I answere Answ the Lord hath giuen them other bookes to reade when he sayth Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5 39 hereby they shall be led into all truth and be sure to be preserued from errour and euill But as cunning and crafty theeues when they meete with a poore simple foole or a little child doe take theyr treasure or money from them â—nd giue them babies and pictures to play withal to keepe them quiet from crying or complayning so doe the Popish sort deale with Gods people they take from them the rich treasure of the holy Scriptures whereby all theyr iugling and deceit would be discerned and giue them puppets and images to be their play-fellowes which are the doctrine of vanity Ierem. 10 15. Zacharie 10 2 and they are teachers of lyes Habakkuk 2 18. Neyther let them reply that the Prophets condemne the images of false gods and that they make the images of the true God For wee shewed before that this cannot serue their turne forasmuch as the commandement forbiddeth the images of the true GOD Deuteron 4 12.15 Acts 17 29. Againe they obiect Obiect that they doe not worship the images themselues but so farre as they haue relation to the Saints whereof they are images I answere Answer the Israelites so often reproued for worshipping of images did withall professe that they worshipped not the idols themselues of wood or stone but God in them as in making the golden calfe they had a respect to GOD who brought them out of Egypt Exodus 32 3 4. And the mother of Micah witnesseth that shee had dedicated the siluer vnto the Lord to make a grauen and molten image Iudges 17 3. So Ieroboam hauing made the golden calues sayth Behold O Israel thy gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt 1 Kings 12 28 for hee meaneth the image and similitude which representeth the true God Hos 2 26. And not onely the Israelites who could not be so sottish as to beleeue that the calues which themselues had made and had lately made had freed their fore-fathers out of captiuity but the Gentiles themselues excused their idolatry in this maner as Austine witnesseth I doe not serue and adore that stone which I see but I serue him whom I doe not see And who is that a certaine diuine power which is inuisible which hath the charge ouer that image August in Psalm 9 6. As for other obiections drawne from the Cherubims and the brasen serpent wee haue spoken of them sufficiently before chapt 21. Lastly wee haue from hence occasion offered Vse 3 vnto vs to laud and magnifie the Name of God that hath freed vs from the darknes of idolatry and the danger of Idolaters except wee will runne into the same againe He hath placed vs where wee haue the Gospel like the Israelites in Goshen and hath opened our eyes to see those follies Let vs not with vnthankfull hearts desire to returne againe into this seruitude The Lord hath chosen to dwell among vs and hath planted his Church in our kingdom let vs labour to approue our obedience in his sight lest hee take the light of the truth from vs and bestow it vpon a people that wil bring forth the fruits thereof So long as the true worship of God continueth among vs our countrey shall be famous and renowned On the other side all places lose their honour and dignity when once they are defiled with sinne and consecrated to idolatry Gilgal was famous many wayes for many memorable things that happened there yet through idolatry there practised it became so infamous that the people of Iuda are forbidden to resort thither The like might be said of Beth-el which in former times was the house of God but was afterward for the same cause turned into Beth-auen an house of vanity Hos 4. Ierem. 7 12. Psalme 78 60. What shall wee then say of the Popish pilgrimages to Rome or to the holy land but taxe them of ignorance and superstition For be it that these places retayned theyr ancient dignity and maintayned the Religion of God in his purity yet should there bee no reason to go thither to worship forasmuch as all difference of places is taken away Ioh. 4 23. Ierome trauayled himselfe to the holy land and liued there and yet he sayth It is no commendation to haue seene Ierusalem but to haue liued well at Ierusalem this is praise worthy And Bernard after him Wee must not seeke after the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem not by pilgrimage on foot but by bettering our affections Epist 319. ad Lelbert Abbat And if God require not of vs to resort to such places though they enteâ—â—ayned the truth then doubtlesse much lesse to trauayle so farre vnto them being now degenerate wholly dedicated and deuoted to Antichristianity and idolatry in which respect they are now become reprochfull hatefull and infamous to God al goodmen For we are not to esteeme them as they were but we must take them as they are that is full of superstition and consequently dangerous to come at them But if yee will not driue out the inhabitants of the land from before you it shall come to passe c shall be prickes in your eyes c. In these words we see the threatning which God denounceth against the carelesnesse and negligence of this people in the execution of that commandement of God The Lord will doe vnto them as hee had thought to doe vnto theyr enemies From hence wee learne that coldnesse and caresnesse in the seruice of God is a great and greeuous sinne Want of zeale in the cause of God Want of zeal in Gods cause is a grieuous sinne to be newters or indifferent men not caring or regarding which end go forward is a foule and fearefull sinne before him Iudges 1 21 27 29 31 33 2 2 3. 1 Kings 18 21 and 2 Kings 17 33. Gal. 3 1. Reuel 2 4 3 15 16. Gal. 5 7 Such are the greatest number of our professours Some would reconcile the Papists and vs that is light and darknesse Christ and Belial the Temple of God and idols Some serue theyr turnes by theyr profession so long as they may gaine and grow in credit vnder it Some professe religion as they professe the Lawes of the kingdome to wit as a ciuill thing and matter of good policy to keepe the people in subiection and obedience being ready to change as the time and state changeth Some hate them that are faithfull and forward so much that they can abide no zeale in religion nor in obedience that terme them madde fooles and giddy headed spirits which desire to feare God and to walke according to his word O miserable persons that which GOD hateth is commended and that which hee commandeth is reuiled and euill spoken of The grounds It is as naturall to a man Reason 1 to sinne as it is to draw the aire as experience teacheth in all subiect to humane infirmity
heere as afterward in this Booke ch 20. where he obeyeth with doubting but he executeth the charge laide vpon him with readinesse and willingnesse This obedience of Moses and Aaron is set downe first generally then particularly Generally in these words particularly in the verses following Heere a question may be demanded Obiection whether it were lawfull for them to number the people Wee reade in the holy Historie 2 Samuel 24 that Dauid was sharply reprooued and seuerely punished because hee did number them yet Moses numbereth them in this place and is approoued and iustifiedâ— Some thinke Answer that Dauid is reproued not simply for numbring the people but because he would haue all numbred and not onely from 20 yeare old and aboue But this was not the true cause of Dauids offence and of Gods iudgement in as much as it is very euident out of the words of the Text and circumstances of the place that such only were numbred as were strong men and able to draw out their swords 2 Sam. 24.9 Others make this the reason because the Lord promised to multiply the seede of Abraham as the starres of Heauen which are innumerable and as the sand on the Sea Shore which cannot bee tolde Oleast in Exod. and therefore he was angry sore displeased wheÌ„ they were numbred as if it were a calling of his promise into question But if this reason were good and to bee granted it would follow that they could neuer be numbred without sin Neither was this the cause of Gods anger as others imagine Simâ—â—r in Exod because after his numbring of them hee caused not the tribute to be paid that God had appointed Exod. 30.12 for Moses did not alway enioyne any such polle-mony to be paid whensoeuer he nuÌ„bred their persons and besides the punnishment should be inflicted vpon Dauid not for numbring the people but for want of paiment The true causes why Moses is commended Differences between Moses and Dauid in numbering the people Dauid condemned for their numbring of Israel are these First Moses was inioyned vnto it had the expresse commandement of God to direct and warrant him but Dauid was not commaÌ„ded of God he was stirred vp of Sathan who tempted him to this euill in setting before his eies 1 Chron. 21 1 his glory and excellency his power victories Aug. quaest 134 in Exod. This is one difference Secondly it was lawfull to number the people when anie publique collection or contribution was to bee made of tribute or subsidy for vnlesse an exact account were taken some should be omitted others ouerburthened and iniustice committed This maketh it lawful for Princes to number their people muster them by hundreds or thousands albeit they haue no special warrant or particular commissioÌ„ from God Thus did Dauid in another place and at another time number them without sin 2 Sam. 18 1. Againe when any Army is to be gathered forces to be leuied it is necessarie the people should be assembled and mustered that fit choise may bee made of such as are to goe to battell as Dauid did number them without sinne 2 Sam. 18 1. when hee sent an armie against Absolon but in this place hee did not intend any of these ends either that Tribute should be gathered or that souldiers should be mustered and therefore the warrant of his worke was not answerable to the calling of Moses Thirdly as they were stirred vp by diuers causes so they respected diuers ends Dauid propounded to himselfe an euill end hee did it to set forth his owne glorie to reioyce in himselfe to put his whole affiance and confidence in the multitude of his men and therefore his pride and presumption his haughtinesse and ambition his rashnesse and vnthankefulnesse were punished of GOD. Thus we see how one and the same thing is praised in one and reprooued in another because howsoeuer the deede were one yet the cause was not one from whence it proceeded neither were the ends one whereunto it was referred Verses 17.18.19 Moses Aaron tooke these men c And as the Lord commaunded Moses so he numbred them Heere we haue an example of the obedience of Moses Aaron who lingred not the time to discharge the dutie that God had laide vpon them This example offereth vnto vs this instruction that it Doctrine 3 is required of all Gods seruants t is our dutie to obey Gods coâ—mandements to performe obedience to Gods commandements Whensoeuer God speaketh vnto vs wee must heare and obey his voyce Noah receiued a Commandement from God to builde the Arke Genes 6 ver 13. Whereby hee and his houshold might be saued many hindrances might haue stayed him and sundry inconueniences might haue stopped him and infinite dangers might haue terrified him from that enterprize the greatnesse of the Arke the labour of the building the continuance of the worke the tants of the wicked and an hundred such like troubles stood in his way all which he did ouerstride as the Apostle witnesseth Heb. 11 7. By Faith Noah beeing warned of GOD of the things which were as yet not seene mooued with reuerence prepared the Arke to the sauing of his Houshold through the which Arke hee condemned the world and was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith In like manner Gen. 12 4. Heb 11 8. Abraham receiued an expresse commandement to go out of his Country and from his Kindred and Fathers house and he also by Faith when hee was called obeyed to go into a place which he should afterwarde receiue for inheritance and he went out not knowing whither hee went So when God charged him to circumcise himselfe his sonne and all his houshold hee did not delay the time Gen. 17 23. 22 1 2 3. Heb. 11 17. 18 19. but did it the same day and when hee commanded him to take his sonne his onely son euen Isaac whom he loued the sonne of promise through whom all Nations should bee blessed By Faith hee offered vp Isaac when hee was tryed for he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort When God called Samuel and determined to reueale vnto him the destruction of Elies house and the calamitie that hanged ouer all Israel hee saide vnto him to testifie the willingnesse of his heart to obey Speake Lord 1 Sam. 3 9 10 for thy Seruant heareth This the Prophet Dauid witnesseth Psal 27 8. When thou sayedst Seeke ye my face mine heart answered thee O Lord I will seeke thy face Luke 5 4 5. When Christ commanded Peter to launch out into the deepe and to let out their Nets to make a draught Simon answered and saide vnto him Master we haue trauailed sore all night and haue taken nothing neuerthelesse at thy word I wil let down the net The examples are infinite and endlesse that might bee
propound to themselues an euil end as either vaine glory to be esteemed of others or the merit of the work that they may be rewarded of God and do not referre them to his glory But not he that commendeth himselfe is approued but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10 18. Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts then shall euery man haue praise of God 1 Cor. 4 5. Wherefore all their workes are as the apples of Sodome which are faire in outward appearance and yet are rotten and corrupt So may vnbeleeuers do sundry workes that are beautifull in outwarde shew but they are like vnto painted Sepulchers which appeare glorious to the sight but they are within full of dead mens bones and all vncleannesse For their heart which God especially beholdeth and searcheth is foule filthy and can no otherwise be made cleane then as it is purified by faith Let all men therefore take knowledge of their naturall condition that they are of themselues abhominable and to euery good worke reprobate vntill they be borne again and regenerate by the Spirit of God The third reproofe The third reproofe is of such as notwithstanding the necessity of the word to direct our actions which without the light of it to shine in our hearts cannot please God yet regard not the knowledge of it but contemne both it and the meanes that leade vs the way vnto it This is an horrible sinne to forsake our owne saluation and as it were to cut our owne throats or to cast our selues wilfully into the middest of the seas It is a greeuous sin to be ignorant of the Law of God not to know what he commandeth or what he forbiddeth but it is more fearefull to despise knowledge offered and so as it were to despite the Spirit of grace what remaineth for such but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries Heb. 10 27. Such can haue no comfort or consolation in any of their actions For as the eye is the light of the body and directeth the rest of the members in all things they go about or else the feete might carry them into some pit of destruction so is the word of GOD our Lampe or Candle Psal 119 105. whereby we see how to walke and direct our selues into the way of peace we know what we ought to do and from what to refraine And as the body runneth violently into an heap of dangers where the eye is blinde and can perceiue nothing vntill it fall headlong into them so is it with such as regard not the knowledge of the scriptures but say vnto GOD as may appeare by their practise Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Iob 21 14. This world is as a wildernesse full of Lyons Bears Tygers and other rauenous and venemous beasts or as a sea standing out with rockes replenished with quicksands We can no sooner step out of doores but we shall be assaulted one way or other nay we our selues are tentations vnto our selues For rather then we should lacke tempters we tempt our selues like vnto a State that wanting forraine enemies falleth out within themselues and by ciuill warres destroy one another So is it with vs when we are free from open enemies we become enemies to our selues If then we want the guidance and gouernance of the word we are in danger to be ouercome and to take the foile Our Sauiour willeth vs as we heard before to search the Scriptures because in them we thinke to haue eternall life and therefore without the knowledge of thē we deceiue our selues if we dreame of eternall life So in another place he maketh the ignorance of them to be the cause of all euill and error in iudgement as Marke 12 verse 24. Are ye not therefore deceiued because yee know not the Scriptures Obiect But some peraduenture will say it belongeth to the Ministers onely to search them it is their office to looke into them I answer Answer it is a duty belonging vnto all persons to know them Christ exhorted the people to search them It is required of all to haue them dwell in them plentifully Colossians 3. If we would be preserued from error we must know them if we desire saluation we must search them if we would be able to resist the tentations of Satan we must be armed with them They are as the will and Testament of Christ whereby he hath bequeathed vnto vs an heauenly inheritance and a most rich possession and therefore it behoueth vs to reade the will to know how we hold it Thou wilt obiect Obiect they are hard and I am simple they may leade me into errors as many haue fallen into strange opinions by reading of them Art thou simple thē thou art the rather bound to reade them for they were written Answer Prou. 1 4. to giue vnto the simple sharpenesse of wit and to the child knowledge and discretion The whole Church is commanded this duty both Iewes Gentiles were there no simple men and women among them Neither oughtest thou to be afraid to be ledde by them into error for they were written to preserue thee from error and to leade thee into all truth It is the vnstable that wrest them to their owne destruction Reade them with humility with reuerence and praier Be thou lowly in thine owne eies and take heed of a proud spirit be conuersant in them with reuerence Esay 66 ◠learne to tremble at his word craue the assistance of Gods Spirit to guide thee and to open thine eyes that thou maiest vnderstand his secrets and thou shalt not need to stand in feare of being carried into error And touching the hardnesse of them be not discouraged from the reading of them Some things indeed are hard to be vnderstood but there is nothing hard in one place but it is made easie in another and it shall he made easie to vs by diligent meditation in them Besides all things that are necessary to saluation are plainely set downe that the people may vnderstand them It is the lying spirit of the diuell in the false Prophets of Antichrist that cryeth out The Scriptures are hard and full of knots the people may not reade them Beleeue not euery spirit 2 Thes 2 3. but try the spirits whether they be of God or not for many false Prophets are gone into the world 1 Iohn 4 verse 1. They are blinde leaders of the blinde they play fast and loose with the people as Iuglers do with the simple and cast a mist before their eies that they should not espy them They leade them into error and then take the light from them whereby they might be conuinced It is the great policy of that great Antichrist and man of sinne not onely to forbidde the reading of our bookes but the free vse of Gods
and Paul chargeth the Philippians to let their patient and equall mindes bee knowne to all men But of this vertue of contentation we haue spoken at large before â—he fift reâ—oofe Fiftly it reprooueth such as contemning their owne callings as vile and base become male-content and thinke better of themselues and their owne gifts then there is iust cause and better then they would indeed if they rightly and truely knew themselues Such are all ambitious and aspiring spirits that loue to be aloft and scorne to be below that seeke for themselues an higher place and a better estate then God hath alotted vnto them as if the bramble should seeke to be promoted ouer the rest of the trees If our first parents through the tentation and instigation of Satan grew discontent with that estate wherein they were created sought to be as Gods knowing good euill Gen. 3 verse 5 no marueile if their posterity draw this corruption from them as the childe that sucketh the brest of his mother Absolom through his high mind 2 Sam. 15 4. was moued to fawne vpon the people and to seeke his fathers kingdome and life also iudging basely of his present estate and climbing vp to an higher What caused the Scribes and Pharisies to contemne and disdaine Christ and his Disciples Mat 23 6 7. but this they loued the chiefe places at feasts and desired the highest seates in the assemblies and looked to be greeted and saluted by men Rabbi Rabbi What was the cause that Diotrephes would not receiue Iohn and the other faithfull Ministers of the word 3 Iohn 9. but did prattle with malicious words against them neither would he himselfe receiue them nor suffer others to entertaine the brethren He loued to haue the preheminence in the Church Loe here the horrible plague and as it were the ranke poison of pride vain-glory and ambition These are the causes of all confusion and disorder These weeds must be pulled out of our hearts by the contrary graces if we would haue any wholesome hearbs grow therein We haue many sharpe tooles lent vs put into our hands if we list to set them on worke to grub them vp by the rootes First we must consider the state of our bodies what it is We are but dust and ashes Meanes to pull downe pride and ambition and to dust we must returne Gen. 3. What a vaine and foolish thing is it to thinke so highly of our selues that were raised out of the earth do carry about vs the matter of our mortality If we had come downe from heauen and had our beginning aboue the Clouds we should haue had wherein to glory but being all of vs fraile and mortall creatures that are here to day and lye in the dust to morrow like the grasse of the fielde Math. 6 30. which flourisheth for a time and by and by withereth away what vanity hath possessed our hearts that earth ashes should waxe proud Our life standeth wholly in vncertainty it is appointed to all men once to die and after death commeth iudgement Heb. 9 27. Neither do we know at what houre the Lord will come Math. 24 42. Why then should we soare so high seeing we must lie so low Why should we say in our hearts I will ascend into heauen seeing our pompe shall be brought downe to the graue and the wormes must couer vs Secondly we are altogether set vpon sin and bring foorth the bitter fruites of our corruption in regard whereof we are more wretched then other creatures They sinne not against God they prouoke him not to anger but keepe their originall condition wherein they were created but we miserable sinners are turned out of the right way and become abhominable so that there is none that doth good no not one Rom. chapt 3 verse 12. If then we will glory of our selues or any thing in our selues we must glory in our shame hauing nothing of our owne but sinne and iniquity Thirdly we are not able of our selues so much as to thinke one good thought neither are we sufficiently furnished to doe the least and smallest duty that God requireth of vs we haue the spawne and seed of all sinne in our nature We are ready to fall into the most horrible sinnes except God sustaine vs and hold vp our heads and strengthen our weake knees We cannot set forward one foot toward the kingdome of heauen It is as vnpossible for vs to doe any good as for a dead carcase to flie We are as poore miserable wretches that are dumbe and cannot speak blind and cannot see deafe and cannot heare The Prophet acknowledgeth that he is a man of vncleane lippes Esay 6.5 and another confesseth he could not speake Ier. 1.6 our eares also are stopped so that we cannot heare the voyce of God that we might liue Ioh. 8.47 Matth. 13.13 our eyes are closed vp so that seeing wee see not but grope as blind men in the darkenesse The light shined in darkenes and the darknesse comprehended it no Ioh. 1.5 Men naturally take themselues to be sharpe eyed and quicke sighted Ioh. 9.41 but because they say We see therefore their sinne remaineth because the carnall mind is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Fourthly whatsoeuer gifts are bestowed vpon vs we must thinke meanely and humbly of our selues and of them The Apostle willeth vs to decke our selues with lowlinesse of mind Phil. 2.3 and that each esteeme other better then themselues We know that our best gifts are stained with many blemishes we feele our owne corruptions more then the corruptions of other men so that Gods grace and our nature are ioyned together in one subiect We are not therfore to despise other men or dwell in the contemplation of their imperfections but be alwayes working vpon our selues and considering our owne vnworthinesse that so we may more and more mortifie the deeds of the flesh and grow in the graces of Gods Spirit Fiftly let vs set before vs the example of our Lord and Master Iesus Christ we must be ready to learne of him the lesson that he offereth to teach vs by word example Hence it is that he calleth all to him that are weake and weary and saith Take my yoke vpon you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Matth. 11.29 He disdained not to wash the feet of his disciples to teach them humility not only by doctrine but by practise He is a perfect patterne as of all other vertues so also of this and therefore the Apostle setteth him before vs for our imitation Phil. 2.5 6. Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God c. He made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon
then God hath not left vs as it were to the wide world to shift for our selues but he hath appointed the Magistrate to be his Lieutenant As in the priuate family where many seruants are he hath not left one seruant to quarrell with another and to draw vpon another he hath set the master ouer them all for the punishment of euil doers for the praise of them that do well 〈◊〉 â— 14. If any of thy fellow seruants do wrong thee giue not hurt for hurt or blow for blow or taunt for taunt for that will make thee guilty of sin though otherwise thou be innocent and thy cause be iust and righteous ye haue one common master that is set ouer you goe vnto him plead your cause before him accuse him in whoÌ„ any wickednes is found Euery man is presumed to be partiall in his cause let the master be iudge betwene you who is no way interessed in the businesse And as the master is iudge within the walles of his owne house and appointed to decide the controuersies that arise therein so the Magistrate is his ordinance to end the matters that fal out betweene neighbor and neighbor and therefore we must not think our selues wiser to determine our cause then he or God himselfe So theÌ„ we must practise two points first we must beare wrongs patiently and put away all reuenge far from vs whereby we hurt our selues much more then we doe our enemies for we may annoy them in their bodies or goods but we make a deep and dangerous wound in our owne soules And therfore Christ saith I say vnto you 〈◊〉 6.39 Resist not euill but whosoeuer shal smite thee on the right cheek turne to him the other also c. Secondly we are to vse the Magistrates helpe when we are wronged For alwayes to suffer the rod of the malefactour vpon our backe neuer to seek redresse were to make our selues Asses to receiue euery burden that will be laid vpon vs. Albeit therefore we are not to resist euill but if any man will sue vs at the law and take away our coat 〈◊〉 â—0 41 we should giue him our cloake also and whosoeuer will compell vs to go a mile we must go with him twaine to wit rather then we should reuenge our selues for this is to be vnderstood as spoken by comparison yet we are not forbidden hereby to haue recourse to the Magistrate who beareth not the sword in vaine to whom euery soule ought to be subiect 〈◊〉 3.1 For as it is a fault to suffer nothing so it may bee our fault as well to suffer too much namely when we will beare all things whereby we shal be gulled and forbeare to craue and call for the help of the Magistrate God is offended as well when lawfull meanes are not vsed as when vnlawfull means are practised 〈◊〉 3. Thirdly the question may be asked what if a man be violently assaulted either in the priuate house or in the high way whether by theeues that would rob vs or by quarrellers that would wound vs may we not resist reuenge Obiect to saue our liues or our goods I answer this is a case of necessity wherin a man cannot haue the benefit of Magistracy but is himselfe a Magistrate vnto himselfe A man being thus assaulted must vse the sword as the last remedy and refuge Wherein we must obserue these cautions conditions First we must not thirst after blood nor be willing to take away either life or limme if we can chuse Secondly we ought to the vtmost of our power to striue to free our selues from them their assaults and inuasion that there be no blood shed if it be possible vsing all good and lawfull meanes we may in fauour of life Thirdly we are so to behaue our selues that we rather defend then offend and seek more to saue our own liues then to take away another mans Fourthly if wee can no way escape the hands of the oppresser by flying or calling for the help of the Magistrate it is lawfull so farre to stand in our iust defence as that we should chuse to kill rather then to be killed for now God calleth vs to be a Magistrate to our selues puts a sword into our hands to execute reuenge vpon our aduersary Hence it is that albeit God saith vnto priuate men resist not euill yet might they lawfully kil a theefe in the night season without breach of law guilt of blood Exod. 22.2 If a theefe be found breaking vp and be smitten that hee die there shall no blood be shed for him This is to be vnderstood of the night theefe when a man being assaulted cannot run to the Magistrate and therefore God alloweth him to be an officer minister of iustice euen in his own cause wherin necessity pleadeth for his defeÌ„ce Lastly if a man in this case be compelled to take away life to shed blood he must be greeued and mourne for it that he hath defaced an image of God These conditions being obserued a man may lawfully withstand force by force and violence by violence defend the goods that God hath giuen him euen with the sword if it be vsed as the last remedy and in the last place Fourthly others will say it is a commendable Obiect 4 thing to put vp wrongs patiently I would I could do it I wish it with all my hart but we are flesh and blood we are not able to beare the iniuries that are offered vnto vs they are so great I answer Answer neuer lay the blame vpon flesh blood neuer acuse theÌ„ of this fault For thou makest them in such sort a common pack-horse to beare the burden of all thy sins as that thou art resolued to be flesh blood still Thou neuer desirest God to giue thee grace and to guide thee by his spirit thou neuer labourest with thine owne heart to pull out the root of reuenge Answer me one question which I will demaund of thee Thou saist thou art flesh and blood and flesh and blood cannot put vp these things but art thou flesh and blood onely or in part art thou nothing but a lumpe of flesh or else art thou partly flesh and partly spirit One of these two thou must needs be both of theÌ„ thou canst not be Tell me thy meaning and expresse more plainly what thou art Such as are onely flesh are not yet the Lords If thou be nothing else but flesh blood then woe be to thee Thou confessest against thy self that thou art yet carnal vnregenerate dead in sinnes and trespasses the bondslaue of Satan the heire of destruction without Christ Ephes 2.12 without hope without God in the world an alien from the Commonwealth of Israel and a stranger from the couenants of promise For flesh blood shall not inherit the kingdome of God and if euer we looke to be saued and to be partakers of
heed how we heare Luk. 8 whē we come into his house Christ teacheth that in hearing the Ministers we heare him and in refusing them we refuse him Math. 10. The Apostle commendeth the Galatians for the performance of this duty that they were as carefull to heare him as to heare Christ himselfe chap. 4 14. My tentation that was in my flesh ye despised not nor reiected but receiued mee as an Angell of God euen as Christ Iesus What could he say more for them Or how could he better set foorth their zeale then to giue this testimony of them that they accounted of him in regard of his paines in the Ministerie not as an ordinary man not as a faithfull Minister onely not as an elect Angell onely but as Christ himselfe the head of men and Angels whose person he did represent and whose Church he did feed with wholesome doctrine This example should all of vs follow this doth the Lord require of all true Christians that they receiue his Ministers as his Messengers and reuerence them as himselfe in regard of their doctrine and haue thē in singular loue for their workes sake This we see to be worthily practised by Cornelius as well became a religious Captaine and a deuout Christian Acts 10. ◠10 33. We are all heere present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Loe how great the dignity of the Ministery of the Church is loe how great the excellency of the Ministers of God is we must heare them as if we heard God forasmuch as they are sent of him they preach his word they deliuer no more then they haue receiued and he hath commanded them to publish it in his Name But alasse it is most horrible to behold the contempt that they suffer and the basenesse that is cast vpon this calling which is one of the causes of those greeuous plagues and iudgements that are brought vpon the world The disgrace and ignominy vnder which they lie greeueth the hearts of all the godly and not only greeueth their hearts but pierceth the Clouds and doth not onely pierce the Clouds but reacheth vp to heauen and doth not onely reach vp to heauen but entreth into the eares of the Lord of hosts and not onely entreth into his eares but doth stretch it selfe vnto God himselfe and returne vpon Christ the Prince of all Prophets which ought indeed to pierce and enter into the hearts of all prophane persons and serue to terrifie all those that reuile them and speake all manner of euill against them for the truths sake Let vs remember the saying of the Apostle touching the Thessalonians 2 Thess 2 13. When ye receiued the word of God which yee heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeue This is a worthy commendation of this Church and a notable example which we ought to set before vs to follow it so that we must heare the word as Gods word whose force it carrieth with it Many heare it that do not heare it as Gods word It is a rare thing to finde such an hearer Some heare and then rage and storme when they are reproued Acts 7 57 17 18 and 22 23. Others refuse to heare at all and thinke such as make conscience of hearing to be more curious precise then there is cause Others embrace the word but yet not as the word as we see in Papists and hypocrites The Papists affirme that the Scripture or word written hath no authority in it selfe except it be allowed approued of the Church What other thing is this then to embrace the word but not as the word The hypocrites also doe not receiue the word with due reuerence nor expresse it in true obedience as their life doth witnesse against them These haue men onely in their thoughts and haue not God in their sight they may be said after a sort to receiue the word but they cannot be said to receiue it altogether as the word For if they did seriously and earnestly acknowledge it to bee of God and to haue him the author of it they would not leade their liues in that loose manner that they do Thirdly it reproueth those that contemne the doctrine of the Gospel The third reproofe for the poore and obscure conditiō of the Ministers that preach it For what I pray you was the estate of the Apostles Were they rich and renowned in the world Peter and Iohn going vp together into the Temple at the ninth houre of praier answered the lame man that expected to receiue something of them Siluer and gold haue I none Acts 3 6. Were they much befriended applauded of men The Apostle declareth and complaineth that all men had forsaken him and no man stood with him 2 Tim. 4 16. And Christ himselfe foretelleth that they should bee hated of all men for his Names sake Math. 10 ver 22. Were they honoured and magnified aboue others Or did they liue at ease and in pleasure Paul spareth not to paint out their life 1 Cor. 4 9 I thinke that God hath set foorth vs the Apostles last as it were appointed to death for wee are made a spectacle vnto the world and to Angels and to men Were they clad in purple and fared they deliciously euery day Did they dwell in gorgious houses and Princely pallaces In the words following he telleth vs how it fared with him and the rest of his brethren they were not attired in soft raiment they did not surfet through excesse Verse 12. but euen vnto this present we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place And yet notwithstanding these manifold aduersities and trials the Sonne of God pronounceth of them He that heareth you heareth me and iudgeth the wrongs to be done to himselfe which they suffer Let not vs therefore require honour or riches or glory or pompe or outward dignity in the Ministers of the Gospel but rather consider the goodnesse of God toward vs who knowing that we are not able to beare and abide his infinite Maiesty hath instituted the Ministery of his word that by men equall vnto vs and like to our selues he might teach vs his will and instruct vs in his word We shewed before that when the Lord himselfe in his owne voice preached to Israel at Mount Sinai they were so terrified and afraid that they asked for Moses that he might speake vnto them If the matter stood thus with them that had seene the wonders of God in the Land of Egypt and not many daies before had passed the red sea as it were by dry land what shall befall vs if he should vtter to vs his terrible voice as a most mighty thunder If then we heare patiently and obey readily the word that is brought vnto vs by weake and fraile man it
and enter into the way of saluation Acts 16 34. Abraham is noted to bee the Father of the faithfull and we see hee was not without a faithfull seruant not onely faithfull to his master but faithfull to God and therefore also to his master This is noted as the chiefe cause that religion so much prospered at Thessalonica when the Gospell was preached and published there the Noblemen did embrace it Acts 17. If the raine once fal vpon the mountaines it will quickly water the vallies that are beneath like the precious oyntment powred vpon the head of Aaron that ran downe to the skirts of his garments Ps 133 2. When the Gospel was preached at Berea and such as were of noble birth tooke hold of it and they that were honorable by calling embraced beleeued it then not a few but many in number followed after them with all readinesse Actes 17 11 12. I am not ignorant that diuers of our latest and lernedest Expositers vnderstand the words otherwise Bez◠〈…〉 Act◠〈…〉 â—iâ—â—n 〈◊〉 Testa Mâ—â—◠〈…〉 and thinke they are called Noble not in regard of their birth or blood but of their beleefe as indeede true Piety is true Nobility and true Religion is the truest Honor. Howbeit I rather vnderstand the word in his proper and naturall signification for these causes First it is not needfull to flye to a figure when the proper signification of a word standeth and contayneth nothing vnder it either against the doctrine of faith or the instruction of life or the truth of the historie Secondly Luke vseth this word in this signification as also others for such as are noble by birth and not otherwise as Luk. 19 12. 1 Cor. 1 26. Thirdly the Euangelist hath relation to that which hee noted before in this chapter where he saith That not a few of the cheefe women beleeued verse 4. that were at Thessalonica howbeit they were more noble that were at Berea who searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so Lastly in these words a reason is rendred how it came to passe that the Gospell tooke such good effect and gained so many soules to God Caâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 in Aâ—â—â— 17. euen because the Nobility and honorable personages gaue their names to Christ were not ashamed to professe it The multitude followed their example as commonlie they do imitate the actions of their Leaders The Poet could say 〈◊〉 Totus Componitur orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita regentis The people cast their eyes vpon their Rulers neither are they ordered so much by their lawes as they are by their liues O that they which are in authority would consider this that the eyes of all men are vpon them O that they wold seriously bethink with themselues what good they might do by embracing religion and by countenancing them that are truly religious or if this will not enter into them and that their honors do so dazle their eyes that they cannot see the truth hereof O that they would at the least learne what hurt they do what backwardnes they cause what coldnesse in Religion they procure and what floods of wickednesse they bring in Doubtlesse if they did at any time meditate on these things and weigh in indifferent ballances either the one or the other it were enough to turne nay to breake their hearts and to put greater loue and zeal into them of Gods glorie For if the Gouernours of a Family bee luke-warme it may be easily obserued that their children which follow them their seruants which attend vpon them and all the rest of the house which are guided by them are neither hot nor cold And if it fall out that the Heads of the house be prophane and irreligious there is nothing to bee perceyued in that whole family but notable fruites of infidelity swearing blaspheming breach of the Sabbath contempt of the word brawling contention and all kinde of wretchednesse and wickednes If Saul begin to persecute Dauid he shall get many diuellish Doegs to snarle at him 〈◊〉 22 9. 〈◊〉 26 1. 〈◊〉 19. and finde many hollow-harted Keilahites to betray him haue many pestilent Ziphites offer themselues to discouer where hee hideth himselfe in strong holds all as his seruants to helpe him forward in his wickednes If Caiaphas sit in iudgement to arraigne condemne Christ 〈◊〉 26 69. 〈◊〉 14 66. 〈◊〉 â—2 25. 〈◊〉 9 17. all his seruants and his maides will bee ready in the hall and at the doore to set vpon his disciples and to follow the humor of their master so that euen the damosel that kept the doore could not let Peter alone but must assault him How then can we but acknowledge that it is a very happy thing to inioy godlye Magistrates and Christian Gouernours how much encouragement Inferiours haue by theÌ„ and how sweet a liberty they finde cannot be expressed O that we could learne to prize value this blessing as we ought It is not a generall benefit to be found in all places the godly haue oftentimes much disturbance and suffer many taunts and checkes euen for their profession sake in prophane places liuing vnder prophane persons For albeit all Magistrates and men in authority though their office be not great are set vp for the punishment of euil dooers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2 14. yet oftentimes they turne the edge of the sword the wrong way Rom. 13 3. and are a terror to good works but not to euill Lastly hauing receiued so great merâ—y froÌ„ Vse 3 God and continued among vs to haue such as are cheefe ouer the people to be cheefe also in piety and to go before them in all good â—onuersation whether they be such as bee in the house or out of the house it is our duty to fal downe before the Lord and to acknowledge this blessing Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnes and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men Psal 107 8. So did Hiram the King of Tyre reioyce greatly when he heard that Salomon was annointed King in the roome of his Father and said Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise sonne ouer this great people 1 Kin. 5 17 The like we see in the Queene of Sheba when she had seene his workes and heard his wisedome she said Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the throne of Israel 1 Kings 10 9 because the Lord loued Israel for euer therefore made he thee King to doe iudgement and iustice And doubtlesse if wee knew the want of such Princes as our brethren and sisters in former times did when they were shut vp in prisons and burned to ashes we would acknowledge the necessity of performing this duty It is recorded in 2 Chro. 17 7. that Iehoshaphat who is renowned
Are the old freed from this duty through their age It is noted of Hannah that she was an old woman that had beene a widdow fourescore and foure yeaâ—es yet she went not out of the Temple that is all her delight was to be there shee was neuer well and at hearts ease till she was in Gods house she made the Temple as her owne house to dwell in she made the word worship of God her meate and drinke to feed on seruing him with fasting and prayers day and night Luke 2 37. So Simeon came into the Temple by the motion of the Spirit when the Parents brought the babe Iesus to doe for him after the custome of the Law verse 27. Peter and Iohn might haue prayed at home in their houses as many pretend they can and yet doe it not but they went vp together into the temple at the ninth houre of prayer The Lord giueth commandement 〈◊〉 19 30. Ye shall keepe my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuary I am the Lord. Such then as shew no loue to the Sanctuary of God haue no care of sanctifying the Sabbath but do defile it and prophane it yea they neuer consider that they contemne the Lord himselfe neither with whom they haue to doe in this businesse Christ our Sauiour when he could be found no where else by his parents seeking for him he was found in the temple Thus we see the practise of Dauid of Hannah of Simeon of the Apostles and of Christ himselfe touching the publike seruice of God But behold the difference betweene those times and ours or rather betweene them and vs. Dauid longed to be in the house of God our soules long and faint to be out of it Hannah dwelt in the temple and could hardly be gotten out of it wee had rather dwell in the tents of wickednes with much ado are brought to come vnto the Temple Simeon was old as well as Hannah we thinke our selues too old and plead weaknesse and faintnesse that we cannot go so farre and yet we can stretch out our limbes to goe farther at other times and for other occasions Simeon came into the Temple by the motion of the Spirit 〈◊〉 â—hat 〈◊〉 â—o faith 〈◊〉 â—â—ey 〈◊〉 need â—hurches by whose motion do others keep themselues from the Temple and what shall we say ruleth in them surely not the Spirit of God what other spirit then it can be I had rather leaue it to themselues to consider then declare it to them Christ Iesus could be found no where but in the Temple if one would enquire for these yea vpon the Sabbath day yea in time of diuine Seruice you shall haue them rather in the Tauerne then in the Temple or sitting vpon an ale-bench rather then in place where it were more meet they did shew their presence euen where God hath promised to shew his presence True it is he hath said that heauen is his throne and the earth his footstoole that he dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Esay 66 1. 〈◊〉 7 48. â—4 But the meaning is that hee is not included or as it were imprisoned in them his power is not tied to any place neuerthelesse he hath made a speciall proâ—iâ—e tâ—at where two or three are gathered together in his name Math 28 20. there is he in the midst of them Wherefore great shâ—uld be our zeale toward the house of prayer wee should much desire to be at it we shold more and more be in loue with it and with great reuerence remaine in it He that findeth not the Lord heere where his honour dwelleth let him neuer looke to finde him elsewhere For whosoeuer despiseth in the pride of his heart the place of Gods worship â—eâ—useth to yeild his presence there deceiueth himselfe if euer he thinke that God will make himself known vnto him any other way Verse 21 22. And so it was when the Clowd abode c. Heere we haue the cause of their marching and resting declared to wit the cloud which was vppon them by day when they went out of the campe Numb 10.34 When that staied ouer them whether it were two daies or a month or a year they abode in their tents and iournied not but when it was taken vp they iourneyed This cloud had the nature of a Sacrament and signified the presence of Christ conducting them The doctrine Doctrine from hence is this that Christ Iesus is the substance of the Sacraments both of the olde and new Testament Christ Iesus is the substance of all Sacraments old new Whatsoeuer the signes were and howsoeuer they varied yet he was signified by them all This appeareth in this booke plentifully by the cloud in this place by Manna chap. 11. and the rock ch 20. al which were Sacraments vnto them all were the same with our baptisme and the Lords Supper and all of them were figures of Christ as appeareth not by some probability but by the expresse testimony of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10 1 2 3 4. I would not haue you ignorant how that all our Fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed through the sea were al baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat did all drink the same spiritual drinke for they drank of that spiritual rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ First touching the cloud passing ouer the sea if we consider the letter of the history there was a great miracle in them both The clowd in the day time defended them from the heat of the Sun their passage through the Sea gaue them safety and security froÌ„ the tyrannie of Pharao and froÌ„ the danger of present death Neuerthelesse this is not all which wee are to mark nor the chief thing which we are to consider because there lay hid as it were vnder a veile a greater mystery inasmuch as both the cloud and the sea serued them in stead of a certaine kind of baptisme representing and performing that vnto them which our baptisme doth vnto vs. For as baptisme is a signe and signification of the grace of God a Sacrament of regeneration and a certaine passage from death to life so the Cloude was in effect to them as much to wit a tokeÌ„ and testimony of the presence of God their passing through the sea was as a passing froÌ„ death to a new life For while they were in the depth and bottom of the sea where were they but in the midst of death and when they had escaped to the farther shore did they not after a sort rise from death to life So then the Apostle teacheth that both the Cloud and the Sea were as a certaine Sacrament vnto the Iewes that common to them all Christ is the substance of our baptisme because all were couered with the cloud all of them passed through the sea euen as we that professe Christ are all
Againe we must haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse neither bee companions with them Eph. 5 7 11. 1 Cor. 5 11. We must come out from among them and separate our selues from them touch no vncleane thing 2 Cor. 6 17. and then will God receiue vs as his children be a Father to vs. Moreouer all obstinate persons that giue offence should be banished out of the Church 1 Cor. 5.6 7. lest as scabbed sheep they infect the rest of the flocke The leapers were not suffered to dwell among men but turned out of the Citty and dwelt apart by themselues And wherefore was this to auoide the infection of the body How much more then ought such as haue a spirituall leprosie vpon them be kept from the company of others lest they bring first infection and after destruction vpon soule body Furthermore it excuseth not to say I haue learned it of others they were the authors and beginners of the sin What did it auaile the Israelites to fall by the example and allurement of the Egyptians or by their counsell and perswasion For it was their owne lust that carried them away headlong God punisheth all such as commit euill or any way consent vnto it Rom. 1 32. So God in the beginning punished the diuel the man the woman because all sinned albeit one by the perswasion of another Lastly it condemneth those that glory in their strength that nothing can make them worse no time no place no persons no perswasions no company They say no man shall be able to peruert them or seduce them or infect them Are these men better then Adam when he was in the garden if his place could not protect him nor his innocency keepe him they may iustly feare that other places may infect them much rather Salomon was no foole nay he was endued with great wisedome and beloued of his God Neh. 13 26. yet being too familiar with Idolaters he was ouertaken with Idolatry and became a great Idolater and his outlandish women caused him to sin Or are they better then Peter who made a most worthy confession of Christ yet being among a crew of prophane persons he was brought to deny his Master nay in a manner his owne saluatiō Be not therfore deceiued rather feare thine owne weaknes then boast of thy strength Ver. 5 6. We remember the fish that we did eate in Egypt freely the cucumbers c. But now our soule is dried away c. In these words we see how carnall men conceiue carnal things They prefer their trash before Manna as if corne being found out men should loue acorns better then corne Doctrine Carnal men prefer transitory things before heauenly The doctrine from hence is this that the transitory things of this world are preferred by carnall minded men before heauenly things The Iewes preferred their priuate commodities before the building of the Temple Hag. 1 2. So did Esau Hebr. 12 16 17. who is therfore branded of the holy ghost to be a prophane person So did the Gadarens Matth. 8 34. We haue many examples of this nature Iudas Demas the yongman in the gofpell that came to Christ howbeit he went away sorrowfull from him for if he might not keepe his possession he would none of Religion And the Reasons are plaine Reason 1 For they that are carnall are carnally minded they are nothing else but a lump of flesh from whence nothing can proceede but that which is corrupt Io. 3 6. Secondly they haue no taste at all of spirituall things as of grace of heauen of saluation of eternall life No maruell therefore if these be vile and nought worth in their eyes and the other preferred before them because where the treasure is there wil the hart be also Mat. 6 21. Col. 3 2. The vses follow First see the dangerous estate Vse 1 of carnall men and how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Mat. 19 23. It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God verse 24. Rich men are thought of the world to be the happiest men in the world howbeit they stand in a slippery place and their estate dangerous if they watch not narrowly ouer themselues This appeareth in the example of the rich glutton Luke 16 19. he could finde no time to search the Law and the Prophets he was altogether drowned and drunken in his delights he was corrupted and carried away with pompe and vanity finally he forgate and contemned the poore So was it with him that would pull down his barnes and build new and thought of nothing but of the earth he said to himself applauding his owne happinesse Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merry Luke 12 19. This was the cause that mooued Agur to desire of God not to giue him riches least he be full deny the Lord and say Who is the Lord Pro. 30 8.9 Such as set their hearts vpon the vanities of the world doe commonly neglect heauenly things and by little and little waxe cold in them Riches are compared to thorns if then our hearts be not well fenced countergarded we shall be hurt by them Therefore doeth Christ denounce a woe against all carnall richmen because they haue receyued their consolation already Luke 6 24. They must looke for no further reward Secondly wee must not be immoderate in Vse 2 seeking after them neither be idolaters in trusting in them What was it that destroied the Sodomits was it not abundance of all things was it not excesse and superfluity Eze. 16.49 Let vs be contented with our estate whatsoeuer it bee for a little with a quiet conscience and a true heart to God is better then a fatte stalled Oxe Let vs pray for conuenient food and vse this world as though we vsed it not for the fashion thereof fadeth away 1 Ioh. 2 17. Let our conuersation be in heauen Phil 3 19. Let not our hearts bee bewitched and besotted with these things that wee may depart hence in peace when God shall call vs and so bee the Lords in life and death It is no profit to win the whole world with the losse of our owne soules Mat. 16.26 Lastly let it be our study to preferre as best Vse 3 of al the best things They are no better then fooles that would preferre rotten wood that shineth in the night before the finest and purest gold of Ophyr And who doth not willingly yeeld and confesse the folly of these Egyptians that made more reckoning of their grosse feeding and fogging in of garlicke and Onions and Cucumbers and such like grazing then of that excellent precious Manna which came from heauen We are ready to sit in iudgement vpon these and to condemne them but how many are there of vs that are like vnto them
darkenesse of the night the distance of the place the weaknesse of the sight the excellency of the obiect and the infirmitie of olde age Psal 139 7 8. but nothing can hinder the light of his eye no darkenesse no distance no age Reason 2 Secondly he is infinite in nature he cannot be excluded out of any place wee may shut out the company of men and haply the light of the Sunne but it is impossible to shut out him that is euermore present in euerie place euen as the light is present to those that walk abroad at noon day whether they open their eies or shut them whether they see it or not so the Lord is present to all men though hee be not seene of al yet they cannot go from his presence If then he cannot be farre from euery one of vs it will follow from hence that he must needs know all our workes and words Reason 3 Thirdly he is omniscient hee knoweth all things nothing can be hid from him Prou. Reason 4 15 11. Fourthly he iudgeth all things and all men according to their workes It is his office to be the iudge of all the world Gen. 18.25 therefore he heareth knoweth and vnderstandeth all things 2 Cor. 5 10. otherwise he cannot do righteous iudgement Hee will not proceede vpon the bare and naked information of others or by vncertaine gesse and coniecture but hee iudgeth according to his owne knowledge which is euer certaine and neuer doubtfull Euery iust iudge proceedeth vpon a knowne and manifest cause Vse 1 We inferre from hence that it is in vain for any man to be high conceited of himself like the proud Pharisee seeing God knoweth his estate and condition more truly and throughly then himselfe Miriam and Aaron in this place holde themselues as great Prophets as Moses but GOD knew the pride of their hearts and the vanity of their words He knoweth what each man thinketh in his heart speaketh with his tongue In vaine do any highly esteeme of themselues and ouer-value their owne worthines seeing they are so well knowne within and without to God as he valueth of them so they are indeede and not otherwise If a man know one good thing in himselfe the Lord knoweth ten euill things in him that are sufficient to make him vile abhominable in his sight Of the proâ— Pharisie in the Gospelâ— The hypocriticall Pharisie in the Gospell knew a few things in himselfe which he thought and prized to bee exceeding good but alas the Lord that seeeth not as man seeth knew for these seeming good things many inherent euils that made him hatefull to God The church of Laodicea was very greatly conceited of it selfe saying I am rich and increased in goods and haue need of nothing but the Lord heard this and knew that it was wretched and miserable and poore blind and naked Reu. 3.17 It is not so with men as they value themselues but as God valueth theÌ„ for he knoweth all things yea those things in them by them which they know not or see not in themselues There are three errors which did deceiue the Pharisie in esteeming of himself at too high a price which deceiue also many thousaÌ„ds in the world as well as him The first is his error of comparison Three 〈◊〉 which did â—ceâ—â—e the pharisie in comparing himselfe with another person which was to behold his face in a false glasse For he thought he had found out a man worse then himselfe and this made him come boldly and confidently to God with these words Lord I thanke thee that I am not as other men nor as this Publican Lu. 18.11 This comparison was that wherein he was greatly deceiued he thought himselfe iust and that he must needs be singular good because one stood by him and many others liued with him whom hee thought to be worse then himselfe A second cause of his error was his freedome from some grosse sins of the second Table which he iudged others to be guilty of I am not an extortioner vniust or an adulterer therefore he thought he must needs be a right honest and iust man His third errour sprang from his performance of some duties of religion to God I fast twice in the weeke I pay tythe of all I possesse thereupon he perswaded himselfe that he was truely religious and holy in Gods sight These were his fond conceits and all of them erroneous because he went away condemned by Christ notwithstanding all these gay and glorious workes verse 14. These things touch vs also neerely who are carried away with the same deceitfull pretences For first we also lay the foundation of godlinesse vpon a comparison if we can find out any worse then our selues we take our selues to be simply good men as a wise historian saide of the Popes that the bounty or goodnes of the Pope is praised Guic lib. 1â— when hee exceedeth not the malignity of other men This course will vtterly deceiue vs for when the Lord shal come to iudgment he wil not iudge by coÌ„parisons what we are to such a one but according to his law thogh he find vs better then some other men yet wil he enter into iudgement with vs because hee findeth vs to be worse then we ought to bee by his word wherby we must be iudged at the last day Io 12 48. The second errour deceiuing the Pharisee and others in our age is because they are free from some grosse sinnes and therefore take themselues to bee iust and vpright men if they can make it good that they be no vsurers no vncleane persons no drunkards no murtherers oh then they are as honest perfect men as the best of them all but God wil not saue vs for some euils which we want but condemne vs for those which we haue For though thou want these thou maist abound in other Lastly they thinke if they performe some duties of the first Table which sauour of religion they are in very good case if they can say I heare often I pray often I receiue the Lords Supper they go away with this strong fond conceit that they are to bee holden religious persons This therefore cannot serue our turnes for this we may doe and yet bee proud hypocrites We may pray yet without any feeling zeale or good affection We may heare and yet practise nothing but liue in disobedience We may reuerence the Minister and entertaine him in our houses and yet reforme no sinne that he reproueth We may come to the Lords Table and yet come as Iudas did and goe away as he did that is without a sound heart and a right faith So that we may say of such as Christ himselfe doth Luke 16 verse 15. Ye are they that iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abhomination in the sight of God The Lord knoweth how we pray how we heare
of teeth Math. 25 30. horrour without release weeping but the teares shall neuer be wiped away fire but it shall neuer be quenched this is their cup to drinke this is their portion to inherite But the godly vpon earth haue the gifts of GOD mingled with wants faith with infidelity assurance with doubting hope with despaire loue with hatred perfection with imperfection sanctification with the reliques of sinne as likewise they haue greefe tempered with ioy and ioy with greefe Indeed sometimes they want the sense and feeling of ioy and comfort but neuâ—r all hope and expectation of them Vse 3 Thirdly we ought much more to mourne for our owne sinnes otherwise it were grosse hypocrisie to mourne for others more then for our selues or so much for others as for our selues It is sufficient that we mourne for other men whose sins we cannot amend but more is required to be performed toward our selues wee must both mourne for them and amend them If we can weepe for them and doe not amend them our teares are counterfeit teares Let vs therfore oftentimes examine our selues how we are affected toward our selues and toward others and touching our greefe conceiued for our sinnes and for the sinnes of other men Let vs marke where we bestow our greatest sorrow and thereby take notice how it standeth with vs and so learned to reforme our practise if we finde it any way to bee amisse The women that followed Christ our Sauiour to the Crosse wept for him and thought they had iust cause so to doe but neuer imagined that they had more cause to weepe for themselues and therefore he correcteth that practise Luke 23 28. Daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for mee but for your selues and for your children c. We shall all of vs finde cause in our owne selues to mourne and humble our selues for our selues Lastly we ought to haue a care of the saluation Vse 4 of others and to desire their repentance otherwise our mourning is idle and nothing worth He that is entred into the way of saluation himselfe will both hunger and thirst after the saluation of other And heereby we may try whether our mourning for others be sanctified or not For as there is a carnall ioy so there is a carnall sorrow and as there is a naturall ioy such as natural men haue so there is a naturall sorrow arising from naturall causes If we haue the spirituall godly sorrow it will worke in vs a great care and desire of the saluation of our brethren 〈◊〉 oecolâ—mâ—â—omment 〈…〉 cap. As godly sorrow causeth in vs repentance neuer to bee repented off 2 Cor. 7 10. so godly sorrow conceiued for the sins of others will bring foorth an earnest longing in vs to bring them to repentance 8. If the Lord delight in vs then he will bring vs into this Land and giue it vs a Land which floweth with milke and hony 9. Onely rebell not ye against the Lord neither feare ye the people of the Land for they are bread for vs their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not Of the interpretation of these words wee haue spoken in the former verses They containe an effectuall exhortation able to stoppe the mouthes of the seditious spies and to perswade the people to proceed building themselues vpon the blessed experience of the loue of God toward them and of his power sufficient to saue them and ready to stand for theÌ„ and touching their enemies they should bee assured they could not preuaile because God is not among them he had laid them open to iudgement The Doctrine Doctrine God is a shield to his but taketh no care nor charge of his enemies God is a shield and defence for all that are his but as for his enemies he taketh no care nor charge of them he leaueth them to themselues Prou. 30 5. Exod. 15 2 and 29 45 46. Iudg. 2 14. Psal 3 3 and 18 2. The reasons God is the Captaine of his Reason 1 host to fight his owne battels against all the enemies of the Church 2 Chro. 13 12. Iosh 5 14. Secondly sinne maketh naked and bare of Reason 2 Gods protection and defence Exod. 32 25. when the people had committed idolatry Moses saw that they were naked for Aaron had made theÌ„ naked vnto their shame among their enemies Thirdly the enemies of God haue forsaken Reason 3 him and therefore hee will not be with them because they will not be with him it is a iust thing that hee should forsake them that haue forsaken him and that he should not be on their side who are not on his They that will not be his people he will not be their God Hos 3 3 1 9. From hence it may be obiected Obiect Is not God saide to be euery where Esay 66 1. Answer Answer He is touching his essence but not in his effectuall working by his Spirit to saue and deliuer Thus he is onely with the godly Hence it is that in the end of this chap. verse 42. the Lord said to the rebellious Goe not vp for the Lord is not among you that ye bee not smitten before your enemies He was not among these to fight for them and to saue them to defend and deliuer them by his power great might otherwise by his essence and according to his nature he was euen among them as he is also euery where Thus we see how God is said to be neere and how to be farre off How God is said to bee neere how farre off For while he offereth grace by the ministery of his word and causeth it to bee preached vnto vs he is neere vnto vs Esay 55 6. Call vpon him while he is neere to wit while his arme is stretched out to receiue vs and his mercy is offered to saue vs. Thus God may be saide to be in one place and in one person more then in another yea in one place and person not in another and he is said sometimes to come and sometimes to go away notwithstanding he be euery where essentially and there be no mutation of place or shadow of change with him When he beginneth to worke by his holy Spirit How God may be saide to come to a people faith repentance and sanctification in the hearts of his children he may be said to come vnto them as Iohn 15 22. Reuel 3 20. And when he preached by Noah to the old world Christ is said by his diuine Spirit to come among that people 1 Pet. 3 19. He went and preached vnto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient c. So likewise his absence or departure is the remouing of the effects of his presence to wit his grace and fauour Vse 1 From hence ariseâ—â— comfort to all the godly they are safe and 〈◊〉 vnder the wings of God he is a buckler round about he is their castle and their fortresse whereupon
This is farther to bee strengthened with reason First true godlinesse and religion haue the Reason 1 promises of the blessings of this life and of the life to come 1 Tim. 4 8. Deut. 28 1 2 3 4 c. then it will follow on the contrary that impiety and vngodlines haue the curses plagues both of the one and the other due vnto them For it were great iniustice in God if he should reward the workes of piety and religion and should not as well punish the workes of impiety and prophanenesse Secondly such workes are committed directly Reason 2 and immediately against the person of God himselfe but the workes of vnrighteousnesse are against men He is more seuerely punished that flieth in the Princes face woundeth him then he that hurteth any of his seruants Such as with an high hand breake the first Table do as it were flie in Gods face and rebell against them such as transgresse the second hurt some of his seruants So then when we fall to practise against his owne person or his honour there is great reason to thinke hee will visite for those especially and therefore such lawes are called the first and great commādement Math. 22 36 38. Thirdly such works of impiety are the causes Reason 3 of wrong iniustice hatred and of all vnrighteousnesse The breach of the first Table procureth the breach of the second Rom. 1 21 22 23. Because they regarded not to know God he gaue them ouer to vile affections When he gaue them vp to vncleannes it was a punishment of their vnthankfulnesse and not honouring of him The vses follow Such are first of all reproued Vse 1 as are accounted ciuill honest men in the world and reputed vnblameable among their neighbours I doe not meane that they are to bee reproued for their ciuility and honesty which are not to be condemned in themselues for they are good but such as content themselues with an outward ciuill carriage among men and to be praised of them hauing no feare of God or care of religion in them but all their care and conscience is to deale iustly with men and in the mean season wholly neglect their duty to God these are liable to Gods iudgements as well as those that are altogether prophane and wicked These are they that haue no care to sanctifie the Sabath no delight in praier no hungring thirsting after knowledge but remaine in blindnesse ignorance carelesse in frequenting the hearing of the word and in receiuing of the Sacraments They will boast they loue the Church as well as any of their neighbors but small fruites appeare of their going thither or of their coming from thence They thinke all is well enough if they be iust in their outward dealings they make account that they are not to be blamed and they stand in feare of no iudgments of God at all So it was with the rich man Math. 19 20. he thought he had done al euen from his youth that he lacked nothing but being tried by the first commandement whether he did loue God aboue all he plainly descried that his ciuill honesty was meere hypocrisie and his fulfilling of the law no better then a flattering of himselfe In like manner do such men much deceiue themselues and are like to a subiect whose whole care is to deale iustly and vprightly with his fellowes but vtterly neglecteth his duty to his Prince and practiseth rebellion against him all his life If such a man deale iustly among other men and will not commit adultery or murther by any meanes tell me in reason can all this his care helpe him when he shal be conuicted for high treason against his Prince Certainely this iust and vpright carriage toward the people shall stand him in little stead Likewise many men in all places do liue continually in the practise of rebellion against the person of God himselfe howsoeuer they seeme very carefull and conscionable of their duty toward men yet God will finde them out for the contempt of him For they are growne to this prophanenesse What need so much preaching or so much hearing and so they begin to scorne and scoffe at those that liue in the obedience of these holy duties Let me tell these though they be neuer so iust in their conuersation doing no wrong paying all mē shewing mercy to them that need yet they lie open notwithstanding all these to Gods iudgements for want of the true power of religion If thou shouldst see a man liue in the grosse sinnes of the second Table in murther adultery robbery drunkennesse false witnes-bearing and the like wouldst thou not think him worthy to be plagued by the hand of God why then should we thinke that such as liue in the breaches of the first Table more grosse thē these which haue the first place are not liable to iudgement as wel or rather much more then the other Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth all such as haue any rule ouer others to be carefull to teach such as are vnder them in the waies of godlinesse that they may know the Father to be true God him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17 3. First it is the duty of Princes and Magistrates to haue a great care of true religion that God be faithfully serued by their people It is not enough for them to prouide that they may haue a people faithfull and loyall to thēselues except they be also faithfull to God The godly kings are commended for their care in aduancing the glory of God and for their zeale in causing all the people committed to their charge to be instructed It were easie to enlarge this by the examples of Dauid of Asa of Iehoshaphat of Hezekiah and Iosiah they made a couenant with God to serue him themselues and to cause him to bee serued of their people Asa commanded Iudah to serue the Lord of their fathers and to doe the law and the commandements that whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord whether he were small or great whether man or woman should be put to death 2 Chron 14 4 and 15 13. Deut. 17 19. 2 Kings 23 2 3. 2 Chron. 19 7 8 9. Thus it ought to be with all fathers and masters they must teach their children seruants that they may know the Lord and set their hope in him not forget his works but keepe his comandements Psal 78 6 7 4 9 and 11 19 21. Eph. 6 4. Deut. 6 7. Eli the Priest of the Lord is first threatned and afterward punished for neglect of this duty 1 Sam. 2 and 3. The example is written for our instruction that we should beware of the like transgression Thirdly see the fearefull condition of many Vse 3 men of all sorts for they liue vnder a fearfull iudgement of God and yet do not see it because through the whole course of their liues they practise the workes of impiety liuing in palpable ignorance in contempt of the Word
confirme our word by testimony from himselfe in his mercies toward them that beleeue in his iudgments vpon the wicked that resist and in preseruing vs because wee haue beene faithful in doing the message for which we are sent Ezek. 33.32.33 Matth. 10.19 20 22 26 28 29 30. It is also a comfort to all such as doe heare aright such as bring foorth the fruit of the Gospel doe not onely receiue the Gospel but they receiue God himselfe 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab which said We will not come vp 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs vp out of a land that floweth with milke and hony to kill vs in the wildernesse except thou make thy selfe altogether a Prince ouer vs 14 Moreouer thou hast not brought vs into a land c. Moses hauing spoken to Korah the principall conspiratour that first began to roule this stone and nothing at al preuailed against him doth not giue ouer Ier. 5.4 5. but tryeth if any of the rest had any more sparke of grace or feare of God in them But the farther he proceedeth the lesse hope he findeth For Dathan and Abiram refuse to come vnto him Before this they assembled themselues tumultuously before they were called but now being lawfully called they will not assemble Nay they open their mouthes to accuse him of cruelty and treachery both of them heinous crimes but both of them falsely ascribed vnto him Of cruelty as if he purposed to kill them in the wildernesse of treachery as if hee had brought them from a land flowing with milke and hony but had brought them to possesse no land Thus they preferre Egypt before Canaan the place from which they were gone before the place to which they were going And yet this is not the depth of their impiety 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 doe mocke 〈◊〉 and him for I take this answer of theirs to bee a very mocke and scoffe cast out partly against Moses and partly against God which will appeare if we compare the words of Moses to Korah with this answer For Moses had said Seemeth it but a small thing to you to seeke the Priesthood also they borrow his own words and cast them in his owne face Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs into the wildernesse to kill vs As if they had said Thou tellest vs that it is a great mattter to vsurpe the Priesthood but why dost thou not consider that it is also a farre greater matter to kill so great a multitude And whereas God so often promised to giue to Israel a land flowing with milke and hony they turne it into a iest and tell Moses that Egypt was that fruitfull land as for other land they could see none for their feet to rest vpon â—â—â—trine â—iâ—ate â—ers reuile â—aile at 〈◊〉 that reâ—e them We learne hereby that they which are hardned in sinne and resolued not to giue ouer doe not onely stoppe their eares against all reproofe which notwithstanding is a great sinne but reuile raile vpon and despise such as tell them the trueth and lay before them their faults though they be the Ministers of God that doe it This wee saw before verse 3. in Korah and his company They gathered themselues against Moses and against Aaron and said vnto them Ye take too much vppon you 1 King 18.17 and 21.20 and 22.8 Ierem. 15.10 and 18.18 and 44.16 17. Actes 17.18 Reason 1 The reasons first because as no bitter things are pleasant to the sicke man who would euer haue his humour serued so no reproofes are pleasant to the sinner 1 King 22.7 Euery sinner is as a sicke man and euery reproofe is as a bitter ingredient nothing pleasing to the taste A wicked man desireth to heare nothing but pleasing things to giue a reproofe vnto him is no better welcome vnto him then if you gaue him gall and vineger to drinke Reason 2 Secondly they are fallen into a sweet sleep of sinne and cannot abide to be awaked or any way disturbed and disquieted They loue to goe to hell with ease they would not bee troubled in their iourney But the reproofes of the Minister doe crosse them and therefore they speake all manner of euill against him Vse 1 This sheweth the miserable condition of such as iustifie themselues in their sinnes who being conuicted of a great height of iniquity and impiety doe cast the Ministers reproofe as dung into his face and defend whatsoeuer themselues haue committed A sicke man that is so farre from taking the potion giuen him by the counsell of a learned Physitian that in stead of taking it he doth cast it in the Physitians face may well be thought to be in a desperate condition and must needs perish so it is with men spiritually sicke with sinne euen heart-sicke who are so farre from receiuing a rebuke at the hand of the Minister that they will be impatient toward him and returne rebuke for rebuke vnto his face nay storme and raile at him with opprobrious and contumelious termes it argueth they are forlorne men and in a pitifull and desperate estate It were infinite to speake of all sorts that are possessed with a spirit of contradiction to gainesay the trueth Some find fault because we reprooue such sinnes as are not found in the place where we preach others because by reprouing sinners we would seeme to make the world beleeue that they are more sinfull then other people and thereby make them odious to others Others accuse vs that we reprooue sin out of hatred and malice not out of loue malice to their person not hatred of the sinne But the Minister is to reprooue any sinne that is in the land besides how know they it is not in that place And if it be not we know not how soone it may be We must learne to detest all sinne but how shall wee detest that which we know not and if wee doe know it no man knoweth it so well but hee may know it better and no man detesteth it so much but he may learne to detest it more The assaults of Satan and tentations to sinne come suddenly if we be not forewarned we may be surprised suddenly Againe the reproouing of sin in one place is not the clearing of another or in one person is not the iustifying of another Lastly to accuse the Ministers of reproouing through malice proceedeth in themselues from want of charity 1 King 22.8 Ahab accused Micaiah of hatred because he neuer prophesied good vnto him but euill but indeed the hatred was in himselfe as also he charged Eliah to be the man that troubled Israel whereas indeed it was he and his fathers house 1 Kin. 18.17 18. we are thought to be their enemies for no other cause but because we tell them the trueth Gal. 4.16 Vse 2 Secondly beholde from hence the cause why the Minister of the Gospell is so ordinarily hated of the
by true and vnfained repentance 1 Cor. 5. Thirdly except we do renounce their company we cannot keepe the commandements Reason 3 of God and obey him The Prophet kept his mouth as with a bridle while the wicked was before him Ps 39.1 We must not cast pearles before swine lest they trample them vnder their feet and turne againe and rent vs Matth. 7.6 Therefore doth Dauid say Depart from mee Psal 119. ◠yee euill doers for I will keepe the commandements of my God as if while he was in their company and they in his he could not doe it This sheweth the folly of such as taxe those Vse 1 with a note of purity singularity which vppon a good ground refuse to associate themselues with vngodly persons They taxe them of pride and terme them selfe-conceited brethrē reuiling them taunting them with one breath For they call them brethren no otherwise then in the spirit of scoffing selfe-conceited in the spirit of Shemei railing at them as he did at Dauid as if they did it for no other end but because they would bee thought better holier and wiser then other men or as if they said Stand apart for I am holier then thou Esay 65.5 Thus they accuse them to be vncharitable men and to disdaine their neighbours and to thinke no company to bee good enough for themselues All these are false accusations alledging false causes of their separation It is not because they are new fangled and so forsake their old friends and companions and cast off all good fellowship it is the commandement of God that doth require it and their owne both duty and safety that calleth for it Secondly it reprooueth such as can brooke Vse 2 and digest all manner of people and neuer refuse or finde fault with any It is no greefe to them to heare and see any thing 2 Pet. 1. ◠they neuer vexe their soule for it as righteous Lot did and the reason is because they want his righteousnesse and therfore therfore they can brooke swallow and digest vnrighteousnesse They are not led by the same spirit that Lot was who greeued at the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites neither is it with them as it was with Dauid who cryed out in the bitternesse of his soule Woe is mee that I remaine in Meshek Psal 120.5 that I dwell in the tents of Kedar If they bee in company with Ruffians swaggerers blasphemers and drunkards they can liue and conuerse with them as well or better then with others And yet euen these when they come among those that feare the Lord can discourse of points of Religion they can report what excellent Sermons they haue heard and giue a good testimony of many good preachers Thus do they gild and ouer-lay their tongues with fine gold whereas there is nothing else but corruption and rottennesse within Take these when they are at the best they are no better then hypocrites for certaine it is they must counterfet on the one side or on the other Prou. 26 7. But without crauing any pardon we may wel conclude of these that when they liue among the worst sort their behauiour is naturall but when they conuerse among the better sort it is meerely artificiall among the one they shew without any vizard what they are among the other they put on a vizard to appeare that which they are not Vse 3 Lastly it teacheth vs to beware of voluntary society and vnnecessary fellowship with wicked men least being partakers with their sinnes wee be also partakers of their punishment If the danger of the sinne cannot preuail with vs to cause vs to shun it let the consideration of the punishment teach vs to refraine from them 1 Cor. 5 5. and 2 Cor. 6 17. Come out from among them and be ye separate touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you If any aske what society is necessary and what is vnnecessary I answer If it be in necessarie things it is either for this life or for the life to come As for example a man may conuerse with such in Faire or Market to buy and sell to trade and trafficke or in the priuate house if our particular calling and abode there doe require it or if a man goe to them to seeke their reformation by exhorting and admonishing of them or if a man haue publike society with them in the hearing of the word or in receiuing the Sacraments or in ioyning together in prayer this is also a necessary a lawfull and warrantable society and it doth not wrap a man in the guilt of those sinnes which are in them with whom we conuerse therfore such as are of the Separation haue litle reason and lesse conscience to separate themselues from the Church of God because of the wickednesse of some men which are therein For bee it granted that such are admitted to the publike exercises of our religion it will wrappe those onely in the guilt of their sinnes that haue power and authority to remooue them and not those that doe necessarily conuerse and communicate with them No man may forsake the Church because some wicked men are in it Notwithstanding heere we are to marke that albeit there be some necessary society which is lawfull yet vnder a colour heereof we may not plead for that which is voluntary and vnnecessary for thus their sinnes become our sinnes A blessed martyr sometimes made this prayer O Lord deliuer me from my other mens sinnes from my guilt of the sinnes of other men howsoeuer he did not commit them himselfe yet because being present he did not reproue them he acknowledged himselfe guilty of them So if we haue inward and priuate society with them and we freely go to their houses inuite them home to our houses and can be content to hear their oathes and blasphemies and not haue an hart and tongue to reproue them for the same wee are thereby made partakers of their sins whatsoeuer they be Thou hast power in thine own house to reprooue them there thou art both a Magistrate and a Minister Euery man is a King and a Byshop in his owne house a Magistrate to rule and a Minister to teach and to reprooue If thou doe not therefore discharge these duties it shall stand vpon thy score and reckoning thou shalt giue an account for it We haue sinnes in great number of our owne and therefore we need not draw the guilt of other mens sinnes vppon our owne head to answer for those also which wee did neuer commit in our owne persons The burthen is alreadie too great let vs not therefore by this adding to it make the burthen thereof altogether intollerable 27 So they gate vp from the tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram on euery side and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the doore of their tents and their wiues and their sonnes and their little children 28 And Moses saide Heereby ye shall know
and not through impatience accuse God neither impute the euill successes of our affaires to him but to our selues euen as he that stumbleth and falleth against a stone should not accuse the stone but his owne hastinesse and heedlesnes Now then if wicked men want the knowledge of God and the feare of his Name to guide them in the search and suruey of their owne wayes to enquire into the true cause of their euill successes wee cannot maruaile if they wander vp and downe in their owne imaginations and can neuer finde the fault to bee in themselues Secondly the vngodly are blinded with a Reason 2 selfe-loue and selfe-liking of themselues aboue God or his Word The loue of the creature or of our selues more then God or equall with God hindereth vs in good things and quite swalloweth vp the loue of our brethren and darkeneth the light of vpright iudgment that it cannot shine in our hearts The conceited person thinketh himselfe a wise man and imagineth his owne course to be the best vsing no aduice of others as if he himselfe were in all things sufficient of himselfe to see what is best for himselfe This Salomon excelling in wisdome teacheth to these conceited persons abounding in folly Prou. 12.14 The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that hearkeneth to counsell is wise So in another place Prou. 18.2 A foole is not delighted with vnderstanding but with those things which are in his owne heart And againe Prou. 26.12 Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit There is more hope of a foole then of him These selfe-louing and selfe-liking fooles are delighted with their owne folly which they labour to publish and make knowne to all men and may worthily beare away the bell from all the fooles in the world For these are proud fooles that highly esteeme of their owne wisedome and scornfully disdaine the counsell and wisedome of all other men Seeing therefore euill men want the wisdome of God that is from aboue and abound with selfe-loue which descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuellish we cannot greatly maruaile if wicked men will acknowledge no fault in themselues but wholly looke to second causes and lay the blame vpon the most High when they faile in their purposes Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine First of all wee learne this truth that no euil man can look for any good successe in the matters he taketh in hand but let him alwaies be sure to be crossed cursed of God Albeit thou lay in thine own conceit neuer so strong a foundation work neuer so wisely in thine own imagination yet if thou make not God thy Counsellor 〈◊〉 119.24 and his Word thy director thy wisdome shall be turned into folly and thou shalt be taken in the snare of thine owne hands For all sin against God bringeth with it the wrath of God and the euill life of a sinner drawes vpon his owne head sundry crosses and calamities causeth him to haue ill successe and raiseth vp infinite iudgments against him Whensoeuer we despise his word prophane his Sabbaths defile his Sacraments and practise any vnrighteousnesse against men and impiety against God then followeth and falleth vpon vs some sicknesse or trouble some crosse or affliction one way or another as the Apostle sheweth For your dissention and vnreuerent receiuing of the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11.30 many are weak and sick among you and many sleepe Now when the rod and scourge of God lyeth vpon the backe of transgressours and they feele themselues sore plagued either they accuse God as the authour of their trouble or murmure against his punishment or rest vpon second causes which are ordered by him who is the principall cause Vse 2 Secondly we learne that if we would haue God blesse vs and the lawfull labours of our hands we must be godly in Christ Iesus If we leade a sincere and sanctified life purge our hearts to be a peculiar people to God zealous of good workes wee haue a sure promise of good successe and strong assurance of a plentifull blessing to follow vs all the dayes of our life There is no good successe in any thing without Gods blessing And this is the cause why God blesseth vs not because wee blesse not his Name wee liue not as a people vnder his protection wee do not deny vngodlines worldly lusts liuing soberly righteously and godly in this present world hauing our conuersation in the heauens and looking for the blessed hope of glory and immortality Hereunto commeth the saying of Salomon Prou. 16 3. Psal 37.3 1 Pet. 5 7. Commit thy workes to the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed This is a worthy saying to redresse our weakenesse and distrust and to make vs rest and rely our selues on Gods good prouidence This also the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psal 127 1 2. All the fruit of our labours cares dependeth vpon the prouidence of God yea all our industry and studie shall be vaine and vnprofitable vnlesse he guide all our affaires To this purpose the Prophet speaketh in another place that the godly Psal 1.1.3 refusing the counsell of the wicked the way of sinners the seat of scorners shall bring forth fruite in due season so that whatsoeuer he shall doe shal prosper It is God alone that directeth the wayes and works of the faithful and without him is no good successe This wee see verified in Ioseph Gen. 39 2 3. The Lord was with Ioseph he was a man that prospered and was in the house of his master the Egyptian And his master saw the Lord was with him and that the Lord made al that he had to prosper in his hand The like the Scripture◠testifieth of Hezekiah that hee prospered in all his workes 2 Chro. 32 30 and 20 20. So Iehosaphat spake to the people Heare ye me O Iudah the inhabitants of Ierusalem put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall bee assured beleeue his Prophets and ye shall prosper Thus also the Lord exhorteth Ioshua after the death of Moses Iosh 1 8. We do all of vs desire the blessing of God vpon our labours and to haue good successe in our seuerall callings this is the pathway that we must walke in namely a godly life and conuersation without this his blessings shall turne into curses and wee shall neuer attaine the end of our hope This appeareth by the words which the man of God spake to the King of Israel saying Thus saith the Lord Because the Aramites haue saide 1 King 20 28 the Lord is the God of the Mountaines and not of the Valleys therefore will I deliuer all this great multitude into thine hand and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Lastly we are bound euery one to consider Vse 3 the true cause of euill successe to be in our selues When the hand of God is any way vppon vs that he plagueth
thy presence is a burden vnto me aske thy reward and wages of thy worke of that God whom thou hast obeyed or of that people whom thou hast blessed to whom thou seemest rather beholden then vnto mee and who I am sure are more indebted to thee for thy paines then I am This is a most shamefull blasphemy of a wretched man whose breath is in his nostrils against the eternall God that made heauen and earth who suffereth with patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The answer of Balaam followeth to be coÌ„sidered The answer of Balaam who is brought in by Moses excusing himselfe and giuing wicked counsell to Balak to bring the people of God to ruine and destruction The Apology and defence that he maketh for himselfe is this that hee certified the messengers sent vnto him and declared to Balak himselfe that he was not at his owne choise and liberty to speake what the King wished and what himselfe desired but was as it were chained and restrained by the mighty hand of God that he could vtter nothing but what he inspired Thus the false Prophet seeketh to pacifie and appease the angry minde of the King and the hyreling laboureth to recouer his wages that was denyed him as if he should say Lay the fault where it is and not where it is not I haue striuen what I can to do that which thou requirest but the God of the Hebrewes hath hindered thy request and my desire Secondly hee promiseth that being now discharged and ready to returne home hee would giue such counsell which should work out the finall confusion of this people if it were wisely and warily followed For when he seeth he cannot curse them he giueth counsell how to hurt them as if hee should haue saide to Balak I see to my griefe thou perceiuest to thy cost that sorcery will not preuaile and serue the turne yet do not despaire but hold on thy purpose try a new conclusion another way I haue another plot in mine head follow my direction and doubt not but thou shalt bring thy matters to a good passe and destroy that people as they hereafter shall destroy thy people But what this counsell was is concealed and not expressed in this place which was not such as the Prophets of God aduised and perswaded to the people of God but diuellish counsell proceeding from that spirit by which he was guided to open a gap to bring vpon them all mischiefe and misery and to pull downe the wall of Gods protection whereby they were fenced and defended and to let in their enemies vpon theÌ„ God being become an vtter enemy vnto them For by the successe and euent in the chapter following it appeareth what this crafty counsell was Numb 25 3. by the peoples falling in fancy and fellowship with the Moabitish women wherby they were drawne into spirituall and bodily fornication And afterward in the one thirtieth chapter of this booke verse 16 Moses speaking of the Midianitish women saieth These caused the children of Israel through the counsell of Balaam to commit a trespasse against the Lord as concerning Peor and there came a plague vpon the Congregation of the Lord. So the Apostle Iohn speaketh writing to the Church at Pergamus I haue a few things against thee because there thou hast them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam c. Reu. 2 14. Hereby then we see that when Balaam had sundry wayes assayed and attempted to curse the people of Isâ—ael and yet his purpose fayled him because God crossed his deuices hee told Balak that the last refuge and onely way to preuaile against them was to draw them to sin against their God and so to make a breach betweene him and his people Now according as hee counselled him and gaue him instructions so Balak confederate with the Midianites sent forth the most beautiful women in their kingdomes into the Campe of Israel to entice them to the worship of their Idols to banquet with them at their Idoll-feasts whereby â—hey drew them to Idolatry and fornication sinning against God and kindling his wrath against them But of this we shall speake further in the chapter following Verse 10. Then Balak was very angry with Balaam and smote his hands together and saide I sent for thee to curse mine enemies c. See heere the euent of all the conspiracy against the Israelites they had conceiued mischiefe Psal 7 14 15 bring forth a lye They that trauaile with wickednesse trauaile with the winde and the end is not answerable to the beginning They vanish away in their owne imagination whilst Israel standeth as a defenced City From hence we learne that things practised inconsiderately not with good aduice Doctrine Thing vnlawfully atteÌ„pted haue euill ends and attempted vnlawfully with a wicked purpose haue other euents then men thinke of Whatsoeuer wee goe about with a wicked minde hath an euill end in the iust iudgment of God We cannot expect that any euil action should haue a good end Indeed God doth many times suffer euill men causeth them to multiply The causes why wicked men do multiply because our sinnes deserue so many chastisements and scourges as there are wicked men in the world Againe it is requisite that we should all our life long be kept in a continuall exercise of faith prayer patience and repentance Iudg. 2 22. and that they might be as pricks and thornes in our sides Lastly the Lord by suffering the wicked to prosper and proceed doth greatly aduance his owne glory whiles he reigneth in the midst of his enemies Exod. 9 15 16 and preserueth his Church in despite of Satan and his wicked members which daily seeke the ouerthrow thereof Is it not strange that an hundred Sheepe should liue among a thousand wolues not be deuoured It is no lesse wonderfull and to bee maruelled at that any of Gods people should liue vpon the face of the earth being compassed about with an army of wicked men the very limbes of the diuell that open their mouths to swallow them vp and hate them with an vnfained hatred vnto the death Notwithstanding the Lord thus beareth and forbeareth yet in the end hee will cut off the wicked and all euill shall haue an euill end We see this in Pharaoh calling for his Sorcerers they withstood Moses and resisted the truth they turned water into blood and rods into Serpents yet in the end all their cunning was stained and they confessed it was the Finger of God Exod. 7 11. 8 19. Consider the example of those that would builde them a Citty and a Tower to get them a name lest they should bee scattered vpon the whole earth Genesis ch 11. verse 4 the Lord came downe to see the Citty which the sonnes of men builded and there confounded theyr Language that euery one perceyued not anothers speech The Apostle Peter maketh a long rehearsall in his second
soule and health to the body yea as Oyntment and perfume reioyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of mans friend by hearty counsel Prou. 27 9. When our brethren teach admonish counsel perswade or rebuke vs we must not stomacke and despite them but be guided and directed by them as Dauid was by Nathan and as Peter was by the Apostle Paul This is set downe in the 141. Psalm Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefite let him reproue me and it shall be a precious Oyle that shall not breake my head It is a rare thing to finde a man that will counsell to follow godlinesse Reuerence him as a counsellor loue him as a friend obey him as a father that will direct thee in the wayes of saluation bring thee backe againe when thou wanderest out of the right path that leadeth to life Thou shalt finde many more euill counsellors then good If one will admonish and perswade thee to godlinesse thou shalt meete with one score that will allure thee to wickednesse But wee must not follow a multitude to doe euill lest we be punished with the multitude It must be our wisedome to learne instruction at the mouth of others The heathen which had no better starre to guide them then the light and law of nature Plutar. in the life of Fabius knew that there were two things did greatly adorne a man and make him renowned for wisedome one to bee able to giue good counsel to himselfe and others the other to be willing to hearken to good counsell when it is offered If we cannot attaine and reach vnto the former point which is an excellent grace of Gods Spirit to instruct and teach others wisedome yet let vs follow the latter and giue eare to the aduice of others when it is giuen vnto vs. For whosoeuer is contented to stoope downe to learn wisedom is alwaies to be reputed a wise man But hee that cannot giue and yet will not take counsell when it is giuen hee that neyther can teach nor will learne wisedome may worthily be esteemed and branded by all men with the name of a foole If either wee can go before others to shew them the way or follow them that lead vs the way we shall not lose the reputation of wisedome Hence it is that Salomon declaring precepts of true wisedome saieth Prou. 12 15. The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but he that heareth counsell is wise Not onely he is wise that giueth counsell but hee that heareth it The wiseman speaketh not in these words of the outward hearing of the eare but of the inward hearing of the heart For many haue the bodily hearing that want the spirituall The externall vse of the sense cannot be auaileable to make vs wise so that wee must heare with an earnest affection of the mind giue all diligence to follow the counsell that is giuen vs in the name of God To this purpose he speaketh in another place Pro. 15 22. Without counsell thoughts come to nought but in the multitude of counsellors there is stedfastnesse When Herod had offred to giue to the daughter of Herodias because in her dancing dalliance she pleased him whatsoeuer she should aske euen to the halfe of his kingdome shee being before instructed by her mother asked the head of Iohn Baptist in a platter and from the diuellish counsell followed abhominable murther Mat. 14 8 When Rehoboam followed the rash counsell of his yong counsellors that had bene brought vp with him who perswaded him to make the greeuous yoke of his father more greeuous 1 Kings 12 14 this turned to the ruine and renting away of the greater part of his kingdome So then let vs not bee ashamed to follow the counsell of such as are discreet and godly Neither is it greatly materiall who they bee that giue vs good counsell whether our superiours our equals or our inferiours For wee must not weigh so much who is the counsellor as what is the counsel nor who is the aduiser as what is the aduice If it bee good and godly thinke thou that the holy Ghost speaketh and receyue it as proceeding from the Comforter If it be euil reiect it as comming from the Tempter Moses was a wise Gouernour of the people and a worthy Prophet of God like vnto whom arose not a Prophet in Israel Deut. 34 10. whom the Lord knew face to face yet he thought it no shame or reproach vnto him to bee directed and aduised by Iethro his father in law a man farre inferiour vnto him in honour and estimation in hearing the causes and controuersies that arose amongest the people who sayd Heâ—re now my voyce I will giue thee counsell and God shall be with thee Exod 18 19. When Naaman the Syrian came into the laÌ„d of Israel to be cured of his leprosy and the Prophet bad him Go wash himselfe seuen times in Iordan he turned away in disdaine and displeasure and if he had not hearkned to the aduice of his owne seruants who modestly sayd vnto him Father if the Prophet had commanded thee a great thing wouldest thou not haue done it How much rather then when he sayeth to thee Wash and be cleane hee had departed a leaper as he came 2 Kings 5 13. The like we see in Dauid who receiuing reprochful words for the good deeds that he performed and a churlish answer for the kindnes which hee expected was fully in his fully bent and determined to haue bene reuenged on Nabal his whole house for that iniury but by the aduice and counsell of wise Abigail inferiour to him in regard of his sex and condition he was staied from that enterprize so that he sayd Blessed be the Lord GOD of Israel who sent thee this day blessed be thy counsell blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed bloud 1 Sam. 25 33. So then we are not to despise the counsell of those that are put in subiection vnder our feete The child is sometimes mâ—de able to aduise his father the seruaÌ„t may sometimes see more then his master the wise may somtimes giue good counsel to her husband and it is no dispraise or disparagement for theÌ„ to hearken to their inferiours but they ought to receyue it as a message brought vnto them from God yea if an enemy should perswade vs to that which is good Plut lib. 〈◊〉 â—rat ex 〈…〉 moâ—â— pâ—â—s we ought to make this benefit and aduantage of him as to hearken to our owne profit This serueth to reproue all those that being lifted vp in a proud conceyt of their own wisedom against whom the Prophet Esay denounceth an heauy woe saying Woe vnto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their owne sight do scorne and contemne that either themselues or any otheâ— shold learne any thing of their inferiors Wee see this and heare it by lamentable experience in
the wicked into sheards like a potters vessel Psal 2 9. We see how men admire the proud and haughty of the world and esteeme the vngodly as the great Magnificoes that may not be contemned or controlled the poorest and meanest Saint of God shal in time to come be their Iudge sit with Christ vpon the bench in glory when they shall stand as their vassals at the barre and bee iudged as most wretched caitiffes and malefactors and receiue their wages according to their works Then they shal say with horror of conscience We fooles thought their life madnes their end without honor but now they are counted among the children of God and haue theyr portion among his Saints Hence it is that the Apostle reprooueth the Corinthians that abased and abused their dignity that did bring their causes to be tryed and iudged before the wicked Do ye not know that the Saints shal iudge the world If then the world shall be iudged by you are ye vnworthy to iudge the smallest matters c 1 Cor. 6. verses 2 3. This is a great honour vouchsafed to the faithfull no earthly honor can be compared vnto it all temporall glorie hath not so much as a shew or shadow of it On the other side great shall be the dishonor and disgrace the shame and contempt that shall be poured out vpon the vngodly Dan. 12 2. They haue heere the riches of the world the pleasures of this life the praise of men they are feared of some and flattered of others but when this glory shall passe away as the wind and flye as an arrow that is shotte at a marke then they shall be arraigned as euill doeâ—s and euery seruant of God shall treade them vnder their feete Then they shall be separated from the presence of God Then they shall see all the godly whom they haue scorned and derided receyued into the kingdome of heauen and themselues shut out of the doores Then they shall haue the continuall fellowship of the diuell and of his angels in hell fire where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Vse 2 Secondly we must all be carefull to walke worthy of so great a calling We must bee as spirituall Kings to rule and beare sway ouer our thoughts wils and affections ouermastering them as much as may be proclaiming continuall warre against our corrupt natures against the diuell and against the world And verily he that can beare rule ouer his owne heart is a true king indeede and shall surely reigne for euermore with Christ in the life to come Reuelat. 1 6. He that hath beaten downe the kingdome of sinne and sathan and receyued some measure of grace to reign ouer himselfe hath performed a greater and more glorious work then he that hath subdued a kingdome For all these enemies of our saluation be horrible hideous monsters and fearfull Serpents Their sting is deadly their poyson is mortall It is an hard labour to pull out their sting and take away their poison from them But they which are caried away with the swinge of their corruptions as with a violent streame hauing blindnes ignorance to reign in their minds rebellion in their wils and loosenesse in their whole life are not spirituall kings but base slaues and bondmen The strong man sathan keepeth the hold of theyr hearts Luke 11 21. and as Lord and King setteth vp his scepter there Wherefore my brethren in respect of this our high calling wee must make conscience of euery sinne We heard before that we are made the iudges of the world It is a shame for a Iudge to be a Theefe that sitteth in iudgement to condemne a theefe so is it a shame for vs to be giuen to wickednesse that must iudge the wicked world when the iust shall appeare A Iudge must take heede of those sinnes in himselfe which he must condemne in others lest it be sayd vnto him Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Rom. 2 21 22. This is that vse which the Apostle maketh to the Thessalonians chap. 1 10 11 after he had shewed that at the comming of the Lord Iesus in might and maiesty he would bee glorious in his Saints made maruellous in them that beleeue hee intreateth that God would make them to walke worthy of their calling And surely if we haue any the least sparke of grace or any feeling of our naturall condition when we were the children of wrath and the fire-brands of hell it could not but work in vs a maruellous loue vnto God a desire to please him and a delight to bring foorth the fruites of righteousnes Thirdly our victory in Christ offereth comfort Vse 3 vnto vs in all troubles tentations pouerty and in death it selfe We are to arme our selues with this power of Christ agaynst all terrors and feares that seeke to dismay vs. We are in Christ appoynted Kings and Iudges ouer those that trouble vs conquerours ouer sathan and death Our feare then is already past let vs lift vp our heads and bee of good comfort This is that which the Apostle is bold to put vs in mind of 1 Cor. 15 56 57. O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory Now thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ We shall not neede to feare the day of iudgement for then our redemption draweth nere We shall not neede to be affrayd of the comming of the Iudge for he shal be our Sauiour Howsoeuer therefore we seeme base vnto the world and of vile account in the eyes of carnall men whose portion is in this life yet wee are indeed aduanced into the highest honour about him receyuing by our communion and fellowshippe with him a communication of his kingly power and glory to subdue vnder vs the diuell and his angels For if wee fight with him and vnder his banner wee cannot lose the field but shall bee assured to reigne with him They then are deceyued that think them the scum and off-scouring of the world This should also perswade all carelesse and backward persons to embrace true Religion and giue it the cheefe seat in theyr hearts forasmuch as it maketh them of the vesselles of wrath and vassals of sathan glorious Kings and triumphant Conquerors ouer the powers of darknes Furthermore it should encourage the Ministers of the Gospel and make them glad to labour in preaching the Word and in winning soules vnto God being set apart by Gods mercies to consecrate men Kings and Priests vnto him which is a great priuiledge For they haue mighty weapons giuen them by their captaine Christ to wit the power of his Spirit and the vigor of his mighty word which causeth them to preuayle Therefore the Lord sayth by his Prophet Hosea chap. 6 5. I haue cut downe this people by the Prophets slaine them by the words of my mouth And the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 10 5 6 That the weapons
away empty Luke 1 52 53. Vse 1 The vses follow to be obserued First from hence consider and confesse the difference betweene earthly and heauenly honour between the honour of men and that which is of God Earthly honour when it is at the highest can giue no assurance of continuance nor minister peace of conscience nor satisfie with the benefite of contentment because it endureth but for a season but the honour which we shall enioy after this life with God is like himselfe Hee is vnchangeable and without shadow of turning hee is constant and euer like himselfe so is the honor and glory which he hath reserued for vs It is laide vp as a treasure in heauen where neither the moth nor canker corrupteth and where theeues neither dig through nor steale Math. 6 20. We see what the fauor and friendship of men is wee see what the highest preferment is that men can attaine vnto both they and their aduancement fall as the Sommer fruite and their place knoweth them no more But the honour which wee shall finde in heauen and enioy with the glorious Saints of God in the heauenly habitations lasteth for euer and there shall be no end thereof What foolishmen are we therefore and more then foolish that so much admire the vaine glory of the earth and haue our eyes dazled with the deceitfull beauty of the dignities of this world and doe not consider the stablenesse of that glory reserued for vs which time shall not consume nor the enemy abolish Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn saith Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him and the world passeth away with the lust thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer 1. Iohn 2 15 17. All earthly things last and endure but for a season men are mortal riches are vncertaine fauour is vanity honour is changeable treasures are transitory pleasures are mutable profites are corruptible friends are fading and oftentimes turne to be enemies onely the treasures of heauen the fauour of God the pleasures of eternall glory the riches of the world to come are immortall and neuer decay For all flesh is as grasse all the glory of man as the flower of the field the grasse withereth the flower fadeth but the word of the Lord endureth for euer 1. Pet. 1 24 Thus we see that there is as great difference betweene earthly and heauenly honour as is betweene heauen and earth Secondly we must learne to vse this world Vse 2 as though wee vsed it not and make it as the hand to helpe vs and further vs toward the kingdome of heauen The hand is made to serue vs and not wee to serue it Wee must learne to place the world vnder vs not aboue vs we must make it seruant to vs not Lord ouer vs we must teach it to obey not suffer it to rule ouer vs as the Church is described to be cloathed with the Sunne but hauing the Moone vnder her feete Reuel 12. For seeing humane things are transitory mutable and changeable it standeth vs vpon to haue our conuersation in the heauens and to cast the eyes of our mindes toward the estate of glory and the eternall happinesse prepared for vs. A pilgrim in a strange land hath alwayes his eyes toward his iourneyes end is greatly grieued when he wandereth out of his way Wee are pilgrims in this world and are farre from home so that our hearts should be fully and wholly set on euerlasting life and bee grieued when wee are hindered from the straight way This is the exhortation of the Apostle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 29. Many follow it with all greedinesse albeit it be full of vanity But if we esteeme of heauen or regard the saluation of our soules wee ought to be little affected to the things of this life neuer setting our hearts vpon them but desiring to dwell in that house where wee shall abide for euer Many there are that liue long in this life and haue beene many dayes vpon the face of the earth who neuer thinke of the kingdome of heauen nor dreame of another world nor meditate of the life to come vntill they lye at the last gaspe and are going the way of all flesh which is a most wofull and miserable thing to consider Let vs not suffer Sathan thus to circumuent vs and this present world to abuse and bewitch vs the deuill is a deceiuer the world is but a shadow and hath no true and enduring substance in it Abraham the father of the faithfull is commended by the Spirit of God who being called of God willingly obeyed to goe into the place which afterward hee should receiue for an inheritance Heb. 11 8. so that he departed from his kindred fathers house not knowing whither he went and by faith he abode in the land of Canaan as in a strange countrey and as one that dwelt in tents A naturall man would thinke hee had made a simple change and be ready to condemne him for a foole but the Scripture giueth this reason as the cause that mooued him to wit euerlasting life for hee looked for a city hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God In comparison heereof let vs make little account of this transitory life or of any the vaine profits pleasures or honours that may be found in it Lastly let it not grieue vs to see euil men Vse 3 exalted and set aloft they hold their possessions and honour with the greatest vncertainty that can bee in their life time and when they are taken from hence they can carry nothing with them of all that they possesse They are oftentimes depriued suddainly of all things they desire and doe most of all delight in Sometimes they are taken away from their goods sometimes their goods are taken away from them and sometimes albeit neyther they be taken from their goods nor their goods taken from them yet God in his iustice depriueth them of the comfortable vse of them while they doe enioy the possession of them This is the vse that the Prophet Dauid toucheth Psalme 49 5.16 declaring the vanity and vncertainty of mortall things and the suddaine fall of all flesh he addetâ— Wherefore should I feare in the euill dayes when iniquitie shal compasse me about as at mine heeles Be not thou afraid when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is encreased for he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after him We haue knowne many by our own obseruation gone on a suddaine that looked not for any change Wee haue seene them set on high and suddainly they haue come to nothing Who is ignorant that great trees grow til they be great 〈◊〉 câ—â—t de 〈◊〉 Alex. â— 7. and then be plucked vp from the root in a moment It is a foolish
yet shall their sinnes dye with theyr persons and be remembred no more whensoeuer the sonne forsaketh those their wicked wayes No man therefore must cast them in the teeth or vpbraid any beleeuer with the sinnes of his vnbeleeuing parents If a man come of Turkish or Heathenish parents that neuer beleeued in Christ nor acknowledged the true God yet God will accept of those that forsake this infidelity and impiety who therfore are we that we should vpbraid them with the blots and infirmities of their fathers For as the godlynesse of the father shall nothing helpe the vngodly childe but the soule that sinneth shall die the death Ezek 18 20 so the vngodlinesse of the father shall nothing hurt the godly because he renounceth it and hateth it as an enemy The practise therefore of those is euill that lade and burthen with cart-loads of reproaches those that are not to be touched in their owne persons because of the vices and sins of their parents Vse 4 Lastly we must learne that it shall on the other side be no honor credite comfort or commendation to descend from godly and worthy Ancestors if we degenerate from theÌ„ as a base and bastard brood Ezek. 18 10 13. It is the manner of many to stand much vpon their pedigree which the very heathen derided as great vanity and accounted nothing indeede their own which themselues had not done for what hath a coward to do to glory in the valour of his Fathers And they made choise rather to descend of vnnoble Parents Ouid. metam lib. 13. so themselues were noble and renowned thorough vertue then to come of worthy Progenitors Iâ—uenal Saty. 8 and themselues to grow base degenerate out of kinde This did the Prophet tell Iehoiachim Ier. 22 15 16. Did not thy father eate and drinke and do iustice iudgement and then it was well with him he iudged the cause of the poore c but thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy couetousnes and to shedde innocent blood and for oppression and violence to doe it Hence it is that Iohn the Baptist telleth the Iewes that they should not boast of theyr progenitors to say They had Abraham to their Father Mat. 3 8 9. They gloried much in this carnall priuiledge and thought the whol seed of Abraham by generation of the flesh to bee within the couenant of grace and should bee partakers of saluation and in a proud conceit of this external glory grew to contemne the Gentiles as a people forsaken of God But there is an Israelite in the couenant and an Israelite out of the couenant as there is a Iew that is outward and a Iew that is inward Rom. 2 29. 4 16 as there is an election that is generall and an election more speciall taken out of that generall There are sonnes of Abraham according to the flesh Rom. 4 16. and there are heyres of the faith of Abraham as the Lord himselfe saieth Mal. 1 2. Is not Esau Iacobs brothâ—â— Yet I haue hated Esau and loued Iacob Wherefore when the Pharisies said Wee haue Abraham to our father Christ answered If ye were the children of Abraham ye would do the works of Abraham but now ye are of your father the diuel Iohn 8 39 44. Let no man therefore reioyce in the flesh neither stand vpon the gifts giuen vnto others as it were to decke himselfe with the feathers of other birds Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles sheweth that hee might haue confidence in the flesh and if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh he had cause much more hee was circumcised the eight day he was of the stock of Israel and of the Tribe of Beniamin he was an Hebrew of the Hebrewes and as touching the law a Pharisie Yet what things soeuer might be gaine vnto him the same hee counted losse for Christs sake yea as dung that he might winne him Phil. 3 7 8. Let euery one therefore labour to haue grace in his owne heart knowing That the iust shall liue by his owne faith Hab. 2 4. forasmuch as the faith of the father cannot profit the child that is without faith 12 The sonnes of Simeon after their families of Nemuel the family of the Nemuelites c. 13 Of Zerah the family of the Zarhites c. 14 These are the families of the Simeonites twenty and two thousand and two hundred In the description of this Tribe we are to consider the small number and little company in comparison of the other Tribes and of themselues also compared with the former summe For whereas before they were 59300 they are now onely as wee see 22200. If any aske what may bee the cause of this great abatement Obiection that there were so many before now fallen to be so few Answ The reason is to bee taken out of the last history remembred in the former chapter to wit that one of the Princes of the Tribe of Simeon being accompanied with many others of that Tribe and backed and countenanced with them committed a most shamefull and shamelesse acte before his brethren and brought a Midianitish harlot into the hoast in the sight of Moses yea he was no doubt a moouer and perswader of others to commit the like wickednesse whereby it came to passe that the greatest number of this Tribe perished with him in that greeuous plague For it was reason that as they did partake with him in the Whoredome so they should communicate together in the punishment Hereupon it fell out that whereas all the other Tribes in a manner surmounted the former account or at least equalled the same this fayled much of the former summe This is to be noted of vs in this place seruing as a good commentary and exposition of the words of Moses Deut. 32 6. where Simeon is wholly left out Doctrine It is hard to forsake society with wicked men wheÌ„ we are once entred into it This teacheth vs that it is a very hard thing to auoyd shun and breake off our society with wicked men when once we are entred into it but we follow and pursue it with greedinesse till we be punished together with them It is hard to bee kept from contracting friendship and fellowship with them they are cunning to insinuate theÌ„selues and if they be not called to vs they will call themselues and if they be not bidden they are as shamelesse guesse they wil inuite them selues If at any time they be thrust out of our company they will seeke to enter againe and if the doore be barred against them they wil winde in themselues like the Theefe at the window rather then they will stand without that is they will take all occasions to force themselues vpon vs. And if we finde it hard not to contract it we shall finde it much harder to breake it off being once contracted doubtlesse neuer harder then in these dayes of sinne wherein
others euen in priuate houses and families The Law of God and man allow not nay they condemne the common practice of brawling fighting quarrelling or challenging one of another into the field for priuate and personall wrongs whereby the seedes of murther and shedding of blood are sowne which soone grow vp to ripenesse and perfection and yeelde a dolefull haruest of sorrow and repentance when it is too late if they bee not weeded out of the heart betimes Whosoeuer shall thinke it a disgrace to refuse such challenges let them also thinke it a disgrace to walke in the wayes of God and to obey the good Edicts of Princes and the wholesome lawes of the Commonwealth It is the greatest grace that can be to yeeld obedience to God and contrariwise it is no credite to sinne against him to saue and salue vp a supposed honour and reputation among men It is the duty therefore of all that liue in priuate societies when they haue hard or wrong measure offered vnto them to go to their fathers or masters for they are Magistrates in the house and are within their owne doores as Kings to rule and Officers to gouerne and no man ought to reuenge his owne cause and quarrel he is as a Marshal to right euery mans cause that is vnder his roofe and to maintaine their credite and reputation The causes of these duels are euill Zedegin loc commun pag. 457. sometimes pride vain-glory sometimes couetousnesse and greedinesse of gaine and the cause of all these causes the diuell himselfe who was a murtherer from the beginning The effects thereof are no better for they cause deadly feudes breed hatred neuer to be appeased nourish contention and confusion hinder prayer and holy exercises of Religion shed mans blood made in the Image of God and bring downe the vengeance of God vpon our owne heads For how often doe such quarrels beginne with brawling and end in blood which once being spilled cannot be gathered vp Let all such therefore as eyther challenge or accept of challenges consider this point that hee which killeth maketh himselfe guilty of execrable murther before God and the blood so shed cryeth as it were with a loud voyce against him to heauen and neuer ceaseth till it hath called downe vengeance and touching him that is killed let him know that he is no better then one of the martyrs of the diuell For as God hath his Martyrs that dye in his cause What we are to thinke of Duellists so the diuell also hath his martyrs that dye in his cause and such as shed their blood are the diuels executioners and no better We can hold no other opinion either of the one or of the other neyther of him that killeth nor of him that is killed whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues and therefore let them looke to it that are so prodigall of their liues or of the liues of others 3 Our father dyed in the wildernesse and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselues together against the Lord in the company of Korah but dyed in his owne sinne and had no sonnes 4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family because hee hath c. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. The plea of the daughters oâ— Zelophehad In these words the daughters of Zelophehad plead their own cause to haue their part in the diuision of the land not to be shut out from their inheritance The plea is good and well grounded and they vse sundry reasons of no small importance First because their father dyed in the wildernesse in his iourney toward the land of Canaan and therefore the same inheritance that was due vnto him being aliue should not be denyed to his issue being dead For seeing hee died in the way before any of the Israelites could take possession of the land of promise hee could leaue to his daughters nothing but the promise of GOD and a liuely faith appprehending the same which no doubt was truly grafted in them or else they would neuer haue beene so earnest in this matter but haue let it alone till the conquest of the land and the displanting of the Canaanites They plead that he was not partaker with Korah in his conspiracy but dyed in his owne sinne that is as all other men do and must do that are sinners forasmuch as the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6 27. Now vnder this conspiracy of Korah heere expressed we must vnderstand all other mutinies of the same nature that he ioyned not with any in their rebellions neyther was partaker with any seditious persons whereby hee should deserue to be excluded from his possession of the land If any aske Obiect why this conspiracy of Korah is named and singled out aboue any of the rest of the murmurings which were many and of many I answere first because this was late and yet fresh in remembrance Secondly Answer it was more eminent then any of the rest and as it were swallowed vp the memory of all the former Thirdly because it seemeth hee died at the same time that Korahs treachery brake out and therefore hee might more easily bee thought to bee destroyed with them But though he dyed at the same time yet he died not of the same crime as likewise it fell out that Methushelah died immediatly before the flood it might be after it began to raine vpon the face of the earth but was not swept away with the flood And heere it is not to be forgotten that some of the Hebrewes as also we noted before chap. 15 21 are of opinion that this Zelophehad was the man that gathered stickes vpon the Sabbath day others thinke Vatabl aâ—â—â—â— in hunc locum that he was one of them that died by the biting stinging of the fiery serpents chap. 21 6. But the purpose of his daughters was to bring to their remembrance that their father had committed no act whereby his issue should bee denyed or debarred of their inheritance because he died a naturall death and went the way of all flesh and when he had serued his time was gathered to his fathers An other reason is because he left behind him no sons or heires males of his body lawfully begotten whereby it might and would come to passe that the name of a family in Israel should perish if no portion of the inheritance were assigned to his daughters In al this plea we may perceiue in them a notable example of honouring parents in that they are careful that the Name of their father should not be buried in perpetuall forgetfulnes but bee honourably remembred preserued which all ought to follow Likewise an example of faith beleeuing the promise of God for except they had assured their hearts that God would performe his promise and make good the wordes of his owne mouth spoken to Abraham Isaac and Iacob they would neuer haue made such
offering c Let vs first speake of this feast of Trumpets Some of the Rabbines fantastically suppose that it was instituted in remembrance of the offering vp of Isaac Of the feast of Trumpets the vses to vs. or of deliuerance from being offered which conceite is idle and nothing at all to the purpose Others imagine that it was appointed vpon occasion of the warres that the Israelites had with the Amalekites and other Nations vnder the conduct of God to put them in remembrance that the whole life of man is nothing else but a continuall warfare Iob 7 1. 2 Timoth. 2 1. Of this feast we read Leuit. 23 24. This was accounted as a Sabbath an holy conuocation wherin they must do no seruile worke Therein the trumpets or cornets sounded alowd and the sound thereof was heard farre and neere Of this also in part we haue spoken before chap. 10.1 Let vs come to the Vses hereof in regard Vse 1 of our selues which serued of purpose to stir vp the people to returne vnto God praise and thanksgiuing with ioyfulnesse of heart for all his benefits according to that in the Psalmes Make a ioyfull noise vnto the God of Iacob take a Psalme and bring hither the Timbrel the pleasant Harpe with the Psaltery blow vp the Trumpet in the new Moone in the time appointed on our solemne feast day Psal 81 1 2 3. So Dauid hauing experience of Gods good hand toward him in many preseruations Title composed the 18 Psalme as a testimony of his thankfulnes for his deliuerance from the hands of all his enemies from the hand of Saul So I should thinke that the cause of this feast was to be a feast of remembrance for his manifold mercies receiued in the wildernesse that thereby they might stirre vp themselues to be vnited in God And the cause of the institution of this feast seemeth to be contrary to that which followeth which is the feast of fasting For as the Iewes had a day to humble themselues by fasting so they were also to haue a day of reioycing that when they heard of those Trumpets they should stirre vp themselues to returne to GOD with ioy of heart And albeit we neyther heare nor haue these Trumpets sounding in our eares to call vs to the Temple and place of his worship yet ought we to praise his name cheerefully and readily with spirituall ioy and gladnes continually Esay 35 2 3 10. with singing thanksgiuing Esay 49 20 21 for it is certaine the faithfull onely haue true cause to reioyce Psal 32 11. 33 1 the vngodly haue no cause at all Esay 48 20 21 22 but rather to weepe and lament Luke 6 25. Secondly it reproueth the Popish sort who Vse 2 endeuour to follow this commandement as if it belonged to Christians as a precept in our dayes and therefore haue a resemblance of it once a yeere by ringing of bels yea at euerie solemne feast they thinke God is well paid pleased when they haue rung their bels lowd and lustily and thereby wakened the ghostes of such of their friends as are dead Such practise is no better then sorcery and witchcraft which is retained among them And hence it is that they ascribe more force to their hallowed and consecrated bels then euer GOD gaue to the sound of these Trumpets For they ascribe vnto them being once hallowed a spirituall power against thunder lightning and euill spirits for that cause they are not ashamed to baptize them and to exact great summes of money of the people for that purpose which was one of the greeuances wherof the Princes of Germany complained in the assembly at Noremberg But this feast serued onely for the people of old time and therfore they mingle the Law the Gospel together and bring in a Linsy-wolsy religion contrary to the will and commandement of God Vse 3 Thirdly this warneth vs of the preaching of the Gospel concerning Christ the Sauiour of the world the conqueror of all our enemies and of them that hate vs Esay 58 1 Zach. 9. For this was a warlike instrument Num. 6.31 Iosh 6. God hath caused the doctrine of saluation to be sounded out in the world so that all haue heard the sound of it Psal 19 4. Rom. 10 18 Such a Trumpet was Iohn the Baptist the forerunner of Christ who was sent to prepare the way of the Lord Mark 1 1 2 to call vpon them to repent because the kingdome of God was at hand And this commendeth to the Ministers in the execution of their office diligence carefulnesse continuance cheerefulnes and zeale 1 Cor. 9 17. 1 Pet. 5 2. Vse 4 Lastly as the Ministers must bee the Lords Trumpets so indeede ought euery faithfull soule to bee a Trumpet For when this feast was yeerely obserued such as heard the trumpets were warned by it all the yeare after to stirre vp and awaken themselues remembring that God doth call them as with a lowd voice daily that they should yeelde vp themselues soules and bodies vnto him to worshippe and serue him as he requireth When this feast was celebrated solemnized all the males were not commanded to repaire to Ierusalem as they were at the three more solemne feasts Exod 23 17 to wit if they were free-men and in health able to go to the place of his worship Deut. 12 6 16 2. And hence it is that the Iewish Doctors out of that Law of all males appearing before rhe Lord three times in the yeare do exempt and discharge eleuen sorts and therefore they say that women seruants are not bound but all men are bound except the deafe and the dumbe and the foole the little childe and the blinde and the lame and the vncircumcised and the olde man and the sicke and the tender or weake which are not able to go and trauell vpon their feet neuerthelesse though the people were far from Ierusalem when this feast vvas holden and that they could not resort thither daily to doe sacrifice in the Temple yet they were to consider in their absence that sacrifices were offered there euen in their behalfe and God was worshipped there in the behalfe and name of all the Tribes True it is this figure is passed away and vtterly abolished by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ howbeit this remaineth that we our selues should serue for trumpets For as the Temple being destroyed wee must be spiritual Temples vnto God so the Trumpets being taken away euery one of vs must be spiritual Trumpets that is we shold rouze vp our selues because we are naturally so besotted and wedded to the world and vnto the vanities heere below that it seldome cometh into our minds to thinke of God of the Gospel of the kingdome of heauen Our eares are so possessed with the sound of earthly things and our eyes so dazled with the pleasures of the flesh that we are as deafe and blind men that can
from dangers acknowledge that it is Gods preseruation and be thankfull for it This should put vs in minde of two things first that if wee happen to liue vnder such a iudgement we must stoope down our neckes vnder this yoake and humble our selues vnder the most mighty hand of God that hath brought so fearfull a iudgement vpon vs. For if we thinke it to be a iudgement when the earth bringeth not foorth her fruite vnto vs then much more may wee thinke it to bee a iudgement when the earth is not able to beare a man but casteth and vomiteth him out into captiuity as the stomack doth grosse and euill humors out of the bodie For this cause doeth the Lord charge the Israelites to keepe his statutes and his iudgements That the Land do not spew them out also when they defile it as it spewed out the Nations that were before them Leuit. chapter 18. verse 25 28. 20. verse 22. And afterward he sheweth that if they did not walke obediently before him the land whither hee bringeth them to dwell therein should spew them out as Reu. 3 16. Of all iudgements to bee carried into captiuity is one of the greatest The very mercies of the wicked are cruelty Dauid made choyse to be vnder the plague and pestilence rather then to flye before the enemy because hee is vnmercifull Wee sit vnder our owne Vines and Figge-trees wee haue seene no inuasion nor heard any complainings in our streetes wee know not what bondage meaneth or to bee carried captiues into a strange Land howbeit it is apparent that wee haue beene very neere vnto it as neere to the pit as could bee and yet not fallen into the same For if the Gunne-powder Treason had taken place which was verie neere vnto the time appointed for the execution of it we had long ere this beene in slauery and bondage againe vnto the bloodie Papists who haue long lyen in waite for such a day and albeit that be defeated and all theyr imaginations bee scattered as chaffe before the winde yet who knoweth how neere we may bee to as great captiuity Wee are secure and put away the euill day farre from vs but the greater our security is the neerer our captiuity may bee We haue close and secret enemies amongest vs neuer more lusty and neuer more couragious then they are at this day which are left to remaine amongst vs to be prickes in our eyes and Thornes in our sides and to vex vs in the Land wherein wee dwell verse 55. These neuer leaue plotting and conspiring our ouerthrow and destruction Wee heare of rumours of Warre abroad and spreadings of errours and heresies which threaten ruine both to Church and Common-wealth these are but the beginnings of sorrow Againe if we looke vnto our selues our sinnes are very great and call continually for vengeance vnto heauen at Gods hands and no doubt he is comming downe to see whether wee haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto him All these laide together and weighed as it were in a ballance what can wee in reason and iustice expect but that GOD deliuer vs into the enemies hands and suffer them to carry vs captiue and so make slaues and bondmen of vs Secondly if any desire to enioy the land wherein hee dwelleth in peace and safety let him labour not to pollute and defile it by his sinnes The Iewes had a promise of God to be his people yet because of their sinnes he suffered them to bee carried into captiuity where they remained long in a strange land Haue we any greater priuiledge then they or may we expect to escape No if wee follow them in contempt of the word and other open sinnes wee shall bee sure to follow them also in the punishment which will be answerable to our iniquities Lastly this assureth vs that as GOD deliuereth his people from temporall danger and bondage so hee will deliuer them much more from spirituall bondage For if he will deliuer our bodies hee will much more deliuer our soules that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1 74 75. Wherefore wee ought patiently to waite his leysure knowing that if hee haue such a speciall care of our bodies that must lye in the dust to set them free from temporall bondage hee will much rather deliuer our soules from spirituall bondage wherein Satan holdeth vs. When Christ our Sauiour would shew that hee came to redeeme the soules of men hee taught them by deliuering their bodies from diseases For when hee restored sight to the blinde by opening their eyes what did it signifie but that hee came to scatter the darknesse of the minde and to make them see that before saw not the light of the truth as Math. 4 16 The people that sate in darknesse saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp The Prophets in the time of the Law smote the people with blindnes that they knew not what they did neyther whither they went 2 Kings 6 18 as the Angels did the Sodomites so that they wearied themselues to finde the doore Gen. 19 11. But Christ to shew that hee came to seeke and to saue that which is lost restored sight to the blinde and opened the eyes of their vnderstandings when hee healed the bodies of such as were lame and halted what was it but a teaching of them that he came to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliuerance to the captiues and to set at liberty them that were bruised When hee raised some to life from the dead what did it teach and shew but that hee is able to raise out of the graue of sinne and to giue the life of the spirit When hee cleansed the lepers what was it but a making knowne to the world that hee will cleanse from the foule and filthy leprosie of sinne And when he did cast out diuels that possessed the bodies of men what was it but to shew that he casteth the diuels out of the hearts and consciences where they desire to dwell as in an house If then it be no small comfort vnto vs to know that the Lord will deliuer his people from an earthly bondage certainely it cannot but minister much more comfort vnto vs to consider that the Lord is more careful of our soules and if hee be mindfull of vs for things of this life hee cannot be forgetfull of vs for the life to come seeing hee hath sent his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all which beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 7 And they remoued from Etham and turned againe to Pihahiroth c. 8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea c. 9 And they remoued from Marah and came vnto Elim c. 9 And they remoued
goe bidde his friends farewell which were at his house and when he had more leysure Christ should be serued So it fared with them that were bidden to the marriage-feast who all with one consent beganne to make excuses the first said I haue bought a peece of ground and I must needes goe and see it another said I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I goe to proue them and another saide I haue married a wife and therefore I cannot come Luke 14 18 19 20 Math 22 5. Thus wee see our nature is slow and vntoward to follow the Lord wee shift off and shrinke backe as long as wee can and many goodly excuses our corrupt flesh findeth to linger and put from vs all true obedience to Christ Iesus Faine wee would seeme desirous to follow God to come vnto Heauen but wee are loth to soyle and defile our feete Cant. 5 3 so that we must be violently thrust forward before we will yeeld so sturdy and stubburne our neckes are Ioh. 6 44. Wee see the truth of this in Nicodemus he bare a loue to Christ and a liking to his doctrine but first hee came to him by night for feare of the Iewes Ioh. 3 2 afterward hee waxed more bold in the cause of Christ before the face of the Pharisees and that in the open day thogh he receiued a checke Ioh. 7 50 and lastly he shewed himselfe more constant and zealous in professing himselfe to be one of his disciples in the buriall of Christ The like we see in Ioseph of Arimathea who at the first was a disciple of Iesus secretly Ioh. 19 38 but after declared himselfe manifestly in the costly and honourable buriall of his Master Thus it appeareth that the Kingdome of Heauen is like a graine of mustard seed which is one of the least of all seeds Matthew 13 31 and that the Elect themselues are brought on by small degrees their handes hang downe their knees are weake they goe halting and limping and quickly turne out of the right way they hang off and on a great while they meete with many lettes and incombrances both at home in themselues and abroad in others And albeit for further proofe and certainty of this point it were sufficient to send euery man that knoweth what true vocation and conuersion meane home to his owne dores to examine his owne heart yet consider I pray you briefly the heauenly calling of Saint Austine as it is testified by himselfe in his bookes of confession For when God beganne to speake to his conscience hee felt a world of tentations he was tossed and troubled with infinite combates and conflicts betweene the flesh and the spirit Lib 8. confess cap. 1. 2 7. betweene God drawing on the one side and the flesh the world and the diuell holding backe on the other part His pleasures past presented themselues before his eyes and hee thought hee might prolong the time at length he beganne to breake through this army of enemies and to speake vnto God after this maner Et tu Domine vsque quo qâ—am dâ—u quam â—iu cras cras quare non modo O Lord how long wilt thou suffer me thus how long how long shall I say to morrow and to morrow why should I not doe it now why should there not be an end of my filthy life euen at this houre Then hee was bidden to take vp and reade in the Scripture after which followed his wonderfull and finall conuersion ioyned with much weeping and lamentation This difficulty the Apostle found in his practice that when hee would doe good hee was so yoked that euil was present with him he did delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man yet he saw another law in his members rebelling against the law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne so that he did not those things which he would but the euilsi which he would not he did Rom. 7.21 22 23 29. This should teach vs to call vpon God by earnest prayer that we may receiue of him the presence of his grace the assistance of his Spirit that wee may ouer-stride all doubtes and difficulties that would stay vs and so entangle vs in the snares of sinne Let vs vse all holy and lawfull meanes to strengthen our faith that we may proceede from faith to faith and grow in the graces of God vntill we come to be perfect men in Iesus Christ And let vs not doubt of our calling when we see to the griefe of our hearts and the discomfort of our soules such wants and weakenesses in vs it is not otherwise with vs then with all the faithfull but let vs striue and fight against these lettes which would withdraw our mindes from God and take heede wee quench not the Spirit nor grieue him by whom we are sealed vnto the day of redemption 1 Thessalon 5 19. Ephes 1 30. And although Satan and the world make neuer so much suit vnto vs to entertayne the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season and sing neuer such sweet songs to enchant vs and lull vs asleepe in carnall security let vs stoppe our eares and strengthen our hearts against such lusts as fight against the soule Wee see sundry persons after theyr calling by the preaching of the word and after a long profession of the faith to turne backe againe as the dogge to his vomit 2 Peter 2 22 Prouerb 26 11. 2 Timoth. 4 4 some to theyr vaine company others after the loue of the world the lusts of the flesh the cares of this life and grow to bee more filthy and prophane then they were before Let vs take heed of such dangerous examples their doings are euill theyr fall is fearefull theyr end wil be more fearefull without repentance and practising of their first workes Fourthly we see the people of God before Vse 4 they could enter into the land of Canaan were constrayned to buckle and encounter with sundry enemies the Amalekites the Canaanites the Amorites the Bashanites the Midianites and sundry others Exodus 17 8. Numbers 21 1 and 31 1 2 c. all which in the end they subdued so that not one of them was able to looke them in the face Thus it fareth with all the faithful in this life As soon as wee enter into the race of Christianity by and by we must expect many and sundry enemies that crosse vs in the way some secret that seek to vndermine vs some open that with all violence flye vpon vs and driue against vs both seeke to ouerthrow vs yea such as before our calling seemed our friends and familiars now beginne to reiect and renounce vs now fall to nod the head at vs and to set themselues against vs because it seemeth strange to them that wee runne not with them into the same excesse of riot and therefore they speake euill of vs which shall giue account to him that is ready