what I pray you shall become of all our zeale and studie in the Law Paul answeres as if he should say I will tell you what becomes of it it is not al worth a rush for Israel hath not obtained that which he sought but the Elect haue obtained Ob. Why then doe you thinke all Israel damned Ans No saith Paul Israel is taken equiuocally Elect Israel is saued Reprobate Israel is damned Heere are two parts 1. A proposition Israel hath not obtained that which he sought 2. The explication of the terme Israel this is taken two wayes as the name Christian there are some elect some reprobate some reall some nominall those haue obtained these are cast way What then that is what shall we say then namely this Israel hath not obtained c. Israel the people of God not so indeed but outwardly and in shew Hath not obtained that which he sought What is that Iustification in the sight of God and saluation Why hath hee not obteined Because he sought these things in and by his owne righteousnesse Though he sought busily againe and againe as the word imports yet his labour was lost Hath not obteined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth hath not hit the marke he aimed at the marke but shot wide put himselfe to a great deale of paynes to no purpose The election hath obtained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath hit the marke and got the prize which is iustification The election that is the elect the abstract for the concrete as seeing a proud man we say there goes pride it selfe So circumcision for a Iew c. He those to speake thus to note a secret namely that whosoeuer are saued obteine it not by any thing but by the meere grace of God For election which is the foundation of iustification and saluation is of grace The rest were blinded or hardened The rest that is the reprobate were blinded in the passiue to note the suffering of the iust iudgment of God for beside their naturall hardnes God casteth another hardnesse vpon them as a punishment of their naturall leauing them to themselues and giuing them vp to the diuell to be blinded The Antithesis requires that hee should haue said the rest haue not obtained but he speakes this of purpose to shew the cause of their not obtaining which is their hardnesse or blindnesse of minde Reprobation is not the cause of damnation as election is of saluation nor a cause at all vnlesse you say a deficient cause as the sunne is the cause of night Damnation followes reprobation but the cause of it is sinne not Gods decree The Iewes then are cast away not all but onely the reprobate doctrine No elect cast away no reprobate but cast away Rom. 11.2 Ioh. 6.37.39 Ioh. 17.9 2 Thes 2.13 Reu. 21. vlt. Vse 1. There is election and reprobation Vse 2. Certainty of saluation followes election Vse 3. A man may be the Israel of God in some sence and yet be damned examine thy standing Vse 4. As the Iewes are distinguished into elect and reprobate so is all mankinde there is not a third to be found There are two Captaines God and the diuell two armies the elect and the reprobate two Citties heauen and hell two manner of weapons righteousnes and vnrighteousnes two kinds of wages saluation and damnation see thou be on the cunning side which is Gods Vse 5. A man may haue a desire to be saued seeke it vse meanes and yet be damned as here it is sayd of Israell Obiect But Christ sayth seeke and you shall find Answ True if thou takest Christs meaning that is seeke well or as I direct you otherwise a man may seeke and misse This word well is but a few letters but of great operation for it is the forme of all arts As Rhetoricke is the art of speaking well Logike the art of disputing well Magistracie the art of gouerning well Christianitie the art of liuing well not euery Magistrate gouernes wel nor euery Christian liues well nor euery seeker seekes well and therefore many as the Iewes take great paynes find nothing as Peter fisht all night and tooke nothing Euery seeking then and desire shall not obteine There is in euery man a naturall desire of saluation the veriest reprobate when he dyes had rather goy to heauen then to hell Content not thy selfe with a bare desire of saluations thou must desire and seeke it by the meanes and in the way that God hath appoynted Many aske and haue not because they aske amisse And euery one that striues for maisteries is not crowned except he striue lawfully So many seeke saluation and are not saued not because they seeke but because they seeke amisse To seeke that we may find foure things are to be obserued First the time Secondly the place Thirdly the paynes Fourthly the continuance 1 Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes If thou seekest it not first but at all leasures it s a thousand to one thou shalt neuer find it Vsually men post off this to their age in their youths they may not heare of religion for dulling their wits then nothing but pleasures old mens heads must not be set on young mens shoulders but when they come to be old and ly vpon their death bed then send for the minister Is this enough I should maruell if God should be content with the branne and dregges of thy life when the diuell hath had the flower and first broaching of the Gospell There 's an old saying He that neglecteth the occasion the occasion will neglect him as it appeareth by the example of the fiue foolish Virgins To them which neglect the time is that spoken You shall seeke me but you shall not finde me and where I am can you not come He that hath lost a ring and seekes a mile from the place where he lost it is not like to finde it Obserue the place and seeke saluation where it is to be found that is in Christ in whom are all treasures The Iewes sought it in themselues and missed of it Beware Papist But where is Christ to be found Resort thou to the house of God If Christ be any where to be found it s there not in an alehouse and the meetings of profane men 3 Seeke painfull not ouerly as the woman for her groat Luc. 15. Seeke as for siluer search as for gold prov 2.4 The mine of gold lyes not in the first spade it lyes deeper it s well if after all paynes we find it at the last 4 Continue seeking hee that continues to the end shall be saued its worth all our paynes though all should seeke a thousand yeares giue not ouer till thou hast found Israel sought for saluation in the obedience of the law but found it not what shall then become of our wicked profane wretches which seeke not at all What shall become of them which seeke only
forth and grow yea there will be the same minde that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 2. The outward worke is to fashion the outward man vnto all conformitie with the Law of GOD in word and deed 1. For words As Christ whipt the buyers sellers out of the Temple Iohn 2. so his spirit driues away all swearing vnclean talke lying slandering c. out of the mouth of a regenerate man No man that hath the spirit of Christ can call Christ execrable 1. Cor. 12,3 Doest thou delight to speake of Christ and his Gospell with reuerence and holy affections A signe it is of the good spirit But disgracefull speeches of the Word and them which professe it lauish in oaths and filthie Lawlesse communication with ieasting which is not comely agreeth not with this spirit 2. And for Deeds As a Hare may be traced in a Snow to her forme so is it easie by your deeds to find out what Spirit is in you What spirit think you is in Idolaters Hypocrites swearers Sabboth-breakers in the malicious vncleane proud drunken couetous wretches In Lyers Slanderers c. The spirit of Christ It were blasphemy so to say Nay that vncleane spirit the Diuell who delighteth in such and effectually worketh in them Vse 3. The state of the Children of God is certaine whatsoeuer the Papists say to the contrary If I am Christs I shall be saued But if I haue the Spirit I am Christs Therefore c. True If Q. How shall you know you haue the Spirit A. How shall I know that I haue a Soule but by the effects of it vnderstanding memory c. So by the worke of Grace in my heart by my sincere loue of goodnesse and hatred of euill c. which I cannot be ignorant of being in me I know that I haue the Spirit 2. Cor. 13.5 Know you not faith the Scripture that Christ is in you by his Spirit except you be reprobates And againe Wee haue receiued the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.12 that wee might know the things which are giuen to vs of God What things All Spirituall grace present with perseuerance and all the good things of glorie to come Lyra. That wee might firmely and without doubt know for looke what a demonstration by causes is in humane things that in Diuine is the Reuelation of the spirit through Faith The end then why God giueth vs his spirit is to make vs know that we are in his fauour and shall be partakers of the glory to come and by consequence that we shall perseuere in grace without which the future glorie cannot be obtained But thou wilt say I feele Infidelity in mee which grieues me It 's well thou feelest it with Griefe this argues not the absence but rather the presence of the spirit For the spirit doth not make vs omnisciens and impeccable doth not beate downe sinne in vs at a blowe doth not kill corruption outright No. Corruption will be an Inmate with the spirit in this life doe what we can Yet such a man for all this hath the spirit and is spirituall If thou goe by a Noble-mans house thou knowest that there are horsekeepers skullions and such like yet if thou be asked who dwels there Thou sayest such a Noble man naming the Lord of the house and not these baser people So Corruption dwelleth where the spirit but gouernes not but is an vnderling and therefore we are in account spirituall VERSE 10. And if Christ be in you the bodie is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake NOw followes the other part of the Amplification which is Consolation which is double The 1. verse 10. that we are certaine of eternall life The 2. verse 11. that wee are certaine of the Resurrection of our bodies He brings in both by an Occupation against two grieuous Tentations the first in the 10. verse Thus You say that the spirit is in vs. Alasse what are we the better We are subiect to pouerty sicknesse death it selfe as well as others Vnto this Paul answeres first by a Concession The bodie is dead because of sinne Secondly by a Correction But the Spirit is life for Righteousnesse sake First of the Concession And if Christ be in you Before hee said the spirit of God and of Christ now Christ because Christ is in vs by the Spirit and Faith Not Corporally but Spiritually which manner of his presence is the best Ioh. 6.63 We need not plucke him down out of heauen by any Inchantment as the Papists into their sacrament of the Altar that we might partake of his vertue as not the Sunne to partake of his light The body Corruption or the vnregenerate part say some a Chrysoft Piscator But not so for when Paul cals corruption a Bodie it is with an Addition of Sinne or Sinnefull or Death Rom. 6.6 Col. 2.11 Rom. 7.24 Heere it is for the Masse of Flesh and Bloud the Naturall bodie b Aug. lib. 1. Ret. cap. 26. Is dead not is mortified but dead addicted to the Necessity of death which necessity it had not before sinne c Tho. Aqui. et ante eum Aug. loco modo citato But dead is more we dying euen from our birth death hauing made his seisure already because of sinne remaining doctrine Doct. Though Christ be in the Regenerate yet are they subiect to death Heb. 9 27. Rom. 5.12 Where sinne that is originall takes hold there death enters by sicknesse and other mortalities the forerunners and Parts d Mortes partiales Pererius in Gen. lib. 4. de Creat hom num 166. of Death though the Curse and sting bee taken away For as the lines from the Circumference determine in the Center so all paines and sicknesses tend vnto Death As God sent to Hezekiah to put his house in order Esay 38. because hee must die So the Remembrance that the body is dead should perswade vs to thinke of death and prepare for it Thy liuing body is called a very Carkasse Vse If we see an old man stooping and sickly we say he carries his Beere on his backe It 's the case of vs all olde and young Death the King of feare and Terrors Iob 18.14 plants euen from the first houre of our life his Ordnance of Sinne to batter the wals of our bodies Thou seest Death is entred into the Citie of thy Body Take heed it Vanquish not the Castle of thy Soule if it doe then both bodie and soule must to the Diuell It 's lamentable to obserue how many that haue the wals of their house shaken and vndermined ready to drop downe yet prouide not for their soule abate not of their pride Couetousnesse c. practising such things whereby they dye more Obrepit non intellecta senect Iuuenal saty 6. Euen dying before euer they beganne to liue and departing this world with as little vnderstanding and sense
of God and goldlinesse as they came into the world Olde age will steale vpon thee Before it comes learne to liue well when it is come learne to dye well nay alwaies meditate thou of death it will cut the combe of thy pride and make thee neither to glut thy selfe with pleasure nor to be greedy of the world For thou must Dye And I counsell thee to dye quickly vnto Sinne that thou mayst liue euer in righteousnes and euerlasting glory But the Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake Now of the Correction Where wee haue 1. The Thing Life 2. The Illustration 1. By the Subiect The Spirit 2. By the Signe For Righteousnesse sake But the Spirit The Regenerate Spirit say some a Chrys The Regenerating Spirit say b Martyr Aretius others but in my opinion it is better taken for the c Beza Soule because so it holds best correspondence with the words of the Concession yet if we so take it both the other must be supposed For hee meanes such a soule as is Regenerate by the Spirit Is life If Spirit be taken for the Regenerate part Then is made to liue If for the Holy Ghost then quickneth and maketh to liue if of the soule then Is life signifieth liueth for euer For Righteousnesse sake of Christ Imputed to vs Inchoated in vs. That the Cause this the Signe of this life doctrine Though the bodies of the Regenerate be subiect to mortalitie and death yet their soules are not but they doe now liue and shall for euer for Righteousnesse sake Gal. 2.20 Stephen dying saith Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit Act. 5.59 This is confirmed also by the desire of all the faithfull Abrahā is said to be gathered to his Fathers Gen. 25.8 not his body for they were buried in Chaldea he in Canaan but his soule Vse 1. This Confutes beastly Epicures and Atheists who hold a death of the Soule Of which number was I thinke that Lymb of the Pope or of the Diuell which you will the Cardinall of Burbon who said he would not giue his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Vse 2. Thou art pressed with the weight of Sinne Bee of good Comfort Though Sinne cling about thee as Iuy yet by the Spirit of God thy Soule shall liue yea then more when thy Body dyes Iohn 3.36 We are not called forth by that Spirit to destruction but to victory Thou hast euen here euerlasting life And truly hee that hath it not here in the inchoation of it shall neuer haue it in Heauen in the perfection of it This is that which enables vs to ouercome the feare of death Wicked men are afrayd to dye yea they would liue here for euer because they haue no assurance that when they dye their soules shall ascend into Heauen But Gods Children though they feare death yet they ouercome that Feare and desire to dye being well assured that by death their soule as a Captiue shall be deliuered out of Prison and as a Bird escape out of the Cage of the Body into the celestiall Paradise as the Soule of Lazarus not so the soule of Diues which went into euerlasting tormenting flames Vse 3 There are Liuing Soules and there are Dead soules That Soule which hath the Spirit of Christ is a Liuing soule that which hath it not is a Dead soule For as the Soule is necessary to the life of the Body so the holy Spirit to the life of the Soule As the body without the Soule is dead from naturall Actions so the Soule without Christs Spirit from spirituall The Body dyes when the Soule leaues it The Soule dyes when God leaues It Bernard There are two Mansions or Roomes of the Soule The lower which it gouernes which is the Body the vpper wherein it resteth which is God She quickneth the Body God quickneth her She is better then the body God is better then she Therefore Paul saith that widowes liuing in pleasure are dead while they liue 1. Tim. 5.6 Dead not concerning the substance of liuing but the Quality not that they should not be but not be blessed Looke now to thy Soule is it dead or aliue Life of the body is discerned by sense and motion so in Proportion that of the Soule What knowledge hast thou of Spiritual things What taste and delight hast thou in the things of God Dost thou heare and feele that which is spoken out of the Word If not thou art Dead He that is onely asleepe by great noyse and blowes may be wakened Thou art not by the trumpet of the Word nor by the scourge or diuers crosses Certainly thou art dead Art thou starke and stiffe not stirring hand or foote in any good duty Alas thou art dead yea hee is not more dead that is put into his graue then thou art Thou feelest it not The more miserable art thou Thou shalt feele it and when thou dyest before thy Executors can carry thy body to the Graue thy soule shall bee carried to hell by the Diuell Hence is it that the Death of the wicked is called a very ill death We lament the bodily death of our Friends here is cause of lamentation when their soules dye also If a house be burnt with the goods all haue compassion but if the Owner also his Wife and Children be consumed with the fire wee cry out Alas So when the soule and all perishes here is matter of griefe For this as many thinke was Dauids mourning for Absalon 2. Sam. 18.33 because as his body hung fearefully on the tree so his soule might hang in hell for ought hee knew O what a sweet Comfort is it ouer our Friends departed if they haue dyed well with tokens of Grace Labour thou for such a death and be carefull for thy soule A dead body is a gastly thing to behold a thousand times more vgly if it could be discerned with bodily eyes is a dead soule such is euen like the Diuell VERSE 11. But if the Spirit of him which raised vp Iesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies e Or because of his Spirit by his Spirit that dwelleth in you THe second Consolation in this Verse As the former shewed the happinesse of the Godly in regard of their soules so this in regard of their bodies and it is inferred by an Occupation from the words of the 10. Verse thus I confesse Paul might some say that the soule liues but the Body is turned to dust and perisheth Nay saith Paul Euen the body shall be raised vp and quickned that the Regenerate may be happy in body and soule These words haue two parts 1. A supposition If the Spirit c. dwell in you 2. A Conclusion Hee that raised vp Christ c. If This Conditionall is not to be taken as if the Apostle doubtingly did suspend his Iudgement or call into
Obedience of Christ God accepts of a willing minde for the deede There is great difference betweene debts owing to men and owing to God The more wee pay of our debts to men the lesse we haue but the more we pay to God the more we haue and are the better able to pay The more thou prayest the better able thou shalt be to pray c. VERSE 13. For if yee liue after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall liue IN the 12. Verse the Apostle had an Argument ab aequo honesto which were enough to perswade but in this Verse he more strongly vrgeth it Adhibet calcaria sortiora Martyr The Argument is drawne from the contrary Ends of obedience and disobedience and so containeth two Arguments the one a Cōmination in the first part of the Verse the other a Promise in the latter both Conditionall as all Promises and Threatnings are If yee liue after the Flesh Following the lusts of your corrupt heart Yee shall dye Not onely the death of the body in the separation of the soule from it but of the soule in the separation of it from God Q. But why saith he Ye shall dye and not Ye shall bee damned in as much as that is chiefly meant A. Because the Spirit of God would driue men from Sinne by that which is most fearefull which is Death The remembrance of Death doth more forcibly moue the minde then the remembrance of Hell though hell bee a thousand times more grieuous then Death For our Affection is moued according to our knowledge of the thing That which most wayes is knowne affecteth most wee know hell onely by Faith but wee know death to bee fearefull by Faith by Reason and by Sense By Faith because the Scripture declares it By Reason because it is a separation of things so neerely and naturally ioyned and consenting By sense because we feele it growing vpon vs euery day But if yee mortifie that is beate downe cut off cast away cause to dye a Metaphor taken from Surgeons who before they cut off a Limbe mortifie the place The deeds of the body That is Actions and Affections but actions are named because by actions affections are manifested The body is either taken for Corruption or rather euill deeds are called the deeds of the body because the body is the instrument of working them By the Spirit Sarcenus That is the helpe of the Holy Ghost or by the Regenerate part Ye shall liue Eternally in happinesse Of the which Sanctitie is the way This life scarce a shadow In the latter part there is the Promise Ye shall liue The Condition If ye mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit Where 1. The action mortifie 2. The Obiect The deeds of the body 3. The meanes By the Spirit doctrine Saluation is promised on the Condition that we liue not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 6.22 Gal. 6.8 Vse 1. A hard thing it is to forsake sinne it is mortification It is hard for old friends to part wee lay together in the same wombe and it hath beene our vnhappy play-fellow and companion euer since wee were borne Yea sinne stickes as fast in our nature as a tooth in our heads or our soule to our body as we cannot part from these without paine so neither from Sinne. It is the nature of Sinne not to bee driuen away without force and violence A few angry lookes and sharpe words will not doe it You may rate away your dogge but sinne will not stirre for words as appeares in many who will speake bitterly against their sinnes and themselues with Beast Wretch c. and yet anon to the practice of them When thou hast to deale with Sinne haue no compassion but fight against it with a bloudy and cruell mind So much as thou sparest it so much thou hurtest thy selfe 1. Sa. 15.20,23 1. Kin. 20.42 Saul spared Agag and Ahab spared Benhadad but it was their ruine so if thou sparest sinne it will cost thee euen the Kingdome of Heauen Kill therefore thy sinnes or they will kill thee It is a case of life and death Be carefull Old wounds must haue strong medicines O what adoe haue wee with Pride Hypocrisie Couetousnesse Lust Hee that fauoureth these let him want fauour Vse 2. The deeds of the body are mortified by the Spirit Wee doe the worke but by the power of the Spirit The strength vnto mortification is put into vs from Heauen We are as able with our little finger to shake the foundation of the earth as to shake out sinne by our owne strength He that goes among Lyons must needs be torne in pieces Sinnes are Lyons Hee that stands vpon the shore when the tide comes thinking to beate backe the water with his hand is soone eaten in and drowned Sinnes come vpon vs as waues we must drowne if God help vs not By Gods helpe the walles of Jericho fell downe Samson kild a Lyon and Daniel is safe in their very den and Moses diuides the Sea So mortification of Sinne is possible by the helpe of the Spirit otherwise impossible When therefore thou feelest Pride Couetousnesse Lust growing vpon thee begge the help of the Spirit or else thou art vndone Pray with the words of Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.12 O Lord God there is no strength in me to stand against these sins neither do I know what to do but mine eyes are toward thee Vse 3. If you mortifie he speakes to them which had mortified sinne before they must continue so doing In this life thou shalt neuer want something to be mortified Hast thou begun to repent Neuer giue ouer so long as thou hast a heart to sigh for thy sinnes We weede our Gardens and are euer weeding Sinnes are ill weedes and grow apace our hearts are a Step-mother to Goodnesse and a naturall mother to Vice therefore be alwayes dealing with it The Captaine that batters the Enemies Fort a day or two and then giues ouer giues the more courage to the enemie and loseth his labour So is it if wee continue not our course of mortification Elisha was angry with Ioash for smiting the ground but thrice with the arrows 2 King 13.19 O saith be thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe times and then thou shouldest haue smitten the Aramites till thou hadst consumed them So leaue not thy sinnes till thou hast consumed them lest they consume thee Vse 4. There is a necessity of mortification the want wherof brings a Necessity of damnation Those things which God hath ioyned no man can part Hee hath ioyned vnmortified sinnes and death together they cannot be parted When thou goest to buy a commodity if the price bee great thou forbearest and shalt thou fly vpon sinne knowing what it will cost thee If Iudas had knowen as much before he betrayed his Master as hee
you cannot I am sure but remember Elias his storie very well you are not or should not be ignorant of it doctrine It s very profitable to be acquainted with the histories of the Bible and to make vse of them Our Sauiour and Paule approue his by their practise Mat 12.3.5 1. Cor 10.1 c. Haue you not read sayth Christ doe you not know sayth Paule So also practised Iames Peter Iude Iohn as in their Epistles appeares Vse We must study stories for beside the pleasantnesse of such study it is exceeding profitable being pictures or glasses wherein we may discerne both what is good and bad and what wee may expect as a reward either of our vices or vertues There was neuer any man of note for wisdome who was a staunger in story And indeed state policie in a great part consists in obseruation of former histories Eccles 1. for there is no new thing vnder the sunne The counsell of the auntient for their long experience is of great reckoning but historie is of more in as much as diuturnitie of time comprehends more then the length of one mans age That famous Alphonsus King of Arragon was wont to say that the dead were to be consulted with all meaning the writings and examples of such who are in auntient storie commended vnto vs which was the way whereby Zeno the wise Philosopher obtained so great reputation of worthinesse Ioh. Iacob Beur Saccing in Synop. histor This studie is profitable to Magistrates for gouernment to Ministers for exhortation to all for ordering their liues with befitting moderation Be then conuersant diligently in story specially of the Church contained in the Bible and ecclesiasticall writers And remember that the life of story is vse and application for godlines otherwise I may say of knowledge as Solomon of Riches I haue seene knowledge serued to the hurt of the owner The example of Abraham Moses Dauid c. are as starres in whose light if we walke we shal through faith and patience inherit the promises On the otherside Cain Sodom Iudas are as warning-peeces to auoid their sinnes as Lots wife was for this end turned into a pillar of salt to season after-commers by her example Thou seest theeues and murderers yeerely come to open punishment and shame Beware thou also of the reuenging hand of God thou hearest of vncleane persons and drunkards how some fail into beggery some into lothesome diseases some into sodaine death in the midst of their cups most into hardnesse of heart Mee thinkes it should affright the drunkard when he goes out of his dores to the alehouse to remember that some haue so gon who neuer haue returned home againe The old poysonous viper is at length taken and made into treacle to be a preseruatiue against poyson So God will take thee thou viper thou abhominable sinner and make treacle of thee that because thou wilt not profit by the example of others others may profit themselues by thy example This is that which God laid to Ierusalems charge by the Prophet She profits not by Sodomes example Ezech. 16.56 this also is charged vpon Balshazzar who was punished the more and the sooner because he profited not by that domesticall and pregnant example of Gods iudgment on his grandfather Nabuchadnezzar Dan. 5.18 sinne is not made lesse by tract of time but greater because in such continuance there are extant the more examples of Gods iudgments against sinners VERSE 2. How he makes intercession to God against Israell saying THe example it selfe is in these words and so to the ende of the 6 verse In which are two things First The proposition ver 2.3.4 Secondly the Reddition or Application ver 5.6 The proposition hath two things First the complaint of Elias ver 2.3 Secondly the answere of God ver 4. The Complaint is set downe two waies First generally ver 2 Secondly more particularly ve 3. In the generall are 4. things First the person complaining Which is Elias a most famous prophet and in the account of the Iewes next to Moses of whom at this day they make such reckoning that at circumcision they set two chaires the fairest of which is emptie reserued for Elias who they say much rauoreth that action Secondly The person against whom Elias complaineth that is the ten Tribes to whom principally he was a Prophet Thirdly the word which is vsed to expresse this complaining by some translated conferreth or talketh with God here maketh intercession against howsoeuer the meaning is he complaineth for directly he did not pray that they might be plagued but accuseth them of their stubburnesse and rebellion Fourthly the manner or zeale of this complaint noted in this word How that is with what zeale which zeale we shall know if we take a briefe suruey of the noble storie of Elias beginning at the 17. Chapter of the first booke of Kings Gryneus Elias was a notable Prophet raised vp by God in the dayes of Ahab and Iesabel for the reforming of the Church of the ten Tribes God reueales to him that it should not raine in that countrey for the space of three yeares and sixe moneths Elias prophecieth this to Ahab and it fals out accordingly whose tongue for this was called by some The bridle of heauen When he had thus prophesied he is appointed by God to go to the riuer Cherith where the Rauens feed him and thence to Sarepta where he is miraculously sustained at a widowes house whose sonne he raiseth vp to life which the Iewes hold to be Ionas the Prophet In the third yeare he is bid to shew himselfe to Ahab and so he did whom he aduiseth for remedie of present troubles to summon a parliament Hieronim The King his Nobles and Commons are assembled to mount Carmel Elias puts vp a bill whether the Lord or Baal be God The Parliament concludeth nothing Eliah sheweth that the truth may be found by sacrifice The Priests of Baal are willed to prepare a sacrifice but to bring no fire Elias the Prophet of the Lord doth likewise and it is agreed that the God which answereth by fire is the true God Eliahs sacrifice is consumed with fire from heauen Vpon this it is concluded The Lord is God The Lord is God This is the voice of the whole house Then Eliah causeth the Priests of Baal and of the groues to be slaine and in approbation of this and for the further confirmation of religion the Lord sends a desired raine Now Elias thinkes all is well and sure for religion But Iesabel sends him word and vowed it by her gods that she would make the life of Eliah like one of the Priests whom he had slaine Vpon this Eliah flieth into the wildernesse for safetie and considering that all he had done had such ill successe groweth into a vehement passion and in some impatience desireth to die God ministreth to him by an Angell which feeds him and sends him to