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
peace dwelled in our houses possessed our inheritances enioyed our lands and goods thus long but for the faithfull seruants of God who mind the peace of Sion Doubtlesse he would not spare the world one minute and moment of time but for the godly Hee would haue spared the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha 〈◊〉 18.32 if ten righteous persons had bin found in them For the faiths sake of Rahah who hid the spies and sent them out another way 〈◊〉 26. hee spared her kindred and her fathers house For the faith of Lot whose righteous soule was vexed day by day in seeing and hearing the vnclean conuersation of those sinfull men he would haue saued his sonnes in law 〈◊〉 12 that should haue married his daughters For Pauls sake a chosen vessel to beare the Name of God to the Gentiles he gaue freely those that sailed with him and saued their liues 〈◊〉 â—4 Thus wee see that for the godly he beareth with the vngodly but when they are safe and sealed in the forehead then iudgement shall come vpon the wicked Contrariwise a nation a cittie a towne an house and family is cursed for the society and company of the wicked The Israelites could not prosper at the siege of Ai so long as Achan was among them The Sea could not be calme the ship could not be safe the Marriners could not be at rest so long as vnrepentant and vnreformed Ionah was a burden vnto it for he said vnto them Take me and cast me into the Sea so shall the waues worke no more so troublesomely for I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Wherefore it is a sweet and comfortable thing to bee in the number of the faithfull wee haue benefite by the prayers of the Church which pierce the eares of God and bring downe his blessings in great aboundance Verse 8. And the Lord said vnto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent We heard before how the people repented of their sinnes and how Moses prayed for pardon Now see how God remooueth his hand Psal 103.9 He will not alwaies chide nor keepe his anger for euer hee doth not deale with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs according to our iniquities Indeed he sheweth oftentimes his seuere iudgments but so soone as the sinner is humbled hee receiueth him to mercy the sinne is pardoned and the punishment is remooued Doctrine God is merciful to greeuous sinners when they are penitent The doctrine from hence is this that God is mercifull to all penitent sinners Repentance once going before mercy followeth after albeit we sinne greeuously against him This the Prophet teacheth in the Name of God Esay 1.18 Ezek. 18.21 22 23. and 33.11 Dauid sinned exceedingly in numbring the people for which God sent a pestilence three dayes in Israel that many thousands dyed yet when his heart smote him that he said I haue sinned exceedingly 2 Sa. 24 17.18 1 Chr. 21.15 17. I haue done wickedly but these sheep what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee bee against mee and against my fathers house and not on thy people for their destruction the Lord repented him of the euill and said to the Angel that destroyed It is enough let thine hand ceasse Let vs consider the reasons of Gods merciful Reason 1 dealing which are first the comfort and releefe of his people that none should to the end of the world despaire of obtaining of mercy For the mercy of God in Christ is aboue all his workes which he extendeth to thousands it is infinite without measure Hee pardoneth such offenders to make them examples to others of Gods great mercy hee receiueth them to fauour and remitteth their offences not onely to manifest his mercy to the offender himselfe but to teach others to resort and repaire vnto him for pardon and forgiuenesse When the Prophet testifieth that by acknowledging his sinne vnto God and confessing his wickednesse against himself he obtained the remission of his sinne and punishment of sinne he addeth immediately Therefore shall euery one that is godly Psal 32.5 6. make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found This is the reason that the Apostle toucheth 1 Tim. 1. teaching that he was receiued to mercy for this cause That Iesus Christ shold first shew on him all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall life So then from these and such like examples of great sinners that haue obtained much mercy we likewise should be assured of the goodnesse of God for our saluation whensoeuer wee can bee brought to beleeue the Gospel repent from dead works Secondly the consideration of the nature Reason 2 of God ministreth a strong and inuincible reason to gaine our affections to yeeld to this truth For his mercy is aboundant and his goodnesse is infinite It surmounteth the reach and vnderstanding of all mortall men It passeth the highnesse of the heauens the depth of the earth the breadth of the Sea the power of the diuel the strength of the Law the measure of the whole world and nothing can be compared with the perfections of the Almighty Iob 11.7 8 9. Paul who before his conuersion to the faith which he sought to destroy was a blasphemer a Persecuter an oppresser maketh this the cause why he was receiued to mercy The grace of our Lord was exceeding aboundant with faith and loue 1 Tim. 1.14 which is in Christ Iesus that is giuing vnto me faith that chased away infidelity and loue that ouercame cruelty So the Lord maketh this the chiefe and principall cause why he spared that rebellious and idolatrous people The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne Vse 1 The vses follow of this doctrine First we learne that there is no sinne that doth exceed the mercy of God None can say without iniury against his owne soule without reproach against God and giuing the lie to the glorious Maiestie of God My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen True it is there is an vnpardonable sinne Mat 12.31 that shall neuer bee forgiuen either in this world or in the world to come the blasphemy against the Spirit but that is because they cannot relent or repent that commit it they are so farre gone that they can neuer returne backe againe not because God is not able to forgiue it or that it doth exceed the mercies of God Seeing then vile sinners finde such infinite and vnspeakeable mercie let vs neuer despaire or doubt of his mercy fauor though we be suddenly ouertaken through infirmitie and fall into diuers and greeuous sinnes He hath mercy in store for such as haue beene exceeding sinners against him If they can repent of their sinnes his mercies are as great as himselfe Consider the examples of Peter that denyed
his perfection that wee may offer our selues to our most louing Father and obtaine of him the blessing of righteousnes And this some of our aduersaries themselues cannot but approue Pigb de fide iustifie con ro 2 and haue giuen their own fellowes the slip Besides this Doctrine standeth best with the glory of God which shineth more clearely in our saluation obtained by iustice imputed then by iustice inherent For suppose there were a miserable and desperate debter perishing and languishing imprison were it not farre more honourable gracious for a Prince wholly to pay the debt and to cancell the bond hand-writing standing against him then to put into his hands a stock of money wherby himselfe might be enabled to worke out his debt Therefore the Apostle teacheth that we are made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and are saued by grace thorough â—ith not of our selues it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Eph. 2 8 9. Thus Paul concludeth also concerning Abraham the father of the faithfull Rom. 4 2. Thus doeth Christ determine this question drawing a comparison froÌ„ the brazen serpent Iohn 3 14 15 16 for he teacheth that the sonne of man must be lift vp on the crosse as the serpent was on the pole in the Wildernes that whosoeuer belâ—eueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Let vs then renounce all met it and righteousnes in our owne selues flye to the merits and righteousnes of Christ according to the practise and example of the Apostle Phil. 3 8 90 I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be dung that I might win Christ and might be found in him not hauing minâ— owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith Hereunto cometh the reason of the same Apostle Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse now to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iusâ—ifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4 3 4 5. True it is works are necessarily required as the fruites of faith and of iustification by faith but our iustification is one thing our sanctification is another for they are made seueral graces distinct gifts 1 Cor. 1 30. neither is it likely that the Apostle would repeat the same thing twice without cause And in another place he concludeth that a man is iustified by faith without the worke of the Law if it be of grace it is no more of works for then were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no 〈◊〉 graâ—e for theâ— were worke no more worke Rom. 3 〈◊〉 11 6. Therfore it is truely said that good works follow a man being iustified but do not go before in him that is to be iustified Neither let any say It is absurd that one should be made righteous by the righteousnes of another for the righteousnes of Christ is both his and ours His as being inherent in him as in a subiect Ours being giuen vnto vs and imputed to vs so that by iâ— we are iustified before God and accepted to eternall life And that horrible blasphemy is this to teach that by the Popes indulgences wee should bee made partakers of the merits and good works of the â—â—ints and to deny it as most vnreasonable what we should be partakerâ— of the â—â—â—ries and righteousnes of Christ Iesus But as the transgression of Adam was both his and ours also not his alone â—â—r ours alone but his and loâ—â—s together because hee stood in onâ— places and we were in his loyns so is Christs righteousnes and obedience his and ours And why should not the righteousnes be of another Bernard 〈◊〉 1 0 seeing guilt is of another As another maketh vs sinners why should not another make vs righteous and iustifie vs from sinne It might seeme to flesh and blood as vnreasonable that the brazen serpent in this place being an artificiall worâ— made with mans hands without sence life should restore health and giue life to such as were mortally bitten yet we see by beholding it they were recouered Moreouer the people stung by the fiery serpents â—ryed out in the anguish and bitternes of the paine yet none was able to helpe himselfe or his brother by his owne power of strength or by any acte wrought by him no nor Moses himselfe could minister any cure oâ— comfort vnto them but onely the graces of God directing them to looke vpon the brazen serpent set vp for when GOD had appointed them one way they must not seeke another way so although a man feeleth the sting of the old serpent that is sinne Ferus in lâ— Matoâ—â— yet no man can deliuer himselfe or others nay if he should flye to the works of the Law they can do nothing The Law sheweth the disease it is Christ that must take it away it is God that must shew mercy it is faith that must iustifie vs. We affirme therefore with the Apostle Gal. 2 16 that we are iustified freely not of the Law not by the Law not of works not of our selues not of the works of the Law but by faith all matter of boasting is excluded iustification by grace is concluded that God may be all in all Fiftly great consolation ariseth from this Vse 5 comparison and similitude to all such as â—â—e weake in faith feele the corruptions of their hearts pressing them and the tentations of Satan often ouercomming them alwayes assaulting them For we haue great comfort giuen vs to enter into the combate and to fight the battels of the Lord against the enemies of our soules by consideration of these fierce and fiery serpents True it is they did continually bite sting the children of Israel for otherwise there had bin no need of the brazen serpent yet they could not destroy them they did not ceaffe to vexe theÌ„ but they could not wound them vnto the death for they had a remedy at hand to helpe themselues they looked vpon the brazen serpent and were healed So hath God restrained the rage and malice of all the enemies of our peace and saluation For howsoeuer the diuell his angels are alwaies tempting prouoking and seeking to 〈◊〉 vs as men do wheat yet their homes and â—ot short and their strength is diminished their will to hurt is greater then their power of hurting so that they cannot execute the câ—uelty they desire as the Lord himselfe testifieth from the beginning Gen. 3 verse 15. Albeit therefore the battell be long the skinnisâ— oftentimes hot bloody albeit we take many a foyle and haue the Bucklers beaten to our heads albeit we be felled with the stroke and driuen to fight vpon our knees yet the victory shall be ours
beginning and the ending of our Saluation Wherefore the Church of Rome is deceiued that make vs to be as the man that fell among theeues who left him wounded and halfe dead We arâ— fâ—llen into the hands of a more cruell and bleâ—â—â—y tyrant who left vs not halfe dead but hath taken away life from vs and brought vs vnder the dominion of death We teach that we are able to doe no good we haue stony hearts and are strangers from the promises of God They diuide our goodnesse betweene God and man as when an horse is hardly able to draw a Coach another commeth who being coupled with him doe worke and walke together so as that which one could not doe alone he is able beâ—â—g helped by another who by their ioynt laâ—ours stirre it forward True it is to vse â—eanes to obtaine faith and repentance is in our owne power after a sort A man may go from place to place enter into the house of God or not enter heare the word or not heare meditate vpon it or not meditate as it is said of Herode an vnregenerate man Mar. 6. Mar. 6.20 that he heard Iohn gladly when he preached the word This therefore is left vnto vs and put as it were into our hands to make vs without excuse and to teach vs to condemne our selues and not God How many are there that are ready to lay the fault of their infidelity vpon God because they say he giueth them not faith so that it is not in their power to beleeue But why doe they not that which is in their owne power True it is God is not bound to giue faith to any or to turne his heart The cause of infidelity is in himselfe Neuerthelesse God hath not left himselfe without witnesse nor man without excuse He carryeth a iudge in his owne bosome that shall be able to conuince him For why do not men that which they are inabled to doe why doe they not attend to his word as to his ordinance why doe they not make conscience of absenting themselues from the preaching of it They may come if they will but they will not They excuse themselues as the guests in the Gospel they haue eares to heare but they regard not they haue feet to carry them into the Church but they are slow to this duty and swift rather to any other they haue eyes to reade the Scripture yet they seldome or neuer reade it they haue hearts to meditate on the word but they thinke vpon nothing lesse Therefore all these outward helpes shal be sufficient witnesses against them Now then albeit we may performe such duties before remembred touching the meanes of our saluation yet to assent to the word by faith that thereby we may be conuerted enlightned called and regenerated to eternall life is in the hand of God onely and cannot be performed of vs. Vse 2 Secondly seeing Gods gifts are freely giuen by him it is our duty to depend vppon him and to aske them at his hands when we want them We learne to whom to goe and what way to enter that we may obtaine theÌ„ Wee all stand in neede of his helpe for our soules and bodies In the soule is ignorance presumption blindnesse and hardnesse of heart pray to him to remoue these euils and as it were to plucke these noysome loathsome weeds out of our gardens by the roots If we thinke our selues able to do it wee deceiue our selues If we feele the burthen of our sinnes to presse vs and to lye heauy and hard vpon our soules we must goe to him that hath borne them in his body and is able to take them away Hee calleth such vnto him as are weary and heauy laden with promise and purpose to ease them â—ath 11 29. If we want any thing for our body he that is the Creator of the body will not suffer vs to pine away he will not leaue vs and forsake vs. Let vs not trust to our owne labours nor riches nor abundance as the rich man did in the Gospell Luk 12 considering that no mans life consisteth in the multitude of his riches Hence it is that our Sauiour willeth vs to aske and wee shall receiue to seeke and we shall finde Math. 7. If we suppose we may attaine vnto his blessings any other way then by prayer we are altogether ignorant of the way that leadeth to his Treasury For Except the Lord keepe the City the watchman waketh but in vain except he build the house they labour in vaine that are the builders of it Psal 127 1. 〈◊〉 127 1 2. It is in vaine for vs to rise vp early and to sitte vppe late and to eate the bread of sorrowes which worldly men take to be the onely meanes to thriue it is the blessing of GOD vpon the hand of the diligent that maketh rich Let vs therefore season and sanctifie the workes of our hands the labours of our callings that so we may haue comfort and finde rest in this troublesome sea This will make our labours sweet and pleasant when we get our liuing in the sweat of our browes Besides when wee finde any defect of grace in vs or any weakenesse in spirituall things as all the faithfull do more or lesse let vs come to him that giueth freely and liberally and reprocheth no man He it is that will supply our wants and encrease his gifts in vs. This coming vnto him for all needfull graces hath many branches that belong vnto it which Christ pointeth vnto Math 13 when he saith The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure hid in the field â—th 13 44. which when a man hath found he hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that hee hath and buieth that field If wee will attaine vnto grace we must depart with somewhat we must sell all that we haue That which is our owne is sinne but we are loth to leaue it and depart from it It cleaueth fast to the ribs sticketh fast in the bones that it will hardly out of the flesh We delight in it we make make much of it we are wholy addicted to it It may seeme a strange speech that wee are said to sell all that we haue and buy that we haue not For what haue we to sell vnto God or what can we giue vnto him or what are we able to buy at his hands Our selling of all is our parting or departing from our sinnes our leauing of them our renouncing of them so that we are determined to keepe them no longer As it is in bargaines and purchases betweene party and party whosoeuer buyeth any thing giueth and taketh he parteth with somewhat and receiueth somewhat by exchange so must it be betweene Christ and vs in this spirituall bargaine and sale We leaue that which is euill wee receiue that which is good There is no man that selleth one sinne for nought hee hath his reward
Mary the brother of Iames and Ioses and of Iuda and Simon and are not his sisters with vs Thus they were offended at him Hence it is that Christ saith vnto them A Prophet is not without honour but in his owne countrey and among his owne kinne and in his owne house Mar. 6.4 â—arke 6.4 It skilleth not whether the Ministers be rich or poore wise or simple noble or vnnoble if they say vnto vs Siluer and gold haue we none but such as we haue we giue vnto you Act. 3. â—ct 3.6 we must accept of them and of the word of reconciliation and account their feet beautifull that bring glad tidings of good things Though they bring heauenly treasures in earthly vessels yet the excellency of the power is of God so that the meaner the person of the Minister is the more we ought to magnifie the Author of their ministery remembring alwayes that we ought not to haue the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Thirdly for as much as God vouchsafeth Vse 3 to chuse weake agents to promote his causes and to further his workes we conclude from hence that fearefull is the estate of the wicked if their eyes were opened to behold it and their hearts enlightened to take notice of it Howsoeuer they set their hornes heads on high and exalt themselues in their owne pride yet the poorest and simplest meanes strengthened of God and armed by his power shall be able to bring them downe to the ground and to lay their honour in the dust They shall know one day that they fight against God and rebell against the most High who wanteth no weapons to destroy them he can arme the least things against them as wee see in the destruction of the Egyptians to wit lice flyes frogs grashoppers and such like all brought vpon them by the rod of Moses This vse is concluded by the Prophet Esay Chap. 27.11 Esay 27.10.11 When the boughes thereof are withered they shall be broken off the women come and set them on fire for it is a people of no vnderstanding therefore he that made them will not haue mercy on them and he that formed them wil shew them no fauour He sheweth in these words and in this place the certainty of the destruction of the enemies of the Church their defenced cities shall be desolate and left like a wildernesse But how shall this be God needeeth not the power of mighty enemies hee needeth not armies of men or legions of Angels or such like strong meanes to effect it the women shall come and set them on fire that is weake meanes and silly creatures euen such as are by nature fearefull an army of Hartes shal haue strength and courage enough when God setteth them on worke Great is the force of weake Souldiers vnder such a Captaine If they that haue the least power and pollicy be made the Lords workemen and employed in his seruice who shall be able to daunt them and to driue them from their worke who shall fray them and affright them and make the rest of them turne their backes They haue their calling and commission and they canneuer ceasse vntill they haue ended the businesse and finished the worke to which they were sent according to that which Gamaliel saith of the preaching of the Apostles being in themselues of themselues simple and vnlearned men Refraine from these men and let them alone c. for if it bee of God ye cannot ouerthrow it lest haply ye be found euen to fight against God Act. 5. Act. 5.38.39 This is little regarded or considered of the enemies of God and the persecuters of the Church they runne on in their wilde courses think they can doe what they list whereas they ly open to euery iudgement and euery creature shall be able to worke out their destruction Vse 4 Fourthly seeing it seemeth good to God to accept of their seruice that seeme farthest off and most vnlikely to doe him seruice let no man presume vpon the greatnesse of his gifts and the excellency of his calling let him not lift vp himself aboue others to think himselfe better preferre himself before his brethren neither contemne them of lower degree of meaner place of lesser gifts The heart is of the Lord the blessing is of the Lord the successe is of the Lord. Hence it is that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 4.6 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou diddest not receiue Now if thou diddest receiue it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not receiued it 1 Cor. 4.7 Our Sauiour rebuketh a young man that would not giue ouer the world and telleth him Matth. 19.30 and 20.1.16 the first shall be last and the last first Such as in the visible Church haue the chiefe place and in the opinion of men are in greatest account because they carry the greatest name of piety and holinesse are nothing lesse inwardly then that which they appeare outwardly and therefore notwithstanding the roome and reputation that they hold in earth they shall be quite shut out of the kingdome of heauen as was verified in the Scribes and Pharisees and all hypocrites who for a pretence made long prayers but shall receiue the greater damnation This he sheweth farther by the similitude of an housholder who hired labourers at all houres into his vineyard and thereupon concludeth the point againe that the first shall be last and the last first Presume not therefore of thy selfe neither glory in thine owne workes nor boast of thine own gifts it may please God to sanctifie others to goe before vs and to make them out runne vs that sette out after vs. Hee accepteth them that are of smaller gifts and lower place and therefore we ought not to reiect them or contemne them When he chose speciall witnesses of those things that he spake and did and sent them out to heale the sicke and raise the dead and cleanse the lepers to giue sight to the blinde and to preach the Gospel he did not call the learned wise men of the world but simple fishermen and such as the world accounteth idiots and men of no fashion or estimation Such then as seeme to be behind are taken forward and made more profitable then those that were before them Wee see this in Amos Amos 7.14 15 He was no Prophet nor a Prophets sonne but an heardman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruite the Lord tooke him as he followed the flocke and said vnto him Goe Prophecy vnto my people Israel 1 Tim. 1.13 1 Cor. 15.8.9 Act. 8.1 and 9.1 Ephe. 3.8 Gal. 1.23 The like wee might say of Paul he was most vnlike to be called and to be imployed in the affaires of the Church as himselfe confesseth and the history of the Actes importeth 1 Tim. 1.13 1. Cor. 15.8 9. Act. 8.1 and 9.1 Ephe. 3.8 He confesseth that
of little value and estimation besides they were very combersome troublesome and consequently the worke hard and seruile and among these two the sonnes of Merari had the least and lowest charge yet notwithstanding they pulled not away their shoulders they shrunke not vnder the burden they disdained not their brethren they were not ashamed of their office they were not hindred from the execution of their function through pride or wearinesse or enuy or contempt All of them had not one office but euery one bare his part The body is not one member â—or 12 14 but many if they were all one member where were the body If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing If all had one office it would minister much occasion of contention And as in the body euery part is not alike excellent and honourable yet euery one contenteth himselfe with his proper place so was it among the Leuites some of the charges were worthier then other yet they that had the charge of least importance did patiently and quietly vndergoe it We learne from hence that how meane Doctrine 1 and low soeuer our places are How low soeuer our places are wee ought not to murmure at them we must not murmure at them but be contented with theÌ„ No man ought to disdaine at the dealing of God toward him in that hee hath placed him no higher Those laborers in the Gospel that wrought in the vineyard are reproued because they were discontented that others were made equall vnto them and had their peny as well as they Mat. 20 11. they grudged that themselues had no more they repined that others had so much so murmured at the good man of the house The wiseman saith Pro. 10 22 The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it And chap. 13 25. The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soule but the belly of the wicked shall want The Apostle giueth vs this direction that hauing food and raiment we should therewith be content 1 Tim. 6. 1 Tim. 6 8. This rule that he giueth teacheth to other he had learned himselfe in what soeuer estate he was he murmured not at it but was contented with it Phi. 4.11 Al which testimonies serue to proue that no man ought to shew any dislike or discontentment as if his place and estate were too base and low for him This is not so easily perswaded as it is spoken Reason 1 and therefore we are to vse a few reasons for farther confirmation and strengthening of it to the consciences of all of vs. First contentation is a ready and approued medicine for all miseries and maladies whatsoeuer No man is troubled with any griefe or disease but hee is most willing to heare of a salue for it This is souereigne for this purpose It easeth the burden of all afflictions it taketh away the smart of all sores it powreth wine and oyle into our wounds and of halfe dead maketh vs aliue againe it maketh a rough way plaine crooked things streight It casteth downe high hilles and maketh the path easie before vs. It turneth outward wants into inward comforts It maketh the bond to be free the poore to be rich the sicke to be whole the miserable to be happy such as are owners of nothing to bee Lords of all things Giue an hearty draught of this strong drinke to him that is ready to perish and a cup of this wine to him that hath an heauy heart it will make him forget his pouerty and remember his misery no more This we see in the Apostle Paul he had drunke of the wine of contentation 2 Cor. 6 9 10. and therefore saith As vnknowne and yet well knowne as dying and behold we liue as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull yet alwaies reioycing as poore yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things These things seeme to some to containe flat contradictions to be directly opposite the one to the other but this is the benefit of contentation that it reconcileth things contrary maketh theÌ„ good friends to liue together in one subiect so that when hee did vndergoe many kindes of affliction he was refresht in spirit cheered vp in all his sufferings Reason 2 Secondly we haue a gracious promise from the mouth of God that cannot lie or deceiue or defraud vs that he wil not suffer vs to lack nor leaue vs destitute of helpe but will supply our wants and minister vnto our necessities Many troubles may set vpon vs on all sides as an host of armed men but they shall not preuaile against vs we shall ouercome theÌ„ all at the last They may threaten but they shall not hurt vs for God hath pulled out the stings of these serpents The Prophet Dauid had good experience thereof in his owne feeling Psalm 34 9 10. O feare the Lord yee his Saints for there is no want to them that feare him the young Lyons do lacke and suffer hunger but they that seeke the LORD shall not want any good thing And Psal 37 4 5. Delight thy selfe in the Lord he shall giue thee the desires of thine heart commit thy way vnto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe If a man of great account and estimation in this world should behold a poore man and giue him this comfort in his necessity Be of good cheere I will neuer see thee want as long as I liue how would this reuiue the spirits of a man now almost at the point of death It is GOD that saith vnto vs Hebr. 13 5. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee shall we not then boldly say and in the assurance of faith conclude The Lord is my deliuerer I will not feare what man can doe vnto me So that there is no iust cause of discontentment whensoeuer we are brought into trouble albeit we see no way to get out forasmuch as hee is able to breake the barres of brasse and breake a bow of steele and make an happy issue as he caused the chaines of Peter when he was in prison to fall from his hands and the iron gate to open of his owne accord Act. 12 9 10. Thirdly the prouidence of God ruleth all Reason 3 things so that nothing commeth vpon vs or befalleth vnto vs by his will and pleasure therefore we ought to relye our selues wholly vpon him and submit our willes vnto his wil our corrupt willes vnto his most holy will Our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples Math. 10 29 30. to rest vpon his prouidence Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father but the very haires of your head are all numbred This is an effectuall argument to moue vs and throughly to perswade vs to contentation of minde to beare whatsoeuer befalleth with patience and comfort forasmuch as he that is
reiect Hereby then we see that a man is not to be excommunicated and put out of the Church for euery trifle or for euery sinne but for scandals and offences that are notorious A master will not discharge out of his house a seruant that hath serued him for euery trespas neither doth the Magistrate draw the sword for euery breach of the law So ought it to be with the officers of the Church Again excommunication must not be vsed at the first but as the last remedy A Chirurgeon accounteth lancing searing cutting a desperate cure When he commeth to his patient and findeth swelling and soares in the body he doth not by and by proceede to cutting off an arme or legge he vseth first purging and other gentle meanes to try whether he can do any good that way or not So should it be with vs according to the counsel and commandement of Christ he requireth priuate admonitions exhortations priuate reproofes and rebukes and then two or three with vs Mat. 18 1â— that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word may be established There is required of vs patience and much lenity waiting whether he will by this meanes be amended Lastly we may gather from hence that whiles sinne is secret and vnknowne no man can bee excommunicated but then onely when it is made publike and manifest vnto all Now then it is made publike when the Church is acquainted with it The fourth point in excommunication The fourth part of the description is this that it stretcheth to him only that cannot otherwise be brought to repeÌ„tance The cause then why the church is compelled to proceed so farre against some of her children is obstinacy impeniteÌ„cy For when there is in such offenders both open wickednes whereby the Church is offended notable stubbornenes wherby the church is contemned so that they can by no meanes of the word publikely of the admonitioÌ„ priuatly be reformed excommunication must follow of necessity that hereby if it be possible some good may be wrought in them Hereupon Christ himselfe saith If he neglect to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen or a Publican Mat. 18 17. Such therfore as haue offended and truly repent of their sins giuing euident testimonies of their vnfained conuersion ought to be spared not censured to be comforted not terrified to bee retained in the church not reiected cast out of the Church Secondly this sheweth that impenitency is a most greeuous sin and next to infidelity the greatest For as faith is the mother of repentance so is an vnbeleeuing heart the cause of impenitency Of all iudgements that God bringeth vpon the sonnes of men none is greater then the want of repentance to haue an heart that cannot repent To fall into whoredome drunkennes are greeuous sins and wound the conscience weaken our comfort and assurance howbeit to continue in them without feeling of them and turning from them is worse then the committing of the sins themselues This made the Apostle say Rom. 2 4â— Despisest thou the riches of his goodnes and forbearing and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thine hardnesse and impenitent heart thou treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous iudgment of God Among all the blessings of God giuen vnto vs wee must make great account of a soft and tender heart which the Prophet calleth an heart of flesh opposed and set against the stony heart Such are soone checked and controlled Lastly wee learne from hence to make a difference betweene sin and sin and betweene sinner and sinner All men fall into sin and if we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and make God a lyar Neuerthelesse some are penitent sinners they hate their sins and doe with might and maine striue against them They fight against them as against their enemies Others cherish sinne in themselues and are resolued to continue in them They make no conscience of them and cannot be brought to repent for them Such are not fit to be held members of Christ and Citizens of the kingdome of heauen therefore iustly deserue to be cast out of the church â—fth â—f the deâ—on The fift point containeth and includeth in it the substance of excommunication namely that it driueth impenitent offenders from the visible and outward communion of the Saints from whence also it hath his name Open sinners and scandalous liuers are not worthy to liue among the faithfull nor to come to publike prayers nor to be partakers of the Sacraments nor to be admitted to the assemblies of the Church forasmuch as they would prophane all they touch as Adam the tree of life and therefore was driuen out of the garden Hence it is that Christ would haue vs account them as heathen and Publicanes The Gentiles for religions sake were enemies to the church and therfore in religion the Iewes were to abstaine from their society fellowship whereas in common affaires of this life they were not so restrained â—t the â—icanes 〈◊〉 The Publicanes were such as had receiued an office from the Romanes to whom the Iewes were subiect to gathet tribute being as it were Collecters of subsidies taskes and tallages impoled vpon the Iewes who thought it vnfit and vniust that they beeing the Lords people should pay tribute and custome to the Gentiles as appeareth in the history of Hezekiah and of Ioachim in the bookes of the Kings and by the question propounded vnto Christ in the Gospel â—h 22 17. Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Cesar or not Wherfore they were accounted the enemies of the people and the betraiers of their owne Nation they coupled them with sinners and hated theÌ„ vnto the death albeit they professed the same religion and oftentimes met together in the place of Gods worship They abhorred these and could by no meanes brook abide these men who for the most part were extreme couetous and catch-polles â—e 19 8. exacting more then was due for them to receiue or the people to pay howbeit they hated them not as the enemies of their religion but as men of a wicked offensiue life The Apostle likewise decreeing and determining what should bee done with the incestuous person willeth the church to deliuer him to Satan 〈◊〉 5 5 7 13 to purge out the old leaueÌ„ and to put away from among themselues that wicked person Heereby then we see that these obstinate offenders are to be separated froÌ„ those good things which the Lord commandeth communicateth in his church as the word sacraments praiers These are holy things for holy and sanctified persons but they are as filthy swine to whom holy things may not bee cast and as dogs to whom the childrens bread doth not belong Now one of the cheefest ends of the censures of the Church is
not Calfe or any Cattell should vndergo the punishment for sinne because the soule that sinned shall die the death Ezek. 18 verse 4. and the threatning must be true that because man sinned he should die Gen. 2. Thou shalt die the death So that it was necessary eyther that all man-kinde by reason of sinne must perish euerlastingly Heb. 9 15. or else Christ the Mediator of a better testament must become a surety for vs and satisfie the wrath of God kindled and conceiued against vs for sinne If any aske the question Question if the blood of Buls Goats could not take away sinne why did God command them to be offered and to what end were they appointed I answer Answer this was not done in vaine but to good purpose For albeit they could neuer take away sinne nor purge the conscience from dead workes yet they serued fitly to shadow out the death of Christ and to assure the heart that it is washed by the blood of the Messiah This was a notable comfort to the people of God from the beginning taught them to looke for redemption through him Obiection If it bee farther said that God speaketh euery where in the Law that the blood it selfe of Buls and Beasts clenseth and purgeth sinne as Leuit. 17 11. The life of the flesh is in the blood and I haue giuen it to you vpon the Altar to make an attonement for your soules for it is the blood that maketh an attonement for the soule I answer Answer that place speaketh not properly but sacramentally as in the new Testament he calleth in the institution of his last Supper Math. 26 26. the bread his body because it is a figure of it so in this place to the outward signe he giueth the name of the thing signified and to the type he ascribeth the proper effect of the blood of Christ which onely is the blood that is able to make attonement for our sinnes Otherwise those offerings of beasts should be called in vaine Heb. 9 24 10 1. the similitudes and shadowes of good things to come As for those heretikes that dreame that those oblations did really and indeed clense away the sinnes of the fathers not by their naturall operation but by the acceptation of God and therefore were not types of Christs sacrifice washing away sinne they are euidently conuinced by the places before alledged and throughout the Epistle to the Hebrewes Obiect If any aske how these can bee figures of Christ seeing GOD witnesseth in his word that he neuer required them When hee commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sinne thou hast had no pleasure Psal 40 7. Heb. 10 verses 5 6. If then God would haue none of them how could they be the figures and images of better things I answer Answer God may be said to allow them and yet to disallow them to reiect them and to regard them in diuers senses Hee willed them as he commandeth them and commendeth them as a sweet sauour vnto him performed in faith and as types referred to the comming of the Messiah and the time of reformation Heb. 9 10. On the other side he may be said to refuse and reiect them for these three causes First when the manner of doing is euill doing that which God requireth but doing it in a corrupt manner to wit without faith and obedience as the Prophets in euery place reprooue the sacrifices of hypocrites wicked persons as Esay 1 11 12. I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs who hath required this at your hand Your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth and the reason of this is rendered in the words following Verse 1â— Your hands are full of blood Againe God would not that they should remaine continue for euer but that though they had place in the Church for a time they should ceasse at the coming of the Messiah Therfore Christ being come into the world and manifested in the flesh God willed theÌ„ no longer but would haue them abolished And this sense doth the Apostle principally intend in this place that the shadowes must giue place when the body it selfe was come in person Lastly it may after a sort be said that God neuer willed them that is approued allowed of theÌ„ as the principall part of Gods worship and as the very price of our redemption the ransome for our sins our reconciliation vnto God albeit he would haue them obserued of his people and vsed for a time as certaine rudiments rites to bring them to Christ to confirme their faith in him Let vs shut vp this with the comparison that the Apostle expresseth Heb. 9 13 14. If the blood of Buls and of Goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience froÌ„ dead workes to serue the liuing God In these words he compareth the shadow the body the type the truth the ceremony and the substance together Doctrine Christ Iesus hath made aâ— attonement between Gâ—â— and vs by hâ—â— blood FroÌ„ hence we learne this doctrine that the blood of Christ taketh away our sins reconcileth vs to God the Father Christ Iesus hath in the performance of his Priesthood freed and deliuered vs from the guilt punishment of our sins This appeareth euidently vnto vs by considering laying before vs the end the parts and fruite of his Priesthood The end of the Leuiticall Priest-hood and of this figured by it was to offer sacrifice for the ignorances Hebr. 9 â— that is for the sins of the people The distinct parts of it are two satisfaction and intercession His satisfaction consisteth partly in suffering and partly in obedience The second part of his Priesthood standeth in intercession in that he is become our perpetuall and perfect Aduocate that therby God might be appeased for them and we reconciled vnto him The fruite thereof is this that we are deliuered redeemed ransomed iustified and freed from the guilt of sin from the burden of ceremonies from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God and from feare of condemnation This truth is taught in many places Ioh 1 29. Iohn seeing Christ coming vnto him saith Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world And the same Apostle in his first Epistle chap. 2 ver 1 2. If any sinne we haue an Aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Likewise in the Epistle to the Romanes the Apostle magnifying the mercy of God and setting out the merites of Christ he saith chap. 3 verse
to performe it Fiftly it should be done to the ende the people might be encouraged and not faint in their sufferings For they are oftentimes set vpon and their faith shaken and they ready to giue ouer if they be not confirmed by the word and by praier and therefore we reade Eph. 3 13 14. I desire that yet faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory for this cause I bow my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to bee strengthened with the might of his Spirit in the inner man Our praiers shall be an effectuall meanes to hold them vp Vse 1 Consider from this ground why the word oftentimes prospereth not vnder our hands and we labour in vaine and striue against a stubborne and disobedient people euen because we forget our owne duty to commend our people to God and to the word of his grace 26.18 that so their eyes may be opened and they turned from darknes to light from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Iesus Christ Let vs all therefore say with Samuel the Lords Prophet GOD forbid that I should sinne in ceasing to pray for them that the word may take good effect in their harts considering it is in his hands onely to giue the blessing vpon our labours For Paul may plant and Apollos water but it is God that giueth the increase 1 Cor. 3 6. And doubtlesse God doth often withhold the dew of his grace frō our labours because we do not desire craue his blessing It may be said what should the Minister aske for them or for what should he pray on their behalfe I answer for their conuersion confirmation consolation preseruation multiplication and remouing of tribulation .. Many in all Congregations remaine yet in ignorance are not turned vnto God we must pray that they may bee gained and conuerted Acts 3 19. Many are weake and feeble minded as the bruised reede and as the smoking flaxe we must pray that they may be supported and strengthened Eph. 3 16. Many are as it were quite out of heart being tired with the tentations of Satan and tribulations of the world these must be cheered vp and comforted Math. 26 41. Acts 14 22. Many haue indeed receiued to beleeue but they are ready to stand at a stay and some at the point to goe backward we must pray that these may be kept and preserued Iohn 17 11. Holy Father saith Christ keepe through thine owne Name those whom thou hast giuen me that they may bee one as we are Many Congregations haue the fewest number that haue giuen their names in sincerity and vprightnesse of heart to God and resolued to offer vp their bodies an holy and liuing sacrifice vnto him so that the true Church is a little flocke wee must pray therefore that the number may be augmented and encreased and that he would euery day adde vnto the Church such as shold be saued Acts 2 47 and 13 48. and 16.5 So were the Churches established in the faith increased in number daily Lastly the Churches of God do often lye vnder many iudgements and are pressed euen aboue measure with sundry calamities it is our duty therefore to pray to GOD to haue them remoued that they may haue a breathing time quietly serue the Lord in peace and tranquility as Paul wisheth Agrippa were altogether like him except his bands Acts 26 29. Secondly this serueth to reproue such as Vse 2 neuer practise this neither thinke it to be any ministeriall duty to pray for the people and for the blessing of God vpon their own speaking the peoples hearing And thus is the whole office of the Ministry disanulled Some that loue their owne ease more then the peoples good maintaine that reading is preaching because they are loth to take paines thēselues or to maintaine any that should take paines Others that pray sildome thinke it needlesse either to begin their Sermons or to end them with inuocation of the Name of God and by this meanes they neither giue themselues continually to praier neither to the Ministery of the word And if we marke the people that liue vnder their Ministery depend vpon them we shall see them for the most part most ignorant and such as haue no desire of knowledge except peraduenture some few who haue beene fed with the crums that fall from other mens tables I meane that haue gotten their knowledge in other places Thirdly it is the Ministers duty to labour after the grace of praier For how shall they Vse 3 be able to commend the people to GOD in praier if they be not able at all occasions and times to pray for them beeing destitute of this holy and heauenly gift which is a most necessary a most worthy a most effectuall gift It is a principall part of Gods worship oftentimes beareth the name of the whole worship of God Gen. 4 26. Acts 9 14. 2 Tim. 2 19. It is the meanes which God hath sanctified to vnlocke the closet of his graces They are hid in God and as it were kept in his secret chamber vnder locke and key praier is the meanes to open the doore that leadeth vs the way vnto them God is indeed the fountaine of all blessings but the spring is farre the waters of life are with him but if we vse not praier it may be truely saide to vs as the woman of Samaria spake Iohn 4 11. Thou hast nothing to draw with and the well is deepe from whence therefore canst thou haue that liuing water If then we account the sauing graces of God necessary wee must also account that meanes necessary by which we do obtaine them As for those that despise the meanes they do also despise the precious graces of God which are obtained by meanes The like we might speake of the excellency and efficacy of prayer But what shall all this auaile vs if we be as dumbe men and not able to open our mouthes to make petition to God for them The Apostle willeth Timothy that prayers supplications intercessions and thankesgiuings should bee made to God by him and other Ministers 1 Tim. 2 1. We must all labor to know the state of our flocks If we see any wants among them we must pray to haue them supplied if any iudgments breake in vpon them we must pray to haue them remoued and if God at any time haue graciously heard vs we must be able to giue him the glory Lastly let the people answer duty for duty Vse 4 and praier with praier that so there may be a mutuall performance of the same by the Pastour for the people and by the people for the Pastour For seeing the Ministers are commanded to pray for them why should they bee backward to remember their Ministers
all parents to teach their children Eph. 6 4. of Masters to bring vp their seruants in the nurture and admonition of the Lord as Abraham and Cornelius did This is a notable meanes to keep to maintaine and to defend the truth As for those that will not teach the truth to theÌ„ that are in their houses they are the diuels Prophets who is the father of error ignorance Such fathers and such masters are the cheefe meanes of the decay and decreasing of religion piety faith and righteousnesse Secondly we maintaine the truth and make it knowne by open confession and profession thereof Euery man must opeÌ„ his mouth in Gods cause when the gates of hell are opened against it and wee must earnestly stand for it and constantly beare witnesse vnto it whensoeuer it is oppugned and resisted The Apostle chargeth to Sanctifie the Lord God in our hearts be ready alwaies to giue an account and answer to euerie man that asketh vs a reason of the hope that is in vs 1 Peter 3 15. with meekenesse and feare Thus did the holie Martyrs at their death witnesse a good confession and thereby draw many to a loue and embracing of that truth for which they suffered If we be bold to confesse the Lord Iesus and his Gospell He will not be ashamed of vs in his kingdome but confesse vs before his father Mat. 10 32 33. Thirdly we must leade an holy and sanctified life and giue a good example vnto those among whom we liue An vnblameable and vnreprooueable conuersation is a great meanes to cause others to embrace godlinesse when we are carefull to adorne the Gospell of Christ with a good life whereas otherwise we cause the enemies of God to blaspheme the name of God and to speake euill of the truth Therefore the Apostle willeth vs to be blamelesse and harmlesse the sonnes of God Philip. 2 15. without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and peruerse nation among whom we must shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Lastly we must maintaine his truth by the armour of prayer desiring God to make an open way and free passage for his owne ordinance and also to send forth painfull plentifull Labourers into his haruest to gather his corne together and to withstand all false doctrines and heresies This doeth Christ command Math. 9.38 This doe the Apostles practise Actes 4 30. God hath in great mercie vouchsafed his word vnto vs it is our dutie to seeke to vphold and maintain it that so it may be continued vnto vs and our posterity for euer Let vs therefore practise these few points and be carefull to practise instruction confession and inuocation Thus we shall shew our loue to the truth a minde ready to receiue it a memory ready to retaine it and an heart ready to practise it 5 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 6 Take the Leuites from among the Children of Israel and cleanse them 7 And thus shalt thou do vnto them c. The second part of the Chapter followeth concerning the Leuites wherein obserue two things First the separation of them from the rest of the people secondly a limitation of time by the speciall commandement of God for the entering into their office Their separation or setting apart for the ministration in the Tabernacle offereth vnto vs the commaÌ„dement of God and the obedience of Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation performed to the commandement of God Their separation is noted by many particular circumstances they must be clensed with water of purifying their garments must be washed their flesh must be shaued Verse 7. they must take one yong Bullocke for a meate offering and another for a sinne offering verse 8. And Aaron must offer them verse 12. the hands of the Elders must be imposed on them v. 9 10. and they must be offered before the Lord ver 11 13. Where we see that such as are appointed to handle the holy things of God must be washed and clensed with holy water It is very meete and conuenient that they should approach thereunto with pure hands euen in respect of outward cleannesse Exod. 25 31. But heereby is another thing meant Namely that the Ministers and generally al others that draw neere to God in performance of any dutie â—â—â—â—rine must bee clensed and washed â—inisters 〈◊〉 other â—â—aw 〈◊〉 to God 〈◊〉 â—e clenâ—â— they must haue cleane hearts cleane affections cleane workes whensoeuer they come into his presence This was figured out to Moses Exod. 3. when hee was about to draw neere to see the burning bush the Lord saide Put off thy shoes for the ground wheron thou standest is holy grouÌ„d Salomon willeth vs to take heed to our foote when we enter into the house of God Eccl. 5 1. When we go about to pray we must lift vp pure and holy hands 1 Tim. 2 8. When wee come to the Sacraments we are willed to examine our selues and so eate of that bread drinke of that cup 1 Cor. 11 28. Whensoeuer we present our selues in the Congregation to heare the word we must lay apart all filthines and superfluity of naughtinesse and receyue with meeknesse the engrafted word which is able to saue our soules Iames 1 21. Wee must cast off all malice and all guile and hypocrisies enuies and euill speakings that so we may grow by the milke of the word 1 Pet. 2.1.2 This we ought to do the rather First because Reason 1 God is present euery where Mat. 18. His eye is vpon all his suppliants that pray vnto him vpon all his guests that come to the table vpon all men that heare his voice Mat. 22.11 He taketh a view and surueigh of such as preasse into his presence Zeph. 1 12. That he may giue to euerie man according to his works If we search not our hearts he wil search them if we iudge not our selues he will iudge vs 1 Cor. 11. His eie is vpon vs to approue of vs if we do well to reiect vs if we do euill as the examples of Caine and Abel shew Secondly without this inward sanctification all our exercises of Religion are reiected and therefore we are willed when we come before the Lord To wash vs and make vs cleane to put away the euill of our doings Esay 1 16. Vse 1 This reproueth all such as offer to perform diuine duties to almighty God without meditation or preparation such as rush violently into Gods presence without due reuerence and regard Math. 22. as he did that came to the feast without his wedding garment There was but one such guest yet the Lord soone espied him and called him out If there be but one such in an assembly he cannot escape the all-seeing eye of God who hath also a reuenging eye that cannot see his honor and glorie defaced Who wold presume or dare to come into the presence of an earthly Prince in an vnseemely
pleaseth God to preserue life by very weake meanes to shew that man liueth not by bread onely so is it in the famine of spirituall things In the dayes of Ahab when the Temple was forsaken by the ten tribes and idolatry was erected in Israel the altars digged downe and the Prophets slaine yet God reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal 1 King 19.18 Rom. 11.4 There were very few labourers in the daies of Christ among the Iewes ignorance had couered the land that they were as sheep without a shepheard Matth. 9 3â— and yet in those barren times when the seede of the word was thinly sowen there was a plentifull haruest ready to be gathered for loe the fields were white vnto the haruest Ioh. 4.35 Thus doth God blesse what meanes soeuer it shall please him to vse let them be neuer so weake in themselues and little in our eyes yet they shall haue force and strength enough when he will imploy them which serueth as a great comfort to those that haue not the best meanes to bring them to faith and repentance Use 3 Lastly we must take heed we put not slight and vnnecessary excuses for vrgent and necessary causes They that were bidden to the wedding pleaded by way of excuse for themselues I haue hyred a farme I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen I haue married a wife I cannot come Luke 14.18 Matth. 22.5 Many in our dayes would account these good excuses honest pretences lawful defences indeed it cannot be denyed but they iustifie them by their owne practises â—â—k 16.51 as Ierusalem did Samaria For they goe further in their wicked wayes and account it a sufficient colour to warrant their absence from Gods ordinance saying I haue a bargaine to make I haue worke to take I am bidden to a feast I must goe speake with such a man it is rainy weather there is an yeueall at the next Parish I must walke about my ground to see my corne and cattell I am otherwise busie and therefore I cannot come Others that thinke themselues more wise yet shew themselues more wicked because they pretend greater loue to the truth and liking to Religion then the other they can reade good Sermons and vse good prayers at home and therefore what need they come Let all these take heed to bind them together in one bundle lest it be said vnto them heereafter as it was said to such as made such like slight and sleeulesse excuses that none of those that were bidden should taste of that Supper Necessary causes of absence are such as require present doing that could not be dispatched before neither can be put off vntill afterward Heat and colde raine and shine hunger and thirst pouerty of estate or tediousnes of iourney could not keepe the people of God from the Passeouer Psal 84.6 They goe from strength to strength euery one of them in Sion appeareth before God These can excuse no man to his Prince no not to the ordinary iudge and iustice When a man is cited and summoned by word or writ to appeare at the barre of an earthly iudge will it be taken for currant answer to say O sir I was willing and desirous to appeare but it was hote weather or cold weather or rainy weather wil such friuolous and fruitlesse excuses be admitted and shall wee think that the king of kings and the iudge of iudges will receiue them at such times as hee summoneth vs to appeare before his presence Let vs not therefore offer and performe lesse duty and seruice vnto God then we do vnto men nor suppose that God will content himselfe with lesse attendance then man doth Ver 10. If any of you or of your posterity shall be vncleane by reason of a dead body Heere is another cause of being kept from the Passeouer â—â—â—n â—â—dâ—â—â—â—â—â— offenâ—â—â—â—â—ght tâ—â—â—â—ed 〈◊〉 the comâ—â—n to wit vncleannesse The doctrine â—â—ctrine is that open offenders and impenitent persons ought not to haue any accesse to the Lords Table but are to be kept from it as vncleane birdes from the Sacrifice A stranger vncircumcised had nothing to doe with the Passeouer Exod. 12.48 The incestuous person was excommunicated from the Church and the priuiledges of it 1 Cor. 5. as Caine was from the face of God Gen. 4. When Adam had sinned against God and eaten of the forbidden fruite he was put out of the gaâ—den that he might not eate of the fruite of the tree of life Gen. 3.22 23 24. this was as a Sacrament vnto him of life so long as he continued in obedience The Sacraments are holy things but holy things must not be giuen to dogges the Sacraments are precious pearles but pearls must not be cast before swine Now obstinate offenders and notorious sinners are dogges and swine The reasons are as Christ saith they will Reason 1 trample them vnder their feet Matt. 7.6 they place no holinesse in them they do not esteem them as any pearles or value them at any rate Hence it is that the Prophet saith If any that is vncleane by a dead body touch any of these it shall be vncleane Hag. 2.13 if then the person be defiled he defileth whatsoeuer he toucheth the holines of the sacrifice cannot make him holy but the wickednesse of the person shall make the sacrifice vnholy Againe such as come to the Lords Supper must shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 That is he must publish with praise and thanksgiuing vnto God the memoriall of the greatest wonder and mystery that euer fell out in the world to wit the propitiatory sacrifice and precious death of the eternall Son of God But this can neuer be done by a wicked man Praise in the mouth of a foole is not comely nor commendable neither God will accept of them any such sacrifice Thirdly they are guilty of the body and blood of Christ and therfore it must needs be a feareful wickednesse to come in such a wretched and prophane manner 1 Corinth 11.27 They are despisers of the most precious thing in the world Heb. 10.29 They tread vnder foot the Sonne of God and account the blood of the New Testament a prophane thing which caused the Angels of God the whole frame of nature in heauen and earth to wonder at it and to be dismayed at the death of the Sonne of God contemned by these wicked wretches No sinne murther incest treason comparable to this sinne Fourthly they haue no fellowship with the Church in these holy things there is no communion betweene light and darkenesse betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse and therefore Simon Peter said to Simon Magus Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this businesse Acts 8.21 Such therefore as are scandalous prophane are to be separated by the Church from others as â—â—ule and filthy beasts are to be kept from faire springs lest with their feet they defile the water Lastly the seale belongeth to
quickned and the vital spirits begin to work all the rest of the members reioyce So it should be with vs when it may be said This my brother was dead and is aliue againe hee was lost and is found it is meete we should make merry and be glad Luke 15.32 When the sheepe that went astray is brought home into the sheepefold why should we not reioyce there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God in heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth verse 7.10 When the hand of the Lord was with the Apostles so that a great number beleeued and turned vnto him they were glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they should cleaue vnto the Lord Act. 11.23 and 13.48 When therefore we see the Church grow in grace and increase in number and florish in peace we cannot but reioyce and be glad This is a notable signe and infallible token that we are fellow members of that body and that the word of God hath gotten roote in our hearts This vse is taught by the Prophet Psal 47.6 7 8 9. Sing praises to God sing praises sing prayses vnto our king sing praises for God is the king of all the earth and reigneth ouer the heathen c. The faithfull were wont to giue him thankes for the encrease of their priuate houses much more then ought we to doe it when the house of GOD encreaseth and his sauing health is made known more and more But of this doctrine see more chap. 23.10 CHAP. XI Ver. 1. AND when the people complained it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled c. HEere beginneth the second part of the booke 〈◊〉 secâ—nd 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—ke according to the diuision obserued before wherein we are to consider the iournies of the children of Israel according vnto their particular murmurings against God Of this chapter there are two parts which are two of their murmurings both of them fell out in their twelfth remouing as appeareth in the 33 chapter afterward where their seuerall stations are particularly distinguished The first is in the three first verses opening vnto vs their sinne their chastisement and the euent thereof The cause of their murmuring and the words of these murmurers are not expressed but may in part be gathered from the end of the former chapter where it appeareth they departed from Mount Sinai three daies iourney without resting or intermission with all their luggage and portage as it were with bag and baggage they had rested long at the foot of the Mountaine now therefore it is tedious and toilsome vnto them to goe so long together so that they begin to fret and rage to murmure and complaine against Moses or rather against God himselfe The iudgement followeth the sinne and ouertaketh the sinner for God is offended at it and sent a fire from heauen which consumed the vttermost part of the Campe and no doubt burnt vp many of them in the same God hath all creatures in his owne hand sometimes he drowneth with water sometimes hee consumeth with fire somtimes he infecteth with the aire and sometimes swalloweth vp in the eatth neuer leaueth sinne and rebellion vnpunished so long as there is any creature in the world to arme against the sinner Lastly we haue the euent and issue of all the people cryed to Moses whom they contemned before and he vnto God who was intreated to spare them and a monument both of their sinne and of Gods iudgement is described by the place which is named Taberah that is a burning vpon this occasion First of all let vs consider their murmuring This is a greeuous sinne or rather an heape of many sinnes compacted together as pride disdaine vnthankfulnesse infidelity impatience forgetfulnesse tempting of God and a violent insurrection ioyned with fretting and chasing against him and many such like corruptions The doctrine Doctrine from this example is this that it is the property of carnall men Carnall men are ready to murmure against God vpon euery occasion whensoeuer any thing falleth not out according to their corrupt desire to murmure against God as Prou. 19 3. This was the common behauiour of the discontented Israelites while they wandred in the wildernesse and sometimes they wished they had died in Egypt rather theÌ„ they would any way be crossed in their humours Exod. 16 and 17 3. This male-contentednesse died not with Reason 1 them for first euery one would haue what him listeth and regardeth not what God appointeth and approueth Ier. 44 16 17 and 18 verse 12. Secondly euery man would haue present helpe in trouble he cannot abide quietly to be one moment vnder the Crosse and if it be not by and by remoued he sheweth the corruption that is in him We are like to him that hauing receiued a wound will be healed presently or else he will not be healed at all Thirdly they want faith and hope to beleeue in God and to waite vpon him Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11 1. And if wee hope for that which we see not we do with patience waite for it Rom. 8 25. Fourthly they deuise and inuent to themselues false causes of their crosses and neuer enter into their owne hearts to consider the true cause as Deut. 1 27. Ye murmured in your tents and said Because the Lord hated vs hee hath brought vs foorth out of the Land of Egypt to deliuer vs into the hand of the Amorites to destroy vs. They should haue accused themselues and not God they should haue confessed their owne sinnes not haue alledged the hatred of God which was to make that the cause which was not the cause and not to make that to be the cause which indeed was the true cause The vses This serueth iustly to reproue all Vse 1 such as mutter and murmure when they haue not their owne will like waiward children that will neuer be quiet but wheÌ„ their mouths are ful How many are there that mislike their places and callings and fret against God if he do not please them in all things If they bee touched with pouerty famine sicknes losses or any kinde of aduersity they are offended and discontented with the Almighty If God send out any contagious sicknesse or blasting or mildew or foule weather c. how do we take on and vex our selues We are like the Israelites we breake out into impatiency we neuer thinke vpon our owne deseruings nor consider we haue deserued far greater plagues We may say as Moses doth The Lord heareth the murmurings of the people Exod. 16.12 Or rather these are like that prophane beast in the booke of the kings when in extremity of famine 2 King 6.33 he faid Behold this euill commeth of the Lord shall I attend on the Lord any longer Some there are that smell rankly of the smoke of the Romish religion who will seeme to cast
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
foule or dung so filthy as we are through corruption Iob 14 verse 4 and 25 verse 4. Esay 64 6. Titus 1 15. There is no sent or sauour no carcasse so corrupt and ready to infect as that which proceedeth from our selues What it is that doeth chiefly infect wherby we defile our selues and one another This Christ teacheth Math. 15 verse 18. Those things which proceed out of the mouth come foorth from the heart and they defile the man Keepe out sinne from the heart and the plague shall neuer defile the man euery one therefore must labour to cleanse the heart Thirdly seeing it is caused by sinne wee must learne to search and finde out the true Vse 3 cause of the plague The enemies of Gods word will make the Gospel the cause of the pestilence and of all other calamities So did Ahab Iehoram make the Prophets the principall procurers of the famine which fell out in their daies 1 Kings 18 17. 2 Kings 6 31. Thus dealt the heathen with the christians that liued vnder the heathen and persecuting Emperours when any famine or pestilence or ouerthrow befell among them they imputed all to Christians and cryed out to haue them persecuted and punished as appeareth at large in the Apology of Tertullian These are blasphemous mockers and deriders of the holy faith of Christ which open their mouthes against heauen The chiefe cause of the plague is the contempt of the word Ier. chapter 29 17 19. Lastly euery one of vs must learne how to behaue our selues in the troublesome times of Vse 4 this heauy iudgement We must haue a tender feeling of their distressed condition that lye vnder this greeuous hand of GOD. The Church is compared to a body wherof Christ is the head Eph. 4 ver 16 and the faithfull are members Romanes 12 4. 1 Corinthians 12 12. They make but one body though they be many different members and are all vnder one head and therefore are to helpe one another to beare one anothers burden and so fulfill the law of Christ Galathians 6 2 1 Corinthians 12 verse 24. Let vs consider the seuerall duties belonging to seuerall persons in the day of visitation The duty of Magistrates is then especially to see religion established The duty oâ— Magistraâ—â—â— time of thâ— plague euill doers cut off from the City of God and all disorders remoued Psal 101 8. They must humble themselues and cause the people to humble themselues They must appoint fasting and praier that thereby they may moue the Lord to call backe his iudgement We haue a notable example of this in the King of Nineue Ionas 3 6â— when he feared a generall iudgement to come vpon himselfe and his people he rose vp from his throne and laide away his robe from him he couered himselfe with sackcloth and sate in ashes yea he proclaimed that neither man nor beast herde nor flocke should taste any thing and that they should cry mightily to GOD saying Who can tell if God will returne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that we perish not Ion. 3 6 7 8 9. Here is a good president for Kings Princes what by their owne example publike decrees they ought to do that there may be a common humiliation of all estates 〈◊〉 dutie of â—â—â—â—sters in 〈◊〉 of the â—e It is the duty of the Ministers to preach the worde most earnestly both the Law and the Gospell in season and out of season to perswade to repentance to comfort the feeble-minded out of Gods word to stirre vppe the poore to patience the rich to liberality and all men to compassion and commiseration It belongeth vnto them as it were to stand in the gappe they must aboue others pray earnestly to God Amos 7. verse 25. knowing that the prayer of a iust man auaileth much if it be feruent Iames 5 16 17. So was it with Moses and Aaron when the plague was begunne he willed Aaron to take a Censer who ranne into the middest of the Congregation and stoode betweene the liuing and the dead offering Incense and making attonement for the sinnes of the people Numbers 16. verse 48. It is the duty of all parents to teach and instruct their children from whence 〈◊〉 dutie of â—â—â—â—nts in 〈◊〉 of the â—e for what causes God sendeth the pestilence and other calamites Deut. 6.7 They must goe before them in a good example of life Genesis chap. 18 19. and if they should see all other carelesse and negligent in this duty yet must they say with Ioshua chap. 24. verse 15. As for mee and mine house we will serue the Lord. It belongeth vnto them to call their families vnto priuate humiliation as Ester did chap. 14. verse 16. and euery day they should offer vp sacrifice for their seruants and children after the example of holy Iob chap. 1. verse 5. and pray for their safety and welfare and euerie day giue thankes for their most mercifull deliuerance while in the meane season so many fall on their right hand and on their left It is the dutie of rich men in time of contagion 〈◊〉 dutie of 〈◊〉 men in 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 to haue as at al other times so then especially a diligent care of the poore because then the greatest occasion is offered to doe good We must not shut them vppe in their houses and then shut vp our compassion from them as it were in a close prison without releefe It is the commendation of the Christian Church after the ascension of Christ that they had all things common and no man said that ought of the things which hee possessed was his owne neither was there any among them that lacked Acts 4 32 34. If they did this in the neede of the Church how much more ought we to prouide for those that cannot prouide for themselues He is not worthy to beare the name of a Christian that at such times would withhold things necessarie from those that are withholden from the companie of others Woe vnto those that would adde so great affliction to those that are deepely afflicted already The foure Lepers that were put out of the city according to the law dwelt apart by themselues at the entering in of the gate for feare of infection were notwithstanding prouided for in the streight siege of Samaria so long as there was any thing in the city they wanted not but were prouided for 2 Kings 7 4. So it ought to be among vs. It is the dutie of the poore needy to arme themselues with patience The dutie of the poore and needy in time of the plague as a shield buckler in time of trouble knowing that nothing falleth out without the prouidence appointment of God He will not lay more vpon vs then he will enable vs to beare but with the tentation will make an happy issue 1 Cor. 10 13. hee will comfort vs in our tribulation 2. Cor.
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
reiect those meanes the greater our sin is and the greater sinners we are if wee breake these bands and cast these cords from vs. The sinnes of the Israelites are often aggrauated and made the more grieuous and heinous because the Lord had sent his prophets among them Ier. 7.13 14. and 11.7 8. and 35.14 Psa 78.17 31 35 56. Matth. 11.21 22 23 24. Dan. 9.5.6 Reason 1 The reasons First because those men sinne against knowledge hauing the word to informe them and their owne consciences to conuince them Knowledge maketh euery sinne the greater Luk. 12 47. Ioh. 15.22 and 12.48 They are like to a man that hath much meat and digesteth nothing Bernard so that it corrupteth in the stomacke and doth him no good at all Now they that haue many meanes for the soule are like him that hath much meat for the body for they that heare much and haue many instructions and yet do not bring forth fruits answerable thereunto their sinne is the greater and themselues thereby made inexcusable Reason 2 Secondly it argueth obstinacy and hardnesse of heart they haue many strokes giuen them but they feel none of them For such as transgresse in the middes of those helpes that serue to restraine sinne do not sin of infirmity or weaknesse but of obstinacy and wilfulnesse Now the more wilfull a man is the more sinnefull hee is and the greater is his sinne This conuinceth our times of much sinfulnesse Vse 1 and in these times some places and in those places sundry persons to be greater sinners then others And why greater Because our times haue had more meanes to preuent and keepe from sinne then other times haue had What could the Lord haue done for vs that he hath not done We haue beene as his vineyard which he hath fenced he hath gathered the stones out of it he hath planted it with the choicest plants and hedged about it that the beasts of the field and of the forrest should not hurt it he may therefore iustly looke that it should bring forth grapes but it hath brought forth wild grapes Esay 5.4 5. Luke 13.6 or as his figge tree which he hath digged and dunged and therefore he may well seeke fruite thereon especially hauing waited with patience for it What hath not God done for vs and to vs to reclaime vs Our times and people haue had many deliuerances from dangers that other times and people haue not had which threatned vs both within and without both forrain and domesticall We haue had greater blessings bestowed vpon vs then others we haue had the word more plentifully preached to vs then others All these we being vnthankefull and disobedient doe make vs greater sinners then others which haue wanted these blessings Thus doe wee turne our blessings to be our bane and Gods mercies to be curses vpon vs. We see many Congregations where God hath risen early and late giuing them his word and faithful Ministers as diligent watchmen to admonish them and to threaten his iudgements are oftentimes more sinfull then other places that haue wanted these meanes and no worse persons in the world then some that liue vnder the standing Ministery of the word God in iust iudgement giuing them ouer to Satan If such be giuen to common and continuall swearing and abusing of the Name of God to contempt of the word and of the Sabbath they are greater sinners then others and are more guilty in his sight and consequently shall be more sharpely and seuerely punished Secondly it admonisheth all that enioy the Vse meanes of preuenting sinne as benefits and blessings the Scriptures and word of God his corrections and chastisements his promises threatnings his patience long sufferance that they labor to make profit by theÌ„ to fulfil all righteousnesse lest God account their sinne greater then others For we must know this whatsoeuer is a sinne in others is a trebble sinne in them because they haue the sword of God to cut the knots and sinewes of sinne in sunder when others haue not had that means We may with griefe speake of many places that Israel hath beene without a teaching Priest and without Law 2 Chro. 15.3 they haue wanted the gracious meanes of saluation to teach to reproue to instruct and to correct therfore no maruell if sinne abound But they that liue where sinne is daily met withall and encountred do make their sinne out of measure sinfull Let vs therefore diligently examine our selues how we are affected at the hearing of the preaching of the word and of the threatnings denounced against our sinnes Vse 3 Lastly learn from hence that the word is neuer preached in vain whether we be conuerted by it or not For it is like the raine and snow that falleth from heauen that returneth not thither againe Esay 55.10 11. So the word of God shall not returne to him as a voide and vaine thing but shall accomplish that which he pleaseth and shall prosper in the thing whereunto he sendeth it But some will say â—iection Then it is better to be without the word then to haue it if mens sinnes be so much the greater because they haue beene so much taught and it may seeme better not to heare it at all â—sw I answere this is true in some sort howbeit not simply in it selfe Let no man thinke his case the happier because hee wanteth the word for as Paul saith they that haue the law if they contemne it shall perish by the law and they that want the Law shall perish without the law Rom. 2.12 Besides they may be said to haue the meanes that want them when they may haue them No man must reiect the word because they that refuse it are made worse by it Would a man be willing to cast away his wealth because he seeth himselfe made worse by it more couetous more cruell more hard hearted more high minded We see no in the example of the rich man Matt. 19. rather then he would cast it away hee would labour for a liberall hand and a mercifull heart to vse it aright so is it in this case Indeed it had beene better wee had neuer knowne the word and the way of righteousnesse by the direction of the word then to depart from it better I say in respect of the end of our estate and the iudgment that hangeth ouer vs yet we should not therefore wish to be without the word but rather to haue a sanctified heart that we may keepe our selues from the sinnes of others Then we will account it an happy thing to liue in such places where the word of God is truly preached Let vs therefore labour to make good vse of the good meanes that our good God hath afforded vs for our good and labour to profite by them in faith and obedience or else our sinnes shall be made so much the greater and consequently our iudgments the greater also 11 For which cause both thou
receiued Thus he dealt with Dauid whom hee greatly fauoured and aduanced to the kingdome when he fell into grieuous sins 2 Sam. 12.9 10. Thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his wife to bee thy wife and hast slaine him with the sword of the children of Ammon Now therefore the sword shal neuer depart from thine house and I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house So soone as Salomon set vp idolatry and wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord he stirred vp aduersaries vnto Salomon 1 King 11. â— 14. and afterward rent the greatest part of the kingdome out of the hands of his sonne This serueth to conuince all such prophane persons as presume of Gods patience and abuse his mercy to all loosenesse and licenciousnesse saying God is mercifull and yet continue in their sinnes But we must know that as he is mercifull so hee is iust as his mercy is toward the penitent so his iustice is toward the obstinate who spareth not his owne people that forget his Law and therefore will deale more fiercely against strangers Vse 3 Thirdly measure not the fauour and loue of God toward our selues or others by outward blessings or outward crosses by prosperity or aduersity which come alike to the godly and vngodly Nay oftentimes the wicked flourish when the faithfull are in great misery as Psal 73.3 4 5. So Salomon teacheth Eccle. 9.2 Therefore Christ our Sauiour correcteth the wrong iudgement of the disciples supposing that such as Pilate slew were the greatest sinners of all the rest that dwelt in Ierusalem because they suffered those things Luke 13.1 2 3. If then we would find sound comfort in our hearts and feele vnfained testimonies of Gods fauour towards vs wee must not seeke for them in outward blessings or in want of outward blessings both which are common to the godly and vngodly but in ioy in the holy Ghost in remission of sinnes in repentance from dead workes in the spirit of adoption in faith in Christ in peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding As for other things place not thy heauen and happinesse in them if blessings come receiue them thankefully if crosses learne to beare them patiently Fourthly wee are hereby put in minde to Vse 4 search our owne wayes to suruey our owne hearts and to prooue by the touchstone of the word our owne thoughts words and workes that we haue conceiued spoken and done what we haue iustly deserued if God in iustice should proceede against vs examining seriously our owne life mourning bitterly for our sinnes past and turning vnfainedly vnto God with all our hearts This duty is vrged by Ieremy the Prophet Lam. 3.39 40 41 42. This is the marke that God shooteth at this is the end that he respecteth euen by his afflictions to bring vs home to himselfe not to destroy and confound vs for euer Heb 12.5 10. Let vs not dispise the chastenings of the Lord nor faint when we are rebuked We haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs for a few daies and we gaue them reuerence should wee not much rather be in subiection to the Father of spirits who chastneth those whom he loueth and scourgeth euery sonne whom hee receiueth Fiftly let vs labour to strengthen our faith Vse 5 by the word and Sacraments and by such ordinary meanes as hee hath appointed for that purpose Hereunto the Apostle exhorteth 1. Cor. 11.30 To examine our selues and so to eate of that bread and drinke of that cup declaring that the iudgements of God were broken in among the Corinthians insomuch that many were weake and sicke among them and many slept Wherefore whensoeuer wee find the hand of God sore and heauy vpon vs it is our duty to seeke strength of faith by the vse of the word and Sacraments whereby wee shall learne to find out the true cause of those iudgements and submit our selues vnder his hand that striketh vs as a father For the Scriptures serue to direct vs the Sacraments serue to comfort vs Psal 116. â— Without which the Prophet had perished in his afflictions Lastly seeing God chastiseth his when Vse 6 they offend then most assuredly the wicked that are not his shall not escape his reuenging hand If he correct the flocke of his own pasture the children of his owne houshold the citizens of his owne kingdome and the members of his owne body fed at his owne table in this life and made heires of heauen in the life to come really possessing that inheritance with what plagues punishments torments will he visit the rebellion of aliants and strangers If the Lord deale sharply toward these to whom he is a mercifull Father and gracious Sauiour and whom he often preuenteth with his liberall blessings Surely his reuenging wrath full of rage Psal 21.8 2 King 21. shall find out all his enemies whom he wipe will away as a man wipeth a dish turneth it vpside down This is that which Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbs Behold â— 11.31 the righteous shall bee recompenced in the earth how much more the wicked and the sinner There remaineth a day of iudgement when they shall be punished as they deserue either in this life or in the life to come With this the Apostle Peter sweetly accordeth 1 Pet. 4.17 18. The time is come that iudgement must begin at the house of God if it first begin at vs what shall the end be of them which obey not the Gospel of God And if the righteous scarcely bee saued where shal the wicked and the sinner appeare Where we see that God will scourge whip his owne children for their frailties and infirmities appearing in them But he correcteth the godly in mercy the vngodly in anger the godly as a louing father the vngodly as a iust Iudge the godly to amend them the vngodly to condemne them the godly albeeit humbled and cast downe with one hand are comforted and raised vp with another whereas the punishments that fall vpon the heads of the vngodly are but the beginnings of sorrow and as the flashings of hell fire Now the earth is not properly the place of vengeance and iudgement For we must vnderstand that God hath appointed three places earth heauen hell for three seuerall purposes â—ree places 〈◊〉 need for ree seuerall â—poses the earth to be a place of working the heauen a place of rewarding hell a place of punishing earth as a shop of labour heauen as a pallace of glory hell as a prison of torment Notwithstanding rather then sinners should escape and sinne goe vnpunished the Lord wil call a priuy or petty Sessions euen in this life and make the earth his gaile or house of correction If then God will visit their transgressions with such heauy strokes Alas what shall become of al prophane persons vnrepentant offenders obstinate sinners such as contemne God and his word euery
3 we see the wicked prosper and florish spredding themselues as the greene Bay tree for loe God hath set them in slippery places Psal 37 53. and casteth them downe in the end vnto desolation they are suddenly destroyed horribly consumed as the chaffe which the winde driueth away and as a dreame when one awaketh This tentation hath ouertaken the children of God and caused them oftentimes to shrinke back when they saw the prosperity of the vngodly Psal 73 2 3. Hab. 1 4. and on the other side the troubles of the godly hath made them to reason within themselues of the prouidence of God But shall not the King rule his owne kingdome or the Master gouerne his own house as pleaseth him And shall not we giue the Lord leaue to dispose of all things in heauen and earth after the good pleasure of his owne will Hee fatteth the wicked against the day of slaughter he leaueth them without excuse and maketh his blessings as a witnesse against them Contrarywise the children of God although they suffer afflictions yet afflictions to them are not euill but try their faith as the furnace doth the gold Senec. de diui prouidentia c. 8 Let vs not deceiue our selues in iudging and esteeming of good and euill That is good which maketh vs better that is euil that maketh vs worse The workes of the flesh adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennesse couetousnesse and such like are manifestly euill These God keepeth from his deere children and his deere children from them that they reigne not in them The Israelites in Egypt liued vnder hard masters and carried many heauy burthens and sent vp many passionate sighes to God with deepe grones of spirit whilst Pharaoh and the Egyptians tooke crafty counsell together and sported themselues in the miseries mischiefs which they had brought vpon them But whose condition was the more happie let the red Sea testifie from which the Israelits were deliuered Exo 14 27 29 in which the EgyptiaÌ„s were drowned Dauid taken from the sheepe-folds tasted of many sorrowes being in perils among the Amalekites in perils in the Wildernesse in perils of his owne Nation in perils of his own seruants in perils among false bretheren and was hunted from place to place as a Partridge in the Mountaines 2 Sam. 31 4. whilst Saul sought his life and enioyed the pleasures and treasures of a kingdom But whose estate was the more happy let the end and yssue of them both determine the one liued in glory ended his daies in peace the other sheathed his sword in his owne bowels and so dyed in despaire The Apostle Iames willeth vs to take the Prophets for an example of suffering aduersity and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made Iam. 5 10 11. for the Lord is very pittifull and mercifull Lazarus a poore begger destitute of succour and friends lying at the rich mans gate hauing his minde as full of cares as his bodie was of sores whilst the rich glutton was clad in purple gorgiously and fared deliciously euery day But whose condition was the more blessed and happy of them twaine let this tell vs and teach vs for our instruction that Lazarus when he died had the holy elect Angels to attend vpon him to carry his soule into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22 23 that is to say into the kingdome of heauen Matth. 8 11. the rich man also died his body was buried his soule was carried cast into the torments of hell Where the worme neuer dyeth Marke 9 44. and the fire neuer goeth out the one vnsufferable the other vnquenchable both infinite Let vs not therefore rest in beholding the present face of outward things but possesse our soules with patience in a sweet meditation of Gods prouidence considering that it shall in the end bee well with all them that feare the Lord and that howsoeuer the wicked do prosper in the world increase in riches yet if we enter into the Sanctuary of God Psal â—3 â— we shal see they are set in slippery places they are lifted vp on high and therefore their fall shall be more fearefull seeing all the threatnings of God must without faile fasten vpon them Lastly seeing the menaces and threatnings Vse 4 of God must bee performed this serueth also to assure vs that the gracious promises of God made in mercy to his people shall in truth and righteousnesse bee accomplished The Lord that is alwaies the same as hee is true in his threatnings to the vngodly so wil he be found true in his promises toward the godly For seeing no part of his word shall passe away that he will not falsifie his trueth Psal 89 â— nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth one part serueth to confirme another his threatnings are ratified by the assurance of his promises and his promises are established to bee surer then the heauens by the assuraÌ„ce of his threatnings So then let vs learne to depend vpon God to trust in him knowing 2 Cor. 1 that all his promises are yea and Amen vnto the glory of his name Let vs rest in him for the pardon of our sinnes for the hearing of our prayers for the feeding of our bellies for the resurrection of our bodies for the inheritance of euerlasting life hauing a strong assurance of faith that the Lord is iust and true in all his promises This is a notable comfort and consolation to all the childreÌ„ of God to cause vs to set our hope in him hauing a patient and constant expectation of all things that by faith we haue beleeued saying with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I also suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day Verse 25 26. Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and cause Aaron to strip off his Garments and thou shalt put them vpon his sonne Heere is deliuered how Aaron yet liuing his sonne is inuested and installed into his Office with the ceremonies and solemnities thereunto appertaining at the appointment of God to shew the continuance of the Priesthoode to take away al occasions of dissentions from the people Thus we see the good estate of the Church is prouided for by Moses before Aaron dyed Doctrâ— The Châ— must be in good after coâ— parture and went the way of all flesh The Doctrine hence is that the good of the Church must be regarded of vs to leaue it in good case after our death and departure I say it is a principall duty required of vs when wee must leaue the worlde to prouide for the
nor do all these commandements I will appoint ouer you fearefulnesse a consumption and the burning ague the sword famine and pestilence to destroy you and to make you few in number so as your high waies shall be desolate It was the Lord that brought the tenne plagues vpon Egypt â—od 8 24. â—a 11.25 38. â—y 45 7. It is the Lord that smote Nabal that he dyed It is the Lord that formeth the light and createth darknesse he maketh peace and createth euill It is the Lord that doth all these things Finally there is no euill in the City which the Lord hath not done Amos 3 6. All which things agree fitly with this history in hand that God sent fiery serpents among his people and do teach vs that he is the author of all iudgements punishments that fall vpon vs or vpon any of the sonnes of men The reasons hereof are euident and apparent Reason 1 First afflictions come not vpon vs at all aduentures they proceed not from the earth or the ayre or the heaueÌ„ it is the hand of God that lighteth vpon vs for our sinnes For what can any one or all the creatures of God do of themselues or what power is there in them to be reuenged vpon vs This therefore is our great folly that we vnwise men gaze about heere and there wandring vp and down in our owne imaginations and searching all the corners of our wits to finde out the causes of our calamities out of our selues and yet all the while we perceiue not the true and right cause to be in our selues Whensoeuer a man hath any aduersity he must looke vp to God into himselfe When we see the ayre infected it is not so disposed of it selfe When God sendeth famine 〈…〉 23. and maketh the heauen as yron the ground as brasse it is not so hardened of it owne nature When the earth is barren and vnfruitful it proceedeth not of it owne kind but we our selues are the cause of all Whensoeuer therefore we haue wofull experience and a lamentable feeling of many miseries we must not cast our eyes hither and thither but euery man must enter into himselfe search out his particular sins assuring himselfe that God knocketh at the doore of his heart and thereby prouokes him to consider beter of his own waies This Eliphaz beateth vpon Iob 5 5 6 7. The hungry shall eate vp his haruest and the thirsty shall drinke vp their substance for misery cometh not foorth of the dust neither doth affliction spring out of the earth c. Reason 2 Secondly God worketh out afflictions he claimeth and challengeth them as his own peculiar worke that no man should bee able to controule any thing in this world This the wise man vrgeth Eccles. 7 16. In the day of wealth be of good comfort and in the day of affliction consider GOD also hath made this contrary to that to the intent that man should finde nothing after him The vses of the doctrine are many First we Vse 1 learne in all troubles and calamities on vs and those that are ours to looke vp to God as the chiefe principall author of them froÌ„ whence they come and vpon our selues and our owne sinnes from whom they come It falleth out with many as it doth with the dog if a man throw a stone at him hee runneth eagerly and angerly after it he falleth vpon it and biteth it so do men of this world Prou. 19 3 when God any way visiteth them they looke vpon inferiour meanes as the highest causes which they can reach vnto but neuer cast vp their eyes to the Lord whose hand and worke it is wheras we are bound to behold the stroke of God in all our distresses We silly men accuse sometimes heat and sometimes cold sometimes drouth sometimes moysture sometimes the ground and sometimes the ayre sometimes one thing and sometimes another thing to be the cause of our calamitie but cannot bee brought to finde out the true and proper cause True it is the Lord hath secret causes that we know not of sometimes the manifestation of his owne works sometimes the triall of our faith and we must take heed we measure not the greatnesse of the sinne by the greeuousnesse of the crosse Iohn 9 2 3. wherein the Apostles themselues were deceiued Notwithstanding the reuealed and originall cause of all calamity hath his beginning and head-spring from our iniquity insomuch that if we had in vs no guilt of corruption we should not taste at all of the cup of affliction This the Prophet teacheth Lam. 3 39. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sin And our Sauiour warneth the man that had bene diseased 38 yeares finding him in the Temple to consider the cause of his long and lamentable affliction Iohn 5 14. Thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee so that this disease was laide vpon him for his sin He thought himselfe an happy man when he was restored to health Now lest he should rest therein the Lord telleth him hee must change his heart or else God will bring seuen times moe plagues vpon him according to his sins though he had bin afflicted many yeares yet he would make his iudgements vpon him more wonderfull euen great plagues of long continuance and sore diseases of long durance To the same purpose the Apostle saieth The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnesse of men which with-hold the truth in vnrighteousnesse Ro. 1 verse 18. Wherefore euery visitation of God should be a sermon of repentance to put vs in remembrance of our sinnes to admonish vs not to sowe vpon the furrowes of vnrighteousnesse lest we reape the croppe of affliction an hundred fold Let vs desire God to sanctifie the crosse vnto vs that it may consume sinne in vs and prouoke vs to a more holy conuersation Vse 2 Secondly the meditation of this that God is the author of all afflictions must teach vs to haue patience in our troubles not to murmure not to repine not to grudge when we are vnder the crosse For seeing God hath visited me with his hand I must take it patiently as a dutifull childe beareth the chastisements of his father This the Prophet practised as we see Psal 39 9 I spake not a word but held my peace because thou Lord didst it This the Apostle teacheth Heb. 12 5 6. My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth The flesh alwaies seeketh ease and is ready to be impatient if deliuerance come not by and by so that wee must remember from whence our trouble cometh to asswage the sorrow and bitternesse of our affliction For this is a great comfort to Gods children that our sicknesse yea euery pang fit of our
body Thirdly in this Type we see the nature of Vse 3 the Sacraments The brazen serpent in it selfe had no operation to work any thing in it selfe it had no vertue to cure or recouer any man of any disease The Sacraments of themselus cannot conferre grace onely they are instruments of Gods mercies which he vseth of his goodnesse toward vs to conuey to vs good things They are as the Kings gracious pardon that sealeth vp vnto vs forgiuenesse of sins so that being by his institution very auaileable wee must frequent thē with a feeling of our wants with reuerence of his ordinances with hungring after his graces with calling vpon his Name to fit and prepare vs to that heauenly worke God could haue healed his people with his word alone without the serpent as well as with the serpent as the Centurion confesseth to Christ Speake the word onely Math. ◠◠and my seruant shall be healed yet he addeth the serpent set vpon a pole for farther assurance of his word and to be a signe of their recouery so God can saue by the Ministery of his word without the Sacraments if it please him yet he addeth and annexeth them as appurtenances to the word to confirme the weaknesse of our faith and to make good the truth of his owne promise And as it was not enough for them to beleeue the word of God to the curing of their bodies the taking away of the stinging of the serpents vnlesse they vsed the helpe of the brazen serpent no more is it sufficient for vs to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sins by Christ vnlesse we labour to strengthen our faith by the Sacraments Nay if any wold not vouchsafe to looke vpon the Serpent being the meanes that God ordained for their recouery it is certaine they regarded not the word of God it selfe that they should liue so if any contemne or neglect the Sacraments being holy seales of heauenly blessings they are plainely conuinced to their faces that they respect not the word it selfe whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrary notwithstanding This we see in Ahaz who neglecting a signe offered vnto him for the better strengthening of his faith is said to tempt God and to despise his word Esay 7 12. The naturall reason of man would neuer beleeue that he should be healed by a serpent of brasse hauing no vertue or vigour in it so carnall wisedome and vnderstanding cannot discerne how a little water sprinkled on the body should be the lauer of regeneration or how a small cantle of bread should bring and conuey vnto vs the body of Christ or a little wine offer and exhibite vnto vs the blood of Christ So that as in this bodily cure both their eye did behold it and their faith did beleeue in like manner in the Sacraments we must shut the eyes of our carnall reason and open the eyes of faith beleeue his word and we shall be comforted For euery man doth in them receiue through the promise of God so much as he beleeueth he receiueth This Christ assureth to the woman of Canaan who had shewed an vndaunted and inuincible faith taking no repulses ouerstriding all difficulties refusing all denials and striuing against all doubts that might arise in her heart saying O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest Mat. 15 28. So when two blinde men followed him crying saying O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs he saide vnto them Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this and when they answered Yea Lord hee touched their eyes saying According to your faith be it vnto you Mat. 9 29. Moreouer albeit the Serpent restored life yet was not life present and inherent in the brazen serpent neither abiding in the matter or resting in the forme thereof so albeit Christ be offered and signified yea conueyed and conferred vnto vs in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper yet he is not carnally and corporally present nor carnally and corporally eaten as the Capernaites imagined ◠60.66 but he is spiritual meat for spirituall men the rest eate the outward signes but are not partakers of the thing signified Thus we see how the consideration of the similitude of the brazen serpent directeth vs in sundry conclusions to be holden and acknowledged touching the Doctrine of the Sacraments of the new Testament Fourthly this present type teacheth vs that Vse 4 we are iustified by faith alone without the works of the Law For as the Israelites stung of these serpents were cured so are we saued as health was offered by the serpent so is saluation by Christ But the Israelites did nothing at all but onely looke vp to the brazen serpent they were not willed to make satisfaction for their rebellion or to goe on pilgrimage nor so much as to dresse and binde vp their wounds but only to behold the serpent set vpon the pole as Christ saith to the Ruler of the Synagogue touching the healing of his daughter Feare not onely beleeue Mar. 5 36 so is it in the saluing of the sores of the soule in the attaining pardon of our sins and obtaining the righteousnesse of Christ There is required nothing of vs touching our iustification and saluation but to fixe the eyes of our faith vpon Christ True it is many other vertues and graces are required to make vp the full perfection of a christian man that he may be complete wanting nothing yet he is iustified and doth stand as righteous in the sight of God by faith onely It is a great weighty controuersie in these daies betweene the Church of Rome and vs what is the cause of life and saluation they ascribe the cause of saluation in part to the merit of our own works and to a righteousnesse inherent in our owne persons and in part likewise to Christ who say they hath made vs able to merit the fauour of God and to satisfie for our own sins We ascribe all our saluation to the mercy of God and the merite of Christ wholly applied to vs by a liuely faith the which manner of sauing vs most fitly agreeth to the nature of God the chiefe Fountaine of our saluation who can abide no pollution neither can any wickednesse stand in his presence who is of pure eyes requireth our perfect obedience so that wanting the perfect righteousnesse of the Law of our owne wee must bee cloathed with the righteousnesse of another whereby we may be saued Euen as Iacob though hee were not by birth the first borne Ambr. de Iacob lib. 2. cap. 1. yet hiding himselfe vnder his brothers garments and hauing put on his coate which smelled most sweetly came into his fathers presence that vnder another mans person he might receiue the blessing of the first borne so is it necessary that we lye hid vnder the precious purenesse of Christ our elder brother that hauing the sweet sauour of his garments our sinnes may be couered with
withall For he endured as he that saw him which is inuisible Some were racked Heb 1â— tempted tormented burned stoned would not be deliuered A wicked man is a very dastard and coward He feareth euery creature which is a great iudgment vpon him that will not feare God The darknesse of the night the solitarinesse of the place the falling of a leafe the crawling of a worme the flashing of the lightning the cracking of the thunder the guilt of conscience doth terrifie them But the godly are endued with true fortitude magnanimity of minde springing from the grace of faith and are bold as a Lyon Prou. 28 1 they are resolued of Gods presence with them and of his prouidence ouer them being ready to say with Dauid The Lord is my light and my saluation of whom shall I bee afraid The Lord is the strength of my life whom then shall I feare Though an hoast pitched against mee mine heart should not be afraid Psal 27 1 2 3. This made the Apostle when he heard that bands and afflictions abode for him in euery Citty to say What do you weeping and breaking mine heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Acts 21 13. The faithfull indeed walke thorough maâ—y tentations on the right hand and on the left and enter into many combates yet they shâ—nne not the brunt of the battell nor feare to loke the enemy in the face nor shrink backe from the push of the Pâ—ke because they haue put on the whole armour of God and haue their hearts setled and their heads coâ—ered in the day of triall Therefore the Apostle exhoâ—teth that we should be strong in the Lord and put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell to resist in the euill day Eph. 6 11 12 13. It is not enough for vs to prouide armour and to haue it lying by vs as we see men in â—heir houses haue Pikes and Halberts Corslets and Muskets hanging by the wals waxing rusty through want of vse but we must put them on and buckle them about vs wee must alwayes haue our loynes girt â—â—e 1â— 35 our lights burning hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnesse taking the shield of faith and drawing out the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Neither is it sufficient to defend vs to put on armour but we must put on the whole armour of God We must be armed from top to toe and leaue no part vnarmed and vnguarded lest the enemy espye his aduantage and worke our destruction We must be armed within and without before vs and behind vs in soule and in body in tongue and eare in head and heart For if Satan who as a roaring Lyon seeketh whom he may deuoure finde vs in any part or member naked vndefended we lye open to him to surprize vs at his pleasure and to bring vpon vâ— swift damnation Dauid was armed with the armour of God being a man after Gods owne heart buâ— because wheÌ„ he saw the beauty of Bathsheba 〈◊〉 11 1 he made not a couenant with his eyes not to lust Satan ensnared him to commit folly At another time leauing his eares vnarmed and setting them open to the false information and accusation of Zâ—â—ba 〈◊〉 1â— 3 he was drawne away to peruert iustice and to betray the cause of the innocent and to condemne the iust without hearing So four eare be at any time vnarmed it is ready to heare and receiue and beleeues slanders false tales against our brethren If the Helmet of saluation do not couer our head if the toong be not fenced the diuell will set thâ— on work to deuise euil slanders and to publish them to the disgrace and discredite one of another Ionah was a man of God and a Preacher of repentance to the Niniuites yet because he left his tongue vnarmed and did not set a watch before his mouth he brake out into an open and insolent contempt of God saying I doe well to be angry vnto the death chap. 4.9 Seeing therefore we are compassed about with such an army of enemies that watch all occasions and seeke all opportunities against vs they are greatly deceiued that make the life of a christian to be an easie and ydle profession take the Gospel to bee a profession of liberty as the enemies of the grace of God obiect against vs for it may cost vs dearly euen the resisting vnto blood and the forsaking of all earthly commodities that the woâ—ld holdeth in greatest price Let vs therefore as wise builders Luke 14 28 sit downe and cast our accounts before hand what our worke may cost vs. For such onely as continue to the end shall be saued Secondly let vs goe boldly forward in the Vse 2 duties of our calling The Church of God is not alwayes in one state Sometimes it liueth in quiet and peaceable times when the Gospel is publikely preached professed taught receiued with liberty of meeting together with freedome of conscience without opposition or gain saying as by the blessing of God it is among vs. Sometimes the truth of God is resisted the professours are persecuted the Gospel is suppressed and oppressed by the rage of the enemy the faithfull are slaine and put to death with all kinde of cruelty Notwithstanding let vs not feare their feare 1 Pet. 3.14 15 neyther be troubled but sanctifie the Lord in our hearts be ready alwayes to giue an answer to euery man of the hope that is in vs with al meeknesse and reuerence So then the godly should not feare the threatnings of the vngodly nor so be troubled as therby to abstain from such necessary duties as their callings do leade and direct them vnto but on the contrary make the Lord theyr feare and theyr dread and make a bold confession of the precious faith they conceiue as those that labour to maintaine a good cause with a good conscience Let vs all goe forward with courage and constancy in our callings let vs performe with diligence the duties laid vpon vs and albeit crosses do crosse vs in the way and many dangers meete vs wee must not shrinke backe but stand fast and goe forward in our profession This should be in all Magistrates that are as the Gods of the earth and the Ministers of iustice they must bee men of courage to performe the duties of theyr calling Exodus chapter 18 verse 13 they must bee endued with the spirit of power and of godly boldnesse to goe through with euery good worke with a constant resolution and not stand in feare of any man considering that the cause is the Lords which they handle They must call and compell others to walke in their duties that so the sword of the Magistrate may be ioyned with the word of the Minister This
City which now is ours but by and by shall be thine where thou shalt receyue a Temple beseeming thy might and Maiestie And to conclude if we would yet further vnderstand the order and manner of this Magicall supeâ—stition we may read the very forme and fashion aâ— large which those nations vsed in Macrobius whom before wee recited Si Deus â—râ—b Satur. 〈◊〉 cap. â— â—uâ— in â—ib 2 â—ad si dea est c. that is whether it be god or goddesse that haue vndertaken the guidaÌ„ce and gardianship of this City and people we pray and beseech you to forsake this Citie and people to relinquish their places temples holy things and to depart without them strike ye a feare into the hearts of that people and City betray them and come to our side defend our Armies protect our Cities safegard our Temples c. This was the charge that was vsed when they went to the siedge and sacking of any City and in this manner they prayed which was made when the Romans as called out the gods of Carthage to come vnto them The like we reade in Appian also in his booke of the Parthian wars â—â—m debeâ—l â—th I confesse I haue stoode ouerlong in handling and debating these points 〈◊〉 apâ—â—ica◠〈…〉 câ—â—â—â—â—â—iâ— to the 〈◊〉 in haÌ„d which I haue laide as the foundation of all that followeth and serueth to cleere such doubts as arise out of the text and is nothing at all from the purpose of that which we haue in hand For these points as certaine Principles being thus concluded may easily be applyed to our present purpose and comparing the fashions of the Gentiles with the fitnesse of the person that the King of Moab chose and by whom hee proceedeth in this practise we may euidently gather the true sence of this history and see how the whole matter was carried and conueâ—ed For as the manner of the vnbelâ—euing Nâ—tions was to sue and seeke to the gods of thâ—â—r enemies to forsake them betake them selues to their side so Balaam being a notable and notorious sorcerer as we haue prooued before in the third Conclusion worketh by the Principles of sorcery and intendeth to begin his businesse and whole action by calling vp the protecting God of the Israelites which indeed was the true Iehouah as we see in the Chapters following by the words of Balaam himselfe Besides we may be the rather induced to receiue and beleeue this truth if we consider that all this sorcery and superstition had his first originall and beginning out of the East from whence Balaam came these were the manners of the men of the east as appeareth in Pliny before remembred Iustin hist lâ—b 1 Polid de inâ—â—â—n rer lib. 1 c. 24. and in others who excelled all other people in the Art of Magicke so that the manners and the man arose both of one place Furthermore as the sorcerers in Egypt being confounded by the mighty power of God in a base creature confessed the miracles of Moses to be wroght by the finger of God so when this soothsayer hath assayed at sundry times and in diuers manners to worke his will in the end he witnesseth with his owne mouth Numb 23 23. that there was no sorcery effectuall against Iacob nor soothsaying against Israel Lastly we may obserue how he calleth the Lord his God verse 18. I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God because he knew if he should work any thing against Israel he must do it by their owne God For he doth not vse these words as the faithfull do in a special feeling of Gods fauour and in the particular assurance and affiance of their owne faith inasmuch as he was a couetous wretch and an old witch as the Scriptures witnes but his meaning is he is the God whom in all this cause I haue heed of and by whoÌ„ I must of necessity deale withall Hee saith no more of him then he would haue done of the Idoll-god of any Idolatrous people he would haue called him his god as being the god by whom hee must worke all his feats Thus then Balaam intending to bewitch Israel he must by the rules of his own profession coniure vp the God of the Israelites whereupon it was that he deferred the Messengers sent vnto him As if he should say vnto them If I worke not by him ye cannot preuaile ouer his people he must first bee drawne to your side and afterward ye shal easily obtaine the other Neither let any heere obiect against these things that Balaam was ignorant of the true God or that it agreeth not to the nature of God to reueale himselfe to Magitians and to attend vpon their trumpery For albeit he did not acknowledge him to be the Creator and Gouernor of the world by whom all things stand or fall yet he knew him to bee the God of the Israelites which was sufficient for his purpose so that he meaneth not in speaking of the â—ord his owne false gods but hee consulteth with the true God as sundry places in this present Chapter make manifest Numb 22 8 18 19. as when he saith He would answer them as the Lord shold say vnto him and that hee cannot go beyond the word of the Lord. So that he asketh counsell of the true God and receiueth his answer of the true God And this he doth not as a Prophet of God but as a Sorcerer Neither may wee thinke it strange that God should haue ought to do with witches and wizâ—rds seeing he giueth answer not only to his owne people that cleaue vnto him and call vpon his name but to such as are out of the very bosome of the church for his peoples sake sometimes reprouing them sometimes instructing them somtimes conuincing them of euill and alwayes leauing them without excuse As here he teacheth Balaam that all his coniurations enchantments were vaine and voide seeing hee hath decreed and determined so to continue his blessing vnto the end toward the Israelites as that no deuice of man or worke of the diuell shall be able to hinder or lessen or abolish the same as we shall see afterward Verse 3. And the Moabites were sore afraid of the people Hauing in the former words serched into the meaning of this history and examined the seueral circumstances therof now let vs come to the doctrines that arise out of this diuision And first see the occasion of the Moabites confederating themselues with the Midianites and the proiect of them both in sending out to a cunning man to helpe them namely a sodaine feare arising in their hearts danting all their courage weakening all their strength and driuing them into despaire Israel was an innocent and harmelesse people professing righteousnesse abstaining from all wrongs surceasing from all iniuries for conscience sake as we saw before when they desired passage throgh the lands of the Edomits and the Amorites Numb 20 19. Deut. 2 25.
potters vessell So then when the wicked say peace peace vnto themselues and thinke themselues sure of their purposes they shall faile in the midway and suddainly come to destruction verifying the saying of Salomon Prou. 11 7. The hope of the vniust shall perish Reason 1 The reasons are first because as they set themselues against the Church so God setteth himselfe against them Can we then maruaile that they are confounded and consumed against whom God opposeth himself they are the enemies of God and God professeth himselfe their enemy Who euer arose against him and prospered Who euer fought against him and preuailed They shall consume as the fat of Lambes before the fire and melt as the waxe against the Sunne This hath beene the faith and assurance of the Church of God in all their dangers that haue threatned and assailed them namely that God would take their cause into his hands and reuenge the wrong done vnto them Therefore when the enemies tooke crafty counsell against them and consulted cruell things to compasse their destruction saying Psal 83.12 Come let vs cut them off from being a nation let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance and let vs take for our possession the habitation of God they prayed to God to confound their enterprizes to fil their faces with shame to make them afraide by his iudgments to turne them vpside downe as a wheele to persecute them with his tempest that they might be as stubble before the wind as the fire burneth the forrest and as the flame setteth the mountaines on fire Reason 2 Secondly they trust in lying words that cannot profit and consequently they cannot prosper because no man by his own strength or the power of his owne hand can bring any thing to passe God scattereth the deuices of the crafty and taketh the wise in their craftinesse so that man cannot by his care and confidence attaine to the fruite of his desire Hagg. 1 9. For God bloweth vpon it and it commeth to nothing The vses of this doctrine remaine to be Vse 1 considered and handled First marke heereby the vnhappy estate of those that haue onely eyes of flesh to rest vpon the things which they see Nothing shall be able to helpe them wofull therefore is their condition This the Prophet teacheth Ier. 17 5 7. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord but blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is So then all they that make not God their Lord are vnhappy If the vngodly did consider these things that they setting vp their rest vpon vaine things and putting their confidence in a broken reed cannot prosper it would bee a notable meanes to bridle their vanity and to suppresse their folly If we should see a man naked vnarmed to go into the field against his enemies and perswade himself with a blast or bullrush to thrust them through and throw them down on euery side and make no doubt to get the victory we would thinke him sâ—ttish and pitty his folly wee would wish him to keepe a good dyet and keepe himselfe and his head warme fearing the man were breeding mad But thus it is with all the enemies of God and his people that raise great hope by their owne deuices and imagine great matters by their own counsels they are as distracted and distempered men they are in a miserable and wofull condition leaning vpon a bulrush and setling their trust and rest vpon a rotten reede They build vp the tower of confusion God will come downe against them and diuide their tongues as hee did at Babel Gen. 11.8 Wofull therefore and wretched is the case of all those whose confidence raised vp to high attempts falleth on the ground they trust in an arme of flesh and are deceiued for GOD laugheth them and their inuentions to scorne They attaine not to the end of their desires but are disappointed and so their hope perisheth and this is chiefly in death when they shal remaine in misery for euer Secondly let vs not rely vpon such vaine Vse 2 things nor rest vpon deceitfull vanity nor waite vpon lying dreames and deuices of men for then all our expectation shall deceiue vs. What man is there in his right wits that would in danger leane on the spiders web and yet thinke to be deliuered Who would trust to a broken staffe who would lay his strength vpon a weake reed This is it that Bildad one of Iobs three friends vttereth ch 8 14. 20 5 6. where he teacheth That the reioycing of the wicked is short the ioy of hipocrits is but for a moment though his excellency mount vp to the heauens his head reach vnto the clouds yet he shal perish for euer like the dung they which haue seen him shal say where is he His confidence also shal be cut off his trust shal be as the house of a spider therfore it can minister no comfort to such as catch hold vpon it Heereunto come sundry exhortations of the Prophet in the Psalmes Psal 62 10. 20 7 125 1. If we rest vpon God we shall haue a sure staffe that shal neuer faile we build vpon that hope that shall neuer make ashamed They that trust in the Lord shal be as mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer Vse 3 Lastly seeing the glory of our enemies shall end in shame and their vaine reioycing be buried in confusion let vs all take comfort and cheere vp our selues and one another when we see the enemies of the Church plot and conspire against the Church Albeit they lay their heads together and be very busie to stoppe the course of the glorious Gospel yet this is our hope that their hope is but on the spiders web the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile against the Church and themselues shall worke out their owne destruction Thus doth the Prophet comfort himselfe Psal 49.5 6 7. Let this stay our faith and comfort our hope when wee see mighty plottings subtill proceedings deepe deuices and conspiracies of the wicked For why should we feare seeing they wait on lying vanities and forsake their owne mercy See this in the example of Pharaoh of Haman of Sancherib of Herod and sundry others If other enemies in our dayes follow their deeds let them also feare their ends And for this purpose the Prophet speaketh vnto them Esay 8 9 10. Gather together on heapes O ye people ye shall be broken in pieces and hearken all yee of farre Countries gird your selues and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selues and ye shall be broken in pieces Take counsell together yet it shal be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs. Thus the enemies shal be confounded thus their counsels shal be ouerturned so
be effectuall to stay vs in our obedience because God wil continue the same God of mercy and truth vnto vs without alteration which he was to Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph and all the faithfull so highly renowned and greatly commended in the Scriptures so it must serue to bee a bridle in the iawes of the vngodly and prophane wretches of the world that as he hath plagued consumed and throwne downe into the bottomles pit of hell the wicked heretofore that rebelled against him and resisted his will so he is vnchangeable in Name and Nature and therefore he will do the same to them now and to as many as shall walke in their steps for euer This we may see to be a plain case in the righteousnes of God Eccl. 8 12 13. Though a sinner do euill an hundred times and God prolongeth his dayes yet I know it shall be well with them that fâ—are the Lord and do reuerence before him but it shall not be well to the wicked neither shall he prolong his daies he shall be like a shaddow because he feareth not before God And the Apostle Iude in his Epistle Iude 6 7. 2 Pet 2 1 5. alledgeth and applyeth the examples of Gods vengeance vpoÌ„ the wicked past to those present and to come shewing that if God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell and deliuered them vnto chaines of darknesse to bee kept vnto damnation neyther spared the olde world but brought in the flood vpon the vngodly c. Let vs remember that wee shall finde God the same toward vs for euer neuer presume that he can or will be changed now from that which he hath beene heeretofore toward others Verse 21. He seeth not iniquity in Iacob he beholdeth not transgression in Israel Hitherto we haue spoken of the vnchangeablenesse of Gods loue toward his Church Now let vs see the reasons of it both in spirituall things and then in temporall The cheefest priuiledge of the Church standeth in the fruition and enioying of spirituall blessings Among all spirituall blessings this is one of the cheefest Remission of sinnes This is expressed by this phrase that God seeth not sinne in them that is he forgiueth theyr iniquity and imputeth not sinne vnto them To the same purpose the Prophet saith Our sinnes are couered Psalm 32 verse 1. These may seeme at the first strange speeches and phrases For shall not he that made the eye see Psalme 94. Shall not he that made the eare heare He that made the heart shall not he vnderstand and know the secrets of the heart Are not all things naked and open before him or can any hide himselfe from his presence and winde himselfe from his prouidence The meaning is not that God doth not behold them but it is a borrowed speech from the custome of men which lay away those things out of sight which they do not vse or would not remember so that he doth not see them when he doth not punish them he couereth them when he doth pardon them and account them as if they were neuer committed So Hezekiah saith Esa 38 17. God had cast his sins behind his backe Thus the Prophet speaketh Esay 1 18. Though your sinnes were as Crimson they shall be made white as Snow though they were red as Scarlet they shall be as wool And chap. 44 22. I haue put away thy transgressions like a Cloud and thy sinnes as a Mist So the Prophet Micah saith chap. 7 19. He will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea From all these Testimonies we learne this truth That to euery true member Doctrine of the Church To all the members oâ— the Churcâ— belongeth the forgiuâ—nesse of 〈◊〉 belongeth the forgiuenes of all theyr sins It is a peculiar priuiledge of the faithfull for the merits and righteousnesse of Christ to haue theyr sinnes forgiuen whereby it commeth to passe that God esteemeth of sinne as no sinne and of iniquity as if it had neuer bene committed Heere then we haue offered to our considerations a principall and fundamental point of our Christian Religion and of the holy faith That all our sinnes wants and impections originall and actuall as well in the committing of euill as in omitting of good in thought word deed are couered healed and released thorough the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs which being apprehended by faith and applyed vnto vs doth not onely make them as if they had neuer bene but also iustifie discharge vs causing vs to appeare blamelesse and spotlesse in the sight of God Thus God proclaimeth him selfe to be a most gracious and merciful God readily inclined to forgiue sins Exod. 34 6 7. Esay 33 24. and 43 25. Ier. 31 31 32. and 33 8. Reason 1 And this truth to wit that iustification staÌ„deth in the remission of sinnes through the satisfaction of Christ is confirmed vnto vs by sundry reasons out of the worde of GOD. For first we must appeare as iust and perfect in Gods sight either by the imputatioÌ„ of Christs righteousnesse or by the merite of our owne workes there is no third way can be deuised This is a full distribution of causes as appeareth by the Apostle speaking of the election and calling of the Iewes Rom. 11 6. If it bee of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it bee of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Thus we see hee maketh an opposition betweene the grace of God and the workes of men But no workes can iustifie vs neither of congruitie nor condignity neither of nature nor of grace wrought in vs by the spirit of God but by Gods acceptation of the intercession and merits of his owne Son This the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 3 20. Gal. 3 6. By the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight And in another place I count all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord that I might bee found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3 7 8 9. Reason 2 Secondly whatsoeuer giueth the creature cause of boasting and robbeth God of his glory may not be admitted and cannot be accepted in the worke of our iustification But all things sauing the righteousnesse of Christ minister to vs matter of boasting depriue God of the honor and glory due to his name This the Apostle teacheth in sundry places Rom. 4 2. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce 〈◊〉 2 8.9 but not with God By grace are ye saued thorough faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe So
asse are heapes vpon heapes with the Iaw of an asse haue I slaine a thousand men Iudg. 15 15 16. Thus the weake are made strong and the strong weake Likewise in the dayes of Saul the Israelites were all naked and vnarmed men 1 Sam. 13.19 and were not suffered to haue either swords or speares except Saul and Ionathan yet their enemies were discomfited and smitten downe before them Reason 1 The reasons are many that may be alledged First God is with his people and if hee be with them strength power courage and victory must be with them also so that they cannot fall vnlesse God fall with them which is vnpossible As then the cause is the Lords and the people the Lords and the battell the Lords so he can arme creatures of no account euen contemptible people to scourge great mighty nations Exod. 8 6 16. His souldiers in Egypt were caterpillers and flies his armies against the Philistims were mice God is infinite in power to doe as he will and what hee will and when he will and against whom he will in comparison of whom all flesh is fraile and feeble And as he is great in might so he is present in helpe and gaineth honour not by the bow nor speare nor legges of man but he fighteth for those that be his Thus doth Moses encourage the Israelites being pursued by the Egyptians Exod. 14 14. The Lord shall fight for you therefore hold you your peace Reason 2 Secondly to gain glory to his great Name seeing his power is seene in our weakenesse When our strength is smallest then is the glory of God greatest This made the Lord say vnto Gideon Iudg. 7 2. The people that are with thee are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands least Israel make their vaunt against me and say Mine hand hath saued me Thus Dauid assured both of the truth of his calling and the goodnesse of his cause encountereth with Goliah and sheweth that all the people should know that the Lord saueth not with sword nor with speare for the battell is the Lords 1. Sam. 17 47. So the Apostle teacheth that God vseth few weake and simple instruments to confound such as are greater in strength moe in number wiser in knowledge higher in estimation mightier in power stouter in courage That no flesh shall reioyce in his presence but he that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord 1. Cor. 1 19 31 Vse 1 Now let vs handle the vses of this doctrin First we conclude that the safty of the Church is onely of God and not of themselues so that flesh and blood is not to be rested and relyed vpon how great soeuer the meanes be and therefore the Prophet teacheth that the hilles of the robbers cannot helpe so that wee must relye on Gods helpe and cease from the man whose breath is in his Nostrils Esay 2 22. He that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright but the iust shall liue by his faith So than let vs cast away our vaine confidence in man whose life is so fraile that if his breath be stopped but a litle he is dead and cannot helpe himselfe or others God therefore must haue the praise and preferment aboue all creatures and be magnified aboue all the works of his hands Secondly this is a notable comfort and encouragement Vse 2 to doe constantly and cheerefully the duties of our calling notwithstanding the crosses and hinderances to the contrary For seeing it pleaseth GOD to put strength many times into those that are his to deliuer his Church by weak meanes against strong men let vs proceede with boldnesse in the workes of our profession and deale with a good conscience assuring our selues that God is not farre from vs. Whensoeuer wee heare of the wicked combining themselues conspiring together against the Church taking crafty counsell among themselues our hearts quake and tremble and we are brought oftentimes to our wits end wee are greatly perplexed and disquieted as the trees of the forrest are moued by the winde Esai 7 2 but we must consider that the victory is of GOD which casteth downe the mighty from their seat and exalteth them of low degree Thus doth Moses comfort Israel terrified and dismayed by the euil report the spyes had broght vp vpon the land Numb 14 8 9. If the Lord loue vs be will bring vs into this land and giue it vs which is a land flowing with milke and hony but rebell not ye against the Lord neither feare yee the people of the land fâ—r they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them but the Lord is with vs feare them not A notable staffe to stay them vp both in respect of the presence of God with them and of his departure from their enemies And that which was a stay to them must serue also to comfort and refresh vs in all discouragements to consider that we haue a sure buckler with vs but the shield is departed from our enemies They lye open to the stroke of Gods hand he wil draw out his glittering sword against them they shall finde no shield to award the blow They are in a wofull case that hauing the Lord to be their enemy and no armour of defence vppon them to helpe themselues Wherefore whensoeuer we see these enemies of God and his people multiply and increase so that they seeme as a violent streame ready to beat down all things before them let not this disturbe or disquiet vs but learne to waite vpon God who will shew himselfe a present helpe and our GOD in the time of neede This tentation that the enemies are many and that few stand for vs few haue courage for Gods truth few shew themselues in good causes doeth greatly weaken our hearts and maketh them melt away as water we straight way conclude that the enemies must needes preuaile for we are weake and few But know this O ye of little faith and of so great feare that a good cause shall neuer faile albeit there be but few and those feeble to maintaine it Ionathan relying on God 1. Sam. 1â— 6. after his calling and a manifest signe to confirme him goeth on with a noble courage and resolution saying It is not hard to the Lord to saue with many or with few The worke of God was neuer set forward by the greatest number nay the profession of God alwayes had the fewest in number yet no enemy was able to stand against them The Apostles of Christ were few in number â— Cor. 10.4 5. and the weapons of their warfare were not carnall yet were they mighty casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of GOD and bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ Paul hauing appealed vnto Cesar and being brought to the defence of his cause saith At my first answering no man assisted me but all forsooke me I pray
away empty Luke 1 52 53. Vse 1 The vses follow to be obserued First from hence consider and confesse the difference betweene earthly and heauenly honour between the honour of men and that which is of God Earthly honour when it is at the highest can giue no assurance of continuance nor minister peace of conscience nor satisfie with the benefite of contentment because it endureth but for a season but the honour which we shall enioy after this life with God is like himselfe Hee is vnchangeable and without shadow of turning hee is constant and euer like himselfe so is the honor and glory which he hath reserued for vs It is laide vp as a treasure in heauen where neither the moth nor canker corrupteth and where theeues neither dig through nor steale Math. 6 20. We see what the fauor and friendship of men is wee see what the highest preferment is that men can attaine vnto both they and their aduancement fall as the Sommer fruite and their place knoweth them no more But the honour which wee shall finde in heauen and enioy with the glorious Saints of God in the heauenly habitations lasteth for euer and there shall be no end thereof What foolishmen are we therefore and more then foolish that so much admire the vaine glory of the earth and haue our eyes dazled with the deceitfull beauty of the dignities of this world and doe not consider the stablenesse of that glory reserued for vs which time shall not consume nor the enemy abolish Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn saith Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him and the world passeth away with the lust thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer 1. Iohn 2 15 17. All earthly things last and endure but for a season men are mortal riches are vncertaine fauour is vanity honour is changeable treasures are transitory pleasures are mutable profites are corruptible friends are fading and oftentimes turne to be enemies onely the treasures of heauen the fauour of God the pleasures of eternall glory the riches of the world to come are immortall and neuer decay For all flesh is as grasse all the glory of man as the flower of the field the grasse withereth the flower fadeth but the word of the Lord endureth for euer 1. Pet. 1 24 Thus we see that there is as great difference betweene earthly and heauenly honour as is betweene heauen and earth Secondly we must learne to vse this world Vse 2 as though wee vsed it not and make it as the hand to helpe vs and further vs toward the kingdome of heauen The hand is made to serue vs and not wee to serue it Wee must learne to place the world vnder vs not aboue vs we must make it seruant to vs not Lord ouer vs we must teach it to obey not suffer it to rule ouer vs as the Church is described to be cloathed with the Sunne but hauing the Moone vnder her feete Reuel 12. For seeing humane things are transitory mutable and changeable it standeth vs vpon to haue our conuersation in the heauens and to cast the eyes of our mindes toward the estate of glory and the eternall happinesse prepared for vs. A pilgrim in a strange land hath alwayes his eyes toward his iourneyes end is greatly grieued when he wandereth out of his way Wee are pilgrims in this world and are farre from home so that our hearts should be fully and wholly set on euerlasting life and bee grieued when wee are hindered from the straight way This is the exhortation of the Apostle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 29. Many follow it with all greedinesse albeit it be full of vanity But if we esteeme of heauen or regard the saluation of our soules wee ought to be little affected to the things of this life neuer setting our hearts vpon them but desiring to dwell in that house where wee shall abide for euer Many there are that liue long in this life and haue beene many dayes vpon the face of the earth who neuer thinke of the kingdome of heauen nor dreame of another world nor meditate of the life to come vntill they lye at the last gaspe and are going the way of all flesh which is a most wofull and miserable thing to consider Let vs not suffer Sathan thus to circumuent vs and this present world to abuse and bewitch vs the deuill is a deceiuer the world is but a shadow and hath no true and enduring substance in it Abraham the father of the faithfull is commended by the Spirit of God who being called of God willingly obeyed to goe into the place which afterward hee should receiue for an inheritance Heb. 11 8. so that he departed from his kindred fathers house not knowing whither he went and by faith he abode in the land of Canaan as in a strange countrey and as one that dwelt in tents A naturall man would thinke hee had made a simple change and be ready to condemne him for a foole but the Scripture giueth this reason as the cause that mooued him to wit euerlasting life for hee looked for a city hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God In comparison heereof let vs make little account of this transitory life or of any the vaine profits pleasures or honours that may be found in it Lastly let it not grieue vs to see euil men Vse 3 exalted and set aloft they hold their possessions and honour with the greatest vncertainty that can bee in their life time and when they are taken from hence they can carry nothing with them of all that they possesse They are oftentimes depriued suddainly of all things they desire and doe most of all delight in Sometimes they are taken away from their goods sometimes their goods are taken away from them and sometimes albeit neyther they be taken from their goods nor their goods taken from them yet God in his iustice depriueth them of the comfortable vse of them while they doe enioy the possession of them This is the vse that the Prophet Dauid toucheth Psalme 49 5.16 declaring the vanity and vncertainty of mortall things and the suddaine fall of all flesh he addetâ— Wherefore should I feare in the euill dayes when iniquitie shal compasse me about as at mine heeles Be not thou afraid when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is encreased for he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after him We haue knowne many by our own obseruation gone on a suddaine that looked not for any change Wee haue seene them set on high and suddainly they haue come to nothing Who is ignorant that great trees grow til they be great 〈◊〉 câ—â—t de 〈◊〉 Alex. â— 7. and then be plucked vp from the root in a moment It is a foolish
God vpon the people and places where vngodly sinners dwell and causeth him to turne away his face and fauour from them Deuter. 23 9 14. Hos 2 ver 5 9 10. We reade in the Prophesies of Daniel chap. 3 29 that the king made a Decree that euery people nation and language which blasphemed God should be cut in peeces and their houses made a dunghill in the same manner it is with God hee bringeth reproch and maketh infamous not onely the persons that prouoke him by their sinnes but also the places and habitations where they dwell He could haue destroyed the men of Sodome Gomorrha and yet haue spared their Citties and houses and substance but hee destroyed these also to make them more ignominious to all posterity Iude verse 7. This teacheth vs how iust it is with God Vse 1 and how warrantable it is for vs to disgrace and discredite and discountenance the City and Church of Rome that they might bee odious in the eyes and stinke in the nostrils of all good men as a dead carkasse without life and breath For although their faith was once famous through the whole world Rom. 1 8 yet inasmuch as they are fallen from that faith to heresie and from sincerity to hypocrisie wee haue iust cause to hate the same to disgrace it what we can It is iust with GOD that it should be so and lawfull for vs to do so Reu. 18 2. But to cleere themselues of apostacy from the faith Obiect they will tell vs that we cannot tell them from whence their supposed heresies should first proceed who was the author of them and the scatterer of them abroad as wee see in Campians sophisticall and verball challenge he demandeth at what time Rat. 7. quo tempore qua via qua vt c. vnder what Bishop by what steps and proceedings a new religion was spread ouer the church of Rome and the whole world I answer Answ it is not necessary to set downe the minutes and moments of time inasmuch as some alterations are insensible Many errors creepe on secretly and as it were in the darke The euill and enuious man in the Gospel sowed tares among the wheate in the night when no man could see Mat. 13.25 The hayres of our head are not all white at a suddaine and old age doth not creepe vpon vs in a day Take the oldest man that liueth vpon the earth who can tell when he began to be old We know by sundry infallible tokens that he is an olde man but what day or weeke or moneth or yeare when he began to be so who can assigne or determine This is manifest in al things that arise of small beginnings and grow by little and little to a greater quantity vntill they come to perfection If we see a man sicke of the pestilence or a City corrupt in manners with riotousnesse and wickednesse or an house ruinous and ready to fall or a ship in the midst of the sea ready to sinke shall we deny all these to bee because we know not when they first began to bee when that man began to bee infected or the City to bee corrupted or in what yeare the house began to be ruinous or in what day the ship began to leake We know not how and when weeds and thornes and thistles first tooke roote vnder the ground but whē once they are sprung vp and growne aloft wee see them we discerne them wee feele them wee plucke thē vp So the alterations of the church of Rome are as a mystery The mystery of iniquity 2 Thess 2 ver 7 and albeit we could not shew the beginning of them yet that such desolations and ruines of the ancient building are among them that they vtterly lay waste the foundatiō we proue by the word of God in the old and new Testament This is the triall of all errors and heresies And because the doctrines that they embrace and the religion that they professe are not agreeable to these ancient monuments and records which are as the Meteyard or the Standard to try all measures wee therefore say and conclude they are errors and wee wrong them not at all though wee bee not able to produce the first broachers and beginners of them all This is enough for vs we finde by the word of God that they are heresies and therefore iustly chalenge them and complain that Bethel is become Beth-auen and the Church of God become the Synagogue of Satan Hos 4 verse 15. How many heresies haue sprung vp in the Church like darnell in the fielde among the Corne noted by Epiphanius Austine and others of the learned and ancient of whom neither we nor they know the first authors The Scribes and Pharisies taught many things against the Law or else Christ would not haue reproued their false glosses Math. 5 neyther willed his Disciples to beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and of the Sadduces Mat. 16 6 that is of the doctrine of the Parisies and of the Sadduces verse 12 yet the circumstance of time when these corruptions crept in and the persons that deuised them are altogether vnknowne and who is able to tell vs In the primitiue Church there were a kinde of heretiques called Acephali because no man was found to be their head and master Alphons haer l. 4 The like we might say of many other heresies of which if any should aske as Campian doth In what age vnder what Pope vpon what occasion by whose compulsiō by whose power it came to passe I doubt the best answer would be silence Wherefore it is not necessary to produce the precise time and tokens of euery change because the alteration was not made at an instant or all at once as when a land is inuaded by a forreigne enemy that turneth all things vpside downe but it entred slily and slowly into the Church as a worme that gnaweth the roote of the tree by little and little to omit that wee in these last dayes want the histories and records of many things done before vs and the Romane tyranny hath suppressed or corrupted a part of them that are left vs. The Probleme is not vnknowne which the Greekes so curiously debated Plutark touching the Argos wherein Iason sayled for the golden fleece which at his returne and comming home was layde vp and reserued in the Road for a great and worthy monument This ship decaying by little and little for what is it that time doth not consume as a moth and eat as a canker they alwayes peeced and repayred where it began to weare away till in the ende the whole substance of the old vessell or bottome wherein Iason sayled and made his voyage and aduenture was vtterly wasted and nothing remaining of it but onely the later reparations successiuely made in the roome of the other Now the question was A probleme of the Argos wherein Iason sayled whether this were the ship wherein Iason sayled
supplanted and then it will make vs carefull and watchful ouer our own harts But wher there is want of this faith there men are rash and foole-hardy and feare nothing at all and so like blinde men they fall into the pit cause others to fall This is the cause that Satan in the beginning laboured to batter this fortresse and to vndermine the faith of our first parents that they should not beleeue the word of God and so entertaine communication with him Genes 3. So hee sought to shake the faith of Christ in the first place but the Prince of this world found nothing in him Let vs therefore take to vs the shielde of Faith wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked Ephes 6 16. And albeit we cannot but liue in the world with wicked mē as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. chap. 5. verse 10 yet must wee beware wee do not eate with them verse 11. that is conuerse with them and ioyne in league with them lest if wee run with them into euill it turne to their and our destruction To conclude therefore let vs remember that if wee be partakers with them in their sins we shall also be partakers in their punishment and learne to be faithfull fearefull and carefull 52 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 53 Vnto these the Land shall bee diuided for an inheritance 54 To a fewe thou shalt giue the lesse inheritance to euerie one shall his inheritance bee giuen according vnto those that were numbred of him 55 Neuerthelesse the Land shall bee diuided c. 56 According to the lot shall the possession therof be c. In these words we haue the second part of the Chapter containing the commandement of God touching the diuiding of the Land amplified by the forme or manner of the dooing of it first by an Arithmeticall proportion according to the number of names hauing regard to the multitude or fewnesse of them they that were moe in number were to haue the greater inheritance and they that were fewer a lesser And this was one end of this new numbering taken of the people in this place whereas they had beene numbred before Secondly to auoyd partiality and contention it must bee done by Lot that they might rest in that diuision no lesse then if it had beene done by the immediate voyce of God from heauen So then as all the Tribes had not an equall number of persons so they were not to receyue an equall measure of inheritance and as they differed in multitude so they were to differ in their portion and partition of the Land If they had receiued all an equality some should haue beene burthened with superfluity and others streightned through penury The Doctrine arising from hence is this Doctrine God prouideth sufficiently for all his people That God prouideth sufficiently for all his people Euery man hath his portion assigned him of God vpon the earth It is his will and pleasure that all should haue their measure of earthly things not some to haue all and some nothing at all but all to haue some part Deu. 15 7 8 10. God would haue no begger in Israel When the Lord sent downe Manna and fed his people with Angels food all the hoast from the highest to the lowest had enough He that gathered much had nothing ouer and hee that gathered little had no lacke Exod. 16 18. 2 Cor. 8 15. To this end he instituted deacons in the Church mercifull men to looke to the poore that none should bee neglected in the dayly ministration Actes 6 1 3. 4 34 there was none in the Church of Christ that lacked forasmuch as distribution was made to euery one according as he needed This was no Anabaptisticall communion but a Christian communication of outward and earthly things as euery man had neede And heere we haue not a disanulling of propriety but an establishing of charity The Euangelist Luke describing the state of the church after Christs ascension saith that the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common Act 4 32. Rom. 12 13 2 Cor. 9 9. Reason 1 The reasons are manifest For he prouided for man in the beginning before hee had any being or beginning as he prepareth milke in the mothers brest before the infant be broght forth into the world He made all things necessary for man before he made man himself Gen. 1. 2. much more will he prouide for vs after we haue life and bodies giuen vnto vs. Secondly who gaue vnto vs life whence haue wee receiued our bodies Is it not from God is not he our Maker and are not wee the worke of his hands Our Sauiour teacheth vs That the life is more then meate and the body thē raiment Matth. chap. 6 25. If then we haue receiued life from him wee shall also receyue meate to sustaine life and if he haue giuen vs our bodies he will giue vs garments to cloth our bodies and to couer our nakednes Thirdly he feedeth all his creatures that he made He causeth grasse to grow for the Cattle hearbe for the seruice of man that hee may bring forth food out of the earth Psal 104 14. Yea the yong Lions roare after their prey and seeke theyr meate from God verse 21. He giueth to the beast his food and to the yong Rauens that cry Psal 147 9. The Lord is good vnto all and his tender mercies are ouer all his workes Psal 145 9. So the eyes of all waite vpon him and hee giueth them their meate in due season hee openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of euery liuing thing verse 15 16 much more then will he prouide for man whom hee made after his owne image and set him to rule ouer the beasts of the field and the fowles of heauen Fourthly euery man by the instinct of nature and the light of grace prouideth for his owne children and supplieth all their wants and euery Gouernor ministreth food and necessary things for his family Prouerb 31 15. and he that doth not this Hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidel 1 Tim. 5 8. We are Gods owne people we belong to his household and family he is the Creator and we his creatures he is our father and wee his children he is our master and we his seruants he is our sheepheard and we his sheepe If then he should not feede vs and prouide for vs hee should deny himselfe and falsifie the worde that is gone out of his owne mouth which is vnpossible This reason is vrged by our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7 9 10. Luke 11 11 12 13. This reproueth those that neuer thinke they Vse 1 hau◠enough neyther will know what is sufficient no not when God hath giuen them great plenty and abundance They that haue
it self who notwithstanding are saued in the day of the Lord. This appeareth in Lots wife Gen. 19 she looked backe contrary to the commandement of the Angel and was turned into a pillar of salt Her offence might seeme little at the first and the punishment to be ouergreat howbeit we must not measure sinne by the outward acte but by the commandement and will of God which is the onely rule of righteousnes This her disobedience seemeth to proceed from infidelity vnthankfulnesse curiosity and the immoderate loue of the world of the substance which they had left behind and therefore she is punished and made as a mirror and monument of Gods iustice which Iosephus testifieth to continue to his time Ioseph antiq Iud. lib. 1. ca. 1◠yet we doubt not but her soule was saued and she receyued to mercy The like we might say of Iobs childred they were all sodainly slaine by the fall of the house wherin they were assembled yet they gaue good testimony of their godlynesse in their life for as no euil is recorded of them in the Scripture so it appeareth they were wel taught and trained vp in the feare of God by their carefull father euen in the daies of theyr youth God heard their father when he praied for them when bee sent for them they came dutifully and obediently vnto him if they had despised that God whom their father worshipped he would not haue said It may be my sonnes haue blasphemed God and it had beene a vaine thing for him to speake to them of sanctification Moreouer if their bankettings feastings had bene like our Wakes and reuels which they commonly call Yeauals or drunken feasts of such as call themselues good fellowes he ought to haue forbidden their meetings and not to haue prayed to God to pardon their sins which they might commit in their meetings and thereby suffer them to liue in the continual practise of sin forasmuch as that were to mocke and dally with God not desiring pardon for sinne past but to craue free liberty to sin for the time to come And if the father had doubted of their saluatiō no doubt hee would haue bewailed their destruction Lastly it is to bee noted that they feasted in their owne houses they did not run to Ordinaries or haunt Ale-houses or frequent Tauernes neither did they feast euery day like the rich glutton whose daily dinners were daily feasts for hee did nothing else but feast euery day neither did they keepe companie with ruffians swearers drunkards swaggerers and such like but they inuited one another to witnesse their good will and to continue mutuall loue among themselues The like wee might say of Vzzah that stayed vp the Arke and was stricken with sodaine death because he laid his hand vpon the Arke 2 Sam. 6 7. So was it with Vriah the faithfull seruant of Dauid yet he was slain by the sword of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 11 17. Iosiah that good king serued the Lord from his youth yet dyed hee a violent death and was slaine by Pharao Nechoh at Megiddo and al the people of the land mourned for him 2 Kings 23 29. Reason 1 Thus doth God deale with his owne children oftentimes they are chastised in this world lest they should be condemned with the wicked in the world to come 1 Cor. 11 32. Secondly those whom God loueth hee loueth vnto the end Ioh. 13 inasmuch as all his giftes are without repentance Rom. 11. therefore temporall chastisements cannot alter his loue or make frustrate the gifts that once he hath bestowed vpon his children Thirdly euen his owne people sinne against him for in manie things we sinne all Iames 3 ver 1. and therfore when they sinne against him he chastiseth thē with death as with a rod howbeit his mercie he neuer taketh from them Thus did Iosiah offend he would not heare the word of the Lord which was brought vnto him therefore he was smitten by the hand of God Vse 1 This teacheth that it is a false rule and a deceitfull measure to iudge of the saluation of men by temporall things whereas commonly all things fall out alike to the godly vngodly Eccl. 9 12. Many there are that wil take vpon them to iudge and censure men to bee out of the fauour of God because sometimes they dye sodainly and sometimes strangely and contrarywise if they dye in their beddes quietly and calmely they conclude that they must necessarily bee the children of God for that cause onely But if we haue no better testimony to discerne a childe of God then this note we may soone be deceiued for this may often happen more by the nature of the disease then through any grace in the soul of the diseased The constant course of a mans life is the best witnesse what is in man A man may dye rauing and haply blaspheming and yet be the seruant of God by the violence and rage of some sicknesse disturbing the head and the braine For as Paul sayeth It was not hee but sinne that dwelled in him Rom. 7 15 so I may say it is not they that raue and blaspheme it is the force of their sicknesse to which they do not consent and againe a man may go away like a Lambe and yet dye out of Gods fauour and go to hell as Iob chap. 21. verses 13 14. Vse 2 Secondly this reprooueth the Popish sort that commonly condemne Zuinglius a sound defender of the true and Apostolike faith Zuinglius defended because he died in the field as a good Patriot against the enemies of his country Hee did no more then euery true Minister and faythfull man ought to be ready to do Hee was slaine with the sword of wickedmen but that death was an honourable death Hee exhorted the people to constancy in the faith as the Priest is commanded in the Law to do Deut. 20 23 It is no reproach to dye in a good cause and a iust quarrell If he had dyed as Sanders an arch enemy to the Queene and State dyed in Ireland in the rebellion which himselfe had procured who died distracted and in a frenzy to behold the hand of God gone out against him and all his plots and proiects crossed O what outcries would these men then haue made he died as a Traitor against his lawfull Prince in the Popes quarrel and was in the field against his owne Soueraigne whereas Zuinglius dyed with his owne Cittizens in a good cause and was lamented of all good men Lastly we must take heed we doe not iudge Vse 3 rashly and rigorously of the Churches sorrowes and afflictions albeit they seem oftentimes both strong and strange when God feedeth them with the bread of teares giueth them teares to drinke in great measure Psal 80 5. The dead bodies of his seruants haue the enemies giuen to be meate to the fowls of the heauen and the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the earth their
and of the Land of Canaan but the eternall rest with Iesus Christ in heauen This do none attaine but onely the faithfull and now we are in the way that leadeth vnto it wee are not yet in possession of that rest 2 Corinth chapter 5. verse 7. As then the passenger doth not sitte still but alwayes is going forward and further vntill he come to his iournyes end so ought wee to make continuall steppes in the faith vntill we come to receiue the ende of our faith which is the saluation of our soules 1 Pet. chapter 1 verse 9. Why eternall life is called a rest Now we must vnderstand that eternall life is called a rest for two causes First because thē and there wee shall rest from all our workes that is from our sinnes for then we shall sinne no more but shall know God euen as we are knowne no euill shall dwell there When the Angels had sinned they were immediately cast out and are reserued in chaines to euerlasting perdition Iude verse 6. Secondly wee shall rest from all troubles and miseries of this life Reuelat. chapter 14 verse 13 and hence it is that this place of rest is called by the name of Abrahams bosome Luke 16 22 23 because Abraham and all beleeuers that are the sonnes of God do there quietly rest and repose themselues as the childe in the bosome of his mother Vse 3 Thirdly it teacheth vs to auoyd all prophanenesse vpon this day of the Lord the works of our callings and the pleasures of our owne hearts are meere prophanations of this holy day Euery one will be ready to confesse that it is a great sinne eyther for the husbandman to goe to plough or for the tradesman to follow his businesse or for the day-labourer to worke or for the handy-craftesman to apply his vocation howbeit for a man to giue himselfe to his sports pleasures and delights they thinke there is some greater liberty Howbeit it seemeth a most ridiculous thing to me that God forbiddeth to the poore man his labour and alloweth to the rich man his pleasure to permit that which is lesse necessary and to restraine that which is more necessary But let vs see what we are to hold as well of the one as of the other out of the Law of God First Adam himselfe was commanded to sanctifie this day which God had blessed Genesis chap. 2 2 and the people in the wildernesse are forbidden to gather Manna Exod. chap. 16 verse 6. For this day is a market day for the soule and a time to prouide spirituall food farre more excellent and precious then Manna Iohn chap. 6 verse 58. 1 Pet. chapter 2 verse 3. Secondly our ordinary buying and selling keeping of fayres or markets on this day to whom we may ioyne those that bring theyr wares and commodities into Church-yards that after morning prayer they may vent them among the people This is another abuse among vs which toucheth the buyers as well as the sellers And if such commodities bee brought vnto vs we ought not to buy them Nehem. 13 15. For what maketh sellers among vs but because they easily finde those that will take their cōmodities at their hands It is certaine if there were no buyers there would be no sellers Thirdly there ought to be no carrying carting vpon this day lest God lay some heauy burden vpon vs too heauy for vs to beare Ierem. 17 21 22. Many carriers offend this way and as they breake the Sabbath themselues so they are the cause of the breach of it to many others Fourthly we must not follow our labours no not in haruest time when we might claime the greatest priuiledge and the season seemeth to offer vnto vs liberty and to giue vs a dispensation yet euen then we must rest prouided that our corne and prouision for the yeere be not in danger to bee lost for then God will haue mercy and not sacrifice Math. 12 7. If wee may saue the goods of others much more our owne And if saue the life of our beast much more our corne wherby our liues are preserued Fiftly they are reproued that wander from their places that runne about after euery pleasure or profite or feast a common abuse prophanation of the day almost in all places Exod. 16 29 these are like prophane Esau who sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Hebr. chapter 12 verse 16 so do they sell the word and sacraments for small trifles These are louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. chapter 3 verses 4 5. and many of them make theyr belly theyr god Philppians chapter 3 ver 19. And touching theyr profits they take great gaine to be godlinesse not godlines to be great gaine the first Epistle to Timothy chapter 6 verses 5 6. Sixtly the Iewes were forbidden to build the Tabernacle vpon this day which was a place consecrated to God for his seruice and worship Exodus chapter 31. verse 15. It is not therefore lawfull to builde Gods house with materiall stones vpon that day but wee must labour to bee liuing stones built vp a spirituall house and an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ the first Epistle of Peter chapter the second verse 5. Seuenthly they are reproued that keepe a carnall sabbath vnto the diuell not an holy Sabbath to God who spend the time in carding dicing drinking surfetting reuelling and such like This is the diuels sabbath and no better then to serue him The diuels Sabbath They are euill vpon any day but worse vpon this day Saul was offended when he saw Dauids place empty at his Table but how often may our places be seene empty at the Lords Table and in his house Lastly not to regard the hearing of the word whereby wee may encrease in good things and learne our duties to God man The neglect of these duties bringeth many iudgements and curses of God vpon our heads Amos 8 4. Nehem. 13 17 18. Ier. 17. verse 27. Vse 4 Thirdly we must labour to performe obedience to God vpon this day without wearinesse or distraction both publikely and priuately It is our duty to heare the word preached in it 2 Kings 4 23. Luke 4 16 Acts 13 14 15 15 22. We must exercise our selues in the Word and Sacraments pray with the Congregation lay vp in our hearts what wee haue heard meditate vpon it conferre about it and seeke to encrease in knowledge faith and obedience otherwise the Sabbath shall passe from vs without profite We must try our hearts and liues whether we goe forward or backward or stand at a stay If we do these things then shall we be wise obseruers of this day and haue the blessings of GOD come downe vpon vs Exod. 31 13 17. Ezek. 20 12 20. Esay 56 2 3 4 c. and 58 13 14. Ier. 17 24 25 26. Vse
Eleazar the Priest and Ioshua the son of Nun. 18 And ye shall take one prince of euery tribe to diuide the land by inheritance 19 And the names of the men are these Of the Tribe of Iudah Caleb the sonne of Iephunneh 20 Of the Tribe of Simeon Shemuel c. 21 Of Beniamin Elidad c. 22 Of Dan Bukki c. 23 For the tribe of Manasseh Hananiel c. 24 Of Ephraim Kemuel c. 25 Of Zebulun Elizaphan c. 26 Of Issachar Paltiel c. 27 Of Ashur Ahihud c. 28 Of Naphtali Pedahel c. 29 These are they whom the Lord commanded to diuide the inheritance vnto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan This is the second part of the chapt where the persons are appointed and named which ought to diuide the land these are of 2. sorts the chiefe and principall were the priest of the Church and the Captaine of the hoast the rest were ten Princes chosen out of the ten tribes so that two tribes are left out to wit Reuben and Gad because they had their inheritance befalne them already at their owne request on this side Iordan All these Princes are particularly expressed by their names and by the names of their fathers and all are ioyned in equall commission together that nothing should be done with partiality to whose arbitrement and determination all were bound to stand From hence three questions may bee raysed First Obiection what need there was of any Princes to diuide the land and giue the Tribes their possessions seeing this was to be done by lot I answer Answ the one of these doth not take away the other there was vse of them both For seeing the lot could not bee vsed except the land were diuided into ten parts or Prouinces therefore it pleased God to vse the helpe and ministery of men to diuide it into tenne parts after which diuision made the lots wer cast by iudgement whereof euery Tribe had his portion of the land Thus we see how both of them were very necessary and that the one did not ouerthrow or disanull the other Againe Obiect why doth God ioyne ten other Princes to Eleazar the Priest and to Ioshua the son of Nun were not these two sufficient Answer I answer that which belongeth to all ought to be done of all and thereby God taketh away that enuy which might he cast vpon them when the matter was indifferently decided by a seuerall Prince selected out of euery seuerall Tribe Thus the mouthes of all were stopped and euery one perswaded to rest without complaint or contradiction in the deciding which they should make Thirdly the question may bee asked Obiect Why the Priest was employed in this diuision For some haply will maruell that matter of temporall inheritance in which himselfe and the rest of that tribe had no other portion but the Lord should be committed to him that had the charge of the Tabernacle and this may seeme altogether impertinent to his function I answer Answ this was done for sundry waightie considerations For this was not without a mystery Why the high Priests helpe was vsed in the diuision of the land And as euery ceremony had his signification so heerein the Priest was a figure of Christ to whom the spirituall inheritance belongeth who is ascended to prepare a place for those that are his in heauen Secondly this was done in regard of the Priests Leuites for albeit they had no inheritance in the land yet some part and parcell fell vnto their share out of euery Tribe as we shall see in the following chapter Thirdly if any controuersie should arise in this great and waighty busines of making a stable and vnchangeable diuision that might remaine among their posterity for euer they might haue the Priest at hand for direction and to aske counsell for them at the mouth of God Lastly that this whole action might bee sanctified to them theyr children it was to be begun with prayer and to be finished with thankesgiuing for which the Priest was the fittest according to the saying of the Apostle Coloss 3. verse 17. Whatsoeuer ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God and the Father by him This diuision offereth diuers instructions In that Eleazar Ioshua the cheefe of the rest appointed to set out the land are named before other it teacheth that superiours whose head God hath lifted vp aboue their bretheren ought to giue good example to others Againe wee see that God maketh choise of men to bee his instruments so that not onely those things are to be holden diuine and of diuine authority which are done immediately by God himselfe but such also as are done by men assigned to their office by him Thus God hath called men and not Angelles to preach the Gospel whereby hee regenerateth vs and maketh vs heires of his kingdome if we receyue the same by fayth We are therefore to submit our selues vnto it and to bee content to be informed and reformed by it no otherwise then if an Angel from heauen nay no lesse then if God himselfe should speake vnto vs Luke 10 16. 1 Thess 2 13. Acts 10 33. This is the way to heare aright Furthermore obserue the faith of this people They were not yet come into the land they had not passed ouer Iordan nor obtained one foote there the Canaanites yet dwelled in their Cities and armed themselues to resist them they had strong Cities walled vp to heauen and mighty men of strength and stature to oppose against them they had a generation of Gyants mighty men that were as so many Goliahs to bid defiance to Israel yet we see they are occupied in diuiding the land and haue Princes appointed to determine the same and all of them are no lesse busie in the work then if the land were already conquered subdued vnto them which sheweth to vs the nature of faith according to the description of the Apostle Heb. 11.1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene for by it the elders obtained a good report This we saw before in the daughters of Zelophehad how zealous they were in the cause of their father to haue a part of the inheritance particularly to themselues True it is this is touching a temporal promise or a promise of a temporall blessing howbeit it had reference typically to the eternall inheritance in the heauenly Canaan So then this teacheth vs that true faith apprehendeth appropriateth Doctrine True faith is of an applying nature and applyeth Gods promises as if they were present True faith is of an applying nature It doth not onely assent vnto the promises of God but maketh application of them to our selues and both are necessary to saluation Ier. 31 33 Esay 25 9. Cant. 2 16 and 6 3. Iohn 1 12. and 6 51 35 and 3 14 15. None had comfort by the brazen
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
they may be bold and confident in dangers Psal 23 4. No enemy shall hurt them no danger shall ouerthrow them The enemies may oppresse them for a time but God is not farre off if he be on our side who shall be against vs Vse 2 Secondly woe be vnto all the enemies of God they cannot stand nor prosper which serueth to terrifie all euill dooers They are as out-lawes or rebels that liue no longer vnder the protection of law or Magistrate so are the vngodly proscribed of God and lye open to iudgement They are as souldiers without weapons they haue neither shield nor buckler nor brest-plate nor helmet nor sword their loynes are vngirt their feet are vnshod their heads are vncouered in the day of battell they lie open as naked men to be wounded and destroied They haue nothing to defend them or to doe them good all creatures are against them nay the Creator himselfe Vse 3 Lastly it is the duty of the faithfull to look to their waies seeing the Lord is with them and dwelleth among them He is a God of pure eies he seeth vs and all our waies let vs therefore carry our selues vnspotted of the world and labour to be holy as he is holy Leuit. 11 44. and 19.1 and 20 7. lest we giue him iust cause to leaue vs. If we haue any friend come vnto vs we are willing to giue him the best entertainment we can we are loth to depart from him we are willing to content him how much more ought wee to receiue the Lord for we may expect more of him and bee assured of defence protection from him greeue him not therefore nor his Spirit by our sinnes So long as they are fostered in vs he cannot be welcome vnto vs neither shall we be welcome vnto him They will driue him away make him depart from vs. Our bodies should be the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6 19. and therefore we must remember that as we are not our owne but bought with a price so we ought to glorifie God in our body and in our spirit which are Gods 10. But all the Congregation bade stone them with stones and the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before all the children of Israel These rebels had raged against God no maruaile therefore if they raged against his seruants who notwithstanding had not vsed any rigour or force against them onely they perswaded theÌ„ to trust in the promise of God and boldly to proceed on their iourney toward the Land But this is accounted as an hainous crime and they deale with them as men worthy of death according to the saying of Salomon Prou. 9 7. He that reproueth a scorner getteth to himselfe shame and hee that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himselfe a blot Thus we see how wicked men can abide no reprofe nay they cannot suffer a word of exhortation they cannot abide that others should do better then themselues Againe such as are carnal and corrupt are prone to hatred malice and reuenge yea when no cause of offence is offered vnto them See also how God protecteth his seruants in times of danger But to passe ouer these points from hence obserue that such as are Gods seruants Doctrine Such as are gods seruâ—â—â— shall be eâ— intreated and stand for good causes shall be persecuted maligned and euilly intreated as if they were murtherers and malefactours Though they deserue to be fauoured and loued yet they shall be hated cursed and contemned So it was with Moses when he came to Pharaoh moued him to let the people goe Exod. 5 1 2 5 6. Dan. 3 19 and 6 16. Acts 4 20 21. and 5 18. Iohn 16 2. 1 Kings 13 4. Thus was it with Eliah and Elisha thus was it with Michaiah Ieremy and thus it was with all the Prophets Math. 23 34. The reasons because the world hateth the Reason 1 truth and the professors of it The Preachers and professours of it because they manifest publish the truth Gal. 4 16 The truth it selfe because men loue darkenesse more then the light inasmuch as their owne deeds are euill Iohn 3 19. They are chosen out of the world therefore the world hateth them whereas if they were of the world the world would loue his owne Iohn 15 19. Secondly Satan is their enemy and seeth Reason 2 that by them his kingdome is in danger to be ouerthrowne hence it is that he rageth and raiseth persecution that thereby he may stop their mouthes stop the course of the truth Reuel 2 10 and 12 13. Thirdly God will haue his seruants tryed Reason 3 in their faith patience constancy and obedience Reuel 2 10. We must learne to walke through good report and euill report and bee ready to renounce all rather then the truth which we must buy at any rate Prou. 23 â— but neuer sel it though we might gaine all the world because all such gaine is the greatest losse Math. 16 verse 26. The vses follow First maruaile not at it wheÌ„ Vse 1 we see this come to passe neither condemne the truth or the professours of it 1 Iohn 3 13. Maruaile not if the world hate you Let vs comfort our selues with this consolation that it is no rare thing neither is our case singular neither do we suffer alone it hath beene the lot of all Christians nay of Christ himselfe let vs not seeke to be better then he was the seruant may not be aboue his Lord if they haue persecuted him they will persecute vs Ioh. 15 2. Christ himselfe pronounceth such as suffer for righteousnesse sake to be blessed for so did they persecute the Prophets that were before vs Math. 5 12. Many men in the world are discouraged from godlinesse of life and walking in a sincere profession because they see the godly persecuted and the vngodly to prosper and flourish therefore Iohn doth forewarne not to maruaile heereat because this ought not to seeme strange vnto vs it hath beene so from the beginning and so it hath continued The world though it be full of changes yet changeth not his nature neither taketh vpon it any other shape Wherefore we must not ceasse from godlines for hatred of the world but rather goe more zealously forward remembring the words of Christ Math. 11 12. The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Secondly we must reioyce vnder the crosse Vse and be glad when we suffer for the truth not as euill doers 1 Pet. 3 17 and 4 15. but for well doing So did the Apostles Acts 5 41 so did the Hebrewes chap. 10 34. They considered with themselues that they had in heauen a better an enduring substance they accounted it a great honour that they were accounted worthy to suffer for his Name they knew that they were made partakers of the sufferings of Christ and that the trying of their faith would worke patience Iam.
1 3 and patience experience and experience hope and hope would not make ashamed Rom. 5 4 5. The cause therefore for which we suffer must more comfort vs then the trouble which we endure dismay vs. God will neuer be wanting vnto vs by his grace and Spirit to hold vs vp and to stand by vs that either we shall escape the hands of the persecuters or else he will assist vs and strengthen vs in the persecution The affliction is but for a moment but the fruite of it shall remaine for euer Thirdly we must sit downe and cast our accounts Vse 3 before hand what our profession will cost and not thinke with the sonnes of Zebede to sit down at the right hand and at the left hand of Christ in his kingdome Mat. 20 21 but rather learne of Christ Lu. 14 26. to hate father mother wife children brethren sisters yea his owne life that he may continue to be his Disciple When the brethren exhorted Paul not to goe vp to Ierusalem because a Prophet foretold that he should be bound deliuered into the hands of the Gentiles hee answered 〈◊〉 2â— 13. What meane ye to weepe and to breake my heart for I am ready not to bee bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Here was a christian resolution to vndergoe all tribulations and resist euen vnto blood if he were thereunto called The cause of shrinking back is this want of fore-thinking Lastly we ought to labour to possesse our Vse 4 soules with patience and to shew our obedience in suffering as well as in doing the will of God There is a twofold obedience required of vs the one actiue the other passiue Many thinke themselues discharged of this duty if they be carefull to do as God commandeth but they neuer consider that they are bound to glorifie the Name of God by suffering as wel as by doing Christ our Sauiour the most perfect patterne of obedience hath performed the will of God both waies and this is the substance of the Gospel to teach what he did and what he suffered Acts 10 39. Wherefore let our patient minde also be knowne vnto al meÌ„ Phil. 4 5. Luke 21 19. 11. And the Lord saide vnto Moses How long will this people prouoke me and how long will it be yer ye beleeue me for all the signes which I haue shewed among you 12. I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherite c. Now we come to consider how God proceedeth against these sinners first touching his threatning then of his execution of iudgment He threatneth to sweepe theÌ„ away with the pestilence and so to roote them out vtterly The doctrine is this Among other diseases and iudgements sent for sinne Doctrine Among other iudgements sent for sinne the plague is one the plague and pestilence is one It cometh not by chance or fortune but is sent of God into townes and cities as 2 Sam. 24 15. The Lord sent a pestilence in Israel from the morning to the time appointed Deut. 28 21 22. Leuit. 26 25. Ezek â—4 19. Numb 16 46 47. The reasons first because all diseases afflictions come froÌ„ God Amos 3 6 they come Reason 1 not out of the dust neither arise from beneath the earth but they proceed froÌ„ God Secondly the titles giuen vnto them proue as much they are called the sword of the Lord 2 Sam. 24 16 and the arrow of the Lord Psal â— â—1 This teacheth that the pestilence is not caused onely or chiefly by naturall meanes but Vse 2 the chiefe and main cause is the wrath of God against sinne Deut. 28 15. And hence it is that it bringeth with it horrour and feare weeping and lamentation terrour and astonishment because God striketh the conscience inwardly as well as the body outwardly Hence it is that there is remouing hither and thither flying too and fro and much amazement in all persons It is sinne that bringeth all both publike and priuate calamities and God is able to finde out our sinnes and vs in our sinnes And as we sinne many waies so he hath many waies to plague vs and it lyeth in him to punish vs with one or with many of his plagues together The Lord if it had pleased him could haue punished Dauid with these three iâ—â—gements 2 Sam. 24 13. famine the sword and the pestilence al together and his pride and vaine confidence in his owne strength deserued no lesse but he brought onely one of them and put him to his choise whether of them he would haue We can reason oftentimes among our selues of the causes of the plague and can tell that it came into such and such places first of all by such a carrier or traueller or infected person neuerthelesse though it be not to bee denied but there may be such causes we may not omit or forget the chiefe and principall And tell me how came it at the first and what shall we make the first cause within vs but sinne and without vs but God No plague beginneth but by his iust and righteous hand so no plague can ceasse before God will that sent the same And how is it that one citty is infected more then another and one house more then another and in the same house some are smitten others are not touched Is not this the will and pleasure of God also This then noteth the great folly of such as say Oh this is a contagious time of the yeare when this season is a little ouerpast that wee may haue some frost or cold or winde to purge the aire you shall see all well againe time will weare out all But if God call not backe his hand and stay his iudgement no winde no winter no weather no cold shall be able to do vs any good And therfore we see oftentimes that though we haue had many nipping frosts and strong windes yet this sicknesse hath encreased and not beene diminished Secondly the readiest way to auoide the Vse 2 plague is to abstaine from al those things that bring it continue it and encrease it Men ordinarily do vse sweeping of houses washing of chambers cleansing of streetes perfuming of stuffe killing of dogges taking of physicke and such like neither doth God condemne or restraine these or any good meanes to releeue our selues prouided that we trust in God and not in them notwithstanding it is certaine that all mans pollicy without God is able to do nothing The plague cannot be remoued by any mans industry We must wash clense and purge our hearts by true and vnfained repentance We must remoue that which bringeth the plague Iam. 4 8. Esay 1 16. Ier. 4 14. Ps 51 2 7. All these places shew how foule and filthy we are by nature For that which is cleane of it selfe needeth no washing but we neede washing and purging and therefore we must confesse we are vncleane Nay no mire is so