marriages See Canones Aelfrici can 9. apud Spelman Cone p. 574. but whether it bee agreeable to the Canon of Concil Neocaesar quoted by Gratian. caus 31. qu. 1. De his qui frequenter let the Reader compare the places with the glosse at the letters m and o and judge and 2. That they put Bigamie even successive Bigamie among Irregularities as it to be seene in their Casuists and Canonists See excerptiones Egberti ad An. Dom. 750. excerp 32. and 89. apud D. H. Spelm. in Conc. Pambrit p. 261. The reason such as it is we have in Pet. Damian a devout Author in a most corrupt time lib. cui titulus Dominus Nobiscum cap. 12. apud Ioh. Cochlaei Speculum p. 156. who yet speakes of it with a Quis non miretur that Bigamy successive Bigamie he speaks of allowed by the ancient Ecclesiasticall Canons should bee a greater Irregularitie and sinne then Fornication expressely condemned in holy writ But of this also enough being only obiter And thus much of the reproofe of the sin we have next 2. A dehortation from this sin in the latter part of the 15. verse and vers 16. which is 1. Propounded 2. Repeated First the dehortation is propounded verse 15. Therefore take heed unto your spirit and lot none deale treacherously against the Wife of his youth Verse 16 Vers 16. For the Lord the God of Israel saith That hee hates putting away for one covereth violence with his garment sayth the Lord of hosts Take heede to your spirits The Geneva keepe your selves in your spirit Remigius and Lyra keepe your spirit your Wife is the residue of your spirit keepe and cherish her The Tigurine keepe and preserve and tender your Wives as dearely as you doe your owne soules Corn. a lap Take heede to your breath your breath on one another breath not on a stranger keep thy self solely to thy Wife Conceited interpretations Arias Montanus came nearer the sense Be wary and not rash I like best that of our Commentary Be sober and containe your selves keep a watch upon your spirits and affections to content your selves with your lawfull Wives And let none deale treacherously Or unfaithfully That is In taking other Wives and when you are convinced of the sinfulnesse of keeping two Wives deale not treacherously to put away your old pretending law for divorces and that you may safely doe it for the Lord hates this treachery in making needlesse divorces and thereby cloaking your sin And this I take to be the meaning of these and the next words For the Lord the God of Israel saith That hee hates putting away for one covereth violence with his garment saith the Lord Deale not treacherously with your Wives after your vexing them by taking other Wives unto them then to put them away and pretend that the law allowes you to give them Bills of divorce for this is but the covering of your violence and injury with that garment or cloake but the Lord is so farre from allowing divorces in such cases that he hates them The Lord hateth putting away Or To put away The younger Tarnovius gives here the same sense with us The Lord hates your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dimitte the imperative in Piel you have Dimitte Dimitte much in your mouthes Put her away Put her away but the Lord hates your Dimitte So it is an ironicall repetition of their owne usuall word which the Lord rejects with indignation Or else he takes it for the Infinitive in Piel put for a Noune Hee hates to put away that is putting away And so is our text-reading Our margin indeed is If he hate her put her away Pagnin otherwise If shee that is thy Wife hate thee that is be perverse Put her away The Geneva and our old English If thou hatest her put her away And so doth Zanchy reade it in that discourse of divorces which he wrote upon occasion of Andreas Pizzardus his divorce as indeed agreeing best with the matter hee undertooke to defend And so reade The Vulg. Vatabl and among others Michael Walther a Lutheran in his Harmonia Scripturae lib. 2. sect 185. Followes this reading of the Vulg. and therefore takes a needlesse paines in reconciling this place to that of Christ Mat. 19.11 for reading it aright according to our last and approved translation there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all between them And Montanus tells us that Rab. Hananus a Jewish interpreter interprets it also as we doe God hates him who puts away his wife For one covereth violence with his garments The Vulg. Latine But iniquitie will cover his garment Corn. a Lap. who is bound to follow it labours much to make good sense of it First he tells us we must take His for Thine Put her away but iniquity will or shall cover thy garment But how is that meant 1. Iniquity that is the punishment of thy iniquity shall cover thy garment that is shall be upon thy body in regard of diseases c. 2. Upon thy garment that is thou shalt be punished in thy cloathing naked ragged c. 3. punishment shall be upon thee the garment taken for the man Thou shalt be openly punished Thus he from others for the Vulg. of which translation Steph. Menochius a latter Iesuite gives another sense The Iewes excuse themselves Why doe you reprehend us seeing the law permits us to put away our Wives If thou hate her put her away But which he makes the Prophets answer your iniquity shall thereby so abound and swell that no garment will be able to cover it The Law permitting it onely for the hardnesse of your hearts but not freeing you from sinne if rashly and without cause you put them away A better sense then that of A lapide but for which he is faine to take his farewell of the authorized Vulgar translation If thou put her away give her some part of thy garments to cover her something to live on So Luther occasionally expounds it which sense Osiander followes give her a good dowry that if she be put away shee may marry another Let him put her away for while hee keepes her he covers his injury and makes as if he loved her so the Geneva and Winkleman Much like to the Chalde paraphrase Put her away and cover not thy hatred with a pretense that thou lovest her and keepest her and makest her a drudge Vatablus is singular as if their fault were that they put away their Wives and covered their iniquity under a garment that is discovered not their fault as the Law required they should and so wanting a formall bill of divorce they were made uncapable of a second marriage and so they added to the injury Some take it for an Ironie Put her away doe so but thy sinne shall overtake thee All these mistake the sense I rest in that above The Lord hates needlesse divorces and the more when the Law is pretended for one that is the man
and then Iam. 2.13 There shall be judgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgement Reason 2 Because God he professeth himselfe the helper of the helplesse and the patron of such as are without succour and friends therefore as he must right their wrongs so must he relieve them oppressed and revenge their oppressions Vse 1 This may admonish those who are in authority and place of justice This will make them like unto the Lord to defend the widowes cause when it comes before them or what power soever they have in their hands as Isaiah 1.17 Plead for the widow whether she be rich or poore for if rich it is but justice but if poore it is both justice and mercy That many will do and it is lesse thanke worthy because they are able to recompence them by some gratefullnesse and other meanes In whom there is a shew of justice but no justice indeed and in truth but a desire of gaine The other is the harder and as just so mercifull and hath the promise of good from God as in the generall Luke 14.14 And thou shalt be blessed because they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the just Those shall be recompenced of men these of God This they ought then to doe chearefully and not as the unrighteous Judge unwillingly but as Iob 31.16 who would not suffer the eies of the widow to faile Vse 2 Then may all those who are vexers oppressors and injurers of widowes know what they are to looke for from the Lord that howsoever they thinke all safe and he is farre off yet he will come nigh to them to judgement and be swift when they thinke he is slacke either to make their houses destitute or their wives widowes or to bring some such fearefull judgement against them besides the afterclaps that which is to come after this life But who are these that some men may see themselves touched Verily there are divers sorts of them some injure rich widowes who left by their husbands under whose shadow they prospered well are by unjust Executors long kept without their portions and widowes part and never recover it but by long sute in law where the best part is spent before the other is recovered If they have it without any such troubles then are they by unconscionable kindred bought and sold by a peece of money to a man that hath neither wealth vertue nor grace many a man labouring for her making great shew of wealth which in truth many pounds is worse then nothing for poore widowes utterly forsaken of all kindred and friends on both sides never deserving the commendations given by Boaz Ruth 2.20 for they soone cease to do good both to the living and dead And doing thus to kindred what can be expected of those who are not allied to them but that they should leave them destitute and soone subvert their cause or not right their wrong but be readier to vex them some as the Creditors of that widow 2. Kings 4. though in this generally this City lesse capable if they find any reasonable dealing Vse 3 This may perswade every one to avoid this sin if he have no love to justice no affection to mercy yet if he have any feare of punishment let him vex neither the rich nor the poore neither his friend nor one that is friend to him But if he would have his curse turned into a blessing he must have care and do his best that when he rejoyceth and is full the widow may be so too as is commanded in the feast of the Tabernacle Deut. 16.13.14.15 and let her have a part with thee both of the field and vineyard Deut. 24.19.20.21 that thou maiest pray with more boldnesse before the Lord. Deuter. 26.13.15 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God I have brought the hallowed thing out of mine house and also have given it unto the Levites and to the strangers to the fathers and to the widow according to all thy commandements which thou hast commanded me I have transgressed none of thy commandements nor forgotten them Looke downe from thy holy habitation euen from Heaven and blesse thy people Israel and the land which thou hast given us as thou swarest unto our fathers the land that floweth with milke and honey And the fatherlesse The third particular of oppression when they injure and vex the fatherlesse such as are without all helpe and hope Doctrine The Lord will come nigh to judgment to all such as vex oppresse and injure the fatherlesse such as are left yong not able for age and counsell and advice to defend themselves So here so in Exod. 22.22.23 And Deut. 27.19 Jer. 22.3.5 Iob shewes this was just with God Job 31.21.22 If I have lift up my hand against the fatherlesse when I saw that I might helpe him in the gate let mine arme fall from my shoulder and mine arme be broken from the bone Reasons as in the former Vse 1 To perswade all in authority to judge for the fatherlesse when his cause comes before them as is commanded Isaiah 1.17 which is not that they should accept persons and pervert justice for the fatherlesse because he is so a thing forbidden by God and horrible before him to favour the person of the poore as to feare the great and rich in an unjust cause but that when the poore fatherlesse cause comes before them against some great men or rich deceivers that seek to vex them they should defend their cause though they sue but in forma pauperis and respect the justice of it as if they were rich and do for them that which is right so shall they shew themselves Gods for where the name is given to them there the duty is injoyned them Psal 82.1.2.3.4 For the Magistrate is specially ordained for these not for such as are great men who neither will doe right nor suffer wrong able enough to right themselves and defend their own causes or not so much for these as for the poore orphanes widowes and such like As the defence is for the little coppes and small trees of grooth not for the great okes they have not such need of fencing against beasts as those Vse 2 Then may many men expect the judgments of God who vex and oppresse for their owne gaine many pore orphanes and fatherlesse children sometimes colourably sometimes openly Often they colour it by pretence of law and are legall oppressors who obtaining Wards do fell them from one to another as men do horses and when they are marriagable tender them such matches as they must live miserably all their lives with if they accept them so far different in nature state religion and such like or if they accept not when they tender of purpose such as they know they wil not regard then make they a further commodity of them that they happily recover not that oppression of many yeares
* Nihil adeò est quod obduret mentes hominum quà m simplicitas divinorum operum quae in actu videntur magnificentia quae in effectu repromittitur Tertul. De bapt lib. cap. 2. Ipsi miramur quia credimus caeterùm incrèdulitas miratur non credit miratur simplicia quasi vana magnifica quasi impossibilia Idem There 's nothing that so much hardens mens minds as the simplicity of Gods workes that are seene and the greatnesse of the efficacy which is promised when as to the godly it is farre otherwise They are marvellously wrought upon by them because they look to him who workes by them here is the difference of faith and infidelity beleevers and infidels We wonder because we beleeve incredulity wonders but beleeves not it wonders at simple things as if they were vaine at great things as if impossible Vse 3 Wee are the Ministers of God and your servants for Jesus sake that we bring to you is the message and commandement of God Looke that ye receive not us if ye can dis-joyne us and our message but that we bring heare it beleeve it obey it That we have delivered that we doe and shall deliver as his commandement his will Looke therefore to it that you receive it for it both you and I must give an account I for the faithfull delivery of it you for the fruitfull receiving of it both of us for the carefull obeying of it Let no man thinke much I call so much for hearing and obeying when there is in the most still performance with the least and scarce with the least Tell me when you lend your money doe you not put your Debtor in minde of it when you meet him so doe we and so must I doe for I feare lest in that day I heare that Matth. 25.26 Thou wicked and slothfull servant thou oughtest to have put my money to the exchangers that at my comming I might have received mine owne with usury I have often put forth Gods stock unto you you must pay usury Vsura vero est auditae monitionis per opera exhibitio Your usury is to witnesse your profitable hearing by your workes See then that you obey and doe that as Nathan said to David 2 Sam. 24.13 so I may to you Now advise and see what answer I shall returne to him that sent me The burden by the ministery of Malachy Malachy must carry to this people a burden not onely things acceptable but displeasing and grievous The Ministers of God must not onely serve him in preaching the Gospell and comforts but also threatnings and judgments VERSE II. I have loved you saith the Lord yet yee say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Jacob. I Have loved you saith the Lord The second part of the Chapter is the matter and Prophesies consisting in two parts on Gods expostulation with the people and Priest for their sinnes and his judgments against them for those sinnes The first is hence to the 9. verse Their sinnes are two ingratitude contempt of him and corruption of his worship The 1. to the 6. verse Their ingratitude is expressed that they did not acknowledge nor account of his love nor yet of his benefits the fruit of his love which hee had from time to time bestowed upon them that they might by the greatnesse of the one or by the weight of the other be drawne to performe the duties of Piety unto him their God and King who had deserved so well at their hands and of them First for his love I have loved you A speech spoken with affection specially by valuing his love and disdaining to have it so neglected of those upon whom he had bestowed it Some thinke it is a speech imperfect broken off and interrupted with griefe when he would have added more I have loved you griefe not suffering him to speake more The supply may be I have loved you alwayes but you acknowledge it not neither answered me with love againe but for this repayed me with sinnes Love given to God signifies not a passion nor affection for there is no such thing in God Ira Dei non perturbatio anim ejus sed judicium quo irrogatur poena peccato August of the anger of God De civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 25. So of this it is no passion but his free election to bestow yea an actuall giving to them the adoption of sonnes and eternall life For God is said to be angry when he doth that which commonly men doe when they are angry and to love when he doth that which men doe when they love Now this cannot be understood of his generall love of which all are partakers men and Angels blessing preserving sustaining them for then were it no great matter that he affirmes here to his But of a speciall love that is his choosing of them to be sonnes and to bestow on them eternall life I have loved you that is I have chosen you to be my people and I will be your God to be my children and I will be your Father and to give you the inheritance of sonnes than which what can be greater Hierome thinkes he denies now to love them because he useth the preter-tense But it is no rule when as the pretertense doth often include the present Rom. 1.24 Psal 1.1 The first sinne reproved is unthankfulnesse the reproofe being covertly insinuated rather than openly set downe under the recording and recalling of Gods love and the fruits of it whereof they had beene partakers Hierome observeth here lest the punishment should seeme unjust and God should without cause afflict them and lay the burden upon them he addeth the reproofe of their sinnes Hence we may observe Doctr. 1 The punishing and afflictions Câ—â—ming to men are caused by their sinnes Hosea 104.10 Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Doctr. 2 Now to the sinne here reproued in particular which is unthankfulnesse Ingratitude and unthankfulnesse unto God for his love and the fruits of it the blessings men receive either spirituall or temporall is a very great sinne So the Lord shews it here by his Prophet when he puts it in the foremost of all other sinnes in this people and as the principall which makes him threaten this burden unto them So Isaiah 1.2 sets it before all other sinnes It is by the Apostle put among the sinnes of the last dayes when iniquity shall get the upper hand and must abound 2 Tim. 3.2 This sinne is committed five waies or there are five kinds or degrees of unthankfull men First when men doe not acknowledge God as the Authour and giver of their benefits and blessings but finde out others as Hosea 2.8 9. Shee knew not that the Lord gave her Corne. Secondly when men doe forget him and his benefits against which David laboured Psal 103.2 Blesse the Lord oh my soule forget not all his benefitâ— And confessed among sinnes Psal 106.7
perverse how they hold out against him or humble themselves in them manifested as here so Isa 1.5 and 30.1 2. and 38.5 Jer. 5.3 and 31.18 Jonah 3.10 Reas 1 Because he might know to lessen or encrease them how to remove them or renew them As the gold-finers when they have put their metall into the furnace looke ever and anon how it purifies or how the drosse cleaves to it they may put out or put further in adde more coales or blow more vehemently So in this affliction is the furnace Reas 2 Because he hath tyed himselfe unto this by his word and promise to heare and regard their prayers and repentance when his judgments or chastisements drive them to see and acknowledge their sinnes 2 Chron. 7.14 15. If my people which are called by my Name humble themselves and pray and turne from their wicked wayes and seeke my face then will I heare from Heaven and will forgive their sinne and will heale their â—anâ— Now mine eyes shall be open and my eares attent to the prayer that is made in this place Vse 1 For the time past the time of our late judgment of the Plague if it may be counted late which is yet upon us the Lord hath taken notice of every mans profiting or not profiting by it either how he was humbled or how he still held out whether as Ephraim whether he lamented his sinnes and turned to God or as Edom he held out and promised to himselfe the repairing of any losse whatsoever of his wealth by following his Trade more closely of his wife that he may have another and money with her of his children he is young he may either have more or he is eased of the care and charges of them howsoever every mans carriage and fruit hath beene the Lord hath seene it which is matter of comfort to as many as have beene truely humbled the Lord hath seene their hearts heard their prayers accepted their repentance the fruit whereof they now enjoy that they live to praise God Isa 38.19 But it is matter of terrour to as many as either contemned this duty in others making the publick humiliation a meanes or cause of encreasing the Plague or neglected it in themselves or performed it onely in subtilty making a shew of that they had not seeming to be truely humbled and willing to forsake their sinnes when it was but in cunning to get his hand removed which seemeth to have beene the state of most which howsoever it was not so well discerned then yet it hath appeared since even to every man For the benefit of the Winter is chiefly seene when Winter is gone Hyemis lucrum tunc maximè demonstratur cum illa praeteriret namque vernâ—ntes segetes foliis ac fructu affluentes arbores per ipsam aspectum clamant utilitatem sibi ex hyeme factam Chrysost ad P. A. Ho. 18. Itemè contra for the springing plants and the trees cloathed with leaves and fruit tell us by their pleasant shew how they gained by winter And if men then God much more be not then deceived God is not mocked And as his taking knowledge of the humiliation of the good be to reward them what of your deceits but to recompence Though Pharaoh deceived often and his owne person escaped yet the Lord paid him home at last in the Red Sea Vse 2 For the present time or that is to come in every judgment and affliction whether poverty banishment reproach disgrace disease or any other thing the Lord he takes notice how thou art affected in them whether thou art patient or murmuring whether thou art comfortable or heartlesse whether using lawfull meanes or unlawfull whether trusting in them or relying upon him Then see thou be the same in secret or when thou art turned to the wall as when the Minister or thy well affected friends are with thee not as many who have good words shew great patience before some men either that the Minister might praise them at their burialls or others might commend them after they were gone from them But thinke when they are gone the Lord stands by thy beds side or is in thy secret closet yea in the secrets of thy heart and takes notice of all things at all times Doctrine Wicked men the posterity of Esau when they are downe and decayed impoverished or any way afflicted thinke to repaire themselves to overcome the judgment and recover themselves of themselves and by meanes they like of and pleaseth their humour without seeking the Lord manifested by these Edomites also by the Ephraimites the most of them and the worst Isa 9.9 who said in their pride stoutnesse of heart the bricks are fallen downe but we will build with heâ—â—en stones Reas 1 Because they see these meanes to prosper oftentimes by the indulgence or rather the angel of God Quando nihil est infaelicius faelicitate pecâ—â—â—lium quâ—e poenalis nutritur impuritas mala vâ—â—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 interior roboretur Aug. Epist St. Martell which if they be crosse at any times they impute but to want of craft and power Reas 2 Because they are ignorant of God the Authour of their trouble and impute it to fortune or other second causes which they doubt not but of themselves and by such meanes to fortifie themselves against and to repaire and recover that they have lost Reas 3 Because they are no wayes will perswaded of God neither his power nor his will but as they are privy unto themselves they have contemned him so in the height of reason they see it is just he should contemne them Vse 1 This being so consider if we have not many wicked men many Edomites who are desirous and doe practise to raise up themselves without the Lord by unlawfull meanes and never humble themselves to him and If formally they doe this yet trust more to these Amongst these the chiefe are our Papists who having their mountaines and Monasteries laid waste their habitations made a wildernesse for Dragons and being impoverished by the just judgment of God upon them for their Idolatry and mysticall enmity against Christ by the hand of King Henry 8. in policy and of Qu. Elizabeth of blessed memory in piety and policy they resisting of God as if they were stronger than he have assayed as heretofore so of late to renew and reedifie their desolations But by what meanes not preâ—ibus lachrymis the weapons of the Church but by fire and sword by fraud and cruelty seeking to build againe their desolate places and to lay the foundation of them in the blood of the King and his seed the Peeres and Prelacy the Gentry and Commons of the Land all which is without God for he will build his Church sanguine Martyrum by the blood of Martyrs shed by others not by the blood shed by these who account themselves Martyrs And though some deny that they are not all such and that it is against charity
Mareshah Vse 2 If our bloudy Romanists had prevailed in their barbarous and cruell plot to the supplanting and overthrow of our Kingdome Church the burning of our Cities the raizing of our Townes the sacking of our houses and our utter ruine we ought to have looked unto the Lord who destroyes and puls up and they but onely the instruments of his wrath Object Then you justifie their act and intent if it were the will of God and they but his instruments for it Answ I justify them as much as Luke did Judas and Herod and Pilate the Rulers and the Jewes because in the Crucifying of Christ they did the secret Counsell of God Act. 4.28 who were condemned to Hell for resisting his revealed will and committing murther and so must these without speedy repentance Besides Gods and their ends were indifferent God had done it to purge the Land of us and of our sinnes and that in just justice they of malice and for our principall good the profession of Piety and the Gospell and the hatred of their more then heathenish Idolatry Vse 3 To teach us if we would not bee destroyed and rooted out if we would be established and confirmed in despight of all Papists and Atheists to seek to have the Lord on our side If he be on our side who can bee against us or if they side against us they shall not prevaile to destroy us for if hee onely destroy then no other can Then though they provide their great armies though they have their secret plots though they straw our wayes with Gunpowder yet iniquity shall be upon the wicked and we shall escape and as we have so shall we still have occasion to praise God singing Psal 12 4 and 12.9 For he onely destroyes and saves when he will save nothing can destroy è contrà Men and Munition wise counsellors grave Senators valorous Captaines resolute Souldiers are some helpes and meanes It may be good to have peace with other Nations and Kingdoms about them But to establish a State to keepe it from falling nothing can be sure but to have peace and be at one with God that we may have him our protector then shall we not onely not fall and perish Quis ei de saeculo metus est cui in saeculo Deus tutorest Cypr. de Orat. Do. but bee without feare What need he feare the world who hath God to be his guardian And they shall call them the second thing that God theatens is shame to their destruction reproach and disgrace from other nations and people scorn and contempt expressing how great their misery should be when as for it they should become a by word to other people and nations They shall call them that is other nations that live about them or passe by them or heare of them shall take as it were this parable against them And say this mountaine of Seir is a border of wickednesse a region whom God hath cursed for their sinnes and layd wast for their iniquity this destruction is not come unto them by chance or naturall and humane revolutions and courses of things but for their wickednesse and impious manners hath God cursed and destroyed them for ever Doct. God makes men odious and contemptible among men a parable and by word for their sinnes and iniquities The border of Wickednesse the people from their judgement and utter destruction they gather their sinne and Gods wrath as the cause of their ruine and desolation Doctr. From the generall judgments of God upon a Country or Nation men may gather their sinnes and Gods wrath their deserts and Gods displeasure So here and threatned beforehand Deut. 29.21 22. and 1 King 9.8 9. and Jer. 2◠8 9. And many Nations shall passe by this Citty and they shall say every man to his neighbour wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great City Then they shall answer because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and worshipped other gods and served them Reas Because though it is read that he afflicteth particular men for some other respects as for the tryall of their faith the manifestation of their graces the glorifying of himselfe sometimes for preventing of sin and shewing they are but men though great things be done by them as he did Job the blind man and the Apostles yet was it never read that he afflicted a generall Land but for sinne and iniquity or a State generally And the reason of this and the whole is because generall judgments come upon the multitude who are ever wicked who have been a long time spared for the good who now being either taken away or intangled with their sinnes that is removed which hindered and so the wrath comes upon them then by these judgments may the sinnes be noted Vse 1 Then have the ministers of God done us no wrong when for the generall judgment that hath been upon our City and Land the spreading and devouring Plague they gather and affirme that we are marvellously defiled and polluted even the border of wickednesse Some wrong might haply have beene done to particular men so to judge of them when men either have not committed these sins which deserve it but for some other cause it is befallen them or they have humbled and reconciled themselves unto God which another cannot so discern But to the generall there can be none seeing God useth not to bring generall Plagues but where the sinnes of men are generall and full whereas then the whole head hath been sicke and the whole heart heavy c. Isa 1.5 6. It must needs follow that such hath been the state and time covered with iniquity for wise Physitians doe not administer Physick for the whole when one part only is ill affected nor just magistrates doe not shake or smite all with the sword when a few have offended much lesse will God onely wise and the most righteous judge destroy the righteous with the wicked send a generall judgment when but a few have deserved it one mans sinnes may bee an occasion of it but the merit is generall as in David and his people 2 Sam. 24.1 Vse 2 If others passingers lookers on may thus gather what may those who suffer themselves how may they gather their sins and his wrath That their sinnes are many and their fallings away generall because their judgments are thus The one the cause the other the proofe as did Daniel 9. a 5. ad 15. So may wee from our generall judgements argue our generall Apostacy and Impiety They shall call them the borders of wickednesse The first of Gods witnesses of such as give testimony to his judgments and the uprightnesse and justice of them is the heathen and other nations who know him not aright Doctr. God will have witnesse and testimony of his judgments from wicked and prophane nations and men the wicked shal be witnesses of his judgments upon others so here so Deut. 29.22 Dan. 5.22
Revel 18.8 9. Psal 58.7 10. Dan. 3.22 and 6.24 Reas 1 Because God will not only as is said of wisedome be justified of his children but of the wicked and prophane for that may have some exception against it lest it should be partiall this none in that kinde but God wresting this from them making them as Balaams asse to speake against nature so they against their mindes Reas 2 Because they might be without excuse when the judgments of God come upon them they have not humbled themselves when they were made eye witnesses or such as had certaine notice of Gods judgments so Daniel inferres Dan. 5.22 and without doubt that is it which doth amplifie the sinnes of men to make them riper for judgment as of Cain and Lots daughters Vse 1 This may teach us when wee heare of wicked and prophane men speaking of the judgements of God upon others not upon Gods people onely which they may doe in hatred of them because they like Israel sacrifice that to God which they as Aegyptians worship as God their lusts and affections and such like Nor upon such whose persons for some private respects they hate but others whose persons and sinnes they liked well enough before the judgement yet now they speake of them and give testimony to the judgment of God as just For say they he was an adulterer an usurer an oppresser or a grievous blasphemer when they live not in the same judgments nor in the same sinnes but in as great sinnes of another kinde living voyd of the feare of God being wicked and prophane therein observe the wisdome and providence of God which makes even the wicked to witnesse for him who by his powerfull providence makes the wicked whether in truth or hypocrisie it skils not give testimony unto him if the good will be silent as these hold their peace the stones shall speake one instance we have worth the noting agreeable to the times our Papists for their late more then hellish plot are taken and nye to their deserved ruine and confusion they who are out of the snare cry It is just with them whether they speake out of ignorance and humane piety or out of cunning and dissembling policy very tolerable in their superstition for the Churches good it skils not much as Philip. 1.15 16. If such comparisons be nor odious howsoever God is justified and hee hath testimony of his justice from the wicked while they say These are the border of wickednesse these are but a few desperate Papists and this is just upon them Vse 2 To teach men though wicked yet by the company encouragment example or applause of other wicked not to commit that which may bring the judgment of God upon them for come when it will they shall be as ready as other to justifie God and condemne them whether in hypocrisy and sinister respect it is not to the purpose or in truth when the other did not so strengthen their hands to sinne as that will presse them and make their hearts to sink in them But let them learne to look to those judgements of which God hath made them eye witnesses and given them as certaine intelligence of them and humble themselves to God and avoyd such and the like lest as they give now testimony to the justice of God in seeing his punishments upon others so others may give of them yea and by such things their sinnes be made the greater and their judgements be the heavier The border of wickednesse That is a Nation or Country where the people are marvellous wicked who have this recompence for their wickednesse insinuating in them the cause of their destruction the mooving and deserving cause their sinnes Doctr. Mens sins are the causers procurers of their own destruction what ever it be Isa 3.11 woe unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him And a people of whom the Lord is angry for ever Here two things are intimated unto us the one the cause in God which moves him to punish the wicked his anger and displeasure as sinne the cause in themselves Another the perpetuity of their punishment their destruction is for ever first for the cause then the continuance Doct. When the Lord bringeth vengeance and punishment upon the wicked it is in indignation and wrath whether temporall or eternall upon few or many Isa 27.4 God sayth in his care of his Vineyard fury is not in mee by the opposition and comparison we see his fury against the wicked hee corrects his owne in love not in anger but he is as fire which hath no pitty against wicked men Rom. 2.6 8. who will render to every man according to is workes but unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath and Rom. 9.22 Jer. 10.25 Reas 1 Because when he commeth to judge them he comes as a Judge who intends not the mending of malefactors arraigned before him but the ending of them and the cutting of them off so he with these minds only their destruction Reas 2 Because the Lord accompts them as enemies and adversaries such as he hates and abhorres Psal 5.6 now when men come against their enemies it is in indignation and wrath as Isa 1.24 Therefore saith the Lord the Lord of hosts the mighty one of Israel Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge mee of mine enemyes mourning that to them hee must come in wrath as to enemies Vse 1 This proves that there is a manifest difference betwixt the afflictions and corrections of the godly the punishments of the wicked those from love these from hatred those from a friend these from an enemy those from a Physitian who seeks to cure and mend them these from a judge to end them one in wrath the other in love Vse 2 To admonish wicked men to carry themselves very warily and to take heed how they procure punishment by their sinnes not onely for the thing it selfe but for the affection wherewith God will lay it upon them The thing of it selfe is heavy enough intolerable to be borne which the children of God with all the helpes and stayes they have have enough to undergoe and not to faint under how is it to them who are voyd of such things But how when they onely want not it but this is added his indignation and wrath grievous to a patient is the lancing cutting searing and corcives of the Chirurgeon though he do it with all the love and care he can possibly and expresse his fervent desire to cure them how grievous would it be if he should come raging and seek to fill himselfe with wrath and indignation when he comes to it so in this As the prayers and sacrifices of the wicked are abominable how much more when they are offered with a wicked minde so in this if they be heavy in themselves what when they are
brought upon them with indignation and wrath the wrath it self is heavy the messenger of death what when such a thunder shall bring such horrible haile Be admonished then you wicked ones great and small he respects not persons and do not make sport of your sins thinke not when God shall come to judgement your riches or honours will beare it out for not as he is a Judge much lesse as he is an irefull one and full of wrath and comes with indignation will he be abused For ever The continuance and perpetutity of Gods wrath upon the wicked it is not for a while but for ever Doctrine The punishments and judgments of the wicked though often long in comming they are alwayes long in continuance they are utter and perpetuall destructions So here for ever Isa 27.7 8. Psal 37.18 19 20. Jer. 30.11 Mich. 7.10 And as in this life much more in that to come Jude vers 13. Math. 25. Reason 1 Because they have hearts that cannot repent nor remove the cause of these judgments their sinnes These then cleaving fast to them Rom. 2.5 no marvell though the other be fastened upon them Reason 2 Because justice requires to punish proportionably their sinnes are infinit not in time not in quantity yet in relation of person sins increase by the person committing and against whom as in our State the same offence against the King is great then against another man Vse 1 This as the former teacheth a manifest and smoother difference betwixt the correction of the good and the punishments of the wicked when one is temporary the other perpetuall and eternall here and after with his he deales onely in the branches with the wicked in the roots his are as vines the other as bryers and thornes The husbandmen though they set the fire often to the thornes and use the axe to the rooting and stocking of them up yet to the vines doe they never sometimes they unbare the root and use a pruning knife to prune and purge them that they may abide still in the Vineyard and bring forth fruit Vse 2 To teach us to see the folly of the wicked and not to imitate their practise in sin for their pleasure seeing their judgments are thus Job 21.6 Rev. 2.27 Vse 3 Not to envy their prosperity or be offended with their flourishing estate vide Mich. 7.10 ult VERSE V. And your eyes shall see it and yee shall say The Lord will be magnified upon the border of Israel ANd your eyes shall see it The second witnes of Gods judgments upon Edom the Church her eyes should see it these God cals to give testimony of it and that they should bee witnesses without exception he sayth they should see for one eye witnes is more then ten others for it is a sence nothing so soone deceived as the hearing by it wee judge more certainely that is I have said it it shall be most certainely my threatnings shall not bee in vaine for your eyes shall see it which unlesse I make my word good cannot bee and thou shalt be a witnesse that thou mayst see when no such thing is befallen thee that then I love thee Seeing after the Hebrew is put for seeing with pleasure and delight when or because that comes to passe we wished So here and Mich. 7.10 Psal 54.7 35.21 To this not to the second sentence some adde The border of Israel and read from the border not upon and so it is they being safe in their own coast and borders should thence behold the judgment of God so manifest and perspicuous they should be in the ruine and overthow of the wicked Doctr. The judgments God threatens against the wicked hee certainly performs his decrees for justice and punishment are as certaine as for mercy and blessings So here and Numb 23.19 God is not a man that he should lye neither the sonne of man that hee should repent hath he said and shall he not doe it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good 1 Sam. 15.29 And also the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent Hosea 13.14 Matth. 24.35 Isa 14.24 Reas 1 Because he is without all change himself therefore his decrees Mal. 3.6 Gen. 1.17 For he and his word are all one Reas 2 Because he cannot be resisted Isa 46.10 Rom. 9.19 For then he should not be omnipotent but another as strong and mighty as he but he is and none like him Doctrine The Church and Children of God may rejoyce at the destruction and fall of their enemies Mich. 7.10 Doctrine As God will have testimony from the wicked of his judgements so especially will he have his Church and Children witnesses of them So here Therefore did he in the sight of Israel lay so many plagues and judgments upon Aegypt Pharaoh and his people and his small destruction in their fight they standing upon the shoare he and his Host drowning in the Sea Exod. 14. Hence is it Psal 58.10 The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the bloud of the wicked and Psal 97.8 Sion heard and was glad and the daughters of Judah rejoyced because of thy judgments O Lord. Mich. 7.10 Reas 1 Because they might feare and be affected with them to grow better and to restraine and reforme their wayes by them If the judgments of men must effect such a thing in them Deut. 13.11 much more the judgments of God And if the hearing of them more the sight for this affecteth more as to pitty and compassion to joy and gladnesse to anger and wrath so to sorrow and dislike Reas 2 Because they might magnifie and praise him his wisedome power justice as here for though he wring it from the wicked where it seemes to be without partiality as not this yet is this farre more acceptable to him their praises as their prayers for they are done willingly cheerefully sincerely all which he loves Besides they are from those he loves and so the things better affected Vse To teach every one that is Gods what is his duty what he ought to doe namely not to shut his eyes at the judgments of God but to open them wide and to behold all his judgments It is the part of children to observe all the workes of their fathers that they may imitate some and admire others love them for some and feare them for others yea their workes whether they touch themselves or their fellow-brethren or the hired servants so is it the part of Gods children to observe all his workes his meeknesse mercifulnesse goodnesse patience and long suffering to admire them to imitate his bounty care providence and riches in benefits towards them to love him his judgments to feare him If upon their brethren to know they must looke for the same as they hope for the goods and blessings so expect the evill and correction If upon hirelings
particular see then that unreverent and contemptuous servants expect you to receive from the Lord some fearefull thing and let it be a restraint in you of such irreverence in the things spoken of or the like But of this sin Masters are often the causes of it and they that bring it upon themselves First because they have beene such servants to their Masters and so have lived in it ever since without repentance even then when God recompenceth them home yet they will not remember their owne sinne but are still brawling with their servants and so it is Gods just retribution whereas if they would repent of that they should better reforme this Eccles 7.21 22. Take no heed to all words that are spoken lest thou heare thy servant curse thee for oft-times also thy owne heart knoweth that thou thy selfe hast also cursed others It may be applyed to this though it carry somewhat more That a Master when his servant revileth him or useth him irreverently should remember even this sentence to make him penitent and moderate Secondly because they have remitted of that ancient severity in their government which we heare men that can remember times that are past speake of not having those strait eyes nor hard hands over them as they ought not so sharply correcting them as the offence and nature of a servant requireth so that they little reverence them for they feare them not because they forget that of Prov. 29.19 A servant will not be corrected by words for though he understand he will not answer Thirdly because they bring them up too liberally for diet and apparrell and so when the belly is full and the back fine the Master is not so regarded A servant is like in this thing to a Horse full fed and pampered he will cast his rider like to Bucephalus Alexanders Horse while he was bare-backt he would carry any man but if once he had his trappings and furniture none or hardly Alexander himselfe It is the complaint of many that servants are thus insolent to themselves and others many though not all are the causes of it themselves somewhat there is in the nature of a servant and other things for they bring them up so delicately as Prov. 29.21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become his sonne at the length Whatsoever their fare is their apparrell is farre exceeding a servant going better than a man of his Masters place and wealth did some few yeares agoe And though they will not allow it themselves yet they can be content their friends or themselves if their fortune be allotted unto them should provide it for themselves And if when they are thus gay without they use them as Hagar did her Mistris when she was bigge with child is it not just with them A great cause of this is taking of Apprentices with great portions and so as Mulier cum dote is imperiosa so they and their friends The cause you must have such portions with them more than in former times is this because they must thus be maintained more than in former times But better it were that you had lesse and kept them more meanely better for you you should have more reverence and respect better for them for thus you bring sin upon them for the present and in future time just contempt as they have contemned you Vse 2 To perswade servants to use their Masters with all reverence and good respect that may be they must feare them and reverence them Nature it selfe hath taught it and heathen servants have performed it as in Naamans servants how much more should religious Christian servants and the more Christian or religious the more they ought to performe this duty not onely not to contemne and despise but to reverence them with all the reverent carriage and speech that may be and that not outward onely but inward for God requires more than Nature his Law is spirituall and he will have all inward and outward respect the heart as well as the tongue and the outward will not be or not continue or if so yet not accepted of God yea he that wants this it can never be expected the other of obedience c. and let him who lookes and hopes to be one day a Master and to have his servants such as he would be now such a servant as he should Ephe. 6.8 knowing that whatsoever good any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free The second duty of servants is obedience for whom men feare them they obey Doctrine Servants must give unto their Masters and governours all obedience hence it followes because they must feare and whom men feare them they obey when they command this proved Ephe. 6.5 Col. 3.26 Titus 2.9 And this obedience if it be such as Christians ought to performe it must neytheir be clipt nor counterfeit not in some things onely nor in shew to the eye for the first Col. 3.21 in all things that is in all lawfull things whether they be liking and tasting unto him or otherwise though never so disliking for he must pleasure his master Titus 2. q. for the 2 Ephe. 6.5 6. Col. 3 22. singlenesse of heart is required and eye service forbidden Reas 1 Because they are bound either by Indenture or condition c. then they must obey Reas 2 Because they are maintained by them and learne and get that under them they may live by hereafter Reas 3 Because if in onely things they like they obey themselves not masters as in obedience of children Reas 4 Because in this obedience they serve God and Christ Ephe. 6.5 6 7. who lookes in the heart and singlenesse of it And though outward and eye service may be for thy master and may bleare his eyes yet not the Lord who as he cannot endure hypocrisie or imperfect serving immediately so not in that which is mediate to man Vse 1 To let servants see their sinnes past or present not obeying and doing the things their masters command but onely such things as they please and when they please and when they doe they clip their service and performe it by halves and doe it in hypocrisie and to the eye and so go no further then nature who teacheth a man onely to save himselfe as neere as he can from any harme that may ensue when his master is displeased or to seek to get somewhat if he have hope of ought by seeking of his favor and so seeming willing to doe any service unto him but they must know that as Barnard si in hoc obedimus non autem in illo fractus est nummus This obedience is like clipt coyne and will not passe for good payment before God though thy master let it passe and be content to put it up yet God will call thee one day to an account for it and though thou canst keepe it close from the one yet thou canst
benefits past the servile for evill to come See the difference plainely Jer. 5.22 23 24. Feare ye not me saith the Lord or will ye not be afraid at my presence which have placed the sand for the bounds of the Sea by the perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof rage yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it But this people hath an unfaithfull and rebellious heart they are departed and gone For they say not in their heart Let us now feare the Lord our God that giveth raine both early and late in due season he reserveth unto us the appointed weekes of the harvest If you will not have this filiall feare yet at least shake not off this servile dread if not feare in regard of good I have yet of evill I may doe them By these two for the present may every one examine himselfe whether he hath a servile or a filiall feare If thou fearest as a Childe thou hatest sinne as sinne because it is sinne thou art like a man that loaths a meate and therefore would not eate of it If only a servile feare thou loathest sinne for the punishment not for it selfe indeed but the sequel like a man that hath a minde to eate of something that the Phisitian hath forbidden him and is hurtfull and abstaines only because he dares not touch it for feare of further inconvenience If thou hast the childe-like feare Ista sagitta timor qui configit interficit carnis desideria Ber. It is not the outward worke that dislikes thee and externall act of sinne only but even the desires motions and affections for it is pure That dart is feare which pierces and kills the very desires of the flesh If the servile onely then the outward worke onely and practice of sinne is feared if a filiall feare then it will grieve thee to offend nay to be provoked to offend so good and gracious so mercifull and loving a father who hath beene ever so gracious and good unto thee But if but the servile feare then onely when thou feelest his hand or fearest an imminent danger or hast the fresh remembrance of a judgment which is but new taken from him for which a Child of God must and ought to feare but then are not these the principall causes of feare in him for these he feares and flies sin but principally for the other If a filiall feare thou art afraid to offend in lieu of thankfulnesse for thy being and preservation and all thy manifold blessings received already If a servile onely for feare of evills or hope of that which is to come It is the whip the scourge and the rod that causeth the hypocrite as an Asse a foole and a slave to forbeare and leave sinne but it is love conscience and obedience that maketh Gods Children willingly to abhorre it Nazianz. if thou bee'st a slave and a servant stand in feare of the whip or the scourge if an hireling worke for thy wages expect thy reward but if over and above all these thou beest a sonne doe good because it is thy duty to please and observe thy father from whom thou hast received so much good before The third difference of these two feares is this the one is a loving feare and the other is a hatefull feare the first is joyned with love such as good subjects beare to good Princes and ordinarily children beare to their fathers The second is joyned with hatred such as servants beare to their hard and cruell Masters the one would if they could withdraw themselves out of Gods government and get out of his sight as Adam Gen. 3. as a fugitive servant as Hagar Gen. 16. the other would not willingly away from God but submitteth himselfe unto him and seeketh as he can to presse neerer and neerer as farre as he dare with due reverence of his Majesty like the Prodigall sonne who came home to his father and yeelded himselfe willingly into his hands And therefore it is a true saying that after sinne the wicked are troubled they cannot get themselves farre enongh from God and the godly are troubled they cannot come neere enough home to him the one is afraid of the losing of God the other is afraid of Gods finding of him of that saith Augustine in 1 John 4. it is called castus timor a chaste feare T is one thing to feare God Aliud est timere Deum ne te mittat in Gehennam aliud ne ipse à te recedat ille non est castus qui non venit ab amore Dei sed ex timore poenae iste castus est quia venit ex amore Dei quem amplecteris August in 1 Joh. 4 lest he send thee to Hell another lest himselfe depart from thee that feare is not chast because it comes not from the love of God but from the feare of punishment but this is chast because it comes from the love of God whom thou delightest in So that this filiall feare agreeth with the love of Gods Majesty yea it riseth out of love a man is afrayd to offend one that he loveth but the servile fear is joyned with the deadly hatred of God And so as it is said whom they feare they hate and they desire he may perish whom they hate Quem metuunt oderunt quem oderunt periisse cupiunt So it may be said of this that by it he is not homicida a manslayer but Deicida a Godslayer wishing there were never a God to punish him The fourth difference of these two feares is in their continuance which is manifest First If we consider them in divers subjects for the one is but for a bront like lightning that giveth a flash and is gone and comes in an instant never ceizeth upon the soule nor dwelleth in the heart For instance we may take Pharoah Exod. Chap. 27 28 29 30. so Ahab when Eliah had summoned him hee feares 1 King 21.27 but soone after he goes fearelesse to Ramoth Gilead 1 King 22.26 27. The filiall feare is permanent and constant as the causes of it are Isa 11.2 Prov. 28.14 For it is no naturall worke but a supernaturall habit Secondly if we consider them in one subject the one outlasteth and overlives the other 1 Joh. 4.18 perfect love casteth out feare that is servile feare but Psal 19.9 The feare of the Lord is cleane enduring for ever that is filiall feare when it comes it casts out that because it brings with it assurance of God favour It remaines still having the lesse paine and trouble with it the longer it lasteth and the more forward it commeth to perfection And this feare is so lasting that it remaines after this life not that the blessed shall fear either lest they should offend for they are then without danger of falling but in regard of Gods power and his incomparable and his incomprehensible graces there shall be
as hainous and displeasing unto God so as more hainous those which are against the main end of his calling wherein God hath placed him As the Minister must labour against ignorance idlenesse suffering his gifts to decay not increasing his talent and he must endeavour to search and beat out the simple and sincere sence of Gods word and will and impart it unto the people to bring them to life eternall for it is a hainous sin for him to be ignorant or to handle the word deceitfully or corruptly as Saint Paul speaks or to wrest the sense of it as Saint Peter speaks to their purposes And so as it is Isaiah the 3.12 They that lead thee cause thee to erre So the lawyer must not use unfaithfulnesse or cunning dealing he must search out the proper grounds of the law to direct his client to proceed warrantably to see his wrongs redressed or recover his right for for him to spend his time in devising quirks and distinctions which may serve to obscure the truth and make contentions and suits rather then end any or to delay his clients cause when he may well haste it and bring it to an issue and as many doe use their cunning to this purpose it is the greater sinne in them so a Physitian and a Surgion must imploy all his skill to cure for him to deferre and somtimes to help forwards and then pull backwards againe to make gaine of his patient and empty his purse and hurt his body is very hainous both of them worse then theeves by the high-way making Gods ordinance a cover for their theft not so punishable by humane laws but as culpable before God and shall as severely be punished So if a sonne omit the honour due to his father or a servant the feare due to his master is a greater sinne for others to doe it to the same men is not so hainous so t is the duty of a wife to be a helper that she must indeavour in all things For for her to be as Eve who was given as comfort to make Adams life more joyous for her to be a broker to bring death she that was taken from him as part to be shot at him as a dart to the wounding and murthering of his soule as Basill speaketh or for her who was taken out of his side to guard and hemme in his heart to be a ladder to the Devill to scale the heart of her husband as Gregory speaketh of Jobs wife was more hainous then when the Serpent and Devill did it who were professed enemyes and so now being directly against the end of her creation and calling and so of all they are thus to thinke of their sinnes and thus to avoyd them That despise my name The sinne they are accused of is contempt of his worship not the omitting of it or the nor doing of it at all but the doing of it corruptly carelessely and contemptuously The name of God signifies First himselfe Secondly his properties Thirdly his commands or his authority Fourthly his workes Fifthly his word and worship which is here meant and which they not only omitted which might be through ignorance or some forcible temptation but contemned or despised for many could not pretend ignorance and at this time there was no persecution to compell them to dishonour God but many did it out of a base conceit they had of Gods majesty thinking any kinde of service would serve the turne the word signifies to trample under feet as we doe vile things Math. 5.13 2 Kings 9.33 but did the Preists doe thus Ribera answereth things are oft said to be done which are intended to be done because nothing is wanting in them why it should not be done who have a will to have it done Doctrine Contempt of Gods name that is when men doe indeed the works of Gods worship and service but doe them negligently carelesly and contemptuously thinking if the deed be done it is enough but how for the manner it matters not greatly it is a grievous sinne Manifest that it is here made the grand sinne of this people and these Priests for which the burthen is threatned in the beginning and many particulary judgements afterwards This people did the work of the Lord brought their Sacrifices but they did it carelesly and contemptuously brought any thing as thinking it good enough This was one difference betwixt Abel and Cain though faith was the main yet how carefull the one was that thought the best was bad enough the other the worst would serve for he brought a Sacrifice Gen. 4.3 4. Hence are the qualities of the sacrifices described in the Law God requiring not only Sacrifices but such as were perfect without blemish Levit. 22.20 21 22 23. Deuter. 17.1 But why this but to shew how he requires the manner of doing aswell as the deed and that he cannot endure corruption here Hence Saul laboured to lessen the fault because they saved the chiefest for the Lord. 1 Sam. 15.15 Hence is that Malach. 1.14 which we shall see hereafter Reas 1 Because this argues a great contempt of God and as we may speake of his person for when any man is respected either for love or feare there the offices and duties that are performed about him are done neither negligently nor carelesly but with all diligence The Wife that loves her Husband the Child that honours his Father the servant that feares his Master doe their duties with all diligence and care Where the duties are done of course and coldly there is not the respect of the person that should be so it is in our carriage towards God Reas 2 Because it is grosse hypocrisie when men doe thus performe the act and yet their hearts and affections are farre remote and so are no living sacrifices but onely dead carkasses such as must needs stinke in the nosthrils of God yea and thus honouring him they doe dishonour him Isaiah 29.13 St. Salvian speaking of such as worship God corruptly saith Non tam inanis criminis fuisset ad Templum Domini non venire quà m sic venire quia Christianus qui ad Ecclesiam non venit negligentiae reus est qui autem venit sacrilegii minoris enim piaculi reus est si honor Deo non deferatur quam si irrogetur injuria ac per hoc quicunque ista fecerunt non dederunt honorem Deo sed derogaverunt De gubern Dei lib. 8. Vse 2 This being such a sinne argues the age we live in guilty of a great deale of sinne before the Almighty his worship is performed but yet contemned marvellously amongst us As they brought the sacrifices so doe we the workes but so corruptly and carelesly that he speaks to us Ministers and people Ye despise my Name The Word is preached and heard prayers are made Sacraments are delivered and received but alas so carelesly cursarily and customably that it is but the contempt of them and the contempt of God in
why we may pray to Saints living but not to Saints departed For us He separates not himselfe from this Church for all the corruption of it in Priest and people hee forsakes not their assemblies but cōmunicates with them in their service sacrifices Doctrine Men ought not to separate themselves from a visible congregation or assembly a visible Church for the abuse of it and the corruption of it it being not in fundamentalls As here the Prophet did not neither read we of any Prophet who left the Church but in most corrupt ages remained there reproving and threatening them praying and mourning for them but not forsaking them It is that Ezek. 9.4 they are noted as St. Augustine observeth that mourne for the corruptions of the time not who separate themselves from the Church In the New Testament we find not Christ nor his Apostles to forsake the Church but remaine in it though marvellous corrupt teaching reproving correcting mourning for it So of the Pastors of the six Churches of Asia their corruptions noted and their Angels biding with them To this purpose is that Hebr. 10.24 25 38 39. Reas 1 Because no man ought to separate himselfe from the true Church of Christ Now such is an assembly professing the true faith notwithstanding other corruption for as holinesse if it might be supposed without true faith cānot make a true Church but false doctrine and errour in the foundation overthrows it for being a Church So è contrà corruptions in manners cannot make it no Church when true faith is taught and maintained Reas 2 Because separation and excommunication from a particular Church is the most heavy and greatest censure of the Church which as no man should incurre by his evill behaviour so no man ought to inflict upon himselfe for the corruptions of others who happily deserve to be separated themselves Vse 1 To condemne all those who withdraw themselves from our assemblies because of corruptions amongst us crying out of those who will remaine among them to the benefit of the good that is there to be had But to such an one I say as Augustine answered Petilian Non habes quod objicias frumentis Dominicis paleam usque ad ventilationem ultimam sustinentibus à quibus tu nunquam recessisses nisi levior palea vento tentationis ante adventum ventilatoris avolasses Aug. contr Petilian Cap. 1.18 That he did not well to leave Christs heape of Corne because the chaffe was in it till the great winnowing day and that he shewed himselfe to be lighter chaffe driven out by the wind of temptation that flew out before the comming of Christ the winnower What folly is it for a man to leave the Jewells and Plate in the Gold-finers shop because of the Iron tongs and black coals What warrant have they when as Noah left not the Arke for all the uncleane beasts Vse 2 To teach every man not to be so offended for the corruption of the times as to separate himselfe from the Church for them * Si amarent pacem non discinderet unitatem Aug. contr lit Petiliani lib. 24. If they had loved peace they had not broken unity saith August And in another place A vessell of honour ought to tolerate those things that are vile * Vas in honore sanctificatum debuit tolerare ea quae sunt in contumelia nec propter hoc relinquere domum claritatis Dei ne vel vas in contumeliam vel stercus projectum de domo sit Aug. contr epist Parm. lib. 3.5 and not therefore to forsake the house of God lest himselfe be cast out as a vessell of dishonour or as dung That certainly which is 1 Cor. 5.13 Put away from your selves the wicked person is to be understood of those who have authority which if they exercise not is their sinne not mine or thine Shall I forsake the good and the Church where I may be safe for their evill Nec quisquam sine consensu cordis sui ex ore vulneratur alieno Let no man then separate himselfe for why should a good pure and sound member separate it selfe from those that are corrupt and cut it selfe off both to make the whole worse and to lose to it selfe the good it might have by abiding For us The Prophet who had the least hand in the sinnes and was the least cause of the burden he feares and as it were mournes and seeketh how to avoid it when the Priests who were the cause of it are secure and carelesse Doctr. It often falls out that the faithfull mourne and feare the plagues they foresee when they who have deserved them sleep securely and rather provoke God still Mich. 1.8 Therefore will I mourne This hath beene by your meanes Here is the reason why God will not accept their prayers because they are authors and principall causes of the evill and sinnes amongst them Doctrine The prayers of hypocrites and wicked men whether Ministers or Magistrates or private men whether superiours or inferiours cannot be profitable to the Church nor others for whom they pray nor accepted of God This is manifest here as also by that where the prayers of the wicked are rejected with divers such places This the Lord taught when in his Law he commanded that the Priest should first offer for himselfe Levit. 4.3 and Heb. 5.3 Reas 1 Because they are not profitable for themselves neither shall be accepted much lesse for others Not for themselves Isaiah 1. and 66. Reas 2 Because they are in Gods sight abhominable Prov. 15.8 such cannot prevaile with him Object Balaam prayed for the people of God and was heard for them and yet he was a wicked man Numb 23.19 20. Answ A truth it is St. August so answereth Parmen contr Epist Parm. lib. 2. cap. 8. proving they ought not to separate themselves as they taught because men are polluted But for the example I think we may say Balaam was not heard saving his judgment because he certainly never prayed hee did prophesie indeed in a certaine forme of prayer therefore that speech of his is accounted a blessing because he did ominate and foretell happy things which would befall to the people of God But he never prayed indeed for his heart went against it it was utterly against his will who for the wages of Balac would rather have desired to curse onely hee was compelled to it by the Spirit of God Therefore he was not heard which prayed not but the Spirit of God which in the good worketh the affections and suggesteth words did onely put such words into his mouth for any good that should come by them to the people of God as for the terrour and destruction of Balac who had set himselfe against the people of God to shew him that not they before him but he should fall before them Vse 1 This sheweth the folly and the vanity of the reason of some Popish and Popishly affected who plead for lenity connivence
strait as the Lepers were 2 King 7.3 4. without the walls of Samaria if they enter the City there is death if they sit still there is death also So we if we doe not we displease if we doe and not as we ought we displease also They had a third way to goe out to the enemies wherein their difficulty was the greatest but we have a third wherein our comfort is the most to doe them as he requireth of us Object But some will object who is sufficient for these things And this is but a cold comfort in a thing that no body can doe and therefore we were as good to doe nothing at all for who can doe things as he requireth Answ I answer we have a mercifull God to deale with who in Jesus Christ accepteth our affections for actions our beginnings for perfections 2 Cor. 8.12 And upon this ground we must doe our endeavours to doe it in the perfectest manner that we may that we may be accepted and not abstaine It is a rule indeed in matters indifferent which are left to our choise to refraine from them because our weaknesse will bring forth some sinne in the doing of them As in exercises and recreations when they cause us to sweare curse fret and lose our time But in other things for which there is a commandement and our own experience teacheth that we cannot doe them without defects and infirmities As we cannot heare the word with that faith we ought but wandring thoughts and sometime envious covetous ambitious desires creep into our hearts yet must we doe and not abstaine our imperfections hinder them from being perfectly good but not from being accepted while we condemne our imperfections and desire to doe better And as the high Priest Exod. 28.38 did beare the iniquity of the holy things so though our holiest offerings and works of righteousnesse have defects wants blemishes and stains of our corruptions our high Priest Christ Jesus will acquit us of them and procure us favour and acceptation in the sight of God I have no pleasure in you The reason of his wish why he could desire they rather should not doe him service then doe it and this carrieth the contrary I dislike you I am angry and displeased with you remaining in your sinnes and corruptions Doctr. The Lord hath no pleasure in ungodly men such as commit and continue in sinne and transgression of his law but he is angry and displeased with them so is it here Psal 5.4 for thou art a God that lovest not wickednesse neither shall evill dwell with thee and Hebr. 10.38 2 Sam. 15.26 hence it is that he is compared to a consuming fire even to his owne Deut. 4.24 Therefore to shew his anger towards those who should transgresse how great it is when he gave the law he descended with fire and the whole mountaine burned about him Reas 1 Because the Lord hates iniquity Psal 45.7 now then as Men who hate any liquor doe dislike the vessell that it is in for it yea sometimes grow to hates and abhorre it so the Lord hating sinne dislikes the sinner yeâ— sometimes growes to hate him Psal 5.5 not the nature he mâ—de not the man but the wicked man because sinne cleaves so fast to him as they cannot be parted As when the sent will not out of the vessell he hates both Deus odit iniquitatem itaque in aliis eam perimit per duâ—inationem ut in reprobis in aliis adimit per justificationem ut in electis August ad Simplicianum lib. 7. quaest 2. Col. 630. Tum 4. as Saint Augustine saith God hates iniquity therefore in some he destroyes it by damnation as in reprobates in others he takes it away by justification as in the elect Reas 2 Because as every one delights and takes pleasure in his like which makes the Angels rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner And men rejoyce and account it a glorious thing to have children like themselves and take the more pleasure in them when the succession is like to prove like so God in those that are most like him because saith Cyprian then the divine gentry by their actions and practices may become more famous Then must he be displeased with these because they grow more unlike him and like to Satan his Enemy Vse 1 Anger then simply in it selfe is not a sinne but as it is mixed with other perturbations and vices seeing God is angry As Christ was often and very vehemently John 2.13 14 17. and whensoever he corrected and reproved sinne he shewed himself in his words very angry Mat. 23.13 so hath Moses the Prophets Apostles and all the Saints Therefore Lactan. saith sine irâ peccata corrigi non posse sinne cannot be corrected without anger for the sight of sinne is so horrible in it selfe that he that is a good man cannot but be offended moved and angry with the sight of it And he that is not moved at it either allowes it or doth not much detest it or is willing to avoid trouble in correcting of it hence the repressing of anger is a sinne being a great sinne not to represse and that irefully the sinnes which are under our charge Quasi gladio aciem sic menti nostrae irae acumen imposuit ut eo cuÌ„ oportet utamur Chry. ho. 6. de laudab Paul as old Ely for God hath given anger to the spirit of man as an edge to a weapon that when 't is needfull we may use it saith Saint Chrysostome This then we ought to doe imitate these examples and be angry with sinnes and correct them to our power but Ephe. 4.26 this place doth not simply forbid anger but corrupt anger by which we offend God Now anger is vicious and corrupt First if a man be angry rashly for no cause or for small cause Math. 5.22 Secondly if a man be angry for private injuries not for them as they are sins offensive to God but injuries to himselfe Thirdly when the anger that should be against the sinne is against the person and turned to his brother and this is that there forbidden and it is thus understood be angry but not without just cause be angry not for private injuries but vices as they are against the law of God Finally be angry not with your brethren but with their corruptions and this is hence warrantable Vse 2 Seeing God will be angry with all both elect and reprobate for their sinnes and most dispeased with them This should perswade us not to be secure but to passe our lives in the feare of the anger of God To this one thing bend wee all our endeavours and powers that we sinne not and so provoke the anger and displeasure of God for of this wee may be sure that Gods word shall be fulfilled Psal 89.31 32. If they break my statutes and keep not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with
will inflict much evill upon them and punish them with all kind and variety of curses As here so 2 Chron. 7.13 Deut. 28.16 60 61. This he shewed in Ely 1 Sam. 2.8 c. and 2. 12 13. In David 2 Sam. 7. In Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 The tryalls of Job shew what he can doe when he will punish Reas 1 Because in blessing he can deale thus not onely take away the evill but showre downe many blessings upon them so in cursing for these are the two armes of God his mercy and justice neither is shorter nor longer than the other unlesse he be unperfect these are his treasures or he hath treasures of both neither fuller nor emptier than the other Reas 2 Because he is a true God and so infinite in all things he is not as the false gods of the Heathen who had little even their great god Jupiter who they thought would be soone drawne dry if he should punish much and many if send abroad apace his revenging arrows his quiver would be empty not so with God whose mercy is a treasure inexhaustible so his justice not as the Sea but as the fire the Sunne Chrysost Reas 3 Because it more manifests his displeasure and men are more sensible of it to be humbled by it either in truth or hypocrisie Vse 1 To stand in awe and feare God to feare to displease or provoke him who cannot onely take from us that we have but bring the contrary upon us many and strange and grievous plagues Men we feare and avoid to provoke them when they are of power and yet often we hold them at defiance because we know their worst is but to take our place livings credit or liberty from us at the worst but our lives and can then not hurt us but God can goe further not onely deprive us of that we have and all that is deare to us and take away life but lay crosses infinite upon us in this life and the life to come If men much more he is to be feared Matth. 10.28 if Jacob was affraid of Isaacs curse Gen. 22.12 much more of Gods being reall things and not verball for so is mans onely he is but the mouth of God and sure they are they will light where he will lay them Vse 2 To instruct every man who finds Gods judgments that he is deprived of any good thing he hath to humble himselfe and seeke to God and search his owne wayes that he may turne unto him lest he bring curses upon him for as it is both just and usuall with God when men profit not by the lesse judgment to bring greater as a father when his sonne bowes not with a twigge to beate him with a greater rod so it is when men turne not to him by his private judgments to bring positive curses upon them as Princes who first withdraw their favours from Traytors confiscate their goods restraine their liberty and after lay upon them some fearefull punishment Hath God then taken any thing from thee that thou hast or that was beloved of thee as thy goods children or any such thing thinke seriously of it and impute it not to secondary causes though they may be greatly faulty but looke unto the Lord and turne unto him thinke not to make it good againe or recover thy selfe but thinke of the other curses God hath threatened and know these must come if the other doe not reforme thee yea though he love thee Physitians that desire the health of their patient if they can will happily recover it by injoyning them abstinence and fasting and a strict dyet if not they will to purging bleeding and such like so with God much more if he hate thee Vse 3 If thou be freed from any curse be not secure he hath variety of curses The contempt of his worship he hath threatened with the deprivation of it the taking of it way now it may be thought this would not much trouble them who thought it a wearinesse and could happily be content with it and in their corruption account it a blessing he therefore threateneth the punishng of it with positive curses and plagues Doctr. The contempt and corruption of Gods worship the means of it as of the Word and Sacraments and such like sacrifice and Prayer the Lord will sometime punish with the taking of it away and sometime with it and other fearfull curses and plagues both spirituall temporall which as it is here threatened so was it performed to this people who are now not only without the meanes of his worship but are under many fearefull judgments as any Nation in the world It is that was threatened Deuter. 28.47 48. 2 Chro. 36.16 17. Math. 21.41 1 Cor. 11.30 2 Thessal 2.11 12. 1 Sam. 2. Elies sonnes Acts 20.9 Eutychus Reas 1 Because most men finde no judgment in it at all to be deprived of that they love not as they account that no blessing to have that they delight not in and so as in this they will never be drawn to see the mercy and favor of God so not in that his justice and displeasure that they might come to the sight of their sins when as then those judgements open the eyes of their minde the better and cleare their spirituall sight the Lord doth it more to torment them and affect them Reas 2 Because these being most sensible men are by them usually made more carefull of his service either in hypocrisie as Ahab and Saul and others or in truth as Manasses Vse 1 This may teach us a point which few men have thought of but many have felt it the cause why God hath so afflicted us with with the plague and pestilence his curses have been upon us many have happily thought of many sinnes of their owne and others but few have thought of this sinne that therefore it was because the word was contemned amongst us and his worship corrupted by us such wearinesse in his service such great shews and nothing indeed such offering of sick lame and blind unto the Lord such offering of corrupt things unto him If this bee true that such are accursed of God then the other must needs be certaine The Philistims had the Arke of Gods presence 1 Sam. 5. But because they used not it as they ought therefore verse 6. they were smitten so had the men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. but because they used not it as they ought therefore the Lord slew among them fiftie thousand threescore and ten men verse 19. The Gospell the meanes of his worship as the Arke of his presence hath been amongst us but we have not used it well therefore hath the hand of God been heavy upon us as upon the Philistims the number the Lord hath slaine hath surmounted the number of them of Bethshemesh If it were just upon them it is so upon us And though this be removed yet we cannot but feare that the curses of God hang over our heads
Physitians are murtherers who poyson in stead of curing yet I condemne not the Art but such as abuse it Many Mariners make shipwracke yet we condemne not the Art of Navigation but their badnesse And mens mindes who in such things must needs be occupied should rather exercise themselves to meditate of the justice of God and to justifie him that spares not sinne no not in those who are most nigh unto him giving a purgation as it were to his owne house as David said he would do to his Psal 101. And laying the fault where it is not upon the profession but the person In this Iobs friends were better then many who of the two when they could not found the depth of Gods dealing they accused him rather then his profession that he had been but an hypocrite in it And as not anothers profession so never his own where he findes Gods judgements in it As many men draw neere to God and take some holy profession upon them and thinke then all should be safe with them and then feare nothing which when it befalleth unto them begin to contemne their profession as the Jewes Jer. 44.15.16.17.18 so they But as the Jewes never considered their present corrupt service of God nor their by-past corruption and Idolatry unrepented of vers 21. whereby they might have seen that it came upon them for that not for their profession So with these Vse 2 To teach all who draw neere to the Lord either by some speciall office in the Church or profession of his Word not for that to presume to live in any sin as if that should be his sanctuary for if others have been smiten as it were at the hornes of the Altar why should he thinke to escape nay he shall the lesse escape then an other further from God because he hath these examples and hath not feared 1 Pet. 4.17 And for profession as Salvian of a particular sin yea of all Licet gravè in omnibus praecipuè in iis tamen quae in consimili crimine etiam profâ—ssio sanctitatis accusat nay he ought the rather to labour for more holinesse the neerer he comes to God and to avoyd even the lesse corruptions for the Lord will lesse bear it in them for he will be sanctified in them that draw neer unto him if not by their holinesse yet by his own justice in punishing them more sharply to the end that as the wax the more neerer it approcheth to the fire so much more the heat of the fire approacheth in melting of it so the holinesse of God may better be known in uncasing of such hypocrites or hypocrisie approaching to him and so he may be the more glorified of the people in such judgements And will curse your blessings The first particular curses in cursing their blessings already bestowed on them which is either by taking from them the power they have to nourish and he hath by his ordinance given unto them or else so that they shall not be comfortable unto them or else in making them turn to their hurt Doctrine 1 Then doth God curse men when they have abundance of outward things and have not the comfort by them which happens either by his taking away the staffe from the creature or the strength from the eater Micha 6.14 Thou shalt eate and not be satisfied Doctrine 2 All creatures have the power to help nourish and comfort man and to preserve his life not of themselves but from God and his blessing Meat without him are fitter to choke then feed as clay to put out eyes Joh. 9. rather then to give sight Vse 1 This teacheth why the rich as well as the poore must pray Give us the day c. and those who have abundance as well as those who want Vse 2 Not to trust and rely upon them when we have them and use them for Luke 12.15 A mans life consists not in the abundance of things which he possesseth Vse 3 Not to feare or distrust when our means are never so small nay wanting because he that can by the means can also help without them where he hath himselfe denied them and man not by his fault deprived himselfe of them so much is that of Matth. 4.4.7 There is another remedy in the hand of God who though he give not food can prolong the life of man with his beck and will and word onely he that could make the garments of the Israelites last longer then by reason or in their nature they could can make the life of man which is more excellent to last Yea I have cursed them already An amplification or confirmation by way of correction shewing how they had not profited by his judgements though they were upon them and had been long Doctrine The judgements of God profit not the wicked but rather of themselves make them worse They benefit not by them but grow worse and worse They diminish not their sins but adde to them The experience of all times in the Church sheweth it Isaiah 1.6 Jer. 5.3 Pharaoh and his servants Saul and his court Reason 1 Because they are ignorant and blinde not knowing who smit them nor why neither the authour nor the end nor the cause Like the pur-blinde Philistims 1 Sam. 6.9 who would rather impute it to chance then the hand of God and so think some other cause then their sin and some other end then their forsaking their sin Reason 2 Because they are like to the servant in the Law Exod. 21.5.6 that when he should have gone out free yet so loved his wife and children that he would remaine a servant for ever and with a publicke disgrace So these love their sins that they had rather be servants still and under affliction and judgements then part with their sins which makes them impute that they suffer to any thing rather then their sins finde out some other causes and so blinde themselves Like men when they have surfeited of some meat when the Physitian comes to them had rather hazard their health then tel him what is the cause left he should forbid it them Vse 1 To put a difference betwixt the good and bad Gods children and the wicked who often happen into the same judgement and affliction together as chaffe and wheat into the same sive gold and drosse into the same fornace yet are they diversly affected in it and by it Gods children are made the better more neere heaven more holy As trees when they are pruned and lopped from their water boughes do grow higher and bring forth fruit more plentifully So he increaseth the more and is more excellent As the Arke of Noah the more the waters of the flood increased the higher it was carried and came neerer to heaven So they But the wicked are more hardened as the Smiths Anvill or Stithie Vse 2 This may teach us that nothing but the Word is able to win men unto God and to bring them out of their sins and
corruption the benefites and the blessings God bestoweth upon men and the judgements and curses he layeth upon them may prevaile with a man already converted as he that knows the use and end of all but not before Deut. 32.15 2 Chron. 28.22 They may prepare men for the Word they may open the eare that a man shall attend to the Word Job 33.16 They may as fire make a man pliable for the hammer of the Word that it may work upon them 2 Chron. 33.12.13.18 Vse 3 To teach men not by their affliction but by the fruit of their affliction to discern themselves whether Gods people or no. Isaiah 27.9 And this is all the fruit the taking away of his sin Doctrine 1 Gods judgements not regarded men not profiting by them they are fore-runners of greater warning-pieces of more fearfull plagues Hosea 5.12.13.14 Amos 4.2.11 Isaiah 9.12.13.14 Levit. 26.18.21 Because ye do not consider it in your heart The reason of this curse because they had not applied themselves to the Word and it to them but had rejected it and made light by it Doctrine 2 When the Word and admonitions by the Word are rejected then followeth the rod of God upon their backes Micha 6.9 Heare the rod. VERS III. Behold I will corrupt your seed and cast dung upon your faces even the dung of your solemne Feasts and you shall be like unto it BEhold I will corrupt your seed The future judgements prophecied of two in this verse Famine and Reproach Thus hath God decreed to punish those but before he will execute he makes it knowne to the Prophet and tells him what he will doe Doctrine 1 When the Lord purposeth to bring a judgement upon his people he communicates his counsels with his Prophets and Ministers I will corrupt your seed The first judgement in this verse is Famine for the seed corrupted that it can bring forth no fruit must make that must cause famine Doctrine 2 For the iniquities of a land and people the Lord will lay dearth and famine upon them even for their sin and for this in speciall for contempt of his Worship and Word So here and 2 Chron. 7.13.14 Levit. 26.19 20. Psal 107.34 Ezech. 5.16.17 Amos 4.4.5.6 8.8.13 Reason 1 Because this when many other things prevails not is a meanes to make men retire and returne to God by repentance As the instance in the prodigall son Luke 15.16.17 Reason 2 Because as S. Chrysostome speaks they who blaspheme God deserve not the use of those creatures which glorifie him Indigni sunt uti creaturis Deum glorificantibus ipsum blasphemantes quoniam filius contumelia patrem afficiens servorum ministerio fungi non est dignus Chrysost Hom. 25. ad pop Antioch because the son which reproaches his father is unworthy of the ministery of servants Reason 3 Because it is just with God to starve their bodies who by the contempt of the word starve their owne souls as Haggai 1.4 God called for a famine upon the people because they contemned his house and decked their owne So in this the soule being his perpetuall house where he would dwell for ever and their bodies their owne clay houses and momentarie Vse 2 To informe mens judgements who when such judgements are upon them to ascribe them to second causes as to the winde and weather to the disposition of heavens and earth or to the crueltie of men in hoording up and making a dearth as the sick often imputeth his disease to his meat or bad diet or taking the cold such like and never to their sins as the cause of it these may be the means and so thought of and as in health and prosperity there is somewhat to be given to them as means so in this But the principall is their sins thus provoking God thus shutting heaven and opening it against them either by drouth making a dearth as in Judea or by moisture making a famine as in England or howsoever else it comes yet the cause of it is mans sins the iniquities of the people out of the Church sins against honesty and the second Table and in the Church both those and sins against the first Table contempt of Gods Worship and Word Vse 2 To teach us in our land and time what we may expect as by the course of Gods dealing adding famine to pestilence before he bring the sword and other destructions As Princes do with rebels in a walled towne or intrenched in a fence cut off their provision and victuals to make them yeeld so the sins of the time abounding as it was prophesied of the latter times and the contempt of the word being marvellous great amongst us even among all sorts of all degrees If it was just with God for sending a famine upon Israel three yeares yeare after yeare for breaking their faith with the Gibeonites and not regarding their word they had passed to them 2 Sam. 21.1 what will it be with God to send it so upon us who have so often broken faith with him and contemned his Word and his Promise Are not they unworthy of the creatures of God which glorifie him not in their places who do daily blaspheme his Name and Word and make it to be evill spoken of Are such sons as contemne their father and regard not his word and command unworthy of the help of any of his servants Let us sit as Judges in the generall and we will give sentence against others that it is so To us Nathan the Prophet speaketh We are the men Therefore what expect we else nay what can we expect better And if we have not been bettered by Gods hand as Dauid called the pestilence It is better we fall into the mercie of insensible creatures then into the crueltie of unreasonable men Vse 3 To direct men when they are under such a judgement God sends cleannesse of teeth and scarcenesse of bread not to quarrell with the meanes and complaine of this and that but for a man to quarrell with his owne sinnes and consult not with flesh and bloud which will make him accuse the meanes but with the Oracle of God which will make him accuse himselfe and let him see where the sinne is that it may be reproved and he humbled and the land cured David tooke this course though it was long before he did it to enquire of the Lord the cause of their famine in the end of the third yeare and understanding why it was and that the satisfying of the Gibeonites I will corrupt The word signifies to rebuke i. I will with a word of my mouth destroy it Doctrine God is able with his bare Word to bring judgement and destruction upon a whole land and people if he but speake the word they shall soon come to naught and perish he that is powerfull in the voyce of the people by the sound of Rams hornes to the overthrowing of the walls of Jericho Joshua 6. can be
according to all his commandments And thus was Iob just and perfect Noah Zachary and Elizabeth c. He walked with me in peace and equity Therefore in peace because in equity being upright in his conversation he had peace with God and peace with himselfe Doctrine They who walke uprightly and walke with God in equity and righteousnesse they and they onely walk in peace shall have true inward peace with God and themselves To this purpose is that of Isaiah 54.13 Psal 119.165 Joh. 14.27 and 10.33 Phil. 4.5.6.7 è contra Isai 57.20.21 Reason 1 Because he is justified that his uprightnesse and sanctification sheweth for it proceedeth from justification Bona opera sequuntur justificatum as fruit from the life of a tree Now he that is justified and he onely hath true inward peace Rom. 5.1 Reason 2 He that walkes not uprightly can have no assurance of his justification and so remission of his sinnes and so no peace and quietnesse A sinner is as a debter sued to judgement And did turn many away from iniquity The fourth thing commended in him that he laboured so diligently and so effectually and walked so carefully that many who were borne and bred in sinne and iniquity and continued in it as slaves of Satan were turned from it to God and godlinesse Doctrine The Minister of God must and ought to turne many from sinne and Satan to God godlinesse that is he ought so to teach so to labour and so to walke that by the blessing of God upon his endeavours many may be gained to God out of the bondage of sin and Satan be called and converted unto God This is given unto the Word Psal 19.7 in the Ministers preaching of it Rom. 10.14 Isai 49.5 Ezek. 3 17 c. and 33.7 c. Matth. 28.19 Acts 18.9.10 2 Tim. 2.24.25.26 Reason 1 Because he shall be free from their bloud and perishing not onely if he convert but if he so labour as they may be converted though they never be for it not being in his power to work upon the heart and to alter it if he do what he can by all meanes to the outward man he is free else he must be culpable and guilty of his perishing If in Ezekiels parable Chap. 33. a watchman set up of themselves shall answer for their bodies if they perish for want of warning what shall he do that is set up of God Reason 2 Because if God do make his labour effectuall his honour shall be the more I cannot say as Chrysost Non minus praemii if hee come without them he shall not lose his labour but lesse sure because of that Dan. 12.3 And they that bee wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever and ever Vse 1 This reproveth and condemneth all Preachers and Ministers who do not labour so in doctrine and live so in practise that men may be converted to God from iniquity but by negligence and corruption suffer men to remaine still in their sinnes yea harden them in their iniquities They are farre from their dutie and farre unlike to these Priests who were thus approved and commended of God Vse 2 To teach all Ministers so to preach and so to live that they may convert men to God and turne them from iniquity They must exhort improve and rebuke with all meeknesse long-suffering constancie and courage that there may be nothing wanting in them why they should not be turned This is his dutie and he that is a Priest and rebukes not delinquents he forsakes the office of a Priest In the doing of it faithfully he may well expect a blessing from God because of that Isaiah 55.10.11 Surely as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud that it might give seed to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shal my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it And if he doe waste himselfe hazard his life and spend his strength and gain but one or few it will be the recompence of his labour The Captaine that redeems and recovers but one captive whose freedome is desired by his Prince shall not lose his reward though he shall have greater that recovers more So in this Dan. 12.3 And if God do not blesse his labours yet if he be not wanting in his dutie care and endeavour but be found wise and faithfull he shall be rewarded Isai 49.5 And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant that I may bring Iacob again to him though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength Vse 3 This may teach us why the Ministery of the Word and the Ministers of it are so harsh and so unacceptable unto most men if they be faithfull and will seeke by all means to convert men to God because they must turne them from their sin separate them and their iniquities which they love so dearly as Micha 6.7 Sin is either naturall or by custome or both naturall diseases are almost incurable and no lesse diseases that grow into a custome which is another nature And the Physitian that should go about to cure these against a mans will should have little thanke for his paines and be not greatly welcome when such things cannot be removed without most sharp and bitter medicines great paine and griefe So in this And here is the cause why many a mans ministery at the first comming to a place is very acceptable for a while because he speakes things good and wholesome but somewhat generally because he knowes not the state of his flocke and people but after he hath lived some yeares and sees their sinnes and begins to speake home unto them then is he unacceptable because he would part them and their sins As that Minister that should perswade a divorce betwixt a man his wife which he loves most dearly should never be welcome to his house or company so in this It may be it is but the same he hath often spoke of before but then it was borne because they probably conjectured he meant not them but when he hath been a while with them that it is like he may know them to be guilty of that sinne though happily and ten to one he did not then is it tolerable because they thinke he would separate them and their beloved sinne their profitable and delightfull sinne All the while he will preach peace and comfortable things to them and bring the word of reconciliation and tell them of Gods love and Gods mercie and that he is sent to wooe them to be married to God all that while he
shall be kindly welcome As he that should sue for a Prince to win the love of a woman to him all the while he tells of his honour and riches and beauty and such things he shall be kindly welcome but if he come to tell her that she must separate her selfe from some place and company she loves well and change her manners and forsake her friends and fathers house he shall finde his entertainment both for usage and countenance changed So in this Which makes oftentimes Ministers if they be not the more faithfull grow cold and carelesse and so fall into many grievous sins And turne many from iniquity In themselves and of themselves by nature they were in iniquity carnall and sold under sinne Rom. 7. till the Minister by the word brings them out of it and turnes them to God from sinne and makes them his Doctrine 1 No man naturally is Gods but a slave to sinne and Satan till he be turned and converted by the preaching of the Word and work of the Ministerie Doctrine 2 Turne from iniquity Their conversion to God and their calling is thus noted By turning from iniquitie To note this unto us Those who are truly called and converted are turned from their sinne and corruption that is washed cleansed and purged from them 1 Cor. 6.11 VERS VII For the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts FOr the Priests lips In this verse is the reason of the precedent duties required in others and commended in those with whom God made his covenant at first generally commanding a duty of the Priest or a double dutie because by knowledge and law some understand two severall things It depends upon the former thus These things he ought to do for he ought to be a man of knowledge c. Some read them Doth preserve in the present tense but commonly it is read in the future Not to note out a promise as if the Priests lips should never erre but should be so kept that he might not erre But it is a commandement shewing how he ought to be qualified Shall keep It is not saith S. Hierom shall bring forth or produce for that was spoken before but shall keep that he may speak it and produce it in time and may give his fellow servants their portion in due time Some take knowledge here for the understanding of the spirituall and heavenly mysteries as the Law after for the rule of the composing of their manners and actions And these are said to be the Priests because they must study the bookes of divine wisedome by which they become more wise and more learned then the rest of the people And they should seek the Law at his mouth That is they ought to require from his mouth who ought to teach it them Levit. 10.9.10.11 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. The Law saith Bernard lib. 2. de Consid Non nugas profecto vel fabulas Not toyes and fables S. Cyril Ait nomine legis contineri omnium ad bene vivendum necessariorum cognitionem For he is the Messenger of the Lord This is a reason for confirmation of the former he must be a man of wisedome and knowledge because he is one God hath made choyce of to be his messenger to carry and declare his will unto his people He is called Angelus not that he was so by nature but by office In the verse we observe two things two duties and one reason inforcing both The first is the Ministers duty he must be a man of knowledge learning and understanding Doctrine The Minister of God he that is to go in and out before Gods people ought to be a man of learning knowledge and understanding in the word of God and of the mysteries there delivered It is so here commanded This Elisha knew well therefore 2 King 2.9 he asked a double portion of Elijahs spirit Matth. 13.52 Every Scribe which is taught unto the kingdome of heaven is like unto an housholder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things both new and old Therefore are they compared to starres Rev. 2.1 Made the light of the world Matth. 5.14 To prove that starres should have light that the eye should have sight were needlesse for all know and will confesse it Tit. 1.9 Gods stewards of whom as they must be faithfull 1 Cor. 4.2 so also skilfull seeing he hath the keyes of the kingdome of heaven Haggai 1.13 he is the Lords messenger 2 Cor. 5.20 in Gods stead Reason 1 Because he is Gods messenger as Paul 1 Cor. 5.20 Gods Embassadour now necessarily it followes that the Messenger and Embassadour of a Prince should know and understand his Masters will what he is to speake and to deliver in the name of him that sent to those to whom he was sent so in this Reason 2 Because he ought to instruct the ignorant to strengthen the weake to exhort and excite the slow and cold to confirme the truth to confute errour and improve them that speake against the truth being every way both able and apt to teach as the tenor of the Epistles to Timothy and Titus do run But this cannot be done except he be a man of knowledge and understanding of the word Vse 1 This admonisheth all those who are by God and Man God and his Church put in trust and credited with the choyce and election of fit men for this calling and function that they impose not hands upon any neither admit any to this place but such as are able men such as after triall examination are found fit and sufficient for it If they lay their hands suddenly and foolishly upon any they shall be partakers of their sinnes and not be pure as 1 Tim. 5.22 And where sinne cleaves to the hand the rod and judgement will be upon the backe The Generall that for his proper gaine or private respects shall admit Captaines and Colonels and Marshals for the leading of severall Bands Multo fuisse satius manus suas in spinas imposuisse quam earum impositione Sabbatium ad gradium designasse Presbiterii Marcianus which have no skill in Warre and Marshall affaires that when the field is to be fought are not able to lead their bands to go in and out before them can never answer it to their Prince if it he known that this is the cause why the Battel succeeds so badly why so many perished and the enemy gathered ground upon him So in this I thinke too many may say of those whom they have ordained as Marcianus said when he heard how Sabbatius demeaned himselfe whom he had ordained a Presbyter It had been better he had layd his hands upon thornes then by the imposition of his hands to have designed Sabbatius to the degree of a Presbyter Vse 2 This reproveth those who thinke any body sufficient for the Ministery As corrupt Patrons and Parents and such like
touched And indeed it is fearfull for it argues he was either an hypocrite before or else by reason of some security and carelesnesse over his own spirituall estate he is fallen into a spirituall disease and some sins he had not before and refusing the remedies or the bitter potion which should recover him he must needs putrifie more The body that is sicke and the part that is wounded if either the remedy be rejected or the salve be pulled off when it is applied will doubtlesse grow worse As he that is sore sicke and grievously wounded gives hope of his recovery while he will submit himselfe to his Physitian and take whatsoever he prescribes him but he that is but a little ill and refuseth to hearken or receive any thing gives no hope at all though his hurt be the lesse So in this Therefore men who would save themselves must receive the whole They who will shew themselves dutifull and loyall either his spouse or children must be content to be reproved and chid when they have given cause and never love the lesse as well as cherished And it is a good signe of a good heart that likes his Ministery best which will reprove and chide him and not his that will sooth and flatter him For he is the Messenger of the Lord. The reason of the former The Priest is Gods Messenger therefore must he be such and such Doctrine The Lord he useth the ministery of man in revealing his will to his people Rev. 3.14 VERS VIII But yee are gone out of the way yee have caused many to fall by the Law yee have broken the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hosts BVt yee are gone out of the way Or Yee have departed from that way The second part of this dissimilitude followes now in this and the next verse which containes their degenerating and so their corruption vers 8. and the iteration of the judgement vers 9. And in the 8. verse there are three corruptions these Priests be chalenged withall wherein they are most unlike to the former Priests You are gone out of that way that is from the piety and faithfulnesse of those Priests who lived in the first age and with whom I made the covenant at first They neither swarved from that rule but you have forsaken and contemned my law and followed your owne devices and sought your selves and the establishing of your dignity more then my glory and have sought how to make a gaine to your selves of my worship You have done this who have the same place enjoy the same priviledges have the same portion of tythes and offerings they had Yee have caused many to fall by the Law the second difference and dissimilitude That whereas the former Priests by their care and diligence in their places recovered and caused many to returne from their sinnes and the breaches of the Law and to walk uprightly by it They on the contrary by their defect and want in teaching and their passing over their sinnes as if they saw them not that they might purchase grace and procure commoditie to themselves As also by their wicked example they were the cause of the fall of many that is that many have sinned and were not punished as the word sometime signifies By the Law is not meant as if they did so teach and temper the Law as sometime the Priests did in giving liberty by it to sinne as to hate their enemies to lust and covet so nothing were outwardly acted but that they caused many to stumble and go contrary to the Law Yee have broken the covenant of Levi. The third difference They kept my covenant and were faithfull and I performed whatsoever I promised to them but you have broken covenant gone cleane contrary to the agreement which passed betwixt me and your predecessours in whose loynes you were and who made the covenant for you and so by your iniquities have caused me not to performe to you peace plenty and prosperity with length of dayes From the generall I observe this Doctrine Men of what sort and condition soever they be ought to imitate and follow the vertue pietie and faith of their predecessours whether they were in place nature or age And on the contrary it is a great wickednesse and shame to degenerate from their pietie and vertue to be unlike unto them Therefore reproves our Prophet these Priests To this purpose is that Heb. 6.12 and 13.7 and 12.1 inferred upon the 11. and Jam. 5.11 Hence was the commendations of Iehosaphat 1 King 22.43 and of Iosiah 2 King 22.2 On the contrary it was reproved in Iehoram 2 Chron. 21.12 and in the Jewes Joh. 8.39 Reason 1 Because God hath therefore written these he hath written not that they should be knowne as matter of story to be made for delight or speech onely but for matter of life and conversation thereby teaching us what to do in others whose memory is new and fresh that God may have his end Reason 2 Because it will not profit them to have descended from or succeeded such for as he said of Nobility what profiteth it a channell or river flowing from a pure and wholesome spring if it be corrupt and defiled Nay it will the more condemne them as we may well gather from that Matth. 12.41.42 Vse 1 Then are they justly reproved who talk of doing as their forefathers have done being neither willing nor able to examine what they did good or evill but is all one to them so they did it before them Such as our ignorant Papists be who imitate not the faith but the infidelity and errours of their fathers not their vertues and pietie but their vices and prophanenesse their liberty and licenciousnesse No man will condemne their following of that is good in them or rather that which had but the shew of goodnesse in them as their workes which were good for the outward act though not otherwise their workes of mercie and liberality their zeale fervencie and diligence in prayer though their prayers not to be imitated as a man may imitate the diligence and watchfulnesse of a thiefe but not his theft the providence of a bad Steward but not his corruption But to imitate any thing they have done without choyce of their good is that which is justly condemned For if the Apostle must not nor will not be otherwise followed then 1 Corinth 11.1 as he followes Christ If the Prophet forbid us to follow our fathers if they are condemned for following their fore-fathers as did all the Kings of Israel If that be the commendations of Iehosaphat 2 Chro. 17.3 that he walked in the first way of his father David and not that he imitated him in all things Is it approveable to follow those who are farre inferiour to him in all things Nay it is that which shall improve their sin and inhance their punishment as Isai 14.21 with 65.7 Vse 2 To provoke us to read the Scriptures where we
made you to be despised It was others malice and corruption but Gods judgement Reason As other judgements which befall men so this of hatred and contempt and reproach it comes from God though man be the instrument of it therefore saith God I have made you vile Jerem. 23.40 Psal 44.13.14 and 107.40 2 Sam. 16.10 Because all evill as in the City so in every place comes from the Lord Amos 3.6 the evill of punishment Now such is this Quest A question may be made whether this be a sinne or no If it be how should God be free from sinne when he hath his hand in that which man doing sinneth Answ It is not simply a sinne to despise the wicked for it is a marke of the child of God Psal 15.4 To hate the wicked for his wickednesse so it be done simply and onely for that he set at naught all wicked persons as well as one and not this and that onely from whom perhaps he hath received some wrong or whose outward state is contemptible in the world But if man sinne in it and hate the person rather then his wickednesse and doe it in the malice and corruption of his heart yet is God free from sin because as Augustine speaketh of that of Shemei Deus non est tam Author quam ordinator The disposer of his corruption not the Author of it for they having this venome by nature to hate and contempt God leaving them as he justly may to their owne corruption and they will be hating and despising Now he doth order and dispose of this at his good pleasure and makes it fall where he thinkes best where he would punish and for what end he purposeth not for what they intended As Salomon Prov. 16.1 The preparations of the heart are in man but the answer of the tongue is of the Lord. Meaning in the generall that God disposeth of all so in this not unfitly Vse 1 This may shew the folly of those who despise and set naught by the despising and reproaches because they come from inferiours from bule and meane and weake men But these should consider that it is not from them but God and by them and are the signe of his displeasure It is not to be braved of bragged out Men may not think to acquit themselves by answering one reproach with another one contempt with another for this is but to fight against God who hath made them to despise them who if he can not make to returne with such blasts and small windes hath verily sharpe Arrowes and keene Swords hath mighty armies and great store of men of armes to subdue them Vse 2 To teach men when they are in such judgements the way how to have them removed first to have Davids thoughts they cursed because God bids them curse they reproach and contemne them because he hath so made them and then to imagine and consider that he who set them on must snap them check them He must onely charme these Adders that they sting not or he onely must cure their biting therefore must they by prayer seeke unto him for the removing of them who must take these from them so David prayed Psal 119.39 Take away my rebuke that I feare for thy judgements are good And if he a King of that magnificence and greatnesse of that power and authority could not have them removed but by seeking to God if he could not cure the biting of a dead dogge as Abishai calleth Shimei but God must doe it how then shall any other inferiour man be able to helpe himself and remove it without him Thirdly he must humble himselfe and remove his sinne which is the cause of it for if he remove no judgement unlesse man remove the cause if he give not favour in the eyes of men unlesse they have favour in his owne eyes first If Prov. 16.7 When the waies of a man please the Lord he will make also his enemies at peace with him Then must they turne unto him and forsake that which is displeasing and doe that which is acceptable And if a reproach be as they say of words irrevocable yet will God doe him good for the others evill 2 Sam. 16.12 But yee have beene partiall in the law Their particular sinne why he would lay this judgement upon them their accepting of persons in the worke of their Ministery Doctrine As it is in a Magistrate and in him that executes judgement a great corruption to accept persons so is it in a Minister and him that must dispose of Gods mysteries As the Magistrate in distributing of justice may not respect poore or rich friend or foe high or low or any thing besides justice and equity so must not the Minister in dividing the word Therefore are they here reproved as offendors for doing so It is proved by the command to Ieremy Chap. 1.17.18 Hence is the commandement indefinite and generall to preach to all and to reprove all Ezek. 3.18 It is that Paul teacheth 2 Tim. 2.15 And that which he seemeth to reprove in Peter and Barnabas Gal. 2.14 The examples of evill and good Prophets and Ministers shew this Reason 1 Because as Iehosaphat sayd of judgement that it was the Lords and not mans and therefore perswaded the Judges to doe it without respect seeing God himselfe would doe so therefore ought they 2 Chron. 19.6 7. so of this the word is the Lords therefore must they speake it as he would have them Reason 2 Because they ought to be faithfull disposers of Gods mysteries fidelity consisteth in delivering the whole and in delivering the parts to them for whom God hath appointed them Vse 1 To reprove all Ministers who are partiall in the law and dividing of Gods word and mysteries respecting persons and accepting faces they are all guilty of very grievous sin before God Amongst others the whole Cleargy of Rome are guilty of this sinne having fitted the word and disposition of those mysteries to every mans humour as not long since was shewed when as the word is contrary to every mans humour as contrary as light is to darkenesse yet with them they have fitted it making it as they speake of it a shipmans hose a nose of waxe a leaden rule So Pighius and Nicolas Cusanus a Cardinall of Rome writeth to the Bohemians Epist 2. Epist 7. This understand that the Scriptures are fitted to the time and diversly to be understood so that at one time they may be expounded according to the cōmon and customable course but change that and the sense is changed So that it is no marvaile if the custome of the Church at one time interpret the Scriptures after this manner and another time after that and according to this they so deale for time and persons and so prove partiall in the the whole One thing amongst other argues the partiallity of the high Priest of Rome which they would perswade us is part of the Law and Word of
be taken in that sense but in another sense as there is a speciall use of it in the Scripture when it speaketh and dealeth of some new secret disposition of things as Jer. 31.22 And so it is used Isaiah 65.18 of such a speciall creation is it here meant where love and dutie is specially due unto those who are of the same religion with us who follow the lawes and statutes of the same Creator and Author Why do we transgresse every one against his brother It is taken by some to be the reproofe of their vice though closely or not so openly as vers 11. it is set downe i. seeing we are of one kindred descended from one father why do we thus transgresse one against another either putting away or refusing our owne kindred in respect of strangers and aliens Brother here some interpret either the sister or daughter of our brother or rather accorrding to the use of the Scripture and Hebrew which by brother understand the female as well as the Male. And the application according to the occasion either both or but the one Both as Jam. 1.2 and the one as here upon this occasion must needs be the female And breake the covenant of our Fathers Some think that this is applied unto the second reason because the covenant of the Fathers was That they all and their whole posterity should acknowledge and worship one God onely and one people should be consecrated to one and the same God Others thinke by covenant is meant the Law of God a thing usuall in the Scriptures and that Law which God gave unto our Fathers that they should not take the daughters of a strange God to wife or of another nation Others thinke the reason stands thus making a third reason of it because God when he made covenant with the Israelites did it not with those more then with these with one more then with another but with all alike so that they who despise others violate the common covenant as if it were onely a covenant made with them The conclusion of all is thus framed If you be all one in body and soule and by Law why do you contemne one another Generally in that he used reason and not the bare authoritie of God which had been that hee well might wee observe this Doctrine 1 Men who perswade others to good or disswade them from evill must use all those reasons that may any way cause it to take hold and put an edge to it Have we not all one Father But in this verse as I said I take not to be reproved any particular sinne but generally their injuring and dealing unequally and unjustly one with another And this the first reason by which it is reproved condemning this because it was against nature they being all of one parent all one flesh Doctrine 2 Nature it selfe and humanity though men have no other bonds to linke them together ought to keepe men from hurting and injuring or transgressing one against another and to binde them to be helpfull and profitable and doe good one to another So reasoneth the Prophet heere And to this I apply that which is Levit. 18. When it is given so often a reason to disswade from injuring as vers 7. for she is thy mother for it is thy fathers shame 10. thy shame 12. she is thy fathers kinsewoman 13. mothers kinswoman To this may that be used Acts 7.26 Hereto that Gen. 50.16.17 and Isai 58.7 Reason 1 Because unreasonable creatures as beasts and birds fishes and fowles love their owne kinde and by nature are taught not to hurt and injure them but to do them good Hence is deemed the reason why those beasts that feed on flesh will not eate the flesh of their owne kinde taught as it were by nature lest they should eate and devoure their owne brood or breeders how much more then unreasonable men Reason 2 Because it is the rule and voice of Nature Quod tibi non vis alteri ne feceris Vse 1 To condemne men not onely as irreligious and voyd of pietie and godlinesse but as beastly and unnaturall men and voyd of humanity who injure and wrong transgresse against others and oppresse them I meane not such as may sometimes doe it carried by passion or affection in ignorance and want of information but I speak of such as live in it and to satisfie their owne lust and desires care not whom they wrong injure they will despise defraud deceive and oppresse any in buying and selling in letting or fetting by manifest usury and other oppression All is fish that comes to net with them of such I speake and how rich soever they may grow or be whatsoever otherwise yet are they unnaturall men and void of humanity And may reprove them as the Apostle the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.14 So doth not nature teach that if any man injure others it is a sinne unto him it is against the very light of nature And though there were no word of God neither Law nor Prophets nothing that might reprove them in the mouth of the Minister which they now spurne against and could be content there were none that they might sinne without controulment yet should they not without condemnation for even that Rom. 2.12 will here have place and shall condemne them by the very light of nature and now double condemne them because the light of the Word hath shined in a darke place and they have loved darknesse more then light Vse 2 To teach every man that if there were nothing else to binde him to do good to others or avoyd the hurting of others yet nature ought and he ought to be thus a law to himselfe though he had no written Word from God Whether he be a husband or parent or master or è contra or a private man nature and humanity ought to keep him from the one and hold him to the other * Omnia animalia naturalibus munimentis providentia coelestis armavit Homo accepit pro istis miserationis affectum qui plane vocatur humanitas qua nosmet invicâ—m tueremur Lactant. de falsa sapientia lib. 3. cap. 20. The heavenly providence hath armed all beasts with naturall defences but man instead of them hath the affection of pitty which is called humanity by which we are defended This very thing ought then to bind men It is hard from many men when they reprove others for transgressing and injuring others It is not for your profession it doth not become a man of that zeale and profession as you doe If they speake it that they are more bound it is true but if to excuse themselves or others as if it were little or no sinne in them then it is their corruption and is false For wherein doth their profession binde them which nature it selfe and humanitie bindes them not to do or from doing Undoubtedly in nothing though it binde more he is as well bound that is bound in
such meanes then will the Lord take his rod in hand to punish and gird his sword unto him to cut off every one so sinning and so spared So here So when Adam the Prince of the earth and Magistrate of his sonnes let passe the murther of Abel because Cain was his first borne and his possession yet the Lord did lay to his hand and did punish him Gen. 4.11.12 c. So of the sonnes of Eli 1 Sam. 2.23.24 and 4.11 not simply a judgement to fall in battell but because it was prophesied of them Chap. 2.34 This is manifest further out of the story of Achan while by ignorance of the fact Ioshua did not punish it the Lord did it in the whole people but after the knowledge of it when Iosua had punished it the Lord put up his sword and his wrath ceased Josh 7. To these we may adde that of Numb 25.3.4 c. the cause of the great famine 2 Sam. 21. was the Kings not punishing of a sinne committed by Sauls house which done the famine ended Reason 1 Because as Iehosaphat told the Judges their judgements were his which if they executed he will not because he will not punish one fact twice but if not they then will he because he is just and else should be unjust as well as they for if it be injustice in them to spare the wicked it would be in him Reason 2 Because impunity from the Magistrate makes impenitencie in the offenders and brings them on to hardnesse of heart and security so that they never judge themselves and so neither judged by authority nor by themselves they are judged of the Lord as the contrary proves 1 Cor. 11. For I take it it will hold not onely of those sinnes a man is guilty in foro conscientiae but in foro civili Vse 1 This sheweth the folly of those men who as they make conscience of no sinne and onely care to avoid those sinnes the lawes of men and state will punish them for so when they are fallen into any such offences care onely how to escape the punishment of the law and the hands of the Magistrate which if they can by favour or friendship by bribes or the countenance of others or by dissembling or covering of the fault or howsoever the care is taken and they never feare more Their folly appeareth because then the Lord will take them into his owne hands and that saith the Apostle is a fearfull thing And more cause of feare as Christ speaketh Matth. 10.28 What will it profit them then to escape the one and fall into the hands of the other As much as if a murderer should by means and money either get his fact passed over at the Sessions and fall into the hands of the Judges at the Assizes or scape their hands either by corrupting the Judge or the Sheriffe to pack a Jury for his purpose or the fore-man to lead the rest when the next of kindred is ready to enter an appeale to the Kings Bench where there shall be no such packing All he hath got by it is his repriving for a while but to his greater shame and punishment So with these Many a great man lives in oppressing and injuring others his tenants and inferiours and either there is no civill law against him or if there be either his greatnesse or purse will carry it out well enough that no punishment shall come upon him or take hold of him and then hee sleepeth without feare when he is as a man that hath escaped the rage of a foole and is fallen into the power of a Bear robbed of her whelps As Masters if they live in oppression or usury or deceit or drunkennesse or adultery or some such like and can escape the Magistrates hands by the meanes they make feare nothing That is their folly there is more cause of feare God will take them into his hand Many servants when they have injured and dealt deceitfully with their Masters stealing from them or serving them with eye-service mis-spending their goods and not furthering by their endevours their profites if they can escape their masters hands by lying or shifting or dissembling or by his negligence lenity or remisnesse they never feare this is their folly there is now more cause of feare God will take them into his hand to cut them off by the plague or some other judgement Finally let these and all the like see their folly that thinke there is no feare if they can escape the hand and sword of man by such meanes yet there will be no escaping of the hand of God who will as he saith send serpents that will not be charmed Jerem. 8.17 O consider this yee that forget God! as if hee would not judge the earth when men neglect it least hee teare you in pieces Vse 2 The cause why God sendeth generall judgements upon such a City or Land as ours is why he drawes forth his sword or sends famine pestilence plague or such like It is because the Magistrates of that country or towne are remisse and carelesse suffer sinne unpunished and uncensured for some respect or other making either munera oris or manus or officii For if these did not let them but they would purge the land from the bloud and the adulteries whoredomes thefts oppressions blasphemies and such things wherewith it is defiled there would never come any such generall judgements For if the Justices at the Sessions should reforme throughly and deliver the goale every one to his severall punishment the Judges should have little cause to ride circuit or if they did but to make short ones So if Magistrates God would not punish or if he did yet not so long as three yeares famine and three yeares pestilence So that of all the enemies of a Common-wealth none is so great as remisse carelesse and corrupt Magistrates for they are a cause of Gods generall judgements when as their severity would prevent And none such a fore-runner of some generall judgement as they and their remisnesse and in a Magistrate it is better for the generall good that he be too severe punishing some he ought and might spare then remisse passing by others that deserve it As a Surgeon better too deepe or too nigh then too little in tenting or cutting To teach every inferiour not to seeke and labour to escape the hand and punishing of the Magistrate or his superior who is as a Magistrate unto him his master or parent if he have offended and deserved it specially remaining by that immunity impenitent in his sin for besides that it is sinne to him so to avoyde it it will be but a further meanes to bring him to the hands of God who will punish him more severely and fearefully cut him off from the tents of Iaakob If any say this falls but out seldome here and there one and so no such feare of it I answer with Cyprian l. de laps Plectuntur interim
followes part of it The sinne is that which is against the ordinance and institution of God that ought not to be done such is this Now it is against his institution because it is against that covenant whereof hee is both Author and witnesse The way of setting down this is by way of question and answer from the people to them from God depending upon the former The Lord had told them it made their prayers to be rejected They aske why it should be so yet ye say wherin or wherfore for what cause or what reason there was why their offerings should be rejected and why he would not receive their prayers As men that would not acknowledge that there was any sin or fault in them but put him to his proofe how he would make it good and shew them wherein they had offended not willing to confesse unlesse he can wrest it from them Because the Lord hath beene witnesse The Lords answer shewing directly that there was cause because they had beene injurious not onely against their wives but against God who was witnesse of the Covenant they made betwixt themselves which Covenant as it was Gods ordained by him that they should be one flesh so was it made he being present called upon by him as witnesse when he bound himselfe to take her for his onely wife So that witnesse betweene thee and thy wife is witnesse of that Covenant that is passed betwixt thee and thy wife and which he ordained Who is the wife of thy youth One whom thou hast had from thy youth who hath beene long delightfull comfortable and amiable unto thee by her beauty helpes and chearefulnesse and other fruits of her youth and of marriage when thou being in thy youth married her a young Virgine And so it is no new reason nor yet any strange and obscure name of your duty mutually to be performed that it may be accounted either a small thing or is to be denyed and lightly regarded but it is most ancient and of long continuance even from your youth neither is there any thing committed by her why thou shouldest violate thy faith and breake thy covenant with her for so that against whom thou hast transgressed Is to be read with whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully breaking thy covenant Those words hath beene witnesse Some understand as if it were meant that he were witnesse of the injuries and indignities done against them And that howsoever some would lessen things yet the Lord tooke notice of them as great injuries yet this meaning the very tenor of the words will not carry it for it is not he is witnesse of you have been unfaithfull to them but between thee her with whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully Others would have it he is witnesse That is he hath contested betwixt thee and her that is hath commanded how thou shouldst carry thy selfe towards thy wife when he said Gen. 2.24 Therefore shall man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh But though some of the learned as Hierom and Cyril incline to this it seemeth to me somewhat violent Yet is she thy companion This is added to amplifie the crime of unfaithfulnesse because she was united to him in nighnesse of blood being flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and in society of life admitted to a partaking of his government and goods or companion of his bed and government and that by a covenant made betwixt them whereunto he had bound himselfe Yet is she saith the Prophet that is for all that she is thus thou hast dealt thus and so with her Some for all thou hast dealt thus with her yet is she thy companion c. and not that other thou hast taken and put her away or forsaken her company Because the Lord hath been witnesse between thee Gods answer shewing their sinne in a more heynous degree not against their wives and selves but against him Doctrine They who breake covenant and deale unfaithfully with their wives are not onely injurious to their wives but also sinne against God Let the injurie be the maine one here spoken of or let it be lesse wherein the covenant of marriage is broken And now that which is of the husband to her must be understood of the wives to him So the Prophet here condemnes the mans perfidiousnesse as a sin to God And as much Solomon insinuates for the woman Prov. 2.17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the Covenant of her God That a leud woman dealing unfaithfully with her husband sinned against God in breaking the Covenant whereof he was Authour This is further proved because their naturall duties are commanded of God as Ephes 5.22.25 Collo 3.18.19 and other places Reason 1 Because whatsoever is against the Commandement and Word of God is a sinne against him though immediately it hurts man Nay indeed it is onely a hurt to man and the sinne against God seeing he is onely the law giver James 4. Now as the tenor of indictments run you did such a thing against the Crown and dignity of the Kings Majesty The hurt is to the private person but the transgression is against the Prince so in this Reason 2 Because God gave him to her and her to him and joyned them together therefore to transgresse one against another is to transgresse against God which I gather by proportion from that of Deut. 22.15 ad 20. where recompence is to bee made to the father for the injury that is done to the daughter for if there be an injury against him that is but in Gods stead and his vicegerent what to himselfe Vse 1 To perswade husbands and wives not to transgresse or injure one another not to deale unfaithfully one with another For besides that it is uncomely and most unnaturall to see that a man should hurt his owne flesh and so a woman That the body should annoy the head and the head the body it is against God therefore as Ioseph disswaded his Mistresse restrained himselfe Gen. 39.9 so should they one with another when occasion and opportunity is given or infirmity is ready to over-sway they should say one to another How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God The duties of the husband conditioned at the Covenant were to love his wife to be faithfull to her in his body and goods to dwell with her to governe her to instruct her be an example to her give her due benevolence of maintenance and imployment and such like And of the wife to love and be faithfull to him to feare and obey him In any one of these to faile is to transgresse against the Lord. And though sometimes in their corruption they could consent to transgresse one against the other as the husband that his wife should be a harlot and prostrate her for gaine to another or that he might without her reproofe be an adulterer
cognosce quid debeas habere in correptione tuo te vitio non habere in oratione unde accipias quid vis habere De corrept gratia c. 3. what strength thou shouldest have in every reproofe what strength by thy own fault thou wantest in every prayer whence thou mayest have what thou wantest Doctrine The hands must be purged as well as the heart the outward man as the inward VERS XVI If thou hatest her put her away saith the Lord God of Israel yet he covereth the injury under his garment saith the Lord of hostes therefore keep your selves in your spirit and transgresse not I Hate putting away saith the Lord God of Israel In this verse the Prophet proceeded to the third maine sinne here reproved in this people Divorces not simply condemning divorce as if in no case it were lawfull but for every vaine cause and light dislike when they hated or disliked them for that to put them away is that he reproves In the verse we observe two things First the reproofe of this sinne secondly an admonition generall including the particular In the first which is the sinne we observe the amplifications of it which is first from Gods hatred Secondly from an effect of those husbands who used and practised divorces that they made the law of God a covert to cover with it that violent injury and indignity they did to their wives as men cover the body and defaults of it with their garment If thou hatest her put her away Some thinke this dependeth upon the former as an objection made by this people in their own defence against the former accusation as unjustly cast upon them because they had not committed Polygamy seeing they had put away their first wives and that according to the Law Deut. 24. The Prophet answeres the Lord hates putting away and will not indure that they should make his Law a cover for their iniquity Some as S. Hierom understand them as words of the Priest and people in their owne defence pretending the law of God for that they did but most take them as Gods words shewing his dislike of their dealing And if the words be read thus as our vulgar translation hath them then they think them spoken by an Irony which they manifest as they suppose by the words following by which they take a judgement to be threatned And they thinke it is manifest by the like Eccles 11.9 but seeing the words in the originall will not beare the reading neither the second sentence will carry the sense they would have of them They must be thus read For I hate putting away or putting away is an hatred unto me It is a thing that I am so far from approving and liking that I utterly hate and abhor whatsoever Moses for the hardnesse of your hearts did grant unto you and so remitted the judiciall law that it proceeded not against you to death as adulterers when you had put them away for slight causes and married others yet that hath not excused it before me but that it is still a sin and odious unto me It is that which my soule abhorreth Saith the Lord God of Israel This he addeth for confirmation of the former That the Lord God of Israel doth affirme and testifie this who hath before professed himselfe Author of the conjunction betwixt them and witnesse of that covenant And doth professe himselfe protector of the whole Nation of the Israelites and therefore with what indignation must he needs behold their dealing with their wives and how can he suffer that indignity they are offered to be put away and others taken in their places specially when they are strangers and infidells Yet he covereth the injury under his garment The second amplification because they pretended law for that they did covering it by that as the body with a garment which maketh him to abhorre it the more to pretend his law for them when it is cleane against them and all that was was but a permission by Moses in his care and compassion of the women who were abused by them To the former sentence some adde for being a particle which hath the force not of a cause but oftentimes of an affirmation and to this because shewing that therefore he hated it the more because they thus covered it Saith the Lord of hostes He that is able and can command all the hostes of heaven and earth to revenge the injuries and indignities done to his people and daughters Therefore keepe your selves in your spirits The admonition such as we have had before that is seeing you know what the Lord hates and what he loves and likes look well to your selves and your owne hearts take heed of transgressing and dealing perfidiously with your wives Doctrine Divorce that is for a man to put away his wife for any cause save onely for the cause of adultery and for adultery is utterly unlawfull and forbidden of God a thing that doth dislike and displease him so the Prophet affirmeth here This our Saviour the oracle of his father more faithfull in the house then Moses doth shew and teach Mat. 5.32 Mat. 19.9 It hath his force I say unto you that is many assigne other causes but I this one onely adultery To this we may adde that the Apostle allowes not a man to put away his wife for infidelity 1 Cor. 7.12.13 onely if the infidell will depart and make a desertion he sets then the beleever at liberty but else he allowes him not to put her away And if not for Idolatry then not for other causes of farre lesse weight Reason 1 Because as Christ himselfe giveth the reason the bond betwixt them is greater then that which is betwixt parents and children Mat. 19.5 for it was before that for Adam and Eve were man and wife before they were parents and they were man and wife that they might be parents And againe the bond is greater because the good is more publique for this for the propagation of mankinde that onely for the good of the parents Now then if the bond be greater and that is not to be broken for any cause then not this If that rather then this then not this for small and frivolous causes but onely for that which he who bound the knot hath allowed the dissolution of it Reason 2 Because this were for man to take upon him to fever that which God hath joyned when it is done not for such a cause as he hath allowed it to be for for when it is for such a cause then is it God and not man that hath dissolved it Vse 1 To reprove all those who allow and contend for many other causes that divorces may be made besides adultery which opinion of theirs they would establish first from the law Deut. 24.1 When a man taketh a wife and marrieth her if so be she finde no favour in his eyes because he hath spyed some filthinesse in her then let him write her a
bill of divorcement and put it in her hand and send her out of his house To which I answer and oppose Math. 19. so that if it were lawfull then yet not now neither doe I herein make Christ contrary to the decrees of God by Moses but we must understand that that law in Deuteronomy was a civill and judiciall law And Christ he meddles not with civill or judiciall courses but morrall things For they who governe common wealths propound this end unto themselves that if two evills or two inconveniences happen and meete they admit the lesse lest they fall into the greater As in some Cities they have admitted stewes and harlots to avoide as they say greater evills which the law of God will not suffer in his common wealth And so to this purpose of marriage when unhappy unfit and unequall marriages are made the one of these two inconveniences seemed to be necessarily that they who hated their wives would either perpetually afflict and vex them and at length kill them or they must have liberty to put them away The permission argues no simple lawfulnesse This latter was thought more tolerable therefore it was allowed in that common wealth but so allowed as if God by it would make them keepe their wives and use them better For first God would have him make a bill of divorce by that to affect so hard cruell a husband to drive him to consider what an unfit unworthy a thing it was for him to put away one he had enjoyed so long for we use to weigh more those things we write then those we speake Secondly that if he put her away he was not allowed atall to take her againe and therefore to make him not to doe it but advisedly when happily upon second thoughts he would not doe it Thirdly if he gave her a bill of divorce it must expresse the cause why he did it clearing her that it was not for adultery and accusing himselfe that it was for some other slight cause which he ought and would if there had been any love in him at all have covered All which sheweth that God did it for their infirmities and would have restrained them from it by this meanes and that he granted unto them was onely judiciall that is so much as might free them from the hand of the Magistrate that they were not punishable by him but not that which made it no sinne against the law morrall and before him they were onely freed in foro civili non conscientiae It is like to our law of usury which frees men from punishment of the law if they take not above such a summe but frees them not from sin before God providing for the good of the borrower both that they might borrow and when they did not be too much oppressed but so he that lends is an usurer and so a thiefe before God So in this For the Lord as a wise law-giver in his judiciall lawes permitted in a civill respect some things evill in themselves for the avoiding of a greater mischiefe not to allow or justifie the same from the guilt of sinne as before him in the court of conscience but to exempt the same from civil punishment in the external court before the Magistrate such is this we speake of Hence it is that we read not in the Scripture of any man of note for piety and holinesse which ever used this or ever gave any wife a bill of divorce For whereas Abraham put away Hagar and Ismael it is not against this for as he did it by the counsell of the wife so by the commandement of God Gen. 21.12 And none that were godly using or practising it once though they were subject to the same inconveniences that others were and so shewes that they held it not simply and in conscience lawfull Againe they say that 1 Cor. 7. the Apostle allowes divorce for another cause It is answered that the Apostle speaketh not of a divorce but of a disertion not of putting away the wife for any fault of hers but when she forsakes the husband for the faith and piety that is in him and so è contra for the Apostle onely saith if the unbeleeving depart let him depart But allowes not the beleever in any sort to put away the unbeleever nay commands him to live with her if she will abide with him And so onely enjoyneth him to suffer a disertion not to make a divorce And so this establisheth no other cause Againe they say if for adultery then much more for crimes greater then it and so there are more causes of divorce This will be answered out of the former for if the Apostle allow not for infidelity then not for greater for that is sure farre greater and if their reason were good then would this follow infidelity is a greater sinne then adultery therefore ought a man to be put to death for that becauses for this he owes to dye by Gods law Againe adultery doth not make the divorce because of the greatnesse of the sin but because of the opposition of it to marriage it is far more contrary to it The reason is because in marriage man and wife ought to be one flesh Now adultery is that which doth divide them and make not one but two And so doth neither infidelity blasphemy idolatry neither any such sin For these and the like sins are more repugnant to God and separate men from him more then adultery but it is more opposite to Matrimony which is manifest because amongst infidells idolaters and blasphemers marriage is good and lawfull though not holy Other things they object as coldnesse and inability of some incurable disease if the one goe about to kill or poyson the other if the civill lawes allow it But they are answered that some of these may hinder a marriage it be not not breake it when it is In others the Magistrate is to be looked to for helpe The lawes of Magistrates causing divorce for other things if they be capitall they ought put them to death and so end the controversie If criminall of lesse force their law is against the law of God and not tolerable Vse 2 To reprove and condemne all those who practise contrary who though the law allow not other divorces but for adultery yet they upon dislike they take at their wives or liking of others make nothing to send them home to their friends and live separated from them and onely for their lusts sake beare more indignity and discontent from a harlot in a yeare then they had from their lawfull wives in many yeares before hearkening to such bad counsellors as Memucan was to the King Ahashuerosh Ester 16.19 perswading him to put away Vashti for one disobedience and for some miscarriage to send her away and take another in her place forgetting as S. August speaketh to Polletius that they are Christians and therefore that they ought to be prone and inclinable
of their punishment but to have them not to offend as Princes adde penalties to their lawes Reason 2 Because as the malice of Sathan hath feared men from doing well for feare of harmes losses and disgraces which they shall finde in the world and others before them which hath made God ballance them with his promises So his comming tells them that unrighteousnesse hath many pleasures profits preferments and shewes then many that have risen that way and by such meanes therefore God shewes them then the sower of it that for all such things all must come to his judgements Reason 3 Because by them they may subdue and came their flesh and the corruption of it and make subject to the spirit which alwaies of it selfe rebelleth against the spirit and often ruleth over it to lead it to sinne and disobedience Vse 1 If feare of judgements be a meanes to restraine men from sin it tells us that many men are voide even of this servile feare Vide Mal. 1.6 first effect of servile feare Use 1. Vse 2 To teach every man who would keepe himselfe from it to endeavour and labour for this feare Saith the Lord God of Israel This for confirmation not the Prophet but the Lord the master and not the Minister speakes this which is thus set out to shew the care he had of that people that he had taken the protection and defence of them Now this people being a type of the Church as well as the Church it may teach us this Doctrine God is the protectour and defender of his Church and children hee that doth keepe preserve and defend it Vide Revelation 2.1 Christ walketh in the middest of the golden Candlesticke Yet he covereth the injury under his garment The amplifying of their sin that they pretended the law of God as a cover of it that it might be no sinne unto them Doctrine It is a thing which makes their sinnes the greater who pretend the law for a cover of their sinne and iniquities of cruelty or oppression unfaithfulnesse or whatsoever other corruption such was these mens dealing such was that of Iezabell 1 Kings 21.13 of them Joh. 19.7 the Jewes answered him we have a law and by our law he ought to dye because he made himselfe the sonne of God And James 2.8.9 Reason 1 Because the law was given either for a light and lanthorne to keepe men they should not sinne or transgresse or after a glosse to let them see their sinnes James 1. Or as a Cocke to Peter Now to pervert it to the contrary is to abuse the law and so to adde to their former sin this second and to increase both To make that which is good cause of sinne Reason 2 Because this argues that the sinne is not in infirmity but obstinacy when men any wayes defend and excuse it more when they excuse it by that which doth accuse it and busie their heads to wrest it to bolster out their sinne when they do as Hierom Oceano of some who non voluntatem legi sed legem jungunt voluntati frame the law to their wills and not their wills and wayes to the law Vse 1 To condemne and convince of greater sinne all such sinners as doe not simply sinne but would sinne with warrant from that which is the onely opposite to all sinne whatsoever and make this as some men doe Christs sufferings the pack-horse of all their sinne so this the patron and defence first here are condemned all heretiques who doe not onely erre but defend it with colour of the Scripture for never any heretique hath beene who did not pretend the Word for their heresies The Scriptures they oftentimes contemne because they finde them little to savour them yet use they them as Merchants doe their Counters sometime they stand with them for hundreds and thousands and sometime for cyphers when the letter helpes they urge with full mouth but when the spirit hurts and crosseth them they appeale to others and either Fathers or Councels Make them as Aug. of the Donat. Accipientes ergo perverso corde-Scripturas non eas faciunt obesse nobis sed sibi Cont. lit par l. 2. c. 1. Non periclitor docere ipsas quoque script sic esse ex Dei voluntate dispositas ut haereticis materiam subministrat cum legam oportere haereses esse quae sine Scripturis esse non possunt Tertull. praescript advers haeret or the Pope must impose a sense upon them not draw it out of them and so have no error but either by the letter or the inforced sense they will maintain as by these words he that takes not up his crosse and followeth me certain Monkes made them crosses of wood and carried upon their shoulders Cassianus Colla 8. Cap. 3. By those words Here are two swords the Popes temporall and spirituall jurisdiction By those The Lord made two great lights the Sunne the greater therefore the Pope is greater then the Emperour By those They that walke in the flesh cannot please God Innocent condemned marriages and stablished single life and many such things Like unto these are many other who search the Scripture for no other purposes Affectus locutus est non intellectus Bernar. sup Cirat ser 87. A. but to see if they can finde any thing in it which will defend them in their sinne Therefore we shall finde a voluptuous man who hath no knowledge in the Scripture for to further his salvation hath that to uphold uncleannesse Acts 15.29 words without sense The wanton for her painting That oyle makes a cheerfull countenance The drunkard that Wine was given to make the heart cheerfull The covetous that he who provides not for his owne is worse then an Infidell The Usurer hath his distinctions of biting and multiplying usurie of lending to the poore and stranger and to rich and brother of putting money into the banke and such like Vse 2 To teach every man to take heed how he goes about to cover any sinne he hath committed by the word of God for as he cannot doe it without injuring of the Word which is most pure and holy so that injury will by the Word redound to God himselfe who hath given and written that Word for if it favour any sin he must needs doe the same when He and his Word are one Now it would be monstrous impietie that any one should make God the patron of his sinne As if a man should make the Prince the cause of his treason it were without excuse and hope of pardon But this is done when the Word is made a covert and so a mans sinne is increased as Adams was who accused both Eve and God The woman thou gavest me the word thou gavest me But to avoid this we must endevour to read the word without prejudice or being fore-possessed with opinion Many men make the Scriptures favour their errors because they read them with resolute mindes to hold that they
the mouthes of those who should give evidence against him To informe the Judge and the Jury when the Judge himselfe was a witnesse of the fact and is ready both to informe the Jury and to give sentence according to his owne knowledge A witnesse i. As a guilty person is condemned by testimony of witnesse the crime proved and manifest so will I give sentence against the wicked of those things which I know they have done Doctrine The Lord proceeds not to judgement to condemne or punish any but upon knowne and manifest causes upon the knowne deserts and merits of men sometimes secret to others sometimes knowne to them This is proved Numb 20.12 Ananias and Saphira Acts 5. Infinite are the examples of knowne sinners as the old world Sodom and Gomorrah Nadab and Abihu Core and Dathan c. Matth. 25. Reason 1 Because he is most just and therefore must proceed upon known cause for it is as well injustice to punish for an unknowne cause upon jealousie and suspition as for no cause for an unknown cause is no cause De non existentibus non apparentibus eadem ratio Reason 2 Because he would manifest his justice to men therefore he usually proceedeth upon knowne causes to them as sometime upon knowne causes knowne to them onely knowne to himselfe to manifest he is not bound to give a reason of his judgements to men Vse 1 If we see one afflicted punished we accounted upright to know Gods proceedings are upright and upon knowne cause And hence may we learne how to free our selves from such doubts when we see what befell Chorah and all their company Achan his when some sinned onely in the known sin yet others were punished We must conclude that it is most just from this ground that he proceedes never but justly though it be secret from us Vse 2 For imitation first for the Magistrates Gods upon the earth they ought not to proceed against malefactours but upon knowne and manifest proved causes not upon slender conjectures or suspitions for so will God himselfe doe and they executing his judgement ought to proceede no otherwise lest they fall into injustice They ought to not to proceede for any hatred to their person or their profession or for any other sinister respect upon accusations halfe had and slender or no proofes The Lawyers say that it is unjust not to weigh and consider the whole Law but to give sentence from some part of it * Veritatem inauditam si damnent leges praeter invidiam iniquitatis etiam suspitionem merebuntur alicujus conscientiae nolentes audire quod auditum damnare non possunt Tertull. Apolog. adversus gentes Cap. 1.10 If the lawes condemne truth unheard besides the note of injustice they will cause a suspition that they are conscious of some unwillingnesse to heare lest after they had heard they could not condemne As Tertull. speakes So of Magistrates Therefore in things not manifest not proved or by such witnesses whose persons are infamous their credit suspitious such as may be suborned or doe things of spleene and malice which may happily appeare to them they ought to take heede how they judge and as they have power rather reprove then condemne Againe in the second place every man ought to judge righteous judgement when he judgeth and censureth the actions of other men but secundum alligata probata not out of his owne humour out of the dislike of their person justifying some because they have affection to them condemning others and their actions because they dislike them or condemning some mens doings onely for the name they have Like unto those who being sick of a feavour or frensie being deceived by the similitude of right lines drawne upon the wall thought they saw some deformed and ill shaped creatures ut Aristot So they out of sicke diseased and corrupt mindes doe not onely deprave the right lines that is the famous and good actions of others but account them as vices and turne them to their reproaches and infamy If that for mens words be true which Luther used to say * Sceleratū est cū noveris esse pium sanū alicujus sensū ex verbis incommodè dictis statuere errorem Luther T is a wicked practise when you know a mans minde and meaning to be good sound yet to catch at his words it may be not so fitly delivered to accuse him of error So for mens actions out of some infirmities or upon some suspitions when they know nothing but good in them and yet beleeve every report against them As Tertullian said it was with him and other Christians in his time Credunt de nobis quae non probentur nolent inquirere ne probentur non esse They beleeve things of us without tryall or proofe and will not examine whether they be so lest they should be proved to be otherwise Against the sooth-sayers He numbers up the particular offendors he would deale with not that he would deale with men no but alledging these as a taste of others or as the sinnes which then ruled and raigned amongst them but we may observe that here are numbered not sinnes of one kind not against the second Table onely or first onely but against both Doctrine The Lord will judge punish and destroy men for irreligion aswell as dishonesty for the neglect or the breach of the first table aswell as the second and è contra and for both manifested here for they are joyned together as it were in one condemnation proved further from the threatnings and executions laid downe in the word where we shall finde the Idolater the Sabboth breaker the swearer c. threatned and punished as well as the Adulterer murtherer and other dishonest and unjust persons In Deuter. 28. All the curses repeated respect the whole law and all the commandements as well as any one or of either of the tables Ezek. 22.6.7.8 Hosea 4.1.2 1. Cor. 6.9.10 1. Tim. 1.9.10 Galat. 5.19.20.21 Revel 21.8 Every where offendors against both Tables are joyned together Reason 1 Because as Jam. 2.11 He that said thou shalt not commit adultery said also thou shalt not kill now though thou doest none adultery yet if thou killest thou art a transgressor of the law So he that commanded obedience to the one and forbad disobedience did so to the other and so he is disobeyed and provoked in the one as well as the other Reason 2 Because the curse was not an appendant to one Table but to both and every precept and every branch of every precept Deut. 27.26 Vse 1 Then under the Gospel there is use of the law morall for this is spoken of Christ which thing would he not neither could he in justice doe if the law were not to them under the Gospel Vse 2 This may teach many in the Church to expect Christ a terrible Judge and swift witnesse against them seeing if they seem to make care of
if they do in all their lives Others that are Guerdons and Tutors having their portions give unto them such liberty that by their indulgences they grow unthrifts that of their possessions and mooveables they often interest themselves and strip them of all often defrauding them of many things wherewith they were put intrust many feed them with money and inwrap them into bonds to be paid when they come to yeares treble and quadrible that they are often out of their wealth before they be at yeares Many Executors put in trust with the whole estate make their fathers conditions far worse then it was that in this case that part of the proverbe is true There is never any dead man rich that is so rich as he is or was accounted before and in truth was yet Executors extenuate and lessen his state to better themselves counting him a bad Cooke who cannot licke his owne fingers In this number of sinners may go many fathers in law who marrying the widow to inrich her to himselfe cares not how he defraud the children many mothers to advance themselves care not what become of the children of their owne bodies with infinite such which happily many men of more experience could better decipher them but if there be others not touched by me he that is both witnesse and Judge seeth all and will judge and indeed doth judge the former oppressions in the age before by that which is in our age and will this by that which is to come I will make your children fatherlesse and so helplesse As Samuel to Agag 1. Sam. 15.33 But besides all this he will fearefully destroy all such Vse 3 To perswade all guilty persons though not before men yet before God to enter into themselves and examine their owne lives and former practise and see that they repent of this sinne as well as others and if they do truly let them make restitution to such else that may we use Mich. 6.10 Are yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abhominable and set it on with verses 11.12.13 shall I justifie the wicked balances and the bag of deceitfull waights for the rich men thereof are full of cruelty the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth therefore also will I make thee sicke in smiting thee Chrysost ho. 5. de paenitent To. 5. p 734 a.b.c. 2. and in making thee desolate because of thy sinnes For no restitution no repentance where there is knowledge and ability of all without a man do it And oppresse the stranger The fourth particular injuring and oppressing of strangers some were strangers by nature but proselites to the religion of the Jewes and these I take it are not accounted strangers nor so called they had happily a note given them and signification of it that they were of some other country As 2 Sam. 11.6 Vriah the Hittite and 1 Sam. 26.6 Abimelech the Hittite but they were as if they had beene borne in the Land and of these I take it he speaketh not here but others were onely peaceable in the Land and State living or trading with them and though not professours yet not persecuters or open opposers and disturbers of their religion Doctrine The Lord will judge punish and condemne those who injure and oppresse strangers such as being borne in another country doe professe the same religion or live peaceably among them Manifest as here so by Exod. 22.22.23 Deuter. 27.19 Jer. 22.3.5 Ezek. 22.29.30.31 2 Sam. 12.9.10 and Cap. 21.1 Reasons first and second as in the former Reason 1 Because no man ought to oppresse his neighbour or brother if he doe God will judge him for it this will be granted of all but a stranger and such an one as this is as his brother and his neighbour as is manifest Luke 10.30 Levit. 19.33 Reason 2 Because the Lord he loves the strangers Deut. 10.18 Now to injure and oppresse such strangers as he loves or such as he loveth he will revenge and judge Vse 1 To instruct all in authority to use their authority in the defence of the strangers right as well as those who are home borne and to relieve them oppressed as we may understand that Isaiah 1.17 not to accept his person no more then his who is home borne but doe him right against him that is home borne as well as this against a stranger If he must preserve a servant in the cruelty of his Master Deut. 23.15.16 Thou shalt not deliver the servant unto his master which is escaped from his master unto thee he shall dwell with thee even among you in what place he shall chuse in one of thy Cities where it liketh him best thou shalt not vex him It was not a refuge for every wicked man but for him that was knowne to be cruelly used and fled to them for the name of the Lord. Then must also be Sanctuaries to strangers distressed Vse 2 To teach us what their portion shall be from the Lord who grieve and vex strangers that is all such as murmure that our Church should be like to a Hen which doth not onely nourish up her owne Chickens Chrysost ho. 46. operis imperfecti but also strange ones that are excluded from their owne damme So doth the true Church and so hath ours which these men hate and would have them excluded onely for their owne profit and gaine and therefore are they ready to favor any against them as much as in them is to hinder their right and to pervert their justice They tell us they grow rich amongst us and get the wealth when many are impoverished but is their eye evill because the Lords is good or doe they hate them because he prospers them So did the Egyptians the Israelites But by what meanes grow they rich otherwise then by following a lawfull calling and labouring as thou dost and if thou be poorer it is because thou art idler or more wicked The Lord taught the contrary by that Law Levit. 25.47 c. And by that which he allowes unto them one and the same Law as to him that was born in the Land as is often shewed and repeated save in the matter of remitting debts in the seventh yeare Deut. 15.1.2.3 And feare not me The fith sort of sinners that the Lord will judge are in a more generall kinde such as feare not him that is such as have no continuall awe of him in respect of his power and mercy for these and the fruits of them to avoyde evill and flye from sinnes Now in the conjunction of these is noted by some that this is the roote and cause of others i. such and such have they done and this is the cause hence it comes because they feare not me Doctrine The want of Gods feare wheresoever it is is the cause and roote of all sinne many and great as the feare of God is the
cause of mens flying and avoyding of sinne The later is manifest Prov. 8.13 The feare of the Lord is to hate evill Deu. 5.29 Deut. 42.18 39.9 Then the contrary where it is not for take away the cause take away the effect And so the latter is proved and by that Gen. 20.10.11 Then Abimelech said unto Abraham what sawest thou that thou hast done this thing Then Abraham answered because I thought thus surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wives sake Exod. 1.17 Psal 36.1 Amos 6.3 Rom. 3.18 Reason Because as August in Psal 79. * Omnia peccata duae res faciunt cupiditas timor proponitur praemium ut pecces facis propter quod cupis terreris minis facis propter quod times August in Psalm 79. Two things cause all sinnes desire and feare there is a reward proposed that thou maiest sinne thou dost it because thou desirest the reward thou art terrified with threatnings thou dost it for feare of smart Now where the feare of Gods power is it will expell all such desire of pleasure or profit for feare is the strongest affection and stoppeth the passage of desires as in a coward and one condemned And the lesse feare will be overcome of a greater as a strong and great naile drives out a small one Luke 12.4.5 And I say unto you my friends be not affrayd of them that kill the body and after that are not able to doe any more but I will forewarne you whom you sha l feare feare him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you him fear Now where this feare is wanting no marvaile if they fall either for desire or pleasure into many and strange sinnes Vse 1 This may teach us what to expect from men who want the feare of the Lord They will sinne for a peece of bread a small matter of pleasure or profit a little feare if they have the occasion and opportunity will draw them to any thing for take away the bankes from the sea and the bridle from the horse whither will not that flow and whereinto will not he breake such and so unruly is the corruption of man if it have not this banke and this bridle to keepe it from outrage murther adultery perjury oppression and injustice or any sinne will be nothing in their hands What will they not dare to doe If Kings command they will murther innocents not as the Midwives If Queenes enjoine they will accuse judge condemne and execute the guiltlesse as those wicked Judges 1 Kings 21. did innocent Naboath upon Iezebels letters Vse 2 We learne what to judge of men whom we see living either in these sinnes or any other the like they are men destitute of the feare of God even a servile feare for this will prove it vide Cap. 1.6 first effect of feare Vse 3 That we may be free from these sins let us labour for this feare vide ibid. Saith the Lord of hoasts This is added for confirmation that none should promise to themselves safety for any outward respects as if he could not punish them vide Cap. 1.4 VERS VI. For J am the Lord I change not and ye sons of Iaakob are not consumed FOR I am the Lord I change not This some take as a reason to confirme the former judgement threatned that as he was the Lord of hoasts able to doe all what he would so is he in himselfe and in his decrees immutable as he cannot change no more can they be changed Quod est 9. Be ye well assured of this that as I am Lord and Jehovah eternall and without change so are all my judgements and whatsoever I have spoken that know you they shal come to passe in their time and not one thing shal come to the ground howsoever they are not so speedily as you thinke executed yet they shall for they cannot but be accomplished And ye sonnes of Iaakob And that you are not consumed and destroyed already for these sinnes doe not thinke me mutable or your selves without merit that you should be spared but this is meerely from my mercy and love and long suffering I have not dealt with you according to your sinnes Doctrine 1 God is immutable and without change both in himselfe and his nature Jam. 1.17 Doctrine 2 He is immutable in his will and his decrees And ye sonnes of Iaakob are not consumed I change not therefore are you not consumed for being in my selfe mercifull and long suffering yea mercy and patience it selfe I have spared you when you deserved long since to have beene confounded and destroyed by my judgements and this by resemblance may we interpret out of Lam. 3.22 It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not Doctrine That men escape destruction and are not consumed with Gods judgements for their sinnes it is onely the mercy and goodnesse of God So much is here And that Lam. 3.22 Gen. 19.19 2 Sam. 24.14 2 Chron. 30.9 Therefore is that Isaiah 30.19 and 54.7.8 and Matth. 15.22 and 20.30 God hath two feet whereby he walketh towards men so hath he two hands whereby he handleth or dealeth with men mercy and justice and these are both infinite What City upheld when an infinite hand will cast downe nothing but an infinite hand and power Reason 1 Because sinne deserving Gods anger which anger is as God himselfe infinite cannot be satisfied nor appeased by any that is no more then a finite creature or a finite thing for this cannot ballance with that but onely his infinite mercy with his infinite wrath And this Lam. 3.22 his great mercies are infinite for measure and continuance i. Such are our sinnes that if he should deale righteously with us we miserable wretches had beene ten thousand times utterly undone but we are preserved in the middest of our distresses Ergo Not from us but his infinite mercy Isaiah 1.9 Except the Lord of hoastes had restored unto us a small remnant we should have beene as Sodom and should have beene like unto Gomorrah Reason 2 Because without the pardon of those sinnes the wrath cannot be avoided nor destruction escaped seeing God will not justifie the wicked Now pardon of sinne is onely from the mercy of God Luk. 1.77.78 Ps 32.1 Al sin is against God Ps 51.4 Tibi soli cui soli reddenda est ratio de peccato qui solus es sine peccato Ruff. He onely can pardon sinne against whom onely it is Now he pardoneth sinnes in mercy and so David prayeth there for mercy Gratiae tuae deputo misericordiae quod peccata mea tanquaem glaciem solvisti gratiae tuae deputo quaecunque non feci mala August confess 7.2 cap. 7. Vse 1 This will confute the doctrine of Popery who hold by their workes and satisfactions to have if not remission of great sinnes yet of veniall or if not
word Doctrine That is evill and sin and unlawfull to be done which is repugnant to the law of God or a departing from it may it seem to be never so profitable to man or bring glory to God as on the contrary that is good and righteousnesse which is agreeable to the law and word of God seem it never so unprofitable to men or not behoofull for Gods glory Vide Cap. 2.10 Doctr. ulti And have not keept them They are accused not only because they committed things contrary to the law but because they did not things agreeable to it not onely committed the forbidden but ommitted the commanded Doctrine They do not onely sinne who offend against the law doing the things forbidden by it but those who do not observe and do the things commanded by it but leave them undone manifest by that as a breach of the first Table and Precept Jer. 10.25 powre out thy fury upon the families that have not called upon thy name Deut. 28.58.59 and 27.26 Matth. 25. Reason 1 Because the law is affirmative and commanding as well as negative and forbidding and though the precepts and commandments run most negatively save only the fourth and fifth yet they all carry the affirmative as the Prophets their Interpreters shew and as those two affirmatives carry their negative so the eight negatives carry the affirmatives so that an omission is as well a transgression as a commission and so a sin Reason 2 Because they go against love and charity and therefore sinne for charity to God and man requires all to be done and nothing omitted that may glorifie and honour him and be helpfull and profitable to them for so it is said to be bountifull Peccatum est cum vel non est charitas quae esse debet vel minor est quam debet August de perfect justitiae Cit. coelest Ra. 15. that is helpfull 1. Cor. 13.4 But specially if we consider that every man must love God above himselfe and man as himselfe now to omit any thing that is good for himselfe is a breach of charity to himselfe then so of these Sin is an action but the omission is onely a privation that is an omitting of that which ought to be done how can it then be a sin and they sin who omit it There is an action in sinnes of omission thus It is a sin of omission not to love his neighbour not to come to the congregation to heare the word and receive the sacrament in these there is an action for sometimes they are done upon purpose and deliberation and so he that offends will not love his neighbour will not go to the assembly and here is a plaine action of his will but sometimes they are omitted because a man thinkes not of them not of any purpose or contempt now here though there be not an action of the same kinde yet there is an action repugnant to the law he thinks not of the assembly because he would walke or take his recreation and these actions are repugnant to that good worke and sometimes the action is not at the same time but went a little before As a man gives himselfe to excesse and drunkennesse overnight and after cannot rise in the morning to be present there here is an action though not at the same time and of the same kinde yet that which is the cause of that omission All sinne is not an action it is onely true of sinne of commission which is some positive act done which the will should not consent to do sin of omission is but a privation of good As the Schoole and Basil Malum boni privatio est caelitas ex oculorum perditione provenit serm quod D. non est author peccati Facere cordis cogitare est quiae corporis est cogitata proficere Chrysost ser de levium criminum periculis Vse 1 Then many men if they wil look upon their reckonings are guilty of a multitude of sinnes more then ever they thought themselves to be seeing they have onely accounted sinnes of commission to be theirs and never of omission Many have thought they were bound to avoid the evill yet not to do the good and so account their sinnes Many who account it a sinne to have other Gods have never accounted it a sin not to know the true God to believe him and feare him not to pray unto him which they did only in respect of their own necessities never of any duty to him nor of avoiding of sin so in the rest of the commandments These must know that they have to account with God for these if they have already for the other nay he never accounted nor repented of any one who doth not for these for he can have no true conscience of sin that hath not right science knowledge of these for sins who if they reckon not againe with God bring not true repentance must not looke to have peace but a controversie with God And if Judg. 5.23 Meroz was cursed not for fighting against Gods people but not assisting them in the battell against the mighty If Moses was punished with deprivation of the possession or fortage of the Land of Canaan not for dishonouring of God but not sanctifying him in the presence of the children of Israel Num. 20.12 If the rich man was cast into the torments of Hel not for taking away food from Lazarus but because he did not relieve his wants Luke 16. How shall they escape the curse inherit the Kingdome the spirituall Canaan how not be tormented in Hel Vse 2 Then let not men thinke much if they be censured as men who have gone astray from their birth while all their piety and honesty is but a negative piety and a negative honesty and not an affirmative but in little and slender sort here is all they can say for themselves they are not Idolaters and open prophane persons scoffers of piety they are not swearers they are no adulterers theeves or oppressors But in the mean time they are not zealous for his worship nor conscionable professors nor such as hunger after righteousnesse nor such as feare the dreadfull and great name of the Lord nor love of mercy and the like They may be judged as wicked men and as those who are in the displeasure of God As Tertul. nusquam nunquam excusatur quod Deus damnat So it cannot be but sinne which God is displeased withall Return unto me In this exhortation following the reproofe there may be noted from the Coherence two points First the patience of God towards sinners waiting for their returne Secondly that none is so desperately sinfull but there is hope he may returne and be converted And I will return unto you Here is the promise annexed to the former exhortation to draw them to hearken to it and obey it a promise of remooving or mitigating of their calamities and plagues and first in the generall observe they must
craft bad they deceived themselves and diminished their store when they thought to have increased it And so he points them out the cause why this was befallen them Even this whole nation The subject of the punishment the same who were the subject of the sinne even all rich and poore high and low from the highest to the lowest had spoiled God and therefore he laid his plague as large and with as full extent The judgement and curse of God upon this people was a famine as the verses following shew And they having pinched him he doth deale so with them paies them home in the same kind In the generall thus Doctr. 1 It is a just and no unusuall thing with God to punish men in the like kinde as they have offended either against himselfe or men Vide Cap. 1.5 Your eies shall see it Now for the particular that the curse and this curse is upon such as spoile the Lord and his Church we observe Doctr. 2 God will justly punish with his curses and specially with famine and scarcity all such as do spoile him and take the Ministers maintenances from them which as it is affirmed here so that of Ananias and Saphira Acts 5.1.2 c. doth proove it the curse being upon them for withholding that from the Lord they had voluntarily given unto him for the curse was not for the lie and dissembling though it were the heavier for that they having bound two sinnes together like to this though not in all things the same is that Hag. 1.6.9 Ye have sowen much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloth you but ye be not warme and he that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bag ye looked for much and loe it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it And why saith the Lord of Hoasts Because of mine house that is wast and ye run every man unto his owne house And Deuter. 26.12.13.15 when they have given the tithes to the Levites they may pray and expect a blessing it seemeth therefore to teach that without that the curse must be upon them Reason 1 Because it is just with him to curse those who hinder his worship and are principall meanes either that it cannot be attended upon or not as it ought If he cursed Elies sonnes for making his sacrifices to be abhorred Sam. 2. how then by whom they are hindred from being performed at all Reason 2 Because he will curse those who withold the hire and just wages of such as do but reape their earthly harvest and worke that worke for them Jam. 5.1.4 How much more them who withhold the duty from those who do labour in the spirituall harvest Reason 3 Because it is just with God to deny men food for the body when they deny food to the soule to famish the body when they do the soule which they do who withdraw from the Minister his maintenance for wanting this he cannot attend the worke of his calling Vse 1 Hence we may observe that Ministers maintenance is not of alms free gift or voluntary when Gods curse shall be upon them who with-hold them neither ever was it so no not in the Apostles times saving the judgement of some for the reasons of the Apostles served in their times as well as in ours if any difference more principally in theirs all which urge a duty and justice not alms Besides that the Apostle S. Paul professeth that he took wages 2. Cor. 11.8 though he oftentimes holily boasteth with the Corinthians that he preached freely and tooke but what was voluntarily given as likewise others did lest if they should have demanded the tithes and Priests livings they might have been thought that gaine was rather sought by them then the glory of God and salvation of his people And therefore the Apostle Paul wrought with his hands before he would give any such scandall having gifts that were extraordinary that without study they were able to preach Besides that similitude of Chrysost is not without sense That as a new Physitian comming unknown into a City at the first will administer to all and heale all gratis that he may be knowne but his skill being known will after take wages so Christ at first in his disciples preached freely but after when he had begot faith in men then he tooke his due specially extraordinary gifts ceasing that they did all things with extreame labour for the good of their people neither in reason can they be almes because they are wages or a reward of their labour 1. Tim. 5.18 The labourer is worthy of his reward and almes do exceed the desert of the beggar or almsmen but not in these things seeing 1. Cor. 9.11 If we have sowen unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things And there is no comparison betwixt spirituall and carnall things but specially seeing Gods curse upon them who do withhold it from them Vse 2 To teach men as they feare and would avoide the curse of God so to give the Minister his due and not to withhold or withdraw any thing from him lest they draw the curse of God upon them and if they have any thing already to restore it lest though they think they are not yet cursed for it yet abusing his patience he do accuse them with a curse And are not many accursed both Patrons and people that they have not a man of gifts and wisdome but they perish for want of knowledge seeing their prophesie must needs faile And many that are the great spoiles of the Church and gather much by it yet the curse of God is upon them that they are alwaies in want and needy their wealth melting away as snow before the sun they being many of them given over to such sinnes as wast both body and goods so that Male parta male dilabuntur And if curses be not upon many yet as Jam. 5.1 they shall come upon them and God will take as much from them another way as they do this way from him Let me use the words of August The Lord saith give me tithes else if thou wilt not give me the tenth I will take away the nine parts And doubtlesse many men if they could discerne this as well as other things whereby they have sustained losse they should find that they have gained little at the years end by keeping the Lords due from his Ministers but have lost a great deale more by it For ye have spoiled me even this whole Nation The repetition of the cause of the curse shewing how justly he had generally sent this plague and curse upon them because they were generally thus corrupted Doctrine When sins are growne generall it is usuall and just with the Lord to send a generall punishment Mal. 1.4 VERS X. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be
If the Lord should give raine in abundance and by it should rise weeds that should either choake the corne or other creatures which commonly arise of wet or by any other meanes and so devoure their fruit and their hopes be cut off they should but have little profit or benefit that what was given one way was taken away another therefore the Lord promiseth to take away such devourers such creatures as might destroy the fruit of the earth when it was sprung up Doctrine Every creature is at Gods command at his becke to be restrained or set on to helpe or hurt to punish or preserve those who are his Vide Cap. 1.4 Lord of Hoasts And they shall not destroy the fruit of your ground For their sins and iniquities they had destroied it but now that they are received into favour and mercy they shall not but receiving them to mercy will withdraw his judgements from these things he smote for them Doctrine As God often punisheth men punisheth them not onely in themselves but in things that belong unto them so when he withdraweth his hand and sheweth mercy towards them it is not only in themselves but in things which belong unto them Isaiah 38.6 Mich. 7.11 Reason 1 Because that as his hand was against them for mans cause only seeing they in themselves deserved no such thing as being not subject to nor capable of sin which only falleth into a reasonable creature so he receiving them to mercy for whose sake they were afflicted reason that they also should be received and afflicted no more that as the former might humble them so this might joy them the more in the mercy of God Reason 2 Because as by smiting and cursing of them he testified his anger the more and displeasure against them for their sinnes for as in policy when justice reacheth further then the person of the offendor to his goods and possessions it argues the greater displeasure of the Lawyer against such an offence and offendor So in this So he might now shew his love more in blessing of them for when men have their possessions and lands restored besides their pardon it is a greater favour of the Prince Vse 1 Then hath the Popish Purgatory but an uncertaine ground to stand upon and is builded upon no sure rocke but upon the sand seeing it is onely for a temporall punishment in their doctrine upon those who have their sinnes forgiven them already but may we suppose in any reason that God will take from their goods and lands and cattell his judgements for their sakes and not from them their owne persons specially their soules such as are only punished in Purgatory their punishments But they will say that God doth often continue punishments to men and upon their persons whom he hath received to mercy As they will tell us of David who had the punishment continued when his sinne was pardoned But we deny that or any other to be a punishment for that hath ever reference to sinne for all afflictions are not punishments but may for many other causes be laid upon men Chrysost ho 1 ad popul Antioch hath numbred to us eight causes yet are they not all * 1. Quod cum facile in arrogantiam propter meritorum magnitudinem miraculorum tollantur ipsos sinit affligi 2. Ne caeteri majorem habeant de ipsis opinionem quam humana patitur natura ipsos deos non autem homines esse arbitrentur 3. Vt Dei virtus apparet per aegrotantes compeditos exuperans prodicationem augens 4. Vt illorum patientia manifesta fiat 5. Vt de resurrectione cogitemus cum enim virum justum multa plenum virtute innumera passum mala sic hinc digressum videris oportet ex hoc omnino aliquid de illo judicio cogitare si enim homo pro se laborantes sine praemiis retributione abire non permittit Multo magis eos qui tantum laboraverunt nunquam in coronatos remanere Deus decerneret 6. Vt omnes in gravia incidentes sufficientem consolationem mitigationem habeat in eos respicientes malorum quae ipsis accidere recordantes 7. Ne quando exhortamus eos ad illorum virtutem cuique dicimus imitare Paulum imitare Petrum propter gestorum excessum alterius ipsos naeturae participes fuisse cogitantes ad imitationem torpeatis 8. Vt quando beatos vel miseros censere oportet discamus quos quidem beatos quos quidem miseros aerumnosos putare debeamus Chrysost ho. 1. ad popul Antioch First God suffers holy men to be afflicted because otherwise they soone grow proud of the greatnesse of their merits and miracles Secondly Lest others might have a greater opinion of them then is fit and count them Gods rather then men Thirdly That Gods power may appeare more abundantly and beyond words through the weake and unable Fourthly That their patience also may be manifest Fiftly That we may be put in mind of the resurrection for when we see a righteous and vertuous man suffer many evils and so die this must offer us some thoughts of the day of judement for if a man suffer not any that have taken pains for him to go away without recompence and reward much lesse wil God suffer such as have indured so much for him to remaine uncrowned Sixtly That all that fall into calamities may have sufficient consolation and mitigation looking on them and remembring what they indured Seventhly That when we exhort you to their vertues and say to you imitate Paul imitate Peter you may not be slothfull to imitate them thinking because of their great actions they were partakers of some other nature then you are of Eightly That we may be able to judge aright who are indeed happy and who truly calamitous and miserable To these may be added Ninthly for clearing of his own justice as in David Tenthly For purging yet corruption from them the rod of correction Eleventhly To draw them from the world the nurses teate as the prodigall sonne was Twelfly To prevent sinne like Hoseahs hedge Hoseah 2.6 Thirteenthly To make them fly to God and to love him as the child to his mother when feared of passengers And many other such causes any one whereof if they can shew in Purgatory to be incident to the soules departed it were something to strengthen their exception but nothing to prove the thing when as the paines of Purgatory are satisfactory And if God in shewing mercy and pardoning sinne doth remove the punishment from the creatures he smote for their sinne he will much more from themselves their bodies but especially from their soules Neither shall their vine be barren in the field This is added as some thinke to amplifie the goodnesse of God to his people when they had returned and he had received them to mercy because the year which was commodious for the field and the corne was
to his word which witnesseth the contrary every where that they shall be happy and have all things necessary that feare him Psa 1. and 34.9.10 with infinite other places and many examples in the Scriptures Reason 2 Because by this they make God unfaithfull and so no God who hath promised such fruit to them who sow in righteousnesse Reason 3 Because by this they deny the bounty and liberality of God and is a great prejudice to his honour and glory that hee should dimisse such as serve him and belong to him empty handed Vse 1 Then have we many who must answer at Gods judgement seate for blasphemy and proud speaking against him with whom nothing is so common as upon any even the slightest occasion to condemne piety and the feare of God for the most fruitlesse and the unprofitablest profession in the world If they see any man who professeth Gods feare and seemes carefull of his wayes if he any way miscarry in his state and decay in that the world deemed him to have had or if he increase not as other men doe by a lawfull and honest profession as they by all their by waies and indirect courses What doe they will they enquire the just cause of it and search what may be a let he prospers no better of which many just causes may be given of severall men and well found out yet they never search further then this their piety and profession and the service of God though they will not directly speake as these because that were palpable yet they spare not these speeches you may see what comes of this professing of all their piety and godlinesse And this they whisper every where like the ten spies of the holy and promised Land and bring up an evill report of it Num. 13.33 and a slande rupon it Num. 14.37 But let them know that upon those ten spies upon all who beleeved them the judgements of God befell and they fell in the wildernesse and never came to set foote in the Land of Canaan Such recompence let these expect from the Lord not to come into the promised Land when as those they said should bee a prey If we may allude to Numb 17.31 they shall not lose their recompence Vse 2 To teach men when they see those who professe the feare of God and piety not to grow in the world or to decay not to be in so prosperous estate as others are not to accuse their profession and piety lest they be found upon the returne of their triall guilty of blasphemy against God denying his faithfulnesse dishonouring him as suffering his followers to be without reward and recompence for their service And of two evills it is lesse and the better to accuse man of hypocrisie in his service and of some secret sinne which lying hid hinders his encreasing as Iron in a wound hinders the curing of it Or safer it is to apprehend here the wisedome of God who dealing like a wise Physitian and seeing a full dyet hinders the health of his Patient he for the time forbids him many things as possessed with a fever forbids him strong wines and drinkes and hard meates of digestion and such like So God Or were it not safer and the best course to impute it to his particular profession that it is not so gainefull or his want of skill he cannot make it or his want of providence in disposing of businesse or to imagine the truth that the prosperous estate of Gods stands not so much in riches as in graces not so much in that they must leave behinde them as that they must carry with them as the wealth of pilgrimes and strangers standeth more in their Jewells and gold things light of carriage and well portable then in house and land Vse 3 To instruct men who do professe the feare and service of God to walke carefully and prudently in their callings that they may increase in an outward estate to prevent the blasphemies and slanders of the wicked who will sooner blaspheme God for their poverty then glorifie him for their piety which exhortation is necessary for some who thinke it enough to professe and excuse their poverty by the condition of Gods Saints when the neglected lawfull meanes by which they might have encreased and beene able to give rather then receive which is a more blessed thing and whereby they might have more honoured God and therein the more culpable that they make this a cover of their idlenesse and happily injustice for which God curseth them adding this sinne to the other that they dishonour God But if any man shall upon this or the like pretence neglect the best things the onely thing necessary and growing in spirituall graces when God and his owne heart can tell him it is but upon a covetous and ambitious humour that man shall beare his iniquity But if for conscience as to be able to discharge the necessity of nature person or place so the rather to glorifie God and to stop the mouthes of such as would reproach their profession he first seeking Gods Kingdome shall have these things cast to him here and so in all things he seeking the glory of God in the kingdome of grace shall find glory and happinesse in the kingdome of glory Doctr. 1 What profit is it that we have kept his commandments These wicked men doe chalenge unto themselves righteousnesse and obedience and upon that accuse God of injustice for their want and affliction whence we may observe That hypocrites and wicked men chalenge to themselves righteousnesse and obedience in the pride of their heart when they have no such thing verse 7. Wherein shall we returne Doctr. 2 It is the property of Hypocrites and wicked men when they are in Gods judgements in misery and affliction to justifie themselves as not having deserved any such thing to accuse God of injustice as an angry God that hath causlesly afflicted them So did these and those Isaiah 58.2.3 And Iehoram 2. Kings 3.13 And Elisha said unto the King of Israel What have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of thy father and to the Prophets of thy mother And the King of Israel said unto him nay for the Lord hath called these three Kings to give them into the hand of Moab i. it is but your spleene against me to upbraide me with any such things because I favour them more then you but if it were a finne yet is not that the cause seeing these two Kings are in the like misery with me So far were they Jer. 44.17.18 from acknowledging their sinnes the cause of any misery either present or falling upon them that they thought it came because they had not gone forwards in them This is the cause why the Prophets when the people were in any judgement did still put them in minde of their sins and cleared the Lord and put the people often to accuse God if they could Mich.
not against it but is ruled by it But when sinne is Cypr. de circums Epiph. in haeres 64. as Saint Cyprian speakes as a raging beast yet tied and chained up in the utmost passages of the soule Or as Epiphanius as a root sprouting out weeds yet still nipped and checked that they cannot have their growth Then sinne raignes not so that though by reason of this remainder of sinne a man be greatly hindred that he cannot doe the thing he would yet the thing that prevaileth in him is a wil desire of righteousnesse hungring and thirsting after it the drift and purpose of his life tending wholly to it it is grievous to him that he failes and makes him cry out Rom. 7.27 O wretched man c. Object Those are still assaulted by Satan and hotly pursued by him so that they are no where free from his tentations therefore not freed Answ It is a signe they are the rather freed not because they are tempted but because they are so hotly pursued and have the feeling of them which before they had not and as Cyprian speakes The Divell is therefore more fierce because overcome and would faine conquer his conquerer So that though he goe about like a roaring Lyon 1 Pet. 5.9 yet they are able to resist him stedfast in the faith and so armed with the coate-armour of Gods spirit and his grace that though he may by violence now and then foile them yet doth he not overcome them and leade them captive but the more he assaults the more are they inabled to repell him and resist his forces for they prove like a City that hath beene once besieged but not sacked ever after it will be better able to resist the like forces yea greater because they will fortifie the walls and breaches and encrease their munition and strength It falls out with men that enjoy their lands in peace and security they looke not into their evidences only keepe them in a box or chest but if any man lay claime to the least part and would wrest it from them then will they with diligence seeke them forth and looke them over and consult with Lawyers whereby they are able to answer the plea of the adversaries So it is with the spirituall estate Satan as Chrysostome speakes when he sees he can doe nothing either presently desists fearing lest he become a cause of more glory to us or if he do continue it is but to be revenged of them by troubling and vexing them whom he cannot overcome So that his assaults prove that they are freed from him as Pharoahs pursuing of Israel shewed they had escaped Object These still dye how are they then freed from it Answer They neither are nor can be free because the sentence is unchangeable Heb. 9.27 but they are freed from the dominion and tyranny of death yea from the hurt and evill that comes by it nay it is made to bring them many benefits It frees them from First the afflictions and miseries of this life yea though it seeme to come unto them somewhat untimely The righteous is taken away from the evill to come he shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Isai 57.1.2 1 Kings 14.13 Secondly from the fellowship of wicked men who vex their soules as the Sodomites did righteous Lots Thirdly they are freed by it from sinne Death is found to be profitable to the faithfull because it frees a man from the danger of sinning and puts him into a security of not sinning saith S. August So that in bringing death is by death destroyed as the viper of her brood Death had never entred but by sin and sin had never ended but by death Fourthly they are freed from the assaults of Satan and the world for they by it doe not only flie into the wildernesse to be free for many daies as the Church Rev. 12.6 but as the words are in the fifth verse they are caught up unto God and to his throne and so as favourites pursued are safe when they are in the Court specially in the presence chamber So much more here Besides these freedomes it brings great benefits First it is their passage into the presence of God where is fulnesse of joy an unpleasant gate but to a Princely Pallace Secondly it is an herald that fetches them to their glory and crowning from these earthly cottages 2 Cor. 5.1 Thirdly it restores our bodies more holy and pure unto us At length then what is death T is no more then to put off ones coate the body is as a garment and we lay it off but for a while by death to put it on againe a fresh Vse It is comfort to as many as finde and feele the assaults of Satan and sinne tempting and fighting and rebelling in him but not raigning or ruling in him or though sometime foiling him yet not leading him captive Rom. 6.12.13 Such may have comfort that they are redeemed by Christ Free indeed because the sonne hath made them free John 8.36 They must not measure their freedome and so their comforts by feeling no assaults For as Hierom to Heliodorus Then thou art most dangerously assaulted when thou knowest not that thou art assaulted We have to fight saith Saint Cyprian de mortalit with covetousnesse with unchastity with wrathfulnesse with ambition with carnall vices and with the enticements of the world Hereupon saith Saint August lib. 2. contr Iulian. God forbid that we should thinke holy Cyprian to have beene covetous because he fought with covetousnesse or wrathfull or ambitious or carnall or a lover of this world because he fought with them nay therefore was he none of these because he fought and strongly resisted these evill motions Healing under his wings It implies sickenesse among men Doctrine Every man naturally of himselfe and by himselfe is sicke full of diseases and sores that is of sinnes and corruptions and of all spirituall diseases Psal 51.5 Ezek. 16. Rom. 3.10 c. Ephes 2.3 And of every person may that be spoken which is spoken of the whole people Esay 1.6 From the sole of the foote to the head there is no soundnesse but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Reason 1 Because of naturall parents who communicate their sinne and nature and beget in their owne likenesse Gen. 5.3 and so That that is borne of flesh is flesh John 3.6 T is propagated more then any naturall disease and outgrowes nature for we finde children sinning before they can either goe or speake Reason 2 Because they are without Christ who is life as the body without the soule so is the soule without Christ The soule departed the body is possessed of stinke corruption rottennesse wormes horror and becomes detestable so without without Christ the soule is full of the stench of guilt the corruption and rottennesse of sinne the worme of conscience the horror of infidelity So Chrysologus Reason 3 Because they are not regenerate then that is true
preaching of the word Vide Cap. 3.7 Doctrine 2 The Ministry of the word works upon all old yong rich poor noble base c. This was manifest by Iohns preaching Mat. 3.5 Luc. 3.10 c. By Pauls 1. Cor. 1.26.27 We read of Noble Theophilus Luc. 1.1 Of the Shop-keeper Act. 16.24 Of the Iaoler ver 34. Of the devout Greekes and the honorable women Act. 17.4 And of the elect Lady 2. Epist Iohn Reason 1 Because God hath decreed to save of all sorts some then must the word needs worke upon them it being the means of salvation 1. Tim. 2.4 Reason 2 Because that when he converts by it the wise rich and mighty he might shew his power and the power of the word in the weaknesse of man 1. Cor. 1.25 when by it he shall make them account their wisdome folly c. Reason 3 Because when he calls of all sorts it might appeare that when they are not wrought upon it is not their state and condition that doth hinder them as if God had given it them to snare them but it is from the corruption of their own hearts who abuse them seeing others their equalls are converted Vse To encourage the Ministers in the diversity of their hearers as different in conditions as complexions in hearts as faces yet to go on and deliver the word with faithfullnesse expecting that the Lord shall make it profitable to the saving though not of all yet of some of all sorts that as he wrought effectually in Peter towards the circumcision and was mighty in Paul towards the Gentiles Gal. 2.8 So he will this day be powerfull to some of the rich the next to some of the poore this Lords day to one of honour the next haply to one in disgrace and vile to all according to the pleasure of his own working A Table of the Contents The letter a sheweth the first Alphabet the letter b the second the figure sheweth the Page A. ACcepting of persons a great sin b 74 75 Adversity b 158 Adultery b 192 Adultery annuls not marriage b 119 Affection how farre necessary in Gods service a 159 160 Affliction a burden a 3 It befalls Gods dearest children a 8 Why it befals them b 236. 248 Almes of oppressors a 223. 224 226 Altar what it is a 126 Anger of God a 187. 188 Angels the name to whom given b 166 B. Banishment a proofe of Gods anger a 29 Blasphemy a great sinne b 152 It much displeaseth God b 153 some kinds of it b 156. 157 248.249 Blessings abused aggravate sinne a 208 Bread what meant by it a 126 Bondage of naturall men b 281 282 Bounty in Gods service a 150. 151. 152. Bounty of Idolaters b 213.214 Burden what it signifies a 2 C. Calling of Ministers b 26. 27. 49. 50 faithfulnesse in particular calling b 36. 37. How children to be ordered by their parents for their callings a 66. Sinnes against ones calling are more hainous a 120 Catholike Church and the members of it b 102 Children their duty a 57.59 60.64.67.69.71.73 Children of God their happy condition b 237. 238 Christ to whom he comes b 167 his comming desired by Patriarkes b 168. his comming promised long b 170.171 he is our Prophet b 172. 173. he purifieth his people b 175. 176 Church now Catholike a 194. it is the most excellent society b 178. it may erre b 59.60 61. it must be holy b 89. the honour and prosperity of it b 240.241 Church-robbers b 219.220.221 225.228 229. Conference of godly b 261. Creation binds us to Gods service a 91.92 Creatures have all power from God b 12. Credit not got by sin b 17 19. It is gotten by honouring and maintaining of Ministers b 239 Customes injurious concerning tithes b 225 D. Dearth and famine for sin b 14 Death how Gods children freed from it b 278 279 Deceivers in Gods service a 231 233 Desire of Christ b 179 180 Disgrace brought by sinne foretells ruine without repentance b 20 Divorces for needlesse causes b 122 Divorce may only be by authority b 118 119 unlawfull but only for adultery b 141 142 143 144 Dominion of sinne b 278 Donatives their original b 228 E. Elijah who he is b 286 287 Election bindes us to Gods service a 94 95 Encrease in grace b 281 282 Error not to be taught b 41 Excellency of the godly b 267 Excommunication a 129 130 131 132 Executors of wills their sinne b 198 199 Exhort we must exhort one another b 258 259 Extraordinary providence of God for his people b 237 F. Famine for sinne b 14 Fatherlesse children not to be injuried 198 199 Favour of God how to be esteemed b 205 206 Feare of God a 97 98 the want of it causes sinne b 201 differences of filiall and servile feare a 98 99 the effects of Gods feare a 101 servile feare what it is with the effect of it a 110 111 Forgetfulnesse of benefits a 25 Free will b 138 281 G. God his power a 37 his anger a 187 188 the Lord of hosts a 37 Godlinesse causeth prosperity b 250 H. Hearing required b 51 52 53 Heart must be kept pure b 137 Honour of God a 97 Honour lost by sinne b 19 Hopes of wicked men vaine a 38 39 Hosts God the Lord of hosts a 37 Husband may not grieve his wife b 105 106 Hypocrisie a 156 157 b. 187 188 It is a great sinne a 220 Hypocrites thinke all too much for God a 218 Hypocrites justifie themselves when under judgements a 251 252 I. Idolaters liberall in their worship b 213 214 Imitation of predecessors vertues b 58 Impropriations of Churches b 228 229 Inconveniences must not hinder obedience to God b 45 Ingratitude a great sin a 16 17 25 208 Injuriousnesse is against nature b 79 it is against religion b 80 81 Injustice is joyned with irreligion b 150 151 268 Invocation of Saints b 181 Ironies whether lawfull a 167 163 Irreligion b 187 268 Iudgements are for sinne a 41 they should restraine sinne a 5. Of profiting by them a 10.11 They profit not the wicked b 13. How wicked carry themselves in them b 98. How vaine their course is b 98 99 Hypocrites justifie themselves under them b 251 252 Iudgements may be upon things belonging to men as well as upon their owne persons b 235. No person freed from judgements b 10 11. The causes of judgements b. 96. God brings them not but upon knowne causes b 185 They are equall a 52. God will be justified in them a 43 44 47 God hath glory by them a 54. God can bring them with a word b 16. The difference of them on the godly and the wicked a 45 46 Iudgeing of others a 146 147 148. 149 K Kingdomes disposed of by God a 40 Knowledge of God how needfull a 152 153 Knowledge excuses not hearing b 6.7 God knowes the wicked and their waies a 184 260 L Lame service a 156 Law the false pretence of
it encreaseth sin b 147 Liberality of Idolaters b 213 214 Long life a blessing b 29 30 Love the causes of it b 77 Love of God to his Church a 19 M Magistrates when they neglect to punish God will do it b 94. How they are to give judgement b 185 186 how to be obeyed a 63 82 Maintenance of Ministers b 215 216 221 224 225 226 227 232 233. What it is b 216 218. How necessary b 227 228. A blessing to such as maintaine them b 231 232 Marriage how children to submit to their parents in it a 69 God is the witnesse of marriage b 115. The description of marriage b 121 122. The author of it b 132. The end of it b 133 Marriage with contrary religion b 90 91 92. Vnfaithfullnesse in marriage is sinne against God b 112 Married persons their duty b 120 Masse whether one may be present at it a 157 Meditation of the word b 7 Mercy of God only keeps off judgements b 203 204 Mighty men cannot withstand God b 273 Mincha what it signifies a 199 Ministers must put difference between godly and wicked a 129 130. They sinne if censure not the wicked a 132. Contempt of Gods Ministers and his worship goe together a 214. Best Ministers most contemned a 216 They must apply doctrine b 2 3 what their care must be concerning Gods worship b 8 9. A speciall Covenant is made with them b 24 25. They deliver whole truth b 39 they must not corrupt the word b 41 they must be holy b 42. They must preach so as to convert men b 45 they ought to be learned in the Scriptures b 48 It is a great corruption when they occasion men to sinne b 67 when they are contemned and hated justly b 70 71 what they are then to doe b 74 they are Gods Messengers b 166 to defraud them of their maintenance is sacriledge b 215 216 219 220 221 225. Ministery of man ordinarily used by God a 12 13. How to be esteemed a 13 14. None may take it upon him without a calling b 26. The efficacy of the Ministry b 291. N Nature teaches not to wrong any b 79. O Obedience due to God in all things b 4 5. How far due to parents a 62 63 64 66. How far due to Masters a 80 81 82. How far due to Magistrates a 63 82. Old men their duty b 30. Omission of duties b 208. 209. Oppression God not pleased with sacrifices of it a 222 224 225. Oppressors not heard of God b 110 Originall sin b 126 280. P Papists plea of bounty b 214 Parents to take care of childrens soules b 127 128. Passion a 25. Patience under affliction a 4 5. Patience in injuries b 108 109. Peace only to the upright b 45. People of God may be punished a 8 9 10. Their priviledges a 27. Person must be accepted before his praiers are a 189. Perfection whether in this life b 14. Perfididiousnesse a great sin b 82 83 Piety brings prosperity b 250. Plenty promised to the obedient b 31. promist to paiers of tithes b 231 232 233 Polygamie b 122 129 130. Popes may and have erred b 61 62 their Church robbing b 228. Portion how children to submit in that a 67. Poverty of Ministers b 226 227. Power of God a 37. Praise God to be praised for deliverances a 55. Praier not heard how great a judgement a 169 170. When the season of praier a 170. How we must pray a 172. What to pray for a 173. Praier to Saints departed a 175. Praiers of wicked not profitable a 178. Where to pray a 197 198. All need the praiers of others a 174. Praiers of Gods people accepted b 181 182. Preferring man before God how hainous a 160 163. Preist how the word used a 203. Professors their sin most hainous a 210. Prophanesse of heart how knowne a 145. Prophets 3. sorts a 12. Christ our prophet b 172 173 Prosperity b 158 159. Prosperity promist to piety b 250. No note of true Church b 241 242. Providence of God not to be questioned b 160. To deny it is pride against God b 244 245. Whence it is that men doubt of it b 247 248. Gods providence and protection a bond of service a 105. Publicke worship to be attended b 52 53. Punishment Gods owne people punisht a 8 wicked oft doe escape unpunished long b 256. Purgagatory b 178 179 235 R. Redemption of the elect b 277 Regenerate their workes holy a 205 Reigning sinne what b 278 Religion teaches to do no wrong b 80 81 Remembrance God remembers our waies b 262 Repentance onely removes judgements b 6 210 211 Reproofe a 133 134 Revenge the desire of it a 49 Reward to obedience b 33 Riches the way to attaine them b 32 234 whether fit for Ministers b 226 227 Wicked oft encrease in riches b 254 255 Righteousnesse cannot be without religion b 268 269 Righteousnesse inherent b 276 S. Sacraments their efficacy a 142 the Ministers of them b 28 Sacrifices of N. Test a 144 what Sacrifices required of Christians a 202 Sacriledge b 212 215 219 220 221 239 240 Sanctification of Gods elect b 275 276 Scoffing speeches whether lawfull a 167 Sencelessenesse under judgements a 3 4 Separation may not be from a Church for the abuses of it a 177 180 Servants their duty a 76 78 83 86 89 Service of God must be with best a 150 183 Sicke service a 159 T. Temple people not bound to it in prayer a 197 Tempting of God what b. 230 231 Tithes whether still in force b 216. 217. 218. Thoughts are known to God a 138 Toleration of Papists a 179 Truth all of it to be delivered b 39 V. Virginity how to be esteemed of b 136 Vowes to be observed a 234 235 Vsury b 85 W. Wages of hirelings not to be detained b 195 Wards the abuse b 198 199 Watchfulnesse required of us b 260 Widowes not to be opprest b 196 197 Wicked though flourish shall be destroyed b 272 273 Wife is husbands companion b 117 choice a of wife b 144 145 Witches not to be sought unto b 189 190 Word of God how to be preacht a 6 7. How to be heard a 7 must be applyed b 2 3. must be all delivered b 39. it must be heard publikely b 51 52. It must be sought after b 54 55 All things are good or evill as they are with or against the word b 84. Wicked not able to abide the preaching of it b 174 Workes no cause of justification a 189 Worship of God must be holy a 127 Where that is abused God is abused a 138 Worship of God removed for contempt a 229 Worship of God furthered by maintainance of Ministry b 227 228 Wrath of God a 44 45 Z. Zeale a 159 FINIS AN EXERCITATION VPON THE PROPHECIE OF MALACHY Wherein The Context is illustrate by a cleare Analyse The originall Text is examined Most translations extant are conferred The
though thy sinnes bring thee in never so much pleasure and profit for a time never so much contentment and satisfaction yet while God is displeased and offended yea grieved with it thinke the end will be worse for thee For doe they provoke me to anger saith God and not themselves to the confusion of their faces As if he said As Cyprian de lapsis Plus imò delinquit qui secunduÌ„ hominem DeuÌ„ cogitans evadere se poenaÌ„ criminis credit si non palam crimeÌ„ admisit suuÌ„ doe they imagine I will long beare my griefe and goe mourning away and not pay them home and ease my selfe yes they shall finde that I have said Isaiah 1.24 Therefore saith the Lord God of Hoasts the mighty one of Israel ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Therefore let men put away their iniquities cease of sinning and not grieve the Lord. Let no man imagine that this he will not part with but yet doe something which may please God As prophane Esau with his father Gen. 28.8.9 for if they doe it shall be with them as with him though his father meant to blesse him yet God would not have it so though men and the worke blesse them yet shall it not be so Vse 3 For imitation if God be grieved at the sinnes of others then ought they to be so too vide Mal. 1.6 in properties of filiall feare And if it doe grieve them indeed then will they not use familiarity with those whose words and workes are bitter and sharpe swords grieving God and grieving them where there is a necessity of a mans calling there to come when he shall heare and see such thing is one thing but where no such things he that can take pleasure or delight in their companies may feare he is not affected or is benummed by present condition if a little pleasure or profit of his owne make him indure much disgrace to God When ye say every one that doth evill in his sight Their blasphemy was spoken herein that they said God respected and loved the wicked Doctrine For men to thinke or speake that God loveth and respecteth the wicked maketh account of them and approveth them it is a wicked and blasphemous thought and speech against God Such was this And such is that Cap. 3. Such David confessed ceazed sometime upon himselfe Psal 73.12.13 This is that which Elihu chargeth Iob withall Job 34.9 For he hath said it profiteth a man nothing that he shouâ—d walke with God Reason 1 Because this is to make God wicked for no man but a wicked man and one in that he is wicked can or will approve of the wicked or wickednesse Many men may in outward shew and in hypocrisie approve and shew liking of holinesse and piety when themselves are not good but no man can or will approve of wickednesse but he that is evill and wicked he therefore that saith God favoureth the wicked must needs chalenge him for wicked but to say the righteous God is wicked is blasphemy c. Reason 2 Because he makes God to doe that which he accounts abominable in others and hath pronounced a woe against them that should doe it which is to justifie the wicked Isai 5.20 he must needs thinke wickedly and speake blasphemously against God Quest How then shall we excuse the Apostle from blasphemy affirming Rom. 4.5 that God justifies the ungodly Answ Well enough because the meaning is not that he justifies him so long and while he is wicked as if he accounted evill good and made his workes just which were wicked for this is against the law and forbidden by him and affirmed by him he never will doe it Exod. 34.7 But they are called wicked not because they are such when he hath justified them but because they were such before for he pardons their sinnes and heales their infirmities and gives them new hearts and makes them just and righteous and so is said to justifie them It may be shadowed to our capacity A Physitian is said to heale a man not that he is sicke when he hath healed him but that he was sicke when he begunne with him So in this But that is reproved as blasphemy in these is that they said God loved the wicked when he was such and approved of him being such Vse 1 To convince many of sin of this blasphemy not in that onely which oftentimes is heard from them that they censure and condemne and cast out of the favour of God and make them to be hated of God who indeed are in his love and bookes as if he did condemne the righteous and onely because their lives and carriage is reproved by their piety and study of holinesse and condemne them as hated because they strive to come most nigh God To whom we may apply that of Tertullian Apol. adversus gentes * Quantò magis hos denotasset Anacharsis imprudentes de prudentibus judicantes quaÌ„ immusicos de musicis Tertull Apol. adversus gentes How much more would Anacharsis have noted these men of folly being unwise yet taking upon them to censure the wise then for men unskilfull in musicke to censure musitians But this is not their expressed sin here though implyed but when they make affirm men to be in the favour of God and approved of him who are wicked and evill How many confidently glory of themselves that they love God and are beloved of him when some of them are like him Deut. 29.18.19 being knowne and noted for wicked men and yet boast of his love what is this but blasphemy to say God justifieth and approveth the wicked But if they be not apparently wicked but civill hypocrites and live in no grosse sinne of the second table but are voyde of the truth of any duty but are without all goodnesse specially in respect of the first whereby they are wicked for if it be true satis est hoc mali nihil boni fecisse then is he wicked that is not good and for such an hypocrite to flatter himselfe and boast of his love to God and God to him makes him so much the more wicked for he addeth to his former sinnnes this blasphemy chalenging God that he justifies the wicked ones and that he approves and likes of him being wicked Now as they are guilty of this in respect of themselves so are they for others for men that are their friends by whom they reape profit from whom they have countenance and of whom they are honoured and advanced be what they will be how wicked or how ungodly soever yet they tell them and so flatter them as the blessed and beloved men of God Vse 2 To teach every man to take heed of this blaspemy to thinke or speake thus wickedly of God either in favour of himselfe or others If a man may not lye for Gods cause he may not belye God for himselfe or in the behalfe
of others knowing himselfe guilty of some grosse sinnes adultery covetuousnesse swearing and such like and lying in them yet boast God respects and loves him he is good in his sight like a bragging Courtier that boasteth of the favour of his Prince when he never had it or is cleane cast out of it for it may cost him setting on but this surely shall Or speaking of others for sinister respects who if they doe but offend them and deprive them of the hopes they have and have settled upon them will condemne them for most wicked men and yet will for the present advance them as the onely white ones of God but it should not be thus seeing that is to blaspheme and speake wickedly of God And if it be dangerous slandering a State or a just Judge saying he justifieth the wicked how much more this But if we must be judging labour to judge righteous judgement and account men beloved that are good and them hated that are wicked He that doth evill is good in Gods sight So they judged from outward things the ease plenty prosperity which idolaters had and for that accounted them happy and beloved of God but the Prophet reproveth them as measuring God by a false rule themselves hated because of their long crosses and others beloved because of their long prosperity Doctrine As they are not to be accounted hated of God who are under the crosse and in some long affliction so are not they to be accounted beloved and accepted of God who are in prosperity and in some long outward felicity Manifest here and that Eccles 9.1 Psal 73.1 1 Cor. 1.26 Reason 1 Because these states are common to both and if there happen to be any propriety in them prosperity long impunity is proper to the wicked and the crosse to godly as all times manifest to us And if either argue love or hatred or doe but looke that waies it is prosperity hatred and the crosse rather argue love Rev. 3.19 Reason 2 Because God lesse loves where outward things are not in particular but generally the reason of which is because men else would thinke them beloved for their outward things and by them to deserve love and so never acknowledge his love free but that he loved them because he might better honour himselfe by them As St. August gives the reason why he chose not the wise Scribe or Philosopher not the Senator not the rich Merchant to be his Disciples because they would say they were chosen for such things And therefore these argue rather not love Vse 1 By the way this will confute the Church of Rome making a flourishing estate a signe and true note of the Church and so of the favour and love of God for no Church without love when it is manifest the crosse is Comeâ— Ecclesiae And no society hath had more afflictions then it but if it had not yet if it will not conclude that one man is beloved and so two c. then not a multitude Vse 2 This confutes the common judgement of most men who measure the favour and love of God to themselves and others by outward things accounting him that is in poverty and misery accursed and rejected and he that is rich and full to be the sonne of God and hence they blaspheme God so usually as they doe both in respect of themselves and others when they account them beloved their reason and ground is all upon this foundation they have riches and wealth and every thing succeeds well with them Like the high Priests who accounted the people accursed because they knew not the law and themselves happy because they knew when they knew nothing as they ought to know as these for knowledge so they for riches As among the Egyptians he onely was accounted rich that had his heard full of white kine So now he onely beloved that hath his purse and treasures full How usuall this manner of judging is is too too apparent but how fallacious and deceitfull it is may be as apparent like that of Sinionides who would have wealth better then wisedome because the wise stood with cap in hand to the rich so they the wealthy then the poore because they would have it to argue more favour and so judge a man how wicked at least how ungodly soever he be if he have riches and be in prosperity and plenty and others hated but these condemne the generation of Gods children as Psalm 73. yea they judge and condemne God himselfe as if he loved the wicked Vse 3 To teach us not to judge and measure the love of God by these outward things to thinke of that James 2.1 My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons for so much it will carry though more We have a proverbe which may confute these conceits and better informe us for usually we say not he is beloved of God that is rich but he is rich that God loves and so he is for he is rich that a Prince loves though he possesse him not with lands and livings because his love will ever administer that which is necessary for his place and state but this is true especially if we understand it of such a Prince as is not mutable in his minde not mortall in his nature he is rich that such a Prince loves which is onely God But admit this yet how shall a man know that God loves him or how may a man judge who is beloved if not by these outward things I answer by another question how doe Courtiers know Princes love them how children that their fathers love them as children The first is not from common gifts which are Princes larges they cast at all adventure but their speciall places of honor and dignities The second not that they have meate and drinke apparell and such things necessary common to them and servants but that they have inheritances and portions provided for them So not these outward things common nor common graces knowledge utterance c. but particular graces faith hope sanctification and such like he that is rich in these is beloved of God Or where is the God of judgement Their blasphemy consisted on two parts one that God should favour the wicked and reprobate Another that if that be denyed it will follow that God did not judge and governe things upon earth for if he did then would it not goe so well with such wicked They deny not here by this interrogation that there is a God of judgement but from the prosperity of the wicked that he shewes himselfe carelesse and remisse in his governement and so in this thing calling it into question Doctrine For men to deny or doubt of the providence of God because of the prosperity of the wicked and their impunity and for the affliction of the godly and their sufferings and troubles is a wicked and blasphemous thing for such are these reproved This made David