hold them necessarie as causes of our saluation and iustification but this we haue confuted heretofore Secondly of some Protestants who hold them necessarie though not as principall causes for they say we are only iustified and saued by Christ yet as conseruant causes of our saluation but the truth is they are no causes of saluation neither efficient principall nor conseruant nor yet materiall formall or finall as hath else-where beene shewed The third opinion is the truth that good workes are necessarie not as causes of saluation or iustification but as inseparable consequents of sauing faith in Christ whereby we are iustified and saued or as a way is necessarie to the going to a place The dignity of good workes is expressed in this that they are called good now they are good only in part not perfectly as I shew thus Such as the tree is such is the friute but euery one regenerate is partly spirit and partly flesh that is in part regenerate and in part naturall and corrupt this is true of his minde will and affections which are the fountaine of all his actions and therefore the workes that proceed thence must needes bee answerable that is in part corrupt as they come from nature and yet good in part as they come from grace Quest. But how can God approoue of them if they be euill Ans. We must consider good workes two waies First in themselues as they are compared with the law and the rigour thereof and so they are sins because they answer not to that perfection which the law requireth for there bee two degrees of sinnes Rebellions which are actions flatly against the lawe and Defects when a man doth those things that the lawe commandeth but yet faileth in the manner of doing and so are mans very best workes sinnes Secondly consider good workes as done by a person regenerate and reconciled to God in Christ and so God accepts of them for in Christ the wants thereof are couered But here wee must take heed of the Romish doctrine which teacheth that good workes are so farre forth good that there is no sinne in them their reasons are many to prooue this point but they haue beene heretofore confuted First they say good workes haue God for their Author and therefore are perfectly good Answ. This were true if he alone were the author of them but man is another author thereof from whom they take their imperfection They say againe that here they are called good but if they had any sinne in them they should be called euill for euery sinne is perfectly euill Ans. Where sinne is vnremitted it is perfectly euill but when it is pardoned in our Sauiour Christ it is as though it were not Thirdly they obiect that if good workes be sinnefull then they must not bee done and hereupon they say that by our doctrine men are bound to abstaine from all good workes Answer That which is euill must not be done so farre forth as it is euill now good workes are not simply and absolutely euill they are good in themselues and in vs in part comming from grace and therefore they must be done because God requires them at our hands and for the imperfection of them wee must pray for pardon in our Sauiour Christ. And here by the way we may iustly taxe the prowd doctrine of the Papists who teach that men may bee iustified by good workes when as the best workes of any man in this life are tainted with sinne and are farre vnanswerable to that perfection which the law requireth wee must be of a farre other minde namely that for our best workes God may iustly condemne vs because wee haue not done them as we ought therefore Christ bids vs say of our selues that when we haue done all that we can we are vnprofitable seruants The vse of good workes is here set downe by our Sauiour Christ to glorifie God this is not the whole ende of good workes and therfore I will propound the same more fully out of other places of Scripture for Christ here onely propoundeth that ende of good workes which concerned his intended purpose The vse and ende of good workes is three-fold either concerning God our selues or our brethren As good workes concerne God they haue three vses First they serue as meanes whereby wee giue vnto God testimonie of our homage and obedience vnto his commaundements for by creation preseruation and redemption he is our Lord and our God and so prescribeth lawes for vs to keepe in which regard wee owe homage vnto him which that wee may shewe forth and testifie wee must walke in good workes as hee in his word hath commaunded vs. Secondly they serue to bee tokens of our thankefulnesse vnto God for our creation redemption and manifold preseruations both in soule and bodie Thankefulnesse indeede is shewed in word but yet true thankefulnesse stands in obedience and our obedience is shewed by doing good workes And therefore the Apostle Paul exhorts vs to giue vp our bodies as holy and acceptable sacrifices vnto God Rom. 12. 1. Thirdly they serue to make vs followers of God we are commaunded to be holy as he is holy 1. Pet. 1. 15. and to put in practise the duties of loue one towards another as the Lord loued vs and therefore we must walke in the duties of the Morall law that therein we may imitate God 1. Ioh. 3. 3. He which hath this hope purgeth himselfe as he is pure Secondly the vse of good workes in regard of our selues is fourefold especially First they serue to bee outward testimonies of the truth of our faith and profession proouing that the grace of our hearts is not in hypocrisie but in truth and sinceritie And for this cause Abraham is said to haue beene iustified by workes because his workes did testifie that his faith was true and sincere for where the fire of grace is there it cannot but burne and where the water of life is it cannot but slowe and send out the streames thereof in good workes Secondly they serue to be signes and pledges of our election iustification sanctification and of our future glorification as wee knowe a tree to liue by the fruite and budde which it bringeth forth so by keeping a continuall course in good workes a man is knowne to bee in Christ and to haue true title to all his benefits and therefore when the Apostle willeth men to giue all diligence to make their calling and election sure he propoundeth certaine vertues wherein they ought to walke as beeing the most euident tokens of election that we haue in this life Thirdly they serue to make vs answerable to our holy calling for euery one that professeth the Gospel is called to be a mēber of Christ and a new creature whose dutie is to bring forth good workes Eph. 4. 1 2. Walke worthy of the vocation wherevnto you are called with all humblenesse of
naturall corruption is most grieuous and fearefull it makes vs to sinne in whatsoeuer things we doe though in themselues they be things indifferent or els good works II. This ouerthrowes the conceit of popish writers which teach that God giues to all men an vniuersall common grace or helpe sufficient by which they may be saued if they will And for them which want the meanes of the word of God they say that if they vse that common grace of nature wel God will giue them further grace whereby they may come to saluation But here we see a naturall man hauing a good gift of God cannot of himselfe vse it well the best things he doth though they be good in themselues yet they be sinnes in him III. Here also we may see what a miserable case we are in while we remaine vnregenerate for we can doe nothing but sinne we be like to thornes and thistles which either bring forth no fruite or els bad fruites and therefore we must labour to become new plants in Christs orchard being ingraffed into him by faith and made new creatures by regeneration hauing beleeuing hearts and good consciences that so we may bring forth good fruites vnto the praise and glorie of God IV. We may hence learne a generall rule touching a righteous man namely that a man must first be truly iustified and sanctified before he can doe a good workeâ— first a tree must haue the sappe and nature of a good tree and then it brings forth good fruits and not before And this ouerturnes a point of naturall and popish religion that a man may be iustified and saued by his good workes but that which followes cannot be a cause of that which went before the fruit cannot make the tree to be good but onely declare and manifest that it is good from whence it comes that the fruit is good and so good works they proceede from iustification They say iustification twofold one whereby a man of an euill man is made a good man the second whereby of a good man one is made better the first they say is of works but the second iustification is of grace Ans. But this is false for the fruit makes not the tree a better tree but if the tree increase in goodnes it proceedes from some other cause not from the fruit thereof vers 19. Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire 20. Therefore by their fruits shall ye know them These words containe a conclusion gathered from the former similitude which is here also continued wherein is set downe a grieuous threatning of eternall damnation the deserued punishment of all false prophets As if Christ had said looke as in an orchyard euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit i. hewen downe and cast into the fire to be burnt so in the Church of God the false prophet shall not alwaies be reputed for a true Prophet but at the length shall be discouered cut off from the Church and condemned Answerable to this is that saying of our Sauiour Christ Euery branch which beareth not fruit in me is taken away cast forth and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne And S. Peter saith Their damnation sleepeth not 2. Pet. 2. 3. The vse 1. This serues to comfort Gods children in regard of false prophets for though Gods Church be troubled with them for a time yet it shall not alwaies be so the time will come wherein they must be cast out and receiue their due and deserued destruction And this especially must be remembred to stay and comfort our hearts in regard of the Popish religion which doth most of all molest and trouble vs first because it is naturall and so readily embraced secondly many among vs doe much affect it and thirdly it is maintained by mightie Monarchs But yet for all that it must downe for it is a plant which God neuer set nor planted Matth. 15. 13. And the cheife vpholders of it shall be destroied II. Vse This teacheth vs to eschew and shunne false teachers and therefore doth Christ adâ—â— this exhortation Matth. 15. 14. Lâ—t them alone they are the blind leaders of the blinde and Reuel 18. 4. Come out of her that is spirituall Babylon which is Rome my people for if you partake with her in her sinnes ye shall suffer of her punishments III. Use. The words of this threatning beeing further applied vnto all men as they are in S. Luke doe â—each vs that it is not sufficient for vs to abstaine from committing grosse sinnes and to doe no man hâ—rmâ— but beside eschewing eâ—ill we must doe good In the last iudgement the sentence of condemnation shall be pronounced against the wicked not for robbing the poore but for not releeuing of them and for not visiting and cloathing them Which doth notably confute that vaine opinion of many ignorant people who thinke that if they liue an innocent and harmelesse life God will hold them excused and saue them but the tree that brings not forth good fruit must be burnt vers 20. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them Here Christ repeats againe the Rule he deliuered in the 16 verse which shâ—ws that it is a speciall rule to be obserued of vs all for there is no idle word in Scripture neither any thing repeated in vaine The meaning thereof we haue heard and the meanes whereby a false prophet may be discouered with the vses thereof among which we shewed that euery true beleeuer in Gods Church may be able to discouer a false prophet whereto these three caueats must be added I. The paiâ—ie that would discouer a false prophet must humble himselfe before God haue an heart in some sort emptied of all pride and selfe-loue for the Lord will teach the humble his waies Psal. 25. 9. yea he doth exalt the humble meeke Luk. 51. 3. and in all things the humbled heart is preserued with the Lord. II. The partie humbled must yeild himselfe to obey the will of God If any man doe my fathers will he shall know of my doctrine whether it be of God Ioh. 7. 17. and Dauid professeth of himselfe that he was wiser then his teachers and vnderstood more then the auncient because he kept Gods commandements Psal. 119. 99 100. III. He must pray vnto the Lord and aske wisdome in faith and in humilitie and the Lord will giue it vnto him Iam. 1. 5. If any man lacke wisdome let him aske of God who giueth liberally Yet some will say it is an hard matter to discerne a false prophet I answer we haue ordinarily this capacitie when we read or heare read the last will and testament of our Ancestors we are able to conceiue and iudge of the meaning thereof well our Lord Iesus hath left with vs his will and testament in the holy Scriptures which concerning morall duties
and rebellion into our Land if this were not our peace would continue for euer for the worke of iustice shall be peace quietnesse and assurance for euer And againe in righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression This therefore should mooue all vngodly persons to repent and to breake off the course of their sinnes vnlesse they will continue professed enemies to the peace of the state vnder which they liue The second Point wherein this blessednesse of Peace-makers consists namely in that they shall be called the children of God that is they shall be esteemed and reputed for Gods children in this world of God himselfe and all good men and in the world to come fully manifested so to be That this is true happinesse will soone appeare by the view of the state of euery childe of God for they are vnited vnto Christ by the spirit of grace by which they are regenerate and in Christ they are adopted for sonnes and daughters and so enioy Gods speciall grace and fauour Now hereupon they are Kings children hauing God for their Father who loues them more tenderly then any earthly Parents can loue their owne children secondly they haue Christ for their brother and so are heires annexed with him hauing heauen and earth for their possession In him they are made Kings and Priests vnto God and shall be iudges of the world at the last day yea they haue the holy Angels for ministring spirits to attend vpon their persons for their defence from the power of the enemie which farre surpasseth the dignity of any guard of men on earth whatsoeuer all things worke together for the best vnto them their crosses and afflictions are no curses but fatherly trialls and chastisements yea their sinnes are turned to their good to them death is no death but a sweet sleepe vnto their bodies and a straite passage for their soules into eternall glorie yea in the acte of death they haue the comfort of life in the ioy of the spirit and the Angels readie when breath departeth to carrie their soules to heauen If this be true happinesse to be called Gods children then they that liue after their owne wicked lusts voyd of all care to keepe a good cōscience are miserable and accursed for they are the children of the diuell seruing him in the workes of sinne and expressing his image in vngodlinesse and worldly lustes It stands them therefore in hand if they haue any care of true happinesse to labour after regeneration whereby forsaking the lusts and courses of their former ignorance and embracing and obeying sincerely the word of life they may become Gods children and so happie Secondly hast thou receiued this grace of Gods spirit whereby thou art inclined to haue peace with all men and to seeke for peace between God and thine owne conscience yea betweene the Lord and others then comfort thy selfe thou art the childe of God these motions come from grace flesh and blood brings forth no such fruits labour therefore to maintaine these good motions with all other pledges of thine adoption and so shalt thou growe fully assured of thine own happines In this age men make much adoe to get good assurance of earthly purchases but what madnesse is this so greatly to regard momentanie things and to haue no care in comparison of our eternall inheritance which we shall haue assured vnto vs when wee become the children of God Verse 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 11. Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsly 12. Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Here Christ propounds his eight Rule touching happinesse which he handles more largely then the former for hauing laid downe the Rule vers 10. he expounds the same in a speciall application of it to his Disciples in the 11. and 12. verses In the Rule it selfe note two points first the parties blessed secondly wherein their blessednesse consists The parties blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Persecution properly signifieth pursuite such as one enemie maketh after another but here the word must be taken generally for all kind of persecution whatsoeuer Now because it is a paradoxe and absurd in humane reason to thinke him blessed that for any cause is persecuted therefore Christ to verefie the truth hereof repeats the same Rule in the nextwerse where also he expounds euery parcell thereof wherewith I will content my selfe because Christ is the best interpreter of his owne words In the 11. verse therefore Christ sets downe three things all pertaining to the true exposition of this Rule First he explaines more particularly the parties that be blessed saying to his Disciples Blessed are yee In the beginning of the Chapter wee heard that hee cast his eies vpon them and spake vnto them and now here he doth the like again therefore this Rule must not be vnderstood of all men in the world that suffer but of all Christs true Disciples and generally it is not true for the heathen and infidels doe often suffer for good causes and yet remaine infidels without the true God and so are not blessed Againe a Chrstian professor may giue vp his life in a good cause yet not of loue to God or his truth but vpon ambition and so not be blessed for though I giue my bodie to be burned yet wanting loue it profiteth mee nothing Secondly Christ expoundeth particularly what hee meaneth by persecution naming three parts thereof first slaundering and reuiling which is the persecution of the tongue Thus the Iewes persecuted the Apostles saying they were drunke or full of sweete wine Thus Festus persecuted Paul making him madde or beside himselfe Secondly persecution meaning hereby as the word doth properly signifie first pursuite such as one enemie maketh after another when he seekes to spoile him of his goods or of his life secondly the bringing a man vnto the Barre and there of malice to accuse and arraigne him thirdly euill speaking with lying when as men of purpose be without cause malitiously carried thereunto as when the Iewes called Christ a Samaritan that had a diuell and said that he cast out diuels by Belzebub the prince of diuels and thus were the Christians in the Primitiue Church persecuted beeing malitiously accused for killing their owne children for worshipping the head of an asse for incest and such like To these three kindes of persecutions S. Luke Chap. 6. 22. addes a fourth namely hatred and a fift called separation wherby men were excommunicated and cast out of the Temple Synagogues for Christs sake and his Gospels These are the seuerall kinds of that persecution for the enduring whereof Christ pronounceth men blessed vers 10.
whereof Hatred is the roote and the rest are the branches Thirdly Christ laies downe the cause for which this persecution shall be inflicted namely for my sake or as S. Luke saith for the sonne of mans sake which expoundeth this phrase for Righteousnes sake v. 10. to wit for professing beleeuing and maintaining the doctrine of the Gospel taught by Christ touching remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to them that beleeue The vses in generall We see that Christ vrgeth this Rule of blessednes more largely then the former this he doth for speciall cause first hereby he would teach his Disciples and vs in them that it is the will of God his Church in this world should be vnder the crosse in such affliction and persecution as their blood shall be sought for the maintenance of the faith And this hee will haue to bee the state of his Church for speciall causes First that the members thereof by their afflictions may be acquainted with their owne wants and infirmities which they would not much regard if they were freed from the crosse Secondly that by affliction they may be kept from many grieuous sinnes into which they would fall if they liued in peace Thirdly that others seeing the correction of the Church for sinne might learne thereby to hate and auoide sinne and lastly that the Church might glorifie God in a constant and couragious maintenance of his truth vnto death for euen in persecution is Gods truth preserued against the reason of mans wisdome patient suffering for the truth beeing faithfull witnes-bearing thereunto Secondly Christ had newely called the Twelue out of all his Disciples to be Apostles whereupon they might thinke that they should be aduanced to some outward honour ease and peace but Christ hereby calles them from that conceit puts them in mind of affliction which should befall them in time to come that when it came they might the better indure it And thus he prepares all churches to suffer affliction yea and we our selues must hereby learne in time of peace to prepare our selues against the day of triall because his will is that whosoeuer would liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer affliction Thirdly hereby Christ intends to lay a ground of comfort to his disciples in their persecution by a plaine and ful declaration of their happines that suffer for righteousnes sake in that they haue sure title to the kingdome of heauen out of which estate no sound comfort can be had And this same must we lay vp in store against the time to come for we liue now in peace by Gods mercie but we know not how long it will continue we haue beene threatened and dangerously assaulted by our enemies many a time beside the rodde of God shaken with his owne hand against vs and wee may not thinke our peace will last alwaies but seeing our sinnes increase we may be sure our ioy and peace will one day bee turned into sorrow and therefore it will be good to haue this Rule engrauen in our hearts that they are blessed which suffer for righteousnesse sake If therefore tribulation come for the defence of the Gospel we must haue recourse to this promise of blessednesse and that will be our comfort More particularly In the words of this Rule Blessed are they c. Christ would let vs see that deadly hatred which the world beares vnto Gods Church for so much the word persecute importeth The reasons of this hatred may be these First the Church of God in the ministerie of the Gospel seekes the ruine of the diuels kingdome who is the Prince of the world the diuell therefore rageth and inflames the hearts of his instruments with malice against Gods Church that they may persecute and quite destroy it if it were possible Secondly Gods Church is a peculiar people seuered from the world in profession doctrine and conuersation and therefore the world hates them Ioh. 15. 19. And this very point may serue to stay our hearts when we shall bee persecuted for the profession and embracing of the Gospel of Christ for the world doth hate Gods Church and will doe to the end there must be enmitie betweene the seed of the serpent and the seede of the woman as then he that was borne of the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit so is it now Gal. 4. 29. Secondly obserue that this hatred of the world is not onely against the members of Gods Church but euen against Christs holy religion so Christ saith for my sake or for my Religions sake This is to be marked as a most excellent argument to perswade our consciences that the Gospel of Christ which we professe is the true and blessed doctrine of God because the wicked world doth alwaies hate it yea it hateth vs also for the Gospels sake now if it were a doctrine of men it would fit their natures well and they would loue it for the world doth loue his owne Ioh. 15. 19. Thirdly if they be blessed that suffer persecution then how may any man lawfully flie in persecution Answer A man may flie in persecution with good conscience these two things obserued first that he be not hindred by his particular calling secondly that he hath libertie offered by Gods prouidence to escape the hands of his enemies The intent of this verse is not to forbid flight but to comfort such as are in persecution and cannot escape for the word signifieth such persecution as is by pursuite and oppression which cannot be auoided Lastly seeing they are blessed that suffer for righteousnes sake Whether are they alwaies cursed that suffer deseruedly for an euill cause for the contrarie reason is in contraries Ans. They are alwaies accursed saue in one case to wit vnlesse they repent for their vnrighteousnes for which they are afflicted but by true repentance they become blessed The thiefe vpon the crosse had liued in theft and was therfore attached condemned and crucified and so he suffered for vnrighteousnesse but yet hee was saued because hee repented and beleeued in Christ. It is added for righteousnesse sake In this clause we are taught a speciall lesson namely that when God shall lay vpon vs any affliction or persecution as imprisonment banishment losse of goods or of life it selfe we must alwaies looke that the cause be good and then suffer willingly This is a necessarie Rule for we must suffer affliction either publikely or priuately if we will liue godly in Christ Iesus Now it is not the punishment but the cause that makes a Martyr and to this purpose Peter saith Let none of you suffer as a Murtherer a Thiefe or a busie-body but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God in this behalfe and therefore we must be sure the cause be good yea this we must looke vnto in our particular priuate crosses Verse 11. Blessed are ye when men reuile you and
persecute you c. In handling the former verse we shewed the meaning of these words how they serue to expouÌ„d the former Rule The point here to be obserued is this That to reuile and slaunder yea as Luke saith to hate a man for a good cause especially for religion is persecution which shewes how fearefull the common sinne of the age is whereby men reuile their brethren with base and odious tearmes because they shewe some care to please God and to adorne their profession by a godly life But thou art a persecutor whosoeuer thou art that vsest this and therefore repent and leaue it for it is a preparation to a greater sinne in this kinde and most odious in Gods sight as the punishment hereof declares Gen. 21. 9 10. with Gal. 4. 29 30. S. Luke addes a second word And when they separate you whereby is meant excoÌ„municatioÌ„ out of the Temple and Synagogue a punishment which Christ foretold should befall his disciples This censure was put in execution in their Synagogues for besides the administration of ciuill Iustice Ecclesiasticall matters were there handled Now marke what Christ saith Though excommunication bee mine owne ordinance yet blessed are you when men excommunicate you out of the Temple and Synagogues for my names sake where hee maketh excommunication a kinde of persecution when it is denounced against men for righteousnesse sake Here then we may learne what to thinke of the Popes Bulls whereby he excommunicates Kings and Queenes and particular Churches for denying subiection to his chaire namely that they are the diuels instruments where with Gods children are persecuted and that all such as are thus excommunicated for defending the truth of the Gospel are blessed for excommunication is not the instrument of a curse to them that suffer it for good cause Secondly hence we learne that excommunication abused against Gods word is no powerfull censure though in it selfe beeing vsed according to Gods ordinance it be a most terrible thunderbolt excluding a man in part from the Church and from the kingdome of heauen and therfore all Churches must see that this censure be not abused for the abusers of it incurre the danger of the curse and not they against whom it is vniustly pronounced Vers. 12. Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Here Christ drawes a conclusion from the former Rule for hauing said in generall that they which suffer for righteousnesse sake are blessed v. 10. and applied it in particular to his Disciples ver 11. hereupon hee infers that they must reioyce in affliction euen then or as Luke saith in that day yea they must be glad which word signifieth exceeding ioy such as we vse to expresse by outward signes in the body as skipping and dauncing such as Dauid vsed to testifie his ioy for the returne of the Arke of God to his citie This is a most worthy conclusion often vrged and commended vnto vs in Scripture Iam. 1. 2. Brethren count it exceeding great ioy when yee fall into diuers temptations Rom. 5. 3. We reioyce in tribulation knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and Act. 5. 41. The Disciples reioyced that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ. Here we learne then that Gods church and people that suffer in a good cause must reioyce and be glad This must be remembred for we â—aue bene many times in great danger of our enemies for the Gospels â—ake and it may please God to leaue vs in their hands for our manifold sinnes and great abuse of his heauenly blessings which if he doe what must be our behauiour must we be swallowed vp with sorrow and griefe no but humbling our selues for our sinnes we must remember for what we doe suffer and reioyce and be glad in that behalfe for though our outward man perish yet the inner man shall bee reuiued Now because it is a hard thing to reioyce in grieuous afflictions therefore Christ doth giue two reasons to mooue them hereunto first from the Recompense of reward after this life in these words for great is your reward in heauen This point I haue handled heretofore therfore I will here onely shewe how the Papists abuse this text to prooué the merits of mans workes of grace for hence they reason thus Where there is a reward there is merit But in heauen there is a reward for mans works of grace and therefore in this life there is merit by them To this it is answered diuers waies I will touch the heads of the principall First the word reward must not bee vnderstood properly but figuratiuely for Christs speech is borrowed from labourers who after they haue done their worke doe receiue their wages which is the reward thereof euen so after Christs disciples and seruants haue suffered afflictions for the name of Christ at the end of this life they shall receiue life euerlasting Secondly when wee read of wages and reward in Scripture wee must not dreame of any thing due by right of debt and merit but conceiue thereby that which is giuen by promise and of meere mercie like as when an earthly Father promiseth to his sonne to giue him this or that thing if hee will learne now the Fathers gift is not merited by the childe but is freely giuen the more to incite the childe to learne his booke Thirdly if we vnderstand reward properly then we must referre it not to our sufferings but to the sufferings of Christ for there is no proportion betweene our sufferings and life eternall the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs Rom. 8. 18. The second reason is taken from the example of the auncient Prophets for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you In this Reason Christ intendeth two things First to teach his Disciples and vs that persecuâ—ion for good causes is no newe or strange thing Secondly to comfort his Disciples and seruants in their sufferings for that thereby they should bee made comformable to the ancient worthy Prophets who were of old renowned among men and are now glori fied of God in heauen Hereto wee must compare the words of Luke ' spoken to the same purpose for after this manner did the Fathers to the Prophets By Fathers we must needs meane the auncient people of the Iewes for here hee speaketh to his Disciples and others that were Iewes by nation Now hence obserue a strange point to wit that the auncient Prophets who were most worthy men of God were persecuted in their time not so much by forrainers and enemies to religion as by those that were outwardly members of the Church of God and professors of religion This may seeme strange that men liuing in Gods Church should growe to this height of impietie to become persecutors of Gods Saints but Saint
obedience to God now vnlesse God appoint them the doing of them cannot be any obedience to his will Thirdly will-worship whereby men thrust vpon God their owne inuentions for his seruice is euery where condemned and of like nature be all those actions wherein men of themselues doe fasten goodnesse without the will and appointment of God This point must bee remembred because the Church of Rome doth teach the contratie That a man may doe good workes not required or appointed by God but the former Reasons shew this to be false and the arguments which they bring for their opinion are nothing but abuse of Scripture as in these fewe may plamely appeare First they say the Iewes had free-will offerings which were not commanded in the word and yet were acceptable vnto God and so do many now adaies many good workes acceptable to God though not commanded Answ. Their free-wil offerings were ordained of God and therefore were acceptable they were onely free in regard in the time of offering them but for the manner how and the places where they must be offered both these were appointed of God Againe they say Phinees slewe Zimrâ— and Cosbie with Gods approbation though hee was no Magistrate and therefore workes not commanded of God may be acceptable vnto him Ans. Though Phinees had not any outward commandement yet he had that which was answerable thereto to wit an extraordinary instinct by the spirit wherby he was carried to doe that fact which was as much as if God had giuen him an expresse commandement And so we may say of the Ministerie of sundry auncient Prophets who by extraordinarie instinct were mooued thereunto and vpon this ground did Elijah slaie Baals Prophets Thirdly Maries fact say they in powring a boxe of costly ointment on the head of our Sauiour Christ was a good worke and yet there was no commandment for it in Gods word Answer Maries fact was a worke of confession whereby she testified her saith in Christ and so was generally commanded though not in particular Againe she was carried thereto by a speciall instinct of the spirit for she did it to burie him as Christ himselfe testisieth because his buriall was so speedy after his death in regard of the approaching of the sabboth that they could not embalme him as the manner of the Iewes was now euery instinct of Gods spirit in the conscience of the doer hath the force of a particular commandement Fourthly the spirit of God say they mooues euery man to any good worke that is to be done and therefore men need not a particular commandement for euery worke for those that are carried by the spirit cannot but doe well Answer True it is the spirit mooueth men to good works freely but yet this motion of the spirit is in and by the word of God and at this day those instincts which are besides the word are mens owne fancies or illusions of the diuell Many other reasons they alleadge to this purpose for the Iustifying their vowes of Chastitie of regular obedience pilgrimages trentals and such like but they are like to these and notwithstanding them all the truth is this that for substance a good worke is such a one as is ordayned appointed commanded by God And here by the way we may obserue that they are farre deceiued who so much commend the times of Poperie for good workes for the truth is that all their oblations to Images to Monasteries and to Churches for Masses Pardons and such like were no good workes but onely in their owne opinion for God commanded them not Now it is the Lords reuealed will that must giue the goodnes to mans worke Mich. 6. 8. he hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Next I adde Done of a regenerate person The Author of a good worke is not euery one in the world but that man or woman that is a member of Christ borne a new by the holy Ghost so Christ here saith Let your light c. restraining his speech to the persons of his disciples True it is that among Turkes and Infidels many a ciuill man will doe workes of mercie of ciuill iustice and liberalitie and will abstaine from outward sinnes and liue orderly now these and such like though in themselues they be good workes so farre forth as they are required by the law of nature or commaunded by Gods word yet in an infidel or an vnregenerate person they are sins for first they proceed from an heart which is corrupt with originall sinne and with vnbeleefe for the heart is the fountaine of all actions and also they are practised by the members of the bodie which are weapons of vnrighteousnesse and therefore must needs be like vnto water springing from a corrupt fountaine and running through a filthy channell Secondly these workes are not done for Gods glorie and the good of men Thirdly they are not done in obedience to God according to the Rule of goodnesse the will and word of God and therefore cannot be good workes And this must teach euery one that would doe good to labour for regeneration by the holy Ghost that so his person may be good then shall his workes of obedience be good in Gods sight for such as the tree is such will be the fruit An euill tree cannot bring forth good fruite nor a good tree euill fruite Matth. 7. 18. Wee must therefore labour to be engraffed into Christ for without him we can doe no good thing but beeing paâ—takers of his grace we shall abound with the fruits of rightcousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God Phil. 1. 11. Thirdly I adde that good workes must be done in faith for saith is the cause of euery good worke and without faith it is impossible to do any good worke Now in the doing of a good worke there is a twofold faith required First a generall faith whereby a man is perswaded that God requires of him the doing of that worke which he takes in hand as when a man giueth almes hee must be perswaded it is Gods will he should giue almes and so for other good workes for what soeuer is not of faith is sinne that is whatsoeuer proceedeth not from this perswasion in the conscience that it is Gods will that such a thing should be done or should not be done is sinne for he that doubteth of the thing he doth sinneth therein though the thing done be good in it selfe Secondly herein is required Iustifying faith whereby a man is perswaded in his conscience of his owne reconciliation with God in Christ of this it is said Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God This Iustifying faith hath a double vse in the causing of a good worke First it giues the beginning to a good worke for by iustifying faith Christ with his merits is apprehended and applied
not of our sinne yet he preserues nature in sinfull workes And thus we see that lust is a sinne II. Point How can lust be a sinne of the seauenth commandemeÌ„t seeing it is directly forbidden in the tenth for in this briefe decalogue there is no needlesse repetition of any thing Ans. Lust is two-folde either without consent of will as when vnchaste desires come into the minde and heart and are not entertained of the will but bee speedily checked so soone as they arise and such lust is forbidden in the tenth commandement or with consent of will when a man is willing to entertaine and cherish the vnchast thoughts that come into his minde though he neuer put them into practise and these are forbidden in the seauenth commandement III. Point The greatnesse of this sinne of lust This is here expressed by Christ calling it Adulterie before God as if he should say Looke how great a sinne bodily adulterie is before men who punish the same with death euen so great and hainous a sinne before God is the inward vnchast lusting of the heart whereto a man giues consent of will though he neuer bring it into action for this he stands culpable of adulterie before God and shall therefore be condemned vnlesse hee repent The vse of this Third Point is manifold First hereby we may learne how to examine our selues by this seauenth commandement for our Sauiour Christ here teacheth vs that they which willingly retaine vnchaste desires with delight though they neuer giue their bodies to the outward acte are Adulterers before God and therefore when wee would examine our selues by this commandement wee must search our hearts whether we haue willingly retained therein any lustfull thoughts and if we haue wee must know that we are guiltie of Adulterie before God And because none of vs are free from this sinne it must humble and cast vs down before God as breakers of this commandement Secondly if the lust of the heart be Adulterie before God then wee must with care and diligence learne the Apostle Pauls lesson 2. Corinthians 7. 1. To purge our selues from all vncleannesse both of flesh and spirit that is wee must labour to keepe our hearts and mindes pure and chaste as well as our bodies And to induce vs herevnto consider the Reasons following First we all desire to see God and to know his loue in Christ for our comfort in this life and saluation for euer but without holinesse and puritie of heart wee can neuer see God nor knowe the comfort of his loue for when a man defiles his minde with vnchaste thoughts hee depriues himselfe of the taste of Gods fauour and of the experience of his loue Secondly consider the state and condition of mans heart by effectuall calling it is the dwelling place and Temple of the holy Ghost for when a man is in Christ hee liueth in Christ by faith and Christ in him by his spirit now then looke as men vse to trimme vp their dwelling houses for the receiuing of some noble guest so ought wee to keepe our hearts pure and cleane from vnchaste lustes that they may bee fit habitations for the blessed spirit of God but by vnchaste lustes we make the heart a stable for the deuil and a cage of all vncleane spirits Thirdly if wee suffer our hearts nowe to burne with fleshly lust we make an entrance in them for the burning of hell fire for euer for these two alwaies goe together burning lust and hell fire vnlesse repentance come betweene And therefore if wee would escape hell fire wee must quench the fire of lust and cleanse our hearts from this vncleannesse Fourthly by profession we seeme to be the members of Christ and if we would be so indeed then we must take heed of vnchaste lusts for thereby wee pull our hearts from Christ and knit them to an harlot These and such like â—â—â—sons must mooue vs to auoide all vnchaste desires and for the preseruation of chastitie in our hearts these Rules must bee obserued First the minde must be filled with godly meditations and the word of God must dwell in our hearts plenteously for vnchast lusts doe therefore arise in our hearts because we are idle minded and emptie of Gods word if that were truly ingraffed in vs these wicked desires could not enter or at least take no place in vs. Secondly we must often giue our selues to the spirituall exercises of faith repentance and new obedience as to the vsuall hearing reading and meditating in Gods word to the often receiuing of the Lords supper and to continuall prayer not onely publikely but priuately especially for these confirme Gods graces in the heart and doe euen nippe in the head all vngodly motions whatsoeuer Thirdly we must vse sobrietie in meat drinke and apparell for vngodly lusts are kindled fedde and nourished with too much pampering of the bodie Sodome and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim sinned most grieuously in this kinde through fulnesse of bread and therefore we must vse a moderation in these things that grace may be strengthened and all euill lusts weakened in vs. Fourthly we must alwaies be doing some good thing either in our generall calling of a Christian or in our particular calling yea in our lawfull recreation we must intend and practise good for when men are idle Satan fills their hearts with euill thoughts and so defiles the same Fiftly men and women must not priuately conuerse together without warrant so to doe either from their generall or particular calling so as with good conscience they can say the Lord doth call them so to conuerse for the mutuall conuersing of men and women is the cause of many noysome lusts and therefore neither men nor women without good warrant should thrust themselues into such occasion of temptations Remember what the Apostle saith Euill conuersings corrupt good manners The Apostle Peter felt tho smart of this boldnes though in an other case for comming to warme himselfe in Caiphas hall without good warrant so to doe when a silly maide demanded of him whether he was not one of Christs companie he denied him flatly and that with cursing and so many men and women conuersing without warrant where they should not doe fall into many noysome sinnes and when they thinke themselues most strong then with Peter haue they the greatest falls verse 29. Wherefore if thy right eye cause thee to offend plucke it out and cast it from thee for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell vers 30. Also if thy right hand make thee to offend out it off and cast it from thee for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell In these two verses our Sauiour Christ laieth downe a most heauenly instruction for the auoyding of offences
could wish and so might haue continued if he would for hee was the adopted sonne of Pharaohs daughter but yet Moses left them all and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God in Goshen then to enioy all the pleasures of Egypt And this he did because they were but the pleasures of sinne which hee could not enioy vnlesse hee would forsake the true feare and worship of God and all good conscience his example we ought to follow Now that we may auoid all the occasions of sinne and so put in practise this wholesome precept of our Sauiour Christ I wil here intreat of the occasions of sinne and shew withall how they may be auoyded By occasion of sinne I meane any thing that either of it selfe or by mans abuse becomes offensiue and prouoketh vnto sinne In this large acceptance an occasion of sinne extendeth it selfe not onely to such things as are euill but euen to things good and commendable in themselues which by mans abuse cause transgression against God Occasions of sinne are two-fold either giuen or taken An occasion giuen is that thing either word or action that is euill in it selfe the speaking or doing whereof stirres a man effectually to sinne Occasions giuen are two-fold either of one man vnto another or of man vnto himselfe The occasions whereby one man may prouoke another to sinne are many I will reduce them vnto sixe heads The first is badde counsell whereby one man perswadeth another vnto sinne This is a great cause of much euill in the world thus came the fall of our first parents for Sathan perswaded Eue and Eue her husband thus came the crucifying of the Lord of life for the high ' Priests and Rulers perswaded the people to aske Barrabas and to destroy Iesus Hence commeth seeking vnto wisards one friend perswades another for their outward good as they thinke yea from this bad counsel comes the common neglect of all good duties in Gods worship The second is consent or approbation of sinne and it is two-folde secret or open Secret approbation and consent is when men see sinne committed and are not grieued thereat for this cause the Apostle Paul checketh the Corinthians that they were not sorrowfull but rather puffed vp at the facte of the incestuous man whereby they did in some sort hearten him in his sinnes this is a great occasion of sinne in our daies The Prophet Dauid was of another minde his eies gushed out riuers of teares because men brake Gods lawes Open approbation of sinne is when men doe openly countenance sinners and lewd persons which make profession of badde practises this is a great occasion of many horrible impieties hereby the hands of the wicked are strengthened in their wickednesse as the Lord complaineth and this is the sinne of this age for who is so badde that hath not some patrone of his euill and some backe friend to sooth him in his sinne which makes sinne shameles and sinners impudent But all Gods children must follow Elisha who in great feruencie of spirit told Iehoram to his face though he were a king that if it had not bâ—ene for the preseuce of good King Iehosaphat he would not haue looked towards him nor seene him the Lord himselfe will not take the wicked by the hand neither can he endure that his children should helpe the wicked or loue them that hate the Lord. The third occasion giuen is prouocation vnto sinne when either by word or deed men excite or drawe on others to some euill as vnto anger reuenge hatred to drunkennesse or such like and this is a common fault of those that delight in drunken fellowship The fourth occasion is neglect of good duties vnto our brethren as of exhortation admonition instruction or rebuke Ioshua 7. Achan stole the execrable thing for himselfe alone yet all the people are charged with that fault and punished for it the cause was their neglect to keepe one another from that sinne according as God commanded theÌ„ chap. 6. 18. This is a great occasion of impietie among vs if neighbour would admonish neighbour and one brother an other sinne would not be so rife as it is But this dutie is not onely neglected of priuate men one to another but of publike persons who are more bound vnto it The Magistrate is negligent in punishing and the Minister in reproouing sinne and the master of the family carelesse in reforming those that are vnder him which causeth sinne to abound The fift occasion giuen is euill Example in the practise of any sinne whatsoener which may be knowne this is most dangerous like vnto wild fire that inflameth all places whereon it lighteth The truth hereof appeares among vs for let any one man or woman take vp a new fashion in attire and presently the same is generally receiued let a man inuent or sing a leud song and presently it is learned of all euen of little children that can scarse speake whence also comes it that crawling infants should sweare roundly and frame themselues to all impietie when they cannot speake readily but from the bad example of their Elders with whome they are brought vp Now among all men their bad example is most dangerous who make the greater profession of Religion They are like false lights vpon the shoare which lead the shippesvpon the sands And therefore such as shew any care or forwardnes in holy practises of religion must haue speciall watch ouer all their waies that if it be possible they may be blamelesse both in word and deede for all men haue an eye at them and the wicked would gladly spie holes in their coate The last occasion giuen is the priuate slandering of Gods Ministers and the disgracing of their Ministerie this is an offence as generall as the rest and it causeth many to contemne the meanes of their saluation When men meete together their common talke is of the Ministers and of their doctrine not to be edified by mutuall conference but onely to disgrace their persons and to make their ministerie contemptible but they little know what mischiefe this causeth and therefore it ought to be auoided These are occasions of sinning giuen by one man to another for the auoiding whereof which is the plucking out of the eye and cutting off the hand here commanded this Rule must be obserued We must hate and eschew the occasions of sinne as deadly poison and esteeme those persons that giue them vnto vs in that regard as ill as the deuill Thus Christ dealt with Peter his owne disciple when he went about to hinder him from doing his Fathers will in suffering for our sinnes saying Come behinde me Satan considering him in that action as if he had beene the deuill himselfe for we must know that the deuill comes not openly vnto men but cunningly conuaies himselfe in these
of Gods predestination whereby we teach that God hath decreed the condemnation of some This doctrine many doe renounce as a doctrine of crueltie and thereupon frame vnto themselues priuate opinions which will not stand with the word of God The way to auoyde this occasion of offence is this First to graunt vnto God himselfe so much in this case as we will yeeld to mortal man in the like Among our selues we allow of this libertie one to another that a man may kill a flie or a worme and for his lawfull vse and pleasure kill sheepe oxen and other creatures and yet be a mercifull man shall we not then allow vnto God that he may glorifie his name in the iust and deserued condemnation and destruction of his creature This is lesse then we grant to men for a worme is something vnto man but a man is nothing in respect of God Againe among our selues in some things we giue libertie one to another to doe as we will and yet thinke the action iust and lawfull much more then ought we to giue freedom of will vnto God in all his actions without conceit of crueltie in any one of his workes for all his workes are done in equitie Secondly it must be remembred that we teach not that God doth simply ordaine some men to hell fire but touching reprobation our doctrine is this that God hath decreed and purposed to glorifie his name in the due and deserued condemnation of some for in â—anâ— reprobation God hath two actions First he decrees to passe by some men without shewing his eternall mercie vnto them and onely to declare his iustice vpon them then after hee decrees when they are by themselues fallen into sinne to inflict vpon them deserued condemnation for the same The vnlearned also from this doctrine of Predestination take occasion of most fearefull falling for thus they reason If I be predestinate to saluation I am sure to be saued let me doe what I will and if I bee predestinated to condemnation I am sure to be condemned though I liue neuer so godly for Gods decree changeth not and therefore I will liue as I list Thus doe desperate persons imbolden themselues to sinne and to cast away their soules The way to cut off this offence is this they must remember that in Gods decree the ende and the meanes that bring men to that ende goe alwaies together and therefore that such as are ordained to saluation are ordained to the means thereof namely to vocation iustification sanctification Rom. 8. 30. The end and the means in Gods decree must neuer be seuered Now righteousnes and holines in Christ is the means whereby God hath decreed to bring men to saluation and therefore they sinne grieuously that vpon the immutabilitie of Gods decree take occasion to liue profanely Hezekias is sicke vnto death yet God promiseth to adde vnto his daies fifteene yeares now if Hezekias had consulted with these men they would haue told him thus be of good cheare O King neither eate nor drinke nor vse any thing to cure thy sore or to preserue life for thou shalt certenly liue fifteene yeares God hath saide it and it must be done but Hezekias taketh no such course nay he vseth the meanes both to cure his sore and to preserue his life And so did Paul for his owne and others preseruation keepe the mariners in the shippe who were the meanes vpon the sea to bring them safe to land though God had giuen vnto him all that sailed with him The second speciall doctrine of the Church whereat some take occasion of offence is concerning the fall of Adam for we teach that God in some sort decreed his fall whereupon some obiect that we make God the author of sinne considering his decree is vnchangeable Now to preuent this offence two Rules must be remembred I. that Gods will may be distinguished It is either generall or speciall Gods generall will is that whereby he willeth that sinne shall be by his iust permission But Gods speciall will is the approouing will of God whereby he taking pleasure in any thing will haue the same done and brought to passe Now we say not that God willed Adams fall by his approouing will but onely by his permitting will because it was good in regard of God that man should fall II. We must remember that Gods decree went before Adams fall onely as an antecedent not as a cause thereof for the vnchaungeable decree and will of God takes not away the libertie of mans will or of the second causes but onely inclineth and ordereth the same as the first and highest cause of all The Third speciall doctrine of the Church whereat offence is taken is this That man of himselfe can doe no good but all goodnes and grace in man come from God Hence our common people take occasion of loosenesse of life for tell them that they must repent and beleeue if they will be saued their answer is that they doe it so well as God will giue them grace all goodnes say they must come from God yea the wiser sort amongst vs will not sticke to lay the fault of their loose life on God who giues them no more grace But for the auoyding of this occasion of offence we must know that when we are not able to doe our duties as we ought and to pray to repent and beleeue as God requireth the fault is in our selues and not in God for we were created righteous in Adam and in him had power and grace to haue done whatsoeuer God required at our hands but Adam lost this power through his owne default and we in him lost it also and therefore our inabilitie commeth from our selues Againe we must consider that God giues grace indeede yet not miraculously in Ale-houses and Tavernes but then when men vse the meanes to come by grace and doe that which by nature they are able that is come and heare the word attentiuely endeauouring to beleeue and to obey the same for though the good vsage of the gifts of nature cannot merit any grace yet ordinarily we may obserue that in the vse of meanes is grace receiued Act. 2. 41. At one sermon there were conuerted three thousand soules among the rebellious Iewes Act. 16. 14. Lidias heart was opened in hearing Paul preach and ordinarily men are conuerted in the meanes for faith commeth by hearing the Gospel preached Rom. 10. 17. The last point of doctrine from whence many take occasion of offence is the doctrine of Iustification by faith alone without workes Hence the Papists condemne our Church as an enemie to all good workes and many hereby take occasion of a leud life because good works must not iustifie them before God Now to cut off this offence we must hold and know that good works and faith are disioyned in the worke of our Iustification before God but they are
2. The third occasion of offence taken from the Church is the miseriâ— thereof for the state of the Church is oftentimes in affliction because it consisteth of such as are subiect to the contempt and reproach of the world Hence sundrie are discouraged from ioyning themselues truely to the Church and although this occasion of offence be not much among vs saue onely in reproaches yet it may be more and therefore we must learne to preuent it and to cut it off The way is this we must beleeue and remember that out of the church there is no saluation In this regard Noahs Arke was a true type of the Church for as none were saued from drowning that were out of the Arke in the generall deluge so none can be saued ordinarily from condemnation that are out of the Church for in the Church is Gods couenant of grace with the Sacraments which be the sâ—ales thereof In the Church is vocation iustification sanctification and the way to glorification but out of the Church are none of all these and therefore it is said that God added to his Church daiely such as should be saued In the Church is protection against all enemies and from all iudgements so farre forth as shal be for the glorie of God and the good of the church and in a word in the Church is liâ—e euerlasting but out of the Church is nothing but a feareful looking for of eternall woe condemnation and for this cause Moses chose rather to suffer afflicton in Gods church then to enioy all the pleasures in the world out of it whose example wee ought to follow and so shall not the miserie of the Church be any occasion vnto vs to forsake the same especially if wee consider that the whole world will profit a man nothing if hee loose his soule Matthew 16. 26. The fourth offence taken from the Church is from the Apostacie of some that liue in the Church for ordinarily in Gods Church are many Apostates as in this our Church many that were in times past Protestants are become Papists some Arrians Sabellians and some open Atheists and blasphemers Hence many fearing their falls as they pretend dare not ioyne themselues to the truth and the profession thereof But to cut off this occasion two rules must be remembred First that the falling away of any man from the truth is the worke of God discouering an hidden hypocrite 1. Ioh. 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs but this is come to passe that it might appeare they were not all of vs. Secondly consider that the beginning and continuance of our religion saluation stands on Gods free election which is vnchangeable and hereupon must we staie our selues touching our estate when we see others fall away 2. Tim. 2. 19. Paul comforteth the Church against the feare of griefe which they might conceiue by the Apostacie of Himeneus and Philetus which were two pillars amongst them by this Rule The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Now because some might say God indeede knows it but we doe not to this I take it the Apostle answers when he saith and let euery one that calles vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie as if he should say Looke that you call vpon God for grace and make conscience of all sinne and by this you shall know your selues to belong to God which thing when once you know then staie thereon for Gods calling is vnchangeable Againe as these occasions are taken from the whole Church in generall so more especially some take offence from seuerall things therein as first from the wants that be in Ministers both for iudgement and doctrine Hence politicke carnall men plead thus Preaching is full of imperfection therein men publish their owne errors but the written word containeth in it the sermons of Christ and of his Apostles which are most perfect and therefore it is best to content our selues with the Scripture read and to heare no preaching by men To cut off this offence wee must remember that the preaching of the word though it bee by sinnefull man is Gods holy ordinance prescribed and enioyned as solemnely as any morall precept is either against murther or adulterie for from the beginning till the Iews came to mount Sina God himselfe preached to his Church which was then contained in some fewe families But from that time because the people could not abide the voyce of God himselfe it pleased him to ordaine the Ministerie of the word by the hand of sinnefull man Now it beeing Gods owne ordinance vnlesse we will make our selues wiser then God we must subiect our selues thereto with all reuerence albeit it be deliuered by sinnefull man Thus Corâ—elius did Act. 10. 33. and the Thessalonians 1. Thess. 2. 13. Secondly many are offended at the liues of Ministers and from the wants that be in them whether in deed or in suspition onely many take occasion to contemne their doctrine thinking as the Rulers of the Iewes said to the blind man Thou art altogether borne in sinne and doest thou teach vs Now to cut off this occasion two things must be remembred First we must distinguish of euery Minister and consider in him a double person both that he is a sinnefull man subiect to many infirmities as we our selues are and also that he is the Lords Ambassadour sent in Gods name to deliuer his will vnto vs. Now looke as we honour the Embassadour of a Prince though his person be vile and base so much more ought wee to reuerence the Embassadour of God himselfe and receiue his doctrine as from God though for his person he be subiect to manifold infirmities Secondly we must consider that it is Gods wil and commandement that though ministers be manifestly faultie and sinnefull yet their ministerie must be receiued and obeyed carefully Math. 23. 2. The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire saith Christ all therefore that they bid you obserue that doe but after their workes doe not Phil. 1. 15. Some preach Christ of enuie saith Paul and not in sinceritie but yet the Apostle reioyced therein because Christ was preached euery manner of way verse 18. And therefore as we doe not refuse meate for our bodies when wee bee hungrie though a wicked person haue dressed it so must wee not refuse or contemne the word of God the food of our soules for the sinnes of the party that deliuereth it Thirdly many take offence at the lenitie of the Church towards offenders and for the presence of wicked persons at the Lords table doe refuse to communicate with the Church now albeit men should not be admitted hand ouer head to the Lords Table but scandalous persons ought to be restrained yet the
one flesh The truth of this may appeare by the Lords owne complaint against his people to whom he speaketh as to a wife that had forsaken her husband without a cause on his behalfe Isay 50. 1. Where saith he is that bill of your mothers diuorcement wherby I sent her away As if he should say I gaue her no bill but her departure and separation from mee is by her owne sinnes which phrase sheweth what was the custome of the Iewes in this case II. Point The straitnesse of this law appeares in this that the man onely was permitted to giue this bill vnto his wife but the wife might not giue it to her husband for Moses saith Whosoeuer shall put away his wife neither is there any place in Scripture to prooue that the wife had this libertie so to deale with her husband If it bee asked whether the wife in a iust cause as for adulterie had not the like libertie I answer If we respect Gods institution touching mariage the right of diuorce is equall to them both for in regard of the bond of mariage they are equally bound one to another Here indeed this libertie is permitted onely to the man by this politicke law not that he had more right but to preuent the euill of the hardnesse of his heart who taking displeasure at his wife would rather spill her blood then continue with her If it be alleadged that a man is the womans head I answer that is for regiment and direction in her place but not in regard of breaking the bond of mariage whereby he is bound to his wife as well as she to him as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 4. III. Point The force and effect of this law was this It made the Bill of diuorcement for any cause giuen to be tolerable before men mariage after such a diuorce lawfull and warrantable in the Courts of men Deut. 24. 4. But yet in the court of conscience before God the diuorcement it selfe and second mariages made thereupon were both vnlawfull for God hateth this separation Mal. 2. 15. And whether partie soeuer marieth another vpon this diuorce commits adulterie Matth. 19. 9. This must be remembred for the true vnderstanding of this law of Moses the first words whereof are a permission to this effect If a man do conceiue such a dislike against his wife as that he wil not abide with her but will needes put her away then he may but yet so as hee giue her a bill of diuorce which doth not acquit him before God but before men onely Hauing thus shewed the true meaning of this law it remaineth now to see what the Pharises taught touching diuorce Their doctrine was this that hee which gaue a bill of diuorcement vnto his wife for any light occasion was thereby acquitted from her before God and thereupon might marie another without the guilt of adulterie and also that another man might lawfully marrie her that was thus diuorced That this was their meaning may appeare by the contrarie answer of our Sauiour Christ wherein he crosseth and confuteth this their interpretation in the words following Verse 32. But I say vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit adulterie and whosoeuer shall marrie her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Here Christ answereth not to Moses law but to the corrupt interpretation of the Scribes and Pharises whereby they depraued that law By fornication Christ meaneth not euery sinne of that kinde but onely the sinne of adulterie or that which is greater in that kind namely incest Adulterie is a sinne that is committed by two parties one whereof is either maried or espowsed as hath beene shewed before Causeth her to commit adulterie That is giueth her occasion to marie againe and so to commit adulterie because their first bond remaineth stil and he that marieth her that is diuorced that is for any small cause not for adulterie he also commits adulterie Here then two points are set downe First that he who puts away his wife for any light cause causeth her to commit adulterie Secondly hee that marieth her that is diuorced committeth adulterie Yet vnto both these Christ putteth an exception in the case of adulterie The Papists and some others would restraine the exception to the first part of the sentence and make it a negation to this effect He that puts away his wife beeing no fornicator c. But the truth is that the exception belongs to the whole answer of our Sauiour Christ denying diuorce saue onely for adulterie and permitting no mariage after diuorcement saue onely where the diuorce is for adulterie First whereas our Sauiour Christ opposeth vnto this politicke law of Moses concerning diuorce the law of nature touching mariage Ge. 2. 24. He giueth vs an excellent distinction between all politicke laws and the law of nature which is the morall law for that is a law of eternall equitie commaunding good and forbidding euill simply without respect of man but politicke lawes are tempered according to the cōditions of men and though they doe not approoue yet sometimes they permit euill for the auoyding of greater mischiefe yea they tolerate that which before God and in conscience is condemned This point must teach vs not to content our selues with performing obedience to the politicke lawes of men for the lawes of men may tolerate that which Gods law doth condemne so the law of this Land in practise tolerates vsurie but vsurers must not hereupon thinke that all is safe well with them and that they sinne not in taking ten in the hundred because the law of the land permits it for our law tolerates that for the preuenting of greater vsurie when as the law of God doth vtterly condemne the same Againe our laws are open for men to goe to law at the first vpon euery light occasion without seeking former means of agreement but yet such men as doe so are guiltie of sinne before God notwithstanding their libertie by our politike lawes Some politike lawes also tolerate contracts of mariage made without consent of parents yet such children sin against the law of God for herein God requires childrens subiection to their parents and gouernours And the like might be shewed in many other points so that it is no sufficient iustification of our actions to say the lawes of men allow vs so to doe Secondly hence we may learne that a man cannot lawfully and with good conscience put away his wife except it be for adulterie the text is cleare both heare and also Math. 19. 7. which confuteth the ciuill laws of some countries the popish constitutions that allow other causes of diuorce besides adulterie Here they obiect sundrie things in their defence against this doctrine As 1. the saying of Christ Whosoeuer forsaketh Father or Mother wife c. shall receiue much reward Math◠19. 29. Here say they is diuorce for
religion allowed Ans. Christ by forsaking meaneth not that separation which is made by giuing a Bil of diuorcement but that which is caused by imprisonment banishment or by death 2. Obiect 1. Cor. 7. 15. If the vnbeleeuing depart let him depart a brother or a sister is not bound in such things Here say they is another cause of diuorce Ans. The malitious and wilfull departing of the vnbeleeuer doth dissolue the mariage but that is no cause of giuing a bil of diuorce onely adulterie causeth that Here the beleeuer is a meere patient and the diuorce is made by the vnbeleeuer who vniustly forsaketh and so puts away the other 3. Obiect Titus 9. 10. Auoide an heretake after once or twice admonition This say they is spoken to all Christians and therefore for heresie may a bill of diuorce be giuen Ans. First that commandemēt is not giuen to euery priuate person but to the Ministers of the church who after one or two admonitions are to excommunicate and cut off all heretikes from the Church Secondly it hindreth not but that the bond of mariage may remaine sure and firme though one of the parties be cut off from the Church for the beleeuing husband must not forsake his vnbeleeuing wife if shee will dwell with him 1. Corinthians 7. 12. 4. Obiect After mariage one partie may haue a contagious and incurable disease which may cause the other to giue a bil of diuorce Answer A contagious disease may cause a separation for a time but no diuorce and if that disease bee incurable and disable the partie from the dutie of mariage then such parties must thinke themselues as it were called of God to liue in single life 5. Obiect But maried persons may seeke to spill the blood one of another and therfore it is good to giue a bil of diuorce to preuent that euil Answer Such enmitie may cause a separation for a time till reconciliation be made but the bond of mariage must not therefore bee broken 6. Obiect Death maketh a diuorce Ans. Death indeede endeth mariage estate and setteth the partie liuing free to marrie in the Lord where he or shee will but this comes not by diuorce giuen of either partie so that the conclusion still remaineth firme that a man with good conscience cannot giue a bill of diuorce for any cause but for adulterie and therefore those lawes which permit diuorce for other causes are greatly faultie before God If any shall aske whether mens laws may not make more causes of diuorcemēt then this one I answer no for mariage is not a meere ciuill thing but partly spirituall and diuine and therefore God onely hath power to appoint the beginning the continuance and the end thereof If any yet aske why Idolatrie Magycke which be greater sinnes then adulterie may not breake mariage Ans. They are greater indeede against God but not in this ordinance of mariage for the sinne of adulterie breaketh onely the bond of mariage which may remaine still betweene two parties though one be an idolater a witch or an Atheist Now considering that Adulterie is so great a sinne that it cuts of the knot off mariage aboue all things those persons that are called to this estate must take heede of all sinnes so of this especially Thirdly here may be asked whether after diuorce for adulterie the parties diuorced may marrie againe without committing adulterie This point hath bin diuersly discussed wee will consider the reasons on both sides First for the lawfulnes of it especially to the party innocent 1. From Christs doctrine in this place for in his answer to the false interpretation of Moses politicke Law touching diuorce hee first propounds a generall rule and then puts an exception thereto the nature of which exception is alwaies to implie and put downe the contrarie to the generall rule As in this place the generall rule is Whosoeuer putteth away his wife causeth her to commit adulterie hee that marieth her committeth adulterie The exception then must bee contrarie namely that in the case of adulterie hee that puts away his wife lawfully conuicted thereof causeth her not to commit adulterie neither he that marieth her that is diuorced doth commit adulterie If it be said that Christ propoūdeth two rules one for the case of diuorce the other for the case of marying after diuorce applyeth his exception for adulterie only to the case of diuorce and not to the case of mariage after diuorce Ans. As the exception for adulterie is here in this chapter ioyned with the case of diuorce he that putteth away his wife except it be for fornication c. so in the 19. cha v. 9. the same exception for adulterie is expresly applied not only to the case of diuorce but also to the case of mariage after diuorce saying Whosoeuer shal put away his wife except it be for fornication and marie another committeth adulterie so that if in this place the exception make the diuorce lawfull for adulterie then in the 19. chapter it maketh it lawfull to marie againe after such diuorce without the guilt of adulterie 2. The innocent partie is not to bee punished for the wilfulnesse of the offender and therefore the partie that is faultlesse may with good conscience marrie againe after lawfull diuorce 3. God hath prouided mariage to bee a remedie against incontinencie for all persons 1. Corinth 7. 2. But if parties lawfully diuorced might not marie againe then they should want this remedie and bee depriued of this benefit If it be said they may reconcile themselues each to other and so haue remedie Answer But what if the partie offending liue in adulterie still then the partie innocent cannot in conscience ioyne him or her selfe to the other and reunite the bond of matrimonie for that were too much lenitie towards so foule a crime and a sinne against God for want of Christian reconciliation which requireth that this revniting should bee in the Lord and not in the flesh alone 4. The phrases of Scripture vsed by the holy Ghost concerning mariage after diuorce restraining it to some cases and allowing it in others seeme to take it for granted that after lawfull diuorce it is no sinne to marrie againe Reasons alleadged on the other side First Christs generall saying Whosoeuer putteth away his wife and marieth another committeth adulterie Hence some inferre that there may be no mariage at all after any diuorce But they abuse that Scripture for though Saint Marke put downe no exception yet Matthew hath made supply therof in two places Chapter 5. 32. and 19. 9. Now the Gospels were penned by seuerall men that that which was not fully expressed by one might bee supplied by another that so by conferring writer with writer the whole truth might be made manifest Secondly Matth. 19. 6. Whom God hath coupled let not man put asunder Therefore after diuorce they stil remaine man and wife before God and may not marrie to
we professe our selues to be Christians for he that hath not the spirit of God is none of his Rom. 8. 9. And if we be in the spirit wee must obey the motions thereof and learne of Christ who was meeke and humble and following him wee shall finde rest for our soules Secondly when Christ sets downe these three examples of suffering wrong he applies himselfe to the present outward estate of the Iewes which was this For one man to suffer wrong of another in his bodie and in his goods and yet to rest contented without reliefe or amends Now the cause of this their miserable condition was their seruitude to the Romane Emperour who a little before Christs comming had remooued the Scepter from Iuda made Iuda a Prouince tributarie vnto Rome so as they were ruled not by a Prince of their owne but by a forraine enemies Deputies In this estate we may see the miserable condition of any people that are in bondage to a forraine enemie their liues are euery way miserable for besides their personall bondage they are constrained to suffer losses and wrongs in goods and in their names without all remedie or reliefe The consideratioÌ„ hereof must teach vs First to be heartily thaÌ„kfull vnto God for the happie outward peace which with the Gospel of Gods grace we now enioy vnder our dread Soueraigne being free from subiection vnto any forraine power Secondly to praie earnestly vnto the Lord for the good estate life and health of our Prince by whom vnder God we enioy such ioy and prosperitie as also for the continuance of Gods holy hand of protection to preserue the whole land against all forraine power whatsoeuer Thirdly to repent vnfainedly of all our sinnes that so we turning vnto God from them he may continue vnto vs those happy daies of peace wherein we haue freedome from subiection to forraine tyrannie for our sinnes are our greatest foes they lay open the ports of our lands and the gates of our cities to the spoyling enemie they will put downe our strong walls and take away the strength of our armed men no enemies can doe vs so much harme as our owne sinnes and therefore we must humble our selues for them and if we haue not repented now we must beginne and if we haue begunne we must proceede and renew the same more and more If we had felt the miserie of subiection to foraine power as these Iewes now did it would touch vs and therefore before these euills come vpon vs let vs meete our God by true repentance that so he may keepe from vs this fierce wrath vers 42. Giue to him that asketh and from him that would borrow of thee turne not away Christ hauing forbidden priuate reuenge doth here command the requitall of good for euill in two particular examples of well-doing taken from giuing and lending by both which though not expressely yet in sense and meaning Christ would teach his hearers thus much Let the man be what he will doe thou good vnto him for euill For the first Giue to him that asketh c. These words must not be taken simply but in this sense Giue to him that asketh on a iust cause beeing poore though be cannot requite thee againe nay though he had done thee wrong and were thine enemie This exposition is plaine Luk. 6. for hauing set downe his commandement for giuing v. 30. he renders this reason thereof in effect because they cannot requite thee againe v. 33. which plainely imports that it must be to the poore Here now first obserue the forme of Christs words they are commanding Giue to him c. whence I gather that a man is bound in conscience vpon paine of death to giue Almes and releefe Matth. 25. 41 42. Christ adiudgeth some to hell for the neglect of this dutie now there could be no such course if there were no commandement that did bind their conscience to doe that for want whereof they are condemned Againe in the sixt commandement we are bound to doe all duties that may preserue our neighbours life of which sort is giuing releefe vnto the poore without which they cannot liue If it be saide that Daniel made Almes deedes no commandement but a matter of counsell vnto Nebuchadnezzar I answer that things commaunded may be propounded by way of counsell so doth Christ to the Church of Laodicea I counsell thee to buie of me gold c. Againe Daniel vsed this forme of speech to the King Let my counsell be pretious vnto thee not because it was no commandement but because he would so temper his speech that it might better take place in the stout heart of this proud king And when as Paul 2. Cor. 8. 8. speaking of Almes saith he speaketh not by commandement it is to be vnderstood not simply of Almes giuing but of thâ— measure thereof as the former verse doth plainly shew Here then wee see those men confuted which say they may doe with their owne what they will this is not so for mens goods are not their owne simply but Gods also and they indeede are but the Lords stewards to dispose of them as he commands now his will is that part thereof should be giuen to them which want Secondly we see here also that those men sinne grieuously who are so couetous that they will giue nothing to the poore sell they will and lend also vpon a good pawne for their owne aduantage but by free gift they will part with nothing These are miserable persons who doe what they can to condemne themselues for Gods commandement binds men in conscience to giue vnto the poore and that freely Yet here we must know that not onely they who giue fâ—eely doe a worke of mercie but also they who lend and sell when as their lending and selling will as much profit the poore as giuing this in effect is almes deedes here also commanded and therefore is Ioseph commended not onely for giuing but for selling corne to the Egyptians and others in the time of dearth Thirdly this beeing a commandement binding conscience must stirre vs vp to doe all good duties of releefe with cheerefulnes that so meete and decent prouision for the poore may not onely be begunne but also continued for it is acceptable vnto God A second point here to be obserued is what kind of commandement this is Giue to him that asketh Gods commandements be of two sorts Affirmatiue and Negatiue and in the Morall law the one is alwaies comprehended in the other now this commandement is affirmatiue which must be noted because negatiue precepts lay a straighter bonde vpon the conscience then the affirmatiue and therefore are the precepts of the Morall law for the most part propounded negatiuely for the negatiue precept binds a man to obedience alwaies and to all and euery time as when God saith Thou shalt not kill a man is neuer exempted from obedience hereunto but an affirmatiue
soules and shall we dispose of them after our pleasures to offend him who doth wholly support vs and that continually Secondly here note Christ saith his sunne not the sunne teaching vs that the sunne which shineth in the firmament is Gods sunne not mens God himselfe is the sole author and gouernour thereof hee continueth that beeing which it hath and the power and vertue which it sheweth forth And the same thing by proportion must be vnderstood of all other creatures both in heauen an earth the moone and starres all beasts and cattell yea and we our selues are Gods creatures and hee is our creator our Lord and gouernour Psal. 50. 12. The whole world is mine and all that is therein Now hence we must learne two things First not to abuse any creature to our lust as food raiment c. but to vse whatsoeuer we enioy to Gods glorie according to his wil. Secondly to endeauour to bee lead by the creatures which we enioy to the knowledge of our creator for they are his but alasse the practise of the world is otherwise men suffer themselues by the creatures to be drawn from God for some make their bellie their God to others riches and pleasures are their God Thirdly Christs saying of the Father that he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill and on the good doth shew vs that common bountie which God vouchsafeth to his creatures both good and bad for the rising and shining of the sunne is an excellent worke of God by which many other blessings are conuaied to the creatures For first euery thing vpon the earth receiueth heate and warmnesse from it nothing is hid from the heat thereof Psal. 19. 6. In which regard it may well be called the vniuersall fire of the whole world Secondly the sunne serueth notably for the distinction of times by daie and night weekes moneths quarters and whole yeares whereby wee know the tearme of times from the beginning and so may doe till the ende of the world in regard whereof it may well bee called the clocke of the whole world Which things considered may make vs to blush and bee confounded in our selues for that light regard we haue had of so excellent a creature whereby God conuaies so manifold blessings vpon the earth let vs therefore learne to blesse God for the sunne and to expresse our thankfulnesse by all good duties And sendeth raine on the iust and vniust Here is noted the second common blessing bestowed of God vpon the world to wit the falling of the raine vpon the ground both of good and bad Now here first obserue the forme of speech vsed by Christ saying God raineth see Deut. 11. 14. The Lord giueth raine in due season the first and latter raine This worke is attributed to God for waightie causes First to shew that the same God who ordained in the beginning that the clouds should water the earth doth by his owne power vpholde the continuance of the same blessing vnto this daie and indeede if he should not will the continuance hereof it would for euer cease to raine vpon the earth Secondly to teach vs that God disposeth of the raine that falleth restraining and enlarging it at his pleasure either for the blessing or the punishment of the place whereon it falleth and that many times without the helpe of the second causes Leuit. 26. 3 4. If yee walke in mine ordinances I will send you raine in due season and verse 19. But if you will not obey me I will make your heauen as yron and your earth as brasse Amos 4. 7. I haue with-held the raine from you and caused it to raine vpon one citie and not vpon another one peete was rained vpon and that which was not rained vpon withered Here then we learne first that wee ought to pray vnto God for his raine of blessing that is for fruitfull seasons and also to be thankfull vnto God for seasonable weather when we receiue it because hee sendeth it 2. This must teach vs to obey serue God for he hath the clouds in his hands like a spunge when he wil he presseth out the raine therof now if we obey him he wil cause it to fall vpon the earth for a blessing but if we rebell against him he will either hold it backe or powre it downe vpon vs for a curse 3. Seeing God sendeth down the raine we may gather that no man can certainly tel by the course of the heauēs the particular season of the weather day by day If the raine depended wholly vpon the celestiall bodies then should it fall alike in all places that be of like position to the heauens but that is not so for God ordereth it according to the state of the people vpon whom it falleth either for a blessing or a curse as we haue heard 4. Hence we may gather that neither witches by the help of Satan nor yet Satan himselfe can cause raine as many thinke for it is God alwaies that raineth The deuill indeede is the prince of the ayre and by Gods permission he may ioyne himselfe vnto a storme make it more terrible and hurtful as he did in the destruction of Iobs cattell children by fire from heauen by a mightie winde but yet he cannot make the matter of winde or of raine that is proper to God 5. Doth God raine vpon the earth then we may well consider why the land is so often plagued with vnseasonable raine it is no doubt for our disobedience as we haue heard Leu. 26. 19. the contempt of the word among other sins is one maine cause of this iudgement Now if we would either remoue or preuent this plague at any time we must turne vnto the Lord and repent of our sins for thereto we are called by this iudgement Amos 4. 7. And if we doe turne then wil the Lord send a gratious raine vpon our land but if we wil not turne we shal haue another raine the raine of Sodome and Gomortha for vpon the wicked God will raine snares fire and brimstone And this is certaine where God sends his iudgements for the contempt of his word and yet men doe not repent there one iudgement is but the fore-runner of a greater till they bee consumed And sith experience teacheth that after invndations of waters vsually comes plague and pestilence for the preuenting of these Iudgements let vs repent The last point to bee here obserued is this in what tearmes our Sauiour Christ expresseth who bee the friends of God and who bee his enemies His friends he calleth good and iust his enemies euill and vniust Now that we may discerne of our estate towards God in this behalfe we must see what a good and iust man is In euery such a one two things are required First true faith whereby a man laies holde on Christ for his
drought and yet the Prophet crouched vnto the earth and put his face betweene his knees no doubt humbling himselfe in praier to God for it as S. Iames saith Where we may see that praier is not contrarie to Gods decree but a subordinate meanes to bring the same to passe and therefore we must rather reason thus that because God hath decreed the euent of all things and hath appointed praier as a meanes to effect sundrie of his decrees therefore we must vse it Considering then that praier is necessarie notwithstanding all that can be saide against it we must learne with speciall â—euerence to giue our selues vnto this dutie both publikely in the assemblies of the Saints and priuately in our families beeing masters and gouernours for no family ought to want this morning and euening sacrifice of praier and thankesgiuing yea we must pray by our selues particularly in regard of our particular wants Indeede the most doe thus plead for themselues that they vse to pray often but the truth is that the coÌ„mon practise of our people in prayer is nothing els but lippe-labour and a mocking of God for what be their praiers but the saying ouer the ten Commandements and the Creede which are no praiers yea their repetition of the Lords praier without vnderstaÌ„ding or deuotion is no praier with God when they doe it onely of custome and rest in the worke done But here is required an other manner of praier then this And to incite vs vnto it let vs consider the worthie examples of Gods seruants herein Moses praied for the sauing of the Israelites fourtie daies and fourtie nights without meat or drinke Dauid praied seauen times a day and our Sauiour Christ spent whole nights in prayer Now these examples were written for our learning to teach vs to addict our selues to this holy dutie wherein our hearts speake vnto God The want hereof is the cause of the common Atheisme that is in the world of iniustice and crueltie in mens callings of swearing pride backbiting in mens liues for if men would often set themselues in the presence of God by vnfained inuocation the remembrance thereof would still be before their eyes and cause them to abstaine from all these iniquities for who beeing stained with such transgressions durst present himselfe before the maiestie of God who is a consuming fire against all sinne and wickednes hauing fierie eyes to see their sinnes and feete of brasse to bruise them in pieces that will not repent Secondly in this prohibition against hypocrisie in praier we may see that to conceiue a praier and to make profession of religion may for the outward worke as well be performed from pride of heart as from the grace of God carnall men may doe it in pride which Gods children doe by grace as we shewed in the former point of Almes giuing that therfore which Christ said of hearing the word take heed how you heare must be conceiued to be spoken to vs of praier and the profession of religion take heed how you praie and how you professe religion And indeed before we pray we ought to enter into our hearts and there to search out our corruptions diligently that we may be able to discerne in our selues between pride and Gods grace and so perceiue vpon what ground we pray that it be not from a damnable pride but from the sauing grace of Gods holy spirit Thirdly in this prohibition Christ condemnes this false ende of praier when men doe it to haue praise of men whereby we may see that it is a thing incident to the professors of the Gospel to doe the duties of religion for the approbation of men which notably bewraies the hypocrisie of our hearts which naturally haue more respect to men then to the Lord euen then when we haue to deale with God himselfe Thus did the Scribes and Pharisies and it is to be feared the same fault is common among vs for men are farre more forward and carefull to performe the publike duties of religion in the assemblies of the Church then priuate duties either in their families or by themselues Many will praie in the Church that neuer regard priuate praier at home Againe in performing publike duties men haue more care of the outward action then of truth and sinceritie in the heart and many studie more for fit words to delight mens eares then for good affections which God approoueth for what is the cause that many ancient professors when they come to die know not how to commend their soules to God Surely this especially that in the whole course of their profession they more respected men then God and therefore in the time of death when they must needs deale with God indeed they know not what to doe nor how to behaue themselues Lastly Christ here reprooues their behauiour in praier which was standing without all humbling of themselues either in soule or bodie This is a thing incident to many in our congregations who vse to shew no manner of reuerence or humilitie in the time of praier but either stand or fit as though they had no need to humble themselues or else intended onely that men should see them But we must know that howsoeuer the word of God prescribes no peculiar gesture in this action yet it is not a thing indifferent either to vse or not to vse some seemely gesture of humiliation in this worship of God but some must needes be vsed to expresse and further the humilitie of the heart which is chiefly required Isay 6. 2. the Sâ—raphims standing before God couer their feete and faces with their wings in regard of Gods presence and the poore Publicane that praied with the Pharisie howsoeuer he praied standing yet he cast downe his countenance and smote himselfe on the breast to testifie his humiliation Yea Christ Iesus our Lord when hee bare the punishment of our sinnes in the garden fell downe vpon his face and praied thus also did Moses and Aaron Elijah Ezra Daniel humble themselues And it hath alwaies beene the practise of Gods seruants in praier by some conuenient gesture of the bodie to expresse the humilitie of their hearts which checketh the custome of our common people in praier who are so farre from bringing a broken heart to God which is the thing he chiefly requires that they know not what to aske and many there be that will not submit themselues to such outward gesture as might expresse their inward humiliation These things are farre vnseemely for Gods people and therefore let vs learne to humble our selues at Gods footestoole first in our very hearts and withall we must be carefull to testifie the same by some conuenient outward humiliation Verse 6. But when thou praiest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Christ hauing
of our nature whereby we are discontent with our estate murmure with the Israelites if we haue no more but Manna but we must striue against this corruption and say with Dauid Lord incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes Psal. 119. 36. Secondly we must hereby also learne to practise sobrietie and moderation in diet apparell and all other things appertaining to this life vsing them so as we may be the fitter for our callings and the seruice of God and so bettered thereby and not made worse Thirdly this must teach vs contentation with that place and state of liâ—e and measure of wealth which God giues vs for we must aske bread onely that is things necessarie and therefore if God giue vs things necessarie we must be therewith content and our corrupt mind must not be iudge herein but what God bestowes vpon our sober vse of lawfull means within our calling that must we iudge to be our portion 1. Tim. 6. 8. If we haue food and raiment let vs therewith be content This was Pauls practise I can be abased I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie to abound and to haue want The Israelites in the wildernes were not content with Manna but would needes haue flesh to eate and God gaue them their desire but while the flesh was in their mouthes his wrath fell vpon them therefore let vs lust after no more then God giues vpon our sober vse of lawfull meanes least in seeking more we draw Gods curse vpon vs. But alas few are content with their estate the yeoman wil be like the gentleman in attire and diet and the gentleman like the noble man and hence comes vsurie oppression iniustice and much vngodlines hence it comes that Gods iudgement in dearth is increased vpon the poore because men make no conscience of the meanes so they may benefite and inrich themselues and get aloft but beware of Gods curse with thine aduancement vnlesse God change thine estate rest contented with that which is present and be thankefull for it for better is a little with the feare of God then great treasure and trouble therewith Prov. 15. 16. now what trouble like the wrath of God and therefore be content with that which God sendeth in the vse of lawfull meanes Fourthly must we aske of God euery bit of bread we eate then away with all chance and fortune and let vs learne to acknowledge Gods prouidence in all things Fiftly must Gods children aske of God their daily foode and receiue it as a gift of mercie from the hand of their father then away with merit by mans works for if bread be of mercie life euerlasting cannot be of merit on mans part Lastly this petition ministreth vnto vs a notable ground of contentation against distrustfull care for that which Christ bids vs aske God vndoubtedly will giue because it is according to his will and therefore the child of God may assure himselfe of things sufficient for this life in the sober vse of lawfull meanes and looke if temporall blessings faile for a good supplie in spirituall graces Here a question may be asked seeing we aske of God but breade onely that is things necessarie for this life whether may we vse the creatures of God for our delight Answ. We may vse the outward blessings of God for our honest delight Eccles. 5. 17. Behold what I haue seene good that it is comely to eat and to drinke and to take pleasure in all his labour wherein man trauelleth vnder the sunne yet three caueats must be remembred lest we abuse our libertie in this delight I. we must see God to giue vs not onely things necessarie but for delight II. in our delight and pleasure we must so moderate our affections that they be not taken vp with these earthly things nor hereby withdrawen or hindred from thinges heauenly and spirituall III. Our principall ioy must be in spirituall foode euen in Christ crucified and in our true communion with him in his body and blood all our delight must stoope to this and out of Christ we must count nothing ioyous II. Point What bread daily bread The word in the orginall signifieth bread put to our substances day by day that is such bread as serues to preserue health and life from day to day this Agur calls bread or foode conuenient for him Prov. 30. 8. The vse In this second point we learne two things First that it is lawfull to aske temporall blessings at the hands of God for he is our mercifull father and bids vs so to doe which serueth to confirme the former exposition of this article Secondly that we ought to haue a moderate care to preserue our bodily life and health in the diligent vse of all lawfull meanes for what we pray for we must endeuour to doe The sixth commandement saith Thou shalt not kill wherein the Lord inioyneth vs by all good meanes to preserue our owne and our neighbours life And this we must doe for two causes especially first that we may doe all the good we can to that Church Commonwealth and family whereof we are members secondly that we may haue a sufficient time to prepare our selues for heauen for death will come and the day of iudgement and after death there is no wisdome nor counsell worke nor inuention therefore now must we prepare our selues for God that we may be readie to receiue him at his comming and he that is prepared for the Lord hath liued well and long enough but without this our life is spent in vaine III. Point Whose bread doe we pray for our owne not other mens But how doth bread or any other temporall blessing become ours Ans. First when we haue true right thereto before God secondly when we haue lawfull possession thereof before men Our right before God is needefull for we lost all in Adam and haue recouerie of our right in the creatures onely in Christ Iesus when by saith we become his members 1. Cor. 3. 22. All things are yours you are Christs And yet for all this the child of God may not vse all things as his owne though he haue right thereto in Christ vnlesse by Gods prouidence he haue also lawfull right thereto or possession thereof before men as by lawfull gift purchase labour or such like Indeede right in Christ is the chiefe title but yet right before men is also necessarie for Christian libertie doth not abolish good orders in ciuill estates but establish them rather Christ is no enemie to Cesar and therefore the Scripture inioynes euery man to eate his owne bread 2. Thess. 3. 12. that is such whereto he hath right in Christ by faith and also inioyeth by Gods prouidence in some honest meanes alowed of men for by good orders established among men we are put into
possession of those things whereto we haue right in Christ. The vse I. Here we learne to receiue our bread from God or any other temporall blessing we enioy as a fruit of Christs passion and indeede Christ crucified is the foundation of euery good gift and blessing of God As for infidells and wicked men who possesse and vse many temporall blessings it must be graunted that they haue right thereto before men but yet hauing no part in Christ crucified they want the true foundation and so are no better then vsurpers before God for which one day they must be called to reckoning If this point were learned men would shew more conscience in getting and more reuerence and thankfulnesse in vsing Gods temporall blessings then vsually they doe there would be lesse riot and excesse in diet attire and lesse abuse of all Gods creatures for the meditation of this price of our restitution would restraine vs from dishonouring God in any of his blessings II. This petition for our owne bread teacheth vs that euery one should haue a lawfull calling and therein so imploy himselfe that he may eate his owne bread 2. Thess. 3. 12. No man ought to liue out of a lawfull calling nor yet idlely therein the master must banish idlenesse out of his family and the magistrate out of the commonwealth vagrant persons ought not to be tolerated for such eate not their owne bread III. Here is condemned all fraud iniustice and crueltie in the getting of temporall blessings for we pray for our owne bread but that which is so gotten is not our owne but others neither will the gamesters gaine nor that which is got by lotterie stand with this petition for this is not to labour the thing that good is as the Apostle requireth Eph. 4. 28. neither are they sanctified meanes of getting Quest. If this bread be our owne what neede we to aske it Ans. We aske it for good causes though it be our owne for in bread there be two things the substance of bread and the blessing of God therein which in Scripture is called the staffe of bread which is that vertue and power therein whereby it nourisheth for herein it fareth with bread as it doth with an old man take away his staffe and he cannot stand but falleth so take away Gods blessing from bread and it becomes vnprofitable and nourisheth not Now because we may haue the substance of bread and yet want the blessing vpon it we may haue our garners full and yet be poore we may eate and not be satisfied fill our bellies and yet be hungrie therefore we pray to God for bread that so we may haue not onely the substance but the blessing of God therewithall for which cause Princes must as well make this petition as the poorest beggers IV. Point For what time doe we aske bread not for a moneth or a yeare but for this day or as Luke hath it according to the day Luk. 11. 3. that is meete and conuenient for this present day The vse In this circumstance of time we are taught first to bewaile our distrustfulnes in Gods prouidence for temporall blessings as foode raiment c. Secondly to acknowledge Gods particular prouidence vpon vs from day to day whereon we must depend and cast our selues continually for all things needefull though wee see no reason thereof Thus did Abraham when he was about to sacrifice his sonne for when Isaac asked where is the sacrifice Abraham answered my sonne God will prouide Gen. 22. 8. and so hee did vers 13. whereupon Abraham in memorie of this singular worke of Gods prouidence called the name of the place Iehovah ijreh God will prouide v. 14. A most worthie president for euery man in the way of obedience to depend vpon Gods prouidence for all things needefull endeauouring to see his disposing hand in all things that fall out good or bad Thirdly to moderate our care in seeking for the blessings of this life we must haue care to prouide things honest and necessarie and for this ende must exercise our selues in the vse of lawfull meanes otherwise we shall tempt God but yet our care must be so moderate that we still depend vpon our heauenly fathers care and prouidence for vs who biddes vs aske him bread for euery day and thus we shall haue enough when as distrustfull and immoderate care shall helpe vs nothing When the Israelites liued by Manna which God gaue them from heauen they were commaunded to gather but for one day and to reserue none of it till the morrowe whereby God would teach them to depende vpon his daily prouidence which while they did they had sufficient and that which was good but when through couetousnesse they would needes gather more then for the day and so reserued of it till the morning Gods curse light vpon it for it was full of wormes and stanke and afterwarde when they beganne to dislike Manna and were not content with his prouidence but lusted after flesh he gaue them their desire but withall his wrath fell vpon them while the flesh was betweene their teeth before it was chewed v. 33. and so it will be with vs if we distrust in God but if we learne and practise this dependance on Gods particular prouidence we shall haue experience of his goodnesse though ordinarie meanes faile either by supplie as 1. king 17. 6. or by patience to beare the want Fourthly here we haue a good ground of that holy practise of Gods children in sanctifying their meate and drinke by praier and thankesgiuing for here we are taught to pray for temporall blessings and therfore when we haue them and vse them we should glorifie God by praier and thanksgiuing for his blessing vpon them the reason hereof is great for first hereby we are distinguished from bruit beasts who liue vpon Gods blessings but yet cannot praise him as man may doe secondly hereby we testifie our right and interest into Gods creatures by Iesus Christ which we lost in Adam for true praier is a fruit of faith and by faith we are made partakers of Christ Iesus thirdly such is our corruption by nature that we are prone to abuse all Gods blessings and therefore we must pray for grace to vse them moderately and thankefully Fiftly here we may learne how to frame our daily praiers to God for this circumstance of time must be referred to euery petition and therefore this must be our practise euery day to pray for grace to glorifie Gods name to yeelde obedience to his will to haue our sinnes forgiuen and so for the rest V. Point For whome doe we aske bread not for our selues alone but for our brethren Giue vs which serues to teach vs brotherly loue which seeketh not her owne things onely but is bountifull towards others seeking their good also And indeede here we are but stewards of Gods temporall blessings and therefore may not
remit but the breach of the eight commaundement therein God onely can forgiue II. Quest. How farre is a man bound to forgiue others that trespasse against him Ans. There is a threefold forgiuenes of reuenge of punishment and of iudgement Forgiuenesse of reuenge is when a man is not desirous of reuenge from an inward grudge but forbeares to render like for like to those that wrong him this is principally here meant for we must alwaies forgiue our brethren in respect of reuenge for vēgeance is mine saith the Lord and I will repaie Rom. 12. 19. Forgiuenes of punishment is the remitting of that punishment which another mans wrong-doing iustly deserues this is not alwaies to be granted especially in the case of offence which may tend to the publike hurt for then were the state of magistracy vnlawful whose office it is to punish offences The forgiuenes of iudgement is the remitting of that censure which an euill deed doth iustly deserue neither is this here meant for beeing lawfully called therevnto wee may freely censure that which is euill done III. Quest. Whether must we forgiue those that wrong vs if they will not confesse their fault nor aske vs forgiuenesse Ans. Wee must forgiue them freely in respect of reuenge Obiect But it is said If hee repent forgiue him Luk. 17. 3. therefore vnlesse hee repent wee neede not to forgiue him Answ. That place is meant of Ecclesiasticall censures that those must proceede no further after the partie offending doth repent Debters Hereby is not meant such as we count debters in the ciuill state that is such as owe vs money graine c. but any one that doth vs iniurie or wrong for no mans estate is so lowe but in some degree God hath giuen one or moe of these 4. things honour life goods or good name and he that hinders his neighbour in any of these is a debter before God and so standeth till hee make recompence to the partie and repent towards God yea further wee must know that besides the endammaging of our neighbour in these things the very omission of preseruing and furthering our neighbours life honour goods good name makes vs also debters before God These words thus vnderstood must be conceiued as a reason drawn not from the cause or like example but from the signe and pledge of Gods forgiuenesse for God hath made a promise to forgiue vs if wee forgiue our brethren their trespasses Mark 11. 25. From whence mercifull men may gather assurance of pardon with God from that inclination to compassion and readinesse which they find in their own hearts to forgiue others that wrong them for Christ teacheth them to reason thus If we be those to whom thou hast promised pardon when they aske it then Lord pardon vs but we are such for wee feele our hearts inclined to mercie therefore Lord pardon vs. So that this reason serues to mooue vs to pray to God for pardon with confidence and assurance yea further they include a profession to God of new obedience in amendment of life for vnder one dutie of mercie towards our neighbour is comprehended the whole practise of repentance and the performance of our vow made in baptisme Uses I. Marke here that asking pardon of God and testimonie of repentance goe together he that receiues the one must expresse the other for where God giues pardon there also he giues grace to repent and mercie is not granted but on condition of repentance Act. 2. 37 38. when the Iewes that were pricked in conscience at Peters sermon asked what to doe to finde mercie Peter said Amend your liues c. And therefore when he perceiued want of repentance in Simon Magus he tels him Thou art yet in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie though he had formerly baptized him Whereby we see First with what affection we must come to God when we pray for the pardon of our sinnes namely with humble and contrite hearts hauing a true purpose not to sinne wittingly and willingly but to obey God in all his commandements and the want of this is the cause of that small comfort in praier which many finde in themselues for the promise of pardon is not giuen where the condition of repentance is not performed Secondly this shewes the grosse and fearefull errour of the blind world who sing this song while they liue in sinne to their owne hearts God is mercifull Christ is a Sauiour but thus trusting to Gods mercie they deceiue themselues for they trust to nothing for mercie is not due where repentance is wanting nay the Lord hath said Hee will not be mercifull to that man that shall blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shal haue peace though I walke after the stubbornnesse of mine own heart c. Let vs therefore see to this that we practise repentance when wee pray for pardon and looke to the purpose of our heart against sinne when we waite for mercy to our soules We may not seuer those things which God hath ioyned but looke how heartily wee desire mercie so earnestly must we hunger after grace to repent if we truely seeke both we shall haue both but if we let slip repentance in our selues wee shall come short of mercie with the Lord. II. The ioyning of this condition implying repentance to the petition and the dependance of it on the former teacheth vs euery day to renue our repentance and to humble our selues for our sinnes seeking for a new supply of grace that so our purpose not to sinne may bee more and more confirmed in our hearts which is the infallible signe of a new creature III. Here we see wherein the practise of true repentance standeth namely in exercising mercie loue peace reconciliation and forgiuenesse for though forgiuenesse bee onely named yet vnder it all other fruits of repentance are vnderstood Indeede to heare the word to receiue the Sacrament to preach and pray be excellent workes but yet the heart of man may more easily dissemble in them then in the duties of the second table the most infallible marke of true grace is the practise of the loue of God in workes of loue and mercie to our brethren Iam. 1. 27. Pure religion and vndefiled before God is to visit the fatherlesse c. Iam. 3. 17. The wisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercie and good fruits And hence it is that loue is called the fulfilling of the law Rom. 13. 10. IV. Christ knitting our forgiuing our brother with Gods forgiuing vs doth here affoard vnto vs a notable signe of pardon of sinne namely a readie and willing minde to forgiue our brother offending vs our inclination to mercie in suppressing the desire of reuenge when we are wronged giues assurance to our conscience that wee shall finde mercie at Gods hands whereby it is plaine that the child of
vocation adoption and iustification these and such like he can perceiue in himselfe more or lesse V. In a word hereby he can discerne the true treasure from worldly hereby he knowes the 〈◊〉 of heauenly things aboue earthly These things the naturall 〈◊〉 cannot doe but the spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. looke whatsoeuer befalls him therein hee can see the hand of God working for his good therein he can discerne Gods wisedome power and prouidence in all which we may perceiue the most excellent vse of this heauenly wisdome The second action of this heauenly wisdome is to iudge determine and giue sentence of things what is to be done what is not to be done what is good and what is euill in practise and behauiour And here this one thing must bee remembred that the principall point of this wisdome is to determine of true happines whereto the whole life of man ought to be directed which happinesse is the loue and fauour of God in Christ. Herein Dauid shews his heauenly wisdome farre different from the wisdome of the world Psal. 4. 6. Many say who wil shew vs any good there is the worldlings happinesse But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs there is true happinesse so Paul comming among the wisest of the Gentiles professeth that he esteemed to knowe nothing but Christ and him crucified 1. Cor. 2. 2. for whose excellent knowledge sake he thought all things to be losse Phil. 3. 8. And the same should be our wisedome for though a man had all humane learning and policie yet if he faile in this rightly to determine of true happines all his wisdoÌ„ would prooue foolishnesse for the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God and therefore if any man seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise that is a foole to the world in esteeming the knowledge of Christ crucified onely true wisdome and the fauour of God in him true happines that so he may be wise indeed in the sight of God Another chiefe part oâ— this heauenly wisdome is a spiritual and godly prouidence whereby we forecast by all meanes how to compasse and come by true happinesseâ— herein the power of heauenly wisdome is shewed And without this though otherwise a man discerne the right yet his knowledge and wisdome is imperfect and vnprofitable And thus we see the actions of this heauenly wisdome whereby we may describe it thus It is a gift of Gods spirit to them that are in Christ whereby they are enabled to discerne of things that differ and to iudge and determine what is that true happinesse whereto the life of man ought to tend and withall to forecast and prouide by what good meanes it may be compassed And he whose minde is endued herewith in some true measure hath the single eye Now the fruit of this single eye is to make the whole bodie light that is to bring the whole life into good order guiding it in the paths of righteousnes and making 〈◊〉 abound in good works Prov. 8. 19 20. My fruit saith wisdome is â—â—â—ter then fine gold I cause to walke in the way of righteousnes and in the mâ—ds of the paths of iudgement Prov. 1â— 23. The wise heart guideth the mouth wisely and addeth doctrine vnto his lips The vse 1. Considering the mind indued with this wisdome is thus commended we must hereby learne to labour for it in a speciall maner beside this commendation of it by our Sauiour Christ which should be a spurre to prouoke vs to this dutie the singular commoditie that iedounds hereby to soule and bodie must mooue vs to affect it Now that we may the better obtaine this heauenly wisdome we must be carefull of these two things especially First to get the feare of God into our hearts which is the beginning of this heauenly wisdome Psal. 111. 10. Now this feare of God is a reuerend awe of the heart towards God whereby a man is fearefull to offend and carefull to please God in all things And this we shall get if we receiue the word of God with reuerence and applie it to our owne soules when we heare it trembling thereat when it toucheth our consciences and humbly submitting our selues vnto it without raging or repining saying as Hezekiah did to the Prophets reproofe The word of the Lord is good Secondly we must wholly close vp our eyes the eyes of our minde I meane and suffer our selues in all things to be ouerruled and ordered by the written word of God This was Dauids practise he gaue himselfe to continuall meditation in the word of God he made it a lanterne to his feete and a light vnto his pathes And hereby he became wiser then his enemies and got more vnderstanding then all his teachers Wouldest thou then be truly wise become a foole to the world leane not to thine owne wisdome but make Gods word thy whole direction Secondly hereby we are taught to walke wisely in our whole conuersation that so it may appeare we haue this single eye hereto Paul oft exhorteth vs. And thus we walk when we pracâ—â—se euery action of our life in wisdome according to these foure rules which are to be obserued in euery good action I. The thing we doe must be iust II. The means of effecting it must also be iust III. We must keepe our selues therein within the compasse and limits of our calling IV. We must doe the thing with an honest vpright and single heart And that we may worke wisely according to these foure rules we must euer haue the word of God to tell vs what is iust what meanes be iust what be the precincts of our calling and when we worke with an vpright and single heart so doing our workes shall be in wisdome and we shall haue the approbation and praise of God Thirdly seeing this single eye of spirituall wisdome makes our life to shine with righteousnesse we must learne to season our naturall wit with this spirituall wisdome Naturall wisdome is a commendable gift of God but without this spirituall wisdome it is foolishnesse in the things of God yea very corrupt in naturall actions and therefore we must ioyne therewith this heauenly wisdome which may season it and make it holy and so shall the vse of it tend to Gods glorie It is the miserie of this age that men of excellent parts for naturall wisdome haue no regard to season the same with spirituall wisdome hereby come many aberrations in matters of great importance for it is iustice with God to curse their proceedings that despising the heauenly leane altogâ—ther to their owne wisdome Fourthly seeing spirituall prouidence in forecasting how to compasse true happinesse is a speciall part of true heauenly wisdome we must become carefull practitioners hereof in our liues that so we may attaine to true happinesse
reason Now in a prouerb it is not requisite it should be alwaies true but for the most part and ordinarily as Luk. 4. 24. No Prophet is accepted in his owne countrie that is ordinarily For either he shall hate the one that is the one master commanding him either disliking that he should be his master or displeased with his commandements And loue the other that is the other master in whom he taketh delight and is well pleased with his commandements Or else he shall leane to the one and despise the other These words are an explication of the former shewing how it may appeare that a seruant hates one master and loues another namely his leaning to the one declares his loue vnto him that is his applying of himselfe to respect his masters pleasure and to doe his commaundement And hic despising the other declares his hatred when he hath no regard to his commandements Yee cannot serue God and Mammon By mammon he meaneth riches lucre and gaine now he saith not Ye cannot serue God and haue riches for Abraham Iacob and Iob were very rich and yet serued God sincerely but ye cannot serue God and serue riches that is giue your selues to seeke riches and set your hearts vpon them and serue God also In the words thus explaned wee may obserue sundrie instructions First here Christ sheweth what it is to serue God a point much spoken of but little knowne and lesse practised To serue God therefore is to loue God and to cleane vnto him Euery one will say he loueth God euer hath done but beware herein of spirituall guile for true loue consists not in word and tongue but in deed and in truth and God must be loued not onely as he is a bountifull father but as he is a Lord and master and doth command vs seruice The written word shewes his will and pleasure concerning vs what he requireth at our hands and if we serue him indeed we must loue him in his power of commanding though he should bestowe no reward vpon vs. This Dauid sheweth notably Psal. 119. 25. I am thy seruant graunt me therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies Againe if we serue God we must cleane vnto him and thereby testifie our loue now what is meant by cleaning vnto is notably expressed in the parable of the prodigal sonne Luk. 15. 15. where it is said of him that hauing spent his portion hee claue to a citizen of that countrie that is he resigned and gaue himselfe to his seruice So to cleane vnto God is to resigne a mans selfe vnto Gods seruice in obedience to all his commandements and embracing all his promises not suffering himselfe to be drawne from any part of Gods word by vnbeleefe or disobedience though all the world should set against vs. This Dauid also professeth of himselfe saying I haue cleaued to thy testimonies O Lord and I shall not be confounded when I haue respect vnto all thy commandements On the contrarie when a man withdrawes himselfe from God by disobedience to his commaundements and by vnbeleefe then he doth hate and despise him Indeed the vilest wretch that liues is ashamed with open mouth to professe hatred despite of God but yet the bad practise in life bewraies the bad affection of the heart Prou. 14. 2. He that is lewd or peruerse in his waies despiseth God they that liue in the breach of his commandements hate him Exod. 20. 5. let them professe in word what they will Now the consideration hereof serueth First to discouer vnto vs the grosse blindnesse and superstitious ignorance of the world who thinke that if a man rehearse the Lords praier the Creede and the ten Commandements he serues God well let his life be what it will but here Christ teacheth vs a further thing if we will be Gods seruants we must cleaue vnto him both in the affections of our heart and in actions of obedience in our life Thus did Abraham when God said vnto him thou shalt not kill he kept himselfe from murther but when he said Abraham kill thy sonne he addressed himselfe to doe it though he were the sonne of the promise and the onely sonne of his old age Secondly this sheweth how Atheisme abounds in all places at this day for to hate and despise God is flat Atheisme now they that withdraw their hearts from God and set themselues to seeke the things of this world neglecting obedience to Gods holy commandements are here accounted of Christ despisers and haters of God and the number of such is great in euery place I know such men doe scorne to be called Atheists but how they be esteemed in the world it skilleth not till they reforme this wicked practise they are no better in the sight of Christ. Secondly whereas God and Mammon are here opposed as two masters hence we learne that Mammon that is riches is a great lord and master in the world this Christ here takes for graunted and therefore doth forewarne his Disciples of it But how will some say can riches be a God Answ. Not in themselues for so they are the good creatures of God but to the corrupt heart of man which makes an idoâ— of them to it selfe by setting his loue and delight vpon them as on true happinesse and trusting in them more then in the true God and for this cause is coâ—etousnesse called idolatrie Colos. 3. 5. and the coâ—etous person an Idolater Ephes. 5. 5. for looke whereon man sets his heart that is his Lord and his God though it be the deuil himselfe Now that men doâ— thus set vp riches in their hearts as an Idol and so become seruants and slaues to that which God ordained to serue them I shew plainely thus For first they neglect the worship and seruice of God for lucre and gaine and spend more time with greater delight for earthly riches theÌ„ they doe for the true treasures of Gods heauenly graces Secondly let a man haue worldly wealth at will and he is full of ioy and delight his riches giue him great contentment but if hee loose his goods then vexation and sorrowe doth more oppresse him then all the promises of God in the Bible can comfort him Thirdly by transgressing Gods commaundements a man looseth heauen but who is so grieued for his transgressions whereby hee incurres this losse as hee is for a small dammage in some part of his riches Fourthly I appeale to mens consciences whether they bee not farre more sharpe and eager set vpon the meanes of gaine then on prayer and other parts of Gods worshippe which are the meanes of grace all which doe argue plainely that they serue Mammon and honour riches for their God So that howsoeuer by Gods blessing outâ—ard Idolatriâ— be banished out of our Church yet wee haue many Idolatours in our Land for euery couetous worldling sets vp the Idol of
or calling without his conuaiances of craft and deceipt though it doe not appeare so much in some callings as in others and hard it is to finde them that make conscience hereof when gaine and profit may come thereby which comes from this distrustfull care in mens hearts whereby they doubt of Gods blessing answerable to their desire in the vse of lawfull meanes onely But sith Christ forewarnes vs of this sinne we must beware it take not place in our hearts and for the auoyding of it we must follow the counsell of the holy Ghost in Scripture Psal. 37. 5. Commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe which is oft commended vnto vs Psal. 55. 22. Cast thy burden vpon the Lord he shall nourish thee Pro. 16. 3. Rowle thy worke vpon the Lord 1. Pet. 5. 7. Cast all your care on him for â—e careth for you In all which places we haue a most worthy instruction to this effect not exempting men from doing the duties of their calling but teaching theÌ„ that when they haue done their endeauour in the diligent sober vpright vse of meanes then they must leaue the euent and issue for good successe to the blessing of God Thus the trades-man whose liuing stands by buying and selling must be carefull and diligent about his businesse without deceit or lying and in so doing referre the successe of his bargaine to the blessing of God and so must the husbandman plow and sowe leaue earing and haruest to Gods good prouidence This is the Apostles couÌ„fell Phil. 4. 6. Be nothing carefull that is after a distrustfâ—ll or distracting sort as the word signifies but in all things let your requests bee made knowne to God with giuing of thankes where it is to be marked that distrustfull care is opposed to praier and thankesgiuing as an hinderer thereof and therefore our care must onely be to vse the lawfull meanes moderately for any blessing and then to pray to God for good successe and blessing relying wholly thereon that when it comes wee may giue him thankes But some will say it is hard for flesh and blood not to be carefull of successe how then should we be able to leaue it wholly to God Answer We must lay to our hearts the blessed promises of God made to them that depend vpon his mercy and goodnesse and labour to liue by faith thereon Psal. 127. 2. It is in vaine for man to rise early and to lie downe late and to eate the bread of sorrow meaning while hee trusts to himselfe or in the meanes but God will surely giue rest to his beloued which serue him and trust in him in the vse of meanes Psal. 34. 10. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger though euery poore beast of the field bee a prey to his teeth but they which seeke the Lord shall lacke nothing that is good If wee had no more promises in the Bible yet these were sufficient to cause vs to rest vpon his prouidence in the sober vse of lawfull meanes Againe this must bee considered how wee shall relie vpon his mercie for the sauing of our soules in the time of temptation and howre of death that dare not trust in his prouidence for the things of this life Quest. But what if all things goe crosse with men will some say may I not then sticke more to the meanes Ans. Nay rather cleaue the more to God for if the blessing were in the means men would not be so often crossed God knoweth what is good for thee better then thou thy selfe and therfore rest contented with his prouidence though he crosse thine expectation for outward blessings want is many times better for Gods children then plentie and affliction then peace and prosperity as Dauid found Psal. 119. 67 71. therfore God laies it vpon them Did not good Iosias fall before Pharaoh Necho which he should not haue done but that God would chasten him for not regarding the words of Pharaoh Necho which were of the mouth of God perswading him not to fight against him and also that he might be taken away from seeing the euill to come and was not Hezekiahs heart puffed vp in time of peace in so much that wrath came vpon him and vpon Iudah and Ierusalem Therefore learne to depend vpon Gods prouidence in the moderate vse of lawfull meanes whether he giue thee blessings or take them away blesse his name for it is good for thee it should be so And thus much for the maine commaundement Now further marke in the wordes how Christ distinguisheth betweene life and the bodie and applieth meate and drinke to life and raiment to the bodie and yet we know that apparel serues to preserue life also especially in cold countries But Christ doth thus distinguish them so iust cause for though in cold countries apparell serues to preserue life as well as meate and drinke doe yet the first and most generall vse of apparell is another matter to wit to hide the shame of nakednesse which the sinne of Adam brought vpon it Gen. 3. 7. 21. for before their fall the man and the woman were both naked were not ashamed Gen. 2. 21. Here then we are to learne that the proper and maine end of apparell is for the bodie to couer the shame of nakednesse that sinne hath brought vpon vs which is so great that if necessitie would permit both hands and face should also be couered The consideration whereof as it shews their immodestie and want of shame that laie open the nakednesse of their breasts or other parts of their bodie more then need requires so it teacheth vs neuer to bee proud of our apparell but rather humbled and abashed when we put it on or looke vpon it for it is the couer of our shame and so an ensigne of our sinne the thiefe hath as good cause to be proud of the bolts on his heeles or of his braÌ„d in the hand or hole in the care as wee of our apparell for as these are badges of misdemeanour so is apparel a badge of our sinne And on the other side that we may haue comfort in this ordinance of God for our bodies wee must labour therein to expresse the graces of God in our hearts as modestie sobrietie temperance frugalitie and such like Is not the life more worth then meat and the bodie then raiment Our Sauiour Christ hauing giuen commandement against the immoderate care for things needfull to naturall life least the same should passe away without effect doth here begin to enforce the same with diuers arguments the first whereof is in these words taken froÌ„ the creation wherin God giues life and the bodie which are better then food raiment from whence Christ reasons for his prouidence thus The life is better theÌ„ food the body then raiment but God by creation giues life bodie therefore will he
that is wisedome it selfe how to order our selues in seeking for all temporall blessings needfull to this life namely we must first seeke Gods kingdome and his righteousnesse in the performance of those duties that may bring vs thereunto and then all these needefull things for this life as food and raiment shall be cast vnto vs in the sober vse of ordinarie meanes The reason hereof is plaine for Gods kingdom is mans chiefe good and happinesse and all temporall blessings depend thereupon as appurtenances to the principall as it were intailed thereon and therefore he that would haue these dependants must get vnto himselfe the kingdome of God which is the principall While the arke of the couenant was in Obed Edoms house God blessed him and all that he had 2. Sam. 6. 11. How much more then shall God blesse them that receiue his holy spirit to rule in their heart by grace for as Dauid sâ—ith the godly man shall be like a tree planted by the riuers of water and whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper By the blessing of God we haue had his kingdome among vs for many yeares in this nation and God hath giueÌ„ vs with it peace protection with great abundance of temporall blessings Indeede God hath sundry waies corrected vs and laid his heauie hand vpon vs in sundrie iudgements as plague famine c. and often shaken his rodde at vs in the hand of our enemies and all because we haue not receiued the word of his kingdome nor yeelded obedience to it as we ought yea and we may feare the fulnesse of his wrath vnlesse we repent and amend of this sinne especially But if wee would set our selues to seeke this kingdome wee needed not to feare the want of any needfull blessing for so God promised to his people to giue them aboundance of all things if they would obey his commaundements which are the lawes and statutes of his kingdome Deut. 21. 1 2. c. This point then is to be obserued for our direction in particular Art thou a poore man and wouldest haue sufficient foode and raiment for thy temporall life then first set thy heart to seeke Gods kingdome follow the word and labour therein for regeneration and new obedience and doubt not but if thou be vpright and diligent in thy lawfull calling thou shalt finde sufficient for this life Quest. If this bee the way to get sufficient how comes it that we haue so many beggars that wander vp and downe from doore to doore Answ. They are for the most part a cursed generation which haue no regard to Gods ordinances either for their soules or bodies they ioyne not themselues to any setled congregation for the obtaining of Gods kingdome and so this promise belongs not to them but God suffers them to wander in an idle course all their life long destitute of this blessing to eate their own bread Againe art thou a rich man and wouldest continue in that estate to thine owne confort and for the good of those that depend vpon thee then set thine heart to seeke Gods kingdome with a speciall care seeke to plant religion in thy familie and thou and thine house shall flourish Art thou a student and desirest the blessing of God vpon thy labours with all things sufficient to thy state and calling then first seeke Gods kingdome and righteousnesse labour for righteousnes and true holinesse and God will lade thee with his blessings In a word whatsoeuer thou art magistrate minister merchant trades-man c. man or woman young or olde and desirest Gods blessing for thy selfe or any that belong vnto thee remember the practise of this dutie and vse the lawfull meanes which God laies before thee in thy calling and nothing doubt but though all meanes faile yet God will send sufficient Secondly this promise of temporall blessings vpon the faithfull seeking of the kingdome of God lets vs see that foode raiment and all things needefull for this life are appurtenances and dependants on Gods kingdome that is such things as ouer and besides his kingdome God will giue to them that principally seeke his loue and fauour by the righteousnesse of Christ and labour for grace and sanctification by his spirit for if hee haue giuen vs Christ how shall hee not with him giue vs all things also Roman 8. 32. The consideration hereof serues for speciall vse I. To discouer vnto vs the preposterous course that men take in seeking for temporall blessings for most meÌ„ generally neglect the maine good which is Gods kingdome wholly addict themselues to seeke the things of this life they take little or no thought for the eternall state of their soules but spend their wit and strength in prouiding for their bodies which is nothing else but to gripe at the shadow and to let the substance goe Wherein we shew our selues foolish and simple like to little children who are better pleased with the gift of a nut or an apple then with the promise of rich reuenues or great inheritance II. This teacheth vs with what minde we must seeke the temporall blessings of this life namely with the same honest minde wherewith wee seeke the kingdome of God for they are appurtenances therevnto and depend vpon it and therefore with an vpright heart we must onely vse lawfull meanes moderately for the getting of them And when we haue them this may direct vs in the right ende whereto we must vse our temporall blessings namely to the furtherance of our selues and others towards the kingdome of God so wee honour God with our riches as Salomon biddes vs Prou. 3. 9. III. This teacheth vs that they which haue no right to Gods kingdome nor part in Christs righteousnesse haue no good interest into any temporall blessings as food raiment and such like for they are dependants vpon Gods kingdome and righteousnes As for the heathen before Christs comming Turks and Pagans and all profane persons that liue in the Church at this day who both heretofore now also doe enioy temporall blessings in great abundance this we must know that they haue thereto a ciuil right by Gods permission so as it is sin without good cause to depriue them thereof but yet of themselues they are but vsurpers in regard of true title sanctified vse before God for by AdaÌ„s fall we lost our right soueraigntie in the creatures it is only restored renued iâ— Christ so as they which haue not part in Christ caÌ„not haue this true title This we must obserue first to instruct our selues the better in the knowledge of our own miserable state by nature for what wretched creatures are wee that cannot make good claime nor title before God to the apparel vpon our backs nor to the meate we put into our bellies nay of our selues we haue not right to the breath we drawe in at our nosthrils And out of question this is the state of euery naturall man
person of another then in conscience and by Gods word he ought to doe Example of this wee haue in Satan for when the Lord commended Iob for his fidelitie Satan tels the Lord that Iob indeede serued the Lord but it was onely for his owne profit for saith hee withdrawe thou thin◠hand from him and thou shalt see whether hee will not curse thee to thy face This then wee see is a deuillish practise and ought to bee farre from euery one of vs. Wee must remember what an auntient Diuine hath taught heretofore that there are three things exempted from the iudgement and censure of men the Scriptures the Counsell of God and the condemnation of any mans person Rash censure of mens speeches and actions is giuen many waies I. When things are well done to carpe and cauill at them without any iust cause Thus the profession of Religion at this day is accounted of many to be but counterfeit holines and the due obedience to the morall Law is nicknamed and tearmed precisenesse and the professours thereof called Puritans and Precisians for this cause onely that they make conscience of walking in obedience to Gods law II. When actions or speeches indifferent are taken in the worser part Thus was Dauids kindnesse ill accepted of Hanun king of Ammon when Dauid sent his seruants to comfort him after the death of his father for his Nobles told him and perswaded him that Dauid sent not vnto him because he honoured his father though Dauid vndoubtedly sent with an honest and vpright heart but as it were craftily to search out the citie and to spie it out and to ouerthrow it Now hereupon Dauids seruants were badly intreated and shamefully sent away whence grew the warre that ensued betweene them III. When vpon light occasion and vncerten reports we suspect and surmise euill of our neighbour suspicions indeede are sometime good beeing conceiued on a good ground and retained for a good ende as to beware of the partie and of his euill but when they are conceiued vpon light causes and for some sinister respect as the common practise is vpon no good ground to conceiue most badly this is rash iudgement IV. When we see any want in our neighbours speach or behauiour to make it worse then it was meant or then indeede it is V. When we spread abroad and publish the wants of men to defame them which might better be concealed and in conscience and charitie ought so to be VI. When we speake nothing but the truth of another but yet withall doe insinuate thereby some euill of the partie into the hearts of the hearers This practise is as pestilent and daungerous as any of the former Thus Doeg told Saul of the fact of Ahimelec vnto Dauid how he gaue him victualls and the sword of Goliah which was true but withall he did therein insinuate that Dauid and Ahimelec intended conspiracie against Saul And this telling of the truth in that sort cost the liues of fourescore and fiue persons that weare the liuen Ephod as we may read 1. Sam. 21. 7. compared with the 22. chap. v. 9. and 18. VII When in hearing the word preached and sinnes reprooued in the congregation some hearers misapply the same as for example the minister reprooues the sinne of swearing of drunkennesse or any such sinne then some one gultie hereof doth not onely surmise but also breake forth intò this speach Now the preacher meanes me he speakes this of me he censures my facts and speaches herevpon followes spite and malice against the person of the minister and also rash censuring and condemning of his ministerie They also sinne in this kinde that apply the reproofes of sinne to the person of others as when they say now such a one is touched there is a good lesson for such a one if he would learne it yea others goe further and say now the preacher meanes such a man now he speakes against such a man but this also is rash iudgement in hearing of the word they misconceiue of the purpose of the minister for his maner is not when he standeth in the roome of God to rippe vp the secrets and liues of some particular hearers but to deliuer the will of God concerning such and such sinnes vnto all it is the power of the word not the mind of the preacher that causeth it to touch thy conscience and therefore euery one ought to apply the word vnto his own heart and not to lay it vpon others or els take it to be spoken of himselfe for his disgrace for it is to misapply the word and to iudge amisse of the preacher and this is a common sinne which is the cause why many men reape so little profit by the word preached as they doe The VIII practise of rash iudgement is when in townes and cities some persons are wrongfully reputed and taken for witches this is as common a sinne throughout the world as any of the former one man will say such a one is a witch because he in conscience is so perswaded and yet the ground of this perswasion is nothing but his bare conceit Another man saith such a one is a witch because a wise man or a wise woman hath so reported of him or her and yet this testimonie is but the testimonie of the deuill who is a lyar and the father thereof if he tell truth it is with purpose to deceiue Againe another is iudged to be a witch because comming to a mans house to borrow something and beeing denied thereof he tooks it vnkindly and thereupon gaue these or such like threatning words it had beene as good you had lent it me or I will meete with you and hereupon some one in the family fell sicke or some cattell died and other things did miscarie It is no question but witches be too rife among vs and ought to be sought out and seuerely punished and there be lawfull waies of conuincing a witch but vpon these bare presumptions to iudge any one to be a witch is an vnchristian practise of rash iudgement for why may not the hand of God befall thee in visiting some one in thy family or in the death of thy cattell as well as the annoyance of the witch after some hard speeches of another A witch therefore must first be lawfully conuinced and then iudged to be a witch and not before This thing especially Iurers ought to looke vnto els if they haue but the ordinarie discretion of common people to iudge one for a witch vpon these presumptions they may easily defile their hands with innocent blood Thus much for the sinne of rash Iudgement and the practises thereof which are condemned and forbidden in this place Now because it is so common a sinne in all places and with most men counted no sinne for the common talke in all meetings is of other men and selfeloue makes the heart glad to heare other mens faults ripped vp yea this sinne will
for doubtlesse we haue many particular sinnes in our hearts that bee as great or greater then Adams sinne was considered in the fact and yet by that sinne Adam brought not onely on himselfe but on all his posteritie mortalitie and destruction the first and the second death Againe we shall come to see the grieuousnesse of our sinnes if we consider them in the punishment thereof that is subiection to all woe and miserie yea and to death it selfe in this life and also to death eternall after this life with the deuill and his angels this is the reward of euery sinne in it selfe Thirdly consider these thy sinnes as they were laid vpon the holy person of our Sauiour Christ for which he endured not onely outward bodily torments on the crosse but inwardly in soule apprehended the whole wrath of God due vnto vs for the same which caused him to sweate water and blood and to crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This beeing wel waighed will let vs see that our sinnes are no motes but huge and great beames such as are able to crush vs in peeces vnder the heauy wrath of God Lastly haue recourse to the last commandement which forbids the very first thoughts and motions in the heart that be against our neighbour and against God though wee neuer giue consent of will thereto nay though wee abhorre the fact it selfe as when we see our neighbours oxe or his asse to wish in our hearts O that this were mine though wee detest the stealing thereof now if this first motion be a sinne deseruing damnation how hainous be the sinnes of our nature and the transgressions of our life wherin we haue giuen full consent to rebell against God III. Duty The third thing required to this casting out the beame out of our owne eie is that which is here intended by our Sauiour Christ namely to surcease to iudge others and to beginne to iudge our selues for our own sins for if we would iudge our selues we should not bee iudged 1. Cor. 11. 31. Now we doe then iudge our selues when in our owne hearts wee giue sentence against our selues and condemne our selues in regard of our owne sinnes Thus Dauid iudged himselfe Psa. 51. 1. Haue mercie vpon me O Lord according to the multitude of thy mercies as if he should say Lord one mercy will not serue the turne so farre haue I plunged my selfe into hell by my grieuous sinnes but in the multitude of thy mercies doe them all away And in the words following vers 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie hee confesseth himselfe to be so deeply stained with the filth of sinne that a little washing will not serue So when the Lord had spoken vnto Iob and made him see and know himselfe he cries out Behold I am vile Iob. 39 37. and againe Now I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes for those things that I haue said and done Chap. 42. 6. In such sort also did the Prodigall sonne iudge himselfe crying out that hee had sinned against heauen and against his father and was not worthy to bee called his sonne Luk. 15. 21. The Apostle Paul likewise confesseth against himselfe that he was the head of all sinners 1. Tim. 1. 15. And thus must we condemne our selues and say with Daniel in his praier for the people chap. 9. 7. Open shame and confusion of face belongs vnto vs. IV. Dutie After we haue thus iudged our selues wee must labour to breake off and to amend our former euill waies endeauouring by all meanes that sinne may be abolished and weakened in vs more more and this is indeede the remoouing of the beame out of our owne eies that so we may be fitter to censure and reforme others Of this last duty the Apostle speaketh Rom. 14. 13. Let vs not iudge one another any more but vse your iudgement rather in this that no man put a stumbling block before his brother that is that he liue without offence These foure duties ought euery one to practise and to mooue vs hereunto first let vs consider that it is Gods commandement in this place that wee should first reforme our owne selues Secondly that our state and case is fearefull and miserable without this reformation if a man haue but a thorne in his finger he cannot be well till it be plucked out what case then is he in that hath a huge beame in his eie the most tender part of the whole bodie that is hath his heart and conscience pricked with the sting of sinne and therfore it neerely concernes euery one to remooue it Thirdly we shall neuer be able to iudge aright of our selues of others or of the life to come till we practise this dutie and therefore in the feare of God let vs seriously set our selues vnto it Thus much of the remedie it selfe now follow two circumstances therein further to be considered I. The partie to whom the remedie is giuen that is an Hypocrite II. When this remedie is to be practised First plucke out c. For the partie by Hypocrite wee must vnderstand him that in heart and speech is prone to conceiue and giue rash iudgement of other mens sayings and actions and good cause there is why he is so called for this man hath the sinne of hypocrisie raigning in him he desires to seeme more holy then others and therefore giues himselfe to censure others that by debasing of others he may aduance himselfe see this in the hypocriticall Pharisie I thanke God that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican I fast twice in the weeke c. Luk. 18. 10 11. But they must know that this censuring of others is a fruit of hypocrisie arising out of an hollow heart The second circumstance is the time when this dutie is to be practised namely in the first place First cast out c. Here then wee haue a notable direction for the manner and order of giuing brotherly correction It must beginne with a mans owne selfe and ende in a mans neighbour and by proportion looke by how much euery one is neerer vnto vs so much the sooner must he be corrected and iudged If thou bee a priuate man that art to giue censure first begin with thy selfe then iudge thy kindred thirdly thine acquaintance and last of all strangers So a master of a familie must first iudge himselfe then his owne familie and after he may iudge his friends and neigbours and last of all strangers and the like must euery superiour practise in his place Now by this order to be obserued in brotherly censure wee may easily see that the world is farre wide in the practise of this dutie for euery one thinkes well of himselfe and also of his friends and acquaintance and therefore spares them and will not censure them but for strangers them will he not sticke to reproach and
make before we heare the word of God First we must wash our hands in innocencie and then compasse the Altar of the Lord the word and sacraments are holy in theÌ„selues but not so to vs out of their holy vse and therefore if we would reape profit to our selues by them we must prepare our hearts therevnto Thirdly whereas the word is vnto vs the voice of God the means of sanctification we may learne that in the congregatioÌ„ of Gods people ordinarily the pure word of God alone ought to be heard without the mixture of the words of men be they neuer so holy for it is not said of the words of any man that they are that holy thing The Lord himselfe alone had the appointment of the making of the holy oyle which was to anoint the Kings and Priests vnder the law neither might any man adde any thing thereto though it were neuer so pure and good nor make any oyle like vnto it so likewise the trumpets that serued for the Tabernacle to assemble the people the Lord himselfe alone had the appointment of them and none might vse any other though it were made of most pure gold Had the Lord this care ouer his Sanctuarie vnder the law to take the appointment of these things to himselfe alone and shall we thinke that the trumpet of his holy word which now by his appointment soundeth in the congregation of the Saints may admit a mixture with the words of men humane or diuine be they neuer so holy The ancient Church was farre from this mixture and therfore forbade the publike reading of the Apocrypha which yet are more excellent bookes then the writings of men published since the Apostles But it is saide that they onely finde fault with this kinde of preaching which cannot attaine vnto it I answer it is no point of the greatest learning to vse the sayings of Fathers and Poets in preaching and they which vse it not refraine therefrom not because they cannot doe it but because they dare not mingle the sayings of men with the word of God which is that holy thing seruing in stead of Gods owne glorious voice in all matters that concerne our faith and obedience and beeing the onely sufficient instrument of our sanctification and therefore it were to be wished that in the congregations of the Saints the pure word of God might sound alone vnto Gods people that as they are begotten alone of this immortall seede so they might be fedde alone with this sincere milke II. Point What is meant by pearles Ans. The wholesome doctrines and instructions of Gods word contained partly in commandements and partly in sweete and heauenly promises so Matt. 13. 46. the Gospel preached is compared to a pretious pearle And further we are to note that these wholesome instructions are called your pearles Christ speaking to his Disciples and other hearers now they are so called in two respects First in regard of the Apostles and other Ministers their successors because they are the Lords stewards to dispense the word and the doctrine thereof to Gods people Secondly in regard of all true beleeuers and seruants of God that haue care to know and to obey the word of God for euery beleeuer hath a speciall right vnto Gods word aboue other men to which purpose the Lord saith Bind vp the testimonie seale vp the law among my disciples Isa. 8. 16. that is commend coÌ„mit my word vnto my disciples there giuing a special right and interest vnto them in the word of saluationâ— for they haue the true iudgment and meaning thereof they keepe it in their hearts expresse the power of it in their liues they haue the vse and benefit thereof in euery estate in this world and vnto their eternall saluation in heauen From this that the doctrines of Gods word are our pearles first wee are taught to place all our riches in the word of God for that is our Iewell and our principall treasure of this Salomon saith Her merchandise are better then merchandise of siluer and the gaine thereof better then gold In the valuing of this pearle Dauids practise is notable who made the testimonies of God his heritage and the very ioy of his heart Psalm 119. 111. and esteemed them aboue gold yea aboue most siâ—e gold vers 127. Secondly we must hereby learne to content our selues in all casualties and calamities of this lise with this pearle of the word of God for though we loose friends health goods or good name yet this pearle of good doctrines and sweete promises is not lost if that were taken away with the losse of outward commodities then there were some cause of discomfort but seeing this iewell remaines with vs in all estates therefore herewith we must stay and comfort our selues as Dauid did counting Gods promises his comfort in trouble Psal. 119. 50. his songs in his pilgrimage v. 54. Thirdly this must teach vs to vse the doctrines and promises of Gods worde as pearles wee must looke them vp in our hearts and haue them in faithfull keeping in our memories A man that hath an earthly iewell that is of any worth will bee very carefull to looke it vp in the surest chest he hath how much more care ought wee to haue of these true pearles of heauenly instructions As the Holy Ghost speakes of Deaconâ— they must bee such as keepe the mysterie of faith in good conscience so must euery one of vs bee carefull keepers of this heauenly pearle This was Maries practise Luke 2. 51. Shee powdered the sayings of Christ in her heart and Dauid hidde the word of God in his heart that he might not sinne against the Lord. Psal. 119. 11. IU Instruct. The doctrines and promises in Gods word are the pearles of the Apostles and ministers therefore they aboue others in all ages and times ought to haue speciall care by all good meanes to preserue the puritie of doctrine in the Church of God This is Pauls charge to Timothie keepe that which is committed vnto thee that is that whole some doctrine which thou hast learned of me this neerely concerneth ministers at this day that as by the good meanes of others they haue receiued true doctrine purified from the dregges of Popery so they should preserue keepe the same froÌ„ all â—int of corruption to their posteritie The third and fourth things to be considered are touching dogs and swine where these three points are to bee handled I. What are here properly meant by dogs and swine II. Who must giue iudgement of men to be dogs and swine and III. Where they are to be found For the first By dogs and swine wee must vnderstand the enemies of Gods word yet not all enemies for so euery sinner should be a dog a swine but onely such as are malitious obstinate enemies manifestly conuicted of their enmitie to Gods word doctrine of whose
true euen among the heathen vers 11. If ye then which are euill c. Here is the application of the comparison the ground whereof was laid downe in the two former verses And by euill he meanes not euery sinner but such as are stained with malice enuie and selfe-loue beeing bent to seeke their owne good onely for so saith the Master to the enuious labourer Matth. 20. 15. Is thine eye euill because I am good that is art thou enuious because I am bountifull In these words Christ giues vs to vnderstand that it is the note of an euill man to be giuen wholly to seeke his owne good though otherwise he liue ciuilly for this is a fruite of euill couetousnes and selfeloue Experience sheweth the gricuous 〈…〉 se of this sinne for thence come the manifold practises of iniustice cruelty and oppression that be in the world hence it is that times of dearth are made more heauie vpon the poore then otherwaies Gods hand hath sent them because the rich seeke their owne good and commoditie onely at such times hence come ingrossing deceiuing and inclosing to the spoile of the poore We must therefore beware of this sinnefull practise and on the otherside giue our selues to practise goodnesse towardes others setting our selues to the practise of loue which seeketh not her owne things but is bountifull that so we may shew forth our loue to God by wel-doing to our brethren as the Apostle bids vs Gal. 5. 13. Doe seruice one to another by loue and Phil. 2. 4. Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of other men This was good King Iosias his practise for which cause among many particular vertues all his goodnesses are said to be recorded 2. Chron. 35. 26. And Saint Paul likewise became all things to all men that he might winne some and though he were free from all men yet he made himselfe seruant vnto all men that he might winne the moe 1. Cor. 9. 19. 22. You that are euill can giue good gifts that is bread fish and such like as Luk. 11. 11 12. Here it is plaine that an euill man may haue some kind of vertues in him whereby he may doe some good works Quest. How can this be for an euill man wants faith and so whatsoeuer he doth is sinne Answ. We must know that the gifts of the spirit are of two-sorts some are common whereby the corruption of mans nature is onely restrained and limited for the maintaining of ciuill societies that man with man may liue in some order and quietnesse And hence it was that among the heathen some were iust some mild some liberall c. All these came from the spirit yet not renuing the parties but onely restraining their naturall wickednesse And of this sort of gifts is the loue and care of parents towards their children and the loue of children againe towards their parents And these and such like euill men may haue for they are not sanctifying vertues but rather shadowes thereof The second kinde of the gifts of the spirit are more speciall gifts and graces whereby the corruption of mans nature is mortified and in some part abolished and the graces of Gods image are renued in man whereby they become louing meeke iust temperate c. which in the regenerate are true christian vertues and the exercise hereof is the doing of good works indeede How much more shall your heauenly father giue good things to them that aske him The 〈…〉 ords containe the second part of the comparison wherein Christ doth amplifie and set out the bountifulnes of God in his gifts to his children and Saint Luke specifieth these good things to be the gift of the holy Ghost in regard of grace and operation Here then three points are to be handled I. Who giues these good things II. What is giuen III. To whom For the first the author of these good things is the Father for of him and from him commeth euery good gift and euery perfect giuing Quest. But this gift is the holy Ghost now the holy Ghost is God how then can he bee giuen this seemes to imply inequalitie in the Trinitie for the person giuing must haue power and authoritie ouer the person giuen Answ. Wee must know first that this action of the father in giuing the holy Ghost is not by vertue of superiour power and authoritie but by consent the holy Ghost is freely willing to be giuen of the father for all three persons beeing one and the same God must needs haue one and the same will as in all things so in this gift Secondly this giuing is not in essence or person but in regard of operation and grace as loue ioy peace c. in the hearts of Gods children II. Point What are these good things giuen Answ. The holy Ghost Quest. Why should the father giue the holy Ghost and not the holy Ghost as well giue the father seeing they are equall Answ. The reason is because of that order which the diuine wisedome manifesteth in the Trinitie for though all three persons bee equall in all properties of the godhead which is one and the same in them all yet they are distinct in order the father beeing the first person the sonne not the first but the second and the holy Ghost not the first person nor the second but the third and hence it is that the father giues the sonne both the father and the sonne giue the holy Ghost yet not in person but in regard of gifts and operation and that by free and equall consent not from superioritie or by constraint III. Point To whom doth the father giue this gift of the holy Ghost Answ. To them that aske him Hence some would gather that man hath free will by nature in his conuersion because hee must first aske and then comes the gift of the holy Ghost Answ. We must know that by the holy Ghost here is meant not the beginning of grace but the increase thereof and a greater measure of gifts with a more sensible feeling of them for this promise is made to Gods children that aske which noâ—e can be but by the holy Ghost See this in the Disciples Ioh. 20. 22. Christ said to Disciples who had true grace before Receiue the holy Ghost and yet also after that the holy Ghost came downe vpon them in the forme of clouen tongues of fire Act. 〈…〉 Now these latter giuings were in regard of greater measure as it is said they were filled with the holy Ghost v. 3. Againe by them that aske is not meant euery one that vttereth words of request to God but those that aske in faith and pray aright by graced-as Rom. 10. 14. How can they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for the Saints according to the will
required to make a false Prophet the Scripture is plaine There shall bee false Teachers among you saith Saint Peter which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies 2. Pet. 2. 1. There is the first propertie and for the second that they must be seducers Christ himselfe teacheth vs Matth. 24. 24. There shall come false Christs and false Prophets and shall shâ—we great signes and wonders so as if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect And of both these properties ioyntly S. Paul speaketh Rom. 16. 17. I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause diuision and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye haue receiued and auoyde them for they that are such serue not the Lord but their owne bellies with faire speech and slâ—ttering deceiue the hearts of the simple So then Christs meaning in this commandement is this You shall bee troubled with many false Prophets which shall bring in damnable doctrines among you and withall labour to seduce you from the truth and therefore take heed of them And these two notes wee must marke in a false Teacher to distinguish him from a schismatike and from an hypocrite for euery false Teacher is a schismatike but euery schismatike is not a false Teacher If wee would haue examples of false Teachers behold the Iesuites and Romish Priests for they come among vs and bring false doctrine with intent to deceiue and seduce our people Such likewise are the Familie of loue and such were the Arrians in time past that denied the godhead of Christ as for others that hold priuate errours not rasing the foundation neither seeking to seduce others they may be hypocrites schismatikes and bad Christians but they are not false Prophets Thus much for the meaning of the commandement The Uses 1. By this caueat Christ would teach vs that the deuill shewes his exceeding great malice against Gods Church and people in these last times of the world he subornes false Teachers to bring in daÌ„nable doctrine and mooues them to seduce men from true religion This thing Christ did plainely foretell Matth. 24. 24. and Saint Paul chargeth the Elders of Ephesus to take heed vnto themselues to their flockes for I know saith he that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to drawe Disciples after them And Saint Peter foretels of the like as we heard before 2. Pet. 2. 1. The truth hereof is verefied by experience for in the first foure hundred yeares after Christ which were the prime and chiefest times of the Church there arose fourescore and eight seuerall kinds of false Prophets which seduced men from the faith and true religion and preuailed greatly And no doubt in the end of the world Satan wil now shew his malice as great against the Church as hee did then and therefore Christ bids take heed of them And for this cause when we see men that professe religion fall away to heresie and be corrupted seeking also to seduce others we must not much maruell at it or be thereby discouraged but rather watch more carefully for the deuill will stirre vp false Prophets daiely to deceiue the Church of God II. Instruction From this commandement wee may also see that we are feeble full of weakenesse in the faith so as a little thing will easily make vs forsake our faith and true religion if this were not so what should we neede this exhortation who was more couragious and forward in profession then Peter and yet the voice of a sillie damsell made him denie his master and to forsweare his faith and religion The Galatians receiued the Gospel so gladly from Paul at the first that hee professesseth they would haue pluckt out their own eies to haue done him good and yet when he writ vnto them hee wonders they were so soone fallen to another Gospel receiuing the doctrine of iustification by works Yea this sheweth that we haue itching eares whereby we will readily and willingly receiue wholesome doctrine for a time but soone after desire new doctrine againe like vnto the Iewes who for a while delighted in the light of Iohns ministerie Ioh. 5. 35. and to the old Israelites who liked Manna at the first but after a while were wearie of it and complained that their soule dried away whereupon they lusted after the flesh-pots of Egypt againe So wee at the first did willingly receiue the Gospel of Christ but now many waxe wearie with it and beginne to like of Popish doctrine preferring their corrupt writers before those that haue beene the restorers of true religion vnto vs. III. Instruct. We must labour to maintaine faith and good conscience and not suffer our selues to be drawne there-from by Gods mercie we haue had the Gospel of truth among vs a long time and doe still enioy it for which we haue great cause to praise the name of God and in this regard we must labour to bee constant in holding it yea to liue and die with it This is the principal point which Christ here aimes at and therefore we must carefully learne it and for this purpose let vs remember these particular directions which follow First that God hauing restored vnto vs true religion doth require we should loue it as the chiefest treasure that euer this kingdome enioyed Wicked Ahab could not abide Elias and Michaiah Gods true Prophets but hated them for which cause God left him to himselfe and suffered him to be seduced by foure hundred false Prophets of Baal and thereby brought him to destruction And the Apostle speaking of the kingdom of Antichrist saith that God therein giues men vp to strong illusions that they should beleeue lies because they haue not loued the truth 1. Thes. 2. 10. 11. Now this loue we must shewe by our obedience in duties of pietie to God and in the exercise of iustice and mercy towards our brethren else God will translate his Gospel from vs and giue it to a nation that wil bring forth the fruits thereof A second rule to be obserued for the maintaining of true religion is this that ministers especially and those that intend that calling should highly esteeme and reuerently account of those men and their writings which by Gods mercie haue beene the meanes to restore vnto vs pure religion for though they were men subiect to error and in some things might slippe yet they were the worthy instruments of Gods mercy for the planting of his Gospel among vs which since their time hath beene sealed with the blood of many Martyrs in England Germanie and else-where in which regard though we must onely depend on the pure word of God for certaintie of truth yet we are to giue much vnto them and be followers of them for the substance of religion wherein they doe most soundly consent in one truth
from all means of grace and happinesse this indeed might haue seemed hard but considering that by creation he gaue man happinesse and likewise abilitie to perseuere in the same if he would is it any maruell seeing all men haue of themselues lost their owne felicitie that some should bee depriued of it for euer nay rather it is a wonder that all are not condemned which come of Adam for God in his iustice without all crueltie might haue condemned euery man and indeede it is his endlesse mercie that he hath giuen Christ to be a Sauiour vnto some and that any are made partakars of this saluation by Iesus Christ. Secondly Christ here saith of some I neuer knew you yet speaking of others he saith I know my sheep Ioh. 10. 14. and againe I know whom I haue chosen Ioh. 13. 18. and Paul saith The Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2. 19. Now froÌ„ these places we may gather that there is an eternall worke of God whereby hee puts a difference and distinction betweene man and man angel and angel acknowledging some to bee his owne and denying the same of others If God himselfe had not auouched this in his word no man might haue taught it but beeing here plainely expounded it is with all reuerence to be acknowledged receiued and that it may be the better conceiued two points are here to be handled First vpon what ground and reason God doth know some to be his and doth not know nor acknowledge others for his owne Secondly what is the fruite of this knowledge of God in man For the first why God should know some to be his and not others no other reason can be giuen but Gods good pleasure alone Matth. 11. 25. Christ setteth downe this distinction betweene man and man saying that his father hath hid the mysteries of the kingdom of heauen from some and reâ—ealed the same to other now what is the cause hereof It is euen so O father saith he because it so pleaseth thee So Rom. 9. v. 13. and 18. In Iacob and Esau Paul shewes this distinction of mankind I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau saith the Lord neither did this difference come from their workes either good or euill for this difference God put betweene them before either of them had done good or euill but it is wholly ascribed to the will of God who will haue mercie on whom he will haue mercie and whom he will he hardeneth This must not seeme strange vnto vs we permit vnto men to vse their owne discretion in their owne affaires and this is a sufficient reason to stoppe any other mans mouth It is mine owne may I not doe with mine owne what I will Againe in Princes Proclamations wee submit our selues to this clause It is our pleasure so likewise a man hauing a flocke of sheepe may send some of them to the fatting for the slaughter others keepe for breed this God permitteth vnto man and it is not counted cruelty among men now if wee giue this libertie vnto man ouer the creature why should we not much more giue it to the creator ouer man seeing the basest and least creature is something in regard of man but man is nothing vnto God and therefore though these mysteries cannot bâ—â— comprehended by reason yet euen in reason we may see some â—â—semblance of the truth and equitie of them which must mooue vs with reuerence to submit our selues to the soueraigne will and pleasure of God herein Vpon this ground of difference and distinction betweene man and man we may well bee admonished to beware of the errour of some diuines who thus define of Gods will touching mans estate they say it is the first wil of God that euery maÌ„ in the world should be saued if they would and therefore say they he ministers vnto them all helps both of nature and grace whereby they may repent and beleeue if they will And hauing laid downe this his first will he then say they foresees that some men will not beleeue nor perseuere in the faith and hereupon it is in their conceit that he will not know some men for his owne Againe foreseeing that others will beleeue and perseuere in faith them he knowes and acknowledgeth to bee his dealing herein like vnto a good father that hath many sonnes who would haue them all to doe well and to haue each one a good portion but yet seeing that some wil not become frugall and obedient he changeth his minde and doth disinherite them or like vnto a good Prince who would haue all his subiects to doe well but seeing some to be rebels hee is of another minde and willeth their death Answ. But this opinion is a meere inuention of mans braine for whereas they say that God by a second acte of his will acknowledgeth some for his owne and not others vpon the foresight of their faith and vnbeleefe whereas by his first will hee would haue all men to be saued it is not true for the first will of God is to know some and not to know others the ground whereof is his good pleasure alone and no foreseene workes in them And therefore it cannot be that he should will all men to be saued equally Caine as well as Abel Iudas as well as Peter Againe their opinion confutes it selfe for God foresees mens faith and vnbeleefe because hee hath decreed the same and his decree depends vpon his owne will alone and therefore vnlesse we make the same thing in the same respect both the cause and the effect we cannot make foreseene workes the ground of difference betweene man and man Then their comparisons are not fit a father would haue all his children to doe well and to enioy his portion true and more then that he would make all his children to doe well if it lay in his power neither would he disinherite any if it lay in his power to make them good the change of his purpose in disinheriting his sonne ariseth vpon the impotencie of his will that cannot doe that he would And the same must be said of the will of Princes toward their subiects but if their should be such a will in God to haue all men saued if hee could saue them then vndoubtedly all men should bee saued for who hath resisted his will nay whatsoeuer the Lord willeth that doth he in heauen in earth and euery where Dan. 4. 32. A second point to be considered in the distinction of men whereby God knoweth some to be his and doth not acknowledge some others for his is the fruite of this knowledge of God It is an effectuall and powerfull knowledge working mutuall and strange effects in mans heart towards God for from this that God knoweth some to bee his there followeth another knowledge in mans heart whereby he knoweth God to be his God So Christ saith Ioh. 10. 14. I know my sheepe am knowne of mine looke as the sunne
how to correct and reforme our foolish conceite we haue of men in the world We thinke of those that haue worldly wisdome to be able to goe beyond others in the greater affaires of this life that they are the onely men deseruing best place of gouernment both in Church and common wealth But we must know that these men though they haue neuer so good heads for the things of this life yet if they faile in the knowledge of this dutie to God or in the practise thereof are here by our Sauiour Christ noted with the brand of follie The rich man in the Gospel had notable forecast for the augmenting of his wealth when his substance increased he could pull downe his barnes and make them greater but yet because he failed in the maine point of his saluation he is noted for a rich foole Luk. 12. 20. And therefore in all sorts and estates of men he is the wisest who hath grace to know and answerably to obey the will of God II. This must excite vs to a carefull endeauour after true obedience to God in all his commandements We all desire to be freed from the reproach of folly among men and we take it for a great disgrace to be counted fooles well if we would auoid this ignominie indeede let vs be willing to heare and carefull to obey the word of Christ both in thought word and deede otherwise let men iudge as they list God will account vs fooles III. Point The practise of this follie which consists in this that he builds his house vpon the sands whereby is signified another thing concerning the soule namely to build our saluation vpon insufficient foundation and that doth euery hearer of Gods word that makes not conscience of obedience for profession is as it were the erecting or rearing of an house and the not performing obedience withall is the setting of this house vpon the sands There be three sorts of men that thus build vpon the sands I. The Papist that will be iustified and saued by Christ but yet withall he must haue works of grace to concurre for the increase of his iustification and for the accomplishment of his saluation Now this is to build vpon the sands when we ioyne workes with Christ in the matter of saluation for though Christ be a sure rocke in himselfe yet if we will fortifie him by our works we fall from this rocke into perdition and our foundation is no better then sand Gal. 5. 2. Behold I Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing and v. 4 Ye are fallen from Christ whosoeuer will be iustified by the law in which â—laces the Apostle labours to ouerthrow the opinion of the Galatians learned of the false Apostles which was to ioyne works with Christ in the matter of iustification Rom. 9. 32. Christ became vnto the Iewes a rocke of offence when as they would be saued by the works of the law A second sort that build vpon the sands are the common Protestants by whome I meane such as beare the name of Christians and yet rest themselues contented and satisfied with their ciuill liues thinking that because they abstaine from outward euill and grosse sinnes and doe no man wrong therefore God will hold them excused whereupon they professe religion more for obedience to the lawes of men then for conscience to God But this will not serue the turne these men though they professe Christ outwardly yet in deede they denie him for by their course though it may be they thinke not so they will needes become Sauiours and so Christs vnto themselues which thing they doe when as they stay themselues on their owne ciuill life The Scribes and Pharisies for outward actions were very godly and many of them liued vnblameably but yet Christ saith to his Disciples Math. 5. 20. Except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen 1. Cor. 4. 4. I know nothing by my selfe saith Paul and yet I am not thereby iustified this was a notable thing for a man to walke so vprightly in his calling that his conscience could not accuse him of any offence against God or man and yet this is nothing in the matter of Iustification because euery man therein must answer to God The third sort of those that build vpon the sand is the Protestant that is more forward in religion then the former I meane such as doe heare the word and receiue it with ioy bringing forth some good fruit thereof It had beene hard I must confesse to haue called such men foolish builders vnles Iesus Christ had reuealed them to be such and yet that these doe build on the sand it is plaine in the parable of the seede that fell on stonie ground Luke 8. 13. whereby are resembled such men as heare Gods word and receiue it with ioy and bring forth some fruit but yet in the time of temptation doe fal away for though they professed Christ yet they were not founded on him they wanted sound humilitie and true faith which want in the time of peace they could not espie Uses I. Seeing that men which heare and receiue the word of God with ioy may build on a fandie foundation we must pray to God for this one blessing that he would write his word in our hearts by the finger of his spirit as he writ the law on the tables of stone in Mount Sina for our hearts are deceitfull and will counterfeit grace till the time of triall come now God hath promised this blessing to his Church in the new Testament and therefore we must pray for it that hauing his law written in our hearts we may be the doers of it II. This must mooue vs to looke vnto the deceitfulnes of our hearts for faire shewes will not serue the turne in time of triall and our hearts be deceitfull aboue all things for when a man shall receiue the word with ioy and bring forth some fruit thereof how should he not thinke himselfe to be in a good case and yet in time of triall this will disappoint him and deceiue him Wherefore we must looke that in our profession we carie a true heart vnto God and to our selues and for this cause must see that we be throughly humbled in our selues for our sinnes that we may make God and his feare to be our chiefe treasure for which cause we must remember that we are not our owne but Gods and so must not haue the disposing of our selues but subiect our selues wholly to his will in all things and if thus we make him our treasure we shall be sure to make him our rocke also III. We must not content our selues only to know Christ to be our Sauiour and to imbrace religion in profession but we must labour further to feele in our selues the power of Christs death to mortifie sinn in vs and
the vertue of his resurrection to raise and build vs vp againe in newnes of life learning to know Christ vnto our selues by experience in our selues for knowledge in the braine will not saue the soule but he that is truly founded on Christ feeles the benefits of his death and resurrection in some measure in himselfe IV. Point The effect and fruit of bad hearing that is fearefull ruine and destruction resembled by the issue of building on the sands v. 27. The raine fell the floods came c. Where two things are to be noted I. the cause of this fearefull ruine the falling of the raine and beating of the floods and windes II. the qualitie of this ruine it is great and fearefull The house fell and the fall thereof was great For the first Floods and winde and raine doe here betoken trialls and temptations which are here said to befal the professors of the name of Christ. Whence we learne that euery one that doth heare the word of God and professe true religion must looke for a day of temptation and triall It is Gods will that whosoeuer taketh vpō him the profession of his name should be tried what he is Thus he permitted Adam presently after his creation to be tempted and tried the smart whereof we all feele vnto this day and God gaue Abraham a commandement of triall to kill his onely sonne Gen. 22. 1 2. Soe he left Hezekias to himselfe to trie him and to know all that was in his heart 2. Chr. 32. 31. And Iohn Baptist saith of Christ that he hath his fanne in his hand to sift and trie the good corne from chaffe Matth. 3. 12. and Luk. 22. 31. the deuill sought to winnow the disciples as wheate And S. Peter makes it a thing requisite that the faith of Gods seruants should be tried by afflictions as gold is tried in the fire 1. Pet. 1. 7. Vse We now haue by Gods mercie true religion among vs and are freed from the bondage of the Turke Iewe and Papist we must therefore stand fast in our profession and not suffer our selues to be depriued of true religion for times will come when we must be tried and therefore in this happie time of peace and truth which is to vs the day of grace and mercie we must labour seriously to haue our hearts indued with some good measure of lasting grace as of faith hope and loue which as good gold may abide the triall of afflictions otherwise we shall not stand for all painted shewes of grace in time of triall will vanish away like drosse and stubble before the fire The second point in this effect is the qualitie of this ruine and fall it is great and fearefull It fell and the fall thereof was great The thing resembled hereby is most fearefull to wit that such professors of religion as in the daies of peace did not ioyne practise with their profession shall fall away in the time of triall and come to most fearefull perdition this is the principall point that Christ here aimes at whereby he intends to terrifie men from dissembled profession And the consideration of it must worke effectually in our hearts for we by Gods mercie and blessing haue had the light of the Gospel for many yeares together in such measure as neuer was in this land before and yet though all of vs be hearers where is our obedience alas some among vs grow to be flat and peremptorie Atheists denying God and Christ Iesus others and the most vnder the name of religion root their hearts in the world some in profits and some in pleasures and none of these almost regard religion others professe religion and yet liue in grosse sinnes as swearing drunkennesse vncleannesse c. making no conscience of grosse impietie in their liues so that if we looke into the generall state of our people we shall see that religion is professed but not obeied nay obedience is counted precisenesse and so reproached but we must know that in the ende this prophaning of religion will soone turne all Gods blessings temporall and spirituall into fearefull curses both of bodie and soule If euer any thing bring ruine vpon vs it will be the contempt of Gods word professed and therefore let vs in the feare of God endeauour our selues not onely to know and heare the word of God but to turne vnto God from all sinne and especially in regard of this sinne of disobedience to the word of God Lastly Christ notes the qualitie of this fall to be exceeding great to shew vnto vs the great daunger of hypocrisie for there is great difference betweene these three sorts of men a sinner that makes no profession of religion an hypocrite that makes a great shew of pietie in profession and a true beleeuer whose life and conuersation is answerable to his profession For a true professor may fall into sinne very fearefully as Peter and Dauid did and yet recouer againe Also he that is a most notorious sinner as Manasses was may be conuerted and repent But when a professor that is an hypocrite in religion is tried he falls quite from Christ and makes apostacie from his profession and in this regard his fall is called great And therefore seeing professors may thus fearefully fall away let vs in the feare of God labour in some truth of heart to yeild obedience to that we heare vers 28. And it came to passe when Iesus had ended these words the people were astonied at his doctrine 29. For he taught as one hauing authoritie and not as the Scribes These two verses containe the issue and euent of this Sermon of our Sauiour Christ in his hearers And in them we may obserue two points first the good fruit that came of this sermon v. 28. secondly the cause reason thereof v. 29. The fruit was the astonishing of the people which S. Matthew sets out by three circumstances I. of the time when it appeared to wit after the Sermon was ended II. of the persons in whom it was wrought the people that is the multitude III. of the matter whereat they were astonished namely at the doctrine of Christ. Touching this Astonishing of the people in it many things are to be obserued I. That though the person of our Sauiour Christ were lowly and base yet his doctrine in preaching was of that force in the minds of his hearers for it did amase and astonish them This caused the officers that were sent to take him to returne without him alleadging the maiestie of his doctrine for the reason of their fact Neuer man spake as this man did Ioh. 7. 46. and when the gouernours came with a band of men to apprehend him so soone as he did but tell them he was the Christ they went backward and fell to the ground Ioh. 18. 6. This sheweth vnto vs that the voice and sentence of Christ giuen at the last day of iudgement will be most fearefull and
miserie Sâ—gâ—e of regeneration 4 A ground of contentatioÌ„ in losses God bountie a Gen. 28. 2â— b Gen. 32. 10 1. Duties froÌ„ Gods boun tiâ— 2 3 4 5 6 A double prouidence in man 1. Godly â— Inordinate prouidence 7. Reason against distrustfull care A rule for our life The continued miserie of mans life Duties 1. 2 3 6. part of Christs sâ—rmon 4. kinds of lawfull iudgment 1 2 3 4 â—iâ—t 23 1 2 3 Math. 16. 6. Luk. 6. 37. Rash iudgement descrbed The practisâ— of rash iudgment Rash censure of mens persons Iob 1. 8 9 10 11. Rasâ— censure of mens behauiour 1. Sam. 10. 3 4 Reasonâ— against rash iudgement 1 2 3 4 5 Duties to be obserued when we speake of others 1 2 3 4 Of suspecting euill of others Hoâ— to iudge of others â—ightly 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule a Mat. 23. 27 b Luk. 13. â—2 c Isa. 1. 10. 2. Reasons against rash iudgement A tast of mâ—s naturall pride How to know and iudge rightly of our owne sinnes A maine cause of personall defamation â—ecles 7. 23 â—4 How to get a good name Psal. 34. 13. Eccles. 10. 20 Gods iustice in punishing sinners iâ— their kind A terror to all oppressors Amos â— 5. Matth. 24. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our word thoughts must haue good grouÌ„d Prov. 20. 18. Luk â— 18. Eccles. 5. 1. Mans corâ—â—pt prying 〈◊〉 the fâ—â—â—ts of others 〈…〉 in degree Bellar. de amiss grat stat pâ—cc l. 1. c 9. How the father 's called some sinnes veniall Rash iudgement perâ—erts a mans good meaning 1. Sam. 10. 3. Mans carnal securitie Eph. 5. 14. 1. Thess. 5. 3. Iudges of others should be blameâ—esse Râ—â—h censurerâ— the viâ—est persons The remedy of rash iudgment How to cast out a beame out of a maÌ„s owne eye 1 Maine sinnes common to all 2 3 Idolatrie of the heart 4 Hypocrisie 5 Pride 6 How to perceiue the gricuousnes of our sinnes 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. Rule How to iudge our selues Reform our waies Motiues to all the duties 1 2 3 An hypocrite A rule for brotherly correction Reforming our selues brings spiritual wisdom a 2. Chr. 33. 13. How to vnderstand Gods word How to know our adoption How to know true religion Brotherly correction commanded 1. Who must correct Exceptions in the case of correction 1 2 3 4 How euery Christian is a Pastor Heb. 10. 24. Who must be corrected Outward dignity frees none from correction Exod. 2. 14. The matter of reproofe The manner how to reprooue Heb. 10. 24. 2 1. Sam. 25. 36. 37. 3 2. Sam. 21. 1 2. c. â— Tim. 5. 1. 4 5 7. part of Christs sermon Gods word is an holy thing Rom. 3. 11. Gal. 2. 20. Vse the word holily Psal. 26. 6. The pure word alone ought to be taught Exod. 30. 32 33. Exod. 30. 32 33. a Synod Laodic ca. 59 Doctrines of Gods word are pearles How to esteeme of Gods word Prou. 3. 14. How to cosuâ—â— our selâ—â—â— in 〈…〉 â— Tim. 3. 9. Ministers must preserue puritie of doctrine 1. Tim. 6. 2â— Dogs and swine are obstinate enemies Math. 15 2â— Tit. 3 10. 11. Difference betweene dogs and swine 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. Who must iudge men to be dogs swine Where dogs and swine are to bee found How the word must Be dispensed Matth. 13. 15. Excommunication is Gods ordinance e ende ofâ— excommunication Pius 5. pont in Bulla coÌ„tra Elizab. Who must execute this censure How farre excommunication reacheth 1. Reason The holy things of God must be kept from contempt a 2. Thess. 3. â— b Math. 6. 9. 2. king 1â— 36. 2. Reason Ministers may seeke to auoide persecutions Math. 10. 16. Ioh. 10 11. Of flight in persecution â— Part of Christs sermon a Iam. 4. 3. 4. Conditions in acceptable praier 2 3 4 2. Rule Gods promise to hear and respect the person in Christ. Zeale serueacie in praier 1. Cor. 4. 7. Causes why wâ— should be seruent in prayer â— Pet. 4. 18. We must be vrgeâ—t in prayer The best are not here perfect â— Cor. 12. 4. â—ev 3. 17. God withdrawes himselfe sometime froÌ„ his children Reasons of the commaÌ„dement to pray A speciall faith required in praier Rhem. on Iam. 1. sect 6. Bellarm. de iustif l. 3. c. 13 Hab. 2. 4. A motiâ—e to diligence in praier How God hearâ—th the wicked Câ—n. 18. Gods readinesse to heare Vse Our God the onely true God A moriue to loue God Comfort to the afflicted A prerogatiue of parents 1. Tim. 5. 8. Riotous patent reprooued Also such as neglect religious education Most vnnaturall parents A note of an euill man to seeke himselfe Euill men may do good things Gifts of the spirit twofold Luk. 11. 13. How the father giuâ—â— the holy Ghost 〈…〉 gian vi de August â— 4 in IulianuÌ„ cap. 8. How to get grace Pro. 24. 30 31 A comfort to the weak in grace Vniuersall grace confuted Anabaptists familistâ— Aquiâ— 1. ◠◠〈◊〉 art 3. 9. part of Christs sermon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A propertie of our corrupt nature We should doe no hurt to ourneighbour How to deale in bargaining Pretences for badde dealing cut off How to get loue How to keep a good conscience The reason How to know the Scripture of the old Testament Apocrypha bookes not Canonicall Eccl. â— 6. New Testament diuine scripture The bookes of Moses the 1. Script Certaintie of Scripture How it may be knowne â— from the causes 2. From the effects 3. From the properties of Scripture 4. From miracles 5. From contraries 6. From testimonies Of Martyrs Testimony of tâ—e spirit Obiections against scripture answered Popish twofold Scripture Andrad orthod explic l. â— Authority of Scripture The power of Scripture in giuing iudgement a 1. Cor. â— 15 b 1. Ioh. 41. What iudge we must choose The Church an incompetent iudge c Conc. Tri sess 4. d â—ckius Enchir. loc com tit 1. dâ— Eccles. eius author Scripture is authenticall 3. sorts of bookes 1. Diuine â— Ecclesiasticall 3. Humane bookes â— God 's estimony alone in preaâ—â—ing Act. 26. 〈◊〉 Vnwritten traditions not authenticall Andrad orthod explic l. 2 pag 63. Whether the authority of Christ the Prophets be equall The ignoraÌ„t abuse this â—ule 10. Part of Christs Sermon Two distinct places for mens finall aboad Mens different estat in heauen and hell No purgatorie * Bellarm. de purgat l 2. c. 6. Striue to escape hell get to heauen Two waies 1. The way of life A Christians life is twofold 1. Spirituall Fruits of spirituall life Spiritual life is seene in temptation How temporall life is lead by faith A eiuill lâ—â—nest life not sufficient to saluation We must not liue by sense Measure not graâ—â— by feeling Learne to know Gods â—â—ll How to liue in afflictions 1. The way of nature 2. The way of false faith Tur 〈…〉 e. Iudaisme Poperie a Concil Tâ—id sess 6. cap.
to the person of the worker and hee thereby is vnited to Christ who renueth the minde will and affections of the worker from whence the worke proceedeth and so it is as pure water comming from a clensed fountaine Secondly faith couereth the wants that be in good workes for the best worke done by man in this life hath it wants now faith apprehendeth Christ and his merits and applieth the same vnto the worker whereby his person is accepted and the imperfection of his worke couered in the sight of God and this must prouoke vs to labour for faith Lastly I adde the ende of a good worke namely Gods glory in mans good The honour of God must bee the principall ende of euery good worke now Gods honour stands in reuerence obedience and thankefulnesse so that when we doe any good worke we must doe it in reuerence vnto God in obedience vnto his commandements and in token of our thankefulnesse vnto him for his manifold mercies The good of man must herein also be respected the Apostle saith The Law is fulfilled in one word thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe how can this be seeing to loue the Lord our God is the great commandement of the Law It must therefore thus be vnderstood that the lawe of God must be practised in the loue of our neighbour and not apart by it selfe Againe the ende of a mans life and of all his actions is to serue God in seruing of man and by seruing of man to serue God as when we pray which is a good worke we must not onely respect our selues but pray for others as for the Church of God and for our brethren as well as for our selues yea and for our enemies So we must heare the word and receiue the Sacraments that thereby we may be better able to further our brethren in the way of saluation this our Sauiour doth here expresse saying that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father in heauen as if he should say Glorifie you God and also cause others to doe the same First here we may see what to iudge of the workes done by Papists It is commonly thought that they abound with good workes but it is not so their best workes are sinnes before God for they faile principally in the maine ende of well-doing which is to glorifie God in the good of men for a Papist doing a good worke according to the Rules of their religion doth it to satisfie Gods iustice for the temporall punishment of his sinnes and to merit heauen by it and so erreth quite from the right end of a good worke respecting therein his own good and nothing at all the good of others Secondly hereby wee may see for our selues how farre wee come short in our good workes for commonly wee faile in the maine ende thereof men spend their daies and strength in labour and toile but all is for themselues for their owne pleasure their owne profit and preferment without respect to the good of their brethren now all such actions wherein men seeke themselues only and not Gods glorie in the good of others be sinnefull in the doer though otherwise good in thēselues And therefore we must learne in all our actions to aime at the glorie of God in the good of men II. Point Thus we see what a good worke is now follow the differences of good workes Good workes be of two sorts First those which God in his word hath directly commanded as parts of his worshippe such are praier thanks-giuing receiuing the Sacraments hearing the word and releeuing the poore and these are the more principall kinds of good workes The second sort are actions indifferent sanctified by the word and praier and done to Gods glorie as to eate to drinke and such like for howsoeuer in themselues they bee neither good nor euill beeing things neither commanded nor forbidden and therefore in respect of the things themselues may with good conscience be either vsed or refused yet because God hath commanded the manner how they must be vsed namely by beeing sanctified by the word of God and praier and the ende thereof to wit Gods glorie therefore when they are so vsed they become good workes Vpon this difference of good workes obserue the largenesse thereof how farre they extend There be three estates ordained of God the Church the Common wealth and the Familie and for the preseruation of them there be sundrie callings required some whereof are prescribed of God and others left to bee appointed by men as all trades and such like now not onely the callings appointed by God and the duties thereof are good workes but euen all inferiour callings appointed by men for the good of these three estates and the duties thereof bee they neuer so base if they bee sanctified by praier and done to Gods glorie are good works Example A man is called to be a shepheard and doth willingly accept thereof now though the calling be but base and meane yet the workes thereof beeing done in obedience to God for the good of his Master are good workes yea as good in their kind as the best workes of the highest callings and the same may be said of all lawfull callings and the workes thereof bee they neuer so base for God iudgeth not the goodnesse of the worke by the excellencie of the matter whereabout it is occupied but by the heart of the doer This point must be learned for the Papists conceit doth sticke fast in mens hearts That there are no good workes but the building of Churches and Hospitals the mending of high waies giuing of large almes c. but we must learne that euery action of a mans lawfull calling done in obedience to God for the good of men is a good worke before God and therefore we must so walke euery one of vs in our callings that the duties thereof may be acceptable to God Againe this will hence follow that in these our daies we may as wel abound in such works as be good indeed as the Papists did in their superstitious Thus much of the differences of good workes III. Point Now more particularly in the text are further set down three points touching good workes the Necessitie the Dignitie and the Vse of good workes The necessitie of them appeareth by Christs commanding of them saying Let your light so shine c. for hereby hee bindeth all Christians after the example of his Disciples to walke in good workes If it be said that Christ hath freed vs from the law and therefore we are not bound to doe good works I answer Christ hath freed vs from the lawe in regard of the curse and rigour thereof but not as it is a rule of Christian obedience Quest. How farre forth are good workes necessarie to saluation or to vs that do them Ans. There be three opinions touching the necessitie of good workes First of the Papists who