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
sinne that is their offering strange fire with strange fire we shall speake afterward in the fift Chapter Heere we will obserue that this fact of theis may seeme in the eyes of many to be a small offence and not to deserue so heauy a censure and so grieuous a punishment For it may be said in defence or them either that they had a good intent and meaning though they missed in the manner or that this fire which they offered would serue to burne the incense as well as any other and what skilleth it by what fire it be done But all these are Doctrine 3 vaine pretences forasmuch as God had commanded the contrary a Gods worâ—â—ip we must â—ot be led â—our owne â—euices but â—y God diâ—ection We learne from hence that nothing in matter or forme concerning the worship of God or the administration of the Sacraments ought to be added or altered or detracted but all must be done as God hath determined and directed Our owne dreames and deuises must not sway vs in the matters of God but it is his will and word that must will and gouerne vs. The Lord himselfe challengeth and defendeth his authority in laying downe the maner and way of his own seruice not leauing it to the liberty of any creature men or Angels to intermeddle with it forasmuch as he will haue all things done as himselfe hath prescribed He is well pleased and contented that men shall make Lawes and statutes for humane matters concerning their temporall estates in this world as shall be fittest for the places where they rule and for the persons whom they rule as touching treasons murthers thefts oppressions slanders routs riots and such disorders but for the diuine worship how God shall be serued we must leaue it vnto him he onely can prescribe what must be done he onely will appoint what must be left vndone It is true the strange fire that Nadab and Abihu tooke was as well able to burne the incense as that which burned euermore vpon the altar and yet because God had not sanctified it for that purpose they were fearefully and dreadfully deuoured with fire from God When God instituted the Passeouer in remembrance of his mercifull deliuerance in passing ouer the houses of the Israelites when the first borne of the Egyptians were destroyed Exod. 12.3 the whole order is set downe both for the matter and manner of celebrating and solemnizing that ordinance hee instructeth what they shall take what ceremonies they shall vse what gesture they shall obserue and what he will haue them not to do Moses doth many times in the booke of the Law giue this direction Deuter. 4.2 Deut. 4.2 and 12.8.32 Ye shall not adde vnto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you and in the 12. Chapter ye shall not doe after after all the things that we doe heere this day euery man whatsoeuer is right in his owne eyes and afterward What thing soeuer I command you obserue and doe it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it On the contrary we see how Saul was punished with the losse of his kingdome because hee would offer sacrifice contrary to the expresse will of God made knowne vnto him 1 Sam. 15.23 The like might bee saide of Ieroboams two golden calues erected at Dan and Bethel without warrant and worshipped without warrant it was the ouerthrow of himselfe and his posterity 1 Kings 14.7 c. For this cause the Apostle speaking of the institution of the Lords Supper saith 1 Corin. 11. 1 Cor. 11.23 I receiued of the Lord that which also I deliuered vnto you that the Lord the same night in which he was betrayed tooke bread c. whereby it appeareth that it is no small matter it is no toy or trifle to worship GOD otherwise then he in his word appointeth vnto vs considering the saying of the wise man Adde not thou vnto his words Prou. 30.6 lest hee reprooue thee and thou be found a lyar This crosseth mans deuises which are Reason 1 bolde to steppe vp in Gods place and therefore let vs see the reasons First God will be acknowledged to be the only Law-giuer the king of his Church and the onely Prophet to instruct it in the will of God This is that which the Apostle Iames witnesseth Iam. 4.12 chap. 4. There is one Law-giuer who is able to saue and to destroy that can cast body and soule into hell fire Matth. 10. He is the master of the house that must set downe orders for the gouernement of his house None can make a Law in the kingdome but by authority of the king none can alter it being made but the king So is it in the Church none can appoint any word any Sacrament any worship but God himselfe none can reuerse any institution without him So that additions or detractions or alterations or any mixtures whatsoeuer are so many abuses of the Sacraments of the word and of the worship of God Reason 2 Secondly there is promise of blessing to them that serue him with a perfect heart and there is threatning of most heauy curses and iudgements to come vpon their soules that worship him after the commandements and precepts of men Our Sauiour chargeth his disciples to obserue all things whatsoeuer he commandeth them Matth. 28.20 and then he addeth Loe I am with you to the ende of the world Matth. 28.20 It appeareth in many places of the booke of Iudges the Israelites are deliuered ouer to their aduersaries for transgressing in this kind Iudg 2.12.14.15 2. Chron. 26.18 19. euen for worshipping him after other waies then he had appointed There is a fearefull denuntiation in the shutting vp of the Reuelation against all that shall dare either to adde or detract any thing in the holy things of God Reuel 22.18 19. I testifie vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the Prophesie of this Booke If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall take away from the words of the Booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life and out of the holy Citie and from the things which are written in this Booke Wherefore it is no small matter to follow the priuate willes of men in the worship of God and not to suffer our selues to be guided and directed by his word and commandement Obiection This may seeme to tye vp the desires of man too strictly and therefore his wisedome that he hath by nature Ministreth many obiections against this trueth to which wee are to giue answere as briefly as we can First the question may be asked whether Princes haue not power to make lawes in the Church haue they nothing to doe with the Church may they
separated froÌ„ it that were neuer of it or in it And touching the elect they can neuer fall from the grace of election the foundation of God remaineth sure 2 Tim. â— â— hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his so that it is vnchangeable Besides such are also engrafted into Christ and cannot be separated from his communion according the saying of Christ Iohn 6 ver 37. All that the Father giueth mee shall come to me and him that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out And the Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn â— â— saieth They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would no doubt haue continued with vs but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of vs. If then the reprobate were neuer of this communion and the elect can neuer fall from this communion it may seeme that none can be said to be truely excommunicated that is to be separated from that spirituall communion which wee haue with Christ and with all the Saints by faith â— hope and loue I answer that which is affirmed of the elect and reprobate is most true neuerthelesse that which is concluded from thence is most false as the learned haue well obserued For first of all touching the reprobate that being hypocrites were once in the Church though they were neuer of the Church neither truely partakers of this spirituall communion of the Saints yet then they are saide to bee separated from it when they are manifested declared to haue beene alwaies strangers vnto it and separated from it as when Dauid praieth in the Psalms that they might be blotted out of the booke of life Psal 69 28. as if he had said declare it shew it plainely that they were neuer written in the booke of eternall election Secondly touching the elect the question is more difficult and yet the knot is not so intricate or intangled but it may be loosed For albeit they cannot be cut off from the grace of election because his gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11 29. neither can be wholly and altogether excluded from that communion which they haue by faith with Christ and by loue with the Church both by reason of the stablenesse of Gods promises and by reason of the efficacy force of Christs praier heard of the Father 〈◊〉 â—7 21 â— Luke 22 32. Yet in some sort in some respect they separate themselues as much as lyeth in them when they fall into greeuous sinnes as Dauid when he committed adultery and Peter when he denyed his Master The guifts of the holy Ghost are as a flame of fire kindled in vs such sinnes are as water powred vpon them to quench it and except GOD did grant his Spirit to dwell in them and preserue it as fire hidden vnder the ashes they would lose it wholly be quite and cleane excluded from this spirituall communion Notwithstanding our saluation is sure for his promise sake who hath promised to put his feare in our hearts that we should not depart from him and for Christs praier who praied for Peter all the elect that their faith should not faile Hence it is that he keepeth a remnant of grace in them and cherisheth the fire of his Spirit that it should not goe out so that the flame is slaked and the heat is diminished But in his good time he kindleth the fire and stirreth vp the heat somtimes by his word and sometimes by his corrections and therefore the Apostle willeth Timothy to stirre vp as coales 〈◊〉 1 6. the gift of God that was in him Dauid hauing experience hereof praieth vnto him to create a new heart in him and not to take away his Spirit from him Ps 51 10 11. Thus we see how the faithful are not wholly but yet in some part separated froÌ„ the communion of Christ because they are depriued of the sweet comforts that they felt before of the large measure of grace which they finde greatly diminished by the committing of sinne and continuing in it This is the spirituall communion The externall communion standeth in a common partaking together in the word in praiers in the receiuing of the Sacraments and in familiarity and friendship one with another as Luke speaketh of the Church of Christ after his ascension Acts 2 42. They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in praiers Excommunication separateth from all these But some will say Obiect doth excommunication take away all commercing and conuersing one with another May not one in any sort liue with such Or doth it dissolue all bands of nature and pollicy I answer Answer no. There are some bands so firmely and closely knit tied together that nothing can loose them and abrogate them Some duties are naturall some domesticall and some ciuill which no excommunication can diminish or dissolue or dispense withall The Apostle giueth this as a generall precept If thine enemy hunger Rom. 12 20. giue him meate and if he thirst giue him drinke If an excommunicate person be in want and in any distresse we must helpe him and minister vnto him such things as are necessary for his preseruation wee must not cast away all care of him and all loue vnto him forasmuch as God hath made vs keepers one of another Againe it is lawfull to buy of him to sell vnto him and to bargaine with him albeit we should not conuerse and commerce with him as with a friend Moreouer if we owe personall duties to such a one as is in the family with vs we caÌ„not shake them off vnder any colour or pretence of excommunication The wife must performe due beneuolence to the husband the children must obey their parents the seruants must count their masters worthy of all honour and contrariwise prouided alwayes that they do not ceasse to pray for theÌ„ to admonish them and to hate their sins and that they looke to themselues that they do not defend them in their wicked courses and ioyne with them in opinion for then we make our selues partakers of their sins Lastly let vs set before vs the ends of excommunication which also haue bin considered in part already One end of it is the good of the person excommunicated that if it bee possible he may be won Tit. 2 11. Rom 1 6. Christ deliuereth the doctrine of saluation the Gospel is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth For wheras Christ Iesus saith of himself Math. 10 34. that he came to send fire and sword into the world and that hee is appointed for the fall of many in Israel Lu. 12 46 2 34. that the Gospel is the sauor of death vnto death 2 Corinth 2 15. Yet this is not the proper end of Christ or the Gospel but as it were beside their purpose
A COMMENTARIE vpon the Fourth Booke of Moses 〈…〉 NVMBERS CONTAINING The Foundation of the Church and Common-wealth of the Israelites while they walked and wandered in the WILDERNESSE Laying before vs the vnchangeable loue of God promised and exhibited to this people The comely order established and obserued among them Sundry examples of his horrible iudgements against obstinate sinners The Fatherly chastisements and corrections of the faithfull offending and the dangerous plottings and diuellish policies of the Churches enemies are detected and discouered Wherein the whole body of Diuinity is handled touching matters Dogmaticall Of God of Christ of the Gospel of the Law of Sin of Faith and Iustification of the Scriptures of the Sabbath of Magistrates and of the Ministery of the Resurrection of Prayer and the lawfulnesse of set formes of Tythes and Impropriations of the Sacraments in generall and in speciall of Baptisme and the Lords Supper of Duelles and Duellists of Excommunication of Repentance and remission of sinnes of restitution of Warre and of the lawfulnesse of the marriage of Cozen germans Ceremoniall Of the calling of the Priests and Leuites and of the first borne of the waters of iealousie of the vow of the Nazarites of the daily sacrifice of the Iewish Feasts of the yeare of Iubile of the new Moones of afflicting the soule of the Feast of the Passeouer and Pentecost of the Trumpets and of the Tabernacles of the Vrim and Thummim of the seuen Lampes and the making of the two siluer Trumpets of the pillar of Fire and the Cloud of the meate Offering and drinke Offering with the vses of them all toward our selues together with a description of sundry waights and measures vsed of the Iewes Polemicall Or Controuersies betweene the Church of Rome and vs as of the Scriptures of the Church and the notes of it of the supremacy of the Byshop of Rome of the Masse of Purgatory of Free-will of Prayer in a strange tongue of iustification by Workes of the Sacraments of Vowes of auricular Confession of Reliques of binding and loosing of Temples of Tapers and wax Candles of Sanctuaries and of Images and Idolatry Heerein also the Reader shall finde more then fiue hundred Theologicall Questions decided and determined By WILLIAM ATTERSOLL Minister of the word LONDON Printed by WILLIAM IAGGARD 1618. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull Sir Walter Couert Knight one of his Maiesties Iustices of the Peace in the County of Sussex And to the Right VVorshipfull the Lady Iane Couert his Wife Grace and peace from Iesus Christ. I Vndertake Right Worshipfull in this Work to expound one of the Bookes of Moses a part of the Churches Treasury committed to writing by the hand of one of the best Worke-men and one of the greatest Prophets of the Church And howsoeuer sundry parcels thereof may seeme at the first view to offer vnto vs little profit as containing onely sundry names of persons and places which may be thought little to concerne vs yet as the whole Scripture giuen by inspiration is profitable for Doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction 〈◊〉 righteousnesse that wee thorough patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope 2 Tim. 3 16 Rom. 1â— 4 so if we looke into this present parcell with a single eye and a pure heart voide of partiality and a preiudicate opinion we shall oftentimes finde much substance to lye hidden vnder shadowes and as it were rich Mines where the soyle may be taken to bee barren And as this booke beareth in the front of it the name of Numbers so it hath this peculiar aboue the rest that it layeth before vs the numbering of the people and the excellent and exquisit order that God commanded to be obserued among them in their tents in their marching in their remouing in the vnfolding and wrapping vp of the instruments of the Tabernacle and in the Priests and Leuites that attended vpon it All Arts and Sciences before they can bee learned must be reduced into order and method There is an order in God himselfe as wee see in the blessed Trinity for albeit all the persons bee coeternall and coequall and the essence it selfe of the Deity vndiuisible yet there is the first the second and the third person And as it is in God so it is in the creation and workes of God from the heauen of heauens to the center of the earth The elect Angels that do his commandements and hearken vnto the voyce of his word Psal 103 20 haue an order among them there are Thrones and Dominions Powers and Principalities Ephes 1 21. Col. 1 16. and an Archangel that at the last day shall blow the Trumpet 1 Thess 4 16. And as it is among the Angels so it is among the Saints the soules of iust men perfected albeit all haue enough and none of them any want yet there is a difference in the measure of their glory inasmuch as euery man shal receyue his owne reward according to his owne labour 1 Cor. 3 8. Dan. 12 3. The Starres are not all of one magnitude but there is one glory of the Sunne another of the Moone and another of the Starres for one starre differeth from another starre in glory so also is the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15 41 42. Gen. 1 16 17. Psal 136 7 8.9 Thus it is also in the workes beneath that God may euery where appeare to be the God of order 1 Cor. 14 33. Some creatures haue onely a being some haue being and life others Being Life and Sense and others besides all these haue reason and vnderstanding A Campe well disciplined is a perfect patterne of good order He that would order a battell aright saith Vegetius hath respect to the Sun to the dust Veget. Cap. 14. to the winde because the Sun and dust hinder the sight and a contrary wind weakneth the blow The Church of God is ruled by order while there are some to teach and some to heare Neither may any of these seeme strange forasmuch as there is a kinde of order euen in the place of all disorder and confusion euen in hell it selfe prepared for the diuell and his angels Matth. 25 41. Matth. 25 41. for there also are principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkenesse of this world Eph. 6 â—2 and among these one is cheefe and principall as it were an head ouer this body called therefore the prince of the diuels Matth. 12.24 So then we see that in the Creator and in the creatures in the Angels in the heauens in the campe in the church yea in the place of darknesse and desolation it selfe there is â—â—me order from whence sprang the common Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is There is nothing so profitable as order When Moses had receyued the law of God as from the mouth of the Law-giuer and published it among the people and had finished the Tabernacle of the Arke and Sanctuary hee mustered all the
thence resolutely resisted their passage that way and returned this answer to the messengers That if they attempted to enter vpon his frontiers he would take them for no other then enemies and resist them by all possible meanes to make his deeds answerable to his words not tarrying to see how Moses would digest this deniall or whether it would satisfie or exasperate he gathered the strength of his countrey together and came out against him with much people and with a mighty power Numb 20 20. Wherefore Moses being commanded by God not to prouoke the children of Esau to whom he had giuen mount Seir Deut. 2 4. and considering that the end of his enterprize was not the conquest of that Country which was prohibited but of the land of Canaan which was promised vnto them refused to meddle with them and to aduenture the army of Israel against a Nation which beeing ouercome gaue onely a passage or through-fare to the inuasion of others and so hee turned himselfe to the East and marched toward the Deserts of Moab When Arad a King of the Canaanites vnderstood this proiect Num 21 1 2 and that Moses had blanched the way of Idumea knowing that it was Canaan that he aymed at and not Edom he thought it his best and safest way according to the surest rules of war rather to find his enemy in his neighbours country then to be sought out by them in his owne Dominion To this purpose he led the strength of his people to the edge of the Desert and set vpon some part of the hoast of Israel which for the multitude occupied a great space and for the many Heards of cattle that they draue with them could not incampe so close together but that some quarter or other was euermore subiect to surprize whereby it came to passe that he slew some few of the Israelites and carried with him many prisoners Now it is very probable that it was this Canaanite or his predecessor which ioyned his forces wtth the Amalekite Numb 14 45. gaue an ouerthrow to those mutinous Israelites which without direction from God or permission from Moses would haue entred Canaan from Cadeshbarnea For it seemeth that the greatest number of that army were of the Canaanites because in Deut. 1.44 the Amorites are named alone are said to haue beaten the Israelites at that time But whereas it is sayd that the Israelites vtterly destroyed the Canaanites and their Cities Numb 21 3 they are much mistaken which thinke that this destruction was presently performed by the Israelites or in the dayes of Moses whereas it is rather to bee vnderstood to haue bene done in the future to wit in the time of Ioshua the successor of Moses who fought these battels of the Lord. For as we haue declared in Numb 12 3. many things dispersed heere and there throughout the bookes of Moses seeme to mee to haue beene added but by the speciall direction and inspiration of the same Spirit by which Moses himselfe wrote by some other Prophet after they were come into the land of Promise And doubtlesse if Moses had at this present entred Canaan in the pursuit of Arad they could not haue fallen backe againe into the Deserts of Zin and Moab and afterward haue fetcht no lesse dangerous then wearisome compasse by the riuers of Zered and Arnon of which we spake a little before Numb 21 12 13 14. Againe if we consider the mutiny that followed immediately after the repetition of this victory it is sufficient to prooue that the same was obtained afterward by the conquest of Ioshua and not at the instant of Arads assault For had the Israelites at this time sacked the cities of Arad they would not the next day haue complained for want of bread and water when they spake against God and against Moses Wherefore haue yee brought vs out of Egypt to dye in the wildernesse For there is no bread neyther is there any water Numb 21 5 c. all this had bene needlesse inasmuch as they had store and abundance both of the one and of the other because it cannot be doubted but where there are great cities there is also plentie of water and bread So then we must vnderstand that it was in the time of Ioshua Ioshua 12 14 that the Israelites tooke this reuenge and after they had passed Iordan to which Moses neuer came but Ioshua the General of this great army of Israel then gouernd them who nameth this Arad by the name of his city so called and with him the king of Horma vnto which place the Israelites pursued the Canaanites and he nameth them among those kings which himself vanquished and put vnto the sword After this assault and surprize of Arad Moses finding that all entrance on that side was blocked vp and defended he led the people Eastward to compasse Idumea and the Dead Sea and to make his entrance by Arnon and the Plaines of Moab at that time in the possession of the Amorites But the Israeliteâ— to whom the very name of a wildernesse was terrible and troublesome began againe to rebell against the Lord and their Leader till the Lord chastised them by a multitude of fiery Serpents which stung them to death Num. 21.6 For by the mortall byting of these Scorpions whose venom enflamed them and burnt them as fire within their bodies hee made them know their error and so afterward according to the plentifull measure of his grace hee cured them againe by beholding an artificiall Serpent set vp by his commandement vpon a pole Numb 21 9. These victories atchieued whiles Israel soiourned in the valleyes of Moab the Midianites and Moabites ouer both which Nations it seemeth that Balak the king of the Moabites then commanded in cheefe sought earnestly according to the counsell and aduice of Balaam both by alluring the Hebrewes to the loue of their daughters Numb 31 16 Reuel 2 14 Mic 6 5 2 Pet. 2.15 and by perswading them to honour and serue their Idols to diuide them in affection and Religion among themselues thereby the better to defend their owne interest against them as also to beate them out of Moab and the countryes adioyning The Israelites as they had euer bene inclined to these euill courses so were they the more easily perswaded to hearken with both their eares to the Syren songs sung by that Sorcerer and acted by those enemies Iosh 13 22. 24 9 whereby they drew vpon themselues a greeuous plague and pestilence whereof many thousands perished Numb 25 8. 1 Cor. 10 8. but when Phinehas the sonne of Eleazar the high Priest rose vp and executed iudgement the plague ceased and the wrath of God was appeased Psal 106 30. In this valley Moses caused the people to be numbred the third time and then there remained of able men fit to beare armes and to draw the sword six hundred and one thousand seuen hundred and thirty Numb 26 verse
that in order followeth after the other Moses declareth the performaÌ„ce of Gods promise touching the multiplying of their seede together with the myraculous gouernment of that people wandering vp and down and iourneying heere and there without any setled estate more then 38. yeares in the Wildernesse When Moses was to bee gathered vnto his Fathers Deut. 32 49 50. and to go the way of all flesh GOD commanded him to go vp vnto the Mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab and from thence to behold as it were in a moment the Land of Canaan and the seuerall parts of it In like maner if wee from this place as from an high Mountaine and as it were looking from the vpper ground shall take a view of the parts proportion of this booke we shall throughly vnderstand what is the purpose and purport of it and what are the ends for which it was committed and commended vnto vs. Wherefore for our better and more orderly proceeding heerein let vs generally obserue and consider these particular points First we will speake of the Author of this booke secondly of the inscription or Title thereof thirdly of the ends and vses and last of all of the seuerall parts and diuision of it The Author for that is the first branch is double either principall or instrumentall The cheefe author of this booke is God For who is the inditer of the Scripture but he or from what spirit can it proceede but from his The Prophets alwayes begin their preaching and prophesying with this note b Esay 1 10. Hab. 1 1. 2 1. Thus sayeth the Lord Heare ye the word of the Lord the vision of Isaiah the burthen which Habakkuk did see Thus the Apostles shew their calling froÌ„ God c Rom. 1. ver 1 Galat. 1 1. Reuel 1 1. Paul a Seruant of Iesus Christ called to bee an Apostle not of men neyther by man but by Iesus Christ The Reuelation of Iesus Christ shewed to his seruant Iohn Thus Zachary in his song teacheth that d Luke 1 70. God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were since the world began To this accordeth the saying of Peter e 2 Pet. 1 20.21 No prophesie of the Scripture is of priuat motion for it came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost And the Apostle affirmeth f 2 Tim. 3 16. That the vvhole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God Al which serue to teach vs that the words of all the holy Prophets are to bee receiued and embraced as the words of God but the doctrine handled in this booke is a part of the word of one of the most ancient most holy most excellent and most diuine Prophets and therefore consequently the doings heere registred and the doctrines heere deliuered are to be holden as a portion of the vndoubted word of God So then as Christ spake to his Disciples g Math. 10 20 It is not you that speake but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you so may we truly say it is not Moses that speaketh heere but the Spirit of God that spake in him and wrote by him in which respect it may iustly be affirmed He that heareth him heareth God and he that despiseth him that is the writer dispiseth God that is the inditer And as the Author of this Booke appeareth to be the Lord himself by an argument drawn from the generall to the speciall so the authority of it will euidently appeare and easily bee demonstrated out of sundry particular places and circumstances out of the booke it selfe Such is the full consent and sweete agreement betweene the old and new Testament that one of them serueth to confirme ratifie and establish the other Hence it is that Christ Iesus himselfe and his Apostles writing by his spirit do alledge sundry examples produce sundry testimonies proue sundry doctrines and disproue sundry errors as by an authenticke witnesse taken from this book of Moses which now we haue vndertaken to expound Moses the man of God reciteth and reckoneth vp in sundry places h Numb 20 21. 25. compared with 1. Cor. 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 c. of this Booke on the one side the great mercies of God to his people that he gaue them and they did eate Manna that is bread from heauen and dranke water out of the rocke and on the other side their wretched vnthankfulnesse toward him they lusted after flesh they murmured against him they committed fornication and perished manie thousands of them The truth of these thinges is confirmed by the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 10. testifying that they did all eate the same spirâ—tuall meat and all dranke the same spiritual drinke drinking of the rocke that followed them and thereupon alluding vnto the history he saith i Num. 21 6 8 compaâ—d with 1 Corin. 10. Iohn 3 Let not vs commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twenty thousand Againe we reade heere how â—od brought among them in the wildernesse fiery Serpents k Numb 12 6 7 compared with Hebr. 3 2 5. that destroyed them but vpon their repentance and humiliation hee was reconciled commanded Moses to make the resemblance and representation of those fierie Serpents and set it vpon a pole that so many as were bitten m ght looke vpon it and liue The truth of these appeareth both by the testimony of Paul 1 Cor. 10 9. Neither let vs tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed by Serpents by the words of Christ himselfe Iohn 3 14 15. As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be life vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Moses in the 12 chap. saith l Num. 11 29. compard with Iames 4 5. If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be knowne to him by Dreame or vision my seruant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all his house Heereunto the Apostle to the Hebrues alludeth Consider Christ Iesus the high Priest of our profession who was faithfull to him that hath appointed him euen as Moses was in all his house Moreouer in the former chap. when Ioshua saw the two Elders in the hoste to prophesie m Iunius in paralel hee feared that Moses his reputation and authority would be diminished therefore ran to him in haste that hee should forbid them but Moses saide vnto him Enuiest thou for my sake Heereunto the Apostle Iames alludeth Think ye that the Scripture saith in vain Doth that spirite which dwelleth in vs lust vnto enuy Lastly to omit sundry Testimonies that might be produced n Numb 24 14. and 31 16. compard with 2 Peter 2 15. Iude 12. Reu. 2 14. and are remembred by others we haue at large laide
Iames 2 1. wee should haue the faith of Christ in respect of persons which is forbidden condemned by the Apostle Hence it is that our Sauiour speaketh to his Apostles b Math. 10 20 Luke 10 16. It is not you that speak but the spirit of your Father that speaketh within you And to the 70. Disciples and in them to all his true Ministers to the end of the world He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee and he that despiseth me desp seth him that sent me For this cause the Thessalonians practising this point are commended by the Apostle that they esteemed and receiued the doctrine deliuered vnto them c 1 Thes 2 13. Rom. 1 16. Not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God which is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth They are the Embassadors of God sent out of him to call vs to repentance and therefore their word or rather the word of GOD spoken by their mouth is to be heard with reuerence marked with diligence and practised with obedience The writer of this book was Moses Thus much touching the chiefe and principall Author of this booke as of the other Scriptures to wit God nowe followeth the lesse principall or instrumentall namely Moses The Lord could if it had pleased him haue written this booke as he did the morall Law contained in the ten commandements with his owne finger without the ministery of mortall man but it stood with his will and Heauenly pleasure to inspire his worde into the hearts of some holy men set apart for this purpose and to make their pen d Psalm 45 1 as the penne of a swift Writer The writer of this Book as also of the three former and of that which followeth was Moses faithfull in the house of God of whose stocke parents birth preseruation banishment and return into the land of Egypt from whence he brought the children of Israel wee reade at large in the Booke of Exodus Him God hauing set apart from his mothers womb to be the deliuerer of his people doth call as it is a Psal 78 70 7â— 72. saide of Dauid and tooke him from the Sheepfolds euen from behind the Ewes with yong brought he him to feede his people in Iacob his inheritance in Israel so he fed them according to the simplicity of his heart and guided them by the discretion of his hands Him also did God chuse to be one of the Scribes to penne a part of his word the first and most anâ—ient Scripture sufficient to guide that people into all truth necessary to be beleeued of them For as Princes and Noblemen haue their principal Secretaries whose persons and pennes they vse to what purposes they please so hath GOD his selected instruments to write his will and to endite what things he reuealed vnto them by whose Spirit they were wholy guided and directed that they could not erre b 2 Pet 1 21. for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost Such a one was Moses the first chosen vessell of God to pen publish his word that it might bee knowne and conueyed vnto all posterities to him c Num. 12 8. Deut. 34 10. God spake mouth to mouth and by vision and not in dark words like to him there arose not a Prophet in Israel whom hee knew face to face These Prophets of God may rightly bee called second Authors of the Scripture all of them Gods Secretaries but Moses as his principall Secretary This consideration of Gods choosing men to be as his organs and instruments to put his Vse 1 whole will and word in writing doth offer to vs diuers good vses which briefly wee will run ouer First it conuinceth all those that thinke and gather that neither this book nor the other foure were written by Moses as now they are left vnto vs but by Esdras or some other more auncient Scribe that liued before his time Adde heereunto d Iren. lib. 3. cap 25. Tertul. lib. de bab mul. clem Alex. lib. 1. strom Hieron aduers Helu Euseb in Chronic. that manie of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church maintayned that when Ierusalem was assaulted sacked by the Chaldeans all the bookes of Moses and other Scriptures were burned together with the Temple and were afterward written againe and brought to light through the help of the diuine memory of Esdras who remembred al that was written in the former copies But this coniecture so much stood vppon by the Ancients be it spoken with their patience and pardon is no better then a fable may bee conuinced by euident demonstration of vndoubted reasons True it is the fourth of Esdras telleth in sober sadnesse this dreame e Esdr lib. 4. c 4 23. cap. 14 21. but euery one knoweth that booke to bee Apochryphall almost as full of lies as leaues insomuch that the Church of Rome ouer bold to adde to the Canon yet f Bel. de verbo Dei lib 1. cap 20. lib. 2. cap 1. are ashamed of this booke to make it Canonicall And we neuer read that the Babylonians euer attempted this sacriledge and if they had it seemeth vnlikely and vnpossible that euer they coulde bring it to passe the bookes beeing dispersed into many mens hands and extant in sundrie copies in sundry places The Assyrians which were sent as certaine Colonies to inhabite in the waste roomes of the ten Tribes the Kingdom of Israel being ouerthrown by Salmanasar when they were disturbed and destroyed by Lyons that tore them in peeces g 2 Kin 1 7 27 were instructed by one of the Priestes in the Law of Moses and no doubt had it among them Antiochus a most bloody tyrant commaunded the bookes of the Law to be cut in peeces burned so many as hee could finde yet did the faithfull preserue them safe and sound with the danger of their owne liues 1 Mach. 1 59. Besides it is not to be imagined that Ezekiel and Daniel continuing in Babylon the seuenty yeares of the captiuity wanted the word law of God all that time to say nothing of Ieremy the Prophet and Gedaliah the Prince were they all so carelesse or forgetfull that in the ruine of the City and spoyling of the temple they would neglect the Law and not saue one booke out of the fire Was there neuer a godly man left that was mindfull of the booke of God But what place is there lefte for any such surmise and suspition seeing the prophet Daniel had both the prophesies h Dan 9 2 11 of Ieremy the Law of Moses Moreouer it appeareth by the testimony of Ezra himselfe the Scribe of God i Ezra 6 18. that the people beeing returned from their captiuity had the Law of Moses amongst them before
Ezra came into Iudea which no doubt Zorobabel and Ieshua brought with thē Heereunto agreeth the saying of Christ our Sauiour k Ioh 5 46 47 If ye had beleeued Moses ye wold haue beleeued me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeue not his writings how shall ye beleeue my Wordes Whereby wee see that the very writings of Moses himselfe were then read and to be read in the Church Thus also speaketh Philip to Nathaniel l Iohn 1.45 We haue found him of whom Moses did write and the Prophets Lastly to this purpose is Abraham brought in by the Euangelist speaking to the rich man m Luke 16 29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them All these testimonies to which wee might adde a surplusage of many others do directlie teach vs that we are not to doubt or to cal in question the ministeriall or instrumentall authour of this booke but acknowledge it to be not Ezra nor anie before or after him but Moses himselfe who was the first penner of it Vse 2 Secondly it is our duties carefully to reade the scriptures and diligently to be conuersant in them being thus published For wherefore were they put in writing Was it not that we should peruse them study them oftentimes search them with carefulnesse This was the purpose and intent of God Ioshua the successor of Moses in the gouernment of the people and General of the host of Israel had weightie affaires of Church Commonwealth to look vnto yet he is charged n Ioshua 1 8. not to suffer the book of the Law to depart out of his mouth but to meditate therein day and night that hee might obserue and do according vnto all that is written therein forasmuch as thereby he should make his way prosperous and haue good successe in his affaires and enterprises To this end Christ willeth vs to search the Scriptures not to reade them carelesly or cursorily but painfully and diligently as they do that digge for Mines of siluer and golde that go deepe and spare no labour to come to that which they seeke after So then there is required of vs study and prayer to God to open vnto vs the mysteries of his word otherwise our reading will be in vaine Vse 3 Thirdly this serueth to conuince the position and practise of the church of Rome who forbid the people the reading of these books and nuzzle them in ignorance the mother of superstition and blinde deuotion Moses deliuered the Law when hee had written it to the Priests and commanded them o Deut 31 1 3. to gather the people together men women and children the stranger that was within their gates that they may heare and learne and feare the Lorde theyr God and keepe and obserue all the words of this law that their children which haue not known it may heare it and learne to feare the Lord their God as long as they liue in the Lande The Scriptures are the onely weapons which we must fight withall against our spirituall enemies and without them wee lie open vnto them to take away our liues and to destroy our soules Wherefore we are commanded to take vnto vs p Eph 6 17. The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God When Christ was tempted of the diuell in the wildernesse hee resisted him and ouercame his tentations by no other weapon then this saying q Math 4 4 7 10. It is written This example of Christ our Lord and Maister must be followed of vs we must take this sword into our hand and be able to handle it as men of knowledge that we may be able both to defend our selues and to offend our aduersaries If we be thus armed the day is ours the field is won the victory is gotten we cannot be ouercome But if we presume to fight without it if wee leaue it behinde vs as souldiers that would go light we shall neuer returne without some dangerous or deadly wound Let vs not therfore be so fool-hardy as to go into the battell without our armour We are all warriours we must fight the Lords battels we haue enemies that seeke our destruction against which we must be watchfull being strong in Faith Lastly this reprooueth the cursed crew and damnable sect of the Manichees and their Vse 4 off-spring the Anabaptists a pestilent sort of brainsicke Heretiques sicke indeed as well of pride as of folly which spew out open and odious blasphemies against God and stick not to affirme that it was not the true God but the Prince of darknesse that spake to Moses and so would thrust him out of the church because he hath a veile ouer him alledging or rather deprauing the words of the Apostle r 2 Cor. 3 There remaineth vnto this time the same couering vntaken away in the read ng of the olde Testament which veyle in Christ is put away from whence they gather that Moses with his couering is by Christ quite abolished But this is to corrupt not to interprete The couering indeede remaineth but to whom Is is to vs who behold as in a mirrhor the glorie of the Lord with open face Not to vs but to the Iewes who hearing Moses read and cleauing to the letter of the Law doe despise the Gospell which is the ministery of the Spirite and willingly put out their owne eyes Neyther doth the Apostle say that Moses is taken away by Christ but the couering of Moses which is done not by the abolishing and abrogating of Moses but by the lightning of the Iewes by their conuersion to Christ a 2 Cor. 3 16. For after their heart shall bee turned to the Lord the Veile shall be taken away Againe they obiect that Moses was a seruant Heb. 3 5. But the seruant abideth not in the house for euer it is the Sonne that abideth for euer Iohn 8 35. therefore the Sonne beeing come the seruant is to bee cast out of the house that is Moses out of the Church otherwise wee should paralell and make equall the seruant to the Master A most fond collection and such as ouerthroweth themselues For if this be true that the seruant hath no place in the presence of the Maister then not onely the Prophets and Apostles but all Pastors and Teachers yea the Anabaptists themselues with such as seduce them who glorie to be seruants of Christ must be thrust out of the Church that the seruants departing may leaue the house empty for the Master Again the words of Christ are maliciously wrested against Moses who is expresly honoured by the Lord himselfe to be a most faithful seruant which are spoken against him that is the seruant of sin For thus the words lye in order Verily verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sin is the Seruant of sinne and the Seruant abideth not in the house for euer c. Therefore wicked seruants such as these frantique heretickes are shall not abide
Iesus euen as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my Son this day haue I begotten thee From hence it appeareth plainly that as the bookes themselues were seuered the one from the other so likewise euery part of one and the same booke kept his order and the proper station wherein it was set by the first Author This reprooueth all confounding and vnfit vsage of the holye Scriptures mingling one booke in another the old Testament with the new that the distinct parts cannot appeare The Turkes receiue the Law of Moses and some other parts of the old Testament but so disfigured deformed so corrupted and confounded with their horrible superstitions and the abhominable impieties of their wretched Alcoran that it ceaseth to be the Scripture of God and is turned into a most detestable idoll Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to keep the scriptures whole and sound without intermingling one part with another that the comely proportioÌ„ of euery part may appeare to euerie one that looketh vpon them whereas if we shall confound booke with booke and part with part wee shall lose the beauty of them and turne them into a mishapen and deformed monster which were monstrous impiety and presumption Secondly by this Title we learne that all Vse 2 the works of God are made in number weight and measure and created exceeding good in regard of the goodly order and comely beauty of euery one of them For that which is said of this booke is true also of the other Scriptures and verified of all the rest of the workes of God Where no order is there is all tumult and confusion A good Father of a family taketh order in his house that euerie one do his dutie A wise Pilot in a Shippe looketh that euery one know his place and so manageth it with discretion A prudent and prouident Magistrate appointeth order in his Citie and Commonwealth and ordaineth lawes to keep men in vnity The order of the heauens and the setting of times and seasons teacheth vs the wisedome of the Creator who gouerneth all things aboue and beneath by a wise and wonderfull disposition So that hee is called by the holy Apostle e 1 Cor. 14 33 The God of order and not of confusion True it is it cannot bee denyed we see it with our eyes there is great confusion and much disorder in the world but from whence doth it come who is the author of it and to whom shall wee ascribe it Not vnto God who hath made all things good and gouerneth all things well And if not vnto God to whom but to the spirit of the diuell the vglinesse of sinne which haue altered the workmanship of God and blemished the glorie of his creatures The wiseman in the Booke of Ecclesiastes leadeth vs to this consideration f Eccle. 7 3 1 Loe onely this haue I found that God hath made man righteous but they haue sought many inueÌ„tions If then there fall to bee any disorder in the creature we must not accuse the Creator but the corruption of man is to bee blamed from whence it proceedeth It is sin that hath turned all things vpside downe and brought a spectacle of all miseries as Moses sheweth Gen. 6 5. The Lord sawe that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginatâ—ons of the thoughts of his heart were onely euil continually Thus wee learne to magnify all Gods works and to acknowledge from what spring and fountaine as well order as disorder do proceede God is the God of peace and of order and requireth that al things be done honestly and in order It is Sathan thâ—t is the author of strife contention and confusion who laboureth to bring all things out of order But of this wee shall haue occasion to speake more in the second chapter where Moses describeth the order of the Tents and the names of the cheefe Heads and Captaines of the Israelites Vse 3 Thirdly seeing there is diuine numeration in this Booke let vs reade it diligently bee more and more in loue with it and with the rest of the Scripture which haue the same author handle the same matter resemble the same forme respect the same end and worke the same effect in the hearts of men Manie there are that come to the Church and professe themselues members of the same that are most ignorant in the Scriptures which are the helpes of our Faith the keyes of our comfort the meanes of our saluation and are able to make vs wise to eternall life Some know no difference betweene them and other Bookes but make them all alike containing some things true and some false Others are so ignorant that they know not the number of the Canonicall books nor the argument of them nor the order how they stand which plainely bewrayeth that they are little conuersant in them Others when they heare any book or chapter of the booke read vnto them full of names either of men or places or of both of which sort are sundry in this Booke they slake their attention they thinke it belongeth not vnto them they perswade themselues there is no profit to bee learned by it But wee must know and vnderstand that the whole Scripture was giuen by inspiration and came by the will of God When such parts and parcels of the word are read vnto vs the vse wherof we see not the purpose whereof wee vnderstand not let vs obserue these few rules and directions following First let vs condemne our own ignorance and sit in iudgement vpon the darknes of our owne hearts who of our selues are able to vnderstand nothing except it bee reuealed from aboue It is the saying of Christ to Peter after his worthy confession that he was the son of the liuing God a Math. 16 17 Blessed art thou Simon the son of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heaueÌ„ And the Apostle witnesseth as much b Rom. 8 7. 1 Cor. 2 10 14 The wisedom of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeede can bee Likewise in another place God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit but the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The manner of many in reading the Scriptures when they come to that which passeth theyr capacity is to condemne them not themselues But if we would profit aright and benefite our selues by them wee must set this downe as the first rule and as a principle of our faith that the fault is in our selues and in our owne weaknesse Secondly it is required of vs to be of humble spirit which is a thing much accepted of God Such onely are right hearers and such God requireth vs to bee when wee heare him come and speake vnto vs. This
appeareth by the Prophet Esay when hee bringeth in the Lord speaking vnto vs c Esay 66 3. To him will I haue respect euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words The scripture is compared by one to a great and high palace but the doore that entreth into it is very low so that the high-minded and proud presumptuous man that standeth vpon the high conceites of his owne minde cannot run in but it is necessary that he stoope downe low humble himselfe whosoeuer intendeth to haue any passage into it This spirituall pride is the mother of all error but humility leadeth vs into all truth d Iames 4 6. For God resisteth the proud and giueth grace vnto the lowly Lastly we must come to the Scriptures to hearing and reading of them with prayer desiring him to direct vs and crauing his blessing vpon our labors The word of God is as an hidden treasure laide vp in the Lords Coffers Prayer is the Key to open it the way to come to it the hand to receiue it The Prophet Dauid prayeth oftentimes to God to open his eyes and to giue him vnderstanding e Psalme 119 18 34. that he might see into the wonders of his Law We haue a gracious promise from God that hee which asketh shall receiue hee that seeketh shall finde and hee that knocketh shall haue the doore set open vnto him Many of Gods Seruants haue attained to more knowledge and vnderstanding in the mysteries of the Kingdome of heauen by prayer then by their own study labour reading and searching If then we shall ioyne it to our reading and hearing it shall bring a great blessing with it reueal the secrets of God vnto vs. Thus much touching the Title of this booke Let vs now proceede to handle the Vses The ends and Vses of this Booke and speciall ends of this Booke for which it was written and thereby take a general view of the benefit that may redound vnto vs. There are many chapters that seeme to be verie bare and barren and to containe nothing in them but a naked Catalogue of places and persons but we shall plainly perceiue in the particular handling of the speciall matters taught therein that we haue great cause to giue attention and to marke what is offered to our considerations forasmuch as whatsoeuer was written afore-hand was written for our instruction that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15. And albeit the vses come after to bee spoken at large yet it shall not bee amisse to giue a taste of them in the beginning thereby to set an edge vpon vs to procure vs an appetite to hunger after them First we see in the state of the Israelites as Vse 1 in a glasse what is the condition of the Church and of all the godly in this life they are as a barke tossed on the Sea ready to suffer Shipwracke and to be cast vpon euery rocke vnlesse they cast out the anchor of hope sure stedfast that they may in time appointed ariue in safety at the hauen desired For euen as the Israelites neuer rested in the wildernesse but trauelled from one place to another vntill they came into the Land of promise so the Church in this world is as in a wildernes they haue no certaine abode no setled dwelling to assure them any continuance but they walke and wander vp and downe as poore banished men vntill they bee translated into their heauenly Country We are heere as pilgrimes and strangers our hope is not in this life a 1 Cor. 15 19 For then of all men we were the most miserable Wee know we must all leaue it and we know not how soone We looke for a life to come and most earnestly desire to bee translated to that heauenly inheritance The Apostle hath many meditations to this purpose Phil. 3. b Phil. 3 20 2 Cor. 5 6 7. Heb. 11 13 14 Our conuersation is in Heauen from whence we looke for a Sauâ—our the Lord Iesus and 2 Cor. 5. Whiles we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord for wee walke by faith and not by sight And Hebr. 11 speaking of the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob he saith They confessed that they were strangers and Pilgrims on the earth for they that say such things declare plainely that they seeke a Countrie We must not looke to finde Heauen vpon the earth we shall heere meete with many afflictions and it is profitable for vs to exercise our faith patience and prayer leste the flesh shoulde waxe proud against the spirit and lift vp it selfe against God Secondly we learne who is the Patrone Vse 2 and protector of the Church namely GOD himselfe he is the shield and buckler of it to defend it How many were the troubles and dangers and enemies and wants of the Isralites while they liued in the wildernesse Yet did God maruailously and miraculously nourish and preserue them Is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentiles yes euen of the Gentiles also For as hee kept them and carried them as vpon the Eagles wings so he is with his Church at all times when it seemeth most to despaire of help then commeth the helpe and comfort of God from on high and deliuereth them out of their distresse O that men would therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men Let vs also looke for helpe from him from whence our saluation commeth c 1 Sam. 2 6 Who as Hanna the mother of Samuel singeth in her Song kâ—lleth and maketh aliue bringeth down to the graue and raiseth vp In dangers therfore let vs trust in him in wants let vs relie vpon him in chastisements let vs humble our selues before him in troubles let vs flye vnto him in temptations let vs fight vnder him and in all necessities let vs pray vnto him and call vpon his name Thirdly we haue in this booke a liuely picture Vse 3 of the state of the Church what it is in this life and of what persons it consisteth it standeth not wholly of such as haue receiued the grace of sanctification but it hath many hypocrites mingled with them and many wicked persons are found among them and come as the Ghest did in the â—ospell whoe came without his wedding garment In this body are many members but are not all liuing a great part are dead and rotten members Yea they which are indeed Saints by calling are not so sanctified that they liue without sinne For as d 1 Cor. 13 12 they know in part and beleeue in part so they are sanctified in part not fully and perfectly which shall not bee vntill the next life when we shall know euen as wee are knowne and see euen as we are seene of God Among the Israelites which did beare the name of the
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
Iosiah was named of God long before he was borne as we see in the first booke of the Kings chap. 13. and the second verse and so is Cyus Esay 45 1 2. as appeareth in the prophesie of Isaiah For when the Prophet was sent to cry out against the Altar at Bethel he saide O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord Behold a childe shall bee borne to the house of Dauid Iosiah by name and vpon thee shall hee sacrifice the Priestes of the high places that burne Incense vpon thee they shall burne mens bones vppon thee This was threatned long before Iosiah was borne yet God knoweth his name before hee was and reuealeth him as if hee had bene aliue in that time The like we may say of Cyrus the deliuerer of the Iewes whom the Lord nameth and appointeth to free his people from the bondage captiuity wherein they liued albeit at that time hee was not borne nor in an hundred yeares after nor Iosiah in three hundred after his name was published Seeing therefore the very haires of our heads are numbred seeing Christ is the good Shepheard of his Sheepe and seeing all things both past and to come are present with God so that hee beholdeth them with one acte wee conclude that the people of God are knowne to him and that particularly Vse 1 The Vses First this giueth singular comfort to all Gods children if any thing else bee able to minister them comfort If an earthly Prince should vouchsafe to looke vpon vs shew vs this fauour to single vs out from the rest and call vs by our names how would we reioyce and how much would we esteem that the King would stoope so low as to know vs So doth this doctrine seale vp to our heartes this great consolation that the King of heauen doth know vs by our names Are we then in trouble and persecution Are wee accounted silly men obscure base and vnregarded Do we liue as contemptible persons to the men of this world and will they not once vouchsafe to know vs Let not this trouble or grieue vs let it not dismay or discomfort vs we cannot sinke downe in destruction but rather let vs lift vp our heads assuring our selues that albeit they turne themselues from vs yet God looketh vpon vs though they reproch vs yet he will respect vs and though they seeke to roote out our names from the earth yet hee will know vs and call vs by our names Thus the Lord speaketh to Moses and encourageth him Exod. 33. and sheweth how he regardeth him in all trouble because hee knew him by name Thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name Exo. 33 12.17 Where we see hee ioyneth these two together Finding grace in his sight and knowing him by name The like doth Christ say to his Disciples that returned from preaching of the Gospell Luke 10 20. In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen And indeed what greater comfort can there be then this If thou hadst all the delights and pleasures of this life for a season and haddest thy name written in the blacke book of reprobation and thy condemnation grauen in thy forehead what could the former allurements comfort thee Or how could they driue horror and heauinesse from thy heart So when he sent out his Apostles and gaue them power to cast out vncleane spirits and to heale all sicknesses hauing taught them that the haires of their head were numbred Math. 10 28. he addeth Feare ye not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell So then heere we haue the foundation of sounde comfort laide before vs and this wee must lay vp in store against the day of tentation and time of trouble For albeit we liue now in time of peace and plenty yet we know not how long they shall continue and how soone they may be taken from vs and we bee scourged with the contrary iudgements It is a rule in our holy Religion that the Church must taste of the Crosse and God wil try vs this way that wee may bee acquainted with our owne infirmities that wee may bee preserued from many greeuous sinnes that we should not be condemned with the Worlde that others beholding Gods hand correcting his Church for sinne might learne thereby to hate and abhorre sinne and to loue righteousnesse and that the Church might gaine glory to Gods name by striuing for the trueth vnto the death But when the crosse is any way vp on vs and we feele the sharpnesse of his rod we are ready to sinke downe to desperation and to say wee are no more had in rememberance as Psal 10 1. Why standest thou farre off O Lord and hidest thee in due time euen in afflâ—ction And afterward Psal 22 1 2. My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee and art so farrâ— from my health and from the wordes of my roaring O my God I cry by day but thou hearest not and by night but haue no audience Thus are we inclined to iudge in our miseries and to thinke God to haue forgotten vs and to be vtterly absent from vs. But if wee in time of trouble remember him and his name hee will remember vs and our names for good not for euill If we can say in trouble I wil delight in thy statutes I will not forget thy word Psal 119 16 6â— 163. beholde mine affliction deliuer mee for I haue not forgotteÌ„ thy law we may lay this vp as a truth plant it as a chiefe plant in the ground of our hearts that God will neuer forget vs nor put vs out of his sight for euer True it is hee will proue his people and try their faith for a season but he will neuer forsake them nor leaue them as a prey in the iawes of their enemies who reioyce at their fall and delight themselues in their aduersities And as true it is that the vngodly triumph ouer them trample vppon them euen as abiects and men out of the fauour of God but if we waite a little while he will remember his people according to his mercy and recompence his aduersaries according to their iniquity This doeth the Prophet declare Psal 10. where he complaineth of the fraud wrong rapine and tirannie of the vngodly He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face Psal 10 11 12 14. and wil neuer see yet thou hast seene it for thou beholdest mischiefe and wrong that thou mayest take it into thine owne hands the poore committeth himselfe to thee for thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Howsoeuer therefore the faithfull say they are forsaken and the vnfaithfull iudge them also to bee forsaken yet there is great difference betweene the tentation of the
false comforts and briefly false worshippings which are of no value or vertue of no worth or reckning The least duty that God requireth that may be called the worke of Christ is better then all the stately workes of men and so to take vppe a rush if it stand with the will of God to make cleane platters or spits or shooes is more acceptable to him if it bee our calling then to builde memorials or Monasteries for ydle and superstitious Monkes without worde or warrant Secondly as our obedience must haue the word for a foundation so we must performe the same heartily not for outward shew and fashion or to be seene of men but do all as in the sight of him that looketh vpon the heart It is saide by the Prophet Psal 40 7 8. In the volume of thy Booke it is written of me I desired to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Our obedience must not bee parted and diuided betweene God and the Diuell God will haue intire obedience or accept no obedience at our hands Hence it is Prouer. 23 â— that the Wiseman exhorteth vs To giue God our heart and let our eyes delight in his wayes 2 Tim. 2 22. Luke 8 â— Râ—â— 10 10. Iohn â— 18. Rom 6 â—â— Col. 3 21 2. This discouereth the sinne of all hypocrites who pray but not with a pure hart they heare but it is not with good and honest hearts they belieue but it is not with the heart they loue but it is not in deede and in truth they obey but they are not obedient from the heart vnto the forme of doctrine and whatsoeuer they doe they do it ceremonially and externally not heartily as to the Lord but hypocritically as to men like idle and sloathfull seruants who performe no more to their Masters but eye-seruice as men pleasers If then our heart be away all is away the soule and life of euerie action is wanting and we offer the dead carkas of a sacrifice to God which stinketh as an vnsauoury thing in his nosethrils This made the Prophet say Psal 25 1 2. Vnto thee O Lord I lift vp my soule And Psal 108 1 2. O God my heart is prepared so is my tongue I will sing and giue praise If once the affection of the heart be setled the tongue tarrieth not behinde but is ready to publish the praises of God Thirdly our obedience must be done with all our power cheerefully and willingly which dependeth vppon the former albeit distinguished from it Although we faile in many circumstances God will not lay it to our charge nor stay the course of his blessings from comming vnto vs so long as hee seeth in vs a willing heart Hee respecteth more the affection to obey then obedience it selfe and alloweth of our good desire more then of the performance of the duty Wee see this in the poore widdowes mite which shee cast into the Treasurie of which our Sauiour sayth Marke 12 43. Luke 21 verse 23. Of a trueth I say vnto you that this poore Widdow hath cast in more then all they that haue cast into the treasurie She had not cast in more if wee considered the quantitie and greatnesse of the gift for what was two mites but a quadrin but it was more in regard of the quality and affection of her heart which is much set by of Almighty God Heereupon it is that the Prophet sayeth Micah 7 18 19. Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercie pleaseth him he will turne againe and haue compassion vppon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast al their sinnes into the bottome of the Sea Thus we see how fauourable the Lord is toward his children that are desirous and willing to serue him To this purpose speaketh the Prophet Malachi in the third Chapter and the seauenteenth verse They shall bee to mee saith the Lord of hoasts in that day that I shall doe this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serueth him The Father when he shall set his sonne to any businesse if he shew his good will and endeuour to doe his best will be pleased with him and accept of the worke though it be done vnperfectly rawly and vntowardly He takes in good part his good desire Euen so is it with Almighty God if hee see in vs willingnesse wee shall finde from him forgiuenesse and our imperfections to be passed ouer The Apostle S. Paul teacheth this in the second Epistle to the Corinthians chapter eight and the twelfth verse If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not Thus doeth God encourage vs in our obedience assuring vs that the measure of grace that hee bestoweth vpon vs shall be sufficient for vs. Fourthly wee must performe the fruites of our obedience entirely not to halfes sincerely not parting stakes betweene God and the Diuell and our selues as wee noted before Many will do so much readily as may stand with their owne liking and agree with their owne ease and profit but they will goe no farther they are content to doe diuerse good things but they continue and perseuer in some sinnes that marre all They can hate pride but they contemne the Gospell some will shew loue to the Gospell but are lasciuious hard-hearted vniust doers of wrong and euill speakers It is a foolish conceite of many that thinke they may lawfully liue in some knowne sins and yet bee Gods seruants still these deceiue themselues and discouer the hypocrisie of their hearts Such as continue in drunkennesse fornication Adulterie vncleannesse hatred and couetousnesse will presume to come to the place of Gods worship and shroud themselues into the companie of the faithfull and present themselues in the presence of God and receiue the Lordes Supper once a yeere and then think that God will and must haue respect vnto them These are like the dissembling and deceitfull Iewes mentioned by Ieremy the Prophet Ierem. 7 9 10. Will you steale murther and commit Adultery and sweare falsely and burne Incense vnto Baal and walke after other Gods whom yee know not And come and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say we are deliuered though we haue done all these abhominations Saul would do the workes of GOD in outward pretence 1 Sam. 15. Mark 6 20. and shew himselfe obedient in part but he kept Agag aliue and spared the fattest of the Cattle contrary to the commandement of God Herod heard Iohn willingly reuerenced him receiued the worde with ioy and did many things at his preaching but he would not leaue his Incest and depart from his brothers wife The godly doe not deale thus falsly and fraudulently with God they giue him the
them might flourish also If they had bin grieuously afflicted the Church must also haue tasted of the same cup in some measure Thus were the people of God commanded to pray for the peace of Babylon the place whither they were carried captiue which was giuen them as a Sanctuary and place of retire Ier. 29. Ier. 29 7 Seeke the peace of the City whither I haue caused you to be carried away captiues and pray vnto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye haue peace God giueth the Infidels prosperity and blesseth them with an extraordinary peace howbeit hee respecteth the good of his Church therein Lastly herein we are to consider also the iustice of God For the Lord purposing to execute his iust iudgments vpon the Kings of the earth for their idolatries oppressions violences tyrannies murthers adulteries and such like impieties hath raised vp from time to time some to serue him in the execution of his high iustice against them punishing those that are euill by others as euill as themselues For this cause to make way for the accomplishment of his decrees hee maketh some Nation to grow strong and mighty as the oakes of the forest and to flourish for a while as the Cedars in Libanus that he may vse employ them as a staffe in his hand to chastise the rebellions of the vngodly and when he hath poured out his wrath vpon them and executed his indignation to the full he casteth the rod into the fire raiseth vp another for the consuming of them The Assyrians The foure Monarchies ouerthrowne one another the first Monarchy of the world ruled in a manner all Nations for many yeares After them arose the Persians who subduing the Assyrians obtained the Monarchy and reigned likewise a long space many Kings succeeding one another in that royall seate Then came the Grecians who preuailed against the Persians as they before had done against the Assyrians made themselues Monarches and masters of them and almost of the whole world Last of all all these being cut downe and so grubbed by the rootes that the place of many of them is no more to be known the Romane Empire abolishing the former succeeded in the souereignty possessed the dignity first in Rome and after in Constantinople Thus the sword of one hath bin drawne out against another al hath bin ruled by the iust iudgment of God to punish those that neither loued nor imbraced the truth The like we might say of Tamerlane the Tartarian the scourge or God terrour of the world he was raised vp of God and had his time who whipped the Turks by him as they had serued others All these horrible tyrants prospered in the world but it had a sudden end because it was neuer wel grounded But to leaue them and to come home to our selues let vs learne what maketh vs to prosper what shall make our names great and our families to flourish when all other shall wither as the grasse that to day is greene and to morrow is cast into the Ouen it is the imbracing of true religion Bethlehem was in it selfe little among the thousands of Iudah â—ich 5.2 â—ath 2 6. yet it was notwithstanding exalted and aduanced because out of it came Christ to rule his people Israel The Temple of Salomon was of wonderfull glory and renowne yet the Lord telleth the people after their returne out of captiuity that the glory of the second Temple â—ag 2 9. euen of that latter house should be greater then of that former and in this place he would giue peace by him that is the Prince of peace In like manner hee telleth Iosua that if the book of the Law depart not out of his mouth but that he meditate therein day and night obserue to do according to all that is written therein then hee shall make his way prosperous and shall haue good successe in al his enterprises â—osh 1 8. Do we then desire to be happy Do we wish blessednesse Labour to bee truely religious and to haue the power of godlinesse dwelling in thy heart Aduance it And it shall aduance thee Prou. 4 8. and â— 4. it shall bring thee to honour when thou dost imbrace it This is the way to finde fauor and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man As for others that make a mocke of religion and doe not chuse the feare of the Lord that neuer regard to set it as a precious plant in their soules and in their houses they may peraduenture builde their nests on high for a time and make their children great vpon earth for a season but in the end their names shall consume as dung their roote shall bee rottennesse and their bud as dust that is suddenly blowne and borne away with a violent winde Vse 3 Thirdly must the ministery be established among all people vnder heauen Then let euery one of vs be careful for our parts to plant it among vs and to bring it home to the places of our abode In the most corrupt and ruinous times of the Church the people were carefull of this duty Micha in the booke of Iudges is saide to haue entertained and maintained a Leuite to instruct him and his family and said Now I know that the Lord will do mee good seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest Iudg. 17 13. It is noted in the Acts of the Apostles that when Paul and Barnabas were come to Salamis they preached the word of God in the Synagogues of the Iewes they had Iohn also for their Minister Euery place therfore ought to haue their proper Pastour as euery flock their Shepheard and euery City their watchman Dauid was carefull aboue all Princes to settle good order among the Leuites that God might be serued and the people edified He diuided them into certaine orders Acts 13 5. 2 Sam. 6.2 1 Chr. 23 6. that so their labors might be equally indifferently diuided for the benefit of all persons He was zealous in bringing home the Arke of God Iehosaphat sent out Leuites to instruct the people This is a duty that doth neerely concerne vs our families not onely to be content to heare it abroad and to resort to it in other places but to ioyne together to bring it home to our owne doores or parishes that we may haue prouision of food our selues and not be driuen to seek for it elsewhere A point wherin alas we are too carelesse and thereby make little conscience to seeke after knowledge For how many thinke themselues discharged froÌ„ hearing the word and attending to the ministery of it because they haue not the word ordinarily taught among them If it were setled among them they could be content to giue the Ministers the hearing but if they haue it not they neuer thinke it any part of their duty to resort to the places where they may be instructed 2 Kin. 4 23. as
we dye vnto sin rise againe vnto newnesse of life Thirdly by the vse of the Sacraments which require both the former points to wit faith and repentance The fift sect were the Essees Essees who are not spoken off in the Gospel because they retired and withdrew themselues from the society of men They despised marriage and liued without the company of women They had no children of their owne but they adopted as their owne such as voluntarily came vnto them Ioseph antiq li. 18. cap. 2. de bel Iudai lib. 2. cap. 7. and betooke themselues to their sect in regard whereof they continued for many generations and neuer failed These were like the Anchorites that liued in the wildernesse and chusing a solitary life sequestred themselues from the company of others These Essees were as it were Popish Monkes and the Monkes were a kind of Iewish Essees and both of them chose a manner of liuing not allowed of God For he neuer appointed that any of the godly should renounce abiure marriage which the Scripture pronounceth to be honourable in all and the bed vndefiled Hebr. 13 4. Hee neuer allowed them to hide themselues in caues or cloysters voluntarily or to institute new rules and lawes that he neuer commanded Nay Christ commandeth his Disciples to obserue whatsoeuer he commanded them Mat. 28 20. The Scripture commendeth to vs the workes of charity Iames 1 27 and requireth of vs to doe good to all men and forbiddeth to separate our selues from the communion of Saints Heb. 10 25. The more good we doe to our brethren the more we please God but these chuse a kinde of life wherein they can do little or no good to others To whom it may be saide Who required this at your hands The sixt sect among the Iewes were the Herodians Herodians which are mentioned in the Scriptures Math. 22 16. Mar. 3 6 and 12 13. who were indeed of the Iewish religioÌ„ but thoght Herod to be Christ because the Scepter was departed from Iudah and the Lawgiuer from betweene his feet when Herod obtained the title and power of a King and ruled ouer the people of God But the prophesies that went before of the Messiah can in no sort agree to Herod nor to any but to Christ Iesus For the Messiah promised by the Prophets must not be a forraigner but one of the Iewes for saluation is of the Iewes Iohn 4. Iohn 4 22. He must be of the Tribe of Iuda and of the stocke of Dauid Psal 110 1. He must be borne at Bethlehem borne of a virgin c none of which can agree to this alien or counterfeit Christ These then were such as depending vpon Herod had made a mixture of religion partly from the Pagans and partly from the Iewes as also the Samaritans had done long before Lastly another sect among them were the Nazarens Nazaraei who in al other things were Iewes but held it vnlawfull to kill any liuing thing or to eate the flesh of any thing wherein the spirit of life had beene they condemned the bloody sacrifices appointed in Moses Law and therefore could not be induced to thinke that so good a man as Moses was the Author of those bookes that beare that title passe as current vnder his name These Iewish Nazarens are a kinde of paganish Pithagoreans and the paganish Pithagoreans are a kinde of Iewish Nazarens True it is Ouid. Metamorp lib. 15. many are of opinion that flesh was not eaten vntill the flood but they were held as Sectaries that held it afterward to be vnlawfull Yea whether it were euer forbidden from the fall to the flood is altogether vncertaine rather it may be thought that GOD permitted the free vse of cleane beasts for meat Flesh eaten before the flood as wel as for sacrifice then that mankinde was restrained from them the space of more then sixteene hundred yeares for so long it was vnto the flood It is confessed that it was lawfull to offer them in Sacrifice and then why not to eate them Especially considering there were other kinde of sacrifices wherein the sacrificer and the bringer of the sacrfice had his part as wel as the whole burnt offering which was all consumed Abel is renowned in scripture that he offered the first fruite of his Sheepe Heb. 11 4 Gen. 4 4. and the fattest of the fold but it had bin a small praise for him to offer the firstlings the fatlings if they were such as himselfe had no vse off if he were not accustomed to eate of them It had beene all one to him to offer the fat or the leane the first or the last the weake or the strong the male or the female But heerein no doubt he is commended that he preferred the seruice of God before his owne priuate vse and benefit which verifieth the saying of the Apostle Who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke And who can deny 1 Cor. 9 7. but he had as faire a warrant to feed himselfe with the flesh as to cloathe himselfe with the wooll of his sheepe And if it be lawfull to kill them for apparel sake how can we thinke it standeth with the will and counsell of God to haue the flesh cast away inasmuch as Christ in the Gospel commanded his Disciples to gather vp the broken meate Iohn 6 12. that nothing at all bee lost Againe if the eating of flesh had bene forbidden so long the earth would in that space haue yeelded such aboundance of encrease that the cattell would haue annoied mankind and consumed the fruites that should haue nourished themselues The Lord promiseth it as a mercy toward the Israelites that he would not destroy the Canaanites before them Deut. 7 22. Lest the beasts of the field should increase vpon them For these helped to destroy them and did eate the vncleane as swine and such like both which by their multitudes might haue beene an annoyance vnto the people of God But there was greater feare of ouerspreading the earth with heards of cattell as with swarmes of bees before the flood if man had not beene permitted to feed of them and so to diminish the number of them Thirdly wee reade in the Scripture some footsteps albeit darke and obscure whereby to trace out this truth seruing as markes to giue vs light in this matter for the beasts were killed and man was clothed with their skinnes Gen. 3.21 Why then might he not as well eate them as kil them and clothe himselfe with them Besides there was euen from the beginning a difference betweene cleane and vncleane beasts â—en 7.2 long before the flood not only in regard of sacrifice but also in respect of common eating as appeareth in the reuiuing of this law afterward Leuit. 11.47 That there may be difference betweene the cleane and vncleane and betweene the beast that may be eaten and the beast
shall be put to death 39. All that were numbred of the Leuites which Moses Aaron numbred at the commandement of the Lord throughout all their families all the males from a moneth old and vpward were twenty and two thousand Wee haue already handled the numbring of two of the families that haue their foundation in the sonnes of Leui to wit the Gershonites and the Kohathites Now followeth the third and last that is the Merarites touching whom we are to consider sundry particular points as we haue done in the two former diuisions For first the families descended of Merari are named which are two the Mahlites and the Mushites verse 33. Secondly the number of persons the summe of them according to the number of all the males from a moneth old and aboue was sixe thousand two hundred verse 34. Thirdly the Ouerseer or Superintendent of them all was Zuriel the sonne of Abihail Fourthly the place of their abode in the host was on the North-side of the Tabernacle verse 35. Lastly the office and function committed vnto them was the woodworke and the rest of the instruments These things were committed to their charge and custody Hitherto wee haue handled the numbring of this Tribe simply considered in it selfe according to the particular families of it now let vs obserue how it is concluded In this conclusion set downe in the two last verses of this diuision we are to marke two points first the persons that went before the Arke of the Couenant on the East-side secondly the totall sum of the whole Tribe is reckoned vp The persons that were to pitch on the fore-front of the Tabernacle toward the East are these both Moses himselfe as the chiefe Captaine Commander ouer the whole and also Aaron with his sons the Priests ministring vnto God and his Church whereunto is annexed a certaine prouiso that none should dare to thrust himselfe into their office verse 38. Secondly the totall sum of all the former particulars is brought together and the accounts cast vp which are said to amount to two and twenty thousand v. 39. Out of which generall number must be deducted the Priests and the first borne of the Leuites themselues for otherwise the whole Tribe of Leui consisting of the Priests and such as are called by the common name of Leuites amounted to the number of twenty and two thousand and three hundred soules Verse 33. Of Merari was the family c. In this diuision we see more plainely and particularly that which was in part noted before namely the seuerall mansions and situations that these Leuites had about the Tabernacle which being the place of Gods publike seruice they compassed it round about that they might not be farre from any of the people of God but alwaies resident among them The Gershonites pitched behinde the Tabernacle westward verse 23. The Kohathites pitched on the south-side of the Tabernacle verse 29. The Merarites pitched on the north side of the Tabernacle verse 35. Now lest any part should be left vnfurnished and vnprouided Moses and Aaron and his sonnes are commanded to take vp the fore-front of the Tabernacle and to pitch on the East-side GOD might haue put and placed all the Leuites in one corner of the host if it had pleased him but in great mercy both toward the Leuites and people they are seated in the middest of the army and charged to compasse the Tabernacle round about to the end they might serue the better for giuing direction and instruction indifferently to all the rest of the Tribes that were to vse their Ministery Thus we see that neither the Teachers were constrained to go farre to their hearers nor the hearers to take any tedious iourney to their Teachers This teacheth vs that God will haue euery part of his people taught Such is the goodnesse Doctrine 1 of almighty God God wil haue all places and people taught euen the smallest that he will haue none of his seruants vntaught how small soeuer the places be how meane soeuer the persons be None are too high in regard of their great places none are too low in regard of their obscure callings none are too good to be taught whatsoeuer their degrees be We see this most euidently in the Tribe of Leui it selfe To what end and purpose were they diuided in Iacob and scattered in Israel Gen. 49 Gen. 49 7 but that all the Lords people might be instructed from the highest to the lowest and haue their portion in due season alotted vnto them of God This is giuē as a commendation of the Leuites and of Iehoshaphat that sent them 2 Chron 17 9. They taught in Iudah and had the booke of the Law of the Lord with them and went about throughout all the Cities of Iudah and taught the people This we see in the Apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians and setting downe the notable fruites and ends of the Ministery of the word Eph. 4 13. He gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastours and Teachers Till we all meete together in the vnity of faith vnto a perfect man and the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Touching the practise of this duty we haue a notable example in Christ our Sauiour in many places of the Euangelists Luke 8 1. It came to passe afterward that he went throughout euery City and Village preaching and shewing the glad tydings of the kingdome of God and chap. 13 22. He went through the Cities Villages teaching and iournying toward Ierusalem The like we reade of the twelue Apostles who walked in the steps of their master going through the Townes preaching the Gospel and healing euery where Luke 9 6. So also it was with the seuenty Disciples the Lord sent thē two and two before his face into euery city and place whither he himselfe would come Luk. 10 1. Seeing then the Priests and Leuites Christ his Disciples went about through all the Citties of Iudah published the Gospel in euery city and village preached euery where and went into all places we conclude that it is the ordinance of God that all places great and small all persons high and low all congregations bigge and little should haue the word of God established and setled among them Reason 1 This will be made plaine and cleere vnto vs by diuers reasons First consider with me the titles that are giuen vnto God in the Scriptures He is worthily called the King of his Church and the Lord Master of his house-Is not he the Shepheard of Israel that leadeth Ioseph like sheepe Psal 80 1. Will a Shepheard that hath any care of his Sheepe or any loue vnto them looke vnto some of them and not to all Or will he not rather if any be gone astray Lu. 15 4 5 6. leaue ninety and nine in the wildernesse and seeke that lost one vntill he finde it So is it the will of our Father that is
in heauen that not one of these little ones should perish Mat. 18 14. He commandeth that not one of these little ones should perish Mat. 18 10. He maketh vs to lye downe in greene pastures he leadeth vs beside the stil water he restoreth our soules and leadeth vs in the paths of righteousnesse for his names sake Psal 23 2 3. Iacob that fed the sheepe of his father in law testifieth touching his care that the drought consumed him in the day Gen. 31.40 and the frost pinched him in the night and sleepe departed from his eyes so that whatsoeuer was torne of beasts or stollen of theeues was required at his hands he bare the losse of it Much more then will the Lord care for the sheepe of his pasture his rod and his staffe shall comfort them and although they walke through the valley of the shadow of death they shall feare no euill Will a king regard onely the chiefe Cities and most populous places of his kingdome and suffer the rest to liue as they list without lawes good orders Or will the master of an house looke to some in his family and not to all If then God be our King if he be our Master he will looke to all his subiects and seruants whatsoeuer they be that they shall haue their meate in due season Secondly such is the grace and goodnesse of God that he would haue all his people Reason 2 come to knowledge Such as know not his will are none of his seruants If then he require the vnderstanding knowledge of his wayes not onely of rich men of great men of learned men and of the Ministers but of all the people of what calling and condition soeuer they be how meane and simple soeuer they be we must hereof conclude that he hath ordained that all of them should haue the meanes of knowledge and saluation offered vnto them and published among them To this purpose the Apostle saith He will that all men shall be saued and come vnto the acknowledgement of the truth 1 Tim. 2 4. And Peter in his second Epistle chap. 3. teacheth that The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is long suffering to vs ward 2 Pet. 3 9. not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance This is that which the Prophet Ezekiel setteth downe chap. 18 11 23 32 and 33. Haue I any pleasure at all that the wicked should dye saith the Lord and not that he should returne from his waies and liue Thirdly the word of God was penned for all estates degrees and conditions of men It Reason 3 serueth as eye-salue to cleere the eyes of all persons and to make the simple wise Psal 19 7. and 119 99 100. It cleanseth the way of the yong man if he take heed thereunto with all diligence Psal 119 9. The booke of the Prouerbes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel was written to giue subtilty to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discretion Prou. 1 4. The Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn 2 13. wrote to the Fathers because they had knowne him that is from the beginning he wrote vnto young men because they haue ouercome the wicked one he wrote to little children because they haue knowne the Father If then the word do serue for all sorts and sexes and ages whatsoeuer it followeth that all must be taught from the greatest to the least from the highest to the lowest Fourthly all persons whatsoeuer they be haue soules to saue simple persons small congregations Reason 4 little assemblies as well as others that are many in number We consist not only of bodies we must not onely prouide for this present life but we haue also soules to saue and must prepare for the life to come We shall all giue an account of the things that we haue done in this life whether they be good or euill forasmuch as the Lord will reward euery man according to his workes Rom. 2.6 The day of our particular death and the day of the generall iudgement are both of them dayes of reckoning and account and as the soule is most precious so the account to be giuen for it is very great and therefore from these premises we may necessarily deduct this conclusion that it is the will and pleasure of God that euery place and person should be carefully instructed Vse 1 It remaineth therfore that we come to the vses and as from a good tree gather such fruit as groweth from thence First we learne that it is Gods ordinance and appointment that euery congregation should haue a learned Minister to teach them the true religion and feare of God It is not ynough that there be a setled standing Ministery in one place or corner of the land or in euery great citie but he will haue his people in all places whether great or small to be cared and prouided for euery Church haue a sufficient Minister to instruct euery member of it Hence it is that the Euangelist declareth Acts 14.23 that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders by election in euery Church and then they commended them to the Lord in whom they beleeued And in the Epistle to Titus Paul saith vnto him Chap. 1. verse 5. For this cause left I thee in Creta that thou shouldest continue to redresse things that remaine and shouldest ordaine Elders in euery Citie as I appointed thee By euery Church and euery citie in those places we must vnderstand that wheresoeuer there is a body of people gathered together fit for a Congregation there ought a Minister to bee chosen appointed and set ouer the same For whersoeuer a Church is planted and a distinct congregation established there is an absolute necessity of a setled Ministery as we haue shewed before in the beginning of this Chapter so that it is altogether vnpossible that without it religion should prosper or continue The Lord had no sooner giuen his law concerning the erecting of the Tabernacle but Aaron his sons were annointed and the whole tribe sanctified to the office of the Ministery to attend on holy things to teach the people to offer sacrifices to performe such duties as were required of them He knoweth that euery man standeth in as great neede of food for the soule aa he doth of nourishment for the body and that as the body decayeth without sustenance so the soule famisheth and pineth away without the bread of life Wheresoeuer the Ministery of the word is wanting there wanteth one of Gods ordinances one of his speciall blessings Wee see by common and continuall experience when the corne is blasted and the haruest of the field is perished and the labour of the husbandman is destroyed what crying lamentation is made how much more ought we to be greeued to see the famine of the word brought vpon vs and thousands perish thorough want of this ordinance of God
then he is and indeed as well the one as the other are vnfit vnmeete to haue the charge of sheepe or of old shooes It discourageth those that labour painefully in this calling and weakneth the hands and hearts of those that are diligent in their office It bringeth a slander vpon the Church of God and emboldeneth many to goe forward in sinne while there is for the most part like Priest like people like master like man like mother like daughter And last of all it bringeth ineuitable perils and dangers vpon the people whose soules perish through their ignorance and wickednesse that are entred into this calling The third reproofe 〈◊〉 third reâ—fe is the haste which for the most part young men that runne before they are sent make to the Ministery wherein the common prouerbe is true That haste maketh waste The zeale of these persons is very preposterous forasmuch as they haue not that iudgement knowledge that wisedome and experience that grace and grauity that stayednesse and moderation in ordering and brideling their affections that is needfull in those that are to teach others the way how to do it lest it be said vnto them Physitian heale thy selfe Luke 4 23. and as the Apostle sheweth Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Rom. 2 21. In former times of the Church the Prophets well qualified hung backe and shunned the burden but we are fallen into another extreme whereby it commeth to passe that we desire to be soone employed albeit rawly furnished as if a Captaine should leade his souldiers vnto the battell before they be halfe harnessed and prepared But some may say Obiection Are none to be chosen to the Ministery that are young men Or is this Law giuen to the Leuites remembred heere a morall precept to which the Church is necessarily tied None were to serue in the Tabernacle or Temple vntill thirty yeares 1 Chr. 23 3. is this precisely to be kept in the new Testament I answer Answer not all that are of that age are to be admitted nor all vnder that age are to be refused For as there are two sorts of young men set downe before so there are two sorts of Elders some are olde men in yeares and some are old men in gifts and thus may the Ministers be saide sometimes to be both old and young yong in age old in the graces giuen vnto them necessary for this calling as on the other side a man may be old in yeares and haue many gray haires on his head and yet in regard of necessary gifts that ought to haue beene in him be a young man a childe an infant If it be farther saide Obiect Iohn Baptist began to preach at that age and so did Christ himselfe yet had these great gifts and who is like to them or who may compare with them Answer I answer these examples are not to be drawne into imitation to make of them perpetuall Canons and constitutions of the Church And this was indeed a long time after obserued in the Church all such kept out as by a strong barre that had not attained to that age We haue laide before vs the doctrine and life of Christ to be followed not the yeares ability not age The Apostle warneth Timothy so to behaue himselfe that none should despise his youth 1 Tim. 4 verse 12. He would haue him learne before he goe about to teach others It is said in the booke of Iob chapt 12 12. With the auncient is wisedome and in length of daies vnderstanding Neuerthelesse albeit this bee ordinarily seene yet God is not tyed to any age but bestoweth his gifts where and vnto whom hee pleaseth as appeareth in Ioseph Ieremy Samuel Salomon Daniel Dauid Timothy Titus and sundry others Howbeit such examples are not common but rare and vnwonted like a shining starre in a cloudy Firmament Aristotle No man chuseth yong men to be Generals of an army saith the heathen Philosopher That Physition is thought to be the better who hath most conuersed and liued longest among the sicke Plato lib. 3. de rep In the host of Alexander the Great Q. Curtius none was suffered to leade the bandes into the field that was not elder then three-score In the state and common-wealth of Rome none vnder full age were chosen to bear any office None was chosen to be a Senator before 25. yeares nor Pretor before 30 nor Consul before 43. How much more is this to be regarded in the regiment of the Church where as the calling is weightier so the danger is greater when these pastorall charges are bestowed vpon vnfit persons For a speciall care must be had that such as are aduanced and promoted whether young or old doe not cause their ministery to be contemned especially considering that it falleth out as we see by continuall experience that euen his doctrine is little regarded whose person is despised Some are old in yeares but young in wisedome Esay 65. and at an hundred yeares old are as children touching vse and experience who staine and disgrace their hoare heads white haires with foolishnesse sottishnesse and more then childishnesse In the art of nauigation Nazian in laud. Basilij this law was wont to be precisely obserued that none should be chosen Master of the Ship or Masters mate that hath not first beene a skuller and rowed with oares and froÌ„ thence beene promoted to sit at the sterne In military discipline a man was first chosen a souldier then he rose higher to be a Centurion before he could be Generall of the host God would haue the Leuites to be at the first as it were probationers before they were alowed to be practitioners They were taken in for tryall at 25. yeares of age as it followeth in the 8. chapter and so continued vnto 30. at what time they were suffered to minister if they were found faithfull and painefull But it may be said of many in our church that they runne before they be sent Iere. 23 21. and thrust themselues into the Vineyard before they be hired These are young in yeares and as young in qualities and conditions required of a Minister that haue not yet shed their colts teeth nor scarse sowed their wilde oates as we say in our common Prouerbs so that we may say with the Prophet Hosea chap. 9 7. The Prophet is a foole the spirituall man is mad And another Prophet Her Prophets are light and treacherous persons her Priests haue polluted the Sanctuary they haue done violence to the Law Zeph. 3 verse 4. Vse 2 Secondly it teacheth a good duty and profitable to the Ministers that remembring this lesson and considering how they must be adorned and with what gifts endued they looke to themselues that they giue no occasion of scandall and offence of euill speeches and contempt of their calling but keep themselues vnspotted and vncorrupted This the Apostle teacheth his Timothy 1. ch 4 12.
Secondly touching the Merarites which are another of the familes what he saith of them verse 31 of this present chapter compare it with the 36 and 37 verses of the former chapter Lastly touching the Gershonites the 25 ver of this fourth chapter with the 25 verse of the third chapter and we shall see hee telleth them againe and againe what burdens they are to beare and what seruice they are to performe He might haue referred vs to that which hee had before set downe but he doth againe particularly rehearse and repeat it God forbiddeth needlesse repetitions in praier and condemneth much babling that bringeth no benefit with it therefore he vseth it not himselfe neither do any of the Penmen of the holy Scriptures who wrote as they were inspired by the Spirit of God the Author of them They were chosen vessels of God and as it were his Secretaries so guided by him that they could not erre in writing no more then in speaking of it We learne from this practise of Moses in this place Doctrine It is lawful for the Ministers to repeat the points that formerly they haue taught that it is lawfull for the Ministers and Teachers of the Church to make repetitions of things formerly taught and to deliuer the same points and parts of religion againe and againe both for matter and forme not thereby to ease themselues or to maintaine sloth in thē but for the benefit of the Church Moses in the booke of Deuteronomy repeateth to the people many things done before and expressed in the former bookes and therefore it is fitly called a repetition of the Law and there he rehearseth the ten Commandements againe Deut. 5. So do the Euangelists declare how Christ our Sauiour often repeateth the same things and preacheth againe the same points he had deliuered before and therfore his practise may well be our warrant and his example our direction Thus doth the Apostle Peter shew what he did and what he will do 2 Pet. 1 12. Wherefore I will not bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though ye know them and be established in the present truth And afterward in the same Epistle he professeth that hee had written to them of those things whereof his beloued brother Paul had written in all his Epistles The Epistle of Iude is a repetition of those things handled by Peter in his second Epistle and is as it were an abridgement of it So the bookes of Chronicles do repeat many things before set downe in the bookes of the Kings albeit it be done with much accesse of matter profite to the reader as we shall see by diligent obseruation in the reading of them In like manner the Apostle Iohn wrote vnto them those things which they had beene taught before I haue not written vnto you because ye know not the truth but because yee know it and that no lye is of the truth 1 Iohn 2 21. This may plentifully appeare vnto vs in the comparing of the olde Testament with the new one strengtheneth and confirmeth another and sundry things are repeated in the new which are deliuered in the old We see the Gentiles in the Acts of the Apostles Acts 13 42. besought Paul and Barnabas that the same words might be preached vnto them the next Sabbath day which they had first offered vnto the Iewes All which examples as it were a cloud of witnesses do confirme the lawfulnesse of their practise that teach againe what they haue taught and deliuer the same points which before they haue deliuered and so bring forth out of their storehouse things both old and new for this custome could not be vsed without some accesse and addition of new matter according to the manner of God vsed in the holy Scriptures Reason 1 This is not done without cause and good reason For first men are commonly dull in hearing slacke in comming weake in remembring and slowe in practising They are as a tough oake that is not felled at one stroke as an hard stone that is not broken in peeces with one blow they are as marble that is not pierced with once dropping of water vpon it but requireth a constant and continuall falling vpon it according to the Commandement of God directed to his Prophet Ezek 21 2. Sonne of man set thy face toward Ierusalem and drop thy word toward the holy places and Prophesie against the Land of Israel For albeit we be often taught and plainely instructed heere a little there a little yet we cannot conceiue and carry away the things we heare The Apostle saith Heb. 5 11. We haue many things to say and hard to be vttered seeing ye are dull of hearing where he giueth this reason why he had need begin againe the first rudiments of Christian religion as it were to lay the foundation of the house againe before hee went forward with high mysteries euen in regard of their dulnes and slacknes in learning Reason 2 Secondly it is safe and sure for all hearers to haue often repetitions It hath his good vse and speciall benefit Many witnesses do make sure worke and confirme strongly and stedfastly the things taught Hence it is that the Apostle saith writing to the Philippians chap. 3 1. To write the same things to you to me indeed is not greeuous and for you it is safe That which is once spoken is through our infirmity and corruption as good as neuer spoken as one witnesse is no witnesse GOD would haue euery truth confirmed by two or three witnesses and forasmuch as the historie of the life and death of the doctrine and myracles of the resurrection and ascension of Christ is so maine a pillar of our religion in the knowledge whereof our saluation consisteth hee would haue it confirmed by foure authentike witnesses and Christ carried by them as on a fourefold Chariot in triumph like a mighty Conqueror that hath subdued all his and our enemies Thus doth God prouide most plentifull meanes to remoue our infidelity to take away our doubting and to remedy our infirmity Thirdly repetition worketh a deeper impression Reason 3 in vs and serueth to beate it into the conscience as well as into the vnderstanding It is necessary that we be stirred vp quickned to the practise of good things by the goad of repetitions This consideration made the Apostle say I thinke it meete 2 Pet. 1 13. as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you vp by putting you in remembrance Practise is an hard thing and rare We are not easily brought to performe such things as wee know If then once speaking take not hold on vs it may the second time beeing commended vnto vs againe Fourthly we ought not to forbeare from Reason 4 this course because our life is short wee know not how soone we may be called out of this world and giue an account of our Ministery how carefull wee haue beene to gaine
not cleere the wicked Although Princes doe not make statutes against it yet the statute law of God hath decreed against it and condemned it set a great penalty vpon the breach of it We haue sundry lawes that none abuse our names but we haue none for the preseruation of Gods Name and therefore God will looke to it and take order for it No commandement hath had more visible iudgments executed vpoÌ„ the breakers of it then this The plague of God shall not depart from his house that is a swearer one iudgment or other shall ouertake him and if he do escape the greater torment is reserued for him in the life to come The Prophet Zachary Zach. 5.4 telleth vs that God will consume the timber and stones of his house The sonne of the Israelitish woman that blasphemed the Name of the Lord and cursed is brought foorth without the campe and stoned to death Leuit. 24.14 15. and thereupon a Law established Whosoeuer curseth his God shall beare his sinne It is lamentable to consider the wretchednesse of prophane men notwithstanding the greeuousnesse of this sinne Many are of such a ruffian-like spirit that they feare not to teare in peeces the Lord of life and to crucifie againe the Sonne of God as much as in them lyeth We our selues are iealous of our own names and the names of our parents and posterity no maruell then if God be exceeding iealous ouer himselfe If we wil not glorifie him he will glorifie himselfe and his Name in our destruction He may winke at vs for a time as also at our manifold and monstrous oathes but he hath not forgotten them he keepeth a booke of accounts as a register against vs and when the great day of the Lord shall come he will bring forth the records and set our sinnes in order before vs. Let vs not thinke to escape Eccles 8.11 because sentence is not speedily executed the more he delayeth the more he hoardeth vp punishment for vs. The longer the arrow is in drawing the deeper it will pierce when it is shot out against vs. Hee suffereth them to liue in security for a time but they shall taste of seuerity in the end Iob 24.23 and 21.30 The wicked is reserued to the day of destruction they shal be brought forth to the day of wrath 23 And the Priest shall write these curses in a booke and he shall blot them out with the bitter water 24 And he shall cause the woman to drinke the bitter water that causeth the curse and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her and become bitter 25 Then the Priest shall take the iealousie offering out of the womans hand and shall waue the offering before the Lord and offer it vpon the Altar 26 And the Priest shall take an handfull of the offering euen the memoriall thereof and burne it vpon the Altar and afterward shall cause the woman to drinke the water Hitherto wee haue seene the things that goe before the tryall now we come to such as are more neerely ioyned with it which are these He must write the curses in a booke and then blot them out with the waters of bitternesse before remembred But before the woman drinke of the waters he must take the offering out of her hand and waue it before the Lord and then offer it vnto the Lord. Lastly he is to burne a part of it vpon the altar and afterward cause the woman to drinke the water Obiect Heere the question may be asked wherefore the curse must be written and afterward blotted out If it must be blotted out what need it to be written If it must be written why should it be blotted out I answer Answer it was written to note out the stablenesse of Gods iudgements and the certainety of his trueth And therefore also it was vttered in words expressed in actions and established by writing In word of the adiuration in worke of the drinking vp of the water in writing of the whole fact as it was done before the Lord. Neuerthelesse this writing was so extant that it continued not long but was so cleane defaced that none could reade it because God would not haue the remembrance of such filthy causes and iealouses and suspicions to remaine to posterity lest any be inflamed with the like passion and so bring into imitation such like practises Verse 23.24 c. And the Priest shall write these curses c. We see in this place the former ceremonies and circumstances farther vrged and pressed neere to the conscience of her that was suspected and stood before the Lord to be tryed She is caused and commanded to drinke of these waters prepared for this purpose These waters that cause the curse shall enter into her and become bitter This is the meanes that God wil vse to manifest things that yet are hidden in secret and such as should bring an heauy iudgement vpon her that was guilty We learne from hence Doctrine Adultery â— albeit secâ— coâ—â—â—â— punished of God that whoredome is alwaies punished of God and neuer escapeth vnpunished Howsoeuer adultery be not regarded among men and thought either no sinne or a little and veniall sinne yet God findeth it out and ceasseth not to plague and punish it both temporally and eternally both in this life and in the life to come This we see set foorth before vs at large throughout the whole booke of God Gen. 6 1â— What was the cause that brought the flood vpon the old world and swept away the inhabitants thereof was it not for their vncleannesse and the lusts of their eyes and the loosenesse of their life The like we might say of Sodome and Gomorrha and the cities about them who giuing themselues once to fornication Iude 7. and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall fire When Balaam was not suffered to curse the people of God he gaue the Moabites and Midianites this damnable counsel to allure them to commit fornication by which meanes many perished as we shall shew afterward in the 25 chapter of this booke whereunto also the Apostle alludeth 1 Cor. 10.8 when he saith Neither let vs commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand It must needs be a greeuous sin that brought downe so greeuous a iudgment A like fearefull example we haue in the booke of Iudges when the Leuites wife was abused vnto death there followed the destruction of the beniamites 〈◊〉 20 35. 〈◊〉 21.3 so that there fell of them fiue and twenty thousand almost one whole tribe of Israel was wanting This is it which the Lord threatened to his people Leuit. 18.24.25 20. Ye shall not defile your selues in any of these things among which this was one to defile themselues with their neighbours wife by carnall copulation for in all these the nations are defiled which I will cast
is against them that do euill to cut out the remembrance of them froÌ„ the earth Lastly wee may conclude from hence the Vse 4 wofull estate and condition of all cruell and mercilesse oppressors that grinde the faces of the poore and plucke off their skins from the flesh and the flesh from the bones by their couetous and corrupt dealing who measure hard measure vnto others and pull from them that which is their owne without conscience of sinne or feeling of iudgement to come These are they that regard not how they racke the poore how they ingrosse and withhold the fruites of the earth they make the Epha small and the Shekell great that is they sell little for much lessening the measure and enhauncing the price they sell a little come for a great deale of money they make a dearth without scarsity and bring a famine vpon others when God hath giuen plenty to themselues For it falleth out oft-tentimes when GOD is liberall to vs wee deale niggardly one toward another and when the Lord heareth the heauens 〈◊〉 2 21 22. and they heare the earth and the earth heareth the come and the wine and the oyle and all they heare Israel what a shame nay what a sinne is this that we will not heare one another so that the cry of the poore people is not heard of vs nor the misery of them that are in need is not felt of vs When GOD sendeth fruitefull times and seasons 〈◊〉 28 23. that neither the heauen ouer the head is as brasse nor the earth vnderneath our feete is as iron but that they yeeld their raine and fruite in due season how cometh it to passe that our hearts are as hard as iron as tough as steele and as inflexible as brasse one to another And seeing the eye of God is good to vs how cruell are we that make our eyes to bee euill toward our brother â—se 34. These are they that wish with all their soules for dearth and famine nay they not onely desire it but cause it when God hath not caused it and send it vpon others when God hath not sent it vpon them This is to them a day of ioy and delight of feasting and banquetting of meriment and pastime when as their poore brethren weepe and lament with their wiues and children This is the day that they long looked for and they stirre vp themselues to reioyce and be glad in it that they may enrich themselues with the spoiles of them that are in necessity But let them know that this sweet meate hath sowre sawce belonging vnto it and that a fearefull woe belongeth vnto theÌ„ which shall come vpon them and seize vpon their bodies and soules and sonnes daughters and goods and all that belongeth vnto them when they shall be dealt withall by others as they haue dealt and distributed the measure vnto others They shall finde as little fauour in the day of trouble as they haue shewed vnto others in their trouble Consider the example of the rich man in the Gospel when poore Lazarus lay at his gate hee called for mercy in his misery Luke 16 21. and craued the crums only that fell from his table but they were denied vnto him And what was the issue or how sped he in the end We reade in the Parable that himselfe in the end called for mercy at the hands of Abraham but could not haue one drop of water to coole his tongue and quench his heat being tormented in the flames of hell that neuer goe out He would not grant to Lazarus a small request the crums of his table nay the crums that fell from his table Luke 16 24. and he cannot obtaine himselfe a little water not so much that Lazarus might dippe the tippe of his finger in water to giue him thereby any ease refreshing To conclude he that would shew no mercy findeth iudgement without mercy torment without ease heate without cooling and misery without end The time was when he was prayed and sued vnto but would not heare now he praieth and entreateth but cannot be heard All humane things are fraile and vncertaine He that is to day aloft may be cast downe low enough the next day Boast not thy selfe of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall for euery one that exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low and he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted The Lord in the Law forbiddeth to trouble the widow to vexe the fatherlesse and to oppresse the stranger lest he punish those that oppresse them But how wil that be and in what kinde doth he threaten to punish he saith My wrath shall be kinled and I will kill you with the sword Exod. 22 24. so that your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse See how the Lord threarneth to bring woe vpon them that worke woe to such as are in misery and adde affliction to them that are in affliction and multiply sorrow vpon them that are in sorrow This is the vse vrged by the Prophet I say chap. 33 1. Woe to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou shalt ceasse to spoile thou shalt be spoiled and when thou shalt make an ende to deale treacherously they shal deale treacherously with thee God suffereth them to haue their times when he holdeth his peace and letteth them alone to fill vp the measure of their sins howbeit God hath his seasons also and hath concluded and determined what to doe vnto them and how to deale with them the spoiler shall be spoiled the robber shall bee robbed the oppressor shall be oppressed they that do wickedly to others shall haue others to deale wickedly against them This is that which Christ our Sauiour speaketh vnto Peter that went beyond the bounds of his calling and forgatte that the weapons of their warfare were not carnall but spirituall and that the sword which he was to draw out and to fight withall was the two edged sword of the Spirit coming out of the mouth of God Math. 26.52 Put vp thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword God will set sword against sword and wound against wound yea and life against life In the booke of the Reuelation the Spirit prophesying of the destruction of the Romane Monarchy which oppressed the church and persecuted the Saints of God with cruell slaughter sheweth that it should bee cast downe and passe the same iudgement they gaue against others chap. 13 10. He that leadeth into captiuity shall goe into captiuity hee that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword It is a iust thing in all ages and times with God to recompence tribulation to theÌ„ that trouble his Church Indeed we do not see such iudgements executed and such threatenings
and false measures to make triall of themselues of whom I may say as the Lord doth of Belshazzar Dan. 5 27. Thou art weighed in the ballances art found wanting for while they measure themselues with the mete-yard of others they keepe a false measure in their owne house which is an abhomination vnto the Lord Prou. 11 1 16 11. Euery one must weigh himselfe if he wold not be found too light with the weights of the Sanctuary and measure himselfe with the standard of the Scripture comparing his workes with the word of God and not with the life of other men then he shall be sure not to bee reprooued Euery Christian is like the Sunne that neuer standeth still but is euer in motion If our conuersation be in heauen we must be goers walkers runners goers in the right way walking toward our iournies end and running in a race that we may obtaine We must be as plants growing in the house of the Lord Psal 92 13. Such as are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the house of our God There must be none of Gods seruants that must be idle and stand still doing nothing they must be labourers that looke to receiue their penny when the euening cometh Math. 20 verse 8. Hee that had receiued a talent and digged and hid it in the earth was accounted an euill and vnfaithfull seruant Math. 25 26. Who will entertaine a seruant to giue him meate drinke and wages that will do nothing but looke about him and neuer set his hands to worke and shall we think that God will receiue such seruants into his house as sit still and will doe him no seruice at all Shall we put our hands into our bosome and neuer pull them out againe to imploy them as we ought to do Let vs euermore bee doing somewhat that may please God blessed is that seruant whom his master when he commeth shall finde so dooing Thirdly such deserue to be reproued and Vse 3 to be ranged in the number of the former who hate and scorne those that go before them and beyond them in the duties of piety in gifts of knowledge and vnderstanding But we must take heed we do not oppose our selues against any worke of grace that is euident and eminent to be seene in any of Gods seruants For this is as much as to hate and scorne the word of God nay the Lord himselfe the Gospel of peace nay Christ Iesus the author and first Preacher of it It argueth a malicious heart against our brethren and that in the highest degree like Caine who hated his brother Gen. 4 ◠Heb 11 4 because God accepted his offering Malice against any man is an euill roote that bringeth foorth bitter fruites to maligne any for his riches for his peace for his prosperity is very dangerous but to enuy him repine at him for heauenly riches for his soules health for the peace of a good conscience and for matters that concerne his euerlasting saluation in Gods Kingdome is a thousand times worse then the malice of Saul against Dauid or of Pharaoh against Moses and the Israelites True it is these sought their liues but such desperate malicious persons that enuy glory and immortality and heauen it selfe to others do seeke the life of their liues the other were guilty of the blood of their bodies whō they hated and persecuted but these are guilty of the blood of mens soules and their thirst cannot be quenched but by rasing them out of the booke of life These are stamped with the image of Satan the old deceiuer and the first enuious person that euer was who being fallen into condemnation himselfe enuied the standing of mankinde in the state of grace 〈◊〉 4 5. and therefore could not rest nor be quiet vntill he had plunged man into the same gulfe of condemnation So is it with these men they are backward in the feare of God themselues and they desire to haue all like them to be backeward as themselues Let vs take heed of such enuie let vs barre no man of Gods Kingdome Vse 4 Fourthly it is our dutie to proceed in sanctification and labour to bring foorth fruite euermore in old age Psal 92 15. Let vs leaue the principles of the doctrine of Christ go on vnto perfection not laying again the foundation Heb. 6.1 Let vs not thinke wee haue attained vnto perfectiō but forget that which is behinde and endeauour to that which is set before vs let vs presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of GOD that so we may apprehend that for which we are apprehended of Christ Iesus Phil. 3.13.14 Let vs cleanse our selues from all filthynesse of the flesh and Spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7 1. True it is that albeit the good worke begun in vs be but as a sparke of fire kindled in wood or a yong plant newly grafted in the stocke or as a drop of raine fallen into the earth yet Christ Iesus doth accept of the truth sincerity of the new work wrought in vs be it neuer so small howbeit we must not euermore be as smoaking flax as bruised reeds and as new-set plants wee must not still be weaklings but as the graine of Mustard seede which is one of the least of the sorts of seedes but it groweth great and becommeth as a tree and the birds of the aire builde their nestes in it Math. 13 32. Or like vnto leauen which though it be small yet being hidden in three measures of Meale the whole is leauened verse 33. Therefore it behooueth vs as we haue receiued how wee ought to walke and to please God so to abound more and more 1 Thess 4 1. Notwithstanding we must take heed that we doe not glory in our owne strength as if we were able to do the will of God touching our sanctification of our selues without the helpe and assistance of the Spirit of God without which we can do nothing at all True it is the Apostle willeth vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling howbeit lest any should trust in himselfe as if hee were something or build vpon the freedome of his owne will he addeth in the next words It is God that worketh in vs the will and the deede of his good pleasure Philip. 2 12 13. It is a notable token of our continuance in good things and a comfort to our consciences that we shall perseuere vnto the end if we haue a care to goe forward and to make our good workes moe at the last then they were at the first Verse 2. The Princes of Israel Heads of the house of their Fathers offered Here we haue another circumstance to be considered to wit a description of the persons that offered they were the Princes and Rulers the heads of the people And albeit they onely are expressed yet they brought their offering in the name of
4.2 1 Cor. 1.31 Lastly to bring the aduersaries of this doctrine once more to plead for vs against themselues They teach that no man can certainly know that he hath true merits without a speciall reuelation or that he shall persist and perseuere in them vnto the end whereupon we inferre and conclude that therfore we may not beleeue that we shall obtaine eternall life for our workes sake for that were to torture and torment mens consciences to set them vpon the racke that were neuer to giue peace to the distressed soule but to leaue it in doubt and perplexity wheras the Apostle gathereth the quite contrary from the doctrine of iustification Roman chap. 5.1 Being therefore iustified by faith wee haue peace with God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ But from the popish doctrine of iustification wee see there followeth no effect of peace no tranquillity or quietnesse of conscience because they are taught to stand in doubt of their reconciliation and attonement with God Fourthly this serueth as a great consolation Vse 4 to such as are carefull to doe good and to shew foorth good workes that they shall in time reape if they faint not This was good Nehemiah assured of and therefore accordingly he desireth God to remember him chap. 13 31.14 Remember me O my God for good and a little before Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I haue done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof And chap. 5.19 hauing declared his care to releeue the poore and distressed among the Iewes and his own conscience bearing him witnesse of his sincerity in this behalfe he prayed to God Thinke vpon mee my God for good according to all that I haue done for this people Obadiah had comfort by the workes of mercy shewed to the persecuted seruants of God who in the reigne of Ahab hid an hundreth of the Lords Prophets in a caue 1 Kin. 18.13 and fed them with bread and water and he had the fruite of it he was the first to whom glad tidings was offered in the daies of famine when heauen was shut vp that it yeelded no raine and was made an instrument to publish it to others No worke shall fall to the ground but come vp in remembrance to our comfort This is as true and certaine touching the workes of euery seruant of God as if the Angel that spake to Cornelius were sent vnto him to say vnto him Thy workes are come vp in remembrance before God Anâ— as God saith that he keepeth the tears of his children in his bottle so he keepeth the workes of his â—â—ildren in his booke This is and so it ought to be a great encouragement to vs in well-doing to consider that the number the greatnesse and the measure of all our good workes shall be registred and recorded by him It is spoken in deed for our capacity for God needeth no writings of record or bookes of account the meaning is he wil neuer forget our good workes but as certainely remember them as if he had put them all particularly in writing Hence it is that the Lord saith so often to the seuen Churches of Asia to whom hee commanded Iohn to write hee knew all their workes nothing was hidden from him nothing vnknowen vnto him Vse 5 Lastly seeing good workes are in so great account with God it is necessary that we learn what good workes are that are pleasing in Gods sight and how they are to be done of vs. For there is more required to a good worke then the bare deed done A good worke is a duty commanded of God What a good worke is performed by a regenerate person and done in faith ayming at the glory of God and the good of man Wherby we see that sundry points are required to make a worke accepted of God First of all the worke must haue the wil of God which is the rule of all goodnesse and righteousnesse to warrant the same that so we may doe them in an holy obedience vnto him For except he appoint them hee doth not approoue them and vnlesse he command them he doth neuer commend them Will-worship is abominable to God and euery where reiected when men thrust vpon God their owne inuentions in stead of his seruice Col. 2.22.23 Deut. 12.32 Euery good work is commanded in the word either expresly or generally God is in vaine worshipped when for doctrines the commandements of men are taught and obserued This reproueth the Romish Religion maintaining â— t a man may do good works which are neuer required or appointed of God and likewise the blinde deuotion and superstition of the people that if they in their worship haue a good intent and think no man no harme they doe a good worke Secondly gooâ— workes must be done by a regenerate person that is in the state of grace that is a member of Christ and borne againe by the holy Ghost If we bee not reconciled to God in Christ made acceptable through him wee are as euill trees that cannot bring forth good fruit whereas no man can gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Matth. 7.16 The person must please God before any thing that commeth from him can please him for he had respect to Abel Gen. 4.4.5 and then to his offering but not to Caine and therefore not vnto his offering Hence fal to the ground the workes of Turkes and Infidels and meere ciuill men who often abstaine from outward sinnes liue orderly among men and do works of mercy iustice liberality yet in them they are not good because they proceed from a corrupt heart The like we may say of the workes of all vnregenerate persons bee they neuer so beautifull in the eyes of the world they are but beautifull sinnes in the sight of God whether they eate or drinke or walke sleepe or buy or sell or come to Church or heare the word or pray or receiue the Sacraments the rule of the Apostle standeth for euer Vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Thirdly good works must be done in faith because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Now there is required in a man a twofold perswasion first an assurance that God hath willed and commanded it to be done for he that giueth almes and yet doubteth whether God would haue him to giue almes sinneth Secondly a perswasion in his own conscience of his reconciliation to God in Christ This is iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and doth fit and inable it to bring forth a good worke There is a double vse of this gift it maketh vs to begin the work well and when it is once done it serueth as a cloake or garment to couer the defects and imperfections of it applying the merits of Christ The last
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
God not so much because the Church affirmeth it but because we find them to be so as the sheep of Christ acknowledged the voyce of their Shepheard Christ Iesus speaking in them Vse 2 Secondly this assureth vs that the trueth of God shall remaine and continue for euer to the end of the world It may be sometimes brought into a narrow compasse and be much eclipsed that the light shall appeare to be but little but it shall neuer perish vtterly or bee rooted out of the earth For seeing the Church is appointed the keeper and continuer of the trueth as the candlesticke of the candle and that the Church shall abide for euer because the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Matt. 16.18 it cannot bee that the trueth should faile and decay as we see notwithstanding the enemies of Iudah and Beniamin the word is kept vncorrupt and inuiolable to this day God will neuer suffer his people to be robbed thereof but his speciall prouidence watcheth ouer it for our good This doth the Scripture it selfe witnesse touching the durablenesse thereof that the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the wordes of this Law Deut. 29.29 The Lord hath founded his testimonies for euer Psal 119.152 Our Sauiour speaketh more fully euidently and vehemently Heauen and earth shal passe away but my words shall not passe Mar. 13.31 againe Verily I say vnto you till heauen and earth passe one iotte or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Matth 5.18 We know by experience that all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flowre of grasse the grasse withereth and the flowre thereof fadeth and falleth away Peter 1 25. but the word of the Lord endureth for euer This we may see in the bookes of Salomon 1 Kin. 4.32 33. Hee spake three thousand Prouerbes and his songs were a thousand and fiue and he spake of trees from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon euen vnto the hyssope that springeth out of the wall he spake also of beasts and of fowles and of creeping things and of fishes These bookes of naturall Philosophy were no doubt the most profitable bookes that euer were written in that kind he being endued with the greatest wisedome that euer man since the fall had Christ Iesus only excepted yet none of these are to be found onely those that pertaine to religion and godlinesse remaine safely reserued for all posterities This is the more to be considered wondered at inasmuch as there be infinite moe in the world that affect the knowledge of natural things rather then they doe spirituall and of earthly rather then they do heauenly yet they could not deliuer them from the ruines of time but they are buryed in the graue of perpetuall forgetfulnesse neuer to be raised or recouered These are dead and gone as if they had neuer been written wheras on the other side his holy writings hated of the most part of the world and carelesly regarded of the multitude euen of those that liued in the bosome of the Church haue notwithstanding as full a remembrance as they had the first day the Lord gaue them to his people This serueth to conuince those that thinke many of the bookes inspired by God to be lost thereby accusing the prouidence of God or at least the church of great carelesnesse and negligence of which crime notwithstanding it is not guilty Thirdly there is no light of trueth to bee Vse 3 found any where else able to guide vnto faith and saluation then in the true Church of God For all other places are places of darkenesse and nothing to be found in them but lies errours deceiuings superstition and the spirit of slumber Exod 10 23. As no light was to be found in all Egypt but in the land of Goshen and among the Israelites onely so no sauing doctrine that giueth light to the eyes of the minde is to be found out of the Church they that are in this state liue in palpable darkenesse and can see neither themselues nor others but lie in ignorance and wickednes as Iohn teacheth We know that we are of God 1 Iohn 5 19. and the whole world lyeth in wickednesse Such sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death till this light set on the Candlesticke be brought vnto them Matth. 4 16. The people which sate in darkenesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp Therefore to be out of the Church is to be in the state of damnation yea to be in the very dungeon of hell and the kingdome of darkenesse to be vnder the power of Satan the prince of darknesse as there was no saluation out of the Church Let euery man therefore seeke and endeauour with all care to ioyne himselfe to the true Church of God to be a member of the body of Christ that so we may attaine to the light of knowledge and the light of the eternall life Vse 4 Lastly it is a duty belonging to euery one to be an helper to the spreading abroad of the doctrine of godlinesse and to doe all for the truth but nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13 8. Euery man desireth to bee the messenger of good newes so should wee desire to publish to others and to continue to posterity the sauing knowledge of the Gospel For this is the foundation and ground-work of all true obedience The truth of God is as a precious treasure beset with many enemies that wold take it from vs against whom we must alwaies cōtend that we may keepe faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1 19. This truth is the instrument of the holie Ghost to worke all necessary graces in our hearts Rom 1 16. as beeing the power of GOD to saluation and it reuealeth vnto vs all things needful vnto saluation concerning things to be beleeued or things to be practised Hence it is that the Apostle Iude saith Beloued when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation Iude verse 3. it was needfull for me to write vnto you that yee should earnestly contend for the faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints The true treasure of the Church is committed to the Saints they are the keepers of the doctrine of saluation This is no small trust it is no smal charge that is giuen vnto them wee must therefore fight to maintaine it This must not bee a bodily fight but a spirituall combat and it consisteth of diuers duties Ioel 2 28. Euery man in his place ought to bee as a Prophet or a Preacher for wee are made spirituall Priestes both to pray and to preach We are bound to teach all that are vnder our roofe and iurisdiction that we may be as Gods blessed instruments to conueigh his truth to others It is the duty of
and how we receiue the Sacrament how highly soeuer we esteeme of our selues by reason of some few good things which wee seeme to haue yet God cannot bee deceiued and it is certaine he will not be mocked Secondly there is no dallying with God Vse 2 or shifting from him or hiding our waies and workes out of his sight neither can we reape any comfort in the flattering perswasions of others It is a vaine thing for any man to esteeme highly of himselfe because other men as vaine as himselfe sooth him vp and tell him he is in an happy estate and condition that he is a faithfull and religious person and professour and shall without all doubt inherite the kingdome of heauen when in the mean season his owne heart shall condemne him and conuince him that it is nothing so It is I say a vaine thing to thinke one whit better of our selues for this for GOD knoweth thy heart better then thy selfe 1 Iohn 3 20. who knoweth all things If thine owne heart condemne thee God is greater then thy heart There is no true comfort that resteth vpon the breath of another mans mouth Tell me when a man lieth on his death bed what comfort can the approbation of another man giue thee that thou art a good man when thy owne soule proclaimeth the contrary and God knoweth thee to be euill Doubtlesse no more then if he tel thee thou art sound and in good health when thou feelest thy selfe to be heart-sicke and at deaths doore So if all the world should acquit thee and thine owne conscience condemne thee what good can the vaine applause of sinfull men do thee It is true indeed in an earthly estate it is a great matter to bee well thought off by others because then he shall be sure to be cleere from the censure of earthly Iudges but it is otherwise betweene God and our selues for he is both witnesse Iudge of all our actions and can make our owne hearts to speake for him against our selues What should it profite a man if all his neighbours round about him should conceiue an opinion of him that he is rich and wealthy worth many thousands and in the meane season he know himselfe to bee poore and beggerly many thousands worse then nought what benefit could any man take by such a perswasion So likewise what comfort can a man take to heare others tell him of his good estate before God that he is iust and vpright before him a man fearing God and eschewing euill when his owne conscience knoweth by him that which all the world did neuer know and God knoweth a thousand times more then them both Thirdly from hence comfort ariseth to all Vse 3 Gods true children and faithfull seruants because he knoweth what they are what their condition is he cannot misconceiue through suspition or surmise nor be deceiued by misinformation of others because he knoweth them well and therefore their estate is happy and blessed before him True it is it hath bene the lot and portion of the godly to bee falsely accused and traduced in the courts and accounts of men yet in respect of GOD they may take comfort from this doctrine for they shall appeare iust before him therfore they may defie the malice of Satan and of all their aduersaries If they labour to keepe thēselues pure and holy before him howsoeuer they be esteemed of before men let them rest and bee content vntill they appeare before the throne and tribunall seat of God who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall euery man haue praise of God 1 Cor. 4 5. Psal 7 8 9. the malice of the wicked shall come to an end This is the consolation that euery soule may haue if he leade an vpright life for when men charge him God will discharge him and when they condemne him he will iustifie him and it should moue vs to bring all our thoughts words deeds as into Gods presence being well assured that he knoweth all of them This will worke in vs a care to walke warily as Enoch did before the flood Gen. 5 22 Abraham after the flood Gen. 17 1. The want of this meditation causeth all sinne to breake out of vs. Lastly it will teach men to be patient vnder the hand of God Are we in any trouble Vse 4 and do we not know any particular cause why it should be so Yet let vs not murmure but beare it with patience because though wee know nothing yet God knoweth there is cause enough As affliction cometh from him so he knoweth wherefore he sendeth it and we should stoop downe vnder his hand Whē Eli heard all that the Lord had threatned against him and his house 1 Sam. 3 18. this was his resolution It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good We also ought to be patient and to hold our peace and say with the Prophet Psal 119 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and vpright are thy iudgements Ver. 3. Now the man Moses was very meeke aboue all the men that were vpon the face of the earth The reason is rendred why he put vp this wrong he was a man lowly in his owne eyes of great patience and singular humility he did not storme and rage against them hee did not raile at them and reuile them he drew not out the sword of iustice against them or execute his authority nor complaine to God against them though he himselfe were wronged the people offended and God dishonoured greatly therby He sought not reuenge in his owne cause neither desired God to be reuenged of them They could not be ignorant of his meeknesse for this is such a vertue as cannot be hid Obiect Now a question may heere be moued how the pen of Moses could thus praise himselfe in the highest degree and call himselfe not onely meeke but very meeke and not so onely but meeke aboue all the men vpon the earth considering the counsell of Salomon Prou. 27 2. For answer hereunto it may seeme that some things in the bookes of Moses are heere and there inserted and dispersed Answer which could not be written by his hand and therefore may seeme to be added by Ioshua or some other of the Prophets after him as Exod. 16 35. it is said that the children of Israel did eate Manna forty yeares vntill they came to a Land inhabited which is not set downe prophetically but added historically not by way of foretelling what was to come but of telling what was already come to passe but in the daies of Moses they were not come to a land inhabited it was Ioshua that conducted them into the land of promise Likewise the history of the death and buriall of Moses recorded in the booke of Deuteronomy chap. 34 could not be penned by himselfe but must of necessity bee annexed by some of the Prophets
time to time to languish and to perish for want of nourishment As these liue in darknesse and ignorance vpon earth so it shall bee iust with God to thrust them into vtter darknesse in hell But it may bee obiected Obiection that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 8 2. Knowledge puffeth vp but charity edifieth I answer Answ the Apostle meaneth a false perswasion of knowledge wherby a man thinketh he hath some great matter in him therefore he addeth in the next words Verse 2. If any man thinke that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know If knowledge puffe vp any the fault is in the person or vaine perswasion of the person not in the gift of God Wee must know therefore that the Scriptures belong to all and that the knowledge of them is necessary to al. And who may exempt themselues from them or who shall say they belong not vnto him Shall Kings and Princes and such as sit in the throne No though they haue a multitude of busines waiting vpon them and are many waies disturbed and distracted by State affaires yet they must haue the law of God with them reade in it all the daies of their life that they may learne to feare the Lord their God Deut. 17.18.19 Shall Captaines and Gouernours in warre and peace No for was not Ioshua such an one yet the Booke of the Law must not depart out of his mouth but he must meditate therein day and night c. For that hee might make his way prosperous and haue good successe Iosh 1.8 Shall Noblemen and Gentlemen exempt thēselues No not they neither for the Eunuch a man of great authority vnder Candace Queene of the Ethiopians who had the charge of all her treasure while he was in his chariot read the prophesie of Esay to further himselfe thereby in knowledge Acts 8 27.28 and 17.11 also the Noblemen of Berca serched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so which the Apostles preached Who then may thinke themselues discharged May the Ministers No they should be men of knowledge and giue attendance to reading aboue others 1. Tim. 4 13. May the people No it is a generall precept giuen by Christ to them to search the Scriptures Iohn 5 39. and yet no doubt many among them were poore and tradesmen so Psal 1 2. Col. 3 16. May such as are weake in iudgement and simple witted No the law of God was written to giue wisedome to the simple Psal 19 7 and the Prouerbes were penned to giue subtilty to the simple and to the yong man knowledge and discretion Prou. 1 v. 4. May the young man deferre the matter vntill age No he must season his young years with the knowledge of the Scriptures Psal 119 9. 2 Tim. 3 15. May they that are rich and wealthy be priuiledged from this No Abraham saith of the brethren of the rich man They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Lu. 16 29. It is in vaine to be rich in the world and not to haue the word also to dwell richly in them that so they may be rich in God May women be freed frō this duty No the grandmother the mother of Timothy taught him trained him vp in the Scriptures of a childe which could not be if themselues had beene without knowledge 2 Tim. 1 5. So then we may conclude that all which liue in the Church and would bee accounted members of the Church whether they be Princes or subiects Ministers or people noble or vnnoble high or low learned or vnlearned young or old rich or poore masters or seruants men or women one or other al I say ought to be endued with the knowledge of the waies of God Vse 3 Thirdly it teacheth euery one of vs to examine himselfe and his owne heart how farre he is guilty of this sinne of ignorance It is the first degree or steppe of knowledge for a man to know and acknowledge his owne ignorance For till we come to this to finde our selues to liue in ignorance and to mourne and lament for it it is vnpossible for vs euer to attaine to sound and perfect knowledge Obiect But some will say How shall we attaine to this knowledge which you speake of Answer I answer the way is to exercise our selues in the reading of the Scriptures He that would haue water must draw it out of the well and hee that would haue knowledge must draw it out of the fountaine of the Scriptures This doth Christ often point vnto in the Euangelists stirring vp men to reade and reprouing those that would not as Math. 12 ver 3. he said to the Pharisies Haue ye not read what Dauid did and verse 5. Haue ye not read in the Law and cha 19 4. likewise he said to the chiefe Priests Scribes Haue ye neuer read Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise Math. 21 16. Psal 8 2. and verse 42. he saide Did ye neuer reade in the Scriptures The stone which the builders refused the same is become the head of the corner and chap. 22 3. he saide to the Sadduces touching the resurrection from the dead Haue ye not read that which was spoken of God So he speaketh to him that asked what he should do to inherite eternall life Luk. 10 26. What is written in the Law how readest thou And Abraham saith to the rich glutton They haue Moses the Prophets they haue their writings among them And speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem Who so readeth let him vnderstand Math. 24 15. The contrary when we do not and will not reade and obey this commandement so often repeated and vehemently vrged is the cause of errour and heresie of euill of discomfort and of al prophanenesse Acts 13 27. Mark 12 24. Secondly such as would haue the true and sauing knowledge must first of all lay before him the grounds and principles of Christian religion otherwise whatsoeuer he knoweth he shall know nothing as he ought to know like him that would build without a foundation Heb. 6 1. Thirdly earnest praier to God for the help of his holy Spirit to assist him and to teach him how to profite aright by the reading of the Scriptures For hee that is the author of them best knoweth how to giue vs vnderstāding to edifie our selues by them in our most holy faith And heereby we shall learne more then such as onely meddle with the Scriptures and neuer practise this duty of praier neither craue a blessing of him vpon their labours Lastly conference with others to minister helpe and comfort one to another This did the two Disciples vse going to Emmaus Luke 24 1◠who talked together of all those things which had happened touching Christ they reasoned of his passion and suffering and they are farther instructed in the truth of the matter and in the vnderstanding of the Scriptures This was the blessing of God vpon
euery where of prayers prescribed for the liuing Paul directeth the church how to carry themselues toward the dead but we haue no word of praying for them They that die in the Lord are pronounced to be blessed Reu. 14 verse 13. euen from the time of their death and dissolution and therefore come not into any fire at all whereas contrarywise if we may beleeue the Popish Teachers that blowe the bellowes it is made so exceeding hote that it scorcheth beyond measure all such as are cast into it and little difference betweene that fire and hell fire but in the continuance And if this tale were not handsomly tyed together and the furnace heated seuen times hoter then ordinary fire their kitchins would quickly wax cold But wherefore serue all the purgings mentioned in this place in other places of the Law of Moses but to assure vs that sinne is pardoned in this life and the punishment of sinne pardoned also so that nothing remaineth on our part to be satisfied for that were to renounce and deny the satisfaction of Christ But the Papists The Popish opinion of purgatory making Purgatory neither heauen nor hell but as it were a middle place betweene them both doe teach that such as die in veniall sinne are put in that prison to fry for a season vntill by the prayers of the liuing made to God but specially by almes deedes giuen to the Priests and Iesuites and by the pardons and indulgences of the Popes they be released But if Christ haue paid the price for our greatest sinnes how should we not beleeue that he hath much more satisfied for the lesser and they that beleeue not that he gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from the lesser how can they hope or haue comfort that he gaue himselfe for the greater Wherefore this fond distinction of persons of places and of sinnes cannot stand with the word of God And as for prayer for the dead Prayer for the dead doth no good it commeth as a pardon after a man is hanged or as Physicke to the body of him that is departed this life We know how God appointed sundry sacrifices in the time of the Law for all estates in the Church high and low one and other but among them all set downe in this booke and in the booke of Leuiticus we finde none at all no not one offered for the dead doubtlesse either God was very forgetfull of them or else this doctrine was not then hatched The liuing are commanded to pray one for another but neuer for the dead for that were to pray with the foolish virgins Lord Lord open vnto vs when the dore is shut Matth. 25.10 11. And doubtlesse the Church of Rome in this point haue a faith by themselues for not only we of the reformed Churches haue forsaken them The faith of the Greeke Church touching Purgatory but the Greeke Churches also renounce such a Purgatory as the Papists imagine for they deny any purging fire to be after this life such as is materiall and corporall For albeit some of them thinke that there is a middle condition wherein some remaine after death abiding in darkenesse without enioying the light of Gods countenance and are holden in a state of sorrow as it were in a prison vntill by the mercy of God and the prayers of the faithfull they be deliuered and incline to this opinion that the lesser sinnes of men dying in the state of grace are remitted and forgiuen after this life without any punishment at all of fire or any other kind by the meere grace and goodnesse of God yet notwithstanding they confidently pronounce that no Scripture or Councell hath deliuered a double punishment by fire after this life and therefore let all the Romanists and such as adhere vnto them take heed lest while they dreame of a temporary fire they mistake themselues and fall into the euerlasting and vnquenchable fire Matth. 3.12 and 18.8 Now to make this more plaine I will set downe such strong and important reasons as were exhibited to the Councell of Florence and are propounded by others D Field in â— Append. pâ— 25. whereby the foundation of that doctrine is shaken in peeces and falleth to the ground To this purpose obserue that as some little good in them that haue great and mortall sins hath no reward at all by reason of the preuailing euill which is found in them so small sins in them that haue great graces workes of vertue are not to be sharpely punished the better things ouercomming and ouerswaying them Againe the wils of men that are dead and departed hence are either changeable or vnchangeable there is no third can be imagined If they be changeable then they that are good may become euill and they that are euill become good so that neither the good shall bee vnchangeably happy nor the euill vnchangeably miserable but that the dead may fal from the top of happinesse to the depth of misery and contrariwise rise from the bottome of misery to the height of all happinesse If they be vnchangeable then they are not capable of any amendment for he that is corrected from going astray is set aright being brought to dislike that which he liked before and to loue that which he hated before and neither of them can be found in a wil that is vnchangeable Another consideration is drawne from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in the Gospel where Christ Iesus sheweth that the poore man so soone as he was dead was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome and the rich mans soule so soone as hee was dead was found in the torments of hell Luke 16.22.23 There is no middle place of temporal torment as there are but two sorts of persons so but two sorts of places one dying in the fauour of God the other out of his fauour so there are but these places heauen for the one and hell for the other Besides it is no way iust that the soule alone should be punished for the sinnes of the whole man but Purgatory presupposeth a sole punishment of the soule without the body which notwithstanding neuer sinned without the body If it be iustice in God to punish the soule for the supposed veniall sinnes how should it not sauour of iniustice to let the body goe scotfree and suffer nothing For what cause or colour can they suppose or surmise why the body which hath had part and fellowship in the sin and should haue part fellowship in the glory after the forgiuenesse of sinne should haue no feeling at all or suffering of the punishment that purgeth our sin Furthermore it is more proper to God to reward good things then to punish euill because he visiteth the iniquities of the Fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation but sheweth mercy to thousands Exod. 20 5 6. 34 7. Numb 14 18. Ier. 32 18. If then it be necessary to be
as false and vnreasonable declaring as the truth was that Israel took not away that land which they claimed as their owne but wonne it from the Amorites by the law of warre and Verse 20 by right of conquest who denying them passage and moreouer making assault vpon them constrained them to draw out their swords to defend themselues by occasion whereof they obtained victory through the helpe of God and possessed their Cities And as they tooke them by force of armes so they held thē Verse 26 by prescription of time three hundred yeares So that he declareth that if any had right to those Cities or could lay any iust claime or title vnto them it should be the Moabites who were the lawfull owners of them before Sihon had encroched vpon them and taken them away from the first inhabitants But the Moabites hauing once lost them in battell neuer asked Verse 25 them of the Israelites neither laid any claime vnto them therefore much lesse should the Amonites to whom they appertained not by any iust title neither belonged any way vnto them either as owners by law or conquerers by sword and therefore they had no cause to dispute what right Israel had vnto that Land which now they possessed The second point heere amplified and enlarged is touching the well which by a diuine reuelation to them they had digged For when they departed from the Riuer Arnon they came into a dry place where they wanted water such as the wildernesse affoordeth many where the streames are swallowed vp in the hot sandes but at the speciall commandement of God they were directed what to doe as Peter was where he should cast his Net Luke chapter 5 verse 4 they digged and found water in great abundance and therefore they praise God by an effectuall song of thanksgiuing amplified by many rhetoricall figures as goodly flouers or as precious iewels to beautifie and garnish the same withall For first they eloquently by an Apostrophe turne their speech to the Well it selfe though a dumbe and senslesse creature and speake vnto it as if it had eares to heare and vnderstanding to conceiue Rise vp O Well confessing thereby the great power of God who contrary to the nature of all heauy and weighty things made the water to ascend whose property is to descend and exhorting with many acclamations and loud out-cries one another to the worke Secondly they set downe who were the labourers and workmen about the Well together with the tooles and instruments wherwith they laboured to wit the Princes and Nobles directed by Moses by whose ministery they receiued the Law and holpen with their staues and such like instruments wherewith they laboured fit for that purpose And this is the third myracle which God wrought in giuing them waters First in Rephidim immediately after they had passed ouer the red Sea Exod. 17. The second in the desert of Zin whē they came to Kadesh as we shewed before in the former chapter The third is that recorded in this place in the desert of the Moabites Afterward Moses reckoneth vp other places by which they passed as Mattaanah Nahaliel Bamoth and so that Valley which is in the plaine of the Moabites In this History of the passage of the Israelites from place to place a question Question ariseth what is meant by the booke of the warres of the LORD mentioned in the fourteenth verse For where is it now extant or what is become of it From hence also from such like places many conclude that sundry bookes of Canonicall Scripture are lost I answer Answer the word Sepher is taken diuersly and doubtfully it signifieth any publishing or rehearsing whether it be written or vnwritten whether it be set downe by the pen or vttered by liuely voice as also the word Tradition is taken for that which is deliuered eyther by word of mouth or by course of writing So then we cannot necessarily conclude It is rehearsed therefore it is written Nor thus It is written Therefore it is an holy booke and put into the Canon of the Scripture Let these three things be cleered and decided that it was a booke that it was an holy booke and lastly that it was a Canonicall booke and then wee shall easily be satisfied But Moses speaketh barely of rehearsing the warres not of writing them as if he should say Whensoeuer the warres ordered and disposed by the prouidence of God shall be spoken off this warre also and worke of his shall bee remembred which he hath wisely wrought and accomplished for his people against Vaheb King of the Moabites giuing part of his Country to Sihon that so his owne people might recouer the same out of his hands againe and reteine it as a possession for themselues as Iephtah telleth the Ammonites Iudg. 11 23 24 that they had held it by prescription of a long time peaceably without any molestation from the Moabites or desire of re-entry But if this had bene penned in a booke and reserued to posterity no doubt Ieptah would haue produced it as a sure witnesse to cleere the whole matter and to put it out of all doubt Wherefore this truth must be holden of vs that no part of the Canonicall Scripture No canonical Scripture is lost inspired of God is lost and perished I meane such as was committed as the Lords treasure to the Church for the perpetuall instruction thereof in faith and obedience so that no one oracle or sentence of God can fall away True it is 2 King 22 8. 1 Mac. 1 19. these sacred bookes may sometimes bee neglected and carelesly kept of men they may be furiously burned and despitefully handled by cruell tyrants that seeke the ouerthrow of all piety and religion but they can neuer be finally lost and wholly extinguished As he that keepeth Israel cannot slumber or sleepe so he that keepeth the holy Scripture the glory of Israel cannot slumber nor sleepe For first of all who is the author and enditer of thē but God and will not he preserue his truth and keepe it for the good of his Church in all ages Shal we make him vnable or vnwilling to defend and continue them If vnable we make him a weake and impotent God if vnwilling we make him enuious and malicious both which are farre from the pure and perfect nature of God and cannot stand with his essence Secondly all the workes of God remaine for euer and euer and are done in truth and equity Take a perfect view of all creatures vnder the Sunne which are the workes of his hands though they may be abolished and rooted out in one place yet they continue in another If thou wouldst ascend into the heauens or goe downe into the deepe if thou wouldst take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vtmost parts of the sea which of all the Creatures are now missing What place is void empty What hath beene that is not now being and extant in
the world This is it which the Prophet teacheth Psal 111. The works of his hands are established for euer and euer and are done in truth and equity If then all his works abide and continue from the glorious Creatures in the heauens to the silly worme creeping in the earth much more the holy Scripture must abide without decaying or diminishing as the durable Cedar without rotting and consuming which is not onely his handy-worke but a masterworke chiefe aboue all others as the Diamond among pearles of great price And if the least and lowest creature in the world hath beene in his kinde continued hitherto and shall be continued to the end by the mighty hand of God vpholding and supporting all things that he hath made much lesse shall the Scripture perish and fall away which bringeth greater glory to God and greater gaine to his people Thirdly the Scripture was written for these ends and purposes for instruction and admonition for teaching and confutation for comfort and consolation that so the man of God may be absolute 1 Tim. 3 16 17. Neither was God deceiued in his purpose and intent so that it must remaine continue being written for those endes and vses But what errour can be conuinced what comfort can be receiued what vice can bee corrected what truth can be published what grace can be commended to the Church out of those books which are supposed to be lost Let vs not therefore doubt of Gods prouidence and so shake the faith of the Church thereby Fourthly we see the old Testament hath reserued entirely the Genealogies of the fathers which are not absolutely necessary to faith and saluation as also the whole body of the ceremonies set downe in Leuiticus and other places of the Law which notwithstanding were shadowes of things to come why then should we not presume that the same his prouidence hath also watched ouer other books which more properly belong to our practise and times and so more fitly might informe vs against ignorance teach vs in our religion warne vs in dangers and comfort vs in afflictions And if we haue no word missing or sentence wanting in such bookes as are left to the Church that there should need a void roome or a desunt nonnulla or an Asteriscus and some little starre to giue warning of some defect as we see it is in many prophane writings Dionys Halâ— carâ—as Plutâ— Tuâ—â— Poâ—â—â—â—â—pian Lâ—â—â— and otherâ— and those of the best note how should we be induced to beleeue that whole volumes of the old and new Testament are vtterly lost neuer to be repaired Lastly let vs heare the testimony of the Scripture it selfe obserue what it can say and doth witnesse for it selfe Moses an old and ancient witnesse teacheth Deut. 29 29 that secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may do all the words of this Law But how do they belong vnto vs that are not reserued for vs Or how shall our children be directed by them that cannot be found in their daies or in the daies of their fathers before them Or how shall either father or sonne doe that which they cannot know Heereunto Dauid accordeth Psal 119 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer And our Sauiour giueth his holy consent vnto this heauenly truth saying Truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iote or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled Mat. 5 18 and 24 35. So then we must hold the durablenesse and continuance of the Scripture in the Church which is the pillar of truth that it cannot faile or fall away as is prooued at large in the answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament But before we proceed to the Doctrines of this diuision it shall not bee amisse to answer the obiections that are raised and mooued against this point touching the perpetuity of the whole Scripture and of euery part of it First wee finde often mention made of the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah and Israel â—ect 1. â—ngs 14 19 â—5 7 11 Iosh 10 3 â—am 1 18. of the booke of the iust such like which are lost If then these be lost and by no meanes to be found how shall we truly say that the whole Scripture doeth continue I answer â—sw these bookes were neuer Canonicall Scriptures but ciuill stories and chronicles of the Commonwealth matters not of the Church whereunto the Reader is directed if he be desirous to reade and know the History more at large whereas the Prophets doe onely touch so much as serued for the edification of the Church and the building of it in faith toward God For as all ciuill Nations haue the Chronicles of their fore-fathers and auncestors actes Ester chap. 6 verse 1. Ezra 4 verses 15 19 so had the Iewes their ciuill Histories such were those wee now speake of which were good and profitable bookes of men but were neuer committed or commended to the care of the Church to be preserued and maintained â—ect 2. Againe we reade in sundry places of the bookes of Nathan and Gad the words of Samuel the works of Ahia of Shemaia of Isaiah and other Prophets which likewise seeme to be lost as well as the other wee named before I answer â—er they seeme so to such as do not duely consider of them which indeed are not lost but contained in the olde Testament in the bookes of Samuel and of the Kings which were not written by any one Prophet but by diuers Prophets at diuers times euen in the seuerall ages wherein they prophesied albeit their seuerall names bee not to euery part expressed as appeareth 2 Chron. chapter 26 verse 22 where the Spirit of God testifieth that Esaiah wrote the actes of Vzziah first and last meaning that he wrote them in the second booke of the Kings and in his Prophesies and not pointing out any book which now is lost both the former bookes remaining as a treasure to the Church As then we confesse these bookes mentioned in this obiection to bee of another nature then those expressed in the former so they haue beene preserued and euer shall bee preserued in the Church and be as it were laide vp in the Arke thereof Thirdly it may bee obiected that many Obiect 3 worthy bookes of Salomon are lost which hee wrote I answer Answ his workes are of two sorts first sundry bookes of Humanity and of Philosophy naturall and morall secondly bookes of Diuinity written as he was moued and inspired by the Spirit of God The first sort of humane and earthly things which the Church might best spare without perill or impeachment of faith haue long since failed as it is thought in the captiuity the rest which are parts of the Canonicall Scriptures do abide And marke
heerein a speciall worke of Gods prouidence preseruing his owne truth and reseruing it to all posterity Few are found in the world to affect or regard the pure and sincere word of God in comparison of the multitude that seeke after humane wisedome and labour to know the nature of â—irds of Beasts of Fishes of Trees and of earthly things which delight the outward senses and rauish the vnderstanding of naturall men yet see how those bookes of Salomon that handle meere matters of humane Pâ—ilosophy which the wise men of the world hunt after are vtterly lost whereas the diuine bookes which he wrote by inspiration lesse regarded and more contemned are notwithstanding by the watchfull eye of God remaining and are reserued for the comfort of the Church for euer Lastly we reade of the Prophesie of Enoch Obiect 4 in the Epistle of Iude verse fourteenth who prophesied of the second comming of Christ in power and great glory with thousands of his Saints which Prophesie also seemeth to be among those bookes which are lost I answer Answer this could bee no Apochryphall Booke of holy Scripture for Moses was the first Penne-man or Scribe that wrote the holy Scripture whose fiue bookes are perfect and contained in them sufficient instruction for that CHVRCH whereas that Prophesie did not nor indeed could not Secondly it cannot appeare that this Prophesie was euer written Iude ver 14. It is said he prophesied foretolde the end of the world by the Spirit of God in that most corrupt age that hasted to destruction to the end that such as were ordained to eternall life might beleeue and the rest being hardened might bee made without excuse but it is no where said It was written It is said to bee a Prophesie but no word or mention is made of the writing of this Prophesie so that it seemeth the Apostle learned it by tradition from the father to the sonne as the Apostle Paul setteth downe the names of the sorcerers that withstood Moses and Aaron Neither let the Church of Rome lay the foundation of vnwritten traditions vppon this ground-worke seeing we deny not al vnwritten traditions conueied from hand to hand but only such as are made rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to saluation To conclude therefore seeing the prouidence of God the fidelity of the Church and diligence of the faithfull is so great that the whole body of the Canonicall Scripture hath beene kept entire and perfect without losse or lacke of any part or parcell of it of any booke or sentence we must detest the blasphemous shufflings shiftings of the Church of Rome that make the Scripture to be a maimed lame and vnperfect doctrine Censu Colon. dial 6. Concil Trident. sess 4. not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation whereas the Apostle teacheth that the whole Scripture inspired of God is able to make vs wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Verses 10 11 12 13. And the Children of Israel departed thence and pitched in Oboth c. Here we haue painted and portraied out as in a Table certaine stations and iournies of the Israelites wherein wee may behold as in a glasse the prouidence of God protecting theÌ„ and the obedience of the people following him We see how they remoue from place to place in the wildernesse they are neuer long at one stay but either they went forward or backward as the sea continually ebbeth or floweth Now as the Land of Canaan was a figure of their rest in the kingdome of heauen so their wandring vp and downe in the wildernesse did figure and represent the condition of their life to bee vaine and transitory in this world Doctrine The faithfull are forreigners and strangers in this life We learne from hence the state of the faithfull what it is we are pilgrims and strangers in this life we are as guests lodging heere for a night but by and by we must depart and be dislodged we haue heere no continuing City This the faithfull haue in all ages confessed Iacob being brought into the presence of Pharaoh saith The whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares few and euill haue the daies of my life beene Gen. 47 9. But we may say the daies of our pilgrimage are threescore yeares and ten if haply we reach so farre to which not one amongst an hundred cometh few indeed and euill we may truely call them This Abraham pleadeth Gen. 23 4 Gen 15. â—3 wanting a place of buriall to interre his dead I am a stranger and a forreigner among you giue mee a possession of buriall with you Thus he confesseth it went with him in Canaan neither was his estate any better elsewhere This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth though a great King Psal 39 12. Heare my praier O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee 1 Chr. 23 15 and a soiourner as all my fathers our daies are like a shadow vpon the earth and there is none abiding So then we see what our life and condition is wee are altogether vanity like grasse that soone withereth wee are as tenants at the will of the Lord our age is as nothing it passeth as a tale that is soone told it is as an hand-breath quickly measured surely euery man in his best estate is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe The reasons First all our daies are stinted Reason 1 and limitted as they are short and vaine so they are vncertaine and vnknowne The strongest natures and constitutions that seeme to be framed setled as a sure building to continue for many yeares yet are soone cut off are no more We see this confirmed by the daily experience of many examples as in Vzzah suddenly smitten 2 Sam. 6 7 in Iobs children quickly ouerwhelmed Iob 1 19 in Ananias and Sapphira presently destroyed Acts 5 5 10 in the rich man that had his soule in one night taken from him Luke 12 20 and in a continuall beholding the hand of God striking as pleaseth him If then vncertainty be an apparent argument of vanity we may conclude from hence our life to be vaine transitory inasmuch as God reuealeth not when or where or how we shall die and bee taken out of this life We know not when we shall die at euen or at midnight at the Cocke-crowing or in the dawning When we lie downe we know not whether we shall rise againe when we arise whether wee shall lie downe againe except we be laid in our graue and make our bed in the dust Moreouer we know not where we shall die at home or abroad When we go out of our houses wee know not
whether we shall returne to them aliue or not forasmuch as wee carry about vs euermore houses of clay And when we come into them we know not whether we shall go out of them againe vpon our feet or be carried out vpon the shoulders of others Lastly the manner and kinde of our death is also as vnknowne as the rest whether we shall dye a naturall or a violent death a suddaine or a lingring death whether our life shall be prolonged to the last point and period of nature our heat and moysture being consumed Cicer. de ◠as the light of a candle consumeth by little and little and at length goeth out of it selfe or whether it shall be taken away by fire by water by sword by famine by pestilence by beasts and such like casualties incident to the sonnes of men all which proclaime and publish in our hearts the vaine condition of all flesh Reason 2 Secondly God hath prepared for vs a City whereof he is the builder and maker This City we seeke being Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all For we shall neuer sufficiently be brought to acknowledge our fraile and brittle estate vnlesse wee be raised and lifted vp to the meditation of our future condition in the life to come If then the kingdome of glory be a place of rest what is this present estate but a sea of sorrowes If the heauen be our natiue Country what is the earth but an exile and banishment ◠3 20. If it bee true happinesse to enioy the blessed presence of the liuing God then it must needs be a miserable thing and death it selfe to want it If to leaue this earthly tabernacle be a setting of vs free and at liberty what is this body but a prison If immortality be as the putting on of a garment 〈◊〉 5.6 what is our mortality but as it were a nakednesse Lastly if to die in the Lord bee to goe vnto God what is this life but an absence from him This did the Patriarkes professe and to this they sealed by their practise Heb. 11 13 14 15 16. Abraham possessed not one bredth of a foote sauing the purchase bought to bury his dead Iacob was banished out of that Land a great part of his life Isaac and the rest of the fathers had but their walke in it and enioyed it as a pledge of another Country which is aboue Vse 1 The vses follow If we haue heere no abiding City in the daies of our vanity then acknowledge Gods great mercy toward vs being so vaine We see other creatures in their estate more permanent then man is far exceeding and excelling in naturall gifts in seeing tasting mouing hearing touching and such like properties yet no creature tasteth of his sauing mercies as man doth This consideration doth the Prophet leade vs vnto Psal 8 3 4 6 7 9 that hee is mindfull of him and visiteth him and hath put all things vnder his feet There is no merite in vs to be a motiue to moue him to shew so great mercy vnto vs. He findeth vs walking in our sinnes as it were wallowing in our blood all our righteousnesse is as a foule and filthy cloth Esay 64 6. This vse Dauid vrgeth Psal 103 14 15 16 18. Hee knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that wee are but dust the daies of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he but the louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer he is full of cōpassion and mercy slowe to anger of great kindnesse So that he confirmeth himselfe others in Gods mercy by the consideration of our owne vanity Vse 2 Secondly seeing our daies be vaine short why doe we carke and care so much for the things of this life what we shall eate what we shall drinke and what we shall put on Why do we eate the bread of sorrow with too much painfulnesse heape vp worldly things It may be we shal not come to the sight of the fruite of our labours much lesse to the partaking of it A traueller the shorter his iourney is the lesse his prouision is We are all trauellers we are in the way to our country and we are not far from the end of our iourney what folly then and madnesse is it to cast all our thoughts and meditations to earthly things and to care not onely for the morrow Math 6 25 34 but for moneths and yeares This our Sauiour setteth downe Luke 12 19 20 21 for when the rich man saide to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime It was answered him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall these things bee which thou hast prouided So is he that gathereth riches and is not rich in God Hereunto consenteth the Apostle Iames chap 4 13 14 15. Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a City and continue there a yeare buy sell and get gaine and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow for what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away for that yee ought to say Thus rather the words are to be read if the Lord will both we shall liue and we shall do this or that Salomon hauing had plentifull experience of the shortnesse and vanity of mans life penned to this purpose the Booke of Ecclesiastes which is as it were the marrow and pith yea the very quintessence of all his best knowledge and wherein we may see the refined wisedome of reformed Salomon he proclaimeth Vanity of vanities all is vanity there is an euill which I saw vnder the Sunne and it is much among men one to whom God hath giuen riches treasures and honour he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate thereof a strange man shall eate it vp though he leaue no sparke behind him neither son nor brother yet doth he not thinke for whom do I trauaile and defraud my soule of pleasure This also is vanity and this is an euill trauaile Eccles 1 2 and 4 8 and 5 12 and 6 1 2. To conclude this vse if we be not strangers in this life wee shall haue no part in the kingdome of heauen If we will haue God to auow and acknowledge vs for his children let vs liue heere as forreigners and warfaring men in our iourney or rather in our race We haue pitched and patched vp a Tent or Tabernacle for a day or a night we must not nestle our selues heere we must not alwayes goe groueling to the ground nor intangle our selues in the affaires of this life to make it our euerlasting habitation but bee flying vpwards as birds sitting vpon a bough True it is God is so fauourable to many
that they neuer remoue out of the place where they were born but continue at home in their owne houses they are not driuen hither and thither they are not tossed from poste to pillar yet must not they make their resting place in this world looke for heauen vpon the earth but bee alwaies ready to follow the calling of God 2 Cor. 7 5 and know that he hath reserued a better resting place for them in his kingdome Wherefore the Apostle Peter exhorteth Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles This is the beginning of godlinesse and true religion to deny this world and to acknowledge our selues to be but strangers in the same And let vs pray with the Prophet Psal 119. I am but a stranger vpon earth hide not thy Commandements from me Vse 3 Lastly let vs learne to depend and rest onely vpon God who onely dwelleth in immortality and not on the sonnes of men who are nothing but vanity and cannot helpe Who would in danger rest vpon a weak reed which beside the weaknesse is ready to run into our arme All men are fraile and transitory if then we put confidence in an arme of flesh we shall be deceiued This the Prophets of God euery where record Esay 2 22 and 30 7 and 31 3. Ceasse you from the man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be esteemed Teaching vs to cast off all vaine confidence in man if God stop his breath but a little he is dead and gone And chap. 30. The Egyptians are vanity and they shall helpe in vaine they are men not God their horses flesh and not spirit and when the Lord shall stretch out his hand the helper shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall and they shall altogether faile To this purpose Dauid exhorteth Psal 62 9 10. The children of men are vanity to lay them vpon a ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity trust not in oppression nor in robbery be not vaine if riches increase set not your heart thereon Let vs set our hearts on our God and the God of our fathers abuse not the fauour and countenance of great men to do wrong for he taketh away the greatest rather let vs pray to him to giue vs wise hearts to number our daies and to thinke often of our vanity thereby to keepe vs from offending against God that our life passeth as a sleepe in the night that it groweth vp as grasse which in the morning flourisheth but in the euening is cut downe and withereth Verse 14. It shall be spoken in the booke of the battailes of the Lord. He declareth that the place mentioned in the former verse should be so ennobled and renowned that the memory of it should neuer die or decay As if Moses should say when the battailes of the Lord shall be spoken off the Riuer Arnon shall bee remembred and the battailes that Vaheb the King of Moab lost Now they are called the battailes of the Lord that were fought by mē For howsoeuer men run together like wilde Beares or wilde Boares and leuy forces of mē yet their armies are conducted and ruled by God From hence we learne Doctrin◠All watre◠ordered by God That all watres are disposed ordered of God Of all things done here beneath nothing seemeth more casuall or confused and nothing more out of the right course and order then the time of warre when men seeme to run together at all aduentures yet God hath his hand in it he guideth and gouerneth the same as seemeth good in his owne wisedome This the wise man handleth Prou. 21 31. The horse is prepared against the day of battell but victory is of the Lord. This the Prophet confesseth Psal 144 1. Blessed bee the Lord my strength which teacheth mine hands to fight and my fingers to battell No war falleth out in any place or vpon any people but it is sent of God When Abraham recouered Lot his brothers sonne from the enemies of whom he was taken prisoner it was God that gaue him good successe and prospered the worke of his hand Gen. 14 20. When the Israelites reuenged the villany of the Beniamites in abusing a woman vnto death it is said the Lord smote Beniamin Iudg. 20 35. and the children of Israel destroyed them So when Gideon was armed with courage and comfort to encounter with the Midianites to performe the work of the Lord against thē when he was to ioyne battaile hee cryed out The sword of the Lord and of Gideon Iudg. 7 20. Wherefore howsoeuer men do mannage the battaile yet it is ordered at the will of God The reasons are plaine First who is the Reason 1 cheefe Captaine of euery hoast and army Is not the Lord And is not euery battell fought at the discretion disposing of the Generall If then God be the Generall of the field and Captaine of the hoast President of the war let vs acknowledge that all wars are ordered at his pleasure This is the Title giuen vnto God Iosh 5 13 14 15. When Ioshua lifting vp his eyes saw a man come against him hauing a sword drawne in his hand he said Art thou on our side or on our aduersaries And he answered Nay but as a Captaine of the hoast of the Lord am I now come then Ioshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped him This cheefe Captaine and Leader of the people was the Lord as appeareth by a like place Exod. 3 5 where the Angell appearing vnto Moses in a flame of fire is called the Lord. Secondly all things whatsoeuer are ordered Reason 2 by the appointment and prouidence of God that are in heauen and earth his gouernment ouer all creatures and of all actions is vniuersall nothing can exempt it selfe out of the circuit of his dominion as the Prophet teacheth Psal 113 6. He abaseth himselfe to behold things in the heauen and in the earth And the Apostle saith that of him and through him and for him are all things Rom. 11 36. The vses come now to be considered First Vse 1 this teacheth vs that the victory is not mans but the Lords For if the battell bee the Lords then the victory also is the Lords that the glory likewise may be his It is not the sword nor speare nor horse nor man nor money that can saue or succour these are vain things to rest vpon so that where some trust in Chariots and some in Horses we must remember the Name of the Lord our God Psal 20 7. Therfore the Prophet sheweth Psal 33 17 18 that a King is not saued by the multitude of an hoast neither is the mighty man deliuered by great strength an horse is a vaine helpe and shall not deliuer any by his great strength And this Dauid confesseth whē he was to encounter with
they will helpe me yet they were the ruine of him of all Israel It was the Lord that smote him not the gods of the Aramites so that he is deceiued in thinking they were holpen by their protecting gods For such was the wickednes of his prophane hart that he did not acknowledge the hand of God to be gone out against him but ascribed it to the power of those false gods and therfore sacrificed vnto them to his owne confusion to the ruine of Israel and to the dishonor of God Therefore the Prophet before reproued Amaziah 2 Chron. 25 14 15 who after the slaughter of the Edomites broght the gods of the children of Seir and set them vp to be his gods and worshipped them Why hast thou sought the gods of the people which were not able to deliuer their owne people out of their hand Hereunto also commeth the boasting of Saneherib ouer Ierusalem 2 Chro. 32 13 14. 2 King 18 33 34. Know you not what I and my father haue done vnto all the people of other countries Were the gods of the nations of other Landes able to deliuer their land out of mine hand c. Thus in the heathenish Religion euery wood and fielde had his locall gods without whose good fauour no humane action could in that place haue any happy successe as appeareth in sundry Authors when Cambyses and Cyrus departed out of Persia Soph. in electra Tacit. hist lib. 2 Xenoph. lib. 1. Cyropaed they besought the gods protectors thereof to send them forth fauourably and with good speed We see then that Idolaters held this as a certaine ground and principle of their religion that euery place euery people euery Prouince and Kingdome had a peculiar god to be their patron and protector to defend their worshippers to fight their battels and to deliuer them out of the hands of their enemies The sixt conclusion The sixt and last conclusion remaineth which is the cheefe point to bee considered that is that the Gentiles going to warre against any nation vsed ordinarily to coniure call vp the protecting god of that people to forsake them and come on their part promising to bestow either that place on him againe or else a more large and spacious place so that he should bee sure to lose nothing by the bargaine This is recorded at large by Pliny in his naturall histories Plin nat hist lib 28. cap. 2. where hee saith The first thing that the ancient Romanes were wont to do when they laid siedge to any City was to bring foorth their sorcerers and by them to call forth the god or goddesse which was the patron or patronnesse to protect that place therefore it was neuer knowne and diuulged what god was the protector or patron of Rome lest some of our enemies should assay to coniure him forth and so deale with vs as we do by them Hereupon Saint Austen saith that It was their predecessors manners Aug de Ciuitat Dei lib. 2. ca. 22 that long agoe chased all their great multitude of little gods from the City Altars like so many flies For where was all this nest of deities when the Gaules sacked the City long before the ancient manners were contaminate Were they present and yet fast asleepe The whole Citie was aâ—l subdued at that time onely the Capitoll remained and that also had beene surprized if the Geese had not shewed themselues better then the gods and waked when they were all isleepe And in lib. 1. cap. 3. de Câ—â—it Dei he saieth Would any wiseman haue commended the defence of Rome vnto gods already proued to be vnable to defend themselues Notwithstanding saith Macrobius lib. 3. cap. 9. the name of their protector is registred in the bookes of the ancients albeit much disagreeing and diuersely dissenting among themselues some thought him to be Iupiter some Luna some the goddesse Angerona but others that thought it to be Ops are of better credit This is also auouched by Plutark a learned Philosopher in his Romane questions where demaunding the question why it was accounted an heinous horrible offence either to aske or to vtter the protecting god of Rome whether it were mad or woman he answered That there are certaine Charmes and Sorceries Plâ— Rom. 〈◊〉 1. whereby the gods are fetched vp which the ancient Romanes vsing and thereby preuailing in battell and drawing the gods of their enemies to their side they prouided by this deepe silence of their owne Patron that none should be able to deale with them as they had done to others nor render vnto them the measure that they had measured vnto others And therefore Valerius Soranus lost his life for beeing so bold as to name that name as L. Viues obserueth in his Annotations vpon the first booke and the third chapter of S. Austen de Ciuitate Dei This is it which the Poet remembreth in setting down the destruction of Troy Virg. lib. 1. Aenead Quae fit rebus fortuna videtis Excessere omnes adytis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat That is The state of things ye see the seats and Temples left alone The Altars and the gods whereby this Empire stood are gone In these words it is obserued by the interpreters Seruius in lib. 2. Aeneid that the gods of the Troyans were gone away and departed from them and turned Grecian because to auoide sacriledge they were called foorth by their enemies And Viues in his Annotations Lib. 2. Cap. 22. de Ciuitat Dei telleth that Seruius and Macrobius thinke these verses of Virgill to belong vnto this calling out of the gods because when as a Citty was besiedged and the enemy had an intent to raze it to the ground lest they should seeme to fight against the goddes and to force them from their habitations and places of abode against their willes which they held to bee as a most wicked deede they vsed to call them out of the besiedged Cittie by the Generall of the army that did besiedge it that they would please to come and dwell amongst the Conquerors So did Camillus at the Veij so did Scipio at Carthage Numance and Mummius at Corinth Hence it is that Liuy the flower of the Romane Historiographers bringeth in the same Camillus going to the assault of Veij a Citie of Hetruria praying thus Tuo ductu Pythice Apollo tuoque numine inductus pergo ad delendam vrbem Veios tibique hinc decimam partem praedae voueo te simul Iuno regina quae nunc Veios colis precor vt nos victores in nostram tuamque mox futuram vrbem sequare vbi te dignum amplitudine tua Templum accipiat that is As by thy conduct and diuine power O Apollo I do enterprize the sacking of the Citty Veâ—o so I vow vnto thee the tenth of all the booty and thee I request Queene Iuno that sittest as Patrone of this place to accompany vs as Conquerors into that
teachablenesse meeknesse humblenesse of minde is the beginning of wisedome Pro. 1 7. This is so necessary a worke that GOD euermore wrought it in his seruants before he reuealed himselfe vnto them Thus hee dealt with Abraham Gen. 15 12. when he made a fearefull darknesse fall vpon him Thus he dealt with Iacoh Gen 28. He was afraid and said How fearefull is this place This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heauen Thus he dealt with the Israelites and with Moses himselfe Exod. 19 12 Heb 12 21. at the deliuering of the Law and entring into couenant with them Thus he dealt with Paul at his conuersion to the faith which before hee destroyed there shâ—ned suddainly a light round about him from heauen Acts 9 4.6 Whereat he fell to the earth trembling in body astonied in minde and troubled in conscience Thus he dealt with the Apostle Iohn when hee saw a vision of Christ Reuel 1 17 hee fell at his feetâ— as dead The want of this reuerent feare lifteth vs vp against God causeth vs oftentimes to check the word to be bold to controlle it that wee cannot suffer our selues to be checked controlled by it This feare ariseth in our hearts and is wrought partly by the consideration of Gods Maiesty and partly by the meditation of our owne infirmity and serueth to correct our natural pride and to redresse our corrupt affections Thirdly we must bring with vs faith in Christ and beleeue in the promise and word of God that it is infallible as Heb. 4 2. Vnto vs was the Gospel preached as vnto theÌ„ but the word that they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it This is that gift of God that purifieth the heart boreth the eare and maketh the way for other graces to follow Lastly if we would heare with profit we must haue good and honest hearts sanctified vnto euery good worke This our Sauiour sheweth in expounding the Parable of the Sower That which fell in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and keepe it bring foorth fruite with patience Luk. 81 5. This the apostle Iames to the same purpose who charging vs to be swift to heare slow to speak addeth Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse superfluity of maliciousnesse and receiue with meeknesse the word that is grafted in you Iam. 1 21. The want of this preparation maketh so many vnprofitable and fruitelesse hearers No man is so simple and sottish to sow his seede cast away his Corne vpon ground vnploughed vntilled Shall we haue this knowledge vnderstanding in earthly things and shall wee discerne nothing in heauenly things but suffer the immortall seed of the word to vanish away thorough want of due preparation Hence it is that the Prophet exhorteth to breake vp our fallow ground and not sowe among the Thornes to be circumcised to the Lord and to take away the fore-skinnes of our hearts lest the wrath of God come foorth like fire and burne that none can quench it Ier. 4 4. Vse 4 Fourthly it serueth to guide and direct the Ministers of the Gospel to speake the word with all reuerence as the Embassadours of God that our preaching be with power and authority and so minister grace vnto the hearers 1 Corin 4 1. to the end they may thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God For how shall the people heare it with reuerence if we be not carefull to deliuer it with reuerence as the word of our master that sent vs Hereunto commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 2 15. And the Apostle Peter speaketh to the same purpose 1 Pet. 4 11. Now that this gracious deliuery of the word may bee retained some things are to be obserued in the very action Touching the fitting and preparing of our selues to the worke of the Ministery that wee may preach with fruite and speake with comfort it is necessarily required of vs to vse praier reading study meditation and such like helpes as may further vs in our calling For albeit we haue wits quicke to conceiue memories firme to retaine and tongues ready to vtter See the faithful Shepherd yet wee must not abuse these excellent gifts to ydlenesse or vaine-glory but when we haue done all that we can account all our paines and labours too little saying with the Apostle Who is sufficient for these things 2. Cor. chap. 2 verse 16. The Prophets and Apostles of Christ were endued with extraordinary gifts and had a plentiful measure of knowledge giuen vnto them yet they ceased not to study the Scriptures Peter pronounceth of them all that They tooke great paines in their Prophesies the Prophets enquired and searched diligently the things that concerne the saluation of the Church 1 Pet. 1 10. Peter read the Epistles of Paul 2 Pet. 2 16 and Daniel the Prophesies of Ieremy Dan. 9 2. Paul receiued the Doctrine of the Gospel by reuelation was taken vp into Paradise and heard words which himselfe durst not expresse and the Saints were not able to conceiue hee was ready to lay downe his life saw himselfe at deaths dore yet he had a desire still to profite as appeareth in that he willeth Timothy to bring the Books and Parchments with him 2 Tim. 4 1â— when he came vnto him Wherefore it beseemeth not the weightinesse of the worke which we handle nor the presence of the people to whom wee speake nor the reuerence of the place wherein wee stand nor the worthinesse of the person whom we represent to step vp suddenly to stand in the stead and roome of God like horses that runne away with an empty Cart and set forward in the way before they haue their load No man dareth to speake of Princes affaires before Princes with leuity no man dareth giue sentence of life and death rashly The Minister speaketh of Christ before God and Angels He setteth before his hearers life and death heauen and hell and pronounceth the sentence of saluation or damnation vpon theÌ„ as Moses testifieth Deut. 11 26 27 28. Behold I set before you this day a blessing a curse the blessing if ye obey the Commandements of the Lord your God and the curse if yee will not obey Thus much for the preparation In the action it selfe we must vse all seemely and decent behauiour comely and reuerent gestures of the body haue alwayes a sober looke and modest countenance that it may appeare to others that we are inwardly moued and touched our selues with that we speak We must vtter gracious words to worke godly edifying in the spirit not ridiculous iestes to procure laughter We must lay aside the perswasible words of humane wisedome We must not relate stories and tell merry tales to fill vp the time and to make our auditors merry We
vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel he hath not dealt so wi h euery Nation neither haue they known his iudgements Hereunto commeth the exhortation of Moses Deut. 4 6 7. Keep his lawes and do them for that is your wisedom and vnderstanding in the sight of the people which shall heare all these ordinances and shall say Onely this people is wise and of vnderstanding and a great Nation Thus the Apostle Paul sheweth the difference and preheminence of the Iewes beeing at that time the Church of God aboue the Gentiles that it was herein most excellent and glorious because vnto them yea onely vnto them were committed the oracles of God euen committed vnto them of trust Rom. 3 1 2. 9 4. to them pertayned the glory the couenant the law the seruice of God the promises Likewise when Iohn the Apostle was commanded to write in a booke the things which he had seene reuealed vnto him he was charged withall when once they were written To send them to the seuen Churches that are in Asia Reu. 1 11. All which places plainely proue that it is one of the greatest gifts blessings and honors that God bestoweth vpon his people the giuing vnto them his word and ordinances The reasons are many in number and weighty Reason 1 in force For first heereby we and our children are entred into a solemne couenant with God to be his and he to be ours for euer A wonderfull mercy of God that a sort of poor sinfull men should be admitted and receyued into a couenant with the eternall God This Couenanâ— is a mutuall promise agreement betweene God and men What Gods cnuenaÌ„t with vs is whereby on the one side God giueth men assurance that he will be gracious and fauourable vnto them forgiue their sins and giue them new righteousnes eternall life for his Sonnes sake and on the other side men binde themselues to accept of this mercy with all thankesgiuing receyuing this so great a benefit with a true Fayth and promising to yeelde true obedience to God The entrance into this Couenant is as it were the day of our marriage being more neerely coupled to God then the wife is ioyned vnto the husband This is it which Moses is bold to put the people in minde of exhorting them to keepe the words of this Couenant Deut. chap. 29. verses 10 11 12 13 14 15. Reason 2 Secondly the Church alone is honoured of God to be the keeper and preseruer the holder forth and publisher of his word and therfore none haue to do with it but the Church Hence it is that it is called by the Apostle the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3 15. It is the preseruer of it not the mother of it the â—eeper of it not the author it is a cryer to publish not a iudge to decide and determine it is as the candlesticke to holde the light not the candle it selfe to giue light For this cause the vision offered to Iohn of the seuen golden Candlestickes Reuel 1 12 20 is expressely and directly expounded to signifie the seuen Churches This then is an honour peculiar to the church to be the brazen pillar of truth and the golden Candlesticke to hold the light or candle of the word of God vnto the people that they may see how to walk in the wayes of godlynesse Thirdly the word is the testament of God Reason 3 Now none hath to doe with the Testament or Will of any but they that haue Legacies bequeathed vnto them by it as children they that are of the houshold and kindred of God not Strangers Aliens and Forreyners they haue nothing to do in it they are not ro meddle with it Thus the Apostle teacheth Heb. chap. 9. verse 15 That the Testament belongeth to them that are to receiue the promises of the eternall inheritance The Vses are now to be considered First Vse 1 we learne from hence for our instruction to account the Ministery of the word the treasure of the Church Among all the blessings bestowed vpon the sonnes of men in this life the gâ—ft and blessing of the word is eminent It is an incomparable blessing farre aboue all earthly things yâ— earthly men make their â—elicity The Prophet Ezek. 6 10 11 compareth all other blessings that God gaue his people to the ornaments of the body as to bracelets abiliments rings fine linnen chaines silke such like but the giuing of his word and statutes vnto them to his mariage with theÌ„ And when God was to deliuer his lawes and ordinances vnto Israel Moses tooke them by the hand and led them forth to meet God who in the company of the Angels accepted them for his cheefe treasure inheritance aboue all other nations vnder heauen so that in the finishing of this match marriage with his people Moses was as the Father the Angels the Bridemen God the husband vnto whom Israel was affianced coupled in marriage So then the happiest tydings and greatest dignity that can euer come to any people or seuerall congregation is the glad tydings of the gospel the free passage of the word to be brought among theÌ„ The more any are blessed this way the more honorable glorious they are with God and his Saints they are thereby made his sons daughters yea kings and priests vnto him they which once were far off are made neere vnto him by the preaching of yâ— Gospel whereby he dwelleth among them and setteth vp his throne in their hearts Capernaum is saide heereby to bee lifted vp vnto heauen Luke 10 15. Ierusalem where the word and seruice of God was set forth is called the holy City and the ioy of the whole earth the resting place of God Psal 132 13 14. From hence all such are reprooued as haue not the sight and feeling of this mercy of God in their hearts to raise them vp to reioycing thankfulnesse And herein my brethren we are to call our selues to remembrance think what our condition is We are indeed a noble kingdome adorned with many outward priuiledges and blessings increased in multitudes and furnished with sundry commodities but if we be compared with the great large and wealthy dominions in other parts of the world onely a poore corner of rhe earth But heerein we passe them all as honoured aboue them preferred before them that we haue the inestimable treasure of the word which they doe want 〈◊〉 13 44. instead of those mines of siluer gold wherewith they abound This is our priuiledge our glory our aduantage wherein God hath blessed vs aboue Italy Spaine and many rich Countries in Asia and Affricke vnder the Turke and other blind and barbarous Princes detayned in the kingdome of darkenesse and of the diuell we haue the trueth of God amongst vs the treasure of all treasures the valew whereof is farre aboue all precious stones The want of this blessing
maketh all other blessings to be curses and iudgements vnto them that are destitute hereof therefore we must all call our selues to an account what account we make of it We should make it our meate and drinke a treasure for the obtaining whereof rather then want it we wold sell all that we haue but alas what thankefulnes hath it wrought in vs We are like vnto the Iewes they had this glorious light brought among them but they loued darkenes more then light because their works were euill If we be weary of this heauenly Manna let vs take heede lest the Lord grow weary of vs if we cast away his word he wil cast away vs and forsake vs for euer The Lord biddeth vs take heed to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6 17 let vs not answer presumptuously wee will not take heed let vs beware of securitie remember from whence we are fallen And let him that glorieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord and his word to his saluation Ier. 9 24. Vse 2 Secondly it followeth that wheresoeuer God hath established this his ordinance there certainly hee hath a Church and chosen people and some that belong to eternall life for whose sake it is sent among them For as the Spirit of God is the soule of the church quickning it and giuing it life so the word is this soules instrument or the seed wherby it worketh and the onely essentiall marke thereof so that where it is sincerely taught 〈◊〉 â—2 and constantly professed there certainly is a Church Where it is not there is no true Church albeit it haue neuer so goodly and glistering a shew but a very carrion carkas of a church without the life of the Spirit but as an house without light as the world without the Sun as a kingdome without the Law The Prophet Esay calleth it the standard of God saying I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people they shal bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders Esay 49. verse 22 Where the Lord Iesus is compared to a King and Captaine and therefore all that will haue comfort that they are members of the church must range themselues vnder it as soldiers vnder the banner of their Chieftaine otherwise they remaine as men In darknes in the shadow of death as stragling and runnagate soldiers out of the campe and as dissolute men vnder no law to gouerne them For they are the vilest and basest that liue without it very dogges and swine They of the Church are Gods chiidren and the word is the Childrens food belonging to them onely When the Canaanitish woman would haue beene partaker of Christs Ministery Mat. 15 26. he answered It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto whelpes But other are as vncleane and filthy beasts This which now hath bene spoken serueth to ouerthrow two sorts of people first those of the Church of Rome which make other markes and notes of the Church as antiquity vnity vniuersality succession subiection to the Pope and such like counterfet markes of their counterfet church and leaue this which is the most certaine and inseparable note This proueth vnto vs plainly that these which most of all boast of the name of the Church are indeede neyther the Catholike Church nor any sound part thereof because they want the immortall seede to beget them the milke and meate of the word to feede and norish them yea it is accounted an high point of heresie to haue read the Scriptures and none is permitted to looke into them without a license so heinous a sin it is to haue the word Secondly it censureth condemneth the Donatists Anabaptists Brownists and those of the separation which condemne our Churches to be no Churches our Sacraments to bee no Sacraments our Ministers to be no Ministers and in effect our religion to be no religioÌ„ because we do not with them in matters accidental fully agree albeit we do consent in matters fundamental we lay Christ alone for the foundation on which we build our saluation we lay hold vpon him by faith only we preach Christ crucified truly by their owne confession powerfully They hold themselues to haue receiued faith among vs by our Ministery before they made this rent and breach in the Church and that the end of such fayth if they had dyed in it had beene the saluation of theyr soules See the books of Greenwood Iohnson Let them therefore return and cause others to return ioyne with vs in hearing the word preached seeing where it is rightly established there must of necessity be a true Church And albeit some of them haue written many of theÌ„ haue spoken against our Church yet let them follow the example of that sonne Matth. 21 29. who answered his father stubbornly that he would not work in his vineyard but afterward repented earnestly and went his wayes Vse 3 Thirdly all such as are this way honoured and blessed must be carefull to vse the word as an honour and a blessing by imbracing it by entertaining it by magnifying this blessing of God in truth and not in opinion in heart and not in face in workes and not in words that we may walke worthy the Gospel and of the Lord that hath called vs and shew our selues carefull to bring foorth the fruites thereof saying with the Apostle Rom. 10 10. How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Hitherto rendeth the exhortation of the Apostle 1. to the Thessalonians ch 2 11 12. Let vs be carefull to keepe this treasure among vs lest the kingdome of God bee taken from vs. Otherwise instead of being the water of life to saue vs it will be a sea to drowne vs instead of being the sauour of life to life it will turne to bee the sauour of death to death instead of being meate to feede vs it will bee our bane to destroy vs instead of good tydings to refresh comfort vs it will proue the saddest and heauiest newes that euer came to our eares and that day the blackest day that euer came ouer our heads Thus our Sauiour threatned Capernaum which hee had honoured with his presence blessed with his preaching aduanced by his dwelling in it and lifted vp with his miracles Mat. 11 26. Thou Capernaum which art lifted vppe vnto heauen shalt be throwne downe to hell c. Look vpon the seuen Churches of Asia we see what is become of them Behold what the contempt of the Gospel hath brought vpon the Iewes the like hath not falne vpon any people since the beginning what mischeefe miserie did not fall vpon them It cannot bee denied but God hath blessed vs as much as euer he lifted vp the head of Capernaum and hath magnified his mercies and loue vnto
the sonnes of God for this cause the world knoweth you not because it knoweth not him God is become our Father the Sonne is our Redeemer the Holy-ghost is become our sanctifier the Angels are become our attendants the Scriptures are become our euidences the Sacraments are our seales the creatures are become our seruants our afflictions are our instructions This the Apostle teacheth the Church 1. Cor. 3 21 22 23. They are blessed that haue their sinnes pardoned and not imputed vnto them as the Prophet teacheth but God saith to euery beleeuer Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee They are blessed that heare his word and keepe it but the sheepe of Christ heare his voyce and follow him They are blessed that delight in the Law of the Lord and in his Law meditate day and might but the godly make it their counsellour to be aduised by it This vse that now we stand vpon is directly vrged by the Prophet Psal 84. where hauing made his complaint that hee could not haue accesse to the Church of God to make profession of his faith and to profite in Religion hee breaketh out into this passionate exclamation being touched with an inward feeling of the want of those holy assemblies Psal 84 4 5. O Lord of hoasts how amiable are thy tabernacles thereupon concludeth the point which wee haue stood vpon Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer praise thee blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose heart are thy wayes Howsoeuer the vngodly that sauour nothing but of the earth want spirituall eyes to behold the beauty of the Church and account it no part of their happinesse to liue within the compasse and bosome of it yet the children of God haue taken nothing so neere to heart as when they haue bene driuen from the place of his worship The Prophet is grieued that the sparrowes and swallowes had better accesse and freer recourse to the houses of men to build their nests to lay their young and to rest and repose themselues then he had to the Lords Tabernacle and therefore preferreth their condition before his owne We see how the Iewes wept and pittifully lamented by the riuers of Babylon and hung vp their instruments on the willowes saying Psal 137 1 2 3 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget to play If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth yea if I preferre not Ierusalem to my chiefe ioy No doubt they might haue prayed to the Lord in Babylon and in banishment as well as in Iudea and at Ierusalem the Lord heareth in all places and willeth that men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting 1. Tim. 2.8 but they mourned because they could not visit the Temple of God in Ierusalem there to make publicke confession of their sinnes and of their faith toward God They therefore plainely testify that they haue no feeling either of the weakenesse of their faith or of the greatnesse of their offences that glory in their owne shame and say they beare as good a soule to God as they which resort so often to the Church and delight to heare the preaching of the word and that they can serue God as well at home as in the Church These are led by another spirit then Dauid was who if he were a man after Gods owne heart Psal 42 1 2 3. hauing such an earnest desire after the seruice and worship of God and saying As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before the presence of God surely these must needs be guided by the spirit of the diuell who so openly scorne all Religion and are at defiance with God robbing God of his honour committing sacriledge in keeping their tongues from the publick praises of God entring themselues off from the mysticall body of Christ condemning and contemning the congregation of the faithfull giuing offence to others by euill example and despiâ—â—ng the ordinance of God who hath appointed commanded the assembly of his people to meet together to acknowledge their sinnes to confesse their faith to pray for things necessary to praise him for his blessings receiued to heare the word expounded and to receiue the Sacraments deliuered so that such as flye from these doe fly from God himselfe they fly from their owne saluation they seeke a worship by themselues and they imagine an heauen by themselues But let them take heed their worship proue not a false worship and their heauen a false heauen and a true hell Secondly we must all labour to bee members Vse 2 of the Church rather then of any other place in the world We see how carefull men are not onely to be in great societies towns but to be of them to haue the freedome of priuiledged places and incorporations Act. 22 28. Yea to obtaine it purchase it with a great summe of money because it hringeth worldly commodity How much more should wee endeauour to be members of the Church whereby we are made free men and haue interest in the blessings of God yea wee become free denizens of the Kingdome of heauen How doe men esteeme their freedome to be of earthly cities If wee be part of the Church wee haue accesse to the truth Now if wee shall know the truth the truth shall make vs free Iohn 8 32 36. If we be belonging to the Church we haue our interest in Christ now if that Sonne shall make vs free then we shall be free indeed This made the Apostle say Phil. 3 20. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour If we become limbes of the Church of God wee haue the spirit that beares witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God now the Lord giueth his Spirit 2. Cor. 3 17 and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Such as are free of cities and incorporations haue diuerse priuiledges that others want obtaine many benefites that others want obtaine many dignities that others desire and haue their names enrolled among the free-men but how much greater is the preheminence of all those that are brought into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God being made parts of the Church which is the freest citty vnder the heauens This city of our God hath the priuiledges of the communion of Saints of the forgiuenesse of sinnes of the resurrection of the body to eternall life and all such as belong vnto it haue their names registred and enrolled in the booke of life What shall it profite thee to obtaine an earthly freedome in earthly cities and to be the seruant of sinne the bondslaue of the diuel and to want the freedome of the sonnes and daughters of almighty
thy presence is a burden vnto me aske thy reward and wages of thy worke of that God whom thou hast obeyed or of that people whom thou hast blessed to whom thou seemest rather beholden then vnto mee and who I am sure are more indebted to thee for thy paines then I am This is a most shamefull blasphemy of a wretched man whose breath is in his nostrils against the eternall God that made heauen and earth who suffereth with patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The answer of Balaam followeth to be coÌ„sidered The answer of Balaam who is brought in by Moses excusing himselfe and giuing wicked counsell to Balak to bring the people of God to ruine and destruction The Apology and defence that he maketh for himselfe is this that hee certified the messengers sent vnto him and declared to Balak himselfe that he was not at his owne choise and liberty to speake what the King wished and what himselfe desired but was as it were chained and restrained by the mighty hand of God that he could vtter nothing but what he inspired Thus the false Prophet seeketh to pacifie and appease the angry minde of the King and the hyreling laboureth to recouer his wages that was denyed him as if he should say Lay the fault where it is and not where it is not I haue striuen what I can to do that which thou requirest but the God of the Hebrewes hath hindered thy request and my desire Secondly hee promiseth that being now discharged and ready to returne home hee would giue such counsell which should work out the finall confusion of this people if it were wisely and warily followed For when he seeth he cannot curse them he giueth counsell how to hurt them as if hee should haue saide to Balak I see to my griefe thou perceiuest to thy cost that sorcery will not preuaile and serue the turne yet do not despaire but hold on thy purpose try a new conclusion another way I haue another plot in mine head follow my direction and doubt not but thou shalt bring thy matters to a good passe and destroy that people as they hereafter shall destroy thy people But what this counsell was is concealed and not expressed in this place which was not such as the Prophets of God aduised and perswaded to the people of God but diuellish counsell proceeding from that spirit by which he was guided to open a gap to bring vpon them all mischiefe and misery and to pull downe the wall of Gods protection whereby they were fenced and defended and to let in their enemies vpon theÌ„ God being become an vtter enemy vnto them For by the successe and euent in the chapter following it appeareth what this crafty counsell was Numb 25 3. by the peoples falling in fancy and fellowship with the Moabitish women wherby they were drawne into spirituall and bodily fornication And afterward in the one thirtieth chapter of this booke verse 16 Moses speaking of the Midianitish women saieth These caused the children of Israel through the counsell of Balaam to commit a trespasse against the Lord as concerning Peor and there came a plague vpon the Congregation of the Lord. So the Apostle Iohn speaketh writing to the Church at Pergamus I haue a few things against thee because there thou hast them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam c. Reu. 2 14. Hereby then we see that when Balaam had sundry wayes assayed and attempted to curse the people of Isâ—ael and yet his purpose fayled him because God crossed his deuices hee told Balak that the last refuge and onely way to preuaile against them was to draw them to sin against their God and so to make a breach betweene him and his people Now according as hee counselled him and gaue him instructions so Balak confederate with the Midianites sent forth the most beautiful women in their kingdomes into the Campe of Israel to entice them to the worship of their Idols to banquet with them at their Idoll-feasts whereby â—hey drew them to Idolatry and fornication sinning against God and kindling his wrath against them But of this we shall speake further in the chapter following Verse 10. Then Balak was very angry with Balaam and smote his hands together and saide I sent for thee to curse mine enemies c. See heere the euent of all the conspiracy against the Israelites they had conceiued mischiefe Psal 7 14 15 bring forth a lye They that trauaile with wickednesse trauaile with the winde and the end is not answerable to the beginning They vanish away in their owne imagination whilst Israel standeth as a defenced City From hence we learne that things practised inconsiderately not with good aduice Doctrine Thing vnlawfully atteÌ„pted haue euill ends and attempted vnlawfully with a wicked purpose haue other euents then men thinke of Whatsoeuer wee goe about with a wicked minde hath an euill end in the iust iudgment of God We cannot expect that any euil action should haue a good end Indeed God doth many times suffer euill men causeth them to multiply The causes why wicked men do multiply because our sinnes deserue so many chastisements and scourges as there are wicked men in the world Againe it is requisite that we should all our life long be kept in a continuall exercise of faith prayer patience and repentance Iudg. 2 22. and that they might be as pricks and thornes in our sides Lastly the Lord by suffering the wicked to prosper and proceed doth greatly aduance his owne glory whiles he reigneth in the midst of his enemies Exod. 9 15 16 and preserueth his Church in despite of Satan and his wicked members which daily seeke the ouerthrow thereof Is it not strange that an hundred Sheepe should liue among a thousand wolues not be deuoured It is no lesse wonderfull and to bee maruelled at that any of Gods people should liue vpon the face of the earth being compassed about with an army of wicked men the very limbes of the diuell that open their mouths to swallow them vp and hate them with an vnfained hatred vnto the death Notwithstanding the Lord thus beareth and forbeareth yet in the end hee will cut off the wicked and all euill shall haue an euill end We see this in Pharaoh calling for his Sorcerers they withstood Moses and resisted the truth they turned water into blood and rods into Serpents yet in the end all their cunning was stained and they confessed it was the Finger of God Exod. 7 11. 8 19. Consider the example of those that would builde them a Citty and a Tower to get them a name lest they should bee scattered vpon the whole earth Genesis ch 11. verse 4 the Lord came downe to see the Citty which the sonnes of men builded and there confounded theyr Language that euery one perceyued not anothers speech The Apostle Peter maketh a long rehearsall in his second
Iudea and to carry away the Israelites â—â—remy 25 9. ranging ouer the land raging with fire and sword and wasting the neighbour-Nations they spoyled the Kenites bordering vpon the Iewes which doth verifie the common Prouerbe It is some euil to be neere vnto euill And againe when thy Neighbours house is on fire it is high time to looke vnto thine owne and teacheth vs to esteeme as our owne the damage of our neighbour and to feare lest in the ruines of others our destruction bee conspired This calamity and captiuity was brought vpon them by Saneherib who comming to spoyle Israel spoiled them and as they were carried away out of their owne country together so they returned back againe into their Countrey together as wee reade in the holy history of the 1. Chronicles chap. 2 53. And thus as they tasted of the same misery so God made them partakers of the same mercy as they were afflicted together so also they were comforted together Thus much of the method and meaning of these prophesies The doctrines arising from hence are to be considered according to the seuerall prophesies and first touching the first against the Moabites Verse 17. I see that but not now I behold it but not neere there shall come a Starre out of Iacob c. In this prophesie Balaam foretelleth the future condition of the Moabites declaring both that they shal be destroyed and by whom For God wil raise out of the contemptible stocke of Iacob a bright Starre that shall refresh the Church with his sweete influence and giue them comfort against their enemies This we shewed to be performed in the dayes of Dauid afterward therefore he saith I see it but not now nor neere at hand This teacheth vs Doctrine The Church sometimes hath rest and glory That sometimes God maketh the Church to flourish in this life Howsoeuer God oftentimes bring trouble vpon his Church and affliction vpon his people yet at other times he giueth rest and peace and continueth theyr prosperity a long time This truth receyueth plentifull confirmation out of the booke of Iudges chap. 3.11 30. 5 31. 8 28 it is the maine drift and scope of it to shew how God in the miseries thereof prouideth a remedie and giueth rest round about from all their enemies God sometimes giueth them a time of breathing and recouering their strength and will not suffer the rodde of the wicked alway to rest on the lot of the righteous Psalm 125 3. We haue examples of this in the reigne of Salomon Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah and other godly Kings which were as strong props and pillars in Gods house a sure stay to the seruants of God in well doing he gaue them an outward estate that flourished both in wealth and peâ—ce This appeareth euidently in the booke of Ester Ester 8 1 16. after he had deliuered them from the mouth of the Lyon that gaped as it were after his prey to deuoure them the Church prospered the head of Mordecai was exalted comfortable letters were published and sent abroad for their safety and vnto the Iewes came light and ioy gladnes honor So the prophet Zacharie prophesying of their returne from captiuity saith That the streets of the City shal be full of boyes girles playing in the streets thereof Zac. 8 5. The booke of Iosuah is a notable storehouse of Gods mercy vnto his church giuing them rest from their enemies as hee had promised them so that none were able to stand before them Iosh 22 4. And as he dealeth with his Church in generall so hee doth with his seruants in particular as we see in Ioseph Moses Dauid and diuers other turning their mourning into ioy Psal 30 11. loosing theyr sack and griding them with gladnes The Reasons of this dealing of the Lord are many and most euident First his eares are Reason 1 open to heare the cries of his children he seeeth their miseries add putteth all their teares in his bottle of remembrance This is it which the Lord declared vnto Moses when he called him to deliuer his people out of the thraldom and bondage of Egypt Exod. 2 7. I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry beâ—ause of their Taske-masters for I know their sororwes GOD hath made a couenant of peace with his people hath a compassionate sense of their miseries and a feeling of their afflictions There is a notable agreement and vnion betweene God and his Children They in their crosses and calamities cannot but sigh and mourne and they cannot so soone vtter a groane but by by and by the Lord is touched with compassion This is euidently recorded in the booke of Exodus 2 23 where it is said The childreÌ„ of Israel sighed for the bondage and cried and their cry for the bondage came vp to God The prayers of the faithfull preuaile much with God if they be feruent He vnderstandeth the words of their mouth and the grones of the heart and in his good time will heare them graciously Reason 2 Secondly hee giueth vnto his Church oftentimes a sweet taste of earthly blessings to the end his people might haue all occasions and opportunities to serue him If they should alwayes beare the yoke vpon their necks and haue the heauy burden of affliction lying on their backs though they were strong in faith and had their hope fixed in GOD yet they would be soone dismayed and discouraged and ioyne with the wicked falling into the impieties of their persecuters But God is the sunne and the shield of his Church hee will giue grace and glory vnto it and withholde nothing that is good from them that walke vprightly Psal 84 11. He will comfort and defend them in their danger he will exalt them to dignity after their distresses least they should bee too much daunted and discomforted This is the reason vsed by the Prophet The rod of the wicked shall not alwayes rest on the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put foorth their hand vnto wickednesse Psal 125 3. Vse 1 The vses now are to be marked and obserued of vs. First acknowledge from hence with a sweet feeling the infinite loue compassion of God toward his people he delighteth not to be alwayes chiding and his anger endureth not for euer Hee will not haue his Church to be alwayes vnder the crosse but sendeth it some release For hee endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life c. Psal 30 5 6. Thus doth the Lord giue encouragements and comforts vnto those that faithfully serue and rightly worship him whereby hee not onely testifieth his owne loue toward them but allureth others by their example to trust in him and daunteth all their enemies that hoped to haue seene their destruction Such therefore as are not mooued to confesse the loue of God vnto his seruants and see not his kindnesse toward them haue
thing for a man to climbe aloft and not consider that the higher he climbeth the greater is his fall to couet the fruite not consider the height of the tree whereon it groweth wee must take heede least while wee labour to attaine vnto the top we fall downe with the boughes that we doe embrace All things are here turned and tossed with vncertainties and nothing continueth in one stay or state There is nothing so sure that is not in danger of his inferiour The Lyon hath beene sometimes the food of small beasts and the rust doth consume the iron Let vs therefore like and looke after better things that doe continue earthly things although we haue them in greatest abundance cannot saue vs in the day of danger let vs not trust in them whose helpe is in vaine Verse 25. Then Balaam rose vp and went and returned to his place Heere is briefly the conclusion set downe as the euent and issue of all the deuices and purposes of Balak and Balaam they rose vp and went their way without doing any thing that they intended And first touching Balaam we haue often noted that the marke which hee aymed at was his wages yet see heere how coueting an euill couetousnes and thirsting after money which he made his god he is deceiued loseth his wages yea and his life too at length as appeareth afterward in this Booke Num 31 8. Doctrine Such as couet after an euill couetousnes are oftentimes deceiued Heereby we learne for our instruction that they which gape after vnlawfull gaine and the deceitful wages of wickednesse are oftentimes deceiued of that which they looke for and finde contrary to their expectation losse instead of gaine and hinderance in stead of aduantage This is confirmed vnto vs by sundry examples in the word of God Looke vppon the example of Achan recorded in the booke of Ioshua he thought to enrich himselfe by the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment which he had purloyned contrary to the commandment of God who would haue all those destroyed not conuerted to the priuate profit of any but it fell out to his owne destruction and the destruction of those that belonged vnto him Iosh 7 25 The like iudgment came vpon Gehazi he turned after Naaman and tooke of him a bribe to enrich himselfe but the leprosie of Naaman did cleaue vnto him so that his losse was greater then his gaines 2. King 5.27 Ahab rose vp and tooke possession of Naboths vineyard which lay commodiously for him but withall hee purchased the wrath of God the destruction of his person the ruine of his house the losse of his kingdome the vndooing of all his posterity 1. King 21 16. Iudas betrayed his Master Mat. 26 27 and sold him for thirty pence he was carried after his couetousnesse and shed innocent blood euen the blood of the immaculate Lambe of GOD but how he was enriched hereby the Euangelist declareth when he saw that Christ was condemned he repented himselfe and brought againe the thirty peeces of siluer to the high-Priests and Elders saying I haue sinned betraying the innocent blood Hereunto accordeth Salomon in his Prouerbs who saith Hee that is greedy of gaine troubleth his owne house but hee that hateth gifts shall liue Prou. 15 16. Where he teacheth that such as increase their riches by hooke and by crooke they care not how or gaine by wrongfull meanes are the causes and occasions of many euils in their estate and family This appeareth also by that which was spoken to the rich man in the Gospel Luke 12.20 Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule from thee and then whose shall all these be that thou hast gathered together All which places of Scripture serue directly to prooue that such as are giuen to vnlawfull gaine and get the goods of this life wrongfully are oftentimes deceiued of their hope and expectation which made the Apostle Iude speaking of the matter that now wee haue in hand to call the hire that Balaam sought after The deceitfull wages of Balaam Iude 11. Reason 1 The reasons may easily be discerned of vs if we consider that GOD would haue his wisedome and iustice to appeare in crossing their carking and caring for these transitory things This wee see in all the examples before alledged of Achan Iudas of Gehazi Ahab and of the rich man For God knoweth to deliuer the godly out of tentation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgment vnder punishment 2. Pet. 2.9 How can it bee therefore that such as fill their houses with the riches of iniquity and with the spoyles of the righteous should prosper and bring a blessing with them when as God which is the God of all righteousnesse and trueth shall set himselfe against them root out the things which they haue wrongfully gotten Reason 2 Secondly euery sinne is deceitfull and profiteth nothing whatsoeuer shew of profit and commodity it make This is set forth vnto vs in the booke of Iob I haue seene the foolish well rooted and suddainly I cursed his habitation his children shall be farre from saluation and they shall be destroyed in the gate and none shall deliuer them Iob 5 3 4. All sinne to the naturall man is sweet and pleasant he findeth it sweet to his taste but it is as sweet meate that hath poyson mingled and tempered with it Iob 20 12 13. And as poyson though it be sweet in the mouth bringeth death and destruction with it when it entreth into the body so it is with sinne it delighteth in the committing but it biteth at the latter ending for God turneth it to destruction Therfore the Apostle saith we should take heed wee be not seduced and deceiued through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Vse 1 The vses are to be thought vpon that wee may apply the doctrine to our selues First we see heere the common Prouerbe truely verified that couetousnes bringeth nothing home So may it be said of all other sinnes of prophanenesse of contempt of the word of abusing the Name of God and his Sabboths of vncleannesse of whoredome of drunkennesse and of all sinfull pleasures whatsoeuer which naturall men make their happinesse and felicity they may delight for a time and please the carnall desires of naturall men but they bring an heauy account and reckning in the end So then we may say to all the men of this world whose portion is in this life as Abner said in one case Knowest thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter end 2. Sam. 2 26. We heard how Naboths vineyard was an eyesore to Ahab and made him enter into vngodly courses and bloody practices he destroyed Naboth and his children hee seemed to haue made his title strong secured his estate but what broght it in the end the vtter ruine of his whole house Euery man can say readily when a man groweth prodigall and spendeth excessiuely and holdeth a right course and
regard neither God nor men neyther heauen nor hell neyther saluation nor damnation This is indeede a dangerous estate and a feareful condition Vse 2 Secondly seeing euill men waxe worse worse we may conclude that their iudgment sleepeth not but is encreased as their sinne encreaseth yea it is not farre off but lyeth at the doores Euery sinne is in it owne nature a sin to death and a remouing from God the wages of it is death and prouoketh to an vtter consumption of vs Rom. 6 23 how then can we answere so many thousands if one bee so grieuous For if the Lord marke what is done amisse who shall be able to stand Thus the Apostle setteth downe their condition that were setled in wickednesse That their condemnation long since resteth not their destruction stūbreth not 2. Pet. 2 3. So then we may assure our selues that the iudgments of God follow at their heeles when men are come to the top and heighth of their sinnes Thus it was with the old world when their wayes were wholly corrupted then was the earth vniuersally drowned When the Sodomites became exceeding sinners against the Lord and their sinnes cryed to heauen the Lord rayned downe fire brimstone vpon them When Israel abounded in all sinne that there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land but that by swearing and lying by killing and stealing they brake out and blood touched blood the Lord denounceth by his Prophet That the land shall mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall he cut-off Hos 4 1 2. When the Amorites had filled vp the measure of their sins Gen. 15 14. they should be rooted out of the Land and the people of God come in their stead Where the Lord declareth that howsoeuer this people were exceeding sinners in the dayes of Abraham and deserued to be rooted out at the very first yet did he withhold his hand and waited for their repentance a long time vntill they were past recouery Do we then see any waxe worse and worse and encrease in sinne as they grow in age We may conclude that so soone as they are become ripe nay rotten in their sinnes the appointed time of God draweth on to destroy them For euen as men when their Corne is waxen ripe and the fields are white vnto the haruest doe thrust in their sickles Mark 4 29. and cut it downe so will the Lord deale with all the vngodly for when their sinnes are at the highest then his iudgements are at the neerest according as the Apostle Iohn sheweth that an Angell came out of the Temple crying with a loud voyce vnto him that sate on the Cloud Thrust in thy sickle and reape for the time is come to reape for the haruest of the earth is ripe Reuel 14 15. This is it which was declared in a vision vnto Amos where the Lord shewed vnto him a Basket of Summer fruite and saide Amos what seest thou who answered A Basket of Summer fruite Then the Lord saide vnto him The ende is come vpon my people of Israel I will passe by them no more Amos 8 1 2. Declaring thereby the ripenes of their sinnes and the readinesse of Gods iudgements to giue them their reward Wherefore whatsoeuer sinnes vngodly men commit the old are not forgotten and onely the new remembred but all both old and new do come together adde vnto the heape that the measure beeing full pressed downe shaken together and running ouer certaine destruction may fall vpon them Let vs not make a mocke of sinne or thinke that God hath forgotten it when wee haue forgotten it The iniquities that men commit one day are forgotten with them the next and such as are practised in their youth are past their knowledge before they come to age but we cannot hide them from the Almighty Who writeth bitter things against vs and maketh vs to possesse the iniquities of our youth Iob 14 26. Psal 25.7 Euery sin shall helpe somewhat to encrease the weight and make our account the greater in the day of account for as euery Corne of wheat helpeth to fill vp the bushell and to enlarge the heape so doth euery sinne that we commit helpe to bring our wickednesse to the full And as men keepe their bookes of reckonings and accounts which they wil bring forth when they are to reckon so the Lord to the end we may know that he seeth and remembreth our offences is saide after the manner of men to keepe a Register of the deeds of men and to write them vp in the same and euery sin serueth to fill vp the accounts Reuel 20 12. He noteth so many oathes as euery day come from our vncleane mouthes our drunkennesse at this time and that place and in that company our whoredomes vncleannesse and wantonnesse our contempt of his word our neglect of this sermon and that sermon on this Sabboth and on such a Sabboth so that wee shall finde when the day of reckoning commeth sins vpon sins and heaps vpon heapes vntill the measure runneth ouer and when wee must goe the way of all flesh they will stand before vs as an huge Sea whereof we can sound no bottome to swallow vs vp For if we must giue an account for euery idle word at the day of iudgment Mat. 12 36 how much more for our blasphemies and vncleane deeds which are without number Which should make vs cry out with the Prophet O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke to direct his steppes Lord correct me but with iudgment not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing Ier. 10 23 24. To conclude howsoeuer God spare long because hee is patient yet if wee grow worse and worse and abuse his patience and run into all ryot and excesse of sinne he will fill vp the viole of his iudgment and powre out his wrath vpon vs to the vtmost This serueth to answere the curiosity and to stop the mouthes of many men who seeing wicked men proceede in sinne and prosper in their wayes are offended and are ready to say Doeth not the Lord see this Or is there no righteousnesse in the Almighty Why doth the way of the wicked prosper and why are they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse Ier. 12 1. God suffereth wicked men a long time because their sinnes are not yet full the measure is not filled vp but waite a while and they shall not goe vnpunished Vse 3 Lastly seeing men giuing themselues ouer to sinne come at the last to bee frozen in the dregges of it it is our duty to resist the beginnings to preuent the breach and to stop the first course of it It is as a serpent that must be trod on in the egge it is as a birth that would be smothered in the conception Let vs take heed that sinne grow not into a custome and get an habit This is it which
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
common to all but peculiar to some It commeth not by inheritance but by grace Parents may leaue vnto their children their houses their lands their substance they may conuey vnto them their inheritance but they cannot conuey vnto them the gifts that accompany saluation Wherefore all parents that are faithfull are to intreate and craue of God the continuance of his couenant toward theyr children and to begge from his hands an holy and sanctified seede to his glory and theyr comfort Verse 14 15. The name of the Israelite thus slaine was Zimri the sonne of Salu and the name of the Midianitish woman that was slaine was Cosbi c. Wee heard before in the fixt verse how Moses hath layde open the shamelesse and impudent behauiour of this beastly adulterer who shamed not to bring the Midianitish harlot into the hoast and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel which were grieued to behold such horrible villany neuerthelesse we see in this place that Moses is not content in a generall manner to describe his wickednesse but singleth him out particularly by his name by his father by his tribe Neyther doth he content himselfe to set downe the Midianitish woman by her nation but calleth her by her name and further openeth the name of her father and her fathers house So then Moses hauing shewed who they were that brought the plague of God vpon the people he now descendeth to marke them out by their proper names and of what calling and profession they were Doctrine It is lawfull sometime to reproue by name From hence we learne that it is sometime lawfull and conuenient to reprooue by name speciall people and particular men that offend in the Church and to record them in writing A particular reproofe of particular offenders sometimes standeth with the word of GOD. So did Eliah deale with Ahab and Iezabel he told him that it was hee and his fathers house that troubled Israel This we see practised by the Prophet Esay against Shebna who being a notable fauourer of euill men and a great hinderer of good things is by name threatned to bee carried away with a great captiuity Esay 22 17. Thus doth Ieremy deale with the false Prophets and other obstinate enemies Ier. 28 12. Likewise our Sauiour Christ denounceth many fearefull woes against the Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites Matth. 23 13. which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men deuoured widows houses vnder a colour of long prayer compassed sea and land to make one of their profession tythed mint and annise and left the waightier matters of the Law as iudgement mercy and fidelity So did Paul withstand Peter to his face because he was to be condemned Gal. 2 11. And when he saw in the Church such as put away faith and a good conscience and made shipwracke of the doctrine of Christ he giueth the Church notice and warning of them saying Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme 1. Tim. 1 20. And in another place hauing to doe with such as cast off the doctrine of godlinesse hee noteth the ring-leaders and principall authors Of this sort is Hymeneus and Philetus which as concerning the truth haue erred from the marke saying that the resurrection is past already and do destroy the faith of certaine 2 Tim. 1 17. In like manner he specifieth Alexander the copper-smith which had done him much harme 2 Tim. 4 14. So the Apostle Iohn warneth the Church of Diotrephes who loued to haue preheminence among them Al which examples of the Prophets of the Apostles of Christ himself do teach that it wil not alwaies be sufficient to reproue the errors and heresies of obstinat sinners but somtimes it is expedient to lay them open by their names and to signifie them to the Church by a particular discouering of them The Reasons of this practise are to be considered Reason 1 First because the Church should haue warning of thē that others might shun them and auoid their company So the Apostle nameth Alexander to prepare Timothy not to trust him It is good to know false bretheren lest they spying our liberty take the greater aduantage against vs. Hence it is that Paul chargeth Timothy to beware of Alexander who had withstood his preaching sore 2 Tim. 4 15. While we are familiarly conuersant with the wicked it will be hard for vs not to bee entangled in their sinnes For how can a man walke among thornes not pricke himselfe or how can a man touch pitch and not be defiled We must flye from such as from a deadly plague We must separate our selues from them lest the like vengeance fal vpon vs also Secondly they must by a speciall note bee made knowne to the Church that they may Reason 2 be degraded and brought to reproch The Apostle vsed this remedy thereby to shutte their mouthes and to stoppe them from speaking euill of almighty GOD and his truth which ought to be precious to vs. This naming of them is to set a marke of infamy vpon thē as if a man were boared in the eare or burned in the hand for a malefactor God will haue them and their wickednesse registred to their perpetual shame in the Church for euer that they should not be of any more credit to infect the good and to draw the weake vnto destruction The vnnaturall sauage dealing of the Amalekites toward their brethren the Israelites is by God expresly commanded to be recorded in a booke to their infamy and confusion The Lord saide vnto Moses Write this for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it to Ioshua for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen Exod. 17 14. So we haue in the Scriptures set forth the vncleannesse of Sodome the hard-heartednesse of Pharaoh the conspiracy of Corah the couetousnesse of Ahab the cruelty of Iezabel the disobedience of Saul the treason of Absolon the treachery of Iudas and other infamous beasts the record of their shame is in perpetuall memory and stinketh vnto this day The like we might say of all bloody persecutors in all ages since Christs time they haue theyr names and facts remembred in the Acts and Monuments of the Church Seeing therefore obstinate enemies must be both shunned shamed in both respects we learne that it is lawfull for the Ministers of God to point out some by name that they may be knowne otherwise the Apostles of Christ would neuer haue done it the Prophets would neuer haue practised it Christ himselfe would neuer haue allowed it Let vs apply this to our selues First it serueth as a bridle to restraine euill men especially all such as bring a publike detriment and hurt to the Church and are the cause of common Vse 1 mischiefes they shall to the shame of theyr persons to the reproch of theyr names to the infamy of their posterities be
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.
vttered with hir lips wherewith she bound her soule of none effect the Lord shall forgiue her 9 But euery vow of a Widdow and of her that is diuorced wherewith they haue bound theyr soules shall stand against her 10 And if she vowed in her husbands house c. 11 And her husband heard it and held his peace c then all her vowes shall stand c. 12 But if her husband haue vtterly made them voide c. 13 Euery vow and euery binding made to humble the soule her husband may establish or her husband may make voide 14 But if her husband altogether holde his peace c then he establisheth her vowes c. 15 But if hee shall any way make them voyde c. 16 These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses betweene a man and his wife and betweene the father and his daughter being young in her fathers house In these wordes Moses proceedeth in the matter of Vowes euen to the end of the chapter concerning the married woman and concerning the widdow The married woman is bound by the Law so long as her husband liueth and cannot vow and if shee vow it is meerely voide and such vowing is pronounced vnlawfull she hath sinned against God her husband howbeit God is mercifull and he will forgiue her From whence we may learn That the Lord is readie to forgiue those that offend But the Widdow that is free and loosed from the law of her husband is at libertie to vow This teacheth that the power and authority of the husband ouer the wife is very great Doctrine The husband hath authority ouer the wife for albeit she bee at liberty to vow in the Lord when her husband is dead yet while hee liueth hee hath power to disanull all her vowes Rom. 7 2. 1 Cor. 7 36. The wife is tied by a strong band and obligation vnto her husband 1 Cor. 14 34. Ester 1 22. This is not I confesse the proper place to handle these duties and therefore I will briefly touch the reasons and the vses The husband is the head of the wife 1 Cor. 11 Reason 1 3. Ephes 5 23 as Christ is the head of the church to rule it to defend it to prouide for it therefore as the Church is in subiection to Christ so ought the wife to be to her husband Againe marke the order and maner of the Creation how it was at the beginning Adam was first formed and then Eue and hee was not deceyued but the woman beeing deceyued was in the transgression and therefore shee ought not to vsurpe authoritie ouer the man but to be in silence and subiection 1 Tim. 2 12 13 14. Thirdly in the Law of creation wee must obserue the preheminence of man which will euidently appeare if wee marke the end of it for man was made to rule the woman to bee ruled for as the man was not of the woman but the woman of the man so the man was not created for the womā but the woman for the man 1 Corinth chap. 11 verses 8 9. Lastly man is the image glory of God wheras the woman is the glory of the man 1 Cor. 11 7. But was not the woman also made in the image of God Obiect and hath not God set the print of his glory vpon her face also I answer Answer the Woman was made in the image of God as well as the man Genesis 1 verse 27. But man was made to this end and purpose the Gods glorie should appeare in his rule and authority on the other side the woman was made that by profession of her obedience shee might the more honor her husband Vse 1 This serueth first for reproofe both of the husband and the wife when they knowe not their places of commanding or obeying the husband losing his honour and the wife vsurping aboue her calling As God in the creation of one made two so in the first institution of marriage hee vnited those two againe into one that the woman ioyned in marriage with her husband might not onely reuerence him as the rocke from whence she was taken but might honor him as her head vnder whom she liueth This order is broken when she wil by no meanes bee in subiection but seeketh to shake off the yoake which God and her calling hath laide vpon her This subiection is made heauier by transgression then it was by the law of creation For that which God made very good satan quickly turned into euill so that the woman instead of an helper became a tempter of the man to sinne and the man instead of a defender became an accuser of the woman to God for sinne Thus satan labored to diuide the house that it might not stand But Christ Iesus our Lord came into the world to destroy and dissolue the workes of the diuell and hath reconciled man and woman with God that now they shold liue together as heires of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3 7. Therefore all women should be content with their places wherof notwithstanding they oftentimes come short and take vpon them to controll their husbands to speake and doe what they list This we see in Vashti mentioned in the booke of Ester when she was commanded by the king to come vnto the feast she disdained and refused to obey and would not come into his presence Ester 1 22 and lest other women should be emboldned by her peruerse example they passed a decree and gaue it the force of a law and a statute and published the same in all the kings Prouinces that Euerie man should beare rule in his own house to wit vnder the same penalty inflicted on the Queene which was to bee diuorced from their husbands Againe it reproueth all husbands that in simplicity are as willing to resigne vp their places as their wiues in impudency are bold to vsurpe them which is as great a shame and reproch to the husband to lose as it is for the woman to challenge it This argueth want of wisedome courage and discretion in the husband and on the other side bewraieth pride selfeloue contempt and disdain in the wife as also forgetfulnesse of her first creation at what time she was made of a bone taken out of his side Gen. 2 21. I say out of his side to bee his companion and therefore as he is not to make her his footstoole to treade vpon her so shee should not make her selfe his head to ouertop him and so treade vpon him Vse 2 Secondly it is the duty of all wiues to acknowledge their duty and to yeeld without striuing the superiour place to their husbāds and to be subiect vnto them without resisting in word and deed This is commended vnto them in the example of Sarah who is set as a glasse before all womens faces to look vpon 1 Pet 3 5 6 to the end that if any obey not the word they may without the word be wonne by the
serpent that was lift vp on the pole but such as were able in particular to looke vpon it and assented and beleeued the promise that they should be cured and restored by it Christ calleth himselfe The liuing bread of which we must eate but what is eating saue an application because whatsoeuer a man eateth or drinketh that he applyeth vnto himselfe and receyueth it to be his so touching faith whatsoeuer a man doth beleeue the same he doth apply vnto himselfe or else it can be no truth fayth but a counterfeyt faith Marke the grounds of this point First true Reason 1 Faith standeth of two parts whereof one is an acte of the vnderstanding the other is an acte of the wil according to the saying of the Apostle Roman chap. 10. verse 10 With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse The mind informeth vs to see and know God and his sonne Christ and the promises made in him the heart seeketh desireth and loueth that which it knoweth which cānot be without a particular application Secondly euery man is commaunded to beleeue Marke chap. 1. verse 15. 1 Iohn chap 5. verse 15. Now it is not enough that we beleeue except wee also make application or else we beleeue no otherwise then the diuels beleeue for euen they beleeue God Christ Iames chap. 2 verse 19. But to make particular application of Christ as to say Christ is mine and I am his and haue remission of sins by his death is more then any or all the diuels in hell can do The Angel that was sent to be the first preacher of the Gospel saide to the shepheards Luke 2. Behold I bring you tydings of great ioy which shall be to all people for vnto you is born this day a Sauiour that is to you that beleeue for except they had beleeued it and applyed it to themselues they could neuer haue conceyued any ioy at all nor receyued any benefite at all by it Thirdly the promises of GOD howsoeuer they are deliuered in generall tearmes yet they are particular also and euerie one is bound to gather a patticular to himself out of the generall As in a Proclamation albeit it bee conceiued and published in generall words yet the matter is that which belongeth to euery one in particular and must be so applied as if his owne name were set downe in it Marke 16 26. Iohn 3 16. The Gospel is as a Princes proclamation offering pardon and forgiuenesse and though the promises of God be generall yet they doe containe a particular because that which is spoken to all beleeuers is spoken vnto euery one that is a beleeuer and that which is spoken to all penitent persons must bee applyed to euery seuerall penitent soule Fourthly God hath ordained the Sacraments in the Church to be the seales of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4 11 and that they should be deliuered particularly to euery man thereby to assure him of grace and mercy in particular When men once come to know that Christ offereth remission of sins by his death by the receiuing of the Sacraments particularly we come to apply Christ and his merits to our selues so that the deliuering of them vnto vs is thus much in effect Thou beleeuest these generall things then draw neere and take this vnto thy farther comfort that thou mayest bee assured that the promises of righteousnesse doe belong vnto thee as if indeede thy name were particularly specified therein All these things being considered it followeth necessarily that the generall knowledge is not sufficient but a particular application is necessary to saluation Vse 1 This serueth for confutation of an errour of the church of Rome denying that a man may particularly beleeue that God is his God or that Christ is his Sauiour or that remission of sinnes belongeth vnto him and why so Forsooth because in the Gospel all runneth in generall and it is not there written that such and such are Gods and shal haue benefite by Christ But where there is a general as for example Whosoeuer beleeueth and repenteth shal be saued there is the particular also If thou beleeue thou shalt be saued and the faithfull by vertue of this do beleeue and are saued by this their application The Apostles said to the Gaoler Acts 16 31 Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ thou shalt be saued and thy house If the Keeper of the prison had replyed Sirs how doe you know that I shall bee saued by Christ Is my name written in the booke of God that I may bee assured it is written in the booke of life Would not they haue told him that his particular name was included in the generall albeit it were not expressed The Papists doe presume to giue absolution vpon confession and yet they do not find any man in the Gospel particularly named When Christ our Sauiour saith Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit they are remitted Iohn 20 23 they are not afraide vpon this generall to giue absolution to particular persons and to tell them that their sins are forgiuen And will not these men be so fauorable to vs as to suffer vs from a generall to infer and gather a particular as well as themselues to wit that when Christ saith Whosoeuer beleeueth in me shall not perish but haue euerlasting life the Minister may speak to the conscience of this or that man particularly Beleeue thou in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt haue eternall life But Bellarmine goeth farther and obiecteth Obiection That this is not a simple promise but conditionall if they repent and beleeue then they may indeede apply these things to themselues and bee assured of them but a man cannot haue any certainty of these things that they do beleeue and repent and therefore they cānot in particular apply them to themselues Answ I answer this is to builde one error vpon another and to dawbe them both with vntempered mortar For wherefore doth the Apostle command euery man to try and examine him selfe whether he be in the faith and haue Christ Iesus dwelling in him 2. Cor 13 if after this proofe hee cannot know what his estate and condition is This is a certaine rule whosoeuer truly beleeueth knoweth that hee beleeueth though no man knoweth it but himself He that is the Lords hath a new name written Reuel 2 17. which no man knoweth sauing he that receiueth it But he which hath receyued it knoweth it as wel as he knoweth he liueth For no man doth know the things of a man saue the spirite of man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth no man saue the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2 11. So then euery man both may and ought to haue assurance of his own saluation and therefore this we beleeue let them teach and write what they will For what if a franticke man should run vp and downe boast that all the wares which come to such a Port or hauen are his shall the Merchant be