whensoeuer any euen of the lowest that pertaine vnto their flocke when the tradesman the Shoomaker the Weauer the Husbandman when the seruant the poore soule that hath scarce what to eate or what to drinke or what to put on shal resort vnto them for comfort or counsell then is there place especially for this grace of humblenesse and lowlinesse of mind they must make much of such as come vnto them and beare themselues familiarly and plainely toward them entertaining them with all gentlenesse and giuing them encouragement with all patience in hearing of them and in bearing with their wants and imperfections But many there are that take themselues to be such profound doctours such learned Clearkes such deepe Diuines and iolly fellowes that they thinke it were a great disparagement vnto them to bestow their labour and learning among such sottes They say I could be content to take greater paines to teach Gentlemen and those that are more ciuill but these rudesbies and Russet coates who can abide to liue withall who can endure to spend his dayes among Clownes and clouted shooes Thus they deale with Gops people thus they speake of Gods people for whom Christ dyed Thus they account of those that hunger and thirst after knowledge thus they bewray the pride of their owne hearts and testifie against themselues the little loue they beare to the sheepe to the sheepfold and to the sheepeheard of the sheepe Let them steppe but one steppe forward and then they will plainely discouer their owne hypocrisie and euidently shew that they differ little or nothing from the Papists themselues For they to discourage simple people from reading the Scriptures Ceâ—sâ— Câ—â—â— â— 13. call them dogges and swine to whom holy things are not to be deliuered and to that purpose alleadge the words of Christ Matth 7.6 Giue not that which is holy vnto the dogges neither cast yee your pearles before swine lest they trample them vnder their feet and turne againe and rent you so these men account them as clownes and Coridons and cast out what words of contempt they can against them they bid them follow the plough taile get them into their shops and busie themselues in their trades as though conference and communication with them were in no sort to be admitted or as though they had no soules to saue so that in short time peraduenture these high minded men will esteeme them as dogs and swine also which ought not to treade in the LORDS courts These are farre from the minde and example of Christ who being equall with God made himself of no reputation and took vpon him the forme of a seruant he vouchsafed to conferre with rude and simple men hee taught men and women high and low rich and poore he refused none He taught indeed in the Temple and in great cities and in populous assemblies but he disdained not to teach also in their villages and townes and to instruct plaine countreymen and had oftentimes more comfort of his labours among such then among men of greater callings In like manner we that are called to this office and haue our speciall and particular place of teaching assigned vnto vs ought to know that we must be no chusers When the Lord of the haruest hath sent vs into his field the chiefe Shepheard of the sheepe hath set vs ouer his flocke and the housholder hath hired vs to labour in his vineyard it is our dutie to follow the example of our Lord and Master and to apply our selues in our charges that we may discharge them faithfully zealously carefully and diligently Let vs not dislike our places in the countrey which we haue taken because the people are few or rude or simple or poore or of meane conceit and vnderstanding in them These men will doe nothing in secret but seeke to be famous and to be knowen openly they affect honours and promotions they resort to great places and solemne assemblies and desire to preach in the Vniuersities at the Court at Pauls at the Spittle or to be heard of great men and noble personages and in the meane season absent themselues from their owne cure of soules which are like to perish for whom they must giue account and come to their reckoning and so disdaine to haue any dealing with such as are simple as if they were too good and the people too base Let vs seek to shake off this high conceit of our selues and take heed of a scornfull and disdainefull heart which naturally accompanieth all and especially those of great giftes of high places We see this in Christs owne disciples notwithstanding his owne example of humility daily before their eies euen when he was preaching most seriously and earnestly vnto them of his death and departure of his Crosse and Passion of loue and humility Luke 22.22 23. they began to striue for superiority contend which of them should be accounted the greatest Thirdly we haue warrant and direction Vse 3 from hence to desire most earnestly that the kingdome of God may flourish euery where Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray that his kingdome may come Matth. 6.10 and so to be erected in the hearts of men It was an holy affection in Moses to desire that all the Lords people were Prophets Num. 11.29 so ought we to craue that Gods word might be established among all men and made manifest to all people of the world This vse consisteth of many branches Branches of this vse First it is our duty to bewaile such places and persons as lie in darkenesse and ignorance and consequently in the shadow of death Christ had compassion of such and his bowels yearned within him Such as haue not the light of the Gospel shining among them are said to sit in darkenesse and to liue in the region of death Matth. 4.16 There are many places of the land many thousand poore desolate soules that lie in great ignorance and haue no knowledge of the wayes of God dwelling in them The fields are ouergrown with bryars and nettles which should bee white vnto the haruest Ioh. 4.35 The diuell smileth at it and reioyceth to behold the desolations of the Church because it is the exalting of his throne and the setting vp of his kingdome He is the king of the world as Christ is of the Church and his scepter is ignorance as the scepter of Christs kingdome is his word And therefore when the seat of wickenesse is ouerthrowne by preaching of the Gospel we may see Satan as lightning fall downe from heauen Luke 10.18 If then we can behold the ruines of the Church and the destruction of many of our brethren through want of knowledge and yet are not grieued at it nor lament for it we haue not the affection in vs of Christ the head neither the grace of compassion that ought to be in vs toward our fellow members Secondly we are bound to desire that wheresoeuer there is a candlesticke there
God not so much because the Church affirmeth it but because we find them to be so as the sheep of Christ acknowledged the voyce of their Shepheard Christ Iesus speaking in them Vse 2 Secondly this assureth vs that the trueth of God shall remaine and continue for euer to the end of the world It may be sometimes brought into a narrow compasse and be much eclipsed that the light shall appeare to be but little but it shall neuer perish vtterly or bee rooted out of the earth For seeing the Church is appointed the keeper and continuer of the trueth as the candlesticke of the candle and that the Church shall abide for euer because the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Matt. 16.18 it cannot bee that the trueth should faile and decay as we see notwithstanding the enemies of Iudah and Beniamin the word is kept vncorrupt and inuiolable to this day God will neuer suffer his people to be robbed thereof but his speciall prouidence watcheth ouer it for our good This doth the Scripture it selfe witnesse touching the durablenesse thereof that the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children for euer that we may doe all the wordes of this Law Deut. 29.29 The Lord hath founded his testimonies for euer Psal 119.152 Our Sauiour speaketh more fully euidently and vehemently Heauen and earth shal passe away but my words shall not passe Mar. 13.31 againe Verily I say vnto you till heauen and earth passe one iotte or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Matth 5.18 We know by experience that all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man as the flowre of grasse the grasse withereth and the flowre thereof fadeth and falleth away Peter 1 25. but the word of the Lord endureth for euer This we may see in the bookes of Salomon 1 Kin. 4.32 33. Hee spake three thousand Prouerbes and his songs were a thousand and fiue and he spake of trees from the Cedar tree that is in Lebanon euen vnto the hyssope that springeth out of the wall he spake also of beasts and of fowles and of creeping things and of fishes These bookes of naturall Philosophy were no doubt the most profitable bookes that euer were written in that kind he being endued with the greatest wisedome that euer man since the fall had Christ Iesus only excepted yet none of these are to be found onely those that pertaine to religion and godlinesse remaine safely reserued for all posterities This is the more to be considered wondered at inasmuch as there be infinite moe in the world that affect the knowledge of natural things rather then they doe spirituall and of earthly rather then they do heauenly yet they could not deliuer them from the ruines of time but they are buryed in the graue of perpetuall forgetfulnesse neuer to be raised or recouered These are dead and gone as if they had neuer been written wheras on the other side his holy writings hated of the most part of the world and carelesly regarded of the multitude euen of those that liued in the bosome of the Church haue notwithstanding as full a remembrance as they had the first day the Lord gaue them to his people This serueth to conuince those that thinke many of the bookes inspired by God to be lost thereby accusing the prouidence of God or at least the church of great carelesnesse and negligence of which crime notwithstanding it is not guilty Thirdly there is no light of trueth to bee Vse 3 found any where else able to guide vnto faith and saluation then in the true Church of God For all other places are places of darkenesse and nothing to be found in them but lies errours deceiuings superstition and the spirit of slumber Exod 10 23. As no light was to be found in all Egypt but in the land of Goshen and among the Israelites onely so no sauing doctrine that giueth light to the eyes of the minde is to be found out of the Church they that are in this state liue in palpable darkenesse and can see neither themselues nor others but lie in ignorance and wickednes as Iohn teacheth We know that we are of God 1 Iohn 5 19. and the whole world lyeth in wickednesse Such sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death till this light set on the Candlesticke be brought vnto them Matth. 4 16. The people which sate in darkenesse saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp Therefore to be out of the Church is to be in the state of damnation yea to be in the very dungeon of hell and the kingdome of darkenesse to be vnder the power of Satan the prince of darknesse as there was no saluation out of the Church Let euery man therefore seeke and endeauour with all care to ioyne himselfe to the true Church of God to be a member of the body of Christ that so we may attaine to the light of knowledge and the light of the eternall life Vse 4 Lastly it is a duty belonging to euery one to be an helper to the spreading abroad of the doctrine of godlinesse and to doe all for the truth but nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13 8. Euery man desireth to bee the messenger of good newes so should wee desire to publish to others and to continue to posterity the sauing knowledge of the Gospel For this is the foundation and ground-work of all true obedience The truth of God is as a precious treasure beset with many enemies that wold take it from vs against whom we must alwaies cōtend that we may keepe faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1 19. This truth is the instrument of the holie Ghost to worke all necessary graces in our hearts Rom 1 16. as beeing the power of GOD to saluation and it reuealeth vnto vs all things needful vnto saluation concerning things to be beleeued or things to be practised Hence it is that the Apostle Iude saith Beloued when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation Iude verse 3. it was needfull for me to write vnto you that yee should earnestly contend for the faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints The true treasure of the Church is committed to the Saints they are the keepers of the doctrine of saluation This is no small trust it is no smal charge that is giuen vnto them wee must therefore fight to maintaine it This must not bee a bodily fight but a spirituall combat and it consisteth of diuers duties Ioel 2 28. Euery man in his place ought to bee as a Prophet or a Preacher for wee are made spirituall Priestes both to pray and to preach We are bound to teach all that are vnder our roofe and iurisdiction that we may be as Gods blessed instruments to conueigh his truth to others It is the duty of
deceiued and shal be disappointed of our hope Let vs not looke for any consolation from him but woe and confusion of faces This our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospel Iohn 3 19. This is the condemnation that light came into the world and men loued darknesse rather then that light because their deeds were euill It must needs be a strange darknesse that cannot be driuen away by the beames of this bright shining It must be a very grosse and wilfull blindnesse where the continuall light of the Gospel proceeding from the louing face of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse hath wrought no knowledge nor profit in the wayes of godlinesse The Apostle in this respect saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4 3 4. in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minde that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse hath appeared and shined gloriously in this part of the earth and yet alasse how many are there starke blinde and willingly blinde euen vnder the ministry of the most painefull seruants of God that labor in the Lords vineyard and spend their strength to giue light to others If a man hearing the voyce of a trumpet yet will stop his eares or hauing the light of the day yet will shut fast his eyes this is a wilfull ignorance 2 Pet 3 5. and a presumptuous sin that shall encrease their iudgement and condemnation This doth our Sauiour teach Iohn 15 12. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne The Prophets prophesying of the times of the Gospel and of the people that should beleeue in Christ declare as we noted before that God would poure out his Spirit vpon all flesh Esay 11 9. 2 3. that all should bee taught of God that the earth should bee full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters do couer the sea What shall we say of these things The palpable ignorance and horrible blindnesse which is seene in the world sheweth plainly that we are not that people The Prophet telleth vs what readinesse and forwardnes should be in men to come into Gods house for encrease of knowledge to be instructed in his wil and to walke in his wayes that they should say one to another Vp let vs goe and pray before the Lord let vs seeke the Lord of Hoasts and I will goe also Zach. 8 21. We are farre from this zeale and from encouraging one another in good things and therefore the blessings of God do stand farre from vs also So then we see such as liue in ignorance and sinne are darknesse and haue no communion with Christ for what fellowship can there be betweene light and darknesse Vse 2 Secondly wee must all haue a speciall care that this Starre may rise in our hearts that the Sunne of righteousnesse may reioyce and refresh vs. Now the right way to haue him with a gracious aspect to shine vpon vs is for vs to regard and giue heed to the lesser lights the candle-lights or starre-lights which are fore-runners of this starre to wit the light of the Prophets of the Apostles and other seruants of God which are appointed to direct vs in the course of our life and to point out vnto vs this light So the Apostle saith Ye haue a sure word of the Prophets vnto which yee shall doe well to giue heed as vnto a light that shineth in darke places vntill the day dawne and the Day-starre arise in your hearts 2 Pet. 1 19. And our Sauiour calleth his Disciples the light of the world and a City set vpon an hill Iohn Baptist was a burning and a shining Candle Iohn 5 35. They that will not follow these lights nor seeke to be guided by these starres shall neuer feele the comfort of this Starre of Iacob So thē these places of the world where those lesser lights haue no entertainment or where by the malice of the people they are remoued or their lights put out are most wretched and miserable The people are said in the Prophet to haue walked in darknes Esay 9 2. Math. 4 13. and to haue dwelled in the land of the shadow of death before these lights shined on them So long as Israel was without a preaching Priesthood to deliuer vnto them the Law of God so long they were without God and his word 2 Chron. 15 3. So long as they wanted these Stewards of the Lords house to giue them their portion of meate in due season they endured a greeuous famine of the soule and perished for want of food It standeth vs therefore vpon to reioyce in these lights and to be glad when these starres begin to shine among vs they are the ioy and solace of the earth howsoeuer they be basely esteemed off in the world and reproched by them that loue darknesse more then light because their wayes are euill Iohn 3 20 21 for euery man that euill doth hateth the light neyther commeth to the light lest his deeds should be reproued but hee that doth trueth cometh to the light that his deeds might bee made manifest that they are wrought according to God The Galatians did so affect Paul that they would haue pulled out both their lights to wit their eyes to do him good Gal. 4 15. But the practise of our times and the lamentable experience of our dayes sheweth the contrary men seeke by all wayes and deuices they can to dim and darken these lights by greeuing and vexing them by disgracing and slandering them by molesting and troubling of them by discouraging and discountenancing of them that so they might hinder the building of the Lords house If these men were asked the question whether they would haue Christ shine in their hearts and arise as a bright starre to scatter the cloudy mistes of their vnbeleeuing minds no doubt they wold answer it is their desire and that they finde more vse of the light of Christ in their soules then of the shining of the Sunne in the Firmament and yet so long as they do not vse those meanes whereby the beames of this Starre of Iacob may shine vpon them they make it manifest they regard not the Starre it selfe And therefore let no man flatter himselfe that hee regardeth the Gospel or Christ the bringer of the glad tydings of saluation when they will not open their eares to the Gospel preached by such as Christ hath appointed ouer vs. Vse 3 Lastly we must take heed we be not deceiued in iudging of this light For many imagine they haue the light of this Sunne of righteousnes and of this starre of Iacob whē they haue but a false light True it is Christ is in himselfe of himselfe alwayes a light howsoeuer he be receiued albeit men shut
from dangers acknowledge that it is Gods preseruation and be thankfull for it This should put vs in minde of two things first that if wee happen to liue vnder such a iudgement we must stoope down our neckes vnder this yoake and humble our selues vnder the most mighty hand of God that hath brought so fearfull a iudgement vpon vs. For if we thinke it to be a iudgement when the earth bringeth not foorth her fruite vnto vs then much more may wee thinke it to bee a iudgement when the earth is not able to beare a man but casteth and vomiteth him out into captiuity as the stomack doth grosse and euill humors out of the bodie For this cause doeth the Lord charge the Israelites to keepe his statutes and his iudgements That the Land do not spew them out also when they defile it as it spewed out the Nations that were before them Leuit. chapter 18. verse 25 28. 20. verse 22. And afterward he sheweth that if they did not walke obediently before him the land whither hee bringeth them to dwell therein should spew them out as Reu. 3 16. Of all iudgements to bee carried into captiuity is one of the greatest The very mercies of the wicked are cruelty Dauid made choyse to be vnder the plague and pestilence rather then to flye before the enemy because hee is vnmercifull Wee sit vnder our owne Vines and Figge-trees wee haue seene no inuasion nor heard any complainings in our streetes wee know not what bondage meaneth or to bee carried captiues into a strange Land howbeit it is apparent that wee haue beene very neere vnto it as neere to the pit as could bee and yet not fallen into the same For if the Gunne-powder Treason had taken place which was verie neere vnto the time appointed for the execution of it we had long ere this beene in slauery and bondage againe vnto the bloodie Papists who haue long lyen in waite for such a day and albeit that be defeated and all theyr imaginations bee scattered as chaffe before the winde yet who knoweth how neere we may bee to as great captiuity Wee are secure and put away the euill day farre from vs but the greater our security is the neerer our captiuity may bee We haue close and secret enemies amongest vs neuer more lusty and neuer more couragious then they are at this day which are left to remaine amongst vs to be prickes in our eyes and Thornes in our sides and to vex vs in the Land wherein wee dwell verse 55. These neuer leaue plotting and conspiring our ouerthrow and destruction Wee heare of rumours of Warre abroad and spreadings of errours and heresies which threaten ruine both to Church and Common-wealth these are but the beginnings of sorrow Againe if we looke vnto our selues our sinnes are very great and call continually for vengeance vnto heauen at Gods hands and no doubt he is comming downe to see whether wee haue done altogether according to the cry which is come vnto him All these laide together and weighed as it were in a ballance what can wee in reason and iustice expect but that GOD deliuer vs into the enemies hands and suffer them to carry vs captiue and so make slaues and bondmen of vs Secondly if any desire to enioy the land wherein hee dwelleth in peace and safety let him labour not to pollute and defile it by his sinnes The Iewes had a promise of God to be his people yet because of their sinnes he suffered them to bee carried into captiuity where they remained long in a strange land Haue we any greater priuiledge then they or may we expect to escape No if wee follow them in contempt of the word and other open sinnes wee shall bee sure to follow them also in the punishment which will be answerable to our iniquities Lastly this assureth vs that as GOD deliuereth his people from temporall danger and bondage so hee will deliuer them much more from spirituall bondage For if he will deliuer our bodies hee will much more deliuer our soules that being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1 74 75. Wherefore wee ought patiently to waite his leysure knowing that if hee haue such a speciall care of our bodies that must lye in the dust to set them free from temporall bondage hee will much rather deliuer our soules from spirituall bondage wherein Satan holdeth vs. When Christ our Sauiour would shew that hee came to redeeme the soules of men hee taught them by deliuering their bodies from diseases For when hee restored sight to the blinde by opening their eyes what did it signifie but that hee came to scatter the darknesse of the minde and to make them see that before saw not the light of the truth as Math. 4 16 The people that sate in darknesse saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung vp The Prophets in the time of the Law smote the people with blindnes that they knew not what they did neyther whither they went 2 Kings 6 18 as the Angels did the Sodomites so that they wearied themselues to finde the doore Gen. 19 11. But Christ to shew that hee came to seeke and to saue that which is lost restored sight to the blinde and opened the eyes of their vnderstandings when hee healed the bodies of such as were lame and halted what was it but a teaching of them that he came to heale the broken-hearted to preach deliuerance to the captiues and to set at liberty them that were bruised When hee raised some to life from the dead what did it teach and shew but that hee is able to raise out of the graue of sinne and to giue the life of the spirit When hee cleansed the lepers what was it but a making knowne to the world that hee will cleanse from the foule and filthy leprosie of sinne And when he did cast out diuels that possessed the bodies of men what was it but to shew that he casteth the diuels out of the hearts and consciences where they desire to dwell as in an house If then it be no small comfort vnto vs to know that the Lord will deliuer his people from an earthly bondage certainely it cannot but minister much more comfort vnto vs to consider that the Lord is more careful of our soules and if hee be mindfull of vs for things of this life hee cannot be forgetfull of vs for the life to come seeing hee hath sent his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all which beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 7 And they remoued from Etham and turned againe to Pihahiroth c. 8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea c. 9 And they remoued from Marah and came vnto Elim c. 9 And they remoued
walke in that broad and beaten path forgetting the commandement of God in the Law Exod. 23.2 Thou shall not follow a multitude to doe euill and the counsell of Christ in the Gospel The gate is wide and the way broad that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in thereat Matth. 7.13 Wherfore we must learne that multitude is no note of true religion nor riches nor prosperity nor glory nor outward blessings forasmuch as these are common to the godly and vngodly to the beleeuers and to the infidels The word of God must be our rule in this life which shall be our Iudge in the life to come This is no way partiall neither can it deceiue any Lastly seeing persons weake and contemptible Vse 3 in the world are oftentimes highly regarded of God it teacheth vs to praise the Name of God for it and to acknowledge it to be his gift and to returne him the glory who out of the mouth of babes and sucklings ordaineth praise vnto himselfe Psal 8.2 We see this in the song of Hannah 1 Sam. 2.1 she prayed and praised the Lord her heart was enlarged ouer her enemies she reioyced in his saluation So in the song of the blessed Virgine Luke 1. My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit hath reioyced in God my Sauiour for he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaide c. In like manner Christ gaue thankes to his Father that had hid the mysteries of his kingdome from the wise and prudent of the world and reuealed them to babes Matth. 11.25 Thus doth it belong as a speciall duty vnto vs whensoeuer we see these workes of God as if we open our eyes and will not be blinded we may daily see them to adore them and to magnifie his power and to praise his Name This hath many particular branches First we must confesse our selues miserable by nature and no good thing in vs to raise vp our selues aboue others being no way better then others We cannot too farre cast downe our selues nor pull downe the pride of this flesh that is ready to lift vp it selfe against his Maker We are a lumpe of earth and worse then the bruit beasts and the dust out of which we were taken We are fallen from God our excellency is gone Secondly whatsoeuer we haue it is his gift we haue receiued it at his hands it commeth downe from aboue and therefore let vs not glory as if we had not receiued it 1 Cor. 4.7 Thirdly let vs walke worthy of our calling euen of those mercies which we haue tasted and acknowledge our selues to be vnworthy of them Then we are indeed thankefull vnto him when we are dutifull vnto him Fourthly let vs be humble in our owne eyes and not boast of any thing in our selues or in our owne merites neither let vs thinke our selues worthy to be regarded of him This is the way to stoppe the course of his mercies to boast of our owne merites Iacob did not so he accounted himselfe lesse then all the mercies of God and the trueth which he had skewed vnto his seruant Gen. 32.10 The Saints doe all and alwayes cast downe themselues before him in true humility whereas hypocrites are puffed vp with the wind of their owne conceits and swell aloft like the Surges of the sea as we see by the example of the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 he gaue thankes to God for fashion sake but pride possessed his heart and wrought in him the contempt of his brother that was more righteous then he Fiftly from hence we may assure our selues of greater mercies and farther blessings One mercy draweth on another vntill they flocke together on a heape If we be thankefull for lesser we are assured of greater They are as the first fruits that sanctifie the whole Paul hauing found by experience that God had oftentimes deliuered him from present death hath his confidence in him that he also will deliuer him 2 Cor. 1.10 This is as a sure staffe to leane vpon in all distresse to be assured that he is vnchangeable with whom is no shadow of turning â—n 3.10 he is said to repent of the euill that he hath spoken that he would doe and not to doe it but he repenteth not of the good that hee sheweth to his seruants forasmuch as whom he loueth he loueth them to the end Sixtly let vs keepe a register of his blessings and so settle them in our hearts that we neuer forget them but may thereby be prouoked to set forth his praise We cannot open our eyes in the day nor thinke vpon him in the night season but we haue innumerable testimonies of his loue toward vs. Let vs not therefore be silent and hold our peace but say to our owne soules with the Prophet Psa 103 1.2 Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name blesse the Lord O my soule forget not all his benefits Giue him therefore the glory in all things and let vs prouoke others to praise him and tell of his wondrous actes It is a sweet smelling sacrifice that God delighteth in he smelleth the sauour of it a farre off and is well pleased with it This duty ought to be the continuall practise of our life it should arise with vs in the morning and lie downe with vs in the euening We haue receiued much from Gods good hand shall we returne nothing to him againe like the barren earth that yeeldeth no encrease The waters that by secret conduits or conueyances doe come to the sea returne openly into it againe so that all men see it and behold it how the riuers runne into the sea Eccle 1.7 So the graces of Gods Spirit as the waters of life which God doth secretly conuey into the hearts of the godly ought publikely to haue their recourse vnto him againe by praise and thankesgiuing There is no great Lord that bestoweth any possession or tenement vpon his tenant but he reserueth some rent to acknowledge the seruice and homage he oweth God hath bestowed much vpon vs we are all his Coppy-holders we hold at the pleasure of our grand Lord The rent that he hath reserued is praise and thankesgiuing if we withhold this from him and will not pay him we haue forfeited our estates we haue deserued to haue all taken from vs and seazed into the Lords hands againe from whom they came 21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites these are the families of the Gershonites 22 Those that were numbred of them according to the number of all the males from a moneth olde and vpward euen those that were numbred of them were seuen thousand and fiue hundred 23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the Tabernacle Westward 24 And the chiefe of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the sonne of Lael 25 And the charge of the sonnes of Gershon in the
the ground the heresie and impiety of the Anabaptists who vtterly euert all orders and ordinances that God hath established both in the Church and common-wealth and in stead thereof bring in all confusions and tumults into the world For the end of Magistracy is not wrongfull vsurpation ouer others tyranny and oppression of mankind as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord 〈◊〉 10.9 grew thus to be great but that wee should leade a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 They then that abolish Magistracy ouerturne peace concord honesty and piety inasmuch as the Magistrate is the preseruer and maintainer of all these and when there is no king in Israel euery man will presume to doe what he list and who shall controll him Hence it is that all Christians are oftentimes called vpon to performe obedience to the ciuil Magistrate the higher power â— 13.1.2 â— 2.13 14 both to the king as to him that is supreme and vnto gouernors as vnto them that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well We must therefore detest those Libertines who hold that Christians need no Magistrates but that euery man should be a law vnto himself and not be controlled by any other how wretchedly soeuer he liue how vniustly soeuer he deale how prophanely soeuer he walke Neuerthelesse though these be most madde and monstrous opinions yet these monsters will not seeme to be madde without reason as we haue declared elsewhere in sundry places First they say all Christians are the Lords freemen â—ction and therefore must not bee brought vnder the subiection of any 1 Cor. 7.22 23. I answere â—er liberty is twofold outward and inward or bodily and spirituall For seruants may be freemen and freemen may bee seruants â—l freeâ—e and â—age Ciuill freedome is a right or power resting in the person to doe according to his owne purpose and pleasure without being forbidden or hindred and interrupted by any other Contrariwise seruitude or bondage is a depriuing of one from this right whereby he is bound to liue according to the discretion of another and to do as he is enioyned and appointed by another so that he cannot liue as he list There is besides this another kind of freedome bondage â—stian liâ— and â—tude which is wholly spirituall This is a freedome of the faithful from the wrath of God from the power of Satan from the dominion of sinne from the curse of the Law from the kingdome of darkenesse from the terrours of eternal death as also from the burden of ceremonies and the bondage of humane traditions obtained to vs purchased for vs through Christ Iesus This is called Christian liberty the freedome of the spirit the freedome of the Lord and of Christ and such like Now there is also a Christian seruitude not contrary to this freedome or opposed against it but set vnder it and well agreeing vnto it which is an obligation wherby we are tyed to serue God in holinesse and righteousnes On the otherside the bondage that is contrary to this freedome bondage of the spirit is the slauery and captiuity vnder sinne and Satan and therefore called the bondage of the flesh of sinne and of vnrighteousnesse This seruitude is damnable and more to be shunned and eschewed then to be taken captiue of tyrants and to be holden of them in a deepe dungeon or in a close prison or in chaines of yron From this it is that the Scripture disswadeth and discourageth vs Rom. 6.21 because the end of it is death Some of the Philosophers of the strictest sect Cicer. parad 5. maintained this assertion and opinion that Onely the wise are free and that all fooles are slaues This hath beene accounted an hard saying Onely the wise are freemen and all fooles are slaues and a strange position but it is most true in the Church of God For such as know God and beleeue in Iesus Christ his sonne are truely wise and truly free free I meane from sin and death euen the freemen of God and of Christ Ioh. 8.36 according to that saying in the Euangelist Iohn If the Sonne shall make you free then ye shall be free indeed whereas al infidels and wicked ones are fooles and seruants of the flesh yea bond seruants of sinne and death This distinction between freedome of the body of the conscience being retained wil shut the mouthes of all those enemies that reason against Magistracy vnder this colour because we are the Lords freemen Forasmuch as we haue shewed how farre we are free how far we are not free what freedome God hath giuen and what he hath not giuen Secondly Obiect they pretend that the iust neede no lawes to guide them or restraine them but are a law vnto themselues Tim. 1.9 The Apostle teacheth that the law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawles disobedient for the vngodly and for sinners for the vnholy and prophane c. I answer Answer this sauoreth rankly of the Nouatian heresy for no man is wholly or perfectly iust as these suppose but they leaue many good things vndone and they do many euill things so that in many things we sinne all Iam. 3.2 therefore we stand in need of the law to admonish vs to teach vs to reproue vs to threaten vs yea to curse vs and condemne vs and so to vrge vs to that which is good For who is so righteous reformed that he needeth not the law to be a spurre vnto him to be clapped in his sides to helpe him or who runneth so swiftly that he needeth not some encouragement to amend his pace And if the law of God were not made against theÌ„ yet it is for them their benefit And if they should commit no euill in all their life yet they might suffer much wrong iniury from the hands of others wanting the defence of the Law to protect them So then the Law in some respect was giuen to the iust man and in some respect it was not So farre as he is regenerate by the Spirit of God he obeyeth the wil of God cheerefully and willingly and so needeth not the Law but so farre as he is in part vnregenerate and sinneth daily he standeth in great need of it The Apostle hath to doe with false prophets which maintained and taught that the Law was necessary and sought iustification by it This he reprooueth and reiecteth in two respects First touching iustification which wee cannot attaine by the law but must seeke it in Christ Secondly touching the rigour of the law and the commination annexed vnto it which serueth to terrifie the vngodly Obiection 3 Thirdly they say they need no protectour but the Lord he it is that keepeth Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth He is our buckler and shield that we want not the help
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
which are in Egypt and haue heard their cry by reason of their Taske-masters for I know their sorrowes and I am come downe to deliuer them out of the hands of the Egyptians c. He is not ignorant what teares we shead but keepeth them in a bottle of remembrance he knoweth what prayers we poure out for they ascend vp into his presence as incense hee heareth the sighes and grones that come from vs for he vnderstandeth that language The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what wee should pray for as we ought 〈◊〉 8.26 but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with gronings which cannot be vttered And albeit he hold his peace for a time and seeme to winke at their cruell practises as if he saw them not or heard them not or knew them not yet when the appointed time commeth he will no longer keepe silence but shew himselfe to be the deliuerer of his people and the reuenger of his and their enemies We saw before out of the booke of Exodus what mercy he promiseth to his people being in misery He had a feeling of their afflictions and after a sort felt what they felt Behold what words of comfort sweeter then the hony the holy combe he vttreth I haue seene I haue heard I know I am come downe He saw their afflictions he heard their cryes he hath knowne their sorrowes he came downe to deliuer them from their persecuters If the Lord had vsed only one of these words I haue surely seene the affliction of my people it had beene as balme to refresh vs it had beene as marrow vnto our bones and as wine and oyle powred into our wounds but when he vseth foure words it is more then a doubling and a trebling of our comfort to asswage the bitternesse of the crosse so that albeit it be more sharp then vineger more bitter then gal wormwood yet they are sufficient to allay the one the other Reasons why God holdeth his peace in our afflictions God doth sometimes after a sort hide himselfe and hold his peace turne his back from vs whē we are in trouble to manifest the more the greatnesse of his power and mercy in our deliuerance to stirre vs vp to prayer and calling vpon him for helpe to teach vs to remoue all confidence and trust in our selues or in the sons of men to weane vs from the loue of the world to encrease our zeale to try our faith and patience and to harden the hearts of our enemies that he may gaine glory to his great name in their destruction He doth not delay to helpe vs and put off the time to deliuer vs because he hath forsaken vs or forgotten vs it is not because he is not able to restore vs it is not because he cannot represse and quaile the fury of our enemies it is not because he hath cast off the care of vs forasmuch as he knoweth what they practise and what we suffer according to the heauenly saying of the Psalmist Psal 34.11 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry but the face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth Let vs therefore comfort our selues in God while we finde no comfort at all in men Let vs put on the armour of prayer and teares these are our spirituall weapons strong to throw downe mountaines and mighty to preuaile against the greatest tyrants that seeke to deface the trueth and destroy the Church The weapons of the Church are not swords and staues or speares and shields or munition and multitudes of men but as the warfare of it is spiritual and that it wrastleth not against flesh and blood but against principalities powers against the rulers of the darkenesse of this world and against spiritual wickednes in high places so the weapons thereof must be spirituall answerable vnto the battell which we are to make and fit to encounter such aduersaries as oppose against vs. To this purpose doth the Prophet bring in the Church putting their confidence in him Lord in trouble haue they visited thee Esay 26.16 17 they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them like as a woman with child that draweth neere the time of her deliuery is in paine and cryeth out in her pangs so haue we beene in thy sight O Lord. The like we see in Iehoshaphat when many enemies came against him and his people to cast them out of the possession which God had giuen them to inherit he rested not in his owne power neither trusted he in his owne policy but dependeth vpon God and flyeth vnto him saying O our God wilt thou not iudge them for we haue no might against this great company that commeth against vs neither know we what to do but our eyes are vpon it hee and all Iudah stood before the Lord with their little ones their wiues and their children 2. Chron. 20.12.13 On the other side as this consideration of Gods infinite knowledge and discouery of all secrets ministreth exceeding comfort to the godly that lie vnder the crosse and putteth them in assured hope of future deliuerance so it serueth as a terrour to all their enemies that oppresse them and trouble them they shall not escape him that seeth their counsels though they digge neuer so deepe to hide them hee heareth their slanders and reprochful taunts though they seeke to couer them neuer so cunningly and secretly God that is omnipotent cannot be vniust he will reward euery one according to his works and therefore Elihu saith in the booke of Iob His eyes are vpon the wayes of man and hee seeth all his goings there is no darkenesse nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselues Iob 34.21 22. They thinke they goe closely to worke but alas poore blinde men they see not that God seeth them They thinke they haue a vizard ouer their faces and cannot bee knowne whereas their foule offences are written in their forehead They thinke they are in the darke and couered with the night whereas the light shineth round about them more cleerly then the Sun at noone day This ought to strike a feare of Gods power and presence into the hearts of all wicked men No man is so impudent and past shame to commit euill in the Magistrates sight and before his eyes whom he knoweth to bee endued with authority armed with power and to beare the sword of iustice in his hand to cut off all euill doers Shall wee then dare doe that before God which we dare not doe before men or shall we presume to doe that in his sight which we are ashamed or afraid to doe in the presence of mortall man He is all an eye to see all he is all an eare to heare all he is all an heart to vnderstand all Or shall we be so
the children of Zebulun did offer 25 His offering was one siluer charger the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels one siluer bolle of seuenty shekels c. Behold heere how the other Princes are not inferiour to the first that offered nor the other Tribes to the Tribe of Iudah Obserue heere that the spirit of God accounteth it not sufficient to set downe what was offered in generall neither in particular what Nahshon the sonne of Aminadab of the Tribe of Iudah offered the first day or what Nathaniel the son of Zuar Prince of Issachar offered the second day but he goeth forward to set downe the speciall offerings according to euery mans name and according to the day assigned vnto him Obiect It may be demaunded what was the cause why these offerings are thus particularly pointed out why are the same chargers the same bolles the same spoones so often repeated might not all these things heere mentioned haue beene more summarily concluded what need more words haue bene vsed when fewer would haue serued I answere Answer we must not account any thing idle friuolous fruitles or superfluous in holy Scripture The Lord knoweth best what is fittest to bee dilated largely and what to be comprehended shortly If there were no other reason then this so it pleased the Lord it ought to content vs and to make vs rest in it The like example we finde Psal 136.1 2 c. Where in euery verse and at the recitall of euery blessing this reason is repeated for his mercy endureth for euer Adde heereunto Reuel 7.5 6 c. where this is repeated according to the number of the Tribes that twelue thousand were sealed of them Hee might haue said briefly of euery tribe were sealed twelue thousand but he repeateth the words twelue times so in this place the offerings are repeated twelue times particularly according to the number of the twelue Princes The reasons may be first to teach vs to be content to heare the same things though they be oftentimes repeated as Phil. 3.1 The Apostle saith It is not grieuous to me to write the same things often and for you it is safe Wee are ready to forget the best things and therefore must haue them continually sounding in our eares as many strokes giuen with a hammer to make vs heare Secondly that wee should apply these examples vnto our selues and if wee passe ouer one of them without regard yet we should take holde of the next Thirdly to teach vs that no man shall haue that forgotten to the vtmost of his praise who is any way forward in doing good because he will honor those that honor him but they that despise him shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 The doctrine Doctrine from this particular rehearsal and enumeration of the gifts of those Princes is this Euery good worke of gods children is knowne and shall be rewarded that all the good workes of Gods children done to the setting forth of his glory to the aduancement of his worship to the maintenance of true Religion or the good of his children shall be reckoned vp rewarded and come vp in account before him he taketh notice of them all and will neuer forget any one of them As their deeds are here registred in the booke of God so the doers of them are registred in the booke of life Matth 10.42 Our Sauiour teacheth that a cup of cold water shall not go vnrewarded that is giuen to drinke in the name of a disciple to one of these litle ones And afterward it is said Matth. 25.7 A certaine woman came vnto him hauing an alabaster boxe of ointmēt very precious and powred it on his head as he sate at table and because she had wrought a good worke vpon him verse 10. he sayth Verily I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her verse 13. To this purpose speaketh the Angel that appeared to Cornelius Act. 10.4 Thy prayers and thy almes are come vp for a memoriall before God So then euery thing shall be remembred no one worke shall be forgotten Reason 1 For God is a righteous God giuing to euery one according to his workes Hee is the Iudge of the world Gen. 18. and cannot but iudge vprightly Hereupon the Apostle saith Heb. 6.10 God is not vnrighteous to forget your workes and labor of loue which ye haue shewed toward his Name in that yee haue minstred to the Saints and doe minister He that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward for he will reward very bountifully euery good worke If we be not barren in good workes he will not bee behind with vs to recompence vs. Secondly how can they but come into an account seeing he accounteth them as done to himselfe Matth. 25.40 When any thing is giuen to the Saints it is esteemed as done to the Sonne himselfe and when it is bestowed vpon one of the least it is regarded as bestowed vpon the greatest and highest The seruant receiueth it but the Master will reward it Vse 1 Touching the Vses we may first conclude the happy estate and condition of them that leaue this world and depart this life in the true feare of God because we heare their workes shall be remembred and therefore the doings of his seruants be rewarded with eternall glory being done in the loue of God and of his trueth none of them are forgotten but they shall follow them nay goe with them and beare them company This we reade in the Reuelations of Iohn chap. 14.13 I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Write blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they rest from their labors and their works follow them to wit at their heels as the word importeth Death cannot cut them off though it be a cruell and mercilesse tyrant and hath as it were a sithe or sickle in his hand to cut downe such as come in his way yea though it cut off riches reuenewes honours pleasures dignities delights wife children houses lands and life it selfe according to the saying of the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.7 We brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out with vs yet it cannot cut off good workes neither bereaue vs of the fruits of a liuely faith which are of such great force and efficacy that they are able to breake in sunder the chaines of death and the strength of the graue and cannot be holden in darknes and obliuion It were therefore a point of great wisedome and good policy so many as would willingly die the death of the righteous as Balaamites and all wicked men will seeme desirous to doe to prouide a goodly traine of good works which death cannot keepe backe they will presse so fast and knocke so hard at heauen
and the neglect of it as a neglect of himselfe v. 45. Thirdly it is a forcible meanes to manifest the truth and sincerity of our religion Iam. 1 17. Hereby our faith is tried and knowne to be a sound and sauing faith ch 2. Our hearing of the word and partaking of the Sacraments are not accepted except they be seasoned with mercy compassion as it were with salt Esa 1.14 15. Lastly seeing we must communicate one with another in earthly things how much Vse 3 more ought we to do it in heauenly And if we must procure good to the bodies of our brethren we are much more to seeke to saue their soules This is the greatest loue that can be to be a means to win any to saluation The soule of a man is of great price it is more worth then an whole world of wealth For what should it profit a man to winne a kingdome and then lose his owne soule or what shall a man giue for the recompence of his soule This is a diuine labour and shal haue a diuine reward This is an heauenly purchase to purchase soules In our daies they are accounted the onely wise men of the world that can compasse great matters and purchase house and lands and leaue a rich posterity behinde them Many men make it their glory to vaunt of their purchases and how they haue encreased their reuenues and enriched their heires But what haue they gotteÌ„ to God or whom haue they won to him Doubtles to gain one soule to God is better and shall yeeld more comfort at the last day then to get great substance and to leaue a rich inheritance behind vs. Hence it is that Salomon saith The fruite of the righteous is a tree of life and he that winneth soules is wise Prou. 11 30 Dan. 12 3. The Apostle Iude teaching the Saints what loue they should shew toward their brethren Iude 22.2 and what care should possesse their harts for their conuersion willeth to haue compassion vpoÌ„ some putting difference and that they should saue others with feare plucking them out of the fire This worke of winning of soules standeth in bringing of theÌ„ to the knowledge of God What it win souleâ— conuerting of a sinner froÌ„ going astray out of the right-way Some erre in opinioÌ„ Iam. 5 1â— other are corrupt in life conuersatioÌ„ He that seeth his neighbours Oxe or Asse ready to fall into a ditch wherein he might perish is bound by the law to pluck him out of danger Exod. 23 4 5 or his beast going astray must bring it home to the owner Deut. 22 1. All soules are mine sayeth the Lord Eze. 18 4. he is the owner of them he is the Lord ouer them when they wander out of the way of truth they must be brought vnto him againe Shall wee draw an Oxe out of the pit and not our brethren made after the similitude of God out of the puddles of sinne wherein they are plunged Hath he care ouer bruite beasts and not much rather ouer mens soules It is a point of humanitie to bring the wandering stranger into his way but it is a part of true piety to turne them into the pathe that leadeth vnto life who thorough error wander from God and his word To effect this â—herein the â—â—â—ning saâ—â—ng of soules â—â—â—sisteth we must vse these meanes and practise these duties First to instruct them which are ignorant and walke in darknes in the shadow of death that therby they may come to the knowledge of the truth Prou. 13 14. Secondly to reproue them of the euill which they haue committed that so they may repent and come out of the snares of Satan 2. Tim. 2 25. And thus many haue beene reclaimed Prou. 6 23 Thirdly to exhort and admonish one another perswading them vnto that which is good disswading them from that which is euill Heb. 3 7 8 13. and 10 24. Iohn 4 28 29. Thus we shall draw on some and preuent the fall of others This wee must do in loue and in the Spirit of meekenes considering both them and our selues Gal. 6 1 2. Fourthly to vse threatning to them that are obstinate and hardned in sinne denouncing vnto them the iudgements of God that their hearts may be mollified and softned as Physitians deale in desperate diseases Lastly to seeke to conuert them by a godly example of an holy life 1 Pet. 3 1. 1 Cor. 7 16. This is as strong and forcible a means as any of the former if not more forcible the other are by word this is by deede For when they behold an example of godlinesse faith patience humility and obedience before their eyes it causeth them to fall downe on their faces and giue glory vnto God wheÌ„ they see their good workes But wo to all carnall Gospellers who by prophane examples of all loosenesse doe strengthen the hands of the wicked thereby keepe them from repentance Woe vnto them by whom any soule is hindered from conuersion 1 Pet. 1 7. Verse 35 36. And it came to passe when the Ark set forward that Moses said rise vp Lord and let thine enemies be scattered c. This is the last point setting down the ordinary praiers that Moses vsed both when they marched and when they rested These prayers were not ysed at this time onely but vpon all such like occasions They neuer remooued but it was ioyned with prayer they neuer pitched down their Tents but it was done with praier This sanctifieth all our goings out and our commings in teacheth vs to begin our workes and end our labours with it And to whom doth he pray He goeth not to Saint or angel he saith not Rise vp Abraham oâ— Isaac or Iacob but Rise vp O Lord teaching vs that it is a duty due onely vnto God But to omit these points that euery where come to hand obserue this from the practise of Moses Doctrine that the seruants of God may lawfully vse a prescript forme of prayer The true seruants of God may vse a prescript forme of prayer whether it be the Minister in the Congregation or the Master in his priuate family or a particular christian between the Lord and himselfe when he is entred into his Chamber and hath shut the doore vnto him This we haue shewed already in the sixt chapter by the blessing commaunded to the Priests to bee vsed in the publike assemblies Now that which was allowed vnto the Priests may not be thought vnlawfull to the people Such as brought the first fruites to God to testifie their thankefulnesse vnto him for his blessings and that they held all of him in cheefe haue a set forme appointed vnto them Deut. 26 5 6 7 c. The Psalmes of Dauid were penned not onely to bee vsed at that time wherein they were made but euer afterward as occasion serued The 92 Psalme was penned for the Sabbath day so the 102 Psalme to be a
wee should follow our pleasures and delights eate and drinke and be merry and neuer mind better things or think of any other life like swine and beasts that know not God vers 32. To tell the yong man that he may freely follow the lusts of his eyes and walke in the wayes of his owne heart Eccle 11.9 or the rich man that he may take his ease and pastime while he liueth heere because when he dyeth all is lost Luk. 12.19 or the ambitious man that hee may say in his heart Who shall bring me downe to the ground Obad. vers 3. or the secure person that liueth deliciously that he may say I shall see no sorrow Reuel 18.7 I haue neede of nothing Reuel 3.17 I say to tell them thus is a damnable and pernicious doctrine and not to be taught and heard in the Church of God 1 Cor. 15.33 for this were to open a gappe to all prophanenesse and to hinder all practise of piety This ministreth comfort against all paines sorrowes afflictions wrongs and iniuries done vnto vs wee shall in the end bee free from all all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes we shall shine as the Sunne and be raised againe in glory 1 Cor. 15.43 Thirdly is God able to put life into things Vse 3 that are dead contrary to the course of nature then from hence ariseth a notable comfort to all that are in trouble and affliction though they be neuer so great and so desperate he is able to restore vs bring vs out of the same When the Isralites went into the red sea what was it but as it were to goe to present death and descend into the graue yet God brought them out againe into a place of rest and they beheld the confusion of all their enemies Exod 14.30 We are ready in euery danger and trouble to doubt nay to despaire of helpe and succour which maketh many to seeke vnlawfull meanes to recouer themselues we little remember this flourishing of Aarons rod that the Lord is able to quicken the dead and to preserue in the midst of all perill Psa 33.18 19. and 34.15.19 This point is notably taught by the Lord to Ezekiel vnder a type not much vnlike in substance to this chap. 37.5 6 7 11 12 13 14. The Iewes lay now vnder an heauy iudgement they were in captiuity in Babylon their case seemed to be desperate yet vnder that parable of the dead bones doth God comfort the people with assured hope of deliuerance For as those bones which were shewed to the Prophet in a vision had skinne and flesh and sinewes come vpon them and life and breath put vnto them so should it bee with that captiued people they should be restored to their former estate teaching them and in them vs therby that as it was easie with God to raise vp these dry bones to cloth them with flesh and to quicken them that had bene dead that they stood vpon their legs againe so it is as easie nay more easie for him to bring our soules out of trouble and to restore vs to ioy and gladnesse It is in his power to heare vs and helpe vs in bondage and banishment in sorrow and sickenesse and to deliuer vs out of all aduersity Psal 30.5.11 The arme of God is infinite and stretched out farre and neere hee is Almighty and able to bring to passe whatsoeuer pleaseth him Lastly this setteth forth vnto vs the state Vse 4 and condition of all the faithfull wee may behold an image of our naturall estate wee are by nature borne dead in sinnes and trespasses and there is no life of God in vs Ephe. 2.12 4.18 Neuerthelesse we should not despaire of our saluation or of the saluation of any other Ephe. 5.14 Gal. 2 19 20. There is hope of Gods gracious acceptance though they be greeuous offenders The gate of Gods mercy standeth wide open whose power is so great that of persecutors blasphemers and oppressors of the Church he can make conuerts professors and preachers Matth. 21.31 32. 1 Tim. 1.16 Gal. 1.23 This mercy of God was shewed to Paul yet it was not proper to him but exemplary he was made a patterne to shew the way of forgiuenesse vnto others that he would deale in like maner with them if after his example they should forsake their sinnes and embrace the Gospel This doth Paul teach touching the Iewes that are now strangers themselues from the couenant of God and from the promises God is able to graffe them in againe albeit blindnesse bee hapned vnto them vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in Rom. 11.25 Hee can say to the dead liue and they shall liue as hee made the withered rod to flourish This is sufficient to keepe vs and our hope aliue when things seeme to be almost desperate forasmuch as we beleeue in him Theophil enarr in epist ad Rom. to whom it is not vnpossible to make them the sonnes of Abraham which are not his sonnes And as it is easie for vs to call those things that are so it is not hard to him to raise vp those things that are not and to make them appeare When the Gentiles were no people of God hee made them his people and raised them as it were from death to life as also he will doe the Iewes if they abide not still in vnbeleefe Rom. 11.23 for as he brought light out of darknesse in the creation so he bringeth vs from the death of sinne ignorance and infidelity to the life of knowledge faith obedience in our regeneration 9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the Lord vnto all the children of Israel and they looked and tooke euery man his rod. 10 And the Lord said vnto Moses Bring Aarons rod againe before the Testimony to be kept for a token against the rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me that they die not 11 And Moses did so as the Lord commanded him so did be The former miracle is made cleere and open to all Israel As God made Aarons rod to blossome so he would haue the children of Israel to looke well vpon it and to take good notice of ir and to beleeue not the words of Moses but their owne eyes The doctrine All the miracles of God are wrought openly apparently cleerely and euidently to the senses of men Doctrine All the miracles of God are wrought openly and euidently that no doubt or controuersie should be made of them Luk. 7.11 12. Ioh. 11.39 44 45. For either men might feele them as the darkenesse of Egypt that was palpable or else they might heare them or taste them or smell them or see them and sometimes the most of them concurre together When the Lord brought his people out of Egypt all the miracles which hee wrought among them were most apparent vnto their senses When they went through the red sea he made the waters to diuide themselues
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
they oppressed him with iniuries and banished him their country and yet behold they are constrained immediately to seeke peace of him and to make a couenant with him so that albeit they hated him and put him away from them yet the King his Captaine are glad to come vnto him Gen. 26 24 25 26. For they feared him and saw certainly that the Lord was with him The like submission we see in Pharaoh albeit he hardened his hart and often had contemned and reuiled Moses yet in the greeuousnesse of the iudgement he sendeth for Moses and Aaron and saith I haue now sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye vnto the Lord for mee that there be no more mighty thunders amd haile Exod. 9 27 and 11 8. Such an example is recorded 1 Kings 13 4 6 touching Ieroboam who albeit he regarded not the word of the Prophet but raged against him and stretched out his hand from the Altar saying Lay hold on him yet when his hand was dryed vp so as he could not pull it in againe vnto him he humbled himselfe greatly in the present feeling of this punishment and besought that Prophet to pray to the Lord his God and make intercession for him that his hand might be restored Thus Saul seeketh to Dauid 1 Sam. 24 21 22. Belteshazzar to Daniel Dan. 5 12 13. Zedekiah to Ieremy Ier. 37 3. The foolish virgins to the wise Mat. 25 8. Haman had conspired the destruction of the Church and thirsted after the bloudy massacre of the Saints of God whose death is precious in his sight yet in the end he saw mischiefe prepared for him he stood vp to make request for his life vnto Queene Ester chap. 3 9 and 7 7. Thus the saying and sentence of the wise man is verified Prou. 14 19. The euill shall bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous Neither let vs doubt of this truth or greatly maruaile at it For God hath planted imprinted Reason 1 such a maiesty in the person of those that are vnfainedly godly truely religious that the most desperate and despightfull wicked men feare their faces and reuerence their presence If then the vngodly feare them it is no great maruaile though they fal downe before them many times in submissiue manner But the vngodly do often feare them therefore it cannot seeme strange vnto vs if they do some reuerence vnto them This we see in Herod Mark 6.20 He feared Iohn Acts 4 21 and 5 26. knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly So when the people saw how God heard the prayer of Samuel they feared Samuel exceedingly 1 Sam. 12 18. Such is the force of innocency that it conuinceth the enemies in their owne consciences and driueth them to do homage and vaile their bonnet to the seruants of God Againe it is the will of God that all such Reason 2 as humble themselues should be exalted and the lowly in heart should be aduanced so also such as exalt themselues should be brought low and therefore it is no maruaile if GOD euen in this life doe many times for the manifestation of his mercy and iustice lift vp the heads of his owne children Luke 14 11. cast downe the wicked vnder their feet Hence it is that Christ Iesus was so much delighted with this sentēce so often repeated by him in the Gospel Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall be brought low but he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Math. 23 12. Luke 18 14. Vse 1 Now let vs make vse of this doctrine First seeing the vnfaithfull be oftentimes constrained to sue to the faithfull for their helpe as the rich glutton did to Abraham let vs all learne to plant true godlinesse in our hearts and to turne to the Lord with all our soules that we may haue our part and portion in this preheminence and let vs walke worthy of our places and of this priuiledge honour and dignity Seeing almighty God maketh vs spirituall Kings to rule and reigne Reuel 1 6. and often subiecteth the wicked vnder vs let vs not be slaues to our owne lusts and corruptions but rule with authority and dominion ouer them and labor to subdue sinne vnto vs. We see the Princes of this world will not dishonour and debase thēselues with base Offices We are Kings and Princes to God in this life let vs then walke worthy of this dignity as the Apostle vrgeth this duty from vs 2 Thess 1 10 11. The Lord shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee made maruailous in all them that beleeue in that day wherefore we also pray for you alwaies that our God may make you worthy for this Calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power Where we see that after he had set downe the great glory that belongeth to Gods children at the comming of Christ he exhorteth them to walke worthy of their calling seeing it shall be glorious with Christ and the vngodly shall be brought to vtter shame contempt dishonour reproch confusion There is no way to bring any to true honour but to purchase to our selues true godlinesse Therefore the Lord said 1 Sam. 2 30. Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be despised Old age is rightly honourable but it must bee found in the way of righteousnesse Prou. 16 31. This we see to haue beene in Iob chap. 29 7 8. When I went out to the gate euen to the iudgement seate and when I caused them to prepare my seate in the streete the young men saw me and hid themselues and the aged arose and stood vp the Princes staied their talk laid hand on their mouth Loe thus shall they be honoured that feare the Lord and therfore blessed is the estate condition of the godly Vse 2 Secondly seeing the wicked euen in this life are vrged to seeke mercy at the hands of godly men so that God here vpon earth bringeth downe their heads that before were lifted vp in great pride how much more shall this be verified in the life to come when the redemption of Gods children draweth neere their happinesse shall be perfected then they are appointed to triumph and to haue the victory ouer all their enemies tread the wicked vnder their feet For the true children of of God shall rule and ouer-rule the world and shall trample vpon the kingdome of darknes ouer hell death damnation the diuell the reprobate whatsoeuer setteth it selfe against their peace This the Lord from the beginning taught the Church Gen. 3 15. He shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele The diuell shall tempt Christ assault his members but not ouercome them whereas Christ shall conquer the power of death and make his
bound to reioyce and praise GOD for their Prince who is as the comfort and consolation of our life and the verie instrument of our peace wee are they Vnder his shadow wee liue and abide as in a place of rest and sleepe quietly in our beddes free from all feare and danger whatsoeuer This we see described in the peaceable and prosperous dayes of Salomon there is no crying and complaining in our streetes We are blessed with earthly blessings we are an astonishment and wonder to our neighbour Nations They haue all deeply drunke of the cup of Gods wrath that hath beene filled with full measure whiles we haue looked on and our soule hath escaped And aboue all the rest we haue all this time enioyed and do enioy the bright light of the glorious Gospel and haue beene most of vs borne vnder the profession thereof to the establishing and continuing of many millions of thousands in the coueuant of grace and eternall life when other haue beene kept in horrible darknes and damnable idolatry to the destruction of their soules We are therefore vnhappy wretches if among all the mercies of God vpon vs this be not remembred as one of the first and cheefest And let vs learne to haue in abhomination from the bottome of our hearts the bloody practises and desperate attempts of all cursed Shemeis â— 15 6 7. who open their mouthes against the Lord and against his annointed with horrible execrations I meane the Iesuites and Priests brethren in euill together with the rest of that damned crew and generation who in stead of prayer and thanksgiuing for our Soueraigne vse falshood practise treasons and deuise mischieuous conspiracies seeking the life of their gracious Prince and labouring to stop the breath of our nostrils â— 4 20. whereas he that curseth the King should dye the death The Prophet Ieremy speaking of the estate of the people after the death of Iosiah bringeth them in thus complaining The breath of our nostrils the annointed of the Lord was taken in their Nets of whom we said Vnder his shadow we shall bee preserued aliue among the heathen Whereby he meaneth that the office of the King as the Superiour Pet. 2 13 14 and of all Magistrates as Gouernours sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do well is to protect and preserue the people in peace and safety euen as the breath that we draw in at our nostrils giueth life and health to the body Wherefore it standeth vs that are Subiects vpon not onely to be obedient for conscience sake vnto all lawfull ordinances of Princes who are the Lords Lieutenants appointed of him ouer his people for their good â— 82 1 2. but to pray earnestly for them that they may further vs in piety keepe vs in honesty and maintaine vs in tranquility one with another piety in respect of God honesty in respect of our selues tranquility in respect of others This charge the Apostle giueth when Magistrates were Infidels and Heathen that the Church should pray vnto God for them how much more therefore doth it stand vs vpon to practise this duty when as our Magistrates are the children of God and pillars of the Church And thus much of the third part of this chapter 21 Then Israel sent Messengers vnto Sihon King of the Amorites saying 22 Let me goe through thy Land we will not turne aside into the Fields nor into the Vineyards neither will we drinke of the waters of the Welles We will goe by the Kings way vntill we be past thy Border 23 But Sihon gaue Israel no licence to passe through his Border and Sihon assembled all his people and went out against Israel into the Wildernesse and he came to Iaboz and fought against Israel 24 But Israel smote him with the edge of the sword and inherited his Land from Arnon vnto Iabbok euen vnto the children of Ammon for the Border of the children of Ammon was strong 25 And Israel tooke all those Cities therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages thereof 26 For Heshbon was the City it selfe of Sihon King of the Amorites who fought against the former King of the Moabites and tooke away all his Land out of his hand euen vnto Arnon 27 Wherefore they that speake in Prouerbs say Come to Heshbon let the City of Sihon beâ— built and repaired 28 For a fire is gone out of Heshbon and a flame from the City of Sihon and hath consumed Har of the Moabites and the inhabitants of the high places of Arnon 29 Woe be to thee Moab O people of Kemosh thou art vndone he hath deliuered his sons which escaped and his daughters into captiuity to Sihon the King of the Amorites 30 Their Empire also is lost from Heshbon vnto Dibon and we haue destroied them vnto Nophah which reacheth vnto Medeba 31 Thus Israel dwelt in the Land of the Ammorites In these words and those that follow to the ende of the Chapter is contained the last part of this Chapter to wit the subduing of two mighty enemies in two seuerall battels namely Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan The Amorites were a people that came of Ham the youngest sonne of Noah as appeareth Gen. 10 verses 6 15 16. For Ham begat Canaan who disclosed the nakednesse of his Grandfather and Canaan begat Emori of whom came the Amorites who inhabited the Land of Bashan Mount Gilead This History is more at large recorded Deuter. chapter 2 and 3. â—irst touching Sihon we must obserue two things the iust occasion and aduantage which he gaue to Israel to subdue him and take possâ—ssion of his Land For the Lord had hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate because he would deliuer him into the hands of the Israelites Deuteronomy chapter 2 verse 30. Then secondly the ouerthrowing of him the entring into his Country the possessing of his Citties Hitherto they had compassed the Land of Edom with great danger with much wearinesse and sundry tentations they come to the Land of the Amorites there the King withstandeth them and will giue them no passage but fiercely and furiously encountreth with them Touching the occasion whereby Israel was iustly moued compelled to enter fight with the Amorites it offereth two points to be considered First a friendly and louing request of Moses Secondly a currish and vnkinde deniall made by Sihon Concerning the petition of Moses obserue the Embassage which he sent together with the reasons containing both the ground of his reasonable demand shewing the equity of the petition and laying down most equall conditions of peace because he desired onely passage through his Land without spoyle of the Country in generall or dammage to any person in particular The refusall of the King followeth and albeit the Israelites freely and frankly professed that their purpose was to passe by all
in battell Let vs euery one learne this vse and apply it to our hearts that the wicked man what face soeuer hee set on the matter can neuer haue a good heart but standeth in feare of euery creature in heauen and earth Genes 4 14. like Cain affrighted at the sight of euery thing and thinking whosoeuer findeth them will slay them Doe they looke vp to heauen there they haue God their enemy Do they looke downe to hell there they see Satan their tormenter and his angelles their executioners Would they take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea they shall finde euerie creature to fight against them and to conspire their death and euen to grone to bee deliuered from such an vnprofitable burthen â—â—â—eaâ— caâ—iâ—â—â—cked The heauen saith Why do I couer him The aire saith Why do I yeelde him life and breath The water saith Why doe I not drowne him as Pharaoh his hoast The fire saith Why do I not consume him as Sodom and Gomorrha as the Captaine and his fifty The earth saith Why do I beare him and sustaine him and not swallow him vp as Dathan and Abiram His food saith Why do I nourish not choake him His apparrell saith Why doe I warme him The ground saith Why doe I yeeld him increase and bring forth any other crop then thornes and briars then nettles and thistles Death saith Why do I spare him not strike him Hell saith Why do I not receiue him The sword cryeth Why do I not smite him Famine Why do I not pine him The Pestilence Why do I not waste him and make hauocke of him The Sun and Moone say Why do I giue him light His bed saith Why do I giue him rest Thus euery creature is vp in armes and rebelleth against him that rebelleth against God they sound defiance vnto vs and proclaime open warre against vs wheÌ„ we are not at peace with our God What then Shall he looke homeward turne his eyes toward himselfe There hee findeth and feeleth an accusing conscience as a thousand witnesses against him to whip terrify him Howsoeuer the euill man reioyceth in his wickednesse and glorieth in his owne shame Deut. 29 19. Deut. 29.19 howsoeuer he put away the euil day farre from him and promise peace vnto himselfe yet a man would not haue the heart of a wicked man for a thousand worldes nor possesse his pleasures to haue his paines Thou knowest not the torments of his conscience when he feeleth the strength of the Law the terrors of the Almighty the tentations of the diuel the gripings of death and the flashings of hell fire howsoeuer he seemeth to make a mocke of sinne and foolish men as vaine as himselfe doe flatter him in his sinnes Yet in laughter the heart is sorrowfull Pro. 14 13 14 and the end of that mirth is heauinesse There is a way that seemeth right to a man but the issues thereof are the wayes of death Wherefore seeing the euill man feareth oftentimes where no feare is trembling at the fall of a leafe starting at his owne thought and shaking at his owne shadow we conclude that hee can haue no true might and manhood in him but is a dastard and a coward in regard of true manhood and fortitude which are far from him Seconâ— y it standeth vs vpon to be at peace with God and learne to leade a godly life For so long as wee liue in our sinnes wee are as a lothsome carkasse and carrion casting out a filthy fauour and stinking in the nosthrils of God A wretched and prophane man lying rotting and rioting in his sinnes is more lothsome to God then any dead body is lothsome vnto our senses So long as wee corrupt our wayes before him the Lord hath a controuersie with vs and will commence an action against vs. And we shal neuer haue true peace with men nor true peace with our selues but shall feele the terrors of our own consciences and be at deadly and dangerous warre with our owne hearts vntill we be reconciled to God But if we be truely godly and religious and be indeed at peace with God we shall be at peace with others and with our selues nothing shall bee able to hurt vs. For whom should we feare or whereof should we be afraid God is become our Father Whom haue we in heauen but him and whom can we desire on earth with him Psal 73 25. The Angels are our attendants they pitch their Tents round about vs to deliuer vs they are charged to keepe vs in all our wayes and to beare vs in their hands that we dash not our foot against a stone Psal 34 7 and 91 11. For are they not all ministring spirits set and sent out to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation Heb. 1 14. The Saints in heauen and earth are our fellow-brethren so that we are Citizens with â—hem of the same kingdome and of the houshold of God Eph. 2 19. The Lord Iesus to whom all iudgement is committed who shall iudge the world with thousands of his Angels is become our Sauiour So that wee shall neuer come into condemation but shall passe from death to life Ioh. 5 24. The creatures are our friends nay as our sworne seruants by the law of their creation to doe vs good and not euill all their dayes The stones of the field are in league with vs Hosea 2 18 and the Beasts of the fielde shall be at peace with vs Iob 5 23. Death shall not be able to hinder or to hurt vs though it be a Scorpion or Serpent the poison is dispersed the sting is pulled out 1 Cor. 15 54 55. The diuels and all the powers of darknesse shall not destroy vs Christ hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them vpon the Crosse as a mighty conqueror in a chariot of triumph Col. 2 15. He hath bruised his head he hath crushed him at the heart so that the Prince of the world is cast out Iohn 12 31. What then Shall tribulations and afflictions or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or the sword separate vs from the loue of Christ and peace with our God Rom. 8 28.35 37. Nay these proceed from a louing Father and end at our own good who sanctifieth all things and maketh them worke together for the best to them that loue God He will couer them vnder his wings and they shall be sure vnder his feathers they shall not be afraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day nor of the pestilence that walketh in the darknes nor of the plague that destroyeth at noone-day a thousand shall fall at their side ten thousand at their right hand but it shall not come neare vnto them Psal 91 4.5 6 7. Lastly as they shall feare no danger that can hurt
maketh all other blessings to be curses and iudgements vnto them that are destitute hereof therefore we must all call our selues to an account what account we make of it We should make it our meate and drinke a treasure for the obtaining whereof rather then want it we wold sell all that we haue but alas what thankefulnes hath it wrought in vs We are like vnto the Iewes they had this glorious light brought among them but they loued darkenes more then light because their works were euill If we be weary of this heauenly Manna let vs take heede lest the Lord grow weary of vs if we cast away his word he wil cast away vs and forsake vs for euer The Lord biddeth vs take heed to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6 17 let vs not answer presumptuously wee will not take heed let vs beware of securitie remember from whence we are fallen And let him that glorieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord and his word to his saluation Ier. 9 24. Vse 2 Secondly it followeth that wheresoeuer God hath established this his ordinance there certainly hee hath a Church and chosen people and some that belong to eternall life for whose sake it is sent among them For as the Spirit of God is the soule of the church quickning it and giuing it life so the word is this soules instrument or the seed wherby it worketh and the onely essentiall marke thereof so that where it is sincerely taught 〈◊〉 â—2 and constantly professed there certainly is a Church Where it is not there is no true Church albeit it haue neuer so goodly and glistering a shew but a very carrion carkas of a church without the life of the Spirit but as an house without light as the world without the Sun as a kingdome without the Law The Prophet Esay calleth it the standard of God saying I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people they shal bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders Esay 49. verse 22 Where the Lord Iesus is compared to a King and Captaine and therefore all that will haue comfort that they are members of the church must range themselues vnder it as soldiers vnder the banner of their Chieftaine otherwise they remaine as men In darknes in the shadow of death as stragling and runnagate soldiers out of the campe and as dissolute men vnder no law to gouerne them For they are the vilest and basest that liue without it very dogges and swine They of the Church are Gods chiidren and the word is the Childrens food belonging to them onely When the Canaanitish woman would haue beene partaker of Christs Ministery Mat. 15 26. he answered It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto whelpes But other are as vncleane and filthy beasts This which now hath bene spoken serueth to ouerthrow two sorts of people first those of the Church of Rome which make other markes and notes of the Church as antiquity vnity vniuersality succession subiection to the Pope and such like counterfet markes of their counterfet church and leaue this which is the most certaine and inseparable note This proueth vnto vs plainly that these which most of all boast of the name of the Church are indeede neyther the Catholike Church nor any sound part thereof because they want the immortall seede to beget them the milke and meate of the word to feede and norish them yea it is accounted an high point of heresie to haue read the Scriptures and none is permitted to looke into them without a license so heinous a sin it is to haue the word Secondly it censureth condemneth the Donatists Anabaptists Brownists and those of the separation which condemne our Churches to be no Churches our Sacraments to bee no Sacraments our Ministers to be no Ministers and in effect our religion to be no religioÌ„ because we do not with them in matters accidental fully agree albeit we do consent in matters fundamental we lay Christ alone for the foundation on which we build our saluation we lay hold vpon him by faith only we preach Christ crucified truly by their owne confession powerfully They hold themselues to haue receiued faith among vs by our Ministery before they made this rent and breach in the Church and that the end of such fayth if they had dyed in it had beene the saluation of theyr soules See the books of Greenwood Iohnson Let them therefore return and cause others to return ioyne with vs in hearing the word preached seeing where it is rightly established there must of necessity be a true Church And albeit some of them haue written many of theÌ„ haue spoken against our Church yet let them follow the example of that sonne Matth. 21 29. who answered his father stubbornly that he would not work in his vineyard but afterward repented earnestly and went his wayes Vse 3 Thirdly all such as are this way honoured and blessed must be carefull to vse the word as an honour and a blessing by imbracing it by entertaining it by magnifying this blessing of God in truth and not in opinion in heart and not in face in workes and not in words that we may walke worthy the Gospel and of the Lord that hath called vs and shew our selues carefull to bring foorth the fruites thereof saying with the Apostle Rom. 10 10. How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Hitherto rendeth the exhortation of the Apostle 1. to the Thessalonians ch 2 11 12. Let vs be carefull to keepe this treasure among vs lest the kingdome of God bee taken from vs. Otherwise instead of being the water of life to saue vs it will be a sea to drowne vs instead of being the sauour of life to life it will turne to bee the sauour of death to death instead of being meate to feede vs it will bee our bane to destroy vs instead of good tydings to refresh comfort vs it will proue the saddest and heauiest newes that euer came to our eares and that day the blackest day that euer came ouer our heads Thus our Sauiour threatned Capernaum which hee had honoured with his presence blessed with his preaching aduanced by his dwelling in it and lifted vp with his miracles Mat. 11 26. Thou Capernaum which art lifted vppe vnto heauen shalt be throwne downe to hell c. Look vpon the seuen Churches of Asia we see what is become of them Behold what the contempt of the Gospel hath brought vpon the Iewes the like hath not falne vpon any people since the beginning what mischeefe miserie did not fall vpon them It cannot bee denied but God hath blessed vs as much as euer he lifted vp the head of Capernaum and hath magnified his mercies and loue vnto
but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth He that setteth his sonne to schoole will look he should learn somewhat and not euer stand at one stay We are trained vp in the bosome of the Church which is the Schoole-house of Christ wee must therefore euery day be profiting and going forward God accepteth not of those that looke backward or stand at a stay hee will know them that seek more and more to know him Thirdly it is our duty to beg and craue at Vse 3 Gods hands the knowledge of his will who openeth the eyes of the blinde and giueth vnderstanding to those that seeke it We haue a gracious promise to be heard Mat. 7 7. in the prayers and petitions that we make vnto him Hence it is that the Prophet Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and endued with a singular portion of Gods Spirit craueth the enlightning of Gods Spirit and desireth still to be taught of him Psal 119 verses 18 27 31 73. Thus doth the Apostle pray for the Ephesians chapter 1 verses 17 18 that God would giue them the spirit of wisedome and enlighten their mindes to know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches are of his glorious inheritance in the Saints A notable direction for all of vs how to behaue our selues when we come into the house of God and tread in his Courts namely not to rest vpon our naturall gifts nor to trust in our mother-wits which are too short and shallow to reach vp to the height and to sound the depth of the mysteries of God How many are there in the world of an high reach and of a deepe conceite in the matters of the world that attaine to no measure of knowledge in the matters of God Talke with them of the things of this life they are able to discourse with great insight many of Gods children inferiour to them few equall with them none can go beyond them They can contriue and dispatch businesse of the world with great facility you cannot speake to them of any thing of this nature but by and by they apprehend it and conceiue it But enter communication with them of heauenly things of the knowledge of God of faith in Christ of the saluation of their soules they can conceiue nothing they are as blinde as Beetles they are simple and ignorant as little children that know not the right hand from the left This should offer to our wise carefull cōsiderations a double meditatiō First it serues to humble those that haue these gifts of nature and are wise in their owne conceit and to make them equal with those of the lower sort seeing all their gifts which Nature hath adorned them withall are not able to set them one foot forward toward the kingdome of heauen nay being vnsanctified they are further off from saluation then others of smaller gifts This made the Apostle say Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God and the Lord knoweth that the thoghts of the wise be vaine 1. Cor. 3 18. Where hee teacheth euery one to be ready to deny himselfe and his carnall wisedome whose beginning is from the flesh and whose end is death to the end wee may be truely wise in heauenly things pertaining vnto euerlasting life Secondly this serueth to comfort the children of God that want the worldly wit of naturall men and are not able to diue so deepe into earthly things as they though they be simple in matters of this world yet if GOD haue giuen them a taste of the glory of the world to come let them rest in spirituall knowledge and giue God the praise that hath opened the eyes of their mindes and inlightned their hearts to haue a feeling of it This our Sauiour taketh occasion to practise and to offer praise and honour to God in a sweete remembrance of this dealing of God I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes it is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Math. 11 25 26. Though wee be simple in the world yet if wee be wise in GOD though weake in the world yet if we be strong in GOD though wee be accounted as fooles and silly ones of the sharp wits of the world yet if wee haue learned Christ Iesus know the exceeding measure of his loue toward vs let this be our comfort and consolation that God hath abundantly recompenced the want of those outward things by giuing vnto vs an happy and holy aduantage in heauenly things And indeed all those are learned that are taught of God and they vnlearned that are not taught of him althogh otherwise they abound in other knowledge Such as haue learned Christ Iesus and him crucified and so are become new creatures in him they are learned though they know neuer a letter in the booke For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge Col. 2 3. He that hath not learned Christ is vnlearned Althogh otherwise he be neuer so learned for if he be not regenerate and borne anew but committeth sinne with greedines he hath not seene him neither hath knowne him 1. Ioh. 3 6. Wherfore let vs al learne from hence to depend vppon God for his blessings vpon vs especially when we enter the Lords courts and come to heare his word let vs confesse that we are not able of our selues to vnderstand his will and desire him to open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Act. 16 14. for otherwise wee shall depart away as ignorant and blinde as wee came wee shall neuer soundly rest in the truth that is deliuered but alwayes be ready to carpe and cauill at it to wrangle and reason against it saying How can these things be And then it may be said vnto them as Christ speaketh to the proud Pharisies who gloried in their owne insight thought all men blind beside themselues If ye were blinde ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth Iohn 9 40 41. Let vs then be ready to renounce our worldly wisedome and to deny our selues and begge the assistance of Gods Spirit to be our inward teacher and instructer that so we may heare with profit and comfort Vse 4 Lastly learne to be thankfull to God foreshewing this grace and mercy to vs his vnworthy seruants when he reuealeth and maketh knowne vnto vs the hid things of God touching our saluation without which wee haue liued in darknes in the shadow of death and in the estate of damnation Hee hath not vouchsafed this mercy vpon all but hath passed ouer many thousands in the world which know not truth from errour nor light from darknesse hee might haue passed
of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds To conclude this vse seeing God hath thus aduanced vs let not vs disgrace our selues but maintaine our dignity and adorne our profession that wee may finde comfort by it in our chastisements and afflictions A Starre shall come out of Iacob We haue seene in the former Doctrine the glory of the Church that the people of God are set apart by Christ to be spirituall Kings vnto GOD the Father a dignity giuen to them by him Now before we passe from this place let vs consider of the title that is giuen vnto Christ where we see hee is compared to a Starre and called a Starre that shall come out of Iacob This Starre wee haue shewed typically to signifye Christ who is called the Light of the world the Sunne of righteousnesse the morning star the day-spring from on high He is called by this name 〈◊〉 â—easons 〈◊〉 Christ is 〈◊〉 a Star and described by this title First because hee is the fountaine of all saluation and comfort Secondly to teach that all men by nature walke in darknesse and in the shadow of death Thirdly because he will giue those that are his the light of knowledge in this life and the light of perfect glory in the life to come by which they shal be as starres of heauen and shine in the firmament afterward Heereby we learne that Christ Iesus is as the morning starre vnto vs â—â—â—rine â—â—st Iesus â—â—e Dayâ—â—â—ing in 〈◊〉 hearts bestowing vpon his people two excellent priuiledges blessings First hee riseth vp as a bright starre in our hearts casting from the the thicke clouds of blindenesse and taking away the darke mistes of ignorance enlightning them with the true sauing knowledge of God sufficient for saluation begun heere in this life but shall be perfected in the life to come Secondly he will bestow vpon vs the light of perfect glory in the kingdome of his Father by the which we shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and as the starres for euer euer These are two vnspeakable mercies vnprizable vnmatchable to be deliuered out of the kingdome of ignorance and to bee brought into the kingdome of light to be glorified in heauen and to be made partakers of eternall life So then we see by this comparison that by Christ we haue the light of vnderstanding shall haue the glory of immortality to know God euen as we are knowne Touching the first clause that he will manifest all the mysteries of God vnto his Church the Prophet Ioel foretelleth chap. 2 28 That he will poure out of his Spirit vpon all flesh their sonnes daughters shall prophesie their olde men shall dreame dreames and their young men shall see visions they shall be all taught of God and they shall know him from the least to the greatest So our Sauiour sayeth to his Disciples Math. 13 12. To you it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen Now saith the Apostle we see as in a glasse darkely but then wee shall see face to face now I know in part but then shall I know as I am known 1 Cor. 13 12. Touching the second clause that the faithfull shall receiue the light of perfect glory after this life the Prophet Daniel witnesseth That they which bee wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer â—an 12 3. The performance heereof is remembred where thousand thousands out of euery nation kindred and tongue praise the Lambe for that hee hath made them Kings and Priests to reigne ouer the earth Reason 1 The truth of all this will yet better appeare vnto vs if we marke the Reasons First Christ hath receiued a fulnesse of the Spirit and graces without measure that they might flow vnto all his members who receiue from him grace for grace sufficient for their places in the Church heere and for their saluation afterward For in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge as a Fountaine that is without bottome which can neuer bee drawne dry Col. 2 3. Therefore the Euangelist saith That of his fulnesse wee all receiue and grace for grace Iohn 1 16. So then Christ is full of heauenly graces and spirituall gifts that we might bee annointed by him and receiue our portion froÌ„ him For he obtained them not to keepe them to himselfe or to couer them vnder a bushell but to bestow them vpon his Church So long as he is full we need not feare to be empty Iohn 1.14 so long as he is stored we cannot be destitute If once we depart from him it is in vaine to look for one drop elsewhere Secondly he hath obtained by prayer of Reason 2 his Father who can deny him nothing that from him we should receiue the light of glory because as he is ioyned to the Father and one with him so we shall be ioyned to him receiue of his glory Heere we know in part and prophesie in part and all good things are vnperfect but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part and vnperfect shall bee done away 1 Cor. 13 10 for as he being Mediator between God and man hath receiued of the Father so shall we receiue of the Father being in him This he speaketh to his Father Ioh. 17.22 23. The glory which thou gauest me I haue giuen theÌ„ that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee Christ is the band or knot of the vnion betweene God and vs for in him the Mediator heauen and earth is as it were ioyned together which otherwise could not be So then when he shall appeare wee shall appeare with him cloathed with righteousnesse and cloathed with his glory which he also receiued to make vs partakers of Thirdly such as keepe his words they loue Reason 3 Christ and they that loue Christ are beloued of him and of his Father so that he will shew himselfe vnto them and withhold no good thing from them This Christ our Sauiour setteth downe Iohn 14 21. The vses of this title giuen to Christ being Vse 1 called the starre of Iacob are diuers First this teacheth vs that they haue no property nor interest in this Starre eyther touching the light of sauing knowledge or the brightnesse of heauenly glory that liue in blindnesse and ignorance that follow the works of darknesse delight in sinfull pleasures and leade a loose and lewd life If we haue no light of Christ shining in our hearts scattering the blacknesse of darknesse from our soules and yet looke to receiue any comfort or refreshing from him when this Sunne of righteousnesse shall appeare in glory wee are vtterly
brethren But they proceed by little and little from step to step and from one degree to another till they feare nothing and are ashamed of nothing Therefore in the example of one man heere set before our eies Moses declares to what impudency shamelesnesse they were come that they brought their harlots into the hoast to despite God to anger Moses to corrupt the people to pollute the worship that was set vp by the commandement of the Lord. For this man who is afterward named as if he had beene absolute in power as he was indeed resolute in will dissolute in his whole life brought his whorish woman in the sight of God in the sight of Moses in the sight of the congregation and in the sight of the Tabernacle to shew that he had filled vp the measure of his sinne Doctrine Euill men proceed by degrees from worse to worse The doctrine arising from hence is this that euill men doe not vsually make any stay in euill but proceede from degree to degree to worse worse The nature of sinne is to draw all such as delight in it and follow after it from one euill to another vntill in the end they become most corrupt and abhominable This is it which the Prophet Ieremy noteth in the people of his time when he sayth Were they ashamed when they committed abhomination Nay they were not ashamed no neither could they haue any shame therefore they shall fall among the slaine when I shall visit them they shall bee cast downe saith the Lord Ier. 6 15. The like we see in the 18. chap. following ver 11 12. Speake to the men of Iudah and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem saying Thus saith the Lord Behold I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you returne you therefore euery one from his euill way and make your wayes your workes good But they said desperatly Surely we will walk after our own imaginations doe euery man after the stubburnes of his wicked hart The truth of this hath bin euidēt in al ages of the Church When the Lord was determined to bring an vniuersall flood vpon the face of the earth for the sinnes of man and had giuen them a time of repentance while his patience endured Gen. 6.12 They ceased not from sin neither repented of their wickednesse saying what haue I done Math. 24 38. But euery one turned to their race as the horse rusheth into the battell For in the time that was limited thē their sin increased our Sauior shewing how they were giuen ouer vnto all loosenesse vntill the flood came and swept them all away This the Prophet Dauid noteth if hee were the penner of that Psalme where hee obserueth the degrees and stayres by which men ascend to the heighth and top of sinne first they beginne to walke in the counsell of the wicked then they proceed to stand in the way of sinners lastly they come to sit downe in the seat of the scornefull Psal 1.1 And this we may further obserue in the faylings of the faithfull and in their fallings into sinne No man becommeth extreamely euil at a sudden nor desperately setled and obstinatly resolued to continue in sin in a moment but as he that will climbe vp to the top of an high tower doth ascend step by step and by little litle so he that maketh no conscience of any sinne but walketh in all prophanenesse with greedinesse commeth to that height by degrees one sinne drawing on another the lesser making way for the greater and the greater obtayning passage for the greatest of all Wee see it in Euah when she fell from God first Gen 3 6. she listned vnto Satan secondly shee made a light resistance to his tentation thirdly shee beganne to doubt waueringly of that which God had deliuered absolutely fourthly shee grew in concupiscence the eye liking the heart lusting and both of them desiring the forbidden fruite lastly she fell to flat apostacy infidelity and rebellion This likewise is set before vs in the example of Peter who getting into the high-Priests hall and thrusting himselfe into euill company hath left vs a strong proofe of his owne weakenesse and of his declining from euill to worse First hee answereth faintly and fearefully that he knew not the man Math. 26 70. A dangerous beginning When hee was further vrged and pressed to answere and that he saw his bare and cold denyall would not be accepted hee thought to goe one step farther hee denyed with an oath that he neuer knew him Yea when they were importunate vpon him and would not suffer him to be in rest he began to curse himselfe and thereby to cast himselfe into the depth of sin into the gates of hel and into the hands of Satan The Reasons follow First sin groweth Reason 1 in the heart as the childe doth in the wombe For as the infant hath his increasings and augmentations from a small beginning vntill hee come to the birth proceeding from one degree and age vnto another as Iob setteth foorth our first creation Thou hast powred me out as milke and turned mee into cruds like cheese thou hast clothed me with skinne and flesh and ioyned me with bones and sinnewes Iob 10 10 11 so is it with a sinner his beginnings are small but the further hee runneth the longer he continueth and the deeper hee plungeth himselfe in sinne the more corrupt and abhominable he becommeth As a spring that ariseth out of the earth is first little and shallow but the further it groweth the more ground it floweth and the more streames come into it the greater the riuer is or as a fire which at the first is a little sparke being nourished becommeth in short time a great flame so is it with sin it is little in growth weake in strength slender in appearance at the beginning but being cherrished and fostered in the soule of the sinner it multiplyeth exceedingly and bringeth foorth many children of the same nature whereof we may truely say Like mother like daughter This is that comparison which the Apostle Iames vseth to expresse the fruitfull nature of all the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is enticed then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and when sinne is finished it bringeth foorth death Iam. 1 15. VVhere the Apostle sheweth that first a man is tempted to euill then concupiscence conueyeth it after it is in trauaile and bringeth foorth and lastly it doth finish it as a perfect birth This comparison is also vsed by the Prophet Dauid Behold he shall trauaile with wickednesse for he hath conceiued mischiefe but he shall bring forth a lie Psal 7 14. Reason 2 Secondly the wrath of God falleth vpon such as make no conscience to fall into lesser sinnes hee giueth them ouer to a reprobate sence to a slumbring spirit and to hardnesse of heart that
they fall to be past feeling and cannot repent The Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Romanes That such as regarded not to know God hee gaue them vp to their hearts lust vnto all vncleannesse and punished one sinne with another Rom 1.28 For the sinne that followeth is a punishment which went before God forsaketh them with his grace that forsake him by their sinnes and when once God leaueth them the diuell findeth them Whensoeuer God departeth out of any person the vncleane spirit taketh possession for the house is empty swept and garnished and made ready to entertaine him Math. 12 44. This is it which the Prophet declareth concerning the secret iudgment of God vpon sinners that make shipwracke of faith and of a good conscience My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of me so I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne counsels Psal 81 11 12. Where hee sheweth that seeing they would not be reclaimed and reformed hee laide the bridle in their owne neckes and suffered them to run their full swinge into all wickednesse In like manner the Apostle describing the sins of the Iewes that hated the Gospel stoned the Prophets persecuted the Saints and crucified the Lord of life sheweth that they had filled vp the measure of their sinnes and that the wrath of God was come on them to the vttermost 1. Thess 2 19. Reason 3 Thirdly sinne is fitly resembled to the fretting of a canker and to the vncleannesse of a leprosie both which goe forward and make no stay vntill the whole body be infected and euery member endangered This is the similitude which the Apostle vseth Their word shal fret as a canker 2. Tim. 2.17 of which sort is Hymeneus and Philetus For as one serpent engendreth another so doth one sinne conceiue and bring forth another It is like vnto the beast that is said to grow so long as it liueth So then lay these things together both that God forsaketh such as make no conscience of sinne and that sinne is likened to the conceiuing of the wombe to the eating of a canker and to the filthinesse of a leprosie wee may conclude that sin being entertained knoweth not stay but rolleth as a stone vntill it come to the Vse 1 bottome Now let vs handle the vses First consider from hence how dangerous it is to giue entertainment vnto sinne at the beginning which groweth to more perfection euery day we cannot stop this streame when we will it goeth beyond the strength of our nature God leaueth vs further to our selues when we begin to leaue his wayes We see this in the example of Cain he was reproued of God checked for his hatred against his brother admonished to repent but he harkened not to the voyce of the Lord but hardened his heart and shed innocent blood euen the blood of his brother Gen. 4 8. This appeareth in Iudas hee entertained couetousnesse in his heart from couetousnesse hee fell to plot with the Pharisies from plotting he proceeded to practising and in the end hee brake out into treason against his Lord and Master and ceased not till hee brake his owne necke Math. 26 15. The like we may say of Saul and trace out his falling from God step by step and the more he continued 1. Sam. 16 14. the more did the Spirit of GOD forsake him so that his hidden corruption brake out into open rebellion against God open persecution against Dauid and open desperation against himself and his owne soule Thus it falleth out with such as sinne against their conscience Some grow to be very diuels incarnate that do euery day giue strength vnto their corruption and adde drunkennesse vnto thirst who being past feeling giue themselues to wantonnesse to worke all vncleannes with greedinesse Some are like bruite beasts that are led onely by sensuality carnall and naturall men which haue nothing in them of the Spirit of God Iude 10. Continuance in sinne bringeth hardnesse of heart Such are in greatest danger and see it not they are in the midst of the fire and feele it not they taste deeply of the iudgment of God and regard it not Lay before them the grieuousnesse of sinne beseech them with bitter teares exhort them by the tender mercies of God denounce all the plagues punishments and iudgments of hell offer vnto them the sweet promises of the Gospel entreate them by the death of Christ and the dearest blood that he shed for them all these they tread vnder their feet and neglect them as things of no price sinne hath bewitched their hearts Sathan hath blinded their eyes and God hath giuen them vp into a reprobate sence For as among all the blessings that God bestoweth vpon the sonnes of men in this world a soft and tender heart is one of the greatest which is soone checked controuled soone made to bleed and raised to repentance and amendement of life Ezek. 11 19 so there can be no greater curse and malediction laide vpon any man then to haue a stony and stiff-necked a rebellious and yron heart which heapeth and hoardeth vp euery day vengeance against it selfe What an heauy punishment was this vpon Pharaoh when his heart was hardened Moses and Aaron came vnto him they laide before him the word of God they wrought miracles in the land of Egypt they called vpon him to let the people go he was visited with lice he was feared with thunders he was plagued with frogges he was tryed with darknesse he was punished with the death of the first borne yet could not all these enter into his heart nor pierce his conscience that was seared with an hot yron so that he proceeded in euill vntill he and his whole hoste were drowned in the red sea Heereunto accordeth that which the Prophet Ieremy sayth Can the blacke Moore change his skinne or the leopard his spots Then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Ier. 13 23. Seeing therefore such as beginne to sinne can haue do stay of themselues we must needs confesse it to be very dangerous and hurtfull to our soules For all such as breake out into this sinne are like to those that runne downe a steepe hill that when they are going haue no power to make any stay or stop vntill they come vnto the lower end Thus it is with those that haue giuen the onset vpon sinne they do as it wer open the flood gates of impiety which are not againe easily shut vp but the violence of the streame beareth all things before it For howsoeuer sinne at the first be entertained of men with some dislike and not without some strugling and striuing against it yet in processe of time and by continuance in sinne they grow shamelesse euen to haue an whores forehead that they cannot nor wil not be ashamed though the Sunne the heauen the earth and men beare witnesse against them they
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