glory 2. Timoth. 4.4 8. Revelat. 2.10 11. And IV. A Kingdome Matth. 6.33 Luke 12.32 Secondly it may be illustrated and described Answ 2 by some similitudes and resemblances namely I. By the feast and banquet of King Ahasverus joy and melody and dainties in all abundance But yet it fell farre short of that felicity which is reserved in heaven for the righteous II. By this world here observe two things viz. First there are many rare things in the world which we thinke to be worth seeing and looking vpon worth seeking after and worth enjoying keeping Now if there be such excellent things in this world what is there in the world to come Secondly there are many and great delights and comforts in this world Now Sitalia in carcere qualia in patria August soliloq cap. 21. If there be such joyes in prison what is there in the heavenly pallace and happy presence of God III. By three places viz. The wombe the world and heaven and that in three regards to wit First Respectu Locorum in regard of the places themselves here three things are observable viz. I. As the world is more ample and spacious then the wombe So is heaven more spacious and large then the world II. As the wombe is darke and the world light in comparison thereof so the world is darke in comparison of heaven A child seeth nothing in the wombe but being come into the world it seeth much yet in comparison of what is seeth in heaven it seeth nothing in the world as men know more in the world then in the wombe so they shall know much more in heaven then they doe on earth III. Jn the wombe Methusalem continued nine moneths in the world 969 years but in heaven for ever and ever As our life ordinarily is longer in the world then in the wombe so by much it is longer in the world to come then in this world Secondly Respectu nostri in regard of us here marke two things namely I. As our delight is greater in the world then in the wombe so it is greater in heaven then in the world II. As our understanding is greater when we are in the world then when wee are in the wombe so it is greater in heaven then in the world Thirdly Respectu roboris corporalis in regard of the strength of the body as the body ordinarily is stronger in the world then it is in the wombe so it is more agile strong and quick in heaven then in the world Answ 3 Thirdly it may be illustrated and described what manner of life life everlasting is Honore by the honor thereof Luke 22.30 and 12.37 1. Corinth 6.3 and Rom. 2.10 And Answ 4 Fourthly Sociis by the companions we shall there have Daniel 7.10 Quest 10 What joy glory and felicity shall we enjoy in heaven Answ 1 First negatively Facilius quid non sit August de utilit paenit Jt is more easie to tell what is not in heaven then what is for it passeth all humane understanding Revelat. 2.17 and 1. Corinth 2.9 Acquiri potest aestimari non potest August de civ Dei 22. Heaven may be acquired but it can never be valued to its worth Revelations 21.4 Answ 2 Secondly affirmatively in heaven we shall be happy both in body and soule I. We shall be happy in heaven in our bodies For there First we shall be freed from all molestations and evills of the body namely I. From all afflictions and dangers because there shall be security II. From all diseases weakenesses and old age because there shall be compleat health strength III. From all hunger and thirst because we shall then have spirituall bodies 1. Corinth 15. IV. From death and corruption because there shall be eternity Secondly in heaven our bodies shall be nimble and quick as Mr. Perkins gathers from their sudden ascent into heaven But this is something curious Thirdly in heaven our bodies shall be beautiful and faire Daniel 12.3 Matth. 13.43 and 17.5 and Marke 12.25 II. Jn heaven we shall be happy in our soules For there First we shall enjoy a threefold freedome namely I. From sinne and the power thereof as Ezech. 37.23 And II. From ignorance and imperfection And III. From all weake affections as anger feare sorrow and the like Secondly in heaven we shall have a perfection of gifts 1. Corinth 13.10 And Thirdly there we shall have a sight of God which is our chiefest good August de trinit cap. 13. This is that knowledge which Iohn 17.3 speakes of and 1. Corinth 13.12 and Matth. 5.6 Hebr. 12.14 Shall we have a corporall sight of God in heaven Quest 11 as Iob seemes to affirme Chap. 19.27 where he saith I know that my Redeemer lives and that I shall see him at the last even with these eyes First that place is spoken of Christ the Redeemer Answ 1 of the World whom the faithfull shall see even with their corporall eyes because although it be a glorious body yet it is a true body and therefore may and shall be seene Secondly God hath neither flesh nor bones Answ 2 and therefore cannot be seene with a corporall eye but is seene with the eye of the understanding as Spirits are to be seene Thirdly this sight of God hath in it these foure Answ 3 things to wit I. A knowledge of God and of his decrees which we shall see as in a glasse II. The love of God and of the Elect and this love is proportionable to the former knowledge III. Joy for the salvation of the Church and the enjoyment of Gods presence IV. Thankesgiving unto God and loud Hallelujah's Revelat. 19.1 3 4 6. What may we learne from the excellencie and Quest 12 felicity of life eternall First we may learne to contemne and despise Answ 1 all the delights of this world because they are not worthy to be compared to the joyes of heaven Secondly in miseries afflictions and distresses Answ 2 we may learne hence comfort because they are but transitory and momentany but the joyes of heaven are eternall Answ 3 Thirdly at the houre of Death and under the pangs thereof we may hence learne joy because death will bring us to CHRIST and to the end of our hope Philip. 1.23 and 1 Iohn 3.2 Answ 4 Fourthly we may learne hence to seeke Heaven before all other things and next unto God most worthy to be sought for Matth. 6.33 As evidently appeares thus I. If we long for and lust after wordly things in Heaven there are greater and better II. If we hunger after spirituall things in heaven there are perfecter III. Jf the reading and remembrance of the former questions concerning the joy and glory of Heaven delight us in heaven we shall find them to be true yea farre exceeding our expression and expectation IV. Jf wee desire greater things then hath beene mentioned in heaven we shall have greater then the greatest and this is a praise-worthy ambition to sleight the
9. And thinke not to say within your selves Vers 9 wee have Abraham to our Father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham Obiect Answ The Jewes here object unto Iohn either wee are the children of Abraham or none are To this the Baptist answers Deus potest that God can raise up children unto Abraham even of stones and therfore there is no such necessity that they must needs be the sonnes of Abraham God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham Quest 1 What is the meaning of these words Answ 1 I answer first they may be understood literally thus that God Almighty who created all things by his word can procreate and raise up even of stones righteous men who should bee the spirituall children of Abraham and so more true and more noble sons than they were who were his naturall children but not spirituall Answ 2 Secondly this may be understood Metaphorically thus that the Lord can raise up faithfull children unto Abraham even of the Gentiles who although for the hardnesse of their hearts and stolidity and grosse idolatry they are called stones yet the mercy of God can make them holy and spirituall men and consequently worthy to be called the children of Abraham Quest 2 It may hence yet be asked how many wayes God doth produce and make man Answ I answer five First hee makes man without man or woman and thus he made Adam Secondly he makes man of man without woman thus he made Evah Thirdly he makes man of woman whithout man and thus hee made Christ Fourthly he makes man of man and woman according to the common course of nature and thus hee makes all us the naturall sonnes of Adam Fiftly Deus potest God could make children and sonnes even of stones as in this verse Vers 11 §. VERS 11. I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance but he that commeth after wee is mightier then I whose shooes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Sect. 1 § 1. The Papists say the baptisme of Iohn was of another kind then Christs baptisme was a Bellar. li de bapt ca. 20.21 and they prove it from this verse thus Iohn himselfe saith I baptize you with water but he shall Object 1 baptize you with the Holy Ghost Therefore Iohns Baptisme and Christs was not all one Iohns baptisme not giving the Holy Ghost as Christs did We answer Answ Iohn speaketh not of divers baptismes but of divers operations and ministeries in one and the same baptisme for Iohn as all other Ministers doe did but give water and Christ co-operating and working together with them giveth the Holy Ghost But they object againe Iohn doth not say Object 2 Christ doth baptize with the holy Ghost but he shall baptize therefore Christ did not baptize together with Iohn by his Spirit b Bellar. cap. 21. We answer Answ as Iohn here speaketh of Christ in the future tense so the same Iohn speaketh else where of Christ in the present tense c Ioh. 1.33 1. saying this is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost therefore Christ did both then baptize with his Spirit afterwards also more manifestly when the gifts of the spirit began to be shed forth more plentifully upon men 2. The same Iohn speaking of Christ saith Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world d Ioh. 1.29 hee even then when Iohn baptized did take away sinnes 3. Iohn testifieth of Christ that of his fulnesse wee have all received e Ioh. 2.16 and therfore even then Christ baptized with the Spirit which was signified by receiving of his fulnesse Against these three proofes they object three Object 3 things First that Christ is said to baptize with the Spirit not that then he baptized but to signifie that when he baptized he should not onely baptize with water but with the Spirit To this we answer first if Christ then onely Answ 1 began to baptize with the Spirit when he baptized with water it would follow that hee never baptized with the Spirit for it is certaine that he baptized not with water f Ioh. 4.2 as St Iohn the Evangelist saith that Iesus himselfe baptized not but onely his Disciples Secondly that Christ at that instant baptized Answ 2 with the Spirit is evident from Iohns words g Ioh. 1.33 Hee that sent mee to baptize said unto mee upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit come downe c. that is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost Christ then immediatly at the comming down of the Spirit baptized with the Spirit unlesse they will say he received the Spirit in vaine Against the second proofe they object Christ Object 4 did not then take away sinnes but it is signified that afterwards by his death hee should take away the sinnes of the world To this wee answer Answ that it is very grosse and absurde to say that Christ did not take away the sinnes of the world before his death for the Prophet David saith h Psa 32.1.2 Blessed are they whose sins are for given whence it is plaine that even under the law by faith in Christ to come they found remission of sinnes And thus much for the resolution of their objections It may now bee questioned how doth it appeare that Iohns baptisme was the same with Quest 1 Christ I answer by these reasons Answ The first is taken ab absurdo because a threefold absurdity would follow from the deniall of it First this would give occasion to the Anabaptists more to enforce their doctrine of Rebaptization Secondly if Iohns baptisme were onely a preparation unto another baptisme why then was it not received by all men Thirdly if it were onely for the sanctifying and consecrating of the water why was any more baptized then Christ for he was baptized for this end to sanctifie this ordinance as followes verse 16. The second reason is because the Baptist baptizeth unto the remission of sinnes l Mark 1.14 and there is no remission sealed unto us but onely by the Sacraments of Christ and therefore it was the same baptisme The third reason is because Iohns baptisme was the Sacrament of his doctrine and therefore if his doctrine were the Gospel then his baptisme was the Sacrament of the Gospell and so the same with Christ The fourth reason is because otherwise Christ and his Apostles were not rightly baptized for Christ was himselfe baptized of the Baptist ver 16. and the Apostles were not baptised of Christ because he baptised none and therefore it is most probable that the most of them at the least if not all were also by Iohn baptised The fift reason is because Christ was circumcised and baptised that he might be united both to the Church of the Jewes of the Christians by the Sacraments of them both that is to the
Answ 2 the worship of God but onely perswades him to adde the worship of him thereunto that is to worship both God and him wherfore our Saviour well and properly answers by adding Solum alone teaching us that God is not rightly worshipped except he be onely worshipped or the worship of the creature is contrary to the worship of the Creator that is not onely the internall affection and worship of the heart which is forbidden in the first commandement but also the externall worship of the body forbidden in the second commandement non incurvabis nec coles thou shalt not bow downe unto nor worship any other thing besides the Lord. The word which the devill useth verse 9. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which belongs unto the outward worship of the body and is derived either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be vaine-glorious or one that loves glory or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I incline my selfe or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I kisse as the Papists doe the Popes feete or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hat and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a mooving of the hat Now all spirituall worship both externall and internall is the Lords prerogative and peculiar unto him alone and therefore hee is not truely worshipped except onely worshipped VERRS 12. Now when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison Vers 12 hee departed into Galilee Why did Christ depart from Iudea into Galilee Quest Answ 1 Many causes may be rendred hereof First some say he did this as he was one of Iohns auditors and therefore John being taken away Observ 1 hee would abide here no longer Teaching us that the godly will rather change their habitations and places of abode then be deprived of the ministrie of the word But this was not the cause of Christs departure and therefore I prosecute it no further Answ 2 Secondly some say Christ did this as he was God to revenge Johns imprisonment by taking away his grace and gracious presence from those that had persecuted John his messenger and Obser 2 forerunner Teaching us that God will bee avenged of those that oppresse and persecute his Ministers but this was not the cause neither of Christs departure and therefore I leave it Answ 3 Thirdly Christ did this as hee was a Man flying from that imminent danger wherein hee Obser 3 was teaching us that it is lawfull for us to flye persecution or any danger that hangs over our heads observing these cautions First if our calling will suffer it here it is more lawfull for people to flye from those cities that are infected with the plague then for Ministers because the calling of the one will rather permit it then the calling of the other Secondly if our flight or departure may be without the offence of the weake those that professe to have a sure trust and confidence and affiance in the providence and protection of God doe often give a great scandall to those that are infirme by their fearefulnes and speedy departure upon any conjecture suspition or probability of danger Thirdly if our life preserved by departure and flight may bring more glory to God and more benefit unto his Church then our death it is lawfull to depart Answ 4 Fourthly Beza denies that Christ fled First because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies redijt non discessit hee returned not hee departed Secondly because the place hee went unto was lesse safe then this from whence he departed Galilee beeing under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas which Iudea was not Wherefore hee answers that Christ returned into Galilee that hee might succeede unto Iohn who was now shut up in prison in the Evangelicall office and preaching of the Gospel VERS 13. And leaving Nazareth Vers 13 hee came and dwelt in Capernaum c. Why doth Christ leave Nazareth Quest Answ 1 First because it was lesse safe say some But this was not the reason of it for first when Ioseph was afraid to goe into Iudea he turned aside into Nazareth Matth. 2.23 which was in Galilee verse 22. yea secondly Capernaum was the more famous place and therefore the more dangerous Answ 2 Secondly Christ left Nazareth because hee was there unworthily handled for first his word was there contemned and despised hence it is said that he did not many mighty workes there because of their unbeleefe d Matth. 13.58 Marke 6.4.5 Secondly he had violence there offered unto him for they rose up against him and thrust him out of the city and led him out unto the edge of of the hill that they might cast him downe headlong e Luke 4.29 VERS 14. That it might bee fulfilled Vers 14 which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet saying § 1. Vt impleretur that it might be fulfilled Sect. 1 Christ left Nazareth and came to Capernaum Object for another cause then the accomplishing of this prophesie to wit first because Iohn was cast into prison and secondly because the Nazarens were ungratefull unto him in not beleeving either him or his doctrine how then saith Saint Matthew that he did this That the saying of Isaias might be fulfilled I answer Answ Christ did depart from Nazareth for the forenamed causes but yet God doth direct this his departure unto a further end to wit that which is mentioned here by the Evangelist the accomplishing of the prediction Observ Teaching us that those things which proceede frō second causes are ordained by the providence of God unto a higher end Ioseph was sold wickedly and maliciously by his brethren but the Lord ordered it for good both to him and them a Gen. 45.5 The raine-bow proceedes from naturall causes but yet God hath ordained it as a signe or a memorandum of his promises b Gen. 9.13 Christ was slaine by the Jewes out of malice and yet did no more then was preordained by God c Acts 3.18 For first in him we live and move and have our being d Acts 17 28. Secondly he is not an idle spectator as some of the Philosophers in their idle speculations imagined of the passages of the world but his providence doth begin every motion or action Yea thirdly unto what end God at first intended any thing unto that same end he doth at last dispose of it Sect. 2 § 2. That it might be fulfilled which was written by Isaias the Prophet saying How is this Prophecie fulfilled Quest Answ I answer in that those that sate in darkenesse Esai 9.1 enjoy light by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ Esai 9.2 Vers 16 VERS 16. The people which sate in darkenesse saw a great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up Sect. 1 § 1. The people which sate in darkenesse Who were in darkenesse before Christ came Quest Answ All the world not some few of the Gentiles or Jewes onely but all men by nature without Christ were under darkenesse and death The
griefes whatsoever as for example First if thou bee in any temporall danger then here is thy comfort that all things shall worke together for the best unto thee x Rom. 8.28 Secondly if thou bee derided for the profession of religion the holy Comforter will afford internall consolation unto thee Thirdly dost thou mourne for the sinnes of others and art in feare for them then here is thy comfort viz. 1. If they be righteous men who have sinned and for whose sinnes thou art troubled thou must remember they stand or fall to their own Master y Rom. 14.4 2. If they bee wicked men for whose sinnes thou mournest and whose persons thou art afraid of in regard of their sinnes yet thou maist be comforted through hope What hope can we have in bewailing the sins Quest 7 of the world and of wicked men Chrysost imperf First it may be that by thy prayers tears counsell Answ 1 advice some may be converted although the Apostle feares the worst and heares bad enough of those unto whom he writes yet hee hopes the best Heb. 6.9 Secondly the audaciousnesse and boldnesse of Answ 2 the wicked in sinning shall not be perpetuall for Christ will come to judge the world and therefore hence wee may have some comfort in our mourning for the sinnes of the wicked Thirdly God will glorifie himselfe either by Answ 3 converting them from sinne or by confounding them for sinne Wherefore in regard of Gods glory wee are not utterly deprived of comfort in our sorrow for their sinnes Answ 4 Fourthly at least when wee see apparantly that they belong not unto God we then mourne no more that is if we see them die in their sins as they lived in their iniquities then wee are to cease our mourning for them and therefore in bewailing the sinnes of the world wee have this hope that either our mourning shall be turned into mirth by their amending or shal be brought to end by their death Fourthly if thou grievest for thy owne sinnes committed against thy God thou maist hearken what the Lord saith and hee will speake peace unto thee he will tell thee he desires not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his sinnes and live He will tell thee that the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart and such a sacrifice he will not despise z Psa 51.17 Yea thy Christ will tell thee that if thou feele thy sinnes to be a burthen unto thee that hee will ease thy shoulders of that load if thou wilt but come unto him a Mat. 11.28 Thus the Lord hath particular comforts for all the griefes of his children or whatsoever their causes of mourning be And thus we have seene the first consolation which wee have from this Blessed Comforter and that is temporall Secondly the Holy Spirit gives unto all holy mourners spirituall solace and that two wayes first by mitigating their affliction by inward comfort hence they can rejoyce in tribulation b Rom. 5.3 yea hence they can cheerfully endure death c Rom. 8.36 as we see in Paul Acts 20. and in the other Saints Heb. 11.35 c. And in the Apostles who rejoyce that God is pleased to thinke them worthy to suffer for Christs sake d Acts 5.41 Secondly by giving unto them internall peace of conscience both with themselves and with their God e Phil. 4.7 insomuch as they become thereby more then conquerers in their greatest afflictions and tryals f Rom. 8.31.37 and 2 Cor. 1.4 Thirdly this Paracletus will give unto these mourners in Zion eternall consolation in the new Jerusalem which is above where and when Death shall be swallowed up in victory and all teares wiped from off their faces g Esa 25.8 and Apoc. 7.17 Revel 21.4 And their temporal mourning changed into eternal mirth as Abraham saith to Dives of Lazarus he in his life time received paines therefore now hee is comforted h Luk. 16.25 and hence it is called everlastâ—ng consolation i 2 Thess 2.16 yea joy and comfort which the heart of a mortall man is not able to conceive off k 1 Cor. 2.9.10 Quest 8 How many degrees are there of this Eternall Consolation Answ Two to wit First from death when the spirit returnes unto God that gave it and the soule is caried by the Angels into heaven to enjoy the joyes of that celestiall paradise with Christ for ever and ever The second is from the resurrection when the body beeing united into the soule both are made partakers of that eternall blisse when we can see God with these same eyes l Iob. 19.26 having put on immortality as a garment and our corruptible bodies being made incorruptible And therefore from the consideration hereof we may see how blessed a thing it is to mourne and to want comfort for a while here on earth and how wide they shoot that thinke those happy that laugh and rejoyce here on earth Extrema gaudij luctus occupat the end of temporall joy is eternall sorrow as wee see in Dives thou in thy life time receivedst pleasure saith Abraham therefore now thou art tormented m Luk. 16 25. We see worldlings rejoyce and expose themselves wholly to profuse laughter and mirth according to that of the Prophet The harpe and the violl the tabret and pipe and wine are in their feasts n Esa 5.12 with joy and gladnesse slaying Oxen killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine o Esa 22.13 in bowles chaunting to the sound of the violl inventing instruments of musicke and anointing themselves with the chiefe ointments p Amos 6 5.6 But all this jollity doth not argue felicity the lives of worldlings being meerely tragicall that is merry in the beginning but the Catastrophe death and misery Balthazar feasts but by and by trembles and within few houres is slaine Dan. 5.5 And many more like him spend their daies in good things and in a moment goe downe into the pit q Iob. 21.13 And therefore let us remember how vaine all the joyes of this world are and not place our felicity in them or thinke our selves happy because we enjoy them but rath r thinke blessed are they that mourne What comforts may we be supported withall Quest. 9 in the time of our sorrow What consolations may wee propound unto our selves in our distresse that we may the more patiently beare and undergoe it Ruminate in the day of mourning and time of griefe of these five things Remember first Answ that affliction is common with thee unto all the faithfull and therefore thou mayest the better beare it r Heb. 12.8 Secondly remember affliction may bee grievous to the body but it is joyous to the soule our Saviour sayth Feare not him nor that which can kill the body but feare him and that which can cast body and soule into hell fire And therefore we should not
those who offend And thirdly necessary for our selves because Non irasci ubi irascendum est peccatum peccato addere b Chrys s Not to bee angry when we should is to adde one sinne unto another Secondly is an anger against sin to wit either against Our owne proper sinnes or our selves for our sinnes and thus Bern. s 4. Psal 4.26 Bee angry and sinne not that is saith he bee angry with thy selfe for thy sinnes committed and sinne no more Our brothers sinne Oportuna est ira quae increpando convertit c Chrys s that anger is seasonable and commendable that reduceth a brother from his evill way Object Against the last particle it may bee objected He that is angry with his brother for sinning is angry with his brother which is here forbidden by Christ Answ To this Augustine answers Non fratri qui peccato fratris irascitur Hee is not angry with his brother who is angry with the sinne of his brother for sinne and the sinner are two distinct things and therefore a man may hate his brothers sinne and yet love his brothers person he may bee angry with the offence committed and yet not breake the bond of Christian charitie with the offender Chrysostome upon this place gives us these examples hereof first of Moses whose anger waxed hot for the peoples idolatry and yet hee hated not their persons d Exod. 32.19 And so againe in the matter of Korah Dathan and Abiram it is sayd that meeke Moses was very wroth e Numb 16.15 Secondly of Paul who seemes to reproach the Corinthians I speake it to your shame and yet through his whole Epistle he shewes how he loves them f 1 Cor. 6.5 And againe he calles the Galatians fooles g Gal. 3.1 but hates them not Wee may adde how his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the Idolatry of the Athenians h Acts 17.16 And thirdly the example of Christ who was angry when he saw the hard-heartednesse of the people i Marke 3.5 and scourged some at another time out of the Temple k Iohn 2.16 And this Anger is called Zeale Yea fourthly we have an example of Gods anger kindled against a holy man for want of this anger Eli hearing of his sonnes impietie admonisheth them Why doe yee such things your dealings are evill and it is no good report I heare of you l 1 Sam. 2.23 but yet notwithstanding this what sayth the Lord I will judge his house for ever for the iniquitie which he knoweth because his sonnes made themselves vile and he restrained them not or according to the Hebrew he frowned not upon them m 1 Sam. 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God did not thus threaten Eli because hee would not hate the persons of his sonnes for that had beene unnaturall but because hee was not zealously moved against their sinnes And therefore there is a godly anger against our bretherens sinnes Wherein doth this anger consist which is to Quest 3 be kindled against our brothers sinne It consists in foure things Answ or is it to be moderated according to these foure Rules First let the object of this anger be lawfull or Rule 1 let it be for a just cause namely some publik evil and not a private let it bee for the honour of God of Christ of the Gospel of Religion and of profession or for something that is hurtfull to the Common-wealth or for the perverting of Justice or for the slandring or calumniating of good men or the oppressing and injuring of the poore and godly Thou must not be angry with thy brother for thy owne private cause and patient in a common evill for it is a vile thing to be provoked unto rage for a private injury and not to bee moved at all for a publike Secondly let thy anger be against Satan not Rule 2 against thy brother Cum Sathan instigat frater instigatur ad malum in illum converte iram in hunc autem mi ericordiam n Basil hom de Ira. When Sathan doth instigate and thy brother is perswaded by him unto evill be angry with him that tempted but mercifull and pitifull unto him that is tempted Be angry with the Divell as the cause of thy brothers sinne but not with thy brother who is overcome by his subtilitie and strength Thirdly this anger must arise from love not Rule 3 envie or malice because we love our brother therefore wee must bee angry with his sinne it being pernicious unto his precious soule Fourthly let this anger never be immoderate Rule 4 or unbridled anger must bee curbed as a head-strong horse with a bridle Sit ira instrumentum virtutis non domina mentis sed ancilla ad obsequium parata o Gregor Mor. 5.33 Anger must be the instrument of vertue not the instigator unto vice it must be as a dutifull hand-mayd alwayes prepared to obey not a mistresse of the minde to dominiere or command When the cause of thy anger is not good then restraine it when the cause is good then loose the reines but doe not cast the bridle out of thy hands but still restraine it that so thou mayst never breake forth into intemperate rage Sect. 4 § 6. Shall be in danger of the judgement Quest Answ What is meant here by Iudgement The word being expounded before § 3. quest 1. I here onely adde that there is a three-fold judgement Namely First Discretionis of discerning or separating the good from the evill For judgement sayth Christ am I come into the world p Ioh. 9.39 that is to divide the good from the bad Secondly Punitionis of punishment either Particular at the houre of death Or Generall at the last judgement Thirdly Remunerationis of reward when the Lord shall judge the Saints This verse neither speakes of the first judgement of Separation or of the last of Remuneration but of the second and second particle thereof the judgement of the last day For these words Hee shall hee in danger of judgement do containe the reward and punishment of unlawfull anger as if our Saviour would say anger shall not escape just punishment but shall bee arraigned and summoned before Gods Tribunall at the dreadfull day of judgement when the angry man shall not be able to answer one word of a thousand Sect. 7 § 7. Whosoever shall say to his brother Racha shall be in danger of the Councell Object Bellarmine lib. 1. de amiss grat cap. 9. objects this place to prove that all sinnes deserve not eternall death Christ sayth hee makes three degrees of anger proportioning also three degrees of punishment thereunto to wit of Iudgement Counsell and Hell fire which is threatned onely to bee inflicted upon him that calles his brother Foole Therefore there are some sinnes which doe not deserve hell fire Answ 1 First this place doth shew a difference and degree of everlasting punishment according to the qualitie and
together For First in the world my fault shall be hid the better if he be gone to whom the wrong was done Secondly if he were a holy and good man then I know hee would forgive me before he died for he durst not then harbour vengeance or malice in his heart Thirdly if he were a wicked and ungodly man then 1 hee dares not goe unto God to accuse me or 2. if he durst yet God would not heare him for he heares not sinners And therefore these things considered what hurt or danger can it be unto me though he die before our jarres be composed First what will it availe thee that the wrong Answ 1 done by thee unto thy brother should by his death be concealed from the world considering that both God the Devill and thy owne conscience sees knowes and remembers it Secondly if thy brother were a member of Answ 2 Christ then certainely he would forgive thee but it doth not hence follow that thy guilt is washed away or thy sinnes pardoned by God for before him thy sinne remaines unblotted out because thou didst not reconcile thy selfe unto thy brother before hee was taken hence by death Thirdly if thy neighbour against whom thou Answ 3 hast sinned were a wicked man then First hee dares goe unto God more impudently and cry out unto him for vengeance more enviously and with a greater and more perfect malice then a holy man would or durst Secondly and although if he be wicked God will not heare him when hee prayes for some blessing for himselfe yet he will heare him when he complaines upon thee For That were contrary to Gods justice not to heare the cry of him that is wronged This is according to Gods justice to heare the complaints of the oppressed and to revenge them § 2. While thou art in the way What is meant Sect. 2 by these words Quest 1 Some understand them Allegorically Answ Dum in via whilest thou art in the way that is in hà c vita whilest thou livest Thus Chrysostome oper imperf And all the Fathers What doth our Saviour imply in these words Quest 2 thus Allegorically understood First Christ hereby would teach us that this Answ 1 life is the way both of good and evill men of corne and chaffe of wheate and tares which God will not as yet separate Secondly our Saviour would teach us that Answ 2 this life is the way unto Judgement or that so long as we live here on earth we are but travellers unto the tribunall seate of God It is appointed unto all men once to die and after death comes judgement c Hebr. 9.27 where wee see life brings us to death and death unto Judgement Thirdly Christ would hereby teach us that Answ 3 the remembrance of the Judgement of God should detaine us from jarres and discord one with another The remembrance of the Reward will perswade us unto patience in wrongs Punishment will terrifie us from seeking revenge What will it helpe a man to revenge himselfe upon his brother and himselfe therefore to bee judged and condemned by God and therefore we must so meditate of the severitie and terrour of the last day that wee may avoid dissensions and embrace Christian charity Quest 3 From the second answer to the former question it may bee doubted why our judgement shall be no longer deferred then death Answ 1 First there is a double day of Judgement to wit first generall of all flesh this shall not bee untill the end of the world when all the elect shall be gathered together Secondly particular of every individuall and numericall man whether righteous or wicked and this shall bee at their death when the righteous shall goe unto rest and the wicked unto woe poore Lazarus as soone as he dieth is carried into Paradise but rich Dives into the painefull prison of eternall destruction d Luke 16.22.23 Secondly this life is the very last period of Answ 2 Gods long suffering and therefore the night of death being come God will deferre Judgement no longer Answ 3 Thirdly the justice of God cannot bee violated neither shall it ever be made voide Iustice and mercy hath kissed each other but not crossed thwarted or contradicted each other And therefore mercy at death gives way unto judgement For the understanding hereof observe That there are 2 parts of Gods mercy viz. First to pardon the penitent and those who are reconciled And here the suffering of Christ doth satisfie the mercy of God Secondly to expect those who are obstinate rebellious and disobedient that they laying hold upon mercy and turning unto God might be saved e 1 Tim. 2.9 and Pet. 3.9 And this part of Gods mercy shall bee satisfied at the last dreadfull day Rom. 2.4 and 2 Thes 1.8 Quest 4 What must we doe to bee made partakers of everlasting mercies as well after this life as in this life Answ Remember seriously and frequently these three things First that wee are strangers and pilgrimes in this life and altogether uncertaine how neare we approach unto the gates of death And though we see not our Judge yet hee standeth before the dore f Iam. 5.9 Secondly remember our life is lent us not to sinne or to corrupt our waies but that wee might be converted g Rom. 24. because our good and gracious God desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he would repent and live h Ezech. â—3 1â— Thirdly remember that after death there is no mercy to be expected by those who have not laid hold upon mercy while they were in the way as the tree falls so it must lye wherefore let us spend our lives I. in striving wrastling and fighting against sinne and out owne innate corruptions Heb. 12.4 II. In watchfulnesse and circumspection against evill and the occasions thereof Ephes 5.15 III. In growing and encreasing in the waies of grace 1 Pet. 2.2 IV. In redeeming the time by-past of our lives by being zealous of good workes devoting our selves wholy and sincerely unto the service of the Lord. § 3. He shall not come out untill he have paid the Sect. 3 uttermost farthing The Doway men undertake to prove Purgatory from hence by the justice of God Object because when any dieth penitent and yet hath not made any full satisfaction they must suffer for that which remaineth after death and bee purged before they can enter into rest which remnant of debt our Saviour calleth the last farthing and saith here it must be paid and therefore there is a purgatorie wherein this satisfactorie punishment must be inflicted i Doway Bible pag. 33. First if a man die truely penitent all his sinnes are forgiven him in Christ and none of his Answ 1 transgressions shall bee mentioned unto him Thus the thiefe was received unto mercy upon the crosse there being no further satisfaction required of him Secondly the satisfaction to Gods justice is Answ 2 not payed by us but
no such thing as a Kingdome of God and therefore it is but a fopperie to grieve for the losse of a thing which is not And thus the God of this world blindeth their eyes making them beleeve that as it is with the beast so also with man there is no more of them after death no reward for righteousnesse and therefore let them take their pleasure while they may I now come to answer the question Answ although I will not prosecute it amply but prove it briefely First if there be a God then there is a Kingdome of God But the former is true Therefore also the latter I. From the confession of all nations it appeares that there is a God because all worship something II. This is cleare also from the terrour of conscience which wicked men have as wee might shew by the examples of Herod and Nero but that something hath beene said before Chap. 2. ver 3. both of Herod and this horrour of conscience III. That there is a God is evident from the nature of Sathan wee grant that there is a divell which is spirituall invisible and eternall a parte post and shall wee denie that there is a God IV. From the creation of the world for either I. the world was made and then by whom but by God Or II. It was not made but is eternall now what a shame is this to give eternity unto the earth and to denie it unto God Secondly If there bee a resurrection of all either unto death or life happinesse or misery then there is a Kingdome of God and place of happinesse But the Resurrection is proved from these scriptures Esay 25.8 Apoc. 21.4 and 2 Pet. 3.13 and 1 Cor. 15. where it is proved by many arguments Therefore there is a Kingdome of God Quest 4 Where is this Kingdome of God Answ In heaven as appeares thus First from Scripture Phil. 3.20 and 2 Cor. 5.1 and Col. 1.5 Secondly it is called Jerusalem which is above Gal. 4.26 and Col. 3.1.2 quae supra Thirdly Christ ascended up into heaven Luke 24.51 Acts 1.9 and Ephes 4.8 so also Elias Fourthly the elect which are upon the earth at the last day shall be caught up in the clouds and shall meete the Lord in the ayre f 1 Thes 4.17 Fifthly there is a promise made us of a new heaven Esay 65.17 and 66.22 and 2 Pet. 3.13 and Apoc. 21.1 And therefore it is evident that this Kingdome of God is in heaven Sect. 3 § 3. Thy will bee done in Earth as it is in Heaven Quest 1 What is observable in this Petition Answ Two things namely First the thing desired viz. That the will of God may bee perfected Secondly the measure to wit as sincerely in earth as in heaven Object Bellarmine produceth this place to prove the possibilitie of fulfilling the law of God arguing thus We pray according to Christs prescription Thy will be done as in heaven so also in earth wherin we desire grace and abilitie to fulfill the law of God and we either attaine unto this perfection in this life or wee pray this prayer daily in vaine Answ 1 First in this prayer wee are taught daily so long as wee live to pray for pardon of our daily sinnes as we every day say give us this day our daily bread so also every day forgive us our trespasses and all the ancient Fathers confesse that this petition is necessary for al the Saints so long as they live But to those who obey God on earth as he is obeyed in heaven there is no neede of remission or pardon Therefore there is none obey God so on earth for although this be here desired by the Saints yet it is never obtained in this life Answ 2 Secondly this petition is three severall waies interpreted by the Fathers all which oppose Bellarmines argument I. Thy will be done in heaven so also on earth that is as thy will is accomplished in the Angels so let it bee also in men In this sense it is manifest that the regenerate doe not obtaine what they daily beg for untill they obtaine to be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto the Angels II. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven that is let thy will bee obeyed as in the righteous so also in the wicked here first Bellarmine would blush to say that all wicked men should fulfill the law of God although we thus pray or shall equall the righteous in obedience Secondly in this sense the fulfilling of the law is not included because all those doe not for the present fulfill the law who are called righteous but humbly confesse and acknowledge their sinnes striving hard to the marke III. Thy will be done in earth as in heaven that is let the flesh assent unto thy will as doth the spirit neither let the flesh lust against the Spirit but as a good Spirit doth not resist thy will so let not the body resist the spirit This sense doth wholy overthrow the Cardinals argument for this perfect subjection of the flesh unto the Spirit although we pray for it in this life yet wee doe not obtaine it untill the end of our life Thirdly that which the Jesuite saith that Answ 3 we pray in vaine that the will of God may be obeyed in earth as in heaven except we attaine unto this perfection in this terrene and corruptible body is most false and vaine For he prayes not in vaine who in the time appointed obtaines what hee prayes for Now by this prayer unto God wee daily procure a greater measure of grace from him and approach nearer unto the perfect fulfilling of the will of God and at the length obtaine perfect righteousnesse Bishop Davenant de justitia actuali Cap. 52. pag. 562 563. Why doe we pray Thy will be done will not Quest 2 the Lord accomplish all his owne will Hic non oramus ut faciat Deus quod vult nam faciet omnia quacunque voluerit sed ut nos possimus facere quod ipse vult Answ Cyprian s we doe not here pray that God would doe what he himselfe desires for he will doe all his pleasure but that we may be able to doe whatsoever hee requires of us § 4. Thy will be done The ordinarie question is here what will of Sect. 4 God is here meant Signi an Beneplaciti Que 2.1 Whence this question may be demanded Hath God two wills Is there composition opposition or mixture in God As God is one so his will is one Answer but by reason of the consideration or the divers parts of this will wee terme it diversely Thus the Schoole men say Voluntas Dei respectu Modi Secreta Revelata Respectu object Decreti Mandati Respectu natura Signi Beneplaciti That which belongs unto our institution is this The Will of God is taken some times for that which Hee hath decreed to doe He would have done by us And is called Voluntas
discomfited at Cerisole where the Emperours part lost the battell he before he would yeeld although greatly destitute of victuals held them out forty dayes and at the length having no hope of succour he was constrained to yeeld and so departing from Carignan went according to the oath he had taken unto the King of France who greatly honoring his vertue albeit he was his enemie offered him great preferment if he would serve him But Signior Pyrhus rendring thankes to his Majestie refused all offers made Afterwards upon this he had figured for his Impresse the horse of Iulius Caesar who would never suffer any other rider His Motto was Soli Caesari faithfull onely to the Emperour Thus let us doe neither through feare or for riches pleasure honour preferment and the like serving any other but with all fidelity and constancy serve the Lord all the dayes of our life § 2. He must hate the one Sect. 2 Our Saviour in this place shewes that the love of the world doth induce us unto the hatred of God Obser Why doth the love of the world make us to hate God First because the love of riches leades us unto Answ 1 the worship of sathan hence the devill tempts Christ to worship him by offering the world unto him Mat. 4.9 yea hence coveteousnesse is called Idolatry Eph. 5.5 and Col. 3.5 Secondly because there is a contrarietie of Answ 2 nature betwixt God and the world love and hatred are opposite so is God and the world The Lord is pure just immoveable eternall and good The world is polluted unjust mutable temporall and evill Gal. 1.4 and 1 John 5.19 The world hated Christ John 7.7 The world hated not you but me it hateth The Lord hateth the world although not as it is his creature but as it is our Lord bearing rule in our hearts and usurping or taking up the chiefest roome in our affections Thirdly because God and the world are contrary Answ 3 in their commands and leade unto divers ends Si esurientem a cibo abigat aâ—uantu irascerit Plaut A man would hate and be angry with him who should drive him from a well furnished Table when his stomach were in folio so men hate God because hee prohibits those things which the world layes before them and which they lust after and long for The world leads and perswades unto pleasure honour mirth idlenesse and peace The Lord leads and perswades unto patience in injuries losses and crosses to suffer persecution to goe into the house of mourning to deny our selves and pleasures and the like And therefore no wonder if the love of the world make us hate God Quest 2 Why must we not love the world which was created by God for man Answ 1 First because it is transitory and all things that are therein Iob. 27.16 c. Prov. 12.27 20 21. 2.16 Answ 2 Secondly because it provokes the Lord unto anger Esa 57.17 Prov. 15.27 Ierem. 6.11.13 22.13 Answ 3 Thirdly because it hardens the heart Esa 57.17 as Mat. 5.4 2. Peter 2.14 Answ 4 Fourthly because the love of the world doth so possesse the whole man that a man can neither heare desire nor doe any thing against his covetousnesse but all for it as for example I. A covetous man cannot pray heartily for any thing but for his ships and corne and cattle and debtes and estate and the like II. A covetous man can neither heare aright nor heartily desire the Word of God This people saith the Lord come unto mee as my people and sit before me as my people and heare my Word but doe it not for their heart goeth after their covetousnesse o Ezech. 33.31 So our Saviour saith that the thorny cares of this world choake the seede of the word p Mat. 13.18 Wherefore David prayes incline my heart Oh Lord unto thy Law and not unto covetousnesse q Ps 119.36 By what meanes may wee bee freed or preserved Quest 3 from the love of the World Answ 1 First labour to feare God and then he will provide for thee Psalme 33.18 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him to deliver their soule from death and to keepe them alive in famine Answ 2 Secondly labour for grace and piety for that is great gaine and true riches 1. Timoth. 4.8 Yea to him who once gaines and obtaines them they will really appeare to be more precious then gold Answ 3 Thirdly labour for contentation for having once that we have enough whatsoever else we want 1. Ti. 6.6 Answ 4 Fourthly have a frequent meditation and expectation of death the Resurrection the day of judgement life eternall and ever-during death for this will crucify the love of the world in us Answ 5 Fifthly labour that thou maist bee made the servant of God that being admitted into his service thou maist apply thy selfe wholy unto him and his obedience Quest 4 How may wee know whether wee are guilty of this love of the world or not First if wee take most paines for the world Answ 1 and be most carefull therein it is a signe that wee are lovers of the world Mat. 6.25.31 32. Secondly if wee will rather forsake God and the waies of righteousnes then these worldly Answ 2 things it is a signe that we are lovers of the world Matthew 10.37 39. 19.20 Thirdly if we judge those happy who abound in riches and worldly affluence then it is an argument Answ 3 that the world hath too great a place in our affections § 3. And love the other Our Saviour in these words shewes that the Sect. 3 love of God doth bring along with it the hatred of the world Or Object he who loves the Lord will hate the world Zelus renuit consortium amoris contrarii in amato si invenerit dedignatur nititur repellere quantum potest Why doth hee who loves the Lord hate the world Quest 1 First because worldly things withdraw and take off the heart from God therefore he who Answ 1 freely loves the Lord avoids and takes heede of the love of them Secondly our love unto God is shewed by our obedience but worldly things at least Answ 2 hinder us from the service of the Lord and therefore he who loves the Lord as baites and snares escheweth them Thirdly hee whose heart is inflamed with the love of God thinks worldly things unworthy Answ 3 his love and despiseth them as childish toyes Fourthly Nullum datur vacuum The love of God doth fill and replenish the soule which Answ 4 the world cannot and therefore leaves no voide places for any contrary loves The heart cries give give and is never satisfied so long as it is set upon the world but when the Lord once enters the soule it is then at quiet and saith with Iacob I have enough What worldly things must we hate These things Quest 2 I. The sinnes of the world Answ II. The allurements of
beat back all the darts and assaults of Sathan Answer 3 Thirdly provide the breast plate of righteousnesse for that will blocke up the way against sin Question 4 What meanes must wee use or how must this beame be cast out Answer Hereunto is required a double labour 1. Internall of the heart N. 2. Externall in worke O. First if we desire that the beame of sinne may be cast out we must first take our hearts and inward man to taske and labour earnestly therein after these two things to wit First to hate sinne with a perfect hatred because without this we can doe nothing to any purpose in this worke read Psal 97.10 Rom. 12.9 Psal 45.7 Amos 5.15 Proverb 28.16 Psalm 36.4 the truth hereof evidently appeares thuâ— 1. A man cannot come unto Christ except hee hate his father and mother (r) Luk. 14 26. and every thing else which would keepe him from Christ and therefore without the hatred of sinne we cannot come unto God neither do any thing pleasing unto him 2. The feare of the Lord is to hate evill (Å¿) Prov. 8.13 therefore without the hatred of evill we cannot obey God who is to be served with feare Psal 2.11 3. If wee doe not hate evill we hate good for Contraria non possunt esse in eodem subiecto A man cannot serve two masters Mat. 5.24 And therefore until we have learnt truely to hate sin we have learnt truely nothing in Religion Secondly we must resolve never to be reconciled unto our sinnes any more never to be overcome by the allurements thereof but still to take off the visard of sin that we may see it in its owne colours By what meanes may we attain to this hatred of sinne and resolution against it Quest 5 First consider the original from whence it comes Answer 1 namely from Satan Gen. 3.1 And therfore when we give way to sin we give way unto Satan and yeeld our selves to his subjection dominion and power becomming his children and servants the consideration hereof will be a meanes to make us loathe sin and resolve to leave it Secondly consider thy place and selfe what thou Answer 2 art One that hath beene washed by the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 6.11 And therefore it is a shame to wallow any more in sin remember thou art like a City set upon a hill Mat. 5.14 And therfore should be pure glorifying God by thy unblameable life Eph. 5.27 Phil. 2.15 Mat. 5.16 For what fellowship hath light with darkenesse or God with Satan 2. Cor. 6.14 Thus all Christians should remember what they are for this will bee a meanes to make them the more to hate sin and endeavour against it Thirdly consider the danger of sin both in regard Answer 3 of others of other things and of thy selfe 1 Consider the dangerous effects of sin in others how it wounded Adam slew Cain Cham the old world the ten Tribes Ephraim Judah Gen. 6.5 Hosea 13.1 yea sin was the occasion of Christs death 11. Consider the wofull effect of sin in all things 1. It corrupted our nature and obliterated Gods Image in us yea so contaminated us that from the Crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing but boyles sores putrifi'd corruptions (t) Esa 1.6 Gen. 3.8.10 2 Sin brought shame into the world when Adam had eaten the apple theÌ„ he was ashamed not before 3. By sin Adam Gen. 3.8.24 all men naturally in him lost that familiarity with God which formerly he had 4. Sin cast man out of pleasant Paradise into the wide and weedy world (u) Gen. 3.23 5. Sin was the cause of death bringing that into the world also Gen. 2.17 Rom. 5.12 III. Consider the dangerous câ—ndition that thou art brought into by reason of sin and that in many regards namely First it hath corrupted the fountaine thy whole man so that nothing but uncleane streames can issue from thee mala mens malâ—â— animus thy heart is corrupted and therefore all thy actions favour of sinne Reade Matth. 15.19 Gen. 6.5 Iam. 1.14.15 Secondly thy sinnes hath set a separation between thee and thy God and made thee his enemy Jsa 59. 2. James 4.5 Thirdly sinne cries for vengeance Genes 4.10 and 18.20 and Iames 5.4 the many transgressions thou hast committed sends forth loud clamours daily unto God for justice judgment and revenge Fourthly sinne daily rebels against thee Romans 7.17.23 Galath 5.17 And hath gotten such strength and sure footing in thee that thou canst not of thy selfe expell him Fiftly sinne hinders and withholds good things from thee Ierem. 5.25 Sixtly sinne hath disinherited thee of thy heavenly inheritance and deprived thee of eternall glory Roman 3.23 Seventhly sinne obdurates and hardens the heart and takes away the sense of it Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati And thus if wee desire to cast this beame of sinne out of the eye of the soule wee must begin with the heart and inward man Secondly our next labour is externall wherein are two quaeres Quae facienda Quomodo Quest 6 What must we doe for the expelling of sinne Answer 1 First Reluctandum strive struggle wrastle and resist sinne Galath 5.17 that is endeavour against it subdue thy affections and doe not with thy will consent thereunto Answer 2 Secondly Vincendum labour to overcome it to this is required stroakes wounds blood Hebr. 12.4 for otherwise wee can never conquer it sinne is to bee assaulted and laboured with many blowes and wounded with many deepe and deadly wounds or it cannot bee overcome And therefore wee must bee diligent in hearing reading and meditating of our duety towards God and Gods mercy towards us that the consideration thereof may make us to resist sinne more manfully Answer 3 Thirdly Vinciendum bind and tie it fast when thou hast overcome it by the coardes of resolution circumspection daily watchfulnesse and particular promises and vowes unto God Answer 4 Fourthly ejiciendum having bound it then cast it out and labour to become a new creature entering into a new covenant with God henceforth to serve him only and alwayes with a full purpose of heart and praying unto God to enable thee to performe what thou hast promisâ—d Quest 7 How must we expell sinne Answer 1 First beginne betimes to assault him give the water course no way at all but while it is said to day strive against sinne and all thy corruptions Answer 2 Secondly fight the battles of the Lord manfully untill thou hast overcome Answer 3 Thirdly persevere unto the end Toties quoties as long thou hast any enemies outwardly to assault thee or corruptions which inwardly strive against thee so long thou must labour carefully and couragiously to resist them And this will bee as long as thou livest Verse 6. Verse 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast yee your pearles before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turne againe
Thirdly Christ forbids him to goe to his Father by reason of the danger which was in it namely I. His naturall affection unto his Father might estrange his affection from his Master Or II. With Demas the world might draw him away that is the inheritance or riches which hee should enjoy by his Fathers death might bewitch and ensnare him Chrys s Answ 4 Fourthly our Saviour doth not prohibite him because Parents are to bee despised but because heavenly doctrine and spirituall and saving knowledge is more necessary Chrys s Whence wee may learn Observ 3 That no excuse is to be admitted which distracts from Christ or Religion Luke 14.18 Why must nothing with-hold or withdraw us from Christ Answ 1 First because wee are wholly and peculiarly his being redeemed by him 1 Cor. 6.20 Answ 2 Secondly because we have but a small time to serve him in much time being spent wherein we served him not at all 1 Cor. 9.27 c. Answ 3 Thirdly because all things are nothing in regard of Christ and his service there being nothing which can afford us so much profit pleasure hearts ease and true content or make us so truly happy as Christ can Sect. 3 § 3. Follow thou me This Disciple desires leave to depart but Christ will not permit it Teaching us Observ 1 That Christ recalleth those who are about to depart from him For as he cals some Prov. 1.20 c. and 8.1 and 9.3 Esay 55.1 Matth. 11.28 Iohn 7.37 Revel 22.17 so he recals others Ier. 3.1.12 Quest 1 How doth God recall those who stray from him Answ 1 First sometimes by himselfe thus he called the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.9 and Paul Act. 9. Answ 2 Secondly sometimes by his Prophets thus he recalled the Israelites 1 Sam. 7.5 Answ 3 Thirdly somâ—times by good godly Kings 2 Chron. 30. Answ 4 Fourthly sometimes by neighbours or servants thus he called back Naaman 2 King 5.13 Answ 5 Fifthly sometimes God reclaims by Angels thus he did the Israelites Iudg. 2.2 Quest 2 Why doth Christ call back those who would depart Answ 1 First because hee would not have them to perish Ezech. 18.23.32 and 2 Pet. 3.9 Secondly because hee doth not destroy the Answ 2 wicked by and by but spares them long giving them a large time of repentance to see if they will turn unto him Ezech. 34.6.7 and 2 Chron. 36 16. Rom. 2.5 Thirdly Christ will not suffer his to depart Answ 3 from him because hee hath promised to direct them Our Saviour doth not only receive those who come unto him or begin to worke the worke of grace in the Elect or to prepare them or to give power unto them to obey if they will as he did unto Adam But he hath promised to refrain them and curbe them from sin and keep them Yea to bee a Physician unto them Matth. 9. and by his Spirit to direct them in the wayes of grace Iohn 14. How doth God refrain and keep back or call Quest 3 back his children from sin First sometimes by a preventing grace My Answ 1 grace shall be sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 Secondly sometimes by affliction as hee did Answ 2 Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19.2 and Manasses 33.12 13. But many are corrected Object who are not converted many afflicted who are not reclaimed from sin Proverb 1.24 c. First certainly it is most true as wee see in the Answ 1 Israelites Ier. 44.16 and 51.9 and in Pharaoh who were hardned under the rod Exod. 9. Secondly but there are in correction two Answ 2 things to be observed namely I. It is an excellent signe when affliction doth curbe and call us back and with Peter makes us weep bitterly Mat. 26. and with Paul be obedient to Gods voice Act. 26 19. and Gal. 1.16 and with David to humble our selves 2 Sam. 12. And on the contrary it is an ill signe not to bee reclaimed by correction but more hardned II. For a wicked man not to be corrected but be permitted to sin willingly without any bridle of restraint is a most miserable sign of a man in a most deplorable estate and condition yea of a Bastard and not a Son Heb. 12.8 How must we follow Christ Quest 4 First some follow to prosecute and slay thus Answ 1 Asahel followed Abner 2 Sam. 2.19 but wee must not thus follow Christ Secondly some follow to imitate thus wee Answ 2 are forbidden to follow a multitude unto evill Exod. 23.1 but are commanded to follow Christ for we must strive and labour to imitate him 1 Pet. 2.21 But yet this following is not meant in this place Thirdly some follow that they may be protected Answ 3 and fed Thus the Lord promiseth that if his people will feare serve and obey him then they shall continue following the Lord their Gâ—d 1 Sam. 12.14 that is then God will still continue to protect and provide for them Thus many followed Christ that they might be fed by him but this following is not spoken of in this place Fourthly some follow Christ as Disciples and Answ 4 servants and this is that which is here commanded From whence we may learn that we ought to Observ 2 follow Christ as servants follow their Masters giving our selves wholly up unto him both in bodies and soules Reade Num. 14.24 and 32.15 and Deut. 13.4 anâ— 1 Cor. 6.20 Quest 5 What is required of servants towards their Masters Answ 1 First a servant must forsake all other men and adhere only unto his Master because a man can not serve two Masters Mat. 6.24 and 19.27 and Iohn 10.5 and 1 King 18.21 Answ 2 Secondly a servant must acknowledge him whom he serves to be his Lord and Master Mal. 1.6 Iohn 14.4 27. Answ 3 Thirdly a servant must diligently and industriously apply himselfe to his Masters busiâ—es Deut. 28.14 and Ier. 48 10. Quest 6 Why must we serve Christ Answ 1 First because he redeemed us for this end that wee might bee a peculiar people unto himselfe serving him in righteousnesse and true holinesse Luke 1.75 Titus 2.14 Answ 2 Secondly because it is a great honour to serve the Lord and therefore we should not be ambitious in other things and here negligent It is held no small honour nor privilege to bee the Kings servant and therefore much more to be Christs Answ 3 Thirdly it is our duty to serve Christ and therefore there is great reason to serve him I. Souldiers will follow their Captain and therfore wee should follow Christ who is our Chieftain and Leader II. Orphans should follow their Guardians and therfore we ought to follow Christ our only Defender and Protector III. Children should follow their Parents and therfore wee ought to follow Christ our everlasting Father Esay 9.6 IIII. Schollers should follow their Masters and Pupils their Tutors wherfore it is our duty to follow Christ our Doctor and Teacher Quest 7 How may we know whether we serve Christ or not Answ By what
commended in Scripture and weaknesse and doubting reprehended Now this certainty of faith which we say is praised doth consist in a particular application whereby a man promiseth unto himselfe that that thing which he hopes for shall certainly be fulfilled unto him Many are the examples which may be brought to prove this Argument that certainty of faith is commended First of all this woman with the bloody issue unto whom Christ here saith Be of good cheer or Confide be confident thy faith hath made thee whole Now what manner of faith was this Saint Mathew here tels us The woman said within her selfe if I may but touch the hemme of his garment Servabor I shall be whole And this certain confidence of hers we see Christ commends and praises Secondly it is said of Abraham that he beleeved God and it was counted unto him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.3 Now what manner of beleeving was this Saint Paul afterwards most clearly explicates thus vers 18 19 20 21. For Abraham against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the Father of many nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be And being not weak in faith he considered not his owne body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe He staggered not as the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform In these words is described an extraordinary confidence in the divine promises of God which Abraham beleeved should altogether be fulfilled yea fulfilled in him although if hee had consulted with flesh and blood he might have opposed objected many things and therfore there was not onely Confidentia objecti but also subjecti propter veritatem divinam Thirdly of Saint Paul who writing unto Timothy saith For the which cause I also suffer these things neverthelesse I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day k 2 Tim. 1.12 the meaning of the words is plaine for the Apostle herein doth describe the hope that he hath for the time to come by which hope he is sustained and upheld in the midst of so many and so great afflictions and calamities as lye upon him Here he saith he is not ashamed and Rom. 5.4 he saith Hope maketh not ashamed and therefore hee is certaine of the event Whence comes this certainty I know saith he whom I have beleeved and that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him that is I am certain that at the last day he will render and restore unto me what I have committed unto him to keepe And thus from these examples we may according to the truth hold and maintain a certainty of faith and a particular application of the divine promises unto our selves VERS 23 24. Vers 23. And when Iesus came into the Rulers house and saw the Minstrels and the people making a noise hee said unto them give place for the Maid is not dead but sleepeth And they laughâ—d him to scorne § 1. And when Iesus saw the Minstres Sect. 1 How manifold is the use of musick Quest 1 Two-fold namely lawfull and heathnish Answ Wherein is or hath Musicke been lawfully Quest 2 used Answ 1 First it hath been used by the godly sometimes in their joy and mirth as David ever and none testifieth in the Psalmes and as our Saviour intimates when he saith we have piped unto you but you have not danced Mat. 11 17. Answ 2 Secondly Musick hath been used lawfully in sacris in holy duties and divine worship as appears plainly by these places 2 Sam. 6.5 and 2 Chron. 5.12 and Psalme 71.22 Quest 3 Whether was the use of Musick at funerals a Jewish or Heathenish custome Answ Although it was sometimes used by the Jewes yet they borrowed it from the Gentiles for the understanding wherof observe that the Jewes at the buriall of their friends used two sorts of Ceremonies namely First some to testifie their sorrow of which in another place because the present text speaks not of these And Secondly some to augment their grief these were I. Minstrels who with their sad tunes inclined the affections of the people to mourning Now of these there were two sorts namely First some playing on pipes And Secondly others sounding Trumpets At the Funerall of Noble-men or old men they used a Trumpet at the Funerall of the common people or children they used a Pipe In this respect it is said here that Iesus when he raised Iairus daughter cast out the Ministrels II. Women there were which were hired at burials to sing for the same purpose viz. to augment their mourning and to incline the affections of the people to sorrow Now these women besides singing did likewise uâ—â— some outward significations and expressions of sorrow to move the company and more strongly to affect them Call saith the Prophet for the mourning womâ—n and send for the skilfull women Ier. 9.17 These women the Romans called Preficas quasim hoc ipsum praefectas Chiefe or skilfull Mourners Now these customes we reade no where commanded by God unto his people but were only borrowed from the practises of others Quest 4 How manifold was the use of Musick at funerals amongst the Gentiles Answ The Heathens had a four-fold use of Musick in their burials namely First Civill to honour and adorne Funerals whence also they used sometimes great pomp and did sing songs of the praises of the deceased persons as wee see in Tabitha Act. 9.39 Now this Cantus in generall was two-fold namely Encomiasticus and Threneticus Rhod. 27.26 Secondly Philosophicall to shew that when any is taken out of this miserable world there is cause of joy Let the Reader reade Alex. ab Alex. 128. 129. where hee shall see this confirmed by the example both of the Grecians and Thracians Whence we may learn That in the death of those who are good Observ we must rejoyce rather then mourn Why must we rejoyce in the death of our good Quest 5 friends or allies First because death is better to such then life Answ Eccles 4.2 c. Secondly because death is best of all unto such as appears thus I. This world is an evill world in it selfe Gal. 1.4 and evill unto the righteous 1 Cor. 15.19 II. So long as wee are here wee are strangers from the Lord that is absent from him 2 Cor. 5.2 c. but when by death wee are dissolved we shall possesse and enjoy him Philip. 1.23 Thirdly Solaminis their next use of musick was that thereby the minds of those who mourned might be lightned and comforted because we are prone to exceed our bounds in all things whether in joy or sorrow Fourthly Idololatricus they had an Idolatrous use of Musick at their
the taste that it makes the sicke man refuse all good meat and medicine yea this sinne doth not onely disinable a man from doing good but makes him decline from the right rule and disorder and deprave himselfe more and more for they sinne not only simply out of malice but out of malice and that de industria What are the remedies against this sin or rather Quest 7 the meanes to preserve us from it First let us watch against all sinne yea against Answ 1 all beginning of evill Ephes 4.27 Hebr. 3.11 As those who feare the plague fly farre from the house infected therewith Secondly let us highly prize the presence and Answ 2 grace and operation of the Spirit for if wee so doe then we shall not reject him neither be rejected by him but if wee contemne and despise him then he will give us over unto strange delusions 2 Thess 2.10 11. Thirdly let us learne to esteeme and value Answ 3 Christ above all things and then wee shall not sleight the Gospel but thinke it a joyfull and blessed message Fourthly if with Peter wee have fallen Answ 4 then let us with him labour speedily to recover our selves As the most deadly poyson becomes not mortall if it be suddenly evacuated or purged out or vomited up So the greatest sin becomes not damnable if by and by with teares and sighes wee repent us of it Fifthly while our spirits are something soft Answ 5 and mollified with the sight and sense of our sins and while the Spirit of God workes in our hearts by his good motions let us pray fervently unto our God to pardon our by-past sinnes to plucke us out of the dominion and power of sinne and Sathan and to preserve us from all sins for the time to come § 2. Neither in this world nor in the world to Sect. 2 come Who are confuted by these words Quest 1 The Sadduces Answ who denied the immortality of the foule and affirmed that there were neither Spirits nor Angels Orig. contra Cels Non agnoscunt se Seculum nisi praesens that is they acknowledged not a time to come when there shall be a Resurrection Although our Saviour saith here Neither in this life nor in the life to come whereby is intimated both the immortality of the soule and the Resurrection of the body Hence by the Iewes these Sadduces were called Menaim or Probrosi contentious or calumnious Gabia the sonne of Pesisa reasoneth against the Sadduces thus x Talm. phesikra Si quod non fuit id fuit Ergo quod fuit erit That is if that which was not was Therfore that which was shall be He meant if God created and made the world of nothing may he not make our bodies of something againe Object Bellarmine strongly presseth this place for the proofe of Purgatorie arguing thus Blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come Therefore some sins shall be forgiven in the next world by the prayers and suffrages of the Church But this remission is neither obtained in heaven nor in hell Ergo it is in Purgatory and therefore there is a Purgatory Bell. de purgat lib. 1. Cap. 1. loc 1. ex novo Testam Because this objection is abundantly answered by our men I may be the shorter in the answer of it I referre the Reader to Amesius Bell. enervat tom 2. pag. 197. 198. and Chemnitius exam part 3. pag. 135 136. Arg. 7. and Hill of the knowledge of the true God pag. 387. 388. Pareus s And because this place is urged by the Rhemists upon Matth. 12. § 6. I therefore referre the Reader to venerable Fulke and Cartwright upon the place onely entreating him to observe that this is no Categoricall Argument but only an Enthymeme in which the Antecedent is Christs and therefore most true but the Consequent will appeare to be most false Answ 1 First that which is fully paid and satisfied is not remitted But the Papists say that by Purgatory paines the debt is paid and Gods justice satisfied and therefore sinnes are not remitted in Purgatory It is one thing to pardon an offence and another to punish it and therefore if sinnes be punished in Purgatory as they say then how are they pardoned It is one thing fully to satisfie a debt another freely to remit it for how can he be said to remit a debt which makes the debter pay the utmost farthing as they say the soules in Purgatory doe Now this place speaking not of a paying but of pardoning not of recompensing but of remitting It shall shall neither be forgiven in this life nor in the life to come belongs not at all to their Purgatory where men satisfie Gods justice as they wickedly say to the full and wherein for the time men are extremely tormented the paines thereof being as some of them say equivalent to the paines of hell for the time And therefore by this their Argument instead of raising the fabricke of Purgatory they have razed the foundation as appeares thus The scope of their Objection is to prove that the sinnes of beleevers are remitted in the world to come now to remit and to punish are opposites as Chrysostome Hom. de poen confes saith Nemo remittit qui punire vult and therefore if the sinnes of the faithfull be remitted and pardoned in the world to come as they would prove from this place then undoubtedly they are not punished in the world to come And thus instead of confirming they have confuted instead of planting they have plucked up Purgatory by the roots for to deny that soules are punished in Purgatory is to deny Purgatory it selfe Secondly by this world is meant a mans life Answ 2 time in this world from the birth to the dying day and it is certain that in this time sins may be remitted the world to come is after this life is ended but a mans sins may be remitted at the hour of death And therefore by a Synechdoche it may be true that sins are also remitted in the other because the hour of death is the beginning of that other world The sense and meaning of this place therfore is That the sin against the holy Ghost is neither remitted in life nor death Now according to this exposition the place maketh nothing for Purgatory at all Thirdly or by the world to come may be Answ 3 meant as is generally understood the world succeeding this and so answereth to the world present as Mark 10.30 They shall at this present receive an hundred-fold and in the world to come life everlasting Wherefore Purgatory being imagined to be now present it cannot be taken to belong to the world to come And so also Ephes 1.21 and Heb. 6.5 the world to come is taken for the world which shal be after this is ended Willet Synops fol. 405. yea the Papists I think are not able to produce one place of Scripture
to prove that by the world to come is meant the time betwixt death and the day of judgement but alwaies either for the last day or the eternity which is after that day Luke 20.35 And thus Augustine de Civit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 24. by the world to come in this place understands the day of the Resurrection And Damascene also de orthod fid lib. 2. cap. 1. saith Aeterna vita aeternum supplicium futurum seculum ostendunt And thus This world is taken for the distance of time to the end of the world and The world to come for that eternity which shall begin after Christs second comming And according hereunto there shall be two times in which sins are pronounced remitted to wit this world by the preaching of the Gospel to the repentant and that to come when Christ shall confesse with his own mouth before Gods Angels to whom they are remitted and by which remission they are made truly blessed for that remission to come shall be a confirmation of this present and those which are not remitted here neither shall there be so pronounced Wherfore from this speech of our Saviours this Argument is gathered from the Antithesis If the sin against the holy Ghost be neither remitted in this world nor in the world to come then other sins are remitted both in this and the other or at least either in this or in the other But it is not remitted in the other because it is not remitted in this as hath been said It followeth therefore that other sins are remitted both in this and in the other Now in this sense this place doth not onely not make for Purgatory but also repugneth it For these two remissions in this world and the world to come are conjoyned and one is not separated from the other Chrysostome expounding this place together with this partition of time saith thus Amongst men I. Some shall be punished for their sins both here and there as the Sodomites II. Some onely in this life present as the Corinthian fornicator III. Some onely in the life to come as the rich glutton IV. Some in neither as the Prophets and Apostles And from this partition he infers that the meaning of our Saviour is That the sin against the holy Ghost is so grievous and horrible that they which commit it shall feel the judgement of Gods wrath both here and in the world to come which hapneth not to all who commit other sins Certainly they which with a set purpose deny the known truth against their consciences feel a hell of torments in their consciences in this life at some time or other if not alwaies and in the life to come their pains shall be exquisite and unspeakable in the most rigorous manner And therefore from this place nothing can be gathered for their Plutonicall rather than Platonicall Purgatory Answ 4 Fourthly it follows not the sin against the holy Ghost shall not be remitted in the next world therefore other sins shall no more than this followeth which Christ saith I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine untill I drink it with you in my Fathers kingdom Mat. 26.29 That therefore he did drink of other things because he did not drink of the vine For it is a most foolish absurdity from two Negations to infer an Affirmation as for example Saint Peter neither in this life nor in the life to come shall be made an Angell therfore some Saints in the life to come shall be made Angels Now Bellarmine would justifie this Argument by that example where Christ saith My kingdom is not of this world And Pilate inferreth thereupon Art thou a King then where an Affirmation is concluded out of the Negative To this Doctor Willet Synops f. 405. answers That the reason is not alike except Bellarmine will reason as Pilate did Thy kingdom is not of this world Therfore thou hast a kingdom So Blasphemy shall not be forgiven in the next world Therefore there shall be Blasphemy then Thus he might have concluded truly and thus he should have concluded if he would reason as Pilate doth for in hell there shall be Blasphemy Answ 5 Fiftly it follows not some sins shall be forgiven in the other world therefore in Purgatory For many have thought that sins shall be forgiven after this life and yet not in Purgatory neither Thus Origen imagined that after some long and grievous torments both the sins of the devils and of wicked men should be remitted And the Chiliasts thought that after a thousand years from the day of judgement all should be pardoned yea Augustine lib. 6. contrâ— Iul. cap. 5. thought that in the day of judgement some sins should be forgiven And therefore Purgatory is not necessarily concluded from the remission of sins after this life Answ 6 Sixtly by this reason of Bellarmines it may be concluded that mortall sins shall be remitted in the world to come because Christ onely excepts the sin against the holy Ghost but this the Papists will not grant and therefore why should we grant the other Seventhly from a particular Negation contrary Answ 7 to all Rules of Logick they infer an universall Affirmation If the sin against the holy Ghost shall neither be remitted in this life nor in the life to come Then say they all the temporall punishments of all sins which are not here fully paid shall be paid and satisfied by the faithfull in the world to come The meaning whereof is temporall punishments are due unto the faithfull for their sins part of which punishment they suffer in this life and the remainder in the life to come The Argument is cast in the same mould with this Socrates or Solomon is no fool therfore all men are wise and he is a fool and not wise who admitteth of such Arguments Sadeel adver hum satisf object pag. 247. Eightly Bellarmine argues A subcontrariis and Answ 8 yet doth not observe the Law of Subcontrarieties from which the force of the conclusion should follow As for example I. Some sinne is not remitted Some sinne is remitted II. Some sinne is not remitted in this life Some sinne is remitted in this life III. Some sinne is neither remitted in this life nor in the life to come Some sinne is remitted both in this life and in the life to come Now these are contraries and concluded according to the Rules of Art But the Papists conclude thus Some sinne is neither remitted in this life nor in the life to come Therefore some sinne is not remitted in this life but in the life to come Where the errour is so plaine that a fresh man can tell that it doth not conclude aright For to a double negation should be opposed a double affirmation wheras they oppose onely one As if a man should argue or conclude thus Some neither love God in this life nor in the life to come Therefore Some shall love God in the life to come which
than the death suffering and satisfaction of Christ Act. 4.12 Answ 4 Fourthly in this sign we may see how worthy they are of eternall death and destruction who do not place all their trust and confidence in the death and Resurrection of this son of God Chemn harm pag. 804. fine Sect. 2 § 2. For as Ionas so Christ c. Quest Wherein was Ionas a Type of Christ Answ 1 First he was a Type of him in his death and that in these regards I. As Ionas was sent out of Iudea unto the Ninevites who were Gentiles to preach repentance unto them that thereby they might be delivered from a dreadfull judgement which hung over their heads And as hereby he was a publisher and proclaimer of Gods universall grace which is extended even to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews So Christ ought to be a Preacher of the Grace of God and that not onely unto the Jews and Israelites but also unto the Gentiles for he was sent to be a light unto the Gentiles and the salvation of the Lord to the uttermost parts of the earth Isa 49.6 Rom. 3.39 Gen. 22.18 II. As Ionas when the sea raged and the tempest grew impetuous offered himself to death that the Mariners and the rest in the ship might be preserved from shipwrack so Christ when the wrath of God waxed hot against us for our sins laid down his life for us lest we should perish for ever and that by his death we might be saved Mat. 20.28 Iohn 11.50 III. As Ionas voluntarily and of his own accord offered himself unto death when the Marriners would gladly have preserved him so did Christ lay down his life of himself for us when no man took it from him Iohn 10.18 IV. As the tempestuous sea was calmed and quieted when Ionas was cast therein so Christ by his death pacified and appeased his Fathers wrath tamed the madness and rage of the world and the Prince thereof yea so took away the horrour and fear and sting of death that unto the godly which beleeve in him it might no longer be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all terrible things the most terrible but rather as a peaceable and quiet sleep or as a welcome and desired rest Secondly Ionas was a Type of Christ in regard Answ 2 of his Resurrection For I. As Ionas perished not in the water but was swallowed of a great Fish who carried him three daies in his belly but at length cast him safe upon the dry shore so Christ did not perpetually remain in the grave for it was impossible that he should be holden by it Acts 2.24 but death and the devill being overcome he was restored and raised up again unto life Hos 13.24 II. As Ionas being delivered from the belly of the Whale preached Repentance unto the Ninevites and therby brought salvation unto them so Christ being risen from the dead by his Apostles did preach Repentance not onely to the Jews but to the Gentiles also that thereby they might be brought by grace unto glory III. As Ionas who was cast by the Mariners into the sea was a means to convert and turn them unto the true God so Christ by his death converted many unto his Father Acts 2.41 who were Authors of his death § 3. As Ionas was in the belly of the Whale Sect. 3 What sort or kinde of Fish was this which swallowed Ionas Quest First Rondeletus saith that it was a certain Answ 1 fish which was both in mouth and belly and in all her inward parts so capacious and large and was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that she could easily swallow a man alive and in whose belly often have been found men whole yea sometimes all armed Basilius saith that it was a Fish much like to some great hill inbignesse And Augustine saith that in Africa he saw a fish whose mouth was like some great cave Secondly Doctor Medcalf the Hebrew Professor Answ 2 in Cambridge in his Lectures upon Ionah doth affirm That for certain this fish which swallowed Ionas was no Whale he proves it thus because the Whale hath Lungs and breaths and like man hath a wind-pipe and therefore the passages through which the meat passeth are so straight that by no means she is able to devoure a whole man Object But against this it may be objected that in this verse it is said that Ionas was three daies and three nights in the belly of the Whale and the 70 render it a Whale and Iosephus Antiquit. saith A cero devoratum esse Ionam Jonas was devoured of a Whale Answ 1 First some say that God created a new Whale for this very purpose to swallow Ionah and therfore created him without Lungs or wind-pipe and made all the passages so wide and vast that it might devoure a man whole Answ 2 Secondly others better say that Christ here follows the interpretation of the 70 which as it was vulgar and familiar so also it was ordinarily quoted of all whether it were according to the truth of the originall or not that is the Septuagints translation was so frequent amongst the Jews and of such esteem with them that they cited Scripture usually as it was rendred by them never seriously weighing whether their interpretation were agreeable to the Text. Answ 3 Thirdly others yet better say that the Whale is generally put for every great Fish for it was ordinary with the Jews to apply the name of a known Species to the Genus Because the Canaanites were principall Merchants and the Arabians most notable Theeves and the Chaldeans excellent and singular Astrologers therefore the Jews called every Merchant a Canaanite and every Thief an Arabian and every Astrologer a Chaldean thus attributing the name of an ordinary Species to the Genus thereof And on the contrary the 70 were wont to give the name of the Genus to a more known or notable Species and thus sometimes instead of Nilus or Euphrates they would say a Flood And thus the Greeks cals every great Fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Whale and Homer calleth Phocas Sea Calves Whales and Virg. Immania cete great Whales for great Fishes and hence Cetarius signifieth a kinde of Fish-monger or seller or taker of great sea-Fish And from this propriety of speech our Saviour calleth this Fish a Whale because dag gadol was a great Fish Sect. 4 § 4. So the Son of man shall be three daies and three nights c. Quest How is Christ said to be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth when he was but one whole day and two nights in the grave Answ That this may be the better understood and more cleerly resolved we will lay down these three things namely First that divers nations begun their day at divers times the Babylonians and the Chaldeans reckoned their day from sun-rising to sun-rising The Astrologians counted the day from noon to noon from the time that the sun was at
sed ad patrem semper urgeri in futura semper gestire Chrysost s Secondly we must labour to feel and to be sensible Answ 2 of these heavenly joys in our souls labour that our hearts may be ravished with the remembrance of them and our souls raised up with a confident applying of them unto our selves For he that feels these joys within will contemn this world and all things therein and think no labour too much for the procuring of heaven Answ 4 Fourthly we must meditate daily of the joy honour and glory which the Lord hath prepared for the faithfull in the kingdom of heaven for this will make us labour to be of the number of the faithfull Fifthly we must hunger after the possession of Answ 5 heaven desiring with S Paul to be dissolved Philip. 1.23 And crying Come Lord Iesus come quickly Revel 22.20 From whence comes this desire of death Quest. 4 First from a good Conscience for otherwise a Answ 1 man would desire rather to flee from God with Adam because he knows that he is angry with him but when the Conscience is purged and washed with pure water Heb. 10.22 then it desires to approach into Gods presence though it be by the gate of death Secondly this desire of death comes from a Answ 2 minde estranged from the world 1 Iohn 2.15 For if the heart be glued unto the world or the affections set upon the world then we shall rather cry Oh Death how bitter is the remembrance of thee than desire the approaching thereof But if the world bee crucified unto us and wee unto the world then it will rather rejoyce us than grieve us to be delivered from it Thirdly this desire of death comes from a hope of the participation and enjoyment of heaven and God and Christ for where this hope is not this desire cannot be Verse 27 VERS 27. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Sect. 1 § 1. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father Object The Jews object that Christ is not the Messias and they argue thus The Messias ought to be a Prophet but your Christ was no Prophet neither is called by you a Prophet say they unto us And therefore your Christ was not the Messias Answ Christ was a Prophet and is so accounted and called by us as Luke 24. He was a Prophet and mighty in work and speech John 4. Sir I see that thou art a Prophet Quest They demand here What did he prophesie of Answ 1 First he prophesied of himself Luke 18.31 32 33. and in this verse also he prophesieth of himself saying The Son of man shall come in the glory of the Father c. Secondly he prophesied of his Disciples Mat. 10.16 17 18. Answ 2 Thirdly he prophesied of the Jews Luke 19.41 Answ 3 42 43 44. And therefore he was a Prophet yea the true Prophet and promised Messias Pet. Galatin lib. 8. pag. 323. § 2 And thou be shall reward every man Sect. 2 The Papists object these words Object for the proof of the merit of our good works The Apostle Rom. 11.35 Answ doth plainly deny that God gives any thing unto any of desert Who hath given first unto God and it shall be restored unto him again How can these places then be reconciled Quest First God properly is debtor unto none having Answ 1 the absolute dominion and Lordship over all creatures Secondly God therefore is said to reward Answ 2 men not properly but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he performes his promises which are conditionall If the studious Reader would see this Question enlarged let him reade Cameron s Myrothee Evang. pag. 44 45. CHAPTER XVII Vers 1. VERS 1. And after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter Iames and Iohn his Brother and bringeth them up into a high Mountain apart After sixe dayes Quest HOw may the Evangelists be reconciled concerning this History S. Matthew here and S. Mark Chap. 9.2 saying this was after sixe dayes but S. Luke 9.28 saith it was after Eight dayes Answ 1 First by the number of dayes is meant a short time he had promised in the two former verses that some of his Apostles should see his glory or him in glory and should have a tast of the glory of the elect ere long and this promise hee performes within sixe or eight dayes at the most Aretius s Answ 2 Secondly St. Luke reckons the day upon which Christ made this promise and the day also wherin the promise was performed but St. Matthew and St. Mark reckon only the intermediate dayes between the making of the promise and the performance thereof for there were three sorts of reckoning among the Jewes namely I. Excluso uno termino incluso altero when one of the Termes was included and another excluded The Iewes were commanded to circumcise their Children the Eight day now if the Child had lived seven dayes and a part of the eighth he was to be circumcised as if he had lived compleat eight dayes Now none of the Evangelists do thus account or reckon this History II. Excluso utroque termino when both the terms are excluded and thus St. Matthew and Saint Mark saith This was after sixe dayes excluding both the day of the promise and also of the performance III. Incluso utroque termino when both the termes are included and thus S. Luke saith that it was Eight daies after And thus the Evangelists are easily reconciled Vers 2. And was transfigured before them Verse 2 and his face did shine as the Sunne and his rayment was white as the light Why is Christs Transfiguration upon the Mount adjoyned next to the foregoing History Quest First Christ had promised that some of them Answ 1 should see in this life a glimse of that glory which the Elect have in Heaven and therefore the Holy Ghost annexeth this History to shew how faithfull and true Christ is in his promises Secondly our Saviour had foretold them of Answ 2 that affliction which attended the faithful in this life verse 24 25. of the former Chapter Now because a taste of that glory which they shall be made partakers of which suffer willingly for Christ is an excellent meanes to confirme and strengthen them against death and crosses therfore six dayes after this sermon of the crosses of the faithfull in this world hee went up into an high Mountaine with three of his Apostles where hee was transfigured and they made eye-witnesses of his glory Answ 3 Thirdly this Historie followes the former for the strengthning of the faith of the Apostles in Christ for hee having fore-told them of his death verse 21. of the former Chapter which was now shortly to ensue lest they should thinke him to be but a meere man sixe dayes after hee tooke three of them up into a Mountaine that they might know even
time and opportunity to tempt us unto that which is evill that the experience of these may make us avoid them the better Fifthly it is good for a man to be truely religious because such have peace quiet and spirituall security Matth. 11.29.30 Those who belong not unto Gods Church have care disturbance feare and trouble yea safety no where for the wicked flee when no man pursues them but unto the righteous there is peace and a sure resting place Sixthly it is good for a man to bee of Gods flock and one of his fold because such have internall joy comfort and consolation yea can rejoyce in the midst of affliction Now this spirituall rejoycing springs from these three roots to wit I. From humility in the understanding And II. From purity in the affections And III. From sincerity and truth in the performance of the good will of God For he that is humble and lowly in his own eyes and base and vile in his own conceit and pure in his heart and affections and sincere in his life and without hypocrisie in his obedience cannot but have a great deal of joy and rejoycing within Seventhly it is good for a man to be a member of Christs Church and a servant in this house because then he shall alwayes dwell in Christs presence and be in his sight Peter saith here Master it is good for us to remain where we are and why because Christ was there and because he was ravished with his glory So those who are of his little flocke shall alwaies enjoy his presence and see his face Eighthly it is good for a man to be a religious member of the Church because then he shall enjoy the society of the Saints Peter shewed the delight he had in the company of Moses and Elias by his desire to make Tabernacles for them and great is the comfort that the Children of God find in the society one of another but the joy they shall have in the fellowship of the Saints in Heaven passeth knowledge and exceedeth expression Ninthly it is good for a man to be a member of the spirituall Church because then he will not regard nor inordinately love the world Peter forgets the world and all the pleasures and delights thereof saying Master It is good for us to be here and those whose hearts are ravished and enflamed with the love of God and who are assured of a portion in the Kingdome of Heaven doe lightly regard the things of this world Tenthly it is good for a man to be in the fold of the true Church because then hee will die the more confidently and cheerfully whereas on the contrary the remembrance of death is bitter to of those who are without the wall of the Church Lastly it is very good for a man to be in the Church Militant because great shall his reward and glory be in the Church Triumphant but of this we spake before Chap. 16 26. And thus we see that it is good for us to be here viz. in Religion and the true Church § 2. Let us make three Tabernacles Sect. 2 The Papists say that the Pope cannot erre Argum. we deny this and prove the contrary by this Argument If Peter may erre yea did erre then the Pope which they say is his successor cannot be exempted from erring but is subject to erre But Peter erred therefore the Pope may That Peter erred St. Hierome proves from this place and that First because he was contented and sufficiently satisfied in the contemplation of Christs humanity whereas blessednesse is essentially placed in the contemplation of his Divinity which St. Peter then saw not Secondly because he sought and desired a mansion on earth whereas he should have desired a heavenly mansion according to that of the Apostle we have here no abiding City but we seek one which is to come Thirdly Peter erred because he was unmindfull of the rest of the Apostles whereas he should have wished them the enjoyment of the society of their Saviour as well as himself but contrarily he saith Master it is good to be here although there be but a fourth part of thy Disciples with thee Sect. 3 § 3. One for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Quest Whether do the blessed soules being separated from the bodies know one another Or whether shall the Saints know one another in Heaven Answ That they shall appeares by these reasons namely First Adam in his estate of integrity knew Eve as soon as he saw her Genes 2.23 Therefore in heaven much more shall the Saints know one another because their knowledge is there more perfect in degrees then Adams was in Paradise Secondly because Peter here having but a tast of the glorious estate and condition of the Saints in Heaven knows Moses and Elias and therefore those who are perfectly glorified shall much more know one another Thirdly the Saints in Heaven shall mutually love one another with a true and perfect love and therefore also shall know one another A man may love things which he never saw but scarcely things which he never knew Fourthly those who are in Hell are endued with such a knowledge that they can know this or that man Dives being in Hell sees that is knows Lazarus in Abrahams bosome and this knowledge is given them for an augmentation of their torment And therefore much more the elect and blessed Spirits know one another because that addes unto their happinesse and helpes to make it compleat Fifthly the near Relation the Saints have one unto another helps to convince this truth For what are they They are al Children of one father all Servants of one Master all members of one body and therefore undoubtedly they shall all know one another Sixthly but yet no carnall thoughts or imaginations must be had either concerning the knowledge or the love of the Saints in Heaven as though a man should know his wife or Children or friends better then others or love them better then others for this conceit savours of the flesh and flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of Heaven all things there being spirituall for as there shall be a new Heaven and a new earth so also there shall be new men and new affections and new loves which shal be perfect and without any dregs Verse 5 Vers. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright Cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him § 1. And behold a voice came from Heaven Sect. 1 It is not unworthy our Observation to mark That God revealed himself to his servants foure manner of wayes to wit Now of these three we have to treat of elsewhere First by the gift of Prophesie Secondly by ordinary inspiration of the Holy Spirit Thirdly by Vrim and Thummim light and perfection Fourthly by Bath-col per filiam vocis by a little small voice or an eccho whereby he
because the King of this kingdom is not terrestriall or from earth but celestiall from Heaven Answ 2 Secondly because the seat of this King is not in earth but in heaven there he raigns and from thence he manifests his justice and power Answ 3 Thirdly because the members of this kingdom are the faithfull who although in regard of their naturall condition they are terrene animall yet assoon as they are admitted into this kingdom they are made celestiall and spirituall For such as the King is such he makes his subjects to be And therefore although the faithfull are conversant in the earth yet they have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or conversation in Heaven Fourthly because the certain seat of the Subjects Answ 4 of this kingdom is no otherwhere than in Heaven and therefore they are in the earth as strangers and pilgrims and are accounted of the world as Aliens and Forrainers Fifthly this kingdom of Christ is called Heavenly Answ 5 by reason of the government thereof which is altogether celestiall and spirituall VERS 3. Verely I say unto you Vers 3. Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven Except ye become like little children In what sense doth Christ take Children in this place Quest. and how many waies is the word Childe taken in Scripture First we are called Children sometimes when Answ 1 we are humble lowly and poor of spirit as in this verse Answ 2 Secondly we are called Children sometimes when we are without vice and malice as 1 Corinthians 14.20 Answ 3 Thirdly sometimes we are called Children as considered under the Law Gal. 4.1 and 1 Cor. 13.11 When I was a Childe that is When I was under the Law Answ 4 Fourthly we are called Children sometimes because we are yet weak in grace 1 Cor. 13.1 2. Answ 5 Fifthly we are called Children because like Children we have alwaies need to be fed with the word as with milk 1 Pet. 2.2 Verse 7 VERS 7. Woe unto the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences come but woe to that man by whom the offence commeth It is principally necessary that these words should be lively laid open before the eyes and deeply imprinted in the heart of all Christians in these daies amongst whom nothing is more frequent than giving and taking of offence and therefore I will treat of them particularly and something more largely than ordinary Sect. 1 § 1. Woe unto the world because of offences Quest 1 What was the occasion of our Saviours uttering of these words concerning Scandals Answ 1 First some say these words have reference to chap. 17. verse the last where our Saviour speaks of paying of tribute as if he would say ye must rather pay impositions and taxes than give offence because Woe unto the world by reason of offences Answ 2 Secondly some say they were spoken by reason of the Ambition of the Apostles for they desire to know of Christ Who should be greatest in the kingdom of God verse 1. Whereupon our Saviour doth I. Shew them by the humility of Children what their duty is verse 2 3 4 5. Then II. He teacheth them what it is and how dangerous it is to offend one of these verse 6. And III. Then and thereupon handleth the generall Doctrine of Scandals and Offences Quest 2 What is meant by the world which is threatned here by reason of Scandals Answ Men are ordinarily divided into these two ranks namely First into the Church and congregation of the Righteous And Secondly into the Synagogue and assembly of the wicked And these are called the World ordinarily and usually because they are many From whence we may learn Observ That many are subject to this woe that is threatned for Scandals and Offences or the world and many in the world shall sorrow and smart for the offences they give Hos 4.3 Quest 3 How doth it appear that the number of those who are scandalous and offensive in the world are many or that many give offence Answ 1 First it appears from the Author of these Scandals the Devill who is both strong and crafty and vigilant and indefatigable 1 Pet. 5.8 and an enemy unto mankind desiring the destruction and death of all as God desires their salvation and life 2 Peter 3. And therefore he prevails with and against many Secondly it appears also by his instruments who are many but principally these two viz. I. Persons or men that is either First perverse and obstinate who hate all goodnesse and scandalize all good men Or Secondly diabolicall men who like Sathan Answ 2 himself labour to lead others unto Hell along with them and tempt them to be as wicked as themselves as though Iuvat socios habuisse doloris it would be an ease unto them to have co-partners in their misery Or Thirdly beastly and Swinish men who for the satisfying of their lust and unsatiable covetousnesse care not what scandals and offences they give Or Fourthly ignorant men who thinking evill good and good evill do therby frequently give offence to those whose judgements are rightly informed II. Things are sometimes the Devils instrument to work Scandals as well as persons viz. First the sweetnesse delight and pleasure which is in that which is evill And Secondly the difficulty of that which is good The Devil lends men a glasse wherin they see how easie sin is and how hard the service of God is how full of pleasure sin is how painfull the service of God is how delightfull and pleasing to flesh and blood the waies of wickedness are and how tedious and irkesome to our corrupt nature the waies of grace are and the sight of these makes us more prone unto evill and puts us back from that which is good and consequently makes us scandalous and offensive to Christs little ones Thirdly it is further evident that there are Answ 3 many in the world who give offence and scandall to the Children of God because as Sathan is strong and mighty and his instruments subtle and many so we naturally are weak and prone to choose the worst § 2. For it must needs bee or it is necessary Sect Why doth our Saviour here say Quest That it is necessary that offences should come There is a double reason Answ or cause of the necessity hereof namely First in regard of the end and thus Saint Paul saith it is necessary that heresies must come that the good may be known 1 Cor. 11. Secondly offences are necessary in regard of the corruptions of the world for the world it so corrupt and wicked that it is Impossible Observ but offences should come whence we learn That the Gospel shall never be free from scandals Acts. 28 22. and 1 Corinth 4.9 and 2 Pet 2 3. Why will the Gospel bee alwaies Subject to Quest 2 scandals First because men by nature are suspicious and Answ 1 will imagine
recapitulation And Answ 3 Thirdly in regard of our Bretheren for by that means we may be the better inabled to help their memories Thirdly this place is thrice expresly repeated for our meditation to teach us That the punishments Observ 4 and torments of Hell and the eternity thereof are alwaies to be meditated and remembred Quest 1 Why must we thus meditate of the bottomelesse pit and the torments thereof Answ 1 First because it will be a means to preserve us from sin And Answ 2 Secondly to weane our affections from this wicked world And Answ 3 Thirdly it will make us more carefull to prepare our selves for Heaven And therefore let us meditate and seriously remember these three things viz. I. How suddenly we may be called by death unto judgment And II. How severely we shall be judged Index nec pecuniâ nec penitentiâ c. August de Symbol No bribe can be fastned upon that Iudge no tears will prevail with him Tum Potentissimi Reges-Aristotelis Argumenta-non proderunt Hier. Epist ad Heliodorum At the day of judgment the most potent Princes shall find no more favour then the poorest persons yea then neither Tullies Rhetorick nor Aristotles Logick will a whit avail them III. Meditate how inevitable Hell is and how impossible it is for a wicked man to avoid the eternall punishment thereof It is impossible for men by any art or power or pollicy to shunne death and as impossible to escape judgement after death and alike inevitable is punishment after judgment unto all that are wicked dying without Repentance for Christ hath preached and the Holy Ghost thrice repeated That those who will not cut off and pluck out and cast from them their sins shall together with their sinnes be cast into Hell Fire Verse 10 VERS 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones For I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Sect. 1 § 1. Their Angels The Rhemists urge these words to prove the Object 1 protection of Tutelary Angells a great dignity and marvailous benefit it is say they that every one hath from his nativitie an Angell for his custody and patronage against the wicked before the face of God Hâ—er s And the thing is so plain that Calvin dare not deny it and yet he wil needs doubt of it Lib. 1. Institut cap. 14. § 7. First Calvin doubteth not of the Protection of Answ 1 Gods Angels but whether every one hath a severall Angell appointed for his custody from his nativitie that he justly doubts because no place of Scripture evidently proves it Secondly this the Scripture doth avouch that Answ 2 sometimes one Angell hath the charge of a great many men sometimes many Angels are ready for the defence of one man yea all the Angels with one consent do wait for our preservation as is proved clearly by Calvin in the place cited Thirdly Hierome doth not mean that every Answ 3 one hath his severall Angell for he alleadgeth for the proof of his exposition Paraphrase The Angell of Ephesus Thyatyra Philadelphia and the rest Where if the word Angell were to he understood of heavenly spirits yet it is one Angell for the Church of a whole City and not for every person one Fourthly Chrysostome affirmes that by Angels Answ 4 here are understood not the inferiour but the superiour whereby he signifies that every one hath one superiour Angell alone but yet that he may have divers other inferiour Angels See Cartwright and Doctor Mayers The Papists urge this place amongst others Object 2 for the proof of the invocation of Saints In these places say they Zachar. 1.12 Revelat. 8.3 Daniel 10.13 Psalm 91.11 Matth. 18.10 the Angels intercede for the living and have care of them in particular And therefore much more ought the Spirits anâ— soules of men so to doe and consequently we may call upon them First in some of the places quoted the Holy Answ 1 Ghost speaks of the intercession of Christ for his Church Secondly the Argument is sick of a Non sequitur Answ 2 The Angells intercede for the living and care for them in particular therefore so do also the souls of the deceased follows not because to the Angels is committed the care of the faithfull in the earth as appears from this verse and Psalm 91.11 and Heb. 1.14 But wee reade of no such charge or power given to the deceased Saints Thirdly in Revelat. 8. Iohn declares a vision Answ 3 wherein by Saints he understands the Saints on earth and not them in Heaven and by the Angel he understands Christ as Daniel 10.13 Fourthly in this place here is nothing at all of Answ 4 the intercession of Angells in particular Scharp de eccles triumph 38. § 2. They behold the face of my Father Sect. 2 What is meant here by the face of God or Quest 1 how many waies it is taken in Scripture First sometimes the face of God is taken for Answ 1 his presence in generall as Genes 4.16 Iudg. 6.22 Iob. 1.12 and 2 7. Psalm 89.14 and 96.13 Zachar 2.13 Answ 2 Secondly sometimes the face of God is taken for his familiar presence as Genes 3â— 30 Exod. 33.11 Numb 12.8 and 14.14.15 Deut. 5 4. and 34.10 Answ 3 Thirdly by face is sometimes signified and meant the sight knowledge and acknowledgement of God Iob 1.11 and 2.5 and 13.20 Psâ—l 10.11 and 51.9 and 139 7 Eccles 8.8.12.13 Esa 26.17 and 65 3. Ierem. 4.1 and 16.17 Hos 7.2 Ionah 1.3.10 Answ 4 Fourthly sometimes by Gods face is meant his presence in the Temple Sanctuary Holy worship as 1 Samuel 2.18 and 13.12 and 21.6 and 2 King 13.4 and 2 Chron. 34.27 Psalm 95.2 and 119.58 Ierem. 26.10 Hag. 1.12 Zach. 7.2 and 8.21 c. Answ 5 Fifthly the face of God is sometimes taken for his presence in Heaven as in this verse and Psalm 16.11 and 1 Cor. 13.12 and Revelat. 22.4 And Answ 6 Sixthly sometimes for his providence Psalm 104.29 And Answ 7 Seventhly for his love mercy and favour as Exod. 33.14 Esa 63.9 And Answ 8 Eighthly sometimes for the Majestie glory and terrour of God Exod. 33.18 Iudg. 5.5 Nehem 1.5 6. Psalm 68.8 and 97.5 and 114.7 Esa 63.1 2. Ioel 2.6.10 And Answ 9 Ninthly sometimes face signifies anger and revenge Numb 10.35 Ierem. 3.12 and 4.26 and Psalm 21.10 and 1. Peter 3.12 And Answ 10 Lastly by Face is meant Gods remembrance to punish those that are wicked Nehem. 4.5 and Ierem. 18.3 Quest 2 What is the nature and property of Gods Face Answ 1 First it is invisible and cannot be seen Exod 33.20 23. by mortall eye Answ 2 Secondly it is our hope and trust Proverb 17.15 Answ 3 Thirdly it is sweet and most delectable Psalm 89.14 Answ 4 Fourthly it seeth al things for the proof hereof see the places quoted above Answer 3. of the former Question Quest 3 What is required
sinne Answ 3 Thirdly an idle and lazy sluggishnesse hinders this call Agrippa was almost perswaded to become a Christian Acts 26.28 but not all together Vult et non vult piger the sluggard being called and awakened answereth to rise but deferres and procrastinates it crying Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe And therefore if wee desire this effectuall vocation let us I. Learne to deny our selves and to renounce all selfe-confidence and high conceits of our owne deserts and goodnesse And II. Let us learne to hate all Sinne and that with a perfect hatred And III. To cast off all sluggishnesse and avoide all idle endeavours and Soule-killing delayes and with speed alacrity and diligence undertake the labour of the Lord and the worke of our salvation unto which wee are called Object Some object these words against the wise and divine Providence of God He hath rejected more then he hath elected because many are called and but fewe are chosen Now this stands not with the providence of an all-wise Creator Answ 1 First it is not against the most wise providence of God that there is a greater number of wicked then godly because he maketh no man evill but whatsoever he made was very good and he onely suffereth the evill to be Answ 2 Secondly it is true that God hath rejected more then he hath elected but he did it not without good cause For I. Hereby he would shew that those who are chosen are chosen of meere grace and not for any merit or worthinesse of their owne And II. Hereby he would stirre up us to give grea-thankes unto him for so great a benefit in choosing us so few out of so great a multitude of men unto eternall life Sect 9 § 9. And few are chosen Quest 1 It is questioned by some whether there be a generall election or not that is whether all be elected unto life or not Answ Wee answer no and the trueth of our negation appeares thus First God hath mercy of whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardens and therefore all are not elected Secondly our Saviour here saith Many are called but few are elected Thirdly few enter into the straite gate Mat. 7.13 14. But all that are elected unto life enter therein 2. Timoth. 2.19 And therefore all are not elected Rom. 8.30 Fourthly the Apostle saith plainly The election obteyned mercy and the rest were hardned Fifthly the goates shall goe into everlasting fire which was prepared for them from the beginning Matth. 25. And therefore all were not at the beginning elected Sixthly universall election is overthrowne by these Scriptures Iohn 13.18 and. 15.19 1. Corinth 1.26 and. 2. Timoth. 2.20 Iohn 17.9 Rom. 8.29 Seâ—venthly Election is out of a heape or masse or multitude to segregate or choose some things or some persons and therefore all are not elected Deuter. 7.7 Iohn 15.19 and. 1. Corinth 4.7 Some demand againe why there are but few Quest 2 elected and why God rejected so great a multitude of men that is predestinated more to death then to life For if the principall finall cause was his glory which is illustrated both in the manifestation of his wrath and power against sinne and in the demonstration of his riches grace and goodnesse towards the vessels of mercy could not this cause have place in the reprobation of a few as well as of many First who art thou O man that reasonest against Answ 1 God who hath knowne his minde or was his Counseller who is wiser then God who Rom. 9.23 and. 11.34 Secondly we deny that God should have Answ 2 bene as much glorified or his glory as much manifested by the reprobation of a few as it is by many for nothing could bee done more wisely or better then God hath done it And with this answer every godly man should rest satisfied VERS 18. Vers 18 Behold wee goe up to Ierusalem and the Sonne of man shall bee betrayed unto the chiefe Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death Why was it necessary that CHRIST should be Condemned and suffer and dye Quest First because it so pleased God Answ 1 Secondly because so he wrought and purchased Answ 2 our Redemption For it was necessary that hee should satisfie the divine Justice for our sinnes Thirdly because God so loved the World Answ 3 that he gave his Sonne unto death for the Redemption and Salvation thereof Iohn 3.6 VERS 22 23. Vers 22 23. But JESVS answered and said Yee know not what yee aske Are yee able to drinke of the Cup that I shall drinke of and to be Baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with They say unto him Wee are able And hee saith unto them yee shall drinke indeed of my Cup and be baptized with the Baptisme that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall bee given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father § 1. Yee know not what yee aske Sect. 1 Wherein did the Sons of Zebedee erre in their requests that our Saviour here blames them Their petition and request was faulty and inordinate in three regards to wit Answ First because they desired the crowne before victory And Secondly because they desired and dreamt of a carnall Propinquity and nearenesse unto CHRIST And Thirdly because out of a certaine Presumption and pride they seeme to have made this request desiring the chiefest place and glory yea that they might be preferred before all the other Apostles Carthus § pag. 164. b. Sect. 2 § 2. But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give Object The Arrians objected this place against the Deitie and power of CHRIST thus The Mother of Zebedees children desiring that one of her Sonnes might sit at Christs right hand and the other at the left in the Kingdome of him hee answers To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Therefore CHRIST is not omnipotent or of absolute power and consequently is not God Answ 1 First the mother of Zebedees Children desired these things out of a humane affection acknowledging CHRIST onely to be a man and his Kingdome some Kingdome of this world Now our Saviour answers in her sence that as he is man it is not his to give so before when the young man called him good he answered there is none good but one that is God because the young man did onely attribute unto him a humane goodnesse Answ 2 Secondly this was spoken by Christ not onely in regard of his humane nature but also yea rather in respect of the present Ministery for which he was sent into the world and therefore Christ denies that it was his worke to assigne to the Elect divers degrees of
them because they should hold their peace but they cryed so much the more saying Have mercy on us Oh Lord thou Sonne of David § 1. And behold two blind men sitting by the Sect. 1 way side Whether is this an Historicall or an Allegoricall Quest 1 narration Although undoubtedly it be a reall trueth Answ and was verily performed according to the words of the Evangelists yet the Fathers and some Expositors have Allegorized it What is observable in the Allegory Quest 2 First the state of man after the fall For by Answ 1 nature I. We are like these men blind in our understandings Caeti and blockishly ignorant in Spirituall things II. We like these are beggers in grace Iuxta vias being herein miserably poore deprived of all grace vertue and goodnesse and strangers from the favour of God III. We like these sit doing nothing Sedetes being dead in workes for so long as we are naturall we are dead in sinne and so long as we are dead in sinne we are as unable to worke spirituall workes well as a man corporally dead is to work corporall or naturall workes Answ 2 Secondly in the Allegoricall sense of this history we may observe the degrees of our Reparation and Renovation For I. CHRIST passeth by II. We heare the noyse III. We aske what the matter is Marke 10. IV. We then crye and begge and sue for mercy V. We have many impediments which hinder us from being heard for a time VI. Yet if we continue crying Christ will First call us And then Secondly take pitty of us And Thirdly helpe us But I passe by these Quest 3 How doth it appeare that we are blind by nature Answ It is most evident by these foure following particulars to wit First if a man should walke in a way and before him should be a deepe pit and on one side of him a rich treasure and he see neither but neglects the treasure and fals into the pit who would say but this man were certainly blind Thus we walke in the way of the world seeing neither the heavenly treasure that is reserved for the righteous nor the infernall torment which is prepared for the wicked but neglect the one and engulfe our selves into the other and therefore it is evident that we are blind Secondly who will say that he sees who is not able to discerne betweene light and darkenesse betweene gold and burning coales Thus the naturall man cannot understand spirituall things 1. Corinth 2.4 but chooseth the burning coales of this world yea even of hell neglecting the celestiall gold of life eternall Naturall men preferre the darkenesse of fables and humane traditions before the light of the word yea death before life and hell before heaven and therefore who will deny but that they are blind Thirdly the blind man knowes not whether he goes ignorant which way to turne yea often running against a wall Thus by nature being ignorant of the word and will of God we know not whether we goe we know not how to serve God aright â—or when we doe well And therefore who will deny but that great is our blindnesse Fourthly the blind often stumble and easily fall so as long as we remaine in our naturall blindnesse and ignorance we frequently fall into one sinne or other not being able to cease from sinne 2. Peter 2.14 And therefore our deeds of darkenesse and workes of the flesh doe shew that we are as blind in soules as these men in the text were in their bodies Quest 4 What must we doe to be freed from this spirituall blindnesse Answ Doe as these blind men did namely First let us acknowledge and confesse unto our God our spirituall blindnesse and how ignorant we are in divine and celestiall things Secondly let us seeke for and enquire after the Physitian of our soules who is able to open our blind eyes If it be demanded Who this is Moses the Patriarks Prophets Evangelists Apostles Confessours and Martyrs answer with one mouth that it is JESVS the Sonne of David who is the light of the world and which enlightneth every one that commeth into the world Iohn 1.9 Isa 35.5 and .61.1 Thirdly we must ingenuously confesse this Physitian as these did Iesus thou Sonne of David we must not be ashamed to confesse and acknowledge him before men who is able to deliver us both from the wrath of God and the rage of men and this our extraordinary naturall blindnesse Acts 26.18 Fourthly with blind Bartimeus we must cast away our cloakes and reject and shake off whatsoever may hinder us from comming unto Christ Hebr. 12.1 we must take up our crosses and deny our selves and follow CHRIST and wee must lay downe our pleasures and profits if they keepe us from Christ But of this something hath beene said before Chapt 5. and 7. and therefore J enlarge it no further When or about what time did this History Quest 5 fall out Jt was after Christs departure from Iericho Answ verse 29. and Marke 10.46 St. Luke 18.35 saith it was when he came Quest 6 nigh unto Iericho and therefore how may the Evangelists be reconciled First the omitting of some circumstances overthrowes Answ 1 not the substance of the History for although circumstances should varie or some should be omitted yet the summe and matter of the narration may be true Secondly it is very likely that these blind Answ 2 men cryed unto CHRIST before his going unto Iericho and although he heard them yet hee would not answer them for the tryall of their perseverance untill his returne from thence and thus thinkes Calvin And thus before Chap. 9.28 Two blind men crye after him in the way but he answers them not untill he come into the house St. Matthew saith here there were two blind Quest 7 men but according to Marke and Luke there was but one and therefore how can they be reconciled in this particular First it may be at the first there was but one Answ 1 and that another came running after him afterwards and so two were healed Or Secondly it may be there were two yea certainly Answ 2 there was and yet onely Bartimens is named either because he was better knowne or more famous or more clamorous running faster and crying louder after CHRIST then the other did Thirdly Omne majus continet in se minus Answ 3 every greater containes a lesse and therefore there is no contradiction at all amongst the Evangelists St Matthew saith there was two St. Marke and St. Luke say there was one not that there was but one onely now where there are two there is one Fourthly the holy Scriptures are not strict in Answ 4 the observing of numbers but are wont to neglect them and thus our Evangelist Chapt. 8.28 saith There were two possessed with Devils and St. Marke 5.1 and. St. Luke 8.26 say There was one Quest 8 Why did these blind men sit by the way side Answ St. Marke and St.
is meritorious of eternall life and that is the merit of the Sonne of God Fourthly the Assumption is false for not for Answ 4 the workes of the sheepe but for the blessing of the Father whereby he hath blessed the sheepe with all spirituall blessings in CHRIST that is by and for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alsufficient and superabundant satisfaction and merite of Christ is the Kingdome ot heaven adjudged and given unto them Fifthly unto the causall particle enim For we Answ 5 answer that it signifies indeed a cause but not the meritorious cause of the Kingdome but a declarative cause of the just sentence pronounced by the Judge that is that his adjudging and giving of life eternall vnto the sheepe on his right hand was a just and righteous sentence because by their workes they had truely declared and shewed forth that they were Christs sheepe that is faithfull and beleevers If the studious Reader would see this Answer concerning Enim learnedly enlarged and fully prosecuted Let him reade Bp. Daven de just actual Cap. 32. pag. 411. obj 9. and Pareus s Page 848. b. and Amestus Bel. enerv tom 4. p. 207. Against our last words of our former Answer Object 5 they object againe The Judge doth not say inherite the Kingdome because you are faithfull or because you beleeved but because you fed me and cloathed me and the like And therefore For doth denote the meritorious cause and not a declarative cause onely of the justice and equity of the sentence First as the Iudge doth not say inherite the Answ 1 Kingdome because ye are faithfull so neither doth he say as they say because ye have merited and deserved it Secondly the Reason why our Saviour doth Answ 2 mention their workes rather then their faith we shewed before quest 1. of this § VERS 41 42 c. Vers 41 42. c. Then shall he say unto them on the left hand Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I thirsted and ye gave mee no drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me not I was naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and yet visited me not Then shall they also answer him saying Lord whâ—â— saw me theâ— an hungred or a thirst 〈◊〉 a stranger or naked or sicke or in prison and did not minister unto thee Then shall he answer them and say Verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Sect. 1 § 1. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire The foure last things are Death Judgement Hell and Heaven and they are thus differenced Nothing is more horrible then Death nothing more terrible then Iudgement nothing more intollerable then Hell nothing more delectable then heaven Bern. And therefore blessed are they who by death are brought unto heaven but wretched and infinitely miserable are all they who by Iudgement are sent unto hell Quest 1 Which are the last words which shall be uttered in this world Answ Sphinx answers thâ—se in the text in this Elegiake Aspera vox Ite sed vox benedicta Venite Ite malis vox est apta Venite bonis that is This word DEPART the Goates with horrour heares But this word COME the Sheepe to joy appeares And hence Bernard in Psalm 91. prayes O Domine in die illo libera me a verbo Aspere O Lord deliver me at the great day from that soule killing word Depart Quest 2 What harme is there in this word Depart or in the whole sentence Answ These words are as so many mortall and ghastly wounds and poysoned arrowes sticking deepe in the flesh unto every wicked man For this sentence and doome doth containe five incurable and insufferable blowes which are given to such to wit First Depart get you gone flee hence out of my sight and from the society of the Elect for ever Secondly yee cursed which loved not blessing and therefore are now justly excluded out of heaven and deprived of all felicit and happinesse Thirdly into the fire not into the scorching flame or parching heate but into the burning fire Fourthly into everlasting fire not into a fire that will either burne and quite consume them or which will be consumed it selfe at the last which will either cause them to dye or dye and extinguish it selfe but into everlasting fire which shall never goe out but torment them world without end Fifthly with the Devill and his Angels as they said unto the Almighty depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thee or thy Law and wished that the righteous might be taken out of their sight so they shall be excluded and driven out of the presence of God and deprived of the society of Saints and Angels their companions thenceforward being onely devils wicked Angels and damned spirits Then will they oppressed with griefe crye out I. To the Sunne O Sunne hitherto thou hast refreshed us with thy comfortable light but now we shall never see thee more but must be cast into everlasting darkenesse And II. To the Aire oh aire thou hast often refreshed me with thy sweet breath and wholesome smell but now I must enjoy no aire but detestable stinking vapours and stifâ—ling sents And III. To the Earth oh eartn thou hast often delighted me with many rare dainties fruits liquors and the like but now I must never tast good bit or drop more but be reserved unto endlesse hunger And IV. To the Water oh water how often have I bene cheered with thy drops and draughts but now I must goe where I shall thirst eternally And V. To the faithfull oh holy Saints for your sakes and societies I have escaped many temporall judgements and enjoyed many temporall mercies but now I must never come into your company nor see you any more but must converse with devils for ever and ever And VI. Lastly to CHRIST oh holy Lord thou hast often called me unto repentance obedience and faith promising to receive me into favour to be reconciled unto me and to pardon all my sinnes but now for my impenitency and hardnesse of heart J am justly cast out of thy favour and presence and must now suffer for my sinnes insufferable sorrow and smart in everlasting fire And thus those who are not like unto the righteous in piety shall never be like them in eternall felicity This place is urged by the Papists against us to prove that Infants dying unbaptized shall not suffer any sensible torment in hell and is produced also by us agâ—inst them that they doe I will consider and treat briefely of them particularly Salmeron the Jesuite argues hence thus Those Object 1 who would not exercise the workes of mercy and charity are adjudged to everlasting fire but those who did are rewarded with life eternall Now children are neither of
19. of Psalm 118. And this was that Hymne which CHRIST and his Apostles here sang VERS 31. Then saith JESUS unto them Vers 31 All ye shall be offended because of mee this night for it is written I will smite the Shepherd and the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered abroad How may we know Quest whether we are of Christs flocke and the sheepe of his pasture or not First Stapleton in Iohn 10. giveth us divers Answ 1 true markes of Christs sheepe which we distinguish thus I. Some of them are in the heart 1. In corde and inward man as for example First sheepe must be simple 2 Cor. 11.3 that is we must be I. Obedient without disputing Psal 80.1 yea labouring to bring every rebellious thought unto the obedience of God 2 Cor. 10.5 And II. Patient in all afflictions tribulations injuries and the like Matth. 10.16 Luke 21.19 Philip. 1.28 And. III. Jnnocent and harmelesse Matth. 5.9 and 1 Peter 2 1. Secondly sheepe must be fearefull that is we must be I. Fearefull of our enemies sheepe will not stand lo looke or gaze upon the wolfe but flee by and by so we should shunne every appearance of evill and the occasions of sinne as we would eschew Sathan himselfe And II. Fearefull of our feet and pathes and affections labouring to subdue them II. Some of the signes of the sheepe 2. In ore are in the mouth and toung that is we must be First Vnivoci of one toung and speech both in prosperity and adversity giving thankes unto God in all estates and conditions as Iob did 1.2 For sheepe have but one voyce alwayes And Secondly Sapidi men of seasoned tongues as sheepe loves to eate in salt pastures so should we have all our words seasoned with the salt of grace and our speeches savouring of religion and sanctification Marke 9.50 Colos 4 6. III. One marke of a sheepe is to be seene in the life thereof 3. In vita that is they are sociable and will goe together and so should wee love our brethren because they are sheepe of one and the same folde belonging unto one and the same Shepheard Iohn 13.35 Answ 2 Secondly the principall notes and signes of CHRISTS sheepe are these two namely I. To renounce the world and whatsoever is evill whether of opinion or Practise and this is that which CHRIST meanes when hee saith That faithfull sheepe will not heare the voyce of Strangers Iohn 10.4 5. And II. To heare and obey the voyce of CHRIST expressed and laide downe in the Word Iohn 10.4 5. Vers 33 VERS 33. Peter answered and said vnto him Though all men should bee offended because of thee yet will I never be offended Quest Whether is this Protestation of Peters to be condemned or commended Answ It is to be condemned and blamed because it argued a great Presumption in him as appeares thus First the thing whereof hee presumed viz. to dye with CHRIST was no small matter Secondly hee was never tryed in this kind before and consequently knew not his owne strength and therefore it argued a great deale of Presumption in him so rashly to promise the performance of so great a worke the bitternesse wherof he never so much as tasted Thirdly although Peter had formerly beene tryed in this kinde and had acquitted himselfe manfully yet hee could not here be excused of a singular inconsideration and presumption because by this his protestation hee opposeth the words of CHRIST which he had confirmed from the testimony of the Prophet verse 21. Fourthly Peters presumption appeares also herein that he preferre himselfe before all the other Apostles yea all the world Though all men should forsake thee yet I will never forsake thee Vers 37.38 39. VERS 37 38 39. And hee tooke with him Peter and the two Sonnes of Zebedee and began to be sorrowfull and very heavy Then saith hee unto them My soule is exceeding sorrowfull unto death tarry yee here and watch with me And hee went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from mee neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Sect. 1 § 1 And he beganne to be sorrowfull and very heavy Quest 1 What sorrow heavinesse and feare was Christ subject unto First there is a double sorrow and heavinesse namely I Inordinate which hinders reason and this Answ 1 the Philosopher saith happens not to a wise or constant man much lesse therefore to Christ The righteous saith Salomon sorroweth for nothing that is with that immoderate and in ordinate sorrow which causeth death 2 Cor. 7.10 II. Ordinate good vertuous and naturall which followes reason and excludes vanity Secondly there is a double feare namely Answ 2 I. Inordinate this the righteous ordinarily is not subject unto he being as bold as a lyon fearing nothing as the wise man saith II. There is a naturall feare which is free from all blame Thirdly Christ was onely subject to a naturall Answ 3 feare and sorrow or subject unto them as they are naturall affections and passions or rather according to Hierome Propassiones appetitus sensitivi Why did CHRIST assume these passions or Quest 2 suffer himselfe to be subject unto them First to shew the truth of his humane nature Answ 1 Secondly for our consolation that we might Answ 2 not be too much dejected when we perceive in us some feare of death seeing that Christ feared it Carthus s pag. 213. b. § 2. If it be possible let this cup passe from Sect. 2 me Jt is observed by some of our Divines that some phrases of Scripture have a contrary signification as for example the Prophet Ieremiah saith Chapt. 23.9 I am like a drunken man whom the wine hath gone over that is whom the wine hath overcome but here let this cup passe over me that is Let it not touch me in a contrary signification How could Christ desire that this cup might Quest 1 not touch him If we consider Christs desire Let this Cup passe materially onely Answ according to Christs infirmity as he was man then he wisheth that this Cup might not touch him but when he considers this cup formally with all the circumstances that he must drinke this Cup for to expiate the sinnes of men and satisfie the wrath of God then he cannot let this Cup passe In this prayer of Christs we may observe foure things I will name the three first and prosecute onely the last First CHRIST here prayeth for a thing in respect Obser 1 of Gods decree not possible that the Cup might passe from him and therefor afterward he saith verse 42. If this Cup cannot passe away c. Secondly Christ here prayeth for that which Obser 2 was not granted viz that the Cup of death and sorrow prepared for him might passe Thirdly Christ here prayeth in his humane and Obser 3 naturall desire somewhat diversely from Gods will yet with submission of his will
kisse unto his Master Answ 2 Secondly when they came to apprehend Christ it was night now although they had lights and torches yet they could not so clearely see as in the day time and therefore that they might take the right person Iudas gave this signe Answ 3 Thirdly others say this was done because Iudas thought that CHRIST would hide himselfe and get out of the way when he saw that he was betrayed and therefore he saith whomsoever I shall kisse that same is he hold him fast as if hee would say when you see me kisse one know that it is he whom ye seeke and whom you are sent to apprehend and therefore as soone as the token is given take him and hold him fast lest he slip out of your hands as often he hath escaped out of the hands of the Iewes VERS 49. Vers 49 And forthwith he came to JESUS and said Haile Rabbi and kissed him § 1. Haile Rabbi Sect. 1 It is most evident although it be questioned by some that every Rabbi in the dayes of our Saviour had Disciples and that his owne Disciples and other well-wishers stiled him by the name of Rabbi for Iohns Disciples saluted Iohn by the name of Rabbi Iohn 3.26 And CHRIST alâ—o by the same name or title Iohn 1.31 And Iudas his Master God save thee Rabbi § 2. And kissed him Sect. 2 Why did CHRIST permit himselfe to be killed and saluted by a traytor Quest First some say he suffers it that hereby he Answ 1 may provoke Iudas to repentance and love Carthus s Secondly he permits it for our example to Answ 2 teach us patience and meekenesse and that we should not turne our faces from our enemies And Thirdly to teach us not to suspect untill we Answ 3 have true and evident grounds Iudas was a publike Disciple but a private hypocrite and traytor and therefore CHRIST will not suspect him untill he have openly shewed himselfe what he is Fourthly CHRIST came into the world cloathed Answ 4 with our nature for this end to dye for us and by death to ransome and redeeme us and therefore he would neither decline his apprehension nor his death that we thereby might see how willingly by his death he purchased our salvation Vers 51 52 53. VERS 51 52 53. And behold one of them which were with JESUS stretched out his hand and drew his Sword and stroke a servant of the high Priests and smote off his eare Then said JESUS unto him Put up againe thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Thinkest then that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more then twelve legions of Angels § 1. And behold one of them streched out his Sect. 1 hand c. The Disciples seeing Christ their Master apprehended aske him if they shall smite with the sword But Peter not staying for an answer drawes forth his sword and smites off Malchus his eare Which fact his Master doth not approve off but reproves commanding him to put up his sword into his sheath Why would not Christ permit his Disciples to defend him Vi c. armis with dint of sword Quest First because all they which use the sword without a calling to use it shall perish by it Answ 1 verse 52. Secondly because he needed not the helpe and Answ 2 protection of men verse 53. Thirdly because it was necessary that he should Answ 3 suffer according to the decree of his Father ver 54. Fourthly because the Scriptures could not otherwise have beene fulfilled then by the death and blood-shed of Christ Sect. 2 § 2. Put up thy sword into his place If the studious Reader would see this point handled viz That it is not lawfull for a private man to murder an offender and in what cases the Schoole-men have allowed it and in what cases not let him reade Antonin sum part 2. tit 7. Cap. 8 § 2. If the vulgar reader would be satisfied in the point I referre him to Dr. Mayer upon Matth. 26.52 pag. 313 314. Sect. 3 § 3. Cannot I now pray unto my Father and he would give me twelve legions of Angels c. If the Reader would know the derivation of this word Legion and how many souldiers it contained let him reade Sylloge vocum exotic pag. 174 175. If the Reader shall observe some difference amongst the Evangelists concerning the place where Christ was judged or the time when he was judged and desire to see how they may be reconciled I referre him to Pareus s Pag. 879 880. and Dr. Mayer s pag 314 315. Vers 60.61 VERS 60 61. At the last came two false witnesses and said this fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three dayes Quest Why doth St. Matthew call these two false witnesses seeing our Saviour spake some such thing as they said Iohn 2. Answ They are called false witnesses because they changed both CHRISTS words and meaning for Iohn 2.19 he saith Destroy ye this body and within three dayes I will raise it up againe but they say This fellow said I am able to destroy this temple made with hands c. See Muscul s pag. 574. b. Vers 63 VERS 63. But IESUS held his peace Quest Why did our blessed Saviour hold his peace and not answer for himselfe Answ 1 First because it was to no purpose to answer he fore-seeing and knowing that whatsoever hee should answer they would calumniate and pervert and carpe at yea condemne him notwithstanding Answ 2 Secondly because the accusations which were brought against him were frivolous and idle and not worthy an answer Thirdly because the high-Priest who sate in Answ 3 judgement was unworthy by reason of his hypocrisie of any answer or reply from Christ Reade Muscul Pag. 576. a. b. Fourthly because hereby he would teach us Answ 4 meekenesse and patience in injuries Carthus s VERS 68. Prophesie unto us thou CHRIST Vers 68 who is be that smote thee It is not unworthy observation how maliciously the Iewes set themselves against the offices of CHRIST who was anointed King Priest and Prophet For First they mocke the Kingly office of Christ Matthew 27.19 when they put a crowne of thornes upon his head for a Crowne and a reed into his hand for a Scepter Secondly they mocke the Priestly office when they said He saved others let him now save himselfe Matth. 27.40 Thirdly they mocke his Propheticall office in these words Prophesie unto us thou Christ c. VERS 75. Vers 75 And Peter remembred the words of IESUS which said unto him Before the cocke crow thou shalt deny me thrice And he went out and wept bitterly § 1. And Peter remembred the words of IESUS Sect. 1 How many things are required unto true repentance or of the truely penitent Quest Three things as we may gather from this verse Answ namely First they must remember
the like Exod. 18.21 And IV. With magnanimity and constancy Sect. 3 § 3 Let him be crucified Quest 1 Who were guilty of the death of Christ either as actors or a bettors Answ 1 First Pontius Pilatè who condemned him I name him first because I speake not of him at this time Answ 2 Secondly the chiefe Priests and Elders of the Iewes in whom two things are observable viz. I. Causa the cause why they endeavoured and procured the death of Christ and that was ambition they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God and the glory of the world more then the glory of God Iohn 12.42 and 5.44 They saw that Christ derogated much from them and spake much against them and therefore they envy Christ and frequently calumniate him II. Modus the manner of procuring Christs death and that was corrupt for they suborne the people and false witnesses Read Matth. 26.59 and 28.12 Wherefore we must take heed of subornation Why may we not use this suborning of others Quest 2 when it may stand us in stead I. because subornation is the practice of Answ 1 wicked men 1 King 21.10 and therefore if we would be esteemed righteous we must not use this practice II. because truth seekes no corners but Answ 2 delights to goe naked and therefore this practice of suborning others argues a hatred of truth and a love of falsehood III. because the suborning either of witnesses Answ 3 or friends or Judges argues either an evill cause or an evill mind Thirdly the people were guilty of and accessary Answ 4 unto the death of Christ now in them two things are observable namely I. The cause of their sinne which is two-fold to wit First in constancy for not long before this they would have made Christ a King Iohn 6.15 and strawed their garments in his way Matth. 21.8 crying Hosanna verse 9 but now they cry crucifie him crucifie him And Secondly a desire of pleasing their Elders and Governours who perswaded them unto this Christ certainly was not odious unto the common people but yet whilest they basely seeke to please their high-Priests and Elders they neglect both equity their owne salvation II. The blacknesse and horriblenesse of their offence which shewes it selfe in these things viâ— First they had two testimonies from which they might and ought to have considered something namely I. Diuine testimonies as for example a Propheticall speech search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Iohn 5.39 yea a living voyce from the Father and God of heaven Matth. 3.17 yea the frequent presence and assistance of the blessed Spirit of God and divers visions and apparitions of Angels and the confession of the devill himselfe Marke 1.24 yea many times CHRIST let them see if they would haue observed it that the secrets of their hearts were not kept secret from him Now these things they should seriously haue considered before they had cried Crucifie him II. Humane testimonies were not wanting unto them if they had observed them and those were Christs workes the workes saith he which I doe testifie of me Iohn 5.31 He cast out of devils he cured the sicke he quickned the dead he enlightneth the blind he opened the eares of the deafe he with his word made his enemies to fall to the ground be with his word appeased the raging of the Sea Reade Matth. 8. and 9. and 11.5 6. and Iohn 4.26 Luke 5.17 and Iohn 3 2. Now these they ought to have considered And Secondly they preferred Barabbas before Christ a murderer before the Lord of life a seditious turbulent person before the Prince of peace When men say they Iohn 2. are â—runke then the worst wine pleaseth the palat so when men are drunke with sinne and besotted upon it then they will receive Theudas and Iudâ—s Galilaeus for the true Messiah then they will thinke Simon Magus to be the great power of God and then with the Gergesens they will preferre their Hogs before CHRIST And Thirdly they adjudge Christ unto death desiring that he may be crucified although they were not able to accuse him of any evill or to witnesse any evill against him Sect. 4 § 4. What evill hath he done Quest 1 Pilate here propounds the question Whether Christ have done any evill or not And Answ 1 First he answers hereunto himselfe that for his part he finds no evill in him And Answ 2 Secondly Christ in answer hereunto appeales unto their owne conscience which of you can accuse me of sinne Iohn 8. And Answ 3 Thirdly the common people once answered He hath done all things well and nothing amisse And therefore there was great reason why Pilate should aske this question and thus seeke to free CHRIST from their hands and power Quest 2 What good did Christ Answ 1 First in generall he did all things well and many good things unto many Answ 2 Secondly more particularly when Christ lived on the earth he did many temporall good things viz. I. He healed and cured all diseases amongst the people And II. He cast Devils out of those who were possessed And III. He went up and downe doing good the Lord being with him Acts. 10.38 And IV. He stilled the raging waves of the Sea And V. He sed those who were hungry And IV. He raised up the dead unto life Now if there had beene no greater workes done by Christ then these yet who would have lost such a treasure and rich Magazin of all temporall blessings if they could have kept it Answ 3 Thirdly but besides these there were spirituall benefits and inestimable graces bestowed by Christ upon all those who came unto him in sincerity of heart and are still held forth and freely offred by him unto all who with hungring affections long for him The spirituall graces and benefits which the Jewes might and we may have by Christ are many and great and of unvalued worth as for example I. Christ reformed Religion and taught the whole counsell of God And II. He reconciled us unto God that in him we might have peace And III. He caused Sathan to fall as lightning from heaven and destroyed all his workes And IV. He sends his holy Spirit unto us whereby we are regenerated and sanctified And V. He hath taken away the vaile and laid open unto us a way unto the holy of holyes And VI. In him all the promises of God are yea and Amen And VII Of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Iohn 1.16 And VIII By his Resurrection and Ascension he hath sealed unto us our Resurrection and ascension with him unto life eternall And therefore no wonder if Pilate saith What evill hath he done seeing he was no other but a rich treasurie of all grace and vertue § 5. But they cried out the more crucifie Sect. 5 him c. It may here be demanded Quest what manner of answer this was which the people gave unto Pilates question in the former words