write how learned how godly soeuer he be yet that which he shall speake or write though neuer so well agreeing with the word written shall not be taken so to be the word of God as that any may make the same a touchstone for triall of any mens doctrine as we may and must make the Scriptures of the old and new Testament Oh what an euidence is this of the perfection of the new will and testament of God aboue the old No booke of the old Testament was so singularly the will of God but that other bookes after written were as well to be accounted of neither the whole old Testament so but that the New was likewise neither any part of the new written before the other so but that the other written afterward was of equall authoritie with the former So may it not be said of any other bookes written since by any other whatsoeuer Last of all this word perfect doth not onely import such a will and testament as whereto there shall neuer be any thing added as it were a codicill to be thereunto annexed but also such a will and testament as shall continue for euer to the end of the world and neuer be abolished or abrogated in the whole or in any part thereof as the other was and this the word here vsed and translated perfect in the Greeke and Latin tongue seemeth to import Then is a thing said to be perfected in Latin when it is finished and brought to the end It is as plaine in the Greeke because the substantiue of the adiectiue here vsed signifieth the end and the aduerb deriued from both signifieth to the end as when it is said Hope perfectly the 1. Pet. 1. 13. meaning is Hope to the end as it is translated in our new translation The same is also manifest by reason touching the will of a man For the last will and testament of a man cannot be altered after the death of the testator so cannot the will and testament of God made by his Sonne in the name of God and by the authoritie of God be now altered the Sonne that made it being now dead and his will being proued in the great and high Court of heauen by God himselfe the Iudge of all the world from whom there is no appeale to any other Where a testament is saith Heb. 9. 16. the Apostle there must also be the death of the testator for a testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whiles the testator liueth If it be obiected that albeit Christ died yet he now liueth Reu. 1. 18. for euermore I answer that yet his death was so effectuall for confirmation of this his Will that his said Will cannot by his present life for euermore be cancelled or made of no force For that his once death though raised againe was more then if all the men in the world yea also if all the Angels in heauen had died neuer to be againe restored to life And by that his death he hath freed all his elect from euerlasting death most iustly deserued by them Againe though he now liue in heauen yet he is so dead vnto men as that he shall neuer againe liue with men in this world to eate and drinke to be hungrie and thirstie and wearie in his owne person as he was To conclude all before written of these three adiuncts The vses of the former three adiuncts of the will of God 1. Reprehension of the Papists of this will of God with the vses thereof the more excellent we haue heard the same to be by the said adâ—uncts the greater is the wickednesse of all Papists that denying the same to be so good so well pleasing so perfect and therefore do yet adde the doctrines of men and the daily decrees of that man of sinne the child of perdition the Antichrist of Rome not only as equall to this wil neither to make yâ— same better the acceptabler the more perfect but also to abrogate it and to dispense with any thing done contrary thereunto as with breach of oathes the loyaltie of subiects vnto their Soueraignes the murder also of such Princes giuing their kingdomes to whom they list so also with mariages within the degrees of kindred forbidden mariage by God himselfe It maketh also for reprehension of Anabaptists Familists Reprehension of the Annabaptists and all other that either reiect this will of God altogether or thinke it not so good so well pleasing and so perfect but that there must be reuelations and visions whereby to be made the better the more pleasing and perfect I might likewise here speake of the contempt of the Reprehension of some among vs. word amongst our selues yea by them that would not be accounted profane persons as Esau but professors and such as will shew faire countenances to Ministers and to other that do indeed regard the word But oh who can so speake as to reforme it Not Paul himselfe not Christ as he was man and as in his humane nature did once speake vnto men If the word be preached to some in the morning somewhat sooner then other men preach or in the afternoone somewhat later then other men though vpon neuer so good reason yea vpon some necessitie oh then it is preached out of season What then Hath not the Apostle commanded it so to be preached Hath he 2. Tim. 4. 2. commanded it so to be preached and hath he not commanded it so to be heard Yea but in the morning we shall heare it in our owne Churches afterward and in the afternoone we haue heard it there already and therefore what need we to heare it againe it is euen to glut vs with hearing So the Israelites loathed Manna But alas what Num. 11. 67. followed They lusted for flesh they had it of the daintiest Psal 78. 24. but they had little pleasure in it Whiles it was between their teeth and ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled Num. 11. 33. against them and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague to the slaying of the fattest of them c. Againe if Psa 78. 31. such men as so excuse themselues might haue siluer or gold or both or any other commodity offered vnto them either very cheape or especially for nothing without any Iâ—ay 55. 1. mony and without any price would they make such excuses would they be so nice in taking paines to fetch it As for some daintie Dames euen sprugd vp of nothing that are so long in dressing and attiring themselues in the morning that they can scarce come to their owne Churches how neare soeuer till it be ten of the clock when all are come together and they may be seene of all and that after their owne Sermon or perhaps Seruice onely read in the afternoone they cannot take the paines to go heare the word preached
and presented to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Ephes 5. 26. 27. In opposition therefore to those sacrifices of the Law the Apostle here will haue this sacrifice of our selues to be liuing We must then here dâ—eame of sacrificing our selues by killing our selues as the Papists do maâ—ly whip and scourge themselues like to the Priests of Baal before spoken of for this is diuellish and as I before said this is to offer ourselues to the diuell and to do his seruice who Ioh. 8. 44. was a murderer from the beginning God hath forbidden euery man the murdering of himselfe as well as the murdering of another yea though a man haue done any thing worthy of death by the magistrate yet to put him to death for the same must be the work of the magistrate not of himselfe that so hath deserued death neither of any other that hath not authorite so to do Yea though the magistrate himselfe haue committed any such heinous sin as whereby he hath deserued death yet he must not be put to death by himselfe but by some other superiour magistrate If himselfe that hath committed such a sinne be the supreme magistrate no other man must put him to death for the same but he must be left to God the Iudge Iudges 18. 29. of all the world We must indeed as before I said of the second kinde of the passiue sacrificing our selues submit our selues to death for Christs sake for his truths sake not onely for the whole but also for any part thereof if we cannot lawfully auoid it without deniall or betraying of it but otherwise we must not by any meanes take away our owne liues Dauid by the law for his adultâ—rie with Bathsheba and murder of Vrâ—as had doubly deserued death yet he put not himselfe to death neither had any other power so to do Yea to say more I make no question but that a man hauing by some capitall sinne deserued to die may for all that defend himselfe against any priuate man though neuer so neere in kindred to a man murdered by another and not willingly suffer himselfe to be slaine by such a priuate person without authoritie attempting the reuenge of the person murdered or otherwise so iuiured that by the said doer of the iniutie death had bin deserued Might not Amnon haue defended himself against the violence of Absolom if he had bin aware thereof though he had deserued to die for the rape and incest he had committed against Tamar his owne sister by the father and sister of Absolom by father and mother This life here spoken of is not our naturall life onely though touching it we liue in God moue and haue our being Act 17. 28. but especially a supernaturall life here begun and in the world to come to be perfected and therefore called euerlasting life and in a singular maner the life of God It is the Ioh. 10. 28â— Ephes 4. 18. life of grace often times indeed here begun and continued with much heauinesse and with teares as the Prophet speaketh Pal. 126. 5. 6. of the people in captiuitie but ending with ioy as the sheaues by the husband-man are gathered with gladnes though the seed cost neuer so deare and were therefore grieuous to the sower yea in the meane time also all their present afflictions of this life are accompanied with ioy vnspeakable and glorious because after this life ended 1. Pet. 1. 6. 8. and all the miseries thereof ceased then the former life of grace shall be crowned with the life of glorie This life also is the life of Christ himselfe euen in vs because it cometh from Christ who is therefore called the Prince of life and that especially in a double respect first Acts the 3. 15. How Christ is the Prince of life because by his death he hath purchased eternal life for vs secondly because he being our head and we his members as from the naturall head the whole naturall bodie and euery member thereof receiueth life so from Christ Iesus his whole mysticall bodie the Church and euery member thereof euen here receiueth all spirituall life Gal. 2. 19. 20. Therefore the Apostle saith I through the law am dead vnto the law that I might liue to God I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God But how do we liue by the faith of the Sonne of How we liue by the faith of the Sonne of God God Because as God is the author of it and Christ the purchaser the subiect and the conduit of it so faith is our hand wherby both we are incorporated into Christ and he is made our head and we ioyned vnto him as to our head and also whereby we turne the cocke of this conduit and so draw the water of life and life it selfe from Ioh 4. 14. and 7 38. Act. 16. 14. him our hearts being before by God himselfe opened as the heart of Lydia was and so made capable both of that water of life and also of the life it selfe This life here being the life of grace is the assurance of the life of glorie and after all our afflictions and combats here well ended and the faith well kept shall at the last be 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. â—ames â— 12. 1. Pet. 5. 4. crowned by the righteous Iudge himselfe with the crowne of righteousnes the crowne of life the crowne of glorie which shall not fade To speake yet a little more of this adiunct of our sacrifice The adiunct liuing includeth in it allaeritiâ— and constancy liuing it includeth in it two other qualities of our sacrifice first alacritie or cheerfulnesse secondly constancie The former is by some noted vpon the word present before spoken of but all presenting of gifts being not alwayes cheerfull but sometime vnwilling and for feare of some displeasure by not presenting I suppose it rather to be more aptly and naturally signified by this word liuing For euery man in his right mind willingly liueth and desireth to liue Satan had learned this and could therefore say Skin for skinne and all that a man hath Iob. 2. 4. will he giue for his life The word also liuing is all one with liuely or cheerfull For if a man do any thing dully or grudgingly and lazily as though he cared not whether he did it or no do we not say that such a one hath no life in him and that he doth that which he doth as though he were at lest asleepe If one go nimbly about his worke do we not say that such a one hath life in him Hence are those often petitions of the Prophet Quicken me according Psal 119. 25. ver 37. v. 88. and 149. 156. to thy word Quicken me in thy way Quicken me after thy louing kindnesse and Quicken me
of other and that therefore we ioyne these two together Feare God honour the King and so 1. Pet. 2. 17. Mat. 21. 21. render to Caesar the things that are Caesars that we forget to giue vnto God the things that are Gods If both cannot Act. 4. 19. be performed it is better to obey God then men If we please God it is no matter though we displease men so it be not in pride and that alwayes we be ready to submit our selues to suffer where we cannot submit our selues to do To speake yet a little more of this third adiunct with Reasons of the former adiunct the subiect thereof so wel pleasing to God is this liuing holy sacrifice that whosoeuer toucheth any of them to do them any hurt toucheth the apple of Gods owne eye Zach. 2. 8. Excellently also doth the Lord set forth how well they please him by comparing his loue towards them to the loue of a woman towards her yong child shewing that Isay 49. 15. c. though a woman should forget such a child yea such a sonne as not to haue compassion on him as some such 2. Kin. 6. 29. mothers there haue bin and too many are by whoredom bringing forth children as often as they may haue mates to partake with them in such wickednes and neuer performing any dutie to such children shewing I say that though a woman should so forget such a sonne as to haue no compassion on him yet he will not forget his viz. that haue this marke holinesse in their hearts and foreheads Isay 49. 16. because he hath grauen them vpon the palme of his hands c. Is it not likewise a great testimonie of their well pleasing to God that God commandeth them to aske what Mat. 7. 7. they will of him not only for themselues but also for other Iam. 5. 16. assuring them they shall haue it What can a man haue more of a Prince then to aske and haue for himselfe and for his friend as Ester had of Ahashuerus yea euen against Ester 5. 3. him that before was of all other the greatest fauourite of Ahashuerus Yea God acknowledgeth himselfe so ouercome by the prayers of his Saints that is of such as are holy and well pleasing vnto him that when they pray he intreateth them as it were to hold their peace and to let Exod. 32. 10. him alone thereby not obscurely insinuating that though he be Almightie yet he is in some sort ouercome by the prayers of his children and cannot do that that they for whom they pray had deserued Yea so well pleasing are the Lords holies vnto him that sometimes he granteth their requests for the most wicked that haue bin or are as of Exod. 8. 8. 31. 9. 33. Moses and Aaron for Pharaoh of the man of God that came from Iuda to Bethel to threaten the ruine of the Altar there praying for the healing of wicked Ieroboams 1. Kin. 13. 6. hand It were infinite to tell what mightie things haue bin done by the prayers of some of the Lords holies for themselues and for other good and bad how the Sunne stood Iosua 10. 12. 2. Kin. 1. 20. c. Isay 38. 1. c. 1 Kin. 17. 17. 2. Kin. 4. 20. c. Act 12. 7. chapt 16. 25. in the firmament how Hezekiah sicke vnto death and by the Lord told that he should die yet by his prayer recouered health how the dead haue bin restored to life how prisons haue bin opened and prisonerrs extraordinarily set at libertie yea how the foundation of the prisons hath bin shaken all doores opened the prisoners bands loosed Of these and other the like it were infinite to make relation So well pleasing also are the Lords holies vnto him that not onely for one of them whole families of the wicked haue bin the more blessed as Potiphars house for Ioseph Gen. 39. 3. but that also for some few of them many millions haue fared the better whiles they haue bin with him The whole world was not drowned whiles Noah was among them and till the Lord had put him and his small companie into Gen. 7. 10. the Arke No fire and brimstone came vpon Sodome and Gen. 19. 23. Gomorrha till the Lord had violently as it were taken Lot and his wife and two daughters out of Sodome The like may be said of many iudgements of God inflicted vpon many wicked ones for their indignities against some of these the Lords holies well pleasing the Lord. The Lord sent fire from heauen to deuoure the two 2. Kin. 1. 10. Captaines and their fifties whom Ahaziah sent to fetch Eliah for their rude and rough cariage to the Prophet So dangerous it is for men to be employed by Kings in wicked businesses Did not the Lord send two she Beares out 2. Kin. 2. 24. of the wood that tare in sunder 42 silly and wanton boys for mocking Elisha What a slaughter and hauocke also did one Angell of the Lord make in the camp of the Assyrians for the bragging and reprochfull speeches of Sanaherib Isay 37. 36. c. against the Lords virgin the daughter of Zion c Yea how was the said Sanaherib slaine by two of his own sonnes when he thought himselfe most safe worshipping Nisroch his god How also did the Angell of the Lord smite and consume with a foule and fearfull death Herod Act. 12. 23. that had killed with the sword Iames the brother of Iohn and had also clapt vp Peter into prison I might here also remember the great iudgements of God against the Egyptians in Egypt and the vtter ouerthrow of their King and themselues desperately pursuing the Israelites in the red sea and that for all their hard dealing with the Israelites the Lords holies whiles they had them in their power So also the great and manifold iudgements of God against Iuda and Ierusalem for their abusing of the Prophets and 2. Chron. 36. 15 16. contempt of that word whereby the Lord endeuouted as it were to haue made them also well pleasing vnto him But what need I remember such ancient matters Later times do affoord vs many examples of Gods heauy hand against many persecuting Papists in other countries and in our owne of the Lords holy professors of the Gospell and such as desired well to please him The yeare also 88. and the powder treason do plentifully shew the truth of the premises For what moued the Lord to shew vs such grace his owne goodnesse but yet for his holies sake amongst vs labouring well to please him And is it not hereby most apparent how well pleasing such are vnto him With the former iudgements of God against the wicked maligning the godly must alwayes be remembred his great fauours to them that are his holies For in Gods iudgements against the wicked there is such mercie towards his holy ones as whereby
know they shall be in heauen with him as they know himselfe to be there and whiles he was here to haue prayed for vs that we might be there where he should be yea by which vnion we do already sit with Ephes 2. 6. him in the heauenly places Tenthly the Apostle hath assured vs that he will make our vile bodies like vnto his glorious bodie and that when he Philip. 3. 21. Col. 3. 4. shall appeare we shall appeare with him in glorie and Iohn saith we shall be like him and see him as he is 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Eleuenthly the wicked souldiers that brake the bones of the theeues crucified with Christ could not breake his bones because it was written of the Passe-ouer a type of Christ A bone of him shall not be broken Was it not possible for a bone of his naturall bodie to be broken because it Ioh. 19. 33. 36. was so written and shall it be possible for any whole member of his mysticall bodie to be vtterly lost Twelfthly and lastly not to be tedious herein None of the sheepe of Christ that haue heard his voice and followed Ioh. 10. 28. 29. him can be taken out of Christs hand because the Father that hath giuen them vnto him is stronger then all And all the children of God begotten againe through the rich mercie of God are kept and guarded as I said before by the power of God c. Is it not blaspemous either to say that God is 1. Pet. 1. 5. In Chap. 1. at the end vnrighteous or to denie his omnipotencie that he is not able to keepe his owne May we not vpon these grounds crie out O the vnsearchable riches of Gods goodnesse as well as of his wisedome May we not breake out into admiration of the happie and blessed state and condition of all them that are partaker of such mercies of God Oh then how forcible an argument is this of the Apostle to prouoke vrge and presse all by these mercies to present their bodies a sacrifice vnto God Yea certainly this argument is greater then whatsoeuer can be vrged to this purpose from all the iudgements of God We are many times prouoked Ios 23. 8. c. and 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24. to cleaue vnto God to feare God c. by consideration of the great works of his mercie for this life both performed and also promised how much more then ought these his great mercies of the life to come quicken vs thus to present our bodies a sacrifice liuing holy acceptable Therefore this Apostle from the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead in that glorious maner that he had described the same inferreth this exhortation to stedfastnes in iudgement and to abounding in all good workes with constancie Therefore my beloued brethren be stedfast 1. Cor. 15. 58. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is rest your selues in the former doctrine as in a seate or chaire of state after ye haue bin wearied with the errors of false Apostles to the contrary be vnmoueable let no man vnseate you abounding always in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know euen certainly that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Doth not the Apostle Peter also from the same certaintie of Gods future mercies exhort the Christian Iews with all diligence to adde to their faith 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6. Vt virtus à nomine vir proforti strenuo ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriuatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem est Mars quam Poetae imperunt Deum bâ—lli vertue or rather fortitude or courage according to the deriuation of the Greeke word and to their said courage knowledge for the better direction thereof and to knowledge temperance because men of courage are commonly intemperate and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse loue euen towards all men Doth not Iohn likewise exhort to loue one another vnfainedly and in deed as well as in word from our knowledge that we 1. Ioh. 3. 14. 18. 19. are translated from death vnto life and of our being in truth for the present and from assurance of our hearts before him for the time to come Away therefore with all doctrine of Poperie that teacheth the certaintie of Gods mercie to come to be the doctrine of securitie and libertie Away with all Arminianisme that teacheth that no man can be sure of his saluation and that men partaker of the former mercies may for all that lose all Heb. 6. 9. and vtterly and finally fall away from grace All obiections to the contrary are strawy watery and weake The mainest obiection of all other from Heb. 6. 4. c. is dog-lame yea the legs thereof are so cut off in the very 9. 10. same place vers 9. 10. that it must haue legs made of wood to support it that will be burnt with the fire For the Apostle adding that he was perswaded better things of them and such as did accompanie saluation prouing the same from the very righteousnesse of God in those respects that before I haue spoken doth by his said words plainly teach vs that he had not before spoken of such things as necessarily accompanie saluation Can there be any thing better then faith and these mercies of God apprehended by faith Therefore it is certaine that the Apostle had not before spoken of such things as in verse the 9. he calleth better things and such as accompanie saluation They that fall away from the communion of Saints and that lose their taste of those mercies they seemed to haue neuer were of the Saints neither euer indeed had receiued those 1. Ioh. 2. 19. mercies I haue seene a little dog-bolt booke lately published by some that style themselues falsly called Anabaptists but it is lamentable to see how the poore men moile themselues in their errors and how they are puzzled with the former place of Iohn labouring to answer it but most fouly abusing it saying themselues cannot tell what They multiply words indeed but in them not a word to purpose neither worth any answer But to returne and proceed doth not this our Apostle from the very promises of God made to the Iewes in old time mentioned in the end of the 2. Cor. 6. prouoke vs Gentiles engrafted into Christ to purge our selues from all 2. Cor. 7. 1. filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit c. As for the words following in the feare of God and the like elsewhere they are onely to be opposed to presumption and are to be vnderstood as motiues to the more watchfulnesse in respect Philip. 2. 12. of the weaknesse of our selues whiles we liue in the flesh and of other that in particulars haue deeply fallen and also as I said before of the manifold and mightie aduersaries of our saluation yea not onely in respect
it is well if men by much intreating will be perswaded to giue Zaccheus without any exhortations stood forth and said vnto the Luk. 19. 8. Lord Behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore Where is there such a one in these dayes Alas most mens hearts yea Professors are so hardned against all such kindnesse that like to the deafe Adder that will not hearken Psal 58. 5. to the voice of the charmer charming neuer so wisely like I say to this deafe Adder they will not hearken to the exhortations made for liberalitie be they neuer so earnest But such exhortations go so to the heart of many that they go from them as heauie and sad as he did whom our Sauiour bade to sell all that he had and to giue it to the Math. 19. 22. Mark 10. 22. poore But certainly they to whom such exhortations are so harsh being men of wealth neuer haue in any thing else so sacrificed themselues as the Apostle here required For he that doth not sacrifice himselfe in all things doth in nothing Now if we must thus sacrifice our selues soules and bodies with all the powers and faculties of the one and with all the parts and members and strength of the other must we not also sacrifice our riches our honours aâ—d whatsoeuer authoritie we haue vnto God These are but adiuncts of our whole man If therefore we must sacrifice the subiect and more principall vnto God must we not much more sacrifice the adiuncts and those things that are of lesse value Doubtlesse doubtlesse whatsoeuer riches authoritie honour or grace we haue in this world we ought to employ the same as sacrifices to the glorie of God That which is said of riches Honour the Lord with thy Pâ—ou 3. 9. riches c. the same is to be vnderstood of honour and authoritie c. Wherefore hath the Lord honored vs with them but to honour him All the premises we are so much the more to sacrifice to God by how much the more we haue before giuen them to the world and to the Prince of the world Doth not the Apostle expresly require this saying As ye haue yeelded your members seruants Rom. 6. 19. to vncleannesse and to iniquite vnto iniquitie euen so now yeeld your members seruants to righteousnesse vnto holinesse In which place the word translated to yeeld is the very same in the originall text that is here translated to present In this respect therefore that place serueth the better to my present purpose Is not the Lord a better master and will he not more bountifully recompence whatsoeuer seruice is performed vnto him and whatsoeuer sacrifices are vnto him offered then the world and the Prince of the world The Prince indeed of the world offered all the kingdomes of the world to our Sauiour and so much Math. 4. 9. more will he offer to other but alas he hath nothing to giue for the earth is the Lords and all the fulnesse thereof Psal 24. 1. yea and this Lord hath appointed our Lord Christ Iesus to be the heire of all things Whatsoeuer therefore the Prince of Heb. 1. 2. the world craketh and boasteth yet in all his brags he is a lyer and not able to performe any thing he promiseth Let me yet adde one thing more touching the actiue sacrificing The more parents haue sacrificed themselues to euill the more their children should sacrifice themselues to God 1. Cor. 10. 20. of our selues namely that the more the parents of any man haue sacrificed themselues for so I may speak and vse this word sacrifice of that which is euill by the authoritie of the Apostle that saith the Gentiles did sacrifice to diuels and noâ— to God the more I say the parents of any man haue sacrificed themselues either to Poperie or to any the like abomination or to the world or to any other wickednesse the more such a child do labour to sacrifice himselfe vnto God The Papists indeed pleade the religion of their parents as a speciall and a principall argument why they will not turne from their religion But what saith the Lord Be ye not as your fathers And is it not said in the Psalmes that the Lord had established a testimonie Zech. 1. 4. Psal 78. 5. 6. ver 8. in Iacob and appointed a law in Israel c. that the generations to come might not be as their fathers a stubburne and a rebellious generation c. Is it not also said Harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and as in the day of tentation in Psal 95. 8. 9. the wildernesse when your fathers tempted me c What is the meaning of these words but that they should not in hardnes of heart be like to their fathers If therefore the fathers of any haue bin euill the children must not be like vnto them yea rather they must forget their fathers house Psal 45. 10. And alas what do many ignorant Papists and other pleading their fathers religion for themselues to be thereof but as if a man should say that his father had bin a robber or a murderer or a witch or a traitor and was hanged for his labour and therefore he will take the same course to haue the same end Oh therefore let all children of any such or any other euill parents make the more haste to be vnlike to their said parents and thus to sacrifice themselues because the Lord hath most sweetly promised that if any child hath seene his fathers sinnes and considereth Ezek. 18. 14. 17. and doth not the like he shall not die for the iniquitie of his father but shall surely liue O gracious promise Hath Num. 23. 19. Heb. 10. 23. he said it and shall he not performe it He that hath promised is faithfull Oh therefore that euery man would labour to make such children such sacrifices to God as here the Apostle speaketh of Let him know that he that conuerteth Iam. 5. 20. such a sinner from the error of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes yea such a one Iude 23. is as a fire brand pluckt out of the fire Let all such also both the one and the other the child of such parents and he that shall be the instrument of God to make him a sacrifice to God do that that now I speake of the sooner because the longer continuance in the sinnes of such parents hardeneth the more and maketh the conuersion of such the harder worke Thus much of our actiue sacrificing of our selues CHAP. VII Of the passiue sacrificing of our selues NOw followeth the passiue This is two-fold First patiently The passiue sacrificing of our selues twofold to beare all common afflictions laid vpon vs by the Lord. Secondly to submit our selues to all persecution by the wicked for the testimonie of his truth and better confirmation of the faith of other The
Doth any man merit any thing at the hands of his creditor by paying that that he oweth him All that we do or can do vnto God yea much more also we do owe vnto God If therefore we merit nothing at the hands of any man by paying our debt vnto him can we merit any thing at Gods hands by paying that that we owe him In the foresaid Chapter also of Luke Ver. 7. 8 9. our Sauiour had before taught that a mans seruant meriteth nothing at the hands of his master by doing that that his master had commanded him If therefore the seruant of a man cannot merit any thing at the hands of his master by doing his commandements who notwithstanding is his fellow-seruant vnto God how alas can any man merit any good at the hands of God by keeping his commandements yea that cannot so keepe them but that he breaketh many of them and faileth also much in his best keeping of any of them If also mens seruants cannot merit so much of their masters as a little libertie for a while as our Sauiour in the same place teacheth how much lesse can they deserue to be made their heires by doing that which their masters commanded them Least of all therefore can any man deserue to be made the heire of God and of his kingdome in heauen though he could do all for matter and maner that God hath commanded him If we cannot merit by suffering of martyrdome how much lesse can we merit by doing any thing else The kingdome of heauen is not the hire of any works or sufferings but Gods reward of his meere grace Thus and no otherwise are all those places to be vnderstood that speake of rewards namely that they are rewards of mercie not of merit or if of merit onely of Christs merit in Gods mercie imputed vnto vs. So also is that to be vnderstood Well Mat. 25. 21. done thou good and faithfull seruant thou hast bin faithfull ouer a few things I will make thee ruler ouer many things enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. Thus I say and no otherwise are such places to be vnderstood and not as the wrangling Rhemists foolishly and grosly inter prete that place of Luke All the premises well considered all that we do here at any time suffer or can suffer for the name and testimonie of Christ is but a sacrifice onely of thanksgiuing vnto God for his more then maruellous loue towards vs in giuing Phil. 2. 17. his Sonne to suffer for vs. Those places also of Pauls being offered vpon the sacrifice and seruice of the Philippians 2. Tim 4. 6. faith and of his being readie to be offered are not to be vnderstood of aâ—y such sacrifice as here the Apostle speaketh of For Paul in those places compareth not his martyrdome to any burnt offering of the Law but onely to the Exod. 30. 9. Numb 6. 15. 15. 7. 29 16. 18. 21. c. drinke offerings that were annexed to the sacrifices for the perfecting of them The Apostle in these places vseth not the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sacrifice but the word spendâ—â—â—i to be powred out according to the maner of drink-offerings annexed to their burnt sacrifices The Philippia â—s indeed by the preaching of the Gospell being as it were slaine with the sword of the Spirit are therefore called a sacrifice but Paul compareth his martyrdome to a drink-offering to be as it were powred on the Phlippians faith and on themselues for the better perfecting of their faith and confirming themselues in their faith Furthermore we are to be the more willing in suffering any thing for Christs sake because of the shortnesse of all our sufferings Our Reâ— 2 10. tribulations shall be but for ten dayes wherein if we be faithfull vnto death we shall not onely receiue a crowne of life but also he shall giue it vs that is the Lord or Prince Act. 3. 15. of life and the righteous Iudge For he hath promised it not onely to Paul but also to all that loue his appearing If it shall 1. Tim. 4. 8. be of gift then shall it not be of merit For what is freer then gift Thus to suffer is a degree of dignitie from God to vs aboue the common worke of faith So the Apostle maketh Philip. 1. 29. it saying To you it is giuen in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue on him but also to suffer for his sake For indeed thus to suffâ—r is a greater honour a greater glorie then all the great dignities titles and honours in the world without it where God calleth vnto it The casting of Daniel into the Lions den for calling vpon God contrarie to Dan. 6. 16. the commandement of the King was more honourable vnto Daniel then the scarlet râ—bes and the chaine of gold he had and then the proclaiming of him to be the third Dan. 5. 29. Ruler in the kingdome of Belshazzer for interpretation of the hand-writing vpon the wall But here a question may be made from that before said of presenting our whole man soule and bodie a sacrifice Quest vnto God and from that that hath bin said of the same being a sacrifice passiuely as wel as actiuely how the soule can be said to be a passiue sacrifice sith our soule seemeth altogether to be agent and no wayes patient I answer that the soule though in it selfe free from suffering Answ at least of any thing to be inflicted by man is notwithstanding passiue by communion it hath with the bodie this suffering is called sympathie or a fellow-feeling For both soule and bodie make but one man and by the afflictions of the bodie the soule is grieued as well as by the good of the bodie the soule reioyceth Both griefe and ioy are passions wit also reason vnderstanding learning faith godlinesse c. do all belong to the soule and inward man yet all these sometime and in some sort suffer at the hands of the wicked They that are of the best wits of most vnderstanding most iudicious most learned being reuiled by the names of fooles dolts dunces men of no capacitie of no learning yea also wicked schismatiks disturbers of the peace hereticks rebels seditious c. yea such as are sometimes punished by men as if they were such as they are called Are not these things sufferings reaching to the soule it selfe the subiect of wit reason learning faith c. This doctrine of suffering for Christ and his truth is the more needfull to be taught because the longer peace we haue enioyed the more vnfit we are to suffer not so much as knowing what belongeth to suffering yea our long peace with other mercies by the Gospell enioyed hath brâ—d in all sorts a contempt of the Gospell and other mercies with such a securitie that neither daily hearing of the troubles of other countries nor rumors of warres intended against our selues will
Pet. 1. 7. said to be more precious then gold because gold though tried in the fire perisheth Doth not the Apostle thereby manifestly shew that our faith cannot perish else were the argument of the Apostle from the comparison thereof with gold of no force All hitherto spoken of this attribute liuing here giuen to this our sacrifice is to be applied to all before said of our actiue and passiue sacrificing of our selues we must do all we must suffer all with all alacritie and cheerfulnes as also with all constancie and stedfastnesse That which is said of a liberall person that the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer 2. Cor. 9. 7. is to be vnderstood of the actiue and passiue sacrificing of our selues If we must be cheerfull in giuing vnto men must we not much more be cheerfull in sacrificing our selues to God that in many respects hath right vnto our selues and to all that we haue All the actiue sacrificing of our bodies and of euery member of them as also of our soules and of euery power and facultie of them must be cheerfull So must likewise be all our passiue sacrificing of our selues The more honorable also it is to suffer for Christs sake the more willing and cheerfull should we be to part from all yea to lay downe our liues for his sake And indeed whosoeuer hath truly beleeued that Christ hath so willingly and cheerfully suffered those direful torments for vs that he did he cannot but be willing and cheerfull also to suffer any thing for him Oh that this life were in euery one that pretendeth to sacrifice himselfe to God In things that concerne our selues for this life how liuely how nimble are we but alas in sacrificing our selues to God in doing or suffering any thing for God how drowsie how dead how leaden heeled and handed are we The same may be said of constancie in sacrificing our selues both actiuely and passiuely It is not enough to suffer a little or at once but if we should be called often to suffer for his truth it should not be grieuous vnto vs. Though we should be first reuiled touching our good names then spoiled of all our good then laid vp in prison and there kept with great hardnesse for many yeares then brought out to execution and to haue our flesh torne from our backs by peece-meale as some haue had or be burnt by little and little as William Gardiner Merchant was beyond the seas yet none of all these ought to make any of vs to shrinke One thing more let me yet adde touching this adiunct liuing namely that the more our naturall life decayeth and consumeth in the powers thereof manifested by the trembling of the keepers of our house and by the strong men Eccles. 1â— 3. bowing themselues and the ceasing of the grinders and by the darknesse of our windowes all which I feele in my self the more we labour to cherish and to increase this our spirituall and heauenly life in vs that so we may bring forth Psal 92. 14. Reu. 2. 19. fruit in our old age and be faâ— and flourishing and like to the Angell of the Church of Thiatyra hauing our last workes more then our first This shall suffice to haue spoken of this first adiunct of our sacrifice namely liuing The second adiunct is holy This is necessarie to be ioyned The second adiunct of our sacrifice holy to the former first to teach vs to distinguish the former from naturall liuing and secondly to teach vs our sacrifice to be liuing in holinesse yea without this holinesse men haue no life of God no spirituall life in them but are altogether dead as before I said not able to stir hand or foote towards heauen as spiritually dead as Lazarus Ioh. 11. 39. was naturally dead in the graue and had bin dead foure dayes till Christ crying aloud vnto him said Lazarus come forth and by that meanes raised him from death vnto life and so by raising other from death to life and by dayly raising vp other from the death of sinne to this life Rom. 1. 4. of holinesse mightily declaring himselfe to be the Son of God for so with reuerend regard notwithstanding of the different iudgement of my betters I vnderstand that place to Mat. 17. 9. 27 64. 28. 7. Mark 6. 9. Ioh. 2. 22. Ephes 1. 20. Ioh. 20. 9. Acts. 3. 15. chapt 4. 10. chapt 10. 41. cha 13. â—0 34 1. Pet. 1. 3. Rom. 4. 24. cap. 6. 4. cap. 7. 4. cap. 8. 11. cap. 10. 7. 9. 1. Cor. 15. 20. Col. 2. 17. 1. Thes 1. 10. Heb. 13 20. 2. Tim. 2. 8. 2. Cor. 7. 1. the Romanes For it seemeth to me that it cannot well be vnderstood of the resurrection of himselfe from the dead because in the Greeke there is no preposition signifying from as is in those places that speake of Christs owne resurrection from the dead of which I haue noted some before in the margin and many more might haue noted Neither do I thinke it very easie for any man to name any place wherein Christs owne resurrection is mentioned without some prepositioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to name any where that the genitiue case of the dead there vsed by the Apostle doth signifie from the dead But to returne from whence I haue a little digressed for the interpretation of that place to the Romanes that we may be thusholy as here the Apostle speaketh we must first of all purge our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit and then decke our selues with the contrary vertues of sanctification For filthinesse and holinesse cannot any more agree in one subiect then light and darknes and both those branches of our holinesse are elsewhere signified by putting off the old man and putting on the Ephes 4. 22. Col. 3 9. 10. Tit. 2. 12. 1. Pet. 2. 11. 12. Rom. 6. 11. verse 18. Psal 34. 14. 1 Pet 3. 12. Exod. 12. 5. Leuit. 1. 10. 22. 19. 20. 21. new by denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and liuing soberly and godly c. by abstaining from all fleshly lusts which fight against our soules and hauing our conuersation honest c. by dying vnto sinne and liuing vnto God and to righteousnes by being made free from sin and seruants vnto righteousnes by eschuing euill and doing good and by other the like Now as the Passe-ouer was to be without blemish especially as the legall sacrifices ought so to haue bin yea also without any other deformitie or maime so the Apostle here requireth this our sacrifice to be holy and without any spirituall blemish or deformitie If the sacrifices of sheepe and lambes in those dayes must be without blemish must not the sacrifice of our selues much more be such Yea this is also necessarie in respect that our selues must not only be the sacrifices but also the Priests to offer this sacrifice For as the
had posse non peccare he had not non posse peccare he had power not to sin he had not such power as not to be able to sinne that is he had no such power as that he could not haue sinned If he had had such power as that he could not haue sinned then he should not haue fallen at all That he sinned was not of any power to sinne in himselfe but rather by the power of Satan who by iniection of his fiery darts so weakned the power wherein God had created him that he fell Neither at this day doth any man commit murder or any other the like sin of any power that he hath so to do but of the power of Satan so weakning such sinners in Adam at the first that they haue no power to resist the tentations of Satan vnto any sinne There is also a difference inter potentiam potestatem it can hardly be exprest in fit English words except we call the one abilitie the other a facultie Touching the act and doing of a thing there may be strength to do it but there is no power that is no authoritie touching the qualitie of the act as it is a sinne Potentia is of nature and as well in beasts as in men but potestas is a lawfull power and authoritie from an higher communicated to an inferiour subiect to the higher power and at command thereof So Adam may be said to haue had a kind of potentia to eate of the forbidden fruite the same being a thing of no more difficultie or hardnesse then to eate of the other trees but he had not potestatem that is any lawfull power or authoritie so to do because God had forbidden and restrained him to whom he was onely subiect Pilat indeed in his pride said to our Sauiour that he had power to crucifie him and power to release him meaning from Caesar and so the wicked in pride of their hearts may say they haue power to do this and that in respect of their inferiours or because perhaps some higher power in earth hath giuen them leaue and libertie to doe what themselues thinke good and for doing whereof they haue a bodily strength to kill and slay to commit adultery vpon adultery and to defile so many women in one night as some foule filthy mouthed beasts rather then men do sometime vaunt and boast Yea from men also they may haue power and commission to persecute the Saints as Paul had from the high Priests to persecute all whom Act. 9. 2. chap. 22. 4. he could find professing Christ but there is no lawfull power but of God The wicked commit their wickednesses willingly and with delight but therein their will is not free but bound vnto Satan and to the sinnes which Ioh. 8. 34. Rom. 6. 16. 2. Pet. 2. 19. they commit yea so much more are they so in bondage by how much the more willingly and with delight they commit such things Notwithstanding as freedome is opposed to coaction and constraint so they may be said to do all their euill freely because no man sinneth by constraint and against his will but euery man willingly It were no sinne if it were not willing Neither can the will be constrained Will constrained is no will There can be no two things more contrary then will and constraint Will is within a man constraint is without To proceed yet a little further men now haue potestatem that is leaue and libertie to refraine from euill and to do good yea God hauing commanded them so to do necessitie lieth vpon them of so doing so that they may not onely so do but they must so do But they haue neither will nor power to do the one or the other of them but both these must come from God We cannot of our 2. Cor. 3. 5. selues thinke any thing that is good our sufficiencie is of God Euery imagination of the heart of man is onely euill continually Gen. 6. 3. Yea naturally we vnderstand nothing of the will of 1. Cor. 2. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. Mat. 16. 17. God but onely by reuelation of God himselfe by his Spirit Flesh and blood reuealeth not Christ vnto vs but the Father which is in heauen It being so with our thoughts and vnderstanding it cannot be otherwise with vs touching the will and the worke of any good Therefore it is said Phil. 2. 13. 1. Cor. 12. 3. that it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to do and that of his good pleasure Yea No man can so much as say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Therefore the Prophet Psal 51. 15. prayed the Lord to open his lips that his mouth might shew forth his praise But to returne to the obiection and to vntie the former ob knot why then are we commanded or exhorted to do any thing if we haue neither power nor will to do any thing commanded vs or whereto we are exhorted Hereâ—o An. I answer by the like question why said our Sauiour to Iairus his daughter that was starke dead Damosell I say Mark 5. 41. vnto thee arise There was no power at all in the Damosel either to arise or to heare our Sauiour so speaking For she was knowne to be dead that when our Sauiour said in respect of the nature of death which the last resurrection considered is but a sleepe and in respect of his purpose for raising her presently from death to life when I say our Sauiour in these respects said She is not dead but sleepeth all the companie laughed him to scorne Lazarus also was dead yea buried yea he had bin dead foure dayes so that Martha obiected the same as thinking perhaps that our Sauiour had not knowne it and therefore tooke more in hand then he could do Lazarus I say was so dead hauing bin dead so long also buried with a tombstonâ— laid vpon him yâ— he could not stirre either hand or foote may it not therefore be as well asked as the former question was moued why our Sauiour said vnto him Lazarus come forth The answer to these questions is a full answer to the former obiection For though neither Iairus his daughter nor Lazarus being both dead had power to do that that Christ bad them to do yet Christs command was the meanes whereby they receiued life and power to Rise and Come forth And though our Sauiour could haue raised them both by his secret power yet he spake vnto them so to do thereby to teach vs his word to be the meanes of raising men from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and to enable vs to do that that he commandeth vs to do being of our selues altogether vnable Yea but it is expresly said yâ— euery one that hath the hope to 1. Ioh 3. 3. be like to Christ purgeth himselfe as he is pure What of this The Apostle in this place
before dead Peter also for himselfe and for all the rest of the Apostles saith to our Sauiour Ioh. 6. 68. Iam. 1. 18. that he had the words of eternall life Iames also maketh the word of truth the meanes of our regeneration which is the beginning of our spiritual life The like doth the Apostle Peter For the same cause our Sauiour raised 1. Pet. 1. 23. vp Iairus his daughter Lazarus by speaking vnto them as before we heard that could haue raised them vp by his secret power that thereby he might commend his word to be word of eternall life That the word is also the meanes of our holinesse our Sauiour sheweth Now are ye cleane through the words that I Ioh. 15. 3. haue spoken vnto you To be cleane pure or holy are all one The same is taught by our Sauiours prayer Sanctifie them Ioh. 17. 17. with thy truth thy word is truth Paul saith that our Sauiour gaue himselfe for the Church to sanctifie and cleanse it with Ephes 5. 26. the washing of water by the word Peter likewise testifieth 1. Pet. 1. 22. the same saying that our soules are purified by obeying or hearing of the truth As euill words corrupt good manners so the good word 1 Cor. 15. 33. of God cannot but make mens manners good that are appointed to life That some remaine still dead and filthy that daily heare the word it is either because they belong not to life or because the houre of their calling and opening of their hearts as the heart of Lydia was opened is Act. 16. 14. Gal. 4 4. not yet come As there was a fulnesse of time for Christ to come into the world so the Lord hath his fulnesse of time likewise for sending his Son into the hearts of men How excellently soeuer also yâ— word be preached except 1. Cor. 3. 9. God do work with the preaching thereof it cannot effect any thing That which the Prophet saith that except the Psal 127. 1. Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it c. is not onely to be vnderstood of our labours and endeuours for this life but most of all of building men vp as liuing stones to be an holy temple of God himselfe Hence it is that not onely the Sermons of the Apostles but also of Christ himselfe did not onely not worke holinesse but a so through the corruption of the hearers and for their former sinnes did more and more strike them with blindnes Mat. 13. 14. and hardnes of heart to their further destruction and condemnation As the word is the meanes to reuiue and to sanctifie so that it is also to make vs well pleasing to God hath bin shewed before And how can it be otherwise sith we can no longer please him then we containe our selues within the limits thereof and performe the duties of faith and obedience therein contained If we passe the bounds 1. Kin. 2. 36. thereof and do contrary thereunto then as Shimei by Salomon confined to Ierusalem vpon paine of death passing notwithstanding his said bounds and going ouer the brooke Kidron three yeares after to fetch his two runaway seruants from Gath did thereby so prouoke Salomons indignation against him that it cost him his life so we passing the bounds of Gods word and doing contrary to the will and pleasure of God therein reuealed though obserued Ezechil 18. 24. for some good while shall most iustly incurre the iust displeasure of God and purchase to our selues euerlasting condemnation What is the vse of the former doctrine That as we desire The vse life to be holy wel pleasing to God so we regard the word heare the word with all due reuerence attention humilitie yea studie also and meditate of it conferring thereof with other not for disputation or contention but Psal 119 18. for our further learning and obedience praying God likewise to open our eyes that we may behold the wondrous ver 33. things of his law to teach vs the way of his statutes for keeping thereof to the end to incline likewise our hearts vnto his ver 3â— testimonies and neither to couetousnesse the greatest impediment Col. 3. 5. 1. Tim. 6. 10. of all other vnto godlinesse as being idolatrie and the roote of all euill neither to any other vanitie Sweete and precious is our naturall life much better then riches and glorie as the which are but in the left hand of wisedom Pro. 3. 16. whereas length of dayes is in her right hand and the which our Sauiour preferreth before all things euen necessarily Mat. 6. 25. pertaining to life How sweet therefore and precious ought the life before mentioned to be The same is to be said of holinesse Gods owne robe and yet vouchsafed to vs as a Liuerie whereby we may be knowne to be his seruants Isay 6. 3. well to please God oh how pleasant a thing is it It bringeth that peace of conscience that passeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. As an euill conscience accusing men of their displeasing of God is an hell vpon earth and a continuall gnawing worme that shall neuer die so a good conscience Isay 66. 24. 1. Pet. 1. 8. Pro. 15. 15. is an heauen vpon earth accompanied with ioyes vnspeakable and glorious Therefore it is called a continuall feast A feast and a feast without end far passing the royall feast of Ahashuerus for though therein he shewed the riches of Ester 1. 3. 4. c his glorious kingdome and the honour of his excellent maiestiâ— yet that feast was but of the bodie this is of the soule that was but for an hundred and fourescore dayes an whole halfe yeare within three dayes this feast is an euerlasting feast lasting vnto and in the life to come And yet also all the feast of a good conscience here is but as it were a drinking or breakfast to stay our stomacks till the life to come and the Supper of the Lambe and of the great God and till Reu. 19. 9. 17. Mat. 22. 2. the mariage of the great Kings Sonne All these things considered how ought we to esteem of the word how ought we to meditate and conferre of the word to loue it and to delight in it How ought we to pray for the knowledge of it and obedience vnto it the same being the meanes of all the former The same is to be said touching all that belong vnto vs wiues children and seruants whom we would haue to be such sacrifices liuing holy and well pleasing to God But hauing spoken enough before to induce vs to the due regard hereof I will forbeare all further speeches thereof in this place This word of God in the former respects is often called by the name of the bare word for the excellencie of it aboue all words no other word or words whatsoeuer being to be compared thereunto neither able so
Serpent but belonged to the woman yea also to the man and to the posteritie of both They containe two parts a commination to the Serpent that the seed of the woman Christ should breake the head of the Serpent that is should vtterly subdue the diuell and all his power which notwithstanding was a promise to the woman and to her seed The second part of the said speech of God was a prophecie and a foretelling that the serpent and diuell that had abused the visible serpent in deceiuing of the woman should not for all that leaue his malice and haâ—â—d against the woman and her seed but should alwayes â—â— nibling yet but nibling at their heele not being able â—â— do any hurt to their principall parts And this the Lord added as an admonition to the woman and her seed to take the better heed of the Serpents said nibling Now although this will of God were in substance perfect at the first yet it being onely in promise and a matter of great importance required a long time for the making of all writings and the sealing of them with other matters belonging to the performance and full accomplishment of the said will The writings were begun to be made or rather drawne by Moses at the direction of God himselfe after Moses the Lord from time vsed other clarks as it were and secretaries to write more not in substance but for the better explaning of those that Moses had written and that as occasion required in respect of times and persons till the comming of Christ When Christ was come then first of all himselfe in his owne person more fully 2. Tim. 3. 16. 2. Pet. 1. 21. opened the former writings written by the inspiration of God and as the holy Ghost had moued holy men before to write After Christ the Apostles hauing plentifully receiued the holy Ghost wrote all things done and spoken by our Sauiour that were necessarie for vs to beleeue vnto saluation Much also of that that Moses had written being written to continue but for a time euen til the death of Christ was by the death of Christ cancelled as being performed and accomplished and all necessarie to saluation and to remain without any alteration was sealed with the blood of Christ as with the Lords broade seale of heauen Notwithstanding the Lord would haue all that was disanulled Why the Lord would haue the law being abrogated to remaine for all that vpon record in the time of the Gospell by Christ to remaine vpon record for all posteritie not to be obserued as it had bin but to the end that thereby it might be the more euident how all things before promised foretold or set forth by types figures and shadowes were accomplished that so also men liuing vnder the Gospell might the better see their great prerogatiues aboue them that liued vnder the Law and in the time of the old Testament The abrogating therefore of the old Testament so farre as it was old and to be abrogated doth not any way fauour those that fondly think the Scriptures of the old Testament no way to belong vnto vs now For how shall we see the truth of that that the Apostle Act. 26. 22. saith he had said no other things then those which Moses and the Prophets had said should come and that the Gospell was Rom 1. 2. that that God had promised by his Prophets in holy Scriptures As also how shall we well vnderstand diuers things in the Mâ—t. 1. 22. 2. 15. 18. 3. 3. 4. 14. 26 54. Ioh. 19. 36. 37. Gospell of which it is said they were done that the Scriptures might be fulfilled or as it was written if we haue not the Scripture of the old Testament to shew vs what had bin written How shall we also vnderstand the proofe of many things in the Acts and in the Epistles by the testimonie of former Scriptures if we haue not the said Scriptures Notwithstanding the old and new Testament do herein differ first that all things before promised are in the New performed Secondly that the New is more perspicuous then the Old yea also maketh the Old more plaine then it was And hereby it is euident that the new Testament is more perfect then the Old For are not performances better then promises All things indeed by the Lord promised are as certaine in respect of God as if they were performed but they are not so perfect vnto vs in respect of our weaknesse Dauid was assured of the kingdome of 1. Sam. 16. 13. Israel by the word and annointing of Samuel and by many experiences of Gods mercies towards him whereby he comforted Saul himselfe against Goliah before in a pitiful 1. Sam. 17. 11. â—2 24. 34. feare of him as wel as al the rest of Israel who for feare of Goliah did hide their heads yea that Dauid should be King was knowne to all the people as appeareth by the words of Ionathan and also of Abigail vnto Dauid Yet 1. Sam 20. 14. 15. and 25. 30. alas after all these and many great deliuerances of Dauid from Saul how in a kind of despaire said he in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul 1. Sam 27. 1. To proceed yet further this last will and testament of God is more perfect then the former not onely in the former respects of performing all things before promised and signified by types c. of remouing such types and figures as before did obscure his will and of the more clearing of the substance it selfe of his wil by our Sauiour and by his Apostles but also because now in these last dayes he hath spoken by his Sonne both immediatly in the person of his Sonne made man and also mediatly in Heb. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 13. 3. his Apostles that he will neuer speake any more by any man in such maner as that the word of any man shall be accounted the word of God as heretofore the word of Moses and the other Prophets and the Apostles hath bin accounted and is to be accounted the word of God and for the rule of any mans faith or life any otherwise then it agreeth with his word written by Moses the Prophets and Apostles Before the comming of Christ God raised vp diuers Prophets Prophet after Prophet the latter to expound and interprete as it were the former giuing lesson vpon lesson line vpon line line vpon line now a little and then a Isay 28. 13. little So likewise he directed the Apostles to write diuers Epistles to diuers Churches some also to particular persons all which and euery part whereof is to be accounted and receiued as giuen by inspiration of God and therfore 2. Tim. 3. 16. for the word of God but now he hath spoken so fully and wholy by them before mentioned that he will neuer speake any more in such maner so that whosoeuer he be that shall speake or
a quarter of a mile from them be the weather neuer so faire the way neuer so plaine let them take heed of that baldnesse and girding of sackcloth that the Isay 3. 24. Lord by his Prophet threatneth to such Touching other that obiect long preaching and the Ministers standing aboue his houre to keepe them from the word some of them care not how long in the very night they sit at a profane Play or at other vaine exercises as cards dice tables and the like and some swilâ—ing and drinking at Tauernes Innes Ale-houses c. till tâ—ey cannot see the way home not go when they are in the way oh how may they feare that it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha in the Mat. 10. 15. day of iudgement then for them Let them consider to whom and in what earnest manner our Sauiour threatneth this iudgement and they shall perceiue that it belongeth much more vnto theÌ„ to such other contemners of this good well pleasing and perfect will of God as wherewith these times do euery where abound The same may be said of all whom worldly businesse buying or selling or walking to see their come their kine their sheepe and lambes on the Lords dayes when they might be partaker of the preaching of this will of God Neither are they to be excused that spend the time in priuate reading of the word when they might heare it publikly preached Oh that all these would remember that to the Hebrewes before mentioned How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation And oh that I could speake that word in season to any of them that might be vnto them as apples of gold with pictures Pro. 25. 11. of siluer Thus much for reprehension The second vse is for instruction How therefore should Instruction this excellencie of the new Testament and of the Gospell since the comming of Christ inflame the hearts of men with the loue thereof yea how should it make them sicke of loue vnto it Oh such sicknesse is no whit dangerous it is not of death or vnto death but of life and vnto life yea vnto euerlasting life I haue heard some wish for an Ague euery Spring as thinking that an Ague in the Spring is physicke for a King But alas where shall we finde any so sicke of loue to the word as that he may crie out with the Prophet Oh how loue I thy law Many are sick of sinne Psal 119 97. and feele it not many of surfetting and drunkennesse and will not be cured many of vanities and all kind of pleasures many and very many euen of professors are sicke of the loue of the world and of the things that are in the world 1. Ioh. â— 15. which therefore haue not the loue of God in them But not one of twentie not one of an hundred not one of a thousand is sicke of the loue of the word and of this good wel pleasing and perfect will of God On that all that do indeed loue this will of God were sicker then they are to see so few sicke of loue to the said will of God yea so sicke of hatred vnto it that they persecute all them that do most loue it Touching consolation if our Sauiour pronounced Consolation Mat. 13. 16. 17. Luk. 10. 23. 29. the eyes and eares of his Apostles blessed because they saw and heard those things that many Prophets and righteous men and Kings desired to see and heare and could not how blessed are we how may we reioyce and in the ioy of our hearts blesse God that see and heare those things that we see and heare For the Apostles themselues had not then seen and heard the things that are now to be seene and heard Christ had not then done so many miracles as afterward he did Neither had he spoken so many things as afterward euen to the Apostles themselues both before and also after his resurrection Yea before his resurrection he had not spoken so many things that afterward he spake Ioh. 6. 12. because then they were not of capacitie to beare them Neither also had Christ then suffered his bitterest passion the which made him thrice most earnestly to pray to be deliuered from it if it had bin possible and if so it had pleased Mat. 26. 39. c. his Father the agonie whereof made his sweate like drops of blood trickling downe to the ground the extremitie Luk. 22. 44. whereof forced him most bitterly to crie out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Christ had not then risen Mat. 27. 46. againe nor ascended into heauen nor therefore led captiuitie captiue nor giuen such gifts vnto men as after his ascension he did Neither had the said Disciples seene so great a conuersion of three thousand soules in one day as afterward they did Neither had the Gospell bin then or long time after preached to the Gentiles as afterward it was Yea long after Christs resurrection Peter himselfe that had done so strange miracles was so ignorant of the abrogation of the law touching the difference of meates in the time of the law and of the calling of the Gentiles that in a trance seeing by vision a vessell full of all maner of liuing creatures cleane and vncleane and being bidden to Act. 10. 10. c. rise kill and eate with great detestation he refused so to do though he were very hungrie When also vnderstanding the meaning of the vision according thereunto he had preached to Coruelius and other Gentiles with him how did the other Apostles and the rest of the Church at Ierusalem bewray their ignorance also of the calling of the Gentiles by their offence at Peters preaching vnto them vntill Peter had made relation by what warrant and authoritie and with what successe from God he had done all that he did We now here liuing do know all these things yea we hauing bin Gentiles as well as any other without Christ aliens from the common wealth of Israel strangers Ephes 2. 12. 13. from the couenants of promise c. do now through the grace of God partake with other Gentiles in their calling and hauing bin farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Yea we haue all the will of God written by the Apostles long after the former words of our Sauiour to the Apostles whereunto as we haue heard nothing is to be added or euer shall or may be added How are we therefore to leape for ioy and to reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 1. 8. The Psalmist often prophetically bade the Gentiles in the promise hereof to reioyce Shall not we then much more reioyce that enioy this promise Yea let vs testifie our said ioy and thankfulnesse for the matter of it by making further vse of instruction Let vs attend yea the more abundantly as the Apostle saith attend yea he saith Heb. 2. 1. that we ought
their right Gal. 3. 1. minds not bewitched nor as it were distracted by false Apostles esteemed Paul as an Angell of God yea as Christ cap. 4. 14. Iesus so that they would haue plucked out their eyes if it had bin possible and haue giuen them to Paul Alas how many in these dayes would if they could scratch out their Ministers eyes Certainly as Paul saith of the Corinthians 2. Cor. 12. 15. that the more abundantly he loued them the lesse he was beloued of them so may many good and carefull Ministers say in these dayes of some of the people whom they haue taught and for whom and their 's they haue prayed and haue bin heard in the things they haue prayed for in their behalfe especially if they shall either publikly reproue any thing whereof their consciences doe accuse them though the Ministers neuer in such reprehensions neuer meant them or at the least any thing roundly speake of any thing but priuatly And such base estimation of Ministers hauing once possest the minds of men it will hardly be cast out by Christs disciples if they were here without Mark 9. 29. prayer and fasting Neither is this the fault of profane and ignorant men but of men of great knowledge and profession yea also of no small fashion otherwise and therefore indeed towards Ministers the more bitter and impatient But because such loue and high estimation of Ministers How the loue of men towards their Miinsters as also their inward reuerence of them may be discerned as the Apostle commendeth to the Thessalonians are things inward how may they be discerned by others that cannot see into the inner parts of a man To omit that outward reuerence and respect that is common to other persons of any eminencie in the world as the which may be gathered by some thing before spoken of the cariage of other toward otâ—er Ministers and the which is ordinarily vsed I will onely commend three things whereby the due loue and estimation of Ministers may be discerned first diligent hearing of them secondly sufficient maintenance thirdly true obedience Touching diligent hearing Dilligent Ministers diligent to be heard first of all let vs remember that they are so to be heard though they do not liue according to their teaching and doctrine but cleane contrary thereunto For so our Sauiour commanded concerning the Scribes and Pharisees Mat 23. 2. 3. For the life of such shall onely increase the condemnation of such Ministers themselues it shall not any whit preiudice the attentiue and reuerent hearer neither may it be pleaded as an excuse for not hearing of such Ministers Where there is a commandement for doing any thing there is a promise of blessing to them that do the thing commanded And hath not the Lord blessed the ministerie of some that haue bin wicked Verily he hath as appeareth by that that is written of such as shall be able to pleade in the last day they had prophesied and cast out diuels Mat. 7. 22. 23. and done many wonderfull works in the name of Christ who notwithstanding shall be reiected as workers of iniquitie Gods blessing is not tyed to the persons of any but attendeth vpon his owne ordinance carefully respected The word of God in the mouth of a man hath first come Iob. 22. 22. out of the mouth of God himselfe and therefore it shall Isay 55. 11. not returne to the Lord in vaine but it shall accomplish that which he pleaseth c. and be a sauour either of death vnto 2. Cor. 2. 15. 16. death or of life vnto life in both a sweet sauour of Christ God his iustice is as precious vnto him as his mercie Our Sauiour also saith He that hath an eare to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith not what man saith vnto the Churches Reu 2. 7. 11. 17. Do not also the excellencie of the word and our necessitie require the hearing thereof by whom soeuer preached But for all that some perhaps may aske more particularly Our owne Ministers especially to be heard on the Lords dayes what Ministers are to be heard I answer that on the weeke dayes let men heare any soundly preaching wheresoeuer they can as their callings strength of bodie and affaires will giue them leaue for the better increase of knowledge confirmation of iudgement strengthening Phil. 1. 9. 1. Thes 4. 1. â— Pet 1. 5. and 3. 18. Heb. 10. 24. of faith prouoking of loue growing in all grace For we must abound more and more in all these things But on the Lords daies we must heare our owne Ministers soundly preaching and especially gracing their doctrine with a life agreeable as also the next so preaching whose ministerie we may be partaker of without preiudice to our owne But what if we may heare some other of better gifts then either our owne or the next dwellers by whom we may be more edified We are not so much to respect the gifts of men as Gods ordinance both in setting able Ministers ouer vs and also in commanding rest on his day For we are as well bound to heare our owne Ministers preaching soundly as they are bound to preach to vs. They may as well leaue vs as we them And we are more bound to rest on the Lords day without very great necessitie to the contrary then we are bound to labour on the six dayes The commandement for sanctifying the Lords day and resting thereon as a meanes of sanctifying the same is absolute but the words six dayes shalt thou labour c. are but the libertie so to do without any absolute necessitie As the like Of euery tree in the garden thou mayst Gen. 2. 16. freely eate viz. except of the tree of knowledge of good and euill c. The like is to be said of that touching the finding of a birds neast with yong ones Thou shalt in any wise let Deut. 22. 7. the dam go and take the yong to thee Neither was Adam bound to eate of euery tree except the excepted nor a man so bound to take the yong birds as that he should sinne if he tooke them not So are the words to be vnderstood for working on the six dayes Otherwise it were not lawfull to heare the word on any of these dayes neither especially to keepe any one of those dayes wholy holy vpon any occasion By the same reason also that some may leaue their owne preaching Minister and other neare both whose labour they may enioy other may do the like and so there shall be none left to whom such Ministers may speake Not so For we leaue our wiues children and seruants and diuers other too that cannot go abroad Yea but by the former reason they may go as well as your selues Againe that is spoken more like to them that loue good cheare at other mens tables But will ye that thus pleade like it well if your children or
that marke whereby ye may be knowne so to be sixtly that God hath also blessed my ministery to the winning and instrumentall begetting of other children also vnto him In the seuenth place I might ad that whereof Paul boasteth but herein I am sparing that I may no waies seeme to disgrace any or any waies to insult ouer them I hate a high mind in other and therefore far be it from me to bewray the same in my selfe God haue the glory of all Now sith ye are not onely mine by nature but the Lords also by grace feare ye not but that ye shall be blessed The Psal 112. 2. Isai 55. 3. and 61. 8. 1. Sam. 12. 22. generation of the righteous shall be blessed And Gods couenant made with the righteous their seed is euerlasting whom it hath pleased him to make his people for his name sake he will neuer forsake And now my children looke to your selues that as the Lord will not forsake you so whatsoeuer euill daies shall come ye may not fall from him yea looke to yourselues I do not say that ye loose not the things that we haue 2. Ioh. 8. wrought but that ye loose not the things that God hath wrought in you that not I but ye may receiue a full reward Philip. 1. 6. I am confident in this very thing that he which hath begun a good worke in you wil performe it vntil the day of Iesus Christ Therefore I speake not as fearing but as my louing children to admonish you to vse all dilligence for the keeping of your standing If yea let go your hold of that portion which you haue in God what shall it profit you to gaine the Math. 16. 26. whole world O gaine of godlines how great art thou Thou art profitable and hast the promise of this life and of 1. Tim. 6. 6. and 4. 8. 1. Thes 41. 1. Cor. 15. 61. that which is to come As ye haue already some portion thereof so labor to be more and more rich therein Be ye stedfast unmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord ye haue already in part bought the truth yet still be bargaining for it ye want more then ye haue Buy it therefore and sel Prou. 23. 23. Math 13. 44. 45 it not ye shall haue a good market at the last Sell all that ye haue for it rather then not to increase your store of it heerein be ye like to worldlings that whatsoeuer riches they haue yet thinke they haue nothing Be ye like to the horsleaches his daughters Crie ye alwaies giuâ— giue Prou. 30. 15. neither be satisfied neuer say it is enough Let none of you be grieued that I haue left you nothing of my inheritance in Kent neither of my lands since that I purchased in Suffolke as also in Essex all being now gone and the price thereof spent not riotously or otherwise lewdly but by other meanes I confesse I haue spent the more for the gracing of my Ministrie and the prouoking of others to bounty and by so graceing my Ministrie to win the more vnto God What other things haue bin the meanes of my present pouertie as also of the base account that my selfe and ye are in by that meanes though I neede not be ashamed to relate yet for other reasons I spare to speake I might perhaps haue left you somewhat if I had bin more frugall for the things of this life Notwithstanding although some doe make great shew of great pouertie by their bare apparrell hard fare leane cheekes and borrowing heere and there without any necessitie in respect of any great charge of children and yet in the end doe make purchase vpon purchase yet for my part I hate all such basenes of mind as disgracefull not onely to the Ministry but also to Christianitie as being that filthy lucer that is 1 Tim 3. 3. Tit. 1. 7. Prou 1 19. 11. 24. 18. 27 1. Tim. 6. 10. in speciall manner forbidden all Ministers of the Gospell whereof notwithstanding there is no profit to any in the end and whereby also some that are in want indeed being thought to be such and to haue aboundance are much preiudiced and altogether neglected yea whereby likewise such secret rich men themselues liue in misery and want as well that that they haue as that that they haue not Be not therefore grieued ô my children that I cannot giue you any earthly portions Though I may say with Naomi I haue bin full and now euen in mine old age I Ruth 1. 21. am emptie yet mnrmure not that I haue bin no better husband for you and that ye haue so poore a father in earth but herein reioyce that ye haue a rich Father in heauen and Luk. 12. 21. that your selues are rich toward him who also giueth vs all richly all things to enioy and who hath so written your 1. Tim. 6. 17. Luk. 10. 20. Reu. 3 5. Iam 1 27. Iude. 23. names in heauen in his book of life as that they shal not be blotted out c. In this assurance keepe your selues vnspotted of the world and hate the very garment that is spotted of the flesh Though it should so fall out that ye should liue in the midst of a crooked and peruerse generation yet be ye Phil. 2 15. blamelesse and harmles children of God and shine ye as lights in the world that so ye may shine in heauen as the Starrs yea Dan. 12. 3. Mat. 13. 43. as the Sunne in the firmament Thinke no scorne to be persecuted for righteousnes neither to be reuiled c. For Christ Mat. 5. 11. 12. sake but reioyce yea count it all ioy for herein is your Iam. 1. 2. blessednes and your faith so tried and purged as gold in the fire Shall be found to your praise honor and glory at the appearing 1. Pet. 1. 6. 7. of Iesus Christ and in the meane time the Spirit of chap. 4. 13. 14. glory euen of God himselfe shall rest vpon you This spirit beareth witnes to your spirits that as ye are here pertaker of the suffering of Christ so the time shall come when ye shall be also glorified with him when himselfe shall appeare ye Rom. 8. 17. Col. â— 4. 2. Tim. 2. 7. shall also appeare with him in glory Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Be not discouraged by any sufferings from that that is good but rather be ye incoraged so to suffer that ye may grow in grace and 2. Pet. 3. 18. in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ what shall I say more vnto you my louing children Be faithfull vnto the Reu. 2. 10. death and Christ shall giue vnto you the Crowne of life Keepe the profession of your hope against all opposition there vnto without wauering He is faithfull that hath promised Heb. 10. 23. 24. Consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and vnto good workes Though in body ye be scattered one from another yet in spirit hold communion one with another Comfort one another helpe one another that ye may strengthen one another in the Lord. Edifie one another in your most holy Iude. 20. faith praying in the holy Ghost euery one for himselfe and one for another So keepe your selues and one another in the loue of God that ye may the better looke for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ to eternall life that so by this my last Will and Testament to you ye may the better enioy all the legacies of the last Will and Testament of our Lord Iesus Christ To conclude this my postscript Those good Philip. 4. 9. things which ye haue learned and receiued and heard and seene in me doe ye and the God of peace shall be with you whatsoeuer Rom. 7. 17. Ioh. 3. 11. euill ye haue seene me to do through the sinne that dwelleth in me that do not ye Follow not that which is euill 1. Thess 5. 23. in me or in any other but that which is good The very God of peace sanctifie you wholy and keepe your whole spirit soule and body harmeles vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ whom in all humilitie and earnestnes of prayer I ordaine sole executor of this my last Will and Testament for the makeing good and performance of euerie thing therein bequeathed by me vnto you and to euery one of you and to all yours In witnes whereof I haue written this my said last Will and Testament with mine owne hand and thereunto haue set the seale of my heart the 22. day of August and in the yeare before mentioned By me your louing Father whiles I liue THOMAS STOVGHTON Errata Pag. 18. lin 19. after Christ reade this condemneth l. 26. for seruuâ—s â— serum p. 19. l. 16. for better r. the better p. 24. 3 ceassing r. crazing pag. 27. margen for imperunt r. fixerunt p 58. l. 32 for and r. or p. 67 l. 26. for defacing r defaming p. 70 l. 12 for to these r. of these p. 88. l. 35 for such as are r. such are p. 112. l. 2 for being themselues r. in themselues p 114 l 25. for him r. them p. 117 l. 17 after not r. only p 185 l for amatoris r amatoribus l 12 for studiam r studium p 121 l 32 for wit r will p 127 l 20 after to be r so dead p 129 l 8 for deuided r. deriued p. 206. l 10 for more â— before p. 221. l. 21. for can brag it r. can buy it p. 222. l 23 for and to r. and may p. 231. l. 25. after downe r. with zeale p. 236. l. 1. after are r. not p. 240. 11. after commanding reade him FINIS