before our eyes the example of Balaam hired to curse the people of God o Iohn 5 34 36. who gaped after gaine and promotion and gaue mischeiuous counsell to the Moabites and Midianites to worke their death and destruction This truth is confirmed by sundry the Apostles Peter Iude and Iohn in the new Testament who mentioning this history declare both that bee loued the wages of vnrighteousnes and laid a stumbling-blocke before the children of Israel to intrap them was reprooued for his iniquity by his Asse Who spake with mans voice and forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet These things being duly weighed and throughly considered do sufficientlie teach vs who is the author of this Booke not man but God and that the authority of it is diuine and not humane Now let vs see what vse may be gathered from hence and how it may be profitably applyed to our instruction Seeing the Author of this Booke and so of Vse 1 the rest of holy scripture is not man or Angel or any creature but the Lord of heauen and earth we learne that they want not nor stand in neede of the confirmation and approbation of the Church or of men seeing they are approued vnto vs by a greater authority and as it were warranted vnto our consciences from on higher Court where God himselfe sitteth present and president of the same So then as Christ our Sauiour speaketh p I receiue not the record of man but I haue a greater witnesse then the witnesse of Iohn We may truly say the same of his word we haue a better ground to stand vpon and a fairer warrant then the testimonie of the Church to beare record of the dignitie and authority of the word Hence it is that he saith in the same place The works which the Father hath giuen me to fin sh do beare witnes of me that the Father sent me and the Father himselfe which hath sent me beareth witnes of me This serueth to conuince the Church of Rome of the spirit of errour which teacheth that the scripture receiueth authority and credite from the Church insomuch that some of them are not ashamed to auouch q Eckius in Euchirid de autho Eccl. That the authoritie of the Church is greater then of the Scripture and others feare not to blaspheme r Hermannus that they should haue no more authority in regard of vs then Aesops Fables except the authority of the Church did procure it And as they are bold to maintaine that the Church is aboue the Scripture Å¿ Bellar. de verbo dei li. 4. cap. 12. so they teach that the Scriptures are not in themselues necessary neyther were written to be a rule of our Faith Thus they fall from one heresie into another proceed from worse to worse as euill men doe But the assurance of our Faith touching the Scriptures is not builded on the Churches authority but vppon the illumination of Gods spirit shining euidently in the Scriptures theÌ„selues The holy Ghost openeth the eyes of those that are his that they know discerne his voice from all others For as the Sun is not seene by any lighâ— but his owne so we iudge of the truth and all false Doctrines by the Scriptures How do we discerne sweet from sowre but by it owne taste And how can wee better discerne the rellish of the Scripture t Psal 19 10. Which is swâ—eter then the Hony and the Hony-combe to the taste then by the goodnes and excellency of it selfe True it is wee doe not reiect and refuse contemne or condemne the testimony authority of the true church as the Papists slander vs u What the office and authority of the Church is but wee confesse these points of the Church First it is as the keeper of the rolles and records to preserue them not to authorize them He that is custos rotulorum doth not giue authority to the writings but hath them of trust committed vnto him Secondly it is as a touchstone to distinguish them from bastard counterfeit Scriptures not to make that Scripture which is no Scripture The touchstone of the Gold-smith doth not make gold but discerneth and distinguisheth gold from other mettall what is base and what is rich stuffe so doeth the Church Thirdly it is as the voice of a x Chrisost hom 1. in Epist ad Tit. crier to preach and publish and promulgate and teach the truth as a cryer pronounceth and proclaimeth the Edicts and Decrees of his Prince but cannot adde to them nor take from them nor authorize them nor any way alter change them Fourthly it is as an Interpreter and expounder to expound and interpret them according to the Scriptures As the man of Law deliuereth the sense of the Law but doeth not make it to bee Law These are holy and honourable seruices of the Church and these wee willingly acknowledge to belong vnto it But that the Scriptures should receiue credite from it or bee of no authority without it we cannot admit or acknowledge For they are cleere perfect firme and worthy of all respect and reuerence without the testimony of the Church for the Authors sake The Apostle saith y 1 Ioh 5 6 9 It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse for that Spirit is truth and afterwarde If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater Thus then wee see that the chiefe cause why wee beleeue that the Scriptures were deliuered from Heauen is not the witnesse of the Church nor the authoritie of man but because the Spirit speaketh euidently in them so that we can no more doubte of the truth of them though the Church should hold her peace then if we heard God openly speaking vnto vs froÌ„ the highest heauens Let vs therefore detest the wickednesse and blasphemy of such as say the authority of Gods worde dependeth of the testimony of man which were to preferre man before God to make all his promises hang vppon the vncertaine credite of man and to make the hand-maid take place before the Lady and Mistris which were a presumption and saucinesse not to be endured Secondly we learne from hence who is the Vse 2 best Interpreter of the Scriptures and who is the sole and soueraigne Iudge thereof namely God himselfe who is the author and inspirer of them For as the authority of them dependeth not vppon the Church so the interpretation of them dependeth not vppon the will and pleasure of man according to the saying of the Apostle z 2 Pet. 1 No prophesie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation Euery man is the expositor of his owne worke euery Law-giuer knoweth best the meaning of his owne Law a 1 Cor. 2 For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God for God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his
Christian Magistrate and yeeld it to the Church when a wicked Magistrate is set ouer it forasmuch as there is like reason and office of them both If it bee farther obiected Obiection that there are some sinnes which an euill Magistrate will not meddle withall as blasphemy against Christ heresie and such like as Gallio the Deputy of Achaia accounteth the mystery of religion concerning Christ a question of words and names and professeth hee will be no Iudge of such matters whereas if it were a matter of wrong he would heare theÌ„ Acts 18 15. Wherefore vnder a wicked and idolatrous Magistrate excommunication may be vsed not otherwise I answer Answer from the lawfulnesse of it vnder a Magistrate that is no Christian we cannot conclude the vnlawfulnesse of it vnder a Christian Magistrate for this is no good consequent neither is it a sufficient cause against the expresse commandement and institution of Christ Zanch. de redempt li. 1. c. 19 The cause of the institution of excommunication is not the punishment of sinne but the saluation of a sinner the edifying of the Church and the glory of God But the scope of the ciuill Magistrate and his office is to punish sinne and respecteth not either the saluation or damnation of the sinner so that albeit he repent yet he spareth him not but suffereth the law to proceede against him The Church according to the doctrine of Christ smiteth none with the spirituall sword but such as are impenitent and doth not this vnto death but vnto life and therefore receiueth them that repent Againe the manner that they both vse in correction is diuers the Church correcteth by the word the Magistrate by the sword or such like outward punishment To conclude this point The vse of excommunication ought to be perpetuall in the church the vse of excommunication ought to be perpetuall in the Church whether it haue a Christian Magistrate or not whether he doe his duty or do it not For first the doctrine of reprouing our brother betweene vs and him alone as also of taking two or three witnesses ought to remaine in the church and haue continuall vse whether the Magistrate be a Christian or Pagan Therefore that also which followeth If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as an heathen or a Publican whereby the doctrine of excommunication is established ought to be perpetuall If one part of this discipline stand in force at all times then doth the other also forasmuch as Christ maketh no exception betweene the one and the other Againe it is lawfull for the Church whether the Magistrate be a Christian or no Christian to loose them that are bound and to receiue into the Church such as are cast out for their contumacy and continuance in sinne when once they repent Therefore also it is lawfull to cast out and to binde those that are impenitent and as the first is alwaies ratified in heauen so also is the latter For Christ without any difference or distinction gaue both these iurisdictions authorities to the church Whatsoeuer yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Mat. 18 18. Lastly Paraeus coâ—ment in 1 Câ— â— where the causes of the Law are perpetuall vniuersall there the law must also be acknowledged to be perpetual and vniuersall But the causes of this power of the church are perpetuall vniuersall as first the comandement of Christ Mat. 18 18. 1 Cor. 5 5. Secondly that obstinate sinners being made ashamed may bee brought to repentance Thirdly that no others should be infected by their euill life and corrupt example Fourthly because it is the ordinary office of the Church to iudge them that are within Therefore 1 Cor. 5 12. the Church hath this authority when it hath christian Magistrates as well as when it is without them Thus farre touching the remouing of obiections Vse 1 The doctrine being cleered from all doubts that might distract vs let vs now come to the vses And seeing there ought to be excommunication of scandalous and impenitent offenders it should moue vs to enquire and learne what excommunication is not as it is commonly vsed but as it ought rightly to be practised to the end we may esteeme of this censure and sentence and stand in feare of it Excommunication therfore is a sentence of the Church whereby a member thereof Excommunication what it is conuicted of some greeuous crime and by no means brought to repentance is driuen out of the Church and cut off from the communion and fellowship of the faithfull that thereby he may be driuen to repentance This description consisteth of diuers parts first it is a sentence of the Church secondly it must be executed vpon him that is a member of the Church Thirdly the party delinquent must be conuicted of some greeuous crime or crimes Fourthly it stretcheth to him that cannot bee otherwise brought to repentance Fiftly he is driuen from the visible and outward communion of the Saints Lastly the end or vse of it is to make him ashamed that hath offended These sixe seuerall points touched before in the former description haue euident confirmation out of the word of God which I will breefely prooue and then make vse of euery particular First I say that excommunication is a sentence of the Church â—irst part â—e descripâ— Our Sauiour commandeth to tell the Church Math. 18 17. Loe here to whom he sendeth vs. Againe he saith If he heare not the Church c. So the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5 4. When ye are gathered together in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ From hence wee learne sundry points first such as are themselues out of the Church and no true parts of it haue nothing to doe with it They haue no authority committed vnto them and therefore whatsoeuer they shall do in this behalfe is of no force and no better then a sword in a mad mans hand The keyes of the Kingdome of heauen are committed to the Apostles and to their successors by Christ himselfe that they should open the gates of heauen to the penitent and beleeuers shut the gates of hell on the other side open hell to receiue the impenitent and shut vp heauen against them Secondly we are taught from hence the honour and dignity of the Ministery how great it is to binde and loose offenders to open and shut heauen to remit and reteine sins so that it belongeth not to priuate persons It is accounted and most worthily a myracle to be wondred at that Elias did by his prayer shut vp heauen that it rained not on the earth and againe opened it so that the heauen gaue raine â—es 5 18. and the earth brought foorth her fruite But this power of the Ministery is more maruellous inasmuch as he brought onely a temporall punishment of famine vpon the land but they inflict an euerlasting
their enemies We do oftentimes feare enemies and inuasion by enimies but wee feare not that which bringeth in the enemies and openeth them a free passage to spoile and destroy without compassion to wit sinne So long as wee walke with our God and are reconciled vnto him we are vnder Gods protection and hee is a Buckler round about vs 〈◊〉 3 3. we are in league with the stones of the streete and the beasts of the field For if God he on our side who shall be against vs Rom. 8 31. If then the Ministery of the word be as a brazen wall and the Ministers thereof stand in the breach betweene the liuing the dead to turne away the wrath of GOD when his iudgements runne through the Land Nu. 16 47 48 Psal 106 23 there is great cause to bee humbled when God pulleth from the Church and Commonwealth so great posts and pillars that helpe to hold them vp Againe it is a signe of Gods wrath heauie Reason 2 displeasure and a fore-runner of a farther iudgement When God tooke away the good and godly King Iosiah a nursing father of the Church that reformed religion in his young and tender yeres sought vnto the Lord 2 Kings 21 19 hūmbled himselfe before him and wept when hee heard the threatnings denounced against the land he spared not Ierusalem and the inhabitants thereof long after If there be a good Pastor in the church if a good Prince in the land if a good Magistrate in town or city if a good Master in a family and God take him away ther is cause to lift vp our voice by mourning weeping and great lamentation this being a token of Gods displeasure a sign of taking his former mercies from vs so that the seeing and feeling of Gods wrath in bereauing vs of such as might do good along time publikely or priuately ought to be no smal greefe to vs. The prophet teacheth that when God hath any vengeance ready to be poured vpon a people hee taketh away the righteous from the plague as he did Lot out of Sodome saying The righteous perisheth Esay 57 1. and no man considereth it in heart and merciful men are taken away from the euill to come Therefore when God taketh excellent and principall members from the rest of the body it is as a threatning alwaies to those that are left behind and an euident testimonie to them that they are vnworthy of their company and presence as the Apostle declareth That the world was not woorthy of those faithfull men that shined as lights in the midst of a froward crooked generation Heb. 11 38. So then it is a right mourning and wel ordered greefe when we lament the taking away of good men endued with the graces of the Spirit which haue liued in the feare of God and done notable seruice in the Church or Commonwealth Let vs apply this point to our instruction Vse 1 edification First it serueth to condemne the Stoicall senslesnesse and blockishnesse of such as take it to be a part of manhood courage to be affected with nothing to be greeued at nothing It is lawfull to mourne for the dead so did Abraham the Father of the faithfull for Sara Genesis 23 2. nay so did Christ the head of the church in whom was no sinne 1 Peter ◠22. neyther guile found in his mouth mourne for Lazarus 1 Thess 4 13. These lamented the dead but not the state of the deade which they knew to bee most comfortable to all the faithfull as the Apostle teacheth Reu. 14.13 Blessed are they that dy in the Lord for they rest from their labors and their works follow them In regard wherof Reuel 14 13. Paul warneth the Thessalonians concerning them that are asleepe that they sorrow not euen as they which haue no hope 1 Thess 4 13. True it is we cannot so renounce or reforme our affections but that there wil be alwaies somewhat worthy of blame and fault in vs in our mirth and mourning in our loue and hatred in our hope and feare in our anger and such like passions and we finde it the hardest thing in the world to keep the mean between excesse and defect betweene too much too little yet it is absurd to dreame of such a kind of dulnesse and stupidity as ouer-turneth humane nature and cannot be found in flesh and blood yea standeth not with the condition of mankinde as he was created or as he became corrupted For so long as man remaineth in this life he cannot bee voide of affections and perturbations or bee senslesse like stockes or stones albeit wise men are to moderate their passions that Reason remaine mistresse of the soule as it were the gouernor of the house Wherefore wee must know that Christian Religion doth not abolish naturall affections or pull them vp by the roots but onely doeth moderate them and keepe them that they ouer flow not the bankes and doth bring them in subiection vnto the will of God So the Apostle as wee heard before did not forbid the Church to sorrow for the dead but putteth as it were a bridle into their hands only restraineth immoderate sorrow Againe he doth not absolutely condemne and reproue al anger and indignation conceiued in the heart but represseth the excesse abundance thereof Ephes 4 25. as a wise Physitian that seeketh to purge the ouer-flowing of choller And in another place hee doth not condemne weeping in aduersity or reioycing in prosperity but hee requireth that they which weepe 1 Cor. 7 30. bee as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not Furthermore Christ our Sauiour doeth not forbid the louing of Father and Mother of wife and children of brethren and sisters as that which standeth with the law of God and man but onely ordereth it aright bringeth it into his compasse saying Hee that loueth father or mother more then mee Matth. 10 37. is not worthy of mee and he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of me Thus then we are taught to vse temperance and moderation in all the affaires of our life in speaking or holding our peace in ioy or in sorrow that wee giue not scope to our vnbrideled affections but alwaies order and dispose them as there is iust cause Vse 2 Secondly it condemneth such as are bereft of all sense and feeling of such greeuous iudgments of God Alas how can such assure thēselues to bee true members of Christs body For tell me Can a man lose a principall part of his body as his eye his hand his foot and not be greeued Or can a man be depriued of thē and make a sport of it as at a play or pastime Euen so such as in the suffering of the members of the Church do reioyce 1 Cor. 12 25.26
determined by Polycarp and Victor that euery one should follow their owne custome and iudgement and that it is a very foolish and absurd thing for such rites to separate one from another as enemies Euethes ethôn heneken allêlôn charizesthai Sozom histor lib. 7. cap. 19. Now that which is left free at liberty for either side to follow cannot bee holden necessary but to keepe the Passeouer on this day or that day is left free and at liberty for either side therefore it is not necessarie vnto saluation So then nothing is more vncertaine then Tradition for both parts pretended the Apostles and Apostolike Traditions but both of them could not be true nay Socrates taxeth them both of errors affirming that this sprang not of Tradition but of Custome And if either the one opinion or the other had any good foundation from the Apostles it might be that in the beginning and first planting of the Gospel to beare with the infirmity of others they obserued certayne dayes and times which afterward was obserued and vrged as a precept liberty being abolished and that which was retained of charity was turned into a law of necessity Again ther is no cause or reason at all why any churches or persons should contend to haue the Passeouer receiued much lesse so bitingly bitterly For Socrates speaketh well and truly that the Apostles ordained nothing of holy or festiuall daies and sheweth at large the vanity of those that striue to no purpose about it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Forasmuch as the Passouer was a type and ceremony but types and ceremonies were abolished So then it was superstitiously done of such as beare the names of Christian Churches to bring in a feast of Passeouer vnder pretence that the Iewes had the same for that were to compell the Gentiles to liue as do the Iewes which Paul reproued in Peter Gal. 2 14 But these Traditions got authority in the church by little and little I haue spoken this not that it is vnlawfull to haue one day in the yeare wherein to celebrate the remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ for that were to run into extremities whereas our infirmity is allowed to haue some helpes to quicken our faith that wee might the better bethinke vs all our life what benefit the resurrection of our Lord hath brought vnto vs neuerthelesse this is established onely for order sake But to vrge this strictly of necessitie or to make a seruice of God thereof or to think that we ought to fashion our selues after the example of the Iewes to wit that as they had their Passeouer so ought wee to haue ours in these dayes were to turne all things vpside downe and to put a veile before the face of Christ that we might not see the light of the Gospel shining vpon vs. Vse 3 Lastly this Passeouer was celebrated with many circumstances whereof some were obserued onely at the first Passeouer while they were in Egypt as the preparing of the paschal Lambe and keeping it apart from the rest of the flock from the 10 day to the 14. the sprinkling of the blood vpon the doore postes the eating of it in haste and the killing of it within their owne houses but afterwardes it was done in the publike place of Gods worship Deut. 16 5 6 7 for which purpose Ierusalem was afterward chosen where it was killed by the Priestes and flayed in the Court of the Temple and the blood sprinkled on the Altar 2 Chron. 35 1 2 6 10 11 then the owner of the Lambe tooke it at the Priests hands brought it to his owne house and roasted it All these things aymed at the shedding of Christs blood and the sprinkling that is the applying of it to the hearts of all true beleeuers Ezek. 45 19. 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 9 13 14. As when the Law was commanded to bee written vpon their doore posts it pointed out the writing of it into their hearts as it is expounded by the Prophet Ier. 31 31. Hebr. 8 10. And whereas they were to sprinkle the vpper doore postes not the threshold or the floore vnder their feete it did put them and vs in minde what recouerent account and estimation wee ought to haue of the blood of Christ that wee should not treade vnder our feete the Sonne of God neither account the blood of the couenant wherewith we haue beene sanctified as an vnholy thing Heb 10 29. Some points were to be obserued at all times whensoeuer and wheresoeuer they killed and kept the Passeouer and consumed it with fire they must eat it with vnleauened cakes for all leauen must be cast out of their houses to this they ioyned bitter herbes The roasting of it with fire was a figure both of Gods Spirit Math. 3 11. Through which Christ offered himselfe to God Heb. 9 14 also of Gods fiery wrath which he was to suffer whilst hee was made a curse for vs by his death vpon the crosse Gal. 3 15 Ier. 4 4. The vnleauened loaues signifie that none can be partakers of any benefit by Christ but such as cast out the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse out of their hearts 1 Cor. 5 8. This belongeth to euery one to eat the vnleauened cakes or loaues of sincerity truth of which before chap. 9. The soure or bitter herbes which are thought by the Hebrew Rabbines to bee wild Lettuce Cichory Hore-hound Maimon treat of leauen cap. 7. and such like and were eaten with the Lamb brought to their remembrance the affliction in Egypt where their liues had beene bitter Exod. 1 14 yea more bitter then gall or wormewood where the Egyptians made their liues bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in bricke and in all manner of seruice in the fielde and heereunto the Church seemeth to allude Lament 3 15 and all these were as types of the bitter sorrowes of Christ to whom they offered gall to drinke as also of our mortification and afflictions with him For we must bee made like vnto him 1 Cor. 5 7. 11.26 Phil. 3 10. Also in the day of the first fruits when ye bring a new meate offering vnto the Lord after your weekes be out ye shall haue an holy conuocation ye shall do no seruile worke 27 But ye shal offer the burnt offering for a sweet sauour c. 28 And their meat Offering of fine Flower c. 29 A seuerall tenth deale vnto one Lambe c. 30 And one Kid c. 31 Ye shall offer them besides the continual burnt Offering c. Heere is handled the feast of Pentecost or of Weekes which was kept yeerely amongst the Iewes The feast of the first fruits of wheat haruest to giue God thankes after the gathering of their haruest This was a meane to put them in minde to honor God for sending his benefits to the sustenance of man Leu. 23 17. Deut. 16 9 10. It
or are in our mindes as when they are releeued and helped out of theyr misery For as we remember God when we serue him so we remember the needy when we succour them It is noted of Saul and al Israel that they went to releeue Iabesh Gilead when it was beleagred by Nahash the Ammonite who would make a couenant with them vpon no other condition but that he might thrust out all their right eyes and lay it for a reproch vpon all Israel 1 Sam. 11 1 2. So did Dauid and his men goe to releeue Keilah spoyled and oppressed by the Philistims chap. 23 5. The booke of the Iudges is full of this argument they thought it theyr duty to releeue the enthralled estate poore condition of the Church lying vnder the hard yoke and heauy seruitude of the Moabites the Canaanites the Midianites the Ammonites the Philistims and sundry others So that all Gods seruants although themselues were free from trouble yet must they put too theyr hands and set too theyr shoulders and employ all theyr strength as farre as God enableth them to deliuer the Church from trouble and to procure the present benefite and good estate thereof Wee shewed before in this chapter that we must haue some compassion and a fellow-feeling of the miseries and afflictions of Gods people this doctrine goeth farther and pierceth deeper and teacheth that we must put foorth our selues to maintaine the publike cause of the afflicted church and procure the peace thereof Reason 1 And so much the rather wee ought to doe this because of the wicked mindes and wretched endes that the vngodly set before theyr eyes For what is it I pray you that the enemy the common aduersary and oppressour of the Church looketh after and layeth before him Is it the persons of them that they seeke to spoyle or is it to take away theyr goods and substance from them or any other thing that might bee deare vnto them in earthly things All these indeed are sought after but are these the chiefe marke and scope that they ayme after or would these taken away coÌ„tent them No no they shoote at a farther thing to deface the seruice and worshippe of God and to blaspheme his glorious Name being themselues the children of darknes and not able to beare the light of the truth they oppose themselues against the same The Citties and Altars of our GOD ought to bee of greatest account and in highest price more deare to vs then thousands of gold and siluer for which we must be content to leaue father and mother wife and children that we may with freedome of conscience enioy professe the truth This meditation was it that moued Ioab when he went out with a strong hand saw the enemies gathered together to roote out the Church out of the Land and the truth out of the Church to fight against them 2. Sam. 10 12. Be of good courage and let vs play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good wheâ—e hee sheweth that the chiefe motiue to waxe strong and valiant in battell was to maintaine the Cities and seruice of God Secoâ—â—â—y this hath promise of a great blessing Reason 2 and a good yssue it is no vaine or fruitelesse thing whereunto we are moued Many men are discomfited and quite out of heart because they see no blessing annexed But howsoeuer the persecuter and oppressor for a time preuayleth and entreth into the houses and habitations of God yet theyr destruction sleepeth not God hath reserued them as the chaffe before the winde and as the stubble before the fire Resting therefore on the gracious promises of God and knowing that Heauen and earth shall perish Math. 5 17. but no one iote shal passe or faile from his word beeing assured that the couenant that he hath made is surer then the couenant of the day and the night of the Sun and of the Moone wee must arme our selues with this assured perswasion that the destruction of the enemy is determined as Esay 16 3 4. speaking to Moab he saith Take counsell execute iudgement c then he addeth the reason for the extortioner is at an ende the spoiler ceaseth the oppressours are consumed out of the Land Esay 16 3 4. Wherefore albeit the enemies of God and his people seeme long to florish to glory in theyr wickednesse and to insult ouer the godly that are vnder the crosse yet they shall not escape the wrath and vengeance of God so that none should be ashamed to thrust theÌ„selues into danger to maintaine the common cause of the Church The vses follow First this putteth vs in Vse 1 minde of the estate of the faithfull which oftentimes endure more trouble in this world both inwardly outwardly then any other as were easie to be shewed and proued by the examples of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob Ieremy Dauid and Christ himselfe the perfect patterne of suffering affliction It was no otherwise with his Apostles also and experience teacheth vs that the church in this world fareth no better as it complaineth Lamen 1 12. Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto me wherwith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his anger Thus it pleaseth the Lord to weane them from the loue of the world because he loueth them would haue them long after heauen and heauenly things We are oftentimes so peruerse and vntoward that we must be put into the fire that we may be refined and reformed and must endure many greeuous corrections that we may bee framed to delight in spirituall things Besides Satan and his instruments do hate vs and labour continually to seeke our destruction and therefore let vs neuer promise to our selues worldly peace and prosperity neyther be offended at the great afflictions which we heare to come vpon the godly but rather prepare our selues to looke for one trouble to come vpon the necke of another whiles we liue vpon the earth Vse 2 Secondly conclude from hence the fearefull wofull miserable estate of the church when all the friends and comforters of it are gone when they that should be the shield and shelter of it do flye backe and dare not shew theyr faces as often it falleth out then onely faith for the present and hope for the time to come must hold vp our heads that we sinke not into the bottome of despayre This is it which the Prophet saith I looked and there was none to helpe and I wondred that there was none to vphold therefore mine owne arme brought saluation to me c. And I will tread downe the people in mine anger and make them drunke in my fury c. Esay 63 5 6. When Haman the aduersary of the Iewes whose malice was hereditary vnto him and deriued from his fathers had plotted the ruine
p. 90 a Saints haue no ouerplus of workes p. 1260 b. Sanctification why vnperfect p. 469 a. Sanctuaries whether they may be allowed p. 1236 a Sanhedrin p 533 b. Satan present with wicked men p. 457. Sauing soules p. 510 b. 511. Scripture authenticke 2 b. Romish errors touching them 3 a. 526 b. rules to be obserued in reading them 10. neuer vtterly lost p. 6 Scriptures must be read 142 a. perfect 167 168 why written 173 how to be expounded 371 b they haue nothing superfluous 449 b. they are light 460. two wayes p. 463 a. Scriptures stand not in letters 249 a. the iudge of all 484 b they belong to all 633 b. 634 a. 647 no part lost 820 abused by papists 1088. rules to interpret them p. 1050 a. Seuen seas in Israel p. 1225 b. Sects among the Iewes p. 149. Seditious persons 663. whence it ariseth 664. a fearfull sin p. 1108. Seducers and seduced p. 1100. Selling of sin what 91. sundry false tales p. 92. Senses of no vse without Gods blessing p. 908 b. Separatists See Brownists Seruants of three sorts 472 b. they must giue almes p. 99 6. Sheepe heare Christs voyce p. 28 a. Shekel what p. 205. Sibils p. 869 a Sincerity p. 589. Sinne filthy and infectious 277. deceiueth with false shewes 278. beware of it 280 286. howe much God hateth it 289 340 a. committed against God 296 b. the greeuousnes of it page p. 305 b. Sin should greeue more then the punishment 319 a punished in his owne kinde 930. known euer to God p. 409 q. Sin pardoned the punishment is remitted 609. when general it causeth a generall destruction 610 b. it openeth the gates to the enemy 611 pleasant in the beginning p. 619 b. Sin bringeth confusion of all 672. when punnished God is appeased 1070 b. against the holy ghost why vnpardonable 13. it depriueth of Gods protection 1074 b. it maketh places and famous infamous p. 1104 b. Sin to decline from the worship of God 1117. it is the cause of death 1125. foure things cleaue to it p. 1126 a. Sin the onely cause of iudgements and whether all sin be voluntary p. 1248 a. Single life not to be vowed p. 155. Sleepy hearers p. 2306. Society with wicked p. 1112. Sorcerers wrought no miracles 680 b. neither can do p. 681. Sorcery p. 977 b. Soule is immortall 933 1172. God is the Creator thereof p. 2132 b. Standards what vse in war p. 62 b. Stewes 381. Popish excuses 382. reasons against it p. 384. Stoikes p. 773. Subiects duties 69. without them they cannot honor God p. 508 a. Superiors must giue example 830 b. they lye open to iudgements p. 1056. Superstition p. 883. Supper of the Lord 479 a. no vnclean person may come to it 481 487 not to be shifted off 490 b 491. not enough to partake of the outward sign p. 500. Suspition p. 365. Swearing 252 b. the causes of it 373. reasons framed to defend it p. 374. T Tabernacle a figure of the Church pag. 436 in the midst of the host p. 80. Teachers negligent p. 443 444. Teares of the godly p. 594 b. Temples 694 how prophaned ibid. they must bee kept in good order p. 495 a. Temporally punished the faithfull are p. 1130 a. Tentations of the faithfull p. 21 22. Terrors to wicked men p. 932. Thankesgiuing a necessary duty p. 827 b. 829 Theft p. 322. Threatnings of God alwayes accomplished 766 b. they are conditionall p. 600. Times dangerous p. 1041 b. Tithes 447. they are the Lords 195 b. 704. paide of sundry sorts 703. not almes ibid Toleration of diuers Religions p. 627. Toleration of things vnlawful p. 305 a. Trance p. 682 b. Translation Latine false p. 1259 a. Transubstantiation no miracle p. 690 b Triall of spirits 1101 b. rules of it p. 1102 a. Trumpets to what vse p. 502. Truth shall continue for euer 465. all must be helpers to it p. 466. V Vengeance p. 300 b. Veniall sinnes 718 in what sense 719 the popish opinion thereof ibid. Vice whether of more force then vertue p. 165 a. Victory is the Lords p. 824. Virgin Mary conceiued in sinne p. 538 b. Vision p. 986. Visitation from God p. 796 797. Vnity 54. no note of the Church p. 880. Vniuersall grace p. 925 b. Vniuersality no note of the Church 581. Popish reasons p. 582. Vniuersality of the elect onely p. 521 a. Vngodly often prosper 507. they are Gods enemies 515. preserued for the godlies sake 557. what they account of the Church of the word p. 5â—9 Vnpossible to men not to God p. 540. Vnregenerate described p. 278 341 b. Vnthankefulnesse 442 b. a mother sinne 524. the fruites of it ibid. Vow what 481 1161. lawfull 780 1159. what vnlawfull ibid. Popish vowes p. 782 134 b. Vow of baptisme 783. of speciall vowes in affliction ibid. the right manner of vowing 1163. the true ends thereof ibid. Vow of the Nazarites 414. Christ obserued not this vow 418 a. Vowes of Popish Monkes vnlawfull p. 420. Vow of pouerty 453. of single life 155. of Obedience Ibid. Vprightnesse See Sincerity Vrim p. 1132. Vse of repetitions to the godly 239. to the vngodly p. 240 a. W Want alwayes among some of Gods people p. 1229 a Wars ordered by God 824. the misery of theÌ„ 852 b. of great antiquity p. 1017. Water of separation 716. it cannot cast out diuels p. 717. Weake meanes God chuseth p. 486 b. Whisperers 351. the seuerall sorts p. 352. Whoredome 308 378 b. the seuerall kinds p. 387 b. Wicked are miserable 107 b. know not what they do 572 b. not escape 575 b. proceede from euill to euill 592. See vngodly Wicked how they behaue themselues in affliction 624 a. they colour their wickednes 649. They cry to God when too late 663 a. they will not be warned by former iudgements 669 b. oft seeke of the faithfull 801. they desire others to pray for them p. 808 809. Wicked hate and persecute the godly 841 b. being reproued they continue in sin 916. They haue some good motions 930. they lay the fault vpon second causes p. 942. Wicked are wise in their kinde 978. are suffered long yet in the end punished p. 11â—6 Will of God reuealed to the wicked p. 888. Winning of soules See Saue Wisedome p. 579 580. Witchcraft p. 1032. Witches resorted vnto p. 482. Witnesses p. 372 90 b Witnesse false offendeth 6 wayes p. 1253 b Woes 44. Word our direction p. 114. Woman taken in adultery p. 1054. Workes must be perfected p. 437. Workes of Gods iustice p. 688. Wrath of God p. 567. Wrongs 561. they cry to God p. 571. X Xenophon p. 1167 b. Y Yoke of pouerty 888. Yong of two sorts p. 218. Yong yeares must be giuen to God p. 160. Z Zeale of the first times for the Ministers maintenance p. 705. Zeale not all good p. 922. Zelophehad p. 643 a. 1124 b. Zimri p. 1067. Zuinglius p. 1151. The End of the Table
in the house of God but good faithfull seruants b Hebru 3 5. such as Moses was in all his house shal continue in the house Lastly it is no sound consequent to conclude that the seruant is not to be heard because the Master is rather to be heard neither is this to equall or prefer the seruant before the Master to heare the seruant beare witnesse of his Master For we are taught that he heareth the Lord that heareth the seruant as the Ambassador of his lord The Title of this Booke Hitherto of the Authour and writer of this booke now let vs come to consider the second point which is the Title or inscription being called the book of Numbers The Hebrues haue a threefold maner which they vse in the entituling of bookes For their custom is to call name the bookes either of the first words in the booke as the fiue books of Moses and the Lamentations or of the authors and persons spoken of in them as the Prophets as Iob Samuel Ruth Ezra Ester Nehâ—miâ—h or els of the matter and principall part handled as the Kings the Chroniâ—lâ—s and such like The Iewes call this booke by two names the first by the first word where-with it beginneth Vaiedabber that is and he spake The second Bemidbar that is in the wildernâ—sse either because this word is also vsed in the beginning of this book or else because herein are expounded and expressed such things as were done dispatched in the wildernesse the space of more then 35. yeares The Grecians and Latines whom wee in English follow doe call it The booke of Numbers by reason of the often numbering that is vsed in it aboue other bookes For as the c first booke of Moses is called Genesis The reasons of the names of the bookes of Moses because it containeth the creation of the world and the generation of the first Fathers and as the second is called Exodus that is a departure because the first part thereof is spent in shewing the going of Israel out of Aegypt wherein they were helde in bondage and as the next is named Leuiticus of the Tribe of Leui because it setteth foorth the Office and function of the Priests and Leuites together with the Sacrifices and Ceremonies belonging thereunto their Feasts and solemnities the purifications and differences betweene cleane and vncleane beasts so doth this booke beare the Title of Numbers because beside the Historie of the peregrinations and murmuringes of the people he numbreth them vp particularly vnder seuerall Regiments and rangeth them in order for their better proceeding and trauailing in their iourneyes in the Wildernesse The Reasons why this Booke hath this name aboue all other are these First Causes why this Booke is called Numbers beecause there is comprized heerein a double numbering of the people One in the Desart of Sinai which is described in this Chapter the other in the Plaine of Moab ouer against Iordan mentioned in the twenty sixth chapter of this Booke Secondly by reason of the numbering of the Leuites who were consecrated to the Office of the Priest-hoode and separated for the Ministery of the Tabernacle which is reckoned vp in the fourth chapter Thirdly the Booke may haue this Title in regard of numbering vppe particularly the gifts and Offerings which the Princes of the Tribes at the consecrating of the Tabernacle and the Altar offered of which we reade a large rehearsall in the 7. chapter Last of all for the enumeration and numbering vp of the 42. places of abode where the children of Israel pitched their Tents after they wer come out of Egypt described from iourney to iourny in the 33. chapter Thus we see the causes rendred wherefore this booke hath the inscription of Numbers giuen vnto it Let vs see what vses may be gathered from Vse 1 this Title which is made peculiar and proper to this booke First we learne that the holy Scriptures of God giuen by inspiration are distinctly to be retained in the Church without mixture and confusion For to what end and purpose are the titles giuen but for difference distinction sake to know the one from the other Thus is this booke by this Title discerned from euery other booke of the old new Testament The Church must haue a speciall care of this point seeing the Scriptures d Rom. 3 2 are committed as a Treasure to their trust therefore it is required of them that they be found faithfull and answere the credite that is reposed in them The Church of the Iewes was careful in this point did not content themselues to preserue the Scriptures whole entire but retained them seuerally and distinctly that one booke might be known from the other If a body had all his parts without addition a Hor de aâ—t poet of any strange member or detraction of any that is naturall yet if the partes were hudled and confounded together that the arme did grow out of the legge and the legges bee wrapped about the necke and no limbe remaine distinct from the other but all shuffled together it were a deformed mishapen body and no member could performe his office â—f all parts of the world were so confounded that the Elements were hudled in one rude lumpe or vndigested Chaos that fire were iumbled together with the earth and the aire with water what place were there for anie creature Or what profit could these elements yeeld In like manner if the whole volume of the Scriptures which is as a bodye consisting of many distinct members were put into one confused heape albeit no part were lost yet the comelinesse and profit and beauty of them were taken away For the body b 1 Cor. 12 4.9 20. is not one member but many for if they were al but one member where were the body but now there are many members yet but one bodye So the Scripture is not one booke or one part but it hath many bookes and sundry parts to make it a perfect and a complete body and all must remaine in their proper place that they may be knowne one from another This appeareth by the words of Christ conferring with the Disciples going to Emaus and expounding vnto them the doctrine of the Gospell more perfectly c Luke 24 44 when he saide vnto them These are the words which I spake vnto you while I was with you that all must bee fulfilâ—ed which are written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Whereby wee see he diuideth the Scriptures into three partes the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes so that they were distinguished one from another so that the old Testament is diuided into three parts This is farther confirmed vnto vs in the Sermon of Paul preached at Antiochâ—a where he saith d Acts 13 33. God hath fulfilled the promise made vnto the Fathers vnto vs their children in that he raised vp
condition whatsoeuer so it bee accompanied with faith and the fruites thereof can separate vs from saluation and shutte vs out of Gods Kingdome For seeing a man may be a good Christian and a great warrior which profession many times is most stained and corrupt it cannot exclude any from eternall life if themselues by infidelity iniquity doe not exclude themselues And albeit such persons many times haue no regarde of equity or honesty or word or oath or Law or shame or conscience but entitle themselues to all that their hand can lay hold vpon as men wholly bent vpon spoile and rapine yet the cause heereof is not in the profession but in the professor not in the warre but in the warriour and therefore it pleased GOD to shew foorth his great mercy in calling to his maruellous light many men out of that kinde of life Such were the Centurion that came to Christ to haue his seruant healed Math. 8 5. Acts 10 3. who is commended for his excellent faith Cornelius is reported to bee a godly man and to haue vnder him godly souldiers Seeing therefore warfare is no hatefull Vse 3 kinde of life in it selfe such as are souldiers and fight in the field haue no lesse accesse to saluation then others and shall rest in Abrahams bosome who was also a warriour as wel as they if they labour to bee the children of Abraham and study not so much to bee souldiers as Christian souldiers which aime at the glory of God in all their actions and not seeke to satisfie their owne lusts How many are there that delight in nothing but in effusion of blood and all oppression in doing violence and robbing without difference of friend or foe brother or enemy If we professe the name of Christ Iesus and beleeue to bee saued through his name let vs so liue in war as wee remember vnder whose banner wee fight and whose name we do professe and whose blessing we looke for If wee bee assured and perswaded of the lawfulnesse of the warre why do we not carry our selues as men that fight not our owne battels but the battels of the Lord of hostes And if wee do not runne as desperate men or as the horse that rusheth into the battell why doe we not consider that our soule is in our hand that we are in continuall danger of death and must giue an account of the things done in this flesh whether they bee good or euill Lastly as the godly may lawfully make Warre so they must bee carefull to obserue such conditions as make it lawfull and allowable otherwise the running of men together in hostile manner after the manner of wilde beasts to shed blood and to take away life is of it selfe most sauage barbarous The conditions to be obserued are these Conditions to be obserued in warres First it must bee proclaimed by the Magistrate and such as haue authoritie otherwise it is priuate reuenge not publike iustice We must not be like Simeon and Leui the sons of Iacob who hauing wrong and indignity offered of the Shechemites reuenged their owne cause without authority or calling for They drew their sword Ge 34 25 29. and went into the City boldly and slew euery male and tooke the spoile both of the place and people They had no commandement or commission from Iacob their father as appeareth in the reproofe vttered vnto them the curse denounced against them Ye haue troubled me Gen. 34 30. and made me to sticke amongst the Inhabitants of the Land And in another place Cursed be their wrath and 49 7. for it was fierce and theâ—r anger for it was cruell I will diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel We see therfore that the people must not run vpon their owne head nor take armes in hand at their owne pleasure but must looke for the warrant and direction of the Magistrate Secondly it belongeth to such as go vnto warre against another nation and people to offer them conditions of peace and to receiue such to mercy as yeeld vnto them thereby to auoide the shedding of blood and to shew themselues inclined to mercy This proclaiming of peace is taught by the Lord himselfe Deut. 20. Deut. 20 10 11 12 13 14. When thou commest neere vnto a City to fight against it thou shalt offer it peace and if it answere thee againe peaceably and open vnto thee then shall all the people that is found there n be tributaries vnto thee and serue thee but if it shall make no peace with thee but make warre against thee then thou shalt besiege it and smite the Males thereof with the edge of the sworde Likewise when Ioab pursued Sheba a Traitor against Dauid and besieged him in Abel so that they cast vp a Mount against the Citie began to cast downe the wall There cryed a wâ—se woman out of the City 2 Sam. 20 16 17 18. Heare heare I pray you say vnto Ioab Come thou hither that I may speake with thee and when he came nere vnto her the woman said Heare the wordes of thine handmaid they spake in the old time saying They should aske of Abel and so haue they continued In which words she alludeth vnto the former Law that before any City were ouerthrown or any people put to the sword peace should be propounded and the Citizens that yeilded be receiued to mercy This is so equall and reasonable that the vnbeleeuers among the Gentiles thought it expedient and necessary to accept of such as yeelded Cic. de offâ—c li. â— albe t the Ram a warlike instrument in those dayes described by Iosephus in the warres of the Iewes had shaken the wall I seph de be lâ— Iudat l. 3. cap 9 that is were euen ready to fall downe And the Turkes themselues proud and mercilesse enemies that spare not to shed Christian blood Turk histor in the lye of Mâ—hâ—mâ—t the gâ—aâ— and poure it out as water are perswaded that God will not prosper them in their affaires assaults except they first make vnto their enemies some ofâ—er of peace This putteth vs in minde that wee should indiâ—e our heartes to sâ—eâ— mercy as much as may be and not rage with fire and sword but remember the common condition of mankinde the vncertainty of all humane things and the danger that may fall vpon our selues Thirdly keepe all lawfull promises euen to the enemy which is a token of an vpright heart When the spies that were sent to Iericho and made a faithfull promise and bounde it with an oath to saue Rahab and her fathers house from the common destruction of that City Ioshua the Generall of the hoste was so farre from denying to stand to that oath that he called the two men that had spyed out the Countrey and saide vnto them Ioshua 6 22. Goe into the Harlots house and bring out thence the Woman and all that she hath as
ye sware vnto her Therfore the Prophet teacheth that he shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord Psal 15 4. and rest in his holy hill That sweareth to his owne hinderance and changeth not If there be no faith in our words nor truth in our dealings nor constancy in our promises but that we can take vppe the name of God in our mouths and vse it as a colour to hide our bloody deseignes wee must not looke for any blessing from GOD nor to haue him to go out with our armies Fourthly let the ends of our warres be holy and righteous not tyranny not vainglory but to maintaine the honor and glory of God to defend the Church and Commonwealth from violence and inuasion and to establish peace and concord in our borders The Heathen by Natures light saw these three ends of a iust warre first to withstand force by force Cic. de offic l. 1. and to defend themselues and the things that belong vnto them Secondly to recouer things lost and regaine things taken away Thirdly to reuenge wrongs and iniuries offered being before prouoked Many examples are set downe in the Scriptures of the godlie Kings and other Gouernors who propounded these ends vnto themselues and so were able to warrant to themselues and others the bearing of Armes Fiftly we must not suffer leud euill persons incorrigible and vnreformable to remaine in the hoste of God who may endanger the whole hoste and bring the curse of God vpon them For how should God giue a blessing to such wicked instruments or how should he fight their battels that fight against him Hence it is that he commandeth Deut. 23. Deut. 23 9 10 When thou goest out with the hoste against thine enemies keepe thee then from all wickednes c. When the Israelites gathered themselues together to smite At they could not prosper but were smitten downe ouercome by their enemies Iosh â—7 11 12. Because they had sinned and transgressed the couenant of God which hee commaunded them for they had euen taken of the excommunicate thing and had stoln and dissembled also and put it euen with their owne stuffe So long as Achan remained among them who had taken two hundred shekels of siluer a goodly Babylonish garment and a wedge of gold contrary to the commandement of God they could not stand before their enimies but were constrained to turne their backes This example doth Phinehas afterward propound as a warning to the Tribe of Reuben Gad and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh ch 22 Did not Achan the sonne of Zerah trespasse grieuously in the excommunicate thing and wrath fel on all the Congregation of Israel Iosh 22 20 and this man alone perished not in his wickednesse This is the cause why our warres do not prosper that when wee haue sent out our armies by thousands they haue returned by hundreds and when we haue sent out hundreds they haue come home by tennes because they haue giuen themselues to al wickednesse and vngodlinesse they haue broken out into all disorder and committed all abominations with greedinesse and none is carefull to restraine them and reforme them They haue not desired God to guide them and as a Captaine to goe out with their armies they haue had nothing to do with him nor he with them they haue beene led by the diuell he hath gone out with them and returned home with them taketh the gouernment of their whole liues they liue to him and without repentance they dye to him Sixtly that we may vse our wars aright it behoueth vs to put our trust in God alone to depend vpon him to pray vnto him and to looke for safety and helpe from him It is not the Shield that can defend vs it is not the sword that can deliuer vs it is not the horse that can saue vs the best shield is The Shield of faith Eph 6 14 16 17 the surest armour is The brest-plate of righteousnesse the helmet of saluation the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God The Prophet Ieremy teacheth chapt 17. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme Ier 17 5 and with-draweth his heart from the Lord. Dauid putting confidence in God when he went to encounter with Goliah put off Sauls armour and saide Thou commest vnto me with a sword 1 Sam 17 45 1 Sam 14 6 and with a speare and with a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of boasts the GOD of the hoast of Israel whom thou hast railed vpon Thus did Iehosaphat arme himselfe when he was assaulted by his enemies 2. Chron. 20. 2 Chr. 20 3.12 There is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude that commeth against vs neyther doe wee know what to doe but our eyes are toward thee Saneherib glorying in his owne strength and boasting of his owne power is driuen to flight with his whole army 2 Kings 19.25 Wee haue seene sometimes the swift not to gaine the prize in running nor the valiant the victorie in fighting nor the strong the praise in wrestling for as Saâ—omon saith Prou. 21. Prou. 21 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battell but saluat on is of the Lord. Such therefore as trust in the greatnesse of their owne strength and do not put their confidence in the liuing God lye open as a prey to their enemies and cannot looke for God o be their deliuerer Seuenthly no man should go out to warfare but with greese of minde and sorrow of heart For albeit the warre be lawfull yet when the enemies are slaine in battell it is a defiling of mens hands and a defacing of Gods Image God hath imprinted his Image in man as hee teacheth Gen. 9 6 in as much as in the image of God he made man Likewise when Dauid would haue builded a Temple vnto God it was said vnto him 1 Chron. 22. 1 Chro. 22 8 and 28 3 2 Sam â— 13 Thou hast seed muâ—h bloud and hast made great battels thou shalt not build an house vnto my name for thou hast shed much blood vpon the earth in my sight Not that hee imputeth it simply for a crime but to giue euery one a lesson and direction which is constrained to fight against his enemies though the cause be iust and the quarrel lawfull that they should be greeued to see the order of nature so troubled and peruerted by reason of mens sinnes and wickednes We ought so to liue together and loue one another as brethren and acknowledge our owne flesh in all that are created after our likenesse what corruption then and confusion is this that we shall be driuen to destroy each other after this fashion Wherefore euen in the time of warre hee that putteth on armour against his enemies and girdeth his sworde by his side must do it after a sort against his will and with sorrow conceiued
vnto him and without him we can do nothing no not so much as think one good thought or speake one good word or practise one good worke Reason 3 Thirdly he is a debter to no man neither can any of right challenge any thing at his hands He loued vs first and not we him he made vs and not we our selues he gaue to vs and not we to him we receiue of him not he of vs. â—â—m 11.34 â— 36. The Apostle saith Who hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who was his counsellour or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shall be recompensed for of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen Whereby we see he freely bestoweth all things he oweth nothing of duty he offereth iniury to no man whether he grant or withhold whether he giue little or much liberally or sparingly to many or to few Seing then we are to acknowledge his glory and our owne pouerty and seeing he oweth nothing to any man neither is runne behind hand in arrerages as being thereby bound to helpe him it followeth that God offereth his gifts and graces freely and frankely vnto vs. Vse 1 What is now to be learned from hence and what may be gathered for our instruction First it serueth to reprooue the Church of Rome that maintaine the ragges and reliques of the old Pelagians and refuse to haue the grace of God freely bestowed vpon them lest they should be too much beholden vnto him and therefore they build the castle of mans saluation vpon themselues and lay the ground-worke of it vpon their own strength and refuse to set it vpon the pillar of Gods grace This appeareth in three respects in their doctrine of foreseene works in their doctrine of merits and in their doctrine of mans free will to good Thus they build the tower of Babel that is of confusion and establish false causes touching the order of mans saluation and erre greeuously in the beginning continuance and perfection thereof Now that we doe them no wrong at all in charging them thus farre let vs make it manifest in euer particular Touching foreseene workes The first stone of this tower they lay in such workes as they say serue to prepare men to iustification so they make the foreseene faith of the elect to be the cause of the election to grace and glory that God hath chosen those to eternall life whom he foresaw would beleeue and perseuere therein vnto the end This hangeth the whole frame of saluation vpon the pinne of mans faith as the mouing or procuring cause and not vpon the purpose and pleasure of him that calleth vs whereas mans saluation abideth sure and firme stable and certaine through him onely that hath loued vs and called vs to his excellent knowledge and therefore faith foreseene is not the cause of it The Apostle reasoning of the cause of our election neuer affirmeth it to be of him that beleeueth Rom. 9.11 and 11.5 but of him that calleth for then it might be said to be of our selues Ephe. 2. which cannot be Againe if we obserue the golden chaine wherein the causes of our saluation are linked together we may strongly conclude this point For our faith is in time after the grace of God and therefore cannot be the cause of grace and consequently of election It is against all rules of right reason that that which commeth after should be any cause of that which goeth before But faith is one of the effects of election in as much as God hath chosen vs not because he knew we would beleeue hereafter but to the end we should beleeue that is that he might bestow vpon vs faith and so saue vs in his owne Sonne Ephe. 1.4 Ephe. 1.4 Tit. 1.1 Tit. 1.1 Act. 13.48 Act. 13.48 We are elected that we should bee holy and faith is said to be proper to the elect and so many beleeued as were ordained to euerlasting life Thirdly we are elect as taken out of the common masse of corruption as the sonnes of wrath borne dead in sinnes while we were yet enemies vnto him Now such as God iustifieth such he also chuseth and decreeth to iustifie as Rom. 4.5 and 5.8 RoÌ„ 4.5 5 8 Vnto him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse and God commendeth his loue toward vs in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs. But in the sonnes of wrath and in such as are borne dead in sinnes no faith at all could bee foreseene so that the foreseeing of faith could not bee the cause of election For if that which doeth come after cannot bee the cause of that which goeth before as we haue shewed already much lesse can that which is not at all be the cause of that which is Fourthly faith is the gift of GOD. It is giuen of God to vs and the worke of GOD in vs Ioh. 6.29.44 Ioh. 6.29 This is the worke of GOD that yee beleeue on him whom hee hath sent So the Apostle saith Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is giuen on the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also for to suffer for his sake Phil. 1.29 It is he that bestoweth it and encreaseth it Before this gift there is nothing in vs but infidelity and vnbeleefe As it is not in mans power to repent when he will but when God will Lament 5.21 Ierem. 31. Psal 51. Act. 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 26. so it is not in mans power to beleeue when he will Ioh. 12.39 40. albeit he haue the meanes though he heare the word and partake the Sacraments wherefore this cannot be the cause of Gods election as if he were mooued to elect vs by that as by a cause which he bestoweth vpon vs after wee are elected for then the same thing should be the cause of it selfe and before it selfe which is against naturall sense right reason and true religion Lastly if faith foreseene were the cause of election then infidelity foreseene should also be the cause of reprobation but this is false because then all mankind should be reprobated and reiected forasmuch as the whole masse of mankind is corrupt and God could foresee nothing in it but incredulity and vnbeleefe Thus we see that our election dependeth not vpon our owne workes or our owne faith or any thing in our selues but on the mercy loue of God there was no cause in vs to moue him For if any thing had bin in vs we might be said to haue the first stroke in our saluation to lay the first stone in that building and God should come after vs or behind vs. True it is he hath determined to elect vs and to saue vs of his good pleasure but he will bring it to passe by meanes to wit by the merits of Christ by calling of vs by giuing of vs faith
that may not be eaten Whereby we see why some of the beasts were said to be cleane and some of them vncleane namely because some might be eaten and some might not be eaten Lastly in the Booke of Genesis Chapter 9. Where the eating of flesh is most of all expressed and mentioned there seemeth to bee made no new grant in those particulars which in that place are remembred but onely the old priuiledges renewed as the fruit of multiplication the dominion ouer the creatures and the replenishing of the earth Wherefore seeing all these were in vse before it is very probable Gen. 9.3 that as the greene hearbes were eaten before so was the flesh of fish and of the beasts albeit there be not expresse mention of them made before Euery moouing thing that liueth shall be meate for you euen as the greene hearbe haue I giuen you all things These things being true the former sect of the peeuish and peruerse Nazarees are more strongly conuinced and ouerthrown forasmuch as they make that vnlawfull which from the beginning was vsed and practised as lawfull These were the sects among the Iewes which they inuented vnto themselues when they departed from the purity and simplicity of the word of God D. Willet Hex in Gen. 1. qu. 35. This we may reade largely and learnedly handled else-where Vse 3 Thirdly this reprooueth the hierarchy of the Church of Rome from the highest to the lowest their Popes their Cardinals their Abbots Monkes Fryers Priors Nunnes Iesuites and the rest of that race and rabble which are as croaking frogges or deuouring locusts that couered the face of the earth and ascended out of the bottomelesse pit of which the word hath not spoken any thing but quite ouerturneth that whole generation For to set the gouernement of the whole Church vpon one mans shoulder and to put all other vnder his feete is a burden able to breake his necke and to cracke his shoulders which no man is able to beare This man of sinne they make the head of the Church The Pope is not head of the Church and the vicar of Christ This is to thrust downe Christ from his dignity and to depose him from the headship of the Church or else they make it a monster of two heads or rather of many heads For this is an high honour peculiar to Christ to be the head of the body which is his Church Ephes 1.22 23. and 4.12.15 and 5.23 Coloss 1.24 and 2.19 And that for these causes First by way of excellency Secondly by reason of fulnesse of grace Turrecrema sum lib. 1. cap. 44. Thirdly because from him floweth all graces of faith and other blessings into his members He it is that gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists and some Pastors and teachers to build vp the Church to the end of the world These he thought to be sufficient without Popes and Cardinals that is without such heads and shoulders He called his Apostles and made them all equall none superiour none inferiour to other but commanded them indifferently to preach the Gospel to euery creature The Commission which he gaue vnto them was equall in feeding in binding in loosing in remitting and retaining none was before or after other as Luke 9. He calling the twelue Apostles gaue them power ouer all diuels and to heale diseases and sent them to preach the kingdome of God They had all of them the keyes of it equally committed vnto them But they wil obiect Obiect the words of Christ to Peter Matth. 16. I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Answer These words we acknowledge to be the wordes of Christ howbeit they are too weak a pillar to beare vp the Papacy First let vs speake of Peter and then of the Pope that claymeth to be his successor For if Peter himselfe in those words had no superiority or Monarchy bequeathed vnto him or sole regiment of the Church then hee could not leaue it as a legacy to the Bishop of Rome nor make him his heire of so faire a patrimony that he might claime authority and supremacy from him This is without all question and both sides yeeld vnto it that Peter could giue no more then hee had himselfe and the successour can haue no more iurisdiction then hee had into whose roome he succedeth Now touching Peter obserue this as another rule which also is receiued without cōtrouersie that nothing in this place is giuen to Peter but promised only as appeareth by the forme and phrase of speech that is vsed and by the words vttered in the time to come For Christ saith vnto him I will build my Church vpon this Rocke I will giue vnto thee the keyes of heauen the gates of hell shall not preuaile whatsoeuer thou shalt binde whatsoeuer thou shalt loose so that the manner of speaking in the time to come argueth that nothing is heere really granted but onely graciously promised to be granted He doth not say vnto him I do build my Church I doe giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen but I will builde I will giue Bellar. lib. 1. de Pontif. Roma cap. 10. This is so plaine that our aduersaries are necessarily constrained to yeeld vnto it So then I aske the question and demaund of them where this is giuen and how this promise is performed Whatsoeuer Christ promiseth his word is not yea and nay he cannot lie hee will not faile his people Obiection If any reply it is no great matter where we reade the promise to haue been performed seeing no doubt Christ meant to be as good as his word Solution I answere It mattereth much to vnderstand where it is forasmuch as there can be no better way to make tryall of the promise then to know the gift To which purpose they are wont to alledge two places and we are content to stand to both of them The one is in the Euangelist Matthew chap. 18.18 Verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Where we see Christ speaketh to all the Apostles and not to Peter alone or to him more then to any other but applyeth the same power of binding and loosing to euery one without exception or limitation The other place is in the Gospel according to Iohn chap. 20. where Christ standing in the middes of them saith vnto them Receiue ye the holy Ghost Ioh. 20 22.23 whose soeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them whose soeuer sins ye retaine they are retained In which words Christ also doth equally
Secondly touching the Merarites which are another of the familes what he saith of them verse 31 of this present chapter compare it with the 36 and 37 verses of the former chapter Lastly touching the Gershonites the 25 ver of this fourth chapter with the 25 verse of the third chapter and we shall see hee telleth them againe and againe what burdens they are to beare and what seruice they are to performe He might haue referred vs to that which hee had before set downe but he doth againe particularly rehearse and repeat it God forbiddeth needlesse repetitions in praier and condemneth much babling that bringeth no benefit with it therefore he vseth it not himselfe neither do any of the Penmen of the holy Scriptures who wrote as they were inspired by the Spirit of God the Author of them They were chosen vessels of God and as it were his Secretaries so guided by him that they could not erre in writing no more then in speaking of it We learne from this practise of Moses in this place Doctrine It is lawful for the Ministers to repeat the points that formerly they haue taught that it is lawfull for the Ministers and Teachers of the Church to make repetitions of things formerly taught and to deliuer the same points and parts of religion againe and againe both for matter and forme not thereby to ease themselues or to maintaine sloth in thē but for the benefit of the Church Moses in the booke of Deuteronomy repeateth to the people many things done before and expressed in the former bookes and therefore it is fitly called a repetition of the Law and there he rehearseth the ten Commandements againe Deut. 5. So do the Euangelists declare how Christ our Sauiour often repeateth the same things and preacheth againe the same points he had deliuered before and therfore his practise may well be our warrant and his example our direction Thus doth the Apostle Peter shew what he did and what he will do 2 Pet. 1 12. Wherefore I will not bee negligent to put you alwaies in remembrance of these things though ye know them and be established in the present truth And afterward in the same Epistle he professeth that hee had written to them of those things whereof his beloued brother Paul had written in all his Epistles The Epistle of Iude is a repetition of those things handled by Peter in his second Epistle and is as it were an abridgement of it So the bookes of Chronicles do repeat many things before set downe in the bookes of the Kings albeit it be done with much accesse of matter profite to the reader as we shall see by diligent obseruation in the reading of them In like manner the Apostle Iohn wrote vnto them those things which they had beene taught before I haue not written vnto you because ye know not the truth but because yee know it and that no lye is of the truth 1 Iohn 2 21. This may plentifully appeare vnto vs in the comparing of the olde Testament with the new one strengtheneth and confirmeth another and sundry things are repeated in the new which are deliuered in the old We see the Gentiles in the Acts of the Apostles Acts 13 42. besought Paul and Barnabas that the same words might be preached vnto them the next Sabbath day which they had first offered vnto the Iewes All which examples as it were a cloud of witnesses do confirme the lawfulnesse of their practise that teach againe what they haue taught and deliuer the same points which before they haue deliuered and so bring forth out of their storehouse things both old and new for this custome could not be vsed without some accesse and addition of new matter according to the manner of God vsed in the holy Scriptures Reason 1 This is not done without cause and good reason For first men are commonly dull in hearing slacke in comming weake in remembring and slowe in practising They are as a tough oake that is not felled at one stroke as an hard stone that is not broken in peeces with one blow they are as marble that is not pierced with once dropping of water vpon it but requireth a constant and continuall falling vpon it according to the Commandement of God directed to his Prophet Ezek 21 2. Sonne of man set thy face toward Ierusalem and drop thy word toward the holy places and Prophesie against the Land of Israel For albeit we be often taught and plainely instructed heere a little there a little yet we cannot conceiue and carry away the things we heare The Apostle saith Heb. 5 11. We haue many things to say and hard to be vttered seeing ye are dull of hearing where he giueth this reason why he had need begin againe the first rudiments of Christian religion as it were to lay the foundation of the house againe before hee went forward with high mysteries euen in regard of their dulnes and slacknes in learning Reason 2 Secondly it is safe and sure for all hearers to haue often repetitions It hath his good vse and speciall benefit Many witnesses do make sure worke and confirme strongly and stedfastly the things taught Hence it is that the Apostle saith writing to the Philippians chap. 3 1. To write the same things to you to me indeed is not greeuous and for you it is safe That which is once spoken is through our infirmity and corruption as good as neuer spoken as one witnesse is no witnesse GOD would haue euery truth confirmed by two or three witnesses and forasmuch as the historie of the life and death of the doctrine and myracles of the resurrection and ascension of Christ is so maine a pillar of our religion in the knowledge whereof our saluation consisteth hee would haue it confirmed by foure authentike witnesses and Christ carried by them as on a fourefold Chariot in triumph like a mighty Conqueror that hath subdued all his and our enemies Thus doth God prouide most plentifull meanes to remoue our infidelity to take away our doubting and to remedy our infirmity Thirdly repetition worketh a deeper impression Reason 3 in vs and serueth to beate it into the conscience as well as into the vnderstanding It is necessary that we be stirred vp quickned to the practise of good things by the goad of repetitions This consideration made the Apostle say I thinke it meete 2 Pet. 1 13. as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you vp by putting you in remembrance Practise is an hard thing and rare We are not easily brought to performe such things as wee know If then once speaking take not hold on vs it may the second time beeing commended vnto vs againe Fourthly we ought not to forbeare from Reason 4 this course because our life is short wee know not how soone we may be called out of this world and giue an account of our Ministery how carefull wee haue beene to gaine
ignorantly like the blinde man that hitteth the white cannot be accepted of him or looke for any reward at his hands God will accept of none to be his seruants that know him not Will any man receiue into his seruice one that cannot see to dispatch his businesse and shall we thinke that God will admit blinde men that regard not to vnderstand his wayes and want their spirituall eyes to discerne betweene good and euill This we see by sundry examples as Psal 95.10 where the Lord rendreth this reason why the people erred in their hearts and greeued him forty yeeres in the wildernesse Psal 95.10 because they had not knowne his wayes It was the cause why the Sadduces denyed the resurrection Matt. 22.29 Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God This caused the Iewes to crucifie the Lord of life Act. 3.17 Now brethren I wote that through ignorance ye did it as did also your rulers for if they had knowne him they would not haue crucified the Lord of life This is it that maketh the proud iusticiaries of the world to rest in their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 because they know not the righteousnesse of God This was the cause of the idolatry of the Gentiles Gal. 4.8 When ye knew not God ye did seruice vnto them which by nature are no Gods So what was the cause but ignorance that moued Paul to persecute the Saints he rendreth this as the reason 1 Tim. 1.13 I was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and iniurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in vnbeliefe And as it is the roote that brancheth out into many sinnes so it is as pitch that defileth whatsoeuer it toucheth turneth good affections into euill and maketh them to decline and degenerate into sinne Religion deuotion hope feare being ioyned and guided with the eye and light of knowledge please God whereas without this sight they highly displease him For religion ioyned with ignorance begetteth and bringeth forth idolatry deuotion accompanyed with ignorance is no better then superstition hope ioyned with ignorance worketh presumption feare ioyned with ignorance engendreth desperation If we haue not knowledge to support and season vs we erre out of the right way and are deceiued beyond all measure Loue blinded with ignorance becommeth sottish Zeale patience and such like corrupted with ignorance are turned into brutish and sauage passions This reprooueth three sorts of men First the practise of the Church of Rome â—reâ— that taketh away the key of knowledge from the people and seeketh to bring in palpable darknesse These false teachers cannot endure that the people should enioy the light of the Scriptures They reade them in an vnknown tongue perswading them they may be most deuout when they are most ignorant that it shall goe well with them though they haue no faith of their owne but an implicit faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth albeit they know not what it beleeueth These are they that notably abuse the people to their perdition and bewitch them with spirituall socery as they that bring Gods iudgments vpon their heads â—â—8 â— 13. and 〈◊〉 1. â— 10. â— 1. 8. for when a land is destitute of the knowledge of God al things are couered with darknesse and the persons are liable to his fearefull iudgements as is euident by sundry places of Scripture Dauid saith the blind and lame that mocked at him were hated of his soule so that such should not enter into his house 2. Sam. 5.8 Such as are spiritually blinde shall neuer enter into Gods kingdome they are all seers that shall come thither The want of naturall sight is nothing in comparison of the want of the eyes of the minde Our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed that are pure in heart â— 5.8 because they shall see God This sight of the minde is two fold partly in this life partly in the life to come one of them vnperfect the other perfect when we shall see him as he is This is eternall life to know God â— 3.2 it is eternall death not to know him and to be ignorant that God is our father that Christ is our redeemer and that the holy Ghost is our sanctifier â—â—econd â—ofe The second reproofe is of those that are children in knowledge that liue in the light and yet can see nothing The Sunne shineth brightly in their faces yet they shut their eyes Many thinke they haue religion enough if they haue a good mind and meaning and leade a ciuil life among their neighbours who like not such busy fellowes that will be medling euermore with the Scriptures They are accounted honest men and are well liked of all they pay that they owe they are iust of their word they deceiue no man But this ciuil conuersation and honest behauiour shall profit them nothing nor be able to bring them into the fauour of God nor giue them any title to the kingdome of heauen so long as they are destitute of knowledge forasmuch as they haue God their aduersary who will contend with them and plead against them neither will he know them that regard not to know him Others despise it and contemne it like the foole or idiot that casteth away a pearle or precious stone not knowing the value or worth of it These come to the Church sometimes and heare the word of God both read preached and yet are not so much as acquainted with the histories of the Scripture the principles of religion which are as milke for yong children They know not what faith is they are not acquainted with the meanes of our iustification they know not the difference betweene the Law and the Gospel neither the vse of the one or the other they cannot discerne any thing betweene the religion of Christ and of Antichrist Lastly The third reproofe it serueth to stoppe the mouthes of all proude and malicious slaunderers of the Gospel that accuse the preaching and publishing thereof as the cause of the sinnes and enormities that abound among vs as also of the plagues and pnishments that God hath inflicted vpon the land These men vttering the froth and scumme of their soule mouthes and belching vp the venome of their poisoned hearts cry out It was neuer wel since this new religion sprung vp since there was so much teaching and preaching that we haue so much knowledge and learning that we are well the worse for it The cause of Gods iudgements is not the preaching of the Gospel but the contempt of the Gospel and because we haue the light but loue darkenesse more then the light God iustly giueth ouer such prophane beasts into a reprobate sense Our great ignorance is the cause of our sinnes and that we are children of darkenesse rather then of the day of the night not of the light Are not these ashamed to say that the light of the Sun causeth men to stumble and goe
soule that they may be preserued from sin from the infection of sin Now if any aske whether the disease of the leprosie be not contagious and therfore whether it be not expedient that all such as are taken and touched with it should be barred and banished from the society of men I confesse this is true and conuenient ought to be so but this was not the chiefe and principall end that God respected and therfore this is left to the Physitians and Masters of that profession to iudge according to the rules of art and experience God committed the matter to the Priests that they should order all things according to the directions giuen vnto them it had beene much safer to haue committed and commended the matter to such as had iudgement in that faculty Moreouer we must consider The leprosie of three sorts that as this disease was foule and filthy vgly and feareful so there are three sorts of it named in the law to wit the leprosie of the body the leprosie of the garments and the leprosie of the house so that it is most probable according to the opinion of the learned that the Iewes in a proper and peculiar manner vnknowne to vs at this day and vnknowne to the Iewes themselues at this day were troubled and tormented with this disease Euen as we that are cast into the last age of the world haue diseases that follow some sinnes which in former times were not knowne to the Physitians themselues And heereupon no doubt prophane writers tooke occasion to deuise sundry lyes and slanders against the whole nation of the Iewes as if it were hereditary vnto them and that all the posterity of Abraham were full of botches and blisters and itches and therefore were driuen out of Egypt by force Ioseph antiq lib. 9. lest they should corrupt the rest with their infection This forged surmise had ancient Authors to rest vpon Cornel. Tacit. Iustin lib. 38. and is as likely to proceed from the Egyptians themselues a proude and hauty people as from any other who being ashamed of the plagues that were sent among them and inflicted among them and desirous to blot out the memory of the reproch of their nation and of the vengeance of eternall God turned the iudgement of scabs blisters that fel vpon theÌ„ from themselues to the people of Israel as if they had infected them were for that cause compelled to banish them out of Egypt lest they should corrupt the whole countrey with their maladies But if this had bin the true reason of their departure why did they retaine them so long among them and in the end bestow vpon theÌ„ siluer and gold iewels and precious stones thereby spoiling themselues to enrich their enemies or why did they persecute them with such hatred at the red sea that themselues were drowned Furthermore among the curses that God denounceth to bring vpoÌ„ his people for the contempt of his word disobedience to his lawes Deut. 28.27 he threatneth to smite them with the botch of Egypt and with the hemrohds and with the scabbes and with the itch whereof they should not be healed Lastly if the people of God had beene haunted and vexed with any such filthy diseases the Lord would neuer haue established such sharpe and seuere lawes among them the like whereof were not to be found among forreine nations whereby such were separated from the company of men as had any loathsome and noysome vlcers and sicknesses following them yea if any suspition did arise they were seuered and sundered from the rest for a time vntill the trueth were throughly knowne and found out as appeareth at large in the booke of Leuiticus Verse 2. Command the children of Israel that they put out c. Heere we haue a plaine and expresse commandement of God charging Moses to put out lepers vncleane persons from the Congregation The Apostle Paul speaking of fornicators and incestuous persons that were vncleane liuers vncleane in body and in soule vseth the same word Put out such from among you 1 Cor. 5.13 thereby Doctrine 1 shewing what God intended by this Ceremony Obstinate sinners are to be cast out of the Church the substance whereof teacheth this truth namely that obstinate sinners are to be cast out of the Church All open offenders and vnreformed persons by the dreadfull and direfull sentence of excommunication as it were by the two edged sword of God are to be cut off from the fellowship of the Church and from all the priuiledges that belong vnto the faithfull This ordinance of God hath good ground vpon the separation mentioned in this place which was not commanded as a ciuill policy to keep the whole from the sick but as a part of Ecclesiasticall discipline inasmuch as the Priests the sonnes of Aaron had the whole knowledge of the cause as well the shutting of them out as the receiuing of them into the hoste as we shewed by sundry examples before There are that draw the originall of this Church-censure euen from Adam whom the Lord cast out of Eden and set an Angel at the entry of the garden who by shaking the blade of a glistering sword feared him from re-entring and suffered him not to touch or taste of that tree which was a Sacrament of life vnto him The like doe the Hebrew interpreters obserue touching Caine Gen. 3.24 whom the Lord cast out and banished from the face of God Gen. 4.14 as the lepers were cast out of the fellowship of men For what else is the face of God but the place appointed for his worship where he was wont to appeare to the Fathers and where Adam and his family met together to serue him and to sacrifice vnto him And al â—his was before the law when the sons of God were manifestly distinguished from the sonnes of men Gen 6.1 In the time of the Law we haue many ceremonies to this purpose We see that the vncleane were kept from comming to the Tabernacle from entring into the Temple from the partaking of the sacrifices and from eating the Passeouer Num 19. â— 20. and 9. â— So in another place the Lord threatneth that he shal be cut off from his people that being vncleane eateth of his sacrifice and that the sacrifice shal profit him nothing nor be accounted to him to take away his sinne but that it shall remaine vpon his owne head These are no obscure types darke shadowes but liuely pictures and patternes that represent vnto vs the nature of excommunication Let vs come to the new Testament Mat. 16.13 and 18.18 The vse of the keyes to open and shut and the words of binding and loosing come directly to this purpose And as this trueth is taught by precept so it is farther enlarged and warranted by sundry examples Abraham is commanded to cast out the bond woman her son Ge. 21.10 â— out of his family which was
walke in innocency or at least sinne of infirmity But whatsoeuer the men are when they waxe impenitent the Church must spew them out as an vnprofitable burden that lieth vpon the stomacke It reproueth those also that would not haue the poore complained off or brought before theÌ„ whatsoeuer they commit and how much soeuer they offend because they are not able to fill their purses or to pay their fees or to giue them mony These are such Officers as regard their priuate gaine before the churches good and measure all things by their owne profit not by the Churches benefite and seeke to enrich themselues not to reforme the offender and to aduance their owne estate not to promote the glory of God But the Church ought not so much to looke vpon the persons of men whether they be high or low rich or poore as vpon the cause not so much what they are able to pay as what their sinnes deserue following the example of our heauenly Father who rewardeth euery one according to his desarts Lastly Is no Church to tollerate any open Vse 4 offenders among them then they must vse the censure of excommunication as an ordinance of God not an inuention of men and not onely know the nature and vse of it but practise it to the glory of GOD and to the good of others This is it which our Sauiour Christ hath left and commanded to be executed among vs Math. 18 verse 17. If he shall neglect to heare them tell it vnto the Church but if he neglect to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a Publican This vse hath many particular branches but before wee come vnto them wee are to make it appeare that in this place Christ our Sauiour speaketh of excommunication For the words themselues going before and following after are plaine and euident In the circumstances before it is manifest that hee spake of priuate admonition this heere deliuered is a publike censure that was done before two or three this before many And afterward our Sauiour saith Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall binde on earth shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose on earth shall bee loosed in heauen What is it to binde What it is to binde loose but when the Church knoweth a man to be frozen in the dregges of sinne separated from the spirituall communion of Christ and the Church and made the bondslaue of Satan to pronounce and declare him to be an impenitent person and to remaine as a captiue bound in the chaines of Satan and to keepe him out of the Church as a prisoner kept in prison vntill by this sharpe remedy he be healed brought to repentance as it falleth out to the elect who are alwaies bettered by it And what else is it to loose then when the Church seeth by the true fruites of his repentance that hee is freed deliuered and loosed from the hands and bands of Satan by the mighty power of Christs Spirit to pronounce him set at liberty to haue communion fellowship with the members of Christ Let vs now come to the seuerall points to be obserued in this ordinance First obserue what excommunication is that we be not deceiued in the practise of it passing ouer those that ought not to be passed ouer and striking those that ought not to be striken For sometimes they are smitten with the sword that deserue not to be touched with the scabbert and they feele the bluntnes of the backe that deserue the sharpnesse of the edge Excommunication therefore is an action of the Church performed in the Name of Christ whereby a brother greeuously offending and remaining impenitent is separated from the Communion of the faithfull in those things especially that pertaine to the worship of God ayming thereby at the good of the Church the saluation of the excommunicate person and at the glory of God No man ought to deny that this authority is giueÌ„ to the church or to make any doubt of it and so call it into question Obiection But peraduenture some man will say that Christ saith not Let him bee to the whole Church an heathen or a Publicane but to thee against whom he hath trespassed and to whom he will not be reconciled whereas excommunication separateth from the whole body Answer I answer this is a friuolous obiection and a poore shift to shake this holy ordinance of God in peeces which is not able once to stirre and remoue out of his place For no man ought to bee esteemed and accounted as an heathen and Publicane of any particular member who is acknowledged by the whole Church to be a brother and communicateth with other of the brethren in all the priuiledges of the Church And as though he hath not offended the Church Zâ—nchi lib. 1. in quart praeep cap. 19. who beside the offence whereof he was reproued and wherewith being now reuealed and manifest he hath hurt the Church hath beene stubborne and obstinate against the same nay stubborne stiffe-necked obstinate and obdurate against the word of God by which hee was conuinced and exhorted The Church hath not one cause and I another to esteeme of him and to iudge of him but we proceede by one and the same rule Seeing therefore the whole Church hath the same cause which I haue why he ought to be reputed as an heathen and a Publican to wit sinne committed and perpetrated and ioyned with stiffenesse and stubbornnesse with contumely and contempt what reason can bee rendred the cause beeing common why hee should be to me alone as an heathen and Publican and not also to the whole Church Moreouer the ende why hee ought to bee vnto me as an heathen a Publican is the same with the Church in all respects namely that the brother not repenting nor returning should be ashamed and as it were by force compulsion be drawne driuen vnto repentance Therefore as well to the whole Church as vnto me he ought to be as an heathen and a Publican that is an excommunicate person so that vnder the person of one we must vnderstand the whole Church as if Christ had said Let him be vnto thee and to all the brethren and to the whole Church as an heathen and a Publican They theÌ„ that restraine these words Let him bee vnto thee to one member of the Church alone are like to the Doctours of Rome who because Christ said to Peter To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Math. â—â—â— conclude that they were giuen to Peter alone that thereupon they may builde the foundation of a counterfeit and supposed supremacy whereas he gaue them to all the Apostles alike as if Christ had said I commit the keyes to thee and to the rest of the Apostles and to their successors So when he saith in this place Let him be to thee as an heathen and a Publican he meaneth
enemies to their brethren they draw an heauier enemy vpon themselues to wit God himselfe Before we passe from this so necessary a duty it shall not be amisse for vs both to obserue such motiues as may stirre vs vp to the practise of it and to answere such obiections as may hinder vs from yeelding obedience vnto it First of all let vs lay before vs the example of Christ the author and finisher of our saluation who had greater wrong offered vnto him then he had who was more innocent then he that was as a sheepe dumbe before his shearer and opened not his mouth and therefore the Apostle Peter saith chap. 2.22 Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but coÌ„mitted himselfe to him that iudgeth righteously This farther appeareth vnto vs in that he prayed for his enemies that persecuted him He had power in his own hand to haue resisted their force 〈◊〉 34 reuenged his cause He could haue praied to his Father he would haue giuen him more then twelu legions of Angels yet notwithstanding he suffered patiently 〈◊〉 â—6 53 the iust for the vniust 〈◊〉 18. that he might bring vs to God If any thinke or alledge that this example is too high for vs aboue our reach and too eminent in regard of his person who is God aboue to be worshipped let vs set before vs the examples of the faithful seruants of God that haue liued in all ages in the time of the law and vnder the Gospel â—ed moâ— that this may be another motiue vnto vs. How often did the children of Israel murmure against Moses and Aaron and sometimes went about to stone him yet he neuer sought reuenge against them albeit he had bin able to right his own cause by force When Miriam Aaron spake against him by reason of the woman of Ethiopia 〈◊〉 12.2 3 and said What hath the Lord spoken only by Moses hath he not also spoken by vs Moses held his peace and gaue not taunt for taunt rebuke for rebuke he was a very meeke man aboue all the men that were vpon the earth Thus was it with Dauid a man indeed after Gods owne heart though he were a king and wanted not seruants to execute his will yet he would not himselfe reuenge neither suffer any other to take reuenge on Shimei albeit he cursed the king with an horrible curse Saul sought his life 〈◊〉 16.9 and preferred him to be his son in law for no other cause but to lay a snare before him when Dauid had his life oftentimes in his hand to saue it or to destroy it ye he was so farre from seeking reuenge 〈◊〉 26.9 〈◊〉 24.5 that his heart smote him for cutting off the lap of his garment When Stephen had made a worthy defence for himselfe and his own innocency that the enemies could take no iust exception against him their hearts brast asunder and they gnashed at him with their teeth ran vpon him violently all at once 〈◊〉 60. but he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sin to their charge The Church of Rome are not ashamed to teach thereby to strengthen the hands of traitors rebels that rise vp against Princes that Christians of old deposed not Nero and Dioclesian and Iulian the Apostata and Valens the Arrian and such like persecutous and heretikes 〈◊〉 de Rom. â—â—b 5. c. 7. because they wanted temporall power and if they had had power they would haue done it If this be true all their patience was perforce and is not thanke-worthy But they testifie in many places that they had power sufficient but held it vnlawfull to resist and rebell They had filled all places Cities Ilands castles boroughes tents tribes bandes palaces â— Apolog. the Senate and Court not excepted so that they wanted neither number nor strength to make their party good They professe that albeit they be equall in power yet with them it is more tollerable to be killed then to kill They affirme freely God forbid that his religion should be maintained with fire and sword They acknowledge no other weapons to be put into their hands but praiers tears Arma nostra sunt preâ—es lacrymae Tert. They neuer practised any reueÌ„ge against their persecutors and those that hated them One night with a little fire would haue serued and sufficed them largely to be reuenged of their enemies but they accounted it vnlawful to requite euill with euill But to leaue this consideration to another occasion let vs come to a third motiue A third motiue that is the office which is proper vnto God to whom it belongeth peculiarly to take vengeance and is therefore in holy Scripture called the God of vengeance Psal 94.1 O Lord God the auenger O God the auenger shew thy selfe clearly It is a grieuous sin to sit down in Gods seat and to rob him of his right and royalty Let the enemies of God and his people know that he is the God of reuenge as well as the God of saluation and that he wil as wel right their causes as saue their soules He is a iust God wil recompense tribulation to all that trouble those that are his and therefore hath said Deut. 32 3â— Vengeance and recompense are mine but he neuer said to priuate persons Vengeance is thine neither did he euer put the sword into their hands A fourth motiue A fourth motiue to perswade vs to lay aside priuate reuenge is drawn from the gracious promise that God hath made vnto vs namely that he will take our causes into his hand and pay them home that do oppresse vs. For God doth not restraine vs as it were tye vp our hands to expose vs to all iniuries and to leaue vs as a prey in the iawes of the Lyons but because he hath passed his word vnto vs I will repay Rom. 12.29 saith the Lord. So then we must know that God is called the authour and executer of vengeance not only because the power and right belongeth vnto him that he is able to take vengeance of all our enemies how many and mighty soeuer they bee but because he hath vsed this power executed this office from the beginning of the world and as yet vseth it and will vse it to the ful in the great day of the general iudgement He knoweth best of all the greatnes of the iniury that is done vnto vs because he searcheth into the thoughts of the heart and vnderstandeth not only what is done but the manner how it is done Seeing then he hath promised to pay them home into their bosomes that wrong vs it were a fruit of infidelity in vs not to beleeue him at his word
A fift motiue A fift motiue which ought to be very effectuall is the consideration of the forgiuenesse that we receiue at the hands of God We are much indebted vnto him there is no sin that we commit but increaseth our debt so that we are no way able to pay it He is content for his sons sake to forgiue vs al therefore we ought to put off anger wrath malice and reuenge and on the other side to put on the bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse and long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another Col. 3.13 if any maÌ„ haue a quarrell against any euen as Christ forgaue vs so also we must do Hence it is that Christ teacheth vs to aske forgiuenesse at the hands of God as we shew our selues ready and willing to forgiue for we say Forgiue vs our sinnes as we also forgiue the trespasses that are done vnto vs and he addeth immediately after If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you Matt. 6.14 15. but if ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither wil your Father forgiue your trespasses If then we carry grudging spirits and reuenging minds boyling in vs we turne this comfortable petition into an horrible imprecation against our selues and pray that God would not forgiue vs but coÌ„demne vs forasmuch as we determine not to forgiue but to be reuenged on our enemies that offend vs. If we could be perswaded of this truth then which nothing can be truer we would not seeke reuenge to gaine a kingdome considering that we call downe vengeance with our own mouthes vpon our selues which is a most fearefull case For do we thinke that when sin lyeth at the dore vengeance wil be farre from vs and not come neere vs except we cry for it our selues Let vs take heede we doe not dally with God who wil in iustice repay vs because we take vpon vs to repay and will powre vpon vs the vengeance which we aske against our selues The sixt motiue Lastly we are mooued to put vp wrongs suffer iniuries to referre all reuenge vnto God and not to requite euil for euill because it is against all good law right reason common sense that any man should be accuser witnesse iudge and executioner But euery one that taketh vpon him to right his owne cause A reuenger executeth the office of foure men and to reuenge himselfe doth all these together he executeth the office of foure seueral men It is no reason that he which layeth any accusation against vs should be admitted to be witnesse against vs because a witnesse should not be partiall nor any way suspected to be party Whosoeuer refuseth to referre his cause to the iudgement of God and will take vp the weapon and instrument of reuenge into his owne hand doth more then this he cannot be content to be an accuser and witnesse of wrong but wil also sit as iudge to ccndemne and as executioner to punish which is against all right law equity and conscience No man therefore ought to ingrosse so many offices which of right belong vnto seuerall men It is vnpossible that there should be iust proceeding where matters are carryed in this order If then we would be Christs disciples let vs possesse our soules with patience and commit our causes vnto God that the spirit of glory and of God may rest vpon vs. Notwithstanding all these motiues which may serue as so many bands to tie vs to this dutie Obiections answered the nature of man that is corrupt striueth to breake them all and to be at liberty to doe what it list and therefore ministreth many obiections which are but carnall reasons to warrant the practise of priuate reuenge Let vs see what they are and apply seuerall remedies to euery one of them to stay vs vp from offending this way First of all it will be said If we Obiect should put vp wrongs this were to make our selues as fooles for euery one to laugh at and as blockes for euery one to insult ouer vs and to tread vpon vs. I answere Answer it skilleth not what the world esteeme of vs and what they speake against vs. If we were of the world the world would loue his owne but because we are chosen out of the world Ioh. 15. â—â— therefore the world hateth vs reuileth vs taunteth vs and speaketh al manner of euill against vs. If we regard the iudgement of God we must passe very little for the iudgment of men if we receiue praise of God it skilleth not if we be dispraised of men And as they speake euill of the seruants of God that are themselues euill so they will account vs fooles that are indeed fools themselues For there is no foole like to the wicked man and therfore he is in Scripture oftentimes branded with this name and note As for those that account godlinesse folly and place wisedome in committing wickednesse let vs leaue such wisedome to the wise of this world and be content to be esteemed as simple fooles to the end we may be like to the wise God who is a God of patience and so be partakers of the heauenly nature He turneth the wisedome of this world into foolishnesse and the foolishnesse of this world he accepteth as true wisedome Wherefore let vs hearken to the counsell of the Apostle 1 Cor 3.18 Let no man deceiue you if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a foole that he may bee wise It were better for vs to be accouÌ„ted fools in this world by wicked men then to be iudged fooles for euer in the world to come Againe some wil obiect If we alwaies sufser Obiect 2 wrongs we shall make our selues a prey set an edge vpon others to lay on loade vpon vs. For we shall neuer be quiet but euermore be abused I answere Answer the condemning of vengeance is not a taking away of iust defence God tyeth vp our hands from vniust reuenge but he shutteth not our mouthes from iust complaint For we may claime the help of the Magistrate either for the preuenting of wrong or for the punishment of the doer of wrong The Magistrate is Gods deputy and his office is to releeue the oppressed to defend the innocent to execute iudgment on malefactors When certaine of the Iewes more then forty men banded together and bound themselues vnder a curse that they would neither eat nor drink til they had killed Paul Act. 23. â—â— he sent to the chief captaine to be defended from their conspiracy And when he saw the malice of his nation against him that they ceassed not to lay greeuous complaints to his charge he appealed vnto Cesar that he might not be deliuered into the hands of the Iewes that sought his life and thirsted for blood I stand at Cesars iudgement seat where I ought to be iudged 〈◊〉 â— 10 So
peace when there is no peace So then we must know that wee make our selues accessaries to other mens sinnes except we admonish them for albeit we are to conceale their imperfections yet we are not to abstaine from admonitions If any be fallen through infirmity Gal. â— 1. they that are spirituall must restore such a one by the spirit of meeknesse considering themselues lest they also be tempted If any man doe erre from the faith we must labour his conuersion assuring our selues that he which conuerteth a sinner from the errour of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Iam. 5 19 20. It is our duty therefore to couer their frailties while there is hope of amendment but if by this meanes the sinne concealed bee not reformed and repented of we are bound to proceed farther euen in loue and charity to declare it and make it knowne to those that may correct the persons and amend the sins So did Ioseph deale toward his brethren Gen. 37 2. He brought vnto his father their euil report And Christ saith If he heare not thee take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word may be established Mat. 18 16. 15. Then shall the man bring his wife vnto the Priest and hee shall bring her offering for her the tenth part of an Ephah of barley meale he shal powre no oyle vpon it nor put frankincense thereon for it is an offering of iealousie an offering of memoriall bringing iniquity to remembrance 16. And the Priest shall bring her neere and set her before the Lord. 17. And the Priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessell and of the dust that is in the floore of the Tabernacle the Priest shall take it and put it into the water 18. And the Priest shall set the woman before the Lord and vncouer the womans head and put the offering of memoriall in her hands which is the iealousie offering and the Priest shall haue in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse Hitherto we haue spoken of the allegation or propounding of the cause which is put in the former words Now wee must goe forward to see the proceeding in it how it is decided and determined wherby it commeth to passe that the same which before was doubtfull vnknowne and vncertaine to wit whether the woman were defiled or not now becommeth plaine and manifest That which from the beginning was knowne onely vnto God and the persons themselues that sinned or else are suspected to haue sinned is made knowne to others both to the Priest and to the whole Congregation This is done two waies first by setting downe such things as goe before the triall secondly by adding such things as are ioyned more neerely with it The things going before are of two sorts to wit the workes or actions that are vsed and then the words that are spoken The actions vsed are in this diuisioâ— the words of execration that are vttered are to bee considered afterward These workes that are commanded and are here in order rehearsed in the text do concerne either the duties of the husband or of the Priest to whom she was brought First the husband must bring his suspected wife to the Priest with an offering to wit the tenth part of an Ephah of barley meale that is an Omer as appeareth Exod. 16 36. but he is charged to powre no oile vpon it nor to put any frankincense to it forasmuch as it is an offering of iealousie and bringeth iniquity to remembrance either committed or supposed and suspected to be committed Before we proceed any farther we are from hence to answer sundry questions that may be Question 1 asked and demaunded in these words For wherefore is the husband charged both to accompany and bring his wife and to set her before the Priest that triall might be made of her and not rather some other man I answer â—â—swer first because he supposeth himselfe to be iniuried and no man else and therefore seeing it most concerneth him it is fittest to be done by him Or if he be not wronged he wrongeth his wife by needlesse suspitions Besides he was to be an eye-witnesse either of her innocency or of her guiltinesse that he might esteeme of her accordingly and know where the fault resteth in himselfe or in his wife Lastly it behoueth that the people of God be free not onely from crime but from suspition of crime and to abstaine not onely from euill but from all appearance of euill 1 Thess 5.22 as we shall shew more at large afterward Question 2 Againe it may be asked why hee bringeth barley meale rather then other and why without oyle and incense I answer â—â—swer is was an offering of the lowest and meanest graine vsed of the poorest of the people forasmuch as this was a signe that should put the woman in mind to humble her selfe being now brought by her husband not onely into the presence of the Priest but into the presence of the Lord himselfe It must be offered without oyle and frankincense because they haue no affinity or concord with this matter neither was this offering of the nature of others Oyle did signifie the graces of Gods Spirit and therefore it is said that Christ was annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue his fellowes Psal 45 7. Heb. 1 9. Psal 133 2. Incense was a signe of sweet sauour and delight that we should take in the seruice of God and of Gods acceptation of his guifts and our duty performed vnto him in his Sonne Christ Psal 141 2. where the Prophet saith Let my praier bee directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of my hands as the euening sacrifice so that neither of them did accord or agree with this oblation wherein there was no gladnesse nor ioyfulnes of heart forasmuch as the cause or originall of it was sadnesse pensiuenesse and discontentment And this is the reason rendred by Moses himselfe verse 15. For it is an offering of iealousie not an offering that they could goe vnto with alacrity and cheerefulnesse For wheresoeuer there is either a party suspecting or a party suspected there can be nothing but feare sorrow care and a traine of such like tormenting affections Thirdly heere is mention made of the tenth Question 3 part of an Ephah The question heereupon may be asked what the Epha was a measure much vsed and oftentimes mentioned in the old Testament both in the Law and the Prophets I answer Answer the first place that mention is made of it to my remembrance is at the gathering of Manna when the people were in the wildernes where it is said that euery man was stinted and had an Omer for his allowance and Moses addeth in the end that an Omer is the tenth part of an Ephah Exod. 16.36 If then we learne what an Omer was we may quickly easily and readily know
him into prison and Ioseph could by no meanes satisfie his master nor blot out the wrong opinion he had conceiued of him The like we might shew touching Saul toward Ionathan his sonne and Dauid his seruant that were notwithstanding loyall faithfull vnto him He conceiued in minde that all had conspired against him 1 Sam. 22 8 29 4. yet there was none would shew him that his sonne had made a league with the sonne of lesse there was none sorry for him or sheweth vnto him that his sonne had stirred vp his seruant against him to lie in waite to take away his life from him These two innocent men had made indeed a league together but not against the King their father a league of amity not of conspiracy neither had they giuen the least cause of suspicion to be so hardly cēsured and sinisterly iudged off yet who could remoue out of his minde that iealousie or perswade him that they intended no hurt or mischiefe against him In like manner dealt the proud men with Ieremy Ierem. 43 3. they charged him to haue spoken falsely and that the Lord had not sent him to charge them not to goe downe into Egypt they suspected that Baruch had set him on against them to deliuer them into the hand of the Caldeans that they might put them to death and carry them captiues into Babylon This was the deuise of their owne braines the imagination of their owne harts yet what could Ieremy doe against it or which way could he stay them from suspecting thus Whē as Paul hauing appealed to Caesar had escaped shipwracke and was come safe to Melita the Barbarians seeing a viper fastned on his hand Acts 28 4. said among themselues This man surely is a murtherer whom though he haue escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to liue Thus we see that albeit we do not commit any crime worthy to be accused or censured yet we cannot hinder those that are credulous from misdeeming and mistrusting of vs. It lyeth in vs wholly to giue no iust cause of suspicion but lyeth not in vs wholly to preuent suspicion For euil persons may suspect what they please without ground and foundation without reason and occasion The Magistrates censured Paul to be a troubler of the Citty Acts 16 20. the Iewes traduced him to be a polluter of the Temple Acts 21 28. and a Preacher against the Law Tertullus accused him to be a pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens Acts chap. 24 verse 5. Thus he is suspected and how could he auoide it Wherefore good men depend not vpon the opinion of other men but stand vppon their owne innocency they do not rise or goe downe stand or fall as it shall please other men to conceiue of them for that were to walke vpon other mens feete or to leane vpon the staffe that resteth in another mans hand that may deceiue thē but they builde their house vpon the foundation of their owne vertues and haue or at least ought to haue matter enough within them to commend themselues It must not seeme strange to the godly when they feele the bitter fruits of these suspicions It hath euermore fared thus with them This then ought not to make vs wauer or to weaken vs in our profession but rather encourage vs to walke through good report and euill report and to furnish vs to passe through fire and water life and death knowing that God is able and will in the end bring our cause into the light and make the innocency of our persons and the iustice of our cause manifest to the glory of his Name to the comfort of our hearts to the confusion of his and our enemies as we shall shew afterward Thus he dealt with Ioseph after he had tried his patience by suffering for well doing Psal 105 18. Gen. 3◠21. for though he were laid in irons and his feete hurt with fetters yet the Lord was with him and shewed him mercy gaue him fauour in the sight of the keeper of the prison to whom no doubt he shewed his vprightnesse and cleered himselfe of that wickednes which was laide to his charge So also he dealt with Dauid with Ieremy and the rest of the righteous This doth Dauid intreat oftentimes when he was laden with the reproches of his enemies when he was bitten with the teeth and smitten with the tongues of the malignant Psal 7 3 4 5 6 Thus we see if suspition were cause sufficient to condemne and censure any no man could stand in iudgement but equity should be turned into iniquity truth into falsehood innocency it selfe should receiue a checke and counterbuffe Let not then the wicked triumph as if they had gotten the victory and giuen the godly a foile when they can alledge against them how many waies of how many persons they are suspected for that as much may bee suspected of them when as nothing at all can be proued by thē It is not the suspicion or the accusation or the condemnation or the execution that maketh a man guilty of euill or to deserue death but the offence that is committed worthy of punishment If then they be free from crime they are happy when they are iudged vnhappy and may reioyce and be glad when their enemies haue cause to weepe and waile Vse 3 Lastly let Magistrates and all that are in authority whether in the common-wealth or in the family put this in practise For seeing euery one should be tried before he be censured and that examination must goe before condemnation let them not receiue euery cōplaint and accusation but let them do iustice and iudgement defend the poore and fatherlesse releeue the weake and oppressed rid them out of the hand of the wicked Let this be the end of their gouernment to sing mercy and iudgement and diligently to consider the causes that come before them To this purpose there is required of them two things wisedome and patience without which they shall neuer proceed aright in taking away euill but sometimes plucke vp good corne instead of weedes or suffer thistles to grow instead of wholesome herbes Wisedome is required to finde out particular offences to know the number the nature the measure the proceeding in them the encrease of them and all circumstances as we see Eccl. 7 20 21. This will teach vs when to correct and when we may deferre correction in hope of amendment it being the discretion of a man to deferre his anger Prou. 20 30. And albeit the blewnesse of the wound clenseth away euill yet a man ought not to giue scope to his anger neither yet exceed measure Secondly there is required patience that we be not too hot and hasty vpon those that haue offended but to quiet our mindes and heare their answers what they can alledge for themselues as Iob
31 13 14. He did not despise the cause of his man-seruant nor of his maid-seruant when they contended with him he grounded himselfe vpon two most notable worthy considerations one from the person of God another from the law of creation From the person of God he vsed mildenesse toward them because with him is no respect of persons What then shall I do when God riseth vp and when he visiteth what shall I answer him If he should not deale mercifully and moderately with them how should he be able to answer it to God who is the Lord both of master and seruant forasmuch as we all serue one common master to whoÌ„ we must giue an account and as our seruants come to answer before vs so we must come to answer before God Col. 4. It shall one day be said vnto vs Come giue an account of thy Stewardship for wee may be no longer Stewards Luke 16. This consideration if it were duely marked of vs were sufficient to stirre vp all masters Magistrates to iust and equall dealing Againe from the common condition of our creation there is one author of life in him both master and seruant liue and moue and haue their being and both of them must of necessity die and depart out of this life How meane or how high soeuer our place of gouernement be to moderate our affections is a notable vertue in all Gouernors albeit by our authority we may command them silence and stoppe their mouthes and lade theÌ„ with stripes yet we should giue them leaue to answer for themselues and to pleade their owne causes and to debate the matter freely with vs. True it is Paul requireth of seruants that they should bee obedient vnto their masters Tiâ— 1 â— and please them well in all things not answering again howbeit the Apostle meaneth giuing of crosse answers replying againe with vnseemely and firelike words such as stand not with the bounds of their calling but they mutter and murmure with their tongues so that though they be reasonable in their seruice yet they are vnreasonable in their cutted and crabbed answers This is the answering that heere is reprooued in seruants who oftentimes abuse the lenity and mildnesse of their superiours Iob by his owne practise sheweth that there was no pride hautinesse or cruelty in him he abused not his superiority and authoritie ouer them he exercised not tyranny vpon them he did not trample vpon them and cast them vnder his feete as if they had beene dogges or bruite beasts but he mastered his affections and bridled his anger did beare with them with all gentlenesse and lowlinesse of minde And there are many motiues to perswade to this meeknesse and mildenesse toward such as are vnder vs. â—nes to â—ade to â—enesse â—d infeâ— First we are all of one molde and matter al are of the earth we are no better in regâ—â—d of our originall then those that are vnder vs albeit heere we be aboue them We are all dust and to dust we must returne The master is dust as well as the seruant When the poore Iewes complained against their oppressours to whom they had morgaged their houses and lands and giuen their sonnes and daughters into bondage they vse this â—eason Nehe. 5.5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren our children as their children To this purpose the Prophet warneth that we hide not our selues from our owne flesh Esay 58.7 Secondly we haue all one common creator he that made the master made also the seruant and he that created the rich created the poore â— 22.2 God is the maker of them both as Salomon teacheth in the booke of the Prouerbes and this we noted before out of Iob who confesseth that he which made him made them and that they had one which fashioned them in the wombe Thirdly albeit we haâ—e superiority and soueraignty ouer them yet we must consider wee haue one master in heauen â—s 6.9 to whom wee must giue an account so that as we are masters ouer them so we haue a master ouer vs and as we haue seruants vnder vs so we are seruants vnder God Such then as are superiours ceasse not to be subiects forasmuch as God is aboue all that will iudge euery one according to their workes euen toward those that belong vnto vs. The masters among the Gentiles neuer considered that they were as stewards and must giue an account of their calling and gouernment and therefore they abused it at their pleasure hauing power of life and death ouer their seruants but the Apostle putteth them in minde that the high possessour of heauen and earth ruleth all and will bring all vnto iudgement Seeing then God hath knit such a fast knot betweene mankinde that cannot be loosed to wit that we haue all one matter one common maker one common master surely such as shall cut this knot in sunder deserueth to haue his name razed out of the number of men because he acknowledgeth not the nature which God hath put into vs but thinketh he hath the bridle put into his own hands to vexe and oppresse such as are vnder him True it is he hath a preheminence ouer others and it is meete he should rule as a master and Magistrate in his owne house howbeit such as serue him and are of low degree ought not to be contemned as abiects or accounted as our footstooles Fourthly as there is one master both of masters and seruants so there is no respect of persons with him This is the nature of our heauenly master he will not sit in iudgement vpon men according to their nobility power greatnesse or riches but deale with them according to their workes as 1 Pet. 1 17. If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans workes passe the time of your soiourning heere in feare When men of might and power vexe and tread vpon the poore weake and simple that dare not resist or withstand them they goe away with it for the most part euery one is afraid to oppose against them or to defend the cause of the innocent because men are blinded or daunted by the outward glory of their persons and so they dreame that God is like vnto themselues But the Apostle layeth before their eyes Ephes 6.9 or rather vnto their hearts that they should put away threatning and deale mildly and gently toward them forasmuch as God accepteth of no mans person Fiftly they shall receiue themselues great benefite and profit by their seruice This the Gentiles though God suffered them to wander in ignorance knew well enough and the Philosophers vsed to mooue all masters to equity and gentle dealing toward their seruants True it is menseruants and maidseruants in those dayes were not as they are in our times they had them not by couenant for yeeres they serued them not for wages but they were bondslaues to liue and die
this apparent that God will one way or other make the innocency of his people to be knowne Reason 1 The reasons of this doctrine will farther confirme vs in the truth of it whereof the first may be from the office of God who is the Iudge of all the world Surely the Lord will not peruert iudgement to doe vnrighteously neither will he take rewards nor subuert a man in his cause Hence it is that Abraham making intercession for the Sodomites that those Cities might be spared saith Gen. 18 25. Bee it farre from thee from doing this thing to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be euen as the wicked be it farre from thee Shall not the Iudge of all the world do right And to that purpose reasoneth the Apostle Rom. 3.5 What shall wee say Is God vnrighteous which punisheth God forbid else how shall God iudge the world If then this title belong vnto him of right aboue all others then he will at last come foorth though he tarry long to pleade the cause of his seruants will bring their righteousnesse into the open light Secondly God is euermore an helper in Reason 2 time of need who albeit he suffer his seruants to be exercised and tried by slanders greeuous afflictions as we heard before concerning Ioseph yet he appeareth for their deliuerance and cleereth their names from reproch When they are in greatest danger then is hee neerest at hand and so giueth the issue with the tentation This doth the Prophet Dauid acknowledge Psalm 118.6 7. and 56 4 11. The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can doe vnto mee the Lord taketh my part with them that helpe mee therefore shall I see my desire vpon them that hate mee And this doth the Apostle teach vs to apply to our selues because euery one may boldly say The Lord is my helper Heb. 13 6. and I will not feare what man can do vnto me If then he haue promised to take our part and to helpe vs in time of need when we are oppressed with the euill speeches of our enemies he will not be farre from vs but succor vs and sustaine vs that we shall not fall Thirdly we know well that howsoeuer Reason 3 many things are couered heere in darknesse partly through hypocrisie in some and partly through ignorance and weaknesse that is in all wee are not able to enter into the actions of men and diue downe so low as to see with what purpose they do them yet the time shall come when they shall be discouered and manifested This is the generall rule deliuered by Christ our Sauiour Luk. 12 verse 2. There is nothing couered that shall not be reuealed neither hid that shall not bee knowne This is true not onely touching the hypocrisie of the wicked but also touching the innocency of the righteous for all shall be knowne in the end when the secrets of all hearts shall bee discouered From hence wee haue offered to our wise Vse 1 considerations very many profitable vses whereof I will point out the principall First we are put in minde from hence to commit all our waies and workes to God and to depend vpon him to bring to light the truth of our hearts Let vs put our trust in him and delight our selues in the Lord. Let vs possesse our soules with patience when we are slandered and traduced and resigne vp our selues to him that ruleth all things Let vs cast our eyes vpon his prouidence who careth for vs and watcheth ouer vs. The children of God when they see the prosperity of the wicked and how all things in this world for the most part goe well with them are sore troubled they begin to wauer and sometimes to fret murmure as if there were no God to gouerne all things This made the Prophet Dauid to say Psal 73 12 13 14. Behold these are the vngodly who prosper in the world and encrease in riches verily I haue clensed mine heari in vaine washed mine hands in innocency for all the day long haue I beene plagued and chastened euery morning But God will not forget vs or forsake vs if we trust in him we shall not be deceiued So often as we haue euill rewarded vnto vs for good and are ouerladen with the slanders of the vngodly we are ready to fret and fume and to seeke reuenge against them we haue many doubts arise in vs as if it were lost labour to worship God sincerely and to deale with our brethren iustly It is not the pleasure of almighty God that our righteousnesse should alwayes lye hid in the darke and as it were creepe into corners forasmuch as he will make it shine as the Sunne and bring it into the open light This is the vse that the Prophet teacheth vs to make Psal 37 5 6. Commit thy way vnto the Lord trust also in him he shall bring it to passe and he shall bring foorth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgement as the noone day Wherein he alludeth fitly vnto the night the darkenesse whereof the morning arising scattereth away Are we then hardly vsed are we shamefully intreated are we oppressed with slanderous things laid to our charge and doth God for a time hold his peace as if he heard them not or doth he shut his eyes as if hee saw them not Let vs not take it to heart or be discouraged this ought to trouble vs no more then when the darknesse of the night couereth the earth because we looke for the morning to appeare and the Sunne to shine When all things are darke that nothing can be discerned when we know not white from blacke nor chalke from cheese nor faire from foule we are not to be greeued or disquieted by it because we liue in expectation of the light which we know cannot be far Then we shall know one thing from another when all will shew themselues in their likenesse From this consideration we are admonished to cōmit our waies vnto the Lord who will make a notable issue of them by giuing iudgment on our side and deliuering of vs from the venime of the euill tongue He forbiddeth in the law Exod. 20 16. any to beare false witnesse in iudgment Now hee is a false witnesse that holdeth his peace when he may by his testimony releeue his brother iustifie his person cleere his good name or defend his goods or right his cause in any matter called into question as well as he that speaketh in a cause Exod. 23 2. to decline after many to wrest iudgement He hath made vs keepers of the credite one of another so that we may offend God and our neighbour as well by not speaking the truth as by speaking of an vntruth The law it selfe requireth such loue to be among vs that although we be not requested yet we should neuer be wanting to another but alwaies be willing and desirous to maintaine
and how we receiue the Sacrament how highly soeuer we esteeme of our selues by reason of some few good things which wee seeme to haue yet God cannot bee deceiued and it is certaine he will not be mocked Secondly there is no dallying with God Vse 2 or shifting from him or hiding our waies and workes out of his sight neither can we reape any comfort in the flattering perswasions of others It is a vaine thing for any man to esteeme highly of himselfe because other men as vaine as himselfe sooth him vp and tell him he is in an happy estate and condition that he is a faithfull and religious person and professour and shall without all doubt inherite the kingdome of heauen when in the mean season his owne heart shall condemne him and conuince him that it is nothing so It is I say a vaine thing to thinke one whit better of our selues for this for GOD knoweth thy heart better then thy selfe 1 Iohn 3 20. who knoweth all things If thine owne heart condemne thee God is greater then thy heart There is no true comfort that resteth vpon the breath of another mans mouth Tell me when a man lieth on his death bed what comfort can the approbation of another man giue thee that thou art a good man when thy owne soule proclaimeth the contrary and God knoweth thee to be euill Doubtlesse no more then if he tel thee thou art sound and in good health when thou feelest thy selfe to be heart-sicke and at deaths doore So if all the world should acquit thee and thine owne conscience condemne thee what good can the vaine applause of sinfull men do thee It is true indeed in an earthly estate it is a great matter to bee well thought off by others because then he shall be sure to be cleere from the censure of earthly Iudges but it is otherwise betweene God and our selues for he is both witnesse Iudge of all our actions and can make our owne hearts to speake for him against our selues What should it profite a man if all his neighbours round about him should conceiue an opinion of him that he is rich and wealthy worth many thousands and in the meane season he know himselfe to bee poore and beggerly many thousands worse then nought what benefit could any man take by such a perswasion So likewise what comfort can a man take to heare others tell him of his good estate before God that he is iust and vpright before him a man fearing God and eschewing euill when his owne conscience knoweth by him that which all the world did neuer know and God knoweth a thousand times more then them both Thirdly from hence comfort ariseth to all Vse 3 Gods true children and faithfull seruants because he knoweth what they are what their condition is he cannot misconceiue through suspition or surmise nor be deceiued by misinformation of others because he knoweth them well and therefore their estate is happy and blessed before him True it is it hath bene the lot and portion of the godly to bee falsely accused and traduced in the courts and accounts of men yet in respect of GOD they may take comfort from this doctrine for they shall appeare iust before him therfore they may defie the malice of Satan and of all their aduersaries If they labour to keepe thēselues pure and holy before him howsoeuer they be esteemed of before men let them rest and bee content vntill they appeare before the throne and tribunall seat of God who will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then shall euery man haue praise of God 1 Cor. 4 5. Psal 7 8 9. the malice of the wicked shall come to an end This is the consolation that euery soule may haue if he leade an vpright life for when men charge him God will discharge him and when they condemne him he will iustifie him and it should moue vs to bring all our thoughts words deeds as into Gods presence being well assured that he knoweth all of them This will worke in vs a care to walke warily as Enoch did before the flood Gen. 5 22 Abraham after the flood Gen. 17 1. The want of this meditation causeth all sinne to breake out of vs. Lastly it will teach men to be patient vnder the hand of God Are we in any trouble Vse 4 and do we not know any particular cause why it should be so Yet let vs not murmure but beare it with patience because though wee know nothing yet God knoweth there is cause enough As affliction cometh from him so he knoweth wherefore he sendeth it and we should stoop downe vnder his hand Whē Eli heard all that the Lord had threatned against him and his house 1 Sam. 3 18. this was his resolution It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good We also ought to be patient and to hold our peace and say with the Prophet Psal 119 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and vpright are thy iudgements Ver. 3. Now the man Moses was very meeke aboue all the men that were vpon the face of the earth The reason is rendred why he put vp this wrong he was a man lowly in his owne eyes of great patience and singular humility he did not storme and rage against them hee did not raile at them and reuile them he drew not out the sword of iustice against them or execute his authority nor complaine to God against them though he himselfe were wronged the people offended and God dishonoured greatly therby He sought not reuenge in his owne cause neither desired God to be reuenged of them They could not be ignorant of his meeknesse for this is such a vertue as cannot be hid Obiect Now a question may heere be moued how the pen of Moses could thus praise himselfe in the highest degree and call himselfe not onely meeke but very meeke and not so onely but meeke aboue all the men vpon the earth considering the counsell of Salomon Prou. 27 2. For answer hereunto it may seeme that some things in the bookes of Moses are heere and there inserted and dispersed Answer which could not be written by his hand and therefore may seeme to be added by Ioshua or some other of the Prophets after him as Exod. 16 35. it is said that the children of Israel did eate Manna forty yeares vntill they came to a Land inhabited which is not set downe prophetically but added historically not by way of foretelling what was to come but of telling what was already come to passe but in the daies of Moses they were not come to a land inhabited it was Ioshua that conducted them into the land of promise Likewise the history of the death and buriall of Moses recorded in the booke of Deuteronomy chap. 34 could not be penned by himselfe but must of necessity bee annexed by some of the Prophets
him that ruleth all things Vse 3 Lastly it reprooueth such as are contrary minded who neuer came neere where this grace groweth These offend diuers waies first by anger hatred cruelty and reuenge directly against the precept of the Apostle Ro. 12 19. Secondly by reioycing at the calamity of good men as Shemei insulted ouer Dauid when he fled from his sonne Absolon and was constrained to passe ouer Iordan for safety of his life So was it with the Babylonians Edomites ouer the Israelites Psal 137 7. Obad 12 13. Thirdly by enuying and grudging to see others prosper and to greeue at the sight of it But it will be said If we put vp iniuries Obiect we shall be accounted no better then fooles and cowards and be laughed at for our labor Answ Answer We must not regard the corrupt iudgment of man 1 Cor. 4 3. These that are wise in their owne eyes loue the praise of mē more then the praise of God Ioh. 12 48. Let vs seeke the praise of God which is indeed the true praise as for other estimation without this it is but a shadow of true glory if it bee so much And this is a certaine rule that it is no cowardize at all to obey God and to follow his commandements neither is it any point of wisedome to bee ready to reuenge Ier. 8 9. And tell me to what end serue Magistrates in the commonwealth to what ende serue masters in the family are they not set vp of God to end controuersies betweene man and man and quarrels betweene seruant and seruant It is no want of manhood for a subiect to complaine to the Magistrate and to say as the poore widow did in the Gospel Auenge me of mine aduersary Lu. 18 3. It is no part of a coward for the seruant to acquaint his master with the wrongs that are offered vnto him by his fellow seruant Obiection But it is hard for flesh and blood to put vp wrongs and to digest the iniuries which are measured vnto vs. Answ I will say more then that it is vnpossible for flesh and blood to do it Answer if we bee no more then a lumpe of flesh but withall I adde that flesh and blood in the matters of God are euill counsellers and if we haue no more in vs then these and no farther worke begunne in vs it is certaine we are not Gods children neither shall inherite Gods kingdome If we be not spirit as well as flesh wee are none of his 4. And the Lord spake suddenly vnto Moses vnto Aaron and vnto Miriam Come out ye three vnto the Tabernacle of the Congregation they three came out 5. And the Lord came downe in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle and called Aaron and Miriam and they both came foorth Hitherto of their sinne now wee come to Gods proceeding against them consisting partly in a citation partly in a conuiction and partly in the execution of punishment vpon the principall offender First we see how the offenders are cited and summoned to appeare before the Iudge for GOD doth as it were send a processe for Miriam and Aaron to appeare and hold vp their hands at his barre to plead guilty or not guilty He calleth the parties offending and the party offended and wronged before him Albeit the Lord know all things yet he will proceed iudicially against them The doctrine from hence is plain that God neuer bringeth iudgements vpon any people or person Doctrine God neuer bringeth iudgment vpon any but hee searcheth and findeth sufficient cause but he doth first search and finde sufficient cause why hee doeth so Whensoeuer he cometh to iudgement hee will proceed vpon a manifest ground and vpon a iust and knowne cause he neuer doth it rashly but vpon deliberation Gen 3 13 14 and 11 6 7. and 18 31. Zeph. 1 12. The reasons are euident For first heereby Reason 1 the iustice of God is cleered for heereby it appeareth that whatsoeuer he doth inflict he doth it not through any malice to their persons but because they haue iustly prouoked him by their sinnes he doth it in loue to iustice and in hatred to sinne He that hateth a man will smite him before hee make any enquiry of the matter as they dealt with Paul they scourged him to know what hee had done and what was the matter of which hee was accused Acts 22 ver 24. It is not so with God Secondly the Lord requireth that all Magistrates should obserue this course Deut. 13 14. If then he charge them to enquire before they proceed to iudgement much more wil the Lord himselfe obserue the same order This teacheth vs that the iudgements of Vse 1 God must needs be acknowledged to bee alwaies iust though they be sharpe and greeuous yet they are euer righteous For we see he proceedeth vpon knowne causes he goeth not vpon vncertainties but seeth knoweth all things which appeare naked and open before him The heart of man is shut vp from the sight of men and they cannot possibly discerne what lieth and lurketh therein onely it is the Lord that discerneth the heart Psal 33 15 1 Iohn 3 20. The workman must needs know the worke and whatsoeuer is in the work much better then the worke it selfe God is the maker of the heart of man therfore cannot but proceed vpon iust knowne causes Secondly this stoppeth the mouthes of wicked Vse 2 men which are ready to accuse God of iniustice as those in Esay 58 3. where they complaine as if GOD did not see or regard them and Ezek. 18 2 3. they tooke vp a prouerbe saying The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge These thought that God punished without measure or rather without cause But as he knoweth all things so he neuer doth any thing but hee goeth vpon a sure ground he maketh enquiry first of all and afterward proceedeth to iudgment Many do so harden their hearts forget their owne waies that they cannot perceiue the iust proceedings and punishments of God If God once open their hearts to see the order which he obserueth they will confesse his iustice condemne their own folly Thirdly it teacheth and instructeth euery Vse 3 man that he should search his owne waies diligently when the hand of God is any way vpon him and consider that God proceedeth in all his iudgements iustly and vpon a sure and tried ground And if a man by searching and sifting his owne waies finde somewhat in himselfe worthy of such iudgement he must know that God knoweth much more by him then himselfe doth 1 Ioh. 3 ver 20. If the patient knoweth somewhat of his own disease the Physition knoweth much more then hee doth so is it in this case he that is a patient vnder Gods hand if he know any thing by himselfe he may well know that God knoweth much more if men by examining
his souldiers willing them to bee strong and valiant and to play the men for their people and for the Cities of their God and then let the Lord do that which seemeth good in his eyes 2 Sam. 10 12. So the people of God had promise of the destruction of Iericho neuerthelesse they must compasse the walles seuen daies together and blow with Rammes hornes or else they could neuer haue entred the City Iosh 6 4 5. Secondly to neglect the meanes is no better Reason 2 then a flat tempting of God For when Christ our Sauiour was tempted to cast himselfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple he sheweth that the dooing thereof were a tempting of God Math. 4 vers 7. It is written Deut. 6 16. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God He repelleth the tentation by this Scripture Whereas therefore there was an ordinary and common way to descend by staires he could not cast himselfe downe without manifest tempting of God It is the duty of euery one in his calling to Vse 1 vse the meanes carefully conscionably that God hath appointed if euer we looke for any blessing from him Hence it is that Paul instructeth the Church of the Thessalonians to labour and worke with their owne hands and to do their owne businesse 1 Thess 4 vers 11. It was not enough for them to say they depended vpon GOD for their food and daily bread but they must worke out his prouidence by their diligence in their calling We haue no promise of blessing without this God was able to haue giuen the Israelites the Land of promise without this search yet hee would haue this meanes vsed for the manifestation of his owne glory and for their further assurance of it For meanes are granted to helpe vs not to helpe GOD vs that neede them not GOD that needeth them not Secondly we must take heed we doe not trust in the meanes although wee be commanded Vse 2 to vse them yet should we not rest in them but looke higher and lift vp our eieâ— farther otherwise they are meerely vaine eyther to helpe or deliuer vs to saue or defend The Prophets teach that an horse is a vaine thing and Princes vaine to trust in This appeareth in that proud Goliah the chaÌ„pion of the Philistims 1 Sam. 17 45. hee came in the confidence of his owne strength with a sword with a speare and with a shield but did they profit him nothing at all his helmet of brasse vpon his head his coate of male vpon his body his greaues of brasse vpon his legs his target of brasse between his shoulders the staffe of his speare like a weauers beame could doe him no good they were the god vpon whom he depended Contrariwise Dauid sheweth where his hope and trust was when he saide vnto him I come vnto thee in the Name of the Lord of hostes the God of the armies of Israel whoÌ„ thou hast defied The inhabitants of Iericho trusted in their high thicke and strong walles but this proued vaine for they found little defence and releefe in them when notwithstanding all their courage and confidence GOD laide them flat to the ground by weake and simple meanes Iosh chap. 6 verse 20. It is in vaine to trust in riches Luke chap. 12 verse 20 or in strength Iudg. chap. 16 verse 17 or in wisedome 2 Sam. chap. 17 verse 23 or in all these Ier. chap. 9 verse 23 because GOD can ouerturne them with the least breath of his nostrils Vse 3 Thirdly learne that God is not tied to vse meanes he can when he pleaseth worke without them as he did in the creatioÌ„ giuing light to the world without the Sunne and taking away the light thereof in the time of Christs passion Math. 27 45. Darknesse was ouer all the Land So he nourished Moses and Eliah forty daies without food He hath bound vs to them when he hath giuen them howbeit hee hath not bound himselfe euermore to vse them Vse 4 Fourthly seeing this is required of vs in temporall and earthly things much more is it necessary in heauenly things Such persons as will vse no meanes whereby they may come to faith and repentance do indeed no more repent and beleeue then a man can bee able to liue and prosper to grow and waxe strong without meate and drinke And heerein we are to beware of a twofold deceit A twofold decâ—it bewitching the world whereby many sorts are blinded and bewitched The end of our faith is the saluation of our soules 1 Pet. 1 9. To attaine to this we must vse the helpes and meanes that God hath left sanctified Neuerthelesse Satan perswadeth many thousands in the world that they shall attaine wel enough to this end and ariue safely in this harbour although they neuer vse the meanes and that they shall in good time reape eternall life though they neuer sowe the seeds of a sanctified life Now is the seed time now is the time of labouring and of working we shall neuer reape a good haruest and a plentifull reward if we vse not the meanes to come thither He that sitteth still and runneth not at al can neuer winne the prize or weare the garland But as it is with vs in temporall things for the sauing of the body so it is in spirituall things for the saluation of our soules Notwithstanding men are for the most part great enemies in this respect to their owne soules They say God is a mercifull God and Christ Iesus is a most blessed Sauiour we hope he wil saue vs and bring vs to heauen and yet they omit and neglect and contemne the meanes of saluation to wit the hearing of the word the calling vpon Gods Name and the receiuing of the Sacraments They that vse these carefully and conscionably declare plainely they looke for saluation as for others we regard not their words when we see they looke one way and their works another It is in vaine to dreame of saluation without vsing these We imagine an heauen to our selues without these and a saluation of our owne deuising but in the meane season let vs take heed lest we be shut out of Gods heauen and depriued of that saluation which he hath appointed for his children This serueth to meete with a peruerse and prophane opinion of such as reiect second causes as needlesse and vnprofitable which reason that if God haue elected any to saluation what need they care what they do they are sure howsoeuer they liue to bee saued and if God haue reiected any they shall bee damned how well soeuer they liue To answer these vaine and ignorant persons Two rules touching Gods 〈◊〉 obserue with me two found rules to bee knowne and acknowledged in Christian religion first the chiefe and principall cause being put and granted it is not necessary that the second and instrumentall cause should bee remoued and taken away both of them may well stand and agree together For
heare the fearefull iudgements of God daily and deseruedly threatned against vs for our sinnes and namely for the contempt of the Gospel in all places and among all persons there followeth little repentance and amendment of life nay it seemeth that God hath blinded our eyes and hardned our hearts Matth. 13 1â— lest we should returne and be saued What will folow nay what must necessarily folow whosoeuer hath halfe an eye may easily perceiue Yet see how we deceiue our selues with flattering words as Ier. 7.4 they said The veine â—onfidence 〈…〉 â—lish Goâ—pelâ—â—s The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord so wee can say Tush The Gospel the Gospel it can neuer be rooted out from among vs Popery shal neuer bee established any more But what doe we glory so much of the Gospel or why doe we put confidence in this tule For this Gospel shall bee a witnesse and giue in verdict against vs and as an vpright iudge condemne vs. And what is vnpossible vnto God what cannot his power what may not his iustice doe such as beleeue not the trueth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes 2 The. 2.11 12 shall bee damned Can we challenge to our selues any more then Gods owne people that had the law and the Prophets the Temple and the sacrifices the Arke and the Couenant or more then the Churches of Asia and other founded by the Apostles who seeth not a generall coldnesse a palpable deadnesse a fearefull declining and falling backeward generally in all places All which make a preparatioÌ„ to apostacy Papists euery where encrease and are winked at thâ—y haue beene threatned with enditements forfeitures and imprisonments but they liue at ease grow rich haue great friends and laugh all their enemies or opposites to scorne Such as haue beene zealous decay godly parents faile and a crooked generation ariseth after them ignorance aboundeth wickednes hath the vpper hand and he that setteth himselfe against euill maketh himselfe a prey Esay 59.15 Atheists swarme euery where and lift vp their hornes on high the people for the most part are fit for any change to professe Christ or antichrist to worship God in truth or in an Idoll 13 Then Moses said vnto the Lord Then the Egyptians shall heare it for thou broughtest vp this people in thy might from among them 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land for they haue heard that thou Lord art among this people that thou Lord art seene face to face c. To the former threatning is annexed an excellent prayer of Moses made in behalfe of the people We haue not many of his prayers recorded in Scripture but such as are left vnto vs are most worthy and heauenly testifying that he had the spirit of supplication in a plentifull measure and therefore no maruell being so excellent if they were also very effectuall Whereby we see it is not for nought that he is said after a sort to haue bound or chained the hands of God Exod. 32.10 and to haue preuailed more by his word then Ioshua by his sword by his prayers then the hoste of Israel by their weapons of warre Exod. 17.11 And in this place after that God had threatned to make a generall hauocke and destruction of this stubborne people as a man wipeth a dish and turneth it vpside down he standeth in the gap to turne away the wrath of God Psa 106 23. which otherwise as a mighty flood would breake in vpon them and beare downe all before it Whereby it appeareth that the words in the former threatning were not vttered definitiuely but conditionally to wit if Moses did not make intercession for them and stand betweene God and his people For if they had beene spoken simply or beene vnderstood to be spoken in that sort Moses ought not to haue prayed for them but to haue giuen place to the threatning and rested in the decree and determination of God submitting himselfe to his holy will and pleasure But he was stirred vp thereby to seeke and to sue for pardon for them and therfore he vnderstood the same conditionally The summe and effect of the prayer is The summe oâ— the praâ—â—â— of Moses that GOD would not destroy his people vtterly according as he had threatned and he moueth him to shew mercy toward theÌ„ by three reasons The first is drawne from the consideration of the enemies of the Church that they might haue no occasion to reproch the holy Name of God and to tread his glory which is higher theÌ„ the heauens vnder their feet taking occasion thereby to blaspheme him if he should destroy his people which he with a strong hand had brought out of Egypt Exod. 32.12 Deut. 9.28 and 32.27 The second reason is drawne from the nature and essentiall properties of God he is of long-suffering and great mercy c. The third is taken from the former works and examples of his great goodnesse wherein he moueth God to pitty them seeing he had oftentimes before shewed fauour toward them all which had beene vtterly lost if he should vtterly destroy them Out of these words as also out of all the reasons vrged by Moses in generall we learne Doctrine The meaâ—â—â— to reuoke Gods iudgements is 〈◊〉 and vnfaâ—â—â—â— prayer that the ordinary meanes and ready way to reuoke and call in Gods iudgements is true hearty and vnfained prayer whensoeuer his hand in any sort lyeth heauy vpon vs Ps 107.6 13 19 28. and 106.23 Iam. 5.17 18. Numb 12.13 1 King 8.33 35 37 44. The reasons First it is profitable to all Reason 1 things and is of force to obtaine euery good thing and if euery good thing then also to remooue euery euill thing from vs It obtaineth blessings of al sorts publike and priuate spirituall and temporall for our selues and for others touching this life and a better Ioh. 16.23 In that day ye shall aske me nothing Verily verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Where we see the generality of the promise confirmed by a vehement asseueration Secondly prayer Reason 2 obtaineth the pardon forgiuenes of sins Act. 8.22 Iam. 5.15 1 Ioh. 5.16 and sinne is the true and proper cause of all iudgements whatsoeuer if then it obtaine the remoouing of the cause it shall also obtaine the taking away of the effect For the cause being remoued the effect wil ceasse Thirdly it is so mighty Reason 3 that it is able to throw downe the fastest hold and surest possession that Satan hath gotten Paul hauing shewed that we wrastle not with flesh and blood that is not onely or chiefly with them but with principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse in high places prescribeth this as a meanes to subdue and ouercome them And Christ our Sauiour telleth his disciples Maâ— 17.21 Ephes 6 1â— that this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting If then it be able
some penall statute to say Alasse I knew not the law I was vtterly ignorant of it I neuer heard in all my life of any such matter For the law is passed printed and published and thou must take knowledge of it Euery man at his owne perill must looke to it and if he runne in danger of it it is his owne fault so we may say of the law of God He hath set it foorth to the view of all and all must make enquiry after it at their vttermost perill If then the Turkes and Sarazens if the Infidels and Barbarians that want the meanes shall not be excused at the day of iudgement by their ignorance how shall we thinke to escape that haue had the meanes And so doth the Lord tell them of Corazin and Bethsaida and denounceth a fearefull woe against Capernaum because they had much mercy shewed vnto them yet neuer regarded the same and therefore telleth them that it should be easier for Tyre and Sidon yea for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement Math. 11 21 23 24. Secondly woe to our times woe to the age Vse 2 wherein we liue for little knowledge resteth in the hearts of the greatest part They know nothing of God of his nature of his essential properties of the Trinity of the Law of the Gospel what faith is what iustification or repentance They are ignorant how to worship God though they be often taught they remaine euer the same men euer ignorant euer learning but neuer coming to the knowledge of the truth Two chiefe causes there are of this the one in the mind the other in the will In the minde impotency of vnderstanding they are dul to conceiue the things of the Spirit The wisedome of God is foolishnesse to them as mans wisedome is foolishnesse to God 1 Cor. 2. The other is in the will they sauour the things of the flesh wholly they finde no sweetnesse in the word their hearts are put out of taste by worldly things These as they that are euill and blinde by nature so are they become worse by nurture and education they are nuzled in ignorance all their youth for the most part a l their life parents be generally ignorant themselues and no care is in them to haue them instructed Salomon saith Teach a childe or traine vp a childe in the way that hee should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prou. 22 6. He will both sooner apprehend it and better keepe that which is taught him If this time be passed ouer it is harder to learn afterward the eies being blinded and filled with the dust of earthly things can discerne nothing and when such come to age they vtterly despise the things that belong to a better life It is with vs as it was with the Land of Egypt it was ouerspread with darknesse onely a small part where the children of Israel were being excepted so hath ignorance ouerspread the greatest part of our land For look vpon very many places they lie waste as a wildernesse for want of builders the haruest is great but there is great want of Labourers to gather together the corne Mat. 9 37. They haue blinde guides set ouer them that can do nothing to the sheepe but fleece them they can say nothing to them but Bring ye or pay ye If we cast our eies vpon such places as haue able Teachers ouer them hauing gifts sufficient to instruct them yet many of them are idle without care and conscience of their duties is it then to be wondered at that the land is full of ignorance and empty of knowledge Againe in such places where are able Ministers and willing to take any paines amongst the people according to the measure of grace affoorded vnto them yet euen there you shall finde little or no knowledge at all and where they haue bread enough they starue themselues and perish for hunger and where they may haue plenty they liue in penury and misery and want of all things They haue meate and drinke offered vnto them but they will not reach out their hand to take the same like to the sluggard that hideth his hand in his bosome and will not so much as bring it to his mouth againe Prou. 19 24. Many there are that doe manifestly and openly oppose themselues against knowledge and set themselues against seeking after it so farre as they can or dare This plainly sheweth that indeed they neuer had any true knowledge at all and others albeit they doe not directly oppose themselues against knowledge yet in the meane season which is all one they haue no loue of it neither any holy desire to come to knowledge If we consider farther how empty our churches and seats are it will appeare that our ignoraÌ„ce must needs bee very great For how should such carelesse rechlesse persons haue knowledge I am perswaded if these were well and throughly examined they would be found beyond all measure blinde and sottish olde and ignorant worse then infants and little children Knowledge of God is not naturall it is not borne and bred in vs and with vs neither is it to be gotten in our daies by extraordinary meanes seeing therefore they vse not the ordinary it followeth that they are destitute of knowledge causes of â—ance Another reason why men are so drowned in the sea of ignorance is because though they heare much yet they digest little or nothing at all like to him that seeth meate before him but tasteth none of it In the body he that eateth much and digesteth nothing cannot haue his health nor prosper so is it in the soule it may be these will heare two or three times in a quarter but they neuer make conscience to meditate on that which they haue heard but let that slippe which they haue learned and so indeede are neuer bettered by that which they heare Another reason why so much ignorance is among men is because they want exercising of themselues in the Scriptures they apply themselues to no constant reading of them or reasoning and conferring about them and therefore it is not possible for them to haue any sound and well-grounded knowledge in them at all The Ministers may wast theÌ„selues like lights in the Tabernacle yet these people will neuer attaine to any knowledge Vaine allegations of ignorant people Some alledge that their callings are such as they giue them no leisure to attend the Scriptures or to spend any time in reading But it seemeth strange to mee that men should finde a time for all other businesse vnder the Sun and yet not finde any time to further their own saluation How monstrous a thing is it that they haue time enough and enough for the bodie but can finde none at all for their soules They can finde time and leisure to prouide wealth for themselues and their children and yet carry poore starueling soules to the graue suffering them from
Sauiour of the world was valued esteemed by him The like we might say of the sin of the Iewes when they denied the holy one and the iust desired a murtherer to bee granted vnto them at such time as Pilate was determined to let him goe Acts 3 13 14. They weighed him Barrabas together in the ballance they preferred him that was a theefe a robber Iohn 18 40. a seditious fellow Lu. 23 25. who had also committed murder in the insurrection Mar. 15 6. Him I say they preferred before the Lord Iesus This might farther be proued out of other places which I onely point out Prou. 28 21. Ezek. 13 19. Amos 2 6. The reasons Reason 1 First this argueth plainly to their faces that such persons are destitute of the feare of God and man that they dare sinne and dishonour God for so small and abiect a thing The smaller the thing is the greater is the contempt There are commonly two things that draw men to sinne either the feare of some euil that they would auoid or else desire of some good that they would enioy Now doubtlesse there is but a small measure of the grace of GOD whensoeuer men are drawn to transgresse for such slight and slender occasions Secondly Reason 2 it argueth a mans heart to bee most corrupt when he will not sticke to sin and offend God for a small thing and it warranteth others to iudge the same man to be very wicked and to presume he will much rather sinne and much more offend for a greater thing that is so easily brought to commit sinne for euery triffle of little or no value He that will peruert iustice for a few morsels of bread will sooner do it for many peeces of gold and they that will sell the poore for a paire of shooes will make no bones to do it for a brace of angels The vses follow This conuinceth many that they liue vnder Vse 1 a greater guilt of sinne then they are aware of for they haue an erronious iudgment of themselues they thinke the lesse the matter is wherin they sinne the lesse is their sin whereas indeed it is for the most part the quite contrary for the lesse the thing is for which we chuse to sinne the greater is our sinne He that will lye and face sweare forsweare for a smal thing and vpon euery occasion certainely God will iudge him more seuerely for it then he will do those that haue had some greater cause to doe it albeit no cause can excuse it wholly So for a man to robbe another where are but small things to be had he offendeth more theÌ„ others that rob for great store of gold and siluer and the reason is because it argueth greater contempt of God and lesser regard of his displeasure and of his law it bewrayeth greater corruption of his heart and lesse loue of iustice and righteousnesse and besides though hee tooke but little yet he would haue takeÌ„ more if more had beene to be taken according to the saying of our Sauiour Hee that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is vniust in the least is vniust also in much Lu. 16 10. Againe many a man doth abuse the Sabbath day which is the point heere in question by walking abroad in the fields or by following his base pleasures perhaps he lieth asleepe at home or goeth to the alehouse or sitteth at cardes such a one worketh not with his hands in his calling hee goeth not to plough he doth not buy and sell nâ—â—ertheles he offendeth God more and his heart is more corrupt then he that walketh and worketh in his calling for his necessity But it may bee obiected Obiect that then a man were as good offend and transgresse for great things as for small To this I answer Answ that it is an euill and false consequent he that so reasoneth declareth himselfe to be most corrupt sinfull for whether a man sin for much or for litle he prouoketh God against himselfe both waies and therefore both are to be shunned Euery one in his seuerall place ought rather to reason thus I may sinne against God and offend him in a small thing as well as in a great and oftentimes moue him vnto anger more in a smaller then in a greater therefore I will make conscience of both I wil auoid all kind of euill I wil walke vprightly and work righteousnesse in his sight So shall we be sure to reape the benefit and comfort of it heere after in the life to come Vse 2 Secondly it admonisheth euery one of vs that wee should labour to haue such good hearts so sanctified that not the greatest prouocations of pleasure of profit of honour of sinne or any thing whatsoeuer should prouoke vs to sinne if not the greatest then not the lesse and if not the lesse then not the least of all For as he that withstandeth the greatest euils sheweth himselfe to haue the greatest measure of grace so he that is perswaded and prouoked by small things to sinne it argueth him to haue the greater corruption and hardnesse of heart and therefore though we cannot be without sin â—gs 8 4 8 for there is no man that sinneth not yet we should labour to make our sinnes the lesse sinfull and our selues the lesse sinners which we shall do if we take heed we be not prouoked to sinne by small things of little value Whosoeuer will sinne for a little hee may despaire with himselfe of any great matter and may well thinke that he shall neuer bee able to restraine himselfe to any purpose but in short time he shall be brought to sinne in farre greater things It is the policy of Satan to be content to draw men onely to little sinnes and to let them continue long in them for he is that olde and subtill serpent that knoweth there is more danger for the most part in little sinnes then in greater sinnes A mote is not perceiued in the eye wheÌ„ a great beame cannot be hid and though a mote be discerned yet because it is little it is let alone the danger of it is thought to be little or nothing Touching great sinnes all men will readily acknowledge and confesse them to bee sinnes whereas little sinnes make them think them to be no sins or that they may safely suffer them to remaine continue in them without any danger Hence it is that men are so much giuen to flatter themselues and to think all is wel with them because they finde others tainted with greater sinnes then themselues as it was with the Pharisie Luke 18 whereas an enemy neglected and contemned doth oftentimes more hurt then such a one as we are more watchfull ouer Vse 3 Lastly it reproueth those that giue scope and liberty to themselues to follow some sins because they are little in their eies Hence it is that Salomon bringeth in the sluggard saying A
vpon you seeing all the Congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them Wherefore then lift ye vp your selues aboue c. IN this chap. we haue two other murmurings set down the latter arising out of the former as one sticke on fire kindleth another The former consisteth of a few carried away with enuy and emulation against Moses and Aaron the originall whereof arose from Korah of the Tribe of Leui The cause of Korahs Conspiracy who first blew the bellowes and tooke it greeuously that the Priestly dignitie was translated to Aaron and challenged Moses of partiality as if hee had preferred his owne Kindred and followed his priuate affection rather then the direction of God This seditious Korah associateth vnto himselfe Dathan Abiram and On of the Tribe of Reuben whom he knew to be ill affected towards Moses because hee being the eldest sonne of Iacob had by right of his birth-right the Principality and gouernement of the whole people belonging vnto him and therefore they thought themselues as worthy to haue the Soueraignty in their hands as Moses was to haue it in his hands All these ioyning together made a schisme or rent amongest the people and assemble two hundred and fifty others all Princes of the assembly which seeme to stand for the good of the whole Congregation as also all Rebelles haue euer had some pretence and colour for they plead that all the Lords people are holy that God is present among them and therefore they should no longer vsurpe the sole gouernment of the whole hoste It is vsuall in all ages of the Church to haue schismes and rents to arise in it and for men to separate themselues from the Church because forsooth it is not well gouerned as it ought to be Now albeit this open insurrection were a flat rebellion against the expresse ordinance of God yet they set many goodly shewes vpon their doings helping a bad cause with a beautifull colour lest they should seeme to be mad without reason alledging that all the Lords people are holy and the Lord is among them â—octrine We learne heereby that whatsoeuer corruptions breake out of men and whatsoeuer euils they doe â—hatsoeuer 〈◊〉 wicked â—en doe they some coâ—er vpon it and howsoeuer they decline from God from his word and from his ordinances yet they will labour to excuse it to defend it to colour it that it should not seeme as it is When euill men haue committed euill they are ready to iustifie their euils that they may seeme good We see this in Saul 1 Sa. 13.11.12 and 15.15 so Ioh. 12.5 6. Iudas pretended the poore and his great care of them albeit he cared not for them but for himselfe and chap. 11.48 So Caiaphas pretendeth the safety of the people to wit if Christ were not put to death the Romanes would come with a mighty army and ouerrunne them but the taking of him away and the putting of him to death was indeede the true cause why the Romanes came and destroyed the Temple the Citie and the people This we see sometimes also in those that are not the worst men The fact of Simeon and Leui against the Schechemites was no better then horrible murther committed against the Law of God and of nature and against the league and couenant that had passed between them which ought to be held inuiolable euen among infidels yet somewhat they pretend to couer it Gen. 34.31 should he deale with our sister as with an harlot So the Israelites touching their Idolatry Exod. 32.1 and Aaron verse 23. and our first parents Gen. 3. and in a maner all wicked men do the like that are vnregenerate without repentance and sanctification The reasons Reason 1 For men are affected to their actions as they are to themselues Though they be corrupt abominable yet they would not bee thought and iudged to be so so it is with their actions that proceed from them though they bee wicked and vniust yet they would haue them accounted iust and therefore they seeke excuses for themselues â—â— 7. as Adam did fig leaues to Reason 2 couer his shame and his sinne Secondly if they should pretend nothing al would be ready to condemne them and to passe sentence vpon them therefore to blinde the eyes of others they cast a mist before them as iuglers vse to doe that they may not be espied This did Herod Mat. 2.8 he pretended to come and worship Christ For he knew well enough if hee had dealt plainely and told them hee sought the life of the babe they would haue detested his detestable cruelty This serueth to reprooue diuers sorts that Vse 1 goe about to varnish their actions with false colours thereby to blind the world and to put out their eyes These shew themselues to bee ranke hypocrites exceeding sinners against the Lord which serue to harden their hearts and to hinder them from a sight of their sinnes and sorrow for them For no man can returne from his sinnes and repent of his euill wayes so long as he goeth about to defend them because all such sinners doe declare a firme resolution to continue and goe forward in sinne and thinke themselues safe and sure because they haue some colours for their actions But the first beginning of repentance is confession a duty oftentimes commended and continually practised by the faithfull The first thing that Ioshua perswaded Achan to performe when he was taken as guilty for taking the accursed thing was that he should giue glory to the God of Israel and make confession vnto him Iosh 7.19 Prou. 28.13 1 Ioh. 1.9 Whereas such as hide their sinnes shall not prosper and they that say they haue not sinned doe make God a lyar and his word is not in them Wherefore we cannot giue a more euident signe of our want of the grace of repentance Psa 32.3 4 5. then by defending denying excusing or lessening of sinne Secondly this sheweth the cause why the Vse 2 dregs of Popish religion are so setled in the hearts of men that they are hardly rooted out euen because such deceitfull colours are set vpon them and their superstitious practises If they be accused for their idolatry worshipping of Images they pretend they worship God in the Image Touching the worship of Saints and praier to them they say they honor them as the friends of God and that they are vnworthy to approch or to come neere to God themselues and therefore in humility they goe to the Saints and Angels but this is nothing but to speake lies through hypocrisie Col. 2.23 Concerning their sacriledge in withholding the cup from the people they haue their colour that the labour of the Priest would be too great if he should deliuer the same to all himselfe or else that the blood of Christ might be spilt vpon the ground but these excuses cannot deceiue God hee seeth their open declining from the word of
but it is a farre greater fauour that among or out of his Church in generall the Lord should make a more speciall couenant with his Ministers that he should take them to bee a peculiar people to himselfe 1 Sam. 2.28 and 3.20 Exod. 19.22 2 Cor. 2.15.16 Mal. 2.5 6. Reason 1 The reasons follow First the Ministers are Gods seruants and Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5.20 they are in speciall place about him such as stand before him and minister vnto him vpon earth as the Angels minister vnto him in heauen Mal. 2.7 and 3.1 Reuel 1.20 and 2.1 and 3.1 Reason 2 Secondly they are as it were of Gods priuy counsell not to giue him counsell but to take counsell from him and to reueale his counsels to the sonnes of men Amos 3.7 for therefore he teacheth them that they should teach his people Mal. 2.7 True it is God reuealeth his secrets to his people neuerthelesse it is by the meanes of the Minister Vse 1 This serueth fitly and fully to reproue such base persons that thinke basely of the Ministery and those that account the Ministers as the scumme or refuse of the people who indeed are little better themselues I will not giue them the titles which they iustly doe deserue dishonouring that calling which God himselfe hath highly honoured and throw downe that which he hath aduanced and lifted vp I range among such those also that thinke the Ministery too base for their birth or quality yea they thinke their kindred exceedingly debased and disgraced if they haue a Minister of their name We would thinke it an high honour for any of our children or kindred to be preferred as a speciall fauorite about a Prince and yet we cannot bee content that they should haue this speciall calling and iudgement of the Ministery which is not inferiour to any place or calling whatsoeuer in the common wealth as we haue shewed often before True it is the greatest part of the world thinke otherwise and I confesse it but it is because they haue corrupt eyes which the vaine pompe and glory of the world doe dazle so that they cannot see nor perceiue the glory of God in the calling of the Ministers of the Gospel For if they had a better and a clearer sight they would thinke it the greatest honour and highest fauour to bee set in that calling Secondly this is an admonition and warning Vse 2 to all men that they should not in any case abuse offend disgrace wrong and reuile those that are called of God to be the Ministers of his word whom he hath set to be neere vnto him because they are in speciall grace and fauour with God Dare any oppose against him that is the kings friend or fauorite Doe not all desire and seeke his fauour how then dare wee disgrace and dishonour those whom God would haue honoured and speake contemptibly and contumeliously of their Ministery seeing God hath said they are the men whom hee would haue honoured When the king would haue Mordecai honored for the good seruice hee had done to his person he said Ester 6.6 What shall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour The Ministers are Gods speciall fauorites and therefore such as wrong and molest them shall not bee left vnpunished for those whom God will honour they shall be honoured especially of those that know the vse necessity profit of the Ministery Thirdly from hence ariseth matter of comfort Vse 3 to the Ministers themselues Hath hee made a speciall league and couenant with them to fauour and protect them Then we are assured that the iniuries and wrongs which are done vnto them rest not in their persons but extend to God himselfe who is wronged with them so that he will reuenge their wrongs and protect their persons Deut. 33.11 Smite through the loynes of those that rise vp against them that they rise not againe We haue also comfort as a shield and shelter from the base estimation of the vnthankfull world 1 King 22.8 though they hate vs as enemies yet God honoureth vs as his seruants nay as his friends and receiueth vs into speciall fauour so that he often maketh vs to be had in great honour estimation euen of those that before had so basely esteemed of vs. Let it not therefore trouble vs though wee bee not regarded of men seeing we stand or fall not to them but to our owne Master who hath thus farre honoured vs to be put into his seruice and therefore let vs say with the Apostle It is a small thing that I should be iudged of you or of mans iudgement yea I iudge not mine owne selfe 1. Cor. 4.3 Lastly it teacheth what the Ministers of God ought to be they should bee men of an vnblameable life and holy conuersation because they come so neere to God lest it bee said to them as Psal 50.16 What hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee If all the people of GOD must bee holy much more then ought the Ministers to bee endued and adorned with integrity of life They must be neither ignorant nor vaine because they come neere vnto God He that loueth his friend will bee very wary and circumspect what maner of seruants hee commendeth to his friend to be in his seruice and yet how vnfaithfully do many deal with God that dare commend to him idle wicked Ministers to be his seruants and to carry his word to his people It were to be wished that such as haue authority in their hands would turne all such vnworthy seruants out of his seruice and put them to silence which cause the holy ordinances of God to be prophaned and polluted by their wickednesse 8 And Moses said vnto Korah Heare I pray you ye sonnes of Leui. 9 Seemeth it but a small thing vnto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel to bring you neere to himselfe to do the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the Congregation to minister vnto them 10 And hee hath brought thee neere to him and all thy brethren the sonnes of Leui with thee and seeke ye the Priesthood also Moses proceedeth and goeth forward to see if he could draw these proud conspirators to a sight of their sinnes and thereupon putteth Korah in mind how graciously God had dealt with him and the rest of the Leuites to suffer them to come neere vnto him to do the seruice of the Tabernacle and to stand before the Congregation to minister vnto him vppon which consideration he mooueth them that they should not bee carryed beyond the bounds of their calling Doctrine We learne hereby that the moe meanes and helpes wee haue to preuent sinne and to keepe our selues from offending against God The greater our meanes are to preuent sinne the more wee offend if we
then it skilleth not whether men study or not or seeke to attaine to knowledge and to better their knowledge because they may doe more good with lesse gifts I answer Answer this ought to make no man negligent or carelesse but rather to double his care and diligence For what greater encouragement can we haue to performe the duties of our calling then to heare this voice full of comfort Well done thou good and faithfull seruant thou hast bene faithfull ouer a few things I will make thee ruler ouer many things enter into the ioy of thy Lord Mat 25 21. So then no man ought to grow carelesse because God will blesse small gifts for that were to continue in sin that grace might abound Rom. 6 1. Lastly from hence some will obiect that then it skilleth not whom the Officers and Ouerseers of the Church do chuse and ordaine how ignorant and vnsufficient soeuer they be I answer they are to follow the ordinary rule to appoint such as are apt to teach 1 Tim. 3 2. Again God supplieth the wants of such as he chuseth as appeareth in the Disciples which men cannot Lastly there is difference betweene such as haue meane gifts and such as haue none the one sort are Gods Ministers the other are mens not Gods Vse 1 The vses remaine First we see it is a speciall gift of God not a fruite of learning for a Minister to conuert soules to GOD by preaching of the word for this grace and fauour is often denied to many famous seruants of God Esay 6 10 and 53 1 and 49 4. Christ himselfe conuerted not all to whom hee preached he often complaineth of their infidelity and hardnesse of heart they would not be gathered whom he would haue gathered and gained to the faith Mat. 23 37. Neuerthelesse we shall be rewarded not according as we haue conuerted which lyeth not in our power but according as wee haue laboured which lyeth in our power If learning could do any thing of it selfe then the best learned should doe most good But as the most learned do not most labour so they doe not see the greatest fruite of their labour We must therefore all of vs whatsoeuer our gifts are depend wholly vpon God for his blessing forasmuch as Paul planteth Apollos watereth but God giueth the increase 1 Cor. 3 6 7. nay he beginneth and maketh an end of his owne worke it is he that giueth vs grace to will and to do of his good pleasure Vse 2 Secondly euery one ought to make it the speciall end of our Ministery the edification of the Church therby to bring many children vnto Christ This doubtles is the reason why so many great Doctors and deepe Diuines are very drones aad altogether vnprofitable in their places albeit peraduenture profitable enough to their owne purses they looke altogether to the rewards of learning as they call them to popular fame as though they that had greatest rewards had alwayes greatest learning or they that had greatest learning had alwaies greatest conscience wheras they shold looke to the benefit of the people These hunt after the praise and glory of the world desire to be called great Rabbines and therefore oftentimes God casteth dung in their faces that they may learne to bee ashamed so that wee may say vnto them as Christ doth Iohn 5 44. How can ye beleeue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour from God onely Whereas we ought to bee like our Lord and Master to be able in some measure to say with him I seeke not mine owne glory there is one that seeketh and iudgeth Ioh. 8 50. Such a one as can truely speake thus so far as humane frailty will suffer him shall haue his defects supplied and God will accompany the labour of his Ministery with the power of his Spirit One such meane learned man that hath zeale with knowledge and knowledge with conscience conscience with diligence maketh the ends of his Ministery the good â—f the people the glory of God is worth an hundred of those proud Pharisies that loue the vppermost seates and to be saluted in the market Mat. 23 6. The Apostle sheweth in himselfe requireth of others another spirit He made himselfe a seruant vnto all that hee might win the more 1. cor 9 19. Neuer came there greater detriment in former daies or present times to the Church An vnconscionable learneâ— man is a plague to the Church then by vnconscionable vnfaithfull learned men Who vsurped greater tyrrany in the church then they Who hath starued moe soules and sent them headlong in throngs to hell then they Who haue fallen into the sin of Non-residency and idlenesse in their residency more then they Who haue bin greater hindrances to the free passage of the Gospel then they Who haue more disturbed the peace of the Church and bin the causes of atheisme popery carnall liberty and open prophanenes then they by reason of their reputed knowledge who stand so much vpon their swâ—lling titles and places of superiority and yet want conscience of their dutie lowlinesse of mind loue to God and compassion to his people What shall all their profound learning auaile them when they want an humble heart to season and sanctifie their learning withall Obiection What then will some say doe you goe about to condemne learning so great an ornament in all I doe not goe about to disgrace learning Answ or to contemne any learned men or to barre the rewards of learning much lesse to bring in ignorance the mother of barbarisme Learning is a precious iewell it is a great blessing of God it is a notable ornament ioyned with true godlinesse wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer they meete and are coupled together there followeth an exceeding blessing For as an vnfaithfull learned man is a great plague to the Church so I hold this as a certaine rule No greater good cometh to the church then by conscionable learned men there neuer came greater good to the Church then by a conscionable learned man I wish as Moses said to Ioshua that all the Lords people were Prophets and that he would powre out his spirit vpon them all Numb 11.29 I greeue at no mans learning I enuy no mans preferment I desire that all had the tongue of the learned to speake the language of Canaan Esay 50 4. yea the tongues and gifts of Angels 1 Cor. 13 1. whose names they beare Reuel 1.20 and 2.1 but withall I adde that as a sword is a good thing and of necessary vse to defend offend yet being put into the hand of a tyrant or a mad man it doth muâ—h hurt because it is abused so learning is a great blessing of God and maketh vs differ not only from the bruite beasts but from other men also it is profitable to proue and improoue reforme instruct but being powred into a giddy spirit and an vnconscionable man as
betweene sinne and sinne both in nature and in the punishment due vnto them some are greater some lesser some worther of greater punishment and some of lesser yet the least sin committed in thought and motion deserueth euerlasting death and separation from the gracious presence of God if he deale with vs according to the rigour of his iustice and looke vpon vs without the satisfaction of Christ The writers and teachers of the Popish Religion publish to the world that wee hold the sottish Paradox of the Stoikes that all sinnes are equall The Papists slander vs 〈◊〉 make all siâ— equall the contrary whereof is manifest in the harmony of the confessions of our Churches And why do they slander vs with this dotish doctrine or vpon what foundation doe they ground this accusation forsooth because we hold that all are mortall But this is a weake consequent and will not proue the point for which they alledge it All men are mortall euen Princes as it is said in the Psalme 82.6 shall we hence conclude that the people are equall to Princes because they are alike subiect to mortality In the breach of the seuenth commandement there are sundry sortes of vncleannesse and incontinency forbidden as fornication when men defile themselues with filthy harlots and concubines adultery betweene them that are married incest committed with such as are neere in consanguinity or affinity the sinne of the Sodomites Who leauing the naturall vse of the woman burne in lust one toward another man with man working filthinesse Rom. 1.27 reuenged with fire and brimstone from heauen Gen. 19. Among all these seuerall kindes there are degrees of sinne one is greater then other adultery worse then fornication incest then adultery and Sodometry then them all and all these by the confession of the Papists themselues are mortall and yet by their owne confession also one is more heinous and horrible then the other If then their conclusion bee good against vs that we hold all sinnes to bee equal because we teach that they are mortall how should it not stand as strong and firme against themselues that they also hold all these sinnes to be equall fornication as bad as incest and adultery as heinous as Sodometry because they teach that they are all of them mortall The like absurdity wee might easily inferre against them in the rest of the commandements and that out of the Roman Catechisme But to vnderstand this point the better let vs consider that our Churches teach no other doctrine then the Scriptures teach that as all sinnes proceede out of the same fountaine of corruption and infidelity so all of them make vs guilty of eternall death and damnation vnlesse we obtaine pardon by faith in the Mediatour Christ Iesus Luke 12.47.48 All sinnes whether committed of ignorance or knowledge deserue stripes either many or few and these stripes are no other then eternall punishments as appeareth by the wordes of the Apostle 2 Thes 1.8 so that they which know not God neither beleeue the Gospel shall be punished in hel because according to the opinion of the Papists themselues when the Lord shall come in flaming fire to iudge the quicke and the dead Purgatory shal vtterly ceasse and be no more the prison dores shall be broken the fire shall be quenched the place shall be emptyed and the poore soules shall be discharged then shall be a gaile deliuery they shall be quit by Proclamation To vnderstand this the better we must know that sinnes may bee said to bee mortall or veniall three wayes â—s may â—d to bee â—ll or veâ—â—hree â—s First in regard of the euent Secondly in regard of the cause Thirdly in regard of the nature of the sinnes themselues They are veniall in regard of the successe or euent which doe obtaine pardon and when forgiuenesse followeth them though they be in themselues most greeuous as 1 Ioh. 5.16 where the Apostle calleth those onely sinnes vnto death whose reward certainely is eternall death and those not to death which may bee forgiuen howsoeuer in their own nature they merit damnation Thus we may say that Dauids adultery and murther were veniall sinnes because howsoeuer in the nature of them they were deadly yet were they veniall in regard of the euent because Nathan said vnto him The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12.13 â—ss ordin in â—r 11. No sinne is veniall so long as we follow it and no sinne is mortall when once we forsake it Pro. 28.13 All sinnes are made veniall by repentance no sin is veniall without repentance Secondly sinnes may bee said to bee veniall in regard of the cause from whence they proceed whereupon they sooner obtaine pardon because they are not done of malice and a setled purpose but of ignorance and infirmity as Paul sheweth this to bee the cause why his sinne was veniall vnto him and why he obtained mercy and forgiuenesse because he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 And in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke it is said the Priest shall make attonement when a priuate person or the whole Congregation hath committed any thing through errour or ignorance and it shall be forgiuen them for it is ignorance Numb 14.25 These sinnes springing from this fountaine are damnable in themselues from hence it came that Paul was a persecuter and a blasphemer but the Father of all mercies and compassions gaue him pardon because hee sinned of ignorance and infirmity So then his sinnes were veniall in regard of the euent and of the cause But sinne considered in the nature of the thing it selfe is not veniall but deserueth temporall and eternall punishment Now the Papists themselues teach â— Popish 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne that sinne is truely and properly called veniall when it is so in it owne nature and deserueth onely a temporall punishment either in this life or in the life to come so that if God would examine it and enter into iudgement with it according to his most rigourous and seuere iustice hee could not punish it with eternall death for as much as in it owne nature it deserueth pardon or at least some slight or temporall punishment And of these the controuersie is betweene the Church of Rome and vs and not of those that are veniall by the euent or by the cause But the Scripture teacheth vs that all sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 This is a true and perfect definition of sinne for euery transgression of the Law is sinne and euery sinne is a transgression of the Law From whence wee reason thus Euery transgression of the law is worthy of death Euery sinne is a transgression of the Law Therefore euery sinne is worthy of death The first part is plainely proued by many places Gal. 3.13.10 Deut. 27.26 Matth. 5.22 whereby it is manifest that the Prophet the Apostle and Christ himselfe speake generally without limitation that whosoeuer committeth any
punishment lying euen at the doore Because ye sanctified not my Name before the children of Israel yee shall not bring this congregation into the land which I haue giuen them Hee doth not onely accuse and conuince them of sinne but amplifieth it by the effect that thereby hee was robbed of his glory and so excludeth them out of the land of promise We learne from hence that God chastiseth his owne children sinning against him â—trine chasti â—is owne â—on When his children forsake his lawes and walke not in his iudgements although he take not his louing kindnesse from them neither falsifie his trueth yet he will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with strokes This we see throughly strengthened thoroughout the whole booke of the Iudges as chap. 4.1.2 When the people of Israel proceeded to doe euill in the sight of the Lord hee sold them into the hand of Iabin king of Canaan c. So when Ionah disobeyed the voyce of the Lord calling him to preach to Nineueh that great Citie and to cry against it for their wickednesse hee was cast into the Sea as an vnprofitable burthen of the ship â— 2 3 15 and swallowed of a Whale so that albeit he fled from the presence of the Lord yet his hand followed after him and ouertooke him When Dauid had trespassed in the matter of Vriah by adultery and murther though he were a man after Gods owne heart yet the Lord raised euill against him out of his house â—m 12.9 the sword of the enemy was shaken against him and his own wiues were defiled in the sight of the Sun â—b 12.10 When Miriam the sister of Moses withstood him in the pride of her heart through ambition and vaineglory albeit he accused her not but in meekenesse of spirit put vp the wrong being lowly in his owne eyes yet shee was striken with leprosie by the hand of God and shut for a season out of the hoast The like we might say of Salomon Asa Iehoshaphat Iosiah Hezekiah and many others all which seale vp this trueth to our hearts that GOD spareth not his owne people when they sinne against him Reason 1 The Reasons of this iust dealing of God are first to cleare his iudgement and iustice that we should know him to bee no respecter of persons but to hate sinne whensoeuer wheresoeuer and in whomsoeuer he findeth it He is not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with him for he hateth all them that worke iniquity This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth 51.4 Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maiest be iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest If then we breake his statutes and keepe not his commandements when he searcheth with lights and findeth out our sinnes we must giue glory to God and make confession vnto him wee must pronounce righteousnesse to belong vnto him and vnto our selues open shame yea if he should destroy vs we must acknowledge him to be holy in all his waies and iust in all his workes who giueth vs to eate the fruite of our owne labours As then he is iust and righteous so he must punish sinne in whomsoeuer he taketh it and as he denounceth sore iudgements and greeuous plagues of great continuance and long durance so he executeth theÌ„ to manifest the truth of his owne word and maketh good his owne threatnings gone out of his owne mouth Againe God chastiseth his owne children Reason 2 lest they sinning with the men of this world whose portion is in this life should be condemned with the world For as in punishing of vs he respecteth his own iustice so he doth it in respect of our owne good and the great profite which thereby is brought vnto vs. If we should alwaies enioy health wealth liberty peace plenty and other good blessings of God according to our hearts desire we would waxe fat and spurne with the heele Deut. 32.15 forsaking God that made vs refusing the strong God of our saluation ioyning hand in hand with wicked men reserued to destruction Wherefore affliction is as the messenger of God to call vs backe from sinne to weane vs from the world to kindle in vs a desire of the world to come This the Apostle aimeth at 1 Cor. 11 31 32. If we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged but when we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because we should not bee condemned with the world The vses of this Doctrine are many First Vse 1 consider with me the cause why they keep the word and turne vnto him with all their harts why they run not on in euill as the horse rusheth into the battell as the vngodly do the reason is God calleth them backe by his hand his afflictions are remembrances vnto them and his corrections are their instructions This the Prophet Dauid found true in his owne comfortable experience Psal 119 67 71. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes The Children of Israel liuing vnder the Iudges and sinning against God making a couenant with the inhabitants of the land Iudg. 2. and 4. Deu. 4.29.30 taking their daughters to be their wiues giuing their daughters to their sonnes seruing their idols forgetting the true God and doing worse then their fathers the Lord sold them into the hand of their enemies whom they serued then they lift vp their voyces and wept then they called and cryed vnto the Lord in their afflictions and he deliuered them out of their distresse The same we see in Manasseh who for his euils that he commited like the abominations of the heathen was carryed away captiue put in fetters 2 Chro. 33.2 11 12 13. and bound in chaines and when he was in tribulation hee prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his father and prayed vnto him and God was intreated of him and heard his praier and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God But of this we shall speake more in the chapter following Vse 2 Secondly confesse from hence that great is the wrath and anger of God for sinne seeing he punisheth it so sharpely and seuerely in his children whom he hath engrauen as a Signet in the palme of his hand and whom he tendreth as the apple of his eye Marke how hee hath many times schooled his owne seruants offending When Miriam murmured against Moses and made other to murmure shee was striken by the hand of God with leprosie and albeit Moses made supplication for her yet the Lord answered Numb 12.10 13 14. If her father had spit in her face should she not haue beene ashamed seuen dayes Let her be shut out of the hoast seuen dayes and after she shall be
God and to serue him in the simplicity and sincerity of their hearts This wee must do in health this we must do in sicknesse this we must doe in death and so wee shall glorifie God liuing and dying Thus did Abraham teach his children and seruants and for this is he commended of God Gen. 18 19. I know Abraham my seruant that hee will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the vvay of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgment Thus said Iacob when he dyed Gen. 49 1 2. this must all of vs be carefull to practise if we will bee the children of faithful Abraham to speake of the lawes of God in our houses 〈◊〉 11 13. wheÌ„ we walk by the way when we lye downe and when we rise vp Verse 27 28. And Moses did as the Lord had commanded he caused Aaron to strippe off his garments and he put them vpon Eleazar his son Wee see the obedience of Moses to the Commandement of God for Aaron pulled off his Priestly robes and they are put vpon Eleazar to whom lineally the Priesthood did descend whereby we see that there was a personal succession belonging to the Priesthood from father to son from one man to another Hereby we learne â—â—â—â—rine 〈◊〉 Leuitical 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 that the Priesthood vnder the law passed from one to another The Priesthood begunne in Aaron and continued in his line rested not in one man but continued by succession from age to age This we see euidently proued throughout the old testament for as they were cut off by death so others arose in their rooms that serued at the Altar As Eleazar succeeded Aaron so did Phinchas succeed Eleazar 〈◊〉 6 â—0 so the Priesthood proceeded from father to son and from one generation to another 〈◊〉 â— 16. as appeareth in the genealogies of the Priests This the Apostle to the Hebrewes plentifully prooueth 〈◊〉 23. Many among them were made Priests because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death declaring that the Priestes after the order of Aaron succeeded each other and confirming it by the reason cause thereof because the Leuiticall Priests were taken away by death and could not endure for euer This then we must hold to be one reason forcible and powerfull to prooue the continued Reason 1 succession of the Priesthood of Leui from father to son because they were cut off by death and so not suffered alwayes to execute theyr Priesthood Seeing therfore these Priests were mortall there must be a succession from one to another This is that reason which was remeÌ„bred before out of Heb. 7 23. shewing that they had many Priests because they were all subiect to mortality and could not continue through necessity of death Secondly the promise of God made vnto Aaron and to his posterity must be accomplished Reason 2 and performed Hee consecrated Aaron and his sons and made a couenant with them not with Aaron alone not with his children alone but with their posterity Exod. 28 1. hee established it as a testimony in Iacob and as a law in Israel that their posterity might know it and the children which should be born of them shold stand vp and minister before the Lord in the beautiful garments and glorious robes of the Priests Exod. 28 2. Therefore the Lord saide by Moses Exod 29 29 30. Num. 3 10. 18 7. The holy garments which appertaine to Aaron shall be his sonnes after him to be annointed therein and to be consecrate therein That son that shall be Priest in his stead shall put them on seuen dayes when he commeth into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to minister in the holy place So God made his couenant of peace with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron Nu. 25 12 13 confirmed the Priests office to him his seed after him because in the zeale of his Spirit hee had turned away the wrath of the Lord from the Children of Israel This teacheth vs first of all the imperfection Vse 1 and insufficiency of it both of the Priestes themselues and of the Priesthood it selfe It pointed out a better Priest and a better priesthood and directed them to rest not in it but in some other So the Apostle Heb. 7 11 12. declareth that the Leuiticall Priesthood was vnperfect because another Priest is promised a long time after according to the order of Melchizedek If any perfection had beene by the Priesthood of the Leuites what needed it furthermore that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek and not to bee called after the order of Aaron c. Where we see he sheweth to what purpose there must bee a Priest after another rule and fashion not after the order of Aaron euen because perfection is not in the Priehhood of the Leuites nor vnder the Law which was established vnder it so that wee must acknowledge it hath an end forasmuch as with the ceremoniall law the ceremoniall Priesthood was cancelled and abolished Vse 2 Secondly from hence we learne to acknowledge a difference betweene the Priesthood of Christ and the Priesthood of the Leuites This standeth in diuers points and circumstaÌ„ces as the same Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes euidently declareth The Priesthood of Christ is eternall as the Prophet declared long before Heb. 7 17. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedek he was made with an oath by him that saide vnto him The Lord hath sworne and wil not repent But the Priests of Aarons order were mortall Heb. 7 20 21. not eternall they were made by the word of God but without an oath Heb. 7 26. Besides our great high Priest Christ Iesus holye harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens hath a * Aparabaton Heb. 7 24. Priesthood which cannot passe from one to another wherefore he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them who by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Heb 9.11 14. and obtained eternall redemption for vs purging our Conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hebru 10 4. for it is vnpossible that the blood of buls Goats shold take away sinnes Thus we see that the Priesthood of Christ can haue no succession inasmuch as being once performed it hath no imperfection and whereas the Iews in the time of the law had Aaron and his posterity which were but mortall and miserable men we haue Christ the immortall and blessed God who liueth for euer to be our euerlasting Priest Vse 3 Lastly we learne that seeing the Leuiticall Priesthood passed from one to another so as by death they were not alwaies suffred to exercise and execute their Priesthood we see I say that the Church of Rome bringing in againe such a Priesthood such Priests as
his power is not now weakened he can deale thus with all his enemies the enemies of his Church If he blow vpon them with the blast of his mouth they passe away suddenly as the chaffe is scattered before the winde An example heereof is recorded in the holy History 2 Chron. 20 23. when a great multitude of the Moabites Ammonites and Amorites assembled themselues to fight against Iehoshaphat after he had set himselfe to seeke the Lord proclaiming a fast throughout all Iudah asking counsell of the Lord and praying to him in the zeale of his spirit the enemies slew one another with the sword Thus doth God turn the edge of the sword drawne against the Church vpon themselues rescueth his people when there is none to helpe We haue had experience of Gods protection of his church our eyes haue seene and our eares haue heard how one hath butchered and murthered another whereby God hath giuen a time of rest and breathing vnto his seruants Hee is the same without changing with him is no variablenes neither shadow of turning if we turne to him with all our hearts he will turne to vs and not suffer the rod of the wicked alwaies to rest on the lot of the righteous lest they should put forth their hand to wickednes Therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages therof We haue heard of the murthers slaughters that were betweene the Moabites the Amorites in the which howsoeuer one sought to defend himselfe the other preuailed by vsurpation as might sometimes ouer-cometh right yet the purpose of God who ouer-swayeth all actions of men and draweth good out of euill was to giue rest to his people and to make them inherite and inhabite the Cities and Villages which the Amorites had wrongfully gotten Doctrine Gods childreÌ„ are oftentimes brought into the inheâ—itaÌ„ce of the vnfaithfull Hereby we learne for our instruction that God oftentimes bringeth the godly and faithfull that please him to inherite the Lands and possessions of the wicked and vngodly Howsoeuer the beleeuers that feare God are many times thrust out of house and home and haue their lawfull possessions taken from them as we see in Naboths Vineyard 2 King 21 15. Gen. 21 25. and in Abrahams Well yet sometimes God returneth in mercy to the faithfull and maketh the substance and inheritance of the vnfaithfull to descend vnto them This is confirmed in the Booke of Exodus at the departure of Israel out of the Land of Egypt at which time GOD recompenced the sore labours and heauy trauels of his people imposed vpon them by cruell taske-masters For they asked of the Egiptians Iewels of siluer and Ingots of gold and change of rayment then the Lord gaue them fauour in the sight of the Egiptians so that they granted their requests inriched the Israelites and spoiled themselues Exod. 12 35 36. This goodnesse of God the Prophet with praise acknowledgeth toward his people saying He cast out the Heathen before them caused them to fall to the lot of his inheritance c. Psal 78 55. This verifieth the saying of the wise man Prou. 28 8. He that encreaseth his riches by vsury and interest gathereth them for him that will be mercifull to the poore And in another place Prou 13.22 The good man shall giue inheritance to his childrens children and the riches of the sinner is laid vp for the iust In like manner Iob describing the condition of the vngodly fheweth that though he should heape vp siluer as the dust Iob 27.16 17. and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall diuide the siluer Thus God taketh away the things of this life from such as vse theÌ„ wickedly and bestoweth them vpon such as will imploy them lawfully Reason 1 The Reasons remaine to be considered to strengthen this truth and to make it appeare to the conscientes of all of vs to be a necessary and apparant truth First of all the mercy of God toward such as are sealed vp to be his seruants is without end there is no brim nor bottome of it If then his mercy surmount our thoughts he will let passe no part of his kindnes toward them that do feare him Thus the Prophet reasoneth Psal 136 21 22. Where vpon these examples of Gods great kindnes toward Israel in ouerthrowing Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan hee saith He gaue their Land for an heritage for his mercy endureth for euer euen an heritage vnto Israel his seruant for his mercy endureth for euer Whensoeuer therefore wee see this come to passe we must acknowledge the cause of it to be in God who ceasseth not to bee good to those that be his Reason 2 Againe God maketh knowne his power among his people to teach them to depend vpon him to shew vnto them that they serue not a weake and impotent God to instruct them to walke in the obedience of his waies This the Prophet pointeth out Psalm 44 2 3 and 111 6 105 44 45. Vse 1 The vses follow First this truth teacheth who is the soueraigne disposer of all things in heauen and earth namely God He ordereth kingdomes and disposeth Countries he giueth and taketh away hee encreaseth and diminisheth he maketh rich and maketh poore It is not our owne strength or pollicy it is not our owne care or labour it is the bountifulnes and blessing of God that is all in all We haue heere beneath vpon the earth Owners and Land-lords we haue such as account themselues possessours of houses and lands but we must know that wee are all Tenants at will we enioy nothing by Lease or Indenture for terme of yeares but hold the tenure of the Lands and liuings at the will and pleasure of the great and high Land-lord of all the world This is the confession of Hannah in her song of thanksgiuing 1 Sam. 2 7 8. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust and lifteth vp the begger from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherite the seat of glory for the Pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world vpon them Whatsoeuer therefore we haue let vs acknowledge therein not our owne desarts or merites but the goodnes of God toward vs filling vs with good things to serue him Secondly let vs from hence confesse that Vse 2 all the carke and care of man with his best endeuours cannot alwaies attaine to the benefit and fruite of his trauell but he prouideth that which another enioyeth This the Prophet Haggai testifieth chap 1 6.9 Yee haue sowne much and bring in little ye eate but ye haue not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloathe you but ye are not warme c. According to that which
charged the Leaper not to publish and spread abroad the miraculous worke of his cleâ—nsing but this was to correct the peruerse iudgement of the people who regarded more to see his miracles then to heare his doctrine and that hee might haue the greater liberty to teach from the persecutions of the Pharisies Mar. 1 45. Vse 1 Now let vs proceed to the vses of this Doctrine First it teacheth that we must not slander and discredite any of his workes but say with the sorcerers This is the finger of GOD Exod. 8 19. When the Pharisies heard that Christ cast out the diuels by the power of his deity they backe-bited and blasphemed the workes of God maliciously saying This man casteth out diuels no otherwise but thorough Belzebub the Prince of diuels Matth. 12 24. 28 12 13. So the watchmen set to keepe the sepulcher of Christ sure shewed vnto the high Priests all the things that were done who tooke wicked counsell and gaue large mony vnto the soldiers to spred abroad that his disciples came by night stole him away while they slept Likewise when the holye Ghost fell vpon the Apostles that they beganne to speake with other tongues as the Spirit gaue them vtterance they mocked and slandered the worke of God saying These are full of new wine Acts 2 13. so that Peter iustified as well the Apostles of Christ as the miracle of God In like maner are we to do in like cases when an euill name is brought vpon the workes of Gods election or reprobation vpon the workes of his prouidence and protection of his people we must stand forth to giue glory to God and to stop the mouth of iniquity when it is opened against heauen For if a man bee commanded to open his mouth in the cause of the dumbe much more in the cause of God It is one kinde of taking the name of God in vain to hold our peace when any reason dispute against Gods workes If wee deny him any way before men Christ Iesus will deny vs before his Father Prou. 31 8. We must therefore open our mouths in defence of God and his workes put the obstinate gainsaiers to silence wipe away the slanderous reports raised of them lest others receiue hurt thereby and to the end God may haue the glory and praise of his owne worke And albeit we doe not alwayes conceiue the right cause and reason of them let vs not deride but admire them with the Apostle Rom. 11 33. O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out If a man should take vpon him to iudge those that are out of his libertie and ouer whom he hath no authority and to pronounce sentence vpon their doings would a worldly man thinke wel of this presumption But it is lesse wisedome and greater pâ—eâ—umption to take vpon vs to rule God and to giue him his lesson and to enter into iudgement of his workes Therefore Elihu wisely teacheth in the booke of Iob this point Who hath appointed vnto him his way Or who can say Thou hast done wickedly Remember that thou magnifie his workes which men behold Iob 36 23 24. Secondly it is required of vs to be diligent Vse 2 markers and obseruers of the works of Gods prouidence For how shall he report them remember them to others that is not carefull to muse vpon them and to marke them himselfe Or how shall he open his mouth to declare them that shutteth his eyes lest he shold see them and stoppeth his cares lest he should heare of them It standeth vs therefore greatly vpon wisely to obsâ—rue the works of God and suffer nothing to passe from vs nothing by vs without making profite of it to our selues bringing it to the vse of others This wisedome Eliphaz one of the three friends of Iob teacheth hauing shewed that the vngodly shall not escape vnpunished but that God will finde them out in their hypocrisie he addeth Iob 5 27. Loe thus haue we inquired of it and so it is heare this and know it for thy selfe This we are all to marke by continual experience how God dealeth with the godly sometimes chastening them sometimes blessing them neuer forsaking them albeit sometimes leauing them for a season yet in the end returning in mercy vnto them Likewise how hee dealeth towardes the wicked thereby to auoid their steps consider that though they flourish for a time it is but the pleasure of sin for a season that they inioy and alwayes Gods iudgement in this life arresteth some and maketh them fearefull examples vnto others Thus did the Prophet ponder in his heart the wayes and works of God and profited thereby to his great comfort as we see Psal 37 35.36 I haue seene the wicked strong and spredding himselfe like a greene Bay-tree yet he passed away and loe he was gone and I sought him but he could not be found Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace but the transgressors shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off And if wee will giue our hearts to this meditation on the works of Gods prouideÌ„ce ruling the world and disposing all things we shal see how he alwayes meeteth with the vngodly though they digge deepe to hide their counsels and diue downe vnto the depth and bottome of their deuices yet the hand of the Lord doth finde them out and bringeth to iudgement euery secret worke So if we shall weigh with wisedome his workes toward his owne seruants as he doth loue them with an euerlasting loue so is he alwayes gracious vnto them and maketh all things fall out to further their saluation This the Wiseman teacheth by his experience Eccles. 8 11 12 13. Vse 3 Lastly let all Fathers of families teach the workes of Gods mercy and the workes of his iudgements according as they see them to be offered vnto them For to whom should we rather publish them then to our posterity the children that come out of our loins when a Father beholdeth the Lord punishing the vngodly and taking vengeance on the contemners of his word the blasphemeâ—s of his name the prophaners of his Sabbathes the vncleannesse of adulterers the beastlinesse of drunkards the oppression of vsurers the periury of false witnesses and the cruelty of mercilesse dealers should he suffer such publicke examples to dye and these workes of God to sleepe in the dust Nay seeing God doth single out some and maketh them examples admonitions vnto others we ought to whet them vpon our children and seruants teach them thereby to serue the Lord and to hate those heynous and horrible sins that prouoke such great and greeuous iudgements Abraham is commended by the Spirite of God for this care and conscience of his dutie when he should behold the wofull destructi of Sodom
〈◊〉 35 â—â— and hearkened not to the words of Necho which were of the mouth of God The like we may consider oftentimes in the booke of Daniel when Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed a dreame which was not humane but diuine neyther of a naturall cause but of a supernaturall wherewith his spirit was troubled Daniel saide vnto him Dan. 2 28. There is a God in heauen that reuealeth secrets and sheweth the King what shall be in the latter daies The Reasons are euident First to set downe his great loue and fauour to his Children 〈◊〉 1. For as God did shew himselfe in sundry manners and speake by liuely voyce to the vngodly so in all the manifestations of himselfe vnto theÌ„ he had respect and reference to his Church as appeareth in the former examples Heerein therefore appeareth the wonderfull loue of God to his chosen people who hath the harts of all men in his owne hands and turneth theÌ„ about as pleaseth him This is that reason which the Prophet pointeth vnto Psal 105 13 14 15 where speaking of Abraham his posterity he saith Albeit they were few in number yea very few and strangers in the Land and walked about from Nation to Nation from one Kingdome to another people yet suffered he no man to do them wrong but reprooued Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Secondly it pleaseth God to make himselfe and his great Name knowne out of the limits and circuit of the Church 〈◊〉 2. to constraine euen the wicked to cleere him in his proceedings to acknowledge his iudgements to bee iust and righteous to giue sentence against themselues For God is holy in all his wayes and pure in all his works hee causeth their owne consciences to be witnesses against theÌ„ to accuse and to conuince them inasmuch as they become vnthankfull 〈◊〉 â— 2â— and do not glorifie him as God who is worthy of all glory and neuer leaueth himselfe without witnesse Acts 14 17. no not among the Infidels Thirdly he declareth and reuealeth himselfe Reason 3 to Infidels not because they be worthy but because by the mouth of the very Infidels he will strengthen and confirme his children True it is the cheefe and principall meanes which he vseth is to teach them by his seruants the Prophets and Apostles by Pastours and Teachers which he hath set in his church but he will also vse the tongues of prophane men to his owne glory comfort of his children This we see euidently shewed Iudg. 7 13. When Gideon came to the outside of the hoast of the enemies Behold a man told a dream vnto his neighbour and said Behold I dreamed a dreame and loe a cake of Barly-bread tumbled from aboue into the hoast of Midian and came vnto a Tent and smote it that it fell downe was ouerturned and his fellow answered This is nothing else saue the sword of Gideon for into his hand hath God deliuered Midian and all his host When Gideon heard the dreame deliuered and the interpretation opened he worshipped and returned into the hoast of Israel and saide Vp for the Lord hath deliuered into your hand the hoast of Midian Whereby we see that God made knowne his purpose to these vnbeleeuers for the strengthening of Gideons weake faith and the enabling of him to the worke whereunto he was appointed The vses follow First confesse from this Vse 1 dealing of God not onely that hee is great in â—ion and high aboue all the people but â—hat his Name is great glorious among his enemies He reigneth as King Psal 120.2 1 not onely ouer his Church but ouer all creatures and he maketh them to acknowledge his greatnesse stoop downe vnder his hand â—his we see in the Prophet Daniel chap. 6 26 27 by the decree that Darius wrote vnto all the people nations and languages that dwell in all the world I make a decree that in all the Dominions of my kingdome men tremble and feare the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish and his Dominion shall be euerlasting he refuseth and he deliuereth he worketh signes and wonders in Heauen and in Earth who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the Lyons The like confession Nebuchadnezzar maketh before chap. 3 32 33. I thought it good to declare the signes wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders His kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and his Dominion is from generation to generation Secondly we see that God leaueth not men Vse 2 with out excuse because hee maketh knowne his truth vnto them they haue some meanes or other offered vnto them to teach them to acknowledge God and to glorifie him whom they haue acknowledged Rom. 1.20.24 So Christ our Sauiour speaketh to the obstinate Iewes Iohn chapter fifteene verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloke nor colour for their sinne Thus was Pilate the Iudge of Iewry conuinced in his owne conscience of wrongfull iudgement against Christ beeing warned of his wife to whom God had reuealed his innocency that he was a iust man as a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled For the Euangelist Matthew testifieth that when Pilate was set downe on the iudgement seate his wife sent to him saying Haue thou nothing to do with that iust man for I haue suffered many things this day in a dreame by reason of him Mat. 27 19. This was no meere humane or naturall dreame Eccles 5 2. arising from multitude of busines or proceeding froÌ„ an euil constitution of the body or euill digestion of meate or such like ordinary causes as daily befall vs but it was diuine from the speciall instinct of God and the inspiration of the Almighty For as God the Father diuers wayes approued the innocency of Christ that it might appeare he dyed not for his owne offences but for ours for our redemption so did God send terror and trouble vpon the Iudges wife in the night season to discouer his hypocrisie make him without excuse altogether in condemning the Innocent that all the water in the wide sea was not able to wash away the guilt of his sinne much lesse the water he called for to wash his hands before the multitude when he saide I am innocent of the blood of this iust man looke you to it Math. 27 24. The staine of sinne soyleth the soule and defileth the conscience cannot be washed away with water which onely putteth away the filth of the flesh and clenseth the body but cannot enter any further Thirdly seeing God hath shewed and manifested Vse 3 himselfe to wicked men vnworthy of his fauour we may be certaine and well assured that he will neuer leaue his owne children destitute of instruction that call vpon his
for vs when we sleep he heareth when we are deafe he riseth vp for vs when we lie downe hee is a buckler about vs when we are assaulted he is the God of knowledge when wee are ignorant And if euer there were people vnder the heauen that hath experience of Gods watchfulnesse in this kinde it is this Nation of great Britaine O vnthankfulnes if we doe not acknowledge it O wretchednesse if we doe not euer remember it O wickednes if we do not teach it to our posterities For hath not God deliuered vs from the most cursed and execrable plot of desperate enemies that euer was contriued against the King the Queene the Prince and the rest of their progeny against the Lords the Commons the whole Church kingdome â—hen the fift 〈◊〉 Noâ—â—â— An. 〈◊〉 5. determining suddainly to haue blowne vp the whole house of Parliament with gun-powder Now as this was an inuention bloody an intention barbarous and inhumane See Act. 〈…〉 3. so by what meanes were wee deliuered was it by our fasting and prayer was it by humbling our selues before our God and crying strongly in the eares of the Lord of hostes was it by our teares and weeping for our sins saying spare thy people O Lord and giue not thine inheritance into reproch that the Priests and Iesuites should rule ouer them Nay we vsed none of all these we suspected no danger we feared no enemies we dreamed of no diuelish deuices against the land so that to detect and disclose the fore-named cursed conspiracy was the Lords doing onely and it is marueilous in our eyes When an inuasion in the yeere 88. was intended by the supposed inuincible Armado glorying in their strength munition shippes preparations confederates it was indeed the Lords mercy toward vs to crosse and curse their attempt and to raise the windes and seas against them howbeit this was not without vsing of meanes as rigging of shippes arming of men mustering of souldiers yea it was not without sanctifying of fasts calling solemne assemblies and crying vnto the Lord. If then wee did sing songs of thanksgiuing for that deliuerance how should our hearts be kindled and inflamed with ioyfulnesse and with what praises should wee expresse our thankfulnes 〈…〉 but euen vow vnto the Lord our selues our soules and bodies to offer them vp a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto him For as many haue bene the practices of the malicious and bloody Papists yet this surmounteth them all so many haue bene the deliuerances of our Princes of our Rulers of our Magistrates of our Ministers of our people but this surmounteth and surpasseth them all Psal 95 1 2. Let vs therefore reioyce vnto the Lord let vs sing aloud to the rock of our saluation let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing loud vnto him with Psalmes for the Lord is a great God and a great King aboue all gods He sitteth in heauen and laugheth to scorne the deuices of the wicked He ruleth in earth and maketh all his enemies his footstoole Verse 28. Then the Lord opened the mouth of the Asse When Balaam had smitten his Asse three times that had saued his life it pleased God to worke a wonder to alter the course of nature to giue speech to the Asse to make her able to reproue her master God indeed could otherwise haue set his sin in order before him but a dumbe beast is teacher fit enough for the fals Prophet We see hereby Doctrine God oftentimes worketh aboue nature that God so often as it pleaseth him worketh aboue nature ordinary meanes Hereunto come al the miracles which God hath shewed from the beginning of the world He gaue vnto Abraham Sarah a son in their old age who quickneth the dead Rom. 4 17. and calleth those things which be not as though they were He stayed the course of the Sun diuided the red sea fed his people with Manna Heb. 11 33 34. stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fire opened the earth to swallow his enemies brought water out of the hard rocke Hee sent signes and wonders in the land of Egypt vnto this day in Israel and among al men hath made him a name as appeareth this day Hee brought his people out of the hand of Pharaoh with signes with wonders with a strong hand with a stretched out arme and with a great terrour He gaue power to a virgin to conceiue beare a son that he might saue his people from their sins Ier 32.20 Math 1 21 23. The reasons remaine to be considered and Reason 1 handled to confirme vs farther First marke the nature of God he is great in counsell glorious in holines fearefull in praises mighty in his workes and in his enterprises Who made the heauen who framed the earth and laide the foundation thereof vpon the depth who brought light out of darknesse Is it not the Lord that doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen in earth in the depth and in all the world This the Prophet Ieremy teacheth chap. 32. Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power Ier. 32.17 by thy stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee he maketh the barren fruitfull Psal 136.5 â— he brought all things out of nothing who onely doth great wonders for his mercy endureth for euer who by his wisedome made the heauens and hath stretched out the earth vpon the waters for his mercy endureth for euer Againe therby he maketh his name known Reason 2 and his power to bee acknowledged in the world This is declared by Nehemiah in the prayer of the Leuites chap. 9. Thou hast considered the afflictioÌ„ of our fathers in Egypt heard their cry by the red Sea and shewed tokens and wonders vpon Pharaoh and on all his seruants and on all the people of the land for thou knowest that they dealt proudly against them Neh. 9 9 10. therefore thou madest thee a Name as appeareth this day Wherefore to the end the power and presence of God may bee knowne both to the Church and the enemies of the Church hee breaketh and interrupteth the naturall order and course of things Heereupon it is that Ioshua calleth the children of Israel and telleth them that by the miracle of diuiding the waters of Iordan Iosh 3 10. they should know that the liuing GOD was among them and would cast out the Canaanites before them Vse 1 The vse of this doctrine may bee made in this manner First it serueth fitly to condemne all Atheists and earth-wormes that aduance nature to throw downe the power of God Indeed if GOD onely wrought by ordinary meanes and according to the strength of second causes some pretence might bee alleaged and some colour of reason produced to doubt of the diuine power But seeing GOD worketh not onely by nature and by meanes but sometimes aboue
compelled to giue testimony and witnesse to the truth of God the Lord as it were wringeth and wresteth it out of the mouths of those that be ignorant of him as we see how Balaam in this and the chapter following vttereth excellent and heauenly things albeit against his will of God of the enemies of God of the Church prospering and flourishing thorough his fauour yet he was lewd in life and prophane in heart louing neyther God nor his truth This we see in the Sorcerers in Egypt when they saw and felt the plague of Lice but could not with their enchantments bring foorth the like they confessed This is the finger of God Exod. 8 19. This appeareth farther in the history of Gideon when one of his enemies had told a dreame to his neighbour which hee had dreamed his fellow answered and saide This is nothing else saue the sword of Gideon the sonne of Ioash a man of Israel for into his hand hath God deliuered Midian and all the Hoast Iudg. 7 14. This likewise we see in the Centurion and souldiers that were with him watching Iesus Math. 27 54 when they saw the renting of the veyle the trembling of the earth the opening of the graues the cleauing of the stones and arising of the dead bodies they feared greatly saying Truely this was the Sonne of God Hereunto cometh the confession of Caiaphas an enemy to Christ and to the doctrine of saluation which he persecuted for hee vttered a Prophesie of the death and passion of Christ Ioh. 11 49 50 51 52. It was an extraordinary motion of God that guided his tongue to Prophesie of Christ So he spake afterward in theÌ„ that cryed out at his arraignement Mat. 27 25. His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children which was plentifully performed in its time and season The like we may obserue in Pilate when he was admonished by the Iewes to amend this title of Christ set on his Crosse Iesus of Nazareth the King of the Iewes Pilate answered What I haue written I haue written Iohn 19 22. wherein at vnawares hee is made after a sort a Preacher of the kingdome of Christ who gouerned his tongue as heere hee did the tongue of Balaam The Reasons remaine to bee considered Reason 1 First to leaue the wicked without excuse when they heare the truth For God neuer leaueth himselfe without witnesses no not among the Infidels as the Apostle declareth Acts 14 16 17. Now if the powring downe showers of raine sending the fruitfulnes of the earth feeding all creatures with bodily food be the Lords witnesses and testimonies of his power how much more is the word of God which is the sauour of life vnto life to all that beleeue Forseeing God opened the mouth of Caiaphas as we shewed before to vtter a Prophesie concerning Christ the obstinate incredulity of the Iewes was conuinced when both the cause and vertue of his death was vttered by their owne high-Priest albeit hee spake it in another meaning Secondly he speaketh often in wicked men to encrease their iudgement and bring vpon Reason 2 them the greater damnation If God had not reuealed his truth vnto them their punishment should bee the lesse This wee see set downe Luk. 12 47 48. This appeareth by the words of Christ to his Disciples Math. 7 23. Luke 13 25 26. Many will say to mee in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophesied And by thy Name cast out diuels And by thy Name done many great works And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquity Thus Christ vpbraideth the Cities wherein most of his great works were done because they repented not and telleth them it shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon for Sodome and Gomorrha at the day of iudgement then for them Math. 11 22. Thirdly to strengthen confirme his childreÌ„ Reason 3 in the truth reuealed vnto them Great is theyr wauering and weaknesse when God maketh knowne his word vnto them sealeth it vnto them by his signes and sacraments they are full of doubting and theyr faith is mingled with infidelity as wee see in the example of Gideon Iudg 7 14. God appeared vnto him at the thressing-floore commanded him to goe in his might to saue Israel promised him the victory and strengthened him by the signes that he asked yet he remained fearefull faint-hearted after these so many meanes vsed to giue him courage confirmation Iudg. 7 10. Hence it is that God raised vp one in the hoast of his enemies and guided his tongue to be a Preacher and publisher of his truth telling this dreame of his to his fellow that loe a Cake of Barley-bread tumbled from aboue into the boast of Midian and came vnto a Tent and smote it that it fell and ouerturned it that the Tent fell downe which is expounded and interpreted to be the sword of Gideon Wherby we see that God opened the mouth and directed the tongue of this Idolater for the strengthening of Gideon and the furthering of him in his work Now let vs make vse of this Doctrine First Vse 1 behold heerein the greatnesse of his power Name causing his enemies to professe and acknowledge it We see how they resist rebell against God We see how they abide not to submit their necks to his obedience but cast away the cordes of discipline from them yet he ouer-ruleth them ordereth their tongues and disposeth the words of their mouth to his owne glory This is it which the Prophet declareth Psal 8 1 2. This also appeareth in the example of Saul and of the messengers that he sent to take Dauid For the Spirit of God fell vpon them and they prophesied therefore it was a Prouerb Is Saul also among the Prophets 1 SaÌ„ 10 11 and 19 24. This verifieth the saying of the wise man Prou. 16 1. The preparations of the heart are in man but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord that is howsoeuer a man many times mâ—streth an whole Army of thoghts in his minde as it were in battell array and concludeth with himselfe both what how to speake yet man is ruled by a superior power shal speake as God guideth his mouth not as himselfe purposeth and determineth Seeing therefore God frameth vnfit instruments to his owne purpose and maketh them serue for the aduancement of his owne glory we must conclude againe with the Prophet O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the world Secondly it is not hard with God to retaine Vse 2 and reserue a people to himselfe in all ages albeit there be neuer so many enemies albeit the Church bee not alwayes visible to the eye and kept in outward beauty He is not tyed to any Nation people or place Let vs neuer feare the decay or destruction of the Church he that did gaine it to himselfe will maintaine it against all the practises and
and not through impatience accuse God neither impute the euill successes of our affaires to him but to our selues euen as he that stumbleth and falleth against a stone should not accuse the stone but his owne hastinesse and heedlesnes Now then if wicked men want the knowledge of God and the feare of his Name to guide them in the search and suruey of their owne wayes to enquire into the true cause of their euill successes wee cannot maruaile if they wander vp and downe in their owne imaginations and can neuer finde the fault to bee in themselues Secondly the vngodly are blinded with a Reason 2 selfe-loue and selfe-liking of themselues aboue God or his Word The loue of the creature or of our selues more then God or equall with God hindereth vs in good things and quite swalloweth vp the loue of our brethren and darkeneth the light of vpright iudgment that it cannot shine in our hearts The conceited person thinketh himselfe a wise man and imagineth his owne course to be the best vsing no aduice of others as if he himselfe were in all things sufficient of himselfe to see what is best for himselfe This Salomon excelling in wisdome teacheth to these conceited persons abounding in folly Prou. 12.14 The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that hearkeneth to counsell is wise So in another place Prou. 18.2 A foole is not delighted with vnderstanding but with those things which are in his owne heart And againe Prou. 26.12 Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit There is more hope of a foole then of him These selfe-louing and selfe-liking fooles are delighted with their owne folly which they labour to publish and make knowne to all men and may worthily beare away the bell from all the fooles in the world For these are proud fooles that highly esteeme of their owne wisedome and scornfully disdaine the counsell and wisedome of all other men Seeing therefore euill men want the wisdome of God that is from aboue and abound with selfe-loue which descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuellish we cannot greatly maruaile if wicked men will acknowledge no fault in themselues but wholly looke to second causes and lay the blame vpon the most High when they faile in their purposes Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine First of all wee learne this truth that no euil man can look for any good successe in the matters he taketh in hand but let him alwaies be sure to be crossed cursed of God Albeit thou lay in thine own conceit neuer so strong a foundation work neuer so wisely in thine own imagination yet if thou make not God thy Counsellor 〈◊〉 119.24 and his Word thy director thy wisdome shall be turned into folly and thou shalt be taken in the snare of thine owne hands For all sin against God bringeth with it the wrath of God and the euill life of a sinner drawes vpon his owne head sundry crosses and calamities causeth him to haue ill successe and raiseth vp infinite iudgments against him Whensoeuer we despise his word prophane his Sabbaths defile his Sacraments and practise any vnrighteousnesse against men and impiety against God then followeth and falleth vpon vs some sicknesse or trouble some crosse or affliction one way or another as the Apostle sheweth For your dissention and vnreuerent receiuing of the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.30 many are weak and sick among you and many sleepe Now when the rod and scourge of God lyeth vpon the backe of transgressours and they feele themselues sore plagued either they accuse God as the authour of their trouble or murmure against his punishment or rest vpon second causes which are ordered by him who is the principall cause Vse 2 Secondly we learne that if we would haue God blesse vs and the lawfull labours of our hands we must be godly in Christ Iesus If we leade a sincere and sanctified life purge our hearts to be a peculiar people to God zealous of good workes wee haue a sure promise of good successe and strong assurance of a plentifull blessing to follow vs all the dayes of our life There is no good successe in any thing without Gods blessing And this is the cause why God blesseth vs not because wee blesse not his Name wee liue not as a people vnder his protection wee do not deny vngodlines worldly lusts liuing soberly righteously and godly in this present world hauing our conuersation in the heauens and looking for the blessed hope of glory and immortality Hereunto commeth the saying of Salomon Prou. 16 3. Psal 37.3 1 Pet. 5 7. Commit thy workes to the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed This is a worthy saying to redresse our weakenesse and distrust and to make vs rest and rely our selues on Gods good prouidence This also the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psal 127 1 2. All the fruit of our labours cares dependeth vpon the prouidence of God yea all our industry and studie shall be vaine and vnprofitable vnlesse he guide all our affaires To this purpose the Prophet speaketh in another place that the godly Psal 1.1.3 refusing the counsell of the wicked the way of sinners the seat of scorners shall bring forth fruite in due season so that whatsoeuer he shall doe shal prosper It is God alone that directeth the wayes and works of the faithful and without him is no good successe This wee see verified in Ioseph Gen. 39 2 3. The Lord was with Ioseph he was a man that prospered and was in the house of his master the Egyptian And his master saw the Lord was with him and that the Lord made al that he had to prosper in his hand The like the Scripture◠testifieth of Hezekiah that hee prospered in all his workes 2 Chro. 32 30 and 20 20. So Iehosaphat spake to the people Heare ye me O Iudah the inhabitants of Ierusalem put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall bee assured beleeue his Prophets and ye shall prosper Thus also the Lord exhorteth Ioshua after the death of Moses Iosh 1 8. We do all of vs desire the blessing of God vpon our labours and to haue good successe in our seuerall callings this is the pathway that we must walke in namely a godly life and conuersation without this his blessings shall turne into curses and wee shall neuer attaine the end of our hope This appeareth by the words which the man of God spake to the King of Israel saying Thus saith the Lord Because the Aramites haue saide 1 King 20 28 the Lord is the God of the Mountaines and not of the Valleys therefore will I deliuer all this great multitude into thine hand and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Lastly we are bound euery one to consider Vse 3 the true cause of euill successe to be in our selues When the hand of God is any way vppon vs that he plagueth
vs aboue other nations The more he hath honoured and exalted vs aboue others the more vile and odious we shall become he will poure shame contempt vpon vs he will make vs a mirrour and example of his iudgements to others vnlesse we bring foorth fruites answerable to so great goodnesse Who so is wise-hearted let him consider these things Verses 22 23 24. God brought them out of Egypt their strength is as an Vnicorne for there is no sorcery against Iacob Hitherto wee haue spoken of the spirituall blessings bestowed vpon the Church to wit the forgiuenesse of their sinnes the presence of the Spirit and the vse of the word Now followeth another priuiledge being an effect of the former that nothing shall hurt them they may fall into many afflictions but none shal be able to destroy them He alludeth in this place to the practise of the Vnicorne purging and clensing the water with his horne against the poison of venomous beasts From hence we learne Doctrine No attempt◠shall hurt th◠Church that no meanes and attempts shall hurt or ouerthrow the Church Whatsoeuer the enemies of God and his people imagine what counsell soeuer they take what mischiefes they deuise God will make them frustrate and of none effect This truth appeareth by sundry examples in the word of God When the Church of God was in Egypt the Egyptians said Let vs work wisely with them lest they multiply they vexed them with bondage they destroyed their children they oppressed them with burthens they plagued them with taskemasters and euery way they encreased their miseries Ex. 1 2 3. yet after all these diuellish practises they preuayled nothing against them This appeareth likewise in the ambition and pride of Haman Ester 3. and 7 and 9. He thirsted after blood but the plot he had contriued was disappointed and he fel into the pit which hee had digged for another the snare was broken and the Church was deliuered Infinite are the examples that might be produced to this purpose of the Churches dangers and deliuerances The Prophet Dauid handleth this argument at large in sundry Psalmes In the 91. Psalme verses 3 4 5 c. he assureth those that trust in God that into whatsoeuer dangers they fall they shall neuer miscarry nor be dismayed in theyr afflictions Where the Prophet meaneth that howsoeuer these afflictions may come to the godly yet they shall not bee able to hurt or hinder their eternall peace with God but he will make them and all things besides to further theyr saluation This is it which the Apostle teacheth at large Rom. 8 35 37. Thus we see that no attempts can hurt the Church inasmuch as God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and scattereth the deuices of the wicked Iob 5.13 as he turned the wisedome of Ahithophel into foolishnesse The Reasons of this Doctrine seruing for confirmation of vs are direct euident For Reason first it is God that watcheth ouer his to deliuer and to preserue them from all the dangers that go ouer theyr heads We shall not neede to feare hauing so good a keeper being assured of right good keeping He will alwayes protect vs by his great power and infinit goodnesse This the Prophet handleth at large Psal 121 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. So Moses declaring the cause that Balaams curses coniurations did not preuaile but were turned into a blessing sayth It was because the Lord loued his people Deut. 23 5. No policies can preuaile where there is such a keeper who being on our side what skilleth it who bee set against vs Reason 2 Secondly hee hath appointed the Angels also to guard and defend them to pitch their Tents round about them to bee ministering spirits sent out for their good which alwayes behold the face of their Father which is in heauen God is the cheefe watchman whom nothing can escape the Angels are second watchmen vnder God whom God hath deputed to that office to serue the necessities of the Church This the Prophet Dauid that sweet singer of Israel setteth downe Psal 91 10 11 12. Where the prophet proueth that no crosse or calamity shall come neere them or their dwellings to hurt them because not onely God himselfe will care for their defence but appoint the holy Angels as his heauenly messengers to preserue them Not that the helpe of God is not sufficient or that we should put our trust in their helpe but to teach vs for our comfort that we haue God and all the hoast of heauen as an army ready mustered marshalled to succour and sustaine vs in all our dangers Now it remaineth to consider what Vses Vse 1 may be made of this Doctrine First we must confesse to our singular comfort that great is the power and goodnesse of God which can neuer faile or forsake those that are his No counsell or wisedome or policy can escape his knowledge or encounter with his power we see this notably in this example before our eyes This false Prophet Balaam was an enemy of God and of his people he had set both his heart to couet and his tongue to saie all his purpose was to curse the people hee leaueth nothing vnattempted to compasse and contriue his enterprize yet we see all is vanity and commeth in the end to nothing Great therfore is the power and might of God We heard in verse 19. that he was constrained to say That God is not like to mortall men therfore we ought to be ashamed to call the truth or power of God into question wherein there is neither want nor weaknes All the power that is in men and Angels is nothing to the infinite power of God Let vs therefore acknowledge and confesse this might and maiesty of God let vs in all our dangers and calamities reuerence it and rest in it Let vs not measure it by ordinary meanes but know that he is able to work as wel without means and against meanes as by meanes The faith of Abraham is commended by the Apostle Ro. 4 18. Heb. 11 That aboue hope he beleeued vnder hope and that God was able of the ashes of Isaac offered vp in sacrifice to raise him againe to life 〈◊〉 2. Secondly wee may in assurance of his fauour conclude the blessednesse of the people of God and their happy estate and condition yea we may truly say with the Psalmist Psal 144 15. Blessed are the people that are so yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. None are harder assaulted none are better protected Their confusion is sought but they stand in the strength of God This is a great blessing to be shaken and yet to abide firme in stormes and tempests Happy are they that haue so vigilant a watchman as the Lord is That City is safe that kingdome is sure that house is quyeted that soule is secured that hath such a keeper What City vpon the earth sauing the City of
5 verses 28.29 They haue well saide all that they haue spoken they were ready to heare all and do all that Moses should speake vnto them But if we fall to stint the Spirit and teach the Lord to speake prescribing the Minister what he shall say and restraining our hearing what we will heare wee shall neuer heare fruitefully we shall neuer practise conscionably what we haue heard Thus much concerning the protestation of Balaam Verse 27. Balak saide vnto Balaam Come I pray thee I will bring thee vnto another place if so be it will please that God c. Heere is offered to our considerations the profession of Balaam Hee pretendeth Religion and the helpe of God and professeth to do all things in the Name of the true God yet was voyd of all Religion and sincere dealing and doth all things by the working of the diuell abusing the glorious and fearefull Name of God to malicious mischieuous purposes Doctrinâ— Many prâ—fesse God that seruâ— the diueâ—â— Hereby we learne that many in the world professe piety and godlinesse in the tongue that haue none in the heart They professe GOD outwardly but serue the diuell inwardly This appeareth in the Iewes who albeit they would not heare the preaching of the Prophets rebuking them in the Name of the Lord yet had oftentimes in their mouthes The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord this is the Temple of the Lord Ier. 7 4. Thus the Prophet Esay reproueth them in his time This people come neere vnto me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but haue remoued their heart farre from me and their feare toward mee was taught by the precept of men Esay chap. 29 13. So many that were professors and teachers of the truth as Christ testifieth yea workers of myracles and crying vnto him Lord Lord yet shal not be acknowledged of him as belonging to him The Samaritans called and accounted themselues the true worshippers Iohn 4 2 and pretended the tradition of their fathers and hated the Iewes as false worshippers yet themselues worshipped they knew not what All heretiques will boast they teach Gods truth all hypocrites will say they embrace the faith all carnall and loose professors will challenge sincerity all Papists will cry out they are the Church the successors of the Apostles and the true Catholiques yet are no true Church but in shew no true Catholiques but in name no true successors of the Apostles but in place In the dayes of Christ the Iewes gloried that they were the seede of Abraham Iohn 8 44 the sonnes of the Couenant the heyres of promise they pleaded they were the first borne of God yet he proueth to their faces that they were the very limbes of the diuell And the Church of Smyrna had such among theÌ„ as vaunted they were Iewes Reuel 2 9. that is the people of GOD but were in truth the Synagogue of Sathan All which examples conclude the certainty of the former doctrine and verifie the saying of Salomon Prou. 30. There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet are not washed from their filthinesse The truth heereof will farther and more Reason 1 fully appeare vnto vs if we enter into the consideration of the causes and reasons of it The first is pride selfe-loue which so ouercome their hearts and blinde their eyes that they cannot see their owne wickednesse and wretchednesse which are so hud-winked with palpable ignorance of God as that they cannot iudge of themselues and their owne misery as they should We see the coniunction of these in the King of Moab and his Chaplaine the false Prophet that albeit they pretend the holy Name of God yet through loue of themselues on the one side and ignorance of God on the other they cannot see that their whole proceeding is an vtter renouncing of God This reason the Prophet Dauid pointeth vnto when he saith The wicked hath made boast of his owne hearts desire and the couetous blesseth himselfe though hee contemneth the Lord for the wicked is so proud that he seeketh not for God hee is in prosperity God spareth him in mercy and hee imagineth presently that he is iust and holy pleasing God Psal 10 3 4. Reason 2 Secondly the heart of man is many times deceitfull He can speake with his tongue that which he meaneth not in his heart nor hath any sence or feeling of in his owne soule but beguileth with lying lips and a double toong Many are vnder their profession hypocrites and haue hypocriticall hollow hearts speaking that which they did not minde For the nature of an hypocrite is to appeare outwardly like a painted Toombe 〈◊〉 8. as if there were nothing in him but singlenesse and simplicity of heart and vntill his corruption breake out as filthy matter out of a sore which assuredly it will do at some time or other seeing there is nothing couered that shall not bee reuealed Luke 12 2. there is none more conformable then he in the outward exercises of the Word Prayer and the Sacraments They draw neere with their lips they listen with their eares they stretch foorth their hands thus they prepare and make ready their mouthes to pray their eares to heare their hands to receiue This appeareth in the proud Pharisie Luke chapter 18 verses 11 12. He came into the Temple to pray he thanked God for his blessings hee fasted twice in the weeke hee gaue tythe of all that he possessed yet he worshipped God in vaine and departed to his house without profit or comfort Now let vs handle the vses of this doctrine Vse 1 First wee learne heereby for our instruction that outward profession is not enough to assure vs of our saluation or to fit vs to Gods kingdome for the diuell might go as farre as the best of those that rest in the shew of godlinesse who can turne and transforme himselfe into an Angel of light 2 Corinth 11 verse 14. A wolfe may put on a sheepes skinne yea the Parrot and Ape can imitate and therefore trust not to thy faire shewes and externall appearance if thou proceed no further It is not sufficient for thee to be baptized to bee made partaker of the word of God of the Table of the Lord and such priuiledges of the Church this is to trust in lying words that shall not profite Ier. chap. 7 verse 4. The case and condition of many professors is no better then of the heathen Infidels as of the Turkes and Sarazins I meane of such as content themselues with the bare name or profession of Christianity and therein satisfie themselues nay it is a great deale worse as our Sauiour teacheth Math. chapter 11 verses 21 22 23. that Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum shall be punished more seuerely then Tyre and Sidon then Sodome and Gomorrha What comfort in the things of this life can any man take to beare the name of land and another to
First on the bodye which is cast into a deepe sleepe when the senses are for the time bereaued of the present vse of theÌ„ Secondly on the minde the which that it might bee brought neerer to God is withdrawne from all dealing and fellowship with the body and enlightned to vnderstand diuine things as Acts 10. Peter sâ—w the heauen opened a vessell comming downe and a voyce came vnto him The causes why it pleased GOD to reueale his will after this manner are First that they should take nothing to themselues but account all receiued from GOD. Secondly that their bodies and soules being separate froÌ„ all other dealings might haue a deeper impression of the things reuealed and thereby vnderstand them and keepe them the better Thus much touching the trance of Balaam the beginning of the prophesie Now we come to the substance of the prophesie it selfe the summe whereof is first propounded then amplified and lastly concluded The proposition which is prooued is described by a question and by way of admiration expressing the happines of the Church How goodly are thy tents O Iacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel As if he should say O how blessed and happy a people art thou which now liuest vnder these Tents and dwellest in these habitations And note here that he doth not giue a touch to theyr happinesse and then passe away sodainly from it but he doubleth and repeateth it as if he meant to dwell long vpon it There is no part or parcell of Gods word in vaine If wee see not the vse of some things it is our weaknes we must confesse it not condemne the Scriptures The Spirit of God forbiddeth vaine babling Mat. 6 7 and reproueth idle repetitions and therefore neuer vseth the same himselfe Three causes 〈◊〉 vsing repeâ—â—â—ons The Reasons and occasions of repetitions are these three First for greater assurance for God speaking twice doth as it were produce a double witnes and signifieth that it did not slip from him vnawares but is that which he meaneth to stand vnto and to ratifie so that albeit heauen and earth passe away yet one iot or tittle of his word shall not passe away Secondly to testify the speedy accomplishment of that which hee hath spoken that it shall not be prolonged and delayed but bee swiftly performed shortly be executed And these two causes are both touched by Ioseph in expounding the two dreames of Pharaoh when he sayth The dreame was doubled vnto Pharaoh the second time because the thing is established by God and God hasteth to performe it Genes 41 32. The third reason of vsing repetitions is to quicken those that are dull and stir vp those that are heauy hearted that they should shake off all deadnes drowsinesse of spirit Once speaking passeth sodainly away wee cannot heare it or if we heare it wee cannot remember it or if we remember it we are backward in practising of it We haue need to be often put in minde of the same thing 〈◊〉 3 1. and for vs it is a safe thing 〈◊〉 â—8 23. This is the cause that the Prophets of God so often vse repetitions So did Balaam before in the former Chapter Numb 23 21. God seeth no iniquity in Iacob he seeth no transgression in Israel These three causes haue place in this repetition vsed in this place For theyr happines is certainly confirmed speedily to be accomplished and the enemies of the people of God are rouzed vp diligently to consider thereof and thinke with themselues surely this is of great importance seeing God offers it vnto me againe and againe This blessed estate and condition of the Church is set down first comparatiuely then simply whereby the former similitudes are expounded and interpreted The metaphors and similitudes are many in number but tending to one and the same purpose vnder the borrowed speeches of the tents of the sheepheards of stretching out of the vallies watering of the gardens planting of the Cedars he vnderstandeth the safety largenes encrease pleasantnesse multitude and strength of the Church that shall surmount the glory of the Gentiles and treade downe the kingdome of Agag that is of the Amalekites which at that time flourished in the world and promised vnto it selfe a perpetuity vpon the earth which prophesie was performed in the dayes of Saul and Samuel of Dauid Salomon 1 Sam. 15 3. This appeareth plainly in the second branch where the comparisons are explained in which hee sheweth the author of theyr happynes to bee God the giuer of euery good giuing and of euery perfect gift who albeit they were a small people and greatly oppressed yet hee brought them myraculously out of the Land of Egypt he shall bee theyr protection defence against theyr enemies giuing them the strength of the Vnicorne Numb 23 22. assisting them in all theyr dangers and subduing all theyr aduersaries vnder them This is the substance of the prophesie the conclusion remayneth consisting of two parts or members the first respecting the Israelites the second respecting others but vttered for the Israelites sake Touching the Israelites he inferreth vpon the premisses theyr peace safety and security tranquility and quyet dwelling without feare expressed by comparison of a Lyon who eateth his prey without fearfulnes of the passengers so the Iews ouercomming all theyr enemies shall haue rest gouerne theyr Church and Common-wealth in peace which came to passe so long as they did cleaue to God with full purpose of heart and worshippe him according to the precise rule of his word for then no enemies albeit neuer so many or so mighty were able to preuayle against them Thus did the Patriark Iacob expresse the preheminence of Iudah Gen. 49 9. As a Lyons whelpe shalt thou come vp from the spoyle my sonne he shall lye downe and couch as a Lyon and as a Lyonnesse who shall stir him vp The second member belonging vnto others is this that they which blesse thee shall bee blessed and such as curse thee shall be cursed A notable commendation of the Church encouragement to perswade others to be of the church As if hee should say So many as shal ioyne themselues of other people to thee and embrace the same holy Religion with thee for it shall in the fulnesse of time come to passe that God shall allure Iapheth to dwell in the tents of Shem. Gen. 9 27 shall be partakers of the same blessings with thee which GOD shall poure out vpon thee but all such as separate themselues from thee and shew themselues not brethren but strangers not friends but enemies not neighbours but aliens from thee shall lye vnder the fearfull curse and reuenge of God This is it which the Lord pronounced and promised long before to Abraham Gen. 12 2 3. This power did Balak before falsely ascribe to Balaam This is the drift of this diuision and the order that the Spirit of God obserueth therein Touching the instructions that
not much more will hee teach them his wayes that feare him reueale his secrets to the humble-minded Psal 25 9 12.14 Let vs exercise our selues in the diligent reading hearing and conferring of his word let vs earnestly desire to profite and grow forward in the knowledge and vnderstanding of the truth from time to time according to the meanes affoorded vnto vs. We liue in the cleare light of the Gospel and in the golden dayes of Gods grace times that our fore-fathers neuer saw let vs not therefore shut our eyes against the truth that shineth in our hearts or at the least not stop our eares against the sound of the word that pierceth our eares We haue a gracious promise made vnto vs that God will giue a blessing vnto such as seeke him hee will be knowne of those that seeke to know him he will open to those that knocke for him This is the maine cause of all ignorance that we desire not knowledge It is a grieuous sin to be destitute of knowledge but it is more fearefull to haue no desire of knowledge Ignorance is the root of all impiety of infidelity of idolatry of superstition of presumption of disobedience of contempt of the word and worship of God as the Apostle rehearsing the corrupt fruites of darknes the throat an open sepulchre the mouth full of cursing the feet swift to shed blood destruction and calamity in their wayes maketh this the the cause of all The way of peace they haue not knowne Rom 3.17 So the Lord Psal 95 10 doth render this as the reason why his people erred because they had not knowne his wayes This caused the Iewes to crucifie the Lord of life and to deliuer him into the hands of sinners For if they had knowne the wisedome of God they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2 8 according to the words of Peter preaching repentance vnto them Now brethren I know that through ignorance ye did it as did also your gouernours Act. 3.17 And as it is the root of all impiety against God and vnrighteousnesse of men so it is the cause of all iudgements and punishments The Prophet Hosea threatning Gods plagues in a fearefull hand to fall vpon the people maketh this one cause There was no knowledge of God in the land Hos 4 1 2. So at the last day when the Lord Iesus shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead He will come in flaming fire to render vengeance to those that doe not know him 1. Thes 1 8. These things being rightly and wisely considered should teach all of vs to seeke after knowledge as for siluer and search for vnderstanding as for precious stones assuring our selues that God will neuer be wanting to helpe such as hunger and thirst after righteousnesse who is neere to al those that call vpon him euen to all that call vpon him in truth Vse 3 Lastly we see his mercy is greater vnto vs then to the fathers before The Lord Iesus hath brought the doctrine of the Gospel from the bosome of his Father Acknowledge then with thankfulnesse the preferment of these latter times and let vs not seeke after dreams and visions which are abolished but hauing the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles rest in the reuealed will of God Moses had a preheminence aboue the Prophets to whom God spake not by dreames or visions but face to face as is declared Numb 12 6 7 8. I will be knowne to the Prophets by vision by dreame my seruant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all mine house vnto him wil I speake mouth to mouth and not in darke words As Moses was preferred before the other Prophets so haue we a singular priuiledge aboue the Patriarkes Prophets that haue gone before vs who wanted the light that we enioy as the Writer of the Hebrewes doth testifie declaring that the glory of our time is greater in which GOD hath vouchsafed to speake vnto vs by his own sonne At sundry times and in diuers manners God spake in olde time to our fathers by the Prophets in these last daies he hath spoken vnto vs by his Son Heb. 1 1 2. So then the condition of Christians vnder the Gospel is better then of the Israelites vnder the Law in respect of the manifestation and reuelation of Gods truth The Israelites had God reuealed by the Prophets but we haue him taught by the Son himselfe who is counted worthy of more glory then Moses Heb. 3 3.4 inasmuch as hee which hath builded the house hath more honour then the house and he that is Lord ouer it hath more honour then he that is a seruant in it Hereupon Christ calleth and accounteth the Disciples blessed Because they saw with their eyes and heard with their eares those things which many Prophets and righteous men desired to see and heare and yet could not Mat. 13 17. Let vs therefore walke worthy of this great grace and mercy let vs embrace and professe the doctrine of Christ with all zeale and as wee haue receiued greater fauour let vs bring foorth greater obedience Let vs magnifie the preaching of the Gospel whereby Christ Iesus is described in our sight as it were crucified among vs which hee hath made the strength of his arme and his great power to saue those that do beleeue to which he hath giuen such effectuall grace that it worketh more mightily then all miracles and pierceth deeper into the heart of man then all visions and reuelations yea Though one should arise from the dead to speake vnto vs Luk. 16 31. Let vs now looke for no miracles nor depend vpon strange wonders the doctrine of Christ is â—ufficiently strengthned confirmed so that no doubt of any part therof is to close vp our owne eyes that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of GOD should not shine vpon vs. 2 Cor. 4 3â— If the Gospel be yet hid it is hid to theÌ„ that are lost To conclude let vs all know that God hauing brought vs into these last times requireth of vs greater knowledge faith zeale obedience and greater fruites of repentance Heb. 2 1 â— For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall wee escape if we neglect so great saluatioÌ„ which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him Wherefore we ought diligently to giue heed vnto the things which we haue heard lest at any time we runne out Verse 5. How goodly are thy Tents O Iacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel as the valleyes that are stretched out c. Hitherto we haue spoken of the preparation and entrance into this third Prophesie Now we come to the summe and substance of it vttered by way of an admiration or exclamation the diligent consideration of the florishing estate
their eyes and will not see his brightnesse yet remaineth he the light of the world For the Sun shineth in the firmament howsoeuer some are blinde and cannot see and others might see yet make themselues blinde Therefore the Prophet I say saith chap. 60.1 2 19. Arise O Ierusalem be bright for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen vpon thee thou shalt haue no more Sunne to shine by day neither shall the brightnesse of the Moone shine vnto thee for the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and the daies of thy sorrow shall be ended When the Sun which is called the eye of the world and is the light of the day riseth vpon vs and commeth toward vs it doth quicken and reioyce vs it causeth life fruite to appeare in those creatures which seemed to be dead dry before so if this Day-starre do truely rise vp in our hearts it will not onely enlighten our vnderstanding but so heate our frozen and dead hearts as that it will put the life of righteousnesse into vs and make vs walke as children of light that need not be ashamed who mark theyr steps and behold theyr wayes Therfore the Apostle speaketh to euery one of vs that considering the season it is now time that we shold arise from sleepe for now is our saluation nearer then when we beleeued it the night is past the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the works of darknesse and let vs put on the armour of light walking honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying Rom. 13 11 12. We haue heere a notable direction how to know whether this starre be risen vpon vs or not If he haue wrought these effects fruites in vs if by the bright beames of his Spirit sweet influence of his grace he hath cast out of our mindes the darke clouds of ignorance and blindnesse and caused vs to see what the acceptable will of God is if he haue sanctified vs by the holy Ghost whereby the kingdome of sinne is euery day more and more suppressed and we reformed according to the Image of God to serue him in holinesse true righteousnesse if these things be in some measure in vs we may be well assured that this starre of Iacob hath shined vpon vs. But if these things be not wrought and effected in vs but that wee remaine still in our sinnes and ignorances we haue no part in Christ we haue no portion in this Sunne of righteousnesse He hath neuer entred into our hearts his beames of grace and mercy haue neuer shined vpon vs we are still holden vnder the dominion of darknesse and in the condemnation of him who is the Prince of darknesse to wit the diuell Therefore the Apostle exhorteth all of vs Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light walke circumspectly not as fooles buâ— as wise redeeming the time because the daies are euill Ephes chapt 5 verse 14. And the same Apostle in another place saith If any man bee in Christ hee is a new creature 2 Cor. 5 17. If yee haue heard him and haue beene taught by him cast off the olde man which is corrupt and put on the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph 4 21 22. Let vs all remember this truth and no more deceiue our owne soules in perswading our selues to be in Christ when as yet we neuer tasted of his Spirit nor were made partakers of his heauenly graces Verse 20. And when he looked on Amalek he vttered his Parable and saide Amalek was the first of the Nations c. Hitherto wee haue spoken of the Prophesie of Balaam against the Moabites now followeth his prophesie against the Amalekites in these words which is the fift in number and the second among them that concerne the heathen that were not of Israel wherein we haue already seene in what sence the Amalekites are called the first of the Nations not that simply they were first of all people for they came of Esau as Moses witnesseth Gen. 36 16 but because they were the first that fought against Israel after they were come out of the Land of Egypt therfore shold be themselues destroyed In setting downe this practise of the Amalekites Doctrine Warres are of great antiquity we finde it warranted that warres in the world haue beene ancient among men To gather armies and to muster men to battaile is no new deuice but an old and ancient practise among the sonnes of men In the tenth chapter of the booke of Genesis verse 9 Nimrod began to be mighty vpon the earth and is saide to be a mighty hunter before the Lord the beginning of his kingdome was Babel And in the 14 chap. we haue mention of two armies one raised by Chedor-laomer and his confederates the other by the Kings of Sodome and Gomorrha these rebelling the other punishing their rebellion betweene whom was a cruell battel fought This we see in the sonnes of Iacob raising a force against the Sheehemites Gen. 34 25. vnder the conduct of Simeon Leui who were the firebrands of warre and the trumpets of sedition they came vpon them on a sodaine and slew all the maies among them and after this violence offered vnto their persons they spoiled the City We shall not need to stand further vpon this point the books of Ioshua of Iudges the books of the Kings and of the Chronicles together with lamentable experience of all ages and times confirme this to haue beene a common practise among men of olde to raise warre one against another and to try their causes and quarrels by the dint of the sword The Reasons heereof are not hard to finde Reason 1 For first howsoeuer men are carried headlong with rage and reuenge one against another yet the diuell is the bellowes to kindle the coales who was a murtherer and a man-slayer from the beginning as our Sauiour speaketh vnto the Iewes Iohn 8 44. Yee are of your father the diuell and the lustes of your father ye will do he hath bene a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him This he declareth to the Church of the Smyrnians That it should come to passe that the diuell shall cast some of them into prison Reu. 2 10 and afterward chap. 12 17 it is saide The dragon was wrath with the woman went and made war with the remnant of her seed which keepe the Commandements of God This is it that Michaiah spake to Ahab Who shall entice Ahab that he may goe and fall at Ramoth Gilead Then there came foorth a spirit and stood before the Lord and saide I will entice him 1 Kings 22 20. Seeing then the diuell is the stirrer of diuision and the kindler of contention between man and man
the Apostle Iohn noteth in the Nicolaitanes Reuel 2 14 20 who maintained the doctrine of Balaam counselling Balak to lay a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel perswading to eate of the things sacrificed to Idols and alluring vnto fornication This he reprooueth in the false Prophetesse whom for her leud qualities he calleth Iezabel who deceiued the seruants of God to make them commit fornication and to eate meates that were sacrificed vnto idols Thus it fareth with the Nations that know not God they are ignorant of the duties which are due vnto men The Turkes that haue seated their Empire in the East and made a mixture of all Religions to the end they might draw some of all sorts vnto themselues doe professe and practise most abhominable vices euen by the doctrine of their Alcoran 〈◊〉 chap. 41. ◠3. where that false Prophet Mahomet alloweth a man to haue foure wiues and to keepe fifteene Concubines he forbiddeth any to be accused of adultery vnder foure witnesses and accounteth those most holy men which accōpany with beasts The Church of Rome defiling the worship of God by detestable idolatry as grosse as the Heathen committed and in some part exceeding all the idolatry of the Heathen in that they worship a breaden god maintaine filthinesse and vncleannesse sundry waies First in the tolleration of the Stewes flat against the Commandement of God Deut. 23 17. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shal ther be an whorekeeper among the sons of Israel This tolleration is a flat occasion to many young men and women that otherwise might abstaine from this kinde of wickednes And what monstrous impiety is this when father and sonne Brother and Brother Vncle and Nephew shall come to one and the same harlot one before or after the other Secondly they deny marriage as an vnholy thing to their holy Cleargy and thereby open a gappe to all kinde of pollutions contrary to the expresse word of God that a Byshop should be the husband of one wife and that marriage is left free and accounted honourable in all and the bed vndefiled 1 Tim. 3 2. Heb. 13 4. Thirdly not to stand further in ripping vppe these enormities in this place their Law alloweth the marriage of any persons beyond the fourth degree 〈…〉 whereby in some cases followeth incest Al these testimonies and examples being thus layde together doe teach vs that corruption of manners and lewdnesse of life doe alwayes accompany defects and defilings in the true Religion Let vs come to consider the causes to make it more plaine and euident vnto vs. First such Reason 1 is the iudgment and iustice of God punishing one sin with another giuing ouer such as make no conscience to know or acknowledge God into a reprobate sence and appointing them to be vessels of shame and dishonour This is the reason which the Apostle directly handleth Rom. 1 25 26. They turned the truth of God into a lie seruing the creature and forsaking the Creator which is blessed for euer Amen for this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections for euen their women did change the naturall vse into that which is against nature and likewise also the men left the naturall vse of the woman burned in their lust one toward another and man with man wrought filthinesse and receiued in themselues such recompence of their errour as was meete Where we see the Apostle charging the Gentiles with turning the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and so regarded not to serue him declareth that God gaue thē vp to their hearts lustes and deliuered them vp into a reprobate minde so that they committed vncleannesse they defiled their owne bodies betweene themselues did those things which are not conuenient So the same Apostle in another place teacheth That God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 2 Th. 2 11 12. This dealing is righteous in God being a punishment for sinne howsoeuer it be wicked in the committers Secondly the first Table containeth the great and chiefe Commandements and the second is like vnto it Math. 22 38. So then all prophanenes is as a bitter and poysoned root infecting farre and neere and as a Tree that ouershadoweth all good hearbs that they cannot grow vp or prosper Our Sauior Christ making the summe of the first Table to consist in louing God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our minde calleth this the first and the great Commandement as the fountaine and foundation of the other So the Apostle Iohn making the loue to God and to men necessarily to concurre and accompany one another saith If any man say I loue God and yet hate his brother he is a liar for how can he that loueth not his brother whom he hath seene loue God whom he hath not seene 1 Iohn chapter 4 verse 20. And hence it commeth to passe that where men haue not the feare of God and the knowledge of his Name they become abhominable in all their doings Thirdly the diuell ruleth worketh in such as make no care to know God but walke according to the course of this world in superstition in idolatry The Apostle sheweth this to be the cause why they had their conuersation in times past in the lusts of the flesh in the fulfilling of the will of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature the Children of wrath as well as others Because they were ruled by the Prince that ruleth in the aire the spirit that worketh in all the children of disobedience Ephes 2 2 3. Let vs now proceed to the Vses First we Vse 1 learne from hence that wee may iustly feare all iniurious vniust and vncleane dealing and looke for fraud and oppression where there is no true Religion established and professed When Abraham went down into Egypt with his wife and afterward soiourned in the land of Gerar among the Philistims where was no true knowledge of the true God hee thought thus with himselfe Surely the feare of God is not in this place they will slay me for my wiues sake and thereby was moued to deny the protection of his wife and to say shee was his Sister Gen. 12 12. 20 11. This is to be expected looked for from all such places and persons that haue in them no religion of Christ no godlines of life no feare of God we must prepare our selues to endure all hard wrongfull dealing at their hands Wee see this in the example of the Sodomites toward Lot Gen. 19 9. in the inhabitants of Gibeah toward the Leuite and his wife Iudg. 1◠22. For where the feare of God ruleth not there is no vertue no truth no mercy no honesty no sobriety no conscience They refraine not violence
gift he hath receiued Rom. 12 3. Peter when he saw the high Priests seruants to lay hands on Christ drew the sword and cut off the eare of one of the messengers but he is reproued by his Master and commanded to put vp the sword againe into his place Because all being priuate persons without a calling that take the sword Math. 26 51 shall perish with the sword Whosoeuer hath receyued a speciall calling God giueth an assurance of it to his owne heart and leaueth no scruple or doubt in him of his calling so that to aske the question of others whether a man may haue such a calling or not is an euident argument that hee hath not receiued any such calling For albeit we cannot iudge of the callings of others yet may we of our owne know that which no man knoweth beside our selues The Disciples thought amisse of Peter the Apostle for going to Cornelius For when he was come vp to Ierusalem they of the circumcision contended against him because he went in to men vncircumcised and had eaten with them Acts 11 2. vntill they had heard him giue a reason of his doing make an apology for himselfe then they held theyr peace and glorified God And so is it with those that sit in iudgement of other mens callings condemne those things whereof they are ignorant Verse 8. He thrust them both through then the plague ceased frō the children of Israel The sins of this people into which they fell were very greeuous and the iudgements of God that fell vpon them were heauy and answerable to their sinnes Some of them to fill vp the measure of their iniquities to the ful brought their harlots into the host of GOD euen among them that the Lord theyr GOD had chosen to be an holy Nation Deut. 14 2 and a precious people vnto himselfe aboue all the people that are vpon the earth When these were punished and the publike scandal taken away God is pacified the plague is remoued the people are deliuered Doctrine When once sinne is punished God is appeased From hence this Doctrine is offred to our considerations that when sinne is punished God is appeased So soone as euill is taken away the iudgements of GOD are called in VVhen the old world was destroyed by the flood of waters which God sent vpon the earth and all flesh perished in whose nostrils the spirit of life did breathe then GOD entred into a new couenant with the remnant that was left and Noah offering a sacrifice the Lord smelled a sauour of rest and said in his heart I will henceforth curse the ground no more for mans cause neither will I smite any more all things liuing as I haue done Gen. 8 21 22. So long as Achan was vnpunished the hoste of Israel could not prosper but turned their backes before their enemies but when he was found out and stoned to death with stones and burned with fire the Lord turned from his fierce wrath gaue vnto his people the victory Iosh 7 26. When he had plagued the people that caused Aaron to make the calfe that he made whereby they committed foule and grosse idolatry and turned God into the similitude of a bullocke that eateth grasse he was reconciled vn them and well pleased with them Psal 106 19 20. So when Corah Dathan and Abiram were destroyed and God visited their rebellion with a strange visitation his anger continued no longer against them When Miriam had bin shut out of the host 7. daies punished with leprosy the wrath of God was appeased she restored to the hoste againe Nu. 12 15. VVe know how the wrath of God was kindled against Israel against Dauid for numbering the people so that he sent a pestilence among them from the morning euen to the time appointed whereof there died 70000. men then the Lord repented of the euill and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is sufficient hold now thine hand 2 Sam. 24 16. All these places of Scripture are euident proofes of this Doctrine that so soone as execution is done vpon malefactors the sword of Gods iustice is put vp and his wrath ceaseth Reason 1 And the Reasons heereof are plaine For first what is it that separateth betweene God and his people and causeth a diuorce and diuision betweene him them Is it any thing else then sinne When sinne therefore or the sinner are taken away he hath no more controuersie against them This is it which the Prophet Esay testifieth cha 59 2. Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare for your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity And in the fourth chapter of the Prophet Hosea ver 1 2 conuincing them of swearing and lying of killing and stealing and whoring he declareth That the Lord had a controuersie with the Inhabitants of the Land and would cut off euery one that dwelleth therein If then it be sin that causeth iudgement and sharpeneth the point of the Lords sword against the world against a kingdome against a citty against a family against euery particular person when the cause is remoued the effect shall be restrained and whē the sinner is reformed the wrath of God will be appeased for so soone as we turne vnto him his indignation shall be turned away from vs. Secondly when sinne is punished it bringeth Reason 2 downe a blessing with it For so long as vngodly men lye in their sinnes without punishment and runne on in theyr wickednes to the dishonour of God to the reproach of his Name to the offence and infection of others and to the confusion of theyr owne faces so long the wrath of God is kindled his hand is stretched out still But when they are eyther plagued of God or punished of men he blesseth the places which before hee scourged rewardeth the persons by whom iustice hath beene administred We haue a notable example heereof in the punishing of the Idolatry of the Israelites for worshipping the molten Calfe he willed the Leuites to consecrate theyr hands that day Exod. 32 29 euen euery man vpon his sonne and vpon his brother that there might bee giuen them a blessing The Lord had laide this as a punishment vpon Leui and his posterity To diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel Gen. 49 7 but he turned this curse into a blessing when the Priesthood was translated to this Tribe to teach Iacob his iudgements and Israel his law that no corner of the Land should be without instruction So in this place when Phinehas rose vp executed iudgement vpon the adulterer and the adulteresse the Priesthood was confirmed vnto him and his posterity verse 12 13. If then the execution of iustice bring a blessing from God who is so delighted with it that he will neuer leaue it vnrewarded it must needs testifie
to ouersee their manners to redresse their disorders and to teach and instruct them in the wayes of godlinesse To these Salomon speaketh Pro. 27 23 24. Bee diligent to know the state of thy flocks and looke well to thy heards For riches are not for euer and doth the Crowne endure to euery generation When the Sheepheard is gone frō the Lambes the wolfe watcheth to take his prey The husbandman sowed good seed in his field but while he slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheate Mat. 13 25. The diuell watcheth all occasions and maketh his vse of all aduantages to deceiue and seduce and therefore we must take heed we giue him no occasions Moses was absent from the people but forty dayes and what a change found he among them at his returne how deepely had they plunged themselues into idolatry and how had they corrupted the worshippe of God and were departed from him Such is the corruption of nature and prophanenes of the heart to euill continually Gen. 6 5 that they which are vnder vs are ready to fall into euill euen while wee are with them and haue them in a manner before our eyes much more when we are absent from them as Moses speaketh of the people Behold while I am yet aliue with you this day yee haue beene rebellious against the Lord and how much more after my death Deuteronomy chapter thirty one verse 27 Let vs take heed of long and vnnecessary absence from our priuate charges as wel as they ought that haue publike charges lest while by our absence wee prouide for their bodies we do not destroy their soules for want of our presence I will conclude this point with the words of Salomon Prou. 27 8. As a bird that wandreth from her nest so is a man that wandreth from his place Verse 10. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp together with Korah when that company dyed what time the fire deuoured c In the description of the Tribe of Reuben he fingleth out Dathan and Abiram as arch-conspirators against Moses the lawfull Magistrate set ouer the people they opposed themselues against authority and therefore perish As they withstood Aaron wee haue spoken before Numb chapter sixteene now consider theyr facte as they rebelliously stroue against Moses and in him against the Lord. Doctrine It is a fearfull sinne to withstand gouernment and authority We learne heereby that it is a fearefull and greeuous sinne to set our selues against lawful gouernment and authority which God hath set ouer vs. This is a most wicked and vngodly worke and the Scripture condemneth it in euery place Hos 8 3 4. Roman 13 1. 2. Pet. 2 10. Iude verse 8. The continuall practise of all the godly throughout the olde and new Testament tend to the contrary to commend to vs obedience for conscience sake and to reproue and condemne all resistance opposition as a worke of the flesh for they euermore submitted thēselues to those that were Magistrates Christ Iesus the Lord of all was not bound to Caesar in any sort whether wee consider him as God or as man Not as he was God Caesar was subiect vnto him and owed to him homage and obedience for as Dauid in spirit called him Lord Mat. 22 43 so might Cesar also and all Princes and Potentates in the world Not as he was man because he was of the blood royall of the seed of Dauid and the right heyre to the kingdome whereas Cesar had no other right but what he got by the sword and therefore he ought to haue receyued not to haue payde tribute yet because he would giue good example to others not offence to any Math. 17 27 he gaue to the receyuers for himselfe and for Peter a Stater which is thought to amount to halfe an ounce of siluer in value two shillings six pence after fiue shillings the ounce And as he taught them by his practise so likewise hee did by words to giue vnto Cesar the things which are Cesars Mat. 22 21. So did Paul for the tryall of the truth and the iustice of his cause appeale vnto Cesar from the high Priests who were carried with rage and enuy against him Acts 25 11. Psalm 18 43 44. Reason 1 The grounds heereof are euident First because publike authority is Gods ordinance euery soule ought to be subiect vnto it because it is of God Rom. 13 1 2. and whosoeuer resisteth it resisteth God himselfe The people of Israel were reiected of God for resisting the manner of gouernment that God had appointed when he set Iudges ouer them and they would needs haue a king to iudge them like all the Nations 1 Sam. 8 5 much more then shall they bee reiected of God that resist gouernment it selfe and be accounted foule fearefull sinners before him Reason 2 Secondly because the opposition against gouernment and the denying and withstanding of it must needs bring all confusion that may be so that nothing can be in peace and quietnesse It is saide and often repeated in the booke of Iudges that euery man did what he list because they had no gouernment Iudg. 18 1 and 17 6 and 21 25. God is the God of order not of confusion and therefore he alloweth of Magistrates because he would haue order among men Take away a Generall out of the field and expose the whole army to rout what followeth but the destruction and carnage of the whole host Take away the Pilot out of the Ship it is the ready way to perish the Ship so if you take away the Magistrate which is as the Chieftaine of the army and as the Master of the Shippe we shall liue a life more sauage and vnreasonable then the vnreasonable beasts leade the great ones would deuoure the lesse the rich the poore the strong ones them that are weake nothing would appeare but a miserable face of hauocke and confusion Before we proceed to the vses Obiect it is necessary to remoue an obiection For to resist gouernment may not be so fearefull a sinne forasmuch as sometimes it is said to be of God as the Scripture speaking of the apostacy of the ten Tribes from the house of Dauid saith that the Lord would giue them to Ieroboam and rent the kingdome from the house of Dauid 1 Ki. 13 31 and chap. 12 15 this was done from the Lord and verse 24 the other Tribes are commanded not to go vp to fight against Ieroboam and his followers for this saith the Lord is from me How then can the rebellion of the ten Tribes be a fearefull sinne seeing it was from the Lord. Answer Answer To cleere this point we must vnderstand that Gods appointment of Ieroboam to bee King and the renting off the house of Salomon doth not iustifie the acte of this people that it was not sin in them for this came to passe by the decree of God yet the people are not iustified in giuing him
yet shall their sinnes dye with theyr persons and be remembred no more whensoeuer the sonne forsaketh those their wicked wayes No man therefore must cast them in the teeth or vpbraid any beleeuer with the sinnes of his vnbeleeuing parents If a man come of Turkish or Heathenish parents that neuer beleeued in Christ nor acknowledged the true God yet God will accept of those that forsake this infidelity and impiety who therfore are we that we should vpbraid them with the blots and infirmities of their fathers For as the godlynesse of the father shall nothing helpe the vngodly childe but the soule that sinneth shall die the death Ezek 18 20 so the vngodlinesse of the father shall nothing hurt the godly because he renounceth it and hateth it as an enemy The practise therefore of those is euill that lade and burthen with cart-loads of reproaches those that are not to be touched in their owne persons because of the vices and sins of their parents Vse 4 Lastly we must learne that it shall on the other side be no honor credite comfort or commendation to descend from godly and worthy Ancestors if we degenerate from theÌ„ as a base and bastard brood Ezek. 18 10 13. It is the manner of many to stand much vpon their pedigree which the very heathen derided as great vanity and accounted nothing indeede their own which themselues had not done for what hath a coward to do to glory in the valour of his Fathers And they made choise rather to descend of vnnoble Parents Ouid. metam lib. 13. so themselues were noble and renowned thorough vertue then to come of worthy Progenitors Iâ—uenal Saty. 8 and themselues to grow base degenerate out of kinde This did the Prophet tell Iehoiachim Ier. 22 15 16. Did not thy father eate and drinke and do iustice iudgement and then it was well with him he iudged the cause of the poore c but thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy couetousnes and to shedde innocent blood and for oppression and violence to doe it Hence it is that Iohn the Baptist telleth the Iewes that they should not boast of theyr progenitors to say They had Abraham to their Father Mat. 3 8 9. They gloried much in this carnall priuiledge and thought the whol seed of Abraham by generation of the flesh to bee within the couenant of grace and should bee partakers of saluation and in a proud conceit of this external glory grew to contemne the Gentiles as a people forsaken of God But there is an Israelite in the couenant and an Israelite out of the couenant as there is a Iew that is outward and a Iew that is inward Rom. 2 29. 4 16 as there is an election that is generall and an election more speciall taken out of that generall There are sonnes of Abraham according to the flesh Rom. 4 16. and there are heyres of the faith of Abraham as the Lord himselfe saieth Mal. 1 2. Is not Esau Iacobs brothâ—â— Yet I haue hated Esau and loued Iacob Wherefore when the Pharisies said Wee haue Abraham to our father Christ answered If ye were the children of Abraham ye would do the works of Abraham but now ye are of your father the diuel Iohn 8 39 44. Let no man therefore reioyce in the flesh neither stand vpon the gifts giuen vnto others as it were to decke himselfe with the feathers of other birds Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles sheweth that hee might haue confidence in the flesh and if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh he had cause much more hee was circumcised the eight day he was of the stock of Israel and of the Tribe of Beniamin he was an Hebrew of the Hebrewes and as touching the law a Pharisie Yet what things soeuer might be gaine vnto him the same hee counted losse for Christs sake yea as dung that he might winne him Phil. 3 7 8. Let euery one therefore labour to haue grace in his owne heart knowing That the iust shall liue by his owne faith Hab. 2 4. forasmuch as the faith of the father cannot profit the child that is without faith 12 The sonnes of Simeon after their families of Nemuel the family of the Nemuelites c. 13 Of Zerah the family of the Zarhites c. 14 These are the families of the Simeonites twenty and two thousand and two hundred In the description of this Tribe we are to consider the small number and little company in comparison of the other Tribes and of themselues also compared with the former summe For whereas before they were 59300 they are now onely as wee see 22200. If any aske what may bee the cause of this great abatement Obiection that there were so many before now fallen to be so few Answ The reason is to bee taken out of the last history remembred in the former chapter to wit that one of the Princes of the Tribe of Simeon being accompanied with many others of that Tribe and backed and countenanced with them committed a most shamefull and shamelesse acte before his brethren and brought a Midianitish harlot into the hoast in the sight of Moses yea he was no doubt a moouer and perswader of others to commit the like wickednesse whereby it came to passe that the greatest number of this Tribe perished with him in that greeuous plague For it was reason that as they did partake with him in the Whoredome so they should communicate together in the punishment Hereupon it fell out that whereas all the other Tribes in a manner surmounted the former account or at least equalled the same this fayled much of the former summe This is to be noted of vs in this place seruing as a good commentary and exposition of the words of Moses Deut. 32 6. where Simeon is wholly left out Doctrine It is hard to forsake society with wicked men wheÌ„ we are once entred into it This teacheth vs that it is a very hard thing to auoyd shun and breake off our society with wicked men when once we are entred into it but we follow and pursue it with greedinesse till we be punished together with them It is hard to bee kept from contracting friendship and fellowship with them they are cunning to insinuate theÌ„selues and if they be not called to vs they will call themselues and if they be not bidden they are as shamelesse guesse they wil inuite them selues If at any time they be thrust out of our company they will seeke to enter againe and if the doore be barred against them they wil winde in themselues like the Theefe at the window rather then they will stand without that is they will take all occasions to force themselues vpon vs. And if we finde it hard not to contract it we shall finde it much harder to breake it off being once contracted doubtlesse neuer harder then in these dayes of sinne wherein
12. how is it then that he omitteth this miracle Doubtlesse if he had receiued so great miraculous a benefit he would not haue forgotten it neither indeede could without note of vnthankfulnesse which was farre from that deuout and religious man Furthermore the setting vp of this miracle of the new-found fire hid in the pit and after discouered by the Priests and kindled by the Lord is the weakning and shaking of a great mystery and foundation of the Christian religion For it is written that the Iewes were stirred vp by the Prophets to proceed cheerefully in building of the Temple because the glory of that latter house should be greater then of the former Hag. 2 9 which prophecy is agreed vpon to be fulfilled in that Christ was borne while the second house stood which he made famous and renowned by his presence by his doctrine by his miracles Luke 2 46 7 8. There also did the Apostles begin the preaching of the Gospel which taking his beginning from Sion and Ierusalem was spread abroad from thence into all the earth Many were the priuiledges and prerogatiues of the Tabernacle framed by Moses and of the first house builded by Salomon they had the fire from heauen the Arke of the Couenant the pillar of the cloud the Vrim and Thummim and the succession of the Prophets but the second house built after their returne from captiuity wanted all these therefore while it stood the Messiah must come being greater then all these that through his presence who was to be the ruler in Israel Mic. 5 2 the glory of the latter house might be greater then the former and so the prophecy should be fulfilled But if this story were true which is broached by the writer of that book the latter Temple should bee more glorious and famous through this miraculous fire then the former For in the former the sacrifices were onely consumed with fire that fire was sent from God and nourished by the continuall ministery and attendance of the Priests but in the latter temple they should haue had not onely the same fire with the other but the fire preserued by a wonderfull miracle that in a contrary element Fire burned â—nto water water into fire yea heere are many miracles heaped together for as that fire was preserued in water so of that thicke water into which it was changed was the fire kindled againe 2 Macab 1 22 and that which is more when the sacrifice was consumed Nehemiah is said to haue commanded the water that was left to be powred on the great stones whereby was kindled a flame which was consumed by the light that shined from the altar verse 31 32. And this is so apparent that the Iewish Rabbines that haue the vayle before their eyes or rather before their harts haue acknowledged the truth herof that the 2 house had not that fire which the former had contrary to the opinion of that writer And yet notwithstanding the euidence of the former reasons and the confession of the Iewes themselues hee sticketh not in the next chapter to alleage the Prophet Ieremy as if he had commanded them that were carried away to take with them the Tabernacle the Arke and the fire as hath beene signified 2 Maccab. 2 1. But to leaue all these assertions deliuered with warrant let vs come to the doctrine offred to our considerations in the destruction of the 2. Doctrine It is a sin to decline from the worship of God sons of Aaron because they offred strange fire to wit that it is a sin impiety which the Lord leaueth not vnpunished for any man in the outward worship of God to decline from the Law of God He appointed to burne euery sacrifice with fire taken from the Altar which was continually kept and nourished for that purpose They altered Gods ordinance and are therefore striken suddenly from heauen so that it is a great sinne for any Church or particular person to swarue from the Law of God in the worship of God as appeareth by many examples testimonies of holy Scripture 1 Sam. 13 12 13 14. 2 Chro. 26 16 17 18. Math. 15 9. Col. 2.20.21 22. The grounds are plaine first because the Reason 1 word of God is the rule of all things that wee are warranted to do and more generally it is the rule of Gods worship so that to decline from this rule to the right hand or to the left must needs be a great sinne which GOD abhorreth Deut. 12 8 13 32. In an art to vary from the rules of the art is a great errour thr carpenter and mason are guided by their line and leuell the Law of GOD is the square and rule of his worship the more closely wee keepe our selues to this rule the more warrantable are our workes if wee decline and depart from it wee wander in errour and the farther we goe from it the more we are out of the way Secondly that starting and swaruing from the Law reprooueth and checketh the wisedome of God who is Wisedome it selfe Pro. 9 1 as if we were able to direct him and knew what belongeth to his worship better then himselfe An artificer in his worke cannot abide to bee checked and controlled by those that know not so well what belongeth vnto it as he doth Iam. 4.12 so the wise GOD the supreme Lawgiuer cannot endure that men should decline from the order which hee hath settled and established in his worship and prescribed vnto them in his Word and therefore he accounteth it a great sinne and impiety in any that attempt the same This reprooueth the Church of Rome Vse 1 which is as a body infected with many diseases and running sores For their whole worship in a maner is an apostacy from God full of dangerous wounds that cannot be cured as wee may see by their worshipping of images prayer in a strange tongue communion vnder one kind and an hundred such like horrible corruptions which are so many prophanations of the worship of God These men set the Law of God at nought and thinke themselues wiser then he and preferre their owne traditions before his commandements and so worship him by the precepts of men Math. 15.6 which is a vaine worship and maketh his Law of none effect Secondly it serueth as a direction to the Vse 2 Church what they receiue to godly Magistrats what they establish by their authority that in the worship of God they alwayes set the law of God before their eies allow nothing but that which is grounded vpoÌ„ the rules of the same that they adde nothing to it take nothing froÌ„ it For this cause the King must write him a coppy of the Law in a booke that it may be euer with him that he may reade in it all the dayes of his life and learne to feare the Lord his God Deu. 17 18 19. This was taught to Ioshua chap 1 8 and
others euen in priuate houses and families The Law of God and man allow not nay they condemne the common practice of brawling fighting quarrelling or challenging one of another into the field for priuate and personall wrongs whereby the seedes of murther and shedding of blood are sowne which soone grow vp to ripenesse and perfection and yeelde a dolefull haruest of sorrow and repentance when it is too late if they bee not weeded out of the heart betimes Whosoeuer shall thinke it a disgrace to refuse such challenges let them also thinke it a disgrace to walke in the wayes of God and to obey the good Edicts of Princes and the wholesome lawes of the Commonwealth It is the greatest grace that can be to yeeld obedience to God and contrariwise it is no credite to sinne against him to saue and salue vp a supposed honour and reputation among men It is the duty therefore of all that liue in priuate societies when they haue hard or wrong measure offered vnto them to go to their fathers or masters for they are Magistrates in the house and are within their owne doores as Kings to rule and Officers to gouerne and no man ought to reuenge his owne cause and quarrel he is as a Marshal to right euery mans cause that is vnder his roofe and to maintaine their credite and reputation The causes of these duels are euill Zedegin loc commun pag. 457. sometimes pride vain-glory sometimes couetousnesse and greedinesse of gaine and the cause of all these causes the diuell himselfe who was a murtherer from the beginning The effects thereof are no better for they cause deadly feudes breed hatred neuer to be appeased nourish contention and confusion hinder prayer and holy exercises of Religion shed mans blood made in the Image of God and bring downe the vengeance of God vpon our owne heads For how often doe such quarrels beginne with brawling and end in blood which once being spilled cannot be gathered vp Let all such therefore as eyther challenge or accept of challenges consider this point that hee which killeth maketh himselfe guilty of execrable murther before God and the blood so shed cryeth as it were with a loud voyce against him to heauen and neuer ceaseth till it hath called downe vengeance and touching him that is killed let him know that he is no better then one of the martyrs of the diuell For as God hath his Martyrs that dye in his cause What we are to thinke of Duellists so the diuell also hath his martyrs that dye in his cause and such as shed their blood are the diuels executioners and no better We can hold no other opinion either of the one or of the other neyther of him that killeth nor of him that is killed whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues and therefore let them looke to it that are so prodigall of their liues or of the liues of others 3 Our father dyed in the wildernesse and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselues together against the Lord in the company of Korah but dyed in his owne sinne and had no sonnes 4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family because hee hath c. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. The plea of the daughters oâ— Zelophehad In these words the daughters of Zelophehad plead their own cause to haue their part in the diuision of the land not to be shut out from their inheritance The plea is good and well grounded and they vse sundry reasons of no small importance First because their father dyed in the wildernesse in his iourney toward the land of Canaan and therefore the same inheritance that was due vnto him being aliue should not be denyed to his issue being dead For seeing hee died in the way before any of the Israelites could take possession of the land of promise hee could leaue to his daughters nothing but the promise of GOD and a liuely faith appprehending the same which no doubt was truly grafted in them or else they would neuer haue beene so earnest in this matter but haue let it alone till the conquest of the land and the displanting of the Canaanites They plead that he was not partaker with Korah in his conspiracy but dyed in his owne sinne that is as all other men do and must do that are sinners forasmuch as the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6 27. Now vnder this conspiracy of Korah heere expressed we must vnderstand all other mutinies of the same nature that he ioyned not with any in their rebellions neyther was partaker with any seditious persons whereby hee should deserue to be excluded from his possession of the land If any aske Obiect why this conspiracy of Korah is named and singled out aboue any of the rest of the murmurings which were many and of many I answere first because this was late and yet fresh in remembrance Secondly Answer it was more eminent then any of the rest and as it were swallowed vp the memory of all the former Thirdly because it seemeth hee died at the same time that Korahs treachery brake out and therefore hee might more easily bee thought to bee destroyed with them But though he dyed at the same time yet he died not of the same crime as likewise it fell out that Methushelah died immediatly before the flood it might be after it began to raine vpon the face of the earth but was not swept away with the flood And heere it is not to be forgotten that some of the Hebrewes as also we noted before chap. 15 21 are of opinion that this Zelophehad was the man that gathered stickes vpon the Sabbath day others thinke Vatabl aâ—â—â—â— in hunc locum that he was one of them that died by the biting stinging of the fiery serpents chap. 21 6. But the purpose of his daughters was to bring to their remembrance that their father had committed no act whereby his issue should bee denyed or debarred of their inheritance because he died a naturall death and went the way of all flesh and when he had serued his time was gathered to his fathers An other reason is because he left behind him no sons or heires males of his body lawfully begotten whereby it might and would come to passe that the name of a family in Israel should perish if no portion of the inheritance were assigned to his daughters In al this plea we may perceiue in them a notable example of honouring parents in that they are careful that the Name of their father should not be buried in perpetuall forgetfulnes but bee honourably remembred preserued which all ought to follow Likewise an example of faith beleeuing the promise of God for except they had assured their hearts that God would performe his promise and make good the wordes of his owne mouth spoken to Abraham Isaac and Iacob they would neuer haue made such
5 Lastly it is the duty of all Gouernors to looke to theyr families and therefore GOD beginneth with them and directeth the commandement vnto them Why the commandement of the Sabbath is directed to gouernors and that for these causes First because they must giue an acount of theyr gouernment to God of whō they haue receyued it who is the high Commander and generall Master in Heauen and Earth and of all theyr soules that are vnder their charge forasmuch as hee will search and enquire not onely how ciuill and iust among men and toward men our gouernment hath beene but how godly and religious Secondly GOD setteth them in the first place to teach them that God requireth at their hands to teach theyr families to command theyr sonnes and housholds to feare God to bring them vp in his faith feare and in true religion Eph. 6 4. Gen. 18 19. Thirdly because they must go before them by good example and practise of all holy duties as Paul wold haue Timothy to do 1 Tim. 4 12 as we look for any comfort at the Lords hand in that great day of his dreadfull iudgement when he will bring euery worke to light with euery secret thing whether good or euil Eccl. 12 12. If we haue beene examples in good things we shall receyue euerlasting life if examples in euill euerlasting death Fourthly the Lord singleth out the father and master in the first place because if they go before and leade the way the rest of the house wil quickly follow after Iohn chap. 4 verse 53. Acts chapter sixteene verse 32 contrarywise if they yeeld not obedience for conscience sake to the duties of the Sabbath they may by the abuse of their authority hinder frustrate the holy endeauours of his children seruants Hence it is that many fathers vrge their children many masters command their seruants to go about their owne busines and send them from place to place at that time when they should attend to the holy commandement of the Lord whereas both of thē might well and lawfully reply to their fathers and masters and say with Christ our Sauiour Luke 2 49 Wist yee not that I must be about my fathers businesse Lastly the Lord layeth this waighty charge vpon them that such as are vnder their gouernment may yeeld willingly and cheerfully to Gods will considering how straight a charge God hath giuen to all gouernours If they should do it of their owne head or lay an heauy burden vpon thē which themselues would not touch with their little finger the charge could carry no authority It is not therefore their fathers or masters that restraine them of their liberty tye vp their wicked and wandring affections but GOD himselfe to whom all obedience is due The father doth shew loue to his children whē he restrayneth them from wickednes the master doth no wrong to his seruants that brideleth them from following theyr owne willes and pleasures So then the poynt to be learned and practised is that we must first keepe the Sabbath in our owne persons and begin reformation within the doores or closets of our owne hearts or else we will be very remisse negligent in reforming of others or if we be forward we shall bee charged and chalenged to be hypocrites while we teach others but doe not teach our selues Rom. 2 21. Secondly we must cast our eyes vpon others and looke to them that belong vnto vs that they may sanctifie the Sabbath as well as our selues It is not enough for vs to come to the house of of God alone but wee must come with the trayne of our families as a Captaine with his army Psal 110 3 and 42.4 The father oftentimes is praying in the Church when his children are playing in the streetes The master many times sitteth in the house of God when his seruant lyeth at the alehouse The wife sometimes goeth with her husband to the sermon when the daughters and maid-seruants eyther are sent or suffered to runne to lasciuious dancing and wanton company whereby theyr mindes and oftentimes theyr bodyes also are defiled as it fell out to Dinah Gen. chapter 34 verses 1 2 and so the saying of Salomon is verified Prouerbs chap. 29 verse 15. A childe left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame But haply some Masters will alleadge for themselues that their seruants are vnruly Obiect as the vntamed heyffer and will not be ordered by them that they are much greeued they can preuaile no more with them and that they breake out and will not be holden in by them I answer Answer this is not a good plea but a vayne excuse and no better For if thy authority serue to bridle them and keepe them vnder in the sixe dayes how commeth it to passe that thou wantest power to preuayle ouer them on the seuenth day Can wee rule them in our owne cause and can wee not rule them in the cause of God Haue we meanes to enforce them to looke to our businesse and want wee meanes to compell them to do Gods busines It seemeth therefore to me to be rather want of will in vs Obiect then of power If we pretend farther that they be incorrigible and will haue their owne swinge and be at theyr owne liberty that day Answ we haue no warrant to burden our houses with such persons that will neither serue the Lord nor obey vs but rather infect others that liue with them The Prophet Dauid professeth that they should not serue him that were vngodly his eyes should bee vpon the faithfull to dwell with him but the wicked should not tarry in his house Psal 101 6 7. Why then should wee keepe them in our house that loue not the house of God Wee will quickly discharge that seruant which hath no care of our businesse why then will we trouble our selues our house with him that is vnfaithfull toward God Thus then wee see the care that all ought to haue of the Sabbath both master and seruant father and sonne husband and wife But alasse the prophanenesse of our times is so great that the Sabbath is in a manner vtterly contemned we giue him least seruice on that day wherein we are bound to giue him most duty For we see heere vnder the Law how the Lord commandeth that the daily sacrifice which euery morning and euening was offered should bee doubled vpon the Sabbath But our people for the most part performe single seruice and double impiety vpon that day The greatest seruice is done to our selues or that which is worse to the diuell But of the Sabbath we haue spoken before chap. 15. 11 And in the beginnings of your moneths yee shall offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord two yong Bullocks and a Ramme and seuen Lambes of a yeare old without spot 12 And three tenth deales of flower for a meat offering c. 13 And a seuerall tenth deale of fine flower mingled with oyle
sorted out sufficient in shew that thereby hope assurance may arise to counteruayle the contrary part Eccl. 4 9 10 11 12. Luke 14 31. Iudg. 20 17. and 7 2 7 2. Chron. 14 8 9 10 11. Secondly for order that by warlike policy euery man may be fitted to stand in his place 2 Sam. 10.9 10 11. and 18 1 2 3. 1 Kings 22 14 15 in regard whereof it is fit requisite that men be trayned at home before they go to fight abroad 1 Sam. 17 33. 2 Sam. 10 9. 2 Chron. 14 10 that military discipline be not broken to the destruction of the whole army 1 Sam. 11 11 and 30 16 17 one such souldier is worth an hundred others that are vntaught and vntrayned This serueth to reprooue sundry abuses Vse 1 First of such as send not out a iust hoast or sufficient forces but sparingly now some and then others whereby the people are smitten downe with the sword and made a prey to the enemies 2 Sam. 11 15 17. Secondly against eyther raw or desperate souldiers that couetously or proudly and presumptuously go to battell against the enemy in a tumultuous and confused manner as if they went rather to the spoyle victory then to the battell This is a wilfull tempting of God and a making of themselues guilty of theyr owne death and of many others Thirdly this reproueth the carelesnesse and negligence of such as are Gouernors in gathering mustering men and in prouiding armour and furniture when the cause is instant and requireth haste 2 Sam. 20 4 5. If in any other earthly thing the Prouerbe taketh place in this that delay is dangerous Fourthly it meeteth most iustly with the murmuring of retchlesse people at the labors and charges of often mustering and are vnwilling to bestow one penny for the safety of the state of the kingdome of the Church of our Cities and Townes nay of theyr wiues and children and theyr owne goods Iudg. 5 16 17. and 21 9 10. 1 Sam. 13 8 and 11 7. Lastly this serueth for comfort vnto vs when these meanes are vsed and affoorded when we see them taken in hand carefully and religiously 2 Chron. 14 8. Whē all things are ordered aright and sufficient forces leuied who should not be ready and willing to go foorth For as the want of men and munition and all kinde of prouision taketh away the heart and slaketh the courage of such as are to fight and aduenture theyr liues so on the other side the hauing of all things fitte and necessary giueth comfort 2. Chron. 14 8. Neuerthelesse wee must take heed that we do not relye vpon them and put our trust in them for no man is saued by the multitude of an hoast how great and strong soeuer it be 2 Chron. 13 8 13. Esay 2 22 and 3 1 2 3 and an horse though prepared for the battell is a vaine thing to saue a man forasmuch as an army are men and not God and theyr horses are flesh not spirit Esay chapter 31 verse 3. Againe the army heere spoken of is not onely gathered together but it is sent out Doctrine An army leuied and prepared must be sent out First it is furnished and prepared and then employed The Doctrine An army assembled must go forth in a seasonable time if the cause remaine and continue for which it was gathered Iosh 11 7. 1 Sam. 18 5 27. The Reasons First because it is not the Reason 1 sight but the vse not the hauing but the employing of men of warre that hurteth the enemy 2 Kings 19 32. It is not the hauing of a sword that sufficeth but the drawing of it out against the enemy that profiteth Secondly otherwise it argueth want of wisedome or courage or constancy or all these vpon the distrust of the cause or force Iudg. 9 36 37 38 Thirdly it giueth edge to the enemy to prouide meanes of preuenting by a more speedy resolution if they go not foorth being prepared 2 Sam. 20 6. whereas it is the part of a wise and politike Captaine to take heede hee do nothing to hearten the enemy or discourage his souldiers This serueth to reproue those that in a brauado Vse 1 make much preparation but are nothing at all for execution such are they that go not out at all or go out too late hauing too credulous hearts to beleeue that the enemy will not come or not come as yet 2 Sam 20 6. Secondly it reproueth such as refuse to go or to be sent out Some had rather be hanged before theyr doores then be employed in the Princes seruice Others hide themselues or hyre others or make friends or excuses of insufficiency because they would not performe this businesse and would slippe theyr heads out of the coller Numb 16 12 13 14. Lastly it serueth to warne such as are mustered and haue giuen theyr names to prepare thēselues and to think seriously of the matter that they are to bee employed in a weighty businesse that so they may be ready to fight the Lords battels 2 Chron 20 ver 15. for theyr Prince Country wife and children Neh. 4 14. In the next place marke that Moses spake vnto some of the people Arme your selues vnto the warre At the commandement of Moses the people must arme but before hee command they may not put on armour The Doctrine Doctrine An army must be sent forth by lawfull authoritie A lawfull army must be gathered and sent out by publike authority 2. Chron. 14 9. The grounds heereof for first publike enemies must be resisted by authority power of the publike Magistrate 1 Sam. 11 7. Secondly Reason 1 the Magistrate beareth not the sword in vaine 1 Sam. 8 20. Thirdly they intrude into the seate of Iustice that take this vpon them without authority nay they sit downe in the place of God Numb 16 11. But it may be obiected Obiect that the examples of Abraham who armed 318 men and pursued the Kings and of Sampson proue the contrary for what warrant had they I answer they had both sufficient warrant and authority Answ Sampson was one of the Iudges chosen of God to saue his people and he was stirred vp and guided by an extraordinary spirit to smite them hip and thigh with a great slaughter Iudg. 14 ver 19. And touching Abraham hee was no priuate man nor subiect to any other Potentate but a free Prince and at his owne command Againe he did no more then as if a man should defend him and his against a theefe and resist violence with violence by the sword The vses remaine Vse 1 It is the duty of the Magistrate when intelligence is giuen of enemies and of theyr approch or preparation not to be secure or to suffer them to take the start but he must take order against them 2 Chron. 20 1 2 3 that he suffer not the Lords enemies to preuayle or to escape 1 Sam. 15 3 9 35. It is a great
the decree of God to haue them destroied but because they had committed this euill therefore came all this vpon them If wee consider man before his fall he was the most glorious creature vnder heauen but after his fall which was his owne acte he became the most cursed creature euen worse then the brute beasts See farther for this point Hos 13 9. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe and Esay 3 ver 9. They haue rewarded euil to themselues And Ezek. 18. The wickednes of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe The grounds of this are euident First because Reason 1 it is not from God but from our selues Iam. 1 14 and therefore when any man is plagued for sinne the cause must be searched and shall be found in our selues not in the Lord. True it is we are punished of God and yet indeed we punish our selues it is we that draw out the sword against our selues and the reason is because wee giue the cause why God doth punish vs for howsoeuer it be God that doth it yet it is man that giueth the cause Reason 2 Secondly because as God euermore saueth in mercy so he doth also destroy in iustice He neuer punisheth or taketh away any but it is in his iustice For these two can neuer accord or stand together to wit his iustice in punishing and no merit in man to deserue it If God punisheth man deserueth it these goe hand in hand together so that man must be the cause of his owne destruction The vses follow First this teacheth vs to Vse 1 accuse our selues whensoeuer wee suffer any thing Wee are ready naturally to iustifie our selues and to accuse others like Adam like Saul and sundry others howbeit wee learne from the Prophet Lam. 3 verse 39 to search and try our wayes and to turne vnto the Lord confessing that we haue transgressed and haue rebelled and therefore suffer for our sins So did the penitent theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 23 41 say We suffer the due reward for our deeds This should euermore humble vs vnder the hand of God and make vs patient in suffering forasmuch as the cause of all is in our selues Let vs therefore submit our selues vnto him and neuer murmure vnder the crosse seeing we cannot accuse God of wrong or iniustice that he layeth more vpon vs then we deserue for we haue the cause of all in our owne bosomes Secondly wee may heereby iudge who Vse 2 are the greatest enemies that a man hath Men commonly thinke are perswaded that they haue many enemies and often complaine how they plot theyr destruction They cry out sometimes of the world sometimes of the diuell and sometimes against almighty God himselfe as Iob affirmeth That hee had set him as a But for his enemies to shoote at Be it that a man hath many enemies that hate him and rise vp against him but wherefore hath he all these come vpon him as an armed man The reason is because first he was his owne enemy and thereupon they also do all become his enemies For tell me why is God angry and hath set himselfe against thee but because thou didst first of all set thy selfe against him by thy sinnes And why hath the diuell the world or thy other enemies any power against thee but because thou hast weakened thy selfe by thy sinnes otherwise none of all these could touch thee or torment thee True it is they might hate thee but they should neuer be able to hurt thee When a malefactour commeth vnto the place of execution against whom will hee complaine or whom will hee accuse Not the Iudge not the Iewry not the Witnesses but himselfe onely that hath brought punishment vpon himselfe For he suffereth death not because the Witnesses accused him not because the Iewry found him guilty nor because the Iudge pronounced the sentence of punishment against him but because hee deserued it So if a man perish against whom should hee open his mouth or vpon whom should he exclaime Against GOD hee cannot What then may hee against the instruments of GOD neyther are they the cause it is in himselfe it is no where else he is the cause of all and vpon him it must rest Vse 3 Lastly this serueth to reproue those that cast all vpon Gods decree These make quicke dispatch of the matter and would lay all the blame vpon the purpose of God and so case theyr owne shoulders Obiect Hence it is that they obiect O the Preachers teach me that God hath foreappointed and foreordayned all things hee foreseeth all things that shall come to passe they often tel of Gods decree it is the will of God I cannot resist it and therefore I must perish Thus do many blaspheme Answ and adde impiety to impiety First I aske with the Apostle Rom. 11 34. Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath beene his Counseller What hast thou to do therefore with the decree of GOD Didst thou know the decree of God before or tell me whosoeuer thou art that thus blasphemest and blamest God did the decree of God put any euill into thee or moue or perswade thee to offend No certainely that is against his nature and against his law it commeth from the corrupt heart of man himselfe and therfore let them complaine against thēselues and be consumed in the fire which they haue made they haue kindled hell for themselues or else it were not possible that they should perish according to the saying of the Prophet Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse about your selues with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that yee haue kindled Esay 50 11. To conclude would any man escape this destruction he can neuer escape but by God for wee must know that as none perisheth without himselfe so he saueth no man without himselfe Without thee God will neuer saue thee with thee he will saue thee Now the first step to this saluation is to labour for grace and the second to bring foorth the fruites of grace Let vs delight in the word of God and in the works of holinesse and righteousnesse so shall we be kept safe that the iudgements of God and his fearefull hand shall not ouertake vs. Let vs take away the cause of them by the speedinesse of our repentance and then God will keepe the waues of his wrath and indignation farre enough from vs. This is the onely way to deliuer our soules this is the only way to escape his heauy hand and thus shall we receyue comfort in this life and eternall happinesse and blessednesse in the life to come Kill euery woman that hath knowne man by lying with him but the women children that haue not knowne a man by lying with him keepe aliue c. God would haue all the males without exception destroyed that the name of that vncleane Nation should vtterly bee rooted out and no remnant thereof bee suffered to continue The maides
and turning to God wee must not put off the matter from day to day The lepers that were cleansed delayed this duty all of them on onely excepted and in the end vtterly did forget it When wee delay a duty thinking to doe it better afterward it groweth quite our of minde The Prophet sayth To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95 7 8. Heb. 3 13 Esay 55 6. If we put off our repentance a while who is sure to haue the meanes offered him againe whereby God ordinarily worketh repentance Who can tell whether hee shall heart the word of God preached to him any more The word is translated from place to place we are translated from life to death frō our house to the graue and we know not whether wee shall carry our selues when wee are gone from the Church or be carried by others to the Church againe Besides the longer wee delay our repentance the more hard and difficult it will be because a thicke skinne will grow ouer the heart that it will bee past feeling and sinne will take deeper roote through custome and continuance and therefore wee must set vpon it betimes There lacketh not a man of vs therefore wee haue brought an oblation This was an extraordinary mercy receiued It is a great blessing of God to ouercome the enemy and to obtaine the victory but thus to ouercome and to haue such a victory required an extraordinary thankesgiuing We learne from hence Doctrine It is our duty in extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thanks that as men ought to returne thankes to God for al his blessings so they ought for extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thankes and praises As in times of distresse it is our duty to humble our selues and in extraordinary visitations to vse extraordinary humiliation so when God sheweth any mercy especially extraordinary the Church hath great cause to bee thankfull accordingly and vpon that occasion to bee stirred vp to set forth his noble praise Exodus 15.1 2 c. Esay 38 9. Hezekiah returneth great thankes for his great deliuerance Luke 1 46. Psalme 145 7. The grounds follow Reason 1 First all acknowledge that they are tyed to some duties for blessings receiued Now this is the onely recompence that we can make we cannot requite him to come before him with burnt offerings with calues of a yeare old hee will not be pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousands of riuers of oyle Mic. 6 6 7 hee hath shewed vs what is good and what he requireth of vs the onely accepted sacrifice and seruice is an humble contrite and thankfull heart Psal 116 13 14 this is more acceptable to him then all sacrifices that haue hornes and hoofes all the fowles of the mountaines are his the wilde beasts of the field and the cattel vpon the hilles and therefore he willeth vs to offer vnto him thankesgiuing and to pay our vowes to the most High and to glorifie him for our deliuerances Secondly the least mercies of God such as are most ordinary continuall deserue thanks yea the greatest thanks that we can possibly giue that the tongue and heart should ioyne together in that action for the least drop of his mercy is greater then our deserts then how much more doe his greatest mercies and blessings deserue the greatsst thankes and praise at his hand to performe the same with all our soule with all our mind and with all our strength Hence it is that the seruants of God as we see in Dauid Hezekiah and others after wonderfull and great and mightie deliuerances did vse to penne their songs and often to repeat them to quicken the memoriall of Gods blessings and his kindnesse that they had receiued and thereby to stirre vp their owne hearts and the hearts of others that they might be more closely knit and linked vnto God The like we see in Ionah when he was deliuered from the Whale that had swallowed him vp where the waters compassed him euen about to the soule the depth closed him round about and the weedes were wrapt about his head Ionah 2 5 9 that his deliuerance might seeme after a sort a resurrection from the dead as indeed his lying in the belly of the fish three dayes and three nights Ionah 1 17 did figure out the resurrection of Christ to be so long in the heart of the earth Math. 12 40. I say when he had receiued such a deliuerance what could he do but sacrifice vnto God with the voyce of thankesgiuing and pay that which he had vowed considering that saluation is of the Lord Thirdly Nature it selfe doth teach that the greatest blessings should haue the greatest thankfulnesse inasmuch as great blessings fill the heart more full of ioy now where the heart of a man is extraordinarily ioyfull there the mouth of a man also ought to be extraordinarily thankful Fourthly it standeth with equity that in all things that we do toward God we should do them in proportion and in this matter of thankfulnes wee ought to make out thankes to bee in some sort and in some weake measure proportionable to his blessings The vses remaine First how glorious ought Gods Name to be in all places who doth daily lode vs with Vse 1 his benefites He dealeth not sparingly with vs but liberally thereby to magnifie his great Name that all the world might acknowledge his greatnesse and sing to his praise saying O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth who hast set thy glory aboue the heauens Psal 8 1 2 3 c. Secondly this reproueth many of vnthankfulnes Vse 2 howsoeuer they seeme to themselues to be very thankfull yet they are not proportionably thankfull and therefore they may be said not to bee thankfull at all because they giue not according to his workes and therefore he requireth of vs that wee should praise him according to his blessings But alas which of vs doe not for the most part receiue much of him and returne little or nothing vnto him againe It is not enough for vs to say God be thanked and then thinke wee haue performed all that can be required of vs but as we receiue double mercy so should wee yeeld double obedience Lastly this teacheth Vse 3 euery man that he should consider Gods dealing toward him and what blessings hee hath receiued from him that so hee may see how much thankfulnes he oweth vnto him For where the gifts of God are encreased vpon a man there he hath much cause of thankfulnesse If others that haue receiued lesse blessings from God haue beene more thankfull vnto him for them how shall we escape that haue greater blessings if we shew our selues lesse thankfull Let euery one enter into the meditation of these things Wee haue receiued blessings of all sorts generall and particular what Nation hath beene honoured and aduanced like vnto ours what people haue receiued such deliuerances
discoraged to thinke they are none of his Or if a false fellow come forth and lay claime to our inheritance will that barre the true owner of his right or make him to let goe his holde What if a mad man out of his wits should say that the Crowne and Kingdome is his would we therefore thinke it is so indeed Or if some should shew false and counterfet pearles will the Goldsmith be discouraged and think that his also are naught and of the same stampe In like sort we may reason What though some do not beleeue or will not apply Christ vnto themselues What if satan haue deluded them with the spirit of errour and blinded them with the mists of ignorance shall wee therefore suffer our selues to be beguiled and to be brought to think that we haue no true knowledge or faith or that we ought not to apply Christ Iesus in particular to our selues To conclude we may be bold to auouch that the diuels haue as much faith as the papists teach and beleeue For the diuell can say and that truly I do beleeue I beleeue that remission of sinnes is sealed vp by Christ for saluation so that hee may beleeue as much as any Papist in the worlde holding the principles of their own doctrine forasmuch as the Romish faith is no other then historicall to beleeue the Scriptures and al things written in them to be true but they neuer come to the principal maine matter wherein the comfort of a Christian lyeth to make particular application of any thing to themselues Vse 2 Secondly it admonisheth euery man to examine himselfe and to try whether his faith be true or not this is the counsell and commandement of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13 5. as we heard before and how shall we better do it theÌ„ by making particular application of those things which ought to bee beleeued to beleeue that God is our God that the Lord Iesus is our Sauior that we are righteous by his obedience that wee haue the pardon of our sinnes that wee haue receyued the grace of sanctification and that wee shall be partakers of eternall life For as faith is the life of the soule so this application is the life of faith If we finde this in vs then certainly we haue a true a liuely a iustifying faith otherwise we deceyue our selues with a shadow and opinion of faith when in truth we are vtterly destitute of it And if men were brought to their tryall heerein it is greatly to be suspected and feared that not onely they in the Church of Rome but many that liue in the Church of God it selfe will bee found to want the true faith and to please themselues with a naked shew of it For some haue not a generall knoledge and therefore cannot haue so much as a generall faith Many albeit they haue a generall knowledge yet they will not nay they cannot in special apply Christ and his benefits vnto themselues because such is their simplicity or sottishnesse that they condemne this doctrine of applying Christ to themselues say it is to some a doctrine of presumption to others the pathway leading to desperation These are afraid to go so farre and dare not meddle with it They will hope well as the Papists do and thinke well but they cannot abide to heare of any particular application These are as men that are afraid of their good friends whose case must needs be lamentable and they stand in a dangerous nay I may say in a damnable condicion because without this application there can be no true faith and without true faith no saluation We haue experience of some in our dayes who out of a melancholy humor perswade themselues that they may not eate because they are vnworthy to touch their meate and by this meanes are the cause of their owne death and yet they thinke they may see it and talke of it but by no meanes may touch it This is the faith of many Christians among vs they thinke they may heare of the things that belong to saluation and reason of them but by no meanes they may apply them these mens case is very dangerous for they must needs perish eternally For as life is maintained not by looking vpon our meate or by speaking of it or by hearing of it but by taking and applying of it so the soule is sustayned and life preserued in it not by hearing of the promises of the Gospel nor by assenting vnto them but by applying of them vnto our selues When the Israelites were stung in the wildernesse with the fiery serpents and scorpions Deut. 8 15 insomuch that many dyed if any should haue saide I am not worthy to look vp to the brazen serpent and to fasten mine eies vpon it I know indeed that God hath appointed it as the only means and remedy to recouer them that are stung but I dare not presume to behold it because of mine vnworthinesse would we not thinke that it were iust that this man should perish So is it in this case many men know that God hath sent his Sonne into the world and that he dyed for the sinnes of the world yet many are so desperate that they talke and dispute of nothing but of their owne vnworthinesse and say they would apply Christ but they dare not they are such greeuous sinners Howbeit he that was worthy to take the booke out of the right hand of the Father and to open it Reuel 5 2 5 11 12 hath also made his children partakers of his worthinesse Reuel 3 4. They shall walke with me in white for they are worâ—hy His merits are become our merits and his righteousnesse is made ours 2 Cor. 5 21. Wherfore whosoeuer they are that eyther through the corruption of their owne hearts or through the tentation of Satan doe not truely apply Christ vnto themselues and his death to theyr saluation but make it a matter of presumption their condition is miserable and they are yet in the way to destruction and may iustly feare that the wrath and iudgements of God will ouertake them Lastly this point is very sweet and comfortable Vse 3 to euery one that is able though with much weaknesse and many infirmities in particular to apply the generall promises of God and the Gospel to himselfe because such shall be sure to finde God gracious vnto them and if they be stung by the old serpent they shall be healed because they can look vp to to the 2. ferpent that God hath set vp and appointed to be the healer and helper of them If they be hungry they shal be sure to be satisfied Christ is the true bread that came downe from Heauen Iohn 6 they eate him by faith and so apply in particular the generall promises to theÌ„selues This is it indeed that ought to encourage euery man to labour for this particular application not like hypocrites to content theÌ„selues with generall things as if they were
Exod. 20 7 and therefore the errour of the Romanists is blasphemous who lay this iniustice vpon God that he forgiueth the faithfull theyr offences but retayneth the punishment All men doe very willingly confesse that it is a very haynous crime to condemne the iust man but they doe not in like manner and with like zeale abhorre from iustifying the vngodly but the Spirit of God testifyeth that they are both abhominable in his sight he abhorreth the one no lesse then the other Why the guilty ought not to bee spated and so it ought to bee with those that sit in place of iudgment otherwise they transgresse the Law of God which commandeth that his blood should be vpon his owne head Againe such persons are for the most part made worse and worse and are neuer brought to repentance as experience commonly teacheth Besides by this sparing and winking at euill the godly are often grieued and sometimes are emboldened to euill Lastly other wicked men by their example are encouraged and theyr hearts are hardned Hence it is that Salomon sayth Prou. 24 24 Hee that saith vnto the wicked Thou art righteous him shal the people curse nations shall abhorre him This equity doth Moses also propound in the Law If there bee a controuersie betweene men and they come vnto iudgement that the Iudges may iudge them then they shal iustifie the righteous and condemne the wicked Deut. 25 2. But it will be said Obiect that the Scripture teacheth that God iustifieth the vngodly Rom. 4 5 and therefore hee that executeth iudgement may do the like also I answere first Answ that is lawfull for God to do which is not lawfull for man Againe God in iustifying the vngodly of vnrighteous maketh him righteous and by paying a deare price for him cleanseth and washeth away his impiety and giueth vnto him another minde then he had before which no mortall man is able to do and therefore it is vnreasonable to pretend the example of God or to alledge it to iustifie themselues when they iustifie the vngodly This corruption must needes be euill because it proceedeth from euill fountaines for iudgment is stayed or peruerted eyther through feare or couetousnesse or hope or hatred or fauour or malice or letters or such like affections which blinde the eyes and stoppe the eares and peruert the wise 2 Chron. 19 6 7. But in the meane season they displease the Lord and by winking at the wicked they make thēselues abominable to the chiefe Iudge of heauen and earth before whom they must come to be iudged and in sparing of greeuous transgressours which ought to be punished they make themselues accessaries to theyr transgressiōs many times like Saul Ahab Pilate they beare a part of the punishment Secondly this admonisheth all Iurers that Vse 2 they take great heed whom they acquit and whom they condemne If they condemne the innocent theyr blood will be required at their hands And if they iustifie any that are guilty of blood which is a crying sinne or other haynous enormities labour the rest of their fellowes companions to ioyne with them they are brethren in euill and stayne the iudgment seat with vnrighteous proceeding which is worse then if they should cast dust and doung in the Iudges face These doe often forget that they are sworne men and giue theyr verdict vpon theyr oth for if they did they would not so lightly set theyr soules to sale These for the most part thinke themselues excused by the Iudge and hang more vpon his mouth then hold themselues to the matter Such persons ought not to be simple men but such as should be able to iudge and to discerne betweene right and wrong Vse 3 Lastly let vs come to witnesses which are other parties in the matter of iudgment and are especially aymed at in this place it directeth and informeth them to know what they do and where they stand Let them take heed what they depose lest by forswearing themselues they renounce the liuing God and bring damnation vpon theyr soules A man would thinke that an oth were such a weight and burden vpon the conscience that no man would dare to steppe forth and lay his hand vpon the booke and afterward sell himselfe to the diuell There is nothing so vile wretched but some will bee found as vile to set it on foot If Ahab be sicke for Naboths vineyard Iezabel can quickly by her letters procure two false varlets and vnthrifts in Samaria to beare false witnesse against him 1 Kings 21 10. So when the malice and enuy of the Pharisees grew to be extreme against Christ and that they feared the fall of theyr kingdome though he were innocency it selfe yet there were found false witnesses to condemne the innocent Math. 26 60 61. Hence it is that the Ecclesiasticall Lawes haue not hand ouer head admitted all without difference and discretion to be brought and allowed as witnesses but haue set downe seuen iust considerations of exceptions against witnesses in this manner Aetas conditio sexus discretio fama Fortuna fides The first point to be respected in witnesses is that they be of age for such as are infants children or yonglings know not the depth of the cause nor the validity of an oth nor the distinction of matters whereupon they are to be produced and therefore they may stand by while the iury is impanelled And to these we may ioyne the old doting age which decayeth in vnderstanding no lesse then it doth in strength of body Secondly the condition of the persons whether they be bond or free The tenant for his land-lord the seruant for his Master the father and sonne one for another are worthily esteemed to be partiall witnesses Thirdly the sexe whether it be man or woman for a womans testimony wanteth much of the weight of the other because many of them are partiall and passionate light creatures if it be opposed against the testimony of a wise and considerate man They are soone ledde aside by affection by pitty or fauor and therefore neuer any of them were admitted to sit in place of iudgement where the Iudge should know neyther father nor mother Fourthly discretion for idiots and lunatike persons or mad men would prooue but mad witnesses to be admitted in tryals of truth who cannot discerne aright of themselues and of theyr owne estate For how should they be able to diue into the causes of other men that haue not the vse of reason or vnderstanding Fiftly fame is not to be contemned in this case for they should bee men of good report and credit in the places of theyr abode not common swearers not lyers not drunkards and ruffians for such as sweare commonly make no more conscience of an oth taken before a Iudge then of an oth sitting vpon theyr ale-bench and such as are tainted and stayned with the reproch of many euils will easily bee drawne to adde one sin of periury