in thy natiuitie when thou wast borne thy nauell was not cut c. And when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine owne blood and I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy blood Thou shalt liue euen when thou wast in thy blood I said vnto thee thou shalt liue I caused thee to multiplie as the budde of the fielde c. Who duely considering this forlorne estate of the Church and of euerie member of it as the Lorde findeth it and the great pittle which hee taketh on it and the manifold blessings which hee bestoweth vpon it Who I say duelie considering these things can doe lesse then acknowledge that God is most highlie to be honoured and praised for euer therein and that the forgetfulnes thereof is a most hainous sinne And herewith also howe can it be thought but that it must be one bounden duetie to loue the Sonne of God with a singular loue in so much as God is not our Father but by meanes of him According to that which our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith Iohn 8.42 If God were your father then would you loue mee And likewise it is our dutie to loue the children of God for Gods cause who is their Father 1. Iohn 5.1.2 Euerie one that loueth him which begate loueth him also which is begotten c. Secondlie that this reason ought effectuallie to mooue vs to withdraw our selues from the lusts of sin c the Apostle Iohn telleth vs plainly saying 1. Epi 2.15.16 That the loue of the Father cannot be in them that loue the world the lusts thereof c. And ch 3. verse 3. That euery one that hath the hope of euerlasting life and glorie through the mercie and goodnes of God purgeth himselfe that is more and more indeuoureth after it by vsing all good and holie meanes appointed of God considering that God our heauenly father is pure and that no vncleane thing can haue any abiding with him Read also verse 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not c that is hee doth not giue himselfe ouer to sinne but earnestlie resisteth it c. Moreouer read Deuteron 14.1.2 Ioshua 24.1.2 c. Read also 2. Corinth 6.14 c. The want of this care in the people of God who glorie in this that God is their father it is no lesse iustlie then vehementlie reproued in the holy Scriptures as Deuteron 32.4.5.6 Isai chapt 1. verses 2.3.4 and Ierem chap 2.26.27.28 and chap 3. verses 2.3.4.5 and verses 19.20.21.22 The third part of the Answere resteth vpon as good reason and is a consequent of the former For wherfore is vndutifulnes reprooued but to the ende that the children of God should be stirred vp to care and conscience of all good dutie To this purpose therefore let vs thinke often of the holie and zealous exhortation of the Apost Pet 1. Epist chap 1. verses 13 14 15 16. c. in these words Wherefore gyrde vp the loines of your minde c. as obedient children c As hee which hath called you is holie so be ye holie c. And if yee call him Father who iudgeth without respect of persons c. Let no word of so weightie and preâ—ious an exhortation be vnweighed and vnvalued of vs. Read also Iohn 4.23 The hower cometh and now is saith our Sauiour Christ to the woman of Samaria when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father requireth euen such to worship him And 2. Cor. chap 7.1 The holy Apostle of our Sauiour Christ hauing made mention of the most gratious promise of God that hee will be a Father to all such as shall forsake Idolatrie and the fellowship of Idolaterâ— he thervpon inferreth this his earnest exhortation Seeing then we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthines of the fleshe and of the â—pirit and grow vp vnto full holines in the feare of God Read also 2. Epist of Iohn verses 4.9 And Mal cha 1.6 A Sonne honoureth his Father saith the Lorde by his Prophet and a seruant his maister If then I be a Father wher is my honour And if I be a maister where is my feare saith the Lorde of Hostes c. In all these places of holie Scripture wee see how the spirit of God calleth for all manner of good duetie toward God in this respect especiallie that he is a most gratious and honourable Father aboue all other And hee doth it most iustlie For seeing ther are no naturall parents which doe not or which may not of good right looke for readie and constant dutie from their children while they themselues performe the care of good parents toward them And on the contrarie if children shall stubbornelie refuse to yeelde good duetie to their parents they aâ—e so farre from taking delight to heate their children to call them Father that they rather enter into purpose to cast them off and to refuse to take them for their children Infinitelie much more may the Lorde God our heauenly Father cast off all such as hypocriticallie call him Father and in the meane sâ—ason denie the obedience of children vnto him For in verie truth they shew themselues not to be the kâ—ndely children of God but the base borne of their father the Deuill as wee shall haue further occasion to obserue and to produce some proofe of it by and by In the meane while for the shutting vp of this pointe worthie is the example of him whom our Sauiour Christ describeth for the common imitation of euerie true childe of God that after former â—eglect of his dutie shall returne to performe the dutie of a childe againe Father saith he and so is euerie one of vs to say in remembrance of our former vndutifulnes I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am not worthie to be called thy Sonne c. Now further as touching the fourth branch of the answere which sheweth that it is required of euerie true childe of God that he bee an imitator of God himselfe in all goodnes and helpfulnes towards others read Matth 5.43 c. and Luk 6.35.36 And Ephes chapt 5.1.2 Be yee therefore followers of God as deare children and walke in loue c. And Coloss â— 12 Nowe therefore as the elect of God holie and beloued put on tender mercie kindenes c. And 1. Iohn â— 10 in this are the children of God knowen and the children of the Deuill Whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother For this is the message that yee hearde from the beginning that we should loue one another Not as Caine who was of the wicked and slewe his brother c. Reade a so in the Gospell according to Iohn chap 8.44 They that doe the lusts of the Deuils as our Sauiour Christ saith they are not the children of God but of their father the Deuill To conclude this fourth branche that the houshold of Faith
teacheth vs that it is our dutie not onely to abstaine from desire of reuenge against our aduersaries but also to pray earnestly to God for the forgiuenes of their cruell dealing against vs and that it may please God to turne the hearts of so many as doe belong to his most holy and blessed election To this purpose indeede the most blessed example of our Sauiour is very notable And though it be a hard lesson for vs to learne yet the grace of God is sufficient to teach it to euery one that will indeuour to learne it of him And therefore it is that the Apostle Peter doubteth not to holde forth the example of our Sauiour to inuite and incourage all Christians therevnto 1. Ep 2 18 c. 23. Moreouer in that our Sauiour Christ praying for sinners saith that they doe they knowe not what and so giueth to vnderstand as hath beene obserued before that ignorance is the cause why many doe that which otherwise they would not doe if they knewe how great and grieuous the euill is which they doe commit We ought therefore from hence to learne that it is our dutie to seeke after knowledge that so comming to the knowledge of sinne wee may bee sorie for that which is past striue against present tentations and bee more prudent and circumspect to preuent much sinne for the time to come Yea therefore ought we to stirre vp our selues to a careful seeking after knowledge to the end we may know how to keepe a good conscience in the doing and minding of those things onely whereof we may haue good warrant from the word of God that they are agreeable to his most holy and blessed will And then may we be sure that through the blessing of God we shall not onely abstaine from euill which we are wont to commit aboue knowledge but wee shall doe more good then we can throughly know that we doe As for those that doe otherwise that is to say which haue no care to seeke after knowledge they easily working more mischiefe then they would think doe thereby procure greater wrath against themselues then they are aware of For he that rashly thrusteth himselfe into sinfull actions hee dealeth as if one should bring fire among barrels of gun-powder not considering that the nature of it is to blowe vp and ouerthrowe all so soone as it taketh any sparkle of fire As for example who knoweth how many soules perish or at the least are hindered from their more speedie conuersion by an ignorant and wicked or vnconscionable Minister of the word of God Who knoweth likewise how much good he hindereth that is a wicked instrument of the Diuel to disgrace or displace any godly and faithfull Preacher of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ Finally what loue of ours can answere the wonderfull loue of our Sauiour in praying and suffering for vs miserable sinners all of vs being naturally enemies vnto him as well as these his persecutors mentioned in this Story were Rom 5 verses 6 7 8. c. Such are the duties belonging to that comfort which faith apprehendeth from the lifting vp and fastening of our Sauiour naked vpon the crosse LEt vs now come to those things which doe concerne the time of his continuance vpon the crosse Question And first what dutie may we learne generally from this his coÌ„tinuance by the space of many houres in extreme dolour and paines Answer This we learne that it is our dutie patiently to beare our affliction and crosse whatsoeuer and how grieuous soeuer it may be euen so long as it shall please God to continue the same vpon vs. ExplicatioÌ„ prooâ—e You say well Neither ought we to doubt of a good issue according to that in the Ep to the Heb chap 12.1.2.3.4 Question Nowe more particularly what are wee to learne from this that our Sauiour endured patiently to see his garments diuided among the Souldiers Here againe we are to learne to be content to loose all for Christs sake and to thinke our selues to haue sufficiency of all things when we haue Christ euen naked Christ or Christ alone to be ours by faith But in no case must we be riflers of Christ to take away any thing that is due vnto him as these souldiers did and as many robbers and thieues doe which liue in the bosome of the Church ExplicatioÌ„ proofe God forbid we should doe so But if we shall account our Sauiour Christ to be our portion doubtlesse we shall haue sufficiencie of all things in the midst of all wants and our greatest losses in this world shall bring our greatest aduantage in the world to come Philip. 1.21 and chap. 3.7 8 c. Question NOw after this what dutie are wee to learne from hence that our Sauiour Christ being in this grieuous passion vpon the crosse had neuerthelesse vpon the sight of his mother a most louing and tender care to prouide for her comfortable maintenance seeing hee was nowe to leaue this world Answere All children haue a most worthie paterne of that great honour and dutie which they owe vnto their Parents in tendering the peace and comfort of their life of whom they haue receiued their naturall life as from those speciall instruments which it pleased God to vse therevnto ExplicatioÌ„ proofe The example of our Sauiour is an euident paterne hereof in very deede And herewithall our Sauiour had no doubt a tender regard to mitigate the present sorrow of his mother in her heauy beholding of his calamitie which could not but pierce her tender and motherly soule As touching our selues it is true that wee shall neuer be able to performe so perfect loue and dutie to our naturall Parents as our Sauiour did to his Mother and namely at this time neither shall wee haue nor could we endure at any time the like occasion that is out of so great an agony to shewe so tender and strong an affection But contrariwise we finde rather that euery little head ache or other trouble is able to make vs forgetfull of all good dutie and loue toward any We may be compared to the snaile whose propertie it is as wee know if it be touched neuer so little to draw it selfe altogether into the owne shell The like is our practise we care onely for our selues All as we thinke is little enough to procure our owne ease selfe-loue so wholly possesseth vs. Neuerthelesse the example of our Sauiour sheweth vs what we are to striue vnto To the which purpose also serueth the example of Dauid that notable figure of our Sauiour Christ who had care of his Parents in the time of his afflictions as we reade in the holy story 1. Sam. ch 22.1 3 4. Neither is the example of Iohn the Dâ—sciple of our Sauiour to be neglected of vs who in obedience to the word of Christ did willingly entertaine Marie the mother of our Sauiour and did the dutie of a sonne vnto her And note we
herevnto Answer First of all it hath beene declared that it is the dutie of euery faithful Christian to comfort themselues And one to comfort another in the expectation of the comming of our Sauiour to iudgement to goe on forward in the profession and obedience of his name and Gospel against all grieuances and discomforts whatsoeuer and namely against all sinister iudgements that any doe giue forth or conceiue against vs while we be sure that we walke with a right foote in the way of the Gospel And secondly we are to stir vp our hearts to a longing louing desire and that also euen with a patient waiting after this gratious appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ to the righting of all wrongs and to the establishing of all righteousnesse and iudgement in his euerlasting kingdome ExplicatioÌ„ proofe That we are to comfort our selues in the assured expectation of the comming of our Sauiour to his last iudgment it may be perceiued of vs from that incouragement and exhortation which he himselfe gaue to his Disciples that they should look vp lift vp their heads as we saw before And that we should one of vs comfort incourage another it is euident froÌ„ that aduise which the Apostle Paul gaue to the Thessalonians 1. Ep. ch 4.18 The Lord himselfe shal descend from heauen c Wherefore comfort your selues one another with these words And further that we are from hence to comfort our selues against the sinister judgments of men while we walk vprightly in our callings before the Lord it may appeâ—r froÌ„ the exaÌ„ple of the same Apostle in his own practise 1. Cor. 4.3 4. As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of ye or of mans iudgmeÌ„t no I iudge not mine own self For I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord Neuerthelesse we must not so vnderstand these words of the holy Apostle as though he did simply condemne all Iudgments of men after the manner of wilfull inordinate or hauty persons who care not what any man think of theÌ„ though they walk in offensiue waies No nothing so But his meaning is that he doth principally seek to approue himself in keeping saith a good coÌ„scieÌ„ce in the sight of God wherby he was so guided that he could not easily giue any iust occasioÌ„ of any great offence in his conuersatioÌ„ toward meÌ„ And verily of all courts and assises whether ciuill or Ecclesiasticall we haue all of vs most neede to be chiefly carefull what shall at this last iudgement be either alowed or disalowed before the iudgement seate of our Sauiour Christ For if happily wee shall keepe so good a course that wee shall be approued then it mattereth not who in the meane while haue iudged and condemned vs. And as touching those that shall be then disalowed and reiected what shall it benefit them though they haue preuailed in all other courts so as euery man hath fallen before them The consideration of the righteous iudgement of God euen here in this world hath ground of much comfort as we may see by the practise of the seruants of God who haue from the vniust sentences of men prouoked to him as to the onely iust Iudge as Psal 4.1 and Psal 7. And Psal 26.1 and 35.1 c. 7. Reade also Iob chap. 19. verses 22 23 24 25 26 27. The reason is because he is the God of iudgement he to whom all iudgement doth coÌ„tinually belong For as we reade Psal 94. He that planted the eare shall not he heare c. yea as Abraham pleadeth rightly Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right But the full comfort dependeth vpon this finall iudgement that now we speake of Now secondly that we are to haue a louing longing desire with a patient waiting for this fin all iudgement and appearing of our Sauiour it may appeare vnto vs in that the Apostles doe describe the children of God by these properties First that they loue the appearing of our Sauiour 2. Tim. 2.8 Secondly that they long after it Reuel 22.17 and verse 20. Reade also Song of Songs chap. 2.16 17. and chap. 8. the last verse as Tremellius and Iunius doe translate and interpret those words Accurre c. And thirdly Luk 12.27 and Matth. 24.46 they are pronounced Blessed that doe duly waite for it For the which propertie of waiting see also 1. Cor. 1.7 Philipp 3.20 Tit. 2.13 And alwaies remember that watching must bee euermore a companion of waiting But of this more anone For to the end that we may haue this louing and longing desire after the comming of our Sauiour Christ with the comfort of a good conscience diuers other duties are necessarie as hath beene declared in our course of ministerie and preaching concerning this Article Question Now therefore which are they Answer To the end we may comfortably looke for the comming of our Sauiour to iudgment the due meditation of it must moue vs First to the leauing and forsaking of all our sinnes and the inordinate loue of this vaine transitorie world with the fickle pleasures profits and cares thereof with godly sorrow for all the sinnes and folies which we haue committed through the abuse of Gods long sufferance and patience toward vs. Secondly to the carefull watching against all sinne and vanity of heart and life with all the tentations thereof for all time to come Thirdly it must moue vs to the diligent studie and constant endeauour to minde and practise all good and godly duties in the religious feare of God and namely of the duties of loue and mercie in the relieuing and succouring of poore distressed and succourlesse Christians and of pitie and compassion ouer poore sinners in vsing all good meanes such as are holy reproofes instructions counsells perswasions and prayers to God if by any meanes they might with our selues specially those that belong vnto vs happily escape the fearefull damnation and be blessed partakers of the saluation of that great day Fourthly it must moue vs to patience in all present sufferings yea euen with ioyfulnesse in the thought and meditation thereof Fiftly it must restraine vs from all false or rash and vncharitable iudgement against any Finally the meditation of the last iudgement must admonish and confirme vs to hold fast the holy fellowship and communion of Saintes among the rest of the faithfull seruants of God Explication It is very true O therefore that it would please the Lord our God and heauenly Father so to open the eies of our minds to touch our hearts by the singer of his holie Spirit euen for our Lord Iesus Christ sake that we might once throughly beholde consider the terrour of that day which shall assuredly befull the wicked on the contrarie what that vnpeakeable ioye glorie is which our Sauiour Christ the Lord of life glory will giue to all that belong vnto him For
the helpe of the Spirit of Iesus Christ. And in the Epistle of Iude verses 20.21 c Ye beleued edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost c. And haue compassion of some in putting difference and other saue with feare pulling them out of the fire Other meanes seruing for the furtherance of these holy ordinances of God and thereby of the communion of Saints are more priuately louing instruction admonition and exhortation vsed of each Christian to other according to that instruction of the Apostle Ephes 5.19.20.21 Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes c. Submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God And Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnes of sinne For we are made partakers of Christ if we keepe sure vnto the end the beginning wherewith we are vpholden All this sheweth more fully according to that which was touched a little before that we ought to make a most precious account of the communion of Saints and to be very carefull euery one for his part according to his place and calling to make a religious practise of the same â—â—â—stion But who are to be accounted those Saints which this Article speaketh of â—â—â—wer Euery Christian whosoeuer rightly beleeueth and dutifully obeieth the Gospel of our Sauiour Christ he is a Saint euen so many as are cleansed and sanctified by the blood of Christ. â—â—â—lication 〈◊〉 proofe So indeed doe the holy Scriptures speake and so doth God himselfe dispose of this title as it is euidently to be seene 1. Cor. ch 1. verse 2. and chap. 14.33 And Ephes 5.3 Act. 9.41 And in many other places Let all prophane persons take heed therefore how they reproach this holy name by their irreligious and diuelish taunts such as this is A young Saint an olde Diuel c. Which kind of speech no doubt the Diuel himselfe an Arch-enemie of all true holines hath set on foot or rather on wheeles to runne without feare on the tongues of his hellish Schollers Whereas in truth we may say more iustly A young Diuel that is such a one as is diuelishly minded in his youth will proue an habitation for many diuels before hee come to be of any great yeeres We must be Saints yea wee must indeuour to be so euen in our youth or else surely we shall with greater difficultie breake out of the snare of the Diuell and change our wicked disposition and manners when we shall be old and so the more deeply saped in our sinnes according to that notable admonition of the Prophet Ieremy chap. 13 23. Can the blacke More change his skirne The danger of not beleeuing Article c· NOw therefore to conclude this Article Ques What is the danger of not beleeuing it of not regarding to liue as a Saint euen here vpon earth in care of leading a holy life in the Communion of Saints Answer All such as doe not beleeue loue and liue as Saints in the holy fellowship and Communion of the faihfull people and church of God here or at the least doe not earnestly repent them while they liue they shall surely dye like infidels and profane persons as they are and haue their portion with the diuels in Hell torment although they haue bin borne and brought vp in the Church though they haue made an external profession of the christian faith The proofe of this hath in effect beene set downe in this former Article For the danger ExplicatioÌ„ proofe both here and also there is all one Let vs not forsake our fellowship as the manner of some is saith the holy Apostle to the Heb chap 10.25 The which forsaking he afterward calleth a withdrawing to perdition in the last verse of that chapter To the ende this heauie danger may be auoided diuers hereticall opinions and practises and all licentious profanenes are religiously and necessarily to be shunned of vs. First touching Communion we must take heede of that false interpretation which some giue of it and therewithall that we doe neither extend it too farre neither yet contract it more then is meete The false interpretation which I speake of is of them which would haue our CoÌ„munion with our Sauiour Christ to be in a carnall or bodily manner whether they be Papists or any other The extent arising also from false interpretation is in the excesse the opinion of the Anabaptists who extend it to Communitie of goods not onely in respect of vse by charitable dispensation but also in respect of possession and ciuill right to the ouerthrowe of all propertie in them And herewithall there want not some who like the Nicolaitans of former times would vnder this colour bring in most shameful coÌ„munitie of wiues among them of the own sect On the other side the coÌ„traction or defect is of those whether Papists or Familists 〈…〉 or any other who as much as lyeth in them doe exclude or excommunicate any that doe truly beleeue in our Lord Iesus Christ from this holy Communion All such I meane all such euen of the best whosoeuer doe it either of proude conceite in themselues or otherwise presume to attempt it without iust warrant ground they erre in the defect of this Communion in that they exclude any that do of right belong vnto it Yea to speak of the worst especially they erre in excesse also in that they enrole themselues as the onely Communicants who in truth haue no part at al in this holy CoÌ„munion according to the saying of Peter to Simon Magus Act 8.21 Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this busines for thine heart is not right in the sight of God Thus therefore in the first place all hereticall opinions and practises touching Communion are to bee auoided of all such as desire vnfeinedly to haue their part in it Secondly touching the word Saints diuerse errours are likewise necessarily to be auoided both on the right hand and also on the left On the right hand the opinion of all those who imagine that there may be an inherent perfection of holines in all that be true members of the Church euen here in this life as the Donatists Nouatians 〈…〉 Familists And likewise the Papists who restraine the name Saints either to the departed out of this life more generally or else to such as the Pope canonizeth to be such in a more speciall manner On the left hand the opinion of the Libertines is necessarily to be auoided who make it their holines to doe what they list so long as they retaine a strong that is to say a diuelish and presumptuous conceite that they are good Christians And this is indeed the very perfection of all proud heretikes Atheists that they imagine whatsoeuer they doe it is no sinne in them For they doe growe in the ende to haue hard seared consciences as the Apostle writeth
not seldome giue vnto the wicked whose portion is in this life onelie more speedie and also longer continued outward prosperitie then hee doth to his owne children as in this point euen Caine and his posteritie may from the beginning be examples or instances in that they flourished and ruffled in the worlde while Adam and Eue were without posteritie from any other childe and no doubt grieued to behold the wickednes of Caine vnto the hundred and thirtith yeere of their age before God gaue them Sheth to succeede in stead of godly Abell And the same is euident from the examples of Ishmael and Esau who had eyther of them a long starte before Iaakob as touching the wealth and glorie of this present euill world Gen chapt 36.31 And herewithall also for expeditions sake let vs take the same for examples how God giueth this outward prosperitie and aduancement not onely to particular persones in their priuate estate but also to whole publike states and kingdomes though they be wicked and vngodly as it is further euident by the rising of all the chiefest Monarchies of the worlde among the Assyrians Babilonians Medes and Persians and among the Romans Yet so as their falling and dissolution is likewise determined and ordered by the Sacred prouidence of God as well as their rising according as the holy Prophesies giuen forth therof by holie inspiration from God doe plainly euict Of the which read a speciall instance Dan chap 5.25 God hath numbred thy kingdome and hath finished it saith the Prophet to king Belshazzar And generally it is most certainly determined by the Lord that not onely particular persons but also that whole Families States and Kingdoms that will not serue the Lord shall perish at the last through the iust displeasure and iudgement of God when once their day is come and the measure of their sinne is at the full As Prou 2.22 And 3.33 and 14.11 Isai 54.15 c. Ier 25.15 Zech 14.17 c. Psalme 75.4.5.6 c. God manifesteth his prouidence by his iudgements vpon the wicked from day to day in all places as we might see if we would diligently mark them He bringeth secrete sinnes many times to light verie strangelie euen before men and how much more then may wee iustlie perswade our selues that all things are naked and manifest before himselfe Thus the prouidence of God ruleth all the wicked of the earth as touching their persons and outward estate both particularlie and generallie and also priuatelie and publikelie Question But may the same also be truely affirmed concerning their soules wherein is seated the fountaine of their wickednes that they are likewise gouerned by the holie prouidence of the Lord Yea there is no doubt but it may be truly affirmed and accordingly The grouÌ„d and meaning of it it ought to be so acknowledged and beleeued of euery true beleeuer Question In what sense may it be truly affirmed and ought also to be beleeued that it is so Answere Whereas the wicked through selfe-loue and pride in themselues and of wilfull malice and despite against others they following therein the suggestion of the diuell doe endeuour by all meanes to abuse that wit and strength which they haue naturally howsoeuer God doth not vsually take away from them their wit and strength neither doth bereaue them of all meanes in such sort that they cannot neither deuise nor practise great and mischieuous enterprises yet by his ouer-reaching wisedome together with his most holie and euer-ruling power he turneth their deepest deuises and mightiest designements whatsoeuer to serue his owne most soueraigne counsell and purpose to the glorie of his owne name and the finall benefit and comfort of his Church and people ExplicatioÌ„ proofe This is notably to be seene in the violent practise of the Sabeans and Caldeans against Iob if wee compare the first and the last chapters of that booke together Likewise in the subtile practise of the wicked Iewes against our Sauiour Christ according to that Act 2.23 And in the practise of the brethren of Ioseph against him Gene. 37.27 c. For as Ioseph saith vpon comfortable experience chap 45.5 God sent me before ye for your preseruation And chapter 50.21 When yee thought euill against me God disposed it to good c. Reade also Isai chap 10 5 6 7 c. O Ashur the rod of my wrath c. But hee thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so but he imagineth to destroy and cut off not a few nations c. But when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vppon Mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the fruit of the prowd heart of the King of Ashur and his glorious and prowd lookes And chap. 37. â—8 29. Because thou ragest against me saith the Lord and thy tumult is come vp into mine eares therefore will I put my hooke into thy nostrills and my bridle in thy lippes c. And verses 36 37 38. The Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the Campe of Ashur an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand c. Yea so doth the Lord ouer-rule the counsells purposes and enterprises of the wicked that whereas they in their wilfulnesse say in themselues and of themselues that they will doe this or that euill and mischiefe God also saith in his iustice euen so often as he seeth it meete to permit and leaue them to their owne will that they shall doe it Yea God himselfe doth it by them we meane the action or thing that is done as it is a iust punishment any way eyther vpon themselues or vpon any other by them but not in respect of the euill quality nor according to the euill ends which the wicked propound to themselues in their vngodly enterprises And thus God aboue that which the wicked intend seruing his one holy counsell by them he doth neuerthelesse by that light of nature which is in them and by the rebukes of his owne spirit in such sort conuince their consciences of their wickednesse euen before they doe commit it that they stand iustly condemned in themselues for euery wicked thing which at any time they eyther minde or doe This is manifest by the examples before alledged as also by that which the Lord saith concerning the hardening of Pharaohs heart Ex. 7.3 and ch 9.12 16. and ch 10.1 20. and ch 14.4 And likewise concerning the open defiling of King Dauids wiues 2. Sa. 12.10 11 12. And according to that which the same King saith of railing Shimei that the Lord had bidden him curse Dauid ch 16.10 According also as the Lord is said to put a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs false Prophets to the end he might by their euill counsell bring euill vpon the wicked King as the Prophet Michaiah told him as we reade 1. King 22.23 Neuerthelesse GOD doth many times as pleaseth him take the wise and snarle them so in their owne crafts that he doth not onely ouerthrow their
doctrine is next to be considered of vs. Question How are wee to beleeue in our Sauiour in respect of that Answer We are to beleeue that our Sauiour Christ taught a most perfect doctrine containing both the grounds and also the sealing vp or ratification of the whole truth of God necessarie to be beleeued and obeied of vs and the whole Church for our direction in the way of saluation euen to the end of the world ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe It is very true For in this respect as we haue alreadie seene wee are to beleeue in our Sauiour as in the great Prophet sent of God whom all stand most strictly bound to heare and obey Act. 3.22.23 Heb. chap. 1. verses 1.2 and ch 1â— 25 And that our Sauiour hath taught a most perfect doctrine we may easily shew it in way of induction by collecting of the beads or chiefe points thereof set downe in the holy history of the Gospel written of him And that also so exactly and perfectly from his owne sacred mouth may iustly and as it were vpon a sure ground and foundation build our faith thereon For whereas the whole doctrine of God is comprehended either in the law or the Gospel our Sauiour hath taught all things most perfectly concerning both of them And first concerning the Law that is to say the morall law which hath a perpetual vse and authority in the Church though the ceremonies and many politicall ordinances of the law are ceased by our Sauiours comming First he teacheth the perpetuitie of it and therewith also the perfection of it to all such ends as God appointed it vnto in so much as If any shall breake the least of the commandements and teach men so our Sauiour affirmeth that he shall be least in the kingdome of God Matth. 5.17.18 19 20. Read also ch 19.16 c. Where he telleth the rich young man that this law of God is a perfect rule of mans life Thou knowest the commandements saith he Thou shalt not commit adultery c. Luke chap. 18. verse 18 c. Reade also chap. 10.28 and ch 16. verses â—9 31. Secondly our Sauiour distributeth the law most perfectly according to the seuerall contents of either table vnder the name of the first and second Commandement Matth. chap. 22. verses 36 37 38 39. The first and the great Commandement saith our Sauiour is this Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. And the second as he saith further is like vnto this to wit Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements hangeth the whole law and the Prophets saith our Sauiour the Prince of all Prophets and he by whose spirit they spake and wrote all that is written of them Reade also Mark chap. 12. verses 28. and 24. And after this saith the Euangelist there no man durst aske him any question to wit with any vaine confidence or bold conceit that they might put him to silence For they were convicted in their consciences of his most perfit knowledge according to that testimony which the expounder of the law gaue to this his answer made vnto him Thirdly as in the same place he maketh it cleare who is the true God euen the God of Israel one onely God so Luke chap. 10.29 30 c. 37. he doth by a notable parable declare whom God in his law would haue vs account to be our neighbour And Matth. 5.43 c. It hath beene said Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemies But saith our Sauiour I say vnto you loue your enemies c. Where he includeth them vnder the word neighbour against that former blinde distinction Reade also ch 7.12 Fourthly our Sauiour Christ doth most purely and faithfully cleare the right interpretation and scope of the law against the corrupt and defectiue glosses wherewith the Scribes and Pharises had obscured and peruerted the same This he doth by giuing particular instances in diuers of the commandements the sense whereof they had curtailed as one may say as we reade Matth. 5. verses 22 23 c. In which words he giueth instance concerning the 6. Commandement And verses 27.28 c. concerning the 7. Commandement And verses 33.34 c. concerning the third commandement And againe concerning the same chap. 23.16 c. And against crueltie forbidden in the 6. Commandement Likewise also at another time concerning the seuenth Commandement ch 19.3 c. Moreouer concerning the 5. Commandement chap. 15.3 4 5 6 c. Yea and generally against their tradition verse 11. shewing that the heart is principally to be cleansed or else all is to no purpose And againe concerning the 5. Commandement ch 22.18 c. Yea in that one most notable and large Sermon of our Sauiour vpon the mountaine recorded in the 5 6 and 7 chapters of matthew if we shall marke it well it will appeare that he speaketh of all the principall duties commanded in the whole decalogue or ten Commandements of the morall Lawe though not in the order of the Commaundements which was not necessarie And concerning the 4. Commandement verie often doth our Sauiour Christ both by doctrine and also by practise cleare the right vse of it and so deliuereth it from all pharisaicall and superstitious abuse Matth. 12.1 c. Luke 4.16 c. And chap. 6.1 c. And chap. 13.10 c. And Iohn chap. 5.9 c. and verses 16 17 c. and chap 7 19 20 21 22 23 24. Did not Moses giue you a law c. The sumâ—e of all concerning the interpretation which our Sauiour giueth of the Law is this that the whole Law and euery commandement thereof both pertaining to God and also to man doth not onely binde the outward man as the hand and tongue c. to obedience but euen the most inward and hidden man of the heart touching the most secret thoughts motions and intents thereof So that not onely by the prescription of the Law of God are good actions to be done but it is also required by the same Law that they be done in the right manner without all hypocrisie without vaine glorie without bitternes without flattery without enuie without desire of reuenge c. Yea and on the contrary in all vprightnes of heart and with a good conscience from faith and loue vnfeined euen to our enemies as in the sight of God in pure zeale of his glorie c. to the end that all our actions may be pleasing vnto God In this wise doth our Sauiour make it cleare how the law of God is rightly to be vnderstood and interpreted against the corrupt glosses of the Pharisies Neither is there any speciall vertue commanded by God in his holy Law which our Sauiour doth not earnestly commend and exhort vnto nor any vice of speciall note which he doth not zealously reproue and dehort from as also from the inward thought and motions thereof And to this purpose according to his speciall kinde of
was here on earth but also that which he hath spoken by the ministery of his seruants the Prophets from the beginning of the world till his comming and from the time of his ascension vp into heauen by his holy Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastors and Teachers euen to this day and so forth to the end of the world euen by all whosoeuer haue doe and shall preach his word and Gospel faithfully according as it written Iohn 7.15.16 My doctrine is not mine that is not mine alone but his that sent me Also If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe And Ioh. 10.27.28 My sheep heare my voyce I know thē they follow me And I giue vnto thē eternal life c. And 13.20 Verily verily I say vnto you if I send any he that receiueth him receiueth me he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me Read also Eph. ch 4.10 c. And Mat. 23.37 But insomuch as there be diuers kinds of those which heare the voyce of our Sauiour Christ as our Sauiour himselfe hath taught and declared by the parable of the sower whose seed fell into diuers kinds of grounds Matth. 13. and Pilate himselfe heard the sound of the voyce of Christ though he was neuer the better for it let vs for our parts therfore labour that we may be of those that do heare the voyce of our Sauiour to our eternall saluation Of the which number we shal know our selues to be if we heare the voyce of Christ speaking to vs in his Gospel by the ministery of his faithfull seruants with a minde constantly to beleeue and obey the same according to that saying of our Sauiour himselfe to those that beleeued in him Ioh. 8.31.32 If ye continue in my word ye are verily my disciples And ye shal know the truth the truth shal make ye free For as he saith further Ioh. 14.6 I am the way the truth the life No man cōmeth vnto the Father but by me And as S. Paul truly testifieth Eph. 4.20.21 where remēbring to the christian Ephesians the vaine wicked thoughts and works of other Gentiles not yet cōuerted vnto God writeth thus But ye haue not so learned Christ If so be ye haue heard him haue bin taught by him as the truth is in Iesus c. Thus thē we see how we are to vnderstād the most wise graue answers of our Sauiour to the examinatiō of Pilate And this is that good cōfession which the Apostle so solemnizeth 1. Tim. 6.13 where he maketh it a speciall clause in that zealous contestation and charge which he giueth Timotheus that he doe obserue and as much as lay in him to cause to be obserued the precepts conteined in that his epistle without spot and vnrebukeable vntil the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ The groūd and history of his second examination or arraignement before Caiaphas I charge thee saith the holy Apostle in the sight of God and before Iesus Christ who vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession That thou keepe this Commandement without spot c. And herewithall we see how that which Pilate scornfully reiecteth asking What is truth and so turneth his backe vpon our Sauiour Christ is a matter of most worthy and reuerend regard Now therefore that we may say something concerning Pilate in his dealing with our Sauiour Christ we may perceiue by his questions the which beginning with more Candor or ingenuitie and equity of minde as a man may say by and by sauoured of pride and afterward ended in open contempt that howsoeuer his course is to be preferred before the proceeding of the Iewes ' yet he is not simply to be cōmended For in this beginning he sheweth himself to be a very wicked mā hauing more care to please the wicked humors of men thē to obey the holy wil of God And afterward as we shal see further euē against his own cōscience he groweth in cōclusion as corrupt in his dealing as the Iewes thēselues in satisfying their wicked desire in cōdēning of him yea more thē they desired for he caused him to be scourged most reprochfully abused To this end and purpose let vs goe forward to trace out the vnconscionable dealing of this euill and corrupt Magistrate For not able to resist the answers of our Sauiour Christ but holding them in conscience for a iust Apology and defence he goeth forth againe vnto the Iewes as the Euangelist Iohn declareth and saith vnto them I finde in him no cause at all Here is therefore a plaine iustifying of our Sauiour by the verdict of Pilates owne conuicted conscience whom yet afterward he condemneth to satisfie the rage of the Iewes though he found then no more cause then he did now but still pronounced him innocent againe and againe as we shall see further in the times and places thereof In the meane season that we may vnderstand what followed vpon the first clearing of our Sauiour Christ by Pilate we are to resort to the Euangelist Luke as we reade chap. 23. ver 4 5 c. First therefore Which are the words of the Euangelist in those two verses 4 Then said Pilate to the high Priests and to the people I find no fault in this man 5 But they were the more fierce saying He moueth the people teaching throughout all Iudea beginning at Galile euen to this place This indeed is the holy History continued by S. Luke But yet for a further supply touching this point we must here take in that which the Euangelist Matthew writeth ch 27.12 13 14. And the Euangelist Marke ch 15.3 4 5. Which are the words of either Euangelist in those places The words of the Euangelist Matthew are these Matth. 27. 12 And when he was accused of the chiefe Priests and Elders he answered nothing 13 Then said Pilat vnto him Hearest thou not how many things they lay against thee 14 But he answered him not a word insomuch that the Gouernour maruelled greatly The words of the Euangelist Marke are like to these of Matthew Marke 15. 3 And the high Priest saith Marke accused him of many things 4 Wherefore Pilate asked him againe saying Answerest thou nothing Behold how many things they witnes against thee 5 But Iesus answered no more at all so that Pilate maruelled Thus then all the Euangelists laid together the narration of this second examination of our Sauiour Christ by Pilate in the presence of the Iewes is this that Pilate iustifieth our Sauiour Christ vpon his first examination the Iewes accuse our Sauiour Christ of many things yea they are the more fierce by occasion of Pilates clearing of him as one minding to haue dismissed him Pilate prouoketh our Sauiour to answer to the accusations of the Iewes but our Sauiour is altogether silēt vnlesse we admit here that at this time Pilat asked him again Art
wit before God and good men maketh agreement betwixt righteous men As Tremellius wel translateth and interpreteth that seÌ„tence Wherefore far better had it bin either for Pilate or Herod to haue remained in former enmitie which soeuer of them had sought true peace and reconciliation with God and our Sauiour Christ then to be thus reconciled betwixt themselues by ioyning as it were in Giantlike battell against the God of heauen ANd thus leauing this examination of our Sauiour before Herod and the sufferings thereof laide vp in our minde let vs proceede to that which followeth concerning his renewed examinations and troubles throughout all the proceedings of Pilate Question How doth it follow in the holy Storie Answere Vpon the returne of our Sauiour Christ to Pilate thus the storie is continued by the Euangelist Luke 13. Then Pilate called together the high Priests and the Rulers of the people 14. And saide vnto them yee haue brought this man vnto me as one that peruerted the people and behold I haue examined him before you and haue found no fault in this man of those things whereof ye accuse him 15. Noe nor yet Herod for I sent you to him and loe nothing worthy of death is done by him 16. I will therefore chastise him and let him loose ExplicatioÌ„ Here the Euangelâ—st Luke declareth that when Pilate sawe his former deuise to be at an ende and yet continuing to make some conscience of giuing vniust sentence of death against our Sauiour whom he iudged to be innocent as most iustly he might well so deeme he falleth to the practise of two other deuises which he had in his head But euery one worse then other all onely increasing the trouble and sufferings of our most blessed Sauiour and no way working any reliefe either to him or to his cause And no maruell for beside that the iustice of God must take place insomuch as our Sauiour by his diuine appointment and of his owne willing submission must beare the fearefull punishment of mans sinne euen to death for the full satisfaction and redemption thereof and therefore all the practises to the contraâ—ie must of necessitie be so farre off from hindering that they must through the almightie prouidence of God rather further the same beside this I say no maruell though Pilates policies tooke no good effect to the relieuing of our Sauiour who neither needed nor sought any of his reliefe insomuch as Pilate did not any thing of all that he might seeme to doe of loue and reuerence to our Sauiour but onely for the loue he did beare to himselfe if happily he could haue loued himselfe aright that he migâ—t relieue his owne snarled conscience and dangerous estate For on the one side he feared the present tumultuous rage of the Iewes as not knowing what it might growe vnto neither if he should not satisfie them what after complaints their malice might frame against him at Rome before Tiberius the Emperour and on the other side hee feared lest for the auoiding of these euills he should be condemned of his own conscience if he should yeeld to satisfie the Iewes malice by pronouncing the vniust sentence of death against Christ Thus stood Pilate perpelxed concerning this most high cause of iudgement God himselfe noe doubt as was meete awakening his conscience euen from that naturall light and ground of equitie which is reserued in euery one that hath not violently put it out that no innocent and guiltles person ought to be condemned And therefore seeing at this time the condemnation of him that is not onely the most innocent The grouÌ„d and history of his examination accusation bâ—fore Pilate but also actually the most righteous man yea the onely perfect righteous of all men yea more then a man both God and man commeth into question and that before a mortall man how could it be otherwise then that he must be troubled aboue that he himselfe being a profane man should see or know any full and sufficient cause of it Neuertheles to the end it might be euident vnto vs and to the whole church that all light of nature reacheth no further then to leaue vs all without excuse and that our onely true direction and stay must be in that grace which is powred into vs from the sanctifying and regenerating spirit of God according to the light of his holy word Pilate is set forth as vpon a Theater to the viewe of the whole world for a paterne of that notable lightnes and vanitie and iniustice which is in mans corrupt nature The which notwithstanding it hath all the most graue inducements and incouragements and admonitions that may be to deale iustly and vprightly yet it is soone turned out of the way and vtterly wresteth it selfe against God whom it ought most dutifully and constantly in all vprightnes to serue For Pilate beginning tolerably well as we would thinke and indeed did begin commendably in comparison of the Iewes as hath beene before obserued yet by little and little putting out as it were the eye of his owne conscience grew to the same euill issue with the most wicked Iewes who had before pulled out not onely the eye of their naturall light but also that eye of vnderstanding which they ought to haue reserued in them cleare and bright from the word of God Wherby they might haue learned to knowe Christ to be their onely Lord and Sauiour whom they should most willingly haue acknowledged and most humbly reuerenced and obeyed and not thus most spitefully and blasphemously to haue pursued and persecuted And thus in Pilate together with his coÌ„panie as also in Herod and his band and in the high Priest Caiphas and his conspiracie all both Iewes and Gentiles are most famously conuicted by their practises that all are traitors and rebels against the Maiestie of God and iustly inwrappe◠〈◊〉 the same condemnation euer since the first traiterous conspiracie of our first parents with the Diuel against him Neither may we except our selues or any other in any age but all of vs through the corruption of nature are so attainte that rather then we would want of our owne wicked lustes we could be well content that God were pulled out of his throne Vnto all this doth the example of Pilate in his inconstant and deceiuable and vnequall proceedings vnder a coloure of iustice worthily lead vs euen to the humbling of vs all before the onely incorrupt and pure iudgement seate of God But that we may proceede in the holy story it is necessarie that we come to the consideration of the proceedings of Pilate in the particulars thereof First therefore as the Euangelist Luke telleth vs in the wordes last answered Pilate calleth together the high Priests and Rulers of the people and maketh an Oration vnto them solemnly iustifying and acquiting our Sauiour Christ in expresse words as touching the accusatioÌ„s of the Iewes And that not onely by his owne authoritie knowledge but
effect of these beginnings of the sufferings of our Sauiour in the forgiuenes of the grieuous sinne of Peter The Comforts belonging to his examination before the high Priest and in the blessed gift of repentance bestowed vpon him as appeareth in that this so great a mercy followed immediatly vpon the looking backe of our Sauiour vpon Peter It may be comfortable to vs also that God shewed so heauie a vengeance as he did cast vpon Iudas that most wicked Traitour for the terrifying of all the malitious aduersaries of our Sauiour and for the declaration of his diuine loue towards him For howsoeuer as was saide the hatred and curse of God fell vpon our Sauiour for our sinne insomuch as hee set himselfe in our stead before his tribunall seat of iudgement and tooke vpon him our guiltines c. Yet in regard of the vnspotted holines of the humane nature of our Sauiour Christ of the righteousnes of his life yea of his obedience to the will of God vnto death euen the death of the Crosse but specially in regard that the same humane nature was vnited to the diuine in one most holy and diuine Person it was vnpossible that God the Father should not most perfectly and most constantly loue him he being his Sonne according to that most solemne protestation from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And further also it may iustly be very comfortable to vs in that we may not amisse conceiue from hence that howsoeuer God cannot but hate the roote and remnanâ—s of sinne in our wicked nature simply considered in the corruption of it yet in that the children of God are regenerated vnto God as they that are borne againe of his owne Spirit it cannot be but that God for his Son our Lord Iesus Christes sake must loue all such and the work of his own holy grace in them so that he wil surely cherish it by all meanes yea euen when hee doth afflict them most sharply and for the time most vncomfortably to their owne thinking We may from hence also see as in a cleare glasse that he vtterly misliketh the enemies of his adopted children although hee doth permit them to trouble and vexe them for a season in very vncomfortable and strange manner and measure And againe it renueth in speciall manner one of the former comforts that Iudas is constrained from the testimonie of his own guilty conscience to giue witnes to the innocencie of our Sauiour Christ and that he had no cause in all the world though he was priuy to all the course of our Sauiour he being in the place of a neare seruant yea of a familiar friend why he should deale so treacherously against him as he did ANd that we may now proceede to Pilate to whom our Sauiour was sent by the high Priest it is likewise very comfortable that he iustifieth our Sauioâ—r Christ and yet further that Herod could suggest no cause no not from all that knowledge or heare-say of his dealings which hee had why hee should be accounted worthy any punishment Of the same kinde of comfort is this that Pilates wife was greatly troubled lest her husband should be miscarried by the enuie of the Iewes to doe any thing against our Sauiour whom shee reputed for any thing that euer shee could know or heare to be a speciall iust man Haue thou nothing to doe saith she with that iust man This also may fuâ—ther confirme our comfort in the righteousnes of our Sauiour because Pilate himselfe was greatly troubled in the whole course of his groundlesse proceeding euen from the beginning to the end as one going and doing against his conscience in all that he did or permitted to be done against our Sauiour as appeareth plainely in that he professeth sondry times that he held our Sauiour to be an innocent man and that hee held the Iewes to doe all that which they did of meere malice and enuie against him Yea so that at the mention of this that our Sauiour should be the sonne of God hee trembled and feared greatly like as it is said that Felix trembled at Paules preaching Moreouer it is greatly comfortable to vs when we consider that which is written of this most reuerend Person the Sonne of God The Comforts belonging to his Condemnation and crucifying our Lord and Sauiour that he boldly professed and witnessed a good confession of his spirituall kingdome before Pontius Pilate and consequently that hee is our King able and willing to defend vs c. Neither is the comfort of this small vnto vs that our Sauiour Christ refused not to be reiected and condemned not as some small trespasser but as a most grieuous malefactor worse then Barabbas or any other notorious sinner and accordingly to be afterward hanged vp betweene two notable thieues and robbers For hereby he hath plainly and in the sight of all the world shewed himself to be such a Sauiour as hath made ful satisfaction for vs and al the elect of God how grieuous sinners so euer we haue beene For not onely smaller trespassers such as are so accounted among vs though in truth not so but also grieuous offenders such as are condemned of al men euen they are acquited by our Sauiour Christ whosoeuer doe beleeue in his name repent them of their sinnes It was in deede notorious wickednes in the Iewes to reiect Christ and to choose Barabbas as the Apostle Peter doth iustly most grauely and deeply charge them Act. 3.13 and chap. 4.11 and the Apostle Paul chap. 13.28 But the blessed counsell of God was herein to our vnspeakable comfort insomuch as now we are assured that There is no condemnation to them that be in Christ. Rom chap. 8.1 and verses 33.34 Likewise the scourging of our Sauiour though grieuous and smarting to his holy flesh bringeth no little consolation to vs insomuch as wee know that by his stripes we are healed as we are taught Isai 53.5 The chasticement of our peace was vpon him saith the holy Prophet and with his stripes we are healed And no lesse true and there withall no lesse comfortable is it that our Sauiour Christ induring the derision and scornings of the wicked against his Person and Kingdome hath thereby deliuered vs from that ignominious sinne of ambitious pride and aspiring against God which came in from the beginning And not onely so but for that he hath also procured this great honour vnto vs that we are in a spirituall manner made Kings vnto God in that he hath obtained this grace for vs by this his debasing of himselfe in the sight of God and vnder his hand that we should tread all wicked pride vnder our feete and suppresse euery haughty thought which is ready in our sinfull nature to aduaunce it selfe against God HEerewith also it cannot be but very comfortable for vs to obserue that God would not in any wise haue our Sauiour condemned and made away in a
to take heede that we be not as the Iewes were a hard hearted and rebellious people to despise the counsels and iudgements of God and to oâ—pose our selues against Christ but contrariwise to learne euen from these reuerend workes then wrought by the mightie hand of God to esteeme most reuerendly of him as of the glorious Sonne of God And to take incouragement to lead the liues of the righteous as becommeth the Saints of God that so wee may both dye the death of the righteous and also be partakers oâ— their resurrectioÌ„ in so much as the opening of thoâ—e graues was a testimonie from heauen to declare that all graues shall one day giue vp their dead as the graues of these Saints did Explication and proofe We may indeede iustly be admonished from the consideration of these reuerend workes of God wrought at that instant to be carefull of these duties both in iudgement and also in practise lest iâ— we should bâ—e like the wicked Iewes that should come vpon vs which fell on them as the more ancient imprecation of the holy Prophet might iustly cause vs to feare Psal 28.5 They regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands therefore breake them downe and build them not vp This ruine brought the wicked builders among the Iewes vpon themselues and vpon their people because they rushed themselues so proudly against this building of the Lord yea euen against the foundation stone which his owne hands had most tryly squared and laied God of his infinite mercy deliuer and preserue vs alwaies from that wicked profane and obstinate mind for Iesus Christs sake Amen But let vs come to those effectes which these reuerend workes of God and the rare manner of the death of our Sauiour wrought in the hearts of the beholders yea euen in the hearts of the most part of the profane and wicked persecutors of him Question What ought we to learne from them Answer That feare which tooke hold of them on a sodaine by their beholding of them ought to take a setteled abode in vs for euer by our continuall reading hearing and meditating vpon them That good testimonie which they gaue concerning our Sauiour after a sort constrainedâ—y and by forcible or terrible euiction ought to be yeelded of vs most willingly and gladly Finally to the end we may auoide confounding terrour and compunction yea vtter desolation with the obstinate sort of the Iewes and to the end wee may on the contrarie haue peace to our consciences we must take heede that wee doe nothing either of our selues or by the instigation of others against Christ or against his truth or against any true Christian professing his bâ—essed name to the least hinderance of the truth but all that we can for Christ and for his truth and for all that are Christs for his truthes sake ExplicatioÌ„ proofe To these purposes indeede may the examples which God hath set before vs stand vs in very good and profitable vse God giue vs grace to make such good vses of them and namely from those excellent weomen who would by no meanes be feared from the profession of their loue and dutie to our Sauiour neither in death nor after Let their example teach vs to account it a shame for vs now since the time of the resurrectioÌ„ of our Sauiour c. not to profes his name notwithstanding any terrour of the wicked or any losse or hurt that might any way grow vnto vs thereby Otherwise these women shall rise vp against vs at the last day And whereas we cannot now doe the offices of loue to our Sauiour himselfe let vs doe them to our Christian brethren in his stead according as iust occasioÌ„ shal be offered seeing as we know our Sauiour doth account that done to himselfe which is done to the least of them Neither let men onely be carefull but women also seeing the example is of women For seeing they are heires of the same grace let them as companions with men be carefull to performe like dutie with them Now in the next place what duties may this require of vs that God in his diuine prouidence did as well fulfill his owne will in frustrating the will and desire of the Iewes touching the breaking of the legges of our Sauiour as in leauing him that pierced our Sauiour with his speare to his owne wicked will and so in either of them fulfill the prophesies of the holy Scriptures Question What duties may the consideration of this require at our hands Answer We are herein greatly to praise and glorifie the name of God because he hath hereby in a very liuely manner manifested and confirmed vnto vs the certaintie of his holy counsels against all doubtfull contingencie of contrary euents Wherevpon also wee may well learne to confirme our hearts with all comfort and peace in beleeuing to commit our selues to the same his most faithfull and diuine prouidence while wee walke in his holy waies and that euen without feare of any the least euill to fall vpon vs aboue that he shall thinke good or otherwise then he will turne it to our singular benefite in the humbling and trying of vs therewithall Explication proofe The consideration hereof mâ—y iustly teach vs so much indeed And therefore as well counselleth a learned and godly Preacher Precemur Deum vti nobis hanc gratiam largiatur vt in omnibus angustijs difficultatibus ad sacrosanctam eius tutisimam prouidentiam vt ad sacram anchoram confugiamus patienter exitum illius expectantes vt pulchre monet Psalmus 27. quò tandem cum eodem Propheta verè in has laudes erumpamus Exspectando exspectani Iehouam inclinauit sese ad me audiuit clamorem meum Psalm 40.1 That is Let vs pray to GOD that hee would giue vs this grace that in all our straites and difficulties wee may flye to his most holy and safe prouidence The Duties in râ—spect of his buriall and coÌ„tinuance in the graue as vnto a holy ancre-hold patiently waiting for that issue which he will giue as the 27. Psalme doth notably admonish To the ende that at the last wee may with the same Prophet vpon iust occasion breake forth into these praises I haue earnestly or patiently waited vpon the Lord and he inclined himselfe vnto me and heard my cry Psalm 40.1 LEt vs come to the consideration of the buriall of our Sauiour Question What duties ought the comfort of faith to yeeld in this respect Answer To speake generally all the duties belonging to the comfort of faith in our Sauiour in respect of his death they may be furthermore required at our handes in regard of his buriall the which together with his continuance in the graue is a further confirmation of his death and of the fruites and benefites thereof Explication proofe This standeth with good reason For as the buriall is a further confirmation of his death so
trie and examine his doctrine to be a meere impostor and a most dangerous seducer Finallie the true comming of our blessed Lord and Sauiour is yet to come the comming of that false Christ which H. N. teacheth is as he saith allready at this day Neither if wee giue him any credit that is if wee will beleeue a most false and fantasticall Hereticke is there any other day to be looked for as hee both writeth and affirmeth expressely in that his booke which hee calleth The ioyfull Message The true comming of our most blessed Sauiour therfore is not that comming which the most accursed H. N. would haue vs to beleeue without anie further expectation or waiting for Let vs therfore bouldlie reiect N. H. with all his false and hereticall doctrine But we are not to reiect him alone but diuerse other also in respect of their false conceits against the truth of this Article in any branch of it either concerning the blessed estate of the godly or the cursed and wofull estate of the wicked for euer and euer by vertue of this iudgement For it shall be in vaine to dreame with the Chiliastes as if after a thousand yeares the damned should be deliuered from their torment or with those that are called Misericordes who vnder pretence of Gods mercie imagine that he will condemne none to be punished eternally but will after a certaine time release them Wherein they making themselues more mercifull then God they doe thereby also destroy his most glorious and eternall iustice Of which sort of false interpreters of this last iudgement of our Sauiour Christ we may read in Augustine in his 21. booke De ciuitate Dei cap 8 9 10. and 17 18 19 20 21 22. Vnto whom also doe the popish sort approch in their fancies about limbus and their purgatorie fire as if sinnes could bee otherwise satisfied for then by the blood of Iesus Christ or otherwise bee apprehended then by a true and liuely faith to perfect iustification while men liue here in this world Neither are they to be regarded that vainely dispute of that euerlasting fire which is threatened for the punishment of wicked men and of the wicked Angels as though no spirit were subiect to the feeling of fire c. For God knoweth well enough to verifie euery iudgement that hee hath denounced neither wil he be failing in the executioÌ„ of this the last of all which shall be as a perpetuall sealing vp and ratifying of all the rest Finally most damnable are those mockers which the Apostle Peter hath prophesied of euen all they in whom the same prophesie is at this day fulfilled who account this doctrine of the comming of our Sauiour to iudgement no better then a fable and therefore doe despise all whatsoeuer is spoken of it But it is certaine that they shall one day finde to their endles terrour and woe that God will in good earnest bee auenged of all their mockings For hee will surely come and hee will bring his wages with him as the holy Scriptures doe teach at what time the full paiment of the wicked shall be no more delaied then the reward of the godly shall according to that which wee reade Isai ch 40 10. and ch 62 11. and Reuel 22.12 Yea both holy Scripture and also reason and the conscience of euery one not seared as it were with a hote yron and hardened doe euict that it shal and must be so Touching the holy Scriptures and the testimonie thereof we haue seene it so plentifully auouched before that we need not now stand to produce them againe And that it standeth vpon good reason euery man that will not put out his owne eyes may easily see For seeing God is iust it cannot be but it must one day goe thenceforth perfitly well with those whom he loueth and fauoureth and whom he hath persitly iustified in our Sauiour Christ And likewise it cannot be but perfite iustice must one day and for euer be executed vpon the wicked according to their demerites The which because it is not in this world which is a time of the long suffering of God it must needs be in an other And so the Apostle Paul reasoneth and teacheth vs to reason to our comfort euen as he taught the Thessalonians 2. Ep chap 1. verses 4 5 6 7 8.9 10 11 12. Your patient induring of afflictions and tribulations which ye suffer saith he is a token of the righteous iudgement of God that ye may be accounted worthy of the kingdome of God for the which ye also suffer For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you that are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels In flaming fire rendring vengeance c. And againe 1. Cor 15.19 If in this life onely we haue hope in Christ we are of all men the most miserable But it is not so And therefore shall that be generally accompâ—â—â—hed concerning all afflicted Christians and against all the wicked which is spoken of the rich man and Lazarus You in your life time will God say receiued pleasure and the godly paines Now therefore are they comforted and you are tormented It is true that as we read 1 Pet 4 17 18 19. Iudgement beginneth at the house of God But as the same Apostle saith further If it first beginne at vs what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God And if the righteous be scarcely saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Iustice also is accounted among men to haue the due course though the full iudgement and execution of those that are coÌ„mitted to prison be deferred til the daies appointed for the sessions assises And therefore why should we not much rather esteeme the iustice of God to be effectuall though the finall and full iudgement day which shall bee as it were the generall assises for the whole world be deferred vntill the dissolution and end thereof And finally the conscience no doubt of euery man that is not grossely hardened seeleth a kinde of smmons in himselfe concerning this last iudgement as was saide according to that saying of the Apostle Paul Rom 2 15. their conscience bearing witnes and their thoughts accusing one an other or excusing Wherefore beloued in the Lord howsoeuer it is with any mockers or mis-interpreters of this holy Article of our faith let vs vndoubtedly beleeue it in that true sense which the holy Scriptures themselues doe report and teach the same vnto vs. Yea let vs beleeue it as that which is necessary for the establishing of our faith in all the rest and for the confirming of the whole fruite and benefite of them vnto vs for euer And in the hope thereof let vs I beseech yee carefully prepare our selues that wee may be found such as wee ought to be walking in the holy duties aboue specified And namely let
regard of the stabilitie of the whole church and euery true member thereof according to that of the same Apostle 2. Tim 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his And thus as it is written Heb 6.18.19 The stablenes of the counsell of God afordeth vs strong consolation vpon the which the ancre of our soules that is the hope which is set before vs may bee sure and steadfast in heauen against all the stormes and tempests which we shall meete withall while we sayle as it were in the discomfortable and dangerous Sea of this wicked troublesome world Read also Mat 16.18 The gates of hell shall not ouercome the Church There be likewise many comfortable testimonies in the holy Prophets As Psal 46.5 c. God is in the midest of it therfore shall it not be moued And Ps 125 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion c. Isai 54.17 All the weapons that are made against thee shal not prosper c Ioel 2 32. In mount Sion and in Ierusalem shal be deliuerance And chap 3 20. Likewise Obad verse 17. And Micah 7.20 God will performe his truth to Iaakob and mercie to Abraham c. But to the end we may haue our part in this so singular a comfort How may we be assured Question that wee are in the number of the elect of God and consequently true members of the holy catholike Church of God Hereby may we knowe that we are the elect of God Answer if so be we haue receiued his Spirit of adoption and sanctification ExplicatioÌ„ proofe We may doe so indeede For so saith the Apostle Iohn 1 Ep ch 4 13. Hereby we knowe that we dwell in God and God in vs because hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit The which Spirit also as wee haue seene before is as the earnest or seale of our election to salution And therefore it beareth the name of the Spirit of adoption c. Question But that we faile not nor be deceiued in this our comfort how may we know that God hath giuen vs of his Spirit and that wee are sealed thereby vnto redemption and saluation Answer We may know it certainly by the inward effects which the holy Spirit of God worketh in vs and by the outward effects of holines which the same Spirit inableth vs to performe and causeth our Spirits to take delight and pleasure therein from a pure heart with a good conscience and through faith vnfeined ExplicatioÌ„ proofe You answer truly and well For so doth the Apostle Iohn mentioned euen now teach vs 1 Ep ch 2 v. 3. Hereby we are sure that we knowe him if we keepe his commandements And ch 3 23.24 This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement For he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him hereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs. Now this Spirit leadeth vs into the obedience of Gods commandements whereby also it is discerned to be in vs. Prouided alwaies that our obedience be as was answered out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained According to that of the Apostle Paul 1 Tim 1 5. Moreouer the fruits of the Spirit whereby his abiding in vs may be assured vnto vs are in many particulars reckoned vp by the Apostle Paule Gal 5 22 23 And Eph 5. v. 9 in many other places Wherein if we take delight with care to practise them in our liues we may assure our selues that God hath giuen vs his Spirit And namely The Duties if we shall be carefull to acquaint our selues with prayer and supplication to God for the increase of these his good gifts and graces For this is a speciall propertie of the Spirit of adoption and sanctification as the same Apostle teacheth vs Rom 8 15. Whereby and by the other fruites of sanctification before mentioned the Apostle doth in the same place verses 14 and 16.17 assure vs that we are such as belong to God and to whom the inheritance of the kingdome of God doth belong For saith he as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If wee be children we are also heires euen heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that â—ee may also be glorified with him And marke this well that among many other things the holy Apostle sheweth vs that our willing suffering with Christ that is while wee walke in the holy waies of God is a sure token that wee are in the number of the elect children of God For as he saith further verse 29. of the same chapter Those whom God knewe before he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his Sonne to wit euen in the induring of afflictions c. And to the same purpose of comforting and incouraging of all such that they are the vndoubted children of God tendeth all that which followeth euen to the end of that most comfortable chapter Whervnto also the testimonie of the Apostle Peter serueth notably in the first chapter of his 2. Epistle verses 5 6 7 8.9 10 11. Therefore giue all diligence therevnto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge And with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue c. For as the Apostle saith hereby we shall make our calling and election sure And he assureth vs in the name of the Lord that if we doe these things we shall neuer fall but that an enterance shall bee ministred vnto vs aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Read also Ps 15. where the Spirit of God by his holy Prophet maketh the same conclusion from a rehearsall of sundrie like vertues in the former part of the Psalme And thus we see that the comfort of faith coÌ„cerning the Article of the holy catholike Church of God is very great and manifold in respect both of the vniuersalitie and holines of it and chiefly in regard of the holy election of God Hetherto therefore of the vse of the doctrine of this Article for the comfort of faith WE are now to inquire likewise after the vse of it touching the fruites of obedience and that in the same order wherein we haue inquired of the Comforts Question First therefore what is the dutie belonging to the comfort of faith concerning the vniuersalitie of the Church Answer Insomuch as there is but one Church of God and that without it here