Elements We answer Answ Not in respect of place or coexistence but by sacramentall relation on this manner When a word is uttered the sound comes to the eare and at the same instant the thing signified comes to the mind and thus by relation the word and the thing spoken of are both present together Even so at the Lords table Bread and Wine must not be considered barely as substances and creatures but as outward signes in relation to the body and blood of Christ and this relation arising from the very institution of the Sacrament stands in this that when the elements of bread and wine are present to the hand and to the mouth of the receiver at the very same time the body and blood of CHRIST are presented to the mind Thus is CHRIST truly present with the signes Secondly in respect of the Communicants to whose beleeving hearts he is also really present as was shewed before Quest 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Reader would see illustrated what kind of presence this is let him read Perkins reformed Catholike of reall presence Page 186 187 c. Quest 20 Wherein doe we and the Papists differ concerning the reall presence Answ We dissent not touching the presence it selfe but onely in the manner of presence for though we hold a reall presence of Christs body and blood in the Sacrament yet doe we not take it to be locall bodily or substantiall but spirituall and mysticall to the signes by Sacramentall relation and to the Communicants by faith alone On the contrary the Church of Rome maintaines Transsubstantiation that is a locall bodily and substantiall presence of Christs body and blood by a change and conversion of the bread and wine into the said body and blood and that wheresoever this Sacrament is administred that is if this Sacrament were celebrated in all the Cities and Towns and parts of the World at one and the same instant in all those places were Christ bodily locally and substantially present Now this we deny and they thus hence endeavour to prove it Our Saviour in the institution of his Supper Object 3 commanded these words to be said This is my body Therefore if his words be true wheresoever his supper is celebrated there his body must needs be and consequently every where at once if the Sacrament at once were every where celebrated That which was spoken by our Saviour Answ and must be understood figuratively and tropically they take literally and properly Now that the words are figurative and not proper it well appeares First if we compare this action which he did then institute with that which he did at the same time make an end of and which was a type of this The Lords supper succeeded the Passeover As then of it he spake figuratively when he said I have greatly desired to eate the Passeover with you So when he said This is my body he could not but speake figuratively And as the Lambe which he did then eate and instead whereof he did institute the bread was the Passeover namely Sacramentally So the bread Sacramentally is the body of Christ Secondly it appeares also by the phrase of speech used by St. Luke 22.20 and by St. Paul 1 Corinth 11.25 in speaking of the other part of this Sacrament This Cup is the new Testament in my blood Now to speake properly neither was the Cup nor the wine in the Cup the New Testament And therefore if the phrase used concerning the Cup must needs be understood figuratively and tropically then why not also the phrase concerning the bread Thirdly it cannot be denied but that CHRIST in giving the bread and saying This did shew forth bread yea such bread with all its accidents as he gave And therefore either I. Did he then call the bread alone his body and if so then is the speech figurative because he calleth that his body which is not his body Or II. He did then call the accidents of the bread alone his body And if so which no man durst ever yet avouch the speech also must needs be figurative Or III. He did then call both together that is the bread and its accidents his body And if so it is figurative in like sort seeing that the substance of the bread could not be the body of CHRIST much lesse the accidents either alone or with the bread Or IV. He did then call neither the bread nor the accidents thereof his body but some other thing And if so then out of all question there is then a figure whilest shewing one thing and calling it his body he would notwithstanding haue another thing farre different from it to be understood by the name of his body And thus howsoever they expound the words they must needs confesse a Trope and Figure in them Against this Bellarmine de sacrament Euchar. Object 4 lib. 1. cap. 9. objects Christ the institution of this Sacrament said unto his Apostles after he had given thankes and blessed the Elements This is my body that is that which is contained in this bread or under the formes of this bread is my body And therefore these words must needs be taken properly not tropically This he further proves by three reasons viz. First because it is not the manner of the Scriptures to set downe flat Precepts and Commandements and directory rules in obscure tearmes or figurative speeches but plainly and evidently Therefore it is not like that Christ being now to prescribe unto his Apostles the perpetuall Law and forme of this Sacrament would speake obscurely Secondly because although he spake often to the Pharisees by parables and signes yet there was no cause why he should now so do none being present but his Apostles Thirdly because neither these words This is my body nor any other speech of Scripture is to be taken figuratively unlesse either some other Scripture doe shew it so to be taken or it be repugnant to some Article of the faith as this speech of Christ is not For whereas the Protestants alleadge that it is contrary to Christs ascension yet we Catholikes doe both believe that Article and also hold the reall presence of Christ notwithstanding Bellarm. Cap. 9. Argum. 3. First the Cardinall doth here strangely overshoot Answ 1 himselfe and commits a grosse Soloecisme in affirming that which he denies or confirming and proving that which he undertakes to overthrow His assertion is That these words This is my body must needs be taken properly and not figuratively or tropically and he gives them this proper interpretation That the pronoune This doth neither signifie bread nor body nor yet accidents properly but This that is saith he under these accidents is my body as he sheweth by an example which proueth that this is so plainly a figurative speech as when a man promiseth his friend the use of his purse doth figuratively meane the money in his purse Let the Reader read Bellarm. Lib. 1. de Euchar Cap. 11. § Nota
life they shew light unto others Secondly Christ is called light because he is Answ 2 that true primary light which doth not borrow his light from any other but hath light in himselfe and of himselfe doth enlighten others Read for the proofe hereof Ioh. 1 9. and 8.12 Esa 9.2 and 40.6 and 43 6. and 60.1.12 and 1 Ioh. 1.5 and 2.8 Thirdly Apostles and other Doctors Ministers Answ 3 of the church of Christ are called light not because they have light in themselves of thēselves for they have it from Christ that true primary light as the Moone borrowes her light from the Sunne shee beeing without but a darke substance or body So they being enlightned by Christ they are called lux mundi the light of the world in these regards First because they beare witnesse of the true light m Ioh. 1.7.8 Secondly because they have received the splendor of divine knowledge from Christ Thirdly in respect of the sincerity of life and integrity of manners Fourthly God is the cause of light this may Answ 4 be understood either of God the Father Sonne or Holy Ghost For First God the Father is called the Father of lights James 1.17 yea he commands the light to shine out of darkenes n 2 Cor. 4.6 Secondly God the Sonne enlightens every one who comes into the world o Ioh. ◠9 Thirdly God the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of light The Apostle proves most plainely that the ever blessed Trinity is the cause of light in these words I pray for you that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisedome that so the eyes of your understanding may be enlightned p Ephes 1.17.18 Fiftly the light it selfe is the word of God Thus David Thy Word is a light unto my feet Answ 5 Psalm 119.105 And Paul Christ hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospell 2 Tim. 1.10 And Peter ye doe well to take heed to the word of God as unto a light that shineth in a darke place 2 Pet. 1.19 Answ 6 Sixtly and lastly it is given unto the Ministers from God to enlighten the world through this his word Thus Paul was sent unto the Gentiles that by the preaching of the word unto them he might open their eyes and turne them from darknesse to light q Acts 26.18 Obiect 2 It may against this be objected to enlighten or give light is an internall worke and therefore man cannot doe it but it must bee wrought by the blessed Trinitie as was sayd before answer 4. Answ 1 First it is not onely an internall worke for there are two parts of this illumination viz. first an externall adhibiting of light secondly an internall application thereof to the understanding and spirit As in the sense of seeing First there are the species or severall objects without And secondly these are applied unto common sense within Now the outward light is adhibited by the Ministers of the word of God Answ 2 Secondly the Ministers are sayd by consequence to worke the internall light also For first although it bee the worke of the holy Ghost and a taste of the heavenly gift and of the Spirit of God r Heb. 6.4 yet secondly the application of the outward light by the ministery of the word is the ordinary means wherby the internall light is wrought within us And therefore I conclude this objection thus First the light is the word which comes from God not from the Ministers Secondly the power of enlightning is from Christ not from the Ministers and they only illuminate through his helpe and assistance Thirdly yet it is the office of Ministers to hold forth the light in their Ministerie Sect. 3 § 3. Yee are the light of the world The Apostles Quest 1 being but Toll-gatherers and Fishers and not Scribes why doth our Saviour call them the light of the world and not rather the Scribes Answ 1 First Christ doth it to comfort them left they should be dejected by reason of their poore base and low condition Thus elsewhere hee encourageth them to be constant both in active and passive obedience because there will a time come when they shall sit upon twelve seates and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel ſ Matth. 19.28 Answ 2 Secondly Christ calles his Apostles not the Scribes the light of the world lest the Ministerie should seeme to bee supported by an arme of flesh If the Scribes and Pharisees had beene made the light of the world the world would then have thought that the word had been upheld and maintained by humane power but when the Gospell is preached published divulged and dispersed through the world by the Apostles who were but Fishers Toll-gatherers poore and illiterate men then all the world will say Hic est digitus Dei that this is Gods worke and supported by a divine hand Thirdly our Saviour calles his Apostles not Answ 3 the Pharisees and Scribes the light of the world to teach us that worldly pompe and splendour addes nothing to the efficacie of the Ministerie it neither helpes if present nor hurts if absent Why doth not externall and mundane glory Quest 2 availe and further the preaching of the word First because it is a spirituall work and therefore Answ 1 it is to be wrought by spirituall meanes and not carnall for neither estimation nor honour nor riches nor the wisedome of the flesh can helpe forward this worke of God Hence Saint Paul opposeth them first in his conversation in these words Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisedome we have had our conversation in the world t 2 Cor. 1 12. Secondly Saint Paul opposeth them in his preaching Christ sayth he sent me to preach the Gospell not with wisedome of words u 1 Cor. 1 17. not with excellencie of speech v 1 Cor. 2.1 not with enticing words of mans wisedome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power w 1 Cor. 2.4 Secondly God in this worke will not use the power of men lest the praise of the work should bee given unto men Vzza was strucke with death because hee puts his hand to the Arke x 2 Sam. 6 7. And God will not deliver his people by 32000 but by 300 y Iudg. 7.2 lest the people should glory in themselves whereas hee that glories should glory in the Lord yea hence it was that God would not take the temptation from Paul but rather sustaine him in it because thus his glory and strength was made perfect in weaknesse z 2 Cor. 12.9 § 4. A Citie that is set on an Hill cannot bee hid These words as also the former some Sect. 4 Papists urge for the visibilitie of the Church Object thus Our Saviour compares his Church to a Citie on an Hill which cannot be hid Therefore the Church
in the smallest things Fiftly Faith fructifying in love and sanctity Rom. 13.11 Philip. 1.27 But wicked men believe not neither obey and therefore they are strangers from life Sixtly Christ is the way unto life Iohn 14.6 Acts 4.12 But wicked men are without Christ and therfore it is evident that this straite way of piety is unknowne unto them Answer 3 Thirdly it is cleare also that naturall men are ignorant of this narrow path by the estate and condition of mankinde after his fall he then becoming brutish Thus the Prophets say that man may now bee compared to the beasts that perish Psal 49.12 Ierem. 10.14 and 51.17 And therfore undoubtedly is ignorant of the way of life Answer 4 Fourthly it will bee as cleare as the day if wee consider but the ignorance of naturall men For 1. The best clerke and wisest naturall man is but a foole so long as hee is not taught spiritually and instructed from above Rom. 1.22 Prov. 16.22 and 1. Cor. 1.20 and 3.19 2. The naturall man is but childish in religion 1 Cor. 13.12 Ephes 4.14 3. He knowes not what heaven and life eternall is Haec est vita aeterna ubi possumus Deum videre facie ad faciem ubi est sanitas sine infirmitate requies aeterna sine labore pax sine timore laetitia sine moevore veritas sine errore Life eternall is that place where wee shall see God as we are seene face to face where wee shall have health without sicknesse rest without disturbance peace without feare joy without sorrow and trueth without errour This nature is altogether ignorant of 4. He knowes not how heaven life eternal may be acquired nature can neither teach how heaven may bee had nor procure it And therefore wee may hence collect how necessarie it is for every member of old Adam to labour and endeavour to bee free from this naturall condition wherein hee is and to be regenerated and engrafted into Christ Why must wee thus earnestly desire to bee changed Quest 6 renewed and incorporated into Christ First Because naturally wee are blind and cannot Answer 1 walke without a guide and therefore so long as wee are naturall wee must needs erre and goe astray from the wayes of God Secondly because naturally wee are foolish and Answer 2 spirituall things are too high above our reach And therefore if wee desire to understand those things which concerne the glory of God and our owne good we must labour that we may bee regenerated and united unto Christ Thirdly because by nature wee are but evill Answer 3 trees And therefore if wee desire to bring forth good fruite we must labour and desire that wee may bee cut off from this wilde olive and engrafted into the new and living stocke Jesus Christ Fourthly by nature we are void and destitute Answer 4 of grace yea deade unto grace Ephes 2.1 and therefore if wee desire that wee may be recovered and the grace of God againe quickned in us we must labour to be changed and transformed after the Image of Christ Fiftly because by nature wee are the members of Answer 5 Sathan Ephes 2.3 And therefore if wee desire to be made the members of Christ and the children of God wee must labour to come out of our naturall estate and condition By what meanes may wee bee freed from this miserable Quest 7 condition wherein by nature we are I answer here from the second answer of the former question save one use these meanes Answer First studie the word of God Meanes of regeneration labour for the knowledge thereof for that will teach thee thy misery Secondly obey the word of God when thou knowest the will of God then labour to doe it abstaine from all evill prohibited observe every good duety enjoyned 3 Thirdly love the Lord above all things he onely regenerates by his holy Spirit and therefore love him with all thy heart and with all thy soule 4. Fourthly labour for Christ for hee sends the Holy Spirit unto us hee is the alone Mediatour betweene God and man and all grace which is conferred upon us by God is in and through Christ And therfore no mercy is to be expected but by him and for his sake Fiftly pray unto God that hee would bee graciously pleased to wash us from our sinnes to plant and engraft us into Christ and to sanctifie us by his holy Spirit Thus we have heard the first cause how the way of piety which leades unto life is strait in respect of the Obscurity thereof it being hard to find G Secondly the way of piety which leades unto to life is strait Respectu difficultatis in regard of the Observat 2 difficulty thereof as if our Saviour would say The way to heaven is a hard way Reade Acts 14.22 and 2 Timoth. 3.12 and 2 Corinth 4. How is the way to heaven hard when as 1. God Quest 8 calls all Esay 55.1 And 2 Rejects none that comes James 1.5 And 3. gives his word unto all Actes 20. Which word is a bright and cleare light Psal 119.105 And 4. reveales himselfe unto all those who seeke him We say the way is hard for these causes to wit Reason 1 First because the naturall man cannot understand this word nor be subject thereunto Rom. 8.6 c. Reason 2 Secondly because many seeke not to walke in this way neither regard what the word faith unto them Reason 3 Thirdly because many seeke to walke in this way but seeke amisse that is otherwise then by Christ as by pilgrimages and meat and monasticall vowes and the like Rom. 9.31 Reason 4 Fourthly because this way of religion teacheth things contrary to sense and above reason as 1. That there is imputative righteousnesse Psalm 32.1 2. That wee must deny our selves and submit our selves wholy to the will and pleasure of God And therefore this way may truly be called hard Reason 5 Fiftly this way is hard in respect of our conversion he that would walke in this way hee must turne from two things namely 1. From the world lest otherwise he perish with the world this is very hard for a man to be in the world and not of the world for so he shall be scorned by the world 2. From himselfe and his fore-passed life this is extreame hard and difficult for a man to forsake his owne sense judgement will affection and whatsoever is contrarie to the good pleasure of God Reason 6 Sixtly this way is hard in regard of Mortification and abstinence from sinne yea even those which are most deare unto us as for example 1. Sometimes wee are tempted to have a care of our fame and credite and therefore to forsake the profession of the Gospell because it is derided and scoffed by wicked men 2. Sometimes wee are tempted unto pleasure as unto drunkennesse gluttony wantonnesse adultery pride contention revenge and the like 3. Sometimes wee are tempted unto profit as to couetousnesse lying deceiving
the will of God Obser 2 These blind men by desiring mercy that is pardon acknowledge that they have deserved affliction as a punishment of their sinne To teach us That we bâ—â—ght to confesse every affliction to be the punishment of sinne But of this we have spoken before once and againe Sect. 5 Quest 1 § 5. And the multitude rebuked them Answ Why did the multitude rebuke them They did not rebuke them for begging of men but for praying unto Christ whence we learne That impediments in good things are alwayes ready at hand Observ Or whensoever we are about the performance of that which is good we shall be sure to meet with rubbes and lets Matth. 13.27 Quest 2 What are the hinderances that are obvious in good workes Answ 1 First the world â—now this hinders us from good workes two manner of wayes to wit I. Tentando adâ—â—ala by tempting us unto that which is evill namely pleasure honour gaine ease the love of the world and the liâ—â— II. Terrendâ—â— poniâ— by afrighting â—e from that which is good by injuries derisions persecutions and the like Secondly the flesh now this apprehends the tentations provocations and allurements of the Answ 2 world Thirdly the Devill who hinders us by casting Answ 3 of lets and impediments before us and by urging and enforcing the temptations of the world and the flesh What may we learne from this multiplicity of Quest 3 impediments in the performance of good duties From thence we may learne foure things namely First where there are no lets Answ there the worke is to be suspected Jf men frequently performe workes which in their conceit are good without any lets or rubbes they may justly feare that they are not such as God commands and commends for if they were such then certainly the envious man and enemy of all goodnesse would hinder them if he could Secondly where there are many impediments and lets it is a signe that the worke which is so withstood is good and godly righteous and religious And therefore the children of God should not be disheartned with the multitude of Remorses in the service of the Lord but rather encouraged and comforted thereby because those impediments approve the worke to be good Thirdly to expect lets and hinderances in the performance of good workes that we may the better learn to prevent and avoid them Fourthly to resist them manfully because otherwise we shall never do any good worke well And therefore two things are here required of us to wit I. Resolution certainly many perish for want of this and therefore we must resolve with our selves that nothing shall hinder us from the service of our God and he performance of the good duties which we owâ—â—nto him whether publike or private II. Watchfulnesse for it 〈◊〉 two cannot well be severed we cannot be watchfull indeed without Resolution and our resolution is idle without watchfulnesse Read Luk â—â— 42. and 1. Peter â— 8 If a man know that he hath an enemy who observes and markes both his words and deeds he will be the more carefull and watchfull both over himselfe and life and actions and words that so he may have no advantage over him Thus should we doe because we have an enemy that sleepes not but watcheth daily for our destruction § 6. Because they should hold their peace Sect. 6 In these words 〈◊〉 have two things observable namely First the end of the reproofe And Secondly the causes of the reproofe First we have in these words the end of the reproofe and this is expressed They rebuked them for crying afâ—er Christ that so they might hold their peace and abstaine from praying unto our Saviour To teach us That Sathan chiefly desires to hinder our prayers Thus he made the Apostles drowsie when they should have prayed with their Master Observ Matth. 27. Quest How and whereby are we hindred from prayer Answ 1 First many causes often detaine us from the Temple and house of God and consequently hinder us from publike prayers Answ 2 Secondly many causes occasions and affaires often wholly hinder us from private prayers Answ 3 Thirdly oftentimes we deferre and neglect our preparation and so our prayers are hindred in regard of the bene esse and well performance of them Answ 4 Fourthly sometimes the calumnies derisions or threats of others hinder us from prayer It was a strong cord to have kept backe good Annah from praying or to have distracted her in praying to heare the high Priest say she was drunke and no lesse was it unto Daniel to know that death did awaite him if he prayed unto his GOD within so many dayes Answ 5 Fifthly some are hindred from praying and that either I. By the Seminaries of mischiefe the Jesuites who perswade Papists not to pray with us either publikely or privately if they can possibly avoid it Or II. By our owne sectaries at home the Enthusiastes and others who disswade men from praying untill the Spirit move them which often as but once in a weeke or fortnight and sometimes longer Answ 6 Sixthly sometimes we pray perfunctorily and coldly and so our orizons become fruitlesse and unprofitable For I. Sometimes our bodies through drowsinesse and sleepinesse will not permit us to pray II. Sometimes our minds are upon other matters and we neither marke nor observe what requests we powre forth unto GOD. III. Sometimes we marke what we say but yet the sacrifice of our prayer is not offered up with fervour and the fire of zeale And IV. Sometimes wee are affected with wearisomenesse and tediousnesse in our prayers And therefore we had need strive manfully against all these impediments that we be not by them hindred from praying and well praying Secondly we have now to consider the causes why the multitude would have had these blind men to have held their peace namely First because they thought it was a shame for CHRIST to entertaine any discourse with beggars but CHRIST himselfe thought not so Or Secondly because they thought that they had cryed after Christ for an almes and so to ease and free him thereof they bid them hold their peace but he gives unto them what they desire Or Thirdly because Christ held his peace when the blind men cryed after him therefore â—â—e multitude thinking that CHRIST tooke their clamours in all paâ—â— biâ—dâ—â— them hold their peace but CHRIST is silent onely for the â—ryall of their saith and perseverance Or Fourthly because by their cryes they disturbed CHRIST in his preaching to the people and therefore the multitude bid them hold their peace but CHRIST preferres mercy before sacrifice Or Fifthly because the Scribes and Pharisees could not endure to heare them call Christ the Sonne of David that is the Messiah therefore they charge them to hold their peace § 7. But they cryed so much the more Sect. 7 Jn this History observe these three things namely First the blind men cry unto Christ but he seemes not to heare
Sect. 3 § 3. And yet yee repented not Quest 1 What are the parts of true Repentance Answ Repentance consisteth of these two parts ro wit I. Contrition or humiliation II. Conversion or reformation First Repentance consisteth of Contrition or humiliation as appeares by the consent of languages For repentance is called in Hebrew Nacham which signifies Irking and in Greeke it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after-griefe and in Latine Poenitentia which imports the paines of griefe which harmony of Languages shew that Contrition and humiliation is a part of Repentance Object 1 The Apostle 2. Corinth 7.10 saith That Godly sorrow worketh Repentance where sorrow is distinguished from repentance as the cause is from the effect And therefore sorrow or contrition is not a part of Repentance Answ This word Repentance sometimes signifies onely one part of Repentance and sometimes onely the change and alteration of the mind and sometime onely the touch of the affection First sometimes Repentance signifies onely eno part of Repentance as in the place objected and Ierem. 18. If they repent it shall repent mee c. That is J will alter my mind and repent me of myh threatnings Secondly sometimes Repentance signifies onely the change and alteration of the mind as Acts. 11.18 where they call the strange change of their mind by the descent of the holy Ghost Repentance Thirdly sometimes Repentance signifies onely the touch of the affections as Genes 6. It Repenteth me that I made man and Acts. 26.20 And he shewed unto them that they should repent and turne to God where Repentance being so plainly distinguished from conversion must needs be restrained to the signification of sorrow and humiliation And as from this place we may not gather that Repentance is not a turning to God so no more may wee from 2. Cor. 7.10 that it is not a godly sorrow One part is not a cause of his fellow-part but sorrow is a cause of the change of the mind 2. Cor. Object 2 7.10.11 Therefore sorrow and change of mind are not fellow-parts of repentance One part may be a cause of his fellow-part Answ as the sanctification of the soule is a part of the sanctification of the body and yet both are parts of sanctification Contrition seemes to be a part of the change Object 3 alteration of the mind for what greater change can there be then for a hard hart to turne soft and this is contrition and humiliation Therefore humiliation and alteration are not two distinct parts of repentance The Apostle himselfe 2. Cor. 7.10.11 distinguisheth them plainly saying Answ Godly sorrow causeth repentance that is the change of the mind for although godly sorrow be a part and peece of that passive change which is wrought in us at the first instant of our calling by God yet it is a cause of the active change whereby we change and alter the purpose and resolution of our hearts before set on sinne and now turne them to the Lord for if we felt not the bitternesse of our sinnes and were truly touched in conscience for them we would never heartely forsake and renounce them Are not the soule threatnings and curses of the Quest 2 Law of themselves availeable unto true contrition for asmuch as Iosiahs heart 2. Chron. 34.27 was troubled upon the hearing of the threatnings Those threatnings were not meerely legall Answ but such as were qualified with some tincture of mercy in the Gospell Afflictions soften our hearts but how no otherwise then as wee apprehend Gods mercy in them so Iosiah apprehended mercy in those threatnings looking upon them as proceeding from Gods Love and accounting of them as the wounds of a friend and thence came the melting of his heart Secondly the next part of Repentance is Coversion or Reformation observe in this part as in the former the harmony of Languages Repentance is called in Hebrew Theshuba a turning in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After-wit in Latine Resipiscentia the be comming wiser after our folly And thus this consent of tongues shew that the two parts of Repentance are Contrition and humiliation and Conversion and reformation Now this second part in a turning from sinne a change not of place but of qualities manners and dispositions from evill to good and this change is twofold viz. First Passive whereby God changeth and turneth us now in this wee are meere patients and God onely workes And this is called Regeneration Secondly Active whereby we being turned and changed by God doe further labour to turne and change our selves And this is called Repentance Read Isa 30.20.21.22 Ierem. 31.18 and 1. Iohn 3.3 What are the properties of true Conversion Quest 3 The properties are these viz. First it must be an orderly change beginning in the soule and so proceeding to the Answ 1 outward man and the actions thereof Ephes 4.23.24 Ierem. 4.14 Secondly it must be a thorow-change both in body soule and spirit 1. Thessal 5.23 Not I. As some doe who turne from one sinne to another Or II. As others who turne their understandings from errour to truth but not their wils from evill to good as those who of Papists become loose and dissolute Protestants Or As those who turne from many sinnes and with Herod doe many good things but yet they remayne unturned from some one speciall sinne Thirdly it must be a constant change for although it be a perfect change in regard of parts as a child is a perfect man yet it is imperfect in degrees and therefore so long as we live we must strive unto perfection Vers 33. c. VERS 33 34. There was a certaine housholder which planted a vineyard and hedged it round about and digged a wine-presse in it and built t Tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a farre Country And when the time of the fruit drew neare he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits of it c. Observ Our Saviour by this Parable would teach us That God takes paines to plant a vineyard for the fruits sake or that he might have fruit thereof Or That God expects sanctity and obedience according to the measure of grace given The more paines God takes with us the more fruit he expects from us Read Esay 5.2 c. Acts. 17.30 Rom. 6.4 Ephes 4.21 22 24. and 2. Timoth. 2.25 Quest 1 Why must we bring forth the fruit of holinesse according to the favour and mercy shewed unto us and meanes bestowed upon us by God Answ 1 First because God shewes mercy and favour unto men that he might be glorified by their holy lives and unblamable conversations Iob. 35.6 7. Matthew 5.16 Answ 2 Secondly because grace is given unto us that we might fructifie therein and profit thereby 1. Corinth 12.7 that is that we might be brought unto Repentance and the fruits thereof Rom. 2.4 and Titus 2.12 The Talents were given to use unto advantage because he is an unprofitable
therefore should not be strangers unto this duty And IV. To visite the sicke is commended in the Scripture Iob. 2.11 12 13. yea lauded by Christ in this place verse 36. And V. This duty shall be rewarded both on earth Psal 41.1 and in heaven in this place And therefore if people desire either the praise or reward of Christ they must visite the sicke Thirdly it is the Ministers duty to visite the sicke who are under his charge if as our Canon excepts the sicknesse be not contagious as appeares thus I. They must take care for their whole flocke in generall and for every member of their flocke in particular and therefore they must not absent themselves from them in the time of their sicknesse it being a fitting season to administer saving advice and counsell unto them Reade Ezech 34.1.2 3 4. II. People principally stand in need of consolation and comfort when they are sicke whence we see that Christ was cheered and refreshed in his agony by the company and consolation of Angels Luke 2â— 43 And therefore Ministers must visite their sheepe when they lye on their sicke beds III. Those who are sicke are exhorted to desire the visitation of the Ministers and the Ministers are commanded to visite those who are visited with the hand of sicknesse Iames. 5.14 And therefore they neglect both their duties to God and man if they be back-ward herein What are the fruits of hospitality that our Saviour Quest 3 reckons it up amongst the rest of the workes which shall be rewarded First if the studious Reader would see this enlarged Answ and seven fruits of hospitality expressed let him reade Stapleton Antidot animae pag. 181. 182 183. where he shall find something false something fabulous and something true Secondly God is so well pleased with this duty Answ 2 of hospitality to the poore and to strangers that he hath and doth often incline the hearts and affections of great personages to seeke the love and familiarity of them who are given thereunto although they be their inferiours and of low place in respect of the world and by this occasion those who descend from great houses doe often match with those who are obscure thus Raguel the Priest of Madian for his hospitality unto Moses was by the providence of God rewarded with this That that great and incomparable Prophet became his sonne in Law Exod. 2. Thirdly God is so delighted with this duty Answ 3 of hospitality that he hath made the wives of the lovers thereof fruitfull which were barren before and without children and by this meanes hath delivered them from that reproach which was counted great in old time as is cleare from the Shunamite 2 King 4 for whom the-Prophet of God obtained a sonne because she ordinarily received him with joy into her house Fourthly some for hospitality haue had their Answ 4 dayes prolonged by God as we may see in Rahab Iosh 2 And Fifthly it is of such force that by meanes of it corporall diseases have bene cured in the houses of them who have kindly entertained the servants of God even by the servants of God themselves as we may see from Acts. 18. Sixthly for this duty of hospitality God hath Answ 6 multiplied the store of the hospitable as is cleare from 1 King 17. where the widdow was rewarded for her entertainment to the Prophet with a multiplication and miraculous augmentation of her oyle and meale Seventhly it is of such vertue that it is oftentimes Answ 7 an occasion to many that be ignorant to come to the knowledge of God and of their salvation as Zacheus did who having received beyond his expectation JESVS CHRIST in to his house and entertaining him as kindly as possibly he might heare 's that which was as marrow to his bones viz This day salvation is come unto thine house Answ 8 Eightly some being given unto hospitality have instead of men entertained and received Angels into their houses yea God himselfe that is the second person in the B. Trinity as we see truely in Abraham who received Christ and two Angels into his house Gen. 18. and in Lot Gen. 19. and Hebrew 13.2 Object 2 The Papists object this place for justification by workes arguing thus We are judged according to our workes therefore wee also are justified by them Answ The last judgement is not the justifying of a man but a declaration of that justification which we had before obtained therefore the last judgement must be pronounced and taken not from the cause of justification but from the effects and signes thereof Perkins Object 3 From hence the Papists would also prove if they could that our good workes are the meritorious causes of life everlasting because good workes here are rendred as the cause why eternall life is rendred Their argument is this That is the meritorious cause of the Kingdome for which the Kingdome is adjudged and given to the sheepe But for these workes of mercy and charity the Kingdome is adjudged and given to the sheepe Therefore these workes are the meritorious cause of this Kingdome The Minor proposition they confirme thus The Judge here saith inherit the Kingdome for I was hungry and ye gave me meat For that is because ye fed me for the causuall particle Enim For doth expresse the true cause of the inheriting of this Kingdome Canisius Catech. Rhemist First some say that good workes are the efficient Answ 1 cause of the Kingdome but yet Non per modum meriti sed per modum viae medii not by way of merit but of meanes because as followes in the next Answer they are the way and meanes unto this Kingdome Answ 2 Secondly good workes are alleadged not as the meritorious cause or reason of life but as the way and order thereunto Habet vitam eternam fides c. Faith hath life eternall as a good foundation and good workes also whereby a righteous man is proved in word and deed Ambros officior lib. 2. Cap. 2. Good workes then are recompensed as testimonies and proofes of our faith or as signes shewing the sincerity of our faith and not alleadged as the meritorious cause of life eternall And this is evident from the very text For I. CHRIST saith Inherite the Kingdome or take and enjoy the Kingdome as an inheritance now an inheritance is not of merit Againe he saith which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world That is before ye were and before yee had either done good or evill and therefore it was prepared and is imparted freely II. The elect and faithfull themselves doe plainly deny all merit in these words Lord when saw we thee hungry or naked c. As if they would say it is nothing which we have done neither of such worth that thou O Lord should thus accept it as done unto thee or thus infinitely reward it Scultet Idea conc Pag. 646. Thirdly there is but one worke onely which Answ 3
to bee written that wee by the frequent and daily meditating thereof might understand what is necessary to bee knowne what to be beleeved unto salvation And thus much for the first word of the Title viz. Gospel Quest 6 It may yet bee demanded further concerning the Title of this Book what this Matthew was Answ 1 To which I answer for his person hee was the sonne of Alphens by name also called Levi and it is probable that hee was the brother of Iames the lesse f Mat. 10.9 I answer againe for his function hee was a Publican or a Tole-gatherer a calling very odious Answ 2 unto the Jewes First in regard of the office because they conceived these taxes to bee imposed upon them unjustly by the Roman government under which they were now subject Secondly in regard of the office because for the most part they were unjust exacters and oppressors extorting more from them then their due as Zacheus himselfe doth intimate when he saith g Luke 19 8. If I have taken any thing from any man unjustly c. And hence Christ exhorts Publicans h Luke 3.13 to exact no more then that which is appointed unto them Lastly I answer for Saint Matthewes paines Answ 3 labour or imployment this wee finde First Gualt â— that he preached the Gospel as farre as Aetheopia Secondly that hee sealed with his blood Quest 7 the Gospel he had preached being martyred for it From Saint Matthewes calling it will bee questioned why doth God use sinners for the publishing of the Gospel as here Matthew who was a Publicane and afterwards Paul who was a persecutor i Acts. â— 1 Tim. 1.12.13 and Onesimâ—s who was disobedient k Phil. 1â— I answer it is very profitable and behovefull for the patient or sicke person to have a Physitian who hath had experience of his Answ 1 sicknes for he that hath felt the griefe knowes best how to cure and redresse it and therefore the Lord will have quoâ—dam or sometimes sinners to preach unto those that yet are wicked because they know best the nature of sinne and how to apply fit corrosives and salves to every sinfull soule Againe I answer this the Lord Answ 2 doth to shew unto us that when he doth forgive he doth also forget when once wee turne unto God by repentance never to bee repented of hee doth as wholly put our sinnes out of his remembrance as though we never had offended him at all k Ezek. 18 22. Act. 17.30 Again God doth this to encourage sinners to turne unto him that having such presidents they may bee certainely assured that hee who is Answ 3 no respecter of persons will thinke nothing too deare for them whatsoever their former lives have beene if they will but truely returne unto the Lord. Lastly God doth this to demonstrate his Answ 4 power unto us that of great Sinners he can make great Saints of oppressing Publicans faithfull Apostles and of cruell Persecuters constant Professors and Preachers Concerning the time of this Gospel Answ it will be Quest 8 demanded when was this Gospel written by Saint Matthew I answer before any of the other three within 8 or 9 yeares from the Ascension l Athanasius Concerning the Author it will be demanded Quest 9 By whose authority was this Gospel written Answer I answer Saint Matthew was not the Author but the Hand for the holy Spirit was the Author and therefore Castalion erres who thus entitles this booke The Gospel by the Authour Matthew for it is more rightly called by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to Saint Matthew a Sic Tertul Cyprian or the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ according to Matthew b Vet. Interp as it is plainly expressed Mark 1.1 The Gospell of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Quest 10 Concerning the Idiome it will hee enquired in what language this Gospell was written Answ 1 To this some answer in Hebrew and the reason they give for this is because it was written first and principally for the Iewes This was the constant opinion of these Fathers Irenaeus Tertullian Origen Athanasius and Epiphanius all of them giving the fore-named reason that Saint Matthew being an Hebrew writ in Hebrew unto the Hebrewes and Ierome to confirme this tells us that hee found an Hebrew Copy in the Caesarian Librarie and Syrus the Interpreter is so confident herein that hee prefixeth this Title to this Book The Gospell which Saint Matthew preached in Hebrew in the Region Palestina Answ 2 I answer with reverence to so learned Fathers that the exposition of the name Emmanuel Matth. 1.23 doth shew that either first Matthew did not write in Hebrew for then he would not have expounded Emmanuel which is an Hebrew word or secondly that hee wrot both in Hebrew and Greeke or thirdly that he wrot this Gospell in Hebrew and that this addition unto Emmanuel that is if it be interpreted God with us was added by some Greeke Interpreter Now which of these is the certaine truth in truth is uncertaine Indeed the Fathers were not so confident that it was written in Hebrew but Erasmus and other learned Interpreters do as much question it and their reasons for the contrarie opinions are these First because if this Gospel were written first in Hebrew then who translated it into Greeke for none certainly can be produced to have done it the maintainers of this opinion not agreeing herein among themselves Theophilact thinkes that Iohn the Evangelist translated it but Athanasius ascribes it to Iames the Apostle The second reason is because all the other Pen-men of the holy Scriptures both Apostles and Evangelists writ in Greeke which was the most vulgar and knowne tongue then in those parts where they lived and therefore it is not likely that onely Matthew would use a divers idiome or language The third reason is because the proofe alledged by the Fathers proves not their opinion their proofe is Matthew wrot in Hebrew because hee was an Hebrew and wrot to Hebrewes This followes not because the rest of the Apostles were Hebrewes and yet they wrot and preached in Greeke They are Hebrewes sayth Saint Paul b 2. Cor. 11.22 and so am I. The fourth reason is because if we should grant that this Booke was written by Saint Matthew in Hebrew we must grant also that wee have not the Fountaine of this Gospell but a streame onely flowing from the Fountaine and derived unto us as Maldonate sayth by some uncertaine Authour Now it is not to be admitted or granted that this Translation which comes wee know not from whom should bee coupled with the rest of the Evangelists and Epistles whose fountaine it is granted wee have that is as they were written by them and not translated by others The fift reason is because the Hebrew words which Saint Matthew for some causes doth retaine in this Gospell he doth interpret not into other Hebrew words
nature in us for and by and through the merits and mercies of Iesus Christ III. Thirdly these bookes are called New for a new adoration or worship of God which is herein prescribed In the Old Testament they were confined unto a place they must worship at Ierusalem in the New Testament God promiseth to bee every where present and propitious unto all those that call upon him faithfully Iohn 4.23 IV. Fourthly they are called New because they speake with a new tongue in a new language the Old Testament was written in the old Hebrew tongue the New Testament in a new i. e. in the Greeke tongue for this was a new thing and never before accustomed to have the Oracles of God divulged in any other language than Hebrew There were three languages consecrated in the Title of Christs Crosse which was written by Pilat the Hebrew Greeke and Latine tongue and therefore in this regard also these Books are called New V. Fifthly they are so tearmed also because of a new Testator or Mediatour of this Testament which was not Moses but Christ VI. Sixtly they are also so called in regard of their new witnesses the Apostles and Disciples of Christ Thus much for the Name Authour and Title Divers other generall questions might be raysed both from this Gospell as also from the New Testament which willingly I omit for these three causes First because some of them God willing I shall handle elswhere And secondly because Doctor Mayor hath handled many in his learned Animadversions upon the whole New Testament And thirdly because neither my parts nor weaâ—e abilities nor learning nor library nor leasure â—â—n raise up or conjure downe all questions and difficulties which may be made I have also in a manner wholly omitted the objections the childish and quarrelling exceptions and impious wrestings of the Rhemists upon the New Testament because both reverend Fulke and Câ—â—twright are to be had in English who answer them sufficiently I come now to cleare and observe some things in particular from some particular verses of the first Chapter THEOLOGICALL QVESTIONS DOGMATICAL OBSERVATIONS AND EVANGELICALL ESSAYES VPON THE GOSPEL OF OVR SAVIOVR CHRIST ACCORDING TO St. MATTHEVV CHAPTER I. VERSE 1. The Booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of David the sonne of Abraham I Will according to the method of our holy Evangelist first speake a word or two of the Genealogie of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ his genealogie being registred to let us see that Jesus is THE CHRIST the agreement of the foure Evangelists doe greatly confirme the same Two of the foure viz. Saint Matthew and Saint Luke record Christs genealogie unto us hence a question ariseth Quest 1 How can these two Evangelists bee reconciled differing so much as they doe in this Genealogie Answ 1 I answer They write and set downe the linage and descent of Christ diverso sed non adverso modo diversely but not contrarily whose diversity makes up the sweeter harmony for where Saint Matthew reckons from the Fathers downeward Saint Luke reckons from Answ 2 the children upwards I answer againe the whole genealogie is divided into five Sections reckoning as Saint Matthew doth from the Fathers to the children 1 From Adam to Noah 2. From Noah to Abraham 3. From Abraham to David 4. From David to Zorobabel 5. From Zorobabel to Christ himselfe In the first and second Saint Luke runnes alone Saint Matthew not meddling with the Genealogie of Christ further then Abraham In the third section from Abraham to David Saint Matthew and Saint Luke goe together In the fourth from David to Zorobabel they take different courses for Saint Matthew descends from David by Solomon but Saint Luke by Nathan and both meet in Salathiel where going on two steps together they part againe and the one takes his course from Zorobabel by Rhesa to Mary the other from Zorobabel by Abia to Ioseph It will be questioned againe How Saint Matthew Quest 2 and Saint Luke can agree in the last example according to our Evangelist verse 16. and the first according to Saint Luke g Luk. 3.23 Saint Matthew affirming Iosephs father to be Iacob Saint Luke Elie I answer Answ Iacob was the naturall Father of Ioseph Eli was the naturall Father of Mary and so by the contract of those two Eli was Iosephs Father in law h Eut. 1. l. 1. Cap. 10. It will be further questioned why Saint Matthew and Saint Luke have both of them described Quest 3 the genealogie and linage of Ioseph not of Answ 1 Mary I answer first for the convincing of the Jewes to whom Saint Matthew wrote Secondly Answ 2 because Ioseph and Mary were contribules both of one Tribe and therefore it was all one whether of them were described but of this more by and by The Booke of the generation hence another Quest 4 question ariseth Whether this bee the Title of the Booke or no Answer Answ it is not the title of the Booke but onely of the Catalogue expressed in the Chapter so Gen. 5.1 This is the Booke of the generations of Adam c. It will be hence demanded further why doth Quest 5 Saint Matthew meddle at all with Genealogies seeing Saint Paul forbids them i 1 Tim. 1 Titâ—â— 3. Answer I answer there is a double use of Genealogies 1. First a prophane use for ostentation pride boasting or ambition and this the Jewes were too much addicted unto and this is that which Saint Paul forbiddes namely a vaine pride and glorying in their ancestors 2. Secondly there is a holy use of Genealogies which is three fold 1. For the observing of judiciall Lawes 2. For the distinguishing of the Church from those that were without and these second uses of genealogies belong not now unto us 3. For the declaration or setting forth of the pedigree race or linage of the Messiah and this continued for and with us and is that which Saint Matthew here intends who fearing least it should be thought that Christ were some obscure or private or secret person like Melchizedech who was a Pater without Father or Mother doth therfore shew forth unto us his generation that wee might observe and know it to bee double viz. First naturall and knowne comming from David by this line and descent Secondly divine and ineffable Quest 6 Furthermore it will be asked why Saint Luke proceeds unto Adam and Matthew beginnes but at Abraham seeing they both intend one and the same thing viz. the genealogie of Christ Answ 1 according to his humanity first some answer that this was done to shew that Christ was given two manner of waies to wit first For the Gentiles and for all men and that in a double regard First by the sufficiency of that Redemption which was wrought by Christ Secondly by a generall offer of conditional grace which was made unto all Answ 2 Secondly to the Godly onely the seede and children of Abrahams faith by effectuall
Hildebrand Or Vertues and that for a double cause Either by reason of some praise or praise-worthy vertue observed in them as Philadelphus Or By reason of some admonition given to some vertue as Peter Boanerges Or III. In respect of some atchivements or deeds that are or have beene done as Africanus Scaevola Or IV. In regard of fortunate or unfortunate successe in our enterprises as Faelix Faustus Mara t Ruth 1.20 2. Names are somtimes imposed and alwaies retained being never either left or changed And herein observe these two things First when these names are given Secondly why or how they are given First consider when these names are given that are never changed 1. Sometimes before the birth hereof we have examples both in The old Testament as Ishmael Gen. 16.11 Isaac Gen 17.19 Iosiah 1 King 13.2 And New Testament as Jesus in this verse and Iohn Baptist Luk. 1.13 II. These names are somtimes given after the birth both by heathens and Christians First this is observed by heathens who give names to their infants some few dayes after their birth the Grecians the seventh day after they are borne the Athenians the tenth the Romans if a boy the ninth if a girle the eight u Plutquaest cent rom qu. 102. and all these in their solemnities did use some lotions and some manner of purging of the infant who was to be named x Rhod. è festo Pomp Againe this is observed by Christians who at the Sacrament impose some name upon the Childe to be baptised yea it is fitting that the name should be imposed upon the Childe non cum natus sed cum renatus y Muscul s Genes not when hee is first borne but when hee is borne againe that is in Baptisme it being the Sacrament of our regeneration and initiation into the Church Secondly consider wee now how these names which are not to bee changed are imposed upon children I answer First sometimes they are given casually without any solid ground at all this is too too ordinarie for so the childe have a name we care not what it be Secondly sometime they are imposed with reason and judgement and that three manner of wayes Either I. by reason of Distribution or Distinction that severall children may bee distinguished by severall names II. Or by reason of Notation of body as Rufus Simon Sylla Longimanus c. III. Or by reason of Recordation or Remembrance And this is two-fold First of Men. And secondly of Things Sometime names are imposed for the remembrance of men and this is two-fold either Politicke which is either Or Evill for vain-glory as Scanderbeg Or Lawfull for the remembrāce either Of kindred now living z Luk. 1.61 Or Of predecessors now dead Or Of friends whether alive or dead Religious which remembrance is for the imitation of the Patriarches Prophets Apostles or holy men c. Sometimes names are imposed for the remembrance of Things and that either First by-passed as Evah Enosh or the children of Ioseph a Gen. 49. and Naomi who changed her name into Mara in regard of her former losses and miseries Or secondly to come and that either of Hope as Benjamin or of Office and Direction Direction in names is two fold to wit Imponendo in the imposition of names here thou maist direct and dispose of the name according to thy owne wishes and desires and this is the office and part of the parent to name his child after what Patriarch or Apostle or Saint he will Recordando this belongs unto those that are named they must remember that their names are for this end that they may strive to imitate the vertues of those whose names they beare I have omitted to explaine the names here above mentioned for these three causes First because it would have swelled this question to too great a bulke and tediousnesse especially in these things which are lesse needful unto saving knowledge I desire to avoyd Secondly because to the vulgar Reader they are not so necessary to be known Thirdly because of the understanding Reader which is but meanely Conversant in Histories they are well enough understood Sect. 4 § 4. Hee shall save his people from their sinnes Hence it will bee objected Obiect how are wee saved from our sinnes when as yet wee fall daily into sinne and are overcome by it Answ To this I answer by Christ wee are saved first from the punishment of sin or from death for now there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ b Rom. 8.1 Secondly from the Kingdome of sinne because it shall not raigne in nor over those that are in Christ c Rom. 6.14 Thirdly and this freedome from the power and punishment of sinne is our justification and salvation And thus Christ here is said to save his people from their sinnes Quest 1 Further it may here bee demanded from what sinnes doth Christ save or free his people Answ I answer from this verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From their owne proper sinnes for these onely are they that condemne us Quest 2 Which are those proper sinnes from which Christ will save us Answ I answer First those that lurke and lye hid in our natures which are the cause of all the rest Secondly those actuall sinnes that flow from these wicked habits or at least spring from these reliques And both these wee are freed from by Christ Observ The maine worke of Christ qua Iesus as he is our Saviour is that which is here expressed to take away our sinnes part of which power the Pope and Papists ascribe unto Saints to the Virgine MARY and to themselves Nay the Pope doth shoulder for the whole power and doth usurpe as much himselfe as Christ can doe in that kinde for this is all Christ can doe to forgive his people all their sins fully and perfectly And Pope Paul the fift did say he would doe as much d Iubil Paul 5. anno 1620. Nay they say the Pope hath done more than Christ did For Pope Clement the 8th An. 1592 gave indulgentiam plenariā remissionē omnium peccatorum tam culpa quam poenae a full forgivenes of all their sinnes both in regard of the guilt and of the punishment thereof the last whereof they deny that Christ hath done in the doctrine of Satisfaction Yea the Pope hath done more than ever Christ did indeed if all be true which they say Gregory by his prayer did recall the soule of the Emperour Trajane from Hell e Revel Briget li. 4. ca. 13. Christ never did the like And thus wee see in regard of this principall blessing the forgivenesse of sinnes which wee receive from Christ Christ is opposed by the Pope and therefore hee is rightly termed f 2 Thess 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Adversarie g Squire s 2 Thes 2.4 f. 152. Againe this verse serves to prove that the Virgine Mary is not excepted from the
imagine that they can prevaile against God as Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey him I know him not neither will I at his command let Israel goe b Exod. 5.2 as if he would say mauger all his power I will still keepe them so in divers other plaine places we may see this truth confirmed c 2 Ring 18.34 19.10 Dan. 3.15 Ier. 43.2 This arrogant branch that thus thinkes to toppe the heavens sprouts from these three rootes First from those desires which are too importunate and boundlesse unde habeat quarit nemo sed oportet habere when men have not learnt to want nor to bridle their ambition but are infected with the itch of honour then they runne on in a violent course to obtaine their desires either by right or wrong thus hoping in despight of God as Pope Iulius said to obtaine and effect their purposes This was Herods fault who being blinded with ambition and desire of raigning hoped by his craft and policie to cut Christ short Secondly this hope that wicked men have to prevaile against Christ ariseth from the confidence they have in their owne power and strength wicked great men thinke nothing hard for them to doe and therefore dare wage open battell against Gods religion and his children Thus doth Herod and because none dare gainsay him hee hopes to prevaile This hope arises from forgetfulnesse they remember not oftentimes the hand of the Lord but looke upon things as meerely ordered and governed by second causes d Iames 4.15 they consider not the eye of the Lord that sees all nor the hand of the Lord that swayes all or they presume God will take no notice of them or they dare violate the truth and yet hope to escape punishment as Adam and Evah eate the apple and yet hoped they should not dye although God had positively without any If or and for that peradventure e Gen. 3.3 was of Evahs adding affirmed the contrary f Gen. 2.17 and thus doth Herod hope to prevaile against Christ although God himselfe had most plainely said the contrary g Psal 2. And therefore every one should learne 1. to restraine his bottomles desires and be content with whatsoever estate or condition the Lord shal call him unto or settle him in 2. Every one must remember that he can doe nothing of himselfe because in God we live and moove and have our beeing a Act. 17.28 yea because preferment comes neither from the East nor from the West but from the Lord and therefore when we endeavour against the will of God we doe but strive against the streame 3. All must learne not to forget either the eye or hand or power or truth of God but remember all things are ordered by a divine hand of providence and therefore let us not put forth our hands to use any wicked or unlawfull meanes either for the procuring of any blessing or the preventing of any evill for in doing so we prove our selves to be like wicked Herod that thinkes hee can prevaile against Christ the onely begotten sonne of God VERRS 17. Then was fulfilled that Vers 17 which was spoken by Ieremiah the Prophet saying Then was fulfilled Wee see heere how carefull the Lord is that every word of his should be Quest 1 fulfilled whence First it may bee asked shall every word of God whether promises or threatnings be accomplished Certes it shall Esa 55.11 Answ my word saith the Lord shall be fulfilled and not one jot or jota thereof shall perish b Matth. 5.18 for if the Lord speake it he wil also doe it 1 Pet. 1.24 Secondly Why shall every word of God be Quest 2 fulfilled why is the Lord so carefull to bring to passe whatsoever he hath spoken I answer First because God is truth it selfe Answ 1 Iohn 14.6 and the truth of the word doth depend upon the truth of God and therefore the Lord will fulfill whatsoever he hath spoken least an aspersion of falshood should be cast in his face Secondly because God is infinite in knowledge he knowes from the beginning what shall Answ 2 be for ever and cannot be deceived c Gal. 6.7 and hence it is that the Prophets doe so often speake of things which are to come as though they were present yea sometimes as though they were by-past I. Sometimes they speake of things which shall not bee for many yeares after as though they were already present as d Mal. 3.1 Mark 1.2 the Prophet from the Lord saith concerning Iohn Baptist Behold J send my messenger who shall prepare the way II. Sometimes they speake of things that are to come divers hundred yâ—â—res after as though they were already past as it is said of Christ e Esa 9.6 for unto us a child is borne and unto us a sonne is given as though he were then already borne and given Now the reasons of their thus delivering ther-prophecies was because they were as sure of thâ— event and accomplishment of that which by them from the Lord had beene spoken as though it were already present or past Thirdly because God is omnipotent able to effect whatsoever hee hath promised or threatned Answ 3 by his word at first all things were made yea so powerful is the voice of God that it never returnes in vaine f Esa 55.11 If the Lord should not accomplish what he either promises or threatens men would beleeve that he were not able to doe it and therefore being jealous of his honour hee is carefull to fulfill whatsoever he hath spoken Fourthly God will fulfill every word of his Answ 4 because he is constant and immutable g Iam. 1.17 for 1. he is never disturbed with affection nor transported by passion he doth all things upon mature deliberation with infinite wisedome and most calme affection 2 His will is never changed he is to day and to morrow and for ever the same and therefore hee certainely fulfilles whatsoever he speakes To summe up all this whole question in few words If the Lord did not fulfill or performe what he promises and threatens it were for some of these causes either first because hee is not true or not a God of his word Or secondly because he knew not what would come to passe some thing thwarting or crossing him which he did not foresee nor know Or thirdly because he is not able to performe what hee hath spoken Or fourthly because he is mutable and of another minde to day then he was yesterday Now all these are blasphemously derogatory from the Majestie of the Almighty and therefore least men should thus conceit of him hee fulfills all his prophecies and predictions that they may see and know that hee is infinite in truth power knowledge and also immutable Against this it will bee objected God threatens all sinners that none of them shall escape but Obiect 1 every one shall perish h Psal 9.17
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to thinke whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to thinke well of and thus Cyprian lib. 1. Testim adv Iud. expounds these words Thou art my well-beloved Sonne whom I think well of But this interpretation is not so fit and therefore I leave it Answ 2 Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to approve of Answ 3 Thirdly to love and to be well-affected towards one Answ 4 Fourthly it signifies complacere and acquiesescere to please and to delight in and these significations are found in prophane authours and therefore we must goe a little further Fiftly although this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be a Greek Answ 5 word yet it hath its signification not from the Greeke but from the Hebrew for this verse Matth. 3.17 is taken from Esa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom Ratsah naphshi Ratsah is rendred by the 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by Hierom. complacere to please very well but properly it signifies placare to appease pacifie and reconcile according to the Prophet a Psa 85.1.2 Ratsitha Iehovah artseca c. O Lord thou art pacified and reconciled unto thy people for thou hast forgiven their iniquitie and covered their sinne so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not onely acquiescere to delight in or unicè amare to love above all other or bene sentire to think wel of or approbare to well approve of or complacere to please exceedingly But thou art my dearly beloved Sonne in quo complacui placatus sum that is first in whom I am well pleased with for thy selfe and secondly for whose sake I am quieted and attoned unto those that belong unto thee And this doth agree to the Sacerdotall office of Christ as a Priest by offering sacrifice for us to reconcile us unto God who by sinne were become his enemies and odious unto him It may here be objected If God were pleased Obiect 1 with mankinde in the creation and angry with him in the fall again reconciled unto him by Christ then God is mutable which is coÌ„trary to those Scriptures which affirme that he is is not like man that he should repent or change his mind b 1 Sam. 15.29 yea that in him there is no shadow of mutation c Iames 1.17 I answer First the will of God is the same which alwayes it was to wit to repaire and restore Answ 1 those that were fallen by the death of Christ and this will of God was the cause of the Decree of Election and reconciliation for these words Wee are reconciled by the death of Christ unto God are not thus to bee understood quasi jam amare incipiat quos ante oderat sed diligenti reconciliamur cum quo tamen inimicitias priùs habuimus d August s Iohn as though the Lord now began to love those whom formerly he hated but that we are reconciled unto God who loved us with whom wee have had farres for God by sending of Christ doth commend and prove his love unto us e Rom. 5.8 and 1 Ioh. 4.9 and therefore he did not hate the elect before Christ came as we shall see by and by Secondly I answer that betweene God and Answ 2 sinne there is continuall and implacable hatred and therefore hee hates sinners and will not heare them f Ioh. 9.31 yea if they repent not hee will reward their sinne with death g Rom. 6.23 and not pardon their sinne untill they are reconciled unto him by the sufferings of Christ Answ 3 Thirdly there is a difference betweene Love and Reconciliation hee loved his from the beginning but was not reconciled untill their sinnes were satisfied for when we hated God and all goodnesse the Lord loved us after a wonderfull manner Novit enim in unoquoque odisse quod feceramus amare quod fecerat h August s Ioh. the Lord knowes how to distinguish betweene what wee have done and what hee hath done and to hate that which is evil in us and wrought by us and to love that which is his owne worke Obiect 2 Fevardentius pag. 469. holds that Christ had no sence or feeling of his Fathers wrath in his soule contrary to the tenet of our church and proves it from this verse thus Christ was alwayes the beloved Sonne of God as it is in this verse therefore God did not change in turning his love into hatred Answ I answer Gods temporall wrath upon Christ doth not either change or discontinue his everlasting love for God was never angry with Christs person that being alwayes innocent but onely with our sinnes which were layd upon him for a father may love his childe and yet hate his faults yea correct his vices § 3. In whom I am well pleased Is God well Sect. 3 pleased with none but Christ Quest First certainly the Lord was well pleased Answ 1 with many as with Henoch Noah Abraham Moses David c. Secondly God sayth unto none of them Answ 2 thus as hee doth unto Christ because hee was well pleased with them onely in and for Christs sake but with Christ for his owne sake Thirdly this therefore is uttered by the Answ 3 Lord from heaven in a double regard I. First in regard of Christ lest we should thinke that hee were extruded by his Father in anger and shut out of heaven as Adam was expulsed the earthly paradise and Lucifer the heavenly and this seemes to have beene objected unto Christ by the Iewes when they sayd hee trusted in God let him deliver him now if hee will have him for hee sayd I am the Sonne of God i Matth. 27 43. Teaching us that Christ was made Man not through the anger of God towards himselfe but through the love of God towards us k Ioh. 3.16.35 II. Secondly in respect of us because first of old God was angry with us for our sinnes l Rom. 1.18 but secondly now hee is reconciled unto us by Christ m Col. 1.15.20 CHAPTER IV. Vers 1 VERS 1. Then was JESUS led up of the spirit into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the Divell Sect. 1 THEN When was this this that Iesus was led aside of Quest 1 the Spirit Answ I answer presenty after the Spirit had descended upon him Quest 2 VVhy was Christ so suddenly led aside of the Spirit to be tempted Answ 1 I answer First this was done either in regard of Christ or in regard of us I. In regard of Christ that hee might finish the worke for which hee was sent Here observe Christ was sent to bee baptized with a five-fold baptisme First the Baptisme of the Word a Ioh. 15.3 hee was taught and instructed in his minoritie Secondly the Baptisme of Water b Matth. 3. â—7 Thirdly the Baptisme of the Spirit which was fulfilled when the holy Ghost descended upon him Fourthly the Baptisme of Fire that is of Temptation c
Scriptures be obscure Answ 2 humane writings are no lesse yea where shall we meet with certainty and infallibility but onely in the word Can we have it in the Fathers they have their navi and blemishes yea Augustine and Hierom confesse that they may erre and therefore would have none to subscribe to their opinions further then they go according to the word of God Can we find infallibility in the Councels they have erred as may bee shewed largely both out of Bishop Iewell Doctor Whitakers Doctor Willet Chamierus and divers others Can we finde certainty amongst the Popish writers least of all they jarring like an instrument wholy out of tune Thomas against Scotus Catherinus against Cajetane Whatson against Parsons Bellarmine in somethings almost contrary to them all and therefore if obscurity and difficulty bee a sufficient rampire to keepe us from reading the Scriptures by the same reason we are debarred from reading Philosophers Rhetoritians Fathers Schoolemen Popish writers yea all writings and bookes in any sort materiall or necessary to bee studied because they all in many things are difficult and obscure to the understanding and the Scripture is no more Answ 3 Thirdly those things that are obscure in the word of God may bee explained by more easy and cleare places as was said before Answ 4 Fourthly the Father saith e August li 1. de doct Christ Christum Dominum obscurasse Scripturas quo his major habeatur reverentia autoritas qua communia sunt vilesscunt rara verò difficilia cum pretio admirantur that is Christ our Lord in his infinite wisedome hath made the Scriptures something difficult not that men might forbeare to reade or study them but that they might hold them in greater authority price and reverence for naturally we contemne those things that are plaine and facile unto the understanding but those things which are rare and difficult we most admire and more highly value Obiect 3 They object againe The tree is knowne by his fruit and the cause conjectured by the effect and therefore it is neither requisite nor good for people to reade the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue They proove the consequence thus the Scripture read by those that are ignorant is the cause of all errours and heresies usus Scripturarum est causa omnium haereseon f Alphons de Castro the vulgar use of the Scriptures is the ground of all errours Audenter dicimus nullam haeresin ess◠quae non occasionem in Scriptura g Cens Colon. I dare boldly say a bold speech indeede that there hath no heresie sprung up in the Church but it was occasioned by the word of God An Italian Bishop dehorted the people from reading the scriptures ne fiant haeretici h Clem. Espens s Tit. 1. least it should make them damned Heretiques To this we answer First the Scriptures may occasion errours either Answ 1 By containing that which is false and erroneous but this the Papists say not Or By a misunderstanding or wrong interpretation thereof but this is not the fault of the Scriptures but the malice perversenesse or ignorance of men Answ 2 Secondly if a wolfe should cloth himselfe in a sheepes skin the sheepe must not therefore cast off his skinne as Saint Augustine saith the Bees must not forsake the sweet flowers because the spider extracts poyson from them Christ doth not here forbeare the use of Scriptures because the devill abuses them some men wickedly abuse Wine unto drunkennesse Meat unto gluttony Marriage unto coveteousnesse and adultery Magistracy unto Tyranny Must therefore Wine Meat Wedlocke Magistracy be prohibited and cryed downe as unlawfull I hope they will not and therefore let them consider how little reason they have upon the like grounds or insequent or ilsequent consequences to forbid the reading of the Scriptures unto the laity in the vulgar tongue 3. They permit worse and more pernitious Answ 3 things unto the common people and therefore why not the Scriptures though they were dangerous as they say First the Popish Clergy allow the Laity to reade other bookes which may occasion errours as well as the Scripture yea containing errours which the word of God doth not as Iustinus Irenaeus Origen who were Chiliastes Tertullian and Cyprian who were Montanists these they permit only the Scriptures they prohibit why because there is a greater enmity betwixt the Scriptures and the Papists then there is betweene these Fathers and the Papists the Fathers in somethings have erred greatly the Papists in many things doe erre grossely but the Scripture in nothing at all it being the touchstone of truth and the hammer of errours to breake them and dissolve them in peeces and therefore as great opposition and enmity there is betweene the Papists and Scriptures as is betweene truth and errour life and death Secondly the Priests allow the people to reade lascivious and wanton bookes which may and doe infect them why then not the Scriptures which is immaculate it is an inhumane thing yea an argument of small love to permit them to wallow in stincking puddles or to drink unwholsome yea venomous waters and onely prohibite pure streames yea the water of life unto them Si manifestū infidelitatis signum sit aliquid scriptorū rejecere vel non scripterum inducere quid dicemus de lasciva praeferentibus a Basil tract de vera fide that is if it be a manifest signe of infidelity either to reject refuse any part of holy writ or to induce into the Canon of faith that which is not divine scripture what shall we say then of those who preferre lascivious and wanton bookes or toyes before the word of God Fourthly and lastly the objection is apparantly false for first it is not the Scripture but the Answ 4 ignorance of the Scripture that is the cause of errours and heresies b Chysost s col 3.16 which truthes we learne even from Truths lips ye erre saith Christ not knowing the Scriptures c Mat. 22.29 where wee see plainely the cause and the effect the effect is error yee erre the cause of their errour is ignorance of the word of God ye know not the Scriptures therefore ye erre It is not then without great cause that the Holy Ghost cals the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the adversary that thus dares in his Tenets oppose Christ himselfe to the face Secondly the Scriptures reproove heresies and errours and therfore there is no likelyhood that they in themselves should bee the cause of them d 2 Tim. 3.16 Thirdly there is nothing else worthy of credit besides the Scriptures other writings being as chaffe this as wheate e Ierem. 23.28 whence the Fathers f Hier. s Matth. 23. Greg. hom k. sup Ezech. said quod de scripturis sacris authoritatem non habet eadem facilitate contemnitur quà probatur those writing or opinions which are not confirmed by the holy Scripture are easilyer contemned
that I sayd I am not the CHRIST but that I am sent before him i Ioh. 3.28 Answ 5 Fiftly this was done in regard of the common people and that in a double respect to wit First lest the people should have beene separated and sundred some running after the one some after the other if they had both preached together Secondly lest they should have been excused in saying they knew not whō to follow the one being after one manner the other after another that is Christ more familiar and Iohn more austere as our Saviour sayth of himselfe and Iohn Quest 2 Secondly why did Christ now preach when Iohn was in prison Answ 1 First lest the preaching of Saint Iohn should not be confirmed Thus Gualter sup Answ 2 Secondly Christ beginnes to preach the Gospell when Iohn was hindered lest that the preaching thereof should cease i k Gualt s and this was the principall cause Thirdly Christ did this to teach us that no Answ 3 power or policie of man or Divell Observ can hinder the preaching of the word of God Certainly the Divell did excite and provoke Herod against Iohn Baptist that hee might bee hindered from preaching but he cannot prevaile for Iohn being exstinct behold God stirres up another and from that time Jesus began to preach The Pharisees forbid the Apostles to preach Acts 4.21 and put them in prison for preaching Act. 5.18 but yet they cannot stop their mouthes In the Judaicall Church they slay the Prophets but still God doth raise up others In the Primitive Church sanguis martyrum semen Ecclesia the persecution of the Christians did spread the religion of Christ more than otherwise it is likely would have been The hand of man is too weak to hold Gods hand or hinder his worke and therefore so long as this world continues God will have a Church upon earth in some place or other some or other to preach his word § 2. Saying Repent The Papists l Bellar. de paenit l. 2. ca 2. Object affirme Sect. 2 that Contrition which is joyned with an inward terrour of the minde and proceedeth from the sight and consideration of our sinnes doth not appertaine to the Law but to the Gospell They argue thus Christ preached Repentance to the which Contrition doth belong Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand in this verse but Christ was a Minister of the Gospell not of the Law and therefore Contrition belongeth to the Gospell not to the Law First Repentance hath part from the Law Answ 1 part from the Gospell from the Law it hath the sight of sinne and terrour of the minde for the same from the Gospell it hath hope and comfort springing from faith in Christ wherefore this reason sheweth not that Repentance in every part thereof is of the Gospell Secondly though the Law and Gospell are Answ 2 in nature and property distinguished yet they may be joyned in use So Moses the Minister of the Law may preach Christ and Christ the Minister of the Gospell doth also establish the Law and by the terrours of the Law call men to the knowledge of their sinne where Repentance beginneth VERS 18. Vers 18 And Iesus walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a not into the sea for they were fishers § 1. And Iesus walking by the sea of Galilee Sect. 1 We see the Apostles are not called by Man but by Christ Obser Teaching us that the vocation of the Ministery is the ordinance of God For First he hath given them a calling he gave saith the Apostle some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers for the worke of the Ministerie a Ephes 4.11.12 and hath given unto the Ministers the Ministery and word of reconciliation b 2 Cor. 5.18.19 Secondly hee hath given unto them spirituall weapons which are mightie through God to pull downe strong holds c 2 Cor. 10 4. Thirdly hee hath given them power making them able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spiritc d 2 Cor. 3 6. And therefore they that despise them as Ministers despise not men but Christ Quest Who despise the vocation of Ministers Answ 1 First the Anabaptists contemne this ordinance Obiect 1 objecting that Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 and it is he that reveales divine truths unto men Matth. 16 17. Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee sayth Christ that I am the true Messias but the will of my Father which is in heaven yea none can come unto God by any meanes except the Sonne bring him Iohn 6.44 Answ 1 First by this reason wee should neither give fodder to the cattell nor tillage and culture to the ground because wee cannot cause our corne to grow or our ground to bring forth or our cattell to thrive or live by what we give them but it is the blessing and blessed providence of God that doth all this Answ 2 Secondly we grant that neither he that planteth nor he that watereth is any thing 1 Corinth 3.7 Answ 3 Thirdly yet the meanes must bee used which God hath appoynted and which ordinarily hee works grace by that is the preaching of the word by those who are lawfully called unto that function for Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Yea he gives men faith and power to believe by the preaching of the Apostles e Ioh. 17.20 I pray not sayth Christ for these alone but for them also which shall believe on mee through their word And therefore the vocation of the Ministers is not to be contemned Answ 2 Secondly the Separatists are despisers of this Obiect 2 Ordinance of the Ministery objecting that our Church is impure our societies polluted and that our truths are mixed with errours Answ There are two Churches to wit the one Dead in the eye of the world in which notwithstanding are some alive in the eye of the Lord thus there were seven thousand in Israel f 1 King 19.18 though Elias saw none and in Sardis there were a few names of those that were pure g Rev. 3.4 Living in the which some are dead notwithstanding thus it was with the Church of Ephesus Revelat. 2.4 and with Pergamus Revelat. 2.14 and of Thyatira Revelat. 2.19.20 Yea even in the Church of the Corinthians the Galatians when they were most pure there was corruptions among them and therefore it is unwarrantable to forsake our Church for the spots and corruptions of some Answ 3 Thirdly prophane persons are contemners of this Ordinance of the Ministerie either by disgracing it publickly or deriding it privatly but these must know that they doe not deride men but God Sect. 2 § 2. By the Sea of Galilee This sea was the lake of Gennesareth Luke 5.1 neare unto Capernaum where Christ first beganne to preach and therefore it appeares to have been in
their old nets because they could not buy new thus Chrysost verus a Chrys op imp sup sup to teach us That God makes choice of the poore of this world b 1 Cor. 1.26 Obser And therefore those that are poore must not bee dejected as though they were lesse deare unto God for first in Temporall things they are more blessed the little which the righteous man possesseth being better then the riches of many wicked c Psal 37.26 And secondly in Spirituall things they are nearer unto God and therefore better is the poore that walketh in his uprightnesse then the perverse rich man d Pro. 28.6 yea better is a poore and wise child then an old and foolish King e Eccles 4.13 Wherefore poore men should not be discouraged nor dishartened but remember that Christ for our sakes became poore f 2 Cor. 8.9 and therefore none ought to thinke that they are lesse deare unto God because they are not rich VERS 22. And they immediately left the ship and their Father and followed him Vers 22 Christ first calles and then they follow they enter not into the function of the Ministrie untill they bee called Teaching us Obser that no calling principally the Ecclesiasticall vocation of the Ministry should bee undertaken without a lawfull and warrantable call thereunto from God Why is no function to be undertaken without a calling Quest Because we can doe nothing of our selves Answ and therefore if we desire to be blessed or to prosper in what we undergoe we had neede have a warrant for it from God For first none are borne learned or skilfull in any art or trade and there is some skill required to the most inferiour callings Secondly it is God that fits and prepares us and that in inferiour callings he fits and then calles Bezaleel Aholiah for the cutting of stones and the carving of timber and engraving in gold and silver g Exod. 31.45 and 35.30.31 Thirdly hence wee thinke those men to bee called to the worke of the Ministry who are fitted for the discharging thereof and enabled to divide the word aright Some perhaps here will say that this aptnesse unto Obiect or ability for the executing of the Ministeriall function doth not at all belong unto the time of our calling thereunto To which we answer that it doth altogether for we have a double calling the first is Internall Answ this is unknowne and unperceived by it selfe God not calling Ministers by name as Christ did here the Apostles or suddenly inspiring them and sending them then to preach as hee did the Prophets The second calling is Externall which is a certaine fitnesse or ability thereunto whether it be acquired by instruction or study or naturall endowments which are given by God and are necessary to be had before wee undertak any calling that is we must be instructed we must bee taught wee must study wee must bee made fit and able for the discharging of the calling otherwise wee are not called for fitnesse and ability unto or for a calling is a negative rule of a calling that is they that are unfit for and unable to discharge the worke of a Minister were never by God called unto the Ministerie VERS 23. Vers 23 And Iesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome and healing all manner of sicknesse and all manner of diseases among the people § 1. And Iesus went about all Galilee Why Sect. 1 is this historie here added Quest 1 For three causes to wit First for Christs cause Answ 1 Secondly for the Apostles cause Thirdly for our cause First this historie is here inserted and expressed for Christs owne sake that thereby hee might shew unto us that he did not call Apostles that himselfe might bee idle for notwithstanding this he preacheth and endeavoureth the salvation of our soules himselfe Ministers can doe nothing of themselves without Christ and therefore he gives them a promise first of his owne presence behold I am present with you unto the end of the world h Matth. 28.20 And Secondly of the presence of the Holy Ghost I will send the comforter unto you to lead you into all truth Answ 2 Secondly this History is here added for the Apostles sake to teach them that they are not called unto wantonnesse or feasting or jollity or ease but to preach the Gospell according to the present practise and example of their Master Ministers being called to labour in their function and not to be idle Christ being no president therein unto them Quest 2 Wherein must we labour or wherein doth a Ministers care and calling consist Answ Having amply elsewhere to handle this question I resolve it therefore here briefly thus A Ministers office is to attend unto all those that are under him and to be carefull of two things viz. First to know the lives and dispositiōs of all who stand in need of counsell who of comfort who of reproofe who of instruction And Secondly to apply fit medicines to every malady as for example I. To the coveteous apply 1 Tim. 6.8.9 That it is the root of all evill yea wounding and piercing deep the soule with many sorrowes II. To the libidinous apply 1 Cor. 6.18 that the fornicatour sins against his own body III. To the prophaners of the Temple and House of God apply 1 Cor. 3.17 if any pollute the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy IV. To lyars apply Rev. 21.8 and 22.15 that out of heaven shall be shut all those that love or tell lyes V. In generall to all sinners apply 1 Cor. 6.9 and Ephes 5.5.6 that no sinners shall inherit the kingdome of God or of Christ Answ 3 Thirdly this history was added for our sakes that we might hence learne Observ that the preaching of the word of God is to be published and proclaimed through the whole world carried successively from one Nation to another that all mouthes may be stopped and all excuses taken away Sect. 2 § 2. Teaching in their Synagogues and preaching Quest How doth teaching and preaching differ Answ 1 Teaching signifies an instruction unto Morall Righteousnesse and vertues which are taught unto us by the Law and light of nature Rom. 2.14.15 Preaching signifies the publishing of the righteousnesse of faith g Chrysos imperf Object What neede was there for Christ to teach them what they know by the the light of Nature Answ 1 First Christ did this for the manifestation or clearing of some difficultyes and obscurityes that are in morall vertues for so great is the corruption of our nature that the knowledge of naturall righteousnesse is much obscured in us Secondly Christ taught them for the helping Answ 2 of their memoryes we being naturally so seduced and mis-led and overcome by our pleasures and delights and profits and the like that the remembrance of naturall righteousnesse and morall
with love and delight therein II. Wee labouring now to find out all the reliques of sinne and pollution and to approve and allow of none but to condemne and relinquish all And therefore wee must examine these things whether our sinnes are hated our affections changed our lives purged and our conversations framed to the will of God Thirdly we may try the truth of our faith by the truth of our actions doe we all these things above mentioned out of a true heart not as hypocrites Answ 3 that desire to please men but in very deed because wee both love the Lord with our whole heart and also desire to obey him and delight in his service more then in the pleasures of sinne for a season CHAPTER V. Vers 1 VERS 1. And seeing the multitudes he went up into a Mountaine and when he was set his Disciples came unto him OUR Saviour in this Verse beginnes his Sermon upon the Mount which continues unto the end of the Seventh Chapter it is without question the best Sermon that ever was Preached and therefore I have inlarged my Meditations more upon it then upon any of the foure former Chapters or shall upon any of the following Chapters This Sermon containes most Divine and Heavenly lessons of instruction and direction for the ordering of the lives and conversations of all sorts of men so long as they continue in this life if they desire so to live here that they may live with their Christ for ever hereafter and therefore let not the Christian Reader who reads to learne grieve at the large handling of these three Chapters for the matter contained in them doth so aboundantly overflow the bankes of humane understanding that a man may see some thing but not any one man possibly perceive all the divine truths aimed at and taught therein Sect. 1 § 1. And seeing the multitude hee went up into a mountaine Quest Why did Christ go up to the Mount to preach the Gospel Answ 1 First that he might be the more quiet and the lesse disturbed by the people thus sometimes he goes into the desart Luke 4.42 and sometimes into a ship thrust off a little from the land Luke 5.3 that hee might not be troubled with the thronging of the rude multitude Answ 2 Secondly some say Chrysost imperf s hee went up into the mountaine that he might fulfill the prophecy and prediction of the Prophet Esaiah Chap. 40.9 who saith oh Zion that bringest good tidings get thee up into the high mountaines oh Ierusalem that bringest good tidings lift up thy voyce Answ 3 Thirdly some oper imperf s say that this was done Tropologically the mount signifies the Church and therefore hee ascends into the Mount to preach to teach us where the preaching of Christ is to bee sought to wit in the Church Answ 4 Fourthly some say hee went up into the Mountaine to preach that the multitude might not heare him but this is not so for hee taught them as well as his Disciples a followes afterwards Answ 5 Fiftly some say Christ goes us to the top of the Mount when he was to preach to shew that the preachers of the word of God ought to strive to climbe up to the top of vertue and religion and to be second to none in pietie a Carthus sup Sixtly some say Christ ascended that hee might pray Luke 6.12 he sate that hee might Answ 6 make choise of his Disciples Luke 6.13 he descended and stood that hee might teach the people Luke 6.17 b Muscul sup but Calvin thinks that Saint Luke in that 6. Chapter conjoynes together two histories of a divers time Seventhly Gualter sup shewes that there Answ 7 were foure causes why Christ went up into the Mountaine when he went about to preach to wit First that he might bee heard the better of all his auditors Secondly that hereby he might the more lively demonstrate unto us that hee taught sublime high and spirituall mysteries Thirdly that hee might answer to the type of the law in the Mount God gave the law with terrour Christ gave the Gospel with comfort Fourthly that hereby hee might teach us to lift up our hearts and to have our conversations in heaven our affections being set upon those things which are above Colos 3.2 Phil. 3.20 Ascendit ut turbas ad altiora trahat c Hier. s he ascends in person to the top of the mountaine that hee might teach the people to ascend in their affections from temporall to spirituall things § 2. And when he was set Why did Christ Sect. 2 sit while he preached unto the multitude Quest First some say that he might the better hide Answ 1 and conceale his Deitie he doth not stand and preach but sits because they were not able to take up comprehend or understand what hee should teach them in power as God d Hier. s Secondly some say Christ sate for the dignity Answ 2 of the Preacher they that were taught were but men but he which taught them was more he was God and Man and therefore he sits when he preacheth unto them e Aug. de S. D. in Monte. Thirdly the true reason thereof was this because Answ 3 it was the manner and custome to preach sitting thus elswhere Christ taught the People sitting Mat. 13.1.2 Mark 4.1 Luk. 5.3 Ioh. 8.2 and most plainely Luke 4.20 he reades a Chapter and then sits downe and preacheth So Mat. 26.55 Thus the Jewes were accustomed to sit and teach whence they were said to sit in Moses seat f Mat. 23.2 And after Christ the Apostles practised this same custome sitting and preaching g Acts 16.13 § 3. His Disciples came unto him Why did Sect. 3 the Disciples of Christ come unto him Quest 1 First some think these words are here inserted Answ 1 because he left the multitude that he might the more conveniently teach his Disciples h Aretius s But hee went not into the Mount that hee might be ridde of the common people but that all might heare him with the greater facility i Gualt s Ne opineris solis Discipulis loquutum sed et caeteris Wee must not thinke that Christ spake here onely to his Apostles but to the rest also sayth Chrysostome sup et Hom. 6. Answ 2 Secondly some thinke that the Disciples came unto Christ that they might bee assistant unto him or joynt associates with him in this office as it is said They shall sit with Christ at the day of Iudgement Mat 19.28 Luk. 22.30 Certainly The faithful shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6.2 But this is not the meaning of this place for the Apostles here were taught by Christ as well as the rest Answ 3 Thirdly the Disciples came unto Christ that they might be nearer unto him then the rest and that for two causes First that they might bee eare-witnesses of the truth which afterwards they were either to write or preach Bullinger s Secondly because
earthly and temporall blessings and therefore wee must not expect so to bee rewarded our life is hid with God Coloss 3.3 and consisteth not in the abundance of earthly possessions Luk. 12.15 Life eternall onely being absolutely called Life Wherefore we must await for our Crowne and recompence untill we come thither Thirdly prosperitie in temporall things seldome Answ 3 proves good at least often proves hurtfull for us in regard of our spirituall estate and condition as appeares by these two particulars First Prosperitie doth often take off and abate the edge of our affections unto God making us say as Peter did bonum est esse hîc It is good for us to stay here e Matth. 17.4 or as another sayd Haec faciunt nos invitos mori wee unwillingly depart from these although it be to go unto God Thus Prosperitie in worldly things bewitcheth us with the love thereof but adversity and povertie weaneth us from the world and maketh us weary of it Secondly Prosperity drawes us into sinne hence Adam was easily seduced in Paradise and David when he was quietly seated in his throne and Salomon when silver was as plentifull as the stones in the streets very few there are that can rightly beare themselves in an equall and just ballance in the time of plentie and abundance yea many there are who can carry themselves fairly soberly modestly and unblameably in povertie and a low estate who runne headlong to destruction by some sin or other when they are great or rich And therefore they erre and decline â recto from the truth who being poore serve God that they may be made rich for this should not be done neither should great things bee expected in this life f Ierem. 45.5 because we know not how banefull riches may prove unto us wee must bee content with those generall promises that God hath made unto us that we shall have food and rayment and that wee shall want nothing that the Lord sees and knowes will bee good for us and unto us and that he will lay nothing upon us but what hee will enable us to beare yea that all things shall worke together for the best unto us in this life and we shall be made eternally blessed in the life to come VERS 4. Blessed are they that mourne Vers 4 for they shall be comforted Blessed are they that mourne c. Peccata Ingentibus non solum peccata remittit panas sed solationem retribuit Deus g Chrysos variis To those that mourne for their sinnes God doth not onely grant remission of the guilt and punishment but also comfort and consolation If this promise be true how comes it to passe Quest 1 that the faithfull and godly cannot draw joy and comfort from it in the time of their mourning The causes why the children of God doe often not conclude true and solide consolation unto themselves from hence in the day of sorrow Answer are these First sometimes some strong and powerfull temptation that doth so strongly and frequently assault them that they cannot enjoy the comfortable sight and light of the Sunne for that thicke cloud that thus doth interpose it selfe Secondly sometimes the remainders of infidelitie which abide in the faithfull hinder them from laying hold upon this saving comfort by a sure and certaine faith Thirdly the conscience of our owne proper indignitie and unworthinesse of this comfort principally after the committing of some grievous sinne David and Peter weepe and that bitterly but cannot for this cause speedily apply comfort unto themselves Quest 2 How is this promise of comfort accomplished unto those that mourne for their sinnes Answ It is fulfilled and performed foure manner of wayes First when God tempers and allayes the sorrowes and afflictions of those that mourne according to the measure of their strength that is layes no more upon them then they are able to beare h 1 Cor. 10.13 Secondly when God removes the griefe with the causes thereof Thus hee comforted Manasses by delivering him out of the hands of the King of Assyria and bringing him againe to Jerusalem into his kingdome i 2 Chro. 33.13 Thirdly when God gives inward comfort to the heart conscience by his word or by his Spirit making his children even to rejoyce in tribulation k Rom. 5.3 Thus Saint Paul sayth that in Asia hee was pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that he despaired of life 2 Cor. 1.8 yet God comforted him in his tribulation that he might bee able to comfort them which were in any trouble by the comfort wherewith hee himselfe was comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 yea as the sufferings of Christ did abound in him so his consolation also abounded by Christ. 2 Cor. 1.5 Fourthly this promise of comfort is accomplished when God by death puts an end to all the miseries of his children bringing their soules to eternall life Thus was Lazarus comforted l Luk. 16.25 and daily many of Gods dearest Saints who are onely by death freed from the miseries of this life Quest 3 How must we so mourne that we may be sure to bee comforted Answ If we desire this two things are to be regarded of us the first in our persons the second in our actions or in our mourning First in personis in our persons we must labour that wee may bee made Christians such as God hath promised to comfort Christ speaking unto his Apostles sayth ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy m Ioh. 16.20 as if he would say it is not every one that mournes that shall be comforted but onely the members of Christ wicked and righteous men may sorrow with the same sorrow but for a divers end as both David and Cain mourne for their sins but the end of Cains teares is the punishment that he hath incurred Davids sorrow being rather for the sinne then for the punishment and therefore we must endeavour to bee made the righteous and holy members of Christ and children of God if wee desire to bee assured of comfort in the time of mourning Secondly In rebus in the things sorrowed for or in the cause of our mourning for many sorrow for that which is not to be sorrowed for As for example First some mourne invidé out of envy thus 1. some grieve for the prosperity of others as David had almost done Psal 73.2 some for the piety of others wishing that the righteous man may be taken away as not being profitable unto them or rather because his glory doth obscure their pride and therefore they are offended with him and sorrow for his presence These mourners have no promise of comfort Secondly some sorrow Avidè covetously either I. Because they have not riches in abundance whereby they might bee more able to satisfie their lusts n Iam 1.5 or follow sinne with more eagernesse freenesse and libertie which they cannot doe by reason of their
thou must grieve in thy heart for their wrongs and oppressions Secondly thou must pray for them unto God that he would arise to defend them and to plead their cause against all their enemies Thirdly thou must shew thy zealous love and affection unto them by thy words that is by speaking for them when they are abused or scandalized and by urging the Magistrate with all modest importunity to execute just judgement for them upon their enemies And thus much for the Morall sense of these words Thirdly there is Fames spiritualis a spirituall hunger and thirst having elswhere to handle this I here will but onely touch it Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse First these words may spiritually be expounded thus Blessed are those that are grieved with the iniquities of the times and mourne for the sins of the world and withall doe in heart and soule long for the amendment and reformation thereof Secondly by righteousnesse we may well in the first place understand the righteousnesse of Faith whereby a sinner is justified through faith in Christ and so standes righteous before God having the pardon of all his sinnes sealed unto him Wee may in the second place by righteousnesse understand righteousnesse of workes whereby a man is sanctified and made holy having Gods Image renewed in him by the Spirit of grace which was lost by the fall of our first parents And this appeares by these places Isa 55.1 1 Joh. 7.37 Rev. 21.6 All which places are one in substance for by waters we must understand righteousnes which is that spirituall grace of God the fountaine of all blessings whereby sinners are justified and sanctified p Perkins s VERS 7. Blessed are the mercifull Vers 7 for they shall obtaine mercy In this verse we have these two parts to wit The blessednesse promised wherein are these two things First in generall who are blessed the Mercifull Secondly in particular what mercy and how manifold it is which is here required unto this blessednesse The reason of the blessednesse or promise thereof wherein are these two things viz First in generall why are the mercifull blessed because they shall obtaine mercy Secondly in particular what mercy this is which the mercifull shall obtaine First in generall wee see here who they are that shall obtaine mercy onely the mercifull Observ 1 Teaching us that those who would find mercy must exercise mercy He hath shewed thee O man saith the Prophet what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and to love mercy q Micah 6.8 Quest 1 Why must we bee thus carefull to shew mercy unto others Answ 1 First because Mercy is a vertue taught us by nature or because by the light of nature we are taught to be mercifull one towards another For first nature teacheth Nemo sibi natus r Cicero No man is borne or brought into the world onely for himselfe but to doe good unto others as well as unto himselfe Secondly Nature teacheth that we must not be cruell or revengefull against our owne flesh No man ever hated his owne body but nourisheth and cherisheth it saith the Apostle that is by the light of nature we are taught to doe good unto our selves and those that are of our owne flesh and blood And therefore wee should be mercifull unto all because we are all children of one Father and creatures of one and the same species or kind Thirdly Nature teacheth us that vindictae brevis voluptas misericordia perpetua the pleasure that a man hath in revenge is very short but the delight which a man findes in shewing mercy is of great continuance and therefore we should be mercifull Secondly mercy pleaseth God and therefore Answ 2 we should be mercifull that the Lord is pleased herewith appeares thus First he loves and delights himselfe to shew mercy hence it is said The earth is full of his mercy Psal 33.5 Yea his mercy reacheth unto the clouds Psal 36.6 and 108.4 and is perpetuall enduring for ever Psal 100.5 and 106.1 and 107.1 and 136. yea all his wayes are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 this being his nature to bee mercifull and gracious slow to anger and of great kindnesse Psalm 86.5.15 Exod. 34.6 Secondly the Lord hath proposed this his mercie unto us for our imitation Be mercifull as your Father in heaven is mercifull Å¿ Luk. 6.36 and doe good unto all as he doth who causeth his Sunne to shine and his raine to raine both upon the good and bad t Mat. 5.45 and therefore when we follow the Lord herein certainly wee please him Thirdly the Lord to assure us hereof hath plainly told us that mercie is very acceptable and gratefull unto him I will have mercie and not sacrifice sayth the Lord and his Christ Ose 6.6 Matth. 9.13 and 12.7 And Salomon a type of Christ sayth that the mercifull man doth lend upon usurie unto God v Prov. 19.17 yea our Saviour describing the generall judgement doth shew how graciously the Lord accepts workes of mercie wherein we have first Gods acceptation In as much as yee have done it to them yee have done it unto me Secondly his enumeration When I was hungry yee fed mee when I was thirsty yee gave mee drinke c. Thirdly his remuneration therefore come yee blessed into everlasting joy u Mat. 25.40 c. And therefore wee may safely say that God is pleased with mercie and that it is our part to bee mercifull if wee desire to please him Answ 3 Thirdly God hath threatned to punish the cruell and unmercifull man and hath promised to reward the mercifull and therefore if we desire to be made partakers of mercie or to bee freed from miserie we ought to bee mercifull First the cruell and unmercifull man shall finde no mercie Behold sayth the Lord this was the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome shee did not strengthen the hand of the poore and needie therefore I tooke her away as I saw good w Ezek. 16.49 c. And thus Salomon threatens that whoso stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore hee also shall cry himselfe but shall not bee heard x Pro. 21.13 And shall have judgement without mercy because he shewed no mercy y James 2.13 Secondly the mercifull man hath from God a promise of mercie This will further appeare in the second part of this verse and therefore I now leave it Answ 4 Fourthly it is our dutie as we are Christians to be mercifull as thus appeares by these dependant particulars First we are all one body Thus sayth the Apostle Wee being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another z Ro. 12.5 Read for this purpose 1 Corinth 12.12 and 10.17 and Ephes 4.4.15.16 Secondly never any man hated his owne flesh a Ephe. 5.29 Thirdly hence came that mutuall communicating of riches which wee read of Acts 2.44 and 4.32
children Answ 1 First some things are called that which they are not as when an Ethiope is called Formosus beautifull Answ 2 Secondly somethings are such but are not so called as when chaste Lucretia is called an Adulteresse or unchaste and sober Socrates called intemperate Answ 3 Thirdly some things are such and are so called that is have neither nomen sine re nor rem sine nomine but nomen rem not the name without the thing nor the thing without the name but both the name and thing as when a holy man is called like as some impious Popes have been Pius And this is that which our Saviour here speakes of they shall be called the Sonnes of God that is they shall both bee the Sonnes of God and also so called or Blessed are the Peace-makers For first God will esteem them his children and secondly men shall call them so Quest 3 Who are enemies or opposite unto this Beatitude Answ 1 First those that are contentious and given to strife and revenge The vulgar sort thinke these happy who can and will be revenged of all those who injure them but our Saviour rather thinkes the peace-makers happy and blessed In Noahs Arke all the wilde beasts were tame and peaceable the Lyon feeding with the Lamb and the Beare with the Dogge now the Arke was a Type of the Church of Gods and therefore all Christians should be mild and peaceable not cruell and revengefull p Staplet s John 14. Caesar nil oblitus nisi injuriarum q August epist 5. ad Marcellin è Cicerone The memory of Casar was so strong that he forgot nothing which occurred unto him but onely injuries and wrongs And therefore it is a shame for Christians to seeke revenge who should rather suffer wrong observing diligently these three short rules First prize peace in thy selfe Secondly perswade others thereunto Thirdly submit thy selfe rather to thy brother then suffer the bond of peace to be broken we have a singular example of this in our Father Abraham who fearing that the contention set on foot betwixt his brother Lots Herd-men and his owne would extend it selfe unto them comes unto his brother Lot to quench this fire which was already kindled with these mild and soft words Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee for wee be brethren The whole land is before thee therefore if thou wilt take the left hand then I will goe to the right or if thou depart to the right hand then I will goe to the left r Gen. 13.8 9. And thus wee should rather imitate this holy Patriarch in submitting our selves one to another for the preservation of this blessed peace then by contention strife revenge and the like dissolve this bond Secondly those are enemies and opposite unto Answ 2 this beatitude who are inexorable refractory and will not be reconciled unto those who have injured them these are they whom our Saviour saith shall not be pardoned because they will not forgive men their trespasses Thirdly those are principally opposite unto this Answ 3 beatitude who instigate and provoke others unto contentions and strife and therefore Salomon saith He that soweth discord among brethren is an abomination unto the Lord Å¿ Prov. 6.16.19 Who are these sowers of Discord that are thus opposite unto this Christian vertue Quest 4 They are found either in the Church or in common and private affaires First there are sowers of the seeds of sedition in the visible Church of Christ and these are Sectaries which the Apostle forewarnes us of in these words Observe those which cause breaches and divisions in the Church Secondly there are seedesmen of strife in private and publike matters to wit I. Those who are whisperers and tale-bearers such there were in Saint Pauls time who were not onely idle but also tatlers and busie-bodies t 1 Tim. 5.13 II. Those who provoke others to sue them by whom they have beene injured who are as spurres in mens sides to instigate and hasten them on to dissension and discord III. Those Lawyers who like covetous and unconscionable Chyrurgions prolong suites by their demurres and delayes onely for their owne advantage All these are opposite unto this peace and therefore have no interest at all in this Blessednesse which is pronounced by Christ unto the Peace-makers VERS 11. Vers 11 Blessed are yee when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake There are three phrases here expressed reviling persecuting and speaking evill of The second to wit persecution I have wholly omitted reserving the consideration thereof unto another place The first and third viz. to revile and speake evill of seeme to be the same and are of one and the same nature but Augustine distinguisheth them thus First we are reviled to our face as the Iewes did unto Christ say wee not well thou hast a divell u John 8.48 Secondly wee are spoken evill of behinde our backes and thus some say privately of Christ that he cannot be the Messâ—as because hee is a Galilean and Christ must not come out of Galileex. v Iohn 7.41 Vers 12 VERS 12. Rejoyce and bee exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Obiect 1 Great is your reward in heaven The Papists object this place for the Merit of our workes thus life everlasting is in this verse called Merces a recompence or reward therefore good workes doe properly merit Answ 1 First Augustine saith w Aug. Praef. in Psal 109. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit ut non quasi operibus merces promitteretur sed gratia gratis daretur whatsoever God hath promised hee hath promised to those that are unworthy that it should not be promised as a reward unto workes but as grace freely given The argument then followeth not there is a reward ergo merit for the reward may bee counted of favour as well as of debt Rom. 4.4 as followes in the next answer Secondly there is a double reward the first properly so called the second improperly and by a certaine similitude now of this latter to Answ 2 wit the reward improperly so called we grant the Antecedent viz. that life eternall is called a reward but deny the Consequent therefore good workes merit heaven for there is not one and the same reason of Homanymorum or ambiguous and doubtfull words Porsanus here proves Obiect 2 the consequence which wee deny thus Wee cannot conceive a reward to be without merit any more then we can conceive a sonne to bee without a father or a husband without a wife or a master without a servant or a mountaine without a valley or a schoole-master without a scholler These examples will not prove the consequence for all these are of a proper appellation Answ or taken in their proper and genuine signification but
verse Quest 1 Cannot a man obey God aright except hee acknowledge this obligation unto the Morall Law Answ No because if we be free from God wee are the servants of sinne and slaves unto our owne lusts and therefore so long as wee have not taken Christs yoake upon us and yielded up our selves to the service and obedience of God as bound in conscience to serve him and him alone and that with all our hearts wee have not performed any true faithfull or acceptable service unto him Quest 2 Have the children of God then under the Gospell no liberty Answ There is a two-fold liberty or freedome namly First Externall Secondly Internall First there is an Internall liberty when a man will not be taught or directed or reproved or compelled to performe any service unto God This is not granted unto any yea all must know that what they doe is not gratefull unto God except they pay it as a debt and do confesse that it is their duety to doe it There are three sorts of men that obey God First some acknowledge the obligation but are backeward to performe covenants they confesse it is their duety to obey God but they doe it unwillingly these must remember that God loves a cheerfull and ready service Secondly some freely and willingly doe that which God requires but will not acknowledge it as an obligation they are content to performe holy dueties but yet will not confesse that they are so obliged to the performance thereof that they had sinned if they had omitted them or that they have deserved nothing for the performance of them These must remember that God requires service of us and not will-worship Thirdly some confesse that it is their duety to serve the Lord and labour to obey him willingly and cheerfully readily and with a willing mind and the obedience onely of these is acceptable unto God It is too ordinary with many because the word is preached by poore and meane men to disdaine to obey it yea hence to doe whatsoever they will and to come to Church when they will but they must distinguish betweene the Messengers and Message Embassadour and Embassage for although the Ministers be poore or contemptible yet the word they bring is not to be despised because that comes from God q 2 Cor. 5.19 Secondly there is an Internall liberty when the conscience dares not resist the Law of God and this is twofold First Servile O derunt peccare mali formidine poenae When a man out of a slavish feare of punishment dare not transgresse the Law of God this is not praise-worthy in it selfe but yet these are much better then those who will not at all obey the Lord. Secondly Filiall when the love and reverence of God are so conjoyned together that we neither dare commit any evill or omit any thing that is good but of this elswhere § 2. One of these least commandements c. Sect. 2 Is any sinne small Quest is not every transgression against an infinite Law and an infinite God Sinne is esteemed small in a threefold regard Answ First in respect of the degree thereof because all sinnes are not equall as for example Incest is a greater sinne than a lascivious word or wanton thought Secondly in respect of Difficulty therof because it is more easie to abstaine from some sinne than from other as for example a man doth easilier forbeare murder and theft than lesse sinnes And hence the Pharisees tithed Mints but left undone the greater workes of the Law r Mat. 23.23 that is they performed easie duties but those which were hard to bee obeyed they omitted Thus some sinnes may bee called lesse than other because wee can more willingly forbeare more easily abstain from some sins than from other some being more pleasing unto our nature and sutable to our dispositions than others Thirdly sinne is said to bee small or little in regard of our Estimation and thus the Scribes and Pharisees thought it a lesse sinne to violate the commandements of God then their owne traditions ſ Mat. 15.9 And this is that which our Saviour meets with and condemnes in this verse proving that there is no sinne little or small because 1. every sinne is against an infinite law which is both the rule of true good honest and profitable things 2. because every sinne is against the Majesty of God the true Lawgiver and 3. because the least sinne workes death and condemnation for sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prevarication of the Law and the breach of the Law is death Hence some sinnes which seeme small unto man have beene severly punished by God as Adams eating of an Apple was punished by expulsion out of Paradise Acheus preserving the gold and garment out of the fire was punished with the death of himself his family Sauls sparing of the best of the Cattle was the cause of his rejection from the Growne and for gathering a few stickes upon the Sabbath day the poore man was stoned to death Numb 15.32.33 § 3. He shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heaven Sect. 3 What is the meaning of these words Quest First they are diversely interpreted and Answ 1 therefore that wee may attaine unto the true sense of them observe that there are three words or voices in them First Vocabitur hee shall bee called that is he shall bee esteemed or he shall be indeede the least c. as before verse 9. he shall be called the Sonne of God that is not falsely but he shall be made Gods sonne Now in this word all the Interpreters agree Secondly Minimus the least First some understand this for Nullus so Calvin and Stapleton Minimus vocabitur that is minimè vocabitur Castalio he shall be called the least that is hee shall not bee called at all one of the kingdome of God Secondly some understand by Minimus Infimus he shal be called the least c. that is he shall be the lowest and most inferiour in the kingdome of heaven as if our Saviour would say he shall bee admitted into the Kingdome but he shall not be honoured therein thus the Papists expound generally the words as followes by and by Thirdly in regno caelorum in the kingdome of heaven this I. some expounds of the kingdome of the Church and of Grace as Calvin and Beza because thus Iohn Baptist was called the least in the kingdome of heaven Luke 7.28 II. some expound this of life eternall and so Aretius and Stapleton Answ 2 Secondly we may perceive here a difference Object 1 then in this word Minimus the least For from hence the Papists collect and hereupon establish their Evangelicall Counsels unto perfection He say they that breakes the least Counsell not Precept shall bee called least that is of least esteeme as the Laicks or Plebeians But he that keepes the least that is the Monkes and Friers and Nunnes shall be highly esteemed and greatly
one of these Cōmandements he doth by and by adde Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven signifying hereby that this righteousnesse of the law did farre exceede and excell that righteousnesse which the Pharises did exercise and commend as most perfect Secondly the reason why the Cardinall perswades Answ 2 himselfe that this is an Evangelicall promise is because it comprehends the Kingdome of heaven But this is nothing for by the kingdome of heaven is meant life eternall as all grant And life eternall was propounded and promised to legall righteousnesse as the Papists themselves confesse Wherefore what should hinder why wee may not say that the kingdome of heaven is propounded and promised to legall righteousnesse I confesse that this kingdome is in some sort proper to the Gospel namely in a double regard First because the plaine and direct name is in the Gospel not in the law this phrase The kingdome of heaven being frequent in the New Testament but not found in the Old Secondly because this kingdome of heaven is obtained by the Gospel not by the law Now if these two regards should make the kingdome of heaven not to belong unto the law the same would make life eternall not to belong unto the law which is absurd Thirdly although wee should grant that this Answ 3 is an Evangelicall promise not a legall yet the argument is idle because it doth not prove the antecedent condition of workes which is the thing in question but the consequent that is that good workes doe not goe before as meritorious causes of justification and salvation but followe after as fruits of sanctification Fourthly the last words of the Jesuites objection Answ 4 are as false as the rest for this consequent righteousnesse is not placed in a perfect observation of the Commandements of God for this would destroy the remission of sinnes If wee could perfectly fulfill the law then wee needed no pardon but this is grossely absurd and false as shall else-where be shewed y Chamier tom fol. 521. de neces oper lib. 15. cap. 5. Sect. 3. 4. 5. 6. § 2. Your except your righteousnesse c. Why doth our Saviour adde this word Your Because righteousnesse is not acceptable before God except it be Ours we cannot bee helped by another mans righteousnesse but every Sect. 2 one must be saved by his owne faith Rom. 10. How then are wee saved by the merits of Quest 1 Christ Answ Because they are Ours as appeares thus Answ first Quest 2 they were done for us Christ fulfilled the law and performed whatsoever his father required of him and that for us Secondly faith applies Christs active and passive obedience to us yea Christ himselfe unto us and with him all things z Rom. 8 3◠Thirdly faith purgeth and sanctifieth or leadeth unto puritie and sanctitie thus saith the Apostle God put no difference betwixt us and them purging and purifying our hearts by faith a Acts 15.9 and Saint Iohn saith hee that hopes to be saved by Christ will purge himselfe even as hee is pure b 1 Iohn 3.3 And thus the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us and applied unto us and so made Ours Quest 3 What may wee thinke of Supererogatory merits and Church treasure doth not that availe others and please God yea satisfie his justice in the behalfe of others Answ This is false and ridiculous For first a man cannot save his owne soule by his owne workes much lesse then save his brother by his overplus Secondly no man can doe more then hee ought to doe for himselfe and therefore none can have any overplus of workes wherby others may be bettered Thirdly the Scripture plainely affirmes that to redeeme a brother from death or to save a soule is too great a worke for man and must be left wholy unto the Lord who onely can doe it and therefore although a man could satisfie for himselfe yet hee could not for another by his merite Quest 4 The Papists here demand why our brothers merits may not as well be applied unto us as the merits of Christ are Answ 1 First this is little better then blasphemy thus to compare God and man together for God owes nothing unto man and therefore may give communicate unto him what he pleases but every mans owes all he can doe and more unto God and therefore hath no good workes or merits to impart unto his brother Answ 2 Secondly Faith apprehends the merits of Christ and makes it ours but what faith can we have in our brothers workes or merits faith is built upon the promises but where have wee any promise that by other mens workes of supererogation we shall be saved A Papist with his mony may buy of the Priests some of this Church treasure but he can never by faith enformed and founded upon the word of God be assured that it will availe him at all Answ 3 Thirdly Christ was given unto us for a Mediator now how injurious is it to the office of Christ to make our brother our Mediatour unto God that he would accept the overplus of their merits for us Sect. 3 § 3. Righteousnesse except your righteousnesse This place is alleadged by one of the present pillers of our Church against Popish equivocation Argum. That doctrine which is lesse honest then the doctrine of Pagans is intollerable among Christians But Jesuiticall equivocating is lesse honest then the doctrine of Infidels and Pagans Therefore ought to bee esteemed abhominable among Christians The Major proposition is taught by our Saviour in this verse Except your righteousnesse doe exceede c. shewing where there is more knowledge of Christ there the profession must be more honest And Saint Paul saith expressly There is such fornication among you as is not among the heathen c 1 Cor. 5.1 Concluding that it is blasphemy against God for a Christian to bee more vile in life then a Pagan The Minor is proved from the Jesuit Eman. Sà Ies Aphor. Tit. Iuramentum who telleth us that some of the Papists hold that a prisoner unjustly detained in prison if upon his oath he be licenced to goe forth is bound according to his oath to returne againe except hee bee absolved from his oath by a Bishop This is an oath without equivocation but our Equivocators thinke their equivocation in making an oath better and of more power then any Bishop to free them from perjurie in an oath esteeming it as good as no oath wherein they use their Reservation when as yet the very infidels in respect of their naturall knowledge of God kept better fidelity among men If any desire an example or further proofe of this I referre him to Bishop Mortons confutation of Equivocation Chap. 17. part 3. fol. 89. Sect. 4 § 4. Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse c. Quest 1 What doth our Saviour condemne in the Pharisees
to be reverenced and doth strongly convince Private spirits when we can say none have as yet thought thus besides your selfe Secondly the true use of the ancient writers is in convincing those adversaries which trust unto them and relie upon them for although this follow not the Fathers say thus therefore it is true yet this followes these men pretend to follow the Doctrine of the Fathers yet in their opinions varie frō yea are enemies unto the Fathers and therefore they doe but deceive and juggle with the world making a shew of that which is not This is the usuall pranke of the Papists to exclaime that all the Fathers are on their side and when the matter comes to triall their Judges condemne them and the Fathers speake against them Thirdly the use of the Ancients is for the moving of the affections of their hearers for certainely modest Christians and ingenious natures will be much moved and strongly perswaded when they heare the thing they are exhorted to embrace not onely to be consonant to Scriptures but also agreeable to the example counsell and resolution of the Fathers Fourthly the use of the Fathers is to direct us in outward things or to teach us the nature of indifferent things how farre they may bee used and how they are abused Sect. 3 § 3. Whosoever is angry with his brother c. Quest 1 What is the meaning of this verse in general or of the words distinguished herein namely Anger Racha Foole Iudgement Counsell Fire Answ 1 If the Reader desire full satisfaction herein I referre him to Mr. Weemes in the tractate of the Judiciall Law of Moses lib. 1. chap. 16. and Doctor Field of the Church who will resolve him in this particular m D. Field of the Church lib. 5. cap. 9. for my own part I forbeare to transcribe them they being both in English and easily to be had Answ 2 Secondly because I would not leave my Reader altogether unresolved I intreat him to take notice that our Saviour here observes three degrees of anger The first is in the sudden heat and boyling of the affection inwardly without cause layd downe in these words Whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly The second is in shewing of this indignation outwardly by any disdainfull words as in calling one Racha that is idle-head light-braine for so Rik in the Hebrew to which this Syrian word Raka agreeth both in found and sense signifieth light or vaine u Iuniur s This indignation may bee expressed also by other signes as by grinning frowning spitting and such like The third degree of anger consists in open railing as calling one Foole with other tearmes of reviling which is a weapon fit for the Gyant with three hands because Tres quasi uno ictu occidit o Basting it killeth three as it were with one blow first himselfe that revileth and raileth Secondly him that giveth credit to his reviling and railing Thirdly him who is slandeted and reviled Answ 3 Thirdly as our Saviour maketh difference of the sinnes so also hee here sheweth three degrees of punishments alluding to the publicke forme of judgement used among the Jewes For first there was the Session of judgement of three who judged of small causes Secondly there was the Councell of three and twentie who determined more weighty matters Thirdly the great Synedrion or Judicatorie which consisted of seventie and two sixe chosen of every Tribe who sometimes convented before them the High Priest and sometimes false Prophets yea sometimes a whole Tribe as reverend Beza thinkes Fourthly from these premises I thus conclude Answ 4 and determine the question First hee that suffers anger to boyle in his breast shall be censured in the secret judgement of God Secondly hee that bewrayeth his indignation by opprobrious words shall be held guiltie before all the assembly of heavenly Angels and Saints Thirdly he that raileth and revileth shall bee judged worthy of hell fire that is of the greatest punishment For foure kindes of punishments were practised and exercised among the Jewes whereby they put malefactors to death First strangling secondly the sword thirdly stoning fourthly the fire Of the which they thought the last to bee the worst as Beza affirmes upon this place Or if wee looke to the former words they will helpe us to the true understanding of these It was sayd of old Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgement where we see the Jewes held a murderer to bee guiltie of judgement and that not onely positively but privatively as if our Saviour would say yee yeeld the homicide to be guiltie of judgement who really takes away his brothers life but hee is not called into judgement with you who sheddes not his brothers bloud although he hate him in his heart revile him with his tongue But ego dico I say unto you whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgement Where wee see Christ gives as much to anger as they to murder p Areti s And therefore the true sence and meaning of the words I take to bee this Hee that is angry shall bee guiltie of judgement that is at the day of judgement hee shall give account and answer for that his anger q Math. 12.36 Hee that calles his brother Racha shall bee guiltie of a Councell that is shall bee more severely punished than the former as his sinne is greater Hee that calles his brother Foole shall bee guiltie of hell fire that is is condemned already before God r Augu. s And yet all these three are eternall punishments and the first may be resembled unto a pettie Sessions the second unto a generall Assizes the third to Marshall law Quest 2 Are then some of these mortall sinnes some veniall doth it deserve condemnation to call our brother foole but not to bee angry with him Answ 1 First the Papists answer here affirmatively both in generall that there are some sinnes in their owne nature mortall and some veniall and in particular that the last sinne mentioned in this verse is mortall the first to wit Anger is but veniall and therefore of his owne nature deserveth not everlasting condemnation which is onely due unto the last to call one Foole ſ Bellarm. de Purga lib. 1. c. 4. Secondly Thomas of Aquine likes the generall Answ 2 allowance of the distinction of mortall and veniall sinnes but dislikes the particular application thereof unto this place holding that this Anger which is here spoken of is a deadly sin in that Christ saith He that is angry with his brother is guilty of judgement which words must be understood De motu tendente in nocumentum c. of a motion tending to hurt where there is consent and so that motion is deadly sinne Thom. in opuscul Ex Lippom. Answ 4 Fourthly the distinction of sinnes veniall and not veniall in their owne nature in
punished Fructus ira lingua effraenis manus incontinentes contumeliae accusationes verbera z Basil hom de Ira. the fruits of anger are an unbridled tongue a quarrelling hand reproaches accusations stroakes and the like whence our Saviour reputes it murder in this place how lightly soever Bellarmine esteemes it Doe all the Papists thinke Anger a veniall Quest 2 sinne The more ancient Papists were otherwise minded Pomerius dom 5. Answ Pentec expounds these words thus He that is angry shall be guilty of judgement that is he shall be accused before God at the day of Judgement because hee hath sinned against that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe He that saith to his Brother Racha shall be in danger of the Councell that is the whole Congregation of the Saints will approve the sentence of his condemnation The same Author doth there for the better clearing of his exposition observe eight degrees of anger wherein there are some things amisse which I passe by because he speakes plainly and abundantly enough for the proofe of what wee affirme against Bellarmine The first degree of anger is provoked through zeale either towards God or against sinne and this is good as followes by and by The second degree is a sudden motion and disturbance of the minde which saith he is not sinne The third is a deliberated anger but quickly blowne over this saith he is a veniall sinne in it selfe Fourthly Anger joyned with some small desire of revenge or with a desire of some small revenge this also saith hee is veniall by reason of the smallnesse of the desire of revenge The fifth degree is when Anger is accompanied with a will and desire of some great vengeance but yet is concealed within in the heart comming no further neither shewing it selfe in the countenance or actions this he saith and that truely is mortall The sixth is when internall anger conceived and for a while concealed in the heart doth at length breake out revealing it selfe by some signes as for example either 1. by some frowning and lowring and discontented looke Or 2. by turning away the face from the party we are angry with all Or 3. by not speaking unto them Or 4. by not re-saluting them when by them we are saluted The seventh degree of anger is conjoyned with some reproachfull words as Foole or Asse this also saith he truely is a mortall sinne The eighth and last degree is Anger accompanied with some reall harme done unto those with whom we are angry this is also a mortall sinne And thus by his sixth seventh and eighth degree of Anger he doth plainly shew that all the three degrees of anger laid downe in this verse are mortall sinnes And therefore we should carefully avoid and abstaine from all prohibited Anger By what wayes or meanes may we resist and Quest 3 withstand this passion of anger The remedies against Anger are either in Others that is not to provoke us either by opprobrious words or injurious workes But this not being meant in this place I passe it by In our selves which are these which follow namely First Premeditation before thou beginne to bee angry ponder with thy selfe I. all the provocations reproaches injuries and wrongs which may bee offered unto thee that so thou mayest prepare thy selfe to contemne and despise them and not to bee exasperated by them II. Ruminate with thy selfe what thy duty is and how thou oughtest in patience to possesse thy soule notwithstanding all crosses and wrongs which may bee offered unto thee that thus thou maist arme thy selfe against them III. weigh with thy selfe what Christ suffered for thee and with what patience he suffered contempt derision injuries yea death for thee and in them all was like a lambe dumbe before the shearer or as a dove without gall And therefore remember this that thou maist imitate thy Master herein These premeditations being frequently and seriously in our hearts will be one excellent remedy against Anger Secondly suppresse it within give no place to the water nor to the fire of wrath as soone as ever an angry motion ariseth in thy heart nippe it at the roote that like Ionas his gourd it may suddenly wither Thirdly remember how unprofitable anger is it hurts thy selfe it harmes others but is gainefull to none Fourthly observe the excesse immoderate rage and anger of others marke how ill it becomes them yea how it doth disgrace them looke upon angry men as the Lacedemonians made their children behold drunkards that detesting it in another thou maiest avoid it in thy selfe Fiftly imploy thy selfe about some honest and lawfull affaires that thy mind may be taken off from the provocations unto anger Otio crescunt pathemata Sixtly accustome thy selfe to prudence and wisedome remember how thou oughtest to shew thy selfe to be a wise man yea a Christian endued with patience and heavenly wisedome and cloathed therewith as with a garment Colos 3.12 Iames 3.17 that so thou maist acquite thy selfe like a wiseman in all provocations injuries and wrongs whatsoever Sect. 5 § 5. Without a cause or unadvisedly Quest 1 What is the meaning of these words Answ 1 First they may be expounded subitò Hee that is angry with his brother suddenly or causually not willingly incensing himself unto wrath against his brother but rashly overcome by a Observ 1 sudden passion of anger Teaching us that Christ doth not only condemne in us voluntary and deliberated Anger but also rash sudden and harsh anger For he that is hasty of Spirit exalteth folly Pro. 14.29 Answ 2 Secondly they may be expounded sine causâ Hee that is angry with his brother without a just cause as if our Saviour would say Anger is not to be blamed when it springs from a good root or is moved and provoked by a good cause Teaching us that Anger is to be judged according Obser 2 to the moving cause thereof Or Anger is commendable if it proceede from a good cause Be angry but sinne not Esay 4.26 therefore there is a lawfull anger How may we know whether our Anger bee Quest 2 commendable or culpable Two things in anger are observable First Radix the roote therof from whence it springs that is the internall affection or irascible facultie as it is naturall and lawfull without any hypothesis moved against the sinne committed without any displicency or hatred of the sinner of this more plainely by and by Secondly the branches or the anger it self which is either Evill which is twofold namely Or First immoderate and excessive of this we spake § 4. Secondly unjust and is either When wee desire our owne revenge Or When wee are angry for our owne gaine or losse Good which springeth either from a cause Civill Ira cos fortitudinis I meddle not with this Spirituall which First is allowable and warrantable religion not prohibiting all anger for first this were impossible And Secondly it is sometimes profitable a Chrys sup for
1 Cor. 7.5 Therefore if the wife will not consent her husband cannot goe from her nay though there be consent yet they must be separated but for a time lesâ— the Divell should tempt them Whether may the guiltlesse partie being lawfully Quest 6 divorced marry againe during the life of the adulterous or not For no other cause in the world Answ but onely for fornication may there be either a finall separation or cleane dissolution of marriage by way of divorce But for that cause our Saviour hath granted liberty both to dissolve matrimonie and to marry againe Because this is questioned or rather plainely denyed by the Papist I will first confirme it and then answer what they can object against it Our proposition is this In the case of fornication it is not unlawfull to marry againe that is those who are lawfully divorced for fornication and adultery may marry againe with others but never one with another The truth hereof appeares thus First the bond is broken they are not now one flesh d Hier. s and therefore may lawfully contract marriage with others Secondly because under the Law divorce was never without liberty of a new choise Deut. 24.1 2. all that were divorced had freedome to marry againe and therefore in a lawfull divorce this is not debarred under the Gospel Thirdly because otherwise the guiltlesse party should be punished and that grievously It is better to marry than to burne saith the Apostle thereby shewing that marriage is left us by God as a remedy against lust now if the guiltlesse party could not containe neither might marry another neither take her unto him who hath beene divorced Deut. 24.4 then he were necessitated to sinne which the Lord never doth unto any by any law Fourthly we might confirme this from the Fathers Ambros Tertul. 2. From the Councels Concil Mogunt Triburiens 3. From the consent of many Bishops in Origens time 4. From the opinion of the Papists Zach. Papa Cajetan Ambros Compsa 5. Of our men Pet. Mart. 2.10 § 37 38 58. But this I omit comming to the last and best proof Fifthly that it is lawfull for the guiltlesse partie to marry for I now meddle not with the guilty appeares plainly from our Saviours words in this verse and Mat. 19.7 8 9. Whosoever putteth away his wife except it be for fornication committeth adultery Therefore for fornication it is lawfull for a man to dismisse his wife Matth. 19.9 Whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for wheredome and marry another committeth adultery Therefore for adultery it is lawfull for the man both to put away and renounce his wife and the wife likewise her husband there being the like reason for both and for them to marry againe The Papists hold that married persons may dismisse one another for adultery but neither party may marry againe for any cause during life And because they are sore pressed with this place they object many things both against the place and point by us propounded Object 2 First Durand answereth that when Christ uttered these words the Law of the Jewes was that the adulterous woman should bee put to death and so the husband might have liberty to marry againe Bellarmine overthroweth this answer by a three-fold reason to wit Answ First because Christ here giveth a rule not onely to the Jewes but to all Christians not being ignorant how that in every Nation the law of putting the adultresse to death should not be in force Secondly Christ might as well have excepted other crimes that were punished by death as murder and the like that in those cases they might marrry againe because by the Law their wives were to die as well as in the case of fornication Thirdly Christ speaketh of dismission but properly the wife is not said to bee dismissed when she is put to death And therefore Christ is not thus here to be understood Secondly Bellarmine would have the exception Object 3 except it be for fornication restrained to the first clause in this sense Hee that putteth away his wife which is not lawfull to doe but for fornication so that the crime of fornication maketh it lawfull to dismisse but not after dismission to marry againe First the Jesuite is here contrary unto himselfe Answ 1 for he elsewhere alloweth a separation of matrimony in other cases as of heresie infidelity and vow of continencie but here he saith that separation and dismission is to be made in the case of fornication onely Secondly Christs answer had not satisfied if Answ 2 he had spoken onely of divorce and not of liberty to marry againe for the Pharisees moved the question concerning the manner of divorce permitted by Moses Law after the which it was lawfull for them to marry againe And therefore it was expected that our Savior should answer to both these points both in what cases they might dismisse their wives and marry agaâ—ne Thirdly the Apostle saith If a woman depart Object 4 from her husband let her abide unmarried or bee reconciled 1 Cor. 7.10 11. Therefore it is not lawfull after divorce to marry so long as both parties live The Apostle speakes not there of a lawfull departure or separation to wit Answ by reason of fornication and adultery for then he should diametrally have opposed his Master Christ saying here for adultery there may be a divorce and departure Paul there I command no discedat let not the wife depart from her husband but of a separation for Religions sake or for afflictions or for the cares of those times § 7. Causeth her to commit adultery Sect. 7 How Quest or how many wayes is that Divorce which is not for fornication an occasion of adultery First if she which is divorced being deprived Answ 1 of the company of her husband is not able to containe her selfe but falls unto whoredome her divorce is an occasion of adultery unto her for the separation not being lawfull the bond of matrimony is not broken wherefore her whoredome is adultery Secondly if she which is thus unlawfully Answ 2 that is not for fornication separated marry another husband she commits adultery because she is yet the former mans wife and thus also her divorce is an occasion of adultery Thirdly hee who marries a woman that is Answ 3 thus unlawfully separated from her husband commits adultery because he coupleth himselfe with another mans wife and thus this divorce is unto him an occasion of adultery Fourthly he who puts away his wife but not for fornication and joynes himselfe in marriage Answ 4 unto another doth commit adultery because he is yet the former womans husband and causeth her whom he secondly marries to commit adulterie because shee lyeth with another womans husband And thus we see how an unlawful separation is the cause of much mischiefe Sect. 8 and root of many evils and therefore is carefully to be avoided f Chem. Harm fol 569. fine Object § 8. Whosoever shall marry
her that is divorced committeth adultery Bellarmine de Matrim cap. 16. Arg. 1. urgeth these words for the proofe of their former assertion that for adultery one may dismisse another but neither party can marry againe for any cause during life Christ here saith Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery These words saith the Jesuite must be understood generally without the exception of fornication for if it be lawfull to marry an adultresse who is divorced for adultery and the innocent party who is dismissed but not for adultery then should the case of the adultresse be better than of the other Answ 1 First the adulteresse is not straite way to be admitted to second marriage but it is fit that some restraint should bee made in the discretion of the Magistrate lest it might bee made an usuall practise for incontinent persons to change their Answ 2 wives Therefore in this behalfe the adulteresse case is not so good Secondly the innocent persons case is much Answ 3 better because she is free from so great a sinne as the adulteresse is guiltie of Thirdly the innocent partie may be reconciled to her first husband 1 Corinthians 7.11 Answ 4 Which is better then to have a new husband Fourthly If she cannot be reconciled and the froward partie fall into the sinne of incontinencie as he is most like in this case refusing the company of an honest wife to be given over then hath the innocent partie the same remedie which the adulteresse hath but upon Answ 5 much better conditions then she Fifthly the exception in the first clause of the sentence except it be for fornication must be supplied also in the latter Willet synops fol. 780. Arg. 2. Vers 33 VERS 33. Againe yee have heard that it hath beene said by them of old time Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe unto the Lord thine oathes Sect. 1 § 1. Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe Wee see here that Perjurie is so infamous and notorious that it is condemned by the wicked Scribes and Pharisees as a grievous sin Quest 1 What is Perjurie Answ Pejerare non est falsum jurare sed quod ex animi tui sententia juraris id non facere perjurium est Cicero offic 3. Perjurie is not to sweare falsly but not to performe what one hath sworne And this definition evidently appeares to bee true by this verse Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe unto the Lord thine oathes But of this more by and by How many sorts of Perjurie are there Quest 2 As there are two kindes of oathes Answ so there is a double perjurie namely First Assertorium whose subject is an indicative proposition which shewes something this perjurie is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly Obligatorium whose subject is a Promissorie proposition which promiseth to doe some thing and this perjurie is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first of these is more palpable and therefore the Jewes rather taught the second as appeares plainly by this verse But of these more particularly Perjurie J say is two-folde First Apertum manifest and palpable Secondly Palliatum cloaked and palliated First there is Perjurium apertum manifest and palpable Perjurie Why doe men thus forsweare themselves Quest 3 First some doe it for lucres sake using it Answ 1 in buying and selling but this gaine will bring leannesse unto the soule and bee like Geheza's prey which was rewarded with a cleaving Leprosie 2 King 5.27 Secondly some doe it that they may avoide Answ 2 the punishment of the law when they are examined concerning some crime before either Ecclesiasticall or Civill Judges Thirdly some forsweare themselves that so Answ 3 they may be free from paying their debts which they truely owe. Answ 4 Fourthly some that they may not restore things that have beene betrusted unto them to keepe Fifthly some that they may by their perjurie Answ 5 gratifie their friends Sixthly some forsweare themselves out of Answ 6 hatred unto others and although this be a very divelish practise yet it is too ordinary in Warrants for the Peace and diverse the like cases wherein men care not what they sweare so they may but have those punished whom they hate Why must we be thus carefull to avoide this Quest. 4 perjurie First because otherwise we shall destroy our Answ 1 soules unprofitably for hee that useth to forsweare himselfe will not bee beleeved nor credited Secondly because if we should be overtaken Answ 2 herewith we should be a disgrace a by-word unto the Papist Turkes and Heathens Amurath perceiving how Vladislans the King of Hungary had shamefully broken Truce with him opened the Booke wherein the League was written and which Vladislans had sworne to observe unto Christ praying him to take notice of the disloyaltie of his servant and to revenge his Perjurie which hee did indeede The Papists bragge but their equivocations and mentall reservations make mee call the truth of it in question that in the dayes and places of Popery men were and are more true of their words and faithfull in their oathes then we Protestants are And therefore if wee desire to adorne that Profession which wee have undertaken wee must carefully avoide Perjurie Answ 3 Thirdly because this is an indignitie which man could not suffer then much lesse God No good or honest man could endure that his name should be thus abused unto perjurie how detestable then is it unto the Lord for men to sweare falsly by his name Answ 4 Fourthly because by perjurie men doe strive with their Maker hoping to deceive him by their fraud and craft They call him to witnesse that which they know to be false thus hoping to beguile the Lord. Answ 5 Fifthly because hee that sweares falsly by Gods name doth call God to avenge himselfe upon him and doth thus hasten judgement which comes upon such wicked men fast enough And therefore let us not by calling God to witnesse our untruthes provoke him unto anger for wee are not stronger then hee is g 1 Cor. 10.22 Answ 6 Sixthly because the Lord will never acquite such an one in Judgement The Lord will not holde him guiltlesse who taketh is name in vaine much lesse him who abuseth it by swearing thereby falsly yea he hath threatned that hee will bee a swift witnesse against the false swearer h Mal. 3.5 And therefore if we desire estimation and credit amongst men if we desire to honour our Profession if wee desire to offâ—r no indignitie to our God by which hee may bee provoked justly to bee angry with us to condemne us and severely to punish us then let us carefully avoide all Perjurie and false swearing Secondly there is perjurium palliatum a palliated and subtile perjurie when men take an oath either in such a forme as they can interpret their oath which way they will or els have their private reservations and craftie equivocations all which are usuall with the
our affections and actions for these are sure signes of an effectuall vocation Sect. 4 § 4. The Righteous Quest 1 Whom did not Christ come into the world to call Answ The righteous Quest 2 Is righteousnesse displeasing unto Christ that he saith he came not to call the righteous Answ True and reall righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse of faith by or in Christ is not displeasing unto him 1 Cor. 1.30 Philip. 3.9 But our own false and painted righteousnesse is Quest 3 odious unto him Luke 18.11 Do sinners please Christ better then those who are righteous or why doth he preferre them in his society associating himselfe rather with Publicans and sinners then with Scribes and Pharisees for by this it appears that the Simonians and Gnosticks were in the right and not erroneous Answ 1 First our Saviour no where commends any sinners except only those who repent Secondly there were many causes why Christ did rather associate himselfe with sinners then Answ 2 with those who thought themselves to be righteous namely I. Because hereby he shewed his humility and lowlinesse of mind II. Because hereby occasion was offered unto him of preaching the word the work for which he was sent III. Because hereby hee shewed the power of his preaching that it was able to convert the worst IV. Because sinners were more apt and fit to hear the word then those who were conceited of their own righteousnesse for they were more humble in themselves and more quickly brought to a sight and acknowledgement of their sins How did not Christ come to call the righteous Quest 4 did not Christ call just Iames and pure Peter who never eat any unclean thing did not Christ call good Andrew and Iohn and many other who were righteous yea doth not the Apostle most truely say that those whom he predestinated them also hee called Why then doth hee here say I came not to call the righteous First to this Saint Ambrose sup answers that Answ 1 by the righteous our Saviour means the Scribes and Pharisees who presumed that they were righteous whereas indeed they were not but only vain and proud now Christ came not to call these who were thus well conceited and perswaded of themselves Secondly our Saviour here speaks of calling Answ 2 unto repentance as appears plainly both by Saint Luke Chapt. 5.32 and by Saint Mathew here for in both places it is said I came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance Now this Call belongs only unto sinners not unto Saints and those who are righteous Secundum quod tales sunt Those who were sinners he called unto repentance those who were truely righteous hee called to follow him that their grace might increase and they attain unto a greater measure of perfection in a spirituall life v u Carthus s But the best stand in need of repentance as followes by and by § 5. But sinners unto repentance Sect. 5 It is controverted betwixt us and the Papists whether the Sacrament of the Lords Supper were properly ordained for remission of sinnes or for the assuring of us of remission of sins and we affirme that although that blessed Communion and Sacrament have other uses yet the especiall and principall use thereof is to strengthen and assure our faith of the remission of our sins And we prove this thus Christ here saith I came not to call the righteous Argum. but sinners unto repentance But Christ in the Eucharist calleth us unto him Therfore he calleth sinners to come to the Eucharist that therby they may be assured of pardon and forgivenesse Bellarmine answereth Answ that Christ speaketh of his first calling unto faith and repentance not of inviting unto the Eucharist Bellarm. lib. 4. de sacram Cap. 17. resp ad arg 1. Reply 1 First where Christ saith I came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance wee must observe that he calleth all save only such as are so righteous that they need no repentance but such there are none in this life therfore hee calleth all Reply 2 Secondly Christ calleth all that thirst If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Iohn 7.37 But what man thirsteth more then hee who desireth to be released of his sins Neither doth Christ here speak of the first call unto faith but even of such as did beleeve already as followeth in the next verse Hee that beleeveth in me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of water of life Reply 3 Thirdly our Saviour saith Come unto me all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you Mat. 11.28 But these are they which labour under the burthen of their sins And therfore such are admitted to come to the Sacrament to find ease therby Willet Synops fol. 636. Argum. 2. Vers 15 VERS 15. And Iesus said unto them can the children of the Bride-chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroome is with them But the dayes will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast Sect. 1 § 1. Can the Children of the Bride-chamber mourn Our Saviour in these words alludes to the custome of the Jewes in their marriages the rites and Ceremonies wherof were performed in the assembly of ten men at the least with blessings and thankesgivings unto God whence the house it selfe was called Beth-hillula the house of praise and their mariage Song Hillulim prayses and the Bride-groomes intimate friends which accompanied him and sung the Epithalamium or mariage song were termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children of the Bride-chamber as in this verse The forme of the marriage Song in effect was this The chiefe of the Bridegroomes friends takes a Cup and blesseth it saying Blessed art thou oh Lord our God the King of the world which createst the fruit of the vine Afterward then he saith Blessed be the Lord our God the King of the world who hath created man after his own Image according to the Image of his owne likenesse and hath thereby prepared unto himselfe an everlasting building blessed bee thou oh Lord who hast created him Then followeth again Blessed art thou oh Lord our God who hast created joy and gladnesse the Bride-groome and the Bride Charity and brotherly love rejoycing and pleasure peace and society I beseech thee oh Lord let there suddenly be heard in the Cities of Iudah and the streets of Ierusalem the voice of joy and gladnesse the voice of the Bridegroome and the Bride the voice of exultation in the Bride-chamber is sweeter then any feast and children sweeter then the sweetnesse of a song And this being ended hâ—â— drinketh to the married couple § 2. But the Bride-groom shall be taken away and Sect. 2 then they shall fast It is controverted betwixt us and the Papists Object whether the institution of Lent be an Apostolike tradition or not they affirming that it is and Bellarmine lib. 2. de bon operib Cap. 14 sheweth seven causes of the institution therof
commended in Scripture and weaknesse and doubting reprehended Now this certainty of faith which we say is praised doth consist in a particular application whereby a man promiseth unto himselfe that that thing which he hopes for shall certainly be fulfilled unto him Many are the examples which may be brought to prove this Argument that certainty of faith is commended First of all this woman with the bloody issue unto whom Christ here saith Be of good cheer or Confide be confident thy faith hath made thee whole Now what manner of faith was this Saint Mathew here tels us The woman said within her selfe if I may but touch the hemme of his garment Servabor I shall be whole And this certain confidence of hers we see Christ commends and praises Secondly it is said of Abraham that he beleeved God and it was counted unto him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.3 Now what manner of beleeving was this Saint Paul afterwards most clearly explicates thus vers 18 19 20 21. For Abraham against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the Father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be And being not weak in faith he considered not his owne body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe He staggered not as the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform In these words is described an extraordinary confidence in the divine promises of God which Abraham beleeved should altogether be fulfilled yea fulfilled in him although if hee had consulted with flesh and blood he might have opposed objected many things and therfore there was not onely Confidentia objecti but also subjecti propter veritatem divinam Thirdly of Saint Paul who writing unto Timothy saith For the which cause I also suffer these things neverthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day k 2 Tim. 1.12 the meaning of the words is plaine for the Apostle herein doth describe the hope that he hath for the time to come by which hope he is sustained and upheld in the midst of so many and so great afflictions and calamities as lye upon him Here he saith he is not ashamed and Rom. 5.4 he saith Hope maketh not ashamed and therefore hee is certaine of the event Whence comes this certainty I know saith he whom I have beleeved and that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him that is I am certain that at the last day he will render and restore unto me what I have committed unto him to keepe And thus from these examples we may according to the truth hold and maintain a certainty of faith and a particular application of the divine promises unto our selves VERS 23 24. Vers 23. And when Iesus came into the Rulers house and saw the Minstrels and the people making a noise hee said unto them give place for the Maid is not dead but sleepeth And they laughâ—d him to scorne § 1. And when Iesus saw the Minstres Sect. 1 How manifold is the use of musick Quest 1 Two-fold namely lawfull and heathnish Answ Wherein is or hath Musicke been lawfully Quest 2 used Answ 1 First it hath been used by the godly sometimes in their joy and mirth as David ever and none testifieth in the Psalmes and as our Saviour intimates when he saith we have piped unto you but you have not danced Mat. 11 17. Answ 2 Secondly Musick hath been used lawfully in sacris in holy duties and divine worship as appears plainly by these places 2 Sam. 6.5 and 2 Chron. 5.12 and Psalme 71.22 Quest 3 Whether was the use of Musick at funerals a Jewish or Heathenish custome Answ Although it was sometimes used by the Jewes yet they borrowed it from the Gentiles for the understanding wherof observe that the Jewes at the buriall of their friends used two sorts of Ceremonies namely First some to testifie their sorrow of which in another place because the present text speaks not of these And Secondly some to augment their grief these were I. Minstrels who with their sad tunes inclined the affections of the people to mourning Now of these there were two sorts namely First some playing on pipes And Secondly others sounding Trumpets At the Funerall of Noble-men or old men they used a Trumpet at the Funerall of the common people or children they used a Pipe In this respect it is said here that Iesus when he raised Iairus daughter cast out the Ministrels II. Women there were which were hired at burials to sing for the same purpose viz. to augment their mourning and to incline the affections of the people to sorrow Now these women besides singing did likewise uâ—â— some outward significations and expressions of sorrow to move the company and more strongly to affect them Call saith the Prophet for the mourning womâ—n and send for the skilfull women Ier. 9.17 These women the Romans called Preficas quasim hoc ipsum praefectas Chiefe or skilfull Mourners Now these customes we reade no where commanded by God unto his people but were only borrowed from the practises of others Quest 4 How manifold was the use of Musick at funerals amongst the Gentiles Answ The Heathens had a four-fold use of Musick in their burials namely First Civill to honour and adorne Funerals whence also they used sometimes great pomp and did sing songs of the praises of the deceased persons as wee see in Tabitha Act. 9.39 Now this Cantus in generall was two-fold namely Encomiasticus and Threneticus Rhod. 27.26 Secondly Philosophicall to shew that when any is taken out of this miserable world there is cause of joy Let the Reader reade Alex. ab Alex. 128. 129. where hee shall see this confirmed by the example both of the Grecians and Thracians Whence we may learn That in the death of those who are good Observ we must rejoyce rather then mourn Why must we rejoyce in the death of our good Quest 5 friends or allies First because death is better to such then life Answ Eccles 4.2 c. Secondly because death is best of all unto such as appears thus I. This world is an evill world in it selfe Gal. 1.4 and evill unto the righteous 1 Cor. 15.19 II. So long as wee are here wee are strangers from the Lord that is absent from him 2 Cor. 5.2 c. but when by death wee are dissolved we shall possesse and enjoy him Philip. 1.23 Thirdly Solaminis their next use of musick was that thereby the minds of those who mourned might be lightned and comforted because we are prone to exceed our bounds in all things whether in joy or sorrow Fourthly Idololatricus they had an Idolatrous use of Musick at their
and will tell God he owes them such and such things because for his sake they forsook such things these we spake something of in the fift Chapter verse 7. and now as palpable passe by Secondly some weave a garment of Linsey-wolsey and hope that God wil approve of them yea fall in love with them for it these are they who tell us of a first Justification wrought by God and of a second wrought by our selves But these two Justifications are like the Ark and Dagon who will not stand together or the feet of Daniels Image which were part of Iron and part of Clay and would not solder together Dan. 2.42 yea this distinction is directly denied by Saint Paul Rom. 11.6 and therfore must not be admitted by us Thirdly some tell us that our good works merit by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon them or by some extending or stretching of his merits unto them But as was said before the merit and blood of Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self for by his death and bloodshed we are saved Fourthly they have another merit which frees from temporall punishment whence comes Purgatorie and pardons but God pardons all together and reserves no anger when he remits but forgives and forgets at once Certainly all merit of man derogates from Christ for if we could by our works have purchased salvation then Christ died in vain Romans 4.13 14. Quest 4 Must wee not then work and labour at all Answ We must and that with our utmost endevour Reade Philippians 2.12 13. Hebrews 12.4 Ephesians 5.14 and 2 Peter 1.5 c. and 1 Iohn 5.18 But of this largely before chapter 5. Vers 28 VERS 28. And when he was come into the house the blinde men came to him And Iesus saith unto them Beleeve ye that I am able to do this They said unto him Yea Lord. Object The Papists produce this place for the proof of a generall faith and for the overthrowing of a particular application of the promises unto our selves Arguing thus That faith which Christ required and confirmed by Miracles vvas a justifying faith But that was no particular perswasion or assurance of speciall mercie but onely a generall belief in the power and omnipotencie of Christ Therefore a justifying faith requireth no such particular perswasion or confidence of speciall mercie The Assumption Bellarmine proves from this place lib. 1. de Iustifie cap. 8. where Christ saith to the blinde men Beleeve ye that I am able to do this They answer Yea Lord whereupon Christ addes According to your Faith so be it unto you First I answer to the Major that it is not universally true for a temporary faith Answ 1 may suffice for the receiving of a temporall benefit Secondly to the Minor we say that many Answ 2 things in a justifying faith are to be beleeved besides speciall mercie and that none can apprehend speciall mercie except he beleeve God to be in Christ reconciling the World unto himself If the learned Reader desire to see this answer prosecuted and how grosly the Cardinall sophisticates not concluding according to the Rules of Art let him reade Chamier Tom. 3. f. 408 409. lib. 13. de fide cap 4. § 1. ad 8. Thirdly to the receiving of a temporall benefit Answ 3 in recovering of their sight a temporary faith which we call the faith of Miracles might have sufficed these blinde men Fourthly these blinde men beleeved not onely Answ 4 that Christ was able to help them but were also perswaded of his mercie in saying Oh Son of David have mercie upon us Vers 29. Then touched he their eyes saying Vers 29 According to your faith be it unto you § 1. Then touched he their eyes Sect. 1 Why did Christ touch their eyes Quest 1 First certainly it was not by reason of any Answ 1 necessity for he could have healed them without touching if he had so pleased having done many greater works onely by his word Secondly neither was this an idle action or a Answ 2 thing done without any speciall end for Christ did nothing but that which was of speciall use in one regard or another Thirdly I conceive therefore that he touched Answ 3 their eyes for these causes namely I. Perhaps that he might shew that he himself was the Author and Actour of this Miracle for First neither can man restore sight unto the blinde Iohn 9.30 31. Neither Secondly can a Devill open the eyes of the blinde Iohn 10.21 II. Christ touched their eyes to shew that he stood not in need of second causes or medicines but that his touch was sufficient for the effecting of what he desired or curing of what malady soever As with his word at other times hee stills the raging of the waves III. Christ touched their eyes that by the use of a visible or sensible means he might help and strengthen their faith for certainly this was of great power as we see in Naaman I thought saith he the Prophet would have laid his hand upon the sore and have stricken it over the place and called upon his God and so have cured my leprousie 2 Kings 5.11 As if he would have said If he had thus touched me I should have beleeved that he would have cured me but now I have no hope of help from him And thus I say Christ teacheth these that thereby their faith and confidence may bee the greater IV. Christ toucheth them that he may teach both them and us the excellencie and Observ 1 utility of the means or That the use of the means is not to be neglected because that is a tempting of God the means being ordained by God for the obtaining of such and such wished ends As for example God hath ordained First meat and apparell for the preservation of life Secondly medicines for the preventing of sicknesse or procuring of health Thirdly repentance sorrow and hearty contrition for the breaking of the power of sin Fourthly the preaching of the Word for the illuminating of the heart and the begetting of faith Fiftly prayer for the procuring of good things or as a generall Antidote against all evils Quest 2 Who are faulty in this particular Answ 1 First those who neglect the means in temporall things undoing themselves and theirs by idlenesse gaming prodigality pride drunkennesse or the like Answ 2 Secondly those who in sicknesse despise and sleight Physick although Witchcraft and Enchantments are not altogether contemned by them Answ 3 Thirdly those who hope for and desire the pardon of their sins but in the mean time neglect godly sorrow and wave that spirituall and bloody combat against sinne and Sathan Hebrews 12.4 Answ 4 Fourthly those who desire internall light and reconciliation and the new Covenant but neglect the hearing reading and meditating of the Word of God Answ 5 Fifthly those who desire to be blessed by the enjoyment of good things and freedome from evill but sleight and forget prayer 1 Thessalonians
from the custome of so doing which was amongst them Rhâ—ding Hence the place of publike meeting for the exercises of Religion and worship was called by the Gentiles Synagogium and by the Jews Synagoga and by the Christians Synaxis Secondly this word Synagogue sometimes was Answ 2 taken for the place where they convened and met together sometimes for the assembly it self and the men that were gathered together Acts 13.43 Thirdly some distinguish between a Synagogue Answ 3 and the Synâ—driâ—â— or Sâ—â—bodrim by the former understanding a place for religious worship and by the latter a place for Courts and the dispatch of politick and civill affairs But this distinction is not generally true because they are sometimes united and joyned together in the Scripture and the Jews did both judge and punish in them both They will saith Christ deliver you up to the Councels and will scourge you in their Synagogues Mat. 10.17 Mark 13.9 Quest 2 Why did Christ teach in their Synagogues Answ 1 First this was done lest he should seem to have condemned the publike assemblies and meetings of the Jews But this was touched upon chap. 4.23 Answ 2 Secondly Christ taught in the Synagogue that that which he taught might be divulged according to that charge given by him to his Apostles What I tell you in secret publish you upon the house top Mat. 10. and 28.20 Now this was in respect of the Gospel and that in a double regard viz. I. That it might equally be communicated unto all Mark 14.9 II. Lest he should have been calumniated and slandered if he had taught in corners Ioh. 18.20 Observ We may learn hence That the preaching of the Gospel is to be published unto all Acts 5.20 Mark 16.15 and 2 Tim. 2.9 Acts 9.20 and 13.14 44. and therefore we must pray that it may be freely permitted 2 Thess 3.1 Quest 3 Why is the preaching of the Gospel to be published to all Answ 1 First because the effects thereof belong unto all redemption life peace and the like which are effects of preaching are offered unto all in the Gospel Answ 2 Secondly because it is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 and the ordinary means of begetting faith and of bringing us unto salvation Rom. 10.14 and 1 Cor. 1.18 c. Answ 3 Thirdly because it is ordained by God and propounded unto men to be the sweet savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 Object 1 But it will be objected we must not cast Pearls before Swing Mat. 7.6 Now the preaching of the word is a Pearl And therefore it is not to be published to all Answ 1 First certainly it is forbidden to preach the word unto some Acts. 16.6 and â—â— 22 and hence Paul would not stay to preach to them who were obstinate Act. 18.6 and 19.9 Answ 2 Secondly but where there is no such direct and particular prohibition there the Gospel is to be preached unto all it being the nature therof and herein differing from the Law that it neither respects Jew nor Gentile bond nor free Quest 4 Who are here to be blamed Answ Those who preach and teach in corners secretly creeping into mens houses 2 Pet. 2.1 Iude 4. Here observe that I do not speak First of private reading or conserving together of what hath been publikely taught Nor Secondly of teaching exhorting and instructing of mens own families But Thirdly of doctrines which hate or at least flye the light as the Priscillianists who hide themselves and conceal their faith whereas they should give an account of their faith to every one that shall demand a reason thereof 1 Pet. 3. Certainly great and heavie is the calumny that ariseth by unlawfull Conventicles and therefore woe be to such as are justly guilty hereof for they will be found to be of that number who do evill and therefore hate the light Iohn 3.20 Christ we see teacheth in the Synagogues and the Apostles in the Temple Acts 14 and 15 and 16 and 17 chapters That is not by and by or alwaies true which Object 2 is publikely taught therefore private preaching may be as good as publike First it is a suspitious thing for a man to be Answ 1 a turn-coat and therefore they who forsake our assemblies which they have frequented and meet onely secretly may justly be suspected Secondly that which is publikely preached Answ 2 may be proved and tried but not that which is taught in obscurity Thirdly they who meet in corners and sleight Answ 3 the publike assemblies of the Saints out of the times and places of persecution either I. Teach that which is false and erroneous and then do wickedly Or II. Teach that which is true and orthodox and then they are either malitious and envious in desiring to conceal the truth or cowardly and timerous in fearing to professe and justifie and own the truth yea if men do no evill then why need they conceal and hide themselves § 2. Healing every sicknesse and every disease Sect. 2 What is the sense and meaning of these words Quest 1 First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies healing or curing Answ 1 Against this it may be objected Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not here properly signifie to cure or heal because it signifies to cure by means and to heal by medicines which Christ did not whence a part of Physick is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to the Physitians it is true Answ that some distinction of words is observed as for example I. To give Physick is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this may be without effect for many Physitians use the means when they do not restore unto health II. To give Physick with good successe is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to cure though without second causes And IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies also to heal whether by means or without means And V. A man is most properly said to heal when effectually he cures or recovers whether by Physick as earthly Physitians do or by a word as our heavenly Physician here doth And therfore he is truly said to heal Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words here Answ used sicknesse and disease thus differ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a sicknesse as casts men down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a one as onely weakens a man and therefore is not so great as the former Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicknesses are of three sorts namely I. Some are more easily cured and healed And II. Some are more hardly cured healed And III. Some are incurable and impossible by men to be healed but Christ â—â—â—es All Sicknesses Diseases Thirdly All healing All sicknesses is thus to be understood namely Answ 3 I. Not that he healed singula generum all that were sick of all sicknesses for there were many blinde and deaf and dumb who were not cured Nor II.
not given the worship due onely unto God to Idols and set up the abomination of desolation in the holy place IV. They should marke if they have not invented other sacrifices besides Christ by which they hope to be saved as the Church treasure and the Popes pardon and merit of their own workes c. V. They should consider if they have not diminished and lopped off an essentiall part of a Sacrament from the Church taking away from their Laity the Cup although the contrary was both plainly prescribed by Christ and practised by his Apostles If they consider these and many more things wherin they have degenerated from the primitive Church they will have small cause to boast Secondly they erre here that boast of their Answ 2 profession and vocation without sanctification certainly outward things are insufficient to bring us to heaven for therunto is available only the application of the death of Christ revealed to the heart by faith But yet these things cohere and go together as the Tree and the fruit doth And therefore let none dreame of a vocation without sanctification for whosoever is called and regenerated is sanctified Rom. 8.30 1 Cor. 6.11 Thus we have the first reason why the Apostles must not preach to the Apostate Samaritans N. Secondly the word must not be preached to Answ 2 the Samaritanes because they were odious to the Israelites according to the womans speech The Iewes have no commerce or Communion at all with the Samaritanes Iohn 4. And hence the Samaritanes would not receive Christ into one of their Cities because they perceived he was going to Jerusalem Luke 9.53 And the Jewes thought that they could not disgrace Christ more than by calling him a Samaritane Å¿ Ioh. 8.49 So inveterate was the hatred betwixt the Jewes and the Samaritanes Why were the Samaritanes so odious unto the Quest 5 Jewes First because they being Gentiles possessed Answ 1 the inheritance of the Israelites as appeares 2 King 17. Secondly the Jewes hated them because they Answ 2 were Idolaters and that I. Under Ieroboam 1. King But II. More under Salmanassar for he brought in amongst them five Nations or five severall sorts of Heathenish people with their houshold and Country Gods t Ioseph Antiq. 9.14 or rather seven sorts of Idolaters 2 King 17. who ceased not from their Idolatry though they were extreamly punished with Lyons Thirdly the Jewes hated the Samaritanes because Answ 3 they were perpetuall enemies unto the Jewes reade Ezra 41.2.10 Nehem. 41. c. Yea when the Jewes were in affliction u Ioseph Antiq. 9.14 and 11.4.8 the Samaritanes denied that they were Jewes or any thing of kinne unto themv. Fourthly the Samaritanes were hatefull unto Answ 4 the Jewes because they despised the Prophets admitting and embracing onely the Pentatenâ—h or five Books of Moses Carthus s And Fiftly because in imitation of the Jewes Temple Answ 5 in Jerusalem the Samaritanes built one in Garizim which was founded by Sanballat in the time of Alexander the great and dedicated to Iupiter the defender of strangers 2 Macch. 6.2 and Ioseph Antiq. 11.7 8. And about this the woman disputes with Christ Iohn 4.20 Our father 's worshipped in this mountaine and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship Now the reason why they thought that God was to be worshipped in this mountaine was this because Iacob erected there an Altar unto the Lord Gen. 33.20 And because Simeon and Levy and Iudah and Issachar and Ioseph and Benjamin stood upon this mountaine Gerizzim to blesse the people when they came over Iordan Deut. 27.12 Observ 2 From the third answer we may observe That those who are enemies to the Church of God shall be rejected reade these places and we shall see that God wil love those who love his Church and hate those who hate his Church and set himselfe against those who set themselves against his Church Gen. 15.14 Psalm 129.5 Exod. 23.22 Deut. 33.29 Esa 29.7 and 41.11 and 60.12 Ierem. 12.14 Acts. 7.7 Quest 6 Why will the Lord reject and destroy the enemies of his Church Answ 1 First because the Church is the Lords portion and the lot of his inheritance and therefore those who are enemies unto the Church are enemies unto God Reade Deut. 32.9 c. Psalm 17.8 Zachar. 2.8 and 12.2.3.9 and 14.12 Iudg. 5.31 and 2 King 19.22 Esa 49.25 Ioel 3.2 Philip. 1.28 Answ 2 Secondly because it is an Argument of a wicked reprobate man to oppose the religious or religion of Christ Egone ausim vel joco lacessere August Object 1 Against this answer it may be objected Saul persecuted and opposed the Professors and profession of religion Act. 8. And yet he was no Reprobate Answer But he repented of it and continued not in it and therefore was pardoned 1 Tim. 1.13 Quest 7 How are the godly and religious opposed Answ 1 First Accusando by accusing of them unjustly of any crime Answ 2 Secondly Deridendo by deriding and scoffing them for their religion Answ 3 Thirdly Impediendo by hindring the progresse of Religion and their progresse in Religion by taking away in toto or lessening in tanto the preaching of the Word Answ 4 Fourthly Odiendo by hating them in heart And thus we have the second reason why the Apostles must not preach to the Idolatrous Samaritanes An ∣ sw 3 O. Thirdly the word must not be preached to the Samaritanes because they were not Iewes at all but Gentiles for all the Israelites were carried captive 2 King 17.6.18.20.23 and all the Cities were replenished with Heathens either by Salmanassar 2 King 17.24 or by Esar Haddon Object 2 Ezra 4.2 Against this it will be objected that they professe themselves to be Israelites Iohn 4.20 yea at the least they were mixed with Iewes for in such cases when they led any Cities into captivity they were wont alwayes to leave some and to reserve some remainders of the true Inhabitants as Ierem. 52.16 and 2 King 24.14 and 25.12 Answ 1 First when all are not carried into captivity but some are left for the most part if not alwaies the Scripture doth express it as Ier. 52.16 And therefore where no such thing is expressed we are not bound to beleeve it Secondly they doe not seeme to be mixt and that Answ 2 I. Because none knew the externall worship of God 2 King 17.26 As appeares by this message sent to the King of Assyria The nations whom thou hast removed and placed in the Cities of Samaria know not the manner of the God of the Land c. And II. Because the King of Assyria upon this message sent one Priest unto them to instruct them 2 King 17.28 Thirdly their professing of themselves to be Answ 3 Iewes was but hypocriticall and counterfeit as the Hagarens call themselves Saracens when the State or Common-wealth of the Iewes was in prosperity then they would be Iewes but when the Iewes were
the plots and endeavours of the persecuters And therefore the phrase is true in this sense Every persecution makes for Gods glory either by abiding it or by fleeing from it but in this sense the objection is Non-sense David by flight escaped the traines which Saul had laid for him and his escapes and preservation did more magnifie and illustrate Gods glory than if he had yeelded his necke to the sword of the persecuter at the first yea we see what elegant Psalmes David composed in his flight wherein sometimes he gives thanks unto God that had made his feet like Harts feet that is swift to flee away Answ 3 Thirdly these words in the objection By persecution we are made better and called home unto God are ambiguous also for herein that is attributed to Persecution which is proper to the grace of God and his holy Spirit to make us better to convert us unto God is the work of divine grace and cannot be ascribed unto persecution as the cause thereof except onely by accident the Spirit of God being the true primary and efficient cause thereof Answ 4 Fourthly and lastly I answer I. It is most true that to flee in the time of persecution is not alwayes lawfull namely either first when flight hinders our vocation hence it was that Christ would not flee but cals Peter a Devill for perswading him unto it because then he should have left the worke undone for which he was sent Or Secondly when the will of God is revealed and thus Eusebius telleth us that Christ forbade Peter to flee from Rome because he should suffer there Now II. On the other side it is as true that it is not alwayes unlawfull to flee and decline persecution as we see by Ioseph and Mary who fled and Paul Acts 9.25 and 14.6 and 17.14 and Christ himselfe Mat. 12.15 Quest 5 If flight in the time of persecution be sometimes lawfull sometimes unlawfull then how may we regulate our selves or know when we may flee and when we may not Answ Let us moderate and square our selves herein according to these rules namely Rule 1 First never flee except thou be persecuted we must not run away for idlenesse as some doe before ever they be so much as questioned or flee for feare as Ionas did before he had any just cause The Text here is plaine When you are persecuted in one City flee unto another and therefore where there is no persecution for the Truth but liberty and freedome given to professe it and to injoy the holy Sacraments and the divine Ordinances of the Word and Prayer there must be no flight nor departure for we must not flee for cowardlinesse but for conscience sake because we would not tempt the providence of God Rule 2 Secondly in our flight let us respect Gods glory and before we flee seriously consider all the weighty circumstances of both sides whether in probability God may be more glorified by our staying or by our going for that must be our first and maine scope Thirdly we must before we flee respect the offending Rule 3 of the weake brethren carefully avoiding as much as in us lyes the giving of offence unto any Now weake Christians are offended often by the fearfulnesse and too swift flying of the Ministers who leave their charges and forsake their flockes upon every jealousie feare and suspition of danger whereas on the contrary they should be like good Leaders the first in the field and the last out the first to assaile and the last to retire and by their example animate their people and barten them on to be constant and couragious in the profession of the truth Fourthly we must before we flee respect our Rule 4 office and function examining whether that will be hindered by our flight or not Christ here saith when they persecute you in one Citie flee unto another thereby shewing that Ministers must not by their departure hinder the preaching of the Word or by their flight forsake their function but if they cannot be permitted without persecution to preach in one place then they must go unto another to preach because their lives rather then their vocations are to bee laid downe if it lye in their power Thus Paul being persecuted flees but he preacheth whether soever he goes Act. 14.6 And great reason there is for it because we are thereunto called and sent For Ministers should seriously consider the end of their flight and beware they flee not with Ionas that so they may bee free from preaching the Word and live in ease and idlenesse but if one Citie persecute them they must flee unto another that is not cast off the worke of the Ministery but in other places and times put out the Lords talent to usury and labour to improve their gifts to Gods glory and the peoples benefit amongst whom they live Fiftly in our flight wee must respect the enemies Rule 5 of God and religion For it they bee so exasperated and incensed against some particular Minister that his presence doth but make them sinne more grievously and set themselves against the Church more maliciously and cruelly then they may lawfully depart p Chem. harm fol. 1043. medio but more of this by and by in the seventh Rule Sixtly in our flight wee must respect the place Rule 6 wherein and persons with whom we live For if the departure of the righteous doe hasten anger and fury and judgement from God upon the wicked as Lots departure did upon the wicked Sodomites then we must not be hasty to depart but labour rather to stand in the gap and to with-hold judgement from them by counselling advising admonishing and reproving of them and by praying for them yea continuing to doe this untill either the Lord by some particular command call us away or untill they come to that maturitie and ripenesse of sin that they will not endure instruction admonition or reproofe but hate us for it and set themselves against us and that not one or two but generally yea in a manner one and all as the Sodomites did against Lot Now if in this case wee may say with the people of God wee would have cured Babell but shee would not be cured let us therefore forsake her And if wee have any command or vision or voice from God as the faithfull in Ierusalem had who being in the Temple heard a voice saying unto them Migremus hinc let us flee hence or as Ioseph had Mat. 2.13 then wee must follow the Lords call and depart Rule 7 Seventhly a Minister in his flight should consider whether he onely be not aimed at by the enemies of the truth who for some certaine causes beare a personall hatred and grudge against him and if they could but procure his departure then the Church should have peace and tranquillity Chemnitius harmon fol. 1043. medio is of opinion and I dare not gaine-say it that that Pastor sins against and breakes
this more amply by and by II. When men deny God the Sonne and this is that deniall which the Text speakes of Whosoever shall deny me elsewhere the phrase is Whosoever shall be ashamed of me Marke 8.30 Luke 9.26 where this addition is put And of my words but the sense is one and the same for our Saviour speakes not here de causa moveme of the cause which moves men to deny Christ whether hatred ignorance feare or shame but de actu negandi of the deniall it selfe and this our Saviour condemnes this hee threatens and this he opposeth to the confession and profession of his name and word Whence we observe That to deny Christ is a great sinne Observ and doth alienate and estrange Christ from us How is Christ denied Quest 2 Christ is denied many waies or there is a manifold deniall of Christ namely either First internall which is two-fold to wit Answ either I. Direct when in heart a man utterly denieth the truth of the Gospell Or II. Indirect when men doe not beleeve in Christ but place their confidence in others and other things and that both for temporall blessings and spirituall graces Or when men deny the Providence of God Give mee not poverty lest I deny thee Prov. 30.9 Secondly Externall which is two-fold to wit either I. Direct when a man denieth Christ with his mouth and this is twofold to wit either First totall when men deny that there is neither Lord or Christ as the Atheists who impudently and blasphemously affirm that there is no Deity no Trinity Psalme 14.1 Or Secondly partiall and this is two-fold namely either I. When men deny that Christ is not yet come in the flesh as the Jewes do Or II WheÌ„ men deny that Christ is the Messias and true God as the Jews did Act. 3.13 Iohn 9.22 and As the Turks and Anti-christ doe 1 Iohn 2.22 Or II. Indirect and this is two-fold namely either First when men deny Christ in opinion and this is two-fold namely either I. When men hold not the truth of the Gospell in all things and in this sense whosoever doth thinke amisse either of God or Christ or Religion are said to deny them As for example First the Valentinians denied that Christ was incarnate and made true man Secondly the Arrians denied his Deitie or that he was true God Thirdly the Epicures deny the providence of God Fourthly the Saduâ—â—s deny the Resurrection Luk. 20.27 Fiftly Adam denied Gods truth and wisedome Sixtly the Pelâ—gians deny Christ to be our sanctifier contrary to 1 Cor. 1.30 Seventhly the Socinians deny Christ to be our Saviour for they who will not acknowledge him to bee such a Saviour as he is described to be in the word deny him to be a Saviour Eightly those deny Christ who forsake and fall away from the truth once received acknowledged and professed embraceing instead of the truth lyes and instruct of the word humane Traditions and superstitious vanities Or II. When men professe not the truth they know and hold they deny Christ for hee is either denied by silence or speech Some speake false against their conscience denying that openly which they know to be true Secondly some dare not openly professe that truth which they know for feare Thirdly some speake of Christ contrary to knowledge out of malice as the Jewes did or out of covetousnesse as the Souldiers did Mathew 28.13.15 They offend here against the profession of Christ and the truth and Religion who either First blaspheme Christ as Iulian the Apostate and the Pharisees and Iewes did who said he had â— Divell or as Pope Iulius 2 did when he said he would eat Bacon Al despetto del Dio even in despight of God Or Secondly when men assent unto errours for as there is but one Christ so there is but one truth and whatsoever is contrary to that is a lye And therefore the servants of Christ are the servants of truth Math. 26.70 Rom. 1.25 And they that deny the truth and accept of errours deny and forsake Christ Thirdly they also deny Christ who silence and conceale their profession who smother the truth in their hearts not suffering the profession of Christ or Religion to appeare unto the world Ioh. 9.20 and 12 42. c. who either are not able or at least are unwilling to satisfie every man who demands or desires to know a reason of their faith 1 Peter 3.15 yea many thinke it now a dayes a high point of wisdome so to elude by ambiguous answers all Questions concerning faith and Religion that no man can tell what Religion they love like or embrace Thus to cloake and cover Religion doth plainly unmaske and discover a denier of Christ Object But it may bee here objected It is lawfull sometimes to conceale some truths yea we are commanded to flie unto another City If we be persecuted where we are and therefore wee may surely conceale Religion Answ 1 First wee may hide some truths sometimes and this is most certaine but wee must neither hide all truths neither some particular truths sometimes Answ 2 Secondly the reason is not alike between fleeing from Persecution and concealing of Religion we having a precept for the one and a prohibition for the other But I omit these two Answ 3 Thirdly observe that there is a double profession of Religion namely I A Profession which is placed in good workes that is when our workes may bee knowne before our Religion And II. A Profession which consists in an open confession Quatenus fit ore of all the principles principal points of true religion Now the first profession is alwaies necessary But the second is not necessary alwaies we must never shew forth or performe any workes opposite or contrary to true Religion or the Doctrine of the Scriptures but we are onely to confesse and professe the Articles of our faith in a fit time and place and upon some serious occasion Secondly Christ is indirectly denied in Practise and this is Five-fold namely I. When Protestants deny Christ by a wicked life 2 Timoth. 3.5 which place is expounded Titus 1.15 c. and 1 Timoth. 5.8 And therefore the warfare of Professors is to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Titus 2.12 For hee that denieth not these denieth Christ II. When Professours talke much of Christ and Religion but shew forth no religious workes or performances not beeing carefull that way to confesse Christ III. When men doe not labour to conforme themselves according to the example of Christ Philip. 2.5 IV. When his word which is taught unto us is not obeyed And V. When we neglect salvation trampling under our feet the blood of the Covenant and sleighting the offers of Christ made unto us in the word and the tender of salvation by him Read Hebr. 2.3 and 10.29 Acts. 3.14 and 13.46 And therefore let us take heed of all sorts of denials of Christ whether externall or internall whether direct or indirect because
the Law were condemned in this verse Therfore all unwritten Traditions must now be abolished To this Bellarmine answers two things namely Answ 1 First Christ condemneth not the ancient Traditions of Moses but those which were newly and lately invented Answ 2 Secondly Christ taxeth and findeth fault onely with wicked and impious Traditions To his first answer we answer two things viz. Replie 1 First the Scripture maketh no mention of any such Traditions of Moses Christ biddeth them search the Scriptures and not run unto Traditions Secondly these which our Saviour here speaks Replie 2 of seemed to be ancient Traditions bearing the name of Elders Traditions and they were in great authority among the Iewes most like because of some long continuance To his second Answer we answer likewise two things to wit First their Traditions were not openly and Replie 3 plainly evill and pernicious but had some shew of holinesse as the washing of pots and Tables and beds yea the Traditions of the Papists come nearer to open impietie and blasphemie then the Jewish Traditions did Secondly Christ in opposing the Scripture against Replie 4 Traditions therein condemneth all Traditions not written which were urged as necessary besides the Scripture What may wee safely hold concerning the Quest 1 Traditions of the Church First that besides the written word of God Answ 1 there are profitable and necessary constitutions and Eâ—clesiasticall Traditions to wit of those things which respect the outward decencie and comelinesse of the Church and service of God Secondly the efficient cause of all true Traditions Answ 2 is the Holy Spirit which directs the Bishops and Ministers assembled together in Councell or Convocation for the determining of such orders and Constitutions according to the word of God and doth also direct the Churches in the approving and receiving of such Traditions Thirdly no Tradition of the Church can constitute Answ 3 or ratifie a Doctrine contrary to the written word of God neither any rite or ceremony for both Constitutions and Doctrines ought to be agreeable at least not contrary to the written word And as all Civill Lawes ought to have their beginning from the Law of nature so all Ecclesiasticall Traditions from the word of God Rom. 14.23 and 1. Corinth 14.26 40. Fourthly although Ecclesiasticall Traditions Answ 4 may be derived from the word yet they are not of equall authority with the word How may the true Traditions of the Church Quest 2 be known or discerned from humane and superstitious Ordinances By these foure notes and marks to wit Answ First true Traditions are founded upon the word and consentaneous unto the word and deduced derived and taken from the word Secondly true Traditions are profitable for the conserving and promoting both of piety and externall and internall worship Thirdly true Traditions make for the order decorum and edification of the Church And Fourthly are not greevous and intollerable as the Traditions of the Pharisees were and the Papists are Matth. 23.4 VERS 4 5 6. For God commanded saying Honour thy Father and Mother Verse 4.5 6. and he that curseth Father or Mother let him die the death But ye say whosoever shall say to his Father or his Mother It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me And honour not his Father or his Mother he shall be free Thus have yee made the Commandement of God of none effect by your Tradition Sect. 1 § 1. Honour thy Father and thy Mother Quest 1 Whether is the Father or Mother more to be honoured and loved Answ 1 First Children can never honour and love parents that is either Father or Mother enough because we are imperfect in our Obedience to every precept Answ 2 Secondly I conceive that a vertous Father is more to be honoured and loved then a vitious Mother and contrarily a vertuous Mother more then a vitious Father because there is Tantundem aliquid amplius a naturall Relation to both but a spirituall Relation onely to the vertuous and godly We are commanded principally to love our heavenly Father best and caeteris paribus to love those best next him that are neerest unto him in love and most like unto him in purity Answ 3 Thirdly if we speake properly positively and without any Relation to any thing understanding the Question thus Whether the Father In quantum est pater as hee is the Father or the Mother as she is the Mother be more to be honoured and loved then with the Schoolemen I answer that the Father is more to be loved and honoured then the Mother And the reason hereof is this because when we love our Father and Mother Qua tales as they are our Father and Mother then wee love them as certaine principles of our naturall beginning and being Now the Father hath the more excellent cause of beginning then the Mother because the Father is Principium per medum Agentis Mater autem magis per modum Patientis materiae And thus if wee looke upon Father and Mother Secundum rationem generationis then we must confesse that the Father is the more Noble cause of the Child then the Mother is If the learned Reader would see this prosecuted let him read Thomas 2.2 q. 26. Art 10. And Arist etheâ— lib. 8. And Anton. part 4. tit 6. Cap. 4. § 8. And Aurtum opus pag. 60 b. Answ 4 Fourthly if we speake of that love and honour which is due unto parents according to their love towards Children then we answer that the Mother is more to be beloved then the Father and that for these reasons viz. I. The Philosopher saith because the Mother is more certaine that the Child is hers then the Father is that is his he beleeves it is his Child but she is sure that it is hers II. Because hence the Mother loves the Child better then the Father doth Arist lib 9. ethic III. Because the Mother hath the greater part in the body of the Child it having the body and matter from her and but only the quickning vertue from the Father h Arist de gen animal lib. 1. IV. Because the Mother is more afflicted for the death of the childe than the Father is and doth more lament the adversity thereof than his Father doth Solomon saith Prov. 10. A wise Son rejoyceth his Father but a foolish Son is a heavinesse to his Mother From whence some say that Fathers in regard of their naturall constitution of body which naturally is hot and dry do more rejoyce when their children are promoted unto honour than the Mothers do but Mothers in regard of their naturall constitution which naturally is cold and moist do more mourn and lament for the losses and crosses of their children than the Father doth But I will neither trouble my self to prove this nor perswade my Reader to beleeve it but leave it to the Philosophers and Schoolmen to be decided and discussed V. Because the mothers part is more laborious
that there is in the servants of God hypocrisie or pride or sinister respects or secret ends or the like for which they scandalize them as though it were indeed as they sinisterly imagine Answ 2 Secondly the very Doctrine of the Gospell is hard and therefore is offensive to the nature of man who desires to walk in the way of ease Iohn 6.60 and 1 Corinth 1.16.21 Answ 3 Thirdly Sathan doth continually raise up some enemies or other and therefore the Church in no age hath or shall be free from some who therein shall give offence to Religion and the Gospel of Christ Acts 2.13 and 4.1 and 5 17 40. and 6.11 and 1 Cor. 16.9 Quest 3 What is here required of us Answ 1 First we must not wonder although the profession or professours of Religion be scandalized yea compassed about with calumnies for Christ himself was calumniated Luke 2.34 and 12.51 And the Primitive Church was reported to have sacrificed children to have been Nicolaitans with other wicked scandals slanders Answ 2 Secondly we must expect oppositions that so wee may be armed the better against them and that I. By a constant resolution that no detractions derisions slanders nor reproaches shall cause us to turn our feet out of the wayes of God And II. By circumspection and watchfulnesse Ephes 5.15 Thirdly we must take heed that we be not offended with any thing that happens or falls out but avoid the Ordinary causes of offences which are these to wit I. Some are offended with Religion because the persons of the Religious are despised Read Matth. 13.57 c. Mark 6.3 Iohn 7.41 47. II. Some are offended with Religion because the life of the Religious is somewhat popular and not so strict as they would have it Thus some stumbled at Christ when they said Why doe the Disciples of Iohn and of the Pharisees fast but thy Disciples fast not Matth. 9.11 Iohn 8.48 III. Some are offended with Religion because the Religious are still subject to the crosse and under the rod Matth. 26.31 and 1 Corinthians 15.19 IV. Some are offended even with the Doctrine of the Gospel Acts. 28.22 and 1 Corinth 1.23 And that either First because the Gospell is preached Acts. 4.2 and 13.45 c. Or Secondly because Christ publisheth and proclaimeth himself to be the Son of God Iohn 5.18 Or Answ 3 Thirdly because it seems absurd that we should obtain life by Christs death or be freed from death by him who was taken captive of death and subjected thereunto Thus the Two Disciples were offended because of Christs death Luke 24. And hence the Christians were made a mocking-stock of by the Iews because they beleeved in a crucified God Iohn 6.52.60 Or Fourthly because Christ abrogated the Law of Moses Acts. Or Fifthly because he gives salvation freely unto us without any merit or work of ours Matth. 9.3 Philip. 3.9 Or Sixthly some are offended because Religion is too severe and will not allow them sometimes to follow and fulfill the desires of their own hearts Or Seventhly some are offended with Christ because he is to liberall and free in reprehending of them Matthew 15.12 Iohn 8.33 45. Or Eighthly some are offended with the Gospell by reason of the many dissensions and diversities of opinion amongst Christians and this is the frequent Objection and cavill of the Turks and Heretikes Now these and all other causes of offence we should cautelously avoid and let nothing make us stumble at Christ or at Religion § 3. Vt Scandala that offences should come Sect. 3 The meaning of these words Woe bee unto the world by reason of offences is woe bee unto the world because many scandals shall arise therein and there shall be many offences in the plurall number Scandala to teach us That many offences are to be expected in the world Observ What is an Offence or Scandall Quest 1 First in generall the word is derived from the Answ 1 Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from halting because a stumbling blocke being laid in the way causeth a man to halt and fall Some say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies that crooked part of the trap whereunto the bait is fastned upon which the creature eating and gnawing puls the trap down upon it self Suidas Secondly or the word Scandall comes from Answ 2 the Hebrew word or the Syriacke For Syrus saith that Machshula a Scandall comes from Cesal Impingo to beat knock or dash against it Now the Hebrews say that Michshol a Scandall comes from the root Casal which signifies to offend And therefore to scandalize and offend doth signifie a giving occasion unto others to stumble and fall and hurt themselves Thirdly more particularly this word Scandall Answ 3 is taken three manner of wayes to wit I. Sometimes for evill losse and an impediment and thus it is frequently taken in the old Testament II. Sometimes it is taken for an offence against the conscience of our Brother who is zealous for Gods glory Thus the Athenians were an offence unto Paul whose heart burned and whose Spirit was troubled in him when he saw their Idolatry Acts 17.16 III. Sometimes it is taken for a tentation whereby our Brother is drawn unto sinne Now these two latter properly are Scandals and offences but not the rst The meaning therefore of the point is this That so long as we live in the world we shall heare and see many things which will offend us if we be zealous for Gods glory yea many things whereby God is dishonoured and Religion scandalized yea we must expect temptations and provocations from others unto evill that so we may arme our selves against them and labour to prevent them Quest 2 How many sorts of Scandals or Offences are there Answ There is a double offence or Scandall namely First Scandalum datum an offence which is given and this Offence is either I. In the will of the Agent and that whether it respect First a mans self that is either I. His gain pleasure or satisfaction now this is understood of those who tempt others unto adultery or drunkennesse or murther or lying or theft or perjury c. Or II. His pride not caring who is offended Sic volo Thus I will doe let others think what they will I care not Now these are blame-worthy not so much because they look upon their brethren in envy as because they doe not respect them in love for we should bear that love unto our Brethren that we should not offend them at al if it lay in our power for if we willingly offend these little ones when we are left free we are inexcuseable and subject to the woe denounced in the Text. Or Secondly these voluntary offences respect our brethren when men do those things which are offensive to the Children of God and that out of envy and for this end that they may be offended
a Councell in determining of a case after that the Pope had delivered his sentence Card. Cusan Concord Cathol lib. 2. Cap. 17. pag. 737. If the Reader would see this Pillar of Popery That the Pope is not subject to a Nationall or Generall Councell razed and pulled down and that by their own side let him reade Bishop Mort appeale lib. 4. Cap. 2. § 8. p. 451. 452. Wee affirmed before in the conclusion of the fourth Generall Question that these verses speak of private and personall suits and quarrels between man and man Now how this is clearly confirmed and the contrary Objections made by the Separatists fully confuted If the Reader would know and see let him reaâ—e Mr. Bernard against the Separatists pag. 220. 221. § 2. Take with thee one or two Sect. 2 Why must witnesses here be called First Quest that they may convince the offender of his sin if so be he be either ignorant of it or Answ 1 deny it And Secondly that hee may be left without excuse if hee offend again And Answ 2 Thirdly that they may see and know that he which hath suffered the wrong hath done what Argum. 3 became him or belonged unto him to doe Carthus s § 3. Tell the Church Sect. 3 The Separatists object here against us and what wee have said That in these words Tell the Church the word Church cannot be taken for the Iewish Synedrion or the Assembly of Authoritie among the Iewes which was then as well civill as Ecclesiasticall First the word Church in holy Scripture is not alway so strictly taken as men do now use it but is used for the assembly of good or bad Christians or Infidels met together to consult and determine of causes whether civill or Ecclesiasticall Psalme 26.5 Where the Septuagint do translate the word Assembly by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church So Prov. 5.4 and Acts 19.32.39.40 in which three verses the word translated Assembly is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same which is here translated Church Secondly Beza himselfe by the word Church understandeth it as spoken here of the Iews that is the Elders assembled who exercised juâ—gement in those dayes which assembly of Iudges as here they be called the Church so in the old Testament they were called the Congregation which is all one Num. 35.12 24 25. Iosh 20.6 9. And therefore our Exposition is warrantable by the word and this objection is also of no moment against it Sect. 4 § 4. If hee refuse to heare the Church Object 1 The Papists say that Generall Councels may absolutely determine without Scripture and bind all men necessarily to the obedience of their Canons because such a Councell is a representative Church and for the proof hereof they thus urge this place Our Saviour Christ saith If hee refuse to heare the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen-man and Publican Therefore the Church is absolutely to be obeyed in all things Bell. lib. 1. de Concil cap. 18. Answ 1 First our Saviour in this place speaketh not of the Canons and Decrees of the Church concerning faith but only prescribeth the form of Church discipline for reformation of manners and correction of sin If thy brother trespasse against thee c. verse 15. where Christ saith no more then this That Christians ought to obey the sentence of the Church in censuring of sin and not that they ought to receive new Articles of faith if imposed by the Church though contrary to Scripture Answ 2 Secondly our Saviour speaketh not of every Church absolutely but of a Church guided and ruled by his word and assembled in his name verse 20. For otherwise by the Iesuits collection Christ and his Apostles should have been as Publicans because they obeyed not the Scribes and Pharisees amongst whom the Church was at that time Object 2 The Papists further produce this place to prove that the Church cannot erre but is infallible in her judgement Christ saith If hee will not heare the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and Publican but unlesse her judgement were infallible it were hard yea unequall to hold them for heathen men and Publicans which would not obey her Decrees And therefore the Church that is the Pastors of the Church Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 3. Cap. 5. cannot erre but is to bee heard in all things Answ 1 First it followeth not that the Church cannot erre because we are bidden to heare it for so we are commanded to obey Magistrates Rom. 13.1 and yet they may command things unlawfull and in such a case they must not be obeyed Act. 4.19 It was a Law to the Jews that in matters of weight they should repair to the Priests and doe according to that which hee should judge without declining from it Deut. 17.8 and yet the Papists will not say that Vriah and Annas and Caiphas were of infallible judgement Secondly the meaning of this place is That Answ 2 wee must obediently hear the Church and yeeld unto it not simply in all things but conditionally as long as it speaketh things agreeable to the word of God Thirdly the things properly which Christ Answ 3 here mentioneth and wherein hee biddeth us hear the Church are not determinations of faith but Church censures and admonitions wherein it is clear the true Church of Christ may sometimes decline from the right and be admonished by her children notwithstanding this threatning of Christs Thus the Jewes excommunicated him that was borne blind Iohn 9.34 and the East and West Churches censured one another about the keeping of Easter Niceph. lib. 12. Cap 33. If the Reader would see this further cleared and fully proved from some of their own side let him reade Mr. White his way to the true Church pag. 78. Epise Daven de Judice p. 100. Fourthly if the Church may erre in her censures Answ 4 as is proved in the fore-cited Authors notwithstanding these words of Christ then we leave it to the Iesuit to yeeld some sound reason or other why not as well in points of faith Fifthly the judgement of the Church whether Answ 5 in inflicting of censures or defining of opinions concerning faith or determining of differences about Religion is so farre to be regarded as it is warranted by the word For the Scripture neither here nor no where else doth say That the Prelates of the Church can never erre in judging Sixthly this place speaks of a particular Answ 6 Church for not for every offence of one brother against another is a Generall Councell to be called And therefore if there be any weight or truth in the Objection at all it proves that every particular Church hath an infallibility of judgement and cannot erre But this is more then the Papâ—sts affirm But of this more in the next objection Tarmerus in colloquio Ratisbonensi sess 13. produced this Argument to prove That the deciding determining and judging of all controversies of
under his Sect. 2 charge § 2. Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Object Some object this place to prove that CHRIST is not the judge of the world arguiug thus It is said here that the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel and 1. Corinth 6.2 The Saints shall judge the World Therefore Christ is not the onely Iudge of the world Answ The authority of judgement and giving sentence at the last day is proper to CHRIST alone and doth neither belong to the Apostles nor Saints so that they then shall judge onely as witnesses and approvers of CHRISTS judgement but of this something morefully in the following question How shall the Apostles judge the twelve Tribes of Israel seeing that CHRIST himselfe saith Iohn 5.22 The Father hath given all judgement to the Sonne First at the last day of judgement there shall be Answ 1 three sort of Iudges to wit I. Some shall judge in power now this power is either First absolute and independent and thus God the Father shall judge the world Genes 18.25 Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe that which is just Or Secondly delegate and derived and thus Christ as man shall judge the world Iohn 5.22 II. Some shall judge Assessoriè as Judges laterall or assistants and thus the Apostles shall judge the world as it is said in this verse III. Some shall judge by approbation that is they shall sit with the Judge in judgement to approve the sentence of the Judge and thus all the Saints and faithfull shall judge the world 1. Cor. 6 2. Secondly the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel three manner of wayes to wit Answ 2 I. By their doctrine and preaching of the Gospell because according unto that the sentence shall be pronounced at the last day Rom. 2.15 That is those at the day of judgement shall be acquitted that have beleeved and obeyed the Gospell and on the other side they shall be condemned that would not beleeve and obey it II. The Apostles shall judge the Jewes by their testimony which shall so convince them that they shall not be able to pretend ignorance of that doctrine according to which they shall be judged As CHRIST saith Matth. 24.14 That the Gospell shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony against them So the conscience of the Jewes will convince them and bring unto their remembrance when they see the Apostles what they both did and said amongst them for their edification and salvation and which obstinately and perversely they contemned and despised III. The Apostles shall judge the Tribes of Israel by their example for if the Jewes should pretend that the doctrine of the Gospell was too abstruse and sublime for them and that they were neither able to perceive it nor receive it then the Apostles will be set before them as exemplars of the contrary who being rude and illiterate men did notwithstanding vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospell and were thereby regenerated and made the children of God Chem. harm pag. 1827. § ult § 3. And shall inherit everlasting life Sect. 3 Who are enemies unto eternall life or erroneous Quest 1 and hereticall concerning it First the Atheists who deny it Answ 1 Post mortem nulla voluptâ—â—s in any thinke that it is with man as with beasts when they are dead they are gone and they are neither sensible of paine nor of pleasure after this life But this is directly contrary to the text Answ 2 Secondly those are here erroneous who divide life everlasting that is which grant that the soule is eternall but deny the Resurrection of the body This belongs unto the enemies of the Resurrection whereof we have to speake elsewhere and therefore here I omit it Answ 3 Thirdly the Chiliastes and Millenaries are also here erroneous now amongst them there are divers opinions namely I. Some hold that the joyes of heaven and eternity it selfe were onely to continue for the space of 1000 yeares and then to cease Danaeus 29. Prateol 347. bâ—et 128. II. Some held that the Saints should wallow in the life to come in all carnall delights and fleshly pleasures and this is reported to be the opinion of the Mahumetanes but Mr. Bedwell shewes the contrary III. Some hold a double time namely First that the righteous should have joy and the wicked sorrow and paine for the space of one thousand yeares And Secondly that after that time the world should be renewed and the devils and damned spirits freed from their torments This was Origens opinion and it was condemned and judged erroneous by the 5. Counsell of Constantinople Prateol 378. § 9. IV. Some expresse and explicate this opinion by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of the soule thus not knowing how to agree amongst themselves Answ 4 Fourthly they erre concerning life eternall who hold that it may be merited by the labours endeaouvers and workes of man Object Against this Bellarmine objects life eternall is promised to good workes in this verse but a promise made with a condition of worke makes that he which fulfils the worke doth deserve the thing promised and may of right require it as his due and deserved reward Answ Durande in 2. d. 27. q. answers singularly two things for us viz. I. Promissio divina in Scripturis sanctis non sonat aliquam obligationem sed insinuat meram dispositionem liberalitatis divinae II. Quod redditur ex promissione praecedent e non redditur ex merito operis de condigno sed sâ—lum vel principalitèr ex promisso Quest 2 What and how many are the causes of this eternall life Answ There are three causes thereof to wit First Primaria the prime and principall Cause and that is God namely I. God the Father who gives it from himselfe and from whom all good things come Iohn 3.16 and .5.21 and. Iames. 1.17 II. God the Sonne who gives it from the Father yea gives it as the Father Iohn 5.21 and .10.28 Rom. 8.10 III. God the holy Ghost who gives it from the Father and the Sonne for the Spirit is life Iohn â— 5 Rom. 8.10 And therefore if we desire to be assured of eternall life let us be carefull to please God the Father and obey the God Sonne and seeke after God the holy Ghost Secondly Impulsiva the impulsive and moving cause and this is the onely mercy of God And therefore we must not arrogate any thing to our owne workes but laud the mercy and free grace of God Ephes 1.6 Thirdly Medians causa the instrumentall Cause or Meanes whereby we are made partakers of this life Now the meanes are these I. The Spirit of Regeneration who workes the beginning of this spirituall life Rom. 8. II. The word of Reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.20 and salvation Acts. 18.28 Iohn 6.68 Rom. 1.16 III. The Sacraments because they seale unto us the grace of God and confirme our faith IV. Hence
Luke answer to begge of those who came by Marke 10.46 Luke 13.35 Quest 9 Why did the Scribes and Pharisees suffer beggars amongst them seeing God had forbidden it Deut. 15.7 and that order was taken for the providing for them Deuter. 24.12 c. Answ These things they thought tended to their losse and therefore every man pulled his necke out of the collar and would rather suffer the poore to begge then provide for them of theirs themselves according to the Law Quest 10 Seeing God hath prohibited these publike wandring beggars why doth not CHRIST here reprove them Answ 1 First because they begged not through their default but through the carelessnesse of these who would not provide for their reliefe Answ 2 Secondly because it was lawfull for them to begge seeing the Magistrates did neglect to take care for them Jf the Lord disinable men to worke and the Governours will not provide for their maintenance then the Lord allowes them to begge and seeke reliefe from others for steale they must not though they starve Sect. 2 § 2. When they heard that Iesus passed by cryed out Quest 1 What was the occasion of this their crye Answ The hearing of this tidings that Christ passed by Now herein we might observe two things viz. First they heare a great noyse or tumult or course of people And Secondly because they know not what it meanes they aske where we see that hearing and enquiring are the causes of their sight To teach us Obser 1 That wee ought to heare the word and to enquire and conferre with the children of God if we desire the removall of our spirituall blindnesse Reade Luke 3.11 Acts. 2.37 and. 8.34 and. 10.33 and. 13.15.42 and. 16.30 and. 17.11 Rom. 10.14 Quest 2 Who are here worthy of reproofe and blame Answ 1 First the Recusants who like deafe Adders stoppe their eares and will not heare the word of God Here observe two things viz. I. The malice of Sathan in the Popish Priests or the sathanicall malice of the Popish Priests against the Laity for they neither prohibit them to drinke nor live nor marry with Protestants but onely to pray and heare and aske them questions concerning Religion and these they are charged strictly to avoide which I conceive they have learnt from Sergius in his Alcoran who prohibited the Turkes to dispute of Religion with any but of their owne sect II. We may observe the misery of those mislead and miserable seduced Papists who obey and follow this prohibition of their Priests thinking that they doe God good service when they abstaine from the hearing of his holy word Secondly they are faulty here among us who Answ 2 will not conferre about that which they heare nor aske questions where they doubt but heare without any care either to remember or learne or understand whereas we should so heare that we might understand what we heare and learne something by that which we heare and remember what we have heard which is profitable for our instruction and edification Why did the blind men cry unto Christ Quest 3 First perhaps because CHRIST as man could Answ 1 not otherwise have heard them Or Secondly because he was hindred by some Answ 2 weighty employment or serious discourse but they weary him with their clamours and prevaile by their importunity To teach us That we must pray fervently Here observe Obser 2 three things to wit First CHRISTS knew of their blindnesse before but yet he would be sued and sought unto Yea Secondly although they pray unto him yet he doth not at first incline unto them untill they cry Yea Thirdly he doth not lend an eare to their clamours by and by but in all probability deferres to grant their requests till after he returned from Iericho as Chap. 9.28 And what is the reason of all this Because he would have us importunate Hence then learne That God is delighted with importunate Obser 3 prayers or with the importunity of his children in praying Read Matth. 7.7 Rom. 12.16 and. 1. Thessal 5.17 and Iames. 1.6 Who are here blame-worthy Quest 4 First those who neglect publike prayers with Answ 1 the congregation And Secondly those who neglect private prayers at Answ 2 home with their owne families And Thirdly those who pray perfunctorily and Answ 3 idly without either vigour spirit or intention Why doe these blind men crye or Wherefore Quest 5 They cry for a temporall blessing Answ namely sight To teach us That prayer is the remedy for the removall Obser 4 even of temporall afflictions and evils For the better understanding hereof observe That afflictions are either First Supernaturall whether they be I. Corporall as witch-craft inchantment and the like Or II. Spirituall as temptations checke of conscience trouble of mind and the like Now prayer onely is the remedy against both these Or Secondly Naturall here neither prayer alone is to be used without ordinary and lawfull meanes that being presumption nor is the meanes to be used without prayer that being carnality but we must use the meanes and then pray unto God for a blessing Who are here to be taxed as faulty and blame-worthy Quest 6 Answ 1 First those who in sicknesse and naturall evills use the externall meanes but despise prayer for if a man hope in the use of lawfull meanes without desiring the blessing of God he doth trust in the meanes and in himselfe and shewes that in his conceit he hath no need of God at all Answ 2 Secondly those are more to blame then the former who in naturall evils have recourse to wicked and indirect meanes as dissimulation deceit injury revenge theft and the like Answ 3 Thirdly those are most of all to be reproved who in supernaturall evils runne into evill yea divellish meanes as charmes inchantments and the like Answ 4 Fourthly they are not to be excused nor can be acquitted of guilt who in naturall evils pray unto God to helpe them but refuse the use of lawfull and warrantable meanes Answ 5 Fifthly they deserve not the least blame who will neither in affliction use lawfull meanes nor pray unto God for redresse against their evils Sect. 3 § 3. Thou Sonne of David We see here how the blind men acknowledge CHRIST to be the promised Messiah who was promised under a double name namely First sometimes under the name of David as Ierem. 30.9 Ezechiel 34.23 Hos 3.5 Secondly sometimes under the name of the Sonne of David as Esa 9.6 and 16.5 Ierem. 23.5 And 23.15 Matthew 22 4◠Iohn 7.42 Matth. 12.23 and 2◠9 and 15.22 Sect. 4 § 4. Have mercy vpon us Obser 1 We see here that these blind men desire mercy in generall but they name nothing in particular to teach us That all our prayers are to be referred to the will of God Not my will but thy will be fulfilled for we must prescribe nothing unto God who is infinite in mercy love wisedome and knowledge but subunt our wils to
them at all Secondly they persevere and continue crying but yet they gaine nothing thereby Thirdly afterwards as though they had done some evill thing they are reproved and blamed by the multitude for their prayers Yet notwithstanding all this they doe not desist but are so much the more fervent in their prayers as is here plainly expressed and they cried so much the more How many things are herein implyed Quest 1 Two namely Answ First their perseverance they give not over but continue praying To teach us That we must be perseverant in prayer and Obser 1 continue therein untill we have obtained that which we want or else untill Gods will be otherwise revealed Read Rom. 12.12 and 1. Thes 5.17 Luke 18.1 c. Matth. 7.7 and 26.42 44. Why must we continue thus in prayer Quest 2 First because God by with-holding from us Answ 1 what we want and desire doth thereby onely prove whether wee will give over praying or not Secondly because if we persevere in prayer we Answ 2 shall be holpen For I. We can obtaine nothing without perseverance And II. If we persevere in prayer we shall obtaine what we desire Hitherto saith Christ ye have asked nothing in my name but ye have obtained it Iohn 14. and 1. Iohn 4.16 Thirdly we must continue in prayer because Answ 3 at least it is a comfort to those who are afflicted and hence CHRIST prayes when his soule was troubled and St. Iames commands all to pray when they are afflicted Iames 5.12 Yea Fourthly we must continue in prayer because Answ 4 I. It is the service of God And II. The solace of the soule And III. The remedy against evill Secondly the next thing implied in these words And they cryed so much the more is the fervour and zeale of the blind men Whence we learne That wee ought to pray fervently as well as Obser 2 perseverantly Rom. 12.12 Hâ—â— observe these things namely I. We stand in need of many things but we can expect nothing without prayer Iames 4.2 Jf we would have we must aske Matth. 7.7 For prayer is the cause and condition without which we cannot and by vvhich we may obtaine any thing at Gods hand and therefore it is necessary that we should pray II. We are hindred from good things by Sathan who is expelled and driven away by prayer alone and therefore great reason there is that we should pray III. Jt is the remedy against temptation as appeares by our Saviours admonition Pray lest ye enter into temptation And therefore if we would be preserved from sinne we must pray IV. Prayer is a part of Gods worship and service now he is to be worshiped in spirit and truth and served with all the heart and with all the soule And therefore we must offer up unto him spirituall hearty and fervent Prayers CHAP. XXI Vers 5 VERS 5. Tell ye the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke and sitting vpon an Asse and a Colt the Foale of an Asse Our Saviour here by calling himselfe a King ministers occasion unto us to consider a little of his Kingdome and the nature thereof because King and Kingdome are Relata Quest 1 What is the Kingdome of Christ Answ That whereby he doth dispense and administer with authority and power all things which belong unto the salvation of men Psalm 2.6 Daniel 2.44 Luke 1.36 Quest 2 What are the properties of this Kingdome Answ 1 First it is an Universall Kingdome and that in three regards viz. I. Jn respect of all ages Matth. 22.43 44 45. For it hath beene from the beginning and shall be unto the end of the World II. Jn respect of all sorts of men which belong unto this Kingdome for there are some of all nations and vocations which belong thereunto Daniel 7.14 Revelat. 17.4 III. Jn respect also of all creatures inasmuch as they belong unto the good of Gods chosen and promote or helpe forward their salvation Ephes 1.21 22. Answ 2 Secondly this Kingdome is in the very soules and consciences of men Rom. 14.17 Yea Answ 3 Thirdly it dispenseth both eternall life and death Revelat. 1.18 Answ 4 Fourthly it is an eternall Kingdome Daniel 2.44 and 7.14 Answ 5 Fifthly the last property of this Kingdome is this Jt brings true peace and perfect happinesse to those who are heires thereof Esa 9.6 Ephes 2.16 Hebr. 7.2 And hence this Kingdome is called in Scripture sometimes the Kingdome of God sometimes the Kingdome of peace and glory somtimes the Kingdome of light and glory and sometimes the Kingdome of heaven and the world to come Hebr. 2.5 Quest 3 What is the duty of the Subjects of this Kingdome Answ 1 First they must admire the singular humility of their Lord and this our Saviour seemes to intimate and imply in this word Ecce Behold Tell yee the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke c. Jt must needs breed and beget admiration in us if we doe but consider these things viz. I. Who comes The King of glory and the glory and splendor of the Father II. Unto whom doth he come Unto those who drinke iniquity like water Iob. 15. And therefore Christs comming unto us is no other then First the comming of light to darknesse And Secondly the comming of righteousnesse to unrighteousnesse And Thirdly the comming of life to death And therefore how can we but admire it Elizabeth wondred whence it was that the Mother of her LORD should come and visite her and we have much more cause to admire why the Lord himselfe will come to visite us Secondly the Subjects of this King or Kingdome Answ 2 must rejoyce for the benefits they reape by their King and priviledges they enjoy by being Subjects of this Kingdome And this seemes to be implyed here in these words Thy King commeth unto thee Every Christian should labour to make of this Tibi a Mihi that so they might say My LORD CHRIST hath come Mihi to me for this will afford true and solide joy Wherein must we rejoyce Quest 4 First in prayer because whatsoever we begge in Answ 1 the name of this King we shall obtaine Secondly in anxiety and sorrow for our sinnes Answ 2 because this is a faithfull saying That this King came into the World for the salvation of Sinners Thirdly in tentation because we have a King Answ 3 who is potent yea Omnipotent and therefore let us call upon him that he may destroy the workes of Sathan in us Fourthly in persecution poverty sicknesse and Answ 4 the like because he is our comforter in persecution our riches in poverty our Physitian in sicknesse yea all in all unto us and therefore we have great cause to rejoyce in him Here it may be objected oh but he deferres long for J have beene in misery and prayed unto him Object and expected helpe from him and yet am not delivered how therefore can J rejoyce in affliction First be not dismaid
man doth frequently prevent danger whereas the secure fals into it Answ 6 Sixthly there can be no true security amongst us nor freedome from evill if we consider these things namely I. Our sinnes and the nature of them and our continuance in sinne And II. Our God whom we offend by our sinnes and who sees and registers all our sinnes and who is able to avenge himselfe upon us for our sinnes and whose justice and truth will not permit him to spare our sinnes without repentance And III. How God hath punished others for our admonition and terrour we have heard of Plague Famine Warre amongst our neighbours wherewith they have beene wasted which heauy judgements we cannot but thinke in regard of Gods infinite justice to have come upon them for their sinnes and we have cause to thinke that CHRIST saith unto us That they were not greater sinners then we are and therefore except we repent we shall likewise perish Wherefore it is most dangerous for us to be secure Quest 3 Who are here worthy of blame Answ 1 First they are extreamly faulty who thinke that state to be the happiest where there is no feare for the contrary is most true and security is a sure Answ 2 signe of approaching misery Secondly those also are to be taxed who thinke the godly to be melancholy men because they feare danger when neither danger nor distresse appeares Quest 4 What is here required of us Answ 1 First a serious consideration of the roote of our security we should consult with our selves and see from whence it springs and whether we have just cause to be secure or not Answ 2 Secondly it is required of us to be watchfull over our selves and wayes and to arme our selves against the Judgements of God and prepare to meete him And Answ 3 Thirdly to awaken others who are sleepy and secure because security shews that judgement hangs over their heads If we should see a house on fire and perceive some asleepe therein we would awaken them and not suffer them to perish how much more then should we doe so when we see men lulled asleepe in carnall security when the judgements of God hang over their heads And it is required Answ 4 Fourthly that we should meditate of our death and repent before our death It was the saying of a Rabbi Repent one day before thy death that is every day we should daily expect death and by unfained repentance prepare daily for it Fifthly we must doe as Noah did make an Answ 5 Arke against the over-flowings of Gods judgements and labour that our God may be reconciled unto us Answ 6 Sixthly it is required of us that we should bring forth fruit and grow and increase in grace labouring daily more and more for it for thereby we shall be kept from security What are the causes of security and the remedies Quest 5 against it First ignorance errour or an erroneous opinion Answ 1 of the nature of sinne and the providence of God causeth security Many thinke that God neither sees nor observes their sinnes neither will punish them because as some of the Heathens thought all these terrene and sublunary things are ruled by chance and Fortune The ignorance of God and of the nature of sinne or the incogitancy of both causeth security for no wonder if we doe not feare those things which we neither remember thinke of nor know The Remedy against this Cause is to thinke sinne to be out of measure sinfull and to learne to know the Lord to be Omnipotent Omniscient and Omnipresent We must remember that God sees all things and by his providence governes all things and hates sinne with a perfect hatred and will punish undoubtedly sinne in all those who will not repent them of it and turne from it Secondly a neglect of those meanes which God Answ 2 prescribes to be used causeth security and ignorance For none ordinarily are more secure then they who most neglect all exercises and duties of Religion Now the Remedy against this is to be diligent industrious and frequent in all holy means and duties both publike and private Answ 3 Thirdly incredulity of the word of God and of his judgements causeth security when mens hearts grow hard sleepy and unfaithfull neither beleeving the promises nor threatnings of the word nor the judgements of God then they grow secure Now this infidelity is strengthened by our sensuality for as the light of the Sunne darkens the light of the Starres so the light of sense darkens and obscure the light of holy and spirituall things we being naturally backward to beleeve any thing which is not plaine and perspicuous to sense The Remedy against this cause is to labour for the knowledge of the word and to assent to every good word of God as infallibly true yea to remember that Heaven and Earth shall passe away before one jot or tittle of the word fall to the ground unaccomplished because if God have spoken he will also certainly doe it And therefore we must feare his threatnings and beleeve his promises Fourthly a presumption of the mercy of God causeth Answ 4 at least corroborateth this in fidelity for when men thinke that he who made them will save them and though they sinne yet grace shall abound then they speedily waxe carnally secure The Remedy against this is not to presume of mercy without repentance obedience and faith the Lord having said That though he be mercifull and gracious c. yet he will by no meanes let the impenitent sinner goe unpunished Exod. 34.4 5 6. And againe that he that made men will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour if they be wicked and rebellious Esa 27.11 Fifthly prosperity causeth security and makes Answ 5 men fearelesse as we see in David who in his prosperity said that he should never be moved Psalm 30.6 And in Iob who said I shall dye in my nest Iob 29.18 And in the Church of Laodicea Revelat. 3.17 The remedy against this is I. To remember that neither love nor hatred is knowne by these things Eccles 9.1 And II. That all these outward things are vaine transitory and as mutable as the Moone And III. That all our riches and abundance cannot availe us at the last day nor free us from the judgements of God here Read Proverb 10.4 and 11.4 and Iob. 15.21 and 21.7 c. unto 14. verse and Psalm 73.3 c. unto the 18 verse Answ 6 Sixthly security is caused often by Gods lenity and long suffering or because sinne is not avenged but punishment deferred Wicked men thus wickedly ruminate with themselves J have sinned often and long and am yet spared and perceive that the threatnings of preachers are but scare-Crowes and therefore now J may be secure and need feare no evill though J runne on unto sinne as a Horse unto the battell The remedy against this is to remember Quod differtur non
that will be the time of retribution and a tree being once fallen cannot turne it selfe on the other side This is the difference betweene death and the last judgement before the sudden approach of death we may repent as Mr. Latymer said betweene the falling of the hatchet and the separation of the head but no repentance at the approach at the last day And therefore we should before it comes prepare our selves and that I. By repentance and true conversion unto God Hebr. 3.13 c. While it is said to day And II. By faith for without faith we cannot please God Hebr. 11.6 and there can be no true faith without repentance 2 Tim. 4.4 and new obedience Thirdly the time of CHRIST comming will Answ 3 be in an houre when we looke not for it or it will come unawares and altogether unexpected And this is the worst of all for although it be unknowne yet if we did expect it it would not find us unprepared but it will come when we kâ—ow not ye when we feare it not at all and so become a horrible houre unto us The point observable from hence is this That Christ will come unto judgement when Obser 3 we are most secure and most negligent For the better taking up and confirming of this we will consider three dependant particulars viz First the Causes why we neglect the Comming of Christ that wicked men neglect Christs Comming is plaine from Luke 21.34 and verses 38. and 49. of this Chapter Now the Causes why they neglect his comming are principally these two namely I. The joyes and delights of the world which are either First lawfull as laughter play mirth now concerning these the Apostle saith Let those who rejoyce be as though they rejoyced not 1 Cor. 7 3â— that is they must not be profuse in their laughter but moderate in all worldly delights and pleasures Or Secondly unlawfull as drunkennesse gluttony uncleannesse and the like wherein wicked men wickedly rejoyce Reâ—d Luke 21.34 and verses 38. and 49. of this Chapter II. The cares distractions and employments of the world cause us to neglect the comming of CHRIST Here observe three Causes to wit First Causa juvans the helping and furthering Cause and that is the care of our vocations and callings Now although callings are warrantable and lawfull and a provident care in the managing and following of our callings be warrantable and lawfull yet our care may be too excessive and immoderate even in our Vocations Psal 127. And hence the Apostle exhorts those who buy to be as though they bought not c. 1 Cor. 7.31 Secondly there is Causa laqueans the bewitching and enthralling cause and that is Coveteousnesse oppression and the like Matth. 13.22 and 1 Tim. 6.9 These we must principally take heed off they being as pernicious to our poore soules as bird-lime or snares are to the poore birds Thirdly there is Causa occidens the killing cause to wit worldly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 which causeth death Secondly men being once overcome with these causes they then become secure and sleepe fearelessely Matth. 2â— 5 and verse 38 of this Chap. and verse 48. That is they either regard not Christs Comming or else they presume that he will deferre his comming And Thirdly then CHRIST will come in the night in the last watch of the night when men sleepe Matth. 1â— 25 and verse 43. of this Chapt. That is when he is not expected or looked for Vers 46.47 VERS 46 47. Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he commeth shall find so doing Verily I say unto you that he shall make him ruler over all his goods Object Some of the Papists produce this place to prove the Invocation of Saints reasoning thus The good servant is here promised a reward of blessednesse even to be placed over all that his Lord hath whereby is meant That Saints after their departure are made Protectors of the Militant Church of Christ And therefore we may pray unto them Bellarm. de beat Sanct. Cap. 28. Coster Enchir Cap. 14. Answ By the context it is plaine even in the judgement of their Jesuite Maldonate that it is an explanation of the parable going before Chapt. 25.19 where it is said A long time after will his Lord come whereby doubtlesse is meant the second comming of CHRIST Maldonat â—es com in Matth. 25.19 31. And in this same Chapter it is said when his Lord shall come which cannot be understood but of the second coÌ„ming of Christ Vers 48 49 50 51. VERS 48 49 50 51. But and if that evill servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his Comming and shall beginne to smite his fellow servants and to eate and drinke with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites â— there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth § 1. But if that evill Servant shall say in his Sect. 1 heart c. The scope of our Saviour in these words as I take it is to teach us Obser That when wicked men most deride the judgements of God then they are most neare them Read Gen. 4.7 and 7. Matth. 25.5 10. and Revel 3.10 and Esa 5.26.27 Who are here to be blamed and reproved Quest 1 First those who deride the judgements of God Answ 1 Esa 5.19 Ierem. 17.15 and 20.8 Ierem. 4.4 Many there are who laugh at the comminations and meâ—â—ces of the Ministers of the word and in their wickednesse and drunkennesse say Let him preach anger and judgement for we feare it not certainly unto such the Lord will come in an houre when they are not aware and give them their portion in hat Lake where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Secondly they also are to be reproved who although Answ 2 they deride not the threatnings of the word denounced by the Preachers thereof yet in the meane time they presume and feare them not saying unto themselves we hope the judgements of God will not approach as yet and if they doe we shall not be subject unto them but delivered from them This Non morieris thou shalt not dye was the first dart that the Devill threw at man Gen. 3.2 And presumption like the Trojane horse brings a concealed enemy in the belly thereof which wounds before it warnes And therefore we must not presume To whom may this be fitly applied Quest 2 First to those who thinke that though they Answ sinne yet no evill shall come vpon them Eccles 5.4 c. neither shall they be punished at all Many argue I. From the mercy of God thus God is mercifull and therefore hee will not punish sinne And II. From others thus such and such have sinned greatly and grievously and yet no evill hath come unto them therefore sinne shall not be punished at all And
declared to be the Sonne of God being glorified of his Father with that glory which he had before with him as Iohn 17.2 Answ 3 Thirdly but admit that Christ in these words All power is given unto me speaketh of his humanity what then must it needs follow that his humanity is omnipotent nothing lesse but that it hath as much power given to it as possibly can be given to or received of any creature for the humanity of Christ is the most potent of all creatures but not an omnipotent creature and for this cause our Saviour saith here Omnis that is in omnia potestas all power or a power over all not summa potestas a supreame or omnipotent power Fourthly the humanity of Christ is omnipotent not in it selfe but in the Word as the Word suffered not in it selfe but in the flesh Answ 4 The Papists say as Virgill saith of Caesar Argum. Divisum imperium cum Jove Caesar habet that Christ hath divided his Kingdome and power with the Virgin Mary Now against this we produce hence this short Argument Our blessed Saviour saith here All power is given to me in heaven and earth The power then and Kingdome is not divided with Mary but resteth wholly in Christ Some Romanists enlarge the jurisdiction of the Object 3 Pope so farre as is the wide world objecting this place to prove the Popes authority over the Heathens Christ saith Vnto me is given all power in heaven and earth therefore saith Careus lib. 2. de potestate Rom. pontif Cap. 9. the Pope hath authority over Infidels First all power was given to Christ therefore Answ 1 the Pope hath authority over the Gentiles is a grosse and absurd consequence Secondly all power was given to Christ therefore Answ 2 to the Pope also is a blasphemous and Antichristian consequence Thirdly Bellarmine answers hereunto Bell. Answ 3 lib. 5. de Rom. pontif Cap. 5. that this power belonging unto Christ is so great as that it is not communicable to any mortall man Fourthly Barclaius de potest Papae Cap. 3. such Answ 4 saith there is no Scripture which defendeth any universall jurisdiction of the Pope as this is Yea Fifthly Bellarmine saith lib. 5. de Rom. pontif Answ Cap. 2. initio there is Scripture to confute it for 1 Cor. 5. Chap. the Apostles saith What have wee to doe with them who are without meaning Infidels who saith he are not subject unto the judgement of the Pope nor unto the authority of the Church untill they be baptized VERS 19.20 Vers 19.20 Goe ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Amen § 1. Goe yee therefore Sect. 1 Jn these two verses the chiefe parts of the Apostles function are thus to be discerned As First their legacy which is immediately given them of God unto all nations and not restrained within any limits And Secondly the publication of that doctrine which they received of the Lord. And Thirdly the administration of those Sacraments which were instituted by God And Fourthly the protestation of that especiall aid which although generally it concerne the whole Church yet particularly it respecteth the Apostles themselves Dr. Saravia of Ministers pag. 11. § 2. And teach Sect. 2 Dr. Carier in his last letter which is answered by our Dr. Hakewell Object and which was written onely to derogate all he could from the Scripture and to cast the authority thereof upon the Church that is as he else where expresseth himselfe the Clergie of the Church of Rome doth lay downe this proposition That our Saviour commanded not his Apostles to write his Religion but to teach it as in this verse Ite praedicate Goe and teach Answ 1 First by this Argument he would inferre that the Apostles sinned in going beyond their commission For if he bid them to teach onely by word of mouth and they both teach by word and writing then they transgresse the Commandement of their Master and consequently sinne Now if Bellarmine and Canus were alive they would blush at the impudency of their Carier for this unheard of assertion Answ 2 Secondly Christ saith Goe and teach therefore they must not write followes not for a man may teach as well by his pen as by his tongue by writing as speaking Yea doctrine delivered by writing as it is conveyed more purely and certainly without mixture arising from humane frailty and corruption so it spreads farther and lasts longer and if it degenerate is more easily reformed That is worthy to be marked which St. Luke hath in the Preface of his Gospell to that noble Theophilus viz. that although he confesseth that he had beene instructed in the Doctrine of Religion yet he thought it meete to write unto him from point to point that hee might have the certainty of those things So that though he had indifferent good knowledge before yet writing the story was the meanes to beget certainty according to that of the Prophet David This shall be written for the generation to come Answ 3 Thirdly this impudent bold assertion will appeare to be such both I. By the Lords owne practise who wrote the Decalogue once and againe in Tables of Stone And II. By the Lords owne Precept he in expresse termes commanding his Servants the Prophets to doe the same Read Exod. 17.14 Esa 8.1 Ierem. 30.2 Ezech. 37.16 Habak 2.2 And III. By the necessity of writing for before the Law was written what universall Apostasies there were from the true worship of God the Floud is a sufficient testimony of and after the Law was lost though the Priest-hood continued what generall swarvings there were both of Prince and people as well in manners as religion appeares 2 Chron. 34. What forbids us then to thinke that our Saviour in commanding his Apostles to teach all Nations should not by vertue of that command as well give them in charge to publish their Doctrine by writing as to deliver it by word of mouth Read besides Revel 1.11.19 and Chap. 2. and 3. and there we shall see that Christ commands Iohn to write what he saw Sect. 3 § 3. All Nations Object 1 Some Papists object this place for the infallibility of their Church CHRIST saith Goe teach all Nations Therefore the Church is free from errour and the Doctrine thereof is in all things infallible Answ 1 First these words were spoken to the Apostles onely and not to that which the Jesuits call the Catholike Church Now we grant that their teaching was infallible and all men were bound to heare it for they taught that which afterwards they writ in the Scripture yet they so taught and with such commission that the people are commended which examined their teaching by the Scriptures Acts 17.11 Secondly we grant that the Pastors of
from God Part 2. fol. 1. a. b. To which of Christs Apostles he gave Power and what power hee gave them Pt. 2. f. 1 b. Absence See Presence Abuse The best and most lawfull things may be abused Part 1. fol. 243. b. Account Divers necessary questions concerning our Spirituall account and reckoning with God Pt. 2. fol. 328 329 330. Actions Workes Divers profitable questions concerning the definition division necessity and nature of Workes in generall and good workes in particular Pt. 1. f. 72 a b. and 154. a b. 158 b. 177. b c. 179. a. b. 266 b. 270. b c. 341. b. 425. b c. 427. a. 471 a. 50â— b. 506 a. Pt. 2. f. 16 b. and 129 a. Divers questions concerning the merit reward examination and regulating of good Workes Pt. 1. f. 98 b. c. 158 a b. 258 b. 259 260. 266. 269 b. 270. 403 b. 426 b. 428 b. and Pt. 2. f. 46 b. 73 a. Who are enemies unto good Workes pt 1. f. 161. b. 259 a. 273 a b. Vnbeleevers cannot performe good Workes Pt. 1. fol. 262 a. Whether the Workes of the Righteous be perfect Pt. 1. fol. 330 331. Questions concerning Supererogatory Workes Pt. 1. f. 188 a. and pt 2. f. 235 a. 337 b. Adiaphorall things Ceremonies The Ceremonies of our Church used in Baptisme and the Lords Supper are lawfull Pt. 1. f. 67 b. and pt 2. f. 354. b. 355. Circumstances may make indifferent and lawfull things unlawfull and how pt 1. fol. 98 a b. Lawfull and Adiaphorall things are to be regulated according to a three fold rule Pt. 1. f. 98 a. Divers questions concerning Offences given and taken by Ceremonies and Adiaphorall things Pt. 2. fol. 207 208 c. and pt 1. f. 496. a b. Admonition Advice Counsell Who hide their Counsels and how it may lawfully be done Pt. 1. fol. 32. a b. Wee must Admonish Counsell and advise our Bretheren how and why Pt. 1. f. 153. a b. and pt 2. fol. 19. a b. Questions concerning Evangelicall Counsels unto Perfection Pt. 1. f. 186 a. 226 a. 262 b. and pt 2. fol. 243 b. 286 b. c. Adoption The nature markes and signes of adoption Pt. 1. f. 113 a. 487 488. Adversity Affliction Divers questions concerning the Causes end utility removall reward and benefits of Affliction and our duty in affliction Pt. 1. fol. 50 b. 112 b. 142 a. 169 a b. 303 a b. 314 a b. 362. and 439 b. and 448 a. and pt 2. f. 58 59. and 159. and pt 1. fol. 489. The Lord afflicts his Church and why pt 1. fol. 78 a. Vnlawfull meanes are never to be used in Affliction and misery and why pt 1. fol. 99 b. 100 a. Advice See Admonition Adultery Fornication adultery and uncleannesse must be avoided and why pt 1. fol. 216 a b. and 227 b. c. Divers questions concerning the division effects punishments and remedies of adultery fornication and uncleannesse pt 1. fol. 216 c. to fol. 223. Affections A right use of the affections helpes us in Gods service pt 1. fol. 41 b. Affliction See Adversity Agreement Vnity Concord Questions concerning our Vnion with Christ pt 2. fol. 278 a b. The Vnity and Vnion of the Church and faithfull is manifold pt 2. f. 8 a. 40 a. How brotherly Unity and Concord are to be continued pt 1. fol. 321 b. c. Christ loves Amity and unity amongst brethren pt 1. fol. 120. Allegories Figures It is lawfull to use Allegories and Figures in preaching pt 1. f. 120 b. Rules observeable in the Allegorizing of any Scripture pt 1. fol. 43 a. Almes Charity Divers questions concerning the division necessity impediments and remedies thereof and rules to be observed in the distribution of almes pt 1. f. 153. 155 156 157 158 160 b. 248 b. 268 269. Who are enemies to Almes-deeds and workes of charity pt 1. fol. 150 b. 151 a b. 267 a. Whether Almes-deeds be meritorius pt 1. fol. 160 a. and 267 a. Ambition Ambition is often the cause of arrogancy and arrogant presumption pt 1. fol. 46 a b. Amen What is meant by this word Amen part 1. fol. 321 b. Amity Love Divers questions concerning Love in generall the definition and division thereof and of our Love unto God pt 1. f. 133 b. 252 b. 334 b. 335. and pt 2. f. 54 b c. 286 287 288. Divers questions concerning the Love of our brethren Pt. 1. fol. 120 a. 159 b. 252 b. and pt 2. f. 56 b. 57 a. 135 b. 288 b. 289 a. Concerning the Love of our enemies See Enemies How Love is the fulfilling of the Law pt 1. f. 405 a. pt 2. f. 289 a b. Whether Love be a meritorious worke or not pt 1. folio 254. a. Anabaptists Famalists Separatists The Conventicles of Anabaptists and Familists are not warrantable pt 1. fol. 125 b. 126 a. Separatists are unpleasing unto God pt 2. folio 8 a b. The faithfull must be separated from the world and how Pt. 1. f. 175 b. Angels Divers questions concerning the evill Angels pt 1. f â—7 a. 140 b. 346. â— Questions concerning tutelary Angels part 2. fol. 214 b. Anger Divers questions concerning the nature originall causes effects degrees kinds and punishments of anger and the remedies against it pt 1. fol. 44 45. 105. 108. Christians must not be angry why pt 1. fol. 197. a. And what commendable anger iâ— Pt. 1. fol. 198 b c. and pt 2. fol. 297 b c. Whether anger be a â—eniall or mortall sinne pt 1. fol. 196 197 b. Anguish Griefe Mourning Divers questions concerning godly Mourners and mourning and the comforts and blessednesse which belong unto such Mourners Pt. 1. folio 142 143 144 145. There are divers sorts of Mourners pt 1. fol. 143 a b and 509 a. The outward expressions of sorrow are divers pt 2. fol. 8â— b. Answers All our Answers must be gentle and to the matter and why Pt. 1. fol. 114 a. Antichrist Who is Antichrist pt 1. folio 19. Whether he be one particular man pt 1. folio 17 b. and pt 2. fol. 315. b. Whether Antichrist be yet come pt 2. fol. 312 a. 313 a b. Antiquity When and how farre Antiquity is to be beleeved pt 1. fol. 189 b. 190 a b c. 194 b. Antiquity is a good proofe in controversies pt 2. fol. 233 a. Apostacy Backsliding The causes why so many are in danger to fall back and why so many doe fall back from Christ and Religion pt 1. fol. 132 b. and 506 a. and pt 2. fol. 28 a. 69 a b. Those who forsake and fall from Religion shall be forsaken pt 2. f. 6 a. Apostles Disciples Divers questions concerning the 12 Apostles and Disciples of Christ pt 1. fol. 134 135. 140 a. 171 172. 467 a. 495 a. and pt 2. fol. 1 a b. 2 a b. 12 a. 27 b. 387 b. Ministers must be Disciples before Apostles and why pt 2. fol. 1
Wherein did the Monkes of old differ from the recent and present Popish Monkes Quest First the ancient Monkes lived solitarily out Answ 1 of meere necessitie that thereby they might be the safer and more secure from the rage of Persecutors But Popish Monkes live cloistered up not in woods and caves but in faire and rich Abbies not for feare of persecution but of paines not out of necessitie but out of sloath and idlenesse Secondly the ancient Monkes were not compelled Answ 2 to give all they had to the poore but the Popish Monkes must vow poverty although their Abbies be rich and well furnished both with riches revenues and provision Answ 3 Thirdly the ancient Monkes were not tied to any certaine rule nor to a Monasticall life by any solemne and perpetuall vow but might have changed that sort of life if they could conveniently and commodiously have lived otherwise But the Popish Monkes are tied to certaine orders and rules taking an oath for the observing of them and making divers solemne and perpetuall Monasticall vowes Answ 4 Fourthly the encient Monkes were Laicks but the present Popish Monkes are of the Clergie if without abuse of the word I may terme them so Answ 5 Fifthly the ancient Monkes did ascribe no merits to their manner of living but to the Popish Monasticall life they attribute the merit of condignity Answ 6 Sixthly the Monasteries of the ancient Monks for the most part were publike Schooles that is common places for learning and teaching But the Popish Monasteries for the most part are places of Gluttony Drunkennesse Idlenesse and all manner of filthinesse If the studious Reader would see the lives and manners of the present Monkes and how they differ from those of old time let him reade Alsted fol. 344. 345. Verse 10 11. VERS 10 11. And hee called the multitude and said unto them Heare and understand Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man Quest 1 What was the occasion of Christs speaking these words unto the multitude Argum. The occasion was this The Pharisees â—ame the Apostles because they eate with unwashen hands contrary to the Tradition of the Elders verse 2. Christ hereunto gives a double answer viz. First he answers to the Scribes and Pharisees that by their Traditions they have violated the Commandements of God verse 3. Secondly he answers to the multitude in this verse that it is not that which goeth into the mouth which defiles the man but that which commeth out c. Quest 2 How many things are considerable and observable in these words Two things to wit Answ First Invitatio Turbae Christs inviting of the multitude wherein are two particulars viz. I. Quos vocat whom hee calleth the multitude II. Ad quid vocat why hee doth call them namely First Vt audiant that they may heare Secondly Vt intelligant that they may understand Secondly Concio his Sermon wherein are these two parts namely I. Pars negativa the negative part in these words those things which goe into the mouth defile not the man II. Pars affirmativa the affirmative part in these words those things which come out of the mouth defile the man First Quos vocat whom doth Christ here call The multitude What may be observed from these words Tum Quest 3 vocavit turbam then hee called the multitude First From Tum then wee might observe Answ 1 two things namely I. That Christ doth not teach them untill first hee had confuted the adversaries of the truth And II. They being once confuted then by and by hee teacheth and instructeth them Secondly from vocavit hee called we might Answ 2 learne two things to wit I. That hee doth not answer being asked by them but hee calleth them who desired no such thing that they might learne the truth that is the multitude did not first come unto Christ desiring to be informed by him and then hee taught them but without their suing unto him hee invites them to come that they might learne II. That hee calleth the multitude that is all that so the truth may be made manifest unto all and his Apostles freed and quit by all from that aspersion which was cast upon them by the Scribes and Pharisees Thirdly from Turbam the multitude wee Answ 3 may note that Christ sleighting or passing by the proud conceited Pharisees taught the common people Or that Christ rather chose to teach them who were contemned and despised in the world Reade Matt. 11.25 and 1 Cor. 1.26 Secondly Ad quid vocat why doth Christ call the multitude that they may heare where wee see that something is required on their part namely to heare to teach us That if wee desire to know and understand Observ 1 our Masters will wee must use the meanes of hearing Deut. 4.1 and 5.1 and 6.3 For First preaching is the meanes to reconcile people unto God and to bring them by grace unto glory as appeares from 2 Cor. 5.19 20. and 1 Cor. 1.18.21 Rom. 11.6 And therefore this worke is strictly required at the Ministers hands Secondly on peoples behalfe hearing is the meanes to bring them unto knowledge grace faith and Christ Rom. 10.14.17 And therefore as Pastors are commanded to preach so are people to heare and as the one doth not performe his Masters will except hee be diligent and carefull in preaching so neither the other except hee be attentive and industrious in hearing Who are here blame-worthy and faulty Quest 4 First those who neglect hearing for every Answ 1 trifle and triviall occasion Secondly those who are wearie with hearing Answ 2 wishing stil that the Sermon were done Certainly both these are faulty and no wonder if such profit not by that which they doe heare Thirdly those are here guilty who forbid people to heare Our blessed Saviour saith My sheepe heare my voice Iohn 10. But the Popish Priests will neither preach the truth themselves unto their people nor permit those to come who would heare us Matth. 23 13. but directly prohibite them to come to our Church and preaching Here it is worth observing That the Popish Priests doe not forbid their people to keepe our holy daies or to observe our Faires or to come to our Playes Pastimes and Recreations yea they doe not forbid them to marry with us What then only they are forbidden to bee present with us in holy duties and the exercises of Religion namely I. They must not come to our Prayers II. They must not come to our Sermons III. They must not come to our Sacraments And why not Is it because wee herein are erronious No that is not the reason for they themselves say that our Common-prayers are drawne from their Missale and they will confesse that wee often preach the truth and yet they must neither associate us in these prayers nor this preaching What is the cause then that they may bee familiar and associate
themselves with us and yet must not joyne with us in holy duties Certainely the reason is because the devill knowes that this Sunne of the Gospel burnes and that the preaching of the word workes strongly both upon the affections and judgement and therefore hee prohibits all his servants to approach thereunto and perswades them to avoid our prayers and flie our preaching Thirdly Christ calleth the multitude Vt intelligant that they may understand they must not heare for a forme but they must so heare as that they may know and understand what they hear Observ 2 Whence wee learne That wee must prepare our understanding in the hearing of the word of God Or when wee heare wee must labour to understand what wee heare Colos 1.9 and 2.2 Deut. 4 6. Ignorance is the cause both of errours and disobedience whence it is said They rebelled because they knew not my Lawes Psalme 95. and yee erre not knowing the Scriptures Quest 5 Who are here worthy of reproofe and blame Answ The Papists and that for a three-fold cause namely First because they praise Ignorance saying To know nothing is to know all things Hosius Rhemist s 1 Corinth 14. And therefore no wonder if they erre Secondly because they teach an implicite faith that is to beleeve whatsoever the Church beleeves yea if they did not teach this then none would beleeve nor obey their religion who would beleeve them if it were not for this implicite faith who would adore a peece of bread or a stocke or their foolish and ridiculous relikes who would pray to Thomas Becket who would feare Purgatory who would buy their Indulgences at so deare a rate if it were not for this doctrine They say Ignorance is the mother of devotion or rather of rebellion and superstition And hence it is that the Turkes Alcoran forbids all disputations concerning Religion that so the errours thereof may not be knowne and discerned But Thirdly the Papists in some kind are worse then the Turkes for the Alcoran doth forbid disputations concerning Religion but it doth not forbid any to reade it or the lawes contained therein But the Papists forbid men to reade the Scriptures and Law of God although they confesse that they are the true rules of right living and the divine word of God Doctor Staâ—dish bad take away the damnable Bibles Molanus faith Salubritèr arcentur a lectione Scriptur arum It is for their good meaning the Laitie to be debarred and hindred from reading the Scripture in a knowne tongue An Italian Bishop said to Espencaeus Nostri deâ—errentur à studio Scripturarum ne fiant haeretici Wee forbid and fright our people from reading the Scripture lest thereby they should become Heretikes Vide Reynold pag. 41. Thus they But the Apostles contrarily exhort us To let the word dwell plenteously in us Col. 3.16 because it is the best weapon against Sathan Ephes 6.12 yea the fountaine of life and the food of the soule yea the holy Fathers were of this mind also Cognitio non sufficientèr sed abundanter Hier. s Colos 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys s Col. 3.16 Yea the same Father exhorts men to prepare Bibles at least the New Testament and to invite their neighbours also to reade the Scriptures Chrys hom 9. s Colos And therefore as Ex ungue konem so by this one particular wee may see how these children resemble these Fathers and how unlike they are to them notwithstanding all their bold brags and audacious boasts Quest 6 What is here required of us Answ 1 First in generall wee must so reade and hear that wee may understand what wee reade and heare Secondly more particularly these things are Answ 2 required of us to wit I. Wee must listen unto all that from God is spoken unto us wee must ruminate and ponder all wee heare in our hearts yea wee must apply it unto our hearts and measure our consciences by it II. Wee must lay up carefully what we heare and never suffer it to slip out of our memories III. Wee must labour daily for a more ample measure of knowledge that our understanding may be such that wee may have the body of divinity within us and be able to render a reason of our faith to every one that shall demand it Fourthly the negatiae part of our Saviours Sermon to the multitude is this that those things which goe into the mouth defile not the man What things goe into the mouth Answ 3 First poisoned and infected aire Answ 1 Secondly Pestiferous and obnoxious meat Answ 2 And Thirdly many impure things which doe Answ 3 both pollute and destroy the body And therefore wee must observe that our Saviour speakes not here de Corpere but de homine not of the body but of the Man that is the mind and Spirit Wherefore wee must distinguish of pollution which is either I. Corporall and this is the pollution of the Body Or II. Spirituall which is of the heart and conscience and this is the pollution of the Man Answ 4 Fourthly the meaning therefore of these words That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man is this That meat is nothing at all unto holinesse Hence then we may learne Observ 3 That in the moderate use of Meate their is nei-neither religion nor irreligion neither purity nor impurity Reade these remarkable places 14.17 and 1 Corinth 8.8 and 10.27 and Colos 2.16.20 and 1 Timoth. 4 2. Where the Apostle calleth it a Doctrine of Devills to forbid some meats as unholy because as no meat can make us the holier so none can make us more unholy to the pure all things being pure Titus 1.15 And therefore wee are exhorted to labour that our hearts may be established with grace and not with meats which profit nothing Hebr. 13.9 Quest 8 Who are here faultie Answ The Papists who make a difference of meats eating some upon their fasting dayes as Pure and abstaining from some as polluted that is when they fast they Eate some sorts of meat and think themselves not polluted by them and abstaine from some other sorts as unholy or of that nature that they should be polluted if they let them enter into their mouthes This Tenet being so diametrally opposite to this Truth of Christs I will treat something amply of their Fasts Quest 9 How many things are to bee considered in a Fast Answ I answer that in a Fast many things are to bee considered and observed namely First the law or Precept which is either I. Generall to wit as it was commanded and enjoyned by God both First in the Old Testament as in divers places of Leviticus and Numbers and Ioell 1. and 2. Secondly in the New Testament as Matth. 11.18 and 17.19 and 1 Cor. 7.5 and 9.27 and 2 Cor. 11.27 Acts 13.2.3 and 14.23 O II. The Law of fasting is more particular wherin these foure circumstances are included viz. Quantity quality Dayes and houres which Circumstances are not