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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62374	A brief and plain commentary with notes, not more useful than seasonable, upon the whole prophecie of Malachy delivered, sermon-wise, divers years since at Pitmister in Summerset / by William Sclater ... ; now published by his son William Sclater ...	Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1650 (1650)	Wing S913; ESTC R17140	147,505	246

God gives thee eyes to see the sins of thy parents and to fly from them Ezek. 18. Humble thy self even for thy fathers sins See Dan. 9. Neh. 13.18 But specially learn to fly from them and for this cause inform thy self by the word of God touching thy duty and ever set thy self these bounds to follow thy father no farther then he follows the Lords commandment great is the benefit of such wisdom Prescription in errour is no feasible plea in the Court of the Lord. What if thou couldest say Popery whordom covetousness c. had continued in thy lineage to a thousand descents This may aggravate thy sin but shall not excuse it And therefore observe every where how the Lord adds this as the aggravating circumstance Psal 95.10 Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation and Act. 7.51 Alwayes ye have resisted the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye And therefore Vse vain and hellish is that speech of prophane ones amongst us that because they are able to prescribe in sinning therefore procure themselves immunity from the wrath of the Lord. How often hear we those speeches from our people Thus have I alwayes used and my father before me Now brethren put it in some other case in sins against the second table and see how odious a defence this would be if a man should plead thus in his whordom thus my father hath used before me if in theft c. How should we abhorr him And yet in sins as vain as the excuse is must go for currant Psal 78.8 Be not as your fathers a disobedient and rebellious generation and Psal 95.9 in tempting God and hardness of heart Ezek. 20.18 Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers to defile your selves with Idols and for th●s cause see Zech. 1.5 Your fathers where are they and remember what Peter speaks 1 Pet. 4.3 It s enough if any thing were enough that we have spent the former part of our life in vanity ignorance c. To the dishonour of our God Sins never so long continued shut not out from mercy if repentance unfeignedly be performed Observ 3. Luk. 19.42 If thou hadst known in this thy day c. that is if after all this contempt of my word all this innocent blood of my Prophets shed amongst you if in this day thou knewest and wouldest embrace the things that concern thy peace happy wert thou Act. 17.30 The times of this ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisheth every man to repent The reason is nothing but the endless mercy of the Lord that knows no limits of time so be it repentance can be performed If a man turn whensoever he turn he shall live Ezek. 18. c. Now mark the forward use prophane men make of this doctrine Vse sith there is place for pardon after so long continuance in disobedience vain therefore to take thought too soon a little in old age or on the death-bed will serve the turn for Gods mercy never rejects repentance from pardon if at any time heartily performed Well beloved this is true But shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid Rom. 6.1 Know we therefore that that God who hath promised to give pardon whensoever repentance is performed hath not all-wayes given repentance when it 's sought for nay hath threatened to deny repentance to them that contemning it offered in the means respit the day of their conversion unto God How howls Esau for the blessing How fain would he come to heaven How bewailes he the loss of Gods favour with tears Heb. 12.17 and yet obtains it not and what saith wisdom Prov. 1 24 26. I called you heard not you shall call but shall not be heard you shall seek mee early but not finde mee And therefore mark what Esay saith Isa 55.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found Is there any time when the Lord will not be found Answ Yes no doubt not but that his mercy is everlasting but for that men cannot seek it when the time is over-slipt Ezek. 24 13. Hence then let us learn beloved that perhaps have lived long in our sins now at the length to seek God if he may be found of us And mark how lovingly the Lord invites us who have gone astray c. a long time yet return unto mee and I will turn unto you as if he had said yet at the length return there is hope of mercy and forgiveness Beloved the Lord is the same to us as he was to Israel and still saith to us as to them though ye have long gone astray yet if now at length we could return there were hope of mercy and forgiveness Let me thus apply it to every of us and let us all think this spoken to our selves Thou that art ignorant and lived thus all thy life long if now at length thou couldest be admonished to repent God regards not thy past sins upon performance of present repentance so to all other sinners and mark how the Lord protests he delights not in our death why will ye dye saith the Lord See Hos 13.9 And let not Sathan prevail with thee so far as to think as the saying is too late now for the promise of remission is made to repentance without all limitation of time person or number of offences and this be assured out of the word of God that howsoever there is no sin so light but deserves a thousand hells yet none deadly in the event but impenitency yea the very sin against the Holy Ghost were capable of pardon if capable of repentance And Observ 4. if these things move us not what shall we say but as the Lord by his Prophet thy destruction is from thy self salvation of me this only be sure of that thou bring repentance What that is we shall see anon if we shall first observe the state of man during impenitency which is the next thing to be considered in the text The State and condition of impenitency it s nothing else but a continuall straying from God as Ier. 2.27 They have turned unto me the back therefore 1 Pet. 2. ult We are said to go astray like sheep and the Scripture every where calleth it a wandring from God And beloved let this be holden of all men whose hearts are not turned and renewed by the Holy Ghost Let their civill honesty be never so great their zeal and devotion never so fervent till the heart be changed all is but celer cursus extra viam What learn we hence Surely to take notice of our own misery whose hearts the Lord hath not yet turned unto him we are as men in a wilderness fain perhaps we would finde the way to heaven but cannot nay the more we strive the further out of the way and this is the misery of every impenitent sinner Then hence learn all such to pray with Ieremy Chap. 31.18 19 Convert thou us O Lord and we shall be converted

his dearest servants There is indeed a double fear of God one servile and even astonishing The other reverentiall and is nothing else but that awe and filiall reverence that is in Gods Children towards his Majesty And it ariseth from these grounds 1. One is apprehension of the Majesty of God 2. Beholding of his Judgments 3. Apprehension of his love Thus they differ 1. In causes and in manner of apprehending Gods Majesty wicked apprehend him only as a Judg and an Avenger Jam. 2.19 The godly as a Father also in Christ Hos 3. ult 2. In effects slavish fear drives utterly from God Gen. 4.31 1 Sam. 28.7 Filiall brings nearer unto him 3. Slavish fear torments Filiall comforts 4. Slavish fear restrains indeed because hell provided filiall because sin offensive unto God Try how thou fearest God Thou canst by no better mean know it Vse than this here prescribed by thy reverend carriage in the worship of God CHAP. 2. VER 1 2 c. And now O ye Priests this Commandement is for you If ye will not heare and if ye will not lay it to heart to give glory unto my name saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a Curse upon you and will curse your Blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to heart c. SUmme of the Text A perswasion of the Levites to do their duty in reforming the worship of God by an Argument of the perill of the contrary neglect Parts 1 A Preface ver 1 2 A Commination wherein are three things 1. The condition interposed which if neglected the judgments threatned shall certainly be inflicted 2. The Judgments threatned as first Curse of their Blessings Secondly Corrupting their seed Thirdly Casting dung in their faces 3. The Reasons First from the Lords mercy towards them Secondly their swerving from that Covenant and the example of their Predecessors the foulness whereof is amplified The Preface hath in it an Apostrophe and turning of the speech generall to the Persons of the Priests Collection hence this It is lawfull for a Minister in Preaching to particularize that is to direct his reproofs Observ threatnings c. to particular persons and States See Hos 5.1 c. Christ to Scribes and Pharisees Reasons What is spoken to every one seems spoken to no one And hence is that shifting of the stroke of the Word from themselves through the subtilty of Satan Hypocrisie of heart and love of our sins Secondly The Apostle gives this Precept 1 Tim. 5.20 That we should thus deal even with Elders whose credit if any should be most spared if they sin openly rebuke openly Reason That the rest may fear Caveats here are First That the Fact be publique Mat. 18. In private sins another course to be holden so long as any hope of Reformation appears 2. That it be evident either by the Fact or by Confession or by Witnesse of the fact See 1 Cor. 5. of witnesses 1 Tim. 5 19. And this the Doctrine the Practice whereof so distastefull to carnall men Vse whose sins though never so notorious and scandalous may not be pointed at except in generalities And generall Preaching generally applauded by most as standing best with a Ministers discretion But Beloved if we will follow the wisdom of Gods Spirit in the Prophets and Apostles we shall see another course warranted to a Minister in notorious and scandalous sins Paul in a publique Epistle notes the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. And why a Minister may not so deal with men publiquely offensive I fee not as if there be any in our own Congregation known Brablers as of late the Fact is evident in one whose bond to the good behaviour might have taught him better carriage To whom if I should now as Malachy here turn my speech and tell him vengeance is the Lords and that he that smites with the sword shall perish with the sword I see not but I follow a president beyond exception And view if you will the small effects that come of generall Teaching in all Congregations where it is used Little or no good done while particular abuses in particular persons are generally only reproved But Learn we hence to submit our selves without murmuring to this kind of Teaching and ever think that Preacher preacheth best that can best particularize and in whose mouth Prophecy is the discoverer of our secret and particular corruptions 1 Cor. 14.25 This Commandement is for you To wit of reforming Religion and the worship of God So then It is a duty specially belonging to Ministers to see to the Reformation of Religion Observ and maintaining thereof in purity See for this Tit. 1. Let us see how this is to be understood Papists understand it Exclusively so that they would not have Civill Magistrates to have any thing to do in matters of Religion and the worship of God Now that even in matters Ecclesiasticall the Civill Magistrate hath power of commanding appears 1. Signis Deut. 17.18 A charge is given that the Book of the Law be delivered to the King not only for private information of his life but as Austin well saith That he might provide that others also observe it 2. A minori If Fathers in Families must deale in information of Housholds how much more the King 3. 1 Tim. 2.2 Godliness as well as honesty must be promoted by them 4. Judg. 17. and 18. Neglect of Reformation is imputed to lack of Magistrates which what argues it but a duty to promote purity of the worship of God 5. Kings in Judah and Israel blamed for tollerating abuses commended for care in reforming Ergo c. Briefly That we may see what the duty of Civill Magistrates is in this kind See we what they may not meddle with Secondly what concernes them in duty in this kind 1. The execution of Ministeriall Functions belongs not unto them because they are not thereto called Heb. 5.4 Therefore Saul blamed for this 1 Sam. 13. In that being a King he would take upon him to burn Sacrifice and Vzziah 2 Chron. 26.16 is said to transgress the Commandement of the Lord herein and Amaziah well tells him it is not for him to burn Incense and the Lord strikes him with Leprosie See we now what it is that belongs unto them 1 Making Laws for stablishing pure Religion abolishing of false See this as in Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. so in Josiah c. commended 3. To see to the execution of those Laws So it is said of Josiah he compelled those that were found in Israel and Judah to serve the Lord 2 Chr. 34.33 4 To enjoine every Church-Officer to see to his office and place 2 King 23.4 5. To assign to every one his particular station and calling in the Church 2 Chro. 17.7 6. To correct and punish omissions So that this Doctrine is not exclusively to be understood in respect of the Civill Magistrate but serves only to awaken the Priests that were in this point

Lord hath called to deale with the sins of men but yet if we shall look up to our God that hath made Covenant with us least cause have we of all others to fear the malice or power of Adversaries Vse 2 This should be an admonition unto the people to take heed how they attempt any malitious courses against them The Lord hath said concerning his people in generall he that toucheth them toucheth the e Zech. 2.8 Apple of his eye but more speciall care of Ministers hath he every where protested And would God this could sink into the hearts of those wretchless people amongst us whose indignities and wrongs no men taste more For the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name Here have we Levi's behaviour in the Covenant declared by the cause effects and signs of it Feare of God is an affection of the heart whereby we reverence the Majesty of God What the fear of God is and flye from his offence in all things Of it there are three kinds 1. Meerly servile such in Devills Jam. 2.19 2. Meerly Filiall such in the Saints in heaven 3. Mixt of both which is that only whereof we partake in this life The first of these ariseth only from judgments either felt or feared and only in that regard restraineth The second from Gods goodness and feeling of his mercy Hos 3. ult and in respect thereof causeth to depart from evill The last from both partly from fear of judgment partly from sence of mercy But let us see the properties and effects of it 1. It causeth a reverence of the Majesty of God therefore the Lord called The fear of Jacob and sheweth it self partly in speaking reverently of God and his services partly in trembling at his words partly in a seemly carriage in all things as in the presence of God together with a constant care to depart from evill and a stout courage in good causes and courses Try by these things And I gave them to him Here we observe That fear of God is his own gift See Jer. 32.40 And Observ this appears by that generall depravation of nature whereby since the fall of Adam we are destitute of all saving grace Rom. 3.18 Naturall men are thus described No fear of God before their eyes apparent by effects contrary running into all excess of riot without any bridle or restraint till this gift of God be obteyned If this be so where is that Doctrine of free-will Vse taught by the Church of Rome And secondly see the excellency of this gift Jer. 32.40 set out in the Scripture by sundry Arguments 1. It is made the note of a Child of God therefore it is the usuall description of men Religious to be such as fear the Lord. 2. Blessedness promised unto it Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. 3. The immunity that such men have in common judgments Wherefore bless God if he have given it unto thee and think him more mercifull to thee in this than if he had given thee all the wealth of the world severed from it This indeed by earth-wormes commonly counted faint-heartedness whereas it is indeed The highest point of wisdom and courage VER 6. The Law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips He walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity A second reason why the Lord threatens to inflict those judgments upon the Levites was their swerving from those good precedents set before them by their Fore-fathers And it is handled in a plenary Comparison of unlikes The Protasis whereof contains an explication of Levi's behaviour The Apodosis expresseth their swerving from the pattern set them ver 8 Now before I proceed to particular handling it is fit First to remove the glosses of Papists Hence they infer That it is possible for some man in the state of this life to walk so inoffensively and perfectly before God that he may merit and deserve Salvation one argument for which they take hence indeed they confess that we cannot ordinarily live without veniall sins but without mortall sins that is such as deserve in their own nature death we may Now against the state of such perfection the Scripture every where speaks The Apostle Rom. 7.23 expressing the state of himself and others in state of grace confesseth that he was led captive to the Law of sin and least they should say they were veniall sins he acknowledgeth them deadly when as he calleth the corruption whence they proceeded to be a body of death And in many things we offend all shall we say venially Nay deadly Rom. 6.23 For The wages of every sin is death Hear the Reasons 1. Because but in part sanctified 1 Cor. 13.15 2. Knowledge in part 3. The perfectest fear tryall in extremity of justice which they would not do were their works perfect Psa 43.2 4. Taught to pray for forgiveness Wherefore if we may live free from mortall only with veniall sins why may we not perfectly expiate What then is that perfection that the Scripture speaks of Answer 1. Perfection in Christ 2. Perfection in Parts 3. Uprightness and sincerity of heart in all duties when we are free from hypocrisie And this is that here commended in Levi. In this verse then we have two things 1. The behaviour of Levi in two things In Doctrine and in life In Doctrine Truth and it only In life peaceable and equall carriage In both sincerity and uprightness before God Where 2. we have the effect of these two He turned many from iniquity See here the description of a true Pastor Observ in foure qualities 1. That they are Teachers 2. Teachers of truth only without mixture of errours or humane inventions 3. That they are men of inoffensive life 4. That they are upright in all these and walk as with God Their first good property is That they are Teachers therefore it is said that the Law of truth was not only in his braine or in his heart but that it was in his lips and in his mouth therefore we are called Feeders of others Joh. 21.15 Voices Mat. 3.3 Aaron had Bells on the skirts of his Garment and his sound must be heard when he goes into the Tabernacle Second property That as he taught so he taught truth and meere truth without wilfull mixture of falsehood or other corruptions therefore Paul as he bids us preach so to preach the Word 2 Tim. 4.3 4. and it must be wholsome Doctrine and Pharisees are blamed not for that they taught nothing but errour for some truth they taught Mat. 23.1 2. but for that they mingled errours and humane devices Mat. 16 6. as Leaven that soured the whole lump Third this That as he taught well so he lived uprightly and inoffensively a singular duty of a Minister See 1 Tim. 3. As much care takes the Apostle to instruct touching life as a liberty of teaching and Mat. 5.16