persons Answ. That Abraham and the Israelites were chosen the Ismalites and heathen reiected was no accepting of persons the Lord himselfe declareth that there was no cause at all in the people which furthered his choise of them iust cause there was in them why he should haue passed by them as well as the rest for as they were the fewest of all people Deut. 7.7 so they were the worst and most stiffenecked of all Yea consider Abraham himselfe their father and the father of all the faithfull what cause was in him that God should set his loue vpon himselfe or his posteritie or call him out of Vr of the Chaldeans where he liued in as heathenish Idolatrie as any of the rest in so much as God by his Prophet puts them in minde of the pit whence they were hewne and telleth them their father was an Amorite their mother an Hittite If it be stil asked what cause then was there why this people should aboue all other be chosen to partake in the couenant of life the Lord himselfe directly answereth that there was no cause without himselfe that mooued him hereunto it was onely his free loue and meere good will The Lord loued you because he loued you Deut. 7.8 Obiect But when God electeth one to saluation and reiecteth another he seemeth to accept of persons for all lie alike in the same condition Answ. The obiection answeareth it selfe for in that all lie alike in the same masse and all are corrupted it is plaine that election and reprobation depend not vpon any thing outward for seeing matter inough to condemne all all beeing sold vnder sinne and no more matter of loue in those whome he choseth then in those whome he refuseth we must neeeds conclude with the Apostle that he chooseth freely whom he will and whom he will he iustly reprobateth and refuseth If it be here alleadged that it seemeth hard that those that are all equal in Adam should be so vnequally dealt with I answer may not the Lord doe with his owne what he will who art thou that darest dispute with God or prescribe lawes to thy Creator who is it that bindeth him or spoyleth him of his soueraigntie ouer his creatures that he may not deale with one thus and with an other another way Obiect But when God iudgeth men according to their workes doth he not accept of men by â—utward things and did not the Lord accept persons when he respected Abel and his sacrifice but to Caine and his sacrifice had no respect Answer God iudgeth men according to workes but not as they are outward actions but as they are fruits of faith purifying the heart and working by loue thus onely he lookes on them with acceptance whereas be they neuer so many and glorious without faith he reiecteth them so as still he iudgeth by that which is within and not by things without further then they testifie of the former As for Abel his face and person was no more respected then Caines it was the faith of his heart the feare of God and working of righteousnesse that was accepted and which is witnessed Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offred a greater sacrifice then Cain by the which he obtained witnes that he was righteous So as notwithstanding all that can be said to the contrarie it remaineth an vndeniable conclusion That God is no accepter of persons Vse 1. If God accept not nor reiect men for outward respects no more must those who would be like vnto him And hence sundrie sorts of men are to be instructed in their dutie As 1. Magistrates who are Gods vicegerents and called gods yea called by God to execute his iudgements must beware of respecting persons in iudgement Deut. 1.17 Moses appointing Iudges ouer the people sendeth them away with this charge Yea shall haue no respect of persons in iudgement but shall heare the small aswell as the great yee shall not feare the face of man for the iudgement is Gods This corruption yeelded vnto makes a man say to the wicked thou art righteous and layeth him open not only to the curse of God but euen to the curse of the people Nay more he maketh God so farre as lyeth in him a patron of iniquitie a iustifier of the wicked a taker of the vngodly by the hand a condemner and punisher of the innocent for he pronounceth sentence from God and fastneth that vpon the Lord which the Lord abhorres 2. Ministers who are the mouth and messengers of God must take heed of this base sinne of accepting the face â—or persons of men so as for feare or flatterie they hide or betraie any part of the truth of God The Herodians could say that Christ taught the way of God truly because he respected not the face of man Mark 12.14 What a strait charge giueth the Apostle Paul to Timothie that he should preferre no man in his ministry and doe nothing with partialitie It was a worthy commendation of Levi that the law of truth was in his mouth iniquitie was not found in his lips hee walked with God in peace and equitie and so turned many from iniquitie Whereas on the contrary what a wicked thing it is to preach for hire reward fauour and yet leane vpon the Lord See in Micah 3.11 3. Ordinarie professors may not accept persons 1. not in ciuill things For when elections offices and coÌ„mon benefits are passed and bestowed partially for frendship money kinred fauour or entreatie this is the ruine of all societies and a bringer in of all corruption especially when men haue taken oathes to a corporation to the contrarie the sinne is like an infolded disease more incurable and dangerous 2. In matters of religion much lesse notwithstanding this sinne be many waies committed As 1. to haue the faith of God in respect of persons which the Apostle Iames noteth in this instance when a man with a gold ring or goodly apparel be he neuer so wicked is magnified and aduanced aboue another who is not so outwardly gawdie but inwardly arraied with the white garments of Christs righteousnesse and adorned with the Iewells of faith loue holynes and sinceritie which the world taketh little knowledge of 2. To accept the word because he is a man of pompe that bringeth it a rich man or a freind the Corinthes were iustly blamed for partiall hearing and holding some to Paul some to Apollos some to Cephas Who is Paul who is Apollos who is Cephas are not they all Ministers by whome yee beleeue Ahab will not heare Micah because he hateth his person but he shall iustly fall for it at Ramoth Gilead 3. To reiect the profession of religion because it wanteth countenance and credit at most hands and a few poore ones only receiue it Many Protestants can heare vs iustly confute the Popish doctrine and practise in that they embrace their religion in respect of persons that is of the outward
IAPHETS FIRST PVBLIQVE PERSWASION into Sems tents OR PETERS SERMON WHICH WAS THE FIRST GEnerall calling of the Gentiles preached before Cornelius Expounded in Cambridge by THOMAS TAYLOR and now published for the further vse of the Church of God PRINTED BY CANTRELL LEGGE Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1612. And are to be sold by RAPH MAB at the signe of the Angel in Pauls Churchyard ⧠TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR IAMES ALTHAM KNIGHT one of the Barons of his Maiesties court of Exchequor AND SIR CHARLES MORRISON KNIGHT BARONET TWO worthy Iustices and Magistrates of the towne of Watford in Hartfordshire Grace peace and aboundance of all blessings accompanying saluation LEt it stand with your pleasures whome one profession of religion towards God and execution of iustice towards man whom one neere neighbourhood and one neere affection combine to be conioyned also in this dedication wherein as my desire is to manifest my dutifull respect of you both so also to entreate your fauourable construction and acceptance of this my presumption whereof I want not iust reasons whether I looke vpon you ioyntly or seuerally Your ioynt gouernement vnder which we the inhabitants of this towne of Watford enioy our publike peace bindeth all of vs wherein wee may to testifie our thankefulnes for so great and publike a good God might gouerne the world if he pleased by himselfe immediately yet he committeth it to Magistrates and Rulers both supreame and delegates whom he honoureth with an high style calling them assistants to him that ruleth the whole earth yea the sheilds of the earth to beare off wrongs and euills from men The boughes of this faire tree of magistracie as in that sacred embleme are shelter for all and the fruit meat for all And the welding of so stately an ordinance is not to be committed but to fit and qualified persons as they are described by Iethro to Moses by fowre most worthie properties First they must be men of courage stout to vndergoe all the parts of their calling How fit a vertue this is for a Magistrate will appeare if we consider 1. the good and godly in the land who are to be incouraged and praised in well doing by their Rulers which will neuer be if a man be afraid to be seene or be timorous as Nicodemus was who would faine be with Christ but cast himselfe into the night as though that had bin a worke of darknesse Moses for his courage was called Pharaohs God hee told Pharaoh to his face hee would not leaue an hoofe behind him that Pharaoh himselfe stood in awe of him 2. The wicked who are stout in their wickednesse and sinne is with them as bold as an harlot as Salomon speaketh Now the Magistrate with Iob must bestirre himselfe and cloath himselfe with zeale and courage that the young men may hide themselues and the olde rise vp at his presence whereas an irreligious mildnesse and remisnesse strengthneth the hands of the vngodly 3. The wicked one euen Satan himselfe who emboldneth offenders against the cheifest ordinances of God I meane Magistracie and Ministrie to bring them into contempt and so bring in all confusion into the earth Secondly they must be men fearing God and they are specially called vpon to kisse the Sonne of God For 1. Gods feare is the beginning of wisedome and who should be wise if not Magistrates to iudge and discerne of the most difficult cases amongst men 2. If hee feare not God hee will feare the face of man and so accept of persons condemned Deut. 1.17 3. Hee must herein assist the Lord himselfe in planting the feare of God in all his gouernment Cyrus must performe not his own but all the Lords desire hee must say to Ierusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundations shall be surely laid Euery Christian Magistrate must be a nursing Father to the Church and here begin his gouernment as Moses with celebrating the passeouer Ioshua with renewing circumcision Gideon with destroying Baal Dauid with establishing the Arke Salomon with building Gods house Asa with renewing the Lords Altar And whereas many inferiour Magistrates looke on whilest this care slippeth into other mens hands yet must they all knowe that they are Gods vicegerents and the iudgement is Gods that is from God and for God and therefore they must not onely cut off thefts murders adulteries and such barbarous outrages and riots against publicke peace and humane societie but blasphemies heresies swearing sabbaoth-breaking and such sinnes as more directly oppose God and his worship and these will the feare of God where it is especially hunt out This was the grace that made Nehemiah seeke the wealth of Israel by making the Princes sweare to Gods couenant this made him almost forget himselfe in zealous reuenge against the Sabbath-breakers all Ierusalem could not maintaine this one sinne against that one godly magistrate Thirdly magistrates must be men dealing truely 1. affecting sinceritie truth and iustice which are the verie sinewes of humane societie 2. effecting it by taking true paines that the truth of euery cause may be sifted out and receiue a true sentence that the poore may not bee borne downe with power and greatnesse nor goe away in a good cause disappointed 3. opposing with all their strength whatsoeuer is opposite vnto truth not suffering the truth to be clouded and vailed by flourishing pleas or shewes of truth but resembling God whose iudgement seat is said to be a throne of white yvorie for the puritie and innocencie both of the Iudge and iudgment before which euerie secret shall one day be set in a cleare light Fourthly they must be men hating couetousnesse For 1. a publicke person must seeke the publicke good and not be priuately minded or selfe-seeking 2. Hee will then hate gifts which blind the wise and peruert the words of righteousnesse Now what a fearefull inuersion of Gods order were it if hee who is set vp to execute iudgement should peruert it 3. Hee is in place wherein if hee be corrupt hee may helpe himselfe by the damage of others but who should hinder the confusion that would flow in as a deluge if the meanes ordained by God to helpe the oppressed should be corrupted to helpe forward oppression Now such a man thus qualified Iethro thought fit to be set ouer thousands and ouer hundreths ouer fifties and ouer tens To this serue those auncient ceremonies vsed among Gods own people in the installing of their gouernours example whereof we haue in Ioash whom when Iehoiadah had set into the right of his kingdome they did three things vnto him First they crowned him with a crowne of pure gold set with pearles and precious stones and these signified both the integritie of his person and the incorruption of his manners 2. They gaue him the booke of the testimonie the booke shewed that wisedome is meet for a Ruler and that it
not now to deale with profane and lewd persons but such as the Lord had sanctified to himselfe according to the vision and voice What or whome the Lord hath sanctified account not thou profane vers 15. Whence 1. we haue in this holy man a mappe of humane frailtie in which we may see how heauie the best are to their duties for was it not long before giuen Peter in charge to teach the Gentiles was not his commission large inough when among other disciples he was dismissed by Christ himselfe to teach not onely the nations but all nations Had not he heard often from the mouth of Christ and read in the writings of the Prophets that the Gentiles must be called in that the tents of the Church must be enlarged her courteins stretched ouâ— and that their owne sound must go ouer all the world yet Peter had forgotten all this and as though Christ had not beene come or as if himselfe had neuer conuersed with him he would still vphold the difference of peoples which his Mr. had destroyed confine saluation to the Iewes only as if Christ had not been a common Sauiour of Iewes and Gentiles he must haue new visions and voices to lift him vp to his dutie or else he cannot be brought so much as to acknowledge it Let vs looke vpon this example to condemne our owne corruption by it yea to watch ouer it least following as we are too prone the streame of it we be carried away from the most essentiall duties which by our calling either generall or particular are by God enioyned vpon vs. Let the Popish guids also looke vpon this example and tell vs whether Peter erred not 1. in iudgement 2. after Christs promise 3. in a weightie matter forgetting his commission and calling yea and the calling and saluation of the whole bodie of the Gentiles all which he failed in And then whether it be a sound ground vpon Peters person or any promise made to him to build their Popes immunitie and freedome from error in matter of faith so long as he sitteth in Peters pretended chaire Secondly In that the Apostle Peter secretly implyeth an acknowledgment of his error we haue in him a worthy patterne of a speciall grace to be practised of vs all namely vpon better grounds to lay aside any errour in iudgement or practise although neuer so long held or stifly maintained of vs before and not be ashamed to professe that we so doe which vertue is a sound fruite of humilitie and argueth a good heart which is in loue with the truth for it selfe and esteemeth it aboue his owne estimation the obseruing whereof would cut off infinite controversies which could neuer be carried and continued with such burning heate in the Church of God if the contention were not many times more for victorie then for truth and rather least error should be acknowledged then that truth should triumphe ouer it Thirdly in this preface euery Minister is taught wisely to cut off and remooue such lets as might hinder his doctrine among his hearers and contrarily to winne by all good meanes such credit to his person as that he may preserue a reuerent estimation of himselfe in the hearts of his people So did the Apostle here and not without cause seeing the acceptance of the person of a Minister is a great furtherance for the entertainement of his doctrine not that the faith of God ought to be had in respect of persons but because mans weaknesse carrieth him beyond his dutie herein And againe Satan and his instruments seeke exceptions against their persons whose doctrine is without exception well knowing that where the person is not first receiued hardly will any doctrine from him be embraced Matth. 10.14 he that receiueth not you nor your words Whence the Apostle Paul was constrained to be much and often in the iustifying of his person calling and conuersation because to hinder his doctrine the false Apostles by all these laboured to bring him into contempt Nay our Lord Iesus himselfe was forced often to averre his person to be diuine his calling to be heauenly and his conuersation holy and without sinne because the Iewes were euer hence disgracing his doctrine because of the meanes of his appearance Now whosoeuer would retaine reuerence authority among his people must shewe forth 1. conscience of his duty 2. loue to his peoples soules and bodies 3. a wise and vnblameable carriage and conuersation these things if he doe not he hath more disgraced himselfe then his people can Of a truth I perceiue that God accepteth not of persons By person is not here meant the substance of man or the man himselfe but the outward qualitie appearance or condition which beeing offered to the eie may make a man more or lesse respected such as are wealth honour learning parentage beautie or such like here called the face of a man for which God accepteth not nor reiecteth any man he accepteth not the persons of Princes saith Elihu nor regardeth the rich more then the poore they beeing all the worke of his hands And applyed to the Apostles purpose is as if he had said I now indeed clearely perceiue that the Lord hath no respect of any dignitie or priuiledge in any people aboue an other that he should powre his grace vpon one more then an other vpon the Iew aboue the Gentile vpon the circumcision aboue the vncircumcision vpon the seed of Abraham according to the flesh aboue the rest of the nations and kinreds throughout the world Now I see that the righteous iudge of all the earth can be no accepter of persons For 1. this were to esteeme men by adiuncts and qualities and not by their essence and substance of grace and pietie thus should the rich man haue beene preferred before Lazarus and the proud Pharisie before the penitent Publican 2. this were to iudge by inconstant things for all these outward respects passe away as the figure of the world it selfe doth whereas the iudgment of God is most vnchangable and therefore grounded on things vnchangeable 3. it were a most vnequal valuatioÌ„ to compare much more to preferre things which are in no proportion of goodnes to the things which are vndervalued for betweene temporall and eternall heauenly and earthly things can be no proportion 4. he which hath forbidden vs to iudge by the false and crooked rule of sence sight reason and such things as are before vs cannot himselfe doe so both which points are plainely prooued 1. Sam. 16.7 The Lord biddeth Samuel beeing to chose one of the sonnes of Ishai to be king looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature and addeth this as a reason for God seeth not as man seeth man loooketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart Obiect But when the Lord passed by all the rest of the nations and chose Abraham and his â—eede did he not accept
inhabitants aboue the rest of Palestina Quest. But why should Christ beginne his Ministerie here rather then at Ierusalem was it for any singular disposition or good which hee found in them aboue other I answer No for they were in regard of the Gentiles who were mingled among them of all other most ignorant most superstitious most rude and indocible for so they are noted Matth. 4.15 A people sitting in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death saw a great light But hereby the Lord Iesus shewed himselfe 1. a most mercifull Sauiour readie to releeue those who of all other were most miserable yea in that he vouchsafed to make the first offer of his grace euen to the worst who least of all deserued it 2. Hence he manifested himselfe a true Prophet who would rather hide himselfe in the furthest and most remote parts of the countrie amongst a barbarous and rude people then ambiciously affect the principall citie to get him selfe a name or applause in as false Prophets vse to doe 3. Not obscurely hence would he be noted the Lord of all both Iewes and Gentiles in that he beginneth his Ministrie in this countrie whose inhabitants were mixed of Iewes and Gentiles Obiect But this seemeth to crosse sundrie places of the Scripture which affirme that the preaching of Christ must beginne at Ierusalem not in Galily Luk. 24.47 And that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached among all nations beginning at Ierusalem Answ. That place is meant of the preaching of Christs Apostles and not of his owne as this is 2. That of their preaching of him after his death and resurrection this of his owne in his life time 3. That was a ministeriall publishing of Christ this place speaketh only of a voice fame and good report in the mouthes of the common people such as followed extraordinarie Prophets and therefore such places cannot crosse this Now for the other circumstance of time when this fame went of Christ namely after the baptisme which Iohn preached it is not without waightie cause added by the Apostle 1. to note the truth and accomplishment of those prophecies which concerned Iohn himselfe as Mala. 3.1 Behold I send my messenger and he shall prepare before mee which prophecie Christ himselfe applieth to Iohn Matth. 11.10 that by this consideration they might be one steppe nearer the acknowledging of the true Messiah seeing that his harbenger Eliah was come alreadie 2. To note that Christ appeared in his due season not before Iohn had preached the baptisme of repentance and amendment of life and so had prepared the way to Christ neither before the people were fitted to receiue him for Iohn had spoken many things concerning him had pointed at him as the onely Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world had affirmed that he sawe the holy Ghost descending vpon him and sitting on his head like a doue had professed him far worthyer then himselfe had promised that hee should baptize them with the holy Ghost and fire Now were the people desirous to see him of whom they had heard so much and now therefore was the due time of Christs comming after the baptisme which Iohn preached Whence we may shortly note how the Lord findeth vs when he first setteth his loue vpon vs as farre from meriting his loue as these Galilaeans who were a most wretched people so as he respecteth onely his owne grace in his respecting of vs which consideration he would often fasten vpon his owne ancient people the Iewes professing to their face that he made no couenant with them for any worthynesse he sawe in them aboue other for they were the worst of all people and much lesse can he find any worthinesse to entitle a man to the heauenly Canaan the freedome of this grace doth therefore shine out more clearely and deserueth that we should with much thankefulnesse both acknowledge it and also walke worthie of it Secondly hence is to be noted that then men seasonably heare of Christ when they are prepared by Iohn in the doctrine of repentance when the lawe hath killed cast vs downe and made vs guiltie of the sentence of death then the Gospell doth seasonably propound the grace and mercie of God in Christ. Hence for pacifying the troubled conscience it is called the Gospel of peace for chearing vp the heauie heart it is called a good word and for healing and bringing the sicke soule to health and soundnesse it is called a sound word and therefore ministers in dispensing the promises must see that men be fitted for them because if the ground be not plowed vp all the seede is cast and lost among thornes and hearers must be as warie of false application least in time they as heauily loose as they haue hastily snatched such things as neuer belonged vnto them Vers. 38. How God anointed Iesus of Nazaret with the holy Ghost and with power Who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the deuill for God was with him The Apostle hauing prooued by the common voice and fame that Christ is Lord of all he now descendeth to prooue it by his facts all which because they were performed by vertue of his heauenly commission and calling therefore as good order requireth he beginneth there and in this verse propoundeth two things 1. Christs calling to his office of Mediatorship How God anointed c. 2. the execution of that office according to his calling who went about c. In the former are three points to be considered 1. who was called Iesus of Nazaret 2. who called him how God anointed 3. the manifestation of this calling anointed him with the holy Ghost and with power The person called was Iesus of Nazaret for so he was commonly called among the Iewes not that he was borne there for he was borne at Bethlem in Iudaea Matth. 2.5 according to the prophesie Micah 5.2 but because 1. he was brought vp there for Ioseph his father fearing Archelaus Herods sonne he sought him out or rather directed by diuine dreame a most obscure village in Galilie named Nazaret and dwelt there 2. he was so called by the ouerruling hand and counsell that hee might be probably known to be the true Messias in that he was a Nazarit as was prophesied of him before Zach. 6.12 Behold the man whose name is BRANCH and he shall grow vp out of his place shal build the Temple so Isa. 60.21 These are the places which the Euangelist Matthew aymeth at when he said that Christ dwelt in the citie of Nazaret that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the PROPHETS he shall be called a NAZARIT for seeing so much is not elsewhere spoken in cleare and proper speach necessarily it must be spoken figuratiuely at least and more obscurely as in those places which M. Iunius doth manifestly cleare to appertaine to this verie purpose in whome the learned may read
Ghost to whom whatsoeuer we doe the Lord doth accept and account of it as done to himselfe 3. We haue in the worst of all Gods image which is louely our owne nature which should drawe vs to respect if not the man yet manhood or humanitie in him and for ought that we know to the contrarie by the rule of charitie we must hope that they may participate in the death of Christ as well as our selues Lastly we are prouoked to doe good by that blessed reward which God of his mercy hath promised to all those good and faithfull seruants who when their master shall come shall be found well doing And healed all that were oppressed of the deuill for God was with him The Apostle proceedeth to prooue that Christ was anointed with the holy Ghost and with power because he was able to rescue out of the hands of the deuill such as he oppressed and played the tyrant ouer God hauing in iustice put them vnder his power Now although Christ did most powerfully spoyle Satan of his dominion which hee had in the soules of men this beeing the maine cause of his appearing that hee might loose the workes of the Deuil there yet the words here vsed in the originall restraine the sence to the curing of the bodies of men which being possessed were most miserably captiuated tormented and vexed by the deuil The word healing is first and properly applied to the bodie and the word translated oppressed is neuer vsed elsewhere in the Scripture but once in Iam. 2.6 and there is taken for bodily oppression and not spirituall for such is mans miserie by the fall that by Gods iust permission his bodie and soule which before were sweet habitations of Gods holy spirit are both of them become harbors and roostes for deuils and wicked spirits and these sometimes strike the minde with lunacie and frensie and sometimes abuse the bodie of man to the hurt of it selfe and others Hence is it that the Scripture giueth vs example of some out of whom Christ cast out but one deuil as Mark. 1.23 and the Cananitish womans daughter Matth. 15.22 of others out of whom hee cast out moe as out of Marie Magdelen seauen and out of the man that kept among the graues verie many for they said they were a legion which though it be a certaine number put for an vncertaine yet must the number be very great for some account a legion to be twelue thousand and fiue hundreth And the least I read it accounted is six thousand sixe hundreth sixtie and sixe And this may cast downe the pride of flesh which is readie to puffe vp it selfe seeing that now the verie bodie by the forsaking of God and his iust desertion of it is or may become the habitacle of a whole legion of deuils and wicked spirits And againe to vphold his hope in the midst of so many enemies it may be obserued that as God suffreth many euen a legion of Deuils to hurt one man so hee hath many good Angels to pitch about a godly man to helpe him against them Neither doth the Scripture speake of one speciall Angel assigned to euery speciall man but for our more full comfort that they are all set about vs to keepe vs in our waies and that all of them are ministring spirits for the good of those that are heires of saluation When God opened the eyes of Elisha his seruant he saw multitudes euen a mountaine full of them set as it were in battell arraie for the defence of them beeing but two Now in these words three points must be considered First that there were many possessed with deuils whom Christ healed Secondly that those who were so possessed were wonderfully oppressed the deuil exercising a wofull tyrannie ouer them Thirdly that the power of Christ was mightily manifested in their deliuerance For the first of these We read of many that were in those daies possessed both in Iudea in Galily and the coast of the Gadarens Which occasioneth the moouing and resoluing of two questions 1. Why the Lord suffreth the Deuill to take vp and possesse the bodies of men For we must not conceiue that Satan hath any such power further then it is granted him from God Hereunto I answer that the Lord in great 1. wisedome 2. iustice and 3. mercie doth permit this vnto Satan 1. Many are of the sect of the Saduces in this behalfe and will not beleeue that there are Angels or Deuils or resurrection till they see in such wofull spectacles as these are sencible demonstrations of it in effects aboue nature 2. Hee iustly permitteth it paâ—tly to punish the sinnes of the parties themselues possessed partly also the sinnes of others as either such as they belong vnto or others who often sustaine great harme from such parties 3. In great mercie hee propounds vs such examples of his displeasure partly that we might be more watchfull against sinne attended with such fearefull euents and partly to make vs flie to Christ the seed of the woman and cleaue fast vnto him that by his power Satan may be troden vnder our feete 4. Further such spectacles shew that the very Deuils themselues are Gods creatures and part of that great hoast all which serue vnder their Lord to punish his enemies sinne Many wicked persons are hence giuen vp by God vnto the Deuil as the condemned person is deliuered into the hands of the hangman that he might execute the Lords most righteous sentence thus is that wicked spirit which haunted Saul called the spirit of the Lord because hee was the minister of God to execute that iudgement vpon him And these are the Lords ends herein which hee would haue carefully obserued in all ages and that men should not look vpon such examples without returne of glory to God and reaping good to themselues Satan I grant propoundeth vnto himselfe another end which is to delight himselfe in the vexation and torment of such miserable men but yet for the former causes and to heape vp the damnation of the deuils themselues he suffreth them by their own most wicked wills to bring his most righteous will to passe The second Question is why there were so many possessed in Christs time aboue all the times before him Answ. 1. Because the Deuil knew his time was short and that the Sonne of God was euen now appearing to destroie the workes of the deuil and therefore hee more bestirred him then euer before So likewise in these last times hee applieth his worke and shall doe euery day more busily then other as his time draweth faster on Rev. 12.12 The Deuil hath great wrath knowing that his time is but short 2. That there might be iust occasion offered to Christ to manifest himselfe to be the true Sonne of God and the promised seed who should manifestly breake the serpents head according to al the prophecies of him which one point had the Iewes
the more account of him it pleaseth him to deale herein as a mother with her child who although shee be tender enough ouer it will sometimes get her out of sight and behind a doore in the meane time the child falleth and getteth some knocks and all this to make the child perceiue it owne weakenesse and depend vpon her so much the more Example hereof we haue Cantic 3.4 when the Church had sought her beloued in her bed in the streetes among the watchmen and found him not at last after much seeking and sorrowing after him she findeth him whom her soule loued then shee tooke hold on him and would not let him goe till shee had brought him to the house of her mother Vse 1. Tedious and heauie afflictions may not be an argument of Gods hatred It is a simple opinion of simple people that God loueth not that man who is exercised with any strange crosse especially if it be more lasting and lingring vpon him Why dost thou not consider ignorant man that the Lord suffered his owne welbeloued sonne to lie in the graue till the third day before he raised him vp what sayest thou to the Israelites in Egypt did they cease to be the people of God or to be deare to God when the heauiest taskes were laid vpon them Whose blood was it that Manasseh made the streetes of Ierusalem runne with but the Saints In the persecutions of the Primitiue Church we read of thirty thousand of the deare Saints of God put to death in seuenteene dayes vnder the tyrant Maximinian and as many cheined vnder mettalls and mines Who was it that asked if the Lord would absent himselfe for euer and whether his mercie was cleane gone for euermore was not this the voice of Dauid a man after Gods owne heart wouldst thou heare the style of Gods children in the Scriptures thou hearest them called wormes of Iacob dead men of Israel Wouldest thou knowe their state neither is that vnanswerable to that stile read Heb. 11. from verse 35. to the 39. they wandred in sheepe skins and goat skinnes and they of whome the world was not worthy were banished the world as vnworthy to liue in it Impossible therefore it is as Salomon teacheth to knowe loue or hatred by any thing before a man A man may be a Diues and a deuil or little better another may be a Lazarus and a Saint Fatte pastures for most part threaten slaughter when leane ware neede nor feare the butcher 2. In tedious and heauie afflictions and graues of miserie prescribe not vnto God neither the time nor the manner of thy release but leaue all to him in whose hand times and seasons and meanes of deliuerance are We would not by our good wills lie one day no not one houre vnder affliction our spirits are as short as Iehorams was what shall I attend any longer vpon the Lord is not this euill from him And hence are all those murmerings and complaints oh neuer was any in such miserie or so long as I am But the Lord knoweth what hee doth and whom hee hath in hand Hee seeth perhappes 1. that thou hast strong hidden corruptions thy hard knots must haue hard wedges as hard bodies strong potions 2. It may be thou wast long in thy sinne before thy conuersion and thy crosse is the longer to be a meanes to bring thy old sinnes into fresh memorie that so thou maist renew thy repentance 3. It may be thou hast since giuen some great scandall to the Church and so thy correction abideth till thou hast testified thy repentance 4. Thy heart perhaps can tell thee that some other crosses of some other kind haue bin neglected or would not haue smarted halfe so much therefore the Lord will haue this to sticke by encreasing the smart and withdrawing his comforts till thy great heart be made to stoupe 5. Looke whether some lust as yet not denied lendeth not a sting to this crosse aboue all the former whether thy heart be ouer-maistered or fretfull and peeuish for euen so we deale with our children who when a little smart doth but set them on frowardnesse we meeken and ouercome with more stripes 6. Or else the Lord in mercie lingringly doth correct as thou art able to beare to bend thee and worke thee to good whereas if he should bring his chastisements roughly and at once it would breake thy heart great cause therefore hast thou to subscribe to his wisedome whose wayes are all iustice and mercie 3. Hence we fetch out assured comfort that as God deliuered his Sonne the third day so will he also seasonably deliuer vs. What if we seeme to be dead in our graues despised neglected and forgotten one day yea the second yet the third day commeth Hos. 6.2 After two daies hee will reviue vs and in the third day hee will raise vs vp and we shall liue in his sight This made Abraham hope aboue hope In wayting I wayted saith Dauid that is I continued wayting on God Iob after darknesse hoped for light It may be the third day is not yet come Thou art not yet come to the mountaine where God will prouide nor thou art not yet in that extremitie which is Gods opportunitie Isaak must not sit at home but take a iourney of three daies to be slaine hee must not be sent backe the first or second day but the third day yet not before he be bound on the altar and the stroke of death a fetching is hee taken from off the wood Is the Lord a killing thee yet trust in his mercie God seemeth indeed not to know his owne children sometimes but to be deafe at their prayers to haue broken the bottell wherein hee was wont to preserue their teares but hee knowes vs well inough saith Paul though we thinke our selues vnknown and therefore we are sometimes as dying but yet we liue chastened but not killed yea killed but not ouercome Hee seemeth now to know none better then the wicked but the third day commeth and putteth as great a difference betweene them as it did betweene Pharaohs baker and butler the third day shall lift vp the head of the one and restore him to his office but the same third day shall take the head from the other and shall hang the bodie on a tree for the birds to eate the flesh from it And caused that hee was shewed openly 41. Not to all the people but vnto the witnesses chosen before of God euen to vs which did eat and drinke with him after hee arose from the dead Now we come to the manifestation of Christ his resurrection Which is described first by the persons to whom hee was so manifested set downe 1. negatiuely not to all the people 2. affirmatiuely but to vs who were chosen of God to be witnesses Secondly by the facts of Christ towards these witnesses which are two the former in this verse in that hee
they are communicated the more are they diminished and euery mans share is the lesse but heauenly things are by communication the more increased for we reade not of any man that laid out his tallent but to increase and as the light of the sâ—nne is neuer a whit impaired by communicating it selfe to the whole world or as hee that lighteth one candle of another diminisheth not in either but increaseth the light so is it in the light of the Sonne of righteousnesse much more and in the kindling of these heauenly sparkles whose propertie is to diffuse themselues as fire the further they spread the greater and brighter is the flame The third fruit or effect of faith is an vndaunted confession of it Rom. 10.10 With the heart we beleeue to iustification and with the mouth we confesse to saluation For where faith is in the heart it will be also in the mouth The spirit of faith and the speach of faith are vndeuided as 2. Cor. 4.13 And because we haue the same spirit of faith according to that which was written I beleeued and therefore I spake euen so we beleeue and therefore also we speake Now there be three actions of faith which helpe forward this free confession 1. It maketh a man bold in a good cause Act. 5.29 Peter beeing full of faith with a bold spirit told the Counsell that had the power of life and death in their hands and himselfe in their power we ought rather to obey God then you 2. Faith keepeth a man in a preparednesse to suffer by leading him along in the deniall of himselfe and hereof we haue a notable example in Paul Act. 21.13 who professed how readie hee was not only to be bound but to die also at Ierusalem if God called him thereunto 3. It worketh ioy yea much reioysing in the heart in the suffring for Christ and a good cause Rom. 5.3 after the Apostle had laid downe the iustification of faith as a ground hee saith that we then reioyce in tribulation and that they did so indeed is plaine Act. 5.41 They departed from the Counsell reioysing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name hence could they sing Psalmes at midnight in the dungeon and fetters and hence could the Martyrs embrace the fire kisse the stake and testifie such ioy in the flames as all men might acknowledge the truth of the speach of our Sauiour Your ioy shall no man take away from you no Tyrant no tormentor nor any kind of torment The fourth and last fruit or worke of faith is that wheresoeuer â—ound faith is it is most diligent in preseruing yea and increasing of it selfe The most couetous man is not more complaining nor gathering then the beleeuer who is euer complaining of want of faith or of the weaknesse of it and knowing the want of it to be so dangerous and hurtfull as without which hee wanteth Christ himselfe as also that the weaknesse of it depriueth him of much comfort and many good things for a man of weake estate must needs want many rich commodities and sweete comforts which the wealthy enioy in abundance Therefore hee vseth all good meanes to encrease his stocke as 1. Hee is much in hearing reading and meditating in the word because hee knoweth faith commeth by hearing and euery thing is preserued and nourished by that whereof it is begotten 2. Hee is much in godly talke and Christian conference by which as the fire by the bellowes so is the grace of God blowne and stirred vp in him 3. Because hee seeth how without prayer both his owne but especially Christs his faith is as readie to faile as Peters was hee is much in prayer and with the Father of the child crieth with teares often Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe and with the Disciples Lord increase our faith And these are the markes by which the soundnesse and currence of faith as by a touchstone may be tried and distinguished from all that false and counterfeit faith which is so stirring in the world and whereby most men are lamentably deceiued The vse of this doctrine is 1. to stirre vp men to examine and by these notes to prooue themselues whether they are in the faith or no to try their faith of what kind it is least in the ende they finde that they haue leaned vpon a staffe of reede By which examination I feare it will bee too euidently seene that these are the last dayes wherein the Sonne of man shall come and scarcely finde faith vpon the face of the earth Sure it is that the common faith of men is neither thus 1. founded 2. nor qualified 3. nor attended 4. nor thus fruitfull as will briefly appeare in the particulars First euery man saith hee hath faith but whence had hee it it was neuer begotten by the word he neuer cared for that that was euer as a sixt finger and superfluitie vnto him It was neuer founded in repentance nor dwelleth with humilitie for most men neuer saw change in themselues they haue loued God and beleeued in Christ euer since they can remember It was neuer cherished with the duties of prayer and invocation they could neuer pray in all their liues except after the minister or by set formes but the spirit of prayer neuer dwelt there It was neuer coÌ„flicted with vnbeleefe they wonder what that should be or that any man should not euer beleeue so as indeed here is no character of the faith of the elect and nothing all this while but a voice and verie carkase of faith 2. Others say they beleeue and bragge of a sauing faith in Christ but they feede a bare fancie for they could neuer beleeue God for lesser things they want the faith of Gods prouidence euen for meate and drinke which is apparant in that they can vse wicked vnwarrantable meanes for them their strong faith they bragge of waiteth not for Gods prouision but will shift for it selfe by hooke and by crooke it holdeth not the heart to patient bearing of the crosse but flingeth out in distempers it putteth not forth in inferiour businesses to giue directions to the particular actions of life and therefore seeing this faith faileth in lesser and smaller things how can it be found in the greatest of all 3. Others boast of a sound faith which were it so it would lay hold vpon the promise and beleeue for themselues and their seed but this it doth not for many who for themselues would rest in the prouidence of God vpon the good and warrantable meanes will yet endanger themselues for their children And hence is it that many who haue liued conscionably in single estate haue remitted much of their care and feare in their married condition and come short of their former vprightnesse and why is this else but that they conceiue not the Lord to be all-sufficient for them and theirs 4. Others there be that challendge as sound a