3 we see the wicked prosper and florish spredding themselues as the greene Bay tree for loe God hath set them in slippery places Psal 37 53. and casteth them downe in the end vnto desolation they are suddenly destroyed horribly consumed as the chaffe which the winde driueth away and as a dreame when one awaketh This tentation hath ouertaken the children of God and caused them oftentimes to shrinke back when they saw the prosperity of the vngodly Psal 73 2 3. Hab. 1 4. and on the other side the troubles of the godly hath made them to reason within themselues of the prouidence of God But shall not the King rule his owne kingdome or the Master gouerne his own house as pleaseth him And shall not we giue the Lord leaue to dispose of all things in heauen and earth after the good pleasure of his owne will Hee fatteth the wicked against the day of slaughter he leaueth them without excuse and maketh his blessings as a witnesse against them Contrarywise the children of God although they suffer afflictions yet afflictions to them are not euill but try their faith as the furnace doth the gold Senec. de diui prouidentia c. 8 Let vs not deceiue our selues in iudging and esteeming of good and euill That is good which maketh vs better that is euil that maketh vs worse The workes of the flesh adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennesse couetousnesse and such like are manifestly euill These God keepeth from his deere children and his deere children from them that they reigne not in them The Israelites in Egypt liued vnder hard masters and carried many heauy burthens and sent vp many passionate sighes to God with deepe grones of spirit whilst Pharaoh and the Egyptians tooke crafty counsell together and sported themselues in the miseries mischiefs which they had brought vpon them But whose condition was the more happie let the red Sea testifie from which the Israelits were deliuered Exo 14 27 29 in which the EgyptiaÌ„s were drowned Dauid taken from the sheepe-folds tasted of many sorrowes being in perils among the Amalekites in perils in the Wildernesse in perils of his owne Nation in perils of his own seruants in perils among false bretheren and was hunted from place to place as a Partridge in the Mountaines 2 Sam. 31 4. whilst Saul sought his life and enioyed the pleasures and treasures of a kingdom But whose estate was the more happy let the end and yssue of them both determine the one liued in glory ended his daies in peace the other sheathed his sword in his owne bowels and so dyed in despaire The Apostle Iames willeth vs to take the Prophets for an example of suffering aduersity and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made Iam. 5 10 11. for the Lord is very pittifull and mercifull Lazarus a poore begger destitute of succour and friends lying at the rich mans gate hauing his minde as full of cares as his bodie was of sores whilst the rich glutton was clad in purple gorgiously and fared deliciously euery day But whose condition was the more blessed and happy of them twaine let this tell vs and teach vs for our instruction that Lazarus when he died had the holy elect Angels to attend vpon him to carry his soule into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22 23 that is to say into the kingdome of heauen Matth. 8 11. the rich man also died his body was buried his soule was carried cast into the torments of hell Where the worme neuer dyeth Marke 9 44. and the fire neuer goeth out the one vnsufferable the other vnquenchable both infinite Let vs not therefore rest in beholding the present face of outward things but possesse our soules with patience in a sweet meditation of Gods prouidence considering that it shall in the end bee well with all them that feare the Lord and that howsoeuer the wicked do prosper in the world increase in riches yet if we enter into the Sanctuary of God Psal â—3 â— we shal see they are set in slippery places they are lifted vp on high and therefore their fall shall be more fearefull seeing all the threatnings of God must without faile fasten vpon them Lastly seeing the menaces and threatnings Vse 4 of God must bee performed this serueth also to assure vs that the gracious promises of God made in mercy to his people shall in truth and righteousnesse bee accomplished The Lord that is alwaies the same as hee is true in his threatnings to the vngodly so wil he be found true in his promises toward the godly For seeing no part of his word shall passe away that he will not falsifie his trueth Psal 89 â— nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth one part serueth to confirme another his threatnings are ratified by the assurance of his promises and his promises are established to bee surer then the heauens by the assuraÌ„ce of his threatnings So then let vs learne to depend vpon God to trust in him knowing 2 Cor. 1 that all his promises are yea and Amen vnto the glory of his name Let vs rest in him for the pardon of our sinnes for the hearing of our prayers for the feeding of our bellies for the resurrection of our bodies for the inheritance of euerlasting life hauing a strong assurance of faith that the Lord is iust and true in all his promises This is a notable comfort and consolation to all the childreÌ„ of God to cause vs to set our hope in him hauing a patient and constant expectation of all things that by faith we haue beleeued saying with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I also suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day Verse 25 26. Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and cause Aaron to strip off his Garments and thou shalt put them vpon his sonne Heere is deliuered how Aaron yet liuing his sonne is inuested and installed into his Office with the ceremonies and solemnities thereunto appertaining at the appointment of God to shew the continuance of the Priesthoode to take away al occasions of dissentions from the people Thus we see the good estate of the Church is prouided for by Moses before Aaron dyed Doctrâ— The Châ— must be in good after coâ— parture and went the way of all flesh The Doctrine hence is that the good of the Church must be regarded of vs to leaue it in good case after our death and departure I say it is a principall duty required of vs when wee must leaue the worlde to prouide for the
the Lord Obiect Ephes 6. Ephe. 6.4 If any obiect against these commandements They will be vnruly and disordered albeit they be neuer so well brought vp and though their parents be very carefull they will be very carelesse and therefore they were as good holde their peace as to speake to them and not to be regarded Answer I answere so it is sometimes but alwayes it is not so Many that haue feared GOD with all their housholdes haue receiued much comfort by their children and seruants that haue had good instruction put into them as pure and wholesome liquour into a vessell and haue seene the fruite thereof to the vnspeakeable ioy of their hearts This we might shew at large in the reformed families of Abraham and Cornelius and sundry others As they planted and sowed good seede in the parts of their families as it were in a fruitfull field so they reaped a plentifull haruest Abraham had seruants that were also Gods seruants Gen 24.12 and 14.14 Act. 10.7 and prayed earnestly vnto him Cornelius had a souldier that waited vpon him that feared God yea all his band of Italian souldiers were Christian souldiers Againe we must trust GOD with the effect and successe of the education that we giue them He will worke thereby by his Spirit in all that belong vnto him as seemeth good to his heauenly wisedome If he doe not giue a blessing for causes vnknowne to vs but knowne to him let vs leaue Gods secret yet iust iudgments to himselfe The third particular branch is to pray to God for them to guide them in his wayes and to blesse them in his feare and to blesse our labours bestowed among them This wee see in Iob Iob 1.5 Chapter 1. toward his children When the dayes of their feasting were gone about he sent and sanctified them and rose vp early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all for he said It may be that my sonnes haue sinned and cursed God in their hearts He was carefull for those which were committed vnto his charge and feared they might offend God in their meetings albeit hee knew no such euill by them The wise man saith Happy is the man◠that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Prou. 28. Prou. 28.14 A like example wee haue in Dauid Psalme 72. where he prayeth for Salomon Giue the king thy iudgements O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings sonne hee shall iudge thy people with righteousnesse and thy poore with iudgement So then the faithfull are to entreate and craue from God the continuance of his couenant to their children and to begge from his handes an holy and sanctified seede We must not presume because we are faithfull and haue receiued to beleeue that therefore our seede must of necessity be so likewise for then we shall but deceiue our selues Let not vs therefore faile in crauing a blessing from God vpon our children if we desire to make them heires of blessing Fourthly it is required of vs to reioyce in the blessing of God vpon them and to giue him praise and glory when he vouchsafeth to shew mercy vpon them and vpon vs. If hee did leaue them in their sinnes and in that corruption which they receiued from vs Psal 51. as it were by inheritance we could not finde iust cause of complaint against him who is bound neither to vs nor to our children but forasmuch as he sheweth much mercy to our posteritie as he hath done vnto vs we haue matter of praise and thankesgiuing giuen vnto vs whereby also we shall procure their farther good It is noted of the Iailour Actes 16. Act. 16.34 that he reioyced that they of his houshold also beleeued in the Lord. He accounted it not sufficient for himselfe to beleeue nor reioyced onely in his owne saluation but forasmuch as God had vouchsafed greater mercy vnto him to call his family also to the faith this cheered his heart much more If we haue tasted of the like mercy let vs not be forgetfull of the like duty Lastly it belongeth vnto vs for the furtherance of their good to giue those all good encouragement in well doing that are conscionable in their duties to God and to vs we are bound to praise and commend them to comfort them to cheere them vp and to defend them against all malicious enemies that seeke to disgrace them The Apostle Paul willeth parents not to prouoke their children lest they be discouraged Coloss 3.21 It is a meanes to coole and quench zeale to finde discouragements in godly proceedings On the other side we ought to shew all dislike and hatred against euill and an angry countenance toward such as are vnreformed The Prophet touching the right ordering and good gouernment of his house declareth that hee would not know a wicken person and him that hath an high looke he will not suffer Psal 101.4.5 His eyes should be vpon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with him hee that walketh in the perfect way hee shall serue him This is a good meanes to make both houses to prosper and kingdomes to flourish when the godly are aduanced and the euil doers are beaten down but when euil is set aloft and goeth vnchecked and vncontrolled and godlinesse is driuen to the wall it prognosticateth and foretelleth the ruine and vtter desolation of those societies albeit for a time they may continue When they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wildernesse Wee haue hitherto spoken of the destruction of Aarons sonnes before the face of their father now let vs see for what cause it was done The sinne of his sonnes is remembred to be this they offered strange fire that is such as was not appointed and commanded of the Lord they tooke not the fire from the altar to burne incense with all which came downe from heauen and was preserued by the diligence of the Priests vntill the captiuity of Babylon Now whereas the authour of the second booke of Macchabees telleth vs that whē their fathers were led into Persia the Priests that were then deuout tooke the fire of the altar priuily Macch. 1.19 and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water where they kept it sure so that the place was vnknowne to all men hath no testimony of trueth out of the sacred Scriptures as we shal shew more in the 26. Chapter of this Booke of Numbers Moses maketh mention of this example of the sinne and punishment of Aarons sonnes to the end the Leuites should be more wise and wary in the execution of their office because God hereby sheweth that they shal neuer escape his hand that do not rightly discharge the duties committed vnto them For the examples of Gods iudgements vpon the corrupters and contemners of his worship must make vs more carefull and fearefull to offend Now whereas they are punished according to their
riches and reioyce in it more then they that finde great spoiles Account the merchandise of it better then the Merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof more precious then Rubies so that nothing that we highly esteeme can be compared vnto it Prou. 3.13 14. Magnifie it as a treasure of that value that rather then thou wilt leaue it thou wilt be ready to forsake all that thou hast Matth. 13. There is nothing that more slaketh and shaketh off our deuout attention then to account the precious word of God vile and base in our eyes according to the corrupt custome of many in our dayes that preferre huskes fit to feed swine before the fat of wheat that is sent to nourish the sonnes of God Fourthly we must know that there is great hope of those that refuse not the meanes but submit themselues vnto it but none at all of those that vtterly refuse it What God may worke extraordinarily who sometimes feedeth by miracle from heauen as he did the Israelites Exod. 16.15 1 King 17.6 and Eliah in the wildernesse we cannot affirme and they that waite vpon such vanities forsake their owne mercy But of this point we haue spoken already Lastly it is our duty to lay vp the Word in our hearts that it may not be taken from vs but that we may practise it and profit by it For all our hearing must aime at profiting We must desire the sincere milke of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 that we may grow thereby Now it can neuer take root except we heare it with an honest and good heart Luke 8.15 If we haue it only running in our mouthes or swimming in our braines it is as the grasse vpon the house toppe Psal 129.6.7 which withereth afore it groweth vp wherewith the mower filleth not his hand nor he that bindeth sheaues his bosome Let vs therefore first of all giue our hearts vnto God pray him to reforme them and to open them that so we may attend to those things that are deliuered vnto vs. As for those that haue their mouthes open but their hearts empty of the word they are as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymball they may please themselues and deceiue others for a time but their hypocrisie shall be vncased their deceitfull dealing manifested and themselues prooued to be no better then vessels that make a noyse but are without all substance in them Verse 11 12. And I behold I haue taken the Leuites c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the commandement of God directed vnto Moses that he should present the Leuites before Aaron the Priest that they may minister vnto him now we are to proceede to the reason of the commandement where we see the cause rendred why they should be giuen vnto him because euen vnto this time the first borne had executed the Priests office being consecrated vnto God and preserued out of the common destruction when the first borne in Egypt were destroyed He putteth them in mind of Gods mercy toward them who might iustly haue destroyed them as well as the Egyptians if it had pleased him When we see a common desolation or destruction and our selues as a remnant taken out of the common calamity it ought to make vs thankfull vnto God and to acknowledge that wee holde our life of him in cheife Thus did Noah stand affected when he offered sacrifice to God after he was come out of the Arke and was preserued with his family from the flood of waters Thus doth Daniel Dan. 5.20 â—â— teach Belshazzar the king to humble his heart knowing the heauy iudgment that God brought vpon his father and tooke his glory from him We must profit by the examples of Gods workes both of his mercy and iudgement vpon others We learne from hence Doctrine that the first borne were from the beginning the Lords The first boâ— were sanctified to the Lord. and consecrated to serue him and to instruct others This dignity and preheminence of the first borne beganne among the sonnes of Adam and continued in his posteritie as well before as after the generall destruction of the old world the eldest euer succeeding in the kingly and Priestly office vnlesse for some open impiety or other secret cause best knowne vnto God and vnknowne vnto the Church hee were reiected so that there was euermore some excellency vntill that Israel came out of Egypt and the Church became nationall Hence it is that God saith to Caine the elder sonne of Adam If thou doe well shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well sinne lieth at the doore and vnto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule ouer him Gen. 4.7 To this purpose Iacob speaketh to Reuben Gen. 49.3 Thou art my first borne my might and the beginning of my strength the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power Thus he was by priuiledge of birthright and thus was euery sonne by creation that first opened the matrice Luke 2.23 Whereby we see that in the family of the faithfull from the first man that God created vntill Aaron was sanctified to be a Priest vnto God in stead of the first borne the eldest of the family ordinarily had both the kingly and Priestly direction of the rest of his brethren As we saw this before in the house of Adam so it appeareth also afterward For when Caine the eldest sonne of Adam to whom the dignity of the first borne did pertaine was for his iniquitie reiected from that honour and excommunicated from the Church which was a spirituall kinde of banishment God raised vp Seth who being taught by his father touching the fall of man touching the punishments of sinne and the promised Sauiour assisted him while he liued in guiding his family and succeeded him after his death in the gouernment of the Church of God which was as a little flocke in comparison of the race of Caines posterity that married many wiues and encreased in great multitudes In like sort Enoch succeded Seth and dying â—ield of the â—rch lib. 5. â— â—et 2.5 â—â— 4. â— left that honour to Kenan Kenan to Mahalaleel c. These were preachers of righteousnesse and repentance some of them indued with the spirit of Prophesie to conuince that wicked generation These Preachers of God being contemned and despised in the world such entertainement haue his seruants euer found the flood came and swept them away Noah gouerned as a father the Church of God before and after the Flood and left the same dignitie and office to Shem his second sonne Iaphet his eldest sonne being put behinde for secret causes knowne vnto God euen as his father had committed it vnto him â—en 10.21 Thus we might proceed and goe forward to shew in succeeding ages of the Church how God continued this fauour to the first borne and thereby set as it were a crowne of honour vpon their head Hence it is that at the giuing of the
soule that they may be preserued from sin from the infection of sin Now if any aske whether the disease of the leprosie be not contagious and therfore whether it be not expedient that all such as are taken and touched with it should be barred and banished from the society of men I confesse this is true and conuenient ought to be so but this was not the chiefe and principall end that God respected and therfore this is left to the Physitians and Masters of that profession to iudge according to the rules of art and experience God committed the matter to the Priests that they should order all things according to the directions giuen vnto them it had beene much safer to haue committed and commended the matter to such as had iudgement in that faculty Moreouer we must consider The leprosie of three sorts that as this disease was foule and filthy vgly and feareful so there are three sorts of it named in the law to wit the leprosie of the body the leprosie of the garments and the leprosie of the house so that it is most probable according to the opinion of the learned that the Iewes in a proper and peculiar manner vnknowne to vs at this day and vnknowne to the Iewes themselues at this day were troubled and tormented with this disease Euen as we that are cast into the last age of the world haue diseases that follow some sinnes which in former times were not knowne to the Physitians themselues And heereupon no doubt prophane writers tooke occasion to deuise sundry lyes and slanders against the whole nation of the Iewes as if it were hereditary vnto them and that all the posterity of Abraham were full of botches and blisters and itches and therefore were driuen out of Egypt by force Ioseph antiq lib. 9. lest they should corrupt the rest with their infection This forged surmise had ancient Authors to rest vpon Cornel. Tacit. Iustin lib. 38. and is as likely to proceed from the Egyptians themselues a proude and hauty people as from any other who being ashamed of the plagues that were sent among them and inflicted among them and desirous to blot out the memory of the reproch of their nation and of the vengeance of eternall God turned the iudgement of scabs blisters that fel vpon theÌ„ from themselues to the people of Israel as if they had infected them were for that cause compelled to banish them out of Egypt lest they should corrupt the whole countrey with their maladies But if this had bin the true reason of their departure why did they retaine them so long among them and in the end bestow vpon theÌ„ siluer and gold iewels and precious stones thereby spoiling themselues to enrich their enemies or why did they persecute them with such hatred at the red sea that themselues were drowned Furthermore among the curses that God denounceth to bring vpoÌ„ his people for the contempt of his word disobedience to his lawes Deut. 28.27 he threatneth to smite them with the botch of Egypt and with the hemrohds and with the scabbes and with the itch whereof they should not be healed Lastly if the people of God had beene haunted and vexed with any such filthy diseases the Lord would neuer haue established such sharpe and seuere lawes among them the like whereof were not to be found among forreine nations whereby such were separated from the company of men as had any loathsome and noysome vlcers and sicknesses following them yea if any suspition did arise they were seuered and sundered from the rest for a time vntill the trueth were throughly knowne and found out as appeareth at large in the booke of Leuiticus Verse 2. Command the children of Israel that they put out c. Heere we haue a plaine and expresse commandement of God charging Moses to put out lepers vncleane persons from the Congregation The Apostle Paul speaking of fornicators and incestuous persons that were vncleane liuers vncleane in body and in soule vseth the same word Put out such from among you 1 Cor. 5.13 thereby Doctrine 1 shewing what God intended by this Ceremony Obstinate sinners are to be cast out of the Church the substance whereof teacheth this truth namely that obstinate sinners are to be cast out of the Church All open offenders and vnreformed persons by the dreadfull and direfull sentence of excommunication as it were by the two edged sword of God are to be cut off from the fellowship of the Church and from all the priuiledges that belong vnto the faithfull This ordinance of God hath good ground vpon the separation mentioned in this place which was not commanded as a ciuill policy to keep the whole from the sick but as a part of Ecclesiasticall discipline inasmuch as the Priests the sonnes of Aaron had the whole knowledge of the cause as well the shutting of them out as the receiuing of them into the hoste as we shewed by sundry examples before There are that draw the originall of this Church-censure euen from Adam whom the Lord cast out of Eden and set an Angel at the entry of the garden who by shaking the blade of a glistering sword feared him from re-entring and suffered him not to touch or taste of that tree which was a Sacrament of life vnto him The like doe the Hebrew interpreters obserue touching Caine Gen. 3.24 whom the Lord cast out and banished from the face of God Gen. 4.14 as the lepers were cast out of the fellowship of men For what else is the face of God but the place appointed for his worship where he was wont to appeare to the Fathers and where Adam and his family met together to serue him and to sacrifice vnto him And al â—his was before the law when the sons of God were manifestly distinguished from the sonnes of men Gen 6.1 In the time of the Law we haue many ceremonies to this purpose We see that the vncleane were kept from comming to the Tabernacle from entring into the Temple from the partaking of the sacrifices and from eating the Passeouer Num 19. â— 20. and 9. â— So in another place the Lord threatneth that he shal be cut off from his people that being vncleane eateth of his sacrifice and that the sacrifice shal profit him nothing nor be accounted to him to take away his sinne but that it shall remaine vpon his owne head These are no obscure types darke shadowes but liuely pictures and patternes that represent vnto vs the nature of excommunication Let vs come to the new Testament Mat. 16.13 and 18.18 The vse of the keyes to open and shut and the words of binding and loosing come directly to this purpose And as this trueth is taught by precept so it is farther enlarged and warranted by sundry examples Abraham is commanded to cast out the bond woman her son Ge. 21.10 â— out of his family which was
sound out Achan who had stollen the Babylonish garment and wedge of gold he had hidden it priuily and conueyed it closely into his tent howbeit he could not hide himselfe but the eye of God easily espyed him so that the hoste of God could not prosper so long as he remained in it Iosh 7.4 but receiued an ouerthrow at the siege of Ai. Wherefore what shal it profit vs to be absolued by the voices and sentences of all men or to be winked at as if we were cleare innocent when our conscience accuseth vs before God or he be displeased with vs and angry against vs We must enter into our selues and consider how the case standeth betweene God vs and not thinke it enough to know how the case standeth betweene man and vs. What though we can bribe them and stoppe their mouthes and make them hold their peaces and cause them to be content to take a little at our hands when we haue done them much wrong rather then they will goe to law with vs because they are weak and we mighty they are poore and we rich they are empty and we full we shall not be able to bribe the Lord who is stronger then we are and taketh the cause of the oppressed into his hand When we haue offered iniury vnto them it is not enough to confesse our fault vnto them and to humble our selues before them and to seeke to make amends vnto them all this we may doe and then goe to hell yet there are many that doe not come thus farre So then we must remember whom we offend that is God and thereupon to account all sinne heinous and capital forasmuch as it is against the highest Maiesty of infinite power and authority The greater the person is that is offended the greater the sinne is If a man speake euill of the Iudge or Iustice he shall be imprisoned howbeit it is not so heinous as to raile at the Prince because his person is greater and higher But what are all Princes but mortall men whose breath is in their nostrils whose bodies must goe into the graue and turne into dust out of which they were taken in comparison of the immortall God who is a person of infinite and incomprehensible Maiesty If he giue vs once the sight of our sinnes and touch our hearts with a feeling of them though they were as hard as steele as sencelesse as the dead and seared as with an hote yron he can make them aliue quicke and tender enough that we shall goe roaring all the day long and finde comfort in nothing if his hand be heauy vpon vs he will turne our moisture into the drouth of Summer and make all our bones that are broken to clatter so that our life shal abhorre bread and our soule dainty meate and our flesh shall be consumed away that it cannot be seene It is not therefore for vs to dally with him as with a childe or to play with his iustice as the fly doth with the candle til she be consumed but rather let vs remember the exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 12.28 Let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence godly feare because our God is a consuming fire If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him As then we are to mark what we doe so we are to marke against whom wee doe it lest wee taste of destruction at the last and then would giue all the world if we were owners of it to be eased and released of our horrible plagues as it fared and fell out with the rich man in the Gospel Luk. 16. Let vs not thinke to escape from him by denying our sinnes as the reprobate shall doe at the last day who being accused of sin committed against God Matth. 25.44 shall answere When saw we thee a stranger or naked or hungry or thirsty or in prison but Christ Iesus will reply against them and take away all excuse from them and so stop the mouth of iniquity Verely verely I say vnto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of these little ones ye did it not to me And heereby we may try our selues whether we haue truely repented of sinne or not if this note that abounded in Dauid be found in vs. For his conscience doth not so much accuse him for any fact and offence committed against Vriah as against the Lord himselfe and from hence came the liuely feeling of his sinne So if our conscience accuse vs much more for offending of Gods infinite Maiesty then for the iniury which we haue done vnto man if we stay not beneath vpon the earth but lift vp our hearts vnto God and consider that we haue to doe with him we haue attained to a good measure of true repentance But so long as we regard nothing but men we shall neuer behold the true face of sinne nor see it as it is in his owne likenesse To conclude let vs learne that of all enemies God is the most fearefull and terrible if he set himselfe against vs. Secondly seeing God is the person that is Vse 2 hurt and offended we learne that vengeance belongeth vnto him onely When iniury is done vnto any we must esteeme the wrong as done not onely vnto men but to God and therefore is to be left vnto him whose commandement is transgressed For except the Law of God had beene violated the creature should haue had no cause to complaine of any iniury It is the law that maketh it a sinne and an iniury as we shewed before out of the Apostle Rom. 7. No man therefore is to reuenge his owne cause but must commit vengeance vnto God and to that person that sustaineth Gods person on earth to wit the Magistrate who beareth not the sword in vaine whose iudgement is the iudgement of God whose reuenge is the reuenge of God This doth the Apostle set downe as a rule to guide vs Rom. 12.19 Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but rather giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. A lesson often vrged alwayes confessed and yeelded vnto but smally regarded and seldome practised For as if there were no God in heauen no Gods on earth that beare his name and title men runne together like wilde beasts or as horses that rush into the battell and reuenge their owne quarrels as if sinne were wholly committed against themselues and not at all against God as if they were specially interessed in it and God had litle to doe with the matter as if the wrong touched them and no way concerned him From hence it commeth to passe that whiles they goe about greedily to reuenge wrong done vnto them iudgement falleth vpon their owne heads and God executeth vengeance vpon them for their reuenge and so while they goe about to hurt others the greatest hurt falleth vpon themselues and while they shew themselues
out before you and the land is defiled therefore I will visite the wickednesse thereof vpon it and the land shall vomit out her inhabitants The Prophets are full in all places of the like threatnings There is a notable testimony to this purpose Ier. 5.7 8 9. where the Lord complaineth of this iniquity and of the abuse of his manifold benefits Though I fed them to the full yet they committed adultery and assembled themselues by companies in the harlots houses they rose vp in the morning like fedde horses euery man neyed after their neighbours wife shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord shall not my soul be auenged on such a natiō as this We reade in the booke of Genesis that when Pharaoh at the commendation of his Courtiers had taken Abrahams wife into his house the Lord plagued him and his house with great plagues 〈◊〉 12 17. and they ceassed not vntill he had restored her againe and giuen his seruants commandement to doe him no hurt The like we might also speake of Abimelech the king of Gerar when he also sent and tooke her though he had not yet come neere her but onely purposed euill yet the Lord came to him in a dreame by night ◠20.3 and said vnto him Behold thou art but dead because of the woman which thou hast taken for she is a mans wife So then there is ordained for all adulterers and fornicators both temporall and eternall punishments These sinnes shall bring a man to beggery euen to a morsell of bread Prou. 6.26 they shall roote out his house destroy his posterity consume his flesh waste kingdomes yea shut out of Gods kingdome and bring to the condemnation of the diuell forasmuch as no vncleane thing shal enter into the heauens but all murtherers and sorcerers and idolaters and whoremongers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reason 1 The reasons hereof are these First the wrath of God is kindled against such In his fauour is happinesse but if his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are all that trust in him For this cause the Apostle saith Ephe. 5.6 Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience In the words going before he had shewed that no whoremonger or vncleane person hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God the reason is because such lye vnder the heauy wrath of God He is angry with them and therefore woe vnto them If the child see the father angry with him how is hee greeued what saith the Lord vnto Moses concerning the sinne of Myriam his sister Numb 12.14 If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seuen dayes And the Apostle to the Hebrewes chap. 12 9. We haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shall we not much rather be in subiection vnto the Father of spirits and liue What subiect can beare the displeasure of a Prince The feare of a king saith Salomon is like the roaring of a Lyon Prou. 19.12 and 20.2 and 16.14 who so prouoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soule If the lyon hath roared who would not feare as testifieth the Prophet Seeing then the wrath of a king is as messengers of death what shall we thinke the wrath of the King of kings to be who is euen a consuming fire Hebr. 12.29 and deuoureth all as straw and stubble before him Secondly it appeareth to bee a greeuous sinne because it is worse then theft as Salomon Reason 2 maketh the comparison Prou. 6.30.32 Men doe not despise a theefe if he steale to satisfie his soule when he is hungry c. but whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh vnderstanding he that doth it destroyeth his owne soule It is an odious name to be called a theefe but it is more odious to be called an whoremaster A theefe when he hath stollen is carried to the gallowes but the adulterer deserueth it much more What an horrible offence is it to destroy a mans owne soule we pittie him that layeth violent hands vpon his owne body and killeth himselfe Who doth not account Saul and Achitophel and Iudas most infamous who perished with their owne hands but the adulterer doth a thousand times worse he destroyeth his owne soule which is a greater price then the body Thirdly adultery and vncleannesse defile Reason 3 the land not onely the persons and the houses but whole cities and countries vntill all become abominable and the land become full of sinne and therefore no marueile though it be punished of God To this purpose the Lord speaketh in the Law of Moses Leuit. 19.29 Doe not prostitute thy daughter to cause her to be a whore lest the land fall to whoredome and the land become full of wickednesse This sinne is of an infectious nature aboue other suffer it but a little and it will quickly encrease like fire that is kindled in dry wood which suddenly taketh hold and easily passeth from one to another vntill the whole be enflamed Fourthly we must know what our calling Reason 4 is The Gentiles that knew not God and were ignorant of his law defiled themselues with these abominations and were cast out before his face for the land did spew them out as loathsome But we haue learned better things and God hath vouchsafed vs greater mercy he hath called vs to be an holy people to himselfe and redeemed vs that wee should serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues This the Apostle noteth 1 Thess 4.3 4 5 7. This is the will of God euen your sanctification that ye should abstaine from fornication that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles which know not God c. for God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse To this we shall adde sundry other reasons afterward when we make vse of this doctrine Vse 1 This serueth to teach vs sundry instructions both touching our knowledge and concerning our obedience First let no man flatter himselfe in this sinne It is accounted of the greatest sort a small and sleight matter a veniall sinne a tricke of youth Such scoffers as these it seemeth were in the Apostles times but now they are more common as the sin is more commonly practised and aboundeth euery where This doth the Apostle declare 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God be not deceiued neither fornicators nor adulterers nor the effeminate shall inherit the kingdome of God It is a fire that shall deuour to destruction and bring strange punishments vpon the workers of such iniquities The first reproofe Iob 31.3.12 This serueth to reprooue diuers sorts of men
fraternity so that it is right and equall that they which are so neerely ioyned and linked by blood should performe al kindnesse each to other This reason from kindred may be thus framed If we be as brethren alied one to another comming from one root and race then deny vs not this point of courtesie to grant passage But wee are brethren alied one to another c. Therefore vouchsafe to giue vs passage The second reason is in these words Thou Reason 2 knowest all the trouble that hath hapned vnto vs c. As if they should say Wee haue had a lamentable and woefull experience of many miseries we haue been exercised with many sorrowes so as your selues cannot pretend ignorance of them you know them but wee haue felt theÌ„ you haue heard of them but we haue smarted for them In Egypt we haue had our poore infants drowned our chiefe officers chastised our selues euery way oppressed with burthens too heauy for vs to beare and nothing but slaughter and destruction breathed out against vs. Being deliuered out of Egypt when we expected an end of all miseries wee perceiued that we had changed the place but not the perill the soile but not the sorrow we haue bin pursued with enemies bitten with hunger wearied with labours and euery way inuironed with dangers By all these as by the dearest teares of our inward hearts wee craue some mercy and commiseration For it lyeth in you to make an end of al troubles and to giue vs an happy issue of them by opening vs a passage thorough your countrey that we may no longer wander in this desolate wildernesse The reason may be thus concluded If we haue bin long vexed and euilly handled now at length pity vs giue vs passage But we haue bin long vexed and euilly intreated Therfore at length pitty giue vs passage The third reason is verse 16. We cryed vnto Reason 3 the Lord he heard vs sent his Angel and hee deliuered vs. As if they should say Consider the example of God a perfect patterne of all righteousnesse he hath in mercy looked vpon our misery bee you like to him that yee may find mercy in the day of trouble It is not meet to leaue them destitute of helpe and succour whose safety God commendeth and committeth vnto you by his owne example All humane things are vnstable and vncertaine yee know not what hangs ouer your own heads The reason may be thus considered If God haue begun to be mercifull it is not meet that you should be vnmercifull But God hath begun to shew vs mercy Therefore it is not meet you should be vnmercifull The fourth reason is verse 17. and 19. Wee Reason 4 will not goe through the fields nor the vineyards c. As if they should say We desire not to helpe our selues to hurt you wee will keepe the kings high way wee will deale iustly toward all wee will offer wrong and iniury to none no not to the meanest simplest and poorest if any among vs shall take from any man by open oppression or forged cauillation wee will make satisfaction and restitution The reason is thus gathered If wee will doe no wrong or iniury to any among you then suffer vs quietly to passe But we will doe no wrong or iniury to any among you Therefore suffer vs quietly to passe This was the Ambassage of Moses this was the petition offered these were the reasons rendred thereof Now let vs see the answer of Edom denying their petition and passage thorough their countrey For fearing peraduenture the multitude of the Israelites and thinking they would make more hast to enter into their land then to depart out againe being as euill men are euer suspitious and think others as subtill and deceitfull as themselues the Edomites giue them this short but sharpe answer Thou shalt not passe So that when a man hath to deale with vniust and cruell enemies whether he vse few reasons or many all is one The Ambassadours of the Israelites whether they gaue present reply resolution of themselues or first returned to Moses is vncertain made supplication againe and renewed their request promised to abstaine from all termes of hostility offered money for water and euery commodity they should vse yet they currishly and vnkindly shut vp their compassion and issue forth with all their strength to stop their passage verifying that which Salomon saith â— 10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruel wherefore Israel turneth from them another way This is the substance of this diuision and the order obserued by the Spirit of God in the same now let vs proceed to the doctrines offered herein to our considerations first the generall and after come to the particulars Ver. 14. Then Moses sent messengers from Kadesh vnto the king of Edom. Albeit Moses himselfe were shut out of the land of promise yet he beareth the iudgement of God patiently and laboureth that the people may enter And albeit the Israelites were assured to possesse the land of Canaan had the vnchangable word and oath of God to themselues and their fathers for their farther confirmation yet it doth not make them idle and secure but it stirreth them vp to vse all good and lawfull meanes to effect the same â—ine lawfull â— to â— gods â—ace From hence we learne that it is the duty of all Gods children to vse all good meanes to further his prouidence I say howsoeuer God standeth not in need of our helpe to bring his purpose to passe who is able without all meanes against all meanes and aboue all meanes to worke out his owne will yet it is the part of all the godly to further his decree and determination by vsing all meanes that God shall put into their hands This wee see verified in this booke Nunm 13.17 where we see the diligent search of the land made by the messengers that Moses sent viewing their cities their countrey and the people that were the inhabitants therof so that albeit the land was promised of God mercifully yet it must be searched of them diligently The like practise we see in other the seruants of God When Gideon was sent to be the deliuerer of the people and commanded to goe in his might Iudg. 6.14 and 7.7 8. hath assurance giuen him to preuaile ouer the enemies and to saue Israel out of the hand of the Midianites yet he did not run and rush naked into the battell but tooke with him men and munitions vitailes trumpets pitchers and other instruments to set forward the worke of the Lord which he had to doe The necessity of vsing the helpes of second causes that God affordeth and endeuouring to the lawfull meanes appointed is shewed by the Apostle Paul for albeit the Angels of God had told him there should be no losse of any mans life among them saue of the ship onely yet the decree
God and to serue him in the simplicity and sincerity of their hearts This wee must do in health this we must do in sicknesse this we must doe in death and so wee shall glorifie God liuing and dying Thus did Abraham teach his children and seruants and for this is he commended of God Gen. 18 19. I know Abraham my seruant that hee will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the vvay of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgment Thus said Iacob when he dyed Gen. 49 1 2. this must all of vs be carefull to practise if we will bee the children of faithful Abraham to speake of the lawes of God in our houses 〈◊〉 11 13. wheÌ„ we walk by the way when we lye downe and when we rise vp Verse 27 28. And Moses did as the Lord had commanded he caused Aaron to strippe off his garments and he put them vpon Eleazar his son Wee see the obedience of Moses to the Commandement of God for Aaron pulled off his Priestly robes and they are put vpon Eleazar to whom lineally the Priesthood did descend whereby we see that there was a personal succession belonging to the Priesthood from father to son from one man to another Hereby we learne â—â—â—â—rine 〈◊〉 Leuitical 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 that the Priesthood vnder the law passed from one to another The Priesthood begunne in Aaron and continued in his line rested not in one man but continued by succession from age to age This we see euidently proued throughout the old testament for as they were cut off by death so others arose in their rooms that serued at the Altar As Eleazar succeeded Aaron so did Phinchas succeed Eleazar 〈◊〉 6 â—0 so the Priesthood proceeded from father to son and from one generation to another 〈◊〉 â— 16. as appeareth in the genealogies of the Priests This the Apostle to the Hebrewes plentifully prooueth 〈◊〉 23. Many among them were made Priests because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death declaring that the Priestes after the order of Aaron succeeded each other and confirming it by the reason cause thereof because the Leuiticall Priests were taken away by death and could not endure for euer This then we must hold to be one reason forcible and powerfull to prooue the continued Reason 1 succession of the Priesthood of Leui from father to son because they were cut off by death and so not suffered alwayes to execute theyr Priesthood Seeing therfore these Priests were mortall there must be a succession from one to another This is that reason which was remeÌ„bred before out of Heb. 7 23. shewing that they had many Priests because they were all subiect to mortality and could not continue through necessity of death Secondly the promise of God made vnto Aaron and to his posterity must be accomplished Reason 2 and performed Hee consecrated Aaron and his sons and made a couenant with them not with Aaron alone not with his children alone but with their posterity Exod. 28 1. hee established it as a testimony in Iacob and as a law in Israel that their posterity might know it and the children which should be born of them shold stand vp and minister before the Lord in the beautiful garments and glorious robes of the Priests Exod. 28 2. Therefore the Lord saide by Moses Exod 29 29 30. Num. 3 10. 18 7. The holy garments which appertaine to Aaron shall be his sonnes after him to be annointed therein and to be consecrate therein That son that shall be Priest in his stead shall put them on seuen dayes when he commeth into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to minister in the holy place So God made his couenant of peace with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron Nu. 25 12 13 confirmed the Priests office to him his seed after him because in the zeale of his Spirit hee had turned away the wrath of the Lord from the Children of Israel This teacheth vs first of all the imperfection Vse 1 and insufficiency of it both of the Priestes themselues and of the Priesthood it selfe It pointed out a better Priest and a better priesthood and directed them to rest not in it but in some other So the Apostle Heb. 7 11 12. declareth that the Leuiticall Priesthood was vnperfect because another Priest is promised a long time after according to the order of Melchizedek If any perfection had beene by the Priesthood of the Leuites what needed it furthermore that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek and not to bee called after the order of Aaron c. Where we see he sheweth to what purpose there must bee a Priest after another rule and fashion not after the order of Aaron euen because perfection is not in the Priehhood of the Leuites nor vnder the Law which was established vnder it so that wee must acknowledge it hath an end forasmuch as with the ceremoniall law the ceremoniall Priesthood was cancelled and abolished Vse 2 Secondly from hence we learne to acknowledge a difference betweene the Priesthood of Christ and the Priesthood of the Leuites This standeth in diuers points and circumstaÌ„ces as the same Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes euidently declareth The Priesthood of Christ is eternall as the Prophet declared long before Heb. 7 17. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedek he was made with an oath by him that saide vnto him The Lord hath sworne and wil not repent But the Priests of Aarons order were mortall Heb. 7 20 21. not eternall they were made by the word of God but without an oath Heb. 7 26. Besides our great high Priest Christ Iesus holye harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens hath a * Aparabaton Heb. 7 24. Priesthood which cannot passe from one to another wherefore he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them who by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Heb 9.11 14. and obtained eternall redemption for vs purging our Conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hebru 10 4. for it is vnpossible that the blood of buls Goats shold take away sinnes Thus we see that the Priesthood of Christ can haue no succession inasmuch as being once performed it hath no imperfection and whereas the Iews in the time of the law had Aaron and his posterity which were but mortall and miserable men we haue Christ the immortall and blessed God who liueth for euer to be our euerlasting Priest Vse 3 Lastly we learne that seeing the Leuiticall Priesthood passed from one to another so as by death they were not alwaies suffred to exercise and execute their Priesthood we see I say that the Church of Rome bringing in againe such a Priesthood such Priests as
asse are heapes vpon heapes with the Iaw of an asse haue I slaine a thousand men Iudg. 15 15 16. Thus the weake are made strong and the strong weake Likewise in the dayes of Saul the Israelites were all naked and vnarmed men 1 Sam. 13.19 and were not suffered to haue either swords or speares except Saul and Ionathan yet their enemies were discomfited and smitten downe before them Reason 1 The reasons are many that may be alledged First God is with his people and if hee be with them strength power courage and victory must be with them also so that they cannot fall vnlesse God fall with them which is vnpossible As then the cause is the Lords and the people the Lords and the battell the Lords so he can arme creatures of no account euen contemptible people to scourge great mighty nations Exod. 8 6 16. His souldiers in Egypt were caterpillers and flies his armies against the Philistims were mice God is infinite in power to doe as he will and what hee will and when he will and against whom he will in comparison of whom all flesh is fraile and feeble And as he is great in might so he is present in helpe and gaineth honour not by the bow nor speare nor legges of man but he fighteth for those that be his Thus doth Moses encourage the Israelites being pursued by the Egyptians Exod. 14 14. The Lord shall fight for you therefore hold you your peace Reason 2 Secondly to gain glory to his great Name seeing his power is seene in our weakenesse When our strength is smallest then is the glory of God greatest This made the Lord say vnto Gideon Iudg. 7 2. The people that are with thee are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands least Israel make their vaunt against me and say Mine hand hath saued me Thus Dauid assured both of the truth of his calling and the goodnesse of his cause encountereth with Goliah and sheweth that all the people should know that the Lord saueth not with sword nor with speare for the battell is the Lords 1. Sam. 17 47. So the Apostle teacheth that God vseth few weake and simple instruments to confound such as are greater in strength moe in number wiser in knowledge higher in estimation mightier in power stouter in courage That no flesh shall reioyce in his presence but he that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord 1. Cor. 1 19 31 Vse 1 Now let vs handle the vses of this doctrin First we conclude that the safty of the Church is onely of God and not of themselues so that flesh and blood is not to be rested and relyed vpon how great soeuer the meanes be and therefore the Prophet teacheth that the hilles of the robbers cannot helpe so that wee must relye on Gods helpe and cease from the man whose breath is in his Nostrils Esay 2 22. He that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright but the iust shall liue by his faith So than let vs cast away our vaine confidence in man whose life is so fraile that if his breath be stopped but a litle he is dead and cannot helpe himselfe or others God therefore must haue the praise and preferment aboue all creatures and be magnified aboue all the works of his hands Secondly this is a notable comfort and encouragement Vse 2 to doe constantly and cheerefully the duties of our calling notwithstanding the crosses and hinderances to the contrary For seeing it pleaseth GOD to put strength many times into those that are his to deliuer his Church by weak meanes against strong men let vs proceede with boldnesse in the workes of our profession and deale with a good conscience assuring our selues that God is not farre from vs. Whensoeuer wee heare of the wicked combining themselues conspiring together against the Church taking crafty counsell among themselues our hearts quake and tremble and we are brought oftentimes to our wits end wee are greatly perplexed and disquieted as the trees of the forrest are moued by the winde Esai 7 2 but we must consider that the victory is of GOD which casteth downe the mighty from their seat and exalteth them of low degree Thus doth Moses comfort Israel terrified and dismayed by the euil report the spyes had broght vp vpon the land Numb 14 8 9. If the Lord loue vs be will bring vs into this land and giue it vs which is a land flowing with milke and hony but rebell not ye against the Lord neither feare yee the people of the land fâ—r they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them but the Lord is with vs feare them not A notable staffe to stay them vp both in respect of the presence of God with them and of his departure from their enemies And that which was a stay to them must serue also to comfort and refresh vs in all discouragements to consider that we haue a sure buckler with vs but the shield is departed from our enemies They lye open to the stroke of Gods hand he wil draw out his glittering sword against them they shall finde no shield to award the blow They are in a wofull case that hauing the Lord to be their enemy and no armour of defence vppon them to helpe themselues Wherefore whensoeuer we see these enemies of God and his people multiply and increase so that they seeme as a violent streame ready to beat down all things before them let not this disturbe or disquiet vs but learne to waite vpon God who will shew himselfe a present helpe and our GOD in the time of neede This tentation that the enemies are many and that few stand for vs few haue courage for Gods truth few shew themselues in good causes doeth greatly weaken our hearts and maketh them melt away as water we straight way conclude that the enemies must needes preuaile for we are weake and few But know this O ye of little faith and of so great feare that a good cause shall neuer faile albeit there be but few and those feeble to maintaine it Ionathan relying on God 1. Sam. 1â— 6. after his calling and a manifest signe to confirme him goeth on with a noble courage and resolution saying It is not hard to the Lord to saue with many or with few The worke of God was neuer set forward by the greatest number nay the profession of God alwayes had the fewest in number yet no enemy was able to stand against them The Apostles of Christ were few in number â— Cor. 10.4 5. and the weapons of their warfare were not carnall yet were they mighty casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of GOD and bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ Paul hauing appealed vnto Cesar and being brought to the defence of his cause saith At my first answering no man assisted me but all forsooke me I pray
determined by Polycarp and Victor that euery one should follow their owne custome and iudgement and that it is a very foolish and absurd thing for such rites to separate one from another as enemies Euethes ethôn heneken allêlôn charizesthai Sozom histor lib. 7. cap. 19. Now that which is left free at liberty for either side to follow cannot bee holden necessary but to keepe the Passeouer on this day or that day is left free and at liberty for either side therefore it is not necessarie vnto saluation So then nothing is more vncertaine then Tradition for both parts pretended the Apostles and Apostolike Traditions but both of them could not be true nay Socrates taxeth them both of errors affirming that this sprang not of Tradition but of Custome And if either the one opinion or the other had any good foundation from the Apostles it might be that in the beginning and first planting of the Gospel to beare with the infirmity of others they obserued certayne dayes and times which afterward was obserued and vrged as a precept liberty being abolished and that which was retained of charity was turned into a law of necessity Again ther is no cause or reason at all why any churches or persons should contend to haue the Passeouer receiued much lesse so bitingly bitterly For Socrates speaketh well and truly that the Apostles ordained nothing of holy or festiuall daies and sheweth at large the vanity of those that striue to no purpose about it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Forasmuch as the Passouer was a type and ceremony but types and ceremonies were abolished So then it was superstitiously done of such as beare the names of Christian Churches to bring in a feast of Passeouer vnder pretence that the Iewes had the same for that were to compell the Gentiles to liue as do the Iewes which Paul reproued in Peter Gal. 2 14 But these Traditions got authority in the church by little and little I haue spoken this not that it is vnlawfull to haue one day in the yeare wherein to celebrate the remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ for that were to run into extremities whereas our infirmity is allowed to haue some helpes to quicken our faith that wee might the better bethinke vs all our life what benefit the resurrection of our Lord hath brought vnto vs neuerthelesse this is established onely for order sake But to vrge this strictly of necessitie or to make a seruice of God thereof or to think that we ought to fashion our selues after the example of the Iewes to wit that as they had their Passeouer so ought wee to haue ours in these dayes were to turne all things vpside downe and to put a veile before the face of Christ that we might not see the light of the Gospel shining vpon vs. Vse 3 Lastly this Passeouer was celebrated with many circumstances whereof some were obserued onely at the first Passeouer while they were in Egypt as the preparing of the paschal Lambe and keeping it apart from the rest of the flock from the 10 day to the 14. the sprinkling of the blood vpon the doore postes the eating of it in haste and the killing of it within their owne houses but afterwardes it was done in the publike place of Gods worship Deut. 16 5 6 7 for which purpose Ierusalem was afterward chosen where it was killed by the Priestes and flayed in the Court of the Temple and the blood sprinkled on the Altar 2 Chron. 35 1 2 6 10 11 then the owner of the Lambe tooke it at the Priests hands brought it to his owne house and roasted it All these things aymed at the shedding of Christs blood and the sprinkling that is the applying of it to the hearts of all true beleeuers Ezek. 45 19. 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 9 13 14. As when the Law was commanded to bee written vpon their doore posts it pointed out the writing of it into their hearts as it is expounded by the Prophet Ier. 31 31. Hebr. 8 10. And whereas they were to sprinkle the vpper doore postes not the threshold or the floore vnder their feete it did put them and vs in minde what recouerent account and estimation wee ought to haue of the blood of Christ that wee should not treade vnder our feete the Sonne of God neither account the blood of the couenant wherewith we haue beene sanctified as an vnholy thing Heb 10 29. Some points were to be obserued at all times whensoeuer and wheresoeuer they killed and kept the Passeouer and consumed it with fire they must eat it with vnleauened cakes for all leauen must be cast out of their houses to this they ioyned bitter herbes The roasting of it with fire was a figure both of Gods Spirit Math. 3 11. Through which Christ offered himselfe to God Heb. 9 14 also of Gods fiery wrath which he was to suffer whilst hee was made a curse for vs by his death vpon the crosse Gal. 3 15 Ier. 4 4. The vnleauened loaues signifie that none can be partakers of any benefit by Christ but such as cast out the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse out of their hearts 1 Cor. 5 8. This belongeth to euery one to eat the vnleauened cakes or loaues of sincerity truth of which before chap. 9. The soure or bitter herbes which are thought by the Hebrew Rabbines to bee wild Lettuce Cichory Hore-hound Maimon treat of leauen cap. 7. and such like and were eaten with the Lamb brought to their remembrance the affliction in Egypt where their liues had beene bitter Exod. 1 14 yea more bitter then gall or wormewood where the Egyptians made their liues bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in bricke and in all manner of seruice in the fielde and heereunto the Church seemeth to allude Lament 3 15 and all these were as types of the bitter sorrowes of Christ to whom they offered gall to drinke as also of our mortification and afflictions with him For we must bee made like vnto him 1 Cor. 5 7. 11.26 Phil. 3 10. Also in the day of the first fruits when ye bring a new meate offering vnto the Lord after your weekes be out ye shall haue an holy conuocation ye shall do no seruile worke 27 But ye shal offer the burnt offering for a sweet sauour c. 28 And their meat Offering of fine Flower c. 29 A seuerall tenth deale vnto one Lambe c. 30 And one Kid c. 31 Ye shall offer them besides the continual burnt Offering c. Heere is handled the feast of Pentecost or of Weekes which was kept yeerely amongst the Iewes The feast of the first fruits of wheat haruest to giue God thankes after the gathering of their haruest This was a meane to put them in minde to honor God for sending his benefits to the sustenance of man Leu. 23 17. Deut. 16 9 10. It
sicknesses To follow them with greedinesse desire them as the hungry man doth after meate or he that is a thirst after drinke is the true misery Such as liue in sinne are the onely dead men Luke 9 60. 1 Tim. 5 6. Secondly it instructeth euery one of vs how Vse 2 we ought to walke before God namely to be greeued for our greeuing of God with our sins to be offended witâ—our selues for offeÌ„ding of him A father will be very angry with those persons which draw on their children to destruction it is not therefore much to be maruelled at that sin is so hatefull to God seeing it is that which is the ruine downfal of his chiefest creatures And as sinne is in the account of God so it ought to be esteemed of vs he hateth and detesteth nothing more nothing so much if then we wil approue our selues to be his children we must abhor it as Gods sworne enemy and ours Nothing can prouoke him against vs but our transgressions Hee will neuer hate vs for our pouerty or penury or necessitie or infirmity it is onely impiety that can make a separation betweene God and vs and therefore we must take heede we doe not prouoke him to anger by them and let vs rather bee greeued for our sinnes then greeue the Lord with them If a sonne see his father greeued with him for his wicked wayes he will bee greeued with himselfe for it So ought it to be with vs if we be the children of God and belong vnto him we must labour to bee out of loue with our selues for our sinnes and to hate them all whatsoeuer they bee least the Lord should bee compelled to hate vs and make vs greeue and weepe for them when it shall be too late Matth. 8 12 and when our shedding of teares shall be ioyned with gnashing of teeth and neither of them proue to bee acceptable vnto him or profitable to our selues Vse 3 Thirdly it leadeth and preacheth vnto vs repentance of our former sinnes and neuer to returne vnto them againe because they are so displeasing vnto God and so effectuall to bring downe all his iudgements and punishments vpon vs. If God were indifferent when we haue sinned and neither pleased nor displeased with vs then the matter were not great we also might be indifferent not regard whether wee repent or doe not repent but seeing sinne bringeth all iudgement it is time for vs to iudge our selues that so we may preuent his iudgements For seeing it is that which is so odious and loathsome vnto him we ought to auoyd it and to take heed of delighting in it They that loue feare to offend him whom they loue that we may therefore shew our selues to bee the louers of God let vs labour to the vttermost of our power to take heede of greeuing and offending him by our sinnes But when a man committeth sinne against God doth he thinke God will punish him or not If he thinke he will then what great folly is it for him to runne on still in his sinnes for which he must be punished If hee thinke he will not then what wickednesse vnthankfulnesse is it for him to offend so louing a God that is not offended with him for all his sinning against him All these things do serue as so many motiues to stirre vs vp to the practice of repentance that so God may repent of his plagues toward vs. Vse 4 Lastly this serueth for matter of imitation For if God be thus displeased with sinne which neuer leaueth or ceaseth to hunt after the sinner till it finde him out then euery one of vs that would shew our selues to haue any part in God or to beare his image must labour to be of the same minde and to haue the same affection against sinne that God hath to hate it as he hateth it and so to bee displeased as well at our owne sinnes as at the sinnes of others For he can neuer be truely displeased with his owne sinnes that is not also greeued with the sinnes and offences of others As then wee are touched and troubled for our owne sinnes so should wee be for the sinnes of our friends of our families and of those that we haue any way to deale withall forasmuch as it is that which doth so much greeue the Spirit of God 28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the Priest and Ioshua the sonne of Nun and the cheefe fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel 29 And Moses saide vnto them If the children of Gad and the children c will passe with you ouer Iordan c then yee shall giue them the land of Gilead for a possession 30 But if they will not passe c. 31 And the children of Gad c answered saying As the Lord c. 32 We will passe ouer armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan that the possession of our inheritance on this side Iordan may be ours The third part of the chapter followeth handling the full agreement of the whole matter and the execution following after the agreement wherby these tribes are put in possession Moses committeth the matter to Eleazar the Priest and to Ioshua the son of Nun gaue charge to them to see it performed For inasmuch as he was not himselfe to enter into the land hee taketh order that if the former conditions were obserued by the Reubenites and Gadites they should haue the land of Gilead for a possession if not they should bee compelled to haue possession among the rest in the land of Canaan teaching thereby that it is our duty to further promote the good of the Church and Commonwealth not onely while we liue but also after our departure out of this world And in the tribes we see that all lawful promises euen such as are made to our hindrance are faithfully to be performed But in the example of these tribes marke a further point how willing they are to ioyne together to procure the common safety and set the rest of their brethren out of danger Doctrine It is the dutie of Gods children to helpe the church to free it from danger which was like to be great long they would not forsake them til their enemies were subdued This teacheth that it is the duty of Gods children to put foorth themselues in the common cause to helpe the church and to free it from danger This point hath warrant both by precept practice It is the counsell of Salomons mother Prou. 31 9. Open thy mouth in the cause of the dumbe c and to shew the great importance of this precept hee repeateth it againe Open thy mouth iudge righteously and pleade the cause of the poore and needy verse 10. The Apostle chargeth the Hebrewes to remember those that are in bondes and in affliction as if themselues were afflicted Heb. 13.3 And they are remembred not so much when they are thought vpon
condition whatsoeuer so it bee accompanied with faith and the fruites thereof can separate vs from saluation and shutte vs out of Gods Kingdome For seeing a man may be a good Christian and a great warrior which profession many times is most stained and corrupt it cannot exclude any from eternall life if themselues by infidelity iniquity doe not exclude themselues And albeit such persons many times haue no regarde of equity or honesty or word or oath or Law or shame or conscience but entitle themselues to all that their hand can lay hold vpon as men wholly bent vpon spoile and rapine yet the cause heereof is not in the profession but in the professor not in the warre but in the warriour and therefore it pleased GOD to shew foorth his great mercy in calling to his maruellous light many men out of that kinde of life Such were the Centurion that came to Christ to haue his seruant healed Math. 8 5. Acts 10 3. who is commended for his excellent faith Cornelius is reported to bee a godly man and to haue vnder him godly souldiers Seeing therefore warfare is no hatefull Vse 3 kinde of life in it selfe such as are souldiers and fight in the field haue no lesse accesse to saluation then others and shall rest in Abrahams bosome who was also a warriour as wel as they if they labour to bee the children of Abraham and study not so much to bee souldiers as Christian souldiers which aime at the glory of God in all their actions and not seeke to satisfie their owne lusts How many are there that delight in nothing but in effusion of blood and all oppression in doing violence and robbing without difference of friend or foe brother or enemy If we professe the name of Christ Iesus and beleeue to bee saued through his name let vs so liue in war as wee remember vnder whose banner wee fight and whose name we do professe and whose blessing we looke for If wee bee assured and perswaded of the lawfulnesse of the warre why do we not carry our selues as men that fight not our owne battels but the battels of the Lord of hostes And if wee do not runne as desperate men or as the horse that rusheth into the battell why doe we not consider that our soule is in our hand that we are in continuall danger of death and must giue an account of the things done in this flesh whether they bee good or euill Lastly as the godly may lawfully make Warre so they must bee carefull to obserue such conditions as make it lawfull and allowable otherwise the running of men together in hostile manner after the manner of wilde beasts to shed blood and to take away life is of it selfe most sauage barbarous The conditions to be obserued are these Conditions to be obserued in warres First it must bee proclaimed by the Magistrate and such as haue authoritie otherwise it is priuate reuenge not publike iustice We must not be like Simeon and Leui the sons of Iacob who hauing wrong and indignity offered of the Shechemites reuenged their owne cause without authority or calling for They drew their sword Ge 34 25 29. and went into the City boldly and slew euery male and tooke the spoile both of the place and people They had no commandement or commission from Iacob their father as appeareth in the reproofe vttered vnto them the curse denounced against them Ye haue troubled me Gen. 34 30. and made me to sticke amongst the Inhabitants of the Land And in another place Cursed be their wrath and 49 7. for it was fierce and theâ—r anger for it was cruell I will diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel We see therfore that the people must not run vpon their owne head nor take armes in hand at their owne pleasure but must looke for the warrant and direction of the Magistrate Secondly it belongeth to such as go vnto warre against another nation and people to offer them conditions of peace and to receiue such to mercy as yeeld vnto them thereby to auoide the shedding of blood and to shew themselues inclined to mercy This proclaiming of peace is taught by the Lord himselfe Deut. 20. Deut. 20 10 11 12 13 14. When thou commest neere vnto a City to fight against it thou shalt offer it peace and if it answere thee againe peaceably and open vnto thee then shall all the people that is found there n be tributaries vnto thee and serue thee but if it shall make no peace with thee but make warre against thee then thou shalt besiege it and smite the Males thereof with the edge of the sworde Likewise when Ioab pursued Sheba a Traitor against Dauid and besieged him in Abel so that they cast vp a Mount against the Citie began to cast downe the wall There cryed a wâ—se woman out of the City 2 Sam. 20 16 17 18. Heare heare I pray you say vnto Ioab Come thou hither that I may speake with thee and when he came nere vnto her the woman said Heare the wordes of thine handmaid they spake in the old time saying They should aske of Abel and so haue they continued In which words she alludeth vnto the former Law that before any City were ouerthrown or any people put to the sword peace should be propounded and the Citizens that yeilded be receiued to mercy This is so equall and reasonable that the vnbeleeuers among the Gentiles thought it expedient and necessary to accept of such as yeelded Cic. de offâ—c li. â— albe t the Ram a warlike instrument in those dayes described by Iosephus in the warres of the Iewes had shaken the wall I seph de be lâ— Iudat l. 3. cap 9 that is were euen ready to fall downe And the Turkes themselues proud and mercilesse enemies that spare not to shed Christian blood Turk histor in the lye of Mâ—hâ—mâ—t the gâ—aâ— and poure it out as water are perswaded that God will not prosper them in their affaires assaults except they first make vnto their enemies some ofâ—er of peace This putteth vs in minde that wee should indiâ—e our heartes to sâ—eâ— mercy as much as may be and not rage with fire and sword but remember the common condition of mankinde the vncertainty of all humane things and the danger that may fall vpon our selues Thirdly keepe all lawfull promises euen to the enemy which is a token of an vpright heart When the spies that were sent to Iericho and made a faithfull promise and bounde it with an oath to saue Rahab and her fathers house from the common destruction of that City Ioshua the Generall of the hoste was so farre from denying to stand to that oath that he called the two men that had spyed out the Countrey and saide vnto them Ioshua 6 22. Goe into the Harlots house and bring out thence the Woman and all that she hath as
vnto him and without him we can do nothing no not so much as think one good thought or speake one good word or practise one good worke Reason 3 Thirdly he is a debter to no man neither can any of right challenge any thing at his hands He loued vs first and not we him he made vs and not we our selues he gaue to vs and not we to him we receiue of him not he of vs. â—â—m 11.34 â— 36. The Apostle saith Who hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who was his counsellour or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompensed for of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen Whereby we see he freely bestoweth all things he oweth nothing of duty he offereth iniury to no man whether he grant or withhold whether he giue little or much liberally or sparingly to many or to few Seing then we are to acknowledge his glory and our owne pouerty and seeing he oweth nothing to any man neither is runne behind hand in arrerages as being thereby bound to helpe him it followeth that God offereth his gifts and graces freely and frankely vnto vs. Vse 1 What is now to be learned from hence and what may be gathered for our instruction First it serueth to reprooue the Church of Rome that maintaine the ragges and reliques of the old Pelagians and refuse to haue the grace of God freely bestowed vpon them lest they should be too much beholden vnto him and therefore they build the castle of mans saluation vpon themselues and lay the ground-worke of it vpon their own strength and refuse to set it vpon the pillar of Gods grace This appeareth in three respects in their doctrine of foreseene works in their doctrine of merits and in their doctrine of mans free will to good Thus they build the tower of Babel that is of confusion and establish false causes touching the order of mans saluation and erre greeuously in the beginning continuance and perfection thereof Now that we doe them no wrong at all in charging them thus farre let vs make it manifest in euer particular Touching foreseene workes The first stone of this tower they lay in such workes as they say serue to prepare men to iustification so they make the foreseene faith of the elect to be the cause of the election to grace and glory that God hath chosen those to eternall life whom he foresaw would beleeue and perseuere therein vnto the end This hangeth the whole frame of saluation vpon the pinne of mans faith as the mouing or procuring cause and not vpon the purpose and pleasure of him that calleth vs whereas mans saluation abideth sure and firme stable and certaine through him onely that hath loued vs and called vs to his excellent knowledge and therefore faith foreseene is not the cause of it The Apostle reasoning of the cause of our election neuer affirmeth it to be of him that beleeueth Rom. 9.11 and 11.5 but of him that calleth for then it might be said to be of our selues Ephe. 2. which cannot be Againe if we obserue the golden chaine wherein the causes of our saluation are linked together we may strongly conclude this point For our faith is in time after the grace of God and therefore cannot be the cause of grace and consequently of election It is against all rules of right reason that that which commeth after should be any cause of that which goeth before But faith is one of the effects of election in as much as God hath chosen vs not because he knew we would beleeue hereafter but to the end we should beleeue that is that he might bestow vpon vs faith and so saue vs in his owne Sonne Ephe. 1.4 Ephe. 1.4 Tit. 1.1 Tit. 1.1 Act. 13.48 Act. 13.48 We are elected that we should bee holy and faith is said to be proper to the elect and so many beleeued as were ordained to euerlasting life Thirdly we are elect as taken out of the common masse of corruption as the sonnes of wrath borne dead in sinnes while we were yet enemies vnto him Now such as God iustifieth such he also chuseth and decreeth to iustifie as Rom. 4.5 and 5.8 RoÌ„ 4.5 5 8 Vnto him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse and God commendeth his loue toward vs in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs. But in the sonnes of wrath and in such as are borne dead in sinnes no faith at all could bee foreseene so that the foreseeing of faith could not bee the cause of election For if that which doeth come after cannot bee the cause of that which goeth before as we haue shewed already much lesse can that which is not at all be the cause of that which is Fourthly faith is the gift of GOD. It is giuen of God to vs and the worke of GOD in vs Ioh. 6.29.44 Ioh. 6.29 This is the worke of GOD that yee beleeue on him whom hee hath sent So the Apostle saith Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is giuen on the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also for to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 It is he that bestoweth it and encreaseth it Before this gift there is nothing in vs but infidelity and vnbeleefe As it is not in mans power to repent when he will but when God will Lament 5.21 Ierem. 31. Psal 51. Act. 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 26. so it is not in mans power to beleeue when he will Ioh. 12.39 40. albeit he haue the meanes though he heare the word and partake the Sacraments wherefore this cannot be the cause of Gods election as if he were mooued to elect vs by that as by a cause which he bestoweth vpon vs after wee are elected for then the same thing should be the cause of it selfe and before it selfe which is against naturall sense right reason and true religion Lastly if faith foreseene were the cause of election then infidelity foreseene should also be the cause of reprobation but this is false because then all mankind should be reprobated and reiected forasmuch as the whole masse of mankind is corrupt and God could foresee nothing in it but incredulity and vnbeleefe Thus we see that our election dependeth not vpon our owne workes or our owne faith or any thing in our selues but on the mercy loue of God there was no cause in vs to moue him For if any thing had bin in vs we might be said to haue the first stroke in our saluation to lay the first stone in that building and God should come after vs or behind vs. True it is he hath determined to elect vs and to saue vs of his good pleasure but he will bring it to passe by meanes to wit by the merits of Christ by calling of vs by giuing of vs faith
the reason followeth verse 11 12 13 in which God himselfe assigneth the cause why he did take vnto himselfe the Leuites to succeed in place of the first borne For vnto this time the first borne both in the priuate families in the publike assemblies of the Israelites did execute the Priests office as persons consecrated vnto God as we haue shewed and expounded Exod. 13 and 19 chapters and as we shall shew farther in this chapter Hence it is â—w the first â—ne are said be the â—ds that he saith Euery first borne is mine which is to be vnderstood not in regard of the common right of creation as sometimes the earth and all that filleth it is said to be the Lords and all the beasts of the Forrest but they are so called in another respect For the better vnderstanding whereof Things are said to be the Lords in three respects we must consider that things are said to bee the Lords in three respects First in regard of duty and seruice Thus all creatures are the Lords because he is their Creator and maker in regard whereof euery thing created oweth a duty to him as to the great Lord to whom all things visible and inuisible owe their homage as Psal 24. the Prophet saith The earth is the Lords and all that therein is and he rendreth this reason For hee hath founded the world c. Secondly all creatures are said to be the Lords also in regard of that power and authority whereby he ruleth all to which iurisdiction of his all men how wicked peruerse soeuer they be are subiect Thus Cyrus King of Persia though he knew not the Lord yet is said to be the Lords Shepheard and his annointed and to performe all his pleasure Esay 44 28 and 45 1. He did the worke of the Lord ignorantly and blindly yet God was his Lord and he his seruant in proclaiming that Ierusalem should be builded and the foundation of the Temple erected So the Prophet speaking of the world and of all things therein contained saith They continue this day according to thine ordinances for all are thy seruants Psal 119 91. as if he should say All creatures in heauen and earth continue safe and sound euen from the beginning to the present times wherein we liue and so they shall doe vnto the worlds end through thy word and appointment so that as they were created by thy word and are preserued in their estate so they are at thy commandement to do thy will euen as seruants obey their masters Thus the diuelles though they resist him and rebell against him may be saide to be his seruants because they are constrained to serue his prouidence They be farre from yeelding faithfull seruice and dutifull obedience vnto him yet they must stoope downe vnto him he hath in such sort put his hooke in their nose and his bridle in their lippes and his chaine on their hands and his fetters on their feet that they cannot start from him but they shall doe him seruice for the execution of his secret will Therefore the Prophet saith Psalme 135 verse 6. Whatsoeuer the Lord pleased that did he in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all deepe places To the same purpose the Apostle writing to the Philippians and speaking of the power of Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equal vnto God saith chap. 2 verse 9 10 God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name which is aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow of things in heauen things in earth and things vnder the earth and that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of GOD his Father Thus also the beasts of the Forrest are the LORDS and the cattell on a thousand Mountaines Psal 50. Not only because all creatures owe a duty vnto him but because they are gouerned by his rule ordered by his power and ruled by his prouidence Thirdly some things are saide to be the Lords in respect of a propriety and immediate right that he hath in theÌ„ being separate from the vse of man For then they become the Lords when they are alienated from men Thus tithes in the word are said to be the Lords Leuit. 27 30. All the tithes of the Land both of the seede of the ground and of the fruite of the trees is the Lords it is holy vnto the Lord. Where the last words expound the former according to the vsuall manner of the Scripture and shew in what sense tithes are the Lords because the propriety is not in man but in God onely forasmuch as that which is holy to the Lord is separate from man and from his vse and cannot bee alienated by him without sacriledge and vsurpation So in this place the Leuites are saide to be the Lords and the first borne are said to be the Lords not onely in respect of their duty to him and of his power ouer them for thus all creatures are his all people and nations of the earth are his and in these respects not onely the tithes are the Lords but the other nine parts as wel as they But they are sanctified to him and are to bee imployed in his seruice being separated from the vse of man as the rest are appointed and left to the vse of man Thus then the Lord challengeth authority to bestow the tenths of their encrease so that man could not employ them to himself without sacriledge If any of the Leuites sâ—ould be taken from the Altar sent into the wars they had prophaned Gods seruice and abused their persons to another end then GOD had ordained The like might be spoken also of the Sabbath that is the Lords day he claimeth it to his owne vse he separateth and sanctifieth it to his owne seruice The sixe other daies are ours and God giueth vs liberty to call them ours and to bestow them as ours in our owne businesse Exod. 20 9. Reuel 1 10. Such therefore as make no conscience to take the LORDS day from him and vse it as their owne are spirituall theeues and meddle with that which is not their owne If their seruants should deale in such sort with them and imploy any of the sixe daies in their owne worke and leaue their businesse vndone they would quickly complaine of the iniury Or if any of their neighbours should come into their house and take away any part of their goods we would bid them learne to know their owne and be ready to call them theeues But we deale with GOD a thousand times worse then wee would suffer other men to deale with vs. We can take the Lords day nay the Lords daies one after another and spend them about our owne profits and pleasures and vanities and yet neuer consider the wrong iniustice we offer vnto the Almighty Oh that men would lay this vnto their hearts
should be as frontlets betweene their eyes and write them vpon the postes of their houses and gates of their Cities all these were as helpes for memory against forgetfulnesse as if he had said vnto them Haue them alwayes in remembrance Of all persons old men seeme to haue the weakest memories which decay with their age and these doe most of all complaine of them howbeit the heathen man telleth vs that there is no man so old Cicero lib. de Senect that hath forgotten where he laid vp his treasure All men remember the things they most regard such as they loue they will not forget forasmuch as Where the treasure is there will the heart be also Mat. 6.21 If then we remember not the things of God the chiefe cause is because we doe not much esteeme of them Set an high price vpon them value them aboue thy siluer and thy gold esteeme them beyond all pearles and precious stones and thou shalt finde thy memory much bettered and encreased The fourth is to plant in vs true godlinesse and reforme our liues as it were to rid our ground of all bryars bushes before we sow any thing in it The gate of Gods house is the gate of righteousnesse because none but the iust and righteous ought to enter into it Psa 118.19 20. This is the cause that Iacob when hee went to Bethel to worship God first cleansed his house of the filthines of idolatry and commanded his houshold to be cleane Gen. 35. â— and change their garments thereby vnderstanding the purity of the heart and the changing of their mindes by the renuing of them according to true godlinesse Thus doth the Lord command the Israelites to wash their cloathes and sanctifie themselues before they came to heare the law at his mouth Exo. 19.14 To this purpose Dauid saith Psal 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocency so will I compasse thine Altar O Lord. If we come into Gods presence without sanctification we offer a sacrifice full of blemishes which his soule abhorreth He reiecteth our prayers as abominable and our hearing of his word is turned into sinne Lastly we are bound to lay vp in the heart that which we heare for God especially requireth the heart If that be wanting he misseth it by and by he espyeth it so soon as we come as he did him that came to the marriage feast without his wedding garment Mat. 22.11 There is no man hath any treasure that leaueth or layeth it commonly and carelesly but he locketh it vp that no man should take it from him the word is a pearle and a pearle of such price that when he hath found it that knoweth the worth of it Matth. 13. he selleth all that he hath to buy it the heart is as it were the coffer where we ought to keepe it If we hold it in our hands or haue it in our heads or suffer it to dwell in our mouthes onely and cannot afford to giue it roome and lodging in our hearts it is in danger euery foote to be taken from vs and we surprised of it Esay 29.13 Such persons honour him with their lips but their harts are far from him Matt. 15. The blessed Virgin is commended that she kept those sayings in her heart So did Isaac go out into the fields to meditate Luk. 2.10 Gen. 24.63 at euentide he chose a solitary place and fit season to call to minde such things as he had heard Wherefore let vs also lay vp in our soules and ponder in our hearts such good things as wee haue learned and let vs hide them as in the casket of a good conscience that in all times of need we may bring foorth these precious treasures to helpe vs. We know not into what troubles and perplexities we may come how we may be tempted assaulted into what dangers of spiritual enemies we may fall how bitter will those dayes be vnto vs if wee haue no word of God dweling in vs to comfort vs raise vs vp againe It wil then be too late to go and buy oile in our lamps when we should vse it Let vs store our selues with plenty of heauenly meditations that we may neuer be too seeke and arme our selues with such sufficient furniture that wheresoeuer the enemy seeke to foile vs and to make a breach into our soules we may be able to resist him and to stand fast in the power of God against all the wyles of the diuell 21. And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 22. Take also the summe of the sonnes of Gershon throughout the houses of their fathers by their families 23. From thirty yeares old and vpward vntill fifty yeare old shalt thou number them all that enter in to performe the seruice to doe the worke in the Tabernacle of the Congregation 24. This is the seruice of the families of the Gershonites to serue and for burdens 25. And they shall beare the Curtaines of the Tabernacle and the Tabernacle of the Congregation his couering and the couering of the badgers skinnes that is aboue vpon it and the hanging for the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 26. And the hangings of the Court and the hanging for the doore of the gate of the Court which is by the Tabernacle by the Altar round about and their cords and all the instruments of their seruice all that is made for them so shall they serue 27. At the appointment of Aaron and his sonnes shall be all the seruice of the sonnes of the Gersbonites in all their burdens and in all their seruice and ye shall appoint vnto them in charge all their burdens 28. This is the seruice of the families of the sonnes of Gershon in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and their charge shall be vnder the hand of Ithamar the sonne of Aaron the Priest Hitherto Moses hath spoken of the Kohathites and he hath done it more largely then he doth handle the other families for the causes noted before In the next place he proceedeth to the Gershonites Touching these first God commandeth them also to be numbred and tâ—â—ir age is appointed and limited as in the foâ—mer from thirty yeares old and vpward vntill fifty Secondly their proper and peculiar charge is expressed what burdens they are to beare to wit the Curtaines and the couerings the cordes the veiles and all the instruments appertaining to their seruice Thirdly all these things before mentioned must be done at the commandement of Aaron and his sonnes Ver. 22 23. Take also the summe of the sons of Gershon c. Obserue with me in this diuision that Moses repeateth sundry points that are set downe in the former chapter as will euidently appeare vnto vs if wee make tryall and comparison in euery one of the three families as for example touching the Kohathites that which hee speaketh of them in this chapter verse 5 7 9. compare it with the 31. verse of the third chapter
enemies to their brethren they draw an heauier enemy vpon themselues to wit God himselfe Before we passe from this so necessary a duty it shall not be amisse for vs both to obserue such motiues as may stirre vs vp to the practise of it and to answere such obiections as may hinder vs from yeelding obedience vnto it First of all let vs lay before vs the example of Christ the author and finisher of our saluation who had greater wrong offered vnto him then he had who was more innocent then he that was as a sheepe dumbe before his shearer and opened not his mouth and therefore the Apostle Peter saith chap. 2.22 Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but coÌ„mitted himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously This farther appeareth vnto vs in that he prayed for his enemies that persecuted him He had power in his own hand to haue resisted their force 〈◊〉 34 reuenged his cause He could haue praied to his Father he would haue giuen him more then twelu legions of Angels yet notwithstanding he suffered patiently 〈◊〉 â—6 53 the iust for the vniust 〈◊〉 18. that he might bring vs to God If any thinke or alledge that this example is too high for vs aboue our reach and too eminent in regard of his person who is God aboue to be worshipped let vs set before vs the examples of the faithful seruants of God that haue liued in all ages in the time of the law and vnder the Gospel â—ed moâ— that this may be another motiue vnto vs. How often did the children of Israel murmure against Moses and Aaron and sometimes went about to stone him yet he neuer sought reuenge against them albeit he had bin able to right his own cause by force When Miriam Aaron spake against him by reason of the woman of Ethiopia 〈◊〉 12.2 3 and said What hath the Lord spoken only by Moses hath he not also spoken by vs Moses held his peace and gaue not taunt for taunt rebuke for rebuke he was a very meeke man aboue all the men that were vpon the earth Thus was it with Dauid a man indeed after Gods owne heart though he were a king and wanted not seruants to execute his will yet he would not himselfe reuenge neither suffer any other to take reuenge on Shimei albeit he cursed the king with an horrible curse Saul sought his life 〈◊〉 16.9 and preferred him to be his son in law for no other cause but to lay a snare before him when Dauid had his life oftentimes in his hand to saue it or to destroy it ye he was so farre from seeking reuenge 〈◊〉 26.9 〈◊〉 24.5 that his heart smote him for cutting off the lap of his garment When Stephen had made a worthy defence for himselfe and his own innocency that the enemies could take no iust exception against him their hearts brast asunder and they gnashed at him with their teeth ran vpon him violently all at once 〈◊〉 60. but he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sin to their charge The Church of Rome are not ashamed to teach thereby to strengthen the hands of traitors rebels that rise vp against Princes that Christians of old deposed not Nero and Dioclesian and Iulian the Apostata and Valens the Arrian and such like persecutous and heretikes 〈◊〉 de Rom. â—â—b 5. c. 7. because they wanted temporall power and if they had had power they would haue done it If this be true all their patience was perforce and is not thanke-worthy But they testifie in many places that they had power sufficient but held it vnlawfull to resist and rebell They had filled all places Cities Ilands castles boroughes tents tribes bandes palaces â— Apolog. the Senate and Court not excepted so that they wanted neither number nor strength to make their party good They professe that albeit they be equall in power yet with them it is more tollerable to be killed then to kill They affirme freely God forbid that his religion should be maintained with fire and sword They acknowledge no other weapons to be put into their hands but praiers tears Arma nostra sunt preâ—es lacrymae Tert. They neuer practised any reueÌ„ge against their persecutors and those that hated them One night with a little fire would haue serued and sufficed them largely to be reuenged of their enemies but they accounted it vnlawful to requite euill with euill But to leaue this consideration to another occasion let vs come to a third motiue A third motiue that is the office which is proper vnto God to whom it belongeth peculiarly to take vengeance and is therefore in holy Scripture called the God of vengeance Psal 94.1 O Lord God the auenger O God the auenger shew thy selfe clearly It is a grieuous sin to sit down in Gods seat and to rob him of his right and royalty Let the enemies of God and his people know that he is the God of reuenge as well as the God of saluation and that he wil as wel right their causes as saue their soules He is a iust God wil recompense tribulation to all that trouble those that are his and therefore hath said Deut. 32 3â— Vengeance and recompense are mine but he neuer said to priuate persons Vengeance is thine neither did he euer put the sword into their hands A fourth motiue A fourth motiue to perswade vs to lay aside priuate reuenge is drawn from the gracious promise that God hath made vnto vs namely that he will take our causes into his hand and pay them home that do oppresse vs. For God doth not restraine vs as it were tye vp our hands to expose vs to all iniuries and to leaue vs as a prey in the iawes of the Lyons but because he hath passed his word vnto vs I will repay Rom. 12.29 saith the Lord. So then we must know that God is called the authour and executer of vengeance not only because the power and right belongeth vnto him that he is able to take vengeance of all our enemies how many and mighty soeuer they bee but because he hath vsed this power executed this office from the beginning of the world and as yet vseth it and will vse it to the ful in the great day of the general iudgement He knoweth best of all the greatnes of the iniury that is done vnto vs because he searcheth into the thoughts of the heart and vnderstandeth not only what is done but the manner how it is done Seeing then he hath promised to pay them home into their bosomes that wrong vs it were a fruit of infidelity in vs not to beleeue him at his word
all holinesse and righteousnesse Hence it is that God tollerated many things among his people which he neuer allowed simply as appeareth in the case of diuorcement 〈◊〉 4 1. and many other of like nature So hee suffered the next of kinne to pursue him to death that had slaine his kinsman if he were taken out of the City of his refuge but God neuerthelesse did neuer approue of this to set vpon the person that had done him no harme neither aloweth any to follow the rage of his choler and to execute the malice of his heart so that this law hath no place among vs. For we must marke this as a certaine rule that ciuil gouernment cannot change any thing in the ten Commandements or set downe any thing to the preiudice of them Many things were permitted vnto the Iewes because of the hardnesse of their hearts Math. 19 8. but from the beginning it was not so They then that would put away their wiues for euery cause might as well alledge the law of giuing them a bill of diuorcement as others produce the auenger of blood to iustifie the prosecution of priuate reuenge forasmuch as the one is a breach of the seauenth Commandement the other is a breach of the sixth Commandement And thus much in answer of the obiections Thirdly we are put in mind of this duty Vse 3 that seeing all sin is committed against God we should be afraid to sinne against him and ought aboue all things to take heed of his wrath and indignation We are rather to chuse any course or take any way then runne into his displeasure Thus it was with Ioseph of whom we spake before he was content rather to be slandered vniustly and accused falsely of his leud and lasciuious mistrisse yea to be imprisoned and punished by his ouer-credulous master then he would make a breach in his owne soule sin against God Let a man once perish his conscience the wracke is not easily made vp again It is like a water-course which is not easily stopped It is better to fall into the hands of men then of God for he can make our innocency knowne and the vprightnesse of our cause to appeare that it shall break out as the light and shine as the Sunne at noone daies as we shall shew more euidently in the end of this chapter True it is the greatest sort of men make it a common matter because it is common they account it a small and light matter to sin against God When they heare that by cōmitting euill they sin in Gods sight and prouoke him to anger they regard not much those threatnings they make a mock of sin and feare not the euent of it not considering they play with a serpent that will in the end sting thē vnto death when it hath wrapped them fast as it were in fetters that they can by no meanes escape We must account no sin to be in it owne nature little as a mote but esteeme of it as a great beame albeit there be difference betweene them and some be greater then other This cogitation once taking place in vs How we may vnderstand the greeuousnesse of sin Eph. 5 3. will make vs feare and tremble at the naming of it The Apostle speaking of fornication and vncleannesse and such like euils saith Let it not be once named among you as it becommeth Saints For the Scripture laieth hold on our straying thoughts and wandring motions of the minde though we neuer giue assent vnto them but labour to remoue and repell them so soone as they arise in vs and abhorre them and our selues for them These first motions and lusts are a breach of the Law Rom. 7. and deserue condemnation how much more therfore the transgressions of our whole life that are much more abhominable Besides we are taught not onely to looke into the glasse of the law to see the heinousnesse of our transgressions but also to consider the punishments due vnto them in this life and the life to come for thereby we are subiect to all woes and miseries and death it selfe as we may see by the examples of our first parents of the old world of Sodome of Pharaoh and his hoste of the Iewes that were carried captiue and many of Gods owne people that by infirmity haue fallen and felt sore chastisements from his hands as appeareth in Moses and Aaron in Dauid in Hezekiah in Iosiah in Salomon and sundry others Lastly we may behold the grieuousnesse of sin in the example of Christ our Sauiour who albeit he were without sinne and none iniquitie was found in his mouth yet bare he in his body our sinnes and felt that burden which would haue crushed vs in peeces and broken all our bones in sunder forasmuch as he apprehended the wrath of God in his soule which caused him to sweat water and blood and to cry out vpon the crosse My God Mat. 27.46 my God why hast thou forsaken me Such then as neuer feare to offend God haue no feeling of Gods iustice no feeling of Christs suffering no feeling of the vilenesse of sin no feeling of their owne punishments that hang ouer their heads shall without repentance seaze vpon them to their finall damnation Let vs awake cut of our deepe sleepe and take care of our saluation let vs take heede we grow not senselesse and hard-hearted Let vs learne to know our selues better and consider what we haue done Let vs feare to offend God and stand in awe of his iudgements so that if we sinne against him we may be well assured to be punished for it But some will say Obiect God is gracious and mercifull he will not plague vs and strike vs though we sin he is not hard as many would make him doth not the Scripture tell vs that he is mercifull and shall we not beleeue the Scripture to be true Let them say what they will I will beleeue the Scripture Answer I answere in saying thus thou doest nothing but deceiue thy selfe and dally with the word of God and indeed doest not beleeue it to be true For if thou diddest acknowledge God to be the author of it thou wouldest submit thy selfe to euery part of it thou wouldest not embrace what thou likest and refuse what liketh thee not Thou mayest as well say in plaine English that part of the word of God is false and there is no trueth in it and I will sinne without controllement of it nay while thou reasonest in that prophane manner thou sayest in thine heart Tush God is not God but an idoll that sitteth still that hath eyes and seeth nothing that hath hands and doeth nothing that hath eares and heareth nothing True it is men are ashamed to vtter these reprochfull wordes and to belch out of their filthy mouthes such horrible blasphemies but if we will rippe vp to the quick their former presumptions we shall find their case and condition to be little better
with suspicion of adultery when as oftentimes she is innocent I answere Answer that God dealt with his people two wayes sometimes he commandeth that which is simply and in it selfe good and honest and forbiddeth that which in it selfe and owne nature is euill as when he commandeth to restore and forbiddeth a witch to liue and infinite such like precepts Againe sometimes he winketh at some euils that could not be auoyded as it were bearing with an inconuenience to remedy and to preuent a mischiefe To the end they might sly from the greater he tolerateth and permitteth the lesser euill This we see euidently in the cause of diuorse Deut. 24.1 He suffereth them to put away their wiues vpon priuate grudge and dislike as he doth allow it simply in the case of adultery Matth. 5.32 and 19.8.9 Not that he euer approued of it but Christ saith it was for the hardnesse of their hearts howbeit from the beginning it was not so The like we might say of marrying many wiues a common custome among the Patriarkes and godly kings which was as a mighty streame bearing all things before it it was permitted but neuer allowed Mal 2.15 it was practised but neuer pronounced to be lawfull Sometimes therefore God giueth lawes as Lord and God to their consciences which did binde them for euer and sometimes as a Lawgiuer he tolerateth that which he could not take away as Princes doe such abuses as haue taken roote among their subiects and are growne to an head so that custome is turned into another nature For to beare with corruptions is one thing and to remooue them is another So in this place howsoeuer the iealous head of the surmising husband offendeth against God when vpon euery light occasion and suspicion he accuseth his wife that is innocent of adultery yet lest he being wayward and head-strong should rage and rise against his wife in fury and lay violent hands hands on her and so be his owne iudge and executioner it pleased God to remedy that mischiefe allowing them an ordinary meanes to make tryall of their wiues whether they were guilty or not guilty of vnfaithfulnes and falsehood toward them In the meane season God alwayes condemneth iealousie suspicion arising without iust causes forbids to receiue a false accusatioÌ„ not only against their wiues but against any their friends neighbors or enemies as we shall shew more afterward And the Priest in this case if he saw no cause of suspition that he could approue off no doubt both might and did put backe the husband and reiect his needlesse tryall and therefore he is commanded when he intendeth such a matter to goe first of all to the Priest euen as the leapers were sent to the Priest who did pronounce them either cleane or vncleane and was made a competent iudge in the matter So that al husbands were not altogether left to their libertie to accuse without cause to try without proofe and to suspect without occasion And albeit the same allowance be not giuen to the wife to make tryall of the suspected husband yea though the spirit of iealousie come vpon her yet the husband was warned hereby that he is no lesse guilty in the sight of God who would also find him out in his sinne and that he ought to deale with all meekenesse and moderation with his wife as it is noted touching the Pharisees when Christ said to them that would haue the woman taken in adultetery to be stoned Ioh. 8.7 9. Let him that is without sinne among you cast the first stone at her they which heard it being conuicted by their owne conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen vnto the last Thus much touching the first Question Againe others may obiect and say What Obiect 2 needed this solemne meanes of purgation which was to be put in practise by so many seueral ceremonies some to be done by the husband some by the wife some by the Priest forasmuch as there was a neerer course and a more ready way to bring the matter to light For the high Priest hauing on his breast-plate might in all doubtful and difficult cases whatsoeuer haue asked counsell of God and giuen answer vnto men as Numb 27.21 Exod. 28.30 and in the bookes of Samuel This was practised oftentimes when the people of God were in distresse and vncertaine what to doe Whereas this law of tryall of the suspected wife was not often if at any time it was practised As for that which is read and found in the forged and counterfeit Gospel of Iames Daâ—â—d 〈…〉 that the blessed Virgin espoused to Ioseph had these bitter waters giuen vnto her and that she dranke of them and thereby cleared her selfe is no better then a grosse fable of some idle head hammered in the times of darknesse and vented abroad to deceiue the simple I anwere â—â—swer to the obiection that the hauing of one means is not the taking away of another True it is that it is needlesse to be done by more which may be done by fewer but repetition and iteration of moe meanes in Gods matters is not needlesse In earthly things we say commonly that store is no sore and that if a man haue two strings to his bow it is the better â—tle 4.9 so that in all things two are better then one A more plentifull prouision doth not hurt but helpe Howbeit it pleased God to adde this meanes also to diuers others to declare how greatly he hateth and detesteth adultery and that thereby he might terrifie all women and make them afraide to commit secret sinne through the reproach and infamy they were compelled to vndergoe if they should giue any suspicion of adultery vnto their husbands Obiect 3 Lastly the question must be asked what is meant in this place by the spirit of iealousie when it is said If the spirit of iealousie come vppon him verse 14. â—â—swer I answer it is an Hebrew phrase and manner of speaking noting thereby an eager and earnest desire a feruent and forward inclination vnto any thing which are deepely rooted in their hearts So that the Hebrewes cal all earnest inclinations and passionate affections by the name of the spirit as the spirit of lying 1 King 22.13 the spirit of giddinesse Esay 19.14 the spirit of drowsinesse Esay 29.10 the spirit of vncleannesse Zach. 13.2 the spirit of fornications Hos 14.12 the spirit of errour 1 Ioh. 4.6 In all which places it signifieth the exceeding forwardnesse and wonderfull pronenesse of mans corrupt nature vnto those euils as though the soule were wholly set vpon them and minded nothing else Againe by a figuratiue speech it pointeth out vnto vs the chiefe author and principall cause from whence it is deriued euen Satan the vncleane spirit the euill spirit the worker of all wickednesse the first father and founder and fountaine of all sinne whatsoeuer For euen as when we reade of the
him into prison and Ioseph could by no meanes satisfie his master nor blot out the wrong opinion he had conceiued of him The like we might shew touching Saul toward Ionathan his sonne and Dauid his seruant that were notwithstanding loyall faithfull vnto him He conceiued in minde that all had conspired against him 1 Sam. 22 8 29 4. yet there was none would shew him that his sonne had made a league with the sonne of lesse there was none sorry for him or sheweth vnto him that his sonne had stirred vp his seruant against him to lie in waite to take away his life from him These two innocent men had made indeed a league together but not against the King their father a league of amity not of conspiracy neither had they giuen the least cause of suspicion to be so hardly cēsured and sinisterly iudged off yet who could remoue out of his minde that iealousie or perswade him that they intended no hurt or mischiefe against him In like manner dealt the proud men with Ieremy Ierem. 43 3. they charged him to haue spoken falsely and that the Lord had not sent him to charge them not to goe downe into Egypt they suspected that Baruch had set him on against them to deliuer them into the hand of the Caldeans that they might put them to death and carry them captiues into Babylon This was the deuise of their owne braines the imagination of their owne harts yet what could Ieremy doe against it or which way could he stay them from suspecting thus Whē as Paul hauing appealed to Caesar had escaped shipwracke and was come safe to Melita the Barbarians seeing a viper fastned on his hand Acts 28 4. said among themselues This man surely is a murtherer whom though he haue escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to liue Thus we see that albeit we do not commit any crime worthy to be accused or censured yet we cannot hinder those that are credulous from misdeeming and mistrusting of vs. It lyeth in vs wholly to giue no iust cause of suspicion but lyeth not in vs wholly to preuent suspicion For euil persons may suspect what they please without ground and foundation without reason and occasion The Magistrates censured Paul to be a troubler of the Citty Acts 16 20. the Iewes traduced him to be a polluter of the Temple Acts 21 28. and a Preacher against the Law Tertullus accused him to be a pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens Acts chap. 24 verse 5. Thus he is suspected and how could he auoide it Wherefore good men depend not vpon the opinion of other men but stand vppon their owne innocency they do not rise or goe downe stand or fall as it shall please other men to conceiue of them for that were to walke vpon other mens feete or to leane vpon the staffe that resteth in another mans hand that may deceiue thē but they builde their house vpon the foundation of their owne vertues and haue or at least ought to haue matter enough within them to commend themselues It must not seeme strange to the godly when they feele the bitter fruits of these suspicions It hath euermore fared thus with them This then ought not to make vs wauer or to weaken vs in our profession but rather encourage vs to walke through good report and euill report and to furnish vs to passe through fire and water life and death knowing that God is able and will in the end bring our cause into the light and make the innocency of our persons and the iustice of our cause manifest to the glory of his Name to the comfort of our hearts to the confusion of his and our enemies as we shall shew afterward Thus he dealt with Ioseph after he had tried his patience by suffering for well doing Psal 105 18. Gen. 3◠21. for though he were laid in irons and his feete hurt with fetters yet the Lord was with him and shewed him mercy gaue him fauour in the sight of the keeper of the prison to whom no doubt he shewed his vprightnesse and cleered himselfe of that wickednes which was laide to his charge So also he dealt with Dauid with Ieremy and the rest of the righteous This doth Dauid intreat oftentimes when he was laden with the reproches of his enemies when he was bitten with the teeth and smitten with the tongues of the malignant Psal 7 3 4 5 6 Thus we see if suspition were cause sufficient to condemne and censure any no man could stand in iudgement but equity should be turned into iniquity truth into falsehood innocency it selfe should receiue a checke and counterbuffe Let not then the wicked triumph as if they had gotten the victory and giuen the godly a foile when they can alledge against them how many waies of how many persons they are suspected for that as much may bee suspected of them when as nothing at all can be proued by thē It is not the suspicion or the accusation or the condemnation or the execution that maketh a man guilty of euill or to deserue death but the offence that is committed worthy of punishment If then they be free from crime they are happy when they are iudged vnhappy and may reioyce and be glad when their enemies haue cause to weepe and waile Vse 3 Lastly let Magistrates and all that are in authority whether in the common-wealth or in the family put this in practise For seeing euery one should be tried before he be censured and that examination must goe before condemnation let them not receiue euery cōplaint and accusation but let them do iustice and iudgement defend the poore and fatherlesse releeue the weake and oppressed rid them out of the hand of the wicked Let this be the end of their gouernment to sing mercy and iudgement and diligently to consider the causes that come before them To this purpose there is required of them two things wisedome and patience without which they shall neuer proceed aright in taking away euill but sometimes plucke vp good corne instead of weedes or suffer thistles to grow instead of wholesome herbes Wisedome is required to finde out particular offences to know the number the nature the measure the proceeding in them the encrease of them and all circumstances as we see Eccl. 7 20 21. This will teach vs when to correct and when we may deferre correction in hope of amendment it being the discretion of a man to deferre his anger Prou. 20 30. And albeit the blewnesse of the wound clenseth away euill yet a man ought not to giue scope to his anger neither yet exceed measure Secondly there is required patience that we be not too hot and hasty vpon those that haue offended but to quiet our mindes and heare their answers what they can alledge for themselues as Iob
performed by and by we are not to prescribe to God his seasons hee knoweth when to strike and how to punish It is well said by the Prophet Hab. 2 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie though it tarry waite for it because it will surely come it will not tarry For albeit God may seeme to vs to deferre the time or to forget his seruants yet he will try our patience and obedience as wee see in the place named before Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints Reuel 13 10. We must not make too much haste but wait for the accomplishment of those things hauing withall a liuely faith and full assurance to beleeue that in Gods appointed time they shall come to passe He is faithfull that hath promised and cannot lye he is true of his word that hath spoken and cannot deceiue Woe therefore vnto all those that deale vniustly and violently with Gods inheritance they touch his annointed and they that do them harme do touch the apple of his eye so that they cannot escape vengeance Ver. 28. And if the woman bee not defiled but be cleane then she shall be free In the former verse Moses hath shewed the punishment that shal come vpon the guilty person which punishment is sutable to the sinne committed thereby to cleere his owne iustice and to terrifie all persons from committing sinne In these wordes wee haue matter of wonderfull great comfort for the innocent person For howsoeuer GOD setteth downe diuers hard and heauy threatnings as greeuous burdens to be borne against all wicked and vngodly persons yet hee is euermore carefull of his children that they be not oppressed with sorrow and ouermuch heauinesse of minde forasmuch as hee hath a remnant that call vpon him Luke 7. wisedome is alwaies iustified of her children Behold heere a contrary effect and operation in drinking of these bitter waters according to the contrary condition of those that dranke of them Such as were guilty of the sinne of adultery they turned to their horrible destruction and became as it were rank poison their bellies swelled their thighes rotted and the parts which they had shamefully abused miserably perished But such as were indeed innocent suspected without iust cause and accused without due proofe and examined without sufficient triall of the fact committed through the iealousie of their vncharitable husbands and had kept the marriage bed vndefiled those bitter waters should not be bitter vnto them they should not hurt or hinder them at all neither worke any dangerous effect in them but rather bee wholesome and healthfull vnto them God himselfe the iust GOD and the maintainer of iustice will bring the truth to light that was hid in darknesse and turne the hearts of their husbands toward them so that they should liue in godly loue and charity together and see to their endlesse ioy and comfort the fruite of their bodies the hope of their houses the staffe and stay of their age I meane their children the heritage of the Lord. Wee learne from this first promise Doctrine that God maketh knowne the innocency of his seruants God wil mâ—â— the innocency of his seâ—uants â—roâ—â— For howsoeuer the faithfull may be falsely accused and haue many slanderous imputations laide vnto their charge yet God will make their cause to bee rightly knowne and discouer the truth in despight of their enemies This is confirmed vnto vs by many examples in the old and new Testament Ioseph being solde into Egypt was greeuously accused by his mistresse and cruelly imprisoned by his master impudency and incontinency in the one cruelty and credulity in the other Gen. 39 â—â— were the causes that he was put into prison in the place where the Kings prisoners lay bound his case might seeme now to be desperate and he to be for euer in displeasure and out of fauour and no hope left vnto him to be deliuered from thence where his feete were held in the stockes and he laid in irons Psal 10â— 1â— yet when the appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tried him hee made his cause knowne Gen. 39. The Lord was with Ioseph shewed him mercy and got him fauour in the sight of the master of the prison c. Whereby we see that at the first he was vsed hardly and had fetters of iron cast vpon him as an euill dooer but afterward hee was more mildely and mercifully handled when as his innocency was made knowne The like we might say of Dauid who in all his dealings toward Saul carried himselfe wisely obediently and vprightly as became the Kings sonne subiect and seruant yet he was persecuted from place to place and hated euen vnto the death and hunted as a Partridge vpon the Mountaines yea he found no rest for the soles of his feete like the Doue sent out of the Arke in the time of the flood and ouerflowing of the waters Gen. 8 9. But when Saul saw that the lap was cut off from his garment and the speare and pot of water that was at his head taken away he said to Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good and I haue rendred thee euill and thou hast shewed this day that thou hast dealt well with mee forasmuch as when the lord had closed me in thine hands thou killedst me not c. but my soule was precious in thine eyes 1 Sam. 24 18. and 26 20 21. So did God deale with Ieremy when he was slandered and falsely accused to be a conspiratour and to weaken the hands of the people and when he was cast into prison the Lord raised vp some to fauour him who made his case knowne and he was deliuered Christ Iesus was charged to be a blasphemer of God an enemy of Caesar an author of sedition and a disturber of the peace howbeit his greatest enemies that sate in iudgement of him pronounced him innocent and confessed that the Pharisees and Priests for enuy had deliuered him I will adde one example more and that shall be the blessed Virgin who being betrothed to Ioseph before they came together as man and wife shee was found to be with childe by the holy Ghost Math. 1 18 19 20. Then she began to be suspected of incontinency and Ioseph being a iust man and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away seretly What then doth God leaue her destitute and him perplexed her in suspicion and him in his resolution to depart from her No for as she was innocent and not faulty of that crime so did he make her innocency and integrity knowne for whiles he thought these things behold an Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in a dreame saying Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost All which testimonies make
let vs goe the right way and cry to God we lift vp our voyce against them wheras we ought to lift vp our voyce vnto him who hath his eares open to heare our praiers and will blow away the storme and tempest by the blast of his mouth Thirdly doth God promise to right our cause and take vpon him our defence Then Vse 3 let vs do good for good and returne vnto him like for like let vs yeeld defence for defence and pleade his cause that hath pleaded ours For it is our duty to vndertake his defence whensoeuer his truth is gainsayed or his name euill-spoken of There is no man but is very carefull and circumspect to maintaine his owne name and credite in the world whensoeuer it is any way questioned ought wee not then much more to regard the vpholding and bearing vp the Name of God which is great and holy through all generations Heereunto doth Ioshua seeme to allude chap. 7 verse 9. complaining vnto God of the ouerthrow that the Israelites had receiued at the siege of At The Cananites and all the inhabitants of the Land shall heare of it and shall compasse vs and destroy our name out of the earth and what wilt thou doe vnto thy mighty Name He had greater care of Gods glory then he had of his owne and it went neerer vnto him to heare Gods Name dishonoured then to haue his owne destroyed out of the earth So it ought to be with vs let it not trouble vs to bee hated and maligned of the vnthankfull world and our honour with all contempt and disgrace laide in the dust but bee euermore ready to say Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the glory Psal 115.1 If we be to open our mouthes for our brethrē as we shall see more at large afterward when they are laden with scandals and reproches much more then ought wee to do this in Gods cause and for Gods glory Let vs not be ashamed of his truth lest he be ashamed of vs. Let vs confesse his Name before the sonnes of men and we shall be sure to be confessed before the sonnes of God If we acknowledge his truth he will acknowledge vs before the Angels and before his Father This Christ teacheth his Disciples Whosoeuer confesseth me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen Math. 10 32. but whosoeuer shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heauen What a shame and reproch will this be vnto vs that God should defend our cause and we shrinke backe through feare to defend his Christ our Sauiour doth oftentimes take vpon him to defend his Disciples when they were assaulted and set vpon by the Pharisees and therefore no maruaile though he charge this vpon them so earnestly that they should not be ashamed of him and of his words in that adulterous and sinfull generation We must be all ready to say with the Apostle Rom. 1 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth He defendeth his Disciples being reprooued because they did not fast often which was the bodily exercise which the Pharisees so much practised Luke 18. and wherein they so much gloried Math. 9 14. Hee defendeth them beeing accused of the breach of the Sabbath when they were seene to plucke the eares of corne and eate them Math. 12 2 3. He defendeth them being charged to transgresse the tradition of the Elders in that they did not wash before they had eatē bread Mat. 15 2 3. Yea such was his great wonderful loue to those that followed him that when his owne credite was touched as well as theirs he seemeth to neglect his owne and maintaine theirs as we see Luke 7. When Christ was entertained in the house of one of the Pharisees a woman in the City which was a sinner knowing that he sate at meate brought an Alabaster box of oyntment and stood at his feete washing them with her teares Luke 7.39 wiping them with her haires kissing them with her lippes and annointing them with the oyntment but when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it he spake within himselfe saying This man if hee were a Prophet would haue knowne who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner He conceiued hardly of Christ as well as of the woman and iudged wrongfully of him that he was no Prophet as well as of her that she was a sinner yea more corruptly of him then of her forasmuch as shee had beene so whereas he was not onely a Prophet but the Prince of Prophets yea the King of his Church Verse 47. yea the Sonne of God yet hee forbeareth to make any apology for himselfe wholly defendeth her telling him that her sinnes which are many are forgiuen her for shee loued much Hath the Lord Iesus this singular care of vs and shall not we be zealous of his glory Shall we suffer his name to be troden vnder foot and neuer offer to vphold it Shall euill men speake euill of his truth and we say nothing against them The Apostle Peter giueth this commandement Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwaies to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare 1 Pet. chap. 3 verse 15. When the Apostles were charged to preach no more in the Name of Iesus Christ Peter and Iohn answered and saide vnto them Whether it bee right in the sight of God to hearken vnto you more then vnto God iudge yee for we cannot but speake the things which we haue seene and heard Acts 4 19. Woe then vnto those that see and heare God notoriously dishonoured and yet will neither heare it nor see it they make a law against themselues and shall taste of the same measure measured vnto them againe they shall be censured of others when they shall haue none to defend their causes This they will iudge to be an iniury to themselues and yet cannot perceiue the iniquity which they commit against God If then they will haue GOD shew this mercy to them in making their innocency knowne let them performe this duty to him in pleading his cause when his truth is euilly spoken off or any way ouerborne Vse 4 Fourthly forasmuch as this is the mercifull dealing of GOD toward vs and our good name when it is impeached that he will make the truth to be knowne let vs acknowledge this blessing and giue him the praise of it This also is another duty that wee are put in minde off to be performed vnto him For as we are bound in regard of our owne good to pray vnto him to make manifest the secrets of our hearts and to bring to the light the truth that is hidden so whensoeuer we haue found
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
ceremony were manie Reason 1 which serue as so many Reasons to confirme the point of doctrine in hand First that such as prayed might bee stirred vp with greater zeale and earnestnesse to call vpon God forasmuch as the laying on of the hand did moue them and raise them to the lifting vp of the heart For this cause as we shewed before the manner of ordaining Ministers and sending them into the Church was ordinarily ioyned with fasting not that they placed any merit therein but to stirre them to be more deuout in prayer And hence it is that prayer and fasting are so often ioyned together as Luke 2 verse 37. Mathew 17. verse 21. Dan. 9. verse 3. Ioel 1 14. and 2 15 17. 1 Cor. 7 4 c. Secondly to signifie that he was as an offering Reason 2 separated to God and his seruice vpon whom the hands were laide For this ceremony was taken from the maner vsed and obserued in the sacrifices vpon which the Priestes laid their hands to shew that they were consecrated to holy vses Thirdly to declare that Reason 3 the hand of the Lord would be with them For as they felt the hand of men vpon their heads so certainly they should finde by a continuall and comfortable experience the hand of God to be with them in the execution of the function committed vnto them if they wer faithfull in the execution thereof Lastly to procure reuerence vnto the person Reason 4 so set apart amongest the people and especially to the calling it selfe It is saide in the election of Ioshua Numbers chapt 27 verse 18 20. that Moses must lay his handes vpon him that all the Congregation of the children of Israel may bee obedient and this is one end wherefore this signe was vsed in the ordination of the Ministers of the Church Vse 1 Seeing therefore they were appointed to their office in this solemne maner not in hugger mugger but openly and publikely before all Israel we learne that it is decent and conuenient that the Ministers should be made in the face of the church not in priuate places without any assembly fit for so solemn and sacred an action This is a worke of the day not of the night of the light not of darkenesse and therefore we see in this place that at the ordaining of these Leuites the whole Congregation of Israel was gathered together so that we may say Verse â— as Paul doth in another case and vpon another occasion These things were not done in a corner Acts 26 26. Eleazar was appointed to succeede Aaron his Father in the sight of Israel as Numb chap. 20. verse 27. Matthias was elected in place of Iudas who was fallen from his Apostleship when the whole multitude of the beleeuers were gathered together Acts 1. verse 13. yea the Deacons an inferiour office of the Chutch who laboured not in the word and doctrine were chosen by the whole multitude as Acts chapter 6. verse 5. Willet Synops contr 5. quaest 2 True it is meere popular elections are not to be admitted being the cause of all confusion and disorder howbeit for the people to giue their voices in elections moderated and gouerned by graue Elders and wise Pastours hath bene vsed in the Church in times past may bee againe and is at this day in many places where the state of the Church and the condition of the people will beare it And albeit they haue no voice or sufferage it is fit they should giue their consent and approbation because the Ministers should haue good report of all 1 Timoth. 3 7. And so much the rather ought this to be because the congregation haue a kinde of interest in this businesse according to the rule in Law Quod omnium interest ab omnibus fieri debet that is That which belongeth to all should be done by all and this maketh much for the comfort of the Minister and for the profite of the people This reprooueth the practise oftentimes vsed in time of Popery where Ministers are ordained by them secretly and closely It is reported of Pope Iohn the thirteenth that he ordained Deacons in a stable whereas their owne Canons and constitutions decree that the consent of the people should bee knowne and Cyprian is plaine that as God commaundeth that the Priest should bee placed before the face of the whole congregation of the Iewes so the Ministers ought not to bee ordained but with the knowledge of the people standing by Cyp. 1. lib. epi. 4. whereby they being present either their faults should be discouered or their vertues commended It may be asked whether this sign which in a generall signification may also be called a Sacrament of imposition of hands Caluin instit lib. 4 cap. 4. bee so necessary as that it may vpon no occasion bee omitted The Papists hold an absolute necessity of it and teach that the graces of the Spirit are also inseparably annexed to it But wee cannot yeelde to any necessity of it we confesse it is comely and conuenient howbeit it is not of the substance or essence of ordination no more then fasting which also was no lesse ioyned with it then laying on of hands Prayer we acknowledge to be needefull and so needfull that it may by no meanes be omitted but neither fasting nor laying on of hands though both bee profitable When Christ our Sauiour instituted his Apostles He breathed vpon them Iohn 20 22. but hee did not lay hands vpon them The like wee might say of the election of Matthias Actes 1. neither is grace necessarily tyed to this ceremony and outward signe of imposition of hands For grace is not necessarily coupled with any of the signes in the Sacraments much lesse in this counterfet Sacrament of Orders deuised and receiued by the Church of Rome They obserue indeede this laying on of hands but it is like Elishaâ—s staffe laide vpon the dead childe by his Seruant that is it was voide and vnprofitable so is this gesture with them For indeede the popish Priests haue not any vocation and calling to the true seruice of God to be Pastors and Teachers in the Church but they are appointed to make the body of Christ which is as much to say as to bee the murtherers and killers of Christ For so often as any Masse is celebrated among them Christ Iesus the Lord of life is crucified and as it were betraied and butchered among them forasmuch as themselues confesse that they sacrifice him to God the Father but there is no sacrifice without shedding of blood and therefore the popish Priest-hood is no better then a detestable and a very diuellish sacriledge Secondly it is the duty of euery Minister to Vse 2 consider diligently and seriously with himself being warned by this ceremony that he is separated and sanctified to one of the greatest workes that are vnder the Sun being taken as it were by the hand of God out of the residue of his brethren So
vppon our hearts to deliuer vs from eternall death without which it can profit vs nothing at all Secondly obserue that as the Passeouer Vse was an ordinary Sacrament of the old Testament so it is a type answering fitly and fully to the Lords Supper a Sacrament of the New Testament â—â—rds 〈◊〉 â—â—me 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 For that which the Passeouer was to the Iewes the same is the last Supper of Christ to Christians and came in place of it This is the cause why the Lord Iesus deliuered his last Supper at the euening immediately after the eating of the Paschall Lambe to shew that it came in place thereof to which circumstance of time the church is not bound and therefore in stead of the euening we vse the morning and for the day we make choice of the Sabboth before other daies and touching the time of the day we do it before meat not after supper Now consider the resemblances betweene these Sacraments As one is called the Lords Passeouer Exod. 12.12 so this is called the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11 20. God calleth the Lambe the Paschall Lambe because the Angel in the common destruction passed ouer the houses of the Israelites so Christ calleth the bread by the Name of his body that was broken for vs Luke 22.19 The Lord speaking of the ends of the rites vsed in the Passeouer saith This shal be for a memoriall Exod. 12.14 and a signe vnto them Exodus 13.9 so Christ saith Doe this in remembrance of mee Luke 22.19 God saith of the Lambe Take ye Exod. 12.5 Christ saith of the bread Take ye Matth. 26.26 God saith of the Paschall Lambe Eate ye verse 11. Christ saith of the bread in the Supper Eate ye and of the Cup Drinke ye Thus we see there is a notable coherence betweene both these Wherin we must marke that the Scripture speaking of the Sacraments 〈◊〉 the Saâ—â—â—â— hâ—ue â—â—me of 〈◊〉 thâ—â—gs 〈◊〉 â—â—e do â—â—â—p to vs. giueth to the outward Signe the name of the thing signified so that they haue the names of those things giuen to them which they seale and represent Gen. 17.10.1 Cor. 10 4 16. and 11.24 Luke 22.22 Both because to all the faithfull and true beleeuers the things themselues are giuen with the signes and because our affections should bee lifted vp from earth to heauen from the elements to Christ and his blessings represented offered and exhibited by them and because we are full of doubting and vnbeleefe like to Thomas one of the twelue we will not beleeue the promises vntill in some measure wee feele them in our hearts Whereby we see cleerely and euidently â—â—â—bâ—â—anâ—â—â—eâ—kâ—y 〈◊〉 that the ground of transubstantiation of the real presence is weak and tottering builded vpon the sand of mans inuention not vpon the infallible â—ocke of the word of God The Church of Rome will haue the words taken liâ—erally and not figuratiuely but this ouerthroweth the certainty of our faith fighteth against the grounds of right reason and implyeth sundry grosse contradictions 〈◊〉 aâ—â—â—â—anâ—â—nâ—â—â—â—â—â—n For at the first institution and celebration of the Supper it maketh two Christs one that giueth another that is giuen one at the Table another in the mouthes and stomacks of the disciples In which of these shall we beleeue in both we must not forasmuch as wee are commanded to beleeue in Christ as in one not in Christs as speaking of many as it was said to Abraham in his seede not in his seeds Gal. 3.16 Secondly it ouerthroweth the Sacrament consisting of two parts a visible signe and an inuisible grace signified but if the bread were really the body of Christ then there could bee no outward signe to represent the inward grace Thirdly it maketh the body of Christ to be in moe places then one at one time which destroyeth the nature of a true body Fourthly the Apostle calleth it bread oftentimes euen after consecration 1 Cor. 10.16 and 11.26 27 28. Lastly the wicked as well as the godly should receiue Christ nay Mice and Rattes as wel as they which is horrible blasphemy to imagine and determine But of this I haue spoken more at large elsewhere In the third booke of the Sacraments But they obiect that men in their last Wils speake plainely that they may be vnderstood It is true indeed and so did Christ speake plainely but they make him speake absurdly To speake plainely and yet withall figuratiuely are not contrary one to another For it is plaine that at the same time Christ himselfe vsed as figuratiue a speech as this Ioh. 14.6 and 15.1 I am the Way the Trueth and the Life I am the true Vine ye are the branches yea in the institution of the Supper we must of necessity acknowledge a figure Luke 22.10 The Cup is the New Testament And there is oftentimes more plainenesse and euidence in a figure then in a proper speech vttered without a figure as also these words This is my Body are much more comfortable to vs then if it had beene barely saide This is a figure of my body because they manifest the neere coniunction of the signe with the thing signified in so much that they which partake the one shal be assured to receiue the other To proceed a little further in this point of the Passeouer and the Supper we haue somewhat to obserue touching our obedience The Iewes were to goe to the celebration heereof farre and neere to the place that the Lord should chuse and therefore nothing should be so carefully esteemed as these exercises of oâ—r religion which by the ordinance of God represent seale and apply vnto vs the benefits of Christs death and Passion The Passeouer vnder the Law was frequented of all Israel albeit it were done with long iourneyes and tedious trauels and troubles So ought this Sacrament of Christs Supper it should be oftentimes receiued 1 Cor. 11.26 Things that are sweet and comfortable deare and pleasant to a man are oftentimes remembred and vsed If our bodies be hungry we shall delight to refresh and repast our selues and if we haue hungry souls that long after Christ the Bread of Life and the food of them foâ— he is meat indeed and drinke indeed we will often desire to feed vpon him which bringeth with it eternall life If a man haue no desire to his food it is a signe of an euill stomacke and a forerunner of death when the appetite is gone and cannot be recouered so when we haue no desire at all to the bread of life neither feele how greatly we stand in need thereof we haue little strength of the Spirit and of the life of God in vs we draw neere by little and little vnto death I meane the death of our soules which is nothing else but a separation of vs from GOD and from his kingdome Thirdly they which celebrate the memoriall Vse 3 of their redemption and deliuerance from hell damnation by the
against him howbeit this is greater wherein not his enemies reproached him and those that hated him did not magnifie themselues against him but his deerest friends and acquaintance as befell also to Dauid Psal 55 12. The church maketh this complaint Cant. 5 7. That the watchmen that should haue bene both her guide and her gard smote her and wounded her the keepers of the wals took away her veile from her And Christ fore-telleth that a mans enemies shall be they of his owne house Marke 6 4. This befell vnto Iob a man full of sorrowes his owne wife that lay in his bosome and his friends that were as his owne soule were the cheefe causes of his greatest anguish Abel found no worse friend then his owne brother that came with him to the place of Gods seruice Gen. 4 8. So Ismael persecuted Isaac Ismael borne after the flesh him that was borne after the Spirit Ge. 21 9. Gal. 4 29. Ioseph receiued hard measure of his brethren who was by them sold for a bondslaue Ps 105 17. Moses was fain to fly out of Egypt because a Iew one of his owne brethren diuulged his killing of the Egyptian The same befel Zachariah the son of Iehoiada the priest who had saued the kings life and set the crowne vpon his head yet he remembred not the kindnesse of the father but slew his son the father had in a maner giuen him life but he took away life from his son 2 Chro. 24 21. Who vexed the church and trobled the Apostles more then false brethren 2 Cor. 11 26. The cause of this is the enmity betweene Christ and the serpent and the seed of them both which shewed it selfe immediately after the fall in Cain who was of that euil one slew his brother 1 Ioh. 3 12. The vses which wee must make heereof are Vse 1 First to marke the truth of that which Christ teacheth Math. 10 34 35 36. that hee came not to send peace on earth but rather a sword and to set variance betweene man and man And in another place I am come to send fire on the earth and what will I if it bee alreadi◠kindled Luke 12 49. Hee speaketh not of the effect but of the euent not what the Gospell bringeth forth properly but what it worketh accidentally not what it procureth in the faithful but what it produceth in the vnfaithfull Secondly God will haue al his to be wel tried Vse 2 which are in the faith euen for their owne good that we may know what we can suffer for the truths sake when we haue sealed it vp by our patience in all tribulations Thirdly hence ariseth comfort in our sufferings For do we suffer affliction at their hands of whom we hoped for better dealing maruell not at it neither thinke it strange but let vs comfort our selues with the examples of Gods children who haue had the same measure measured out vnto them before vs nay let vs lay before vs the example of Christ himselfe who had experience of it not only in his owne countrymen the Iewes but in Iudas one of his owne disciples of whom the Prophets prophesied He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish the same shall betray me Psal 41 9. Matth. 26 23. Lastly from hence we learne in all discomforts Vse 4 to flie vnto God after the example of Dauid who gaue himselfe continually to prayer when hee was vexed by such vnexpected enemies Psal 55 16. when he had complained that his frend and companion rose vp against him hee addeth As for me I will call vpon God and the Lord shall saue me So it ought to be with vs that wee may finde comfort in God when we can find none among men Againe Miriam and Aaron were of great reputation among the people and sanctified in a great measure Aaron was the Lords high Priest consecrated and annointed with holie oile Miriam was a prophetesse and one that sung the praises of God after their deliuerāce from Pharaoh Exod. 15. yet loe how both of them faile in duty and sin against God oppose themselues against his seruant Moses whereby we learn that none are so sanctified but they faile many wayes None so sanctified but manie wayes they faile Let no man therefore dreame of perfection in this life Rom. 7 14 18 19 20 23. Moreouer from this example obserue that contentions are oftentimes in the church euen between the members of the same body Doctrine Contentions and strife are often in the Church True it is it were to be desired that ther were perfect loue and vnity peace and concord in the church but this is rather to be looked for then to be found There arose strife betweene Abraham and Lot Gen. 13 8. betweene Paul and Barnabas Acts. 11 2. 15 39. betweene Peter and Paul Gal. 2 11. So in the Church of the Corinthians though they were sanctified in Christ Iesus and called to be Saints yet there were contentions among them 1 Cor. Reason 1 1 11. And no maruell for first of all we know in part and we prophesie in part wee know somewhat but we are ignorant of much more Reason 2 then we know 1 Cor. 13 9. Secondly there must be euen heresies that they which are approued Reason 3 may be knowne 1 Cor. 11 19. Thirdly Satans malice is exceeding great he soweth the seeds of discord among the godly for his hatred is exceeding great against the church and he desireth nothing more then the ruine thereof Reuel 1.2 4. Lastly selfe-loue remaineth in the best men which is a remnant of the flesh this spurreth vs forward to spurne against one another and while we challenge too much to our selues we ascribe too little vnto others 1 Cor. 13 5. This offereth to vs this truth that vnitie is Vse 1 no note of the true church forasmuch as it is somtimes out of the church when as contention is in it The false Prophets were manie that conspired against Micaiah Eliah and Ieremy Christ was condemned by a common voice of the people and consent of the Pharisies which cried out Away with him Crucifie him crucifie him Luk. 23.18.21 Thus then the mouths of the papists are stopped which doe please themselues in an idle conceit of a generall agreement of many people and Nations which is oftentimes a maintenance of error vnwholesom doctrine when it is ioyned with it The vnity of one faith and of the same doctrine beleeued and confessed wee acknowledge to be a true marke of the true Church Where there is the preaching of this faith the doctrine of Christ and the sealing vp of the same with the true administration of the Sacraments there is a true church of God The vnity which is without that doctrine which is according to godlinesse is as the crie of the whole city in maintenance of their idolatrie Great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19 28. Or like to the house which the strong man
is euermore the companion of hypocrisie Fiftly to be confident in good causes and couragious especially in time of perill Prou. 10 9. 28 1. Whereas the hypocrite hauing a corrupt conscience is ouertaken with feare and trembling Esay 33 14. Prou. 28 1. Lastly to be constant and to perseuere to the end in good things to bee resolute neuer to giue ouer a continued course of piety vntil we giue ouer this course of life such bring foorth fruite with patience Luke 8 15. and shall neuer be remoued Psal 15 5. Whereas the double-minded man is vnstable in all his wayes Iames 1 8. his godlinesse and religion is as the morning dew Hosea 6 4. By these signes we may sift and examine our selues whether this grace of sincerity be in vs or not And as the gift is excellent so there are sundry motiues to stirre vs vp vnto it Sundry motiâ—es to 〈◊〉 vs to sincâ— For God is good and gracious vnto such as are pure in heart Psal 73 1. and 125 4 5. hee is the Sun and shield to them Psal 84 11. This is the life and substance of all other graces without it the best things are but counterfet and no better then sinnes against God Our faith must be vnfained and loue without dissimulation and our conuersion must be a renting of the heart Consider also that God is present euery where and knoweth all things Psal 139 7. Prou. 15 verse 3. Moreouer wee must meditate oftentimes vpon the iudgements of God which hee bringeth vpon the world but especially of the last iudgement in the end of the world and of our particular iudgment at the houre of death Ro. 2 16. Eccl. 12 14. The heart is the store-house keeper of the graces of God Pro. 4 23. Mat. 13 18 19. Lu. 6 45. Math. 23 26. therefore we ought carefully to looke vnto it CHAP. XIIII 1 And all the Congregation lifted vp their voice and cryed and the people wept that night 2 And all the Congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole Congregation saide vnto them Would God that we had died in the Land of Egipt or would God we had died in this wildernesse 3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought vs into this land to fall by the sword that our wiues and our children should be a prey Were it not better for vs to returne into Egypt WE haue seen in the former chapter the occasioÌ„ of this fourth murmuring arising from the report of the spies whereby the seed was sowne which in this Chapter groweth vp to an open obstinate mutiny The fruit was answerable to the seed the successe to the report And who can stay the streame driuen by so violent a winde and tempest When the arrow is once shot out of the bow it is too late to wish it may do no hurt where it falleth because where it hitteth it hurteth But to come to the present matter in hand the people giuing eare to these false reports dream of danger where no danger is like the sluggard that saith There is a Lyon without I shall bee slaine in the streets Prou. 22 13. To minds that are fearfull and perplexed all fansies and coniectures seeme things of truth Consider in this chapt two points first the generall murmuring of all that is of the greatest part of the people secondly the proceeing of God against theÌ„ for their murmuring Their murmuring is accompanied with impatience disobedience vnthankfulnesse blasphemy infidelity and tempting of God Psal 106 24 25 c. and it is set downe generally and particularly Generally they murmured against Moses and Aaron amplified by the effect 〈◊〉 cause 〈◊〉 the Israâ— wept all 〈◊〉 they wept all the night The cause why they wept is the feare of death and the sense of their sinne they supposed that they were led as sheep to the slaughter and brought into the wildernesse as to a place of destruction had forgotten the promise made 400. yeares before to their fathers Wee see heere how quickly and easily they obey euil persons that seduced them they listen with both their ears vnto them â—â—â—trine 〈◊〉 are natuâ— ready to 〈…〉 â—ken to â—cers and â—ers and forget what they had often heard and seen Caleb and Ioshua warned them but all was in vaine The doctrine This is the corruption of our nature we are prone to bee peruerted and ready to hearken to seducers to follow euill liuers and euill teachers while in the meane season wee are hardly drawne to hearken and attend vnto those that tell vs the truth without flattery or forgery Exod. 4 1. The prophet of God sent to prophesy against the Altar at Bethel is easily seduced and forsaketh the word of God 1 Kings 13 21. Our Sauiour complaineth of the peeuishnesse of the Iewes 〈◊〉 11 27. Wee haue piped vnto you and ye haue not danced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not lamented c. And Iohn 5 43. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receiued me not if another shall come in his owne name him yee will receiue 2 Tim. 4 34. Gal. 3 1 2. and 5 7. Titus 1 11. Mat. 24 5. First because in the minde and vnderstanding Reason 1 howsoeuer there remaine certaine generall notions concerning good and euil as that there is a God that he is iust and a rewarder of them that do well that wee must honour our parents and not hurt our neighbors yet euen these are corrupt and serue only to take away excuse Ro. 1 19 20. and besides wee haue all receiued from Adam ignorance or want of knowledge of the things of God 1 Cor. 2 14. Ro. 8 7. Likewise disability to vnderstand spirituall things though they be plainly taught vnto vs Lu. 24 41. 2 Cor. 3 5. vanity of the mind thinking truth to be falshood and falsehood to be truth Eph. 4 17. 1 Cor. 1 21. Prou. 14 12. So then the originall or seede of all errors and heresies is in our nature Secondly satan is mighty and subtle he can Reason 2 transforme himselfe into an Angel of light he employeth many instruments in his worke to seduce vs as he did Eue which also worke mightily with strong delusions 2 Cor. 11 3. False Apostles are deceitful workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11 23 24 25. they come in sheeps clothing though inwardly they bee rauening Reason 3 wolues Mat. 7 15. 2 Pet. 2 1 2. Thirdly it is Gods deepe yet most iust iudgement vpon all that obey not the gospel to send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies This is a punishment sent vpon the vnthankfulnesse of men when they haue the light and yet shut their eies heare the sound of the Gospel and yet stop their eares and vnderstand the truth yet harden their hearts against the truth Mat. 13 14 15. 2 Thess 2 11 12. This serueth to reprooue and conuince the Vse 1
1 3 and patience experience and experience hope and hope would not make ashamed Rom. 5 4 5. The cause therefore for which we suffer must more comfort vs then the trouble which we endure dismay vs. God will neuer be wanting vnto vs by his grace and Spirit to hold vs vp and to stand by vs that either we shall escape the hands of the persecuters or else he will assist vs and strengthen vs in the persecution The affliction is but for a moment but the fruite of it shall remaine for euer Thirdly we must sit downe and cast our accounts Vse 3 before hand what our profession will cost and not thinke with the sonnes of Zebede to sit down at the right hand and at the left hand of Christ in his kingdome Mat. 20 21 but rather learne of Christ Lu. 14 26. to hate father mother wife children brethren sisters yea his owne life that he may continue to be his Disciple When the brethren exhorted Paul not to goe vp to Ierusalem because a Prophet foretold that he should be bound deliuered into the hands of the Gentiles hee answered 〈◊〉 2â— 13. What meane ye to weepe and to breake my heart for I am ready not to bee bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Here was a christian resolution to vndergoe all tribulations and resist euen vnto blood if he were thereunto called The cause of shrinking back is this want of fore-thinking Lastly we ought to labour to possesse our Vse 4 soules with patience and to shew our obedience in suffering as well as in doing the will of God There is a twofold obedience required of vs the one actiue the other passiue Many thinke themselues discharged of this duty if they be carefull to do as God commandeth but they neuer consider that they are bound to glorifie the Name of God by suffering as wel as by doing Christ our Sauiour the most perfect patterne of obedience hath performed the will of God both waies and this is the substance of the Gospel to teach what he did and what he suffered Acts 10 39. Wherefore let our patient minde also be knowne vnto al meÌ„ Phil. 4 5. Luke 21 19. 11. And the Lord saide vnto Moses How long will this people prouoke me and how long will it be yer ye beleeue me for all the signes which I haue shewed among you 12. I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherite c. Now we come to consider how God proceedeth against these sinners first touching his threatning then of his execution of iudgment He threatneth to sweepe theÌ„ away with the pestilence and so to roote them out vtterly The doctrine is this Among other diseases and iudgements sent for sinne Doctrine Among other iudgements sent for sinne the plague is one the plague and pestilence is one It cometh not by chance or fortune but is sent of God into townes and cities as 2 Sam. 24 15. The Lord sent a pestilence in Israel from the morning to the time appointed Deut. 28 21 22. Leuit. 26 25. Ezek â—4 19. Numb 16 46 47. The reasons first because all diseases afflictions come froÌ„ God Amos 3 6 they come Reason 1 not out of the dust neither arise from beneath the earth but they proceed froÌ„ God Secondly the titles giuen vnto them proue as much they are called the sword of the Lord 2 Sam. 24 16 and the arrow of the Lord Psal â— â—1 This teacheth that the pestilence is not caused onely or chiefly by naturall meanes but Vse 2 the chiefe and main cause is the wrath of God against sinne Deut. 28 15. And hence it is that it bringeth with it horrour and feare weeping and lamentation terrour and astonishment because God striketh the conscience inwardly as well as the body outwardly Hence it is that there is remouing hither and thither flying too and fro and much amazement in all persons It is sinne that bringeth all both publike and priuate calamities and God is able to finde out our sinnes and vs in our sinnes And as we sinne many waies so he hath many waies to plague vs and it lyeth in him to punish vs with one or with many of his plagues together The Lord if it had pleased him could haue punished Dauid with these three iâ—â—gements 2 Sam. 24 13. famine the sword and the pestilence al together and his pride and vaine confidence in his owne strength deserued no lesse but he brought onely one of them and put him to his choise whether of them he would haue We can reason oftentimes among our selues of the causes of the plague and can tell that it came into such and such places first of all by such a carrier or traueller or infected person neuerthelesse though it be not to bee denied but there may be such causes we may not omit or forget the chiefe and principall And tell me how came it at the first and what shall we make the first cause within vs but sinne and without vs but God No plague beginneth but by his iust and righteous hand so no plague can ceasse before God will that sent the same And how is it that one citty is infected more then another and one house more then another and in the same house some are smitten others are not touched Is not this the will and pleasure of God also This then noteth the great folly of such as say Oh this is a contagious time of the yeare when this season is a little ouerpast that wee may haue some frost or cold or winde to purge the aire you shall see all well againe time will weare out all But if God call not backe his hand and stay his iudgement no winde no winter no weather no cold shall be able to do vs any good And therfore we see oftentimes that though we haue had many nipping frosts and strong windes yet this sicknesse hath encreased and not beene diminished Secondly the readiest way to auoide the Vse 2 plague is to abstaine from al those things that bring it continue it and encrease it Men ordinarily do vse sweeping of houses washing of chambers cleansing of streetes perfuming of stuffe killing of dogges taking of physicke and such like neither doth God condemne or restraine these or any good meanes to releeue our selues prouided that we trust in God and not in them notwithstanding it is certaine that all mans pollicy without God is able to do nothing The plague cannot be remoued by any mans industry We must wash clense and purge our hearts by true and vnfained repentance We must remoue that which bringeth the plague Iam. 4 8. Esay 1 16. Ier. 4 14. Ps 51 2 7. All these places shew how foule and filthy we are by nature For that which is cleane of it selfe needeth no washing but we neede washing and purging and therefore we must confesse we are vncleane Nay no mire is so
heare the fearefull iudgements of God daily and deseruedly threatned against vs for our sinnes and namely for the contempt of the Gospel in all places and among all persons there followeth little repentance and amendment of life nay it seemeth that God hath blinded our eyes and hardned our hearts Matth. 13 1â— lest we should returne and be saued What will folow nay what must necessarily folow whosoeuer hath halfe an eye may easily perceiue Yet see how we deceiue our selues with flattering words as Ier. 7.4 they said The veine â—onfidence 〈…〉 â—lish Goâ—pelâ—â—s The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord so wee can say Tush The Gospel the Gospel it can neuer be rooted out from among vs Popery shal neuer bee established any more But what doe we glory so much of the Gospel or why doe we put confidence in this tule For this Gospel shall bee a witnesse and giue in verdict against vs and as an vpright iudge condemne vs. And what is vnpossible vnto God what cannot his power what may not his iustice doe such as beleeue not the trueth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes 2 The. 2.11 12 shall bee damned Can we challenge to our selues any more then Gods owne people that had the law and the Prophets the Temple and the sacrifices the Arke and the Couenant or more then the Churches of Asia and other founded by the Apostles who seeth not a generall coldnesse a palpable deadnesse a fearefull declining and falling backeward generally in all places All which make a preparatioÌ„ to apostacy Papists euery where encrease and are winked at thâ—y haue beene threatned with enditements forfeitures and imprisonments but they liue at ease grow rich haue great friends and laugh all their enemies or opposites to scorne Such as haue beene zealous decay godly parents faile and a crooked generation ariseth after them ignorance aboundeth wickednes hath the vpper hand and he that setteth himselfe against euill maketh himselfe a prey Esay 59.15 Atheists swarme euery where and lift vp their hornes on high the people for the most part are fit for any change to professe Christ or antichrist to worship God in truth or in an Idoll 13 Then Moses said vnto the Lord Then the Egyptians shall heare it for thou broughtest vp this people in thy might from among them 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land for they haue heard that thou Lord art among this people that thou Lord art seene face to face c. To the former threatning is annexed an excellent prayer of Moses made in behalfe of the people We haue not many of his prayers recorded in Scripture but such as are left vnto vs are most worthy and heauenly testifying that he had the spirit of supplication in a plentifull measure and therefore no maruell being so excellent if they were also very effectuall Whereby we see it is not for nought that he is said after a sort to haue bound or chained the hands of God Exod. 32.10 and to haue preuailed more by his word then Ioshua by his sword by his prayers then the hoste of Israel by their weapons of warre Exod. 17.11 And in this place after that God had threatned to make a generall hauocke and destruction of this stubborne people as a man wipeth a dish and turneth it vpside down he standeth in the gap to turne away the wrath of God Psa 106 23. which otherwise as a mighty flood would breake in vpon them and beare downe all before it Whereby it appeareth that the words in the former threatning were not vttered definitiuely but conditionally to wit if Moses did not make intercession for them and stand betweene God and his people For if they had beene spoken simply or beene vnderstood to be spoken in that sort Moses ought not to haue prayed for them but to haue giuen place to the threatning and rested in the decree and determination of God submitting himselfe to his holy will and pleasure But he was stirred vp thereby to seeke and to sue for pardon for them and therfore he vnderstood the same conditionally The summe and effect of the prayer is The summe oâ— the praâ—â—â— of Moses that GOD would not destroy his people vtterly according as he had threatned and he moueth him to shew mercy toward theÌ„ by three reasons The first is drawne from the consideration of the enemies of the Church that they might haue no occasion to reproch the holy Name of God and to tread his glory which is higher theÌ„ the heauens vnder their feet taking occasion thereby to blaspheme him if he should destroy his people which he with a strong hand had brought out of Egypt Exod. 32.12 Deut. 9.28 and 32.27 The second reason is drawne from the nature and essentiall properties of God he is of long-suffering and great mercy c. The third is taken from the former works and examples of his great goodnesse wherein he moueth God to pitty them seeing he had oftentimes before shewed fauour toward them all which had beene vtterly lost if he should vtterly destroy them Out of these words as also out of all the reasons vrged by Moses in generall we learne Doctrine The meaâ—â—â— to reuoke Gods iudgements is 〈◊〉 and vnfaâ—â—â—â— prayer that the ordinary meanes and ready way to reuoke and call in Gods iudgements is true hearty and vnfained prayer whensoeuer his hand in any sort lyeth heauy vpon vs Ps 107.6 13 19 28. and 106.23 Iam. 5.17 18. Numb 12.13 1 King 8.33 35 37 44. The reasons First it is profitable to all Reason 1 things and is of force to obtaine euery good thing and if euery good thing then also to remooue euery euill thing from vs It obtaineth blessings of al sorts publike and priuate spirituall and temporall for our selues and for others touching this life and a better Ioh. 16.23 In that day ye shall aske me nothing Verily verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Where we see the generality of the promise confirmed by a vehement asseueration Secondly prayer Reason 2 obtaineth the pardon forgiuenes of sins Act. 8.22 Iam. 5.15 1 Ioh. 5.16 and sinne is the true and proper cause of all iudgements whatsoeuer if then it obtaine the remoouing of the cause it shall also obtaine the taking away of the effect For the cause being remoued the effect wil ceasse Thirdly it is so mighty Reason 3 that it is able to throw downe the fastest hold and surest possession that Satan hath gotten Paul hauing shewed that we wrastle not with flesh and blood that is not onely or chiefly with them but with principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse in high places prescribeth this as a meanes to subdue and ouercome them And Christ our Sauiour telleth his disciples Maâ— 17.21 Ephes 6 1â— that this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting If then it be able
workes Rom. chap. 2. verse 6. CHAP. XV. 1 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 2 Speake vnto the children of Israel and say vnto them When ye be come into the land of your habitations which I giue vnto you 3 And will make an Offering by fire vnto the Lord a burnt Offering or a sacrifice in performing a vow or in a free-will Offering or in your solemne feasts c. 4 Then let him c. IN the latter end of the former chapter we saw the desperate folly of the people that albeit Moses made knowne vnto them the heauy displeasure of God that hee had left them to themselues and was no more among them after they had so often played and dallied with his mercifull sufferings yet they would needs amend their former disobedience by a second contempt making offer to enter into the land contrary to the direction of God and the aduice of Moses But what became of it The swords of the enemies which God had hitherto bended and rebated are left no lesse sharpe then death it selfe and are without mercie sheathed in their bowels For the Amalekites and Canaanites beeing ioyned together and watching their aduantage set vpon them put them to route and slaughtered the greatest part of them the Amalekites encoraging one another to bee reuenged of their former losse receiued at Rephidim Exod. 17. the Canaanites seeking to preuent their own displantation destruction threatned after which slaughter they followed their victory and pursued those broken and disbanded companies all the way of their flight euen vnto Hormah In this chapt we haue sundry ceremoniall precepts which seeme to be deliuered to them immediately after the former punishment executed vpon the offenders wherin God testifieth that albeit the Israelites had iustly deserued to haue finall destruction brought vpon them yet God would not vtterly depart from them and wholly leaue them to theÌ„selues but continue his loue and fauor toward them and be reconciled vnto them smelling the sweete sauour of a sacrifice and verifying the saying of the Apostle â— 26 19. Ro. 3 3 4. Obserue here certain new additions propounded as appurtenances to the lawes before deliuered at large in the booke of Leuiticus These are foure in number â—ontents 〈◊〉 chapt first touching the sacrifices secondly touching the first fruites thirdly touching the clensing of sins that are committed lastly touching the fringes they are commaÌ„ded to make all ceremoniall all temporall in regard of the letter but all significant in regard of the matter â—auses â—acrifices â—nstitu But before we come to handle these particulars it shall not be amisse briefly to shew the causes why these sacrifices were instituted in the old Testament First to maintain the publike assemblies of the faithfull and their meetings together to serue the Lord. For if euerie man were left to himself religion wold quickly decay or corrupt Secondly that they might be shadowes of good things to come and as it were pictures set before their eies to put them in mind of Christ and his sacrifice who is therfore fitly called the Lamb slaine froÌ„ the beginning of the world â—â—b 10. de dei cap. 5. Reu. 13 8. Thirdly these sacrifices were also as the Sacraments of the church and visible signes of inuisible grace testimonies of Gods infallible promise made to the fathers touching saluation in the Messiah to come Fourthly they serued to be as an open confession of their faith what God they serued in whom they beleeued and that they hated and detested the vanity and idolatry of the Gentiles Fiftly they were also a testification of their thankfulnes for sundry benefits receiued that therby they might be taught to acknowledge from whence they came Lastly they serued for the maintenance of the Ministerie and consequently for the furtherance of the worship of God Deut. 18 3 4. 1 Cor. 9 13. These were the chiefe ends for which they were ordained Now let vs retuâ—n back to the particular handling of the matters contained in this chap. Speake vnto the children of Israel and say vnto them The first point is touching the sacrifices the summe whereof is to teach what oblations are to bee vsed in euery sacrifice how much wine how much oyle how much flower is to be taken and applied in euery special sacrifice The seuerall sorts of sacrifices are set downe in the booke of Leuiticus Doctrine but in what proportion these things should bee added Of the meate and drink Offering is not there described but heere it is declared in this place And these things thus performed according to the commandement of God hee is said to smel a sweet sauour This offereth diuers good vses vnto vs albeit the things them selues be ceased and abrogated Vse 1 The Vses First the offering is said to bee a sweet sauour or a sauour of rest often repeated verses 3 7 10 13 14 which God accepteth wherein he delighteth and whereby he is appeased such as he resteth in so ceaseth from his anger This is a borrowed speech taken from sweet odours and perfumes wherein hee which smelleth a sweet sauour resteth contenteth himselfe If any ask the question Obiect whether God smell any sauour or not I answer Answer this must be vnderstood figuratiuely or mystically For if we speak properly Gen. 8.21 Exod. 29 18. sauour smell is the obiect of the sense of smelling which agreeth to sensible creatures and not either to God who neither hath senses nor is sensible neither is a creature or to any spirit For as Christ saith A spirit hath not flesh nor bones Luke 24 39. so vnto the same agree neither senses nor sensible things And if it were true that God were affected with smels yet the fume and sauor that cometh from the burning of the flesh cannot it selfe be pleasant and delightfull to the senses but is rather noisome and vnsauoury and therefore some other thing must be meant by it How then cometh it to be a sweete sauour I answer two waies partly in regard of their willingnesse and obedience which God preferreth before all sacrifice that hath horne and hoofe Behold to obey is better then sacrifice 1 Sam. 15 22. and to hearken then the fat of Rams therfore where the external worke was separated from the inward deuotion obedience it was no sweet sauour but it was hatefull and abhominable to God partly also and principally because it was a type and figure of Christ who was indeede an offering and a sweet sauour to God Eph. 5.2 He is the truth of all sacrifices and his blood the accomplishment of all the blood shed in the sacrifices He hath performed all in his own person brought an end to them they are no longer to be continued he hath appeased the wrath of God he hath taken away our sins therby testified his abundant loue toward vs Iohn 15 3. for greater loue hath no man then this that
vpon you seeing all the Congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them Wherefore then lift ye vp your selues aboue c. IN this chap. we haue two other murmurings set down the latter arising out of the former as one sticke on fire kindleth another The former consisteth of a few carried away with enuy and emulation against Moses and Aaron the originall whereof arose from Korah of the Tribe of Leui The cause of Korahs Conspiracy who first blew the bellowes and tooke it greeuously that the Priestly dignitie was translated to Aaron and challenged Moses of partiality as if hee had preferred his owne Kindred and followed his priuate affection rather then the direction of God This seditious Korah associateth vnto himselfe Dathan Abiram and On of the Tribe of Reuben whom he knew to be ill affected towards Moses because hee being the eldest sonne of Iacob had by right of his birth-right the Principality and gouernement of the whole people belonging vnto him and therefore they thought themselues as worthy to haue the Soueraignty in their hands as Moses was to haue it in his hands All these ioyning together made a schisme or rent amongest the people and assemble two hundred and fifty others all Princes of the assembly which seeme to stand for the good of the whole Congregation as also all Rebelles haue euer had some pretence and colour for they plead that all the Lords people are holy that God is present among them and therefore they should no longer vsurpe the sole gouernment of the whole hoste It is vsuall in all ages of the Church to haue schismes and rents to arise in it and for men to separate themselues from the Church because forsooth it is not well gouerned as it ought to be Now albeit this open insurrection were a flat rebellion against the expresse ordinance of God yet they set many goodly shewes vpon their doings helping a bad cause with a beautifull colour lest they should seeme to be mad without reason alledging that all the Lords people are holy and the Lord is among them â—octrine We learne heereby that whatsoeuer corruptions breake out of men and whatsoeuer euils they doe â—hatsoeuer 〈◊〉 wicked â—en doe they some coâ—er vpon it and howsoeuer they decline from God from his word and from his ordinances yet they will labour to excuse it to defend it to colour it that it should not seeme as it is When euill men haue committed euill they are ready to iustifie their euils that they may seeme good We see this in Saul 1 Sa. 13.11.12 and 15.15 so Ioh. 12.5 6. Iudas pretended the poore and his great care of them albeit he cared not for them but for himselfe and chap. 11.48 So Caiaphas pretendeth the safety of the people to wit if Christ were not put to death the Romanes would come with a mighty army and ouerrunne them but the taking of him away and the putting of him to death was indeede the true cause why the Romanes came and destroyed the Temple the Citie and the people This we see sometimes also in those that are not the worst men The fact of Simeon and Leui against the Schechemites was no better then horrible murther committed against the Law of God and of nature and against the league and couenant that had passed between them which ought to be held inuiolable euen among infidels yet somewhat they pretend to couer it Gen. 34.31 should he deale with our sister as with an harlot So the Israelites touching their Idolatry Exod. 32.1 and Aaron verse 23. and our first parents Gen. 3. and in a maner all wicked men do the like that are vnregenerate without repentance and sanctification The reasons Reason 1 For men are affected to their actions as they are to themselues Though they be corrupt abominable yet they would not bee thought and iudged to be so so it is with their actions that proceed from them though they bee wicked and vniust yet they would haue them accounted iust and therefore they seeke excuses for themselues â—â— 7. as Adam did fig leaues to Reason 2 couer his shame and his sinne Secondly if they should pretend nothing al would be ready to condemne them and to passe sentence vpon them therefore to blinde the eyes of others they cast a mist before them as iuglers vse to doe that they may not be espied This did Herod Mat. 2.8 he pretended to come and worship Christ For he knew well enough if hee had dealt plainely and told them hee sought the life of the babe they would haue detested his detestable cruelty This serueth to reprooue diuers sorts that Vse 1 goe about to varnish their actions with false colours thereby to blind the world and to put out their eyes These shew themselues to bee ranke hypocrites exceeding sinners against the Lord which serue to harden their hearts and to hinder them from a sight of their sinnes and sorrow for them For no man can returne from his sinnes and repent of his euill wayes so long as he goeth about to defend them because all such sinners doe declare a firme resolution to continue and goe forward in sinne and thinke themselues safe and sure because they haue some colours for their actions But the first beginning of repentance is confession a duty oftentimes commended and continually practised by the faithfull The first thing that Ioshua perswaded Achan to performe when he was taken as guilty for taking the accursed thing was that he should giue glory to the God of Israel and make confession vnto him Iosh 7.19 Prou. 28.13 1 Ioh. 1.9 Whereas such as hide their sinnes shall not prosper and they that say they haue not sinned doe make God a lyar and his word is not in them Wherefore we cannot giue a more euident signe of our want of the grace of repentance Psa 32.3 4 5. then by defending denying excusing or lessening of sinne Secondly this sheweth the cause why the Vse 2 dregs of Popish religion are so setled in the hearts of men that they are hardly rooted out euen because such deceitfull colours are set vpon them and their superstitious practises If they be accused for their idolatry worshipping of Images they pretend they worship God in the Image Touching the worship of Saints and praier to them they say they honor them as the friends of God and that they are vnworthy to approch or to come neere to God themselues and therefore in humility they goe to the Saints and Angels but this is nothing but to speake lies through hypocrisie Col. 2.23 Concerning their sacriledge in withholding the cup from the people they haue their colour that the labour of the Priest would be too great if he should deliuer the same to all himselfe or else that the blood of Christ might be spilt vpon the ground but these excuses cannot deceiue God hee seeth their open declining from the word of
euer they were to displease their fathers as if the whole world were gouerned by witches O that these men would be as carefull to please God as fearefull to offend him as for witches they are more afraid of them thē hurt they are but the diuels instruments to deceiue the world the diuell hath vtterly blinded the eyes of these and of many others to make them beleeue that they do those things which they neuer do neither indeed can do The diuell himselfe is Gods seruant or rather slaue to do his will whether he will or no for he can do nothing but what the Lord willeth He ruleth all things by his prouidence the diuell cannot kil a flye except he haue liberty giuen vnto him But to returne to the former point that it is God onely that worketh myracles obserue with me that he worketh two waies somtime by himselfe alone God worketh myracles two waies and sometimes by some other creature By himselfe alone when he vseth no instrument at all as in the creation of the world making al things of nothing without helpe of Angel or other matter So he turned backe the shadow of the diall of Ahaz by himselfe alone and many other such like Againe when it pleaseth him he vseth means as in the myracles wrought in Egypt he did them by the hand of Moses and Aaron But heere we must take heed of two extremes and God is dishonoured by both of them First that we derogate nothing from the Maiesty of God albeit it please him to vse meanes in many of his myracles because he vseth thē freely not of necessity and he is as well able to worke without them as with them Secondly that we do not magnifie the creatures and instruments which the Lord vseth aboue that which is conuenient because that were to set them in the place of God who haue no more power then that which is giuen them from aboue Obiect But some may heere aske the question why doth God vse meanes in working of myracles Why did he vse the holy Prophets and Apostles and sometimes also such as haue no iustifying faith Mat. 7 22 23. as Iudas and others no doubt as he preached so he wrought myracles for he had the same commission with the rest Math 10 7 8. I answer Answer he vseth them not because he standeth in need of them or is tied vnto them but for these causes Why God vseth mean in working of myracles First to teach vs that he approueth the meanes whereby things are brought to passe and he sheweth by his owne example that we should make account of them so that if any neglect or contemne them he opposeth himselfe against the Lord. Secondly to support and vphold mans weaknesse who is not able to looke vpon his Maiesty when he worketh by himselfe as a weake eye cannot see things that are farre off except he put on his spectacles This is plaine in the example of the Israelites Exo. 19 18 19 when they heard the thunder and lightning and the sound of a Trumpet exceeding loud and the Mountaine smoaking they were so afraid that they desired the Lord to speake no more vnto them Exod. 20 19. but that Moses might speake vnto them and they would heare him Thirdly the Lord vseth meanes for the triall of our faith whether we will ascribe the work that is wrought onely to the worker thereof or to the meanes or partly to the one and partly to the other or as some doe all to the instrument and nothing to the principall In the myracles wrought by Christ himselfe wee see how diuersly men were affected for thogh they were effected by the finger of God yet the Pharisies blasphemed Math. 12 24. and said This fellow casteth out diuels by Beelzebub the Prince of the diuels This argueth great corruption of nature and want of faith Obiect And as we haue shewed why God vseth meanes so it may be asked what meanes God vseth in working myracles I answer Answer they are of diuers sorts First such as nay seeme to haue some force and power in them for the working of the myracle 2 King 20 1. When the waters of Marah were bitter that the people could not drinke of them the Lord shewed Moses a tree which when he had cast into the waters they became sweet Secondly Exo. 16 23 ◠he vseth meanes that haue no appearance of any power or vse in the working of a myracle such was the touching of the hem of Chrsts garment which infinite numbers touched Math. 9.21 Luke 8 45. and yet receiued no vertue from thence Such was the lifting vp of the rod of Moses and the stretching out of his hand at the red sea Such was the striking of the Rocke with his staffe at the waters of strife Numb 20. which had no power to make the waters gush out Such was the handkerchieffe of Paul to cure diseases Acts 5 15 ◠19 12. Iosh 6 20 the shadow of Peter by which many were healed For these cures were wrought when the Apostles were absent and knew nothing of them but were busied in other more important workes of their callings Thirdly he vseth such meanes as seeme no way auaileable vnto the worke but rather quite contrary to hinder it as curing the blinde man He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and laid vpon his eies Iohn 9 6 11. which might seeme more auaileable to put out sight then to restore it to make a man blinde then to make him see Thus then wee see and learne to acknowledge that euery miracle is wrought by the sole and omnipotent power of God Lastly we learne heereby that we haue a Vse 4 most sure word of the Prophets and Apostles whereunto we must take heed as vnto a light that shineth in darke places We are not cunningly circumuented by deuised fables but we haue the whole doctrine of saluation deliuered in the Scriptures fully confirmed vnto vs. For to what end do all the extraordinary works of God done by the hands of the Prophets and Apostles serue but to make plaine the doctrine which is according to godlines and thereby to worke in our hearts faith and beleefe The myracles of Christ vnwritten Ioh. 10 30 ◠therefore now vnknowne were not vnprofitable to be read vnworthy to be known neuerthelesse these were sufficient When Christ came into the world Esay 9 6. he was many waies wonderfull it is one of his names by which he was to be called he was wonderfull in his person wonderfull in his doctrine and wonderfull in his workes In his person Math. 1 23. Luke 1 35. because of the vnion of his two natures he was both God man In his doctrine the word preached by him because hee taught the way of God plainely Math. 22 1◠cleerely and euidently nay as one that had authority for his word
was with power Math. 7 21. Luke 4 32. and they were astonied at his Doctrine In his works and myracles Math. 11 â— Iohn 5 36. and 10 25. because they plainly proued him to be God The doctrine of Christ serued for faith the myracles serued for the doctrine forasmuch as they tended eyther to prepare the mindes of men to receiue the doctrine 1 Cor. 14 â— or to strengthen faith in the doctrine already receiued Iohn 14 11. Both these were committed to writing by the will and appointment of Christ himselfe to further the faith and saluation of the people to the end of the world The doctrine long since written is no otherwise to be regarded then the liuely voice of Christ if he were among vs we heard him preach to vs as the Iewes did and the myracles that are written are no otherwise to be esteemed â—ede no â—yracles â—me â—racles then if we saw them done before our eies so that wee need no other no new myracles to confirme the doctrine of Christ of his Apostles They were needfull when the Gospel was first planted and seemed strange in the world as it were in the infancy of the Church That truth is already plentifully confirmed except we should account it new euermore Hence it appeareth how found vnreasonable the Romanists are that require of the Ministers of the Gospel to confirme their calling by myracles For thus they reason Extraordinary callings are to bee confirmed by myracles but the planters of our Churches shew no myracles therefore their calling cannot be of God These are like to the Iewes of whom Christ speaketh Mat. 12 38. If I should aske of them what signes and myracles the Prophets shewed Nathan Iddo Obadiah Micah many others I think their best answer would be silence Wee reade expresly that Iohn the Baptist did no myracle Ioh. 10 41. yet was his calling extraordinary The rule that Christ giueth vs to discerne false doctrine from the true is this By their fruites ye shall know them Mat. 7 16. The doctrine that is taught is the true fruite they are known therfore by deliuering the doctrine not by working of myracles We teach no other doctrine then is set downe in the Scripture so that it is sufficiently confirmed by myracles already For if the doctrine of the Apostles be our doctrine doubtlesse the myracles of the Apostles are ours also which may not bee seuered and diuided from the doctrine it selfe 〈◊〉 defens This then discouereth the weaknesse of Turrian the Iesuite who is more ridiculous theÌ„ the rest that asketh the question how wee know that Luther was a teacher raised vp of God and what myracle he euer wrought as also when he telleth vs that if any should aske of them what signe they haue giuen to them of God they haue this myracle the Sacrament of orders A very vnorderly answer whereby it appeareth that he knoweth not what a myracle is For who can call an ordinary thing a myracle As well we may say the preaching of the word is a myracle yea we may better say that the wonderfull effects wrought by the Gospel are a myracle whereby faith is wrought in the hearts of the elect and eternall life begun in them If we will not beleeue the truth of the Gospel by beholding the glorious effects which it worketh in the consciences of men it appeareth euidently that we would not beleeue though we saw a thousand others yea though one should come from the dead vnto vs Lu. 16 31. 7 And Moses laid vp the rods before the Lord in the Tabernacle of witnesse 8 And it came to passe that on the morrow Moses went into the Tabernacle of witnesse and behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Leui was budded and brought foorth buds bloomed blossomes and yeelded Almonds We haue in these words the obedience of Moses in word and worke to the former commandement as also the performance of the promise that God made touching the budding of Aarons rod. Consider in these words Doctrine Obedience is required of al Gods seruant that it is the property of Gods children to yeeld obedience to his word so soone as the same is deliuered and reuealed vnto them All the faithfull are commended in holy Scripture in this respect The ten lepers that were commanded to shew themselues to the Priest prepared themselues immediately to go though as yet no cleansing or curing appeared in the flesh Lu. 17 14 15. they neuer consulted with flesh and blood they beleeue that Christ was true of his word able to performe in deed what he had promised in word Thus did Noah wheÌ„ God commanded him to build an Arke thogh he had many discouragements the greatnesse of the worke the length of the time the mockings of the wicked the danger of putting himselfe into it and committing of his life to the mercy of the raging waters yet none of these could terrifie him Heb. 11 7. but by faith hee ouercame them all Peter being commanded of Christ to let downe his net to take fish sheweth that he had wearied himselfe his fellowes all night neuerthelesse at the commandement of Christ he let it down hoped for an happy issue Lu. 5 4 5 6. Thus haue Gods childreÌ„ alwaies done let vs therefore beware of disobedience vnder what preteÌ„ce soeuer it be Saul had his excuse he could set a faire face vpon a bad cause but hee was punished with the losse of his kingdome 1 Sam. 15. Woe had it bene to Naaman who shewed himselfe discontented with the Prophet because he being before instructed of God had willed him to wash himselfe seuen times in Iordan he had gone away a leper as he came if he had not hearkned to the counsel of his seruants 1 Ki. 5 10 12. Moses was shut out of the land of promise because he obeyed not God in striking the Rock Psal 106 33. but spake vnaduisedly with his lips The Prophet receiued a commandement froÌ„ God that he should go to Bethâ—el reproue the idolatrous worship of the two calues that Ieroboam had set vp and that he shold neither eate not drinke in presence with the idolaters 1 Ki. 13 8 9. but because he did contrary to the commandement he was torne in peeces of a Lyon paying the punishment of his disobedience and teaching vs by his example obedience to God Againe Doctrine obserue that God performeth more then he hath promised He onely told Moses God is better then his word that the mans rod whom he had chosen shold blossome but it appeareth that for farther manifestation of the truth of his word and the dignity of Aaron he verified more for the Lord did not only cause it to bring foorth buds and to bloome blossomes but likewise to beare almonds We see then from hence that such is the goodnes of God that he performeth and bringeth to passe more then he promiseth to
his mercy that we are not vtterly consumed Lam. 3.22 When Eli heard the punishment that God had determined to bring vpon him and his house for the wickednesse of his prophane sonnes he answered with all humility It is the Lord let him doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him 1 Sam. 3.18 God loueth a broken and contrite heart it is a sacrifice wherein hee greatly delighteth Lastly let vs make our whole life a continuall practise of vnfained repentance and labour for godly sorrow that wee may mourne and afflict our soules for sinne because it is sinne a breach of Gods law and displeaseth him Sinne will not lodge long where it is not cherished and made much off and entertained with delight It is as a ghest that will not lodge in such houses where he is not welcome but if once you make much of him and delight in him then he is an importunate and a shamelesse ghest you shall hardly rid your house of him In the word of God wee finde sundry meanes and motiues to moue vs to enter these meditations Motiues moouing vs to repentance First the commandement of God himselfe so often vrged and repeated Ier. 3.12 and 8.6 and 18.11 This was the voyce of Iohn crying in the wildernesse Repent bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Matth. 3.8 This doctrine was preached in Paradise to our first parents and was afterward figured out by circumcision before the Law and by their purification after the Law Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane Againe such as repent not lye vnder the bondage of Satan they are as captiues prisoners bound to obey his will and to doe him seruice 2. Tim. 2.26 Thirdly such as die without repentance remaine for euer without remission and forgiuenesse They are lost children and must needs perish if they repent not before 2 Pet. 3.9 Luke 13.3 Fourthly the threatnings denounced executed vpon the rebellious and disobedient are made examples and admonitions vnto vs his vengeance iustly fallen vpon others should serue to amend vs 1 Cor. 10.5.6 2. Pet. 2.3 4. Psal 7.11 12. Fiftly the certainety and suddennesse of the last and generall iudgement which shall come as a theefe in the night when the heauens themselues shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall bee burnt vp What manner of persons therefore ought wee to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse 2 Pet. 3.10 11. and 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of God that wee may receiue the things done in this body whether good or euill This last day is called a day of Reuelation Rom. chap. 2. ver 5. Lastly we must bee all ledde to repentance by the vnspeakable fruits that follow it as pardon of sinnes reconciliation with God peace of conscience hearing of our prayers and in the end blessednesse in the heauens Ezek. 33.11 CHAP. XVIII 1 ANd the Lord said vnto Aaron Thou and thy sonnes and thy fathers house with thee shall beare the iniquity of the Sanctuary and thou and thy sonnes with thee shall beare the iniquity of your Priesthood 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Leui the tribe of thy father bring thou with thee that they may be ioyned c. 3 And they shall keepe thy charge and the charge of all the Tabernacle onely they shall not come nigh the vessells c. 4 And they shall be ioyned vnto thee and keepe the charge c. IN the latter end of the former Chapter the people are brought in confessing their sins and crauing pardon of God Wee heard their greefe and sorrow for their sinnes and bewailing their transgressions past and saying Shall we perish vtterly and is there no hope of forgiuenesse Now we haue in this Chapter the answer of God to this question which did proceed from a feeling of their sinne and a feare of present death which they had iustly deserued For Moses declareth how God shewed himselfe reconciled notwithstanding their manifold prouocations he cannot keep his anger for euer but returneth vnto them in mercy when they turne vnto him by repentance The deuision of this Chapter Concerning the which reconciliation we must consider in this Chapter two points first the persons procuring the attonement which were the Priests Leuites attending to the Ministery of the word and Sacraments secondly the things appertaining vnto them and to their charge as also the next Chapter deliuereth such things as belong to the people Now the commandement belonging to them both to wit both to the Priests and Leuites which are heere said to be brethren All the Mâ—nisters ough to be as children Matth 23.8 2 Pet 15. Heb. 13.22 1 Pet 12. is directed to Aaron and not to Moses because this was a meere Church matter Ecclesiasticall not ciuill and his Priesthood was newly ratified to him by the authority of God and by a notable miracle in the flourishing of the Almond rod Chap. 17.8 The summe and effect is this that the Priests should minister in the Sanctuary at the Altar but the Leuites should minister vnto the Priests and both of them both for themselues the people First therefore the charge of the Sanctuary is committed to Aaron and his sonnes and to the ouersight of the Leuites to the eight ver that the seruice of God might not be prophaned either by themselues or by any other lest they made themselues guilty of sinne whereby the Lord would signifie that there was indeed no cause why any should enuy them this dignitie forasmuch as it was ioyned with such danger and difficulty The burden of the Priesthood was so great and lay so heauy vpon their shoulders that they were threatened to be punished if the worship of God which ought to bee performed with all reuerence were prophaned through their default From hence we learne that as euery sin is in it owne nature great so are these sinnes the greatest and most heinous which are committed against a mans particular place and calling wherein God hath set him â—e â—nnes â—test â—e â—ed â— mans ar Iob 2.9 The Prophets denouncing iudgements against sundry persons doe single them out for neglecting of personall duties The Prophet Micah threatneth the Rulers and men of might that they hate the good and loue the euill Who plucke off their skinne from off them and their flesh from off their bones they breake their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot and as flesh within the cauldron Mic. 3.2 3. Thus also he noteth out the falsehood of the Prophets that made the people of God to erre and cry peace ver 5. The idolatrous kings are most of all taxed for the abuse of their calling not so much for priuate faults as other men but for their erecting or suffring of idolatry which they ought to haue pulled downe yea the good kings are often blemished that way because they reformed not the
betweene sinne and sinne both in nature and in the punishment due vnto them some are greater some lesser some worther of greater punishment and some of lesser yet the least sin committed in thought and motion deserueth euerlasting death and separation from the gracious presence of God if he deale with vs according to the rigour of his iustice and looke vpon vs without the satisfaction of Christ The writers and teachers of the Popish Religion publish to the world that wee hold the sottish Paradox of the Stoikes that all sinnes are equall The Papists slander vs 〈◊〉 make all siâ— equall the contrary whereof is manifest in the harmony of the confessions of our Churches And why do they slander vs with this dotish doctrine or vpon what foundation doe they ground this accusation forsooth because we hold that all are mortall But this is a weake consequent and will not proue the point for which they alledge it All men are mortall euen Princes as it is said in the Psalme 82.6 shall we hence conclude that the people are equall to Princes because they are alike subiect to mortality In the breach of the seuenth commandement there are sundry sortes of vncleannesse and incontinency forbidden as fornication when men defile themselues with filthy harlots and concubines adultery betweene them that are married incest committed with such as are neere in consanguinity or affinity the sinne of the Sodomites Who leauing the naturall vse of the woman burne in lust one toward another man with man working filthinesse Rom. 1.27 reuenged with fire and brimstone from heauen Gen. 19. Among all these seuerall kindes there are degrees of sinne one is greater then other adultery worse then fornication incest then adultery and Sodometry then them all and all these by the confession of the Papists themselues are mortall and yet by their owne confession also one is more heinous and horrible then the other If then their conclusion bee good against vs that we hold all sinnes to bee equal because we teach that they are mortall how should it not stand as strong and firme against themselues that they also hold all these sinnes to be equall fornication as bad as incest and adultery as heinous as Sodometry because they teach that they are all of them mortall The like absurdity wee might easily inferre against them in the rest of the commandements and that out of the Roman Catechisme But to vnderstand this point the better let vs consider that our Churches teach no other doctrine then the Scriptures teach that as all sinnes proceede out of the same fountaine of corruption and infidelity so all of them make vs guilty of eternall death and damnation vnlesse we obtaine pardon by faith in the Mediatour Christ Iesus Luke 12.47.48 All sinnes whether committed of ignorance or knowledge deserue stripes either many or few and these stripes are no other then eternall punishments as appeareth by the wordes of the Apostle 2 Thes 1.8 so that they which know not God neither beleeue the Gospel shall be punished in hel because according to the opinion of the Papists themselues when the Lord shall come in flaming fire to iudge the quicke and the dead Purgatory shal vtterly ceasse and be no more the prison dores shall be broken the fire shall be quenched the place shall be emptyed and the poore soules shall be discharged then shall be a gaile deliuery they shall be quit by Proclamation To vnderstand this the better we must know that sinnes may bee said to bee mortall or veniall three wayes â—s may â—d to bee â—ll or veâ—â—hree â—s First in regard of the euent Secondly in regard of the cause Thirdly in regard of the nature of the sinnes themselues They are veniall in regard of the successe or euent which doe obtaine pardon and when forgiuenesse followeth them though they be in themselues most greeuous as 1 Ioh. 5.16 where the Apostle calleth those onely sinnes vnto death whose reward certainely is eternall death and those not to death which may bee forgiuen howsoeuer in their own nature they merit damnation Thus we may say that Dauids adultery and murther were veniall sinnes because howsoeuer in the nature of them they were deadly yet were they veniall in regard of the euent because Nathan said vnto him The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12.13 â—ss ordin in â—r 11. No sinne is veniall so long as we follow it and no sinne is mortall when once we forsake it Pro. 28.13 All sinnes are made veniall by repentance no sin is veniall without repentance Secondly sinnes may bee said to bee veniall in regard of the cause from whence they proceed whereupon they sooner obtaine pardon because they are not done of malice and a setled purpose but of ignorance and infirmity as Paul sheweth this to bee the cause why his sinne was veniall vnto him and why he obtained mercy and forgiuenesse because he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 And in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke it is said the Priest shall make attonement when a priuate person or the whole Congregation hath committed any thing through errour or ignorance and it shall be forgiuen them for it is ignorance Numb 14.25 These sinnes springing from this fountaine are damnable in themselues from hence it came that Paul was a persecuter and a blasphemer but the Father of all mercies and compassions gaue him pardon because hee sinned of ignorance and infirmity So then his sinnes were veniall in regard of the euent and of the cause But sinne considered in the nature of the thing it selfe is not veniall but deserueth temporall and eternall punishment Now the Papists themselues teach â— Popish 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne that sinne is truely and properly called veniall when it is so in it owne nature and deserueth onely a temporall punishment either in this life or in the life to come so that if God would examine it and enter into iudgement with it according to his most rigourous and seuere iustice hee could not punish it with eternall death for as much as in it owne nature it deserueth pardon or at least some slight or temporall punishment And of these the controuersie is betweene the Church of Rome and vs and not of those that are veniall by the euent or by the cause But the Scripture teacheth vs that all sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 This is a true and perfect definition of sinne for euery transgression of the Law is sinne and euery sinne is a transgression of the Law From whence wee reason thus Euery transgression of the law is worthy of death Euery sinne is a transgression of the Law Therefore euery sinne is worthy of death The first part is plainely proued by many places Gal. 3.13.10 Deut. 27.26 Matth. 5.22 whereby it is manifest that the Prophet the Apostle and Christ himselfe speake generally without limitation that whosoeuer committeth any
we may be assured he will deliuer our soules from death Psal 33 19. Rom. 6 â—2 Luke 12 32. preserue vs in famine For if hee spared not his owne Sonne but hath giuen him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Feare not therefore the want of outward things which perish with their vse for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue vnto you a kingdome If he haue promised to giue vnto vs the greater nay the greatest blessings that can be rehearsed or remeÌ„bred we may ground our selues on this assured truth that he wil not leaue vs nor forsake vs so that we may boldly say The Lord is my deliuerer I will not feare what man can do vnto me Indeed the iudgement practise of carnall men is otherwise who esteeme earthly things aboue heauenly and preferre their Swine before Christ-like Esau Matthew 8 Heb. 12 16 who prized one messe of pottage aboue the birthright If these men bee a little pained and pinched with famine and suffer a little want of food that they haue not their necessities supplied their bodies cloathed their bellies filled they cry out aloud in the anguish of their spirit What shall we eate What shall we drinke How shall wee liue How shall we maintaine sustaine our selues and our families But alasse though their soules be hunger-bitten and hungerstarued ready to pine and consume away throgh want of spirituall food they are neuer greeued or vexed it troubleth them not at al. Let vs learn better things let vs value spirituall things at the highest rate and set them in the cheefest place If thus we set as our honorable friends all heauenly things in the cheefest place and turne all transitory things with shame into the lowest roome and ranke as saucie aspiring guests vsurping climbing aboue their betters we shall beare all earthly losses and troubles with patience and stay our selues from murmuring at the feeling of them Ver. 6. Then Moses and Aaron went from the face c. We heard before the complaint of the people now let vs see the behauiour of Moses Aaron They do not rage nor reuile theÌ„ they do not fret and fume against theÌ„ or aske the life of their enemies but possesse their soules with patience and declining the violent rage of the people as a beast with many heads they goe to the Tabernacle declare their causes and cases before the Lord. From this their distresse we learne this truth that in all wrongs iniuries offered vnto vs we must seeke helpe and comfort of God Doctrinâ— In all wrâ— and iniuri we must 〈◊〉 to God I say it is the duty of all the seruants of God when they are wronged and oppressed when they are euilly entreated and spitefully handled at the hands of sinfull men to vnlade disburden all their cares into the bosome of God depending for counsell and comfort vpon him alone In the performance of this duty the holy seruants of God haue gone before vs. Reade the booke of the Psalmes as a plentifull store-house and schoole-house to teach this truth as Psal 3 1 2. and 7 1 2. where we see that in his troubles he had recourse to God who smiteth his enemies on the cheeke-bone and breaketh the teeth of the wicked but was a sure Buckler to him not such as men hold vp that can defend one part and in one place onely but a buckler to safegard him round about before and behind And being greeuously accused of some heynous crime by some of Sauls retinue â— 14.10 he flyeth to God he trusteth in him who preserueth the vpright in heart So when Iob had his camels and cattell taken away by the enemies he did not through the greatnes of his affliction and greefe of mind rebell against God but said Naked came I out of my mothers wombe â— 13 17. and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it â—â—g 19.3 blessed be the Name of the Lord. The like appeareth in Hezekiah when Ierusalem was besieged This is a day of tribulation and of rebuke and blasphemy for the children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth Now therefore O Lord our God I beseeeh thee saue vs out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou O Lord art onely God All which examples teach vs that when we suffer wrongs or fall into any wrongs or fall into any dangers wee must haue recourse to God and craue of him that the malice of the wicked may come to an end Reason 1 The reasons of this doctrine are first the gracious promise of God who hath mercifully promised to heare and to helpe vs in all our troubles This the Prophet teacheth Call vppon me in the day of trouble â— 50.15 â—h 5.14 15 I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And the Apostle Iohn This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs and if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions that wee haue desired of him Let vs not doubt and wauer like a waue of the Sea tossed to and fro by the violence of the winds but by faith beleeue that God will grant our requests which wee make according to his will and word Seeing therefore he is willing to heare and able to helpe and promiseth to grant our requests our duty is to come when he calleth to aske seeing hee giueth and to knocke seeing he openeth the gates that leadeth vnto his treasures Some put their trust in chariots some in horses and some in Princes but we must remember the Name of the Lord our God who neuer faileth and breaketh promise with these that depend vpon him that feare and trust in his mercy Reason 2 Secondly as he is our helper who deliuereth our soule from death our eies from teares and our feet from falling so whither shall wee turne our selues to find comfort and consolation besides in him When God denyeth to send succour who shall saue When hee refuseth to helpe who shal deliuer When he shutteth who can open If wee looke to men or Angels to heauen or earth to the liuing or the dead we shall be deceiued and deluded The Prophet saith Psal 62.8 9. Trust in him alway ye people poure out your harts before him for God is our hope aboue all yet the children of men are vanity the chiefe men are lies to lay them vpon a ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Vse 1 Let vs now come vnto the vses First from hence we gather that such is Gods great goodnes to his children that he neuer leaueth them without comfort For if he require of vs to repaire to him in our troubles surely he will not send vs away empty nor cause vs to depart
had numbred the people after God sent him this word and offered him the choise of famine or sword or pestilence he saide I am in a wonderfull streight let vs now fall into the haÌ„d of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Who had not rather receiue punishment at his fathers hands of whose loue he is assured then to bee punished with the strokes of an enemy that loueth him not but hateth him to the death Men are proud and cruell fierce ambitious but God is full of compassion and his mercy endureth for euer he knoweth whereof we were made Psal 103.14 Psalme 78 39 he remembreth that we are but dust hee considereth that we are mortall yea a winde that passeth and commeth not againe He will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to beare Hitherto the Lord hath visited vs with his mercifull and gentle corrections famines sicknesses and strange diseases Let vs behold his gracious dealing toward vs and profit by these fatherly admonitions for if he should deliuer vs into the hands of barbarous and beastly enemies we should soone discerne the difference betweene the louing chasticements of a father and the bloody strokes of an enemy 22 Then they departed from Kadesh and the childreÌ„ of Israel euen al the congregation came vnto Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor neere the border of the land of Edom saying 24 Aaron shall be gathered vnto his people for he shall not enter into the Land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel because yee rebelled against my commandements at the waters of strife 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and charge them to come vnto this Mount 26 And cause Aaron to strip off his garments and thou shalt put them vpon Eleazar his sonne then Aaron shall be gathered vnto his Fathers and shall dye there 27 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded for they went vp vnto Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation 28 And Moses caused Aaron to strip off his garments and he put them vpon Eleazar his son and Aaron dyed there in the toppe of the Mount So Moses and Eleazar came downe from off that Mount 29 And when all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty dayes Hitherto of the Ambassage of Moses to the King of Edom These words containe the third and last part of the Chapter to wit the death of Aaron after the people were remooued from the borders of the Edomites For albeit the King did so vnkindly deny them any passage yet Moses and the Israelites doe not oppose themselues against them or attempt to breake through by force of Armes multitude of men and dint of sword but passe by their borders peaceably and fetch a compasse about their land True it is those enuious Edomites were worthy to perish and to be vtterly destroyed for their inhumanity yet because the time was not yet come wherein the Lord had prophesied and promised that the elder should serue the yonger Gen. 25 23. therefore the Israelites commit vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongeth Rom. 12 19. Now in these verses we see how God beginneth to execute the former threatning against Moses and Aaron For heere wee are to consider three things First the death of Aaron Secondly the succession of his sonne Thirdly the mourning of the people The father dieth the son succeedeth the people lamenteth the death of the high Priest If Aaron had dyed without any prediction and foretelling of his death all men might haue thought it had fallen out at aduentures and ascribed it wholy to the decaying of strength wasting of nature but being reuealed to Aaron himselfe and manifested to the whole Congregation both the time when and the place where he should die it appeareth that his daies were numbred and his yeeres limited which hee could not passe As then God had determined the death of Aaron and denounced his shutting out of the land of Canaan so that sentence is heere executed vpon him Deut. 34 4 5. the other concerning Moses is reserued vnto his time appointed of God In this place God commanded both of them what to doe euen to ascend vp to the Mountaine and sheweth that Aaron shall die there for his disobedience whose garments must be pulled off and put vpon Eleazar lest by touching of the dead the holy garments should be defiled After this commandement followeth their obedience agreeable to the same they come vp to the Mountain Aaron is stripped Eleazar is cloathed with them Aaron without feare of death or longer desire of life or prayer for life departeth in peace according to the word of God he is gathered to his Fathers Moses and Eleazar descend from the Mountaine Moses Eleazar and the people mourne for Aaron thirty daies Verse 23 24. And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron We see heere according to the former threatning pronounced by the mouth of God verse 12. that Aaron cometh not into the land of Promise but dieth in Mount Hor. We learne heereby Doctriâ— God-thrâ—nings are 〈◊〉 compâ—â—â—â— that the threatnings of God are accomplished Howsoeuer his iudgments are many times deferred and his punnishments prolonged because hee is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would haue all persons come vnto repentance yet in the end all his threatnings shall be verified and fulfilled in their times and seasons Consider this truth in our first parents Ge. 2 17. â— 3 7. God threatned them that if they did eate the forbidden fruite they should die the death we see the effect in them and all their posterity throughout al times and generations Behold other threatnings of God wee shall alwayes reade the execution after the denunciation So when God by the Ministery of Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Peter 2â— had threatned to destroy the whole world if in an hundred and twenty yeeres they repented not wee see how he brought in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly swept them away from the face of the earth which they had corrupted with their cruell and vncleane conuersation This we see likewise taught vnto vs throughout the bookes of the holy history of Ioshua The man is cursed before the Lord Ioshua 6â— that ryseth vp and buildeth the City Iericho he shall lay the foundation thereof in his eldest sonne and in his yongest sonne shall he set vp the gates of it meaning therby that whosoeuer should attempt to builde this City he should pay for it deerely because what time hee layeth the foundation of the wals his eldest sonne shall dye and when hee setteth vp the gates and hath finished it his yongest sonne shall dye When this threatning seemed quite forgotten and consumed with the rust of time God doeth bring it to passe as we
peace dwelled in our houses possessed our inheritances enioyed our lands and goods thus long but for the faithfull seruants of God who mind the peace of Sion Doubtlesse he would not spare the world one minute and moment of time but for the godly Hee would haue spared the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha 〈◊〉 18.32 if ten righteous persons had bin found in them For the faiths sake of Rahah who hid the spies and sent them out another way 〈◊〉 26. hee spared her kindred and her fathers house For the faith of Lot whose righteous soule was vexed day by day in seeing and hearing the vnclean conuersation of those sinfull men he would haue saued his sonnes in law 〈◊〉 12 that should haue married his daughters For Pauls sake a chosen vessel to beare the Name of God to the Gentiles he gaue freely those that sailed with him and saued their liues 〈◊〉 â—4 Thus wee see that for the godly he beareth with the vngodly but when they are safe and sealed in the forehead then iudgement shall come vpon the wicked Contrariwise a nation a cittie a towne an house and family is cursed for the society and company of the wicked The Israelites could not prosper at the siege of Ai so long as Achan was among them The Sea could not be calme the ship could not be safe the Marriners could not be at rest so long as vnrepentant and vnreformed Ionah was a burden vnto it for he said vnto them Take me and cast me into the Sea so shall the waues worke no more so troublesomely for I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Wherefore it is a sweet and comfortable thing to bee in the number of the faithfull wee haue benefite by the prayers of the Church which pierce the eares of God and bring downe his blessings in great aboundance Verse 8. And the Lord said vnto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent We heard before how the people repented of their sinnes and how Moses prayed for pardon Now see how God remooueth his hand Psal 103.9 He will not alwaies chide nor keepe his anger for euer hee doth not deale with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs according to our iniquities Indeed he sheweth oftentimes his seuere iudgments but so soone as the sinner is humbled hee receiueth him to mercy the sinne is pardoned and the punishment is remooued Doctrine God is merciful to greeuous sinners when they are penitent The doctrine from hence is this that God is mercifull to all penitent sinners Repentance once going before mercy followeth after albeit we sinne greeuously against him This the Prophet teacheth in the Name of God Esay 1.18 Ezek. 18.21 22 23. and 33.11 Dauid sinned exceedingly in numbring the people for which God sent a pestilence three dayes in Israel that many thousands dyed yet when his heart smote him that he said I haue sinned exceedingly 2 Sa. 24 17.18 1 Chr. 21.15 17. I haue done wickedly but these sheep what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee bee against mee and against my fathers house and not on thy people for their destruction the Lord repented him of the euill and said to the Angel that destroyed It is enough let thine hand ceasse Let vs consider the reasons of Gods merciful Reason 1 dealing which are first the comfort and releefe of his people that none should to the end of the world despaire of obtaining of mercy For the mercy of God in Christ is aboue all his workes which he extendeth to thousands it is infinite without measure Hee pardoneth such offenders to make them examples to others of Gods great mercy hee receiueth them to fauour and remitteth their offences not onely to manifest his mercy to the offender himselfe but to teach others to resort and repaire vnto him for pardon and forgiuenesse When the Prophet testifieth that by acknowledging his sinne vnto God and confessing his wickednesse against himself he obtained the remission of his sinne and punishment of sinne he addeth immediately Therefore shall euery one that is godly Psal 32.5 6. make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found This is the reason that the Apostle toucheth 1 Tim. 1. teaching that he was receiued to mercy for this cause That Iesus Christ shold first shew on him all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life So then from these and such like examples of great sinners that haue obtained much mercy we likewise should be assured of the goodnesse of God for our saluation whensoeuer wee can bee brought to beleeue the Gospel repent from dead works Secondly the consideration of the nature Reason 2 of God ministreth a strong and inuincible reason to gaine our affections to yeeld to this truth For his mercy is aboundant and his goodnesse is infinite It surmounteth the reach and vnderstanding of all mortall men It passeth the highnesse of the heauens the depth of the earth the breadth of the Sea the power of the diuel the strength of the Law the measure of the whole world and nothing can be compared with the perfections of the Almighty Iob 11.7 8 9. Paul who before his conuersion to the faith which he sought to destroy was a blasphemer a Persecuter an oppresser maketh this the cause why he was receiued to mercy The grace of our Lord was exceeding aboundant with faith and loue 1 Tim. 1.14 which is in Christ Iesus that is giuing vnto me faith that chased away infidelity and loue that ouercame cruelty So the Lord maketh this the chiefe and principall cause why he spared that rebellious and idolatrous people The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne Vse 1 The vses follow of this doctrine First we learne that there is no sinne that doth exceed the mercy of God None can say without iniury against his owne soule without reproach against God and giuing the lie to the glorious Maiestie of God My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen True it is there is an vnpardonable sinne Mat 12.31 that shall neuer bee forgiuen either in this world or in the world to come the blasphemy against the Spirit but that is because they cannot relent or repent that commit it they are so farre gone that they can neuer returne backe againe not because God is not able to forgiue it or that it doth exceed the mercies of God Seeing then vile sinners finde such infinite and vnspeakeable mercie let vs neuer despaire or doubt of his mercy fauor though we be suddenly ouertaken through infirmitie and fall into diuers and greeuous sinnes He hath mercy in store for such as haue beene exceeding sinners against him If they can repent of their sinnes his mercies are as great as himselfe Consider the examples of Peter that denyed
the vncircumcised Philistim that reuiled and railed vpon the host of the liuing God 1 Sam. 17 46 47 and 14 6. This day shall the Lord close thee in mine hands and I shall smite thee that all the world may know that Israel hath a God and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saueth not with sword nor with speare for the battell is the Lords and hee will giue you into our hands It is not hard with him to saue with many or with few he maketh the weake strong hee causeth one to chase a thousand and two to put ten thousand to flight when the mighty God selleth them and shutteth them vp An example we haue 2 Chron. 24 24. when Ioash King of Iudah sinned against God shedding innocent blood and forgetting the kindnesse shewed to him the Aramites came vp against him Ierusalem was besiedged the Princes were destroyed their goods were spoiled and though the army of Aram came with a small company of men yet the Lord deliuered a very great army into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers Giue God the glory of his owne works and let vs not sacrifice to our owne Nets This is the cause why God oftentimes doth not blesse and prosper our warres wee glory greatly in our multitudes of men whereby God is robbed of his glory and constrained to shew vs our owne folly and to chasten vs for our presumption Vse 2 Secondly it behoueth vs to consult with him before we enter into it â—mb 27 21. to pray for a blessing and to depend vpon him touching the successe If nothing ought to be enterprised rashly or taken in hand vnaduisedly then should warres be seriously thought vpon and warily begun and wisely vndertaken The wise man teacheth Prou. 20 18 24 6 that by counsell the thoughts of the heart must be established and by counsell warres are to be enterprised Thus when God promised victory to Ahab by one of his Prophets ouer a great multitude of the Syrians that he might learne to know him to be the Lord Ahab asked of the Lord who should order the battell 1 Kings 20 14 22 5. So we must do nothing before we aske counsell of God to know his will pleasure as Iehoshaphat taught Ahab crauing his helpe against Ramoth Gilead Aske counsell I pray thee of the Lord to day whether he will make our way prosperous When the children of Dan sent expert men to view the Land and search it out Iudg. 18 5 6 they asked counsell of God to guide their feete in the way of peace It is dangerous to be cold and carelesse in coâ—sulting with him coming to his ordinance for it Good King Ioshua the Pillar of the hand and nursing father of the Church was killed by Pharaoh Necho 2 Chron. 35 22 because he consulted not with the mouth of the Lord but went out to try his owne strength Let vs not in the day of battell think the season lost or the time il spent that is imployed this way now is the acceptable time and it is no wisedome to delay or deferre it This was the wickednesse of Sauls heart when the noyse of the Philistims army came to his eare the Priest had brought the Arke to aske aduice of God he saide Withdraw thine hand 1 Sam. 14 18 19 that is the time serueth not to stand stay counselling and consulting with God haue away these things and let vs draw neere to the enemy an euident testimony that God had forsaken him and taken his Spirit from him that he might runne from one euill into another and so worke out his owne confusion Contrariwise we see that while Ioshua encouÌ„tred with Amalek a malicious and bloody enemy Moses continued in prayer and he preuailed more to the discomfiture and destruction of the Amalekites by the force of prayer then Ioshua by the dint of the sword Lastly let vs not feare the enemies of the Vse 3 Church but be strong and valiant and commit the cause vnto God Thus did Ioab when he entred the battell for the defence of Gods people and true religion 2 Sam. 10 12. Beâ— strong and let vs be valiant for our people and for the Cities of our God let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes Thus Dauid comforteth himselfe when he fled from his sonne Abso on anâ— was driuen out of his kingdome by treason treachery Psal 3 6 7 8. I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that should beset mee round about O Lord arise helpe me my God for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheek bone thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked saluation belongeth vnto the Lord and thy blessing is vpon thy people Be not therefore dismayed discouraged when the enemies breathe out their threatnings against the Church band themselues together against Christ his religion and make their vnholy leagues for the vtter extirpation thereof the Lord that sitteth in heauen knoweth how to vexe them in his sure displeasure and to breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell and therefore blessed are all they that trust in him Verse 16. Assemble the people and I will giue them water So soone as they were remoued from the Riuer Arnon they came into a dry place where they wanted water but haue it immediately supplied of God Somewhat we see they had profited by the former iudgements which brake in as a fire among them consumed many For heere being in need and necessity they do not murmure against God as they had done before nor rage against Moâ—es as in former times but they wait the Lords leysure vntil he releeue them render thanks vnto him for his mercy receiued This benefit then is heere amplified by the cause I will giue them water From hence this Doctrine ariseth Doctrine The Lord supplieth the wants of his Seruants that the Lord supplieth the wants of his and helpeth them alwaies in time of neede When we are hungry he feedeth vs when we are thirsty he giueth vs drinke when we are naked he cloatheth vs when we are destitute he succoureth vs when we are in want hee supplieth vs when we are in any necessity he helpeth vs yea hee worketh myracles and changeth the course of Nature rather then forsaketh vs. He sent Manna to Israel when they wanted bread he strooke the stony Rock when they wanted drinke he sent his Angell to Eliah with food to strengthen him He neuer forgetteth those that are his he maketh the raine to fall and the sunne to shine vpon the very wicked and vngodly This the Prophet Dauid handleth Psalm 147 9 145 15 16. The eyes of all waite vpon thee and thou giuest them their meate in due season thou openest thine hand and fillest all things liuing of thy good pleasure He giueth to Beasts their food and to the yong Rauens that cry This the Lord
reserueth wrath for his enemies and taketh vengeance on his aduersaries will helpe to redresse and represse our corrupt affections and make vs able to preuaile ouer them and to withstand them Let vs not recompence like for like let vs not measure euill for euill let vs do good against euill committing our cases and causes to that iust Iudge that alwayes iudgeth vprightly Therefore the Prophet ascribeth this Title as peculiar to God to right and reuenge the quarrels of his Children Psal 94 1 2. O Lord God the auenger O God the auenger shew thy selfe cleerely exalt thy selfe O Iudge of the world and render a reward to the proud It is the proper Office of God to take vengeance on the wicked and vngodly Wherefore the Apostle exhorteth the church Rom. 12 17 19 to recompence to no man euill for euill Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord So the Apostle Iohn after the foretelling oâ— troubles and persecutions addeth Heere is the patience of the Saints declaring thereby Reuel 14 12 what our armour and what our weapons of defence are to giue vs victory ouer our enemies Let these things stay vs in our afflictions from breaking out into impatiency of spirit and from returning wrong for wrong albeit the vnfaithfull rise vp against vs the Drunkards make songs of vs Psal 69 12. and we suffer reproofe and reproch for the Gospels sake yet he whose cause it is will not suffer the water-flouds to drowne vs neither let the deepâ— swallow vs vp nor let the pit shut her mouth vpon vs. Thirdly it is the duty of his people to praisâ— Vse 3 him greatly when hee auengeth the cause oâ— his Children When they see the wicked punished and those that forget God taken 〈◊〉 the snare of their own hands let them reioyce and be glad and giue vnto God the glory due vnto his name This practise we haue in the Prophet Ps 136 1. speaking of the ouerthrow of Pharaoh in the red sea and remembring the slaughter of sundry mighty Kings yea euen the names of those which we now speake of he prouoketh the people by a most earnest exhortation to giue thankes vnto God for their destruction Praise yee the Lord because hee is good for his mercy endureth for euer Heereunto commeth the praier of the Israelites induring the bitter scornes and reprochfull tauntes of most malicious enemies in the daies of their captiuity who as they demanded an heauie curse against those Edomites Psal 137 7 8. so they pronounced a blessing vpon them that shall vexe and trouble them This appeareth euidently in Ester 9 17. when the Church of God saw a great worke wrâ—ught for them their enimies destroyed and themselues deliuered they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy and kept a feast in remembrance of their deliuerance It is not cruelty to reioyce at the destruction of Gods enemies and to magnify his most great name for it This the Apostle Iohn teacheth Reu. 19 1.2 3 4 5. where the heauenly companies of Angels and blessed soules set foorth their gladnes and triumph that God had iudged the enemies of his people So chap. 18. v 20. O heauen reioyce of her and yee holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath punished her to be auenged on her for your sakes The innocent blood of the patient martyrs so cruelly murthered crieth out for vengeance in the eares of the Lord of hoasts as the blood of righteous Abel and shall not the Iudge of all the world do right It is his office to render into the bosome of his aduersaries seuen fold Now as it is our duty earnestly to desire the accomplishment of his iudgments so when they are performed as surely they will come and not tarry we must glorifie his blessed name with all reioycing that we can conceiue and expresse Lastly this serueth to be a terror to the vngodly Vse 4 when this Doctrine shal sound in their eares that God wil iudge the wicked for persecuting the members of Christ Iesus If they escape in this world the Lord reserueth them for greater iudgement When the Lord Iesus commeth with thousands of his Angels 2 Thes 1.6 7 8.9 hee will render vengeance vnto them in flaming fire and punish them with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power This the Prophet assureth Esai 8 9 10 14. 17 11 12 13 14. where by an Ironicall insulting he setteth downe the ruine of the enemies of the Church who albeit theyr rage be restlesse and their malice endlesse yet they shall not stand and their counsels shall come â—o nothing they do fight against God and against his sonne Christ Iesus who is the inuinâ—ible Rocke whereon the Church is builded â—gainst which the gates of hell shall not bee â—ble to preuaile So that whosoeuer shall fall on this stone he shall be broken but on whomsoeuer it shall fall it will dash him in peeces Mat. 21. Thus shal all the vngodly be scattered as chaffe before the winde and swept away as dung in the iust iudgement of God So let all thine Enemies perish O Lord but they that loue him shal be as the Sunne when he riseth in his might Iudg. 5 31. Verse 21.22 Let me go through thy Land We will not turne aside into the Fields nor into the Vineyards c. Heere Moses setteth downe another danger of the Israelites greater then the former remembred in the former chapter Thus one trouble followeth in the necke of another As one deepe calleth to another deepe by the noise of his water spouts Psal 42 7. Wee see heere againe how Israel is driuen to the same exigent they were before After they haue compassed the land of Edom they come to the Amorites and craue of them some help and compassion They seeke comfort and an end of their sorrowes at the hands of Sihon a wretched Idolater an enemy of God and of his people Thus low are the people of God oftentimes brought to stand in neede of the fauour of the vngodly as we haue shewed in the former chapter Furthermore Moses assureth before hand what their behauiour shall be and promiseth to abstaine from all hurt wrong From hence we learne this doctrine Doctriâ— The pâ— God 〈◊〉 â—staine 〈◊〉 wrong â—ries That the people of God must abstaine from al violent incroching vpon the goods and possessions of others they must not intrude them selues vpon their goodes and substance they must keep their hands from robbing and stealing and their hearts from coueting and desiring that which is anothers and not their owne they must not take of all that is another mans so much as a thred or shoo-latchet to inrich themselues Hereunto come the lawes giuen of God vnto his people Exodus 22 1. If a man steale an Oxe or a Sheepe if a man hurt his neighbours field or
his power is not now weakened he can deale thus with all his enemies the enemies of his Church If he blow vpon them with the blast of his mouth they passe away suddenly as the chaffe is scattered before the winde An example heereof is recorded in the holy History 2 Chron. 20 23. when a great multitude of the Moabites Ammonites and Amorites assembled themselues to fight against Iehoshaphat after he had set himselfe to seeke the Lord proclaiming a fast throughout all Iudah asking counsell of the Lord and praying to him in the zeale of his spirit the enemies slew one another with the sword Thus doth God turn the edge of the sword drawne against the Church vpon themselues rescueth his people when there is none to helpe We haue had experience of Gods protection of his church our eyes haue seene and our eares haue heard how one hath butchered and murthered another whereby God hath giuen a time of rest and breathing vnto his seruants Hee is the same without changing with him is no variablenes neither shadow of turning if we turne to him with all our hearts he will turne to vs and not suffer the rod of the wicked alwaies to rest on the lot of the righteous lest they should put forth their hand to wickednes Therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages therof We haue heard of the murthers slaughters that were betweene the Moabites the Amorites in the which howsoeuer one sought to defend himselfe the other preuailed by vsurpation as might sometimes ouer-cometh right yet the purpose of God who ouer-swayeth all actions of men and draweth good out of euill was to giue rest to his people and to make them inherite and inhabite the Cities and Villages which the Amorites had wrongfully gotten Doctrine Gods childreÌ„ are oftentimes brought into the inheâ—itaÌ„ce of the vnfaithfull Hereby we learne for our instruction that God oftentimes bringeth the godly and faithfull that please him to inherite the Lands and possessions of the wicked and vngodly Howsoeuer the beleeuers that feare God are many times thrust out of house and home and haue their lawfull possessions taken from them as we see in Naboths Vineyard 2 King 21 15. Gen. 21 25. and in Abrahams Well yet sometimes God returneth in mercy to the faithfull and maketh the substance and inheritance of the vnfaithfull to descend vnto them This is confirmed in the Booke of Exodus at the departure of Israel out of the Land of Egypt at which time GOD recompenced the sore labours and heauy trauels of his people imposed vpon them by cruell taske-masters For they asked of the Egiptians Iewels of siluer and Ingots of gold and change of rayment then the Lord gaue them fauour in the sight of the Egiptians so that they granted their requests inriched the Israelites and spoiled themselues Exod. 12 35 36. This goodnesse of God the Prophet with praise acknowledgeth toward his people saying He cast out the Heathen before them caused them to fall to the lot of his inheritance c. Psal 78 55. This verifieth the saying of the wise man Prou. 28 8. He that encreaseth his riches by vsury and interest gathereth them for him that will be mercifull to the poore And in another place Prou 13.22 The good man shall giue inheritance to his childrens children and the riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust In like manner Iob describing the condition of the vngodly fheweth that though he should heape vp siluer as the dust Iob 27.16 17. and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Thus God taketh away the things of this life from such as vse theÌ„ wickedly and bestoweth them vpon such as will imploy them lawfully Reason 1 The Reasons remaine to be considered to strengthen this truth and to make it appeare to the conscientes of all of vs to be a necessary and apparant truth First of all the mercy of God toward such as are sealed vp to be his seruants is without end there is no brim nor bottome of it If then his mercy surmount our thoughts he will let passe no part of his kindnes toward them that do feare him Thus the Prophet reasoneth Psal 136 21 22. Where vpon these examples of Gods great kindnes toward Israel in ouerthrowing Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan hee saith He gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercy endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer Whensoeuer therefore wee see this come to passe we must acknowledge the cause of it to be in God who ceasseth not to bee good to those that be his Reason 2 Againe God maketh knowne his power among his people to teach them to depend vpon him to shew vnto them that they serue not a weake and impotent God to instruct them to walke in the obedience of his waies This the Prophet pointeth out Psalm 44 2 3 and 111 6 105 44 45. Vse 1 The vses follow First this truth teacheth who is the soueraigne disposer of all things in heauen and earth namely God He ordereth kingdomes and disposeth Countries he giueth and taketh away hee encreaseth and diminisheth he maketh rich and maketh poore It is not our owne strength or pollicy it is not our owne care or labour it is the bountifulnes and blessing of God that is all in all We haue heere beneath vpon the earth Owners and Land-lords we haue such as account themselues possessours of houses and lands but we must know that wee are all Tenants at will we enioy nothing by Lease or Indenture for terme of yeares but hold the tenure of the Lands and liuings at the will and pleasure of the great and high Land-lord of all the world This is the confession of Hannah in her song of thanksgiuing 1 Sam. 2 7 8. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seat of glory for the Pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world vpon them Whatsoeuer therefore we haue let vs acknowledge therein not our owne desarts or merites but the goodnes of God toward vs filling vs with good things to serue him Secondly let vs from hence confesse that Vse 2 all the carke and care of man with his best endeuours cannot alwaies attaine to the benefit and fruite of his trauell but he prouideth that which another enioyeth This the Prophet Haggai testifieth chap 1 6.9 Yee haue sowne much and bring in little ye eate but ye haue not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloathe you but ye are not warme c. According to that which
〈◊〉 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
the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Reason 1 c. The reasons heereof follow to be considered First God will honour all those that honour him he will despise all those that despise him This is the gracious promise that is gone out of his owne mouth which hee cannot but verifie and performe for he is not as man that he should lye hee is not as the sonne of man that he should deceiue This is it which the Lord spake by the mouth and ministry of Samuel concerning Eli and his house Them that honour me I will honour and them that despise me shall be despised 1. Sam. 2.30 And therefore Reason 2 they shall prosper that loue the Church Psal 122. Secondly God hath appointed it to be the end of our obedience our mercy to others shall procure mercy vpon our selues This the Apostle setteth downe Math. 5 7. Rom. 2 10. To euery one that doth good shall be honour and glory and peace Rom. 2 10. We saw this before in the history of Rahab who through faith receiued the spyes shee her family and kinred were were preserued maried into the family of Iudah of whom Christ came according to the flesh Reason 3 Thirdly mercy a notable fruite of loue receiued kindleth the hearts and enflameth the affections of Gods people both to praise God for them to pray vnto God for them that haue bene helpeful and seruiceable to the Church It is recorded to perpetuall remembrance touching Iehoiada that hee was buried among the Kings and greatly honoured both aliue and dead because hee had done good in Israel toward God and his house 2. Chron. 24 15 16. So when Paul remembreth the kindnesse of Onesiphorus who sought him out refreshed him was not ashamed of his chain he desireth the Lord to grant vnto him that he may finde mercy with the Lord at that day 2. Tim. 1 16 18. Nay he prayeth not onely for Onesiphorus selfe although he onely had helped him but for his whole house family whereby is set downe a most notable meanes and motiue to stirre vs vp to doe good and to distribute to all the members of Iesus Christ inasmuch as God sheweth that hee will haue mercy and take pitty not onely of vs but vppon our housholds and all those that are neere about vs. Vse 1 The vses follow First from hence wee haue the strengthening and confirmation of another holy truth in our Christian Religion to wit that mercifull liberall and kinde men shall be surely blessed No mercifull man shall lose his labour but in the end he shal haue his recompence and reward Our Sauior Christ saith Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy The Prophet teacheth Psal 112. that a good man is mercifull and lendeth and will measure his affaires by iudgment he hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnesse remaineth for euer his horne shall be exalted with glory So the Wise man speaketh in many Parables Prou. 11 25. and 28.27 and 19.17 The liberall man shall haue plenty and he that watereth shall also haue raine he that giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke but be that hideth his eyes shall haue many curses hee that hath mercy on the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and the Lord will recompence him that which he hath giuen Cast thy bread vpon the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it giue a portion to seuen and also to eight for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth Eccl. 11 1 2. On the other side miserablenesse and vnreasonable handfastnesse are the causes of the ruine of many men and their houses and bring curses vpon body goods soule children family and all things that belong vnto them So it was in churlish and cruell Nabal So shall there be iudgment mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy And he that gathereth goods by vnlawfull meanes shal leaue them to such as will pitty the poore Thus we see God requireth mercy of vs to be like him Vse 2 Secondly it is our duty to loue Gods people seeing such as fauour them doe fare the better for them Such as are friends to them shall haue God to be their friend who promiseth to blesse such as blesse them What greater blessing can there be then to haue God to be our friend What greater curse and miserie then to haue him our enemy The vngodly haue receiued temporall blessings for shewing kindnesse to the faithfull the Lord hath sent none of them empty away that euer did good to his people as wee heard in Laban Potiphar and others This serueth to reproue all such as hate and reuile them that curse and detest them that reproach them and speake all manner of euill against them And here let vs weigh and consider into what euill times we are fallen times filled and defiled with all iniquitie 2 Tim. 3 1. 2. Pet. 3 3. In former ages the very infidels and vnbeleeuers confessed that they were blessed for the godlies sake they were so farre from branding and vpbraiding them with odious taunts forged in hell hammered with the tongues of euil men that their mouthes haue acknowledged how GOD hath prospered them for their sakes This last age is as a common sink wherein all the wicked inuentions and diuellish practices doe meet and are gathered together and therefore it bringeth forth masters of mischiefe and expert practitioners in sinne who are furnished with their owne inuentions former examples and tryed experiments of all times places and persons Maruaile not therefore if the children of God be now scorned when godlinesse it selfe is made a common by-word In former ages when as the Prophets and righteous men were persecuted and their liues sought after euery one was ready to helpe and to hide them So did Ionathan detect the hatred and reueale the fury of his father against Dauid with the hazard of his owne life 1. Sam. 20 42. So did Obadiah in the court of Ahab hide an hundred Prophets in caues from the cruelty of Iezabel 〈◊〉 18 13. sustained them in the time of the famine of the which wee shall speake more afterward Thus did the disciples let downe Paul in a basket when his life was sought for by the bloody Inquisition Acts 9 21. Woe vnto them therefore rhat betray them into the hands of their enemies as the Ziphims did Dauid 1 Sam. 23.20 as Iruah did Ieremy Ier. 39.13 as Iudas did Christ Math. 26 48. Woe be vnto them that falsely accuse them and any way adde affliction to their affliction whereas they should countenance and defend them to their power as Ionathan did Dauid as Ebed-melech did Ieremy and woe vnto them that hurt the godly for GOD threatneth to curse such as curse them so that we should feare any way to doe them wrong Vse 3 Thirdly hereby wee are warned to exhort one another to this duty and by all meanes to prouoke one another
his reconciliation and attonement For so long as we liue in sinne we lye vnder the curse and wrath of God no grace can shine vpon vs no mercy can ouertake vs no blessing can fall vpon vs. But when sinne is punished the curse is remoued and the fauour of God doth compasse vs about as with a shield Now let vs come to the Vses that we may Vse 1 haue the profit and comfort of this Doctrine First wee learne that such as continue in any knowne sinne vnrepented of cannot look for peace from God So long as sinne reigneth in any place the wrath of God hangeth ouer it and will vndoubtedly fall vpon it There is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked Esay 48 22. God doth come into the field as an open enemy to wage warre and enter into a combate against all impenitent sinners This the Prophet speaketh Psal 7 11 12. God iudgeth the righteous and him that contemneth God euery day except he turne he hath whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready He abhorreth all the vngodly and therefore he will fight against thē as a man of war he will raine downe snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempests vpon them hee will destroy them in his wrath and fierce displeasure It is a fearefull thing to bee a rebell and traitor against a Prince and to stand out in armes against his Soueraigne in the field with weapons it is high treason the losse of life the forfeyture of lands and goods the staining of our blood the vndoing of our posterity So to stand out in any sinne is high treason and rebellion against the most High The continuance in any sinne is rebellion and they that are the committers of it are rebels against God This made the Prophet to say Destroy them O God let them fall from their counsels cast them out for the multitude of their iniquities because they haue rebelled against thee Ps 5 10. To this purpose Samuel calleth the disobedience of Saul rebellion 1 Sam. 15 23. Euery man knoweth the danger of rebellion against the Prince it is more against God When we heare of forreigne warres we feare and tremble wee are much moued and perplexed and shall wee not much more be afraid when the Lord the King of Kings wageth battell against vs Whē God by the Ministery of his word doth reproue sinne among vs our ignorance our loosenes lewdnesse our negligence security he doth stand out against vs as with his sword ready drawne in his hand to reclaime vs or to destroy vs. We were better to haue the whole world set against vs then God to be our enemy What a monstrous madnes is it for a mortall man to stand at defiance with him who is the Lord of hostes Doe we faith the Apostle prouoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger then he 1 Corinth chap. 10 verse 22. How many are there which are so witlesse and bewitched that they thinke themselues strong enough to encounter with God like the Gyants that would plucke God out of heauen But let them take heed lest setting themselues against him they thrust thēselues downe into hell to their eternall confusion Secondly it teacheth a notable and necessary Vse 2 duty to all Magistrates to be zealous for the Lords cause to roote out euill dooers to maintaine the glory of God and to shew thēselues enemies vnto all iniquity Do they desire to haue their people liue in peace tranquility and to bring a blessing to those that liue vnder their gouernment Do they desire to haue the curse of God remoued farre from them The onely way is for them to punish sinne wherby they bring quietnesse and safety and moue the Lord to dwell among them with the graces of his Spirit The Lord threatened Ahab because he had let go out of his hands a man whom he had appointed to dye his life should go for his life and his people for his people 1 Kings chapter 20 verse 42. When Saul had spared Agag contrary to the expresse commandement of God who charged him to smite Amalek and to destroy all that appertained vnto them haue no compassion on them but to slay both man and woman both infant and suckling both Oxe and Sheepe both Camell and Asse the Kingdome was rent from him was giuen to his neighbour that was better then he 1 Sam. chapter 15 verse 26. When the Leuite had his wife abused vnto death and villanously defiled at Gibeah which is in Beniamin because those wicked men were not put to death that euill might be put away from Israel it turned almost vnto the vtter destruction of that Tribe Iudg. chapter 20 verses 13 35 and there fell of them in one day fiue and twenty thousand an hundred men all they that could handle the sword So the Magistrates must regard to punish sinne if they regard the honour of God the profit of their people or the good of themselues We see what an head sinne groweth vnto and gathereth strength in all places It beareth the cheefest sway preheminence euery where He that checketh and controlleth it laboureth in vaine and maketh himselfe a prey True it is the Ministers of Gods word haue the sword of the Spirit put into their hands Heb. 4 12. to cut in sunder the cordes of sinne It is a fire that burneth and consumeth the straw and stubble before it It is an hammer that breaketh in peeces the hard stones Ier. 23 29. and it hath the power of God adioyned with it Notwithstanding vnlesse the Ministery of the word be assisted and strengthened by the force of the Magistrate it is little regarded esteemed of the greatest number It is good indeed to haue some instruction but it auayleth little without correction If a master should cry neuer so often vnto his scholler learne learne and disswade him from his idlenesse and lewdnesse neuer so earnestly yet if he know his master hath no authority or power to correct and chasten him he will smally respect the vehemency of his words but esteeme them as a blast of winde that passeth away So is it with the people when the Magistrate and Minister go not together when the word and the sword doe not accompany one another For these two being the high holy ordinances of God do giue strength assistance one to another The Magistrate would bee much more troubled if the word which is liuely mighty in operation were not taught to keepe men in obedience and they might sit as it is saide of Moses Exod. 18 14 to heare causes from morning to euening and weary themselues with the toyle and trouble of their Office without comfort to themselues or profit to others And on the other side the Ministers might lift vp their voyce as a Trumpet and cry aloud vntill they be hoarce vnlesse they be backed and encouraged by the godly Magistracy So long as Moses and Aaron as
wickedly in the sight of the Lord they were made slaues and captiues sometimes to one enemy and sometimes to another Iudg. chap. 4 ver 1 2. When the Israelites began to loathe the offerings of God the Lord threatened a greeuous iudgement to come vpon them 1 Sam. 3 1â— and executed it accordingly for the Philistines fought against them and Israel was smitten downe euery man fled into his tent and there was an exceeding great slaughter for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen Thus through sinne reigning among them the enemies of God are armed the people of GOD are destroyed the Arke of God is taken and the priests of God are smitten with the sword It was the sin of Eli and his house especially that drew the iudgment of God on the whole Nation Wee see this in the example of Salomon when his hart was turned away from the true God and his hands were holden vppe to strange gods the Lord was angry with him because hee had giuen him a charge concerning this thing that hee should not follow other gods Then the Lord stirred vp one aduersary vnto Salomon and afterward another aduersary which did much mischeefe and euill against Israel 1 Kings 11 14 23. This appeareth in Rehoboam the son of Salomon when once he forsooke the Lord and all Israel with him the Prophet is sent to say vnto him Thus saith the Lord Ye haue forsaken mee therefore haue I left you in the hands of Shishak 2 Chron. chap. 12 verse 5. Reason 1 The Reasons being considered will make the doctrine more euident First sin maketh vs execrable to the Lord and abhominable in his sighr Nothing doth more deforme vs and make vs cursed and detested in the sight of God If then sin make vs to be had in execration it is no maruell if we be left destitute of Gods protection This is the reason which the Lord vseth why Israel fell before their enemies and he went not forth with their armies when they fell before the men of Ai Therfore the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies but haue turned their backes before their enemies because they be execrable Iosh 7 12 13. Wee see then the nature of sin it maketh men abhominable and detestable in the sight of God Reason 2 Secondly God leaueth and departeth from them that fall from him they forsake him therefore he forsaketh them For so long as we walke in the wayes of godlines and please God in all things according to his will God is among vs He dwelleth with vs hee will neuer depart from vs hee walketh in the middest of our habitations 2 Cor. 6 16. But when we commit wickednesse in his sight and follow the abhominations of our owne hearts he is gone hee will take vp his seate no more among vs hee will not come nere our dwelling places This is the reason which the Lord vrgeth to Ioshua in the place before named saying There is an execrable thing among you O Israel neyther will I be with you any more except ye destroy the excoÌ„municate from among you Ios 7 12 13. So then our lying in sinne doth driue the Lord from vs that he will haue no more fellowship with vs to do vs any good Vse 1 We are now to set downe the vses of this Doctrine First this teacheth vs to acknowledge that all iudgements which seize and fall vpon vs are iust righteous God chastiseth vs often but alwayes iustly neuer vniustly True it is the particular cause is not alwayes discerned of vs why he chastiseth and sinne is not alway the cheefe and principall cause as appeareth in the example of the blinde man of whom Christ sayth Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the workes of God should be shewed vpon him Iohn 9 3 yet his punishments are alwaies deserued and neuer inflicted when he is not mooued who rowzeth vp himselfe as a Lyon out of his denne as the Prophet speaketh to execute righteous iudgements We see in the booke of Nehemiah how the Leuites lay open the sinnes of the whole land confessing Gods kindnesse vnto them and their vnkindnesse to the Lord and iustifying his name Nehem. 9 33 34 Surely thou art iust in all that is come vpon vs for thou hast dealt truly but we haue done wickedly And our Kings and our Princes our Priests our fathers haue not done thy Law nor regarded thy commandements nor thy protestations wherewith thou hast protested among them So when there is any imminent danger of iudgment as of the plague of sicknesse of famin of war or such like this must teach vs that then especially wee should take heede that we lay not our selues naked vnto them by rebelling against God I meane not this of any bodily nakednesse appearing to the eye of man but of spiritual nakednesse in the sight of God whereby man in his sight appeareth a deformed sinner This is a fearfull condition this is the foulest nakednesse that can be A man or woman by the light of nature would be ashamed to bee seene naked which teacheth vs to couer the body but much more should we take heede that we appeare not naked to God and see the filthines of our hearts Let vs craue the righteousnesse of Christ to be a couering to cloath our souls For they are blessed whose sinnes are couered Psal 31 1. When GOD threatneth to bring any plague or iudgment vpon vs let vs not wound our owne soules or lay them open to the wrath of God but rather humble our selues before him that hee may call backe the punishments that are gone out against vs This is it which Moses teacheth Deut. 23 9 When thou goest out with thine hoast against thine enemies keepe thee from all wickednes Secondly seeing sinne layeth vs open to reproches Vse 2 of enemies and to the iudgements of God as appeareth in this great plague vpon the people this sheweth that whensoeuer we haue layd our selues thus naked by â—alling into sinnes we must not go about to hide and to couer them from God through hypocrisy For all things are naked and open to his eies with whom we haue to do so that we must learne to acknowledge them and confesse them before his presence We see how ready men are to hide their sinnes with Adam from the sight of God but the more wee seeke to conceale them the more we reueale them the more vgly we appeare before him What folly or madnesse is it that is practised in the world to hide our sinnes from men and neuer regarde how bare and naked they bee in the presence of the all-seeing God If a man committing sinne were sure to keepe it secret from the sight and knowledge of all others that none could accuse him or detect him of it what should this auaile him seeing it is open to the eyes of God and appeareth as plainly as wee behold the sores of poore Criples that vncouer
strange gods and to direct their hearts vnto the Lord to serue him onely that so he might deliuer them out of the hands of the Philistins 1 Sam. 7 3. And to speake the truth if we did aright consider the matter we ought to walk in greater feare and carefulnesse in the time of warre then in the dayes of peace For when there is but a step betweene death and vs when the drum foundeth when the Cannon roareth when the sword deuoureth when danger compasseth vs about on all sides when no man can promise safety to himselfe ought wee not to lift vp our eyes and our hearts so much the more vnto God Seeing therefore wee are then in the greatest most manifest and imminent perill of our liues the losse whereof sin will hasten vpon vs wee ought to remaine vnder the obedience of God and reconcile our selues vnto him before warres be enterprized This is it which the Lord teacheth by Moses Leuit 26 14 17. If ye will not obey me nor doe all these commandements I will set my face against you and ye shall fall before your enemies and they that hate you shall reigne ouer you and ye shall flee when none pursueth you This reproueth such as giue themselues the greatest liberty to sinne to vse such violence oppression when they should liue in the best order and the greatest obedience Cornelius the Captaine is commended for his religion Acts 10 1 2. So is the Centurion renowned for his faith Mat. 8 10. They that are Captaines and soldiers must not giue themselues to all riot as if they had a law to commit sin and to breake al lawes of God and man without controlment Secondly it reprooueth such as make choise of the most loose and vngodly to fight the Lords battels and think Atheists swearers blasphemers murtherers whoremongers theeues drunkards to bee fit soldiers to goe against Gods enemies These are fitter instruments to fight the diuels battels for he is the Captaine and Commander ouer this cursed crew They are all the diuels band and of the forlorne hope They are fitter to be mustered and gathered together to fight for some vsurper theÌ„ for a lawfull Prince that may make his choise and call whom hee will to fight his battels These may be vsed in necessity and extremity rather then where there is store and plenty of many others It is noted touching Abimelech that when he had slaine his brethren with the sword and vsurped the dominion he hired vaine and light fellowes which followed him to make himselfe strong and to settle selfe in the kingdome Iudg. 9.4 Thus did Ieroboam establish his seate and throne when he rebelled against his Lord he gathered to him â—aine men and wicked and by them he fortified himselfe against Rehoboam the son of Salomon 2 Chron. 13.7 No trust confidence can be reposed in such who being vnfaithfull to god can giue no comfort or assurance they will deale otherwise towardes men whereby commeth great losse to the Prince and great hurt to the Commonwealth Lastly it serueth to ouerthrow three sorts Vse 5 of men that yeeld not to the truth of this Doctrine First such as murmure and grudge at the hearing of warres complaining of the expences and charges that are necessarie for the maintenance of them whilst others lye in the fieldes and aduenture their liues they sleepe soundly and lye quietly in their beds and yet repine disdain to contribute any thing in so necessary iust a cause and are many times great hinderers and pull-backes vnto others that would shew themselues forward in the Princes seruice It were fit that such as are thus backeward to serue with their purse should be constrained to be forward to serue in their person Vnto these we may ioyne such as cry out that it was neuer well since warre was vsed and do preferre an vniust peace before a iust warre Secondly this condemneth such as are carelesse for their owne defence safety but suffer the enemies to come vpon them and make no prouision or preparation against them This is noted to haue beene the behauiour of the men of Laish and the cause of their destruction that they liued carelesly one with another and made no fortifications against their enemies Iudg. 18 7 10. For the children of Dan came vnto them being a quyet people and without mistrust and smote them with the edge of the sword and burnt the city with fire Thus it is with all that liue securely do not stand vpon their own guard Thus it is with such as neuer prouide against the enemies they are soon surprized by them Lastly it condemneth the Maniches Dane de haeres cap. 22. the Marcionites the Anabaptists the Family of loue and such as call themselues spirituall men which deny the lawfulnes of battell the vse of war the wearing of weapon the putting on of armor and the handling of the sword But do these alledge nothing for themselues Haue they no shew of reason or colour of argument to vphold their opinion It is a desperat cause that admitteth no defence It is a foule fall that cannot be couered with no fig leaues Let vs see what their obiections are how we may stop their mouths by answering of them And as all heretickes pretend Scripture imitating their first father the diuel Mat. 4 6 who tempting Christ in the wildernes alledgeth what is written so haue these men sundry goodly glozes garnished with the name authority of the word of God They alledge that Christ commandeth Mat. 5 39. 26 52. 13 29 If one giue vs a blow on the right cheek we shold turn to him the left if any would sue vs at the Law to take away our coate we should giue him our cloak also If hee compell vs to goe with him a Mile wee should goe with him twaine and thereuppon concludeth That wee should not resist euill He saith vnto Peter He that striketh with the sword shall also perish with the sword and thereupon willeth him to put vp his sword he will not haue the tares to be pulled vp but be let alone and suffered to grow vntill the haruest So the Apostle teacheth Roman 12 17 18 19. That vengeance belongeth to the Lord who will repay that wee must recompence to no man euill for euill that if it be possible as much as in vs lyeth we should haue peace with all men he asketh why we do not rather suffer wrong why wee do not rather sustaine harme then one brother draw another before the iudgement seates of Infidels If then it bee not lawfull to follow suites it is lesse lawfull to draw swords He sheweth that our weapons are not carnall but our warfare spiritual that we wrastle not against flesh blood but against principalities against powers against spirituall wickednesses that are in the high places Adde vnto these testimonies of the New Testament the ancient Prophesies of the Prophets which do
giue to these maintaine them both in idlenes wickednes As then we see vnto whoÌ„ we ought not to giue so we must know to whom we ought to giue To whom we â—â—ght to giue These are poore widdowes and fatherlesse children 1 Tim. 5 16 such as are poore strangers such day laborers as worke hard for their liuing all the week and yet cannot either thorough weaknesse of their body or greatnes of their charge get things necessary and sufficient for them and of these we shall alwaies haue with vs to the end of the world Mat. 62 11 Such also as are falne into decay by ineuitable losses 〈◊〉 15 11. Leu. 23 35. Lastly such as are weake and impotent whether through age or other blemish whether in their feete or in their hands or other parts that thereby though they bee willing yet they are not able to take paines for theyr liuing Acts 3.2 6. but amongst all these they are especially to bee respected that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6 10. If we be careful and mindfull of these God will recompence vs againe and pay vs home seuenfolde into our bosomes whatsoeuer we haue giuen both in temporall spirituall and eternall blessings Lastly it is our duty to acknowledge Gods Vse 3 great mercy toward vs in the blessings of this life that hee hath giuen to vs that which hee hath denied to many others and when he giueth vnto vs a comfortable vse of these blessings wee must confesse we haue them not by our owne labor and industrie but by his speciall goodnes towards vs Psal 127 1 3. and therfore we ought to sanctifie our daily pains with daily prayer and begin and end our labors with remembring him that remembreth vs and so praise his goodnes that enableth vs to get goods and this shall make our labour sweet and pleasant and the yoake that lyeth in our neckes to be light and easie Againe as God giueth them so he giueth a blessing with them a blessing with a blessing that is bread and the nourishment of bread For a man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Deut. 8. Moreouer as he giueth outward blessings so he can take them away when it pleaseth him euen in a moment Iob 1 Luk 12. 22 And the Lord saide vnto Moses Get thee vp into this mount Abarim and see the land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel 13 And when thou hast seene it thou shalt bee gathered vnto thy people c. 14 For ye rebelled against my commandement c. Here followeth the second part of the chapt touching the successour of Moses in the gouernment of this great people wherein obserue the occasion the calling of Ioshua The occasion is double the death of Moses at haÌ„d his request to God to appoint a man to be set in his place Touching his death he is willed to go vp to mount Abarim and to behold the land that God had giuen to the Israelites for God had foreshewed that he should see the land with his eies though he did not tread on it with his feet when he had seene the land he should dy as Aaron his brother before him chap. 20 24 amplified by the cause they had not sanctified the name of the Lord at the Waters of Meribah of which we haue spoken before Touching the prayer and request of Moses he desireth of the Lord that he wold appoint a fit Ruler ouer his people to succeed him in this gouernment that might be able to beare this great burthen For hearing the vnchaÌ„geable determination of God humbling himselfe vnder his correcting hand chastising his transgression he is not afraid of the sentence of death being at hand and seeing it before him neither doth he craue to haue the stroke thereof prolonged and delayed neither is he troubled with excessiue cares for himselfe and his children and posterity as the manner is of worldly minded men that mind nothing but the earth and earthly things when they must go out of the world shall haue their mouth full thereof but all his care was for the future benefite of the people to leaue them in good estate after his departure This should teach vs after his example to be readie to leaue the world whensoeuer God calleth vs not to staÌ„d in feare of death but to be willing to goe to God knowing the we shall go to an inheritance immortall that fadeth not 1 Pet. 1. and we must all likewise be carefull to leaue our houses places in good state when we are gone of which we haue spoken before chap. 20. Moses was the deere seruant of God yet sinning hee is punished The Lord himselfe receyued his soule and buried his body Deut 34 6 13. He was in high fauour with God liuing and dying an excellent Prophet to whom God spake face to face yet hee was not suffered to enter into the land of Promise Doctrine Many want the outward signes that are partakers of the truth of the Sacraments Wherby we see that many want the Sacraments that are partakers of the truth and substance of the Sacraments He entred into the heauenly Canaan that was not permitted to enter into the earthly Some are admitted vnto the outward signe that neuer receiue the thing signified so was Iudas to the Passeouer as well as Peter and the rest of the Apostles yet he was neuer partaker of the Lambe that taketh away the sins of the world Iohn 1 29. On the other side some take not the outward signe that neuerhelesse partake the inward grace The vses heereof are to teach vs that the outward Vse 1 and inward parts of the Sacraments are not necessarily ioyned together so that hee which partaketh the one should also partake the other and therfore the outward sign doth not simply conferre grace Secondly it condemneth the Church of Rome that holdeth that children dying without baptisme are not saued whereas saluation is not alwayes annexed to the signe so that though infants want the outward washing yet to them may belong the kingdom of heauen Mark 10 14. Lastly it serueth as a great comfort to such as desire to come to the Sacraments yet are hindred sometimes by sicknes and somtimes by other ineuitable occasions that procure their absence forasmuch as we see in this example of Moses that we may bee partakers of the truth of the signes and yet bee barred or banished from the signes themselues In such cases as these God accepteth the will for the deede 2 Cor. 8 12. Againe Doctrine Many are temporally punished that are not eternally condemned we learne by the examples of Moses and Aaron that were not suffered to enter into Canaan a figure of the heauenly Canaan this truth That many are temporally punished which are not eternally condemned Many are chastised in this life not onely with diseases and sicknesses but with death
I thinke to mocke at the passion of Christ Lastly they make their Fasting to bee meritorious and to deserue remission and forgiuenesse at the hands of God and so prefer their owne traditions before the precepts and commandements of God Lastly wee must learne the true vse and end of fasting and the nature of it To this Vse 3 purpose wee must know what kindes there are of it what it is what are the parts of it and the sundry corruptions wherwith it hath beene stayned The seuerall sorts kindes of fasts First there are diuerse sorts of fastes there is a faste prescribed by the learned Physician to preserue or restore health when the body is troubled with repletion Secondly the fast of sobriety and temperance Romanes 13 13 1 Corinthians 9 25. 1 Thessalonians 5.6 1 Peter 5 7. Of this Bernard speaking sayth Serm. de quadrag Let the eyes eares tongue hand and soule it selfe faste let the eyes faste from curious sights and al wantonnesse let the eares faste from fables and euill reports let the tongue faste from slander and murmuring and rayling speeches let the hands faste from euill workes and the soule from sinne and doing our own will Luke 21 34. Ezekiel 16.49 Thirdly there is a forced and constrayned fast as in time of famine when we can get nothing to feed vpon to this wee may adde the poore mans faste who often fasteth because he hath nothing to put in his belly Fourthly there is the miraculous faste which cannot bee brought into imitation such was the faste of Moses of Elias and of Christ himselfe Exodus 34 28 1 Kings 19 8. Matthew 4 2. But of these we haue nothing to say at this present There is another fast that is pointed out in this place which is the religious fast The Lord commanded by Moses that euery soule once in the yeare should humble it selfe in fasting before the Lord in one of the great assemblies of his people Whether fasting be ceremonial Leuit. 16 29 30 31 and 23 27 28 c. And albeit the ceremonie of the day be taken away Galatians 4 by the comming of Christ yet the thing it selfe remaineth and continueth in force as well as a day of rest for Gods seruice◠albeit the Iewish Sabbath bee abolished The circumstances of morall duties may bee changed but the substance may not be abrogated For where the same causes continue there the thing it selfe abideth Wee haue as great cause of humiliation as euer the Iewes had of making our prayers feruent being as much subiect to coldnesse as they were and as great cause to bee carefull that the wrath of God doe not breake out vpon vs or being broken out to desire to haue it returned backe and the sword of God put vp againe into his sheath And therefore this holy exercise is of as great and necessary vse as euer it was and it remaineth in as full force and strength as euer it did Ioel 2 12. Luke 5 33. 1 Cor. 7 5. Acts 13 2 3. Let vs therfore in the next place see what it is What a religious fast is Fasting is an abstinence for one day commanded of the Lord from all meats drinks and delights of this life thereby to make solemne profession of our humiliation It is an abstinence from all meates and drinkes All the people came to cause Dauid to eate meate while it was yet day but Dauid sware saying So doe God to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else till the Sunne be downe 2 Sam. chapter 3 35. Ion. chapter 3 verse 7. They were commanded to put away theyr best rayment Exod. chapter 33 verses 5 6. The Lord saide vnto Moses say vnto the children of Israel Yee are a stiffe-necked people I will come suddenly vpon thee and consume thee therefore now put thy costly raiment from thee that I may know what to doe vnto thee So the childrē of Israel laide their goodly rayment from them c. To abstaine from mirth musicke from pleasures and all recreations Ioel 2 verse 16. 1 Chron. 7 verse 5. Dan. chapter 6 18 and in stead of these to giue themselues to weeping mourning and lamentation Nehem. chapter 1 verse 4. For this cause they had theyr sackcloth and ashes to signifie that they were not worthy of any attire and that they were no better then dust and ashes This was to continue one whole day 2 Sam. 3 35. Iudg. chapter 20 verse 26. 1 Sam. chapter 14 verse 24. 2 Sam. chapter 1 verse 12 and at euen when they came to eate Chemnit examen Concil Trid. tom 4. de Ieiunio they did not seeke delicate meate or fill themselues with wine or strong drinke or fare daintily to pamper the flesh but were content with such as came to hand and vsed that sparingly also they fed vpon the bread of teares Psal 80 3 and mingled their drinke with weeping Psal 102. Sometimes indeede they continued their fast longer as occasion serued and vpon extraordinary causes Ester 4 16 Acts 9 9. Neh. 1 1 2. 2 Sam. 12. Dan. 10.1 2. Furthermore I adde it was commanded of God both in the Law as wee shewed before and in the Gospel Luke 5 33 35. The end of this ordinance is for our further and better humiliation Leuiticus 23 27 16 29 Psal 35 13. Deuteron 10 12 1 Kings 21 27 28 29 2 Chron. 12 6 7. Ezra 8 21. Of this there are two sorts The religion fast is of two sorts for the religious fast is eyther priuate performed by one or moe in a family that our prayers may bee more effectuall Nehem. 1 4. 2 Sam. 12 16. Psal 35.13 2 Sam. 3.35 Psal 69 10. Dan. 9. and 10. Acts 10.2.30 Luke 2.36 Ester 4.16 or else publike performed by the whole congregation Ioel 2.12 Ionah 3 7 It ought not to bee vsed of a few and therefore all sorts of people should come to the same as on the Sabbath day and none absent themselues from the assemblies Now of both these fastes we must consider the parts that some are outward The parts of a fast and some inward The outward parts pertaine to the body and are called a bodily exercise 1 Timothie 4.8 as to abstayne from meate and drinke watching in prayer abridging of our sleep such like commodities delights and pleasures of this life thereby to make vs fitter for the inward grace of the minde that the body being thereby humbled and the flesh pulled downe the soule may also be humbled before the Lord. Obiection But it will bee obiected that God being a Spirit regardeth not these outward things forasmuch as hee will bee serued in spirit and truth Ioh. 4 24. Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 8.8 Mat. 15 11. Answ I answere we must consider that fasting is the Lords ordinance and hee commandeth this abstinence and therfore it oght not to be left vndone because we are bound to all that which he commandeth
and turning to God wee must not put off the matter from day to day The lepers that were cleansed delayed this duty all of them on onely excepted and in the end vtterly did forget it When wee delay a duty thinking to doe it better afterward it groweth quite our of minde The Prophet sayth To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95 7 8. Heb. 3 13 Esay 55 6. If we put off our repentance a while who is sure to haue the meanes offered him againe whereby God ordinarily worketh repentance Who can tell whether hee shall heart the word of God preached to him any more The word is translated from place to place we are translated from life to death frō our house to the graue and we know not whether wee shall carry our selues when wee are gone from the Church or be carried by others to the Church againe Besides the longer wee delay our repentance the more hard and difficult it will be because a thicke skinne will grow ouer the heart that it will bee past feeling and sinne will take deeper roote through custome and continuance and therefore wee must set vpon it betimes There lacketh not a man of vs therefore wee haue brought an oblation This was an extraordinary mercy receiued It is a great blessing of God to ouercome the enemy and to obtaine the victory but thus to ouercome and to haue such a victory required an extraordinary thankesgiuing We learne from hence Doctrine It is our duty in extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thanks that as men ought to returne thankes to God for al his blessings so they ought for extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thankes and praises As in times of distresse it is our duty to humble our selues and in extraordinary visitations to vse extraordinary humiliation so when God sheweth any mercy especially extraordinary the Church hath great cause to bee thankfull accordingly and vpon that occasion to bee stirred vp to set forth his noble praise Exodus 15.1 2 c. Esay 38 9. Hezekiah returneth great thankes for his great deliuerance Luke 1 46. Psalme 145 7. The grounds follow Reason 1 First all acknowledge that they are tyed to some duties for blessings receiued Now this is the onely recompence that we can make we cannot requite him to come before him with burnt offerings with calues of a yeare old hee will not be pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousands of riuers of oyle Mic. 6 6 7 hee hath shewed vs what is good and what he requireth of vs the onely accepted sacrifice and seruice is an humble contrite and thankfull heart Psal 116 13 14 this is more acceptable to him then all sacrifices that haue hornes and hoofes all the fowles of the mountaines are his the wilde beasts of the field and the cattel vpon the hilles and therefore he willeth vs to offer vnto him thankesgiuing and to pay our vowes to the most High and to glorifie him for our deliuerances Secondly the least mercies of God such as are most ordinary continuall deserue thanks yea the greatest thanks that we can possibly giue that the tongue and heart should ioyne together in that action for the least drop of his mercy is greater then our deserts then how much more doe his greatest mercies and blessings deserue the greatsst thankes and praise at his hand to performe the same with all our soule with all our mind and with all our strength Hence it is that the seruants of God as we see in Dauid Hezekiah and others after wonderfull and great and mightie deliuerances did vse to penne their songs and often to repeat them to quicken the memoriall of Gods blessings and his kindnesse that they had receiued and thereby to stirre vp their owne hearts and the hearts of others that they might be more closely knit and linked vnto God The like we see in Ionah when he was deliuered from the Whale that had swallowed him vp where the waters compassed him euen about to the soule the depth closed him round about and the weedes were wrapt about his head Ionah 2 5 9 that his deliuerance might seeme after a sort a resurrection from the dead as indeed his lying in the belly of the fish three dayes and three nights Ionah 1 17 did figure out the resurrection of Christ to be so long in the heart of the earth Math. 12 40. I say when he had receiued such a deliuerance what could he do but sacrifice vnto God with the voyce of thankesgiuing and pay that which he had vowed considering that saluation is of the Lord Thirdly Nature it selfe doth teach that the greatest blessings should haue the greatest thankfulnesse inasmuch as great blessings fill the heart more full of ioy now where the heart of a man is extraordinarily ioyfull there the mouth of a man also ought to be extraordinarily thankful Fourthly it standeth with equity that in all things that we do toward God we should do them in proportion and in this matter of thankfulnes wee ought to make out thankes to bee in some sort and in some weake measure proportionable to his blessings The vses remaine First how glorious ought Gods Name to be in all places who doth daily lode vs with Vse 1 his benefites He dealeth not sparingly with vs but liberally thereby to magnifie his great Name that all the world might acknowledge his greatnesse and sing to his praise saying O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth who hast set thy glory aboue the heauens Psal 8 1 2 3 c. Secondly this reproueth many of vnthankfulnes Vse 2 howsoeuer they seeme to themselues to be very thankfull yet they are not proportionably thankfull and therefore they may be said not to bee thankfull at all because they giue not according to his workes and therefore he requireth of vs that wee should praise him according to his blessings But alas which of vs doe not for the most part receiue much of him and returne little or nothing vnto him againe It is not enough for vs to say God be thanked and then thinke wee haue performed all that can be required of vs but as we receiue double mercy so should wee yeeld double obedience Lastly this teacheth Vse 3 euery man that he should consider Gods dealing toward him and what blessings hee hath receiued from him that so hee may see how much thankfulnes he oweth vnto him For where the gifts of God are encreased vpon a man there he hath much cause of thankfulnesse If others that haue receiued lesse blessings from God haue beene more thankfull vnto him for them how shall we escape that haue greater blessings if we shew our selues lesse thankfull Let euery one enter into the meditation of these things Wee haue receiued blessings of all sorts generall and particular what Nation hath beene honoured and aduanced like vnto ours what people haue receiued such deliuerances
as wee haue receiued from forraine enemies and domesticall And what blessings wee haue all receiued in particular what tongue can expresse what heart can comprehend Doth not GOD on the other side requyre much at our hands O let vs beware and take heede lest these blessings bee turned into curses and his mercies into iudgments CHAP. XXXII 1 NOw the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattell tand when they saw the land of Iaazer and the land of Gilead that behold the place was a place for cattell 2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake vnto Moses and to Eleazar the Priest and vnto the Princes of the congregation saying 3 At aroth and Dibon c. 4 Euen the countrey which the Lord smote before the congregation of Israel is a land for cattell thy seruants haue cattel 5 Wherefore said they if we haue found grace in thy sight let this land be giuen vnto thy seruants for a possession and bring vs not ouer Iordan COncerning the great victory giuen ouer the enemies of Israel wee haue already spoken now wee come to the diuiding of the inheritance among the Conquerors according to their estate and condition wherein consider three things The contents of this chapt First the occasion of distributing the land of the Midianites the victory being obtained Secondly the conditions of this distribution Thirdly the agreement and sending of them into the possession The occasion is in these verses the two tribes and the halfe had many cattel vpon which occasion they come to Moses and request this land which they had lately seazed into their hands the chiefe townes whereof are reckoned vp that they might sit down there not bee compelled to passe ouer Iordan they thought they might speed themselues nearer home and neuer trouble themselues to goe so farre The sons of Reuben are in the first verse set before the sonnes of Gad because Reuben was the eldest and first borne and yet oftentimes in this Chapter the sons of Gad are set before them the cause whereof seemeth to be this Why the sons of Gad are set before the sonnes of Manasseh because they were the authors of this counsell to shift and prouide for themselues and to aske of Moses the land of the Midianites From hence sundry doctrines may bee pointed out Doubtlesse euery tribe had store of cattell for Gen. 46 32 they are said to bee shepheards men of cattell and Exod. 12 38 there went vp with them out of Egypt flockes and heardes euen very much cattell yet the tribes heere mentioned did especially and aboue the rest abound with cattell We learne heereby that God doth distribute his blessings differently hee giueth things temporall to one more and to another lesse as in his owne wisdome he seeth to be expedient and profitable for them He would haue vs stand in need one of another one nation of another one land of another one person of another that we might hold a communion among our selues al depend vpon him as vpon our soueraigne Lord. It is therefore the duty of one member to help another and to do good one to another euen as it is in the members of the body al haue not one office but euery one his speciall function but for the good comfort of the whole And as it is in temporall blessings so also it is in spirituall God giueth disperseth them variably These tribes do come to Moses to obtain their suit They attempt not by force or by fraud to get it they vse lawfull meanes they haue recourse to the Magistrate It is our duty therfore to go to the Magistrat to obtaine our right to make petition of lawfull things to him Again albeit the children of Israel smote this land of the Midianites yet it is said the Lord smote it because the labors endeauors of men come to nought of euery good action God is the principal agent the creature only the instrument is supported by his power From hence this ariseth that all good actions of the second cause are to be ascribed to the first cause as the chiefe worker therof See also the maner of their speech if we haue found grace in thy sight thus they speake to the Magistrate which teacheth that we ought to vse shew all reuerence humility both in word gesture to Magistrates and to our superiours Al these things are good serue for imitation but there is one thing more also must serue for our instruction though it be euil These tribes do seek their own profit altogether forget their brethren their mind was more vpō their own cattel then the procuring of the good estate of the rest Wee learne heereby Doctrine The loue of this world draweth from duties to God and man that the immoderate loue of this world is dangerous drawing to sin against God and to breake the bonds of nature Where the loue of the world of our selues is throughly settled it worketh a carelesse neglect of all others Abraham Lot loued as natural brethren nothing could separat them they went out of their countrey and from their kindred together Gen. 11 31 what seuered these but matters of the world when Lot looked on Sodome saw it fruitful as Eden he left Abraham and dwelled there which brought great trouble vpon himself Gen. 13. And afterward what caused Lots wife to looke backward c. was it not the loue of the things which he had left behind Gen. 19. Luke 17. Saul looked vpon the fattest of the sheep fel into disobedience lost his kingdom Achan looked vpō the wedge of gold the Babylonish garment set his hart vpon thē prouoked God against himself the host of Israel Ios 7 The like we might manifest by sūdry other examples of the yong man that came to Christ Ma. 19 of Iudas that betrayed his Master Math 26 of Demas that forsooke Paul and embraced this present world 2. Tim. 4. Reason 1 And no marueile For the loue of God the loue of the world are contrary the one to the other there is no affinity betweene them they are enemies and one cannot abide the other These can neuer looke each other in the face but by and by they turne their backs 1. Iohn 2 15 If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him These two are as two contrary Masters no man therfore can serue them both for both require the whole seruice of a man both command contrary things Mat. 6 24. Secondly the desire of these worldly things is a ranke thorne Luke 8 and is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6. The hearts of men are hardened by it when once they are ensnared and taken in loue with it The world is a very harlot it speaketh faire promiseth much good it hath a painted
or are in our mindes as when they are releeued and helped out of theyr misery For as we remember God when we serue him so we remember the needy when we succour them It is noted of Saul and al Israel that they went to releeue Iabesh Gilead when it was beleagred by Nahash the Ammonite who would make a couenant with them vpon no other condition but that he might thrust out all their right eyes and lay it for a reproch vpon all Israel 1 Sam. 11 1 2. So did Dauid and his men goe to releeue Keilah spoyled and oppressed by the Philistims chap. 23 5. The booke of the Iudges is full of this argument they thought it theyr duty to releeue the enthralled estate poore condition of the Church lying vnder the hard yoke and heauy seruitude of the Moabites the Canaanites the Midianites the Ammonites the Philistims and sundry others So that all Gods seruants although themselues were free from trouble yet must they put too theyr hands and set too theyr shoulders and employ all theyr strength as farre as God enableth them to deliuer the Church from trouble and to procure the present benefite and good estate thereof Wee shewed before in this chapter that we must haue some compassion and a fellow-feeling of the miseries and afflictions of Gods people this doctrine goeth farther and pierceth deeper and teacheth that we must put foorth our selues to maintaine the publike cause of the afflicted church and procure the peace thereof Reason 1 And so much the rather wee ought to doe this because of the wicked mindes and wretched endes that the vngodly set before theyr eyes For what is it I pray you that the enemy the common aduersary and oppressour of the Church looketh after and layeth before him Is it the persons of them that they seeke to spoyle or is it to take away theyr goods and substance from them or any other thing that might bee deare vnto them in earthly things All these indeed are sought after but are these the chiefe marke and scope that they ayme after or would these taken away coÌ„tent them No no they shoote at a farther thing to deface the seruice and worshippe of God and to blaspheme his glorious Name being themselues the children of darknes and not able to beare the light of the truth they oppose themselues against the same The Citties and Altars of our GOD ought to bee of greatest account and in highest price more deare to vs then thousands of gold and siluer for which we must be content to leaue father and mother wife and children that we may with freedome of conscience enioy professe the truth This meditation was it that moued Ioab when he went out with a strong hand saw the enemies gathered together to roote out the Church out of the Land and the truth out of the Church to fight against them 2. Sam. 10 12. Be of good courage and let vs play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good wheâ—e hee sheweth that the chiefe motiue to waxe strong and valiant in battell was to maintaine the Cities and seruice of God Secoâ—â—â—y this hath promise of a great blessing Reason 2 and a good yssue it is no vaine or fruitelesse thing whereunto we are moued Many men are discomfited and quite out of heart because they see no blessing annexed But howsoeuer the persecuter and oppressor for a time preuayleth and entreth into the houses and habitations of God yet theyr destruction sleepeth not God hath reserued them as the chaffe before the winde and as the stubble before the fire Resting therefore on the gracious promises of God and knowing that Heauen and earth shall perish Math. 5 17. but no one iote shal passe or faile from his word beeing assured that the couenant that he hath made is surer then the couenant of the day and the night of the Sun and of the Moone wee must arme our selues with this assured perswasion that the destruction of the enemy is determined as Esay 16 3 4. speaking to Moab he saith Take counsell execute iudgement c then he addeth the reason for the extortioner is at an ende the spoiler ceaseth the oppressours are consumed out of the Land Esay 16 3 4. Wherefore albeit the enemies of God and his people seeme long to florish to glory in theyr wickednesse and to insult ouer the godly that are vnder the crosse yet they shall not escape the wrath and vengeance of God so that none should be ashamed to thrust theÌ„selues into danger to maintaine the common cause of the Church The vses follow First this putteth vs in Vse 1 minde of the estate of the faithfull which oftentimes endure more trouble in this world both inwardly outwardly then any other as were easie to be shewed and proued by the examples of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob Ieremy Dauid and Christ himselfe the perfect patterne of suffering affliction It was no otherwise with his Apostles also and experience teacheth vs that the church in this world fareth no better as it complaineth Lamen 1 12. Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto me wherwith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his anger Thus it pleaseth the Lord to weane them from the loue of the world because he loueth them would haue them long after heauen and heauenly things We are oftentimes so peruerse and vntoward that we must be put into the fire that we may be refined and reformed and must endure many greeuous corrections that we may bee framed to delight in spirituall things Besides Satan and his instruments do hate vs and labour continually to seeke our destruction and therefore let vs neuer promise to our selues worldly peace and prosperity neyther be offended at the great afflictions which we heare to come vpon the godly but rather prepare our selues to looke for one trouble to come vpon the necke of another whiles we liue vpon the earth Vse 2 Secondly conclude from hence the fearefull wofull miserable estate of the church when all the friends and comforters of it are gone when they that should be the shield and shelter of it do flye backe and dare not shew theyr faces as often it falleth out then onely faith for the present and hope for the time to come must hold vp our heads that we sinke not into the bottome of despayre This is it which the Prophet saith I looked and there was none to helpe and I wondred that there was none to vphold therefore mine owne arme brought saluation to me c. And I will tread downe the people in mine anger and make them drunke in my fury c. Esay 63 5 6. When Haman the aduersary of the Iewes whose malice was hereditary vnto him and deriued from his fathers had plotted the ruine
goe bidde his friends farewell which were at his house and when he had more leysure Christ should be serued So it fared with them that were bidden to the marriage-feast who all with one consent beganne to make excuses the first said I haue bought a peece of ground and I must needes goe and see it another said I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I goe to proue them and another saide I haue married a wife and therefore I cannot come Luke 14 18 19 20 Math 22 5. Thus wee see our nature is slow and vntoward to follow the Lord wee shift off and shrinke backe as long as wee can and many goodly excuses our corrupt flesh findeth to linger and put from vs all true obedience to Christ Iesus Faine wee would seeme desirous to follow God to come vnto Heauen but wee are loth to soyle and defile our feete Cant. 5 3 so that we must be violently thrust forward before we will yeeld so sturdy and stubburne our neckes are Ioh. 6 44. Wee see the truth of this in Nicodemus he bare a loue to Christ and a liking to his doctrine but first hee came to him by night for feare of the Iewes Ioh. 3 2 afterward hee waxed more bold in the cause of Christ before the face of the Pharisees and that in the open day thogh he receiued a checke Ioh. 7 50 and lastly he shewed himselfe more constant and zealous in professing himselfe to be one of his disciples in the buriall of Christ The like we see in Ioseph of Arimathea who at the first was a disciple of Iesus secretly Ioh. 19 38 but after declared himselfe manifestly in the costly and honourable buriall of his Master Thus it appeareth that the Kingdome of Heauen is like a graine of mustard seed which is one of the least of all seeds Matthew 13 31 and that the Elect themselues are brought on by small degrees their handes hang downe their knees are weake they goe halting and limping and quickly turne out of the right way they hang off and on a great while they meete with many lettes and incombrances both at home in themselues and abroad in others And albeit for further proofe and certainty of this point it were sufficient to send euery man that knoweth what true vocation and conuersion meane home to his owne dores to examine his owne heart yet consider I pray you briefly the heauenly calling of Saint Austine as it is testified by himselfe in his bookes of confession For when God beganne to speake to his conscience hee felt a world of tentations he was tossed and troubled with infinite combates and conflicts betweene the flesh and the spirit Lib 8. confess cap. 1. 2 7. betweene God drawing on the one side and the flesh the world and the diuell holding backe on the other part His pleasures past presented themselues before his eyes and hee thought hee might prolong the time at length he beganne to breake through this army of enemies and to speake vnto God after this maner Et tu Domine vsque quo qâ—am dâ—u quam â—iu cras cras quare non modo O Lord how long wilt thou suffer me thus how long how long shall I say to morrow and to morrow why should I not doe it now why should there not be an end of my filthy life euen at this houre Then hee was bidden to take vp and reade in the Scripture after which followed his wonderfull and finall conuersion ioyned with much weeping and lamentation This difficulty the Apostle found in his practice that when hee would doe good hee was so yoked that euil was present with him he did delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man yet he saw another law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne so that he did not those things which he would but the euilsi which he would not he did Rom. 7.21 22 23 29. This should teach vs to call vpon God by earnest prayer that we may receiue of him the presence of his grace the assistance of his Spirit that wee may ouer-stride all doubtes and difficulties that would stay vs and so entangle vs in the snares of sinne Let vs vse all holy and lawfull meanes to strengthen our faith that we may proceede from faith to faith and grow in the graces of God vntill we come to be perfect men in Iesus Christ And let vs not doubt of our calling when we see to the griefe of our hearts and the discomfort of our soules such wants and weakenesses in vs it is not otherwise with vs then with all the faithfull but let vs striue and fight against these lettes which would withdraw our mindes from God and take heede wee quench not the Spirit nor grieue him by whom we are sealed vnto the day of redemption 1 Thessalon 5 19. Ephes 1 30. And although Satan and the world make neuer so much suit vnto vs to entertayne the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season and sing neuer such sweet songs to enchant vs and lull vs asleepe in carnall security let vs stoppe our eares and strengthen our hearts against such lusts as fight against the soule Wee see sundry persons after theyr calling by the preaching of the word and after a long profession of the faith to turne backe againe as the dogge to his vomit 2 Peter 2 22 Prouerb 26 11. 2 Timoth. 4 4 some to theyr vaine company others after the loue of the world the lusts of the flesh the cares of this life and grow to bee more filthy and prophane then they were before Let vs take heed of such dangerous examples their doings are euill theyr fall is fearefull theyr end wil be more fearefull without repentance and practising of their first workes Fourthly we see the people of God before Vse 4 they could enter into the land of Canaan were constrayned to buckle and encounter with sundry enemies the Amalekites the Canaanites the Amorites the Bashanites the Midianites and sundry others Exodus 17 8. Numbers 21 1 and 31 1 2 c. all which in the end they subdued so that not one of them was able to looke them in the face Thus it fareth with all the faithful in this life As soon as wee enter into the race of Christianity by and by we must expect many and sundry enemies that crosse vs in the way some secret that seek to vndermine vs some open that with all violence flye vpon vs and driue against vs both seeke to ouerthrow vs yea such as before our calling seemed our friends and familiars now beginne to reiect and renounce vs now fall to nod the head at vs and to set themselues against vs because it seemeth strange to them that wee runne not with them into the same excesse of riot and therefore they speake euill of vs which shall giue account to him that is ready
for a meate offering c. 14 And their drinke offerings shall be halfe an Hin of wine vnto a Bullocke and the third part of an Hin vnto a Ramme and the fourth part of an Hin vnto a Lambe c. 15 And one Kid of the Goats for a sinne offering vnto the Lord shall bee prepared besides the continuall burnt offering and his drinke offering In these words we haue the monethly solemnity commanded to the Iewes to wit the Calends of the moneths called the New Moones or beginning of euery moneth The worship performed therein was two young Bullocks one Ram seuen Lambs of the first yeare three tenth deales of flower for euery Bullock and two tenth deales of flower for euery Ram for a meate offering c. it must also haue a drinke offering containing halfe an Hin of wine c. Here we haue mention made as also before of the Hin and of the Epha Touching the Epha Omer we haue spoken already chap. 5 15 16. What the Hin was Now we must speake somewhat of the Hin Some are of opinion that it cannot bee certainely knowne how much the Hebrew measures contayned as appeareth in Lyra and Caietan and so they leaue it vncertaine to determine Others to enwrap the Hin in greater obscurity make two kindes of measures of this one kinde the greater and the lesser but this is a bare coniecture without warrant Mention is made heereof before chap. 15 4 5 7 9. This we are to hold for a certaine truth that the Hin is of liquid things and it is commonly accounted to containe six pintes which we receiue as most probable least suspected because it agreeth with the computation of the Hebrewes who generally hold that it holdeth twelue of the measures called Log and the Log contayned sixe egges and there goeth to a pinte of our english measure as much as 14 eggeshels containe But of this see before chap. 15. Now to returne to the matter which is heere handled Of the feast of the New Moone we see that the Calends or beginnings of the moneths were consecrated hallowed vnto God as before chap. 10 10 and in many other places 1 Sam. chap. 20 5. 1 Chron. chapter 25 verse 31. 2 Chron. chap. 8 verse 13 and chapter 31 verse 5. Nehem. chapt 10 verse 33. Ezr. chap. 3 verse 5. Ezek. chapter 45 verse 17 and 46 verse 1. Amos 8 verse 5. This was the solemne feast of the Iewes Vse 1 let vs see what it belongeth vnto vs. First see heereby that God did set apart diuers times besides the Sabbath to his people that serue him to heare his word and to resort to the Prophets to bee taught and instructed in the wayes of godlinesse 2 Kings 4 25. Ezek. 36 1 at such times the people went to the Prophets when the Priests were oftentimes negligent in theyr places Christ our Sauiour complayneth in the Gospel that they were as sheepe without a Sheepheard Math. 9 verse 36 when there were store of Priests and Leuites in the Land howbeit they were dumbe dogges and opened not theyr mouthes to interpret the Law The Sabbath day is the cheefe time to seek after knowledge and euer was from the beginning neuerthelesse God appointed other times also to his people There are not many places in the land where the word is preached on other dayes thē the Sabbath I would there were more of them it is a good helpe to many other places where they want teaching if the people resort to them as they were wont to the Prophets they are to be commended encouraged If there were a dearth of Corne among vs how farre would we goe to fetch Corne rather then wee would starue I beleeue as far as the sonnes of Iacob who went out of the Land of Canaan into Egypt so ought it to be with vs in regard of the soule we should be ready to go from place to place yea from Land to Land rather thē pine away and perish for want of instruction Amos 8 12. But if many that liue among vs had liued in those dayes that cannot abide that preaching should be vpon any other day they wold haue enueyed against this as a great disorder and vpbraided the people that they gad after Sermons and leaue their businesse and begger themselues In the dayes of Christ the people followed him out of their houses and Cities and sought him out to bee taught of him yet he neuer reproued them or forbad them but fedde them both in soule and body Doth the Lord command vs so often to delight in the Law of the Lord to meditate therein day and night to seeke first of all the kingdome of God and ought a few miles to stop vs or hinder vs How far will men ride and runne and sayle for a little earthly substance It is accounted by worldly minded men that sauour nothing but of the earth no disorder at all to runne on heaps from towne to towne to drunken feasts may games dancings playes beare-baytings and other like fooleries and vanities they allow this running from place to place but if any go halfe so farre to seeke after the word and to edifie themselues in theyr most holy faith they cry out against it with open mouthes and thinke them worthy to bee punished Thus they would also haue done to Gods owne people the Iewes if they had seene them runne resort to the Prophets in the ruinous times of the Church with so great zeale and forwardnesse as they did Secondly we learne that all moneths and Vse 2 times are consecrated to vs through Christ so that worshipping God truely they shall turne to our good and benefit according to the saying of the Apostle Whether life or death or things present or things to come all are ours 1 Cor. 3 22 23. The heathen and they that are heathenishly minded are afraid of the influence of the starres and of the constellation of the heauens yea the Starre-gazers would beare vs in hand that some times are dismall and fatall to some purposes The Gentiles made it vnlucky to enterprize some busines in some of the moneths Hence it is that the Poet saith Ouid de fust l. 3. Hac quoque de causa fite Prouerbia tangunt Mense malum Maio nubere vulgus ait That is The Prouerbs teach and common people say It s ill to marry in the moneth of May. In like manner he teacheth before that some times are vnfit for the marriage of widowes or of maides forasmuch as such as marry in them are not long liued but haue died quickly Nec viduis tedis eadem nec virginis opta Tempora quae nupsit non diuturna fuit And one of the wisest Philosophers among the heathen enquiring into the causes Plut in his Roman quest 86. why the Romanes would not marry in the moneth of May alledgeth this as one because they offered oblations to the dead in this moneth and therfore was
holden to be ominous And in another place hee sheweth Rom. quest 25 that they held the morrowes after the Calends Nones and Ides dismall and disastrous dayes eyther to set forward vpon any iourney and voyage or to march with an army into the field It is not worth the labour to spend time to rehearse the folly of our sottish Prognosticators that in euery moneth tell vs which are good dayes and which are euill dayes and set downe particular predictions what shall befall vs and how we shall prosper or not prosper and yet themselues cannot tell what shall happen to themselues I remember a pleasant story Eros de lingua reported by Erasmus in the reigne of Henry the seuenth a wise and iudicious Prince of a certaine wizard who would needs be accounted as a Prophet and able to foretell things to come hee prophesied at a time of the Kings death that he should dye that yeare The king hearing of his Prophesie withall laughing at his folly sent for him as if he meant to take notice of his deepe and profound skill and to reward him highly and when he was come into his presence he asked him whether hee had any knowledge of things to come and could tell what should come to passe heereafter he answered he had great skill that way The king demanded of him whether he knew where he shold be those holy dayes that were at hand for this fell out not long before the feast of the Natiuity he answered No Why then quoth the king I perceiue thou hast no skill at all and knowest not so much as I doe for I know where thou shalt be how long and withall willed his seruants to carry him presently to the Tower and after a while hauing made himselfe merry and derided the folly of that wise foole he dismissed him which was more fauour then he deserued This practise of propheticall diuinations and predictions is meere Gentilisme and great pitty it is once suffered among vs Christians to make some dayes lucky and some vnlucky some fortunate and some vnfortunate whereof wee see the practise in the booke of Ester chapter the third verse seuenth They cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day from Moneth to moneth to the twelfth Moneth Howbeit we see how he was deceyued and the enchanters vpon whom he builded and in whō he trusted like to the Papists who long looked for the yeare 88 of which they hadde many Astrologicall predictions and trusted in it no lesse then in the Oracle of Apollo howbeit they were maruailously in a manner miraculously defeated and disappointed and therefore one saith well D. Fulk preface before the Rhē Testam Octogefimus octanus mirabilis annus Clade papistarum faustus vbique pijs But if we be the true seruants of God our wayes shall prosper Psal 1 3 and it shall go well with vs if we make the word our study and meditation Iosh 1 8 if not let the times be what they will and prognosticate what lucke as they call it soeuer they can yet nothing shal prosper or do vs good whatsoeuer we imagine to the contrary Thirdly the consideration of the feast of Vse 3 the New Moones did put them and doth put vs in minde that we should be new creatures and walke in newnesse of life by the holy Ghost regenerating vs as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 5 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature olde things are past away behold all things are made new Hence it is that we are so oftentimes warned in the Scripture that wee must be renewed in the spirit of our mindes Rom. 12 2. Eph. 4 23. that wee must put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4 24 and must put off concerning the former conuersation the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceiueable lusts verse 22. As then the Moone which ruleth the moneth changeth and reneweth the light so should we be changed not in substance of the body but in quality and that in euery part euen in the whole man forasmuch as we are altogether corrupt Now this that must be changed Why our corruption is called the old man is called the old man first because it is in time before regeneration first we are carnall then spirituall first the first Adam then the second Adam hath place in vs first we are borne then we are borne againe Iohn 3. Secondly because as age maketh loathsome and deformed so this maketh vs full of spots and wrinkles before such time as wee taste of the renewing power of God Thirdly because it draweth neere to death for as old age bringeth downe to the graue so doth the olde man draw vs to destruction of soule and body which is the second death This old man therefore must be cleane cast off or else it shall not profite vs for wee must deny our selues and crucifie our sinfull lustes wee must kill and mortifie our vaine desires as Abraham would haue killed his sonne but wee must go farther for wee must after a sort kill our selues cast off the things that are most deare vnto vs though they should bee as our right hand or as our right eye Math. 5. And we must so cast off the old man that no remnant of him cleaue or sticke vnto vs we should put it off not as if we were loth or vnwilling to leaue it but cast it away with a purpose neuer to take it vp or to put it on againe no nor once touch the same but to account it as a menstruous cloth lest we be like to the dogge that returneth to his vomite or to the sowe that was washed and by and by walloweth in the myre or to the Crocodile that layeth aside her poyson but taketh it vp againe On the other side we must put on the new man called new because nothing auayleth without this Gal. 5 6. Againe it is wrought in vs in the second place for we are first old before we are new for this is the latter birth Lastly because it is strong to do the will of GOD as young men are lusty and able to doe the businesse of this life with great alacrity and actiuity Lastly we must remember that it is not enough Vse 4 to serue God outwardly and to keepe the bare ceremony except we ioyne thereunto the seruice of the heart And if the Iewes had resorted diligently euery first day of the moneth to the seruice of God in the Tabernacle or the Temple yet what could it auayle them if theyr hearts were vncleane theyr hands stained with cruelty Therefore the Prophet saith The new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble vnto mee I am weary to beare them Esay 1 13 14. The Iewes regarded no more