sometimes through couetousnesse sometimes through fauour and sometimes through a respect they had to aduance their kindred such as are altogether vnfit for such high places Pelarg. in 4. cap. Numer Hence it is that Sixtus the fourth is iustly charged and challenged to haue instituted the sonne of Ferdinand King of Naples beeing a childe to Ecclesiasticall orders which the heathen for a reuerent respect they had to sacerdotall dignities would neuer haue done and gaue him the ouersight and circumspection of the Church of Tarentum Leo the tenth of the house of Medices being a childe of thirteene yeares of age was made Cardinal by Innocentius the eight Thus hath the chaire of Moses beene defiled if Moses chaire haply were then among them whereof wee may dispute and demurre not without iust cause The wise man saith in his Ecclesiastes chap. 10 16. Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a childe so we may say truely Woe vnto thee O Church where thy Minister is a childe that knoweth not how to goe in and out before the people This is a foule abuse and cannot stand with the institution of God well may such vnseasoned timber serue to build vp Babel but in the house of God it can haue no place It is as vntempered morter fitte enough to set together a false church Where the people are children caried about with euery waue and are without knowledge nay refuse the meanes of knowledge it is Gods iudgement to send theÌ„ children to be set ouer them that so one child may leade another by the hand children in age such as are children in gifts We conclude then that the popish Church is a childish Church and the Romane Byshoppe is a childish Byshop or else he would neuer haue ordained children to that calling and laid his hands vpon them and appointed them to such functions Secondly it reproueth such as hauing the ouersight of the Church to make Ministers The second reproofe do indeed commit a foule ouersight through carelesnesse and neglect of their duty and so thrust vpon the church such as are vnwise and vndiscreete who are as vnconscionable in executing as they were carelesse in chusing of them For albeit these that are thus ordained be not young in yeares yet they are yong in manners There are two sorts of young men and there are two sorts of old men Some are young in age others are young in conditions so that albeit they doe not make choise of little children yet they make choise of such as are little better whereas men of grauity and entire conuersation ought to be elected and not rash headed persons obtruded vpon the Church This was the cause why Paul left Titus in Crete that hee should ordaine Elders in euery City and for this cause he chargeth Timothy that hee should doe nothing through partiality neyther lay his hand rashly vpon any man lest he were partaker of their sinne For when as a man is ordained through fauour and friendship or other sinister and sinfull respect who hauing the doore of entrance opened vnto him maketh hauock of the Lords flocke partly by teaching corruptly and partly by liuing scandalously hee that doth ordain him is guilty of those crimes and himselfe may be charged to be a false teacher and an euill liuer For whosoeuer doth not hinder the sinnes of others but giue way vnto them that they passe forward is partaker of them he that beareth with them and winketh at them is as well guilty as hee that walketh in them Hence it is that hee exhorteth Timothy to keepe himselfe pure and vnspotted But peraduenture they will obiect Obiection they knew not what he was they were ignorant of his wickednesse and loosenesse Answer But this doth not excuse them because they ought not rashly to haue giuen him admission vntil they had made diligent search and inquisitioÌ„ Such as were to buy a bondslaue were wont to demand the Physition touching him to aske of the neighbours and to require a time to make tryall of him and therfore much more ought there if in any thing else to be aduise and deliberation taken when any is to be admitted to the calling of a Minister and no place left either for feare or fauour Basil Mâ—â—â— â— eyther for hatred or couetousnesse For iudgement is corrupted foure waies Sometimes through feare when we shake and shrinke backe from speaking the truth for feare of offending great persons So did Pilate wrest the Lawe and sinne against his owne conscience for feare of Caesar because they cryed out We haue no King but Caesar Iohn 19 12. if thou let this fellow goe thou art not Caesars friend Somtimes through couetousnes when we are corrupted through bribes and hired for money which blinde the eyes of the wise Exod. 23 â— and peruert the words of the righteous So did Felix gape after gaine and looked for rewards Acts 24 26. Hee hoped also that money should haue beene giuen him of Peul that he might loose him Sometimes through hatred and malice for as Naboths vineyard was Ahabs sicknesse a strange disease so he dealt corruptly with Michaiah because he hated him and could not abide him 1 Kin. 22 8 27. He put him in prison and fed him with bread of affliction and with water of afflictioÌ„ yet he had done nothing worthy of imprisonment or of death Lastly through fauour and friendship wheÌ„ we seeke to gratifie and pleasure our kinsmen or acquaintance as Pilate did to please Herod and for that care not what wrong we doe to others Wherefore the Lord would not haue the poore man countenanced in his cause Exod. 23 3. And Festus the Deputy saith It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliuer any man to die 〈◊〉 25 16. 〈◊〉 7 51. before that he which is accused haue the accusers face to face and haue licence to answer for himselfe All which corruptions of iustice if they ought to bee farre from the tribunals of earthly Iudges much more ought they to be remoued from the Courts and Consistories of the Church-officers whensoeuer the question is in hand of admitting any to the holy Ministery or of remouing any from the Ministery This is a capitall sinne and yet alasse there is not that conscience made of it that ought to be It is a sinne that draweth on many others as it were with cart-ropes It giueth encouragement to him that is ordained to goe forward in his sinnes when hee considereth by whose meanes he was admitted For thus he strengthneth and emboldeneth himselfe to go forward If I were not in good case such persons as sway the matters of the church would neuer haue giuen me entrance It heartneth and helpeth forward others of like quality to resort vnto them for spirituall preferment and promotion who say to themselues Why may not I get into the Ministery as well as such a one I am not worse and more vnworthy then he I cannot be a more beast
many of the cheefest among the Iewes withheld the tithes and offerings from them to whom they were due by the expresse gift of God Verse 11. so that the house of God was forsaken he was mercifull vnto him againe and spared him and made him to bee magnified of all the people according to the saying of the Lord 1 Sam. 2 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise mee shall be lightly esteemed Consider with me farther another example to wit touching Ebed-melech The fourth example when as the Prophet Ieremy by false suggestions and accusations was thrust into the dungeon where was no water but mire so that he sunke down and stucke fast in it and must of necessity perish in short time if he were not speedily deliuered this stranger spake to the King for him and was content to take vpon him the enuy of many that he might expose himselfe vnto My Lord the King these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet whom they haue cast into the dungeon and hee is like to dye for hunger in the place where he is for there is no more bread in the City Ier. 38 9. So he drew him vp with cords and tooke him vp out of the dungeon What then He that remembred Ieremy in prison hath his owne life giuen him for a prey and he that lifted vp the Prophet out of the dungeon is assured also of his owne deliuerance God doth greatly accept of the compassion he shewed and rewarded it to the full so that Ieremy is sent vnto him with this ioyfull message in those miserable daies when Ierusalem was taken by the enemies the Princes were slaine with the sword Zedekiah the King had his eyes put out his sonnes were slaine before his face the Kings house was burned with fire the walles of the City were broken downe and the remnant of the people were carried away into captiuity in the middest of all these tumults publike calamities I say rhe Prophet receiueth a commandement from God to goe vnto this godly Ethiopian being one of the Eunuches that was in the Kings house and to say vnto him Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Behold I will bring my words vpon this Citty for euill and not for good and they shall bee accomplished in that day before thee but I will deliuer thee in that day saith the LORD and thou shalt not be giuen into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid for I will surely deliuer thee and thou shalt not fall by the sword but thy life shall be for a prey vnto thee because thou hast put thy trust in mee saith the Lord Ier. 39 16 17 18. He had done good to Ieremy God doth good vnto him and accounteth it as done vnto himselfe â—ift exâ—e The last example shall be out of the New Testament mentioned by the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 1 16 17 18. The Lord giue mercy vnto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when hee was at Rome he sought mee out very diligently found me the Lord grant vnto him that hee may finde mercy of the Lord in that day Where hee prayeth that he might reape as he had sowed and gather as he had scattered and receiue as he had bestowed to wit mercy for mercy goodnesse for goodnesse and kindnesse for kindnesse and no doubt God heard his praier according to his promise and recompenced him that had refreshed the Apostle This is that which the Lord promiseth in the Prophet Malachi chap. 3 10. If they would robbe him and spoile him no more but bring all his tithes into his house he passeth his word toward theÌ„ that they should see plenty vpon their labors and a remouing of those meanes that caused famine and misery to fall vpon them and to come among them as before he threatned denounced that as they spoiled God so God spoiled them and as they caused famine to be in his house by keeping backe his portion so he caused scarsenesse of bread and cleannesse of teeth in their houses causing extreme want to bee in the middest of them in withholding and keeping backe his blessings and in sending vpon them his greeuous plagues Now hee telleth them that if they murmure not at the maintenance of his Ministers but pay them truely and sustaine them conscionably hee will satisfie them with good things and remoue from them euill things He would open the windowes of heauen vnto them and poure out a blessing without measure And thus we see how we may finde comfort vnto our selues and strengthen our faith by such examples as the Scripture affoordeth vnto vs. Beside the Ramme of attonement whereby an attonement shall bee made for him In these words we are to consider the last but yet the chiefe and principall meanes of sanctification which also is a satisfaction to God and a putting and purging away of the sinne of defrauding our neighbour And heerein indeed standeth the onely way of expiation blotting out iniquity howbeit set downe in the ceremony For neither can confession of our sinnes to God nor making restitution of our euill gotten goods to man put away our sin we may confesse all the day long we may bestow all our goods to feede the poore and giue our bodies to bee burned and yet our sinnes shall lye heauy vpon vs and presse vs downe to the gates of hell it is onely the blood of Christ as a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled that can do it Neither is it enough for vs to say Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes he hath paid a sufficient price for them and therefore it skilleth not whether they bee acknowledged to God or recompenced to men For we haue seene that GOD requireth besides the Ramme of attonement that such as haue wronged their brethren must both confesse and restore or else they can haue no benefit of reconciliatioÌ„ to God by the death of Christ We are therefore in this place to marke how our sinnes are purged which is expressed vnder a type figure True it is the blood of Buls and other beasts is not able to take away sinne Heb. 9 12 and 10 4. neither is it possible that the offering vp of guifts and sacrifices could make holy concerning the conscience him that did the seruice Verse 9. and sanctifie the commers thereunto Hebrewes 10 verse 1. For sinne is an offence done to God a breach of the Law and a wounding of the conscience But what is the blood of Bullocks able to do touching the curing of these mischiefes and maladies Will I eate saith the Lord the flesh of Buls or drinke the blood of Goats Psal 50 13. Doubtlesse such things of small account and reckning haue no force or efficacy to appease the wrath of God which is infinite Besides the iustice of GOD required that man himselfe
bringeth foorth sin and sin when it is finished 〈◊〉 7 14. bringeth forth death Likewise it is a leauen which leaueneth the whole lumpe and therefore no maruel if it proceed by little and little from one degree to another Reason 2 Secondly euill men are giuen ouer of God into a reprobate sence by his iudgement so that it is no maruell if they become vile and abhominable This Paul declareth Rom. 1 26 29 30. This is likewise noted of the sonnes of Eâ—i who albeit they were reproued of their father that they caused the lords people to trespasse Yet they continued in their sinne and obeyed not his voice because the Lord would stay them 1 Sam. 2 24 25. And the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians maketh mention of the vnbeleeuing Iewes who killed the Lord murthered the Prophets persecuted the Apostles withstood the truth and forbad them to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued To fulfill their sinnes alwayes for the wrath â—f God is come on them to the vtmost Seeing therefore such as cast away the warnings of God are theÌ„selues cast off and giuen ouer of God to fill vppe the measure of their sinnes and seeing sinne is of it selfe fruitfull branching and budding as a Tree fretting as a canker sowring as a leauen growing as a childe multiplying as the fish in the waters wee are not to maruell if men once beginning to sinne cannot be staied and stopped from whatsoeuer they haue imagined to do Now let vs apply this doctrine to our vses Vse 1 First seeing the vngodly proceed and perseuer in sinne assuredly great shall bee their iudgement and as they increase in sin so shal they increase their punishment and hoord it vp as a treasure against the day of wrath This the Apostle setteth downe as an euident trueth Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp as a Treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath c. This ought to bee a terror to all the vngodly to consider that as their hearts are hardened and their consciences seared so the plagues and punishments of God attend vpon them and alwayes grow according to the degrees of their sinnes This the Lord threatneth in the Law Leuit. 16 21 23 24. If ye walke stubbornly against me and will not obey me I will then bring seuen times moe plagues vpon you according to your sinnes but if by these ye will not bee reformed by me but walke stubbornly against mee c. Thus we see the equall proportion betweene our sins and Gods punishments Secondly see how dangerous it is once to make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience and to wound our soules by falling into sinne The further a disease runneth and the longer it continueth the more vncureable it is The further a fire spreadeth the more it consumeth The more sin groweth to an head the more the Spirit of God is quenched the worke of grace is diminished the assurance of comfort is weakned and lessoned Let vs therfore alwayes keep a diligent watch ouer our soules let vs seeke to cut off all occasions of euill and endeuour to stoppe the first beginnings If a disease be taken in the beginning before it spread and seize vpon the vitall parts it is easily cured A fire when it is first kindled is quickely quenched The Spring of the yeare is the best and fittest season to purge out euill humours and to apply medicines vnto the naturall body When a shippe hath an hole that it beginneth to leake it is soone stepped So if we will labour and striue to purge out the olde leauen betimes beforâ— it gather strength we shall with more ease lesse difficulty be able to withstand the force thereof whereas the more sinne is practised the more the heart is hardned according to the saying of the Prophet Ier. 13 23. Can the Blackmoore change his skin Or the Leopard his spots Then may ye also do good which are accustomed to do euill Therefore the Lord seeing that Cain had offended and that his countenance was deâ—ected which were the fore-runners of murther stirred him vp to looke vnto these things Gen. 4 7. If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou doest not well sinne lyeth at the doore This is that vse which the Prophet pointeth out Esay 5.11 18. Wo vnto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sins as with cartropes Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue vntill night till the wine do enflame them Where hee teacheth the wofull and miserable condition of all those that runne from euil to worse as it were adding drunkennesse vnto thirst and warneth vs to take heed lest at any time there be in any of vs an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart from the liuing God Vse 3 Lastly seeing the vngodly being reproued of God and checked of their own conscience continue in their euill we must know that on the other side it belongeth vnto the faithfull according to the trueth of the word reuealed vnto them to grow in grace more and more and to make euery day some step to the king dome of heauen So many as are truly grafted into Christ as it were into a vine must draw iuice from him continually and bring foorth fruite plentifully according as hee teacheth Iohn 15.22 Euery branch that beareth not fruite in me he taketh away and euery one that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorth more fruite It is the commendation of the Church of Thyatira Reuel 2 19. That their works were more at the last then they were at the first Let vs begin to beleeue in Christ and to expresse the power of godlinesse neither let vs be terrified and dismayed from a constant resolution to forsake sinne and embrace righteousnesse with the hardnes and difficulty with the lets and stumbling-blockes that lye in our way with the troubles and tentations that abide for vs all these are hard in the beginning A setled course and a continuall practise of faith and repentance shall make the matter easie and the way plaine before vs. An Apprentice that first beginneth to learn his trade and occupation is much troubled at the strangenesse of it he findeth in himselfe great vnfitnesse and vntowardnesse he saith he shall neuer attaine vnto it he shall neuer go through with it and the reason is because he hath not vsed it but when once he is entred into that course he taketh delight in it and wondereth at his owne folly and simplicity A Scholler that first beginneth to reade to write or to learne any liberall Art is discoraged through the hardnesse of it and if he might bee put to his choise had rather giue ouer then hold out but vse and custome makes it easie
wayes iudicially or morally If we do respect what such an one deserueth in the Court of mans iudgement it is true hee is not guilty he deserueth not to dy or to recompence life for life But if we speake simply what is sinne by the law of God which is spirituall Rom 7 14. who keepeth a court of conscience an higher court and seate of Iustice then all mortall men do or can doe wee cannot pronounce such a one innocent or guiltles before the bench of this Lord cheefe Iustice Or to speake more plainely there is a twofold Iudgment the one of God and the other of man In the iudgement of mā he may be taken to be innocent because Deu. 19. his blood is called innocent to wit in respect of mans iudgement whom hee hath not offended howbeit in the iudgement of God which goeth further and pierceth deeper it is otherwise The Papists because they would haue some proofe and testimony Whether all sinne be voluntary or at least some shew and appearance that al sinne is voluntary do alledge the examples of such as haue killed at vnawares or against their will and make this to be no sinne and that by the authority of their vulgar Interpreter who saith Numb 35.25 Liberabitur innocens that is The innocent shall bee deliuered out of the hand of the auenger But almighty God who keepeth from all euill keepe vs all other good Christians from such kinde of innocency Besides in the Hebrew Text the word is Harotzaach that is The killer shall bee deliuered and not the innocent person Touching the point in generall whether all sinne be a voluntary action we haue spoken before and prooued sufficiently the contrary And albeit S. Augustine be often alledged by our aduersaries affirming that sinne is an euill so voluntary that it can by no meanes be sinne except it be voluntary yet in his Retractations he maketh his opinion plaine and restrayneth that particularly which in other places he seemed to propound and leaue at large for he saith Sine voluntate nullum est peccatum siue in opere siue in origine that is There is no sinne without the will either in the worke or in the originall or the beginning Whereby it plainly appeareth that in the speciall worke there are sinnes euen in his iudgement which are not voluntary as those that come of ignorance or of compulsion or as concupiscence and originall infection yet all these may truely bee called voluntary in regard of the first mans first offence in whom was the freedome of will all which are no other but fruites and effects of his sinne So then he teacheth that the sinne which is a punishment of sinne is not alwayes voluntary but the sinne which hath no other consideration but of sinne is voluntary The sins which we commit are both sinnes and the punishments of sinne but Adams sinne in whom we all sinned being in his loynes which was onely a sinne and not the punishment of any sinne going before is voluntary And in this respect the slaughter committed at vnawares may well be said to be voluntary because it is a fruite of the first mans disobedience so that we may truely say From the beginning it was not so For if Adam had neuer sinned there should neuer any such manslaughter haue bin committed But now to returne vnto the particular point in question that the Iesuites would proue all sinne voluntary because manslaughter done without consent of will is no sinne we hold all such shedding of blood done of ignorance to be a sinne of ignorance Manslaughter done of ignorance in a sinne that no man so killing and taking away life can wash his hands in innocency For such a one by the law must flye to the City of refuge and be imprisoned there vntill the death of the high Priest which argueth that there was something in the facte or in the errour by which the fact was committed that hath need of forgiuenesse by Christ the true high Priest of our profession of whom the high Priest in the law was a figure And hence it is that the punishment laide vpon the man-slayer was so streight that if he were taken out of the City of refuge before the death of the high Priest he might be slaine verse 32 forasmuch as such a one seemd to make no account of the death of Christ nor to seek deliuerance from blood by his blood But some man may say Obiection that the City of refuge was appointed onely for the tryall of the slaughter whether it were committed willingly or vnwillingly of malice or of ignorance and not for any regard of punishment at all This indeede is obiected Answer but it is as easily answered For if the City had bene assigned onely for examination and tryall of the facte then immediately after the knowledge of the manner of doing and the party brought to his purgation he should forthwith bee discharged and deliuered But this was not so he must remaine and continue there peraduenture all the dayes of his life at least all the daies of the high Priests life Besides the high Priest might haue dyed the next day after the man-slayers flying thither before his cause came to be handled and tryed yet euen then he was to be set at liberty Therefore it appeareth that this was also a kinde of punishment and was inflicted for farther detestation of manslaughter so that if the slayer were found out of his City before the death of the high Priest the auenger of blood might kill him and yet not be charged with his blood So then as the death of the high Priest did free the manslayer so such persons were taught to flye to the death of the Messiah that must bee slaine in whom was all their hope of deliuerance and comfort that this their sinne should bee done awah Ambrose is cleere in this point De fuga seculi cap. 2. that the high Priest signifieth Christ Iesus So is Cyrill Maximus and others who by the death of the high Priest in this place doe gather deliuerance by the death of Christ Dialog aduers Pela lib. 1. S. Ierome is plaine in that whole case touching sinnes of ignorance and that he which is fledde to the City of refuge must tarry vntill the high Priests death that is vntill he be redeemed by the precious blood of our Lord and Sauiour Theodoret is more plaine then all these for he asketh this question In lib. Num. quaest 51. Why vntill the death of the high Priest doth he prescribe returne vnto him which hath slaine a man vnwillingly and he answereth Because the death of the high Priest which is after the order of Melchizedech was the loosing of the sinne of man wherby he declareth two things both the mystery of the high Priests death signifying the death of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ whose blood clenseth the shedding of blood and washeth away the guilt of all
condition whatsoeuer so it bee accompanied with faith and the fruites thereof can separate vs from saluation and shutte vs out of Gods Kingdome For seeing a man may be a good Christian and a great warrior which profession many times is most stained and corrupt it cannot exclude any from eternall life if themselues by infidelity iniquity doe not exclude themselues And albeit such persons many times haue no regarde of equity or honesty or word or oath or Law or shame or conscience but entitle themselues to all that their hand can lay hold vpon as men wholly bent vpon spoile and rapine yet the cause heereof is not in the profession but in the professor not in the warre but in the warriour and therefore it pleased GOD to shew foorth his great mercy in calling to his maruellous light many men out of that kinde of life Such were the Centurion that came to Christ to haue his seruant healed Math. 8 5. Acts 10 3. who is commended for his excellent faith Cornelius is reported to bee a godly man and to haue vnder him godly souldiers Seeing therefore warfare is no hatefull Vse 3 kinde of life in it selfe such as are souldiers and fight in the field haue no lesse accesse to saluation then others and shall rest in Abrahams bosome who was also a warriour as wel as they if they labour to bee the children of Abraham and study not so much to bee souldiers as Christian souldiers which aime at the glory of God in all their actions and not seeke to satisfie their owne lusts How many are there that delight in nothing but in effusion of blood and all oppression in doing violence and robbing without difference of friend or foe brother or enemy If we professe the name of Christ Iesus and beleeue to bee saued through his name let vs so liue in war as wee remember vnder whose banner wee fight and whose name we do professe and whose blessing we looke for If wee bee assured and perswaded of the lawfulnesse of the warre why do we not carry our selues as men that fight not our owne battels but the battels of the Lord of hostes And if wee do not runne as desperate men or as the horse that rusheth into the battell why doe we not consider that our soule is in our hand that we are in continuall danger of death and must giue an account of the things done in this flesh whether they bee good or euill Lastly as the godly may lawfully make Warre so they must bee carefull to obserue such conditions as make it lawfull and allowable otherwise the running of men together in hostile manner after the manner of wilde beasts to shed blood and to take away life is of it selfe most sauage barbarous The conditions to be obserued are these Conditions to be obserued in warres First it must bee proclaimed by the Magistrate and such as haue authoritie otherwise it is priuate reuenge not publike iustice We must not be like Simeon and Leui the sons of Iacob who hauing wrong and indignity offered of the Shechemites reuenged their owne cause without authority or calling for They drew their sword Ge 34 25 29. and went into the City boldly and slew euery male and tooke the spoile both of the place and people They had no commandement or commission from Iacob their father as appeareth in the reproofe vttered vnto them the curse denounced against them Ye haue troubled me Gen. 34 30. and made me to sticke amongst the Inhabitants of the Land And in another place Cursed be their wrath and 49 7. for it was fierce and theâ—r anger for it was cruell I will diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel We see therfore that the people must not run vpon their owne head nor take armes in hand at their owne pleasure but must looke for the warrant and direction of the Magistrate Secondly it belongeth to such as go vnto warre against another nation and people to offer them conditions of peace and to receiue such to mercy as yeeld vnto them thereby to auoide the shedding of blood and to shew themselues inclined to mercy This proclaiming of peace is taught by the Lord himselfe Deut. 20. Deut. 20 10 11 12 13 14. When thou commest neere vnto a City to fight against it thou shalt offer it peace and if it answere thee againe peaceably and open vnto thee then shall all the people that is found there n be tributaries vnto thee and serue thee but if it shall make no peace with thee but make warre against thee then thou shalt besiege it and smite the Males thereof with the edge of the sworde Likewise when Ioab pursued Sheba a Traitor against Dauid and besieged him in Abel so that they cast vp a Mount against the Citie began to cast downe the wall There cryed a wâ—se woman out of the City 2 Sam. 20 16 17 18. Heare heare I pray you say vnto Ioab Come thou hither that I may speake with thee and when he came nere vnto her the woman said Heare the wordes of thine handmaid they spake in the old time saying They should aske of Abel and so haue they continued In which words she alludeth vnto the former Law that before any City were ouerthrown or any people put to the sword peace should be propounded and the Citizens that yeilded be receiued to mercy This is so equall and reasonable that the vnbeleeuers among the Gentiles thought it expedient and necessary to accept of such as yeelded Cic. de offâ—c li. â— albe t the Ram a warlike instrument in those dayes described by Iosephus in the warres of the Iewes had shaken the wall I seph de be lâ— Iudat l. 3. cap 9 that is were euen ready to fall downe And the Turkes themselues proud and mercilesse enemies that spare not to shed Christian blood Turk histor in the lye of Mâ—hâ—mâ—t the gâ—aâ— and poure it out as water are perswaded that God will not prosper them in their affaires assaults except they first make vnto their enemies some ofâ—er of peace This putteth vs in minde that wee should indiâ—e our heartes to sâ—eâ— mercy as much as may be and not rage with fire and sword but remember the common condition of mankinde the vncertainty of all humane things and the danger that may fall vpon our selues Thirdly keepe all lawfull promises euen to the enemy which is a token of an vpright heart When the spies that were sent to Iericho and made a faithfull promise and bounde it with an oath to saue Rahab and her fathers house from the common destruction of that City Ioshua the Generall of the hoste was so farre from denying to stand to that oath that he called the two men that had spyed out the Countrey and saide vnto them Ioshua 6 22. Goe into the Harlots house and bring out thence the Woman and all that she hath as
whether they bee good or euill Then shall the faithfull be fully glorified and inherite the crowne of eternall life This howsoeuer it bee oftentimes and faithfully promised of God yet hath bene and is derided of many who shall in the end pay the price of their folly and infidelity feele that Gods truth is stable and surer then the heauens 2 Pet. 3 3 4. This is it which the Apostle Peter testifieth This first vnderstand that there shall come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers dyed all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation But whatsoeuer these Atheists dreame of the glorious appearance of Christ his second comming and howsoeuer they put the euill day farre from them yet the Lord of that promise is not slacke as some men count slackenesse but is patient toward vs and wold haue no man to perish Neuerthelesse the day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the night in the which the heaueÌ„s shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melte with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp This we see not yet performed 1 Thess 4 17. neither are we made partakers of eternall life when we shall euer rest remain with the Lord and nothing shall separate vs from his glorious and comfortable presence This doctrine therefore serueth to vphold our faith in this point And whensoeuer we reade of any promise that God hath in mercy made to his Church albeit it be for a time deferred not presently accomplished let vs waite with patience and build our Faith vpon the experience of his former promises which wee see already fulfilled and say with the Apostle 2 Tim. 1 12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue coÌ„mitted to him against that day We are sure wee builde not in the aire we beate not the ayre but we builde vpon aâ—sure foundation that shall neuer decay or deceiue vs. For who euer put his trust in him and was confounded Or who did set vp his rest on him and went away ashamed Hence it is that Christ saith Math. 5 17 18. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them for truly I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shall not scape till all thinges be fulfilled This is needfull for vs to consider remember for our faith is often shaken with doubting and infidelity that which we see not we many times beleeue not and so we are shaken through our weakenesse as with the winde but we must make God our rock and rest on his vnchangeable word who is trueth it selfe and cannot lye Secondly seeing Gods promises are so Vse 2 surely grounded vppon the immutabilitie of Gods truth that it is vnpossible that they should faile or he deceiue this teacheth that it is as true that his iudgements shall not faile but follow the wicked at the heeles For God is as vnchangeable in the one as in the other It is a foolish error to imagine that God will vndoubtedly performe the promises of his mercie and not the threatnings of his iustice True it is many presume of his goodnes but they doubt of his righteousnesse This is to set vp an abhominable Idoll in our hearts and to denie the infinitenesse of his glorie and maiesty and to deuise a God made altogether of mercie If God be true in the one he is also as true in the other if hee faile in the one he changeth also in the other This vse is directly concluded by Ioshua in the exhortation that he maketh to the people that they should not ioyne themselues to the idolatrous Nations but loue the Lord their God and cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart when he saith Chap. 23. ver 14 15. Behold this day do I enter into the way of all the world and ye know in your hearts and in all your soules that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you but all are come to passe vnto you nothing hath failed thereof Therefore as all good things are come vpon you which the Lord your God promised you so shall the LORD bring vpon you euery euil thing vntil he haue destroyed you out of this good Land which the Lord your God hath giuen you In which words hee teacheth that his threatnings are of the same nature with his promises and his iudgements as certaine as his mercies 2 Kings 7 1 2 17.18 This appeareth by a notable example which God shewed at the breaking vp of the long siege of Samaria he promised to the faithfull that would beleeue plenty and abundance the next day and hee threatned to the Prince on whose hand the King leaned that he should see it with his eies but he should not eate thereof Here God did promise good and threaten euill Did he shew forth the worke of his mercy and not of his iudgement of his goodnes not of his wrath Yes of his wrath and iudgement for the people trod vpon him in the gate and he dyed as the man of God had said so it came to passe This serueth to shew the wofull estate and condition of all vngodly men vnrepentant sinners for howsoeuer they flatter themselues put away the euill day far from them being deluded and as it were charmed with a proud presumption of Gods mercies yet the threatning of God the curse of the Law and the terror of their conscience which standeth against them shall abide for euer and therefore so long as they go forward in sin and proceed in the wickednes of their hearts they haue iust cause to mourne and lament forasmuch as the threatnings manifested in the word are inuiolable and vnchangeable Let all those that lye in any sin repent while it is called to day hear his voice lest the curse of the Law which shal certainly be fulfilled do seize vpon them and they be carried to vtter destruction The Prophet Esay denounceth many woes against wicked men Esay 5 8 11 18 20 21 22. Wo vnto them that ioyn house to house and lay Field to field til there be no place for the poore Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue til night Woe vnto them that draw iniquity with cordes of vanity and sinne as with Cart-ropes Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euil of good which put darknesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweet sweet for soure Woe vnto them that are wise in their own eyes prudent in their owne sight Woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine and to them that are strong to
And if we beleeue not yet abideth he faithful 2 Tim. 2 13. he cannot deny himselfe No greater comfort can be giuen no greater promise can be made then to assure vs of the pardon and forgiuenesse of our sinnes which make a separation between God and vs. To haue a feeling of this mercy is as sweet Incense vnto the soule and as precious balme vnto the heart Let vs therefore comfort our selues with this promise howsoeuer Satan sift vs and seek by all means to take from vs this peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding we must shroud our selues vnder the safety of his worde which abideth for euer and when we are tempted to doubt of his goodnesse in the remission of our sinnes let vs lay hold on the former promises and know that the heauens themselues shall fall and be moued out of their places before the truth of his word which is truth it selfe shall be diminished or disanulled Fourthly is God constant of his word and Vse 4 faithfull of his promise then it is required of vs to be like our heauenly Father in truth and faithfulnesse When God hath promised any blessing to his people he is true of his worde and bringeth it to passe The Lord sayde to them Iet 29 10 11. Dan 9 2. After seuenty yeares bee accomplished at Babel I wil visit you and performe my good promise toward you and cause you to returne to this place for I know the thoughts that I haue thoght toward you euen the thoughts of peace and not of trouble to giue you an end and your hope This did hee accomplish by the meanes of Cyrus whose spirit hee stirred vp to make a proclamation throughout his kingdome that whosoeuer would should goe vp to Ierusalem to builde it and inhabite there Now as God is faithfull in his word so let vs follow his example and make conscience of our words sayings that thereby we may assure our selues to bee the children of our heauenly Father Wee must therefore know that all iust couenants and contracts all promises bargaines must be perfourmed albeit they bee made to our hurt and hinderance and binde vs in conscience and duty by the Law of God man so farre forth as hee pleaseth to require them to whom they haue beene made The Prophet asking the question Who shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle rest in his holy Hill maketh this answere Hee which sweareth to his hurt and changeth not Psalm 15 4. Iosh 9. This wee see in Ioshua toward the Gibeonites and in the booke of Iudges chapt 1. when the Spies saw a man come out of the City and said vnto him Shew vs we pray thee the way into the City and we will shew thee mercy Iudg. 1 24 25. when he had shewed them the way into the City they smote the City with the edge of the sword but they let the man all his houshold depart Hence wee should learne to be wary and watchfull in our promises considering as well whether wee be able to performe them as whether wee be willing and examining our hearts whether they be in our owne power nor not and whether if they be it be lawfull for vs to performe them For some things are lawfull in themselues to pay and perfourme which are in no sort in our power and other things may be in our power which are not lawfull to be done This fidelity in keeping promise is a weighty point of the Law Math. 23 Math. 23 23. Gal. 5 22. and a fruite of the Spirit and therefore it standeth vs vpon to make conscience thereof If any man were asked the question whether hee thinke it his duty to endeuour to be like God and to striue to resemble him as the childe resembleth his father he would be ready to answere It is his duty to do it and his comfort that it is so If then we acknowledge the necessity of it let vs follow him in constancy and true dealing studying to be perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect This is that vse which the Apostle vrgeth 2 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 1 17 18 20. When I was thus minded did I vse lightnesse Or minde I those things which I minde according to the flesh that with me should be yea yea and nay nay Yea God is faithfull that our word toward you was not yea and nay for all the promises of God in Christ are yea and are in him Amen vnto the glory of God through vs. The Apostle in these wordes declareth that he was wrongfully slandered and vniustly charged with loosenesse and lightnesse of promise and vnconscionable breaking of his word inasmuch as he had alwaies before him the example of God whom he acknowledgeth to be faithfull in his words and promises This serueth to reproue those that will rashly promise any thing as Saul did to Dauid as Laban did to Iacob and then changed their minde as the weather-cocke doeth at euery blaste of winde These are like the reede that bendeth too and fro but it must not bee so with vs we must purpose and not alter we must promise and then perfourme carefully what we haue promised Lastly whensoeuer God hath made good Vse 5 the words of his mouth and accomplished his promises vnto vs which wee haue long looked for expected it is our duty to praise his name and to giue him the glory of the worke to whom alone it is due Hath he fed vs in time of famine and made vs to see Deut. 8 3. Mathew 4 4. that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of his mouth Let vs not sacrifice vnto our net nor burne incense vnto our yarne but say with the Prophet Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115 1. but vnto thy Name giue the glory for thy louing mercy and for thy truths sake This duty we see practised by King Salomon 1 Kings 8. 1 Kin. 8 15 20 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who spake with his mouth vnto Dauid my father and hath with his hand fulfilled it the Lord hath made good his word that he spake and I am risen vp in the roome of Dauid my father and sit on the Throne of Israel as the Lord promised and haue built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel A worthie patterne and president for vs to follow whensoeuer we taste of the grace and bountifulnes of God to offer vp vnto him a song and sacrifice of thanksgiuing And if wee must doe this for temporall blessings much more are we bound to do it for such as are spirituall If God haue for a season hidde his face from vs that we haue seene no light of his grace but all these things haue been couered with darknesse and discomfort as it were the Sunne in a Cloud if our sinnes as the waues of the sea haue gone ouer our head and beene a
by iustifying of vs by sanctifying of vs and by working in vs such like effect Against mans merits and deserts Secondly this doctrine ouerthroweth all merits and deserts of man which abolish the free grace of God Gods mercy is our merit our workes are not neither can bee our merit If our election be by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of workes then is it no more grace otherwise work were no more worke as the Apostle concludeth Rom. 11.6 We are iustified through faith in Christ in him standeth our saluation and by his merits we are made righteous Christ Iesus is the corner stone of the building Ephes 2. he is the foundation of the building forasmuch as other foundation none can lay 1 Cor. 3. he is also the highest stone of the building notwithstanding the mountains Zach. 4-6 that is the strongest opposition of enemies But let vs see what merit is What merit is that our vnderstanding may be the better and our iudgement the sounder touching this matter Merit is a worke vndue to which we are not bound making the reward and recompence that was not due to be due When a debter satisfieth his creditour he paieth that which he oweth him he giueth no more then is due vnto him by Law and equity by reason and conscience neither doth he deserue any thankes but through the fault of men as the heathen knew well enough Terent. in Phorm Act. sc 1. who confesse that such was the corruption of the times that when a man brought to another euen his owne he was to be thanked Christ our Sauiour a better master teacheth vs this more fully Luk. 17.8 Luc. 17.8 9.10 When a man hath a seruant who girdeth himselfe and serueth him till he haue eaten and drunken Doth he then thanke him because he hath done the things that were commanded him I trow nay so likewise ye when ye haue done all those things that are commanded you say Wee are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our duty to doe Wherefore we make a weake plea to plead our owne merits who haue nothing but by the merits of Christ But it will be obiected Obiection that we find in Scripture no mention at all of the merits of Christ I answere Answere It is true concerning the word it selfe Neuerthelesse if they will conclude any thing against the merits of Christ because the bare name in so many letters and syllables is not extant in the word of God they may as well gainsay the Trinity refuse the Sacraments deny the Catholike Church and hold the Sonne not to be consubstantiall with the Father Forasmuch as none of these are expressed there But if they meane and vnderstand the thing it selfe then we haue the merits of Christ plentifully preached vnto vs in the holy Scripture to whom the whole worke of our saluation is ascribed The Apostle teacheth Ephe. 1 14 that our redemption is a possession purchased by him that is purchased by the merit of his death And in the former Epistle to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.6 he saith God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine saluation by our Lord Iesus Christ that is procured vnto vs by his merits So in the twentieth chapter of the Actes Paul in his exhortation to the Elders of Ephesus willeth them carefully to feed the flocke of God Act. 10.28 which hee hath purchased with his owne blood where he maketh the blood of Christ meritorious And elsewhere he saith we are iustified by his blood and reconciled to God by his Sonne and so shall be saued by his life Rom. 5.9 10. Rom. 5.9 1â— If then we challenge any thing to our selues we take so much from Christs worthinesse He was not bound in any bond vnto vs who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall to God Wherefore our workes can challenge nothing at Gods hands for as much as whatsoeuer wee can doe is as due debt vnto him Thus the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. Rom. 8.1 Brethren we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh whereby he vnderstandeth the contrary as a member opposed but we are debters to the Spirit to liue after the Spirit So then our spirituall life is called a debt which is true in many respects First How all the we can doe â— due vnto God in regard of our creation Secondly in regard of our redemption Thirdly in regard of our glorification Our spirituall life is due to God in regard of our creation because it is God that hath made vs and not we our selues we are the worke of his hands who hath created vs according to his image and therby bound vs as by a strong band to know him and worship him Hence it appeareth that Adam himselfe in his estate of innocency could haue claimed nothing of God by merit because whatsoeuer he was he was it by him whatsoeuer he had he had receiued it through his gift so that he should haue paide him with his owne which deserueth no thankes as we heard before True it is man fell away defaced and deformed this image and made himselfe liable to eternall destruction howbeit he could not thus shake off the yoke of his necke nor the fetters from his feet nor acquit himselfe of the debt and obligation when of a debter to God he made himselfe a bondslaue to the deuill A debter riotously wasting his goods and carelesly consuming the stocke and substance that he hath and thereby making himselfe a bankrout is not discharged of his debt but standeth bound to pay it as before God will not loose his right nor let go his hold and therefore albeit we are started backe from him he remaineth the same as he made vs so we remaine obliged vnto him Hence we see what is the reason why God commandeth duties of vs in his Law that neither wee nor our fathers are able to performe â—ow God reâ—ireth imâ—â—ssibilities 〈◊〉 our hands If a father should require that of his son or a master exact of his seruant that which were vnpossible to doe as to trauell an hundred thousand mile in one day or to flye vp to heauen might he not be thought to be a tyrant But the case standeth not betweene God and vs as betweene a father and his children or betweene a master and his seruants For he chargeth no more vpon vs then hee had inabled vs to doe and had giuen vs strength to performe so that if there be any impossibility to do it the fault resteth in our selues and not in God It is no cruelty in him to require so much of vs as he doth but iniquity in vs that doth disable vs. He abideth the same that he was but we abide not the same that we were so that there is no change in him but the change is in vs so that
and yet faileth in one point he is guilty of all for he that said Doe not commit adultery said also Doe not kill Now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressour of the Law Whosoeuer breaketh one commandement and maketh no conscience thereof but saith he doubteth not to be dispenced withall for it and that he shal finde God mercifull vnto him therein hath made himselfe guilty of the whole Law and of the punishment due to the transgressours of it Fourthly there is nothing done of vs in Reason 4 this flesh but GOD will bring it into iudgement We run into many euils because they seeme little and the hedge of Gods word is easily leaped ouer The wise man teacheth vs Eccl. 12. Eccle. 1â— 1â— that God will bring euery worke vnto iudgment with euery secret thing whether it be good or whether it be euill If he said God will bring many things to iudgement wee might haue hoped some things should be exempted But forasmuch as we must account with him for all things 〈◊〉 12.36 euen for euery idle word as our Sauiour teacheth it followeth that wee ought to make conscience of all our wayes and workes whatsoeuer Fiftly all things commanded of God from Reason 5 the greatest vnto the least are most iust and equall and therefore to be obserued diligently without all parting or partiality The Prophet reprooueth the house of Israel that said The way of the Lord is not equall But the Lord saith 〈◊〉 18.29 O house of Israel are not my wayes equall are not your wayes vnequall This reason is vrged by the Prophet Dauid 〈◊〉 119.128 172. Psal 119. I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate euery false way His testimonies are righteous and very faithfull which he hath commanded and therefore he hateth from the bottome of his heart all wicked vngodly wayes So then whether we consider the nature of God that he is perfect or the redemption of Christ that it is perfect or the dignity of the law that it is perfect in all these respects we conclude this truth as hony gathered from many flowers That it concerneth euery one of vs to yeeld obedience to all the Lawes and commandements of God Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses which giueth an edge to the doctrine it selfe And as it serueth to reprooue so the reproofe is of diuers sorts â—e first reâ—â—efe First of all it condemneth those that waste themselues and spend their strength chiefly about the things of this world and neuer labour after regeneration and the things of the Lord. These men neuer thinke of any obedience How farre then are they from perfect obedience when will these come to the iourneyes end that are not yet set forward in the wayes When will they finish their saluation that haue not yet made a beginning How do they looke to receiue the price that sit still and doe not yet runne in the race or how shall they obtaine an incorruptible crowne that doe not striue for the mastery These thinke they haue no soules to saue or that there is no God to serue or that there is no life to come or else they would not liue as beasts or as the horse and mule that are without vnderstanding If they liue as men that regard not the kingdome of heauen they shal one day know that there is an hell and if they regard not to obey God they shall heereafter reape the fruit of their disobedience Samuel teacheth â—am 15. â— that rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and stubbornnesse is as iniquity and therefore all such as reiect the word of the Lord he will also reiect them from his kingdome and from the glory of his presence â—e second â—roofe Secondly such are reprooued as content themselues with a small measure of knowledge and obedience of faith and repentance For many there are in the Church that thinke they know enough or at least that much knowledge is not necessary like to the Deputy mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles that the doctrine of Christ was a matter needlesse friuolous impertinent and vnnecessary and a curious question about words and names whereof a man might bee ignorant without danger Thus doe these iudge of religion and of the Law of God they account basely of it as a thing that may best bee spared If they had truely tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods word it would bring them altogether into loue of it Let vs therefore labour to grow in grace vntil we come to perfection 2 Pet. 3. For whosoeuer thinketh he hath already attained vnto it greatly deceiueth himselfe we haue as yet scarse laid the foundation and doe we as men besotted with folly and spirituall pride imagine we are come to the toppe We are like vnto them that are in a dreame that thinke they are eating to the full and behold when they awake they are hungry and empty or they that deeply conceit they are drinking and when they arise they see they are thirsty so is it with these men they are fast asleepe and doe but dreame when they suppose all the world is made of knowledge whereas if they had shaken off this spirit of slumber and were throughly come to themselues they would bewaile their owne ignorance and as poore blinde soules condemne their owne foolishnesse Let vs therefore store our selues with it we shall herein if in any thing beside finde the prouer be most true that store is no sore It is the ground of our obedience forasmuch as we can obey no farther then we know The seruant can obey his masters will no farther then he knoweth it An ignorant seruant must of necessity be a disobedient seruant So is it with euery Christian man his obedience cannot go beyond his knowledge Thirdly The third reproofe it serueth fitly and fully to reproue those that do halt with God and yeeld a maimed obedience vnto him The sacrifices of God vnder the Law must be whole sound not halt not maimed not lame so should our obedience be vnder the Gospel Men will not allow of a seruant that performeth such seruice as he requireth at his hands when it is done to halfes and doe we thinke to be accepted of God when we cut off his worship in the middes Wee deale with God as the king of Ammon dealt with Dauids messengers hee shaued off the one halfe of their beards and cut off their garments in the middle 2 Samuel chapter 10. verse 4. So doe we shaue off halfe of his seruice and thinke to make him be content with that or with nothing If Christ Iesus had so rewarded vs in performing the worke of our redemption and had left off before hee had brought it to perfection wofull had our condition beene it had beene good we had neuer beene borne For if he had not throughly finished it wee could not haue beene
preuent the danger now I haue alwaies taken you for my friend and therefore let me bee so bold as to aske a question of you wherein I vnderstand and know very well that you are able to resolue me in this and a farre greater matter C. The Minister answered I am no lawyer yet my friend I will do what I can for you and giue you the best counsell that lieth in me G. Sir the case is this There was a Gentleman not farre from vs committed to my custody certaine sheepe to keepe and indeed I cannot deny he gaue me a great charge of them and promised me a good reward for my labour so that I vndertooke the looking to them and the feeding of them But because I had other sheepe of mine owne also so that I could by no possible meanes looke to both flocks I put them out to another who agreed for a certaine stipend couenanted between vs to looke vnto them yet he was carelesse altogether in the businesse so that some of them stragled from the flocke and were lost others starued for want of feeding others were too high of the gall others the worms did gnaw and eate vnto the bones and others dyed of the rot wofull is the state of that flocke To be short and not to trouble your patience any farther the owner of them refuseth to deale with him that suffered the flocke to go to hauocke but commeth vpon me and requireth them at my hands and threatneth to trouble me for them C. No maruaile said the Minister you are bound to answer for them you vndertooke the keeping of them and therefore you are to be charged with them If I commit a treasure vnto you to keepe I must aske it againe of you and not of another If you put out your childe to nurse you wil require it againe of the Nurse that vndertooke the keeping of it G. I confesse answered the other this to be true but by your leaue Sir the case is altered in my matter For there seemeth vnto me small reason in it and little conscience to require that parcell of sheepe at my hands forasmuch as I designed them ouer to another and hee promised before many witnesses to discharge me C. The Minister replied That is no matter it is a plaine case you tooke vpon you to see vnto them and therefore it is great equity and conscience that you make them good This standeth with good reason is grounded vpon the law of God and man I dare assure you the law will passe against you by any verdict of twelue men in England and you will be constrained to pay for them The Gentleman trusted you with them and not your deputy and therefore I know no remedy for you nor any way to helpe you G. I am now satisfied I thinke you haue giuen a right iudgement But good Sir if the case be thus how commeth it to passe that you do the like and yet do not see it or if you doe yet thinke your selfe blamelesse The great Shepheard of the sheepe Christ Iesus hath committed his sheepe to you and you hauing also other sheepe haue committed one parcel to your Curate and Substitute who is careles and vnconscionable and suffereth them to perish how is it then that you who went about to perswade me do not perswade your owne heart that his negligence shall not excuse you but that the master of the sheepe will require them at your hands Is it law against me and not against your selfe Is it equity reason and conscience that I should answer for them that are lost and doth it not stand with as great equity reason and conscience that you shold answer for such as you suffer to perish I may say therefore to you as Nathan did to Dauid You are the man The case is yours and the danger is turned vpon your own head Repent and amend lest Christ say vnto you Thou euill and slothfull seruant Luc. 19 22. out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee To leaue this parable let vs learne to looke to our seuerall functions with all diligence remembring the great charge we haue taken vpon vs the mainteinance that we do reape from it and lastly the accounts we shall giue of it Vse 2 Secondly it teacheth the Ministers as they desire the saluation of their people whom Christ hath redeemed with his most precious blood so they ought to be diligent in preaching the word in season and out of season that their consciences may beare them witnes that aboue all things they seeke to glorifie God in the instruction conuersion and saluation of the people Great was the care of the Prophets to warne the people of God of their sinnes They stood vpon their watch towers to descry the enemies They attended the flocke committed vnto them We haue a multitude of examples as it were a cloud of witnesses that haue gone before vs in this office but especially let vs looke vnto Iesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith O what diligence vnspeakable appeared in him The Euangelist noteth this out by many circumstances Math. 9 35 4 23. Iesus went about all the Cities and Villages teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdome and healing euery sicknesse euery disease among the people The very word of going about from place to place doth carry with it a manifest signification of painefulnesse He refused to tarry long in one place as appeareth in his answer to the Samaritans Iohn 4. It was his meate and drinke to do the wil of his heauenly Father for therefore he was sent He preached and wrought miracles not only to those that came vnto him or were brought before him but of his owne accord he went about vnrequested Secondly it is a signe of no small diligence in that he offered his trauell not onely to one place but to many not onely to great Cities but also to small townes and to little villages as appeareth in the perambulation or visitation that he made for the instructiō of the soules of the poore people that wandred as sheepe without a Shepheard preaching diligently in euery place as he went Thirdly he leaueth not vnvisited and vnfrequented euery Synagogue or place of publike assembly for the preaching of the word he tooke all occasions and watched all opportunities to do good he taught in the City in the wildernesse in the high waies on the sea-shore in the Ship on the plaine on the Mountaine in the publike Temple in priuate houses in the corne fields and where not Fourthly the matter which in his doctrine he handled namely the Gospel of the kingdome serueth to commend his painfulnesse vnto vs forasmuch as truely and sincerely to preach the Gospel is a worke of much labor wonderfull care and great diligence Fiftly his desire was to doe all good that might be not onely to their bodies but to their soules seeing he did not onely teach them
be as a toy or trifle vnto vs yet at least let vs alwaies haue before vs the iudgement of God vpon our selues and be well assured that the wrongfull and vniust detaining of the Lords portion from the Lords Pastours shall bring such a curse vpon the rest of our substance that it shall be as the eares of corne that are blasted yea it shall kindle such a fire in the middest of our houses that it shall consume them with the timber thereof and the stones thereof The Lord hauing by the Prophet Malachi charged his people with spoiling him in tithes and offerings he addeth this in the next words Ye are cursed with a curse for ye haue spoiled me Mal. 3 9. euen this whole Nation The zeale that Dauid had for the house of GOD was very great so that he professeth it had euen eaten him vp Psal 69 and indeed he sheweth no lesse by his owne practise For when Araunah the Iebusite as a King in the willingnesse of spirit offered to giue to Dauid Oxen for burnt sacrifice and the threshing instruments for wood that he might build an altar and offer thereon he would not accept of it at his hands 2 Sam. 24 24. neither offer to the Lord his God that which cost him nothing as one esteeming in so doing the precious things of GOD light and of small account O how farre are these men from this heauenly affection of this holy seruant of God He accounted nothing too good to giue to God but they account it an happy turne if they might goe away scot-free and pay nothing at all toward the maintenance of the Ministery of the word It is strange to see how bountifull many are and euen prodigall that they care not what they waste and consume in following their owne pleasures pastimes and vanities of their corrupt hearts and yet how backward and pinching they are oftentimes for one halfepeny that is going from them and comming eyther toward the poore or toward the Minister But marke the secret and iust iudgement of God vpon them and tremble at it or rather feare him that inflicteth it and paieth them home in their owne kinde punisheth them proportionably according to their sinne for he detaineth his graces from them and sendeth them poore and leane soules that are ready to famish and perish through want of heauenly and spirituall food Two extremes touching the Ministers True it is there haue beene two extremes in the world both touching the estimation of their persons touching the compensation of their labours In former times the people did so highly account of them that they did sticke and cleaue too much to their persons and therefore Paul saith 1 Cor. 3 5 7. Who is Paul and who is Apollo but the Ministers by whom ye beleeued euen as the Lord gaue to euery man so then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that gaue the increase but in our times there appeareth not such forwardnesse wherein they are contemned despised This is one extreme Likewise in former times they were ready to giue all and yet they thought al to be too little now they would willingly if they might take away all so that if some positiue lawes did not stay them and restraine them their consciences are so large How the Ministers are dealt withal that they would suffer them well enough to take the corne and feed the Minister with the straw they could be content to fill themselues with the Calues out of the stall and to eate the fattest of them and then to reserue the refuse for the Minister and to giue them the bones to gnaw vpon which they offer to their dogges and yet thinke that too good for them A goodly recompence for their great paines They are not ashamed to share the wool of the flocke among themselues and to cloathe themselues therewith and then to cast the tailes to their Teachers and to stoppe their mouthes with the dung and drauery that is good for nothing Thus are they affected toward religion and the promoting of the word and worship of God they care not though all rudenesse and barbarisme were among vs and the world were become a receptacle of all atheisme like a wildernesse ouergrowne with nettles bryars and all noysome weeds if so be they might get any aduantage by the ruine and ouerthrow of the Gospel In the late daies of superstition which many now liuing can yet remember the people generally were most bountifull to their sacrificing Masse-Priests who fed them with corne that is musty and mouldred or rather with huskes fitter for swine then for the seruants of God and yet they thought nothing too good for them nothing too much to bestow vpon them as the idolatrous Egyptians nourished their idolatrous Priests in the yeares of famine Gen. 47 Gen. 47 22. so that their Land was not set to sale hauing a portion assigned vnto them of Pharaoh and eating the portion which he gaue them Now our people are better taught yet they pay all duties and demands for the most part grudgingly and murmure at all things that go from themselues as if a man did cut a peece of flesh out of their sides or let them blood at the hart veine Then they had a zeale though not according to knowledge and a conscience though it were blinde now indeed by reason of the labours of the Ministers which stretch out their hands all the day long spend their strength among them they haue science but little or no conscience the Gospel would be welcome vnto them at least in word prouided that it do not any way displease them or disease them neither be costly or burdensome vnto thē otherwise if they must depart with any of their morsels they care not for it nor esteeme any thing of it nor will be ruled by it nor order their liues after it 33. Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites these are the families of Merari 34. And those that were numbred of them according to the number of all the males from a moneth old and vpward were sixe thousand and two hundred 35 And the chiefe of the house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the sonne of Abihail these shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Northwards 36. And vnder the custody and charge of the sonnes of Merari shall be the boards of the Tabernacle and the barres thereof and the pillars thereof and the sockets thereof and all the vessels thereof and all that serueth thereto 37. And the pillars of the Court round about and their sockets and their pinnes and their cords 38. But those that encampe before the Tabernacle toward the East euen before the Tabernacle of the Congregation Eastward shall be Moses and Aaron and his sonnes keeping the charge of the Sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel and the stranger that commeth nigh
the Psalmist pronounceth that people blessed Psal 144 â— whose God is the Lord so we may truely affirme on the contrary Cursed is that soule that hath not the Lord for his God So theÌ„ the excoÌ„municate are contemptible persons and as it were outcasts the shame of men and the contempt of the people They are the sonnes of the earth and may worthily blush to haue any of Gods seruants looke vpon them They may wander vp and down in the night times like Owles that hate the light but may be ashamed to come out of their houses in the day It were happy for theÌ„ if no man did know them or did speak of theÌ„ wheras now they are neuer remembred without a brand of reproch All men point at them in the streetes and are ready to hisse them out of their sight No man regardeth them that regard not the Lord and his law Secondly the sentence that is pronounced on earth is ratified in heauen These men think and perswade themselues that they haue to do onely with men and so shake it off and set lightly by it that it might not fit in their conscience but being iustly pronounced against them in the Consistory of men it is strongly confirmed in the highest Court of Heauen as Christ testifieth Mat. 18 1â— 19 20 What soeuer yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen Let no man therfore diminish his sin and lessen his disobedience as if it were done onely vnto men or published onely by the Minister forasmuch as the Lord verifieth the sentence pronounced by him For Christ Iesus is the Author of it 1 Corinth chap. 5 ver 4. the Corinthians beeing charged to put out from among them him that had offended must do it in the Name that is by the commandement of CHRIST It is no deuice inuention of man for then it it might be eyther contemned or lesse esteemed but it is the sentence of the great Iudge more fearefull then the message of death instituted of him for the recouery of such as are fallen and hee will make all his ordinances auaileable and sufficient to accomplish his wil. The end of it is not to make him that was our friend to become an enemy him that was our brother to become an aliant him that was in the couenant to become a stranger to the couenant but the vse of it rather is when a man is become an enemy to reconcile him vnto vs and when he hath made himselfe a stranger from the couenant and Church of God to call him backe to an holy communion with vs. For the Ministery of the word and the discipline of the Church doe tend to the saluation of men as we noted before If the Ministery of the Gospel fall out to be the sauour of death vnto death it is not the proper effect of the Gospel the fault is in them that perish and are of old ordained to destruction 2 Cor. 2 15 16. So then this censure shall not be without his effect one way or other but shall worke either the destruction of the impenitent or the saluation of the penitent Seeing therefore God himselfe ratifieth this solemne sentence we should stand in feare of it take heed we contemne it not Let it moue vs vnto repentance being assured that it shall not be in vaine Is not the prisoner afraid of the sentence of the Iudge and when that is published doth hee not cry out for mercy When the Lyon roareth do not the beasts of the forrest tremble Let vs not therefore bee more senselesse then the Oxe and Asse then the Horse and Mule that are without vnderstanding but tremble vnder the mighty hand of Gods chastisement as the childe vnder the rod considering that when the Minister pronounceth the sentence on earth God denounceth iudgement from heauen and threatneth to performe it to the vtmost Thirdly the excommunicate are barred from the Word and Sacraments and from the praiers of the Church The word can do them no good the sacraments would do them hurt we cannot ioyne with them in praier nothing will preuaile with them We cannot blesse them salute them in the Name of the Lord. We passe by them without acknowledging any fellowship or brotherhood with them neither doe they which goe by say The blessing of the Lord be vpon you â— 29 8. we blesse you in the Name of the Lord. They are swine that must be kept from the food that God hath prepared and prouided for his children Who doth not account the state of Nebuchadnezzar most wretched and lamentable when for his pride and presumption against God he was driuen from the company of men â— 4 25 33 â—d 5 20. and did eate grasse as Oxen He that before was fed with the fattest and finest of the wheat when his heart was lifted vp and his minde hardned had his glory taken from him and was deposed from his kingly throne But the conditioÌ„ of these beasts is worse they want the food of eternall life and are fed with huskes they are not suffred to sit at the Lords Table nor to be in company with his people They are as runnagates and fugitiues from the face of God as Caine. They are possessed in a fearefull manner with Satan as Iudas The Spirit of God is departed from them and an euill spirit is vpon them and vexeth them as Saul Their hearts are hardned and they are turned into stones as Pharaoh They are stinking chanels and filthy sinkes and are swept away like dung as the house of Ieroboam They are most prophane and haue solde their birthright as Esau They say in their hearts there is no God like the foolish atheists They pray not vnto God and if they should their praiers are not acceptable but abhominable All that they doe is reiected and despised so long as they continue in this estate If these things were duely considered as hitherto they haue beene opened vnto vs and that they had eyes to see them they might be all-sufficient to breake their stony and steely hearts in peeces and to enforce them not to remaine one houre in this condition But behold yet greater things and more fearefull then these Fourthly our Sauiour teacheth that they are to be called and accounted as the heathens and Publicanes Mat. 18 17. We see then what we must account of them no otherwise then Christ hath taught vs though they were our wiues or our husbands or our children or our seruants or our kinsfolkes or our friends they haue their names giuen vnto them they are no better then the heathen and the Publicanes Hee speaketh in these wordes according to those times as if it were said to vs for our better vnderstanding Let him be to thee no longer a Christian brother let him be no part nor member of the Church account him no faithfull person but as a Turke or Sarazin Wee glory in the name of Christians but such are not to be
lifted vp himselfe against the LORD of heauen So when wee behold any cut off from the society of the Saints and doe not feare the same sentence it argueth that we are as members benummed and want that liuely feeling which ought to be in the members The fourth end is that those punishments which hang ouer the Church for sinne may be auoyded For so long as they that deserue to be excommunicate remaine in the Church God is prouoked to plague that Church as we saw before in the example of Achan Iosh 7.11 When the Church hath done what lyeth in them to do God is appeased and his wrath turned away as we noted by the zeale that Phinehas shewed against the adulterer and the adulteresse Numb 25.7 Psal 106.30 he stood vp and executed iudgement and so the plague was stayed Lastly the glory of God which is the ende of all good things is another end of excommunication This the Church ought to aime at and if this be before their eyes that are the gouernours of the Church it will keepe them from declining either to the right hand or to the left hand both from sparing the guilty and from punishing the guiltlesse from winking at the sinnes of great ones and censuring the faults and infirmities of those of low degree too sharpely from winking at great beames in some and hauing Eagles eyes to pry into the motes of others This will make vs walke in the beaten path of Gods word If then â—or 10.31 in the least things as our eating and drinking we must do all to the glory of God how much more ought we to respect it when wee are to deale in so serious and weighty a cause For his name is honoured and glorified in the saluation of the Elect and in the iust condemnaon of the reprobate both which are furthered by this ordinance of excommunication being rightly vsed 5 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying â—â—â—it 6.3 6 Speake vnto the children of Israel When a man or woman shall commit any sinne that men commit to doe a trespasse against the Lord and that person be guilty 7 Then they shall confesse their sinne which they haue done and he shall reoompense his trespasse with the principall thereof and adde vnto it the fift part thereof Leuit. 6.5 and giue it vnto him against whom he hath trespassed 8 But if the man haue no kinseman to recompense the trespasse vnto let the trespasse be recompensed vnto the Lord euen to the Priest beside the ramme of the attonement whereby an attonement shall be made for him 9 And euery offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel which they bring vnto the Priest shall be his 10 And euery mans hallowed things shall bee his whatsoeuer any man giueth the Priest Leuit. 10.12 it shall bee his The first part of the Chapter hath hitherto beene handled touching the putting of lepers and other polluted persons out of the hoste the second part followeth concerning falsehood committed wherby our brother is damnified beguiled and deceiued to the 11 verse Our neighbour trusteth vs and reposeth confidence in vs at our word but we often make no conscience to deceiue and defraud him so it may be to our owne gaine and commodity against the common rule that nature taught the Gentiles themselues Whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe to you doe ye euen so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 In this diuision therefore we are to consider two things first the promulgation of the law instituted of God to amend and correct this fault Secondly the application of this particular to the generall law touching the Priests maintenance The law is first propounded and enacted and then amplified by a prouiso or exception set downe by way of preuenting of an obiection The substance of the Law is this If any man or woman haue dealt falsely with his brother in any part of his goods by circumuenting of him fraudulently or detayning any of them wrongfully whereby he is iniured and God is offended so that his owne conscience accuseth him witnesseth against him this course is to be taken he must seeke to blot out and wash away his trespasse and offence which he hath done three wayes First by confession secondly by restitution thirdly by reconciliation First he must confesse his sinne and craue pardon from the bottome of his heart he must submit himselfe vnto God and acknowledge freely willingly what he hath done knowing that he can by no meanes hide his sin nor by any colour keepe it from the sight of God It booteth him not to deny it or defend it or excuse it or diminish it or turne it ouer vpon others If he would receiue pardon and forgiuenes it is necessarily required of him that he vse hearty confession both of this and all other trespasses and transgressions Secondly we must make satisfaction to him whom we haue wronged and from whom we wrested any thing It is not enough to make open confession vnto God vnlesse also wee make actuall restitution vnto men For the sinne is not pardoned except that which is taken away be restored Wherefore that the party offended should be recompensed and the party offending should be punished hee must together with the principall make good the dammage and put a fift part more thereunto and giue it vnto him against whom hee hath transgressed This is done to discourage iniurious persons and to make them afraid to doe wrong whether by fraud or violence For if they should onely restore the principall they knew if their offences were found out they should be no losers Thirdly he must seel â— reconciliation and atonement with God by offering vp of a ramme in sacrifice which figured out the suffering of Christ and offering vp of himselfe once vpon the Crosse for the discharge of our sinne and appeasing of the wrath of his Father It is in vaine to make satisfaction vnto men except we know how God will be satisfied and it shall profite vs nothing to be at peace with men except we be at peace with our God This is the enacting of the Law an exception is annexed by way of preuention For the offender that hath trespassed against his neighbour might obiect and say How can I restore that I haue taken it may be the party is dead it may be he hath neither sonne nor daughter neither brother nor kinseman may I not then lawfully conceale it and iustly retaine it vnto my selfe I answere nay the Lord answereth Thou shalt by no meanes detaine the goods that are not thine own if thou look for any good at my hand as if he should say when thy neighbour is any way damnified let the losse be recompensed and the damage restored prouided alwayes and be it farther enacted that if the owner be dead or vnknowne and he haue none of his kinred and aliance liuing to be his heire it shall not
A fift motiue A fift motiue which ought to be very effectuall is the consideration of the forgiuenesse that we receiue at the hands of God We are much indebted vnto him there is no sin that we commit but increaseth our debt so that we are no way able to pay it He is content for his sons sake to forgiue vs al therefore we ought to put off anger wrath malice and reuenge and on the other side to put on the bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse and long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another Col. 3.13 if any maÌ„ haue a quarrell against any euen as Christ forgaue vs so also we must do Hence it is that Christ teacheth vs to aske forgiuenesse at the hands of God as we shew our selues ready and willing to forgiue for we say Forgiue vs our sinnes as we also forgiue the trespasses that are done vnto vs and he addeth immediately after If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you Matt. 6.14 15. but if ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither wil your Father forgiue your trespasses If then we carry grudging spirits and reuenging minds boyling in vs we turne this comfortable petition into an horrible imprecation against our selues and pray that God would not forgiue vs but coÌ„demne vs forasmuch as we determine not to forgiue but to be reuenged on our enemies that offend vs. If we could be perswaded of this truth then which nothing can be truer we would not seeke reuenge to gaine a kingdome considering that we call downe vengeance with our own mouthes vpon our selues which is a most fearefull case For do we thinke that when sin lyeth at the dore vengeance wil be farre from vs and not come neere vs except we cry for it our selues Let vs take heede we doe not dally with God who wil in iustice repay vs because we take vpon vs to repay and will powre vpon vs the vengeance which we aske against our selues The sixt motiue Lastly we are mooued to put vp wrongs suffer iniuries to referre all reuenge vnto God and not to requite euil for euill because it is against all good law right reason common sense that any man should be accuser witnesse iudge and executioner But euery one that taketh vpon him to right his owne cause A reuenger executeth the office of foure men and to reuenge himselfe doth all these together he executeth the office of foure seueral men It is no reason that he which layeth any accusation against vs should be admitted to be witnesse against vs because a witnesse should not be partiall nor any way suspected to be party Whosoeuer refuseth to referre his cause to the iudgement of God and will take vp the weapon and instrument of reuenge into his owne hand doth more then this he cannot be content to be an accuser and witnesse of wrong but wil also sit as iudge to ccndemne and as executioner to punish which is against all right law equity and conscience No man therefore ought to ingrosse so many offices which of right belong vnto seuerall men It is vnpossible that there should be iust proceeding where matters are carryed in this order If then we would be Christs disciples let vs possesse our soules with patience and commit our causes vnto God that the spirit of glory and of God may rest vpon vs. Notwithstanding all these motiues which may serue as so many bands to tie vs to this dutie Obiections answered the nature of man that is corrupt striueth to breake them all and to be at liberty to doe what it list and therefore ministreth many obiections which are but carnall reasons to warrant the practise of priuate reuenge Let vs see what they are and apply seuerall remedies to euery one of them to stay vs vp from offending this way First of all it will be said If we Obiect should put vp wrongs this were to make our selues as fooles for euery one to laugh at and as blockes for euery one to insult ouer vs and to tread vpon vs. I answere Answer it skilleth not what the world esteeme of vs and what they speake against vs. If we were of the world the world would loue his owne but because we are chosen out of the world Ioh. 15. â—â— therefore the world hateth vs reuileth vs taunteth vs and speaketh al manner of euill against vs. If we regard the iudgement of God we must passe very little for the iudgment of men if we receiue praise of God it skilleth not if we be dispraised of men And as they speake euill of the seruants of God that are themselues euill so they will account vs fooles that are indeed fools themselues For there is no foole like to the wicked man and therfore he is in Scripture oftentimes branded with this name and note As for those that account godlinesse folly and place wisedome in committing wickednesse let vs leaue such wisedome to the wise of this world and be content to be esteemed as simple fooles to the end we may be like to the wise God who is a God of patience and so be partakers of the heauenly nature He turneth the wisedome of this world into foolishnesse and the foolishnesse of this world he accepteth as true wisedome Wherefore let vs hearken to the counsell of the Apostle 1 Cor 3.18 Let no man deceiue you if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a foole that he may bee wise It were better for vs to be accouÌ„ted fools in this world by wicked men then to be iudged fooles for euer in the world to come Againe some wil obiect If we alwaies sufser Obiect 2 wrongs we shall make our selues a prey set an edge vpon others to lay on loade vpon vs. For we shall neuer be quiet but euermore be abused I answere Answer the condemning of vengeance is not a taking away of iust defence God tyeth vp our hands from vniust reuenge but he shutteth not our mouthes from iust complaint For we may claime the help of the Magistrate either for the preuenting of wrong or for the punishment of the doer of wrong The Magistrate is Gods deputy and his office is to releeue the oppressed to defend the innocent to execute iudgment on malefactors When certaine of the Iewes more then forty men banded together and bound themselues vnder a curse that they would neither eat nor drink til they had killed Paul Act. 23. â—â— he sent to the chief captaine to be defended from their conspiracy And when he saw the malice of his nation against him that they ceassed not to lay greeuous complaints to his charge he appealed vnto Cesar that he might not be deliuered into the hands of the Iewes that sought his life and thirsted for blood I stand at Cesars iudgement seat where I ought to be iudged 〈◊〉 â— 10 So
with suspicion of adultery when as oftentimes she is innocent I answere Answer that God dealt with his people two wayes sometimes he commandeth that which is simply and in it selfe good and honest and forbiddeth that which in it selfe and owne nature is euill as when he commandeth to restore and forbiddeth a witch to liue and infinite such like precepts Againe sometimes he winketh at some euils that could not be auoyded as it were bearing with an inconuenience to remedy and to preuent a mischiefe To the end they might sly from the greater he tolerateth and permitteth the lesser euill This we see euidently in the cause of diuorse Deut. 24.1 He suffereth them to put away their wiues vpon priuate grudge and dislike as he doth allow it simply in the case of adultery Matth. 5.32 and 19.8.9 Not that he euer approued of it but Christ saith it was for the hardnesse of their hearts howbeit from the beginning it was not so The like we might say of marrying many wiues a common custome among the Patriarkes and godly kings which was as a mighty streame bearing all things before it it was permitted but neuer allowed Mal 2.15 it was practised but neuer pronounced to be lawfull Sometimes therefore God giueth lawes as Lord and God to their consciences which did binde them for euer and sometimes as a Lawgiuer he tolerateth that which he could not take away as Princes doe such abuses as haue taken roote among their subiects and are growne to an head so that custome is turned into another nature For to beare with corruptions is one thing and to remooue them is another So in this place howsoeuer the iealous head of the surmising husband offendeth against God when vpon euery light occasion and suspicion he accuseth his wife that is innocent of adultery yet lest he being wayward and head-strong should rage and rise against his wife in fury and lay violent hands hands on her and so be his owne iudge and executioner it pleased God to remedy that mischiefe allowing them an ordinary meanes to make tryall of their wiues whether they were guilty or not guilty of vnfaithfulnes and falsehood toward them In the meane season God alwayes condemneth iealousie suspicion arising without iust causes forbids to receiue a false accusatioÌ„ not only against their wiues but against any their friends neighbors or enemies as we shall shew more afterward And the Priest in this case if he saw no cause of suspition that he could approue off no doubt both might and did put backe the husband and reiect his needlesse tryall and therefore he is commanded when he intendeth such a matter to goe first of all to the Priest euen as the leapers were sent to the Priest who did pronounce them either cleane or vncleane and was made a competent iudge in the matter So that al husbands were not altogether left to their libertie to accuse without cause to try without proofe and to suspect without occasion And albeit the same allowance be not giuen to the wife to make tryall of the suspected husband yea though the spirit of iealousie come vpon her yet the husband was warned hereby that he is no lesse guilty in the sight of God who would also find him out in his sinne and that he ought to deale with all meekenesse and moderation with his wife as it is noted touching the Pharisees when Christ said to them that would haue the woman taken in adultetery to be stoned Ioh. 8.7 9. Let him that is without sinne among you cast the first stone at her they which heard it being conuicted by their owne conscience went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen vnto the last Thus much touching the first Question Againe others may obiect and say What Obiect 2 needed this solemne meanes of purgation which was to be put in practise by so many seueral ceremonies some to be done by the husband some by the wife some by the Priest forasmuch as there was a neerer course and a more ready way to bring the matter to light For the high Priest hauing on his breast-plate might in all doubtful and difficult cases whatsoeuer haue asked counsell of God and giuen answer vnto men as Numb 27.21 Exod. 28.30 and in the bookes of Samuel This was practised oftentimes when the people of God were in distresse and vncertaine what to doe Whereas this law of tryall of the suspected wife was not often if at any time it was practised As for that which is read and found in the forged and counterfeit Gospel of Iames Daâ—â—d 〈…〉 that the blessed Virgin espoused to Ioseph had these bitter waters giuen vnto her and that she dranke of them and thereby cleared her selfe is no better then a grosse fable of some idle head hammered in the times of darknesse and vented abroad to deceiue the simple I anwere â—â—swer to the obiection that the hauing of one means is not the taking away of another True it is that it is needlesse to be done by more which may be done by fewer but repetition and iteration of moe meanes in Gods matters is not needlesse In earthly things we say commonly that store is no sore and that if a man haue two strings to his bow it is the better â—tle 4.9 so that in all things two are better then one A more plentifull prouision doth not hurt but helpe Howbeit it pleased God to adde this meanes also to diuers others to declare how greatly he hateth and detesteth adultery and that thereby he might terrifie all women and make them afraide to commit secret sinne through the reproach and infamy they were compelled to vndergoe if they should giue any suspicion of adultery vnto their husbands Obiect 3 Lastly the question must be asked what is meant in this place by the spirit of iealousie when it is said If the spirit of iealousie come vppon him verse 14. â—â—swer I answer it is an Hebrew phrase and manner of speaking noting thereby an eager and earnest desire a feruent and forward inclination vnto any thing which are deepely rooted in their hearts So that the Hebrewes cal all earnest inclinations and passionate affections by the name of the spirit as the spirit of lying 1 King 22.13 the spirit of giddinesse Esay 19.14 the spirit of drowsinesse Esay 29.10 the spirit of vncleannesse Zach. 13.2 the spirit of fornications Hos 14.12 the spirit of errour 1 Ioh. 4.6 In all which places it signifieth the exceeding forwardnesse and wonderfull pronenesse of mans corrupt nature vnto those euils as though the soule were wholly set vpon them and minded nothing else Againe by a figuratiue speech it pointeth out vnto vs the chiefe author and principall cause from whence it is deriued euen Satan the vncleane spirit the euill spirit the worker of all wickednesse the first father and founder and fountaine of all sinne whatsoeuer For euen as when we reade of the
or without faith either with a cleane heart or an vncleane and we iudge such an action to be wicked which notwithstanding cannot be so censured but is to be accounted good or euill according to the intention or affection of the doer Our Sauiour Christ did conuerse much with Publicans and sinners to the end hee might doe them good by drawing them to God from the kingdome of Satan and making them inheritors of the kingdome of his Father A worke which in all respects was most righteous and holy yet they iudged him to be a friend and fauourer of wicked men as Luke 7.33 34. Iohn Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine and ye say He hath the diuell the Sonne of man is come and eateth and drinketh and ye say Behold a man which is a glutton and a wine-bibber a friend of Publicanes and sinners So when we speake louingly and kindly we are censured to be flatterers Thus was Dauids kindnesse ill accepted and worse rewarded of Hanun king of the Ammonites for when he sent his seruants to comfort him after the death of his father 2 Sam. 10.3.4 his Nobles perswaded him that he sent not his seruants to shew him any kindnesse but to be as spies to search the citie and to seeke meanes to ouerthrow it This kinde of iudgement the Apostle forbiddeth Rom. 14.3.4 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant to his owne master he standeth or falleth yea he shall be holden vp for God is able to make him stand Eating or not eating is a thing indiffrent therfore free to do or not to do so that it be without offence Wherefore it is a breach of charity which cannot iudge of the secrets of the heart to make a rent in the Church for so small a matter as it were of a sparke to kindle a great fire Such as were strong in faith and did eate all things without difference knowing that they are sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1. Tim. 4.5 did despise the weak that did not eate and were perswaded they ought not freely without difference to eate all things they called them to vse their liberty and eat of all that is sold in the shambles and such as refused they laughed them to scorne as Iewes by imitation not Christians by profession On the otherside these weake ones not instructed in the liberty that Christ had purchased did disdaine them as prophane persons as enemies of Moses and transgressors of the Law of God and made scruple of conscience to eat that which they accounted vncleane Thus did both sorts sinne and offend against God and their brethren The like we might say touching difference of dayes which we spake before of diuersitie of meates Rom. 14.5 This man esteemeth one day aboue another day another man counteth euery day alike let euery man be fully perswaded in his mind Thus we see that in things indifferent Conteâ— alwayes about theâ— in diffeâ—enâ— euen in the Apostles times the Church hath beene oftentimes shaken and in a manner rent and torne in peeces like a ship that is riuen and in danger of drowning For it hath so bitterly contended about ceremonies that it hath beene like almost to lose the substance as if the seruants in a house should wrangle so long whether it be swept cleane enough vntill euery one in a manner forget to doe his duty And if such contention arose while the master builders were yet aliue and the chiefe pillars of the house of God remained to beare vp the building and to put them to silence that sought to vndermine it alasse how may wee thinke it went with the Church after their departure It is needlesse heere to remember what a trouble and Tragedy Victor Euseb 〈◊〉 5. cap. 14. sometimes Bishop of Rome stirred vp in the Church about the keeping of Easter and touching vnleauened bread as men should contend and go together by the eares about the shadow of an asse or the haire of a goate Erasâ—◠〈◊〉 cent 3. 〈◊〉 1. or striue about smoake and matter of no value And yet this controuersie occupied the heads and pennes and tongues of the learned almost in all places where the Gospel was preached and Christianity professed yea they proceeded in bitternesse of spirit so farre that some were ready to excommunicate others But we need not fetch examples so farre from home I would we had not lamentable experience of the trueth heereof among our selues these stirres and hurly-burlies remaining in remembrance and as it were freshly bleeding before our eyes the which euery one should carry water to quench rather then poure oyle into the fire to make the flame greater and bring a garment to couer the nakednesse of those that haue raised them rather then lay them more bare The peace of the Church ought to bee so deare vnto vs that we should buy it though at an vnreasonable rate and albeit it fly from vs wee ought to pursue after it so that it should not be forsaken through vs neither should brethren contemne or condemne one another for trifles Let the strong yeeld and condescend to the weake and this is to their praise and glory God receiueth both the strong and weake as his children so that they are partakers of the adoption of sonnes and therefore it is a great shame and reproach to despise or despite one another forasmuch as that dishonour returneth vpon God their Master Let vs account those as the sonnes of God as the members of Christ and as parts of the Church which professe the faith and ioyne with vs in the word and Sacraments and professe the same communion of Saints Rom. 1. â—â— Let vs not condemne another mans seruant as if we had iurisdiction and authoritie ouer him but the strong haue no power ouer the weake nor these haue no power ouer them for neither of them are masters ouer other both of them beeing seruants of one common Lord and Master who accepteth and receiueth theÌ„ for his owne seruants Both of them then are another mans seruants both of them are fellow-seruants subiect alike to their Master before whose iudgment seat we must appeare Rom. 14 10 12. and euery one of vs giue an account of himselfe to God Wherefore it is an vniust thing for one seruant to iudge another seruant much more to condemne him Let euery man be perswaded of his worke in his owne heart and doe nothing with a doubtfull conscience whether it please God or not Let the word of God be the rule of our faith whereby his will is fully knowne and sufficiently proued Let vs in all things giue thankes vnto God whether we be strong or weake young or olde in the faith and let this be the end of all our actions and of our whole life
and 3 6. 2 King 13 14. Neh. 2 5 Ester 5 4 8. 2 Sa. 24 3. 1 Sam. 25 24 c. Thus haue Gods children by the light of the word and the vngodly by the light of nature performed this duty And no maruell because superiours beare Gods image to inferiours are to them not by mans inuention or vsurpation but by the ordinance of God in Gods stead as Moses made Ruler and Gouernor was to Aaron Exod. 4 16. He shall be to thee in stead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God Againe we haue the expresse law commandement of God binding the consciences of al Exod. 20 12. Psalm 82 6. Lastly they are sâ—t ouer inferiours not for their owne glory but for their good 1 Tim. 2 2. Rom. 13 4. He is the Minister of God to thee for good Vse 1 This principle offereth these vses first a reproofe of those that are so farre from yeelding them reuerence that they reiect their authority and cast off their yoke froÌ„ their necks they mutter at theÌ„ their commandements they reuile them and vse vnreuerent speaches to them and of them both before their faces and behind their backes which ought not to be Hence it is that Moses saith Exod. 22 28. Thou shalt not reuile the Gods nor curse the Ruler of thy people And Eccl. 10 20. Curse not the king no not in thy thought and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber c. And the Apostle willeth Titus to exhort seruants to be obedient to their owne masters and to please them well in all things not answering againe Tit. 2 9. It falleth out for the most part that they haue least honour at their hands of whom they ought to haue greatest Fathers and masters haue many times more honour out of their owne doores then they haue within them of other mens seruants and children then they haue of their owne For as Christ saith A Prophet is not without honour but in his owne country among his owne kinne and in his owne house so is it for the most part with all parents and masters Mark 6 4. Secondly if this duty be to be performed vnto men much more must we hold it to bee due vnto God If reuerence and obedience be due to mortall men who haue the image of God vpon them and that darkly obscurely how much more may God iustly chalenge these duties who hath giuen power and authority vnto men Iohn 19 11. Hence it is that God saith by the Prophet If I bee a father where is mine honour and if I be a master where is my feare Mal. 1 6 8. If ye offer the lame and the sicke is it not euill Offer it now vnto thy Gouernour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person Numb 12 verse 14 Heb. 12 verses 9 10. Lastly it belongeth to all superiours so to carry themselues that they may procure and deserue reuerence do not iustly bring contempt vpon themselues For this cause doth Paul teach Timothy to flye youthfull lusts 2 Tim. 2 22 and to beware that he giue not occasioÌ„ to make others despise his youth 1 Tim. 4 12. which he shall do if he be an example to the beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity in spirit in faith and in purity Forbid them Heere we see what Ioshua would haue Moses do he counselleth him to restraine them A young man young counsell The Doctrine from hence is Doctrine Young men are ordinarily rash in iudging of others that young men are commonly and ordinarily rash in iudging others yea more rash then elder men consequently more apt to iudge amisse and to giue euill counsell sentence of such things as are well done Such were Rehoboams green heads they gaue greene counsell and such as cost him the losse of the greatest part of his kingdome 1 Kings 12 verses 8 13 14. Grauity and sobriety are commended in elder men Titus 2 1 2. but young men follow the vanity of their young yeares Eccl. 11 9 10. The reasons are plaine First age yeares Reason 1 bring experience and ripenesse of iudgment and so wisedome Youth is as greene timber age as that which is seasoned Iob 32 7. I said Daies should speake and multitude of yeares should teach wisedome Againe their affections being hotter and stronger are more vnconstant and vnbrideled ready to runne into extremities as vntamed heiffers not vsed to the yoke Lastly they put farre from them the euill day they thinke themselues priuiledged by their age and make account they haue time enough hereafter to enter into better courses They liue for the most part as if they had made a couenant with death and with hell and are lesse carefull to be kept and guided within the compasse of Gods lawes Forasmuch as sentence is not executed speedily against an euill worke Eccl. 8 11. their hearts are fully set in them to do euill The vses First this teacheth vs not to rest Vse 1 in the iudgement nor to follow the counsell of yong men except they haue old mens gifts and graces in them For touching gifts it is true which Elihu testifieth Iob 32 9. Great men are not alwaies wise neither do the aged vnderstand iudgement Old men may be yong in gifts and young men may bee old in gifts Secondly let young men suffer their elders to speake before them especially in censuring things that are strange It is a point of wisedome for all especially for young men to suspect their owne iudgement and sentence concerning others their persons their gifts and their actions Thirdly it reproueth those that set vp in the Church promote to the office of teaching such as are young in yeares and gifts and not yet seasoned to build vp others but are light wanton rash not graue discreete and sober Adde vnto these such as aduance those that are planted newly conuerted to the truth of the Gospel before there be sufficient triall made of the soundnesse of their religion and the sincerity of their conuersation Paul teacheth Timothy that the Minister must not be a nouice or one newly come to the faith 1 Tim. 3 6. lest beeing lifted vp with pride he fall into the condemnation of the diuell It is a fault among vs that we many times giue too easie accesse to the Pulpit to such as beare themselues as conuerts among vs I meane such as haue beene fugitiues and forsaken our Church and returne home againe oftentimes worse then they went out and liue scandalously to the dishonour of God and the offence of many Such ought to bee thoroughly tried and proued let them liue in the place of common christians before they bee trusted with the place of Captaines and let them thereby purchase to themselues a good degree to farther promotion Lastly seeing rashnesse and vnaduisednesse are specially incident to youth let them learn to season their yeares with the word of God
owne glory Exod. 9.6 Rom. 9.17 Exod. 32.11 12. Secondly the seruants of God haue beene so farre carryed with a desire of promoting and preferring of it as that they haue preferred it before their owne life nay before their owne soule and saluation when they haue come in comparison together ◠32.32 ◠9.3 as appeareth in Moses and in Paul Thirdly Gods glory is most deare to himselfe if then we will bee his children tender deare vnto him we must follow his example we must prize that at the highest rate which he prizeth aboue all we must loue that which he loueth 48.11 and that ought to bee most deare vnto vs which is most deare to him Vse 1 The vses This reproueth the most part of the world who neuer set this marke before them to ayme at nor intend the glory of God in their prayers but the fulfilling of their own wils and desires and the satisfying of their owne gaine and profit It is nothing precious vnto them but lesse regarded then their owne names Euery man naturally regardeth himself and magnifieth his owne name but the name of God neuer goeth neere them Ioshua hath relation to such a point as this when he saith speaking of the Canaanites and all that inhabited the land ◠9 They shall cut out our name from the earth and what wilt thou doe vnto thy great name Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbes that a good name is rather to be chosen ◠1 then great riches and louing fauour rather then siluer and gold ◠2. it is better then a precious oyntment but if we speake of the Name of God which is glorious and fearefull Deu. 28.38 it ought to be more deare vnto vs then all the siluer gold then all the Iewels precious stones which worldlings make their heauen and happines Vse 2 Secondly let vs in all distresses and troubles be comforted with this consideration that he will respect his owne glory and therefore the good of his Church For the preseruation of the Church and the aduancement of Gods glory are ioyned together He will neuer forsake those that are his in prosperity or in aduersity because if he should any way faile of his promises he should lose much of his own glory which is vnpossible The Church shall neuer sinke vnder the burden that lyeth sore vpon it It is like the bush that burned which Moses saw in the wildernesse while he fed the sheepe of Iethro his father in law it flamed but it consumed not whereby God declared the low ebbe of the church into which it was brought distressed in Egypt but it should not be destroyed he that dwelled in the bush preserued the same Deu. 33.16 If then the glory of God shall neuer faile the gates of hell cannot preuaile against the Church Lastly we must giue no occasion of causing Vse 3 the name of God which is holy in it selfe to be blasphemed Let vs be no means to make it euill spoken off but labour by all means to be instruments of setting it forth Blessed are such as any way aduance it Euery one should aime at it high and low rich and poore master and seruant husband and wife Matth. 5.16 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 Phil 2.15 Iosh 15.8 2 Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2.24 Verse 17. Verse 18. Euery one may gaine some glory to God how meane soeuer his place how simple soeuer his calling be The Apostle chargeth the Iewes that through thē the Name of God was blasphemed because they had the law and made boast of God they knew his wil and were instructed in the word For as wicked children doe dishonour and discredit their parents 1 Sam. 8.3 so it turneth after a sort to Gods discredit in the world when they which are called the children of God and named by the name of Christ doe liue vnworthily so high and holy a calling There is none that liueth in the Church albeit in the poorest and lowest calling but if hee professe Christ and walke not according to his profession he causeth the Name of God to be euill spoken off the seruant that hath the meanest office if he will be thought religious and haue the Gospel in his mouth and do not performe the duties of his calling with great care and a good conscience hee causeth the Name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed 1 Tim. 6.1 The higher more eminent any mans place is the more scandal he giueth and the greater occasion of greefe to the godly of hardning to the wicked and of dishonor to God Let a man be as prophane as may be that neither feareth God nor reuerenceth man let him liue in the grossest sinnes that can be committed or named let him bee an open blasphemer a contemner of the word a prophaner of the Sabboth an abuser of the Sacraments and of all good things there is commonly no great matter made of it he is neither reproched no reproued But let one that professeth religion bee suddenly ouertaken thorough infirmity in any sinne or purpose of sin not onely he is taunted and traduced by the prophane multitude but the truth of God and the profession of the trueth nay the God of truth is euill spoken off dishonoured and blasphemed These things ought to goe neere vs euen to the heart and to make vs watchfull ouer our wayes seeing wee haue those that watch ouer vs to see if they can haue ought whereof to accuse vs. 17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying 18 The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiuing iniquity and transgression and by no meanes clearing the guilty c. In these words we haue the second reason drawen from the consideration of the nature or being of God which is seene by shewing mercy and iudgement both which are in his hand mercy to his owne people iudgement to his enemies This description is taken out of the booke of Exodus chap. 34.6 very comfortable to afflicted and distressed consciences So Ionah 4.2 first he is said to be long suffering then of great mercy and thirdly forgiuing iniquity and transgression If any aske Is he onely mercifull is he not also iust The answer is he wil by no meanes cleare the guilty but will visite the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children But of this latter clause we shall speake afterward verse 33.34 Out of the former Doctrine God is of great patience and much long sufferance note that it is the property of God to be alwayes of great patience much gentlenesse and long-sufferance Hee is of a forbearing nature and slow to anger expecting many dayes the conuersion repentance and recouery of sinners Esay 65.2 Ier. 35.15 and 25.5 Matth. 23.37 We haue many examples hereof in the word of God Gen. 6.3 1 Pet. 3.20 The long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing So
the earth but this ought especially to be considered on this day Wee must dispatch all worldly businesses before that they do no way disturbe vs and distract vs. And when the day of the Lord is come wee must assemble together that so there may be an holy conuocation Leuit. 23 verse 3. It was the custome of the people to come together at such times Luke chap. 4. verse 16. Paul sheweth that at Antioch Hee found the whole City assembled vpon the Sabbath day Acts 13 43 44. This assembly is called Gods army Psalme 110 3. It was counted an happy thing to dwell in the Lords house Psal 27 4. and 84 4. Then ought the word to bee both read and preached so was it in the time of the law Acts 15 21. And both of them did Christ himselfe performe ordinarily Luke 4. ver 17 20. It is a part of the Ministers sanctifying of the Sabbath by doing the same The idle ministery is a great cause of prophaning the Lords day both in themselues and in others It is the duty of the people to heare the word with all reuerence and attention to marke and lay vppe in their hearts what they haue heard to the end they might put it in practise And when wee are departed we should spend the rest of the day in priuate duties as Prayer Reading Meditation and Conference things not greatly regarded of the greatest sort We are soone weary of the best things and quickely loathe that we should chiefely loue The cause why we profit not by the publike Ministery is the want of the performance of these duties priuately 38 Speake vnto the children of Israel and bidde them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put vpon the fringe of the borders a Ribband of blew 39 And it shall be vnto you for a fringe that ye may looke vpon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and do them and that ye seeke not after your owne heart and your own eies after which ye vse to go a whoring 40 That ye may remember c. This is the law of making Fringes vpon the foure quarters of their vesture whereby they couered themselues that they might looke continually vpon them and remember all the commandements of the Lord and doe them Of this reade Deut. 22 12. These Fringes and Ribands serued them for a monument that they might consider they were a people consecrated vnto God not as Infidels to walke after their owne fancies For vpon these were written some parcell of the Law This was also the cause that the Iewes were commanded to haue the Law written vpon the postes of their doores and likewise that they should beare it about them euermore decke themselues with it that it should be as a ring vpon their fingers as a bracelet vpon their hand as a frontlet before their eyes that is alwayes in sight and remembrance To this end also it must bee written vpon the frontiers of the Land vpon the gates of the Citie and vpon the postes of euery mans priuate house Deut. 6 8 9 that they might haue euery day euery way occasion giuen vnto them to talke and conferre of the word of God sitting walking and lying at home or else abroad This vsage was afterwards abused by the pride and hypocrisie of the Pharisies as Christ chargeth them Matth. 23 5. who because they would bee thought to haue a more speciall holinesse then the common sort had made long gardes and sentences of Scripture written vpon them that might bee seene a farre off But for our selues we must consider that though this ceremony bee no longer in vse and that these Fringes and Laces are shadowes which ended at the comming of Christ yet an instruction remaineth to vs to exercise our selues in his law day and night Psalme 1 2. Iosephus reporteth of the Iewes that they knew the Scriptures as well as their owne names whereas many among vs scarse know the names of the Scriptures Wee learne from hence That all sorts both yong and old of what condition soeuer â—ne are enioyned to know the doctrine of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 must â—owâ— the â—ces and the wil of God reuealed in them Deut. 6 6 7. Ioh. Iohn 5 39. Coloss 3 16. 2 Tim. 3 15. Psal 119 9. 〈◊〉 1. The Reasons First because God hath appointed such as are gouernors ouer others to be teachers of them that belong vnto their charge Such as are fathers and masters of Families are bound to instruct their children and seruants therefore none ought to be without knowledge Ephes 6 4. Gen. 18 19. But how shall they be able to do this except they haue knowledge whereby they may bee able to performe this duty Secondly ignorance is the cause of all error because the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God and the wisedome of God is foolishnesse to man So then being of our selues blinde and wanting the light of the word we must needs goe astray Hence it is that Christ saith vnto the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Math. 22 29. Thirdly the want of knowledge is the cause of sundry fearfull iudgements spirituall and temporall Hosea 4 6. inward and outward Esay 1 3 7. So then as ignorance is the cause of sinne so it is the cause of iudgement the reward of sinne If wee care not to know him but neglect and contemne the meanes of knowledge no maruell if we be punished Vse 1 This reprooueth the church of Rome of an horrible iniury offered to the people of God They teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and keepe the Scriptures in the Latine tongue as it were vnder locke and key And albeit they haue translated them or the greatest part of them into English yet they set out sharpe edicts ratified vnder an horrible curse that no Lay man as they speake shall presume to reade them vnlesse they be specially licensed by their inquisitors and confessors directly contrary to the end of the Scriptures which were written that we should beleeue and by beleeuing haue eternall life Iohn chapt 20. verses 30 31. They beate downe ignorance and teach that all ought to know the Lord from the highest to the lowest Ieremy 31 30. and that God will poure out his Spirit vpon all flesh Ioel chap. 2. ver 28. Wheresoeuer he vouchsafeth great means hee requireth a great measure of knowledge This discouereth the byshop of Rome to bee no better and indeede no other then Antichrist making lawes contrary to Gods lawes and yet binding the consciences of men vnto them But it will be saide that the vnlearned and vnstable peruert them 2 Pet. 3. and therefore it is dangerous to reade them I answer bee it that some do so shall all therefore be forbidden the free vse of them All things euen the best are abused meate drinke apparrell the Sacraments Christ himselfe and
Answer in matters of speciall trust it is not lawfull to substitute by the lawes of the land Hee that is the Princes Ambassadour chosen of him may not chuse another to goe for him forasmuch as he shall be his Ambassadour and not the Princes and he that is chosen to be a Captaine may not assigne another to go in his place he in the meane season remaine at home But of this wee haue spoken elsewhere Thirdly to leaue the reproofe of the Ministery Vse 3 from hence by proportion we may extend the doctrine to all others that receiue wages for their labour It reprooueth therefore seruants and hirelings that serue for hire whether they worke by the day or by the yeere and yet doe not the businesse faithfully for which they are employed Ephes 6 6. Most of these are eye-seruants not heart-seruants who are more nimble with their tongues then quicke with their hands These can find time enough to prattle with others but they care not how little they worke for their masters To giue these their right and to doe them no wrong they are plaine theeues and no better then such as picke their masters purses The law of GOD esteemeth no otherwise of them which is the Law and rule of all equity They ought to labour with a good conscience and to be as ready to do their worke as to receiue their wages and to be as vnwilling to slacke their hand in labouring as they would bee to haue their master to slacke his hand in paying of them Againe as they would haue their seruants in time to come when God shall blesse them with seruants inable them to set workmen on work to labour truly diligently and faithfully for themselues so let them deale as true labourers with their bodily masters that so God may blesse them with faithfull seruants and faithfull seruice another day And as they ought at all times to be diligent so then especially when house keeping is chargeable and groweth to be double so much as it was before But what is this to the greatest sort so that they haue enough and feele no want so their bellies be filled with meat and they no way pinched with famine they care not what themselues doe or what others suffer Neuerthelesse as the expences are double so their diligence should be double with good will doing seruice as to the Lord and not to men Ephes 6.7 Lastly to returne to the Ministers to Vse 4 whom the doctrine doth especially belong it admonisheth them that they should keepe themselues from this sinne and seeke with a good conscience to discharge their seuerall places whatsoeuer duties be required of them For the Apostle doth set downe a woe against his owne soule writing to the Corinthians Chapter 9 verse 16. of whom he receiued no maintainance as we declared before but laboured with his owne hands to get his liuing then much more shall it bring a woe to those that take the benefit but doe not discharge the function And albeit many of these are growne great in the world yet it is not their greatnesse nor their dignity nor their riches nor their preferments that shall excuse them but woe vnto them if they preach not the Gospel God grant that their rising be not by the fal of the Church and their mightinesse by the miseries of the Church It should be our meate and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father that sent vs and to finish his worke Ioh. 4.34 and the zeale of his house should eate vs vp Psal 69.9 And when we must goe the way of all flesh and leaue our riches and treasures behind vs the good which we haue done in the Church shall more comfort vs then the heaping together of much goods It is reported of Gregory Thaumat when hee asked the question Vide Gregor Nyssen Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 9. being now ready to leaue the world and to giue vp the ghost how many Infidels yet remained in the city Neocaesarea and answer was returned vnto him seuenteene that he reioyced greatly and comforted himselfe and gaue thanks to God saying There were onely so many faithfull and beleeuers when I was made Byshop of this place Totidem erant fideles cum coepi Episcopatum Let vs all apply this vnto our selues you that be Ministers of the word and haue taken the charge of soules must endeauour your selues to preach the word constantly forasmuch as you haue vndertaken to doe it let it bee your care to performe and accomplish it And you that are the people must giue them encouragement and draw them on to greater labor by your loue to the Word When the people grow carelesse it maketh the Minister oftentimes carelesse also and so it commeth to passe that though they take the profit yet they are no whit carefull to take the paines whereas if they could cause him to see the fruit of his labour it would constraine him to goe forward in his place with cheerefulnesse For when doth the husbandman labour with ioy but when he beholdeth the encrease of the earth and his paines to come to some profit and perfection so likewise doth the faithful Minister labour with comfort and delight when he seeth his labour bring forth a fruitefull and plentifull haruest in the people True it is if the Minister grow dull and dumbe because he hath no encouragement from you it is his sinne it shall be no excuse vnto him but the sinne of the people is so much the greater and their condemnation deserueth to be double On the otherside if both of them be diligent the one in preaching the other in hearing they shall mutually edifie one another and growe in grace together within the house of God and heereafter shall receiue the fruit and benefit of it in the life to come CHAP. XIX 1 ANd the Lord spake vnto Aaron saying 2 This is the ordinance of the Law which the Lord hath commanded saying Speake vnto the children of Israel that they bring thee a red heifer without spot wherein is no blemish and vpon which neuer came yoke 3 And ye shall giue her c. 4 And Eleazar the Priest shall take of her blood c. 5 And one shall burne the heifer c. 6 And the Priest shall take Cedar wood c. 7 Then the Priests shall wash his cloathes c. 8 And he that burneth her c. 9 And a man that is cleane c. 10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer c. AFter the murmuring of Korah against Aaron touching the Priesthood we shewed how God is reconciled to his people and they brought into his fauour againe Touching the which we considered two points the first belonging to the Priests and Leuites chap. 18. the other to all the people generally in this Chapter to the end they should haue an ordinary meanes to purge and sanctifie themselues from their vncleannes at all times The summe therefore of
faith is vaine ye are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15 13 14 17. So if there be no beleef in Christ nor truth in religion nor knowledge of God nor saluation of soules the foundation of al goâ—lines is shaken and the word of God is made of none effect Wherefore those Atheists and godlesse persons which hold in iudgment affirme in words auouch in disputation contrary to Scripture Nature Lawes and common reason that there is no God at all ought worthily according to their deserts to dye the death Murtherers and malefactors theeues and robbers for their owne offences haue the reward of death are carryed to the place of execution of how much sorer punishment suppose you shall they bee worthy that coÌ„mit high treason against God murther the soules of men tread vnder foote the Son of God and count the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing and do despite the Spirit of Grace Of which sort there are too many that finde greater fauour then such as better deserue it And first the vniuersality of Religion Reasons against Atheisme dispersed ouer all places entertayned of all persons embraced acknowledged at all times prooueth it to be no deuice of man Wee haue read and heard of diuers and sundry Nations and people that haue liued without Lawes without Magistrates without Mariages without Garments without Houses without ciuility and common honesty wandering nakedly vppe and downe in holes and caues of the earth but neuer of any Nation or people so barbarous and beastly from East to West or from North to South Cicer. de nat â—â—or lib. 2. Osâ—r l. 3. de rebus gest Emma which were without God without Religion without worshippe without prayers or without sacrifices Albeit there bee indeede diuersities and differences in theyr Religion beeing destitute of the knowledge of the true God but there hath bene no Region without some Religion which prooueth it could bee at the first entertained and afterwards retayned by no compact or conspiracy amongst men Besides wee may reason from the spirituall Natures that reason and experience teach namely that there is a diuell and his angels set vpon mischiefe and going about seeking whom they may deuoure Arist Top lib. 6. cap. 3. Contraries compared together do receiue light and luster one from another as blacke layde to white and vertue matched with vice are better seene and manifested what they are All lawes diuine and humane all Nations both Iewes Gentiles Cicero de legib lib. 1. euen the twelue Tables of the Romanes decreed against witches and sorcerers which haue familiaritie with diuels and worke by euill spirits And we see by Witches and Coniurers that sathan is stronger and mightier then wee If then the deuill haue a spirituall nature and be our enemy hee would haue brought desolation and destruction vpon vs had there not beene a Soueraigne and superiour power aboue him to restraine his will and to keepe him short But this superiour power can be nothing else but God himselfe otherwise how is it that we are not all destroyed Why doe wee not perish and come to confusion if we stoode at the mercy of this our great aduersary Where as this is our comfort that his power is limited and that he can doe nothing farther then he is licensed and allowed All the hayres of our head are numbred Hee cannot hurt a Sparrow or a Fly without the will of God Hee could not touch the body of Iob before he was permitted Iob 2. verse 6. Hee could not enter into the Swine before he was suffered Matth. 8 verses 31 32. He cannot runne out at his owne liberty but is restrained and reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Iude 6. Thirdly men in all dangers by sea land in time of sickenesse and in extremity of their distresse by the very light and instinct of nature call vpon God which sheweth that we haue naturally a common notion that there is a God Wee see it not onely in the Children of God 1 Kings 22. verse 32 as Iehoshaphat when by his confederacy and friendship with Ahab he was in danger of sodaine death hee cryed vnto the Lord for helpe in the battaile but in the very Infidelles when a mightie Tempest threatned to ouerwhelme them in the Sea the Marriners being sore afraid they cryed euery man of them vnto his God Ionas 1. verse 5. These principles written in Nature ingrauen in the heart and sealed vp in the conscience of man remaine to giue light as a flash of lightning in the darke night and teach a difference betweene good and euill betweene right and wrong to those that neuer knew the law of God and to such as thorough prophanenesse regard not his wayes Ham and Canaan being both euill men and scoffers at godlynes Genesis 9. verses 22 25. and 23. verse 42 saw it was vncomely and vndecent for their father to ly with his shame vncouered being ouercome with wine Esau though a wilde and wicked man yet hee would not kill his brother Iacob till the dayes of mourning should come for the death of their father Absolon though hee wrought wickednesse in the sight of God and rebelled â—gainst Dauid his Father yet rebuked vnkindnesse and vnthankefulnesse in Hushai toward his friend 2 Sam. 16. verse 17. These generall notions as sparkles kindled in our hearts by the gift of Nature serue to set forth the difference betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse and to make men altogether without excuse Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1 20 21. Lastly not to vse in an vndoubtfull poynt vnnecessary proofes nor to prooue that the Sunne shineth at noone day Erâ—sâ— conciâ— which were to make a question of that which is without question euery man carrieth a witnes about him to wit his owne Conscience He that hath committed any sinne as blasphemy rebellion murther adultery fornication robbery and such like albeit he can so smother and conceale it that no man liuing know it or can accuse him of it yet oftentimes hee hath a greefe and griping in his Conscience and feeleth the very flashings of hell fire the which prooueth inuincibly that vse which now we vrge against all Atheists whatsoeuer that there is a God before whose iudgement seate hee must one day stand and answere for his fact and fault which hee hath so heynously committed Neyther let any say that this commeth thorough the guiltines of the Law shame of the world and feare of punishment for let them haue security giuen them from all Law a discharge from all reproach and freedome from all punishment yet a murtherer should neuer bee quyet his Conscience would euer beate and whip him trouble and torment him affright and follow him vp and down in all places and open his own mouth to betray and bewray himselfe For GOD hath many wayes to discouer most secret sins and most close dissembling
blindnes as hee did Elymas with crookednes deformity as the woman in the Gospel with foolishnes as hee did Achitophel with want of reason vnderstanding as he did Nebucadnezzar to teach vs to take heed to our selues and our senses lest we abuse them to our destruction Lastly seeing God can blinde the eyes and Vse 3 bind vp the senses when it pleaseth him let vs go forward walk boldly in the duties of our calling let vs not feare any enemies seeing the Lord hath so many wayes to helpe his chosen people to succour them to saue them harmlesse Let vs commit commend our selues to his prouidence who albeit hee suffer vs to fall into many dangers yet hee can smite his enemies with many suddain iudgments He can visit them oftentimes in sundry manners Euery thing serueth to his wll therfore if we serue God let vs be assured he wil make it serue to our benefit They shal not stir a foot or moue any member or lift vp an hand but at his beck and appointment Ieroboam stretched out his hand from the Altar to lay holde on the Prophet but immediatly it dried vp 1. King 1â— and he could not pull it in again vnto him Ananias Sapphira his wife were among the Apostles and seemed to be in perfect health far from death yet suddainly they fell down were caried out Olde Eli whose sons walked not in the steps of their father sate vpon a seat by the way side waiting for the successe of the battel fought against the Philistims A man would haue thought he sate safely and surely at his owne pleasure and no doubt he iudged no lesse himselfe of himselfe but when hee heard that the Arke was taken suddainly hee fell from his seate backward 2 Sam. 4. â— and his neck was broken When Vzziah King of Iudah presumed to burne incense vpon the Altar of incense lift vp his heart to his owne destruction while he waxed wroth against the Priests of the Lord had the incense in his hand to burne it 2. Chroâ—â— 19. suddainly the leprosie arose in his forehead he was compelled to depant out of the Temple We are able to do nothing of our selues as of our selues seeing that in him we liue moue Act. 17 2â— and haue our being Let vs in all our sufferings comfort our selues heerein that the Lord holdeth the wicked in his owne hand turneth their wisdome into foolishnes Absalom rebelled against his father and was assisted by Achitophel Dauids companion and chiefe counseller for the counsell which hee counselled in those dayes was like as one had asked counsell at the oracle of God Dauid prayed vnto God to turne his counsell into foolishnes 2 Sam. 1â— God heard his prayer and confounded the deep wisdome of this great Polititian so that he set his house in order hanged himselfe 1 Cor. 3â— 20 Hee catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse for the wisdome of this world is foolishnes with God the Lord knoweth that the thoughts of the wise be vain If any therefore seeme to be wise in this world let him bee a foole that hee may be wise All humane wisdome in the vnregenerate is oftentimes turned into extreme folly Iezabel enemy against the Church hated Eliah vnto the death but sending him this word by a messenger The Gods do so to me and more also if I make not thy life like one of theirs whom thou hast slaine by to morrow this time 1 Kings 19 2.3 hereby he had fit occasion and opportunity to flye away and to shift for himselfe receiuing warning and learning wisedome by his enemy Herod a subtle Fox and withall a bloody Lyon and wise in his generation might haue sent one of his Courtiers with the wise men for his greater assurance yet hee sendeth them alone and appointeth not one to goe with them Mat. 2 8. Thus the Lord striketh his enemies with the spirit of giddinesse and turneth all their deuices into sottishnesse he circumuenteth the wise in their owne pollicies and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish They meete with darknesse in the day time and grope at noone day as in the night but he saueth the poore from the sword from their mouth and from the hand of the violent man so that the poore hath his hope but iniquity shall stoppe her mouth Iob 5 12 13 14 15. Indeed they seeke wayes imagine meanes to destroy the godly but they cannot finde them out they are endued with wisedome iudgement counsell they are very subtle and deceitfull but that which happened to the eyes of the Sodomites falleth vpon their mindes They are smitten with blindnesse and madnesse are smitten with astonying of heart c. Deut. 28 28 29. Verse 34. Then Balaam saide to the Angel of the Lord I haue sinned Heere is offered to our considerations the corrupt conscience of an euill man So soone as the Lord charged him with his sinne by and by his heart smote him and he confessed his offence Heere was no true sanctificatioÌ„ of the conscience which indeed did checke and condemne him for his disobedience and couetousnesse but did not bridle suppresse the inclination of his heart vnto euill neyther could testifie that his transgression was pardoned We learne in this example â—â—â—ine 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 â—â—â—traiâ—â—â—â—onâ—â—â—â—innes that euill men are oftentimes compelled to confesse their owne sinnes God wanteth not many wayes and sundry meanes to draw from men a confession of their owne iniquities This wee see in Pharaoh when the hand of God was heauy vpon him and his plagues pressed sore against him he called for Moses and Aaron and said vnto them I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I my people are wicked Exod. 9 27. Albeit he could not beleeue to obtaine remission yet he confessed his sinnes to his condemnation The like we see in Saul who persecuted Dauid and sinned against his owne conscience yet when he saw that Dauid had saued his life when some willed and cryed to kill him he saide Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred mee good and I haue rendred thee euill I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will do thee no more harme because my soule was precious in thine eies c. 1 Sa. 24 18. and 26 21. So then howsoeuer the vngodly delight in sin and regard not to prouoke God to wrath yet theyr owne mouthes are made witnesses against theÌ„selues and they publish theyr owne shame as with the blast of a Trumpet The Reasons are these First the wrath of Reason 1 God is gone out against them and their owne consciences summon them vnto iudgement to answer for their sins before the high Iudge of heauen and earth so that the more they seeke to couer and smother them in the ashes of their owne corruptions that the flame of them breake not out the more
they could finde in their hearts not to pray at all not to heare at all not to partake the Sacraments at all yea to breake out into open blasphemy and say with the Atheists and vngodly men Iob 21.15 Who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profite haue we if we should pray vnto him Many are carried away with dulnesse and heauinesse of body mind an ordinary and dangerous abuse hindering the sauing knowledge of the Gospel This is a subtle slight and suggestion of Sathan whereof many complaine but few striue against and therefore spend the greatest time allotted and allowed for hearing the word in drowsinesse and sleeping and whereas they should raise and rouze vp themselues they hang downe theis heads and lay them on their seates and frame thâ—mselues to snort and sleepe rather then to heare and attend An vnfit and very vnseemely gesture for so high an worke If thou shouldst so behaue thy selfe to thy father or Prince speaking vnto thee wold they not take themselues â—â—e abused at thy hands Balaam chargeth Balak to rise vp and heare but these lye along vnciuilly or turne their backes vndecently or lay them downe vnreuerently contrary to the religious practice of the people when Christ preached at Nazareth on the Sabbaâ—th day Luke 4 20. The eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastened on him Many are talking and speaking to others when they should heare God speake and talke vnto them they remooue out of their places to place others and bring them in their sâ—â—tes True it is kindnesse and curtesie are commendable vertues But it is cursed curtesie which is so dearely bought euen with the losse of rhe least sentence and saying of the word of God Others are reading in the Church and bring with them books besides the Scriptures peraduenture of prayers or sermons or such like godly treatises if not of vnprofitable matters in them they exercise themselues spend the time whereas they should hearken to helpe their instruction and not reade to hinder their attention 〈…〉 But do you condemne reading will some say Is it not a good and godly exercise Do not men rather need to be encouraged then discouraged from that duty 〈…〉 I answer that reading is not to be condemned and no man ought to be discouraged from reading We do not reproue the worke done but the time wherein it is done A good thing done in season is twice done A thing done out of season is euilly done To al things there is an appointed time 〈◊〉 3 1 7. and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen there is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake there is a time to reade and a time to heare a time to pray and a time to receiue the Sacraments To pray by our selues 〈◊〉 6 5 6. or reade by our selues wheÌ„ we should heare together with others in the Congregation or to exercise the tongue wheÌ„ we should vse the eare or to speake to God when we should heare him speaking vnto vs cannot stand with the generall rules of Scripture appointed to direct vs in our publike assemblies Let all things be done to edifying Let all things be done honestly and in order 1 Cor. 14 5 40. The Apostle reprouing the disorders crept into the Lords Supper that when they should eate the Lords Supper euery man took his owne supper afore and tarried not for his brethren whereby it came to passe that some were hungry and others full saith Haue yee not houses to eate and drinke in Despise yee the Church of God and shame them that haue not 1. Cor. 11 21 22. Where he doth not simply coÌ„demne eating and drinking no more then Christ 〈◊〉 11 15. when he whipped out of the Temple such as made the house of prayer a denne of theeues condemned buying and selling but vsing them at an vnfit time Thus we see how it standeth vs all vpon to beware take heed of all abuses that take away reuerence hinder attention to the end we may with meeknesse receiue the word engrafted in vs that is able to saue our foules Vse 3 Thirdly this duty directeth vs vnto another duty namely to prepare our selues before we come ordring the affections of our minds and disposing the powers of our soules in such sort that they may be fitted and furnished for that worke When the people of Israel were to receiue the Law on Mount Sinai â—â—od 19 10 they sanctified themselues purged their conscience from dead works The Apostle hauing set downe the institution of the Lords Supper to the Corinthians and taught them that vnworthy receiuers eate to themselues iudgement and make themselues guilty of the body and blood of Christ â—hat is reâ—â—ed to fit 〈◊〉 prepare â—â—â—eâ—â—es to 〈◊〉 exercises 〈◊〉 our religioÌ„ willeth them to examine themselues and so eate of this bread drinke of this cup 1 Cor. 11 28 29 and not to come hand ouer head in prophane manner Now to this preparation sundry things are required First wee must bring with vs diligence to marke earnestly and obserue carefully the word of God deliuered which auaileth and aduantageth vs much for profiting thereby in knowledge and obedience Diligence maketh a rough way plaine bitter things sweet and hard things easie This Salomon prescribeth to the sonnes of God Prou. 2 1 2 3 4. My sonne if thou wilt receiue my words and hide my commandements within thee and cause thine heart to hearken vnto wisedome encline thine heart to vnderstanding if thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for treasures then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord finde the knowledge of God This Christ commandeth Iohn 5 39. This also the Apostle requireth Iam. chap. 1 verse 19. We must vse labour and industry not vpon some sudden motion and pang nor by reason of some good company only or for feare of danger but in a continuall course earnest manner as worldlings vse to take paines to attain treasure and riches inasmuch as the heauenly treasures of a better life do farre surpasse all earthly riches that carnall men make their greatest happinesse We see how artificers and handy-crafts men follow theyr Trades who rise early and sit vp late who labour night and day who endure cold and heat to earne a little of this worlds good but where shall wee finde that Christian who so eagerly and earnestly followeth after the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Behold how Merchants compasse Sea and Land and sayle to the furthest parts of the world with danger of theyr liues to get the goods of the earth But greater is the gaine of godlinesse and heauenly wisedome and therefore we should redeeme the time to procure it and sell al that we haue of our owne to purchase it Mat. 13 44 45. Secondly wee must be touched with the feare and dread of Gods Maiesty for feare engendereth
teachablenesse meeknesse humblenesse of minde is the beginning of wisedome Pro. 1 7. This is so necessary a worke that GOD euermore wrought it in his seruants before he reuealed himselfe vnto them Thus hee dealt with Abraham Gen. 15 12. when he made a fearefull darknesse fall vpon him Thus he dealt with Iacoh Gen 28. He was afraid and said How fearefull is this place This is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heauen Thus he dealt with the Israelites and with Moses himselfe Exod. 19 12 Heb 12 21. at the deliuering of the Law and entring into couenant with them Thus he dealt with Paul at his conuersion to the faith which before hee destroyed there shâ—ned suddainly a light round about him from heauen Acts 9 4.6 Whereat he fell to the earth trembling in body astonied in minde and troubled in conscience Thus he dealt with the Apostle Iohn when hee saw a vision of Christ Reuel 1 17 hee fell at his feetâ— as dead The want of this reuerent feare lifteth vs vp against God causeth vs oftentimes to check the word to be bold to controlle it that wee cannot suffer our selues to be checked controlled by it This feare ariseth in our hearts and is wrought partly by the consideration of Gods Maiesty and partly by the meditation of our owne infirmity and serueth to correct our natural pride and to redresse our corrupt affections Thirdly we must bring with vs faith in Christ and beleeue in the promise and word of God that it is infallible as Heb. 4 2. Vnto vs was the Gospel preached as vnto theÌ„ but the word that they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it This is that gift of God that purifieth the heart boreth the eare and maketh the way for other graces to follow Lastly if we would heare with profit we must haue good and honest hearts sanctified vnto euery good worke This our Sauiour sheweth in expounding the Parable of the Sower That which fell in good ground are they which with an honest and good heart heare the word and keepe it bring foorth fruite with patience Luk. 81 5. This the apostle Iames to the same purpose who charging vs to be swift to heare slow to speak addeth Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse superfluity of maliciousnesse and receiue with meeknesse the word that is grafted in you Iam. 1 21. The want of this preparation maketh so many vnprofitable and fruitelesse hearers No man is so simple and sottish to sow his seede cast away his Corne vpon ground vnploughed vntilled Shall we haue this knowledge vnderstanding in earthly things and shall wee discerne nothing in heauenly things but suffer the immortall seed of the word to vanish away thorough want of due preparation Hence it is that the Prophet exhorteth to breake vp our fallow ground and not sowe among the Thornes to be circumcised to the Lord and to take away the fore-skinnes of our hearts lest the wrath of God come foorth like fire and burne that none can quench it Ier. 4 4. Vse 4 Fourthly it serueth to guide and direct the Ministers of the Gospel to speake the word with all reuerence as the Embassadours of God that our preaching be with power and authority and so minister grace vnto the hearers 1 Corin 4 1. to the end they may thinke of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and disposers of the secrets of God For how shall the people heare it with reuerence if we be not carefull to deliuer it with reuerence as the word of our master that sent vs Hereunto commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 2 15. And the Apostle Peter speaketh to the same purpose 1 Pet. 4 11. Now that this gracious deliuery of the word may bee retained some things are to be obserued in the very action Touching the fitting and preparing of our selues to the worke of the Ministery that wee may preach with fruite and speake with comfort it is necessarily required of vs to vse praier reading study meditation and such like helpes as may further vs in our calling For albeit we haue wits quicke to conceiue memories firme to retaine and tongues ready to vtter See the faithful Shepherd yet wee must not abuse these excellent gifts to ydlenesse or vaine-glory but when we haue done all that we can account all our paines and labours too little saying with the Apostle Who is sufficient for these things 2. Cor. chap. 2 verse 16. The Prophets and Apostles of Christ were endued with extraordinary gifts and had a plentiful measure of knowledge giuen vnto them yet they ceased not to study the Scriptures Peter pronounceth of them all that They tooke great paines in their Prophesies the Prophets enquired and searched diligently the things that concerne the saluation of the Church 1 Pet. 1 10. Peter read the Epistles of Paul 2 Pet. 2 16 and Daniel the Prophesies of Ieremy Dan. 9 2. Paul receiued the Doctrine of the Gospel by reuelation was taken vp into Paradise and heard words which himselfe durst not expresse and the Saints were not able to conceiue hee was ready to lay downe his life saw himselfe at deaths dore yet he had a desire still to profite as appeareth in that he willeth Timothy to bring the Books and Parchments with him 2 Tim. 4 1â— when he came vnto him Wherefore it beseemeth not the weightinesse of the worke which we handle nor the presence of the people to whom wee speake nor the reuerence of the place wherein wee stand nor the worthinesse of the person whom we represent to step vp suddenly to stand in the stead and roome of God like horses that runne away with an empty Cart and set forward in the way before they haue their load No man dareth to speake of Princes affaires before Princes with leuity no man dareth giue sentence of life and death rashly The Minister speaketh of Christ before God and Angels He setteth before his hearers life and death heauen and hell and pronounceth the sentence of saluation or damnation vpon theÌ„ as Moses testifieth Deut. 11 26 27 28. Behold I set before you this day a blessing a curse the blessing if ye obey the Commandements of the Lord your God and the curse if yee will not obey Thus much for the preparation In the action it selfe we must vse all seemely and decent behauiour comely and reuerent gestures of the body haue alwayes a sober looke and modest countenance that it may appeare to others that we are inwardly moued and touched our selues with that we speak We must vtter gracious words to worke godly edifying in the spirit not ridiculous iestes to procure laughter We must lay aside the perswasible words of humane wisedome We must not relate stories and tell merry tales to fill vp the time and to make our auditors merry We
haue the state to haue the title and another the interest to haue the empty shadow and another the propriety and possession Who wold content himselfe with a bare shew of riches of honours of health of profit and to want the things themselues Wee see how all men hate couzeners and deceitfull persons that seeke to deceiue and beguile their brethren but much more odious and abhominable is it to goe about to delude the LORD and to make shew of louing him when indeed wee hate him Saul pretended great zeale forwardnesse in fulfilling the Commandement of the LORD 1 Samuel chapter 15 verse 13. but the kingdome was rent from him for his hypocrisie For there can be no greater dishonour done to God then to seeke to please him with painted worship as if hee were a childe that is delighted with Babies or Rattles or would bee pleased with toyes and trifles which is blasphemy once to thinke of the eternall Maiesty who beholdeth the secrets of the heart Secondly seeing in outward behauior many Vse 2 set goodly colours vpon their actions and pretend great sincerity when the heart is empty it is very behouefull for vs to know them by their fruites and to obserue the notes and markes of hypocrisie whereby in the closest and cunningest carriage it is bewrayed disclosed True it is some by continuall practise are grown to hide the holownes of their harts so deepe that it is hardly discouered yet such is the iudgement of God against them that he layeth them open one way or other at one time or other in one place or other in one cōpany or other vpon one occasion or other and so pulleth off the vizard of hypoctisie from their faces and in the meane season leaueth vs diuers markes to discerne them and to trace them out as by certaine footsteps first of all their cheeefest care is to seeke the pompe and glory of the world to be highly esteemed of others and neuer regard the glory of God or what he esteeme of them This appeareth in Saul who being reproued of Samuel for his sinne 1 Sam. 15 30 thought more of vpholding his owne estate then of turning to God by true repentance and therefore saith vnto him Honour me I pray thee before the Elders of my people and before Israel and turne againe with me This also appeareth in the Pharisies who could not beleeue because they receiued honour one of another Iohn 5 44. and sought not the honor of God alone Secondly hypocrites are sharp-sighted and haue Eagles eyes to obserue the behauiour and looke into the liues of other men but are blinde in regarding and backeward in reforming their owne as wee see in the Pharisie Luk. 18.11 Hee thanked God that be was iust and holy not as the Publican Heereunto cometh the reproofe of Christ Mat. 7 3 4 5. Why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye and perceiuest not the beame that is in thine owne eye Or how saiest thou to thy brother Suffer me to cast out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beame is in thine owne eye Hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye c. Let vs learne to begin with our selues and to end with others first to looke to our owne wayes and when we feele how hard it is to subdue the strength of sinne in our selues and to ouer-master our owne corruptions we shal be more charitable Iam. 3 1 2. and lesse seuere to others Thirdly they are more curious in the obseruation of the ancient traditions of men of customes of forefathers and of deuices of their owne then of the holy Statutes and Commandements of almighty God Behold the practise of the Pharisies in this point as they are painted out vnto vs in the Gospel as the Euangelist sheweth Mat. 15 where the Pharisies are saide to come vnto Christ and to demand of him why his Disciples transgressed the tradition of the Elders and to complaine against them when they saw them eate meate with vnwashen hands Mark 7 3.4 for the Pharisies and all the Iewes except they wash their hands oft eate not holding the tradition of the Elders and when they come from the market except they wash they eate not and many other things there be which they haue taken vpon them to obserue as the washing of cups and pots and of brazen vessels and of beds They do not charge the Disciples with breaking the lawes of God which might be iustly returned vpon themselues but with transgressing the ordinances of men and making them necessary to the worship of God and therefore are taxed as hypocrites Let vs take heed we do not please our selues in vaine superstition or worship of God fondly deuised by our selues and in blinde zeale which is not according to knowledge Fourthly they are precise in trifles and loose in weighty affaires they stumble at a straw and leap ouer a block they straine out a gnat and swallow a camell they binde heauy burdens and greeuous to be borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers This is the cause that Christ denounceth such woes against the Pharisies Math. 23 23 because they did tythe Mint Annis and Cummin and leaue the weightier matters of the Law as Iudgement Mercy Fidelity these ought ye to haue done not to haue left the other vndone Thus they snared mens consciences and entangled their owne about small things and slender trifles but neglected the greatest things and loosed the raynes in things that were simply euill prouoked the wrath of God They thought it a great sinne to heale the sicke on the Sabbath day to pull and rub eares of Corne on that day to driue away hunger to conuerse with Publicans and sinners They made great scruple of conscience to put the siluer peeces into the treasury which Iudas brought backe and cast downe at their feete because it was the price of blood Mat. 27 6 but their hearts neuer smote them neither counted they it vnlawfull to hyre a traitor to betray his Master and to shed innocent blood So at the time of the passion of Christ their tender consciences suffered them not to enter into the common Hall lest they should be defiled Iohn 18 but that they might eate the Passeouer but they were not affraid to oppresse the Son of God with slanders lies and false witnesses and to crucifie the Lord of glory Such is the holinesse and religion of the Church of Rome standing in outward obseruations Touch not tast not eate not which are after the doctrines and commandements of men which haue indeed a shew of holines but are things of no value Let vs not cleaue to such vanities nor aduance our owne inuentions but make the Law of God a light to our feet and a lanterne vnto our steps Lastly they do all things to be seene of men seeking the praise and applause
in this waightie and necessary busines This was the care of the good and godly kings of Iudah Dauid Iehosaphat Hezekiah Iosiah and some others the first thing which they obserued was the reformation of religion the establishment of Gods worship and the sending foorth of the Leuites to teach the people If these means of instructions were vsed in Ireland Wales other places thoroughout the land for there is want hereof euery where if this way were taken in priuate families by the gouernors therof the people would not bee so tumultuous seditious and rebellious and seruants would not so breake out into swearing lying stealing stubbornnesse all vnfaithfulnesse We should not haue our Magistrates so continually troubled nor our prisons so much filled nor executioÌ„ so often done vpon malefactors For if we did prouide to haue them taught the feare of God we should finde them more dutifull seruiceable in their callings But how can we looke that they should bee faithfull to vs when they are vnfaithfull to God Or how should they feare vs when they are ignorant of the feare of the Lord or how should they be obedient to vs for conscience sake when they make no conscience of disobedience to God This serueth to reproue all those that punish seuerely the transgressions of the second Table and the trespasses done to themselues but are loose and negligent in punishing the breaches of the first Table These men begin at the wrong end A Physitian that would cure a disease must first take away the cause He that would dry vp any streame or running water must stop the head fountaine So the onely remedy and right order to purge the commonwealth family of treasons murders thefts and such like enormities is to be sharp and seuere against idolatry blasphemies contempt of true religion and of the seruice of God So then let vs in our places endeuor that they which are committed vnto vs may know the acceptable wil of God and haue it taught among them this will do them in soule body the greatest good this will make them most painful profitable to themselues leauing a blessing behind it For as they grow in godlines so they will increase in faithfulnes Verse 3. And Israel coupled himselfe to Baal-Peor Wee haue already seene the sinnes into which the Israelites did fall now let vs consider the occasion heere offered vnto vs whereby they were drawne into this spirituall and bodily fornication Psal 106 28. They coupled themselues to Baal-peor they frequented the company of the Midianitish women and vsed the familiaritie of euil persons so were brought not onely to allow of their sins but to fall into sin themselues Doctrine It is daÌ„gerous to the church to haue fellowship with the wicked This teacheth vs this truth that it is dangerous to the Church to haue fellowship with the wicked Wee are alwayes in danger of falling into euill the diuell is euer at hand ready to tempt the world to allure the flesh to entice but our estate is more dangerous when we ioyne with wicked men grow in a league with them This apeareth in the people of Israel who dwelt among the Canaanites Iudges 3 5 6. They tooke their daughters to bee their wiues and gaue their daughters to their sons and serued their gods This is it which is remembred in Psalme 106 35. They destroyed not the people as the Lord had commanded them but were mingled amongst the Heathen and learned their workes and serued their Idols which were their ruine Heereunto commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Ephes 5 7 11. Bee not companions with them And the Apostle Iohn setteth down 2 Ioh. 10 11. If there come any vnto you bring not this doctrin receiue him not to house nor bid him God speed for hee that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his euill deeds This will yet better appeare if wee marke the Reasons whereby it is confirmed First the godly and vngodly differ as things most opposite as fire and water as heauen and hell It is vnpossible to make an agreement betweene things that are so flatly contrary one to the other It is a vaine thing to attempt a reconciliation betweene extremities This reason the Apostle vrgeth 2 Cor. 6 14. Be not vnequally yoaked with the Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse Or what communion hath light with darknesse And what concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols This opposition being so great should be effectuall to draw vs to shake off wholly and reiect vtterly the company and society of the vngodly Secondly the godly are sooner corrupted Reason 2 then the vngodly are gained Nay one wicked man will sooner seduce an hundred in regard of the pronenesse of our nature to wickednes and our vnto â—ardnesse to the fruites of godlinesse then an hundred good men shall win one wicked man from his wicked wayes We see this in Salomon was not hee excellent in wisedome Neh. 13.16 beloued of his God and renowned aboue the Kings of Israel He thought to haue conuerted his wiues but his wiues peruerted him and turned his heart after theyr gods 1 Kings 11 2. This we see in Nehemiah who reprouing the Israelites after theyr returne from captiuity for ioyning with the Idolaters presseth vnto them the example of Salomon Did not Salomon the King of Israel sinne by these things yet among many Nations there was no King like him for hee was beloued of his God and God made him King ouer Israel yet strange women caused him to sinne To this purpose the Apostle compareth sinne to a leauen 1 Cor. 5 6 whose nature is in short time to leauen the whole lumpe Euill men can teach vs no good but much hurt commeth to vs by theyr infection Whiles the Israelites liued in Egypt they learned many Egyptian tricks and practised theyr fashions in worshipping the Calfe And common experience sheweth that they draw vanity and corruption vnto themselues that vse the company of vaine and corrupt men according to the saying of the Apostle Bee not deceiued euill words corrupt good manners 1. Cor. 15 33. It remaineth to handle the vses of this Doctrine Vse 1 First if wicked company bee dangerous much more is wickednes it selfe dangerous For wherefore are we to auoid them but for theyr wickednes sake We must not hate theyr persons but abhorre theyr impieties When the Apostle Paul had exhorted the Ephesians to bee no companions with carnall men he addeth Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitefull works of darknesse but euen reproue them rather If then such societies are to be forsaken much more the works of darknes whereby we are corrupted For as we are greatly to affect earnestly to desire the sweet fellowship of the godly for their godlinesse and goodnesse sake that we may learne to follow them so on
common to all but peculiar to some It commeth not by inheritance but by grace Parents may leaue vnto their children their houses their lands their substance they may conuey vnto them their inheritance but they cannot conuey vnto them the gifts that accompany saluation Wherefore all parents that are faithfull are to intreate and craue of God the continuance of his couenant toward theyr children and to begge from his hands an holy and sanctified seede to his glory and theyr comfort Verse 14 15. The name of the Israelite thus slaine was Zimri the sonne of Salu and the name of the Midianitish woman that was slaine was Cosbi c. Wee heard before in the fixt verse how Moses hath layde open the shamelesse and impudent behauiour of this beastly adulterer who shamed not to bring the Midianitish harlot into the hoast and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel which were grieued to behold such horrible villany neuerthelesse we see in this place that Moses is not content in a generall manner to describe his wickednesse but singleth him out particularly by his name by his father by his tribe Neyther doth he content himselfe to set downe the Midianitish woman by her nation but calleth her by her name and further openeth the name of her father and her fathers house So then Moses hauing shewed who they were that brought the plague of God vpon the people he now descendeth to marke them out by their proper names and of what calling and profession they were Doctrine It is lawfull sometime to reproue by name From hence we learne that it is sometime lawfull and conuenient to reprooue by name speciall people and particular men that offend in the Church and to record them in writing A particular reproofe of particular offenders sometimes standeth with the word of GOD. So did Eliah deale with Ahab and Iezabel he told him that it was hee and his fathers house that troubled Israel This we see practised by the Prophet Esay against Shebna who being a notable fauourer of euill men and a great hinderer of good things is by name threatned to bee carried away with a great captiuity Esay 22 17. Thus doth Ieremy deale with the false Prophets and other obstinate enemies Ier. 28 12. Likewise our Sauiour Christ denounceth many fearefull woes against the Scribes and Pharisies hypocrites Matth. 23 13. which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men deuoured widows houses vnder a colour of long prayer compassed sea and land to make one of their profession tythed mint and annise and left the waightier matters of the Law as iudgement mercy and fidelity So did Paul withstand Peter to his face because he was to be condemned Gal. 2 11. And when he saw in the Church such as put away faith and a good conscience and made shipwracke of the doctrine of Christ he giueth the Church notice and warning of them saying Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme 1. Tim. 1 20. And in another place hauing to doe with such as cast off the doctrine of godlinesse hee noteth the ring-leaders and principall authors Of this sort is Hymeneus and Philetus which as concerning the truth haue erred from the marke saying that the resurrection is past already and do destroy the faith of certaine 2 Tim. 1 17. In like manner he specifieth Alexander the copper-smith which had done him much harme 2 Tim. 4 14. So the Apostle Iohn warneth the Church of Diotrephes who loued to haue preheminence among them Al which examples of the Prophets of the Apostles of Christ himself do teach that it wil not alwaies be sufficient to reproue the errors and heresies of obstinat sinners but somtimes it is expedient to lay them open by their names and to signifie them to the Church by a particular discouering of them The Reasons of this practise are to be considered Reason 1 First because the Church should haue warning of thē that others might shun them and auoid their company So the Apostle nameth Alexander to prepare Timothy not to trust him It is good to know false bretheren lest they spying our liberty take the greater aduantage against vs. Hence it is that Paul chargeth Timothy to beware of Alexander who had withstood his preaching sore 2 Tim. 4 15. While we are familiarly conuersant with the wicked it will be hard for vs not to bee entangled in their sinnes For how can a man walke among thornes not pricke himselfe or how can a man touch pitch and not be defiled We must flye from such as from a deadly plague We must separate our selues from them lest the like vengeance fal vpon vs also Secondly they must by a speciall note bee made knowne to the Church that they may Reason 2 be degraded and brought to reproch The Apostle vsed this remedy thereby to shutte their mouthes and to stoppe them from speaking euill of almighty GOD and his truth which ought to be precious to vs. This naming of them is to set a marke of infamy vpon thē as if a man were boared in the eare or burned in the hand for a malefactor God will haue them and their wickednesse registred to their perpetual shame in the Church for euer that they should not be of any more credit to infect the good and to draw the weake vnto destruction The vnnaturall sauage dealing of the Amalekites toward their brethren the Israelites is by God expresly commanded to be recorded in a booke to their infamy and confusion The Lord saide vnto Moses Write this for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it to Ioshua for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen Exod. 17 14. So we haue in the Scriptures set forth the vncleannesse of Sodome the hard-heartednesse of Pharaoh the conspiracy of Corah the couetousnesse of Ahab the cruelty of Iezabel the disobedience of Saul the treason of Absolon the treachery of Iudas and other infamous beasts the record of their shame is in perpetuall memory and stinketh vnto this day The like we might say of all bloody persecutors in all ages since Christs time they haue theyr names and facts remembred in the Acts and Monuments of the Church Seeing therefore obstinate enemies must be both shunned shamed in both respects we learne that it is lawfull for the Ministers of God to point out some by name that they may be knowne otherwise the Apostles of Christ would neuer haue done it the Prophets would neuer haue practised it Christ himselfe would neuer haue allowed it Let vs apply this to our selues First it serueth as a bridle to restraine euill men especially all such as bring a publike detriment and hurt to the Church and are the cause of common Vse 1 mischiefes they shall to the shame of theyr persons to the reproch of theyr names to the infamy of their posterities be
practised by Iosiah 2 Chron. 34 16. If they cleaue to this rule they must continue if they haue declined they must returne cause others to returne and reforme what hath bin amisse This the Pharisies acknowledged when they said to Christ By what authority dost thou these things c. Mar. 11 28 and Ioh. 1 19 they said to him Who art thou what sayst thou for thy selfe If it bee in the Gospel of Christ or in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles we must willingly receiue it and be guided by it if not we must refuse it otherwise wee bring vpon our selues manifest destruction Vse 3 Lastly it behoueth all priuate persons that liue in a Church wherein true Religion and the pure worship of GOD is established to submit themselues to those things that are agreeable to the word howsoeuer they bee not agreable to their affections For as wee must giue obedience to the Scriptures Bernard whether they speake as we would haue them or whether they speake not as wee would haue them so in a reformed Church where a priuat man doth dwell if any thing be commanded by authority either agreeing or not agreeing to our affections yet if the same bee agreeable to the Word of God we must yeeld obedience vnto it If the Church command any thing declining from the Law of God hee must be peaceable in refusing and patient in suffering The weapons of a Christian remembring that the onely weapons of a Christian are supplication to God and to man Besides we must know thus much that whosoeuer refuseth to obey that which hath beene vniformely established and aduisedly and moderatly concluded by the whole what priuat persons soeuer refuse to obey had need to do it vpon a sure ground that the same which they refuse is against the Law of God lest it fall out with them as with those that Austine speaketh off who gloried that they suffered persecution but it was for their faults not for their vertues so they that withdraw obedience ought to do it with a good conscience and vpon a sure ground otherwise they can haue no comfort in suffering nor looke for reward after suffering There haue alwayes bin some things amisse in the Church and no Church is or euer was so perfect but somewhat may be found in it worthy reformation so that Christ may say to it as he did to the Churches of Asia Habeo aduersus te pauca I haue somewhat against thee The best Churches wil quickly decline as wee see it fell out to those which were founded by the happy hands of the Apostles themselues that were the chiefe workmen master-builders 63 These are they that were numbred by Moses and Eleazar the Priest c. 64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the Priest first numbred c. 65 For the Lord had said of them c. The conclusion of the whole chap. followeth in these words wherein the former numbring is illustrated by place where it was by the persons that did number were numbred al amplified by the contrary that among al these there was not so much as any one man left aliue that came in the former account but they were all of them dead perished in the wildernes except Caleb Ioshua Heere is a great blessing set down likewise a great iudgmeÌ„t a blessing in multiplying of them a iudgment in chastifing of them thereby to teach vs that God is faithfull and true both in his promises and also in his threatnings Gen. 15 5. For hee had promised to Abraham that he would multiply his seed exceedingly as the starres of heauen he made this hauock of them Numb 14 35. 1 Cor. 10 5 6. brought this desolation vpon them for their often murmurings mutinies wherefore by his promises let vs be stirred vp to faith obedience by his threatnings be feared terrified from sin Moreouer marke from this fearful example of a generall disobedience or rather conspiracy against God Doctrine A whole mâ—â—titude cannoâ— cleare themselues from iudgment that it is not a whole multitude that can shelter themselues from Gods iudgments when they come vpon them though they bee neuer so many or mighty Though thousands thousand thousands muster together ioyne hand in hand yet they are not able to deliuer theÌ„selues The reasons follow The Lord is iust in all his wayes euen in the works of his iudgments Now iustice giueth Reason 1 equal to them that are equal If then all haue sinned as he is iust in punishing one so he will be iust in punishing all This we see in his casting down all the angels from the heauens that sinned 2 Pet. 2.4 Iude 6. in drowning the whole world in destroying Sodome Gomorrha infinite such like examples Secondly as he is iust righteous so he is strong powerful Many men do well deserue to be called iust yet oftentimes they want power as we see in Daniel toward Ioab when he committed murther complayning of himselfe that he was weake 1 Sam. 3 39. the sons of Zeruiah being martial men were too hard for him It is not so with God he is as powerfull as he is iust therefore he will certainly proceed against whole multitudes be they neuer so many or powerful so that none shal be able to escape vnpunished Thirdly the moe they are that offend the greater is the offence and the greater the dishonor done to God no maruail therefore if hee spare not to ouerthrow great companies in his wrath and sore displeasure For as in a ciuil state the greater the number of rebels is the greater is the offence against the Prince so it is in this case the greater multitude of offenders the greater the oence against Gods and consequently the greater iudgment will fall vpon them Vse 1 This serueth to reproue those that walk on boldly in their sins lift vp their heads without feare because they are many in number great in power thereupon thinke they shall be excused because they are not singular sin not alone Alas this will proue a slender comfort when God shal come to take an account of vs certainly no more then this that as wee sinned not alone so wee shall not be punished alone What benefit hath the theefe that is going to the place of execution to see a traine of many others beare him company Is his iudgment any whit the lesse or is his comfort any whit the more So when the Lord shall come against those that haue broken the couenant with him made a league with hel death what shall it help them or ease them to go to hell with company whereas the yelling and crying of one shal rather adde to the torment misery of another If you thinke God will the sooner respect vs because we are many we deny his iustice and deceiue
brethren his vnkles Lastly if his father haue no brethren the inheritance must descend to the next kinsman whatsoeuer he be of his tribe and family Here a question may bee asked whether this law binde in conscience all Nations and persons for euer Quest And many things may be saide of it and for it as most equall and the voyce of nature it selfe Neuerthelesse all things considered Answ I rather take this law to be among the Iudicials that do not necessarily tye all places persons to the performance of them Hence it is that it is saide afterward verse 11 that it is a statute of iudgement and to whom not to all Nations but to the children of Israel so that though some of their iudiciall and politicall lawes do binde yet all do not as we see in Exodus where they are handled in the 21 22 23 chapters Secondly this law appointeth that the inheritance must of necessity passe from one to another from the father vnto the childe c. without any interruption if then this order must hold as a perpetuall ordinance for euer it should be vtterly vnlawfull to sell a mans inheritance for any cause or vpon any occasion or to buy a mans inheritance because the Iewes were as well tyed to that and if they did it must returne to the owner again at the yeare of Iubile as wee reade in many places of the Law of Moses Leuit. 25 23 24 Numb 36 8 and it appeareth farther in the practise of Naboth 1 Kings 21 3 when Ahab required of him his Vineyard eyther by way of sale or exchange he answered The Lord forbid it mee that I should giue the inheritance of my fathers to thee Thus doth God ordaine that euery mans Land should keep and continue within his owne tribe and not passe from tribe to tribe which would bring much confusion and an intermingling of one tribe with another all which were peculiar to this people Thirdly God ordained it as a statute also in Israel that the eldest should haue a double portion of all that a man hath because hee is the beginning of his strength therefore the right of the first borne is his this is grounded vpon the same reasons that this is yet who accounteth this precisely imposed vpon all as a morall ordinance Nay M Dod exposit on 5. Command some of good note and name in the Church are of opinion that they should receiue the best portion that are best and inherite most that haue most grace in theyr hearts and therfore they take not this precept to be as a president to binde all posterity And if this do not necessarily binde why should the former Fourthly the words of the law in this place do not seeme to mee as a law of annexing the inheritance to these that it should not be lawfull to alter this course It is saide if a man dye and haue no sonne or if he dye and haue no daughter then shall the inheritance descend thus and thus but this hindreth not but a man while he liueth may by will or otherwise make conueyance of his estate and this law is nothing against such conueyance Lastly we find that the Israelites themselues did sometimes giue inheritance to their daughters euen while they had heyres males as appeareth in Caleb Iudg. 1 15. 1. Chron. 2 18. Salomon was not the eldest sonne of Dauid yet hee succeeded his father in his kingdome and had more then all the rest To conclude if grace must haue the first place vertue must make the heyre then nature must giue place to grace But to leaue this doubt Doctrine Propriety of goods is the ordinance of God let vs come to the Doctrine for heereby wee learne that the propriety of goods is the ordinance and blessing of God he hath appointed that men should haue theyr possessions peculiar to themselues in this life So did Abraham buy a possession for buriall and paied for it currant money among Merchants Gen. 23 16 he layde no clayme to it before he had purchased it as if it had beene no lesse his thē any other The Patriarkes chalenged as proper to themselues the Welles which by theyr owne labour and industry they had digged and complained of wrong and violence when they were taken from them Gen. 26. To this end did God appoint that euery Tribe should haue inheritance giuen them by lot Hence it is also that wee reade that the faithfull haue had possessions and retained their possessions and are saide many of them to bee exceeding rich to haue possession of flocks possession of heards and great store of seruants and others are saide to become great to haue siluer and gold and iewels Gen. 26 24 as Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Obadiah and infinit others In the New Testament wee reade of Iohn the Euangelist of Ioseph of Arimathea a Disciple of Christ who honoured the buriall of his Master of Lazarus raised vp by Christ his two sisters of Simon the leaper of Ioanna of Susanna and these liued in the daies of Christ and had possessions After his ascension many beleeuers solde theyr possessions Tabitha was full of good works Cornelius the Captain gaue much almes to all the people Philemon and Philip and sundry others all which professing and some of them preaching the Gospel are no where commanded to abiure their possessions and to renounce their houses and lands neyther did they betake themselues to a supposed community knowing that priuat possession and Christian profession stand together and do not one ouerthrow the other as hath bene plentifully declared elsewhere Reason 1 The grounds of this doctrine are very apparent First God approueth of buying and selling or else the first Christians might not haue solde their possessions and taken money for them and they did alienate them from them not because they could not lawfuly be possessed but because the poore should be releeued Act. 4 34. The Lord likewise giueth rules in the Law for the right ordering thereof Leuit. 25 15. Secondly God commandeth almesgiuing to the people as an holy and Christian dutie which he also promiseth to reward to a cuppe of cold water Matth 10. and euery where he commendeth the releeuing of the wants and necessities of their poore brethren threatneth the contrary Deut. 15 11. Thirdly hee forbiddeth stealing and wronging one of another in temporall things and hurting one an other in their goods Exod. 20 15. As also the defrauding one of another Mark 10 19. Lastly euery man hath his children proper to himselfe euery man knoweth his owne children and can say These are mine these are not mine Now children are part of their fathers goods as appeareth Iob 1 As then they are proper vnto euery man so also ought other goods that euery man may know his owne Vse 1 This reprooueth the Anabaptists that would bring in a communion or rather a confusion of all things who while they goe about to
more to the heaps of their other wickednesse Sixtly theyr estate or ability what theyr lands or liuings bee what goods and substance they haue where their dwelling and abode is whether they haue any thing to lose and bee able to make satisfaction if happely they be found tainted For beggers and bankrout strangers and straglers vnknowne and vntryed may soone bee brought to lift at an oth for a little money and for hope of gain and the party grieued and abused by theyr falsehood and forgery shall purchase theyr eares when they are in the pillery at a deare rate if he list to sue at the Law for them Lastly theyr faith or religon is of speciall consideration because that is the bond of all good order If they feare God and regard theyr conscience there is no feare of them we need make no scruple of conscience to allow of them For infidels Turkes heretiques or vnbeleeuers make little account to renounce sell Christ and the Christian faith which they doe not beleeue fot a small gaine and aduantage Neuerthelesse the Gentiles themselues did put such religion in othes if they had sworne solemnely by their false gods that they feared vengeance to fall vpon them Iuuen. satyr 8. if they did breake them Thus wee haue seene what witnesses ought to bee now let vs see how they offend when they are such as they ought not to be For no man must thinke it a small offence to wrest iudgment and to be a false witnes A false witnes offendeth sixe wayes inasmuch as they offend against God against the truth against the Iudge against the person accused against the commonwealth and against themselues First of all they sinne against GOD himselfe who is the Author of truth and the President of iudgment seates for they feare not to lye shamelesly to his face and to pollute and defile his Tribunall they despise and contemne his Law and call vpon him to be a witnesse of falsehood Secondly they do offend against the truth which is that onely light wherein the knowledge of things consisteth this they go about to darken with theyr lyes and to hide it from the sight of men as they that couer a candle vnder a bushell or like to theeues that cannot abide the light but put it out that neyther they nor their doings may be espied Thirdly they transgresse against the Iudge who pronounceth sentence according to the words of the witnesses and maketh their depositions as a rule to guide and direct him It is a common thing for the Iudge to erre and to go astray Phil. Bosquieri theatrum patie p. 280 being seduced and deceiued by their falsehood pronouncing with his mouth sealing with his hand and striking with his sword otherwise then it ought to be who ought to be the instrument the oracle and the interpreter of God Fourthly against such as are accused and brought to iudgment whether they be guilty or not guilty If they be guilty and bee acquitted and discharged by them they free them from punishment which might bee a good meanes to doe them good when they should receiue according to their deserts and besides they encourage them in euill because to escape without punishment inflameth them with a desire to continue in euill If they bee not guilty they are wronged and oppressed by their false testimonie eyther in their life or in their goods or in their name or in such like earthly blessings Wilh Zepper de leg Mosaic lib. 5 cap. 7. For whatsoeuer is taken from the condemned person by sentence of the Iudge is all done by the fault of the false witnesse If life be taken from him he is the murtherer if he lose any of his goods hee is the theefe if his good name be impaired he is the slanderer Fiftly against the common-wealth because the end of iudgments and of the courts of iustice is not attayned to wit the peace and tranquillity of the people For wherefore serue so many places and seates of iudgment but that wee should leade a peaceable and a quiet life The end of warre is said to be peace so the end of suites is that we should not sue Now this great and precious iewell of peace is wronged and wrested when the Iudge following the rule of the witnesses and iudging according to things alledged and proued doth condemne the innocent and absolue the guilty person For as hee is iniurious against my body that cutteth off a sound arme or leg so is he against the citty which casteth way a good and profitable citizen Again as he is hurtfull to my body that doth not cut off a rotten member or perswade the Surgeon to cut it or to burne it when need requireth because the sound members that remain are endangered thereby so likewise he that moueth or perswadeth the Iudge to acquit a guilty person who is no better to the common-wealth then a rotten member is to the body is an enemy to the state and iniurious to the body politicke Lastly against himselfe False witnesses doe hurt themselues most of all because he depriueth himselfe of all blessings belonging to soule and body The Lord professeth himselfe to bee a sharpe and speedy Iudge against those that sweare falsely Zach. 5 4. Mal. 3.5 Hence it is that Salomon sayth A false witnes shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape Prou. 19 5.9 and chapt 25 18 A man that beareth false witnes against his neighbour is a maule and a sword and a sharpe arrow to wit not onely toward his brother but striking piercing wounding and hurting himselfe It is the part of an enuious person to pull out both his owne eyes to put out one of his neighbours but such are all false witnesses they annoy themselues in soule and body that they may hurt the body onely of their brother So then a false witnes doth hurt himselfe more then he doth another or can do He may by his false testimony take away his goods or his life or his name and this is all when in the meane season he destroyeth and damneth his owne soule and casteth it into hel fire there to be tormented with the diuell and his angels CHAP. XXXVI 1 ANd the chiefe fathers of the families of the children of Gilead the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasseh of the families of the sonnes of Ioseph came neere and spake before Moses and before the Princes the chiefe fathers of the children of Israel 2 And they said The Lord commanded my Lord to giue the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel and my Lord was commanded by the Lord to giue the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother vnto his daughters 3 And if they be married to any of the sonnes of the other tribes of the children of Israel then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe
of Rome did dispense with King Henry the eight to marry Katherine his late brothers wife So Philip the second Duke of Burgundy had a dispensation to marry his vncles wife as Ferdinand King of Naples had the like to marry his own aunt Thus hee that hath brought Kings and Princes vnder his feete chalengeth authority aboue the Scriptures and taketh vpon him to dispense with the word of God and thereby vsurpeth power aboue GOD and his word For this is one of their owne rules In praecepto superioris non debet dispensare inferior that is The inferiour may not dispense with the commandement of the superior Anton. part 3. tit 22. cap. 6. If then the Pope dispense with the lawes of God doth he not make himselfe aboue God and is not this the Antichrist or shall we foolishly looke for any other Can any thing be more filthy and vile then incest and yet hee hath not spared for filthy lucre to tollerate and allow that in the Church which the Philosopher Plato an heathen man was ashamed off in his commonwealth lib. 8. de leg For he dispensed with Philip the second late king of Spaine to marry his owne Neece Pope Martin the fift dispensed with a certain brother that married his owne sister Nay Clement the seuenth for a great summe of money licensed Peter Aluaradus a spaniard to marry two sisters at once Thus also he dispensed with Emanuel king of Portugall against the law of God to marry two sisters as Osorius testifieth Dereb gest Emanuel lib. 2. therby verifying the saying of the Apostle 2 Thess 2 4 that the man of sinne shall oppose and exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God These marriages did GOD hate and punish in the Gentiles and for the foulenesse and filthinesse of them did God spew out the Canaanites Deut. 18 24. Thus Iohn Baptist telleth Herod that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Math. 14 4 so that the former lawes were in force in the time of Christ as well as in the dayes of Moses Againe the Apostle reprooueth the incestuous person among the Corinthians that had taken his fathers wife 1 Cor. 5 1. therefore the former lawes remained firme vnder the Gospel as well as vnder the law and hee sheweth that such fornication is not so much as named much lesse practised among the Gentiles and therefore he willeth him to bee excommunicated from the Church where was this forbidden but in the Law of Moses But to leaue this point at the present as impertinent let vs consider the degree wee haue in hand how the Popish Canons and constitutions do restraine it True it is sundry Councels in former times debarred the first degree of cousins to the intent the diuine prohibition might bee kept with the more regard and reuerence and others afterward added thereunto cousens in the second degree But when the Roman Antichrist sate in the Temple of God and had brought both Kings and Councels vnder his checke commandment then he began to domineere and all cousens to the seuenth degree were forbidden But because this was thought too hard and to sauour of couetousnesse and cruelty ioyned with pride and presumption it was brought at length in the time of Innocentius the third to the fourth degree and sod take it the matter standeth vnto this day that the Canons forbid foure degrees from coufen germans as vnlawfull But the reason which they vse is no lesse sophisticall then the law it selfe tyrannical drawne forsooth from the proportion of the foure physicall humors in mans body But what haue we to do with the Canons of this ambitious man sitting in mens consciences and ruling ouer their faith who haue turned out that beast to grasse long ago Or why should we make any reckoning or account of his supereminent and omnipotent power which he claymeth in his dispensations allowing that which God disalloweth and disallowing that which he alloweth Thus hee playeth fast and loose with the law of God as luglers do to deceiue For if the lawes of God cannot binde him why should his papall lawes binde vs and our consciences The Collegiats of Doway in their hereticall Annotations vpon Leuiticus The divinity of the divines of Doway set forth in their late translation of the old Testament are not ashamed to maintaine this assertion that all mariages in the right line and in collaterall the first degree as betweene the brother and sister are onely forbidden by the law of nature and that all other degrees depend vpon positiue lawes which haue beene and may be altered which opinion how grosse vile it is we haue before declared So then I will conclude with the saying of Beza in his 8. Sermon vpon the Cant. Touching the obseruation of holy mariage I will not stay any longer in this horrible filthy stench which neyther the Sunne can abide to see nor the darknesse of the night can couer nor the earth beare and endure Alasse O Lord how long Secondly this reproueth all such as not onely Vse 2 discourage from this marriage but dare condemne it both as impious and incestuous Others that dare not go so farre yet seeme to dislike thereof as comprised in those degrees mentioned in Leuiticus by an analogy or proportion howbeit they holde also that such mariages are not to be dissolued and that the issue of such mariages are not to bee accounted illegitimate And they make a comparison betweene these and the mariage of those that neglect the consent of their parents who may continue together if they confesse their errour do not iustifie their fact so such as are maried in this degree of consanguinity eyther ignorantly or doubtfully may vpon repentance of their error finde comfort But from hence it will follow that such as do not acknowledge any error or goe about to defend such marriages as being perswaded they are consonant to the word of God cannot find comfort nor assure themselues they may lawfully haue the cōpany one of another but stand endighted by the law if not of incest yet of a great sin against God Againe I would gladly vnderstand what breach can bee committed within the degrees forbidden which may not iustly be accounted incest Lastly wheras it is obiected that the vnkles wife which is expresly forbidden seemeth to bee as neere as the vncles son the one being of affinity the other of consanguinity it will follow from hence that all the repentance in the world cannot help nor serue to giue comfort to the mariage of cousen germans For let a man liue in incest and marry any of the degrees expressed in the law wee must know that to liue in the sinne and to repent of the sin are contrary one to the other As for example if I marry my vncles wife and afterward vnderstand I haue done against
forbidden in it selfe that is by the Law of God either expressed or vnderstood which is the Law of Nature And we are to approue the politicall lawes of Princes touching these things prouided that the conscience bee not snared and entangled Heereupon Peter Martyr aduiseth Magistrates that they should take heede that they burthen not the people too much and without waighty cause Beza de repudiiâ— Beza to the same purpose wisheth that all Christian Magistrates would decree this matter for the lawfulnes of such matches as the first Councel of Paris did rather then supra Deum ipsum veteres Leges ciuiles sapere videri that is Then to seeme to bee wiser then God himself and the ancient ciuil lawes in prohibiting these matches which are not prohibited eyther in the law of God or in the law of the Romanes So then where there is a law of the Magistrate in force that forbiddeth them the precept of the Apostle euen in al indifferent things must take place Let euery soul be subiect to the higher power Rom. 13 1. howbeit Christians must be subiect thereunto as to a politicke constitution not to a diuine institution But with vs there is no such positiue Law but the matter is established according to the pure and simple word of God neither is there any offence taken in our land against such matches which is the onely reason why in many places they are forbidden As then we haue shewed before that this degree hath ground and foundation in the word of God so let vs see what is the iudgement and opinion of the learned that if by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery trueth should stand then by a clowde of witnesses speaking as it were with one voyce we may be mooued to giue our consent And albeit no man is to builde his faith vpon men which were to set our house vpon the sand yet after the resting and reposing of our selues vppon the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets it cannot but minister some comfort to see the generall consent in a manner and approbation of such as haue bin great lights of the world worthy instruments of God excellent Preachers of the Gospel firme pillars of the church and constant defenders of the faith Obiect But it will bee obiected That many learned men do condemne this marriage and that there is great variety dissention and diuision among them whereupon ensueth much doubtfulnes and distraction among the simple people that are not able to iudge and discerne betweene the one and the other Answ I answer first touching doubtfulnes there are not many if there be any that enter into marriage of this kinde but they ask the iudgment of others and haue the opinion of moe besides themselues and then touching the learned there are not many that I know of which simply condemne the same among these some alledge Ambrose an ancient Writer and some produce Tremellius among the later Touching Ambrose it cannot bee denied but he holdeth this kinde to be prohibited in the Law For hauing in hand to perswade Paternus not to marry his sonne to his daughters daughter that is Ambros Epist 66. ad Patern the Vnckle to the Neece he bringeth this as a reason that because cousin germans which are a degree farther off then Vnckle and Neece are forbidden therefore that of Vnckle Neece must be holden as prohibited But herein he committeth a double error one in that he taketh the one match to be prohibited which indeed is not the other in that hee conceiueth not that degree to be expresly prohibited which indeed is prohibited It were easie to trace out farther ignorance in this Father otherwise of great desert but to omit that I will oppose against him the authority of Saint Augustine no way inferiour vnto him in well deseruing of the Church of GOD and withstanding Heresies and Heretickes that pestered and poysoned with theyr leuen the purity of the Gospell Both these were verie great Doctors of the Latine Church and both liuing at the selfe same time about foure hundred yeares after Christ For he calleth this kinde of marriage Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 15. Cap. 16. factum licitum A lawfull acte and sayeth Quod fieri per Leges licebat quia id nec diuina prohibuit nondum prohibuerat lex humana that is Which was lawfull to be done by the Lawes because the law of God had not prohibited it neither as yet had the law of man And whereas it was one cause of the prohibition of this kinde for the multiplying of affinities Austine obserueth that the nephewes of the first men in the world might marry their cousin germanes and that they had a religious care that the neerenesse of their kindred being pulled asunder by the degrees of propagation should not go out too far therefore by the band of marriage among cousin germans they endeauoured to binde it vp againe But touching Tremellius the case is not so cleere neither so certaine what his opinion is because hee giueth no note but setteth downe certaine figures whereby some gather that he maketh cousin germans a degree as far off as the vncles wife and therefore therein by Analogy prohibited Howbeit there is great cause to doubt In Leu. cap. 18. whether his iudgement swayed that way forasmuch as we finde the father and the sonne also noted with a like figure as likewise the brother and sister as if they were all in one degree and that in the second degree which I thinke no man will affirme For it is plaine and certaine that the son from the father is in the first degree in the line direct and the brother and sister in the same degree in the line collaterall and therefore it is very doubtfull what his meaning is hauing left no full explication thereof Againe it is as cleere to me as the Sun and I dare boldly auouch that the vncles wife and the cousin german are not both in one degree howsoeuer any man do cypher them with the same figure or another discypher thereupon because then the mother and hir sonne should be holden to be in one degree for the cousin german may be the Aunts sonne which Aunt as from her parent is the first degree and her sonne being the cousin german the second so that the Nephew marrying the Aunt doeth marry her that is in the first degree which is prohibited but marrying her daughter who is his cousin german he marieth in the second degree which is not prohibited expresly and not be holden to bee prohibited by analogy to the Aunt seeing there is no like reason of proportion betweene the first the second or any diuerse degrees in the collaterall lines but alwayes betweene the same degrees So then I holde it for an vngrounded and an vntrue assertion that any degrees are forbidden farther off then cousin germans But suppose these two were plaine and direct against the same as
indeed one of them is what are these to the streame and current of the lerned writers which this age hath brought forth who as it were with one mouth their pennes and tongues not diuided doe hold and maintaine confidently and constantly the lawfulnesse of this marriage And first I produce among this cloud of witnesses Iohn Caluin Iohn Caluine whom we named before who in the interpretation of the precept not to come neere any of the kindred of our flesh hath these words Non omnes consanguineas hoc nomen complectitur Com. in 7. praecept c That is These words do not comprize all kinsfolks because it is permitted to the cousin germans either of the fathers or of the mothers side to marry his cousin german either of the fathers or mothers side This matter he maketh so cleere that in the 385. Epistle he sayth of it thus Quod lege dei mandatum est c. that is It is not lawfull to call in question that which is commanded in the Law of God as he taketh the freedom of cousin germans to be for seeing it is not forbidden we are commanded and enioyned to account the same to be left free for all men and thereupon he giueth this resolution that in this matter our consciences remaine free before God so that in his harmony vpon the bookes of Moses Com. in Leuit. cap 18 18. he termeth it diabolica Papae superbia qui nouos excogitando propinquitatis gradus supra deum sapere voluit A diuellish pride of the Pope who deuising new degrees of kindred would make himselfe wiser then God himselfe Now that which he speaketh farther tending to any restraint of this match of cousin germanes is in respect of the positiue Law of the Magistrate which is the law of man not of God and of the long vse of the contrary in both which respects offence is taken at the practise of it and therefore with them to bee forborne Howbeit these things do no way touch vs neyther can challenge any place in our kingdome where we haue no law of man to forbid vs no disuse or long discontinuance of it to discourage vs neither any offence of learned or vnlearned to disswade vs therefore wee are no way bound in conscience equity or charity to renounces that kinde of marriage For the question is not with vs what is at all times and in all places and toward all persons conuenient but simply of the lawfulnesse of it Beza The iudgement of Beza accordeth with the former testimony and serueth as amply and fully to depose and witnesse this trueth of which wee haue spoken before Peter Martyr shall be the next Peter Martyr professour of diuinity among vs in the late dayes of K. Edward for howsoeuer some deliuer out that he is a man indifferent or doubtfull and vncertaine in his opinion it is certaine a matter out of doubt that these men neuer reade him with iudgement but with partiality For being themselues enemies in this case and hauing taught the vnlawfulnesse thereof they would draw all other also eyther to be enemies thereunto or haue them to sit still as silent and to stand by as newters But the truth is hee is as resolute as the former for the lawfulnesse of such mariages by the law of God as appeareth by a large discourse in the first of the Iudges out of the law of God the Romans and sheweth the same not to be vnlawfull but to be exempted out of the prohibition For speaking of the marriage of Achsah with Othniel of which wee haue spoken before he sheweth that if these two were brothers children their marriage was lawfull Non enim diuinis legibus coniugium inter â—stos vsquam fuit prohibitum that is By Gods law marriage betweene such was neuer forbidden And afterward reprouing the opinion of Ambrose who disliked the same thee faith Quod verò Ambrosius c. And whereas Ambrose affirmeth that such marriage is prohibited by the law of God no man can allow thereof that aduisedly considereth either the law of God or the deeds of the Fathers Can any thing be plainer then this or can any man deliuer his minde more expresly So then to passe from him I come to Lewes Lauater of Tigurine Ludo. Lauater a iudicious and painefull man he expounding the 15 of Ioshua saieth Si Othniel Achsa consobrinus fuit c. If Othniel were Achsaes cousen german hee might marry her to wife but if he were her vncle he could not by the law Thus doth hee also speake of the same man and the same marriage in his Commentaries vpon the Iudges where he saith It appeareth by other places Comm. in Iud. that they were cousen germans and therefore marriage might bee consummated betweene them by the Law To him I will adde Zepperus Minister of the Church at Herborne he affirmeth Leg. Mosai ex plan lib. 4. c. 19 that the Law of God is so farre from forbidding the marriage of cousin germans that it propoundeth sundry examples thereof and after he had produced the practise of it in those we named before to wit Iacob and Othniel Gen. 29 12 13 19. Ioshua 15 17. Iudg. 1 12. hee alledgeth other also that Rehoboom tooke to wife Mahalath the daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid and likewise Abihail the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Iesse who was the father of Dauid 2 Chron. 11 ver 18. So in the new Testament Ioseph and Mary the blessed virgin were cousin germans Matth. 1. ver 15. Luke 3 23 24 Euseb eccl hist lib. 1. cap. 8. and so doth Eusebius testifye the same in his ecclesiasticall history out of a certaine Epistle of Africanus to Aristides For Matthan begate two sonnes Iacob and Heli as appeareth in the places before named out of the Euangelists Iacob begate Ioseph and Heli â—egaâ— Mary Ioâ—â—ph Mary were brothers children And thus both Matthew and Luke are fully and fiâ—ly reconciled for whereas oâ—e sayth Ioseph was the sonne of Iacob the other saith he was the sonne of Heli it is certaine he could not bee both in one and the some respect and therefore it must be taken in a diuerse consideration and that is in this maner hee was the naturall sonne of Iacob but legall sonne of Heli hee was the sonne of Iacob by consanguinity but the sonne of Heli by light of affinity that is his sonne in Law becaâ—se hee married his daughter Mary as also Naomi calleth her daughters in law her owne daughters and Dauid calleth Saul his father 1 Sam. 24 11 and Saul him his sonne ver 16 Neyther doth the ancient ciuill law condemn these marriages Lib. 1 instit tit 10 de nuptijs The Law of Iustinian is extant touching marriages which is this The children of two brethren or two sisters or of the brother and sister may lawfully be ioyned together in marriage The same Law was
their families according to the house of their fathers Hitherto we haue spoken of the order prescribed vnto Moses and the people to be obserued now followeth briefly the execution of the commandement as the conclusion and shutting vp of the Chapter in these 3 verses Howbeit before the performance thereof Moses addeth two cautions necessary to be obserued and considered First the totall summe of them that were numbred before which amounted to the number of sixe hundred thousand and three thousand fiue hundred and fifty Loe how great the blessing of God was in multiplying his people and what the truth of his promise is that he made to Abraham Secondly the exemption of the Leuites who were acquitted and discharged out of the former muster being appointed to another office of another nature verse 33. Then is annexed the obedience it selfe to the commandement of God set downe both generally The children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses and then particularly in two points They pitched by their standards and they set forward euery one according to their families according to the house of their fathers No man murmured at the order of God no man enuyed his superiour no man contemned his inferiour but all of them rested in his ordinance marched according to his direction and appointment We learne from hence that it is the duty of Gods children Doctrine 8 to yeeld obedience not onely to some It is our duty o yeeld obedience to all Gods commandements but to all the commandements of GOD. God requireth at our hands a full and entire obedience Doe wee require commandements to confirme this vnto vs or would we haue examples Let vs consider both And first for precept The Apostle is plaine 2. Corin. chap. 7.1 2 Cor. 7.1 Hauing these promises let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Where we see he perswadeth to make a through worke to clense our selues not onely from some filthinesse and to retaine some but from all not onely of the body but of the soule euen of the whole man Likewise in the former Epistle 1 Cor. 5.7 chap. 5.7 purge out the olde leauen that ye may be a new lumpe as ye are vnleauened He confesseth that they were renewed and regenerated in part and therefore concludeth must proceed and goe forward vntill the worke be wholly finished For the word is compounded signifying not only to purge but as much as may be possible to purge out quite and cleane as the Israelites were commended when they celebrated the Passeouer to put away all leauen from them so that whosoeuer had any in his house should be cut off from his people To this purpose commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 12.1 Heb. 12.1 Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloude of witnesses let vs lay aside euery weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset vs and let vs runne with patience vnto the race which is set before vs. As if he had said forasmuch as we haue so great a multitude of beleeuers which he compareth to a cloude that is thickened compacted or gathered together in the middle region of the aire of vapours wee must doe as they that runne in a race they doe not onely cast away clogges and impediments but whatsoeuer may hinder them in their course as the cares of this life the delights of the world the lusts of the flesh and generally euery thing that may cloy vs and clogge vs in our spirituall iourney Thus we see how we are commanded to cleanse away all filthinesse to purge out all leauen to cast aside euery weight Behold how the Apostle addeth vniuersall notes in euery of these places But are these precepts without examples are they meere speculatiue considerations without their vse No we haue in the Scriptures of the new Testament many among the faithfull that receiue this commendation from the mouth of God It is noted concerning Noah Gen. 6.22 Gen. 6.22 that he did according to all that God commanded him euen so did he It is recorded of Moses that when Pharaoh did giue them and their children liberty to goe into the wildernesse to serue the Lord onely their flockes and their heards should be stayed he answered boldly Our cattell also shall goe with vs Exos 10.26 there shall not an hoofe be left behind Exodus chapter 10.26 It is testified by the Euangelist Luke touching Zacharie and Elizabeth that they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Luke 1.6 Luke 1.6 All these particular testimonies doe teach vs that it is our dutie to labour earnestly and carefully to performe a pure and perfect obedience vnto all the commandements of the Lord that we may be entire wanting nothing Now we come to the reasons that we may Reason be farther confirmed in this trueth First consider the nature of God he is perfect in himselfe and perfect in all goodnesse toward vs. He faileth in nothing so that he may truely say what could I haue done more then I haue done we must therefore answere in duty and obedience vnto him Hence it is that Christ saith Be ye perfect euen as your Father which is in heauen is perfect Matth. 5. Matth. 5. â— If then we must be like him and resemble him we ought to striue to be like him in perfection Secondly Christ Iesus is a perfect Sauiour Reason a perfect redeemer a perfect mediatour Hee hath fully finished our saluation and he dyed to satisfie for all our sinnes If he were but halfe a Sauiour a party obedience might bee sufficient on our part But he neuer left the worke of our redemption vntill he had appeased the wrath of his Father and nailed all our sinnes vnto his Crosse This caused the Apostle to say He gaue himselfe for vs Tit. 2.14 that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity and purify vnto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 Seeing then that Christ Iesus hath redeemed vs from all sinne it followeth necessarily that we should follow after all righteousnesse and make conscience of all sinne Thirdly in respect of the commandements Reason 3 themselues Cicer. de offâ—â—â— lib. 2. for as an heathen man said of moral vertues that they were linked together as in a chaine so that he which had one truely had all of them so we may much better say of the Lawes of God that as there is one lawgiuer which is the Author of them all so they are all knit in a knot together that the knot cannot be loosed but all are dissolued Or they being ten words are as a band hauing ten conditions if one of them be broken the whole band is forfeited The testimony of the Apostle Iames fully accordeth and agreeeth hereunto chap. 2. Iam. 2.10 â— Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law