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
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
so often as they prophane the Lords Sabbaths that so they might call it a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and learne not to follow their owne pleasures and pastimes nor to speake their owne words therein Verses 7 8. They shall keepe his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation c. Hitherto of the meaning of the words let vs now come to the doctrines arising from hence We see in this diuision that Aaron and his sonnes beeing consecrated to the office of the Priest-hood haue also the Leuites giuen vnto them to helpe them in that holy calling Moses is commanded to present them before Aaron the Priest that they may minister vnto him and all this is done by the authority and appointment of God Moses was a great Prophet to whom God spake face to face like vnto whom arose none before him nor yet after him neuerthelesse he durst not presume to do this vntill hee had receiued commission from God From hence we learne that God hath sole Doctrine authority to ordaine the Officers and the Offices of his Church It belongeâ— to God aâ—â— to appoinâ— Officers and Offices of â— Church No ministery is allowed and approued but that which hath warrant and direction from God We see this in the setting apart of the Tribe of Leui among all the rest to this office Leuit. 8. verse 2. The Lord saide vnto Moses Take Aaron and his sons with him and the garments and the annointing oyle c and Deuter. 18 verse 5. Exod. 29 4. The Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy Tribes to minister in the Name of the Lord him and his sons for euer This truth is noted oftentimes in the new Testament In the conference betweene Iohn Baptist and the Pharisies when he said plainely he was not that Christ nor Elias nor a Prophet they replied Iohn 1 25. If thou bee neyther Christ nor Elias nor of the Prophets why baptizest thou This had beene a weake argument and an vnlearned question if Iohn might haue executed some other function theÌ„ that which was ordinary in the Church and instituted of God Hence it is that the Baptist to establish his speciall calling and extraordinary function alledgeth the word of God Marke 1 verse 1 2.3 I am the voice of one crying in the wildernes Make straight the way of the Lord as saide the Prophet Esaias So that both ordinary and extraordinary offices haue their allowance out of the high Court of heauen When Christ asked the question concerning the baptisme of Iohn whence it was Whether from heauen or of men Math. 21 15 he meant thereby to confirme his ministery In like manner when he was teaching in the Temple the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people came vnto him and said Math. 21 verse 23. By what authority doest thou these things and who gaue thee this authority declaring that no man ought without authority and commission from God to execute any function in the Church so that no man should take this honour vnto him but he that is called of God as Aaron was We see then by the whole practise vnder the law that the Ministers thereof both ordinary and extraordinary had their calling from heauen not from the earth from God not from man And in the new Testament the Apostles had their calling from Christ â—th 10 1. Hee chose them he sent them out to him they gaue an account Hee appointed the seauenty Disciples and sent them two and two before his face into euery City â—k 10 1. Luke 10 verse 1. And when he led captiuity captiue he gaue Pastours and Teachers for the worke of the Ministery Eph. 4 verse 11. When a new Apostle was to be chosen in the roome of Iudas who purchased a field with the reward of iniquity and falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Peter alledgeth vnto the Church the word of God It is written in the booke of Psalmes Let another take his charge or office â—l 109.8 â—s 1 20. Albeit then the callings of the Ministery be executed by men and the Ministers that were to continue in the Church were chosen by men like to themselues yet the Office is of God so that as it was not lawfull to bring in any strange doctrine so it was not lawfull to teach the true doctrine vnder the names and titles of any other function then was instituted by God He that hath set downe the doctrine hath also set downe the Teachers of the doctrine hee that hath appointed what shal be taught hath also appointed who shall teach it and deliuer it to his people This is taught vnto vs by sundry reasons Reason 1 First obserue with me the types that the scripture vseth to expresse this point I will name these three for example the Arke the Tabernacle and the Temple The Arke was a liuely figure of the Church all that were out of it were drowned in the waters God leaueth nothing to mans wisedome or pollicy though neuer so wise or righteous but he appointeth to Noah the matter and forme the length and breadth and height of the Arke the wood and seuerall sorts of it Gen. 6 14 and as GOD would haue it builded so he appointeth the builder In the worke of the Tabernacle the Church is more expresly shewed â—xod 31 3. God stirred vp the spirits of those that should bee the workmen and left nothing to the will of Moses but set downe the pinnes the snuffers the boards the barres the hangings and the vessels all was finished according to the patterne that hee had seene in the mount where he talked with God Exod. 39 42. Heb. 8 5. Likewise touching the Temple which came neerer to the times of Christ Salomon was appointed to build an house to God who did nothing in it Chr. 24 19. Chr. 29 25. either touching the building of it or the vessels in it or the beauty of it but according to the forme and fashion that was enioyned him Againe the titles whereby the Ministers Reason 2 are called and the names whereby they are named doe enforce the acknowledgement of this truth they are called sometimes the seruants of God sometimes the builders of his house sometimes the sowers of his ground sometimes the watchmen of his City sometimes the Captaines of his host sometimes the Shepheards of his flocke and sometimes the Stewards of his family Shall the seruant attempt any thing of his owne head and exercise dominion without the appointment or contrary to the appointment of his master It is noted to the commendation of Moses that he was faithfull in al his house as a seruant to him that appointed him Heb. 3 5. The Ministers are builders and the people are Gods building 1 Corinth 3 9. It is in God therefore to make choise of the builders and to lay the whole plot before them They are the seedmen
had ouercome his enemies now he might ouercome himselfe and his owne affections Cicero orati pro Marcel which was a greater and nobler victory then the former Thus he sheweth himselfe religious toward God as well as righteous toward men The like we see in the Law set downe by an expresse commandement Exod. 22.10 11. If a man deliuer vnto his neighbour an asse or an oxe or a sheepe or any beast to keepe and it die or be hurt Deut. 21.8 or driuen away no man seeing it then shall an oath of the Lord bee betweene them both that hee hath not put his hand vnto his neighbours goods and the owner of it shall accept thereof and he shall not make it good This precept directeth when and in what cases to take an oath to wit when the matter is doubtfull and cannot otherwise be decided forasmuch as the owner of the goods is charged to rest therein and to acknowledge himselfe well satisfied This we see farther in the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1.21 I call God for a record vpon my soule that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth He did not breake out into this swearing of an ordinary custome but the glory of God and the saluation of that Church required it in which cases we are allowed and warranted to vse it and not otherwise Reason 1 The reasons will better confirme this vnto vs then bare testimonies taken out of the Scriptures which neuerthelesse out to be sufficient where no farther proofe is vsed First God will not hold him guiltlesse that abuseth his Name negligently or vnnecessarily He will surely punish them that sweare vainely This penalty or punishment is annexed to the commandement Exod. 20. The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine It is an heynous sinne albeit it bee thought light before men and then the iudgement also shall be heauy that hangeth ouer their heads that transgresse this Law The free forgiuenesse of sinnes is the fountaine of all happines both present and to come Psal 32.1.2 for the man is blessed whose sinnes are forgiuen and whose iniquity is couered blessed is that man to whom God will impute no wickednesse and therfore we must needs be in continuall misery so long as our sinnes are retained This is a fearefull thunderbolt to afright vs from the prophaning of his Name he will honour those that honour him but such as despise him shall come to destruction Secondly the end of practising an oath is Reason 2 to decide strifes and to determine controuersies which disturbe peace and hinder Christian charity It cannot be but offences will come and many occasions of quarrels and contentions about matters of this life arise daily betweene man and man which could not conueniently be taken vp except we had the lawfull vse of an oath to confirme some necessary truth as when it serueth to manifest the glory of God or to cleere the good name of our brother or to obey the commandement of the Magistrate or to maintaine our owne credit This is set downe Heb. 6.16 Men verily sweare by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife I call that a necessary trueth when a doubtfull cause called into question cannot be decided without an oath as we see the practise Rom. 1.9 God is my witnesse whom I serue with my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne that without ceassing I make meÌ„tion of you alwayes in my prayers It was necessary for the furtherance of the saluation of the Romanes that they should be perswaded of the Apostles affection toward them but the testimony of men failed to prooue this trueth and therfore he was driuen to take vp an oath and to appeale vnto God This is also at large deliuered by Salomon in that prayer which hee made at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.31 If any man trespasse against his neighbour and an oath be laid vpon him to cause him to sweare and the oath come before thine altar in this house then heare thou in heauen and doe and iudge thy seruants condemning the wicked to bring his way vpon his head and iustifying the righteous to giue him according to his righteousnesse Thus we see the constant and continuall vse of an oth among Gods people in matters of weight and importance in their most serious and substantiall affaires Thirdly the Name of God is most fearefull Reason 3 in praises glorious in holinesse great in might and doing wonders and therefore it ought not commonly to runne in our mouthes without necessary cause This is vrged by the wise man Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to vtter any thing before God for God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therefore let thy words be few And the Lord saith Deut. 28.58 Iudg. â— If thou wilt not obserue to doe all the words of this Law that are written in this booke that thou mayest feare this glorious and fearefull Name The Lord thy God he will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed c. If then the Name of God be great and glorious it is not commonly to be vsed of vs to be turned in our tongues and to be trodden vpon with our feet Vse 1 Now let vs consider what vses may be made of this vnto vs. It reprooueth sundry abuses corruptions both in opinion and practise in iudgement and in life As first of all the Anabaptists a proud and fantasticall crue of cursed and damnable hereticks that trouble heauen and earth ouerthrow Church and Common-wealth destroy Magistracy and Ministery disanull the word and Sacraments and make religion to be no better then a doctrine of liberty These teach that it is vnlawfull to sweare at all either in priuate vse or in place of iudgement This is to runne into another extremity and to faile as much in the defect as other doe in the excesse For albeit all swearing be not lawfull yet it followeth not that all swearing is vnlawfull But to abolish all manner of swearing and all vse of an oath because some abuse it and vse it vainly â—r in vita â—g is like vnto him who to take away drunkennesse abolished the vines and would not suffer any to grow in his common-wealth or as if a man would suffer no corne to grow because some will surfet with it There is no good thing but hath beene or may be abused The doctrine that is according to godlinesse is many wayes abused When Paul magnified the mercies of God in his sonne Christ so that where sinne abounded â— 5.20 grace abounded much more men of euill spirits arose that abused this to carnall liberty and turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and wrested the Scriptures to their owne perdition sect 1 The obiections of these heretikes are not many but somewhat they alleadge for themselues First they obiect the commandement
fully and freely attend and intend the learning of the Law and giue themselues to the contemplation and consideration of the workes and wayes of God and of godlinesse separated and sequestred themselues for a time wholly from the company and conuersation of men resigning vp themselues into the hands of God and seeking to cut off all occasions whatsoeuer that might quench their zeale and hinder their deuotion Secondly the publike sanctification of the whole Church whereof God is the authour Moses the teacher and the interpreter This is the summe of this Chapter Touching the former point handled in the 21. first verses which is concerning the vow of the Nazarites before we come to the matter it selfe it shall not be amisse for the farther declaration and demonstration thereof to remooue two doubts that stand in the way arising the one from the diuers acceptation of the word the other from the distinction of the seuerall kindes of this vow Touching the seuerall significations of the word The word Nazarite is diuersly taken lest we be deceiued by the ignorance thereof we must vnderstand that there are foure acceptations of it distinct the one from the other Some are called Nazarites some Nazarens others Nasarites which words because they are oftentimes by diuers confounded as if they were all one and the same it is needfull to haue them distinguished aright the one from the other The Nazarites of whom wee haue mention in this place haue their name of separation and are written by the letter Zain Iunij paral lib. 1. c. 8. Analys in Numer these by obseruation of certaine ceremonies of which we shall speake more particularly afterward dedicated themselues vnto God in a more holy manner then the common sort The second sort called Nazarens or Nazarites are distinguished from the former and written with the letter Tsadi and so to be called Natsarites or Natsarens so named of the word Netzer which is oftentimes vsed by the Prophets and signifieth properly a branch growing out of the roots of trees frō whence the Syriack word Notzera or Notzerath or Natzerath is deriued and thereof commeth the name of the City or Village of Nazareth in Galilee Danaeus comment in August de haeres because it was situate in a place planted with store of trees and flowers as Danaeus testifieth out of Bernard Now Christ our Sauiour being conceiued and brought vp in this place is in the New Testament called a Nazarene Matthew chap. 2. verse 23. and Iesus of Nazareth Ioh. 19.19 Act. 2.22 and 3. 6. Matth. 26.76.71 Mar. 1.24 and 10.47 and 14.67 and 16.6 Luk. 4.34 18.37 24.19 Act. 4.10 and 16.14 and 10-38 and 22.8 and 26.9 From hence also the disciples of Christ were first called Nazarites but afterward they were called Christians Acts 11.26 at Antioch which professed the faith of Christ and the doctrine of the Gospel The third kind of Nazarites differeth from both the former both in the originall of the word and in wanting warrant from the authority of the Scriptures For they are otherwise written thē the other were to wit with the letter S and are deriued from the Syriack word Nesar which signifieth to cut off or to abolish because they helde that the bookes of Moses and the Prophets howsoeuer they carried their names were fained and counterfeit things and withall maintained it to be vnlawfull to kill any liuing thing Epiphan lib. 1. haeres 18. or to eate of the flesh of any creature wherein the spirit of life had bin and consequently condemned the bloody sacrifices prescribed in the Law The fourth and last sort of those whom Eusebius remembreth among the Ebionites Euseb lib. 6. histor Ecclesi cap. 17. howbeit others reckon and range them among other heretiks did after a sort beleeue in Christ and acknowledged him to be the promised Messiah for as the former sort were Iewes so these would bee accounted Christians D. Field of the Church lib 5. cap. 7. howbeit they taught that the ceremonies of the law of Moses were necessary to saluation and thereby did couertly and cunningly ouerthrow the liberty of the Gospel againe they boasted of their false miracles and priuate reuelations as the Anabaptists doe in these last dayes Now as Christ our Sauiour was commonly called Iesus of Nazareth so to be called Nazarites after his name as Christians of Christ was at the first receiued as a name of praise and commendation howsoeuer the vnbeleeuing Iewes and Gentiles vsed or rather abused it as appeareth Acts 24.5 Where Tertullus the declayming Oratour accuseth Paul to be a ring leader of the sect of the Nazarens and therefore these heretikes gloryed and boasted in that name as in a name and note of honor as the fittest which they found as with a veile to hide and with a cloude to couer the poison and pestilence of their damnable sect who vnder the colour of the Christian religion did indeed decline and depart from the true doctrine of Christ Luk. 1.26 Thus much of the names of the Nazarites the first whereof is of such as are mentioned in the old Testament the second of such as are expressed in the new so named of Nazareth a City of Galilee the third of those that altogether abrogated and abolished the old Testament the fourth of such as taught that Christians were bound to obserue the ceremonies of Moses These two last haue no footesteps in the Scriptures but they are found in Ecclesiasticall histories Hauing thus opened the name let vs consider the seueral kinds of these Nazarites mentioned in the first place They are of two sorts Two kinds 〈◊〉 Nazarites first such as were Nazarites by commandement secondly such as were Nazarites by vow Now both these kinds were such among the Iewes as were separated from the rest of the people to a more strict and pure course of seruing God then others were of which the Prophet speaketh in the Lamentations chap. 4.7 Her Nazarites were more pure then snow they were whiter then milke they were more ruddy in bodie then rubies their polishing was of Saphir By commandement were such as God from the beginning did extraordinarily call to that solemne profession of a special holinesse These were perpetuall Nazarites whose separation from the common sort by a stricter kinde of life continued all the dayes of their life Of this sort we haue sundry examples some in the old Testament and some in the New In the Old we haue first the example of Sampson then of Samuel and afterward the Rechabites Concerning Sampson we reade that the Angel of God appeared to the wife of Manoah his mother Iudg. 13 3◠and 16.17 and said to her Behold now thou art barren but thou shalt conceiue and beare a son and now drinke no wine nor strong drinke neither eate any vncleane thing for the childe shall be a Nazarite to God from the wombe vnto the day of his death and afterward
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
do the sparkes flye out are scattered abroad to the shame and confusion of their owne faces This is it which the Prophet noteth in the people of Israel whom God of his mercy had chosen to be his Church aboue other Nations When the wrath of God came euen vpon them and slew the strongest of them and smote downe the chosen men of Israel then they returned to him and sought him early then they remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer but they flattered him with their lips and dissembled with him with their tongue for their heart was not vpright with him neither were they faithfull in his couenat Psal 78 31 34 35 36. Where we see that howsoeuer hypocrisy were in their secret soules and deepe dissimulation in their secret parts yet a counterfet repentance is in their mouthes their owne harts had taught their tongues to lye against God Secondly they would be like the children Reason 2 of God in their afflictions whom they regard not to follow in their conuersations They hate them with a deadly hatred and cannot abide them in their life so long as themselues liue in peace and sleepe in security but when the hand of God is heauy vpon them theÌ„ they would follow their example and would giue a world that they were like vnto them That they might die the death of the righteous Numb 23 10. yet is their confession no true confession because it proceedeth not from a feeling of the filthinesse of sinne but ariseth from a feare of punishment and therefore it is without conuersion to God without hope of mercy without prayer for pardon without hatred of sinne and without purpose to amend The vses of this doctrine are these First Vse 1 this ouerthroweth the doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that confession is a part of true repentance which is a turning of the heart and a right reformation of the life For they make three parts of repentance contâ—ition of the heatt confession of the tongue satisfaction of the worke But these are not to be holden of vs as essentiall parts of a right repentance inasmuch as they may agree to the Reprobate and vnregenerate and are all of them found in Iudas that betrayed his Master Math. 27 34. For when he saw that Christ was condemned he sorrowed was striken with greefe for the treachery hee had committed againe he confessed his sinne before the high Priests in betraying innocent blood Lastly he made satisfaction and restitution of the mony which he had receiued Besides if wee marke their owne doctrine Catech. Rom. pag. 437. Tho. Aquin lib. 4. dist 2. quaest 1. art 1. who teach that contrition is an act of a mans free will proceeding from it not an act of the Holy-Ghost and that satisfaction may bee performed by another one satisfying for another as well as for himselfe Ioh. Chapeauil summ Catech. Rom. we may truely and soundly conclude from their false and vnsound doctrine that the reprobate may haue sorow of heart yea make confession and satisfaction and consequently their confession is no true member of repentance This therefore cannot be the true Religion which faileth and faultereth in the chiefe points and foundations thereof The like wee might say of the faith of the Romane Church which a reprobate may attaine For they define it to be a gift of God and a certaine light of the minde whereby a man giueth a sure and a certain assent to those things that are reuealed in the Word of God Rhe. Testam vpon 2 Cor. 13. And therefore our English Rhemists write that we may know and feele whether we haue faith but cannot know whether we be in the state of grace So Bellarmine in his first booke of Iustification auoucheth that whereas wee are taught in the Creed to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Bellar. de Iustif lib. 1. ca. 9. Sensus illius articuli non est credo aut confido mihi remissa esse peccata sed credo confiâ—cor in Ecclesia Catholica esse donum remissionâ—s peccatorum c. Iam. 2.19 Heb. 6.5 Luke 8 13. The meaning of that Article is not I beleeue or trust that my sins are forgiuen but I beleeue and confesse that the gift of forgiuing sins is found in the Catholike Church which is receiued by Baptisme and other Sacraments All this is but an historicall and generall faith which the diuell himselfe hath who beleeueth and trembleth as the Apostle teacheth and therefore also the reprobates whose mindes are so far enlightened to know the truth This is to beleeue as the Church beleeueth albeit they know nothing how the Church beleeueth If then the reprobate may be made partakers of the faith and repentance of the Church of Rome Acts 20 20.21 which are the two chiefe parts of Religion it confuteth those Polititians wise in their owne eyes who neither shame nor feare to maintaine that the Romish Religion differeth not in substance from the doctrine of the reformed Churches and consequently that they may be vnited reconciled If they can make a fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnes a communion betweene light and darknesse concord betweene Christ and Belial then they may make an harmony and hotch-potch betweene these two so contrary the one to the other But they shall assoone bring the North and South pole together and cause heauen earth to ioyne in one as these two the one grounded vpon the infallible rock of the Scriptures onely the other builded vpon the traditions of their fathers Vse 2 Secondly we must learne that they are further from the Kingdome of heauen that deny their sinne that hide it that excuse and iustifie it the reprobate shall rise vp in iudgment and condemne this generation It is one steppe toward the Kingdome of Heauen to tremble at the iudgements of God to feare to commit sin to sorrow and weep for it when a man hath committed it to humble himself and acknowledge his particular sinnes before mens and to pray to God in his distresses yet the reprobate may goe thus farre in his profession and afterward fall away This we see in Ahab when Eliah had reproued him for his bloody oppression and Idolatry and had denounced the wrath of God to fall vpon him and his posterity 1 Kings 2â— 29. He rent his cloathes put on sackcloath vpon him fasted and went softly in token of mourning Thus he humbled himselfe for some sinnes which hee had committed yet not for all his sinnes neither did he aske pardon for them So the Israelites murmuring against God desiring flesh for their lusts in the wildernesse had their prayers granted Numb 11 If then the vngodly may goe thus farre in Religion then they are heereby condemned that iustifie themselues in their iniquities and cannot bee brought to a free confession of them but hide them as Adam Gen. 3 2â— or excuse
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
in the house of God but good faithfull seruants b Hebru 3 5. such as Moses was in all his house shal continue in the house Lastly it is no sound consequent to conclude that the seruant is not to be heard because the Master is rather to be heard neither is this to equall or prefer the seruant before the Master to heare the seruant beare witnesse of his Master For we are taught that he heareth the Lord that heareth the seruant as the Ambassador of his lord The Title of this Booke Hitherto of the Authour and writer of this booke now let vs come to consider the second point which is the Title or inscription being called the book of Numbers The Hebrues haue a threefold maner which they vse in the entituling of bookes For their custom is to call name the bookes either of the first words in the booke as the fiue books of Moses and the Lamentations or of the authors and persons spoken of in them as the Prophets as Iob Samuel Ruth Ezra Ester Nehâ—miâ—h or els of the matter and principall part handled as the Kings the Chroniâ—lâ—s and such like The Iewes call this booke by two names the first by the first word where-with it beginneth Vaiedabber that is and he spake The second Bemidbar that is in the wildernâ—sse either because this word is also vsed in the beginning of this book or else because herein are expounded and expressed such things as were done dispatched in the wildernesse the space of more then 35. yeares The Grecians and Latines whom wee in English follow doe call it The booke of Numbers by reason of the often numbering that is vsed in it aboue other bookes For as the c first booke of Moses is called Genesis The reasons of the names of the bookes of Moses because it containeth the creation of the world and the generation of the first Fathers and as the second is called Exodus that is a departure because the first part thereof is spent in shewing the going of Israel out of Aegypt wherein they were helde in bondage and as the next is named Leuiticus of the Tribe of Leui because it setteth foorth the Office and function of the Priests and Leuites together with the Sacrifices and Ceremonies belonging thereunto their Feasts and solemnities the purifications and differences betweene cleane and vncleane beasts so doth this booke beare the Title of Numbers because beside the Historie of the peregrinations and murmuringes of the people he numbreth them vp particularly vnder seuerall Regiments and rangeth them in order for their better proceeding and trauailing in their iourneyes in the Wildernesse The Reasons why this Booke hath this name aboue all other are these First Causes why this Booke is called Numbers beecause there is comprized heerein a double numbering of the people One in the Desart of Sinai which is described in this Chapter the other in the Plaine of Moab ouer against Iordan mentioned in the twenty sixth chapter of this Booke Secondly by reason of the numbering of the Leuites who were consecrated to the Office of the Priest-hoode and separated for the Ministery of the Tabernacle which is reckoned vp in the fourth chapter Thirdly the Booke may haue this Title in regard of numbering vppe particularly the gifts and Offerings which the Princes of the Tribes at the consecrating of the Tabernacle and the Altar offered of which we reade a large rehearsall in the 7. chapter Last of all for the enumeration and numbering vp of the 42. places of abode where the children of Israel pitched their Tents after they wer come out of Egypt described from iourney to iourny in the 33. chapter Thus we see the causes rendred wherefore this booke hath the inscription of Numbers giuen vnto it Let vs see what vses may be gathered from Vse 1 this Title which is made peculiar and proper to this booke First we learne that the holy Scriptures of God giuen by inspiration are distinctly to be retained in the Church without mixture and confusion For to what end and purpose are the titles giuen but for difference distinction sake to know the one from the other Thus is this booke by this Title discerned from euery other booke of the old new Testament The Church must haue a speciall care of this point seeing the Scriptures d Rom. 3 2 are committed as a Treasure to their trust therefore it is required of them that they be found faithfull and answere the credite that is reposed in them The Church of the Iewes was careful in this point did not content themselues to preserue the Scriptures whole entire but retained them seuerally and distinctly that one booke might be known from the other If a body had all his parts without addition a Hor de aâ—t poet of any strange member or detraction of any that is naturall yet if the partes were hudled and confounded together that the arme did grow out of the legge and the legges bee wrapped about the necke and no limbe remaine distinct from the other but all shuffled together it were a deformed mishapen body and no member could performe his office â—f all parts of the world were so confounded that the Elements were hudled in one rude lumpe or vndigested Chaos that fire were iumbled together with the earth and the aire with water what place were there for anie creature Or what profit could these elements yeeld In like manner if the whole volume of the Scriptures which is as a bodye consisting of many distinct members were put into one confused heape albeit no part were lost yet the comelinesse and profit and beauty of them were taken away For the body b 1 Cor. 12 4.9 20. is not one member but many for if they were al but one member where were the body but now there are many members yet but one bodye So the Scripture is not one booke or one part but it hath many bookes and sundry parts to make it a perfect and a complete body and all must remaine in their proper place that they may be knowne one from another This appeareth by the words of Christ conferring with the Disciples going to Emaus and expounding vnto them the doctrine of the Gospell more perfectly c Luke 24 44 when he saide vnto them These are the words which I spake vnto you while I was with you that all must bee fulfilâ—ed which are written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Whereby wee see he diuideth the Scriptures into three partes the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes so that they were distinguished one from another so that the old Testament is diuided into three parts This is farther confirmed vnto vs in the Sermon of Paul preached at Antiochâ—a where he saith d Acts 13 33. God hath fulfilled the promise made vnto the Fathers vnto vs their children in that he raised vp
partakers of them The Apostle speaking of the word of God in his Epistle to the Galatians declareth that by the preaching thereof Christ Iesus was so cleerely set foorth Gal. 3 1. that he was as it were crucified among them much more may this bee saide of the Supper of the Lord which is a most liuely remembrance of his death and of the shedding of his most pure and precious blood This vse hath many branches First we must thinke our selues fooles in the matters of God that wee may bee made wise such as thinke themselues wise do thereby professe themselues to be no better then fooles 1 Cor. 3 18. Secondly to account God onely wise yea wisedome it selfe as the wise man saith Prou. 9 1. Wisedome hath built her an house Thirdly adde nothing to the word of the Lord which were to make our selues wiser then God and to shew our selues to bee worse then madde men We must not turne aside to the right hand or to the left Deut. 5 32. Deut. 5 32. and 28 14. nor decline from any of the words which hee hath commanded vs Deut. 28 14. for that were to wrastle against the Lord who is too strong for vs his will must stand vpright when our will shall be ouerthrowne and cast downe to the ground Lastly we must thinke nothing small or little in Gods seruice He tooke order for the least things in the Tabernacle and left them not arbitrary A little thing done amisse bringeth all out of square in the worldly affaires of men and so it is with Gods matters In the businesse that concerneth our selues wherein we take our selues to bee any way interessed we account nothing little if we be iniuried or wronged therein we take it to heart we cannot abide it we storme against theÌ„ that crosse vs. And shall we thinke God is carelesse what becommeth of his seruice and consequently of his glory Woe vnto vs if we iudge so of honouring him Vse 2 Secondly this serueth seeing all worship of God ought to be guided by his word and directed by his commandement not by the priuate wils of men to reproue the wonderfull pride of men in al ages who haue alwaies presumed to adde somewhat of their owne to the ordinance of God in his worship and accounted it too grosse simplicity to cleaue to the bare and naked word so haue made a mixture of his religion with our owne inuention as it were to sowe our field with diuers seeds The Scribes and Pharisies added the traditions of their fathers as washings of cups of beds and of tables â—ark 7 3. yea they so abounded in them that they made the Commandements of God of none effect thinking it great reason they should giue place to their deuices The Papists haue added to the word of God apochryphall bookes many vnwritten verites the decrees and decretals the inuentions of their Popes which they hold in as great reuerence as the holy Scriptures They haue added vnto the two Sacraments instituted by Christ fiue other to make the number amount to seuen To baptisme they haue added exorcismes spittle salt creame and other such like trash and trumpery To the Supper they haue added Transubstantiation the reall presence the merit of the worke the Masse propitiatory for the quicke and dead crossings creepings eleuation reseruation preseruation by sea and land in warres and in iournies To the Ministery of Pastours Teachers they haue added an idle rabble of Pope Cardinals Abbots Monkes Fryers Iesuites Votaries Nunnes Acolytes Exorcistes a multitude of drones as croking frogs arising out of the bottomlesse pit To praier and pure inuocation of the Name of GOD they haue added praiers to Saints praiers in a strange tongue praiers before Images and in their Idol Temples praiers said by tale and numbred or rather mumbled vpon their beades their canonicall houres and such like superstitions partly idolatrous and partly heathenish and partly blasphemous Thus they haue corrupted Gods worship and defiled whatsoeuer they touch and turned his truth into a lye It is reported of Gregory Bishop of Rome the best of all those that followed but the worst of theÌ„ that went before him that in a most greeuous and contagious plague he inuented and appointed sundry superstitions and supplications directed to Saints set downe in the Letany Babing on Leuit 10. not 1. hauing neither commandement nor example nor any warrant in the word but God so reuenged this boldnesse and presumption that in one houre fourescore of those that so praied and rehearsed those suffrages suddenly fell to the earth and breathed out their last breath Thus God disliketh and disclaimeth the deuices of men in his seruice God disliketh the deuises of men in his seruice Col. 2 23. Of all which practises which are no better then meere dotages the Apostle saith They haue a shew of wisedome in will-worship but they bring a bondage to the rudiments of the world froÌ„ which Christ hath freed vs and therefore ought not to be entangled by them being after the commandements and doctrines of men The heathen knew by the light of nature that euery God must needs bee serued according to his owne will and not according to the will of them that are their worshippers All voluntary worship is vtterly condemned Vatabl. annot in Deut. 4. and GOD tieth vs strictly to his word without adding or diminishing Our good intents cannot preuaile with him when the thing we doe is not warranted vnto vs. Hence it is that the Lord saith not You shall not do euill in your owne eyes but Thou shalt not do that which seemeth good in your owne eyes they must keepe them precisely to his commandements There is a way saith Salomon which seemeth right vnto a man Prou. 14 12. but the issues thereof are the waies of death Wherefore let our conceite be neuer so good yet it profiteth nothing beeing not grounded vpon the word but vpon mans wit Our Sauiour foretelling the troubles that shall come vpon the people of God that professe his Name saith They shall excommunicate you yea the time commeth Iohn 16 2. That whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice They imagine they do good in such persecutions as no doubt it fell out in Paul before his conuersion What then Shall their good intent excuse their euil actions and go for current paiment with God No in no wise because hee measureth not our dooings by our purposes but by his owne precepts When Peter bad Christ his Maister to pitty and spare himselfe Mat. 16 22. and the Disciples forbad little children to come vnto Christ Mark 10 13. Lu. 9 54 55. and at another time would haue commanded fire to come downe from heauen to consume the Samaritans did they not offend or can any defend them because they had no euill intent Why then is Peter called Satan and bidden to come behind And why are the Disciples reproued
I may protest indeed that whatsoeuer I speake is from God and haue drawne and deriued it from him Secondly it is our duty to ayme at his glory that hath called vs. We must not sit downe in Moses chaire to preach our selues and to get credit to our owne names if we make this the end of our preaching it cannot be but we shal prophane the holy word of God and disguise it one way or other The Apostle regarded little to be iudged of men 1 Cor. 4.3 and esteemed nothing the vaine applause of the world but preached Christ among them and him crucified Hence it is that our Sauiour saith How can ye beleeue which receiue honour one of another Ioh. 5.44 and seeke not the honour that commeth from God onely It is a note of a true teacher to seeke his glory that sent him as contrariwise it is the note of a false teacher if any in deliuering his doctrine seeke himselfe rather then God This is the difference betweene a true and false teacher as Christ sheweth at large Ioh. 7.17 18. If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my selfe he that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him That is true doctrine that giueth glory to God and they are true teachers that seeke to set it forth onely Let vs consider of this a little farther If any be desirous to know whether any doctrine be true and haue God the Author of it let him labour to find it by this note The doctrine of predestination hath beene taught diuersly one way that it is of foreseene works another of the purpose of God according to election Ro. 9.11 If any desire to know whether of these two opinions is the truer let him examine them both by this rule and try them by this touch-stone which of them doth best serue to set forth the glory of God Not that which imputeth our predestination to our selues and our owne workes but the other which ascribeth all to his good pleasure who hath elected vs to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephe. 1.6 The like we might say of iustification and saluation of the elect touching which are diffrent doctrines deliuered Some teach that we are iustified by faith alone that is by Christs satisfaction apprehended and applyed by faith others that we are iustified by mens merits and not by Christs obedience alone These two opinions are cleane contrary and cannot agree together if one of them be true the other is false Now by this we shall be made able to iudge marke whether of them giueth God the glory alone They that set vp mans merits and deserts and make him to haue power to work out his own saluation doe giue the glory to man and so robbe God of his honour and glory and therfore they cannot teach the trueth But they that impute iustification to Christs righteousnesse who is our merite doe commend his grace and mercy alone and therefore they teach that doctrine which is of God If this course were wel noted and obserued it would shake in peeces many articles in controuersie betweene the Church of Rome and vs. We should not haue occasion to dispute so often and to reason with them touching mans free-will indulgences pardons intercession of Saints and such like points which leade away our mindes from God and his glory from the Creator to the Creature Let all the Ministers of God therefore proue themselues and their teaching by his note let them set his glory before their eyes according to the example of Christ their Master Ioh. 8.50 I seeke not mine owne glory there is one that seeketh and iudgeth Thirdly it belongeth to the Ministers duty to come well prepared and prouided as a wise Scribe taught to the kingdome of heauen bringing forth out of his treasure things both old and new Matth. 13.52 The Ministers must come with good aduisement and premeditation and so handle the word with feare and reuerence There is no man that is sent on an embassage but will thinke before hand what to say much more is required and ought to be practised of the messengers of God They must eate the roule of Gods booke Ezek. 2.1 Esay 6.7 and haue their tongue touched with a coale from the Altar They must not vtter whatsoeuer commeth into their mind but that they haue before well chewed and digested He that speaketh suddenly shall neuer speake profitably but presumeth too farre vpon his owne gifts regardeth not as he ought the good or the people and cannot haue that comfort to himselfe which were expedient Fourthly they must regard not onely the matter which they handle but the manner of handling Some are so negligent and carelesse in deliuering the word that they regard not what wordes they vse and so let slip from them such homely phrases as it were kitchin-stuffe that it bringeth the Minister and his ministery and the word it selfe into contempt It is noted of Christ that there proceeded gracious words out of his mouth Luke 4.22 according to the saying of the Prophet Grace is powred into thy lippes Psal 45.2 Let vs so speake the word of God both for matter and manner as it ought to be spoken and as we are perswaded Christ and his Apostles would haue spoken it if they had deliuered it to the people Our ordinary talke and communication should be as it were seasoned with salt and minister grace to the hearers how much more therefore when the word of God is in our mouthes and vttered by vs If we set this as a rule and caution before our eies it wil serue as all-sufficient to informe vs and make the word reuerent in our mouthes Some take vpon them to reprooue sinne but it is in such a foolish manner in such a iesting veine and after such a scoffing fashion that they rather perswade to sinne then disswade from sinne and bring the people in loue with it rather then out of the loue of it Therefore let this bee another rule added to the former that no man must gird and glance at sinne to shew forth his owne witte and to magnifie himselfe to be accounted and esteemed that way Rather let vs pierce the very heart of it with the two edged sword of Gods word â—4 12 and strike downeright blowes at it with the hammer of Gods word â— 29 that so it may be broken in peeces Sinne is growne to a great head it is not to be dallied withall He that playeth with a serpent may happely bee stung of it before he be aware Fiftly it is required of the Minister to speake to the people with vnderstanding We must not flie aloft aboue the reach and capacity of those to whom we speake and consider not so much what is lawfull for vs to deliuer but
all the water in the riuer Iordan or in the wide sea is not able to cleere him and acquit him of putting the Lord of life to death Now if we desire to know how wee may be accessaries to other mens sinnes and draw them as it were with cart-ropes vpon our selues it may be considered of vs in those few words Iussio consilium consensus palpo recursus Participans mutus non obstans non manifestans Whosoeuer is any cause of any vniust dealing is bound to restore such are they that command or counsell or consent to euill such as flatter any in their euill by commending them for it such as are abetters to them receiuing aiding helping and assisting them such as are companions of them and take part with them he that is dumbe and holdeth his peace as if he neither saw nor heard any euill committed albeit he see it with his eyes and heare it with his eares he that suffereth it to be done and doth not hinder it and withstand it being able to doe it Lastly such as seeke shifts and shelters by all meanes to couer euill and doe not disclose the same when they are priuy to it For he that hideth it doth shew therby that he fauoreth it and furthereth it so farre as he can By all these waies we are made partakers of other mens sinnes and not onely doth he trespasse and offend which executeth and practiseth any sinnes but he that is by any of the former meanes a cause or occasion of them Notwithanding among these there is some difference For flattery and counsell praising them that doe euil and counselling them to doe euill doe not alwayes oblige and bind to restitution but then only when it appeareth euidently that vniust dealing hath proceeded chiefly or onely from these causes where he that is principall in the action is principally bound to restitution to wit he that requireth cōmandeth then he that executeth it And concerning the rest to wit such as doe not bewray or not hinder or not reproue a theefe that stealeth are not alwaies bound to restore but then onely when an absolute necessity lyeth vpon them and no great danger follows by this negligence default Lastly it remaineth to shew this doubt whether a mā be boūd to restore by by or whether he may put off and delay the discharge of this duty No man is to delay restitution but by consent Euery one is charged necessarily to hasten restitution so soone as he is able and conueniently may do it God loueth a cheerefull giuer and restorer whereas delay in any good duty argueth an vnwilling minde It sheweth that we are not throughly resolued to do it It maketh vs euery day more vnfit then other It manifesteth that we are more then halfe willing to keepe it by vs still He that hath hired a poore seruant to doe his worke must giue him his hire before the Sunne goe downe Deut. 24 13. And as it is a sinne against iustice to take away another mans goods so it is likewise to deteine it with vs because the owner thereby is hindred from the vse thereof and so a double iniury is done vnto him but no man is allowed to stay any time though it be short in sinne Neuerthelesse if a man be not able to make present restitution he is to craue pardon and desire respit of him whom he hath wronged but without his consent that is damnified he hath no liberty to keepe euill gotten goods that is of ability to make restitution The counsell that Salomon giueth to the man that hath this worlds goods that he must giue speedily and not bid his neighbour come againe vnto him Prou. 3 28. if he haue at the present for him it must also serue as a good direction to him that hath gotten and ingrossed into his owne hands other mens goods he must not say I will restore them to morrow if he be able to do it to day If we be carefull to practise these things which now haue beene rehearsed we shall finde much comfort in them and assure our owne hearts that we haue truely repented of our sinnes Verse 8. If the man haue no kinseman to recompence the trespasse vnto let the trespasse bee recompenced vnto the Lord euen to the Priest In these words we haue an amplification of the former law by way of preuenting an obiection of which we haue spoken before or rather of many obiections together couched as it were vpon an heape For it may be asked What if the party be dead and gone from whom we haue taken The answer is Restore to his childe What then if he haue no child Restore to his brothers children What if he haue no brother or sister Restore to his next kinseman But put case he haue no kinseman at all Restore it to the Lord euen to the Priest As if he should say Though sometimes it fall out that thou shalt finde no kinseman yet thou shalt neuer haue the Lord to seeke neither the Priest whom he hath set ouer you The point then heere to be obserued is this that the Lord and the Priest are put as both one for it is in the originall To the Lord to the Priest so that the restitution to the Priest was a restitution to the Lord. Doctrine Whatsoeuer is done to the Minister◠done to the Lord. We learne from hence that whatsoeuer is done to the Ministers of the word God accounteth it as done vnto himselfe If we doe good vnto them wee doe good vnto the Lord if we do euill vnto them we do euill to the Lord himselfe We see afterward in this booke chap. 16 verse 11. when Korah and his company lifted vp themselues against Gods ordinance and the authority of Moses and Aaron he saith vnto them Thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord and what is Aaron that ye murmure against him They thought they had to do with his seruant but he sheweth they had to doe with the Lord. When the people required of Samuel that he would make them a King to iudge them like all the Nations the Lord said vnto him 1 Sam. 8 7. Hearken vnto the voyce of the people in all that they say vnto thee for they haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected mee that I should not reigne ouer them Their gathering together against the Prophet was a muster and mutinie and murmuring against God This is that which Christ spake vnto the seuenty Disciples and to the Apostles before them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10 16. Math. 10 40. Whereby we see that this is the dignity and authority of the Ministery which God hath established that how meane soeuer the persons of the Ministers are yet he so magnifieth their office that what is done to them is offered vnto him The reasons heereof are most
a foxe discouering his subtilty and deepe deuises that other men might bee admonished to take heed of him So then to conclude we must vnderstand that the things commonly reprehended are eyther doubtfull or manifest The doubtfull are not to be reprehended whether in themselues they bee true or false worthy or not worthy of reproofe because as it was said before loue is not suspitious but couereth the multitude of sinnes and interpreteth all things to the best and expecteth with patience vntill the light manifest and time discouer the things that are as yet hidden in darknesse This is to be obserued in doubtfull things wherein lyeth such a difficulty that we cannot iudge them without deseruing to be iudged our selues and yet the vngodly and prophane persons feare not to proceed against the godly in this kind Those things which are manifestly knowne are eyther good or euill A thing which is good is to he commended of vs and nothing to be detracted from the worthinesse and excellency thereof whether it be in our friends or enemies nay we are to praise and laud the Name of God for his graces bestowed vpon them and to take them as a patterne to follow If it be euill we are commanded to admonish and exhort and reproue our brother and if he be our friend Deut. 13 6. which is as our owne soule we ought so much the rather to do it howbeit alwaies in loue mildnesse patience and compassion The euill deeds which are manifest as they must be reprehended so they may be iudged considering that Salomon saith Prou. 24 24 25. He that saith vnto the wicked Thou art righteous him shall the people curse Nations shall abhorre him but to them that rebuke him shall bee delight and a good blessing shall come vpon them Of such deeds as are manifestly good or euill the Prophet Esay speaketh chap. 5 20. Woe vnto them that call euill good and good euill that put darkenesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Whereby we do learne how to answer the ignorant obiection of foolish men Obiect who wheÌ„ they offend by continuall and common swearing by lying by blasphemy by prophaning of the Sabbath by the contempt of the word by whoredome by drunkennesse such like workes of darknesse being reproued for the same by the word Gods iudgments threatned against them are ready to say You are not to iudge of me no more then I am to iudge of you there be many now adaies will take vpon them to iudge men I am sure they do not learne that in Gods booke which saith Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged They go beyond their commission they take vpon them Gods office for he is our Iudge See heere the peeuishnesse and partiality of these men to whom it may said that out of their owne mouthes they may be iudged For who are they that trespasse against their brethren transgresse against the Law of God more then they or who sit in the seat of God proudly vsurpe a mastership and authority to iudge euen the thoughts of mens hearts beside themselues Who are they that bolster out euill in themselues in their companions and consorts and cannot abide that any good should bee done by others like those that would neither enter into the kingdome of heauen themselues neither suffer them that would enter but forbad them Lu. 11 52. Euery tree is knowne by his fruite If I see a tree bring foorth good fruite am I become a Iudge if I say this is a good tree And if I see euill fruite or no fruite do I steppe vp into the place of God if I say this is an euill tree In like manner if a man see a common drunkard or heare a wretched swearer or marke a continuall contemner of the Lords day and such as make a practise of all sinne boldly and are not ashamed if he say assuredly this is a naughty fellow doth he iudge because he speaketh the truth and telleth what he is and warneth others to beware of him What Shall he account him a good man wheÌ„ he seeth he is starke naught but theÌ„ he should be vnder the Prophets curse and bring a woe vpon his head because he calleth euill good and bitter sweete and darknesse light as we heard before And indeed if we will speake the truth such need not to be iudged of vs inasmuch as they haue giuen iudgement of themselues and haue shewed euidently what they are Touching the words of Christ alledged and pretended by them Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged Math. 7 1. they do not forbid all kinde of iudgement but condemne that which is corrupt rash and vnlawfull which one man giueth vniustly vnaduisedly and vndiscreetly of another as when we can espy quickly small faults in others are blinde to discerne grosser and greater in our selues This practise of rash iudgement breaketh out of themselues as euill sauours out of a rotten corrupt body for let a man be more carefull then themselues to serue God and to walke in his waies they will by and by enter into the secrets of his heart which God onely knoweth not sticke proudly peremptorily to pronounce that they are hypocrites whereas let a man shew them out of the plaine word of God the prophanenesse of their hearts manifested by the greeuous corruptions of their liues the open abhominations committed by them in all their waies they wil answer readily you ought not to iudge so that it falleth full vpon them which the Apostle alledgeth against such men Rom. 2 1 2. Thou art inexcusable O man whosoeuer thou art that iudgest for wherein thou iudgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that iudgest doest the same things but wee are sure that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them that commit such things Vse 3 Lastly be carefull of this duty to maintaine the good name of our brother which is more worth then all riches and of greater value theÌ„ precious stones We ought to thinke of euery one as well as may be and extend our charity as farre as possibly we can albeit they be our vtter enemies forasmuch as loue thinketh not euill as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13 5 and in the practise of loue we are to be followers of the example of God himselfe that we may thereby shew our selues to be his children who maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and on the good â—â—th 5 45. and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniust So ought we to loue our enemies to blesse them that curse vs to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them which despitefully vse vs and persecute vs. Iohn in his first Epistle chargeth vs to loue one another in deed and in truth â—â—hn 3 18. not in word or in tongue or from the lippes onely And Paul chargeth vs to esteeme of others
vnto him and hee dyed as the man of God had saide Zachariah the Priest had an Angell sent vnto him from God standing at the right side of the Altar of Incense 〈◊〉 1 13. telling him that His prayer was heard and that his wife should beare him a sonne and that many should reioyce at his birth â—â—rse 14. howbeit hee would not beleeue the message he measured all things by the course of nature the word of the Angel would not suffice him that stood in the presence of God and was sent to speake vnto him and to shew him these good tydings hee must farther heare verse 18. Whereby hee should know this But he that would not rest in these good tydings is constrained to heare heauy tydings that he should be dumbe â—se 20 and not be able to speake vntill the day that these things be done because he beleeued not his words which should bee fulfilled in their season The like we might also say of the Israelites in the wildernesse as wee shal see afterwards in the eleuenth chapter of this booke of Numbers Moses shewed the weakenesse of his faith and the people the want of their faith so that the Lord complaineth against them against Moses that hee was of little Faith against the rest that they were for the most part a faithlesse generation albeit they had knowne his goodnes tryed his power felt his iustice and seene his mercies and miracles plentifully amongst them he might iustly take vp the same complaint against his people which Christ did against his Disciples Mat. 17. verse 17. O generation faithlesse and crooked how long now shall I bee with you How long now shall I suffer you Hence it is that when Moses considering the want they had of flesh Numb 11 21 22. saide Sixe hundred thousand foote-men are there of the people among whom I am and thou sayest I will giue them flesh that they may eate a moneth long Shall the sheepe and the Beeues be slaine for them to finde them eyther shall all the fish of the sea bee gathered together for them to suffice them The Lord saide vnto Moses Is the Lordes hand shortned Thou shalt see now whether my worde shall come to passe vnto thee or no. Hee sent them that which they desired but hee sent it not as a blessing they lusted with Concupiscence in the Wildernesse and tempted GOD in the Desert so that it turned to bee a curse vnto them Verse 33. for While the flesh was yet betweene their teeth before it was chewed euen the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and hee smote the people with an exceeding great plague Yea such was the iudgement that came vppon them Verse 34. that the place was called Kibroth hattaauah the graues of Lust for there they buried the people that fell a lusting to keepe thereby the greatnesse of their sinne fresh in remembrance verifying that also which the Prophet saith Psal 106 16. Hee gaue them their request but he sent leannesse into their soule They had flesh enough but it did them no good they abounded but their aboundance turned to their destruction So wheÌ„ they wanted water and Moses Aaron did not teach them to be patient vnder the crosse and contented with Gods hand the Lord spake vnto them Because ye beleeued mee not Numb 2â— 12 to sanctify me in the presence of Israel therefore ye shal not bring this Congregation into the land which I haue giuen them There is no greater wrong can bee done to God then to doubt of his trueth of all sinnes this is one of the most highest and most heinous to haue in vs an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God Wherefore when wee or any part of the Church are in extreamity and lye vnder affliction let vs not cast off our confidence that hath great recompence of reward Heere is a stay to rest vpon heere is a pillar that cannot bee shaken heere is a most sure and firme foundation vpon which we should builde our house Is hee more mercifull to his Saints then they can wish or desire Let vs then know for a certainety that there is great hope of deliuerance in the greatest extreamities though wee know no way to escape but that wee rest as a prey in the teeth of the Lyon yet the loue of God toward vs is infinite and vnspeakeable hee can restore vs and redeeme vs by sundry wayes that wee could not thinke of nor dreame of nor desire This is that which Mordecai is bolde to put Esther in minde of Ester 4 14. If thou holdest thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy Fathers house shall perish Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Heb 11 1. If there be faith in vs as the graine of Mustard seede which is very little we shall finde the benefite and fruite of it If any grace bee wanting in vs the fault is in our selues and not in God wee haue the truth of his word deliuered vnto vs but we beleeue not the doctrine which we heare This wee see in the Prophet Esay chap. 50 2. Wherefore came I and there was no man I called and none answered is mine hand so shortned that it cannot help Or haue I no power to deliuer Beholde at my rebuke I dry vp the sea I make the floodes desert Their Fish rotteth for want of water and dieth for thirst And afterwards the same Prophet vrgeth this point Esay 59.1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither his eare heavy that it cannot heare but your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your GOD and your sinnes haue hidden his face from you that he will not heare Nay his eare is so farre from being heauy that he cannot heare that on the other side he is quicke of hearing and so quicke that hee is sought of them that asked not for him and found of them that sought him not Esay 65 1. Seeing then hee is fo bountifull aboue all our desires woe vnto vs if wee beleeue not his worde nor rest vpon his power nor content our selues with his promise When the Israelites were oppressed with the hard and cruell taske-masters of the Egyptians what could they desire or what did they desire at the hands of Pharaoh but to go into the wildernes to serue him and to carrie with them their owne Cattle their children and their substance But God did not only grant that vnto them but brought them out with great substance Psal 105 37. Exod. 12 29. He gaue them siluer and gold there was not one feeble person among their tribes They neuer durst aske of God to giue them the treasures and the spoiles of their enemies yet he gaue them that which they neither dared to aske nor desired to obtaine for they
consider two things first the commandement of God without whose authority nothing is to be imposed as necessary in the Church which is that the Priests should light the lampes not one or two but all of them to giue light in the Tabernacle to signifie the light of Gods word shining in the Church which ought sincerely to be preached and published by the teachers to giue light of knowledge to all in the house of God as the Apostle declareth of himselfe that he had kept backe nothing Acts 20 20 27 but reuealed the whole counsell of God as the Priests kept not any of the lampes vnlighted but did light theÌ„ all Secondly the obedience of Aaron to the commandement he lighted the lampes that they might giue light round about the candlestick on euery side wheresoeuer the candlesticke could be seene Vpon occasion of mentioning the candlesticke we haue a description of it verse 4 by the matter of it it was made of gold and by the forme of beaten gold according to the patterne shewed to Moses in the Mount for he was a faithfull seruant in the house of God Heb. 3 2. But of this we may reade farther Exo. 25 37 40 25 26. There was but one candlesticke in the Tabernacle made by Moses because this was sufficient howbeit Salomon that built the Temple afterward made ten candlestickes whereof fiue stood at the one side fiue on the other side 2 Chron. 4 ver 7 20. because the Temple was larger and wider then the Tabernacle and therefore moe were requisite in the one then in the other The place where the Candlesticke stood was in the Sanctuary next to the most holy place or in the first Tabernacle Hebrewes chapter 9 verses 2 9. Not in the most holy place forasmuch as the High-Priest went into it once onely in the whole yeare Heb. 9 7. whereas the lampes of the Candlesticke were renued daily But let vs come to the words as they lye in order and first touching the lampes appointed to bee lighted we must consider that the Tabernacle with all things thereunto belonging was a figure of the time present vntil the time of reformation Heb. 9 9. and when the Priesthood was changed there must be also a change of the law Heb. 7 12. All things had their signification and the truth which is as the pith and substance of the ceremonies belongeth to vs as well as to the Iewes Hence it is that the lampes belonging to the candlesticke â—â—ctrine signifie vnto vs that the word is the light of the church 〈◊〉 word is â—â—amp and 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—rch giuing light to the people as the Sun doth to the world wherby the true light of the knowledge of God of Christ our Redeemer of true righteousnesse and of saluation is kindled in the hearts of all true beleeuers Dauid is a certaine witnesse of this truth who teacheth that the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes Psal 19 8. Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path Psal 119 105. So Salomon saith Prou. 6 23. The Commandement is a lampe and the Law is a light It is plaine therefore that the lampe lighted in the Tabernacle did figure out the word of God Hence it is that the Prophet Esay saith O house of Iacob â—â—â—y 2 5. come let vs walke in the light of the Lord and afterward he sheweth that if any speake not according to this word 〈◊〉 8 20. it is because there is no light in them Reason 1 And it cannot be otherwise because the Lord which is the author of the Scriptures is light it selfe he is called the Father of lights Iam. 1 and the Church acknowledgeth when it sate in darknes that the Lord was the light of it Mich. 7 8. The Apostle saith he only hath immortality and dwelleth in the light which no maÌ„ can approch vnto 1 Tim. 6 16. And in the beginning of Iohns Gospel Christ is called the light of men Iohn 1 4. If God then be the true light how can his word but partake of his nature and be lightsome in it selfe and bring light to vs Againe the word hath in it the effects of light it expelleth darknes and is very comfortable and therfore comfort is often called by the name of light Ps 97 11. Ester 8 16. Ps 118 27 and 43 3. Iob 30 26. Lam. 3 2. So is it with the word it driueth away spirituall darknes and it comforteth and reioyceth the heart Psal 19 8. Vse 1 This doctrine serueth to reproue the church of Rome which bring in their Torches and Tapers and Candles into the Church as the setting of them vp at burials and funerals 〈◊〉 dâ— par â—â—b 2 c. 19. to signifie that the soules of the dead are aliue a superstitious custome condemned by sundry Councels as superstitious and heathenish Moreouer they obserue continually another foolish custome to set vp wax candles Taper lights before their Images and vpon the Altar in their Churches and this they do not onely in the night but in the day at noone when the Sun shineth in his strength And lest they might seeme to wander without Scripture and to be mad without reason they pretend for themselues and their superstition the continuall burning of the lampes in the Tabernacle before the Arke of the testimony Exod. 25. Bellarmine disputing of the reliques of the Saints Bellar. lib. 2. de reliqu c. 3. et 4. noteth three ends of this practise because fire is a signe of gladnesse a signe of glory and a signe of life But all this is no better then will-worship which is condemned Mat. 15 9. Col. 2 23. of which it may be said Who required these things at your hands Es 1 12 And this obseruation in the law touching the lamps is meerly ceremoniall which had an end with the Priesthood and was honourably buried with the Synagogue and is not to be raked out of the dust and raised out of the graue againe Also it is vtterly vntrue that these lampes were lighted in the day time for they were lighted in the euening burned vntill the morning and then were put out Thus doth Ahijah tell Ieroboam and all Israel 2 Chr. 13 11. that they had the Candlesticke of gold with the lampes thereof to burne euery euening Therefore it is said in the law The high Priest shall light the lampes at euen the word is betweene the twilights meaning therby both the euening and the morning Exod. 30 8 and Aaron must cause the lampes to burne continually from the euening vnto the morning Leuit. 24 3. In the booke of Samuel in other places it appeareth that they burned all night for those that kept the watch of the Lord in the Tabernacle and in the Temple but were alwaies exstinguished in the morning when it was day 1 Sam. 3 3. Thus then we reason against them from their owne
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
prayer for the distressed when hee should poure out his Meditation before the Lord as appeareth in their seuerall titles yea Christ our Sauiour that had the greatest grace of prayer who continued the whole night in prayer to God Luke 6 12. yet did not forbeare and abstain in prayer from vsing the same words oftentimes Math. 26. verse 44. This truth will the better appeare if wee Reason 1 consider that the Lord Iesus himself hath left a preâ—cript forme of prayer not as a patterne or platforme onely but likewise to bee vsed as a prayer So that his doctrine is according to his practise he prayed in the garden three times vsing the same words and he alloweth his Disciples to do the like yet who may bee compared vnto him He did it not thorough want of wordes or matter who had the treasures of wisedome in him Therefore he saide to his Disciples After this manner pray you Matth. 6 9. If we may pray after that manner then wee may pray after a set forme whether it bee read in booke or rehearsed without booke Secondly Reason 2 it is the common rule of Christ and his Apostles that whosoeuer asketh in faith shall be heard whether it be in a prescript forme or otherwise It is faithful prayer which pleaseth God and auaileth much and without faith nothing is accepted Thirdly it is requisite Reason 3 for order sake For vniformity is a notable meanes to auoide confusion and therefore the church heeretofore hath vsed the same the most reformed churches at this day vse it from which wee are not slightly to dissent and disagree and so to reiect read praiers and set formes Lastly the Apostle auoucheth That he would pray with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14 15. and he would pray with the vnderstanding also but a new prayer neuer heard of is not so well vnderstood conceiued of the simple neither can they so rightly readily answer Amen vnto it But the same form vsed the oftner it is heard the better it is vnderstood In men there are for the most part sundry wants as ignorance in the minde forgetfulnesse in the memory defect of vtterance fit to be in him that should speake vnto God feare and bashfulnesse in the affections that they cannot deliuer the desires of their heart in the presence of others much dulnesse and deadnesse in the soule yet we are not to debar such from prayer all which wants a set forme helpeth Vse 1 The vse heereof is to conuince those that are of the separation which haue rent themselues from vs and made a rent in the Church as Schismatickes who holde it vnlawfull to vse any set formes of prayer yea euen that forme of prayer which our Sauiour hath taught and commanded These do not onely hold it to be vnlawfull but account it an abhominable idoll The opinion of those of the separation touching set formes of prayer and as loathsome to God as the offering vp of swines flesh in the time of the law These be their owne words to be read in the bookes of Greenwood and Barow two principall Sectaries and ring-leaders in this diuision They account it no better then lippe-labour nay not so good they hold it to bee a stinting of the Spirit But to leaue words and to passe by their bold assertions let vs heare what they answer to our reasons then reason against their answers We alledge that Christ expressely willeth vs to pray thus and the Priests in the law were expressely charged to blesse the people thus This is our warrant to iustifie our practise now marke I pray you their answer and compare the one with the other They tell vs boldly that Christ willeth not his disciples to pray this but thus and that the Priests were not required to vse these very words of blessing because the Hebrew word Coh Coh vsed in that place is an aduerbe of similitude as if it had bene saide vnto them Ye shall blesse them after this maner or after a like sort This cannot bee to tie them to the same words but to do it according to the same instructions For nothing like to another is the same But this by their patience is no better then a shift and cauill For be it that they were not required to vse the same forme and frame of words yet were they forbidden to vse theÌ„ or if they had vsed them had they offered vp swines flesh had they committed Idolatrie had it bene an idolatrous kinde of seruice for they forbid the people to vse the Lords prayer as a prayer Neither do wee say that the Priests were precisely tied to vse the same and no other words but we would know of them whether they wer forbidden to vse the same To which question I thinke they will not answer in hast The Hebrew word vpon which they lay the waight foundation of all their building is vsed throughout the olde Testament and the vse of it by Moses and the Prophets serueth fully and notably to pul vp their conceit by the rootes and that the weaknesse of their answer and exception may appeare the better let vs see the vse of it in some particular places When Moses was sent to the children of Israel to say That the God of their Fathers had sent him vnto them and pleaded for himselfe that they would say vnto him What is his name God saide vnto him I am that I am Exod. 3 13 1â— 15. Thus shalt thou say vnto the children of Israel I am hath sent me vnto you Heere we haue the same word vsed Now according to their exposition Moses is not commanded to speake the same words at any time because Thus as they say is not the same but the like and to that effect and nothing like is the same So then if he were demanded what was his name that sent him hee might in no case say if wee will beleeue these nouelties I am that I am hath sent me forasmuch as he vseth the aduerbe of likenesse for hee sayeth Thus which is not the same Câ—h but some such like thing Nâ—y their opinion is yet more grosse and absurd for they turn Gods precept into a prohibition and whereas God commandeth Moses what hee shall say they say he is forbidden to vse those very words and allowed onely to speake to that purpose And afterward when God said vnto him verse 15. Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel The Lord God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob hath sent me vnto you this is my name for euer and this is my memoriall vnto all generations If their glosse were granted he might not say The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and of Iacob hath sent me vnto you this had beene vtterly vnlawfull for him he must take heede he say not so in any case no though the Lord tell him This is his name
and his memoriall for euer to all generations but he must speak some such like words as if God were delighted with copy and variety of words or did hunt after letters and syllables or as if it were a fault to speak as God speaketh or as if Moses could better deliuer his message in his owne words then in the words of God Againe when the Prophets came from God to the people and brought their warrant and commission with them from him and cryed out Thus saith the Lord the meaning must be according to the conceite of these men God hath not commaÌ„ded to speak the same words nay hee hath forbidden and restrained them that they may not vse them This is most ridiculous both in respect of God and of the people For when God saith to the Prophets Thus ye shall speake to the people they make him say Take heede ye vtter not these words but speake freely to the same effect spare not and varie them at your pleasure And when the holy Prophets came to the people and as they were directed and appointed saide Thus saith the Lord it shall bee as much as if they should say vnto them If yee doe thinke that God hath spoken to mee these words which I am to deliuer you do much deceyue your selues hee hath spoken the like but not the same I may not speak to you from his mouth I must speake from mine owne mouth What can be more childish and foolish then thus to interprete yet all this is necessarily inferred vpon the answer of such as professe theÌ„selues to be our aduersaries Therefore when Christ saith pray thus it is as much by their interpretation as if he had said take heed ye pray not in the same wordes but vse the like of your owne abstaine from mine I giue you liberty to vse what other yee list your selues all which we see to beare no colour or shew of reason I would gladly know of such as are contrary to vs in iudgement practise whether it bee not lawfull to say this part of the prayer Hallowed be thy name If this bee lawfull is it not as lawful to adde the next words in the next place Let thy kingdome come and to this I haue heard they yeeld and confesse it lawfull If this be good why not afterward to adde the rest of the petitions is one more lawfull then another Or can one part be allowed and not the other Thus doe they confound themselues and giue vs an answer out of their owne mouthes â—biect Againe they tell vs that reading is one thing and praying is another and thereupon conclude that a man cannot pray reading I answer â—â—swer they differ indeed being diuers and sundry things so that neither is reading praying nor praying reading howbeit they are not contrary one to the other A man may reade and not pray he may pray not reade and yet he may pray reading and reade praying The like wee might say of speaking and kneeling Speaking is one thing and praying is another a man may speake and not pray he may pray and not speake and yet hee may pray speaking and speake praying So kneeling is one thing and praying is another a man may kneele downe and not pray he may pray and not kneele and yet hee may pray kneeling and kneele praying Wherefore euery reading of a prayer is not praying except withall there be a lifting vp of our harts to God I will shew this by a familiar example touching the Lords praier when we conclude our vnperfect prayers with it we make request to God and consequently pray vnto God But when wee publikely or priuately reade the sixt chapter of Matthew in which the Lords prayer is contained wee reade the words and heare them read yet wee confesse we pray not We haue then no intent to pray but to informe our selues in the will of God set downe in the Scripture So then praying and reading differ thus the one is a powring forth of the supplications and requests of the heart the other is a receiuing into the soule such things as are read These two wee may do easily at one and the same instant if y fault bee not in our owne nature more then in the nature of the things themselues Thirdly Obiection they pretend that stinted prayers cannot bee made as necessity requireth but they tie vs to our bookes and cannot be inlarged according to our wants I answer Answer there be things necessarie to be prayed for at al times and of al men which indeede are the most things that wee are to begge of the Lord of these there may be prescript formes for all times and persons as for other things the prayer is to be applied to the time and necessity For this wee haue the Elders of the Church to help vs to whom we are directed to send Lastly they obiect Obiect we must pray as the Spirit mooueth vs for the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8. I answer Aâ—sw euery one receyueth not such a measure of the Spirit as enableth him to this dutie We haue but the first fruites of it and must vse all good helpes to make supply of our wants as the sicke of the palsie when he could not go to Christ of him selfe was borne by his neighbors Mar. 2 3 4. We are like to a sicke man newly recouered who cannot walke without his staffe or leaning vpon the shoulders of another or except hee be stayed by the hand Many men haue grace in the heart who want wordes of vtterance to expresse it All weake ones need help to minister matter of prayer Wherefore the helpe of the Spirit standeth wel enough with outward helpes Neither let them reply that the Spirit is sufficient and that no other are mentioned for when the Scripture will set forth the worke to be his alone and the force and efficacie from him all other meanes are suppressed and depressed all helpes whatsoeuer are concealed and cast downe and may not come in acount or comparison with him Neuerthelesse fasting lifting vp of the eyes and of the hands kneeling and prostrating of the bodie are outward meanes to make the prayer more feruent and do not take away oâ— derogate any thing from the Spirit Secondly we are directed from hence to Vse 2 vse publike and priuat praiers more reuerently and religiously then commonly wee doe both prayers in the Church and prayers in families being warranted by the word though they be read out of the booke by the Minister of the Church or the master of the family For though the prayers bee common yet ought they not to be the lesse regarded There bee two sorts of people which be both in extreamities and iustly to be reproued The one son do so highly magnifie the common prayers allowed appointed by authority that they regard no other but brand them with the title of conceited prayers and so doe account the preaching of the word as
owne glory Exod. 9.6 Rom. 9.17 Exod. 32.11 12. Secondly the seruants of God haue beene so farre carryed with a desire of promoting and preferring of it as that they haue preferred it before their owne life nay before their owne soule and saluation when they haue come in comparison together ◠32.32 ◠9.3 as appeareth in Moses and in Paul Thirdly Gods glory is most deare to himselfe if then we will bee his children tender deare vnto him we must follow his example we must prize that at the highest rate which he prizeth aboue all we must loue that which he loueth 48.11 and that ought to bee most deare vnto vs which is most deare to him Vse 1 The vses This reproueth the most part of the world who neuer set this marke before them to ayme at nor intend the glory of God in their prayers but the fulfilling of their own wils and desires and the satisfying of their owne gaine and profit It is nothing precious vnto them but lesse regarded then their owne names Euery man naturally regardeth himself and magnifieth his owne name but the name of God neuer goeth neere them Ioshua hath relation to such a point as this when he saith speaking of the Canaanites and all that inhabited the land ◠9 They shall cut out our name from the earth and what wilt thou doe vnto thy great name Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbes that a good name is rather to be chosen ◠1 then great riches and louing fauour rather then siluer and gold ◠2. it is better then a precious oyntment but if we speake of the Name of God which is glorious and fearefull Deu. 28.38 it ought to be more deare vnto vs then all the siluer gold then all the Iewels precious stones which worldlings make their heauen and happines Vse 2 Secondly let vs in all distresses and troubles be comforted with this consideration that he will respect his owne glory and therefore the good of his Church For the preseruation of the Church and the aduancement of Gods glory are ioyned together He will neuer forsake those that are his in prosperity or in aduersity because if he should any way faile of his promises he should lose much of his own glory which is vnpossible The Church shall neuer sinke vnder the burden that lyeth sore vpon it It is like the bush that burned which Moses saw in the wildernesse while he fed the sheepe of Iethro his father in law it flamed but it consumed not whereby God declared the low ebbe of the church into which it was brought distressed in Egypt but it should not be destroyed he that dwelled in the bush preserued the same Deu. 33.16 If then the glory of God shall neuer faile the gates of hell cannot preuaile against the Church Lastly we must giue no occasion of causing Vse 3 the name of God which is holy in it selfe to be blasphemed Let vs be no means to make it euill spoken off but labour by all means to be instruments of setting it forth Blessed are such as any way aduance it Euery one should aime at it high and low rich and poore master and seruant husband and wife Matth. 5.16 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 Phil 2.15 Iosh 15.8 2 Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2.24 Verse 17. Verse 18. Euery one may gaine some glory to God how meane soeuer his place how simple soeuer his calling be The Apostle chargeth the Iewes that through thē the Name of God was blasphemed because they had the law and made boast of God they knew his wil and were instructed in the word For as wicked children doe dishonour and discredit their parents 1 Sam. 8.3 so it turneth after a sort to Gods discredit in the world when they which are called the children of God and named by the name of Christ doe liue vnworthily so high and holy a calling There is none that liueth in the Church albeit in the poorest and lowest calling but if hee professe Christ and walke not according to his profession he causeth the Name of God to be euill spoken off the seruant that hath the meanest office if he will be thought religious and haue the Gospel in his mouth and do not performe the duties of his calling with great care and a good conscience hee causeth the Name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed 1 Tim. 6.1 The higher more eminent any mans place is the more scandal he giueth and the greater occasion of greefe to the godly of hardning to the wicked and of dishonor to God Let a man be as prophane as may be that neither feareth God nor reuerenceth man let him liue in the grossest sinnes that can be committed or named let him bee an open blasphemer a contemner of the word a prophaner of the Sabboth an abuser of the Sacraments and of all good things there is commonly no great matter made of it he is neither reproched no reproued But let one that professeth religion bee suddenly ouertaken thorough infirmity in any sinne or purpose of sin not onely he is taunted and traduced by the prophane multitude but the truth of God and the profession of the trueth nay the God of truth is euill spoken off dishonoured and blasphemed These things ought to goe neere vs euen to the heart and to make vs watchfull ouer our wayes seeing wee haue those that watch ouer vs to see if they can haue ought whereof to accuse vs. 17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying 18 The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiuing iniquity and transgression and by no meanes clearing the guilty c. In these words we haue the second reason drawen from the consideration of the nature or being of God which is seene by shewing mercy and iudgement both which are in his hand mercy to his owne people iudgement to his enemies This description is taken out of the booke of Exodus chap. 34.6 very comfortable to afflicted and distressed consciences So Ionah 4.2 first he is said to be long suffering then of great mercy and thirdly forgiuing iniquity and transgression If any aske Is he onely mercifull is he not also iust The answer is he wil by no meanes cleare the guilty but will visite the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children But of this latter clause we shall speake afterward verse 33.34 Out of the former Doctrine God is of great patience and much long sufferance note that it is the property of God to be alwayes of great patience much gentlenesse and long-sufferance Hee is of a forbearing nature and slow to anger expecting many dayes the conuersion repentance and recouery of sinners Esay 65.2 Ier. 35.15 and 25.5 Matth. 23.37 We haue many examples hereof in the word of God Gen. 6.3 1 Pet. 3.20 The long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing So
purpose of God was to saue them together and therefore he telleth them Except these abide in the ship yee cannot bee safe Act. 27.22.31 God is absolutely able to preserue our life without the taking of food or the labour of our hands or the apparelling of our bodies as the fowles are fed and the Lillies are clothed which neither sow nor reape Mat. 6.26 28. neither labour nor spinne yet he commandeth vs to labour the thing that is good In the garden of Eden in the time of mans innocency Adam was called to labour and after the fall it was saide In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 2.15 and 3.19 till thou returne to the earth So God can nourish to eternal life without means of man otherwise we shold diminish his power yet he will haue his word preached in season out of season he will haue it heard and attended vnto with all diligence to begin and to encrease faith in vs and he sendeth a comfortable blessing vpon his owne meanes And therefore the Apostle teacheth Ephes 4.12 That Christ ascending vp to heauen and leading captiuity captiue gaue gifts vnto men for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery fitting teachers to their callings although he can saue without meanes The reasons follow First we are commanded Reason 1 to further Gods prouidence by lawful endeuors in our callings This is to vs most comfortable and giueth euident assurance of the blessing of God without which holy endeuor we want this comfort and assurance Thus the Apostle reasoneth directly 2 Pe. 1. The election of God in it selfe is sure for the foundation of God remaineth and hath this seal 2 Tim 2.19 20. 2 Pet. 1.5 6 9 10. The Lord knoweth who are his yet he requireth of vs to giue all diligence to increate in knowledge faith temperance patience godlinesse loue brotherly kindnesse If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall Reason 2 Againe the end why God hath giuen vs meanes and fitted vs to our calling is to serue his prouidence not to make vs idle in our selues vnprofitable vnto others Gods gifts are to some purpose they were not giuen and granted in vain we must not hide them in the earth but imploy them to their vse This the Apostle teacheth 2 Tim. 1.6 7. I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre vp the gift of GOD which is in thee by the putting on of mine hands for God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power loue and a sound minde And thus Mordecai reasoneth in his charge to Esther that she should goe into the king Eccle. 4.8 13 14. make supplication before him for her people Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time declaring that we haue not our callings singled out and fitted vnto vs to hide our talents in the earth but to employ them to encrease and aduantage The vses remaine First we must know that Vse 1 extraordinary courses are not to be looked after nor to be depended vpon we must leaue them to extraordinary times seasons which are now ceassed and not to be expected Many desire that God should shew among his people such great and miraculous works as hee shewed in bringing his people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and out-stretched arme and so feed themselues with fancies and are carried away after their owne imaginations God hath tyed vs to ordinary courses which are more for our comfort and therefore he that walketh plainely walketh safely Luke 16.27 28 29 30. This vse is concluded out of the parable where the rich man desireth to haue Lazarus sent from the dead to his fathers house to warne them lest they also come into the place of torment But Abraham answered They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them and when the rich glutton would haue other meanes If one come from the dead they will repent he said againe vnto him If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead and come vnto them Whereby our Sauiour sheweth that whosoeuer depends vpon extraordinary meanes visions or reuelations or dreames or the dead when God hath left vs ordinary wayes is to follow by-pathes of our owne to dig cesternes that hold no water and to trust in lying words that shall not profit God hath ordained to teach vs by the Ministery of his word and hath put his hidden treasure in earthen vessels whereunto we must attend as to a light shining in darke places This is the ordinary way and common meanes left vs to attaine saluation and eternall life Hereby then all ignorant persons are reproued and conuinced who neglecting this vsuall way to begin and confirme faith and the rest of the graces of God in vs say O if God would himself speak vnto vs from heauen or if wee might heare Christ preach vnto vs wee would repent and beleeue the Gospel as for men we know not whether they speake the truth or not Others say we haue the Scriptures in our houses we can reade them at home can they by all their teaching preaching make the word of God any better Besides if you vrge Sermons so much we haue Sermon bookes at home wee reade them and can serue God in our houses as well as they that run after Sermons Others also think they haue knowledge sufficient already that they need neither heare nor reade any more Lastly others obiect we haue good prayers and good homilies why should not men be content with them as the law prescribeth and enioyneth All these excuses are but fig-leaues to couer ouer their owne shame when once they are sifted and examined We answer to the first obiection many waies The first â—â—iection aâ—swered First we are not able to endure the dreadfull presence of Almighty God and therefore the faithfull haue cryed out Alasse wee shall die because we haue seene the Lord. Wee heare not the thunder without feare we behold not the brightnesse of the Sun without dazeling how then shold we heare the immediat voice of God or see his glory without confusion Againe if the Lord should speak from heauen and vtter his voyce from the place of his habitation he would speake no otherwise hee would teach no other trueth then the Prophets and Apostles haue deliuered And if wee should heare one of the elect Angels he wold set before vs no new points of religion hee would bring vnto vs no new article of faith and therefore the Apostle saith Gal 1. â— Though wee or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed But it is more comfortable and profitable to vs to be taught by men like vnto our selues then by the angels that are spirits we cannot abide their glory through weaknes of our flesh we cannot be
without which we haue no saluation we must examine our harts by this note that is found in all the members of the body one toward another If any member be hurt or endangered the rest are ready to helpe euery one according to his office the foote runneth for it the eie looketh vpon it the hand stretcheth out it selfe for the good thereof If it be so with vs in the dangers and desolations of the Church we haue comfort in our owne hearts we carry a witnesse about vs that we are liuely meÌ„bers of Christ But if we haue no feeling no compassion no pitty toward them that suffer for Christs sake we are dead and rotten members we want life and quickening in Christ wee cannot assure our selues that as yet we are engrafted into his body Therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 6 2. Beare you one anothers burden and so fulfill the Law of Christ Againe Who is weake I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not 2 Cor. 11 29. And in another place Be of like affection one to another reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12 15 16. Hereunto the Apostle accordeth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 13 3. Remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if we were also afflicted in the body teaching vs heereby that their condition must be as our owne condition and their trouble as our owne trouble So the Prophet vttereth his affection Lam. 2 11 13 20 that although he should bee preserued from the iudgement executed yet beholding Sion lying waste he cryeth out Mine eies gush out water for the destruction of the daughter of my people thy breach is great like the sea And afterward he stirreth vp his zeale Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done thus Wherefore whensoeuer God offereth vs the sight of any chastisement vpon our brethren at home or the neighbour-Churches abroad we ought not to be as those that are dull sencelesse and past feeling but to haue a simpathy of their sorrowes and draw out the bowels of compassion toward them Vse 2 Secondly woe and woe againe to them that are secure that laugh when the Church weepeth that liue in brauery and excesse wheÌ„ the Church putteth on sackecloth and ashes that fill and feast and fat themselues with all delicates when the Church fasteth that awake not out of their sleepe when the iudgements of God are heere vnto them This the Prophet reproueth Esay 22 12 13 14. In that day did the Lord of hoasts call vnto weeping mourning and to baldnes girding with sackcloth behold ioy gladnes slaying oxen killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine for to morrow wee shall die When we are once come to this carelesnesse and contempt of our brethrens condition the threatning denounced in these words following shall fall vpon vs Our iniquities shall not be purged from vs vntill we die A fearefull sentence of a greeuous iudgement to teach vs humility and to driue away all security Hereunto also cometh the saying of Amos chap. 6 1 2 3 4.5 6. Where we see he pronounceth the wofull estate and condition of those that liued without feare and regard of Gods iudgments neither remembred their brethren carried into captiuity and liuing in great aduersity We liue in the time of the distresses and wants of the Church This calleth vs to practise this duty of seeking the good of the Church and vsing all good meanes by supplication to God and by petition to men for the redresse thereof Especially let vs be mindfull in our prayers of the peace of Ierusalem Because of the house of the Lord our God 〈◊〉 â—2 6 9. 〈◊〉 â—8 This was the prayer of the Prophet Lord be fauourable to Sion for thy good pleasure build the wals of Ierusalem If then we would haue both the Common-wealth and our priuate wealth to florish we must tender the good and florishing estate of the Church we must be tender-hearted to procure the prosperous estate therof Câ—â—rch â—ommon 〈…〉 For the Church and Common-wealth are as those twins which are said to weepe together and to laugh together they florish together they fade together they fall together So long as pure religion and preaching of the Gospel are maintained it cannot goe ill with the common-wealth they are as a brazen wal as a strong fortresse and bulwarke as a Castle of defence to keepe out all inuasion of enemies and crying in our streetes For the one addeth strength vnto the other whilest the Common-wealth fighteth against the visible enemies of the Church by counsell and authority August epist 1. poster the Church fighteth against the inuisible enemies of the Commonwealth by praier and supplication If then the Church be spoiled the publishing of the Gospel be hindred the Commonwealth cannot long goe free but the foundation thereof is dangerously shaken which hath no promise to be kept in good estate but as it is a Nurse to the Church and a Lanterne to hold the light of the word The like might be said of priuate families and of particular persons wee haue no assurance of the protection of God of the continuance of our estate in peace farther then wee promote his glory and giue entertainment to the Gospel We see in the second booke of the Chronicles ch 36 15. when the people of Israel came to this height of iniquity to mock the messengers misuse the seruants of God which he sent vnto them rising early Because he had compassion on his people and on his habitation then he brought vpon them the King of the Caldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuary spared neither yong men nor virgins ancient nor aged God gaue them all into his hand So Christ saith Mat. 23 37. O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets stonest theÌ„ that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her wings but yee would not Now what followeth this contempt of the word and neglect of the Gospel Behold your habitation shall be left vnto you desolate To conclude therefore let vs promote true religion and then we shall prosper and be safe otherwise we haue no promise of blessing Lastly this doctrine of pittying the Churches Vse 3 troubles serueth most fitly to condemne the contrary practise of those miserable and mercilesse men that are without all humanity naturall affection that are borne of wolues nourished of tygers and haue sucked yâ— milke of most sauage beasts or rather the poyson of aspes and vipers whose very bowels of mercy are the breathings out of cruelty as the wise man speaketh Prou 12 10. who are so farre from pittying the miseries of others and helping them in their distresses that they adde to the heape of their afflictions oppresse
see in the booke of Kings 1 Kings 1â— in Hiel the Betheliâ—e according to the word of the Lord which hee spake by Ioshua the sonne of Nun. The like we see in Zachariah when resting in the power of nature and the strength of his owne body he beleeued not the Angel be was striken dumbe and could not speake vnto the people Luke 1 20. A memorable example also we haue in the streight siege of Samaria where a Prince answered the man of God and saide Though the Lord would make Windowes in the heauen could it come so to passe 2 Kings â— 19 20. And hee saide Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eate thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trod vpon him in the gate and he dyed The Reasons heere of are euident For first Reason the Nature of GOD is true and vnchangeable Heauen and earth shall passe but one iote or tittle of his word shall not passe but shall bee fulfilled This is that which is vrged afterward in this booke Chapter 23.19 1 Sam. 1â— God is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold repent Hath he said and shall it not bee done hath he spoken and shal he not accomplish it Seeing therefore God is vnchangeable with whom is no variablenesse or shadow of turning hee will let none of his words fall to the ground he is in one mind and who can turne him yea he doth what his minde desireth Reason 2 Again who can hinder him or say vnto him Why doest thou thus No might no power no policy can withstand him in his workes albeit men rebell neuer so much and resist neuer so mightily against him There is great power in Princes they are able to bring mighty things to passe and to crosse the attempts of others yet sometimes they are crossed and resisted themselues It is not so with the Lord our God 〈◊〉 33. Who is in the heauens and doth whatsoeuer he will He hath the hearts of all euen of Princes in his own hand â—â—b 21 1 as the Riuers of waters he turneth them about as pleaseth him This made the Apostle cry out 〈◊〉 11.33 â—5 â—9 19 O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen him first and he shall be recompenced And who hath resisted his will So then whether wee consider the nature of God without change or the weaknesse of man without power wee may safely and truely conclude that all the threatnings which haue bene pronounced and denounced by the mouth of God shal be verified and performed without any altering or diminishing of them Vse 1 Let vs apply this to our selues and gather assuredly from hence the wofull estate of all wicked and vngodly men For seeing he doth not dally with vs or scare vs without cause so that all his threatnings faithfully denounced shall be vndoubtedly accomplished how shal they escape so great condemnation as lyeth at the doore and hangeth ouer their head Howsoeuer therefore they put away the euill day farre from them and liue as if God sate idle in heauen beholding all things but punishing nothing knowing all hearts and thoghts but not regarding the workes of men saying We haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement 〈…〉 16. though a scourge run ouer and passe thorough it shal not come at vs for wee haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanity are we hid yet hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision For what followeth Your couenant with death shal be disanulled and your agreement with hel shal not stand when a scourge shal run ouer and passe through then shal ye be troden down by it This is that which the wise man saith Eccles 8.11 12 13. Because sentence against an euil worke is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the children of men is full set in them to do euill Though a sinner do euil an hundred times and God prolongeth his dayes yet I know that it shal be well with them that feare the Lord but it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes he shall bee like a shadow because he feareth not before GOD. And to the same purpose the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh Chap. 12 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. where the Prophet reprooueth two sorts of persons open deriders of Gods word as if it should neuer be performed and such as prolong the euill daies as if the plagues were for many yeares and should not come in their dayes But God expressely and directly meeteth with them both and bindeth them together in one bundle declaring and making it plaine to their consciences that when he speaketh the word it shall be done and when hee pronounceth a decree it shall stand Thus in all ages of the Church satâ—n preuaileth with the children of disobedience and draweth more to destruction by presumption then he is able to do by desperation Let vs not harden our hearts thorough the deceitfulnesse of sinne Esay 55 6. Let vs seeke the Lord while hee may bee found and cal vpon him while he is neere Secondly let vs ground our faith in the vndoubted Vse 2 performance of those iudgements that are yet to come as that the Lord Iesus at the appointed time will breake the heauens and will come to iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearance and in his Kingdome that the wicked shall rise againe and stand before the barre of Gods throne These things we see not yet accomplished for all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation HeÌ„ce it is that Mockers arise which walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3 3.4 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp Yea When they shal say peace and safety 1 Thess 5 3. then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and they shall not escape Thus the Prophet Malachi prophesieth Behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all the proud Malachy 4 1. and all the wicked doers shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp and shal leaue them neither roote nor branch Thus then we see a day of iudgement is decreed and determined and remaineth for the appointed time but at last it shall come and not lye though it tarry wait for it shall surely come and not stay Thirdly wee must not be dismayed when Vse
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
〈◊〉 35 â—â— and hearkened not to the words of Necho which were of the mouth of God The like we may consider oftentimes in the booke of Daniel when Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed a dreame which was not humane but diuine neyther of a naturall cause but of a supernaturall wherewith his spirit was troubled Daniel saide vnto him Dan. 2 28. There is a God in heauen that reuealeth secrets and sheweth the King what shall be in the latter daies The Reasons are euident First to set downe his great loue and fauour to his Children 〈◊〉 1. For as God did shew himselfe in sundry manners and speake by liuely voyce to the vngodly so in all the manifestations of himselfe vnto theÌ„ he had respect and reference to his Church as appeareth in the former examples Heerein therefore appeareth the wonderfull loue of God to his chosen people who hath the harts of all men in his owne hands and turneth theÌ„ about as pleaseth him This is that reason which the Prophet pointeth vnto Psal 105 13 14 15 where speaking of Abraham his posterity he saith Albeit they were few in number yea very few and strangers in the Land and walked about from Nation to Nation from one Kingdome to another people yet suffered he no man to do them wrong but reprooued Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Secondly it pleaseth God to make himselfe and his great Name knowne out of the limits and circuit of the Church 〈◊〉 2. to constraine euen the wicked to cleere him in his proceedings to acknowledge his iudgements to bee iust and righteous to giue sentence against themselues For God is holy in all his wayes and pure in all his works hee causeth their owne consciences to be witnesses against theÌ„ to accuse and to conuince them inasmuch as they become vnthankfull 〈◊〉 â— 2â— and do not glorifie him as God who is worthy of all glory and neuer leaueth himselfe without witnesse Acts 14 17. no not among the Infidels Thirdly he declareth and reuealeth himselfe Reason 3 to Infidels not because they be worthy but because by the mouth of the very Infidels he will strengthen and confirme his children True it is the cheefe and principall meanes which he vseth is to teach them by his seruants the Prophets and Apostles by Pastours and Teachers which he hath set in his church but he will also vse the tongues of prophane men to his owne glory comfort of his children This we see euidently shewed Iudg. 7 13. When Gideon came to the outside of the hoast of the enemies Behold a man told a dream vnto his neighbour and said Behold I dreamed a dreame and loe a cake of Barly-bread tumbled from aboue into the hoast of Midian and came vnto a Tent and smote it that it fell downe was ouerturned and his fellow answered This is nothing else saue the sword of Gideon for into his hand hath God deliuered Midian and all his host When Gideon heard the dreame deliuered and the interpretation opened he worshipped and returned into the hoast of Israel and saide Vp for the Lord hath deliuered into your hand the hoast of Midian Whereby we see that God made knowne his purpose to these vnbeleeuers for the strengthening of Gideons weake faith and the enabling of him to the worke whereunto he was appointed The vses follow First confesse from this Vse 1 dealing of God not onely that hee is great in â—ion and high aboue all the people but â—hat his Name is great glorious among his enemies He reigneth as King Psal 120.2 1 not onely ouer his Church but ouer all creatures and he maketh them to acknowledge his greatnesse stoop downe vnder his hand â—his we see in the Prophet Daniel chap. 6 26 27 by the decree that Darius wrote vnto all the people nations and languages that dwell in all the world I make a decree that in all the Dominions of my kingdome men tremble and feare the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish and his Dominion shall be euerlasting he refuseth and he deliuereth he worketh signes and wonders in Heauen and in Earth who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the Lyons The like confession Nebuchadnezzar maketh before chap. 3 32 33. I thought it good to declare the signes wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders His kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and his Dominion is from generation to generation Secondly we see that God leaueth not men Vse 2 with out excuse because hee maketh knowne his truth vnto them they haue some meanes or other offered vnto them to teach them to acknowledge God and to glorifie him whom they haue acknowledged Rom. 1.20.24 So Christ our Sauiour speaketh to the obstinate Iewes Iohn chapter fifteene verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloke nor colour for their sinne Thus was Pilate the Iudge of Iewry conuinced in his owne conscience of wrongfull iudgement against Christ beeing warned of his wife to whom God had reuealed his innocency that he was a iust man as a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled For the Euangelist Matthew testifieth that when Pilate was set downe on the iudgement seate his wife sent to him saying Haue thou nothing to do with that iust man for I haue suffered many things this day in a dreame by reason of him Mat. 27 19. This was no meere humane or naturall dreame Eccles 5 2. arising from multitude of busines or proceeding froÌ„ an euil constitution of the body or euill digestion of meate or such like ordinary causes as daily befall vs but it was diuine from the speciall instinct of God and the inspiration of the Almighty For as God the Father diuers wayes approued the innocency of Christ that it might appeare he dyed not for his owne offences but for ours for our redemption so did God send terror and trouble vpon the Iudges wife in the night season to discouer his hypocrisie make him without excuse altogether in condemning the Innocent that all the water in the wide sea was not able to wash away the guilt of his sinne much lesse the water he called for to wash his hands before the multitude when he saide I am innocent of the blood of this iust man looke you to it Math. 27 24. The staine of sinne soyleth the soule and defileth the conscience cannot be washed away with water which onely putteth away the filth of the flesh and clenseth the body but cannot enter any further Thirdly seeing God hath shewed and manifested Vse 3 himselfe to wicked men vnworthy of his fauour we may be certaine and well assured that he will neuer leaue his owne children destitute of instruction that call vpon his
doe in the rest when it pleaseth him We know by experience in all ages and learne by relation and report of all histories that the diuell hath spoken in the mouth of other creatures what impiety then is this to yeeld that to the diuels which they deny to God and detract from the most High Hitherto of the reproofe of the Asse reprehending his master now of the reproofe of the Angel True it is hee was vnworthy of any other teacher then his owne Asse being a fit master for such a scholler for such as refuse to heare the Lord speaking are worthy to bee sent to learne of bruite beastes and senselesse creatures Notwithstanding because this proud Prophet scorned so base a teacher and disdained to learne wisdome in the Asses school to the end he should not be exalted out of measure nor insult with contempt ouer his beast the Angel of God appeareth vnto him represseth his folly and giueth light and sight to his blinde eyes This sheweth that his eyes were first of all closed and shut vp whereby he was withholden from discerning the Angel And this restraint was rather miraculous then naturall For if it had beene naturall it would haue fayled in the discerning of other obiects as well as of this one But his eyes being opened then hee began to behold the Angel to cast himselfe downe before him to confesse his owne wickednes and ignorance to submit himselfe wholly to his pleasure after that the Angel had reproued his cruelty and testified the Asses innocency who if she had not been warier and wiser then her master had procured the speedy death and destruction of the Sorcerer Lastly Balaam hauing acknowledged his sin and confessed his ignorance the Angel giueth him leaue to goe his iourney so he goeth merrily with the messengers hoping that as he had obtained liberty to resort repaire to the Moabites which before was denyed vnto him so hee should in time likewise draw the Lord to giue his consent that hee might curse the people Question But here the question may be asked who or what this Angel of God was that had this conference communication with Balaam whether it were one of the created Angels or not Some suppose it was Michael the Archangel that was appointed ruler ouer that people Theodoret in hunc locum Iustin Mart. Athan s Some that it was another of the elect Angals and inuisible spirits Others affirme that it was Christ Iesus the Angel of the couenant the Prince of the Angels of God and the head both of men Angels What is meant by the Angel appearing to Balaam And this I rather assent subscribe vnto for these causes and considerations First because so often as Moses doth make mention of the Angel of God for the most part or alwaies hee vnderstandeth Christ the leader and conducter of his people in the wildernesse and therefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 10. They tempted Christ in the wildernesse and were destroyed of serpents Whosoeuer shal diligently reade the books of Moses carefully obserue his maner of speaking shal easily find that when he speaketh of the Angel of God and the Angel of the Lord he meaneth Christ Iesus calleth him sometimes the Lord as Gen. 16 7 13 22 20 12 16 31 11 13. Exod 4 19. So in this place he cals him sometimes the Angel sometimes the Angel of the Lord sometimes the Lord vnderstanding by them al one the same Christ Secondly it is said verse 31. that Balaam fell downe and worshipped him which no one of the elect Angels and blessed spirits albeit excel-cellent and glorious creatures would euer haue accepted but all of them would with one consent haue refused and reiected the same For when Iohn rauished with the glory of the Angel fell at his feet to worship him he forbad him and shewed the reason thereof Reuel 19 10. 22.8 See thou do it not I am thy fellow-seruant and one of thy brethren the Prophets of them which keepe the words of the prophecie of this booke worship thou God Now the Angel of God in this place doth not forbid diuine worship to be exhibited vnto him but if he had bene a creature and had vsurped the honor of God he should be an angel of the diuel not of God Neither let any say Fuâ—k on Reuel 19. that he bowed himselfe vpon his face adoring God when he saw his Angel ready to take vengeance of him which doth doth not appeare by any circumstance of â—he Text but rather that he vnderstood this Angel to be the same Lord that had before appeared and spoken vnto him This Angel of the Lord talketh with him as God himselfe Ver. 32. saying I came out to withstand thee because thy way is not straight before me he doth not say his way was peruerted before the Lord as Peter speaketh to Simon the Sorcerer Acts 8 21. Lastly Balaam speaketh to him as to that God which had before appeared vnto him restraining him from cursing the people and the Angel repeateth the same words verse 35. which the Lord himselfe had vttered before verse 20. For the Lord Iehouah had said vnto him Forasmuch as the men are come to call thee Rise vp Verse 2â— and goe with them but onely what thing I say vnto thee that shalt thou doe so here the Angel is brought in speaking in the same manner Go with the men Verse 3â— but what I say vnto thee that only shalt thou speake He saith not what the Lord saith vnto thee but what I say vnto thee Now then if it were the Lord that said before vnto him What thing I say vnto thee that onely shalt thou doe then the same wordes being also pronounced by this Angel making himselfe equall with the Lord must needs be accounted to be vttered by God himselfe Neither let any thinke it vnfit or vnlikely that Christ should appeare to a Sorcerer for we heard before how the Lord oftentimes appeared vnto him and wee see that when Agar was fled from Abrahamt house Gen. 16 and 1â— â— the Lord spake vnto her from heauen Thus much touching the order of the History the interpretation of the words and the clearing of the Obiections that arise out of the same Now let vs come to the doctrines which the Spirit of God offereth to our considerations to be marked and remembred of vs. Verse 22. But the wrath of the Lord was kindled because he went and the Angell of the Lord stood in the way to be against him Here we haue to weigh and ponder in our hearts in these wordes the care of the Lord watching ouer the godly The Israelites after the fresh discomfiture of their enemies doe thinke themselues out of all danger and imagine not either Balak to be consulting and the Midianites to be assisting or Balaam to bee practising and all of them ioyning and confederating against them they know
Israel that hee had done great things for them saying How great things hath the Lord wrought This is the substance of this Prophecy now the conclusion followeth shutting vp the whole with an admiration and commendation of the power and glory of Gods people whose courage and happinesse shal be so great in subduing and subuerting their enemies that as the Lyon resteth not till he hath gotten his prey so they shall not put vp their swords and dwell in peace vntill they haue sheathed them in the bowels of their enemies and seene the destruction of them before their eyes The meaning of the words is not that they should be cruell and rauenous or to stir them to be barbarous and beastly in shedding mans blood and spilling it on the ground as water that cannot he gathered vp againe but to declare and assure that their harts were valiant and victorious so that they should be able to withstand all that did stand against them This was performed and accomplished in Ioshua and Dauid Psal 60 10. 2 Sam. â— 2 â— who fought the battels of the Lord and trod downe their enemies Iosh 23.10 One man of them did chase a thousand for the Lord their God fought for them as he had promised them but especially it was verified in Christ Reu. 5.5 who as the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda rose from the dead led captiuity captiue and hath put all things in subiection vnder his feete Verse 18. He vttered his parable and said Rise vp Balak and heare hearken vnto me thou sonne of Zippor This is the entrance of the Prophecy wherein he mooueth Balak to attention by three words rise hearken heare And when hee chargeth and commandeth him in the Name of GOD to rise vp he requireth of him to giue eare with meeknesse and reuerence This wee see in the booke of Iudges when Ehud appointed to bee a deliuerer of the people saide to Eglon King of the Moabites I haue a message vnto thee from God Iudg. 3 2â— then he arose out of his throne So when Samuel was to annoint Saul King ouer Israel to be gouernour ouer Gods inheritance he saide vnto him Bid thy seruant goe before vs but stand thou still now that I may shew thee the word of God that thou maist heare it with reuerence 1 Sam. 9 27. To the same purpose it is noted 2 Kings 23 2 Chro. 34 that when the Law of God was read Iosiah stood by the Pillar and made a couenant before the Lord. The like wee see in the booke of Nehemiah when Ezra the Scribe read the Scriptures to the people and gaue the interpretation of them All the people stood vp in token of their reuerence and attention Neh. 8.5 So in this place Balaam requireth Balak to rise and stand vp when he was to speake vnto him in the Name of the Lord as if he should say Albeit thou be a King and sittest in the throne yet I come vnto thee from the King of Kings thou rulest ouer thy subiects but thou must bee content to suffer God to rule ouer thee thou requirest silence and subiection to thy selfe but thou must hold thy peace hearken with all reuerence respect when he speaketh From Doctrine hence we learne All reuereâ—â— and attenâ—â— is due to tâ—â— Word Sâ—craments whatsoeuâ—â— the speakâ— be that the Word of God is alwaies to be heard with great reuerence wonderful attention Whensoeuer wee come to the exercises of Religion we must come with humility and humblenesse of mind albeit they be deliuered and brought vnto vnto vs by wicked vngodly men The truth of this doctrine is confirmed vnto vs by diuers precepts proued by many promises and sanctified by sundry examples out of the Word of God Touching precepts when Moses exhorted the people without adding or diminishing to obserue the Law he saith Deut. 4 1 34 12.13 Now therefore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances and to the Lawes which I teach you to doe that ye may liue and possesse the land And afterward Gather the people together men women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates that ye may heare that ye may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe obserue all the words of this Law and that your children which haue not knowne it may heare it and learne to feare the Lord your God This Salomon teacheth Eccl. 4.17 Take heede to thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they doe euill Hereunto accordeth the saying of our Sauiour so often vrged Mat. 13 9. Reuel 2 17 9 and 3 6. He that hath eares to heare let him heare Touching the promises made to such as come with such an affection we may reade in the Prophet Esay chap. 66 2 5. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words And againe Heare ye the word of the Lord all ye that tremble at my word Lastly touching the examples of the faithfull that haue gone before vs in the performance and practice of this duty wee haue a cloud of witnesses recorded vnto vs. The Israelites after their returne from captiuity are commended Neh. 8 2 3. that when Ezra the Priest brought the Law before the congregation both of men and women read therein from the morning vntil the mid-day the eares of all the people hearkned vnto the booke of the Law So when Samaria was called conuerted to the faith of Christ by the preaching of Philip Acts 8 5 6 10 11 it is said that the people gaue heed with one accord to those things which he spake hearing and seeing the miracles which he did as before they had giuen heed from the least to the greatest to the enchantments of Simon the sorcerer And in the sixteenth Chapter ver 14. the Spirit testifieth that Lydia heard the Apostles diligently whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended vnto the things which Paul spake The Apostle Peter writing to the dispersed Iewes testifieth this 2. Pet. 1.19 We haue a sure word of the Prophets to the which ye do well that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place vntill the day dawn the daystar arise in your harts All these precepts commanding promises assuring and examples confirming this doctrin do teach that it is our duty to stirre vp our attention and to be forward to learne Gods wil with all reuerence and readinesse when it is reuealed and deliuered vnto vs. Reason 1 The reasons heereof are plaine and euident For first it is God that speaketh vnto vs so often as his word is preached among vs. He is a most mighty and terrible GOD whom wee worship and in whose presence we stand hauing all power and Maiesty in him who is euen a consuming and deuouring fire
they could finde in their hearts not to pray at all not to heare at all not to partake the Sacraments at all yea to breake out into open blasphemy and say with the Atheists and vngodly men Iob 21.15 Who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profite haue we if we should pray vnto him Many are carried away with dulnesse and heauinesse of body mind an ordinary and dangerous abuse hindering the sauing knowledge of the Gospel This is a subtle slight and suggestion of Sathan whereof many complaine but few striue against and therefore spend the greatest time allotted and allowed for hearing the word in drowsinesse and sleeping and whereas they should raise and rouze vp themselues they hang downe theis heads and lay them on their seates and frame thâ—mselues to snort and sleepe rather then to heare and attend An vnfit and very vnseemely gesture for so high an worke If thou shouldst so behaue thy selfe to thy father or Prince speaking vnto thee wold they not take themselues â—â—e abused at thy hands Balaam chargeth Balak to rise vp and heare but these lye along vnciuilly or turne their backes vndecently or lay them downe vnreuerently contrary to the religious practice of the people when Christ preached at Nazareth on the Sabbaâ—th day Luke 4 20. The eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastened on him Many are talking and speaking to others when they should heare God speake and talke vnto them they remooue out of their places to place others and bring them in their sâ—â—tes True it is kindnesse and curtesie are commendable vertues But it is cursed curtesie which is so dearely bought euen with the losse of rhe least sentence and saying of the word of God Others are reading in the Church and bring with them books besides the Scriptures peraduenture of prayers or sermons or such like godly treatises if not of vnprofitable matters in them they exercise themselues spend the time whereas they should hearken to helpe their instruction and not reade to hinder their attention 〈…〉 But do you condemne reading will some say Is it not a good and godly exercise Do not men rather need to be encouraged then discouraged from that duty 〈…〉 I answer that reading is not to be condemned and no man ought to be discouraged from reading We do not reproue the worke done but the time wherein it is done A good thing done in season is twice done A thing done out of season is euilly done To al things there is an appointed time 〈◊〉 3 1 7. and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen there is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake there is a time to reade and a time to heare a time to pray and a time to receiue the Sacraments To pray by our selues 〈◊〉 6 5 6. or reade by our selues wheÌ„ we should heare together with others in the Congregation or to exercise the tongue wheÌ„ we should vse the eare or to speake to God when we should heare him speaking vnto vs cannot stand with the generall rules of Scripture appointed to direct vs in our publike assemblies Let all things be done to edifying Let all things be done honestly and in order 1 Cor. 14 5 40. The Apostle reprouing the disorders crept into the Lords Supper that when they should eate the Lords Supper euery man took his owne supper afore and tarried not for his brethren whereby it came to passe that some were hungry and others full saith Haue yee not houses to eate and drinke in Despise yee the Church of God and shame them that haue not 1. Cor. 11 21 22. Where he doth not simply coÌ„demne eating and drinking no more then Christ 〈◊〉 11 15. when he whipped out of the Temple such as made the house of prayer a denne of theeues condemned buying and selling but vsing them at an vnfit time Thus we see how it standeth vs all vpon to beware take heed of all abuses that take away reuerence hinder attention to the end we may with meeknesse receiue the word engrafted in vs that is able to saue our foules Vse 3 Thirdly this duty directeth vs vnto another duty namely to prepare our selues before we come ordring the affections of our minds and disposing the powers of our soules in such sort that they may be fitted and furnished for that worke When the people of Israel were to receiue the Law on Mount Sinai â—â—od 19 10 they sanctified themselues purged their conscience from dead works The Apostle hauing set downe the institution of the Lords Supper to the Corinthians and taught them that vnworthy receiuers eate to themselues iudgement and make themselues guilty of the body and blood of Christ â—hat is reâ—â—ed to fit 〈◊〉 prepare â—â—â—eâ—â—es to 〈◊〉 exercises 〈◊〉 our religioÌ„ willeth them to examine themselues and so eate of this bread drinke of this cup 1 Cor. 11 28 29 and not to come hand ouer head in prophane manner Now to this preparation sundry things are required First wee must bring with vs diligence to marke earnestly and obserue carefully the word of God deliuered which auaileth and aduantageth vs much for profiting thereby in knowledge and obedience Diligence maketh a rough way plaine bitter things sweet and hard things easie This Salomon prescribeth to the sonnes of God Prou. 2 1 2 3 4. My sonne if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commandements within thee and cause thine heart to hearken vnto wisedome encline thine heart to vnderstanding if thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for treasures then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord finde the knowledge of God This Christ commandeth Iohn 5 39. This also the Apostle requireth Iam. chap. 1 verse 19. We must vse labour and industry not vpon some sudden motion and pang nor by reason of some good company only or for feare of danger but in a continuall course earnest manner as worldlings vse to take paines to attain treasure and riches inasmuch as the heauenly treasures of a better life do farre surpasse all earthly riches that carnall men make their greatest happinesse We see how artificers and handy-crafts men follow theyr Trades who rise early and sit vp late who labour night and day who endure cold and heat to earne a little of this worlds good but where shall wee finde that Christian who so eagerly and earnestly followeth after the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Behold how Merchants compasse Sea and Land and sayle to the furthest parts of the world with danger of theyr liues to get the goods of the earth But greater is the gaine of godlinesse and heauenly wisedome and therefore we should redeeme the time to procure it and sell al that we haue of our owne to purchase it Mat. 13 44 45. Secondly wee must be touched with the feare and dread of Gods Maiesty for feare engendereth
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
darknesse in the nosthrils of God that he was constrained to wash them away with an vniuersall flood Wee must therefore search into the true causes of euils and not falsely accuse the times but lay the fault vpon them that liue in the times If we would grow better the times also would become much better But so long as mens manners are deformed the times cannot be reformed and amended Thus then we see 〈◊〉 Virg de 〈◊〉 lib. 2. 4. 10. that the confusion of warre hath bene of olde and therefore they no better so that it behoueth vs to bee contented with those things which presently we enioy and not to breake out blasphemously against God and ignorantly against the times Vse 3 Lastly seeing the rage of men to ioyne in battell meete in hostile manner in the field hath beene of great antiquity let vs all consider that as warres haue beene of olde so they may come againe wee know not how soone Though we seeme now to liue secure without danger of enemies or feare of warre yet the miseries of a cruell warre and the loosenesse of a secure peace may sodainely meete together It standeth vs in hand to giue GOD the praise that hath sent vs peace and made vs to dwell in safety How many of our brethren do see and haue seene many pittifull spectacles Esay 13 16. felt many wofull mischiefes this way The butchering of men the ryoting with women the ruinating of families and noble houses the vtter sacking of Cities and Kingdomes Let not vs promise to our selues any security let vs not dreame of perpetuall peace tranquility and so lull our selues asleepe with deceitfull hope There is nothing that hath bene that may not be againe There is a time to loue and a time to hate a time of warre Eccl. 3 8. and a time of peace If God send this scourge among vs the Cities full of people are made solitary being quickly wasted and made desolate Let vs be thankful to God for the daies of our peace and pray to him to giue vs grace to vse our peace aright lest he draw the glittering sword vpō vs. For if he bring the sword vpon a Land and say Sword goe through the Land and destroy both man and beast out of it Ezek. 14 17. as we our fathers and our posterity are at his commandement it is nothing for him to make hauocke among vs and to worke out a plentifull desolation Amalek was the first of the Nations but his latter end shall come to destruction Wee haue spoken already of the former part of these words touching the Amalekites inuading of Israel and making warre against them the history whereof we reade in the booke of Exodus chap. 17 verse 16. Now we are to consider the latter part wherein we may behold the recompence of their worke and how God retaileth the inuasion of his people They soght to destroy Israel themselues shall be brought to destruction They drew the sword themselues are threatned to perish with the sword That which themselues worke they are constrained to suffer at the hands of other so that with the same that they do offend they are punished From hence we learne Doctrine The wicked are punished according as they offend that God oftentimes plagueth men in those things and by those things wherein they haue sinned and offended God auengeth and punisheth in the same kinde and measure as men prouoke him We haue a notable example heereof in Adoni-bezek Iudg. 1 6 a proud insolent and bloody minded man he is serued as hee serued others he had the thumbes of his hands and of his feet cut off as he had serued the seuenty kings which he tooke in battell This it is which Samuel saide to Agag one of the Kings of these Amalekites that now we speake of 1 Sam. 15 33. As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother be childlesse among other women and so he hewed him in peeces before the Lord. Dauid defiled his neighbours wife the hand of God did so follow him that his owne wiues were defiled by his owne sonne in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 12 11. We reade how Ahab shed Naboths blood to obtaine his vineyard which he refused to sel vnto him but the Prophet was sent vnto him with an heauy message saying Thus saith the Lord In the place where dogges licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs licke euen thy blood also 1 Kings 21 19 23. and also of Iezabel the worker of all this mischiefe spake the Lord saying The dogs shall eate Iezabel by the wall of Izreel He slew Naboths children his owne sonnes were slaine He took possession of the vineyard but he lost his owne kingdome The wicked man saith Dauid in the Psalmes hath made a pit and digged it for his brother and is fallen into it himselfe he prepared a sword to kill his neighbour and it entred into his owne heart Psal 7 13 15. So the Prophet speaking of Babel the ancient enemy of the Church denounceth this iust retribution of God Woe to thee that spoilest and wast not spoiled and dost wickedly and they did not wickedly against thee when thou shalt ceasse to spoile thou shalt be spoiled when thou shalt make an end of doing wickedly they shall do wickedly against thee Esay 33 1. And this truth is verified not onely by these examples but by continuall experience The extortioner and cruell dealing man is oftentimes in his posterity eaten out consumed by the extortioner Psal 109 13. The Gamester making game his delight and his pleasure his God is snared in his owne wayes so that gaming is his ruine The drunkard many times perisheth in his drunkennesse and is brought to an vntimely death sometimes by the immediate hand of God sometimes by dropsies and other diseases The vniust and wrongfull dealer hath that which hee deuoured drawne out of his bowels and is made by the hand of God to vomit it vp againe The couetous man that ioyneth house to house land to land that heapeth vp liuing and riches by fraud and oppression to his destruction is made as a spunge which when it is full and hath soaked vp what it can is crushed and wrung out to nothing The vncleane liuer and filthy fornicator hath his strength consumed his substance wasted his flesh eaten and the markes of his beastly vncleannesse set vpon him by the reuenging hand of God to his perpetuall shame infamy reproch and confusion The like we might say in all other sinnes God doth most commonly make euery mans sinne his bane his poyson his fall his woe his destruction and vtter ruine verifying that which Salomon speaketh Prou. 1 31 and 26 27. They shall eate the fruite of their owne way and be filled with their owne deuices he that digs a pit shall fall therein and he that rolleth a stone it returnes vpon him The Reasons follow First God is a iust
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
Princes hold their Crownes and Scepters by the gift of God and therefore none but hee that gaue them can take them away from them They were accountable to him but to no mortall man whatsoeuer Ambros in his Apol. of Dauid chap. 10. and therefore Dauid saide To thee onely I haue sinned Psal 51 4. And this teacheth them a good lesson to remember that they must one day appeare before the iudgement seate of God and plead before his barre guilty or not guilty as now their subiects doe before them This then is the Regall tenour to hold immediatly from God to whom they must doe homage and fealty for their Crownes and Kingdomes It is not vnknowne what exorbitant courses the Bishop of Rome hath taken exalting himselfe from a Christian Pastour to bee an Antichristian Pope and from a Pope to a temporall Prince and from a temporall Prince to be a supreme Monarch ouer all and to haue omnipotent power as a vice-god on earth Such Almain-leapes in good time there is good hope will breake his backe nay his necke and free the Christian world from his yoke and bondage worse a thousand times then the slauery of the Israelites in Egypt when God shall open the eyes of all Christian Princes to see his vsurped ambition dominion which God grant for the glory of his Name and the saluation of the poore people that are held in more thē Turkish captiuity Lastly we must acknowledge that Magistrates Vse 3 are of great necessity forasmuch as the end of their Office is the good and benefit of the people ouer whom they are placed Lam. 4 20. They serue as a comfortable shadow to preserue vs from the scorching fires of raging persecuters like the gourd of Ionah which came ouer his head to deliuer him from the heare of the Sunne Ionah 4 6 8 which serueth to condemne the Anabaptists which cannot abide any gouernment or gouernors whereas we must learne to pray for them and to be subiect vnto them which are the Lords Shepheards ouer his flocke without whom nothing is to be seene but miserable disorder confusion of all things Iudg. 18. For a Commonwealth without a Gouernor is as a body without an head as a shippe without a Pilot as an army without a Leader or as an house without a Ruler The losse of a good and godly Prince is a great losse and greatly to be lamented 2 Chron. 35 verse 24. Zach. 12 verse 11. CHAP. XXVIII 1. AND the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 2. Command the Children of Israel and say vnto them My offering and my bread for my sacrifices c. 3. And thou shalt say vnto them This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer vnto the Lord Two Lambes of the first yeare without spot day by day for a continuall burnt offering 4. The one Lambe shalt thou offer in the morning and the other Lambe shalt thou offer at euen 5. And a tenth part of an Ephah c. 6. It is a continuall burnt offering c. 7. And the drinke roffering c. 8. And the c. MOSES hauing set downe the numbering of the people proceedeth to handle the lawes vnder which they ought to be wherof some belong to Church-matters and some to the Common-wealth some sacred and some ciuill Such as are holy haue the first place and that worthily which order sheweth that the Common-wealth can neuer be well established vntill the Church be rightly ordered Doctrine The first and chiefe care is to be had of the Church and matters of religion The first and chiefe care is to be had of the Church and afterward of the ciuill state Commonwealth They begin at a wrong ende that begin with matters of policy as if a man should be very carefull to looke to the body but be carelesse of looking to the soule or should haue regard to the foote and vtterly neglect the head It was euermore the manner of the godly religious Kings of Iudah to beginne first with Church-matters and looking to religion and ordering the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments as wee see in Dauid Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah So did Zerubbabel immediately after their return from captiuity as wee see in the booke of Ezra Reason 1 And no maruaile for true religion is the soule and life of the Commonwealth without this it cannot prosper and florish but is as a dead carkasse without life it may carry a goodly shew and seeme to promise peace perpetuity but it is not well grounded and will deceiue in the end witnesse the Monarchies of the world which all receiued theyr decaying and declining in theyr times seasons of which before chap. 3. Secondly true religion is that onely which instructeth all sorts in true obedience teacheth them to performe theyr duties which is the meanes to establish a Commonwealth to order it aright when euery one knoweth his standing and no man encrocheth vpon the calling of another and the contrary bringeth confusion Thirdly euery one is charged to seeke the glory of God aboue his owne good and to set vp him before our selues For as he wil not giue his glory to any other so we ought to take heed we do not rob him of it But when we haue the first care to establish matters of religion then we shew that we are zealous of his glory First then they are deceiued that thinke it Vse 1 enough to make lawes for preseruation of publike peace and tranquility that euery man may keep and enioy his owne that wrongs and iniuries may be suppressed and banished The cheefest care ought to bee of Gods seruice and worship otherwise our Common-wealths shall differ little or nothing from the states and gouernments of the heathen Heere then is a lesson for all Law-giuers if they desire to haue Christian Commonwealths to begin with Christian religion and looke to the Church and there lay a good foundation He that would build an house to stand against stormes and tempests that will beate against it and seeke to beare it downe will be sure to begin with the foundation make sure work there so such as desire to haue a flourishing Commonwealth and all estates as a goodly building to grow vp and prosper in it must make religion the foundation and then it shal be sure to stand because that is as a rocke that shall neuer fayle nor fall Vse 2 Secondly hereby also we may try our selues whether we belong to God or not if in the first place we regard duties of piety and godlinesse and be more carefull to feare God thē to feare man then we are truely religious and may assure our selues we are true members of the church We must make him our feare who is able to cast body and soule into hell Matth 10 rather then man who can but kill the body if kill the body Iohn 19. Let euery one of vs therefore bee more
to doe that which should honor his Prince this duty is that which delighteth God and honoureth him and therefore all of vs should practise it Fourthly as it is honourable so likewise it is most profitable to our selues both to make vs keepe the blessings which we haue and to obtaine such as we haue not If wee be faithfull in little he will trust vs with much if we be faithfull ouer a few things hee will made vs ruler ouer many things Luke chap. 19 17. Matth. chap. 25 23. But if we bee vnthankfull for mercies receiued he wil take from vs euen those which we haue This should teach vs to stirre vp our selues Vse 1 more and more to thankefulnesse by keeping in minde and laying vp in our hearts the speciall blessings and mercies of God This we cannot do except wee take notice of them and dayly marke and obserue what God doth for vs. For a benefit not remembred is all one as if it were neuer receiued Let vs not therefore suffer his mercies to passe away If the least crosse lye vpon vs we are sure to be sensible enough of it If the head ake we can by and by feele it and complaine of it How then is it that we receyue grace after grace and mercy vpon mercy heaped vp plentifully vpon vs and yet wee remaine as senselesse and blockish as if wee had receyued nothing at all Let vs take heede of this vnthankefulnesse Secondly it reproueth many amongst vs Vse 2 that haue tongues to aske and mouthes to speake when wee are in neede but know not how to return thankes to God when we haue receyued Haue we beene in trouble and affliction and hath God beene mercifull vnto vs to restore vs againe If wee be not thankefull vnto him for this it had beene better for vs that we had beene afflicted still yea that wee had perished in our affliction then not to returne to him the praise to lift vp our hearts to the heauens Lastly would we know whether wee bee Vse 3 thankefull indeede or not then let vs examine our selues how it goeth with vs after God hath deliuered vs from any dangers Are we more zealous in good things and more carefull to performe good duties vnto GOD then before Then surely wee may comfort our selues and assure our owne hearts that wee haue beene thankefull in some measure Thus doth Christ speake of the sinnefull woman Luke chap. 7. verse 47 her sinnes which are many are forgiuen her for she loued much but to whom little is forgiuen the same loueth little This is thankefulnesse for loue receyued to loue againe and for much loue to returne much loue againe True thankesgiuing is of a working Nature it will quickly shew it selfe toward him of whom we haue receiued mercy If the loue of God be shedde in our hearts we will loue him againe because he loued vs first On the other side if a man doe not performe this duty to wit to bee more zealous of Gods glorie and more obedient vnto his word and will he shall be found vnfaithfull whatsoeuer he perswadeth himselfe of himselfe So fell it out with Hezekiah as wee may see in the second booke of the Chronicles the 32. chapter and the 25. verse Who rendred not againe according to the benefite done vnto him His heart was lifted vppe and wrath came vpon him and vpon Iudah and Ierusalem If then God spared not him let vs take heed hee doe not spare vs and bee euermore carefull to praise him here as we ought and then we shall be sure to praise him euer hereafter in the life to come Wee haue therefore brought an oblation c. In the oblation of this people we are to consider the circumstance of time which serueth further to commend them they were no sooner returned and found the mercy of GOD toward them but by and by they giue him thankes Doctrine We are to returne thankes to God speedily and presently This teacheth that as all men must returne thankes vnto God so they must returne it speedily and presently while they haue oportunity and ability to doe it Exodus 15.20 Iudges 5 1 Luke 17 15 16. The grounds follow Reason 1 First it is the will of God our Father when he would haue thankfulnesse performed hee would haue it done speedily and cheerefully it is the willingnesse of the minde that hee respecteth and accepteth For if hee require of vs in the matter of liberality that we say not to our neighbour Goe and come againe and to morrow I will giue if we haue it by vs then certainly it is his pleasure that we doe not delay or deferre to performe the duty of praise to him to morrow when we should do it to day Secondly the performance of thankesgiuing presently maketh it the more accepted of God whereas the putting of it off from time to time causeth it to bee reiected Thirdly while the blessings of God are fresh in our remembrance the minde feedeth the affection with much more plentifull matter and it is stirred vp the more feruently and effectually to performe that duty whereas the oportunity in due season being neglected maketh the blessings of God grow stale and to bee quite forgotten and that quickly Vse 1 This teacheth that many men may heereby see their sinnes in this matter and maner of thanksgiuing because they are so slacke and slow drowsie and forgetfull and vse such delayes in their returning of praise to God By delay a man is made more vnfit and vnable to performe this duty True it is if a man repent of his dalying with God and delaying to doe his duty to him he will forgiue his euil howbeit he that putteth off his thankfulnesse it is not so acceptable to God because hee doth it not speedily albeit hee performe it in the end Vse 2 Secondly this must teach euery man to learne when be returneth thankes to God for any blessing that he should labour to doe it presently and speedily seeing this is that which is so much accepted with him And if any man haue beene faulty in this let him labour to make amends with double diligence and to bee more mindefull of this duty of thankfulnesse that so the Lord bee not enforced to put him in minde of his sinne by taking away his blessings from him It were farre better for vs to learne otherwise then by taking forth this hard lesson to wit by our harme Thirdly this serueth to put vs in minde to Vse 3 stretch this maner of speedy thankesgiuing to God to all other duties of Religion and Christianity The Apostle exhorteth all persons to do good while they haue time or oportunity to do good to all men Gal. 6 10 for wee know not what one day may bring forth Prou. 27 1. Many delay their doing of good till the houre of death these are like swine which are neuer good till they come to the shambles Especially in the case of repentance
yeare then the Trumpet of Iubile sounded they proclaimed liberty and freedome thoroughout all the land vnto all the inhabitants thereof then seruants were set free then debts were forgiuen then euery man returned vnto his owne possession and family Verse 10. This solemne and sacred time was instituted for these causes First Why the Iubile was instituted to moderate and bridle the couetousnesse of such as hoped and gaped after other mens possessions and to teach euery man to be content with his owne estate and not enter vpon the possessions of others as Ahab did vpon the vineyard of Naboth Secondly to keepe a true Chronology a certaine computation of time which is very necessary and profitable in the reading of histories to know where and at what time euery thing was done Thirdly to maintayne a distinction of the Tribes vntill the exhibiting of the Messiah according to the prophecy of Iacob Gen. 49 9 The Tribe shall not depart from Iuda till Shiloh come For howsoeuer many do vnderstand the word Shebet in this place of the Scepter yet I doe not remember in all the bookes of Moses wherein it is often vsed that once it is vsed in that sense albeit it be in other bookes afterward Lastly to figure out the redemption of Christ who indeed broght a true Iubile and freedome when the fulnesse of time came Hee proclaymed liberty with his owne voyce from the tyranny of sin of Satan and of hell Esay 61 1 2 3 c. Luke 4 18. He purchased a ful discharge from all our spiritual debts trespasses and transgressions Ioh. 8 34 36 Verily verily I say vnto you Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne but if the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed Through him it is come to passe that Satan hath no power to exact any debt at our hands Christ hath cancelled the bill and hand-writing that stood in force against vs 1 Cor. 6 20 Gal. 4.5 1 Pet. 1 18 19. Col. 1 13 14. Rom. 8 2. This Law pertayning to the ceremonies of Moses The Popish Iubile the Papists haue taken vp and horribly abused and broght into vse in the times of the Gospel and vnder colour thereof sell theyr pardons and indulgences and abuse the people and make sale of their soules For as God had his Iubile so the Pope hath his howbeit it is in an apish kinde of imitation and can neyther be accounted this Leuitical Iubile neyther yet receiued for Christian It cannot be the Leuiticall because in it no seruants are freed no debts are remitted no possessions of land are restored as it was in the Iubile of the Iewes And if the Pope himselfe would allow this why doth not he beginne and giue good example to others restore Rome to it selfe and others lands of the Church to the Emperour he being the right and lawfull owner and that proud Bishop onely an vsurper Againe in the yeare of Iubile the Iewes did neyther sowe nor reape but at Rome it is nothing so for then the Popes are most busie the best husbands then they sowe their indulgences thick threefold reape a plentifull haruest by such merchandise Hence it is that whereas at the first this solemne feast which now keepeth the Popes kitchin hote for many yeares after was rare now it is growne more common that it might be more gainful The inuention of it was altogether vnknowne for more then twelue hundred yeares after Christ and neuer heard of in the purer times of the Church The first father of it was Boniface the eighth Anno 1300 who promised full remission of sinnes to all those that would repaire to Rome and pay soundly for a pardon and this was to be done euery hundred yeares This time was thoght too long was afterward abridged by Clement the sixt who got the papacy in the yeare 1342. to 50 yeares after the manner of the Iewe. After him came Sixtus the fourth in the yeare of our Lord 1473 who thinking the times to come to slowly about Piae fraudes and finding the sweetnes of the former deuice cut it off againe in the middes appointed euery 25 yeare for a Iubile and promised like pardons to all commers and goers wheras before him Vrban the sixt had brought it to 33 yeares and lastly it is come to ten yeares because they would bee sure to lose no profit See what the desire of mony worketh in these holy fathers who oftentimes sell pardons so fast to others that it is to be feared they neuer obtaine pardon themselues Neyther can this Iubile be holden for Christian in that poore pilgrims resort to Rome and visite the Churches of Peter and Paul but rather superstitious blasphemous For this is to tye grace to a certain time and place which is not tyed Esay 2 5. Ioh. 4 23. Math. 28 19. Secondly this is to worship God with our own workes which he hath not commanded nor required Esay 1 12 Math. 15 9 and to make sinfull men to merite the grace and fauour of God whereas all such kinde of seruice is abominable in his sight Lastly they make sale of the grace of God which is much more precious then gold and siluer take money for remission of sins which that proud Prelat is not able to giue Thus are men pitifully deceiued The Iubile is the Popes market and haruest and God is horribly dishonored And howsoeuer the good of the people is pretended yet this Iubile is nothing else but the Popes market and haruest his market day to sel his wares and commodities and his haruest to gather in his pardon-money wherby he emptieth the purses of others but filleth his owne coffers True it is hee claymeth a power to dispense the treasure of the Church that is the merites of the Saints and the ouer-measure of their workes and obedience hee hath in store for all such as lacke The Saints haue no ouer plus of works but this is most iniurious and derogatory to Christ It is proper to him to redeeme others and to satisfy for them who is made of the Father to be our redemption 1 Cor. 1 30. Againe the Scripture expresly excludeth the sufferings of the Saints from the worke of redemption and remission of sinnes 1 Cor. 1 13. Acts 4 12. 2 Cor. 5 21 Acts 10 43. Thirdly if the satisfactions of the Saints were of so great worth value that they can take away and blot out the sinnes of others then they might be truly called the Mediators of the New Testament howbeit this is proper to Christ Heb. 9.13 14 15. Lastly the Saints themselues are not able to pay theyr owne debt much lesse the debt of others and they that want the mercy and mediation of another cannot be mediators for another But the best Saints that euer were or shal be doe say Forgiue vs our debts therefore they are not able to pay them How then can