First we learne hence that in Heaven God is perfectly worshipped and obeyed without any defect or failing at all Quest 3 How doth this appeare Ans 1 First in Heaven we shall be like unto the Angels Mat. 22.30 But they serve the Lord perfectly Psal 103.20 21. Ans 2 Secondly in Heaven we shall be like Christ 1 Iohn 3.2 therefore without sinne Ans 3 Thirdly in Heaven wee shall rest from our labour Revel 14.13 therefore from sinne Ans 4 Fourthly in Heaven death shall be destroyed and consequently sinne for sinne is the sting of death 1 Cor. 15.55 c. Ans 5 Fifthly in Heaven we shall put off all corruption 1 Cor. 15.42 and in all things we shall be perfect compleat in knowledge 1 Cor. 13.10 yea perfect men Ephes 4.13 Sixthly all mutable and changeable things Ans 6 shall cease in Heaven and therefore sinne All things there then shall be eternall as God is And there shall be time no longer What meanes must wee use to be made partakers Quest. 4 of this Kingdome where we shall perfectly obey our God First meditate upon a three-fold life namely Answ 1 1. Of Adam in Paradise 2. Of our selves in the flesh 3. Of the life which is lead in heaven First meditate upon the life of Adam in paradise that so we may remember from whence wee are fallen and repent Revel 2.5 Yea consider our losse and seriously bewaile it Remember what thou wert there namely I. Innocent pure without sinne created after the Image of God Genesis 1.29 Ephesians 4.24 II. Secure and safe in peace and tranquillitie for there was neither danger nor death nor enemies III. Familiar with God In Paradise Man durst talke with his Maker without feare IV. In the Garden mans wisdome was excellent hee could name the woman and all the creatures with names suting unto their natures But by sinne man hath lost all these Oh who would not desire to recover this condition And therefore remember if thou wert in heaven thou shouldest have all these and much more and shouldst never lose them Secondly meditate upon our life which wee leade in the flesh what manner of life it is To wit that here is First calamities and sudden chances Secondly poverty and want the best standing in need of many things Thirdly troubles crosses griefes frettings and never quiet Fourthly and the sinnes which thou hast committed thou committest daily this would make any tender conscience cry out Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech Psalm 120.5 Fifthly infirmities and weakenesses whereby we are not able to doe what wee should First Temptation ariseth and assault us unto evill Secondly many sinister ends we have in the performance of good duties Thirdly a sluggish wearinesse and unwillingnesse seizeth upon us in good workes Fourthly if any good duty be performed willingly and cheerefully we are ready presently to brag and boast of it Fifthly we are very uncertaine and inconstant in the way and worke of the Lord And therefore what cause of mourning doth this life afford unto us Sixthly blindnesse of minde so that we can neither Meditate of eternall joyes Nor Understand spirituall things 1 Cor. 2.14 Seventhly all things are fraile nothing is stable And therefore who is there who would not be weary of this life when he seriously remembers these things Thirdly meditate upon that life which the Saints lead in Heaven that so we may hunger the more earnestly after it Remember there First that an end shall be put to all evils for ever all things there being sweet and happie Secondly mutability shall be taken away all things there being eternall and stable Thirdly the chaines of sinne shall be broken and the minde shall be free from all evill there shall be chastity without any uncleannesse sanctitie without any pollution gravity without any foolishnesse temperance without any gluttony there the minde shall be alwayes sober holy pious wholly and alwayes addicted to the love of God Fourthly We shall see God face to face Mat. 5.8 Revel 22.4 Answ 2 Secondly let us consider our folly who yet wallow in the puddle of sinne and acknowledge our danger who are deceived by Satan as by Dalilah was Sampson Answ 3 Thirdly let us remember the danger of procrastination and delay For I. Satan is crafty II. Sinne daily increaseth within us both in regard of quantity and quality III. We daily are estranged more from God and stray farther from him IV. Death comes daily creeping upon us oh consider how many fall into the snares of death at unawares when they thinke of no such thing at all Answ 4 Fourthly let us recall our spirits from the love of all earthly things with Mary chusing the better part and placing our affections upon those things which are above using the world as though we used it not 1 Cor. 7.30 And thus much for the first thing observable in this petition that in Heaven God is perfectly worshipped and served Secondly from these words Thy will be done on earth as in Heaven we learne that God is not perfectly worshipped in earth for otherwise Obser 2 what need we pray Or that the will of God is ordinarily violated upon the earth 1 Iohn 5.19 Quest 5 How doth this appeare Answ 1 First there are many in the world who know not the will of God the Gentiles are ignorant of the truth and Word of God yea how many Sects are there in the world both in China Aethiopia Turkie Persia and India yea how many Papists Heretickes Familists Libertines and Separatists who understand not aright the will of God And therefore no wonder if they doe not obey it Secondly in the Church there are many wicked many disobedient unto the will of God Answ 2 Thirdly the godly in the Church are infirme Answ 3 and weake the best of all sinning often 1 Iohn 1.8 9. How many sorts of people are there in the Quest 4 Church who doe not fulfill the will of God Many but principally these five namely Answ First prophane persons to whom nothing but sinne and iniquity is pleasing Secondly morall and civill honest men who are without all taste or rellish of Religion Thirdly Hypocrites who have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof in their hearts b Tim. 3.5 Fourthly those who are halfe converted as Agrippa was halfe perswaded to become a Christian and Herod contented to do halfe the work of a Christian man Mark 6.20 Fifthly those who stick at the threshold and cleave in the barke of Religion tything mints and straining gnats but neglecting the greater things of the Law What is required of the righteous within the Church towards these Quest 7 Wee must endeavour to helpe them to fullfill the will of God Answ by these meanes to wit First by counselling advising exhorting and perswading them unto obedience Secondly by shining before them in a holy life and conversation that what our exhortations cannot our examples may doe Thirdly by our
and the like which he hath formerly professed it is an argument of this unpardonable sin m Math. 12.31 Heb. 6.6 10.29 Here wee must carefully observe because I say presumption is a signe of this sin that there Is a double presumption De Deo a presuming too much of the mercy of God And thus the godly may presume Contra Deum when a man presumes that he can prevaile against God and thus Iulian the Apostate and Herod and the Pharisees Mat. 28. did Fourthly this sinne thus qualified is unpardonable Answ 4 Mat. 12.31 because it cannot be repented of § 3. Forgive us our debts Sect. 3 How doth God forgive us our sinnes Quest 1 Two manner of waies first freely and Secondly totally First Answ the sinnes of the faithfull are remitted freely without any helpe or payment of theirs at all that is their sinnes are pardoned of grace and meere mercy and not for their workes How doth it appeare that we are not justified Quest 2 for our workes First the Apostle saith it is impossible Rom. Ans 1 8.3 That the workes of the law should save us Secondly our best workes are imperfect Ans 2 like a menstruous cloath Esay 64.6 And therefore David desires God not to enter into judgement with him Psal 143.2 Thirdly if our workes were perfect yet they Ans 3 could not be a price whereby wee could procure any thing at Gods hands because they are debts all men owing the debt of obedience unto God as was shewed in the former verse A man cannot with one summe both satisfie an old debt and buy a new purchase and therefore our obedience being due unto God can merit nothing much lesse justification and remission at Gods hands Fourthly because if Justification bee by the Ans 4 workes of the law then faith is made void and the promise of none effect Rom. 4.14 Because it cannot bee both of faith and of workes Rom. 11.6 Fifthly the first mooving cause of our redemption Ans 5 and salvation was in God not in our selves In him there was a double cause namely first his love towards us God so loved the world John 3.16 and 1. John 4 9 10. that hee gave Christ for the salvation thereof Secondly the will of God Reade Esay 53.7 Iohn 10 â—5 18 and Iames 1.18 Christ hath merited purchased redemption Obiect 1 〈…〉 and justification for us by his blood Therefore how doth God forgive us our debts Liberè Freely Answ 1 First certainely our sinnes were remitted and our soules ransomed by a deare price even the blood and bitter death of our Dearest Lord. 1 Cor. 6.20 Answ 2 Secondly but this remission which was purchased by Christ was Free in regard of us and that I. Because God did it willingly that is God the Father of his owne free mercy and good will sent Christ for the effecting of this worke Iohn 3.16 II. Because Christ God the Sonne willingly undertooke the work of our salvation Iohn 10.15 18. III. Because this was done by God and Christ without our asking or entreating we did not implore either God the Father or God the Sonne for this great worke of our redemption we by nature being dead blinde averse and reprobate unto every good worke Reade Ephes 2.1 2 3.5.12 Rom. 5.10 Acts 2.37 Gal. 1.15 and 1 Thes 1.9 IV. Because we by no meanes or way could possibly deserve this at Gods hands and this is the chiefest thing to be observed For one of these three things every man must affirme First that either Christ came in vaine because man by his owne workes might have satisfied for his owne sinnes and saved his owne soule which I thinke no Christian dare say Or Secondly that wee could not have beene redeemed justified or saved without Christ but we deserved that he should doe it for us Here let man pleade with his Maker and produce his strong reasons What there could be in a poore base despicable and wicked creature which might deserve that Christ the Sonne of God God with God equall with the Father the Lord of glory and King of Kings should take mans nature upon him and by his death and blood purchase his salvation Or Thirdly man must confesse the point in hand that our sinnes are remitted freely by God for Christs sake without any worthinesse or workes of ours at all we neither having I. A price in our hands by which we could buy this plenary Indulgence of our sinnes Nor II. An adequate merit of heaven nothing being in a poore mortall wight which can deserve that eternall and unspeakeable weight of felicity and glory Neither III. After grace can wee merit any thing of our selves at the hands of our great God but must even then pleade guilty before his Tribunall as was shewed in the former question Object 2 Saint Iames saith that Workes justifie us Iames 2.21 24. Answ 1 First they justifie us before men Shew me thy faith by thy workes James 2 18. Answ 2 Secondly before God they justifie that is approve our faith to be true Iames 2.22 Answ 3 Thirdly workes doe not justifie that is make just the person neither doth Saint Iames affirme it Obiect 3 Saint Iohn saith hee who workes righteousnesse is a righteous man 1 John 3.7 Answ He argues from the effects not from the cause Evil workes merit therefore also good It followes not because they are free and perfectly wicked so are not these but of this elsewhere Object 4 Answ Our workes are accepted in Christ Obiect 5 T' is true but that is after we are justified Answ not before Fides sola faith onely doth not justifie us Iam. Object 6 2.14.17 Faith onely justifies without workes Answ although faith which is alone without workes doth not that is justifying and saving faith must not neither can goe alone without workes Galat. 6.5 But justification is ascribed solely to faith not at all to workes This doctrine that our workes doe not justifie Object 7 us before God makes men prophane T' is false for workes conduce much that is Answ they are both necessary and profitable First workes are necessary and that in a threefold regard namely I. because our dutie must be discharged which is obedience unto God Eph. 2.10 II. because thankefulnesse must be shewed unto God for all his mercies and that by obedience o Psalme 116.12 III. Because God is glorified by our good workes Mat. 5.16 Secondly workes are profitable and that in these respects to wit I. they confirme our faith hope confidence and assurance in the mercies of God II. they are acceptable unto God yea by workes we please him III. They shall bee rewarded even to a cup of cold water Thirdly but they merit not this reward Luk 17.10 What is required of us unto the assurance of Quest 3 this forgivenesse of our sinnes We must labour truely to repent Answ and then we may be assured of remission whatsoever our persons whatsoever our sinnes have beene Whose persons are
reason why they are reckoned up and named and neither Sarah nor Rebecca is to represse the arrogancie of the Iewes who Answ 3 glorie so much in their progenitors Thirdly and lastly this is done to manifest Christs glory in that hee tooke not any of his holinesse from his parents or progenitors they being wicked Sect. 2 § 1. VERS 5. Salmon begat Boaz of Rahad Quest and Boaz Obed of Ruth Here it will bee questioned to what end are these set downe for they seeme not pertinent to the matter in hand Answ I answer These things are not in vaine set downe but for our instruction teaching these three things unto us First Rahab was an harlot and yet her husband took her unto himselfe although shee was such so Christ hath married himselfe unto the Gentiles who were spirituall fornicators through sinne p Chrysost Hom. 3. op imperf Secondly Ruth was a stranger and very poore yet Boaz did not despise her for her povertie nor abhorre her for the wickednesse of her Countrey no more doth Christ despise us being most poore and beggarly through the want of goodnesse and worthy to bee abhorred for the wickednesse of our lives Thirdly to teach us that as Ruth left her countrey and her fathers house and all her kindred and then was ennobled by this marriage so wee must likewise leave our old Conversation that so we may bee bee joyned in marriage unto Christ Psal 45.10 q Ambr. in Luke 3. Vers 8. VERS 8. Ioram begat Ozias From these words divers doubts arise First what manner Quest 1 of succession this was For Ioram did not beget Ozias I answer t' is true Answ Ioram did not beget him but yet Ozias came from him as appeares thus I. Ioram had many brethren as we may finde 2. Chron. 21.2 but them hee slew vers 4. II. Ioram had also many children but the Aethiopians slew them all as wee read 2. 2 Chron. 21.17 and 22.2 excepting one which is called Iehoahaz 2. Chron. 21.17 but Ahazias and Azariah 2. Chron. 22.1.6.7 III. The children of Iorams children were slain by Iehu 2. Chro. 22.8 even 42. persons 2. King 10.13 IV. Ahazias had many children 2. King 10.13 who their father being slaine by Iehu were all slaine by their mother Athaliah 2. Chron. 22.10 except only Ioas vers 11. whom Iehoiada crownes 2. Chron. 23.1 c. V. Ioas had a sonne called Amaziah 2. Chron. 24.27 VI. Amaziah had a sonne whose name was Vzziah or our Ozias mentioned in this verse 2. Chron 26.1 And thus we see that although Ozias was not the immediate sonne of Ioram yet hee was of his linage and descended from him as appeares plainly by that which hath been sayd but more briefly by the Margent r Joram whose son was Ahazias whose sonne was Ioas whose sonne was Amaziah whose son was Ozias Secondly it will be sayd Was not Ioas the Quest 2 Grandfather of Ozias the sonne of Nathan for so it is generally thought and if so then he came not from Ioram as is affirmed by the former question but he was the legall sonne onely and came from Nathan and not the naturall sonne of Ahaziah of the stocke of Salomon I answer It hath been affirmed by divers Answ that Ioas was the sonne of Nathan but without any solid ground at all And the contrary that Ioas was the naturall sonne of Ahazias doth evidently appeare from these places which I perswade my reader to observe 2. King 11.2 and 13.1 and 14.13 1. Chron 3.11 and 2. Chron. 23.11 and 23.3 It may yet from hence further bee questioned Quest 3 Why Saint Matthew here omits these three Kings Ahazias Ioas Amaziah seeing they came betweene Ioram and Ozias and why he omits these three rather than others First hereunto some say because these three descended Answ 1 from the cursed family of Ahab whose posteritie God commands Iehu to destroy Secondly Answ 2 others Å¿ Pareus s rather thinke fit to give over the Quare and leave it as a secret than to dive into it Thirdly although it bee true that the Answ 3 Lord may doe what he please and need not give an account of his actions unto man yet he doth nothing but for some good and just cause and in these Historicall relations gives us leave with modestie to enquire after those things that at first view seeme to bee obscure and secret and therefore I hope without offending in this kind vit to dive into the depths that onely the Lord can sound foure reasons may bee given why these three and only these three are here omitted The first is because S. Matthew for the helpe of memory hath propounded to reckon up 3 series or orders of the progenitors of Christ every one of them consisting of 14. persons as in the 17. verse of this chapter and for this cause he is enforced to 〈◊〉 many The second reason is this because the Evangelist would not so precisely stick or â—herein the enumeration of Christs forefathers but hastens unto the maâ—â—â— scope hee hath propounded unto himself and that is the demonstration of Christ not those from whom hee came according to the flesh any further than the maâ—â—er in hand necessarily requires The third reason may bee this the series of Christs progenitoâ—s from Iâ—ram to Ozias might easily be knowne by the simplest from those plaine places of Scripture cited before quest 1. and therefore the Evangelist troubles not himselfe to reckon them up The last reason why hee omits these 3 Kings rather than others is for these causes I. First because the kingdomes were wickedly governed under them and therfore they were not thought worthy to be named II. Because these 3. were most miserably killed and thus St. Iohn Apoc. 7.5.6.7.8 doth not reckon up the tribe of Dan amongst the tribes of Israel for her singular and exquisite impietie Vers 11 VERS 11. Iosias begat Iâ—câ—â—ias and his brethren about the time they were carried away into Babylon Object 1. 2. It may here be objected Iosias was not the Father of Iâ—câ—â—iah but his Grandfather Secondly Iosias begot not these sons Iâ—câ—â—iah and his brethren Answ 1 in the Captivitie but before I will joyne these two doubts together in the resolving of them First some answer hereunto that Iosias begat Iâ—câ—â—ias and his brethren inregard onely of a legall succession because they succeeded him I. Iâ—bâ—as succeeded whom the King of Egypt carried captive II. Iebâ—iachâ—â— whom the King of Babylon carried away III. His sonne Ieâ—â—iachim who in like maner was captivated by the King of Babylon and these were they against whom the Prophet Ieremie denounceth all his threatnings Ier. 22.18 c. IV. Zedochias the sonne of Iâ—sias Answ 2 Henry Stephen although Beza attribute it to Robert Stephen Beza s thinking that the Father Iehâ—iachim was here omitted amends it thus Iosias begat Ioachim Ioachim begat Iâ—châ—nias and his bâ—ethren But this correction is not to be allowed for first knots
but it more pernitiously hurts him that is angry then the other because it comes from the minde of the one and from within but reflects onely outwardly upon the other yea experience shewes that anger often brings men to Fevers and dangerous sicknesses as is to the life pourtraied by a great historian and generall scoller f Guevara familiar Epist fol. 114. 115. Secondly it weakens and enfeebles the body making it thereby daily more and more infirme and consequently the life to be the lesse comfortable and the more short anger being like worldly sorrow wihch causeth death g 2 Cor. 7.10 and therefore a man at the least should take pitty of himselfe and his owne life in not giving way to wrath Anger doth easily subdue a mans selfe to the craft of his enemies for by provoking him unto anger they can leade him whether they will for an angry man is easily incensed and once incensed hee is easily ensnared being quickly entrapped in his talke hee as then not being compos mentis in his right wits The effects of anger in regard of the Soule are these First it displeaseth God h Iam. 1.20 but meekenesse is much valued by him i 1 Pet. 3.4 and therefore Fathers are forbidden to be angry with their children k Ephes 6.4 Col. 3.21 and Masters with their servants Ephes 6.9 Philem. 16. and therefore doe not displease God when thou maiest please him but remember that howsoever anger may please thy distempered temper yet it doth not please God and therefore ought carefully to bee eschewed Secondly it provokes the anger of God l Pro. 19.19 Matth. 5.22 who is incensed unto wrath against the angry man because he is not in charity the nature of anger being to be void of charity as I shewed before and therefore remember hee that is angry with his brother God will be angry with him § 3. And slew all the children that were in Sect. 3 Bethlehem Herod seeing himself to be mocked of the Wise-men converts his craft into cruelty and that extraordinary It may heere be asked what manner of cruelty Quest 1 was this of Herods I answer there is a threefold cruelty viz. First Answ of punishment Secondly of law Thirdly of blood First there is crudelitas paenae a Cruelty of Punishment towards inferiors certainely Correction is commended and commanded m Pro. 23.13.14 and therefore they are to blame who blame the Magistrates correction because he is not to hold the sword for nought but heere three rules may be given to Magistrates for the avoiding of their cruelty of punishment First let it be magnâ causâ punish not but for a weighty cause heere is a vulgar errour to be reformed damages are alwaies thought heavie and worthy of punishment but sinnes are thought light as blasphemy lying swearing fornication drunkennesse and the like and scarce deserving correction Secondly when the cause is weighty and truly worthy of correction yet parcâ manu punish with a gentle and sparing hand parvuns supplicium satis est patri n Seneca a little correction sufficeth a father to give and Superiours are Fathers Magistrates must punish as the Lord punishes not for revenge against the person but for the amendment of the offender This rule needes not be inlarged because for the most part Magistrates offend more by remisnesse and too much lenity then by too great severity Thirdly if the cause bee weighty that justice exacts a severe punishment and that correction be laid on with a heavie hand yet amante corde let it be inflicted with a pittifull and commiserating heart not as an enemie or tyrant who punisheth with anger hatred and delight but as a mother with teares Secondly there is crudelitas legis a cruelty of the law this consists in sutes and contentions wherein the most part of men are too faulty going to law one with another for every trifle In going to law wee should observe the same rules that before are prescribed to Magistrates in giving correction First magnâ causâ men should not sue one another but in case of urgent necessity or great wrongs not for every cause and petty wrong as now adayes men ordinarily doe Secondly when there is just cause of suites yet they must bee parcâ manu not with the utmost extremity for summum jus summa injuria to prosecute men to the utmost as far as law will extend is seldome or never lawfull Thirdly though sutes in law be great and concerne thy livelihood yea thy life yet they should bee in charitate prosecuted in love which is very hard to be done Thirdly there is crudelitas sanguinis a cruelty of bloud when men seeke the precious lives one of another and that either first rashly and in the heate of blood occasioned sometimes by playing sometimes by drinking sometimes through whoring sometimes by the lye given or some distastfull words Or Secondly more deliberately and in cold blood and that either I. privately by duels which is thought a part of fortitude for a man to murther his brother by the law of a Duell a divelish law that doth either teach or allow men to shed the blood of a Christian and so deface Christs image or II. publikely and that by edicts as Herod in this verse and other like him bloody Sect. 4 tyrants in the times of Persecutions Observ § 4. Of two yeares old and under Wee may observe hence Herods arrogant folly First Christ was expected by the Iewes and Samaritanes a Ioh. 4.25 Secondly hee was foretold of by the Prophets Thirdly his comming is now revealed and declared Fourthly It is by the Star and the Wise-men confirmed yet notwithstanding all these Herod hopes to meete with him and kill him either by Fraud or Force If the oracle by Herod bee Beleeved why doth hee oppose himselfe Not beleeved why doth he slay so many innocents For Herod might thus have reasoned with himselfe If it bee true that Christ the Messias and heavenly King of the Iewes that hath beene so long since promised and expected be now come it is in vaine for me to strive with him because so I shall be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fighter against God and I can expect no other event then that which the Gyants had who warred against heaven their arrowes returning upon their owne heads On the contrary If there be no such thing but that this is a meere fiction like many other of their Rabbinicall conceits why should I then either trouble my selfe or trouble Israel in murdering so many sweete innocent babes Thus I say Herod might have thought and deliberated within himselfe but he doth not True it is that he thinkes the prophecies concerning Christ to be true that he must come and beleeves also the report that hee is come yet hopes to dash all their hopes and to falsifie all these divine truths by prevailing against Christ Teaching us that wicked men most wickedly
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
not the whole Law as of swearing vers 33. unto 38. Thirdly it was not given unto them as of revenge vers 38. unto 43. Directly by adding unto the Law as of love and hatred vers 43. c. unto the end of the chapter Second is of the practice of piety where Christ followes a double method namely First hee condemns the evill examples of hypocrites in Almes-giving chap. 6.1 unto vers 5. Prayer where he blames in them two things Boasting 6.5.6 Battologie 6.7 unto 16. Fasting 6.16 unto vers 19. Secondly he layes down the good precepts which are to be observed viz. First wordly care is to be avoided 6.19 c. unto the end Secondly our brethren are not to be judged 7.1 unto vers 6. Thirdly holy things are not to be prophaned 7.6 Fourthly prayer is confidently to be made 7.7 unto vers 13. Fifthly holines is industriously to be followed 7.13 unto 24. The generall Tractate concerning the law hath 3. parts to wit the Proposition which is partly Negative wherein may be observed The phrase Thinke not yee The thing that I am come to destroy the law Affirmative wherein are two things The affirmation Not to destroy but to fulfil The confirmation where two things are observeable The phrase of asseveration verily The certainty wher are The time until heaven c. The universality Not one jot which is meant of precepts Al shal be fulfilled which is meant of punishmēts Generall conclusion unto all men whosoever shall Breake vers 19 Keepe vers 19 Particular application unto the Apostles vers 20. Sect. 1 § 1. I came not to destroy the Law c. Wee have in these words two things to observe The occasion of them The scope wherein there is two parts the First Negative wherein are The phrase The thing it selfe Second Affirmative Quest First why and upon what occasion doth Christ speake these words Answ 1 First to confute the Pharisees who might have accused him first for an Innovator Secondly for a Doctour of liberty because many did suspect that he was contrary to the Law Both by his Doctrine because 1. he taught not as the Scribes q Math. 7.29 2. He condemned their traditions Math. 15 9. c. and chap. 23. 3. The legall lotions and purifications and ceremonies he contemned and despised Math. 15.2 And therefore by these things they thought that he was no friend unto the Law Conversation because first he was very seldome amongst the Pharisees and Princes of the Jewes Secondly often amongst the Publicans and Harlots Answ 2 Secondly these words were here added by Christ to confirme the Doctrine which he had a little before taught unto his Apostles For they might now have objected unto Christ What necessity is there to let our light shine before men if now thou put an end to the old law To this our Saviour answers I ca◠not to destroy the law in which answer he implies two things viz. First that he was no Innovator neither went about to bring in any new thing but only to fulfill those things which were fore-told by Moses and the Prophets r Luk. 24.27.44 Secondly that hee went not about to loose the raines of liberty by making void any part of the morall Law And therfore the Ministers of the Word should so preach that it may appeare they neither 1. affect novelties for there is no new thing in the true observation of the Law Nor 2. give any liberty or leave to sinne or licentiousnesse at all § 2. Secondly we now consider the phrase Sect. 2 here used by our Saviour Thinke not yee with your selves Quest 1 When doth Christ use this phrase of speech and why here Answ It is not an usuall speech with Christ but used by him onely when and where he condemnes the opinions of others Thus hee speakes unto the Jewes Thinke not yee that I will accuse you to the Father ſ John 5.45 And thus Saint Paul speakes unto the Corinthians Let no man thinke me a foole t 2 Cor. 11.16 And so in this verse Thinke not ye that I come to destroy the Law c. As if our Saviour would say I know that there are many foolish opinions broached against the Law of God but Nevos putate Think not you c. In which phrase he implyes that amongst men there are many things held amisse concerning the Law of God Quest 2 What errours have beene set a foot about the Law Answ 1 First some have rejected and condemned all Scripture whatsoever as the Mirabiliarii the Enthusiastes and the Anabaptists Danaeus de Haeres Answ 2 Secondly some reject the old Testament the Law and the Prophets because to them they seeme contrary to the Gospel thus the Cerdonians Danaeus 62. and the Marcionites who condemne the whole Old Testament Danaeus 66. as doe also the Appellites 69. and the Severians Tacians and Manichees Danaeus 71. Answ 3 Thirdly some slight the Decalogue or ten Commandements thus did Simon Magus Danaeus ex Epiphanio and the Cainani Danaeus 55. and the Manichees who call it a killing Letter Senensis 78.2 c. yea an unjust and cruell Law Senens 452.2 c. Answ 4 Fourthly some wholly neglect the workes of piety commanded in the Law and for this cause have hated the law because it requires holinesse thus the Origenists reject all the Books both of the Old and New Testament which reprove and condemne filthinesse and uncleannesse Danaeus 115. thus the Montanists slight the Law because they would have none compelled to live well Danaeus 194. And some have given reasons for the strengthning of this opinion namely first because the soule is not polluted by sinne but onely the body thus the Simonians and the Gnosticks Danaeus 6. Secondly because we are saved by grace and therefore it is lawfull to sinne if so be wee doe but beleeve Rom. 6.1 thus the Basilidians and Gnosticks and Simon Magus and Saturnians and Manichees and Aetians and Eunomians and hence the Corpocratians taught uncleanenesse and the Valentinians derided all goodnesse Now lest some should thinke that I revive and give new life to old forgotten and forsaken Heresies it will not be amisse to observe in a word that there are many such as these even at this day who thinke it is lawfull for them to sinne because where there is no Law there is no sin Rom. 4.15 and therefore they reject the Law Senens 79. The Libertines teach that all sins are lawfull and therefore they plainly reject the Old Testament Prateolus ex Lindano 254. è Calvino contra libertinos Teaching us that the wisdome and opinions of the flesh doe easily oppose themselves to the Law and Commandements of God Observ Why is carnall wisedome so prone to contradict Quest 3 the pure and holy Law of God First because it is not subject to the will of Answ 1 God and therefore doth oppose it The carnall minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the
one of these Cōmandements he doth by and by adde Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven signifying hereby that this righteousnesse of the law did farre exceede and excell that righteousnesse which the Pharises did exercise and commend as most perfect Secondly the reason why the Cardinall perswades Answ 2 himselfe that this is an Evangelicall promise is because it comprehends the Kingdome of heaven But this is nothing for by the kingdome of heaven is meant life eternall as all grant And life eternall was propounded and promised to legall righteousnesse as the Papists themselves confesse Wherefore what should hinder why wee may not say that the kingdome of heaven is propounded and promised to legall righteousnesse I confesse that this kingdome is in some sort proper to the Gospel namely in a double regard First because the plaine and direct name is in the Gospel not in the law this phrase The kingdome of heaven being frequent in the New Testament but not found in the Old Secondly because this kingdome of heaven is obtained by the Gospel not by the law Now if these two regards should make the kingdome of heaven not to belong unto the law the same would make life eternall not to belong unto the law which is absurd Thirdly although wee should grant that this Answ 3 is an Evangelicall promise not a legall yet the argument is idle because it doth not prove the antecedent condition of workes which is the thing in question but the consequent that is that good workes doe not goe before as meritorious causes of justification and salvation but followe after as fruits of sanctification Fourthly the last words of the Jesuites objection Answ 4 are as false as the rest for this consequent righteousnesse is not placed in a perfect observation of the Commandements of God for this would destroy the remission of sinnes If wee could perfectly fulfill the law then wee needed no pardon but this is grossely absurd and false as shall else-where be shewed y Chamier tom fol. 521. de neces oper lib. 15. cap. 5. Sect. 3. 4. 5. 6. § 2. Your except your righteousnesse c. Why doth our Saviour adde this word Your Because righteousnesse is not acceptable before God except it be Ours we cannot bee helped by another mans righteousnesse but every Sect. 2 one must be saved by his owne faith Rom. 10. How then are wee saved by the merits of Quest 1 Christ Answ Because they are Ours as appeares thus Answ first Quest 2 they were done for us Christ fulfilled the law and performed whatsoever his father required of him and that for us Secondly faith applies Christs active and passive obedience to us yea Christ himselfe unto us and with him all things z Rom. 8 3◠Thirdly faith purgeth and sanctifieth or leadeth unto puritie and sanctitie thus saith the Apostle God put no difference betwixt us and them purging and purifying our hearts by faith a Acts 15.9 and Saint Iohn saith hee that hopes to be saved by Christ will purge himselfe even as hee is pure b 1 Iohn 3.3 And thus the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us and applied unto us and so made Ours Quest 3 What may wee thinke of Supererogatory merits and Church treasure doth not that availe others and please God yea satisfie his justice in the behalfe of others Answ This is false and ridiculous For first a man cannot save his owne soule by his owne workes much lesse then save his brother by his overplus Secondly no man can doe more then hee ought to doe for himselfe and therefore none can have any overplus of workes wherby others may be bettered Thirdly the Scripture plainely affirmes that to redeeme a brother from death or to save a soule is too great a worke for man and must be left wholy unto the Lord who onely can doe it and therefore although a man could satisfie for himselfe yet hee could not for another by his merite Quest 4 The Papists here demand why our brothers merits may not as well be applied unto us as the merits of Christ are Answ 1 First this is little better then blasphemy thus to compare God and man together for God owes nothing unto man and therefore may give communicate unto him what he pleases but every mans owes all he can doe and more unto God and therefore hath no good workes or merits to impart unto his brother Answ 2 Secondly Faith apprehends the merits of Christ and makes it ours but what faith can we have in our brothers workes or merits faith is built upon the promises but where have wee any promise that by other mens workes of supererogation we shall be saved A Papist with his mony may buy of the Priests some of this Church treasure but he can never by faith enformed and founded upon the word of God be assured that it will availe him at all Answ 3 Thirdly Christ was given unto us for a Mediator now how injurious is it to the office of Christ to make our brother our Mediatour unto God that he would accept the overplus of their merits for us Sect. 3 § 3. Righteousnesse except your righteousnesse This place is alleadged by one of the present pillers of our Church against Popish equivocation Argum. That doctrine which is lesse honest then the doctrine of Pagans is intollerable among Christians But Jesuiticall equivocating is lesse honest then the doctrine of Infidels and Pagans Therefore ought to bee esteemed abhominable among Christians The Major proposition is taught by our Saviour in this verse Except your righteousnesse doe exceede c. shewing where there is more knowledge of Christ there the profession must be more honest And Saint Paul saith expressly There is such fornication among you as is not among the heathen c 1 Cor. 5.1 Concluding that it is blasphemy against God for a Christian to bee more vile in life then a Pagan The Minor is proved from the Jesuit Eman. Sà Ies Aphor. Tit. Iuramentum who telleth us that some of the Papists hold that a prisoner unjustly detained in prison if upon his oath he be licenced to goe forth is bound according to his oath to returne againe except hee bee absolved from his oath by a Bishop This is an oath without equivocation but our Equivocators thinke their equivocation in making an oath better and of more power then any Bishop to free them from perjurie in an oath esteeming it as good as no oath wherein they use their Reservation when as yet the very infidels in respect of their naturall knowledge of God kept better fidelity among men If any desire an example or further proofe of this I referre him to Bishop Mortons confutation of Equivocation Chap. 17. part 3. fol. 89. Sect. 4 § 4. Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse c. Quest 1 What doth our Saviour condemne in the Pharisees
not at things which are seene but at things which are not seene l 2 Cor. 4.18 Where wee may observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so to looke as the Archer looketh to the marke hee that beholdeth a woman thus hath an adulterous eye yea the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not onely to looke with the eye but with the heart signifying more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this onely signifies the beholding of an object simply which way a man may behold a woman without sinne but that signifies the intention of the minde which goes along with the eye and thus to behold a woman with the sight of the eye and the lust of the heart as evill is here forbidden If the sight of the eye be thus dangerous and readie to conveye lust unto the Quest 2 heart is it not then good to plucke out or put out our eyes First some of the Heathen knowing how unruly the eye was have pulled out their eyes Answ 1 thinking them most happy who were so blinde of which minde was Seneca when he said Nonne intèlligis partem foelicitatis nostroe esse coecitatem It addes no small deale unto our happinesse that wee are blinde Secondly these were mistaken for Christ requireth not this of us to plucke out our bodily Answ 2 seeing eyes but to pull out our sinfull eye in the next verse that is to take lust from our eye which is a Member of our sinfull body and then the eye of it selfe is a good member of the body § 2. Hee that looketh upon a woman to lust after hath committed adulterie with her already Sect. 2 in his heart Quest It is questioned here by many Whether the uncleane desires of the heart bee a breach of this Commandement thou shalt not commit adultery or of the last Thou shalt not covet Answ 1 First some of the Fathers have thought that the uncleannesse of the heart doth not belong unto this seaventh Precept God doth not by this Commandement cut off the sinfull thoughts but the sinfull act said Gregor in Ezech hom 13. Yea Augustine also is of this opinion That in this seaventh Commandement the worke of uncleannesse onely is noted but in the tenth the very concupiscence m Aug. in qu 71. in Exod. Answ 2 Secondly the inward sanctimonie and purity of the minde is here commanded and the contrary forbidden as appeares by these particulars First by the definition of puritie and chastitie which is to be holy both in body and spirit thus Saint Paul describeth a true Virgin n 1 Cor. 7 34. And thus he exhorts us to bee o 1 Thes 5. â—3 Secondly both the soules and bodies of thâ— faithfull are the Temples of the Holy Ghost and therefore ought to be kept holy p 1 Cor. 3 16. Thirdly Chrysostome urgeth these foure reasons I. From the interpretation of our blessed Saviour who sheweth that this Commandement is broken in the very inward lust and concupiscence in this verse II. From the analogie and correspondencie which it hath with other Commandements To bee angry with our brother without a cause is a breach of the precedent Commandement Thou shalt not kill So to desire a strange woman though the act of concupiscence follow not is against this Precept III. In respect of God who doth not so much looke to the worke of man as to his heart IV. Because concupiscence is the cause of adulterie all adultery proceeding from concupiscence q Mark 7.21 Chrysostom hom 12. in Mat. And therefore seeing the effect that is adultery and outward uncleannesse is forbidden in this Precept it followeth also that the very cause thereof which is concupiscence should be restrained Sect. 3 § III. Whosoever shall looke upon a woman c. hath committed adultery with her Quest 1 Why doth our Saviour here ascribe Adultery to the eye and a wanton looke Answ 1 First because the sence provokes unto act as the Apostle saith he plants and Apollo waters unto good 1 Cor. 3.6 So we may say the eye plants and the tongue and speech waters unto impurity and uncleannesse Secondly because the eye is the most quick Answ 2 sense ut vidi ut perij sometimes a glade of the eye brings a glance to the heart which sets on fire the whole course of nature Observe here that a man hath two eyes to wit I. Oculus informans the right eye whereby sometimes he casually beholds a woman this is not simply condemned as was shewed before § 1. II. There is Oculus depascens the left eye which delights in the beholding of beauty and is never glutted therewith this is faultie and here forbidden as was shewed before Indeede the first sight is sometimes a baite and proves at last mortall as we see in Evah whose sight of the Apple cost the world deare r Gen. 3.6 afterwards the sight of women caused those sinnes that at length brought the Dleuge Å¿ Gen. 6.2 The sight of Dinaâ— cost the Shechemites their lives t Gen. 34.2 And the sight of Joseph unto his Mistresse brought her to forget all woman-hood u Gen 39.7 And Davids eye first casually beholding Bathsheba occasioned adultery subornation to drunkennesse and murder Thirdly because the beholding of beautie Answ 3 is evill and doth pollute in it selfe if it be with delight and desire after it And hence in the law the brother and sister were to be cut off if they saw and did contemplate that is willingly and with delight one anothers nakednesse v Levit. 20.17 And therefore with Iob we should make a covenant with our eyes and not give way to alascivioâ—s looke What lookes must we principally avoide Quest 2 There is a three-fold aspect of women Answ namely First there is Visus solicitans a sight which perswadeth and counselleth unto evill and this is wicked Solomon saith He winketh with his eyes w Pro. 6.13 that is he laboures by wanton lookes winkes smiles and the like to seduce and allure These as absolutely wicked are to bee avoided Secondly there is Visus ruminans a pleasing and delightfull looke this Solomon forbids Let not thine eyes behold strange women x Pro. 23.33 And his father David telleth us it is a vanitie and therefore we should turne our face from it y Psal 119.37 This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very thing which is here forbidden Noli aspicere quod non licet concupiscere Doe not looke earnestly upon that which it is not lawfull for thee at all to covet Bern. Oculus impudicus impudici cordis nuntius Augustin Such lookes are often the fore-runners of unchaste actions and doe presage an unchaste heart Thirdly there is Visus casualis an accidentall or casuall aspect this is not evill in it selfe yet even in this wee must be warie and watchfull and not let our heart goe along with our eye § 4. To lust
contributions in their publike meetings and assemblies 2. In the Apostles time they sent reliefe publikly to other Churches 3. Christ commands that our light should shine before others that is that our good workes may be done in the sight of others Mat. 5.16 And therefore from these three particulars it is cleere that wee are not absolutely forbidden to give almes before men We give almes because God commands us Quest 2 and we expect a reward from him what need we then doe them before men if God see them is it not sufficient There is a good and necessary use of holding and shewing forth good workes Answ both in generall and particular First there is a necessary use of holding forth good workes in generall and that in a foure-fold regard namely 1. Of our God 2. Of our Neighbour 3. Of our selves 4. Of our profession First in respect of God it is requisite to doe good before men that so hee may be glorified Matth. 5.16 Secondly in respect of our brethren it is necessary that so we may be as lights and good examples unto them to encourage them in the way of God and to provoke them unto good workes Phil. 2.15 Thirdly in regard of our selves that we may procure a good name and fame unto our selves we must be carefull to procure things honest in the sight of all men Rom. 12.17 and 2 Cor. 8.21 and 1 Tim. 3.7 Fourthly we must shew forth outward good workes in respect of the Gospel which wee professe we must strive that the mouthes of all men may be stopped and that the glory of the Gospel may be advanced Whose mouthes is it that we must be principally Quest 3 carefull to stop First of Papists who brag and boast of their Answ 1 workes both of charity and religious exercises let those who professe Christ be ready to give to him that lackes and frequent in reading hearing meditating and praying let not Papists doe more in a blind zeale superstitiously then professours in a true zeale religiously Secondly they must stop the mouthes of prophane Answ 2 persons who are ready scandalously to say that they are outwardly holy but inwardly prophane they seeme without religious but within are vicious Let our lives actions and conversations be such that they may have no cause thus to detract us Secondly more particularly there is a necessary use of shewing forth this worke of Almes even before others for hee which is able to give much may give publikely and that for these two causes First that the poore knowing thou wilt give may beg of thee and make their wants knowne unto thee Secondly that thou mayst remove the imputation of covetousnesse and hard-heartednesse from thee which would bee cast upon thee if thou wert knowne to be rich in goods and not knowne to bee rich in good workes Quest 4 Who are faulty in this particular Answ 1 First those who pretend a love unto the poor and seeme to pitty them but give them nothing Answ 2 Secondly those who say they give in private and either doe not or else give so little that they would be ashamed to have it publikely beheld Answ 3 Thirdly those who deny to relieve the poore when they beg with this excuse they wilâ— not give publikely but this should not hinder them at all for it is lawfull to give publikely if so bee we doe it not for the praise of men Vers 2 VERS 2. Therefore when thou dost thine Almes doe not sound a Trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men Verily I say unto you they have their reward Sect. 1 § 1. When thou dost thine Almes Object The Papists say Almes must be done Intentione placendi Deo with an intention to please God thereby And for the proofe hereof object this place thus Our Saviour here reproveth the Pharisees because they gave Almes to be seene of men but we must give our almes in secret that God may reward us vers 5. as they seeke the praise of men so wee must seeke the praise of God f Bellarm. de bonis oper in particular li. 3. cap. 13. Answ Our Saviour Christ biddeth us not in this place in giving our almes to propound and set before us the praise and reward of God but only to take heed of the praise of men and to shunne the same by giving in secret and the praise or reward of God followeth upon this simplicitie and singlenesse of heart in giving of almes We grant that our almes-deeds are well pleasing and acceptable unto God through Christ for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Heb. 13 16. but yet we must not doe them onely for hope of a reward or the like respect but for conscience sake and out of duty towards God Sect. 2 § 2. Sound not a Trumpet Obser 1 We see here Christ 1. taxeth the accustomed vices And 2. particularly names Trumpets Synagogues and streets Yea 3. reproveth them calling them Hypocrites teaching us hereby that it is lawfuâ—l publikely to reprehend the sins of our dayes and the sinnes of our hearers Quest 1 What benefit reape hearers by being reproved for it should rather seeme to doe hurt then good First it tries hearers whether they be the children of God or not for many men deceive both themselves and others in many things who Answ 1 are discovered by spurning at reproofe the children of God are like David who takes kindly a particular reprehension 2 Sam. 12.12 but wicked men cannot endure thus to be touched to the quicke Secondly it is a meanes to humble hearers Answ 2 for it opens the eyes and awakes out of sleepe Reade 1 Cor. 14.24 c. being reproved he falls downe so the Prophet Esaiah telleth the people that their carnall security shall be talked of and reproved and it shall be a vexation to understand the report g Esa 28.19 Thirdly it is a meanes to make sinne odious Answ 3 unto us there is a certaine false sweetnesse in sinne which reproofe doth discover and often remove as we may see in Ahab who being reproved seemed by his sorrow to loath the sinnes which he had committed Fourthly it doth excite us to amend gentle Answ 4 reproofe makes a man carefull to reforme what is amisse What is meant by this phrase Sound not a Quest 2 Trumpet First some thinke that it was a Proverbe Answ 1 whereby was signified that they must not publish in the eyes of the world their almes-deeds thus Gualter s Secondly the phrase was not proverbiall but Answ 2 was derived from the custome of the Jewes who were called by a Trumpet to these kind of assemblies Thirdly it is observable that this was commanded Answ 3 by God in generall who caused Moses to make two silver Trumpets that by the sound thereof the assembly might assemble together at the doore of the Tabernacle h Numb 10.1 c. vers 19.10 yea by
discharging and executing of our callings or we must not give over our lawfull callings for fear of any danger that is like to accrue Although the Jews went about to stone Christ f Ioh. 11.8 and the Nazarens to cast him down a high rock yet he doth not give over preaching They of Lystra stone Paul and yet he returns again Quest 2 Why must no fear of danger deterre us from our Vocations Answ 1 First because Functions are commanded and enjoyned by God and therefore it is a sin for a man to give over his Vocation Answ 2 Secondly because protection is promised in our lawfull callings and therefore we may boldly hope for and expect it yea to leave that place wherein God hath put us for fear of danger likely to ensue is direct diffidencie and distrust Quest 3 Is it lawfull then to tempt the providence of God for this seems no other than to foresee danger and not to prevent it Answ We must distinguish of tempting the providence of God thus Into the Greatest dangers we may boldly intrude our selves if we have a calling thereunto from God Least dangers we may not intrude our selves without a calling For First some sin by too much boldnesse and presumption without a calling And Secondly others offend by too much fear in their calling as Moses did Exo. 4. Quest 4 What need had Christ of a ship to passe over he brought Israel through the red Sea Exod. 14. and made Peter walk upon the water Matth. 14. and therefore could he not have done so now himself Answ Christ hereby shews that he undertook both our infirmities and the remedies against them that so he might be united unto us every way Nonâ—gebâ—â— navi sed navis illo Chrys hom 12. de variis locis The ship stood in need of him and not he of the ship § 3. And came into his own City Sect. 3 What City was this whereunto Christ came Quest 1 First some say it was Nazareth Hier. s but Answ 1 S. Mark contradicts this chap. 2.1 Secondly some say it was Capernaum Calvin Answ 2 Beza and this is the truth as appears Mat. 4.13 Why is it called his City Quest 2 First some think because he was born there Answ 1 but this is false Secondly some think because he was free of Answ 2 this City and was not herein as a stranger But as the former is certainly false so this is uncertainly true Thirdly the reason of the phrase is because Answ 3 he dwelt there Mat. 4.13 Christum Bethlehem tulit Nazareth educavit Capernaum erat perpetuum habitaculum Chrys s Christ was born in Bethlehem brought up in Nazareth and dwelt in Capernaum Why did Christ make choice of Capernaum to Quest 3 dwell in or now to come unto First because the Nazarites had cast him out Answ 1 from amongst them Luke 4.29 Muscul s Secondly because many of his Disciples dwelt Answ 2 there Peter and Andrew Math. 4.18 Iames and Iohn verse 21. to teach us That Christ will dwell with those who are his Ioh. 17.21 26. and 14.23 Rev. 3.20 and 1 Ioh. 1.3 c. and 2 Cor. 6.16 Ioh. 12.26 and 14.3 Rev. 14.14 And by his communion and fellowship make them happy and blessed Wherein doth the happinesse of the Saints Quest 4 with whom Christ dwels consist First If Christ be with them he will enlighten Answ 1 their understandings And Secondly restrain and keep them from sin Answ 2 And Thirdly reduce them from sin by Repentance Answ 3 And Fourthly excite them unto cheerfulnesse in Answ 4 the performance of that which is good And Fifthly corroborate and strengthen them Answ 5 both unto the perfecting of and persevering in good works And Sixthly will fill them with ineffable joy and Answ 6 comfort 1 Pet. 1.8 VERS 2. Vers 2 And behold they brought unto him a man sick of the Palsie lying on a bed And Iesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the Palsie Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee In our Saviours speech unto this sick man are expressed three great and singular benefits and prerogatives of the Faithfull namely First their filiation exprest in this word Son § 1. And Secondly their joy implyed in these words be of good cheer § 2. And Thirdly their remission and reconciliation laid down in these words Thy sins be forgiven thee § 3. Sect. 1 § 1. Son Quest 1 Is God or Christ the father of sinners is he not rather their enemy and judge yea doth not Christ himself say that he is the father onely of the Faithfull and righteous Luke 12.30 Answ 1 First we must distinguish between sinners for of them there be two sorts to wit I. Averse and obstinate sinners which will not repent Ier. 3.12 And II. Penitent sinners who turn from their sins Zach. 1.3 Those are not sons but These are as 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Thus a Physitian is the Father of those sick persons whom he takes care of Now we see that this sick man comes by faith unto Christ the Text saying plainly Iesus seeing their faith that is both of the persons bringing and of the person brought Answ 2 Secondly this sick man was not now a sinner because he was cured and healed For I. He had Faith as aforesaid And II. Christ had pardoned and forgiven his sins as here Quest 2 How are the Faithfull and true penitent sinners the children of Christ for he is their Brother not Father Psalm 22.22 Matthew 25.40 and 28.10 Romans 8.29 and Hebrews 2.11 Answ Christ is our Brother as he is Man and our Father as he is God for although there be three persons yet there is but one Deity whence the Son is said to adopt sons Thom. 3.23.4 yea we pray unto Christ and the holy Ghost Our Father Thom. ibid. for whatsoever God the Father doth unto us God the Son doth also that is in all things co-operates and co-co-works with the Son Besides Christ himself saith Behold me and the children which thou hast given me where implicitly he calleth himself a childe or Son and that for a double cause namely First to shew that he is God with the Father My Father and I are one And Secondly Observ to shew the prerogative of all those who come unto Christ by Faith namely that they shall be made his sons as Ioh. 1.12 Are those that come unto Christ onely then Quest 3 made his sons after they come are they not already his sons when they come This phrase or title of Son is used diversly Answ namely First sometimes Son signifies the son of God by nature and generation and thus Christ is the alone and onely begotten Son of God Secondly Son signifies sometimes those who are the sons of God by a particular ordination and thus Magistrates Judges Rulers and Princes are called sons I have said ye are the children of the most high Psal 82.6 Thirdly sometimes by this title Son are meant
and see him at the last which hope begets joy within Secondly those who are brought unto Christ are made Partakers of a finall joy which is a hope of glory Rom. 12.12 Thirdly those who are brought unto Christ are made Partakers of a spirituall and mysticall joy that is internall peace of conscience Phil 4.7 and Ephes 3.19 and 1 Cor. 2.11 and joy of the Holy Ghost and this indeed is that Manna and white stone which is promised to al those that overcome sin Sathan and their owne corruptions Revel 2.17 § 3. Thy sins be forgiven thee Sect. 3 Why doth Christ here answer to that which Quest 1 they doe not desire they bring a sick man and pray that Christ would cure him and hee answers Thy sins be forgiven thee First Gualter answers that this sick man was Answ 1 troubled within in his conscience as well as without with sicknesse but this appears not by any particle of the History Secondly Chrysostome answers that Christ thus Answ 2 replies because hereby he shews that he is God and not a meere man and this is probable Thirdly I conceive that Christ thus answers Answ 3 for this cause that hereby he might shew himselfe to be the Physician of soules as well as bodies Whence we learne Observ 1 That Christ in the curing and healing of bodies hath an eye and aime unto soules Quest 2 How doth it appear that Christ hath an aim at spirituall cures in corporall It appears thus namely Answ First by the conversion of those whom he healed Thus hee commands the man whom he had dispossessed to follow him And Secondly by blaming those who being corporally cured were negligent of their spirituall duties where saith he are those nine Lepers Thirdly because the cure of the soule is Christs principall end and last scope and the cure of the body is but a meanes hereunto Reade Mat. 4.16 Luke 1.79 Iohn 9.39 Esay 9.2 and 29.18 and 42.7.16 Thy sins be forgiven thee we see here that Christ doth not reproach him for his sins neither altogether silence them whence I might observe Observ 2 That sinners are to be admonished of their sins in love Reade 1 Sam. 12.24 and Esay 59.1 and Ezech. 3.17 and 33.7 Quest 3 Who is the faithfull Minister of the word of God Answ 1 First not hee who bitterly reproves and reproacheth his people out of some private hatred or jarre Nor Answ 2 Secondly he who is silent and although he see much amisse yet will reprove nothing for feare of offending thâ—se are guilty of the destruction and condemnation of their people Heb. 13.17 Answ 3 Thirdly but he who reproves in love and after a loving manner that is who I. Observes the errours and straying of their flocks with sighes tears and heavinesse And II. Admonisheth them of their errours and sinnes with gentlenesse and in the Spirit of meeknesse Observ 3 Thy sins be forgiven thee Our blessed Saviour shewes here the root of this and all evill therby teaching us That the cause of all affliction and sicknesse is sin Esay 59.2 Ier. 5.25 Object Against this it may bee objected that Christ himselfe denies this for being asked whether the Blind-mans sin or his Parents iniquity were the occasion of his blindnesse he answers Neither hath this man sinned nor his Parents but that the workes of God should be made manifest in him Iob. 9.3 yea experience shewes that the best and most holy are often under the scourge as wee see in Abel Ioseph David Ioh Paul and the rest Heb. 12.8 and 2 Tim. 3.12 And therefore sin is not alwayes the cause of affliction but sometimes wee are afflicted for our triall and sometimes for the terrour and example of others Non pâ—â—â—â—vit hic paralyticus Hilar. s sinne was not the cause of this mans Pulsie Answ 1 First our Saviour doth no where deny that those who are afflicted are sinners but that they are not greater sinners then the rest Luke 13.2.3 c. Neither that God doth inflict some remarkeable or extraordinary or particular punishment alwayes for some hainous or particular offence Secondly there may be and are other causes of affliction besides this but this is alwayes one yea Causa sine qua non sin is one cause though Answ 2 not the alone cause of all affliction and if there had been no sinne there had been no affliction For this comes from God who doth nothing casually nor unjustly now to punish the innocent were a point of injustice Who are blame-blame-worthy here Quest 4 They who do not in every evill repaire unto God reconciling themselves unto him Answ and acknowledging their punishment and affliction to be just by reason of their sins as for example First some being injured are enraged against their brethren who doe them wrong like the Dog who bites at the stone which is throwne at him Secondly some fly in the face of those who reprove them although for the sins reproved Gods hand be upon them Thirdly some repaire unto wicked and unlawfull means as poor men do to stealing and sick men often to charming enchanâ—ing and the like Fourthly some have accesse to lawful means but without God as Asah sought to the Physicians but not unto God for a blessing upon those lawfull means which were administred unto him by them 2 Chron. 16. What is required here of us Quest 5 We must in all afflictions generally Answ but particularly in our sicknesses see our sinnes to be the causes of them 1 King 8.38 Deuter. 28.22 Iohn 5.14 and 1 Cor. 11.30 What are the fruits and effects of sin Quest 6 First sin separates us from God Ier. 5.25 Answ 1 Secondly sinne subjects us unto Sathan Romans Answ 2 6.16 Thirdly sinne subjects us unto punishment Answ 3 and sorrow Fourthly sinne wounds the conscience and Answ 4 hinders us from comfort and peace which is of all burthens the heaviest to a circumcised heart Quest 7 What doth Christ require of us to the pardon of our sins These things viz. First that wee should heare his word Answ Esa 55.3 Secondly that wee should goe out of our sins Esay 52.11 and leave them Ezech. 18.21 Thirdly that wee should goe unto God that is repent Act. 2.38 and 3.19 Marke 1.4 Fourthly that we should beleeve in him who justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4.3 c. Although our Saviour did not require of this Quest 8 sick man a confession of his sins before he absolved him yet is not auricular confession lawfull First certainly confession is very excellent Answ 1 and profitable when it is aright performed but this word Confession is an equivocall word For I. Sometimes it signifies a praysing of God as Psalme 44.8 and 99.3 and 107.8.15.21 c. II. Sometimes it signifies a profession of Christ or Religion and that either First râ—ligious as Rom. 10.10 Or Secondly hypocriticall T it 1.16 Or Thirdly a bare protestation Thus it is said of Iohn He confessed and dented not that hee was not the
it hinders not at all that here are two and there also are two blind men who were healed for there were many blind men healed by him as for example First these two mentioned in this place Secondly many when Christ speaks of Iohn Baptist Luke 7.18 Thirdly a possessed man who was blind and dumbe Mat. 12.22 Luke 11.14 Fourthly many in the Mount of Galilee Mat. 15.30 Fifthly one neer to Bâ—â—hesda Marke 8.22 Sixthly two neer to Iericho Mat. 20.30 viz. Barthimeus Marke 10.46 Luke 18.35 Seventhly many in the Temple Mat. 21.14 Eighthly one that was born blind Iohn 9.1 c. Ninthly Saint Paul Act. 9.17 Tenthly Elimas who was restored to his sight Act. 13.11 § 2. Two blind men cried Sect. 2 Wee see here the manner of their desiring mercy Clâ—mant they cryed unto him whence wee might learn That I. Prayer is necessary and II. That Prayer ought to be fervent but I conjoyn them thus that vehemencie and fervour of prayer is the best means for the obtaining of grace Observ and mercy Reade Rom. 12.11 Iames 5.16 Iude 20. and 1 Cor. 14 15. Ephes 6.18 How doth it appear Quest that prayer is such a prevalent means to obtaine mercy It appears thus namely First Answ vehemencie in prayer argues the power of the heart and hence the Saints have beene said to poure forth their soules unto God when they prayed fervently See Psalme 42.4 and 1 Sam. 1.10.16 2 King 22.19 and 20.3 and 2 Sam. 12.22 Secondly Prayer ought to arise from these three roots namely I. From a sight of danger And II. From feare of the danger which is seene And III. From a vehement desire and endeavour of praying Reade Ezra 9.5 unto 10.1 Neb. 1.4 Psal 6.6 55.2.17 Mark 9.24 Thirdly because prayer hath his fruit that is God will hear Psalm 6.8 and 42.3 And will be bent and mollified with prayers Ose 12.4 And therefore he that poures forth his heart in hearty praiers unto God out of a true sense of his sins and a sincere desire of mercy shall never be sent from the Lord empty away Sect. 2 § 2. Have mercy upon us Quest 1 What is meant by mercy in this place Answ This word Mercy doth intimate three things namely 1. Animum benevolum II. Impertire cum effectu III. Impertire liberè sine merito First Mercy implies Animum benevolum a willing mind or a mind ready to doe good as if these blind men would say Oh Lord we know that thou art mercifull and gentle willing and ready to give and therfore open the door of mercy and be mercifull unto us Hence wee might observe Observ 1 That our prayers should be built upon the trust and confidence of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love of God and Christ unto Mankind that is wee must remember that God and Christ are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of man-kind and therefore when wee pray unto them wee must pray confidently Ierem. 31.20 Luke 1.78 Secondly Mercy intimates Impertire cum effectu the effects of mercy as if these blind men would say Oh Lord wee know thou art mercifull in thy owne nature and therefore wee beseech thee shew the effects thereof unto us Hence we might learn Observ 2 That true mercy is never unprofitable or unto whomsoever God shewes mercy unto them also he doth good Reade Matt. 14.14 and 15.32 and 18.27 and 20.34 Luke 7.14 Iohn 11.36 For the true nature of compassion or mercy consisteth in these four things to wit First simul sentire wee must remember them that are in bonds as bound with them Heb. 13.3 Secondly simul dolere as wee must bee touched with a sense of our brethrens miseries so wee must also sorrow with them and for them weeping with those that weepe Rom. 12.15 Thirdly Malâ—â— ablatum cupere as we must be sensible of our brethrens burdens and sorrowful for them so we must also desire that their evill and griefe were removed from them Fourthly pro virili conari wee must not onely desire this but endeavour it also with the utmost of our strength And therefore this being the true nature of Mercy we may boldly conclude that upon whomsoever the Lord takes compassion he will also helpe and deliver them out of all their misery and evill Thirdly Mercy implies Impertire liberé to bestow a thing freely without any merit or desert at all This also these blind men acknowledge for by their prayer they shew that they are unworthy that Christ should remove their blindnesse from them Hence then we may learn That the grace of Christ is given unto us without Observ 3 any merit of ours at all Author Christus medium fides status gratia Grace is given unto us by faith from Christ Rom. 5.2.17.20 Ephesians 2.5.8 Gal. 2.16.21 Rom. 3.20 unto 28. and 4.14 c. How doth it appear that grace is given undeservedly Quest 2 on our parts It appears most evidently by these Arguments to wit First Answ the creature cannot deserve any thing at the hand of the Creator by reason of that great disproportion which is betwixt them both in regard of their essence substance nature and power yea every way Secondly there is no proportion betwixt any work we do yea all our workes and the reward of eternall glory Thirdly our workes are debts and therfore cannot merit Luke 17.10 Now wheras the Papists say that our works merit not Naturâ suâ sed de compacto of their owne nature but in regard of the Covenant and Contract which is betwixt us and God we answer that this very Covenant and Contract is of meer grace favour and mercy Fourthly our workes are imperfect and therefore they can merit nothing at Gods hands To this the Papists answer that it is true our workes merit not in themselves but onely as they are sprinkled with the blood of Christ But the vertue of Christs blood is to give life eternall unto us yea the blood of Christ is Ipsum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price and satisfaction it selfe and therefore there is no projection therof as they say p Opera merentur quatenus fit projectio sanguinis Christi which makes our works meritorious Fifthly the good works we doe are not ours and therefore thereby wee can merit nothing The strength wherby wee are able to performe any good worke well is given unto us from God 1 Cor. 4.7 And therfore what merit can there be in fraile and weak man Sixthly our good workes do not goe before but follow after our Iustification and therfore no work of ours doth merit grace or is the cause but only the effect thereof For I. The Author Christ gives grace unto us II. Then followes faith and then wee are justified III. Lastly followes love the fruit of faith 1 Tim. 1.14 Gal. 5.6 Who are here to be blamed Quest 3 Answ In generall all Merchants of Merit or Merit-mongers whereof there are divers sorts namely First some who are grosly erroneous
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
the plots and endeavours of the persecuters And therefore the phrase is true in this sense Every persecution makes for Gods glory either by abiding it or by fleeing from it but in this sense the objection is Non-sense David by flight escaped the traines which Saul had laid for him and his escapes and preservation did more magnifie and illustrate Gods glory than if he had yeelded his necke to the sword of the persecuter at the first yea we see what elegant Psalmes David composed in his flight wherein sometimes he gives thanks unto God that had made his feet like Harts feet that is swift to flee away Answ 3 Thirdly these words in the objection By persecution we are made better and called home unto God are ambiguous also for herein that is attributed to Persecution which is proper to the grace of God and his holy Spirit to make us better to convert us unto God is the work of divine grace and cannot be ascribed unto persecution as the cause thereof except onely by accident the Spirit of God being the true primary and efficient cause thereof Answ 4 Fourthly and lastly I answer I. It is most true that to flee in the time of persecution is not alwayes lawfull namely either first when flight hinders our vocation hence it was that Christ would not flee but cals Peter a Devill for perswading him unto it because then he should have left the worke undone for which he was sent Or Secondly when the will of God is revealed and thus Eusebius telleth us that Christ forbade Peter to flee from Rome because he should suffer there Now II. On the other side it is as true that it is not alwayes unlawfull to flee and decline persecution as we see by Ioseph and Mary who fled and Paul Acts 9.25 and 14.6 and 17.14 and Christ himselfe Mat. 12.15 Quest 5 If flight in the time of persecution be sometimes lawfull sometimes unlawfull then how may we regulate our selves or know when we may flee and when we may not Answ Let us moderate and square our selves herein according to these rules namely Rule 1 First never flee except thou be persecuted we must not run away for idlenesse as some doe before ever they be so much as questioned or flee for feare as Ionas did before he had any just cause The Text here is plaine When you are persecuted in one City flee unto another and therefore where there is no persecution for the Truth but liberty and freedome given to professe it and to injoy the holy Sacraments and the divine Ordinances of the Word and Prayer there must be no flight nor departure for we must not flee for cowardlinesse but for conscience sake because we would not tempt the providence of God Rule 2 Secondly in our flight let us respect Gods glory and before we flee seriously consider all the weighty circumstances of both sides whether in probability God may be more glorified by our staying or by our going for that must be our first and maine scope Thirdly we must before we flee respect the offending Rule 3 of the weake brethren carefully avoiding as much as in us lyes the giving of offence unto any Now weake Christians are offended often by the fearfulnesse and too swift flying of the Ministers who leave their charges and forsake their flockes upon every jealousie feare and suspition of danger whereas on the contrary they should be like good Leaders the first in the field and the last out the first to assaile and the last to retire and by their example animate their people and barten them on to be constant and couragious in the profession of the truth Fourthly we must before we flee respect our Rule 4 office and function examining whether that will be hindered by our flight or not Christ here saith when they persecute you in one Citie flee unto another thereby shewing that Ministers must not by their departure hinder the preaching of the Word or by their flight forsake their function but if they cannot be permitted without persecution to preach in one place then they must go unto another to preach because their lives rather then their vocations are to bee laid downe if it lye in their power Thus Paul being persecuted flees but he preacheth whether soever he goes Act. 14.6 And great reason there is for it because we are thereunto called and sent For Ministers should seriously consider the end of their flight and beware they flee not with Ionas that so they may bee free from preaching the Word and live in ease and idlenesse but if one Citie persecute them they must flee unto another that is not cast off the worke of the Ministery but in other places and times put out the Lords talent to usury and labour to improve their gifts to Gods glory and the peoples benefit amongst whom they live Fiftly in our flight wee must respect the enemies Rule 5 of God and religion For it they bee so exasperated and incensed against some particular Minister that his presence doth but make them sinne more grievously and set themselves against the Church more maliciously and cruelly then they may lawfully depart p Chem. harm fol. 1043. medio but more of this by and by in the seventh Rule Sixtly in our flight wee must respect the place Rule 6 wherein and persons with whom we live For if the departure of the righteous doe hasten anger and fury and judgement from God upon the wicked as Lots departure did upon the wicked Sodomites then we must not be hasty to depart but labour rather to stand in the gap and to with-hold judgement from them by counselling advising admonishing and reproving of them and by praying for them yea continuing to doe this untill either the Lord by some particular command call us away or untill they come to that maturitie and ripenesse of sin that they will not endure instruction admonition or reproofe but hate us for it and set themselves against us and that not one or two but generally yea in a manner one and all as the Sodomites did against Lot Now if in this case wee may say with the people of God wee would have cured Babell but shee would not be cured let us therefore forsake her And if wee have any command or vision or voice from God as the faithfull in Ierusalem had who being in the Temple heard a voice saying unto them Migremus hinc let us flee hence or as Ioseph had Mat. 2.13 then wee must follow the Lords call and depart Rule 7 Seventhly a Minister in his flight should consider whether he onely be not aimed at by the enemies of the truth who for some certaine causes beare a personall hatred and grudge against him and if they could but procure his departure then the Church should have peace and tranquillity Chemnitius harmon fol. 1043. medio is of opinion and I dare not gaine-say it that that Pastor sins against and breakes
better by affliction and that affliction is good unto us Wee may observe hence againe Iohn being in prison was excluded and shut out of the presence of Christ hee could not now come unto him but he could heare from him and although hee were caged and hindered from comming abroad yet not from the hearing of the Gospel for that penetrates the prison When he was in prison be heard of the great workes of Christ To teach us That the Gospel penetrates into the most Observ 2 close and hidden places The word wee see comes to prisons Act. 5.19 and 16.26 the word penetrates into the hearts of those who deride and mocke it Act. 2.37 the word comes to Nerâ—â—s Palace Philip. 1. And divideth betwixt the marrow and the bones Hebr. 4.12 yea it flies through the whole world Rom. 10. And is the mighty power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 Psalme 45.4 How may this History of Iohns incarcerating Quest 3 be profitably allegorized If we consider this literall History Allegorically Answ it is an exemplar of our Conversion For First by nature we are free from Christ Rom. 6.18 Then Secondly we are imprisoned under the Law and spirit of bondage Rom. 8.35 being deprived of all true comfort Then Thirdly wee heare of Christ by the heare Iob 42 5. In a darke speaking 1 Corinth 13. Then Fourthly wee receive a message of comfort 2 Cor. 3.18 being assured by the Spiris that Christ is our Lord and our God Sect. 3 § 3. Hee sent two of his Disciples Quest 1 What two were these whom Iohn sent unto Iesus Answ 1 First they are no where named and therfore hard to define or positively to name Answ 2 Secondly it matters not much to know what their names were Answ 3 Thirdly but because some name them and affirme these two to be the same which are mentioned Iohn 1.40 I answer that certainly these two were not those two The two mentioned there are Andrew and his companion which could not be these two sent from Iohn to Christ as appeares evidently thun I. These two at least one of them remained with Christ and were his Disciple And therefore II. They could not doubt of Christ which followed him And III. The great rumour and report of Christs miraculous workes which is judged to be the cause of the sending these two Disciples unto Christ was long after Andrewes departure unto Christ Iohn 3.26 Quest 2 Why did Iohn send these two Disciples unto Christ Answ Many reasons are given hereof which may be reduced unto these three heads namely First for his owne sake II. For his Disciples sake III. For Christs sake First Iohn sent when he was in prison unto Christ Suâ câ—iâ—sâ for his owne sake or in regard of himselfe and that either I. Because hee was ignorant whether hee of whom he heard so great things were the Messias and Christ or not for although he knew that the Messiah was now to come yea was already come yet hee did not know him by his face neither could particularly point at the person untill by the Spirit hee was taught which was hee Iohn 1.31.33 Thus Tertull. Iustin answer But to this I answer that Iohn could not now be ignorant of Christ because the Spirit had shewed him which was he Iohn 1.31.33 and 3.29 And hee that was a Prophet yea the Prophet of Christ in the wombe could not bee ignorant of him after hee had published and proclaimed himselfe unto the world Or II. Because now being in persecution hee was fearefull Nam Spiritus sanctus posiquam auctus in Christo a Iohanne disessit Tertul. For the Spirit of God had departed from Iohn unto Christ or at least the more Christ increased in Spirit the more Iohn decreased according to his owne words Hee must increase but I must decrease Iohn 3. â—0 To this I answer these things to wit First If wee even all the faithfull have received and doe daily receive of his fulnesse Iohn 1.16 then the Spirit is increased being increased in Christ rather then diminished or decreased and therefore it followes not that because the Spirit was increased in Christ therefore it was decreased in Iohn Secondly the Spirit was given to David and taken away from Saul not ab penuriam Spiritûs for any want or defect in the Spirit as though it could not have inspired them both and that sufficiently and abundantly but because Saul was rejected Now I know the Reverend Father and Father which I reverence will not say that Iohn was so Thirdly Iohn was not incarcerated or cast into prison for the profession of Christ but through the hatred that Herodias bare unto him And therefore there was no need that he should feare persecution for the confessing and acknowledging of Christ Fourthly if Iohn had feared persecution for Christs sake then certainely hee would never so openly have sent his Disciples on this message unto Christ seeing it must needs be every way as dangerous and full of perill as to confesse him Or III. Because hee did doubt whether Christ were hee that should offer himselfe to death or whether hee would send another Many of the Ancients run this way saith Maldonat s But is rejected even of the Papists themselves Or IV. Because being now in prison pressed with affliction griefe and sorrow he desireth to nourish and increase and strengthen his faith by more testimonies then yet he had of Christ And this of all the rest I conceive most likely to bee most true Whence we may learne That we must labour so to nourish our faith Observ 1 that it may be increased 2 Cor. 10.15 Colos 2.7 and 1 Thes 4.10 and 2 Thes 1.3 Why must we be thus carefull to nourish and Quest 3 increase our faith First because so long as we are in this life we Answ 1 are but In augmento non statu in a growing age not come unto our full growth our perfection here being respective not absolute Read for the proofe hereof 1 Cor. 13.9 Ephes 4.12 and 3.19 and 2 Cor. 3.18 Secondly because this worke to increase in Answ 2 faith is imposed upon us by God Matth. 13. Phil. 2.12 Thirdly because the impediments of faith Answ 3 will arise daily for without are distractions and within are doubtings and cares and therefore wee had need labour to overcome these and having removed them out of the way to increase our faith Fourthly because it is the nature of true Answ 4 faith to hunger and thirst and desire a greater measure and increase of faith the truely faithfull alwayes crying with the Apostles Lord increase our faith Iohn 6.34 Secondly Iohn Baptist sent when he was in prison his Disciples unto Christ Disciputorum causâ for their sakes and that either I. To stay their murmuring for they seeme to tell Iohn the great workes which Christ did with some disdaine or indignation against Christ He say they whom thou baptizedst now baptizeth himselfe and all runne after him
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
only heareth them This was another cause of my printing these short Collections and Observations upon this Gospel Reason 3 that so those things which in my reading and study I met withall and which in my weak judgement were worthy of observation might not be lost but rather be made by publishing them to the world publikely profitable CHAPTER XII Vers 5 VERS 5 Or have yee not read in the Law how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath and are blamelesse Quest VVHether is it lawfull to worke or not when the case stands so that either we must worke or there is a morall certainety that the fruits of the Harvest will receive a sensible hurt to the prejudice of our life or liveli-hood Answ In this case it is not only lawfull but also our dutie to work and we breake the Sabbath except we breake it Christ here saith That the Priests labouring in the Temple did profane the Sabbath and yet were guiltlesse How so prophane and yet guiltlesse Because those their Temple workes had it not beene on such occasions would have beene a profanation of the Sabbath The sense of a Law is the Law now according to the Letter of the Law the killing of sacrifices and other Temple-workes were to see too a profanation of the Sabbath but in the true meaning they did sanctifie and not prophane it Right so In case of necessitie wee prophane the Sabbath except we prophane it For both necessity herein hath no Law and besides it doth adde a new relation to the worke wee doe not a new Ens but a Modus entis And there is not the greatest toyle in the world but in this sense it is a keeping of the Sabbath holy For the Sabbath was made for man that is not onely for the very being of man but for his wel-being and therefore whatsoever by necessitie without fraud or covin is to be done on that day for the comfort of man that now is turned into a very Sabbath worke If any desire to see this Question discussed thorowly I referre him to Mr. Pembles obscure places explained Chap. 18. pag. 375. I conclude that no understanding Christian will I thinke make question but that upon some urgent occasions and enforcing necessities a man may worke as for example if a fire should breake forth upon the Sabbath day in divine service or Sermon time it were undoubtedly lawful to labour to quench it although it could not be done without paines and also without taking us off and from the religious duties of the Sabbath If those who live in a fenny countrey should have a Wall or Banke breake upon the Sabbath day through which the water entring both Cattell and houses should be in imminent danger to be lost and laid waste without present and speedy helpe In such a case certainly a man may work yea if they doe not they neither understand our Lords will nor performe the duties of the Sabbath Vers 7 VERS 7. But if yee had knowne what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice yee would not have condemned the guiltlesse Sect. 1 § 1. Volo I will Question What is meant here by I will Answ 1 First Volo misericordiam ostendere Hier. s I will shew mercy From whence I might observe that salvation proceeds from the meere mercy of God But I passe this by Answ 2 Secondly Volo ut misericordiam ostendatiâ— inter vos and thus the most expound it I will have you to be mercifull one towards another Hence observe Observ That true obedience is to bee performed according to the will of God Matth. 6.10 and 7.21 and 12.3 Rom. 12.3 Ephes 5.10.15 and 1 Thessal 4.3 Sect. 2 § 2. Volo misericordiam I will have mercie Observ Wee may learne hence that mercy is the best Religion Iames 1.27 Quest 1 Why doth not the Lord say Volo justitiam I will have justice Answ 1 First lest hee should seeme to seeke himselfe and not us Answ 2 Secondly because Iustice in it selfe doth convince the conscience Answ 3 Thirdly because many would have justice and not mercy and therefore that we might learne of our Father to be mercifull hee saith I will have mercy Answ 4 Fourthly because mercie doth both approve and regulate Iustice Quest 2 Why must we be mercifull Answ 1 First because Deus vult God will have us mercifull and his will must rule us Answ 2 Secondly because Charitie is the summe of Religion Matth. 22.39 and 1 Iohn Answ 3 Thirdly because herein wee imitate our Father who is a God of mercy Luke 6.36 Answ 4 Fourthly because wee have obtained mercy from our Father therefore we must be mercifull to our brethren Mat. 18.22 Fiftly because otherwise we neither can bee Answ 5 assured of mercy from God or men Matth. 5.7 and 7.2 and Iames 2.13 § 3. And not sacrifice Sect. 3 What is the meaning of these words Quest 3 First some understand them Absolutè simply Answ 1 and absolutely of a negation and rejection of sacrifices but God is not contrary unto himselfe abrogating sacrifices before Christ the Antitype came Secondly some understand these words respectively Answ 2 and that either I. Comparativè comparatively as if he would say I desired mercy rather then sacrifice and knowledge rather then burnt offrings Hos 6.6 Or II. Exceptivè as if hee would say I care not for sacrifice without mercy Esa 58.5 c. These two last interpretations in gâ—â—eâ—â—ll differ but little but particularly they may be thus distinguished to wit First in the sacrifices of the Jewes the former exposition seemes to approve of sacrifices although mercy bee better as the worke of Martha was good but Maries was better Luke 10.4 As if the Lord would say I approve of your sacrifices but yet mercy is better then sacrifices but this interpretation is not now to be admitted because Christ being come all the sacrifices are ceased Secondly the latter exposition rejects all things where charity is wanting As if our Saviour would say in the commanding of sacrifices I would have mercy because this is the end that is but the meanes Hence then note That the outward worship of Religion Observ without faith and charity is not pleasing and acceptable unto God What duties of Religion doth the Scripture Quest 2 expresse to bee unpleasing unto God without faith and love First without these the sacrifices were not Answ 1 pleasing Esay â— 11.15 and 66.3 Ierem. 6.20 and 7.22 Hos 9.4 Amos 5.21 Mich. 6.6 c. Psalme 50.8 and 51.16 and 40.6 Secondly fasting without these is not pleasing Answ 2 Esay 58.3 c. Zach. 7.5 Thirdly all our prayers are ineffectuall without Answ 3 these Prov. 15.8.29 and 28.9 Why will not outward worship alone please Quest 3 God First because God being a Spirit hee must bee Answ 1 worshipped in spirit and in truth Iohn 4.24 Secondly because a man may performe outward Answ 2 duties and externall
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
and danger but also the turpitude and filthinesse of sinne and doth teach us not onely to detest the punishment of sinne but even sinne it selfe yea not to hate God who is the avenger of sinne or righteousnesse and holinesse which are contrary to sinnes but to hate our selves for the violation of the rules of righteousnesse and the provocation of so gracious and good a God I might enlarge this particular but I will but onely briefely branch it out into a double worke of the holy Spirit to wit I. The Spirit of God doth shew us three things namely First our guilt that is how wee have transgressed and violated the whole Law of God and therefore if God should call us unto judgement or enter into judgement with us wee must needs accuse our selves and confesse that wee are guilty of the transgression and breach of the Law And Secondly our danger wherein wee are by reason of our sinnes the wages of sinne being death Rom. 6.23 and the reward of the violation of the Law eternall condemnation And Thirdly the pollution and filthinesse of sinne how that it is out of measure sinfull and a thing most loathsome both in it selfe and unto the pure eyes of our heavenly Father II. The Spirit of God doth negatively not teach unto us these two things viz either First to hate God because he is the punisher and avenger of sinne or because he will not suffer us to sinne without punishment for this the malignant Spirit teacheth to men who have given themselves over unto sinne Or Secondly to hate righteousnesse and true holinesse because they are contrary unto our sinnes lusts and vile affections and because for the violation of the rules of righteousnesse and holinesse wee are punished and plagued For this Sathan and our owne corruption teacheth unto us and not the good and blessed and holy Spirit of God III. The Spirit of God affirmatively teacheth these three things unto us namely First to hate the punishment of sinne the Spirit teacheth us that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God because he is a consuming fire and that those who continue to transgresse an infinite Law and to offend an infinite Law-giver shall be infinitly punished with torments intollerable though alwayes tollerated and borne and therefore wee are taught by the Spirit to hate these punishments which are the reward of sinne And Secondly to hate sinne it selfe which is the cause of this punishment and that with a perfect hatred yea not onely in regard of the punishment of sinne but in regard of sinne it selfe it being in its owne nature a thing worthy to be detested and abhorred Yea Thirdly the Spirit teacheth us to hate our selves for our folly and madnesse that have loved and delighted in those things which are both infinitly evill and ougly in themselues and shall be so severely and unspeakably punished without repentance And this is the first degree and steppe unto Regeneration Answ 2 Secondly the Spirit of God doth excite and stirre vp in us an unfained desire of the remission and pardon of all our sinnes and this is the second step and degree of Regeneration Now because a wicked man may desire to have his sinnes forgiven him it will not be amisse to observe the difference betweene the desire of the Regenerate and unregenerate man I. The desire of the Regenerate is serious and solide they conceive sinne to bee an infinite evil and a thing so odious unto God that it separates him from man Ierem. 5.25 And therefore so long as they are not certaine that their sinnes are remitted they are uncertaine of the presence of God in them or of his love unto them or of their reconciliation unto him yea untill they are sure that their sinnes are done away they cannot have any true peace of conscience or spirituall rejoycing Now as they earnestly and unfainedly desire to be certaine of all these viz of the presence and love of God and reconciliation unto him and peace with him and with themselves and of the joy and consolation of the Spirit in themselves So they incessantly and heartily desire the assurance of the pardon of their sinnes without which assurance they cannot be assured of the other II. The desire of the unregenerate is a confused and fleeting desire he wisheth often that his sinnes were pardoned but the desire thereof doth not constantly possesse his heart hee may desire remission remissely sleightly and casually but not seriously and solidly or vpon those grounds whereby it is desired by the Regenerate man III. The Regenerate man desires rather to be purged from the evill of sinne then freed from the evill of punishment When the child of God groanes both under the burden of sinne and of punishment and is sensible of both the Evils then he desires to be freed first from the guilt and filth of sinne as the greater evill and prayes unto God more heartily to wash him and purge him and cleanse him from his pollution then to ease him of his paine IIII. The unregenerate man is more sensible of the evill of punishment then of sinne and more desirous to be freed from that then this Thus this earnest and unfained desire of the assurance of the pardon and remission of sinne is the second degree of Regeneration Thirdly the next step and degree of Regeneration Answ 3 is the Spirit of supplication and prayer now three things are here to bee examined by us namely I. Whether pray wee daily unto God to pardon our sinnes and to regenerate us And with David cry unto the Lord to create cleane hearts and renew right Spirits within us Psal 51.11 And II. Whether can wee commit our selves unto the Lord and expect with willing obedience the revelation of his will can wee when wee pray say unto the Lord I flee unto thee O Lord doe unto mee as shall seeme good in thy eyes And III. Whether doe wee obtaine our requests at Gods hand or not wee should marke the returne and fruit of our prayers and see whether with the King of Niniveh and the prodigall Child our prayers be heard and our suites granted For if wee can fervently pray and faithfully commit and commend our selves unto the good will and pleasure of God and obtaine our suites at his hands we may be comfortably perswaded that we are regenerated because God heares not sinners Iohn 9.31 Fourthly the last degree and highest step of Answ 4 Regeneration is the testimony evidence and pledge of the Spirit whereby is sealed unto us and wrought in us the certainty of tho love of God together with a full purpose of heart to walke before the Lord all the dayes of our lives And therefore wee should examine our selves whether the Spirit of God witnesse unto our spirits that God loves us and that in love unto him wee purpose to give our selves wholly up unto him Who are Regenerated Quest 3 Onely those who are endued with the
under his Sect. 2 charge § 2. Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Object Some object this place to prove that CHRIST is not the judge of the world arguiug thus It is said here that the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel and 1. Corinth 6.2 The Saints shall judge the World Therefore Christ is not the onely Iudge of the world Answ The authority of judgement and giving sentence at the last day is proper to CHRIST alone and doth neither belong to the Apostles nor Saints so that they then shall judge onely as witnesses and approvers of CHRISTS judgement but of this something morefully in the following question How shall the Apostles judge the twelve Tribes of Israel seeing that CHRIST himselfe saith Iohn 5.22 The Father hath given all judgement to the Sonne First at the last day of judgement there shall be Answ 1 three sort of Iudges to wit I. Some shall judge in power now this power is either First absolute and independent and thus God the Father shall judge the world Genes 18.25 Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe that which is just Or Secondly delegate and derived and thus Christ as man shall judge the world Iohn 5.22 II. Some shall judge Assessoriè as Judges laterall or assistants and thus the Apostles shall judge the world as it is said in this verse III. Some shall judge by approbation that is they shall sit with the Judge in judgement to approve the sentence of the Judge and thus all the Saints and faithfull shall judge the world 1. Cor. 6 2. Secondly the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel three manner of wayes to wit Answ 2 I. By their doctrine and preaching of the Gospell because according unto that the sentence shall be pronounced at the last day Rom. 2.15 That is those at the day of judgement shall be acquitted that have beleeved and obeyed the Gospell and on the other side they shall be condemned that would not beleeve and obey it II. The Apostles shall judge the Jewes by their testimony which shall so convince them that they shall not be able to pretend ignorance of that doctrine according to which they shall be judged As CHRIST saith Matth. 24.14 That the Gospell shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony against them So the conscience of the Jewes will convince them and bring unto their remembrance when they see the Apostles what they both did and said amongst them for their edification and salvation and which obstinately and perversely they contemned and despised III. The Apostles shall judge the Tribes of Israel by their example for if the Jewes should pretend that the doctrine of the Gospell was too abstruse and sublime for them and that they were neither able to perceive it nor receive it then the Apostles will be set before them as exemplars of the contrary who being rude and illiterate men did notwithstanding vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospell and were thereby regenerated and made the children of God Chem. harm pag. 1827. § ult § 3. And shall inherit everlasting life Sect. 3 Who are enemies unto eternall life or erroneous Quest 1 and hereticall concerning it First the Atheists who deny it Answ 1 Post mortem nulla voluptâ—â—s in any thinke that it is with man as with beasts when they are dead they are gone and they are neither sensible of paine nor of pleasure after this life But this is directly contrary to the text Answ 2 Secondly those are here erroneous who divide life everlasting that is which grant that the soule is eternall but deny the Resurrection of the body This belongs unto the enemies of the Resurrection whereof we have to speake elsewhere and therefore here I omit it Answ 3 Thirdly the Chiliastes and Millenaries are also here erroneous now amongst them there are divers opinions namely I. Some hold that the joyes of heaven and eternity it selfe were onely to continue for the space of 1000 yeares and then to cease Danaeus 29. Prateol 347. bâ—et 128. II. Some held that the Saints should wallow in the life to come in all carnall delights and fleshly pleasures and this is reported to be the opinion of the Mahumetanes but Mr. Bedwell shewes the contrary III. Some hold a double time namely First that the righteous should have joy and the wicked sorrow and paine for the space of one thousand yeares And Secondly that after that time the world should be renewed and the devils and damned spirits freed from their torments This was Origens opinion and it was condemned and judged erroneous by the 5. Counsell of Constantinople Prateol 378. § 9. IV. Some expresse and explicate this opinion by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of the soule thus not knowing how to agree amongst themselves Answ 4 Fourthly they erre concerning life eternall who hold that it may be merited by the labours endeaouvers and workes of man Object Against this Bellarmine objects life eternall is promised to good workes in this verse but a promise made with a condition of worke makes that he which fulfils the worke doth deserve the thing promised and may of right require it as his due and deserved reward Answ Durande in 2. d. 27. q. answers singularly two things for us viz. I. Promissio divina in Scripturis sanctis non sonat aliquam obligationem sed insinuat meram dispositionem liberalitatis divinae II. Quod redditur ex promissione praecedent e non redditur ex merito operis de condigno sed sâ—lum vel principalitèr ex promisso Quest 2 What and how many are the causes of this eternall life Answ There are three causes thereof to wit First Primaria the prime and principall Cause and that is God namely I. God the Father who gives it from himselfe and from whom all good things come Iohn 3.16 and .5.21 and. Iames. 1.17 II. God the Sonne who gives it from the Father yea gives it as the Father Iohn 5.21 and .10.28 Rom. 8.10 III. God the holy Ghost who gives it from the Father and the Sonne for the Spirit is life Iohn â— 5 Rom. 8.10 And therefore if we desire to be assured of eternall life let us be carefull to please God the Father and obey the God Sonne and seeke after God the holy Ghost Secondly Impulsiva the impulsive and moving cause and this is the onely mercy of God And therefore we must not arrogate any thing to our owne workes but laud the mercy and free grace of God Ephes 1.6 Thirdly Medians causa the instrumentall Cause or Meanes whereby we are made partakers of this life Now the meanes are these I. The Spirit of Regeneration who workes the beginning of this spirituall life Rom. 8. II. The word of Reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.20 and salvation Acts. 18.28 Iohn 6.68 Rom. 1.16 III. The Sacraments because they seale unto us the grace of God and confirme our faith IV. Hence
them at all Secondly they persevere and continue crying but yet they gaine nothing thereby Thirdly afterwards as though they had done some evill thing they are reproved and blamed by the multitude for their prayers Yet notwithstanding all this they doe not desist but are so much the more fervent in their prayers as is here plainly expressed and they cried so much the more How many things are herein implyed Quest 1 Two namely Answ First their perseverance they give not over but continue praying To teach us That we must be perseverant in prayer and Obser 1 continue therein untill we have obtained that which we want or else untill Gods will be otherwise revealed Read Rom. 12.12 and 1. Thes 5.17 Luke 18.1 c. Matth. 7.7 and 26.42 44. Why must we continue thus in prayer Quest 2 First because God by with-holding from us Answ 1 what we want and desire doth thereby onely prove whether wee will give over praying or not Secondly because if we persevere in prayer we Answ 2 shall be holpen For I. We can obtaine nothing without perseverance And II. If we persevere in prayer we shall obtaine what we desire Hitherto saith Christ ye have asked nothing in my name but ye have obtained it Iohn 14. and 1. Iohn 4.16 Thirdly we must continue in prayer because Answ 3 at least it is a comfort to those who are afflicted and hence CHRIST prayes when his soule was troubled and St. Iames commands all to pray when they are afflicted Iames 5.12 Yea Fourthly we must continue in prayer because Answ 4 I. It is the service of God And II. The solace of the soule And III. The remedy against evill Secondly the next thing implied in these words And they cryed so much the more is the fervour and zeale of the blind men Whence we learne That wee ought to pray fervently as well as Obser 2 perseverantly Rom. 12.12 Hâ—â— observe these things namely I. We stand in need of many things but we can expect nothing without prayer Iames 4.2 Jf we would have we must aske Matth. 7.7 For prayer is the cause and condition without which we cannot and by vvhich we may obtaine any thing at Gods hand and therefore it is necessary that we should pray II. We are hindred from good things by Sathan who is expelled and driven away by prayer alone and therefore great reason there is that we should pray III. Jt is the remedy against temptation as appeares by our Saviours admonition Pray lest ye enter into temptation And therefore if we would be preserved from sinne we must pray IV. Prayer is a part of Gods worship and service now he is to be worshiped in spirit and truth and served with all the heart and with all the soule And therefore we must offer up unto him spirituall hearty and fervent Prayers CHAP. XXI Vers 5 VERS 5. Tell ye the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke and sitting vpon an Asse and a Colt the Foale of an Asse Our Saviour here by calling himselfe a King ministers occasion unto us to consider a little of his Kingdome and the nature thereof because King and Kingdome are Relata Quest 1 What is the Kingdome of Christ Answ That whereby he doth dispense and administer with authority and power all things which belong unto the salvation of men Psalm 2.6 Daniel 2.44 Luke 1.36 Quest 2 What are the properties of this Kingdome Answ 1 First it is an Universall Kingdome and that in three regards viz. I. Jn respect of all ages Matth. 22.43 44 45. For it hath beene from the beginning and shall be unto the end of the World II. Jn respect of all sorts of men which belong unto this Kingdome for there are some of all nations and vocations which belong thereunto Daniel 7.14 Revelat. 17.4 III. Jn respect also of all creatures inasmuch as they belong unto the good of Gods chosen and promote or helpe forward their salvation Ephes 1.21 22. Answ 2 Secondly this Kingdome is in the very soules and consciences of men Rom. 14.17 Yea Answ 3 Thirdly it dispenseth both eternall life and death Revelat. 1.18 Answ 4 Fourthly it is an eternall Kingdome Daniel 2.44 and 7.14 Answ 5 Fifthly the last property of this Kingdome is this Jt brings true peace and perfect happinesse to those who are heires thereof Esa 9.6 Ephes 2.16 Hebr. 7.2 And hence this Kingdome is called in Scripture sometimes the Kingdome of God sometimes the Kingdome of peace and glory somtimes the Kingdome of light and glory and sometimes the Kingdome of heaven and the world to come Hebr. 2.5 Quest 3 What is the duty of the Subjects of this Kingdome Answ 1 First they must admire the singular humility of their Lord and this our Saviour seemes to intimate and imply in this word Ecce Behold Tell yee the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke c. Jt must needs breed and beget admiration in us if we doe but consider these things viz. I. Who comes The King of glory and the glory and splendor of the Father II. Unto whom doth he come Unto those who drinke iniquity like water Iob. 15. And therefore Christs comming unto us is no other then First the comming of light to darknesse And Secondly the comming of righteousnesse to unrighteousnesse And Thirdly the comming of life to death And therefore how can we but admire it Elizabeth wondred whence it was that the Mother of her LORD should come and visite her and we have much more cause to admire why the Lord himselfe will come to visite us Secondly the Subjects of this King or Kingdome Answ 2 must rejoyce for the benefits they reape by their King and priviledges they enjoy by being Subjects of this Kingdome And this seemes to be implyed here in these words Thy King commeth unto thee Every Christian should labour to make of this Tibi a Mihi that so they might say My LORD CHRIST hath come Mihi to me for this will afford true and solide joy Wherein must we rejoyce Quest 4 First in prayer because whatsoever we begge in Answ 1 the name of this King we shall obtaine Secondly in anxiety and sorrow for our sinnes Answ 2 because this is a faithfull saying That this King came into the World for the salvation of Sinners Thirdly in tentation because we have a King Answ 3 who is potent yea Omnipotent and therefore let us call upon him that he may destroy the workes of Sathan in us Fourthly in persecution poverty sicknesse and Answ 4 the like because he is our comforter in persecution our riches in poverty our Physitian in sicknesse yea all in all unto us and therefore we have great cause to rejoyce in him Here it may be objected oh but he deferres long for J have beene in misery and prayed unto him Object and expected helpe from him and yet am not delivered how therefore can J rejoyce in affliction First be not dismaid
man doth frequently prevent danger whereas the secure fals into it Answ 6 Sixthly there can be no true security amongst us nor freedome from evill if we consider these things namely I. Our sinnes and the nature of them and our continuance in sinne And II. Our God whom we offend by our sinnes and who sees and registers all our sinnes and who is able to avenge himselfe upon us for our sinnes and whose justice and truth will not permit him to spare our sinnes without repentance And III. How God hath punished others for our admonition and terrour we have heard of Plague Famine Warre amongst our neighbours wherewith they have beene wasted which heauy judgements we cannot but thinke in regard of Gods infinite justice to have come upon them for their sinnes and we have cause to thinke that CHRIST saith unto us That they were not greater sinners then we are and therefore except we repent we shall likewise perish Wherefore it is most dangerous for us to be secure Quest 3 Who are here worthy of blame Answ 1 First they are extreamly faulty who thinke that state to be the happiest where there is no feare for the contrary is most true and security is a sure Answ 2 signe of approaching misery Secondly those also are to be taxed who thinke the godly to be melancholy men because they feare danger when neither danger nor distresse appeares Quest 4 What is here required of us Answ 1 First a serious consideration of the roote of our security we should consult with our selves and see from whence it springs and whether we have just cause to be secure or not Answ 2 Secondly it is required of us to be watchfull over our selves and wayes and to arme our selves against the Judgements of God and prepare to meete him And Answ 3 Thirdly to awaken others who are sleepy and secure because security shews that judgement hangs over their heads If we should see a house on fire and perceive some asleepe therein we would awaken them and not suffer them to perish how much more then should we doe so when we see men lulled asleepe in carnall security when the judgements of God hang over their heads And it is required Answ 4 Fourthly that we should meditate of our death and repent before our death It was the saying of a Rabbi Repent one day before thy death that is every day we should daily expect death and by unfained repentance prepare daily for it Fifthly we must doe as Noah did make an Answ 5 Arke against the over-flowings of Gods judgements and labour that our God may be reconciled unto us Answ 6 Sixthly it is required of us that we should bring forth fruit and grow and increase in grace labouring daily more and more for it for thereby we shall be kept from security What are the causes of security and the remedies Quest 5 against it First ignorance errour or an erroneous opinion Answ 1 of the nature of sinne and the providence of God causeth security Many thinke that God neither sees nor observes their sinnes neither will punish them because as some of the Heathens thought all these terrene and sublunary things are ruled by chance and Fortune The ignorance of God and of the nature of sinne or the incogitancy of both causeth security for no wonder if we doe not feare those things which we neither remember thinke of nor know The Remedy against this Cause is to thinke sinne to be out of measure sinfull and to learne to know the Lord to be Omnipotent Omniscient and Omnipresent We must remember that God sees all things and by his providence governes all things and hates sinne with a perfect hatred and will punish undoubtedly sinne in all those who will not repent them of it and turne from it Secondly a neglect of those meanes which God Answ 2 prescribes to be used causeth security and ignorance For none ordinarily are more secure then they who most neglect all exercises and duties of Religion Now the Remedy against this is to be diligent industrious and frequent in all holy means and duties both publike and private Answ 3 Thirdly incredulity of the word of God and of his judgements causeth security when mens hearts grow hard sleepy and unfaithfull neither beleeving the promises nor threatnings of the word nor the judgements of God then they grow secure Now this infidelity is strengthened by our sensuality for as the light of the Sunne darkens the light of the Starres so the light of sense darkens and obscure the light of holy and spirituall things we being naturally backward to beleeve any thing which is not plaine and perspicuous to sense The Remedy against this cause is to labour for the knowledge of the word and to assent to every good word of God as infallibly true yea to remember that Heaven and Earth shall passe away before one jot or tittle of the word fall to the ground unaccomplished because if God have spoken he will also certainly doe it And therefore we must feare his threatnings and beleeve his promises Fourthly a presumption of the mercy of God causeth Answ 4 at least corroborateth this in fidelity for when men thinke that he who made them will save them and though they sinne yet grace shall abound then they speedily waxe carnally secure The Remedy against this is not to presume of mercy without repentance obedience and faith the Lord having said That though he be mercifull and gracious c. yet he will by no meanes let the impenitent sinner goe unpunished Exod. 34.4 5 6. And againe that he that made men will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour if they be wicked and rebellious Esa 27.11 Fifthly prosperity causeth security and makes Answ 5 men fearelesse as we see in David who in his prosperity said that he should never be moved Psalm 30.6 And in Iob who said I shall dye in my nest Iob 29.18 And in the Church of Laodicea Revelat. 3.17 The remedy against this is I. To remember that neither love nor hatred is knowne by these things Eccles 9.1 And II. That all these outward things are vaine transitory and as mutable as the Moone And III. That all our riches and abundance cannot availe us at the last day nor free us from the judgements of God here Read Proverb 10.4 and 11.4 and Iob. 15.21 and 21.7 c. unto 14. verse and Psalm 73.3 c. unto the 18 verse Answ 6 Sixthly security is caused often by Gods lenity and long suffering or because sinne is not avenged but punishment deferred Wicked men thus wickedly ruminate with themselves J have sinned often and long and am yet spared and perceive that the threatnings of preachers are but scare-Crowes and therefore now J may be secure and need feare no evill though J runne on unto sinne as a Horse unto the battell The remedy against this is to remember Quod differtur non
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
promised his gracious presence For we must know that the name Catholique is diversâ—ly taken namely I. Sometimes for the whole Kingdome of Christ or for those who shall be saved and are ordained unto eternall life Acts 2.47 and 13.48 and Hebr. 12.22 Now the Church thus taken is partly militant on earth and partly triumphant in heaven and of this we say not Video Ecclesiam Catholicam I see the Catholike Church but Credo ecclesiam Catholicam I beleeve the Catholike Church because according to St. Augustine Fides non est vides II. Sometimes the Catholike Church is taken for the whole number of the faithfull that professe Christ in any one age upon earth being one flocke under one great Bishop Christ the chiefe shepheard 1 Peter 2.25 and 5.4 although gouerned upon earth by divers subordinate Pastours under him And of these also may the said Article of our Creed be understood III. All particular Nations or societies of people joyned together in the faith under one spirituall government may as similare parts use have the name of the whole and be called Catholike Churches Notwithstanding it is more proper to call such an one A Catholike Church indefinitely then Completively The Catholike Church Fifthly an Hereticall sect may like the devill Answ 5 2 Cor. 11. shewing as an Angell of light call themselves Catholikes though they be nothing lesse Revel 2.9 but even the Synagogue of Sathan Therfore the name Catholique in the Question propounded must be understood in the second sense mentioned in the former Answer viz. for all Christians upon earth and not for any particular society Jf any particular company call themselves by that name they are never the more truly Catholike for being so called then those Heretiques were truly pure spirituall and Apostolike that were called and knowne to the world by those names Cathari Pneumatici and Apostolici Some Papists have objected this place to prove Object 1 the infallibility of the doctrine of their Church arguing thus to wit That unto which CHRIST hath promised his presence for ever to the worlds end is free from errour and the doctrine thereof in all things is infallible But such is the Church to which Christ hath promised his presence Therefore the Church is free from errour and the doctrine thereof is in all things infallible First the meaning of this place is That howsoever Answ 1 Christs bodily presence ceased yet his providence should never faile to preserve and comfort them in all their troubles and help them in all their actions and by degrees so enlighten them also that they should not perish in their ignorance but be led forward to more perfection and thus Lansenius Concord Evang. Cap. 149. expounds the place Yea this must needs be granted to be all that is here meant and that I. Because Christ is not absent from his people every time they fall into an errour but remaineth with them still for all that either forgiving it or reforming it And II. Because notwithstanding this promise yet afterwards Peter one to whom the promise was made erred against the truth of the Gospell Galath 2.11 and was therefore by St. Paul rebuked and resisted to his face which thing could not have fallen out if this Promise had exempted the Church from all errour And III. If this promise priviledge the whole Church from errour because it is made to it then consequently it priviledgeth the particular Churches Pastâ—â—s and beleevers therein because it is made to them likewise but experience sheweth that these latter may erre and therefore the meaning must be as aforesaid IV. It is granted even by the Papists themselves that the Pope may erre See Mr. White the way to the true Church Page 194 416. which could not be if these words of our Saviours meant the Church of Rome and that infallible judgement which the Jesuit speaketh of who propounds this Objection And thus we deny not but constantly beleeve that Christ alwayes was is and shall be with his Church to the end of the World To conclude this worke Seeing God hath here promised to be present by his grace and gracious providence and protection with his Church and children unto the end of the world and hath hitherto for many yeares given us cause to say That there is no Nation or Church in the world unto whom he hath beene more gracious then unto ours given us such pious and prudent Princes as have ruled us in peace and led us in the paths of Religion couragiously supporting and constantly professing and maintaining the truth of Christ notwithstanding all the power policy and subtlety of Antichrist and all her instruments and adhaerents Let us therefore both fervently pray for the continuance of these unspeakable mercies and also heartily praise this great gracious and good God for the long continuance of them hitherto unto us and let us alwayes laud his Name and sing praises unto his Majesty saying Holy holy holy Lord GOD of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee oh Lord most High AMEN FINIS The Epilogue COurteous and kind Reader J have here sent thee the first Evangelist to peruse and J have the Second perfectly finished but much more succinctly and compendiously handled then this because the larger J am upon this the lesse I have to treat upon in the rest this Worke not being like a Snow ball rolled up and downe which growes greater and greater but like one lying in the Sunne which growes lesse and lesse Now although as I said the next Evangelist bee perfected yet untill I heare how St. Matthew is received and welcommed by thee I will not send St. Marke unto thee For as PHYDIAS said concerning his first Portraiture If it be liked I will draw more besides this if loathed 〈◊〉 one but this so say I concerning this my first Brat who must either credit or discredit his Father If thou thinke it not worth receiving or reading but reject it loathingly then I have done but if thou accept and entertaine it lovingly then I have but begun Thy pleasure and liking will be my Paines and thy dislike my Ease and therefore I will neither commend nor discommend what J have writ but commend thee unto the Lords gracious Protection and this Booke to thy acceptation Resting To bee employed to thy good if thou please R. W. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS MISCELLANIE For the understanding whereof let the Reader take notice that this BOOKE is divided into two Parts or Tomes The first beginning CHAPTER I. and containes 528 Pages The second beginning CHAP. X. and containes 395 Pages Now Pt. 1. f. 1. or 8 c. signifies Part first and Folio first or 8 c. And Pt. 2. f. 1. 10 c. signifies Part 2. folio 1. 10 c Besides let the Reader note that a signifies the first Colume and b the Second A. ABility All Power and ability in Man unto good comes
from God Part 2. fol. 1. a. b. To which of Christs Apostles he gave Power and what power hee gave them Pt. 2. f. 1 b. Absence See Presence Abuse The best and most lawfull things may be abused Part 1. fol. 243. b. Account Divers necessary questions concerning our Spirituall account and reckoning with God Pt. 2. fol. 328 329 330. Actions Workes Divers profitable questions concerning the definition division necessity and nature of Workes in generall and good workes in particular Pt. 1. f. 72 a b. and 154. a b. 158 b. 177. b c. 179. a. b. 266 b. 270. b c. 341. b. 425. b c. 427. a. 471 a. 50â— b. 506 a. Pt. 2. f. 16 b. and 129 a. Divers questions concerning the merit reward examination and regulating of good Workes Pt. 1. f. 98 b. c. 158 a b. 258 b. 259 260. 266. 269 b. 270. 403 b. 426 b. 428 b. and Pt. 2. f. 46 b. 73 a. Who are enemies unto good Workes pt 1. f. 161. b. 259 a. 273 a b. Vnbeleevers cannot performe good Workes Pt. 1. fol. 262 a. Whether the Workes of the Righteous be perfect Pt. 1. fol. 330 331. Questions concerning Supererogatory Workes Pt. 1. f. 188 a. and pt 2. f. 235 a. 337 b. Adiaphorall things Ceremonies The Ceremonies of our Church used in Baptisme and the Lords Supper are lawfull Pt. 1. f. 67 b. and pt 2. f. 354. b. 355. Circumstances may make indifferent and lawfull things unlawfull and how pt 1. fol. 98 a b. Lawfull and Adiaphorall things are to be regulated according to a three fold rule Pt. 1. f. 98 a. Divers questions concerning Offences given and taken by Ceremonies and Adiaphorall things Pt. 2. fol. 207 208 c. and pt 1. f. 496. a b. Admonition Advice Counsell Who hide their Counsels and how it may lawfully be done Pt. 1. fol. 32. a b. Wee must Admonish Counsell and advise our Bretheren how and why Pt. 1. f. 153. a b. and pt 2. fol. 19. a b. Questions concerning Evangelicall Counsels unto Perfection Pt. 1. f. 186 a. 226 a. 262 b. and pt 2. fol. 243 b. 286 b. c. Adoption The nature markes and signes of adoption Pt. 1. f. 113 a. 487 488. Adversity Affliction Divers questions concerning the Causes end utility removall reward and benefits of Affliction and our duty in affliction Pt. 1. fol. 50 b. 112 b. 142 a. 169 a b. 303 a b. 314 a b. 362. and 439 b. and 448 a. and pt 2. f. 58 59. and 159. and pt 1. fol. 489. The Lord afflicts his Church and why pt 1. fol. 78 a. Vnlawfull meanes are never to be used in Affliction and misery and why pt 1. fol. 99 b. 100 a. Advice See Admonition Adultery Fornication adultery and uncleannesse must be avoided and why pt 1. fol. 216 a b. and 227 b. c. Divers questions concerning the division effects punishments and remedies of adultery fornication and uncleannesse pt 1. fol. 216 c. to fol. 223. Affections A right use of the affections helpes us in Gods service pt 1. fol. 41 b. Affliction See Adversity Agreement Vnity Concord Questions concerning our Vnion with Christ pt 2. fol. 278 a b. The Vnity and Vnion of the Church and faithfull is manifold pt 2. f. 8 a. 40 a. How brotherly Unity and Concord are to be continued pt 1. fol. 321 b. c. Christ loves Amity and unity amongst brethren pt 1. fol. 120. Allegories Figures It is lawfull to use Allegories and Figures in preaching pt 1. f. 120 b. Rules observeable in the Allegorizing of any Scripture pt 1. fol. 43 a. Almes Charity Divers questions concerning the division necessity impediments and remedies thereof and rules to be observed in the distribution of almes pt 1. f. 153. 155 156 157 158 160 b. 248 b. 268 269. Who are enemies to Almes-deeds and workes of charity pt 1. fol. 150 b. 151 a b. 267 a. Whether Almes-deeds be meritorius pt 1. fol. 160 a. and 267 a. Ambition Ambition is often the cause of arrogancy and arrogant presumption pt 1. fol. 46 a b. Amen What is meant by this word Amen part 1. fol. 321 b. Amity Love Divers questions concerning Love in generall the definition and division thereof and of our Love unto God pt 1. f. 133 b. 252 b. 334 b. 335. and pt 2. f. 54 b c. 286 287 288. Divers questions concerning the Love of our brethren Pt. 1. fol. 120 a. 159 b. 252 b. and pt 2. f. 56 b. 57 a. 135 b. 288 b. 289 a. Concerning the Love of our enemies See Enemies How Love is the fulfilling of the Law pt 1. f. 405 a. pt 2. f. 289 a b. Whether Love be a meritorious worke or not pt 1. folio 254. a. Anabaptists Famalists Separatists The Conventicles of Anabaptists and Familists are not warrantable pt 1. fol. 125 b. 126 a. Separatists are unpleasing unto God pt 2. folio 8 a b. The faithfull must be separated from the world and how Pt. 1. f. 175 b. Angels Divers questions concerning the evill Angels pt 1. f â—7 a. 140 b. 346. â— Questions concerning tutelary Angels part 2. fol. 214 b. Anger Divers questions concerning the nature originall causes effects degrees kinds and punishments of anger and the remedies against it pt 1. fol. 44 45. 105. 108. Christians must not be angry why pt 1. fol. 197. a. And what commendable anger iâ— Pt. 1. fol. 198 b c. and pt 2. fol. 297 b c. Whether anger be a â—eniall or mortall sinne pt 1. fol. 196 197 b. Anguish Griefe Mourning Divers questions concerning godly Mourners and mourning and the comforts and blessednesse which belong unto such Mourners Pt. 1. folio 142 143 144 145. There are divers sorts of Mourners pt 1. fol. 143 a b and 509 a. The outward expressions of sorrow are divers pt 2. fol. 8â— b. Answers All our Answers must be gentle and to the matter and why Pt. 1. fol. 114 a. Antichrist Who is Antichrist pt 1. folio 19. Whether he be one particular man pt 1. folio 17 b. and pt 2. fol. 315. b. Whether Antichrist be yet come pt 2. fol. 312 a. 313 a b. Antiquity When and how farre Antiquity is to be beleeved pt 1. fol. 189 b. 190 a b c. 194 b. Antiquity is a good proofe in controversies pt 2. fol. 233 a. Apostacy Backsliding The causes why so many are in danger to fall back and why so many doe fall back from Christ and Religion pt 1. fol. 132 b. and 506 a. and pt 2. fol. 28 a. 69 a b. Those who forsake and fall from Religion shall be forsaken pt 2. f. 6 a. Apostles Disciples Divers questions concerning the 12 Apostles and Disciples of Christ pt 1. fol. 134 135. 140 a. 171 172. 467 a. 495 a. and pt 2. fol. 1 a b. 2 a b. 12 a. 27 b. 387 b. Ministers must be Disciples before Apostles and why pt 2. fol. 1