vppon our hearts to deliuer vs from eternall death without which it can profit vs nothing at all Secondly obserue that as the Passeouer Vse was an ordinary Sacrament of the old Testament so it is a type answering fitly and fully to the Lords Supper a Sacrament of the New Testament â—â—rds 〈◊〉 â—â—me 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 For that which the Passeouer was to the Iewes the same is the last Supper of Christ to Christians and came in place of it This is the cause why the Lord Iesus deliuered his last Supper at the euening immediately after the eating of the Paschall Lambe to shew that it came in place thereof to which circumstance of time the church is not bound and therefore in stead of the euening we vse the morning and for the day we make choice of the Sabboth before other daies and touching the time of the day we do it before meat not after supper Now consider the resemblances betweene these Sacraments As one is called the Lords Passeouer Exod. 12.12 so this is called the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11 20. God calleth the Lambe the Paschall Lambe because the Angel in the common destruction passed ouer the houses of the Israelites so Christ calleth the bread by the Name of his body that was broken for vs Luke 22.19 The Lord speaking of the ends of the rites vsed in the Passeouer saith This shal be for a memoriall Exod. 12.14 and a signe vnto them Exodus 13.9 so Christ saith Doe this in remembrance of mee Luke 22.19 God saith of the Lambe Take ye Exod. 12.5 Christ saith of the bread Take ye Matth. 26.26 God saith of the Paschall Lambe Eate ye verse 11. Christ saith of the bread in the Supper Eate ye and of the Cup Drinke ye Thus we see there is a notable coherence betweene both these Wherin we must marke that the Scripture speaking of the Sacraments 〈◊〉 the Saâ—â—â—â— hâ—ue â—â—me of 〈◊〉 thâ—â—gs 〈◊〉 â—â—e do â—â—â—p to vs. giueth to the outward Signe the name of the thing signified so that they haue the names of those things giuen to them which they seale and represent Gen. 17.10.1 Cor. 10 4 16. and 11.24 Luke 22.22 Both because to all the faithfull and true beleeuers the things themselues are giuen with the signes and because our affections should bee lifted vp from earth to heauen from the elements to Christ and his blessings represented offered and exhibited by them and because we are full of doubting and vnbeleefe like to Thomas one of the twelue we will not beleeue the promises vntill in some measure wee feele them in our hearts Whereby we see cleerely and euidently â—â—â—bâ—â—anâ—â—â—eâ—kâ—y 〈◊〉 that the ground of transubstantiation of the real presence is weak and tottering builded vpon the sand of mans inuention not vpon the infallible â—ocke of the word of God The Church of Rome will haue the words taken liâ—erally and not figuratiuely but this ouerthroweth the certainty of our faith fighteth against the grounds of right reason and implyeth sundry grosse contradictions 〈◊〉 aâ—â—â—â—anâ—â—nâ—â—â—â—â—â—n For at the first institution and celebration of the Supper it maketh two Christs one that giueth another that is giuen one at the Table another in the mouthes and stomacks of the disciples In which of these shall we beleeue in both we must not forasmuch as wee are commanded to beleeue in Christ as in one not in Christs as speaking of many as it was said to Abraham in his seede not in his seeds Gal. 3.16 Secondly it ouerthroweth the Sacrament consisting of two parts a visible signe and an inuisible grace signified but if the bread were really the body of Christ then there could bee no outward signe to represent the inward grace Thirdly it maketh the body of Christ to be in moe places then one at one time which destroyeth the nature of a true body Fourthly the Apostle calleth it bread oftentimes euen after consecration 1 Cor. 10.16 and 11.26 27 28. Lastly the wicked as well as the godly should receiue Christ nay Mice and Rattes as wel as they which is horrible blasphemy to imagine and determine But of this I haue spoken more at large elsewhere In the third booke of the Sacraments But they obiect that men in their last Wils speake plainely that they may be vnderstood It is true indeed and so did Christ speake plainely but they make him speake absurdly To speake plainely and yet withall figuratiuely are not contrary one to another For it is plaine that at the same time Christ himselfe vsed as figuratiue a speech as this Ioh. 14.6 and 15.1 I am the Way the Trueth and the Life I am the true Vine ye are the branches yea in the institution of the Supper we must of necessity acknowledge a figure Luke 22.10 The Cup is the New Testament And there is oftentimes more plainenesse and euidence in a figure then in a proper speech vttered without a figure as also these words This is my Body are much more comfortable to vs then if it had beene barely saide This is a figure of my body because they manifest the neere coniunction of the signe with the thing signified in so much that they which partake the one shal be assured to receiue the other To proceed a little further in this point of the Passeouer and the Supper we haue somewhat to obserue touching our obedience The Iewes were to goe to the celebration heereof farre and neere to the place that the Lord should chuse and therefore nothing should be so carefully esteemed as these exercises of oâ—r religion which by the ordinance of God represent seale and apply vnto vs the benefits of Christs death and Passion The Passeouer vnder the Law was frequented of all Israel albeit it were done with long iourneyes and tedious trauels and troubles So ought this Sacrament of Christs Supper it should be oftentimes receiued 1 Cor. 11.26 Things that are sweet and comfortable deare and pleasant to a man are oftentimes remembred and vsed If our bodies be hungry we shall delight to refresh and repast our selues and if we haue hungry souls that long after Christ the Bread of Life and the food of them foâ— he is meat indeed and drinke indeed we will often desire to feed vpon him which bringeth with it eternall life If a man haue no desire to his food it is a signe of an euill stomacke and a forerunner of death when the appetite is gone and cannot be recouered so when we haue no desire at all to the bread of life neither feele how greatly we stand in need thereof we haue little strength of the Spirit and of the life of God in vs we draw neere by little and little vnto death I meane the death of our soules which is nothing else but a separation of vs from GOD and from his kingdome Thirdly they which celebrate the memoriall Vse 3 of their redemption and deliuerance from hell damnation by the
the Saduces Luke 20 27. Actes 23.8 which denyed the rising againe of the body and the subsisting of the soule after the separation For when Paul cryed out in the Councell I am accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead there was a dissention betweene the Pharisees and the Saduces for the Saduces say That there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirit but the Pharisies confesse both These Christ confuteth and conuinceth in the Gospel by the testimony of Moses I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Matth. 22 32. Exodus 3 6. And if these heretickes and enemies of God would not for conscience sake yeelde to this truth and subscribe with heart and hand vnto it yet at least for the profit of it and the excellency aboue their beastly dotage about the mortality of the soule they should embrace it and cleaue vnto it For it is surer and safer to beleeue as the Church holdeth For if this opinion bee true that the soule is immortall It is morâ—ty leâ—â—ger to bâ— the soulâ— be immâ— then mâ— whosoeuer beleeueth it not in heart and confesseth it not with the mouth shall suffer eternall punishment and beare his condemnation If it should not be true which we speake onely by supposition the doctrine being most certaine there is no daunger after death to haue holden the immortality of the soule in the time of our life forasmuch as if the soule do not remaine it cannot be reproued of error nor punished for sinne Againe it is most honest and honorable to hold the dignity of our soule receyued of God and so to thinke reuerently and religiously of it resembling it to God the Angels not to debase and disgrace it making it like vnto the beasts and vnreasonable creatures Lastly it is better to beleeue the soules eternity as fitter to stirre vs vp to liue soberly righteously godlily in this present world and to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts to minde heauenly things that we may bee holy as our heauenly Father is holy For if we beleeue our selues to be immortall Math. 16 26 wee will haue a greater care of vertue a greater respect to the reward a greater conscience of Religion a greater feare of sin and of the punishment due to sin So then as there is greater verity so there is more safety security to hold the immortality of the soule against the erroneous opinions of all hereticks that haue desperately and damnably denyed the same to the decay of piety dishonor of God and vnto the vtter confusion of their owne soules Vse 2 Secondly acknowledge from hence a great difference betweene the soule of man and the soule of a beast Euery beast and liuing creature hath a kind of soule which perisheth with the body so that he which killeth the body of a beast destroyeth also the soule which ariseth from the mixture and temperature of the Elements But man was made after the image of God Gen. 1 26. according to his likenesse Eph. 4 24 to resemble him especially in his soule which is of an heauenly nature albeit not of the substance of God This difference and distinction Moses teacheth and obserueth Gen. 9 4 6. But the flesh with the life thereof I meane with the blood thereof shall ye not eate who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood bee shed for in the image of God hath hee made man Where hee maketh an opposition betweene man and beast and between the soule of man and beast Man was made in his soule to resemble his Maker and Creator but the soule of a beast is in his blood And therefore God charging his people to abstain from eating of blood euen of cleane beasts vseth these two reasons Leuit. 17 11 14. First because theyr blood is the seate of the soule secondly God hath commanded it to be vsed in attonemeÌ„ts for sinne as a type and figure of the blood of Christ The soule of man is a substance the soule of a beast is an accident whose being is alwayes to be in another The soule of man is a spirit the soule of a beast is a quality arising of the matter of the body vanishing also with the body and hauing no beeing at all out of the body Thirdly see here a difference between the Vse 3 soule and the body of a man For as this truth teacheth a distinction betweene the soule of a man and the soule of a beast so it maketh a diuision betweene one part of man and the other Man consisteth of two parts of the bodie which is visible and of the soule which is inuisible The body dyeth and is laid in the graue for as it was taken out of the earth so it returneth to the earth againe But the soule as wee haue proued by diuers Scriptures and confirmed by strong reasons neuer dyeth or decayeth Therefore albeit we be taught in the Articles of our faith to beleeue the resurrection of the body yet wee are neuer taught to beleeue the resurrection of the soule For a rising vp presupposeth first a falling down The soul falleth not into the iawes of death nor goeth downe into the house of the graue This difference the wiseman teacheth Eccles. 12 7. Dust returneth vnto the earth as it was and the spirit returneth vnto God that gaue it The dwelling place of the body is the earth the habitation of the soule is with God The soule neuer dyeth nor decayeth nor sleepeth nor riseth againe but is a spirituall substance and inuisible hauing neyther flesh nor bones liuing and abiding for euer as wel out of the Tabernacle of the body as in the same But the body is an earthly and visible substance consisting of sensible parts neuer liuing nor breathing without the soule Wherefore these abide together as two the nearest and dearest friends reioycing together sorrowing together and alike affectioned one toward another yet the day of separation commeth and will come when a departure must be made of these two that cannot alway continue together the body must returne to the earth the soule must bee carryed vnto God the eternall Iudge who immediatly wil passe the sentence of life or death vpon the same Fourthly we must be careful to liue a godly Vse 4 and vpright life that when we shal goe the way of all flesh our soules may bee receyued vp into the heauenly habitations and bee carryed by the Angels into the glorious presence of God There is no man if he bee to stand before Princes and to come into the presence of great men but prepareth and maketh himself ready for that purpose When Ioseph was to appeare before Pharaoh Gen. 41 14. albeit he were called hastily and brought sodainly before him yet he shaued his head and changed his rayment How then ought our care to be increased and how ought we to work out our
Adam which also is our sin Now there are four things that doe continually and distinctly cleaue to sinne Foure things cleaue to sin the fault the guilt the blot and the punishment The fault is the offence committed against God in the action which is the root of all the rest The guilt is an obligation to punishment for the fault and offence which we haue committed The blot or spot thereof is as it were a marke or print set and branded in the soule of him that sinned when he groweth to an hight in wickednes like the marke that was set vpon Cain when he had killed his brother For the multiplying of offensiue actions is the continuall encrease of the blot or blemish of the soule til in the end the light of nature be vtterly extinguished and men come to a reprobate sense and grow to be past feeling through the blindnesse of their mindes and the hardnesse of their hearts Euen as the dropsie man the more he drinketh the more hee dryeth so the more a man sinneth the more he is giuen to sinne As the couetous person alwayes desireth to get more so the sinner alwayes desireth to sinne more and to worke al vncleannes with greedines The punishment it selfe is the wages and iust recompence of all the former which is the first second death The first death is a separation of the soule and body the second a separation of the whole man from God for as the soule is the life of the body so is God the life of the soule Know therefore and acknowledge from hence that it is an irkesome and bitter thing to prouoke him by our sin which driueth away his comfortable presence from vs. Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth that none can escape death by streÌ„gth or policy by friends or fraud or by any occasion in asmuch as all are sinners euen from their mothers wombe vnto the day of their death Psal 58 3. 51 5. Gen. 8 21. Iob 4 17. 15 14. 25 4. It is a fearefull and cruell tyrant an outragious and wasting enemy that maketh spoyle and hauocke wheresoeuer hee commeth sparing neyther young nor old rich nor poore Prince nor people good nor bad Psal 89 48. It standeth vs therefore in hand to account of euery day as our last day and to know that euery moment may cut off the threed of our life so that wee are suddenly gone are no more we must prepare for it continually our whole life should be a meditation of it Againe we must pull out of our hearts this false conceit and imagination whereby euery man naturally blesseth and notably deceiueth himselfe and thinketh though he haue one foot in a maner in the graue yet hee shall not die this yeere but he may liue one yeare longer as the rich man was in a pleasant dreame did forecast for many yeares Luke 12 19. And yet alas we know not what shal be to morrow Iam. 4 14 no nor what one day may bring forth Pr. 27 1 Vse 3 Lastly let euery one labor to take away the power and strength of his own death And to this end we must deale with it as the Philistims dealt with Sampson they neuer gaue ouer till they had learned where his strength lay Iudg. 16 5 6 and then they quickly weakned him and preuailed ouer him who before had preuailed ouer them So ought we to doe we must know wherin the strength of death consisteth that is in sin onely Take this away by repentance from dead works faith in Christ and you shaue off the seuen locks of it that is you shall weaken it that it shall neuer bee able to hurt you So many sinnes as liue and reigne in vs so many stings hath death which serue to wound our soules to eternall death If then we would die the death of the righteous let vs endeauour to the vtmost of our strength to liue the life of the righteous Then we shal lay a good foundation that shall neuer be shaken and build our house vpon the rocke wee shal begin our eternal life in this mortall life and haue our conuersation in heauen while we walke vpon the earth Phil. 3 20. Let vs beware of putting off the time from day to day whatsoeuer we would do at the last gaspe grone when we are dying let vs doe the same euery day while wee are liuing The most wicked when he seeth he is presently to leaue the world will seeme desirous to pray though he neuer prayed in his health and to require others to pray for him and haply those whom before he contemned and derided their prayers also then likewise hee will promise and protest amendment of life make solemne vowes couenants with God Let vs therefore do this daily which these men doe at their last day that when death commeth wee may be found ready and prepared with oyle in our lampes like the wise virgins Math. 25. To conclude he that would liue when he is dead must dye when he is aliue and there is no way for vs to come to life but first to enter by the gate of death 6 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speake right thou shalt surely giue them a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren c. 8 And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel saying If a man die and haue no sonne c. 9 And if hee haue no daughter then yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren 10 And if he haue no brethren then ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren 11 And if his father haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his kinsman c. The deciding of the former question being referred by Moses vnto GOD followeth in these words wherein he returneth his answer consisting of two parts the one special the othe general the one respecting the time present the other the time to come The speciall belongeth to the cause of these fiue sisters God approueth theyr suite requireth that an inheritance should be giuen to them all so much as theyr father should haue inherited if he had liued longer The accomplishment of this designement is afterward related Iosh 17 3 4 c. where hee performeth this Commandement of the Lord. The generall ariseth vpon the former particular case and this belongeth to all the children of Israel wherein God determineth in what order they shall inherite Now these are the degrees First the neerest heyres are the heyres males The law for iâ—heritances a mans owne sonnes Secondly if hee haue no heyres males his daughters shall be his heyres Thirdly for default of such yssue the inheritance shall go to his owne brethren for after his children his brother is next in nature and blood vnto him therefore if his owne children faile his brother must be his heyre Fourthly if he haue no brother then his fathers
one and opinion of the other The godlye speake of themselues according to their present feeling and vtter such wordes while the tentation is heauy vpon them howbeit at that time they are vnfit iudges of themselues of their condition how it standeth betweene God their soules They are ready to speake according to their tentation the vngodly vtter their rash and vncharitable opinion the diuell broacheth his false and forged suggestion The faithfull indeede do oftentimes cry out in the bitternesse and anguish of spirit Psal 13 1. and 42 9 11. 44 23.24 25 26. and 74 19. 77 7 8 9 10. How long wilte thou forget me O Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from me And againe I will say vnto God which is my rock why hast thou forgotten me Why go I mourning when the enemie oppresseth me Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Waite on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helpe and my God And Psal 44. Vp why sleepest thou O Lord awake bee not farre off for euer wherfore hidest thou thy face forgettest our misery and our affliction For our soule is beaten downe vnto the dust our belly cleaueth vnto the ground rise vp for our succour and redeeme vs for thy mercies sake And in another place Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour Is his mercy clean gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be mercifull Hath hee shut vp his tender mercies wholly in dâ—spleasure And I saide This is my death c. Thus do the faithfull cry out and complaine as if they were without both faith and feeling of any fauour of God and yet in all these distresses and afflictions God is not absent from them neither hath forgotten them Some diseases of the body are so forcible and violent that they seeme to haue taken away al life and to haue broght present death yet afterward there is a recouery and raising vp again contrary to the feeling of the person diseased and the iudgment of the beholders thus standeth the case with many deare seruants of God who in the extremity of affliction and brunt of tentation seeme to themselues and others to haue vtterly lost the life of faith and light of grace which in former times they haue felt and enioyed The trees in winter seeme to be dead without sap without leaues without life nothing appeareth to yeeld any hope of future fruit in time to grow vpon them but when the winter season is passed the Spring approcheth they shew forth by liuely effects that they had life in them and were not dead The houre of tentation with the faithfull is the time of Winter they seeme benummed for a short season but as they gather strength and faith beginneth to spring vp they shall finde and feele a present operation of vnspeakeable comfort And heereunto our present doctrine in hand maketh a way when it teacheth that God wil shew his helpe in time of need seeing he knoweth the numbers and the names of vs. When the Church was in great misery in Egypt so that his people sighed for the bondage cried their cry for the bondage came vp to God and hee saide Exo. 2.23 and 3 7. I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry because of their Taske-maisters for I know their sorrowes The Prophet Esay to this purpose ioyneth together their affliction and Gods compassion chap. 49. But Sion said Esa 49 14 15. The Lord hath forsaken me and the Lorde hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her Wombe Though they should forget yet will I not forget thee behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of mine hands c. Loe heere what comfort is giuen against all the discomforts that happen vnto vs and against all the disgraces and distresses that are throwne vpon vs though men will not know vs but stand farre from vs yet GOD will know vs and not bee ashamed of vs. Our particular estates our particular names are not vnknowne to him so that we may euery one of vs say with the Prophet The Lord hath called me from the wombe Esay 49 1. and 43 1. and made mention of my name from my mothers belly Let vs apply this promise vnto our selues and esteeme little to be iudged by the corrupt iudgement of man neither let vs sit in iudgement vpon our selues to esteeme of our selues by our present feeling for we are not vpright iudges in time of tentation and we must walk by faith not by feeling For there may bee faith when we are void of feeling as we heard before in the former examples wee suffer a kinde of eclipse as the celestiall lights do but in the end recouer the light which we seemed to haue lost Secondly wee may gather from hence the Vse 2 wofull and wretched estate of all the vngodly that thinke themselues happy and blessed men and yet they finde in the end that they are the onely vnhappy men in the world and that it had bene good for them if they had neuet bene borne For better neuer to be borne then to be borne to hell and destruction Gal. 4.9 Now as it is a great part of the comfort of all Gods children that he will know them who as they haue a regarde to know God in this life to know him in his word and other meanes appointed for their saluation so shal they bee knowne of God in his kingdom and acknowledged before the Angels in heauen so this is not the least of the misery belonging vnto all that worke iniquity that God will not know them Heere some man may say Obiection It skilleth not what they do or how they liue if GOD will take no knowledge of them I answer Answere these men might thinke themselues in good case if God were ignorant of them and knew not their liues But all things are naked to him open before his eyes with whom wee haue to doe Heb. 4.13 This the Prophet Ieremy confirmeth in his prayer to God Thou shewest mercie vnto thousands Ier. 32 18 19. and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of the children after them O God the great mighty whose name is the Lorde of hostes great in counsell and mightie in worke for thine eyes are open vpon all the wayes of the sons of men to giue to euery one according to his wayes and according to the fruite of his workes If then he know and vnderstand all things past present and to come and all persons are euermore in his eye how can hee bee saide not to know the vngodly The answere is there is a two-folde kinde of knowledge spoken of in the Scripture One is that knowledge whereby he alloweth
power of Satan to the end wee should intangle our selues againe and giue vp our selues to his seruice who is the sworne enemy of God whereas wee are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies that wee should serue the Lord without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1 74 75. Labour then to be in Christ and examine thy selfe whether he be in thee or not study to be partaker of the benefits of his passion and to be washed from the filthinesse of our corruption This is a priuiledge belonging vnto the Church of God as the Prophet Esay noteth chap. 33 verse 26. The inhabitant shall not say I am sicke and the people that dwel therein shall be forgiuen their iniquity What then Shall wee continue in sinne because sinne is pardoned Or shall wee turne the grace of God into wantonnesse because grace hath abounded God forbid how shall we that are dead to sinne liue any longer therein Roman 6 2. We are baptized into the death of Christ and are buried with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we should also walke in newnesse of life Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroied that hence forth wee should not serue sinne The more wee profite by the death of Christ the more wee grow in sanctification and the farther wee proceed in mortification It is one thing to talke of the death of Christ and another thing to feele his death working in vs it is one thing to know that he died and another that he died for vs. It is not enough to reason of his death and to conferre of it except it be as a strong purgation to cleanse vs from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Holinesse in the soule is as health in the body and peace in the City and marrow in the bones It is the righteousnesse of Christ that giueth life vnto vs so that so farre as we liue we are sanctified The life of an vnregenerate man is no life but rather a death they are twice dead dead in soule and dead in body there is no life of God in their mindes or willes or consciences or affections They may well breath in the ayre as the brute beasts do but they haue no heauenly breath or celestiall motion in them They haue the naturall life but they are vtterly ignorant what the spirituall life meaneth But he that is spirituall indeed and truely sanctified the farther he proceedeth the weaker the motions of sinne are in him euen as the neerer a man draweth to death the lesse motion is in him If we be once in Christ and dead with him the pleasures of the world the delights of the flesh the lustes of the eyes the pride of life and the vanities of carnall men will moue vs nothing at all They that were our familiar companions in sin will be shunned of vs bitter vnto vs and banished from vs. The euill workes wherein before we tooke our whole delight will be greeuous Irkesome vnto vs so that we will by no meanes abide to heare and see the vnrighteous deeds of the wicked which before did minister matter of sport contentment vnto our soule Lastly seeing the death and shedding of the blood of Christ is the meanes of our saluation Vse 4 and free pardon of our sins we are to reioyce at it and to comfort our selues in it aboue all things in the world as that which hath procured the greatest blessing that can befall vs so that if we can find but one drop of his blood to be by the power of the Spirit sprinkled vppon our consciences to purge vs from dead workes it should reioyce vs more then the gaining of a kingdome or the increasing of our corne and cattell If a man should liue in health wealth in honour preferment in fauor and friendship of the mighty in credite estimation of men in the praise applause of the world so that he had no experience of sorrow and sicknes of misery calamity yet if he haue not this principle writtē in his hart that Christ shed his blood for him and nailed his sinnes vpon his Crosse and carried them with him into his graue to bury them in perpetuall forgetfulnesse What comfort could all these things bring vnto him Or what sound delight could hee take in them Or what were he nearer for them vnto saluation But if wee should want all these blessings of honour of riches of fauour of preferment and such like and on the contrary side taste of the cup of affliction in great measure and drinke vp the dregs of it if we should endure pouerty banishment infamy iniury disgrace distresse discredite slanders perilles persecution need nakednesse and all kinde of aduersity yet these could not make vs miserable Rom. 8 39. nor separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. It is he that died for vs yea rather which is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect who haue a discharge giuen them from all their sinnes As for troubles and afflictions they are sanctified vnto them and serue to bring them neerer vnto God and are approued meanes whereby they are broght to a conformity with Christ True it is Iob 2 4. our nature abhorreth nothing more then affliction so that it is greeuous for the present and not ioyous It is well obserued that when Iesus went vp to the Mountaine to preach all his Disciples went with him none forsooke him nor fled from him but when he went to Mount Caluarie to suffer they all left him alone Hee hath at all times many that are ready to follow him by professing but few are willing to follow him by patient suffering Wee are content to goe with him into the Temple but we will not accompany him to the Crosse Peter shewed this too plainely both by his words and by his practise When Christ once made mention of his suffering he said vnto him Math. 15 22. Master pitty thy selfe And when he was in the High-Priests hall was assaulted and tempted for feare of the persecutors and danger of death hee denied his Master Notwithstanding we must feare to sinne against Christ more then to suffer with Christ forasmuch as if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him There is nothing can make vs miserable but that which bringeth vs out of fauour with God and separateth vs from him now there is nothing can separate vs from God but sinne nothing can destroy the soule but sinne and sinne is able to do it They therefore are truely happy that haue the power and strength of sinne abolished and are no longer
full of good workes and almes deedes he kneeled downe and prayed 〈◊〉 9.40 and turning him to the body hee bad her arise and she opened her eyes and sate vp Heereunto also we may not vnfitly apply the examples of such as haue recouered out of eminent dangers and haue beene in a manner in the iawes of death and helde their soules in their hands as Hebr. 11.17 19. Touching Isaac hee lay bound with cords as a sacrifice vpon the Altar the knife was lifted vp to haue killed him and his father ready to haue offered him for a burnt offering and therefore he is also said to haue offered him accounting that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence also he receiued him in a figure The like we might say of many other the Saints that haue had experience of Gods power who being no better then dead in their own opinions by incurable diseases and incredible dangers haue notwithstanding been suddenly restored Hezekiah was willed to set his house in order for he should die his disease was mortall yet by prayer hee obtained the prolonging of his dayes When Daniel was in the lyons denne and the three seruants of God in the fiery furnace Noah in the Arke vpon the waters Ionah in the belly of the Whale where were they but after a sort in death yet all these had deliuerance and flourished againe like the Almond rod in this place The like we might say of Paul Cor. 11.26 and 1.9 10 he was pressed with trouble out of measure aboue strength insomuch that he despaired euen of life and receiued the sentence of death in himselfe yet God which raised the dead deliuered him from so great a death We reade in the actes of the Apostles that he was stoned with stones so that they drew him out of the citie supposing that he had beene dead but when the disciples stood round about him 〈◊〉 14.19 20 〈◊〉 2.27 he rose vp and came into the citie So doth this Apostle speake of Epaphroditus he was sick nigh vnto death but God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also lest I should haue sorrow vpon sorrow This was likewise the flourishing of the Almond rod of Aaron Reason 1 This is not to be maruelled at forasmuch as God is the liuing God he hath life and being in himselfe and he giueth life and breath and being vnto other things This is a title proper and peculiar to God Matth. 22.32 and therefore it is said Hee is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Secondly he is of infinite power and was Reason 2 able in the beginning to create all things of nothing Heb 11.3 so that the things which were seene were not made of things which doe appeare Thirdly he Reason 3 can take away life and breath so often as it pleaseth him yea cast body and soule into hel Psal 104.29 Matth. 10.28 The vses remaine First this was a type as Vse 1 also the whole Priesthood was of the person doctrine Priesthood and kingdome of Christ as appeareth in many places of the Prophets Esay 11.1 2. Psal 45.6 and 22.14.18 Act. 13.23 Al our saluation springeth from his crosse and our life from his death He offered vp himselfe vpon the crosse for the redemption of our bodies to obtaine for vs euerlasting peace perfect righteousnesse and the kingdome of heauen he rose againe from death to life for our iustification Rom. 4 25. This is the rod that came out of the stemme of Iesse and as a branch that grew out of his roots who though he were put to death in the flesh and became as a dry and withered stalke and staffe that was not regarded 1 Pet. 3.18 Rom. 4.24 yet he was quickened by the spirit and God raised him from the dead so that hee became as the flourishing rod of Aaron in whom we haue redemption through his blood the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace Eph. 1.7 Secondly heere is also a type set forth for Vse 2 the confirmation of our faith in the doctrine of the resurrection of the body at the last day which as dry seede is cast into the earth and brought to dust yet in due time shall flourish againe as the rod of the almond in this place Dan. 12.2 Ioh. 5.25 and 11.24 25. Ioh. 19.25 26 29. This hath beene taught in all ages of the Church from the very beginning Gen. 4.10 and 5.24 Heb. 11.5 Iude ver 14 14. Exod. 3.6 15. 2 King 2.11 Esay 26.19 Notwithstanding in all ages some haue been found that haue denyed the resurection Among the people of God that Sadduces taught that man perished wholly and that after death there is no rising or returning to life but that he perisheth as the beast Matth. 22.23 Act. 23.8 And the Apostle Peter foretelleth that in the last dayes should mockers arise that should say Where is the promise of his comming 2 Pet. 3.3 4. and what is this else but not to beleeue that Christ will come againe to iudgement nor raise vppe the dead to life And in the Church of Corinth some were found which said there is no resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15 12. Some haue confessed the immortalitie of the soule as many also of the heathen did but touching the resurrection they haue fansied it to be in this life and not after death so that the resurrection with them is nothing els but regeneration to wit a dying vnto sin and arising againe to newnesse of life The authours of this heresie seeme to haue beene Hymeneus and Philetus of whom the Apostle saith Concerning the truth they haue erred saying that the resurrection is already past 〈◊〉 thereby doe destroy the faith of some 2 Tim. 2.18 Neither is this heresie dead with them but is reuiued and continued in the damnable sect of the Family of loue who hold that hell and heauen are in this life and no other resurrection of the body or day of iudgment or comming of Christ thē in this world To these we may ioin as next neighbors the Anabaptists of our times who vtterly deny that the same bodies which now we haue and shal lie in the dust shal euer rise againe but they hold that God at the second comming of Christ will make vs new bodies This is to maintaine a new creation of new bodies but to deny the resurrection of the former bodies For it is one thing to make and another to raise vp Against all these errors wee must cleaue to the simplicity of the Scriptures The resurrection proued For this is a fundamentall point of Religion if this be shaken and ouerturned all religion is pulled vp by the rootes Hence it is that the Apostle reasoneth against these at large 1 Cor. 15. and prooueth the point soundly substantially by many arguments The first reason First if there be no resurrection
his eyes should not behold the euill that should bee brought vpon that place Contrariwise the want hereof is threatned as a curse to Ieroboam Ahab Kings of Israel that they and their posterity should be deuoured of dogs And Ier. 22 19. and 36 30. because Iehoiakim fell from God it was foretold vnto him by the Prophet that he should not bee buried honourably but hee should be buried as an Asse is buried euen drawne and cast foorth without the gates of Ierusalem â— antiq li. â— 8. But it may heere be obiected that the faithfull oftentimes want buriall some coÌ„sumed to ashes some drowned in the waters some deuoured with wilde beasts some hanged on gibbets of whom the world was not worthy as the Prophet complaineth Psalm 79 2 3. I answer all temporall chastisements are common to the godly and vngodly as famine â— 28 26. plague pestilence sword nakednesse such like punishments which God shooteth as his arrowes against the sonnes of men The fauour of God bringing saluation standeth not in these outward things For as it cannot profite a wicked and wretched man to be solemnly enterred and costly buried dying out of the fauour of God as is noted in the parable of the rich glutton â—6 22 23. so it shall not hurt a righteous man to want a sumptuous solemnizing of his funerals Vse 1 From this principle we learne sundry instructions First we must make a difference betweene the body of man and beast For as man differeth from the beast in his life made after the image of God fashioned to looke vpward â—2 7 and created with a reasonable soule and sundry other prerogatiues so hee should in his death and buriall The bodies of beasts are drawne foorth being dead to lye in the open ayre and to be deuoured one of another and it skilleth not But it is vnseemely and vnlawfull against order and honesty that the dead bodies of men should be cast out vnburied into ditches and dunghils or such foule and filthy places and therefore Iehu speaking of Iezabel cast downe out of her window and hauing her blood sprinkled vpon the wall saide Visite now yonder cursed woman and bury her 2. Kings 9 34. Vse 2 Secondly obserue in this place that all superstition in burial is to be auoided â— antiq li â— 4. We reade heere of her buriall and Iosephus addeth it was done at the common charges with great solemnity but we reade of no masses obits crosses dirges singing ringing watching holy-water bell and banner trentals such like trumpery practised in these dayes in the Church of Rome TheÌ„ they praised the Name of God for the dead to stirre vp others to an imitation of their vertues now they pray to God for the dead to get mony withall Then they reioyced that they had ouercome the enemies of their saluatioÌ„ had receiued their crowns now they teach men to weepe for feare of the Popes painted fire of a supposed Purgatory Thus we see in that her buriall is nakedly set foorth without these superfluous and superstitious toyes it teacheth vs to condemne shrines tapers torches candles pilgrimages and such ceremonies as are hurtfull to the liuing vnprofitable to the dead chargeable to their friends and dishonourable vnto GOD. For it is great wickednesse and grosse superstition to hold any holinesse in the manner of buriall to make one garment holier theÌ„ another August confess lib. 9. cap. 11. as to be buried in a Monkes coole to make one place holier then another as to be buried in the Church-yard rather then out of it to be buried in the Church rather then in the Church-yard in the Chancell rather then in the Church and neere the high Altar rather then in any other place This is great vanity to place any religion in times in places in garments all which we see passed ouer in this History Thirdly it reproueth all keeping of dead mens bones vnburied and reseruing of reliques Vse 3 practised in the Church of Rome It is a great part of the religion of Rome to glory of their deuout touching and adoring of holy reliques and to make Merchandize thereof The Lord said in the beginning to Adam and all his posterity Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne Gen. 3 19. So that the bones and bodies of men departed are not to be kept out of their graues neither can they be preserued without corruption And when Stephen was stoned Acts 8 2. we reade that certaine men fearing God carried him among them to be buried which was a duty of charity and that they made great lamentation for him which was a fruite of their piety but we finde no mention of shrining vp of reliques or keeping any monuments or members of him Ambr. de Abra lib. 1. cap 7. Rhem trans in Mar 5. They alledge for their purpose the womans touching the hemme of Christs garment whereby she was healed I answer we doubt not but Christ liuing vpon the earth wrought myracles with his word and without his word present and absent by outward signes and without outward signes But now the gift of myracles is ceassed and therefore to looke for helpe by garments by napkins and shadowes is superstition and tempting of God Againe the force and vertue of healing her infirmity did not proceed from his garment but immediately from himselfe and therefore Christ saith Some body hath touched mee Luke 8 46. for I perceiue that vertue is gone out of me hee doth not say vertue is proceeded from my garments The Disciples confesse the people thrust and thronged him Likewise the souldiers cast lots for his Coate and parted his garments among them yet they receiued no benefit by him or them Wherefore it was her faith that healed her Moreouer they alledge the reseruing of Manna in the golden Pot Rhem. Testa vpon Heb 9. and keeping of Aarons rod in the Tabernacle Heb. 9. I answer these were reserued and laide vp by the expresse commandement of God let them bring forth like warrant for keeping their crosses garments images bones and such like scraps and we will receiue them Secondly as they were reserued by the commandement of God so by the word of God they were preserued in their full strength from corruption and putrifaction whereas their trumpery of Saints reliques rot and consume away as our Writers haue proued and their owne authors haue confessed Lastly from this reseruation they shall neuer be able to proue any adoration For these monuments the Pot of Manna and the rod of Aaron were neuer commanded to bee worshipt But the Romish reliques are shewed openly for men to fall downe to theÌ„ which is superstition and idolatry and therefore being thus abused they should be defaced as Hezekiah brake in peeces the brazen serpent though it were a speciall monument of Gods mercy 2 Kin. 18 4. and a liuely figure of Christ when it began to be worshipped and
idle thing to desire his last end to be like the righteous We see the vngodly liue and wax olde Iob 21 7 9 13. and grow in wealth their children prosper their houses are peaceable without feare the rod of God is not vpon them they spend their dayes in pleasures and sodainly they goe downe to the graue They are not afflicted with tedious diseases they are not tormented with long sicknesses they go away many times quietly as a Lambe their life is with greater delight their death is with greater ease then the life and death of the righteous But after this life beginneth the trouble and torment of the Reprobate Here they haue receiued their pleasures and the righteous their paines therfore these are comforted and the other confounded They must appeare before the iudgment seate of God they must come after this life to their triall they must all stand at the bar and pleade guilty or not guilty The consideration of this day of account immediately after the separation of the soule from the body made Balaam in this place cry out in the sight and feeling of the blessednesse of the Church Oh let my last end be like his From hence wee learne this principle of our faith Doctrine The reasonable soule of man is immortall That the soule of man is immortali hauing a beginning yet is without ending being seuered from the body it liueth in place either of ioy or of torment either it receiueth the reward of godlinesse or it is plagued and punished for wickednesse This appeareth by many testimonies of the word of God When the Lord had made mans body of the dust of the ground He breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a liuing soule able to liue of it selfe Gen 2 7 and by it self And afterward it is said Genes 5 24. with Heb. 11 17. Henoch walked with God and he was no more seene for God tooke him away to shew that there was a better life prepared and to be a testimony of the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body seeing hee was translated that he should not see death neyther was hee found for God had translated him Hereunto commeth the prayer of Simeon Luk. 2 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word he was ready willing to be loosed from the prison of the body and calleth death a departure from hence Likewise it is sayde in the Parable that Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22.23 the rich man also dyed was buried and was throwne into the torments of hel And at the passion of Christ hanging on the crosse when the penitent theefe praied Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome hee said Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. Furthermore when the Lambe had opened the fifte seale Reue. 5 6 9. Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God for the testimony which they maintained Reason 1 The Reasons of this Doctrine are to bee known and considered of vs. First if the soule were not of an immortall Nature the godly of all other should be most wretched their life most miserable vnlesse they did beleeue that a time of refreshing should come from yâ— presence of God and contrarywise the condition of the vngodly should be most blessed and happy This the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 15 19 20. And if the soule did not remaine after this life being separate from the body all Religion and piety were in vaine our preaching and your faith were in vaine Why are we in ieopardy euery houre and why suffer we affliction for righteousnes sake nay why do we not eate and drink for to morrow we must dye Reason 2 Secondly nothing that is immortall and transitory can cite a man before Gods Tribunall or terrifie for sinne vnknowne to any other But the soule of man accusing him for secret sinnes makâ—th him hold vp at his hand at the barre of Gods iudgement seate This we see in Belteshazzer when he saw the palme of the hand that wrote vpon the plaister of the wall of his palace Daniel 5 6. His countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his knees smote one against another Before he was thus awaked he contemned the true God and blessed his Idols but when God manifested a small token of his power and presence he did shake tremble euery ioynt of him for feare of that sight This is the iustice of God reuenging the sinne of men that they should tremble at his iudgements that wretchedly abuse his mercies The like example we see in Felix albeit he loâ—ked for a bribe and set iustice to sale at offer and proffer yet when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come he quaked and quiuered at that discourse and was not able to endure the mention of it Now if the soule were subiect to mortality and to perish with the body it would not it could not thus accuse man nor draw him before the iudgement seate of God Thirdly the soule of man can reason of immortality Reason 3 it is vnsatiable in seeking knowledge and is not changed or altered with the estate of the body it contenteth not it selfe to rest satisfied with any thing in this life The more it knoweth 1 Cor. 8 â— the more it coueteth desireth to know the more it is able to learn It desireth blessednesse and happines it respecteth glory and good estimation after death it hath many actions and operations aboue sense and the naturall appetite of the body as to loue God to feare God to put our trust in him to beleeue in him to imbrace religion to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of hart The senses of the body cannot climbe and ascend so high to know God and to meditate on heauenly things nay they cannot reason define diuide number or order any thing Therefore the soule that performeth these things is a spirituall substance like vnto Angels not subiect to death or mortality Now let vs come to the Vses of this point Vse 1 of Religion and principle of our Fayth First it serueth to confute condemn all Atheists Epicures Libertines Sadduces and the late vpstart family of loue raised out of the ashes of the olde Saduces Ioseph antiâ— 18 cap 2 â—bel Iudaiâ— cap. 7. which deny the immortality of the soule These defie all Religion and deny any spirits either Angels of God or spirits of diuels or soules of men all which standing at defiance against heauen and bidding battel to the Lord himselfe shall one day know that they had once giuen vnto them immortal spirits when they shall be cast into vnquenchable fire and endure euerlasting torments The Euangelist noteth out this damnable sect of
saluation with fear and trembling seeing the day of account commeth and seeing we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receyue the things which are done in this body whether they be good or euill so soone as the some body are separated Let vs remember our Creator in the daies of our youth Eccl. 12 1. Let our conuersation while we liue vpon the Earth be lifted vp to the heauens Let vs mortifie the lusts of the flesh and not walke in the wayes of our owne hearts assuring our selues that for al such things God will bring vs to iudgement Therefore the Apostle Peter speaking of the dissolution of the world the passing away of the heauens the melting of the elements the burning of the earth and the destruction of the vngodly draweth from these words this exhortation Seeing therefore all these things must be dissolued what manner of persons ought ye to bee in holy conuersation and godlines looking for and hasting vnto the comming of that day of God 2. Pet. 3 11 12. Let vs set this day before our eyes whatsoeuer we do and then we shall not sinne for euer Let vs arraign our selues at his bar and thereby prouoke one another and be prouoked our selues to our duties For if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. Let vs be carefull to lay a good foundation of saluation and neuer giue ouer vntill wee haue Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith and receiue the spirit of adoption to cry in our hearts Abba Father For if wee depart out of this life without faith in Christ and without hope of saluation it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne Matth. 26 24. as Christ speaketh of Iudas the son of perdition For what will it profit vs to winne the whole world then lose our own soules To liue in pleasure to haue all that our hart can wish or desire for a season and afterward to be tormeneed in hell fire for euer Vse 5 Fiftly this is a great and exceeding comfort to the childreÌ„ of God to know that after this short this weak this feeble this fraile life our soules shall returne to the Lord and be lifted vp to the kingdom of heauen Let vs therfore prepare our selues for death that we may bee fit vessels for eternall lâ—fe and commend our soules into the haÌ„ds of God at our departure This was it which the Apostle practised Phil. 1 23. 2 Cor. 4 18 5 1.2 The greatest afflictions that can befall vs heere are nothing in respect of the blessed reward of immortality as the same Apostle teacheth Rom. 8 18. I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed to vs. Let vs not feare the enemies of the Church they may separate the soul from the body but they can neuer separate the soule from God They may kill the body but they cannot kill the soule They may take from vs a little momentany pleasure of this life but they cannot keepe vs from the presence of God at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore This is that which Christ teacheth his Disciples Mat. 10 28. Nay they haue no power ouer the body further then God permitteth them as Christ answered to Pilate glorying in his authority saying Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and to loose thee Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue therefore he that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sin So then let vs not feare their feare whose power is limited is limited restrained death with one stroke shall set vs at liberty and free vs from the yoke of all oppression to our vnspeakable and endlesse comfort Contrariwise this is a dolefull and woful doctrine to the wicked and vngodly who liue here after their owne lusts follow their pleasures delighting in vanity and forgetting God to consider the perpetuity immortality of their souls and that they must giue a streight account of all their wayes and workes This must needs be a doctrine of fear and terror vnto them able to break their stony hearts and astonish their inward senses and dash them vpon the rockes of hopelesse and helplesse desperation What can be more heauy newes to a seruant that hath wasted consumed his masters mony with riotous liuing then to heare of a day of reckoning account to be giuen of his Stewardship So is it with all the vngodly they feare nothing more then their appearing before the heauenly Iudge to be tryed according to their workes Oh it were well with them if their soules were mortall that they might sleepe in the dust and lye in the graue for euer to bee buried with their bodies neuer to bee raised againe Oh their case were happy and thrice happy shold they be if they might neuer come to iudgement or had beene borne as toades and serpents or wormes of the earth that liuing their life they might also dye their death But it shall not be so with them their case shall not be so well the end of this life bringeth them into eternal torments and when they haue tasted the first death the second death shall take holde on them Then they shall pronounce a thousand woes against themselues then they shal wish they had neuer bene borne Then they shall weepe and houle without recouery then they shall gnash with their teeth and gnaw their tongues for anger Mat. 22 12. Reuel 6 Luke 23 TheÌ„ they shal desire the mountaines to fall vpon them and the hils to couer them from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of â—he Lamb c. For as they are happy that die in the Lord beeing ioyned to him and freed from all sorrowes so they are wretched and a thousand times miserable that depart hence out of Gods fauour haue the sinnes of their youth and age accompanying them to whom he will say Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Matth. 25 41. We see how the consideration of the Sessions or Assises striketh a terror into the heart and conscience of the guilty malefactor how much more then shall the solemne day of the Lords last iudgement amaze affright and astonish the Reprobate who haue drawne sinne vnto them as with Cart-ropes and haue cloathed themselues with shame as with a Robe This wil be a day of blackenesse and of darkenesse a day of clouds and obscuritie a day of horrour and confusion vnto them that dwell vpon the face of the earth when God shall come to iudge without respect of persons For what rest or comfort can the malefactor take when he is alwayes in expectation of the comming approach of the Iudge Whereas the godly haue peace of conscience and shall lift vp their heads
earnest suite that they might bee heires also of that land by right of succession in which as yet they had not the bredth of a foot and therefore the Apostle teacheth that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene Heb. 11.1 Thirdly Doctrine We may make our selues guilty of other mens sinnes we see that we may be made partakers of other mens sinnes and therefore we heard before that the people were commanded to depart from the tents of Korah and his partisans lest they should bee defiled by the euils of those euill men Tit. 3 10 11 2 Cor. 6 7. 1 Tim. 5.22 This may bee done many wayes somtimes by counsel and perswasion and thus was Achitophel guilty of the rebellion of Absolon against his father 2. Sam. 16 and Balaam of the whoredome of the Israelites because they committed fornication with the daughters of Moab by his counsel Numb 31 sometimes by commandement as Herod the great sent forth and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem Math. 2 16 and so did Herod Antipas behead Iohn Baptist in prison Math. 14 22 thus was Dauid guilty of the death of Vriah his faithfull seruant and is therfore himselfe charged to haue killed him with the sword of the Ammonites 2. Sam. 12 sometimes by consent and so was Saul guilty of the martyr Stephens death because he consented to his death Act. 9 1 and they that sate in iudgment to condemne Christ to whō Ioseph of Arimathea would not consent and therfore cleared himselfe from his blood which otherwise he could not haue done Luke 23.51 sometimes by flattery as those that call euill good and good euill Esay 5 such are the ministers that sow soft cushens vnder euery elbow Ezek. 13 and such people as would haue the Prophets to prophesie flattering words vnto them Esay 30 sometimes by receiuing as they that take and lay vp stollen goods or buy them of those that haue stolen them these are as bad if not worse then the theeues themselues and to be punished as they are likewise they that receiue false tales to the hurt of their brethren though they doe not first deuise them Leuit. 19 16 sometimes by partaking with theeues and sharing with them as Prou. 1 they tooke part of that which was stollen sometimes by defending those that haue done euill and iustifying them in their vngodlinesse Rom. 1 sometimes it may bee done by holding our peace and saying nothing at all when we may speake and cleare a matter so is hee a false witnes that will not speake in the cause of the dumbe as well as he that vttereth an vntruth thus also is the watchman guilty that should giue warning and blow the trumpet but becommeth as the dumbe dogge that cannot barke Esay 56 10. Lastly by not resisting or withstanding when we are able Psal 82 4. If God giue vs power we make our selues weake the euill that we suffer shall be required of vs. Likewise in the example of Moses we learne to haue recourse to GOD in all matters of doubt we must not runne on vpon an head but go into the Sanctuary and aske counsell of the Lord. Doctrine Sinne is the cause of death and al misery Lastly obserue that sinne is the true cause of death mortality corruption and all the misery that hath taken hold of all mankinde when sinne entred then entred all plagues and iudgements in this life and after this life Gen. 2 17 3.19 1. Cor. 15 21 11 30 Rom. 5 12 21. Iames 1 16. Hebrewes 9 27 28. Reason 1 For sin is the sting of death that is the power and strength and the very armour of death it is as a sword which hee holdeth in his hand to wound vs withall It is as a stinging serpent 1. Cor. 15 and if remedy be not sought against the biting of it it woundeth soule and body to death Secondly it standeth with the iustice and righteousnes of God which will not otherwise be satisfied Wee see how Magistrates whose breath is in their nostrils do punish malefactors and offenders with bodily death their eye doth not spare them no marueile then if the Lord who is a consuming fire Heb. 12. whose person is of infinite Maiesty take hold of soule and body and punish them both spiritually and eternally and therefore the Apostle iustly calleth death the wages of sinne Rom. 6.23 Thirdly sin hath pestered and poysoned our nature corrupting all the powers and parts in vs our mind our will our memory our affections our conscience Eph. 4 17 18.19 Rom. 6 12 13. It is as a worme that is alwayes gnawing at the root of life vntill tree and all fall downe Lastly sin giueth strength to Satan the prince of darknes without which he could not hurt vs it is hee that hath power ouer death Heb. 2 14. 1. Cor. 15 56 and therefore was the Son of man manifested that he might destroy the works of the diuel 1. Ioh. 3 8. But it may be obiected if sin be the cause of death Obiection how commeth it to passe that Christ dyed who knew no sin in whose mouth was no guile found Answ 2 Cor. 5 21. Answ Though Christ were without sin in himselfe yet he that knew no sin was made sin for vs c. he tooke vpon him the sins of all the faithful as a surety taketh vpon him the debt of another And albeit he were not a sinner by transgression yet he may be said to be a sinner by imputation and therefore he must dye yet so that dying hauing no cause of death in himselfe he might destroy death and him that had the power of death that is the diuel Heb. 2 14 Hos 13 14. Againe Obiect if death be a fruit effect of sin how commeth it to passe that the faithfull which haue in Christ remission of sinnes do notwithstanding dy Answ Answ Albeit they haue forgiuenesse of sinnes yet they haue in them alwayes the reliques of sinne through the corruption of nature though it be not imputed vnto them through the mercy of God The guilt of Adams sin followeth vs as the shadow doth the body it cannot in this life be wholly purged it shall bee at the last cleane put off by death It is necessary therefore that we should dye or be changed at the last day that sin may be vtterly extinguished that we may by death as by a dore enter into euerlasting glory Sin is euery day lessened and consumed in the faithfull howbeit still we beare about vs the body of death Psal 51 5 2 Cor. 12 7 Eph. 2 3. We learne from hence what a horrible and hideous thing sin is that bringeth with it such bitter fruit for sin death are coupled together Rom. 8 2. Sin came not in by creation Eccl. 7 31 but by transgression for from the beginning it was not so Sin hath wroght this confusion euen the first sinne of
bound her soule 7 And her husband heard it and held his peace in the day when he heard it then her vowes shall stand c. Now Moses intreateth of such vowes as were made by those that are vnder the authority of others as children vnder their parents concerning which the father hath authority to disanull them Hereby the power of all parents is so magnified and aduanced that a vow made immediatly to God is frustrate there is a meere nullity of it except they confirme it They haue power to make it good and they haue power to make it voide Doctrine Great is the iurisdiction authority of parents ouer their children Heereby wee learne that great is the authority and iurisdiction of parents ouer their children by the Law of God and Nature The very heathen haue this truth shining in their hearts that parents are to be honoured and that their authority should be inuiolable Exod. 20 12. Eph. 6 1 2. Ierem. 35 6 7 8 c. Gen. 27 8 43. and 28. 2. When the father sayth Goe the child goeth when he sayth Arise he ariseth when he sayth Come he commeth Christ our Sauiour giueth testimony of his perfect obedience whom all both men and Angels stand bound to worship and to whom euery knee must bow of things in heauen of things in earth and of things vnder the earth Philip. 2 yet hee was subiect to his parents and went with them Luke 2.51 1. King 2.19 The reasons are euident Reason 1 First the precept of honouring parents hath the first place in the second Table and is set before all other so that next vnto GOD we are bound to reuerence them to whom we are most bound and it is the foundation and band of obedience to all the rest of the commandements that follow For if men doe not stand in awe of the Magistrate the father of the Common-wealth and the Captaine of the people all the other would soone be violated 2 Kings 20 5. Againe the Apostle teacheth that this is the first Commandement with promise Eph. 6 2 it hath a speciall promised annexed of long life Thirdly children receiue great and manifold blessings from the hands of theyr parents and gouernours and likewise are freed from many euils and dangers that otherwise they might fall into Fourthly patents giue life and breath and beeing after a sort vnto them for children receiue all these from thē Fiftly parents are honoured by sundry titles and names the which are giuen to God himselfe Matth. 23.9 One is your father which is in heauen therefore call no man your father vpon earth Obiect 1 Touching this impregnable and inuincible truth sundry questions may be asked and diuers doubts to be remooued As first seeing their authority is so great why doeth our Sauiour speake of hating father and mother as Luke 14 26 If any man come to me and do not hate his father and mother he cannot be my disciple Answ I answer Christ speaketh in that place comparatiuely that is wee must not regard them in respect of himselfe whom wee ought to loue aboue all and so it is expounded Mathew 10 37 Hee that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me To loue our parents next after GOD is piety but to loue them more then God is impiety Wee hate them therefore when we loue them lesse then God in comparison of whom we should hate our liues Obiect 2 Secondly Christ forbiddeth vs to call any man father as we haue heard before Matth. 23. Answ I answere Christ condemneth not the name or appellation giuen to men simply for then he should be contrary to himselfe where he alloweth the title to earthly fathers Math. 7 9. Marke 7 11 and the Apostle should bee contrary to his master 1 Cor. 4 15. Therefore he meaneth that no man is or can be our Father as God is to wit that we should trust in them and make them the authors of our life and the giuers of all good things that come vnto vs. Obiect 3 Thirdly what if our parents be euil persons and vngodly ought we then to obey them yeelde vnto their authority who are by their wickednesse vnworthy thereof Answ I answer It skilleth not whether they bee good or euill touching our obedience For euill parents are our parents and euill Magistrates are Magistrates and euill Ministers are Ministers Seruants are commanded to bee subiect to theyr masters not onely vnto them that are good and gentle but to them that are froward 1 Peter 2 18 so ought children to yeeld obedience vnto their fathers though they be euill Hence it is that God saith generally in the Law Honour thy father and mother not honor them when they are good onely But it will be farther obiected What if they Obiect 4 be excommunicate persons may they then be obeyed or should children then do any dutie to their parents and is not that to set light by that censure I answer Answer Excommunication rightly vsed is indeede the most greeuous iudgement that can bee inflicted in this life both in respect of the soule and of the bodie and is as it were the messenger of death It is a great punishment to be banished from a well ordered City much more to be thrust out of the Church which is the Common-wealth of God and of his Son Christ Dauid did greatly lament his estate and condition when hee wanted the holy assemblies of the faithfull among the Infidels and could not come into the presence of God with his people and did thinke himself driuen away from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord 1 Sam. 26 19. Who would not tremble and be afraid to bee deliuered vp vnto Satan 1 Cor. 5 6. the enemie of God The children of Israel were deliuered ouer to Nebucadnezzar and other wicked tyrants to be afflicted and they bewailed exceedingly such bodily captiuity Psalme 137 1 2 how much more fearful then ought the excōmunicate person to esteeme it to be deliuered vp not to wicked and vngodly men but to satan himselfe The prince that ruleth in the hart of the children of disobedience Notwithstanding all fellowshippe and familiarity with them is not denyed to vs. It is lawfull for the family to conuerse with the gouernors of the family though they be excommunicate persons The wife may not deny due beneuolence nor the childe dutifull obedience if he bid them go they must goe or to come they must come neither are they by such behauiour culpeable or guilty of their sinne of which we see more before chap. 5. Fourthly if the sonne be a Magistrate Obiect 5 the father a priuate man it may bee demanded whether he be to yeeld obedience to his father I answer Answ though the father must obey the sonne as hee is a Magistrate yet in another respect the sonne must obey the father as he is the father so that neytner is the sonne to bee depriued of the honour and
no maruaile therefore if men decline it is a part of the old leauen for what man is it that sinneth not 1 Kings 8 46. The power of sinne euen in the regenerate is as a Law and therefore wee doe as wee would not Romanes 7 yet not I but that sin which dwelleth in me Secondly they lye vnder an heauy and fearefull curse that doe the worke of the Lord negligently which hee will haue executed diligently carefully cheerefully and zealously Ierem. 48 10 Cursed bee hee that doth the worke of the Lord deceitfully but all such as are luke-warme in the Lords businesse are deceitfull workemen they are loyterers rather then labourers and therefore they may not looke to haue the wages of laborers Thirdly such are vexed with a spirituall consumption losing the heate of the Spirit and the life of grace and fall to decay by litle and litle as Reuel 2 5 thou hast lost thy first loue For as they that haue a consumption of the body the naturall heate decayeth and threatneth death so such as haue a consumption in the soule the spirituall heate diminisheth and threatneth destruction For such churches and persons become in time barren in good thing but plentiful in euill things Esay 5 3 4. The vses follow First this reprooueth the miserable times Vse 1 wherein wee liue wherein men seeme to bee cast into a dead sleepe There is a general lethargy hath possessed vs that nothing can awake vs. Wee haue had not onely the trumpet of Gods word sounding in our eares but many other iudgments but who stirreth or starteth vp at the noyse thereof Who repenteth him of his wickednesse saying What haue I done euery one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8 6 if wee tarry till the last trumpet come woe vnto vs for that shall awaken vs and sweepe away all the impenitent into hell and none shal be able to escape Our Sauiour teacheth that from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist vntill now the kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Math. 11 12 where he sheweth that after the Gospel beganne to bee published by the ministery of Iohn who was sent to prepare the hearts of the people they were very greedy and as it were couetous of the truth and couragiously brake into it with all theyr strength and force that they could make Thus it was in the dayes of the Apostles For as at the preaching of Iohn the souldiers the Publicanes and people came vnto him Luke 3 10 12 14. saying Master what shall we doe so when they preached repentance in the Name of Iesus they that heard them were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Acts 2 37. But is it so in our dayes alas we may say the kingdome of darknes suffereth violence the kingdome of this world is wholly sought after and euery man presseth into it Luke 16 16 but as for the kingdome of God wee are content to let it alone Some are open enemies to the Gospel and the preaching of it serue Satan with all their power Some are secure and care for nothing they let al alone and sit still like those that sate idle in the market place and laboured not in the vineyard Some stop their eares and harden their hearts and when the Ministers of God will not apply themselues to their humors they goe backe Some desire to heare sweete and pleasant things to bee flattered in their sinnes and to haue cushions sowed vnder their elbowes If a sonne should no otherwise honour his father then we honor God doubtlesse he would disinherite him and cast him off for euer Or if a seruant should in such sort serue his Master would hee not put him out of his seruice and turne him out of his dores The diuell hath a part of our seruice the world another and shall wee thinke that God will accept a third This were to serue him to halfes or not so much But halfe a man is no man and halfe a Christian is no Christian Euery naturall thing groweth till it be perfect herbes plants trees Euery tradesman and artificer seeketh to encrease onely the Christian sitteth still and doth nothing God the Father left not off the worke of creation till the whole hoste of the creatures was ended Genes 2 1. Christ Iesus ceased not the worke of redemption till it was finished Ioh. 17.4 A builder leaueth not off when hee hath almost builded Paul said I haue finished my course 2 Tim. 4 7 not almost finished there is no comfort in this no more then to bee almost saued which is not to be saued at all If we be cold in Gods seruice we are almost his seruants that is not at all Secondly God will not be dalied withal in the matter of Religions eyther wee must serue him wholly and acknowledge him throughly as wee should or not at all If Baal be God let vs goe after him without wauering So long as wee are neyther hote nor cold wee worship him in vaine and may be assured that hee will spew vs out of his mouth This is no better then to serue him with the halt or blinde or leane or lame which he abhorreth The Lord saith by the Prophet Cursed bee the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of hostes and my Name is dreadfull among the Gentiles Mal. 1 14. This is no better then to serue God with the off all of our affections and to turne vnto him halfe our face and the other halfe to our owne lustes and pleasures This is such an indignity and indecency that a man of any place or reckoning will not take it at our hands Offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke is it not euill offer it now vnto thy gouernour will hee be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Malachie 1 8. Take heede therefore wee doe not play with God Hee that playeth with fire may bee scorched and consumed with the flames of it but our God is euen a consuming fire Deuteronom 4 24 and 9 3. Hebrewes 12 29. No man dare dally with a Prince or with his Lawes whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon but there is one Law-giuer who is able to saue and to destroy Iames 4 12. No man will bee bold to iest with edge-tooles wee say commonly that it is dangerous but the Lord is a shield and the sword of excellency Deuter. 33 29 and if his word be compared to a two edged sword going out of his mouth Reuel 1 16 nay if it bee saide to be quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts
before his conuersion to the faith he had been a persecuter a blasphemer and iniurious consenting to the death of Stephen and breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord one borne out of due time the least of the Apostles the least of all Saints not meete to be called an Apostle but rather a destroyer of the faith of the brethren But when he came to preach the faith which before he destroyed he was nothing inferiour to the chiefe Apostles 2 Cor. 11. â— more then a Minister of Christ in labours more aboundant in stripes aboue measure in prisons more frequent in deaths oft louing him very much of whom he had receiued much so that he gaue no place to the residue of the Apostles Euen as in the manner of the natural generation we see that oftentimes such as are of weakest nature and constitution of body are blessed with increase of children and a plentifull posterity more then those that are of stronger complexion so such as haue meane gifts and lesser knowledge and perhaps neuer trained vp in the schooles of the Prophets may saue more soules and bring more to God then such as haue taken many degrees and haue attained to a great depth and profoundnesse of learning as we shall haue occasion farther to shew in this booke What then Chap. 8. Obiection are Vniuersities to be despised are schooles of learning to no purpose No Answere they are nourceries of knowledge humane and diuine They are as those riuers that water the garden of God The Lord blesse them that blesse those places and curse them that are enemies to the peace and prosperity of them and thrust thorough their loynes that wish their hurt neither let them which goe by say The blessing of the Lord be vpon such we blesse you in the Name of the Lord. Neuerthelesse the Lord is not bound to such as are brought vp in those places but maketh the labours of those that want the Artes and Tongues being conscionable in their callings very auaileable to the glory of his Name and to the sauing of many soules Lastly we are put in mind of this duty that Vse 5 we ought not to rest vpon flesh and blood as vpon a reede that will deceiue vs but vpon God the Rocke of our saluation Some put their trust in horses and some in charets Psal 20. and some in Princes Psal 146. We can make no resistance against the weakest things which are as warlike weapons that neuer returne empty but euen they shall be able to push vs downe and to preuaile against vs and to destroy vs vtterly Let vs not therefore lift vp our mindes against God but humble our selues before him Our strength is nothing our multitudes are nothing our Armor and munition is nothing if God fight against vs. Let vs not thinke to escape his hands who is able to arme few against many and the weak against the strong as 1 Sam. 14.6 1 Sam. 14 6. where Ionathan saith to the yong man that bare his armour Come and let vs goe ouer vnto the Garison of these vncircumcised it may be that the Lord will make for vs for there is no restraint of the Lord to saue by many or by few The same in effect Dauid speaketh to the Philistime The Lord saueth not with sword and speare 〈◊〉 â—7 47 for the battell is the Lords and he will giue you into our hands Thus also Asa cryed vnto the Lord his God when a great hoste of a thousand thousand came out against him Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe 〈◊〉 14.11 whether with many or with them that haue no power Helpe vs O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name we goe against this multitude O Lord thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee We must therefore renounce all pride in our selues and that vaine confidence which will deceiue vs. We haue to doe with God If he will destroy vs and deliuer vs as a prey into the iawes of death 〈◊〉 praelect 〈◊〉 though there be no enemie to resist vs nor power of man to ouercome vs yet we may not secure our selues nor suffer our hearts to be compassed about with presumption as with a chaine he is able with the breath of his nostrils to blow vs away that we shall be no more This vse is concluded by the Prophet Ieremy chapter 37.9.10 〈◊〉 â—7 9.10 Thus saith the Lord Deceiue not your selues saying The Chaldeans shall surely depart from vs for they shall not depart For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them yet should they rise vp euery man in his tent and burne this city with fire Whereby we see that destruction of a kingdome or of a city dependeth not vpon a multitude of men or vpon the valiantnesse and violence of souldiers but vpon the pleasure of God who executeth his iudgements by what hands soeuer he will For when a few and poore remnant remaine and those of wounded men halfe dead and wholly vnable to resist euen such as are thrust thorough with the sword gasping for life and ready to giue vp the Ghost yet shall they recouer the battel that was lost and obtaine the victory and conquer the conquerer and strike down as bulrushes the strongest and choicest men that before preuailed and had the vpper-hand A notable example and memorable exploit whereof we haue recorded in the Turkish history 〈◊〉 history â—e life of â—rath the 〈◊〉 concerning a Christian souldier who sore wounded and all bloody seeing Amurath the third king of the Turkes comming after the victory that he had obtained to take a view of the dead bodies which without number lay on heapes in the field like mountaines seeing him I say rose vp as well as hee was able in staggering manner as if it had beene from death out of an heape of slaine men and making toward him for want of strength fell downe diuers times by the way as he came at length drawing nigh vnto him as though he would haue craued his life of the tyrant and in honour of him haue kissed his feete suddenly stabbed him in the bottome of his belly with a short dagger so that the conquerour was conquered and presently dyed Thus it is with poore weake men when God strengtheneth them for the feeble become strong and the strong feeble 32 These are those which were numbred of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers all those that were numbred of the Campes throughout their hostes were fixe hundred thousand and three thousand and fiue hundred and fiftie 33 But the Leuites were not numbred among the children of Israel as the Lord commanded Moses 34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses so they pitched by their standards and so they set forward euery one after
sentence of death gone out against vs Euen as the children of Israel had beene all the children of death as well as the first borne of Egypt had not God in great mercy and compassion spared them For albeit he deliuered Goshen where the Israelites were from the plagues that wasted and wearied the Egyptians was this thinke we because Israel deserued to be spared or because God could not in iustice comence any action against them No they had learned too much the manners of Egypt they beleeued not the word of the Lord for their deliuerance but murmured against the Ministers of God sent vnto them albeit they had seene his wonders and signes that were wrought among them Their first borne therefore had beene in no better case then the first borne of Egypt had not God beene mercifull vnto them and shewed pitty vpon them So then we are all put in mind of our naturall corruption by sin deriued from Adam in regard of which corruption which is spread as a foule and filthy leprosie ouer all the powers of the soule and parts of the body we are guilty both of temporall and eternall death vnlesse we haue redemption by Christ the promised Sauiour of the world We are by nature wretched and miserable sinners borne as it were out of due time and deserue the wages of sin that is death 1 Ioh. 1 8. Tit. 3.3 Rom 6.20 We our selues were in times past vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another There are many branches of this corruption and sundry points necessary to be knowne of vs concerning the same First we must acknowledge no difference between our selues and others Are we better or more excellent then they No in no wise We all lie vnder sinne and haue the seedes therof within vs. Rom. 3.9 and are ready to fall into all the most horrible sinnes can be named if we be not stayed by the hand of God Secondly we must looke into the Law of God as in a glasse that we may see our defects and deformities We are blinde and cannot see the Law is a true glasse and will shew vs our face truly it telleth what is amisse and flattereth no man for by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 There cannot be the least spot but it will be made to appeare so that he which is ignorant of the Law knoweth not himselfe Thirdly we must confesse the loue of God to be great toward vs in freeing of vs from the bondage of sinne and setting vs at liberty to be the seruants of righteousnesse Thus doth the Apostle Rom. 7.24 25. O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord c. Fourthly ' we must learne the vilenesse and greatnesse of our fall which Paul calleth the disobedience of one man containing all sinnes of what kinde and nature soeuer Adams sinne how great which may be considered in those few particulars First he regarded not the promise of God wherby he was willed to hope for euerlasting life so long as he cōtinued to eat the tree of life Secondly he despiseth the commandement of God restraining him from the forbidden fruite and maketh no account of it Thirdly hee breaketh out into horrible pride and ambition whereby he would be equall vnto God and seeke an estate higher then that wherin he had set him He was not content with his present condition albeit it were most excellent Fourthly he sheweth an vnfaithfull heart to depart away from the liuing God his creator so that he did not beleeue or not regard the threatning of God which was that when he sinned he should die he becommeth the most vnkinde and vnthankefull wretch that could be not considering what infinite benefites he had receiued for himselfe and his posterity and that he was to loose them and leaue them in such sort that they departed both from himselfe and from his posterity Lastly he brake out into foule and fearefull Apostacy from God to the diuell from his maker to the tempter giuing more credite to him that charged God with lying with enuy and with malice then to the Almighty of whose goodnesse he had so great experience Thus he preferred the father of lyes before the God of all truth So that in the first sinne of man August Enchir. ad Laurent ca. 46. we may discerne many sinnes if it bee deuided into his particular parts and considered seuerally as it ought to be of vs. The fift branch is that we must all of vs take notice of the fruits and effects of the former disobedience whereby the image of GOD after which we were created at the first is blotted out onely some few remnants remaining of it so that in stead of wisedome power trueth goodnesse holinesse and righteousnesse wherewith our first parents were clothed as with garments more precious then the carpets of Egypt and all the ornaments of gold and siluer wherein the Nobles of the earth are attyred he punished them with the contrary euills and pulling these from them and stripping them starke naked they appeared most deformed through blindnes weakenesse falsehood foolishnesse prophanenesse and vnrighteousnes which swarmed in them and all their children A cursed roote cursed fruite a wretched cause a wofull effect Hence it is that we are prone to fall into all euil and not able to thinke one good thought 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.5 we are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephe. 2.1 Ier. 17.19 Iob 15.15 And yet this is not all our misery but it brought in as by a violent wind or a raging flood an heape of sicknesses diseases aches and a traine of ten thousand calamities that attend vpon our whole life vntill they bring vs into the chambers of death Lastly when we haue taken good notice of the former miseries and bondage vnder which we lie and thought well vpon them with due meditation they will driue vs out of the loue of our selues and make vs labour to be regenerated and borne againe by the spirit of God Ioh. 3.5 Ezek. 36. ◠we must seeke to repaire the decayed image of God to be renewed in our mindes that we may be no longer the seruants of sin but of righteousnesse Our olde man must be crucified that the body of sinne may be destroyed Rom. 6.5 Let it not therefore reigne in our mortall body that we should obey it in the lustes therof neither let vs yeeld our members as instruments of vnrighteousnes but yeeld our selues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Againe What we are by grace as the figure of the first borne expresseth the natural condition of all mankind deseruing to be destroyed so it setteth foorth the prerogatiue of the faithfull and sheweth what we are by grace For as Christ being
Cyants that fight against God Deut. 17.12 and therefore he appointed death to him that rebelled against the Priest as those rebels were swallowed vp of the earth that made insurrection against Aaron and vsurped the Priesthood contrary to the institution of God in which place Moses saith It is not Aaron that you striue against but euen against God himselfe Numb 16.11 If we follow these men in their practises let vs also feare to fall into their punishments For God wil not be mocked though the Ministers be misused and his hand is not shortned though they be taunted and reuiled of vs. He will account these reproches to reach vnto heauen and they shall be of sufficient force to cast vs downe into hell except we repent of these euils The second reproofe But let vs passe from their persons and come to the function it selfe Many there are that are growne a degree farther in impiety who making no conscience to goe out of the way doe wander farther from home then many other There are indeed some who sticke not to account of the Ministers as the filth of the earth they will giue no reuerence vnto them they acknowledge them not to be sent to reconcile men vnto God but disgrace them and dishonour them what they can howbeit they will not breake out in open contempt of the Ministery it selfe but seeme to esteeme highly and reuerently and religiously of it There is some hope of these that by the mercy of God they may be reclaimed and reformed Others spare not to speake against the calling it selfe and vtter slanderous words against Gods ordinance as men that are come to the height of sinne and haue filled vp the measure thereof to the brimme These are like Ahab when Eliah came into his presence he charged him to be the troubler of Israel 1 King 18.17 Art thou hee that troubleth Israel They are the Captaines and Caualleers that were in the company of Iehu that accounted him who came to annoint Iehu 2 King 9.11 a madde fellow What said this mad fellow vnto thee Paul and Silas are accused to trouble the City and to turne the world vpside downe and to teach customes which were not lawfull to receiue and obserue Act. 16.20 Tertullus an eloquent Oratour abusing a good gift to an euill purpose chargeth him deepely to be a pestilent fellow and a mouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens Chapter 24.5 To contemne this calling is to contemne God and to dishonour it is to dishonour God and yet the Ministers for the most part are esteemed according to their low and meane estate in this world If they be poore they are indeed poorely accounted off If they be not great in the world they are not regarded and respected of worldly minded men but these account themselues better then the Minister because they are richer But such as are rightly religious are otherwise minded Obadiah the gouernour of Ahabs house refused not to doe reuerence to the Prophet to the contemned Prophet Eliah 1 King 18.7.9 Ioash the king disdained not to visite Elisha when he was sicke and lay on his death-bed and to weepe vpon his face and said vnto him O my father my father the Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof 2 King 13.14 Thus it was in former times when Kings and Princes were not ashamed to acknowledge them but as sin aboundeth so the Ministery is contemned The third reproofe The third â—â—proofe is against those that are so taken vp with the thoughts of this world that they refuse to allow them any meanes of maintenance and grudge them meate and drinke to releeue themselues and their families This is a fruit of the former sinnes and proceedeth from a contempt either of their persons or of their calling or of them both For when they are grown to contemne them no maruell if they grudge to maintaine them Some thinke the calling needlesse and superfluous and well gotten that is detained from them Others account it voluntary and arbitrary which they may giue or not giue yeeld or not yeeld at their owne pleasure others will needes pay it howbeit not as a duty but as a gratuity not as a recompence of their paines but as a beneuolence at pleasure they will haue nothing bestowed as due but as an almes to the begger that commeth to their doores The first sort are plaine Epicures earthwormes knowing no God but Mammon and seruing no God but their belly The other two carry more shew of profession and yet they make little conscience of Gods religion or of their owne saluation For if they did hope to inherite heauen they would bee forward to magnifie and further the meanes that leade vs vnto heauen and account it an honour in equity and iustice due vnto them to yeeld vnto them a sufficient maintenance which cannot without sacriledge be detained from them Who is it that prouideth not for his oxen and cattell that labour for him who feedeth not his sheepe in sweet pastures that feed him and cloathe him What hearts then haue we harder then stone that doe not any whit regard to see them comfortably and competently maintained that labour for vs search the Scriptures for vs are careful to prouide for vs and to feed vs with much better food If a man should see any of vs lying in a pit like to be drowned and reaching out his hand vnto vs should draw vs out how would we esteeme of them The Ministers draw body and soule out of the deepe dungeon of eternall death and from the pit of destruction and guide them into the way of peace and therefore it is great reason that hauing receiued comfort from them wee should comfort them againe and thereby shew how we respect them If we were borne blinde and wanted the light of the eyes as the poore man mentioned in the Gospel and one should restore our sight wee would account nothing too deare for him nothing too good for him if we gaue him all the wealth and treasure of our house But this is our condition spiritually we sit in darknesse and in the shaddow of death we know no more of God naturally then serueth to make vs without excuse â—at 5 14. â—uc 1 79. â—cts 26 16. The Ministers are the light of the world to enlighten them to open their eies and to bring them out of darknesse into a maruellous light and yet the idolatrous Priests among the heathen were more esteemed and better rewarded then the true Ministers of Christ among vs which redoundeth to the shame and reproch of such as professe themselues to be sound Christians But Christ saith Obiect to his Apostles Freely ye haue receiued freely giue Mat. 10 8. How then may the Ministers receiue any reward for their labours I answer â—nswer Christ speaketh in this place especially of working miracles as appeareth in the words
not able to hurt the soule wheras sinne infecteth the soule in which it dwelleth For as a man consisteth of two parts the body and the minde so he is afflicted with two kind of maladies and the euils of the minde are greater then the euils of the body â—in de linâ—in praefa and more danger commeth from them then from these We must haue a true and right iudgement of sinne The common sort thinke him to be much more miserable that hath a dropsie who the more he drinketh the more he desireth then the man that is possessed with couetousnes which is a spiritual dropsie and is neuer satisfied As on the other side they hold him to be more happy that hath a faire and comely body then such a one as hath a faire and beautifull minde adorned with all good qualities of piety and the fruits thereof These preferre the body before the soule and earth before heauen â—â—e diseases â—he soule â—â—se then â—â—e of the â—â—dy The diseases of the body are many in number but the sickenesses of the soule are in a manner infinite and cannot be told and as they are moe in number so they are worse in working and in their effects they corrupt the best part of vs and make vs euill and miserable So doe not the diseases of the body they may vexe vs and paine vs afflict and disquiet vs but though we were sicke from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote though no soundnesse were in the body but wounds and bruises and putrifying soares as it was with Iob who seemed a very picture and patterne of all misery yet they cannot make vs euill men they cannot hurt the soule they cannot separate vs from God Nay the diseases of the body are so farre from destroying of vs that oftentimes they are medicines to cure the diseases of the minde and chastisements are notable instructions whereas the maladies of the body doe for the most part arise of the maladies of the minde For sinne is the cause of sickenesse If we had not transgressed we had not beene visited with such diseases and in the end with death Moreouer those bodily diseases are iudged to be most dangerous and desperate that take away from the sicke party all sense and feeling of his estate all griefe and anguish of his misery forasmuch as the lesse he feeleth the more fearful is his estate the more neere to his end He that is afflicted with the gout or the stone and cryeth out of his misery and willeth the Physitian to be sent for in all haste is in better case and hath more hope to be eased and healed then he that hath a lethargy or frenzy of which one thinketh himselfe sound the other assaulteth the Physitian that commeth vnto him to doe him good Such for the most part are the diseases of the soule and such for the most part is the condition of sinfull persons they thinke themselues to be sound men they thinke they need not the helpe of the Physitian they would defie him that should tell them that they are dangerously sicke euen to the death They are captiues and bond-men and know it not They haue one foote in hell and see it not They are in great misery and feele it not Besides the minde is able to iudge of the diseases of the body but how shall it tell and declare the diseases of the minde seeing it is it selfe diseased If that part be sicke how shall it iudge of sicknesse A Physitian that is sick cannot iudge of himselfe but resorteth to some other because his minde is troubled Aristo polit lib which is the instrument of iudging So is it with all vnregenerate persons they want a right reformed iudgement to iudge of themselues and therefore oftentimes take or rather mistake vice for vertue darkenesse for light and errour for trueth Hence it is that they colour and disguise the face of vice that it might not appeare vgly and deformed as it is in his owne proper likenesse The vnquenchable thirst of getting and hauing is called prouidence and forecast enuy is accounted zeale the loue of himselfe is reputed to be wisedome euill speaking is couered with the title and stile of liberty in speaking Lastly the diseases of the soule are more foule and infectious they pearce deeper and spread farther then those of the body The diseases of the body though they seaze vpon some part yet they leaue other free that they come not neere if they be in the feet they do leaue the eyes and eares and sundry other parts whole and sound yea such as haue some one disease are obserued to be free from the rest There are some diseases that doe not touch or trouble old men some that vexe not yong men But it is not so in the diseases of the minde they corrupt the whole minde and bring a traine and taile of other with them so that one commeth not alone These are as the plagues and pestilences of the soule they spare not any degree any age any sexe they cannot be kept within any bounds but wander ouer the whole world with wonderfull speede and celerity Wherefore this reprooueth all such as make a mocke of sinne delighting in it and dalying with it Who will play with a serpent or sport himselfe with the cockatrice Sinne is worse it bringeth all diseases plagues paines and miseries whatsoeuer It is great folly to shunne sickenesse and death as most fearefull things and not to shunne the causes of them Vse 2 Secondly seeing sinne defileth both the persons that commit it and the places where it is committed it is our duty to walke so circumspectly that we beware of the contagious nature of it and that we be not soiled with it This one vse hath diuers branches and by them spreadeth it selfe hither and thither First it teacheth vs to looke to our footing that we do not fall but that if God haue giuen vs grace to stand we pray him also to giue vs grace to continue and perseuere vnto the end It is a great mercy that God vouchsafeth vnto those that are his when he keepeth them from euill that it hurteth them not The sorrowes of death compasse vs and the paines of hell get hold vpon vs we find trouble and sorrow we want not sundry enemies that enuiron vs round and seeke to preuent vs and to circumuent vs they wait vpon vs and watch ouer vs for euill we haue the diuell our enemy the world our enemy our corruption our enemy what shall we then say but pray to the Lord in the midst of all these dangers Psal 11â— 4 O Lord I beseech thee deliuer my soule And when he hath heard our prayers and we found his helpe at hand and succour in time of need what can we but in thankefull feeling of his fauour cry out with the Prophet Returne into thy rest Ver. 7 8. O my soule for the Lord
the Scribes because they confessed this point of Gods power for they did rightly affirme Allem â—â—tise of the power of Priâ—hood 〈◊〉 sins chap. 1. that none could forgiue sinnes but God onely Luke 5 20 21 but this was their error in that they did not acknowledge Christ to be God who in the person of the Mediatour euen in the state of humility while he liued heere and was conuersant vpon the earth might by his diuine authority forgiue sinnes as likewise by the same power he did heale sicknesses and diseases among the people God then doth properly and absolutely forgiue sinnes committed against his law and eternall Maiesty The Minister by his appointment doth assure all penitent sinners of the forgiuenes of their sinnes through the mercy of God and the merits of his Sonne Iesus Christ and therefore in this sense he is said to forgiue sinnes as he is also said to saue mens soules 1 Tim. 4. â—â— to whom he preacheth saluation An Embassadour is said to make peace or warre when he declareth according to his commission his Princes pleasure and determination touching eyther of them The Kings Deputy or Lieutenant hauing warrant from him offereth and granteth pardon to rebels or other offenders when notwithstanding he doth onely make knowne the Princes pleasure in remitting their offences and releasing their punishments forasmuch as it is in the Princes power onely to pardon traitors transgressors The Minister of the word as Christs Deputy or Lieutenant is said to reteine or remit sinnes euen as the Priest in the time of the Law is said to make the Leapers cleane or vncleane â— â— 7 His sentence touching that disease was but declaratory pronouncing who was striken or who was healed by the hand of God he had not power himselfe to strike or to heale to lay it vpon any or to take it away from any person So it is the ordinance of God that the Ministers should be declarers interpreters and expressers of his will and word concerning remission of sinnes â—giue sin â—e a â—ne not properly pardoners forgiuers and remitters of sinnes for then they must also take away sinnes as though the sentence in heauen did depend vpon the sentence on earth whereas the censure of men must depend vpon the sentence of God To forgiue sinnes properly is to take them away and to remoue the punishment But God only can do this to God therfore alone let vs flie of him let vs looke for mercy and from him let vs neuer goe to any man If we haue recourse vnto him we shall finde mercy in time of need which is better then thousands of gold and siluer This is able to appease the inward trouble of a distressed conscience and ministreth sound comfort to the afflicted soule that is humbled and cast downe to the gates of hell If wee hadde all the iewels and precious stones that can bee found wee were not able to buy out the punishment of one sinne The Prophet saith Ps 49 6 7 9. They that trust in their wealth and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches none of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor giue a ransome to God for him c. The value worth of the whole world is too vile and base to answer for one trespasse for it cost more to redeeme one soule It could not be done with siluer and gold and such like corruptible and transitory things but with the precious blood of Christ â—1 19. as of a Lambe without blemish and without spot If we would come before him with burnt offerings and calues of a yeare old or would thinke to please the Lord with thousands of Rams and ten thousand riuers of oyle or perswade our selues that wee can make satisfaction for the sinnes of our soules by the fruite of our bodies euen by giuing our sonnes and daughters wee deceiue our selues and know not the greeuousnesse of sinne nor the infinite wrath of God nor the exceeding value of the death of Christ nor the endlesse torment due vnto sinne nor the vnspotted purity of the law of God which is transgressed by it If we had all things and wanted his mercy we haue nothing if once we haue it it is sufficient to couer all our infirmities and to blot out all our iniquities according to the saying of Salomon Prou. 16 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged and by the feare of the Lord men depart from euill Such as neuer felt the burden of sinne neuer regard the benefit of mercy but such as haue their hearts in any sort touched with it acknowledge them blessed that finde it and all those miserable that are destitute of it It is not instruments of musicke it is not dainty fare it is not outward delights it is not merry company it is not riches or honours or friends or nobility or pleasures or sports and pastimes that can alay and appease a troubled minde perplexed conscience Dauid wanted not any of these he was the sweet Singer of Israel he might haue his consort he could not want mirth and musicke of singing men singing women yet he preferred a drop of mercy before all these he followed not the practise of Saul who when an euill spirit sent of God vexed him and disquieted his minde listned vnto them that told him of a cunning Musitian to play before him but he neuer sought to God nor craued mercy at his hand and therefore albeit he were eased for a time yet his trouble returned more fiercely vpon him then before and ended in a fury and frenzy so that nothing could pacifie or appease him This is the common course of the men of this world if at any time their hearts accuse them and sinne begin to terrifie them iudgment presse sore vpon them they seeke by merriments and drinkings feasts and their companions to put that terror away And this is the onely counsell their friends can aduise theÌ„ to take Like friends like counsell carnall friends carnall counsell But they and their friends are greatly out of the right way and are wholly ignorant of the true meanes of coÌ„fort All sound comfort commeth from God and from his word All sound dofort commeth from God 2 Corin. 1.3 and therefore he hath this title giuen vnto him to be called the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation He sendeth his holy Spirit into our hearts wheÌ„ they are cast downe who by way of excellency is called the Comforter Iohn 14 26 16 26. He wil not leaue vs without comfort if we craue it of him We must goe vnto him and neuer giue him ouer He is a fountaine that can neuer bee emptied and drawne dry Besides we haue his word which being reuerently heard and read is able to raise vp and cheere vp our heauy hearts The Apostle sheweth that the Scriptures were written Roman 15 4. that we through patience and comfort of
when wee can complaine of them speake euill of them deface and euery way disgrace them as carnall men do their vtter enemies it is a true signe that our hearts are touched by the Spirit of God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Iohn 16 verse 8. When the Comforter is come he will reproue the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of iudgement Wee haue no greater enemies then our sinnes which are many in number strong in power deceitfull in snaring and dangerous in subduing of vs. They are in number as the sand on the sea shore that cannot be reckoned and moe then the haires of our head or then the houres that we haue liued They are as strong as an army of men set in battell aray who by their power and puissance haue strooke downe the chosen men of Israel They deceiue with their pleasures as the bird is taken in the snare and as the subtill harlot that flattereth with her mouth They bring danger both to soule and body and leaue vs not till wee perish for euer and be cast into the pitte of hel from whence there is no redemption Seeing then their nature is such that they carry vs headlong with violence into perdition we should also maligne them and hate them as death nay as him that hath the power of death that is the diuell Hebr. 2 verse 14. If we finde them too cunning and crafty for vs and our selues too weake to deale against them being armed with all the forces of Satan and of the world let vs goe to him that beeing stronger then that strong man is able to take away all his weapons Luke 11 verse 22. and binde him in chaines euen the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda Reuel 5 verse 5. that is able to stop the mouth of that roaring Lyon which seeketh whom he may deuoure 1 Pet. 5 8. He knoweth wherof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust And as he is of power to helpe vs and subdue our corruptions so he is of infinite mercy to pardon vs our sinnes He knoweth what is in vs better then we our selues know our selues forasmuch as he is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things If then we confesse our sinnes truely and vnfainedly as he is faithfull and iust 1 Iohn chap 1 verse 9. so he will forgiue vs he hath made the promise and the word is gone out of his mouth which he cannot call backe againe he hath vttered his voice and he cannot deny it no more then he can deny himselfe If he should reteine our sinnes we being penitent he should forfeit and falsifie his truth which cannot agree to the diuine nature and therefore as one rightly speaketh he should be a greater leeser then we This is euidently to be seene in the Psalmes of repentance penned by the Prophet Dauid as Psalme 32. At the first he sought by all the meanes that he could to hide his sinnes hee sendeth for Vriah and vseth sundry shifts to conuey him vnto his house and thereby to couer his sinne When that pollicy would not serue he sendeth secretly to Ioab to put him in place of danger and thē to retire from him that hee might fall by the sword of the Ammonites But whiles he seeketh all meanes to couer it God the searcher of hearts doth discouer it and sendeth his Prophet vnto him to reproue him Heereby euen by the Ministery of the word his heart is touched and he is made to see the greeuousnesse of his sin against whom he had sinned then he is not ashamed to acknowledge it and to leaue a memoriall of it in the Church for the good of others Thus he found wonderfull comfort by his confession and could finde none without it I acknowledged my sinne and thou forgauest mine iniquity Psal 32 5. The consideration of the multitude of our sinnes is able to bring vs to despaire but the confession of our sinnes is able to raise vp to hope againe and to stay vs vp with the mercies of GOD which are as flagons of wine to refresh vs. When Dauid had thus confessed that he had sinned God sent him a comfortable message that cheered his heart and quieted his conscience The Prophet that before threatned thundered out the Law now applieth precious balme and powreth wine and oyle into his wounds saying vnto him in the Name of God Thy sinne is pardoned They that are escaped by the mercy of God as it were from a dangerous shipwracke out of their sinnes would not come into the same case and condition againe for to gaine a kingdome nay all the kingdomes of the world When the sinfull woman confessed her sinnes by shedding abundance of teares and wiping the feete of Christ with the haires of her head hee answered concerning her as the Lord of life and comfort Many sinnes are forgiuen her for shee loued much Luke 7 verse 47. Thus he spake graciously and comfortably to the penitent theefe on the Crosse accusing himselfe reprouing his fellow iustifying Christ confessing his faith and asking forgiuenesse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. The more often we goe vnto God and confesse our sinnes before him the better it is for vs the more mercifully he will deale with vs the greater grace he will bestow vpon vs the farther he will remoue his iudgements from vs and the neerer he will approch vnto vs. Vse 3 Lastly let vs all labour after a right confession Many haue confessed their sinnes and yet found little comfort as Pharaoh Saul Iudas the Israelites and many others If we hope to speed better then these men then we must confesse better then they did If wee sinne with them and confesse as they did we shall reape no better fruite then they did We are apt to fauour and flatter our selues wee are possessed with selfe-loue Wee cannot looke vpon other mens vertues nor our owne vices we are blinde in seeing our owne faults wheras wee are sharpe sighted and quicke eyed to espie a little mote in other mens faces Wee should rather consider our owne wants to be humbled for them then the graces we haue to be puffed vp by them No man seeth the spots that be in his owne face so he discerneth not the sinnes that are in his owne soule He that would know his deformities taketh a glasse Iames 1 23. which sheweth vnto him what he is and how he is so if we would vnderstand our secret open sinnes we must behold our faces in the law of God for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3 20. Wee must therefore examine our selues touching this duty of confession and obserue diligently the true properties of it Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Not euery one that saith I am a sinner I am vncleane is a true conuert and a right penitent Nothing is more common thē to heare men say I confesse my selfe a
24 25. We are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set foorth to be a propitiation thorough faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past thorough the forbearance of God The Apostle to the Hebrewes declareth that Christ was to offer vp himselfe once and not often as the High-Priest entreth into the high place euery yeare with blood of others For then must hee often haue suffered since the foundation of the world Heb. 9 26. but now once in the ende of the world hath be appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe By all which testimonies it appeareth that Christ is our Aduocate and hath wrought our peace and attonement and thereby made an end of all other sacrifices The reasons are plaine First because God Reason 1 thereby is well pleased and his wrath appeased so that hee accounteth his death as a full price and sufficient ransome paid for them So the Euangelist witnesseth that a voice came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Math. 3 17. And in the Epistle to the Ephesians the Apostle saieth chap. 5 verse 2. Walke in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweete smelling sauour It is noted in the booke of Genesis that when Noah being come out of the Arke builded an Altar and offered burnt offerings the Lord smelled a sweete sauour Gen. 8 21. which was not the smoke of the sacrifice that ascended for what sweetnesse could there be in that but it was the sweet precious sacrifice of Christ for which his wrath was appeased being shadowed by that ceremony Reason 2 Secondly Christ tooke the whole burden of our sinnes vpon his shoulders presenting himselfe before God in our person and offering vs to God in his person so that he tooke vpon him our vnrighteousnesse and imputed to vs his righteousnesse This the Prophet Esay did most cleerely prophesie off chap. 53 verses 4 12. Surely hee hath borne our greefes and carried our sorrowes and powred out his soule vnto death c. He bare the sinnes of many and made intercession for the transgressors And the Apostle teacheth that in Christ we are reconciled to God For hee hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5 21. And in the Epistle to the Colossians chap. 2 ver 14 15. he setteth out the fruite of Christs death that he hath forgiuen vs our trespasses hath put out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs he tooke it out of the way and fastened it to his Crosse hee hath spoiled principalities and powers hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Crosse This was notably prefigured and foreshewed in the rites of the Law For when any propitiatory sacrifice was to bee offered for the people the Priest was to present the beast before the Lord to lay his hands vpon the head of the beast and to confesse the sinnes of the people vpon it and so it bare their iniquities the truth whereof is Christ himselfe Thirdly there could otherwise bee no remission Reason 3 of sinnes so that it is the blood of Christ in the suffering of the Crosse that purgeth away our sinnes as Hebr. 9 verse 22. Almost all things in the Law are purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission and therefore it was necessary that Christ should purge and purifie vs by his blood The greatnesse of our sinnes could not otherwise bee pardoned nor the person that is offended satisfied they are infinite and so require a sacrifice of infinite price and value No treasures no riches no creatures no sacrifices no ceremonies could do it it cost more to saue a soule and to redeeme the captiues and prisoners that are holden by Satan in slauery to do his will Knowing that we are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vain conuersation receiued by the tradition of the Fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot 1 Pet. 1 verses 18 19. Fourthly nothing but the death of Christ could quench the scorching wrath of God as Reason 4 a consuming fire kindled against vs counteruaile his seuere iustice Hence it is that the Apostle writing to the Hebrewes hauing shewed that the blood of Bulles and Goats could not possibly take away sinnes addeth immediately after When hee commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou ordained mee Heb. 9 5. Our sinnes haue a bloody face in the sight of God and we are enemies vnto him so that the robes of the Saints must bee dipped in the blood of the Lambe Reuel 7 ver 14. All the nitre and sope and Fullers earth in the world are weake and vnsufficient and haue not power and strength enough in them to do it So that we must say with the Prophet Psal 50 7. Purge me with Hyssope and I shall bee cleane wash me and I shall bee whiter then snow Thus then we see that Moses mentioning heere the Ramme of attonement whereby an attonement is to be made for sinners teacheth vnder this type this certaine and vndoubted truth that Christ our Sauiour hath by his blood made an attonement betweene God and vs therby reconciled vs vnto his Father The vses of this doctrine are of great weight and importance First it offereth to our considerations Vse 1 this meditation what sin is how it is to be esteemed It is a most fearefull and greeuous thing the wrath of God against it is exceeding great so that nothing in heauen or in earth could satisfie for sinne but the death of Christ Iesus the Sonne must dye for the seruant or rather for the enemy for we are by nature the children of wrath as well as others The iustice of God would not spare him though he were his onely and welbeloued Sonne but forasmuch as he was to beare our sinnes in his body he must die for ir Rom. 8 32. He spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him to the death for vs all We are not therefore to be lightly carried into the practise of sinne but to be much greeued at it to striue with all our force against it and to endeuour to ouercome it and among other things this is not the least that should trouble vs that we haue by sinne brought such misery and shame vpon the Sonne of God Wee ought to lament for this and to bewaile it euery day For if we had not sinned and by sinne beene depriued of the glory of God he had not taken vpon him the shape of a seruant neither beene humbled to the death of the Crosse We doe daily cry out
dead are there and that her guests are in the depth of hell Such naughty women are called euery where in this booke strangers though they be too familiar and well known and thrust themselues into the company of others because they should be strangers vnto vs and not of our acquaintance There is nothing more common in them then to entice young men by wanton gestures lasciuous words and plausible perswasions to dalliance and delight It is a great fauour of God to be preserued from their baites and kept from their snares yea it is a farre greater mercy to be secured from harlots then to be kept from the pestilence they shew greater wisdome that shun and passe by their houses and company then they that forsake places persons that are infected with some dangerous and deadly disease Euery one is forward to beware hee come not neere any pest-house for feare of his life but if we assemble into harlots houses we run in danger of soule body It is an easie matter to fall into a pit where a man may be drowned but it is not so easie to get out of it The wanton woman is as a deepe ditch and a narrow pit and a dangerous hole whereinto a man may slip hastily at vnwares but he shall hardly come out from thence or deliuer himselfe without the speciall goodnesse of God pulling him as it were out of the fire and setting his feete in safety For as a theefe lurketh in a denne or wood to get a prey so doth she lye in waite and vseth baites to steale away the hearts of men and thereby preuaileth mightily with many in the world Among all dangers this is not the least that Salomon speaketh of â— 2 19. None that goe vnto her returne againe neither take they hold of the pathes of life These words do not absolutely deny repentance to them that are falleÌ„ or shut the gate of mercy against them that haue sinned but the meaning is that few yea very few escape destruction returne to saluation because they sildome repent It is a very rare thing to see a penitent adulterer they leaue the sinne when it leaueth them because they can follow it no longer but they do not repent of it they do not sorrow for it they do not flie from it Hence it is that you shall hear many old men whose strength is decaied whose bodies are withered whose feet are already entred in a manner into their graues laugh heartily at the remembrance of their tricks of youth and talke wantonly filthily of the prankes which they haue plaied so that from the abundance of the heart â—h 12 34. the mouth speaketh and their corrupt communication testifieth that they neuer soundly repented of their vncleannesse No maruaile therefore if the wise man peremptorily declare that few or none of those that are giuen ouer to this lewdnesse of life do come to repentance for albeit some few find grace yet in comparison of such as run on headlong liue securely to the end in their wickednes they may worthily be said to be none at all They are so blinded besotted that they cannot see their own filthines they are so dull and deafe that they cannot heare those that admonish them nay they hate those that reproue them The Apostle Paul exhorting the Corinthians to flye fornication â— 6 18. which was most common in those daies â—â—es to a â—fornica and esteemed a slight or no sin at all vseth many notable reasons of great weight importance worthy to be considered of vs. One reason or motiue is this that our bodies are the Lords and must be seruiceable vnto him â— 6 13. The body is not for fornication but for the Lord. Wherfore hath he giuen to vs our body but that we should serue him in our body We are not to yeeld our members as instruments of vnrighteousnes vnto sin â—6 13. but we ought to yeeld our selues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and so make our members as instruments of righteousnes vnto him First therefore the Apostle reasoneth froÌ„ the end of our creation Secondly the Lord Iesus is ordained appointed to be the Redeemer Sauiour not only of the soule but also of the body therefore he saith the Lord for the body 1 Cor. 6 13. Fornication and sanctification cannot stand together but are contrary one to the other so that they cannot abide in one subiect Christ came into the world to this end that he might redeeme our bodies by his death out of the power of the diuell and sanctifie them by his Spirit If then we giue our selues as seruants to obey the lusts of the flesh wee make void the glorious worke of our redemption wherein mercy iustice and truth kissed one another For herein we see the truth of Gods promise accomplished Gen 3 15. that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head and the truth of his threatning fulfilled that man offending shold die the death Herein we may behold the wonderfull iustice of God that because man had sinned man must be punished for otherwise he had not bin a iust God Lastly hereby appeareth the vnspeakable mercy of God toward mankinde who albeit his iustice were such that rather then sin should goe vnpunished he would punish it in his Son 1 Pet. 2 24. Esay 53 12. who bare our sins in his body and made intercession for our transgressions yet found out a way how to redeeme vs when we cast our selues headlong into all misery and made our selues subiect to the greatest thraldome that euer was We are deliuered from the hands of our enemies sin the world and the diuell that we should be holy vnto him that hath called vs. The third motiue is drawne from the glorious resurrection of our bodies as the former was froÌ„ the gracious redemption of our bodies If we would haue them liue with him for euer that shall raise theÌ„ vp we must abstaine from filthy lusts which defile the body therfore the Apostle saith God hath both raised vp the Lord 1 Cor. 6 14. wil also raise vs vp by his own power The author of this great benefit and wonderfull worke is God which passeth and exceedeth mans reason Hence it is that he putteth vs in minde of his power because he is almighty If it were not vnpossible vnto him to create our bodies out of the dust of the earth why shall it not bee possible to raise them out of the dust againe Nay if he were able to make theÌ„ of that which was nothing inasmuch as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 11 3. that the things which are seene were not made of things which doe appeare how much more shall he bee able to giue to euery one his body which he had before Again he teacheth that God hath raised already the Lord Christ froÌ„ death to life therefore
in their best thoughts We are debters one to another and do owe a mutuall duty Rom. 1 12 14. Our duties are not arbitrary and indiffrent but necessary to which we are bound in an obligation tying vs to the performance thereof for euer For is it left to our choice and discretion whether we will pay the debts which we owe nor not Hence it is that Paul a worthy and excellent Apostle requested the prayers of the Churches persons to whom he wrote and the people were wont to bee mindfull of their Ministers When Peter was in prison earnest praier was made by the church for his deliuerance Acts 12 5. 15 40. They stand as it were in the forefront of the battell and Satan with all his instruments do most of all fight against them Zach. 3 ver 1. As then Christ giueth in charge that we should pray to the Lord of the haruest that he would send foorth labourers into his haruest Math. 9 38. so we ought to pray for a blessing vpon their labours which are sent forth by the gracious hand of God The want of this maketh their paines to be vnprofitable vnto vs. Ver. 24. The Lord blesse you and keepe you Now we come to the particular parts of this blessing First the protection of the Church is to be prayed for that it would please God to keepe it guard it and defend it The doctrine arising hence is this God is to be praied vnto to be the protector preseruer of his church Doctrine God is to be praied vnto to keepe and defend his Church This must we continually desire of him our mouth must be opened and our heart enlarged This we see to be figured out and represented in the couering of the tabernacle while it wandred in the wildernesse the which was as it were a portable or moueable Temple it had a large and sure couering made of Badgers skinnes sewed together to hide and preserue the same the appurtenances belonging vnto it this did signifie the safety and sure estate of the Church and of euery true member thereof sitting vnder the shadow shelter of the most High whereunto Dauid alludeth Psal 27 5. In time of trouble hee shall hide me in his pauilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me vpon a rocke To this also hath the Prophet reference Esay 4 5 6. There shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a couert from storme and from raine This also was shadowed out in the order of the Tabernacle set in the midst of foure most mighty battailions or squadrons surrounded by the Leuites so that none of the heathen or stangers could approch by reason of these puissant and powerfull armies which guarded the same and were as a wall and bulwarke vnto it on euery side This protection was also promised vnto the Israelites in times of greatest danger when they might seeme to lye open to euident perils both of domestical insurrections of forreigne inuasions while they were celebrating their solemne feasts euery male was commanded to appeare before the Lord Exod. 34 24. I will cast out the Nations before thee and enlarge thy borders neyther shall any man desire thy Land when thou shalt goe vp to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in the yeare We are commanded to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and for the building vp of the walles thereof Psalm 51 18 and 122 6 7. Our daily praier therefore must be that he would do good to Sion in his good pleasure for our brethren and companions sake we must say Peace be within thy walles prosperity within thy Pallaces The reasons warranting and mouing vs to pray that the Church may be secured are first Reason 2 because as the state of the Church standeth so it goeth commonly with the common-wealth The Church is the life of the commoÌ„wealth by which it liueth and as the soule by which it breatheth For as the soule quickneth the naturall body so doth the Church giue motion and strength to the politike body If the Church be well seene vnto it cannot goe amisse with the ciuill State Hence it is that the Lord willed the Iewes to seeke the peace of the City whither he had caused theÌ„ to be carried away captiues and to pray to the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall yee haue peace Ier. 29 7. Secondly howsoeuer the state of the church standeth so our owne particular estate remaineth whether it haue cause to reioyce or to be sorry euen the same cause haue we both of the one and of the other For how can the childe chuse but prosper while the mother is in health and prosperity Or how can it but be weake and sickly by the weaknesse sicknesse of the mother The Church is the mother of vs all we sucke both her brests as it were the sincere milke of the old and new Testament We know that the man which goeth in a shippe vpon the sea his desire and praier is for the safety of the whole Ship no lesse theÌ„ for his owne particular because he knoweth his owne estate dependeth vpon the estate of the whole Ship and therefore he hath good reason to pray for it And what is the Church of God but as it were a Shippe floting vp and downe in the sea of this world tossed too and fro with the rough and raging windes of the wicked and therefore we ought to pray earnestly for it â— 11. lest as Iacob said of Esau the mother and the childe be destroyed together Thirdly it is required of vs to haue a fellow feeling of the wants and necessities of our brethren as well as of our owne as Rom. 12 10 15. Bee kindly affectionated one to another with brotherly loue reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe because we are all members one of another If one member of the naturall body suffer all the rest suffer with it so the troubles of the Church should goe as neere vnto vs as our owne priuate griefes and troubles Lastly the Church hath sundry enemies which plot the death and destruction thereof and seeke to ruine and subuert them that belong vnto it in body and soule The cheefest and greatest that setteth the rest on worke is Satan â—4 8 a man-slayer from the beginning a roaring lyon seeking whom he may deuoure The instruments that he imployeth like the wheele of a clocke that giueth motion to the rest are the flesh the world false teachers The flesh is full of darknes doubting the seed of al euil The world is an hook ready to catch vs baited partly with pleasures and profits with honors and promotions and partly with threatnings â— terrors and persecutions of enemies False teachers come disguised in sheepes clothing and armed with errors heresies which may be
we must not forget that the people gaue before this gifts of great price Exod. 35 27. yet heere againe seeing a want they bring more and that freely without coaction or compulsion to finish and perfect fully the worke that was so happily begun The doctrine â—â—ctrine â—ood work â—â—un must 〈◊〉 be giuen 〈◊〉 from hence is this that a good worke begun especially furthering Gods worshippe is not to bee neglected or intermitted vntill it bee brought to an end and to perfection We see this in the booke of Ezra chap. 5 1 2. the building of Gods house after the returne of the Israelites from captiuity had beene a long time hindred through the malice of their enemies yet now they begin with good courage to set vpon the worke againe being stirred vp by the Prophets and neuer giue ouer vntill it was finished and chap. 6 14. they builded and finished the house of God and prospered The like zeale forwardnesse we see in Nehemiah ch 4 3 4 c. he built the wall which indeed was the first that was throwne downe but the last that was set vp by whose meanes all the wall was ioyned together for the people had a minde to worke When the Iewes had begun to destroy their enemies they did not leaue the worke vnperfect and therefore Ester required that it might bee granted to them â—e 5 13. to do to morrow as they had done that day and that Hamans ten sonnes might bee hanged vpon the gallowes Hence it is that Elisha reproued the King of Israel who smote vpon the ground three times and then stayed saying vnto him 2 King 13 19. Thou shouldst haue smitten fiue or sixe times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadâ—t consumed it whereas now thou sâ—alt smite it but thrice He began the worke of the Lord well but he did not make a good end 2 Cor. 8 10 11 The Apostle perswading the Corinthians to liberality toward the Saints willeth the readily to performe that which they had willingly begun The reasons are plaine The God of heauen will prosper weake beginnings Reason 1 if there be a readinesse and cheerefulnesse in vs. This should be a great encouragement vnto vs as it was to Nehemiah to arise and build the wall seeing they had the promise of Gods prospering of the worke that was vnder their hands Neh. 2 20. Secondly if we looke backe we are not apt to Gods kingdome Lu 9 62. It is spoken indeed of the Ministery which may fitly be called Gods Plough as the Ministers are the husbandmen the word is the seed the heart of man is the field that is to bee ploughed vp tilled and sowed but it is true also in al good things and euery worke of religion if we giue ouer we lose our labor we misse our reward Thirdly it is better not to begin then hauing begun not to proceed better neuer to lay the first stone in the building then hauing laide a good foundation not to make an end because it will be said to our reproch This man began to build but was not able to finish Luk. 14 30. It is happened vnto such according to the true Prouerbe The dog is turned to his owne vomite againe and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet 2 22. This serueth to reproue such as giue ouer Vse 1 their profession which rest in a good worke begun and in weake and small beginnings They are like Balaam that wished hee might dye the death of the righteous but he would go no farther Or they are like the morning dew which by and by the Sunne dryeth vp or like Herod that reuerenced Iohn did many things when he heard him preach but he would not depart from all sinne and obey whatsoeuer Iohn taught Mark 6 20. and therfore it had bin as good he had done nothing Agrippa was perswaded somewhat to become a Christian when he had heard Paul preach but he would not become altogether such as he was as Paul desiâ—ed Acts 20 28. The stony ground being by nature hot made the corne spring vp hastily and promise plentifull fruite to the husbandman but when the Sun arose in his strength it was quickly scorched began by little and little to wither away so is it with many hearers they receiue the word with ioy and beleeue for a season but they want roote and in time oftentation they fall away Luke 8 verse 13. A falling backe into sinne is more dangerous then the relapse into an old sicknesse this may endanger the body but that endangereth the soule this may bring a temporall death but that will bring a spirituall nay an eternall death Let vs therefore take the counsell of Christ giuen to the Church of Ephesus Reuel 2 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first workes or else I will come vnto thee quickly and will remoue thy Candlesticke out of his place except thou repent Austine saith well to this purpose De Tempo Serm. 182. Redeat homo per quotidiana lamenta vnde corruit per vana delectamenta As man hath fallen by vaine delighting so let him returne againe by daily lamenting Let vs make such a firme league and such a sure promise with religion as Elisha did with Eliah 2 King 2 6. As the Lord liueth and as thy soule liueth I will not leaue thee so let vs say with full purpose of heart with a setled resolution I will neuer depart from the faith I will neuer leaue my obedience I will neuer giue ouer true religion Thus it was with Dauid he stood not wauering in the matters of God or houering vp downe in the winde looking for a change but he had determined what he would do Psalm 119 93 106. I will neuer forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me And afterward I haue sworne and I will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements This was an holy oath whereby he bound himselfe as it were in a statute from starting backe that he might neuer entertaine any thought of giuing ouer his profession Let vs set before vs euermore this example let vs be constant and vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord knowing that our labours shall not bee in vaine in the Lord. Vse 2 Secondly it reproueth such as stand at a stay like the earth that neuer moueth such as neyther go forward nor backward but are alwaies the same men and looke where you left them there you shall be sure to finde them These are earthly minded and sauour onely of the earth yet they thinke themselues to be somewhat and such as deserue highly to bee commended because they do not goe backe nor waxe worse and worse as others do Thus while they compare themselues with those that are worse they are growne into an high conceite that they are most excellent But let them not deceiue themselues they vse false weights
to deferre the celebrating of it together with others one is vncleannesse the other is a iourney both of them must bee vnderstood as grounded vpon necessity For to thrust himself into the vncleannes heere ment without a calling or to absent himselfe by a iourney vpon euery trifling occasion thereby omitting the busines of God because he wold further his own busines is rather to be ceÌ„sured very sharply theÌ„ to suffer an excuse vpoÌ„ necessity of whom we may say with Salomon As a bird that wandreth from her nest Pro. 27.8 so is a man that wandreth from his place For there are very many in al places that had rather leaue the Lords worke vndone then spare one day of their owne It is a great matter with them to lose a dayes worke but they regard it as a matter of nothing to rob God of his day that he hath kept for himselfe They had rather goe to a drunken feast abroad theÌ„ to feast with God in his house They had rather go speak to others in their owne affaires then either to God by prayer or heare him speak to theÌ„ in his word on the Sabboth day But to leaue this and to returne to the matter in hand by vncleannes in touching the dead is ment by proportion all other kinds of legall vncleannesse whatsoeuer which signifie the defilements of sin continued without repentance the Lord leading his Church in the minority of it by outward things to inward by earthly to spirituall by the shadow to the body The dead body is accounted vncleane because death which hath seazed vpon it is the fruite of sin wherby men are truely made vncleane The Passeouer was to the Israelites the same that the Supper is to vs the equity therfore and truth of that which is heere described and directed to the people remaineth to vs for euer and teacheth That necessitie brought vpon any by the hand of God Doctrine or by an ineuitable duty of a mans calling Necessity brought vpon any by Gods hand dispenseth with Gods seruice for that time doe for that time free him from the publike exercises of religion and of Gods worship If it be to saue a mans life or to preserue his house and goods from destruction it giueth liberty a toleration and dispensation for the present to leaue the immediate worship of God Such is the immediate hand of God in sickenesse as we see in Hezekiah Esay 38. Such was the case of Dauid in persecution Psal 84. Such is the case of those that are in a long iourney as in this place Likewise whensoeuer the publike meanes are for a time taken away through persecution Psa 74 In time of sicknesse God requireth another duty of vs to wit to looke to our health in danger of life to looke to our safety in danger of our goods to looke to our wealth Reason 1 For whensoeuer God denyeth the meanes his will is that the things themselues should ceasse For other meanes may not be inuented or any other forme then that which he hath ordained as Ioel 1.19 he threatneth that the meat offering and drinke offering should ceasse Whensoeuer the will of God is that these things shall be done he will offer vnto vs and put into our hands the meanes he will giue vs the time and opportunity to do them Secondly it is Gods pleasure to accept of mercy rather then sacrifice Mat. 12.7 Hence it is that to saue from fire and water to preserue life to visit the sick and to look to them is to be preferred and more to be respected then going to the Church or hearing of the word What man shall there be among you saith Christ Mat. 12.11 that shall haue one sheepe and if it fall into a pit on the Sabboth day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out how much then is a man better then a sheepe for the Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth God ordaining it for our good not for our hurt Vse 1 Hence it followeth that it is not simply the omitting of â—he Sacraments but the neglect and contempt of them is dangerous to neglecters and contemners They shall beare their sinne as they iustly deserue whose default it is The Israelites in the wildernesse were forty yeeres together vncircumcised yet were they to be holden the people of God because they cannot be charged with negligence nor reprooued for any contempt in as much as they wanted leysure being in their iourney or daily expecting the signe of remoouing All the people that came out of Egypt were circumcised Iosh 5.5 but al the people that were borne in the wildernesse by the way them they circumcised not and it is excused or defended by necessity For the Sacraments doe not conferre grace neither are they absolutely necessaâ—y to saluation as if without them a man could not possibly be saued Hence therefore are the Romanists reprooued that do teach that children are damned that dye without Baptisme Children dying without Baptisme arâ— not damned as though all the Israelites that dyed in the wildernesse which were borne there and were not circumcised were condemned no doubtlesse no more then that all which were circumcised were saued True it is Moses was reprooued and was neere to death because he circumcised not his sonne who had time and leisure to doe it Exod. 4.24 and we must take heed of contempt which deserueth a cutting off from the people of God Gen. 17.14 because he hath broken the Couenant Howbeit as it is said in the prouerb Necessity hath no law The grace of Christ taketh away all the sinnes of all beleeuers and therefore the generall guilt brought in by originall sinne Rom. 5. This grace is not tyed to outward signes but dependeth vpon the free pleasure of God This is receiued by faith only as appeareth in the example of Abraham and farther confirmed by the Sacâ—aments Neuerthelesse we acknowledge a necessity in respect of the commandement of God and of the proper end and therfore is with all reuerence and conscience and obedience to bee yeelded vnto Secondly where the ordinary and precious Vse 2 meanes of saluation the preaching of the word and administration of the Sacraments are taken away and remooued as the standard out of the campe or the light out of the candlesticke there the extraordinary and more weak meanes are to be vsed of vs and Gods blessing in such cases is to bee hoped for and looked after In the dayes of persecution priuate reading meditation and conference are blessed of God and his Church maintained continued and encreased thereby yea the beholding of the constant suffering of the holy martyrs was a forcible meanes to worke the conuersion of many and made them in loue with that doctrine for which they suffered and gaue their liues In times of famine when there is no bread left in a citie and the inhabitants are constrained to fare hard and short yet it
out and told the people the words of the Lord and gathered c. We haue in these words to the end of the Chapter the third point to wit the execution both of that which God had promised in mercy and of that which he had threatened in iudgement Heere then is a double affect one touching the fellow-helpers ioyned in commission with Moses as his assistants They were as it were of his priuie counsell he prepareth them and God furnisheth them and communicateth his Spirit vnto them which is amplified by a double euent the first is common to all the seuenty elders they prophesied whereby God sealed vp vnto them the assurance of their calling and procured them reuerence among the people as we see in Saul 1 Sam. 10.10 and in Salomon 1 King 3.16 28 The second is speciall two of these Elders abode behind in the tents and came not to the Tabernacle shewing themselues by this drawing backe vnwilling and accounted themselues vnable and vnworthy to vndergo the charge as Saul when he was annointed to be king hid himselfe among the stuffe 1 Sam. 10.22 as also Moses and Ieremy did when they were called knowing that none is sufficient for these things Heereupon a yong man who he was or to what end he did it it is vncertaine because it is not expressed made report of their prophesying to Moses at the hearing whereof Ioshua desireth him to forbid them by his authority hee was too much addicted to the person of his master as many hearers are to their teachers as Paul complaineth that some did hold of Apollo and some of Cephas 1 Cor. 1.12 as in our dayes many conceiue too highly of Luther otherwise a very worthy man howbeit Moses tendring the good of all the people more then his owne glory reproueth his corrupt affection Enuiest thou for may sake and sheweth a contrary disposition in himselfe desiring that all the Lords people could prophesie c. The other effect is touching the flesh prouided and supplied which is enlarged by the instrumentall cause a winde went foorth from the Lord by the place from whence they came from the red sea out of Africke in great plenty and abundance by the miserable issue and euent of all While the flesh stucke betweene their teeth they were striken with a great plague and perished in great numbers and lastly by a memoriall of the sinne and of the punishment the name of the place was called Kibroth Hattaauah that is the graues of lust for there they buried the people that lusted In this diuision it is to be noted that Moses going from the presence of God relateth nothing but that which God had spoken vnto him and commanded him to speake vnto theÌ„ and therefore the Ministers are warned thereby to teach nothing but what they haue receiued from the word as it were from the mouth of God Num. 6 22 18. 1 Corin. 11 23. Mat. 28 20. They are his messengers and embassadours emploied by him Mal. 2 7. This condemneth vnwritten verities and traditions maintained in the Church of Rome vnder which they would conuey vnto vs a fardell fraught with their owne inuentions But let the Ministers giue attendance to the reading of the Scriptures and consult with God by them 1 Tim. 4 13 15 16 and let al Gods people shut their eares against humane deuises open their eares and hearts to receiue whatsoeuer God shall teach them in his word 1 Kin. 13 15 16 17. c. There ran a young man and told Moses and said Eldad and Medad do prophesie in the campe Ioshua said My Lord Moses forbid them Ioshua feared lest the credite and reputation of Moses should bee lessened among the people by this communication of his spirit He had a good intent howbeit he was iealous of his master amisse which proceeded from the corrupt fountaine of enuy for which he is reproued Out of which I might generally obserue that it is the duty of masters to reproue their seruants â—octrine 〈◊〉 the duty 〈◊〉 masters to â—â—â—roue their â—â—â—â—ants as Christ doth oftentimes his Disciples Priuate men that haue onely a generall charge are bound to reproue Exod. 22. Leuit. 19 17. much more such as haue the ouersight of the waies of others Againe conniuence concealing of sinne is a kinde of consenting vnto sinne he that hideth and reproueth not his friends faults maketh them his owne As it is in prouision for the family so it is in instruction he that prouideth not for the good of their bodies is guilty of their death if they perish through want of temporall things so he that regardeth not the good of their soules their blood shall be required at his hands if he suffer them to perish through want of instruction This reproueth all such masters as encourage Vse 1 or flatter their seruants in euill or suffer them to do what they list These cast away all care of their seruants as Caine did of his brother saying Am I my brothers keeper so do these say Am I my seruants keeper Gen. 4 9. are they not old enough to looke to themselues to take charge of themselues shall wee make them alwaies as babes children He is iustly accounted a cruell master that would suffer his seruant to drowne himselfe when hee may hinder him and saue him aliue Eli is punished for suffering his sonnes to run on in euill Secondly inferiours must suffer reproofe of their gouernours willingly and patiently and not breake out into choler against them like brute beasts that are vnteachable and vntractable which kicke spurne at the handling of their wounds and sores because they want reason to conceiue what is good for themselues so are these vtterly ignorant what is good for their soules The patient loueth the Physition though his potions be bitter and the Surgeon mortifieth corrupt members fooles doe hate correction saith the wise man Prou. 5 22 17 10. and it is oftentimes the cause of ruine of vnbrideled youth these do in truth hate their own soules which is a fearefull kinde of hatred Lastly let all gouernors superiours haue an eye euer watchfull ouer the waies of such as are vnder them that so they may encourage them in well doing and reproue them for euil doing This was in Elisha toward Gehazi running after Naaman and hunting after bribes 2 Kin. 5 25. Thus also did Salomon hee had an eye ouer Shemei and quickly found out his departure out of Ierusalem and wandering beyond the bounds set vnto him 1 Kings 2 43 44. Let euery one therefore take heed to their charges My Lord Moses Note heere the title which Ioshua giueth to Moses he contenteth not himselfe to call him by his bare name but before it he prefixeth a title of honour This teacheth that inferiours must vse speeches of reuerence subiection toward their superiours Doctrine Inferiours must shew reuerence towaâ—d their superiours as Mal. 1 6. 1 Pet 2 14
by staied and repressed it winneth ground and spreadeth farther like a canker Whereby we see it is an easie steppe and descent from one euill to another as it is to go downe a steepe hill Now the sinne of these men is three-fold First they are as blinde men that cannot see the iudgements of the Lord but accuse Moses of murther and impute to him the death and destruction of those that were buried in the earth consumed to ashes with the fire Moses was onely the Minister of God in their destruction the cause of their owne death was in theÌ„selues as if a malefactour neuer considering what himselfe hath committed should cast the cause of his condemnation vpoÌ„ the Iudge and cry out against him as a shedder of blood Secondly their vnthankfulnesse who will by no meanes confesse that they were saued the day before and sundry times besides from destruction by the intercession of Moses if he had not praied for them they had perished as one man with the seditious For they were all become as one sicke body wherein no part was sound but ful of wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Esay 1 6. They seeke his death that after a sort had giuen them life and they rise vp against him that had beene the meanes of their deliuerance Thirdly as they did condemne the innocent so they iustifie the vngodly both which are an abhomination to the Lord Prou. 17 15. Such wicked persons as God had rooted out of the Land of the liuing and turned them into the earth which was weary to beare such vnprofitable burdens they call them the people of God which were no better then a cursed crue of conspirators against God and such as he had appointed to manage the State Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall These men therefore rising vp in their stead that were fallen into the pit and defending their cause of whom GOD had taken the account doe make themselues guilty of their sinnes are iustly swept away with the iudgements of God Doctrine We learne heereby The wicked will not bee warned by former iudgements that such is the corrupt heart of wicked man that it will take no warning by former iudgements though they be neuer so fearefull and euident They had often seene how great things God had wrought among his people yet they are blinde and doe not see them they are wilfull and will not regard them they are sottish and will take no knowledge of them Psal 10 5. Esay 22 12 13 Psal 24 38 39. Luk. 19 42. Dan. 5 22. This maketh sinne out of measure sinfull The reasons First because they see God Reason 1 is a mercifull patient God he beareth long and holdeth his peace and therefore they thinke he is like vnto themselues Psal 50 21. so they abuse his patience and will do nothing Secondly they thinke the day of their iudgment Reason 2 is not neere they set it farre off from them It may be it may come in time but they hope there will be peace in their dayes Ezek. 12 27. The people iudged that the Prophet had prophesied for many daies to come and of such times as were farre off and thereupon they concluded that the daies were prolonged and euery vision failed Thirdly they loue their owne sinnes and Reason 3 out of that great loue to their sinnes they are vnwilling altogether to take notice of any iudgement due to their sinne cannot abide that the Minister or any other should giue theÌ„ warning of the same for they hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Amos 5 verse 10. The vses remaine Vse 1 First of all are men naturally so vnwilling of themselues to set before them Gods iudgements Then this serueth as an admonition to the Ministers that they should often threaten Gods iudgemeâ—â— against the wicked seeing they are so dull aâ—d vnwilling to take any notice of them or to be warned by them God worketh out his iudgements in euery place and he setteth his Ministers on worke that they should cry ouâ—â—nd not spare to publish them and make them â—owne though men be neuer so much hardened in their sinnes sometimes by reason of the profite that they make by their sinnes sometimes by reason of the pleasure that they finde in their sinnes But howsoeuer they be admonished of any iudgement present or imminent they are little affected with it they are ready to say with the Atheists 1 Cor. 15 32. Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Let vs alone with our doing for the present and we will take order for those iudgements that are to come hereafter well enough Obiect If any say it behoueth not the Minister to be so feruent and earnest in his reproofes but to handle sinne more gently because many are the worse for sharpe rebukes and few or none the better Answer I answer this is our greefe and causeth vs often to mourne in secret but yet this cannot be our discharge for we must labour to free and deliuer all men so farre as we can from the fierce wrath iudgements of God otherwise their blood would light vpon our heads and be required at our hands if they perish through our negligence It is the nature of the Cocke as some obserue that at the dead time of the night hee croweth most loud and shrill whether he doth so or not I know not but this I am sure of that the Ministers of God ought to do so when they see men to be most dull and dead in their sinnes they should be most earnest and vehement euen at the deadest times of all they must bee most zealous that so they may deliuer their owne soules and not be constrained to answer for the sinnes of those that perish Vse 2 Secondly this reproueth the age wherein we liue of much corruption because it can sleepe so securely at the noyse of Gods iudgements These murmurers in this place had heard the pittifull cry and fearefull noise of those that were swallowed vp in the earth yet they haue already forgotten that which fell out but a day before We commonly say A wonder lasteth but nine daies but behold how they had seene one of the greatest wonders in the world when the earth whose foundation the Lord hath laid to bee firme and stable that it should not be remoued for euer Psal 104 5 opened her mouth and swallowed these vnbeleeuers and they had heard with their eares their outcryes when they descended into the deepe yet this wonder lasted but one day nay not one whole day for on the morrow it was quite out of their remembrance We haue had all sorts of warnings whatsoeuer generall particular by his word by his workes by his iudgements vpon others and vpon our selues yet we take generally and particularly little warning by them How hath God dealt with many of vs and how neare hath he come vnto vs with his particular
then Christ is not yet risen from the dead ver 13 15 16. but he is already risen and death shall haue no more dominion ouer him Rom. 6.9 and if the head be risen then the members shall rise also The head cannot be without the members and how can that head be said to haue life in it if all the members should lie couered in the dust and neuer be vnited to the head neither one to another The second reason Againe if no resurrection then of all men the beleeuers were most miserable vers 19. Here they are vexed with sundry enemies Satan the world and the flesh Lazarus heere wanteth and suffereth hunger while the rich glutton is clothed with purple and fareth deliciously euery day Luk. 16.19 The godly weepe and lament while the vngodly reioyce and be glad Ioh. 16.20 At this stone the godly haue often stumbled Psal 73.2 3. Ier. 12.1 2. and from hence the reprobate take occasion to harden their hearts in wickednesse because they thinke there is no God will reward them that seeke after him Mal. 3.14 but they are greatly deceiued Psal 58.11 For woe were it to all Gods seruants if there were no resurrection eternall life But they are not the most miserable because they are pronounced blessed by the mouth of Christ Matth. 5.4 6 10 11. Luk. 16.25 2 Thess 1.5 6 c. The third reason Thirdly if there should be no resurrection of the godly from death to life then the first Adam should be more mighty and powerful then the second so that the second Adam should be impotent and weake if hee should not be able to deliuer them from the iawes of death Adam and Christ are compared vnto two trees Adam and Christ comâ—red and both of them communicate to Vse 4 their boughes and branches such things as they haue of their owne Adam was as an euill and rotten tree and therefore communicateth so men these properties and no better Christ is the good tree and full of sap and life and he infuseth into his members goodnesse and life and no worse then these It is not possible that an euill tree should bring foorth good fruite or a good tree euill fruit Mat. 7.17 Fourthly The fourth reason all our enemies and the enemies of Christ are to be taken cleane away made subiect to Christ and to vs ver 25 26. All shall be put vnder his feete Psa 8. and he must raigne vntill all his enemies be made his footestoole Psal 110.1 The last enemie of the head and members is death this shall be quite abolished at the last day and not before True it is that Christ himselfe can die no more Rom. 6.9 Heb. 7.25 yet hee accounteth it his enemie because it is an enemie to his children How death is Christs enemy and how ours and he accounteth that as done to himselfe which is done to any of his members Act. 9. And it is our enemie because it daily cutteth off part of our life and seeketh to take hold of it it weareth and wasteth our dayes by his messengers or harbengers to wit troubles and calamities sickenesses sores and aches it bringeth sundry paines and dolours it separateth the dearest and neerest friendes that euer were the body and the soule it leadeth the body captiue and clappeth it vp in a loathsome prison full of wormes and filthinesse and rottennesse it destroyeth that Tabernacle which was at the first a most glorious creature and as farre as lyeth in it it would depriue the body of eternall life and keepe it in ignominy for euer vnder the earth so that it is a most spitefull malicious enemy raging vpon vs without any mercy or compassion Fiftly The fift reason If there were no resurrection to what end and purpose are any baptized for dead if the dead rise not at all Verse 23. why are they then baptized for the dead This place is darke and commonly vnderstood of the Sacrament of Baptisme but then it will not necessarily proue the point for w e it is brought and it is brought to proue the resurrection Wherefore to make the Apostles reason good we must vnderstand it either of the washing and cleansing of the bodies of the deceassed as the word baptisme often signifieth Mar. 7.4 He. 9.10 for this was a common custome among the people of God that first they washed the dead bodies and then annointed them Act. 9.37 yea among the heathen themselues which was a certaine testimony to the liuing of the resurrection of the bodies of the dead To this purpose doth Seruius alledge an old verse of the Poet Ennius Tarquinij corpus bona foemina lauit vnxit Serui. in Aeneid lib. 6. That is A certain deuout woman washed and annointed the body of Tarquinius The like doth Pliny auouch in one place of his naturall histories Pliny as the same Seruius testifieth and expresseth the cause that thereby they might make tryall whether the vitall spirits yet remained in the body or not And Virgil Virgil. Acâ—â—â— lib. 6. declaring how the Trojanes solemnized the funeral of Misenus hath these words Pars calidos latices ahena vndantia flammis Expediunt corpusque lauant frigentis vngunt That is Some brought the waters warm with heat and cauldrons eke appoint The body cold they wash and then with ointments it annoint These witnesses doe sufficiently prooue that the Gentiles did ordinarily vse to wash their dead and then to annoint them and this was a very ancient practise among them Or else we may vnderstand the place of the death and afflictions of the Saints of GOD which they suffer for righteousnesse sake in which they are ouerwhelmed as the body is plunged in the waters and thus the word is taken Luk. 12.50 Matth. 20.22 23. where our Sauiour calleth them backe from their ambitious thoughts of superiority ouer their fellowes and warneth them to prepare themselues for troubles yea for death it selfe This is the cup that all must drinke off 2 Tim. 3.13 Act. 14.22 Baptisme properly signifieth a dipping or plunging into the water and the crosse is a certaine plunging into calamities Thus then the reason is framed If there be no resurrection then should they doe foolishly that would seale vp the trueth of the Gospel with their blood and lay downe their liues for the testimony of God but such as resist vnto blood and suffer persecution for the words sake are not foolish Life is precious and deare vnto them as well as vnto others they would not therefore be so lauish and prodigal of it as to lay it downe except they looked for a better life which the Apostle farther amplifieth by his owne example Matth. 10.39 33. 2 Tim. 2.12 and 4.7.8 1 Cor. 15.30 31. Act. 5.41 16.25 Ioh. 21.19 â—he sixt reaâ—n Lastly the Apostle reasoneth thus If there be no resurrection of the flesh then the Epicures and Libertines taught well that
betweene sinne and sinne both in nature and in the punishment due vnto them some are greater some lesser some worther of greater punishment and some of lesser yet the least sin committed in thought and motion deserueth euerlasting death and separation from the gracious presence of God if he deale with vs according to the rigour of his iustice and looke vpon vs without the satisfaction of Christ The writers and teachers of the Popish Religion publish to the world that wee hold the sottish Paradox of the Stoikes that all sinnes are equall The Papists slander vs 〈◊〉 make all siâ— equall the contrary whereof is manifest in the harmony of the confessions of our Churches And why do they slander vs with this dotish doctrine or vpon what foundation doe they ground this accusation forsooth because we hold that all are mortall But this is a weake consequent and will not proue the point for which they alledge it All men are mortall euen Princes as it is said in the Psalme 82.6 shall we hence conclude that the people are equall to Princes because they are alike subiect to mortality In the breach of the seuenth commandement there are sundry sortes of vncleannesse and incontinency forbidden as fornication when men defile themselues with filthy harlots and concubines adultery betweene them that are married incest committed with such as are neere in consanguinity or affinity the sinne of the Sodomites Who leauing the naturall vse of the woman burne in lust one toward another man with man working filthinesse Rom. 1.27 reuenged with fire and brimstone from heauen Gen. 19. Among all these seuerall kindes there are degrees of sinne one is greater then other adultery worse then fornication incest then adultery and Sodometry then them all and all these by the confession of the Papists themselues are mortall and yet by their owne confession also one is more heinous and horrible then the other If then their conclusion bee good against vs that we hold all sinnes to bee equal because we teach that they are mortall how should it not stand as strong and firme against themselues that they also hold all these sinnes to be equall fornication as bad as incest and adultery as heinous as Sodometry because they teach that they are all of them mortall The like absurdity wee might easily inferre against them in the rest of the commandements and that out of the Roman Catechisme But to vnderstand this point the better let vs consider that our Churches teach no other doctrine then the Scriptures teach that as all sinnes proceede out of the same fountaine of corruption and infidelity so all of them make vs guilty of eternall death and damnation vnlesse we obtaine pardon by faith in the Mediatour Christ Iesus Luke 12.47.48 All sinnes whether committed of ignorance or knowledge deserue stripes either many or few and these stripes are no other then eternall punishments as appeareth by the wordes of the Apostle 2 Thes 1.8 so that they which know not God neither beleeue the Gospel shall be punished in hel because according to the opinion of the Papists themselues when the Lord shall come in flaming fire to iudge the quicke and the dead Purgatory shal vtterly ceasse and be no more the prison dores shall be broken the fire shall be quenched the place shall be emptyed and the poore soules shall be discharged then shall be a gaile deliuery they shall be quit by Proclamation To vnderstand this the better we must know that sinnes may bee said to bee mortall or veniall three wayes â—s may â—d to bee â—ll or veâ—â—hree â—s First in regard of the euent Secondly in regard of the cause Thirdly in regard of the nature of the sinnes themselues They are veniall in regard of the successe or euent which doe obtaine pardon and when forgiuenesse followeth them though they be in themselues most greeuous as 1 Ioh. 5.16 where the Apostle calleth those onely sinnes vnto death whose reward certainely is eternall death and those not to death which may bee forgiuen howsoeuer in their own nature they merit damnation Thus we may say that Dauids adultery and murther were veniall sinnes because howsoeuer in the nature of them they were deadly yet were they veniall in regard of the euent because Nathan said vnto him The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12.13 â—ss ordin in â—r 11. No sinne is veniall so long as we follow it and no sinne is mortall when once we forsake it Pro. 28.13 All sinnes are made veniall by repentance no sin is veniall without repentance Secondly sinnes may bee said to bee veniall in regard of the cause from whence they proceed whereupon they sooner obtaine pardon because they are not done of malice and a setled purpose but of ignorance and infirmity as Paul sheweth this to bee the cause why his sinne was veniall vnto him and why he obtained mercy and forgiuenesse because he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 And in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke it is said the Priest shall make attonement when a priuate person or the whole Congregation hath committed any thing through errour or ignorance and it shall be forgiuen them for it is ignorance Numb 14.25 These sinnes springing from this fountaine are damnable in themselues from hence it came that Paul was a persecuter and a blasphemer but the Father of all mercies and compassions gaue him pardon because hee sinned of ignorance and infirmity So then his sinnes were veniall in regard of the euent and of the cause But sinne considered in the nature of the thing it selfe is not veniall but deserueth temporall and eternall punishment Now the Papists themselues teach â— Popish 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne that sinne is truely and properly called veniall when it is so in it owne nature and deserueth onely a temporall punishment either in this life or in the life to come so that if God would examine it and enter into iudgement with it according to his most rigourous and seuere iustice hee could not punish it with eternall death for as much as in it owne nature it deserueth pardon or at least some slight or temporall punishment And of these the controuersie is betweene the Church of Rome and vs and not of those that are veniall by the euent or by the cause But the Scripture teacheth vs that all sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 This is a true and perfect definition of sinne for euery transgression of the Law is sinne and euery sinne is a transgression of the Law From whence wee reason thus Euery transgression of the law is worthy of death Euery sinne is a transgression of the Law Therefore euery sinne is worthy of death The first part is plainely proued by many places Gal. 3.13.10 Deut. 27.26 Matth. 5.22 whereby it is manifest that the Prophet the Apostle and Christ himselfe speake generally without limitation that whosoeuer committeth any
the former And therefore themselues teach that infants baptized though they cannot be tryed yet goe immediatly into heauen and receiue the crowne of life But suppose this were a good conclusion yet he plaieth the notable Sophister in that he prooueth not that sinne is not worthy of death which he ought to haue done before hee conclude that some sinnes are in their owne nature veniall For many sinnes doe not bring death which notwithstanding are worthy of death they doe not bring death through Gods mercy but they are worthy of death through their owne merit Wherefore this place of the Apostle being well vnderstood directly ouerthroweth this distinction of sin from whence it goeth about to seeke shelter and defence Vse 3 Thirdly vnder these types and shadowes heere rehearsed touching the water of separation which was made with the ashes of a redde heiffer without spot wherein no blemish was which was brought out of the host to be killed and the Priest must sprinkle her blood seuen times before the Tabernacle of the Congregation c. I say vnder these shadowes the chiefe mysteries of our faith are handled For there was no way of saluation but by Christ from the beginning ◠14 6. and there shall bee no other new way vnto the end He was euermore the doore by which all enter into the kingdome of God ◠10 9. He is the same yesterday and to day and for euer Heb. chapter 13 verse 8. This the Apostle teacheth vs plainely by alluding to these words Hebr. chapter 9 verses 13 14. If the blood of Bulles and Goats and the ashes of an Heiffer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serue the liuing God Heere the Apostle hath reference vnto the redde heiffer mentioned in this place whose ashes gathered together were sprinkled in the waters of separation and serued to sanctifie touching the purifying of the flesh so that such as were shut from the Congregation being sprinkled therewith had free liberty to come to the Tabernacle The truth of all this was Christ Iesus he is this redde heiffer his blood is the true purging Psal 51 verses 2 7. 1 Pet. chap. 1 verse 2. And as the doore postes of the Israelites were sprinkled with the blood of the Lambe so must our hearts with the blood of Christ Now of this type obserue these principall points of religion First that Christ Iesus is true man found in the forme and shape of man That hee might humble himselfe and become obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Phil. 2 verse 8. This is the cause that hee is pictured out vnto vs in the colour of the redde heiffer rather then in any other to put vs in minde of his death and the shedding of his precious blood Thus also he is described by the Prophet Who is this that commeth from Edom with died garments from Bozrah c. I that speake in righteousnesse to saue Wherefore art thou redde in thine apparell and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine fatte Esay 63 verses 1.2 This is no small comfort vnto vs especially in all tentations thogh our sinnes haue a bloody face before his face though they be red as scarlet yet the blood of Christ hath washed them away These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe Reuel chapter 7 verse 14. Hee hath a feeling of our sorrowes and is touched with our infirmities being made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 2 17 18. and 4 15. Secondly we learne from this consideration that the Heiffer must be without spotte and without blemish that Christ Iesus was a pure and perfect offering without any sinne Hebr. chapter 7 verse 26 he was holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heauens This is our comfort also and consolation for if he had bene sinnefull we should yet walke in our sinnes as an infant walloweth in his blood and the price of our redemption were yet vnpaid Hence it is that Moses doth so carefully set downe this in describing of all sacrifices burnt offerings meate offerings trespasse offerings peace offerings all oblations brought to God must be without spotte and without blemish thereby to teach the people vs to the end of the world that there was no sinne in him that tooke vpon him our sinne For hee was wounded for our transgressions and hee was bruised for our iniquities Esay 53 5. He suffered indeed for vs but the iust for the vniust 1 Pet. 3 18 and 2 22. Thirdly in that this Heiffer was such vpon whom neuer came yoke Verse 2. it appeareth that Christ being at his owne liberty bound to none offered himselfe freely for our deliuerance therefore when such as were sent to take him told him they sought Iesus of Nazareth hee answered If yee seeke mee let these goe their way Iohn 18 8. Hee gaue himselfe not by perswasion of others not by compulsion from others but willingly euen vnto the death Phil. chapter 2 verse 8. Iohn chap. 18 verses 4 5. Esay chap. 53 verse 12. His death was not by constraint for then it could not be meritorious If it had not beene voluntary they could not haue taken it away from him for they often lay in waite for him and sought to put him to death Iohn 10. verses 17 18. What he was able to doe if it had pleased him hee shewed in the Garden for so soone as hee had told them that hee was the man whom they sought for they went backward and fell to the ground Iohn 18 verse 6. He knew all things that should come vnto him yet he went forth vnto them that were come with Lanternes and Torches and weapons to take him verses 3 4. He had therefore power to lay downe his life or not to lay it downe but how then should the Scriptures bee fulfilled But they had no power of themselues to lay hands vpō him as he telleth Pilate chap 19 11. This also serueth for our comfort that Christ died not against his will but willingly and of his owne accord performing obedience vnto his Father Not that his enemies could ouercome him for he ouercame them cast thē backe to the earth with a word speaking And what words did he speake Were they terrible and dreadfull Were they words of thunder No he rored not as a lyon but spake mildely as a lamb I am he Now if the voice of CHRIST by gentle and amiable were notwithstanding so effectuall to throw them all downe headlong to the ground how powerfull shall the angry voice of Christ be to throw his enemies as with a sudden flash of lightning into the pit and paines of hell at the last
and out of which he is shortly to depart Or will he be patching that Tent and Tabernacle which hee hath pitched for a day or two We dwell in earthly Tabernacles as in houses of clay 2 Cor. 5 4. 2 Pet. 1 14. What wisedome then is it to bestow daies and moneths and yeares in plotting plodding for the world for riches and the vanities of this life Let vs also prepare and prouide before hand for the day of our dissolution that such as God hath blessed with this worlds good set their houses and their estates in order as the Prophet in this regard warneth Hezekiah Esay 38 1. Set thine house in order for thou must dye And we may learne this necessary practise of Ahitophel though liuing in wickednes and dying in despaire of whom the Scripture saieth wheÌ„ he saw that his counsell was not followed he went home vnto his City put his house in order hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 17 23. This duty is to be thought vpon in health as that which deepely concerneth our selues and our posterity When we haue rightly disposed the things of this life let vs prepare for a Nunc dimittis let vs commend our spirits into the hands of God let vs resigne vp our selues willingly to death when we must enter into a particular iudgement For so soone as the soule is departed and separated from the body God holdeth his Sessions to which we are summoned by his messenger death to come into his presence to receiue in part according to our workes whether they be good or euill Euen as we see in the affaires of this life how Iudges and Iustices keepe their sessions and assises wherein malefactors brought out of prison are arraigned so God holdeth his time of iudgement and iustice to reward euery one according to his works We haue all a cause and case to bee tried the greatest the weightiest the worthiest that euer was handled not touching siluer gold not concerning house or land not of titles or inheritances but of the euerlasting saluation or daÌ„nation of our soules for euer and therefore it standeth vs in hand to be well armed thoroughly appointed that we come not as the foolish Virgins without oyle in our lampes or as the vnprepared guest without our wedding garment We see in temporall Courts when men haue a cause to be tried and an action to be determined either of goods or good name how carefull they are before hand to reade Euidences to produce witnesses and to search Records that the suite may passe on their sides how much more carefull ought wee to be to answer before the eternall Iudge where no man shall be admitted to appeare by his Atturney but all must come in their owne persons none shall be suffered to put in sureties This wil be a great day wheÌ„ the whole world shall appeare together at once high and low Prince and Subiect noble and vnnoble according to the description that Iohn maketh I saw the dead both great small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the booke according to their works Reuel 20 12. And was buried there Hitherto of the death of Miriam now of that which followed her death to wit her buriall See heere when life was departed what they did with the body they committed it to the earth The Doctrine from hence is this that it is a necessary duty to bury the dead Doctrine A commendable duty 〈◊〉 bury the dead This appeareth by many examples of the godly which haue practised this duty Gen. 23 4. Abraham the father of the faithfull bought a possession of burial of the Hittites who by the sight and light of nature had their Sepulchers therefore answered Abraham Gen. 23 6. 35 29 50 12 13. Thou art a Prince of God among vs in the cheefest of our Sepulchers bury thy dead none of vs shall forbid thee his Sepulcher but thou maist bury thy dead therein So ch 25 8 9. when Abraham yeelded the spirit and died in a good age and was gathered to his people his sonnes Isaac Ishmael buried him in the Caue of Machpelah in the field of Hephron where Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife The like we see done to Isaac when he gaue vp the ghost being old and full of daies his two sonnes Esau and Iacob buried him Now as Iacob did to his father so his children do to him according as hee had commanded them for his sonnes carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the Caue of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought The like may be said of Moses Deut. 34 5 6. for albeit the people buried him not neither knew of his Sepulcher lest they shold abuse it to idolatry yet rather then he should want buriall he was buried of God The men of Iabesh Gilead are praised of God and rewarded of Dauid because they buried King Saul and his sonne and aduentured their liues to do vnto him their last duty 2 Sa. 2 5 6. The same might be said of the rest of the Patriarks Prophets Iudges Kings Gouernours and Priests yea of Christ himselfe whose buriall albeit he were able immediately to haue raised and restored himselfe to life is set downe in the Gospel that his death might be confirmed and his farther humiliation manifested These examples teach that it is a christian and commendable duty of the liuing to be performed to the dead of children to bee performed to their parents and of the people of God one to another to commit the body of the deceased to the graue to put dust to dust and so to couer earth with earth And no maruaile For first among all creatures Reason 1 man is most loathsome and vgly when life is departed As in his birth and bringing foorth into the world of all creatures hee is most fraile and feeble without strength to stand without helpe to defend himselfe so being dead he is most fraile filthy and deformed He that a litle before gloried in his beauty comelinesse feature proportion is now become the mirror and spectacle of a deformed and mishapen carkasse Such a confusion and wracke hath sinne wrought and brought into our nature This made Abraham to say to the Hittites I am a stranger a forreiner among you giue me a possession of buriall to bury with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23 4. This is noted in Lazarus who hauing lien buried but foure daies his bâ—dy stanke Iohn 11 39. Reason 2 Secondly buriall is promised as a blessing from God and the want of it threatened for a plague and iudgement God offereth it as a mercy to Abraham â—5 15. that he should be buried in a ripe age and to Iosiah that he should bee put in his graue in peace â— 22 19 and
mocke to our enemy 4 After they departed from mount Hor by the way of the red sea to compasse the land of Edom and the soule of the people was sore greeued because of the way 5 For the people spake against God and against Moses saying Wherefore haue ye brought vs out of Egypt to die in this wildernesse for heere is neither bread nor water c. 6 Wherefore the Lord sent fiery serpents c. 7 Then the people came to Moses and saide We haue sinned c. 8 And the Lord said vnto Moses Make thee a fiery serpent c. 9 So Moses made a serpent of Brasse c. Hitherto of the first part of the Chapter containing the encounter betweene the Canaanites and the Israelites now we come to the second part handling the eight and last murmuring of the people through wearinesse of their way and compasse they were compelled to fetch through the vnmercifulnesse of the Edomites wherby they offended God againe In this history we are to consider sundry circumstances setting downe their sinne who fal againe into their former faults and offences As the dog returneth to his vomite 2 Pet. 2.22 and the Sow vnto the wallowing in the myre First the place and occasion hereof is described Secondly the manner of their sinne Thirdly the matter and substance thereof wherein it consisteth is set downe Fourthly the punishment and iudgement of God inflicted vpon them for their sinne Lastly the euents and effects following the punishment First touching the circumstances of the place and occasion of the sinne obserue that the Israelites departing from Hor and crossed in their purpose weree constrained to trauell all along the coasts of Edom and to passe ouer a most perilous and dangerous desert as it is set forth Deut. 8.15 Where the hearts of the people failed and fainted where the fiery serpents stung and destroyed them and where thirst pined them away It was no small greefe and vexation vnto them hauing onely a short cut into Canaan by crossing ouer the countrey of the Edomites to wander vp and downe to trauerse the ragged rockes the high mountaines and the vaste wildernesse and thereupon they brake out through impatiency of spirit to murmure against Moses They thinke themselues in the high pride of their hauty hearts able to match and to meete with the king of Edom in the field to giue him battell and to worke their owne peace and passage by dint of the sword as they had ouerthrowne Harad a king of the Canaanites and destroyed his cities and therefore needed not to stand at the mercy and courtisie of others nor fetch such compasses as Moses made them to doe in the wildernesse Secondly the manner of their murmuring is remembred verse 5. where the hand of God being heauy vpon them in that great and terrible wildernesse they do not cry to him they doe not call to mind that blessed experience of his helping hand which they had found euer ready to succour and sustaine them Exo. 14.13 14 they consider not the reuenge and punishment that God from time to time had taken of their murmurings but they flye vpon him as a mad dog in the face of his master that feedeth and fostereth him that breedeth and bringeth him vp they reuile and raile vpon his seruant Moses Such is the slippery place of gouernement such is the nature of the multitude and such is the lot of Gods Ministers Thirdly the summe and substance of their mutiny and murmuring is two-fold First a very vehement expostulation with Moses for bringing them out of Egypt wherein they disgorge their malice with full or rather foule mouthes Exod. 14.11 As if he had aduisedly and purposely brought them into the wildernesse to destroy them Secondly obserue the reasons of that expostulation which are two first because at this present no bread no water no foode appeared vnto them who measured the strength of God by the length of their bellies now they account themselues ready to bee famished Which kind of death proceeding from hunger and famine of all other kinds that can be thought vpon is most wretched and miserable it hath driuen men and women to this exigent to eate their owne flesh Deu. 28.53 2 king 6.29 and the flesh of their children Secondly because they were weary of Manna which they call a light a sight or vile meate such as no reckoning or account was to be made thereof Wherein they slander God bring vp an euill name and report of his miraculous work and complaine of their necessity where no want was and of hunger where no hunger was and so their vnbridled tongues testifie their vnthankefull hearts saying That they were weary of their liues for this light meat which God notwithstanding had sent them from heauen Psal 78.25 and fed them with Angels foode in great aboundance verifying the saying of the Wiseman Prou 19.3 The foolishnesse of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord. The fourth point followeth namely the punishment which God inflicted without any communication had with Moses or denouncing of it before it fell as God had done before when he hid not from Moses what he was determined to doe before he hid it but presently punished them to shew the greeuousnesse of their sinne and the greatnesse of his wrath conceiued against them The punishment was Psal 140.3 That whereas they had sharpned their tongues like Serpents so as the poison of adders and astes was vnder their lippes he sent among them a kind of Scorpions and Serpents which with their biting infused their venome and poison which immediately being shed dispersed it selfe into all their body whereby they were inflamed with such extraordinary heate that they endured great drought and suffered a great thirst whereof they complained before They thought they complained of thirst iustly but now they feele it indeed to the full so that such are were stung with this venemous byting dyed the death The last circumstances to bee considered are the effects following For first the people in this great extremity and anguish of spirit come in haste to Moses against whom before they maliciously murmured to whom they confesse their offence â—n 5.16 that now began to lie sore vpon their conciences and desire earnestly his prayers that they might bee preserued and deliuered from the venemous bytings of those stinging serpents which Moses doth willingly faithfully performe being mindfull of his owne duty and vnmindfull of their wrongs Secondly the Lord hauing brought the people to a sight of their sinnes by a feeling of his iudgments that they humble themselues before him confesse their offences and call for mercy he heareth the prayer of Moses For the prayer of a faithfull man preuaileth much if it be feruent 〈◊〉 5.15 is reconciled vnto them and witnesseth the same by giuing them a true token and shewing the meanes and remedy of their present malady commanding a
brazen serpent was a figure of Christ crucified and hanging on the crosse who is made of the Father to bee a Sauiour vnto vs. This Christ himselfe testifieth Ioh. 3.14 15. As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man bee lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Heereunto likewise hee alludeth Chap. 8.28 29. Then Iesus said vnto them When ye haue lift vp the Sonne of man then shall ye know that I am he and that I doe nothing of my selfe as my Father hath taught me so I speak these things In both these places our Sauiour hath respect and reference to the brazen serpent in the wildernesse shewing that as it was erected to heale the body so must Christ bee crucified to cure the soule therefore this serpent set vp was a type of his death Caluin in Iâ—han â—ap 3 2â— 14. And howsoeuer some of reuerent account in the Church doe vnderstand this lifting vp of the preaching of the Gospel which is as a banner displayed that all men may behold him and esteeme the referring of it to the Crosse neither to bee pertinent to the matter nor to agree in the text yet if we compare the former places phrases with another like Testimony of Iohn chap. 12.32 33. the true interpretation of the words will easily and euidently appeare where Christ speaketh thus to the Pharisees Now is the iudgment of this world now shall the Prince of this world be cast out and I if I were lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto me Heere by lifting vp Calu. in Iob. 〈◊〉 ver 28. we must necessarily vnderstand the death of Christ vpon the Crosse on which he was lifted vp on high and seene a farre off as the Euangelist himselfe expoundeth it in the verse following saying Now this said he signifying what death hee should die The reasons of this similitude shadowing Reason 1 out the manner of Christs death are very euident and apparent For first as the brazen serpent in the wildernesse had the shew and shape of a serpent but within there was no venemous or deadly thing as the true fiery serpents had so Christ tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant he was made like vnto men he was sent of God in the similitude of sinfull flesh and was counted among the wicked Rom â— 3 Mark 15. â— Esay 53 1â— yet he was pure and voyde of sinne neither could be charged of his enemies with any sin so that this is no vnpropper or far-fet similitude but fit and naturall Secondly euen as the brazen serpent was Reason lift vp on high vpon a pole appointed for that purpose so was Christ first lift vp vpon the wood of the Crosse and was after exalted by the Gospel and set in the sight of all as the Prophet Esay teacheth Esay 11.10 12. And as the brazen serpent before it could be a type of healing must be aduanced and lifted vp so before Christ Iesus could be a Sauiour of his people to saue them from their sinnes he must be fastened vpon the Crosse 〈◊〉 14 15 he must haue his hands his feet pierced that he might spoyle the principalities and make a shew of them openly with triumph As therefore it was not sufficient once to make the brazen serpent and so to looke vpon it but it must as well be mounted as at the first made so it was not enough to bring vs to life and saluation for Christ to be conceiued by the holy Ghost and borne of the virgin Mary vnlesse he also suffer death for our sinnes and so beare our sinnes in his body on the tree Thirdly as the Israelites which obeyed the Reason 3 commandement of God embraced his promise beleeued his word and so beheld the brazen serpent standing on the pole were healed of the deadly bitings of these fiery serpents so all men who are moued with the commandement of God embracing the promise do behold Christ hanging on the tree of the crosse with the eyes of faith 〈◊〉 3.16 are cured of the sting of that old serpent the diuell and recouer of that mortall wound being freed from death and restored into the glorious liberty of the sons of God A serpent did hurt a serpent did heale the Israelites Man did destroy vs man did restore vs. 〈◊〉 5.19 The first Adam did draw into condemnation the second Adam draweth vnto saluation The brazen serpent albeit it were lift vp neuer so high and mounted into the open ayre profited none but such as stedfastly beheld it and looked vpon it so Christ crucified profiteth none but such as beleeue in him by faith Many beheld him with the bodily eyes that reaped no benefit by him they heard him with their outward eares and handled with their hands that word of life yet it auailed them nothing to know him after the flesh 〈◊〉 5.16 neither furthered them in their saluation Reason 4 Fourthly as it seemed to humane wisdom a most foolish and ridiculous thing to be healed by the bare and onely sight of a brazen serpent so to all naturall wise men of the world it seemeth as vnlikely and vnreasonable that any shold be saued by faith in Christ crucified â—r 1.23 as the Apostle sheweth We preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes euen a stumbling blocke and vnto the Grecians foolishnesse onely to them that are saued Christ is the power of God and the wisedome of God So then it is cleere and euident that the serpent set vp vpon the pole signifieth Christ hanging on the Crosse Vse 1 The vses of this type and similitude are many directing vs to sundry points of religion As what sin is whence it came what it worketh and bringeth forth likewise what the force of the Law and Gospel it who Christ is how we must vse and apply him to haue comfort and saluation in him First seeing the serpent was a signe and signification of Christ we learne that Christ was preached and published in the time of the law albeit darkely and obscurely For as there is but one saluation so there is but one way to attaine vnto it to wit faith in Christ The faith of the fathers is one and the same with the faith of the children There was neuer any man saued without the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST neyther is at this day saued neither shall be hereafter to the end of the world This the Apostle teacheth to the Hebrewes Heb. 13.8 Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for euer And to this truth Iohn giueth witnesse All that dwell vpon the earth shall worship the Beast Reuel 13.8 whose names are not written in the booke of life of that Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world Albeit he were manifested in the flesh and crucified on the Crosse in the last age of the world when the fulnes of time was
come yet his death was as forcible froÌ„ the beginning of the world is now also as auaileable and effectuall and shal be euer hereafter to the end of the world as when he hung vpon the Crosse in the dayes of his Passion and when the blood really streamed and issued out of his body The Israelites in the time of the Law were the children of God heires of eternall life and had the promises of saluation as well as we vnder the Gospel God did not seed them and fat them as swine in a stye but vnder certaine figures and types hee gaue them a taste of heauenly things The offering of bruite beasts in sacrifice was a signe that they were made partakers of the redemption wrought by the blood of Christ which was shed to wash away our sinnes Vnder the promise of giuing theÌ„ the earthly Canaan so often remeÌ„bred he gaue theÌ„ a taste representation of the heauenly inheritance The aboundance of temporall blessings was a pledge and earnest penny to them of the life eternall they hauing the same faith Ephe. 4.4 5. 1 Cor. 10. â— 4. the same Father the same spiritual meat the same spirituall drinke the same Lord the same hope the same heauen the same Christ that wee haue Albeit Gal. 4.1.2 3.4 they were as little children vnder tutors and gouernours and were taught in rude manner by shadowes and ceremonies which are as certaine pictures and looking glasses to behold the outward manner of his dispensation whereas wee are come to mans estate in comparison of them and behold Iesus Christ openly in the face we know his death resurrection ascension and opening the kingdome of heauen to vs. Therefore our Sauiour saith Ioh. 8.56 Your father AbrahaÌ„ reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Heb. 11 13 14 15 16. So the Apostle to the Hebrewes sayth That the Fathers dyed in faith and receiued not the things promised but saw them afarre off beleeued them receiued them thankefully confessed that they were Pilgrims and strangers on the earth so that they iudged the promises made to them to bee spirituall and expected more then temporall blessings This is one point which we are to learne and imprint in our mindes touching the Iewes who had an image of the serpents lifted vp to teach them the doctrine of Christ hanging on the crosse If then the vnbeleeuing Iewes in these dayes blaspheme Christ crucified account the blood of the new Testament an vnholy thing and vnpossible to giue saluation let theÌ„ know that their fathers receiued life and recouered health by a brazen serpent an image without life and motion the meaning signification heereof were not hard but easie to gather sauing that the Apostle teacheth that their mindes are obstinate and that a veile is laid ouer their hearts in reading the old Testament so that they vnderstand nothing c. 1 Corin. 3 14. Thus doth God send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 2 Thess 2 11 12. Thus then we see that the Couenant which GOD made with man to be gracious and fauourable vnto them is one in substance and matter seeing there is but one God 1 Tim. 2 5. one Mediatour betweene God and man one faith one meane of reconciliation and one way of saluation to all that are saued and haue bin saued from the beginning Christ Iesus was appointed ouer all things to be the head of the Church by whom all the body is coupled and knit together Eph. 1 22 4 16. He is the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by him Iohn 1 18 and 14 6. All therefore he being onely the way as well vnder the Law as vnder the Gospel who were to be saued had respect to the only Mediatour Christ by whom alone they were reconciled to God and saued by faith The differences betweene the Iewes and vs were onely in certaine circumstances in promising of corporall benefits in giuing them outward signes and oblations in propounding things more obscurely and darkely in restraining his gifts and in limiting them to the Iewish Nation whereas otherwise the old and new couenant agree together not only in the Author of them which is God and in the Mediatour of them which is Christ but in the promises of grace touching remission of sinnes and euerlasting life to bee freely giuen for Christs fake and in the condition in respect of man that we should walke before him vprightly beleeue the Gospel vnfainedly Vse 2 Secondly we obserue from this similitude the naturall estate and condition of all mankinde what it is wee are all naturally stung with the poison of the olde serpent and the wound is mortall All the Israelites that were bitten by the fiery serpents whether deeply or but a â—ittle whether more or lesse whether once or often dyed the death if they vsed not the remedy ordained of God albeit the wound were slender and shalow So such as looke not on Christ hanging on the Crosse are sure to fall into damnation The guilt of sin is as the poyson of a serpent this we haue drawne froÌ„ our first parents by whose offence we are culpable of iudgement We are all stung with it vnto death The wound is so deep deadly that we are guilty of the transgression of Adam being in his loynes We haue the spawne and seed of all sinne in vs we are corrupt in soule and body we are prone to fall into the most dangerous and desperate sins The Israelites felt the anguish of the paine and the danger of death otherwise they would neuer haue looked vp to the brazen serpent If the sicke man finde not the want of his health feele not the greefe of his sicknesse feare not the losse of his life he wil neuer seeke to the Physition for ease and recouery And indeed what should it haue auailed these distressed Iewes to haue any recourse to the brazen ferpent vnlesse they had perceiued themselues to be stung euen to death and no other way or remedy to procure their deliuerance So it behooueth all of vs to haue a liuely and sencible feeling of our spirituall wounds We must know that sinne is as a poyson to the soule and the Law giueth strength to sinne We must be greeued for our sins which draw vpon vs the losse of Gods fauour more then for the lacke and losse of bodily health Let vs not therefore make a mock of sin We see no man will dally or delight in poyson no poyson is so dangerous to the body as sin is to the soule Let vs beware of the wiles and subtilties of the old serpent lest as he beguiled Eue through his craftinesse so hee corrupt our mindes from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11â— carry vs headlong to destruction and damnation of soule and
when Rabshakeh with his bold and blasphemous mouth had â—ailed vpon the strength of Israel and had proudly threatened the King and his people that they should be compelled to eate their own dung and to drinke their owne water Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard behold I will send a blâ—st vpon him and he shall heare a noise returne to his owne Land and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his owne Land Esay 37 6 7. And afterward chap. 43.1 5 when the people of God were greeuously oppressed by their bitter and bloody enemies so that they were robbed spoyled snared thrust and throwne into Dungeons fettred in prison-houses and euery way euilly entreated he speaketh vnto them on this manner Thus saith the Lord that created thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine feare not for I am with thee So Christ forewarning his Disciples what entertainment they should finde in the world Mat. 10 26 28 and how hardly they should be tryed as to be betrayed hated persecuted imprisoned scourged railed vpon and in the end brought to their end hee prepareth them to this duty and repeateth it oftentimes Feare them not And the Apostle Paul after he had earnestly instructed the Philippians to grow in all graces to leade their conuersation worthy the Gospel of Christ he remembreth theÌ„ of this point In nothing feare your aduersaries Phil. 1 18 Answerable to these precepts are the worthy practises of the faithfull Hereunto cometh the example of Moses Heb 11 Exod. 11 8. 27 when he led the people of Israel out of Egypt notwithstanding the threatenings and bloudy words of Pharaoh he feared not the fiercenesse of the King but endured a constant maintainer of the Church of God ceassed not to encourage the people agaâ—â—â—â— their enemies whose hearts failed and qâ—â—â—led when they were pursued and ouertaken by the Egyptians Likewise the three seruants of God beeing threatned by that great Tyrant Nebuchadnezzor to be cast into the fiery Furnace were not daunted or feared by his high power fierce displeasure but answered him We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter Dan. 4 15. This appeareth at sundry times vpon sundry occasions in Dauid wheÌ„ he waxeth bold and couragious in the Spirit saith I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Psal 3 6. Reason 1 The reasons follow First God is with his people If he be with them shall we feare any to be against them If we haue a protection from the Prince shall we feare the face of the subiect If the Lyon fight for vs shal we feare the flye or the worme that are weak in strength This is the reason vrged by the Lord in the Prophet Feare not for I am with thee Esay 43 5. Now God is with vs by his power and prouidence If we consider these things that are in God as his generall speciall prouidence which guideth and ouer-ruleth all things for the glory of his Name and the benefit of his children the holy meditation hereof ought to remoue from vs all distracting and distrustfull feare When Christ had disswaded his Disciples from the feare of men he saith Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father Yea the haires of your head are numbred Math. 10 29 30. And indeed the cause why in trouble we faint and faile for feare of men whose breath is in their nostrils and whose malice is limited is because we distrust Gods promises and prouidence which is indeed a fearefull sinne Againe if we consider that God is with vs by his power which being endlesse infinite is able to redresse represse the greatest tyrant and tyrany in the world we shall finde nothing more auaileable to keepe vs from the excessiue feare of weake man seeing he can restraine them when it pleaseth him This the three seruants of God acknowledge in their danger Behold our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs from the fiery Furnace and he will deliuer vs out of thine hand O King Dan. 3 13. Againe let vs haue our conuersation without Reason 2 feare in regard of the persecuters themselues and the power which they haue For consider the difference betweene that which God can do and that which man can do The most vile and cruell tyrant that breatheth out threatnings and slaughter against the Saints when he hath done his worst and raged to the vtmost when he hath disgorged al his malice and quenched his thirst in bloud can goe no further but to kill the body but God can goe further who hath the keyes of hell and death Nay these enemies cannot so much as kill the body or touch the skin with all their power without the will of God as our Sauiour speaketh to Pilate when he boasted of an absolute power in his owne hands to binde or loose to crucifie or to absolue Thou couldst haue no power at all against mee except it were giuen thee from aboue Iohn 19 10 11. This is that reason which Christ himselfe expresseth Mat. 10 28. Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell Thirdly the enemies shall be destroyed Reason 3 They fight against God they fight against his people therefore they cannot prosper True it is they may for a time preuaile and proceed in their euill enterprizes and God may for a season vse them as his Rod to try the faith of his children but when he hath vsed them as instruments to bring his iudgements to passe they shall preuaile no longer This consideration serued to encourage the people of Israel when Pharaohs hoast pressed vpon them and marched toward them Feare not stand still behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egiptians which yee haue seene this day ye shall neuer see them againe the Lord shall fight for you therefore holde you your peace Exod. 14 13 14. The vses remaine to be stood vpon First this teacheth that the childe of God must be Vse 1 a man of valour and courage and as a mighty man of warre not to be daunted with any terrour to forsake his faith a good conscience but such an one as is able by the fortitude power of Christ to vndergo all tryals to ouer-stride al dangers to ouercome al enemies and to triumph ouer all things that oppose themselues against their peace So then the godly whose faith ouercommeth the world are not onely souldiers but valiant souldiers 1 Iohn 5 and victorious conquerors The Apostle hauing commended Moses that he forsooke Egypt feared not the fiercenesse of the King addeth this
them so they shall not be afraid of themselues their owne hearts shall minister comfort vnto them for they shall be at peace with themselues so that Howsoeuer all the daies of the afflicted person are euill yet a good conscience is a continuall feast Prou. 15 15. Behold what a blessed and comfortable thing it is to bee a true christian in whose heart is no guile O consider this yee sonnes of men that such as haue a sound faith in Christ and leade a godly life are at peace with God! Wherefore let vs conclude with the saying of the Prophet Psal 31 11. Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all ye that are vpright in heart seeing that neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8 38 39. Thirdly see the difference betweene the Vse 3 godly and vngodly betweene a good and an euill man Nothing can make the faithfull man wretched and miserable nothing shall be able to daunt him or dismay him He shall not be afraid of euill tydings for his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lord who in his good time will deliuer him Psal 112 7. He reposeth himselfe on the heauenly prouidence of God and casteth all his care vpon him that careth for him being bold as a Lyon like the childe that in danger runneth to the lap of his father This the wise man further declareth Prou. 3 21 23 24 25 26. This is the condition of the godly both at home and abroad with themselues and with others in the day time and in the night season when terrors most trouble the heart and enemies most practise mischiefe conceiue malice they shall be safe and secure without trouble and perplexity of spirit But the wicked man is neuer at rest he knoweth not what the peace of conscience meaneth which indeed passeth all vnderstanding hee feareth where no feare is euery creature helpeth to encrease his misery yea the things that are not trouble him no lesse then things that are and the greatest terrour that he can neuer shake off is his owne conscience WheÌ„ Felix onely heard the Apostle reasoning and disputing of the iudgement to come he trembled and commanded him to depart out of his sight Acts 24 25. When they take themselues to be most sure and speake peace vnto their owne soules then they shall bee taken with feare Psal 14.5 and 53 5 because God is in the generation and assembly of the iust This the Prophet Esay teacheth chap. 57 20 21. The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp myre and dirt there is no peace saith my God to the wicked I create the fruite of the lippes to be peace peace vnto them that be farre off and to them that are neere saieth the Lord for I will heale him Where the Prophet maketh a flat opposition betweene the faithfull and vnfaithfull he calleth the elect by the preaching of the Gospel which is the power of God to saluation 2 Cor. 5 20. So that they breake out into this admiration of the mercy of God and into a ioyfull imbracing of the Messengers sent vnto them How beautifull are the feete of them whish bring glad tydings of peace and bring glad tydings of good things Rom. 10 15. Contrarywise the vnfaithfull and impenitent are neuer at rest and quyet but as a troubled sea tossed with the violence of the windes And howsoeuer they seeme to them selues and to others to be happy and sleepe securely in sinne yet the terrors of the night and the troubles of their owne Conscience shall awake them and rouze them out of this security Prou. 23 34. So that they shall bee as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea and as he that sleepeth in the top of the Mast that is alwayes in danger Thus we see that the feares of prophane persons are not rightly ordered but euilly placed For what doe they feare Not God not his heauy displeasure who is able to destroy soule and body in hell and cast them into vtter darknesse where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 10 28. nor to commit sinne for that is their delight So that they eate the fruite of their owne way and be filled with their owne deuices 〈◊〉 31. The things that they cheefely feare are afflictions troubles crosses losses and temporal calamities like those that dread their friends and familiars They are more troubled for outward damages of this life then for the losse of Gods fauor like prophane Esau who preferred a messe of pottâ—ge before the blessing and like the carnall Gadarens who preferred their filthy Swine before Christ the Lord of life The Lord Iesus compareth the Iewes to children sitting in the Market place Luke 7 â—2 so are wicked men in the bestowing their feare like vnto litle children Tell them of bugs or beggars of goblins or shadowes that are nothing and cannot hurt they are greatly afraide but of fire and water of candle or knife such like edge-tooles which are hurtfull and dangerous they are bolde fearing no harme or perill Thus it is with all the vngodly Tell them of sinne of hell of death of damnation of eternall separation from the most sweet and comfortable presence of God and of the fellowship with the diuell and his angelles they are not mooued at all but dally with their owne soules But if they heare of afflictions feare any losses to come vpon them which cannot hurt or hinder our saluation if we be in Christ they are oftentimes brought to their wits end and breake out into all impatiency of spirit But the godly feare nothing more then to offend God their merciful Father nothing is more bitter vnto them then to feele his anger and the turning of his louing countenance from them and therefore there is as great a difference betweene the feare of the one and the feare of the other as betweene heauen and earth as betweene good and euill as betweene light and darkenesse Vse 4 Lastly seeing euill men feare whereas no feare is this ouerthroweth all Atheists Epicures Libertines and loose liuers which do thinke there is no God at all teaching euery man to doe what seemeth best in his owne eyes and hold Religion to bee nothing else but a pollicy and inuention of man to keepe the people in order and obedience This prophanenesse and Atheisme is a greeuous sinne it is the very top and height of all impiety and iniquity committed of those that aâ—e forsaken of God and giuen ouer to worke all vncleannesse with greedynesse The Apostle speaking of one onely part of religion sayeth If there be no resurrection of the dead then Christ is not risen and if Christ be not raised then is our preaching vain and your
compelled to giue testimony and witnesse to the truth of God the Lord as it were wringeth and wresteth it out of the mouths of those that be ignorant of him as we see how Balaam in this and the chapter following vttereth excellent and heauenly things albeit against his will of God of the enemies of God of the Church prospering and flourishing thorough his fauour yet he was lewd in life and prophane in heart louing neyther God nor his truth This we see in the Sorcerers in Egypt when they saw and felt the plague of Lice but could not with their enchantments bring foorth the like they confessed This is the finger of God Exod. 8 19. This appeareth farther in the history of Gideon when one of his enemies had told a dreame to his neighbour which hee had dreamed his fellow answered and saide This is nothing else saue the sword of Gideon the sonne of Ioash a man of Israel for into his hand hath God deliuered Midian and all the Hoast Iudg. 7 14. This likewise we see in the Centurion and souldiers that were with him watching Iesus Math. 27 54 when they saw the renting of the veyle the trembling of the earth the opening of the graues the cleauing of the stones and arising of the dead bodies they feared greatly saying Truely this was the Sonne of God Hereunto cometh the confession of Caiaphas an enemy to Christ and to the doctrine of saluation which he persecuted for hee vttered a Prophesie of the death and passion of Christ Ioh. 11 49 50 51 52. It was an extraordinary motion of God that guided his tongue to Prophesie of Christ So he spake afterward in theÌ„ that cryed out at his arraignement Mat. 27 25. His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children which was plentifully performed in its time and season The like we may obserue in Pilate when he was admonished by the Iewes to amend this title of Christ set on his Crosse Iesus of Nazareth the King of the Iewes Pilate answered What I haue written I haue written Iohn 19 22. wherein at vnawares hee is made after a sort a Preacher of the kingdome of Christ who gouerned his tongue as heere hee did the tongue of Balaam The Reasons remaine to bee considered Reason 1 First to leaue the wicked without excuse when they heare the truth For God neuer leaueth himselfe without witnesses no not among the Infidels as the Apostle declareth Acts 14 16 17. Now if the powring downe showers of raine sending the fruitfulnes of the earth feeding all creatures with bodily food be the Lords witnesses and testimonies of his power how much more is the word of God which is the sauour of life vnto life to all that beleeue Forseeing God opened the mouth of Caiaphas as we shewed before to vtter a Prophesie concerning Christ the obstinate incredulity of the Iewes was conuinced when both the cause and vertue of his death was vttered by their owne high-Priest albeit hee spake it in another meaning Secondly he speaketh often in wicked men to encrease their iudgement and bring vpon Reason 2 them the greater damnation If God had not reuealed his truth vnto them their punishment should bee the lesse This wee see set downe Luk. 12 47 48. This appeareth by the words of Christ to his Disciples Math. 7 23. Luke 13 25 26. Many will say to mee in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophesied And by thy Name cast out diuels And by thy Name done many great works And then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me yee that worke iniquity Thus Christ vpbraideth the Cities wherein most of his great works were done because they repented not and telleth them it shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon for Sodome and Gomorrha at the day of iudgement then for them Math. 11 22. Thirdly to strengthen confirme his childreÌ„ Reason 3 in the truth reuealed vnto them Great is theyr wauering and weaknesse when God maketh knowne his word vnto them sealeth it vnto them by his signes and sacraments they are full of doubting and theyr faith is mingled with infidelity as wee see in the example of Gideon Iudg 7 14. God appeared vnto him at the thressing-floore commanded him to goe in his might to saue Israel promised him the victory and strengthened him by the signes that he asked yet he remained fearefull faint-hearted after these so many meanes vsed to giue him courage confirmation Iudg. 7 10. Hence it is that God raised vp one in the hoast of his enemies and guided his tongue to be a Preacher and publisher of his truth telling this dreame of his to his fellow that loe a Cake of Barley-bread tumbled from aboue into the boast of Midian and came vnto a Tent and smote it that it fell and ouerturned it that the Tent fell downe which is expounded and interpreted to be the sword of Gideon Wherby we see that God opened the mouth and directed the tongue of this Idolater for the strengthening of Gideon and the furthering of him in his work Now let vs make vse of this Doctrine First Vse 1 behold heerein the greatnesse of his power Name causing his enemies to professe and acknowledge it We see how they resist rebell against God We see how they abide not to submit their necks to his obedience but cast away the cordes of discipline from them yet he ouer-ruleth them ordereth their tongues and disposeth the words of their mouth to his owne glory This is it which the Prophet declareth Psal 8 1 2. This also appeareth in the example of Saul and of the messengers that he sent to take Dauid For the Spirit of God fell vpon them and they prophesied therefore it was a Prouerb Is Saul also among the Prophets 1 SaÌ„ 10 11 and 19 24. This verifieth the saying of the wise man Prou. 16 1. The preparations of the heart are in man but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord that is howsoeuer a man many times mâ—streth an whole Army of thoghts in his minde as it were in battell array and concludeth with himselfe both what how to speake yet man is ruled by a superior power shal speake as God guideth his mouth not as himselfe purposeth and determineth Seeing therefore God frameth vnfit instruments to his owne purpose and maketh them serue for the aduancement of his owne glory we must conclude againe with the Prophet O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the world Secondly it is not hard with God to retaine Vse 2 and reserue a people to himselfe in all ages albeit there be neuer so many enemies albeit the Church bee not alwayes visible to the eye and kept in outward beauty He is not tyed to any Nation people or place Let vs neuer feare the decay or destruction of the Church he that did gaine it to himselfe will maintaine it against all the practises and
holden to be ominous And in another place hee sheweth Rom. quest 25 that they held the morrowes after the Calends Nones and Ides dismall and disastrous dayes eyther to set forward vpon any iourney and voyage or to march with an army into the field It is not worth the labour to spend time to rehearse the folly of our sottish Prognosticators that in euery moneth tell vs which are good dayes and which are euill dayes and set downe particular predictions what shall befall vs and how we shall prosper or not prosper and yet themselues cannot tell what shall happen to themselues I remember a pleasant story Eros de lingua reported by Erasmus in the reigne of Henry the seuenth a wise and iudicious Prince of a certaine wizard who would needs be accounted as a Prophet and able to foretell things to come hee prophesied at a time of the Kings death that he should dye that yeare The king hearing of his Prophesie withall laughing at his folly sent for him as if he meant to take notice of his deepe and profound skill and to reward him highly and when he was come into his presence he asked him whether hee had any knowledge of things to come and could tell what should come to passe heereafter he answered he had great skill that way The king demanded of him whether he knew where he shold be those holy dayes that were at hand for this fell out not long before the feast of the Natiuity he answered No Why then quoth the king I perceiue thou hast no skill at all and knowest not so much as I doe for I know where thou shalt be how long and withall willed his seruants to carry him presently to the Tower and after a while hauing made himselfe merry and derided the folly of that wise foole he dismissed him which was more fauour then he deserued This practise of propheticall diuinations and predictions is meere Gentilisme and great pitty it is once suffered among vs Christians to make some dayes lucky and some vnlucky some fortunate and some vnfortunate whereof wee see the practise in the booke of Ester chapter the third verse seuenth They cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day from Moneth to moneth to the twelfth Moneth Howbeit we see how he was deceyued and the enchanters vpon whom he builded and in whō he trusted like to the Papists who long looked for the yeare 88 of which they hadde many Astrologicall predictions and trusted in it no lesse then in the Oracle of Apollo howbeit they were maruailously in a manner miraculously defeated and disappointed and therefore one saith well D. Fulk preface before the Rhē Testam Octogefimus octanus mirabilis annus Clade papistarum faustus vbique pijs But if we be the true seruants of God our wayes shall prosper Psal 1 3 and it shall go well with vs if we make the word our study and meditation Iosh 1 8 if not let the times be what they will and prognosticate what lucke as they call it soeuer they can yet nothing shal prosper or do vs good whatsoeuer we imagine to the contrary Thirdly the consideration of the feast of Vse 3 the New Moones did put them and doth put vs in minde that we should be new creatures and walke in newnesse of life by the holy Ghost regenerating vs as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 5 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature olde things are past away behold all things are made new Hence it is that we are so oftentimes warned in the Scripture that wee must be renewed in the spirit of our mindes Rom. 12 2. Eph. 4 23. that wee must put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4 24 and must put off concerning the former conuersation the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceiueable lusts verse 22. As then the Moone which ruleth the moneth changeth and reneweth the light so should we be changed not in substance of the body but in quality and that in euery part euen in the whole man forasmuch as we are altogether corrupt Now this that must be changed Why our corruption is called the old man is called the old man first because it is in time before regeneration first we are carnall then spirituall first the first Adam then the second Adam hath place in vs first we are borne then we are borne againe Iohn 3. Secondly because as age maketh loathsome and deformed so this maketh vs full of spots and wrinkles before such time as wee taste of the renewing power of God Thirdly because it draweth neere to death for as old age bringeth downe to the graue so doth the olde man draw vs to destruction of soule and body which is the second death This old man therefore must be cleane cast off or else it shall not profite vs for wee must deny our selues and crucifie our sinfull lustes wee must kill and mortifie our vaine desires as Abraham would haue killed his sonne but wee must go farther for wee must after a sort kill our selues cast off the things that are most deare vnto vs though they should bee as our right hand or as our right eye Math. 5. And we must so cast off the old man that no remnant of him cleaue or sticke vnto vs we should put it off not as if we were loth or vnwilling to leaue it but cast it away with a purpose neuer to take it vp or to put it on againe no nor once touch the same but to account it as a menstruous cloth lest we be like to the dogge that returneth to his vomite or to the sowe that was washed and by and by walloweth in the myre or to the Crocodile that layeth aside her poyson but taketh it vp againe On the other side we must put on the new man called new because nothing auayleth without this Gal. 5 6. Againe it is wrought in vs in the second place for we are first old before we are new for this is the latter birth Lastly because it is strong to do the will of GOD as young men are lusty and able to doe the businesse of this life with great alacrity and actiuity Lastly we must remember that it is not enough Vse 4 to serue God outwardly and to keepe the bare ceremony except we ioyne thereunto the seruice of the heart And if the Iewes had resorted diligently euery first day of the moneth to the seruice of God in the Tabernacle or the Temple yet what could it auayle them if theyr hearts were vncleane theyr hands stained with cruelty Therefore the Prophet saith The new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity your new Moones and your appointed feasts my soule hateth they are a trouble vnto mee I am weary to beare them Esay 1 13 14. The Iewes regarded no more
Wee should make diligent search of the temporall estate of our brethren but much more how they stand toward God how they do increase in the best things that we may reioyce in their standing and mourne in their decaying and thereby bee prouoked either to giue God praise glory for their continuance and perseuerance or to pray to him to open theyr eyes to see their weaknesse their standing stil or going back or leauing their first loue that so they may repent and do their first workes Reuel 2 5. Lastly it is our duty euen to aduenture our Vse 4 persons and estate for our brethren if by any means we may releeue the distressed This we see in Abraham toward Lot Gen. 14 Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter but visited his brethren and when he saw an Egyptian offer one of them wrong Hee defended him and auenged him that was oppressed Acts 7 24. So it was with Obadiah that liued in Ahabs Court when Iezabel raised hot persecution against the prophets of God he took them and hid them and fed them in a Caue not fearing the fiercenesse of their enemies 1 Kin. 18. The like we see in Ester a notable nursing mother of the Church she went boldly to the King with this resolution If I perish I perish Ester 4. verse 16 to haue the liues of her people giuen at her request chapt 7. verse 3. Many in our dayes thinke they haue gone far in Christianity and take themselues to be notable and zealous Christians if they wish wel vnto the state of the Church or be not open enemies vnto it But it is not enough to wish the good of it except by all meanes we labor to procure it and learne to cast down all that wee haue and bee content to licke the dust of the Churches feete Many will needes be accounted to bee the friends of the Church who wil hazard neither goods nor frends nor honor neither the fauor of great men nor the credit of the world much lesse either limbe or life wheras the Apostle teacheth that this is true loue To giue our liues for the brethren 1 Iohn chapt 3. verse 16. 20 And Moses saide vnto them If ye will do this thing if yee will goe armed before the Lord to warre 21 And will go all of you armed c. vntil he haue driuen out his enemies c. 22 And the land be subdued c. 23 But if ye will not do so behold yee haue sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out 24 Build you Cities c. 25 And the children of Gad c. 26 Our little ones our wiues c. 27 But thy seruants c. Heere we haue the conclusion of the whole controuersie betweene these tribes and Moses and vnder what conditions hee assenteth vnto them that there might be no mistaking one of another The summe whereof is this If they would go vp armed before their bretheren and go forward with them vntill their enemies were cast out then they should return backe againe and be guiltlesse before the Lord and this land should be their lawfull possession if not they should be guilty of sinne before the Lord and should not bee able to escape the vengeance of God These conditions propounded by Moses are approued by the Tribes who promise that they wil leaue their wiues and children and families behinde thē and passe ouer armed for warre before the Lord to battell From hence I might handle sundry instructions that arise in Moses we see his patience in hearing and determining and therefore it is the duty of Magistrates willingly patiently to hear the people Again these two Tribes and halfe might not be discharged till they had finished the Lords worke and therefore in all good duties perseuerance is necessary and we must continue to the end as wee haue shewed chapt 7. Lastly Moses threatneth that if they sinned against the Lord they might be well assured their sin would find them out that is the punishment of sinne shall certainly fall vpon you therefore sinne and the punishment of sinne are vnseparable companions as we see in Kingdomes Cities Families Doctrine The onely cause of punnishment is sinne and particular persons that haue offended against him And hereby we may obserue that the only cause of iudgement and punishment is sin God is neuer displeased with any people or person but for their sinnes Esay 43 24. 63 10. Hos 4 1 2. This is farther confirmed in the examples of his iudgments that fell vpon men and Angelles kingdomes and States houses and persons they haue bin destroyed subuerted for sin 1 Cor. 10.8 9 10. Reason 1 The grounds hereof follow First sinne is the transgression of the law 1 Ioh. 3 4. and 5 17. so defined by the Apostle he gaue a law to al which he would haue to be kept now then when this is broken and transgressed it cannot be but he should be offended and execute punishment against those that break it Secondly God is holy yea most holy and therefore cannot but punish sin which is directly opposite to the holines of his nature The more iust and righteous a Iudge is the more he is greeued at the enormities of malefactors that he hath to deale withall so in this case God being most holy and righteous nothing can be so offensiue and displeasing vnto him as the sinnes of men which are committed against him Thirdly sin is the destruction and condemnation of the creature and bringeth the ruine of soule and body The Apostle teacheth that the wages of sin is death Rom. 6 23 it is the cause of naturall death of spirituall death of eternall death If God doe thus hate sinne that it draweth Vse 1 from him all plagues vpon vs then it giueth wicked men to vnderstand what they are in the sight of God nothing but such as displease greeue and prouoke him by their sinnes and therefore he hateth them as his enemies and setteth his face against them as the Iudge setteth himselfe against euill doers and a Prince setteth himselfe against rebels that do resist against him There cannot be a greater miserie then for a man to commit sinne because it is that which is so highly displeasing to God the procurer of his displeasure and indignation against the committers of it and therefore this pointeth and painteth out the most fearefull estate of all wicked sinners that liue yet are dead in their sinnes seeing God is such an enemy vnto them and they vnto him Some thinke the onely miserable condition to bee to liue in pouerty and neede and want of all things in reproch and contempt in famine dearth of all things in hunger and nakednesse in sickenesse and diseases howbeit these are greatly deceiued who are themselues so much the more miserable that they know not what misery is neyther wherein it consisteth Our sinnes are the true sores and
manner we vse to inueigh against the Iewes for crucifying Christ and deliuering vp the Lord of glory into the hands of sinners ◠26 27 we accuse the partiality of Pilate the treachery of Iudas the enuy of the Pharisies the malice of the high Priests the villany of the false witnesses the cruelty of the souldiers the taunts of the passengers and the hard-heartednesse of the whole people But we consider not that the same originall corruption is in vs that was in them by the sway swinge whereof beeing all the sonnes of olde Adam we would haue done as they did if we had liued in those times So when we heare or reade of these murmurings and mutinies of the children of Israel we are commonly wont to reuile them to defie them and to account them the vilest people vnder the heauens But wee must ceasse to wonder at them and learne to confesse our owne corruption of heart and pronenesse to yeeld and fall downe in time of tentation vnlesse we be stayed vp by the mighty hand of God For albeit he be most gracious and merciful vnto vs hedgeth vs round about with many blessings and compasseth vs with riches of grace on euery side yet we forget thē all if any one crosse do any way lie vpon vs. If the Lord touch vs with sicknesse as with his little finger with losses with crosses with pouerty or any misery such is our impatiency that we alwaies dwell vpon the meditation of that want we looke vpon it with our eies we handle it with our hands wee tosse it in our mindes and neuer remember the multitude of his mercies the peace of a good conscience the louing countenance of the Lord the seale of our adoption the assurance of our saluation the sweet taste of his loue shed in our harts by the holy Ghost so that one trouble doth more daunt vs and strike vs to the heart then many blessings can comfort refresh vs. But God taking away outward blessings giueth spirituall to his children doth sweeten the bitternesse of the crosse with inward consolation and doth recompence it with heauenly grace whereby wee gaine more in the spirit then we lose in the flesh Secondly we are taught heereby to pray Vse 2 to God in our troubles to hold vs vp and stay vs with his grace that wee fall not from him For seeing at all times and vpon all occasions of want we are ready to repine and murmure against God who can stand by his owne power or by the strength of his owne free will When a man holdeth fast a staffe in his hand so long it standeth vpright as he reteineth it but if he withdraw his hand neuer so little it falleth Carry vp a stone to the top of a Mountaine so long as thou staiest it there it abideth but if thou leaue it it rowleth down of it own strength euen to the bottome So vnlesse the Lord in our calamities and crosses that befall vs do stay vs by his heauenly hand strengthen vs by his Almighty power we break out into vnthankfulnesse forgetfulnesse impatiency grudging against him This made the Apostle after the reckoning vp of the idolatry fornication murmuring and tempting of Christ to exhort them that He which thinketh he standeth must take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10 12. As then we ought all to take speciall notice knowledge of the corruption of our hearts and behold a liuely and expresse image of our nature in the glasse of this people so it is our duty to call vpon God from whom euery good giuing perfect gift proceedeth to put to his helping hand that we may learne to depend vpon him that we may know how to want and how to abound and in euery condition to submit our selues to his heauenly pleasure For we shall neuer be able by our owne strength to subdue our owne corruptions nor to preuaile ouer our owne lustes nor to ouercome the tentations that oftentimes assaile vs vnlesse wee bee assisted from aboue Vse 3 Lastly our corruption of heart prone to murmure and complaine against God whensoeuer he trieth our faith obedience and patience with any misery warneth vs to seeke all holy meanes remedies Remedies against murmuring and distrust to represse this rage and repining against God which may bee as sure helpes to further vs in this way to furnish vs with strength able to hold vs vp in the day of triall First let vs consider the high prouidence of God ruling all things in heauen or earth and ouerswaying all creatures that nothing falleth out without his will pleasure as our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 10 29.30 For who giueth vs our bodies Who clotheth the Lillies that Salomon in all his glory was not like one of them Who feedeth the yong Rauens that cry vnto him Who sustaineth the wicked that are his enemies Who prouided all things for man in the beginning before he was made created Is it not the Lord whose all the beasts of the forrest are and the beasts on a thousand Mountaines So that the resting of our selues vpon this prouidence that he wil feed and cloathe vs and care for vs must take away the greefe of al our wants that ouerpresseth and oftentimes ouercommeth vs. Againe we must learne the benefit of contentation and to grub vp all distracting and distrustfull cares as noysome weeds out of our hearts bearing with patience and meeknes of spirit whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth This minde was in Iacob when he went farre from his fathers house Gen. 28 20. he did not desire siluer or gold house or lands but onely a competent conuenient liuing If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on then shall the Lord be my God So the Apostle teacheth Godlinesse is great gaine 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8 Phil. 4 11 12.13 if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that wee can carry nothing out therefore when we haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content And in another place I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to bee hungry to abound and to haue want I am able to do all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Lastly let vs set our affections on things which are aboue Col 3 2. and not on things which are on the earth If we beleeue that God doth forbeare and forgiue vs our sinnes not deale with vs according to our deseruings if he sanctifie vs with his Spirit make our bodies Temples of the holy Ghost if he turne vs to himselfe working our conuersion which is as great a worke as at the first to create vs
we may be assured he will deliuer our soules from death Psal 33 19. Rom. 6 â—2 Luke 12 32. preserue vs in famine For if hee spared not his owne Sonne but hath giuen him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Feare not therefore the want of outward things which perish with their vse for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue vnto you a kingdome If he haue promised to giue vnto vs the greater nay the greatest blessings that can be rehearsed or remeÌ„bred we may ground our selues on this assured truth that he wil not leaue vs nor forsake vs so that we may boldly say The Lord is my deliuerer I will not feare what man can do vnto me Indeed the iudgement practise of carnall men is otherwise who esteeme earthly things aboue heauenly and preferre their Swine before Christ-like Esau Matthew 8 Heb. 12 16 who prized one messe of pottage aboue the birthright If these men bee a little pained and pinched with famine and suffer a little want of food that they haue not their necessities supplied their bodies cloathed their bellies filled they cry out aloud in the anguish of their spirit What shall we eate What shall we drinke How shall wee liue How shall we maintaine sustaine our selues and our families But alasse though their soules be hunger-bitten and hungerstarued ready to pine and consume away throgh want of spirituall food they are neuer greeued or vexed it troubleth them not at al. Let vs learn better things let vs value spirituall things at the highest rate and set them in the cheefest place If thus we set as our honorable friends all heauenly things in the cheefest place and turne all transitory things with shame into the lowest roome and ranke as saucie aspiring guests vsurping climbing aboue their betters we shall beare all earthly losses and troubles with patience and stay our selues from murmuring at the feeling of them Ver. 6. Then Moses and Aaron went from the face c. We heard before the complaint of the people now let vs see the behauiour of Moses Aaron They do not rage nor reuile theÌ„ they do not fret and fume against theÌ„ or aske the life of their enemies but possesse their soules with patience and declining the violent rage of the people as a beast with many heads they goe to the Tabernacle declare their causes and cases before the Lord. From this their distresse we learne this truth that in all wrongs iniuries offered vnto vs we must seeke helpe and comfort of God Doctrinâ— In all wrâ— and iniuri we must 〈◊〉 to God I say it is the duty of all the seruants of God when they are wronged and oppressed when they are euilly entreated and spitefully handled at the hands of sinfull men to vnlade disburden all their cares into the bosome of God depending for counsell and comfort vpon him alone In the performance of this duty the holy seruants of God haue gone before vs. Reade the booke of the Psalmes as a plentifull store-house and schoole-house to teach this truth as Psal 3 1 2. and 7 1 2. where we see that in his troubles he had recourse to God who smiteth his enemies on the cheeke-bone and breaketh the teeth of the wicked but was a sure Buckler to him not such as men hold vp that can defend one part and in one place onely but a buckler to safegard him round about before and behind And being greeuously accused of some heynous crime by some of Sauls retinue â— 14.10 he flyeth to God he trusteth in him who preserueth the vpright in heart So when Iob had his camels and cattell taken away by the enemies he did not through the greatnes of his affliction and greefe of mind rebell against God but said Naked came I out of my mothers wombe â— 13 17. and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it â—â—g 19.3 blessed be the Name of the Lord. The like appeareth in Hezekiah when Ierusalem was besieged This is a day of tribulation and of rebuke and blasphemy for the children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth Now therefore O Lord our God I beseeeh thee saue vs out of his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou O Lord art onely God All which examples teach vs that when we suffer wrongs or fall into any wrongs or fall into any dangers wee must haue recourse to God and craue of him that the malice of the wicked may come to an end Reason 1 The reasons of this doctrine are first the gracious promise of God who hath mercifully promised to heare and to helpe vs in all our troubles This the Prophet teacheth Call vppon me in the day of trouble â— 50.15 â—h 5.14 15 I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And the Apostle Iohn This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs and if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we haue the petitions that wee haue desired of him Let vs not doubt and wauer like a waue of the Sea tossed to and fro by the violence of the winds but by faith beleeue that God will grant our requests which wee make according to his will and word Seeing therefore he is willing to heare and able to helpe and promiseth to grant our requests our duty is to come when he calleth to aske seeing hee giueth and to knocke seeing he openeth the gates that leadeth vnto his treasures Some put their trust in chariots some in horses and some in Princes but we must remember the Name of the Lord our God who neuer faileth and breaketh promise with these that depend vpon him that feare and trust in his mercy Reason 2 Secondly as he is our helper who deliuereth our soule from death our eies from teares and our feet from falling so whither shall wee turne our selues to find comfort and consolation besides in him When God denyeth to send succour who shall saue When hee refuseth to helpe who shal deliuer When he shutteth who can open If wee looke to men or Angels to heauen or earth to the liuing or the dead we shall be deceiued and deluded The Prophet saith Psal 62.8 9. Trust in him alway ye people poure out your harts before him for God is our hope aboue all yet the children of men are vanity the chiefe men are lies to lay them vpon a ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Vse 1 Let vs now come vnto the vses First from hence we gather that such is Gods great goodnes to his children that he neuer leaueth them without comfort For if he require of vs to repaire to him in our troubles surely he will not send vs away empty nor cause vs to depart