bee an instrument to convert many Musculus sup Answ 2 Secondly some expound this of preaching and pietie together as if our Saviour would say shine in doctrine but withall let men see your Obser 2 good workes Gualt s Teaching both Pastors and people that to the knowledge of the word they must adjoyne the practise of pietie Or they must diligently labour to encrease both in knowledge and practise Quest 2 Why are both knowledge and practise thus necessarily to be adjoyned Answ 1 First because without the knowledge of religion our pietie and devotion is but blinde knowledge being the eye by which religion is directed and therefore they are necessarily to be conjoyned Answ 2 Secondly knowledge and practise are the two wings of religion without either of which our religion is lame and falles to the ground And therefore if with the Eagle wee desire to soare up unto heaven we must adjoyne and linke them both together Answ 3 Thirdly knowledge is not required in us or to be acquired by us for it selfe but that thereby we might be more enabled to performe our duties towards God which we cannot without the knowledge of the word and therefore it is requisite that first our hearts should be instructed in the knowledge of God and of his Law and of our Masters will and then carefully to performe what wee know our God requires of us Who are faultie in this particular First those who preferre ignorance before knowledge darknesse before light Secondly those who are remisse in seeking for knowledge who are ignorant and negligent in the use of the meanes of knowledge Vult non vult pigeâ— thâ—y love wisedome and say they long for understanding but other things wholly divert them from the quest thereof And therefore it is necessary to heare and read and learne and pray for the encrease of knowledge Thirdly they are too much defective here who labour for knowledge and rest only therein whether Pastors or people for we must not bee hearers onely or speakers onely or knowers onely but doers also because without a holy obedient and religious life our preaching hearing and knowledge is altogether fruitlesse Indeed it is true that a knowing Minister by his preaching may benefit others but not himselfe except hee bee a follower as well as a leader a Disciple as well as Doctour a practitioner as well as Teacher Fourthly those Ministers are principally faultie here whose lives are scandalous and conversations impious who doe not onely no good but also much evill These weave Penelopes web undoing as much by their evill life as they doe by their good doctrine destroying as fast with the left hand as they build with the right Thus much for the second generall answer to the first question the third and last remaines Thirdly some expound these words Let your Answ 3 light shine of pietie onely Thus Calvin most truely as though our Saviour would say as you are the light of doctrine verse 14. so shine in good workes that men seeing them may glorifie God Who are they that are commanded to let their Quest. 3 light shine or to hold forth a good example unto others First this belongs unto all in regard of all Answ 1 those to whom their life may be made knowne and that for these causes First because all men ought to glorifie God by their workes Secondly because there are none but they may exhibite something in their life whereby some others may either be confirmed or furthered by Thirdly because all men in their severall states and callings have some singular occasions of doing some good which others upon the like occasion offered ought and may imitate And therefore every one should labour to shine in the workes of holinesse and uprightnesse that others thereby might be provoked to the like Answ 2 Secondly they principally are enjoyned to hold forth the lampe of a pure life who either in age gifts or office are superiours unto others that is old men must be a president unto young Masters a patterne unto servants Fathers a copie unto children Magistrates an example unto people Ministers as Leaders unto their flocke and the like Read 2 Thessal 3.9 and 1 Tim. 4.12 and Titus 2.4.7 Now the reasons why this dutie of shining unto others belongs unto all sorts of superiours are these First because much is required of him to whom much is given w Luk. 12 48. and therefore the more God hath honoured any let them bee the more carefull to honour him the higher hee hath raysed any the more are they engaged to strive by the light of a holy life to advance his glory Secondly because the more eminent a man is in place the more conspicuous is his life and is the lesse hid as our Saviour sayth in the former verse save one A Citie set on a hill or a lighted candle put into a candle-sticke cannot bee hid Those who are in any high place cannot conceale their lives and actions but they will appeare to those who are under them either to their glory or infamy and therefore it concernes all superiours and Governours to be carefull that their light so shine unto others that God may be glorified by them and in them Thirdly because those who in place degree or rank are above others ought in going before to shew the right way to others Fourthly inferiours depend upon superiours and therefore for the most part compose themselves according to their example If a Ruler sayth Salomon hearken to lies all his servants are wicked x Pro. 29.12 And therefore all Governours had need to be wary lest they mislead those whom they must answer for and so their blood bee required at their hands Sect. 3 § 3. Before men What is the meaning of these words Quest Answ 1 First Musculus understands it of preaching the word as though our Saviour should say you must preach the word to all without respect of persons that is first to all nations and people whether Jewes or Gentiles Secondly to all of what order and degree soever whether rich or poore masters or servants Kings or subjects Thirdly to all of what condition qualitie or disposition whatsoever whether wise or simple ignorant or learned wicked or righteous obedient or rebellious for whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare the word must bee preached unto them y Ezech. 2.4 c. that those who will not amend may be left without excuse Answ 2 Secondly these words Let your light shine before men may be expounded of pietie also as well as preaching as if Christ should say you must bee carefull to order your conversation aright as well in regard of others as of your selves For first they are our brethren and therefore wee ought to love them Secondly by our evill example we may hurt pervert debilitate detain and keepe them backe from the wayes of grace and worke of the Lord. Thirdly by our good example wee may helpe convert
and will tell God he owes them such and such things because for his sake they forsook such things these we spake something of in the fift Chapter verse 7. and now as palpable passe by Secondly some weave a garment of Linsey-wolsey and hope that God wil approve of them yea fall in love with them for it these are they who tell us of a first Justification wrought by God and of a second wrought by our selves But these two Justifications are like the Ark and Dagon who will not stand together or the feet of Daniels Image which were part of Iron and part of Clay and would not solder together Dan. 2.42 yea this distinction is directly denied by Saint Paul Rom. 11.6 and therfore must not be admitted by us Thirdly some tell us that our good works merit by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon them or by some extending or stretching of his merits unto them But as was said before the merit and blood of Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self for by his death and bloodshed we are saved Fourthly they have another merit which frees from temporall punishment whence comes Purgatorie and pardons but God pardons all together and reserves no anger when he remits but forgives and forgets at once Certainly all merit of man derogates from Christ for if we could by our works have purchased salvation then Christ died in vain Romans 4.13 14. Quest 4 Must wee not then work and labour at all Answ We must and that with our utmost endevour Reade Philippians 2.12 13. Hebrews 12.4 Ephesians 5.14 and 2 Peter 1.5 c. and 1 Iohn 5.18 But of this largely before chapter 5. Vers 28 VERS 28. And when he was come into the house the blinde men came to him And Iesus saith unto them Beleeve ye that I am able to do this They said unto him Yea Lord. Object The Papists produce this place for the proof of a generall faith and for the overthrowing of a particular application of the promises unto our selves Arguing thus That faith which Christ required and confirmed by Miracles vvas a justifying faith But that was no particular perswasion or assurance of speciall mercie but onely a generall belief in the power and omnipotencie of Christ Therefore a justifying faith requireth no such particular perswasion or confidence of speciall mercie The Assumption Bellarmine proves from this place lib. 1. de Iustifie cap. 8. where Christ saith to the blinde men Beleeve ye that I am able to do this They answer Yea Lord whereupon Christ addes According to your Faith so be it unto you First I answer to the Major that it is not universally true for a temporary faith Answ 1 may suffice for the receiving of a temporall benefit Secondly to the Minor we say that many Answ 2 things in a justifying faith are to be beleeved besides speciall mercie and that none can apprehend speciall mercie except he beleeve God to be in Christ reconciling the World unto himself If the learned Reader desire to see this answer prosecuted and how grosly the Cardinall sophisticates not concluding according to the Rules of Art let him reade Chamier Tom. 3. f. 408 409. lib. 13. de fide cap 4. § 1. ad 8. Thirdly to the receiving of a temporall benefit Answ 3 in recovering of their sight a temporary faith which we call the faith of Miracles might have sufficed these blinde men Fourthly these blinde men beleeved not onely Answ 4 that Christ was able to help them but were also perswaded of his mercie in saying Oh Son of David have mercie upon us Vers 29. Then touched he their eyes saying Vers 29 According to your faith be it unto you § 1. Then touched he their eyes Sect. 1 Why did Christ touch their eyes Quest 1 First certainly it was not by reason of any Answ 1 necessity for he could have healed them without touching if he had so pleased having done many greater works onely by his word Secondly neither was this an idle action or a Answ 2 thing done without any speciall end for Christ did nothing but that which was of speciall use in one regard or another Thirdly I conceive therefore that he touched Answ 3 their eyes for these causes namely I. Perhaps that he might shew that he himself was the Author and Actour of this Miracle for First neither can man restore sight unto the blinde Iohn 9.30 31. Neither Secondly can a Devill open the eyes of the blinde Iohn 10.21 II. Christ touched their eyes to shew that he stood not in need of second causes or medicines but that his touch was sufficient for the effecting of what he desired or curing of what malady soever As with his word at other times hee stills the raging of the waves III. Christ touched their eyes that by the use of a visible or sensible means he might help and strengthen their faith for certainly this was of great power as we see in Naaman I thought saith he the Prophet would have laid his hand upon the sore and have stricken it over the place and called upon his God and so have cured my leprousie 2 Kings 5.11 As if he would have said If he had thus touched me I should have beleeved that he would have cured me but now I have no hope of help from him And thus I say Christ teacheth these that thereby their faith and confidence may bee the greater IV. Christ toucheth them that he may teach both them and us the excellencie and Observ 1 utility of the means or That the use of the means is not to be neglected because that is a tempting of God the means being ordained by God for the obtaining of such and such wished ends As for example God hath ordained First meat and apparell for the preservation of life Secondly medicines for the preventing of sicknesse or procuring of health Thirdly repentance sorrow and hearty contrition for the breaking of the power of sin Fourthly the preaching of the Word for the illuminating of the heart and the begetting of faith Fiftly prayer for the procuring of good things or as a generall Antidote against all evils Quest 2 Who are faulty in this particular Answ 1 First those who neglect the means in temporall things undoing themselves and theirs by idlenesse gaming prodigality pride drunkennesse or the like Answ 2 Secondly those who in sicknesse despise and sleight Physick although Witchcraft and Enchantments are not altogether contemned by them Answ 3 Thirdly those who hope for and desire the pardon of their sins but in the mean time neglect godly sorrow and wave that spirituall and bloody combat against sinne and Sathan Hebrews 12.4 Answ 4 Fourthly those who desire internall light and reconciliation and the new Covenant but neglect the hearing reading and meditating of the Word of God Answ 5 Fifthly those who desire to be blessed by the enjoyment of good things and freedome from evill but sleight and forget prayer 1 Thessalonians
therefore should not be strangers unto this duty And IV. To visite the sicke is commended in the Scripture Iob. 2.11 12 13. yea lauded by Christ in this place verse 36. And V. This duty shall be rewarded both on earth Psal 41.1 and in heaven in this place And therefore if people desire either the praise or reward of Christ they must visite the sicke Thirdly it is the Ministers duty to visite the sicke who are under his charge if as our Canon excepts the sicknesse be not contagious as appeares thus I. They must take care for their whole flocke in generall and for every member of their flocke in particular and therefore they must not absent themselves from them in the time of their sicknesse it being a fitting season to administer saving advice and counsell unto them Reade Ezech 34.1.2 3 4. II. People principally stand in need of consolation and comfort when they are sicke whence we see that Christ was cheered and refreshed in his agony by the company and consolation of Angels Luke 2â— 43 And therefore Ministers must visite their sheepe when they lye on their sicke beds III. Those who are sicke are exhorted to desire the visitation of the Ministers and the Ministers are commanded to visite those who are visited with the hand of sicknesse Iames. 5.14 And therefore they neglect both their duties to God and man if they be back-ward herein What are the fruits of hospitality that our Saviour Quest 3 reckons it up amongst the rest of the workes which shall be rewarded First if the studious Reader would see this enlarged Answ and seven fruits of hospitality expressed let him reade Stapleton Antidot animae pag. 181. 182 183. where he shall find something false something fabulous and something true Secondly God is so well pleased with this duty Answ 2 of hospitality to the poore and to strangers that he hath and doth often incline the hearts and affections of great personages to seeke the love and familiarity of them who are given thereunto although they be their inferiours and of low place in respect of the world and by this occasion those who descend from great houses doe often match with those who are obscure thus Raguel the Priest of Madian for his hospitality unto Moses was by the providence of God rewarded with this That that great and incomparable Prophet became his sonne in Law Exod. 2. Thirdly God is so delighted with this duty Answ 3 of hospitality that he hath made the wives of the lovers thereof fruitfull which were barren before and without children and by this meanes hath delivered them from that reproach which was counted great in old time as is cleare from the Shunamite 2 King 4 for whom the-Prophet of God obtained a sonne because she ordinarily received him with joy into her house Fourthly some for hospitality haue had their Answ 4 dayes prolonged by God as we may see in Rahab Iosh 2 And Fifthly it is of such force that by meanes of it corporall diseases have bene cured in the houses of them who have kindly entertained the servants of God even by the servants of God themselves as we may see from Acts. 18. Sixthly for this duty of hospitality God hath Answ 6 multiplied the store of the hospitable as is cleare from 1 King 17. where the widdow was rewarded for her entertainment to the Prophet with a multiplication and miraculous augmentation of her oyle and meale Seventhly it is of such vertue that it is oftentimes Answ 7 an occasion to many that be ignorant to come to the knowledge of God and of their salvation as Zacheus did who having received beyond his expectation JESVS CHRIST in to his house and entertaining him as kindly as possibly he might heare 's that which was as marrow to his bones viz This day salvation is come unto thine house Answ 8 Eightly some being given unto hospitality have instead of men entertained and received Angels into their houses yea God himselfe that is the second person in the B. Trinity as we see truely in Abraham who received Christ and two Angels into his house Gen. 18. and in Lot Gen. 19. and Hebrew 13.2 Object 2 The Papists object this place for justification by workes arguing thus We are judged according to our workes therefore wee also are justified by them Answ The last judgement is not the justifying of a man but a declaration of that justification which we had before obtained therefore the last judgement must be pronounced and taken not from the cause of justification but from the effects and signes thereof Perkins Object 3 From hence the Papists would also prove if they could that our good workes are the meritorious causes of life everlasting because good workes here are rendred as the cause why eternall life is rendred Their argument is this That is the meritorious cause of the Kingdome for which the Kingdome is adjudged and given to the sheepe But for these workes of mercy and charity the Kingdome is adjudged and given to the sheepe Therefore these workes are the meritorious cause of this Kingdome The Minor proposition they confirme thus The Judge here saith inherit the Kingdome for I was hungry and ye gave me meat For that is because ye fed me for the causuall particle Enim For doth expresse the true cause of the inheriting of this Kingdome Canisius Catech. Rhemist First some say that good workes are the efficient Answ 1 cause of the Kingdome but yet Non per modum meriti sed per modum viae medii not by way of merit but of meanes because as followes in the next Answer they are the way and meanes unto this Kingdome Answ 2 Secondly good workes are alleadged not as the meritorious cause or reason of life but as the way and order thereunto Habet vitam eternam fides c. Faith hath life eternall as a good foundation and good workes also whereby a righteous man is proved in word and deed Ambros officior lib. 2. Cap. 2. Good workes then are recompensed as testimonies and proofes of our faith or as signes shewing the sincerity of our faith and not alleadged as the meritorious cause of life eternall And this is evident from the very text For I. CHRIST saith Inherite the Kingdome or take and enjoy the Kingdome as an inheritance now an inheritance is not of merit Againe he saith which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world That is before ye were and before yee had either done good or evill and therefore it was prepared and is imparted freely II. The elect and faithfull themselves doe plainly deny all merit in these words Lord when saw we thee hungry or naked c. As if they would say it is nothing which we have done neither of such worth that thou O Lord should thus accept it as done unto thee or thus infinitely reward it Scultet Idea conc Pag. 646. Thirdly there is but one worke onely which Answ 3
to bee written that wee by the frequent and daily meditating thereof might understand what is necessary to bee knowne what to be beleeved unto salvation And thus much for the first word of the Title viz. Gospel Quest 6 It may yet bee demanded further concerning the Title of this Book what this Matthew was Answ 1 To which I answer for his person hee was the sonne of Alphens by name also called Levi and it is probable that hee was the brother of Iames the lesse f Mat. 10.9 I answer againe for his function hee was a Publican or a Tole-gatherer a calling very odious Answ 2 unto the Jewes First in regard of the office because they conceived these taxes to bee imposed upon them unjustly by the Roman government under which they were now subject Secondly in regard of the office because for the most part they were unjust exacters and oppressors extorting more from them then their due as Zacheus himselfe doth intimate when he saith g Luke 19 8. If I have taken any thing from any man unjustly c. And hence Christ exhorts Publicans h Luke 3.13 to exact no more then that which is appointed unto them Lastly I answer for Saint Matthewes paines Answ 3 labour or imployment this wee finde First Gualt â— that he preached the Gospel as farre as Aetheopia Secondly that hee sealed with his blood Quest 7 the Gospel he had preached being martyred for it From Saint Matthewes calling it will bee questioned why doth God use sinners for the publishing of the Gospel as here Matthew who was a Publicane and afterwards Paul who was a persecutor i Acts. â— 1 Tim. 1.12.13 and Onesimâ—s who was disobedient k Phil. 1â— I answer it is very profitable and behovefull for the patient or sicke person to have a Physitian who hath had experience of his Answ 1 sicknes for he that hath felt the griefe knowes best how to cure and redresse it and therefore the Lord will have quoâ—dam or sometimes sinners to preach unto those that yet are wicked because they know best the nature of sinne and how to apply fit corrosives and salves to every sinfull soule Againe I answer this the Lord Answ 2 doth to shew unto us that when he doth forgive he doth also forget when once wee turne unto God by repentance never to bee repented of hee doth as wholly put our sinnes out of his remembrance as though we never had offended him at all k Ezek. 18 22. Act. 17.30 Again God doth this to encourage sinners to turne unto him that having such presidents they may bee certainely assured that hee who is Answ 3 no respecter of persons will thinke nothing too deare for them whatsoever their former lives have beene if they will but truely returne unto the Lord. Lastly God doth this to demonstrate his Answ 4 power unto us that of great Sinners he can make great Saints of oppressing Publicans faithfull Apostles and of cruell Persecuters constant Professors and Preachers Concerning the time of this Gospel Answ it will be Quest 8 demanded when was this Gospel written by Saint Matthew I answer before any of the other three within 8 or 9 yeares from the Ascension l Athanasius Concerning the Author it will be demanded Quest 9 By whose authority was this Gospel written Answer I answer Saint Matthew was not the Author but the Hand for the holy Spirit was the Author and therefore Castalion erres who thus entitles this booke The Gospel by the Authour Matthew for it is more rightly called by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to Saint Matthew a Sic Tertul Cyprian or the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ according to Matthew b Vet. Interp as it is plainly expressed Mark 1.1 The Gospell of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Quest 10 Concerning the Idiome it will hee enquired in what language this Gospell was written Answ 1 To this some answer in Hebrew and the reason they give for this is because it was written first and principally for the Iewes This was the constant opinion of these Fathers Irenaeus Tertullian Origen Athanasius and Epiphanius all of them giving the fore-named reason that Saint Matthew being an Hebrew writ in Hebrew unto the Hebrewes and Ierome to confirme this tells us that hee found an Hebrew Copy in the Caesarian Librarie and Syrus the Interpreter is so confident herein that hee prefixeth this Title to this Book The Gospell which Saint Matthew preached in Hebrew in the Region Palestina Answ 2 I answer with reverence to so learned Fathers that the exposition of the name Emmanuel Matth. 1.23 doth shew that either first Matthew did not write in Hebrew for then he would not have expounded Emmanuel which is an Hebrew word or secondly that hee wrot both in Hebrew and Greeke or thirdly that he wrot this Gospell in Hebrew and that this addition unto Emmanuel that is if it be interpreted God with us was added by some Greeke Interpreter Now which of these is the certaine truth in truth is uncertaine Indeed the Fathers were not so confident that it was written in Hebrew but Erasmus and other learned Interpreters do as much question it and their reasons for the contrarie opinions are these First because if this Gospel were written first in Hebrew then who translated it into Greeke for none certainly can be produced to have done it the maintainers of this opinion not agreeing herein among themselves Theophilact thinkes that Iohn the Evangelist translated it but Athanasius ascribes it to Iames the Apostle The second reason is because all the other Pen-men of the holy Scriptures both Apostles and Evangelists writ in Greeke which was the most vulgar and knowne tongue then in those parts where they lived and therefore it is not likely that onely Matthew would use a divers idiome or language The third reason is because the proofe alledged by the Fathers proves not their opinion their proofe is Matthew wrot in Hebrew because hee was an Hebrew and wrot to Hebrewes This followes not because the rest of the Apostles were Hebrewes and yet they wrot and preached in Greeke They are Hebrewes sayth Saint Paul b 2. Cor. 11.22 and so am I. The fourth reason is because if we should grant that this Booke was written by Saint Matthew in Hebrew we must grant also that wee have not the Fountaine of this Gospell but a streame onely flowing from the Fountaine and derived unto us as Maldonate sayth by some uncertaine Authour Now it is not to be admitted or granted that this Translation which comes wee know not from whom should bee coupled with the rest of the Evangelists and Epistles whose fountaine it is granted wee have that is as they were written by them and not translated by others The fift reason is because the Hebrew words which Saint Matthew for some causes doth retaine in this Gospell he doth interpret not into other Hebrew words
which is very likely hee would have done if hee had writ in Hebrew but into Greeke words as Emmanuel i. e. God with us Eli Eli lammasabachthani i. e. my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Golgotha i. e. the place of a skull Abba which is my Father c Pareus s I adde a sixt and last reason which is taken from these words d Math. 5.18 one jot or iota of the law shall not passe away c. Now Iota is the least letter the Greekes have and Iod the least of Hebrew letters and therefore it being sayd there not the least Iod but the least Iota seemes if not a convincing yet a probable argument that this Gospell was written in Greeke not in Hebrew These reasons considered I had rather thinke and conclude that this Gospell was written by Saint Matthew in Greeke and not at all in Hebrew Thus much may suffice to bee spoken concerning the Authour Saint Matthew Concerning the name of this second volume Quest 11 of holy writ it may be questioned why these Bookes are called by the name of a Testament Answer For the understanding and better resolving Answ 1 of this question it is requisite to know that this word Testament hath a divers signification viz. I. First it signifies a Covenant so with the Hebrewes Berith which signifies a Covenant derived from Barath which signifies to conclude or make a Covenant is taken for a Testament So also the Greekes for this word Testament have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Aquila hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an Agreement or Covenant so the Latines they either call it Testamentum or Pactum a Testament or Covenant indifferently II. Secondly this word Testament signifies sometimes the will of the dead where a Testament is there must of necessitie be the death of the Testator e Heb. 9.16 Sometimes againe it signifies the covenant of the living and in this latter sence the Scripture is called a Testament because it is a Covenant of mercie and grace which God made with Adam Noah Abram Moses David and all his elect people III. Thirdly this word Testament doth ordinarily signifie a body of Bookes containing the Historie of those people who were received by God into Covenant that is principally the Bookes of the Law and of the Prophets IV. Fourthly Testament sometimes signifies the bare promises which God made unto Abraham and thus Saint Paul seemes to understand the word a Gal. 3.15.16 V. Fiftly and lastly most commonly this word Testament signifies the body of all Canonicall Bookes wherein is contained the Doctrine concerning Christ who was exhibited and given for a Redeemer of Mankinde b Aretius s I answer againe these Bookes are called by Answ 2 the name of a Testament for this cause I. First because they describe unto us a Covenant whereby we are reconciled unto God which is not a legall covenant of workes but an Evangelicall covenant of faith in Christ II. Secondly because in these bookes are truely expressed the last Will and Testament of the Sonne of God which hee would have us to performe after his death and which is plainly expressed totidem verbis in the institution of the Lords Supper Eate and drinke yee all of this for this is my bloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the New testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes c Mat. 26.27.18 III. Thirdly because all things which are required in a solemne Will and Testament are here in these books to be found for the clearing whereof observe A Will is either written by the hand or direction of the Testator in his life time or it is unwritten and is called by the Lawyers Testamentum nuncupativum a Will declarative and such is the Will and Testament of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ wherein there are principally these foure things First a Testator which is Christ the Sonne of God the author of this New Testament Secondly an Heire or joint-heires which are all the elect of all ages and hence the Scripture often calleth the Saints Heires and Coheires of Christ d Tit. 3.7 Rom. 8.17 1 Pet. 3.7 Thirdly Legacies or goods given to the Heires by the Testator which are life eternall remission of sinnes the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost whereby we are enabled to performe in some good measure the Will of Christ as to live holily to adorne our profession to be liberall towards the poore to love one another to beleeve in God faithfully and to call upon him fervently and the like Fourthly witnesses of the Will and these were I. First the Apostles and Disciples of Chrst who are by Christ called his Witnesses and they themselves are not ashamed to bee so called e Luk. 24.48 Act. 1.8 2.32 II. The holy Martyrs are Christ witnesses also because they suffered their blood to be shed for the confession of this Testament III. Thirdly all good Ministers who are interpreters of this Testament and propound the excellencies thereof unto the world are likewise Christs witnesses IV. Fourthly and lastly all the Godly who labour to performe and fulfil the contents of this Will in their lives and conversations are witnesses also of this New Testament Quest 12 Concerning the addition one question more may be propounded and that is why are these Bookes called New Answ The new Testament seeing that the substance of this volume is contained in the other commonly called the Old Testament I answer these bookes are called New for these reasons I. First in regard of the time wherein they were written because in time they were later written then those of the other Testament so we call those things new which in tyme are nearer unto us and those things old which are further distant from our memorie and age II. Secondly they are called New in regad of the promises of a new kingdome which they containe for in the Old Testament almost f I say almost not altogether 1. because the promises of the New Testament are in the Old and those of the Old in the New though the old hath them satis involutè in Typis but the New revelate satis 2 Because this Almost serves to escape the foule error of the Sadduces apud Hugonem Groâ—ium de verit Relig Christ pag. 64. And of Servetus apud Calvin Instit lib. 2. cap. 10. pag. 102. 105. 172. And of some other Pseudo-Theologues in these times domi forsan for as all the promises respect the kingdome of the earthly Canaan and that upon these conditions that they should dwell safely securely and prosperously in that land so long as they lived holily before the Lord but the land should spue them out if they forsake the Lord. But this New Testament hath the promise of a new kingdome the kingdome of heaven as also of the abolishing of death of eternall life of bestowing righteousnesse upon us and renewing our humane
in Christ the head of the Church when he was upon earth is now in the Pope his Vicar generall upon earth but Christ had both Regall and Sacerdotall power i. e. was both a Priest and a temporall King when hee was upon the earth Therefore the Pope is such both a Priest and a Prince having power Temporall and Spirituall over people and Princes The whole argument I meddle not withall referring the Reader to the learned Frenchman a Camierus Tom. 2. lib. 15. cap. 4. Sect. 1.2 3. de Temp. Papa potes I will onely prosecute one particular of the Minor proposition Wee deny that Christ was a temporall King upon earth and therefore although the Pope were his Vicar which is not yet proved by them by any unanswerable or unanswered arguments yet hath he not Regall power given unto him That Christ was a temporall King some of them b Carerius prove from this verse the Orientall Kings or wise men of the East aske where is he that is borne King of the Jewes therefore they confesse he was a King and they honour him as a King by presenting gifts unto him To this I answer first it cannot bee denied Answ 1 but that Christ was called by the Wise Men a King Secondly but whether they call him a temporall Answ 2 King or not that is the question and Carerius proves it not but others witnesse c Chrysost hom 6. in Matth. that they came unto Christ as unto God and then certainely they do not enquire for him as a temporall King Againe it is most probable and agreeable Answ 3 unto reason that they call Christ an heavenly King not an earthly as may appeare thus If these wise men had acknowledged no other thing in Christ but onely that hee was the temporall King of the Jewes that is a King of a very small people then had they had no cause to have undertaken this long journey for the sight of him but rather cause not to have moved a foot out of the way for him the earthly King of the Jewes not belonging at all unto them Answ 4 Lastly I answer when they find Christ they worship him which argues that they acknowledge him not to bee an earthly but a heavenly King for although temporall Kings amongst them were wont to bee worshiped yet none before their coronatiō when they were actually Kings which could not as yet be his nativity being neither knowne unto nor taken notice of by the Jewes and therefore all interpreters in a manner agree that they worshiped him as a God I referre the studious Reader here to Opus imperf in Matth. hom 2. and Salmeron Tract 38. Tom. 3. and Anselm s and cyprian serm de stellâ Magi and August serm 29. de tempore Divers questions from this verse may be made concerning this STARRE I will onely propound those which I conceive to bee of most weight and of greatest necessity to be knowne Quest 1 First how was Christ manifested to the wise men Answ Answer by a starre they confesse at Jerusalem we have seene his starre and they conclude that a new starre doth portend a new King Quest 2 Secondly why was not Christ manifested unto the Wise Men who were Gentiles by a speaking Angell rather then by a dumbe and silent starre seeing that he was so revealed unto the Israelites an Angell from heaven totidem verbis even in plaine termes telling them of his nativity d Luke 2.10.11 Answ 1 First some say this was done for the fulfilling of Balaams Prophesie e Numb 24.17 That a starre should rise from Iacob but this is false for the Prophet speakes there of Christ himselfe under the type of David who should tame the Moabites and all his enemies Answ 2 Secondly this was not done without a mysterie which was this the Messias was to bee notified and made knowne unto the Gentiles not immediately from heaven but mediately by the Jewes For out of Zion went the law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem f Esa 2.3 Yea to the Jewes onely were committed the divine oracles of God g Rom. 3.9 and from them flowed salvation unto the Gentiles h Ioh. 4.22 Thirdly the Iewes were more worthy then Answ 3 the Gentiles at least in the Lords esteeme and therefore God did send messages unto them by Angels the Gentiles were dogs and were but to gather up the crums that fell from them and therefore God admonisheth them by a starre i Haymo s Answ 4 Fourthly the Iewes were directed by reason in their actions and therefore God sendes reasonable Angels unto them but the Gentiles know not how to use reason aright and therefore God gives unto them a signe k Greg. s Matth. 2. ◠349. Answ 5 Fiftly Christ was revealed unto these Wise men by a starre for a two-fold admonition viz. I. That they might be admonished of the person of Christ that this Iesus who was borne at Bethlehem was that King to whom as the latine Church sings both sunne and moone and starres and aire doe chante by turnes or unto whom every thing that hath breath should sing praise l Psal 150. vers last II. This was done that they might bee admonished of the benefits they should receive by Christ viz. that by a true and lively faith in this King a new starre of the true acknowledgement of God should arise in the hearts of the faithfull which should diffuse his light and send forth his bright beames into the obscure world for where the understanding is enlightned and the affections by a true zeale throughly enflamed there is light and brightnesse in the life and conversation Sixtly and lastly I answer the Wise Men Answ 6 were skilfull in Astrologie and Astronomy and therefore God revealed Christ unto them by a starre m Chryos Calvin supra where we may observe two things first God makes Christ knowne to the Israelites to the Priests to the Persians and to Herod Secondly hee makes Christ knowne unto these by things best knowne unto every one of them and most credited Christ was manifested to the Israelites by an Angel Luke 2.10 to the Persians by a starre to the Priests and Herod by the Priests and Magi of the Persians in this Chapter Thirdly it may bee demanded what manner Quest 3 of starre it was by which Christ was revealed unto the Wise Men Many grossely and ridiculously answer this Answ 1 question which answer I will but barely recite I. Some say it was an Astrologicall constellation by a certaine influence shewing Christ because these Wise Men say we have seene his star II. Others say this was the Holy Ghost who in the shape of a Dove was seene of the Jewes when hee descended upon Christ a Ioh. ◠32 III. Others say it was that Angell which appeared unto the Sheepherds b Luke 2 9.10 of which opinion was Chrysostom But the Angels never appeared
the place objected c Pro. 1.13 Thirdly some hide their counsels that they may harme others this is wicked and the practise of wicked men and it is two-fold 1. Vindicando inferendo mala when they desire to bee avenged and to bring some mischiefe and evill upon some one or other and this was Herods intent in this place 2. Supplantando auferendo bona when they have a purpose to supplant some one or other by some bargaines or deprive them of some thing they possesse or to wrong them by some meanes in their estates Now this third sort of hiding and concealing counsels is altogether forbidden for these causes First because it argues a wicked man the truth fears not the light but the sun is an enemy to him that doth evill d Ioh. 3.20 Secondly because it argues a distrust in the providence of God and a confidence in a mans owne wicked prudence thinking God hath forgotten him e Psalm 10 10. and therefore hee must trust to himselfe and his owne carnal wisedome Thirdly because this is a deed full of danger a practise very perilous the Lord having threatned to Judge these wicked secrets f Rom. 2.16 yea to punish them One speaketh peaceably to his neighbour saith the Lord with his mouth but in his heart hee layeth wait shall I not visit for these things and bee avenged of such transgressors g Ierem. 9.89 Fourthly because it is a foolish thing and argues him to bee a foole that doth it h Pro. 10.18 It is a foolish thing I say for a man to hide his counsels that hee may the sooner hurt his neighbour in a double respect 1. Because the time will come when this thy counsel shall bee laid open and made manifest unto the whole world and therefore it is but a folly now to hide it i Luk. 8.17 and 12.2 2. Because even now when thou most closely concealest thy counsel it is most apparent unto three who will bee both witnesses against thee to accuse thee and Judges also to condemne thee It is a great folly for a man to hide a murther from his neighbour and dearest Friend and commit it in the sight of the Judge Jury and his most deadly enemies So here wicked Herod and other wicked men in this kinde hide their bloody intents treacheries and mischievous practises from others when in the meane time they are clearely seene and knowne first to their owne conscience which will be more clamorous then a thousand witnesses against them Secondly to the Divell who will accuse them k Eccles 10 20. Thirdly to God who is greater then the Divell or their own Consciences and will both accuse and condemne them l 1 Ioh. 3.20 §. 1. VERS 8. And Herod said unto the Wise men goe and search diligently for the young child Vers 8 and when ye have found him bring me word againe that I may come and worship him also Wee may observe here that although the Sect. 1 Wise men were no wicked men Observ yet a wicked man goes about to abuse them by making them instruments and co-workers with him in his wickednesse they must search out the child and finding it bring him word that he may slay it Teaching us that oftentimes the righteous are in great danger to bee abused by the wicked unto wickednesse m 2 Sam. 15.11 c. and that for these three causes First because familiar friends can scarce deny what they are intreated as Iehoshaphat said unto Ahab I am as thou art my people as thy people n 1 King 22.4 And hence oftentimes they consent through their friends importunitie to that which is evill Secondly because wicked men are crafty like unto the Lapwing crying most when they are farthest from their neasts hiding their hearts from him whom they meane to deceive yea under good actions they can hide and cover wicked intentions as Herod did here both with the Wise men Chiefe Priests and Scribes Thirdly because charity is not suspicious but alwayes hopes the best and therfore oftentimes is most quickly deceived Sect. 2 § 2. That I may come and worship him It may here bee asked Quest why doth not Herod say venit eamus come let us goe but I prae sequar goe before and I will follow after Answ 1 I answer first because hee was idle he would not take the paines to seeke Christ Answ 2 Secondly hee is here in a type of wicked and carnall men who stand in neede of fore-runners unto Christ Answ 3 Thirdly because if he had gone with them he might have been hindred by them from his purpose and therefore hee goes not but awaits untill they bring him word of the place of Christs abode that then privily he may destroy Sect. 3 him and not be hindered by any Observa § That I may come and worship him Wee see Herod pretends one thing but intends another Praetendit cultum praeparat cultrum he saith he will come and worship him but the Fox intends to come and worrie him Hence it may be demanded Quest Whether is all Dissimulation evill or not To this it is answered First Dissimulation is Answ 1 the wicked mans instrument unto wickednesse and therefore to be eschewed by all good men Secondly Dissimulation is a kinde of lying Answ 2 mentiri est contra mentem ire a August to lye is to speake against a mans knowledge but dissimulation is contra mentem ire to speake or pretend outwardly that which our heart neither thinkes nor intends and therefore it is no other thing than lying b 1 Pet. 2.1 Thirdly a Christian mans minde should Answ 3 be simple not double God hath given us but one tongue and one heart that wee should not bee double-tongued nor double-hearted c 2 Cor. 1.12 11.3 but we must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Phil. 2.15 sincere and of single hearts and therefore all dissimulation is to be avoyded Fourthly the end of dissimulation is deceit Answ 4 but this is evill fraud binding but loosing not and therfore seeing dissembling tends and leads unto evill as evill in it selfe it is to be eschewed It may be objected Sometimes certainly it is Obiect 1 lawfull to dissemble as the Father sayth e August Aliquando bonum est verum celare nunquam falsum dicere although wee are never allowed to speake an untruth yet sometimes it is convenient to conceale part of the truth which is nothing else but a kinde of dissimulation and therefore all dissembling is not forbidden Answ I answer there are two things here to be distinguished to wit Dissimulatio Dissembling which is cōmitted either Loquendo by speaking deceitfully and this is a lye as Herod here promiseth to worship him but purposeth no lesse Tacendo by silence holding ones peace or a hiding of a mans own counsel and this is lawful f Pro. 29.11 that is if thou do it
imagine that they can prevaile against God as Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey him I know him not neither will I at his command let Israel goe b Exod. 5.2 as if he would say mauger all his power I will still keepe them so in divers other plaine places we may see this truth confirmed c 2 Ring 18.34 19.10 Dan. 3.15 Ier. 43.2 This arrogant branch that thus thinkes to toppe the heavens sprouts from these three rootes First from those desires which are too importunate and boundlesse unde habeat quarit nemo sed oportet habere when men have not learnt to want nor to bridle their ambition but are infected with the itch of honour then they runne on in a violent course to obtaine their desires either by right or wrong thus hoping in despight of God as Pope Iulius said to obtaine and effect their purposes This was Herods fault who being blinded with ambition and desire of raigning hoped by his craft and policie to cut Christ short Secondly this hope that wicked men have to prevaile against Christ ariseth from the confidence they have in their owne power and strength wicked great men thinke nothing hard for them to doe and therefore dare wage open battell against Gods religion and his children Thus doth Herod and because none dare gainsay him hee hopes to prevaile This hope arises from forgetfulnesse they remember not oftentimes the hand of the Lord but looke upon things as meerely ordered and governed by second causes d Iames 4.15 they consider not the eye of the Lord that sees all nor the hand of the Lord that swayes all or they presume God will take no notice of them or they dare violate the truth and yet hope to escape punishment as Adam and Evah eate the apple and yet hoped they should not dye although God had positively without any If or and for that peradventure e Gen. 3.3 was of Evahs adding affirmed the contrary f Gen. 2.17 and thus doth Herod hope to prevaile against Christ although God himselfe had most plainely said the contrary g Psal 2. And therefore every one should learne 1. to restraine his bottomles desires and be content with whatsoever estate or condition the Lord shal call him unto or settle him in 2. Every one must remember that he can doe nothing of himselfe because in God we live and moove and have our beeing a Act. 17.28 yea because preferment comes neither from the East nor from the West but from the Lord and therefore when we endeavour against the will of God we doe but strive against the streame 3. All must learne not to forget either the eye or hand or power or truth of God but remember all things are ordered by a divine hand of providence and therefore let us not put forth our hands to use any wicked or unlawfull meanes either for the procuring of any blessing or the preventing of any evill for in doing so we prove our selves to be like wicked Herod that thinkes hee can prevaile against Christ the onely begotten sonne of God VERRS 17. Then was fulfilled that Vers 17 which was spoken by Ieremiah the Prophet saying Then was fulfilled Wee see heere how carefull the Lord is that every word of his should be Quest 1 fulfilled whence First it may bee asked shall every word of God whether promises or threatnings be accomplished Certes it shall Esa 55.11 Answ my word saith the Lord shall be fulfilled and not one jot or jota thereof shall perish b Matth. 5.18 for if the Lord speake it he wil also doe it 1 Pet. 1.24 Secondly Why shall every word of God be Quest 2 fulfilled why is the Lord so carefull to bring to passe whatsoever he hath spoken I answer First because God is truth it selfe Answ 1 Iohn 14.6 and the truth of the word doth depend upon the truth of God and therefore the Lord will fulfill whatsoever he hath spoken least an aspersion of falshood should be cast in his face Secondly because God is infinite in knowledge he knowes from the beginning what shall Answ 2 be for ever and cannot be deceived c Gal. 6.7 and hence it is that the Prophets doe so often speake of things which are to come as though they were present yea sometimes as though they were by-past I. Sometimes they speake of things which shall not bee for many yeares after as though they were already present as d Mal. 3.1 Mark 1.2 the Prophet from the Lord saith concerning Iohn Baptist Behold J send my messenger who shall prepare the way II. Sometimes they speake of things that are to come divers hundred yâ—â—res after as though they were already past as it is said of Christ e Esa 9.6 for unto us a child is borne and unto us a sonne is given as though he were then already borne and given Now the reasons of their thus delivering ther-prophecies was because they were as sure of thâ— event and accomplishment of that which by them from the Lord had beene spoken as though it were already present or past Thirdly because God is omnipotent able to effect whatsoever hee hath promised or threatned Answ 3 by his word at first all things were made yea so powerful is the voice of God that it never returnes in vaine f Esa 55.11 If the Lord should not accomplish what he either promises or threatens men would beleeve that he were not able to doe it and therefore being jealous of his honour hee is carefull to fulfill whatsoever he hath spoken Fourthly God will fulfill every word of his Answ 4 because he is constant and immutable g Iam. 1.17 for 1. he is never disturbed with affection nor transported by passion he doth all things upon mature deliberation with infinite wisedome and most calme affection 2 His will is never changed he is to day and to morrow and for ever the same and therefore hee certainely fulfilles whatsoever he speakes To summe up all this whole question in few words If the Lord did not fulfill or performe what he promises and threatens it were for some of these causes either first because hee is not true or not a God of his word Or secondly because he knew not what would come to passe some thing thwarting or crossing him which he did not foresee nor know Or thirdly because he is not able to performe what hee hath spoken Or fourthly because he is mutable and of another minde to day then he was yesterday Now all these are blasphemously derogatory from the Majestie of the Almighty and therefore least men should thus conceit of him hee fulfills all his prophecies and predictions that they may see and know that hee is infinite in truth power knowledge and also immutable Against this it will bee objected God threatens all sinners that none of them shall escape but Obiect 1 every one shall perish h Psal 9.17
possum adversari meis d Terent. Secondly the King of the Jewes was not expected Answ 2 from Galilee and therefore Ioseph goes thither as the safer place Thirdly it is very probable that the Lord did Answ 3 advise him whither to goe as well as forewarne him of not going into Judea Hence further it may bee asked Why Quest 2 doth the Lord command Ioseph this I answer First because Galilee was the safer Answ 1 place as is aforesayd Teaching us Observ that God will securely and safely provide for his children and that for these two causes I. Because God loves them and alwayes cares for them yea ordained the whole world for their good e Rom. 8.28 II. Because hee is infinite in wisedome and onely knowes what is truely profitable for them Answ 2 Secondly the Lord could have preserved them from Archelaus but hee doth this for our Observ 2 instruction Teaching Ioseph and all the Godly heereby to use the meanes and then referre the successe unto God as Ioah did 2 Sam. 10.10.11 and as Hezekiah did 2. Chron. 32.34 and Nehem. 4.9 Obiect But against this it may objected The decrees of God are sure the end is appointed and therefore vaine is all the meanes that men can use I answer first If wee must not use the meanes Answ 1 where there is a decree then wee must neither eate nor apparrell our selves nor sow seede or the like because God hath decreed whether there shall be plenty or scarcity whether thou shalt have health or sicknesse poverty or riches yea how long thou shalt live f Iob. 7.1 Answ 2 Secondly the meanes are ordained of God for our good and reliefe and are blessed by him to that end and therefore not to bee neglected I. Sometimes God ordaines and blesseth internall meanes as prayer unto him thus when Moses prayed Israel prevailed but when hee ceased praying then Amalek gets the upper hand g Exo. 17.11 so Elisha promiseth from the Lord unto Ahab raine but obtaines it not without prayer h 1 king 18.42 II. Sometimes the Lord ordaines and blesseth externall meanes also and hence the Prophets of God used the meanes when they could have wrought miracles thus Elisha useth salt 2 King 2.10 and meale 4. 41. and wood 6. 6. yea Christ makes clay Iohn 9.6 and the Angels comfort Christ i Luk. 22.43 And all this was to shew us that in all our necessities both externall and internall corporall and spirituall wee must use those meanes which the Lord hath ordained in his word for our ease helpe and succour Sect. 2 § 2. He turned aside into Galile In Galile Observ 1 two things may be observed the First is Infamy and contempt the Iewes held it an infamous or at least a base place and therefore they say no Prophet ariseth out of Galilee a Ioh. 7.52 And Nathaneel thinkes it strange b Joh. 1.46 that any good thing should come out of Nazareth So Iulian the Apostate when hee warring against the Persians was mortally wounded with a dart from heaven cryed out his breath being ready to expire with that blacke and blasphemous mouth vicisti Galilaee oh Galilean calling Christ so in disdaine and contempt as a word of disgrace thou hast now prevailed and got the mastery over me yet notwithstanding this Christ disdaines not to dwell in Galilee and that for these causes 1 Because hee refused nothing for our sakes for us he humbled himself taking upon him the forme of a servant c Phil. 2.7 yea came into the world that he might serve d Matth. 20.28 and refused not that servile office to wash his Apostles feete e Ioh. 13.9 Observ 2 2. Because he contemned all worldly glory and therefore goes into obscure Galilee which was of small note or account in regard of the cities of Iudea Secondly the second thing observable in Galilee is Prophanenesse for as it was a base and contemptible place so which is worse it was held a wicked prophane and irreligious place hence it is called Galilee of the Gentiles f Matth. 4.15 that is frequentissima Gentibus g Iunius s being situated neere unto Tyre and Sidon and frequented continually by the Gentiles abounding with them and hence as is conjectured it was that Solomon gave unto Hiram 20 cities in Galilee h 1. King 9.11 Galilee being thus peopled with Gentiles was just like unto Israel where the Syrians dwelt i 2 King 17.24 so Tetrachia ah Ethnarchia separatur saith Iosephus the Tetrachie of Galilee was separated from from the Principalitie of the Iewes as is plaine by the Evangelist l Luk. 3.1 Yea it is evident that the Gentiles first did inhabite those cities because after that Hiram had restored those cityes to Salomon hee repaired them and then caused the Iewes to inhabit them m 2 Chro. 8.2 and yet notwithstanding all this Christ dwels in Galilee Hence no small question will arise Quest Is it lawfull to cohabite or dwell with infidels I answer it is Lot dwels in Sodom Answ David in Gath Ioseph with Pharaoh Ieremie in Babylon Against this it will be objected Obiect This is directly forbidden most plainely by many severall scriptures as Esa 52.11 2 Cor. 6.17 Revel 18.4 Ephes 4.11 David complaines that hee is constrained to abide amongst them Psal 120. verse 6. so also Deut. 7.2 and Exod. 23.33 and 34.12 In which places wee are commanded to come out from infidels to separate our selves from them and the like phrases and therefore it is not lawfull The Argument syllogistically is this That which is prohibited by God is unlawful but cohabitation or conversation with infidels is prohibited by God and therefore is not lawfull I answer heere to the Minor or second proposition Answ our conversing or abiding with infidels is threefold 1. Of consent when a man living amongst them learnes their maÌ„ners as Salomon with Pharaohs daughter n 1 King 11.4 this is dangerous and forbidden and is the meaning of all the places objected that wee must take heede of learning the vices and wicked customes of unbeleevers 2. Of necessitie thus Lot David Iacob Ioseph were by a kinde of inforcing necessity urged and compelled to dwell with with heathens and this is tolerated and allowed whether first it bee absolute for life necessitie thereunto constraining or secondly whether it be respective onely for a time in regard of our present pious and lawfull calling as our Factors amongst the Turkes 3. Of Office as a Physitian and thus Christ dwells among the Galileans o Esa â—2 1 Thus Christ eates with Publicanes p Matth. 9.12 Luk. 7.14 and this conversing with infidels is commended but here two cautions are to be observed First consider what calling thou hast to doe it for it is dangerous adventuring without a calling and little better then presumption Christ was not onely sent to the lost sheepe of Israel but
the word but like the Jewes who were of the seede of Abraham but did not the works of Abraham So onely the true seede of Abraham shew forth the fruit of Abrahams saith Fiftly the chaffe and the wheat are both nourished by one and the same juice and humour watered also with the same raine and warmed with the same sunne so hypocrites and the children of God are made partakers of the same spirituall meat and drinke d Cor. 10.1.2 that is they have both of them first the word of God wherby they are informed in their judgement Secondly the motions of the Spirit of God whereby their understandings are more enlightned and thirdly the holy Sacrament Sixtly the wheat and chaffe doe both increase alike in the beginning when they are but grasse but by and by may easily bee distinguished so beleevers and hypocrites for a time can hardly be distinguished but after a time the true practitioner may be discerned from the formalist if not here yet certainely at the last day Seventhly the eare and stalke and chaffe are profitable unto the corne while it is growing so hypocrites and wicked men sometimes support and sometimes comfort the children of God for a time Eightly the greatest part of the corne which springs up in the field is straw and chaffe and in regard of that there is but a little wheat that is the straw beares a greater bulke by much then the wheat so in the Church of Christ there are but a few good in comparison of the bad g Matth. 7.13.14 20.16 Ninthly the chaffe and wheat are not separated untill they bee threshed so hypocrites are discerned from true professors when affliction or the fiery trial of persecution comes which is here intimated by purging Quest 4 How will God purge his floore I answer by fire thus saith the Prophet who shall abide his comming Answ for he is like a refiners fire b Malach. 3.2 And Saint Peter saith God will try our faith with fire c 1 Pet 1.7 By what fire will the Lord purge his Church Quest 5 I answer by a threefold fire viz. Answ First by the fire of his word I will make my word fire and this people wood saith the Lord and it shall devoure them d Ier. 5.14 and againe Is not my word as a fire saith the Lord Ier. 23.29 Secondly by the fire of affliction thus the Apostle saith the fire shall trie every mans worke of what sort it is e 1 Cor. 3.13 that is the fire of affliction called by Saint Peter the fiery triall f 1 Pet. 4.12 Thirdly by the fire of the last judgement according unto that of the Prophet Tophet is ordained of old the pile thereof is fire and much wood g Isa 30.33 and thus our Saviour in his description of the last day the wicked shall be cast into everlasting fire h Matth. 25. Why doth Christ purge his Church by the fire of affliction Quest 6 I answer first because he desires to have a pure Answ 1 Church without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5 25. Secondly because his Church doth continually Answ 2 gather soile the body ever and anon stands in neede of purging the orchard of pruning the garden of weeding the field of cleansing the materiall Temples of repairing and the Church of purifying from her pollutions daily contracted How may wee know whether wee bee wheat Quest 7 or chaffe and consequently whether wee shall be gathered into Gods garner or burnt with unquenchable fire I answer by these markes First the wheat is not perceived when it is in the eare Answ it lurkes within it boasteth not it selfe and therefore we must labour to bee free of boasting pride vaine and Pharisaicall ostentation for the wheat doth not so Secondly although outwardly it shewes not it selfe yet within it is full of fine meale and flower that is faith and sanctification so we must labour to bee full of good workes and to grow and increase therein day by day i 1 Cor. 15.58 and Col. 1.10 and Iam. 3.17 Thirdly the wheat is stable and solid and being shaken goes to the bottome abides there and is not like chaffe blowne away thus wee must bee rooted grounded and established in the faith of Jesus Christ k Col. â— 26 and 2.7 Vers 13 VERS 13. In those dayes came Iesus from Galilee to Iordan unto Iohn to bee baptized of him Sect. 1 § 1. In those dayes In what dayes or times was this comming of Christ Quest 1 I answer when Iohn was baptizing in Jordan Mat. 1.9 when the people were baptized Answ Luk. 3.21 hee did not come before the Baptist least he should have come in darkenesse and obscurity neither long after him but as the Sunne who rises when the day starre ascends so when there were many gathered unto Johns preaching and were baptized by him then comes Christ Why did Christ come at this time expressed in the former question that is not untill many Quest 2 were baptized by Iohn and taught by his preaching I answer for two causes the first Allegoricall The second Historicall Answ The fift cause hereof was Allegoricall to teach us that Christ will not come unto us Observ untill a way bee made for his receiving by preaching and repentance for first there is great neede of preparation because if we be carelesse to prepare the way for him he will not care to come unto us Secondly this preparation is to bee made by repentance that so our sinnes may bee blotted out because hee will not come into a polluted soule l Acts 2.38 and 3.19 Thirdly the ordinary meanes of working repentance in the heart is the preaching of the word as the Lord saith unto Ieremie goe and preach these words unto the North and say repent c. m Ier. 3.12.13 The second cause is Historicall that Christ might bee made knowne and manifested to the whole people that is first that all might see him Secondly that all might here the testimonies concerning him viz. â— the testimony of Iohn I have neede to be baptized of thee 2. of the opening of the heavens 3. of the Dove lighting upon him 4. and of the voyce of God from heaven saying This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased Thirdly that all those who were not as yet baptized might the more readily embrace and receive it seeing hee was baptized that had no evill in him at all § 2. Came Iesus from Galilee Why was Sect. 2 Christ and Iohn Baptist in two severall places Quest 1 I answer first least they should seeme to have Answ 1 compacted together in what they did Secondly because Jordan was a type of Baptisme Answ 2 as also the red sea was 1 Cor. 10.4 Thirdly because the Prophets had thus foretold Answ 3 it that Christ should be a Nazariâ—â— and a Galilean but the Baptist should be brought up in Iudâ—â— Why doth the Master come unto
beginning viz. either first ab extra from without or secondly ab intra from within First there is a temptation which hath his beginning ab extra from without when neither the minde nor thought nor delight nor affections nor meditations nor suggestions goe along with the temptations but the soule or the party tempted is meerely passive And thus tempteth Man often as the wife of Potiphaâ— thus tempteth Ioseph many a time e Gen. 39.7 and Iob also is thus tempted by his wife f Iob. 2.9 and the three children were thus tempted by Nebuchadnezzar unto Idolatry g Dan. 3.15 And thus often one man tempts another unto that which he hath not so much as a thought of or any love unto at all Now this temptation is sinne In the party tempting Not In the person tempted Sathan but scarce at any time for when hee tempteth for the most part he exciteth and enflameth our concupiscence which being stirred up becomes an active instrument within us unto evill and consequently is sinne as followes in the next particular Secondly there is a temptation which hath his beginning ab intrà from within when a man is tempted and allured by his owne innate corruption and this is sinne according to Saint Iames every man is tempted when he is drawne aside of his owne lust and entised h Iam. 1.14 and Rom. 7.7 and therefore the Papists are to blame who deny our first concupiscence to be sinne Here they object there is a double concupiscence Obiect 1 viz. First where there is no assent of the Mind and Will at all Secondly where the Will and Mind consents now this second is sinne but not the first I answer the first is a lesse sinne Answ but yet it is sinne neverthelesse because it is a corruption and evill They object againe this first concupiscence Obiect 2 is so farre from being sinne unto us that it is a praise and commendation unto us so to resist it that not so much as our Mindes assent therunto but herein we can say as Paul did It is no more I but sinne that dwells in me i Rom. 17.17.20 I answer Answ certainely it is commendable to resist the first motions of sinne and gratefull unto God but yet because there two things that concurre herein we must distinguish between Suggestion and Reluctation now if Reluctation bee good then must Suggestion needes be evill for that is the nature of concupiscence k Iam. 1.14 And herein is the difference betweene our temptations and Christs First in us wee have naturally these things 1 Suggestion and Concupiscence 2 Meditation or a ruminating of this wicked suggestion 3 Delectation or a delighting in these wicked thoughts c. Secondly in Christ there is 1 no Delectation in any wicked thing 2 there is no meditation or rumination of any wicked thing but by and by hee repels and beates it backe yea 3 in him there is no evill concupiscence at all but all his temptations were ab extrà from without Why would Christ be tempted Quest 4 I answer first Answ the generall cause hereof are Either in respect of Himselfe to shew his Deity and power in conquering Sathan Us and that either To overcome and put our enemies to flight which otherwise would have beene difficult yea impossible for us to have done Or To teach us these 3 things to wit First the nature of temptation that it is not a signe of the anger of God 1 because it may be without sin as was shewed in the former question and 2 because Christ was tempted with whom God was not angry Secondly the nature of the teÌ„pter that is First his Malice hee is our enemie as followeth afterwards Secondly his weakenesse that now being conquered by Christ he may bee overcome of those who are Christs Thirdly the manner of overcomming him and that is by the word of God as followes by and by Thirdly the readinesse of his helpe and assistance for hee was tempted that hee might be able to succour those that are tempted l Heb. 2.18 Secondly the principall and particular causes why Christ was tempted were these two First Answ 2 to shew us the hostility of Sathan Secondly the victory of Christ First the Hostility of Sathan appeares in this that he tempts all Gods children and dares give the onset unto the best of them Quest 5 Here it may bee demanded What shall wee thinke then of those that are not tempted Answ I answer we may safely thinke that neither God cares for them because hee doth not exercise them neither the devill feares them because he meddles not with them As in a Common-wealth it is an argument of a traitor to bee beloved of the enemie so in the Church of God those whom the devill spares may justly bee suspected of disloyalty towards their heavenly Soveraigne Quest 6 How may wee know who are tempted and who are not Answ I answer by these markes First he that sinnes with greedinesse Ephes 4.19 is not tempted he unto whom sinne is pleasant and to wallow in the puddle of iniquitie is delectable is not tempted because he runnes headlong of himselfe unto wickednesse and sinne Secondly those that are puft up with an hypocriticall pride thinking themselves to be Saints because they seeme so unto men are assaulted with a strong temptation which prevailes against them yet they cannot bee called Souldiers because they fight not neither struggle against this temptation but willingly give way unto it Thirdly those that desire to serve God but doe it negligently being neither wary nor circumspect in their lives and actions but are tempted by pride anger the cares of the world and too great a presumption of the mercies of God and yet see none of these things in themselves because they doe not carefully watch over their wayes these fight not lawfully m 2 Tim. 2.5 according to the Apostles opinion who sayth If a man also strive for masteries yet hee is not crowned except hee strive lawfully Fourthly hee that faithfully devotes himselfe unto the Lord but is not able to doe or eschew what hee should complaining continually with Saint Paul that the good which he would doe hee cannot and the evill which hee would not doe hee daily commits n Rom. 7. â—8 because the flesh wrastles and strives and struggles against him o Gal. 5.17 so strongly that in the anguish of his heart hee cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee p Rom. 7.24 And with that holy Apostle being pressed with the burden of sinne and the weight of some present and strong temptation prayes thrice that is many times that the buffets of Sathan may bee taken away from him q 2 Cor. 12.8 and strength of grace given unto him whereby hee may be able to quell and subdue all his corruptions Although this man to himselfe seeme a miserable man yet to mee hee seemes a very happy and
unto us how doth Quest 5 he give counsell or advice unto us for no such thing appeares at all I answer Hee doth not come unto us Answ or perswade us visibly but by Instruments by his enticements which are either externall or internall First the Divell hath externall allurements to entice us by as for example one hath lost a Gold Ring or a Silver Spoone another hath his sonne sicke or his horse or hogge sick here the Divell perswades to goe unto a Witch who can helpe the sicke and restore the thing lost but let us remember that there is a God in Israel and therefore let us give our selves unto him and seeke ayd and succour of him and not from the Divell Secondly the Divell hath internall enticements to allure us viz. First our owne evill concupiscence so long as sinne is pleasing unto us and therefore let us fight against this lust which warres against our soule e 1 Pet. 2 1â— Secondly our owne wisedome for reason dictates and teaches many things unto us contrary unto Gods word yea often times those things which are not false principles but false consequences from true antecedents as for example the Sabbath was made for man therefore man may lawfully breake the Sabbath By lying we may helpe our brethren or save our selves from danger therefore it is lawfull to lye in such a case Usury is profitable for a Common-wealth therefore it is by no meanes to bee abolished Thus as Christ can bring light out of darknesse and good out of evill so the Divell can sucke evill from good and with the Spider change wholsome juice into mortall poyson Secondly Christ would not turne Stones into Bread because the counsell given was inconvenient and therefore though the thing in it selfe might have been done yet in regard of the circumstances it might become unlawfull Teaching us that that thing which is lawfull in generall may in the circumstances be unlawful It was lawfull for the Israelites to offer sacrifice unto God and yet some circumstances made their sacrifices execrable and abominable unto him f Esa 66.3 It was allowed also unto them by God Observ 2 to celebrate some feast dayes and yet some circumstances there were in the celebration of their feasts which made the Lord openly protest against them g Esa 1.13.14 Amos 5.21 It is lawfull for Christians to eate flesh but if it doe offend a weake brother it becomes unlawfull unto us to doe it if it be in our power or choyce to doe it or not to doe it Quest 6 How or by what meanes can lawfull things become unlawfull Answ Because even lawfull things are to bee moderated according to a three-fold rule and therefore when they erre from any of them they become unlawfull The first rule is faith wherein two things are required I. That the thing which is done bee good not a thing which is forbidden by the Law And II. that it be done well sincerely discreetly with a good intent c. The second rule is Charitie wee must not offend a brother for whom Christ died by that which we doe The third rule is decencie or comelinesse which is described by the holy Scriptures in three words The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comely h 1 Cor. 11 13. Judge you sayth the Apostle if it be comely for a woman to pray uncovered Wherein hee teacheth us to doe those things which becometh us and our profession we being called unto a holy calling i Eph. 5.3 and women must doe theâ— workes which become women professing the Gospell k 1 Tim. 2.10 And Titus must speake those things which become sound Doctrine l Tit. 2.1 which places teach us that wee must not onely doe those things which are good but also which are comely and beseeming us The second word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honestly or deâ—â—â—ly Let us walke decently as in the day a Rom. 13 23. and honestly towards them that are without b 1 Thess 4.12 The third word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let all things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decently in order c 1 Cor. 14.40 for it is a cause of rejoycing unto the righteous to see this as Saint Paul said I reioyce beholding your order d Col. 2.5 And thus things lawfull in themselves may become unlawfull unto us if either first wee doe them not well for the manner of them but for some base or by end or if secondly we offend our brethren when we need not by any impulsive command or thirdly when we doe those things which are undecent uncomely disorderly or not beseeming our places or persons or professions And therefore it is not sufficient to say as some doe this is not a sinne for although it be not in the substance yet it may be so unto thee in regard of the circumstances thereof wherefore we must examine our actions by these three rules Faith Charity Decency First examine what thou dost by the rule of Faith and herein observe these two things An Bonum sit An Benè fiat First examine whether that which thou dost be good or not that out of thine own knowledge for nothing must be done with a doubting faith e Rom. 14.22.24 for that pollutes and defiles the conscience f 1 Cor. 8.7 And therefore remember if it be not certaine that thou maist lawfully do that which thou desirest it is most certain thou maist lawfully abstain from doing it as for example if thou be not certainly assured of the lawfulnes of Usury or of recreations upon the Sabbath day or of going to law with thy brother thou maist be assured that it is lawfull to abstain from these and therefore rather forbeare that which is certainely lawfull then doe that which is disputable controverted and consequently uncertainely lawfull Secondly examine whether that which thou dost bee well done or not And herein search into these two things I. In generall if thou dost it Sincerè with a sincere heart Deus remunerat adverbia g Bern. God doth not alwayes reward Bonum a thing which is good for the substance of it or good materially but alwayes bene that which is formally good done well and with a sincere heart If a Justice of Peace or a Judge upon the Bench execute Justice with anger or hatred or revenge it is bonum a good thing to execute just judgment but not bene thus to execute it If an hypocrite pray that hee may the better devour widowes houses this prayer shall not be rewarded because although to pray bee bonum yet thus to pray is not bene II. In particular examine if thou dost that which thou dost Securè safely to wit if thou dost not tempt God in the doing thereof by approching too neare the gates of sinne There are certaine cords of vanity which draw on iniquity as with cart-ropes h Esa 5.18 from which all ought to abstain
not dangerous to be read there are depths where an Elephant may swimme and shallow places where a Lambe may wade over yea all necessary truths are plainely expressed Answ 3 Thirdly let it bee granted that they are hard and dangerous to him that throughly understands them not yet they must not therfore be taken away because they are necessary darts yea the principall darte against Sathan Yea why doth the Church of Rome thus prohihite the Scriptures because they are dangerous that is because there is indeede great feare and danger that the reading of this divine truth will detect and lay open the Popish errours which they cannot endure should be disclosed Answ 4 Fourthly I answer to the question propounded they are enemies or at least not friends unto this weapons of the word that spend time unwillingly in the reading and hearing of it that can spend three houres in the hearing of a Comedy with more delight then one in the hearing of a Sermon or in reading the Scriptures not because a play is better but for one of these causes either First because thine eyes are blind and understanding so obscure that thou canst not understand or perceive those spirituall truths which are specified in the Scripture o 1 Cor. 2 14. Or secondly because although thou understandest what thou hearest and readest yet thou lovest the world better then God thy body better then thy soule and thy pleasure more then thy eternall blisse Or thirdly this is because thou canst not brooke or endure the reproofes of the word of God it doth not praise thee but blame thee and therefore thou hatest it as Ahab did Michaiâ—h But thou must consider that if thou wouldest not sinne the Minister would not reprehend thee for sinne and if thou wouldst abound in good workes hee would praise thee In the meane rime he must take care of thee and not bee wanting in reproofes untill thou bee reformed because that is the profitable balme to cure thy sick soule And therefore heare reade learne and obey the word yea labour that thou mayest be rich in the knowledge thereof p Colos 3.16 that so thou mayest be made wise unto salvation and surely armed against all the fiery darts of Sathan § 2. Man lives not by bread alone Sathan Sect. 2 enquires here whether Christ be the Son of God or not Quest why then doth Christ answer concerning men Man lives not by bread alone First that he might shew that he was a man Answ 1 and obliged to humane obedience obedientia ejus obedientia hominis q Chrysost the obedience of Christ was the obedience of man Secondly that hee might teach us that his Answ 2 answer doth belong unto us for first if hee had changed the stones into bread what had that beene to us Or secondly if hee had said that he being God had no neede of bread neither had this belonged at all unto us But thirdly when he answers what man must doe he doth thereby propound an institution or instruction for us § 3. But by every word that proceedeth out of Sect. 3 the mouth of God that is by any thing that God in his good pleasure wils to be our foode or by any thing else besides bread whatsoever God shall thinke good Hence observe two things First things in Obser 1 respect of being must have dependance on the will of God or on themselves or one some other I. if they depend upon themselves for their beeing they are Gods II. if they depend on any other thing without and besides God that thing then is God also these two being absurd and neare blasphemy it remaines III. that all things and acts in the world as acts considered have their being by a dependance upon God as on the highest cause Secondly observe God is not tyed to the second Obser 2 ordinary causes but hee can doe that without them which hee can doe with them as appeares in these particulars First God sometimes works without meanes at all as in the first creation of the Chaos and in Christs healing many diseases Secondly God sometimes workes with ordinary but those weake and insufficient meanes in the order of nature thus Asa beleeves that it is nothing with God to helpe whether with many or with them that have no power r 2 Chro. 14.11 yea examples we have hereof in the booke of God as when the figges healed Hezekiahs sore Å¿ 2 King 20.7 when Iacobs rods made the sheepe bring forth party-coloured lambes Gen. 30.37.38 when the wind brought quailes Exod. 16.30 c. when Gideons 300. souldiers got the victory t Iudg. 7.22 and Ionathan and his man 1 Sam. 14.6 when Elijah went in the strength of hâ—s meat forty dayes u 1 King 19. â— All these were wrought by ordinary meanes but the meanes in themselves were altogether ineffectuall for the effecting of such great workes as these were Thirdly God sometimes workes by meanes altogether unusuall and unwonted such as was Manna in the Desart so without the Sunne he caused light to shine forth either out of the whole Chaos or els out of the element of fire at the first creation so without raine at the same time the earth was fruitfull And thus with the noyse of Rammes-bornes the walles of Iericho fell downe Fourthly God sometimes workes with quite contrary meanes as Christ healed the blind mans eyes with clay and spittle a Ioh. 9.6.7 and Ionas is saved by being in the whales belly b Iona. 2.10 Vers 5 VERS 5. Then the devill taketh him up into the holy city and setteth him on a pinnacle of the Temple Sect. 1 § 1. Then the devill taketh him up It is questioned here Quest how the devill tooke him up whether it were first truly or in a vision or secondly visibly or invisibly or thirdly violently or willingly and Musculus thinkes that these things are not curiously to be enquired or searched out yet I hope we may safely answer Answ 1 First that the devill tooke up Christ really and truely for what neede we deny this seeing the affirmation thereof is not contrary to the analogy of faith yea to deny it were to change the truth of the Scriptures into figures as did Origen in times past and the Anabaptists at this day Answ 2 Secondly if it bee objected how could the devill take up Christ invisibly Chrysostom oper imperf answers that it was easie for him to doe it by the power of Christ for if Habakkuck could be transported from Iudea into Babylon and seene of none then why not Christ Answ 3 Thirdly there is no question but this was done willingly for it was not in the devils power to draw him against his will Cum audis ductum ne cogita potentiam Sathana sed patientiam Christi in Domino non infirmitas sed patientia in Sathana non virtus sed superbia c Chrysost oper imperf s when thou hearest that Christ was
Scriptures be obscure Answ 2 humane writings are no lesse yea where shall we meet with certainty and infallibility but onely in the word Can we have it in the Fathers they have their navi and blemishes yea Augustine and Hierom confesse that they may erre and therefore would have none to subscribe to their opinions further then they go according to the word of God Can we find infallibility in the Councels they have erred as may bee shewed largely both out of Bishop Iewell Doctor Whitakers Doctor Willet Chamierus and divers others Can we finde certainty amongst the Popish writers least of all they jarring like an instrument wholy out of tune Thomas against Scotus Catherinus against Cajetane Whatson against Parsons Bellarmine in somethings almost contrary to them all and therefore if obscurity and difficulty bee a sufficient rampire to keepe us from reading the Scriptures by the same reason we are debarred from reading Philosophers Rhetoritians Fathers Schoolemen Popish writers yea all writings and bookes in any sort materiall or necessary to bee studied because they all in many things are difficult and obscure to the understanding and the Scripture is no more Answ 3 Thirdly those things that are obscure in the word of God may bee explained by more easy and cleare places as was said before Answ 4 Fourthly the Father saith e August li 1. de doct Christ Christum Dominum obscurasse Scripturas quo his major habeatur reverentia autoritas qua communia sunt vilesscunt rara verò difficilia cum pretio admirantur that is Christ our Lord in his infinite wisedome hath made the Scriptures something difficult not that men might forbeare to reade or study them but that they might hold them in greater authority price and reverence for naturally we contemne those things that are plaine and facile unto the understanding but those things which are rare and difficult we most admire and more highly value Obiect 3 They object againe The tree is knowne by his fruit and the cause conjectured by the effect and therefore it is neither requisite nor good for people to reade the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue They proove the consequence thus the Scripture read by those that are ignorant is the cause of all errours and heresies usus Scripturarum est causa omnium haereseon f Alphons de Castro the vulgar use of the Scriptures is the ground of all errours Audenter dicimus nullam haeresin ess◠quae non occasionem in Scriptura g Cens Colon. I dare boldly say a bold speech indeede that there hath no heresie sprung up in the Church but it was occasioned by the word of God An Italian Bishop dehorted the people from reading the scriptures ne fiant haeretici h Clem. Espens s Tit. 1. least it should make them damned Heretiques To this we answer First the Scriptures may occasion errours either Answ 1 By containing that which is false and erroneous but this the Papists say not Or By a misunderstanding or wrong interpretation thereof but this is not the fault of the Scriptures but the malice perversenesse or ignorance of men Answ 2 Secondly if a wolfe should cloth himselfe in a sheepes skin the sheepe must not therefore cast off his skinne as Saint Augustine saith the Bees must not forsake the sweet flowers because the spider extracts poyson from them Christ doth not here forbeare the use of Scriptures because the devill abuses them some men wickedly abuse Wine unto drunkennesse Meat unto gluttony Marriage unto coveteousnesse and adultery Magistracy unto Tyranny Must therefore Wine Meat Wedlocke Magistracy be prohibited and cryed downe as unlawfull I hope they will not and therefore let them consider how little reason they have upon the like grounds or insequent or ilsequent consequences to forbid the reading of the Scriptures unto the laity in the vulgar tongue 3. They permit worse and more pernitious Answ 3 things unto the common people and therefore why not the Scriptures though they were dangerous as they say First the Popish Clergy allow the Laity to reade other bookes which may occasion errours as well as the Scripture yea containing errours which the word of God doth not as Iustinus Irenaeus Origen who were Chiliastes Tertullian and Cyprian who were Montanists these they permit only the Scriptures they prohibit why because there is a greater enmity betwixt the Scriptures and the Papists then there is betweene these Fathers and the Papists the Fathers in somethings have erred greatly the Papists in many things doe erre grossely but the Scripture in nothing at all it being the touchstone of truth and the hammer of errours to breake them and dissolve them in peeces and therefore as great opposition and enmity there is betweene the Papists and Scriptures as is betweene truth and errour life and death Secondly the Priests allow the people to reade lascivious and wanton bookes which may and doe infect them why then not the Scriptures which is immaculate it is an inhumane thing yea an argument of small love to permit them to wallow in stincking puddles or to drink unwholsome yea venomous waters and onely prohibite pure streames yea the water of life unto them Si manifestū infidelitatis signum sit aliquid scriptorū rejecere vel non scripterum inducere quid dicemus de lasciva praeferentibus a Basil tract de vera fide that is if it be a manifest signe of infidelity either to reject refuse any part of holy writ or to induce into the Canon of faith that which is not divine scripture what shall we say then of those who preferre lascivious and wanton bookes or toyes before the word of God Fourthly and lastly the objection is apparantly false for first it is not the Scripture but the Answ 4 ignorance of the Scripture that is the cause of errours and heresies b Chysost s col 3.16 which truthes we learne even from Truths lips ye erre saith Christ not knowing the Scriptures c Mat. 22.29 where wee see plainely the cause and the effect the effect is error yee erre the cause of their errour is ignorance of the word of God ye know not the Scriptures therefore ye erre It is not then without great cause that the Holy Ghost cals the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the adversary that thus dares in his Tenets oppose Christ himselfe to the face Secondly the Scriptures reproove heresies and errours and therfore there is no likelyhood that they in themselves should bee the cause of them d 2 Tim. 3.16 Thirdly there is nothing else worthy of credit besides the Scriptures other writings being as chaffe this as wheate e Ierem. 23.28 whence the Fathers f Hier. s Matth. 23. Greg. hom k. sup Ezech. said quod de scripturis sacris authoritatem non habet eadem facilitate contemnitur quà probatur those writing or opinions which are not confirmed by the holy Scripture are easilyer contemned
Answ 2 the worship of God but onely perswades him to adde the worship of him thereunto that is to worship both God and him wherfore our Saviour well and properly answers by adding Solum alone teaching us that God is not rightly worshipped except he be onely worshipped or the worship of the creature is contrary to the worship of the Creator that is not onely the internall affection and worship of the heart which is forbidden in the first commandement but also the externall worship of the body forbidden in the second commandement non incurvabis nec coles thou shalt not bow downe unto nor worship any other thing besides the Lord. The word which the devill useth verse 9. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which belongs unto the outward worship of the body and is derived either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be vaine-glorious or one that loves glory or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I incline my selfe or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I kisse as the Papists doe the Popes feete or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hat and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a mooving of the hat Now all spirituall worship both externall and internall is the Lords prerogative and peculiar unto him alone and therefore hee is not truely worshipped except onely worshipped VERRS 12. Now when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison Vers 12 hee departed into Galilee Why did Christ depart from Iudea into Galilee Quest Answ 1 Many causes may be rendred hereof First some say he did this as he was one of Iohns auditors and therefore John being taken away Observ 1 hee would abide here no longer Teaching us that the godly will rather change their habitations and places of abode then be deprived of the ministrie of the word But this was not the cause of Christs departure and therefore I prosecute it no further Answ 2 Secondly some say Christ did this as he was God to revenge Johns imprisonment by taking away his grace and gracious presence from those that had persecuted John his messenger and Obser 2 forerunner Teaching us that God will bee avenged of those that oppresse and persecute his Ministers but this was not the cause neither of Christs departure and therefore I leave it Answ 3 Thirdly Christ did this as hee was a Man flying from that imminent danger wherein hee Obser 3 was teaching us that it is lawfull for us to flye persecution or any danger that hangs over our heads observing these cautions First if our calling will suffer it here it is more lawfull for people to flye from those cities that are infected with the plague then for Ministers because the calling of the one will rather permit it then the calling of the other Secondly if our flight or departure may be without the offence of the weake those that professe to have a sure trust and confidence and affiance in the providence and protection of God doe often give a great scandall to those that are infirme by their fearefulnes and speedy departure upon any conjecture suspition or probability of danger Thirdly if our life preserved by departure and flight may bring more glory to God and more benefit unto his Church then our death it is lawfull to depart Answ 4 Fourthly Beza denies that Christ fled First because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies redijt non discessit hee returned not hee departed Secondly because the place hee went unto was lesse safe then this from whence he departed Galilee beeing under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas which Iudea was not Wherefore hee answers that Christ returned into Galilee that hee might succeede unto Iohn who was now shut up in prison in the Evangelicall office and preaching of the Gospel VERS 13. And leaving Nazareth Vers 13 hee came and dwelt in Capernaum c. Why doth Christ leave Nazareth Quest Answ 1 First because it was lesse safe say some But this was not the reason of it for first when Ioseph was afraid to goe into Iudea he turned aside into Nazareth Matth. 2.23 which was in Galilee verse 22. yea secondly Capernaum was the more famous place and therefore the more dangerous Answ 2 Secondly Christ left Nazareth because hee was there unworthily handled for first his word was there contemned and despised hence it is said that he did not many mighty workes there because of their unbeleefe d Matth. 13.58 Marke 6.4.5 Secondly he had violence there offered unto him for they rose up against him and thrust him out of the city and led him out unto the edge of of the hill that they might cast him downe headlong e Luke 4.29 VERS 14. That it might bee fulfilled Vers 14 which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying § 1. Vt impleretur that it might be fulfilled Sect. 1 Christ left Nazareth and came to Capernaum Object for another cause then the accomplishing of this prophesie to wit first because Iohn was cast into prison and secondly because the Nazarens were ungratefull unto him in not beleeving either him or his doctrine how then saith Saint Matthew that he did this That the saying of Isaias might be fulfilled I answer Answ Christ did depart from Nazareth for the forenamed causes but yet God doth direct this his departure unto a further end to wit that which is mentioned here by the Evangelist the accomplishing of the prediction Observ Teaching us that those things which proceede frō second causes are ordained by the providence of God unto a higher end Ioseph was sold wickedly and maliciously by his brethren but the Lord ordered it for good both to him and them a Gen. 45.5 The raine-bow proceedes from naturall causes but yet God hath ordained it as a signe or a memorandum of his promises b Gen. 9.13 Christ was slaine by the Jewes out of malice and yet did no more then was preordained by God c Acts 3.18 For first in him we live and move and have our being d Acts 17 28. Secondly he is not an idle spectator as some of the Philosophers in their idle speculations imagined of the passages of the world but his providence doth begin every motion or action Yea thirdly unto what end God at first intended any thing unto that same end he doth at last dispose of it Sect. 2 § 2. That it might be fulfilled which was written by Isaias the Prophet saying How is this Prophecie fulfilled Quest Answ I answer in that those that sate in darkenesse Esai 9.1 enjoy light by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ Esai 9.2 Vers 16 VERS 16. The people which sate in darkenesse saw a great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up Sect. 1 § 1. The people which sate in darkenesse Who were in darkenesse before Christ came Quest Answ All the world not some few of the Gentiles or Jewes onely but all men by nature without Christ were under darkenesse and death The
a naturall hunger and thirst cannot here bee meant Answ 1 First the Antecedent is false for we see sometimes the hungry are filled and the poore plentifully relieved as might be instanced in Iacob Ioseph and Iob yea there is a direct generall promise made unto the faithfull both in this life and the life to come h 1 Tim. 4.8 and a speciall particular promise of the poynt in controversie Behold sayth the Lord my servants shall eate and yee shall bee hungry my servants shall drinke and ye shall bee thirsty c i Esa 65.13 Answ 2 Secondly it is an absurd argument The poore that hunger are not now filled therefore they never shall bee The poore are oppressed therefore they never shall be delivered There are no starres seene at twelve of the clocke at noone therefore there shall none bee seene at twelve of the clocke at night How absurd this argument is let every novice judge Answ 3 Thirdly Calvin whom Stapleton here opposeth doth not say jam saturandos but posthà c not they that now hunger and thirst shall instantly bee filled but hereafter to wit either first by allaying and abating the appetite as a Martyr sayd If his enemies tooke from him bread God would take from him hunger Or secondly by peace of conscience affording them such internall joy and comfort that their povertie and hunger pincheth them not Or thirdly by the crowne of eternall life bestowed upon them and thus the hunger of Lazarus was satisfied Obiect 2 Secondly he argues All these promises pronounced by Christ are spirituall therefore literall hunger cannot here be understood Answ This reasoning is as absurd as the former the reward is not temporall therefore it is not given temporally to the poore this followes not Obiect 3 Thirdly hee objects againe Esurientes appetentes temporalia non beati miseri potius Those that hunger after that is desire temporal things are not blessed but rather miserable and therefore by hunger and thirst a literall lacke cannot be understood Answ 1 First he doth grosly abuse corrupt Calvin who doth not speak de appetētibus of those that desire temporall things but de carentibus of those that want and stand in need of temporall things Answ 2 Secondly I give one generall answere more unto the thing objected that is that this place may be understood of a literall hunger thirst which appeares evidently by comparing two verses together Saint Luke chap. 6.21 verse sayth Blessed are yee that hunger now and by an Antithesis vers 25. sayth Woe unto you that are full What is the meaning of this Doth our Saviour denounce a woe against them that are full of the workes of righteousnesse Certainly no such thing but those that abound in temporall possessions for there is a double Fulnesse the first terrene and earthly in this life the second spirituall in the life to come Woe bee unto those sayth Christ that seeke the first for they shall lose the second vers 25. and blessed are those that have not the first for they shall have the second vers 21. and howsoever they may by reason of their povertie and want seeme miserable unto others yet they are nothing lesse they being indeed truly blessed Are all blessed that are pinched with poverty Quest 2 in this life No but onely those Answ who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse sake there are many men that are miserably poore and poore miserable men who hunger and thirst for want but not for righteousnesse being impoverished either by idlenesse or wastfulnesse and therfore have no promise at all of blessednesse But happinesse is pronounced and promised to the righteous man who will not unjustly enrich himselfe who will not for wealth forsake his God to runne after the world or the divell by the use of wicked meanes but will rather be as poore as Lazarus Certainely the poore man that walketh and thus continueth in his integrity is a happy and a blessed man k Pro. 19.1 And thus much for the literall interpretation of these words Secondly by hungring and thirsting may bee meant a morall hunger and thirst which is when men hunger for just judgement to be executed they being unjustly injured or scandalized l Muscul s and cannot obtaine justice according to the equity of their cause To these our Saviour saith Blessed are thy that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse that is blessed are those that by wrongs and injuries are deprived of their right in this life and so are constrained to hunger and thirst after that which is their owne waiting with patience to obtaine the same Now this morall hunger after righteousnesse is two-fold viz. Either for our selves or for others First the morall hunger after righteousnesse is when being injuried and wronged we desire to be justly dealt withal or if wee bee slandred that the truth may be brought to light that so we may be acquitted of the crime laid unto our charge Secondly the morall hunger after righteousnesse may and ought to be for our brethren as well as our selves for we should be zealous for others when wee see them oppressed in their estates or punished in their bodies or wronged in their good names for righteousnesse sake as that holy Prophet out of his godly zeale unto those who were oppressed cryes out unto God Oh Lord how long shall I cry yea cry out unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save wherefore holdest thou thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then himselfe m Habak 1.2 13. Quest 3 Why should we thus zealously hunger that just judgement may be executed for the reliefe of others is it not enough for us that wee are not wronged Answ 1 First Christians ought so to put on the bowels of compassion that they might bee as sensible of their brethrens miseries as though they were their owne we are taught to weepe with those that weepe and to rejoyce with them that doe rejoyce n Rom. 12 15. yea to remember them that are in bonds as though we were bound with them and them that suffer adversity as though we were under the rod o Heb. 13 3. Answ 2 Secondly our love unto those that suffer for righteousnesse sake that is for Gods sake and in a good cause is an argument of our love unto God 1 Joh. 4.20 And without this love unto them we cannot love God and therefore by all meanes we should expresse our zealous love and affection unto them Quest 4 How farre must this zeale of ours be extended in the behalfe of the righteous who are unjustly wronged and injured Answ 1 First if thou be a publike man that is a Magistrate then thou must avenge their cause and helpe them against their oppressours and punish their backbiters and slanderers Answ 2 Secondly if thou be a private man then ne ultra crepidam thou must goe no further then thy calling will warrant thee that is first
power to will and doe what is good Phil. 2.13 And therefore he is said to have mercy upon us Rom. 11.32 Thirdly the Lord having converted regenerated Answ 3 and justified us then onely are we able to bring forth good workes When once Christ hath redeemed us then by Christ wee are enabled to serve God in righteousnesse and true holinesse q Luke 1.75 but not untill then When the Lord infuseth grace in our hearts then are we by his grace enabled to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to serve him all our dayes r Tit. 2.11 And from this ground it is that the Apostle Saint Paul doth so stiffely deny justification by workes Rom. 3.20 c. unto vers 28. and 2. Tim. 1.9 and Titus 3.5 c. holding them like two incompatible qualities that cannot stand together Rom. 11.6 Are all good workes like an unnecessary garment Quest 28 to be layd aside We doe not deny Opera but Operum merita wee finde no fault with good workes Answ but onely blame the merit that Papists put into them Why may wee not ascribe some merit unto our workes Quest 29 Because this were to arrogate unto our selves both against Christ precept and Pauls president Answ our Saviour commandeth us when wee have done all wee can to say we are but unprofitable servants and therefore have deserved nothing ſ Luk. 17.10 S. Paul is so afrayd to ascribe any thing unto himselfe that he desires when his hand is to bee held up at the barre of Gods Tribunall at the last day he may bee found not having his owne righteousnesse of workes but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith t Phil. 3.9 And thus much for the inference The second particle of the second part of this verse is the Position or Reason why the mercifull are blessed because Misericordiam habebunt they shall obtaine mercie Shall everie true mercifull man finde Mercie Quest 31 Certes no truly mercifull man shall lose his reward Answ for such an one doth good to his owne soule Prov. 11.17 And therefore hee is happy Prov. 14.21 and he shall be blessed Prov. 22.9 Quest 32 Why is this mercy and blessednesse promised unto the mercifull man Answ 1 First because he honours God as Salomon hath it he that hath mercy on the poore honours his maker Prov. 14.31 and therefore God will honour him as hee said unto Samuel concerning Eli. Secondly because herein he imitates God Answ 2 and shewes himselfe to be a child of God he being mercifull yea the Father of mercies Psal 103.8.9.13 and 145.8.9 And therefore let the certainty of the reward be a meanes to induce us to be mercifull Quest 33 What reward shall be given to him that is truely mercifull Answ Saint Luke Chap. 6. vers 38. saith there shall be given unto him good measure pressed downe shaken together and running over from whence Stapleton observes foure degrees of this reward viz. First there shall be given him good measure In temporalibus pressed downe in naturalibus shaken together in spiritualibus and running over in aeternis Particularly First there are but three sorts of Rewards Temporall Spirituall and Eternall wherefore I will comprehend all the blessings promised unto the mercifull man under one of these beginning with the first to wit temporall blessings for he that gives to the poore a Prov. 19.17 lends to the Lord b Quest. 34 What temporall blessings is the mercifull man promised to enjoy Answ 1 First all shall blesse him and on the contrary the unmercifull man shall be cursed thus saith Salomon Hee that withholdeth corne the people shall curse him but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it b Pro. 11.26 If he that selleth unto the poore be blessed then much more he that giveth on the other side if he be cursed that denies to sell so is also he that refuses to give in the time of need but elswhere the Kingly Preacher hath it more plainely in these words hee that hideth his eyes from the poore shall have many a curse c Pro. 28.27 Indeed sometimes the curse of the poore is vaine and idle because it is pronounced sine causà without just cause but when it is provoked by the cruelty or coveteousnesse of men it is then most powerfull and prevalent and doth pierce the clouds and on the contrary blessed is he whom the soule of the poore man blesseth and therefore by mercy and charity we should procure their prayers Answ 2 Secondly he shall be freed and delivered from his miseries and dangers and that one of these two wayes First it may be the Lord himselfe will deliver thee as David saith Blessed is he that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble d Ps 42.1 we have examples hereof 1. in Rahab who was saved from destruction with all her houshold for her mercy and hospitality extended unto the Spies Josh 2.12 and 6.23.2 in Ebed-melech the Ethiopian who was delivered for his compassion shewed unto Ieremy f 3. in a Citizen of Antioch e Jer. 39.16.17 whose History is this Under the the Emperour Mauritius the City of Antioch was shaken with a terrible Earth-quake after this manner There was a certaine Citizen so given to bountifulnsse to the poore that he would neither sup nor dine unlesse he had one poore man to be with him at his table Upon a certaine evening seeking for such a guest and finding none a grave old man met him in the market place cloathed in white with two companions with him whō he intreated to sup with him but the old man answered that he had more need to pray against the destruction of the City and presently shooke his Hand-kerchiefe against one part of the City and then against another and being hardly entreated forbore the rest Which he had no sooner done but those two parts of the City terribly shaken with an Earth-quake were throwne to the ground and thousands of men slaine Which this good Citizen seeing trembled exceedingly to whom the old man in white answered and said by reason of thy charity to the poore thy selfe house and family are preserved f D Beard Theater of Gods Judgements f. 587. Thus sometimes the Lord himselfe extraordinarily delivers those that are mercifull Secondly sometimes the Lord excites and stirres up the enemies of mercifull men unto mercy as the Psalmist saith He made them also to bee pitied of all those that carried them captives g Ps 106.46 2 Chro. 30.9 Thirdly he that gives to others to him it shall be given that is First he shall not want thus saith the wise man Hee that giveth unto the Answ 3 poore shall not lacke Prov. 28.27 And Saint Paul confirmes it positively in these words Hee that ministreth seed to the sower will minister bread for your food if ye be mercifull 2 Cor.
children Answ 1 First some things are called that which they are not as when an Ethiope is called Formosus beautifull Answ 2 Secondly somethings are such but are not so called as when chaste Lucretia is called an Adulteresse or unchaste and sober Socrates called intemperate Answ 3 Thirdly some things are such and are so called that is have neither nomen sine re nor rem sine nomine but nomen rem not the name without the thing nor the thing without the name but both the name and thing as when a holy man is called like as some impious Popes have been Pius And this is that which our Saviour here speakes of they shall be called the Sonnes of God that is they shall both bee the Sonnes of God and also so called or Blessed are the Peace-makers For first God will esteem them his children and secondly men shall call them so Quest 3 Who are enemies or opposite unto this Beatitude Answ 1 First those that are contentious and given to strife and revenge The vulgar sort thinke these happy who can and will be revenged of all those who injure them but our Saviour rather thinkes the peace-makers happy and blessed In Noahs Arke all the wilde beasts were tame and peaceable the Lyon feeding with the Lamb and the Beare with the Dogge now the Arke was a Type of the Church of Gods and therefore all Christians should be mild and peaceable not cruell and revengefull p Staplet s John 14. Caesar nil oblitus nisi injuriarum q August epist 5. ad Marcellin è Cicerone The memory of Casar was so strong that he forgot nothing which occurred unto him but onely injuries and wrongs And therefore it is a shame for Christians to seeke revenge who should rather suffer wrong observing diligently these three short rules First prize peace in thy selfe Secondly perswade others thereunto Thirdly submit thy selfe rather to thy brother then suffer the bond of peace to be broken we have a singular example of this in our Father Abraham who fearing that the contention set on foot betwixt his brother Lots Herd-men and his owne would extend it selfe unto them comes unto his brother Lot to quench this fire which was already kindled with these mild and soft words Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene me and thee for wee be brethren The whole land is before thee therefore if thou wilt take the left hand then I will goe to the right or if thou depart to the right hand then I will goe to the left r Gen. 13.8 9. And thus wee should rather imitate this holy Patriarch in submitting our selves one to another for the preservation of this blessed peace then by contention strife revenge and the like dissolve this bond Secondly those are enemies and opposite unto Answ 2 this beatitude who are inexorable refractory and will not be reconciled unto those who have injured them these are they whom our Saviour saith shall not be pardoned because they will not forgive men their trespasses Thirdly those are principally opposite unto this Answ 3 beatitude who instigate and provoke others unto contentions and strife and therefore Salomon saith He that soweth discord among brethren is an abomination unto the Lord Å¿ Prov. 6.16.19 Who are these sowers of Discord that are thus opposite unto this Christian vertue Quest 4 They are found either in the Church or in common and private affaires First there are sowers of the seeds of sedition in the visible Church of Christ and these are Sectaries which the Apostle forewarnes us of in these words Observe those which cause breaches and divisions in the Church Secondly there are seedesmen of strife in private and publike matters to wit I. Those who are whisperers and tale-bearers such there were in Saint Pauls time who were not onely idle but also tatlers and busie-bodies t 1 Tim. 5.13 II. Those who provoke others to sue them by whom they have beene injured who are as spurres in mens sides to instigate and hasten them on to dissension and discord III. Those Lawyers who like covetous and unconscionable Chyrurgions prolong suites by their demurres and delayes onely for their owne advantage All these are opposite unto this peace and therefore have no interest at all in this Blessednesse which is pronounced by Christ unto the Peace-makers VERS 11. Vers 11 Blessed are yee when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake There are three phrases here expressed reviling persecuting and speaking evill of The second to wit persecution I have wholly omitted reserving the consideration thereof unto another place The first and third viz. to revile and speake evill of seeme to be the same and are of one and the same nature but Augustine distinguisheth them thus First we are reviled to our face as the Iewes did unto Christ say wee not well thou hast a divell u John 8.48 Secondly wee are spoken evill of behinde our backes and thus some say privately of Christ that he cannot be the Messâ—as because hee is a Galilean and Christ must not come out of Galileex. v Iohn 7.41 Vers 12 VERS 12. Rejoyce and bee exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Obiect 1 Great is your reward in heaven The Papists object this place for the Merit of our workes thus life everlasting is in this verse called Merces a recompence or reward therefore good workes doe properly merit Answ 1 First Augustine saith w Aug. Praef. in Psal 109. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit ut non quasi operibus merces promitteretur sed gratia gratis daretur whatsoever God hath promised hee hath promised to those that are unworthy that it should not be promised as a reward unto workes but as grace freely given The argument then followeth not there is a reward ergo merit for the reward may bee counted of favour as well as of debt Rom. 4.4 as followes in the next answer Secondly there is a double reward the first properly so called the second improperly and by a certaine similitude now of this latter to Answ 2 wit the reward improperly so called we grant the Antecedent viz. that life eternall is called a reward but deny the Consequent therefore good workes merit heaven for there is not one and the same reason of Homanymorum or ambiguous and doubtfull words Porsanus here proves Obiect 2 the consequence which wee deny thus Wee cannot conceive a reward to be without merit any more then we can conceive a sonne to bee without a father or a husband without a wife or a master without a servant or a mountaine without a valley or a schoole-master without a scholler These examples will not prove the consequence for all these are of a proper appellation Answ or taken in their proper and genuine signification but
diversitie of sinnes but another kinde of punishment beside eternall it sheweth not For Iudgement a Counsell and Hell fire doe but signifie three degrees of the same punishment Hell fire being due to the rest but added onely for distinction to shew both the difference of the sinne and punishment Answ 2 Secondly Iudgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in Scripture for everlasting punishment or condemnation as Roman 2.3 How shalt thou escape the Iudgement of God And therefore Bellarmines consequence is nought He that is angry shall be guiltie of judgement therefore not of hell fire for Iudgement signifies the punishment of ever-burning Tophet Thirdly Saint Paul sayth No rayler shall inherit Answ 3 the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.10 But he that sayth Racha to his brother is a â—ayler wherefore hee that sayth Racha shall not inherit the kingdome of heavens The Minor proposition is thus proved Racha is an Hebrew Interjection and is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raiak evacnare and is read by the Thalmud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inavis vacuus that is a light head or cock-braine wide and emptie of wisedome or understanding Now hee that thus reviles his brother railes upon him and therefore if Saint Paul may bee beleeved hee that calles his brother Racha shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven § 8. Whosoever shall say thou Foole. Is it Sect. 8 not lawfull then at all to call any Foole Quest 1 First it is lawfull for God to call wicked men Answ 1 fooles Prov. 12.6 and for Christ to call the two Disciples foolish Luk. 24.25 yea for Saint Paul to brand the Galatians with folly Gal. 3.1 and plainly to call the Cretians Liers and Slow-bellies Titus 1.12 Secondly this place is to be understood of Answ 2 them which charge men with folly with a mind to reproach them by way of revenge we must not call any foole in anger hatred or contempt because as was formerly sayd Christians must looke upon all men as their brethren and our Saviour sayth here plainly thou must not in anger call thy brother foole Doth the abuse of the tongue deserve hel fire Quest 2 or destroy the soule First Pomerius saith Convitia reprochfull Answ 1 words are veniall sinnes when they are thus qualified I. When they are given by superiours by way of correction or reproofe II. When they proceed not from hatred but from the levity of the mind III. When they proceed from a light or small anger and from unbridled or immoderate rage IV. When they procced from no desire of disgrace that is although a man use some reprochfull and disgracefull words unto his brother in his anger yet doth it not with a purpose or intent to disgrace him V. When by the reprochfull words which are given our brother is not much disgraced Secondly Pomerius saith Maledicta evill Answ 2 speeches and maledictions are but veniall sins when thus occasioned or uttered viz. I. When they proceed from a good cause or from some calling from God II. When they are pronounced against or reflect upon him onely who hath deserved to be evill spoken of III. When they are occasioned for a trifle a matter of no great moment IV. When they are from a sudden undeliberated heat of passion These respects thinkes Pomerius doe so allay and qualifie the poyson of the tongue that it wil not prove mortall unto us Thirdly we have a more sure word of prophecy Answ 3 to resolve and establish us in this particular then the opinion of an erring Papist and that is the word of God which teacheth us what to thinke or judge of rayling reproachfull and cursed speeches by these particulars First the Scripture commands us if wee desire to approve our selves to have put on Christ to put on the vertue contrary unto these Put on therefore as the elect of God bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of mind meekenesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another p Coloss 3.12.13 All these are contrary or opposite to reproaches and evill speakings and therefore if the one bee commanded then is the other forbidden if one bee an argument of an elect vessell the other is of a reprobate at least for the present And therefore whether simply taken or according to Pomerius his qualifications and restrictions they are no veniall sinnes Secondly the Scripture prohibites these ex consequenti by a necessary consequent Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good c. That you grieve not the Holy Spirit of God q Ephes 4 21. Now none will deny but that reviling and wicked speeches are corrupt communication at least tend not to edification but rather offend God The Apostle seemes plainely thus to argue those speeches which are corrupt and edifie not the hearers are displeasing to the pure Spirit of God and become not Christians but rayling reviling and reproachfull speeches are corrupt and tend not to edification and therefore they are unbeseeming Christians and displeasing to the Holy Ghost and consequently in their owne nature lethall and not veniall Thirdly the Scripture dislikes all speeches of this kind because they argue that there is neither grace in us for the present nor hope of glory for the time to come I. That man who gives way to these abusive speeches doth thereby testifie that his heart is not seasoned or sanctified with true grace If any man seeme religious and bridleth not his tongue he deceiveth his owne heart and his religion is in vaine r Iam 1. â—6 II. That man is as yet no heire of glory Be not deceived for raylers and revilers shall never enter into the kingdome of God Å¿ 1 Cor. 6 10. I conclude this particular with this plaine syllogisme That which excludes us both from grace and glory is mortall and not veniall but rayling reviling and reprochfull words not being repented of exclude us both from the possession of grace and true hope of glory therefore they are no veniall sinnes Fourthly these are directly and positively forbidden by God in his word and therefore are no veniall sinnes in their owne nature Lay aside all malice envy and evill speakings saith Saint Iames t 1 Pet. 2.1 and Saint Paul most plainely Let all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evill speaking be put away from you u Ephes 4.31 Having shewed that rayling and reprochfull words are Quest. 3 mortall sinnes it may hence be further demanded why the abuses of the tongue doe destroy the soule and must bee punished with Hell Fire Answ 1 First because the tongue was given unto us for other ends speech is onely given unto men and that for this end that thereby they might performe those dueties which God requires of them viz. to wit First wee must blesse and praise God with our tongues Jam. 3.9 Secondly wee must confesse Christ with our tongues Rom. 10. Thirdly wee must invocate and supplicate the
her that is divorced committeth adultery Bellarmine de Matrim cap. 16. Arg. 1. urgeth these words for the proofe of their former assertion that for adultery one may dismisse another but neither party can marry againe for any cause during life Christ here saith Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery These words saith the Jesuite must be understood generally without the exception of fornication for if it be lawfull to marry an adultresse who is divorced for adultery and the innocent party who is dismissed but not for adultery then should the case of the adultresse be better than of the other Answ 1 First the adulteresse is not straite way to be admitted to second marriage but it is fit that some restraint should bee made in the discretion of the Magistrate lest it might bee made an usuall practise for incontinent persons to change their Answ 2 wives Therefore in this behalfe the adulteresse case is not so good Secondly the innocent persons case is much Answ 3 better because she is free from so great a sinne as the adulteresse is guiltie of Thirdly the innocent partie may be reconciled to her first husband 1 Corinthians 7.11 Answ 4 Which is better then to have a new husband Fourthly If she cannot be reconciled and the froward partie fall into the sinne of incontinencie as he is most like in this case refusing the company of an honest wife to be given over then hath the innocent partie the same remedie which the adulteresse hath but upon Answ 5 much better conditions then she Fifthly the exception in the first clause of the sentence except it be for fornication must be supplied also in the latter Willet synops fol. 780. Arg. 2. Vers 33 VERS 33. Againe yee have heard that it hath beene said by them of old time Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe unto the Lord thine oathes Sect. 1 § 1. Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe Wee see here that Perjurie is so infamous and notorious that it is condemned by the wicked Scribes and Pharisees as a grievous sin Quest 1 What is Perjurie Answ Pejerare non est falsum jurare sed quod ex animi tui sententia juraris id non facere perjurium est Cicero offic 3. Perjurie is not to sweare falsly but not to performe what one hath sworne And this definition evidently appeares to bee true by this verse Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe unto the Lord thine oathes But of this more by and by How many sorts of Perjurie are there Quest 2 As there are two kindes of oathes Answ so there is a double perjurie namely First Assertorium whose subject is an indicative proposition which shewes something this perjurie is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly Obligatorium whose subject is a Promissorie proposition which promiseth to doe some thing and this perjurie is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first of these is more palpable and therefore the Jewes rather taught the second as appeares plainly by this verse But of these more particularly Perjurie J say is two-folde First Apertum manifest and palpable Secondly Palliatum cloaked and palliated First there is Perjurium apertum manifest and palpable Perjurie Why doe men thus forsweare themselves Quest 3 First some doe it for lucres sake using it Answ 1 in buying and selling but this gaine will bring leannesse unto the soule and bee like Geheza's prey which was rewarded with a cleaving Leprosie 2 King 5.27 Secondly some doe it that they may avoide Answ 2 the punishment of the law when they are examined concerning some crime before either Ecclesiasticall or Civill Judges Thirdly some forsweare themselves that so Answ 3 they may be free from paying their debts which they truely owe. Answ 4 Fourthly some that they may not restore things that have beene betrusted unto them to keepe Fifthly some that they may by their perjurie Answ 5 gratifie their friends Sixthly some forsweare themselves out of Answ 6 hatred unto others and although this be a very divelish practise yet it is too ordinary in Warrants for the Peace and diverse the like cases wherein men care not what they sweare so they may but have those punished whom they hate Why must we be thus carefull to avoide this Quest. 4 perjurie First because otherwise we shall destroy our Answ 1 soules unprofitably for hee that useth to forsweare himselfe will not bee beleeved nor credited Secondly because if we should be overtaken Answ 2 herewith we should be a disgrace a by-word unto the Papist Turkes and Heathens Amurath perceiving how Vladislans the King of Hungary had shamefully broken Truce with him opened the Booke wherein the League was written and which Vladislans had sworne to observe unto Christ praying him to take notice of the disloyaltie of his servant and to revenge his Perjurie which hee did indeede The Papists bragge but their equivocations and mentall reservations make mee call the truth of it in question that in the dayes and places of Popery men were and are more true of their words and faithfull in their oathes then we Protestants are And therefore if wee desire to adorne that Profession which wee have undertaken wee must carefully avoide Perjurie Answ 3 Thirdly because this is an indignitie which man could not suffer then much lesse God No good or honest man could endure that his name should be thus abused unto perjurie how detestable then is it unto the Lord for men to sweare falsly by his name Answ 4 Fourthly because by perjurie men doe strive with their Maker hoping to deceive him by their fraud and craft They call him to witnesse that which they know to be false thus hoping to beguile the Lord. Answ 5 Fifthly because hee that sweares falsly by Gods name doth call God to avenge himselfe upon him and doth thus hasten judgement which comes upon such wicked men fast enough And therefore let us not by calling God to witnesse our untruthes provoke him unto anger for wee are not stronger then hee is g 1 Cor. 10.22 Answ 6 Sixthly because the Lord will never acquite such an one in Judgement The Lord will not holde him guiltlesse who taketh is name in vaine much lesse him who abuseth it by swearing thereby falsly yea he hath threatned that hee will bee a swift witnesse against the false swearer h Mal. 3.5 And therefore if we desire estimation and credit amongst men if we desire to honour our Profession if wee desire to offâ—r no indignitie to our God by which hee may bee provoked justly to bee angry with us to condemne us and severely to punish us then let us carefully avoide all Perjurie and false swearing Secondly there is perjurium palliatum a palliated and subtile perjurie when men take an oath either in such a forme as they can interpret their oath which way they will or els have their private reservations and craftie equivocations all which are usuall with the
who say at once so many Pater nosters and the curiositie of the Anabaptists who will not endure that it shall be said at all are both here condemned Answ 4 Fourthly as this is a platforme or exemplarie prayer so it is also commanded Omnibus semper to all alwaies because all men in all ages must strive in their supplications to imitate this forme as we shall see further in the next question In the third answer we affirmed that the Anabaptists deny this to be a prayer which is also the opinion of the Brownists who held that the words laid downe here by our blessed Saviour in the 9 10 11 12 and 13 verses are positions or rules of direction for praying and not petitions Against this assertion we argue thus Argu. 1 An expresse Commandement neither contrarie to nature nor against reason or the analogie of faith agreeable also to the scope and tenor of the place ought to bee obeyed and literally understood But these words when thou prayest say thus Mat 6.9 and Luke 11.2 say our Father c. is such an expresse Commandement as is neither against reason nor contrary to nature or the analogie of faith but agreeable to the scope and tenor of the place Therefore it ought to be obeyed and literally understood and used as a prayer Argu. 2 Whatsoever Scripture hath in every respect the forme of a prayer is not onely matter of doctrine but hath beene used also as a prayer But this Scripture Mat. 6.9 hath in every respect the forme of a prayer Therefore it hath beene used as a prayer and is not onely matter of doctrine The Major proposition is thus proved how can we tell which are prayers and which are not but onely by their forme of petition whereby they are distinguished from Doctrines and rules proposed in another forme as Whatsoever you aske it shall be given you and the like h Mat. 7.7 and 21.22 and 1 Iohn 5.14 The Minor proposition is as evident as the Sunne as is thus shewed That Scripture which hath expresly the Petitioned and the Petitioner and the Petition hath in every respect the forme of prayer But this Scripture Mat. 6 9. hath lively laid downe in it I. the Petitioned Our Father II. the Petitioner every one of the faithfull shrowded and soulded up in those words Our and Us. III the Petition which is either deprecative against sinne sathan and temptation or supplicative both for spirituall graces and temporall blessings Therefore these words here used by our Saviour have in every respect the forme of prayer In a dutie prescribed unto all and to be used by Argu. 3 all the Holy Ghost is plaine and the Scripture so shallow that a Lambe may wade But if these very words be not to be used as a prayer but onely given us as a Rule of prayer then no Christian for 1500. yeare or there abouts did understand our Lords meaning Therefore it is very probable that it is a prayer The Brownists object Object The Apostles never used those very words in prayer Therefore these words are but positions and rules of doctrine First an expresse Commandement is warrant Answ 1 enough without any example Secondly There is no example of Baptising Answ 2 in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost yet is the Commandement of Christ sufficient warrant so to doe Compare Mat. 28.19 with Acts 10.28.19.5 Whether are we obliged and inioyned to use Quest 7 this prayer alwaies when we pray First No. Secondly it binds First Negatively alwaies for we must never use another forme that is we must pray for no other things nor otherwise then according to this forme Secondly affirmatively onely in part secundum exigentiâ—m Mus s according to our present necessities and occasions as appeares by these three particulars I. Christ himselfe did not alwaies pray this same prayer for First sometimes he gives thankes Mat. 11.25 I thanke thee O father Lord of Heaven c. Secondly sometimes hee prayes in other tearmes Mat. 26.30 Father take this cup from me II. The Apostles of Christ often pray otherwise Reade Acts 1.24 and 4.24 III. Sometimes we are in a manner constrained in our prayers to expresse our spirituall necessities which verbatim are not contained in this forme And therefore we are not affirmatively obliged alwaies to these words Thirdly I adde another answer to this question Answ 3 given by Paraeus i Pareus s Mat. That although publickly in the congregation privately at home we often in regard of our present necessities pray in other words then these in the Lords prayer yet it is very fit and convenient that we should seale up and conclude all our prayers with this forme of prayer and that for these causes I. Because thus we obey the Commandement of the Sonne of God who in this verse saith Sic orate pray thus and Luke 11.2 When thou prayest sic dicite say thus And therefore it is fit that sometimes this forme should bee used II. Because we must not doubt or question but these words prescribed by God the Sonne are very acceptable unto God the Father when they are poured forth by a pious and intelligent supplicatour For the Father doth alwayes heare the Sonne and therefore hee will be ready to heare the words of his Sonne III. Because it doth most briefly contain a perfect summe of all those things which are necessary to be prayed for and therefore whatsoever is over-slipt by us in our Petitions is supplyed by this forme wherefore it is not amisse to conclude alwaies with it And thus I conclude the generall questions concerning this prayer proceeding unto the expâ—ication of the severall petitions If any desire to know whether this Prayer may or ought to be said to the Saints let him consult with M. Fox in his Acts and Monuments where the matter is discussed pag. 1274. Sect. 3 § 3. Our Father which art in Heaven I will not consider of these words according to the order of nature but of place taking them as they lye Quest 1 Why doe wee appropriate God unto our selves calling him ours Answ That wee may pray the more confidently because if he be our father he will helpe us Quest 2 Why doe we pray in the plurall number our father not my father Answ 1 First because it is our duty to pray one for another there being no faith without this true brotherly love Gal. 6.4 Answ 2 Secondly wee pray our father for the greater increase of our confidence and assurance that we shall be heard knowing that all the faithfull pray with us and for us Vis unita fortior many hands quickly dispatch a great worke many faithfull prayers quickly pierce the clouds and ascend the heavens and come into Gods eares and never returne without a blessing And therefore great is our confidence and assurance to be heard when we know that all Gods children with us pray our father thereby praying with us and for us as
man descend hee shall never be satisfied Sect. 3 § 3. Our daily bread Quest 1 Why doe we pray for our bread Answ 1 First negatively not because we challenge it at Gods hands as our right Quest 2 Secondly affirmatively for these causes following I. Because wee doe not desire great things but onely such as may be fit for our selves II. Because they are to bee obtained by our labour and therefore by prayer we desire a blessing from God upon our endeavours and affaires III. Because they are so necessary for us that ordinarily our life could not subsist without them IV. Because by the divine and eternall providence of God our lot and portion in temporall things is appointed Prosperity and promotion come neither from the East not from the West but from the Lord who hath from all eternity decreed what to give in outward things to every person And therefore we desire that the Lord would give that portion unto us which in his blessed will and mercifull decree he hath ordained for us And it is called Our bread because it is ordained for us by God If God have decreed what hee will give to every Quest 2 one of us in temporall things then what need we pray at all for our daily bread will not God fulfill his decrees without our prayers First prayer is the ordinance of God and Answ 1 therefore it is not to be neglected at all yea it is the ordinary meanes for the obtaining of our desires Secondly wee must pray because this shewes Answ 2 our hope and trust and confidence in God Thirdly wee know not whether God have Answ 3 decreed to give us such and such things or not and therefore if we stand in need of them wee must pray for them How or with what mind can we pray in these Quest 3 uncertainties Wee must pray according to these meditations animadversions and resolutions namely Answ First we know not what God will give us in particular though we pray unto him Secondly but in generall we know that the decree is gone out that God hath determined what he will give us Thirdly we acknowledge that all our endeavours can alter and change nothing in Gods decrees f Luk. 1◠26 Fourthly therefore if it please God to leave us in our temporall troubles and not to preserve and deliver us we are contented and intend patiently to indure whatsoever our good God hath decreed concerning us Fifthly yet notwithstanding this resolution wee pray unto him and must continue praying untill his blessed Will bee revealed in and upon us And that for these two reasons I. lest wee should bee wanting unto our selves by our remissenesse II. Lest we should be culpable before God for our neglect or that wee doing our endeavour wee might bee free from blame before our heavenly Father Quest 4 How or by what meanes may wee bee assured that our Prayers should be heard in temporall things Answ 1 First if wee our selves use the meanes diligently which God requires namely Gate or endeavour and Prayer then wee may expect a mercifull successe from God Answ 2 Secondly if we our selves belong unto God then the promises of God belong and are unto us yea and Amen in Iesus Christ Answ 3 Thirdly if wee lay no stumbling blocks in the Lords way thus David constrained God to take the rod of correction in his hands 2. Sam. 12. Thus Christ complaines that hee would have been gracious unto Ierusalem but they would not Matthew 23.37 So the Lord would have bestowed yea showred his blessings upon his people but their sinnes hindred and with-held good things from them Ierem. 5.25 Malach. 3.10 And therefore if wee desire that the Lord may heare and answer graciously our requests wee must leave all sinne and labour in sincerity of heart to serve the Lord. Answ 4 Fourthly if the thing wee beg be for our good comfort and profit then we may expect a mercifull grant of it otherwise not for our all-wise-God will not give us a stone instead of bread Vers 12 VERSE 12. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters Sect. 1 § 1. And forgive us Quest 1 What method doth our Saviour use or observe in this Prayer First some say Christ handles those things Answ 1 First which belong unto himselfe Secondly which concern our selves In which hee laies down 1. Naturall things 2. Spirituall things Answ 2 Secondly some say Christ handles First Divine things in the three former petitions Secondly Humane things in the fourth petition Thirdly Diabolicall things in the two last petitions Answ 3 Thirdly some say that wee pray For good things first in foure affirmative petitiōs Against evill things in the second place in two negative petitions And unto these I assent What is observable in this petition Answ Two things Quest 2 First the petition wherein are 1 The debt Our debts 2 The remission of the debt Forgive us our debts Secondly the condition as we forgive our debters What is this debt Sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 11.4 And hence ever and anon in the Scripture wee read of the Remission Quest 3 of sinne as also in the Apostles Creed Answ Obiect A debt is that which a man owes unto another and therefore if our sinnes be debts it will follow that we ought to sinne for a man ought to pay his debts There is a three-fold debt First Direct and this debt is obedience A which wee owe indeed unto God For we are debters unto God to live according to the Spirit Ro. 8.12 Secondly Per consequens by consequent thus the Mulct of sin namely punishments temporall spirituall and eternall is called a Debt Thirdly Metonymicum and thus the cause of the debt to wit sinne is called a debt in this place because sinne is the cause of that punishment which is due unto us But the most proper debt is obedience Doe we desire to bee freed from obedience Quest 4 If that be our proper debt which wee owe unto our God and wee desire that our debt may bee remitted it seemes that we implore the Lord to ease our shoulders from the yoake of the Morall Law We doe not in this petition desire a relaxation from our obedience Answ but that our omissions may not bee strictly required or punished Hee who hath committed theft doth not desire that it may be lawfull for him to steale hereafter but that his by-past theft may bee pardoned Or as a Debter when his day is past intreates favour and forbearance for the time by-past and promiseth to pay all shortly And thus we properly desire in these words that the Lord would forgive us the punishment which is due unto us for our sinnes as the King pardons murder and homicide Why doth our Saviour call this a debt Quest 5 First that we might know sinne to be the Answ 1 cause of punishment Secondly that wee might know that all is Answ 2 abolished together namely both the cause
in the smallest things Fiftly Faith fructifying in love and sanctity Rom. 13.11 Philip. 1.27 But wicked men believe not neither obey and therefore they are strangers from life Sixtly Christ is the way unto life Iohn 14.6 Acts 4.12 But wicked men are without Christ and therfore it is evident that this straite way of piety is unknowne unto them Answer 3 Thirdly it is cleare also that naturall men are ignorant of this narrow path by the estate and condition of mankinde after his fall he then becoming brutish Thus the Prophets say that man may now bee compared to the beasts that perish Psal 49.12 Ierem. 10.14 and 51.17 And therfore undoubtedly is ignorant of the way of life Answer 4 Fourthly it will bee as cleare as the day if wee consider but the ignorance of naturall men For 1. The best clerke and wisest naturall man is but a foole so long as hee is not taught spiritually and instructed from above Rom. 1.22 Prov. 16.22 and 1. Cor. 1.20 and 3.19 2. The naturall man is but childish in religion 1 Cor. 13.12 Ephes 4.14 3. He knowes not what heaven and life eternall is Haec est vita aeterna ubi possumus Deum videre facie ad faciem ubi est sanitas sine infirmitate requies aeterna sine labore pax sine timore laetitia sine moevore veritas sine errore Life eternall is that place where wee shall see God as we are seene face to face where wee shall have health without sicknesse rest without disturbance peace without feare joy without sorrow and trueth without errour This nature is altogether ignorant of 4. He knowes not how heaven life eternal may be acquired nature can neither teach how heaven may bee had nor procure it And therefore wee may hence collect how necessarie it is for every member of old Adam to labour and endeavour to bee free from this naturall condition wherein hee is and to be regenerated and engrafted into Christ Why must wee thus earnestly desire to bee changed Quest 6 renewed and incorporated into Christ First Because naturally wee are blind and cannot Answer 1 walke without a guide and therefore so long as wee are naturall wee must needs erre and goe astray from the wayes of God Secondly because naturally wee are foolish and Answer 2 spirituall things are too high above our reach And therefore if wee desire to understand those things which concerne the glory of God and our owne good we must labour that we may bee regenerated and united unto Christ Thirdly because by nature wee are but evill Answer 3 trees And therefore if wee desire to bring forth good fruite we must labour and desire that wee may bee cut off from this wilde olive and engrafted into the new and living stocke Jesus Christ Fourthly by nature we are void and destitute Answer 4 of grace yea deade unto grace Ephes 2.1 and therefore if wee desire that wee may be recovered and the grace of God againe quickned in us we must labour to be changed and transformed after the Image of Christ Fiftly because by nature wee are the members of Answer 5 Sathan Ephes 2.3 And therefore if wee desire to be made the members of Christ and the children of God wee must labour to come out of our naturall estate and condition By what meanes may wee bee freed from this miserable Quest 7 condition wherein by nature we are I answer here from the second answer of the former question save one use these meanes Answer First studie the word of God Meanes of regeneration labour for the knowledge thereof for that will teach thee thy misery Secondly obey the word of God when thou knowest the will of God then labour to doe it abstaine from all evill prohibited observe every good duety enjoyned 3 Thirdly love the Lord above all things he onely regenerates by his holy Spirit and therefore love him with all thy heart and with all thy soule 4. Fourthly labour for Christ for hee sends the Holy Spirit unto us hee is the alone Mediatour betweene God and man and all grace which is conferred upon us by God is in and through Christ And therfore no mercy is to be expected but by him and for his sake Fiftly pray unto God that hee would bee graciously pleased to wash us from our sinnes to plant and engraft us into Christ and to sanctifie us by his holy Spirit Thus we have heard the first cause how the way of piety which leades unto life is strait in respect of the Obscurity thereof it being hard to find G Secondly the way of piety which leades unto to life is strait Respectu difficultatis in regard of the Observat 2 difficulty thereof as if our Saviour would say The way to heaven is a hard way Reade Acts 14.22 and 2 Timoth. 3.12 and 2 Corinth 4. How is the way to heaven hard when as 1. God Quest 8 calls all Esay 55.1 And 2 Rejects none that comes James 1.5 And 3. gives his word unto all Actes 20. Which word is a bright and cleare light Psal 119.105 And 4. reveales himselfe unto all those who seeke him We say the way is hard for these causes to wit Reason 1 First because the naturall man cannot understand this word nor be subject thereunto Rom. 8.6 c. Reason 2 Secondly because many seeke not to walke in this way neither regard what the word faith unto them Reason 3 Thirdly because many seeke to walke in this way but seeke amisse that is otherwise then by Christ as by pilgrimages and meat and monasticall vowes and the like Rom. 9.31 Reason 4 Fourthly because this way of religion teacheth things contrary to sense and above reason as 1. That there is imputative righteousnesse Psalm 32.1 2. That wee must deny our selves and submit our selves wholy to the will and pleasure of God And therefore this way may truly be called hard Reason 5 Fiftly this way is hard in respect of our conversion he that would walke in this way hee must turne from two things namely 1. From the world lest otherwise he perish with the world this is very hard for a man to be in the world and not of the world for so he shall be scorned by the world 2. From himselfe and his fore-passed life this is extreame hard and difficult for a man to forsake his owne sense judgement will affection and whatsoever is contrarie to the good pleasure of God Reason 6 Sixtly this way is hard in regard of Mortification and abstinence from sinne yea even those which are most deare unto us as for example 1. Sometimes wee are tempted to have a care of our fame and credite and therefore to forsake the profession of the Gospell because it is derided and scoffed by wicked men 2. Sometimes wee are tempted unto pleasure as unto drunkennesse gluttony wantonnesse adultery pride contention revenge and the like 3. Sometimes wee are tempted unto profit as to couetousnesse lying deceiving
amisse Answer 2 Secondly sometimes they speake fainedly and hypocritically and then speaking the trueth of God they may benefit others thereby but so it is not their fruit but the blessing of God upon his own ordinance and thus Cayphaâ— prophesied when hee was High-priest and Saul when hee was amongst the Prophets Whether can false teachâ— is truely convert aâ—y Question 6 from their sinnes unto God First it is not safe to answer negatively and say Answer 1 they cannot For 1. There is a dogmatiâ—â—â— I knowledge of Christ which they may have although they have not the practicall which is mentioned John 17.3 This is life eternall to know thee and hiâ—â— whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 2. The power of the Word doth depend upon the ordinance of God whoseâ—â—s it and not upon the worthinesse of the man who brings it Hence Paul seemes to intimate that a man may preach profitably unto others and yet not to him selfe 1 Corinth 9.27 Yea God sometimes works with evill â—oâ—les and by bad meanes or instruments as wee see hee sent his word by Balaam and directed Caiphas to speake true yea Sathan himselfe confesseth Christ An evill King may governe well and a false teacher save others and yet damne himselfe as they did who built Noahs Arke 3. The power of regenerating is not in man but in the Word Iames 1.18 the spirit aplying it to the soule 1 Cor. 3.6 4. If an evill teacher may not convert and benefit others then why are wee commanded by Christ to heare such All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe anâ— doe (u) Matth. 23.3 Secondly such certainly cannot preach zealously with a true affection and good heart but either Answer 2 coldly or hypocritically § 3. Neither figs of thisâ—â—es Section 3 Our Saviour showes two things in these words namely First if the tree be bad the fruit cannot be good if the tree be a Thistle the fruit cannot bee Figges of this something hath beene spoken and more remaines to be spoken verse 18. Secondly if the fruit bee good we must not judge the tree to bee bad if the fruit bee figges wee must not judge the tree to be a Thistle For men doe not gather figgs of Thistles Why are not they to be suspected or judged who Question 1 bring forth good fruit First because wee should imitate our God now Answer 1 hee never punisheth but for acertaine and apparent fault and therefore wee should not suspect without some apparent signes or palpable persecutions Secondly because none are rashly to bee judged Answer 2 without good ground Iohn 7 51. Iames 4.11 Thirdly because judgement belongs unto God Answer 3 1 Corinth 4.5 And therefore this is to take the sword out of Gods hands which is dangerous unto any and a thing full of perill Rom. 14.4.10.13 Fourthly because charitie is not suspicious 1 Cor. Answer 4 13. And therefore those who suspect the tree when the fruit is faire and good are too emptie of this grace of Christian love Fiftly because the heart is unsearcheable Ierem. Answer 5 17.9 wee see the actions not the heart and affections and therefore where wee see good things done there we must thinke that they are done with a true affection and right heart Sixtly they who bring forth good fruit are not to Answer 6 bee suspected because wee are implicitely forbidden it in these words and expressely 〈◊〉 the first words of this verse and verse 20. yee shall know them by their fruits where our Saviour would have us to leave the heart unto God and where wee see good fruits there to judge the heart and tree to bee good also Question 2 What are the causes that men so often judge and suspect the tree when the fruit is good Answer 1 First because of some heavy affliction the world looking upon a man whose life hath beene outwardly unspotted doth presently conclude that his religion was but hypocriticall if it see him under some sharpe and grievous disaster and mise y. Thus do Iobs friends And thus do both Jewes and Gentiles Luke 13.2 Acts 28.4 Answer 2 Secondly the cause of this uncharitable judgement is sometimes the envie of another mans glory wee envying the estimation our brother hath in the world by reason of his unblameable Life do therefore censure and judge his profession to bee but in hypocrisie Matth. 10.25 and 12.24 Luke 7.34 Answer 3 Thirdly sometime malice is the cause hereof thus the Jewes judge Christ to have a divell John 9.16 Answer 4 Fourthly this unchristian judgement doth sometimes proceed from hypocrisie many a man cosening the world with false pretences doth judge other men to doe so likewise Rom. 1. last verse and 2.1 Verse 17 Verse 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit Our Saviour speaking here of the regenerate and unregenerate man may move this question Question 1 Who are not Regenerated Answer They who doe not fructifie in good works Gal. 5.15.25 Philip. 1.27 What trees are there in the Church which thus fructifie not First hypocrites who have onely a forme of Question 2 godlinesse 2 Timoth. 3.5 drawing neere unto Answer 1 God with their lips while their hearts are far from him Matth. 15.9 Secondly Back-sliders who start aside like broken Answer 2 bowes forsaking and leaving their first love Reade Gal. 3.3 Revel 2.5 Doe the regenerate then not sin at all Question 3 First certainly they sinne 1 Iohn 1.8 And therefore Answer 1 are taught daily to pray forgive us our debts Secondly but they walke not in the wayes of Answer 2 sinne neither make it their worke but watch and strive against it as shall elsewhere more amply bee shewed Verse 18. Verse 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit § 1. A good tree cannot bring forth evill Sect. 1 fruit Saint Hierome s Galath 5. thinkes this place is not spoken of men but of the fruites of the flesh and Spirit Two things are here directly pointed at namely First that a good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit N. Secondly that an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit § 2. N. First make the tree good and then the fruit cannot bee evill For a good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit Who is a good man or a good â—ee doth not Question 1 Christ say there is none good save God Matth. 19.17 Goodnesse is either Abusive and that either by Or The phrase or proprietie of speech when goodnes is taken for beautie Answer Genes 6.2 1. Samuel 9.2 2 Pet. 2.21 or propernesse of person The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were good so the Latine hath it that is beautifull So Saul was a choice young man and a goodly that is a very personable and proper man Or Comparison Thus S. Paul saith That it had beene good for those who relapsed if they had never knowne
at that day Surely it shall goe well with the righteous Answer and therefore let us examine our selves by these signes whether we be righteous men or not to wit First are all thy sinnes pardoned and blotted out in Christ art thou washed cleane in the blood of the Lambe Psalme 32.1 Rev. 7.14 Secondly hath the Spirit of God taught thee to call God Father art thou by the Spirit assured that thou art a child of God by adoption Rom. 8.15 Galath 4.6 Thirdly art thou cloathed with the garments of Christs righteousnesse and dost thou show forth the fruits of holinesse in thy life and conversation 1 Cor. 6.10 Rev. 19.8 Certainely to him who is assured by the evidence of the Spirit of his remission adoption and justification in Christ and of his sanctification by the Holy-Ghost the last day will be a day of refreshing and unspeakeable consolation Sect. 2 § 2. Have we not prophecied in thy name Two things are here observable to wit First that wicked men may prophecy in the name of Christ E. Secondly that those who prophecy in the name of Christ and are false Apostles are the worst of all F. E. First in these words we have prophecied in thy name our Saviour showes That wicked men may prophecie in the name of Christ or that the onely profession of the name of Christ is not sufficient unto salvation 1 Cor. 9.27 And hence it is that wicked men who will not be reformed are forbidden to take the word of God in their mouthes Quest 1 Psalme 50.16 How doth it appeare that a man may both professe Answer 1 and preach Christ and yet not be saved First this appeares Ab origine from the originall ground or cause thereof For it may proceed 1. From covetousnesse that they maybe provided for and maintained Or 2. From vaine glory that they may be praised and applauded Or 3. From hypocriticall pride that they may reprehend Answer 2 and blame others Secondly this is evident Ab effectu from the effects because such an one by his preaching and profession doth often amend reclame and reforme others but not himselfe Psalme 50.16 and 1 Cor. 9.27 F. Secondly Christ by these words Wee have prophecied in thy name doth teach us That those who prophecie in the name of Christ and are but false Apostles are the worst of all because they deceive unstable soules under Christs name Or they deceive the most dangerously who doe it Quest 2 under a pretence of Religion as Colos 2.18.23 Why are they the worst who under a colour of Religion deceive others Answer Because such deceive the good or those who are well minded and judge according to the outward appearance Math. 24.24 and 2 Cor. 11.13 If Satan should show himselfe in his colours when he tempts the very conscience of man would abhorre his temptations and for feare flie unto God And therefore those who goe about to deceive under a colour of Religion doe most nearely resemble the devill who transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light when he would deceive Section 3 § 3. In thy name we have cast out devils Our Saviour in these words sheweth That a man may have power over Satan and yet not be saved Luke 10.20 The Apostles say the devils were subdued unto us now amongst them was Judas who I am perswaded cast out devils as well as the rest yea it is cleare that Simon Magus and Elymas the sorcerer had power over Satan as shall be shewed more by and by Quest 1 Why doth God give this power unto such as are indeed the captives of Satan for such are all who are not the free-men of Jesus Christ First this power is given for the confirming of others Signes are for those who beleeve not 1 Corinth Answer 1 14. Secondly this power is given for the magnifying Answer 2 of the Gospell which they preach How manifold is this power which false Prophets Quest 2 or any other wicked men have over Satan There are principally three sorts of men who have power over Satan Answer or there is a threefold power which men have over him viz. either 1. by the permission and concession of God Or 2. by the contract of the devill Or 3. by the vertue of meanes or second causes First some have power over Satan concessione Dei by the concession and permission of God And this is twofold to wit either annexed and tyed 1. To the Apostolicall Ordination and thus Christ promiseth them this power and performeth his promise unto them for in the name of Christ they cast out devils Acts 16. 2. This permission or concession is annexed unto faith by the meanes of prayer the word and striving struggling and wrastling against Satan Ephes 6. and James 4. and 1 Pet. 5. Now this power is altogether good and every man ought to labour so diligently and industriously in the use of these meanes that the Lord might give this power unto him Secondly some have power over Satan Contractu Satanae by some compact or agreement which is betweene them and the devill thus Witches have power over the devill by some contract either openly or secretly made betwixt them Now there are two sorts of these witches namely good and bad hurting and helping witches as they usually are tearmed by the vulgar sort but indeed they are both bad because they use the helpe of the devill to the disgrace and dishonour of God as though he were not able to helpe them Now indeed neither the hurting nor helping witch hath power over Satan but onely seemeth to have for while they seeme to cast him out of others he doth possesse them themselves Thirdly some seeme to have power over Satan Ex vi usu Mediorum by vertue of some second causes and the use of some meanes thus Inchanters and Conjurers have power over Satan Augustine telleth us (k) August Civit. Dei 10.11 that Porphyrius would boast that the Magicians could afright the devill and make him tremble and quake like an Aspen leafe But these are but trifles for he according to his wonted subtlety doth faine himselfe timerous and cowardly that hee may the easier overcome and prevaile against those who seeme audacious and bold Sect. 4 § 4. In thy name we have done many wonderfull workes Christ our blessed Saviour would by these words have us to know that the faith of Miracles doth not make nor assure a man to be the child of God neither doth it alwayes prove or argue true Religion or sound doctrine This appeares by the example of Jannes and Jambres and also by these places Math. 24.24 and 2 Thes 2.9 c. And therefore God admonisheth his people not to be seduced although some should worke miracles for the confirming of their false superstitious and Idolatrous doctrine Deuter. 13.1.2 c. Quest 1 Why doth the Lord permit and suffer wicked men to worke miracles Answer 1 First God suffereth it to prove his children whether they be so
sinne for therewith all the sons of Adam and children of men are infected And therefore two things are to bee enquired after to wit I. Whether hast thou sought unto Christ the Physician of thy soule or not hast thou made thy case and griefe known unto him and desired him to heale thee II. Whether hath Christ answered thee in thy request or not whether hath hee healed all thy sins and cured all thy infirmities so weakning the reliques of corruption in thee that now it cannot prevaile against thee Fifthly examine whether thou be changed or not from sicknesse to health canst thou say with Paul I was given to such and such sinnes but I found mercy i 1 Tim. 1.13 the Lord plucking me as a brand out of the fire dost thou find a change both in thy affections and actions from evill unto good Sixthly examine whether art thou sound well and healthfull in thy limbs and members canst thou walke in the waies of God cheerfully canst thou run the race that is set before thee swiftly and constantly canst thou worke out the worke of thy salvation thorowly Seventhly art thou not enclining to a Hectick Fever or a Dropsie or deafnesse of eares that is art thou not barren of grace and all goodnesse or at least Lukewarm in the service of God or of deaf and dull eares to hear the word of God Certainly by a serious examination of these things we may know whether with Peters wives Mother before Christ came we are sick of a Fever or by Christ cured and freed from our Fever as she was VERS 16. And when the Even was come Vers 16 they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils and hee cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick We may learn hence Observ That it is Christ onely who frees from Sathan hee only being stronger then him Luke 11.21 By what means are we freed from the Devill Quest 1 or the Devill dispossessed First the Heathens used charmes and enchantments Answ 1 hoping therby to be preserved from him and to dispossesse him their charms were I. Either by magicall words Fernel abd caus Or II. By the Picture of Solomon in a Ring Iosephus Or III. By the herbe Cynocephalia which is very effectuall against poyson Appion Gram. Plin. 30.2 Or IV. By Amulets hung about their necks Plin. ib. Or V. By the art of Nicromancy and conjuring But all these are too weak to produce such an effect as this is to deliver or preserve from the Devill Secondly the Papists perswade themselves Answ 2 that they can dispossesse men and drive away devils by troops and that by Ceremonies as by holy water and the signe of the Crosse and the seven penitentiall Psalms and a lighted Taper and a Censer and a holy Fryers Hood Iacobus de Chusa and Wyerus Thirdly God doth deliver preserve and free Answ 3 us from Sathan miraculously and that sometimes by the â—ame of Christ as in the Acts of the Apostles and sometimes by prayer and fasting How doth Christ cure those who are possessed Quest 2 with devils or those in whole heart sinne and Sathan remains By these means viz. First Answ by overcomming Sathan himselfe for us Secondly by disarming and weakning the power of Sathan Thirdly by casting of sinne and Sathan out of our hearts Fourthly by arming us both with off nsive and defensive weapons against Sathan Ephes 6.12 Enabling us so to resist him that hee is forced to flee or to be foyled Rom. 16.20 VERS 17. Vers 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying himselfe tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesses It may here be objected Object Christ did not heale the sick and dispossesse those who were possessed for this end that the Prophesie might bee fulfilled for then if the Prophet had not foretold it he would not have done it Muscul Gualt s Answ 1 First God doth dispose it unto this end as he did his flight into E ypt Mat. 2.15 and his return into Nazareth Mat. 2 23. and the Souldiers casting lots about his garments Mat. 27.35 and that a bone of him should not bee broken Iohn 19.33 and divers other passages From whence we may learn Observ That our voluntary actions are indeed governed ordered and disposed by the providence of God Reade Act. 2.23 and 3.18 and 4.28 and 13.27 And besiâ—es remember that it is the will of God not the will of men which is the rule of the world Daniel 4.32 Hence it is said Man purposeth but God disposeth For I. If the purpose and inâ—ention of man bee according to the will of God then God â—il direct it Thus Assur was Gods rod Esay â—0 But II. If mans purposes and intentions dissâ—nt from the purpose and will of God then God corrects it Balaam at first had a desire to goe to Balak but God forbids him afterwards he had a desire to curse the Israelites for Balak but God Quest 1 will not permit it Num. 23. It may here bee demanded whether we desire to establish and maintain Stoicall faâ—e and a necessary series of causes For this is heathenish and unbeseeming Christians to avouch Absit a fidelium cordibus fatum aliquid dicere Greg. hom 10. Vide Thom. 1. qu. 116. c. Answ Certainly wee goe not about to establish Stoicall Fate but Christian Providence Quest 2 Wherein doth Stoicall Fate and Christian Providence differ Answ 1 First Respectu originis in regard of the originall thereof because Stoicall Fate doth depend upon the influence of the stars And therefore Thom. denies it ibid. Answ 2 Secondly they differ Respectu ascensûs in regard of the ascent because Stoicall Fate doth tie the gods themselves and subject them thereunto Answ 3 Thirdly they differ Respectu descesnûs in regard of the descent because the Stoicall Fate binds all second causes And therfore we should avoid the name of Fate Si quis Dei voluntatem vel potestatem Fati nomine vocet sententam teneat et linguam eâ—rrigat i August civit Dei 51. If any shall call the will or power of God by the name of Fate let him hold still the opinion but amend the phrase Quest 3 Is nothing casuall contingent or mutable Answ There are two things certain to wit First that there are many things mutable in regard of us and many things casuall which fall out contrary to our expectation as Inachus said of Io Tu non inventa reperta es he could not find her when hee sought for her and when hee thought not of her then hee found her So a man digging a grave may find a treasure Secondly nothing is contingent in regard of God but all things are certainly ordained Quest 4 Must wee not use the means Answ 1 First certainly wee must and that for these causes namely I Because God hath ordained that by the use of the means wee should attain unto the end II.
naturall condition the more habituall naturall and customary sin is unto us the more strong powerfull and prevalent in us Fourthly so long as a man is not cured the Answ 4 fit will return again although he may have a little ease for a time and the return of his fit or his relapse into sicknesse is much more perillous then the first fit of sicknesse was So vvith us as long as vvee are naturall vve are prone to relapse and fall again into sin by vvhich apostasie vve become seven-fold more the servants of Sathan then formerly vve vvere Fifthly except those who are sick have help Answ 5 1 from without and 2 in time they dye for it so except maturely we be healed by Christ the Physician of the soul as follows by and by we must of necessity perish for we are not able to cure recover or heal our selves Quest 3 What maladies infirmities and evils must we confesse and acknowledge to be in us by nature Answ We must confesse these viz. First that our hearts are void and empty of grace and dark and destitute of knowledge without Christ Secondly that a most profound deep and deadly corruption doth occupy and possesse our whole hearts Thirdly that our best works are but like a menstruous cloath being performed in love unto our selves and for some end of our own Fourthly that our sighs and tears for sin are but adulterous and our repentance hypocriticall Fifthly that our hearts are not truly subject or subjugated unto God for so long as we are naturall we are free from God Rom. 6.20 Sixthly that we have made a false Covenant with death and are at a wicked agreement with Hell q Esa 28.14 Secondly our Saviour by these words The sick have need of the Physician would have us learn Observ 3 That neither our spirituall sicknesse that is our sinfulnes and corruption is healed by Christ or not at all or that he is the onely true Physician of the soul Reade Deut. 32.39 Psal 30.2 and 103.2 and 107.20 Mat. 11.28 Esa 6.10 and 57.18 10. Ier. 3. â—2 Our sins are the sicknesses and sores of our souls and these are healed onely by Christs stripes Esa 53.5 Quest 4 What things are required in a good Physician Three all which are cleerly to be seen in Christ our Pâ—ysician namely Answ First he ought to be able to know our sicknesses for that Physician that is ignorant of the grief can never except casually which is no mark of a good Physician applie fit remedies unto the grieved for the removall of the grief Now herein Christ is the best Physician of the soul of all for he iâ— Cardiognostes the searcher of the heart he seeth the very intentions thoughts purposes and maladies of the heart as well as the actions of the life or words of the mouth Secondly a good Physician ought to be able to cure the sicknesse as well as know iâ— and to remove the cause of the distemper as well as discern it Herein also Christ is the best Physician of the soul for none is so able to cure us as he is we having no other means under heaven to heal and recover us but onely him r Acts 4.12 Thirdly a good Physician must not only be able to finde out what the sicknesse is wherewith his patient is afflicted and to know how to apply fit physick for his recovery but he must also be carefull and diligent in visiting and attending upon him that so no good means may be neglected and that all things which might be hurtfull for him may be prevented and kept from him oftentimes the patient is endangered yea dies through the negligence of the Physician and therfore it is required in a good Physician to be carefull and diligent In this particular also Christ is our best Physician for he riseth early sendeth unto us Å¿ 2 Chro. 36.14 yea all the day long doth he stretch forth his hand unto us desiring that mâ—n would feel themselves sick and â—ome unto him that he might cure them Rom. 10. â—1 And therfore let us go unto Christ as David did unto God and say Lord 〈◊〉 mercifull unto me and heâ—l my soul for I have sinned against thee Psal 41.4 And he will certainly cure us How may we know whether we be cured by Quest 5 Christ or not First examine whether ever didst thou feel Answ 1 thy self sick or not none go unto the Physician but those who stand in need of his help and are sensible of their necessity so the first sign wherby we may know whether we have been healed by Christ is this if we have been sensible of our sins t Ier. 1.1 13. feeling them to be painfull and grievous unto us for so long as we feel not the burden of sin lye heavie upon us we will not haste to this Physician of our souls and consequently cannot be cured Secondly examine whether ever didst thou Answ 2 desire the counsell advice direction and assistance of the Physician for it is not enough for a man to feel himself sick but he must also go unto the Physician that is examine whether ever didst thou go unto Christ and say Heal me O Lord for my soul iâ— wounded and my spirit is fore troubled within me we must not onely be sensible of our sins and sorrowfull for them but we must also desire Christ to remit and cure them and remember that he hath promised to heal those who are contrite and humbled in spirit Psalm 147.2 Thirdly examine whether dost thou attend Answ 3 to the counsell and direction of thy Physician it is not enough for a man to feel himself sick and to desire his Doctor to advise him the best he can for his health but he must also attend to the Doctors counsell so marking and observing all that is said that he may remember and carry away both what he must take and do and in what manner and method Thus we must examine whether we listen to the counsell and advice of Christ or not in his word and labour so to hear that we may learn the method and manner of repentance and what we must do for the obtaining of mercie grace favour and pardon Fourthly examine whether thou followest Answ 4 thy Physicians counsell or not taking the physick which he prescribes and observing the rules which he directs for it is not enough for a man to feel himself sick and to desire the Physicians advice and to mark diligently what he prescribes for all this is nothing except he take what is given and observe the method and rules directed Thus we must examine whether we labour to know the will of Christ that we may do it whether we attend carefully unto the word of God that we may obey it whether we desire earnestly to know the means which Christ hath appointed for the healing of us for this end that we may submit to a willing and constant and religious
put into new Bottles Observ Whence we may learn That those who are born anew by Grace ought in their lives to bring forth new works Colos 2.6 Rom. 6.4 and 7.6 and 1 Pet 4.2 Quest 5 Whether were those who relapse and bring forth evill fruits ever truly born anew and made new bottles Answ No for it is impossible that those who have been once truly dead unto sin should ever live therein Rom. 6.2 and 8.10 11. Quest 6 Do not new bottles those who are born again sin at all Answ 1 First certainly the best sin and that often Rom. 7.23 and 1 Iohn 1.8 from whence we are taught daily to pray Forgiâ—e us 〈◊〉 Trespasses Mat. 6.12 Answ 2 Secondly but they do not walk in sin neither make that their trade of life nor yeeld unto sin but strive and struggle and wrastle against it Gal. 5.17 Quest 7 Cannot those who are illuminated and renewed relapse and fall away Answ 1 First those who are truly regenerated cannot finally relapse Iohn 13.1 and 10.18 Rom. 14.4 1 Cor. 1.8 Phil. 1.8 Answ 2 Secondly but there is a degree of illumination and common Grace from which a man may finally fâ—lly and totally fall Hâ—b 6.4 and 10.26 and 2 Pâ—â— 1.9 and 2.20 VERS 20. Vers 20 And behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years came behind him and touched the hemme of his garment Whether was this woman the same which Quest 1 Saint Marke and Saint Luke make mention of Marke 5.26 Luke 8.43 The woman whom Saint Marke Answ and Saint Luke make mention of was not divers from this woman spoken of by Saint Matthew in this plâ—ce as some thinke but is all one and the same for they all set downe the same terme of the continuance of her disease namely twelve years and the manner of her healing by touching the hemme of Christs garment onely the other two make mention of some other circumstances as that she had spent all among the Physicians and was nothing the better What woman was this which was healed Quest 2 This woman was not Martha Answ the sister of Mary Magdalene as Ambrose seemeth to think de Sâ—lom Cap. 5. nor healed in Ierusalem as Tostat qu. 9. in Mat. 4.85 for Christ was then in Galilee whither hee was returned from the countrey of the Gadarenes and shee seemeth to have been a stranger because Christ sendeth her not to the Priest to present the offering prescribed Levit 15.26 c. as he did the Lepers Some thinke that this woman name should bee Vâ—roâ—â—â—â— in whose vail Christ left an impression of his Image or Bernice who by Herods license set up a brazen Image of Christ at Paveas in memory of this fact under the which grew an herbe which as soone as it touched the skirts of the Image had a vertue to cure all diseases but these I leave as uncertainly true or rather as certainly false though confidently reported by divers Authors cited by Lorinus Indeed Eusebius writeth that this woman was of Caestreâ— called before Paveas and placed in memory of this her deliverance two brazen Images at her door one representing Christ the other a woman touching his garments but without any adoration of them for the same Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea surnamed Pamphilus being written unto by Constantia the Empresse to send her the Image of Christ returned this answer Quis gloriae dignitatis â—â—centes splendores fulgurantes â—ffigiare mortuis inanimatis coloribus posset Niceâ— 2. Action 6. nuâ— 4. who can with dead and unlively colours set forth the bright and shining splendor of his glory and dignity And so he refused therein to satisfie her demand But to thinke that the touching of an Image did give such vertue to an herbe to heale all diseases is an idle conceit for when this woman was healed by the touching of the hemme of Christs garment the Text saith Vertue went out of him whereby it is evident that the presence of his blessed body gave vertue to the garment and that it had it not of it selfe much lesse then must wee think that an Image which never touched Christs body should have any such miraculous power and vertue in it Was not Christ polluted by the touch of this Quest 3 woman Answ All other persons by the Law were judged unclean by touching of such as had these issues of blood but our blessed Saviour as hee was without sin in his soule so hee was free from all uncleannesse and contagion in his body hee came to take away all uncleannesse and therfore could not himselfe be defiled therwith for hee was undefiled and separated from sinners Vers 22 VERS 22. But Iesus turned him about and when hee saw her he said Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole And the woman was made whole from that houre Sect. 1 § 1. But Iesus turned him about c. Quest Why will not our Saviour have this miracle kept secret as well as divers others he forbids the blind man afterwards vers 30. to tell none what he had done unto them and here by his turning him about and speaking unto the woman he would have all to take notice how miraculously she was cured Answ 1 First negatively Christ did not this through ambition or desire of vaine glory But Answ 2 Secondly that he might free and deliver the woman from all fear who might afterwards otherwise have beene troubled in conscience as though she had stolne health from Christ Answ 3 Thirdly Christ did this that hee might correct her faith who thought that if shee could but touch him she should be whole and yet that she could touch him and not be perceived by him therefore hereby our Saviour would have her know that he knowes all things Answ 4 Fourthly Christ would have this miracle knowne that her faith might be thereby more manifested and that for the imitation of others Answ 5 Fifthly Christ did this that the Ruler of the Synagogue who is mentioned before vers 18. might be the better confirmed and strengthned in this faith that Christ was able by his word to cure his daughter Answ 6 Sixthly Christ did this that the true cause and Author of the miracle might bee made known to wit that it was not by any vertue inherent in the garment but that it was wrought willingly and wittingly by himselfe and therfore he doth not say Vertue is gone out of my garment but vertue is gone out of me that is by my divine power and vertue this woman is healed not because with her hand she touched my garment but with her faith my selfe Sect. 2 § 2. Woman be of good cheer thy faith hath made thee whole Argum. It is controverted between us and the Papists whether there be any certainty of faith here on earth or not Amongst other Arguments wherby the affirmative part may be proved wee may produce this That certainty of faith is praised and
this more amply by and by II. When men deny God the Sonne and this is that deniall which the Text speakes of Whosoever shall deny me elsewhere the phrase is Whosoever shall be ashamed of me Marke 8.30 Luke 9.26 where this addition is put And of my words but the sense is one and the same for our Saviour speakes not here de causa moveme of the cause which moves men to deny Christ whether hatred ignorance feare or shame but de actu negandi of the deniall it selfe and this our Saviour condemnes this hee threatens and this he opposeth to the confession and profession of his name and word Whence we observe That to deny Christ is a great sinne Observ and doth alienate and estrange Christ from us How is Christ denied Quest 2 Christ is denied many waies or there is a manifold deniall of Christ namely either First internall which is two-fold to wit Answ either I. Direct when in heart a man utterly denieth the truth of the Gospell Or II. Indirect when men doe not beleeve in Christ but place their confidence in others and other things and that both for temporall blessings and spirituall graces Or when men deny the Providence of God Give mee not poverty lest I deny thee Prov. 30.9 Secondly Externall which is two-fold to wit either I. Direct when a man denieth Christ with his mouth and this is twofold to wit either First totall when men deny that there is neither Lord or Christ as the Atheists who impudently and blasphemously affirm that there is no Deity no Trinity Psalme 14.1 Or Secondly partiall and this is two-fold namely either I. When men deny that Christ is not yet come in the flesh as the Jewes do Or II WheÌ„ men deny that Christ is the Messias and true God as the Jews did Act. 3.13 Iohn 9.22 and As the Turks and Anti-christ doe 1 Iohn 2.22 Or II. Indirect and this is two-fold namely either First when men deny Christ in opinion and this is two-fold namely either I. When men hold not the truth of the Gospell in all things and in this sense whosoever doth thinke amisse either of God or Christ or Religion are said to deny them As for example First the Valentinians denied that Christ was incarnate and made true man Secondly the Arrians denied his Deitie or that he was true God Thirdly the Epicures deny the providence of God Fourthly the Saduâ—â—s deny the Resurrection Luk. 20.27 Fiftly Adam denied Gods truth and wisedome Sixtly the Pelâ—gians deny Christ to be our sanctifier contrary to 1 Cor. 1.30 Seventhly the Socinians deny Christ to be our Saviour for they who will not acknowledge him to bee such a Saviour as he is described to be in the word deny him to be a Saviour Eightly those deny Christ who forsake and fall away from the truth once received acknowledged and professed embraceing instead of the truth lyes and instruct of the word humane Traditions and superstitious vanities Or II. When men professe not the truth they know and hold they deny Christ for hee is either denied by silence or speech Some speake false against their conscience denying that openly which they know to be true Secondly some dare not openly professe that truth which they know for feare Thirdly some speake of Christ contrary to knowledge out of malice as the Jewes did or out of covetousnesse as the Souldiers did Mathew 28.13.15 They offend here against the profession of Christ and the truth and Religion who either First blaspheme Christ as Iulian the Apostate and the Pharisees and Iewes did who said he had â— Divell or as Pope Iulius 2 did when he said he would eat Bacon Al despetto del Dio even in despight of God Or Secondly when men assent unto errours for as there is but one Christ so there is but one truth and whatsoever is contrary to that is a lye And therefore the servants of Christ are the servants of truth Math. 26.70 Rom. 1.25 And they that deny the truth and accept of errours deny and forsake Christ Thirdly they also deny Christ who silence and conceale their profession who smother the truth in their hearts not suffering the profession of Christ or Religion to appeare unto the world Ioh. 9.20 and 12 42. c. who either are not able or at least are unwilling to satisfie every man who demands or desires to know a reason of their faith 1 Peter 3.15 yea many thinke it now a dayes a high point of wisdome so to elude by ambiguous answers all Questions concerning faith and Religion that no man can tell what Religion they love like or embrace Thus to cloake and cover Religion doth plainly unmaske and discover a denier of Christ Object But it may bee here objected It is lawfull sometimes to conceale some truths yea we are commanded to flie unto another City If we be persecuted where we are and therefore wee may surely conceale Religion Answ 1 First wee may hide some truths sometimes and this is most certaine but wee must neither hide all truths neither some particular truths sometimes Answ 2 Secondly the reason is not alike between fleeing from Persecution and concealing of Religion we having a precept for the one and a prohibition for the other But I omit these two Answ 3 Thirdly observe that there is a double profession of Religion namely I A Profession which is placed in good workes that is when our workes may bee knowne before our Religion And II. A Profession which consists in an open confession Quatenus fit ore of all the principles principal points of true religion Now the first profession is alwaies necessary But the second is not necessary alwaies we must never shew forth or performe any workes opposite or contrary to true Religion or the Doctrine of the Scriptures but we are onely to confesse and professe the Articles of our faith in a fit time and place and upon some serious occasion Secondly Christ is indirectly denied in Practise and this is Five-fold namely I. When Protestants deny Christ by a wicked life 2 Timoth. 3.5 which place is expounded Titus 1.15 c. and 1 Timoth. 5.8 And therefore the warfare of Professors is to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Titus 2.12 For hee that denieth not these denieth Christ II. When Professours talke much of Christ and Religion but shew forth no religious workes or performances not beeing carefull that way to confesse Christ III. When men doe not labour to conforme themselves according to the example of Christ Philip. 2.5 IV. When his word which is taught unto us is not obeyed And V. When we neglect salvation trampling under our feet the blood of the Covenant and sleighting the offers of Christ made unto us in the word and the tender of salvation by him Read Hebr. 2.3 and 10.29 Acts. 3.14 and 13.46 And therefore let us take heed of all sorts of denials of Christ whether externall or internall whether direct or indirect because
are open enough to heare judge and proudly to censure others Mat. 7.1 Rom. 2.1 II. In our selves and here we are truely deafe being not able to heare the Lord or his word And this deafenesse I here speake of Observ 1 Observe then hence That it is a disease incident to all by nature not to heare the voice and word of God Ierem. 11.10 and 13.10 Quest 2 What doe men ordinarily refuse to heare out of the word of God First naturally we refuse to heare the threatnings of the word 2 Chron. 36.16 Esa 5.19 Ierem. 17.15 Secondly we stop our eares against the promises of the word Malach. 3.10.14 and 2. Peter 3.4 Thirdly we are carelesse of the call of the word Prov. 1.24 c. Fourthly we regard not the commands of the Answ 4 word Esa 30.9 c. Ierem. 7.23 c. Ezech. 20.8 Audiâ—e to heare is ordinarily taken for obedire to obey in the booke of the Proverbes yee would not heare that is ye would not obey Fiftly we wil not listen to the Doctrines and instructions Answ 5 and lessons of the word Ierem. 32.33 Now the meaning of the proposition I observed is this Although the Lord call yet naturall men will not heare although hee command yet they will not obey although he teach yet they will not learne although he threaten yet they will not feare although hee promise yet they will not beleeve Doe none at all all heare the word of God Quest 3 are all men deafe All men are deaf but not al after the same manner or in the same measure or malice Answ For First some directly deny and refuse to heare the word Ierem. 44.16 and 7.26 and 11.8 Zach. 7.11 c. Mat. 23.37 This might be applyed to those who are refractory who say who is the Lord that we should obey him Exod. 5.2 and our tongues are ours who shall controll us Psa 12.4 But this belongs not to the present institution properly and therfore I omit it Secondly some doe not onely refuse to heare the word but over and above deride it as 2 Chron. 30.10 and 36.16 and Acts 17.32 This may be applyed I. To those who deride the Professours of the word Psalm 119.51 And II. To those who scoffe at the preaching of the word And III. To those who taunt at Religion it selfe As the story saith of the Thiefe who bid spare him till the day of Judgement and then he would take all But these being particular faults and I having to treat of the generall disease and deafenesse passe these over Thirdly some yea all naturall men are insensible of all true feare and understanding haveing eares but heare not Psalm 115.6 Ierem. 5.21 Ezech. 12.2 Mat. 13 13. c. Fourthly the meaning therefore of the Proposition observed is this The naturall man cannot so heare or receive the word given for his salvation and conversion in his affection internall sense and conscience that it workes in his heart conversion unto God How doth this appeare Quest 4 Thus Answ because Nature is opposite to God in two things namely I. In Goodnesse for he loves not that which is good although he doe in part understand it to be good For every rule of Religion is hard Iohn 6.60 And wordly wisedome is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 yea hence naturally we love not Christ although of all others and other things most worthy to be beloved Esa 53.2 But will rather leave him then embrace such hard lessons as hee teacheth Iohn 6.65 Nature beeing altogether averse both from God and good II. In truth for hee cannot understand spirituall things Object Against this it will be objected Naturall men understand many things for they feare and are enlightned and reformed and have a tast of good things Mark 6.20 And therefore are neither so blind nor deafe as we would make them to be Answ 1 First in the naturall man there is a rude and confused hearing but he can discerne nothing plainly but all onely in a darke speaking 1 Cor 13.12 Answ 2 Secondly the naturall man doth something by grace Now grace is two-fold viz. I. Generall and this grace can doe much both towards humiliation from the law and illumination for a man may bee humbled with legall terrours a man may be so farre enlightned that he may pray with much shew of understanding and fervour and sense yea have a taste of faith and the good word of God and all from this generall grace II. Particular and effectuall unto conversion and regeneration Now those who are deprived of this Grace can doe nothing as they ought to doe nor heare the word as they ought to heare For First the end of Preaching is to teach men the knowledge of God yea that knowledge which is life eternall Iohn 17.3 And Secondly so to teach them the beauty sweetnesse and goodnesse of God that they may love him and long for him and cry after him before all other things Psalm 27.4 And Thirdly that through this love of God wee might be constrained to obey him and that both in heart and life 1 Corinth 6.20 But Fourthly nature is not capable of God or spirituall things 1 Corinth 2.14 Acts 16.14 Esa 48.8 Here this phrase or word Hearing is worth observing For thereunto three things are required namely First a voice or the word preached 1 Corinth 1.18.21 And Secondly the aire or breath that carryeth the voice to the Eare and this is the holy Spirit which imprints the word in the heart with deep and indeleble Characters And Thirdly the Organ rightly disposed Now so long as wee are naturall wee have neither of these Now as much as in us lyeth we must labour to prevent and remove all these causes Observ 2 Secondly wee have now to consider the state of grace and that is Audiunt by Christ the deafe heare or their spirituall hearing is restored unto them Or Christ cures in his Children the deafenesse of the soule Esa 43.8 and 54.13 Ierem. 31.34 Quest 5 How doth Christ cure this Deafenesse Answ First he takes away the impediments and hindrances namely I. Obstructions or the stopping of the Eare Now in the Stopping of the Eare There are three things to be considered To Wit First the efficient cause thereof and this is the world who labours to fill our hearts and take up our thoughts and bewitch us with the delights thereof Now Christ cures this by shewing how foolish and vaine and transitory all the things of the world are Eccles yea that they are but snares and wounds and most unconstant friends 1. Timoth. 6.10 and Luke 12.20 Secondly the sickely effect for the Stopping of the Eare workes a hardnesse in the Eare and as the humors in the Kidneyes and Bladder doe so harden that they turne into a stone and the stopping of the humours in the hands or feete breed those Nodos podagricos Cheiragricos So the humours of the Eare beeing stopped breed such a hardnesse that it
hearts are confirmed in a full assurance of faith Rom. 1 17. Ephes 3.13 Heb. 10.22 and 1 Peter 1.5 Quest 4 How must wee so use the word that we may hope for the operation of the Spirit thereby Answer The word teacheth perfectly both what is true in Doctrine and also what is sure and certaine in and unto faith but wee cannot understand these things except wee be taught by the holy Ghost both what is true in the understanding and what is certaine and sure in faith and the promises of the word And therefore if we desire so to heare and reade the word of God that thereby the holy Spirit may teach us within in our hearts then these three things are required of us namely First we must adhere and cleave closely and diligently to the word of God as to our Schoole-Master remembring that it is a seed to beget us and milke to feed us and a candle to enlighten us and a sword to defend us and joy to cheere us and a companion to associate us and life eternall to crowne and rejoyce us Secondly we must hope for and expect the blessing of God in the hearing of the word according to his promise that is we prizing valuing and loving of the word of God and frequenting the Preaching and reading thereof for this end that we might be taught thereby wee may then rest confidently assured that the Lord will blesse his word unto us because hee is faithfull in his promises and the word is powerfull in its operation Heb. 4.12 Thirdly to this esteeme of the word and hope of the Spirit wee must joyne prayer that is beg at the hands of God this blessing that he would come unto our hearts by his Spirit and teach us Psalm 143.10 And then wee may comfortably rest assured that he who is most faithfull in all his promises and whose eares are alwaies open to the prayers of his Children will in his good time grant our requests with his Spirit fill our hearts with joy unspeakeable and glorious Rom. 5.1 and 14.17 and 1 Peter 1.8 Philip. 4.7 § 7. Vnto Babes Sect. 7 How or in what sense are they called Babes Quest First they are not Babes in understanding Rom. Answ 1 16. Or spirituall knowledge But Secondly in humility and that either by an acknowledgement Answ 2 of their folly or weakenesse And Thirdly in a dependance upon God their Father Answ 3 to feed them and nourish them by his word § 8. Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy Sect. 8 sight We see here how our blessed Saviour whose action is our instruction neither gives nor seekes for any further cause of Gods actions then his owne good pleasure that we might from him learne to rest therein and in all the decrees of the Lord to make that our Non ultra or Herculean Pillar beyond which we dare not nor desire to goe For if it be demanded Why God doth not bestow upon some those Quest 1 corporall or spirituall those terrestriall or celestiall graces which hee doth bestow upon some others Wee answer that the true and principall cause is the good pleasure of his heavenly will Answ And therefore the Pelagians are confuted who doe teach that the will of God was moved to elect some and to reject others because he foresaw the good workes of them a Hil. the know of the true God pag. 287. and the bad workes of these flat against the Apostle who saith of Iacob and Esau that before they were borne when as yet they had done neither good nor evill not of workes c. Rom. 9.11 And to confirme this Proposition Christ saith that his Father hid the Gospell from the wise and revealed it to Babes Why because it was his good pleasure Where we see that his pleasure is the cause that hee did not reveale as well as that hee did And therefore from hence we may learne That we must not enquire of God a reason of his actions but rest in his will Rom. 9.20 Thus did good old Eli 1 Samuel 2.18 and holy Iob 1.21 22. And the blessed Apostles of Christ Acts 2.23 and 3.18 and 4.28 and 13.27 Quest 2 Why may we or must not we demand a reason of Gods actions Answ 1 First because God is a debter to no man Who hath given first unto him Rom. 11.35 And therefore he saith in the person of that Master of the vineyard who was not so liberall to one as to another Can I not doe with my own as I will Psalme 50. The Lord shewes that all things are his and therefore none can give ought unto him yea he hath despoticall and absolute rule and power over all creatures For I. They had all their beginning of and from him And II. They all are ruled and governed by him And III. They all are ordained for him according to that of the Apostle For of him and through him and to him are all things Romans 11.36 And therfore who shall dare to call the great Judge and King of all the world to the Barre to render a reason why he hath done this or that Answ 2 Secondly the judgements of the Lord are a great deepe and who is able to search or sound the bottome of them Romans 11.33 c. and 1 Corinth 2.16 Esa 40.13 The judgements waies and workes of the Lord are alwaies just but yet man is often forced to say with Mary How can these things be Luke 1.34 and 18.27 And therefore in such a case we must confesse the blindnesse of our reason and not dare to summon God to give account unto us of what he doth Quest 3 Who are here guilty of blame Answ Those who dispute of the justice of Gods actions It is dangerous swimming in this Foorde for we may easily sinke or be dasht a pecces Non ad discussionem operum Dei sed ad honorandum Deum conditi sumus d Muscul s We were created for the worship and service of God and not to discusse dispute of or censure the actions of God Non Iudices actionum sed imperiâ— subditi Chrys imp s Wee are the Lords vassalls and not Judges of his actions Non ferenda morâ—sitâ—â— non tribuentium Deo justitiae laudem nisi quoad sensus eorum pertingit Great and intolerable is the insolency of those who will not acknowledge the Lords justice any further then they can see reason for it Muscill s We see how our Saviour doth apply this reason taken from the will of God to the hardening of some and to the illumination of others As if he would say it proceeds not from any impotency in God that all obeyed not the Gospell but because it otherwise pleased the Lord Calvin s Observ 2 Hence then wee may learne That the predestinating of some unto life and of others unto death doth depend absolutely upon the will of God He drawes and then we runne after him Cantic 1.3 He addes unto the
Doctori Greg. Past oftentimes the Lord out of his love mercy unto the people enables the Ministers to speak profitable and seasonable words unto them And on the other side the Lord sometimes for the sinnes of the hearers takes away the Ministers or the word from them Cum verbi auditores esuriunt pro eis reficiendis majora Doctoribus dona tribuuntur Greg. Past When hearers hunger after the word then the Lord for the refreshing comforting and satisfying of them doth give more Talents and greater gifts unto the Preachers But when people grow cold in their hearing or in their desires to heare or in their love unto the word then God often lessens the gifts of the Ministers or else takes away his painfull labourers sending Loiterers amongst them IV. He blesseth their labours and gives an increase to their indeavours 1 Cor. 3.6 Pedes quatuor bestiarum Evangelistarum Ezek. 1.7 ut scintillans aes aes candens est Praedicatio inde scintillae prodeunt quia ardent desyderio sonant verbo corda quae scintillae tetigerunt incendunt Greg. s Ezech. hom 3. The Ministers of the Word according to the Commandement of the Lord preach to their flocks and the Spirit of the Lord by their preaching doth oftentimes inflame their hearts and kindle their affections and fill their souls with sanctified desires and turn them truly unto himself And thus we see how the holy Ghost works and teaches in the Preachers of the Word he both making them M nisters and also able Ministers he both directing them what to speak and also blessing what they speak Secondly In Auditoribus the holy Spirit teacheth in the hearers as well as speakers for he makes their hearts often burn within them when they hear as Luke 34.32 Otiosus est sermo Doctoris nisi Spiritus sanctus adsit cordi audientis Greg. s Evang. hom 30. In vain doth the Preacher speak unto the ears of the Auditours except the Spirit speak unto the heart Nisi Spiritus sanctus auditorum corda repleat vox doctorum ad aures corporis incassum sonat nam formare vocem exterius possunt sed interius imprimere non valâ—nt Greg. Mor. lib. 27. Now although preaching be unprofitable without the Spirit yet seldome doth the holy Ghost fall upon any or come unto any but in the preaching of the word when Peter preached then many were pricked in their hearts Acts 2.37 yea then the holy Ghost fell upon many Acts 10.44 And in preaching Lydia had her heart opened Acts 16.14 What is here required of Hearers Quest 5 First they must pray when they come unto Answ 1 the Word and that I. For themselves that the Lord would be pleased so to assist them by his Spirit that they may learn Christ in the Ministery of the Word yea that he would give his holy Spirit unto them and fill them with the graces thereof this was Davids prayer for himself Psal 143.10 and Pauls for the Ephesians chap. 3. v. 18 19. and for the Colossians chap. 1. v. 9. Nulla in discrudo mora est ubi Spiritus sanctus Doctor adest Beda s Luc. hom 9. If the holy Ghost be our School-master then we shall not be Trewants but good proficients and at Schollers And therefore let us beg at Gods hands the Spirit of Revelation Ephes 1.17 c. that so we may go away from the Word alwaies bettered Pray with Augustine in one of his Epistles Sanctum opus semper inspira in me ut cogitem compelle ut faciam suade ut diligam confirma me ut te teneam custodi me ne te perdam Sanctifie thou O Lord so my heart that I may alwaies think that which is good strengthen thou so my hands that I may alwaies do that which is good perswade thou so my affections that I may above all things love thee the chiefest good establish thou me so in faith that I may hold thee fast and so keepe mee by thy Spirit that I may never lose thee II. Hearers must pray for the Preachers of the Word that speech and utterance may be given unto them Ephes 6.19 that the door of the Word may be wide open unto them Colos 4.3 That they may be permitted enabled to speak the Word freely 2 Thes 3.1 yea that they may so speak that their Word may become blessed unto their Auditours Rom. 15.29 30. And hence came that religious custome still practised by our Church to have Prayers and that both First before Sermons that the blessed Spirit would be graciously assistant and present both with speakers and hearers And also Secondly after Sermons that the same good Spirit would confirm what hath been spoken and establish and imprint it in the souls of the Hearers Answ 2 Secondly as Hearers must pray for the divine assistance of the Spirit in the hearing of the Word by which God ordinarily teacheth the mysteries of the gospel so also they must be carefull to hear what the Spirit saith in the Word reade Rev. 2.7 Acts 10.33 Certainly here there is a most lamentable neglect ordinarily amongst Hearers and little or no fruit can be expected of their hearing so long as that remains Hearers are wont I. To hear for fashion sake onely and not for the feeding of their souls Yea II. To absent themselves or keep themselves from the Word for the least cause or upon the smallest occasion that may be Yea III. To hear with prejudice or prejudicate opinions or imprudent censures for some hearers deride some tax and reprove the rudenesse or plainnesse of the speaker that he neither shews Eloquence nor Learning in his Sermons When this is amended either by him or by some other that is if we hear learned elaborate and eloquent peeces then we praise the eloquence learning wit and quicknesse of the speaker in all things seeing and judging man and not God And so long as we look onely upon man in the preaching of the Word so long we cannot expect the assistance of the blessed Spirit iâ—â—he Word yea the more we look upon man the lesse we look for the holy Ghost And therefore in the hearing of the Word let us withdraw our ears and eyes and minds from men and look wholly up unto the Lord remembring that they who preach are his Messengers and that which they preach is his message and the word preached is made profitable onely by him that so we may desire assistance in hearing and expect a blessing upon our hearing onely from him and return all glory honour and praise unto him alone How may we know whether Christ have taught Quest 6 us the knowledge of God and mysteries of the Gospel or not First certainly he that is uncertain of this Answ 1 may be most certain that he is ignorant of it he that knows not whether he know God or not may be sure that he knows not God No man disputes whether there be a Sun or not except it be hid for
the Law were condemned in this verse Therfore all unwritten Traditions must now be abolished To this Bellarmine answers two things namely Answ 1 First Christ condemneth not the ancient Traditions of Moses but those which were newly and lately invented Answ 2 Secondly Christ taxeth and findeth fault onely with wicked and impious Traditions To his first answer we answer two things viz. Replie 1 First the Scripture maketh no mention of any such Traditions of Moses Christ biddeth them search the Scriptures and not run unto Traditions Secondly these which our Saviour here speaks Replie 2 of seemed to be ancient Traditions bearing the name of Elders Traditions and they were in great authority among the Iewes most like because of some long continuance To his second Answer we answer likewise two things to wit First their Traditions were not openly and Replie 3 plainly evill and pernicious but had some shew of holinesse as the washing of pots and Tables and beds yea the Traditions of the Papists come nearer to open impietie and blasphemie then the Jewish Traditions did Secondly Christ in opposing the Scripture against Replie 4 Traditions therein condemneth all Traditions not written which were urged as necessary besides the Scripture What may wee safely hold concerning the Quest 1 Traditions of the Church First that besides the written word of God Answ 1 there are profitable and necessary constitutions and Eâ—clesiasticall Traditions to wit of those things which respect the outward decencie and comelinesse of the Church and service of God Secondly the efficient cause of all true Traditions Answ 2 is the Holy Spirit which directs the Bishops and Ministers assembled together in Councell or Convocation for the determining of such orders and Constitutions according to the word of God and doth also direct the Churches in the approving and receiving of such Traditions Thirdly no Tradition of the Church can constitute Answ 3 or ratifie a Doctrine contrary to the written word of God neither any rite or ceremony for both Constitutions and Doctrines ought to be agreeable at least not contrary to the written word And as all Civill Lawes ought to have their beginning from the Law of nature so all Ecclesiasticall Traditions from the word of God Rom. 14.23 and 1. Corinth 14.26 40. Fourthly although Ecclesiasticall Traditions Answ 4 may be derived from the word yet they are not of equall authority with the word How may the true Traditions of the Church Quest 2 be known or discerned from humane and superstitious Ordinances By these foure notes and marks to wit Answ First true Traditions are founded upon the word and consentaneous unto the word and deduced derived and taken from the word Secondly true Traditions are profitable for the conserving and promoting both of piety and externall and internall worship Thirdly true Traditions make for the order decorum and edification of the Church And Fourthly are not greevous and intollerable as the Traditions of the Pharisees were and the Papists are Matth. 23.4 VERS 4 5 6. For God commanded saying Honour thy Father and Mother Verse 4.5 6. and he that curseth Father or Mother let him die the death But ye say whosoever shall say to his Father or his Mother It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me And honour not his Father or his Mother he shall be free Thus have yee made the Commandement of God of none effect by your Tradition Sect. 1 § 1. Honour thy Father and thy Mother Quest 1 Whether is the Father or Mother more to be honoured and loved Answ 1 First Children can never honour and love parents that is either Father or Mother enough because we are imperfect in our Obedience to every precept Answ 2 Secondly I conceive that a vertous Father is more to be honoured and loved then a vitious Mother and contrarily a vertuous Mother more then a vitious Father because there is Tantundem aliquid amplius a naturall Relation to both but a spirituall Relation onely to the vertuous and godly We are commanded principally to love our heavenly Father best and caeteris paribus to love those best next him that are neerest unto him in love and most like unto him in purity Answ 3 Thirdly if we speake properly positively and without any Relation to any thing understanding the Question thus Whether the Father In quantum est pater as hee is the Father or the Mother as she is the Mother be more to be honoured and loved then with the Schoolemen I answer that the Father is more to be loved and honoured then the Mother And the reason hereof is this because when we love our Father and Mother Qua tales as they are our Father and Mother then wee love them as certaine principles of our naturall beginning and being Now the Father hath the more excellent cause of beginning then the Mother because the Father is Principium per medum Agentis Mater autem magis per modum Patientis materiae And thus if wee looke upon Father and Mother Secundum rationem generationis then we must confesse that the Father is the more Noble cause of the Child then the Mother is If the learned Reader would see this prosecuted let him read Thomas 2.2 q. 26. Art 10. And Arist etheâ— lib. 8. And Anton. part 4. tit 6. Cap. 4. § 8. And Aurtum opus pag. 60 b. Answ 4 Fourthly if we speake of that love and honour which is due unto parents according to their love towards Children then we answer that the Mother is more to be beloved then the Father and that for these reasons viz. I. The Philosopher saith because the Mother is more certaine that the Child is hers then the Father is that is his he beleeves it is his Child but she is sure that it is hers II. Because hence the Mother loves the Child better then the Father doth Arist lib 9. ethic III. Because the Mother hath the greater part in the body of the Child it having the body and matter from her and but only the quickning vertue from the Father h Arist de gen animal lib. 1. IV. Because the Mother is more afflicted for the death of the childe than the Father is and doth more lament the adversity thereof than his Father doth Solomon saith Prov. 10. A wise Son rejoyceth his Father but a foolish Son is a heavinesse to his Mother From whence some say that Fathers in regard of their naturall constitution of body which naturally is hot and dry do more rejoyce when their children are promoted unto honour than the Mothers do but Mothers in regard of their naturall constitution which naturally is cold and moist do more mourn and lament for the losses and crosses of their children than the Father doth But I will neither trouble my self to prove this nor perswade my Reader to beleeve it but leave it to the Philosophers and Schoolmen to be decided and discussed V. Because the mothers part is more laborious
themselves with us and yet must not joyne with us in holy duties Certainely the reason is because the devill knowes that this Sunne of the Gospel burnes and that the preaching of the word workes strongly both upon the affections and judgement and therefore hee prohibits all his servants to approach thereunto and perswades them to avoid our prayers and flie our preaching Thirdly Christ calleth the multitude Vt intelligant that they may understand they must not heare for a forme but they must so heare as that they may know and understand what they hear Observ 2 Whence wee learne That wee must prepare our understanding in the hearing of the word of God Or when wee heare wee must labour to understand what wee heare Colos 1.9 and 2.2 Deut. 4 6. Ignorance is the cause both of errours and disobedience whence it is said They rebelled because they knew not my Lawes Psalme 95. and yee erre not knowing the Scriptures Quest 5 Who are here worthy of reproofe and blame Answ The Papists and that for a three-fold cause namely First because they praise Ignorance saying To know nothing is to know all things Hosius Rhemist s 1 Corinth 14. And therefore no wonder if they erre Secondly because they teach an implicite faith that is to beleeve whatsoever the Church beleeves yea if they did not teach this then none would beleeve nor obey their religion who would beleeve them if it were not for this implicite faith who would adore a peece of bread or a stocke or their foolish and ridiculous relikes who would pray to Thomas Becket who would feare Purgatory who would buy their Indulgences at so deare a rate if it were not for this doctrine They say Ignorance is the mother of devotion or rather of rebellion and superstition And hence it is that the Turkes Alcoran forbids all disputations concerning Religion that so the errours thereof may not be knowne and discerned But Thirdly the Papists in some kind are worse then the Turkes for the Alcoran doth forbid disputations concerning Religion but it doth not forbid any to reade it or the lawes contained therein But the Papists forbid men to reade the Scriptures and Law of God although they confesse that they are the true rules of right living and the divine word of God Doctor Staâ—dish bad take away the damnable Bibles Molanus faith Salubritèr arcentur a lectione Scriptur arum It is for their good meaning the Laitie to be debarred and hindred from reading the Scripture in a knowne tongue An Italian Bishop said to Espencaeus Nostri deâ—errentur à studio Scripturarum ne fiant haeretici Wee forbid and fright our people from reading the Scripture lest thereby they should become Heretikes Vide Reynold pag. 41. Thus they But the Apostles contrarily exhort us To let the word dwell plenteously in us Col. 3.16 because it is the best weapon against Sathan Ephes 6.12 yea the fountaine of life and the food of the soule yea the holy Fathers were of this mind also Cognitio non sufficientèr sed abundanter Hier. s Colos 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys s Col. 3.16 Yea the same Father exhorts men to prepare Bibles at least the New Testament and to invite their neighbours also to reade the Scriptures Chrys hom 9. s Colos And therefore as Ex ungue konem so by this one particular wee may see how these children resemble these Fathers and how unlike they are to them notwithstanding all their bold brags and audacious boasts Quest 6 What is here required of us Answ 1 First in generall wee must so reade and hear that wee may understand what wee reade and heare Secondly more particularly these things are Answ 2 required of us to wit I. Wee must listen unto all that from God is spoken unto us wee must ruminate and ponder all wee heare in our hearts yea wee must apply it unto our hearts and measure our consciences by it II. Wee must lay up carefully what we heare and never suffer it to slip out of our memories III. Wee must labour daily for a more ample measure of knowledge that our understanding may be such that wee may have the body of divinity within us and be able to render a reason of our faith to every one that shall demand it Fourthly the negatiae part of our Saviours Sermon to the multitude is this that those things which goe into the mouth defile not the man What things goe into the mouth Answ 3 First poisoned and infected aire Answ 1 Secondly Pestiferous and obnoxious meat Answ 2 And Thirdly many impure things which doe Answ 3 both pollute and destroy the body And therefore wee must observe that our Saviour speakes not here de Corpere but de homine not of the body but of the Man that is the mind and Spirit Wherefore wee must distinguish of pollution which is either I. Corporall and this is the pollution of the Body Or II. Spirituall which is of the heart and conscience and this is the pollution of the Man Answ 4 Fourthly the meaning therefore of these words That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man is this That meat is nothing at all unto holinesse Hence then we may learne Observ 3 That in the moderate use of Meate their is nei-neither religion nor irreligion neither purity nor impurity Reade these remarkable places 14.17 and 1 Corinth 8.8 and 10.27 and Colos 2.16.20 and 1 Timoth. 4 2. Where the Apostle calleth it a Doctrine of Devills to forbid some meats as unholy because as no meat can make us the holier so none can make us more unholy to the pure all things being pure Titus 1.15 And therefore wee are exhorted to labour that our hearts may be established with grace and not with meats which profit nothing Hebr. 13.9 Quest 8 Who are here faultie Answ The Papists who make a difference of meats eating some upon their fasting dayes as Pure and abstaining from some as polluted that is when they fast they Eate some sorts of meat and think themselves not polluted by them and abstaine from some other sorts as unholy or of that nature that they should be polluted if they let them enter into their mouthes This Tenet being so diametrally opposite to this Truth of Christs I will treat something amply of their Fasts Quest 9 How many things are to bee considered in a Fast Answ I answer that in a Fast many things are to bee considered and observed namely First the law or Precept which is either I. Generall to wit as it was commanded and enjoyned by God both First in the Old Testament as in divers places of Leviticus and Numbers and Ioell 1. and 2. Secondly in the New Testament as Matth. 11.18 and 17.19 and 1 Cor. 7.5 and 9.27 and 2 Cor. 11.27 Acts 13.2.3 and 14.23 O II. The Law of fasting is more particular wherin these foure circumstances are included viz. Quantity quality Dayes and houres which Circumstances are not
a Councell in determining of a case after that the Pope had delivered his sentence Card. Cusan Concord Cathol lib. 2. Cap. 17. pag. 737. If the Reader would see this Pillar of Popery That the Pope is not subject to a Nationall or Generall Councell razed and pulled down and that by their own side let him reade Bishop Mort appeale lib. 4. Cap. 2. § 8. p. 451. 452. Wee affirmed before in the conclusion of the fourth Generall Question that these verses speak of private and personall suits and quarrels between man and man Now how this is clearly confirmed and the contrary Objections made by the Separatists fully confuted If the Reader would know and see let him reaâ—e Mr. Bernard against the Separatists pag. 220. 221. § 2. Take with thee one or two Sect. 2 Why must witnesses here be called First Quest that they may convince the offender of his sin if so be he be either ignorant of it or Answ 1 deny it And Secondly that hee may be left without excuse if hee offend again And Answ 2 Thirdly that they may see and know that he which hath suffered the wrong hath done what Argum. 3 became him or belonged unto him to doe Carthus s § 3. Tell the Church Sect. 3 The Separatists object here against us and what wee have said That in these words Tell the Church the word Church cannot be taken for the Iewish Synedrion or the Assembly of Authoritie among the Iewes which was then as well civill as Ecclesiasticall First the word Church in holy Scripture is not alway so strictly taken as men do now use it but is used for the assembly of good or bad Christians or Infidels met together to consult and determine of causes whether civill or Ecclesiasticall Psalme 26.5 Where the Septuagint do translate the word Assembly by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church So Prov. 5.4 and Acts 19.32.39.40 in which three verses the word translated Assembly is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same which is here translated Church Secondly Beza himselfe by the word Church understandeth it as spoken here of the Iews that is the Elders assembled who exercised juâ—gement in those dayes which assembly of Iudges as here they be called the Church so in the old Testament they were called the Congregation which is all one Num. 35.12 24 25. Iosh 20.6 9. And therefore our Exposition is warrantable by the word and this objection is also of no moment against it Sect. 4 § 4. If hee refuse to heare the Church Object 1 The Papists say that Generall Councels may absolutely determine without Scripture and bind all men necessarily to the obedience of their Canons because such a Councell is a representative Church and for the proof hereof they thus urge this place Our Saviour Christ saith If hee refuse to heare the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen-man and Publican Therefore the Church is absolutely to be obeyed in all things Bell. lib. 1. de Concil cap. 18. Answ 1 First our Saviour in this place speaketh not of the Canons and Decrees of the Church concerning faith but only prescribeth the form of Church discipline for reformation of manners and correction of sin If thy brother trespasse against thee c. verse 15. where Christ saith no more then this That Christians ought to obey the sentence of the Church in censuring of sin and not that they ought to receive new Articles of faith if imposed by the Church though contrary to Scripture Answ 2 Secondly our Saviour speaketh not of every Church absolutely but of a Church guided and ruled by his word and assembled in his name verse 20. For otherwise by the Iesuits collection Christ and his Apostles should have been as Publicans because they obeyed not the Scribes and Pharisees amongst whom the Church was at that time Object 2 The Papists further produce this place to prove that the Church cannot erre but is infallible in her judgement Christ saith If hee will not heare the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and Publican but unlesse her judgement were infallible it were hard yea unequall to hold them for heathen men and Publicans which would not obey her Decrees And therefore the Church that is the Pastors of the Church Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 3. Cap. 5. cannot erre but is to bee heard in all things Answ 1 First it followeth not that the Church cannot erre because we are bidden to heare it for so we are commanded to obey Magistrates Rom. 13.1 and yet they may command things unlawfull and in such a case they must not be obeyed Act. 4.19 It was a Law to the Jews that in matters of weight they should repair to the Priests and doe according to that which hee should judge without declining from it Deut. 17.8 and yet the Papists will not say that Vriah and Annas and Caiphas were of infallible judgement Secondly the meaning of this place is That Answ 2 wee must obediently hear the Church and yeeld unto it not simply in all things but conditionally as long as it speaketh things agreeable to the word of God Thirdly the things properly which Christ Answ 3 here mentioneth and wherein hee biddeth us hear the Church are not determinations of faith but Church censures and admonitions wherein it is clear the true Church of Christ may sometimes decline from the right and be admonished by her children notwithstanding this threatning of Christs Thus the Jewes excommunicated him that was borne blind Iohn 9.34 and the East and West Churches censured one another about the keeping of Easter Niceph. lib. 12. Cap 33. If the Reader would see this further cleared and fully proved from some of their own side let him reade Mr. White his way to the true Church pag. 78. Epise Daven de Judice p. 100. Fourthly if the Church may erre in her censures Answ 4 as is proved in the fore-cited Authors notwithstanding these words of Christ then we leave it to the Iesuit to yeeld some sound reason or other why not as well in points of faith Fifthly the judgement of the Church whether Answ 5 in inflicting of censures or defining of opinions concerning faith or determining of differences about Religion is so farre to be regarded as it is warranted by the word For the Scripture neither here nor no where else doth say That the Prelates of the Church can never erre in judging Sixthly this place speaks of a particular Answ 6 Church for not for every offence of one brother against another is a Generall Councell to be called And therefore if there be any weight or truth in the Objection at all it proves that every particular Church hath an infallibility of judgement and cannot erre But this is more then the Papâ—sts affirm But of this more in the next objection Tarmerus in colloquio Ratisbonensi sess 13. produced this Argument to prove That the deciding determining and judging of all controversies of
the will of God Obser 2 These blind men by desiring mercy that is pardon acknowledge that they have deserved affliction as a punishment of their sinne To teach us That we bâ—â—ght to confesse every affliction to be the punishment of sinne But of this we have spoken before once and againe Sect. 5 Quest 1 § 5. And the multitude rebuked them Answ Why did the multitude rebuke them They did not rebuke them for begging of men but for praying unto Christ whence we learne That impediments in good things are alwayes ready at hand Observ Or whensoever we are about the performance of that which is good we shall be sure to meet with rubbes and lets Matth. 13.27 Quest 2 What are the hinderances that are obvious in good workes Answ 1 First the world â—now this hinders us from good workes two manner of wayes to wit I. Tentando adâ—â—ala by tempting us unto that which is evill namely pleasure honour gaine ease the love of the world and the liâ—â— II. Terrendâ—â— poniâ— by afrighting â—e from that which is good by injuries derisions persecutions and the like Secondly the flesh now this apprehends the tentations provocations and allurements of the Answ 2 world Thirdly the Devill who hinders us by casting Answ 3 of lets and impediments before us and by urging and enforcing the temptations of the world and the flesh What may we learne from this multiplicity of Quest 3 impediments in the performance of good duties From thence we may learne foure things namely First where there are no lets Answ there the worke is to be suspected Jf men frequently performe workes which in their conceit are good without any lets or rubbes they may justly feare that they are not such as God commands and commends for if they were such then certainly the envious man and enemy of all goodnesse would hinder them if he could Secondly where there are many impediments and lets it is a signe that the worke which is so withstood is good and godly righteous and religious And therefore the children of God should not be disheartned with the multitude of Remorses in the service of the Lord but rather encouraged and comforted thereby because those impediments approve the worke to be good Thirdly to expect lets and hinderances in the performance of good workes that we may the better learn to prevent and avoid them Fourthly to resist them manfully because otherwise we shall never do any good worke well And therefore two things are here required of us to wit I. Resolution certainly many perish for want of this and therefore we must resolve with our selves that nothing shall hinder us from the service of our God and he performance of the good duties which we owâ—â—nto him whether publike or private II. Watchfulnesse for it 〈◊〉 two cannot well be severed we cannot be watchfull indeed without Resolution and our resolution is idle without watchfulnesse Read Luk â—â— 42. and 1. Peter â— 8 If a man know that he hath an enemy who observes and markes both his words and deeds he will be the more carefull and watchfull both over himselfe and life and actions and words that so he may have no advantage over him Thus should we doe because we have an enemy that sleepes not but watcheth daily for our destruction § 6. Because they should hold their peace Sect. 6 In these words 〈◊〉 have two things observable namely First the end of the reproofe And Secondly the causes of the reproofe First we have in these words the end of the reproofe and this is expressed They rebuked them for crying afâ—er Christ that so they might hold their peace and abstaine from praying unto our Saviour To teach us That Sathan chiefly desires to hinder our prayers Thus he made the Apostles drowsie when they should have prayed with their Master Observ Matth. 27. Quest How and whereby are we hindred from prayer Answ 1 First many causes often detaine us from the Temple and house of God and consequently hinder us from publike prayers Answ 2 Secondly many causes occasions and affaires often wholly hinder us from private prayers Answ 3 Thirdly oftentimes we deferre and neglect our preparation and so our prayers are hindred in regard of the bene esse and well performance of them Answ 4 Fourthly sometimes the calumnies derisions or threats of others hinder us from prayer It was a strong cord to have kept backe good Annah from praying or to have distracted her in praying to heare the high Priest say she was drunke and no lesse was it unto Daniel to know that death did awaite him if he prayed unto his GOD within so many dayes Answ 5 Fifthly some are hindred from praying and that either I. By the Seminaries of mischiefe the Jesuites who perswade Papists not to pray with us either publikely or privately if they can possibly avoid it Or II. By our owne sectaries at home the Enthusiastes and others who disswade men from praying untill the Spirit move them which often as but once in a weeke or fortnight and sometimes longer Answ 6 Sixthly sometimes we pray perfunctorily and coldly and so our orizons become fruitlesse and unprofitable For I. Sometimes our bodies through drowsinesse and sleepinesse will not permit us to pray II. Sometimes our minds are upon other matters and we neither marke nor observe what requests we powre forth unto GOD. III. Sometimes we marke what we say but yet the sacrifice of our prayer is not offered up with fervour and the fire of zeale And IV. Sometimes wee are affected with wearisomenesse and tediousnesse in our prayers And therefore we had need strive manfully against all these impediments that we be not by them hindred from praying and well praying Secondly we have now to consider the causes why the multitude would have had these blind men to have held their peace namely First because they thought it was a shame for CHRIST to entertaine any discourse with beggars but CHRIST himselfe thought not so Or Secondly because they thought that they had cryed after Christ for an almes and so to ease and free him thereof they bid them hold their peace but he gives unto them what they desire Or Thirdly because Christ held his peace when the blind men cryed after him therefore â—â—e multitude thinking that CHRIST tooke their clamours in all paâ—â— biâ—dâ—â— them hold their peace but CHRIST is silent onely for the â—ryall of their saith and perseverance Or Fourthly because by their cryes they disturbed CHRIST in his preaching to the people and therefore the multitude bid them hold their peace but CHRIST preferres mercy before sacrifice Or Fifthly because the Scribes and Pharisees could not endure to heare them call Christ the Sonne of David that is the Messiah therefore they charge them to hold their peace § 7. But they cryed so much the more Sect. 7 Jn this History observe these three things namely First the blind men cry unto Christ but he seemes not to heare
see their faults the more evidently And Answ 2 Secondly because hereby also God shall be justified in his Judgements And Answ 3 Thirdly because hereby God would teach us to moderate all dissensions suites and differences that arise betwixt us and our brethren with the spirit of meekenesse and in love laying aside all bitternesse enuy malice rancor and the like Sect. 3 § 3. Not having on a wedding garment Obser Our Saviour by these words teacheth us That God is very angry and will severely punish all those who come without the robe of CHRISTS righteousnesse unto his Table Quest How or by what meanes may we obtaine this wedding garment Seeing it is so dangerous for us to come without it unto this holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper First wee must be carefull to strip us of our Answ 1 ragges and dis-robe our selves of all our sinnes We must put of the old man of sinne before we can be cloathed with this wedding garment Reade Isaiah 5.5 7. Ephes 4.22 Secondly we must desire this garment and long Answ 2 to be cloathed with CHRIST and to be found having on his righteousnesse Yea we must seriously long for CHRIST before all other things Read Psalm 27.4 and 42 2. and Esay 55.1 Philip. 3.9 Thirdly wee must seeke it where it may be Answ 3 had that is in the word with watchfulnesse and prayer Reade 1 Corinth 10.16 and Iames 1.18 § 4. Take him away and cast him forth Sect. 4 Because our Saviour here saith that this presumptuous and unprepared person was utterly rejected and cast off by God it will not be amisse to propound a question or two concerning these termes of Rejecting casting off and casting away How manifold is casting off Quest and casting away Twofold Answ namely First Literall and Historicall and this is either I. Of living Creatures as Genesis 21.15 Hagar cast away her Sonne Ismaell Or II. Of inanimate things and thus First some cast away their Jdols and strange Gods as Genesis 35.2 Isa 31.7 Ezechiel 20.7 Secondly some cast away their weapons as 2. Samuel 1.21 Thirdly some reject their meat this Paul would have none to doe but to eate what is set before them and give thankes 1 Timothy 4.4 Fourthly some reject and cast away their riches and possessions as Eccles 3.6 Fifthly some reject their houses and habitations as 2. Chron. 11.14 Sixthly some cast away their garments as Ezechiel 26.16 Ionah 3.6 Marke 14.52 Secondly Metaphoricall and Figurative and thus it is either referred I. To the Church whom God saith was cast out Ezech. 16.5 into the Fields that is deprived and destitute of all helpe Or II. To men and that many wayes For First sometimes man rejects casts off and slights man as Psalm 22.6 Lament 3.45 Esa 54.6 and 66.5 Yea even sometimes the Ministers and Prophets of the Lord 1. Samuel 8.7 Secondly sometimes man rejects and casts off God and that divers wayes viz. either I. By casting off the Law Commandements and obedience of God as Levitic 26.43 and 1. Sam. 15.23 and 2. King 17.15 Esa 5.24 Hose 19.17 Amos 2.4 Or II. By casting off the Lord himselfe as 1. Samuel 8.7 Or III. By casting off and slighting the correction of God Proverb 3.11 and 15.32 Or IV. By slighting divine and heavenly wisedome Proverb 8.33 Or V. By rejecting the protection of God as Esa 8.6 it is said The people cast away the waters of Shiloah that is they were not content with those defences they had nor would adhere to the promise of God who had said that he would preserve them and by his owne holy arme and power save them from all their Enemies but provided other prohibited and humane helpes for the driving away of their Enemies Or VI. By slighting and rejecting the Sacrifices of God as 1 Samuel 2.29 Thirdly sometimes man rejects and cast off and away his sinnes as Romans 13.12 Or III. Jt is referred sometimes to God who is said to reject and cast of man as Levit. 26.11 44. and 1 Samuel 15.23 Ierem. 22.28 Ezech. 32.4 Hose 9.17 Now in this Rejection observe these three things to wit First God rejects and casts off none without their fault and demerit Iob. 36.5 Secondly God will never indeed reject and cast off his elect people Esa 41.9 Thirdly yet notwithstanding I. Man falsely imagines oftentimes that God hath cast off his peculiar people as Ierem 33.44 The Lord hath cast off his people They looking upon the present miseries and calamities of the Lords people judged them thereby to be wholly rejected of God II. Sometimes particular Saints may falsely thinke themselves to be rejected of God as Ionah did I have said I am cast out of thy sight Ion. 2.4 III. Yea sometimes GOD doth indeed reject and cast off a people with whom he hath made an externall and conditionall covenant and thus the Jewes are rejected and cast off Quest 2 Why doth God reject and cast off any particular person or people Answ 1 First because they slight and neglect the Sacrament and thus he rejects those who refuse to come to the wedding when they are invited Answ 2 Secondly because they come unreverently and unpreparedly to this holy Sacrament and thus he rejects this man who came without a wedding garment Answ 3 Thirdly because they reject his word and Law and thus he rejected Saul 1 Samuel 65.23 Quest 2 Why will not God cast off utterly any of his Elect people Answ The principall causes are these namely First his owne free Mercy and Love Levitic 26.44 Esa 54.6 Secondly his Covenant made with them Levit. 26.44 45. Thirdly his Truth Levit. 26.44 45. Fourthly because hee is their God Levit. 26.44 Esa 41.9 Fifthly because they are the servants and people of God Esa 41.9 Sixthly because they are elected by him Esa 41.9 Seventhly because his love is constant and immutable Ierem. 31.36 37. Quest 4 What is the fruit of mans rejecting of God Answ When man shall reject either God or his word or his Sacraments or his correction or his protection and providence and the like he may then expect these things viz. First the desolation ruine and destruction of the Land that is if the rejection of God be generall and nationall Levitic 26.43 and 2 Kings 17.15 18. Hos 9.17 And Secondly the wrath of God 2. King 17.15 18. Esa 5.24 And Thirdly the invasion of enemies this is also to be understood of a generall casting off God Read Esa 8.6 7. And Fourthly the evill of punishment either upon their bodies or estates Levitic 26.43 And Fifthly eternall condemnation thus because this man cast off the feare of God and presumptuously approached into his presence cloathed with his sins therefore he is here cast into utter darknes § 5. Into utter darkenesse Sect. 5 We see here that this poore miserable man is cast into utter darknesse that is into the eternall torments of Hell because he came to this spirituall wedding without a wedding garment Whence it
reward given to men according to their meede and therefore it is necessary that there should be a Resurrection Iustin Martyr Sect. 2 § 2. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures It is questioned betweene us and the Church of Rome whether the Scriptures be necessary or not and we affirme That they are necessary for the people of God the reading preaching and understanding thereof being the onely ordinary meanes to beget faith in us Argum. And this wee confirme from this place by this Argument That whereby we are kept from errour and doubtfulnesse in matters of faith is necessary but this is performed by the Scripture Therefore it is necessary Here two things are to bee shewed namely First that the Scripture keepeth us from errour this is cleare from these words yee erre not knowing the Scripture where our Saviour shewes that the ignorance of Scripture was the cause of their errour And Secondly if our knowledge were onely builded upon Tradition without Scripture we should then be doubtfull and uncertaine of the truth Thus St. Luke saith in his Preface to Theophilus I have written saith he that thou mightest be certaine of those things whereof thou hast beene instructed Whence wee conclude that although we might know the truth without Scripture as Theophilus did yet we cannot know it certainly without it § 3. But shall be as the Angels Sect. 3 The Papists teach us to pray unto the Saints and that we may be the easilier induced to learne this lesson they assure us That the Saints heare our prayers and because they feare we will not credit this without proofe therefore our learned Countreymen who can draw Quidlibet ex quolibet produce this place for the proofe thereof arguing thus As CHRIST proveth here that in heaven the Saints neither marry nor are married Object because there they shall be as Angels So by the very same reason is proved that Saints may heare our prayers and helpe us be they neare or farre off because the Angels doe so and in every moment are present where they list and neede not to be neere us when they heare or helpe us Rhemist sup § 4. First our Saviour CHRIST speaketh not of the Answ 1 soules departed at this time but after the Resurrection and therefore the Argument is absurd Secondly CHRIST doth not in all points compare Answ 2 the Saints after the Resurrection to Angels for then they should be invisible and without bodies as the Angels are but in that they have no need or use of marriage Thirdly it is false that the Angels may be present Answ 3 in every moment where they list for they cannot be in more places at once then one neither are they where they list but where God appointeth them Fulke Whether are or ought the Saints and faithfull in this life to be like unto the Angels Quest and wherein They should labour to be like the Angels Answ in these things namely First in rejoycing at the conversion of sinners Luke 15. And Secondly in reverencing the divine Majestie like the Angels who cover their faces before him Esa 6.2 And Thirdly in standing ready prest to execute the will of the Lord as the Angels doe Psal 103.20 21. And Fourthly in executing the will of God for the manner as the Angels doe that is with cheerefulnesse with sincerity and without wearinesse VERS 32. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Verse 32 Quest 1 How or in what regards is the Lord called Deus viventium the God of the living Answ 1 First Ratione causalitatis providentiae because he both created all perfect living creatures and also provides for all Now providence hath place onely in those things which have an existence or being in rerum naturá but when God pronounced these words unto Moses Exod. 3.6 the Patriarches were corporally dead and their bodies dissolved and therefore it was necessary that their soules should remaine and be alive Answ 2 Secondly the creature is referred unto God in a reall relation which is not founded but onely in an entity and being and therefore that whose God God is said to be must needs be really something and consequently those Patriarches who were not in regard of their bodies were in regard of their soules Quest 2 How may we prove or conclude the Resurrection of the body from hence Answ 1 First because the reasonable soule being the forme of the body and the substantiall part of man hath alwayes a naturall inclination unto the body neither hath a perfect subsiestnce in it selfe but doth desire to be in man now nature doth nothing in vaine and therefore the soule which for a time is separated from the body shall at last be eternally united and conjoyned unto the body Answ 1 Secondly because the reasonable soule cannot obtaine perfect felicity untill she have reassumed the body in regard of that naturall affection which she hath unto the body And therefore there shal be a Resurrection of the body Quest 3 How can this verse stand with Romans 14.9 For it is said Here God is not the God of the dead but of the living And There CHRIST died that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Answ Our Saviour here denies that God is the God of the dead that is that he will not give grace and glory to those who are corporally dead and shall rise no more and hence he doth evince the Resurrection of the dead by â—his argument Glory cannot be conferred upon dead men as dead men But glory shall be conferred upon Abraham and all the faithfull Therefore they shall not remaine alwayes dead or in an estate of death but shall rise againe at the last Hence the Apostle saith That CHRIST is Lord both of the living and of the dead that is of all the faithfull who either now live or are dead but shall rise at the last day and of dead shall be made living as it is said in the Creed Hee shall judge both the quicke and the dead that is those who now are dead shall live againe at the last day VERS 37.38.39.40 Vers 37 38. c. JESVS said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandement And the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets § 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Sect. 1 Whether can we love the Lord above all things Quest as wee are here enjoyned by nature or by grace We cannot love the Lord above al things by nature Answ and therefore grace is simply necessary thereunto as appeares thus First the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by his holy Spirit Rom. 5. and the fruit of the Spirit is love Galath
is meritorious of eternall life and that is the merit of the Sonne of God Fourthly the Assumption is false for not for Answ 4 the workes of the sheepe but for the blessing of the Father whereby he hath blessed the sheepe with all spirituall blessings in CHRIST that is by and for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alsufficient and superabundant satisfaction and merite of Christ is the Kingdome ot heaven adjudged and given unto them Fifthly unto the causall particle enim For we Answ 5 answer that it signifies indeed a cause but not the meritorious cause of the Kingdome but a declarative cause of the just sentence pronounced by the Judge that is that his adjudging and giving of life eternall vnto the sheepe on his right hand was a just and righteous sentence because by their workes they had truely declared and shewed forth that they were Christs sheepe that is faithfull and beleevers If the studious Reader would see this Answer concerning Enim learnedly enlarged and fully prosecuted Let him reade Bp. Daven de just actual Cap. 32. pag. 411. obj 9. and Pareus s Page 848. b. and Amestus Bel. enerv tom 4. p. 207. Against our last words of our former Answer Object 5 they object againe The Judge doth not say inherite the Kingdome because you are faithfull or because you beleeved but because you fed me and cloathed me and the like And therefore For doth denote the meritorious cause and not a declarative cause onely of the justice and equity of the sentence First as the Iudge doth not say inherite the Answ 1 Kingdome because ye are faithfull so neither doth he say as they say because ye have merited and deserved it Secondly the Reason why our Saviour doth Answ 2 mention their workes rather then their faith we shewed before quest 1. of this § VERS 41 42 c. Vers 41 42. c. Then shall he say unto them on the left hand Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I thirsted and ye gave mee no drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me not I was naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and yet visited me not Then shall they also answer him saying Lord whâ—â— saw me theâ— an hungred or a thirst 〈◊〉 a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison and did not minister unto thee Then shall he answer them and say Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Sect. 1 § 1. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire The foure last things are Death Judgement Hell and Heaven and they are thus differenced Nothing is more horrible then Death nothing more terrible then Iudgement nothing more intollerable then Hell nothing more delectable then heaven Bern. And therefore blessed are they who by death are brought unto heaven but wretched and infinitely miserable are all they who by Iudgement are sent unto hell Quest 1 Which are the last words which shall be uttered in this world Answ Sphinx answers thâ—se in the text in this Elegiake Aspera vox Ite sed vox benedicta Venite Ite malis vox est apta Venite bonis that is This word DEPART the Goates with horrour heares But this word COME the Sheepe to joy appeares And hence Bernard in Psalm 91. prayes O Domine in die illo libera me a verbo Aspere O Lord deliver me at the great day from that soule killing word Depart Quest 2 What harme is there in this word Depart or in the whole sentence Answ These words are as so many mortall and ghastly wounds and poysoned arrowes sticking deepe in the flesh unto every wicked man For this sentence and doome doth containe five incurable and insufferable blowes which are given to such to wit First Depart get you gone flee hence out of my sight and from the society of the Elect for ever Secondly yee cursed which loved not blessing and therefore are now justly excluded out of heaven and deprived of all felicit and happinesse Thirdly into the fire not into the scorching flame or parching heate but into the burning fire Fourthly into everlasting fire not into a fire that will either burne and quite consume them or which will be consumed it selfe at the last which will either cause them to dye or dye and extinguish it selfe but into everlasting fire which shall never goe out but torment them world without end Fifthly with the Devill and his Angels as they said unto the Almighty depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thee or thy Law and wished that the righteous might be taken out of their sight so they shall be excluded and driven out of the presence of God and deprived of the society of Saints and Angels their companions thenceforward being onely devils wicked Angels and damned spirits Then will they oppressed with griefe crye out I. To the Sunne O Sunne hitherto thou hast refreshed us with thy comfortable light but now we shall never see thee more but must be cast into everlasting darkenesse And II. To the Aire oh aire thou hast often refreshed me with thy sweet breath and wholesome smell but now I must enjoy no aire but detestable stinking vapours and stifâ—ling sents And III. To the Earth oh eartn thou hast often delighted me with many rare dainties fruits liquors and the like but now I must never tast good bit or drop more but be reserved unto endlesse hunger And IV. To the Water oh water how often have I bene cheered with thy drops and draughts but now I must goe where I shall thirst eternally And V. To the faithfull oh holy Saints for your sakes and societies I have escaped many temporall judgements and enjoyed many temporall mercies but now I must never come into your company nor see you any more but must converse with devils for ever and ever And VI. Lastly to CHRIST oh holy Lord thou hast often called me unto repentance obedience and faith promising to receive me into favour to be reconciled unto me and to pardon all my sinnes but now for my impenitency and hardnesse of heart J am justly cast out of thy favour and presence and must now suffer for my sinnes insufferable sorrow and smart in everlasting fire And thus those who are not like unto the righteous in piety shall never be like them in eternall felicity This place is urged by the Papists against us to prove that Infants dying unbaptized shall not suffer any sensible torment in hell and is produced also by us agâ—inst them that they doe I will consider and treat briefely of them particularly Salmeron the Jesuite argues hence thus Those Object 1 who would not exercise the workes of mercy and charity are adjudged to everlasting fire but those who did are rewarded with life eternall Now children are neither of
holding and kissing my feet Let them now goe for I am not about presently to ascend unto my Father but I will before my Ascension tarry with you a certaine time when both those and the rest may both see and touch me Now therefore forebare and goe tell my Disciples c. Sect. 3 § 3 And they worshipped him Quest How is adoration attributed or given to the humanity or flesh of CHRIST seeing it is a worship proper to the Deity Answ Although the flesh of CHRIST as flesh and a creature is not to be adored but it selfe adores the divinity as Cyrill speakes de recta fide ad Theod. lib. 1. Col. 693. yet in regard of the union thereof Cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the substantiall word which is to be adored the flesh is coadored with one adoration because neither in faith nor in vocation can the flesh be separated from the Deity Jndeed the proper cause of adoration is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divinity which is in the body and with the body of Christ and which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is onely adorabilis And therefore as the purple robe or Crowne of the King separated from the body or head of the King are not to be worshipped but being on the head or body of the King the King with his Crowne and robe on are worshipped So also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divinity of Christ with his flesh The like Question unto this is handled by Epiphanius in Anchorato pag. 367. and by Augustine de verb. Dom. serm 58. and Chemnit harm Part. 2. Gerard. pag. 342. a. medio Vers 10 VERS 10. Goe bid my brethren goe into Galilee and there they shall see me Quest How often did Christ appeare unto any after his Resurrection Answ 1 First St. Marke saith that Christ first appeared unto Mary Magdalene onely neare unto the Sepulchre and this St. Iohn also mentions 20.16 Answ 2 Secondly afterwards he appeared to Mary together with some other women as our Evangelist here hath it verse 9 Answ 3 Thirdly he appeared to two Disciples that were going to Emauâ— and talked with them Marke 16.12 and Luke 24.13 Fourthly he appeared to Peter alone Luke 24.34 and 1 Cor. 15.5 Fifthly he appeared to the ten Apostles when Answ 4 they were together in one house Thomas being Answ 5 absent Luke 24 26. Iohn â—0 19 And all these five Apparitions I conceive have beene upon the day that he arose from death unto life Sixthly he appeared to the Apostles being Answ 6 shut up in one house when Thomas was with them And this was 8. dayes after the Resurrection And these 6. Apparitions were in Iudea Seventhly he appeared unto the Disciples in a Answ 7 Mountaine in Galilee Matth. 28.16 Whence it seemes to me cleare and evident That the Disciples did not goe presently after they had received the command into Galilee but some 8. dayes after Yea this is the Apparition I conceive which St. Paul speakes of 1 Cor. 15.6 where he saith That CHRIST was seene of above 500 brethren at once who either followed the Apostles out of Iudea or flocked unto them when they were on the Mountaine out of Galilee Eightly hee was seene againe by seven of his Answ 8 Disciples as they were fishing at the Sea of Tiberias Iohn 21.1 c. Ninthly hee appeared to Iames alone 1 Corinth Answ 9 15.7 Tenthly he was seene againe by all the Apostles Answ 10 after they were returned from Galilee to Ierusalem And this is mentioned both by Mathew Marke Lukâ— and Paul 1 Corinth 15. Now all these ten Apparitions were in the Earth Eleventhly there were two Apparitions of Answ 11 Christ from Heaven viz. I. Hee was seene of St. Stephen the first who suffered for him after his Ascension Act. 7.55 And II. Hee was seene of St. Paul as he went to Damascus Act. 9.3 and 22.6 and 1 Cor. 15.8 Twelfthly there shall bee another Apparition Answ 12 of him from Heaven in the last day when all the people of the earth shall see him comming in the clouds See Dr. Mayer upon this Verse Page 331 332. VERS 13. Say yee Vers 13 his Disciples came by night and stole him away while wee slept How may this be proved to be a lye Quest because it is commonly reported among the Jewes as a truth untill this day verse 15. That his Disciples stole him away by night First how can it be imagined that the Disciples Answ 1 of CHRIST who fled and were scattered abroad when hee was apprehended and sought lurking holes in the time of his Suffering dare now come to his Sepulchre to take away his body which is guarded about with Souldiers for this very purpose Chap. 26.63 64. And how can the armed Souldiers bee terrified or affrighted by unarmed Apostles Secondly the Sepulchre wherein Christ was Answ 2 laid was hewed out of a Rocke and therefore the Disciples could not by any underground caves or secret cranies or passages steale him away and not come in the sight of the Souldiers Thirdly if the Disciples would have adventured to have stollen the body of CHRIST they would Answ 3 not have staid untill it was guarded with a troupe of Souldiers but would have enterprised it before viz on the foregoing night when they might have done it with more safety and lesse danger Answ 4 Fourthly the Disciples could not watch one houre with CHRIST in the garden and shall wee thinke that they would wake a whole night almost to steale away a dead man Answ 5 Fifthly how could the Disciples remove away so great a stone as was laid at the Caves mouth and the souldiers neither perceive it nor awake Answ 6 Sixthly it was not the Disciples but the women who came first unto the Sepulchre yea the Disciples for feare had shut themselves up in bolted and locked houses and therefore there was no colour to dawbe over this lye That his Disciples came and stole him away Answ 7 Seventhly if there had beene no need of oppressing suppressing the truth then why doe the high Priests and Scribes take counsell together and summon a Conventicle Jf the thing had beene true then why doe they instruct the Souldiers in a lye If the Souldiers speake nothing but truth then why doe they take money If the Disciples did steale him away then why doe not they seeke to recover him from them and make them by force and violence to bring him backe againe or confesse the fact which they never went about at all Answ 8 Eighthly if the Souldiers slept then how could they tell that it was the Disciples who stole him away If all were asleepe but one who knew the Disciples and saw what they intended then why did not he awake the rest If they all were awake then why doe they lye in saying he was stolne while they slept If they say they saw and durst not speake who will beleeve them to be such cowards to feare naked poore
find not in the word of God Yea that both of them are of like dignity in themselves and to be had equally and indifferently in most high account by us we prove from this verse and other grounds to wit First they are both commanded and instituted by the same authority of our Lord JESUS CHRIST as Baptisme here and the Lords Supper Luke 22.19 neither is one by the first institution advanced above the other Secondly there is the same matter and substance of both Sacraments viz. CHRIST JESUS with all his benefits for as Baptisme is said to save us by the Resurrection of Christ 1 Peter 3.21 so the Cup and bread in the Eucharist are a Communion of the body and blood of Christ 1 Corinth 10.16 Thirdly there is one and the same end of both these Sacraments which is the increase and strengthning of our Faith in the promises of God as Rom. 6.5 and 1 Cor. 11.26 Therefore they are both of equall dignity and worthinesse If the Reader would see how these words are urged first by Chamier against that Popish practise of muttering and mumbling over the Child when it is to be baptized and then secondly how they are inforced by Bellarmine for the proofe thereof let him read Chamier tom 4. de Sacram. Lib. 1. Cap. 16. page 35. § 9 10 11 Cap. 18. page 40. § 12. c. ad 19. Why were the Sacraments instituted or for Quest 1 what end or use were they ordained First one use or end of them is to be publique Answ 1 signes or notes of distinction to distinguish us from Iewes Turkes and Infidels and by which further we may professe our Faith in Christ and the true Religion of CHRIST this is plaine from Rom. 4. Where the Apostle calls Circumcision and that which succeeds unto it viz. Baptisme the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith that is a seale whereby righteousnesse is assigned in us by God and by which all men may know that we are sealed in and by Christ unto righteousnesse and eternall life For there is a double use of a seale to wit I. To make him unto whom the writing or promise in writing is sealed to be more and more sure and certaine of the will of him who hath sealed the writing unto him When the King or some great Potentate shall promise some office or place or preferment unto a favorite or friend he will hope that he shall enjoy it because he hath a promise of it but if the promise be written yea under hand and seale then he feares not the performance of it Thus the Lord confirmes and makes sure unto us all the promises of the word by the seales of the Sacrament thâ—t we might be the more certaine of his love and good-will towards us and more confidently expect the accomplishment of all his promises which are written in the word and signed and sealed in the Sacraments II. Another use of a seale is that others thereby may perceive and know the benefits and favours which are conferred upon him unto whom the covenant is sealed by him who hath sealed it And for this cause the Lord also hath instituted the Sacraments that others by the sight knowledge and contemplation thereof may know both the great love that God hath borne us in giving his dearely beloved Sonne to dye for us and also the great benefits and mercies that â—re sealed unto us by the Sacraments in and through CHRIST Answ 2 Secondly another end and use of the Sacraments is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that theâ—by we might be united unto and have communion with Christ our head and his whole body the Church 1 Corinthians 10. and 12. Chapters Or that we might be incorporated and engrafted into Christ and grow up in one wi h him And that thereby we might be made partakers of the fruit of his passion viz. of Redemption remission of sinnes regeneration and life eternall for all the things are gained by CHRIST Answ 3 Thirdly the last end or use of the Sacraments is that they might be monuments or memorials to admonish us and put us in mind perpetually of our duties towards God Baptisme doth teach us That we are dead and buried with Christ and therefore we must live in sinne no longer but labour daily to mortifie it more and more and strive to become new creatures The Lords Supper doth teach us that all we which are made partakers of one bread ought to be one body with Christ and must labour to avoid all things which might make a rent in this body as Schismes dissentions hatred and the like and walke in faith and love both towards GOD and man Quest 2 What is Baptisme Answ It is a washing with water instituted by CHRIST for the testifying unto us the remission of our sinnes by the blood of Christ Acts 22.16 In this definition we have these three things observable viz. First the author of Baptisme namely Christ And Secondly the externall part of Baptisme namely a washing with water And Thirdly the internall signification of Baptisme namely a washing of our soules from the guilt and staine of sinne by the blood of CHRIST but of this more in the sequent question What is signified by this Sacrament of Baptisme Quest 3 The washing away of our sinnes by Christs blood 1 Iohn 1.7 More particularly observe Answ that First water signifies the blood of Christ Iohn 13.8 Secondly the dipping of the party to be baptized or the washing of it with water doth signifie mortification and a dying unto sinne And the remission of our sinnes and our restitution or restoring unto the love of God What doe we gaine by Baptisme or what are Quest 4 the benefits thereof First thereby we gaine admission into the body Answ 1 of Christ 1 Corinth 12.13 that is into the Church of the saved and the society of the faithfull Hebr. 12.22 c. and 1 Iohn 1.3 And hence Baptisme I. Is a note or badge of a Christian II. Gives us Communion with Christ and his members III. Gives us a right unto all the promises of the word Secondly by Baptisme we gaine remission and Answ 2 pardon of all our sinnes Acts 2.38 Thirdly Regeneration Iohn 3.5 For Answ 3 I. By Baptisme we dye unto sinne Rom. 6.3 Colos 2.12 II. In Baptisme we are quickned and sanctified by the holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 6.11 Titus 3.5 Fourthly by Baptisme we gaine eternall life Answ 4 and salvation Titus 3.5 and 1 Peter 3.21 What order is to be observed in the administration Quest 5 of this Sacrament of Baptisme First the person to be baptized must be taught Answ 1 and that I. The knowledge of the Gospell and salvation by Christ II. That the admission into the Church and body of Christ is by the sacrament of Baptisme that so they may be perswaded to learne and to be baptized as in this verse and Acts 2.38 Secondly the person being thus taught and instructed Answ 2 in the
operations motions and gifts of the holy spirit are called Spirit c. Thirdly sometimes the regenerate part of man and the spirituall life of the regenerate and internall motions and revelations are called Spirit Answ 2 Secondly here this word Spirit is taken literally for an essence incorporeall incomprehensible and uncreated and this essence is called a Spirit for these causes to wit I. Because he is incorporeall A sight saith Christ hath not flesh and bones And thus Angels and humane soules are incorporeall also but they differ from this holy Spirit thus they are not infinite and incomprehensible essences as he is And II. Because he inspires and breathes into us the breath of spirituall life and thus the Father and the Sonne also doth give spirituall life of grace But it is by the Spirit And III. Because Spiratur he proceeds from the Father and from the Sonne Quest 3 How is this Spirit which is an incorporeall incomprehensible and uncreated essence called Sanctus holy The blessed Spirit of God is not onely called Sanctus Answ holy essentially because he is holy but in his nature and essence also Causally because he makes holy being the immediate temper of this impression of holinesse in the Creatures From this name of holy Spirit we may conclude that this blessed person is true God Object 1 Some against this affirme That the holy Spirit signifieth no other thing then that spirit of regeneration which is infused in man by God and so is as it were a creature This they would confirme from these two reasons namely Reason 1 First because this Spirit is said to pray for us Rom. 8.26 Now it is the spirit in us which prayeth for us and consequently this holy Spirit is not God To this J answer Answ 1 I. The Spirit is said to pray because he makes us to pray and so the worke it selfe seemes to come wholly and altogether from the blessed Spirit And. Answ 2 II. The Spirit also is said to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 not that he cryes but that we cry by him Rom. 8.15 Secondly they say the holy Spirit knowes not Reason 2 the Sonne because no man knowes the Sonne but the Father Matth. 11.27 To this we answer I. That our Saviour there excludes not the Answ 1 persons of the blessed Trinity but the creatures And II. That indeed none knowes the Sonne of Answ 2 themselves which are different from the Father in nature and essence but the holy Spirit is the same God by nature and essence though distinct in person And thus CHRIST saith That it was not his to give to sit on his Fathers right hand and on his left and else-where denies that hee knowes the time when the last day will be but both these were spoken onely in regard of his humanity And III. Jt is evidently false that the Spirit knowes Answ 3 not the Sonne For First the Spirit discernes all things 1 Cor. 2.15 And Secondly the Spirit teacheth us the knowledge of the Sonne yea all things Iohn 14. And Thirdly he is called the Spirit of the Sonne Object 2 Some againe grant that the Spirit is God but not that he is a â—istinct person from God but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patris the vertue and power and operation of the Father and they would ground this upon those words The power of the most high That is the holy Spirit shall overshadow thee Luke 1.35 First it is not necessary that the place should be Answ 1 so interpreted and indeed the scope of the Angell in that place seemes to me to be double to wit I. That the blessed Virgin might understand the immediate worker of this great worke namely God the holy Ghost and hence he saith The holy Ghost shall come upon thee And II. That she might understand the primary Authour of this great worke and the true Parent of the child to be borne to wit God the Father and hence he saith The power of the most high shall overshadow thee Secondly although it were thus understood Answ 2 and that by the power of the Almighty were meant the holy Spirit yet it would not follow that therefore he is not a distinct person from God the Father For as although the Sonne by the word of the Father Iohn 1.1 And yet that takes not away the distinction of the person so the Spirit may be the power of the Father he proceeding partly from the Father and yet a distinct person from him as followes by and by How doth it appeare that the holy Spirit is God Quest 4 or how may it be proved First he created the world and therefore he is Answ 1 God Gen. 1 2. Iob. 33.4 And Secondly we are baptized in his name in this Answ 2 verse and therefore he is God for we are baptized onely unto God And Thirdly the Apostles were taught of God but Answ 3 it was the Spirit which taught them Luke 12 12. yea which teacheth all things Iohn 14.26 Fourthly we must pray onely unto God but in Answ 4 the Scriptures the holy Ghost is invocated therefore hee is God 2 Corinth 13 13. Answ 5 Fifthly but because Harding and Bellar. say That it cannot be proved out of Scripture that the holy Ghost is God we will produce some cleare testimonies where he is called God As I. That which the holy Spirit speakes Acts 28.25 Iehovah himselfe speakes Esa 6.8 Therefore the holy Spirit is Iehovah II. Our bodies are called the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 and the Spirit dwelleth in us 1 Cor. 3.16 But our hearts are the Temples of God 1 Cor. 3 16. and 2 Cor. 6.16 and God dwels in us 2 Cor. 6.18 III. Ananias lyed against the holy Ghost Acts. 5.3 but he lyed not against men but God verse 4. And therefore the holy Spirit is God thus Augustine disputed contr Petil. 3.48 IV. The Father the world and the holy Spirit are one Iohn 5.7 Quest 5 How doth it appeare that this holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne Answ 1 First He descended upon CHRIST in the likenesse of a dove when a voyce came from heaven from the Father This is my welbeloved Sonne c. Luke 3.22 Where there was the Father speaking from heaven the Sonne baptized upon earth and the holy Ghost descending from heaven to earth Therefore the holy Spirit is a person subsisting by himselfe and distinct from the rest Answ 2 Secondly He is called the Comforter Ioh. 14.16 and he was sent from the Father in the same place and from the Sonne Ioh. 16.7 and therefore hee differs from them both Iohn 14.26 Answ 3 Thirdly he is called the Spirit of the Father Ioh. 15.26 and the Spirit of the Sonne Gal. 4.6 Therefore he is neither the Person of the Father nor of the Sonne Answ 4 Fourthly three Persons are named Matth. 28.19 and 2 Cor. 13.13 and 1 Iohn 5.7 Object 3 But he is said to be the same with the
are often in danger to be abused by the wicked unto wickednesse Part. 1. folio 32 b. 33 a. The way of Holinesse is a strait way why and how Pt. 1. floio 413. The difference betweene a Holy carnall and hypocriticall man pt 1. fol. 226 a. Divers necessary questions concerning the kinds necessity meanes measure seat and end or reward of Purity and Sanctity as also who are enemies thereunto pt 1. folio 161 162 163 a. 176 b. 177 a. 416 b. and part 2. folio 276. Holy things are not rashly to be communicated unto any Part 2. fol. 170. What is meant by this word Hallowed pt 1. folio 294 b. Gold Silver Money How many sorts of Money there are part 2. folio 14 b. Good Goodnesse Good things Divers questions concerning the Author of all good things in man and why he gives good things unto man and how good things are abused by man Pt. 1. folio 243 b c. 399. and pt 2. fol. 12. Good in man is the exemplar of God pt 1. fol. 403 a. How manifold Goodnesse is Pt. 1. fol. 425. Gospell Divers excellent questions concerning the Author nature name Penmen Preachers power dignity excellency and efficacie of the Gospell pt 1. folio 3 4 b 55 a. 62 b. 63 a. 126 b. 141. and Pt. 2. folio 83. 207 b. 208 a. 311 b. Questions concerning the receivers embracers enjoyers and heires of the Gospell pt 2. fol. 66 b. 141 a and pt 2. fol. 20 b. 21 a. 84 a 88 a. Questions concerning the hiding revealing and enlargment of the Gospell Pt. 2. folio 87 b 88 90 a. 181 a. In what Language St. Matthew writ this Gospell Pt. 1. folio 5. Wherein the Law and Gospell differ Pt. 1. folio 55 a. 183. 427 b. Grace Profitable questions concerning the necessity excellency measure and meanes of Grace and the labour and paines which must be taken for the procuring thereof Pt. 1. folio 271 b. 400 401. and pt 2. folio 276. What Graces are given unto us for the obtaining of heaven Pt. 1. fol. 81 a. How Grace is ordinarily wrought in great sinners Pt. 2. folio 274 b. 275 a. How and wherein Grace resembles Wine Part 1. folio 504 505. Grace is given undeservedly on our part pt 1. folio 514 b. Gratis Freely How and what the Apostles did receive Gratis and how and what they must give Gratis Pt. 2. folio 12 b. 13. Griefe See Anguish Ground See Field H. HAires Many notable things in these words Your haires are numbred Pt. 2. folio 36 b. Happinesse See Blessednesse Hardning Hardnesse of heart Obduration How God hardens the heart and whom hee hardens and the causes of Obduration and the remedies against it and the misery of those who are hardened pt 2. folio 89 b. 90 91 92. 141 a. and pt 1. folio 459 b. 460 a. Hatred See Detestation Hearers Hearing Divers questions concerning the sorts of Hearers and unprofitable Hearers and the signes and duties of good Hearers Pt. 1. folio 70 b. 75 b c. 127 a. 166 b. 178 b. 437 438 a. 441 a. 524 b. and pt 2. folio 10 b. 84 b. 87 a. 104 b. 138 b c. 147 148 149 b. 162 a. 300 b. Divers questions concerning our unwillingnesse to Heare and the necessity impediments and benefits of hearing and the fruits we must shew of our hearing pt 2. folio 57 b. 68 69. 138. 142 a. 147 b. 161 b. Heart Why the Heart is the seat of all true purity pt 1. fol. 163 a. Who serve God but not with the heart pt 1. fol. 163 b. The lust of the Heart is sinne pt 1. folio 223 b. Heathens See Gentiles Heaven Divers profitable questions concerning Heaven viz. whether there be a Heaven and the joyes thereof and the way and meanes thereunto and the difficulty of comming thither and who come unto Heaven pt 1. folio 141. 265. 300. 304 b. 305. 341 b. fine c. 351 352 353 354 355. 412 413 414 a. and pt 2. folio 135 a. 116. 195 b. 196. 252 253 254 255. Why and how the Heavens were opened when Christ was baptized pt 1. folio 81 a. What graces are given unto 〈◊〉 for the obtaining of Heaven part 1. folio 81 a. God is perfectly obeyed in Heaven pt 1. fol. 304 a. Heavenly things by farre are â—â—re excellent then earthly Part 1. fol 329 b. Hell Divers questions concerning the meaning of this word Hell and of the torments thereof and what the Scripture expresseth and what it conceales concerning Hell pt 1. folio 202 a. 430 b. 431 a. 432. 481 b. 482. and part 2. fol. 35 b. 214 a. 281 b. Helpe Succour We should helpe one another unto Christ part 2. folio 119 b. Heremite See Eremite Heresy See Error Herod Divers questions concerning the time wherein Herod lived and his feare fraud folly idlenesse life and death pt 1. folio 23. 28 b. 32 a. 33 a. 46 a. 48 b. Whether Herod did well or not in consulting with the high Priests and Scribes part 1. fol. 30 b. Why the Lord suffered Herod to know where Christ was borne part 1. folio 31 a. Three Herods mentioned in Scripture pt 1. fol. 150. What the sinnes of Herod were which Iohn reproved pt 2. fol. 152 a. Whether Herod was originally accessary to the death of Iohn part 2. folio 153 a. Hierusalem Jerusalem What prodigious signes preceded the destruction of Jerusalem Pt. 2. fol. 309 b. Hill Mount Mountaine Why Christ went up to the Mount to preach part 1. fol. 134. What the Hill is upon which the Church is built Pt. 1. fol. 174. Divers questions concerning Mountaines Pt. 2. fol. 175 b. 176. Holinesse See Godlinesse Honesty Honesty and honest dealing betweene man and man is commendable pt 1. folio 405 b. Honour See Dishonour Hospitality How many sorts of Hospitality there is and why Christians must be given thereunto Pt. 1. folio 154 b. and part 2. folio 56 b. 333 b. Houre What and how manifold an houre of old was pt 2. f. 257 a. Humiliation See Contrition Humility Divers questions concerning the degrees fruits benefit and kinds of Humility and why we must be humble and whether all humility be good or not Pt. 1. fol. 74 b. 75. 141 142 a. 466 a and 493 â— and part 2. f. 107. Hunger Thirst There is a threefold Hunger and Thirst Pt. 1. folio 147 148 149. Hypocrites Hypocrisie Questions concerning the markes and reward of Hypocrites and the kinds of hypocrisie why it must be avoided Pt. 1. fol. 33 b. 34 a. 71 b. 226 a. 341 b. and pt 2. folio 136. 179 b. 244 a. 295 a. What things are common to the Hypocrite and the sincere professor Pt. 2. folio 135 b. 324. I. IArres See Contention Idolatry Idols Idolatry provoketh the Lord to cast off Nationall Churches part 2. folio 6. Jerusalem See Hierusalem Jesus Of the derivation and signification of the name JESUS part 1. folio 17. Jewes Divers questions concerning the misery and impiety of the
510 b c. Scribes See Pharisees Scripture Speech Word Word of God Divers singular questions concerning the definition nature markes division necessity writing reading translation use abuse excellency contents exposition power certainty infallibility utility perspicuity purity and Author of the sacred Scriptures and word of God pt 1. fol. 1 2 3 4. 29 b. 30 a. 46 b c. 100 b. 101 a. 103 a. 104 b c. 105 106 107 a. 175 a. 245 a. 331 b. 347 a. 396 b. 397 a. 399 a. 492 a. 500 b. 512 b. and pt 2. folio 34 b. 46 a. 94 a. 137 138. 149 b. 285 a. 312 b. 388 a. Who are enemies to the word of God pt 1. folio 100 b. How many wayes the Scripture speaks and how we may understand what it speakes pt 1. folio 213 214 c. How the word is a seed pt 2. fol. 141 b. 142 a. All are not happy who enjoy the word Part 1. folio 446. Three sorts of wicked words and speeches pt 2. folio 329 a. All our words are observed by God and what words he observes pt 1. folio 350. 521. Scrip. What is meant by Scrip. pt 2. folio 15. Secrets What is meant by this word Secret and who reveale secrets and what is required of us in regard of secrets pt 2. fol. 146 b. Security Divers questions concerning the nature division and causes of security and remedies against it Pt. 2. fol. 317 318 319. Seed What is meant by feed and how many things are observeable therein pt 2. fol. 141 â— 142 a. Seeke What Seeking imports and how many seekers there are pt 1. folio 350 b. 399 b. Why many who seeke Christ find him not and how we must seeke pt 2 f. 171 b. and Pt. 1. fol. 525 a. Selfe-deniall See Deniall Separatists See Anabaptiâ— Sepulchers See Buriall Serpent The nature of Serpents and wherein they may be imitated and wherein not pt 2. f. 21 b. 22 23. Servants Service Divers profitable questions concerning the service and servants of God and Christ pt 1. fol. 320 b. 332 333. 338. 469 a. and pt 2. f. 55. 103 b. The duty of faithfull servants pt 1. folio 469 a. and pt 2. fol. 330 b. Sheepe Why and wherein we should be like Sheepe pt 2. folio 169. 357 b. Shekel There was a double Shekel pt 2. folio 365 b. Sicknesses See Diseases Shooes What Shooes the Apostles must not provide pt 1. folio 15. Sight See Illumination Silver See Gold Simony Against Simony in Patrons of livings pt â— folio 13 a. Simplicity How many sorts of Simplicity there are and wherein good Simplicity doth consist pt 2 folio 23 b. 24 a. Sincerity Wherein sincerity consists and what things are common to the hypocrite and sincere Professor pt 1. fol. 163 a. and pt 2. folio 135 b. Sinne. Sinners Questions concerning the nature author defence hatred pollution power evill easinesse strength and punishment of sinne and remedies against sinne and impediments hindring us from turning from sinne pt 1. folio 58 a. 100 b. 103 a. 113 b. 394 b. 395 396. 409 a. 410. 467 b. 468 b. 489. and pt 2. fol. 2. a. 66 b. 212 213. 301 b c. and pt 1. folio 520 b. Questions concerning our freedome and ascension from sinne Pt. 1. fol. 19 a. 59 b. 129 b. 410 a. and pt 2. folio 45 b. 67 b c. Questions concerning the distinction of great and small veniall and mortall sinnes Pt. 1. folio 185 b. 196. 200 a. 310 b. 311 312. and pt 2. folio 83 b. 84 a. 129 â— c. 274 a. 299 b. The Devill makes all sinne to seeme beautifull unto us pt 1. folio 103 b c. The first sinne of all was Pride pt 1. folio 140 b. How our sinnes are to be borne pt 2. folio 100. Whence it is that men more clearely see other mens sinnes then their owne pt 1. folio 393 394. Sinne is often committed in the performance of good workes pt 1. f. 394. a. How many sorts of Sinnes there are Pt. 1. fol. 408 b. Why we must resist the least and first beginnings of Sinne. pt 1. fol. 342. Sinne is like unto a Feaver and to the Palsie and Leprosie See Feaver Leprosie Palsie Why Christ is said to have come of Sinners or sinfull Progenitors pt 1. fol. 9 a. Questions concerning the sorts and punishments of sinners and how grace is ordinarily wrought in great sinners and the comfort of penitent sinners pt 1. fol. 58 b. 356 a. 409 410 a. 480 481 b. 487 a. and pt 2. fol. 101. 213 b. 220 b. 274. 281. Reliques of sinne in the best Pt. 1. fol. 467. Sitting To Sit. What is meant by sitting pt 1. fol. 116 b. Why Christ sate when hee Preached Pt. 1. f. 134 b. Sleeping To Sleepe How many wayes men are said to sleepe Pt. 2. fol. 143 b. 144 a. Society See Company Sonnes See Children Sorrow See Compunction Souldiers Warre Warfare Whence it is that a Christians life is a Warfare pt 2. folio 50. How manifold our Spirituall Warfare is and who are Christian Souldiers pt 2. folio 50. When Warres are lawfull pt 1. folio 246 a. Soule Wherein the soule excels the body pt 1. folio 342 b. Divers and sundry errours and erroneous opinions concerning the soule pt 2. folio 125 b. 151. 179 b. 180 a. 198 a. 254. 258 a. 380 b. Specters See Spirits Speech See Scripture Spirit Holy Ghost Spirits Specters Spirituall things Questions concerning the names titles Deity Offices person operations comforts and consolations of the holy Spirit Pt. 1. folio 81 b. 82. 144. and part 2. folio 96 b. 116 b. 117. 138. 291 292 293. Questions concerning spirituall things pt 1. folio 254 a. 271 b. 343 a. 401 a. Why men naturally abhorre Spirits and Specters pt 2. folio 155. What is meant by this word Spirit pt 1. folio 138 b. 139. and pt 2. folio 392 a. What is our duty in regard of the motions of the Spirit in our hearts pt 2. folio 305 a. 329 a b. How the workes of spirituall and morall men differ pt 2. folio 350 b. Staffe What staves the Apostles must not have pt 2. folio 15. Star re See Comet Stones How God raised up children of stones unto Abraham pt 1. folio 73 a. What is meant by these words Command these stones to be made bread pt 1. folio 96 b. Strife See Contention Subjects We must be the Subjects of Christ and performe the duty of subjects Pt. 2. folio 103 b. 296 297. Subordination Why it is evill to suborne others pt 2. folio 372 b. Subsidies Taxes Tribute These are to be payed to Princes pt 1. folio 248 a. Succour See Helpe Sunne Questions concerning the Sunne pt 1. folio 256 a. 257 a. 258 a. Superiours The duty of all superiors pt 2. folio 119 b. Supper of the Lord. See Eucharist Suspition The division and prohibition of suspition pt 1. folio 424 b. and pt 2. folio 121 b. Sutes in Law Questions Cautions and
from any Nationall Church A man may goe from Britannia to Virginia and yet not depart from the Church of Christ because that is Catholike and Vniversall Coelum non animum mutat Answ 2 Secondly a man may depart from the obedience of the Church of Rome or of Constantinople and yet not depart from the Church of Christ Answ 3 Thirdly he onely departs from the Church of God who forsakes the truth of the doctrine of the Church and leaves this good Seed which is sowen therein For these God infatuates 2 Thess 2.11 And thus the Church of Rome hath fallen from the pure Church of Christ forsaking the wholesome truth sound doctrine of the sacred Scriptures taking heed unto fables The Husbandman sowes wheat in the field that is not in the corners or in some parts onely thereof but in all the parts of the field To teach us Observ 2 That the Gospel is to be communicated and imparted unto all and not to bee hid under a Bushel Col. 3.16 But of this wee have to speake elsewher and therefore here I omit it § 3. While men slept Wee see here in generall that Tares are sowne presently after the word and good Seed To Sect. 3 teach us That the Gospel being once preached in any Observ 1 Citie or Land corruptions and errours will also by and by creepe in Our Saviour by his Parable of the divers Seeds in this Chapter first Wheat in the day and then Tares in the night doth teach us that truth may challenge prioritie of errour yeelding principality unto truth saith Tertullian and posterioritie unto lying And so it must needs be because as there must be first iron before there can be rust which cankereth the iron so must there be a Virgin-truth before errour which is nothing else but an adulteration thereof So that Primum and Verum that is primarie antiquitie and truth are both inseparable twins begot and bred in the same instant yet as the first seduction of mankind did shortly follow the integritie of his first creation so sometimes the difference betweene errour and truth in respect of time hath been no more then as wheat in the day and tares in the same night BP Mort. Appeal pag. 511. lib. 4. Cap. 16. § 4. Now more particularly wee see that Tares Quest 1 were sowne while men slept How many wayes are men said to sleepe Answ To this Vincentius serm hyem dominica 4. post octa Epipha pag. 289. fine 291. media c. answer That men are said to sleepe three manner of wayes to wit First Per ignorantium intellectualem when men are so stupid and dull that they cannot understand and take up what is spoken wee say that they are asleepe Secondly Per negligentiam spiritualem when men are negligâ—nt remisse carelesse or luke-warme in that which they doe wee say they are asleepe that is when they goe about spirituall duties and the exercises of Religion heedlesly minding some other thing more then that they are about Thirdly Per abundantiam criminalem when men sleepe in their sinnes and are so over-whelmed with the deluge of their iniquities that they are no more sensible of their danger or dangerous condition then a man asleepe upon the Mast of a ship is Now sleepe in this place doth signifie that they did not perceive when the Tares first began or they were not aware of the first sowing of them Whence wee learne That heresies creepe secretly obscurely and Observ 2 unseene into the Church and are not perceived till afterwards errours are like rust not perceived at the beginning or like some secret maladie which often appeares not till it bee incurable And not like Ionas his gourd who growes up suddenly and at once to his height but by degrees and a change scarce sensible Quest 2 Who are here to be blamed Answ The Church of Rome who commands us to shew when their heresies begun what yeare what moneth what day or by what particular person This is their common brag and over worne clamour as wee may see in Campian rat red Academicis and after him the rule of faith Kellison and divers more To whom wee answer First that wee know not precisely the time of the first feeding of some errours onely this wee know that the husbandmen not regarding the Seed because it seemed little and of no danger neglected it as men asleepe neither could it bee discerned untill it did appeare in a blade Secondly the Apostle likewise hath resembled corrupt and erroneous speeches unto a creeping Canker 2 Tim. 2.17 which is a disease in mans body gathering upon a man by little and little from joynt to joynt untill it have corrupted the vitall parts B P Mort. App. pag. 509. Thirdly there is a foure-fold Sleepe namely I. Conniventiae of connivence when men winke at things lest they should disturbe the peace of the Church Sic Ecclesia tenet Origenem pium licet Scripta venenata Hier Thus the Church held Origen to be a good man although many of his writings were stained with grosse errours and Tertullian and Cyprian to be holy although they were Montanists and Iustine and Irenaeus to be worthy to be placed in the Bead-roule of Saints although they were Chiliastes and Augustine hath the addition of Saint although hee seemed to grant a Purgatory Thus for the peace of the Church winking at the faults of such famous Fathers II. Negligentiae of negligence and thus through the remissenesse of Governours errours have often crept into the Church III. Ignorantiae of ignorance when the Priests lips doe not preserve knowledge Malach. 2.7 IV. Avaritiae superbiae of pride and avarice when men are so transported with these that they will neither see nor heare any thing which is opposite unto these And thus errours have crept into the Church sometimes through the affection of the people to the broachers of the errours sometimes through the negligence sometimes through the ignorance sometimes through the pride and Avarice of the Prelates and Doctors of the Church Fourthly I could name the beginning of some Popish heresies and so stop the mouthes of those loud Cryers And I will but onely name one or two namely I. The primacy of the Pope was not confirmed concluded or proclaimed to the world before Phocas and Bonifaces time II. The worshipping of Images was condemned in the Nicene Councell III. The Cup in the Lords Supper was never taken away from the people till the Councell of Constance But because this is amply handled by Bishop Iewel I passe it by Quest 3 What is here required of us Answ 1 First Ministers must be extraordinary carefull that errours do not grow spread and disperse themselves Sathan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and therefore they must watch diâ—igently over their flockes and be carefull for them Galath 4.19 And because the word is the good Seed they must therefore preach in season and out of season 2 Tim.
4.2 Heb. 13.17 Secondly all must be warie least corruptions Answ 2 encrease occasion is a thiefe and a neglect of watchfulnesse hath been the cause of much evill § 4. Sowed tares Sect. 4 The enemy came and sowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this should not be translated Tares or Fitches but evill Seed for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that which we call blasted Corne or the deafe Eares which grow up with the good Corne and cannot be discerned from the good Corne untill the harvest and then it proveth naught for Fitches and Tares may be presently discerned and pulled up the one signifieth the Hypocrites and the other the Heretickes And where it is said His enemy came and sowed Tares the parable must be understood thus that the enemy corrupted that Seed which seemed to be good Seed Weeme se Exeroit Divine lib. 1. pag. 139. VERS 27 28 29 30. Verse 27 28 29 30. So the Servants of the housholder came and said unto him Sir didst not thou sow good Seed in thy field from whence then hath it Tares He said unto them an enemy hath done this The Servants said unto him Wilt thou then that wee goe and gather them up But he said nay least while yee gather up the Tares yea root up also the Wheat with them Let both grow together untill the Harvest and in the time of Harvest I will say to the reapers Gather yee together first the Tares and bind them in bundles to burne them but gather the Wheat into my Barne § 1. From whence then hath it Tares Sect. 1 Our Saviour here shewes the Servants care Observ to teach us That Ministers ought to bee watchfull Wherein doth this watchfullnesse consist Quest 1 First in a daily watchful visiting of their fields Answ 1 and flocks These Servants went daily into the fields to see what breaches were made in the hedges that they might amend them and how the Wheat grew and whether any thing hindred it from thriving or not And thus should Ministers have a watchfull eye over their flockes labouring to amend what is amisse to reforme what is abusive to reclaime wanderers and to labour to remove whatsoever may hinder the fructifying of the word Secondly their watchfullnesse consists in a rejoycing Answ 2 when the Wheat thrives and growes up that is when they see the Lord to blesse and prosper his owne word and give an encrease to that which they sow The plower plowes in hope and rejoyceth when by his crop he seeth his expectation answered Ministers preach because it is Gods owne Ordinance and ordinary meanes to convert sinners hoping that by their preaching some may be converted and great is their joy when their expectation is not frustrated Thirdly the care of a Minister consists in a sorrow for the springing up of Tares These servants Answ 3 come and certainely not without griefe and tell their Master that there are Tares amongst the Corn Thus faithfull Ministers when they see errours heresies hypocrisie and formality in Religion to beginne to spring and spread it selfe among their flockes they must seeke unto God and doe all what lies in their power to redresse it Quest 1 Why must Ministers be thus watchfull and carefull over their people Answ 1 First because God hath set them over them and made them watchmen over their soules And therefore if through their carelesnesse their people perish their blood will bee required at their hands Answ 2 Secondly because without this care they never can render an account with joy unto God This Argument the Apostle useth to perswade the people to be obedient unto the word Hebr. 13.17 Answ 3 Thirdly because the more sinners they convert the greater measure of glory shal be conferred upon them at the last day Answ 4 Fourthly because they are their Fathers and ought intirely to love them and therefore their love should be shewed in their care for them and in their joy for their welfare 1 Thes 3.8 Object 1 The Papists produce this place to prove that Hereticks Apostates are true memâ—ers of the militant Church of Christ arguing thus In the same which signifies the Church are three things namely Corne and Chaffe and Tares that is good men and bad Orthodox and Heterodox maintainers of truth and Heretickes And therefore these are members of the Church as well as those Answ 1 First I deny the Antecedent because the field doth not signifie the Church but the world verse 38. Answ 2 Secondly I deny the consequence because it is Captio ab homonymia Ecclesiae there is an ambiguity in this word Church which may signifie either the outward visible or inward spirituall and invisible Church Answ 3 Thirdly if they be open Heretickes that apparently hold any opinion that razeth the foundation of Religion or any Article of our faith which is necessary to be beleeved and held unto salvation then such are not members no not of the visible Church Answ 4 Fourthly by Tares are not meant Heretickes or at least not onely Heretickes but Hypocrites and all wicked livers in the Church The Papists with one consent hold that the Church of Christ is a visible society or company which can never faile or that it is impossible that the Church of Christ in the earth should so faile that we could not see it seeing that it hath promises that it shall be alwaies unto the end so palpably visible that a man may point at it with the singer and say The Church of Christ is there or in such or such a place Now they prove it from this place wherein we see that both Wheat and Tares are found in one and the same field that they must both so remaine untill the time of the Harvest that is the consummation of the world And therefore unto the worlds end this field shall be visible Now the Protestants they grant First in the Church there shall bee alwayes both good and bad that is wheresoever there is a visible Church or company of professours on earth there shall be some bad commixed with the good Secondly some visible Churches or congregations may endure to the end of the world but not in the same outward beauty and splendor but sometimes in the waxe sometimes in the waine Thirdly the purity of Religion and the true Church shall alwaies remaine in the foundation of salvation but not in the whole outward glorious Ministerie as the Papiâ—ts would have it Fourthly this place doth not at all prove that the Church shal be alwaies visible so as Bellarminâ— would have it namely that it shall be alwaies visible in a visible head the Pope of Rome alwaies conspicuous in the Prelates of the Church and alwaies indued with outward splendor and pompe For it will be hard for the Iesuite to pick these out of this Parable Alsteed de natur eccles fol. 158. § 2. But he said nay lest while yee gather up the Sect. 2 Tares yee root up also the