perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him 1. Cor. 21.14 neither can he know them because they are spirituallie discerned And againe 2. Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient to thinke any thing pertaining to the kingdome of God as of our selues The Greeke word icanoi may well be Englished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that also more significantly to the purpose of the Apostle Naturall knowledge insufficient VVe are not fit nor haue no aptnesse c. But can we not by the light of our naturall vnderstanding know God by looking as it were in a glasse vpon that wisedome and power of his which shineth in his creatures nor be sufficiently prouoked by his accustomed goodnesse powred forth vpon vs in them to know and beleeue in him to loue feare worship and serue him to his honour and glorie and to our owne saluation No neither but we are so much the rather left without excuse before God because we through the dimnesse of our naturall sight knowing him but weakely and vnperfectly by his creatures cannot neither are desirous to bend our hearts and minds worthily to glorifie him as God It is true for so the Apostle Paul teacheth Rom. 1.20.21 and 1. Cor. 1.21 I aske therefore where that knowledge and faith which is sufficient for saluation and to the perfect guiding of vs in the right way of glorifying God here in this life is to be found Deut. 4.2 Pro. 30.6 Psal 105. 2. Tim. 3.15 Onely in the holy Scriptures and written word of God wherof it is said Thy word is a Lanterne to my feet and a light to my steps And againe the holy Scriptures are able to make vs wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus Which are those holy Scriptures you speake of The bookes of Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes in the old Testament and the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ in the New So indeed doth our Sauiour Christ deuide the holy Scriptures of the old Testament Luke 24.44 How many are the bookes of Moses They are fiue Which are they The first is called Genesis The second Exodus The third Leuiticus The fourth Nombers The fift Deuteronomy Which are the bookes of the holy Prophets First there are foure more larger then the rest Isaiah The holy Scriptures the onely ground of Catechisme and which they be Ieremie Ezechiel Daniel And then there be other twelue which are called the lesser Hosea Ioel Amos Obadiah Iona Micah Nahum Habbakuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Malachie being the last of the Prophets endeth his Prophesie with foretelling the comming of Iohn Baptist wherewith the Euangelistes do begin the writings of the new Testament And thereby it appeareth that both the Old Testament and the New are one intire Scripture giuen by the same Spirit But we must needes vnderstand more vnder the name of the Prophets then these 16. which you haue alreadie rehearsed or else the diuision of our Sauiour Christ shold not comprehend all Shew therefore furthermore how manie be remaining of them and which they be There are also 16. bookes of them that is to say One of Ioshua One of Iudges One of Ruth Two of Samuel Two of the Kings Two of the Chronicles One called Esra Another Nehemia The booke of Esther The booke of Iob. The Prouerbes of King Salomon Ecclesiastes or the Preacher And the Song of Songs Of the Old Testament the booke of the Psalmes onely remaineth the which in the Hebrew is deuided into fiue partes How manie are of them in all The whole number of them is one hundreth and fiftie These are the holy Scriptures of the Old Testament shew likewise which be the bookes of the New Testament and first how manie are the writings of the Euangelistes VVhich be the holy Scriptures They are foure which be called after the names of those that wrote the most ioyfull Historie of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ Who are they Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn Of these holy Euangelistes Luke wrote also the booke following next after them called the Actes of the holy Apostles and Iohn the last booke of the New Testament called the Apocalypse or Reuelation of Iohn the diuine But beside these writings of the New Testament there are one and twentie seuerall Epistles or letters contained in the same which partly the same Apostle Iohn and beside him some other of the Apostles and holy ministers of the Gospell wrote entitled either to whole Christian Churches or to certaine particular Christians of speciall calling and note in the Church of God Shew which those Epistles or holy letters are Of the Apostle Paul who wrote specially to the Churches of the Gentiles We haue one written to the Romanes Two to the Corinthians One to the Churches of Galatia One to the Ephesians One to the Philippians One to the Colossians Two to the Thessalonians Two to Timothie One to Titus One to Philemon Next vnto these is one written more specially to the Christians of the Iewes called the Epistle to the Hebrewes without any name of the writer of it And some other of the Apostles who wrote indeed for generall instruction both of Iewes Gentils in which respect their Epistles are called generall we haue One of Iames. Two of Peter Three of Iohn And one of Iude. Neuerthelesse Iames and Peter write with speciall directiō to the Christian Iewes This well agreeth to Peter who was the Apostle of the Circumcision that he should write to the Iewes as it doth vnto Paul to write specially to the Gentiles seeing that he was the Apostle of the vncircumcision And thus we see which are those holy Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament which aboue all other writings haue this chiefe and most honourable prerogatiue ascribed vnto them according to that which was answered that they onely are able to make vs wise vnto saluation and to guide vs perfectly in the right way of the holy worship and seruice of God to the glorifying of his name here in this present world What is the reason hereof Because these holy Scriptures onely are in most singular manner and more immediately then anie other writings giuen by God himselfe either by the ministerie of Angels from heauen in the hand of a Mediator which is Christ Iesus the eternall sonne of God or by the same Mediator himselfe manifested to the world in the nature of man or else by diuine inspiration in the ministerie of men like to our selues though specially chosen and sanctified of God to be his most holy Scribes and Secretaries to the same end What proofe haue you for these things In the 19. verse of the 3. chapter to the Galatians and in the 2. verse of the 2. chapter to the Hebrewes also in the beginning of the same Epistle in the 1. verse and in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the 3. chapter 16. and
17. verses and in the 2. Epist of Peter the 1. Chap. from the 16. verse and so forth to the end of the chapter Let vs peruse these places turning to them in our Bibles But that we may go forward How are the holy Scriptures to be vsed of vs that we may haue the knowledge and faith of them to the end that we may giue glorie to God and obtaine saluation by the direction and comfort of them We are most reuerently and religiously to acquaint our selues with the often reading of them and hearing them read and calling vpon God by earnest prayer that he would giue vs the right vnderstanding of them Yea this is to be done both publickely and priuately What are we principally to obserue in reading of them How the holy Scriptures are to be read and marked The orderly course of the holy Storie how one thing followeth another in order of time and therein chiefly how both the Lavv of Moses and also all the rest of the Prophets do giue one concordable and consonant witnesse vnto Iesus Christ concerning his nature his tribe his person his office by doctrine types figures and prophesies And againe how all things written taught prefigured foretold in the whole Scriptures haue had their full accomplishment and blessed effect from time to time in their proper seasons But haue we nothing else to obserue in the reading of the holy Scriptures Yes for beside the doctrine of faith and the vndoubted confirmation thereof we are vvith like diligence and reuerend regard to marke all holy instructions for good life with the promises of all kindes of blessings belonging thereunto and likewise all warnings against sinne and the threatnings thereof and therewithal also the good examples of the godly and their blessed ends for our incouragement to liue as they haue liued and the euill examples of the vvicked and their cursed ends that we may auoid their wayes These things indeede are verie good and necessarie to be obserued in the reading of the holy Scriptures but here a scruple or doubt ariseth If the holy Scriptures onely be able to make vs wise vnto saluation and to guide vs in the right way of glorifying God what is to be thought of other good books and godly writings whether we enquire of those which be called Apochripha vsually bound in our Bibles or anie other written by godly and learned men heretofore or now last of all in these our dayes They may be greatly profitable as helps for our weakenesse if good discretion be vsed in reading of them that is if too much time be not spent that way from the reading of the holy Scriptures themselues and if we trie all other vvritings by the holy Scriptures which alone in matters of saluation haue authoritie and credit of themselues and no other further then they do agree with them and so haue allowance from them For the ground perfection of the knovvledge of God and our ovvne saluation is onely to be found in them To this purpose that is worthie to be diligently noted How the holy Scriptures are to be preached and heard which King Solomon saith of the reading of all writings besides the holy Scriptures and those that are most agreable to them that it is an vnprofitable wearinesse to the flesh and a burthensom vexation to the fraile mind of man Eccles chap. 1.18 and ch 12.12 This obserued let vs go another step forward Is it sufficient for the vnderstanding of the Scriptures and for the obtaining of faith c. that we do onely reade them No but as the Lord at the first and so from time to time chose and sanctified some speciall men vvhome it pleased him to vse as his holy instruments to vvrite dovvne his Scriptures once for euer so it is and alvvayes hath bene his pleasure to call and furnish many other vvith vnderstanding and vvith the gift of teaching and exhorting aboue the rest to minister a more cleare full light of his heauenly knovvledge vnto his people and to stirre vp and avvake their consciences to a more effectuall embracing of the same then they could by their ovvne reading attaine vnto This is manifestly to be seene euerie where in the Scripture The Lord by his holy Prophets calleth for hearing as the most effectual meanes of knowledge faith and obedience So doth King Salomon throughout the booke of the holy Prouerbes So doth our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Matth. 13.9.16.17.18 and in the Reuelation Chap. 2. chap. and 3. It followeth therefore that with like reuerence and that also of speciall necessitie that we acquaint our selues with diligent hearing of the Scriptures preached and taught in the ministerie thereof Further it is necessarie that they be carefully meditated vpon in euerie of our hearts apart by our selues and also conferred of one with another both publikely and priuately At whose mouth especially ought the knowledge and doctrine of the holy Scriptures to be heard and learned of vs a 1. Cor. 14.34 35. 1. Tim. 2.12 c. Priuately vviues of their Christian husbands Likevvise b Gen. 18.17.18.19 Exod. 12.26 ch 13.14.15 Deut. 4 9.10 chap. 6.6.7 ch 11.18 Ps 78.1.5.6.7 Pro. 4.3.4 c. and chap. 22.6 Ephes 6.4 children and seruants of their godly parents and maisters and c Deut. 33.10 Mal. 2.7 Luk. 12.41.42 1. Cor. 3.1.2 Heb. 5.12.13.14 ch 6.1 13.17.22 Iames 1.19 Gal. 6.6 parents Maisters seruants children and all both priuately and publikely of their faithfull Pastors and Teachers Seeing the principall meanes of knowledge and faith and of all grace with the blessed and prosperous growth and increases thereof is the hearing of the word publikely preached and taught it shall be good for vs before we proceede any further to stay a while vpon this matter What is required to the profitable hearing of it so preached and taught amongst vs To the profitable hearing of the vvord preached and taught three things are necessarie The first is a Eccles 4.17 Act. 10.33 preparation before vve come to heare The second is b Matth. 13 9. Act. 16.14.15 attention in hearing The third is c Iames 1.22.23.24.25 care to make good vse practise of that which vve haue heard To each of these points manie things are necessarie as you haue bene instructed shew therefore first of all what is requisite to due preparation That vve may come rightly prepared to heare the vvord of God as vve ought these fiue things are necessarie First a d Matth. 28.19.20 2. Cor. 4 6. Rom. 10.14 Act. 3.31 perswasion in our heartes that it is the holy ordinance and commandement of God that vve should heare and also that it is most necessarie and profitable for vs so to do Secondly e Psal 119.18 Ephes 6.18 that vve make our prayers to God that he vvould prepare vs as being of our selues altogether vnfit to heare Thirdly f Eph. 5.13.14 ch 6.12
in the very spirit of the mind which the Lord only and our owne consciences is priuie vnto The second Commandement followeth to be considered of vs which concerneth the right manner of the externall and bodily profession and practise of this inward worship of the soule and spirit from the former ground of the true knowledge and acknowledgement of the onely true God and as a fruite of his true faith feare and loue Rehearse therefore the second Commandement of Almighty God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image The Hebrew word is serue Thabhandem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue nor in the earth beneath nor in the vvater vnder the earth Thou shalt not bovv downe to them nor vvorship them for I am the Lord thy God a iealous God c. Is there nothing contayned in all these words but the Commandement it selfe There is beside the Commandement a reason annexed to it Ye say well the Commandement is this Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. The reason followeth for I the Lord thy God am a iealous God c. And let vs obserue it well for this Commandement in stead of all the rest is set downe in the full strength and beautie and as it were in cōplet armour being furnished both with the threatning of the curse against the transgressors and also with the promise of blessing and holding forth the garland of glory to all that shall obey it Why is that God would in this one let vs see expressely how euery Commandement is to be vnderstood as carying the curse and blessing death and life as it were in the bosome of it But more specially because the imbracing of idolatry whereby the hart is drawne away frō the true spirituall worship of God is as it were the dissoluing of that mariage-couenant which God hath vouchsafed to enter with his people and their posterity euen as on the other side faithfull continuance in the duties of his true outward worship is vnto all true spirituall worshippers of him as the perpetuall sealing and confirmation of the same for euer Of these things we shall vnderstand more hereafter only as touching the nature of the Law contayning both the curse and death against the transgressors and also the blessing and life to those that shall obey it reade Deut. 30.15.16.17.18.19.20 and chapter 11.26.27.28 Now first of all what doth the Lord forbid in this second Commandement First of all in this second Commandement the Lord forbiddeth not only the making dedicating or consecrating and setting vp of any kind of Image and liknesse of any creature thereby to represent to our selues either his diuine Maiesty or anie strange God but also he forbiddeth that we should once fancy or contayne in our minds any bodily likenesse or shape of the diuine nature Secondly he forbiddeth vs to bovv downe the body or to yeeld any other externall seruice and vvorship to the honour either of the Image so fancied made dedicated and set vp or of God himselfe or any strange God in or by the Image either in priuate closet oratory or Chappell or in any publike high vvay market place Church or Temple Thirdly he forbiddeth all wil-worship that is to say euery forme and practise of diuine worship and seruice either in the whole or in any part and all the superstitious rights and ceremonies thereof though it be without idols and images besides that outward forme only with those holy rights and ceremonies which he himselfe hath for the time being commanded to be vsed and practised according to the prescript rule of his word either heretofore vnder the Law among the Iewes or now euer since vnder the Gospell among all Christian nations to the ende of the vvorld Fourthly the Lord forbiddeth vs to rest in any or all the outward duties of that worship vvhich he himselfe hath commanded as though he vvere pleased with the vvorke vvrought as they say vnlesse they be done in faith and repentance Fiftly he forbiddeth all true worshippers of him to enterprise any neare societie and familiarity vvith idolaters either by mariage or by bodily presence at their idoll seruice or any of their idolatrous and festiuall assemblies Finally he forbiddeth all desire and lingering affection of hart towards idolatry or any other false erronious hereticall practise of religious vvorship For the first of these points reade Isaiah 40.15.16.17.18 and verses 22. c. and Acts 17.29 For the second the expresse words of the Commandement are cleare The true worshippers of God bow not the knee to Baal 1. Kings 19.18 Of more secret and priuate or houshold idolatrie reade Iudges chap. 17. and Gen. 31.19.30.32.34 and chapter 35.1.2.3.4 Deut. 27.15 And note that the word of seruing the Image or idol is more generall then that other of bowing downe For it comprehendeth all idolatrous superstitious rights and ceremonies all outward actions gestures significations of zeale reuerence or allowance of this kind of worship Such are the dedicating of places for such kind of worship the erecting of altars burning of incense lifting vp of the eyes to the Image holding vp of the hands vncouering the head before them kissing of them speaking honorably of them swearing by them keeping holy dayes and feastes vnto them consecrating of Priests for them c. Reade against these and the like Leuit. 18.1.2.3.4 and chap. 19.27.28 and chap. 26.1 Deut. 12.29.30.31 and chap. 14.1.2 and chap. 16.21.22 Iosh 23.7 and 1. Kings chapter 12.31.32.33 and chap. 18.28 and chap. 19.18 and 2. Kings 16.10.11 c. and 2. Chron. 28.22.23 Exod. 23.13 and chap. 32.5 Psalme 16.4 Hosh 2.16.17 Psalme 106.39 Read also Isaiah chap. 19.19 Isaiah 44.17 and chap. 57.5 c. Ier. 7.9 and chap. 11. verses 12.13 and chap. 12.16 Ezek. chapter 18.6.12.15 Amos. 8.14 Zeph. 1.5 Reade also Iudges 8.27 Touching the third point reade Collossians 2. verses 18.19.20.21.22.23 Reade also Micah 6. vers 6.7 and Isai 29.13 Math. 15.9 and Marke chap. 7.5 c. Not onely the Popish Portesse and Masse booke and the Idolatrous worship thereof but also the Turkish worship according to their Alcoran and the Iewish worship euer since their obstinate deniall of Christ though it be without Images yea and whatsoeuer is in any diuine seruice booke as we call them contrary or not soundly agreeing to the prescript rule of Gods word all is condemned in this second Commandement As touching the Iewes there was indeed a forme of worship prescribed by God which was allowed of him standing in many godly rights and ceremonies as the bookes of Moses do plentifully declare But now vnto Christians all those rights and ceremonies which were peculiarly commaunded to the Iewes vntill the comming of Christ they are ceassed Only that which was morall to the Iewes is remayning to the vse of Christians with such change of Sacraments as God himselfe hath expressely commanded Of which things
we are to enquire anon Concerning the fourth point reade Psalme 50.7 c. and Psalme 4.4.5 and Isaiah 1.10.11 c. and againe Chapter 29. 13.14 Math. 15.7.8.9 Reuel 3.1 c. and verse 14. c. Concerning the fift point reade Exod. 23.32.33 chap. 34.12 c. Deut. 7.3.4 chap. 12.30 chap. 13.6 c. Psa 106.28 Numb 25.1.2.3 1. Cor. 5.9.10.11 and chap. 7.15 chap. 8. and chap. 10.21 c. and 2. Epistle 6.14 c. Reue. 17.4 c. Reade also Nehem. chap. 13.26 and 1. King 11.4 c. Concerning the last point reade Deut. 12.30 Ezek. 14 3.4.5 and chap. 20.16.32 c. 37. Now let vs go forward Why doth the Lord in the forbidding of idolatrie and false worship recken vp so full and perfect a distribution of the images likenesses of all kind of creatures saying Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image nor the liknesse of things which are in heauen aboue or on the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth First because all idolatrous nations and namely the Egyptians from whom the Lord had so lately deliuered the Israelites and the Cananites with the rest of the seauen nations where he minded to giue them their dwelling place and to roote those people out had euery such way corrupted and defiled yea vtterly peruerted the worship of God Secondly because the Lord knoweth the nature of all men to be exceedingly inclinable and ready to all kind of superstition and idolatry in stead of yeelding true worship to the only true God Reade Isa 19.1 and Acts 17.22.23 c. 29. Rom. 1.21.22.23 reade also Deut. 6.14 And that all men are exceedingly proue to idolatry Israel it selfe who was most wisely taught and instructed and most earnestly warned against it may be one example in stead of all seeing they did notwithstanding by and by after their deliuerance out of Egypt yea and afterward from time to time fall most grosly into it Reade Exod. 32.1 c. 8.9 and Ps 106.19.20.21 and ver 28.29 Reade also Iudg. 2.11.12.13 chap. 3.5.6.7.12 and chap. 4.1 Reade 1. King 12.28 c. and Ier. chap. 2.5.6 c. and chap. 3.1 c. and verses 6.7.8.9 c. Israel would not take example from the iudgements of God vpon other nations and namely vpon those that were cast out before them Neither would the people of Iudah take warning by the wrath of God which fell vpon Israel Reade Ier. 11. ver 12.13 reade Ezek. chap. 16. chap. 23. Isa 2.8 chapter 57. Hence it is that the Lord hath in other places of the Law by expresse mention forbidden the religious making of all images in any kind of creature either of wood carued Isa 44. or of siluer gold molten and cast in a mold as Exod. 20.23 or of any other mettall Leuit. 19.4 or of stone whether artificially fashioned or otherwise Ier. 2.27 Isa 57.6 And not only the caruing grauing and melting of images for diuine worship but also all painting of them either in glasse or on walles the expressing of them by needle worke or any other way Thus therefore we may see plainly the idolatries of the heathen all all sorts of them with euery superstitious appurtenance thereof to be vniuersally condemned by the Lord in this second Commandement But doth the same condemnation belong to all the Popish and superstitious idolatries of those which do in words professe themselues to be the onely true Christian and Catholike worshippers of the true God albeit they boast that they know and worship God in Christ and not any strange God neither are so foolish as they say to thinke that the image is God or to worship the crosse but in respect of Christ who was crucified vpon it nor the bread in their Sacrament of the Altar but because as they say and would seeme to beleeue that it is then transubstantiate into the very body of Christ And albeit they do not yeeld their inferiour religious worship to false Saints but to true Saints and their reliques monuments or rather to the Saints themselues and most of all to God in and for them c. and albeit they haue their many cunning and subtile excuses and distinctions whereby they would maintaine and vphold their wicked practise c. Are they I say neuerthelesse for all that they can say condemned by this Law of God There is no doubt to be made but they are all at once and as it were by one breath of the most holy Spirit of God vtterly cōdemned yea so much the rather these then they because as these acknowledge they haue the knowledge of the true God frō the light of his word which the other had not For hereby their sinne is made the greater and they are left the more without excuse before the Lord. And as touching all the reasōs wherby the idols of the heathē their idoll worship is condēned in the holy Scriptures they are as mighty pressing to weigh downe ouerthrow all the images and image-worship of our Popish Catholikes It is very true For God retaineth the same nature and the same diuine properties still the which can no more be purtrayed out now then they might then He is a Spirit as infinite and incomprehensible as euer he was And as touching Popish images they are as vnable to do good or euill as the heathenish were And they are as lying teachers and the doctrine thereof as lying as the doctrine of the idoll hath at any time bene Howsoeuer they are called Laymens bookes yet surely they teach nothing but ignorance the mother of blind deuotion And for no other cause do the Popish teachers commend them to those from whom they haue of purpose taken away the holy Scriptures but that they might nourish in them an vtter neglect of reading the Scriptures in their knowne language least they should come to any true knowledge by thē Wherefore iustly are Christians forwarned not only to withdraw themselues frō all idols idolatries of the heathen in their more blind maner and according to their grosser ignorances but also from following of the example of the Israelites which were more worthy to be condemned because of their knowledge Reade 1. Cor. 10.7 Yea the Spirit of God giueth a more generall warning as 1. Iohn 5.21 Babes keepe your selues from idols Amen They be the last words of his Epistle he hauing in the beginning warned them against Antichristian doctrine such as our Papists thrust vpon the Churches of Christ All which their false doctrine and false worship and that Antichristian power whereby it is exacted is cōdemned vnder the title of the name image and marke of the Beast of Rome which all true Christians are to auoide Reue. chap. 13.11 Yea this kind of idolatrie is so much the rather to be taken heed against the more seuerely also to condemned by how much it is more daungerous to bewitch and