principall question is so neerely joyned with the proofes of Christs Religion as except in one or two points they cannot be severed Therefore it is not amisse to handle both under one 1. The effect of the meaning of the Apostle here is that we have a most sure word from the Prophets and of all those from whose hands we have received the Scriptures This is most sure And albeit there is but a small portion come immediately from God yet being delivered by the ministery of man the ministery of man prevailed no farther then that it agreed with the word immediately comming from God 1. Seeing that man is to come to God some way and religion is this way we necessarily gather that this way is as ancient as man himselfe else should there be a time wherein man was out of this way and so consequently frustrated of his end 2. Tertullian de praescript adversus haeret Quod primum verum what is first is true It holdeth in religion and in any other thing The Philos Entia maximè vera being chiefely true Reasons because as the truth is an affection of that which is so falshood an affection of that which is not Therefore falshood non potest consistere in suo sed in alieno cannot consist in it selfe but in another Therefore falshood is after truth Assum But the religion of the Christians is more ancient for the Jewish and Christian religion are both one The Law is nothing else but the old Gospell the Gospell nothing else but the new Law The Law Evangelium absconditum a hidden Gospell The Gospell Lex revelata a revealed Law So that they agree with us till the comming of Christ and there they leave us As for the Heathen religion a great part of their stories is fabulous and part true For that part which is fabulous it began with their Gods for further then their Gods they cannot doe Now their Gods as Orpheus and Homer that write upon them they cannot be but the age before the Trojane warre forasmuch as Hercules Aeneas and the rest of their children lived at that warre which warre was 3030. yeeres after the Chronology of the Bible And betweene Orpheus his writing which was their ancientest Poet and Moses are at least 800. yeeres As Strabo Plutarch Diodor. Siculus doe testifie If their fabulous part commeth so short of our religion then must the true part come farre shorter Varro saith who was in Tullies time that that truth which the Gentiles hold could not be much ancienter then 700. yeeres before his time And it is sure that the ancientest records of their truth come from the seven wise men of whom Solon is the chiefe and ancientest The restoring of the captivity by Cyrus in Esdras time he was in Croesus time Croesus with Cyrus Cyrus and Esdras of a time Esdras is the last of the Canons of the old Testament Therefore the whole Bible was before any writer or recorder of the true part of the Heathen stories Their ancientest Historiographer is Herodotus yet he presently after the beginning of his booke entreth into the History of Croesus By the which we plainely see that the Christian religion is farre more ancient then the Heathen So may another consequent be gathered that whatsoever God or truth was of the heathens religion they had it from the Jewes religion Rome called Magna Gâ—aecia the Romanes had their letters from Hâ—â—mâ—tinus â—phâ—sus These 2. countries Egypt and Phenicea with the Mediterraneum sea doe compasse in Iury. The Druidae among the French men and the Bardi and off-spring of the Druidae fetch all these monuments out of Greece The Romans they thanke the Grecians for all that they had both for their letters lawes and religion for they had them from Numa Pompilius a Grecian The Grecians referre all that they have to Cecrops an Egyptian Affrique Lybie Cataphrygians Indians they in Arabia petrea to Cadmus a Phenician Now Phenicea bordereth Northward upon Iury Egypt Southward the Medeterranean Sea Westward Now if we enquire from whence the Phenicians and the Egyptians had their knowledge we shall see that it came from the Jewes The wise men among the Grecians asking counsell at their Gods how they might get wisedome and from whence the knowledge of arts where to be had received this answer That it was to be had among the Chaldees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The onely wise men are the Chaldeans and happily the Hebrewes which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declarative or expositive and noteth some one part of the Chaldees i. the Jewes So Orpheus saith All knowledge referred to one Chaldean to one stranger Iosâ—phuâ— lib. 2. cont Appiooem out of Manetho Origen lib. 4. cont Celsum For the knowledge of Philosophy for the Egyptians were perfect in philosophy the Grecians but children for manners â—â—ocyllides his verses out of Numb Deut. and Exod. All Solons wisdome from an Egyptian Pythagoras from a Iew. that God after the fall of man being angry with mankind destroyed all and had revealed all knowledge and wisedome Vni Chaldaeo to one Chaldean the eighth person and Plato in Epimenide referreth all learning uni Barbaro to one Barbarian or stranger Who this 8. Chaldean and 8. Barbare is is now to be enquired The Egyptians they confesse they had all from one they call Theuth The Phenicians call him Thaath not much unlike the former Theuth in Caldee signifieth a stranger This stranger by all likelihood must be Abraham who was a stranger And Eusebius out of Manetho doth witnesse that Abraham was so greatly esteemed of in those Countries and honoured with so honourable remembrance and so many that it is very plaine that he was that stranger their chiefest exorcismes used to be done through the God of Abraham And Manetho alledgeth that in many places of the Countrey his name was written or ingraven c. in sundry Temples c. i. Phocyllides For manners living in the 59. Olympiade his verses are so evident that one may see that they be word for word taken out of Moses his law and that one may easily point forth that this and that verse is taken out of this and that place of Deuter â—nomy Numbers and Exodus c. But we will deale with their owne records Plutarch saith that Solon fetcheth all his wisdome from Egypt from one Souchedis Plato all his from Caldaea of one Semuthis Strabo lib. 16. saith that Pythagoras had daily conference in the mount Carmel and that in that mountaine were ambulachra Pythagorae Pythagoras his walkes And some of the Heathen said that he was cicumcised Euseb lib. 4. de praepar Euangel out of Clearchus a peripatetik affirmeth that Aristotle never went into Egypt but yet he had daily conference with an Egyptian or a Jew Demetrius reported to Ptolomey that gathered together the great Library that he had heard Aristotles schollers say that sundry of the Philosophers and Poets would have translated the old Testament into Greeke
For teaching them as they are now taught This is warranted us before the flood Genes 4.3.4 Cain and Abel sacrificing must needs have learned of their Father this duty and a good argument that the Scripture was yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though some thinke that there can but probable conjectures be made before the flood ergo they reason probably that say that the worship of God could not have continued 2. After the flood to Abrahams time there was no other way of propagating Religion then by the delivery of the parents to their children though some thinke that Sybils verses were nothing else but the sum of those doctrines which the parents delivered to their children Vsque adeo placuit Deo catechesis Abrahae ut ei revelata sit legis Evangelii summa So was God pleased with Abrahams catechising that the sum both of Law and Gospel was revealed to him 3. In Abraham that the Scripture beareth him witnesse that hee taught his family in the waies of the Lord Gen. 18.17.19 Shall I hide from my servant Abraham that thing which I doe 19. For I know that he will command his family and his houshold after him that they keep the waies of the Lord to do righteousnesse and judgement that the Lord might bring uâ—on Abraham that which he hath spoken unto him What he taught it is evident by the summe of the Law delivered unto him by God Gen. 17.1 Ambula coram me esto integer walke before me and be thou perfect As by the summe also of the Gospell Gen. 18.18 as also Gen. 22.18 And in thy seed shall all the Nations c. be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voyce The effect of Abrahams catechising The fruit and effect of his catechising 1. In his sonne Isaac Gen. 24.63 And Isaac went out to pray in the fields towards the Evening 2. In his servant 1. He beginneth with prayer before his businesse Gen. 24.12 2. He endeth in prayer and thanksgiving for having good successe in his businesse Gen. 24.27 3. His care and faithfulnesse in performing his Masters businesse Vers 33. in that hee would not eate before he had shewed his message And thus it was before the Law was written 4. In the Law Deut. 6.7 So soone as the Law was given God commanded that they should teach it their children In the same place foure duties mentioned writing speaking sharpening binding of which this often rehearseing or sharpning is the chiefest The speciall lecture of the Law According to the Rabbins And among the Rabbins this is the speciall lecture of all the five Bookes of the Law Num. 15. Deut. 11.19 The practise of this commandement in David Psal 34.11 And as Salomon testifieth Prov. 4.4 that he was his fathers sonne tenderly beloved of his mother and absolutely catechised of David his father 1. Chron. 28.9 and 19. David before all the people directeth his sonne Salomon Salomon in his nine first Chapters of his Proverbes instructeth his sonne Rehoboam 2. King 12.2 Joash the yong King instructed by Iehoiadah After the captivity because there are no monuments in the Scriptures we must relie to Iosephus and his writings Yet in the third verse of the story of Susanna she is said to have beene taught of her parents in the Law of Moses Iosephus testifieth that between Christ and Antiochus time and the restoring of the captivity there was never under foure hundred houses of catechisings of expounding the Law called in the Talmud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 places for the Law 5. In the Booke of antiquities of the Jewes is recorded that there was an act made at Ierusalem that when their children were thirteene yeeres old they should be sent to catechising to which Paul seemeth to have some relation Rom. 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being instructed out of the Law 6. In the Christian Church it is commanded Eph. 6.4 that parents should not onely enter their children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 1 Cor. 14.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I might teach others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The party to be catechized For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or persons to be catechised we have warrant in three notable persons 1. Theophilus Luke 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein thou hast beene instructed 2. In Apollos Acts 18.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this man was instructed in the way of the Lord and being fervent in the spirit 3. Timothy 2. Tim. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and that from a child thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation Galat. 6.6 mention made both of the Catechiste and Catechumenos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things After the Apostles time the first of any fame was the Evangelist Marke Catechist at Alexandria after him Palemus after him Clemens Alexandrinus after him Origen after him Cyrill of Ierusalem then Gregory Nicen his Catechisme Athanasii synopsis sanctae scripturae his inventory of the sacred Scriptures Fulgentius Augustines booke de rudibus catechisandis of catechising the ignorant De gratia Dei of the grace of God foure bookes de symbolo the Creed De fide ad Petrum diaconum of faith to Peter the Deacon In the Fathers time it may appeare by the sixth Canon of the Councel of Neocesarea by the sixth seventh Canon of the Councel holden at Toledo in Spaine 2. The Councell of Braccharie i. of the fourth of Toledo 24. Canon As it appeareth in the councell of Cullen Synod of Osburge 8. ch 24. sect of the councell of Trent 6. ch No more mention of this till the time of Luther which because it did greatly further religion the papists renewed and commended the effect and fruit Egesippus testifieth that by the diligent instructing of the Church there was no knowne common wealth in any part of the world inhabited but within 40. yeeres after Christs passion received a great shaking off heathenish religion The same may be seene in the most wicked Julian the Apostat the subtillest enemy that ever the Church had who the easier to roote out religion suppressed all Christian schooles places of catechising c. and if he had not beene as a cloud that soone passeth away it had beene to be feared lest within a short time hee had over-shadowed all religion Now when catechising was taken from the Church it was all overspread with ignorance The papists acknowledge all the advantage the protestants have gotten of them to come for that they began sooner to catechise And it is to be feared that if ever they get advantage of us it will be by reason of their exacter catechising then ours The Reasons of the continuing of catechising 1. The reasons why it hath beene thus continued illud Christi
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 34.11 Come children hearken unto me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Then for introduction as they Three things observable in Catechisme so we may gather these three points 1. That it is a thing not onely pleasing the Lord but also commanded by him that children be taught in the feare of God 2. The manner how they should be taught i. by measure in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Chatechumeni were these who were to be Catechised 3. What the Catechumeni are to performe that this instruction may be profitable unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come yee hearken unto me For the first There is a sort both among the Heathen 1. Catechising commanded c. as also in the Scripture mentioned who thinke that religion is not to come so low as to be taught to children but that they be brought up in all boldnesse and liberty that we may see what is in them And after when they come to riper yeeres to be instructed in religion The Heathen they tell us of that The heathen opinion concerning Catechising which is in the beginning of the Philosophers morals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a young man is not a fit hearer of the morals As also the counsell of the Orator in his defence for Caelius that it is a point of policie and wisedome to let youth have his course till all were sodden quoad deferbuerit untill it cease from seething But whatsoever they say this exercise of catechising was used among the Gentiles also The practice of the Heathen in Catechising We read in Porphyrius his question upon Homer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Since we were boyes we knew this by meanes of our catechising And Solons verses called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacred remembrancings in Aeschines his oration shew that it was usuall among the Athenians for youth to be instructed As also the history of the Heathen declare that their children were taught For it was a custome among them not to poll their children before they were instructed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Holy remembrancings and then were they suffered to poll themselves and burne their haire and dedicate it to Apollo signifying thereby that they were able to carry Tapers into his Temple and then were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taperbearers One also saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it behoveth those that are to be catechised to learne good things but the best manner of confuting is to confute them by themselves Arist An answer to the former opinions as his interpretors say meant potius de facto quam de eo quod fieri debet Else were he to be called to his Polit. 7. ub 17. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit it is that that age should be restrained both from hearing and seeing of things unlawfull And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all things whereof they are capable it is better even from their childhood to accustome them thereunto but by little little And we may appeale from the Orator pleading at the Barre for a lewd young man to his bookes De divinatione de officiis Ea aetas maximè arcenda est a voluptatibus exercendâ—que laboribus that age especially is to be kept in from pleasures and to be exercised in labours Thus much for reason uncorrupt Scripture example against Catechisme For â—â—vinity and Scriptures Exod. 10.11 Pharao being requested that the Israelites with their children might goe into the Wildernesse maketh a skoffe of it that their children should goe worship as if religion pertayned not to them Matth. 19.13 When children were brought unto Christ to be blessed of him his Disciples forbad and rebuked them that brought them But for the first Moses opposeth himselfe against Pharaoh and answereth that howsoever it was not the manner of the Gods of Egypt An answer to the example yet it was expedient that their children should goe with them for that they honoured the living God For the second Christ opposed himselfe against his Disciples granting children safe conduct unto him and pronouncing a curse against them that kept them from him This is manifest both in the Law This appeares in the Law and in the Gospell In the Law Psa 119.9 The Lord in giving forth his Lawes had an eye not onely to the elder sort but to the yonger and therefore as the Jewes note there is thrice made mention of children in the Law 1. And visit the sinnes of the fathers upon the children c. But if that be denied yet in the fourth Commandement it is manifest Thou and thy sonne and thy daughter Againe Exod. 12.26 When the children would be too busie and curious in asking their parents what meaneth the slaying of the Lambes The Lord is so farre from accusing them for this curiosity that he layeth a charge on their parents to declare it them Exod. 12.26 When your children aske you what service is this you keepe 27. Then yee shall say It s the sacrifice of the Lords passeover when he passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt and smote the Egyptiâ—ns and preserved our houses And whereas many hold it is not materiall what children doe and that they are not to be censured by their doings yet they are confuted by Salomon Prov. 20.11 A child also is knowne by his doings whether his workes be true and right they shall be judged by their steps As the blessing of God is on them that give themselves to wisedome as in Psal 127. 128. in that in the one an house full of such children is compared to a Quiver full of good arrowes and in the other to Olive branches full of Olives and elsewhere to plants So are they not free though children if they commit wickednesse from the curse of God as appeareth by 2. Kin. 2.24 though children that scoffed at Elisha yet were they devovred by the Shee-Beares The Rabbinicall proverbe in regard of death is that in Golgotha are skuls of all sizes and Revel 20.12 Iohn saith that he saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dead great and small waiting for their judgement In the Gospell Omnis Christi actio nostra est instructio Christs actions are our instructions Non minus placet Deo Hosanna puerorum quam Halleluiah virorum The childrens Hosanna please no lesse then the mens Halleluiah Matth. 2.16 Dedit praeceptum qui exemplum probavit Who hath allowed example hath given precept In Christ our Saviour yet more extraordinary things 1. That being a child of twelve yeeres ut Luk. 2.52 he grew in wisdome i. the feare of God ut Job 28.28 And unto man he said behold the feare of the Lord is wisdome to depart from evill is understanding knowledge both with God and man i. both divine and humane 2. He allowed of Hosanna that the children sang unto him insomuch that when the High Priests and Scribes
spake to him to rebuke them for it he alledged for them out of Psal 8.2 out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained to set forth thy praise 3. Matth. 18.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs curse is on them that hinder little children to come unto him though at that time it pleased him to beare with his Disciples and to shew mercy to them yet even after a curse is pronounced and in the same place Matth. 18.14 when his Disciples forbad them to come to him he saith It is not the will of our Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish Perish they must unlesse they come to him and Christs curse is on all that seeke to lay a stumblingblock before them And they have a stumblingblock laid before them yet that shall be taken away by admonitions and if they will not heare when they are forewarned they shall perish for we may say that the Lord hath purposed their destruction as 1. Sam. 2.25 Notwithstanding they obeyed not unto the voyce of their father because the Lord would slay them Speaking of the sonnes of Eli. 4. Christ being ready to be taken up into Heaven his charge to Peter and so in him to all the Apostles and in them to all their successors which was his last charge as Augustine noteth 1. Feed my Lambes pasce agnos nieos 2. Pasce oves meas 2. Feed my Sheepe For the prospering of the Lords sheepfold dependeth upon the good feeding of the Lambes And thus you see that children are to be brought up in the feare of the Lord. The reason Reasons 1. There is a promise and stipulation in our baptisme that as soone as we could we should fall in hand with it as Prov. 6.4 When a man hath made a promise unto the Lord he is not to rest untill he hath performed it For though the naturall order be as Christ biddeth Matth. 28.19 first teach and then baptize yet in singular mercy to the children of the faithfull he hath granted this priviledge In primi◠annis dantur nobis magistri ut in nobis generent timorem Dei In our first yeeres Tutors are given unto us that they may beget in us the feare of the Lord. Piut. Sumptio virilis tagae non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The taking of the robe of a man is not a casting away of the groundworke but a change 2. Pers first to be baptized therefore though we begin never so soone yet we doe it not in that order that it should be done Of this Nazianzen saith well let us not set that in no place because the Lord hath set it in the second place which should have been in the first 2. And Augustine he saith Quare adhibetur magister extrinsecus nisi ut sit magister intus Wherefore is there given unto us an outward teacher but that there may be an inward teacher But when we come to be men we cannot have this outward teacher ergo we are to endeavour as soone as may be to establish the inward teacher that is to direct us all our life long 3. For as much as the light of nature doth leade us thus farre that there is an aptnesse in children to vice ergo it is requisite that we take the advantage and apply their aptnesse to goodnesse for he that is able to say to Elizeus bald-pate is able to say to Christ Hosanna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will instruct or catechise you Arg. A nomine probat tenuiter declarat concinnè he proves it from the name barely declares it properly English Latine followeth the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 catechising which seemeth to come of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth repetere acuere to rehearse to sharpen in which two is contained the office of the Catechist and the catechized And as in the one so in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is included an iteration of a sound from whence our eccho commeth for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to sound the last syllable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sound the whole speech after another Clemens defineth catechising to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What Catechising is an abridgement of Christian doctrine to be delivered to the youth The difference of catechising from preaching The differences betwixt catechising and preaching is in three things 1. Preaching is the dilating of one member of Religion catechising is a contraction of the whole 2. Catechising is to be delivered to the yong and ignorant preaching to all 3. Preaching exacteth no repetition catechising requireth repetition Whether the Scriptures may be abbreviated They may first from Christs example Abbreviating of Scriptures taught us of God 2. From Salomon Concerning that it is a summe here is a doubt whether such summes or epitomes may be made They may For proofe whereof see Matth. 22.37 where Christ draweth the whole Law into two Heads and John 3.16 Christ catechising Nicodemus contracteth the summe of the Gospell into one verse God so loved the world that he gave his onely c. 2. Likewise also Eccles 12.13 Salomon compriseth all that hee had said before in these two heads First feare God Secondly and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man 3. Practice of the Church It hath beene the use of the Church in all ages that it be not onely delivered to them but also required of them againe 3. Hebr. 6.2 The whole summe of Religion is drawne into repentance from dead works and faith in Christ This is also seene in other Sciences Physitians have their principles 1. Aphorisme commonly delivered in parva arte in the short or briefe art 2. Lawyers in their institutions their maximae Philosophers in their introductions their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefe sentences One calleth this sepes legis the fence of the law Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fundamentum vel basis a foundation or pillar The fruit of this It is a limit to the whole Scriptures It teacheth us how to range our studies into method and order 4. The same in other sciences The fruit of catechising to what head we are to referre all our readings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thankes be unto the blessed God who hath made these things that are necessary short and easie to be understood and things not concise not necessary and difficult Seeing therefore things are drawne into such a narrow compasse they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without excuse that will not frame themselves to the knowledge of God being so easie and compendious In these places Catechising a short Gospell 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Cor. 14.20 Ephes 14.13 We are to proceed continually For as there are places where every Lambe may wade over so there are places also where Elephants may swim For wee shall never be free from Scrutamini Scripturas search the Scriptures 2.
was nothing else but a small still voyce comming from the Lord nor the Temple open till the Messiah came c. And they confessed that this voyce ceased in Christs time and in Herods daies and that the vaile of the Temple rent in two peeces and never since came it together Besides these three other three or foure The continuall sending to and fro as of Iohn Baptist doth argue that they wholy did looke for his comming then the Disciples to Christ Some that thou art Elias some Jeremias some one of the Prophets 2. About that time there were so many false and counterfeit Messiahs as never were before nor never after For there were then either eight or ten Seven or eight as Iosephus in the 18 19 20. books of antiquities Beside Herod of whom came the Herodians Iudas the sonne of Marbaeus Acts 5.36 37. by Gamaliel Thâ—udas Arthronges Barchosba the elder and the yonger But especially the yonger was in such reputation that all the Rabbins did acknowledge him for the Messiah These upstarts dâ—e argue that there was a great expectation among the people for never since then durst any be so bold as to call himselfe the Messiah save one 3. Suidas in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesus saith that it was reported to Iustinian the Emperour by Philip a Merchant of Constantinople that had received it by the report of one Theodosius a Iâ—w that in the catalogue of Priests was found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Temple for a while At the same time that Christ was crucified there was the first breach made into the City in the same time of the yeere Amâ—s 6.14 Zach. 11.12.13 The siege of Ierusalem most miserable Iâ—sus the Sonne of God and of Mary and that he was admitted into the company of the twenty two Priests It should therefore seeme that he was a Priest else could he not have preached because he was of the Tribe of Iudah And for this cause some thinke that he was permitted to preach at Capernaum Beside these one more The prophecie of Christ Luke 19.43 of the destruction of the second temple They confessing that after Malachy there should no Prophet arise but it should be Messiah Amos 6.14 from the entring of Hamath to the river of the wildernesse Zach. 11.12 13. The siege of the City so strange and wonderfull as never was the like that the very heathen did see and confesse that the hand of the Lord was against them when they could not besiege it long for water there was a little brooke Siloh which in former yeeres was so dryed up that men might goe over it dry-foote That did so swell suddenly without any naturall cause that it served all the armies of the Romans 2. Titus did labour by all meanes possible to offer them peace yea he granted them to set downe what condition of peace they would so they would yeeld themselves to the Romanes yet they were so wilfull that they would suffer no condition of peace There was such a great plague beside many millions slaine that the ground could not containe the dead bodies but were faine to cast them over the walles such a famine that they were faine to eate their owne children c. The first breach that the enemy made into the City was at the brooke Cedron where they tooke Christ and on the same day that Christ was taken was the Citty taken on the same feast day at the same time of the yeere The Emperour commanded them to be whipped there where they had whipped Christ 30. Jewes were sold for a penny as they sold Christ for thirty pence There is a prophecy Amos 2.6 Amos 2.6 For three transgressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne to it because they sold the innocent for silver and the poore for shooes Righteous They being urged to tell of whom the Prophet meant in this place knowing not how to shift it off are faine to say that it is of Ioseph that was sold of the Patriarchs for silver and for that cause that they suffered that misery And never since had they any reliefe but have lien these 1500. yeeres scattered over all the world hated of all scoffed at of all and now they are become common bondslaves to all the world and whereas before they were wont to feede their Rabbines now they are faine to feed the people least they should be forsaken of them Whether Christ be come That the Messiah is not come Beside the confounding of the Tribes they all confesse Mich. 5.2 That he shall be borne in Bethlehem There is now no Bethlehem nor any place where Bethlehem stood for him to be borne This they are driven to answer thus that he was borne indeed before the building of the second Temple but ever since he hath lurked in some corner or other they know not where but he will at the length come But Paulus Berosus and Augustine answer this Ammianus Marcellinus Iulian to worke despight to the Christians gave them leave to build their Temple againe sought to gather them together Being come together and having laid the foundation thereof there brast a fire out of the earth that burned their timber cast downe their stones and though the Emperout oft times encouraged them to their worke and gave them great summes to the building of it yet youl l the flames come out of the ground and overthrow their building There was one since that tooke upon him to gather them together that called himselfe Moses Cretensis he would needs with foure hundred divide the sea and goe thorow it dry-shod But the waves stragling against their course and nature suddenly comming upon them they were all drowned and their friends that stood all along the sea-shore were not able to save one of them Againe there were often prefixed times by the Rabbins when Christ should come and yet all deceived Rabbi Shahadiah appointeth 1200. yeeres Rabbi Salomon Rabbi Jehuda 1390. Rabbi Elias 4230. Rabbi Moses ben Maymon 4474. and his time that appointed last was expired 300. yeeres agoe and yet their Messiah is not come and they are ashamed to appoint any more time but forbid under paine of death Vt sint in spiritu vertiginis that they may be in the spirit of giddinesse having their eyes open and will not see 3. Thirdly betweene the Mahometists Turkes and us They say there is but one God and therein they agree with us but in Christ they agree not with us For they say in the fourth chapter of the Alcoran that he was not the last Prophet that should finish all prophecies but Mahomet Seven points to prove that their religion cannot be the truth 1. Because it is forbidden throughout all his Dominions to call it into question And to him that shall at any time call it into question it is present death But the truth delighteth in nothing more then in sifting and feareth it shall never be
and so here the Prophets and the Apostles had nothing for their paines whereas if this religion were false he had reaped perpetuall ignominie and shame For the credit of the story eternall testimonies he had in vaine deprived himselfe of all pleasure wealth and preferment For the credit of the story concerning first the nativity of Christ secondly his death For his birth we know the Oracles of the Sybillae were in greatest account among the heathen and held as true of all men and if those be they which we have there is nothing which can more plainely set forth the birth of Christ his life his death For there we may see every action set downe and almost every circumstance That they be the same first those two verses that Lactantius citeth we finde in these Secondly those that the heathen cite as Tully one saith that they were the very speculum Historiarum the mirrour of Histories And we read that many of the learned men in these latter daies as Marcellinus Secundanus were converted to the Christian religion onely by reading those verses Cic. 1. epist to Lentulus There is much adoe who shall bring Ptolomy the last into his Kingdome againe Lentulus maketh great suit his reason was because that it was the Oracles of Sybillae that presently upon the reducing of Ptolomee Prodiret dominus orbis The Lord of the world should appeare 2. Of divination Vocandus nobis Rex ex quo salvi simus He is to be called of us a King of whom we may be saved Tacitus and Suetonius say that in the time of the Gentiles especially in the time of Vespasian it was said throughout the whole world that the King of the world should come out of Iury and therefore his flatterers went about to perswade him that it was meant by him Therefore we shall finde that Augustus Tiberius and the other Emperours did labour to roote out the Nation of the Jewes and especially that Tribe that the King of the world should come out of Rodiginus and Voluteran leave this on their credit in their writings That among the monuments of Egypt they found an Altar of Isis dedicated Virgini pariturae to the Virgin that is to bring forth And like to that de Templo pacis of the Temple of peace that it should stand quoad virgo peperit untill a virgin hath brought forth a child So Postellus witnesseth from the Druidae that they had an Altar with this superscription ara primogenito Dei an Altar to the first begotten Sonne of God Suetonius saith that about the annunciation of Mary the yeere before his incarnation as it were on a faire day in a great assembly of the people at Rome there appeared a Raine-bow about the Sunne of a golden colour almost of the same brightnesse with the Sunne save that the colour of it was more yellow And the Augures being asked a reason of it they answered that God would invisere humanum genus visit mankind When Christ was borne the same day were seene three Sunnes in the firmament not three parelii Images of the Sunne Sueton. in the life of Vespatian Virg. 4. eglog Tacit. 21. of his story that after met and went into one which cannot be in a meteor for that it is in a fixed cloud so that 3. parelii Images of the Sunne cannot come into one to which the Augures answered that he was then borne whom both Augustus and the people and all the world should worship this was a signe of the mystery of the Trinity therefore it is said that at the next meeting of the Senate Augustus gave over his title Dominus orbis Lord of the world and would no more be called so And it is reported that on the same day there ranne out of a shop in Rome for the space of a day as it were a river of Oyle which some take for a signe of his spirituall annoynting But the chiefest is of a Starre that appeared mentioned in the Scripture as also of the Heathen that confessed it was stella maximè salutaris Virg. eclog. 4 the luckiest Starre that ever appeared for mankind 2. Pliny 25. chap. calleth it stella crinita sine crine a blazing Starre without crest And many by cogitation of this Starre have beene converted to the truth as Charaemon among the Stoickes Caladius among the Platonists upon the inquiry of the estate of that starre went into Jury and became a Jew For his death Signes for his death we finde that the ancient wise among the Egyptians using not to write by letters but by characters when they would expresse vitam aeternam eternall life it should be done per signum crucis by the signe of the Crosse whereby they shewed a badge that should necessarily concurre with the action that should be the salvation of the world Math. 27.45 Mark 15.33 Concerning the two things that the Holy Ghost hath set downe i. the universall eclypse of the Sunne and the universall earthquake so often and so much cast into the teeth of the heathen that they are ashamed to deny it Of the earthquake Pliny 2.25 ch of both Phlegon Trallianus 13. lib. Chron. testified of all the Heathen not to have come by any naturall cause For the earthquake there can be no universall motion in any thing for in nature every thing that is moved must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s owne stay but this earthquake went throughout the world for the universall eclypse of the Sunne many were converted by the strangenesse of it as Dionysius and Apollophanes For first the Sunnes eclypses are all particular this was universall 2. It was at the feast of the Passover which was 14. day of the Moone when the Moone was just at the full flat oppositly contrary to the rules of Astronomy and the reason of man 3. In the Emperour Tiberius his raigne it is said that presently upon the eclypse there was an universall defect of Oracles of which argument Plutarch hath a whole Treatise M. Aâ—reliâ—s 3. Chinades inâ—ulae â— Cyclades wherein he saith that one Epithe ses one that was in great credit with the Emperour sayling by Cyclades heard a voyce as it were comming out of one of the Ilands with great yelling as they thought or could conceives of spirits to make report that the great God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pan was dead The Emperour afterward hearing of this called together all the wise men and Magitians But none could tell Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Hebrew child who commandeth the blessed Gods enjoynes me to leave this house and straightwaies to goe hence into hell therefore thou being silent depart hence from our Altars what this great God Pan should meane Nicephorus saith that the Emperours from Augustus to Adrian did not onely enquire the cause of this defect from wisemen but also caused them to raise up the spirits themselves One asking the Oracle at Delos
he commanded all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof to be killed from two yeares old and under Joh. 11.47 the Jewes were afraid that if they suffered Christs doctrine so to prevaile all would beleeve in it and the Romans would come and take away the Kingdome from them 2. Punishment Prov. 10.24 The second the punishment Prov. 10.24 Quod timet impius accidet illi the feare of the wicked it shall come upon him so that thing that these foure most feared that happened to them the Romans came and the Jewes lost their Kingdome Herod mist of his purpose and lost his Kingdome Jeroboam was put out in the next generation and the Israelites increased and prevailed against Pharaoh and the Egyptians 4. Rule Media timoris meanes to beget feare The meanes Seeing how vehement a mover feare is beside that that hath beene spoken before the first way or motive to feare is the weighing of such Scriptures as containe matter that may give occasion of meditation of Gods judgements Heb. 6.4 as that to fall into Gods hands how terrible a thing it is And if God marke what is done amisse no flesh can be righteous in his eyes Esay 66.2 And to him will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my words There must be a trembling at his Words else his spirit commeth not 2 The consideration of the judgements of God and examples in former ages 1 Cor. 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All these things having named many are examples for us they are our monitors Quot habetis historias judicii Dei in Bibliis tot habetis conciones so many examples of divine justice as thou meetest withall in the holy Bible they are as so many Sermons of Gods justice and severity unto thee to move you to feare God and to be modest when we see his justice on his Angels on man and his posterity on the whole world in the deluge on the Egyptians on the Jewes on his owne Church Jerusalem and last of all on his owne Sonne Such was the bitternesse of sin that was executed on Christ it pursuing him to the fulnesse of bitternesse insomuch that one of the Fathers saith Magna fuit amaritude propter quam tanta sustinenda fuit amaritudo deadly was the bitternesse of sinne which could not be cured but by the blood-shed passion of the Sonne of God And because the judgements aforetime move not every one hath a great store of judgements in himselfe 1 Inhaerentia 3 So the present judgments in our age and they are three 1 Those that it pleaseth God wee should feele in some measure as feare sicknesse in our bowels 2 Impendentia hunger crosse c. 2 Those that are neere us 3 Excubantia that we see not yet they are hanging over our heads 3 Kind which they call Excubans pro foribus the horrour of a guilty and wounded conscience which as God said to Caine lies at our doore it shall grind them to powder Tria novissima 1 the meditation of the day of ones death 2 Of the day of judgement 3 The horror of the torments following So the other three which they call tria novissima which shal be at the representing of our death Psal 90.12 O teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisedome The Prophet maketh the speciall meanes to bring us to wisedome or feare of the Lord to number our dayes 2 The consideration of the judgement of God and what account we are to give and that wee are never able to make account if God assist it not 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the judgement seat c. 3 The terrour of the torments which follow the impenitent Esa 66.24 Their worme shall never die but be alwayes gnawing upon their consciences the fire that shall never be quenched the weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth after sentence of eternall death shall passe on them 5 Rule this made the Saints to passe in fear Reg. There was never any apparition of any thing above nature but presently a feare came upon them Luk. 1.30 Then the Angell said unto her Feare not Mary c. Act. 10.4 But when he looked on him he was afraid c. The signes there are so many questions and cavills of duties as its an evident signe there is no feare among us 1 The Heathen man saith Timor est credulus feare is lazie of beliefe Deut. 5.27 that is a true signe of feare giving credit to that is taught by them The true signe is to credit that which is taught that have authority and knowledge to give it not studying after questions and frivolous distinctions and cavils for this questioning is a signe that we have no feare 2 An evill signe is negligence 2 Diligence Wisd 7.19 Qui timet Dominum nihil negligit He that feares the Lord neglecteth nothing Feare is the diligentest that can be Gen. 32. Jacob being in feare of his brother could not rest all the night before but would be either sending messengers before to his brother or ordering his houshold and his goods or praying to the Lord c. 3 Humility 3 That wee must raise out of feare Humility Gen. 33.3 Jacob hee falls seven times to the ground before he comes to his brother For as the Philosopher saith Timor contrahit non extendit Feare it shrinkes not swels the heart Prov. 3.7 There is a plaine medicine for pride Be not wise in thine owne eyes but feare the Lord and depart from evill Nothing so bold as ignorance but knowledge is very fearfull as the Prophets c. that having more knowledge and lesse cause to feare yet feared most He that hath more knowledge and lesse cause to feare he most commonly feareth more When the governour of the ship or mariner feareth then the passenger must needs feare 4 The feare of sinne 4 The surest signe is the feare of sinne and that is all one with the feare of God Psal 34.11 Come yee children and hearken to mee I will teach you the feare of the Lord. They joyne feare of sinnes with the feare of God Job 1.1 Job was an upright and just man one that feared God and eschewed evill Job 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding 5 To fly from sinne 5 Timor est fugitivus ergo non potest armari feare bids us not resist but flee though he put on never so much armour on his backe A theefe being taken in the manner runneth away and if he be chased after hee will dimittere furtum drop the thing that he hath stollen in the way so when God commeth we must be sure not to have that that thing will be to our condemnation with us i. not to have sinne about us if wee do hold
we consider our owne judgement in the case that is not our owne touching those things which continue not if we compare Christianity to a tree what account is made of that fruit that is bitten in the blossome or that is wind-shaken that is rotten or worme-eaten or that cannot come to the gathering If we consider the hatred of the husbandman Hosea 6.4 against the morning cloud he knoweth it is a deceitfull cloud and that it is not like to raine all that morning Amos 8. of the summer fruit that even it rotteth in the hand of him that beareth it or as Luk. 8.13 of the seede that falleth on a stone wall that groweth but yet there returneth no profit of it neither the mower neither the reaper filleth his hand or bosome of it or thus In our possessions in our vessels we occupie how glorious a shew soever there be in glasse yet we better esteeme of peuter and wood then of it or in our possessions more of a poore croft or a seely close than of a faire house rents and all in regard of continuance Seeing then it is our practise we must needs by that condemne our selves It is the desire of all not to beat the wind not to runne in vaine this vanity may be in two respects 1. In the behalfe of the party of Christ untolerable to make him so royall a person Pretium non vile laberis to come downe from heaven to be borne to live amongst us and to dye in so unworthy an order being of great excellencie Laber irrius supra emmen laborem The want of perseverance makes a mans action ipso facto vaine and that in vaine and all because we continue not whereas he went through all and would not suffer the cup to passe away but dranke it up cleane this is the price of all his labours mans continuance otherwise it is more griefe to him then it was for him to suffer and that vaine suffering is more to him then all the torments he suffered that wrought so upon him that hee cryed Eli Eli c. That is a thing may happily move us to perseverance 2. And for our selves our case standeth thus as 2 Pet. 2.22 our washing is but a vaine washing for there is after a casting up and we returne to our wallow and vomit and what are we better for our washing Num. 6.12 of the ceremony the Nazarite that vowed more particularly to Gods service and lived a strater life than all other if he had at the last day of accomplishing his rite but touched a dead body he must have begunne all those daies anew for all that was done afore was counted as nothing The same in figure that Ezekiel in truth setteth downe Ezek. 18.24 Looke in what houre he giveth over his righteousnesse it shall be as if hee had not done a righteous deed Therefore if we will not lose the fruit of our former labours we must looke to our perseverance He shall not onely not bâ— better for it but be worse otherwise a worse thing shall follow not onely Christ and we shall lose our paines but that man that hath swept his house and garnished it keeping it empty there shall come the same spirit and not that alone but seven more and how the end of that man shall be worse then the beginning i. we shall make our state much worse without hope of recovery Intuitu praeâ—â—i 4. Last to prevale with them that are the children of grace that the reward which he purposeth to bestow on us shall not be a reward of dayes and yeares but it shall be an endlesse reward for ever Seeing it hath pleased God not to reward us as hirelings but have the inheritance of sonnes it is no reason that we should labour as hirelings It is somewhat hard to find the signes of it because it is a signe it selfe and ever and sure it is as the Philosopher saith that our labour should be proportionable to the price of our labour we should not serve as hirelings for a yeare or tearme but quamdiu that our obedience endure quamdiu nos as the reward quamdiu ille wee are to serve him in our eternity seeing he rewards us with his The signes the principall signe is perseverance the Gentiles could see this that this is a signe it selfe à posteriori that deceiveth not so could the heathen say Ante obitum nemo supremaque sunera foelix Esse potest but after that was past they could pronounce what was in him It is an especiall signe for as much as in Joh. 10. it is Christs note and indeed it is the note that doth infallibly separate the true professour and the hypocrite If you take this gratiam gratis datam Praecipuum perseverantiae signum perseâ—â—rantia grace as a free gift as sharpnesse of wit c. you shall have it in as great measure in the hypocrite as in the true professor if a glorious profession they commonly goe beyond in that if diligence it falleth out alike sometimes more But when the wolfe commeth Joh. 10.12 there is a distinction for then continueth the true shepheard and will lay downe his life for their safety and the hireling betaketh him to his flight In hearing we may make the like difference of seed so whether a man be begotten with mortall seed that is whether in hearing of a Sermon which because it is made of good words peradventure he shall be moved for a while or of the immortall seed when as not any thing in man moveth him but the power of the word the pure and immortall seed that will continue notwithstanding a man may have use of these two notes to be able to judg of the like So whether we be humbled before God or before his judgements if that it will continue if this it will continue but for a while But we may have two notes to judge of this 1. If we have that Phil. 3.12 which the Apostle so earnestly urgeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if that he should say I do not looke backe but I still looke forward and consider not how long I have continued i. I flatter not my selfe in respect of my life past non dicere sufficit si dixisli sufficit defecisti not to say I have done enough if we say we have done enough it is a signe we are yet farre short So whensoever we are moved to looke back we must not hearken to them that would tell us how farre we have gone but follow on still toward the hope of the reward and presse to the marke Whereunto Gregory on Gen. 28.12 his allusion of the life of a Christian man to Jacobs ladder For there Jacob saw the Angels ascending and descending but none standing still Quando desinis esse melior incipis esse deterior When we cease to be better we begin to be worse for
somthing lesse that he desireth and so there is equality when nimis is punished with minus For this equality of it it must be in the father and in the child if equality be not broken in them here is no injustice For the Fathers say frustra requirit debitum qui non impendit indebitum to require a debt and not to pay that that is due is no justice as GOD saith Deut. 32.6 Do ye so reward the Lord O foolish people and vnwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee He hath made thee and proportioned thee and qui contristat patrem suum merito contristatur à silio suo that is If we being GODS children grieve him it is a good right we should be grieved of ours Another is that Gen. 17.7 in regard of the visible Covenant in the Sacrament he is the GOD of vs and our seed so when the father breaketh the Covenant he saith out of Matth. 27.25 Let this mans bloud be super nos filios nostros upon us and on our children 2. To the sonne first sure it is and all agree in it that in a temporall punishment because filius is res patris a possession of the fathers therefore he may temporally be punished the body may be punished Deut. 1.1 in regard of the Covenant made with us and our seed it must suffer as we doe But for warrant of the equalitie his nature is it that GOD findeth as Cantic 2.15 the Church findeth a nest of young foxes they have yet destroyed no vineyards nor worried any lambes but if they grow up sure it is they will doe both Now the question is Whether the Church may say capite nobis vulpeculas c. take us these young foxes Because there is a poysonous nature in the scorpions eggs therefore we may tread them under-foot And it standeth with justice For Ps 51.5 As soone as ever the seed is warmed it conceaveth sinne assoone as sinne commeth there is no way to recover it DEUS tui seminis tui he is not only our quod but the quod of our seed Therefore justly may it be destroyed Then there is no way to recover it but by contract of marriage for that as Hose 2.2 GOD hath sent them a bill of divorcement Plead with your mother for she is not my wife nor I her husband but let her put away her fornications out of her sight adulterers from betwixt her breasts And so consequently they have no interest in the Covenant because as its Deut. 31.6 They have gone a whooring after them that are no gods after gods of strange lands and Job 31.12 it is said It should be a fire that should devour to destruction and root out all his increase Then there is a third thing to be put to both these namely a propagation of this sinne by an education whereby every one is delighted to bring vp his owne children as he himselfe was as 1. Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we doe like our fathers Our fathers have worshipped Baal and we do so also Symmachus saith That Religion that commeth to us having continued thus many yeares let vs keepe it still And the propagatian of this sinne proceedeth as it were a leprosie If it once take hold in the father it continueth in all the posteritie yet GOD when he executeth this judgement exequitur chirographo suo non paterno it is for his owne debt not for his fathers But in this case jus meriti is left and we flie to jus beneficii we plead not merit but mercie And it is the obligation betwixt the child GOD and not the father and GOD it must be gratuitum his free Covenant that we must hold by Therfore we must remove from the the Court of Justice to the Court of Mercie where we have not jus meriti but jus beneficii By the which as Augustine saith well good fathers have wicked children ne virtus videretur esse haereditaria least virtue should seeme hereditary And againe wicked fathers have good children ne malitia serperet in infinitum least naughtinesse should grow on to be infinite To resolve these First it is certaine here is no punishment for the grapes that are in the fathers mouthes but in their owne 2. This punishment is only in respect of Justice but miseretur cujus vult he will have mercie on whom he pleaseth And he have mercie once then this which Gregorie saith only he qui imitatur gravatur he that imitateth sin it is he that feeleth the smart of it The bond of this Commandement is agravated as Ezek. 18.28 it is said If he turne from all his sinnes that he hath done he shall surely live and not die But now the matter is removed from the former question GOD saith Jer. 8.7 I will speake suddenly against a nation to destroy it But of this nation against whom I have pronounced Turne I will repent and it shall stand i. e. I will speake suddainly I will build a nation but if they keepe not my precepts I will not as we see 1. Sam. 2.32 There is a good purpose to have established Levi his house in Eli but now there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever but Jonah 3.10 God said Nineveh shall be destroyed but by a new decree reversed These come from other Courts And this serveth for all Gods commandements The use to be made of this First to breed a carefulnesse on both sides in Fathers to their children and in children to their Fathers but 1. Sam. 11.15 the punishment is upon the Fathers For their children why that we Secondly may learne as Deut. 26.5 to acknowledge our selves to be sonnes of Idolatry and every one sayd before the Lord his God My Father was a Syrian who being ready to perish c. and all to say with David Psal 106.6 Wee have sinned with our Fathers wee have committed iniquity and dealt foolishly and as Dan. 9.8 to pray that wee may not beare our Fathers sinnes And as backward so forward Gen. 18.19 It is said of Abraham that he would take order that his Family should serve God after him a mutuall care for the building up one of another The promise is mercy it proceeds from zeale There is a zeale for a thing and against it a zeale to doe good Esa 9.7 the increase of his government and peace shall have no end c. Zelus Domini exercituum perficiet hoc the zeale of the Lord of hostes will performe this and as it is said of that zeale Cantic 8.6 it wrestled with the grave and death so that the taking away of that part of zeale is a great paine and Ezek. 16.42 the promising of that jealousie is threatned by this he promiseth mercy A great promise because it containeth all promises and benefits of God and therefore if wee be purged from sinne or what good soever wee doe it cometh from his mercy Againe for Mercy as
but as it is Heb. 11.16 even as we were his owne in the World so he is ours and he is not ashamed to be called Deus noster our God that we should not be ashamed of his name and that he hath exalted our names to so honourable a Booke these be wayes and meanes to induce us unto it 2. A second way or meanes how to performe it that before we can come to glorifie him we must be perswaded that the actions which we doe are for his glory and wee must learne what actions please him and before we have assurance of them wee must have them before us but we have none but in examples of those in former ages before our time And they little affect us because either we thinke that they pertaine not to us or if they pertaine to us we are in doubt whether they be so or no or else if wee thinke they are true wee thinke that God had glory and praise enough in those dayes and we have but little present use of it And therefore counsell hath beene given that as it is written of every man of God of Nathan Gad and the rest of the Children of the Prophets that every man had annales from the beginning of his time that he might see the visible judgements of God that he had shewed upon his enemies and a Catalogue of his mercies on his Children to be reverenced among men and joyning the present examples with those that are past one shall not be an impediment to another neither those that were before shall seeme incredible because wee see them or the like done in our dayes and on the contrary ours shall not seeme strange because we see the like done before 3. Another is a Dexterity which we see in Christ and in the servants of Christ wherein they had so inured themselves from every action and creature to the glory of God so that there was nothing could be spoken nothing done nothing heard but they would make use of it to returne to Gods glory as Luke 8.12 Christ by occasion of being early in the Temple and the Sunne shining bright tooke occasion to fall into large discourse of the Sunne of the World and Heavenly light and concerning the Naturall darknesse of man and made a fruitfull speech of it And John 6.26 upon the inquiry of them how he came thither and his answer that that question was moved rather because they would have their dinner againe then for the Miracle they saw and upon some small speech of Manna there was an occasion of his great Sermon of the Sacrament and the Bread of life Most notable Luke 14. in one dinner three occasions 1. of the strivings of guests for the highest places 2. for the substantiall and chiefe persons invited 3. of the speach of one at the table uttered Blessed is hee that eateth bread in the Kingdome of GOD CHRIST there entreth into three very fruitfull Exhortations or admonitions directly tending to the Glorie of GOD. Esa 5. by going downe to the Vineyard Jer. 18.1 by going downe to the potters shop Act. 17. by a blind altar by Esaie Jeremie and Paul occasions were taken to confound the Jewes and to convert the Gentiles When every man studieth to attaine to this aptnesse no thing can bee offered but some seasoned talke would bee raised from it and GOD daylie glorified The last is by a reverent behaviour in our speech not only of GODS Name and credit but also of that which hee hath given us as a meanes to it Whatsoever the Name of GOD is printed on id est whatsoever is called by the Name of GOD. For there is no name that CHRIST had as JESUS and SAVIOUR c. there is none of them but Men had and were called by them Onely this Name Verbum the Word none ever had it that men might know that that Name was most est emeed of GOD and in the highest degree Act. 9.15 by the judgement of late and best Writers where Paul is said hee should carrie GODS Name before the Gentiles that is nothing else but his Word Because it is an especiall meanes for the magnifying of His Name And Zach. 10.12 the abominable and cursed practise of sundrie ungracious persons condemned by all the sacred Councells that ever have beene and anathematized and accompted so grosse a fault in Poperie as that the Counsell of Trent 4. sect last punished it that is for applying sacred sentences of this Word to prophane libells and jeasts What shall wee say saith Augustine but onely that these men set themselves in a way by neglecting GODS Gift id est His Word after to neglect His Name so by neglecting GODS Word not to sticke to sweare by great and blasphemous oaths The Signes The Signes As in the first signification of a Burthen and applying it to a Christian Oath so here when our Necessitie is not sought but the Glorie of GOD when a Burthen As it is compared to a Banner or Standard the example of the Name and the behaviour of a man to that may shew us whether wee bee aright For in the Hoste they stood still when their Standard stood still and they moved when their Standard moved So if there bee any man that for his actions meditations and enterprises that standeth so affected that hee can goe and will goe so farre as the Banner goeth so farre as GODS Glorie leadeth him and that standing hee will goe no further Howsoever flesh and worldly powers and reasons would allure him to goe further If wee bee at the Commandement of the Glorie of GOD then wee have the first Signe There are many that when that standeth still goe and when that calleth backe goe further and yet neither come to leave off nor to doe When Gods glory is to be sought they sit still and when it calleth them backe they goe on These men are farre from the first signe 2. A second signe and that was a part in the Graecians Romans oathes at the entring of them first into the Campe when they were sworne Souldiers Pugnabo pro sacris solus cum aliis he would fight for it alone and with company also This is a plaine signe whereby the World is condemned of not seeking his glory if all turne he will turne he shall have no glory â solis for it is cum aliis that getteth God the glory but if they shrinke away there are but few that will keep the second part of their oath that will stand soli themselves alone by the standard when the whole Realme runneth to Apostacie 3. The third is this That whosoever belonged to one standard or had once professed that hee was of that band it was present death if either in mouth hee had hostile symbolum or about him hostilem tesseram If he had the enemies Watch-word or their Badge it was death Now I would know but every one may know by seeing and hearing there are some
come unto God Exod. 18.15 the people come to aske of God when they asked of Moses and 1 Sam. 9.9 when they came to aske of God they came to the Prophet because he was brought up in rebus Jehovae in the things concerning God to make use of the Prophets So their account was that God was in the gift they made use therefore of the better gifts Deut. 1.17 heare you you under Officers If any thing be hard bring it to me c. And the duty of the Superiour is utendum se praebere to offer himselfe unto the people as the Philosopher said to Antisthenes he made a long preface to him I would come and aske you but that I should be troublesome to you and his answer to him is Why man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I live to this end now I have gotten some thing my selfe to be used of others So Christ John 1.39 to them that asked him where he dwelt he saith Come and see c. Pro. 9.4 5. Wisedome saith Come hither thou that art simple and wantest understanding I have sent my Maides that is under Arts as if they were gone abroad to call them None doth receive a gift propterse for himselfe alone Senes The duty towards old men The duty of the body that is between the Old and the Young the Apostle willeth the younger to be dutifull to the Elder as to Fathers 1 Tim. 5.1 The first duty is Job 32.6 7. The young must have their mouthes locked and must hold their tongue so long as their elders were in presence Elihu though he were an excellent young man yet he held his peace because his elders were in place the reason Job 12.12 because among the ancient there is wisedome and in the multitude of yeares there is understanding they have gone through more The Philosophers counsell is that when we have gotten our owne demonstrations we should give eare to the indemonstrable positions of old men that they have had by experience And it was the confusion of Rehoboam 1 Kings 12.6 When he should have dealt with the Ancients he did the contrary and took counsell of the young men And the duty that they are to returne back againe that they be not as Esay 65.20 pueri centum an norum children an hundred yeares old Jerome translates it Elementarios senes old men which have not as yet learned their A. B. C. but it is required that they have canum intellectum as they have canum caput that their intellect be as grave as their haire Jerome saith there is aetas temporis and aetas meriti an age of time and an age of merit Jude speaks of arbores autumnales trees that begin to blossome in the end of harvest when their fruit should be gathered This is the shadow of an old man without understanding But though they be such yet ut ante we must honour them though they be not worthy hoc pati to receive this honour yet it is meet for us hoc agere we must give it The second duty to old men Levit. 19.32 assurgere to rise up in signe of reverence because they have as in Dan. 7.9 the image of God that is called antiquus dierum the ancient of dayes and Pro. 20.29 they have the crowne whereby they resemble eternity So they have a double resemblance of eternity senectus est vestigium aeternitatis old age is the print of eternity Pro. 16.31 it is a crowning of a man if he have lived righteously Tit. 2.2 There are six qualities set downe for them The third duty of the Younger We must consurgere that is provide for their ease for they are weake young boyes are not to sit when ancient men stand Numb 8.20 When a man is past the age of fifty he must not travell in the Tabernacle yet he must have his allowance Esay 3.5 his prophecie that children should presume against the ancient and old men to stand and they to sit a thing against sense surely sic nobis fiet so shall it be done to us when we come to yeares sic fiet nostris so shall others of our humours doe to our Fathers as we doe to others And we shall not make their age which is a burthen unto them to be light as we should by a reverence in young men And if we doe procure this they shall blesse us and pray for us and we shall prosper else we may have a curse from God and our Fathers too GOD heareth the blessings and cursings of FATHERS and MOTHERS Come to the three degrees in the Common-wealth as Nobility Gentry c. they are by the Holy Ghost stiled Fathers and consequently is there a correspondent due to them 1 Sam. 25.8 David calleth a wealthy man Father I pray thee give unto thy servants and to thy sonne David whatsoever commeth to thy hand The reason of the duty they have is because there may proceed a common benefit by them to the Common-wealth as for Warre the nervus reipublicae is argentum round pay for Souldiers is the nerves and sinewes of a Common-wealth and it is especially in their hands Therefore it is that because God hath blessed them more in their oeconomicks the Common-wealth doth account of them more and giveth them a degree above other In the 1 Tim. 6.19 is their duty To be willing to impart their goods for a common profit as Nehem. 5.17 he had beside his owne Family a hundred and fifty of the Rulers which he maintained at his owne table It is better exemplified 2 Sam. 19.32 Barzillai a very rich man and David all the time he was at Mahanami lay at his charge therefore he rewarded him for it And 2 Kings 15.20 the King of Assur would overcome Juda if he had not money presently but that Menahen being then King tooke of every man of wealth a great benevolence c. So for provision of Armies and things necessary and then their duty in the Common-wealth in regard of this Pro. 31.23 is to preferre them and to set them in preferments and to place them among the Elders in the gate the reason is and it is a good reason if they have beene carefull in their owne house they will be much more in the Common-wealth The second duty is that when a man hath wealth there be some vertues that he may exercise excellently that others cannot magnificence liberality almes c. and if he be allyed to a Noble man to helpe forward good causes So because they are to be helpers in good causes they must venire in partem honoris they must have their honour vers 18. We have an example of this duty 2 Chron. 31.6 voluntary oblations for the Temple so as there were great heapes left great provision for the maintenance of the Levites And 2 Kings 4.10 the wealthy woman saith to her Husband I pray le ts furnish a Chamber c. There was a care of helping the Church of helping Prophets
IV. Now we are to consider the diversity and order of the temptations and then will we handle them particularly And first we are to note that though there are but these three recorded yet he endured divers others His whole life was full of temptations as may appeare by Luke 22.28 It is said Luke 4.2 that he was tempted forty dayes of the devill whereas these three temptations here set downe were not till after the end of forty dayes These onely are mentioned but there were other not written as divers of his miracles are unwritten John 20.25 Onely so much was written as was expedient These three are a briefe Abridgement of all his temptations As it is true that Paul saith that Christ resembled Adam and was made a quickning spirit as Adam was a living soule 1 Cor. 15.45 And the bringing of the children of Israel out of Egypt by being called our of Egypt Matth. 2.15 So may Christ and Adam bee compared in these three temptations For they both were tempted with concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eye and pride of life 1 John 2.16 In Adam the devill first brought him into a conceite that God envyed his good As we see Faulconers put hoods over Hawks eyes to make them more quiet and ruly Secondly he lulles him on to a proud conceit of himselfe by perswading him that by eating he should be like God Thirdly he sheweth the fruit which was pleasant So in Christs temptation First he would have brought him to murmure against God Secondly to presume and thirdly to commit Idolatry all which are set downe in the 1 Cor. 10.5 6 7. verses And under these three heads come all temptations Num. 14. 21. Exodus 32. To some of these extreames will the devill seeke to drive one First by distrust he will seeke to drive us to use unlawfull meanes for the obtaining of necessary things as bread is when a man is hungry Or if we be in no such want that that temptation cannot take place then through superfluity hee will tempt us to wanton and unnecessary desires as to throw our selves downe that the Angels may take us up and having prevailed so farre then hee carryeth us to the devill and all All this will I give thee there is his All Fall downe and worship me there is the devill with it so that in this respect it may well be said that The way of a Serpent is over a stone Prov. 30.19 He goeth so slily that a man seeth him in before hee can tell what way or how he got in First he wraps himselfe in necessity and thereby windes himselfe in unperceived then he brings us to make riches our God Now let us see his darts The first is of making stones bread This may well be called The hungry Temptation The streame of the Doctors make Adams offence the sinne of Gluttony but Bucer thinkes that this temptation is rather to be referred to distrust and despaire There is small likelihood that one should sinne in gluttony by eating bread onely The devils desire was onely that the stones might be turned into bread and that after so long a Fast and then if the temptation had beene to Gluttony Christs answer had been nothing to the purpose the Devill might well have replyed against the insufficiency of it For gluttony is to be answered by a Text willing sobriety whereas this Text which Christ answereth by containeth rather an assertion of Gods providence and therefore our Saviour should have seemed very unskilfull in defending himselfe The temptation therefore is to distrust This standeth well with the devils cunning in fight for by this be shooteth first even at the throate and at that which is the life of a Christian to wit his faith as a man would say Iugulum petit even at that which overcommeth the world 1 John 5.5 He tempted him to such a distrust as was in the Israelites Exod. 17.7 when they asked if God were with them or no So he made Adam thinke God cared not for him so here the devill premiseth a doubt to shake his faith wherein Christ made no doubt Si filius Dei es Indeed you heard a voyce say you were the beloved Sonne of God but are you so indeed or was it not rather a delusion You see yon are almost starved for want of bread well would God have suffered you so to be if you had been his Filius dilectus No you are some hunger-starved child So Luke 22.31 Christ prayed that Peters faith might not faile It was that the devill shot at He is a roaring Lyon seeking to devoure us whom we must resist by faith 1 Pet. 5.8 It is our Faith that he aymes at 1 Thes 3.5 For having overthrowne that disobedience soone will follow Having abolished the stablisher of the Law Rom. 3.31 the breach of the Law must needs follow He hath then fit time to set us aworke about making stones into bread that is to get our living by unlawfull meanes First shipwracke of faith then of obedience The devill here seeing him in great want and hunger would thereby bring in doubt that he was not the Sonne of God which is not a good argument For whether we respect the naturall tokens of Gods favour we see they happen not to the wisest and men of best and greatest knowledge as appeareth in Eccles 9.11 or the supernaturall favour of God We shall see Abraham forced to flye his Country into Egypt for famine Gen. 10.12 So did Isaac Gen. 26.1 And Jacob likewise was in the same distresse Gen. 43.1 Notwithstanding that God was called The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet were they all three like to be hunger-starved Yea not onely so but for their faith many were burned and stoned of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11.37 So fared it with the Apostles they were hungry naked and a thirst 1 Cor. 4.11 But what doe we speake of the adopted Sonnes of God when as his owne naturall Sonne suffered as much nay farre more Here we see he was hungry also he was wearied with travaile and faine to rest John 4.6 he had no house to hide his head in whereas Foxes have holes If thou be the Sonne of God c. THe Heathens have observed that in Rhetoricke it is a point of chiefest cunning when you would out-face a man or importune him to doe a thing to presse and urge him with that which he will not or cannot for shame deny to be in himselfe As by saying if you have any wit then you will doe thus and thus if you be an honest man or a good fellow doe this So here the devill not being to learne any point of subtilty comes to our Saviour saying If thou be the Sonne of God as it may be doubted you being in this case then make these stones bread No no it followes not a man may be the Sonne of God and not shew it by any such Art So when