the Lawe is immutable and eternall and therefore I came not to destroy it First here obserue that the Law of God is made perpetuall and vnchangeable If any man aske how this can be seeing the Apostle faith The Lawe is changed Answer The Law is threefold Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall as hath beene said now that place is principally to be vnderstood of the Ceremoniall law which indeede is abrogated in regard of the obseruation of it in Gods worship but in the scope and substance of it which is Christ crucified with his benefits whom it shadowed out it remaineth still and is now more plaine then euer it was As for the Iudiciall law though it be abrogated vnto vs so farre forth as it was peculiar to the Iewes yet as it agrees with common equitie and serues directly to establish the precepts of the Morall lawe it is perpetuall If it be said that Christ changed the Morall law in changing the Sabbath day from the seauenth day to the eight I answer Christ did so indeed by his Apostles but that is no change of the substance but of the ceremonie of the Sabbath for the substance of that law is the inioyning of a seauenth daies rest vnto the Lord. Now though the seauenth day from the creation be not kept yet a seauenth day is kept still If it be further said that the Law it selfe is abrogated for that euery one that breaketh the Lawe is not accursed according to the sentence thereof Deut. 27. 26. Answer Wee must knowe that the Law is but one part of Gods word and the Gospel another reuealing another part of Gods will besides that which the Lawe made knowne for it addes a qualification to the Law moderating the rigour thereof after this manner Hee is accursed saith the Law that faileth in any commandement except saith the Gospel he bee reconciled againe in Christ and in him haue the pardon of his transgressions And yet the Morall law remaines for euer a rule of obedience to euery childe of God though he be not bound to bring the same obedience for his iustification before God Againe this propertie of the Law in beeing vnchangeable and for euer to be kept sheweth that no creature may dispense with the Law of God Mens lawes may be abrogated and changed but Gods Law euen in the least parts thereof must stand for euer till it be accomplished to the full but if it might be dispensed with then not onely iots and titles thereof but whole lawes might bee abrogated This shewes the blasphemous impietie of the Popes of Rome who in their Canons be authorized to dispense with the lawes of God yea in the last Councell of Trent hee is priuiledged to dispense with some of the lawes of Consanguinitie against nature flatly forbidden in the word of God which is most horrible rebellion and a great disgrace vnto God Thirdly from this propertie of the Law we may obserue that it is not likely that any whole booke of Canonicall Scripture is lost for not one sentence of the Law shall passe till all be fulfilled much lesse then can whole bookes perish Sundrie men do thinke that whole bookes be loste but that opinion cals into question the fidelitie of the Church and Gods own prouidence in preseruing his word neither can it stand wel with this text that saith no title thereof shal faile Those that seeme to be lost were either humane writings as bookes of lawes and Chronicles such as our books of statutes or Chronicles be or books of philosophie such as Salomon writ or else some of them are in the Canonicall Scripture for the bookes of Samuel and the Kings were written by diuers Prophets and therfore we may more safely hold that no part of holy Scripture is lost neither shall euer faile For howsoeuer after the last iudgement the vse of the word written shall cease yet the substance thereof shall remaine in mens hearts and be kept for euer Fourthly this immutabilitie of the Law containes a matter of great terrour woe vnto al impenitent sinners for howsoeuer they may flatter themselues with a presumption of Gods mercie yet the curse of Law which is against them shall stand for euer and therefore while they goe on in sinne they haue iust cause to houle and crie for Gods iustice in that his Law is inuiolable neither will gold or siluer pacifie Gods wrath for though a man by his power and wealth were able to ouerturne heauen and earth yet that would not helpe him though heauen and earth be brought to nothing yet euery part of Gods Law must stand for euer and be fulfilled And therefore whosoeuer doe lie in any finne must in time repent humble themselues forsake their sins and betake themselues vnto Christ that he may fulfill the Law for them or else the cuise thereof shall certainly be fulfilled in them and they shall there lie howling vnder it eternally where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Fiftly this immutabilitie of the Law and so proportionably of euery part of Gods word as it prooueth the Scriptures to be the word of God so it is a most excellent ground of comfort for all Gods seruants to stablish their hearts in the assurance of all his promises A Christian heart is subiect to receiue many doubtinges of the truth of Gods promises especially in the time of triall and temptation but this must be remembred for euer that the whole word of God is immutable though mans promises may faile and their lawes be abrogated yet no iot or part of Gods word shall passe vnfulfilled and therefore they must constantly waite for the accomplishment thereof for in due time it shall be fulfilled Sixtly we are hereby taught to put on patience in afflictiōs for they come by the speciall appointment of our God who saith in his word That through many afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of heauen now euery part of Gods word must be accomplished and therefore Christ bade Peter to put vp his sword when he would haue rescued his apprehension for saith he I could pray to my Father and hee would send more then twelue legions of Angels to helpe me but how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled which say It must be so Matth. 26. 52 53 54. Seauenthly our Sauiour Christ in this propertie of immutabilitie giueth vnto the whole Law and vnto euery sillable and letter thereof his proper force vertue and sense so as there is nothing in it not so much as one letter vaine or idle for euery commandement reueales the perfect iustice of God and euery letter serues to expresse the same comaundement And herein the Law of God differeth from mens lawes for in them bee many vaine and idle words yea oftentimes whole sentences but in the law of God it is not so Prou. 8. 8. All the words of my mouth are righteous there is no
equitie it concerneth all people in all times and places What the Morall lawe is I will describe in three points First It is that part of Gods word concerning righteousnesse and godlinesse which was written in Adams minde by the gift of creation and the remnants of it be in euery man by the light of nature in regard whereof it bindes all men Secondly it commaundeth perfect obedience both inward in thought and affection and outward in speech and action Thirdly it bindeth to the curse and punishment euery one that faileth in the least dutie thereof though but once and that in thought onely Galatians 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to doe them The summe of the Morall law is propounded in the Decalogue or tenne Commandements which many can repeat but fewe doe vnderstand That wee may further conceiue aright the Morall lawe wee must make a difference betweene it and the Gospel for the Gospel is that part of the word which promiseth righteousnesse and life euerlasting to all that beleeue in Christ the difference betweene them stands especially in fiue things First the Law is naturall and was in mans nature before the fall but the Gospel is spirituall reuealed after the fall in the couenant of grace Secondly the Law sets forth Gods iustice in rigour without mercy but the Gospel sets out iustice and mercie vnited in Christ. Thirdly the Law requireth a perfect righteousnesse within vs but the Gospel reuealeth our acceptance with God by imputed righteousnesse Fourthly the Law threatneth iudgement without mercy and therefore is called the ministerie of condemnation and of death but the Gospel shewes mercie to mans sinne in and by Christ if we repent and beleeue Lastly the law promiseth life to the worker and doer of it Doe this and thou shalt liue but the Gospel offereth saluation to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly not considering faith as a worke but as an instrument apprehending Christ by whom we are made righteous The Church of Rome in a manner confound the Law and the Gospell sauing that the Gospel which is the new Law reuealeth Christ more clearely then Moses Law did which they call the old Law But this is a wicked opinion which ouerturnes all religion beeing the cause of many grosse points in poperie which could not stand if they would acknowledge a true distinction betweene the Law and the Gospel They say for their defence that the precepts of both are the same for substance that both require righteousnesse both promise life and threaten death both commaund faith repentance and obedience and therefore they are the same Answer First the laws and precepts of the Law and Gospel are not the same for Adam in his innocencie knew the Law but hee knewe nothing then of beleeuing in Christ and though both require righteousnesse promise life and threaten death yet the manner is farre different as before was noted So likewise they differ in the commaunding of faith for the Gospel commandeth faith not as a worke done as the Law doth but as an instrument laying hold on Christ. Againe the Law commaundes faith generally as to beleeue in God and to beleeue his word to be true but besides this the Gospel requires a particular faith in Christ the Redeemer whom the Law neuer knewe Thirdly the Law commandeth not repentance for the knowledge of the Law was in Adams heart when hee needed no repentance true repentance therefore is a sauing grace wrought and commanded onely by the Gospel And fourthly for obedience though it bee commaunded both by the Law and the Gospel yet not in the same manner The Law commaundeth obedience euery way perfect both in parts and in degrees and alloweth none other but the Gospel commaundeth and in Christ approoueth imperfect obedience that is an indeauour in all things to obey and please God if it be without hypocrisie Againe the Law commandeth obedience as a worke to bee done for the obtaining of saluation but the Gospel requires obedience onely to testifie our faith and thankefulnesse vnto God The Church of Rome therefore erreth grosly in cōfounding the Law and the Gospel which indeed are farre differing so we must beleeue if we would come into hold the right way that leadeth vnto life Now whereas Christ saith Thinke not that I came to destroy the Law by Law he meaneth principally the Morall law and in the second place the Ceremoniall law also Next obserue the opposition that Christ maketh betweene the Law and the Prophets thereby signifying vnto vs that by the Law hee meaneth that part of Gods word concerning Righteousnesse and Iustice which Moses penned by Gods commaundement and by the Prophets hee meaneth that part of Gods word which is contained in the writings of all the Prophets in the old Testament after Moses which bookes of the Prophets contained in them either an interpretation of Moses Lawe or predictions of the state of the Church in the newe Testament Againe by destroying the Law we must not vnderstand a breach of the Law such as is made by mans sin but such a dissolution as taketh from it all vertue and power whereby it is a Law and so to destroy the Prophets is to put an ende vnto them so as they should nothing auaile either to the interpretation of the Law or to the foretelling of the state of Gods Church vnder the Gospel But to fulfill them Christ fulfilleth the Law three waies by his doctrine in his person and in men By his doctrine he fulfilleth the Law two waies both by restoring vnto it his proper meaning and true vse as we shall see afterward where he correcteth the corrupt interpretations thereof by the Pharises as also by reuealing the right way wherby the Law may be fulfilled Secondly in his person he fulfilleth the Lawe two waies First by becomming accursed to the Lawe in suffering death vpon the crosse for vs. Secondly by performing perfect obedience vnto the Law doing all that the Law required for the loue of God or of his neighbour in which respect he was said to haue beene vnder the Law Thirdly Christ fulfilled the Law in men Men bee of two sorts Elect and Reprobates In the Elect he fulfilleth the Lawe two waies First by creating faith in their hearts whereby they laie hold on Christ who for them fulfilled it Secondly by giuing them his owne spirit which maketh them indeauour to fulfill the Law which in Christ is accepted for perfect obedience in this life and in the life to come is perfect indeede In vnbeleeuers Christ fulfilleth the Law when he executeth the curse of the Law vpon them for that is a part of the Law and the execution and enduring of the curse is a fulfilling of the Lawe And thus doth Christ fulfill the Law so that the
ordinarie meanes for the procuring of Gods blessings we therefore must giue our selues to the faithfull practise of this dutie Indeede if grace and other blessings were our owne or from our selues we might well spare this labour But what hast thou saith Paul to euery Christian that thou hast not receiued be not therefore secure and idle for Gods blessings come not when we snort vpon our elboes but in the vse of meanes and happie are we that may vse those meanes for in asking we receiue in seeking we finde and in knocking it is opened vnto vs. Secondly our Sauiour Christ by trebling this commandement to pray would giue vs to consider that there is some waightie cause we should be instant in this dutie and that is in regard of the great miseries and manifold dangers whereunto we are subiect in this life for as Peter saith the righteous shall hardly be saued and no maruell for we haue without vs the Deuill and all his Angels plotting our destruction and the world a daungerous enemie whereby the Deuill workes within vs we haue our owne corrupt hearts daily drawing vs to the practise of sinne the bane and poison of our soules Now what is to be done in this case surely our onely refuge is constant and seruent praier to God as Christ here implies by this threefold command for in all things we must let our requests be made knowne to God Philip. 4. 6. This hath alwaies beene the practise of all the faithfull as we may see in Gods booke But if we had no example this commandement were sufficient to perswade vs vnto this dutie Also doest thou want any grace of God as faith repentance knowledge zeale patience strength against temptation or assurance of Gods fauour why aske and thou shalt haue seeke and thou shalt finde And this must be our course in outward wants and for temporall blessings as health peace libertie plentie c. Indeede the wicked worldlings seeke to wise men and wise women in their miseries but this is to forsake God and to goe to the Deuill Gods people must goe to their God Isa. 8. 19. Thirdly the trebling of this commandement in diuers tearmes must teach vs to be instant and vrgent with God in prayer this is an holy and acceptable importunitie when the Christian heart giues God no rest Ierem. 29. 12 13. the Lord promiseth to his people That they shall erie vnto him and goe and pray vnto him and he will heare them they shall seeke him and finde him because they shall seeke him with their whole heart Isa. 62. 7. The Lords remembrancers are commanded not to keepe silence nor to giue the Lord any rest Matth. 15. 22. The woman of Canaan is commended because shee will take no answer nor repulse from our Sauiour Christ till her daughter was cured and Luke 18. 5. The poore widow by her importunitie preuailed with the vnrighteous â—udge which parable Christ propounds to teach vs to be constant and earnest in prayer We therefore must shake off our naturall coldnesse and negligence in praier which is the common sinne of the world in regard of this dutie And we must labour for knowledge both of our owne sinnes and miseries and of Gods mercies that so we may pray with vnderstanding and in zeale and feruencie as Christ here requireth Alas many pray not at all and others know not what they aske though they say the Lords praier or some other set forme of praier And most men that haue knowledge suffer their mindes to wander from God by vaine imaginations now all comes for lacke of that feeling in praier which Christ here requireth Thus much of the commandement in generall Now out of the wordes more particularly we may obserue two points First where Christ bids vs Aske seeke knocke he speakes not particularly to some but generally to all his seruants so that all must pray which plainely implies that his best and deerest seruants are during this life in want of some grace or blessing And indeede when God giues most excellent gifts and blessings to his children yet then he leaues them in some notable want or triall for their humiliation and prouocation to prayer Paul was taken vp into paradise and there heard words that cannot possibly be vttered by man in this life this was a great grace and prerogatiue but yet to humble him least he should be exalted out of measure there was giuen him a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him hereby he was brought to pray most earnestly for deliuerance but yet he must rest contented with Gods grace for God will make perfect his power through the weakenesse of his seruants v. 8. 9. This point must be obserued to discouer to many secure persons their miserable state who feele no want of grace in themselues and therefore thinke all is well But what meanest thou to professe Christ if thou haue no neede of him nor of his graces oh know it when thou saiest in thine owne heart thou art rich and lackest nothing then thou art poore and blind and miserable and wretched And indeede if thou knewest the corruption of thine owne heart thou wouldest crie out with the Apostle in respect of thy wants Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Rom. 7. 24. Secondly Christ saying not onely Aske but seeke and knocke doth hereby imply what is Gods dealing many times with his own seruants namely that he forsakes them for a time and in part and in some sort hides himselfe and as it were locks himselfe from them Now thus he dealeth for two causes First hereby to chast 〈…〉 and correct them for their sinnes for iniquitie separates betweene God and his people and their sinnes hide his face from them Isa. 59. 2. Secondly to make triall of his graces in his children to see whether they delight in his loue to shew them their owne weaknes and to mooue th 〈…〉 aue vnto him more inseparable By all which we see it stands 〈…〉 and to pray earnestly and continually for God may forsake vs for our sinnes and he may iustly take occasion to trie what we haue profited by his Gospel which we haue long enioyed with aboundance of peace Thus much of the commandement to earnest prayer Now Christ enforceth it by two reasons First by a promise infolded in this verse with the commandement and confirmed in the next Secondly by a comparison verse 9. For the first The reason from the promise in this verse may thus be framed If they which aske shall receiue if they that seeke shall finde and they that knocke shall be let in then doe you aske seeke and knocke But they that aske shall receiue they that seeke shall finde c. Therefore doe you aske seeke and knocke In this reason our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs that when we pray to God we must bring a speciall faith
one for killing himselfe which is the most cruell and dangerous murther that can be and the author also excuseth his insufficiencie in penning of it which beseemeth not him that is guided by Gods spirit In the song of the 3. children it is said the flame ascended 49. cubits aboue the furnace which seemes incredible especially that still they should then cast in fuell or approach so neere as to put any man into it Likewise in the storie of Susanna it is said vers 45. that Daniel was a young childe when he executed iudgement vpon the two false witnesses which was in the ende of Astiages raigne immediately before the raigne of Cyrus and verse 64. Daniel by this meanes is said to growe famous which cannot possibly accord with the true storie of Daniel neither for his age nor for his fame and reputation And the like may be said of the rest whereby it is plaine these bookes cannot be canonicall Scripture And yet they are not to be reiected but reuerently esteemed of as the books of worthy men Here some may say If Moses and the Prophets comprehend all Scripture that hath diuine testimonie then the bookes of the new Testament shall not be Scripture because they were not written by the Prophets Answ. They were either penned by the Apostles or by other Apostolike men and allowed by the Apostles as Saint Lukes Gospel and the Acts were written by Luke a Physition and Saint Marke that writ that Gospel was not an Apostle yet those bookes were approoued by Apostolike authoritie which is all one as if they had beene written by the Apostles and the Apostles in speaking and writing were of equall authoritie with the Prophets hauing the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost as well as the Prophets for Acts 15. 28. they say It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and to vs and Ephes. 2. 20. the Church is said to be built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles where the Apostles are made equall with the Prophets II. Point This reason also doth giue vs to vnderstand what was the first Scripture that euer was penned namely the bookes of Moses before which there was no word of God written which was for the space of 2400. yeares It may be asked what was then the booke of the warres of the Lord mentioned Numb 21. and the booke of the Righteous spoken of by Ioshuah Chapt. 10. 13. Answer These were the writings of men humane stories like to our bookes of Chronicles Yet it is said Iude 14. Enoch the seauenth from Adam prophesied Answ. That prophecie was not penned but went from hand to hand â—y word of mouth and if it were penned yet it was not done by Enoch himselfe but by some Iew in his name long after Moses for it cannot bee prooued that Enoch euer penned any part of Scripture Some will aske mee how the people of God did for that space of two thousand and foure hundred yeares before the Law was written what guide had they for to knowe the will of God Answer They had the word of God immediately taught them by word of mouth from God himselfe as we may see in the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob and they to whom it was deliuered did also conuaie the same from man to man by tradition And because it may seeme strange how religion could for so long time bee preserued pure without writing wee are to knowe that before the lawe was written the Church of God from the beginning was the most part in one familie onely as in Adams Enochs Noes Abrahams c. whereby it was a more easie thing to preserue Gods word among them Againe those men that first receiued the word of God without writing were of long continuance liuing neere to a thousand yeares space whereby they might better see the word preserued and continued without writing by tradition Besides when religion was corrupted God himselfe restored the puritie thereof reuealing his will againe and renewing his couenant vnto his seruants as hee did to Abraham and the rest of the Patriarkes Here then behold how the heads of families preserued Gods word and true religion in the beginning of the world namely by teaching it to their posteritie and from them we may learne what is the dutie and ought to bee the practise of euery gouernour of a family at this day they must not thinke themselues discharged for that the word is written in the Church and euery man may read and heare the same but they must see the same bee taught vnto their children and to the rest of their familie that so it may bee preserued among them So God commandeth his people to teach their children the seruice of the Passeouer Exod. 12. 26. 27. and to whet the words of the Law vpon their children Deut. 6. 7. III. Point In this reason our Sauiour Christ takes for granted that the writings of Moses and of the Prophets are of infallible certaintie for it is all one as if he had said this must needes be euery mans dutie to doe as he would be done to for this is the Law and the Prophets and so answerable to them all other bookes of Scripture containe doctrine of infallible truth and certaintie Here some may aske how we should be perswaded hereof in our consciences Answ. By these Arguments which are all drawne from Scripture it selfe for as euery Science and Arte hath his grounds and principles so hath the holy Scripture which is not the Church but Scripture it selfe 1. from the causes 2. from the effects 3. from the properties 4. from signes 5. from the contraries 6. from the testimonie that is giuen hereof The 1. Argument Among the causes the first and principall is the Author thereof which is God himselfe to him doe Scriptures referre themselues also shew how God is their Author In Scripture we read that God spake to Adam to Enoch Noe Abraham and the rest and of Christ the new Testament giues most liuely testimony making him the Author subiect thereof Now nothing is falsly ascribed to God but God in time will bring the same to nought and therefore if Scripture had not beene Gods word it would long agone haue vanished Again the cause conuersant must bee considered the deuill by wicked men and heretickes hath laboured to take away Gods word from mens hearts and hands but yet it is still preserued in the Church which argues that it is kept by a greater power then is in all men and all angels that is by the power of God Thirdly the pen-men the instrumentall causes they were holy men of God Prophets and Apostles who for vertue and pietie farre exceeded other writers and if they had beene meere polititians their writings would haue shewed it for the pen-men of holy Scripture haue there in faithfully registred their own faults which no politike person would haue done Againe consider the matter of holy Scripture which stands in
doctrine and style the doctrine of Scripture is the Law and the Gospel now the Law is set forth in most excellent puritie nothing therein is against right reason or common equitie In the lawes of men are many things found against reason and equitie they commaund such things as common reason would condemne and omitte many things which reason and equitie would commaund And for the Gospel in it is set downe doctrine altogether aboue mans reason touching Christs incarnation and mans redemption by his death and although these things bee aboue nature yet wee finde them true wholesome and good in experience of conscience which also prooues that they are the word of God Men may deuise things aboue nature but they can neuer be wholesome to the conscience Further for the style of Scripture the phrase is plaine familiar and yet in any one speech there is more maiestie then in all the writings of men Lastly the ende of Scripture prooues the same to bee Gods word for the Scripture sets vp Gods worshippe and mans saluation and yet giues nothing to men or Angels but all to the glorie of God but for the writings of men they doe either directly or by insinuation ascribe some thing to the writers thereof II. Argument From the effects one worke of Scripture is this It is against our corrupt nature crossing and condemning the same and yet it winneth men to the loue therof and to obedience thereto which could not be vnlesse it were the truth of God for wee abhorre and detest the words of men that be against our nature A second effect is this Gods word serues notably to comfort a man in all distresses whatsoeuer euen in the pangs of death when no word of any man can doe him the least good but onely his word that is the Lord of our soule and the God of our life III. Argument From the propertiâ—s of Scripture the first whereof is Antiquitie The Scriptures of all writings are most auntient and euermore truth is most auntient among humane writings wee haue none of certaintie in the things they record before the times of Nehemias and Ezra but Scripture sets downe things done from the beginning A second propertie is mutuall consent for though the bookes of Scripture were written by diuers men in sundry ages and times yet all agree within themselues no contradiction is in Scripture but the writings of men haue not this consent no not in the same Author IV. Argum. From the signes and miracles thereof The doctrine of Scripture teacheth and recordeth true miracles as the parting of the Sea the staying of the sunne and moone the taking away of barrennesse and the incarnation of the son of God a miracle of all miracles all which beeing wrought by the power of God shew that the Scripture which recordeth them is the infallible truth of God V. Argum. From the contraries Contrarie to the word of God is the will of the deuill mans corrupt nature the deuil hates Scripture and mans sinfull nature repines thereat when it is checked and controlled thereby now that which is contrary to these to must needs be holy and true and that is the word of God VI. Argument From testimonie There bee two kindes of testimonies touching Scripture one of holy Martyrs who in all ages haue sealed the truth thereof with their blood preferring the word of God before their owne liues It will be said that Heretikes haue died for falshood Answer There is great difference in their endes the Martyrs haue vnspeakable ioy in the spirit in their torments but Heretikes haue no such ioy but a naturall senslesse blockishnesse whereby they vndergoe these tortures A second testimonie is most principall and that is the testimony of Gods spirit for when men beginne to learne and obey the word of God then the spirit of God setles their consciences in the perswasion of the truth of Scripture whereupon it is called the sealing of the spirit of truth because it assures a man in conscience of his reconciliation with God which assurance none can haue till he be first resolued of the certaintie of Scripture which is the grouÌ„d thereof Question How may a man finde this seale in himselfe Answer When hee findes the Scripture imprinted in his heart as the signe of the seale is in the waxe and his heart is transformed into Scripture as the waxe is into the similitude of the seale then doth the spirit out of the holy Scripture seale vp assurance of the truth thereof vnto his soule None other writing of any man hath the like worke in the heart of man and from these grounds especially from this last may wee resolue our selues that the Bible is of infallible certaintie And yet for further resolution let vs see what obiections are made against it I. Obiect It is said that Scripture is against all reason Ans. This is not true for the Law is perfect reason and the Gospel is aboue reason not contrarie to reason nay holding this principle of nature that God is almightie euen the Gospel it selfe may stand with reason as that the sonne of God should be incarnate and that by his death we should receiue life which is the summe of the Gospel II. Obiect There bee falshoods in Scripture for the passage thorough the redde Sea was no miracle but might bee done in the ebbing of the Sea as in other countries there is oft-times passage through the Washes Answer The Scripture saith the water stood as walls on each side the passage which could not bee by an ebbe againe reason shewes that it could not bee by naturall course for their passage ouer was at the full of the Moone when all Seas are most full and doe not ebbe and flowe as they vse to doe at other times III. Obiect The greatest part of the world reiect the Bible as Turks and Pagans and the Iewes care not for the new Testament Ans. We must reuerence Gods worke in this withholding his mercie in Christ from some to whome he denies the meanes which is his holy word for hence it comes that some reiect the Bible because God in his secret yet most iust iudgement withholds this blessing from them And therefore though Atheists barke yet the truth is Scripture is thâ— word of God Vses 1. Seeing the word written is the certen truth of God we must take heede of beeing seduced by Popish teachers who say there be two kinds of Scripture Inward and Outward Inward Scripture is a consent of doctrine written by the holy Ghost in the hearts of all Catholikes and this say they is right Scripture The outward Scripture iâ— written in paper and parchment which hath no certen sense but as the present Church determines thereof But this is a deuillish doctrine abolishing written Scripture the true word of God and setting vp the opinions of their owne hearts making Scripture what themselues will we must therefore hold
thinketh on them though heauen be Gods throne and the earth his footstoole yet will hee looke to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit yea the Lord will dwell with him that is of a contrite and broken heart Christ came to preach the glad tidings of the Gospel to the poore yea the Lord filleth the hungrie that is the poore and hungrie soule with good things but the rich he sends emptie away Let these and many such fauours with God which they enioy prouoke vs to become poore in spirit Secondly are they blessed that be poore in spirit then here all poore and wretched persons in the world may learne to make good vse of their wants and distresses they must consider them as the hand of God vpon them and thereby be ledde to the viewe of their sinnes and by the consideration of their sinnes be brought to see their miserie in theÌ„selues the true ground of this spirituall pouertie Now when they are once poore in spirit they are in a blessed state in the iudgement of Christ. If a man bleed dangerously at the nose the best way to saue his life is to let him blood else-where and so turne the course of the blood another way euen so when a man is oppressed with worldly calamities hee cannot finde any comfort in them for in themselues they are Gods curses yet if thereby he can bee brought to see his spirituall pouertie then of curses they become blessings vnto him and therefore when we are in any distresse wee must not onely fixe our eies vpon the outward crosse but by meanes of that labour to see the pouertie of our soules and so will the crosse lead vs to happinesse Thirdly they that abound with worldly wealth must hereby learne to become poore if they would be saued Poore I say not in goods but in soule and spirit this indeed is hard to flesh and blood for naturally euery rich man blesseth himselfe in his outward estate and perswades himselfe that God loues him because he giues him wealth but such conceits must he striue against and learne of God to reioyce in this that he is made lowe Iam 〈…〉 Fourthly on this saying of Christ that the poore are blessed the Popish teachers obseruing the word translated poore to beâ—oken outward pouertie goe about to builde their vowe of voluntarie pouertie whereby men renouncing their wealth and possessions of this world doe be take themselues to some Monasterie there to liue a poore and solitarie life But their voluntarie pouertie will not agree with this text son Christs poorâ— here pronounced blessed are such as by reason of their pouerty are miserable and wretched wanting outward comforts as we shewed oâ—t of Luke where Christ opposeth them to the rich who abound with all worldly delights but to vndergoe the Popish vow of voluntarie pouertie is no estate of miserie or distresse for who doe liue in greater â—ase or enioy more freedome from the crosses and vexations of this life then their begging Friers Againe if their vowed pouertie had any ground in this text then Christ should pronounce such poore blessed as made themselues poore but that he doth not for then in the next verse he should pronounce such mourners blessed as voluntarily cause themselues to mourne for that verse dependeth on this as a more full explanation of this first rule But no man will say that they that mourne without a cause are there called blessed and therefore Popish vowed pouertie hath no ground on this place And thus much of the persons II. Point Wherein the blessednes of these poore consists namely in hauing a right to the kingdome of heauen For theirs is the kingdome of heauen By kingdome of heauen for the better conceiuing of this blessednes we must vnderstand a state or condition of man whereby he is in Gods fauour and hath fellowship with God The truth of this description is euident by the tenour of the new Testament Now this estate of man is called a Kingdome because herein God rules as king and man obeies as Gods subiect for no man can be in Gods fauour nor enioy his fellowship vnlesse God be his King ruling in his heart by his word and spirit and he Gods subiect resigning himselfe to be ruled by him for this happie estate consists in Gods gracious ruling of man and mans holy subiection vnto God Indeede fewe doe see any great happines in this estate but the truth is mans whole felicity stands herein Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Here the Apostle teacheth vs three things namely that when Gods spirit rules in a mans heart then first he is iustified there is righteousnes secondly he hath peace with God euen that peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding thirdly the ioy of the holy Ghost which is all vnspeakable comfort passing all worldly ioy whatsoeuer And these three doe notably set out the state of an happie man which will yet more plainly appeare by their contraries in Iudas who beeing a wretched sinner vnrighteously betraied his master and thereupon fell into the miserie of a guiltie accusing conscience which was the cause of his desperate death and also that his bodie burst asunder and his bowells gushed out now if an euill conscience be so fearefull then â—ow blessed an estate is the peace and ioy of a good conscience which a man then hath when God by his word and spirit ruleth in his heart Againe this estate is called the kingdome of heauen because that man in whom Christ 〈…〉 by his word and spirit is alreadie himselfe in heauen though iâ— bodie he be yet on earth for heauen is like a citie with two gates thorough both of which a man must passe before he obtaine the full â—oyes thereof now so soone as God by his word and spirit rules in any mans heart he is alreadie entred the 〈…〉 te of grace which is the first gate the other remaines to be passed thorough at the time of death which is the gate of glorie and then he is in full possession Doth true happines consist in this estate where Christ ruleth and man obeies then here behold the errour of all Philosophers and wise men of this world touching happines for some haue placed it in pleasure some in wealth and others in ciuill vertue and some in all these But the truth is it stands in none of these A naturall man may haue all these and yet be condemned for the ciuill vertues of the heathen were in them but glorious sinnes Our Sauiour Christ hath here reuealed more vnto vs then all the wise men of the world did euer know and hereby we haue iust occasion to magnifie the bookes of Scripture farre aboue all humane writings because they doe fully set out vnto vs the nature and estate of true felicitie which no humane
workes could euer doe we must therefore account of them not as the word of man but of the euerliuing God yea this must perswade vs to maintaine the bookes of Scripture against all diuellish Atheists that denie the same to be the word of God Secondly hereby we are taught from the bottome of our hearts to make that petition for our selues which Christ teacheth in his holy prayer namely that he would let his kingdome come that is not suffer sinne Sathan or the world to raigne in vs but by his word and spirit to rule in our hearts giuing vs grace to be guided thereby in all our waies We affect nothing more then happines and therefore we must oftentimes most seriously make this request to God preferring this estate with God before all pleasures and happines in this world and vse all good meanes to feele in our hearts the power of Christs kingdome Thirdly this should mooue vs to heare Gods word with all feare and reuerence for by this meanes the kingdome of Christ is erected in vs when the word of Christ takes place in our hearts by faith and brings forth in our liues the fruits of righteousnesse and true repentance then may we truely say the kingdome of heauen is in vs. Lastly Christ ascribing this happie title of his heauenly kingdom to them that be poore and of a contrite heart doth herein minister a soueraigne remedie against all temptations from outward pouertie and distresse Doubtlesse pouerty is a grieuous crosse not onely in regard of the want of bodily comforts but especially because of that contempt and reproach which in this world doth hang vpon it wherevpon many doe esteeme their pouertie as a signe of Gods wrath against them and thereby take occasion to despaire thinking the kingdome of darkenes belongeth vnto them But here consider you poore this sentence of Christ where he plainely teacheth that if a man in outward distresse can be brought to feele his spirituall pouertie and the wretchednesse of his soule by reason of his sinnes then he is so farre from hauing iust cause to despaire of Gods fauour by reason of his pouertie that on the contrary he may gather to his soule a most comfortable assurance from the mouth of him that cannot lie that the kingdome of heauen belongs vnto him Vers. 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted Here is Christs second rule touching blessednesse wherein consider two points first the parties who are blessed they that mourne secondly wherein their blessednesse consists namely in receiuing comfort For the first by mourners we must not vnderstand euery one that is any way grieued but such as haue iust and waightie causes of griefe and doe therfore mourne for the words import an exceeding measure of griefe such as is expressed by crying and weeping as is plaine by Saint Luke who thus relateth Christs saying blessed are ye that now weepe And yet euery one is not blessed that mourneth vnder grieuous distresse for Caine Saul Achitophel and Iudas were all deepely affected in soule with their most woefull estates though farre from this blessednes This rule then must thus be vnderstood that they are blessed who with their mourning for waightie causes of griefe doe withall mourne for their sins for so was the former Rule to bee vnderstood of those that with the sense of their outward distresse had adioined an inward feeling of their spirituall wants and this verse is but a more full explication thereof as if he should haue said they are blessed that are poore in spirit Yea put case a man bee distressed for most waightie causes of griefe so as hee howle and crie vnder the burthen of them yet if withall hee can vnfainedly mourne and waile in heart for his sinnes notwithstanding all his pouertie and distresse he is truely blessed This blessed sentence vpon them that mourne serues sundry waies for a soueraigne salue to the conscience of a Christian. As first put the case a man were distressed with grieuous calamities and withall were ouertaken with some hainous sinne whereupon not onely his body is afflicted but his conscience also wounded and so hee is cast into the gulfe of desperation yea say further that by reason of the terror of his conscience his flesh were withered and his marrowe consumed in his bones were not this a cause of exceeding mourning yet loe our most blessed Physition Christ Iesus hath made a plaister for his sore for if this man of distresses can withall truely mourne for offending God through his transgressions he is vndoubtedly blessed for Christ hath said it whose word shall neuer faile though heauen and earth come to nothing A blessed text which beeing well applied will not onely support the heart in great distresse but recouer the conscience from vnder deepe despaire Secondly put case a man were grieuously sicke and that he felt the very pangs of death without all ease to seaze vpon him so as both speech and sight with all outward comforts began to faile him this state were lamentable yet if in his soule he can truly mourne for his offences euen in this extremitie he is blessed Thirdly put case a man were taken of his enemies and his wife and children slaine before his face hauing their braines dashed out vpon the stones afterward himselfe put to a most wofull racke and torture this were an estate more wofull then death yet herein a man must not iudge himselfe a cast-away but with mourning for this miserie he must labour to be sorrowfull for his sinnes and then he neede not feare what flesh can doe vnto him for he is blessed Christs word must stand let thy distresse be what it will if vnder it thou mourne for thy sinnes blessed art thou We cannot conceiue while we enioy peace of the worth of this rule in the euill day neither doe we know how neere the time is wherein we shall haue neede thereof and therefore we must now learne this neuer to be forgotten to season all other mourning with godly sorrow for our sinnes II. Point Wherein this blessednes consists namely in that their mourning shall haue an ende and be turned into true comfort That this is true happines will appeare by the contrarie for the woe and sorrow that is here begun and continued in the world to come is the punishment of the damned spirits the portion of the Reprobate which is endles miserie therfore vnto thē that mourne it is true happines that they shall receiue comfort This promise of Comfort is accomplished foure waies First when God tempers and delaies the sorrowes and afflictions of them that mourne according to the measure of their strength 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able to beare This was promised to Dauid and his seede that if they did sinne he would correct them with the