it is for secret and vnknowne sins which we in weaknesse ignorance commit the Lord accepteth a general confession as we see in the practise of the Prophet Dauid saying Who can vnderstand his faults Cleanse me from secret sins Psalm 19 12. Thus did the rest no doubt of the godly deal such an acknowledgment of their vnknown sins which they tooke not to be sins did they make in a general manner which were hidden not onely from other men but euen from theÌ„selues This we may say of their polygamy or their marrying of many wiues and other their dail infirmities Secondly we must make a particular account to God at the houre of death when we Reason 2 must pleade guilty or not guilty at his bar A generall reckoning and account will not then be taken neither will the Lord set before vs grosse summes but the account shall be made of specials which may cause the stoutest and strongest men to tremble and quake for very feare of that day All the sinnes of thy former life shal be represented before thee like â— squadron of enemies ready set in battell aray to assault thee to giue in euidence against thee This is taught and witnessed vnto vs by the Apostle Iohn describing the manner of iudgement to which we shall be summoned Reuel 20 12. I saw the bookes opened and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works It standeth vs vpon in regard of these bookes to make vp our bookes and to looke to our reckonings forasmuch as we must gaue an account of our stewardship Luk. 16 2. Let vs now make vse of this doctrine First Vse 1 we learne from hence that it is not enough to say we are sinners and so to cry God mercy for a paâ—g or a brunt and so away or to desire God to forgiue vs our sinnes but we must vncase our selues and vncouer our particular trespasses if we would haue God to couer theÌ„ with the precious garment of Christ If a sicke man come to the Physition and onely tell him he is sicke and neuer shew him his particular greefe and disease that troubleth him in what part he is pained and in what sort he is taken he can neuer look to be cured and restored to health If we come vnto God the Father of spirits and Physition of soules and onely say We haue sinned we cannot assure our selues of pardon We declared before that we must coÌ„fesse our vnknowne sinnes generally but our knowne sinnes we must confesse particularly without any excuse or defence without any hiding or diminishing of theÌ„ as the same Prophet doth after he had sinned in numbring of the people I haue sinned greatly because I haue done this thing â—hro 21 8. c. Wherfore â—t standeth vs vpon with great greefe heauinesse of heart to confesse our speciall sinnes to giue sentence against our selues and to pray with earnestnes of spirit as for life and death for the pardon of our offences which we haue committed at such and such times in such places with such persons and in such manner otherwise our repentance is only in shew and for fashion sake which is neuer acceptable to God being done in hypocrisie and without a conscionable feeling of sinne in the soule Vse 2 Secondly this particular confession ouerthroweth and ouerturneth sundry corruptions and abuses in the case of repentance It condemneth all impenitent persons such as liue continue in one estate neuer sorrow for any sinne neither at any time turne from it neither haue any feeling or â—â—eefe for sinne neither know what it meaneth This is a dangerous estate and a most perilous iudgement For as a sick man is then most dangerously sick when he hath no feeling of his sicknesse and is ready to say he is well and hath small sense or none at all of any paine or perill so sinfull man is then in greatest misery by reason of his sinnes when hee thinketh himselfe to bee no sinner Such one is farre off from mourning sorrowing for sinne from turning from them and returning to God seeing be taketh himselfe to be in good â—ase and to stand in need of no repentance Such were the Pharisies in the dayes of Christ whom he reproueth Mat. 9 12 13. Besides it coÌ„demneth ceremonial repentance which carrieth an outward shew of dying to sinne but is separated from the inward truth of a sound heart Thus Saul repented 1 Sam. 15.74 and 26 21 and 24 17 18. And Ahab rent his clothes but not his heart hee fasted from food but not from sinne 1 Kin. 21.27.29 Thus the hypocrites repent mentioned in the Prophets when a man afflicteth his soule for a day Esay 58 5. Mic. 6 7. and boweth-downe his head as a bulrush yet looseth not the bondes of wickednesse and therefore immediately afterward he imbraceth his former sinnes and returneth to his old wayes as Phazaoh did who being annoied with the frogs smitten with the haile terrified with the thunders troubled with the grassehoppers pestered with the flyes disquieted with the darkenesse this was the euenâ— and issue of all as soone as he had rest giuen vnto him he hardned his heart and hearkened not vnto the Lord. This is the common sicknes of the common repentance that men ordinarily practise in these daies whereby they deceiue themselues and their owne soules dealing in hypocrisie dissembling with the Lord catching at the shadow instead of the body resting in shewes instead of the substance Lastly it condemneth all such as haue hardened their hearts in sinne and are growne therby to be past feeling such as cannot discerne betweene good and euill nor tremble at Gods iudgements but draw sin â—o themselues as it were with cart-ropes and worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse These haue their conscience seared with an hot Iron and it accuseth them not for any sin but bringeth them into a reprobate minde so that they are so farre from confessing their proper and particular sinnes that they haue no sense or remorse of any sin but are full of all wickednesse and vnrighteousnesse Lastly it behooueth vs to search out our waies to see what we haue left vndone and Vse 3 what lyeth most vpon our consciences and especially bewaile the same otherwise there is in vs no sound conuersion This the Prophet testifieth Lam. 3 40 41. Some are specially inclined to lust vncleannesse some to couetousnes some to surfeiting drunkennes some to enuy reuenge some to swearing blaspheming some to pleasures delights of the outward man now where we are weakest Satan will be strongest where our defence is
in his hart knowing that such outrage hapneth not without great iniquity of men and desiring rather to liue quietly and to maintaine peace and concord with all men as farre as it is possible and as much as lyeth in vs as if our hands were tied behind vs from committing any outrage or euill deeds Lastly because the liberty licentiousnesse of Souldiers is many times left free and is without bit and bridle to restraine them it belongeth to Captaines and Gouernors of the hoast to range the common Souldier in good order and military discipline that they breake not out to endamage or destroy those whome they ought aboue all to protect and defend Warre is iudged and esteemed of them to be the time wherin lawes are silent and al things held lawfull that their owne heart lusteth after Hence it commeth to passe that there is such thirsting after goods deflowring of virgines rauishing of wiues slaughter of parents robbing of houses burning of Churches and scorning of religion and all holy things yea making a mocke of Christ our Sauiour So then if seuere discipline be not vsed order taken that the people liuing in peace bee not abused all thinges will be held lawfull beside right and honesty iniuries will be accounted good dealing and all things taken to be common and to belong to him that first can seaze vpon them It is saide of the Centurion in the Gospell that his authority was such ouer them that belonged to his band that none durst oppose themselus against him or resist his charge that hee gaue vnto them saying I am a man also vnder the authority of another Math 8 9. and haue Souldiers vnder me and I say to one goe and he goeth and to another Come and he commeth and to my seruant Do this and he doth it This was a commendation both of the Captaine that so ordered and ruled them that he had them so obedient and seruiceable vnto him and likewise of the Souldiers that would submit themselues vnto his authority and suffer themselues to be gouerned according to the martiall lawes of a well trained garrison But of this point occasion will be offered to speak in this booke afterward chap. 21. ver 28. and chap. 24. verse 20. and chap. 25. ver 17. chap. 31 7. Verse 5 These are the names of the men that shall stand with you of the tribe of Ruben Elizur the sonne of Shedeur c. As this Booke of Moses beareth the title of Numbers so a great part of it is spent in numbering of the people to assure vs that God hath numbred those that are his he keepeth the tale of them none are hidden from him none escape his knowledge Doctrine 2. The Lord knoweth the number the names of all such as belōg to him or sight Wee learne from hence that the Lord knoweth perfectly who they are that are his both what their numbers and what their names are When Israel had corrupted their wayes and set vp idolatry so that Elias thought himselfe left alone what saide the Oracle of God that made answere vnto him 1 King 19 10 18. Rom. 11 3 4. I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thousand men which haue not bowed the knee to Baal Where we see the Lord saw not as man seeth hee knew those whom Elias could not know To this end the Prophet saith Psalme 147 5. Psal 147.5 He counteth the number of the stars and calleth them all by their names albeit to man it be incredible and vnpossible that hee should number and name the starres in the firmament yet this to him shall not bee hard much lesse vnpossible Thus sayeth the Lorde also by the Prophet Esay Esay 40 26. Lift vp your eyes on high and behold who hath created these thinges and bringeth out their armies by numbers and calleth them all by names by the greatnesse of his power and mighty strength nothing faileth Heereunto wee may referre that vsuall phrase of speech in the Scripture that the names of the elect are saide to be written in the booke of life which God hath made Exod. 32 32. Psal 69 28. Philip. 4 3. Reuel 20 12. which is a borrowed speech from such records as are kept in a Citie wherein the names of the Freemen and Cittizens in the same are written All these testimonies are so many consents of the Scripture to prooue and confirme this truth namely that the seruants of GOD are knowne to him and approoued of him not onely in generall but specially and particularly so that he is able both to number them and to name them The reasons are not hard to bee gathered Reason 1 First the knowledge of God is so exact and perfect that most secret things are knowne and the smallest are regarded of him What is a lesse matter or of lesse moment then a Sparrow that doeth fall to the ground Or the haires that fall from the head yet euen these are ordered by him and his diuine prouidence ouerswayeth them This Christ our Sauiour putteth in our minds in the tenth chapter of Saint Mathew and the 29 30. verses Are not two Sparrowes solde for a Farthing And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father yea and the haires of your head are numbred If then thinges so small and slight and little regarded of men bee numbred of Almighty GOD much more are wee respected of him And if our verie haires bee numbred much more are our names Secondly Christ Iesus setteth foorth himselfe Reason 2 as the true Sheepheard of his Sheepe A Sheepheard knoweth his owne Sheepe whereof hee hath taken the charge and ouersight Christ is the Sheepheard the Church is the Flocke his word is the staffe whereby hee ruleth and the pastures wherewith he feedeth them and therefore hee knoweth them all by their names A good Sheepeheard oftentimes numbreth his Sheepe and misseth none of them but hee seeketh the lost one So is it with Christ hee is a farre better Sheepeheard and more faithfull then those that haue the guidance and gouernance of such as are but for the belly and the slaughter For he giueth his life for the Sheepe This hee teacheth at large in the tenth Chapter of Saint Iohn and the 2.3 and 11. verses I I am that good Sheepeheard that good Sheepeheard that giueth his life for his Sheepe to him the Porter openeth and the Sheep heare his voice and hee calleth his owne Sheepe by name and leadeth them out Seeing then Christ is a faithfull Sheepeheard hee cannot bee ignorant of our numbers or our names or our natures Thirdly all his people are euermore present Reason 3 with him wheresoeuer they bee yea albeit they bee absent from him yea albeit they haue no beeing Hee seeth them when they are from him hee knoweth them when they are not Nathaniel was seene of Christ Iohn 1 47. and knowne by name beeing farre from him while hee was vnder the Figge-tree
essentiall parts of that Sacrament I answere Answer they are able to doe this but forasmuch as they doe it without a calling their doing is as no doing their powring on of water is no better then a defiling of it For who gaue them their commission so to do When possession of any house is giuen by deliuering a white wand and turfe another man may do as much in shew he may take a wand turfe as good as the others and make a deliuery of them and yet those actions may bee idle being done without warrant neither can assure the bargaine and sale It is no great matter or hard to doe to take bread and wine and deliuer the same by reciting the words of institution and yet if it be vndertaken without a calling it is a plaine and manifest prophanation of the Supper of the Lord. If they iudge this vnlawfull how can they hold the other lawfull The people of God or any among them were as well able to handle and carry the Arke as the Leuites they were an holy people to God they were all circumcised they did all carry about in their flesh the marke and impression of the Couenant yet the Lord sorted out the Tribe of Leui to beare the Arke of his Couenant Deut. 10.8 to stand in his presence to minister vnto him and to blesse in his Name He will haue vs wholly to obey his word he regardeth not our blinde zeale or purpose to serue him except it be ordered aright To proceede Hath God onely placed order in the Church and not in the common-wealth yes in the common-wealth also wherein euery one both superiours and inferiours must doe their duty He hath appointed the Magistrates their office to minister iustice without partiality and respect of persons 2 Chron. 19. 5 6. considering that they execute not the iudgements of men but of God who will be with them This is the comely order that hee hath set this is the way wherein he will haue them walke this is the ordinance that he hath established If then lawes be bought and sold or if they be made as the spiders webbe to catch the silly flie but to let the hornet escape or if they punish the poore and let the rich escape if the weake that cannot resist be intangled and the mighty be deliuered this is a great disorder and the Lord will not haue these things handled so confusedly Let such set before them the example of God who will reward euery man according to his workes He doth not spare the wicked Rom. 2.6 and reuenge himselfe vpon the Godly but he sheweth mercy to thousands of these and will not hold the other innocent So such as God hath called to execute iudgement and sit vpon the bench of iustice must know what God requireth of them they must not peruert the right ouerturne the Seat of equity they must not turne the edge of the sword vpon the poore because they are poore nor put it away from the rich because they are rich or from the mighty because of their might or from the greater sort because they haue many friends but they must smite them with the sword of Iustice that deserue to be smitten and defend them from that wrong that the malice of the oppresser would lay vpon the innocent On the other side God requireth that such as are inferiours should obey Princes and Magistrates submitting themselues vnto them reuerencing both their places and persons They therefore are reproued as breakers of this order of God and ouerturners of States and Common wealthes that rebell against them and moue sedition among the people Such walke in the steps of Corah and his company who were consumed and destroyed according to their deserts as appeareth afterward in this Booke â—hap 16. These proud spirits and ambitious men haue neuer preuailed but euer beene punished Such are they that Salomon speaketh off Eccle. 10. â—ccles 10.6 7 Folly is set in great excellency and the rich set in the low place I haue seene seruants on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground Such persons as seeke to take away the crownes and kingdomes of Princes are the very plagues of humane societie and goe about to take away as it were the Sunne out of the firmament and to leaue vs in miserable darkenesse nay to take from vs the breath of our nostrils and to expose vs as a prey to all violence and villany Let all such know that they fight against God and therefore cannot prosper or preuaile All sedition is pernicious to the contriuer and author thereof and no iniury receiued can bee any sufficient cause for any man to plot Treasons and rebellions Let euery soule therefore be subiect to the higher powers considering there is no power but of God and that whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and therefore purchase to themselues damnation Vse 3 Lastly seeing God requireth orderly obseruation of his ordinances we learne this duty that we must be carefull to obserue it and practise it with a due regard of his Commandement This is the generall rule that the Apostle commendeth vnto vs 1 Cor. 14. 1 Cor. 14 40. Let all things bee done decently and in order Order is nothing else but the meanes of peace and the auoiding of confusion or it is a disposing of diuers things August de ciuit dei lib 19. cap. 12 Câ—cer de effic lib. 2. giuing to euery one his proper place The end of all good order tendeth to profit as on the other side the end of confusion to losse and destruction The more common generall a good thing is so much the better it is and the more to bee esteemed aboue all other The benefit of good order stretcheth farre to the land and Sea and to the house and ship to the Common-wealth and Church If it be commendable to appoint a profitable order in the lesser charge of a priuate family it is a great deale better and more excellent to manage a Common-wealth prudently and to gouerne the Church wisely Gouernment that is right presupposeth order because it is vnpossible that any man should rule rightly and duely without order For gouernment is a right disposition of those things whereof a man taketh charge to bring them to a conuenient end This is done in the Church of God when there be Pastors and Teachers to preach the word truely and to minister the Sacraments sincerely when the people hearken to them are ready to seeke the law at their mouthes This is seene also in the obseruation of these rules First Rules of order to be obserued in the Congregation when one alone prayeth for many cannot pray with a loud voice together without confusion The Minister is to bee the mouth of the people to God his voice is in publike place to be heard that the people may ioyne with him with pure and humble hearts and
Law they are called Priests Exod. 19.24 Thou shalt come vp thou and Aaron with thee but let not the Priests and the people breake through to come vp vnto the Lord lest he breake forth vpon them At this time Aaron and his sonnes were not consecrated to the office of the Priesthood neither was the tribe of Leui chosen to come neere to the Lord and therefore these Priests could be no other but the first borne that were sanctified vnto the Lord which is the point that now we deale withall Reason 1 This will farther appeare vnto vs if we consider what their dignitie was and wherein it consisted who excelled from the beginning in three things First he was Lord ouer his brethren according to that of Isaac when hee blessed Iacob the yonger in stead of the elder and thereby preferred him to the dignitie of the first borne Gen. 27.29 Be Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers children bow downe vnto thee The like wee see in the booke of the Chronicles Chap. 21.3 touching the sonnes of Iehoshaphat Their father gaue them great gifts of siluer and of gold and of precious things with fenced cities in Iudah but the kingdome gaue hee to Iehoram because he was the first borne Secondly he had a double portion Deut. 21.17 that is two parts of all that the father had whereas the rest were contented with a single portion And this was so firmely established and decreed that no man vpon priuate affection ought to be disinherited and the reason is rendred for he is the beginning of his strength and therefore the right of the first borne is his Thirdly he was holy vnto God and was the Priest of the family vnder his father whom for the most part he vsed as an assistant vnto him in the managing of all the affaires thereof All this appeareth plainely in the dissolutenesse that fell out among the sonnes of Iacob which was sufficient to haue wrought the dissolution and desolation of that family when Reuben sinned against his father and defiled his bed by horrible incest he was disinherited and his excellency was diuided among his brethren Iudah gate the scepter Leui had the Priesthood and Ioseph obtained the double portion 2 Chronicles Chapter 5. verses 1 2. Againe as nothing is more naturall then Reason 2 that the father instruct and direct his children and set them forward in the wayes of godlinesse and well doing so nothing is more seemely among brethren then that the elder should help the yonger the stronger assist the weaker and the richer helpe the poorer Now none could be fitter to assist the father in the Kingly and Priestly office while he liued and to second him in them both when hee dyed then the first borne who is said to be the beginning of his strength the excellency of dignity and of power Genesis Chapter 49. verse 3. Seeing then it is iust and right and profitable it ought to be confessed and acknowledged of vs. Lastly heereunto in processe of time was Reason 3 added another reason and a new necessitie of lifting vp their heads when GOD destroyed all the first borne in the land of Egypt so that there was no house wherein there was not one dead Now Exod. 12.29 inasmuch as the first borne of Israel escaped out of this common calamitie as it were a brand taken out of the fire God saith vnto Moses Sanctifie vnto me all the first borne whatsoeuer openeth the wombe among the children of Israel c. it is mine Exodus Chapter 13. verse 1. From hence we may conclude that all the first borne were consecrated vnto GOD and were to bee employed in his seruice This is indeed a type and figure and hath Vse 1 not place among vs howbeit it is written for our admonition vpon whom the endes of the world are come and offereth many good and profitable instructions for our edification This teacheth who are chiefly bound to serue the Lord. The greater our giftes are the fitter we are for God and none is to disdaine to employ themselues and all that is in them to his seruice To this purpose commeth the saying of the wise man Prouerbes Chapter 3. verse 9. Honour the LORD with thy substance and with the first fruites of all thine increase Such as haue receiued the greatest measure of grace are bound to yeeld vnto him the greatest honour and to bring forth the greatest obedience as the fielde that hath most cost bestowed vpon it giueth the greatest encrease Such as haue receiued fiue talents should gaine with them other fiue If he haue made vs as the first borne preferred vs before many other and doubled his Spirit vpon vs as it were a double portion let not vs content our selues in any wise to giue him a simple and single gift or recompence of all his labours bestowed vpon vs. The first reproofe This reprooueth those that scorne the Ministery as base and reiect the calling it selfe as needelesse and superfluous in their eyes that account it too contemptible to employ the best and chiefest of their children in it In former times the first borne were teachers of the families and Ministers of the Church vntill God set apart the tribe of Leui to serue at the altar in the temple The best things that we haue are not too good for God euen to giue them vnto him all the dayes of their life For whom are the best fittest but for him that is best He challenged the eldest to serue him the rest he permitted to the father to be employed as he saw good First God will be serued as it is great reason he should be and afterward he giueth vs leaue to serue our selues Iesse serued the king with his eldest sonne in the warres 1 Sam. 17.13 and kept his yongest at home and bestowed him about his owne businesse If any thinke his first borne to be too good to minister before the Lord he honoureth them aboue the Lord. Doth any thinke himselfe too good or too great a man to be sent as an embassadour from the Prince to forraine estates or rather doe not men sue for such high places and think themselues happy when they attaine vnto them How commeth it then to passe that men of countenance are ashamed to see their children to be the embassadours of the king of kings and to be employed in the greatest seruice to make peace betweene God and man and to saue soules from death and destruction If a man be blessed with many children if any bee more toward in wisdome in learning in iudgment in stayednesse and in giftes he were fittest for the Lord. But the Ministery of the word in our dayes through the abundance of sinne and of iniquity getting the vpper hand is grown into disgrace and contempt because men cannot abide to be reproued whereas to them that are sanctified and shal be saued it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and the wisedome
serue Vse 4 them to further the preaching of the word and to furnish such places as belong vnto them with able teachers This is required of all godly Magistrats whether they be supreme or subordinate that they endeauor to be noursing fathers to the Church Esay 49. that they by their authority may encourage and countenance all such as are Pastors and teachers to the end they may goe boldly forward with that worthy worke which is in their hands A notable example heereof we haue in those Princes that were sent out by Iehoshaphat for albeit they did not preach to the people in the cites to which they came nor minister the Sacraments nor offer the sacrifices nor burne incence inasmuch as they had the Leuites with them to doe that seruice yet it is not to be omitted or concealed that they did countenance them and accompany them and this their authorizing or backing of them is called a preaching Chro. 17.7 because it made a plaine way and set open a wide doore for the peoples better receiuing of the word with readinesse cheerefulnesse and obedience The example of great personages is of great force and is a strong cord to draw inferiours after them Whensoeuer such men of high place make account of the Ministers highly esteeme of their message and Ministery it moueth others most mightily to shew reuerence to this holy ordinance of God Especially it belongeth to them that are Patrones haue the presentation and collation of spirituall promotions to haue an especiall care and regard that the Churches committed to their tuition may be sufficiently furnished and that as well the small flockes as the greater heards be prouided of godly and learned teachers for as much as Christ himself preaching the Gospel of the kingdome from place to place as occasion serued and the necessity of the people required deliuered the ioyfull newes and glad tydings of saluation as well to the people of little villages as to the inhabitants of famous townes and populous Cities not onely to thousands that flocked to heare him but to hundreds and tennes that came vnto him He shunned popularity and the applause of men and shewed not himselfe alwaies openly nor any otherwise then as he might doe most good to the people and gaine greatest glory to his Father He was not ambitious or vaine-glorious nor sought the praise of men Ioh. 7.10 and 5.41 and 8.50 When God determined to destroy the Cities of the plaine at the request of Lot in mercy he saued Zoar a little towne Gen. 19. God hath his people whom he created and Iesus Christ redeemed euen in little places as well as in great parishes in small villages as well as in large Cities These haue soules to saue as well as others Little flockes would haue their shepheards as well as great heards such as are poore seruants of the family would be glad to haue food to eat as well as the chiefest persons To instruct a countrey-village is a worke of mercy as well as to teach the mother-Cities of a kingdome and to be carefull of the high or head places but carelesse of little hamlets is as vnmercifull a part as to pamper vp a great family and to let a little one starue for hunger or as if a Prince should prouide for the safety of great multitudes of his subiects and neglect the lesser companies that abide in poorer villages or as if a man should tender the welfare of his head and neuer regard his foot or his finger Wherefore all Magistrates must set before their eyes the example of God as a cleere glasse to looke vpon appointing the ordering of the Leuites in such sort that all the Tribes might be instructed being so diuided scattered among the rest that their labours might be communicated to all as also the example of Iesus Christ who in the dayes of his flesh taught and preached euery where not onely at Ierusalem but in Galile and other desert and desolate places so that they ought to haue an especiall care and regard that euery Congregation haue his sufficient Minister And that they may be constrained to yeeld to this trueth or at least perswaded to the practise and performance of this dutie or if not perswaded yet conuinced in conscience that it should be done and that it is their sinne if it be left vndone let vs a little consider somewhat farther the fact of God how carefull he was thereof in the land of Israel that as well the little townes as the greater Cities might haue able teachers Hence it is that he commandeth the children of Israel that they giue vnto the Leuites the ordinary teachers of the people of the inheritance in their possession Cities to dwell in all the Cities which they were to giue to these Leuites were eight and forty Num. 35.2 7. The accomplishment whereof we may reade at large in the booke of Ioshua chap. 21.4 5 6 7. In euery Tribe they had foure Cities and so were by the ordinance of God diuided in Iacob and scattered in Israel according to the ancient Prophesie of Iacob Gene. 49. For out of the Tribes of Iudah Simeon and Beniamin they had 13. Cities verse 4. Out of the families of the Tribe of Ephraim and out of the Tribe of Dan and out of the halfe Tribe of Manasseh they had 10. Cities verse 5. Out of the families of the tribe of Issachar and out of the Tribe of Asher and out of the Tribe of Naphtali and out of the halfe tribe of Manasseh in Bashan they had 13. Cities vers 6. Lastly out of the Tribe of Reuben Gad and Zebulun they had giuen and granted vnto them 12. Cities verse 7. By this meanes was the instruction of Gods people prouided for plentifully through a multitude of Cities appointed vnto them not altogether or in one place of the land but dispersed heere and there according to the infinite wisedome of God and the absolute necessity of the people We heard before what wonderfull care godly Iehoshaphat the king of Iudah had who sent the Leuites throughout all the Cities of his kingdome which caryed with them the Booke of the Lord and taught all the land and his zeale was rewarded with riches honour and great prosperitie in aboundance 2. Chron. 17.5.9 The like commendation is giuen of Iosiah who appointed the Priests to their seuerall charges and encouraged them to the seruice of the Lord and said vnto the Leuites that taught all Israel 2 Chr. 35.2.3 which were holy vnto the Lord Put the holy Arke in the house which Salomon the sonne of Dauid king of Israel did build c. So then for as much as Christ preached to small villages as wel as to bigger townes forasmuch as it was the wise policy of God to place the Leuites round about his Tabernacle and to grant vnto them cities throughout euery Tribe forasmuch as it was the carefulnesse of Iehoshaphat and Iosiah to haue all places of
those men that accused Daniel and to cast them into the den of Lyons who had the mastery ouer them and brake all their bones in peeces or euer they came at the bottome of the denne Dauid sinned in committing of adultery with the wife of Vriah his faithfull seruant and destroyed him with the sword of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 11â— he is paied home and punished in his owne kind for God by way of rewarding and seruing him as he had serued others as a iust iudge doth raise vp euill against him out of his owne house His owne sonnes breake out into the same sinnes and he kindleth such a fire in his owne family that they rise vp against him and one against another Absalom spreadeth a tent and lyeth with his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel Amnon deflowreth his sister Tamar to reuenge this Absalom killeth his owne brother Experience teacheth vs that blood requireth blood so that the murtherer requireth vengeance of God albeit peraduenture he escape the hand of the Magistrate We see this in Ioab he shed innocent blood and escaped a long time as if it had bin forgotten but at length his blood was shed and his hoare head went not downe to the graue in peace This is it which Christ telleth vs 1 King 2. â— Matth. 7.1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what iudgement ye iudge ye shal be iudged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you againe He that rashly and vniustly censureth others feeleth at one time or other the smart of it in the like kinde for God rayseth vp others iustly albeit they defame him vniustly that therby he may be recompensed This is that which Samuel bringeth into the remembrance of Agag the king of Amalek 1 Sam. 15.33 As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother bee childlesse among women so he hewed him in pieces before the Lord. Neither need we goe farre to fetch examples of this trueth or turne ouer histories of ages past for we haue it sealed vp to vs in our daies and times wherein we liue I meane in those of the pretended holy league in our neighbor kingdome they confederated themselues to root out true religion and the professors therof out of the face of the earth they bend all their forces to effect it but the Lord that sitteth in heauen laugheth them to scorne and hath theÌ„ in derision he hath rewarded theÌ„ to the full and that in their owne kind he turned their weapons vpon themselues and sheathed their swords in their owne bowels as he dealt with the Midianites that slew one another Iudg. 2. â—â— The example of Haman is famous and well knowne he set vp a gibbet to hang Mordecai because he bowed not vnto him Ester â— â—â— howbeit himselfe was hanged vpon it and fell into the pit he had prepared for another but Mordecai escaped and was deliuered and aduanced who spake good for the King as appeareth in the booke of Ester Reason 1 The reasons are euident to be seene and easie to be found out First the iustice of God is thereby cleered and the mouth of iniquity stopped For what haue we to alledge or answer for our selues when God retaileth vs according to the sinne that wee haue committed Doubtlesse we haue no excuse or pretence or allegation for our selues but wee must confesse with our owne mouthes euen against our selues that God is righteous and we are vnrighteous This appeareth in the booke of Iudges in the example of Adonibezek being taken by Ioshua and the people hee had his thumbes and great toes cut off for he confessed that the iustice of God had found him out and requited him in his kinde according to his owne cruelty Iudg. 1 ver 7. Threescore and ten Kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my Table as I haue done so God hath requited me and they brought him to Ierusalem there he died If then God bee iust he cannot but measure all his actions by iustice for no vnrighteousnesse is found in him as he will make men themselues confesse Reason 2 Secondly the Lord cannot abide a measure and a measure they are an abhomination vnto God as Prou. 20 23. Diuers weights are an abhomination to the Lord and a false ballance is not good The Iudge of all the world cannot but deale iustly and truely This reason is expressed by the Angel of the waters Reuel 16 5 6. Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke Where he concludeth that their blood must be shed that delighted to shed the blood of others because God is a righteous Lord. His iustice shineth among men in all places in that he recompenceth the wickednesse of men by a like punishment sent from him so that their punishment is answerable to their sinne Reason 3 Thirdly the vngodly are fully worthy of such punishment It is meete that malefactors haue their deserts how then can they complaine of iniquity or iniustice so long as they receiue their owne and he paieth them the debt he oweth them with their owne mony GOD will giue to euery man according to his workes Rom. 2. and giue their wages according to their merites This reason is also added in the former place of the Reuelation where the Angel chargeth them that they had shed the blood of the Saints and putteth them in minde that God had done them no wrong when he gaue them blood to drinke then he annexeth the reason for they are worthy â—euel 16 6. If then wee consider the deserts of men how great they are we cannot maruaile wheÌ„ at any time we behold the hand of God stretched out against them in this manner and recompencing them with such measure Fourthly let vs marke what God requireth Reason 4 at the hands of Magistrates in his Law to wit that they recompence like for like Moses saith in the Law Thou shalt pay life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe Exod. 21 24. Such a blemish as he hath made in any such shall be repaied to him Leuit. 24 20. Neither was this law repealed or disliked by Christ our Sauiour Math. 5 38. Forasmuch as in that place he onely condemneth the abuse of it by priuate persons according to their priuate affections and lustes of reuenge who are not Magistrates If then the Lord will haue the higher powers recompence the sinner according to the manner of his sinne we may not doubt but he that is aboue all will measure his workes according to the rule of iustice which is most equall Therefore whatsoeuer measure we mete Luke 6 38. Matth. 26 52. Esay 33 1. it is iust
which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry by reason of their Taske-masters for I know their sorrowes and I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. He is not ignorant what teares we shead but keepeth them in a bottle of remembrance he knoweth what prayers we poure out for they ascend vp into his presence as incense hee heareth the sighes and grones that come from vs for he vnderstandeth that language The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what wee should pray for as we ought 〈◊〉 8.26 but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot be vttered And albeit he hold his peace for a time and seeme to winke at their cruell practises as if he saw them not or heard them not or knew them not yet when the appointed time commeth he will no longer keepe silence but shew himselfe to be the deliuerer of his people and the reuenger of his and their enemies We saw before out of the booke of Exodus what mercy he promiseth to his people being in misery He had a feeling of their afflictions and after a sort felt what they felt Behold what words of comfort sweeter then the hony the holy combe he vttreth I haue seene I haue heard I know I am come downe He saw their afflictions he heard their cryes he hath knowne their sorrowes he came downe to deliuer them from their persecuters If the Lord had vsed only one of these words I haue surely seene the affliction of my people it had beene as balme to refresh vs it had beene as marrow vnto our bones and as wine and oyle powred into our wounds but when he vseth foure words it is more then a doubling and a trebling of our comfort to asswage the bitternesse of the crosse so that albeit it be more sharp then vineger more bitter then gal wormwood yet they are sufficient to allay the one the other Reasons why God holdeth his peace in our afflictions God doth sometimes after a sort hide himselfe and hold his peace turne his back from vs whē we are in trouble to manifest the more the greatnesse of his power and mercy in our deliuerance to stirre vs vp to prayer and calling vpon him for helpe to teach vs to remoue all confidence and trust in our selues or in the sons of men to weane vs from the loue of the world to encrease our zeale to try our faith and patience and to harden the hearts of our enemies that he may gaine glory to his great name in their destruction He doth not delay to helpe vs and put off the time to deliuer vs because he hath forsaken vs or forgotten vs it is not because he is not able to restore vs it is not because he cannot represse and quaile the fury of our enemies it is not because he hath cast off the care of vs forasmuch as he knoweth what they practise and what we suffer according to the heauenly saying of the Psalmist Psal 34.11 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry but the face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth Let vs therefore comfort our selues in God while we finde no comfort at all in men Let vs put on the armour of prayer and teares these are our spirituall weapons strong to throw downe mountaines and mighty to preuaile against the greatest tyrants that seeke to deface the trueth and destroy the Church The weapons of the Church are not swords and staues or speares and shields or munition and multitudes of men but as the warfare of it is spiritual and that it wrastleth not against flesh and blood but against principalities powers against the rulers of the darkenesse of this world and against spiritual wickednes in high places so the weapons thereof must be spirituall answerable vnto the battell which we are to make and fit to encounter such aduersaries as oppose against vs. To this purpose doth the Prophet bring in the Church putting their confidence in him Lord in trouble haue they visited thee Esay 26.16 17 they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them like as a woman with child that draweth neere the time of her deliuery is in paine and cryeth out in her pangs so haue we beene in thy sight O Lord. The like we see in Iehoshaphat when many enemies came against him and his people to cast them out of the possession which God had giuen them to inherit he rested not in his owne power neither trusted he in his owne policy but dependeth vpon God and flyeth vnto him saying O our God wilt thou not iudge them for we haue no might against this great company that commeth against vs neither know we what to do but our eyes are vpon it hee and all Iudah stood before the Lord with their little ones their wiues and their children 2. Chron. 20.12.13 On the other side as this consideration of Gods infinite knowledge and discouery of all secrets ministreth exceeding comfort to the godly that lie vnder the crosse and putteth them in assured hope of future deliuerance so it serueth as a terrour to all their enemies that oppresse them and trouble them they shall not escape him that seeth their counsels though they digge neuer so deepe to hide them hee heareth their slanders and reprochful taunts though they seeke to couer them neuer so cunningly and secretly God that is omnipotent cannot be vniust he will reward euery one according to his works and therefore Elihu saith in the booke of Iob His eyes are vpon the wayes of man and hee seeth all his goings there is no darkenesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues Iob 34.21 22. They thinke they goe closely to worke but alas poore blinde men they see not that God seeth them They thinke they haue a vizard ouer their faces and cannot bee knowne whereas their foule offences are written in their forehead They thinke they are in the darke and couered with the night whereas the light shineth round about them more cleerly then the Sun at noone day This ought to strike a feare of Gods power and presence into the hearts of all wicked men No man is so impudent and past shame to commit euill in the Magistrates sight and before his eyes whom he knoweth to bee endued with authority armed with power and to beare the sword of iustice in his hand to cut off all euill doers Shall wee then dare doe that before God which we dare not doe before men or shall we presume to doe that in his sight which we are ashamed or afraid to doe in the presence of mortall man He is all an eye to see all he is all an eare to heare all he is all an heart to vnderstand all Or shall we be so
we do not deny that the Scripture being vnderstood doth enlighten our mindes but it is not therfore lightsome because it is vnderstood of vs for then the light therof should wholly depend vpon our vnderstanding Thus if we vnderstand it it shall be lightsome but if we vnderstand it not it shal not be lightsome Nay which is much more absurd if one man vnderstand it it shal be light if another man vnderstand it not it shall not bee light thus at one and the same time it shold be both light not light The truth therefore is that the Scriptures are lightsome two wayes â—â—e holy â—â—â—iptures are â—o wayes â—â—â—â—tâ—ome First in respect of them selues secondly in respect of vs. In respect of themselues they are alwaies lightsome of theÌ„selues and haue light in themselues In respect of vs they are lightsome when we vnderstand them and receiue them and light by them But to returne to the former matter the Minister should be the principall light to hold out the Lanthorne to bring men to heauen and to worke in them repentance as Iohn the Baptist is said to be a burning and a shining light Ioh. 5 35. But euery one also in his place must be a light to shine in knowledge and obedience in doctrine and in life On the contrarie when men are as candles put out there falleth great hurt to the church The danger heereof may be discerned by common experience in an hauen towne if the Lanthorne be taken downe or the candle put out which should direct the ships in the night season into the hauen al the ships and the soules that saile in them are left to the mercy of the winds which are without mercy and so all perish by miserable shippewracke In like manner if men haue no light in their hearts to guide them into the hauen and harbour of the church and consequently of the kingdome of heauen they doe as much as in them lyeth betray their owne soules and drowne themselues in eternall perdition Verse 3. And Aaron did so c. The obedience of Aaron is here described and the Candlesticke set in the Tabernacle described It is saide to be of golde as Reuel 1. the most precious of all Minerals for two causes First because as Gold excedeth all other mettals so the Church exceedeth all other societies of men because in it saluation is only to be found Esay 46 13. all other beeing ordained to preserue this safe and sound Esa 45 14. 49 23. Reuel 21 24 26. Yeâ— it is the glory and honour the beauty and ornament of all other societies kingdomes cities townes houses and persons to be parts of the church inasmuch as otherwise they are parts of the world of the kingdome of darknesse yea aâ— dogs swine and vncleane beasts Ephes 22 11 12 13 c. Secondly because it is most precious deare to God and to Iesus Christ as gold is to man because it is an holye company sanctified by the blood of Christ whom it cost deare to redeeme it Acts 20. The Candlesticke in the Tabernacle was to hold the light for the direction of all that were therein from Euening to morning continually Exod. 27 22. It is the vse of euery Candlesticke to hold to keepe to preserue to continue and to yeelde forth the light to the benefit of others This doth mystically represent the church Doctrine teacheth that the church is as the Lords golden candlestick appointed to hold and keepe the light treasury of the Word for euer It is the office of the church to holde and keep the word for euer that it should neuer bee lost or embeselled from vs to the end of the world And as the Candlesticke was to hold the light to the first comming of Christ so is the church to preserue the truth vntil the second comming of Christ It is therefore the office of the church and of euery true member thereof to keepe in it and to publish abroad and to hold out to those that are in it the truth of Gods word to direct their pathes aright as Deut. 31 20. The booke of the Law after that it was written was by the Lord himselfe committed to the Israelites to be kept in the side of the Arke of the couenant The Prophet Esay sheweth That the Word should go forth out of Sion where it was kept into the middest of the earth Chap. 2.3 And the Apostle declareth that the Iewes had the Oracles of God committed vnto them of trust Rom. 3 2. and that to them appertained who were the onely church the adoption and the glory and the Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises Rom. 9 4. And Paul is said to haue written vnto Timothy that hee should know how he ought to behaue himselfe in the house of GOD which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar ground of the truth 1 Tim. 3.15 By all which testimonies wee are taught that the Church holdeth and bringeth the truth Esay 41 27. and conueieth it vnto vs and that wee can no otherwise receiue it or be partakers of it For further proofe heereof obserue with Reason 1 me the titles that are giuen vnto it It is a safe keeper or treasurer to keepe as it were vnder locke and key the holy Iewels of the olde and new Testament that they be neither corrupted by Heretikes nor destroyed by other enemies It is as a cunning Goldsmith to try euery thing Whit. de Scrip. quaest 3. Cap. 2. for as he discerneth pure gold from counterfet mettalles so the church discerneth true Scripture from false or forged books and writings It is as a crier to publish and make knowne the decrees of almighty God It is an Interpreter to expound the sence and to open the meaning of the Scriptures according to the proportion of faith set forth in other parts Secondly it is a great honor and wonderfull preferment that God giueth vnto the Church aboue al other societies and places of the world besides And indeede there can bee no greater honor then to be put in trust with such a treasure If a man should vpon trust commit vnto another a great treasure and make choyse of him to leaue it with him it is a signe he honoreth and respecteth him before and aboue others so is it betweene God and his Church he hath laid vp his trueth in his Church as in his store-house Ps 147 19 20. He hath giuen his word to Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with other Nations as for his iudgements they haue not knowne them This made the Apostle say What is then the preferment or aduantage of the Iew Or what profit is thereof circumcision much euerie day shewing thereby that God committing his Oracles vnto them did aduance and prefer them farre aboue all other Nations Thirdly the church is the house
the world to be adopted thorough Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued as the Apostle teacheth writing to the Ephesians chap. 1 5 6. 1 Pet. 1 2. Thus the Church is builded vpon the vnmoueable rocke that cannot bee shaken The foundation of God remaineth sure hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2 19. Now let vs see what vses wee may rightly Vse 1 conclude out of this doctrine thus confirmed First we learne from hence that the opinion of those is condemned that bring in vniuersall grace vniuersall election of euery one vniuersall redemption of euery one and vniuersall vocatiō of euery one to the sauing knowledge of the Gospel For whereas the Church is as it wore the Parke of God impaled in from other waste Land or rather the Paradise of God wherein the wilde beasts of the Forrest may not enter this Doctrine pulleth vp the Pale and taketh away the enclosure laying it in common and ioyning it to the rest of the wildernesse The people of God are the little flocke in respect of the world Luke 12 32. We see frō the beginning of the world there was a difference and distinction betweene the sonnes of God and the sonnes of men Genesis chapter 6 verse 1 betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles betweene the circumcised and the vncircumcised betweene the people of God and those that were no people of his being out of the couenant To some God giueth faith to other he giueth not faith For all haue not faith 1 Thess 3 1. Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Many are called but few are chosen Math. 20 16 and hee chargeth his Disciples when he sent them out to Preach not to goe into the way of the Gentiles neither to enter into the City of the Samaritanes Math. 10 5. and he sheweth that it is not giuen to euery one to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Mat. 13 11. So the Apostles in spreading abroad the glad tydings of saluation and working the conuersion of the Nations to whom they were sent to preach the Gospel are commanded to remaine certaine yeares in some Cities because the Lord had much people in those places and when they were entring into other Cities the Spirit suffered them not to publish among them the way of saluation Acts 16 7. Act. 18 10. Vse 2 Secondly we must looke for a full and perfect separation of the Elect from the Reprobate of the sheepe from the goats of the vessels of mercy from the vessels of wrath when the Lord Iesus shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead Indeed here is some separation made by the fan of his word by the power of the keyes by the fire or furnace of affliction yet still the chaffe is mingled with the wheate the Tares with the Corne bad fish with the good the hypocrites with the faithfull and true beleeuers But when Christ shall come with thousands of his Angels and the heauens be dissolued The bookes shall be opened and things hidden in darknesse shall be disclosed Reuel 20 12. Here a beginning is made but then shall be an absolute perfection and consummation of this separation This is opened vnto vs by the Euangelist Mat. 25 31 32 33. Seeing this separation shall come what manner of men ought we to be in all holinesse of life and conuersation Let vs search and try our owne wayes and turne vnto the Lord with all our hearts that when Christ shal appeare at the great day of the haruest and solemne season of separation we may be found good Corne and not be blowne away by the voyce of his mouth whē he shall blow the chaffe into vnquenchable fire where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But if we be not heere separated from the sinnes and corruptions of the wicked whē God separateth the soule and body we shall be separated from the comfortable presence of God we shall remaine with the diuell and his angels for euer neuer to be separated and sundred from them Vse 3 Thirdly this giueth good assurance and comfort vnto them that God will heare their prayers and respect them in their miseries For seeing they are his chiefe treasure Exod. 19 5 6 albeit all the earth be his seeing they are a kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation he will not see them want and stand in need of any thing which hee knoweth to serue for his owne glory and their good This is that vse which Salomon remembreth in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8 52 53. Let thine eyes bee open vnto the prayer of thy seruant and vnto the prayer of thy people Israel to hearken vnto them in all that they call for vnto thee for thou didst separate them to thee from among all the people of the earth for an inheritance as thou saidst by the hand of Moses thy seruant when thou broughtst our fathers out of Egipt O Lord God whereby we see that the consideration of the deere account estimation that God hath of his Church separating it to himselfe and calling it out of the world ought to moue vs with boldnesse to draw neere to the throne of grace and to comfort vs with assurance to be heard in our necessities For what can God deny vnto vs that hath giuen vs him selfe Or what can we want that know the loue of God toward vs before wee were Wherefore whensoeuer we are brought into any affliction and stand in need of helpe let vs be mindfull of the mercies of God toward vs and assure our selues that he which hath separated and sanctified vs from our mothers wombe will perfect his owne worke that he hath begun finish it vnto the day of Christ Lastly we must know that it is our duty to Vse flye from all vngodlinesse and worldly lustes and to haue no fellowship with the vngodly nor the vnfruitefull works of darknesse Tit. 2 12. This indeed is pure religion vndefiled to keep our selues vnspotted to the world This the Apostle Paul vrgeth 2 Corin. 6 14 15 16 17 18. Wee know that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe One rotten sheepe infecteth a whole flocke One leaper spreadeth the difease further to the hurt of sundry other Now there is no leauen like to the leauen of sin 1. Cor. 5.6 no infection comparable to the infection of sin no leaprosie so deadly and dangerous as the contagion of sin which bringeth danger and destruction to soule and body Therefore we must not ioyne our selues with the vngodly seeing wee are an holy people to the Lord our God he hath chosen vs to bee a precious people vnto himselfe aboue other people that are vpon the earth Wee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at liberty that we should shew forth
of the church rauishing as it were all his senses and so astonishing him that he is not able to finde words sufficient to expresse the glory thereof For heere we see he compareth the happinesse and blessednesse of the Church to the Valleyes Gardens Cedars and such like all to this end to shadow out vnto vs the value and worth of it that it farre surmounteth all other societies and is most precious deare in the sight of God Heereby then wee learne what is the Doctrine true Church The Churâ— is more excellent anâ— precious 〈◊〉 all other â—ces it exceedeth all other societies of men and is most precious and deare vnto God and vnto Christ We see then how from hence we learne that aboue all other companies and fellowships in the world the Church is most excellent and beautifull and of GOD most respected This hath plentifull testimony of other Scriptures The Prophet saith The Kings daughter is glorious within her cloathing is of broidered gold Psal 45 13. Hereunto come the titles and commendations giuen vnto the Church in sundry places dispersed in the booke of Canticles chap. 2 2. and 4 13. and 5 9. Shee is the Rose of the field the Lilly of the valley the fairest among women an Orchard of Pomgranats a Fountaine of Gardens a Well of springing waters the Spouse and Sister of Christ the beauty of the earth the glory of the world and being compared with other societies as a Lilly among Thornes like the Apple among the Trees of the Forrest It is a Citty whose walles and gates are of precious stones and the streetes thereof of gold Reuel 21 2 19. It is compared to a woman cloathed with the Sunne and had the Moone that is all corruptible things which are vnstable and vncertaine vnder her feete As the Doctrine by these euidences is Reason 1 made cleare so by the Reasons whereby it is proued it may be yet made much clearer For first it is more excellent then all other societies as gold aboue all other mettals because in it alone saluation is to be found and no where else When the vniuersall flood came and couered the face of the whole earth what place wouldest thou preferre before the arke in which Noah and his family were saued and out of the which all the world beside was drowned So saluation is taught and receiued in the Church damnation is to be found and felt out of the Church Can there be a greater priuiledge had then to haue our souls saued or a greater losse then the losse of our soules Wee reade in the Scriptures of many great and exceeding grieuous losses Iob lost all his camels and his asses his oxen and his sheepe his seruants and his sons all his goods and riches Saul lost his kingdome and his life But all these are pettie losses and damages in comparison of the incomparable and inestimable losse of the soule which is a perpetuall separation from the glorious and comfortable presence of God according to the saying of our Sauiour Math. 25 16. What shall it profite a man if he winne the whole world and then lose his owne soule Or what shall a man giue for the recompence of his soule The truth of this reason the Lord himself expresseth in the Prophet saying I will giue saluation in Sion and my glory vnto Israel Esay 46 13. The wealthiest country vnder heauen hath not this treasure the greatest Monarke in the world hath none of this merchandice the richest merchant that compasseth sea and land and trauaileth into the furthest part of the earth cannot bring home with him this pearle of vnualuable price it is only to be found in the city of God which is his Church for in mount Sion and in Ierusalem shal be deliuerance Reason 2 Secondly all other sorts and societies of men are appointed and ordained of God to serue and preserue this This is it which the Prophet Esay saith Esay 45 14. It shall be the honour of Kings and Princes to doe seruice to the Church and to promote the good of it It is the end for which God hath lifted vp the heads of rulers and gouernors aboue their brethren to promote the good of the Church and to aduance the glory of God This the Prophet speaketh of in the Psalme Psal 78 71. that God chose Dauid his seruant tooke him from the sheepefold and preferred him before his brethren euen tooke him and from behinde the ewes with yong brought he him to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel so he fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart and guided them by the disâ—retion of his hands The like we see in the book of Ester when the destruction of the Church was determined and contriued Mordecai said to Ester Ester 4.14 If thou holdest thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy fathers house shall perish and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time So what power strength ability or meanes soeuer God hath giuen he looketh for this duty and thankfulnes at our hands to seek the safety of Sion to aduance the glory of Ierusalem and to know that hereunto we are called Thirdly the beauty of all other cities and Reason 3 societies standeth in this that they are parts and members of the Church This is the glory of kingdomes and countries whereby they are beautified in that they belong to the true Church for otherwise all places are as cages of vncleane birds nay as lodges of vncleane spirits and all persons are as dogges swine as Tygers and vncleane beasts Hence it is that the Apostle describing what wee are by nature saith Eph. 2 12. Yee were at that time without Christ aliants from the commonwealth of Israel strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without GOD in the world If then it beautifie other places and persons it must needes be beautifull it selfe If it giue grace and glory to others that ioyne themselues to it it must needs be both gracious and glorious it selfe For whatsoeuer causeth a thing to be so must needes be so it selfe much more The vses of this doctrine are excellent as Vse 1 the nature of the Church is For first we conclude that they must needs be most happy blessed of God that are members of the Church For howsoeuer the world account them miserable grinning at them with their teeth nodding at them them their heads gaping at them with their mouthes hissing at them with their tongues and euery way contumeliously reproaching them with their words yet they are deare and precious in the account of God and in the reputation of Christ Iesus who bought them at a great price and redeemed them with the ransome of his owne blood 1. Pet. 1 18 19. Behold what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that we should be called
vncleannesse and filthinesse and pursued them into their filthy stewes and brothel-houses where he thrust them both thorough reuenging the dishonour done to God the scandall laide vpon his people A worthy example for all Magistrates to follow to be sharpe seuere in punishing sinne and taking away euill out of the citty of God Thus the plague was stayed and the anger of God turned away after that iustice was executed and so many thousands at one time and for one sinne swept away But heere two questions arise which are to be discussed before we proceede any further the first touching the fact of Phinehas the second touching the number of the dead heere remembred Touching the fact of Phinehas Obiection it may be thus obiected How can it be lawfull in him being a priuate person to exceede rhe bounds and lists of his calling Hee was of the tribe of Leui and of the family of the Priests to whom it belonged not to draw the sword For as the other tribes were not appointed to the seruice of the Altar so the tribe of Leui was not called to the execution of iustice Besides there are generall rules directing all priuate men and generall Lawes restraining them from shedding of blood as he that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed hee that smiteth with the sword shal be smitten with the sword loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you The seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle toward all men suffering the euill and instructing them with meekenesse that be contrary minde 2. Tim. 2 25. How then can we iustify this act of Phinehas departing from these holy rules of Gods Religion I answere Answer there is a double kinde of calling an ordinary calling and an extraordiry calling the one necessarily distinguished from the other For God doth oftentimes giue vnto his seruants a new and special vocation and addeth it vnto their former function Hence it is also that some workes are ordinary and some are extraordinary Ordinary workes must be guided and directed by ordinary rules such as those are which wee haue set downe before Extraordinary workes proceede from a special motion of Gods Spirit warranting them and making them albeit going against the common rules lawful cōmendable and necessary Such was the fact of Moses smiting the Egyptian Exod. 2 12 the fact of Samuel hewing Agag in pieces 1. Sam. 15 35 the fact of Eliah slaying the Priests of Baal 1. King 18 4 the fact of the Israelites spoyling the Egyptians and such like Exod. 12 35 who had an inward motion like to the commandement giuen to Abraham to kill his sonne These actions albeit warranted to the doers Luth in Gen. cap. 29. are not to be drawne into example and imitation vnlesse we haue the inspiration of the same Spirit and therefore Christ our Sauiour answereth his Disciples that would haue called fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Yee know not of what spirit ye are for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues but to saue them Luk. 9 55. Now that this fact of Phinehas is of the same nature it appeareth both because the plague ceased by it and Gods wrath kindled against his people was appeased so that the action is both commended rewarded This the Spirit of God teacheth in the Psalme Phinehas stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse from generation to generation for euer Psalm 106 30 which is not so to be vnderstood as if he were iustified before God by this one acte because whosoeuer will bee iust by the Law is bound to keepe the whole law according to the tenour of the law Do this thou shalt liue Gal. 4 12 20. One good worke doth not serue or suffice to make a man perfectly iust and righteous in the sight of God seeing hee that continueth not in all things written in the booke of the law is accursed So then we must know that the Psalmist meaneth that this fact was lawfull and allowed For hauing set down the vengeance that Phinehas tooke vpon this adulterer and the adultresse hee preuenteth the Obiection which might be made Was not this horrible and damnable murther in him who being a priuate man had not the sword of iustice committed vnto him and being one of the Priests of the Lord was to meddle onely in matters belonging vnto God and not in ciuill things who was to draw out the censures of the church not a materiall sword to strike offenders No saith the Prophet it was not murther it was a righteous and commendable acte he beeing stirred vp by Gods Spirit inasmuch as it proceeded from faith and aymed at the glory of the great Name of God Wherefore this place is falsely alledged and peruersly wrested by the Church of Rome to ouerthrow iustification by faith alone and to establish iustification by good works For there is a double iustification one of the worke the other of the person The Prophet speaketh in that place of the iustification of the worke which albeit in the sight of men it might seeme sauage inhumane yet God did accept of it account it as a good and iust work which pleased him being done in faith which purifieth the heart Acts 15 9. He speaketh not of the iustification of his person which was by apprehending the mercy of God in Christ by beleeuing not by doing Thus the Apostle in the fourth chapter to the Romanes verses 4 5. maketh a double kinde of imputation saying To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauor but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse Thus much of the first question touching the acte of Phinehas whether it were lawfull or vnlawfull whether it were priuate reuenge or publike iustice The second Question is touching the number that dyed in this plague Obiect wherein appeareth some difference and disagreement in outward shew betweene the old Testament and the new For Moses in this place verse 9 sayeth There died foure and twenty thousand But the Apostle Paul alledging this iudgement of God mentioneth onely Three and twenty thousand 1 Cor. 10 8 subtracting one thousand from the former number which Moses added I answer some reconcile these places thus that the Scribes or Penmen fayled in copying out the books of Pauls Epistles which shold haue written foure twenty thousand where they wrote three twenty thousand But this is shifting rather then reconciling cutting the knot with a sword rather then loosing it asunder with the hand inasmuch as all the copies generally with full consent as it were with one voice agree in the former reading Others suppose and surmise that it might bee a slip of memory in the Apostle according to humane infirmity But this answer is worse then the former and these are
wickedly in the sight of the Lord they were made slaues and captiues sometimes to one enemy and sometimes to another Iudg. chap. 4 ver 1 2. When the Israelites began to loathe the offerings of God the Lord threatened a greeuous iudgement to come vpon them 1 Sam. 3 1â— and executed it accordingly for the Philistines fought against them and Israel was smitten downe euery man fled into his tent and there was an exceeding great slaughter for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen Thus through sinne reigning among them the enemies of God are armed the people of GOD are destroyed the Arke of God is taken and the priests of God are smitten with the sword It was the sin of Eli and his house especially that drew the iudgment of God on the whole Nation Wee see this in the example of Salomon when his hart was turned away from the true God and his hands were holden vppe to strange gods the Lord was angry with him because hee had giuen him a charge concerning this thing that hee should not follow other gods Then the Lord stirred vp one aduersary vnto Salomon and afterward another aduersary which did much mischeefe and euill against Israel 1 Kings 11 14 23. This appeareth in Rehoboam the son of Salomon when once he forsooke the Lord and all Israel with him the Prophet is sent to say vnto him Thus saith the Lord Ye haue forsaken mee therefore haue I left you in the hands of Shishak 2 Chron. chap. 12 verse 5. Reason 1 The Reasons being considered will make the doctrine more euident First sin maketh vs execrable to the Lord and abhominable in his sighr Nothing doth more deforme vs and make vs cursed and detested in the sight of God If then sin make vs to be had in execration it is no maruell if we be left destitute of Gods protection This is the reason which the Lord vseth why Israel fell before their enemies and he went not forth with their armies when they fell before the men of Ai Therfore the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies but haue turned their backes before their enemies because they be execrable Iosh 7 12 13. Wee see then the nature of sin it maketh men abhominable and detestable in the sight of God Reason 2 Secondly God leaueth and departeth from them that fall from him they forsake him therefore he forsaketh them For so long as we walke in the wayes of godlines and please God in all things according to his will God is among vs He dwelleth with vs hee will neuer depart from vs hee walketh in the middest of our habitations 2 Cor. 6 16. But when we commit wickednesse in his sight and follow the abhominations of our owne hearts he is gone hee will take vp his seate no more among vs hee will not come nere our dwelling places This is the reason which the Lord vrgeth to Ioshua in the place before named saying There is an execrable thing among you O Israel neyther will I be with you any more except ye destroy the excoÌ„municate from among you Ios 7 12 13. So then our lying in sinne doth driue the Lord from vs that he will haue no more fellowship with vs to do vs any good Vse 1 We are now to set downe the vses of this Doctrine First this teacheth vs to acknowledge that all iudgements which seize and fall vpon vs are iust righteous God chastiseth vs often but alwayes iustly neuer vniustly True it is the particular cause is not alwayes discerned of vs why he chastiseth and sinne is not alway the cheefe and principall cause as appeareth in the example of the blinde man of whom Christ sayth Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the workes of God should be shewed vpon him Iohn 9 3 yet his punishments are alwaies deserued and neuer inflicted when he is not mooued who rowzeth vp himselfe as a Lyon out of his denne as the Prophet speaketh to execute righteous iudgements We see in the booke of Nehemiah how the Leuites lay open the sinnes of the whole land confessing Gods kindnesse vnto them and their vnkindnesse to the Lord and iustifying his name Nehem. 9 33 34 Surely thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs for thou hast dealt truly but we haue done wickedly And our Kings and our Princes our Priests our fathers haue not done thy Law nor regarded thy commandements nor thy protestations wherewith thou hast protested among them So when there is any imminent danger of iudgment as of the plague of sicknesse of famin of war or such like this must teach vs that then especially wee should take heede that we lay not our selues naked vnto them by rebelling against God I meane not this of any bodily nakednesse appearing to the eye of man but of spiritual nakednesse in the sight of God whereby man in his sight appeareth a deformed sinner This is a fearfull condition this is the foulest nakednesse that can be A man or woman by the light of nature would be ashamed to bee seene naked which teacheth vs to couer the body but much more should we take heede that we appeare not naked to God and see the filthines of our hearts Let vs craue the righteousnesse of Christ to be a couering to cloath our souls For they are blessed whose sinnes are couered Psal 31 1. When GOD threatneth to bring any plague or iudgment vpon vs let vs not wound our owne soules or lay them open to the wrath of God but rather humble our selues before him that hee may call backe the punishments that are gone out against vs This is it which Moses teacheth Deut. 23 9 When thou goest out with thine hoast against thine enemies keepe thee from all wickednes Secondly seeing sinne layeth vs open to reproches Vse 2 of enemies and to the iudgements of God as appeareth in this great plague vpon the people this sheweth that whensoeuer we haue layd our selues thus naked by â—alling into sinnes we must not go about to hide and to couer them from God through hypocrisy For all things are naked and open to his eies with whom we haue to do so that we must learne to acknowledge them and confesse them before his presence We see how ready men are to hide their sinnes with Adam from the sight of God but the more wee seeke to conceale them the more we reueale them the more vgly we appeare before him What folly or madnesse is it that is practised in the world to hide our sinnes from men and neuer regarde how bare and naked they bee in the presence of the all-seeing God If a man committing sinne were sure to keepe it secret from the sight and knowledge of all others that none could accuse him or detect him of it what should this auaile him seeing it is open to the eyes of God and appeareth as plainly as wee behold the sores of poore Criples that vncouer
will teach vs to giue the glory to his name and to lift vp our hearts in thanksgiuing to him Lastly it becommeth vs to ascend as it were Vse 4 by steppes to an higher comparison from the body to the soule and from the meat that perisheth to that which endureth to euerlasting life For seeing wee vnderstand that GOD is thus carefull to feede our bodies it is much more reason that we should seeke at his hands the nourishment of our soules If we haue not this skill and consideration in vs the Fowles of the aire and the beasts of the fielde will bee witnesses against vs to condemne vs. This is the voyce of faith the other the voyce of Nature Nature is wise enough to tell vs when wee want prouision for the body but it must be the office of faith to tell vs when wee want food for the soule Wee are ready to cry out oftentimes What shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be cloathed Mat. 6. but few feele the wants of their soules though they be like to perish and pine away wherefore our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. chapter 6. verse 33. First of all to seeke the Kingdome of God and then all other things shall bee ministred vnto vs. 57 And these are they that were numbred of the Leuites after their families of Gershon c. 58 These are the families of the Leuites the family of the Libnites and the family of the Hebronites c. 59 And the name of Amrams wife c. 60 And vnto Aaron was borne Nadab Abihu Eleazar and Ishamar 61 And Nadab and Abihu dyed when they offered strange fire before the Lord. Wee haue here the third and last part of the chapter touching the numbering of the Leuites apart by themselues branched out into three principall families but specially Aaron is insisted vpon to whom the Priesthood was giuen who is described both by his parents and by his posterity and among his posterity Moses againe singleth out the fact of Nadab Abihu who died when they offered strange fire before the Lord. And albeit we haue spoken of this before chap. 3 4. yet being offered again let vs consider better of it For whereas God commanded fire to bee duely and diligently kept alwaies burning vpon the Altar wherewith the sacrifices were to be consumed and must neuer be suffered to go out Leuit. 6 9 12 13. they presumed to offer sacrifice with strange fire and therefore dyed before their father for as well they might haue taken a strange beast as a strange fire the one beeing no lesse forbidden thē the other Wherby we see the euil persons are cut off betimes 1 Chro. 24.1 2 and are not suffered to liue out halfe their dayes This heauenly fire which GOD sent to consume his sacrifices was brought into the Temple built by Salomon and there it continued from one generation to another vntill the destruction of the Temple and the City The 2. booke of Macchab. not Canonical True it is the author of the second book of Macchabees telleth vs a tale that when Nehemias had builded the Temple and the Altar he offered sacrifice with this fire for when tht Fathers were ledde into Persia the Priests that were deuout tooke the fire of the Altar priuily and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water where they kept it sure so that the place was vnknowne to all men wherefore he sent for the posterity of those Priests that had hid it howbeit they could finde no fire but thicke water which being sprinkled vpon the wood and sacrifice there arose a great fire so that euery man that saw it maruelled 2 Maccha 1 18 19 20 21 22. Wher we see two things are coupled together the building of the Temple and Altar by Nehemiah and the sending of fire from heauen by God these may well bee ioyned the one being as true as the other But it is plaine by the whole Scripture that Nehemiah builded not the Temple if we shal consider the circumstances either of the persons or of the time or of the place For the Altar was builded by Zerubbabel and Ioshua in the reigne of Cyrus so soone as by his proclamation they returned from the captiuity of Babylon to wit the seuenth moneth after Ezra 3. And touching the Temple though the foundation beganne to be laide while Cyrus himselfe yet liued yet it was not ended finished before the sixt yeare of the reigne of Darius Nothus Ezra 6 which was many years after Iohn 2 20. But Nehemiah was then in Babylon and not yet come to Ierusalem forasmuch as hee obtained leaue of the king of Persia to go thither in the 20. year of Artaxerxes Mnemon the successor of this Darius Ezr. 4. 7. Neh. 1 2 by which computation of time it will appeare that the Altar was builded an hundred yeares and more and the Temple finished at the least 30. yeares before the comming of Nehemiah so that the author of this second booke of Macchabees is not a little deceyued in his Chronology and discouereth that he wrote by a meere humane spirit according to his owne confession in the shutting vp of the booke wherein hee craueth pardon for his slips and ouersights 2 Ma. 15 38 3◠we see there was great need he shold do so Now from the former premisses I reason thus This fire discouered to Nehemiah was kindled of God when he had builded the Temple and the Altar But he neuer builded the Temple and the Altar Therefore this fire was neuer kindled of God Againe the author of that booke testifyeth that after Nehemiah had receyued this fire from God the king of Persia built a Temple vnto it but wee may truly affirme hee neuer built any such Temple forasmuch as the Iewes neyther had neyther indeed might haue any other Temple then one and that at Ierusalem before the comming of the Messiah which the Lord had chosen to put his name there It might be that the kings of Persia that king in particular might builde a Temple to fire which they worshipped as God howbeit this is spoken by way of supposition and hath no relation to the fire here spoken off Neyther can this be vnderstood of the Tēple at Ierusalem but must be referred to some other built elswhere if haply any were built at all For it is sayde that after the Temple and Altar were builded and Nehemiah had offered sacrifice this came to the eares of the king of Persia and then hee commanded this supposed Temple to be erected Againe Nehemiah expressing his iourny vp to Ierusalem and comming to the sepulchers of his fathers maketh no mention of the finding of any such fire which no doubt he wold haue done if any such had beene offered vnto them For he reporteth many sundry things done by him in that booke hee mentioneth their offering of sacrifices with great ioy and gladnes chap.
hurt losse and damage may by them redound to the commonwealth in such sending of them The way to be rid of them is to execute iudgement against them and to cut them off by the sword of the Magistrate for theyr euill deeds Lastly from hence we should learne much more to be watchfull in the spirituall warrefare Eph. 6 10. 2 Tim. 2 4. We are all souldiers and we are to fight against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesse in high places and therefore it behoueth vs to put on the whole armour of God and to bee strong in the Lord knowing that we shall stand in his might and be able to put to flight these enemies 7 And they warred against the Midianites as the Lord commanded Moses and they slew all the males 8 And they slew the kings of Midian besides the rest of them that were slaine namely Eui and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba He was the father of Cozbi whom Phâ—nehas slew Numb 25 15. fiue kings of Midian Balaam also the sonne of Beor they slew with the sword 9 And the children of Israel tooke all the women of Midian captiues and their little ones and tooke the spoyle of all their cattell and all their flockes and all their goods 10 And they burnt all their Cities wherin they dwelt c. 11 And they tooke all the spoyle c. This is the second part of the Chapter wherein we see the manner obserued in managing this warre and in performing obedience to the Commandement of God and his seruant Moses Wherin we may see the slaughter that they made first set downe generally They slew all the males then particularly Fiue of their Kings and also Balaam Secondly the captiues that they tooke to wit al the women and their little ones Thirdly their booty they tooke the spoyle of their cattell flocks and goods Lastly they set their Cities on fire and consumed theyr goodly Castles to nothing Heere a question may be demanded concerning Balaam Obiect how he came to be among these Midianites forasmuch as we reade before that he went his way Numb 24 25. I answer Answer some vnderstand the words of his purpose resolution to returne home but that he stayed in the way among the Midianites through whose Country he must necessarily go and so was slayne among them And indeed it is certaine he was present in the battell but it is more likely and credible that he went home and afterward hearing of the destruction of so many thousands of the Israelites 1. Drusij comment in loca diffic Num. cap. 125. procured through his diuellish counsell that hee returned vnto Madian hoping to receyue the wages which had beene promised vnto him seeing the matter succeeded according to his theyr desire and thus indeed hee receyued a iust reward and recompence as the wages due vnto him for he was slaine by the sword And hence also it may not vnfitly bee concluded that he was no true Prophet of God but a Prophet of Satan for then doubtlesse the Israelites would neuer haue put him vnto the sword Eucher in Gen. pag. 102. Some there are that too highly magnifie him and esteeme better of him then is cause and thinke that he was the same who in the booke of Iob is called Elihu howbeit this is a blinde conceit Some of the Hebrew Doctors obserue that he could be no Prophet because it is said God opened his eyes and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way c. because this is noted of others as of the seruant of Elisha 2 Kings 6 17 and of the Syrians verse 20 as also of Hagar Gen. chapter 21 verse 19 but it is neuer spoken in the same manner of any of the Prophets Other of them say he was damned with Doeg Gehazi and Achitophel but the things that are secret belong not vnto vs the truth he knoweth that knoweth all things it is not for vs to iudge before the time But to leaue this and to come to the doctrines We saw before the sinne of the Midianites chap. 25 and how God threatned them hitherto they escaped well enough and might say as Agag did that had beene spared with the fatter Oxen and the better sheepe 1 Sam. 15 32. Surely the bitternesse of death is past notwithstanding wee see God maketh good his word and suffereth no part of it to fall to the ground Doctrine Wicked men are suffered long yet in the end are punished We learne heereby that wicked men howsoeuer they may bee suffered long in theyr sinnes and God prosper them in theyr wayes and bring no temporal iudgment vpon them yet at last he meeteth with them and bringeth his plagues and punishments vpon them Psalm 73 verses 12 17 18 and 37 35 36. Iob 21 17 18. Ierem. 12 1 2 3. Hab. 2 3 5. Psal 50 21. The Scripture is full of these examples Reason 1 And it must needs be thus because God is a iealous God visiting iniquities and transgressions Exod. 34. he is angry with the wicked hateth them his soule abhorreth and detesteth them and therfore must needs bring iudgment vpon them Rom. 1 verse 18 and 2 5 8. Deut. 9 8 20. Mal. 1 2 3. Not that GOD hath any passion of anger but because hee is saide to do that which men do when they are angry that is he will take vengeance and punish them for theyr sinnes and offences Secondly because the Lord hath set a stint to the wicked he seemeth for a while to put the bridle in theyr neckes and to let them run at liberty but they haue theyr appointed time which they cannot passe hee hath set downe how farre they shall go and how long they shall liue and the measure of theyr sinne to what height they shall grow so that though they desire to proceede neuer so much they shall not be able they cannot go any farther he wayteth till they haue filled vp the measure of their sinnes Gen. 15 verse 16. Math. 23 ver 32 and then he will not spare to bring his iudgements vpon them Vse 1 The vses First this teacheth vs to acknowledge the iustice of God He oftentimes holdeth his peace and men thinke him to be like vnto themselueâ— howbeit hee will manifest to all the world that hee is a iust and righteous God and holy in all his wayes Hence it is that the Apostle saith He will reward euery one according to his works Rom. 2 6. Psalm 62 12. For as God neuer forgetteth to be mercifull neyther shutteth vp his kindnesse in displeasure Psalm 77 9 so hee cannot forget his iustice except he should forget himselfe No man forgetteth his owne name Iustice is Gods essentiall attribute This is his Name for euer and this is his memoriall to all generations True it is the faithfull themselues do many times conceiue amisse both of the mercy and of the iustice of God but they confesse that this is their
discoraged to thinke they are none of his Or if a false fellow come forth and lay claime to our inheritance will that barre the true owner of his right or make him to let goe his holde What if a mad man out of his wits should say that the Crowne and Kingdome is his would we therefore thinke it is so indeed Or if some should shew false and counterfet pearles will the Goldsmith be discouraged and think that his also are naught and of the same stampe In like sort we may reason What though some do not beleeue or will not apply Christ vnto themselues What if satan haue deluded them with the spirit of errour and blinded them with the mists of ignorance shall wee therefore suffer our selues to be beguiled and to be brought to think that we haue no true knowledge or faith or that we ought not to apply Christ Iesus in particular to our selues To conclude we may be bold to auouch that the diuels haue as much faith as the papists teach and beleeue For the diuell can say and that truly I do beleeue I beleeue that remission of sinnes is sealed vp by Christ for saluation so that hee may beleeue as much as any Papist in the worlde holding the principles of their own doctrine forasmuch as the Romish faith is no other then historicall to beleeue the Scriptures and al things written in them to be true but they neuer come to the principal maine matter wherein the comfort of a Christian lyeth to make particular application of any thing to themselues Vse 2 Secondly it admonisheth euery man to examine himselfe and to try whether his faith be true or not this is the counsell and commandement of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13 5. as we heard before and how shall we better do it theÌ„ by making particular application of those things which ought to bee beleeued to beleeue that God is our God that the Lord Iesus is our Sauior that we are righteous by his obedience that wee haue the pardon of our sinnes that wee haue receyued the grace of sanctification and that wee shall be partakers of eternall life For as faith is the life of the soule so this application is the life of faith If we finde this in vs then certainly we haue a true a liuely a iustifying faith otherwise we deceyue our selues with a shadow and opinion of faith when in truth we are vtterly destitute of it And if men were brought to their tryall heerein it is greatly to be suspected and feared that not onely they in the Church of Rome but many that liue in the Church of God it selfe will bee found to want the true faith and to please themselues with a naked shew of it For some haue not a generall knoledge and therefore cannot haue so much as a generall faith Many albeit they haue a generall knowledge yet they will not nay they cannot in special apply Christ and his benefits vnto themselues because such is their simplicity or sottishnesse that they condemne this doctrine of applying Christ to themselues say it is to some a doctrine of presumption to others the pathway leading to desperation These are afraid to go so farre and dare not meddle with it They will hope well as the Papists do and thinke well but they cannot abide to heare of any particular application These are as men that are afraid of their good friends whose case must needs be lamentable and they stand in a dangerous nay I may say in a damnable condicion because without this application there can be no true faith and without true faith no saluation We haue experience of some in our dayes who out of a melancholy humor perswade themselues that they may not eate because they are vnworthy to touch their meate and by this meanes are the cause of their owne death and yet they thinke they may see it and talke of it but by no meanes may touch it This is the faith of many Christians among vs they thinke they may heare of the things that belong to saluation and reason of them but by no meanes they may apply them these mens case is very dangerous for they must needs perish eternally For as life is maintained not by looking vpon our meate or by speaking of it or by hearing of it but by taking and applying of it so the soule is sustayned and life preserued in it not by hearing of the promises of the Gospel nor by assenting vnto them but by applying of them vnto our selues When the Israelites were stung in the wildernesse with the fiery serpents and scorpions Deut. 8 15 insomuch that many dyed if any should haue saide I am not worthy to look vp to the brazen serpent and to fasten mine eies vpon it I know indeed that God hath appointed it as the only means and remedy to recouer them that are stung but I dare not presume to behold it because of mine vnworthinesse would we not thinke that it were iust that this man should perish So is it in this case many men know that God hath sent his Sonne into the world and that he dyed for the sinnes of the world yet many are so desperate that they talke and dispute of nothing but of their owne vnworthinesse and say they would apply Christ but they dare not they are such greeuous sinners Howbeit he that was worthy to take the booke out of the right hand of the Father and to open it Reuel 5 2 5 11 12 hath also made his children partakers of his worthinesse Reuel 3 4. They shall walke with me in white for they are worâ—hy His merits are become our merits and his righteousnesse is made ours 2 Cor. 5 21. Wherfore whosoeuer they are that eyther through the corruption of their owne hearts or through the tentation of Satan doe not truely apply Christ vnto themselues and his death to theyr saluation but make it a matter of presumption their condition is miserable and they are yet in the way to destruction and may iustly feare that the wrath and iudgements of God will ouertake them Lastly this point is very sweet and comfortable Vse 3 to euery one that is able though with much weaknesse and many infirmities in particular to apply the generall promises of God and the Gospel to himselfe because such shall be sure to finde God gracious vnto them and if they be stung by the old serpent they shall be healed because they can look vp to to the 2. ferpent that God hath set vp and appointed to be the healer and helper of them If they be hungry they shal be sure to be satisfied Christ is the true bread that came downe from Heauen Iohn 6 they eate him by faith and so apply in particular the generall promises to theÌ„selues This is it indeed that ought to encourage euery man to labour for this particular application not like hypocrites to content theÌ„selues with generall things as if they were
yeare then the Trumpet of Iubile sounded they proclaimed liberty and freedome thoroughout all the land vnto all the inhabitants thereof then seruants were set free then debts were forgiuen then euery man returned vnto his owne possession and family Verse 10. This solemne and sacred time was instituted for these causes First Why the Iubile was instituted to moderate and bridle the couetousnesse of such as hoped and gaped after other mens possessions and to teach euery man to be content with his owne estate and not enter vpon the possessions of others as Ahab did vpon the vineyard of Naboth Secondly to keepe a true Chronology a certaine computation of time which is very necessary and profitable in the reading of histories to know where and at what time euery thing was done Thirdly to maintayne a distinction of the Tribes vntill the exhibiting of the Messiah according to the prophecy of Iacob Gen. 49 9 The Tribe shall not depart from Iuda till Shiloh come For howsoeuer many do vnderstand the word Shebet in this place of the Scepter yet I doe not remember in all the bookes of Moses wherein it is often vsed that once it is vsed in that sense albeit it be in other bookes afterward Lastly to figure out the redemption of Christ who indeed broght a true Iubile and freedome when the fulnesse of time came Hee proclaymed liberty with his owne voyce from the tyranny of sin of Satan and of hell Esay 61 1 2 3 c. Luke 4 18. He purchased a ful discharge from all our spiritual debts trespasses and transgressions Ioh. 8 34 36 Verily verily I say vnto you Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne but if the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed Through him it is come to passe that Satan hath no power to exact any debt at our hands Christ hath cancelled the bill and hand-writing that stood in force against vs 1 Cor. 6 20 Gal. 4.5 1 Pet. 1 18 19. Col. 1 13 14. Rom. 8 2. This Law pertayning to the ceremonies of Moses The Popish Iubile the Papists haue taken vp and horribly abused and broght into vse in the times of the Gospel and vnder colour thereof sell theyr pardons and indulgences and abuse the people and make sale of their soules For as God had his Iubile so the Pope hath his howbeit it is in an apish kinde of imitation and can neyther be accounted this Leuitical Iubile neyther yet receiued for Christian It cannot be the Leuiticall because in it no seruants are freed no debts are remitted no possessions of land are restored as it was in the Iubile of the Iewes And if the Pope himselfe would allow this why doth not he beginne and giue good example to others restore Rome to it selfe and others lands of the Church to the Emperour he being the right and lawfull owner and that proud Bishop onely an vsurper Againe in the yeare of Iubile the Iewes did neyther sowe nor reape but at Rome it is nothing so for then the Popes are most busie the best husbands then they sowe their indulgences thick threefold reape a plentifull haruest by such merchandise Hence it is that whereas at the first this solemne feast which now keepeth the Popes kitchin hote for many yeares after was rare now it is growne more common that it might be more gainful The inuention of it was altogether vnknowne for more then twelue hundred yeares after Christ and neuer heard of in the purer times of the Church The first father of it was Boniface the eighth Anno 1300 who promised full remission of sinnes to all those that would repaire to Rome and pay soundly for a pardon and this was to be done euery hundred yeares This time was thoght too long was afterward abridged by Clement the sixt who got the papacy in the yeare 1342. to 50 yeares after the manner of the Iewe. After him came Sixtus the fourth in the yeare of our Lord 1473 who thinking the times to come to slowly about Piae fraudes and finding the sweetnes of the former deuice cut it off againe in the middes appointed euery 25 yeare for a Iubile and promised like pardons to all commers and goers wheras before him Vrban the sixt had brought it to 33 yeares and lastly it is come to ten yeares because they would bee sure to lose no profit See what the desire of mony worketh in these holy fathers who oftentimes sell pardons so fast to others that it is to be feared they neuer obtaine pardon themselues Neyther can this Iubile be holden for Christian in that poore pilgrims resort to Rome and visite the Churches of Peter and Paul but rather superstitious blasphemous For this is to tye grace to a certain time and place which is not tyed Esay 2 5. Ioh. 4 23. Math. 28 19. Secondly this is to worship God with our own workes which he hath not commanded nor required Esay 1 12 Math. 15 9 and to make sinfull men to merite the grace and fauour of God whereas all such kinde of seruice is abominable in his sight Lastly they make sale of the grace of God which is much more precious then gold and siluer take money for remission of sins which that proud Prelat is not able to giue Thus are men pitifully deceiued The Iubile is the Popes market and haruest and God is horribly dishonored And howsoeuer the good of the people is pretended yet this Iubile is nothing else but the Popes market and haruest his market day to sel his wares and commodities and his haruest to gather in his pardon-money wherby he emptieth the purses of others but filleth his owne coffers True it is hee claymeth a power to dispense the treasure of the Church that is the merites of the Saints and the ouer-measure of their workes and obedience hee hath in store for all such as lacke The Saints haue no ouer plus of works but this is most iniurious and derogatory to Christ It is proper to him to redeeme others and to satisfy for them who is made of the Father to be our redemption 1 Cor. 1 30. Againe the Scripture expresly excludeth the sufferings of the Saints from the worke of redemption and remission of sinnes 1 Cor. 1 13. Acts 4 12. 2 Cor. 5 21 Acts 10 43. Thirdly if the satisfactions of the Saints were of so great worth value that they can take away and blot out the sinnes of others then they might be truly called the Mediators of the New Testament howbeit this is proper to Christ Heb. 9.13 14 15. Lastly the Saints themselues are not able to pay theyr owne debt much lesse the debt of others and they that want the mercy and mediation of another cannot be mediators for another But the best Saints that euer were or shal be doe say Forgiue vs our debts therefore they are not able to pay them How then can
Church were many wicked liuers of whom the Apostle saith e 1 Cor 10 5. 1 Cor. 10. With many of them God was not pleased but they were destroyed in the Wildernesse Yea such as were the chiefe among them and excelled in godlinesse aboue the rest as the Cedar doth the low shrub had their failings and infirmities as wee see in Aaron in Miriam and in Moses himselfe as we shall see afterward in this booke Wherefore they are deceiued that seeke for a Church in this life without spot or wrinkle Such in former times were the Donatists and such in our dayes are the Anabaptists whoe shall looke vntill their eyes fall out before they shall finde any company or society wholly separated from al contagion of hypocrites Epicures Libertines and such like loose liuers Christ compareth the Church vnto a draw net cast into the Sea which gathereth fish of all sorts both good and bad Againe heere is comfort for the sincere Ministers of the Gospell to whom the dispensation of the Word and sacraments is committed that they ought not to forsake their calling when they behold the greatest part of their charges and Congregations to take no profite and to receiue no instruction by their ministery but to continue and waite with patience vntil f 2 Tim. 2 26. God wil giue them repentance that they may come out of the snare of the diuell of whom they are holden captiue to do his will Fourthly we learne the vnchangeable loue of God toward his people It is euident by Vse 4 this booke more then by the former how diuersly they prouoked him to wrath by their sinnes as their lust murmuring impatience vnthankfulnesse idolatry and fornication they tempted him in the wildernesse whereby they deserued not onely to be depriued of the Land of Canaan but to bee excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen Notwitâ—staâ—â—ing God continued their mercifull Lord still so that his election is immutable g Iohn 13 1. and whom hee loueth he loueth him to the end What then shall we sinne that grace may abound God forbid nay how shall wee that are dead to sinne yet liue therein As his graces guifts are without repentance so they must leade vs to repentance and cause vs to expresse backe againe vnfained loue vnto him who loued vs first Vse 5 Fiftly we haue set before vs many fearefull examples of Gods heauy indignation against sinne and sinners Hee punisheth the murmurings of the people fretting fuming against God in their extremities he taketh vengeance on their idolatry and committing fornication he chastiseth their sedition emulation breach of the Sabboth contempt of authority luste tempting of God and such like wickednesse that thereby wee might learne the feare of God and be admonished to auoide the same sinnes which will bring vpon vs the same or gteater iudgements euen temporall and eternall punishments For God is the same God to them and to vs he will shew himselfe iust and righteous in all his wayes a Psal 5 4. that hee is not a God that loueth wickednesse and that euill shall not dwell with him Hence it is that Paul alluding to these famous and remarkable examples of his iustice saith b 1 Cor. 10 11 These things came vnto them for examples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the worlde are come Let him therefore that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him Lastly as wee haue fearefull examples and Vse 6 threatnings of the Lawe manifested in this booke so on the other side wee haue comfortable promises of the Gospell touching our saluation and redemption by Christ Iesus who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification For hee is truely and plainely preached in this booke a type of whom wee haue in the brasen Serpent c Num. 21 9. Iohn 3 14 and 12 32. lifted vp in the wildernesse and healing those that were bitten of the fiery Serpents which Christ expoundeth Ioh. 3 to be meant of his death and lifting vp vpon the Crosse That euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Likewise the Rocke which Moses did strike yeelding vnto them abundance of water as out of a plentifull Fountaine the Apostle expoundeth of Christ for he saith d Num. 20 10 and 21 16. 1 Cor. 10 4. They did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and the Rocke was Christ The like we might say of Manna of the ashes of the red Cow of the Nazarites besides the sacrifices and ceremonies burnt offerings meat offerings and purifications which were figures painting and pointing out the sacrifice â—nd sufferings of Christ Iesus But because we haue spoken somewhat of them before and more remaineth to be spoken heereafter we will passe them ouer at this time without farther consideration This serueth to confute those which hold that all things were carnall to the Fathers that they had no knowledge of the Messiah but onely a carnall imagination of earthly things These are disciples brought vp in the damnable schoole of Seruetus an arch-enemy to the faith who contradict the Apostles in many places and make the Iewes as Swine fatted in a Stie groueling vpon the earth and neuer lifting vp their heads to a better life The Apostle Peter reasoning against such as taught the necessity of circumcision saith e Act. 15 10 11 Why doe yee tempt God to lay a yoke on the Disciples neckes which neyther our Fathers nor we are able to beare but we beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they doe Thus wee see Christ was onely the way to Gods Kingdome and that by faith in him the Fathers looked for saluation as well as we Our Sauiour testifieth f Iohn 8 56. that Abraham reioyced to see his day and saw it and was glad So the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith g Heb. 13 8. Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for euer As therefore the Couenant of GOD touching life and saluation is for substance one and the same so there is one faith one hope and way to attaine to the Kingdome of heauen for the Fathers in the time of the Law and for vs in the time of the Gospell Thus much of the generall vses of this booke The last point which wee propounded in the beginning to be handled h The diuision of this booke into his parts is the diuision of this booke that we may orderly proceede in the seuerall parts of it Some do diuide it into two parts according to the Chronology or computation of time obserued heerein for in the first nineteene chapters he handleth those things which happened in the wildernesse from the second yeare of their departure out of Egypt to the fortieth yeare
and in the chapters following to the ende of the booke he setteth downe such thinges as fell out in the fortieth yeare The former part they cut into matters legall and historicall the legall are partly ciuill partly ecclesiasticall The ciuill things belonging to policy or the Common-wealth are of the numbring of the Israelites of the order of the Tents of the leprous and polluted to be cast out of the hoast of their going forward and of making the siluer Trumpets The Ecclesiasticall are touching the ministery of the Leuites and the office of the Priests touching their age fit for seruice touching the Nazarites the Passeouer the red Heiffer and the water of purification The matters historicall offer vnto our view the obedience of Moses the offerings of the Princes the murmuring of the people the calling of the Elders the sending out of the Spies the emulation of Miriam the sedition of Corah and the flourishing Rod of Aaron The latter part handling the actes of the last yeare is also partly historicall and partly legall The historicall is touching the sinne at the waters of strife touching the battelles and victories obtained against the Canaanites Moabites Midianites intending by their horrible curses and bannings of Balaam to destroy the Israelites touching a new numbring of the people touching the seuerall places of their abode and such such To the legall part wee may referre such things as are Ecclesiasticall as their feastes and solemne assemblies the vowes of men of wiues of widdowes and maids what shall stand and what not stand and likewise such as are ciuill as touching their inheritance and diuision of the Land of the Cities and Suburbs of the Leuites of the Cities of refuge and of inheritances not to passe from one Tribe to another Thus may the booke not vnfitly be diuided and handled but for the greater plainnesse perspicuity we will diuide it into three parts The first is the preparation of the people and a fit ordering of them to take their iourney at the Commandement of God in the first ten chapters The second part toucheth those memorable euents which happened vnto them in their iourney to the 26 chapter The last is of matters belonging to their entrance into their inheritance and of taking possession thereof from the 26 chapter to the end of the booke I am not ignorant that others frame vnto themselues another order Tostal in nitio Numer Lyra in Annot. and stand vpon another diuision but what method soeuer we follow we may easily feele the finger of God in it and out of this diuision let vs learne some good vses for our instruction Vse 1 First we see heere againe that which wee noted before that God alwayes vseth an excellent and exquisite order in the handling of his word though alwayes it be not discerned of vs. True it is he is more exact in some parts then in others and obserueth greater art in penning some parcels of the Scriptures then others as appeareth in the originall of diuers Psalmes and the Lamentations Psal 111. and 112 and 119. and Lament both to manifest their dignity and to strengthen mans memory but euery part of his word is full of diuine method to teach vs to acknowledge the worthinesse of the same For how should hee bee any way confused who ordereth all his workes aright in heauen and earth and therfore he is called the God of order Secondly we haue from hence a good direction Vse 2 for the Ministers of the word to follow this example For seeing God hath diuided his word into fit parts and ordered it to our capacity and vnderstanding it belongeth also vnto the Ministers to set their worke in good order for the greater good of the people committed vnto them Things that are distinctly handled Macrob. Saturn lib. 1 in praef Seneca Epist 8. are better and surer kept A Carpenter hauing prouided matter sufficient to build his house hauing framed his work he setteth euery part in his proper place The Minister is appointed to builde the Lordes house euery one his portion Cyprian de vmi Eccles and to square the rough and ragged stones that they may be fit for the building When they haue gotten together out of their treasure things both olde and new they must bring them forth as good stewards and set them in the best order they can This is it which the Apostle perswadeth vnto 2 Tim. 2. 2 Tim. 2 15 Study to shew thy selfe approued vnto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth declaring that it is not enough for them to teach the truth but they must teach it wisely orderly distinctly and discreetly Then shall they teach with comfort theÌ„ shall they see a greater blessing vpon their labors and then shall the people heare with reuerence attend with diligence and remember with carefulnesse the things they haue heard Thirdly seeing God hath disposed his word in an exact manner and ranged it into good Vse 3 order we must be carefull to know it and vnderstand it and where God vseth the greatest art we must vse the greatest care This duty hath many parts Duties to be practised in hearing the word and doth spread it selfe into sundry branches Now wee shall shew our selues to respect his word if first of all there be in vs a ready and willing minde to receiue it Euen as a man taketh willingly his friends gift and doth not turn away his face nor shut his hand when it is offered vnto him so must we bee ready and prepared to entertaine the Teachers of Gods word Secondly it is required of vs to shew labor diligence without wearinesse Euen as worldlings ceasse not to attaine the corruptible treasures of this world so must wee imply our industry and spare no paines taking to enioy the heauenly riches which far surpasse all earthly substance Thirdly we must attend and lissen with the eares of body and minde to that which wee heare as men begin to lift vp their eares wheÌ„ they heare of some matter of profit Nothing can yeeld vs the like benefit and profite that the word doth all is but trash and trumpery in comparison of it Fourthly we must looke to our memories and hide his Commandements within vs. As then men lay vp their iewels and keepe them vnder locke and key lest they be lost and taken from them so must we heare with all â—ttention and not suffer the doctrine of the word to slip out of our minds but keepe his worde stedfastly and settle it firmely in our remembrance The fift meanes is to encline our hearts vnto the wisedome of his word Our religion must not be outward nor stand in ceremonies as the religion of hypocrites doth The ground that receiueth the seed sowne in it if it be out of heart it brings forth no fruit but if it be in good hart it bringeth forth fruit in abundance So is it