Ministers and to make them labour more conscionably then they haue done so it should stirre vp the people to seeke after knowledge which is as the light of the eye or as a candle in the house whereby we may see what we do and how we serue God whether truely or falsely and whether we goe right or wrong It is enough with the greatest sort to do as most doe and to practise that manner of the worshippe of God which is countenanced and continued by authority albeit they can giue no reason of it neither know how to warrant it It belongeth vnto vs not only to professe the truth but to bee able to maintaine the truth which we professe against all gainsayers and such enemies as seeke to rob vs of it It is a duty required of vs not to content our selues to doe as the rest of our neighbours do but to be ready alwaies to giue an answer to euery man that asketh vs a reason of the hope that is in vs with meeknesse of spirit 1 Pet. 3 15. âet 3 15. Euery man presumeth he hath the truth and therefore they neuer enquire farther into the matter nor labor to satisfie their own harts vpon what grounds they stand They doe as their honest neighbours they think it no good manners to differ from them they account it folly to seeke to be wiser then their fore-fathers so they iumpe with the Church of Rome that teacheth her Disciples to beleeue as the Church beleeueth albeit they can yeeld no reason how the Church beleeueth Whereby it appeareth that albeit all men are worshippers of God yet the greatest sort know not how they worship God so that we may say vnto them as Christ spake to the woman of Samaria Ye worship ye know not what Iohn 4 22. ââân 4 22. Let all such know that they want true comfort in their worshipping forasmuch as they know not whether they please God or not They are like men that shoote at a marke which know not whether they shoot short or shoot beyond the marke or whether they shoot wide or how much they are wide or whether they hit the marke Thus it fareth with ignorant worshippers they are wholly ignorant whether they go astray in the matter or in the manner of his worshippe whether they doe that which God requireth or that which hee condemneth For this is no otherwise nor no where learned but by the word so that all such as are ignorant thereof are in a wretched case and wofull condition and not farre from destruction whatsoeuer they doe esteeme of themselues or others iudge of them 5. And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 6. Bring the Tribe of Leui neere and present them before Aaron the Priest that they may minister vnto him 7. And they shall keepe his charge and the charge of the whole Congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle 8. And they shall keepe all the instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the charge of the children of Israel to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle 9. And thou shalt giue the Leuites vnto Aaron and to his sonnes they are wholly giuen vnto him out of the children of Israel 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sonnes and they shall waite on their Priests Office and the stranger that commeth nigh shall be put to death 11. And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 12. And I behold I haue taken the Leuites from among the children of Israel in stead of all the first borne that openeth the matrice among the children of Israel therefore the Leuites shall bee mine 13. Because all the first borne are mine Exod. 13 1. Leuit. 27 26. Luc. 2 23. for on the day that I smote all the first borne in the Land of Egypt I hallowed vnto me all the first borne in Israel both man and beast mine they shall bee I am the Lord. Hitherto of the first part of the Preface consisting in a description of Aarons sonnes and in a relation what became of them part of them dying in their sinnes and part succeeding in the Priests Office Now followeth the second part in these words which is a presentation of the Leuites before him Touching this whole Tribe we must obserue that it was diuided and sorted into two rankes whereof the first is the Priests and the second the rest commonly called by the common name of Leuites who were not admitted into the former order as appeareth more euidently in the 16 chapter following as also in the 18 chapter Touching the Priests they are of two sorts Of the high Priest the one was as the head the other as his hands one was the chiefe aboue all the rest the other were inferiour as assistants vnto him The chiefe was the high Priest Sigon de rep Hebâae li. 5 c. 2. of whom the Scripture setteth downe foure things First his consecration he was brought before the Altar he was washed with water he was cloathed with those holy garments that God had appointed he had the sacred oyle powred vpon his head lastly sacrifice was offered on the Altar for his sanctification and his garments were sprinkled with the blood of it Secondly the things that were required in him being consecrated in the former manner which are cheefely these hee might not be defectiue or deformed in body his wife must be a virgin of his owne people he might not vncouer his head rent his garments nor go in to mourn for any that was dead though it were his father or mother Thirdly the Scripture setteth downe his imployment which was to goe daily into the Sanctuary to light the Lampes to burne Incense and euery weeke to prouide the shew-bread on the feast daies to offer the peoples sacrifices with the other Priests and once in the yeare on the day of expiation to enter into the Holiest of all to make prayer for himselfe and the people Fourthly his attire or holy vestiments in which he was to perform this seruice of God which were these six in number a brest-plate an Ephod a Robe a broidred coat a miter a girdle Of the inferiour Priests Touching the Priests of inferiour condition they had the same kinde of consecration which the high Priest had in sacrificing they were like vnto him and in the seruice of the Sanctuary in burning incense in prouiding the bread of proposition and in preparing looking to the lampes and lights This was the difference in these betweene him them that he was the chiefe and they were helpers he was the directer they were directed and guided by him Besides this was peculiar to the high Priest that hee consulted with God by Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28 30. Leuit. 16 30. and entred into the holiest place to make attonement to cleanse and hallow it from the sinnes of the people Their vestiments were the same sauing that the high Priest onely
need not feare for the time to come but that wee shall also receiue more at his hands who giueth liberally one blessing after another Iam. 1.5 Forasmuch as he is God for the time to come as well as for the time past and all his gifts and calling are without repentance Rom. 11 29. Thirdly this should mooue vs earnestly to Vse 3 labour for the first grace and neuer to giue rest to our selues vntill we feele an addition and encrease of the second and third grace in our hearts and to multiply them one after another that they may dwell in vs plentifully and make vs fruitfull in all holy conuersation If we haue the first grace in our hearts and be carefull to vse the same well it is as seed sown in good ground it will bring forth a wonderfull encrease and a notable haruest in the end Paul would haue Timothy to stirre vp the gift that was in him 1 Tim. 1.6 If wee bee once in Christ he will purge vs more and more that we shall bring forth more fruit Ioh. 15.8 Lastly obserue that this is a priuiledge belonging Vse 4 onely to the faithfull that they shall haue the mercy and fauour of God continued vnto them The blessings that God bestoweth vpon the wicked doe serue to make them without excuse and are as seales of condemnation they are not assurances vnto them that they shall haue moe bestowed vpon them he hath made no such promise vnto them neither can they gather any hope to haue any farther encrease of the same or any addition of new blessings Albeit it be so with the godly that former blessings of God are pledges of more yet it is not so with the vngodly 2 Sam. 7 17. Iudg. 10 12 13. Eccle. 8.12 13. Esay 65.20 He tooke away his mercy from Saul but hee would neuer doe it from Dauid he deliuered the vnthankefull and rebellious Israelites out of the hands of their enemies but he threateneth that he will deliuer them no more The euill seruant hath his talent taken from him and neuer restored vnto him againe and therupon Christ deliuereth the manner of Gods dealing as well toward the faithful as the vnfaithfull Matth. 25.29 Vnto euery one that hath shall be giuen and he shall haue aboundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he hath For they doe abuse his mercies and neuer make any good vse of them how then should they bee continued vnto them nay how should they not be depriued of them They become much more sinfull and grow worse and worse by his blessings God requireth the more of them but they performe the lesse duty vnto him It is therefore a vaine hope and a meere presumption for such to thinke to haue his goodnesse continued rather they may conclude that God will take them away suddenly and bestow them no longer vpon them except they turne from their euill wayes 20 And the Lord said I haue pardoned according to thy word 21 But as truely as I liue all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. 23 Because all these men which haue seene my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt in the wildernesse and haue tempted me now these ten times and haue not hearkened vnto my voyce 23 Surely they shall not see the Land c. 24 But my seruant Caleb c. We haue in these words the effect of the prayer of Moses and the answer that God giueth vnto him The summe whereof is this that the fathers should die in the wildernesse because though they had seene his glory and miracles in Egypt and in the wildernesse yet they tempted him ten times that is not once nor twice but oftentimes a certaine number put for an vncertaine as Gen. 31.41 Iob. 19.3 Dan. 7.10 and therefore they should be all destroied excepting Caleb the seruant of God If any aske the question why Ioshua is not expressed âction and wherefore his name is concealed I answer âer because the Lord pronounced the former sentence concerning the people that were in their tents but Ioshua that attended vpon Moses was present with Moses and Aaron before the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation therefore the iudgement denounced against the people that abode in their tents no way touched him Caleb was with the people so that it behoued him who had spoken the truth of the land to be excepted Ioshua was not and therefore there was no need to haue him exempted from them who was not among them For being with Moses and Aaron he is accounted in their number Secondly they are commanded to returne backe againe into the wildernesse by the way of the red sea verse 25 when they were now come to the borders of Canaan which they could not heare without great greefe and anguish of minde Before they wept without cause verse 1. Now they haue cause to weepe for this heauy iudgement Thirdly their children shold beare the burdeÌ of their fathers sin wander in the wildernes forty yeres howbeit in the end they should enter into the land Fourthly the Spies themselues that had searched the land which were the authors of all this mutiny and had brought vp an euill report of the land were smitten with a fearefull plague dyed suddenly by the hand of God Heere we may obserue in these words that God heareth the prayer of Moses and pardoneth the people according to his prayer so that the Lord heareth the prayers of the faithfull according to his promise Secondly Gods iudgements are tempered with mercy Thirdly such as haue receiued the greatest mercies and become vnthankfull and disobedient Matth. 11.20.21 22 23 24. Luke 12.47 are the greatest sinners and shal receiue the greatest iudgement Fourthly in excepting Caleb and Ioshua from the common destruction it appeareth that God is a iust righteous God who as he doth not account the wicked innocent so he will not account the innocent to be wicked The Popish teachers alledge this example to prooue that God pardoneth sinne Popish doctâine touching the pardon of sin and the retaining of the punishment and yet punisheth the sinner that the same punishment so inflicted is a satisfaction to God for their sinne and that the eternall punishment due to this people was pardoned at yâ request of Moses If this were true then all this people were beleeuers and had true faith in the Messiah which is a bold assertion without all shew of reason and likelihood of trueth It may probably and charitably be thought that some of them were beleeuers and repented to them these were chastisements The like may be said of Moses and Aaron and of Dauid of which they were shut out of the land of promise and he was punished by the death of his child and in other his children and house not thereby to satisfie God by bearing part of the temporall punishment belonging to their sin but that Moses
serueth not onely to soften the waxe but to harden the clay Hence it is that many are made worse by the word âatth 13.15 but that falleth out through their owne corruption not through the nature of the word Hence it is that the Lord saith Make the heart of this people fatte and make their hearts heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and conuert and be healed Esay 6.10 âsay 6.10 Be it therefore that none are commonly worse then common hearers who heare indeed but doe not vnderstand and see indeed but doe not perceiue yet is the word to be preached and published though it be the sauor of death vnto death in those that heare it It is as the raine or snow that falleth from heauen which returneth not thither againe but watereth the earth and maketh it bud and bring forth that it may giue seed to the sower and bread to the eater so is it with the word that goeth forth out of the mouth of God it doth not returne vnto him voide but it accomplisheth that which he pleaseth and prospereth in the thing whereunto he sendeth it Esay 55. âsay 55 10.11 Lastly the wickednesse of euill hearers ought to be no barre against the preaching of the word forasmuch as euill persons are oftentimes wonne by the Gospel Publicans and harlots are brought by it to the kingdome of God Matth. 21.31 âatth 21.31 Many of these that crucified the Lord of life and put our Sauiour to death were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Act. 2.37 âct 2.37 They gladly receiued the word and were baptized so that in one day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules The like we might say of the Iailour notwithstanding his cruelty and persecution of the Apostles he came to them and said Sirs what must I doe to be saued Act. 16 30. âct 16 30. Who preached vnto him faith in Christ by whose Ministry hee was conuerted Shall we then reason as these men doe Hearers are wicked and as bad as others that heare not therefore away with the word out of the Church pull down the chaire of Moses and downe with all preaching let vs haue no more hearing and let the sound of the word be buried for euer O foolish reason O damnable conclusion Nay wee may inferre contrariwise Such as heard long are sinful stil therfore let them heare more cheerefully and let the Minister deale more roundly with them Let them be told and taught that God will take an account of their hearing according to the meanes he hath afforded vnto them that by the word they shall be iudged at the last day and that as much hath beene committed vnto them so much shal be required at their hands againe that they are to heare the voyce of God while it is called to day and are to take heed they neglect not the accepted time and that as Christ hath knocked long at the doores of their hearts so they know not how suddenly he will depart from them Verse 4. And Nadab and Abihu dyed before the Lord c. We haue already declared how God immediately after the ordering of the Armies of the Israelites describeth the tribe of Leui that was exempted and priuiledged out of that muster and multitude and of what family Aaron came Now wee are to shew what became of his sonnes who albeit they were the sonnes of one man yet they neither liued nor dyed after one manner For the two eldest Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.4 Num. 26.60 presuming to offer incense to God and to burne it with strange fire were themselues consumed with fire there went a fire from the Lord and deuoured them and they dyed before the Lord with sudden death Thus by the same thing wherein they offered they perished strange fire brought downe a strange iudgement to declare the iustice of God against sinners but of this point we shall haue better occasion to speake farther in the fift Chapter Thus it fel out in the family of Aaron his two sonnes dyed by fire euen they dyed before their father 1 Chron. 24.2 and had no children to whom the Priesthood might descend therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the Priests office When the Leuites did offer sacrifice in the Tabernacle God sent fire from heauen Leuit. 9.24 to consume the sacrifice whereupon he commanded the Priestes that the fire should be kept euermore burning vpon the Altar and neuer be suffered to goe out Leuit. 6.13 Which the Gentiles also obserued by a foolish imitation So then their transgression against God consisted in these two things First they vsed strange fire contrary to the commandement of God whereas they should haue taken it from the Altar Leuit. 1.8 Leuit. 1.8 Secondly they entred into the holy place which was not lawfull for the high Priest himselfe to doe but vnder certaine conditions and at a certaine time Leui. 16.1 2. Leuit. 16.1 2. Exod. 30.10 Exod. 30.10 Heb. 9.7 Heb 9.7 Thus then as they sinned openly so God punished them openly and made them publike examples vnto others that should succeed them and come after them in that office as he speaketh Leuit. 10.3 Then Moses said vnto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified Babingâon Leuit ch 10. obser 6. It was but yesterday as it were that Aaron and his sonnes had a famous and a glorious consecration into the greatest and highest dignity vpon earth but these sonnes so lately exalted and honoured now lye destroyed before their fathers face to his ouermuch griefe and anguish not by any ordinary and accustomed death but by fire from heauen for their sins and breach of the Law and commandement of God We learne from hence that Godly parents haue Doctrine 2 oftentimes vngodly and disobedient children Godly parents haue oftentimes vngodly children Such as are reformed themselues haue children vnreformed We see this in Adam the first father he had not onely Abel the righteous who obtained good report that he pleased God but also Caine who was of that euill one and slew his brother 1. Ioh. 3. 1 Ioh. 3.12 Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good Noah a iust man and perfect in his generations Gen. 6.9 had cursed Ham as well as blessed Shim Gen. 9.26 We see this in Abrahams house the Father of the faithfull who rereceiueth this commendation froÌ the mouth of God himselfe Gen. 18. Gen. 18.19 I know him that hee will command his children and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do iustice and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that which hee hath spoken of him yet he had in his
sentence of death gone out against vs Euen as the children of Israel had beene all the children of death as well as the first borne of Egypt had not God in great mercy and compassion spared them For albeit he deliuered Goshen where the Israelites were from the plagues that wasted and wearied the Egyptians was this thinke we because Israel deserued to be spared or because God could not in iustice comence any action against them No they had learned too much the manners of Egypt they beleeued not the word of the Lord for their deliuerance but murmured against the Ministers of God sent vnto them albeit they had seene his wonders and signes that were wrought among them Their first borne therefore had beene in no better case then the first borne of Egypt had not God beene mercifull vnto them and shewed pitty vpon them So then we are all put in mind of our naturall corruption by sin deriued from Adam in regard of which corruption which is spread as a foule and filthy leprosie ouer all the powers of the soule and parts of the body we are guilty both of temporall and eternall death vnlesse we haue redemption by Christ the promised Sauiour of the world We are by nature wretched and miserable sinners borne as it were out of due time and deserue the wages of sin that is death 1 Ioh. 1 8. Tit. 3.3 Rom 6.20 We our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another There are many branches of this corruption and sundry points necessary to be knowne of vs concerning the same First we must acknowledge no difference between our selues and others Are we better or more excellent then they No in no wise We all lie vnder sinne and haue the seedes therof within vs. Rom. 3.9 and are ready to fall into all the most horrible sinnes can be named if we be not stayed by the hand of God Secondly we must looke into the Law of God as in a glasse that we may see our defects and deformities We are blinde and cannot see the Law is a true glasse and will shew vs our face truly it telleth what is amisse and flattereth no man for by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 There cannot be the least spot but it will be made to appeare so that he which is ignorant of the Law knoweth not himselfe Thirdly we must confesse the loue of God to be great toward vs in freeing of vs from the bondage of sinne and setting vs at liberty to be the seruants of righteousnesse Thus doth the Apostle Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord c. Fourthly ' we must learne the vilenesse and greatnesse of our fall which Paul calleth the disobedience of one man containing all sinnes of what kinde and nature soeuer Adams sinne how great which may be considered in those few particulars First he regarded not the promise of God wherby he was willed to hope for euerlasting life so long as he coÌtinued to eat the tree of life Secondly he despiseth the commandement of God restraining him from the forbidden fruite and maketh no account of it Thirdly hee breaketh out into horrible pride and ambition whereby he would be equall vnto God and seeke an estate higher then that wherin he had set him He was not content with his present condition albeit it were most excellent Fourthly he sheweth an vnfaithfull heart to depart away from the liuing God his creator so that he did not beleeue or not regard the threatning of God which was that when he sinned he should die he becommeth the most vnkinde and vnthankefull wretch that could be not considering what infinite benefites he had receiued for himselfe and his posterity and that he was to loose them and leaue them in such sort that they departed both from himselfe and from his posterity Lastly he brake out into foule and fearefull Apostacy from God to the diuell from his maker to the tempter giuing more credite to him that charged God with lying with enuy and with malice then to the Almighty of whose goodnesse he had so great experience Thus he preferred the father of lyes before the God of all truth So that in the first sinne of man August Enchir. ad Laurent ca. 46. we may discerne many sinnes if it bee deuided into his particular parts and considered seuerally as it ought to be of vs. The fift branch is that we must all of vs take notice of the fruits and effects of the former disobedience whereby the image of GOD after which we were created at the first is blotted out onely some few remnants remaining of it so that in stead of wisedome power trueth goodnesse holinesse and righteousnesse wherewith our first parents were clothed as with garments more precious then the carpets of Egypt and all the ornaments of gold and siluer wherein the Nobles of the earth are attyred he punished them with the contrary euills and pulling these from them and stripping them starke naked they appeared most deformed through blindnes weakenesse falsehood foolishnesse prophanenesse and vnrighteousnes which swarmed in them and all their children A cursed roote cursed fruite a wretched cause a wofull effect Hence it is that we are prone to fall into all euil and not able to thinke one good thought 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.5 we are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephe. 2.1 Ier. 17.19 Iob 15.15 And yet this is not all our misery but it brought in as by a violent wind or a raging flood an heape of sicknesses diseases aches and a traine of ten thousand calamities that attend vpon our whole life vntill they bring vs into the chambers of death Lastly when we haue taken good notice of the former miseries and bondage vnder which we lie and thought well vpon them with due meditation they will driue vs out of the loue of our selues and make vs labour to be regenerated and borne againe by the spirit of God Ioh. 3.5 Ezek. 36. â we must seeke to repaire the decayed image of God to be renewed in our mindes that we may be no longer the seruants of sin but of righteousnesse Our olde man must be crucified that the body of sinne may be destroyed Rom. 6.5 Let it not therefore reigne in our mortall body that we should obey it in the lustes therof neither let vs yeeld our members as instruments of vnrighteousnes but yeeld our selues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Againe What we are by grace as the figure of the first borne expresseth the natural condition of all mankind deseruing to be destroyed so it setteth foorth the prerogatiue of the faithfull and sheweth what we are by grace For as Christ being
24 25. We are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set foorth to be a propitiation thorough faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past thorough the forbearance of God The Apostle to the Hebrewes declareth that Christ was to offer vp himselfe once and not often as the High-Priest entreth into the high place euery yeare with blood of others For then must hee often haue suffered since the foundation of the world Heb. 9 26. but now once in the ende of the world hath be appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe By all which testimonies it appeareth that Christ is our Aduocate and hath wrought our peace and attonement and thereby made an end of all other sacrifices The reasons are plaine First because God Reason 1 thereby is well pleased and his wrath appeased so that hee accounteth his death as a full price and sufficient ransome paid for them So the Euangelist witnesseth that a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Math. 3 17. And in the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle saieth chap. 5 verse 2. Walke in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweete smelling sauour It is noted in the booke of Genesis that when Noah being come out of the Arke builded an Altar and offered burnt offerings the Lord smelled a sweete sauour Gen. 8 21. which was not the smoke of the sacrifice that ascended for what sweetnesse could there be in that but it was the sweet precious sacrifice of Christ for which his wrath was appeased being shadowed by that ceremony Reason 2 Secondly Christ tooke the whole burden of our sinnes vpon his shoulders presenting himselfe before God in our person and offering vs to God in his person so that he tooke vpon him our vnrighteousnesse and imputed to vs his righteousnesse This the Prophet Esay did most cleerely prophesie off chap. 53 verses 4 12. Surely hee hath borne our greefes and carried our sorrowes and powred out his soule vnto death c. He bare the sinnes of many and made intercession for the transgressors And the Apostle teacheth that in Christ we are reconciled to God For hee hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5 21. And in the Epistle to the Colossians chap. 2 ver 14 15. he setteth out the fruite of Christs death that he hath forgiuen vs our trespasses hath put out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs he tooke it out of the way and fastened it to his Crosse hee hath spoiled principalities and powers hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Crosse This was notably prefigured and foreshewed in the rites of the Law For when any propitiatory sacrifice was to bee offered for the people the Priest was to present the beast before the Lord to lay his hands vpon the head of the beast and to confesse the sinnes of the people vpon it and so it bare their iniquities the truth whereof is Christ himselfe Thirdly there could otherwise bee no remission Reason 3 of sinnes so that it is the blood of Christ in the suffering of the Crosse that purgeth away our sinnes as Hebr. 9 verse 22. Almost all things in the Law are purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission and therefore it was necessary that Christ should purge and purifie vs by his blood The greatnesse of our sinnes could not otherwise bee pardoned nor the person that is offended satisfied they are infinite and so require a sacrifice of infinite price and value No treasures no riches no creatures no sacrifices no ceremonies could do it it cost more to saue a soule and to redeeme the captiues and prisoners that are holden by Satan in slauery to do his will Knowing that we are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vain conuersation receiued by the tradition of the Fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot 1 Pet. 1 verses 18 19. Fourthly nothing but the death of Christ could quench the scorching wrath of God as Reason 4 a consuming fire kindled against vs counteruaile his seuere iustice Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hauing shewed that the blood of Bulles and Goats could not possibly take away sinnes addeth immediately after When hee commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou ordained mee Heb. 9 5. Our sinnes haue a bloody face in the sight of God and we are enemies vnto him so that the robes of the Saints must bee dipped in the blood of the Lambe Reuel 7 ver 14. All the nitre and sope and Fullers earth in the world are weake and vnsufficient and haue not power and strength enough in them to do it So that we must say with the Prophet Psal 50 7. Purge me with Hyssope and I shall bee cleane wash me and I shall bee whiter then snow Thus then we see that Moses mentioning heere the Ramme of attonement whereby an attonement is to be made for sinners teacheth vnder this type this certaine and vndoubted truth that Christ our Sauiour hath by his blood made an attonement betweene God and vs therby reconciled vs vnto his Father The vses of this doctrine are of great weight and importance First it offereth to our considerations Vse 1 this meditation what sin is how it is to be esteemed It is a most fearefull and greeuous thing the wrath of God against it is exceeding great so that nothing in heauen or in earth could satisfie for sinne but the death of Christ Iesus the Sonne must dye for the seruant or rather for the enemy for we are by nature the children of wrath as well as others The iustice of God would not spare him though he were his onely and welbeloued Sonne but forasmuch as he was to beare our sinnes in his body he must die for ir Rom. 8 32. He spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him to the death for vs all We are not therefore to be lightly carried into the practise of sinne but to be much greeued at it to striue with all our force against it and to endeuour to ouercome it and among other things this is not the least that should trouble vs that we haue by sinne brought such misery and shame vpon the Sonne of God Wee ought to lament for this and to bewaile it euery day For if we had not sinned and by sinne beene depriued of the glory of God he had not taken vpon him the shape of a seruant neither beene humbled to the death of the Crosse We doe daily cry out
God and to serue him in the simplicity and sincerity of their hearts This wee must do in health this we must do in sicknesse this we must doe in death and so wee shall glorifie God liuing and dying Thus did Abraham teach his children and seruants and for this is he commended of God Gen. 18 19. I know Abraham my seruant that hee will command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the vvay of the Lord to do righteousnesse and iudgment Thus said Iacob when he dyed Gen. 49 1 2. this must all of vs be carefull to practise if we will bee the children of faithful Abraham to speake of the lawes of God in our houses ãâã 11 13. wheÌ we walk by the way when we lye downe and when we rise vp Verse 27 28. And Moses did as the Lord had commanded he caused Aaron to strippe off his garments and he put them vpon Eleazar his son Wee see the obedience of Moses to the Commandement of God for Aaron pulled off his Priestly robes and they are put vpon Eleazar to whom lineally the Priesthood did descend whereby we see that there was a personal succession belonging to the Priesthood from father to son from one man to another Hereby we learne âââârine ãâã Leuitical ãâ¦ã from ãâã that the Priesthood vnder the law passed from one to another The Priesthood begunne in Aaron and continued in his line rested not in one man but continued by succession from age to age This we see euidently proued throughout the old testament for as they were cut off by death so others arose in their rooms that serued at the Altar As Eleazar succeeded Aaron so did Phinchas succeed Eleazar ãâã 6 â0 so the Priesthood proceeded from father to son and from one generation to another ãâã â 16. as appeareth in the genealogies of the Priests This the Apostle to the Hebrewes plentifully prooueth ãâã 23. Many among them were made Priests because they were not suffered to endure by reason of death declaring that the Priestes after the order of Aaron succeeded each other and confirming it by the reason cause thereof because the Leuiticall Priests were taken away by death and could not endure for euer This then we must hold to be one reason forcible and powerfull to prooue the continued Reason 1 succession of the Priesthood of Leui from father to son because they were cut off by death and so not suffered alwayes to execute theyr Priesthood Seeing therfore these Priests were mortall there must be a succession from one to another This is that reason which was remeÌbred before out of Heb. 7 23. shewing that they had many Priests because they were all subiect to mortality and could not continue through necessity of death Secondly the promise of God made vnto Aaron and to his posterity must be accomplished Reason 2 and performed Hee consecrated Aaron and his sons and made a couenant with them not with Aaron alone not with his children alone but with their posterity Exod. 28 1. hee established it as a testimony in Iacob and as a law in Israel that their posterity might know it and the children which should be born of them shold stand vp and minister before the Lord in the beautiful garments and glorious robes of the Priests Exod. 28 2. Therefore the Lord saide by Moses Exod 29 29 30. Num. 3 10. 18 7. The holy garments which appertaine to Aaron shall be his sonnes after him to be annointed therein and to be consecrate therein That son that shall be Priest in his stead shall put them on seuen dayes when he commeth into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to minister in the holy place So God made his couenant of peace with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron Nu. 25 12 13 confirmed the Priests office to him his seed after him because in the zeale of his Spirit hee had turned away the wrath of the Lord from the Children of Israel This teacheth vs first of all the imperfection Vse 1 and insufficiency of it both of the Priestes themselues and of the Priesthood it selfe It pointed out a better Priest and a better priesthood and directed them to rest not in it but in some other So the Apostle Heb. 7 11 12. declareth that the Leuiticall Priesthood was vnperfect because another Priest is promised a long time after according to the order of Melchizedek If any perfection had beene by the Priesthood of the Leuites what needed it furthermore that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek and not to bee called after the order of Aaron c. Where we see he sheweth to what purpose there must bee a Priest after another rule and fashion not after the order of Aaron euen because perfection is not in the Priehhood of the Leuites nor vnder the Law which was established vnder it so that wee must acknowledge it hath an end forasmuch as with the ceremoniall law the ceremoniall Priesthood was cancelled and abolished Vse 2 Secondly from hence we learne to acknowledge a difference betweene the Priesthood of Christ and the Priesthood of the Leuites This standeth in diuers points and circumstaÌces as the same Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes euidently declareth The Priesthood of Christ is eternall as the Prophet declared long before Heb. 7 17. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedek he was made with an oath by him that saide vnto him The Lord hath sworne and wil not repent But the Priests of Aarons order were mortall Heb. 7 20 21. not eternall they were made by the word of God but without an oath Heb. 7 26. Besides our great high Priest Christ Iesus holye harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens hath a * Aparabaton Heb. 7 24. Priesthood which cannot passe from one to another wherefore he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them who by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Heb 9.11 14. and obtained eternall redemption for vs purging our Conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hebru 10 4. for it is vnpossible that the blood of buls Goats shold take away sinnes Thus we see that the Priesthood of Christ can haue no succession inasmuch as being once performed it hath no imperfection and whereas the Iews in the time of the law had Aaron and his posterity which were but mortall and miserable men we haue Christ the immortall and blessed God who liueth for euer to be our euerlasting Priest Vse 3 Lastly we learne that seeing the Leuiticall Priesthood passed from one to another so as by death they were not alwaies suffred to exercise and execute their Priesthood we see I say that the Church of Rome bringing in againe such a Priesthood such Priests as
giue to these maintaine them both in idlenes wickednes As then we see vnto whoÌ we ought not to giue so we must know to whom we ought to giue To whom we ââght to giue These are poore widdowes and fatherlesse children 1 Tim. 5 16 such as are poore strangers such day laborers as worke hard for their liuing all the week and yet cannot either thorough weaknesse of their body or greatnes of their charge get things necessary and sufficient for them and of these we shall alwaies haue with vs to the end of the world Mat. 62 11 Such also as are falne into decay by ineuitable losses ãâã 15 11. Leu. 23 35. Lastly such as are weake and impotent whether through age or other blemish whether in their feete or in their hands or other parts that thereby though they bee willing yet they are not able to take paines for theyr liuing Acts 3.2 6. but amongst all these they are especially to bee respected that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6 10. If we be careful and mindfull of these God will recompence vs againe and pay vs home seuenfolde into our bosomes whatsoeuer we haue giuen both in temporall spirituall and eternall blessings Lastly it is our duty to acknowledge Gods Vse 3 great mercy toward vs in the blessings of this life that hee hath giuen to vs that which hee hath denied to many others and when he giueth vnto vs a comfortable vse of these blessings wee must confesse we haue them not by our owne labor and industrie but by his speciall goodnes towards vs Psal 127 1 3. and therfore we ought to sanctifie our daily pains with daily prayer and begin and end our labors with remembring him that remembreth vs and so praise his goodnes that enableth vs to get goods and this shall make our labour sweet and pleasant and the yoake that lyeth in our neckes to be light and easie Againe as God giueth them so he giueth a blessing with them a blessing with a blessing that is bread and the nourishment of bread For a man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Deut. 8. Moreouer as he giueth outward blessings so he can take them away when it pleaseth him euen in a moment Iob 1 Luk 12. 22 And the Lord saide vnto Moses Get thee vp into this mount Abarim and see the land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel 13 And when thou hast seene it thou shalt bee gathered vnto thy people c. 14 For ye rebelled against my commandement c. Here followeth the second part of the chapt touching the successour of Moses in the gouernment of this great people wherein obserue the occasion the calling of Ioshua The occasion is double the death of Moses at haÌd his request to God to appoint a man to be set in his place Touching his death he is willed to go vp to mount Abarim and to behold the land that God had giuen to the Israelites for God had foreshewed that he should see the land with his eies though he did not tread on it with his feet when he had seene the land he should dy as Aaron his brother before him chap. 20 24 amplified by the cause they had not sanctified the name of the Lord at the Waters of Meribah of which we haue spoken before Touching the prayer and request of Moses he desireth of the Lord that he wold appoint a fit Ruler ouer his people to succeed him in this gouernment that might be able to beare this great burthen For hearing the vnchaÌgeable determination of God humbling himselfe vnder his correcting hand chastising his transgression he is not afraid of the sentence of death being at hand and seeing it before him neither doth he craue to haue the stroke thereof prolonged and delayed neither is he troubled with excessiue cares for himselfe and his children and posterity as the manner is of worldly minded men that mind nothing but the earth and earthly things when they must go out of the world shall haue their mouth full thereof but all his care was for the future benefite of the people to leaue them in good estate after his departure This should teach vs after his example to be readie to leaue the world whensoeuer God calleth vs not to staÌd in feare of death but to be willing to goe to God knowing the we shall go to an inheritance immortall that fadeth not 1 Pet. 1. and we must all likewise be carefull to leaue our houses places in good state when we are gone of which we haue spoken before chap. 20. Moses was the deere seruant of God yet sinning hee is punished The Lord himselfe receyued his soule and buried his body Deut 34 6 13. He was in high fauour with God liuing and dying an excellent Prophet to whom God spake face to face yet hee was not suffered to enter into the land of Promise Doctrine Many want the outward signes that are partakers of the truth of the Sacraments Wherby we see that many want the Sacraments that are partakers of the truth and substance of the Sacraments He entred into the heauenly Canaan that was not permitted to enter into the earthly Some are admitted vnto the outward signe that neuer receiue the thing signified so was Iudas to the Passeouer as well as Peter and the rest of the Apostles yet he was neuer partaker of the Lambe that taketh away the sins of the world Iohn 1 29. On the other side some take not the outward signe that neuerhelesse partake the inward grace The vses heereof are to teach vs that the outward Vse 1 and inward parts of the Sacraments are not necessarily ioyned together so that hee which partaketh the one should also partake the other and therfore the outward sign doth not simply conferre grace Secondly it condemneth the Church of Rome that holdeth that children dying without baptisme are not saued whereas saluation is not alwayes annexed to the signe so that though infants want the outward washing yet to them may belong the kingdom of heauen Mark 10 14. Lastly it serueth as a great comfort to such as desire to come to the Sacraments yet are hindred sometimes by sicknes and somtimes by other ineuitable occasions that procure their absence forasmuch as we see in this example of Moses that we may bee partakers of the truth of the signes and yet bee barred or banished from the signes themselues In such cases as these God accepteth the will for the deede 2 Cor. 8 12. Againe Doctrine Many are temporally punished that are not eternally condemned we learne by the examples of Moses and Aaron that were not suffered to enter into Canaan a figure of the heauenly Canaan this truth That many are temporally punished which are not eternally condemned Many are chastised in this life not onely with diseases and sicknesses but with death
two points First The contents of this chapt the seuerall mansions and stations where the Israelites rested and stayed Secondly a law and commandement how they should behaue themselues toward the Canaanites and how their land should be diuided among theÌ Touching the first that is theyr iournies in the Wildernesse it is set downe generally v. 1 and 2. and then particularly how God led them from place to place first he noteth the place from whence they went till they came to the red sea afterward notwithstanding theyr often infirmities and fallings from God he brought them in despite of their enemies and all opposition of flesh and blood to the borders of the Land which many of the faithfull before them desired to see but did not see it onely they beleeued the promise in theyr heart The people of God had long bene deteyned in slauery and bondage now GOD brought them forth with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arme killing all the first born of Egypt and destroying their Idols in which they trusted whereupon the Egyptians were striken with such a sudden astonishment and amazement that they were not able to resist and withstand the Israelites but were compelled to open them a free passage to depart Thus theÌ they went out early in the morning hauing eaten the Paschall Lambe the euening before they had liued many yeares in great heauinesse and endured many tentations in the Land of Egypt but they go out thence with their young and with their olde with their sonnes and with their daughters with their flocks and with their heards in great ioy much comfort of heart so that they might say with the Prophet Psal 126 1 2. When the Lord turned againe the captiuity of Sion wee were like them that dreame then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing then saide they among the heathen The Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we are glad Thus doth the Lord turne the ioy of the wicked into heauinesse and contrariwise the heauinesse of his children into ioyfulnesse This teacheth vs Doctrine The Church is preserued from all dangers and deliuered from bondage that God preserueth his Church in the midst of dangers when it wanteth humane defence and protection and deliuereth it out of bondage and slauery wherein it is holden Exod. 12 22. Ezek. 9 6. True it is God doth many times giue ouer his people to serue hard masters and to suffer many calamities for a time yet in the end he deliuereth them when they call vpon him Ier. 25 11 12. Mic. 2 10. This truth standeth vpon good grounds Reason 1 For first when he deliuereth them into the enemies hands he doth it to correct them and not to corrupt them to bring them the neerer vnto him not to cast them farther off from him wherby it appeareth that he hath a purpose and meaning to redeeme them and to bring them out of their hands Secondly God will neuer cast off his people he loueth them with an vnchangeable loue and therefore will accept them and receiue them vpon their repentance and humiliation He hath a speciall feeling of their miseries and therfore he will giue them deliuerance Thirdly God will magnifie his owne mercy and power toward his people by giuing them deliuerance It would haue beene a great dishonour to the great Name of God if he had suffered the Egyptians to hold their rodde euermore ouer the Israelites and the loynes of his people to be clasped and compassed therewith therfore to shew his mercy and power toward them to magnifie his owne honour he sent them deliuerance and brought them out of that horrible seruitude and captiuity Vse 1 This gracious dealing of God admonisheth the enemies of God into whose hands hee hath for a time deliuered his people to bee Lords ouer them not too much to tyrannize and triumph ouer them because howsoeuer God suffer them to bee vnder their power for a while that they lift vp their hands against them and trample them vnder their feete yet the Lord will not forget eyther to bee iust or mercifull he will take them out of the snare of the hunter and the more they haue insulted ouer them in the pride of their harts the greater shall be their deliuerance yea their deliuerance shall bee the cause of the destruction of these enemies Thus did Moses speake to the Israelites These Egiptians which yee haue seene ye shall neuer see them againe any more for euer Exod. 14 13. So then we may conclude the wofull and wretched condition of all the Churches enemies because albeit they seeme for a time to be as it were Lords of the earth and to haue power in themselues to doe what pleaseth them yet their turne shal be the next and their destruction sleepeth not For when the Israelites were deliuered out of the hands of the Egyptians that were cruell masters ouer them it was not onely the cause of their shame but of their destruction also as appeareth in the death of all the first borne and in that hee drowned Pharaoh and his host in the red sea so that these things being duely considered the wicked haue no cause at all to triumph and insult ouer the children of GOD when they haue gotten them in subection vnder them Secondly this teacheth euery soule that Vse 2 belongeth to God if he fall into this captiuity and estate to be ruled by cruell Lords that they should suffer it with all patience this is but for a while Heauines may abide at euening but ioy cometh in the morning Psal 30 for God will surely deliuer them What though the bondage bee sharpe and bitter yet this must be their comfort they shall haue deliuerance out of all and ought to nourish such hope in them that although they see no meanes of deliuerance yet they must looke vp to God and waite his leysure and in the ende they are sure of an happy yssue Exod. 3 9. God neuer afflicteth vs without iust cause and therefore we should looke vpon our selues and search our owne hearts and labour to beare patiently our afflictions whatsoeuer they be whether they come before or after repentance For doubtles whosoeuer shal search his owne wayes shal not onely finde that God hath bin iust in punishing his sinnes but that hee hath also bene mercifull in not laying greater iudgments vpon him as iustly he might haue done and therefore hee ought not to murmure against him but patiently to beare his hand knowing that the greatest punishments that almighty God inflicteth vpon vs are nothing so great as those which wee haue deserued at his hands Thirdly we ought all to labour to be members Vse 3 of the true Church that so these priuiledges may belong vnto vs. It is a very great honour to liue vnder Gods protection and to abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty If we be deliuered at any time
before our eyes the example of Balaam hired to curse the people of God o Iohn 5 34 36. who gaped after gaine and promotion and gaue mischeiuous counsell to the Moabites and Midianites to worke their death and destruction This truth is confirmed by sundry the Apostles Peter Iude and Iohn in the new Testament who mentioning this history declare both that bee loued the wages of vnrighteousnes and laid a stumbling-blocke before the children of Israel to intrap them was reprooued for his iniquity by his Asse Who spake with mans voice and forbad the foolishnesse of the Prophet These things being duly weighed and throughly considered do sufficientlie teach vs who is the author of this Booke not man but God and that the authority of it is diuine and not humane Now let vs see what vse may be gathered from hence and how it may be profitably applyed to our instruction Seeing the Author of this Booke and so of Vse 1 the rest of holy scripture is not man or Angel or any creature but the Lord of heauen and earth we learne that they want not nor stand in neede of the confirmation and approbation of the Church or of men seeing they are approued vnto vs by a greater authority and as it were warranted vnto our consciences from on higher Court where God himselfe sitteth present and president of the same So then as Christ our Sauiour speaketh p I receiue not the record of man but I haue a greater witnesse then the witnesse of Iohn We may truly say the same of his word we haue a better ground to stand vpon and a fairer warrant then the testimonie of the Church to beare record of the dignitie and authority of the word Hence it is that he saith in the same place The works which the Father hath giuen me to fin sh do beare witnes of me that the Father sent me and the Father himselfe which hath sent me beareth witnes of me This serueth to conuince the Church of Rome of the spirit of errour which teacheth that the scripture receiueth authority and credite from the Church insomuch that some of them are not ashamed to auouch q Eckius in Euchirid de autho Eccl. That the authoritie of the Church is greater then of the Scripture and others feare not to blaspheme r Hermannus that they should haue no more authority in regard of vs then Aesops Fables except the authority of the Church did procure it And as they are bold to maintaine that the Church is aboue the Scripture Å¿ Bellar. de verbo dei li. 4. cap. 12. so they teach that the Scriptures are not in themselues necessary neyther were written to be a rule of our Faith Thus they fall from one heresie into another proceed from worse to worse as euill men doe But the assurance of our Faith touching the Scriptures is not builded on the Churches authority but vppon the illumination of Gods spirit shining euidently in the Scriptures theÌselues The holy Ghost openeth the eyes of those that are his that they know discerne his voice from all others For as the Sun is not seene by any lighâ but his owne so we iudge of the truth and all false Doctrines by the Scriptures How do we discerne sweet from sowre but by it owne taste And how can wee better discerne the rellish of the Scripture t Psal 19 10. Which is swâeter then the Hony and the Hony-combe to the taste then by the goodnes and excellency of it selfe True it is wee doe not reiect and refuse contemne or condemne the testimony authority of the true church as the Papists slander vs u What the office and authority of the Church is but wee confesse these points of the Church First it is as the keeper of the rolles and records to preserue them not to authorize them He that is custos rotulorum doth not giue authority to the writings but hath them of trust committed vnto him Secondly it is as a touchstone to distinguish them from bastard counterfeit Scriptures not to make that Scripture which is no Scripture The touchstone of the Gold-smith doth not make gold but discerneth and distinguisheth gold from other mettall what is base and what is rich stuffe so doeth the Church Thirdly it is as the voice of a x Chrisost hom 1. in Epist ad Tit. crier to preach and publish and promulgate and teach the truth as a cryer pronounceth and proclaimeth the Edicts and Decrees of his Prince but cannot adde to them nor take from them nor authorize them nor any way alter change them Fourthly it is as an Interpreter and expounder to expound and interpret them according to the Scriptures As the man of Law deliuereth the sense of the Law but doeth not make it to bee Law These are holy and honourable seruices of the Church and these wee willingly acknowledge to belong vnto it But that the Scriptures should receiue credite from it or bee of no authority without it we cannot admit or acknowledge For they are cleere perfect firme and worthy of all respect and reuerence without the testimony of the Church for the Authors sake The Apostle saith y 1 Ioh 5 6 9 It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse for that Spirit is truth and afterwarde If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater Thus then wee see that the chiefe cause why wee beleeue that the Scriptures were deliuered from Heauen is not the witnesse of the Church nor the authoritie of man but because the Spirit speaketh euidently in them so that we can no more doubte of the truth of them though the Church should hold her peace then if we heard God openly speaking vnto vs froÌ the highest heauens Let vs therefore detest the wickednesse and blasphemy of such as say the authority of Gods worde dependeth of the testimony of man which were to preferre man before God to make all his promises hang vppon the vncertaine credite of man and to make the hand-maid take place before the Lady and Mistris which were a presumption and saucinesse not to be endured Secondly we learne from hence who is the Vse 2 best Interpreter of the Scriptures and who is the sole and soueraigne Iudge thereof namely God himselfe who is the author and inspirer of them For as the authority of them dependeth not vppon the Church so the interpretation of them dependeth not vppon the will and pleasure of man according to the saying of the Apostle z 2 Pet. 1 No prophesie of the Scripture is of any priuate interpretation Euery man is the expositor of his owne worke euery Law-giuer knoweth best the meaning of his owne Law a 1 Cor. 2 For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God for God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his
possession of theyr whole hearts and keepe not backe a part thereof Iosiah is commended for walking in all the wayes of God 2 King 23 25. Psal 119 6 and for taking away the abhominations of the land The Prophet Dauid witnesseth that he had respect to al the commandements of the law Moses professeth boldly before Pharaoh that they must carry their Cattle with them into the wildernes to offer sacrifice Exod 10 26 and he would not leaue an hoofe of them behind him Let vs labor after this sincerity otherwise our obedience is stained with hypocrisie for God that made all wil haue all or none at all Fiftly our obedience must bee a constant obedience it must not be by fittes and pangs as the comming of an Ague for a day or a short and set time Such as are sick of an Ague haue a cold fit at the first then an hot with these time-seruers it is quite contrarie they are hot at the beginning and afterward waxe colde at the latter ending But we must continue out to the end There is no promise made but to such as perseuer He that endureth to the end shall be saued Matth. 10.22 and 24.13 reuel 2.10 and if wee bee faithfull to the death We shall receiue the crown of life If we would giue right iudgement of a man how his case standeth with God and what his conuersation is wee must iudge of him by the whol course of his life not by this or that action no nor onely by his behauiour at the houre of death for that is a deceitfull rule and may leade vs into errour If a man in the course of his life yeeld obedience and seeke to approue himselfe vnto God wee haue good and firme hope of such a one that he is the child of God yea albeit at the end of his dayes by violence of some sickenesse and want of naturall rest and distemperature of the braine and impatience of the flesh hee should talke idlely raue greeuously and blaspheme horribly we are to iudge of such a one by the strictnesse of his life not by the strangenesse of his death If his life haue been sound and sincere his vnperfect obedience shall bee accepted and all his frailty shall bee remitted so that an euill end neuer followeth a good and godly life But if the course of a mans life be wicked and his wayes crooked though he die calmely and goe away quietly like a lambe and cry Lord haue mercy vpon me yet he may be a reprobate and goe to the pit of destruction Hence it is that the vngodly are described Iob 21. to say vnto God Depart from vs we desire not the knowledg of thy wayes Iob 21.13.14.15.23.25 who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profit should wee haue to pray vnto him yet for the most part they liue pleasantly and hauing no bands in their death they die quietly they spend their dayes in wealth and are not tormented with long sickenesse They are not afflicted and affrighted as other men Contrariwise the godly are daily punished and chastened euery morning they die in the bitternesse of their soule neuer eate with pleasure Psal 73.4.14 Eccle. 9.1.2 Who doubteth of the integrity and sincerity of Iob and Ieremie wee know they were iust and eschewed euill yet they cursed the day of their birth and the night wherin it is said Iob 3.1.2.3 Ier. 20.14.15 there was a manchild conceiued And if they had died presently they had been saued vndoubtedly albeit the corruption of the flesh for a time preuailed euen as it fell out with Iacob who wrastled with the Angel but his thigh was so crushed that he halted euer after So may it fall out with many of Gods children the force fiercenes of sharp diseases proceeding from hote causes may so disturbe the head distemper the powers of the mind as that they may breake out euen into blasphemy yea be so distempered and distracted by the violence thereof as that they fare as men out of their wits and right minde yet they may notwithstanding all this remaine still in Gods fauor and die in his feare For they may say and say truely with the Apostle Rom. 7.17.18.19.20 21. It is not I that doe it but sin that dwelleth in me Hee saith his whole desire was to giue himselfe to the seruing of God yet hee was hindred and hampered by his owne nature which was ouerweake so that in striuing against sinne hee ceassed not to receiue many wounds and to take sundry foiles blowes and therefore could not accomplish the good that he desired Let vs all be constant vnto the death then our obedience shall haue his recompence of reward Lastly our obedience must not be delayed from time to time supposing we shall finde a fitter time heereafter to heare the Lord speake vnto vs. The longer we deferre the time of repentance the practise of obedience the more vnfit vnready and vnresolued we shall finde our hearts to be Euery sin helpeth to harden the heart vntill we be turned and transformed into stones Wherfore the holy Ghost saith Heb 3 7 8 and 4 7 To day if ye will hear his voice c The acceptable season is the present time So soone as God commandeth reuealeth his will vnto vs let vs not linger or prolong the time but immediately prepare our eares to heare our tongues to speake Bernard de praecep discipl our feet to walke our hands to work euery part of vs to performe his Commandements Hee loueth such a seruant he accepteth such a seruice Will we regard such a seruant as wheÌ we speake vnto him shew him what we would haue done turneth his back from vs regardeth not our busines or saith he will do it another time when he is at fitter leasure If wee will not take such seruice at his hands or put vp such contempt shall we thinke the Lord will be mocked to his face dalied withal as with a childe When he saith Come shall we answere we will not come When he comandeth vs to heare his voice to day shall wee answere we will not heare it to day but the next day or peraduenture the next yeare When he saith This is the acceptable time shall wee answere I wil find a fitter more conuenient time hereafter If he shall say vnto vs the time of repentance is the present time shall we presume to crosse him and to reply the time to come is the best time which God hath reserued in his own hand is to vs vnknown How many are there that haue neglected the voice of God calling them crying vnto them that were preuented by sodaine vntimely death and thereby taken away in their sins The foolish Virgins delayed so long * Mat 25 10 that the Bridegroome came they were shut out of the Kingdome where they knocked but could not
Samaria were deuoured of Lyons he commanded that one of the Priests which had been brought from thence 2 Ki. 17 26 27. should be carried thether to teach them the manner of the God of the Country so that the superstitious King thought it his duty to see them instructed in the truth A notable example of a godly and religious care this way is in Iehosaphat who 2 Chron. 17 6 7 8 9 10. so soone as hee had taken away the high places and the groues out of Iudah hee sent out sundry of the Leuites that they should teach in the Cities and they taught in Iudah and had the booke of the Law of the LORD with them and went about throughout all the Cities of Iudah and taught the people This is the foundation and stay of all Kingdomes to giue entertainment to the word of God this maketh a wise King and a wise people So long as Magistrates countenance the truth and Preachers of it they secure theyr owne estates and are blessed of God which ought to bee an encouragement vnto them not to bee slacke or slothfull in spreading abroad the Gospell of Christ Lastly because it were troublesome and tedious to go about to rehearse all their duties we breefely number vp the rest It is their duty therefore to be good examples of piety and godlinesse of life to the people and to prouide for them al things necessary for the body to aske counsell of the mouth of the Lord in theyr weighty affaires that is the ministery of the word and to yeeld obedience vnto it to exhort their inferiors in time of publike calamities to earnest repentance and to expresse the same by prayer and fasting to know the cause throughly before they proceed to giue sentence to punish euill dooers and defend the innocent and to establish such positiue lawes as are necessary for the maintenance of order and decency in the Common-wealth Vse 4 Lastly seeing Magistrates are necessary for the Church and Common-wealth it putteth those that are vnder them in minde of theyr duties partly in regard of themselues partly in regard of the Magistrates and partly in respect of God Touching themselues they must know they be no burdens to the Common-wealth nor superfluous parts that may be spared they are as the head or heart of the body or as the eye in the head all depend vpon their welfare so all depend vpon the Kings and Princes welfare If he be vpholden the Common-wealth standeth if he be vnregarded the Common-wealth falleth He is as necessary as the Sunne in the Firmament yea as fire and water and breathing without which we cannot liue If we iudge otherwise of this ordinance of God we are deceiued wrong both them and our selues Againe we learne that their life and continuance is greatly to bee desired of Gods seruants It is the part and duty of all Subiects to craue their safety and protection that they may safe-guard and protect both Church and Common-wealth Yea Rulers themselues in regard of this end which ought daily to bee before their eies may desire of God to lengthen their daies and to continue their happy reigne that together with the Saints they may do seruice to God in his Church in this respect I say they may desire life not so much aiming at their owne priuate good for in that respect it were better to bee dissolued to be with the Lord as respecting the generall vtility of their people What greater glory what higher honour can they haue then this to be the stay and defence of the church that otherwise were like to decay and goe to ruine and to continue the seuerall parts of it in well-doing That good King Hezekiah foreseeing by the word of the Lord the miserable estate of the Church that should bee after his death and considering with great anguish of heart the wofull effects that were like to follow he turned himselfe in his bed to the wall and wept and was greeued to depart hence Esay 38 18 â saying The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that go downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth but the liuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I do this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth He desired of God to liue and prayed vnto God to prolong his daies not to lift vp himselfe aboue his brethren not to glory in the smoke of lofty titles not to tyrannize ouer the people not to command the things that are vniust or to punish such as do not deserue it but to do good to the Church and to set foorth Gods praise Death indeede which bringeth the dissolution of nature is a welcome guest to them that are the Lords all the godly do make themselues ready to receiue him to meete and entertaine him and so Kings Princes among the rest howbeit in this respect that the Church may bee benefited by them it is no matter of impiety to desire a longer continuance among Gods people much more then is it the duty of such as are vnder them and gouerned by them to desire their continuance as the daies of heauen and as the course of the Sunne to bee Nurses to the godly This was wont to be a common salutation vsed of the people toward theyr Princes not onely of the Infidels but by the faithfull seruants of God Dan. 2 4 and 6 21 and 3 9 and 5 10. When the King came to visite Daniel being cast into the den of Lyons the Prophet so soone as hee heard him saide O King liue for euer that is GOD grant vnto thee a long life Last of all whensoeuer we haue a wise and worthy a godly and religious Prince giuen to vs it is our duty to be thankfull If the Lord grant vnto a Land a prudent and prouident Prince to reigne ouer theÌ whose heart is bent to seeke the Lord and to serue the GOD of his fathers the people that breathe vnder his shadow must praise the holy name of God It is their duty to pray that princes may be such and to commend them to God with all faithfulnesse For if they must pray for others much more for them When Salomon was annointed with oyle taken out of the Sanctuary they blew the Trumpet and all the people said God saue King Salomon 1 King 1 39 So the Apostle writing to Timothy exhorteth that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men For Kings and for all that are in authority 1 Tim. 2 1 2 3 that wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour Now as we are to pray for them so wee are to praise God for them wee are not to forget the least blessings nor to be vnmindfull of smaller benefits and therefore we are much more bound to be thankfull
authority vnto our consciences First God knoweth what is best for vs farre better then we our selues doe We seeke oftentimes to be aloft but God seeth it better for vs to be below we desire to be rich God seeth it better for vs to be poore Had it not bin much better for Hamman that was aduanced to honour to haue sate in the dirt or on the dunghill al the dayes of his life theÌ in al the height of his honour to bee hanged on the Gallowes which himselfe had set vp for another Ester 7 10. and so to taste first of the punishment he had deuised Had it not beene better for the rich man to be cloathed with rags in stead of purple robes to eate a dinner of greene hearbs in stead of his delicious fare then after all his pomp and pride to be tormented in hell fire Luc. 16 23. We are oftentimes ignorant of that should doe vs good God is ignorant of nothing We are ready to imbrace that which will do vs hurt it is God that in mercy withholdeth it from vs and vs from it A sicke person longeth greatly for those things which encrease his disease and bring him in danger of death but the learned and expert Physitian will not suffer him to taste of them A childe thinketh he is hardly dealt withall that he is restrained of his desire but his wise and discreet parents are constrained to bridle him of his lust and that for his owne good So dealeth God with vs wee are as sicke persons that must be dieted wee are as little children that must be ouerruled the Lord our God is a louing Father he is a tender Physitian ouer vs who albeit he deny vs that we desire yet he will withhold nothing froÌ vs that he knoweth to be good for vs. Secondly we haue this comfortable promise from him that he will neuer faile vs nor Reason 2 forsake vs whether we haue little or much whether we be in prosperity or aduersity It is he that feedeth the fowles of the aire it is he that cloatheth the Lillies of the field much more then are we assured that he will feed vs and cloathe vs who are more of value then all the rest of his Creatures This is the reason vrged by the Apostle Heb. 13 Heb 13.5 6. Be content with those things that ye haue for he hath saide I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not feare what man can do vnto me Where hee putteth vs in minde of the continuall care of God for vs and that his prouidence watcheth ouer vs which hee opposeth as a buckler against the common tentation that assaulteth vs to wit the feare of beeing quite forsaken of him and left vnto our selues from whence ariseth distrust in our hearts Thirdly nature it selfe is content with a little Reason 3 inasmuch as this is the common condition of all mankinde Princes and people high and low noble and vnnoble it brought vs naked into the world and naked it will earry and conuay vs out of the world according to the saying of Iob Iob 1 21. concerning himselfe Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away c. There are two points of mans life his entrance into the world and his departure out of the world there is but little distance as it were a steppe and a stride betweene them For what is our life but a vapour The space that is in the midst which is the time of our life betweene our birth our death hath many differences and diuersities that make vs vnlike one to another some are poore and some rich some haue great aboundance some haue nothing at all But in the point from whence we come and in the point to which we tend we all meete the beginning of our life and the ending of our daies are both alike there is no difference between them Dust returneth vnto dust and earth into the earth againe If a man haue a little iourney to make and a small way to trauaile it is folly and vanity to make great prouision for it as he that hath need but of one pitcher of water shall not deale wisely to go about to draw out a great Riuer So then to desire superfluities is to make open warre against the order of nature This reason is set downe by the Apostle in the place before alledged where the doctrine had his confirmation for hauing shewed that when God granteth vs raiment to cloathe our bodies and giueth vs foode to fill our bellies we ought to be content he annexeth this consideration to strengthen it For we brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out âim 6 7. We see men dye daily and led to it as flockes of sheepe and when we haue taken care day and night what to eate what to drinke and what to put on we beare nothing to the earth but a winding sheete to couer our shame and to hide our nakednesse Fourthly let vs consider the contrary fruits Reason 4 Such as haue a resolute purpose to grow rich do referre heereunto all their thoghts words and deeds they so thirst after the treasures of this world that nothing is so sacred and religious which they will make any conscience to violate but they ouerthrow all law of God and man and nourish in them the roote of all euill and fall into a bottomlesse pit of al mischiefes This the Apostle meaneth when hee saith They that will be rich fall into tentation and a snare âim 6 9. and into many foolish and hurtfull lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction Such are as poore beasts that are fallen into the snare of the hunter The diuel is a mighty hunter he hath many grins to catch vs and entrap vs walking about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure We are compassed about with the diuell and his angels as with an army of wolues and wilde beasts oppressed with iniuries and ouerborne with violence yet being vnder the protection of our God we cannot faile but bee well counterguarded He hath promised he will haue a care of vs so that the Lyons shall want and suffer hunger and not alwaies be able to finde their prey though they be cruell and rauenous but the faithful man though he haue neither teeth nor pawes nor take any mans goods away by fraud or force from him yet God feedeth him and supplyeth all his wants so that euery one should be pleased with his present estate and meanes of his maintenance how mean soeuer The vses follow which naturally arise froÌ Vse 1 hence and those of reproofe shall haue the first place which are of diuers sorts The first reproofe They breake out and transgresse against this principle that are discontented with their present
before his conuersion to the faith he had been a persecuter a blasphemer and iniurious consenting to the death of Stephen and breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord one borne out of due time the least of the Apostles the least of all Saints not meete to be called an Apostle but rather a destroyer of the faith of the brethren But when he came to preach the faith which before he destroyed he was nothing inferiour to the chiefe Apostles 2 Cor. 11. â more then a Minister of Christ in labours more aboundant in stripes aboue measure in prisons more frequent in deaths oft louing him very much of whom he had receiued much so that he gaue no place to the residue of the Apostles Euen as in the manner of the natural generation we see that oftentimes such as are of weakest nature and constitution of body are blessed with increase of children and a plentifull posterity more then those that are of stronger complexion so such as haue meane gifts and lesser knowledge and perhaps neuer trained vp in the schooles of the Prophets may saue more soules and bring more to God then such as haue taken many degrees and haue attained to a great depth and profoundnesse of learning as we shall haue occasion farther to shew in this booke What then Chap. 8. Obiection are Vniuersities to be despised are schooles of learning to no purpose No Answere they are nourceries of knowledge humane and diuine They are as those riuers that water the garden of God The Lord blesse them that blesse those places and curse them that are enemies to the peace and prosperity of them and thrust thorough their loynes that wish their hurt neither let them which goe by say The blessing of the Lord be vpon such we blesse you in the Name of the Lord. Neuerthelesse the Lord is not bound to such as are brought vp in those places but maketh the labours of those that want the Artes and Tongues being conscionable in their callings very auaileable to the glory of his Name and to the sauing of many soules Lastly we are put in mind of this duty that Vse 5 we ought not to rest vpon flesh and blood as vpon a reede that will deceiue vs but vpon God the Rocke of our saluation Some put their trust in horses and some in charets Psal 20. and some in Princes Psal 146. We can make no resistance against the weakest things which are as warlike weapons that neuer returne empty but euen they shall be able to push vs downe and to preuaile against vs and to destroy vs vtterly Let vs not therefore lift vp our mindes against God but humble our selues before him Our strength is nothing our multitudes are nothing our Armor and munition is nothing if God fight against vs. Let vs not thinke to escape his hands who is able to arme few against many and the weak against the strong as 1 Sam. 14.6 1 Sam. 14 6. where Ionathan saith to the yong man that bare his armour Come and let vs goe ouer vnto the Garison of these vncircumcised it may be that the Lord will make for vs for there is no restraint of the Lord to saue by many or by few The same in effect Dauid speaketh to the Philistime The Lord saueth not with sword and speare ãâã â7 47 for the battell is the Lords and he will giue you into our hands Thus also Asa cryed vnto the Lord his God when a great hoste of a thousand thousand came out against him Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe ãâã 14.11 whether with many or with them that haue no power Helpe vs O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we goe against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee We must therefore renounce all pride in our selues and that vaine confidence which will deceiue vs. We haue to doe with God If he will destroy vs and deliuer vs as a prey into the iawes of death ãâã praelect ãâã though there be no enemie to resist vs nor power of man to ouercome vs yet we may not secure our selues nor suffer our hearts to be compassed about with presumption as with a chaine he is able with the breath of his nostrils to blow vs away that we shall be no more This vse is concluded by the Prophet Ieremy chapter 37.9.10 ãâã â7 9.10 Thus saith the Lord Deceiue not your selues saying The Chaldeans shall surely depart from vs for they shall not depart For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise vp euery man in his tent and burne this city with fire Whereby we see that destruction of a kingdome or of a city dependeth not vpon a multitude of men or vpon the valiantnesse and violence of souldiers but vpon the pleasure of God who executeth his iudgements by what hands soeuer he will For when a few and poore remnant remaine and those of wounded men halfe dead and wholly vnable to resist euen such as are thrust thorough with the sword gasping for life and ready to giue vp the Ghost yet shall they recouer the battel that was lost and obtaine the victory and conquer the conquerer and strike down as bulrushes the strongest and choicest men that before preuailed and had the vpper-hand A notable example and memorable exploit whereof we haue recorded in the Turkish history ãâã history âe life of ârath the ãâã concerning a Christian souldier who sore wounded and all bloody seeing Amurath the third king of the Turkes comming after the victory that he had obtained to take a view of the dead bodies which without number lay on heapes in the field like mountaines seeing him I say rose vp as well as hee was able in staggering manner as if it had beene from death out of an heape of slaine men and making toward him for want of strength fell downe diuers times by the way as he came at length drawing nigh vnto him as though he would haue craued his life of the tyrant and in honour of him haue kissed his feete suddenly stabbed him in the bottome of his belly with a short dagger so that the conquerour was conquered and presently dyed Thus it is with poore weake men when God strengtheneth them for the feeble become strong and the strong feeble 32 These are those which were numbred of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers all those that were numbred of the Campes throughout their hostes were fixe hundred thousand and three thousand and fiue hundred and fiftie 33 But the Leuites were not numbred among the children of Israel as the Lord commanded Moses 34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses so they pitched by their standards and so they set forward euery one after
to take paines to teach them in their youth what trade they shall take but we cannot giue a blessing vnto our owne labours The husbandman may plant and sow yet he cannot bring downe the early and the latter raine and if he could doe this he could not make the corne grow for the vse of man So is it with vs we may teach and reproue exhort and admonish but except GOD open the heart the heart remaineth vnreformed It is not to be doubted but Samuel bestowed great labour and diligence in discharging this duty both because he was a faithfull and godly man Heb. 11.32 Heb. 11.32 And because hee had seene with his eyes an example of ouermuch lenity in Eli and had heard with his eares a fearefull threatning of iudgment against him reuealed by the Lord yet his children followed not his steppes but declined from the wayes wherein he walked Let all godly parents therefore comfort themselues in the consideration and contemplation of such like examples knowing that they can onely vse the meanes and that it lyeth not in their power to make them truely religious In deed if wee haue beene negligent in bringing them vnto God and let them runne into all riot and not restrained them we haue cause to lay it to our consciences and to thinke with our selues that we that gaue them life haue also beene instruments of their death But if wee haue done what lyeth in vs to doe if we haue warned them and they would not be warned if we haue taught and trained them vp in the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome and they haue broken the bands asunder and cast the cordes of duty and discipline from them we may comfort our selues as the Minister doth when he seeth his labour is spent in vaine If he haue beene faithfull and conscionable in his place whether men regard the word or not regard it whether they beleeue or doe not beleeue whether they obey or doe not obey he is the sweet sauour of Christ 2 Cor. 2.15 euen in them that perish because euen then it worketh the will of God and accomplisheth that for which it is sent The Prophet prophesying of Christs comming among the Iewes bringeth him in with this complaint I haue laboured in vaine Esay 49.4 I haue spent my strength for nought and in vaine yet surely my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God God respecteth vs according to our worke not according to the euent or successe of our labour he will reward vs according to our conscience in teaching not according to the peoples diligence in hearing of vs. Thus it shall be with all Christian parents to their endlesse comfort God will not be vnmindfull of their paines that they haue taken albeit they see not that fruite of their labours that they desire Obiect Heere some man peraduenture may obiect that the Apostle saith The woman shall be saued in child-bearing if they continue in faith and charity and holinesse with sobriety 1 Timothy chapter 2. verse 15. 2 Tim. 2.15 Where hee seemeth to hang the saluation of the mother vpon the faith of the children as if she could not be saued except they continued in the trueth I answere Answer this place is in deed so vnderstood and wrested by many interpreters but that cannot be the true meaning Ierome an ouer-great prayser of virginitie and none of the greatest friends of matrimony draweth the words to that sense that he may by this meanes commend the single life and withall withhold women from marriage while they heare that they can no otherwise bee saued then if their children continue faithfull vnto the death The purpose of the Apostle in this place as appeareth by the the circumstances going before is to comfort the woman that shee should not cast away all confidence as one without hope as being the cause of one of the greatest sinnes which brought the ruine of all mankinde The feeling of this heauy burden lying vpon her conscience might terrifie her and work much feare and amazement in her soule and apprehension of the wrath of God and therefore he comforteth her and giueth her hope of saluation But if the former exposition be receiued that her saluation bee suspended vpon many others hee should cast downe Thunder and Lightning vpon her head able to apall and dismay her he should not comfort her but terrifie her he should not lift her vp with hope of life but cast her downe into despaire through feare of death when she should vnderstand that she could not possibly be saued except her children did perseuere in the faith Againe it lyeth not in the power of women to giue them faith and loue much lesse the grace of perseuerance to continue constant vnto the death so that the Apostle should lay a burden vpon their shoulders and put a yoke about their nekes which neither they nor their fathers were able to beare This is not the easie Yoke nor the light burden of Christ For albeit they striue with all their strength and labour with all their power to bring vp their children in godlinesse yet oftentimes they are obstinate stubborne headstrong froward peruerse and rebellious so that they can doe no good with them because they will not obey them nor hearken to their commaundements Furthermore this care of the instruction and institution of children is a dutie required rather of the father who is better able then of the mother who is euery way the weaker vessell as appeareth by the Apostle Ephes 6.4 Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath but bring them vp in the nourture and admonition of the Lord. Lastly the vertues heere commended bebelong rather to the mothers then to the children as when he requireth of them holinesse with sobriety as Tit. 2.3 4. it appeareth The aged women that they be in behauiour as becommeth holinesse c. that they may teach the yong women to be sober c. If any farther obiect âbiect that if the Apostle had meant to referre these last words to the woman he would haue said if she continue in faith and charity not if they continue I answere Answere nothing is more common and vsuall then the change of number especially one of the words being a nowne of multitude For it is plaine and manifest that the Apostle doth not point out some one certaine woman but speaketh in generall of woman-kinde or of all women Thus doth the Apostle vary and alter the number in this present Chapter sometimes speaking in the plurall number as of many In like manner that women adorne themselues in modest apparell Verse 9. sometimes speaking in the singular number as of one Let the woman learne in silence with all subiection Verse 11. This is also easie to be shewed in other places as Galat. 6.1 Ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be
build it or when it should be builded or where it should bee builded Hence it is that the Lord sent Nathan vnto him who said vnto him Shalt thou build me an house to dwell in Whereas I haue not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought vp the Children of Israel out of Egypt 2 Sa. 7 5 6 7. euen to this day but haue walked in a Tent and in a Tabernacle In all the places wherein I haue walked with all the Children of Israel spake I a word with any of the Tribes of Israel whom I commanded to feede my people Israel saying Why build ye not me an house of Cedar So then seeing it might be said to him Who required these things at thy hands Who commanded of thee any such worke Who euer spake vnto thee to doe it Howsoeuer his purpose might be commended yet the fact is reprooued And God vseth two reasons to call him backe from his desire and enterprise one taken from his owne person the other from the person of Dauid From the person of God because hitherto hee had liued in a Tabernacle so that there was no cause in respect of him to trouble himselfe with the building of a Temple From the person of Dauid because he was to consider that there were many in Israel besides him many Iudges and Princes beside him and before him yet none of them had any such charge laide vpon them or committed vnto them or required of them so that he ought not to haue enterprised that which was commanded to none of them nor to himselfe True it is GOD saith in the booke of Deuteronomy that there should be one place where he would be worshipped but what or where that place was he did not foreshew therefore his farther pleasure to bee reuealed was to be expected and an expresse commandement to be waited for For wee see in the Scriptures that oftentimes somewhat is commanded which commeth not by and by to be practised and executed as we declared before touching the chusing of a King from among their brethren Deut. 17 14. when they came into the Land which the Lord their God had giuen them So Christ sent out his Apostles into all the world and commanded them to teach all nations but at what time they should go forth they were to expect a new commandement and commission Matth 28.19 Luke 24.49 so that albeit they were bidden to goe yet if they had gone before they had knowne when to goe they had offended The summe and effect of this answer cometh heereunto that Dauids thought and purpose was good and godly if we consider the roote of it inasmuch as it proceeded from a desire of promoting true religion neuerthelesse although God approued his intent yet he suffered him not to goe forward because hee wanted his word to warrant his intent and therefore did not obey God but follow his owne mind and deuice Thus wee see the cause why God forbad Dauid to builde him a Temple and yet afterward the people in the daies of Haggai are reproued Hag. 1 4. being returned from captiuity because they builded not Heere he forbiddeth that which there he coÌmandeth These things seeme not to agree together but to be contrary one to the other and yet though different in shew they agree very well in deed in truth For in this place Dauid is pulled back from his purpose as running too fast trauelling as it were without his guide and sailing without his compasse because he had not the word of God whereas they were reproued because albeit they were stirred vp by the Prophets and called continually to that duty by the word of God yet they could finde no leasure to fall to worke but followed wholly their owne profites and pleasures Thus we haue answered the obiections let vs now come to the vses see what we are to learne from hence Vse 1 First of all wee are taught that touching things that are to be done or not to be done we are not to iudge by the false rule of our owne carnall and corrupt reason but according to the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles It seemeth a small thing in our owne iudgement to burne Incense with strange fire but it is a most greeuous sinne and deserued a most greeuous punishment if we consider the word of God thereby transgressed or respect his commandement thereby violated For these two sonnes of Aaron died not the common death of all men nor were visited after the ordinary visitation of the rest of the sons of men but God wrought a strange worke he brought fire from heauen and consumed them Numb 16 18. The like we might say of Corah and his company they contented not themselues with the ordinary calling of the Leuites to do the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the Congregation to minister vnto them but they would also take euery man his censure and put incense in them but they sought the Priesthood also and vsurped the office peculiarly appointed to Aaron and to his sons It might seeme a small thing to set vp others to burne incense and a man might say Why might not Korah do it as wel as Aaron What skilleth it by whom it bee done But hereby the will of God is broken and little regarded yea God himselfe is contemned and little esteemed in our eyes This then bindeth euery soule to humility not to thinke any thing better wiser or more expedient and profitable to the Church then that which is prescribed vnto it neither yet to account any thing idle or superfluous or vnnecessary or that might be amended There be many prophane men that think most basely and contemptibly of the most excellent things of God as of the Word of the Ministery of the Sacraments and of the prayers of the Church It seemeth to many a slight thing not to be washed with the water of Baptism but it is not so with God who hath instituted that Sacrament and therefore woe vnto them that neglect it or despise it The like we might say of the Lords Supper it is accounted among many a small matter whether they come to the Table of the Lord or not But we must measure the necessity of it not by the outward shew of the outward actions but by the Commandement of God because whatsoeuer Christ hath instituted for the perpetuall vse and benefit of the Church we are commanded to yeeld obedience vnto it Whosoeuer neglecteth to doe what hee appointeth sinneth most greeuously against him Wherefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 1â As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till he come Such then as come sildome to this Sacrament declare plainely that they regard not the death of Christ They looke to receiue life and saluation from him but they do not esteeme the meanes whereby they may be made
Law they are called Priests Exod. 19.24 Thou shalt come vp thou and Aaron with thee but let not the Priests and the people breake through to come vp vnto the Lord lest he breake forth vpon them At this time Aaron and his sonnes were not consecrated to the office of the Priesthood neither was the tribe of Leui chosen to come neere to the Lord and therefore these Priests could be no other but the first borne that were sanctified vnto the Lord which is the point that now we deale withall Reason 1 This will farther appeare vnto vs if we consider what their dignitie was and wherein it consisted who excelled from the beginning in three things First he was Lord ouer his brethren according to that of Isaac when hee blessed Iacob the yonger in stead of the elder and thereby preferred him to the dignitie of the first borne Gen. 27.29 Be Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers children bow downe vnto thee The like wee see in the booke of the Chronicles Chap. 21.3 touching the sonnes of Iehoshaphat Their father gaue them great gifts of siluer and of gold and of precious things with fenced cities in Iudah but the kingdome gaue hee to Iehoram because he was the first borne Secondly he had a double portion Deut. 21.17 that is two parts of all that the father had whereas the rest were contented with a single portion And this was so firmely established and decreed that no man vpon priuate affection ought to be disinherited and the reason is rendred for he is the beginning of his strength and therefore the right of the first borne is his Thirdly he was holy vnto God and was the Priest of the family vnder his father whom for the most part he vsed as an assistant vnto him in the managing of all the affaires thereof All this appeareth plainely in the dissolutenesse that fell out among the sonnes of Iacob which was sufficient to haue wrought the dissolution and desolation of that family when Reuben sinned against his father and defiled his bed by horrible incest he was disinherited and his excellency was diuided among his brethren Iudah gate the scepter Leui had the Priesthood and Ioseph obtained the double portion 2 Chronicles Chapter 5. verses 1 2. Againe as nothing is more naturall then Reason 2 that the father instruct and direct his children and set them forward in the wayes of godlinesse and well doing so nothing is more seemely among brethren then that the elder should help the yonger the stronger assist the weaker and the richer helpe the poorer Now none could be fitter to assist the father in the Kingly and Priestly office while he liued and to second him in them both when hee dyed then the first borne who is said to be the beginning of his strength the excellency of dignity and of power Genesis Chapter 49. verse 3. Seeing then it is iust and right and profitable it ought to be confessed and acknowledged of vs. Lastly heereunto in processe of time was Reason 3 added another reason and a new necessitie of lifting vp their heads when GOD destroyed all the first borne in the land of Egypt so that there was no house wherein there was not one dead Now Exod. 12.29 inasmuch as the first borne of Israel escaped out of this common calamitie as it were a brand taken out of the fire God saith vnto Moses Sanctifie vnto me all the first borne whatsoeuer openeth the wombe among the children of Israel c. it is mine Exodus Chapter 13. verse 1. From hence we may conclude that all the first borne were consecrated vnto GOD and were to bee employed in his seruice This is indeed a type and figure and hath Vse 1 not place among vs howbeit it is written for our admonition vpon whom the endes of the world are come and offereth many good and profitable instructions for our edification This teacheth who are chiefly bound to serue the Lord. The greater our giftes are the fitter we are for God and none is to disdaine to employ themselues and all that is in them to his seruice To this purpose commeth the saying of the wise man Prouerbes Chapter 3. verse 9. Honour the LORD with thy substance and with the first fruites of all thine increase Such as haue receiued the greatest measure of grace are bound to yeeld vnto him the greatest honour and to bring forth the greatest obedience as the fielde that hath most cost bestowed vpon it giueth the greatest encrease Such as haue receiued fiue talents should gaine with them other fiue If he haue made vs as the first borne preferred vs before many other and doubled his Spirit vpon vs as it were a double portion let not vs content our selues in any wise to giue him a simple and single gift or recompence of all his labours bestowed vpon vs. The first reproofe This reprooueth those that scorne the Ministery as base and reiect the calling it selfe as needelesse and superfluous in their eyes that account it too contemptible to employ the best and chiefest of their children in it In former times the first borne were teachers of the families and Ministers of the Church vntill God set apart the tribe of Leui to serue at the altar in the temple The best things that we haue are not too good for God euen to giue them vnto him all the dayes of their life For whom are the best fittest but for him that is best He challenged the eldest to serue him the rest he permitted to the father to be employed as he saw good First God will be serued as it is great reason he should be and afterward he giueth vs leaue to serue our selues Iesse serued the king with his eldest sonne in the warres 1 Sam. 17.13 and kept his yongest at home and bestowed him about his owne businesse If any thinke his first borne to be too good to minister before the Lord he honoureth them aboue the Lord. Doth any thinke himselfe too good or too great a man to be sent as an embassadour from the Prince to forraine estates or rather doe not men sue for such high places and think themselues happy when they attaine vnto them How commeth it then to passe that men of countenance are ashamed to see their children to be the embassadours of the king of kings and to be employed in the greatest seruice to make peace betweene God and man and to saue soules from death and destruction If a man be blessed with many children if any bee more toward in wisdome in learning in iudgment in stayednesse and in giftes he were fittest for the Lord. But the Ministery of the word in our dayes through the abundance of sinne and of iniquity getting the vpper hand is grown into disgrace and contempt because men cannot abide to be reproued whereas to them that are sanctified and shal be saued it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and the wisedome
them and liue with them and yet neuer be infected whereas few dare aduenture their bodies in such cases But put the case it were lawfull yet all things that are lawfull are not expedient all things that are lawfull edifie not 1 Cor. 6 12 1 10 23. We must take heed we do not giue offence to others neither destroy him for whom Christ dyed So then the best way for vs to auoide euill is to take knowledge of our owne weaknesse and to striue against our owne infirmities and to flye as farre as we can from danger Fourthly let vs not flatter our selues with an idle conceit and foolish opinion that wee by keeping them company shall bee able to draw them and perswade them to goodnesse For we see this by the ordinary course of humane affaires that when the good and euill meete together and are ioyned in friendship the godly are rather corrupted by the vngodly then the vngodly corrected by the godly This may appeare vnto vs in Salomon a man greatly beloued of God and greatly blessed with wisedome âhe 13 25 neuerthelesse euen him did outlandish women cause to sinne This was signified also in the Law holy flesh carried in the skirt of a garment did not make it holy but the polluted person âg 2 13 14. touching any thing did pollute it and make it vncleane with his filthinesse It is an harder thing to cleanse and purifie then to defile and make vncleane and therefore they will sooner tempt vs then we shall teach them ââiect What then Is vice of more force then vertue and shall euill preuaile more then good I answer ââswer we consider not good and euill as they are in themselues but as they are in vs not as they are being separated from vs but ioyned to vs. The euill men are wholly euill whereas we are but in part good and therefore they are strong we are weake they are wholly flesh we are not altogether spirit but onely in part regenerate so that they hale vs and hold vs with all their power with all their might and with all their strength that we must vse violence to get from them or else we are vndone They are as men that set all their strength to the worke and labour night and day with both their hands we haue our strength diuided and worke as it were with one hand and set too but one shoulder They runne in the wayes of euill wee doe as it were halt with one foote like Iacob when he wrestled with GOD ân 32 25. whereby he had the hollow of his thigh put out of ioynt They fare as men that descend downe a Mountaine with great violence and haue no stay of themselues vntill they come to the bottome wee creepe vp toward the top with all foure like Ionathan âam 14 6. that went ouer to the garrison of the vncircumcised we are faine to climbe vp rockes and clifts and craggy places vpon our hands and vpon our feete with much labour and great sweating and oftentimes faint by the way That which they do they do with ease pleasure but we finde many enemies to buckle withall and are constrained not only to fight with beasts at Ephesus but to wrastle hand to hand ãâã 6 12. against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world and against spirituall wickednesse in high places so that it is more then neede to take to vs the whole armour of God that we may be able both to stand and to withstand in the euill day Fiftly thou must esteeme of euill company as of him that hath a running sore of an infectious disease and hate all vice in thy dearest companions more then the plague They that haue sound eyes are fearefull of themselues carefull to refraine from looking vpon their eyes that are sore and bleared Ouid. lest they should be hurt Can a man haue his conuersation among theeues and not at one time or other be robbed of his treasure Such as haue nothing are sure to lose nothing but they that haue treasure about them by conuersing with deceitfull couzeners and cheating companions are in danger to be depriued of it So if we liue among these spirituall theeues that are more common and subtle and therefore more dangerous then the other we cannot but he spoiled and stripped naked of the precious pearles of Gods graces which enrich our soules and are more of value then all the gold and siluer that is digged out of the earth The sixt and last branch is to teach vs to be in loue with good company whereby we may be bettered and edified Euill persons that infect as a filthy dunghill that casteth vp an vnsauory sent are compared to pitch that defileth to leauen that sowreth to the canker that consumeth and to the scabbed sheepe that infecteth an whole flocke But good and godly company is as the sweet ointments or perfumes of the Apothecaries a man cannot come among them but all his garments smell of myrrhe aloes and cassia They are annointed with the oyle of gladnesse in their measure and delight greatly the nostrils of such as liue with them If we conuerse among them we shall somewhat sauour of them So then by the workes that we practise it may bee knowne what company we frequent The wise man saith Prou. 13 20. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fooles shall be destroyed Great is the force of company whether it be to good or to euill With the good we shall learne goodnesse reape the fruite of it to our soules Among the vngodly we shall learne nothing but wickednesse and in the end receiue nothing but a crop of care and shame and dishonour and rebuke and that which is more then all the rest death and destruction for euer 14. And the Lord spake vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai saying 15. Number the children of Leui after the house of their fathers by their families euery male from a moneth old and vpward shalt thou number them 16. And Moses numbred them according to the word of the Lord as he was commanded We haue spoken hitherto of both the parts of the preface that go before the enumeration of the Leuites consisting partly in the description of Aarons sonnes and partly in the presentation of that Tribe before Aaron and his sonnes to serue in the Tabernacle Now we come to speake of the numbring of them which is done apart in a peculiar manner from the rest of the people For God would not haue the Leuites numbred with the rest of the Tribes to the ende he might free them from the warres and except them as a chosen portion to himselfe from ciuill affaires and that they might more diligently more seriously more carefully without all disturbance and distraction apply and imploy themselues in that holy function whereunto they were appointed So then after that the
the matter be well considered it will not be hard to vnderstand that with condition of yeelding themselues to the subiection of the Iewes and of conformity to the true religion of God they might be receiued For what was the cause that they were forbidden to enter into league with them but this that they dwelling among them might draw them to a false worship of God Deut. 20 18. Lest they teach you to do after all their abhominations which they haue done vnto their gods so should ye sinne against the Lord your God But when they offered to yeelde themselues to the Iewish both religion and subiection there was no feare of defiling theÌ or of withholding and withdrawing them from the seruice of God True it is if they did resist or withstand them as the greatest part of the Canaanites did who came out to meete them and prouoked them to battell and were so farre from submitting themselues to God his people that they stirred vp one another and ioyned their forces together to stand out vnto death it was not lawfull to spare eyther sexe or age eyther women or children eyther young or old If it had beene vtterly vnlawfull and against the expresse word of God to make any league with any of the Canaanites Ioshua and his Princes had done wickedly to haue kept their oath with them after they had vnderstood their fraud and falsehood considering that all oathes made directly against the word of God and his expresse commandement are vtterly vnlawfull and consequently to bee broken lest we adde sin vnto sin The Spies also sent out by Ioshua Iosh 2. had done euill which entred into a league with Rahab the harlot and bound themselues with an oath which oath notwithstanding was solemnely obserued Yea Salomon had done euill who in his best and flourishing state of his kingdome receiued the Amorites which voluntarily yeelded themselues vnto his obedience and that which is more to the obedience of the Lord who notwithstanding grew into one body of the Church of GOD with the people of Israel 1 Kin. 9 20. and ioyned themselues with them freely forwardly in the restoring of the Temple The like wee might say of Dauid whose example we touched before albeit the LORD had expressely reuealed in his word that there should bee a standing place where the Arke of the Couenant should rest and the Tabernacle with the seruice belonging vnto it should haue a certaine abiding and albeit there was no expresse word of God that forbad him to builde the Temple yet the LORD reprooueth his resolution albeit he commendeth his zeale and good affection because he had giuen no commandement concerning the person that should builde it 2 Samuel chapter 7 verse 7 or the time when it should be builded So then we learne by all these examples as well by such as did against the commandement as by those that did attempt and aduenture vpon things without a commandement that they are iustly reprooued that neuer regard the word of God in any of their waies neither aske counsell at his mouth that neuer consider what GOD alloweth and approoueth but rashly breake into the practise of things incident to their life and yet haue no other guide to leade them nor counseller to aduise them nor teacher to instruct them nor warrant to beare them out otherwise then their owne mind and meaning which in matters of God and parts of his worshippe are blinde and peruerse Aske these men what approbation they haue from God or what assurance to their owne consciences that they please him they are able to say nothing at all Let me tell these men that which I would haue them marke and oftentimes to thinke on it vpon their beds euen betweene the Lord and their owne soules as they will answer it before the great Iudge of all the world when they shall appeare before him that whatsoeuer you do though they be good things yet to you that are ignorant and know not what you do to you it is a sinne and in you it is no vertue It is a notable duty to heare the word of God it is one marke of Christs sheepe and one step into his kingdome but if ye come to this ordinance of God Ezek. 33 31. as the people commonly vse to come onely to do as your honest neighbours do and because the law requireth it haue no other knowledge of it your hearing is abhominable in you and no more pleasing in the sight of almighty God then if you should cut off a dogges necke to offer vnto him Esay 66 3. We are commanded to come often to the holy Supper of the Lord and to prepare our selues reuerently and religiously to that action It is a worthy instrument of God which he hath ordained for the confirmation of our faith many of vs come often vnto it all of vs at Easter but if we come vnto it onely because it is a common custome so to do and we are loath to be singular and know not that both God commandeth the practise of it and our owne infirmity cryeth out for the necessity of it his table is made a snare vnto vs and we sin against Christ so that we receiue no more benefit by eating the bread and drinking of the cup of the Lord then the Gentiles that were partakers of the table of diuels 1 Cor. 10 21. and did drinke the cup of diuels and did offer sacrifice vnto Diuels Woe then to all ignorant persons that take vpon them to performe duty and seruice vnto God and yet know not what duty seruice he requireth at their hands Oh that they would or could vnderstand that the best workes which they do performe euen such as God commandeth are no better then sinnes and abhominations in them that doe they know not what as blinde men that shoote at a marke Oh that they would or could pray vnto God to open their eyes to see their own wretchednesse and to consider that the most holy parts of Gods worship which they performe are a sacrifice of fooles that know not that they do euill Then would they learne the difference between things done in knowledge and such as are done in ignorance then would they praise GOD for the light of his truth reuealed vnto them and then would they confesse with all their hearts that they would not stand in the former state wherein they liued if an whole kingdome or all the pompe and glory of the world were giuen vnto them To conclude let them beare this away with them also that God will not be serued with good meanings or good intents which is all that the greatest part can say for themselues we are simple people we are not book-learned we meane well we hope we haue as good soules vnto God as the proudest of them all we do what we can we hope God will beare with the rest This is the religion of such as think
ignorantly like the blinde man that hitteth the white cannot be accepted of him or looke for any reward at his hands God will accept of none to be his seruants that know him not Will any man receiue into his seruice one that cannot see to dispatch his businesse and shall we thinke that God will admit blinde men that regard not to vnderstand his wayes and want their spirituall eyes to discerne betweene good and euill This we see by sundry examples as Psal 95.10 where the Lord rendreth this reason why the people erred in their hearts and greeued him forty yeeres in the wildernesse Psal 95.10 because they had not knowne his wayes It was the cause why the Sadduces denyed the resurrection Matt. 22.29 Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God This caused the Iewes to crucifie the Lord of life Act. 3.17 Now brethren I wote that through ignorance ye did it as did also your rulers for if they had knowne him they would not haue crucified the Lord of life This is it that maketh the proud iusticiaries of the world to rest in their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 because they know not the righteousnesse of God This was the cause of the idolatry of the Gentiles Gal. 4.8 When ye knew not God ye did seruice vnto them which by nature are no Gods So what was the cause but ignorance that moued Paul to persecute the Saints he rendreth this as the reason 1 Tim. 1.13 I was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and iniurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in vnbeliefe And as it is the roote that brancheth out into many sinnes so it is as pitch that defileth whatsoeuer it toucheth turneth good affections into euill and maketh them to decline and degenerate into sinne Religion deuotion hope feare being ioyned and guided with the eye and light of knowledge please God whereas without this sight they highly displease him For religion ioyned with ignorance begetteth and bringeth forth idolatry deuotion accompanyed with ignorance is no better then superstition hope ioyned with ignorance worketh presumption feare ioyned with ignorance engendreth desperation If we haue not knowledge to support and season vs we erre out of the right way and are deceiued beyond all measure Loue blinded with ignorance becommeth sottish Zeale patience and such like corrupted with ignorance are turned into brutish and sauage passions This reprooueth three sorts of men First the practise of the Church of Rome âreâ that taketh away the key of knowledge from the people and seeketh to bring in palpable darknesse These false teachers cannot endure that the people should enioy the light of the Scriptures They reade them in an vnknown tongue perswading them they may be most deuout when they are most ignorant that it shall goe well with them though they haue no faith of their owne but an implicit faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth albeit they know not what it beleeueth These are they that notably abuse the people to their perdition and bewitch them with spirituall socery as they that bring Gods iudgments vpon their heads ââ8 â 13. and ãâã 1. â 10. â 1. 8. for when a land is destitute of the knowledge of God al things are couered with darknesse and the persons are liable to his fearefull iudgements as is euident by sundry places of Scripture Dauid saith the blind and lame that mocked at him were hated of his soule so that such should not enter into his house 2. Sam. 5.8 Such as are spiritually blinde shall neuer enter into Gods kingdome they are all seers that shall come thither The want of naturall sight is nothing in comparison of the want of the eyes of the minde Our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed that are pure in heart â 5.8 because they shall see God This sight of the minde is two fold partly in this life partly in the life to come one of them vnperfect the other perfect when we shall see him as he is This is eternall life to know God â 3.2 it is eternall death not to know him and to be ignorant that God is our father that Christ is our redeemer and that the holy Ghost is our sanctifier ââecond âofe The second reproofe is of those that are children in knowledge that liue in the light and yet can see nothing The Sunne shineth brightly in their faces yet they shut their eyes Many thinke they haue religion enough if they haue a good mind and meaning and leade a ciuil life among their neighbours who like not such busy fellowes that will be medling euermore with the Scriptures They are accounted honest men and are well liked of all they pay that they owe they are iust of their word they deceiue no man But this ciuil conuersation and honest behauiour shall profit them nothing nor be able to bring them into the fauour of God nor giue them any title to the kingdome of heauen so long as they are destitute of knowledge forasmuch as they haue God their aduersary who will contend with them and plead against them neither will he know them that regard not to know him Others despise it and contemne it like the foole or idiot that casteth away a pearle or precious stone not knowing the value or worth of it These come to the Church sometimes and heare the word of God both read preached and yet are not so much as acquainted with the histories of the Scripture the principles of religion which are as milke for yong children They know not what faith is they are not acquainted with the meanes of our iustification they know not the difference betweene the Law and the Gospel neither the vse of the one or the other they cannot discerne any thing betweene the religion of Christ and of Antichrist Lastly The third reproofe it serueth to stoppe the mouthes of all proude and malicious slaunderers of the Gospel that accuse the preaching and publishing thereof as the cause of the sinnes and enormities that abound among vs as also of the plagues and pnishments that God hath inflicted vpon the land These men vttering the froth and scumme of their soule mouthes and belching vp the venome of their poisoned hearts cry out It was neuer wel since this new religion sprung vp since there was so much teaching and preaching that we haue so much knowledge and learning that we are well the worse for it The cause of Gods iudgements is not the preaching of the Gospel but the contempt of the Gospel and because we haue the light but loue darkenesse more then the light God iustly giueth ouer such prophane beasts into a reprobate sense Our great ignorance is the cause of our sinnes and that we are children of darkenesse rather then of the day of the night not of the light Are not these ashamed to say that the light of the Sun causeth men to stumble and goe
and body If this were alwaies set before our eies it would be sufficient to restraine our harts from coueting our eyes from desiring our hands from handling and our houses from holding other mens substance lest while we catch after that which belongeth to our neighbor we lose for euer that which is our owne Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth to admonish all that possesse any thing wrongfully to restore it againe accordingly There can be no excuse to such as hold fast what they haue once gotten They are much worse then Iudas and come farre behind him He commeth neerer to repentance then they forasmuch as they goe not beyond the reprobate nay they come farre short of them For when he felt the wrath of God and the horrour of his conscience hee brought backe againe the thirty pence which he had taken of the Pharisies to betray his Master and cast them downe in the temple This example will be a witnesse against these men in the day of iudgement and be sufficient to condemne them True it is Satan will mooue vs and our owne nature will perswade vs that there is profit in keeping and no such danger in retaining other mens goods but rather that it may bring hurt to our substance shame to our persons and reproach to our name to restore the riches of iniquitie and so to make our faults publikely knowne But we must not hearken to such euil perswasions of a corrupt counsellour that neuer giueth good and wholesome counsell Wherefore the question may be asked whether restitution Obiection 1 be necessary to true repentance so as without it we cannot repent at all I answere Answer it is necessary as we shewed before in the example of Zacheus Luke 19. and therefore it is a common but a corrupt custome and practise of such as in death seeme deuoutly to bequeath their soules into the hands of God their euill gotten goods into the hands of their heires children and friends without restitution It is vsuall with most men when they are to goe the way of all flesh to make shew of repentance of forsaking their euill wayes and turning vnto God but this repentance is no repentance so long as the things of our neighbour remaine in our houses No man can giue any legacies or shew any liberality of that which is not his owne forasmuch as he hath no right vnto it If he should giue it vnto the poore it is no sacrifice that God accepteth it may doe some good to the receiuer but it can bring none at all to the giuer Indeed Heb. 13.16 we are bidden to giue almes to the poore that they may receiue vs into the heauenly habitations Luke 16.9 but we must not be liberall of other mens goods but of our owne neither open others mens hands and shut our owne neither bestow other mens but restore them iustly and truely Besides this bringeth a curse vpon the residue of our goods causeth God to blow vpon them so that albeit we leaue them to our heires yet they seldome enrich our posterity But it may farther be said What if a man Obiection 2 be not able to restore he may peraduenture haue good wil but no ability by reason of his pouerty I answere Answer where the deed cannot be if there be a willing mind God accepteth it according to the rule of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 In this case it is our duty to acknowledge our fault to God withal to submit our selues to him whom we haue offended and make a couenant with God with our owne hearts and with our brother to make actuall restitution whensoeuer God in mercy shall giue vs sufficient to doe it Let our promise be ioyned with a full purpose to doe it for God is not mocked or deceiued We may deceiue our neighbour and our owne hearts but we can neuer deceiue the Almighty who searcheth the hearts the imaginations of all thoughts In the meane season pouerty may be some dispensation because where there is nothing the king loseth his right and necessity hath no law as commonly we say in our common prouerbs But although there cannot be a real restoring there ought to be an hearty desire which we may assure our selues God in mercy will accept âwofold reâââââtion For there is a twofold restoring and both well pleasing to God the one actuall the other mentall The actuall required of such as are able when we returne backe willingly whatsoeuer we haue takeÌ away vniustly The mentall is onely in purpose and desire of the minde when we are able to do no more and to goe no further which is accepted of them that are poore and are sorry that they haue it not in their haÌds to giue to the owners which they haue taken away Againe it will Obiection 3 be said and pretended If I must of necessity restore it will vndoe me it is as much as I am worth all that I haue wil do no more then pay it I answer ââswer the contrary will rather vndo thee To restore stollen goods will vndoe no man it rather bringeth a blessing with it For take this for a certaine trueth set it down as an vndoubted rule that no man shall be vndone by yeelding obedience to the law of God But to restore is Gods ordinance appointment therfore none shal vndo himself by following of it This then properly is no losse but gaine and albeit we depart with somewhat yet in the end it shall bring more with it forasmuch as God is able to blesse our store and to giue vs more then that When Amaziah should send backe his hyred souldiers at the commandement of God who would not giue a blessing by them because God was not with them he would not giue victory by them and he seemed vnwilling to do it in regard he had payed an hundred talents before hand to haue their helpe the man of God answered The Lord is able to giue thee more then this shewing thereby Chron. 25.9 that if we depend vpon him we shall not need to be troubled in worldly things If we leaue our selues neuer a penny let vs not despaire but trust in Gods prouidence who will supply our necessities and not suffer vs to want any good Lastly it wil be obiected what Obiection 4 if the parties be dead how can we possibly restore any thing to them may we not in this case keep it to our selues I answer if the owner be dead ââswer restore it to his heires eueÌ to such first as are neerest of kinne and if he haue none such to such as are farther off If there be none either neerer or farther off we must restore it to God that is to the maintenance of the Ministery and seruice of God or to the releefe of the poore bestow it vpon godly vses but to our selues we may not keepe it God would not haue the Priests that serued in the Tabernacle ministred at the
to the people of God and to prouide for them in their necessities and to deliuer them from the oppressions of the mighty in consideration whereof he is bold to intreate the Lord to thinke vpon him for good according to all that he had done for his people Neh. 5 19. So is it lawfull for vs to craue of God to be mindfull of vs in goodnesse according as we haue done to others and dealt toward them If we remember God we may be assured that he will remember vs. If we be carefull to heare his word he is carefull to heare our prayers according to his promise He will returne like for like care for care hearing for hearing and blessing for blessing If we be carefull to heare his voyce his eares are open to heare vs and if we blesse him he will blesse vs. And as he hath promised to heare them that heare him so hee hath threatned not to heare them that will not heare him Prou. 1 28 29. They shall call vpon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me for that they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. And to this purpose speaketh the Lord in the Prophets Micah 3 4. Zach. 7 13. They shall cry vnto the Lord but he will not heare them hee will euen hide his face from them at that time as they haue behaued themselues ill in their doings This is a greeuous threatning and full of all discomfort It is as it were the top of all misery to haue God stop his eares against vs. To liue in this sort is worse then a thousand deaths If a Subiect had a petition to put vp to the Prince and knew he would turne away his face from him how neare would it goe vnto him and how would he bee discouraged Or if a childe knew that whatsoeuer he asked of his father should be denied vnto him except he obeyed his father in that whereunto he exhorted him I suppose it would stirre vp the sonne to doe the will of his father In like manner it ought to be with euery one of vs. Seeing God hath bounded and limited his hearkning vnto our voyce when we speake vnto him with this condition that wee hearken vnto his voyce when he speaketh vnto vs it ought to moue vs to heare his word with feare reuerence and to expresse the power of it in obedience that so we may comfort our selues with assurance of Gods mercy toward vs in regard of our zeale and affection toward him Thirdly from hence we may learne to bee Vse 3 patient vnder the punishments that do befall vs. For seeing God will punish vs in the same manner that we offend when we feele perceiue that he meeteth with vs and hath found vs out and that we can no longer be hidden nor our actions from his eyes let vs stoope downe vnder his hand and hold our peace because he hath done it Let vs not fixe and fasten our eyes vpon the earth beneath nor dwell vpon the meditations of mens dealings toward vs but lift our hearts vnto God who alwaies punisheth vs iustly he being the righteous Iudge of all the world to whom is incident no vnrighteousnesse If we bee slandered and defamed by others let vs consider whether we haue not done the like to others and therefore the Lord recompenceth vs in the same kinde and as it were taketh our feet in the snare that we haue laid for others and casteth vs into the same pit which we digged for them as it fell out to Haman who was hanged vpon his owne gallowes so that as we haue wronged others it falleth out that we must receiue wrong from others This is the vse that Salomon pointeth out in the booke of Ecclesiastes Eccl. 7 21 â Take no heed vnto all wordes that are spoken lest thou heare thy seruant curse thee for oftentimes also thine owne heart knoweth that thou thy selfe likewise hast cursed others Let vs therefore be patient in iniuries let vs not slander them that slander vs nor reuile them that reuile vs nor speake euill of them that speake euill of vs. Moses is commended that when Miriam and Aaron rose vp against him and moued sedition by reason of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married he possessed his soule with patience and bare all their reproches with meeknesse of spirit for hee was very meeke aboue all the men that were vpon the face of the earth Numb 12 3. Numb 1â 1 It is said of Saul being made King of Israel that when the children of Belial saide How shall this man saue vs and they despised him in their hearts he gaue them not taunt for taunt nor rebuke for rebuke hee commanded not the standers by to take away their liues albeit they deserued it and he had power in his hand to do it but he held his peace 1 Sam 10 1â and passed by their reproches as a blinde man that saw them not as a deafe man that heard them not and as a man without sense that felt them not When Shemei reproched Dauid and cursed him with an horrible curse Dauid with patience abstaineth and with perswasion refraineth others from reuenge that offered themselues to take off the head of that dead dogge so that he saide Let him alone 2 Sam. 16 â2 it may bee that the Lord will locke vpon mine affliction and requite good for his cursing this day Hee could haue returned vpon him curse for curse nay wounds for words but he knew well enough and teacheth it to others in another place that hee which loueth cursing the same shall come vpon him Ps 10â 1â â and hee that delighteth not in blessing it shall be farre from him because as he cloathed himselfe with cursing like as with his garment so it shall come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones It is well said of an heathen man Sentââ Feare none more then thine owne conscience This is the right and ready way to get a good name and to keepe it being gotten to iudge of others with right iudgement and christian equity carrying a charitable opinion of euery one thinking well of them speaking the best of them and couering the multitude of infirmities as Shem and Iaphet did the nakednesse of their father This is true charity indeed and heereby we may assure our owne hearts that wee loue not in word and tongue onely but in deed and truth The counsell of the Prophet is good wholesome to this purpose Psal 34.12 13 14 15. What man is hee that desireth life and loueth many daies that he may see good Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes from speaking guile depart from euill and doe good seeke peace and pursue it The reason is because the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry whereas the face of the Lord
vs which we noted before to be careful liberally to maintain the Ministery that they may teach vs in the word otherwise we commit sacriledge against God and indeed rob our own soules because if we sow sparingly wee shall reape sparingly The Prophet Malachi bringeth in the Lord speaking and charging the people with no lesse crime then robberie and against no lesse person then himself Wil a man rob God Mal. 3.8.9 10. yet ye haue robbed me But ye say wherein haue we robbed thee In tyths and offerings Ye are cursed with a curse for ye haue robbed me euen this whole nation Secondly it teacheth Parents that are willing to offer to the calling of the Ministry any of their sons to serue the Lord in that calling to offer to him the fittest not the foulest the best not the worst The best is fittest for the Lord and doubtlesse hee is most worthy of him But of this we haue spoken at large in the 3. chap. Thirdly we giue to God the best and fattest when we serue him in our youth and with all our strength The young man offereth to God the best thing hee hath when hee remembreth his Creator in the daies of his youth Eccle. 12.1 while his senses are sharp his memory quicke his wit ripe his capacity readie his vnderstanding deepe But if he say to himself now I will take my pleasure a while I wil reioyce in my youth Eccle. 11. I will walke in the wayes of mine owne heart and in the sight of mine eies I will repent at the end of my daies serue the Lord when I can serue the lusts of the flesh the pleasures of sin no longer if I say we reason thus and offer to God our worne and withered old age when wee can serue sathan no more what do wee but offer to God the lame and the blinde which he abhorreth How far are we from following Abel who offered the best forasmuch as we offer the worst of all to God Fourthly we must not serue the Lord by halues we haue no other sacrifice to offer but our selues let vs therfore offer vp soule body and not serue him for company or for fashions sake or coldly and negligently or thorough compulsion and feare of the Law If we offer no otherwise our sacrifice and seruice is no better then the offering of Caine who was reiected both his person and his oblation Iude ver â Wo vnto such that walke in the way of Cain that do not season their first fruites that they bring with faith God wil haue al that is in vs or nothing If we do not consecrate our selues wholy to his seruice we cannot be his seruants It is giuen as a speciall commendation of good King Iosias that he turned to the Lord with all his hart and with all his soule and with all his might 2. King 23. according to the law of Moses not that he was able to fulfill the whole law without failing in one point but hee did striue with might and main to serue the Lord to the vtmost of his ability and endeuour with hart life to please him Lastly we honor God with our substance when wee are mercifull in helping the needie with that which is ours We must not giue almes at another mans cost nor releeue our neighbour by our neighbours goods but we must honor him with our owne substance not with the substance of others as couetous persons vsurers theeues seruants do who giue away that is none of their owne Therefore when God giueth vs all things abundantly to vse let it not grieue vs to honor the lord with them and distribute them to the necessities of the Saints cheerfully Matth. 25. â The Lord Iesus accounteth it as done to himselfe which is done vnto one of the least of his brethren Neyther let vs feare any want our selues or falling into decay through our bountifulnes and liberality inasmuch as God will make vs the more to abouÌd in all things 2 Cor. 9.9 for hee is of power to make vs abound in all gifts The widdow that had bene the wife to one of the sonnes of the Prophets so long as she powred Oyle out of the vessell or pot that was her owne into the empty vessels she perceiued the oyle stil to increase but when she poured out no longer 2 Kin. 4.6 the oile ceased and stayed Euen so so long as we shall helpe the poore with our goods as it were fill the vessels with oile our riches shall encrease multiply but if we stay our hand froÌ giuing our store will quickely faile and our fountaine dry vp The more commonly you draw water out of a well the more plenty you shall haue so likewise the more liberall we are toward those that want the more we shall encrease our owne weath Neither let any man delay the time promise to giue away much when he dyeth for that is to giue them away when we can keepe them no longer He that will not giue almes till after his death is like to a man that carieth a light behind his backe The houre of death is not the fittest time to doe good then we should looke to reape the fruit of a wel led life these are like to a simple souldier that prepareth his armour when he should fight or like the foolish virgins that went to seeke oyle when they should vse it ââh 25.10 A ship that leaketh must bee mended in the hauen not in the sea a wall that is broken must be made vp in peace not in warre If we forget God in our life how can we looke that he shold remember vs in our death and when we lie at the last cast To conclude seeing we must serue the Lord with the best things that we haue let the people be ready to maintaine the Ministery in the best maner let godly parents giue to God their best children let the yong man dedicate to God his best yeeres let euery Christian offer to God his best member ãâã 23. to wit the heart let all rich men doe the best good they can with their goods and lay vp for themselues a good foundation for the time to come thus shall the people and parents and yong men and rich men and generally all Christians follow the example of righteous Abel who offered to God the best sacrifice he had On the other side if we maintaine the Ministers in the worst manner if we spend the flower of our age and the prime of our life in the worst vanities if wee giue our best part I mean the heart to the worst deseruer that is the diuel if we imploy our riches to the worst vses we follow the example and offer the sacrifice of Caine and therefore may iustly feare to be reiected with him and after this life to bee rewarded with him 24 On the third day Eliab the sonne of Helon prince of
the children of Zebulun did offer 25 His offering was one siluer charger the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels one siluer bolle of seuenty shekels c. Behold heere how the other Princes are not inferiour to the first that offered nor the other Tribes to the Tribe of Iudah Obserue heere that the spirit of God accounteth it not sufficient to set downe what was offered in generall neither in particular what Nahshon the sonne of Aminadab of the Tribe of Iudah offered the first day or what Nathaniel the son of Zuar Prince of Issachar offered the second day but he goeth forward to set downe the speciall offerings according to euery mans name and according to the day assigned vnto him Obiect It may be demaunded what was the cause why these offerings are thus particularly pointed out why are the same chargers the same bolles the same spoones so often repeated might not all these things heere mentioned haue beene more summarily concluded what need more words haue bene vsed when fewer would haue serued I answere Answer we must not account any thing idle friuolous fruitles or superfluous in holy Scripture The Lord knoweth best what is fittest to bee dilated largely and what to be comprehended shortly If there were no other reason then this so it pleased the Lord it ought to content vs and to make vs rest in it The like example we finde Psal 136.1 2 c. Where in euery verse and at the recitall of euery blessing this reason is repeated for his mercy endureth for euer Adde heereunto Reuel 7.5 6 c. where this is repeated according to the number of the Tribes that twelue thousand were sealed of them Hee might haue said briefly of euery tribe were sealed twelue thousand but he repeateth the words twelue times so in this place the offerings are repeated twelue times particularly according to the number of the twelue Princes The reasons may be first to teach vs to be content to heare the same things though they be oftentimes repeated as Phil. 3.1 The Apostle saith It is not grieuous to me to write the same things often and for you it is safe Wee are ready to forget the best things and therefore must haue them continually sounding in our eares as many strokes giuen with a hammer to make vs heare Secondly that wee should apply these examples vnto our selues and if wee passe ouer one of them without regard yet we should take holde of the next Thirdly to teach vs that no man shall haue that forgotten to the vtmost of his praise who is any way forward in doing good because he will honor those that honor him but they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 The doctrine Doctrine from this particular rehearsal and enumeration of the gifts of those Princes is this Euery good worke of gods children is knowne and shall be rewarded that all the good workes of Gods children done to the setting forth of his glory to the aduancement of his worship to the maintenance of true Religion or the good of his children shall be reckoned vp rewarded and come vp in account before him he taketh notice of them all and will neuer forget any one of them As their deeds are here registred in the booke of God so the doers of them are registred in the booke of life Matth 10.42 Our Sauiour teacheth that a cup of cold water shall not go vnrewarded that is giuen to drinke in the name of a disciple to one of these litle ones And afterward it is said Matth. 25.7 A certaine woman came vnto him hauing an alabaster boxe of ointmeÌt very precious and powred it on his head as he sate at table and because she had wrought a good worke vpon him verse 10. he sayth Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her verse 13. To this purpose speaketh the Angel that appeared to Cornelius Act. 10.4 Thy prayers and thy almes are come vp for a memoriall before God So then euery thing shall be remembred no one worke shall be forgotten Reason 1 For God is a righteous God giuing to euery one according to his workes Hee is the Iudge of the world Gen. 18. and cannot but iudge vprightly Hereupon the Apostle saith Heb. 6.10 God is not vnrighteous to forget your workes and labor of loue which ye haue shewed toward his Name in that yee haue minstred to the Saints and doe minister He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward for he will reward very bountifully euery good worke If we be not barren in good workes he will not bee behind with vs to recompence vs. Secondly how can they but come into an account seeing he accounteth them as done to himselfe Matth. 25.40 When any thing is giuen to the Saints it is esteemed as done to the Sonne himselfe and when it is bestowed vpon one of the least it is regarded as bestowed vpon the greatest and highest The seruant receiueth it but the Master will reward it Vse 1 Touching the Vses we may first conclude the happy estate and condition of them that leaue this world and depart this life in the true feare of God because we heare their workes shall be remembred and therefore the doings of his seruants be rewarded with eternall glory being done in the loue of God and of his trueth none of them are forgotten but they shall follow them nay goe with them and beare them company This we reade in the Reuelations of Iohn chap. 14.13 I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Write blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they rest from their labors and their works follow them to wit at their heels as the word importeth Death cannot cut them off though it be a cruell and mercilesse tyrant and hath as it were a sithe or sickle in his hand to cut downe such as come in his way yea though it cut off riches reuenewes honours pleasures dignities delights wife children houses lands and life it selfe according to the saying of the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.7 We brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out with vs yet it cannot cut off good workes neither bereaue vs of the fruits of a liuely faith which are of such great force and efficacy that they are able to breake in sunder the chaines of death and the strength of the graue and cannot be holden in darknes and obliuion It were therefore a point of great wisedome and good policy so many as would willingly die the death of the righteous as Balaamites and all wicked men will seeme desirous to doe to prouide a goodly traine of good works which death cannot keepe backe they will presse so fast and knocke so hard at heauen
Lord heard him and hearkened vnto him and healed the people 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. If there be in vs a willing mind God accepteth vs according to that measure of grace which we haue not according to that we want A good heart shall neuer be reiected though some euill cleaue vnto it and hang about it Sincerity and trueth in the inward parts shall neuer goe away vnrewarded Iob 3.1 2. Iob fought a sore combat as it were hand to hand with Satan and receiued many blowes and wounds in the encounter wherby he was sore weakned and brake out into many vnaduised words which he would not and should not vtter yet God laid them not to his charge but spared him as a man spareth his onely sonne that serueth him and setteth him foorth as a worthy pattern of patience and of obedience If then we labour to be vpright in heart Iam. 5 2â the Lord will passe ouer our infirmities he wiâl looke vpon the good we do and pardon the euil Lastly our abstineÌce giueth euil example vnto others for which also we must giue an account Woe vnto them that giue offence and therfore let no person with draw himselfe when the Lord doth solemnely inuite him to such a solemne banket This we shall doe if we labour to find sweetnesse and comfort in these holy things of God auoide all loathsomnesse and tediousnesse wherby we incurre the wrath of God which fell vpon the Israelites that loathed the Manna Chap. 11.6 We must come to this heauenly feast as a man would do to a bodily feast and feast our soules as we do our bodies that is we must bring with vs a good appetite We must hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5.6 We see how men that would buy and sell do long after Faires and Markets These holy assemblies are the Faires and markets of God they are the great feast-dayes of God let vs therefore desire them with an earnest desire that we may be stored at them and all our wantes be abundantly supplyed Verse 14. And if a stranger shal soiourne c. The third law is set downe binding the stranger among them that embraced the Iewish religion to partake the Passeouer We learne hereby Doctrine that it is necessary for all Christians that are of age and discretion to partake the Sacraments of the Lord All Christians are to bee parâakers of the Lords Sacraments so he saith Take ye eate ye drinke ye for the remission of the sinnes of many Matth. 26.26 Againe he saith Drinke ye all of this and all of them dranke of it Mar. 14.23 and the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. sheweth that all our fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the sea and all were baptized vnder Moses and did all eat the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. doe we not heare how many alles the Apostle repeateth all passed all were baptized all did eate all did drinke and that none were freed and exempted from this generall and common duty Christ sending out his disciples willeth them to goe teach al nations and baptize them Matth. 28.19 So then there is a necessity laid vpon euery one to come to the Lords Table without exception of any estate degree or person that is of age and discretion Reason 1 For to abstaine purposely is a contempt of the seale of our redemption and consequently both of redemption it selfe and of the redeemer himselfe For as he that despiseth baptisme despiseth that which is represented by it namely the washing away of his sinnes so is it in the Supper they that despise it do despise the worke and price of their redemption Luke 22 19. This is my body do this c. Secondly they despise the commandement of Christ nay an heape of commandements multiplied together to enforce this duty wherefore doth the Lord Iesus say Take yee eate ye 1 cor 11 24 25 doe ye this drinke ye doe ye this is it not to teach vs that it belongeth vnto vs to obey Thirdly we haue the examples of the faithfull as a cloud of witnesses to inforce vs to yeeld obedience All haue submitted themselues to this duty and al haue accounted theÌselues bound to this practise as we shewed before out of the Apostle And the people complained that they were kept backe from the Passeouer testifying that it was their desire to be admitted vnto it Fourthly such as do not come do set light by the happy and holy remembrance of the death and passion of the Son of God wherein standeth the comfort of all his children who teacheth that the faithfull celebrate the Supper in memoriall of him as Luke 22 16. If then we willingly and wilfully abstaine we declare plainely that we receiue no benefit by the death of Christ and care not if the memoriall thereof were forgotten 1 Cor. 11 26. An horrible sin Fiftly the Supper is a notable meanes to strengthen faith if then all haue need of such helpes as God hath left for vs and appointed vnto vs it followeth necessarily that they must carefully resort to the sacraments which serue for that end and purpose Lastly they despise the Church and the vnion thereof and do of their owne accord after a sort excommunicate themselues from the fellowship of their brethren and of Christ Iesus the author and appointer of this Supper and in this respect the Apostle willeth them to come together and reproueth them that were heerein slacke or singular 1 Cor. 11.22 saying Despise ye the Church of God in this I praise you not Vse 1 The vses follow First we must confesse from hence that it lieth vpon al men to be frequent and forward in performing of this duty to come often to this exercise of our faith It should neuer be celebrated in the Church but all should come together 1 Cor. 11 17 33. He that maketh a feast looketh that all which are bidden shold come it All the Disciples of Christ met together and therefore Paul who deliuered that to the Church which he had receiued of the Lord v. 23. chargeth them that when they come together to eate they should tarry one for another v. 23. This is a generall fault in our assemblies and a disorder that we must neuer ceasse to reproue which if it were found in our daily dinners that we make for others that are inuited and serue but to feed the belly of which Paul saith Meates for the belly 1 Cor. 6 1 and the belly for the meates but God shall destroy both it and them Who would not thinke himselfe wronged to furnish his table and to prouide for his guests then none vouchsafe to come but cause him to lose all his cost and labour and expectation We come not to the Lords house and to the Lords Table with that zeale and diligence which becommeth vs. It is said of the Church
against no other then Moses himselfe a chiefe a most excellent seruant of God they strike at the head and not at the feet touch him whom God had lifted vp aboue the rest to gouerne his people âââârine The Doctrine arising from hence is this that proud and ambitious men do shew themselues continualy most enuious and outragious against the most excellent and most painful seruants of God So did Haman against Mordecai the true seruant of God and faithfull subiect of the King of whom it is said He had spoken good for the king Esth 7 â So did the high Priestes shew their malice against Christ and afterward against his Apostles Diotrephes against Iohn and the most painful Pastors That Antichrist of Rome hath alwaies beene most bitter against the chiefe teachers of the gospel and the best preachers of the reformed churches For first they stand most of all in their way Reason 1 and are a great eye-sore vnto them resisting their tyranny and pride and discouering to the world their Antichristian vsurpation This is the true cause that they haue raged against them both aliue and dead Reuel 11 10. The two witnesses are slaine and they reioyced in their fall because they were vexed by them This maketh the proud byshop of Rome euen vnder his owne nose better to endure the blasphemous Iewes or any other professed enemies of Christ and of the christian religion then such as beleeue in Christ because the other neuer trouble his kingdome but these are ready to cal him to an account and to answer for the destruction of the soules of men Secondly they are afraide lest if these continue and prosper their kingdome fall This feare of the high priests was it that mooued them against Christ and his Apostles Ioh 11 48 Thirdly cankered and corrupt enuy cannot abide them that do any good in the church or common-wealth much lesse them that do most good and labour more then others but it seeketh the ruine of such For their diligeÌce maketh the negligence of those to appear the more Saul enuied Dauid to the death especially for the gifts graces and blessings of God bestowed vpon him Vse 1 See from hence this truth that the best seruants of God oftentimes find the worst entertainment in the world and that at the hands of the highest and chiefest Thus it fell out with Moses who was driuen by Pharaoh to forsake Egypt ãâã 4 1 2. Heb. 11 37.38 So Herod Pilate the high priests rulers of the people set themselues against Christ and his Apostles Wherfore when we see this maruel not at it neither be discoraged by it when we finde and feele the like measure let vs comfort our selues in the examples of the faithfull that haue gone before vs. We must not looke to be better then they nor dreame of a condition higher then theirs it is enough for vs to be made like vnto them The more our graces increase the more will the enuy of the malicious increase Vse 2 Secondly this sheweth the vnthankfulnesse of the world who hate them most and loue them least that do them most good The vngodly reape many benefits by the godly yet do they recompence them euill for good The creatures grone vnder the burden which they sustaine yeelding helpe and succor to the vngodly By meanes of Paul all that were in the ship had their liues granted vnto them yet afterward they would haue killed him Acts 27 42. Whatsoeuer the wicked enioy it is for the godlies sake They bring a blessing vpon the house yea vpon the land where they liue The faith of Noah preserued his whole family though all were not faithfull that were in it Gen. 7 1. The faith of Rahab beleeuing in God and shewing the soundnesse of it by a liuely fruite in receiuing the spies saued aliue her father and mother her brethren and sisters all that they had But doth the world respect them any whit the more or loue them one iot the better No doubtlesse they will not acknowledge themselues any way beholden vnto them or that they fare the better for them Whereas indeede the godly are their good benefactors and patrons whatsoeuer they esteeme of them The poorest man that feareth God doth after a sort giue life liuing to the vngodly The godly are the wicked mans good Benefactors They haue cause to thanke them for that which they haue and for that consideration to make much of theÌ The heauens could not continue as they do but wold fall vpon the heads of these prophane wretches if once the number of the elect were accomplished yet we see how badly and basely they are accounted of they hate them to the death and procure what hurt they can vnto them Lastly acknowledge heerein the prouidence of God that the giftes of his children Vse 3 should not exalt them for all are prone vnto vainglory euen they that are sanctified in the greatest measure are spotted with pride and ambition emulation and desire of superiority 2 Cor. 12 7. Paul saith of himselfe Least I shold be exalted aboue measure through the abundance of the reuelations there was giuen to mee a thorn in the flesh the messenger Satan to buffet me least I should be exalted aboue measure We see he repeateth this twice and beginneth endeth the sentence with the same thing that he had this tentation least he should bee exalted aboue measure To teach vs that this fell out by Gods speciall prouidence and dispensation Hereby doth God work out their great good turneth the enuy of enemies to the furtherance of his owne and his childrens glorie whereby much euill is suppressed which otherwise is ready to breake out And the Lord heard it This followed their sin immediately as a sergeant that doggeth the poore debter at the heels to attach him arrest him God heard the sin that they committed their words came vp to his eares and hee is determined not to keepe silence We learne hereby that God knoweth heareth and vnderstandeth all the wayes of men Doctrine God vnderstandeth all the wayes of men nothing can be hid from his sight nothing can escape his hearing hee discerneth and descrieth all the doings of men whatsoeuer they bee God knew what Adam had done so soone as hee had falne and eaten of the forbidden fruite and called vnto him Adam Where art thou Gen. 3.9 He saw all the wickednesse of man vpon the earth and knew that euery imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely euill continually Gen. 6 5. He was not ignorant that the Sodomites were exceeding sinners against the Lord Gen. 18 20. he heard the cry of their sins which sounded shrilly in his eares and pierced the clouds and mounted vp to heauen so Prou. 15 3 11. Reason 1 He made the eyes the heart the eares Psal 94 9 10 11. yea hee hath fierie eyes Dan. 10 6. Many things hinder our eiesight the
is euermore the companion of hypocrisie Fiftly to be confident in good causes and couragious especially in time of perill Prou. 10 9. 28 1. Whereas the hypocrite hauing a corrupt conscience is ouertaken with feare and trembling Esay 33 14. Prou. 28 1. Lastly to be constant and to perseuere to the end in good things to bee resolute neuer to giue ouer a continued course of piety vntil we giue ouer this course of life such bring foorth fruite with patience Luke 8 15. and shall neuer be remoued Psal 15 5. Whereas the double-minded man is vnstable in all his wayes Iames 1 8. his godlinesse and religion is as the morning dew Hosea 6 4. By these signes we may sift and examine our selues whether this grace of sincerity be in vs or not And as the gift is excellent so there are sundry motiues to stirre vs vp vnto it Sundry motiâes to ãâã vs to sincâ For God is good and gracious vnto such as are pure in heart Psal 73 1. and 125 4 5. hee is the Sun and shield to them Psal 84 11. This is the life and substance of all other graces without it the best things are but counterfet and no better then sinnes against God Our faith must be vnfained and loue without dissimulation and our conuersion must be a renting of the heart Consider also that God is present euery where and knoweth all things Psal 139 7. Prou. 15 verse 3. Moreouer wee must meditate oftentimes vpon the iudgements of God which hee bringeth vpon the world but especially of the last iudgement in the end of the world and of our particular iudgment at the houre of death Ro. 2 16. Eccl. 12 14. The heart is the store-house keeper of the graces of God Pro. 4 23. Mat. 13 18 19. Lu. 6 45. Math. 23 26. therefore we ought carefully to looke vnto it CHAP. XIIII 1 And all the Congregation lifted vp their voice and cryed and the people wept that night 2 And all the Congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole Congregation saide vnto them Would God that we had died in the Land of Egipt or would God we had died in this wildernesse 3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought vs into this land to fall by the sword that our wiues and our children should be a prey Were it not better for vs to returne into Egypt WE haue seen in the former chapter the occasioÌ of this fourth murmuring arising from the report of the spies whereby the seed was sowne which in this Chapter groweth vp to an open obstinate mutiny The fruit was answerable to the seed the successe to the report And who can stay the streame driuen by so violent a winde and tempest When the arrow is once shot out of the bow it is too late to wish it may do no hurt where it falleth because where it hitteth it hurteth But to come to the present matter in hand the people giuing eare to these false reports dream of danger where no danger is like the sluggard that saith There is a Lyon without I shall bee slaine in the streets Prou. 22 13. To minds that are fearfull and perplexed all fansies and coniectures seeme things of truth Consider in this chapt two points first the generall murmuring of all that is of the greatest part of the people secondly the proceeing of God against theÌ for their murmuring Their murmuring is accompanied with impatience disobedience vnthankfulnesse blasphemy infidelity and tempting of God Psal 106 24 25 c. and it is set downe generally and particularly Generally they murmured against Moses and Aaron amplified by the effect ãâã cause ãâã the Israâ wept all ãâã they wept all the night The cause why they wept is the feare of death and the sense of their sinne they supposed that they were led as sheep to the slaughter and brought into the wildernesse as to a place of destruction had forgotten the promise made 400. yeares before to their fathers Wee see heere how quickly and easily they obey euil persons that seduced them they listen with both their ears vnto them âââtrine ãâã are natuâ ready to ãâ¦ã âken to âcers and âers and forget what they had often heard and seen Caleb and Ioshua warned them but all was in vaine The doctrine This is the corruption of our nature we are prone to bee peruerted and ready to hearken to seducers to follow euill liuers and euill teachers while in the meane season wee are hardly drawne to hearken and attend vnto those that tell vs the truth without flattery or forgery Exod. 4 1. The prophet of God sent to prophesy against the Altar at Bethel is easily seduced and forsaketh the word of God 1 Kings 13 21. Our Sauiour complaineth of the peeuishnesse of the Iewes ãâã 11 27. Wee haue piped vnto you and ye haue not danced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not lamented c. And Iohn 5 43. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receiued me not if another shall come in his owne name him yee will receiue 2 Tim. 4 34. Gal. 3 1 2. and 5 7. Titus 1 11. Mat. 24 5. First because in the minde and vnderstanding Reason 1 howsoeuer there remaine certaine generall notions concerning good and euil as that there is a God that he is iust and a rewarder of them that do well that wee must honour our parents and not hurt our neighbors yet euen these are corrupt and serue only to take away excuse Ro. 1 19 20. and besides wee haue all receiued from Adam ignorance or want of knowledge of the things of God 1 Cor. 2 14. Ro. 8 7. Likewise disability to vnderstand spirituall things though they be plainly taught vnto vs Lu. 24 41. 2 Cor. 3 5. vanity of the mind thinking truth to be falshood and falsehood to be truth Eph. 4 17. 1 Cor. 1 21. Prou. 14 12. So then the originall or seede of all errors and heresies is in our nature Secondly satan is mighty and subtle he can Reason 2 transforme himselfe into an Angel of light he employeth many instruments in his worke to seduce vs as he did Eue which also worke mightily with strong delusions 2 Cor. 11 3. False Apostles are deceitful workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11 23 24 25. they come in sheeps clothing though inwardly they bee rauening Reason 3 wolues Mat. 7 15. 2 Pet. 2 1 2. Thirdly it is Gods deepe yet most iust iudgement vpon all that obey not the gospel to send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies This is a punishment sent vpon the vnthankfulnesse of men when they haue the light and yet shut their eies heare the sound of the Gospel and yet stop their eares and vnderstand the truth yet harden their hearts against the truth Mat. 13 14 15. 2 Thess 2 11 12. This serueth to reprooue and conuince the Vse 1
them with speed to their graues But all these iudgments before rehearsed belong only to the body do not stretch to the soule and conscience neuerthelesse the Lord ceasseth not to repay vs euen in this kinde also according to our sinne Hence it is that he threatneth to send strong delusions vpon men to beleeue lies which will not receiue and beleeue the truth 2 Thess 2 11. and they which will not beleeue wholesome doctrine but hauing itching eares get them an heap of teachers shall turne their eares from the truth and be turned vnto fables and beleeue lies 2 Tim. 4 3 4. Secondly whensoeuer we remaine vnder any Vse 2 iudgement of Gods hand whatsoeuer it be let vs labour for spirituall wisedome that we may be able to see and discerne what the sinne is which is the cause thereof For by the manner of the iudgement we may oftentimes finde out the manner of our sinne And doubtlesse these benefits will come thereof we shal be able to iustifie God and also to iudge our selues and thereby we shall escape farther punishments and plagues that God purposed to bring vpon vs. This way we shall make the punishment profitable vnto vs if we take it and lay it vnto the sinne as it were a salue vpoÌ the sore This will bring vs to remember many sinnes and to repent truely of them which otherwise we should not thinke vpon It will worke in vs a care to iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 31 22. This is no small benefit and comfort and therefore we should entertaine a ioynt-meditatioÌ both touching the sinnes that we haue committed and touching punishments that wee haue suffered that so we may to our farther good compare the one with the other Lastly as God dealeth with men in regard Vse 3 of their sinnes so he dealeth oftentimes with his childreÌ in good things for good things He will not onely reward our good works euen to a cup of cold water giuen to a disciple in the name of a disciple Mat. 10.42 but hee will reward according to our deeds blessing with the same blessing and mercy with the same mercy 2 Tim 1.18 Onesiphorus shewed meâcy vnto Paul he prayeth to God That he may find mercy of the Lord in that day Hee that is mercifull and liberall to the poore hath a promise that he shall neuer want Christ our Sauiour describing what is true blessednesse wherin it consisteth saith among other things Mat. 5 4. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy True it is God is able to reward such many other wayes but he promiseth and performeth this rather then any other to strengthen our faith in his word and to teach vs to acknowledge and confesse his own in that worke And heereby haue all such as are any way vnder the gouernment of others a notable encouragement in well doing that God will returne them a like measure of blessing according to that themselues haue done If we be truely seruiceable and conscionable in our duties toward those whom God hath set ouer vs we shall by a speciall blessing of God find in time to come those that shall be vnder vs faithfull also toward vs. He that will rule well must first learne to obey wel if we be not obedient to others for conscience sake let vs neuer thinke to finde others obedient to vs. Hast thou bin a dutifull childe to thy parents and obeyed them in the Lord Thou maiest well hope and expect the same at the hands of thy owne children hereafter Or hast thou beene a faithfull seruant to thy master according to the flesh seruing him with feare trembling in singlenesse of thy heart Thou maiest well look for the like seruice at the hands of others It is the common rule of christianity and that which the heathen themselues were not ignorant off Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe vnto you do you euen so to them for this is the law and the Prophets Mat. 7 12. On the other side they that are stubborne and disobedient children euill and vnfaithful seruants may iustly feare to haue the same measure measured vnto them againe They that are now yong men liue vnder the roofe and gouernement of their parents if they deale falsely and deceitfully with them how can they but thinke that God will make them reape a plentifull haruest of such darnell as themselues haue sowen scattered abroad They that are now children of their fathers mothers may in time to come themselues be fathers mothers of their children so haue others stand in the same place to them that themselues now stand to their parents If they mocke and scoffe at them for their infirmities as Ham Canaan did Gen. 9 22. Or contemne their wholesome counsels and holy admonitions â 2 25. as the sons of Eli did Or if they beguile them or closely conuay away their money or any of their goods from them as Micah did from his mother â7 â 2. as many make it a slight and slender matter to steale from their parents as if all were their owne they can lay fingers vpon euen while they bee aliue and others giue liberty to take and embezell from them if it be but a little and no great sums Or if they think they liue too long that they may enioy their liuing as Esau did â7 41 let them know that there is a iust God in heauen that will another day withhold his grace from their posterity that they shall finde their owne children ready to despise them and set them at nought to reiect their admânitions threatnings to circumuent them purloine from them yea to gape for their death that they may haue their goods And when this cometh to passe then let them consider their owne sin as the cause of their childrens sinne and that their children do forget them to be their parents because themselues neuer remembred that they were children The like we may say of seruants they that are now seruants of their masters may also hereafter come to be masters of their seruants If then you shall deale wickedly with them in word or in deed you shall make a streight yet a iust equal law against your selues The Apostle giueth an excellent precept vnto such Tit. 2 9 10. Exhort seruants to be obedient to their owne masters and to please them well in all things not answering againe not purloining but shewing all good fidelity that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things Let such therefore looke to themselues that they bee not paide home in their kinde If they learne to giue stubborne and froward answers and to despise them that are ouer theÌ as Agar did Sarah Gen. 16 4. Or if they returne them sleeuelesse answers when they call them to an account of their doings as Gehazi did to Elisha who when he asked him whither he went or where
This is farther to bee strengthened with reason First true godlinesse and religion haue the Reason 1 promises of the blessings of this life and of the life to come 1 Tim. 4 8. Deut. 28 1 2 3 4 c. then it will follow on the contrary that impiety and vngodlines haue the curses plagues both of the one and the other due vnto them For it were great iniustice in God if he should reward the workes of piety and religion and should not as well punish the workes of impiety and prophanenesse Secondly such workes are committed directly Reason 2 and immediately against the person of God himselfe but the workes of vnrighteousnesse are against men He is more seuerely punished that flieth in the Princes face woundeth him then he that hurteth any of his seruants Such as with an high hand breake the first Table do as it were flie in Gods face and rebell against them such as transgresse the second hurt some of his seruants So then when we fall to practise against his owne person or his honour there is great reason to thinke hee will visite for those especially and therefore such lawes are called the first and great commaÌdement Math. 22 36 38. Thirdly such works of impiety are the causes Reason 3 of wrong iniustice hatred and of all vnrighteousnesse The breach of the first Table procureth the breach of the second Rom. 1 21 22 23. Because they regarded not to know God he gaue them ouer to vile affections When he gaue them vp to vncleannes it was a punishment of their vnthankfulnesse and not honouring of him The vses follow Such are first of all reproued Vse 1 as are accounted ciuill honest men in the world and reputed vnblameable among their neighbours I doe not meane that they are to bee reproued for their ciuility and honesty which are not to be condemned in themselues for they are good but such as content themselues with an outward ciuill carriage among men and to be praised of them hauing no feare of God or care of religion in them but all their care and conscience is to deale iustly with men and in the mean season wholly neglect their duty to God these are liable to Gods iudgements as well as those that are altogether prophane and wicked These are they that haue no care to sanctifie the Sabath no delight in praier no hungring thirsting after knowledge but remaine in blindnesse ignorance carelesse in frequenting the hearing of the word and in receiuing of the Sacraments They will boast they loue the Church as well as any of their neighbors but small fruites appeare of their going thither or of their coming from thence They thinke all is well enough if they be iust in their outward dealings they make account that they are not to be blamed and they stand in feare of no iudgments of God at all So it was with the rich man Math. 19 20. he thought he had done al euen from his youth that he lacked nothing but being tried by the first commandement whether he did loue God aboue all he plainly descried that his ciuill honesty was meere hypocrisie and his fulfilling of the law no better then a flattering of himselfe In like manner do such men much deceiue themselues and are like to a subiect whose whole care is to deale iustly and vprightly with his fellowes but vtterly neglecteth his duty to his Prince and practiseth rebellion against him all his life If such a man deale iustly among other men and will not commit adultery or murther by any meanes tell me in reason can all this his care helpe him when he shal be conuicted for high treason against his Prince Certainely this iust and vpright carriage toward the people shall stand him in little stead Likewise many men in all places do liue continually in the practise of rebellion against the person of God himselfe howsoeuer they seeme very carefull and conscionable of their duty toward men yet God will finde them out for the contempt of him For they are growne to this prophanenesse What need so much preaching or so much hearing and so they begin to scorne and scoffe at those that liue in the obedience of these holy duties Let me tell these though they be neuer so iust in their conuersation doing no wrong paying all meÌ shewing mercy to them that need yet they lie open notwithstanding all these to Gods iudgements for want of the true power of religion If thou shouldst see a man liue in the grosse sinnes of the second Table in murther adultery robbery drunkennesse false witnes-bearing and the like wouldst thou not think him worthy to be plagued by the hand of God why then should we thinke that such as liue in the breaches of the first Table more grosse theÌ these which haue the first place are not liable to iudgement as wel or rather much more then the other Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth all such as haue any rule ouer others to be carefull to teach such as are vnder them in the waies of godlinesse that they may know the Father to be true God him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17 3. First it is the duty of Princes and Magistrates to haue a great care of true religion that God be faithfully serued by their people It is not enough for them to prouide that they may haue a people faithfull and loyall to theÌselues except they be also faithfull to God The godly kings are commended for their care in aduancing the glory of God and for their zeale in causing all the people committed to their charge to be instructed It were easie to enlarge this by the examples of Dauid of Asa of Iehoshaphat of Hezekiah and Iosiah they made a couenant with God to serue him themselues and to cause him to bee serued of their people Asa commanded Iudah to serue the Lord of their fathers and to doe the law and the commandements that whosoeuer would not seeke the Lord whether he were small or great whether man or woman should be put to death 2 Chron 14 4 and 15 13. Deut. 17 19. 2 Kings 23 2 3. 2 Chron. 19 7 8 9. Thus it ought to be with all fathers and masters they must teach their children seruants that they may know the Lord and set their hope in him not forget his works but keepe his comandements Psal 78 6 7 4 9 and 11 19 21. Eph. 6 4. Deut. 6 7. Eli the Priest of the Lord is first threatned and afterward punished for neglect of this duty 1 Sam. 2 and 3. The example is written for our instruction that we should beware of the like transgression Thirdly see the fearefull condition of many Vse 3 men of all sorts for they liue vnder a fearfull iudgement of God and yet do not see it because through the whole course of their liues they practise the workes of impiety liuing in palpable ignorance in contempt of the Word
be in a combustion Thirdly as rebellion is an heape of manie sinnes so it ruineth many persons and therefore they iustly deserue first of all to be buried in those ruines themselues and to fall into the pit which they digged for another The life of one Prince is of more value then of many others Therefore the people suffered not Dauid to goe in person against Absolon but saide vnto him If wee flye away they will not care for vs neither if halfe of vs dye will they care for vs but now thou art worth tenne thousand of vs as 2. Samuel chap. 18. verse 3. And againe when Ishbi-benob which was of the sonnes of the gyants was like to haue slaine Dauid with the sword had he not beene presently succoured by Abishai who smote the Philistim and killed him his men sware vnto him saying 2. Sam. 21 17 Thou shalt go no more out with vs to battell that thou quench not the light of Israel The King is the Sunne and shield of the Land he is the light of Israel take him away and all is left in miserable and vncomfortable darkenesse Many mens liues depend vpon his life and the safety of thousands vpon his safetie Princes are the Fathers of the Country more dangerous for the subiect to kill one of them then for the childe to kill the Father as much more as the ruine of the commonwealth consisting of innumerable thousands of houses is worse then the fal of one particular and priuate house As then the Captaine of an hoast is worth many souldiers and the Gouernour of a ship many common passengers and Marriners so is the Head of the kingdome more of valew then many subiects Though many souldiers haue fallen in battell yet often the victory hath beene gotten sildome or neuer when the Generall falleth 1 Kings 22 35 36. And to this purpose wee may well apply that which is written though spoken to another end I will smite the Sheepheard and the sheepe of the Flocke shall bee scattered abroad Matth. 26 verse 31. Fourthly such as conspire against Princes haue bene punished oftentimes in their house in their lands in offices in death in buriall in name and in posterity For who knoweth not the custome obserued euen from the beginning as we may see also in holy Scripture Ester 8 1. 2 Sam. 16 4. 1 Kings 2.16 Ier. 22 8. Prou. 10 7. All dignities and preferments are taken away from such greeuous torments and tortures are laide vpon them a violent death is prepared for them an honourable buriall is denied vnto them their blood is stayned and tainted and the children vnborn feele the smart of it Vse 1 This putteth vs in minde of sundrie duties due to Kings and Princes First we must stand in feare of them they carry not the sword in vain Rom. 13.4 Iob 19 29. It is not put into their hands for a shew for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Therefore Salomon saith The wrath of a King is as the Messenger of death Prouer. 16 14. and like the roaring of a Lyon chap. 19 12. We must therefore feare the sword of Caesar and therefore haue Princes the sword of iustice born before them that the beholding thereof might put all persons in remembrance of this dutie Plutar. in ãâã Romes Among the heathen the Romane kings Dictators Pretors and Consuls had their Rods and Axes euermore carried before them to breed a terror of their authority in all that see them A good subiect as one saith feareth blame as much as paine and reproch as much as death The good subiect hath alwayes one eye vpon the sharpnesse of this sword that he doth not prouoke it and the other vpon the heynousnesse of this offence that hee neuer commit it This feare is the best porter at the Princes gate it serueth notably to keepe all traitors and rebels out of the kings Court and treachery out of the peoples heart It is as a bridle that curbeth all disobedience where it is not there is an easie entrance for traitors and treasons like the horse which hauing the bridle pulled out of his mouth rusheth forward into the battaile without order and gouernment Hence it is that Salomon ioyneth the feare of God and the fear of the King together Prou. 24 21. where the feare of GOD is which is the beginning of wisedome there will follow the feare of superiour powers ordained of God Another duty is to honour Princes whom Vse 2 God hath first honoured Rom. 13 7. Giue honor to whom ye owe honor So Exod. 20 12. and 22 28. 1 Pet. 2 17. Ester would not presume into the presence of the great King vntill hee held out his golden Scepter Chap. 5 1 2. Ioab though hee were Captaine of the hoast gaue Dauid the honour of the victorie 2 Sa. 12 27. Nathan the Prophet and Zadok the Priest made obeysance before Dauid with their faces to the ground 1 Kings 1 23. And Bathsheba the Queene bowed her face to the earth and did reuerence to the King and saide Let my Lord King Dauid liue for euer v. 31. Euery soule is bound to yeeld this honour if they would be honoured of God Thirdly we are to performe obedience Vse 3 whereunto a way is made by the former For if wee truely honour them wee will readily obey them euen for Conscience sake This is a dutie yeelded by the Childe vnto the Father by the Seruant to the Maister much more then ought it to bee yeelded by the Subiect vnto his Soueraigne as in Titus chapter 3. verse 1. and in the 1. Peter chapt 2. verse 13. This must bee performed readily sincerely and heartily Obiect But it may bee sayde That some are euill Princes wicked men contrary to God whence springeth all goodnesse are such to bee obeyed I answer Answer It skilleth not what their persons bee the full security and therefore it is iust with God to make vs feele his iudgements in our owne persons 41 And on the morrow all the Congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying Ye haue killed the people of the Lord. 42 And it came to passe when the Congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they looked toward the Tabernacle of the Congregation and behold the Cloud couered it and the glory of the Lord appeared 43. And Moses and Aaron came c. 44 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying c. 45 Get you vp from this Congregation c. In these words to the ende of the chapter we see another murmuring the day after the former The earth that had opened her mouth was scarse closed and the fire that was kindled was scarse quenched when they fell to a fresh conspiracy This is the nature of wicked men they are neuer at rest like the sea that is euer troubled Esay 57 20. This is the nature of sinne if it be not by and
to saluation Moreouer the Apostle speaking of one Mediatour and naming Christ to be that one 1 Tim. 2 5. speaketh in that place of prayer and therefore euen in praier he will haue vs to acknowledge no Mediatour of intercession but Christ Iesus onely A Mediatour of intercession as it is defined by Austine Aug. contra epist âarm lib. 2 cap. 8. cannot agree to any sauing to Christ for he teacheth that it is commanded that euery Christian shold pray for others but he who requests for all and for whom none requesteth is the one and true Mediatour Againe they obiect Obiect that the Saints pray for vs and therefore we may pray to them Answ I answer this will not follow What the praiers of the Saints departed are Againe they pray for the perfecting of the body of Christ desire the full gathering together of the Saints they long for the resurrection restitution of their bodies which lye in the dust they wish to see the auengement of the blood of the holy martyrs shed for the testimony of the truth and craue to behold the last comming of Christ to iudgment to restore all things howbeit they know not the particular troubles of Gods children neither vnderstand the inward wrastlings and bucklings with sin and Satan which the conscience sustaineth no more then Eli knew the trouble of heart that Hannah had though she praied in his presence Wherefore let vs content our selues with the onely and all-sufficient mediation of Christ remembring the saying of the Apostle Iohn We haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes 1 Ioh. 2 1 2. And seeing he calleth vs vnto himselfe let vs not refuse to goe to him When he saith Come to me Mat. 11 28. shall we say nay we wil go to some other When Mary called her sister secretly saying The master is come and calleth for thee as soone as she heard that she arose quickly and came vnto him So it ought to be with vs Our master Christ calleth vs why doe we run from him why do we not run to him why do we run to any other Let vs not refuse to come to him who gaue his life for vs that we might liue in him Shall we then depart from him that calleth vs to them that call vs not that know vs not that heare vs not that help vs not that saue vs not Secondly this condemneth the ignorant Vse 2 multitude which through palpable and horrible ignorance rush into the presence of God without any Mediator knowing neither God nor themselues They dream that God is mercifull neuer consider what he is in his owne nature to wit a God of perfection a most iust Iudge and we can neuer reconcile his mercy and iustice but by looking vpon him in the face and countenance of Christ Iesus in whom only he is wel pleased Mat. 3 17. We can receiue nothing at his hands except we come to him in his Son For as he is perfect so he accepteth of nothing that is vnperfect But we can offer nothing to God but that which is tainted and defiled with sin and if God looke vpon vs our wants out of his Sonne wee are no better then the children of wrath he findeth matter enough in vs to reiect our workes and to condemne our persons We haue our praiers heard no other way but in the Name of Christ We are no otherwise accepted but in his beloued Iohn 15 6. Eph. 1 6. Acts 4 12. Heb. 2 14 â Math. 1â 1 to wit in Christ He is the onely Sauiour of the Church he saueth his people from death and him that hath the power of death that is the diuell He saueth vs from our sins guilt and punishment For sin is the power sting of death an vgly serpent Christ only hath quelled him he hath merited our saluation by his death and passion none else hath done it none else could do it The Saints glorified and all the company of the elect Angels in heauen were too weak and vnworthy to accomplish this work The Papists as we haue shewed make him but half a Sauiour ioyning others with him in the worke of saluation For they teach that with Christs merites we must ioyne the workes of grace in the matter of iustificatioÌ that with Christs satisfaction of the wrath of God we must ioyne our satisfaction by temporall punishment But we haue shewed before that he will bee a sole Sauiour or else no Sauiour at all Thirdly it behoueth vs in remembrance of Vse 3 this excellent benefite of Christs attonement to be thankfull to God This is the main cause of al thankfulnes The most common blessings which we receiue must at all times moue vs to be thankfull as meat drinke health wealth liberty peace prosperity and the like but this should as it were swallow vp all the remembrance of all the rest and the zeale thereof coÌsume vs Ps 116 12 â What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefites toward me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. What deadnesse of hart then remaineth in many meÌ that neuer remember this great worke thereby to be prouoked to obedience and newnesse of life that so we may return our loue to God againe who loued vs first Lastly we must acknowledge what we are Vse 4 in our selues to wit vtterly lost the enemies of God the children of wrath the bondslaues of Satan and the heires of condemnation This we must confesse froÌ the bottome of our hearts haue a liuely feeling thereof before we can receiue him as our Peace-maker and Sauiour Math. 18 11. and 15 14. Luke 4 18 and 19 10. We must say with Daniel Shame and confusion of faces belongeth vnto vs chap. 9 8. What was due to the people in this place and what might they haue looked for if Aaron had not made an attonement but present death So is it with vs we are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses can looke for nothing but wrath and iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure the aduersaries Hebr. 10 27. if Christ do not make peace between God and vs. Let vs therefore looke for saluation from him as men hearing of cunning Physitions to cure diseases do seeke and send to theÌ farre and neere Math. 9 20 21. Iohn chap. 7 verse 37. CHAP. XVII 1. AND the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 2. Speake vnto the children of Israel and take of euery one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers of all their Princes according to the house of their fathers twelue rods write thou euery mans name vpon his rod. 3. And thou shalt write Aarons name vpon the rod of Leui for one rod shall bee for the head of the house of their fathers WEe haue seene in the former chapter how the people enuied Moses in the Camp and
then Christ is not yet risen from the dead ver 13 15 16. but he is already risen and death shall haue no more dominion ouer him Rom. 6.9 and if the head be risen then the members shall rise also The head cannot be without the members and how can that head be said to haue life in it if all the members should lie couered in the dust and neuer be vnited to the head neither one to another The second reason Againe if no resurrection then of all men the beleeuers were most miserable vers 19. Here they are vexed with sundry enemies Satan the world and the flesh Lazarus heere wanteth and suffereth hunger while the rich glutton is clothed with purple and fareth deliciously euery day Luk. 16.19 The godly weepe and lament while the vngodly reioyce and be glad Ioh. 16.20 At this stone the godly haue often stumbled Psal 73.2 3. Ier. 12.1 2. and from hence the reprobate take occasion to harden their hearts in wickednesse because they thinke there is no God will reward them that seeke after him Mal. 3.14 but they are greatly deceiued Psal 58.11 For woe were it to all Gods seruants if there were no resurrection eternall life But they are not the most miserable because they are pronounced blessed by the mouth of Christ Matth. 5.4 6 10 11. Luk. 16.25 2 Thess 1.5 6 c. The third reason Thirdly if there should be no resurrection of the godly from death to life then the first Adam should be more mighty and powerful then the second so that the second Adam should be impotent and weake if hee should not be able to deliuer them from the iawes of death Adam and Christ are compared vnto two trees Adam and Christ comâred and both of them communicate to Vse 4 their boughes and branches such things as they haue of their owne Adam was as an euill and rotten tree and therefore communicateth so men these properties and no better Christ is the good tree and full of sap and life and he infuseth into his members goodnesse and life and no worse then these It is not possible that an euill tree should bring foorth good fruite or a good tree euill fruit Mat. 7.17 Fourthly The fourth reason all our enemies and the enemies of Christ are to be taken cleane away made subiect to Christ and to vs ver 25 26. All shall be put vnder his feete Psa 8. and he must raigne vntill all his enemies be made his footestoole Psal 110.1 The last enemie of the head and members is death this shall be quite abolished at the last day and not before True it is that Christ himselfe can die no more Rom. 6.9 Heb. 7.25 yet hee accounteth it his enemie because it is an enemie to his children How death is Christs enemy and how ours and he accounteth that as done to himselfe which is done to any of his members Act. 9. And it is our enemie because it daily cutteth off part of our life and seeketh to take hold of it it weareth and wasteth our dayes by his messengers or harbengers to wit troubles and calamities sickenesses sores and aches it bringeth sundry paines and dolours it separateth the dearest and neerest friendes that euer were the body and the soule it leadeth the body captiue and clappeth it vp in a loathsome prison full of wormes and filthinesse and rottennesse it destroyeth that Tabernacle which was at the first a most glorious creature and as farre as lyeth in it it would depriue the body of eternall life and keepe it in ignominy for euer vnder the earth so that it is a most spitefull malicious enemy raging vpon vs without any mercy or compassion Fiftly The fift reason If there were no resurrection to what end and purpose are any baptized for dead if the dead rise not at all Verse 23. why are they then baptized for the dead This place is darke and commonly vnderstood of the Sacrament of Baptisme but then it will not necessarily proue the point for w e it is brought and it is brought to proue the resurrection Wherefore to make the Apostles reason good we must vnderstand it either of the washing and cleansing of the bodies of the deceassed as the word baptisme often signifieth Mar. 7.4 He. 9.10 for this was a common custome among the people of God that first they washed the dead bodies and then annointed them Act. 9.37 yea among the heathen themselues which was a certaine testimony to the liuing of the resurrection of the bodies of the dead To this purpose doth Seruius alledge an old verse of the Poet Ennius Tarquinij corpus bona foemina lauit vnxit Serui. in Aeneid lib. 6. That is A certain deuout woman washed and annointed the body of Tarquinius The like doth Pliny auouch in one place of his naturall histories Pliny as the same Seruius testifieth and expresseth the cause that thereby they might make tryall whether the vitall spirits yet remained in the body or not And Virgil Virgil. Acâââ lib. 6. declaring how the Trojanes solemnized the funeral of Misenus hath these words Pars calidos latices ahena vndantia flammis Expediunt corpusque lauant frigentis vngunt That is Some brought the waters warm with heat and cauldrons eke appoint The body cold they wash and then with ointments it annoint These witnesses doe sufficiently prooue that the Gentiles did ordinarily vse to wash their dead and then to annoint them and this was a very ancient practise among them Or else we may vnderstand the place of the death and afflictions of the Saints of GOD which they suffer for righteousnesse sake in which they are ouerwhelmed as the body is plunged in the waters and thus the word is taken Luk. 12.50 Matth. 20.22 23. where our Sauiour calleth them backe from their ambitious thoughts of superiority ouer their fellowes and warneth them to prepare themselues for troubles yea for death it selfe This is the cup that all must drinke off 2 Tim. 3.13 Act. 14.22 Baptisme properly signifieth a dipping or plunging into the water and the crosse is a certaine plunging into calamities Thus then the reason is framed If there be no resurrection then should they doe foolishly that would seale vp the trueth of the Gospel with their blood and lay downe their liues for the testimony of God but such as resist vnto blood and suffer persecution for the words sake are not foolish Life is precious and deare vnto them as well as vnto others they would not therefore be so lauish and prodigal of it as to lay it downe except they looked for a better life which the Apostle farther amplifieth by his owne example Matth. 10.39 33. 2 Tim. 2.12 and 4.7.8 1 Cor. 15.30 31. Act. 5.41 16.25 Ioh. 21.19 âhe sixt reaân Lastly the Apostle reasoneth thus If there be no resurrection of the flesh then the Epicures and Libertines taught well that
wee should follow our pleasures and delights eate and drinke and be merry and neuer mind better things or think of any other life like swine and beasts that know not God vers 32. To tell the yong man that he may freely follow the lusts of his eyes and walke in the wayes of his owne heart Eccle 11.9 or the rich man that he may take his ease and pastime while he liueth heere because when he dyeth all is lost Luk. 12.19 or the ambitious man that hee may say in his heart Who shall bring me downe to the ground Obad. vers 3. or the secure person that liueth deliciously that he may say I shall see no sorrow Reuel 18.7 I haue neede of nothing Reuel 3.17 I say to tell them thus is a damnable and pernicious doctrine and not to be taught and heard in the Church of God 1 Cor. 15.33 for this were to open a gappe to all prophanenesse and to hinder all practise of piety This ministreth comfort against all paines sorrowes afflictions wrongs and iniuries done vnto vs wee shall in the end bee free from all all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes we shall shine as the Sunne and be raised againe in glory 1 Cor. 15.43 Thirdly is God able to put life into things Vse 3 that are dead contrary to the course of nature then from hence ariseth a notable comfort to all that are in trouble and affliction though they be neuer so great and so desperate he is able to restore vs bring vs out of the same When the Isralites went into the red sea what was it but as it were to goe to present death and descend into the graue yet God brought them out againe into a place of rest and they beheld the confusion of all their enemies Exod 14.30 We are ready in euery danger and trouble to doubt nay to despaire of helpe and succour which maketh many to seeke vnlawfull meanes to recouer themselues we little remember this flourishing of Aarons rod that the Lord is able to quicken the dead and to preserue in the midst of all perill Psa 33.18 19. and 34.15.19 This point is notably taught by the Lord to Ezekiel vnder a type not much vnlike in substance to this chap. 37.5 6 7 11 12 13 14. The Iewes lay now vnder an heauy iudgement they were in captiuity in Babylon their case seemed to be desperate yet vnder that parable of the dead bones doth God comfort the people with assured hope of deliuerance For as those bones which were shewed to the Prophet in a vision had skinne and flesh and sinewes come vpon them and life and breath put vnto them so should it bee with that captiued people they should be restored to their former estate teaching them and in them vs therby that as it was easie with God to raise vp these dry bones to cloth them with flesh and to quicken them that had bene dead that they stood vpon their legs againe so it is as easie nay more easie for him to bring our soules out of trouble and to restore vs to ioy and gladnesse It is in his power to heare vs and helpe vs in bondage and banishment in sorrow and sickenesse and to deliuer vs out of all aduersity Psal 30.5.11 The arme of God is infinite and stretched out farre and neere hee is Almighty and able to bring to passe whatsoeuer pleaseth him Lastly this setteth forth vnto vs the state Vse 4 and condition of all the faithfull wee may behold an image of our naturall estate wee are by nature borne dead in sinnes and trespasses and there is no life of God in vs Ephe. 2.12 4.18 Neuerthelesse we should not despaire of our saluation or of the saluation of any other Ephe. 5.14 Gal. 2 19 20. There is hope of Gods gracious acceptance though they be greeuous offenders The gate of Gods mercy standeth wide open whose power is so great that of persecutors blasphemers and oppressors of the Church he can make conuerts professors and preachers Matth. 21.31 32. 1 Tim. 1.16 Gal. 1.23 This mercy of God was shewed to Paul yet it was not proper to him but exemplary he was made a patterne to shew the way of forgiuenesse vnto others that he would deale in like maner with them if after his example they should forsake their sinnes and embrace the Gospel This doth Paul teach touching the Iewes that are now strangers themselues from the couenant of God and from the promises God is able to graffe them in againe albeit blindnesse bee hapned vnto them vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in Rom. 11.25 Hee can say to the dead liue and they shall liue as hee made the withered rod to flourish This is sufficient to keepe vs and our hope aliue when things seeme to be almost desperate forasmuch as we beleeue in him Theophil enarr in epist ad Rom. to whom it is not vnpossible to make them the sonnes of Abraham which are not his sonnes And as it is easie for vs to call those things that are so it is not hard to him to raise vp those things that are not and to make them appeare When the Gentiles were no people of God hee made them his people and raised them as it were from death to life as also he will doe the Iewes if they abide not still in vnbeleefe Rom. 11.23 for as he brought light out of darknesse in the creation so he bringeth vs from the death of sinne ignorance and infidelity to the life of knowledge faith obedience in our regeneration 9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord vnto all the children of Israel and they looked and tooke euery man his rod. 10 And the Lord said vnto Moses Bring Aarons rod againe before the Testimony to be kept for a token against the rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me that they die not 11 And Moses did so as the Lord commanded him so did be The former miracle is made cleere and open to all Israel As God made Aarons rod to blossome so he would haue the children of Israel to looke well vpon it and to take good notice of ir and to beleeue not the words of Moses but their owne eyes The doctrine All the miracles of God are wrought openly apparently cleerely and euidently to the senses of men Doctrine All the miracles of God are wrought openly and euidently that no doubt or controuersie should be made of them Luk. 7.11 12. Ioh. 11.39 44 45. For either men might feele them as the darkenesse of Egypt that was palpable or else they might heare them or taste them or smell them or see them and sometimes the most of them concurre together When the Lord brought his people out of Egypt all the miracles which hee wrought among them were most apparent vnto their senses When they went through the red sea he made the waters to diuide themselues
and to stand on an heap on the right hand and on the left like mighty mountaines that they did most manifestly see and behold the same with their eies They saw when Moses strake the stony rocke and when the waters gushed out they tasted of them When God bestowed the gifts of tongues vpon the Church they heard the Apostles speak in their owne tongues the wonderfull works of God Act. 2.11 When God would confirme the calling of Moses he cast his rod vppon the ground and it became a serpent his eye saw it or else he could not haue fled from before it Exod. 4.3 Againe at the commandement of God he put forth his hand he touched it and tooke it by the taile and it became a rod in his hand and therefore he must needs see it Psal 106.27 28 29 c. All the miracles wrought in Egypt were sensible Their water was turned into blood the eye saw it the taste discerned it and they could not drinke of it When God sent downe Manna to eat which fell among their tents they tasted of it what it was WheÌ Christ turned water into wine at the marriage in Cana the taste of the ruler of the feast discerned it by and by Ioh. 2.9 And the Iewes said vnto Christ What signe shewest thou vnto vs seeing that thou dost these things Ioh. 2.18 The reasons First that it might appeare that God would Reason 1 not deceiue his people he dealeth plainely and openly as he speaketh to Thomas Ioh. 20.27 Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull Secondly Reason 2 he holdeth not his in suspense doubting but maketh the truth of his works plaine and manifest When the disciples of Christ were troubled and their thoughts arose in their hearts being sore terrified affrighted supposing they had seene a spirit for he came miraculously among them and stood in the midst of them he saith vnto them Behold my hands and my feete that it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue Luk. 24.39 The vses remaine From this flourishing of the rod openly Vse 1 shewed we learne what a miracle is to wit a rare worke apparently wrought by the sole omnipotent power of God aboue nature or naturall causes It is no vsuall or ordinary worke but rare and extraordinary and therefore we reade when Christ or his Apostles by him did any miracle the people maruelled and were astonied and amazed and there came a sudden feare vpon them Luk. 7.16 Act. 2.12 Mat. 8.27 and 9.8 and 12.23 We cannot say that repentance or regeneration is a miracle though it be after a sort the raising of a man from death to life and wrought onely in a few mens hearts in comparison of the multitude because it is ordinarily and vsually wrought in all Gods childreÌ Again it must be wrought by Gods almighty power as we haue declared already Touching the which we must know that the omnipotent power of God cannot be communicated to any creature whatsoeuer no not to the Angels in heauen For as the Lord saith onely of his wisedome iustice and mercy so also of his power that he will not giue his glory to any other Again Esa 42.8 thogh this power might be communicated to any other yet there is no creature capable of it whether in heauen or earth none I say is able to beare it or comprehend it This is euident in the example of Peter when Christ had wroght a miracle before him and thereby shewed the glory of his power which in some sort he saw hee saide vnto him Depart from me O Lord for I am a sinfull men Luk. 5.8 and Esay 6.2 3 4 5. Lastly a miracle is said to be aboue or against nature Nature neuer had any inclination to worke aboue it selfe and so to bring forth a miracle for that were to confound things naturall and supernaturall When at the passage of the red sea the waters stood on both parts nature had a desire to make the waters runne and flow in their course as before therefore when they stood still as on an heape it was contrary to the nature of them True it is there are many strange and wonderfull works in nature which yet are not aboue nature The adamant we see by experience though we know not by what force will draw yron to it selfe though it be heauy and of it selfe cannot possibly mooue from place to place yet if it bee aboue it it will draw it to it selfe which is strange and admirable yet because it is not rare but vsuall and common and wrought by an inherent force in the stone it selfe albeit to vs vnknowne it cannot be accounted neither doth any man account it a miracle So we know the nature and power of some waters to be such that they turne that which by nature is gold as also any other mettall into an hard stone We see this to be true by experience â Gerard âhaâ in end of it â cap. 166. that whatsoeuer is put into it purposely or falleth into it accidentally is also turned into a very stone as also there is some kind of earth that will turne stakes of wood fastned into it into stone as our best Herbalists do tell vs. No man can shew any sound reason for this why that water or that earth should doe it more then any other water or earth yet doubtlesse there is a reason of it and therfore though it be strange and wonderfull yet it is vsuall or ordinary and according to the nature of the things themselues and consequently no miracle Vse 2 Secondly this condemneth the lying signes and wonders of Satan which are meere illusions and deceits and no true miracles But caÌnot Satan work wonders strange things hath he no power at all that way yes Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand that the power of Satan is no way equall or answerable to the power of God it is not so great so strong so large it is euery way infinite lesse forasmuch as there can bee no comparison betweene a thing infinite and finite betweene a creature and the creator True it is it is farre greater then the power of men euery way and yet a limited and finite power a natural power not a supernaturall Otherwise woe were it vnto vs for then doubtlesse none could be saued such is his malice and cruelty ãâã ledge of and âe came If any aske wherein it consisteth I answer partly in his knowledge and partly in his actions For a as mans knowledge is such are his deeds and therefore as his knowledge is great so are his workes great also Touching his knowledge and vnderstanding hee attaineth to it many wayes First from his owne nature for he is not flesh blood as we are but a spirit and therefore hath by nature such measure
and out of which he is shortly to depart Or will he be patching that Tent and Tabernacle which hee hath pitched for a day or two We dwell in earthly Tabernacles as in houses of clay 2 Cor. 5 4. 2 Pet. 1 14. What wisedome then is it to bestow daies and moneths and yeares in plotting plodding for the world for riches and the vanities of this life Let vs also prepare and prouide before hand for the day of our dissolution that such as God hath blessed with this worlds good set their houses and their estates in order as the Prophet in this regard warneth Hezekiah Esay 38 1. Set thine house in order for thou must dye And we may learne this necessary practise of Ahitophel though liuing in wickednes and dying in despaire of whom the Scripture saieth wheÌ he saw that his counsell was not followed he went home vnto his City put his house in order hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 17 23. This duty is to be thought vpon in health as that which deepely concerneth our selues and our posterity When we haue rightly disposed the things of this life let vs prepare for a Nunc dimittis let vs commend our spirits into the hands of God let vs resigne vp our selues willingly to death when we must enter into a particular iudgement For so soone as the soule is departed and separated from the body God holdeth his Sessions to which we are summoned by his messenger death to come into his presence to receiue in part according to our workes whether they be good or euill Euen as we see in the affaires of this life how Iudges and Iustices keepe their sessions and assises wherein malefactors brought out of prison are arraigned so God holdeth his time of iudgement and iustice to reward euery one according to his works We haue all a cause and case to bee tried the greatest the weightiest the worthiest that euer was handled not touching siluer gold not concerning house or land not of titles or inheritances but of the euerlasting saluation or daÌnation of our soules for euer and therefore it standeth vs in hand to be well armed thoroughly appointed that we come not as the foolish Virgins without oyle in our lampes or as the vnprepared guest without our wedding garment We see in temporall Courts when men haue a cause to be tried and an action to be determined either of goods or good name how carefull they are before hand to reade Euidences to produce witnesses and to search Records that the suite may passe on their sides how much more carefull ought wee to be to answer before the eternall Iudge where no man shall be admitted to appeare by his Atturney but all must come in their owne persons none shall be suffered to put in sureties This wil be a great day wheÌ the whole world shall appeare together at once high and low Prince and Subiect noble and vnnoble according to the description that Iohn maketh I saw the dead both great small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the booke according to their works Reuel 20 12. And was buried there Hitherto of the death of Miriam now of that which followed her death to wit her buriall See heere when life was departed what they did with the body they committed it to the earth The Doctrine from hence is this that it is a necessary duty to bury the dead Doctrine A commendable duty ãâã bury the dead This appeareth by many examples of the godly which haue practised this duty Gen. 23 4. Abraham the father of the faithfull bought a possession of burial of the Hittites who by the sight and light of nature had their Sepulchers therefore answered Abraham Gen. 23 6. 35 29 50 12 13. Thou art a Prince of God among vs in the cheefest of our Sepulchers bury thy dead none of vs shall forbid thee his Sepulcher but thou maist bury thy dead therein So ch 25 8 9. when Abraham yeelded the spirit and died in a good age and was gathered to his people his sonnes Isaac Ishmael buried him in the Caue of Machpelah in the field of Hephron where Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife The like we see done to Isaac when he gaue vp the ghost being old and full of daies his two sonnes Esau and Iacob buried him Now as Iacob did to his father so his children do to him according as hee had commanded them for his sonnes carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the Caue of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought The like may be said of Moses Deut. 34 5 6. for albeit the people buried him not neither knew of his Sepulcher lest they shold abuse it to idolatry yet rather then he should want buriall he was buried of God The men of Iabesh Gilead are praised of God and rewarded of Dauid because they buried King Saul and his sonne and aduentured their liues to do vnto him their last duty 2 Sa. 2 5 6. The same might be said of the rest of the Patriarks Prophets Iudges Kings Gouernours and Priests yea of Christ himselfe whose buriall albeit he were able immediately to haue raised and restored himselfe to life is set downe in the Gospel that his death might be confirmed and his farther humiliation manifested These examples teach that it is a christian and commendable duty of the liuing to be performed to the dead of children to bee performed to their parents and of the people of God one to another to commit the body of the deceased to the graue to put dust to dust and so to couer earth with earth And no maruaile For first among all creatures Reason 1 man is most loathsome and vgly when life is departed As in his birth and bringing foorth into the world of all creatures hee is most fraile and feeble without strength to stand without helpe to defend himselfe so being dead he is most fraile filthy and deformed He that a litle before gloried in his beauty comelinesse feature proportion is now become the mirror and spectacle of a deformed and mishapen carkasse Such a confusion and wracke hath sinne wrought and brought into our nature This made Abraham to say to the Hittites I am a stranger a forreiner among you giue me a possession of buriall to bury with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23 4. This is noted in Lazarus who hauing lien buried but foure daies his bâdy stanke Iohn 11 39. Reason 2 Secondly buriall is promised as a blessing from God and the want of it threatened for a plague and iudgement God offereth it as a mercy to Abraham â5 15. that he should be buried in a ripe age and to Iosiah that he should bee put in his graue in peace â 22 19 and
their sicknes trust in the Phisition as Asa did 1 Chro. 16 11 12. 1 Sam. 2.5 not in the liuing God who killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe hee maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his hands make whole he shall deliuer thee in sixe troubles and in the seuenth the euill shall not touch thee In time of warre and day of battell we trust in our strength armor men munition and defenced places and make them our God Nah. 3.8 â whereas the Prophet teacheth that this is a cursed confidence and shall not leaue a blessing behind it Lastly we learne from hence not to reuenge Vse 4 our own causes quarels For if we be taught in this practise of Moses to go vnto God in all our wrongs who will iudge his people then we are not to render like for like or to requite euill for euill or to repay wrong for wrong taunt for taunt rebuke for rebuke railing for railing but contrariwise blesse knowing that we are thereunto called that we should bee heires of blessing This vse is concluded Prou. 20.22 Say not thou I will recompence euill but waite vpon the Lord and he shall saue thee This is the direction of the Apostle Ro. 12.17.19 Recompence to no man euill for euill dearely beloued auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine Psal 94.1 â I will repay saith the Lord. Where we see God claymeth and challenge vengeance to himselfe and taketh it from vs so that such as seeke reuenge sit downe in the seat of God and as much as lyeth in theÌ wrest the scepter out of his hands taking vpon them the person of the accuser witnesse iudge and executioner contrary to all true forme of lawfull iudgement And albeit it bee hard and harsh for flesh and blood to put vp iniuries yet if we wil be the children of God we must haue more in vs then flesh and blood For they that are after the flesh Rom. 3.5 â fauour the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit so then they that are in the flesh cannot please GOD. Wherefore when Zachariah the Priest a faithfull and fruitefull witnesse of God was vniustly and cruelly stoned to death he raged not he reuiled not he reuenged not but said The Lord see and require it When the Lord of life ââ 24.22 Christ Iesus was accused condemned and crucified the iust for the vniust he prayed for his enemies Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe â 23 34. leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps When blessed Stephen who was full of the holy Ghost and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right of God was cast out of the city and stoned with stones hee kneeled downe and cryed with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sinne to their charge â 55.58 When the Archangel mentioned by the Apostle Iude saw that the diuell went about to corrupt the pure worship of God hee would not vse railing and reprochfull speaches â ver 9. but desireth the Lord to rebuke him and repay him for his malice Seeing therefore this duty hath beene practised by Priest and people by men and Angels by the head and the members of his body let vs follow those things that concerne peace let vs be of a patient and meeke spirit which is much set by of God and let vs commit our causes to him that is the God of vengeance It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Verse 9 10. Then Moses tooke that rod c. Hitherto Moses Aaron haue behaued themselues vprightly in respect of God meekely in respect of themselues and patiently in regard of the people Now we shal see how they offend by transgressing the commandement of God by distrusting his word by raging against the whole assembly God chargeth them to speake to the rocke they spake vnto the people Againe as if it were vnlikely or vnpossible that the rock should yeeld water they smote it twise through impaciency vnbeeleefe Thus they that had beene the instruments of God in so many miracles that had seene him face to face as a man seeth his friend that had stood so often in the gap where the hand of God had made the breach that had diuided the red sea Moses I say and Aaron the Ministers of God the witnesses of his workes the pillars of the truth now begin to faile to faint and to fall down to shew vs and themselues the weakenesse that is in flesh and blood From hence we learne that many are the failings and fals of the children of God âtrine â are the ãâã of the ãâã Howsoeuer the faithfull be borne againe and endued with the spirit of sanctification howsoeuer they desire to please God and endeuor to serue him with all the powers of soule and body yet they often stumble in their race thorough the burthen that presseth down and the sinne that cleaueth so fast vnto them This truth is confessed and confirmed by many testimonies Salomon in his worthy prayer at the dedication of the Temple acknowledgeth it 1 king 8.46 So Iob. 15.14 15. Likewise Prou. 20.9 And the Prophet Psal 14 2 3. All which testimonies doe plentifully teach this truth that howsoeuer through the grace of God giuen vnto them the faithful fight a good fight hauing faith and a good conscience yet all are sinners and no flesh is cleane and cleere from sin which Moses and Aaron here fal into The reasons of this doctrine are First because Reason 1 the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne Gal 3 2â Rom. 3.19 That euery mouth might bee stopped and all the world be subiect to the iudgment of God Al matter of glorying in our selues is taken from vs we are found guilty before God wee haue no excuse no defence no cloake for our selues to couer our sins there is no difference Wee haue all sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and euerlasting life so that all both Iewes and Gentiles are proued to be vnder sinne Secondly we see that death the wages of Reason 2 sinne hath raigned and doth raigne ouer all without difference yea it taketh hold euen on children that sinned not actually like the transgression of Adam If then old and yong taste of death all the posterity of Adam are corrupted in him when he wittingly and willingly wilfully sinned against God We flow from an vncleane fountaine we grow out of a bitter root we are as branches of the wilde vine Thus the Apostle reasoneth Death raigned froÌ Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 euen ouer them also that sinned not after the like manner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of him that was to come So then sinne and death goe together as mother and daughter
had numbred the people after God sent him this word and offered him the choise of famine or sword or pestilence he saide I am in a wonderfull streight let vs now fall into the haÌd of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Who had not rather receiue punishment at his fathers hands of whose loue he is assured then to bee punished with the strokes of an enemy that loueth him not but hateth him to the death Men are proud and cruell fierce ambitious but God is full of compassion and his mercy endureth for euer he knoweth whereof we were made Psal 103.14 Psalme 78 39 he remembreth that we are but dust hee considereth that we are mortall yea a winde that passeth and commeth not againe He will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to beare Hitherto the Lord hath visited vs with his mercifull and gentle corrections famines sicknesses and strange diseases Let vs behold his gracious dealing toward vs and profit by these fatherly admonitions for if he should deliuer vs into the hands of barbarous and beastly enemies we should soone discerne the difference betweene the louing chasticements of a father and the bloody strokes of an enemy 22 Then they departed from Kadesh and the childreÌ of Israel euen al the congregation came vnto Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor neere the border of the land of Edom saying 24 Aaron shall be gathered vnto his people for he shall not enter into the Land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel because yee rebelled against my commandements at the waters of strife 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and charge them to come vnto this Mount 26 And cause Aaron to strip off his garments and thou shalt put them vpon Eleazar his sonne then Aaron shall be gathered vnto his Fathers and shall dye there 27 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded for they went vp vnto Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation 28 And Moses caused Aaron to strip off his garments and he put them vpon Eleazar his son and Aaron dyed there in the toppe of the Mount So Moses and Eleazar came downe from off that Mount 29 And when all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty dayes Hitherto of the Ambassage of Moses to the King of Edom These words containe the third and last part of the Chapter to wit the death of Aaron after the people were remooued from the borders of the Edomites For albeit the King did so vnkindly deny them any passage yet Moses and the Israelites doe not oppose themselues against them or attempt to breake through by force of Armes multitude of men and dint of sword but passe by their borders peaceably and fetch a compasse about their land True it is those enuious Edomites were worthy to perish and to be vtterly destroyed for their inhumanity yet because the time was not yet come wherein the Lord had prophesied and promised that the elder should serue the yonger Gen. 25 23. therefore the Israelites commit vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongeth Rom. 12 19. Now in these verses we see how God beginneth to execute the former threatning against Moses and Aaron For heere wee are to consider three things First the death of Aaron Secondly the succession of his sonne Thirdly the mourning of the people The father dieth the son succeedeth the people lamenteth the death of the high Priest If Aaron had dyed without any prediction and foretelling of his death all men might haue thought it had fallen out at aduentures and ascribed it wholy to the decaying of strength wasting of nature but being reuealed to Aaron himselfe and manifested to the whole Congregation both the time when and the place where he should die it appeareth that his daies were numbred and his yeeres limited which hee could not passe As then God had determined the death of Aaron and denounced his shutting out of the land of Canaan so that sentence is heere executed vpon him Deut. 34 4 5. the other concerning Moses is reserued vnto his time appointed of God In this place God commanded both of them what to doe euen to ascend vp to the Mountaine and sheweth that Aaron shall die there for his disobedience whose garments must be pulled off and put vpon Eleazar lest by touching of the dead the holy garments should be defiled After this commandement followeth their obedience agreeable to the same they come vp to the Mountain Aaron is stripped Eleazar is cloathed with them Aaron without feare of death or longer desire of life or prayer for life departeth in peace according to the word of God he is gathered to his Fathers Moses and Eleazar descend from the Mountaine Moses Eleazar and the people mourne for Aaron thirty daies Verse 23 24. And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron We see heere according to the former threatning pronounced by the mouth of God verse 12. that Aaron cometh not into the land of Promise but dieth in Mount Hor. We learne heereby Doctriâ God-thrânings are ãâã compââââ that the threatnings of God are accomplished Howsoeuer his iudgments are many times deferred and his punnishments prolonged because hee is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would haue all persons come vnto repentance yet in the end all his threatnings shall be verified and fulfilled in their times and seasons Consider this truth in our first parents Ge. 2 17. â 3 7. God threatned them that if they did eate the forbidden fruite they should die the death we see the effect in them and all their posterity throughout al times and generations Behold other threatnings of God wee shall alwayes reade the execution after the denunciation So when God by the Ministery of Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Peter 2â had threatned to destroy the whole world if in an hundred and twenty yeeres they repented not wee see how he brought in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly swept them away from the face of the earth which they had corrupted with their cruell and vncleane conuersation This we see likewise taught vnto vs throughout the bookes of the holy history of Ioshua The man is cursed before the Lord Ioshua 6â that ryseth vp and buildeth the City Iericho he shall lay the foundation thereof in his eldest sonne and in his yongest sonne shall he set vp the gates of it meaning therby that whosoeuer should attempt to builde this City he should pay for it deerely because what time hee layeth the foundation of the wals his eldest sonne shall dye and when hee setteth vp the gates and hath finished it his yongest sonne shall dye When this threatning seemed quite forgotten and consumed with the rust of time God doeth bring it to passe as we
3 we see the wicked prosper and florish spredding themselues as the greene Bay tree for loe God hath set them in slippery places Psal 37 53. and casteth them downe in the end vnto desolation they are suddenly destroyed horribly consumed as the chaffe which the winde driueth away and as a dreame when one awaketh This tentation hath ouertaken the children of God and caused them oftentimes to shrinke back when they saw the prosperity of the vngodly Psal 73 2 3. Hab. 1 4. and on the other side the troubles of the godly hath made them to reason within themselues of the prouidence of God But shall not the King rule his owne kingdome or the Master gouerne his own house as pleaseth him And shall not we giue the Lord leaue to dispose of all things in heauen and earth after the good pleasure of his owne will Hee fatteth the wicked against the day of slaughter he leaueth them without excuse and maketh his blessings as a witnesse against them Contrarywise the children of God although they suffer afflictions yet afflictions to them are not euill but try their faith as the furnace doth the gold Senec. de diui prouidentia c. 8 Let vs not deceiue our selues in iudging and esteeming of good and euill That is good which maketh vs better that is euil that maketh vs worse The workes of the flesh adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuy murthers drunkennesse couetousnesse and such like are manifestly euill These God keepeth from his deere children and his deere children from them that they reigne not in them The Israelites in Egypt liued vnder hard masters and carried many heauy burthens and sent vp many passionate sighes to God with deepe grones of spirit whilst Pharaoh and the Egyptians tooke crafty counsell together and sported themselues in the miseries mischiefs which they had brought vpon them But whose condition was the more happie let the red Sea testifie from which the Israelits were deliuered Exo 14 27 29 in which the EgyptiaÌs were drowned Dauid taken from the sheepe-folds tasted of many sorrowes being in perils among the Amalekites in perils in the Wildernesse in perils of his owne Nation in perils of his own seruants in perils among false bretheren and was hunted from place to place as a Partridge in the Mountaines 2 Sam. 31 4. whilst Saul sought his life and enioyed the pleasures and treasures of a kingdom But whose estate was the more happy let the end and yssue of them both determine the one liued in glory ended his daies in peace the other sheathed his sword in his owne bowels and so dyed in despaire The Apostle Iames willeth vs to take the Prophets for an example of suffering aduersity and of long patience which haue spoken in the name of the Lord Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made Iam. 5 10 11. for the Lord is very pittifull and mercifull Lazarus a poore begger destitute of succour and friends lying at the rich mans gate hauing his minde as full of cares as his bodie was of sores whilst the rich glutton was clad in purple gorgiously and fared deliciously euery day But whose condition was the more blessed and happy of them twaine let this tell vs and teach vs for our instruction that Lazarus when he died had the holy elect Angels to attend vpon him to carry his soule into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22 23 that is to say into the kingdome of heauen Matth. 8 11. the rich man also died his body was buried his soule was carried cast into the torments of hell Where the worme neuer dyeth Marke 9 44. and the fire neuer goeth out the one vnsufferable the other vnquenchable both infinite Let vs not therefore rest in beholding the present face of outward things but possesse our soules with patience in a sweet meditation of Gods prouidence considering that it shall in the end bee well with all them that feare the Lord and that howsoeuer the wicked do prosper in the world increase in riches yet if we enter into the Sanctuary of God Psal â3 â we shal see they are set in slippery places they are lifted vp on high and therefore their fall shall be more fearefull seeing all the threatnings of God must without faile fasten vpon them Lastly seeing the menaces and threatnings Vse 4 of God must bee performed this serueth also to assure vs that the gracious promises of God made in mercy to his people shall in truth and righteousnesse bee accomplished The Lord that is alwaies the same as hee is true in his threatnings to the vngodly so wil he be found true in his promises toward the godly For seeing no part of his word shall passe away that he will not falsifie his trueth Psal 89 â nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth one part serueth to confirme another his threatnings are ratified by the assurance of his promises and his promises are established to bee surer then the heauens by the assuraÌce of his threatnings So then let vs learne to depend vpon God to trust in him knowing 2 Cor. 1 that all his promises are yea and Amen vnto the glory of his name Let vs rest in him for the pardon of our sinnes for the hearing of our prayers for the feeding of our bellies for the resurrection of our bodies for the inheritance of euerlasting life hauing a strong assurance of faith that the Lord is iust and true in all his promises This is a notable comfort and consolation to all the childreÌ of God to cause vs to set our hope in him hauing a patient and constant expectation of all things that by faith we haue beleeued saying with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1 12. For this cause I also suffer these things but I am not ashamed for I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day Verse 25 26. Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and cause Aaron to strip off his Garments and thou shalt put them vpon his sonne Heere is deliuered how Aaron yet liuing his sonne is inuested and installed into his Office with the ceremonies and solemnities thereunto appertaining at the appointment of God to shew the continuance of the Priesthoode to take away al occasions of dissentions from the people Thus we see the good estate of the Church is prouided for by Moses before Aaron dyed Doctrâ The Châ must be in good after coâ parture and went the way of all flesh The Doctrine hence is that the good of the Church must be regarded of vs to leaue it in good case after our death and departure I say it is a principall duty required of vs when wee must leaue the worlde to prouide for the
are cut off by death do renue the Leuitical priesthood and labour to raise it out of the graue which hath long ago bene buried with honor For this is common to them both to end their daies and leaue their Priesthood to others so that the Dart which the Apostle casteth against the Leuiticall Priesthood pierceth and perisheth the very heart of the Popish priesthood when he saith and proueth that there can bee no other Priests but Christ vnder the new Testament Heb. 7 23 24. because he continueth for euer considering that the multitude of Priests and succession of them one after another ariseth from the imperfection and insufficiency of the Priests which were continually by death taken away If then the vpstart Priests of the Sinagogue of Rome will bee Priests properly they cannot be Priests after the order of Melchizedek as they wretchedly and blasphemously claime themselues to bee who was both King and Priest Heb 7 5. neither caÌ they be successors of Christ forasmuch as hee hath none to succeede him For if the Iews might not continue to offer their sacrifices and oblations after the sacrifice of Christ was once offered because it was perfect and all-sufficient yea the consummation of all that went before it followeth that the Popish sacrifice being an addition vnto that which is perfect as a rotten and ragged patch to a new garment cannot stand but is to bee throwne downe and abolished like an abhominable idoll Verse 29. All the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty daies when the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead The last point obserued in this chapter is the affection of the people after the death of Aaron one of the chiefe pillars and protectors of the Church and of true Religion among the Israelites They mourne for him not a day or a weeke but a whole month to declare what a sensible feeling they had of the incomparable losse of the Church We learne hereby that when the chiefe members stayes props Doctrinâ When the cheefest pâ of the Câ be takeÌ aâ the rest aâ bee greeâ 1 Thess 4 â and pillars of the church be taken away the rest of the parts are to be huÌbled and touched to the quicke for the same True it is a measure in mourning and lamentation is to be vsed that wee bee not sorry as men without hope yet by this example wee see it is lawfull to mourne for the dead the greater losse the Church hath receyued the greater lamentation and greefe ought to bee expressed This is euident by the practise of Gods seruants in all ages of the Church proportioning their sorrow according to the greatnesse of their losse We see Ge. 50 1 10 11. when God called Iacob to himselfe out of this worlde a Father of the Church and a great light that shined not onely within the dores of his owne family but in the darknesse of Egypt hee was greatly and exceedingly lamented for the space of seuenty dayes so that the Canaanites said This is a great mourning vnto the Egyptians So when Moses the seruant of the Lord died like vnto whom there arose not a Prophet in Israel vnto whom GOD spake not by vision or dreame but face to face as a man talketh with his friend Deut. 34 8. the children of Israel mourned for him thirty dayes whom hee had guided with a fatherly care many yeeres So when Samuel another principall pillar of the house of God dyed 1 Sam 25 1. All Israel assembled and mourned for him and buried him in his own house at Ramah When God took away good King Iosiah like to whom there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule 2 King 2â and with al his might according to all the law of Moses who bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left who remembred his Creator in the dayes of his youth and honoured God with the first fruites of his life all Iudah and Ierusalem mourned for him 2 Chron. 35 23 24. yea Ieremy lamented Iosiah and al the singing men and singing women mourned for him in their lamentations and made the same for an ordinance to Israel behold they be written in the Lamentations But touching Iehoiakim the son of Iosia who degenerated from his father walked not in his wayes ãâã 22 1â 19 it is said They shall not lament him saying Ah my Brother or ah my Sister neyther shall they mourne for him saying Ah Lord or ah his glory he shall be buried as an Asse is buryed euen drawne and cast forth without the gates of Ierusalem The like comparison wee see in the new Testament when as Stephen was stoned a faithfull witnesse of Christ a worthy member of the Church and a constant defender of the faith ãâã 8 2. certaine men carried him to be buried and made great lamentation for him But when Ananias and Sapphira filled with Sathan keeping away part of the price of their possession tempting the Spirit and lying vnto God fell downe and gaue vp the ghost ãâã 5 5 10. young men arose tooke them vp and buried them but no mention of any teares or lamentatioÌ much lesse of any great lamentation made for them God swept them away as dung from the earth for their hypocrisie but the Church lamented not the death of these wicked persons So then to omit many other examples that might bee alledged we see that howsoeuer men may be mourned for in a natural affection compassion by their friends and kinsfolks yet chiefly and principally we are to bewaile the losse of the church wheÌ such are taken away as might do good seruice to God and his people Reason 1 This truth appeareth by good force of reason First the Ministers are as the Chariots horsemen of Israel in their Ministery that is the strength and defence of the Church and Commonwealth Therfore Elisha seeing Eliah taken vp by a whirlewinde into heauen cryed out Kings â 12. My father my father the Chariot of Israel the horsemen thereof And as Elisha said of Eliah so did Ioash the King of Israel of Elisha For being sicke of his sicknesse whereof hee dyed the King came downe vnto him King 13 14. and wept vpon his face and said O my father my father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen of the same Thus spake the King himselfe to the Prophet and these honorable Titles he gaue vnto him And no maruell For they fight and bend their forces against swearing blasphemy contempt of Gods word prophaning of his Sabbaths whoredome drunkennesse idlenesse couetousnesse and such like as lay vs open to the wrath of God These and such like sinnes are they that weaken the land and lay it naked to the inuasion of enemies ãâã 32 25. as appeareth Exo. 32 25. Moses saw that by their idolatry the people were naked for Aaron had made them naked vnto shame among
mocke to our enemy 4 After they departed from mount Hor by the way of the red sea to compasse the land of Edom and the soule of the people was sore greeued because of the way 5 For the people spake against God and against Moses saying Wherefore haue ye brought vs out of Egypt to die in this wildernesse for heere is neither bread nor water c. 6 Wherefore the Lord sent fiery serpents c. 7 Then the people came to Moses and saide We haue sinned c. 8 And the Lord said vnto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent c. 9 So Moses made a serpent of Brasse c. Hitherto of the first part of the Chapter containing the encounter betweene the Canaanites and the Israelites now we come to the second part handling the eight and last murmuring of the people through wearinesse of their way and compasse they were compelled to fetch through the vnmercifulnesse of the Edomites wherby they offended God againe In this history we are to consider sundry circumstances setting downe their sinne who fal againe into their former faults and offences As the dog returneth to his vomite 2 Pet. 2.22 and the Sow vnto the wallowing in the myre First the place and occasion hereof is described Secondly the manner of their sinne Thirdly the matter and substance thereof wherein it consisteth is set downe Fourthly the punishment and iudgement of God inflicted vpon them for their sinne Lastly the euents and effects following the punishment First touching the circumstances of the place and occasion of the sinne obserue that the Israelites departing from Hor and crossed in their purpose weree constrained to trauell all along the coasts of Edom and to passe ouer a most perilous and dangerous desert as it is set forth Deut. 8.15 Where the hearts of the people failed and fainted where the fiery serpents stung and destroyed them and where thirst pined them away It was no small greefe and vexation vnto them hauing onely a short cut into Canaan by crossing ouer the countrey of the Edomites to wander vp and downe to trauerse the ragged rockes the high mountaines and the vaste wildernesse and thereupon they brake out through impatiency of spirit to murmure against Moses They thinke themselues in the high pride of their hauty hearts able to match and to meete with the king of Edom in the field to giue him battell and to worke their owne peace and passage by dint of the sword as they had ouerthrowne Harad a king of the Canaanites and destroyed his cities and therefore needed not to stand at the mercy and courtisie of others nor fetch such compasses as Moses made them to doe in the wildernesse Secondly the manner of their murmuring is remembred verse 5. where the hand of God being heauy vpon them in that great and terrible wildernesse they do not cry to him they doe not call to mind that blessed experience of his helping hand which they had found euer ready to succour and sustaine them Exo. 14.13 14 they consider not the reuenge and punishment that God from time to time had taken of their murmurings but they flye vpon him as a mad dog in the face of his master that feedeth and fostereth him that breedeth and bringeth him vp they reuile and raile vpon his seruant Moses Such is the slippery place of gouernement such is the nature of the multitude and such is the lot of Gods Ministers Thirdly the summe and substance of their mutiny and murmuring is two-fold First a very vehement expostulation with Moses for bringing them out of Egypt wherein they disgorge their malice with full or rather foule mouthes Exod. 14.11 As if he had aduisedly and purposely brought them into the wildernesse to destroy them Secondly obserue the reasons of that expostulation which are two first because at this present no bread no water no foode appeared vnto them who measured the strength of God by the length of their bellies now they account themselues ready to bee famished Which kind of death proceeding from hunger and famine of all other kinds that can be thought vpon is most wretched and miserable it hath driuen men and women to this exigent to eate their owne flesh Deu. 28.53 2 king 6.29 and the flesh of their children Secondly because they were weary of Manna which they call a light a sight or vile meate such as no reckoning or account was to be made thereof Wherein they slander God bring vp an euill name and report of his miraculous work and complaine of their necessity where no want was and of hunger where no hunger was and so their vnbridled tongues testifie their vnthankefull hearts saying That they were weary of their liues for this light meat which God notwithstanding had sent them from heauen Psal 78.25 and fed them with Angels foode in great aboundance verifying the saying of the Wiseman Prou 19.3 The foolishnesse of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord. The fourth point followeth namely the punishment which God inflicted without any communication had with Moses or denouncing of it before it fell as God had done before when he hid not from Moses what he was determined to doe before he hid it but presently punished them to shew the greeuousnesse of their sinne and the greatnesse of his wrath conceiued against them The punishment was Psal 140.3 That whereas they had sharpned their tongues like Serpents so as the poison of adders and astes was vnder their lippes he sent among them a kind of Scorpions and Serpents which with their biting infused their venome and poison which immediately being shed dispersed it selfe into all their body whereby they were inflamed with such extraordinary heate that they endured great drought and suffered a great thirst whereof they complained before They thought they complained of thirst iustly but now they feele it indeed to the full so that such are were stung with this venemous byting dyed the death The last circumstances to bee considered are the effects following For first the people in this great extremity and anguish of spirit come in haste to Moses against whom before they maliciously murmured to whom they confesse their offence ân 5.16 that now began to lie sore vpon their conciences and desire earnestly his prayers that they might bee preserued and deliuered from the venemous bytings of those stinging serpents which Moses doth willingly faithfully performe being mindfull of his owne duty and vnmindfull of their wrongs Secondly the Lord hauing brought the people to a sight of their sinnes by a feeling of his iudgments that they humble themselues before him confesse their offences and call for mercy he heareth the prayer of Moses For the prayer of a faithfull man preuaileth much if it be feruent ãâã 5.15 is reconciled vnto them and witnesseth the same by giuing them a true token and shewing the meanes and remedy of their present malady commanding a
sicknesse is from God the manner of it the measure of it the time of it the matter of it is of God which giueth good assurance and affiance that God will be mercifull and gracious vnto vs seeing he striketh vs that is our Father and in the stroke be it neuer so sharp he cannot forget his former compassions but he will make all things fall out to further our saluation neither will hee lay more stripes and strokes vpon vs theÌ we shall be able to beare He will make a way for vs to escape 1 Cor. 10 13. Psal 56 8. Psal 11 3. Cant. 2 6. he will make our bed in all our sicknesse hee putteth our teares in his bottell his left hand is vnder our head and his right hand doth embrace vs. Let vs comfort one another in these things Vse 3 Thirdly it standeth vs vpon whensoeuer his hand is vpon vs to seeke to him for health that smiteth and no man healeth that maketh the wound and no man restoreth We are directed by this consideration to whom to seek for our recouery to wit first to the hand that striketh and next to goe to mans helpe which is his ordinance We must not first seeke to the Physition as Asa did 2 Chron. 16 13 but first be reconciled to God the chiefe Physition of soule and body and pray vnto him in our trouble as Hezekiah did Esay 38 2. Let vs neuer looke that any means be they neuer so excellent shall profite vs and prosper with vs vntill we be at peace with God and haue renewed our repentance from dead works for our daily sinnes This the Apostle sheweth Iam. 5 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray This condemneth those that seeke to witches and wizards and forget the God of their saluation 1 Sam. 2 6. who killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe Let vs thereby be put in mind of our death which is Gods messenger and serieant to arest vs and to bring vs into his presence Let vs euer prepare our selues to depart in peace cOnsidering that as the home of death shall take vs so the day of iudgement shall finde vs. Here we repent or else we repent neuer Chrys hoâ de Lazaro Basil de moral 1. Reg. 2. Here is time of changing and turning but after this life there is no more place of repentance but an horrible expectation and fearefull looking for of iudgement which shall deuoure the aduersaries The Scripture teacheth that Caine that euill man was of euil one and slew his brother wee may multiply thousands of yeares since he vttered that fearefull and comfortlesse speech Gen. 4 13. My sinne is greater then ca be pardoned my punishment is greater then can bee suffered yet when Christ shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and dead hee shall appeare no otherwise at the last day theÌ as he was taken out of this life The like wee might say of Esau of Saul of Iudas and of others who ended their daies in desperation as they died so they shall be iudged abide for euer after iudgement As they turned not to God their Creator while they liued so they shall receiue no ease or alteration in their estate when they are once departed and haue receiued iudgement of whom we may say as Christ once spake of Iudas It had beene good for these men if they had neuer beene borne Mat. 26 24. For not to bee is ten thousand times better then euer to be in a liuing death in coÌtinuall horrour and desperation where their worme dieth not the fire neuer goeth out Mark 9 4â This was the vse that Hezekiah made of his sicknes Es 38 10 11 I said in the cutting off of my daies I shall goe to the gates of the graue I am depriued of the residue of my yeares I saide I shall not see the Lord euen the Lord in the Land of the liuing I shall see man no more among the Inhabitants of the world Wherefore in sicknesse we are taught to seeke health of God and to bee put in minde of our mortality Lastly when God hath shewed mercy vpon Vse 4 vs in our deliuerance let vs spend the residue of our daies in a godly conuersation It is a common and ordinary matter to make solemne promises and protestations to becOme new men if we recouer Many do then lament the former errors and ignorances of their life but when they haue obtained mercy at the hands of God when they haue found a blessing and beene restored they become as leud and prophane as they were before And this moued Christ our Sauiour to exhort the impotent man to sinne no more lest a more greeuous iudgement were brought vpon him Ioh. 5 14. We see how Hezekiah being healed the third day after he went vp to the house of the Lord to praise him 2 King 20 â Esay 38 18 to speake of his goodnesse who had seene his teares heard his praiers and who had remoued his afflictions The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth but the liuing the liuing hee shall confesse thee as I do this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth This duty is required of vs al when we are deliuered from our sicknesse or sorrow from trouble calamity to be thankfull to God and mindfull of his mercy Let euery one examine his owne heart how he hath practised this duty what vse he hath made of his affliction There is none of vs but hath a blessed experience of Gods goodnesse toward him hee hath oftentimes preserued vs from dangers restored vs from sicknesse deliuered vs from diseases freed vs from troubles happy are we if thereby we haue profited vnto amendment of life and in the study of godlinesse and be carefull that we fall not backe againe into our former offences We must not be like to Pharaoh who returned to his vomit and the hardnesse of his heart â 7.13 14. after hee was freed from the plagues of God lest with him we be destroyed by the iust hand of God The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people which stung the people so that many of them died God might haue destroyed these euer-murmuring Israelites by the Canaanites or Edomites their aduersaries hee hath men and Angels at his booke and commandement to afflict them and ouerthrow them but he sendeth stinging serpents which tormented theÌ and a multitude of venomous beasts vpon theÌ that they might know that where with a man sinneth by the same also he shall be punished as we shewed before The Doctrine from hence is that GOD hath all creatures in his owne hand âctrine âd hath all âatures eueÌââmalest to âploy in his âuce which âing âent do âeuaile and he armeth them at his owne pleasure to execute his will and being so imploied they
that they neuer remoue out of the place where they were born but continue at home in their owne houses they are not driuen hither and thither they are not tossed from poste to pillar yet must not they make their resting place in this world looke for heauen vpon the earth but bee alwaies ready to follow the calling of God 2 Cor. 7 5 and know that he hath reserued a better resting place for them in his kingdome Wherefore the Apostle Peter exhorteth Dearely beloued I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles This is the beginning of godlinesse and true religion to deny this world and to acknowledge our selues to be but strangers in the same And let vs pray with the Prophet Psal 119. I am but a stranger vpon earth hide not thy Commandements from me Vse 3 Lastly let vs learne to depend and rest onely vpon God who onely dwelleth in immortality and not on the sonnes of men who are nothing but vanity and cannot helpe Who would in danger rest vpon a weak reed which beside the weaknesse is ready to run into our arme All men are fraile and transitory if then we put confidence in an arme of flesh we shall be deceiued This the Prophets of God euery where record Esay 2 22 and 30 7 and 31 3. Ceasse you from the man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be esteemed Teaching vs to cast off all vaine confidence in man if God stop his breath but a little he is dead and gone And chap. 30. The Egyptians are vanity and they shall helpe in vaine they are men not God their horses flesh and not spirit and when the Lord shall stretch out his hand the helper shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall and they shall altogether faile To this purpose Dauid exhorteth Psal 62 9 10. The children of men are vanity to lay them vpon a ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity trust not in oppression nor in robbery be not vaine if riches increase set not your heart thereon Let vs set our hearts on our God and the God of our fathers abuse not the fauour and countenance of great men to do wrong for he taketh away the greatest rather let vs pray to him to giue vs wise hearts to number our daies and to thinke often of our vanity thereby to keepe vs from offending against God that our life passeth as a sleepe in the night that it groweth vp as grasse which in the morning flourisheth but in the euening is cut downe and withereth Verse 14. It shall be spoken in the booke of the battailes of the Lord. He declareth that the place mentioned in the former verse should be so ennobled and renowned that the memory of it should neuer die or decay As if Moses should say when the battailes of the Lord shall be spoken off the Riuer Arnon shall bee remembred and the battailes that Vaheb the King of Moab lost Now they are called the battailes of the Lord that were fought by meÌ For howsoeuer men run together like wilde Beares or wilde Boares and leuy forces of meÌ yet their armies are conducted and ruled by God From hence we learne Doctrinâ All watreâ ordered by God That all watres are disposed ordered of God Of all things done here beneath nothing seemeth more casuall or confused and nothing more out of the right course and order then the time of warre when men seeme to run together at all aduentures yet God hath his hand in it he guideth and gouerneth the same as seemeth good in his owne wisedome This the wise man handleth Prou. 21 31. The horse is prepared against the day of battell but victory is of the Lord. This the Prophet confesseth Psal 144 1. Blessed bee the Lord my strength which teacheth mine hands to fight and my fingers to battell No war falleth out in any place or vpon any people but it is sent of God When Abraham recouered Lot his brothers sonne from the enemies of whom he was taken prisoner it was God that gaue him good successe and prospered the worke of his hand Gen. 14 20. When the Israelites reuenged the villany of the Beniamites in abusing a woman vnto death it is said the Lord smote Beniamin Iudg. 20 35. and the children of Israel destroyed them So when Gideon was armed with courage and comfort to encounter with the Midianites to performe the work of the Lord against theÌ when he was to ioyne battaile hee cryed out The sword of the Lord and of Gideon Iudg. 7 20. Wherefore howsoeuer men do mannage the battaile yet it is ordered at the will of God The reasons are plaine First who is the Reason 1 cheefe Captaine of euery hoast and army Is not the Lord And is not euery battell fought at the discretion disposing of the Generall If then God be the Generall of the field and Captaine of the hoast President of the war let vs acknowledge that all wars are ordered at his pleasure This is the Title giuen vnto God Iosh 5 13 14 15. When Ioshua lifting vp his eyes saw a man come against him hauing a sword drawne in his hand he said Art thou on our side or on our aduersaries And he answered Nay but as a Captaine of the hoast of the Lord am I now come then Ioshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped him This cheefe Captaine and Leader of the people was the Lord as appeareth by a like place Exod. 3 5 where the Angell appearing vnto Moses in a flame of fire is called the Lord. Secondly all things whatsoeuer are ordered Reason 2 by the appointment and prouidence of God that are in heauen and earth his gouernment ouer all creatures and of all actions is vniuersall nothing can exempt it selfe out of the circuit of his dominion as the Prophet teacheth Psal 113 6. He abaseth himselfe to behold things in the heauen and in the earth And the Apostle saith that of him and through him and for him are all things Rom. 11 36. The vses come now to be considered First Vse 1 this teacheth vs that the victory is not mans but the Lords For if the battell bee the Lords then the victory also is the Lords that the glory likewise may be his It is not the sword nor speare nor horse nor man nor money that can saue or succour these are vain things to rest vpon so that where some trust in Chariots and some in Horses we must remember the Name of the Lord our God Psal 20 7. Therfore the Prophet sheweth Psal 33 17 18 that a King is not saued by the multitude of an hoast neither is the mighty man deliuered by great strength an horse is a vaine helpe and shall not deliuer any by his great strength And this Dauid confesseth wheÌ he was to encounter with
himselfe teacheth out of the whirlewinde Iob 39 1 2 3. Who prepareth for the Rauen his meate when his Birds cry vnto God wandering for lacke of meate Wilt thou hunt the prey for the Lyon and fill the appetite of the Lyons whelps We know the Lyons other sauage beasts are vnsatiable they are not filled with a morsell of meate they couch not downe in their dens wheÌ they haue taken a little they require much sustenance according to their deuouring nature Now who is it that findeth them this food and prouision but he that is the Creator of all things who saueth man and beast for the Lyons rore after their prey and seeke their meate at God Then let vs come to the comparison which the Prophet maketh Psalme 34. Psalm 104 21 If he feede the Lyons who suffer hunger and seeke their prey with violence how shall hee forget or forsake vs whom he auoweth for his children and hath created after his owne Image The Lyons do lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Psalm 34 9 10. All these things teach vs that God reserueth to himselfe the office and charge of maintaining vs and giuing vnto vs whatsoeuer is necessary and meete for vs. Reason 1 The Reasons may easily and euidently appeare vnto vs. First his prouidence watcheth ouer those that are his for their comfort and benefit as the Prophet teacheth Psal 33 18 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and vpon them that trust in his mercy to deliuer their soules from death and to preserue them in famine This made him say in his old age He saw neuer the righteous forsaken their children begging bread Psal 37 25. This prouident eye can neuer be deceiued or disappointed neither can it deceiue or disappoint such as rest vpon it for their comfort and preseruation Againe he is the Creator of all a mercifull Reason 2 Father a carefull Shepheard a gracious Redeemer a louing Husband to his people Will the Maker forsake the worke of his owne hands Can the Shepheard forget his flocke and the sheepe of his pasture Can the Father forget his childe or the Mother not haue coÌpassion on the sonne of her wombe Can the Redeemer cast off his inheritance that he hath bought and dearely purchased Can the husband deny protection and prouision vnto his wife that lieth in his bosome Thus the Prophet reasoneth and from the titles of God assureth his faith that it should neuer faile The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want hee maketh me to rest in greene Pastures and leadeth me by the still waters c. Psal 23 1. The vses of this Doctrine are lastly to bee Vse 1 stood vpon First we are hence to gather that we ought in all estates to feare God and not to feare want of worldly wealth or transitory things let vs haue our conuersation without couetousnesse which is vnsatiable and enlarged as the graue let vs take heed of diffidence distrustfulnesse touching the things of this life let vs as well in aduersity as in prosperity be ready to rest on Gods prouidence whatsoeuer fall out vnto vs. True it is we ought to labour in our callings and to take paines to get meate and drinke but we must beware of carking and cares and vsing vnlawfull meanes to sustaine our selues If we see not such successe on our labours as we looke for let vs be content if we see his blessing let vs remember to render him thanks This duty the Prophet declareth Psal 34 9 37 5 for hauing declared that albeit the Lyons lacke yet God will nourish those that be his hee concludeth hereupon O feare the Lord ye his Saints for nothing wanteth to them that feare him Commit thy way to the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe Let vs pray to him in our necessities and call vpon him for our daily bread let vs especially bee mindfull of heauenly things and lift vp the eyes of our mindes to that kingdome that is reserued for vs. As for this world 1 Cor. â 32. wee must vse it and all the things therein as if we vsed them not and as though they were not our owne but anothers according to the example and practise of the godly Patriarkes Let vs vse our houses and dwelling places as strangers doe an Inne wherein they lodge and seeke harbour for a night and then are gone Let vs vse our goods and riches as Pilgrims do other mens goods for a small season but we must take heede wee set not our hearts vpon them Let vs reiect and cast off all things that may clog and hinder vs in the way to the kingdome of heauen like good trauellers that wll burden themselues with nothing that may hinder them in their iourney And let vs all learne true contentation of heart in euery estate of life whether in health or in sicknesse whether in want or in abundance whether in trouble or in peace considering that as we brought nothing into this world so we can carry nothing out of the same Againe seeing God supplieth the wants of Vse 2 the body let vs seeke also at his hands the norishment of our soules and depend vpon him for our spirituall food We see how men being in any aduersity are vexed and greeued how neere it goeth vnto the quicke If they want bodily food and sustenance they compasse sea and land they spare no labour they refuse no charges to haue it supplied How much more should wee double our care for the soule â â6 which is of a more diuine nature and commeth nearer to the Image of God The soule of man is the more precious and noble part of a man the soule of a man is truely himselfe the body is but his instrument therefore being of a more excellent substance it is more to be regarded and cared for then the body If therefore a man would leaue country and kindred to prouide for his body hee should be willing to go out of house home yea euen to forsake himselfe to saue his soule If a man be ready to trauaile a thousand miles by sea and land for the increase of his wealth or the bettering of his knowledge or the delight of his body â 6 33. we should not think much to go ten thousand miles to take any paines for the good of our soule and to get food for the same But the practise of the world goeth cleane contrary the soule is least regarded the health the wealth the welfare the peace the sustentation and preseruation thereof is nothing esteemed They that are of the earth do sauour onely of the earth and will neuer leaue caring for it till their mouthes be full of it As we do tread vpoÌ the earth so let vs tread vnder our feet all earthly things and as wee are borne to looke vpward toward heauen
oppressour as an honest Iurate witnesseth against him and cryeth for vengeance And shall the Lord be deafe and not heare such great and loud out-cryings of so many distressed and oppressed persons entring into the highest heauens and piercing the eares of the Lord of hoasts Shal not God auenge his elect which day and night cry vnto him âe 18 7.8 yea though he suffer long for them I tell you he will auenge them quickly to the comfort of the oppressed but to the confusion of the oppressour Vse 3 Lastly seeing wrongfull dealing must bee auoided it serueth to condemne all inordinate liuing in no setled or lawfull calling idlely vnthriftily and prodigally For euery man liuing in the Church of what degree or condition soeuer must haue some particular calling to walke in how high soeuer his estate bee how great soeuer his reuenues be which condemneth the wandring vp downe of rogues and beggers the Cloysters of Monkes and Fryars the idlenes of rich men that haue lands and liuings all such as are Drones vnprofitable to the Church or Common-wealth or family wherein they abide Adam in time of his innocency immediately after his creation in the Image of God â2 15. had a speciall calling appointed him to dresse and keepe the Garden It was likewise said to him and his posterity immediately after the fall â3 19. In the sweate of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread till thou returne vnto the earth out of which thou wast taken So the Apostle saith 2 Thess 3 11 12. Christ Iesus the head of men and Angels before the solemne inuesting and entring into his Office liued priuately in Iosephs house and wrought in his trade â 6 3 ââtra ãâã and therefore it is that the Iewes call him not onely the Carpenters sonne but a Carpenter If then we would settle our selues in a lawfull calling eating our owne bread trusting in the prouidence of God contenting our selues with our present estate thinking it the best and fittest for vs we should keepe our selues from oppression wrong But because some liue without any calling some without a lawfull calling others liue distrustfull discontented it driueth them to make vngodly shifts and vse vnlawfull meanes which God abhorreth Let vs lay these things to our own hearts and not spend our dayes in ydlenesse The time is precious let vs seeke to redeeme it Let vs euery day do some good or other Ephe. 5 16. let vs learne some good of others or be teaching some good thing to others But alasse how many are there in all places that spend whole dayes and moneths and years in vanity who if they would call themselues to an account of their liues past might see and perceiue many dayes passe ouer their heads without doing any good whereof albeit they will take no account of themselues yet they must giue an account to God at the day of iudgement Verse 23. But Sihon gaue Israel no licence to passe through his Border and Sihon assembled all his people and went out against Israel into the wildernesse c. The request to giue the Israelites a quiet and peaceable passage beeing quiet peaceable men was iust and reasonable yet the petition is denyed and the people themselues that made it are persecuted They offered no wrong they drew no sword they shot no Arrow they cast no Dart they took away nothing yet they are hated and hurried vnto the death and assaulted without mercy This teacheth Doctrine The wicked hate and persecute the godly without cause that the vngodly do hate and persecute the godly without cause This is the practise of wicked men to pursue the children of God with all iniurious and despitefull dealing albeit they offer no occasion of hurt or harme vnto them We see this practise in Cain who hated his brother Gen. 4 8. and albeit hee spake friendly vnto him yet drawing him into the field he rose vp against him slew him This the Prophet complaineth of Psalm 69 4 and 35 7. Ioseph was sold as a slaue and imprisoned as a malefactor Ieremy was many wayes troubled and clapped vp Dauid was hated hunted froÌ place to place The Apostles were whipped and scourged in the Synagogues Stephen was reuiled and stoned Christ was scorned and crucified Paul was buffetted and persecuted The Saints were tryed by mocking burned in the fire slaine with the sword they wandred in the wildernesse they were hidden in caues and holes of the earth The Reasons are very plaine direct For first it seemeth vnto them more then strange Reason 1 that the faithfull are not brethren with them in euill but separate themselues from them will touch no vncleane thing If we were of the world the world would loue his owne but because we are chose out of the world therfore the world hateth vs. So long as Paul ioynd with the Pharisies in persecuting the Church imprisoning all those that called vpoÌ the Lord Iesus who was in greater fauor and credit with theÌ But wheÌ he was called to preach the truth which before he had oppugned and became zealous in the faith which before he destroyed by by the Iewes tooke counsell to kill him Acts 9 23. Christ Iesus the Lord of life before he was installed into his Office Luke 2 52 3 2 4 28 29 was in fauor with God and men but when he was baptized albeit he was alwaies in fauour with his Father yet immediately afterward he was tempted of the diuell contemned of his Country-men and ledde to the edge of an hil to be cast downe headlong This is that which the Apostle Peter witnesseth 1 Pet. 4.4 5. But it is better for vs to haue the hatred of men and the ill will of all the world then faile in any part of our duty vnto God who is able to cast body and soule into hell Reason 2 Secondly no maruaile if the wicked hate the godly for the world hateth Christ He was called a Samaritan he was counted a Coniurer he was esteemed as a drunkard a deceiuer a diuell a friend of Publicans and sinners If they haue thus reuiled the Master of the house no maruell if they respect not the members The Embassadour must not looke to be greater then he that sent him Iohn 13 16 and 16.20 the Disciple must not dreame of a better condition then the Lord if they haue done thus to the greene Tree what will they doe to the dry and withered Luke 23 31. If they deale thus with him that is alwayes fruitefull florishing and liueth for euer we must not look that they should deale better with vs that are vnfruitfull and full of the vnsauory fruites of our corruption This Christ himselfe teacheth in sundry places Mat. 10 24 25. The Disciple is not aboue his Master nor the seruant aboue his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to bee as his Master is and the seruant
as his Lord if they haue called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold Vse 1 Now let vs see what vses may be gathered from hence First we may assure our selues that it is a lamentable and wofull condition to liue and dwell among such mallitious mischieuous enemies They grin and grinde their teeth at vs like Dogs they gape at vs with their mouthes like the ramping and roaring Lyon they push at vs with their heads like the fat Bulles of Bashan they run at vs with their hornes like the Vnicorne they whet their tuskes at vs like the wilde Boare out of the wood they seeke to eate vs vp like the sauage beasts of the Field and Forrest Would we not take it to bee a fearefull condition to be carried into a great and terrible Wildernesse and to be compassed about with Dragons Tygers Beares and other deuouring beasts ready to eate vs in peeces while there is none to helpe But man vnto man is many times al these especially the vnfaithful man to the faithfull âor what fellowship is there between the seed of the woman â Cor 6 14. and the seed of the serpent Whât communion betweene light and darknesse and what concord betweene Christ and Belial This the Prophet acknowledged felt by experience in his owne person ãâã 20 5 6 7. Wo is me that I remained in Meshech dwel in the tents of Kedar my soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace I seeke peace and when I speak therof they are bent to warre For as the societie of the faithfull is good and comely like the precious oyntment vpon the head of Aaron and as the dew falling vpon the mountaines of Hermon and Sion because they take sweet counsell together and go vnto the house of God as companions so the accompanying conuersing with euill persons is irkesome and tedious vnto the godly as if they liued with Wolues and wilde beasts in the Wildernesse True it is the people of God hate and abhor the sinnes of the vngodly but yet loue their persons as the Physitian hateth the disease but loueth the person of his Patient But the vngodly hate not onely the infirmities of the faithfull but their persons euen to the death as the dung of the earth and the off-scouring of all things and therefore we must needes account it a wofull condition full of greefe anguish and vexation of Spirit to liue among them This life is as a continuall death Secondly seeing this is the entertainment that we must looke for and shall finde in the Vse 2 world to bee hated and harrowed by the vngodly it standeth vs vpon to liue in vnity and to loue one another as the children of the Father and the disciples of Christ When enemies dayly increase and ioyne their forces together in a common band an vnited league it standeth all those vpon that are of the communion of Saints that are come vnto Mount Sion to the City of the liuing God Heb. 12 ââ 23 and to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen to vnite combine themselues together as one man The aduersaries of the Church are many their power is mighty their malice is vnsatiable against the little flock of Christ it is time therfore for vs to ioyn our selues against the common aduersary Who can be ignorant how the popish crew associate themselues together seeking to subuert the state and to ouerthrow religion established among vs being resolued by murdrous Masse-Priests and set on fire of hel Wee haue also many hollow-hearted hypocrites damnable Atheists filthy Libertines sundry loose liuers that can abide none to make any sincere profession of godlinesse The poor sheepe and innocent Lambes of Christ amidst so many subtle Foxes and cruell Wolues had neede loue one another beeing hated of the world and seeke the good one of another being maligned of the wicked Heereunto Christ exhorteth in sundry places as Ioh. 13. A new commandement I giue vnto you that ye loue one another Iohn 13 3â 35 16 12 1â 13. 1 Iohn 3 1â as I haue loued you that ye also loue one another By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to another And in the 16. Chapter hee mooueth the Disciples to loue one another seeing they are hated of the world as their Mayster was This therefore is the comfort of a true Christian that albeit he be hated of the vngodly yet there is a true communion among the beleeuers of all gifts and graces granted vnto them being ready to teach the ignorant to gather home them that go astray to binde vp the broken-hearted to comfort the weake to conuince the deceiued to admonish the vnruly to stirre vp them that are dull to encourage all in well-doing And touching the bodies of our brethren those that haue this worlds good must shew themselues willing to help the poore to feed the hungry to cloathe the naked to raise vp the distressed to visite the sicke and to do good to all but especially to them that are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6 10. Lastly seeing hatred lodgeth in the heart Vse 3 of a wicked man toward the faithfull it is our duty to pray to God to be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men Seeing all haue not faith âess 3 2 3 and that liuing among them wee may be established and kept blamelesse and pure from euill and may shine as lights in the midst of a crooked naughty Nation â 2 15. holding foorth the word of life This the Prophet Dauid declareth Psalm 35 12 13 15 16.17 Thus doth God weane vs from the loue and liking of this world that we should looke and long after his kingdom where is fulnes of ioy for euermore Verses 25 26. And Israel tooke all those Citties therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages thereof These Cities taken by the Israelites did sometimes belong to the Moabites as appeareth Iudg. 11. But Sihon had taken them from Veheb the former King of the Moabites So theÌ in these words we haue the preuenting of an Obiection ãâã Num. â 21. as Lyra well obserueth vpon this place where it is saide that Israel dwelt in Heshbon in the Villages thereof which properly belonged to the Land of Moab as part and parcell thereof being now rent and torne in peeces as a body that had lost many limbes and members Some man therefore might aske the question how came the Israelites to possesse that Land seeing they were expresly restrained and forbidden of God to fight against the Moabites they were tolde that they should haue no part nor portion of their Land giuen vnto them Deut. 2 9. Thou shalt not vexe Moab neither prouoke them to battell for I will not giue thee of their Land for a
the Patriarkes Prophets Prophetesses and other holy men and women in the old new Testament See the examples of Moses singing the praises of God after their deliuerance out of Egypt after the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and after their passage ouer the red sea he footed it not in a low but in a lofty stile praising God in verses not in prose Exod. 15 1. for the greater efficacy of the matter and the better expressing of their affections The like we might say of his sweet song sung not long before his death Deut. 31 19 22. 32 1 2 c. Cygnea cantio which he taught the children of Israel Iudges 5 1. thus did Deborah and Barak And thus did Dauid make an Epitaph in verse vpon the death of Saul and Ionathan after they were slaine by the Philistims not penned after the plaine and vulgar manner but with many rhetoricall flourishes of Tropes and figures according to the nature of the verse and the substance of the matter Reason 1 The Reasons hereof are easie to be conceyued to auouch the lawfulnesse praise-worthinesse of this Art For first euery Art and knowledge is of God Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift saith the Apostle Iames is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of Lights Euery Mechanical trade and handy-craft is the gift of God there is no excelling in any of them but by his special gift who is the God of knowledge which maketh a difference not onely between man beast but betweene man and man Such as found out curious workes in Gold Siluer Brasse in grauing of stones in caruing of wood in making any Needle-worke about the Tabernacle Were filled with the spirit of God in wisedome Exod. 31.3 35 30. in knowledge and vnderstanding As it is God that frameth the hand to such inuentions so it is he that guideth the pen giueth the tongue of the learned to speake or write after an excellent manner The Heathen men were wont to say That Poets were inspired of God to go beyond the reach of the vulgar sort So then this gift being more then ordinary must needs in a peculiar and speciall sort be from God Reason 2 Secondly sundry parts and bookes of holy Scripture are penned poetically and those of excellent worthy note albeit we know not the kinds and measures of them howsoeuer sundry haue laboured to finde out the seueral numbers and natures of them inasmuch as euery Language hath his peculiar frame fashion yet not onely some certaine parts and parcels but sundry whole bookes as hath bin said were Poetically penned and in that respect may be fitly called Poeticall Bookes Of this kinde and nature are the booke of Iob the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbes of Salomon the booke of the Preacher and the Song of songs all which seeme to be contained comprehended by our Sauiour Christ vnder the title of the Psalmes when he diuideth the whole Scripture into the Law the Prophets and the Psalms as Luke 24 14. Besides when any thing of greatest note worthy of greatest remembrance and commendation was to bee set downe in the Scriptures the Prophets did choose to speake in this artificial composition of words sentences to giue a greater grace and adde greater glory vnto the same as appeareth in sundry places of the Law and Prophets Vse 1 The vses of this truth direct vs to sundry profitable meditations and weighty considerations For first it teacheth vs in part the maiesty and authority of the Scriptures They are not certain rugged and ragged writings to be contemned for their rudenesse and simplicity and to be condemned for their basenesse and homelinesse as the Atheists and others that boast and brag of their fine wits are not ashamed to giue out but Bookes full of holy excellency and wonderfull statelinesse not only working grace in the hearts of the hearers but carrying a grace to the eares of the hearers Bookes filled with true eloquence and more able to perswade then all the enticing words of humane wisedome Therefore the Lord to deliuer his word from disgrace reproach doth sometimes flye aloft with a maiesticall grauity and stately port able to astonish the outward senses sufficient to draw the whole man into admiration and thereby sheweth what he could doe in the rest of the holy Scriptures if it had pleased him Let a man reade with singlenesse of heart and with the eye of iudgement the 104. Psalme 1 2 3 4 5. verses describing the Maiestie of God or Ecclesiastes 12. verses 1 2 3 4 5 c. describing the approaching of olde age or the first chap. of Esay vers 1 2 3 4 5 c. describing the vnthankfulnesse of the people and hauing diligently read and aduisedly perused them let him tell me whether hee do not despise in comparison of them not onely the descriptions of Homer and Virgil but the Orations of Tully and Demosthenes as froth and scum hauing onely the empty shadow of the true and right eloquence So the Apostle Paul beeing charged to bee rude in speaking doth not confesse any want in his stile or craue pardon for any fault but doth iustify his maner of writing purposely auoideth the wisedom of mans eloquence He opposeth his plainnesse to the set and curious speech of the false Apostles who came in gay appearance and hunted after fine phrases and shew of words as if they had had all the strength of truth that might be on their side yet notwithstanding in this plaine style the Apostle sheweth himselfe most mightie and most eloquent garnishing his words and adorning his sentences with all the figures that Art can affoord so farre as serued to moue affections and to touch the conscience For the power of the Scriptures inspired by God staÌdeth in the inward force and vertue working vpon the soule piercing the heart casting downe the imaginations that lift vppe themselues against the truth conuerting the whole man and entering through to the diuiding of the soule and spirit of the ioynts marrow Heb. 4 12. yea discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart The Apostles of Christ subdued the whole world not with fire and sword not with carnall and bodily weapons but by the plaine preaching of Christ crucified as Paul himselfe confesseth 1 Cor. 2 2. He regarded to know nothing among them but Christ Iesus and him crucified And in 1 Cor. 2 3 4. I was among you in weaknesse and in feare and in much trouble neither stood my word and my preaching in the enticing speech of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the Spirit and of power that your Fayth should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God Seeing therefore it hath pleased God to giue vs a taste and to leaue as it were the prints and footsteppes of all learning and Arts in the world insomuch that no forme of reasoning no ornament of speaking
2 20. Because this people hath transgressed my couenant which I commanded their Fathers hath not obeyed my voice therefore will I no more cast out before them any of the Nations which Ioshua left when he died that through them I may proue Israel whether they will keepe the way of the Lord to walke therein or not So the Lord left those Nations and droue them not out immediately neither deliuered them into the hand of Ioshua Reason 2 Secondly the people of God trespasse against him so as the Lord cannot roote out their enemies together but leaueth some among them ãâã 20. ââ 13. as we saw before the Nations were left among the Israelites to be as snares in their paths whips in their sides and thorns in their eyes because they transgressed the Couenant that God had made with their fathers So the Prophet speaketh Psal 81 13 14. Oh that my people had hearkened vnto mee and Israel had walked in my waies I would soone haue humbled their enemies and turned mine hand against their aduersaries Likewise Moses among the curses and iudgments denounced against such as are disobedient to the lawes of God Leu. 26 18 21 24 28 sheweth that when he hath chastened and corrected vs for our sinnes yet if we go forward to despise his ordinances our soule abhorre his lawes he will punish vs seuen times more according to our sins And if wee proceed to walke stubbornely against him hee will then bring seuen times more plagues vpon vs walke stubbornly against vs in his anger The Vses of this Doctrine remaine to bee considered are not to be passed ouer First Vse 1 this teacheth that the prosperity of the wicked cannot assure them of the fauour of God nor secure theÌ from his punishments It sheweth indeed the patience and long-suffering of God toward the vessels prepared to wrath to make them without excuse but when they haue filled vp the measure of their sinnes they shall know that GOD hath not forgiuen or forgotten them This the Prophet teacheth Psalm 50 19 20 21 and 73 6 7 18. When thou seest a theefe thou runnest with him thou art partaker with the adulterers thou giuest thy mouth to euill and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thy mothers sonne These things thou hast done and I held my tongue therfore thou thoughtst that I was like thee but I will reprooue thee and set them in order before thee O consider this ye that forget God lest I teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you And in another place it is declared that albeit the wicked be malicious speaking wickedly talking presumptuously and setting their mouth despitefully against heauen yet GOD hath set them in slippery places and cast them downe into desolation Wherefore whensoeuer we see the wicked prosper and flourish and the glory of his house to encrease let vs not conceiue euill of God as though he loued vnrighteousnes or fauoured the sinnes of men nor thinke that the wicked shall escape therfore Elihu saith Iob 35 15 16. Although thou saiest to God thou wilt not regard it yet iudgement is before him trust thou in him yet his anger shall visite the euill and call them to an account with great extremity Secondly let them not set their hearts vpon Vse 2 euill But let them seeke the Lord while he may be found let them forsake their wickednesse vngodlinesse and returne vnto the Lord that he may haue mercy vpon them who is very ready to forgiue Esay 55 6 7. What maketh many sinne against God but a vaine confidence and presumption to escape the iudgement of God What maketh them to put off the euill day to make a league and couenant with death but the abuse of Gods patience who doth not presently punish them This the wise man teacheth Eccl. 8 11 13. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do euill but it shall not goe well with them hee shall be as a shadow because hee feareth not before God Albeit therefore they seeme to sinne scot-free and without punishment yet the greater patience appeareth to be in God the greater destruction is reserued for them Euen as wheÌ the shadow groweth to be longest then the light fadeth and departeth soonest and the night approcheth neerest so when God hath waited a long time for our conuersion the vngodly flatter themselues in their sinnes theÌ sodainely is the wrath of God reuealed from heauen against all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men so that the greater the stay delay of his iudgements hath beene the heauier will the stroke fall vpon them The punishment is prolonged it is not forgotten Their iudgement is comming and sleepeth not it gathereth force in going The higher the axe is lifted vp the slower it striketh but the deeper it pierceth into the wood If then God do not by and by smite the offender and strike him in the prophanenesse of his wicked heart let vs not be secure and continue in sinne God doth not at once make hauock of his enemies but bringeth them to iudgement one after another Wherefore let vs conclude with the saying of the Prophet Say ye surely it shall bee well with the iust Esay 3 10 11. for they shall eate the fruite of their works woe be to the wicked it shall bee euill with him for the reward of his hands shall bee giuen him Vse 3 Lastly as the bodily enemies of the Church shall be wasted with lingring long lasting iudgements so shall it be with the enemies of our soules The spiritual enemies of our soules and of our saluation are not brought vnder our feet at once to trample vpon them and to triumph ouer them they are brought in subiection by little litle For as these enemies are cast down so our sanctification ariseth As the Corne which the husbandman soweth before it can come to ripenesse and yeeld a plentifull encrease must first take roote shoote into a blade and spring vp by little and little till it bring foorth an eare so is it with the grace of sanctification and newnesse of life The kingdome of heauen is like to a graine of mustardseed which a man taketh and soweth in his field Mat. 1â 31 32 33. which indeed is the least of all seed but when it is growne it is the greatest among Herbes and it is a Tree so that the Birds of heauen come and build in the branches thereof Againe the Kingdome of heauen is like vnto Leauen which a woman taketh hideth in three peckes of Meale till all be leauened So is the worke of God little and small in the beginning it is as a building that goeth slowly forward there must be much sweating and toyling about it there must be great laboring and hammering before we can
bring it to any greatnesse The more we encrease in grace waxing strong in faith firme in hope and constant in our profession The more do wee grow to be conquerers through him that loued vs. 2 Cor. 4 16. Let vs alwaies fight against sinne watching in praier feruent in spirit reioycing in hope patient in tribulation cleauing to that which is good procuring things honest in the sight of all men and the God of peace shall tread Satan vnder our feete Rom. 12 11 12 16 20. Let vs alwayes in this life looke for enemies and prepare to with-stand them let vs stand on our watch-tower and descry the approching of them Let vs know that our aduersary the diuell goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure and be strong in the grace which is in Iesus Christ Heere is not the place of triumphing but the place of fighting No man is crowned except he striue as he ought to doe 2 Tim 2 5â 11 12. The husbandman must labour before hee receiue the fruiâes of the earth We must dye with Christ before we can liue with Christ We must suffer with him before we can reign with him So long as we liue in this life we are souldiers and liue in warfare we must not dreame of the victory before the combate If we will heere skirmish with our enemies putting on the whole armour of God the day shall be ours we shall win the field Heere is our comfort that when this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortall hath put on immortality then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written 1 Cor. 15 54. Death is swallowed vp into victory which is the last enemy that shall be subdued If we be the children of God and are escaped from the bondage of corruption if we cast off Satan and his tentations we must neuer thinke to liue in rest but looke for him to buffet and batter vs that he may re-enter the Fort which he hath forsaken We must be content sometime to take a foyle and to haue the Bucklers and Wasters driuen to our heads yet so as our stepping backe should be but to recouer the greater force and strength They indeed that haue not a liuely faith in the Sonne of God nor haue giuen their names to their Captaine to serue in the warres against the flesh the world and the diuell do not know at all but are altogether ignorant what the suggestions of the flesh allurements of the world and the tentations of the diuell do meane They striue not they fight not they resist not they ouercome not they vnderstand nothing what killing conquering meaneth This our Sauiour teacheth in the Parable Luke 11 21 22. When a strong man armed keepeth his Pallace the things that he possesseth are in peace but when a stronger then he commeth vpon him he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuideth his spoiles Verse 34. Thou shalt doe vnto him as thou didst vnto Sihon King of the Amorites which dwelt at Heshbon In these words is an illustration and amplification of the promise of deliuerance and assurance giuen them to preuaile drawne from a present and comfortable experience which they hadde of the power of God in subduing Sihon King of the Amorites As if the Lord should haue saide vnto them Why do ye shrinke and hang backe when ye should make an head against them looke them in the face What though this King bee puissant and of great stature of the race of those mighty Gyants Haue ye forgotten my power And do ye not remember what I did to Sihon King of the Amorites how I gaue him his people and his Cities into your hand Haue ye not experience that I giue the victory to whom I will Is my hand shortened that it cannot helpe Nay be of good comfort assure your selues I will not leaue you nor forsake you but as you haue ouercome those that haue hitherto stood against you so yee shall see your desire vpon all your enemies Whereby we learne That the experience of Gods former fauour âoctrine âperience âormer faââr assureth ââre fauour casteth off feare causeth affiance in him and assureth future grace to come from him Among other meanes to worke faith in him and a resting our selues in his promises the blessed experience and comfortable proofe which we haue had of Gods mercies toward vs in former times is one of the cheefest to cause vs still to trust in him and euermore to call vpon him in our necessities We see this proued vnto vs in sundry Psalmes of the Prophet as Psal 4. Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distresse haue mercy vpon me and hearken vnto my praier Where the Prophet reasoneth from the time past to the time to come and entreateth God to heare him because hee hath already had mercy vpon him The like ground of his assurance we finde againe Psal 22 9 10 11. Thou diddest draw mee out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my Mothers breasts I was cast vpon thee euen from the womb thou art my God from my Mothers belly bee not farre from me because trouble is neere for there is none to helpe me In these words we see how the Prophet by benefits past assureth himself of deliuerance from dangers present and in time to come As if he should say seeing I was committed to thy prouidence and protection so soone as I was borne and came into the world when I could not feed and defend my selfe and seeing I haue hitherto receiued so many benefits from thee do not now depart from me when affliction is at hand and when there is none beside to helpe So the same Prophet layeth the foundation of his hope expecting mercy from God vpon the consideration of Gods dealing with him before as in the third Psalme verse 4 7 where beeing combred and compassed with a wonderfull number of aduersaries reuolting from him in the conspiracy of Absolon hee gathereth comfort to himselfe of Gods present aide from the experience he had felt before saying I did call vpon the Lord with my voice and he heard me out of his holy Mountaine O Lord arise helpe mee my God for thou hast smitten all mine enemies vpon the cheeke-bone thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked This is farther confirmed and strengthened vnto vs in Dauids faithful behauiour going to encounter with the vncircumcised Philistim 1 Sam. 17 34 35 36 37. Thy seruant kept his fathers Sheepe and there came a Lyon likewise a Beare and tooke a Sheepe out of the flock and I went after him and smote him and tooke it out of his mouth and when he arose against mee I caught him by the beard and smote him slew him so thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare therfore this vncircumcised Philistim shal be as one of
to all men how to carry this whole history and make one part to agree with another The first conclusion is that Balaam was a lewd and wicked man The first conclusion True it is if we looke into his bare and naked words without the matter and examine his sayings without his practises he may seeme a very faithfull and right religious man yea a most worthy and notable Prophet He hath God alwayes in his mouth and at his fingers ends he will not resolue the messengers before hee haue asked counsell at the mouth of the Lord if hee might haue an house full of siluer and gold he cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord his God to do lesse or more he telleth them he can deliuer nothing vnto them but what he receiueth of the Lord. But if we consider the matter aright and try his fayre speeches by the touch-stone of his foule life and measure his wretched actes with his wicked counsels we shall easily discern in his smooth carriage a deepe dissembling and the Lord to be sparingly in his hart that was abundantly in the mouth He had a prophane minde euill meaning louing the wages of vnrighteousnesse and being carried away with desire of money which is the roote of all euill to curse the people of God as the Apostle teacheth therefore he was rebuked by a dumb beast for his iniquity Hee also was Balaks schoole-master and instilled the greatest mischiefe that might be into his heart informing him how to subdue the people of God and teaching him how to lay a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel Reuel 2. to draw them to spirituall and bodily fornication when he saw that by his charmes hee could not preuaile against them And albeit the Israelites were encreased as the Fish in the Sea and as the Stars of Heauen wherein were many thousand persons that could not discerne betweene their right hand and their left hand yet he was ready and willing to curse where GOD had not cursed And as a wretched death followeth a wicked life so the iustice of GOD found him out lurking among the Midianites Numb 31 8 to verifie the threatning of the Prophet As he loued cursing so it fell vpon him and as hee loued not blessing so was it farre from him as hee cloathed himselfe with cursing like a raiment so it entred into his bowels like water like oyle into his bones Psal 109 17 18. Thus we see as his life was so was his death a curssed beginning a fearefull ending God swept him away by a violent sodain death together with those that set him on worke that as they conspired together so they might be consumed together If then he be a wicked man that intendeth to curse the people of God that hath his heart possessed with couetousnesse that loueth the wages of vnrighteousnesse that layeth a baite and snare to entangle men in euill that seeketh to draw vpon them the wrath of God and after all is slaine by the sword of those whom hee intended to destroy himselfe falling into the pit which he had digged for others then the first conclusion holdeth as a certaine truth that this Balaam whatsoeuer vizard of piety and holinesse he pretend and put on in outward shew was indeed a very lewd and wicked man The second conclusion The second conclusion is that Balaam was no true seruant of God but an open Idolater This confirmeth further and giueth strength to the former point As he was lewd in his life so he was corrupt in his religion one of the idolatrous Gentiles an aliant from the Common-wealth of Israel a stranger from the couenant of promise For whether he were one of the Midianites as some imagine or whether he were one of the Aramites as we declared before whether hee were sent for neerer or further off the conclusion holdeth that hee was none of the Israelites Rom. 9 4 to whom pertaineth the adoption of Sonnes the Arke of the Couenant the Tables of the Law and the seruice of God Moreouer when he was come into the presence of Balak Numb 22 41 and 23 1 2 they both went vp into the high places of Baal where that abhominable Idoll was worshipped where no doubt they serued Baal in the Idols Temple Besides it is apparent in the whole history following that he ioyned with Balak in his idolatrous sacrifices If then hee had not beene one of the Idolaters he would not haue gone to that Idoll nor haue erected new Altars contrary to the will of God who would onely be serued in the place that himselfe had appointed The third conclusion The third conclusion is that Balaam was a very witch and wizard a false Prophet but a true sorcerer famous or rather infamous for his diuellish magicke which he practised among the wicked and idolatrous Nations Such a one was Simon that sorcerer mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles chap. 8 9 10 11 and 13 6 8 who vsed witch-craft and bewitched the people of Samaria saying that he himselfe was some great man to whom they gaue heed from the least to the greatest saying This man is that great power of God and they gaue heed vnto him because that of long time hee had bewitched them with sorceries Such a one also was Elimas who was likewise a Sorcerer a false Prophet the childe of the diuell and an enemy of all righteousnesse withstanding the preaching of the Gospel hindring the hearing of the word and peruerting the straight waies of the Lord. So had this Balaam throgh his enchantments and superstitious artes obtained a great name farre neere among the Infidels so that they resorted to him as to an Oracle and esteemed him as an Angel of God being able to helpe or to hurt to further or to hinder to blesse or to curse whomsoeuer he pleased Such were wont to be in great fauour and credite with Kings and Princes as appeareth by the enchanters of Pharaoh Exod. 7 11 22 and by the Sorcerers and Astrologians of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2 2 who were oftentimes called into their presence and brought before them as men in whom their speciall delight was their confidence reposed These men howsoeuer they were magnified in Princes Courts and had an honourable name among the Nations that knew not God yet were prophane Prophets of prophane men the very chaplaines of the diuell practising charmes and coniuring which by the iudiciall Law of God was death Exod. 22 18. Thus the Scripture calleth him a Sorcerer in plaine termes and expresse words Iosh 13 22. Balaam the sonne of Beor the soothsayer did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slaine The word which the holy Ghost there vseth is Chosem which signifieth one that diuineth by diuination and fetcheth answers from the diuell whom they tooke to be God and it is one of those eight sorts of witches and practisers by diuels mentioned in the 18
they would not enter into their fieldes they would not meddle with their vineyards they would not drinke of their water freely yet see with what a terror and trembling they were stricken at the approch of the Israelites neere their borders And this was the heauy hand of God vpon them as Moses declareth Deut. 2. This day will I begin to send thy feare and thy dread vpon all people vnder the whol heauen which shall heare thy fame and shall tremble and quake before thee Heereby we learne for our instruction That the enemies of God and his people are many times afraid where no true cause of any feare is Doctrine Euil men fear where no feare is Euill men are often afrayd of the people of God that faine would liue in peace So Saul liued in continual feare of Dauid 1 Sam. 18 15 29 he was vexed disquieted in heart and neuer in rest although hee weâe harmlesse though he sought peace and ensued after it yea the more Dauid prospered the more Saul feared him So did Pharaoh and the Egyptians feare the Israelites when they began to multiply and increase in abundance Exod. 1.12 Thus Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust and holy man reuerencing him greatly hearing him gladly doing many things at his preaching Mark 6 20. Thus the high Priest feared the Apostles and the officers of the people Acts 5 26. WheÌ Herod and the rest of Ierusalem heard of the birth of a new King they were greatly troubled and perplexed in mind Mat 2.3 Al these things confirme the truth of this doctrine verifie the saying of the wise man The wicked flye when none pursueth but the righteous are bold as a Lion Prou. 28 1. Reason 1 The Reasons are these First because an euill man carrieth in his owne bosome a conscience for sinne which striketh and accuseth him which citeth and summoneth him before the barre of Gods iudgement seate Albeit no man can bee deposed against him albeit none can giue sentence and iudgement against him yet hee carrieth that about him which is instead of all Mala mens Tert. ãâ¦ã 1. sc 2. malus animus as the Poet sayth An euill minde an euill meaning an euill conscience arraigning him at the Tribunall of the eternall Iudge who shall giue to euery one according to his workes It shall serue as plaintiffe witnesse iudge and executioner against him This is confirmed vnto vs by many examples in the word of God When Cain had slaine his owne brother shed his innocent bloode which cryed for vengeance vnto heauen the reuenging hand of God pursued him Gen. 4 10 12 17. liuing as a runnagate and vagabond vpon the earth and fearing the sight of euery creature to bee armed against him he began to build a City to hide his head to yeelde him comfort to prouide for his safety and to defend him from iniury but there also the iustice of God ouertooke him the vengeance of his hand followd him and he was driuen from that enterprize The like we see in Belteshazzer Dan. 5.56 when there appeared fingers of a mans hand which wrote ouer against the Candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall of the Kings Palace albeit hee knew not the substance and signification of the miracle whether it fore-shewed good or euill yet he carryed his witnesse with him that could not be bribed or corrupted so that his countenance was changed his thoughts were troubled the ioynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one agaynst the other This terror of conscience the Lord fortold as the punishment of sinne Leu. 26 17 36 37. and Deuteronomy 28. verses 65 66 67. Againe no maruel if the wicked be oftentimes Reason 2 smitten with feare as with the spirit of giddynesse because they want the shielde of Fayth and the helmet of Hope which are as two strong Anchors to hold the shippe that it be not shaken in peeces with the stormes or dashed on rockes or drowned in the water or swallowed in quicke-sands A liuely fayth in the Sonne of God is the mother of all true comfort the peace of the soule the life of good workes the key of heauen for beeing iustified by Fayth Rom. 5 1. We haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Ro. 8 15. We haue boldnesse against the day of Iudgment there is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare for feare hath painfulnesse and he that feareth is not perfect in loue 1 Iohn 4 17 18. The stronger our faith is the lesse is our feare as one increaseth the other decreaseth If our faith bee little our feare is great as our Sauiour sheweth in the example of his disciples tossed with a tempest on the sea crying vnto Christ saying Master saue vs we perish Mat. 8 25 26. who saide vnto them Why are yee fearefull O ye of little Faith Now let vs come to the Vses If this be the Vse 1 nature of the wicked that he carrieth about with him a troubled and trembling conscience then a wicked man is a very coward faint-hearted being afraide of euery thing True it is there are many who neyther feare God nor the diuell who seeme to be valiant to aduenture their flesh and to expose themselues to desperate dangers in fighting and quarrelling as the manner of sundry Ruffians and swashbucklers is who feare not to meete any man in the field at any weapon and for euery crosse word are ready to giue the stab yet bring these ventrous and foole hardy fellowes to encounter hand to hand with the enemies of our soules to wrastle against spirituall wickednesses in high places and to striue as for life and death against pride prophanenesse against concupiscence of the flesh and contempt of the word against idle games of euill report against our lustes and sins which fight against our owne soules we shall see no childe so weake and willing to turn his heeles as these Ruffian-like spirits who albeit they walke with long blades by their sides or long poles on their neckes and iet vp and downe as âords of the earth ready alwayes to lay the hand vpon the dagger and to pick a quarrell at euery word yet they haue not the hand or the heart to strike one stroke to conquer sin and the tyrany of the diuell in themselues but yeeld themselues like slaues and captiues to do his will and are led away to destruction as an Oxe to the slaughter Notwithstanding this is true valour and manhoode to wound more and more the corruption of the old man He is stronger that conquereth himself then he that winneth a City Prou. 16 32. He is a better man of his hands that ouercommeth his own concupiscence then he that hath the vpper hand
maketh all other blessings to be curses and iudgements vnto them that are destitute hereof therefore we must all call our selues to an account what account we make of it We should make it our meate and drinke a treasure for the obtaining whereof rather then want it we wold sell all that we haue but alas what thankefulnes hath it wrought in vs We are like vnto the Iewes they had this glorious light brought among them but they loued darkenes more then light because their works were euill If we be weary of this heauenly Manna let vs take heede lest the Lord grow weary of vs if we cast away his word he wil cast away vs and forsake vs for euer The Lord biddeth vs take heed to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6 17 let vs not answer presumptuously wee will not take heed let vs beware of securitie remember from whence we are fallen And let him that glorieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord and his word to his saluation Ier. 9 24. Vse 2 Secondly it followeth that wheresoeuer God hath established this his ordinance there certainly hee hath a Church and chosen people and some that belong to eternall life for whose sake it is sent among them For as the Spirit of God is the soule of the church quickning it and giuing it life so the word is this soules instrument or the seed wherby it worketh and the onely essentiall marke thereof so that where it is sincerely taught ãâã â2 and constantly professed there certainly is a Church Where it is not there is no true Church albeit it haue neuer so goodly and glistering a shew but a very carrion carkas of a church without the life of the Spirit but as an house without light as the world without the Sun as a kingdome without the Law The Prophet Esay calleth it the standard of God saying I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people they shal bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders Esay 49. verse 22 Where the Lord Iesus is compared to a King and Captaine and therefore all that will haue comfort that they are members of the church must range themselues vnder it as soldiers vnder the banner of their Chieftaine otherwise they remaine as men In darknes in the shadow of death as stragling and runnagate soldiers out of the campe and as dissolute men vnder no law to gouerne them For they are the vilest and basest that liue without it very dogges and swine They of the Church are Gods chiidren and the word is the Childrens food belonging to them onely When the Canaanitish woman would haue beene partaker of Christs Ministery Mat. 15 26. he answered It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto whelpes But other are as vncleane and filthy beasts This which now hath bene spoken serueth to ouerthrow two sorts of people first those of the Church of Rome which make other markes and notes of the Church as antiquity vnity vniuersality succession subiection to the Pope and such like counterfet markes of their counterfet church and leaue this which is the most certaine and inseparable note This proueth vnto vs plainly that these which most of all boast of the name of the Church are indeede neyther the Catholike Church nor any sound part thereof because they want the immortall seede to beget them the milke and meate of the word to feede and norish them yea it is accounted an high point of heresie to haue read the Scriptures and none is permitted to looke into them without a license so heinous a sin it is to haue the word Secondly it censureth condemneth the Donatists Anabaptists Brownists and those of the separation which condemne our Churches to be no Churches our Sacraments to bee no Sacraments our Ministers to be no Ministers and in effect our religion to be no religioÌ because we do not with them in matters accidental fully agree albeit we do consent in matters fundamental we lay Christ alone for the foundation on which we build our saluation we lay hold vpon him by faith only we preach Christ crucified truly by their owne confession powerfully They hold themselues to haue receiued faith among vs by our Ministery before they made this rent and breach in the Church and that the end of such fayth if they had dyed in it had beene the saluation of theyr soules See the books of Greenwood Iohnson Let them therefore return and cause others to return ioyne with vs in hearing the word preached seeing where it is rightly established there must of necessity be a true Church And albeit some of them haue written many of theÌ haue spoken against our Church yet let them follow the example of that sonne Matth. 21 29. who answered his father stubbornly that he would not work in his vineyard but afterward repented earnestly and went his wayes Vse 3 Thirdly all such as are this way honoured and blessed must be carefull to vse the word as an honour and a blessing by imbracing it by entertaining it by magnifying this blessing of God in truth and not in opinion in heart and not in face in workes and not in words that we may walke worthy the Gospel and of the Lord that hath called vs and shew our selues carefull to bring foorth the fruites thereof saying with the Apostle Rom. 10 10. How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Hitherto rendeth the exhortation of the Apostle 1. to the Thessalonians ch 2 11 12. Let vs be carefull to keepe this treasure among vs lest the kingdome of God bee taken from vs. Otherwise instead of being the water of life to saue vs it will be a sea to drowne vs instead of being the sauour of life to life it will turne to bee the sauour of death to death instead of being meate to feede vs it will bee our bane to destroy vs instead of good tydings to refresh comfort vs it will proue the saddest and heauiest newes that euer came to our eares and that day the blackest day that euer came ouer our heads Thus our Sauiour threatned Capernaum which hee had honoured with his presence blessed with his preaching aduanced by his dwelling in it and lifted vp with his miracles Mat. 11 26. Thou Capernaum which art lifted vppe vnto heauen shalt be throwne downe to hell c. Look vpon the seuen Churches of Asia we see what is become of them Behold what the contempt of the Gospel hath brought vpon the Iewes the like hath not falne vpon any people since the beginning what mischeefe miserie did not fall vpon them It cannot bee denied but God hath blessed vs as much as euer he lifted vp the head of Capernaum and hath magnified his mercies and loue vnto
but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth He that setteth his sonne to schoole will look he should learn somewhat and not euer stand at one stay We are trained vp in the bosome of the Church which is the Schoole-house of Christ wee must therefore euery day be profiting and going forward God accepteth not of those that looke backward or stand at a stay hee will know them that seek more and more to know him Thirdly it is our duty to beg and craue at Vse 3 Gods hands the knowledge of his will who openeth the eyes of the blinde and giueth vnderstanding to those that seeke it We haue a gracious promise to be heard Mat. 7 7. in the prayers and petitions that we make vnto him Hence it is that the Prophet Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and endued with a singular portion of Gods Spirit craueth the enlightning of Gods Spirit and desireth still to be taught of him Psal 119 verses 18 27 31 73. Thus doth the Apostle pray for the Ephesians chapter 1 verses 17 18 that God would giue them the spirit of wisedome and enlighten their mindes to know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches are of his glorious inheritance in the Saints A notable direction for all of vs how to behaue our selues when we come into the house of God and tread in his Courts namely not to rest vpon our naturall gifts nor to trust in our mother-wits which are too short and shallow to reach vp to the height and to sound the depth of the mysteries of God How many are there in the world of an high reach and of a deepe conceite in the matters of the world that attaine to no measure of knowledge in the matters of God Talke with them of the things of this life they are able to discourse with great insight many of Gods children inferiour to them few equall with them none can go beyond them They can contriue and dispatch businesse of the world with great facility you cannot speake to them of any thing of this nature but by and by they apprehend it and conceiue it But enter communication with them of heauenly things of the knowledge of God of faith in Christ of the saluation of their soules they can conceiue nothing they are as blinde as Beetles they are simple and ignorant as little children that know not the right hand from the left This should offer to our wise carefull coÌsiderations a double meditatioÌ First it serues to humble those that haue these gifts of nature and are wise in their owne conceit and to make them equal with those of the lower sort seeing all their gifts which Nature hath adorned them withall are not able to set them one foot forward toward the kingdome of heauen nay being vnsanctified they are further off from saluation then others of smaller gifts This made the Apostle say Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God and the Lord knoweth that the thoghts of the wise be vaine 1. Cor. 3 18. Where hee teacheth euery one to be ready to deny himselfe and his carnall wisedome whose beginning is from the flesh and whose end is death to the end wee may be truely wise in heauenly things pertaining vnto euerlasting life Secondly this serueth to comfort the children of God that want the worldly wit of naturall men and are not able to diue so deepe into earthly things as they though they be simple in matters of this world yet if GOD haue giuen them a taste of the glory of the world to come let them rest in spirituall knowledge and giue God the praise that hath opened the eyes of their mindes and inlightned their hearts to haue a feeling of it This our Sauiour taketh occasion to practise and to offer praise and honour to God in a sweete remembrance of this dealing of God I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes it is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Math. 11 25 26. Though wee be simple in the world yet if wee be wise in GOD though weake in the world yet if we be strong in GOD though wee be accounted as fooles and silly ones of the sharp wits of the world yet if wee haue learned Christ Iesus know the exceeding measure of his loue toward vs let this be our comfort and consolation that God hath abundantly recompenced the want of those outward things by giuing vnto vs an happy and holy aduantage in heauenly things And indeed all those are learned that are taught of God and they vnlearned that are not taught of him althogh otherwise they abound in other knowledge Such as haue learned Christ Iesus and him crucified and so are become new creatures in him they are learned though they know neuer a letter in the booke For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge Col. 2 3. He that hath not learned Christ is vnlearned Althogh otherwise he be neuer so learned for if he be not regenerate and borne anew but committeth sinne with greedines he hath not seene him neither hath knowne him 1. Ioh. 3 6. Wherfore let vs al learne from hence to depend vppon God for his blessings vpon vs especially when we enter the Lords courts and come to heare his word let vs confesse that we are not able of our selues to vnderstand his will and desire him to open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Act. 16 14. for otherwise wee shall depart away as ignorant and blinde as wee came wee shall neuer soundly rest in the truth that is deliuered but alwayes be ready to carpe and cauill at it to wrangle and reason against it saying How can these things be And then it may be said vnto them as Christ speaketh to the proud Pharisies who gloried in their owne insight thought all men blind beside themselues If ye were blinde ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth Iohn 9 40 41. Let vs then be ready to renounce our worldly wisedome and to deny our selues and begge the assistance of Gods Spirit to be our inward teacher and instructer that so we may heare with profit and comfort Vse 4 Lastly learne to be thankfull to God foreshewing this grace and mercy to vs his vnworthy seruants when he reuealeth and maketh knowne vnto vs the hid things of God touching our saluation without which wee haue liued in darknes in the shadow of death and in the estate of damnation Hee hath not vouchsafed this mercy vpon all but hath passed ouer many thousands in the world which know not truth from errour nor light from darknesse hee might haue passed
Sauiour in the Parable of the Sower that went forth to sowe declareth that the seed that fell among thornes signifieth those hearers in whose hearts the cares of this life the deceitfulnesse of riches and the lustes of other things do choake the word make it vnfruitfull Math. 13 22. What was it that moued Iudas to betray his Master but for loue of money for he saide vnto the High-Priests What will you giue me and I will betray him vnto you Math. 26 15. Whereby Satan entred into him possessed his hart so that it wrought his destruction in soule and body What caused Demas a professor of the faith to forsake Paul 1 Tim. 4 10 and deny the faith surely he embraced this present world in greater loue then he did the truth that endureth for euer and caught after the shadow in stead of the body Our hearts are as a ground that is rich and ranke and bringeth foorth store of these weeds that choake the growing of the word of God we would faine come to God yet are so glewed to the world that it drowneth all desire of the world to come We offer one hand to Christ and the other to the diuell but he will haue both of them or none at all If we giue the Lord one part of our heart and lodge couetousnesse in the other we driue the Lord from vs and cause him to depart No man can serue two Masters for either he shall hate the one and loue the other or else hee shall leane to the one and despise the other ye cannot serue God and riches Math. 6 24. This made our Sauiour say How hardly shall a rich man enter into the kingdome of heauen it is easier for a Camel to goe through the eye of a Needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Math. 19 3 making it as it were a rare extraordinary worke to bring them to saluation We must vse this world as though we vsed it not and they that buy as though they possessed not knowing that godlines is the greatest gaine 1 Tim 6 6. if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out therefore when we haue foode and rayment let vs be content for they which will be rich fall into tentations and snares into many foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction What stirred vp Ahab and Iezebel to worke out the death of Naboth and his children 1 Kings 21 8. that the one of them was sicke with sorrow the other caused them to be stoned but the desire of his vineyard that was a sore in his eye and lay so fitly for him And yet when wee haue done when we haue embraced our dwellings and encroched on the bounds and borders of others when we haue ioyned house to house and land to land our neighbours hedge must be next vnto vs and hold vs hard that we can passe no further Secondly we see that our owne priuate respects Vse 2 are not the chiefe things that we must respect but seeke a sanctified vse of the blessings of this life and a warrant to our consciences for the right vsing of them These blessings of God become curses vnto vs vnlesse we vse them lawfully But if we set vp our rest vpon them and seeke our happinesse in them we prize them at a high rate Eph. 5 5. Col. 3 5. and commit the foulest and filthiest Idolatry that can be For the preferring of priuate profit before heauenly duties causeth a man to be an Idolater First because hee preferreth his riches before God or godlinesse in his affections depending vpon them as vpon God and making them the stay of his life Againe he accounteth his life to rest vpon his wealth rather then vpon the prouidence of God as his riches encrease so his hope encreaseth so his comfort encreaseth when his wealth sayleth all his hope comfort fayleth Therefore the Apostle chargeth vs to mortifie our members which are on the earth the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Idolatry for the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience So then the things of this life and the things of the life to come being propounded and set before vs we are to chuse the better of them This our Sauiour taught Martha Luk. 10 41 42. that she disquieted and incumbred her selfe about many things but one thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her So likewise our Sauiour chargeth vs not to lay vppe treasure for our selues vpon the earth Where the Moth and Canker corrupt and where theeues digge thorough and steale but to lay vppe for our selues treasure in heauen where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth and where theeues cannot dig through and steale Mat. 6 19 20 33. Let vs first of all seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these earthly things shall be ministred vnto vs. Let our study and meditation be on heauenly things whereunto we are called Let vs take heed we lose not greater blessings by affecting the lesse Let vs remember Lots wife a fearefull myrrour and monument of carefull thoughts who got and gained nothing by all her cares Let vs waite vpon God and looke vp vnto him Who openeth his hand and filleth all things with his goodnes Ps 104 28. Let vs obey the voyce of the Lord our God and then all his blessings shall come vpon vs and ouertake vs. Vse 3 Lastly this doctrine serueth to reproue those that esteeme earthly things aboue heauenly minde their profits more then their saluation These inuert the course of nature and turne al things vpside downe they set the earth aboue the heauens and thrust downe the heauens beneath the earth This is like that confusion and disorder which the wise man speaketh of Eccl. 10 6 7. Folly is set in great excellency and the rich set in low place I haue seene seruants on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground These are like to the Gadarens that desired their swine more then Christ and had rather lose Christ and haue him depart out of their coasts then lose their swine Math. 8 34. These are of the brood and off-spring of prophane Esau who for one messe of meate solde his birthright Heb. 12 16 But we haue not so learned Christ we must looke vp to the eternall inheritance reserued for vs wee must not make our riches to be our heauen our belly to be our god our shame to be our glory and our owne profit to be our happinesse Wee must account one spark of grace and the least taste of the kingdome of heauen and of the ioyes of the life to come to be better worth and to bring with it more sound ioy of heart then all these transitory things and
giueth in this respect Be not thou afraide when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is increased for he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after him Psal 49 16 thogh he should come to the age of his fathers and liue as long as the most aged yet this life must haue an end Thus doth our Sauiour set foorth the vaine confidence of the rich man flattring his owne soule glorying in his goods liuing in all delight taking his pastime and promising to himselfe a long life O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee Luke 12 20. But he that resteth vpon God is sure to build vpon a sure rocke that in all stormes and tempests shall stand vnmoueable This meditation will stay our faith and comfort our hope when we see the great plottings and wonderfull confidence of wicked men For why should wee feare such enemies or bee dismayed either in regard of our distressed weake estate or in respect of that flourishing estate of others as though we were in danger to be ouercome They rest on lying vanities and therefore woe vnto them This serueth to terrifie them to consider the slippery ground whereon they stand and the deceitfull foundation whereon they build for whilst they determine to conspire against other they confound themselues whilst they compasse to destroy the Church they deceiue themselues whilst they promise to themselues to worke out great matters they are vtterly disappointed of their purposes and whilst they shew theÌselues to be enemies to Gods people God manifesteth himselfe to be an enemy vnto theÌ Vse 5 Lastly seeing all euill inuentions and deuices of the diuell are disappointed let vs not stand in feare of any attempts made against vs by his imps instruments The enemies of the Church had hyred a sorcerer and coniurer to waste and weaken them yet wee see his enchantments and diuinations are defeated and come to nothing Heereby we learne what to thinke of witchcraft and sorcery and of sorcerers and witches of whom worldly and carnall men voyde of true godlinesse the true feare of Gods Name do stand so much in feare of Thus it appeareth to be a simple distinction of the more simple people making some to be good witches and some to be euil witches not onely because all witchcraft is wicked the inuention of the diuell but because such as they account the best are bad yea the worst of all drawing the people from God causing them to runne a whoring after the diuel For as well they may make some good diuels and some euil diuels as some prattle of white diuels and blacke diuels as make some witches good others euil whereas al sorcery vnder what colour pretence soeuer it be vsed is abhominable in the sight of God and all sorcerers howsoeuer they be esteemed of in the world are hated and abhorred of him True it is the common sort of carnall men and of the ignorant multitude imagine them to be the very plagues of the earth that they destroy mens goods torment their bodies take away their liues lame their cattle bring all calamity vpon them that none can be in safety so long as they remaine Hence it is that men stand in feare of them are afraid to displease theÌ they dare not deny them any thing they are as carefull to please them as to please their parents And yet if we aright consider of the matter we shal find that they are more afraid of them then hurt by them The holy Scripture hath deliuered full and perfect doctrine what to hold concerning witches It teacheth that there are witches and that they should not be suffered to liue but be put to death Deut. 18 10 11. But we must obserue mark for what causes crimes they are to be taken away froÌ the earth not because they raise tempests in the ayre or hurt corne on the ground fruit on the trees not because they send their spirits to make men lame to kill their children to destroy their cattle they are neuer charged with those things and among all those that haue bene plagued and tormented by euil spirits the Holy Ghost neuer layeth it vpon witches The reasons why they should be put to death are because they haue a league and familiarity with diuels which are the enemies of God and because they seduce the people and draw them into errour to runne after diuels and diuellish practices We must know that al affliction laide vpon our bodies our goods children is of God Amos 3 6. His prouidence ruleth all so that not a sparrow falleth to the ground without the wil of our heauenly Father Our sins prouoke him to chastice afflict vs. God giueth the diuell leaue to correct and scourge vs for out sins When hee hath obtained leaue of GOD hee coueteth to doe it in such sort as may further his kingdome and draw the world into errour When hee hath receiued power to afflict men and beasts with bodily harmes he will do it by and by but he is cunning and crafty hee will doe it to his most gaine and aduantage Hee could doe it and would doe it without witches and sorcerers yet hee vseth them to set a colour and a couer vpon his matters For vsing them as his instruments hee bringeth them to beleeue that they doe many harmes sent by him and they confesse so much sometimes whereas indeed they are deceiued themselues and doe deceiue others And from hence proceede and issue sundry abominations The people are set on worke how to deuise to be safe against the witch then there is running to wizards to learne to withstand his fury to expell his spirit to outwitch and ouercome her familiar he procureth many to vse wicked blasphemous charmes to abuse the blessed name of God and to prophane and pollute his most sacred word heereby the innocent are oftentimes accused and innocent blood is shedde which procureth the wrath of God against the Land Al these mischiefes that are wroght are set abroach by such as are called cunning men and cunning women they are thought to do much good and to helpe many people but of all other they doe greatest harme in seducing the people âxod 22.18 ought to dye the death Such witches as haue familiar spirits are thought to do harme to mankinde and to beasts and do not because the diuell at the appointment of God executeth it and he beareth many in hand that hee doth it at the request and instigation of the witch but these which seeme in outward appearance to doe good do harme indeed leading men into the depth of sinne and drowning men deeper in condemnation But we must learne and allow these principles âââes to be ââââued touââng witchââââ setting downe the vanity of this Science First there is no more hurt done nor no lesse hurt done then would be
ignorance onely purpose and intend the committing of it a plague came vpon him all his kingdome Gen. 20 3 17. This vncleannesse as appeareth in the booke of Iudges chap. 18 and 19 had almost consumed the whole Tribe of Beniamin a few of them only reserued VVe see this in the sonnes of Eli as in a glasse they were wicked men knew not the Lord they caused the people to abhorre the offering of the Lord and lay with the women that assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 1 Sam. 2 22. therefore God at the length found them out in their sinnes when they descended into the battell and perished Looke vpon the example of Dauid and behold what a fire it kindled in his house it brought vpon his head through the iust iudgement of God who punisheth sinne with sinne the sword of the enemy the rauishing of his wiues the deflouring of his daughter the death of his childe the murther of Ammon the treason of Absolon the reuolting of his Counsellers and Captaines sundry other conspiracies insurrections and calamities that fell vpon him This is that which the Prophet Nathan told him from the mouth of the Lord Because thou hast despised mee and taken the wife of Vriah the Hittite to be thy wife behold I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house wil take thy wiues before thine eyes and giue them vnto thy neighbour and he shall lie with thy wiues in the sight of this Sunne for thou diddest it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne 1 Sam. chap. 12 verse 11. Reason 1 The Reasons are now a little to be stood vpon to make the Doctrine sinke deeper into our hearts and to gaine our affections to subscribe vnto it First all vncleannesse bringeth with it a certaine curse wheresoeuer it goeth and by whomsoeuer it be committed This is it which Iob affirmeth chap. 31. verse 12. It is a wickednesse and iniquity to bâe condemned yea this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction and which shall rooâe out all mine encrease what portion should I haue of God from aboue and what inheritance of the Almighty if I should suffer my eyes to wander after strange women Secondly it is greater then other sinnes of Reason 2 the second Table that are sharply and seuerely punished The wise man teacheth that it is a more greeuous sinne then theft It is a peruerting of all right and an ouerturning of all equity among men If a man rob another of his goods he shall be punished A theefe shall be rebuked at euery mans hand he shall be exclaimed vpon and men wil spit in his face and yet adultery is more then a simple robbery for thereby other men are robbed not of theyr goods and substance but of their honour and honesty yea they rob not onely those that are borne but those also that yet are vnfashioned in their mothers wombe Men do not despise saith Salomon a theefe when he stealeth to satisfie his soule because he is hungry but if hee be found he shall restore seuen fold or he shall giue all the substance of his house but hee that committeth adultery with a woman hee is destitute of vnderstanding he that doth it destroyeth his owne soule Prou. 6 30. Reason 3 Thirdly this sinne neuer goeth alone but is accompanied with a traine of many other sinnes as ydlenesse drunkennesse prophanenesse of heart and sencelesnesse of spirit This the Prophet Hosea expresseth chapter 4 verse 11. Whoredome and wine and new wine take away their heart whereby he meaneth that the vnlawfull pleasures blinde the vnderstanding draw away the will from all goodnesse and make the affections so brutish that they mind nothing and delight in nothing but in beastly sensuality This the Prophet Ezekiel declareth touching the vncleannes of the Sodomites Behold this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodome pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of ydlenesse was ãâã her and in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hands of the poore and needy Ezek. 16 49. The vses of this Doctrine are to bee considered Vse 1 First wee learne that God will neuer suffer this sinne to lye hid though it bee committed neuer so closely and secretly We see it euidently in the sinne of Dauid he was in time found out and the hand of God arrested him They are greatly deceiued that thinke to hide this sinne and go away in the darke and not be espied For howsoeuer men eyther do not at all punish this sinne or punish it slightly as if they did not see it or not regard it yet God will be a swift Iudge against whoremongers and adulterers This was notably set foorth by the ceremony of the bitter waters Numb 5 12. discouering the guilty wife which no man on earth was able to accuse True it is this ceremony is ended and these shadowes of the law are ceassed yet the eye of the Lord is as quicke and his sight as sharpe as euer it was he taketh vpon him the knowing disclosing and punishing of this sinne It is vnpossible to hide it from him who will reueale the things that are hidden in darknesse Nothing more prouoketh to sinne then hope of impurity and the opinion of secresie and carrying the matter away closely If a man were perswaded that the sinnes which hee committeth should be engrauen in his forehead or written in great Letters that he which runneth mighâ reade them it would bee a meanes to make him abstaine if not for conscience yet at least for shame of the world from the doing of them But we are assured by the word of the eternall God that our secret sinnes are open and manifest to him with whom wee haue to do and he will bring them to the light what figge-leaues soeuer we patch together to couer them from his knowledge This should moue vs to beware of committing secret sins seeing he vnderstandeth all things Hee made the eye and shall he not see He made the heart shall not he finde out the iniquities of our hearts Psal 94 9. Take we heed therefore of whoredome and of all vncleannesse and learne to possesse our vessels in holinesse and honor not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles did that know not God Secondly this doctrine reproueth the light Vse 2 account and estimation of this sinne For if it procure and cause great iudgements and destroyeth a mans soule they are deceyued that make whoredome a tricke of youth a veniall offence a naturall sinne a matter of small importance and a sport to laugh at We see in this chapter that there fell in one day foure and twenty thousand for their fornication committed with the Midianites 1 Cor. 10 8 hee destroyed so many of his owne people in one day and made them examples to vs vppon whom the ends of the world are now come and yet shall wee make it a tricke of
but of him that calleth Rom. chap. 9 verse 11. Secondly it is sinne onely that bringeth shame and reproch as we shewed and proued in the first Doctrine vpon this chapter and therefore such as come of wicked persons and parents if they forsake the sinnes wherin their ancestors and forefathers haue walked and wallowed as swine in the myre can receiue no touch of disgrace or blemish of honour or stayne of name at all Thirdly it is no credite or grace for euill and corrupt children to descend of godly parents as we see in the children of Iosiah he reformed religion betimes and consecrated his young yeares as it were his first fruites vnto God howbeit his children walked not in the wayes of theyr father but did that which was euill in the sight of the Lord 2 Chron. 36 5 12 the righteousnesse of theyr father could doe them no good but the wickednes of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe Ezek. chapter 18 verse 20. Vse 1 We learne from hence that such as haue had euill parents must acknowledge Gods great mercy toward them and neuer forget what he hath done for them He might iustly leaue vs in the wicked wayes of our forefathers and giue vs ouer to follow their steps And as one serpent engendreth another so naturally doth one wicked man bring foorth another and without a speciall grace preuenting like father like sonne an euill roote an euill tree an euill fountaine an euill streame None ought therefore to iustifie the works of theyr progenitors thinke it enough if they follow them but must consider whether they followed the right way Psalm 78 8 rather they must say in humility Wee acknowledge O Lord our wickednesse and the iniquity of our fathers for we haue sinned against thee Ier. 14 20. Dan. 9 8. Psal 106 6. Esay 65 7. How many do we see runne on in euill with theyr euill fathers When Ieroboam had set vp two Calues the one at Dan the other at Beth-el the rest that succeeded him in his seat followed him in his sinne one after another like those that runne downe a steepe hill neuer stay till they come to the bottome vntill a worse arose I meane Ahab who sold himselfe to work wickednesse and changed the idolatry of Ieroboam into a worse bringing in the worship of Baal a strange god whereas before they worshipped the true God albeit in a false manner Wherefore when God restraineth the childreÌ from those wicked wayes and openeth theyr eyes to see the euill of theyr parents how can it but be acknowledged and confessed to bee his good hand and how should wee not say that the waies of God are equall Ezek. 18. Nothing is more naturall and ordinary then of euill parents to haue brought foorth into the world euill children Iob 14 4. Ioh. 3 6. Psal 51 5. Euery thing fructifieth according to his kinde of bryars what can come but bryars Of thornes what can wee looke for but thornes Euery seede hath his proper body 1. Corinth chap. 15 verse 38. Do men gather Grapes of thornes or Figs of thistles saieth Christ Math. 7 16 yet behold how God his mercy as it were preuailing and getting the vpper hand ouer his iustice and his power altering our corrupt nature behold I say how God by his maruailous and strange worke at which we may all wonder maketh Grapes to grow of thornes and Figges to spring our of thistles Hee maketh the barren woman to beare and to be a ioyfull mother of children Psalm 113 9. Gal. 4 verse 27 and them that were cut out of the Oliue tree which was wilde by nature to be graffed contrary to nature into a good Oliue tree Rom. chap. 11 verse 24. Whence did Abraham himselfe spring but of an idolatrous stocke for his fathers worshipped strange gods on the other side of the flood Iosh chapter 24 2 so that God shewed mercy to him and called him from his Countrey and kindred and from his fathers house Gen. chapter 12 verse 1. Secondly we are from hence admonished Vse 2 and prouoked to repent and turne vnto God Nothing can blot out the remembrance of the oppression cruelty wickednesse and prophanenesse of vngodly parents but the repentance of theyr children Ezek. chapter 18 ver 30 31. A wicked life ledde by wicked parents is as the skinne of the black-moore or as the spots of a Leopard it is written or grauen with the Pen of a Diamond all the water in the sea cannot wash it away nor all the nytre sope in the world cannot purge it but it cleaueth to the children and to the childrens children as a leprosie onely true repentance is able quite to blot it out This is as the Fullers earth that can scoure out all the staynes and blots of parents that they shall not cleaue to the children and therfore the Prophet calleth to them to repent and turne themselues from all their transgressions that iniquity bee not their ruine Ezek. 18 30 31 they must make them new hearts and new spirits And vntill the childe haue learned this to blot out his fathers sins by repentance the reproch of them cleaueth fast vnto him but when once he hateth and forsaketh them they are none of his they dyed in the bed and are buried in the graue of his father neuer to arise nor to bee charged vpon him or his name For as repentance blotteth out the remembrance of sinne before God as if it had neuer beene so ought it much more before men whose praise is to bee like theyr heauenly Father Thirdly no man ought to obiect the sinnes Vse 3 of parents whether dead or aliue or the punishment befallen vnto them though they haue liued an vngracious life or dyed an ignominious death to their children that doe not approue of their waies neyther follow them in wickednesse It was no disgrace or reproch to these sonnes of Korah to haue a traitor and rebell to their father that made insurrection against the lawfull Magistrate and was consumed with fire from heauen therfore there is as honourable mention made of them in holy Scripture as there is dishonourable of their father It was no discredite for Ruth or Rahab to come the one from the Moabites who were branded with infamy from their first conception Gen. 19 37. the other from the Canaanites who were cursed in their first father Gen. 9 25. and all of them vowed to destruction Gen. 15 16 18 19 c. If the father bee an Ammorite and the mother an Hittite yet if the childe bee a true Israelite in whom is no guile Iohn 1 47. as it is sayde of Nathaniel it shall be his greater prayse and glory rather then any shame and ignominy vnto him as it was more admired that any good shold come out of Nazareth then out of Ierusalem If a man haue an adulterer or drunkard or murtherer or prophane person vnto his father or haue had such forefathers for many generations
Adam which also is our sin Now there are four things that doe continually and distinctly cleaue to sinne Foure things cleaue to sin the fault the guilt the blot and the punishment The fault is the offence committed against God in the action which is the root of all the rest The guilt is an obligation to punishment for the fault and offence which we haue committed The blot or spot thereof is as it were a marke or print set and branded in the soule of him that sinned when he groweth to an hight in wickednes like the marke that was set vpon Cain when he had killed his brother For the multiplying of offensiue actions is the continuall encrease of the blot or blemish of the soule til in the end the light of nature be vtterly extinguished and men come to a reprobate sense and grow to be past feeling through the blindnesse of their mindes and the hardnesse of their hearts Euen as the dropsie man the more he drinketh the more hee dryeth so the more a man sinneth the more he is giuen to sinne As the couetous person alwayes desireth to get more so the sinner alwayes desireth to sinne more and to worke al vncleannes with greedines The punishment it selfe is the wages and iust recompence of all the former which is the first second death The first death is a separation of the soule and body the second a separation of the whole man from God for as the soule is the life of the body so is God the life of the soule Know therefore and acknowledge from hence that it is an irkesome and bitter thing to prouoke him by our sin which driueth away his comfortable presence from vs. Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth that none can escape death by streÌgth or policy by friends or fraud or by any occasion in asmuch as all are sinners euen from their mothers wombe vnto the day of their death Psal 58 3. 51 5. Gen. 8 21. Iob 4 17. 15 14. 25 4. It is a fearefull and cruell tyrant an outragious and wasting enemy that maketh spoyle and hauocke wheresoeuer hee commeth sparing neyther young nor old rich nor poore Prince nor people good nor bad Psal 89 48. It standeth vs therefore in hand to account of euery day as our last day and to know that euery moment may cut off the threed of our life so that wee are suddenly gone are no more we must prepare for it continually our whole life should be a meditation of it Againe we must pull out of our hearts this false conceit and imagination whereby euery man naturally blesseth and notably deceiueth himselfe and thinketh though he haue one foot in a maner in the graue yet hee shall not die this yeere but he may liue one yeare longer as the rich man was in a pleasant dreame did forecast for many yeares Luke 12 19. And yet alas we know not what shal be to morrow Iam. 4 14 no nor what one day may bring forth Pr. 27 1 Vse 3 Lastly let euery one labor to take away the power and strength of his own death And to this end we must deale with it as the Philistims dealt with Sampson they neuer gaue ouer till they had learned where his strength lay Iudg. 16 5 6 and then they quickly weakned him and preuailed ouer him who before had preuailed ouer them So ought we to doe we must know wherin the strength of death consisteth that is in sin onely Take this away by repentance from dead works faith in Christ and you shaue off the seuen locks of it that is you shall weaken it that it shall neuer bee able to hurt you So many sinnes as liue and reigne in vs so many stings hath death which serue to wound our soules to eternall death If then we would die the death of the righteous let vs endeauour to the vtmost of our strength to liue the life of the righteous Then we shal lay a good foundation that shall neuer be shaken and build our house vpon the rocke wee shal begin our eternal life in this mortall life and haue our conuersation in heauen while we walke vpon the earth Phil. 3 20. Let vs beware of putting off the time from day to day whatsoeuer we would do at the last gaspe grone when we are dying let vs doe the same euery day while wee are liuing The most wicked when he seeth he is presently to leaue the world will seeme desirous to pray though he neuer prayed in his health and to require others to pray for him and haply those whom before he contemned and derided their prayers also then likewise hee will promise and protest amendment of life make solemne vowes couenants with God Let vs therefore do this daily which these men doe at their last day that when death commeth wee may be found ready and prepared with oyle in our lampes like the wise virgins Math. 25. To conclude he that would liue when he is dead must dye when he is aliue and there is no way for vs to come to life but first to enter by the gate of death 6 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speake right thou shalt surely giue them a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren c. 8 And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel saying If a man die and haue no sonne c. 9 And if hee haue no daughter then yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren 10 And if he haue no brethren then ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren 11 And if his father haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his kinsman c. The deciding of the former question being referred by Moses vnto GOD followeth in these words wherein he returneth his answer consisting of two parts the one special the othe general the one respecting the time present the other the time to come The speciall belongeth to the cause of these fiue sisters God approueth theyr suite requireth that an inheritance should be giuen to them all so much as theyr father should haue inherited if he had liued longer The accomplishment of this designement is afterward related Iosh 17 3 4 c. where hee performeth this Commandement of the Lord. The generall ariseth vpon the former particular case and this belongeth to all the children of Israel wherein God determineth in what order they shall inherite Now these are the degrees First the neerest heyres are the heyres males The law for iâheritances a mans owne sonnes Secondly if hee haue no heyres males his daughters shall be his heyres Thirdly for default of such yssue the inheritance shall go to his owne brethren for after his children his brother is next in nature and blood vnto him therefore if his owne children faile his brother must be his heyre Fourthly if he haue no brother then his fathers
it self who notwithstanding are saued in the day of the Lord. This appeareth in Lots wife Gen. 19 she looked backe contrary to the commandement of the Angel and was turned into a pillar of salt Her offence might seeme little at the first and the punishment to be ouergreat howbeit we must not measure sinne by the outward acte but by the commandement and will of God which is the onely rule of righteousnes This her disobedience seemeth to proceed from infidelity vnthankfulnesse curiosity and the immoderate loue of the world of the substance which they had left behind and therefore she is punished and made as a mirror and monument of Gods iustice which Iosephus testifieth to continue to his time Ioseph antiq Iud. lib. 1. ca. 1â yet we doubt not but her soule was saued and she receyued to mercy The like we might say of Iobs childred they were all sodainly slaine by the fall of the house wherin they were assembled yet they gaue good testimony of their godlynesse in their life for as no euil is recorded of them in the Scripture so it appeareth they were wel taught and trained vp in the feare of God by their carefull father euen in the daies of theyr youth God heard their father when he praied for them when bee sent for them they came dutifully and obediently vnto him if they had despised that God whom their father worshipped he would not haue said It may be my sonnes haue blasphemed God and it had beene a vaine thing for him to speake to them of sanctification Moreouer if their bankettings feastings had bene like our Wakes and reuels which they commonly call Yeauals or drunken feasts of such as call themselues good fellowes he ought to haue forbidden their meetings and not to haue prayed to God to pardon their sins which they might commit in their meetings and thereby suffer them to liue in the continual practise of sin forasmuch as that were to mocke and dally with God not desiring pardon for sinne past but to craue free liberty to sin for the time to come And if the father had doubted of their saluatioÌ no doubt hee would haue bewailed their destruction Lastly it is to bee noted that they feasted in their owne houses they did not run to Ordinaries or haunt Ale-houses or frequent Tauernes neither did they feast euery day like the rich glutton whose daily dinners were daily feasts for hee did nothing else but feast euery day neither did they keepe companie with ruffians swearers drunkards swaggerers and such like but they inuited one another to witnesse their good will and to continue mutuall loue among themselues The like wee might say of Vzzah that stayed vp the Arke and was stricken with sodaine death because he laid his hand vpon the Arke 2 Sam. 6 7. So was it with Vriah the faithfull seruant of Dauid yet he was slain by the sword of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 11 17. Iosiah that good king serued the Lord from his youth yet dyed hee a violent death and was slaine by Pharao Nechoh at Megiddo and al the people of the land mourned for him 2 Kings 23 29. Reason 1 Thus doth God deale with his owne children oftentimes they are chastised in this world lest they should be condemned with the wicked in the world to come 1 Cor. 11 32. Secondly those whom God loueth hee loueth vnto the end Ioh. 13 inasmuch as all his giftes are without repentance Rom. 11. therefore temporall chastisements cannot alter his loue or make frustrate the gifts that once he hath bestowed vpon his children Thirdly euen his owne people sinne against him for in manie things we sinne all Iames 3 ver 1. and therfore when they sinne against him he chastiseth theÌ with death as with a rod howbeit his mercie he neuer taketh from them Thus did Iosiah offend he would not heare the word of the Lord which was brought vnto him therefore he was smitten by the hand of God Vse 1 This teacheth that it is a false rule and a deceitfull measure to iudge of the saluation of men by temporall things whereas commonly all things fall out alike to the godly vngodly Eccl. 9 12. Many there are that wil take vpon them to iudge and censure men to bee out of the fauour of God because sometimes they dye sodainly and sometimes strangely and contrarywise if they dye in their beddes quietly and calmely they conclude that they must necessarily bee the children of God for that cause onely But if we haue no better testimony to discerne a childe of God then this note we may soone be deceiued for this may often happen more by the nature of the disease then through any grace in the soul of the diseased The constant course of a mans life is the best witnesse what is in man A man may dye rauing and haply blaspheming and yet be the seruant of God by the violence and rage of some sicknesse disturbing the head and the braine For as Paul sayeth It was not hee but sinne that dwelled in him Rom. 7 15 so I may say it is not they that raue and blaspheme it is the force of their sicknesse to which they do not consent and againe a man may go away like a Lambe and yet dye out of Gods fauour and go to hell as Iob chap. 21. verses 13 14. Vse 2 Secondly this reprooueth the Popish sort that commonly condemne Zuinglius a sound defender of the true and Apostolike faith Zuinglius defended because he died in the field as a good Patriot against the enemies of his country Hee did no more then euery true Minister and faythfull man ought to be ready to do Hee was slaine with the sword of wickedmen but that death was an honourable death Hee exhorted the people to constancy in the faith as the Priest is commanded in the Law to do Deut. 20 23 It is no reproach to dye in a good cause and a iust quarrell If he had dyed as Sanders an arch enemy to the Queene and State dyed in Ireland in the rebellion which himselfe had procured who died distracted and in a frenzy to behold the hand of God gone out against him and all his plots and proiects crossed O what outcries would these men then haue made he died as a Traitor against his lawfull Prince in the Popes quarrel and was in the field against his owne Soueraigne whereas Zuinglius dyed with his owne Cittizens in a good cause and was lamented of all good men Lastly we must take heed we doe not iudge Vse 3 rashly and rigorously of the Churches sorrowes and afflictions albeit they seem oftentimes both strong and strange when God feedeth them with the bread of teares giueth them teares to drinke in great measure Psal 80 5. The dead bodies of his seruants haue the enemies giuen to be meate to the fowls of the heauen and the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the earth their
hanged by the necke yet none I say would repine at such a man so what ground hath any man to fret or fume or enuy at the flourishing estate of any wicked man especially when it is knowne that GOD hath decreed that he shall perish and that not by an honourable death but perish like Haman shamefully in his owne house and after that shall haue all shame and contempt powred vpon him and go to the place of the damned there to suffer torments with the diuel his angels where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Lastly this being well learned will serue Vse 3 as an admonition for euery one to take heede of euery euill way that he be not obstinate in sinne It is one thing to sinne and another to be obstinate in sinne to withstand the word and rod of God and to abuse his patience It is incident to all to sinne but obstinacy in sinning hardnesse of heart and casting off Repentance are the forerunners of destruction Let vs thinke thus with our selues what can a short or fading pleasure profit vs when God shall come with his fearfull destruction Nay what can all the pleasures or profites in the world recompence for the losse of that comfort and peace that otherwise we may enioy What did Esaus red pottage so pleasing vnto his eye profit him in the end when hee lost thereby not onely his fathers blessing but also the blessed life to come What good got Achan by his wedge of Gold when it proued to be the wracke and ruine both of himselfe of his family And therefore doth Christ our Sauiour teach vs Mat. 16 26. What is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world then lose his owne soule Againe this fearfulnesse of iudgement should make a man thinke of the difficulty of repentance and what fearfull things hee shall suffer if he practise it not If it be a hard thing to breake off sinne we shall find it much harder to be broken with the iudgments of God and the fiercenesse of his wrath It is a fearfull thing to fall into the handes of an earthly Prince Prou. 19 10 but more fearefull to fall into the hands of the liuing God especially when he is inraged and incensed by the sinnes of men and therefore we ought to meete him with repentance lest we feele his vengeance to our condemnation A notable mediation to moue to break off âhe course of sinne And let vs labor to set the hardnesse of bearing the iudgements of God against the breaking off of sinne the one will easily counteruaile and ouercom the other If we finde it an hard and harsh saying to repent and breake off our sins we shall find it more hard when it shall be saide Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels Mat. 25. Let a man seriously and throughly consider what an hard and vnpossible thing it will be to vndergo the wrath of God which maketh the diuels and damned spirits to tremble Iames 2 19 he wil think it an easie and light thing to forsake sinne although it were more deere then all things in the world whatsoeuer What if it were as hard a thing to renounce thy sin and to take vp the practice of true repentance as to pluck out a mans eye or to cut off his arme yet it must be done he hath pronounced it with his owne mouth that must be thy Iudge that is if there be any one sinne as deere vnto thee as thy right eye thou must pull it out or els thou shalt neuer come to the kingdome of heauen or if there be any sin as deere vnto thee as thy right arme by which thou gettest thy liuing if thou canst not be content to cut it off and dost not constantly and confidently resolue to cast it from thee thou canst haue no entrance giuen thee into Gods kingdome We see by common experience daily that men will endure very hard and bitter things from the hand of the Physitian that they may recouer health and escape death and yet it is not to put away death vtterly it is onely to prolong life for a time for they may deferre death they are not able to take it away If then such sharpe and bitter things seeme easie to auoid a temporall death then what ought a man to doe and to suffer to auoid the bitternesse and sharpnesse of eternall destruction and the fierce wrath of God which indeede is nothing but this To forsake sinne and to take vp repentance and the performance of religious and holy duties But alas alas how many are there euery wherin the world that haue bene content to lose many ounces of blood out of the veins for the good of the body that haue neuer shed a few drops of teares out of their eyes for the recouery of their soules To take bitter pilles and potions to purge the grosse humors that distemper vs that haue neuer purged or cleansed themselues from the filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of GOD 2 Cor. chap. 7 verse 1. Nay we see men are willing to be seared that caÌnot abide to haue the wounds of their soule searched by Gods holy Word yea to haue one member cut off to saue the whole bodie who notwithstanding will not leaue one pleasure of sinne for a season to saue both body and soule This is no better then folly and madnesse Heere is wisedome therefore to thinke of this betimes 31 And Moses and Eleazar the Priest did as the Lord commanded Moses 32 And the booty beeing the rest of the prey which the men of warre had caught was six hundred thousand and seuenty thousand and fiue thousand sheepe 33 And threescore c. 34 And threescore and one thousand Asses c 35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all of women that had not knowne man by lying with him c. 37 And the Lords tribute of the Sheepe was sixe hundred and threescore fifteene c. 41 And Moses gaue the tribute which was the Lords heaue-offering vnto Eleazar the priest c. 47 Euen of the children of Israels halfe c. Wee haue heard before the commandement of God touching the diuiding of the prey Now followeth the execution of it by Moses and Eleazar It is worth the obseruation to consider that as before the death of Aaron Moses and Aaron are alwaies ioyned together so after his death Moses and Eleazar The Magistrate and the minister shold ioyne togethâr the Magistrate and the Minister as the hand and the eye are in the body Then doth the church and the conmmonwealth flourish when these two go together and on the other side they go to wrack when they are separated draw seuerall wayes The greatnesse of the victorie and conquest that God gaue to his people appeareth further in these wordes by the distribution of the people and by the reseruation of the
people of GOD Doctrine Some among Gods people do alwayes want some among Gods owne seruants do alwayes want and stand in need Deut. 15 7 11. Matth. 26 11. and 11 5. Acts 2 45. and 4 34. and 6 1. 1 Cor. 4 11. 2 Cor. 8 1. and 9 1 2. and 11 27. Acts 3 6. Reason 1 The grounds are apparent that they should learne alwayes to depend vpon GOD and to call vpon him and not to put confidence in the flesh This the Apostle expresseth touching his troubles and the rest of the Apostles 2. Cor. 1 8 9. We were pressed out of measure aboue strength insomuch that wee despayred euen of life yea we had the sentence of death in our selues That we shold not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead If the faithfull did neuer stand in neede of Gods helpe they would forget God and themselues and the next life If the childe did neuer want any thing he would not know his father from another but would quickly forget him and so likewise it wold be with vs toward almighty God Reason 2 Secondly God will neuer haue those that haue plenty abundance to be without obiects vpon whom to shew mercy that his gifts may be tryed which he hath giuen them For why doth God suffer the poore to bee in the Church but onely to offer occasion to vs to do good as Marke 14 7. Ye haue the poore alwaies with you and whensoeuer yee will ye may doe them good but me ye haue not alwaies We neuer want persons vpon whom to exercise our pitty and compassion whensoeuer wee will Therefore when we see one man poore and another rich let vs not ascribe this to fortune but consider the prouidence of God therein which disposeth al things in that manner God maketh tryall what is in vs and would haue the poore to be his collectors or receyuers to take away all excuse from vs that we should not say We knew not to whom to do good and therefore the Lord saith The poore shall neuer ceasse out of the Land Deuteronomy 15 verse 11. Thirdly as hee will haue the gifts of such Reason 3 as haue receyued what to giue to be tryed so he will haue their patience proued that bee in need which could not bee if they did not suffer For where there is no paine there can be no patience and therefore the Apostle teacheth that Tribulation bringeth foorth patience Romanes 5 verse 3. And this serueth much for the glory of God and the good of them that are in necessity Fourthly that wee should not settle and Reason 4 nestle our selues heere nor make the earth to be our heauen nor our treasure to be our god but that we shold seeke for another life where shall be no want no misery no necessity but God shall be all in all This meeteth fitly and fully with the church Vse 1 of Rome that make temporall felicity a note of the Church to liue in pompe and glory of the world This wee see handled at large by Cardinall Bellarmine among the notes of the church De not eccles lib. 4. cap. 18. but it is so far from being a note of the Church that it is rather a note of the Church of Antichrist And the Spirit of God foretelleth in the booke of the Reuelation that this should bee the voyce of spirituall Babylon chap. 18 7 8. She saith in her heart I sitte a Queene and am no widow and shal see no sorrow Loe how we are warned before hand in what sort the Romane Church shall aduance it selfe in regard of temporall happinesse and of good successe But when that shall come to passe which the Scripture prophesieth in the same place that how much shee hath glorified her selfe and liued deliciously Reuel 17 16 so much torment and sorrow she shall suffer so that her plagues shall come in one day death and mourning and famine and when the kings of the earth who haue liued deliciously with her shall hate and detest the whore and make her desolate and shall eate her flesh and burne her with fire and when the people of God that are called to come out of her shall reward her euen as she rewarded them and double vnto her double according to her works and in the cup which she hath filled shall fil to her double what shall become of this temporall felicity whereof they glory so much where shall this note be found among them which now they cry out to bee wanting among vs Doubtles then they will tell vs of new notes and disclayme the old which they now maintaine at this present for their own aduantage For what hath the state of the Church beene vpon the earth from the beginning The posterity of Caine liued in greatest felicity Gen. 6 1 encreasing in strength in glory in might and in multitudes while Abel was killed by his brother and Adam liued childlesse And after the flood God suffered his people the posterity of Abraham to soiourne as strangers in a strange Land and to be euilly intreated foure hundred yeares Gen. chap. 15 ver 13 while the Canaanites liued in peace and pompe and yet the Church was among that poore distressed company and not among the Canaanites Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet I haue forsaken mine house I haue left mine heritage I haue giuen the dearely beloued of my soule into the hand of her enemies Ier. 12 7. The kingdome of Christ is not of this world neyther doth hee promise to the children of the kingdome the pleasures delights of this world The Saints of God finde not the best entertainment vpon the earth and therefore Christ saith Iohn 16 20. Verily I say vnto you that yee shall weepe and lament but the world shall reioyce and ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy And afterward verse 33. In the world yee shall haue tribulation but bee of good cheere I haue ouercome the world All the felicity and happinesse of Gods seruants is a promised and a reserued happinesse we heare of nothing here but crosses afflictions Hence it is that Espenceus one of the popish Writers affirmeth In 2 Tim. p. 103. that Crux est ecclesiae nota that is The Crosse and therefore not temporall felicity is a note of the Church And againe he telleth vs that Christ foretold of labour and sorrow as he saide to his Disciples They shall scourge you in their Synagogues but the false christs prophesied of prosperity If such bee false christs then by the verdict and sentence of this man Bellarmine must needs be a false prophet for he dreameth of nothing but of felicity prosperity True it is the Church sometimes hath rest from enemies and enioyeth externall peace but besides that this lasteth not long they that are out of the Church haue for the most part a greater portion of this blessing And all these outward things riches
sinne voluntary or vnuoluntary and withall he sheweth that such vnwilling man-slaughter is a sinne Yea this is so cleere a point that Cardinall Allen forgetting the doctrine of his fellowes and the foundation whereupon they builde in his booke of popish pardons chapt 5 telleth vs out of the Councell of Ancyre holden well neere 1300. yeares since in the purest time of Christian religion when our aduersaries dare not say that the faith was corrupted that the Apostles and Bishops haue euer beside the preaching of the Gospel exercised the power of the keyes coÌmitted to the Church and inflicted due punishment for euery deadly sinne iustly respecting the greeuousnesse thereof and among the rest he noteth that for murtherers if it were not voluntary were appointed seuen yeares penance but if it were wilfull till the ende of their life Now would this Councell so ancient and so pure as the Iesuite pretendeth haue enioyned so long penance and punishment for innocent persons and such as had committed no sinne at all So then to ende this matter albeit the Lord acquit the party after a sort that hath slayne a man vnwittingly so that there shall no iudgement of death passe vpon him yet hee was constrayned to forsake his owne house and inheritance and to dwell in a strange place and to suffer many inconueniences to his decay and impouerishing and peraduenture his vtter vndoing his wiues and children Wherefore God would haue the party that offendeth vnwittingly neuerthelesse to abide some punishment to the intent he may humble himselfe And I suppose there is no good man if such a thing should befall him but would be humbled and greeued for it all the dayes of his life and craue of God forgiuenesse of what is past albeit there were no euill meant on his part and likewise pray vnto him earnestly for the time to come that he would rule his hands and his feete better so order all his steppes that he neuer swarue froÌ his holy commandements Now to come to the ground of the Doctrine three sorts are heere directed touching blood the people the auenger and the Iudge The people is restrayned the auenger is permitted the Iudge warranted and allowed The people is restrayned not permitted the auenger is permitted not restrayned the Iudge is permitted and allowed nay commanded to draw the sword The people sinne if they shed blood the Iudge if he do not This teacheth that it is a sinne for men to do that which GOD hath appointed to bee done Doctrine We may not doe lawfull things vnlawfully when they haue no particular calling or commandement for them to doe it This is manifested vnto vs in the facte of Zipporah the wife of Moses taking a knife and circumcising her sonne Circumcision was one of the sacraments that God had ordayned that euery male of eight dayes should be circumcised and haue the foreskinne of his flesh cut off Exo. 4 25. howbeit she sinned greeuously because she would doe it without a calling which was for man not for the woman to do and therefore it appeareth shee had no moe children as we obserued elsewhere chap. 12 and beside she wanted the presence and company of her husband a long time after and when she returned vnto him shee was vexed and afflicteâ by the emulation of Miriam aââ Aaron So Saul sinned in offering vp sacrifice who ought to haue stayed for the comming of Samuel sacrifices were commanded of God but he did it without a calling therefore Samuel telleth him he had done foolishly 1. Sam. 13 14. The like we might say of Vzziah 2 Chron. 26 16 otherwise a good king he went into the Temple of the Lord and presumed to offer incense which was peculiar to the Priests and therefore hauing no direction from God though hee did a good thing yet he was presently smitten with leprosie 2 Chr. 26 14 20. This we saw before in Korah and his company chap. 16. Amnon abusing his sister Tamar by filthy incest ought by the law of God to suffer death Absolon killeth him with the sword he did that which God commanded Leuit. 18 9 29 and Dauid had to answer for it because he put him not to death neuerthelesse Absolon sinned greeuously in the doing of it because he was no Magistrate 2 Sam. 13 28 So then the point is plaine that a man may sinne and that greeuously in doing the things that God commandeth when he hath no warrant to do them The grounds are these First he doth it Reason 1 without any commandement from GOD. Whensoeuer a commandement is limited to persons and places to them it is a commandement and to no others The commandements and orders that are directed to such as are free of a citty or of a company or incorporation are no commandements to those thar are forrainers so in this case a commandement to some maketh it a sinne to them if they leaue it vndone whereas on the other side the not commanding maketh it a sinne to others that doe it because it is the commandement that maketh things eyther lawfull or vnlawfull Where there is no sight there can be no blindnesse but it is blindnesse when it is found in the subiect where sight ought to be We cannot say there is blindnesse in a stone because it is not capable of sight Therefore wee say that in indifferent things there can be no sinne eyther to do or not to do the ground is because there is no commandement Secondly it is a rule that all good being out of his proper subiect is euil Consider this in the natural body Is it not euil in nature for the eye to be in place of the hand that should be in the head Or for the finger to grow in the fore-head that should be in the hand this maketh a monster in the body when a member is out of his proper subiect So we may say for morall good wheÌ it is out of his proper place it is no more good but is turned into euill If any aske what is the proper subiect of good I answere the proper subiect of good is he to whom it is commanded and the vnproper subiect is where there is no such commandement Vse 1 By this a man may looke into himselfe and see as it were in a glasse the defects and deformities of his soule and namely that hee doth many things good for the matter and substance and good in those that haue a calling and commandement for it yet euill in him because he wanteth a commandement and consequently hath no warrant for the doing thereof All such haue cause to humble themselues for the euill which they haue brought vpon themselues by doing good things without any good calling To preach the word to administer the Sacraments to make publike prayer are necessarie parts of the holy worship of God that must be performed they are the onely instruments to saue the precious soules of men and yet these euen these are
most comfortable p. 563 b. Faithfull must vse meanes to further Gods prouidence 577. they must deale wisely p. 579. b. they are greeued for the sins of others 504 they shall be euilly intreated p. 596 b. Faithfull faile in many things 735 a. 736 how said to walke in all the Commandements 736 b. they may fall into the same sinnes againe 772 they are forrainers in this life 822 they are brought into the inheritance of the wicked 845 b. they are men of courage 864 b. they bring a blessing vpon their families p. 1080 b. Faith true of an applying nature p. 1232 b. False Teachers p. 1036. Familiarity with Idolaters to be auoided p. 1219. Famine of the word p. 780. Fast the kindes of it 1153 a. what it is ibid. it is to be ioyned with praier 1154 the popish fastes ibid. Fathers comforted that haue euill children 134 their duties See duties Fauour of God must be cheefely desired 432 b. 433 mans happinesse standeth therein p. 433 b. 434 a Feare wrought two waies p. 269 b. Fellowship with wicked p. 1049 b. 1050. Feast of the Sabbath 1140 of the New-Moones 1143 of the Passeouer 477 1146 of Pentecost 1148 of Trumpets 1150 of fasting 1152 of Tabernacles p. 1155 b. Fire one of Gods iudgements p. 525 a. First borne the Lords p. 145. 158 b. First fruites p. 630 631. Flesh eaten before the flood p. 150 b. Food of the soule p. 532 a. Forefathers stood vpon p. 586. Foreseene works p. 87 a. Forgiuenesse by man how farre p. 298. Forgiuenesse of sinnes 654 b. a notable benefit 955 what it is 311 a. 340 such as want it are most miserable p. 340 956. Forgiuenesse three fold p. 298 b. Forme of set praier 513 b. 424 b. against those that condemne it 512 their reasons answered p. 426 b. 512. Fornication not indifferent 380 it is knowne vnto God 381 motiues to auoid it 385 it bringeth iudgements 1052. b. auoid the occasions 1055. See adultery whoredome Freedome ciuill 181 and spirituall ibid. Free will confuted 90 a. what free will man hath p. 90 b. G. Gaine a tentation p. 886 b. Gaming and Gamsters p. 142 b. Genealogies p. 174 b. Gifts what may be lost what not p. 24. 25. Gifts of Moses whether diminished p. 535. b. Glebe of the Church p. 705. Glory of God 605. it is the triall of doctrines page p. 232. God is the Author of the Scriptures 1. hee performeth all his promises 41 b. how hee is present and how farre off 81. 958. 595. hee bestoweth his gifts freely 85. yet by meanes 546 a. how he requireth impossibilities p. 89. God disliketh mens deuises in his worship 141 b. he ordaineth the officers of his Church 146 b. he chuseth weake meanes p. 175. God will haue all places taught 197. and haue a learned Ministery p. 199 a. God hath not giuen to all alike p. 243. God punisheth sinne in his owne kinde 390 he will make knowne the innocency of his 396 b he bestoweth more vpon them then they desire 403 b 683 he knoweth all secrets 410 b. why hee holdeth his peace at our afflictions page 413 b p. 572 a. God hath two schoole-houses 443 b two dwelling places 520 hee vnderstandeth all mens wayes p. 558 God searcheth before he punisheth 562. he heareth not such as lye in their sins 568. hee mingleth his chastisements with mercy 573 b. he respecteth no persons 575. how he is saide to come to a people p. 596 a. God deliuereth from dangers vnknowne to his 902 he is vnchangeably true 952. he prouideth for his 1113. he is of much patience 606. not to be abused p. 778. God visiteth the sins of fathers vpon children 615 b. he punisheth for sinnes of impiety 640 b. he would haue all brought to repentance 678. he is not to be accused for not giuing it Ibid. he giueth life to the dead 683 b. iust in all chastisements p. 691. God chastiseth his owne children 739 he loueth his people 759 b. heareth their prayers 760 784 b he deliuereth them vnder the crosse 786 b. he is mercifull to greeuous sinners p. 809 b. God is mercifull to the mercifull 993 b. accounts our wrongs as his owne 996 a. he chastiseth his owne first p. 1050. Gods presence what it signifieth p. 283. Gods dwelling is among his people p. 519. Gods wrath moued is full of rage 1077. it is foreknowne three wayes p. 1078 b. God setteth bounds to all mens possessions p. 1225. God tolerateth things which he neuer alloweth p. 1247 Godly See Faithfull Good name 357. haue care of each others 398 401. especially of Gods name p. 400. Good is to be commended in whomsoeuer it abideth p. 1257. Gospel of Iames counterfet p. 348 b. Gospel contemned a greeuous sin 796. it needeth no new miracles p. 685 a. Greatest part See multitude Guilty none before triall p. 362. Guilty ought not to be spared p. 1252 b. H Hollowing of Churches p. 436 b. Harlots to be auoyded p. 384 b. Hatred none like to that for Religion p. 764. Head taken diuersly p. 436 a. Hearbes soure p. 1147 b. Hearers duty p. 474 Hearing 13 b. it is a Iewel for the eare 234 a. wherein it consisteth p. 13 b. Hearing the same things p. 238. Heart p. 145 b. Hebrewes how they entitle the Scriptures p. 8 a. Hiding of gifts p. 463. Hin what p. 626 1143 b. Honour God with the best 348. it draweth from God p. 863. Hope of euill professors more then of ciuil men 120 b. of wicked is vaine p. 937. House of God what p. 563 b. Housholders p. 573. Humility p. 77. a Hipocrisie 31 976 582. the markes of it Ibid. at last it is vncased 588 b. the heinousnesse of it 589 a. nothing worse then it p. 1126. Hipocrites 446 b. often in the church p. 11. I Iealousie what 347 a. whereof it consisteth Ibid Iewish lawes touching inheritance p. 1127 a. Iewes had knowledge of the Messiah p. 498 b. Idolaters honored their Prophets p. 914. Ignorance abounds 142 b. the danger of it 170. it is the root of disobedience 250. a great sin 526. it shal excuse none 931. the causes of it Ibid. Ignorant what they are p. 172 251 b. Ignorant Ministers p. 229. Image of God what p. 422. Images not to be worshipped p. 789 b. 790 792. Imposition of handes 434 a. 469 Ministers ordained by it ibid. Impropriations p. 702. Inheritance of the Israelites p. 1257 b. Infants without baptisme 486. they belong to the Couenant p. 1081 bi Inferiors must reuerence their superiors p. 541. Innocency p. 596 b. Innocent person not to be put to death p. 1252 a. Instruction to the Ministers p. 697 a. Instruments weake God chuseth p. 105. Intents excuse not p. 141 b. 170 b. Iobs children godly p. 1130 b. Iosephus tale of Moses wife disproued p. 500. Ioseph and Mary brothers children p. 1270 a. Irony p. 895. Ismael whether he repented p. 1171. Israelites 42 mansions in the wildernesse p.
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 theÌ 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
shall be put to death 39. All that were numbred of the Leuites which Moses Aaron numbred at the commandement of the Lord throughout all their families all the males from a moneth old and vpward were twenty and two thousand Wee haue already handled the numbring of two of the families that haue their foundation in the sonnes of Leui to wit the Gershonites and the Kohathites Now followeth the third and last that is the Merarites touching whom we are to consider sundry particular points as we haue done in the two former diuisions For first the families descended of Merari are named which are two the Mahlites and the Mushites verse 33. Secondly the number of persons the summe of them according to the number of all the males from a moneth old and aboue was sixe thousand two hundred verse 34. Thirdly the Ouerseer or Superintendent of them all was Zuriel the sonne of Abihail Fourthly the place of their abode in the host was on the North-side of the Tabernacle verse 35. Lastly the office and function committed vnto them was the woodworke and the rest of the instruments These things were committed to their charge and custody Hitherto wee haue handled the numbring of this Tribe simply considered in it selfe according to the particular families of it now let vs obserue how it is concluded In this conclusion set downe in the two last verses of this diuision we are to marke two points first the persons that went before the Arke of the Couenant on the East-side secondly the totall sum of the whole Tribe is reckoned vp The persons that were to pitch on the fore-front of the Tabernacle toward the East are these both Moses himselfe as the chiefe Captaine Commander ouer the whole and also Aaron with his sons the Priests ministring vnto God and his Church whereunto is annexed a certaine prouiso that none should dare to thrust himselfe into their office verse 38. Secondly the totall sum of all the former particulars is brought together and the accounts cast vp which are said to amount to two and twenty thousand v. 39. Out of which generall number must be deducted the Priests and the first borne of the Leuites themselues for otherwise the whole Tribe of Leui consisting of the Priests and such as are called by the common name of Leuites amounted to the number of twenty and two thousand and three hundred soules Verse 33. Of Merari was the family c. In this diuision we see more plainely and particularly that which was in part noted before namely the seuerall mansions and situations that these Leuites had about the Tabernacle which being the place of Gods publike seruice they compassed it round about that they might not be farre from any of the people of God but alwaies resident among them The Gershonites pitched behinde the Tabernacle westward verse 23. The Kohathites pitched on the south-side of the Tabernacle verse 29. The Merarites pitched on the north side of the Tabernacle verse 35. Now lest any part should be left vnfurnished and vnprouided Moses and Aaron and his sonnes are commanded to take vp the fore-front of the Tabernacle and to pitch on the East-side GOD might haue put and placed all the Leuites in one corner of the host if it had pleased him but in great mercy both toward the Leuites and people they are seated in the middest of the army and charged to compasse the Tabernacle round about to the end they might serue the better for giuing direction and instruction indifferently to all the rest of the Tribes that were to vse their Ministery Thus we see that neither the Teachers were constrained to go farre to their hearers nor the hearers to take any tedious iourney to their Teachers This teacheth vs that God will haue euery part of his people taught Such is the goodnesse Doctrine 1 of almighty God God wil haue all places and people taught euen the smallest that he will haue none of his seruants vntaught how small soeuer the places be how meane soeuer the persons be None are too high in regard of their great places none are too low in regard of their obscure callings none are too good to be taught whatsoeuer their degrees be We see this most euidently in the Tribe of Leui it selfe To what end and purpose were they diuided in Iacob and scattered in Israel Gen. 49 Gen. 49 7 but that all the Lords people might be instructed from the highest to the lowest and haue their portion in due season alotted vnto them of God This is giueÌ as a commendation of the Leuites and of Iehoshaphat that sent them 2 Chron 17 9. They taught in Iudah and had the booke of the Law of the Lord with them and went about throughout all the Cities of Iudah and taught the people This we see in the Apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians and setting downe the notable fruites and ends of the Ministery of the word Eph. 4 13. He gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastours and Teachers Till we all meete together in the vnity of faith vnto a perfect man and the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Touching the practise of this duty we haue a notable example in Christ our Sauiour in many places of the Euangelists Luke 8 1. It came to passe afterward that he went throughout euery City and Village preaching and shewing the glad tydings of the kingdome of God and chap. 13 22. He went through the Cities Villages teaching and iournying toward Ierusalem The like we reade of the twelue Apostles who walked in the steps of their master going through the Townes preaching the Gospel and healing euery where Luke 9 6. So also it was with the seuenty Disciples the Lord sent theÌ two and two before his face into euery city and place whither he himselfe would come Luk. 10 1. Seeing then the Priests and Leuites Christ his Disciples went about through all the Citties of Iudah published the Gospel in euery city and village preached euery where and went into all places we conclude that it is the ordinance of God that all places great and small all persons high and low all congregations bigge and little should haue the word of God established and setled among them Reason 1 This will be made plaine and cleere vnto vs by diuers reasons First consider with me the titles that are giuen vnto God in the Scriptures He is worthily called the King of his Church and the Lord Master of his house-Is not he the Shepheard of Israel that leadeth Ioseph like sheepe Psal 80 1. Will a Shepheard that hath any care of his Sheepe or any loue vnto them looke vnto some of them and not to all Or will he not rather if any be gone astray Lu. 15 4 5 6. leaue ninety and nine in the wildernesse and seeke that lost one vntill he finde it So is it the will of our Father that is
and Aaron might learne together with all the people to put their trust in Gods promises made vnto them and to waite on him with patience The end therefore was not Gods satisfaction but their owne reformation and the peoples instruction And Dauid had many punishments that the mouths of the heathen might thereby be stopped who were likely to blaspheme God because of his sinne The truth is before forgiuenesse such iudgements are punishments of sinne but after forgiuenesse obtained August de peccât merit remis lib 2. cap. 34. Origen in Gen. hom 16. they are the fights and exercises of the iust This is the difference betweene the afflictions of the faithfull and of the vnfaithful that which is to the iust the exercise of vertue is to the vniust the punishment of sinne That which is laid vpon vs after forgiuenesse in Christ is onely in respect of the time to come to weaken and weare away the power of sinne and in death vtterly to destroy it If any obiect that death is the wages of sinne and that yet it continueth after forgiuenesse I answer it is so indeed originalây and naturally but to the faithfull it hath lost his sting the poison of it is taken away and turned into a medicine and is made the way to life and saluation Bern. in Cant. Serm. 26. That which was the gate of hell is made an entry to the kingdome of heauen Thus we see that the Popish satisfaction is weakely grounded and the gainefull fire of purgatory standing vpon the rotten and ruinous pillar of satifaction is vtterly quenched that though the Iesuites and their instruments labor to blow the bellows to kindle it againe yet they are not able to put any sparke of heat into it When the sinne is forgiuen the punishment is also remitted For this is a certain doctrine that when God pardoneth sinne he also remitteth the punishment For first the fault the punishment are relatiues which stand together and fall together admit of the one you yeeld the other take away the one you ouerthrow the other Againe when God doth not remit the fault he doth retaine the punishment who can deny this therfore on the contrary when he forgiueth the fault he doth not retaine the punishment The fault is a greater matter then the punishment if then God forgiue the fault which is the greater it may not seeme strange that he should forgiue that which is lesser and onely depending vpon the fault Besides when once a debt is discharged it were extreme wrong and iniustice to require the payment thereof againe but sinnes are debts Matth. 6.12 The obligation standing against vs is cancelled and the creditour is fully satisfied how then should we feare any arrest or imprisonment who shall sue vs or who can lay any thing to our charge In a ciuill court he were a very corrupt iudge who hauing acquitted cleared a man that stood as guilty from al offence would notwithstanding giue sentence that he shold be executed for this were as much as to pardon the theft and to hang the theefe They that are iustified by faith are at peace with God Rom. 5.1 and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 When God forgiueth the sinnes and transgressions of the penitent he remembreth them no more Ier. 31.34 hee blotteth them out of his sight he setteth them as farre from vs as the East is from the West Psal 103 he scattereth them as a cloud and casteth them into the bottom of the Sea The meaning of the words Mic. 7.19 But touching the pardon mentioned in this place the answer of God is to be referred to the prayer of Moses is proportioned out according to his request He desired that God would not vtterly root out that whole people as one man according as he had threatned his prayer is granted and God declareth that hee had pardoned them not absolutely but according to his word he requested they might not vtterly be destroyed he receiueth answer they shall not vtterly be destroyed And concerning satisfaction to God for our sinnes by our selues it is more then we are able to make it cost more to redeeme a soule and to pay a price sufficient for it For to satisfie is to yeeld a sufficient recompence to God for the transgressions that we haue committed against him This Christ our redeemer is onely able to doe and his satifaction is all sufficient Obiect But they tel vs that mans satisfaction is not a supplying of any want in Christs satisfaction Answer but an applycation of it to vs. A most foolish and witlesse conceit For when a man hath a medicine fully sufficient and auaileable for the curing and healing of a wound what needeth another medicine for the healing the same wound which he must apply and lay to the former medicine to make it good is not this applycation needlesse And if a surety vndertaking for vs hath discharged our debts it is very ridiculous to suppose that we must pay the debt againe that so our sureties payment may stand in effect We reade of the satisfaction that Christ hath made and we beleeue it but of a satisfaction applying his satisfaction we reade not and therfore we beleeue not which is no better then a cloake to couer their shame and soundeth harsh to the eare of reason it selfe But to passe ouer these things let vs consider the sentence pronounced against these men that all of them should die in the wildernes as they had all broken out into open wickednesse The doctrine Doctrinâ sinne generally entertained bringeth a generall destruction Where ãâã is generaâ entertainâ it bringeâ a generaâ destructiâ Gen. 6.5 ãâã 7.17 and 20 and 15 24 25. Deâ 9.4 Iosh ãâã 21. Hos 4. 3. Ze. 1 1â when it is once come to the height in the maner and measure it causeth destruction to come vpon such persons The reasons follow This is agreeable to the course of Gods iustice that his iudgements may be answerable to the sinne A generall sinne deserueth a general plague Secondly as sinnes are resembled to sicknesses so punishments are to medicines which must be fitted to the diseases and not to a part thereof Reas 1 Now if vniuersall and spreading sins should not haue vniuersall spreading iudgments brought vpon them the plaster should be lesse then the wound the remedy much weaker then the disease The vses remaine First seeing God giueth sentence to bring Vse 1 desolation vpon this people for their common sinnes we haue great cause to feare that the day of our desolation and iudgement cannot be farre off For seeing it hath beene already prooued that we are growne a cold and carelesse people a lukewarme Church neither hote nor cold seeing wee are growne to the height of wickednesse Deut. 19 and haue added sinne to sinne as it were drunkennesse vnto thirst what can be expected in the next
they oppressed him with iniuries and banished him their country and yet behold they are constrained immediately to seeke peace of him and to make a couenant with him so that albeit they hated him and put him away from them yet the King his Captaine are glad to come vnto him Gen. 26 24 25 26. For they feared him and saw certainly that the Lord was with him The like submission we see in Pharaoh albeit he hardened his hart and often had contemned and reuiled Moses yet in the greeuousnesse of the iudgement he sendeth for Moses and Aaron and saith I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for mee that there be no more mighty thunders amd haile Exod. 9 27 and 11 8. Such an example is recorded 1 Kings 13 4 6 touching Ieroboam who albeit he regarded not the word of the Prophet but raged against him and stretched out his hand from the Altar saying Lay hold on him yet when his hand was dryed vp so as he could not pull it in againe vnto him he humbled himselfe greatly in the present feeling of this punishment and besought that Prophet to pray to the Lord his God and make intercession for him that his hand might be restored Thus Saul seeketh to Dauid 1 Sam. 24 21 22. Belteshazzar to Daniel Dan. 5 12 13. Zedekiah to Ieremy Ier. 37 3. The foolish virgins to the wise Mat. 25 8. Haman had conspired the destruction of the Church and thirsted after the bloudy massacre of the Saints of God whose death is precious in his sight yet in the end he saw mischiefe prepared for him he stood vp to make request for his life vnto Queene Ester chap. 3 9 and 7 7. Thus the saying and sentence of the wise man is verified Prou. 14 19. The euill shall bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous Neither let vs doubt of this truth or greatly maruaile at it For God hath planted imprinted Reason 1 such a maiesty in the person of those that are vnfainedly godly truely religious that the most desperate and despightfull wicked men feare their faces and reuerence their presence If then the vngodly feare them it is no great maruaile though they fal downe before them many times in submissiue manner But the vngodly do often feare them therefore it cannot seeme strange vnto vs if they do some reuerence vnto them This we see in Herod Mark 6.20 He feared Iohn Acts 4 21 and 5 26. knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly So when the people saw how God heard the prayer of Samuel they feared Samuel exceedingly 1 Sam. 12 18. Such is the force of innocency that it conuinceth the enemies in their owne consciences and driueth them to do homage and vaile their bonnet to the seruants of God Againe it is the will of God that all such Reason 2 as humble themselues should be exalted and the lowly in heart should be aduanced so also such as exalt themselues should be brought low and therefore it is no maruaile if GOD euen in this life doe many times for the manifestation of his mercy and iustice lift vp the heads of his owne children Luke 14 11. cast downe the wicked vnder their feet Hence it is that Christ Iesus was so much delighted with this senteÌce so often repeated by him in the Gospel Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall be brought low but he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Math. 23 12. Luke 18 14. Vse 1 Now let vs make vse of this doctrine First seeing the vnfaithfull be oftentimes constrained to sue to the faithfull for their helpe as the rich glutton did to Abraham let vs all learne to plant true godlinesse in our hearts and to turne to the Lord with all our soules that we may haue our part and portion in this preheminence and let vs walke worthy of our places and of this priuiledge honour and dignity Seeing almighty God maketh vs spirituall Kings to rule and reigne Reuel 1 6. and often subiecteth the wicked vnder vs let vs not be slaues to our owne lusts and corruptions but rule with authority and dominion ouer them and labor to subdue sinne vnto vs. We see the Princes of this world will not dishonour and debase theÌselues with base Offices We are Kings and Princes to God in this life let vs then walke worthy of this dignity as the Apostle vrgeth this duty from vs 2 Thess 1 10 11. The Lord shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee made maruailous in all them that beleeue in that day wherefore we also pray for you alwaies that our God may make you worthy for this Calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power Where we see that after he had set downe the great glory that belongeth to Gods children at the comming of Christ he exhorteth them to walke worthy of their calling seeing it shall be glorious with Christ and the vngodly shall be brought to vtter shame contempt dishonour reproch confusion There is no way to bring any to true honour but to purchase to our selues true godlinesse Therefore the Lord said 1 Sam. 2 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised Old age is rightly honourable but it must bee found in the way of righteousnesse Prou. 16 31. This we see to haue beene in Iob chap. 29 7 8. When I went out to the gate euen to the iudgement seate and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete the young men saw me and hid themselues and the aged arose and stood vp the Princes staied their talk laid hand on their mouth Loe thus shall they be honoured that feare the Lord and therfore blessed is the estate condition of the godly Vse 2 Secondly seeing the wicked euen in this life are vrged to seeke mercy at the hands of godly men so that God here vpon earth bringeth downe their heads that before were lifted vp in great pride how much more shall this be verified in the life to come when the redemption of Gods children draweth neere their happinesse shall be perfected then they are appointed to triumph and to haue the victory ouer all their enemies tread the wicked vnder their feet For the true children of of God shall rule and ouer-rule the world and shall trample vpon the kingdome of darknes ouer hell death damnation the diuell the reprobate whatsoeuer setteth it selfe against their peace This the Lord from the beginning taught the Church Gen. 3 15. He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The diuell shall tempt Christ assault his members but not ouercome them whereas Christ shall conquer the power of death and make his
children partakers of his victory And the Apostle Paul confirmeth the same Rom. 16 20. The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your feet shortly Wherefore albeit there bee in this life and wicked world many beastly minded men that spread their armes far and neare seeme euen to dazle the eies of others through their riches honors power friends aliance might credite possessions dominion ouer others so that none dare mutter a word against them yet the time is appointed cometh quickly that the godly shall sit in thrones of glory iudge these wicked wretches that haue beene enemies to the Church they shall stand at the bar like poore caitiffes and receiue froÌ Christ and his Saints the sentence of condemnation as 1 Corinth 6.2 3. Paul calleth the Saints of God to consideration of this prerogatiue and checketh them that they would submit themselues to the vngodly Doe ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world If the world then shall bee iudged by you are yee vnworthy to iudge the smallest matters Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels How much more things that pertaine to this life If then the Lord bring the wicked downe and make them stoope to his seruants in these dayes of their pilgrimage wherein iniquity is often aduanced how much more shal we see our desire vppon our enemies when Christ which is our life shall appeare Col. 3 4. 1 Iohn 3 â for then we shall appeare with him in glory and bee made like vnto him and see him as he is This the Prophet assureth the Church Mal. 4 2 3. Albeit therefore we be persecuted pursued in this life and finde no rest or refreshing any where yet there shall be a sudden change of our condition when we shall triumph with Christ ouer all principalities and powers that lift themselues vp against God who shal ââue shame and contempt powred vpon them The coming of Christ shall lighten things hidden in darknesse and make a manifest difference betweene the godly and the vngodly Let vs waite for his glorious appearance let vs hold fast till he come that which we haue that no man may take away our crowne This Christ our Sauiour who hath ouercome the world assureth Reuel chapter 2. verses 26 27. Hee that ouercommeth and keepeth my worke vnto the end to him will I giue power ouer Nations and hee shall rule them with a rod of iron and as the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken And the Apostle Peter assureth vs that the Lord is not slack of his coming as some men count slacknesse but is patient toward vs that we should not perish but come to repentance But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night â 3 8 9 10 in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp Then woe shall be to the wicked then they shall be cast down and neuer be able to rise againe then they shall howle and weepe and lament and neuer bee comforted againe whereas the godly shall lift vp their heads because their redemption draweth neere When it shall be a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation vnto them that trouble you but to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels 2 Th. 1 6. This therefore is a great comfort vnto vs giueth peace to our soules that he will deale with all the vngodly as Ioshua did with the Kings which he had conquered and subdued in battell For he commanded them to be brought out of the Caue where they were hidden and called for all the men of Israel and saide vnto the chiefe of the men of war which went out with him Come neere set your feet vpon the necks of these Kings and they came neere and set their feete vpon their necks and Ioshua said vnto them Feare not nor be faint-hearted but be strong and of a good courage for thus will the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight Iosh 10 24 25. So wil Christ Iesus deale with al our enemies who is the Captaine of the Lords host he will poure shame and contempt vpon them and therefore let vs not stand in feare of them to turne out of the right way and to forsake our profession but be stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alway in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Thus if we be faithfull to the death we shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory Vse 3 Lastly obserue and marke how God magnifieth the Ministry and is able to enforce the wicked to the acknowledgement of himselfe and the true Ministers of his word and let this comfort vs in the midst of all contempts and disgraces of our God of our religion of our faith and of our persons Ah we Ministers despised by prophane men let vs marke and consider this and lay it vnto our hearts let vs beare their contempts contumelies thrown vpon vs. In their extremities they shall acknowledge vs they shall reuerence our Calling they shall magnifie our Office our Ministery and Doctrine they shall iustifie vs desire our prayers they shall stoope they shall stoope when it pleaseth God And let this suffice all true Teachers Preachers of the Gospel of Christ that the power of the truth is such as that it maketh the enemy bow the knee vnto it which before seemed to haue no ioynt to bend This is the time which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it when he giueth vs a comfortable experience of this doctrine that the enemies of God and our enemies are driuen to resort and repaire vnto vs and such as made iestes and songs of the word and of the Ministers of the word cry out O Ezek. 33 31. how beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tydings of good things Rom. 10 15. There is none of vs all poore contemned men that labour in sincerity in the vineyard of God beare the burden of the worke and the heate of the day but sometimes God lifteth vp our heads and honoureth vs in the world that we should not sinke downe vnder the burden and maketh our mortall and greatest enemies beseech vs to be good vnto them and to helpe them in their extremities The people of Israel despised the ministery of Samuel would not hearken vnto him but when they saw the lightning and heard the thunder and felt the raine at that vnseasonable time They feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly and they saide vnto him Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not 1 Sam. 8 7 and 12 18 19. Let this profitable meditation of Gods mercy toward vs deuoure and swallow vp all disgracing and defacing of
of mortification to prepare them to the kingdom of heauen but follow the fruites of the flesh the lusts of their eyes and the pride of life so they shall finde their owne death to bee farre differing from the quiet sleepe of the righteous who see by faith the heauens open for them with Stephen and know that the glorious Angels are their attendants ready to conduct and to direct theyr soules into glory They know that their Redeemer liueth and that they shall see God in their flesh with the same eyes Iob 19 2â albeit theyr reines be consumed within them for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous As for the wicked it shall not bee so with them Psalme 73.19 20. They shall sodainly bee destroyed and horribly consumed as a dreame when one awaketh O Lord when thou raisest vs vppe thou shalt make their image despised Their death is full of feare and horror â things âfying thââ of the ãâã man they see three fearefull obiects represented before their eyes dismaying all theyr senses and affrighting all the powers of their soules so soone as they apprehend them thorough all which dying without repentance they must passe without redemption or deliuerance to wit death iudgement and hell the one following the heeles of another They shal know the pangs of death they shall appeare at the day of Iudgement they shall feele the torments of hell and fire vnquenchable When they haue runne out theyr miserable and wretched race they shall sodainely be attached and arrested by death death shall call and cry out for iudgement and iudgement shall take them and throw them into hell and perpetuall perdition If a man in this life that hath liued wantonly bene clad gorgeously and fared deliciously euery day should see these three fearefull spectacles the sword to smite him the plague to touch him and famine to consume him it were able to astonish him and bring him to despayre But all these are nothing in comparison of the former for as it is appointed vnto them once to dye Heb. 9 27. which is the entrance into the next plague so after death commeth iudgement which shall be according to theyr works wheÌ theyr most secret thoughts shall be written in theyr foreheads and grauen as with a pen of Iron to remayne in remembrance for euer and after iudgement commeth hell fire then shame and contempt shall bee powred vpon them then vtter desperation shall seize vpon them then an eternall separation from the comfortable presence of God shall ouertake them fall vpon them and they shall haue perpetuall fellowship with the diuell and his angels This is it which maketh the vngodly so loth to heare of death and so willing to wish in word to dye the death of the righteous They would liue like themselues but would dye like the faithfull But we cannot seuer and diuorce the life and the death of the people of God they must alwayes go together and follow one the other necessarily Thus wee see as there is great difference betweene the godly and the vngodly in their life so there shall be a greater difference betweene them after this life For albeit all sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake out of their sleepe ãâã 12 2. yet the godly shall inherit euerlasting life but the vngodly shall go into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels This appeareth vnto vs in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus there was a great difference betweene them while they liued vpon the earth the one abounded in riches was clad in purple and fed with dainty fare Lu. 16 22 23 the other was cloathed in rags couered with sores and abounded in nothing but in penury and misery here was a maine difference between theÌ But when they went the way of all flesh and were gathered vnto their Fathers then was the greatest difference of all as if the other were not to be thought vpon For when this poore begger dyed hee was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the rich man also died and was buried and was carried into the torments of hel to whom Abraham said Luk. 16.25 Son Remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented This is that great gulfe and wide space set betweene the godly and the vngodly Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to stirre vp the giftes of God in vs and to take heed we quench not the graces of the Spirit in vs. The gifts of God giuen vnto vs are as a sparke of fire kindled in our hearts our corruptions are as a water seeking to quench them Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to be careful and diligent in kindling this fire and in blowing these coales that the talents committed vnto vs may bee increased and the Lord receiue at his comming his own with aduantage This the Apostle Paul teacheth Timothy who had bene brought vp in the Scriptures of a childe 2 Tim. 1 6. I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands Christ Iesus compareth in the Gospel the grace of God in the heart to a grain of Mustard seed which is small to see to at the beginning ãâã â3 31 ââ 26. but when it is once planted in the fruitfull ground of a regenerate heart it springeth vp incontinently encreaseth speedily spreadeth mightily and prospereth exceedingly If a man at the first beginning of his conuersion haue some little feeling of his wants some weake and faint desire of faith and some small testimonies of his adoption he must remember to be thankfull for these and seeke to increase them by the vse of the Word Sacraments Prayers Meditations Conference and such like helpes that wee may be alwayes proceeding endeuouring striuing asking seeking and knocking to know the heighth depth bredth of the loue of God ãâ¦ã we must alwayes grow vppâ ãâ¦ã God Psal 143 6. and desire ãâ¦ã be giuen vs to supply our weaknâ ãâ¦ã must long after him as the thirsty lââ ãâ¦ã should pant after him as the Hart bray ãâ¦ã riuers of waters Psal 42 1. Blessed are ãâ¦ã hunger and thirst after righteousnes for tââ ãâ¦ã be satisfied Math. 5 6. He will giue to him tââ ãâã a thirst to drinke of the Well of the water of ãâã freely If wee haue this appetite vsing all the meanes which God hath appointed and being carefull to honor him for that which wee haue receyued already I am perswaded that he which hath begun this good worke in vs will perfect and finish the same vnto the day of Iesus Christ And let my last end be like his Here is a liuely testimony of the immortality of the soule For if hee had beleeued that man had ended with death and then there had beene no further reckoning nor account to be made it had beene a vaine and
idle thing to desire his last end to be like the righteous We see the vngodly liue and wax olde Iob 21 7 9 13. and grow in wealth their children prosper their houses are peaceable without feare the rod of God is not vpon them they spend their dayes in pleasures and sodainly they goe downe to the graue They are not afflicted with tedious diseases they are not tormented with long sicknesses they go away many times quietly as a Lambe their life is with greater delight their death is with greater ease then the life and death of the righteous But after this life beginneth the trouble and torment of the Reprobate Here they haue receiued their pleasures and the righteous their paines therfore these are comforted and the other confounded They must appeare before the iudgment seate of God they must come after this life to their triall they must all stand at the bar and pleade guilty or not guilty The consideration of this day of account immediately after the separation of the soule from the body made Balaam in this place cry out in the sight and feeling of the blessednesse of the Church Oh let my last end be like his From hence wee learne this principle of our faith Doctrine The reasonable soule of man is immortall That the soule of man is immortali hauing a beginning yet is without ending being seuered from the body it liueth in place either of ioy or of torment either it receiueth the reward of godlinesse or it is plagued and punished for wickednesse This appeareth by many testimonies of the word of God When the Lord had made mans body of the dust of the ground He breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a liuing soule able to liue of it selfe Gen 2 7 and by it self And afterward it is said Genes 5 24. with Heb. 11 17. Henoch walked with God and he was no more seene for God tooke him away to shew that there was a better life prepared and to be a testimony of the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body seeing hee was translated that he should not see death neyther was hee found for God had translated him Hereunto commeth the prayer of Simeon Luk. 2 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word he was ready willing to be loosed from the prison of the body and calleth death a departure from hence Likewise it is sayde in the Parable that Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22.23 the rich man also dyed was buried and was throwne into the torments of hel And at the passion of Christ hanging on the crosse when the penitent theefe praied Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome hee said Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. Furthermore when the Lambe had opened the fifte seale Reue. 5 6 9. Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God for the testimony which they maintained Reason 1 The Reasons of this Doctrine are to bee known and considered of vs. First if the soule were not of an immortall Nature the godly of all other should be most wretched their life most miserable vnlesse they did beleeue that a time of refreshing should come from yâ presence of God and contrarywise the condition of the vngodly should be most blessed and happy This the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 15 19 20. And if the soule did not remaine after this life being separate from the body all Religion and piety were in vaine our preaching and your faith were in vaine Why are we in ieopardy euery houre and why suffer we affliction for righteousnes sake nay why do we not eate and drink for to morrow we must dye Reason 2 Secondly nothing that is immortall and transitory can cite a man before Gods Tribunall or terrifie for sinne vnknowne to any other But the soule of man accusing him for secret sinnes makâth him hold vp at his hand at the barre of Gods iudgement seate This we see in Belteshazzer when he saw the palme of the hand that wrote vpon the plaister of the wall of his palace Daniel 5 6. His countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his knees smote one against another Before he was thus awaked he contemned the true God and blessed his Idols but when God manifested a small token of his power and presence he did shake tremble euery ioynt of him for feare of that sight This is the iustice of God reuenging the sinne of men that they should tremble at his iudgements that wretchedly abuse his mercies The like example we see in Felix albeit he loâked for a bribe and set iustice to sale at offer and proffer yet when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come he quaked and quiuered at that discourse and was not able to endure the mention of it Now if the soule were subiect to mortality and to perish with the body it would not it could not thus accuse man nor draw him before the iudgement seate of God Thirdly the soule of man can reason of immortality Reason 3 it is vnsatiable in seeking knowledge and is not changed or altered with the estate of the body it contenteth not it selfe to rest satisfied with any thing in this life The more it knoweth 1 Cor. 8 â the more it coueteth desireth to know the more it is able to learn It desireth blessednesse and happines it respecteth glory and good estimation after death it hath many actions and operations aboue sense and the naturall appetite of the body as to loue God to feare God to put our trust in him to beleeue in him to imbrace religion to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of hart The senses of the body cannot climbe and ascend so high to know God and to meditate on heauenly things nay they cannot reason define diuide number or order any thing Therefore the soule that performeth these things is a spirituall substance like vnto Angels not subiect to death or mortality Now let vs come to the Vses of this point Vse 1 of Religion and principle of our Fayth First it serueth to confute condemn all Atheists Epicures Libertines Sadduces and the late vpstart family of loue raised out of the ashes of the olde Saduces Ioseph antiâ 18 cap 2 âbel Iudaiâ cap. 7. which deny the immortality of the soule These defie all Religion and deny any spirits either Angels of God or spirits of diuels or soules of men all which standing at defiance against heauen and bidding battel to the Lord himselfe shall one day know that they had once giuen vnto them immortal spirits when they shall be cast into vnquenchable fire and endure euerlasting torments The Euangelist noteth out this damnable sect of