are like to male-contents that had rather liue vpon the spoiles of others then take paines themselues wishing that all things were in a tumult confusion and combustion that they might catch the goods belonging vnto others holding this principle that it is good fishing in troubled waters Wherefore it is a notable exhortation of the wise man Prou. 6.16 17 18. 19. These sixe things doth the Lord hate yea seuen are an abomination vnto him a proude looke a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood an heart that deuiseth wicked imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that speaketh lyes and him that soweth discord among brethren Of this kinde there are many seuerall sorts first a relation of the bare words against the meaning as Matth. 26.69 At the last came false witnesses and said This fellow said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to build it in three dayes Christ spake some such words Ioh. 2.19 but neither altogether the same neither to the same end and purpose because he spake of the Temple of his body This is a breach of the ninth commandement the which albeit it be more cunning in the rest yet it argueth greater malice when for want of other matter and better proofe we set their owne words vpon the racke and stretch euery ioynt of them out of their place Secondly to open the secret sinnes of our neighbour to any man especially if hee commit them of infirmitie contrary to the general rule of Christ Matthew 18. verse 15. If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he shall heare thee thou hast gained thy brother This is the right and ready way to gaine our brother to make his sinne secret and as it were to couer it with a garment so long as there is any hope by priuate exhortation and admonition to winne him To blaze abroad and to publish to the knowledge of others their frailty is not the way to gaine them but to stirre them vp against vs and to harden their hearts and to stop their eares when wee speake vnto them For except it appeare vnto those whom we exhort or reprooue that wee loue them and that our admonitions proceed from that fountaine we shall neuer doe them any good neither will they euer regard our words but they will seeme harsh and vnpleasant vnto them Thirdly euill suspicions when nothing can be done of our brother be it neuer so honest or religious but we suspect the worst of it and speake the worst of it whereas loue is not suspicious but hopeth all things endureth all things beareth all things beleeueth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 Hence it is that the Apostle teacheth that the end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained 1 Tim. 1.5 and in the last Chapter of that Epistle he yoketh enuy strife railings and euil surmisings together the which whosoeuer follow after do know nothing concerning godlinesse Lastly to accuse our neighbour for that which is true and certaine through hatred and malice and with a purpose to hurt and destroy if we can him that we accuse and against whom we complaine as appeareth 1 Sam. 22.9 in the example of that dogged and diuellish enemy Doeg who was appointed ouer the seruants of Saul he said I saw the sonne of Ishai when he came to Nob to Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub who asked counsel of the Lord for him and gaue him victuals and the sword of Goliah of whom Dauid sath in one of his Psalmes Thy tongue deuiseth mischiefes Psal 52.2 3 4. like a sharpe razor working deceitfully thou louest euill more then good and lying rather then to speake righteousnesse thou louest all deuouring words O thou deceitfull tongue All these particular points teach vs to beware of whispering and construing of all things in the euill part Vse 2 Secondly it condemneth all rash iudgement when we iudge amisse of others both of an euill minde and for some euill end Christ giueth vs warning to beware of this wickednesse Matth. 7.1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what measure ye mete it shal be measured to you againe And the Apostle Iames maketh the like exhortation chap. 3.1.2 My brethren be not many masters knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation for in many things we offend all Cicer. act 2. in Verr. These rash and rigorous iudges neuer regard nor consider their owne offences they can search and sift into other mens actions as men winnow wheate and yet are carelesse of themselues The heathen accounted it intolerable to reprooue other men when themselues are as faulty This is no better then Pharisaicall hypocrisie This is done diuerse wayes The first is when a man hath done good things holily purely The firâ—◠〈◊〉 of iudgeâ—â—â—â— and sincerely we iudge them done hypocritically dissemblingly and wickedly This iudgement is a wrong iudgement and forbidden in the word of God This was the practise of the diuell toward Iob chap. 1.9 and 2.4 He was a iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill Satan charged him to doe all hypocritically only because God had blessed him and made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that hee had on euery side so that his substance was increased in the land and therefore he suggesteth that if God would put forth his hand now and touch all that he had he would curse him to his face As the diuell himselfe dealeth so deale the children of the diuel with the faithfull He is the old serpent which deceiueth the world and accuseth our brethren before our God day and night Reuel 12.9.10 so also doe his children that beare his image and are transformed into his likenesse These are vniust and wrongfull censurers of the deedes and actions of other men whereof there are many in the world If the godly giue themselues to prayer a duty that God so often commandeth and his children haue so often practised with great fruit and successe and would not omit or giue ouer though it should cost them their liues Dan. 6.11 it is censured to be counterfeit holinesse If they be troubled more then other men and are chastened euery day their enemies hit it in their teeth that they are plagued for their sinnes If they be afflicted in conscience that they feele the burden of their sinnes pressing sore vpon theÌ„ they are iudged to be madde and out of their wits If they delight to heare the word publikely and to be conuersant in reading and searching of the Scriptures priuately they are accused to be precise and whatsoeuer they doe they shall be charged to do it not sincerely but corruptly not in trueth but in outward shew not from the heart but from the mouth and lips onely This was the offence of Eli toward Hannah he being a
to deferre the celebrating of it together with others one is vncleannesse the other is a iourney both of them must bee vnderstood as grounded vpon necessity For to thrust himself into the vncleannes heere ment without a calling or to absent himselfe by a iourney vpon euery trifling occasion thereby omitting the busines of God because he wold further his own busines is rather to be ceÌ„sured very sharply theÌ„ to suffer an excuse vpoÌ„ necessity of whom we may say with Salomon As a bird that wandreth from her nest Pro. 27.8 so is a man that wandreth from his place For there are very many in al places that had rather leaue the Lords worke vndone then spare one day of their owne It is a great matter with them to lose a dayes worke but they regard it as a matter of nothing to rob God of his day that he hath kept for himselfe They had rather goe to a drunken feast abroad theÌ„ to feast with God in his house They had rather go speak to others in their owne affaires then either to God by prayer or heare him speak to theÌ„ in his word on the Sabboth day But to leaue this and to returne to the matter in hand by vncleannes in touching the dead is ment by proportion all other kinds of legall vncleannesse whatsoeuer which signifie the defilements of sin continued without repentance the Lord leading his Church in the minority of it by outward things to inward by earthly to spirituall by the shadow to the body The dead body is accounted vncleane because death which hath seazed vpon it is the fruite of sin wherby men are truely made vncleane The Passeouer was to the Israelites the same that the Supper is to vs the equity therfore and truth of that which is heere described and directed to the people remaineth to vs for euer and teacheth That necessitie brought vpon any by the hand of God Doctrine or by an ineuitable duty of a mans calling Necessity brought vpon any by Gods hand dispenseth with Gods seruice for that time doe for that time free him from the publike exercises of religion and of Gods worship If it be to saue a mans life or to preserue his house and goods from destruction it giueth liberty a toleration and dispensation for the present to leaue the immediate worship of God Such is the immediate hand of God in sickenesse as we see in Hezekiah Esay 38. Such was the case of Dauid in persecution Psal 84. Such is the case of those that are in a long iourney as in this place Likewise whensoeuer the publike meanes are for a time taken away through persecution Psa 74 In time of sicknesse God requireth another duty of vs to wit to looke to our health in danger of life to looke to our safety in danger of our goods to looke to our wealth Reason 1 For whensoeuer God denyeth the meanes his will is that the things themselues should ceasse For other meanes may not be inuented or any other forme then that which he hath ordained as Ioel 1.19 he threatneth that the meat offering and drinke offering should ceasse Whensoeuer the will of God is that these things shall be done he will offer vnto vs and put into our hands the meanes he will giue vs the time and opportunity to do them Secondly it is Gods pleasure to accept of mercy rather then sacrifice Mat. 12.7 Hence it is that to saue from fire and water to preserue life to visit the sick and to look to them is to be preferred and more to be respected then going to the Church or hearing of the word What man shall there be among you saith Christ Mat. 12.11 that shall haue one sheepe and if it fall into a pit on the Sabboth day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out how much then is a man better then a sheepe for the Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth God ordaining it for our good not for our hurt Vse 1 Hence it followeth that it is not simply the omitting of â—he Sacraments but the neglect and contempt of them is dangerous to neglecters and contemners They shall beare their sinne as they iustly deserue whose default it is The Israelites in the wildernesse were forty yeeres together vncircumcised yet were they to be holden the people of God because they cannot be charged with negligence nor reprooued for any contempt in as much as they wanted leysure being in their iourney or daily expecting the signe of remoouing All the people that came out of Egypt were circumcised Iosh 5.5 but al the people that were borne in the wildernesse by the way them they circumcised not and it is excused or defended by necessity For the Sacraments doe not conferre grace neither are they absolutely necessaâ—y to saluation as if without them a man could not possibly be saued Hence therefore are the Romanists reprooued that do teach that children are damned that dye without Baptisme Children dying without Baptisme arâ— not damned as though all the Israelites that dyed in the wildernesse which were borne there and were not circumcised were condemned no doubtlesse no more then that all which were circumcised were saued True it is Moses was reprooued and was neere to death because he circumcised not his sonne who had time and leisure to doe it Exod. 4.24 and we must take heed of contempt which deserueth a cutting off from the people of God Gen. 17.14 because he hath broken the Couenant Howbeit as it is said in the prouerb Necessity hath no law The grace of Christ taketh away all the sinnes of all beleeuers and therefore the generall guilt brought in by originall sinne Rom. 5. This grace is not tyed to outward signes but dependeth vpon the free pleasure of God This is receiued by faith only as appeareth in the example of Abraham and farther confirmed by the Sacâ—aments Neuerthelesse we acknowledge a necessity in respect of the commandement of God and of the proper end and therfore is with all reuerence and conscience and obedience to bee yeelded vnto Secondly where the ordinary and precious Vse 2 meanes of saluation the preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments are taken away and remooued as the standard out of the campe or the light out of the candlesticke there the extraordinary and more weak meanes are to be vsed of vs and Gods blessing in such cases is to bee hoped for and looked after In the dayes of persecution priuate reading meditation and conference are blessed of God and his Church maintained continued and encreased thereby yea the beholding of the constant suffering of the holy martyrs was a forcible meanes to worke the conuersion of many and made them in loue with that doctrine for which they suffered and gaue their liues In times of famine when there is no bread left in a citie and the inhabitants are constrained to fare hard and short yet it
rash boldnes and heady presumption of many men who nothing considering the corruption of their owne nature the vnstaiednes of their iudgement the leauen of error the subtilty of satan the craftinesse of false teachers the perswasible words of mans wisedome and the iudgement of God vpon all disobedient persons make no conscience whom they heare liuing in superstitious and idolatrous places do aduenture too far to thrust thēselues with great danger into their assemblies stick not boldly to heare the Sermons of Friars and Iesuites whereas they should rather stop their eares against such blasphemies and impieties as they are constrained to heare These presume too far vpon their owne knowledge and are oftentimes caught before they bee aware and entangled in the snare before they see it can discerne it Let vs haue eares of horne against their songs and enchantments And it serueth to meet with others that faile as much in their obedience who nothing regarding their owne frailty and weaknesse neither the deceitfulnesse together with the contagion infection of sinne dare thrust themselues into all companies and can glory that none shal be able to peruert them or to make them worse But it is easier to auoide their society Easier to auoid euil companie then to keepe our selues from euil being in it then to stand in it without yeelding to their euill We must feare our own infirmities lest we lose the graces of God A vagrant person that hath nothing to lose careth not whither he goeth or into what company he commeth because he knoweth he can lose nothing but the true man and honest traueller that carieth a charge about him and hath somwhat to lose maketh choise of times places and persons So such as are not setled in religion and are destitute of the grace of God care not where they becom or into what tentations they cast themselues al is one to them in what company so ere they be but he that knoweth himselfe aright considereth his owne frailty and he that hath any precious graces in his soule will beware to what place or company he resort least he bee robbed and depriued of them The least of Gods graces is much more precious then all the treasures of the whole earth Secondly the Ministers must watch and Vse 2 attend the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers to feed the church of GOD which he hath redeemed with his owne blood Acts chap. 20. verses 28 29 30. Earnest teaching and preaching in season and out of season is most necessary 2 Tim. chap. 4 verses 2 3. If the preaching of the Gospell be not heard all errours heresies schismes vices and impieties will flow and abound in the Church When the light is taken out of the Candlesticke all is left in darkenesse and men groape in blindnesse not knowing whither they go or in what danger they remaine The true sheepheards serue to driue away the Wolues from the flocke lest they breake into it to kill and destroy When the foode of the soule is gone it cannot but famish and perish Amos 8 11. Prou. 29 18. Vse 3 Lastly it is the duty of all considering how prone we are to yeeld vnto euill to take heed to our selues to beware of false teachers and of wicked persons lest wee lose all that wee haue learned to the end we may receiue a full reward ◠Iohn 8. We must be constant and hold out to the end keeping faith and a good conscience Let vs exhort one another to this grace of perseuerance It is better neuer to begin then not to hold out vnto the end Verse 2 3. And all the Congregation of Israel murmured c. and saide Would God we had dyed in the land of Egypt c. In these words we see their murmuring in particular They wish that they had dyed in Egypt or in the wildernesse not that they might so cease to sin and enter into the kingdome of glorie for which the faithfull desire it Philip. 1 23. but through impatience and contempt of the mercies and blessings of God for they accuse him of cruelty or couzenage or both as if hee went about to betray them and deliuer them into the hands of the Canaanites and to destroy them their wiues and children Thus these traitors do accuse God of treason and al this because they should haue to doe with powerfull enemies as if they had not found greater experience of the almighty power of God Besides they accuse him of weaknesse as well as of rigor and cruelty as if he were inferior to those accursed nations Lastly to fill vp the heape measure of their sinnes they would needs goe backe againe into Egypt This mutiny passeth all the rest that went before or follow after God did punish the same more greeuouslie then any other For after so many benefits bestowed so many remissions obtained so many iudgments inflicted so many miracles shewed they esteemed this wonderfull deliuerance from the Egyptian slauery his feeding and conducting them through that great and terrible wildernesse Deut. 1.19 no otherwise then as notable effects of his hatred not of his loue imagining and charging Moses that they were led as a prey to be slaughtered All this mischiefe hatched and harbored among them came to passe through the deceitfull report of the searchers telling them that the Citties of their enemies were strongly walled and flanked with many Towers and Castles diuers of the people were giant-like men of fearefull stature which so far ouertopped the Israelites as that they appeared to them and likewise to thēselues but as Grashoppers that is of small stature in comparison of them Hereupon they refuse to goe any further and proceeding in their insurrection they determine to cast off Moses and to leaue him to shift for himselfe so consulted to chuse them a Captaine or as they cal it now adaies an Electo to carrie them backe againe into Egypt and to yeelde themselues againe into the hands of Pharaoh They began with weeping and teares but they end in rage and madnes proceeding from one degree to another in the end seeking to murder such as exhorted and perswaded them to obedience The doctrine Doctrine Wicked me◠proceed fr◠one euill to another It is the nature of wicked men they doe not onely sin but they increase their sins and adde sin vnto sin they proceede from euil to worse and cease not till they haue filled vp the measure thereof Gen. 15.16 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Mat. 23.32 Rom. 6.19 Eph. 4.19 Being past feeling they wrought all vncleannesse For first they are compared to fooles men Reason 1 besides themselues Salomon affordeth the wicked no better title because though hee knew iudgment prepared and prouided for him due to his sin yet he runneth on like a foole in his wicked course Prou. 7.22 Lu. 15.17 adding sinne to sinne and neuer applying the threatning to himselfe Secondly they through custome
our God hath such a watchman as neyther slumbereth nor sleepeth But the Church which is Gods commonwealth hath a gouernour and guardian which is all an eye to see their dangers all an eare to heare the counsels all an heart to vnderstand the deuices of theyr enemies and all an hand and strong arme to scatter them and to defeate them This happines we heard before verse 10 how Balaam praised and desired He confesseth alowd that the death of the Iews was more to be desired thē the life of all other men because GOD held them for his people Though he were a wretched idolater and sought to turne the truth of God into falshood yet standing as it were vpon the racke hee was inforced to vtter this speech as if he had sayde Who is it that can doe any thing against Israel seeing they remaine in the fauour of their God Let vs learn to magnifie the Lord for his mercy and walk worthy of this our happines which the men of this world do want They haue no protection from God but lye open and naked vnto dangers of soule and body and haue to defend them not so much as a poore fig leafe Thirdly let vs seeke to bee at peace with God and labour to be reconciled vnto him If God be against vs what creature dare stand vp for vs to helpe and comfort vs nay what creature shall not fight against vs to destroy and confound vs For the subiect though neuer so noble honorable that hath the King against him shall finde few others to succour him or shew him any countenance as we see in the booke of Ester Ester 7 9. so soon as the wrath of the King began to be kindled against Haman by and by they couered his face and helped forward his execution So if wee sinne against God the King of Kings and prouoke him to wrath who shall dare to pleade for vs On the other side if God be on our side who shall be against vs or what creature shall hinder our peace This the Prophet Hosea declareth as a benefite belonging to the Church Hos 2 18. In which words the Lord promiseth that hee will so watch ouer his Church by his prouidence that they shall haue rest and securitie from all dangers of enemies and be deliuered from the rage of beasts and the violence of men But how will some say can this bee Obiection Seeing the vngodly that haue God their enemy yet haue the world and the men of the world smile laugh vpon them and the godly who haue God their friend yet haue the world for their enemy I answer Answ This seemeth to be so to those that iudge of things after the flesh according to the outward appearing but if we will iudge righteous iudgement and behold them with the eye of Fayth wee shall finde it to be otherwise whether wee respect the end or the inward feeling of the soule and Conscience Touching the end and issue of things if we waite with patience but a while and looke with a single heart vpon the euent we shall see that the vngodly who haue God set against them haue al things to work their destruction and to further their condemnation not onely their troubles but euen the most holy ordinances of God the exercise of prayer the hearing of the word the partaking of the Sacraments The things are in themselues and their owne nature the sauor of life to life 2 Cor. 2 16 but to them they become the sauour of death to death Contrarywise the godly who haue God reconciled to them in Iesus Christ haue all things to further to finish the saluation of their soules and to seale vp their eternall peace Rom. 8 28 inasmuch as all accidents that befal them tend to bring them to glory and immortality and work for the best vnto them that loue God euen vnto them that are called of his purpose not onely prayers and praises not onely the Word and Sacraments which are as the life of their souls and the breath of their nosthrils but all crosses calamities and afflictions are sanctifyed for their good and happinesse Secondly in respect of the inward feeling of the soule and conscience For the vngodly who feele the wrath of God for their sinnes as it were the flashings of hell fire doe finde rest and refuge in nothing but account all the creatures for their enemies and alwayes stand in feare of them as of Gods hoast and army set in battell array against them and as of his instruments to bring them to destruction The heauens are prepared at the commandement of God to be as brasse as in the dayes of famine to punish them 1 Kings 17 1. the clouds to poure down showres of raine vpon them as vpon the olde world Gen. 7 11 the waters ready to drowne them as the hoast of Sisera Iudg. 5 12 the fire to consume them as it did Sodom and the other Cities of the plaine Gen. 19 24 the aire to poyson and infect them as in the time of pestilence Ezek. 5 12 the earth open to swallow them as it did Dathan and his followers Numb 16 32 the Beares to deuoure them as they did the two and forty vngracious children that mocked the Prophet 2 King 2 42 the Lyons to destroy them as they did the Idolatrous Samaritanes 2 King 17 25 Fiery serpents to sting them as they did the murmuring Israelites in the wildernesse Num. 21.6 the basest and meanest creatures are armed with power and will to bidde battell against them Flies and Frogges to annoy them as they did the Egyptians Exod. 8 6.24 Lice to eate them as they did Herod a bloody persecutor of the Church Acts 12 23. Thus do the vngodly feare all the creatures of God cannot be secured from any one of them An example whereof we haue in Cain who wandered vp and downe in the earth and feared that euery creature that found him would kill him Gen. 4 14. And no maruell for the wicked flyeth when no man pursueth him Prou. 28 1. But the godly who feele Gods fauour and mercy toward them and haue him for their friend do find by blessed experience all Gods creatures as it were his souldiers to stand for them and therefore doe not stand in feare of them but can say with a feeling faith Rom 8 38. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. For when the wayes of a man please God he will make euen their enemies at peace with them Prou. 16 7. All this appeareth in the example of Adam as in a glasse before he fell into sinne Gen. 3 8. he walked in the garden without feare he talked and communed with God without feare all things were subiect to him that was
wise to saluation through the Faith which is in Christ Iesus This doth the Prophet Dauid teach Psal 119 9. Wherewith shall a yong man redresse his way By taking heede thereto according to thy Worde Such as are yong in yeares must learn to serue God in the flower of their age and to serue him with the first fruites of their life Howbeit though their knowledge cannot be great and at the full yet it is such as is fit for theyr yeares and it sufficeth that they bee young in knowledge as they be yong in yeares that their vnderstanding bee little as their stature is There is also a second kind of knowledge and that is for men of riper age God requireth more of them and looketh to receiue increase at their handes in greater abundance Hath he granted vs our life for nothing And hath he doubled and trebled the yeares of the former sort that we should stand at a stay No he would haue vs that haue beene planted in his Church to be growers forward in knowledge as we are in yeares But doth the case thus stand with vs Are our old men growne also old and ripe in Faith and Religion Are we more expert in the wayes of godlines now then we were twenty or fortie yeares agone Can our aged men that liue among vs stande forth and auouch this or speake it in the truth of their harts to the comfort of their souls and to the honor of God that they are bettered in iudgement and increased in obedience that albeit the outward man decay and perish 2 Cor. 4 16. yet they are renewed daily in the inwarde man Nay the greatest part are so sapped in ignorance that they are as blinde as the Mole as deafe as the Adder as senselesse as the stones and as rude ignorant as the brute beasts nay more dull of vnderstanding then they as the Prophet chargeth the people of Israel Esay 1 3. The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel hath noâ— knowne my people hath not vnderstood They should bee examples to others in godlinesse but many of them are Ring-leaders to all kind of wickednesse Many children go before them in knowledge and may instruct them in the princiciples of religion My Brethren these things ought not so to be The second rule is this that our knowledge ought to be according to the meanes that God hath afforded vnto vs and according vnto the plenty or scarsity of those meanes doth he require a growing and proceeding in vs. There is no Master but exacteth at the hands of his Scholler an increase in learning proportionable to the greatnesse of his labour The Husbandman that hath fowed much looketh for a plentifull haruest The Gardiner that hath long digged and delued about his trees and dunged them with great diligence hopeth to haue much fruit in the end So is it with God the best Master the true Husbandman when he hath taught vs often and sowed good seed in the ground of our hearts and watered the dry furrowes of our consciences with the water of life he looketh to reape much fruit and to finde great increase This the Apostle teacheth when he reproueth the Hebrewes for their dulnesse in hearing and slownesse in profiting Heb. 5 12 13 14. Whereas concerning the tâ—me ye ought to bee teachers yet haue ye neede againe that wee teach you what are the first principles of the words of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate for euery one that vseth milke is inexpert in the word of righteousnes for he is a babe but strong meate belongeth to them that are of age which through long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euil Where he teacheth them that after so long teaching they might become teachers of others and he saith it to their shame that after the hauing of plentifull means to further them in their knowledge they were verie nouices and yong schollers not able to beare strong meate Hath God set vp the preaching of his word among vs as a candle set on the candlesticke to giue light to all that are in the house Hath he caused it to be truly preached applyed vnto vs Haue wee the meanes also in plentifull measure affoorded vs to bring vs to godlinesse Let vs take heed to our selues looke to our wayes God will not bee mocked Where he hath sowne plentifully hee will reape plentifully and vpon whom hee hath bestowed much he looketh to receyue much againe This he setteth downe to strengthen the rule that now we deliuer Luke 12.48 Vnto whom much is giuen â—at 25.14.15 of him shall be much required and to whom men commit much the more of him will they aske If a man shold haue much teaching and go long to school yet should be alwayes in his horne-booke and stand at A B C. like a little childe and neuer goe forward we would account him a very dullard so is it with vs if we haue spent much time in his schoole where we haue had a liberall diet prepared for vs and bene feasted at his table richly furnished and yet stand at one stay we do not vse the meanes aright but deceiue the hope and expectation of God who hath in such manner and measure blessed vs from heauen The third rule touching our knowledge is that it must be answerable to the gifts that God hath giuen vnto vs. He hath not furnished all men with gifts alike he hath not bestowed an equall measure of his graces vpon all to one he hath giuen more to another hee hath giuen lesse according to his owne pleasure This is declared vnto vs in the Parable of the talents Math. 25 14 15. A certain Nobleman going into a farre countrey called his seruants and deliuered vnto them his goods Vnto one he gaue fiue talents â—uke 19 12 13 and to another two and to another one to euery man after his owne hability If then he haue giuen vnto vs fiue talents he looketh that we gain fiue other with them If he haue bestowed two vpon vs hee will require of vs the gaine of two others not the increase of fiue as of the former If we bee not wholly barren and vnfruitefull in good things he will accept and approue of vs. This is a notable comfort to all those that haue a little portion and few gifts giuen vnto them albeit we be neuet so simple yet if wee haue single and simple hearts it shall be said to vs It is well done good seruant and faithful thou hast bene faithfull in little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy Masters ioy He that by imploying and diligent vse of his gifts had gayned only two talents had gotten litle in comparison of the former seruant that had increased fiue talents yet hee is commended by Christ our Sauiour for a good and faithful seruant In like manner
of God For Iohn describing the state of glory after this life saith I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty Re. 21 22 23 24 25 26 2â— and the Lambe are the Temple of it and this City hath no need of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it Happy are they that enter into this city where God is the Temple where God is the Sun where God is the Moone where God is all the light thereof and all the glory and defence therof It is a glorious thing in this life to be Kings and Princes and to sit vpon the throne of maiesty but when they shall inherite the kingdome of heauen they shall lay downe all earthly pompe and magnificence receiuing so great glory in that glorious city that the glory which they had as kings and Princes shall vanish away as the light of a candle at the shining of the Sunne The glory of the least of Gods Saints is so excellent that Salomon in all his glory was neuer arayed nor aduanced like one of these The end of all this is to teach vs that we ought to be euen rauished with an earnest and longing desire to dwel in this heauenly tabernacle and to labor to haue our hearts purged from an euill conscience knowing that no vncleane thing shall enter into it â—â—uel 21.27 neither whatsoeuer worketh abominations and lies Euery one will seeme desirous to dwell in the Lords Tabernacle and to come to heauen but they are loath to leaue their sinnes But let vs not deceiue our selues neither let vs sooth and flatter our selues in our euils if we follow our vngodly wayes with greedinesse and will not forsake our wickednesse we shall haue the doore of Gods kingdome shut against vs. 18 The standard of the Campe of Ephraim shall be toward the West according to their armies and the Captaine ouer the sonnes of Ephraim shall be Elishama the sonne of Ammihud 19 And the hoste and the number of them were forty thousand and fiue hundreth 20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh and the Captaine ouer the sonnes of Manasseh shall be Gamliel the sonne of Pedahzur 21 And his hoste and the number of them were two and thirty thousand and two hundreth 22 And the tribe of Beniamin and the Captaine ouer the sonnes of Beniamin shall be Abidan the sonne of Gideoni 23 And his hoste and the number of them were fiue and thirty thousand and foure hundreth 24 All the number of the Campe of Ephraim were an hundred and eight thousand and one hundreth according to their Armies and they shall goe in the third place We haue heard before how the Tabernacle of the Congregation was placed in the midst of the hoste and compassed about both in front and flanke standing strong in battelled in their aray ready to receiue a shocke if any enemies should offer to enter vpon them In these words is laid before vs the third company of this mighty Army the principall whereof was Ephraim and his Partizans are Manasseh and Beniamin appointed to march vnder his Ensigne and to be after a sort ranged vnder his colours It is not vnknowne to any that are meanely conuersant in the holy Scriptures that Ioseph and Beniamin were the onely children of Rahel the true and beloued wife of Iacob and that both Manasseh and Ephraim were the children of Ioseph and that the elder was Manasseh the yonger Ephraim who notwithstanding hath the first place of honour and preheminence assigned vnto him and Manasseh the first borne is compelled to be his vnderling What could Ephraim claime aboue his brother or what had Manasseh done to be put behinde It pleaseth God oftentimes to make the first last and the last first to thrust downe the elder into the place of the yonger and to aduance the yonger into the seate of the elder This appeareth in many places of the Booke of Genesis and is so ordinary and common as it need not to be set downe To insist onely vpon the present example we reade that when Ioseph brought his two children before his sicke father Gene. 48.14.18.20 Iacob stretched out his right hand and laide it on Ephraims head and his left hand vpon Manassehs head directing his hands of purpose neither could be drawne to remooue them but blessed them that day and said In thee Israel shal blesse and say God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh and he set Ephraim before Manasseh Thus Gods iudgement is oftentimes contrary to mans and he preferreth that which man despiseth A notable example whereof we haue in Samuel when hee was sent to anoynt Dauid King and had the eldest sonne of Ishai before him he said 1 Sam. 16.6 Surely the Lords anoynted is before him but the Lord said vnto Samuel Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I haue refused him for God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord beholdeth the heart Samuel was an holy Prophet of God yet he faileth in binding Gods grace to the ordinary course of nature Doctrine 5 We learne from hence God bestoweth his gifts and graces freely to whom hee pleaseth that God bestoweth his gifts freely both when he will and where he will and to whom he will He giueth as a bountifull and gracious father the graces of election adoption iustification sanctification and all other his benefites of his free loue and fauour He lifteth vp whom he will he passeth by he forsaketh he putteth and pulleth downe whom he pleaseth Some gifts are temporall and some eternall some earthly and other heauenly and of both sorts it may be truely said Who separateth thee 1 Cor. 4.7 and what hast thou that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it This is set downe in the song of Hannah The Lord maketh poore 1 Sam. 2.7.8 and maketh rich he bringeth low and exalteth he raiseth vp the poore out of the dust lifteth vp the begger from the dunghil to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory This appeareth most plainly and euidently in the gifts of God Our whole saluation is of Gods free grace belonging to a better life and accompanying saluation The free grace of god in Christ is the fountaine from whence saluatioÌ„ floweth yea it is the beginning continuance ending of our saluation The truth hereof may be made plain by the particular rehearsall of the seuerall parts thereof if we consider our election redemption calling faith iustification regeneration loue good workes remission of sinnes and perseuerance in good things vnto the end No man can be saued and obtaine eternall life except he be predestinated and elected thereunto before the foundation of the world for the kingdome of
not Calfe or any Cattell should vndergo the punishment for sinne because the soule that sinned shall die the death Ezek. 18 verse 4. and the threatning must be true that because man sinned he should die Gen. 2. Thou shalt die the death So that it was necessary eyther that all man-kinde by reason of sinne must perish euerlastingly Heb. 9 15. or else Christ the Mediator of a better testament must become a surety for vs and satisfie the wrath of God kindled and conceiued against vs for sinne If any aske the question Question if the blood of Buls Goats could not take away sinne why did God command them to be offered and to what end were they appointed I answer Answer this was not done in vaine but to good purpose For albeit they could neuer take away sinne nor purge the conscience from dead workes yet they serued fitly to shadow out the death of Christ and to assure the heart that it is washed by the blood of the Messiah This was a notable comfort to the people of God from the beginning taught them to looke for redemption through him Obiection If it bee farther said that God speaketh euery where in the Law that the blood it selfe of Buls and Beasts clenseth and purgeth sinne as Leuit. 17 11. The life of the flesh is in the blood and I haue giuen it to you vpon the Altar to make an attonement for your soules for it is the blood that maketh an attonement for the soule I answer Answer that place speaketh not properly but sacramentally as in the new Testament he calleth in the institution of his last Supper Math. 26 26. the bread his body because it is a figure of it so in this place to the outward signe he giueth the name of the thing signified and to the type he ascribeth the proper effect of the blood of Christ which onely is the blood that is able to make attonement for our sinnes Otherwise those offerings of beasts should be called in vaine Heb. 9 24 10 1. the similitudes and shadowes of good things to come As for those heretikes that dreame that those oblations did really and indeed clense away the sinnes of the fathers not by their naturall operation but by the acceptation of God and therefore were not types of Christs sacrifice washing away sinne they are euidently conuinced by the places before alledged and throughout the Epistle to the Hebrewes Obiect If any aske how these can bee figures of Christ seeing GOD witnesseth in his word that he neuer required them When hee commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sinne thou hast had no pleasure Psal 40 7. Heb. 10 verses 5 6. If then God would haue none of them how could they be the figures and images of better things I answer Answer God may be said to allow them and yet to disallow them to reiect them and to regard them in diuers senses Hee willed them as he commandeth them and commendeth them as a sweet sauour vnto him performed in faith and as types referred to the comming of the Messiah and the time of reformation Heb. 9 10. On the other side he may be said to refuse and reiect them for these three causes First when the manner of doing is euill doing that which God requireth but doing it in a corrupt manner to wit without faith and obedience as the Prophets in euery place reprooue the sacrifices of hypocrites wicked persons as Esay 1 11 12. I delight not in the blood of Bullocks or of Lambs who hath required this at your hand Your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth and the reason of this is rendered in the words following Verse 1â— Your hands are full of blood Againe God would not that they should remaine continue for euer but that though they had place in the Church for a time they should ceasse at the coming of the Messiah Therfore Christ being come into the world and manifested in the flesh God willed theÌ„ no longer but would haue them abolished And this sense doth the Apostle principally intend in this place that the shadowes must giue place when the body it selfe was come in person Lastly it may after a sort be said that God neuer willed them that is approued allowed of theÌ„ as the principall part of Gods worship and as the very price of our redemption the ransome for our sins our reconciliation vnto God albeit he would haue them obserued of his people and vsed for a time as certaine rudiments rites to bring them to Christ to confirme their faith in him Let vs shut vp this with the comparison that the Apostle expresseth Heb. 9 13 14. If the blood of Buls and of Goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience froÌ„ dead workes to serue the liuing God In these words he compareth the shadow the body the type the truth the ceremony and the substance together Doctrine Christ Iesus hath made aâ— attonement between Gâ—â— and vs by hâ—â— blood FroÌ„ hence we learne this doctrine that the blood of Christ taketh away our sins reconcileth vs to God the Father Christ Iesus hath in the performance of his Priesthood freed and deliuered vs from the guilt punishment of our sins This appeareth euidently vnto vs by considering laying before vs the end the parts and fruite of his Priesthood The end of the Leuiticall Priest-hood and of this figured by it was to offer sacrifice for the ignorances Hebr. 9 â— that is for the sins of the people The distinct parts of it are two satisfaction and intercession His satisfaction consisteth partly in suffering and partly in obedience The second part of his Priesthood standeth in intercession in that he is become our perpetuall and perfect Aduocate that therby God might be appeased for them and we reconciled vnto him The fruite thereof is this that we are deliuered redeemed ransomed iustified and freed from the guilt of sin from the burden of ceremonies from the curse of the Law from the wrath of God and from feare of condemnation This truth is taught in many places Ioh 1 29. Iohn seeing Christ coming vnto him saith Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world And the same Apostle in his first Epistle chap. 2 ver 1 2. If any sinne we haue an Aduocate Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Likewise in the Epistle to the Romanes the Apostle magnifying the mercy of God and setting out the merites of Christ he saith chap. 3 verse
drawne to adde one sinne of periury to the heapes of their other wickednesse or may easily be brought to lift at an oath for a little lucre and base gaine or make little account to renounce and sell Christ himselfe for thirty pence as Iudas dâ—d that is for a small aduantage Such then must be sought out to testifie the trueth as are worthy of credit as feare not the faces of men as euermore haue God before their eies As then such are to be chosen so these that can doe nothing with iudgement and discretion with aduise and deliberation ought to be refused of which the Prophet saith Esay 4â— Heare ye this O house of Iacob which are called by the name of Israel and are come out of the waters of Iudah which sweare by the Name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in trueth nor in righteousnesse Hence it is that the Prophet requireth that our oathes be performed in trueth in righteousnesse and in iudgement Ier. 5. which cannot be expected of vs or performed of them Secondly this doctrine directly meeteth Vse 2 with the common but yet corrupt practise of our times in which swearing is turned into a custome so that euery one garnisheth his ordinary talke with gracelesse and needlesse oathes if this may be called a garnishing and not rather a disgracing That communication is gracious which ministreth grace to the hearers other talke is rotten and retchlesse when men make no conscience of taking the Name of God in vaine This is a greeuous sinne in yong and old in men and women in rich and poore It is accounted a speciall ornament to our speech and we thinke it carryeth no credit nor countenance except it be now and then spiced with an oath It beginneth euery where to be esteemed the part of a gentleman and a note and cognizance to know him and discerne him from others He is iudged a puritane and a precise foole that reproueth it and vseth it not Alas to what height of sinne are we come the measure is filled vp the iudgement is at hand Herein O Lord be mercifull vnto vs and indeed thou art mercifull a God of pittie and patience or else the land were not able to beare vs. The practise of it is of the diuel yet we are not afraid of it few men make conscience of it The children that play in the streetes haue learned to sweare so soone as they can speake and are weaned from their mothers breasts The Rogues and Vagabonds that settle themselues in no family or society take the sacred Name of God in their mouth make it thier occupation to begge with it The chapmen that sell their wares to others are as ready to sell their soules to the diuell to get sometimes one peny He is not accounted a good shop-man that is likely to thriue that doth not burnish and varnish his bad wares with the glorious Name of God he is not reckoned worth a chip that will not sweare at euery word to deceiue those that deale with him and yet God threatneth that he wil cut off as well on this side as on that Zach. 5.3 euery one that sweareth so that the curse shall remaine in the middes of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof But some will say we doe not Obiect 1 sweare by the Name of God we sweare not but by our faith or troth or by our Lady or the Masse or by Saint Mary Bee it so Answer yet euen these also are breaches of the law of God Faith and truth are precious iewels that adorn the heart of a Christian they must be kept there as safely as a treasure Will a man lay a pearle to gage for euery trifle or wil a man defile his best raiment with the worst mire It is to be feared that these haue little faith in the heart that haue it so commonly in the mouth As for the crosse or the masse or the rood and such like reliques they are abominable idols of which the Prophet complaineth â—c 5.7 They haue sworne by them that are no gods This is called a forsaking of God â—os 8.14 The Prophet saith They shall fall and neuer rise againe And the Prophet Zephany declareth that the Lord will destroy man beast because they did swear by the Lord and by Malcham â—ph 1.5 We see hereby what religion and fear of God is in the greatest multitude for not one of an hundreth feareth an oth or refraineth froÌ„ swearing Not a day passeth ouer their heads but they breake out this way No occasion is offered vnto them to speake but an oath shall be at one end of their talke They are so far froÌ„ striuing against it that they delight in it and make no more conscience of an oath then of a word and vse swearing more then eating and drinking Where the lawes of the land do bridle men there is some abstaining from sin and few in comparison of the rest offend It is true indeed that no punishment will restraine all persons yet notwithstanding the most are terrified by seuerity and sharpnesse as in cases of treasons of murthers of thefts c. There are few in comparison of others that are guilty of these and why because they are looked vnto that offend this way If men were let alone in these also to themselues wee should haue rebellions and robberies and shedding of blood as common as othes For where conscience of sin is wanting feare of punishment and terrour of death must keepe in awe But where the lawes of Princes are most remisse there a flood-gate is set open to all impiety that ouerfloweth the banks and ouerwhelmeth all before it without measure as swearing and blaspheming contempt of the word prophaning the Sabboth whoredome c. These are common this is the broad way and wide gate that many enter into without controlment The causes of this general abuse and common sin of swearing are these foure â—e causes of â—mon â—aring First custome and common vse wherby many thinke themselues excused Tell them of their sin and aduise them to leaue it They will answer I confesse it is naught and I am to blame for it it is a custome I haue gotten Thus they defend themselues by custome plead prescription but in the meane season they hold their wicked and vnreasonable custome stil and wil by no meanes be brought from it And yet if we will speake the truth what is it te pretend custome to countenance sin but to confesse wee doe and speake all things without the feare of God For froÌ„ whence proceedeth this custome of sinning but from this root to wit that we commit sin vpon sinne one day after another Muscul comment in Mat. cap. 5. without any reuerence of the Maiesty of God Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to breake this corrupt custome by a contrary custome to
4.2 1 Cor. 1.31 Lastly to bring the aduersaries of this doctrine once more to plead for vs against themselues They teach that no man can certainly know that he hath true merits without a speciall reuelation or that he shall persist and perseuere in them vnto the end whereupon we inferre and conclude that therfore we may not beleeue that we shall obtaine eternall life for our workes sake for that were to torture and torment mens consciences to set them vpon the racke that were neuer to giue peace to the distressed soule but to leaue it in doubt and perplexity wheras the Apostle gathereth the quite contrary from the doctrine of iustification Roman chap. 5.1 Being therefore iustified by faith wee haue peace with God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ But from the popish doctrine of iustification wee see there followeth no effect of peace no tranquillity or quietnesse of conscience because they are taught to stand in doubt of their reconciliation and attonement with God Fourthly this serueth as a great consolation Vse 4 to such as are carefull to doe good and to shew foorth good workes that they shall in time reape if they faint not This was good Nehemiah assured of and therefore accordingly he desireth God to remember him chap. 13 31.14 Remember me O my God for good and a little before Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I haue done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof And chap. 5.19 hauing declared his care to releeue the poore and distressed among the Iewes and his own conscience bearing him witnesse of his sincerity in this behalfe he prayed to God Thinke vpon mee my God for good according to all that I haue done for this people Obadiah had comfort by the workes of mercy shewed to the persecuted seruants of God who in the reigne of Ahab hid an hundreth of the Lords Prophets in a caue 1 Kin. 18.13 and fed them with bread and water and he had the fruite of it he was the first to whom glad tidings was offered in the daies of famine when heauen was shut vp that it yeelded no raine and was made an instrument to publish it to others No worke shall fall to the ground but come vp in remembrance to our comfort This is as true and certaine touching the workes of euery seruant of God as if the Angel that spake to Cornelius were sent vnto him to say vnto him Thy workes are come vp in remembrance before God Anâ— as God saith that he keepeth the tears of his children in his bottle so he keepeth the workes of his â—â—ildren in his booke This is and so it ought to be a great encouragement to vs in well-doing to consider that the number the greatnesse and the measure of all our good workes shall be registred and recorded by him It is spoken in deed for our capacity for God needeth no writings of record or bookes of account the meaning is he wil neuer forget our good workes but as certainely remember them as if he had put them all particularly in writing Hence it is that the Lord saith so often to the seuen Churches of Asia to whom hee commanded Iohn to write hee knew all their workes nothing was hidden from him nothing vnknowen vnto him Vse 5 Lastly seeing good workes are in so great account with God it is necessary that we learn what good workes are that are pleasing in Gods sight and how they are to be done of vs. For there is more required to a good worke then the bare deed done A good worke is a duty commanded of God What a good worke is performed by a regenerate person and done in faith ayming at the glory of God and the good of man Wherby we see that sundry points are required to make a worke accepted of God First of all the worke must haue the wil of God which is the rule of all goodnesse and righteousnesse to warrant the same that so we may doe them in an holy obedience vnto him For except he appoint them hee doth not approoue them and vnlesse he command them he doth neuer commend them Will-worship is abominable to God and euery where reiected when men thrust vpon God their owne inuentions in stead of his seruice Col. 2.22.23 Deut. 12.32 Euery good work is commanded in the word either expresly or generally God is in vaine worshipped when for doctrines the commandements of men are taught and obserued This reproueth the Romish Religion maintaining â— t a man may do good works which are neuer required or appointed of God and likewise the blinde deuotion and superstition of the people that if they in their worship haue a good intent and think no man no harme they doe a good worke Secondly gooâ— workes must be done by a regenerate person that is in the state of grace that is a member of Christ and borne againe by the holy Ghost If we bee not reconciled to God in Christ made acceptable through him wee are as euill trees that cannot bring forth good fruit whereas no man can gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Matth. 7.16 The person must please God before any thing that commeth from him can please him for he had respect to Abel Gen. 4.4.5 and then to his offering but not to Caine and therefore not vnto his offering Hence fal to the ground the workes of Turkes and Infidels and meere ciuill men who often abstaine from outward sinnes liue orderly among men and do works of mercy iustice liberality yet in them they are not good because they proceed from a corrupt heart The like we may say of the workes of all vnregenerate persons bee they neuer so beautifull in the eyes of the world they are but beautifull sinnes in the sight of God whether they eate or drinke or walke sleepe or buy or sell or come to Church or heare the word or pray or receiue the Sacraments the rule of the Apostle standeth for euer Vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Thirdly good works must be done in faith because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Now there is required in a man a twofold perswasion first an assurance that God hath willed and commanded it to be done for he that giueth almes and yet doubteth whether God would haue him to giue almes sinneth Secondly a perswasion in his own conscience of his reconciliation to God in Christ This is iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and doth fit and inable it to bring forth a good worke There is a double vse of this gift it maketh vs to begin the work well and when it is once done it serueth as a cloake or garment to couer the defects and imperfections of it applying the merits of Christ The last
Lord would doe they should not come into the land their carcasses should fall in the wildernesse and touching their children they should wander in the wildernesse forty yeares The fathers themselues had murmured against Moses and Aaron verse 2. this doth God account as chiefly done against himselfe You haue murmured against me He accounteth the disobedience shewed to the Ministers that bring the word as a disobedience against himselfe the authour of the word as Luk. 10.16 to teach vs to submit our selues to Gods holy word albeit it be deliuered to vs by man Doctrine like vnto our selues The doctrine when once the Ministers of God are no longer regarded When the Ministers of God are not regarded God taketh the matter into his owne hand when they cry early and late and we stop our eares God himselfe taketh the matter into his owne hand When God sent Noah to preach repentance to the old world and they repented not he commeth against them to their destruction Gen. 6.1 4. Come thou and all thine house into the Arke for yet seuen daies and I will cause it to raine vpon the earth forty dayes and forty nights and euery liuing substance that I haue made will I destroy from off the face of the earth So 2. Chro. 36.15 16. Ierem. 7.13 14. and 14.15 16. Zach. 7.11 12. This is the course of the Lords dealing first hee preacheth by his Ministers then he punisheth with his iudgements The reasons Reason 1 First because the word offered and brought vnto vs being contemned they shew contempt against God himselfe and in despising his word they despise the Lord himselfe Ioh. 13.20 and therefore no maruell if he be constrained to take the matter into his own hand and to deale with them himself that they may know what he can doe who regard not what his seruants speake Reason 2 Secondly God loueth those that are his owne and he is entred into a couenant with them and cannot but continue his loue vnto them Ioh. 13.1 now these that he loueth hee chastiseth Heb. 12.6 and if they will not bee warned by his threatnings he will make them seeke vnto him by his corrections and punishments Iob. 33.16 Vse 1 This teacheth the Ministers of God how they may stay themselues in following the duties of their calling among so many discontentments that they meet withall both in the hearing and practising of the people For albeit their labour spent early and late cannot preuaile yet the Lord himselfe will take the matter into his owne hand and deale with them himselfe The word which wee bring is not our owne it is the Lords we are but as the Apothecaries boxe that holdeth the precious oyntment if then he be patient toward the contemners of it much more ought wee to be patient and commit the cause to him whose cause it is Peter being a Fisherman before his calling Matth. 4.18 had toiled all the night but had taken nothing yet when Christ bad him continue his labour he was ready to cast downe the net into the sea Luk. 5.5 and at length he enclosed a great multitude of fishes The Ministers are made the fishers of men Matth. 4.19 to catch them with the angle of the word and to take them in the net of the Gospel Matt. 13.47 And albeit we doe oftentimes toile and moyle and take nothing because men are growne so wily as to passe by the net and can by no meanes abide to come neere it yet we are not to be discouraged the master of the net commandeth vs to labour in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 and if a multitude of them will not be taken in this net Christ Iesus will take hold of them another way to wit by the net of his iudgements Albeit therefore we doe not see such profit of our paines and labours as wee expected and desired yet let vs be content and commit the successe of all to him that sent vs hee will doe that for vs which we cannot doe for our selues hee will take them in hand that hath their hearts in his owne hand and reforme all that belong vnto him bring euerlasting confusion vpon his enemies that shall neuer bee forgotten Ieremy chapter 20. verses 8 9. Secondly it serueth to terrifie all that obstinately Vse 2 set themselues against the word of God because God wil take the matter into his owne hands If his word cannot bee a fire to burne vp all corrupt affections in vs Ier. 23.29 God will himselfe be a consuming fire Hebr. 12.29 If his word bee not as an hammer to breake in pieces our rocky and stony hearts he will be an hammer that shall beat vs to shiuers and grind vs to powder Matthew chapter 21. verse 44. Let all such know that albeit they escape the mouth of the Minister yet they shall fall into the hands of God himselfe which will be more fearefull vnto them for he is able to destroy both body and soule in hell Matth. 10.28 Indeed he is patient but he will not beare long with the contempt of his word and though hee seeme not to heare at the first yet in the ende he will make it manifest that hee heareth those which would not heare him Let vs therefore hearken vnto the word with diligence and attention while it is offered vnto vs. Lastly let euery one make conscience of hearing the word and be admonished by it otherwise most certainely it will fall out he shall be forced to take vs into his owne hands and to deale with vs himselfe This should moue vs to reforme our selues and to amend our liues by the Ministery of the word that so we may escape the hands of God and not lie vnder his correction Is it not better for children to be admonished by their fathers seruants then to fall into the hands of their fathers Is it not better for men that liue in leud courses to be admonished by a friend then to fall into the hands of the Magistrate and to go to the stocks for correction so in this case it is farre better for men to be reformed by the word of God brought vnto them by the Minister then to fall into the hands of the liuing God to be iudged by him This did Eli teach his children 1 Sam. â— 25. If one sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge him but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreate for him Our condemnation shall be so much the greater because we will not be admonished by his word Let vs therefore be wise in this point Some children are so wayward and peeuish that no words will serue them speak vnto them neuer so much they will not heare neither will they regard And Salomon saith well A whip for the horse a bridle for the asse and a rod for the fooles backe Pro. 26 3 and of children he saith Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a childe but the rod of correction shall driue
vnhappinesse to miserie to greefe to anguish to iudgement to confusion to condemnation These are like to a foolish traueller who comming to his Inne calleth for great variety of meate to delight his taste and taketh great pleasure in eating and drinking of all that is set before him without refusing any but he neuer thinketh of the reckoning which is to come immediately after which dasheth all the mirth and iollitie that went before Thus it is with the sinner hee followeth his sinne with greedinesse he taketh delight therein and cannot bee satisfied but he neuer remembreth the day of account neither the reckoning that waiteth vppon him hard at the heeles Hereupon Salomon singleth out the yong man and telleth him that albeit he follow the lustes of his eyes the desires of his heart together with the pride and pleasure of life yet he must know that for all these things God will bring him into iudgement Eccles. 11 9. O that euery sinner would thinke vpon this and marke the latter end of sinne This would be a notable meanes to restrain vs from wickednesse and to pull backe our feete from those euill waies into which we are entred if we would remember that the daies shal come yea the times approach wee know not how soone wherein the Lord will say to vs Come giue an account but alas these things are now hidden from vs. Hence it is that Zophar setting downe the estate of the wicked Iob 20 12. saith Though wickednesse be sweete in his mouth though he hide it vnder his tongue though hee spare it and forsake it not but keepe it still within his mouth yet his meate in his bowels is turned it is the gall of Aspes within him He hath swallowed downe riches and he shall vomit them vp againe God shall cast them out of his belly Where he compareth sinne with sweete meate mingled with deadly poison he speaketh of goods euilly gotten which turne to the destruction of those that possesse them The same doth Salomon teach touching drunkennesse Prou. 23 31 32. and touching whordome chap 3 3 4. as also elsewhere he sheweth that in the transgression of an euill man there is a snare It is otherwise with godlinesse and the feare of God it seemeth bitter to the flesh and is oftentimes accompanied with manie troubles and afflictions which are verie vnpleasant to the outward man notwithstanding afterward it bringeth enduring pleasure and contentment vnto the soule for our light affliction which is but for a moment 2 Cor. 4 17 18 worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternal waight of glorie while we looke not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seene are eternal Secondly let no man measure the nature of Vse 2 sinne by the beginning of it but by the end and when we are deuising to commit any sin let vs bethink our selues what will be the end of it this will bee a great meanes and a soueraigne preseruatiue to stop the course of it For sinne is said to haue deceitfulnesse in it Heb. 3 18. and the pleasures thereof to endure for a season Heb. 11 25. The sinne of Iudas that was a theefe and kept the bagge and betrayed his master for thirty shekels of siluer was verie sweete vnto him but in the end his mouth was filled with grauell he had enough of them too much for his conscience was vexed with horror and he felt an hell in his owne bowels so that he carried them backe to the Pharisies and hanged himselfe Mat. 27 5. Then hee repented but then it was too late and thus doe the wicked repent Esau a very prophane person sold his birthright for a messe of pottage it was sweet meate vnto him but it had soure sawce for hee found no place for repentance Though he sought the blessing carefully with teares Heb. 12 17. Thus it was with the foolish Virgins Matth. 25. and so it shall be with foolish men in the latter end Thirdly we must be carefull to take heede Vse 3 of the least measure of sinne that can be There is no sinne so litle but if it be neglected it wil increase and whosoeuer despiseth small sins quickly falleth into greater Aug. de 〈◊〉 felâ— pâ—â—â— it is like the infant conceiued in the wombe Iames 1 15. All sinne though it haue not a wide mouth like a Lyon to swallow vs at one morsell yet by little and little it will sting vs to death The sand on the sea-shore though it be verie small and little in quantity yet too much waight thereof will sinke the ship The drops of raine that fall from heauen are very little yet they make great showres Qu◠〈◊〉 reb geâ— lib. 4. and great showres bring mighty floods that sweepe away all before them A little sparke of fire neglected causeth a great burning and kindleth a great matter Iames 3 5. If then wee desire to preserue our selues safe and sound from the heighth of sinne let vs take heed we be not oppressed with the waight of it and set on fire with the sparkes and wet with the droppes of it Beware of smal sinnes if wee would bee preserued from the greater one making an easie path and passage to another Fourthly let vs labour to preuent the first Vse 4 beginning of sinne and seeke to pull it vp as a bitter roote in the first sprouting In the diseases of the body it is a good rule to withstand the beginning because it is too late afterward to prouide a remedy Many a wound might haue beene healed if it had bin looked vnto betimes which by continuance proueth incureable So the diseases of the soule should be preuented in time while we perceiue them to be growing and going forward Men are carefull to kill serpents in the shell and to destroy noysome beasts before they can run and rauen abroad thereby to preuent the danger that otherwise in time might grow by them if they were suffered and let alone Thus ought we to deale with our sinnes we must endeuour to struggle against them and to strangle them in the birth and beginning that so they may neuer come to perfection neither bring vs to destruction Destroy them or else they will destroy vs if we doe not kill them they will kill vs for sinne when it is finished bringeth foorth death Iam. 1 15. A yong plant may easily bee pulled vp by the rootes but if it grow in the ground till it be a great tree it can hardly be transplanted and remoued In like sort so long as our sinnes are yong they may with lesse strife and labour bee rooted out but if once they bee confirmed by age and strengthened by custome and continuance in our hearts we shall finde it a very hard matter to displace them and dispossesse them Ier. 13 23. 2 22. If once they haue gotten the
great matter that they haue done Lastly they are greeuous sinners sapped in them that make no vse of the crosses and afflictions that God sendeth vpon them that are no whit bettered or reformed or humbled by his iudgements Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to pray vnto God that we may be kept and preserued from this high measure of sinne Psal 19 13. The Prophet prayeth to the Lord to keepe him from presumptuous sinnes This sheweth to vs that we are ready to fall into them And what do they but publish this as with a loud voice that cry out that God is mercifull and thereupon take occasion to goe forward presuming of his mercy We should be carefull to beg from God his grace that we may resist sin in the beginning lest our hearts be hardened by it Heb. 3 13 and we thereby be drawne in the end to make no conscience of sinne â—iect If any aske how wee may know whether we be willing to leaue sin and resist it in the beginning 〈◊〉 I answer we may examine our selues by the contrary rules to the former If a man make the law of God his delight and can therefore loue it make much of it because it maketh his sinnes manifest vnto himselfe hee certainely is no louer of his sinnes Thus it was with Hezekiah when he had receiued an heauy threatning of an heauy iudgement from the mouth of God hee submitted himselfe and said to the Prophet The word of the Lord is good â—g 20 19. which thou hast spoken Secondly hee loueth not his sinnes that loueth him that reproueth him for his sins He that imbraceth that Minister or that brother that telleth him of his corruptions certainely he is not determined to imbrace and entertaine his sins Thirdly he that is so farre from excusing of his sinnes that he is ready to accuse himselfe and he that is so farre from defending and maintaining them that he laboureth to reconcile himselfe to God and to haue a cleere conscience toward God and man hee doubtlesse shall not need to feare to come to the height of sinne Lastly he declareth that he is not besotted with the loue of his sinnes that loueth God that chastiseth him euen for his chastisements sake who so soone as any crosse befalleth vnto him presently runneth home to his owne heart and condemneth his sinne and iudgeth himselfe and layeth all vpon himselfe as iustly befallen him for his sins If these things be found in vs we may reioyce and be glad that albeit we cannot but commit the acte of sinne yet we keepe our hearts and soules from delighting in sinne and the affecting thereof Thus we may acquit our selues of a great deale of the guilt of sinne albeit not of the outward acte it selfe by seeking the asswaging and lessening of it 32 And while the children of Israel were in the Wildernesse they found a man that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him vnto Moses and Aaron and vnto all the Congregation Here followeth an example of Gods iudgment vpon him that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day This is not to be considered in it selfe only but as it dependeth vpon the words immediately going before as a reason or an example of that law that whosoeuer doth any thing presumptuously or with an high hand shall die the death and albeit it be set downe after it yet I take it to haue bene done before it The Israelites had found out a man that had sinned not of ignorance or one that gathered stickes vpon necessity but they said to Moses as the Pharisies did to Christ touching the woman taken in adultery Iohn 8 4. We found her in the very acte so did they take this breaker of the Sabbath in the very acte of gathering stickes who rushed desperately against the law as a Shippe that dasheth it selfe in peeces against a Rocke for he sinned in contempt of God and his ordinances The Lord had deliuered his law to all Israel and repeated the same againe he had commanded it carefully to be kept and none to goe out of his place to gather Manna vpon that day Exod. 16 29. The obseruation of this day was the establishing of the whole law and the breach of it a destroying of the whole worship of God This did this wicked person know wel enough but he neuerthelesse would goe out of his place God hath said they should not kindle a fire throughout their generations that day Exod. 35 2 3. neither could he be ignorant of it yet he would kindle a fire to prouoke God to anger against him In this we see his sin and the manner of it he is brought to Moses and is put in ward Moses asketh counsell of God what shold be done with him God appointeth him for examples sake to be stoned to death which is done accordingly Obiect But this may seeme a small offence he did not beare any great burden on the Sabbath nor labour in the workes of his calling neither offend in any great matter he did onely gather a bundle of stickes and that as it should seeme but once he did not make any practise of it Answer I answer we must consider not onely the deed done but also the maÌ„ner of doing he did it to despise and despite God a sinne in whomsoeuer worthy of no lesse punishment then death it selfe Doctrine We learne from hence that euery sinne is so much the greater The lesse the thing is for which a man will sinne the greater is the sinne by how much lesse the thing is for which men sin I say the lesse the thing is for which a man will sinne and transgresse the law of God the greater alwaies is his sinne A man would thinke it nothing to picke vp a few stickes but the lesse it was the greater was his contempt of God that hee would runne into the breach of the law and prouoke the wrath of God for it Thus wee might speake of the sinne of our first parents God tried their obedience in abstaining from the fruite of one tree Gen. 2 17. and 3 3. yet they would taste thereof and thereby ruined themselues and al their posterity The matter wherein they sinned was small but the sin thereby was made the greater Esau is noted in holy Scripture for his prophanenes which was shewed in this that for one messe of broth he sold his birthright Gen. 25 33. Heb. 12 16. So is it spoken of Iudas that for thirty shekels he sold his Master and betraied the Lord of life into the hands of sinners Mat. 26 15. 27 5. A goodly price at which he that is God of heauen and earth heire of all things was valued saith the Prophet Zachary ch 11 13. The lesse the reward was the greater was his iniquity for thereby he made it manifest at how vile how base and small a price our Lord Iesus Christ the
Eunuch could reade the Scriptures as wel as they he needed not to haue come to Ierusalem to learne to spell his words and name his letters and yet when he was asked of the meaning and interpretation and whether hee vnderstood the words of the Prophet hee answered How can I except I haue a guide Actes 8.31 But these will be their owne guides and therefore let them take heede lest they misse the way that leadeth to the kingdome of heauen They will be their owne Pilots to guide the ship let them therefore take heede lest they suffer shipwracke and bee drowned Reading is good but it is not good enough like a medicine that hath strength in it but is not strong enough to cure the disease The men of Berea could reade and did reade and search the Scriptures daily at home yet they came diligently to heare Paul preach vnto them Actes chapter 17. verse 11. Woe also to all prophane Atheists who despise all meanes of saluation hauing no regard at all to God or his word at home or abroad publikely or priuately Doe these beleeue the doctrine that now wee haue in hand Do they thinke that a good Minister is a precious gift of God when by their continuall practise they make it manifest that they regard neither Minister nor yet Ministery neither the glad tydings of saluation nor those that bring the same The world is stored and replenished with such open contemners of the Gospel which are enemies to their own peace to their owne liues to their own soules to their owne saluation Vse 3 Thirdly from hence ariseth much instruction to the Minister himselfe Let vs examine our selues whether we be the true Ministers of God or not that we may assure our owne hearts we are as a gift of God giuen vnto the Church This hath many branches First we must labour for a competency and sufficiency of gifts that so we may approoue our selues to be the Ministers of Christ planted by him But such as are rash and headdy in entring vpon this calling before they are qualified I do not meane by men but by God are presumptuous persons and are not a gift giuen to the churches where they haue set themselues because they are no way fitted thereunto Secondly we must be diligent in our calling in the vse of our gifts which we haue receiued that wee suffer them not to rest to rust in vs lest therby they decay and be lost If we vse them conscionably we keepe them surely if we vse thē not we lose them The gifts graces of God do not weare by vse but doe exceedingly encrease for we haue a promise that we shall haue abundance Mat. 13 12. Thirdly we ought to labour aboue all things to seeke the good of the people vnto whom we are giuen not our owne good or to get goods as if we were sent for our owne profits The end that we must aime at is the edification instruction and saluation of others not our owne priuate gaine or promotion nor the vaine applause of the world to magnifie our selues as the manner of many is The popish Church neuer regard this they ordaine their Priests to say Masse to minister the Sacrament of the Altar but send them not foorth to preach the Gospel They haue many sacrificers but few preachers But the ends that we must propound vnto our selues are the glory of God the good of the Church and the discharge of a good conscience that so wee may say with the Apostle Brethren my hearts desire is that Israel may be saued Rom. 10 1. If we do these things blessed are we we shall be such Pastors as God liketh and approueth such as haue our calling from him and our gifts from him we shall teach for him and reproue for him Vse 4 Lastly it is the duty of the people whatsoeuer they be to magnifie the worke of the Ministers and by all meanes to promote it for thereby we further the glory of God and enlarge the kingdome of Christ Iesus This also hath many particular branches First we are bound to pray to God and to commend vnto him the Ministery as his owne ordinance For if the Ministers be a speciall gift of God to whō should we goe or of whom should we aske this gift but of him that is the giuer of euery good gift and of euery perfect gift We must pray to God to send them where they are wāting Mat. 9 37. We must pray for the continuance of them where they are granted and for the blessing of God vpon their labours that God would accept the worke of their hands Deu. 33 11. We must be thankfull to him for bestowing this gift vpon vs which he hath denied to many places and people Secondly we must repent of those sins which may hinder either the obtaining or the continuing of it For as the Prophet truly teacheth that our sins withhold good things from vs so it is certaine that God oftentimes denieth this blessing for the wickednes being once grāted remoueth it for the vnthankfulnes of the people because they are not earnest with God to haue it and keepe it neither walke worthy of it when they haue obtained it Esay 62 7. Giue him no rest till he establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise in the earth Thirdly we should haue this gift of God in precious account to make a reuerent vse of it in being subiect vnto it gouerned by it and reformed according to the same because therin we are subiect to Christ as the Apostle willeth vs to obey them that haue the ouersight of vs Heb. 13 17. and submit our selues vnto them which watch for our soules and must giue an account for vs. Let euery one examine himselfe whether he make this vse of the word if we do then we receiue the Minister as a gift of God if we doe not thē we do not only reiect the Minister but God himselfe that gaue him and sent him to vs for he hath said He that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10 16. Fourthly lament the estate of the church which is destitute or depriued of this gift as Psal 74 9. We see not our signes there is not one Prophet more nor any with vs that knoweth how long We must acknowledge therefore that great is the misery of that people which want the ordinary preaching of the word Alas they see no vision how then can they but decay Pro. 29 18. They haue no Shepheard what then shall the silly sheepe doe but wander vp and downe they know not whither They haue blinde guides to leade them how then can they escape falling into the ditch All knowledge and obedience will soone decay if the word be not preached as the grasse withereth without raine the body pineth without food and the lampe goeth out without oyle Fiftly it directeth such as are Patrons of benefices whō they should present namely such as they may commend