Angel of the Lord had guided them the Arke had gone before them and Manna from heauen had fedde them yet now all is forgotten they beleeue not in God but tempted and prouoked the holy one to anger And yet behold more prouocations then these in these chapters following where we shall see how they complaine and cry out through scarsity of water and through wearinesse of their life when they were stung with the fiery serpents But let vs consider the words of Scripture as they lie in order in this chapter 1 Then the children of Israel came with the whole Congregation into the desert of Zin in the first Moneth and the people abode at Kadesh and Miriam died there and was buried there 2 And there was not water for the Congregation and they assembled against Moses and against Aaron 3 And the people chid with Moses spake saying But would wee had perished when our brethren died before the Lord. 4 And wherefore haue yee caused the Congregation of the Lord to come into this wildernesse that we and our cattell should die there 5 And wherefore haue yee made vs to come vp from Egypt to bring vs into this miserable place No place for seede nor Figges nor Vines nor Pomgranates Neither is there any water to drinke 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the face of the assembly vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and fell vpon their faces and the glory of the LORD appeared vnto them 7 And the LORD spake vnto Moses saying 8 Take this Rodde and gather thou and thy brother Aaron this Congregation together Of this Râ and the waters gushing out of it ãâã more befââ in the next chapter that ye may speake vnto this Rocke before their eyes and it shall giue foorth his waters and thou shalt bring them waters out of this Rocke so thou shalt giue this Congregation and their Cattell drinke 9 Then Moses tooke that Rod from the presence of the Lord as he commanded him 10 And Moses and Aaron caused the Congregation to assemble together before that Rocke and he said vnto them Heare now O ye Rebelles shall we bring you waters out of this Rocke 11 Then Moses lift vp his hand and smote that Rocke with his Rod twice and much water gushed out so the Congregation and their Cattell dranke 12 Wherfore the Lord spake to Moses Aaron Because ye haue not beleeued in me to sanctifie me before the eies of the childreÌ of Israel therfore ye shal not bring this CongregatioÌ into the Land which I haue giuen them 13 These are the waters of strife where the children of Israel stroue against the Lord he sanctified himselfe among them In this Chapter we are to consider three seuerall things First the murmuring of the people secondly the purpose of the Israelites to passe toward Canaan by the borders of Edom. Thirdly the death of Aaron in the Mountaine in whose stead Eleazar his sonne succeedeth and for whom the people a long time lamenteth All these particulars are amplified in the beginning of the Chapter by the circumstances of time to wit the first moneth of the 40 yeare after their departure out of Egypt as appeareth chap. 33 38. and likewise of the place ât 2 14. of Kadesh a City in the borders of Edom at which time also Miriam the sister of Aaron and of Moses died These circumstances being set downe the History of their murmuring followeth which we haue often before seene and considered declaring that whensoeuer wheresoeuer any aduersity happened by and by they became impatient vnthankfull and forgetfull of present mercies and fauours A like history to this we saw before Exod. 17. which is not the same recorded in this place but differing in time place as may appeare by collation conference of both the places Now let vs marke their behauiour in this want of water in the wildernesse First they wish they had died by the stroke of Gods hand with the seditious rout of rebels that coÌspired against God whom notwithstanding they call their brethren Secondly they expostulate with Moses and Aaron that they had brought them out of Egypt into the wildernesse being barren without fruite miserable without haruest and dry without water Whereas they should comfort themselues in the former mercies of God rest in the experience of his power and remember his helpe euer ready in time of neede they rise vp against Moses and Aaron in shew but in deed against God whom they serued setting downe their present condition and comparing their abode in Egypt where they had tasted all miseries felt all oppressions and groned vnder the heauy burthens with their present estate to amplifie the woe and wretchednesse therof such is their blindnesse and vnthankfulnesse âmb 12 3. But what doth Moses whose meeke and patient spirit they greeued and whose righteous soule they vexed froÌ day to day with their vngodly murmurings Hee doth not heere turne himselfe to them nor dealeth with them to reclaime them as he did chapter 16. but went with Aaron to God flying to the Tabernacle as to a Sanctuary throwing downe theÌselues on their faces and comforting themselues in his power presence and protection who being alwaies neere to them that call vpon him shewed forth his glory and commanded them to take the Rodde and speake to the Rocke promising them water and assuring them of an happy issue of all their troubles necessities Now as God commandeth so Moses obeyeth and taketh the Rod. Here a question may be asked Question what Rod God meaneth and Moses taketh for we reade of two Rods famous among them and well knowne one the Rod of Moses that he vsed when he kept sheepe in the Land of Midian Exod. 4 2 3 7 8 19 14 1â and 17 5. Numb 17 8. Hebr. 7 4. whereby hee wrought afterward many myracles in Egypt and at the red Sea in the wildernesse the other the Rod of Aaron which did bud and beare blossomes to confirme the calling of Aaron and to declare that God had separated the Tribe of Leui to serue in the Tabernacle I answer Answer we are to vnderstand in this place rather the flourishing Rod of Aaron first because Moses made mention of this in the last place not long before to wit chap. 17 the other is not spoken off in this booke so that we are rather to referre it to Aarons Rod before specified then to the other not named Secondly this serued more fitly and fully to confirme their calling of rule and gouernement ouer the people which by these conspiratours was called into question As if they shold say Do you doubt of our calling aske by what authority we do these things Behold this rod do ye not know it this florishing rod shall conuince you and serue to beare witnesse against you Thirdly Moses and Aaron were fled into the Tabernacle verse 6 now chap. 17 10. it is
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
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
number of all the faithfull that shall possesse the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen prepared for them before the beginning of the world He knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2 19 because all theyr names are written in heauen Lu. 10 20. The contents and diuision of this chap. In this Chapter obserue three things First the numbring of the Israelites which were fit for warre Secondly the commandement of God touching the diuiding of the Land of Canaan among them Thirdly the numbring of the Leuites who were appointed for the sacred warfare that is to serue the Lord in the Tabernacle In the numbring of the people fit to beare armes we may see the commandement of God and the execution of the commandement The commandement is amplified by the time by the persons that were to number them and by the persons that were to bee numbred and that by their age and ability to go to warre The time of this numbring is said to be after the plague which the learned Iunius vnderstandeth of the plagues mentioned in the 14. chap. whereby God threatened to consume all of them in the Wildernesse by little and little now some and then others according to their manifold deseruings prouocations But this exposition seemeth to mee both to be forced and farre fet and from the purpose First because the Article heere prefixed hath relation rather to one certaine iudgement of God brought vpon them at one certaine time whereas that threatning was executed at diuers and sundry times by the space almost of forty yeares Secondly by the name of plague a violent death sent froÌ God is betokened as for example when a man dyeth suddenly being smitten by some Angel but the former commination doth not specifie any one iudgement of that sort but without any limitation doth generally denounce a consuming of them which might bee done by naturall death Lastly they to whom that threatning is directed perished not with one plague nor after one manner nor at one time but with diuers iudgements in diuers manners and at diuers times Wherefore we must rather vnderstaÌd in this place that plague which is mentioned in the former chapter where foure and twenty thousand dyed for their idolatry and whoredome with the daughters of Moab 1 Cor. 10. The execution of the commandement consisteth of three points being amplified by a declaration of the place where this numbring was made by a comparison of the like example verse 4 and lastly by a particular description of euery Tribe numbred and their families the Tribe of Leui excepted Where obserue that in this rehearsall and enumeration of euery Tribe there is great difference from the former numbring when they came out of Egypt which will appeare by these particular comparisons set before vs. 1. Reuben before 46500. now 43730. 2. Simeon before 59300. now 22200. 3. Gad. before 45650. now 40500. 4. Iudah before 74600. now 76500. 5. Issachar before 54400. now 64300. 6. Zebulun before 57400. now 60500. 7. Manasseh before 32200. now 52700. 8. Ephraim before 40500. now 32500. 9. Beniamin before 35400. now 45600. 10. Dan before 62700. now 64400. 11. Asher before 41500. now 53400. 12. Naphtali before 53400. now 45400. Heere is the same order obserued which we saw before obserued in all which we are to marke that many do now exceed the former account arising to many moe in this latter computation then in the former notwithstanding the many thousands that were weeded out of the hoste of GOD as noysome plants cut vp and cast into the fire and none of the Tribes continued in one stay to teach vs to make our cheefest reckoning of that place where shall be no change any more but we shall be like to the Angels that are in heauen Verse 7 9. These are the families of the Reubenites c. This is that Dathan and Abiram c. who stroue against Moses The history of these seditious persons infecting many others with the leauen of their pride and ambition and carrying them into the pit of destruction with themselues is particularly remembred before chapter 16. They were indeed famous in regard of their places and persons but they become infamous and ignominious by theyr sinne and punishment Obserue from hence Doctrine Sin maketh places peâsons infamoâ That irreligion prophanenesse and impiety make men to be reprochful Of what account and estimation soeuer they are be they neuer so rich high noble renowned in the world how famous and excellent soeuer Countries and Cities be yet this is certaine that sin maketh all places and persons infamous and dishonourable and iustly and worthily powreth disgrace and contempt vpon them as it appeareth afterward in this chap. verse 61 and elsewhere Deut. chapter 29 verses 23 24 25. 1 Kings chapter 9 verses 8 9. Ier. chapter 22 verses 8 9. Wee see this farther in many examples Caine is noted and marked of God for his execrable parricide vnto all posterity Gen. 4 15. The like we might say of Ahaz of whom mention is made to his shame and dishonour that all the glory of his throne the title of a king and the honour of Maiesty is not able to hide and couer the blot and stayne of his offences and therefore the Scripture saith of him This is Ahaz 2 Chron. 28 22. Ieroboam is often saide to haue made Israel to sinne 1 Kings 15 30. Iudas that betrayed his Master is called The childe of perdition Ioh. 17 and is as it were burnt in the shoulder with the letter R and marked out for a reprobate and left vpon record to be a diuell Iohn 6 70. that al which heare of it might feare learne to hate his sinnes So doth the Apostle set downe the names of sundry others that made shipwracke of faith and of a good conscience 1. Tim. 1 15. and 2 Tim. 2 17. 2 Thess 3 14. Heb. 12 16. the prophanenesse also of Esau is remembred The reasons follow First because piety and Reason 1 religion is the honour glory of a kingdome or Commonwealth The dignity of any place is the holines of the people that are in it Mat. 2.6 compared with Mic. 5 2. So Moses telleth Israel that if they keepe the statutes of God and do them this should be their wisedome and vnderstanding in the sight of the Nations which should heare these statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and vnderstanding people Deut. 4 6. So then all honour and glory standeth in yeelding obedience to Goâ Secondly sinne is a most foule and filthy thing in the sight of God Reuelat. 3 18 and 16 15. Lam. 1 9. and therefore it is compared to an vncleane cloth spotted with the flesh Esay ch 64 verse 6. Iude verse 23. and to the blood of pollution Ezek. chap. 16 6 9 22 and to a dead carrion in a Toombe Math. 23 27 28. Thirdly sinne bringeth vs out of loue with God and consequently bringeth the hatred of
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
Tribes and families of Israel and hauing seene what forces and number of men fit to beare armes were found in euery Tribe from 20. yeares of age vpwards hee appointed vnto them by direction from the Lord such Princes and Leaders as in worth and reputation were in euery Tribe most eminent Numb 1 46. The number of the whole army was 603550. men for the warres besides women and children also beside the strangers which followed them out of Egypt This great body of an army was diuided by Moses into foure grosse and mighty Battalions each of them containing the strength of three whole Tribes hauing Captains and Colonels appointed vnto them Thus did the blessing which Israel gaue to his children and God himselfe before to Israel take place among them In the middest of the foure great armies sorted vnder their seuerall standards was the Tabernacle Numb 3 8 as a portable or mooueable Temple carryed which was surrounded by the Leuites and the Leuites also by the other Tribes so that not onely the Pagans and Heathens were forbidden accesse vnto it Verse 38 but the sentence of death passed vpon euery soule of the Israelites themselues that durst approach it who were not of the Leuites to whom the charge was wholly committed So sacred was the Tabernacle of the Congregation Numb 1 39 and with such reuerence garded and regarded that two and twenty thousand Priests were dedicated to the seruice and attendance thereof For as the industry in framing euery the least part thereof the curious worke-manship bestowed vpon it Exod. 31 3 4 and the charge and expences about it were exceeding great so the dutifull obseruance in the preseruing and laying vp of the holy vessels the solemne remoouing thereof the vigilant eye in attending thereon together with the prudent and prouident defence of the same serued to procure all due reuerence to the holy things of God and to encrease zeale and deuotion in such as approached neere vnto him euen as on the other side this is the maine cause of the prophanation of the Sacraments and of the contempt of the Word and Prayer and of so little practise of true piety among vs because there is so little feare and reuerence in the hearts of men towards the worship of God and the parts thereof Great was the zeale and forwardnesse both of Princes and people as appeareth both in making the Tabernacle and all manner of worke for the seruice of the Sanctuary Exod. 36 5. in offering afterward For after that Moses had taken order for all things necessary written in the Lawes numbred his armies and diuided them into seuerall Regiments or squadrons whereof the Tribe of Iudah led the Vantgard the twelue Princes or Commanders of the Tribes renowned of the Congregation and the heads of thousands in Israel Numb 1 16. brought their Offerings before the Lord to wit sixe couered Chariots and twelue Oxen to draw them therby to transport as they marched the parts of the Tabernacle Numb 7 2. with all the appurtenances the Sanctuary onely excepted which for more reuerence and regard was carried vpon the shoulders of the sonnes of Kohath vnto whom that care and charge was commited Numb chap. 3. verse 31. Neuerthelesse after so many mercies of God vpon them hauing seene so many miracles shewed so many victories atchieued so many remissions obtained so many benefites receiued and so many iudgements inflicted vpon the disobedient yet they as a stubborne and rebellious generation a generation that set not their heart aright Psalme 78 8. whos 's spirit was not stedfast with God neuer ceased to prouoke him by their sinnes and oftentimes as it were made a generall Conspiracy against him and Moses his seruant so that Miriam and Aaron were not free Arist Rhetor. lib. 2. cap 24. Numb 12.1 verifying the saying of the Philosopher ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Euen a mans Kindred know how to enuy at him But among all other mutinies and murmurings recorded in this Booke none was greater then that which happened after the returne of the twelue Aduenturers or Discouerers sent out by Moses into the Territories of Canaan as wel to informe themselues of the force of the inhabitants and fertility of the Countrey as also to take knowledge of the Wayes Passages Riuers Foards Plaines and Mountaines thereof that nothing might be hidden from them For the wrath of God was turned against Israel being kindled by the violent breath of their rebellion Numb 14.22.30.31 so that hee punished the same in a most fearefull manner Iude verse 5. and almost extinguished euery soule of the whole multitude which he had brought out of Egypt for onely two Caleb and Ioshua were excepted And albeit Moses was the mildest and meekest man vpon the earth Numb 12.3 and often prayed vnto God for them to renew his wonted mercies and to consider that theyr destruction would encrease the pride of the Heathen Nations both of the Egyptians from whence they came Numb 24 13. and of the Canaanites to whose Land they were going and preuayled by his wonderfull prayers with him For the prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it be feruent as the Apostle Iames saith chapt 5. verse 16. yet they ceased not to murmure against him witnesse heereof amongst others the insolent behauiour and conspiracy of Korah Dathan and Abiram and their Partisans Numb 16. verse 1. who for the contempt of God and his Ministers and seeking to ouerthrow the order and discipline of the Church were some of them swallowed vp aliue and by the earth opening her mouth deuoured others euen two hundred and fiftie in number which offered Incense with Korah their Captaine were consumed with fire from heauen besides fourteene thousand and seuen hundred which iustified the former mutiny were stricken dead with a sodaine pestilence as Numb 16. verse 49. Thus while the wicked multitude vsurped ecclesiasticall authority and endeauoured to subuert the power of the Church-gouernment and to bring in a parity that is an horrible confusion by making all men alike by pretending that all the Congregation are holy euery one of them as Numb 16. verse 3. and by rebelliously contending against the high Priest and the cheefest Magistrate to whom God committed the ouersight of all the Almighty altered the course of Nature that They dyed not the common death of all men neither were visited after the visitation of other men Verse 29. but he made a new thing and wrought one of the greatest wonders and myracles which fell out in all the time of Moses his gouernment And the better to assure his people and in his great goodnesse to confirme them touching the election of Aaron and his sonnes to the Priesthood it pleased him also to approoue the same by a great miracle of the Twelue Rods giuen in by the hands of the twelue Tribes of which Moses receyued one of euerie Head and Prince of his Tribe all which being
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
to do the duties proper to their calling For while they labour in the one they cannot labour in the other and if they be present at the one they are absent from the other But the calling of the Minister requireth personall paines and admitteth not an ordinary Deputy no more then the Leuites could put out their charges to others who are reproued by the Prophet Because they kept not the ordinances of the Lords holy things Ezekiel 44 8. and themselues had set others to take the charge of his Sanctuary Neither can this be any discharge vnto vs that we haue others to labour for vs men of gifts knowledge seeing as the charge is ours and belonging to our persons so the discharge should also be ours and touch our owne persons But of this wee haue already spoken more at large elsewhere * In the exposition of Philemon and therefore will omit it referring the Reader to that place for farther resolution Secondly this doctrine serueth for comfort Vse 2 to all those that are true-hearted Leuites and leaue all by-matters that stand not with their calling to serue God aright in their places If we bee truely answerable to the weight and worthinesse of our Ministery and are carefull to bring foorth the fruites thereof and are faithfull in performing the duties that God hath bound vs vnto we may say with the Apostle 2 Tim. 4 7 8. I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is laide vp for me the crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that time and not to mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing Paul at this time was neere vnto death and the day of his departure was at hand was he now without comfort or did he doubt of Gods fauour No he was not afraide of death but alwayes acknowledgeth it should be gaine and advantage vnto him Phil 1 21 23 so that hee desired to be eased and to bee with Christ which is best of all What was then his comfort and wherein did his reioycing consist In that hee had faithfully done the duties of his calling and kept faith and a good conscience This point doth more liuely and notably appeare in Christ our Sauior in that comfortable prayer which hee offered vp as Incense vnto his Father making intercession for vs I haue glorified thee on earth I haue finished the worke thou gauest me to do Iohn 17 4 6. I haue declared thy Name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the world thine they were and thou gauest them me and they haue kept thy word This worke of redemption and reconciliation of man is proper to Christ but euery Minister in his calling doth glorifie God and shall receiue glory of the Father whose worke he hath finished whose name he hath declared whose word he hath published If he that giueth a cup of cold water shall not goe away vnrewarded surely hee that hath distributed the bread of life with a free hand the water of life with a full cup shall receiue a Prophets rewarde which the Prophet of all Prophets shall giue vnto him To this purpose Daniel to comfort such as should suffer death in the troublesome times bloody persecutions vnder Antiochus saith Dan. 12 3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for euer euer A notable encouragement this is vnto vs to do our duties we rise not early late we watch not we wake not in vaine for nothing though we haue a cold reward many times for our paines of our vnthankfull people God that setteth vs on worke and seeth our harts wil in his good time remember our effectuall faith and diligent loue and the patience of our hope in Iesus Christ To this purpose the Apostle Peter putteth vs in good assurance of a sure recompence 1 Pet 5 4 Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vpon you c and when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory Here is a duty a dignity a work a reward a direction a consolation If we care for the flocke more then for our selues the great Shepheard of the sheepe will make vs partakers of euerlasting life But if wee enter vpon the flocke for the fleeces sake and doe that which wee doe constrainedly not willingly wee haue our reward we cannot looke for any recompence at his hands that is the great owner of the sheepe Woe vnto all such idle Shepheards their estate shall be fearefull in the fearefull day of account who haue gifts giuen them and haue not vsed them to the comfort of themselues to the benefit of the people to the glory of the giuer These are like vnto the Ostrich which hath wings but flieth not with them so they haue gifts but they imploy them not and it had bin better for them that they had neuer receiued them then to receiue them and not to bestow them to those ends for which they were first giuen The stomacke that receiueth meate into it carieth it ouer to other parts and keepeth it not to it selfe from whence followeth the health and strength of the whole body Thus ought it to be with all those that haue obtained knowledge and other gifts they must turne them and transmit them to the good of euery part but if they keepe them locked in their owne brest they wil putrifie corrupt as meate retained still in the stomacke neuer digesteth What comfort can these men haue when they shall go the way of all flesh Nay what discomfort shall they not finde what horror and feare shall they not feele to consider how vnprofitable seruants they haue bin But if we haue receiued gifts and haue beene conscionable in the vsing of them wee haue comfort in God that he will receiue vs and reward vs. Though our gifts be small yet if we haue laboured to vse them well we shal be accounted good and profitable and faithfull seruants Vse 3 Thirdly it is required of euery Minister to be painefull in his place and to preach in season and out of season and to giue attendance on the flocke Ouer which the holy Ghost hath made him Ouerseer We must therefore be faithfull in our callings obseruing therein two rules first looking to our selues secondly to the flocke or people committed to our charge It is not sufficient for vs to teach the will of God to others but wee must doe it our selues Our Sauiour requireth of his Disciples not onely to preach to others but themselues to obserue his Commandements Math. 5 19. Whosoeuer shall breake one of these least Commandements and teach men so hee shall bee called least in the Kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them the same shall be called
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
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
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
partakers of them The Apostle speaking of the word of God in his Epistle to the Galatians declareth that by the preaching thereof Christ Iesus was so cleerely set foorth Gal. 3 1. that he was as it were crucified among them much more may this bee saide of the Supper of the Lord which is a most liuely remembrance of his death and of the shedding of his most pure and precious blood This vse hath many branches First we must thinke our selues fooles in the matters of God that wee may bee made wise such as thinke themselues wise do thereby professe themselues to be no better then fooles 1 Cor. 3 18. Secondly to account God onely wise yea wisedome it selfe as the wise man saith Prou. 9 1. Wisedome hath built her an house Thirdly adde nothing to the word of the Lord which were to make our selues wiser then God and to shew our selues to bee worse then madde men We must not turne aside to the right hand or to the left Deut. 5 32. Deut. 5 32. and 28 14. nor decline from any of the words which hee hath commanded vs Deut. 28 14. for that were to wrastle against the Lord who is too strong for vs his will must stand vpright when our will shall be ouerthrowne and cast downe to the ground Lastly we must thinke nothing small or little in Gods seruice He tooke order for the least things in the Tabernacle and left them not arbitrary A little thing done amisse bringeth all out of square in the worldly affaires of men and so it is with Gods matters In the businesse that concerneth our selues wherein we take our selues to bee any way interessed we account nothing little if we be iniuried or wronged therein we take it to heart we cannot abide it we storme against theÌ that crosse vs. And shall we thinke God is carelesse what becommeth of his seruice and consequently of his glory Woe vnto vs if we iudge so of honouring him Vse 2 Secondly this serueth seeing all worship of God ought to be guided by his word and directed by his commandement not by the priuate wils of men to reproue the wonderfull pride of men in al ages who haue alwaies presumed to adde somewhat of their owne to the ordinance of God in his worship and accounted it too grosse simplicity to cleaue to the bare and naked word so haue made a mixture of his religion with our owne inuention as it were to sowe our field with diuers seeds The Scribes and Pharisies added the traditions of their fathers as washings of cups of beds and of tables âark 7 3. yea they so abounded in them that they made the Commandements of God of none effect thinking it great reason they should giue place to their deuices The Papists haue added to the word of God apochryphall bookes many vnwritten verites the decrees and decretals the inuentions of their Popes which they hold in as great reuerence as the holy Scriptures They haue added vnto the two Sacraments instituted by Christ fiue other to make the number amount to seuen To baptisme they haue added exorcismes spittle salt creame and other such like trash and trumpery To the Supper they haue added Transubstantiation the reall presence the merit of the worke the Masse propitiatory for the quicke and dead crossings creepings eleuation reseruation preseruation by sea and land in warres and in iournies To the Ministery of Pastours Teachers they haue added an idle rabble of Pope Cardinals Abbots Monkes Fryers Iesuites Votaries Nunnes Acolytes Exorcistes a multitude of drones as croking frogs arising out of the bottomlesse pit To praier and pure inuocation of the Name of GOD they haue added praiers to Saints praiers in a strange tongue praiers before Images and in their Idol Temples praiers said by tale and numbred or rather mumbled vpon their beades their canonicall houres and such like superstitions partly idolatrous and partly heathenish and partly blasphemous Thus they haue corrupted Gods worship and defiled whatsoeuer they touch and turned his truth into a lye It is reported of Gregory Bishop of Rome the best of all those that followed but the worst of theÌ that went before him that in a most greeuous and contagious plague he inuented and appointed sundry superstitions and supplications directed to Saints set downe in the Letany Babing on Leuit 10. not 1. hauing neither commandement nor example nor any warrant in the word but God so reuenged this boldnesse and presumption that in one houre fourescore of those that so praied and rehearsed those suffrages suddenly fell to the earth and breathed out their last breath Thus God disliketh and disclaimeth the deuices of men in his seruice God disliketh the deuises of men in his seruice Col. 2 23. Of all which practises which are no better then meere dotages the Apostle saith They haue a shew of wisedome in will-worship but they bring a bondage to the rudiments of the world froÌ which Christ hath freed vs and therefore ought not to be entangled by them being after the commandements and doctrines of men The heathen knew by the light of nature that euery God must needs bee serued according to his owne will and not according to the will of them that are their worshippers All voluntary worship is vtterly condemned Vatabl. annot in Deut. 4. and GOD tieth vs strictly to his word without adding or diminishing Our good intents cannot preuaile with him when the thing we doe is not warranted vnto vs. Hence it is that the Lord saith not You shall not do euill in your owne eyes but Thou shalt not do that which seemeth good in your owne eyes they must keepe them precisely to his commandements There is a way saith Salomon which seemeth right vnto a man Prou. 14 12. but the issues thereof are the waies of death Wherefore let our conceite be neuer so good yet it profiteth nothing beeing not grounded vpon the word but vpon mans wit Our Sauiour foretelling the troubles that shall come vpon the people of God that professe his Name saith They shall excommunicate you yea the time commeth Iohn 16 2. That whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that he doth God seruice They imagine they do good in such persecutions as no doubt it fell out in Paul before his conuersion What then Shall their good intent excuse their euil actions and go for current paiment with God No in no wise because hee measureth not our dooings by our purposes but by his owne precepts When Peter bad Christ his Maister to pitty and spare himselfe Mat. 16 22. and the Disciples forbad little children to come vnto Christ Mark 10 13. Lu. 9 54 55. and at another time would haue commanded fire to come downe from heauen to consume the Samaritans did they not offend or can any defend them because they had no euill intent Why then is Peter called Satan and bidden to come behind And why are the Disciples reproued
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
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
make thee ruler ouer many things enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. Euery calling fitted vnto vs is as a field giuen vs to till We may praise and commend the greater farmes Virg. Georg. lib. 2. Laudalo ingentia rura Exiguum coâto but it is better to husband the lesser forasmuch as our eye may more easily ouersee it and our losse shall be the lesse if we neglect it We shall finde enough to doe in the manuring of a little ground if we will keepe all things in a right order So it is much more in those places wherein God hath set vs the highest calling deserueth greatest commendation howbeit it draweth with it the greatest duties it requireth the greatest gifts and bringeth the greatest account Wherefore the lesser our calling is the better it may be employed and the more easily it may be dispatched If wee looke into the duties of the lowest callings we shall see they require great labour diligence care and faithfulnesse The greater our emploiment of those gifts hath bin which we haue receiued the more shall our comfort be when we must goe the way of all flesh We see this in the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 4.7.8 who being in a maner at the point of death found great ioy of heart in the remembrance of this that he had endeauoured with a good conscience toward God and man to walk in his calling I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue me at that that day c. Thus it shall be with vs if we walke in his steppes if we bee faithfull in our places we shall find the same comfort in our death and departure out of this world and say with ioy of heart Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Luke 2. The contrary practise will be most fearefull and terrible vnto vs. He that is a wicked man and an vnprofitable seruant and slouthfull that hideth his talent in the earth or smiteth his fellow seruants and beginneth to eate and drinke and to be drunken perswading himselfe that his master delayeth his comming shall haue his talent taken from him and be cast into vtter darkenesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth If then we would haue this comfort to belong vnto vs and this threatning to be put farre from vs we must be carefull to performe the duties both of our generall and speciall callings If we performe the generall common duties of Christianity and yet faile in the particular parts of our callings we shall want this ioy of heart which we desire to feele in our selues Euery one hath a double calling Euery one of vs hath a double calling and we must shew our selues to be the seruants of God not onely in doing generall duties as in coming to Church in hearing the word in receiuing the Sacraments in following peace and walking in righteousnesse but also by employing our selues in our particular vocations as in being a Magistrate or Minister or housholder or subiect or seruant or child or Artificer or husband or husbandman and such like that so we may please God by bearing our selues in them with good conscience and therby receiue occasion to reioyce before him There can be no comfort vnto them that they belong to God in Iesus Christ that do follow the generall and faile in their particular calling The Minister that liueth in all common duties vnblameable in life deuout in prayer feruent in loue carefull in the fruits of righteousnesse cannot comfort himselfe if hee bee a dumbe dogge and an idle shepheard not able to guide the people of God and to feed them with the wholesome word of life Forasmuch as he is an euill Minister and a fearefull woe pertaineth vnto him 1 Cor. 9.17 The gouernour of a family that regardeth not the education of his children in the feare and information of the Lord and to prouide necessary things for them so farre as God shall inable him with a good conscience is a wicked parent howsoeuer hee seeme otherwise neuer so deuout and religious What we are in truth is better discerned by our carriage at home then abroad in our priuate families then in the company of others Many are religious because the company is so and because they are present with those that doe affect it But we must not be esteemed iudged off by one brunt or pang which may deceiue our heart shall better be made knowne by our ordinary demeaning of our selues among those with whom we haue our callings It was a notable testimony of true piety a religious heart in Dauid when he professed that he would walke within his house with a perfect heart Psal 101.2 Euery hypocrite will talke of religion when others doe so but we must make it our talke and communication within our houses reforming them according to the ordinance of God and instructing them that liue vnder our roofe in the word of God Lastly it is our dutie as we haue receiued Vse 4 a proper and peculiar calling so to walke in the particular duties of our seuerall callings whereunto we are called that so we may serue him that hath set vs in them and receiue occasion to reioyce before him As he hath called vs so let vs walke whether we be Ministers or people husbands or wiues in Church or Common-wealth This is the generall rule often remembred by the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.20 24. Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called and a little after Let euery man wherein he was called therein abide with God Let vs not stretch our selues beyond the bounds of our calling If the hand through enuy of the greater gifts of the eyes would needes take vpon it to see and by seeing to direct the body or if the eye not contenting it selfe to see for the whole would seeke to speake and vtter a voyce as the tongue if the head would attempt to walke and take vp the office of the feete or if the left hand hauing the same gift with the right would maligne it because it is more apt strong ready quick and able to execute the function belonging vnto it who would not complaine of this confusion as most vnnaturall and monstrous threatning the ruine of the whole body This duty hath many branches First it teacheth that euery one ought to haue a proper and personall calling wherein he is to walke diligently carefully and painefully whether he be high or low rich or poore bond or free all without exception must haue a particular vocation of his owne Christ is called in the Gospel the Carpenter Mar. 6.3 Moses kept his fathers sheepe Exo. 3.1 Psal 78.72 Ephe. 4. ââ Dauid followed the Ewes great with young Euery one must labour working
the high Maiesty of God Is not euery other word almost an oath can they speake without it Is it not become in the opinion and practise of the most sort a grace and ornament to their speech and a gentlemanlike exercise Are they not accounted fools and Puritanes that vse it not themselues or seeke to reprooue it represse it in others Some wil say It is a foolish custome that I haue gotten and I cannot leaue it but I meane no harme or hurt by it to any man Thus doe men goe about to excuse sinne which they haue no purporse to forsake but rather a desire to continue in it Doe you call it a foolish custome nay it is a vile wicked custome Giue it his true name and disguise it not name the child aright call it with Christ a diuellish custome it commeth of that euill one Matt 5 3â This is so common a sin among men and women among old and yong hath taken such deep roots that the axe of Gods word and of his iudgements cannot cut it downe The fathers infect their children and one learneth of another vntill the greatest part are become licentious and abominable Let vs come to the sanctification of the Sabboth the more many heare of it the oftner the commandement is vrged vnto them and pressed vpon them the more dissolute and disordered they grow in the prophanation of it They cannot be ignorant that they ought not to follow their pleasures on that day but to call the Sabboth a delight ãâã 8.13 and honour him on it not doing their owne wayes nor finding their owne pleasure nor speaking their owne words but when this holy day of the Lord cometh they forget all their pleasures so round them in the eare that they runne madding euery one after his owne vanities and the least occasion draweth them from the exercises of religion as if they meant to bid defiance to God and to prouoke him to battell which they doe against their owne soules For are we stronger then he or able to make our party good against him No no we deceiue our selues we are no fit matches to deale with him who is able to arme the smallest weakest creatures to our confusion Vse 5 Fiftly we haue al need of patience without which we shall neuer be able to goe through with our obedience It is no easie thing to yeeld obedience We haue many enemies and oppositions that stand in our way to hinder vs. We haue many corruptions within vs we haue the world a thousand allurements without vs all of them set in battell aray to encounter with vs. We are like ground that yeeldeth nothing of it selfe but thornes and thistles without much labor and paines without often ploughing and tilling and turning vp Hence it is that the Apostle intreateth the Hebrewes ãâã 13.22 and beseecheth them to suffer the words of exhortation We doe not easily brooke and digest the word but with great difficulty It is hard meat lying heauy vpon the stomack and will not soone concoct To mortifie sinne is to deny our selues and as it were to cut off the right hand and to pluck out the right eye Mat. 5. It is not done without great greefe and anguish It is almost death to the Swearer to obey this exhortation My brethren sweare not at all Iam. 5. It is as painefull to him as if you cut off a peece of his tongue or sewed vp his lips or dashed out his teeth It is in effect to strike off a limbe to tell the drunkard he must liue sober and not run into excesse and that drunkards shall not inherite the kingdome of God he iudgeth it so hard a doctrine as if he were in danger to die for thirst Seeing therefore obedience to the word is painefull wee haue need of patience to stay vs vp that wee shrinke not away and goe cleane backeward Besides we do not by by enioy the promises that God maketh vnto vs they are for an appointed time he will try vs in waiting for theÌ So he dealt with Abraham he had promise of a sonne but it was not immediately accomplished he was faine to expect long time for it So the Psalmist speaking of Ioseph confirmeth notably this point He had sundry dreames which were predictions and presages of his future aduancement yet after this he was solde for a seruant his feet were hurt with fetters Psal 105.19 and he was laid in yron vntil the time that his word came the word of the Lord tryed him Wee must bee faithfull vnto the death and then we shall receiue the crowne of life God tryeth vs all at one time or other and one way or other wee see not his promises by and by performed vnto vs let vs wait for them with patience and put on the hope of saluation as a shield for surely they wil come and he that hath spoken the word cannot lie Lastly we must here endure sundry afflictions and shall meete with many scornes and scoffes of wicked men seeking to turne vs from our due obedience to God and his word and therefore we haue need of patience to hold vs constantly in the faith without wauering Heb. 10.36 Christ Iesus forewarning his disciples what troubles hanged ouer their heads that they shal be persecuted and deliuered vp to the Synagogues and into prisons and be brought before kings rulers for his Names sake giueth them this exhortation Luke 21.19 In your patience possesse ye your soules As Ismael persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit euen so it is now and euer will be Gal. 4.29 Many haue turned backe from the trueth through these tentations They cannot abide to be reuiled though it be for righteousnesse sake Let vs not thinke the Christian mans life to bee an easie and lazy life nor the way to it pleasant nor the gate that leadeth and openeth to it broad and wide it is a continuall warfare 2. Tim. 2 3. suffer affliction as a good souldier of Iesus Christ Heerupon we are charged to striue to enter in at the streight gate Mat. 7. There is no saluation without striuing we must suffer many a blow and endure many a wound We must be content to beare many showers and sharpe stormes The husbandman suffereth much labour before he reapeth We must not dreame of the victory before the battell Our Sauiour speaking of the good and sauing hearer of the word such as all of vs ought to be describeth him by these notes Luke 8.5 that with an honest and good heart he heareth the word keepeth it and bringeth forth fruit with patience This is so excellent a vertue that God vouchsafeth to be called the God of patience Rom. 15. When once wee beginne to yeeld obedience to the word and to frame our liues according thereunto and to bring forth the fruits worthy amendment of life when we are freed from the tyranny of Satan and made citizens of
to all Churches therefore hee reprooued them because they neglected an ordinary duty Secondly he commandeth them that themselues should take him away saying Put him out from among you but it had beene vnreasonable to require a myracle at their handes which he knew they were not able to worke Thirdly if he had intended such a miraculous action as they performed against hypocrites and enemies of the truth what neede had there beene of a solemne assembly and consent of the Church But in putting of him out the Congregation had an interest ver 4. When ye are gathered together c my spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ âr 5 4. Fourthly this appeareth also by the ende for which he was to be deliuered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may bee saued in the day of the Lord Iesus âr 5 5. that is that he may repent of his wickednesse in this life and so be saued in the life to come This also is noted to be the end wherefore he deliuered Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme that is that they might renounce their heresies and imbrace the true faith and so repent of their former impiety and iniquity Therefore hee would not haue him smitten with sudden death and taken out of this life and so the time and gift of repentance to be cut off from him Fiftly what it is to deliuer to Satan and to take away the Apostle expresseth in other places keepe not company with them with such eate not purge out the old leauen that they may blush and be ashamed so amend their euill waies Sixtly if this had beene meant of such extraordinary punishments the Apostle might haue done this by his Apostolicall authority and needed not to haue troubled the whole Church with it Seuenthly that which the Apostle heere commanded the Church no doubt practised but they did not take him away out of this world by any myracle neyther deliuered him to bee possessed and punished bodily by the diuell but rather proceeded against him with the censures of the Church as appeareth in the second Epistle where he willeth them to comfort him being afflicted âor 2 6 7. to receiue him being penitent and to cure him beeing wounded Lastly if he had willed them to kill him he had willed them to rush into the Magistrates seate which he would neuer doe for this is proper to the Magistrate alone that beareth the sword Seeing therefore we haue the commandement of Christ and the practise of the Apostle to warrant the sentence of excommunication there shall alwayes bee place for it in the Church euen where the Christian Magistrate is setled established Paul would haue them assemble together in the Name of Christ âor 5 12. that is by his will commandement and afterward hee sheweth that the Churches office is to iudge them that are within albeit the Magistrate haue a sword put into his hand by the ordinance of GOD. What then There is a twofold sword materiall and spirituall he taketh vp the materiall sword and striketh with it The Church handleth the spirituall sword which is the word of God so that the Magistrate taketh away the wicked one way the Church another way The Magistrate killeth and taketh away life if the cause require the Church medleth not with corporall punishment and shedding of blood The Magistrate proceedeth directly according to the Lawes against offenders albeit they repent because he respecteth the execution of iustice and the reuenge of the dishonour done to God The Church proceedeth not in that order but obserueth the degrees appointed by Christ Math. 18 15. If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene him and thee alone c and if the offenders repent they are ready to forgiue theÌ For this is the marke whereat excommunication aymeth and the end whereto it tendeth that the sinners being ashamed may be brought to repeÌtance that such as liue in the church might not be corrupted forasmuch as a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe Lastly it may be said that we should rather Obiection 3 labour how and which way to bring more into the Church then to exclude any out of the Church Men are ready to goe faââ enough out of it but they returne slowe enough to it We are to endeuour to call men to the Sacraments which are encouragements to godlinesse rather then to keepe them froÌ them for their wickednesse It is a signe we lacke charity toward them when wee hide from them that which should do them good I answer Answer it is our duty to do both of them to wit both to encourage them to godlines and yet to keepe them from them so long as they lye in open wickednes not repented of not the first without the latter nor the latter without the first lest wee bee compelled to giue that which is holy to dogges Did the Lord himselfe want charity toward Adam wheÌ he sent him forth from the Garden of Eden Gen. 3 22. lest he put foorth his hand and take also of the Tree of life and eate liue for euer The Sacraments of God cannot profite or helpe wicked men The Supper of the Lord is onely auaileable and comfortable vnto them which come worthily to wit with true repentance with sound faith and with vnfained charity touching others it turneth to greater iudgement and condemnation This doth the Apostle teach 1 Corin. 11 27. Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Is it not a worke of charity to stay his course that is running into daÌger and like to hurt himselfe to hinder our brother from such an action as that he eateth iudgement to himselfe and maketh himselfe guilty of horrible sinne This were a strange kinde of charity to suffer a man to thrust himselfe through with his sword or to cast himselfe downe headlong from a steepe Rocke when we may hinder him from so doing The Apostle Iude giueth vs other direction in his Epistle that we should haue compassion of some making a difference and others saue with feare Iude 22 23. pulling them out of the fire Wherefore there is no wrong done to impenitent persons if they be excommunicated and consequently barred from the Supper but rather a great benefit is bestowed vpon them and their saluation furthered by this means Neither let any say Obiect that the Church vsurpeth vpon the Magistrate and taketh from him his office For if this were a good reason Answer it was neuer lawfull neither euer shall bee for the Church to excommunicate any offenders because it belongeth to the Magistrate as his duty to punish offences whether he be a Christian or no Christian How then is it that wee take away this authority from the Church in the time of a
eternall glory we must bee more then flesh blood Thou wilt therfore be ashamed to confesse that thou vnderstandest by flesh and blood that thou art nothing but a lumpe of flesh What then art thou flesh in part spirit in part as thou must acknowledge thy self to be if thou be the Lords Why then dost thou not performe the workes of the spirit Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do sauour the things of the flesh Ver. 6 but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit To be carnally minded is death Verse 7. but to be spiritually minded is life and peace The carnall minde is enimity against God Verse 13. for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be If ye liue after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body Ver. 14. ye shal liue For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of GOD Vers 8. so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God Thus we see that the flesh and the spirit are alwayes opposed the one to the other so that by this wee may prooue our selues whether we be regenerate or not Let vs not therefore boast our selues that we are flesh blood forasmuch as such as are onely flesh cannot yet assure their owne hearts that they are the Lords Obiect 5 Fiftly it may be obiected that to repulse wrong is a note of courage and fortitude and to put vp wrong a token of pusillanimity and of a faint heart If then I must not reuenge I shall be accounted not onely a foole but a dastard and coward Answer I answere this is no better then the diuels sophistry and openeth a gap to the common practise that is in the world to quarrell for euery word speaking It is no argument of courage to be ready to draw the sword and dagger but rather of rashnes headinesse vnstayednesse and of a ruffian like spirit And it is no disgrace to be of a bearing and forbearing nature Our chiefest honour consisteth in fighting against sin vnto the death and shewing all might and manhood in the subduing of it He is stronger that ouercommeth his owne passions then he that winneth a city We must remember that we are made kings and Priests vnto God the Father and therefore let vs not make our selues slaues and captiues to Satan to sin and to the world This then serueth to meete with three sorts of men Perk. on Mat. 5.39 to condemne their euil courses whose whole life pleadeth for nothing more theÌ priuate reuenge First they are reproued that for euery crosse word supposed iniury are ready to challenge one another into the field the accepting of that challenge when it is giuen This fighting a single combat is vnlawfull That which the naturall man accounteth valour God esteemeth a vice and therefore it is no disgrace to refuse it but rather true grace in yeelding obedience vnto God For we must set down this as a rule that no man must sinne against God for the sauing of his credit reputation among men And if we did duly consider what sin is against whom it is committed and what punishment is procured therby vpon our selues we would neuer question the former ground set downe vnto vs. Secondly out of the case of challenging the field the common practise of fighting quarrelling is condemned which are no better then forerunners of murther and haue a bloody face in the sight of God The Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 3 1â Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Many there are that hold it vtterly vnlawfull to giue the first blow but if another strike them then they thinke that therby they are warranted to strike againe If any giue the occasion of a fray they hold him worthy to be condemned but if they be prouoked by another they account themselues to be bound to returne him the like This is directly contrary to the doctrine of Christ whereunto all must submit themselues that wil be the disciples of Christ He would haue vs take many wrongs and not seeke to reuenge our selues And it is contrary to the practise of Christ and of his Apostles When one of the officers of the high Priest smote Iesus with the palme of his hand Ioh. 18. ââ because he held his peace would answer nothing he smote not againe as these men thinke he was bound to do for his honour But this was no disgrace or reproch to Christ how then should it be any shame for a true Christian We will needs be accounted Christians whosoeuer say nay but we scorne and disdaine to follow the example of Christ Act. 23.1 Ananias the high Priest commanded them that stood by to smite Paul on the mouth he reprooueth him fot it but he smote not againe this was no infamy but a glory vnto him Lastly their opinion also is condemned that make it a matter of praise and an argument of valour to turne away his face froÌ no man This indeed is foole-hardinesse It is the commendation of Magistrates to be men of courage to feare the face of God but not the faces of men They must accept no mans person in iudgement neither decline to the right hand or to the left But a priuate man may turne his backe to his aduersary without any impeachment of his credit or diminishing of his valor or lessening of his honor or slander to his reputatioÌ But of this we haue spoken sufficiently before therfore we wil proceed Lastly it may be obiected that vnder the Obiect law of Moses when any man had killed his neighbour the auenger of blood might slay the murtherer whensoeuer and wheresoeuer he met him Numb 35 19. If a man had killed any person at vnwares and hated him not before he must flie to one of the Cities of refuge and abide in it vnto the death of the high Priest which was annointed with the holy oyle but if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the Citty of refuge whither he was fled ãâã 27. and the reuenger of blood finde him without the borders of the City of his refuge and the reuenger of blood kill the slayer he shall not be guilty of blood If then he be not guilty of blood how is it that God aloweth no priuate reuenge but commandeth to render good for euill to pray for them that curse vs and to doe good to our enemies and such as persecute vs I answer the politicke lawes serue not to bring men to perfection such as are made for ciuill gouernment When God speaketh as king of Israel and maketh statutes tending to outward peace and tranquility he aimed not at the spirituall perfection which is contained in the moral law which is the rule of
neuer regard to pay what they haue borrowed They care not how deepely they runne in other mens bookes and bands but are slacke to returne that is due debt vnto them and to make paiment of that which they owe. This also is a breach of the eighth commandement and made a note of a wicked man by the Prophet Psal 37.21 The wicked borroweth payeth not againe but the righteous sheweth mercy and giueth Heere we see who they are that neuer repay nor restore that which they haue borrowed they are such as are iustly branded with the title of wicked men A litle that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked forasmuch as their riches many times are not their owne if euery bird had his feather and euery owner could get that which hath beene taken from him It is the property of the vngodly to hold fast other mens goods which they can get to themselues These are of two sorts some are rich and some poore There are some rich men who albeit they be proud and prodigall yet are carelesse to pay their debts which through their riotousnesse and excesse they runne into or if they pay them it is so hardly wrested from them that they shew how vnwilling they are therunto If they set men at worke they are backeward to pay them their wages and to giue the recompence of the labours of their hands Others doe store and enrich themselues by borrowing wares and other like commodities and then of purpose breake rather then of necessitie if they be cast into prison they liue delicately and at ease with their stollen goods as I haue shewed at large elsewhere Thus are many poore men âent on âde ver 20. ãâã Doct. 1. their wiues children oftentimes vndone by these bankroutes of whom we may say it skilled not if they were also neck-rupt rather then so many innocents should perish through their wickednesse Some againe are of the poorer sort and earne their liuing by daily labour who had rather follow idlenesse and liue of other mens purses then busie themselues painfully in their callings These are constrained through their owne folly to borrow what they can and are so importunate sometimes by complaint and sometimes by flattery that they get money into their hands of other mens and when they once can seaze vpon it as a prey or booty they no sooner obtaine it but they lauish it out in eating in drinking in gaming in feasting and good fellowship as they call it as if they had found a treasure or as if it had bin freely giuen them and as if they should neuer giue an account for it or restore it to the owner These men when they are asked againe those things which they haue receiued do reproch their creditors and returne vnto them euill words for their good wils They are not ashamed to tell them that they are no Christians that aske againe that which they haue lent and by such like cozening tricks they seeke to delude and doe dally with their creditors When they come to borrow they speake with other tongues and haue learned another language then their wordes are softer then butter then they will promise any thing But when the day of restoring commeth they haue forgotten their owne words and they haue lost the conscience which before they seemed to haue had so that wee may say to them as it is in the Psalme Psal 52.3.4 Thou louest euill more then good and lying rather then to speake righteousnesse thou louest all deuouring words O thou deceitfull tongue Both these kindes of men are to be auoided of vs and their practises are to be abhorred as they that sauour altogether of impiety and no whit beseeme the profession of Christianity Secondly it is not sufficient for men to get Vse 2 goods into their hands a thing that most men doe ayme after by raking and scraping and scratching to become rich but they must know how they are gotten and with what conscience they are kept and detained forasmuch as goods euilly gotten shall neuer prosper but will surely bring vengeance vpon their heads which withhold them as Prou. 22 16. He that oppresseth the poore to encrease his riches shall surely come to pouerty We haue many examples of this point left vnto vs in holy Scripture both of the old and new Testament That we should beware by their harmes and be wise by their falles and take heed by their ruines Achan did steale away the wedge of gold and a Babylonish garment but it cost him his life Iosh 7.25 Ahab tooke possession of Naboths vineyard whom he had caused to be stoned to death but it brought the destruction of him and his posterity 1 King 21.19 Gehazi coueted after an euill couetousnesse and gaue himselfe to receiue bribes 2 King 5.27 but he gat with it the leprosie so that his losse was a thousand times greater then his gaines Iudas sold his master for thirty peeces of siluer but he was neuer quiet after he had receiued it so that he brought backe the money and went and hanged himselfe Matth. 27.5 The like we might say of Balaam who loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse and was hyred with loue of reward to curse the people of God he went his way without his hyre and lost his life among the Midianites Numb 31.18 It is not enough to get goods but we must get them iustly and lawfully It is not enough to eate bread according to the exhortatioÌ of the Apostle 2 Thes 3.11 12. We heare that there are some which walke among you disorderly working not at all but are busi-bodies them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietnesse they worke and eat their own bread Our Sauiour teacheth vs to aske at the hands of God the Father our daily bread Matt. 6.11 and not other mens For it is so called because it is gotten by our lawfull labour and by honest meanes and is prouided for vs of his liberality If we doe not consider this carefully wee may get goods and withall get a curse with them so long as we haue the least iot of other mens in our owne keeping And howsoeuer we iudge of our selues we are no better theÌ theeues so long as we retain in our houses or our hearts other mens goods Let vs remember the saying of the Apostle Ephes 4.28 Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Many there are that make no difference betweene their owne and other-mens as if all things were common They care not whose they haue so that they haue what they lacke It is sweet vnto them whatsoeuer they can fasten and lay hold vpon But euill gotten goods goe neuer alone the curse of God doth euer go with theÌ which will bring vpon them all miseries of soule
performed by and by we are not to prescribe to God his seasons hee knoweth when to strike and how to punish It is well said by the Prophet Hab. 2 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lie though it tarry waite for it because it will surely come it will not tarry For albeit God may seeme to vs to deferre the time or to forget his seruants yet he will try our patience and obedience as wee see in the place named before Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints Reuel 13 10. We must not make too much haste but wait for the accomplishment of those things hauing withall a liuely faith and full assurance to beleeue that in Gods appointed time they shall come to passe He is faithfull that hath promised and cannot lye he is true of his word that hath spoken and cannot deceiue Woe therefore vnto all those that deale vniustly and violently with Gods inheritance they touch his annointed and they that do them harme do touch the apple of his eye so that they cannot escape vengeance Ver. 28. And if the woman bee not defiled but be cleane then she shall be free In the former verse Moses hath shewed the punishment that shal come vpon the guilty person which punishment is sutable to the sinne committed thereby to cleere his owne iustice and to terrifie all persons from committing sinne In these wordes wee haue matter of wonderfull great comfort for the innocent person For howsoeuer GOD setteth downe diuers hard and heauy threatnings as greeuous burdens to be borne against all wicked and vngodly persons yet hee is euermore carefull of his children that they be not oppressed with sorrow and ouermuch heauinesse of minde forasmuch as hee hath a remnant that call vpon him Luke 7. wisedome is alwaies iustified of her children Behold heere a contrary effect and operation in drinking of these bitter waters according to the contrary condition of those that dranke of them Such as were guilty of the sinne of adultery they turned to their horrible destruction and became as it were rank poison their bellies swelled their thighes rotted and the parts which they had shamefully abused miserably perished But such as were indeed innocent suspected without iust cause and accused without due proofe and examined without sufficient triall of the fact committed through the iealousie of their vncharitable husbands and had kept the marriage bed vndefiled those bitter waters should not be bitter vnto them they should not hurt or hinder them at all neither worke any dangerous effect in them but rather bee wholesome and healthfull vnto them God himselfe the iust GOD and the maintainer of iustice will bring the truth to light that was hid in darknesse and turne the hearts of their husbands toward them so that they should liue in godly loue and charity together and see to their endlesse ioy and comfort the fruite of their bodies the hope of their houses the staffe and stay of their age I meane their children the heritage of the Lord. Wee learne from this first promise Doctrine that God maketh knowne the innocency of his seruants God wil mââ the innocency of his seâuants âroââ For howsoeuer the faithfull may be falsely accused and haue many slanderous imputations laide vnto their charge yet God will make their cause to bee rightly knowne and discouer the truth in despight of their enemies This is confirmed vnto vs by many examples in the old and new Testament Ioseph being solde into Egypt was greeuously accused by his mistresse and cruelly imprisoned by his master impudency and incontinency in the one cruelty and credulity in the other Gen. 39 ââ were the causes that he was put into prison in the place where the Kings prisoners lay bound his case might seeme now to be desperate and he to be for euer in displeasure and out of fauour and no hope left vnto him to be deliuered from thence where his feete were held in the stockes and he laid in irons Psal 10â 1â yet when the appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tried him hee made his cause knowne Gen. 39. The Lord was with Ioseph shewed him mercy and got him fauour in the sight of the master of the prison c. Whereby we see that at the first he was vsed hardly and had fetters of iron cast vpon him as an euill dooer but afterward hee was more mildely and mercifully handled when as his innocency was made knowne The like we might say of Dauid who in all his dealings toward Saul carried himselfe wisely obediently and vprightly as became the Kings sonne subiect and seruant yet he was persecuted from place to place and hated euen vnto the death and hunted as a Partridge vpon the Mountaines yea he found no rest for the soles of his feete like the Doue sent out of the Arke in the time of the flood and ouerflowing of the waters Gen. 8 9. But when Saul saw that the lap was cut off from his garment and the speare and pot of water that was at his head taken away he said to Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good and I haue rendred thee euill and thou hast shewed this day that thou hast dealt well with mee forasmuch as when the lord had closed me in thine hands thou killedst me not c. but my soule was precious in thine eyes 1 Sam. 24 18. and 26 20 21. So did God deale with Ieremy when he was slandered and falsely accused to be a conspiratour and to weaken the hands of the people and when he was cast into prison the Lord raised vp some to fauour him who made his case knowne and he was deliuered Christ Iesus was charged to be a blasphemer of God an enemy of Caesar an author of sedition and a disturber of the peace howbeit his greatest enemies that sate in iudgement of him pronounced him innocent and confessed that the Pharisees and Priests for enuy had deliuered him I will adde one example more and that shall be the blessed Virgin who being betrothed to Ioseph before they came together as man and wife shee was found to be with childe by the holy Ghost Math. 1 18 19 20. Then she began to be suspected of incontinency and Ioseph being a iust man and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away seretly What then doth God leaue her destitute and him perplexed her in suspicion and him in his resolution to depart from her No for as she was innocent and not faulty of that crime so did he make her innocency and integrity knowne for whiles he thought these things behold an Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in a dreame saying Ioseph the sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost All which testimonies make
would be thought no strange thing to any but a ground whereunto all persons yeeld against which none dareth oppose himselfe howbeit if we come to their workes and examine their waies into which they are entred we shall see it is farre remooued from their hearts and innermost parts We are not therefore to flatter our selues in our sins as though no eye saw vs or no eare heard vs as the maner of the prophane and vngodly is who say who seeth me I am compassed about with darknesse of the night the walles of the house hide me no body can behold me what need I then to feare There is not one of an hundreth that maketh any bones at sinne so he may cary it away cleerely and closely smoothly and secretly from the sight and knowledge of the world They stand more vpon their credite then vpon their conscience and regard more the shame of men then the feare of God But what shall it profit a man to hide his sinnes from men when they lie open to the eyes of God Nay albeit we thinke our selues neuer so sure and secret yet we doe but deceiue our selues forasmuch as our owne conscience as a thousand witnesses will not be bribed to hold his peace but will reply against vs within our owne bosome and say vnto vs I see thee I wil not keepe thy counsell I will accuse thee I wil bring in euidence against thee I will indite thee and condemne thee So long then as we haue a conscience what are we the better though we haue no body priuy to our sinnes for if our owne heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Ioh. 3.20 The coÌscience is as a watchman set ouer vs to marke all our thoughts ââcond E. that pryeth narrowly into vs that nothing at all can escape him It is as a Scriuener that alwayes holdeth a pen of yron in his hand to write vp all that passeth from vs who doth so firmely ingraue it that nothing shall be able to blot it out It is a faithfull remembrancer to register and record all our actions nothing can escape him that was done or thought or spoken a thousand yeeres agoe This serueth to reprooue all such as thinke to delude God and to hide their dealings from him as the adulterer supposeth to goe in the darke the theefe and murtherer in solitary places but the Lord in his word preuenteth such peeuish and foolish conceits Psal 10.11.13.14 He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will neuer see it wherefore doth the wicked contemne God he hath said in his heart thou wilt not require it But thou hast seene it for thou beholdest mischiefe and spite to require it with thine hand the poore committeth himselfe vnto thee thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Thus we see God is not in all his thoughts So in the 94 Psalme ãâã 78. which we cited before bringing in the vngodly to speake thus The Lord shall not see neither shal the God of Iacob regard it he reproueth them in this manner Vnderstand ye brutish among the people and ye fooles when wil ye be wise They then are deceiued that thinke to escape Gods sight and knowledge Salomon complaining of such as speake euill of Princes and those that are in authority Eccle. 10.20 declareth that rather then it shall be kept secret the fowles of the ayre shall discouer it Eccle. 10.20 and that which hath wings shall tell the matter that is it shall certainely come to light and be set in the sight of the Sunne that all men may see it Much more then will God himselfe finde infinite meanes to lay open the thoughts of our hearts so that nothing shall escape him If Elisha by the Spirit of God was able to disclose the secret counsels of the king of Syria that he plotted and contriued in his secret chamber 2 King 6.12 Shall not God then lay open our secret sinnes that we commit or can we hide them from his sight His eyes are in euery corner of the earth He seeth not as man seeth nor looketh vpon the countenance but God beholdeth the heart euen he that formeth the spirit within him Secondly let no man sin with hope of concealement Vse 2 neither thinke to escape when hee hath sinned He saw the sacriledge of Achan though he committed it secretly none of the people could accuse him or detect him God commanded euery family to appeare before him apart and if hee had not taken him and singled him out neither Ioshua nor the Elders of the people could haue knowne him by all their wisedome and gifts of discerning Iosh 7 1. It was God that found him out that tooke the accursed thing it was not in the power and policy of man to bewray the theft He discouered the hypocrisie of Ananias and Sapphira their counterfeit liberality toward the distressed members of the Church They were taken to be most earnest beleeuers most forward professours and most zealous Christians such as gaue example of a good life vnto others seemed to shine as goodly lights in the firmament neuerthelesse the Spirit of God that searcheth all things did make manifest the hollownesse of their hearts and therefore Peter inspired with knowledge from aboue saith vnto them How is it Act. 5.3.9 that yee haue agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord or why hath Satan filled your hearts to lie to the holy Ghost He saw into the treachery of Iudas when none of the disciples could espie it For when they sate at the Passeouer and Iesus reuealed vnto them that he should be betrayed by one of them that dipped his hand in the platter with him they were very sorrowfull and knew not whom to suspect but one said Master is it I and another said Is it I Mat. 26 22. Mar. 14.19 All these were detected of hypocrisie and all these were punished by the hand of God most seuerely Achan was stoned with stones and burned with fire Iosh 7.25 Ananias and Sapphira were both of them stricken with sudden death and had no time of repentance giuen vnto them for they fell downe straightway at Peters feet Act. 5.5 10.11 yeelded vp the ghost and great feare came vpon all the Church and vpon as many as heard these things Iudas when hee perceiued that Iesus whom he had betrayed was condemned brought back again the thirty peeces of siluer to the chiefe Priests and Elziers and cast them downe in the Temple and departed and hanged himselfe Matth. 27.5 Wee see an this present place which now we haue in hand how the Lord vsed the bitter waters of iealousie to find but the adultresse We doe not find throughout the whole Testament the like solemnity in the searching out of any sin no not idolatry or witch craft or sorcery or blasphemy or murther neither was the person suspected compelled to subscribe to certaine words
hence if wee consider the persons to whom this commaÌdement was giuen For this solemne forme is set not for the simple sort or the most ignorant amongst the people neither appointed to bee vsed within the walles of a priuate house or within the doores of a secret chamber as if it might be ashamed or blush to come abroad but it was appointed to be pronounced by the priests to be vttered not in a corner but in the Congregation of the people and in the Tabernacle of the Lord before many witnesses Now if there were any able of themselues to conceiue a prayer as the Spirit of GOD should giue vtterance and ability vndoubtedly they were the Priests of the Lord Malach. 2 â whose lips must preserue knowledge and the people must seeke the law at their mouthes yet are they both allowed and prescribed to follow a set form in blessing the people Moses a great prophet like to whom did not any arise after him to whom the Lord spake face to face Deutro 34 10. was well enabled to pray without a prescript forme whose prayers were so powerfull and effectuall that they preuailed more then all attempt and resistance made by the bodies of men against their enemies Exod. 17 11. 32 10. nay they after a sort bound the handes of God as with chaines that hee might not destroy them after their Idolatry Exod. 32 10. yet did this great prophet vse set formes of praier at their marching forward and at their standing stil for when the Tabernacle remooued and the Arke set forward he said Numb 10 35 36. Rise vp Lord and let thine enemies bee scattered let them that hate thee fly before thee And when it rested he said Returne O Lord vnto the thousand thousands of Israel Let not vs seek nor seeme to be better theÌ he was whose giftes were greater then ours are yet hee did not refuse to vse or thinke it vnlawfull to practise this vniforme order in prayer Paul was rapt into the third heauen he saw Christ in his glory 1 Cor. 9 1. and heard vnspeakeable words which it is not lawfull for a man to vtter 2 Cor. 12 4. and who was able to pray better then he yet he vsed alwaies one manner of salutation in the beginning of all his Epistles crauing grace and peace from GOD the Father and he ended with a like conclusion The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you Rom. 1 7. 16 20. 1 Cor. 1 3. and 16 23 2 Cor. 1 2. 13 14. Gal. 1 3. 6 18. Eph. 1 2. 6 24. Christ our Sauiour was filled with the riches of all grace in whom all treasures of knowledge and wisedome were hidden Col. 2 3. who spent whole nights in prayer to God Luke 6 12. yet it is most probable that he vsed one of Dauids Psalmes with his Disciples after the institution celebration of his last Supper when it is said he sung a Psalme or an Hymn â 26 30. which we doubt not was one of the Psalmes of thanksgiuing set downe in holye Scripture But howsoeuer this were or whatsoeuer that Song were this is certaine that the howre of his passion approaching when his soule was exceeding sorrowfull euen vnto death he prayed oftentimes againe again that if it were possible that cup might passe from him â 26 39 4. And ver 44 he left his disciples and went away and praied the third time saying the same words Was it not enough for the Euangelists to note his ofteÌ praying but they must adde he said the same words The 92 Psal was sung vsually in the church of the Iewes vpon the Sabbath day was penned for that purpose as appeareth in the title of it the 102 Psalme is a praier of the afflicted when he is ouerwhelmed with sorrowes and powreth out his complaint before the Lord as we may reade in that title This is also the practise of all churches at this day concurring and communicating with ours in this point Seeing therefore it hath bene the practise of the first and most ancient church of the Iewes seeing it is obserued of al the reformed churches in Christendom giuing the right hand of fellowship with vs to haue an vnity and vniformity in publike praiers it serueth fitly forcibly to confirme vs in the present truth that we deale withall that it is lawful to vse either the praiers set down in holy Scripture or any other godly prayers made by the learned to our hands consonant and agreeable to the scripture ãâã 1. For first of all it were a childish and foolish thing to imagine that God is delighted with choise of prayers as a dainty stomacke is with change of meates or that hee taketh pleasure in nouelty of matters and varietie of words or that he hunteth after new formes alterations of our requests But to condemne all prescribed formes is nothing els but to be strongly perswaded that God accepteth and receiueth no praiers but such as are new and cannot abide to heare the same things twice which is to nourish a wrong conceit imagination of the most wise mercifull God Secondly all things must bee done to edification Reason 2 It is the rule of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14 12. but set formes in the publike worship seruice of God tend much to edifying and help greatly the vnderstanding of the simple The greatest number of the people are simple in knowledge and weake in iudgement and therefore to haue their eares acquainted with the same forme and frame of wordes serueth most of all for their vnderstanding Thirdly euery true child and faithfull seruant Reason 3 of God although he haue an honest hart yet he hath not alwaies a flowing tongue and copiousnesse of words but wanteth the gifts of vtterance of boldnes of knowledge of remembrance of inuention of order and such like There are many that haue stuttering tongs fearfull hearts simple capacities fraile memories that are weake in deuising and framing in contriuing and disposing the things which they desire whose names notwithstanding we dare not blot out of the roll and register of the chosen ones of God But to conceiue a prayer all these giftes and many other are required he must be able to vtter to inuent to discerne to order he must haue gifts of audacity and memory but this all the godly are not able to do they are not all thus qualified He that is lame in his lims Perk. Cases of consci lib. and not able to go vpon his legs yet if hee get a crutch to leane vpon hee can walke apace so many are not able to conceiue a prayer or to deliuer that which they haue conceiued of theÌselues but if they meete with any one framed vnto their hands they can pray vnto God feruently earnestly heartily This doctrine made thus plaine first serueth Vse 1 to conuince the error of those of the separation who
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
graces and in what manner soeuer they are qualified though they be abundantly stored and furnished with all learning diuine and humane yet they must willingly submit themselues to this triall and vndergoe this examination It ought to be in well ordered Churches as it is in well ordered Cities No man is admitted to set vp in any mystery but such as offer some piece of worke to the Masters of the Company to declare their skill in that faculty for which they are purposed to open their shop So should such as intend the ministery of the word as it were to giue a taste of their skil knowledge by subiecting themselues to this examining It doth not argue any want of gift to be ready to haue our gifts prooued but the contrary giueth iust cause of suspition of some want There is no man that hath good pure gold is vnwilling to bring it to the touchstone but he that hath the counterfeit It is not the iust dealing tradesman that is afraid to haue his weights or the mete-yard brought in place but the deceiuer The Gentiles which sometimes speake of our religion do serue as witnesses to teach vs the state of former times We reade in Lampridius writing the life of Alexander Seuerus that the Emperor in choise of his Magistrates made them stand openly to be examined of any man and allowed any to make exceptions against them Lampridiâ Because saith he the Iewes and Christians vsed this order in chusing their Ministers If both the Iewes and the Christians obserued this order what warrant haue we to breake it or to take vp another order And if that Emperour would haue this obserued in the Common-wealth why not much rather in the Church It shall be an honour vnto vs to be content to be tried It will manifest our humility that we are not high conceited of our selues and of our owne gifts yea it shall serue the more to our comfort throughout the whole course of our liues the administration of our office Thus did Samuel offer himselfe to the triall was content to heare what any man could obiect against him 1 Sam. 12 3. Behold heere I am witnesse against me before the Lord and before his annointed whose Oxe haue I taken or whose asse c. Happy are those Ministers that follow this example and happy are those Churches that follow that order which GOD hath appointed CHAP. IX 1. AND the Lord spake vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai c. 2. Let the Children of Israel also keepe the Passeouer at his appointed season c. IN this Chapter Moses proceedeth to shew the maner of their sanctification ãâã parts of ãâã Chapter wherein obserue two things the first concerning the Passeouer the second concerning the cloud couering the Tabernacle and gouerning the remouings encampings of the Israelites The Passeouer is double the one for such as were cleane the other for such as were vncleane The former Passeouer containeth the commandement of God and the obedience of Moses Touching the commandement we haue heere a repetition of the feast of the Passeouer instituted before as we see Exod. 12. âââect ââââer But wherefore doth God againe mention it in this place It was for two causes first because such is our slacknesse and security in holy things that except Gods commandement be daily vrged repeated and beaten into our hearts we quickly forget the same Phil. 3.1 1 Thess 4 2. Secondly the Israelites did not certainly know whether they should celebrate it in their iournies in the wildernesse or not Exod. 12 25. All feasts were instituted to teach men to know God and his Sonne Iesus Christ and to praise him for his benefits So the Passeouer was ordained to keepe in remembrance the wonderfull and miraculous deliuerance of the people out of Egypt and that they might be taught to look for deliuerance by Iesus Christ the Lambe of God ãâã 13 8. slaine touching the vertue efficacy of it euen from the beginning of the world This Passeouer was the second ordinary sacrifice of the Iewes touching the eating of the Paschall Lambe whereby the remembrance of their departure out of Egypt was celebrated and the death of Christ the true Passeouer was represented So then it had respect and relation partly to the time past and partly to the time to come In handling hereof we must consider first the circumstances both of place where it was obserued to wit at Sinai where the law had beene deliuered for as yet they were not gone from that place and of the time prescribed before on the 14. day of the first moneth Secondly the Passeouer it selfe both the substance of it and the rites both the matter and the manner of the celebrating of it Deut. 16 1 2. Exod. 12. ãâã of ââsseouer The Summe whereof is this Euery housholder was commanded to take a Lambe without blemish verse 5. a male of the first yeare for his house and kill it at euening verse 6. then they must take the blood strike it on the two side-postes and on the vpper doore post of the houses wherein they did eate it verse 7. and they must eate the flesh of it not raw or sodden with water verse 9. but roste with fire verse 8. with vnleauened bread and with bitter herbes nothing must remaine of it vntill the morning if there did it must be burnt with fire verse 10. And all this must be done with girding vp of their garments with putting on of their shooes the taking of their walking staues in their hands as men that were in haste that must flie for their liues verse 11. All this being literally considered belongeth nothing vnto vs for the Passeouer is passed ouer together with the law of ceremonies and all these rites haue an end howbeit the Lord meant that these should be figures of things to come whereof we haue now the truth and substance since the time that our Lord Iesus Christ hath beene manifested to the world This is the cause why S. Paul telleth the Colossians that these things were but shadowes Col. 2 17. the body whereof is in Christ Let vs therefore come in particular to the vses which we are to make of this Passeouer the ground and foundation whereof is to be taken out of the Apostle 1 Cor. 5 7 8. Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs therefore let vs keepe the feast not with old leauen neither with the leauen of malice and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth As then the Iewes had their Passeouer so the Christians haue their Passeouer as they had their Lambe so we haue our Lambe as they kept their Feast so we must keepe our Feast For God neuer meant and intended to ordain any ceremony among his people which contained not some inward signification and profitable instruction to the end of the world If wee haue ceremonies that serue not to some
to deferre the celebrating of it together with others one is vncleannesse the other is a iourney both of them must bee vnderstood as grounded vpon necessity For to thrust himself into the vncleannes heere ment without a calling or to absent himselfe by a iourney vpon euery trifling occasion thereby omitting the busines of God because he wold further his own busines is rather to be ceÌsured very sharply theÌ to suffer an excuse vpoÌ necessity of whom we may say with Salomon As a bird that wandreth from her nest Pro. 27.8 so is a man that wandreth from his place For there are very many in al places that had rather leaue the Lords worke vndone then spare one day of their owne It is a great matter with them to lose a dayes worke but they regard it as a matter of nothing to rob God of his day that he hath kept for himselfe They had rather goe to a drunken feast abroad theÌ to feast with God in his house They had rather go speak to others in their owne affaires then either to God by prayer or heare him speak to theÌ in his word on the Sabboth day But to leaue this and to returne to the matter in hand by vncleannes in touching the dead is ment by proportion all other kinds of legall vncleannesse whatsoeuer which signifie the defilements of sin continued without repentance the Lord leading his Church in the minority of it by outward things to inward by earthly to spirituall by the shadow to the body The dead body is accounted vncleane because death which hath seazed vpon it is the fruite of sin wherby men are truely made vncleane The Passeouer was to the Israelites the same that the Supper is to vs the equity therfore and truth of that which is heere described and directed to the people remaineth to vs for euer and teacheth That necessitie brought vpon any by the hand of God Doctrine or by an ineuitable duty of a mans calling Necessity brought vpon any by Gods hand dispenseth with Gods seruice for that time doe for that time free him from the publike exercises of religion and of Gods worship If it be to saue a mans life or to preserue his house and goods from destruction it giueth liberty a toleration and dispensation for the present to leaue the immediate worship of God Such is the immediate hand of God in sickenesse as we see in Hezekiah Esay 38. Such was the case of Dauid in persecution Psal 84. Such is the case of those that are in a long iourney as in this place Likewise whensoeuer the publike meanes are for a time taken away through persecution Psa 74 In time of sicknesse God requireth another duty of vs to wit to looke to our health in danger of life to looke to our safety in danger of our goods to looke to our wealth Reason 1 For whensoeuer God denyeth the meanes his will is that the things themselues should ceasse For other meanes may not be inuented or any other forme then that which he hath ordained as Ioel 1.19 he threatneth that the meat offering and drinke offering should ceasse Whensoeuer the will of God is that these things shall be done he will offer vnto vs and put into our hands the meanes he will giue vs the time and opportunity to do them Secondly it is Gods pleasure to accept of mercy rather then sacrifice Mat. 12.7 Hence it is that to saue from fire and water to preserue life to visit the sick and to look to them is to be preferred and more to be respected then going to the Church or hearing of the word What man shall there be among you saith Christ Mat. 12.11 that shall haue one sheepe and if it fall into a pit on the Sabboth day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out how much then is a man better then a sheepe for the Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth God ordaining it for our good not for our hurt Vse 1 Hence it followeth that it is not simply the omitting of âhe Sacraments but the neglect and contempt of them is dangerous to neglecters and contemners They shall beare their sinne as they iustly deserue whose default it is The Israelites in the wildernesse were forty yeeres together vncircumcised yet were they to be holden the people of God because they cannot be charged with negligence nor reprooued for any contempt in as much as they wanted leysure being in their iourney or daily expecting the signe of remoouing All the people that came out of Egypt were circumcised Iosh 5.5 but al the people that were borne in the wildernesse by the way them they circumcised not and it is excused or defended by necessity For the Sacraments doe not conferre grace neither are they absolutely necessaây to saluation as if without them a man could not possibly be saued Hence therefore are the Romanists reprooued that do teach that children are damned that dye without Baptisme Children dying without Baptisme arâ not damned as though all the Israelites that dyed in the wildernesse which were borne there and were not circumcised were condemned no doubtlesse no more then that all which were circumcised were saued True it is Moses was reprooued and was neere to death because he circumcised not his sonne who had time and leisure to doe it Exod. 4.24 and we must take heed of contempt which deserueth a cutting off from the people of God Gen. 17.14 because he hath broken the Couenant Howbeit as it is said in the prouerb Necessity hath no law The grace of Christ taketh away all the sinnes of all beleeuers and therefore the generall guilt brought in by originall sinne Rom. 5. This grace is not tyed to outward signes but dependeth vpon the free pleasure of God This is receiued by faith only as appeareth in the example of Abraham and farther confirmed by the Sacâaments Neuerthelesse we acknowledge a necessity in respect of the commandement of God and of the proper end and therfore is with all reuerence and conscience and obedience to bee yeelded vnto Secondly where the ordinary and precious Vse 2 meanes of saluation the preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments are taken away and remooued as the standard out of the campe or the light out of the candlesticke there the extraordinary and more weak meanes are to be vsed of vs and Gods blessing in such cases is to bee hoped for and looked after In the dayes of persecution priuate reading meditation and conference are blessed of God and his Church maintained continued and encreased thereby yea the beholding of the constant suffering of the holy martyrs was a forcible meanes to worke the conuersion of many and made them in loue with that doctrine for which they suffered and gaue their liues In times of famine when there is no bread left in a citie and the inhabitants are constrained to fare hard and short yet it
and tempest while they are secure and thinke nothing of their end while they eate drinke and are drunken and giuen to vnlawfull pleasures the iudgement of God shall be as a swift messenger or a sodaine winde that shall blow them away as chaffe For though God in patience beare with them and put off his iudgements for a season yet when they do come they shall come swiftly and sodainely Indeed it often maketh the best of Gods children to stumble to see the prosperitie of the wicked and greeue much to see men lying in their sinnes as swine in the mire or dogges in their vomit to grow great and continue long without any crosse or affliction but let them waite but awhile and sodainly they shall see the iudgements of God to ouertake them in their greatest ruffe and riot into which they breake Let no man therefore enuy them their honour and glory their riches and prosperity for they all shall bee turned into curses and iudgements Who would repine at it to see a theefe carried along thorough faire fields and greene meddowes in a rich coach to the gallowes or place of execution There is cause rather to bee greeued at it and to pittie him then to enuy him so likewise why should we enuy at the prosperity of the wicked considering it is the highway that leadeth to death and the verie occasion of their ruine they staÌd in danger euery houre to be ouertaken with the iudgements of God which come sodainely that they shall haue no time to make their peace or to reconcilde themselues by true Repentance Psal 37.35 36. We haue cause therfore to mourne for them and not to murmure at them Thirdly from hence ariseth comfort to the faithfull What though on the one side the Vse 3 wicked prosper encrease in riches though their eies stand out for fatnesse and cruelty compasseth them as a garment and they haue more then heart can wish And what though on the other side the godly are afflicted and in trouble though they be in want and oppressed though they be in misery and suffer many wrongs Psal 73.13 yet we must not be discouraged nor say We haue clensed our hearts in vaine and in vaine wee haue washed our hands in innocency forasmuch as they are brought into desolation as in a moment they are vtterly consumed with terrors as a dreame when one awaketh Verse 19 20. Let vs therefore bee of good comfort and not shrinke away they are like the grasse or flower of the field which groweth and flourisheth to day and to morrow withereth and is cast into the Ouen or rathey they are much more brittle and subiect to a speedier change Let vs commit our wayes vnto the Lord and trust in him let vs giue all diligence to walke in his waies which are sanctified and holy waies that we may not be reputed among the wicked and so partake with them in the sodainnesse of their downfall Let vs waite patiently vpon him for yet a very litle while and the wicked shall not appeare thou shalt looke after his place and yet shalt not finde him sodaine destruction shall seize vpon him as a sergeant and he shall be caried away as with a strong whirlewinde in a tempestuous and stormy day Vse 4 Fourthly it is our duty to watch and attend with all care for the time of iudgement The day of the Lord or the time of iudgment is twofold generall and particular Generall when Christ shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead in the end of the world when the pillars of the earth and the whole frame of heauen shal be dissolued Particular at the day of our death when euery particular soule must appear before the barre and giue an account what iâ hath done Great will be our misery if God come find vs carelesse and secure If a man knew at what houre the theefe would come doubtlesse hee would watch and not suffer his house to bee broken through Marke 13 35 36. And this is the cause wherefore it pleased God to conceale from vs as well the day of iudgement as the day of our death hee would not haue vs know either the one or the other to wit wheÌ he will come or when we shall dye to the end we should alwayes watch and pray and be in readinesse hauing our loines girt and oyle in our lampes Nothing is more certain then that he will come Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied of it before the flood that the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints Iude verse 14. howbeit nothing is more vncertaine then when he will come for the Angels in heauen and the Sonne himselfe as hee is man know it not but the Father onely Mat. 24 36. Mar. 13 32. So nothing is more certain then our death and dissolution and nothing more vncertaine then the time thereof that we should learn to looke for him euery day nay euery houre nay euery minute It is well obserued by Austine that the Lord would haue vs to know the time of his first comming Aug Epist ad Hesych because the knowledge thereof is profitable and necessary and therefore doth the Lord reprooue the Iewes that they could iudge the face of the sky but they knew not the day of their visitation because he that is ignorant of the first comming can neuer prepare himselfe for his second coÌming Zââch de fââ seculi But the day and time of his second coÌming is hidden from vs because it is not expedient for vs to know the same lest we shold say with the euill seruant My master doth defer his comming and so fall to beate our fellow-seruants Luke 12 45. We must be wise-hearted and looke for him euery day and not foolishly promise to our selues a long time of his tarrying lest we deceiue our selues and begin to eate and drinke and to be drunken whereas the Lord of that seruant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him Mat. 24.50 5â and in an houre that he is not aware of and shal cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And if wee may not say our master doth delay his comming as euil seruants then we may not say 2 Peter 3 4. where is the promise of his comming as prophane scoffers and mockers do that walke after their owne lusts But bee it that the generall comming of Christ were farre off yet his particular comming to euery one of vs cannot be farre off but is nere at hand we know not whose turne shal be the next woe vnto vs if we be taken vnprouided So then we see that God hath concealed his comming both generall and particular not to our hurt but for our good Lastly this serueth to admonish all men Vse 5 that seeing the iudgements of God shal come sodainely and that sodaine death and sodaine
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
They put the people in minde of the goodnesse of the land and of the loue of God toward them and that the enemies should be bread for them that is they should be as easily consumed as a peece of bread is swallowed as if they should say Wee seemed Grashoppers vnto them but we say vnto you that they shall bee bread for vs we shall vtterly destroy them To conclude they will them not to feare the people of the Land because God was departed from them but hee was amongst his owne people Neuerthelesse they would not heare them they did sing a song to an heauie heart Prou. 25 verse 20. nay to an hard heart they had brazen foreheads and were ashamed of nothing and therefore for all the care of them and the loue shewed vnto them they went about to stone them to death had not God protected them that stoode in his cause Obserue first of all in that Caleb and Ioshuah rent their cloathes Doctrine The faithfull are greeued for the sinnes of others and fel downe before the Lord a gesture vsuall in these times when they heard the blasphemous words of these hypocrites that the faithful are much grieued euen for the sinnes and rebellions of others This hath alwayes bene the holy affection of Gods seruants they haue not onely mourned and lamented for their owne sinnes but they haue proceeded farther to take to heart the sinnes of other men as Lot 2 Pet. 2 7. and Dauid Psal 119 136. They that escaped out of the common destruction are described by this note they mourned and cried out for the abhominations that were committed in the land Ezek. 9 4. Christ our Sauiour wept for Ierusalem Luk. 19 41 42. Reason 1 The reasons First they know that Gods anger is prouoked for sinne and his curse falleth vpon the head of the sinner Ioshua had cause to mourne when he saw that Israel could not stand before their enemies Ioshua 7 8. For Achan had sinned against the Lord and the hoast could not prosper so long as hee remained among them No maruell therefore if they be greeued whensoeuer they behold the wrath and iudgements of God procured Secondly if we know their iniquities and Reason 2 do not mourne for them they become ours and we do thereby make them our own Thus we are made partakers of other mens sinnes If we mourne for them they are theirs not ours if we do not mourne they are both theirs and ours Hence it is that the Corinthians are reprooued that they sorrowed not for the incestuous person that was among them yea theÌselues were defiled by his sinne and became as one polluted lumpe with him as the leauen leaueneth three peckes of meale into which it is put And we see in the prophet Ezekiel 9 5. they are smitten that mourned not for the abhominations committed as well as they that did commit them Thirdly hereby much good and many benefites Reason 3 come vnto our selues Such are pronounced blessed by the mouth of Christ Mat. 5 4. that mourn whether it be for themselues or for others or both for they shall bee comforted When the heauens water the earth there followeth a fruitfull increase but when the earth watereth the heauens there shal follow a more plentifull haruest of all heauenly spirituall comfort If any aske when the heauens are watered by the earth Obiection forasmuch as this may seeme to be out of course and contrary to the nature of them I answer whensoeuer a sinner poureth out the teares of his penitent soule and broken heart into the bosome of God Answer then the earth may bee saide to water the heauens For the teares of the godly fall not to the ground Cooper vpon Psal 119. they ascend vpward they do not descend downward I vnderstand it of the fruite and benefite of them the Lord gathereth them when we shed them as precious pearles and putteth them in his bottle of remembrance Euery drop that falleth from a penitent soul is as a precious pearle The teares ãâã the gâtheâ precious pearles nay more worth then many Iewels of the world It shall little auaile vs to haue many pearles and Iewels hanging about vs and to want those that now we speak of These do not die and perish but are sowne as good seede in the earth the fruite whereof is very comfortable because they that sowe in teares shal reape in ioy Psal 126 5. Learne from hence the difference betweene Vse 1 the godly and vngodly The godly mourn for the sinnes of others as if they were their own whereas the vngodly make a mock of sin and can laugh hartily at it as if it were a matter of merriment and of pastime Prou. 14 9. Heere then is a note to know who are Gods Children and who are not When we cannot reforme and amend euill yet if God haue giuen vs hearts to mourne for it it is an happy thing for vs a great blessing and a good signe that we belong vnto him Lot dwelt among the Sodomites they were grieuous sinners against the Lord the cry of them was come vp to heauen he could do no good among them yet he was so farre from ioyning with them that hee vexed his soule for them If we do not follow his example in vaine we boast our selues to be the seruants of God This made Dauid say the zeale of thine house hath consumed me the reproaches of them that reproached thee are falne vpon me Ps 69 9 10. And the Israelites carried into captiuity wept when they heard the insultings and blasphemies of the wicked Psal 137 6. The godly must not say I will walke in the way of the multitude I wil ioyne with them and that it is in vaine to striue against them Secondly see the state of the faithful in this Vse 2 life somewhat there is alwaies to humble and afflict them in themselues or in others In this life ãâã and gââefe ãâã mingled toââther The Prophet Dauid testifieth oftentimes his ioy of heart which God gaue him neuerthelesse this is not found without greefe and sorrow We haue no ioy without greefe in this world but they are tempered and mingled together bitter and sweete one with another lest in ioy we should be two ioyfull in sorrow we should be too sorrowfull the one seruing to allay the other and the one making the other profita-Howbeit after this life when God shall separate the sheep from the goats After this ãâã ioy and gâ are seuereâ these affections also shall bee separated the godly shall haue ioy without greefe the vngodly shal haue greef without ioy To haue ioy without any trouble is not to be looked for vpon the earth it is the condition of them that are glorified and perfected in heauen On the other side to haue greefe and anguish without ioy and comfort is the miserable condition of them that lye damned and tormented in hell where is weeping and gnashing
this is the end that God aimeth at Reason 3 in all his threatnings not the destruction of them that are threatned but their amendment Ezek. 18 23. Haue I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord God and not that he should returne from his waies and liue and ch 33 11. Why will ye die O house of Israel The vses First consider that in the greatest Vse 1 and most fearefâll threatnings of Gods heauy iudgements theâe is comfort remaining and hope of grace and mercy to be found there is life in death and health in sicknesse if we can change and amend Thus do the Princes of Iudah profite by the threatnings of the Prophet when he had threatned desolation of the Lords house and the destruction of the whole Land for which the Priests and people would haue put him to death they pleaded the practise example of good Hezekiah for the comfort of themselues and the people of his time and thereby stirred vp themselues to feare the Lord and to turne from their euill waies Ier. 26.18 The place is worthy to be considered where the Princes shew that Ieremy did no more theÌ Micah had done before him yet Hezekiah and all Iudah did not put him to death but feared the Lord and besought him of mercy and the Lord repented him of the euill which he had pronounced against them But it may be obiected Obiectioâ If God threaten one thing and doth another it may seeme his will is changeable and that he hath two wils I answer Answer the will of God is one and the same as God is one but it is distinguished into that which is secret reuealed as the Church is sometimes visible and sometimes inuisible yet but one Church The secret will is of things hidden with himselfe and not manifested in the word The reuealed is of things made knowne in the Scripture Deut. 29 29. and by daily experience The secret is without condition the reuealed with condition and therefore for the most part it is ioyned with exhortation admonition instruction and reprehension But no man is exhorted and admonished to doe his secret will because no man can resist it the reprobate and diuels themselues are subiect vnto it and must performe it Rom. 9.19 Vse 2 Secondly it is the duty of the Ministers to propound the threatnings of GOD with such conditions prouoking and perswading all men to repentance and amendment of life offering grace and mercy to the humble and broken hearted ãâã 1 4 14. â2 3 Esa â 16. They are to preach not onely the law but likewise with the law the Gospel And thus they are said both to bind and loose both to retaine sins and to forgiue For as Eliah by his earnest and zealous prayer did both shut vp the heauens ãâã 4.25 Iam. â 18. and open the windowes of heauen so that it gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruit so the Ministers of God by their earnest zealous preaching do shut vp the kingdome of heauen against all obstinate persons ââth 16.19 and also open the heauens to such as are penitent To propound the threatnings of God without condition is to bring men to despaire and to take from them all hope of mercy and forgiuenesse Thirdly it is the duty of the people whensoeuer Vse 3 they heare the theatnings of God to stirre vp themselues to repentance thereby to preuent his wrath and to stay his iudgements Let vs take heed we doe not rush on as the horse in the day of battell ãâã 12.11 12. to our destruction And thus haue the seruants of God vnderstood his threatnings and accounted them as a Sermon of repentance as we heard before of Hezekiah king of Iudah and all Iudah with him when Micah the Morashite prophesied saying ãâã 26.18 Thus saith the Lord of hostes Sion shall bee plowed like a field Ierusalem shall become heaps they fell not into desperation neither concluded an impossibility of obtaining pardon and the continuance of the Temple of the citie and of the whole kingdome but besought the Lord and feared his Name the Lord repented him of the plague which he had denounced against them And no maruell that this godly king conceiued the meaning of the threatning in that manner for so did the King of Niniueh an heathen and idolatrous king vnderstand the threatning of Ionah no otherwise Who can tell if God will turne and repent ãâã 3 9. turne away from his fierce anger that we perish not Thus also did Hezekiah before named vnderstand the message sent to him from God by Esayah when he was sicke vnto death ãâã 3â 1.2 Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue and therefore he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord of life Let vs make this vse of the Ministery of the word and of all the threatnings contained therein to bee stirred vp to repentance and obedience lest we be destroyed If there be no change in vs let vs looke for a change from God and he will neuer change his threatnings except we change our liues and conuersations Vse 4 Fourthly seeing the threatnings of God suppose a condition we must also know how we ought to vnderstand his promises to wit with a condition The threatnings of GOD haue a condition of repentance the promises haue a condition of faith and obedience Esay 1.19 God hath made many mercifull promises vnto vs in his holy word howbeit he hath no otherwise bound himselfe vnto vs then wee will acknowledge our selues bound in duty to serue him We must not only consider what God promised to vs but withall remember what he requireth of vs. Hence it is that the Prophet saith I will speake suddenly concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to built it and to plant it Ier 18.9 10. but if it doe euill in my sight that it obey not my voyce then will I repent of the good wherewith I saide I will benefite them He hath promised to loue vs but he requireth at our hands to loue him againe He hath promised to forgiue vs our trespasses but he chargeth vs to forgiue them that trespasse against vs. He hath promised to be a Father vnto vs but he looketh for at our hands that we walke before him as obedient children Lastly if God threaten and no repentance Vse 5 followeth then certainely the threatnings pronounced will come to pâsse God threateneth not in vaine he terrifieth not without cause If we doe not preuent them they will preuent vs and take vs away suddenly See the fearefull examples of the flood of Sodome of the destruction of the ten tribes of Ierusalem and of the Iewes of the seuen Churches of Asia and other Churches planted by the Apostles supplanted in the wrath of God all assure vs of the truth of this point Consider our owne wayes in our hearts We liue where wee
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
by staied and repressed it winneth ground and spreadeth farther like a canker Whereby we see it is an easie steppe and descent from one euill to another as it is to go downe a steepe hill Now the sinne of these men is three-fold First they are as blinde men that cannot see the iudgements of the Lord but accuse Moses of murther and impute to him the death and destruction of those that were buried in the earth consumed to ashes with the fire Moses was onely the Minister of God in their destruction the cause of their owne death was in theÌselues as if a malefactour neuer considering what himselfe hath committed should cast the cause of his condemnation vpoÌ the Iudge and cry out against him as a shedder of blood Secondly their vnthankfulnesse who will by no meanes confesse that they were saued the day before and sundry times besides from destruction by the intercession of Moses if he had not praied for them they had perished as one man with the seditious For they were all become as one sicke body wherein no part was sound but ful of wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Esay 1 6. They seeke his death that after a sort had giuen them life and they rise vp against him that had beene the meanes of their deliuerance Thirdly as they did condemne the innocent so they iustifie the vngodly both which are an abhomination to the Lord Prou. 17 15. Such wicked persons as God had rooted out of the Land of the liuing and turned them into the earth which was weary to beare such vnprofitable burdens they call them the people of God which were no better then a cursed crue of conspirators against God and such as he had appointed to manage the State Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall These men therefore rising vp in their stead that were fallen into the pit and defending their cause of whom GOD had taken the account doe make themselues guilty of their sinnes are iustly swept away with the iudgements of God Doctrine We learne heereby The wicked will not bee warned by former iudgements that such is the corrupt heart of wicked man that it will take no warning by former iudgements though they be neuer so fearefull and euident They had often seene how great things God had wrought among his people yet they are blinde and doe not see them they are wilfull and will not regard them they are sottish and will take no knowledge of them Psal 10 5. Esay 22 12 13 Psal 24 38 39. Luk. 19 42. Dan. 5 22. This maketh sinne out of measure sinfull The reasons First because they see God Reason 1 is a mercifull patient God he beareth long and holdeth his peace and therefore they thinke he is like vnto themselues Psal 50 21. so they abuse his patience and will do nothing Secondly they thinke the day of their iudgment Reason 2 is not neere they set it farre off from them It may be it may come in time but they hope there will be peace in their dayes Ezek. 12 27. The people iudged that the Prophet had prophesied for many daies to come and of such times as were farre off and thereupon they concluded that the daies were prolonged and euery vision failed Thirdly they loue their owne sinnes and Reason 3 out of that great loue to their sinnes they are vnwilling altogether to take notice of any iudgement due to their sinne cannot abide that the Minister or any other should giue theÌ warning of the same for they hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Amos 5 verse 10. The vses remaine Vse 1 First of all are men naturally so vnwilling of themselues to set before them Gods iudgements Then this serueth as an admonition to the Ministers that they should often threaten Gods iudgemeââ against the wicked seeing they are so dull aâd vnwilling to take any notice of them or to be warned by them God worketh out his iudgements in euery place and he setteth his Ministers on worke that they should cry ouâând not spare to publish them and make them âowne though men be neuer so much hardened in their sinnes sometimes by reason of the profite that they make by their sinnes sometimes by reason of the pleasure that they finde in their sinnes But howsoeuer they be admonished of any iudgement present or imminent they are little affected with it they are ready to say with the Atheists 1 Cor. 15 32. Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Let vs alone with our doing for the present and we will take order for those iudgements that are to come hereafter well enough Obiect If any say it behoueth not the Minister to be so feruent and earnest in his reproofes but to handle sinne more gently because many are the worse for sharpe rebukes and few or none the better Answer I answer this is our greefe and causeth vs often to mourne in secret but yet this cannot be our discharge for we must labour to free and deliuer all men so farre as we can from the fierce wrath iudgements of God otherwise their blood would light vpon our heads and be required at our hands if they perish through our negligence It is the nature of the Cocke as some obserue that at the dead time of the night hee croweth most loud and shrill whether he doth so or not I know not but this I am sure of that the Ministers of God ought to do so when they see men to be most dull and dead in their sinnes they should be most earnest and vehement euen at the deadest times of all they must bee most zealous that so they may deliuer their owne soules and not be constrained to answer for the sinnes of those that perish Vse 2 Secondly this reproueth the age wherein we liue of much corruption because it can sleepe so securely at the noyse of Gods iudgements These murmurers in this place had heard the pittifull cry and fearefull noise of those that were swallowed vp in the earth yet they haue already forgotten that which fell out but a day before We commonly say A wonder lasteth but nine daies but behold how they had seene one of the greatest wonders in the world when the earth whose foundation the Lord hath laid to bee firme and stable that it should not be remoued for euer Psal 104 5 opened her mouth and swallowed these vnbeleeuers and they had heard with their eares their outcryes when they descended into the deepe yet this wonder lasted but one day nay not one whole day for on the morrow it was quite out of their remembrance We haue had all sorts of warnings whatsoeuer generall particular by his word by his workes by his iudgements vpon others and vpon our selues yet we take generally and particularly little warning by them How hath God dealt with many of vs and how neare hath he come vnto vs with his particular
dangers daily decaies in good things praier is as foode whereby the graces of God are preserued encreased AaroÌ made an attonement for the people stood between the liuing the dead Obserue in these words that Aaron the high Priest in taking his censer offering vp with fire taken from the Altar incense to God is a notable figure and type of the intercession of Christ the true high Priest of our profession Heb. 3 1. that he maketh for all his elect to his Father The doctrine is this ârine Christ Iesus hath set himselfe as Mediatour betweene God and men ãâã Iesus ãâã Media between and man For Origen saith well hom 9. in Numer that we must ascend vnto the high mystery or signification of this Scripture and consider how Christ Iesus the great high Priest Heb. 4 14. taking our nature vpon him stood as in the midst betweene the liuing and the dead and brought it to passe by his death that death shold spread no farther 1 Tim. 2 5. Iohn 12 32. Rom. 5 11. and 8 34. He maketh intercession for vs not that now he boweth the knee to his Father or lifteth vp his eyes or spredeth abroad his hands or vttereth any voice of praier for his Church being now in the heauens for this he hath already sufficiently performed Ioh. 17 1. Now he presenteth to his Father the merites of his death and passion of his obedience and resurrection which hath the force of a liuely praier and reconcileth the Father vnto vs. Thus then we see that Christ Iesus is the true Aaron the high Priest that maketh attonement between God and vs Heb. 7 24 25. Eph. 1 verse 5 6. Reason 1 The reasons Christ Iesus our Redeemer hath fulfilled all the parts of a Mediatour and left none vnperfected he alone hath trodeÌ the wine-presse of the wrath of his Father Esay 65 5. Hee appeareth before the Father for vs and in our names as we do before the Father in his name he offereth vp our praiers and worketh our saluation Ioh. 17 9. Heb. 4 14 2 15 17. He hath deliuered all them which for feare of death Reason 2 were all their life time subiect to bondage Secondly the blood of Bulles and Goats outwardly sprinkled the ashes of beasts were not false lying signes representing that which is not but true and effectuall signes of purifying and cleansing â â 12 13. these did sanctifie the vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh because such as were shut out of the Congregation for some legall and externall vncleannesse had thereby entrance againe into the assemblies might lawfully come to the worship of God and be partakers of holy things much more theÌ doth the blood of Christ which is the truth substance of all the former and which indeed is the blood of the Son of God Acts 20 28. purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. 9 13 14 14 24. Vse 1 The vses remaine First this teacheth that we haue no other Mediator in heaueÌ or earth but Iesus Christ who maketh intercession for vs. In the old Testament no praier is made to Henoch though he walked with God or to Abraham though the father of the faithfull or to Moses though God spake to him face to face no praier was offered vp to any Cherubin or Seraphin to any Saint or Angel The Church of Rome therefore is an Apostate Church which hath made so many Mediators and Aduocates for vs in heauen as there are Saints departed and perfected yea which is more absurd they make one Saint Patron for one disease and another for another Comment vpon Philem. so that they haue left nothing for Christ to doe as I haue shewed more at large elsewhere Neither let them obiect that there is one Mediatour of redemption but many Mediatours of intercession But as this is an euill distinction so it is as euilly obserued by themselues And will they beare vs in hand that the simple people simple indeed they are God wot among them vnderstand this difference and can tell how to distinguish betweene these to giue to each his due and no more But what speake I of the simple people of whom I may speake as Ieremy doth Surely these are poore Ier. 5 4. they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God I will goe vnto the great ones and speake vnto them The learned theÌselues among them doe ioyne with Christ our Sauiour other Mediatours not onely of intercession but also of redemption and saluation Hitherto commeth the praier to the Popes great martyr Thomas Becket of Canterbury Breuiarium ad vsum eccles Sarum in festo S. Tho. Cantuar. who died in the Popes quarrell which he maintained against his souereigne king Henry the second and therefore a false martyr but a true traitor and rebell Tu per Thomae sanguineÌ quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit that is By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend Make vs O Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend A most blasphemous praier wherein they present not the blood of Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for vs but the blood of Thomas to bring vs to heauen It were endlesse to shew their idolatrous praiers made to the blessed Virgin desiring to haue her to reconcile them to her Sonne Among the rest consider this one O foelix puerpera nostra pians scelera Iure matris impera redemptori that is O holy mother which dost purge away our sinnes command thou him that is our redeemer by thy motherly authority And touching Peter and Paul they say Ex Rom Breuiar Concede vt amborum meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur that is Grant that by the merites of them both wee may obtaine eternall glory Neither shall we need to maruaile at these things although they sound harsh in all Christian eares if we consider what they ascribe vnto the Crosse of Christ Sabb. in Hebd quarta Quandrag I meane to the wood tree to which they make their praier to this day saying O crux aue spes unica Hoc passionis tempore Auge pijs iustitiam Reisque dona veniam that is O Crosse all haile thou that art our onely hope at this time of the passion encrease thou righteousnesse to the godly and grant pardon to them that are guilty Other grosse blasphemies they haue reformed in their Portesse but this which giueth as great and grosse honour to the wooden crosse they haue reserued and reteined What is become now of their distinction that Christ is the Mediatour of redemption but the Saints of intercession when as they ascribe to the Virgin Mary to Peter to Paul nay to a vile traitour nay to a wooden crosse power to purge away the sinnes of the faithfull to grant them pardon and forgiuenesse and to bring them
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
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
as the tree and the fruit so that we may proue the one by the other death by sinne and sinne by death the one giuing light and luster to the other The vses remaine to be considered First see Vse 1 heereby a difference betweene this present life and the life to come Heere the reliques and remnants of sinne as spots and staines in the flesh remaine euen in those that are cleansed by the blood of Christ and washed by the renuing of the holy Ghost But when the faithfull shal be glorified they shal be without blame not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing Take heere the best Examples of the best men that haue liued in the best times as Noah Abraham Lot Dauid and Peter yet yee shall see shame in glory darknesse in light folly in wisdome infidelity in faith But when Christ shall appeare and we likewise appeare with him in glory we shall be made like vnto him Therefore the Apostle saith noting out this difference We know in part and we prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13.9 10 12. then that which is in part shall be abolished Now we see through a glasse darkly but then shall we see face to face Now I know in part but theÌ shal I know euen as I am knowne Here we ceasse not to prouoke God and euery day of our life addeth to the number and measure of our sins which should be bitter vnto vs as gall and wormewood but when this corruptible shal put on incorruption and this mortall shall put on immortality and death be swallowed vp into victory theâ we shall ceasse to sin and shal be as the blessed Angels that are in heauen The feruent desire of the creatures waiteth for these times Rom. 8.19 groning and trauelling in pain euen vnto this present to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Much more therfore should we which haue the first fruits of the spirit sigh in our selues waiting for the adoptioÌ euen the redemption of our bodies Vse 2 Secondly we learne that such as say they are without sinne deceiue themselues and as much as in them lieth make God a liar we are depriued of his kingdome wee cannot keepe the Law nor haue iustification by the Law or the works of the Law but are iustified freely by grace and haue need of the benefit of Christs blood If we keepe the law we shal liue by it but if we be transgressors of the law we are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Hereunto commeth that which the Apostle Iohn saith If we say wee haue no sinne Ioh 1.8.10 Rom. 3.10 12 24. we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs we make God a lyar and his word is not in vs. And to the same purpose the Apostle Paul There is none righteous no not one they haue all gone out of the way there is none that doth good no not one we are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesus âence falleth to the ground the doctrine of merits that aduanceth proud flesh and lifteth vp the supposed worthinesse of vnperfect workes thereby to procure Gods fauour and euerlasting life The Church of Rome place such an inward and inherent dignity in mens persons as maketh them worthy of grace or saluation Moreouer they dreame of such an excellency in the work as fitteth and inableth them to deserue the fauour of God and forgiuenesse of sinnes But in a sight of our sins and in a feeling of our owne corruptions wee must renounce all merits Basil in Psal 114 Aug in Psal 120. and rest onely on the merits of Christ For when we haue done all we must say and confesse that we are vnprofitable seruants c. True it is God wil reward our works but the reward is of mercy not of merit of promise not of debt of grace not of desert Againe hereby falleth another falsehood of theirs holding that good workes are euery way perfect not stained or tainted with sinne but being tryed in the furnace of Gods iudgement will suffer no losse or detriment But the Prophet prayeth Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Psal 143 2. Esa 64.6 And againe in another place it is written We haue all beene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes or good deeds as filthy clowtes and therefore no good deed of righteous men is without some staine of sin neither can we answer him one of a thousand Lastly we learne that they are deceiued which teach preach a possibility for a man in grace to fulfill Gods law For the Apostle taketh it for a grounded and granted conclusion that the law cannot be fulfilled when hee saith Rom. 8. â Gal 3 10. It was impossible to the Law to giue vs life because we are vtterly vnable to keepe the condition and therefore God hath sent his Sonne to take our nature vpon him and to abolish sin in our flesh If we could fulfil the law Christ dyed in vaine we might be iustified by the law but Christ dyed not in vaine neither can we bee iustified by the law therfore we cannot fulfill the law Furthermore the Apostle complaineth of his failings defects The law is spiritual Rom 7.14 15 21 22 â but I am carnall sold vnder sinne what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. I find then that when I would doe good I am thus yoaked that euill is present with me I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading mee captiue vnto the law of sinne Now whereas many of the faithfull are said to bee iust Gen. 6.9 Iob 1.1 Luke 1.6 and to walke in all the commandements of God without reproofe the meaning is they endeuor to perfection striue to obey God with all their heart and with all their soule as Phil. 3.13 God accepteth the will for the deed and the endeuour to obey for perfect obedience 2 Cor. 8.12 Secondly they exempt themselues from none of the precepts of God but labour to walke in all the knowne points of his commandements albeit they faile in the performance of them ceasse not to acknowledge their owne imperfections Lastly God accepteth them in Christ as perfectly righteous so that albeit their obedience be in it self vnperfect yet is it acceptable to God through Iesus Christ as if it were perfect and his righteousnesse is as truly their owne as if they had wrought it in their owne persons Lastly seeing the most faithfull haue their Vse 3 failings in duties of piety and obedience we must take diligent heed we do not
Patriarkes and Prophets that by faith receiued a good report concludeth that we must rather looke to the example of Christ the Author finisher of our faith who endured the Crosse and despised the shame for the ioy that was set before him If theÌ the example of God be to be followed of vs we must be moued to shew mercy where we see the bountiful hand of God opened before vs. Reason 2 Secondly we are the children of God wee are the seruants of God we are the subiects of his kingdome we must therefore seeke to be like to him resemble him in our obedience to his Commandements as the Apostle Peter sheweth 1 Pet. 1.14.15.16 As obedient children fashion not your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so bee ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy And thus saith the Lord by Malachy the Prophet ch 1 6. A sonne honoreth his father and a seruant his master If then I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my feare Hereunto accordeth and agreeth the exhortation of Christ Ioh. 13 12 13 14. Know ye what I haue done to you Yee call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master haue washed your feete ye ought also to wash one anothers feet For I haue giuen you an example that ye should do euen as I haue done to you Vse 1 The vses First let vs learne to acknowledge from hence this truth that great is Gods mercy who neuer faileth nor forsaketh those that are his For assuredly his mercy and compassion should neuer be propounded to vs as a rule to direct vs and as an example to guide vs if there were not infinite loue in him and in our God plentifull redemption Wherefore we may safely conclude this principle of our faith and teach it to others that the mercies of God are sure and certaine to his Church This the Prophet handleth at large Psal 103 8 11 13. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slowe to anger and of great kindnesse as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward theÌ that feare him As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him There is no end no measure no limitation of his mercy compassion The height of it is not to be taken the depth of it is not to be found the length and bredth of it is not to be comprehended It is higher then the heauens it is deeper then the graue it is longer then the earth it is broader then the sea Who is it that by searching can finde out God Iob 11 7 8 9. or search out the Almighty to his perfection For loue and mercy pitty are not in God as they are in men In vs they are such graces of the Spirit of God as wee are qualified withall througâ his gift they are streames flowing from his Fountaine and as light drawne from his Candle But in God are no qualities or accidents he is of none but hath his being of himselfe giueth being to all other things Therefore the Apostle saith God is loue it selfe not onely the Fountaine and well-spring of loue 1 Iohn 4 16. but loue it selfe And one saith truely and properly Bernard in de d. l g. Deo God is not wise but wisedome it selfe not iust but iustice it selfe not pittifull but pitty it selfe not mercifull but mercy it selfe not good but goodnesse it selfe This is a great comfort and refreshing to vs in all afflictions be they neuer so great be they neuer so greeuous there is no infirmitie and weaknesse in God his mercy is ouer al his works he is infinite in compassion he can no more ceasse to bee mercifull then ceasse to be God and therefore it being essentiall to him our misery can neuer exceed or counteruaile his mercy Secondly we must Vse 2 learne from hence to loue all the creatures of God albeit not all equally after the example of God We reade euery where in the Scripture of the loue of God louing not onely his Sonne his Church his Elect Zanch denâ dei lib. 4 âap quest 2. Acts 14 17 but the rest of the world the reprobate and all his creatures Giuing them raine and fruitefull seasons filling their hearts with ioy and gladnesse Let vs therefore first see what the loue of God is He loueth all his creatures euen all the works of his hands He saw all that he had made and loe Gen. 1 31. they were exceeding good Yea he doth good to all in him they moue liue breathe and haue their being Notwithstanding he loueth his elect and chosen people ordained to eternall life more then the rest of mankinde whom he leaueth in their sinne to worke out their owne confusion as the Apostle teacheth Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated For touching the faithfull Rom. 9 14 Rom â 3â Rom 3 2â 1 Thess 5 â Iohn 14 2â Math. 25 â he calleth them effectually he iustifieth theÌ freely he sanctifieth them throughly in soule and body yea as the faithfull increase in grace the exercises of piety so they more and more feele the loue of God toward them as Christ speaketh He that keepeth my Commandements is he that loueth me and he that loueth me shall bee loued of my Father Heere then we haue an example before vs for our continuall instruction to guide vs in the matter and measure of our loue For first the meanest of the creatures are to be loued none of them are to be abused of vs. Hereunto tend the lawes giueÌ to the Iewes not to oppresse our Cattell not to musle the mouth of the Oxe nor to take the dam with the young to helpe vp the Asse sinking falling vnder his burthen and such like Secondly we must much more loue mankinde made after the Image of God yea euen our enemies according to the commandement of our Lord and Master Christ Math. 5 44 45. This is not a counsell but a Commandement charging vs to loue our enemies seeking their good thirsting after their saluation ouercomming euill with goodnesse heaping coales of fire vpon their head and thereby gathering an assurance to our owne hearts that wee are the children of God Thirdly it belongeth to the faithfull to loue the faithfull with an especiall loue as children with them of the selfe same Father heyres with them of the same kingdome for heereby we shall know that we are translated from death to life âhn 3 14. because wee loue the brethren This the Apostle teacheth Gal. 6 10. While we haue time let vs do good to all men but especially vnto them that are of the houshold of faith So that in the duties of loue we must preferre our godly
kept with such as they call and account Heretikes Thus then we see that the greatest hatred hath risen euermore from difference and diuersity in religion This appeareth in Cain and Abel in Isaac and Ismael in Iacob and Esau in the Israelites the Egyptians in Dauid and Saul in Christ and the Pharisies in Paul and the Iewes in the heathen and Gods people in the beleeuers infidels There is no fellowship betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse 2 Cor. 6 â4â no communion between light and darkenesse no concord betweene Christ and Beliall and therefore a confused mixture between the religion of Antichrist the Gospel of Christ hath an impossibility of any agreement Sleid Câââ lib. 17. touâing Alphâ and Diazâ This is also manifest in all histories of the Church from the beginning These things being thus considered and thought vpon we caÌnot think it strange that the Church lyeth vnder the crosse and groaneth vnder the heauie burthen of it So soone as Hâman was aduanced by by the Church mourned and sighed This the wise man teacheth Prouerb 28 28 and 29 2. When the wicked rise vp men hide themselues but when they perish the righteous increase Let vs then acknowledge that the Church is subiect to many sorrowes and much affliction as a campe besieged of enemies as a ship tossed of the winds as Corne ground in the mill as a vineyard eaten with beasts as a building beat vpon with stormes and as a flocke dayly in danger and assaulted with Wolues whilst the enemies clap their hands and stamp with their feet and reioyce in hart with all their despight against the Church of God as the Prophet confessed Psal 79 1 2 3 4. O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance thine holy Temple haue they defiled and made Ierusalem an heape of stones We are a reproach to our neighbours euen a scorne and derision to them that are round about vs. The first vse is 2 Ioh. 3 1â that which the Apostle Iohn directly concludeth from this doctrine hauing produced the example of Cain who slew his own brother gathereth this consideration from thence Maruell not my Brethren though this world hate you Secondly we learne from hence a point of Vse 2 wisedome and godly policy to look to our selues that we do not rely vpon them lest they beguile vs and betray vs. There is no truth in them and therefore no trust is to bee giuen to them Matth. 2 â Herod made a shew of loue reuerence to Christ he would needs loue and worship him but his meaning was he would come kill him Beware thou be not seduced and entrapped by such secret enemies which pretend piety but vse treachery see thou do not relie vpon them commit not thy selfe vnto them They cannot loue thee that doe not loue the Lord neither can they be faithful to thee that are vnfaithfull to God They will close and gloze with thee til thou be come within their danger Gen. 4 â as Cain spake kindly to Abel til he was in the field then he rose vp and slew him or as Ioab whose words were smoother then oyle and softer then butter 2 Sam. 20 9. Art thou in peace my Brother But he smote him that hee dyed shedding the blood of battell in the dayes of peace These men haue the voice of Iacob but the rough hands of Esau they haue the words of a brother but the hearts of an enemy they salute with a kisse but persecute with the sword For deceitfull amity is double enmity and fained friendship is a double mischeefe The Fisher baiteth his hooks when he would catch the fish Fââfâls âââit vo âdââ deââps the Fowler singeth sweetly when he would deceiue the bird the Hunter hideth his nets warily wisely when he mindeth to take his prey We haue oftentimes to do with such cunning Fishers mighty Hunters Wherefore there is great cause to looke to our selues for when they cannot preuaile with the Lions paw they put on the Foxes skin and go to worke with craft and wilines Yea the Church of God from time to time hath sustained greater hurt by their owne simplicity then by the enemies cruelty and by their owne lightnesse of beleefe then by the sharpnesse of their sword When they pretend the greatest curtesie theÌ they intend the greatest villany When they offer treaties of peace leagues of marriage and such like confederacies then the hook is baiting the snare is laying the net is spreading before the eies of all that hath wings that they may effect their treasons and conspiracies And this is it which one of the heads of their Church once saide ãâã ceââ 8. If the keyes of Peter could not preuaile they would take vp and draw out the sword of Paul Thus like false Prophets and false brethren they come in sheepes cloathing âth 7 15. but inwardly they are rauening Wolues It remaineth therefore that we stand vpon our guard and watch ouer our selues that wee be not intrapped by their subtilties Vpon this ground our Sauiour warneth vs to be wary Matth. 10 16. Behold I send you as sheepe in the midst of wolues be therfore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doues where we are taught that we must all bee armed with wisedom and simplicity against our enemies Two needfull graces to be sought after as in all ages so especially in these dangerous times wherein we liue Let vs labour to haue true policy and true simplicity let both these bee found in vs that they may accompany alwaies each other and neuer bee separated the one from the other For policy without simplicity is deceiueable craftinesse and simplicity without policy is deceyued sottishnesse Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to pray earnestly vnto God not to deliuer vs into their hands whose rage and malice knoweth no end or measure Indeed our sinnes haue deserued this scourge but let vs rather desire him to correct vs by his owne hand ãâã 1â 23. ãâã 33.14 for he is gracious and merciful He desireth not the death of a sinner but that hee may turne vnto him and liue This made the people of God from time to time rather then they would fall into the hands of cruell enemies to bee willing and ready to receiue any punishment at Gods hand This we see Iudg. 10 15. when the Israelites had forsaken the Lord and his worship hee complaineth against them saying Did not I deliuer you out of the hands of the Egyptians Ammorites c. yet ye haue forsaken me and serued other Gods that ye haue chosen let them saue you in the time of your tribulation then they cryed in their danger Wee haue sinned O Lord do thou vnto vs whatsoeuer pleaseth thee onely we pray thee to deliuer vs this day from the Ammonites This we see yet more euidently in the example of Dauid 2 Sam. 24 13 14. when in the pride and presumption of his hart he
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
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
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
9. Acts 2 23. Luke 19 8. The reasons First because repentance onely Reason 1 made generally confusedly for knowne sins is neuer true repentance but a common hypocriticall repentance of one resolued and setled to continue in sin not yet touched with a true feeling thereof True it is for secret and vnknowne sins which we in weaknesse ignorance commit the Lord accepteth a general confession as we see in the practise of the Prophet Dauid saying Who can vnderstand his faults Cleanse me from secret sins Psalm 19 12. Thus did the rest no doubt of the godly deal such an acknowledgment of their vnknown sins which they tooke not to be sins did they make in a general manner which were hidden not onely from other men but euen from theÌselues This we may say of their polygamy or their marrying of many wiues and other their dail infirmities Secondly we must make a particular account to God at the houre of death when we Reason 2 must pleade guilty or not guilty at his bar A generall reckoning and account will not then be taken neither will the Lord set before vs grosse summes but the account shall be made of specials which may cause the stoutest and strongest men to tremble and quake for very feare of that day All the sinnes of thy former life shal be represented before thee like â squadron of enemies ready set in battell aray to assault thee to giue in euidence against thee This is taught and witnessed vnto vs by the Apostle Iohn describing the manner of iudgement to which we shall be summoned Reuel 20 12. I saw the bookes opened and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works It standeth vs vpon in regard of these bookes to make vp our bookes and to looke to our reckonings forasmuch as we must gaue an account of our stewardship Luk. 16 2. Let vs now make vse of this doctrine First Vse 1 we learne from hence that it is not enough to say we are sinners and so to cry God mercy for a paâg or a brunt and so away or to desire God to forgiue vs our sinnes but we must vncase our selues and vncouer our particular trespasses if we would haue God to couer theÌ with the precious garment of Christ If a sicke man come to the Physition and onely tell him he is sicke and neuer shew him his particular greefe and disease that troubleth him in what part he is pained and in what sort he is taken he can neuer look to be cured and restored to health If we come vnto God the Father of spirits and Physition of soules and onely say We haue sinned we cannot assure our selues of pardon We declared before that we must coÌfesse our vnknowne sinnes generally but our knowne sinnes we must confesse particularly without any excuse or defence without any hiding or diminishing of theÌ as the same Prophet doth after he had sinned in numbring of the people I haue sinned greatly because I haue done this thing âhro 21 8. c. Wherfore ât standeth vs vpon with great greefe heauinesse of heart to confesse our speciall sinnes to giue sentence against our selues and to pray with earnestnes of spirit as for life and death for the pardon of our offences which we haue committed at such and such times in such places with such persons and in such manner otherwise our repentance is only in shew and for fashion sake which is neuer acceptable to God being done in hypocrisie and without a conscionable feeling of sinne in the soule Vse 2 Secondly this particular confession ouerthroweth and ouerturneth sundry corruptions and abuses in the case of repentance It condemneth all impenitent persons such as liue continue in one estate neuer sorrow for any sinne neither at any time turne from it neither haue any feeling or ââeefe for sinne neither know what it meaneth This is a dangerous estate and a most perilous iudgement For as a sick man is then most dangerously sick when he hath no feeling of his sicknesse and is ready to say he is well and hath small sense or none at all of any paine or perill so sinfull man is then in greatest misery by reason of his sinnes when hee thinketh himselfe to bee no sinner Such one is farre off from mourning sorrowing for sinne from turning from them and returning to God seeing be taketh himselfe to be in good âase and to stand in need of no repentance Such were the Pharisies in the dayes of Christ whom he reproueth Mat. 9 12 13. Besides it coÌdemneth ceremonial repentance which carrieth an outward shew of dying to sinne but is separated from the inward truth of a sound heart Thus Saul repented 1 Sam. 15.74 and 26 21 and 24 17 18. And Ahab rent his clothes but not his heart hee fasted from food but not from sinne 1 Kin. 21.27.29 Thus the hypocrites repent mentioned in the Prophets when a man afflicteth his soule for a day Esay 58 5. Mic. 6 7. and boweth-downe his head as a bulrush yet looseth not the bondes of wickednesse and therefore immediately afterward he imbraceth his former sinnes and returneth to his old wayes as Phazaoh did who being annoied with the frogs smitten with the haile terrified with the thunders troubled with the grassehoppers pestered with the flyes disquieted with the darkenesse this was the euenâ and issue of all as soone as he had rest giuen vnto him he hardned his heart and hearkened not vnto the Lord. This is the common sicknes of the common repentance that men ordinarily practise in these daies whereby they deceiue themselues and their owne soules dealing in hypocrisie dissembling with the Lord catching at the shadow instead of the body resting in shewes instead of the substance Lastly it condemneth all such as haue hardened their hearts in sinne and are growne therby to be past feeling such as cannot discerne betweene good and euill nor tremble at Gods iudgements but draw sin âo themselues as it were with cart-ropes and worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse These haue their conscience seared with an hot Iron and it accuseth them not for any sin but bringeth them into a reprobate minde so that they are so farre from confessing their proper and particular sinnes that they haue no sense or remorse of any sin but are full of all wickednesse and vnrighteousnesse Lastly it behooueth vs to search out our waies to see what we haue left vndone and Vse 3 what lyeth most vpon our consciences and especially bewaile the same otherwise there is in vs no sound conuersion This the Prophet testifieth Lam. 3 40 41. Some are specially inclined to lust vncleannesse some to couetousnes some to surfeiting drunkennes some to enuy reuenge some to swearing blaspheming some to pleasures delights of the outward man now where we are weakest Satan will be strongest where our defence is
Captaines and Moses himselfe disdained not to set their hands to worke No doubt many of the people ioyned with them as helpers forward but the principal men and heads of the families are heere named because they did direct strengthen and encourage others that were vnder them by their good example The doctrine arising from hence is this That publicke persons vnto whom God hath granted honor and principality Doctrine All Supeâ must giue eâample to â Inferiors and preferred before their brethren are not only to informe their inferiors and giue directions vnto them by word but by their example and practise to go before them All superiors are to teach by example of life as well as by word of mouth their inferiors So then we are all from this example of the zeale of Moses and forwardnesse of the Princes of the Tribes to consider that it is required of cheefe personnes whose heads are aduanced aboue others to haue in them a zeale and forwardnes to further good things in others that so their care may be answerable to the place wherein God hath set them This is proued vnto vs in the example of Eliud one of the Iudges who hauing slaine Eglon King of Moab and knowing there was a greater worke behinde to do it is sayde he blew a Trumpet in Mount Ephraim he assembled the people and he went before them saying vnto them Follow me Marke here how he thought it not enough to shew the Children of Israel what was to be done and to direct them in the way but himselfe ioyneth with them nay goeth before them hee followeth not his owne ease hee seeketh not his owne pleasure he layeth not the burthen vpon them to keepe at home himselfe but being fitted called of God hee began the enterprize and looked for the issue from him His example not onely in speaking but in going before them was very auaileable The like we see in Dauid whose zeale for the Lords house had euen eaten him vp hauing an intent to cal the Arke home to Sion from the house of Abinadab he called the people together â 6 1 5 he praised God with instruments of musicke he danced before the Arke and gaue a notable testimony how feruent he was and with what ioy of heart he went about it The like practise wee see in Salomons sonne who sate in his Throne when once the Temple was builded when the worke of the Lord was finished and when the people were assembled hee in their sight and hearing doth dedicate the Temple with a fruitfull comfortable and passionate prayer and intreateth the Lords gracious presence when in that holy place they should call vpon him 1 Kin. 8 22. The like forwardnes in the workes of the Lord wee finde in Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah Ezra Nehemiah Zerobabel Mordecai and sundry others these went before others in zeale and accounted it a shame reproch vnto them to be matched in goodnesse of those whom they ouer-matched and ouer-mastered in greatnesse This made Iosua say who was Gouernor of the people I and my house will serue the Lord Iosh 24.15 This made Dauid say Psal 101 2. I will walke in the vprightnesse of my heart in the midst of my house This made the Apostle say 2 Thes 3 7. speaking of the idle that walked inordinately and would not worke Ye your selues know how yee ought to follow vs for wee behaued not our selues inordinately among you vrging his owne example to prouoke and pricke them forward Reason 1 This truth will yet further appeare vnto vs when we shall consider how it is proued and vnder-propped by strength of Reason âirst it is the Lords dooing to make them a distinct people and order by themselues Hath he aduanced them to no purpose had he no end in choosing them from among their brethren and setting them in degree of dignitie before them We know that all Gods workes haue som end which he respecteth he worketh nothing idlely euery action hath his special and proper end His separation of them to rule in the Land or Church is that they should execute the things that concern Gods glory with all zeale This we see in the booke of Ester ver 4 when she was desirous to shrink backe and not aduenture her selfe beholding the hazard of her life and the danger of death before her eyes except the king did graciouslie respect her and fauâurably hold out his golden scepter Mordecai presseth her with this reason Who knoweth whether the LORD hath brought thee to the kingdom for such a time And Nehemiah aimeth at this in chap. 6. ver 10 11. where being counselled to hide his head and to shut the doores of the Temple vpon him because the enemies would come sodainely vpon him and slay him hee opposeth his calling Should such a man as I fly Who is he being as I am that would go into the temple to liue I will not go in As if he shold say God hath promoted me to this place of honor hath brought vpon me the dignity that I neuer looked for and therefore I will aduenture to stand out in the discharge of the worke of the Lord inasmuch as promotion commeth neither from East nor West but from him Secondly such as are aduanced aboue others Reason 2 lye open to wrath and iudgement as well as others Albeit they bee great in the world and can plead with men yet they cannot pleade with the Lord seeing the greatest men lye open to the greatest punishments If therefore they would not kindle Gods wrath against themselues against their houses and against their posterities they must go before others in all godlinesse and instruct them by word and by example This is the reason that king Artashasht vseth Ezra 7 23. Whatsoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heauen for why should he be wroth against the realm of the King and his children So in Num. 25 4 9. the Lord commaunded a thousand of the Rulers of the people to be hanged before him against the Sunne because they stayed not the people from ioyning themselues to Baal âcor In like manner because Eli reformed not his sonnes but suffered them to run forward in their sins who through their extreme wickednes caused all Israel to abhorre the offerings of the Lord his house was destroyed 1 Sam. 2 31. his sons were slaine and himselfe brake his necke with a fall from his seate The Vses are these First of al see how comfortable Vse 1 it is to all inferiours when the Lord blesseth a land and people to giue them faithfull Rulers godly Princes zealous Nobles righteous Magistrates painfull Ministers by whose example and practise they are led and guided to all wel-doing It is an ancient saying Of what disposition soeuer Princes are âlaudianus the people will not be vnlike âhem Experience in all ages and places teacheth vs
lips The like we see in the siedge of Samaria when the Lord promised that to morrow that time should bee great plenty of Barley and fine flower to bee solde a Prince answered and saide 2 Kinges 7 2. Though the Lord would make windowes in the heauen could this thing come to passe This appeareth in Zachary Luke 1 18. when God promised him a sonne in his old age he saide How can this thing be And whereby shal I know this When the Israelites were pursued ouertaken by the hoast of the Egyptians and were in present danger of death they wer soâe afraid and forgate the power of God able to deliuer them So the experience of our owne hearts in all dangers and difficulties that ordinarily fall vpon vs ãâ¦ã doth tell vs how hard it is to rest vpon God as an all-sufficient helper in time of neede We distrust Gods promises and feare in euery euill that he wil not or cannot succour vs. Forasmuch therefore as we are priuy to our owne corruptions being readie to thinke our helpe and deliuerance to be vnpossible let vs in all troubles build on Gods power as on a firme rocke and sure foundation that can neuer be remoued Secondly hereby we haue a great comfort in our troubles and sufferings to consider the strong hand of God preuayling ouer them that do insult and triumph ouer the Church The yeeres and dayes the very houres moments of time touching the Churches afflictions are determined of God so that the vngodly shall rage but their time This is it which God speaketh to Abraham Gene. 15 13. That his seede should bee a stranger in a Land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres and shall serue them Thus when the people of Israel were carried into Babylon The daies of their captiuity are determined to be seuenty yeares Ier. 25 11 12 29 10. When Pilate the Lieutenant of the Romanes and Iudge of Iudea had sayde vnto Christ Iohn 19 10 11. Knowst thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue Let vs therefore goe constantly forward in our vocation to do our duties to speake freely in the middest of the enemies though they do heare vs sit among vs. This we see to haue bene the behauiour of Christ Iohn 8 20 21. These things spake Iesus in the treasury as he taught in the Temple and no man laide hands on him for his houre was not yet come Where we see the place the persons the time seemed to fauour his enemies yet hee taught boldly and preached openly amongst them This example must bee our imitation Though we liue among many dangers are inclosed with a thousand deaths yet we must know that we are protected regarded defended of God we are by his right hand made able to stand when so many deuices of the vngodly assault vs and so many hornes of the wicked push at vs to ouerthrow vs. It is an admirable and maruellous thing considering the enemies of the Church and Gospell both open and secret professed and close knowne aduersaries and close brethren all mischeeuous hauing also such men and meanes to worke their malice that any Church continueth in the world being as a little flock among many wolues Wherfore if there be any light of the Spirit of God in vs the consideration of this that their rage is determined must giue courage and constancy both to vs that be teachers and to you that be hearers and worke in vs all assurance of helpe and assistance to come from the highest heauens Thirdly this doctrine is a great terrour to Vse the wicked persecutors and malicious enemies to consider their estate and to remember their condition that they cannot do what they list but what God will they cannot execute whââ they please but what pleaseth God This limitation of their rage abridgement of their doings is sufficient to dane their hearts and to pull them backe from fighting against God If they could prolong their daies and double their strength as they can increase their malice and double their deuices they might haue some cause to insult and triumph ouer the faithfull But seeing they are stinted as the hireling that hath his taske shared out vnto him it serueth notably to abate theyr pride to asswage their malice to confound their deuices and enterprizes against the seruants of God They are not their owne men they are not free and at their owne libertie God holdeth them in and tyeth them short that they cannot rage and reigne at their own pleasure Herod and Pontius Pilate the Gentiles and the Iewes ãâ¦ã could doe no more then God had determined Let all the vngodly remember this doctrine and consider it in their hearts it will be a notable bridle to restraine them from all euill practises and to stoppe the course of their corrupt purposes They cannot preuaile ouer the Saints of God albeit for a time they haue the vpper hand The time shal come when they must giue an account of all their workes Lastly seeing the times of the enemies Vse 4 preuailing bee set let vs not feare the faces of men they can but run the race that God hath set them albeit they rush forward like blinde men and thinke themselues able to do great things yet their power is subiect to an higher power and their malice shall quickly haue an endâ If a Prince should encourage any of his poore subiects against the might and oppression of any of his Nobles and sayâ vnto him Feare not his feare I will be thy defence and protection I will stand betweene thee danger he shall do thee no harme would not this make him ioyfull and banish all feare from him of being ouer-borne and ouer-matched by his might But this is our case and condition lying vnder the crosse afflicted of enemies and persecuted for our profession the Lord hath promised to beare vs out and to bee a buckler round about vs. If then the Lord be our light and our saluation whom shall we feare If the Lord be the strength of our life of whom shall we be afraid Psal 27 1. Therefore Christ Iesus comforting and imboldning his disciples against dangers to come Matth. 10 25 26 28 31. forewarning them that they should be deliuered vp to the Councels bee scourged in the Synagogues be brought before Gouernors and bee hated of all men for his names sake exhorteth them to patience courage I care them not for there is nothing couered that shall not be disclosed nor hid that shall not be knowne Feare ye not them that kill the body are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell We are safe vnder Gods shield they cannot cut off one houre of our life they cannot shorten one moment of our
blindnes as hee did Elymas with crookednes deformity as the woman in the Gospel with foolishnes as hee did Achitophel with want of reason vnderstanding as he did Nebucadnezzar to teach vs to take heed to our selues and our senses lest we abuse them to our destruction Lastly seeing God can blinde the eyes and Vse 3 bind vp the senses when it pleaseth him let vs go forward walk boldly in the duties of our calling let vs not feare any enemies seeing the Lord hath so many wayes to helpe his chosen people to succour them to saue them harmlesse Let vs commit commend our selues to his prouidence who albeit hee suffer vs to fall into many dangers yet hee can smite his enemies with many suddain iudgments He can visit them oftentimes in sundry manners Euery thing serueth to his wll therfore if we serue God let vs be assured he wil make it serue to our benefit They shal not stir a foot or moue any member or lift vp an hand but at his beck and appointment Ieroboam stretched out his hand from the Altar to lay holde on the Prophet but immediatly it dried vp 1. King 1â and he could not pull it in again vnto him Ananias Sapphira his wife were among the Apostles and seemed to be in perfect health far from death yet suddainly they fell down were caried out Olde Eli whose sons walked not in the steps of their father sate vpon a seat by the way side waiting for the successe of the battel fought against the Philistims A man would haue thought he sate safely and surely at his owne pleasure and no doubt he iudged no lesse himselfe of himselfe but when hee heard that the Arke was taken suddainly hee fell from his seate backward 2 Sam. 4. â and his neck was broken When Vzziah King of Iudah presumed to burne incense vpon the Altar of incense lift vp his heart to his owne destruction while he waxed wroth against the Priests of the Lord had the incense in his hand to burne it 2. Chroââ 19. suddainly the leprosie arose in his forehead he was compelled to depant out of the Temple We are able to do nothing of our selues as of our selues seeing that in him we liue moue Act. 17 2â and haue our being Let vs in all our sufferings comfort our selues heerein that the Lord holdeth the wicked in his owne hand turneth their wisdome into foolishnes Absalom rebelled against his father and was assisted by Achitophel Dauids companion and chiefe counseller for the counsell which hee counselled in those dayes was like as one had asked counsell at the oracle of God Dauid prayed vnto God to turne his counsell into foolishnes 2 Sam. 1â God heard his prayer and confounded the deep wisdome of this great Polititian so that he set his house in order hanged himselfe 1 Cor. 3â 20 Hee catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse for the wisdome of this world is foolishnes with God the Lord knoweth that the thoughts of the wise be vain If any therefore seeme to be wise in this world let him bee a foole that hee may be wise All humane wisdome in the vnregenerate is oftentimes turned into extreme folly Iezabel enemy against the Church hated Eliah vnto the death but sending him this word by a messenger The Gods do so to me and more also if I make not thy life like one of theirs whom thou hast slaine by to morrow this time 1 Kings 19 2.3 hereby he had fit occasion and opportunity to flye away and to shift for himselfe receiuing warning and learning wisedome by his enemy Herod a subtle Fox and withall a bloody Lyon and wise in his generation might haue sent one of his Courtiers with the wise men for his greater assurance yet hee sendeth them alone and appointeth not one to goe with them Mat. 2 8. Thus the Lord striketh his enemies with the spirit of giddinesse and turneth all their deuices into sottishnesse he circumuenteth the wise in their owne pollicies and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish They meete with darknesse in the day time and grope at noone day as in the night but he saueth the poore from the sword from their mouth and from the hand of the violent man so that the poore hath his hope but iniquity shall stoppe her mouth Iob 5 12 13 14 15. Indeed they seeke wayes imagine meanes to destroy the godly but they cannot finde them out they are endued with wisedome iudgement counsell they are very subtle and deceitfull but that which happened to the eyes of the Sodomites falleth vpon their mindes They are smitten with blindnesse and madnesse are smitten with astonying of heart c. Deut. 28 28 29. Verse 34. Then Balaam saide to the Angel of the Lord I haue sinned Heere is offered to our considerations the corrupt conscience of an euill man So soone as the Lord charged him with his sinne by and by his heart smote him and he confessed his offence Heere was no true sanctificatioÌ of the conscience which indeed did checke and condemne him for his disobedience and couetousnesse but did not bridle suppresse the inclination of his heart vnto euill neyther could testifie that his transgression was pardoned We learne in this example âââine ãâã are ãâã âââtraiââââonââââinnes that euill men are oftentimes compelled to confesse their owne sinnes God wanteth not many wayes and sundry meanes to draw from men a confession of their owne iniquities This wee see in Pharaoh when the hand of God was heauy vpon him and his plagues pressed sore against him he called for Moses and Aaron and said vnto them I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I my people are wicked Exod. 9 27. Albeit he could not beleeue to obtaine remission yet he confessed his sinnes to his condemnation The like we see in Saul who persecuted Dauid and sinned against his owne conscience yet when he saw that Dauid had saued his life when some willed and cryed to kill him he saide Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred mee good and I haue rendred thee euill I haue sinned come againe my sonne Dauid for I will do thee no more harme because my soule was precious in thine eies c. 1 Sa. 24 18. and 26 21. So then howsoeuer the vngodly delight in sin and regard not to prouoke God to wrath yet theyr owne mouthes are made witnesses against theÌselues and they publish theyr owne shame as with the blast of a Trumpet The Reasons are these First the wrath of Reason 1 God is gone out against them and their owne consciences summon them vnto iudgement to answer for their sins before the high Iudge of heauen and earth so that the more they seeke to couer and smother them in the ashes of their owne corruptions that the flame of them breake not out the more
the Saduces Luke 20 27. Actes 23.8 which denyed the rising againe of the body and the subsisting of the soule after the separation For when Paul cryed out in the Councell I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead there was a dissention betweene the Pharisees and the Saduces for the Saduces say That there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirit but the Pharisies confesse both These Christ confuteth and conuinceth in the Gospel by the testimony of Moses I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Matth. 22 32. Exodus 3 6. And if these heretickes and enemies of God would not for conscience sake yeelde to this truth and subscribe with heart and hand vnto it yet at least for the profit of it and the excellency aboue their beastly dotage about the mortality of the soule they should embrace it and cleaue vnto it For it is surer and safer to beleeue as the Church holdeth For if this opinion bee true that the soule is immortall It is morâty leââger to bâ the soulâ be immâ then mâ whosoeuer beleeueth it not in heart and confesseth it not with the mouth shall suffer eternall punishment and beare his condemnation If it should not be true which we speake onely by supposition the doctrine being most certaine there is no daunger after death to haue holden the immortality of the soule in the time of our life forasmuch as if the soule do not remaine it cannot be reproued of error nor punished for sinne Againe it is most honest and honorable to hold the dignity of our soule receyued of God and so to thinke reuerently and religiously of it resembling it to God the Angels not to debase and disgrace it making it like vnto the beasts and vnreasonable creatures Lastly it is better to beleeue the soules eternity as fitter to stirre vs vp to liue soberly righteously godlily in this present world and to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to minde heauenly things that we may bee holy as our heauenly Father is holy For if we beleeue our selues to be immortall Math. 16 26 wee will haue a greater care of vertue a greater respect to the reward a greater conscience of Religion a greater feare of sin and of the punishment due to sin So then as there is greater verity so there is more safety security to hold the immortality of the soule against the erroneous opinions of all hereticks that haue desperately and damnably denyed the same to the decay of piety dishonor of God and vnto the vtter confusion of their owne soules Vse 2 Secondly acknowledge from hence a great difference betweene the soule of man and the soule of a beast Euery beast and liuing creature hath a kind of soule which perisheth with the body so that he which killeth the body of a beast destroyeth also the soule which ariseth from the mixture and temperature of the Elements But man was made after the image of God Gen. 1 26. according to his likenesse Eph. 4 24 to resemble him especially in his soule which is of an heauenly nature albeit not of the substance of God This difference and distinction Moses teacheth and obserueth Gen. 9 4 6. But the flesh with the life thereof I meane with the blood thereof shall ye not eate who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood bee shed for in the image of God hath hee made man Where hee maketh an opposition betweene man and beast and between the soule of man and beast Man was made in his soule to resemble his Maker and Creator but the soule of a beast is in his blood And therefore God charging his people to abstain from eating of blood euen of cleane beasts vseth these two reasons Leuit. 17 11 14. First because theyr blood is the seate of the soule secondly God hath commanded it to be vsed in attonemeÌts for sinne as a type and figure of the blood of Christ The soule of man is a substance the soule of a beast is an accident whose being is alwayes to be in another The soule of man is a spirit the soule of a beast is a quality arising of the matter of the body vanishing also with the body and hauing no beeing at all out of the body Thirdly see here a difference between the Vse 3 soule and the body of a man For as this truth teacheth a distinction betweene the soule of a man and the soule of a beast so it maketh a diuision betweene one part of man and the other Man consisteth of two parts of the bodie which is visible and of the soule which is inuisible The body dyeth and is laid in the graue for as it was taken out of the earth so it returneth to the earth againe But the soule as wee haue proued by diuers Scriptures and confirmed by strong reasons neuer dyeth or decayeth Therefore albeit we be taught in the Articles of our faith to beleeue the resurrection of the body yet wee are neuer taught to beleeue the resurrection of the soule For a rising vp presupposeth first a falling down The soul falleth not into the iawes of death nor goeth downe into the house of the graue This difference the wiseman teacheth Eccles. 12 7. Dust returneth vnto the earth as it was and the spirit returneth vnto God that gaue it The dwelling place of the body is the earth the habitation of the soule is with God The soule neuer dyeth nor decayeth nor sleepeth nor riseth againe but is a spirituall substance and inuisible hauing neyther flesh nor bones liuing and abiding for euer as wel out of the Tabernacle of the body as in the same But the body is an earthly and visible substance consisting of sensible parts neuer liuing nor breathing without the soule Wherefore these abide together as two the nearest and dearest friends reioycing together sorrowing together and alike affectioned one toward another yet the day of separation commeth and will come when a departure must be made of these two that cannot alway continue together the body must returne to the earth the soule must bee carryed vnto God the eternall Iudge who immediatly wil passe the sentence of life or death vpon the same Fourthly we must be careful to liue a godly Vse 4 and vpright life that when we shal goe the way of all flesh our soules may bee receyued vp into the heauenly habitations and bee carryed by the Angels into the glorious presence of God There is no man if he bee to stand before Princes and to come into the presence of great men but prepareth and maketh himself ready for that purpose When Ioseph was to appeare before Pharaoh Gen. 41 14. albeit he were called hastily and brought sodainly before him yet he shaued his head and changed his rayment How then ought our care to be increased and how ought we to work out our
to be annointed So then we haue heere in this attribute a testimony of the constancy of God Doctrine God is vnchangeably true in al hiâ waies words and works From hence we learne that God is vnchangable infallible faithfull true in al his waies words and works His decrees are immutable and irreuocable and without shew or shadow of turning This is that which the Lord claimeth and challengeth to himselfe I am the Lord Mal. 3 6. I change not I am God and there is none other God there is nothing like me My counsell shall stand and I will do whatsoeuer I will So the Prophet speaketh in the Psalme 105 7 8 10. He is the Lord our God his iudgements are thorough all the earth he hath alway remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations and since hath confirmed it to Iacob for a Law and to Israel for an euerlasting Couenant To this purpose the Apostle saith The guifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11 29. By all these places we see this truth plainly proued vnto vs that God is vnchangeable in his mercy and goodnes toward his Church and Children Reason 1 The Reasons follow to be considered First he is not like vnto man his wayes are not like mans wayes nor his thoughts like vnto mans thoughts but as farre as Heauen is distant from the Earth so farre are the works of God from ours We know by experience the changeable nature of man of whom the Scripture sayth All men are lyars Psal 116 11. He is ready to say and vnsay to affirme and deny with one breath He is constant to day he changeth to morrow He loueth one day and hateth another The people that receiued Christ with great ioy when he rode to Ierusalem not long after cryed out Crucifie him crucifie him It is not so with God whose mercy endureth for euer he falsifieth not his truth neyther altreth the thing that is gone out of his mouth Hee giueth liberally vnto all Iam. 1.5 and reprocheth no man Reason 2 Secondly his loue and mercy to his people is not changeable as the Moone vnconstant as the winde floating as the sea vncertaine as the weather but stable as the earth that cannot be moued out of his place and stedfast as Mount Sion that remaineth for euer Psal 125.1 This will plainly appeare vnto vs if we consider the similitudes and comparisons whereby it is expressed His loue is like to the Couenant of waters as sure as the promise that he made to Noah that the waters should no more ouerflow the whole earth as the Prophet Esay teacheth chap. 54 7 8 9. Reason 3 Againe his goodnesse is as the ordinance of God that hath set an order for Summer Winter for day and night for seed-time and haruest for cold and heat which shall not bee changed therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet If thou can breake my couenant of the day and my couenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their season then may my couenant be broken with Dauid my seruant Ier. 31 35 and 33 20. Nay his mercy is saide to bee more stable then the Mountaines for they shall remoue and the hils shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shal the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath coÌpassion on thee Esay 54 10. We see the loue of mothers is tender full of pitty toward their children who bare theÌ in her womb brought them into the world nourished them with her breasts and refused no base seruice for theyr good yet the Lord saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though they forget yet will not I forget thee Esay 49 15. Seeing therfore that God is not like to the sonnes of men and seeing his louing kindnesse is firmer then the waters of Noah surer then the couenant of the day faster then the foundation of the Mountaines and stronger theÌ the loue of mothers toward their children we may conclude that the stablenes of his counsels are as the Pillars of the earth that cannot be shaken and the changeablenes of his goodnesse as the standing Rockes that cannot be remoued Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine Vse 1 First heereby we learne that God is to be preferred before all creatures They are changeable and subiect to alteration which agreeth not with the nature of God True it is God hath highly honoured and aduanced man aboue the rest of the works of his hands he made him a little inferiour to the Angels crowned him with glory dignity Ps 8 5 Heb. 2 7. he hath made him Ruler ouer the earth put all things in subiection vnder his feet yet he is subiect to mutability and mortality and must returne vnto the earth out of which hee was taken Great is the excellency of the heauens and the stars yet they shall be changed deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God But with God is no change neyther any alteration with the Almighty who remaineth one the same for euer This difference betweene the Creator and the creature betweene God and the works of God the Prophet teacheth Thou Lord hast in the beginning established the Earth Psal 102 with Heâ the Heauens are the works of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt remaine and they all shal waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall be changed but thou art the same thy yeares shal not faile Thus we must magnifie the Lord aboue all creatures that are weake and fraile and acknowledge a great difference betweene the infinite and incomprehensible Maiesty of God subiect to no change at all but remaining the same for euer and the creatures of God subiect to vanity misery Vse 2 Secondly we may from hence assure our selues that God will make vs vnchangeable like himselfe and we may reioyce in the comfort of this his fauour For seeing his nature is vnchangeable and altereth not he will make vs in our measure partakers of immortality when this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15 53 this weake shall put on power and death be swallowed vp in victory we shall be like the Angels of God nay be transformed into the liuely Image of God to reigne with him in euerlasting glory This is a great comfort vnto vs in these dayes of sorrow to consider that the time will come when our state shall be changed and we continue for euer without change Heere we are subiect to many turnings and returnings but after this life shall be no more place for changing our happines shall be vnchangeable and firmly established with God This the Prophet sets downe Psal 16 12. In thy presence is fulnesse of
therefore to be esteemed aboue al the glory riches pleasures and profits of this world This made the Prophet Dauid say Many say Lord who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their wheat and their wine did abound Psal 4 6 7. Hereunto accordeth the Apostle Phil. 3 20. So then they are conuinced condemned to be prophane beasts possessed with the euill spirit of Esau that will not keepe the Lords Sabbaths nor attend vpon his worship but make that day a time of toyle and trauaile about their worldly businesse and a day to be spent in dancing and dallying in surfetting and drunkennesse in gaming ydlenes thereby making that which is the Lords day by his institution to be to theÌ the diuels day by their prophanation The Gospel and al things of a better life are lightly regarded of all such as are giueÌ to their profits and pleasures and delight to pamper vp the flesh No Religion could enter into the rich glutton that was clad in purple and fared deliciously euery day Luk. 16 19. The rich man whose ground brought foorth fruites plentiously whose tongue promised to him perpetuity and whose heart bred in him security neuer thought what should become of his soule neuer dreamed of sodaine death neuer minded his owne saluation and therfore God saide vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided Luk 12 16. The Apostle Peter maketh it a speciall marke of the prophane beasts in that time 2 Pet. 2 13. that they accounted it their chiefe pleasure to liue deliciously for a season And the Apostle Iude speaking of the like liuers saieth Iude 11. they were feast-hunters filling pampering themselues Of this sort are all drunkards gluttons epicures and belly-gods speake vnto them to embrace the truth to minde heauenly things to consider wherefore they were created and to remember the shortnesse of their life they cannot heare the belly hath no eares They are ready to answer with carnall minded men what will the Gospel aduantage me Why should I be a professor and become a by word of the world What good cometh to a man by hearing the word by reading the Scriptures or by being the childe of God It can get me neyther many in my purse nor cloaths to my backe nor food to my belly nor any other pleasure to my heart I had rather haue the company of good fellowes and a draught of wine or strong drink then to heare the best Sermon that can be preached And heere consider with mee prophane Esau once againe When Iacob demanded of him the sale of his birth-right the said Loe I am almost dead what is then this birthright to me Gen. 25 31. Thus the Atheists speake in the booke of Iob chap. 21 15. Who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profit should wee haue if we should pray vnto him Such prophane Esaues there be many in the world monsters among the sons of men proud gyants that are at opeÌ defiance with God that regard the cup and kan the pot and good fellowship before heauen and heauenly things that prize the most precious pearles of God most basely like Iudas the son of perditioÌ that valued Christ at thirty pence so these sell euerlasting life and giue heauen depart froÌ saluation some for their whore some for their drinke some for their money and other for other base and beastly pleasures all these shall one day know the price of their folly and confesse with their owne mouthes that they were worse then fooles and mad meÌ that euery one is ready to point at with the finger Euery one is ready to sit in iudgement vpon Esau to condemne the prophanenes of his hart because hee regarded more the satsfying of his present lust and moment any pleasure then to be the successor of his father in the Church of God yet of this number there bee infinite thousands in the world that prize the precious treasure of Gods heauenly graces the vse of the Sacraments the frame of Christian Religion the glorious ministery of the Word the hope of a better life and the endlesse ioy of Gods kingdom things more of value then the whole world beside as brutishly basely as euer Esau did his birthright are ready to sell them for euery filthy gaine drudgery pleasure They thinke of no other life then this present and know no other God but Mammon and therefore howsoeuer they haue oftentimes the praise of the world and the commendation to be ciuill honest men they are not onely enemies vnto their soules but to the crosse of Christ ãâã 3 18. and are in the fearfull estate of condemnation Verse 14. Come I will counsell thee such things as this people shall do to thy people in the latter dayes Heere we haue set downe vnto vs the cheefe occasion of that great iudgement which fell vpon the people wherein foure twenty thousand perished as appeareth in the chapt following namely the diuellish counsell of Balaam which hee gaue vnto Balak to draw the people into fornication But it may seeme at the first sight that Balaam speaketh very vnproperly For whereas he sayth I will counsell thee such things as this people shall doe to thy people some may suppose he should rather haue sayde I will counsell thee such things as thou and thy people shall do to the people of Israel Notwithstanding if wee consider the words aright we shall see his meaning to bee so in effect So then if we marke what the people of God should do to them wee shall finde what they shall do to the people of God The Israelites as we see in the seuenteenth Verse Shall smite the coasts of Moab and destroy them subdue them and bring them vnder so was the drift of his counsell to lay a plot and prepare a snare whereby the Israelites shold be weakned and many thousands of them destroyed by the hand of God As if hee should say I know this people whom thou hatest shall waste and weaken thy posterity in time to come but hearken vnto mee and obey my counsell I will shew thee how thou shalt ruine them and compasse theyr destruction and so do vnto them that which they shall do vnto thy people Thus we see the wickednes of Balaams heart to bee exceeding great who when he was restrained from cursing opened his mouth to wicked counsell thereby the children of Israel fell into horrible sinnes and drew vpon themselues heauy punishments âctrine ãâã an horriâ ãâã to giue ãâã counsell Hereby we learne That to giue euill counsell is a greeuous sinne It is not enough for vs to abstaine from doing euill but wee must beware of this great sinne that we do not counsell any to
frozen harts and shew themselues vnworthy of so great mercy Vse 2 Secondly it sheweth vs that it is vnpossible for all the tyrants and enemies vnder heauen to prolong the time for the further vexation of Gods people when God hath determined the release and appointed the end of their troubles All the creatures of God shall helpe them and worke for them yea hasten the purpose and counsell of God This appeared very notably in the deliuerance of Israel out of Egypt When the time of foure hundred yeares which God had appointed were expired albeit the King and his people had concluded to detaine them in bondage they were by the ouer-ruling hand of God moued to thrust them out of the land Exod 12 33 and 14 22. yea euen to hyre them at a great price to depart giuing them iewels of siluer and gold and casting vpon them the most precious things that were in their possession Pharaoh and his people forced them out of the land in hast and wheÌ they were hardned to follow after them to bring them backe againe the winde wrought for them the sea gaue them passage and GOD that ruleth both winde and sea drowned their enemies The time of deliuerance was come and who could hinder or deferre it The like wee see in the bringing of this people out of captiuity and bondage in Babylon nothing seemed more vnlikely or vnpossible vnto the Saints themselues for when the proclamation for the returne of the people was published Psal 126 1 2. the wonderfulnesse of the deliuerance seemed so great and incomprehensible that they could hardly perswade themselues of the truth thereof vntill they saw the Gentiles speake of it and helpe them forward with ayd toward theyr country This serueth greatly to comfort and cheare vp the hearts of the faithfull that seeing God will giue rest vnto his beloued people vaine are the practises of the enemies althogh they band themselues together as Herod Pontius Pilate and the high Priests did in the dayes of Christ yet we haue assurance of deliuerance they shall not alwayes preuaile the people of God shall be preserued and all shall work for the best for their owne safety Thirdly this must teach vs in the time of Vse 3 our distresses while wee lye vnder the Crosse to relye vpon God whatsoeuer troubles and tentations arise although we should come to the gates of the graue and passe by the doore of death we must lift vp our heads knowing that our deliuerance draweth nere This then serueth to worke patience in the seruants of God and to teach vs to waite vpon him vntill the time of rest and refreshing come from the presence of God for surely it will come as the Prophet Habbakkuk teacheth chapt 2. verse 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake and not lye though it tarry waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay So when the Angel had limited the time of the desolation of the holy people and of the deliuerance of the Church he pronounceth him blessed that waiteth vntill that time Dan. chap. 12. verses 11 12. And when the soules of them that were killed for the Word and the Testimony which they had maintained cryed out with a lowde voyce from vnderneath the Altar How long Lord which art holy and true Dooest not thou iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth An answer was giuen vnto them That they should rest for a little season vntill the number of their Brethren were fulfilled Reuel chap. 6. verse 10. This the Prophet Dauid sheweth to haue beene his practice earnestly waiting vppon the Lord for helpe and deliuerance out of all his troubles and dangers as Psalme 123 verses 1 2. I lifte vp mine eyes vnto thee which dwellest in the heauens Behold euen as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maid vnto the hand of her mistris so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Great are our feares and troubles and many bee our infirmities it behooueth vs greatly therefore to cleaue vnto the liuing God without separation and euermore continue our trust in him and to poure out our meditations and prayers before him vntill such time as hee graciously looke vpon vs and grant our petitions yea it is our dutie whensoeuer we perceiue the time of our deliuerance to approach or to be expired or any signes and tokens thereof as the sprouting of the Figge-tree to appeare and to bee offered vnto vs from GOD it is our duty I say to raise vp our faith and to intreat God to bring his purpose to passe and to make good the words of his owne mouth When Daniel by reading the Prophets of God knew that the number of yeares appointed for the desolation of Ierusalem was expired he turned his face to the Lord with prayer Daniel 9 2. in fasting in weeping in sackcloth and ashes Vse 4 Lastly it is the duty of all such as lye not vnder the crosse to commend the common cause of their brethren to God Hath God giuen vs rest on euery side Do we liue in ease sitting vnder our Vines and Figge-trees enioying peace and liberty vnder a gracious Prince Do we enioy health and wealth and taste not of the bitter cup of affliction that others drinke of It is required of vs not to forget the affliction of Ioseph but to be mindfull of the miseries of other parts of the Church and to haue a fellow-feeling of their sorrows as that we be thereby prouoked to call vpon God for them This the Apostle vrgeth the Church of the Corinthians to thinke vpon 2 Corinthians chap. 1. verse 7 that they being partakers of the suffering of the Saints may also be partakers of the consolation This is a duty needfull to be learned and considered Wee know not what troubles may fall vpon our selues There is nothing that happeneth vnto any of our brethren but it may fall vpon our owne heads Let vs therefore call vpon God for others and remember them that are in trouble Heb. 13 2. as if we were troubled with them that so we may haue the benefit of other mens prayers be deliuered when wee fall into troubles It is therefore a duty that we owe to God and our brethren being touched with a respect of his commandement of their misery His commandement should compell vs their miserie should mooue vs not to be forgetfull of their condition And from hence we should haue a double meditation First it is our parts to praise the name of the Lord when hee giueth to our brethren or to vs any share of this outward prosperity and manifesteth his loue vnto vs by deliuering our soules from death our eyes from teares and our feete from falling Psalme 116 8.14 When he causeth our houses to be inhabited our streets to bee replenished our
motion of sin breake out into all enormities Thes vses are in the next place to be handled Vse 1 First we may truely conclude that they are blessed that thinke of the day of their reckoning and of the time of the account that they must giue of their stewardship and so prepare their garments that they be not found naked Wee see how men in danger as in a fire comming in the silence of the night are glad to catch any thing to couer and hide themselues so must wee be clothed with Christ and put on his righteousnesse There fore our Sauiour Christ saith Who is a faithfull steward and wise whom the master shall make ruler ouer his houshold Math. 24 44 46. And to the same purpose hee speaketh in the Reuelation of Iohn Reuel 16 15. There is no way for the vngodly to escape When a thiefe hauing a purpose to doe a mischiefe commeth vpon an house in the night when all be asleep and so taketh them vnprepared and vnprofitable being in bed and destitute of all helpe they cannot escape or shift themselues out of the way There can be no preuenting of this fearefull and suddaine destruction by foreseeing the appointed time and by determining of the season before-hand so as wee may liue as we list vntill that time For as the lightning commeth out of the East and is seene into the West so shall also the comming of the Sonne of man be Math. 2â 27. So then wee may see the blessed estate and condition of all such as wisely consider the suddain comming of Gods iudgments and the falling of men into them as a bird into a snare being thereby made circumspect and wise to preuent a mischiefe before they fall into it On the other side wee may conclude the cursed and wretched estate of all vngodly and wicked men they are suddainly taken as in a net and horribly consumed They fall into the pit before they dreamed of any danger They feele their owne misery to be without redemption before they would see it to preuent it Happy are they that see the plague comming and doe auoyde it Vse 2 Secondly it is our duty to awake out of sinne to be watchfull ouer our own soules we must not sleepe in sinne nor giue our selues to security but be careful and circumspect that wee be not suddainly ouertaken Wee ought alwayes to be occupied in the workes of godlinesse and in the duties of our calling to performe them as in the sight of God to the end that being alwayes ready wee should not feare his comming This is the charge that Christ giueth vs to be alwayes ready Mâth 24 44. Luke 12 35. To this purpose doth he giue this exhortation that seeing wee know not when the Sonne of man will come whether at euen or midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning we should carefully watch pray continually Mar. 13 35 36 37. Luke 21 36. And the which Christ speaketh of the end of the world must be considered of vs touching the end ofour own daies and must teach vs so to number vp our times that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome that wee should haue our loynes girt and as it were our staues in our hands that euery houre we may looke for our Lords comming The Lord would haue vs know his first comming because the knowledge thereof was profitable and necessary and therefore he reproueth the Iewes that they knew not the time of their visitation Luke 19 45. But his second comming he hath hid from vs as vnnecessary ad vnprofitable nay as dangerous and hurtful vnto vs lest we should say with the euill seruant My master doth deferre his comming and thereupon begin to smite our fellow-seruants and to eate and drinke with the drunken whereas the Master of that seruant will come in a day when hee thinketh not and at an houre when hee is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him a portion with the vnbeleeuers The seruant that knoweth his Masters will and prepareth not himselfe neyther doth according to his will Vse 3 shall be beaten with many stripes Lastly albeit he be patient let vs not put off from day to day the time of our repentance It is the exhortation of Christ to the Church at Sardis Remember how thou hast receiued and heard hold fast repent Reu. 3 3. The Prophet denounceth a grieuous woe to all them that put away the euill day Amos 6 3. that continue still in their wickednesse and think that Gods plagues are not at hand This is the mother of many euils when a man neuer considereth of the day of his death and dissolution and that the day of his appearing is neere and the time of his answering at hand he regardeth not what iniuries he offereth hee committeth many grieuous sinnes So then the consideration of the suddainnesse of Gods iudgements affoordeth a notable vse against the drowzie security and prophanenesse of those that mocke and dally with repentance as if it might bee obtayned at their owne pleasure These men thinke it a vaine thing to trouble themselues that way vntill they bee ready to dye and do lye at the very last gaspe These men regard not how they liue so they may haue time to call for pardon and to cry Lord haue mercy vpon me But vnderstand O yee foolish men that not eueây one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of our Father which is in heauen Math. 7 21. The iudgements of GOD are threatned to come vpon thee as a thiefe and to sweepe thee away suddenly thou knowest not whether thou shalt haue an hour or moment giuen thee to repent Thou mayest be smitten with sudden death When thou risest out of thy bed thou knowest not whether thou shalt lye downe againe When thou lyest down in thy bed thou knowest not what may happen vnto thee before it be day Let God be in our first thoughts in the morning let him bee in our last thoughts in the euening Let vs remember him rising and lying downe Let vs call our selues to an account of our doings euery day what euil we haue done what good we haue left vndone Let vs continually commend our selues our soules our bodyes our goods our brethren into Gods hands as a most faithfull keeper by earnest and faithfull prayer and not goe into our beds as the dog into his kennell or the swine into his stye or the Oxe vnto his stall Boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Pro. 27 1. Thy self may be dead thy house fired thy goods spoiled thy Children destroyed and a thousand miseries bee multiplied vpon thee And if thy daies be prolonged the longer thou continuest in sin the harder thou shalt finde it to repent Thy heart is more hardned by custome continuance An olde ruinous house the longer it is let run the more
he is not tyed to any guide or Gouernor We are put in minde heereof by Moses Deut. 29 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that wee may do all the words of the law God is not tyed to his reuealed wil the Law-giuer is aboue his law For the law must be vnderstood with this restraint and limitation except God command the contrary who is free and not bound to ordinary rules He commanded Moses in the building of the Tabernacle to make the Cherubims and other similitudes as also afterward when the people were stung with fiery serpents to set vp a brazen serpent which without his commandement had bin a breach of the second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the similitude of any thing in the heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth Exod. 20 4. He commanded Ioshua to compasse the City of Iericho seuen dayes with the men of warre and the Arke of God seuen dayes together and therfore also on the Sabbath day Iosh 6 15 which without the Commandement of God had bin a breach of the fourth Commandement Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day So God proued Abraham and charged him to offer his son which he could not haue done without horrible murther Gen. 22 1. except God had commanded it being a breach of the sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kil In like manner God willed his people to aske iewels of siluer and iewels of gold of theyr neighbors the Egyptians Exod. 12 35 wherby they spoyled them but neuer made restitution vnto them which without a peculiar direction from God had not stood with the eyght Commandement Thou shalt not steale Thus theÌ we see for the encrease of our knowledge how the Law of God is to be vnderstood to wit with this caueat and prouiso Vnlesse it please God to command the contrary who alwayes worketh according to his owne will For as such as haue to do in the Statutes of earthly Princes do teach to restraine them and vnderstand them thus sauing the Kings prerogatiue so are we to do in the interpretation of the law of God alwayes to vse this exception of Gods prerogatiue For if Princes claime a prerogatiue aboue theyr lawes much more are we to giue vnto the eternall God a prerogatiue and priuiledge aboue the lawes giuen to the sonnes of men Secondly we learne from hence that all examples Vse 2 set downe in Scripture are not set downe for our imitation albeit reuealed for our instruction Our Sauiour in the Gospel reproueth his Disciples who would haue called downe fire from heauen vpon the Samaritans to consume them pretending to follow the example of Elias saying vnto them Yee know not of what spirit ye are Lu. 9 59. The examples of the godly set downe in Scripture are of foure sorts The first generall and common standing in the law of nature taught in the ten Commandements commanding vs to worship God to honour our parents to doe wrong to no man Hence it is that we are coÌmanded to follow the faith of Abraham 1 Cor. 11 1. the chastity of Ioseph the zeale of Dauid the patience of Iob the repentance of Peter the attention of Lydia the restitution of Zacheus and such like these are set before vs both for our instruction and for our imitation Secondly the godly haue many infirmities and imperfections whereby it commeth to passe that some of theyr actions are sinful and vngodly which are set downe for vs not to follow but to auoyde Such are the incredulity of Moses the adultery of Dauid the idolatry of Salomon the drunkennesse of Noah the incest of Lot the ambition of the Apostles These are not written that we should alledge the fals of the Saints to warrant and iustifie our sinnes but to teach vs that no maÌ is free from sinne in this life seeing the elect and regenerate do offend that we should not being suddainly ouertaken with sin despaire of Gods mercy that we should be watchfull and looke to our footing seeing these men sinned beeing adorned with such great gifts so highly in Gods fauour that shined as Starres in the Firmament and were eminent aboue other men as the Cedars aboue other Trees Thirdly some things were well done of the Fathers that cannot bee followed of vs without offence to God as those that were ceremoniall and endured only vntill the comming of Christ and the restoring of all things by him as the cutting of the foreskinne the offering of sacrifices the killing of the Passeouer which cannot be brought into vse and practise againe Acts chap. 15 ver 1 5 without iniury to Christ and the abolishing of his death Lastly some examples were singular and proper vnto those to whom they were giuen so as neyther others in those dayes nor we in our times may any way follow them without the same inspiration of the Spirit and of this number is the zeale of Phinehas mentioned in this place and such extraordinary examples as we named before Thus we see both that all examples of the faithfull are not to be practised and likewise what are to be followed and what are not to be followed Heereby we learne to meete with all prophane men who resolue to continue in their sinnes defend themselues with the slips and faylings of the faithfull These men sinne with the godly but they repent not with them they fall asleepe with them but they arise not with them out of sleepe Heereby also the Church of Rome is conuinced who alledge the making of the Cherubims of the brazen serpent and such like to iustifie their imagery and idolatry by the example of Moses which we haue shewed to be speciall not generall commanded to him not warranted to all Lastly hereby they are condemned that would bring in any of the ceremonies of the law which are long since buried together with the Synagogue cannot stand with the simplicity of the Gospel and with the sufficiency of the death of Christ Lastly as no man must bee rash in pretending extraordinary callings so we must take heed we bee not rash in censuring the doings of other men Do we know or can we vnderstand the motions and inspirations of other men What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2 11. We may not therefore examine theyr callings by our owne nor measure extraordinary actions by ordinary rules especially in the times of the decay of religion of the ruines of the Church of the planting of the Gospel when God doth many times giue some of his people speciall motions guide them with an extraordinary direction of his Spirit but euery man must looke to the warrant of his owne worke No man must presume aboue his calling but euery man must be wise according to sobriety and consider what
vnbeleeuers but letteth them alone and spareth them as though hee had forgotten their workes or had not seene their sinnefull wayes yet they must know that their transgressions are recorded in the booke of God and shall come to account For hee suffereth those whom he loueth not to waxe ripe yea to rot away in their sinnes and in the meane season hee chastiseth those whom he hath adopted to be his children Gen. 15. The state of the faithfull is in the fight of man and in the iudgment of the world more miserable then the state of the despisers of God which rest at ease and welter in all pleasures They seeme to bee forgotten of God and vtterly forsaken of helpe so that they pine away with sorrow of heart whereas the wicked lift vp their heads and set their hornes on high they are merry and make a mocke of sinne in the despite of God and in scorne of all godlinesse Alas how would this trouble and torment vs and bring vs to our wits ends if wee had not this doctrine that iudgement entreth first into the house of God and that when God shall haue finished all his worke vpon mount Sion then will hee not spare the wicked Esay 10 12. God will indeed keepe corrections first in his owne house seeing he loueth them most and seeketh to cleanse them from their sinnes hee will visit them in the first place lest they should be condemned with the world and then a most horrible vengeance is prepared and a stormy tempest is made ready for those that haue long abused his patience and hardned their hearts not knowing that his long sufferance ought to haue led them to repentance 1. Cor 11 32. This serueth as a notable comfort on the one side to all the godly that are tryed by afflictions of long continuance We must consider that the more the Lord loueth vs the more forward he is in visiting of vs and when he seeth wee haue stepped awry and are gone out of the right way of saluation hee watcheth ouer vs to bring vs home againe to him with speed This is that which the Apostle teacheth the Church of Corinth For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe for if we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged but when we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world Let vs not therefore despise the chastening of the Lord neyther faint when we are rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth and hee scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth if therefore we be without correction c. Heb. 12 5.6 Euen as when a man beholding two children committing euill correcteth one of them and letteth the other go free the standers by will say surely that was his sonne which hee did smite and chasten but the other was not Besides we are assured that the wicked shall perish and that the vngodly shall bee punished Secondly this serueth to set forth the wofull condition of all the reprobate for when they see how GOD dealeth with his owne deare children chastening them for their sinnes and sending them great afflictions as appeareth in Dauid that the sword departed not from his house that God did visit him with sundry other iudgements in his children all the dayes of his life it ought to be a feareful threatning to the wicked to make them afraid of the reward which is laide vp in store for them in the life to come This is that which Salomon calleth to their remembrance Behold the righteous shal be recompenced c. Prou. 11 31. And to the same purpose speaketh the Apostle Peter The time is câme that iudgement must beginne at the house of GOD 1. Peter 4 17. If it first beginne at vs what shall the end be of them which obey not the Gospel of God And if the righteous scarsely bee saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Woe therefore to all wicked men how wretched shall their end be how horrible shal their destruction be when God commeth to giue them the hire and wages of their worke Let them therefore repent of their euill waies and call vpon God betimes before the euill daies approch and before iudgment do come vpon them Vse 3 Lastly from hence arise sundry duties to be practised as well of the children of God that lye vnder chastisement as of others that are beholders of it First seeing God will begin his chastisements vpon his owne children it teacheth them when they are punished to consider and search out the true cause therof and to call vpon him to pardon theyr sinnes True it is hee is able to preserue them in the time of trouble he is ready to regard their prayers but their sinnes are lothsome to him and doe turne away his louing countenance from them according vnto the saying of the Prophet Esay 59 1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot hear but your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God your sins haue hid away his face from you that hee will not heare When our sinnes are heartily confessed they shall be freely pardoned and when they are pardoned God is reconciled vnto vs and when he is reconciled his iudgements shal be remoued Secondly let vs begin a new life walke in the wayes of righteousnes for as Salomon teacheth Righteousnesse deliuereth from death Prou. 10 2. Wee must turne from our wickednes and then God will turne from his iudgements Wee are ready to cry out in the time of our affliction but we are not so readie to practise true religion If wee would call in Gods iudgement we must turne to him by amendment of life Lastly when we see the Lord strike his owne children wee must behold it with an eye of compassion So soone as we see their miseries and calamities that ly heauy vppon them we must shew our selues to haue a feeling of their afflictions wee must expresse our pitty we must manifest our kindnesse and wee must declare the bowels of our loue toward them This is it which Iob requireth at the hands of his friends in the daies of his sorrow Iob 19 21. The wicked haue despised me when I rose they spake against me all my secret friends abhorred me and they whom I loued are turned against me c. Where we see he sheweth that God had chastened him that his brethren stoode farre from him that his acquaintance were strangers vnto him that his neighbors had forsaken him that his familiars had forgotten him that his seruants disdained him that his wife loathed him that the wicked despised him that his secret friends abhorred him thereupon hee cryeth out for some to pitty him in his misery and to comfort him in his extreamity This duty should be performed by vs to testifie our loue vnto the seruants of God and so
more ease but rather the lesse ease the more torment because of the multitudes and thousands of them so on the earth there are many desperate sinners yet when once iudgement commeth they cannot by any meanes ease one another who shall not bee able to helpe themselues and therfore it is one of the vainest things in the world for any man to deceiue himselfe by following the corruption of the times and by dooing as the greatest part of people doe Be it that no extraordinary iudgement come vpon vs generally or particularly yet when wee must dye the common death of all men and bee visited after the common visitation of all flesh Satan shall come charge vs for our sins what comfort can this minister vnto vs at that houre to alledge for our selues that we haue done as the multitude did haue walked with them in the way that leadeth to destruction And be it further granted that we feel no check of conscience or tentation of Satan but end our dayes in peace as one that quietly falleth asleepe yet when we come to stand before the seate of God where euery man shall beare his owne burden and receiue according to his owne workes Rom. 2 6. 2. Cor. 5 10 what comfort or confidence can this giue vs to plead for our selues and say O we haue followed the multitude Let no man therefore dally with himselfe so delude his owne soule for this must come to passe we must all dy and appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things done in his body when the heauens shall passe away as a scroule and the elements melt with heat Be it some generall plague donot come before in this life or some particular iudgment do not seaze vpon vs yet in the end we cannot escape when euery one must answere for himselfe in his owne person CHAP. XXVII 1. THen came the daughters of Zelophehad the sonne of Hepher the sonne of Gilead the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasseh of the families of Manasseh the son of Ioseph these are names of his daughters Mahlah Noah and Hoglagh and Milcah and Tirzah 2 And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the Priest c THe former Chapter hath opened vnto vs the order to bee obserued in the diuision of the land that the greater tribe should haue the greater share and portion in the land the lesser a lesser portion therby to giue contentment satisfaction to euery one this was to bee done by lot to take away contention which often ariseth in like cases vpon like occasions as we see when some commons or wasteground commeth to bee enclosed one thinketh his fellow hath too much another thinketh himselfe hath too litle one wil haue his part lye in such a place another thinketh that parcell the fittest morsell for himselfe The diuision of this Chapter In this chapter obserue two things first touching the persons that should enioy the inheritance and of the right of succession secondly touching the designing and deputing of Ioshua the seruant of Moses to be his successour to be set ouer the people to conduct them vnto the land to fight the battels of the Lord and to giue to euery tribe his proper inheritance Concerning the first point to wit what persons should haue inheritance consider two things the occasion of a question and controuersie heere arising and the deciding and determining heereof without any farther doubt or contradiction by the sentence of God himself The occasion fel out in this maner When the families of the tribe of Manasseh came amoÌg the other tribes to bee numbred fiue sisters all the daughters of Zelophehad came likewise in their order hoping to receiue as the rest did and thinking themselues as capable as any but because their father was already dead and left no heyres males behind him some of their Tribe would haue put them by theyr inheritance that themselues might obtaine the more not regarding what they gained by the losse of others A common euill of the world a common practise of worldly men These women being left fatherlesse comfortlesse and friendlesse exposed therefore to iniuries and like to be ouerborne finding few or none to stand for them and to take their part complained to Moses and to the rest of the Princes heads of the people which is the lawfull remedy left vnto vs in all wrongs whatsoeuer They do plainely declare the truth of their cause the equity of their request that they were Israelites of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Manasseh whose father dyed in the wildernesse not in the rebellion and conspiracy of Korah Numb 16 whose companies were worthily destroyed and disinherited neyther yet perished he in any murmuring of the people neyther for any publike and notorious offence committed against God but dyed a naturall death when his time was come as all men must dye inasmuch as all haue sinned Rom. 5 and therefore they shew that their kindred their flesh and their bones had no iust cause to exclude theÌ from such inheritance as their father should haue had if he had bin aliue But of this more afterward both of the yssue of their request the deciding of this question The daughters of Zelophehad stood before Moses and Eleazar and before the Princes c. These women after the decease of their father were left as we say to the wide world and were like to sustaine great wrong to the preiudice both of their father and of themselues and their posterity and of the whole Tribe when one family was like to perish in Israel Heere we see The fatherles do lye open to wrongs iniuries that aboue all other such as are left destitute of protection as the fatherlesse the widow the stranger the poore and such like lye open to receyue wrongs and iniuries Such whose forlorne distressed estate ought to moue speciall pitty and commiseration euen they are least regarded and releeued Zac. 7 10. Iob 31 21. Hence it is that God promiseth to take care of them and to protect theÌ and to punish their oppressors Exod. 22 22 23 24. A great comfort to all that are in distresse to consider that God is on their side he will be a father to the fatherlesse and an husband to the widow These daughters of Zelophehad appeale to the Magistrate they do not side themselues with others to make a commotion as turbulent spirits vse to doe but they go to Moses as supreme and to the Princes vnder him Doctrine We are to go to the Magistrate âo redresse our wrongs Wherby we learne that in al wrongs and iniuries we must go to the Magistrate and seek helpe of him we must make our causes knowne to him and seeke remedy and redresse at his hands This hath bene the practise of Gods seruants from time to time Heereunto commeth the Parable of the wise woman
others euen in priuate houses and families The Law of God and man allow not nay they condemne the common practice of brawling fighting quarrelling or challenging one of another into the field for priuate and personall wrongs whereby the seedes of murther and shedding of blood are sowne which soone grow vp to ripenesse and perfection and yeelde a dolefull haruest of sorrow and repentance when it is too late if they bee not weeded out of the heart betimes Whosoeuer shall thinke it a disgrace to refuse such challenges let them also thinke it a disgrace to walke in the wayes of God and to obey the good Edicts of Princes and the wholesome lawes of the Commonwealth It is the greatest grace that can be to yeeld obedience to God and contrariwise it is no credite to sinne against him to saue and salue vp a supposed honour and reputation among men It is the duty therefore of all that liue in priuate societies when they haue hard or wrong measure offered vnto them to go to their fathers or masters for they are Magistrates in the house and are within their owne doores as Kings to rule and Officers to gouerne and no man ought to reuenge his owne cause and quarrel he is as a Marshal to right euery mans cause that is vnder his roofe and to maintaine their credite and reputation The causes of these duels are euill Zedegin loc commun pag. 457. sometimes pride vain-glory sometimes couetousnesse and greedinesse of gaine and the cause of all these causes the diuell himselfe who was a murtherer from the beginning The effects thereof are no better for they cause deadly feudes breed hatred neuer to be appeased nourish contention and confusion hinder prayer and holy exercises of Religion shed mans blood made in the Image of God and bring downe the vengeance of God vpon our owne heads For how often doe such quarrels beginne with brawling and end in blood which once being spilled cannot be gathered vp Let all such therefore as eyther challenge or accept of challenges consider this point that hee which killeth maketh himselfe guilty of execrable murther before God and the blood so shed cryeth as it were with a loud voyce against him to heauen and neuer ceaseth till it hath called downe vengeance and touching him that is killed let him know that he is no better then one of the martyrs of the diuell For as God hath his Martyrs that dye in his cause What we are to thinke of Duellists so the diuell also hath his martyrs that dye in his cause and such as shed their blood are the diuels executioners and no better We can hold no other opinion either of the one or of the other neyther of him that killeth nor of him that is killed whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues and therefore let them looke to it that are so prodigall of their liues or of the liues of others 3 Our father dyed in the wildernesse and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselues together against the Lord in the company of Korah but dyed in his owne sinne and had no sonnes 4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family because hee hath c. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. The plea of the daughters oâ Zelophehad In these words the daughters of Zelophehad plead their own cause to haue their part in the diuision of the land not to be shut out from their inheritance The plea is good and well grounded and they vse sundry reasons of no small importance First because their father dyed in the wildernesse in his iourney toward the land of Canaan and therefore the same inheritance that was due vnto him being aliue should not be denyed to his issue being dead For seeing hee died in the way before any of the Israelites could take possession of the land of promise hee could leaue to his daughters nothing but the promise of GOD and a liuely faith appprehending the same which no doubt was truly grafted in them or else they would neuer haue beene so earnest in this matter but haue let it alone till the conquest of the land and the displanting of the Canaanites They plead that he was not partaker with Korah in his conspiracy but dyed in his owne sinne that is as all other men do and must do that are sinners forasmuch as the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6 27. Now vnder this conspiracy of Korah heere expressed we must vnderstand all other mutinies of the same nature that he ioyned not with any in their rebellions neyther was partaker with any seditious persons whereby hee should deserue to be excluded from his possession of the land If any aske Obiect why this conspiracy of Korah is named and singled out aboue any of the rest of the murmurings which were many and of many I answere first because this was late and yet fresh in remembrance Secondly Answer it was more eminent then any of the rest and as it were swallowed vp the memory of all the former Thirdly because it seemeth hee died at the same time that Korahs treachery brake out and therefore hee might more easily bee thought to bee destroyed with them But though he dyed at the same time yet he died not of the same crime as likewise it fell out that Methushelah died immediatly before the flood it might be after it began to raine vpon the face of the earth but was not swept away with the flood And heere it is not to be forgotten that some of the Hebrewes as also we noted before chap. 15 21 are of opinion that this Zelophehad was the man that gathered stickes vpon the Sabbath day others thinke Vatabl aââââ in hunc locum that he was one of them that died by the biting stinging of the fiery serpents chap. 21 6. But the purpose of his daughters was to bring to their remembrance that their father had committed no act whereby his issue should bee denyed or debarred of their inheritance because he died a naturall death and went the way of all flesh and when he had serued his time was gathered to his fathers An other reason is because he left behind him no sons or heires males of his body lawfully begotten whereby it might and would come to passe that the name of a family in Israel should perish if no portion of the inheritance were assigned to his daughters In al this plea we may perceiue in them a notable example of honouring parents in that they are careful that the Name of their father should not be buried in perpetuall forgetfulnes but bee honourably remembred preserued which all ought to follow Likewise an example of faith beleeuing the promise of God for except they had assured their hearts that God would performe his promise and make good the wordes of his owne mouth spoken to Abraham Isaac and Iacob they would neuer haue made such
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
for a meate offering c. 14 And their drinke offerings shall be halfe an Hin of wine vnto a Bullocke and the third part of an Hin vnto a Ramme and the fourth part of an Hin vnto a Lambe c. 15 And one Kid of the Goats for a sinne offering vnto the Lord shall bee prepared besides the continuall burnt offering and his drinke offering In these words we haue the monethly solemnity commanded to the Iewes to wit the Calends of the moneths called the New Moones or beginning of euery moneth The worship performed therein was two young Bullocks one Ram seuen Lambs of the first yeare three tenth deales of flower for euery Bullock and two tenth deales of flower for euery Ram for a meate offering c. it must also haue a drinke offering containing halfe an Hin of wine c. Here we haue mention made as also before of the Hin and of the Epha Touching the Epha Omer we haue spoken already chap. 5 15 16. What the Hin was Now we must speake somewhat of the Hin Some are of opinion that it cannot bee certainely knowne how much the Hebrew measures contayned as appeareth in Lyra and Caietan and so they leaue it vncertaine to determine Others to enwrap the Hin in greater obscurity make two kindes of measures of this one kinde the greater and the lesser but this is a bare coniecture without warrant Mention is made heereof before chap. 15 4 5 7 9. This we are to hold for a certaine truth that the Hin is of liquid things and it is commonly accounted to containe six pintes which we receiue as most probable least suspected because it agreeth with the computation of the Hebrewes who generally hold that it holdeth twelue of the measures called Log and the Log contayned sixe egges and there goeth to a pinte of our english measure as much as 14 eggeshels containe But of this see before chap. 15. Now to returne to the matter which is heere handled Of the feast of the New Moone we see that the Calends or beginnings of the moneths were consecrated hallowed vnto God as before chap. 10 10 and in many other places 1 Sam. chap. 20 5. 1 Chron. chapter 25 verse 31. 2 Chron. chap. 8 verse 13 and chapter 31 verse 5. Nehem. chapt 10 verse 33. Ezr. chap. 3 verse 5. Ezek. chapter 45 verse 17 and 46 verse 1. Amos 8 verse 5. This was the solemne feast of the Iewes Vse 1 let vs see what it belongeth vnto vs. First see heereby that God did set apart diuers times besides the Sabbath to his people that serue him to heare his word and to resort to the Prophets to bee taught and instructed in the wayes of godlinesse 2 Kings 4 25. Ezek. 36 1 at such times the people went to the Prophets when the Priests were oftentimes negligent in theyr places Christ our Sauiour complayneth in the Gospel that they were as sheepe without a Sheepheard Math. 9 verse 36 when there were store of Priests and Leuites in the Land howbeit they were dumbe dogges and opened not theyr mouthes to interpret the Law The Sabbath day is the cheefe time to seek after knowledge and euer was from the beginning neuerthelesse God appointed other times also to his people There are not many places in the land where the word is preached on other dayes theÌ the Sabbath I would there were more of them it is a good helpe to many other places where they want teaching if the people resort to them as they were wont to the Prophets they are to be commended encouraged If there were a dearth of Corne among vs how farre would we goe to fetch Corne rather then wee would starue I beleeue as far as the sonnes of Iacob who went out of the Land of Canaan into Egypt so ought it to be with vs in regard of the soule we should be ready to go from place to place yea from Land to Land rather theÌ pine away and perish for want of instruction Amos 8 12. But if many that liue among vs had liued in those dayes that cannot abide that preaching should be vpon any other day they wold haue enueyed against this as a great disorder and vpbraided the people that they gad after Sermons and leaue their businesse and begger themselues In the dayes of Christ the people followed him out of their houses and Cities and sought him out to bee taught of him yet he neuer reproued them or forbad them but fedde them both in soule and body Doth the Lord command vs so often to delight in the Law of the Lord to meditate therein day and night to seeke first of all the kingdome of God and ought a few miles to stop vs or hinder vs How far will men ride and runne and sayle for a little earthly substance It is accounted by worldly minded men that sauour nothing but of the earth no disorder at all to runne on heaps from towne to towne to drunken feasts may games dancings playes beare-baytings and other like fooleries and vanities they allow this running from place to place but if any go halfe so farre to seeke after the word and to edifie themselues in theyr most holy faith they cry out against it with open mouthes and thinke them worthy to bee punished Thus they would also haue done to Gods owne people the Iewes if they had seene them runne resort to the Prophets in the ruinous times of the Church with so great zeale and forwardnesse as they did Secondly we learne that all moneths and Vse 2 times are consecrated to vs through Christ so that worshipping God truely they shall turne to our good and benefit according to the saying of the Apostle Whether life or death or things present or things to come all are ours 1 Cor. 3 22 23. The heathen and they that are heathenishly minded are afraid of the influence of the starres and of the constellation of the heauens yea the Starre-gazers would beare vs in hand that some times are dismall and fatall to some purposes The Gentiles made it vnlucky to enterprize some busines in some of the moneths Hence it is that the Poet saith Ouid de fust l. 3. Hac quoque de causa fite Prouerbia tangunt Mense malum Maio nubere vulgus ait That is The Prouerbs teach and common people say It s ill to marry in the moneth of May. In like manner he teacheth before that some times are vnfit for the marriage of widowes or of maides forasmuch as such as marry in them are not long liued but haue died quickly Nec viduis tedis eadem nec virginis opta Tempora quae nupsit non diuturna fuit And one of the wisest Philosophers among the heathen enquiring into the causes Plut in his Roman quest 86. why the Romanes would not marry in the moneth of May alledgeth this as one because they offered oblations to the dead in this moneth and therfore was
of the Church in what weak and desolate estate had it beene if Mordecai and Ester had not procured the safety of it Was it not taken out of the iawes of the Lyon and pulled out of the pit of death In such times we must cast anker in heauen and make the Lord of hoasts our onely confidence Vse 3 Thirdly conclude from hence that it is a fearefull thing when men become oppressors of the Church For if euery one from the highest to the lowest should be a succourer defender thereof then none brought vp in the bosome of the Church should be an oppressor of it But how many haue there beene who haue lifted vp themselues against it not onely open enemies but close vnderminers who kindle the coales of their owne confusion and haue beene consumed in the flame that they haue raised The Prophet Obadiah concludeth this point ver 10 For thy violence against thy brother Iacob shame shall couer thee and thou shalt be cut off for euer c. as thou hast done it shall be done to thee thy reward shall returne vppon thine owne head Obad. verse 10 15. And touching the persecuting Babylonians that carried the people away captiues and scoffed at them in the day of their calamity the Prophet foretelleth their finall ouerthrow Psalm 137 8 9. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall hee be that rewardeth thee as thou hast serued vs happy shall hee be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones Wo therefore to all the enemies of the Church in generall or to any particular soule that serueth the Lord they are also enemies to God himselfe Vse 4 Lastly none liuing in the Church must bee ignorant of the state of the Church euery one must take notice how things goe in it whether it go forward or backward encrease or decrease grow better or worse Wee are come for the most part to this to content our selues with looking to our priuate wealth particular estate as if we had nothing else to thinke vpon but to follow our profits and delights So it was with the people after their returne from captiuity they built their owne houses but they let the house of God alone they were very busie in seeking their owne commodities but they were wholly vnmindfull of the seruice of God and therefore they said The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built whom the Prophet reproueth saying Is it time for you O ye to dwel in your sieled houses this housely waste Hag. 1 2 3. Others there are that shrink back for feare and dare not aduenture and being moued they plead ignorance they pretend they know nothing But the Prophet denounceth a woe against them that are at ease in Sion Amos 6 1. If euery one ought to bee helpfull to the Church and to put on the bowels of pitty and compassion how shall we excuse our selues say we knew not what was wanting or what was amisse or out of course For euery one at his owne perill must know the perils of the Church and be touched with a feeling of theÌ and ignorance shall excuse no man It is an excellent saying of Salomon Prou. 24 11 12 13. If thou faint in the day of aduersity thy streÌgth is small if thou forbeare to deliuer them that are drawne foorth to death and those that are ready to be slaine If thou saiest Behold we knew not of it doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soule doth not he know it and shall not hee render to euery man according to his works The Lord suffereth his people to fall into sundry tentations and into great dangers not onely to try their faith and to proue their constancy but likewise to manifest their loue affection that seeme to be out of gunshot as Ester 4 14. 2 Tim. 1 16 17 18. Ier. 39 16 17 18. 33 And Moses gaue vnto them euen to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben vnto halfe the Tribe of Manasseh the son of Ioseph the kingdome of Sihon King of the Amorites and the kingdome of Og King of Bashan c. 34 35 36. And the children of Gad built Dibon and c. 37 38 39. And the children of Reuben c. 40. And Moses gaue Gilead c. The inheritance that was giuen vnto these Tribes is heere particularly described to wit what Cities befell vnto them which they diligently fortified and couragiously expelled the enemies that dwelt in them Out of these words some questions are breefely to bee decided And first touching the changing of the names of the Cities which befell to the children of Reuben verse 38 the question may be asked Wherefore their names were changed The answer is that without question the cause of this change was that the former names giuen of ancient time were meerely Idolatrous for both of them had their names of the Idols which ought not to be had in remembrance neyther to be heard out of their mouthes Exod 23 13. Obiection Psal 16 4. Secondly from hence a doubt ariseth how Moses can bee sayde to giue Gilead to Machir the sonne of Manasseh and how he dwelt therein for may we thinke that Machir was then aliue I answer Answ It is not likely that he liued vnto this time rather we must vnderstand the sonnes and posterity that came of him So the children of Israel are called Israel and the sonnes of Edom by the name of Edom. He that knoweth not this knoweth nothing Thus it is said that Iudah spake vnto Simeon his brother Iudg. 1 3 yet neyther of them was aliue in many ages before therefore it must be vnderstood of theyr posterity The like we see Gen. 48 22. I giue vnto thee one portion aboue thy brethren which I haue taken out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bowe Where Iacob bequeatheth vnto Ioseph by his last will and testament a double portion of the Land 1 Chron. 5 2. By Ioseph we must vnderstand his posterity for in his owne person he inherited nothing but dyed long before and by the sword and bow of Iacob wee must vnderstand the Ephraimites which helped to conquer the Land and were a mighty people in Iosuahs time Iosh 17 14 18. Obiect But it is an harder question to determine how Iaer is saide to be the sonne of Manasseh who doubtlesse did belong to another Tribe For in the Genealogies mentioned in the booke of Chronicles it is euident that hee was the sonne of Segub the sonne of Hetzron of the Tribe of Iudah 1 Chron. 2 22. I answer Answ he is reckoned of the Tribe of Manasseh by the mothers side not by the fathers For it is plaine in the Chapter before named that Hetzron the son of Iudah married the daughter of Machir the sonne of Manasseh 1 Chro. 7 13. Ad difficil loca in Num. c. 131.
from dangers acknowledge that it is Gods preseruation and be thankfull for it This should put vs in minde of two things first that if wee happen to liue vnder such a iudgement we must stoope down our neckes vnder this yoake and humble our selues vnder the most mighty hand of God that hath brought so fearfull a iudgement vpon vs. For if we thinke it to be a iudgement when the earth bringeth not foorth her fruite vnto vs then much more may wee thinke it to bee a iudgement when the earth is not able to beare a man but casteth and vomiteth him out into captiuity as the stomack doth grosse and euill humors out of the bodie For this cause doeth the Lord charge the Israelites to keepe his statutes and his iudgements That the Land do not spew them out also when they defile it as it spewed out the Nations that were before them Leuit. chapter 18. verse 25 28. 20. verse 22. And afterward he sheweth that if they did not walke obediently before him the land whither hee bringeth them to dwell therein should spew them out as Reu. 3 16. Of all iudgements to bee carried into captiuity is one of the greatest The very mercies of the wicked are cruelty Dauid made choyse to be vnder the plague and pestilence rather then to flye before the enemy because hee is vnmercifull Wee sit vnder our owne Vines and Figge-trees wee haue seene no inuasion nor heard any complainings in our streetes wee know not what bondage meaneth or to bee carried captiues into a strange Land howbeit it is apparent that wee haue beene very neere vnto it as neere to the pit as could bee and yet not fallen into the same For if the Gunne-powder Treason had taken place which was verie neere vnto the time appointed for the execution of it we had long ere this beene in slauery and bondage againe vnto the bloodie Papists who haue long lyen in waite for such a day and albeit that be defeated and all theyr imaginations bee scattered as chaffe before the winde yet who knoweth how neere we may bee to as great captiuity Wee are secure and put away the euill day farre from vs but the greater our security is the neerer our captiuity may bee We haue close and secret enemies amongest vs neuer more lusty and neuer more couragious then they are at this day which are left to remaine amongst vs to be prickes in our eyes and Thornes in our sides and to vex vs in the Land wherein wee dwell verse 55. These neuer leaue plotting and conspiring our ouerthrow and destruction Wee heare of rumours of Warre abroad and spreadings of errours and heresies which threaten ruine both to Church and Common-wealth these are but the beginnings of sorrow Againe if we looke vnto our selues our sinnes are very great and call continually for vengeance vnto heauen at Gods hands and no doubt he is comming downe to see whether wee haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto him All these laide together and weighed as it were in a ballance what can wee in reason and iustice expect but that GOD deliuer vs into the enemies hands and suffer them to carry vs captiue and so make slaues and bondmen of vs Secondly if any desire to enioy the land wherein hee dwelleth in peace and safety let him labour not to pollute and defile it by his sinnes The Iewes had a promise of God to be his people yet because of their sinnes he suffered them to bee carried into captiuity where they remained long in a strange land Haue we any greater priuiledge then they or may we expect to escape No if wee follow them in contempt of the word and other open sinnes wee shall bee sure to follow them also in the punishment which will be answerable to our iniquities Lastly this assureth vs that as GOD deliuereth his people from temporall danger and bondage so hee will deliuer them much more from spirituall bondage For if he will deliuer our bodies hee will much more deliuer our soules that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1 74 75. Wherefore wee ought patiently to waite his leysure knowing that if hee haue such a speciall care of our bodies that must lye in the dust to set them free from temporall bondage hee will much rather deliuer our soules from spirituall bondage wherein Satan holdeth vs. When Christ our Sauiour would shew that hee came to redeeme the soules of men hee taught them by deliuering their bodies from diseases For when hee restored sight to the blinde by opening their eyes what did it signifie but that hee came to scatter the darknesse of the minde and to make them see that before saw not the light of the truth as Math. 4 16 The people that sate in darknesse saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp The Prophets in the time of the Law smote the people with blindnes that they knew not what they did neyther whither they went 2 Kings 6 18 as the Angels did the Sodomites so that they wearied themselues to finde the doore Gen. 19 11. But Christ to shew that hee came to seeke and to saue that which is lost restored sight to the blinde and opened the eyes of their vnderstandings when hee healed the bodies of such as were lame and halted what was it but a teaching of them that he came to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliuerance to the captiues and to set at liberty them that were bruised When hee raised some to life from the dead what did it teach and shew but that hee is able to raise out of the graue of sinne and to giue the life of the spirit When hee cleansed the lepers what was it but a making knowne to the world that hee will cleanse from the foule and filthy leprosie of sinne And when he did cast out diuels that possessed the bodies of men what was it but to shew that he casteth the diuels out of the hearts and consciences where they desire to dwell as in an house If then it be no small comfort vnto vs to know that the Lord will deliuer his people from an earthly bondage certainely it cannot but minister much more comfort vnto vs to consider that the Lord is more careful of our soules and if hee be mindfull of vs for things of this life hee cannot be forgetfull of vs for the life to come seeing hee hath sent his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all which beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 7 And they remoued from Etham and turned againe to Pihahiroth c. 8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea c. 9 And they remoued from Marah and came vnto Elim c. 9 And they remoued
no maruaile therefore if men decline it is a part of the old leauen for what man is it that sinneth not 1 Kings 8 46. The power of sinne euen in the regenerate is as a Law and therefore wee doe as wee would not Romanes 7 yet not I but that sin which dwelleth in me Secondly they lye vnder an heauy and fearefull curse that doe the worke of the Lord negligently which hee will haue executed diligently carefully cheerefully and zealously Ierem. 48 10 Cursed bee hee that doth the worke of the Lord deceitfully but all such as are luke-warme in the Lords businesse are deceitfull workemen they are loyterers rather then labourers and therefore they may not looke to haue the wages of laborers Thirdly such are vexed with a spirituall consumption losing the heate of the Spirit and the life of grace and fall to decay by litle and litle as Reuel 2 5 thou hast lost thy first loue For as they that haue a consumption of the body the naturall heate decayeth and threatneth death so such as haue a consumption in the soule the spirituall heate diminisheth and threatneth destruction For such churches and persons become in time barren in good thing but plentiful in euill things Esay 5 3 4. The vses follow First this reprooueth the miserable times Vse 1 wherein wee liue wherein men seeme to bee cast into a dead sleepe There is a general lethargy hath possessed vs that nothing can awake vs. Wee haue had not onely the trumpet of Gods word sounding in our eares but many other iudgments but who stirreth or starteth vp at the noyse thereof Who repenteth him of his wickednesse saying What haue I done euery one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8 6 if wee tarry till the last trumpet come woe vnto vs for that shall awaken vs and sweepe away all the impenitent into hell and none shal be able to escape Our Sauiour teacheth that from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist vntill now the kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Math. 11 12 where he sheweth that after the Gospel beganne to bee published by the ministery of Iohn who was sent to prepare the hearts of the people they were very greedy and as it were couetous of the truth and couragiously brake into it with all theyr strength and force that they could make Thus it was in the dayes of the Apostles For as at the preaching of Iohn the souldiers the Publicanes and people came vnto him Luke 3 10 12 14. saying Master what shall we doe so when they preached repentance in the Name of Iesus they that heard them were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Acts 2 37. But is it so in our dayes alas we may say the kingdome of darknes suffereth violence the kingdome of this world is wholly sought after and euery man presseth into it Luke 16 16 but as for the kingdome of God wee are content to let it alone Some are open enemies to the Gospel and the preaching of it serue Satan with all their power Some are secure and care for nothing they let al alone and sit still like those that sate idle in the market place and laboured not in the vineyard Some stop their eares and harden their hearts and when the Ministers of God will not apply themselues to their humors they goe backe Some desire to heare sweete and pleasant things to bee flattered in their sinnes and to haue cushions sowed vnder their elbowes If a sonne should no otherwise honour his father then we honor God doubtlesse he would disinherite him and cast him off for euer Or if a seruant should in such sort serue his Master would hee not put him out of his seruice and turne him out of his dores The diuell hath a part of our seruice the world another and shall wee thinke that God will accept a third This were to serue him to halfes or not so much But halfe a man is no man and halfe a Christian is no Christian Euery naturall thing groweth till it be perfect herbes plants trees Euery tradesman and artificer seeketh to encrease onely the Christian sitteth still and doth nothing God the Father left not off the worke of creation till the whole hoste of the creatures was ended Genes 2 1. Christ Iesus ceased not the worke of redemption till it was finished Ioh. 17.4 A builder leaueth not off when hee hath almost builded Paul said I haue finished my course 2 Tim. 4 7 not almost finished there is no comfort in this no more then to bee almost saued which is not to be saued at all If we be cold in Gods seruice we are almost his seruants that is not at all Secondly God will not be dalied withal in the matter of Religions eyther wee must serue him wholly and acknowledge him throughly as wee should or not at all If Baal be God let vs goe after him without wauering So long as wee are neyther hote nor cold wee worship him in vaine and may be assured that hee will spew vs out of his mouth This is no better then to serue him with the halt or blinde or leane or lame which he abhorreth The Lord saith by the Prophet Cursed bee the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of hostes and my Name is dreadfull among the Gentiles Mal. 1 14. This is no better then to serue God with the off all of our affections and to turne vnto him halfe our face and the other halfe to our owne lustes and pleasures This is such an indignity and indecency that a man of any place or reckoning will not take it at our hands Offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke is it not euill offer it now vnto thy gouernour will hee be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Malachie 1 8. Take heede therefore wee doe not play with God Hee that playeth with fire may bee scorched and consumed with the flames of it but our God is euen a consuming fire Deuteronom 4 24 and 9 3. Hebrewes 12 29. No man dare dally with a Prince or with his Lawes whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon but there is one Law-giuer who is able to saue and to destroy Iames 4 12. No man will bee bold to iest with edge-tooles wee say commonly that it is dangerous but the Lord is a shield and the sword of excellency Deuter. 33 29 and if his word be compared to a two edged sword going out of his mouth Reuel 1 16 nay if it bee saide to be quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts
to seeke reuenge but hee must not doe it with his owne hands but as the poore widow that came to the Iudge saying Auenge me of mine aduersary so hee must complaine to the Magistrate and so seeke for remedy by iust and lawfull meanes And that wee may be free from the fact it selfe and not fall into it let vs looke well to the fountaine and beginning of all our actions and first labour to purge our hearts because out of the heart proceedeth all kinde of wickednesse Now if that be cleansed of euill thoughts wee shall thereby stoppe and hinder euill workes that they breake not out 22 But if he thrust him sodainly without enmity and haue cast vpon him any thing without laying of waite 23 Or with any stone wherewith a man dy seeing him not and cast it vpon him that he dye and was not his enemy neyther did seeke him any harme 24 Then the Congregation shall iudge betweene the slayer and the auenger of blood according to these iudgements 25 And the Congregation shall deliuer the slayer out of the hand of the reuenger of blood and the Congregation shall restore him vnto the City of his refuge whither he was fled and he shall abide in it vnto the death of the high Priest c. 26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the City of his refuge whither he was fled 27 And the reuenger of blood find him without the borders of the Citie of his refuge and the reuenger of blood kill the manslayer hee shall not bee guilty of blood 28 Because hee should haue remayned in the City of his refuge till the death of the high priest but after the death of the high priest the slaier shal returne into the land of his possession 29 So these things shall bee for a Statute of iudgement vnto you thoroughout your generations in all your dwellings The Law touching killing at vnawares is deliuered in these words the substance wherof is this That if a man take away life from any sodainly without any enmity or doe cast a stone at aduenture without laying of wait or cast any thing vpon him and see him not the Congregation shall deliuer him out of the hand of the auenger of blood because though hee did kill him yet he was not his enemy neyther sought his hurt or plotted his death So the Lord in his law propoundeth sundry like cases Exod. 21 13 14. and Deut. 19 4 5. Whosoeuer killeth his neighbour ignorantly whom he hated not in times past as when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree and the head slippeth from the helâe and lighteth vpon his neighbour that he dye he shall flee into one of those Cities and liue c and hee must abide therin vnto the death of the high Priest which was annointed with the holy oyle But if such slayer shall go out of the border of the City of his refuge whither he was fled and the auenger finde him and slay him hee shall not bee guilty of blood because he had a place of safety and refuge giuen vnto him and hee ought to haue remayned therein according vnto the law Out of this diuision some questions wil be mooued Obiect which are needfull to be handled considered as first of all whether the Auenger of blood while his heart is hot might lawfully pursue him that killed another of ignorance and when he found him out of his Citie and Sanctuary might slay him Answ I answer God doth not approoue or allow such dealing simply but doth indeed vtterly condemne it For the iudiciall and politicke lawes doe not alwayes serue to bring men to perfection and to establish perfect holynesse and righteousnesse amongst vs but in some sort to remedy the vices whereunto wee are inclined so that the Lord hath an eye to the inconueniences that might ensue whereas if wee will speake what the eternal law of right wrong which is the law of righteousnesse alloweth what euery mans duty is towardes men made after the image of God then doubtlesse when a man hath giuen a blow with his hand vnwittingly so as it doe sufficiently and euidently appeare to be so the next friend or kinsman ought not to steppe vp to seeke reuenge because in so dooing hee offendeth God both in setting vpon the party that hath done him no wrong by his will Rom. 12 29. Matth. 5 44. and in fathering that thing vpon a mortal maÌ which God had ordayned in his secret prouidence Exod. 21 13. God hath deliuered him into his hand This is the perpetuall law of equity and honesty and therefore that which is deliuered in this place is onely a positâââ Law established noâ to instruct but to restrain theÌ and to remedy a greater mischiefe in case they had bene altogether brideled and wholly ãâã reaued of all power This teacheth vs a plaine truth God tollerateth things which he neuer alloweth which I onely point aâ with the finger that God tolerateth many things among his people which he neuer liketh and alloweth as appeareth in the cause of diuorce Deâ 24 1 they were permitted vpon dislike to put away their wâââ prouided that they deliuered vnto her a bill of diuorcement to be a witnes of her honesty that through the wilfulnesse and waywardnesse of her husband she should not be defamed Neuerthelesse God neuer liked this simply no more then their marrying of many wiues because she was giuen to him to be the companion of his life and the delight of his eyes and the comfort of his heart all his dayes and was as it were one part of his owne person and therefore to cast her off was after a sort a cutting off of himselfe in the middes whereupon Christ saith Math. 19 8 9 Exod. 22 25. that the Lord did it for the hardnesse of their hearts So in the case of vsury he permitteth them to take vsury of the stranger that they might not practise it toward their brother and sundry such like lest they should do worse Secondly the question may be asked Obiect whether this killing at vnawares or against ones will whom God is said to haue deliuered into his hands be a sinne or not This is so much the more necessary to he thought vpon because the Lord sheweth Deut. 19 6 thar such a man is guiltlesse of the other mans death forasmuch as he did not hate him before neyther did presumptuously rise vp against him to slay him with guile Howbeit in this place such a person is commanded to remaine as a banished man out of his owne place house and from his owne kindred and is confined to the citty of refuge vntill the death of the high Priest which no doubt had relation to Christ I answer Answ there is no repugnancy in all these things For this fact must bee considered two
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
them stedfastly in the faith We shall be fitted to beare out this triall if we be carefull to vnderstand the acceptable will of God and if we be able to weild the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples to beware of false Teachers which come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are rauening Wolues Mat. 7 15. This is the vse which the Apostle Iude maketh chap. 4 where making mention that seducers were entered secretly and subtilly among them hee mooued them to striue and contend for the common faith taught by his ministry If we wold know how this shold be let vs haue our faith stablisht in the grace of God and our hearts setled in the truth Faith is a precious Iewell the Iewell of Iewels it must then be kept well and warily If a man haue a pearle of great price committed vnto him he will not let it lye about commonly and carelesly for euery one to pilfer purloyne but keepe it vnder lock key that it may be preserued safe and sure True Religion builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is such a Pearle it must be kept with watch and ward or else it will bee stolne and taken from vs. It is such a Iewel as when a man hath found it he will sell all that he hath to keepe and retaine it The people beganne to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab We haue heard before the author of that stumbling-blocke which was laid before the feet of the people of God to cause them to fall to wit Balaam from him the counsell came by him the net was made and by Balak it was spred to intrappe them Now we see what they committed wherein they offended So soone as the plot is deuised and the counsell followed by and by the Israelites are taken in the snare They banquet with the Moabites in the idoll feasts so fall into fornication These are tentations on the right hand delights to the flesh and enticements to pleasures Doctrinâ Tentatioâ by pleasuââ are most ââgerous The Doctrine arising from hence is this That tentations from pleasures delights are of all other most dangerous more effectuall to preuaile ouer vs then such tentations as stand on the left hand to witte crosses aduersities Indeed we are assailed on euery side on the left hand by pouerty shame contempt persecutions and such like which cause many to hang down their heads to cast away their confidence to renounce their faith to depart out of the field without striking a stroke but such as present themselues at our right haÌd as riches power honor glory preferment profit pleasure which dazle the eyes and entangle the hart with the delights therof these are most cunning Engines and instruments vsed or rather abused by Sathan to our destruction This was the last tentation as most auaileable in it selfe that the diuel vsed against our Sauiour Christ Mat. 4 8. shewing and offering vnto him the kingdomes of the world the glory thereof Faire promises of high preferment preuailed with Eue to eate of the forbidden fruite Genesis He gaue Dauid the foile by vncleannesse and Noah by drunkennesse Salomon by idolatry and Hezekiah by prosperity when he could not shake them by crosses and persecutions Gold and siluer haue opened the gates of the Citty when the force of the Cannon shot could not This is that which the Prophet Dauid meaneth when he saith I saide in my prosperity I shall not be remoued Psal 30 6. The Church of God was neuer so ouertaken with aduersity as with abundance and prosperity more are brought to condemnation by riches pleasures and worldly lusts then by pouerty and persecution Reason 1 The Reasons to inforce this doctrine are diuers First prosperity puffeth vp not onely the wicked but also the godly and stealeth away the heart of man before he feele the danger and can thinke vpon that which will follow Pleasures make vs forget God and our selues both seducing worldlings and such as remember not God all their life long and ouertaking the faithfull which haue walked in the feare of God when they haue al things at will so as they haue not knowne themselues any more When Salomon was old his wiues by flattery turned away his heart 1 Kings 11 4. So did Dalilah the heart of Sampson iudg 14. 15 who was made so weak impotent by the look of a woman that he yeelded himselfe to her lure or lust most reproachfully brought himselfe into extreme bondage and slauery through her enticements Reason 2 Secondly carnall pleasures and riches are deceitfull they appeare otherwise then they are They are like to a baite that couereth a deadly hooke they are like the greene grasse in which lurketh and lyeth a Serpent ready to sting vs vnto death they are like some cunning Couering that hideth a deepe pit prepared to swallow vs. This is the reason vsed by the Apostle shewing That they which will bee rich fall into tentations and snares and into foolish and noysome lusts 1 Tim. 6 9 1. Salomon speaking of falling into whoredome sayeth Prou. 7 21. 5 2. The lips of a strange Woman drop as an hony combe and her mouth is softer then Oyle when as her end is as bitter as wormwood as sharpe as a two-edged sword her paths leade to the graue and her wayes tend to hell by this means she catcheth fooles and bringeth them to the stocks as an Oxe to the slaughter Vse 1 The vses follow to bee considered of vs. First let vs learne from hence to confesse that prosperity is a slippery estate and howsoeuer it bee much desired and admired yet it is full of great dangers and hedged in with diuers difficulties This is not knowne nor vnderstood of the men of this world True it is wheÌ God sendeth famine or warre or pestilence and infectious diseases all men can say Alas these are hard and heauy times terrible and troublesome seasons we are alwayes in danger of death But wee must remember that when we liue at ease and all of vs be at peace when God deliuereth vs from diseases wee must not be secure and fall asleep in such prosperity but consider that we are set in slippery places This the Apostle Paul teacheth 2 Tim. 3 1 where hee saith In the lâst daies shall come perillous times for men shall bee louers of themselues proude couetous boasters louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Hee speaketh of rough and greeuous times yet he neither nameth nor meaneth plague pestilence famine sword or such like calamities but hee telleth of things more dangerous although we take our selues to be free and farre from all danger We account no times tedious and troublesome but when wee liue in feare of death or feele our bellies pinched or else are crossed in the things of this
life Alas saith one how hard are these times we suffer pouerty penury and great misery O woful and wretched times saith another the plague is in such a place it is come neere our dwellings we may looke for it euery day to sweepe vs away how shall we do in these extremities or whither shall wee turne our heads from these troubles Neuerthelesse we must know that a man may be free from all these distresses yet liue in the greatest dangers We may haue peace and plenty we may enioy health and liberty we may abound in riches prosperity yet be possessed and compassed about with a thousand plagues more fearfull What times are most dangerous more deadly and more dangerous then the pestilence sword and famine which trouble vs so much and bring vs to our wits end Let vs take heed of our corrupt iudgement of the times and learne more to feare men that liue in prosperity then such as sinke down into aduersity inasmuch as their tentations are more strong effectuall Prosperity ease peace and riches haue turned through our corruption to be the pests and poison of the Church This the wise man teacheth Prou. 1 32. Ease slayeth thee foolish and the prosperity of fooles destroyeth them It is therefore a great mercy of God when he teacheth his children to stand vpright in this slippery way and that they make them not their bane which are giuen them as a blessing Hee setteth before their eies the dayly changes of all things vnder the Sunne and assureth them that nothing continueth in one estate hee frameth them to the contempt of the worlde and setleth their hearts to desire no more then their most wise and prouident Father thinketh meete for them He teacheth them that the most beautifull flowers do fade and lose the glory which for a time they had They see riches to bee vncertaine and deceiâfull healâh to bee changeable our friends and acquaintance subiect to death and al humane things to be transitory vain and soon flitting away By al these meditations it pleaseth God to stay vp his people that they fall not from him in their prosperity Secondly it should teach vs to vse patience Vse 2 vnder the crosse and wisely to beare al the afflictions that God seeth good to lay vpon vs. We see by experience that peace and plenty haue done the Church more harme then wars and bloudy persecutions not that Gods blessings are hurtful and pernicious of themselues but by reason of our corrupt nature which is ready to turne his blessings into curses and his great mercies into so many plagues This wee see in the example of the Sodomites they dwelled in a fruitful soyle like the garden of Eden which God planted and therein placed our first parents but they became exceeding sinners and abused the blessings of God to their owne confusion Gen. 13 10. How farre prosperity abundance make vs to forget God consider in the examples of Nebuchadnezzar Herod Dan. 4 27. Acts 12.22 Haman and sundry others Iob feared that his sonnes in their feasting and banquetting had blasphemed God Iob 1 5. It appeareth in the parable of the rich man that made a feast sent out his messengers to inuite his guests Luke 14 19. that they refused to come and pretended sundry excuses one had hyred a farme another had bought fiue yoke of oxen another had married a wife he could not come wherby our Sauiour sheweth what causes commonly they are that withdraw and withhold mens minds from obeying Gods word embracing the Gospell to wit the cares of the world the commodities of this life the deceitfulnes of riches the pleasures of the flesh the study of earthly things these were such ranke thornes that they choaked all heauenly meditations hindred the growth of spirituall graces these brought a fogginesse vpon the soule and wrought in them a forgetfulnes of God Wherfore let vs not murmure and repine vnder the crosse but stoope down vnder his mighty hand who sendeth his correction for our good that we should not perish and be condemned with the world Heb 12 7. Psal 119 71. 1 Cor. 11 31. He doth not take pleasure and pastime in punishing of vs but as a louing father he respecteth onely our benefit Hee hath many wayes to deliuer vs promiseth that our afflictions shall not bee aboue our strength but haue a good end and an happy yssue We must be content with the Lords doings and know that he will sanctifie the afflictions of our bodies to the comfort of our soules whilest those that flow in earthly blessings and abound in outward prosperity do forget God that made them and runne on in the pride of their hearts to vnthankfulnesse against God Vse 3 Thirdly let vs not be deceiued with sinfull pleasures when the baite is offered and the net pitched before vs to take vs with the hooke and to catch vs in the snare but bee carefull to reiect and refuse whatsoeuer tempteth vs vnto euill Pleasures are of two sorts some are simply vnlawfull and not to be vsed at all being directly contrary to the word of God Such are the pleasures that carnall men take in eating till they surfet and in drinking till they are drunken such are the pleasures that whoremongers take in adultery fornication and vncleannesse Others are of themselues indifferent and in their owne Nature neyther good nor euill but according as they are vsed as hunting hawking and other lawfull recreations and euen these when they take vp all our thoughts and thrust out better things out of the doores are called thorns in the parable of the Sower as wel as vnlawfull pleasures Luk. 8 14. There is nothing doeth so much choake the word of God as the pleasures of the flesh nothing causeth vs so soone to forget it nothing maketh vs so soon weary and loath to heare it as the desire to follow and pursue after our delights so that it standeth vs vpon to cut them vp and to pull them out of the ground of our hearts We see men wil not suffer briars and bushes to spring vp where their corne shold grow much more it is required of vs to rid our hearts of all occasions and allurements vnto sinne The Faith of Moses is commended that hee refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11 24 25 and chose rather to suffer aduersity with the people of God then to inioy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward Let vs therefore shake off al pleasures of sinne not onely such as are in themselues vngodly and vnlawfull but all other whatsoeuer when they become clogs and incumberances vnto vs and hinder vs in the duties of our callings Many indeed are drawn and driuen from the word by trouble and persecution Prosperity is more dangerous