resurrection vpon this day Iohn 20. verse 26. Vpon this day did the holy Ghost descend and this was the first day of the creation Vse 1 The Vses follow The sanctifying separating and keeping of the Lords day is a morall duty charged vpon euery soule whatsoeuer wheresoeuer we be in what state and condition soeuer in bondage and exile vpon the land or sea in sickenesse or in health at home or abroad with our selues or with others whether we be high or low Prince or subiect master or seruant bond or free male or female all persons must know that this day must bee sanctified vnto the holy worship of God and be spent in the meditation of holy things It is not as some prophane persons haue saide that fauour of nothing but the world that rich men may keepe the Sabbath but poore men cannot for GOD will haue the poore keepe holy this day as well as the rich As with him is no respect of persons so in giuing his law hee respecteth not persons wee haue not one of the Commandements for the poore and another for the rich but they belong to all as he is God of all and will bee serued of all The Sabbath is morall And if this be not a morall duty then we should haue but nine Commandements that binde perpetually wheras they are often called the ten words Exodus chap. 34 verse 28. Deut. 14.13 and 10 4. and Christ sheweth he came not to destroy the Law but to keepe it and fulfill it Math. 5 17. Againe he saith Hee that shall breake one of the least of the commandements and shal teach men so hee shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen verse 19. he shall bee shut out of it and haue no place in it But it may be obiected Obiect we keepe not the same day that the Iewes did they obserued the seuenth day from the creation we the first day of the weeke Why then was this day changed and who changed it and whether may it be changed againe Answer I answer first touching the first the reasons of the change are to put a difference betweene the Iewish and Christian Sabbath which could not be so fitly done but by change of the day Why the Sabbath was chāged Secondly to keepe a memoriall of the day of our redemption for as the seuenth day kept a memoriall of the work of the creation so doeth this first day of the weeke of our Redemption as great a worke yea greater then the former for it was more to redeeme vs out of hell then to create vs out of nothing Esay 66 24. Thirdly to free the church from the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Iewes and to take from it they yoake that lay as an heauie burden on the neckes of those that liued in the time of the Law Actes chap. 15. verse 10. which neither they nor their Fathers were able to beare for when this day was changed it was no more tied to the Iewish Sabbath which was solemnized with many ceremonies belonging necessarily vnto it The Iewes were tied to a strict and rigorous kinde of rest they might not kindle a fire throughout their habitations Exod. chapt 35. verse 3. It was also a figure of the euerlasting rest of Gods children in the kingdome of heauen Esay 66 23. Heb. 4 9. It was obserued in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt which fell out that day Deut. 5 15. Exodus 11. It was tied precisely to the seuenth day from the Creation and celebrated with sundry set rites and ceremonies Numbers 28. verses 9 10. Neuerthelesse there is a Sabbath morall and perpetuall a time to bee set apart to the worship of God to the end of the world Who alter◠the Sabba◠The next Question is who altered it I answer Christ himselfe is the author of this change The Apostles often teach that whatsoeuer they taught they receiued it from Christ they learned it at his hand before either by word of his mouth or by reuelation of his Spirit but the Apostles enioyned the first day of the weeke to bee kept as a Sabbath of rest 1 Cor. 16 1. The Church euery first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore which followed the hearing of the word the offering vp of prayers and the receyuing of the Sacraments as a fruite of them Actes 2. ver 42. Wherein obserue by the way that the Sabbath was appointed for the benefit good and comfort of the poore not for their hurt or hinderance whereby as God is glorified so the poore are encouraged to tender their seruice to God this day and the mouthes of those carnal men are stopped that would haue the rich keep the Sabbath but not the poore If any say collections for the poore were lawful Obiect and might be made any day as well as on a Sabbath I answer Answ the Apostle doth not onely say that then collections were made but this was made an Apostolicall ordinance and institution to bee done that day especially for hee commandeth the Corinthians to obserue it that day as hee had ordained it in the Churches of Galatia 1 Corinth 16 1 2. So then because he gaue such order wee may conclude it to be an ordinance The Apostles also assembled themselues vpon this day for performance of diuine duties Actes 20. verse 7. They kept this day for a Sabbath neither kept they orderly any other sauing when they came into the Synagogues of the Iewes who were so addicted vnto the Law of Moses that they would meete vpon no other day Besides it is said of Christ that after his resurrection hee taught his Disciples whatsoeuer belonged to the kingdome of God as Actes 1. verse 3. but the alteration of the Sabbath belongeth to Gods kingdome The last questiō remaineth whether it be in the liberty of the Church to change the day againe I answer it is not For as it was not at the first chāged without the authority of Christ and his Apostles directed by Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath Math. 12 8. so it can receiue no farther change without him or them But if the Church had this power thē the Church might well be said to be Lord of the Sabbath Againe the times and seasons are in Gods hand Act. 1 6. but they should be left to the Church as a treasure to dispense if it might dispose transpose the Sabbath at her pleasure Againe one day to be kept in seauen is morall perpetuall otherwise if once we depart from this simplicity that we be not tied of necessity vnto it a mā may say that one day in seuē weeks or in seuen yeares is enough and so at length it shall be said we are not bound to meete together publikely aboue one day in an hundred yeares Therefore I set it downe as an vnchangeable rule that the obseruation of one day in seuen not in fiue or one in fifteene but one in seuen
I thinke to mocke at the passion of Christ Lastly they make their Fasting to bee meritorious and to deserue remission and forgiuenesse at the hands of God and so prefer their owne traditions before the precepts and commandements of God Lastly wee must learne the true vse and end of fasting and the nature of it To this Vse 3 purpose wee must know what kindes there are of it what it is what are the parts of it and the sundry corruptions wherwith it hath beene stayned The seuerall sorts kindes of fasts First there are diuerse sorts of fastes there is a faste prescribed by the learned Physician to preserue or restore health when the body is troubled with repletion Secondly the fast of sobriety and temperance Romanes 13 13 1 Corinthians 9 25. 1 Thessalonians 5.6 1 Peter 5 7. Of this Bernard speaking sayth Serm. de quadrag Let the eyes eares tongue hand and soule it selfe faste let the eyes faste from curious sights and al wantonnesse let the eares faste from fables and euill reports let the tongue faste from slander and murmuring and rayling speeches let the hands faste from euill workes and the soule from sinne and doing our own will Luke 21 34. Ezekiel 16.49 Thirdly there is a forced and constrayned fast as in time of famine when we can get nothing to feed vpon to this wee may adde the poore mans faste who often fasteth because he hath nothing to put in his belly Fourthly there is the miraculous faste which cannot bee brought into imitation such was the faste of Moses of Elias and of Christ himselfe Exodus 34 28 1 Kings 19 8. Matthew 4 2. But of these we haue nothing to say at this present There is another fast that is pointed out in this place which is the religious fast The Lord commanded by Moses that euery soule once in the yeare should humble it selfe in fasting before the Lord in one of the great assemblies of his people Whether fasting be ceremonial Leuit. 16 29 30 31 and 23 27 28 c. And albeit the ceremonie of the day be taken away Galatians 4 by the comming of Christ yet the thing it selfe remaineth and continueth in force as well as a day of rest for Gods seruice◠albeit the Iewish Sabbath bee abolished The circumstances of morall duties may bee changed but the substance may not be abrogated For where the same causes continue there the thing it selfe abideth Wee haue as great cause of humiliation as euer the Iewes had of making our prayers feruent being as much subiect to coldnesse as they were and as great cause to bee carefull that the wrath of God doe not breake out vpon vs or being broken out to desire to haue it returned backe and the sword of God put vp againe into his sheath And therefore this holy exercise is of as great and necessary vse as euer it was and it remaineth in as full force and strength as euer it did Ioel 2 12. Luke 5 33. 1 Cor. 7 5. Acts 13 2 3. Let vs therfore in the next place see what it is What a religious fast is Fasting is an abstinence for one day commanded of the Lord from all meats drinks and delights of this life thereby to make solemne profession of our humiliation It is an abstinence from all meates and drinkes All the people came to cause Dauid to eate meate while it was yet day but Dauid sware saying So doe God to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else till the Sunne be downe 2 Sam. chapter 3 35. Ion. chapter 3 verse 7. They were commanded to put away theyr best rayment Exod. chapter 33 verses 5 6. The Lord saide vnto Moses say vnto the children of Israel Yee are a stiffe-necked people I will come suddenly vpon thee and consume thee therefore now put thy costly raiment from thee that I may know what to doe vnto thee So the childrē of Israel laide their goodly rayment from them c. To abstaine from mirth musicke from pleasures and all recreations Ioel 2 verse 16. 1 Chron. 7 verse 5. Dan. chapter 6 18 and in stead of these to giue themselues to weeping mourning and lamentation Nehem. chapter 1 verse 4. For this cause they had theyr sackcloth and ashes to signifie that they were not worthy of any attire and that they were no better then dust and ashes This was to continue one whole day 2 Sam. 3 35. Iudg. chapter 20 verse 26. 1 Sam. chapter 14 verse 24. 2 Sam. chapter 1 verse 12 and at euen when they came to eate Chemnit examen Concil Trid. tom 4. de Ieiunio they did not seeke delicate meate or fill themselues with wine or strong drinke or fare daintily to pamper the flesh but were content with such as came to hand and vsed that sparingly also they fed vpon the bread of teares Psal 80 3 and mingled their drinke with weeping Psal 102. Sometimes indeede they continued their fast longer as occasion serued and vpon extraordinary causes Ester 4 16 Acts 9 9. Neh. 1 1 2. 2 Sam. 12. Dan. 10.1 2. Furthermore I adde it was commanded of God both in the Law as wee shewed before and in the Gospel Luke 5 33 35. The end of this ordinance is for our further and better humiliation Leuiticus 23 27 16 29 Psal 35 13. Deuteron 10 12 1 Kings 21 27 28 29 2 Chron. 12 6 7. Ezra 8 21. Of this there are two sorts The religion fast is of two sorts for the religious fast is eyther priuate performed by one or moe in a family that our prayers may bee more effectuall Nehem. 1 4. 2 Sam. 12 16. Psal 35.13 2 Sam. 3.35 Psal 69 10. Dan. 9. and 10. Acts 10.2.30 Luke 2.36 Ester 4.16 or else publike performed by the whole congregation Ioel 2.12 Ionah 3 7 It ought not to bee vsed of a few and therefore all sorts of people should come to the same as on the Sabbath day and none absent themselues from the assemblies Now of both these fastes we must consider the parts that some are outward The parts of a fast and some inward The outward parts pertaine to the body and are called a bodily exercise 1 Timothie 4.8 as to abstayne from meate and drinke watching in prayer abridging of our sleep such like commodities delights and pleasures of this life thereby to make vs fitter for the inward grace of the minde that the body being thereby humbled and the flesh pulled downe the soule may also be humbled before the Lord. Obiection But it will bee obiected that God being a Spirit regardeth not these outward things forasmuch as hee will bee serued in spirit and truth Ioh. 4 24. Rom. 14.17 1 Cor. 8.8 Mat. 15 11. Answ I answere we must consider that fasting is the Lords ordinance and hee commandeth this abstinence and therfore it oght not to be left vndone because we are bound to all that which he commandeth
filleth vp the measure of their sins bringeth downe a plague vpō his own head Mat. 23 32 35 Fulfill yee the measure of your sins that vpon you may come all the righteous blood that hath bin shed frō the blood of Abel c. Verily I say vnto you all these things shall come vpon this generation 36. And the men which Moses sent to search the Land who returned and made all the Congregation to murmure against him by bringing vp a slander vpon the Land 37. Euen those men that did bring vp the euill report vpon the Land died of the plague before the Lord. After that God had giuen sentence against all the murmurers together now he proceeds against the captaines and ringleaders of the rest I meane the men that were sent to search out the land which opened the mouths of the rest against the Lord these were smitten downe died by the plague and pestilence according to the threatning before ver 12. I wil smite thē with the pestilence and I wil make of thee a greater and mightier nation then they and this had bin no hard thing with God who had before as it were hewed them out of the rock multiplied them to many thousands out of small beginnings Doctrine The Doctrine from hence is this Such as are leaders and drawers forward of others and soliciters of them to sinne The cheefest offenders shal be chieflie punished are capitall offenders the burden of the sinne of the punishment thereof lieth cheefely vpon them Iudgments are principally intended directed against those that haue the chiefe hand in misleading others we see this euidently in the fall of our first parents the serpent is first punnished then the woman and lastly Adam Gen. 3 14 16. The iudgement of God lay heauy vpon the idolatrous kings of Israel which in a few descents were rooted out Thus is Ieroboam branded that hee made Israel to sinne 1 Kings 12 30. 2 Kings 13 2 and 10 29. 1 Kings 15 2 3 34. The reasons Reason 1 It is a sinne for man to erre of himselfe and bringeth iudgement to goe out of the way though he be nor set out of it but it is a greater sinne and bringeth a greater iudgement to cause others to do soe for now he sinneth not alone Satan that old serpent was chiefly punnished because he was the chiefe procurer of mans fall but Adam escaped not who was seduced but was no seducer he was deceiued but was no deceiuer the diuell was a deceiuer but was not deceiued the woman was both deceiued and a deceiuer also They that cause others to fall haue a greater iudgement belonging vnto them We obserued this before in Miriam chap. 12 10. she was a leper white as snow who drew Aaron to ioyn with her against Moses and therefore as she had the chiefe hand in the sinne so shee was striken with a foule leprosie Reason 2 Secondly principall offenders in ciuill states are chiefly punished before such as are onely accessaries In euil we may say Two are worse then one because if one determine to giue ouer he hath a fellow to stirre him forward if he be ready to ceasse he hath another to helpe him vp Vse 1 This serueth to reproue such as draw on others to sinne as they are capitall offenders so they shall be punished as capitall offenders Wo to such as lay a stumbling blocke before others to cause them to fall In this number I range those that keepe common houses of drunkennesse to tempt and seduce others and such as haunt them continually meet there and intend to make others drunke of which places I may say as Salomon doth of other Pro. 7 27. Their house is the way to hell going downe to the chambers of death These men are capitall offenders are so hardened in sinne that they make a mocke and a spott at it as at a pastime yea they make a mocke of those that set themselues against it It serueth also to reprooue those that any way make others partakers of their sinnes whether it be by commanding or by counsell or by perswasion or by euill example We shall finde the number of our own sinnes to be great enough and the account hard enough which we are to make for them that we should be afraid to heap vp more and so to make the weight greater and the burden heauier Secondly this must teach all such as are Rulers Vse 2 and Gouernours to looke to their waies and to take heed they be not any cause of the fall of others A Gouernour lifted vp aboue others is as an high Cedar or mighty Oake aboue the lower shrubs The Oake neuer falleth but it beareth downe the lesser trees that stand neere vnto it So is it with such as are set before others in what calling soeuer it be they stand not alone they fall not alone If they stand fast and vnmoueable they are as firme pillers to beare vp others If they fall they wrap others in their owne ruine Gods iudgements will lye heauy vpon them and vpon those that belong vnto them This doeth the Prophet teach touching negligent watchmen that keepe silence and doe not blow the trumpet and thereby cause many to perish in their sins Eze. 3 18. Their blood will I require at the watchmans hands This may be spoken likewise of other Gouernours God hath made the Magistrate a watchman and requireth of him to cause his lawes to bee obserued and godly Nehemiah acknowledged it to be his duty to see God to be serued and his Sabaths to be sanctified chap. 13 17. What euill is this that yee do and prophane the Sabbath day There was buying and selling vpon the Sabbath day and he reproueth the buyers by name as if the fault were chiefly in them for as we say commonly in another case if there were no receiuers there would be no theeues so we may as truely say if there were no buyers there wold be there could be no sellers And it is certaine that because these finde readily such as will buy of thē it encourageth the sellers to come and offer their wares For if the Iewes had not beene willing to buy their wares the Merchants of Tyre would neuer haue brought their commodities to vent them vpon that day If therefore the Magistrate doe not his duty but hold his peace the blood of such as perish shall be required at his hands also The like we might say of fathers and masters that ought to teach and instruct such as belong vnto their charge and this haue all godly Gouernours obserued such then as are negligent in this duty open not their mouthes make themselues guilty of the sinnes that their seruants and children commit as it is noted of Eli and bring vpon themselues many greeuous iudgements Thirdly we must neuerthelesse vnderstand Vse 3 that it shall bee no iust plea or pretence for such as are ledde aside out of
neither more nor lesse is morall but if it should euer be changed againe we could not keepe the iust number of one in seuen but at the first change the proportion and morality would be broken â—ct If any aske how then was it changed at the first I answer â—er the Iewes that beleeued altered not the morality of one in seuen albeit they changed the day which was ceremoniall For in the first change they kept two Sabbaths together to wit the Iewish and the Christian yet without breach of the former proportion The Iewes kept the seuenth day for the week past we take the first day which is next to it and so keepe the Sabbath for the weeke to come they obserued that day in memoriall of the worke of creation which was past we christians keeping as we haue great cause the remembrance of the worke of redemption begin our Sabbath at the resurrection of Christ for the time following And thus was the day altered without breaking the morality of one day in seuen which is vnpossible euer to be so changed againe The Princes of Iudah are charged to change the boundes and landmarkes Hos 5 10. God hath set stakes and boundes as it were to compasse and inclose his Sabbath by appointing the time and limiting the season therefore to remoue this is as great an offence to God as to pull vp the pales and hedges of the ground is a trespasse to man If then we take vpon vs to appoint another day of our owne it cannot be called the Lords day but mans day or our owne day or the Churches day And it may be said of vs as Esay 1 12. Who required these things at your hands To set vp another day is to appoint a strange day like to Nadab and Abihu that offered strange fire If any say we may serue the Lord as well vpon another day I answer so might Nadab and Abihu consume the sacrifice with strange fire as well as by that preserued on the Altar yet they were punished of God because they altered his institution as we haue seen before Secondly this reproueth sundry sorts of persons Vse 2 that offend against this doctrine Of all the commandements of God none are more often vrged and yet not one is or hath beene more despised and transgressed The breach of the Sabbath is the maine sin of the world a generall euill spreading farre and neere an iniquitie abounding in euery congregation as if God had neuer spoken anything touching a Sabbath or as if it were a meere ordinance of man Nay humane inuentions and traditions are ordinarily better obserued and more regarded then this commandement of GOD. Now it reproueth especially three sorts First The first reproofe such as make the Lords day which should be the market day of the soule a day of vain pleasures and carnall delights a day of sports and recreations thinking it enough if they follow not the workes of their calling For wherefore are the workes of our ordinary vocations forbidden vpon the Sabbath and why are we restrained from them not that they are vnlawfull in themselues but because they take vp the minde and suffer it not to bee emploied in Gods businesse The same may be said of our owne pleasures much more which naturally we follow with more greedinesse and earnestnesse And it is well obserued that the multitude had rather goe to Church then goe to worke yet had rather go to play then to the Church This is the disposition of the greatest part especially of seruants and of the younger sort who commonly make no other reckoning of this day then as of a day of riot and reuelling of gaming and drinking neuer intending the worship of God which ought then especially to be performed Thus is the commandement turned vpside downe and that day which should be kept holy to the Lord is spent in the seruice of the diuell If they haue beene at the Church in the forenoone they dispense with themselues to serue Satan in the afternoone But as Christ telleth vs that none can serue God and Mammon so no man can serue GOD and their pleasures on that day Secondly The second reproofe heere are reproued such as seeme more ciuill then the former but yet take liberty to follow their owne businesse ordinary affaires Such are they which go or ride about their worldly matters to buy to bargaine to sell to talke with others robbing God of his day to spare one of their owne God hath kept but one day in the weeke to himselfe and euen this also we take from him and grudge at it to giue it to him like the rich theefe that hauing many sheepe of his owne yet killed his neighbours that had but one 2 Sam. 12 4. The third reproofe A third sort are reproued who thinke it enough if they obserue so much as is enioyned by lawes and in iunctions of men if they be at morning and euening praier they thinke they giue to the Lord a large allowance and iustifie themselues as if they were good obseruers sanctifiers of the Sabbath Such men take liberty all the rest of the day to do what they list pertaining to theÌ„selues whether to their profit or to their pleasure Thus they make it partly the Lords day and partly their owne howbeit there is no parting of stakes with him We cannot properly call it the Lords day except wee make it wholly to be his and consecrate it wholly to his worship Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to remember this day before hand that so wee may euery way fit our selues to the sanctifying of it and therfore the Lord said Exodus 20 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Our nature is very forgetful of this performance of holy duties and therfore we haue need to think of them before hand God hath giuen vnto vs sundry commandements but he commendeth the Sabbath to vs especially aboue all the rest he dealeth with vs like a master that giueth many precepts to his seruant but willeth him to remember one aboue all the rest So it is with the Lord he saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me Exodus 20 3. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image verse 4. Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe vnto them nor serue them verse 5. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine ver 7. But aboue all these Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy For indeede the right obseruation of all the rest consisteth in the due regard of this How can we learne obedience to the rest vnlesse wee be carefull to keepe this day Or how should we be able to practise them to know what God requireth except we giue attendance at the posts of his house to heare his voice We must euermore remember the precept of the Apostle Col. 3 2. Set your affections on things aboue and not on things vpon
5 Lastly it is the duty of all Gouernors to looke to theyr families and therefore GOD beginneth with them and directeth the commandement vnto them Why the commandement of the Sabbath is directed to gouernors and that for these causes First because they must giue an acount of theyr gouernment to God of whō they haue receyued it who is the high Commander and generall Master in Heauen and Earth and of all theyr soules that are vnder their charge forasmuch as hee will search and enquire not onely how ciuill and iust among men and toward men our gouernment hath beene but how godly and religious Secondly GOD setteth them in the first place to teach them that God requireth at their hands to teach theyr families to command theyr sonnes and housholds to feare God to bring them vp in his faith feare and in true religion Eph. 6 4. Gen. 18 19. Thirdly because they must go before them by good example and practise of all holy duties as Paul wold haue Timothy to do 1 Tim. 4 12 as we look for any comfort at the Lords hand in that great day of his dreadfull iudgement when he will bring euery worke to light with euery secret thing whether good or euil Eccl. 12 12. If we haue beene examples in good things we shall receyue euerlasting life if examples in euill euerlasting death Fourthly the Lord singleth out the father and master in the first place because if they go before and leade the way the rest of the house wil quickly follow after Iohn chap. 4 verse 53. Acts chapter sixteene verse 32 contrarywise if they yeeld not obedience for conscience sake to the duties of the Sabbath they may by the abuse of their authority hinder frustrate the holy endeauours of his children seruants Hence it is that many fathers vrge their children many masters command their seruants to go about their owne busines and send them from place to place at that time when they should attend to the holy commandement of the Lord whereas both of thē might well and lawfully reply to their fathers and masters and say with Christ our Sauiour Luke 2 49 Wist yee not that I must be about my fathers businesse Lastly the Lord layeth this waighty charge vpon them that such as are vnder their gouernment may yeeld willingly and cheerfully to Gods will considering how straight a charge God hath giuen to all gouernours If they should do it of their owne head or lay an heauy burden vpon thē which themselues would not touch with their little finger the charge could carry no authority It is not therefore their fathers or masters that restraine them of their liberty tye vp their wicked and wandring affections but GOD himselfe to whom all obedience is due The father doth shew loue to his children whē he restrayneth them from wickednes the master doth no wrong to his seruants that brideleth them from following theyr owne willes and pleasures So then the poynt to be learned and practised is that we must first keepe the Sabbath in our owne persons and begin reformation within the doores or closets of our owne hearts or else we will be very remisse negligent in reforming of others or if we be forward we shall bee charged and chalenged to be hypocrites while we teach others but doe not teach our selues Rom. 2 21. Secondly we must cast our eyes vpon others and looke to them that belong vnto vs that they may sanctifie the Sabbath as well as our selues It is not enough for vs to come to the house of of God alone but wee must come with the trayne of our families as a Captaine with his army Psal 110 3 and 42.4 The father oftentimes is praying in the Church when his children are playing in the streetes The master many times sitteth in the house of God when his seruant lyeth at the alehouse The wife sometimes goeth with her husband to the sermon when the daughters and maid-seruants eyther are sent or suffered to runne to lasciuious dancing and wanton company whereby theyr mindes and oftentimes theyr bodyes also are defiled as it fell out to Dinah Gen. chapter 34 verses 1 2 and so the saying of Salomon is verified Prouerbs chap. 29 verse 15. A childe left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame But haply some Masters will alleadge for themselues that their seruants are vnruly Obiect as the vntamed heyffer and will not be ordered by them that they are much greeued they can preuaile no more with them and that they breake out and will not be holden in by them I answer Answer this is not a good plea but a vayne excuse and no better For if thy authority serue to bridle them and keepe them vnder in the sixe dayes how commeth it to passe that thou wantest power to preuayle ouer them on the seuenth day Can wee rule them in our owne cause and can wee not rule them in the cause of God Haue we meanes to enforce them to looke to our businesse and want wee meanes to compell them to do Gods busines It seemeth therefore to me to be rather want of will in vs Obiect then of power If we pretend farther that they be incorrigible and will haue their owne swinge and be at theyr owne liberty that day Answ we haue no warrant to burden our houses with such persons that will neither serue the Lord nor obey vs but rather infect others that liue with them The Prophet Dauid professeth that they should not serue him that were vngodly his eyes should bee vpon the faithfull to dwell with him but the wicked should not tarry in his house Psal 101 6 7. Why then should wee keepe them in our house that loue not the house of God Wee will quickly discharge that seruant which hath no care of our businesse why then will we trouble our selues our house with him that is vnfaithfull toward God Thus then wee see the care that all ought to haue of the Sabbath both master and seruant father and sonne husband and wife But alasse the prophanenesse of our times is so great that the Sabbath is in a manner vtterly contemned we giue him least seruice on that day wherein we are bound to giue him most duty For we see heere vnder the Law how the Lord commandeth that the daily sacrifice which euery morning and euening was offered should bee doubled vpon the Sabbath But our people for the most part performe single seruice and double impiety vpon that day The greatest seruice is done to our selues or that which is worse to the diuell But of the Sabbath we haue spoken before chap. 15. 11 And in the beginnings of your moneths yee shall offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord two yong Bullocks and a Ramme and seuen Lambes of a yeare old without spot 12 And three tenth deales of flower for a meat offering c. 13 And a seuerall tenth deale of fine flower mingled with oyle
standeth with God he is a right good states-man But what shall it profit a man to bee a good Linguist and not be able to speake the language of Canaan to abound in the perswasiue wordes of humane wisedome as an Oratour and to want the euidence of the Spirit to be skilfull in consort and to haue iarre and discord in his owne heart to be able to measure the whole earth yet not to measure the narrow compasse of his owne life What shall it aduantage a man to be cunning in the heauens and to haue one foot in hell to number his kine his sheepe his cattell and not to number his owne daies Iob was a very rich man the richest among all the men of the East yet the number of all his beasts was knowne Iob 1 3. His substance was seauen thousand Sheepe three thousand Camels fiue hundred yoke of Oxen and fiue hundred shee-asses There is no Shepheard but knoweth the number of his whole flock and oftentimes telleth them that hee may not be deceiued No man is so simple but hee can reckon the number of his Cattell rehearse the names of his Oxen. What extremity of folly then is it to haue skill to number vp his sheepe and other goods and yet in the carelesnesse of his heart to suffer whole yeares to passe ouer his head and the greatest part of his age to flye away and neuer number his daies thereby to get spirituall wisedome We see that Merchants other Trades-men haue their counters and counting-houses to cast vp their accounts and to make eeuen reckonings but alasse it is more then childishnes and worse then madnesse to keepe right reckonings betweene man and man and neuer to reckon with God nor to make leuell with him The Prophet setting downe the shortnes of mans life that his time is threescore yeares and ten which passe away as a thought doth breake out into this effectuall praier Psal 90 12. Teach vs so to number our daies that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome This is diuine arithmeticke and most heauenly numeration to enter into our counting houses that we may vnderstand how short a space we haue to liue and thereby become circumspect and heedy how we spend the time of our life that remaineth If then we remember our last end and thinke vpon the hours of our age that run away swiftly we deserue the praise and commendation of good Arithmetitians and we may be saide to haue the best arte and habit of numbring that can be in the world Al other knowledge of numbring without this is of lesse value then a cypher Besides the greatest part of men that would be thought cunning in the practise of this faculty are out of their numbers much deceiued they euermore busie themselues in addition multiplication and dreame of many yeares that they are to liue whereas we must be carefull to practise subtraction diminution knowing that euery day nay euery houre momēt cutteth off a part of our time The rich man in the Gospell was a bad cypherer an euil Arithmetitian whē he set down a false sum to his owne soule saying Luc. 12 19. Thou hast much goods laid vp for many years He set down years for daies like the deceitful trades-man that writeth pounds for shillings The Prophet Dauid was more skilfull in this art and had learned better to cast accounts saying Ps 39. Lord let me know mine end Psal 39 4 5 6 and the measure of my daies what it is let me know how long I haue to liue Thou hast made my daies as an hand-bredth and mine age is nothing in respect of thee surely euery man in his best estate is altogether vanity Doubtlesse man walketh in a shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vain he heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them In which place howsoeuer some impatience appeareth in regard of the present troubles wherewith on euery side he was encombred and compassed about yet he confesseth the vanity of his life the shortnesse of his daies and the vncertainty of all his actions We are ready to promise vnto our selues a long life and to multiply the thoughts of many years which drowneth vs in the desires of this world and taketh away the meditation of heauenly things Iob in sundry places teacheth vs this art of numbring ch 14. Man that is borne of woman is of a short continuance full of trouble he shooteth out as a flower Iob 14 1.2 is cut downe c. Let vs learn of these godly men the art of arithmetick and know that we haue profited wel in that schoole when by skilfull diduction we can bring the yeares of our life vnto a consideration of the number of our dayes which passe away and not be recalled Lastly seeing the Lord knoweth vs it is our Vse 5 duty also to seeke to know him in all loue and obedience He knoweth vs not only with that knowledge wherewith he knoweth the wicked but with a speciall knowledge of his fauor good pleasure This must be considered of vs. For some man might say Is this any priuiledg that God will know vs doth he not also know the wicked or is there any thing dim dark to him or hidden frō him He doth know the vngodly euen al their thoughts and imaginations their goings out their commings in for euermore It were good for thē if he knew them not with his al-seeing prouidence for then they might escape the vengeance of his powerfull hand But they shall know in the end that he knoweth them to their finall condemnation His knowledge of his deare elect is far otherwise he knoweth them to protect defend them to iustifie and saue them He knoweth them as a father knoweth his children or as a friend loueth his friend he knoweth them particularly and by their proper names he loueth thē with an vnfained loue On the other side it standeth vs vpon to know him with an especiall knowledge as the child knoweth loueth his father after a speciall manner and in an earnest measure euen from a feeling of that loue wherewith the father loueth him True it is the child loueth others but in a generall sort but his owne father he knoweth more particularly with an inward affection of the heart he knoweth his voice and can discerne it from others So is it with the sons of God who haue a blessed experience of his loue toward them they loue him they delight in him and they reioyce in him as Iohn 3.29 Iohn 3 29. He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroome c. Wee must all of vs begin to know him heere in this life that wee may know him perfectly in the life to come Heere we must see him as it were through a glasse darkly that heereafter wee may see him face to face fully If we do not know him in his Word and Sacraments wee shall neuer
for the greater among which this is one of the greatest The Prophet praying for the prosperous estate of the Kingdom of Salomon saith Giue thy iudgements to the King O God Psal 72 1 2. and thy righteousnesse vnto the Kings sonne Then shall he iudge thy people in righteousnesse and thy poore with equity This duty belongeth to vs and this ought to bee our prayer and petition and as God hath blessed vs with a gracious Prince his hopefull issue contrary to the expectation of many male-contents and hollow-hearted enemies of vs and our Religion so we are often to cal to remembrance the ioyfull and happy time when GOD in his great goodnesse brought him to this Kingdome and to sitte vpon the Throne lineally descended vnto him so that we may say with the Psalmist Psal 118 23 24. This was the Lords doing it is maruellous in our eyes this is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce be glad in it Heereby did God allay the bitternesse of sorrow worthily conceiued for the decease of our late Soueraigne so that the setting as it were of the Moone was recompenced with the bright shining of the Sunne and the closing of the eyes as it were shutting the windowes of declining age with a greater perfection of age of sexe of gifts and many other prerogatiues Thus doth one and the same day minister matter and occasion both of sorrow and of gladnesse The 24. day of March Anno Domini 1603. of discomfort yet of comfort of weeping yet of reioycing as a medicine composed of contrary ingredients so that we may say sing with the Poet Iamque dies nisi fallor adest quē semper acerbū Semper honorandum sic dij voluistis habebo Virgil. Eneid lib. 3. Hunc ego Getulis agerem si Syrtibus exul Argolicoue mari deprensus vrbe Mycenae Annua vota tamen solennesque ordine pompas Exequerer strueremqque suis altaria donis That is This this day euer-dolefull shall and euer ioyfull be Yea merry-sad and bitter sweet thus God did it decree If I were cast among the Moores and liued a captiue slaue Yet yearely vowes and duties due the Altars high should haue Thus may we and a great deale more iustly say of the day aboue named which is heauy and yet happy threatning a storme and yet shining cleerely Who did not greatly feare and whose hearts were not full of perplexed thoughts to consider what dangers were likely to fall vpon our heads when God should call vnto himselfe Queene Elizabeth and gather her vnto her Fathers But behold Gods great prouidence dealing in mercy toward vs who shut vp the mouth of the Lyons and put vp the sword of the enemy and quenched the violence of the fire so that no noyse no tumult no crying was heard in our streetes no sacking of Cities no tumbling of garments in blood was seene no alarme of battell was discerned of any not a dog lifted vp his tongue Esay 9 5. but all things were submisse and quiet Thus God brought King Iames vnto the kingdome with a traine of all estates degrees callings companies and conditions with Oliue branches of peace in their hands sinesudore sanguine that is without sweating and blood-shedding No man lost his goods no man lost his life no Babilonish cōfusion followed but euery one held his owne with greater certainty and security then before whereat the enemies of our peace and religion fret and rage and gnash their teeth for anger and are like to burst for enuy seeing their expectation is frustated all theyr hopes are defeated Yea Lord disappoint them more and more cast them into the pit which they haue digged and rowle the stone vpon themselues which they haue stirred let them be consumed and confounded in theyr owne deuices and taste of the fruite of theyr owne malice let their eyes looke for a day of comfort and refreshing vntill they fall out of their heads according to that saying Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis Horat. lib. 1. Epist 2. at ille Labitur labetur in omne volubilis aeuum That is They wait vntill the Riuer waxeth dry But he doth runne and shall eternally So then to vse the words of the Prophet Esay ch 5 24. As the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so their roote shall be as rottennesse and their bud shall rise vp like dust because they haue cast off the Law of the Lord of Hostes and contemned the word of the holy one of Israel On the other side let vs acknowledge it to be our duty to render humble and hearty thankes to GOD for his goodnesse toward vs in deliuering vs from the dangers that did hang ouer vs in frustrating the policies of the vngodly in continuing among vs the Gospell of peace in maintaining concord and vnity among vs all these by placing our dread Soueraigne ouer vs and thereby remouing a thousand calamities that threatned shipwracke and finall desolation Let vs not now grow secure but oftentimes remember the benefits that wee haue receiued It is noted that when Salomon was set vpon the seat of Dauid his father 1 Kin. 1 48. the people came vp after him yea they piped with pipes and reioyced with great ioy so that the earth rang with the sound of them So when Hiram King of Tyrus heard the words of Salomon he reioyced greatly and saide 1 Kin. 5 7. Blessed be the Lord this day which hath giuen vnto Dauid a wise sonne ouer this mighty people Likewise when the Queene of Sheba saw the glory of Salomon and knew it to bee a chiefe signe of Gods fauour to haue godly and wise Rulers sit in the Throne of iustice and iudgement she brake foorth not onely into an admiration of his wisedome and his seruants happinesse but also into an open thanksgiuing Blessed be the Lord thy God which loueth thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel 1 Kin. 10 9. because the Lord loued Israel for euer and made thee King to doe equity and righteousnesse These are good examples for vs to follow and teach vs what we ought to doe when God blesseth vs with an vpright Dauid with a wise Salomon with a zealous Hezekiah with a religious Iosiah with a reforming Iehosaphat it is our duty to returne praise and glory to God and withall to pray heartily for the prosperous and happy continuance of such among vs that they may liue long vpon earth to promote his glory to aduance the Gospell to establish peace plenty and prosperity among their people 10. On the South-side shall bee the standard of the hoast of Reuben according to their armies and the Captaine ouer the sonnes of Reuben shall be Elizur the sonne of Shedeur 11. And his hoast and the number thereof were sixe and forty thousand and fiue hundreth 12. And by him shall the
but Christ accounteth it a great and capitall sinne He willeth his disciples to shake off the dust of their feet as a witnesse against those that wilfully contemne this ordinance of God as if the earth it selfe were infected and the places of their abode corrupted by the contagion of their sinnes and in the next Chapter he maketh such to be worse then the Sodomites For the contempt of the word is an abridgement of all sinne gathered together in one Woe vnto vs for this neglect and contempt of the word we are so farre from trembling at it that some wil not step out of their dores others are content to come but they are so farre from shewing reuerence that they fall fast asleepe and will not be awaked These vnreuerent actions and gestures shew they regard it not neither are touched with a feeling of it Do these men tremble when the Minister reproueth sinne Do they examine their hearts whether they be guilty or not Doe they say vnto their owne soules What haue I done Alasse â—erem 8 6. how can they when they haue heard nothing Neither let them go away in the darke and seeke to couer their drowsinesse of spirit vnder the name of an infirmity or weaknesse that is in them for they are not sometimes ouertaken with it but make a daily practise of it they neuer striue against it but nourish it in themselues as those that are delighted in it They cannot say they doe that euill which they would not Rom. 7 19. but that which they would do They frame their bodies and settle them of purpose to sleepe and so they may doe it closely that they be not espied they regard no more They neuer call themselues to an account what they haue heard nor whether they haue bene ouertaken this day neither if they haue doe they resolue with themselues they will sinne no more If euer they had truely repented of this sinne they would endeuour not to bee ouercome againe by it If euer they had bene truely sorrowfull it would bring foorth in them a watchfulnesse ouer themselues and a care to preuent it in time to come The last abuse is in carelesse comming and shamelesse departing out of the Church and separating our selues from the Congregation before it be dismissed and dissolued We vse to reproue those and complaine greatly of theÌ„ when they are inuited as guests to a feast that come too late and make the rest of the company to stay for them or make haste to be gone away before the feast be finished We desire that all our neighbours that are inuited should sit downe together and arise vp from the table together The worde of God is a continuall feast the exercises of our religion are as a dainty banket wee should come vnto them as men do to good cheere feed hungerly and heartily vpon them The Prophet witnesseth concerning his owne practise that he had gone with the multitude into the house of God with the voyce of ioy and praise as they that keepe a feast Psalm 42 4. Is it so with vs Doe we flock together to the hearing and handling of holy things as wee doe vnto a feast If wee did hunger and thirst after the word of God as we do after bodily food wee would be as greedy to be partakers of the one as we are forward to taste of the other But the case is with vs as it fareth with those that haue full stomackes wee desire not spirituall food and therefore make no haste vnto it Now one commeth and then another now one droppeth away and then another and they thinke they haue tarried too long This is an open protestation or proclamation that we are weary of holy things and loathe them more then Israel did Manna These men are Church-sicke â—ill men acâ—unt the â—hurch as a â—son or Sermon-sicke a common disease among common hearers The Church is with them as a prison they are as weary of staying in the Church as the malefactor is of lying in prison for as the prison holdeth them where they would not be and from the place where they would be so doe prophane persons account the Church as a place that restraineth their liberty that they cannot doe what they would do nor be where they desire to be nor resort to that company that they better affect nor follow those sports and delights wherein they take the greatest pleasure The faithfull in former times haue accounted it a punishment to bee driuen from the house of GOD but these men account it a sore punishment to be there They desired to dwell in it all the daies of their liues but we care not if we neuer come thither They iudged it the greatest famine to want the word but if we bee held neuer so little a time from our dinner we complaine as if wee were like to starue They longed to haue the Sabbath day come Psal 84 2. but these men would faine haue it ended and thinke it to bee the longest day that is in the yeare and the most tedious Secondly it is the duty of the Minister to preach the word administer the sacraments Vse 2 with all due regard and respect to the person they sustaine and the things that they meddle withall We must do nothing that may make our Ministery fruitelesse and bring it into contempt but seeke to adorne it and beautifie it by all reuerent carriage of our selues in it and in the discharge of the duties of it This hath many branches First Particular branches of this vse it behooueth vs to set our selues in Gods presence and consider that we are his messengers speake in his name and are as it were his mouth How shall the hearer learne that in his hearing hee hath to do with God and commeth to heare what he shall say vnto him by our mouthes Acts chapter 10 verse 33. if we doe not remember that we stand in the place of God and do after a sort represent his person This is the counsell that the Apostle Paul giueth to Timothy 1 Tim. chap. 2 15. Study to shew thy selfe approoued vnto GOD a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly diuiding the word of truth Whensoeuer we get vp into the Pulpit before all things we must know being placed in that office whose message we deliuer and that if we speak not vprightly as becommeth his Maiesty wee must giue a reckoning vnto him Wherefore we must so teach as if God were present with vs as if a Secretary should speak before a Prince for he is his instrument who is Lord ouer al. We must be able to make this protestation before men and Angels I stand heere as it were a chosen vessell before the Lord to beare his Name vnto his people I am not to bee the messenger of mine owne words but to be his mouth I must lay aside whatsoeuer passions are in me vtterly disclaime mine owne affections that
themselues For he saith in the place before named and mentioned Thou shalt not take the summe of them among the children of Israel that is while thou art reckoning the number and taking the muster of the other Tribes thou shalt not meddle with this Tribe who were exempted from the warres And the reason thereof is rendred Num. 1.50 Thou shalt appoint the Leuites ouer the Tabernacle of the Testimony and ouer all the vessels thereof and ouer all things that belong vnto it He calleth it sometimes the Tabernacle of the Congregation because the people assembled at it for the worship of God and sometimes the Tabernacle of the Testimony â—â—mb 17 8. â—â—abl annot Nume 1. because in the Tabernacle was placed the Arke and in the Arke the two Tables of the Testimony in which the ten commandements were written wherby God testified his will to the Israelites both what he would haue them doe and what he would not haue them to doe Verse 34. 35. And Moses and Aaron and the chiefe of the Congregation In these words beginneth the execution of the Commandement of God Moses numbring the Leuites according to their families and assigning to euery one of them their seuerall offices and charges This obedience of his is worthy of great praise inasmuch as in this description of the numbring of these families he remoueth farre from himselfe all suspition of giuing scope to his owne affections and therefore he signifieth that he did nothing of pride or partiality aduancing the Leuites before the other Tribes or preferring the family of the Kohathites before the rest of the Leuites but hath dealt in all things as became the true minister of God euen according to the commandement and commission that he had receiued of whom it is said afterward chap. 12. My seruant Moses is faithfull in all mine house â—umb 12.7 â—eb 3.5 euen as in the building of the Tabernacle he added nothing of his owne but did all things according to the patterne that was shewed him in the mount We learne from hence that whensoeuer we haue heard the word and had the will of God reuealed vnto vs we must yeeld Doctrine 1 obedience to the same The word heard must be obeyed It is a duty required of vs to practise so much of Gods trueth as is in mercy made knowne vnto vs. So did Noah Gen. 6.22 when he was commanded to make an Arke he did it as God commanded So did Abraham when he was commanded to circumcise himselfe and the males in his family Gen. 17. This is it that Moses teacheth the people after all his teaching and exhorting of them Deut. 10.12.13 Now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou keepe the commandements of the Lord his ordinances which I command thee this day for thy wealth And in the beginning of the next chapter Deut. 11.1 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and keepe his charge and his statutes and his iudgements and his commandements alwayes The Apostle Iames vrgeth this duty vpon those that are swift to heare and haue receiued the word with meeknes which is able to saue their soules chap. 1.22 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne soules Christ our Sauiour describing the good hearers by the good ground saith They bring forthwith patience some sixty fold some thirty fold Luke 8.15 Matth. 13.23 and some an hundred fold euery one some fruit no man is barren altogether To conclude this point it was the exhortation of Moses and of the Priests and Leuites Deut. 27.9 10 which they spake vnto all Israel Take heed and hearken O Israel this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God thou shalt therefore obey the voyce of the Lord thy God and doe his commandements and his statutes which I command thee this day So theÌ„ we must all know what is required of vs to wit to be doers and not bare hearers to be practisers and not talkers to be obeyers and followers not idle professors Maruell not at all at this For first to encline Reason 1 our hearts to walke in his wayes that we haue learned is an infallible signe that we truely feare God This we see in the example of Abraham God tempted him and said vnto him Take thy sonne thine only sonne Isaac whom thou louest and offer him for a burnt offering he preferred the commandement of God before the loue to his owne sonne God accepted his willing mind and therefore he heareth this comfort Lay not thine hand vpon the lad neither doe thou any thing vnto him Gen. 22.12 for now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine only sonne from me Not that he was ignorant before but because he made that knowne to himselfe and to others which before was known to him alone and not thoroughly to Abraham himselfe For what is in vs we know not certainly our selues vntill we be prooued Thus then we see that Abrahams notable obedience in so great a tryall was an euident testimony that hee truely loued God Reason 2 Secondly obeience is alwayes ioyned with recompence God-rewarding it to the ful who is a most rich pay-master No man shall serue him for nought If Laban could say thus to Iacob Gen. 29.15 Because thou art my brother shouldest thou therefore serue me for nought will not the Lord much rather say to vs because ye are my children should ye therfore serue me for nothing The Prophet Dauid setting downe the singular fruits and effects of the word of God saith By it is thy seruant made circumspect Psal 19.11 in keeping of it there is great reward Consider brefly how it was with Abraham of whom we spake before he receiued an hard commandement himselfe to offer vp in sacrifice his only sonne yet because he delayed not to put it in present execution he receiued a threefold reward first God deliuered his sonne from death secondly he commendeth the faith of the father and thirdly he repeateth the promise to him and confirmeth his faith in it Gen. 22. Reason 3 Thirdly if we hearken vnto him he will hearken vnto vs if we serue him he will not be backeward or behinde hand with vs to serue vs. This doth the Prophet Esay point out vnto vs chap. 58.9 Thou shalt call and the Lord shall answere thou shalt cry and hee shall say Here I am On the other side if we will not hearken to obey him he will neuer hearken vnto vs neither regard when we call vpon him The wise man bringeth in wisdome crying without and vttering her voyce in the streetes Pro. 1.24 25.26 Because I haue called and ye refused I haue stretched out mine hand and no man regarded but ye
brother or neighbour but we must hold no friendship with such as are enemies to God and are at warre and defiance with him Iehoshaphat is reprooued for a lesse matter 2 Chro. 19.2 If any man aske Obiect whether the children must shunne their father the seruants their master the wife her husband c. I answere Answer we must haue no such familiaritie as is free for vs to refuse and deny neither voluntary society which we may auoide Vnnecessary fellowship is forbidden and is offensiue such as is for pleasure and delight As for children seruants subiects wiues and such as are bound by band of duty and obliged in the family or common-wealth they are not by this doctrine discharged from their duties but must be subiect euen to such as are excommunicated prouided that they take heed so farre as lyeth in them that by their conuersation with them they do not consent to their sinne like of it delight in it defende it commend it but rather according to their place and calling mourne that they are compelled to be with such and therefore must exhort and admonish them to returne to the Church as it were to the fold of Christ This then serueth to reprooue all such as delight make choice to be in company with excommunicate persons such as receiue them to their houses such as ordinarily eat and drinke with them knowing them to stand in that fearefull case These partake with them in their sinnes and keepe them from repentance as much as in them lyeth While we are familiarly conuersant with the wicked it will be hard not to be stained with their sinnes For how can a man walke among thornes and not wound himselfe Vse 5 Lastly we are warned hereby to leade our liues circumspectly and soberly that we bee not cast out Let vs hold faith and a good conscience as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.19 20. Which while some hauing put away concerning faith haue made shipwracke of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander whom I haue deliuered vnto Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme This vse hath diuers particular branches First we should desire euermore to liue in the Church It was the prayer of Dauid Psal 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord that wil I seeke after that I may dwel in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple It is recorded to the great commendation of Anna that she departed not from the Temple Luke 2.37 but serued God with fastings and prayer night and day We must therefore liue orderly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the daies are euill that we may continue as children of the light and members of the Church If once we become prophane and as dogs and swine we must be kept from holy things and barred from the word and Sacraments It is the duty of the Church to keepe the holy ordinances of God from all contempt Some that liue in the Church are open blasphemers of the name of Christ others are heretiks and corrupt the faith many giue scandall and offence to others by their loosenesse of life all these are to be barred and excluded from the word Sacraments For a man liuing in the middes of the Church may be worse in the practises of his life then an open enemy of which the Apostle Paul speaketh Tit. 1.16 They professe that they know God but in workes they deny him being abominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate This care of keeping his ordinances from open prophanation Christ himselfe shewed in reforming the abuses of the Temple when in great zeale of spirit that had eaten him vp he whipped the buyers and sellers out of the temple Mat. 21.12 13. because they had made his Fathers house which was the house of prayer an house of merchandise and a denne of theeues Secondly we must doe nothing and speake nothing that may giue occasion to the world to reuile the religion of God or slander our holy profession This is Pauls charge to seruants that they so carry themselues toward their masters that the Name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken off 1 Tim. 6.1 The faults of men are wont to be cast vpon the doctrine which they professe and to be whipped vpon the back of the author from whence it came Such as mens life is that they leade such is the doctrine and religion iudged to be which they beleeue Wherefore we must take heede lest the Name of God be blasphemed through vs Esay 52. Dauid is said by his sins to cause the enemies to blaspheme 2 Samu. 12.14 Thirdly it is our duty to pray that the word of God may be glorified 2 Thes 3.1 It is that which we are taught to aske in the Lords prayer Matth. 6.9 that his Name may be hallowed Now Gods word is his Name forasmuch as thereby he is knowne vnto vs Psal 138.2 It was Dauids prayer Psal 119.39 Turne away my reproch which I feare for thy iudgements are good As if he should say keepe me from doing that which may bring rebuke or reproch to thy word Fourthly it is the duty of all faithfull Pastours and Ministers to keepe the people from prophaning the holy thing Ier. 15 19. they are as the Angels of God set with a glistering sword to keepe the way to the tree of life It is the duty of the shepheard to seuer the infected sheepe from the sound The dispensation of the Sacraments is committed to the Ministers to deliuer them to such as are worthy to withhold them from such as are vnworthy lest we giue them a sword into their hand to kill themselues because obstinate sinners that come vnworthily impenitently to the Supper of the Lord doe eate and drinke their owne damnation Iohn the Baptist would not admit vnto his baptisme any but such as confessed their sinnes and was perswaded they had truly repēted Mat. 3. But is it not enough for them to say they repent No for euery hypocrite may thus repent A man may confesse in words that which he denyeth in his deeds and therefore he must haue the vndoubted testimonies of true repentance weeping humiliation prayer amendment of life such like Besides by this account euery one that commeth to the Lords Table repenteth and no man commeth vnworthily or without repentance forasmuch as euery one will say he repenteth no man will confesse he is impenitent Neuerthelesse we cannot account him to be a true penitent that hath giuen no signe of repentance Fiftly this sentence is to be denounced with meeknesse and moderation with all patience and long suffering yea with much griefe and sorrow It must not be done ordinarily and commonly The cutting off of a member is no vsuall thing the Phisitian tryeth all wayes and meanes before he attempt that desperate cure and oftentimes he findeth it fitter not to
thinke others to be starke blind For seeing Christ sent his Apostles into the whole world Math. 10. that they should preach the Gospell vpon the house tops that is openly and euidently who will be so foolish as to imagine that this can be vnderstood of Auricular confession This authority is ioyned with the Ministery of the Gospel as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 5 verse 18 19 20. God hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ and hath giuen to vs the ministery of reconciliation to wit that GOD was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe c. Thus we see that sinners are reconciled to God and obtaine remission of sinnes by the Ministery of preaching the Gospel appreheÌ„ding and receiuing the benefit thereof by faith not by confession forasmuch as we haue in the word neither precept nor example of reckoning our sinnes in secret vnto the Priest to the ende we may obtaine forgiuenesse of them All the examples and commandements mentioned in the Scriptures call vs with a loud voice and carry vs the direct way vnto God aduising vs to speake to him who we are sure will answer vs to craue of him who we are certaine will heare vs. The Prophet saith I saide I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest me Psalme 32 verse 5. The same we reade in Hosea chap. 14 verse 2. Take with you words and turne to the Lord say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously so will we render the calues of our lips Yea the seruants of God were so farre from binding themselues to number vp all their sinnes that Dauid saith in the Psalme Who can vnderstand his errors Cleanse thou mee from secret faults Psalme 19 12. and 38 5. True it is many of the ancient doe oftentimes speake much of confession but it is of publike confession in the face of the Church made by him that had committed some publike and notorious crime and giuen scandall to the whole Church whereas there was no law set forth of this auricular confession before Innocent the third who first of all made an act and decree touching the same For they call men backe from running vnto men to tell them their sinnes Chrysâ—â—â— Laz◠〈◊〉 Gâ—â—â—â—â— who may put them to shame and rebuke make them blush and hit them in the teeth with them and also bring them to the knowledge of others but to the Lord that careth for vs to him that is our Physition and cureth our wounds as the seruant when he hath offended craueth not forgiuenesse of his fellow-seruant but at the hands of his master And why should we feare to vnburden our conscience of that which we feared not to commit in his presence If we come vnto him we may be assured he will turne away his face from our iniquities Againe some obiect the words of the Apostle Obiect 2 Iames chapter 5 verse 16. Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed Loe say they heere is an expresse commandement giuen vnto vs to confesse our sinnes And we see the practise of it to Iohn Math. 3 verse 5 6. To whom went out Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the regions round about Iordan and were baptized of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes These are the Scriptures that the Rhemists vse to establish their error as the groundworke of their building I answer Answer vnto them both and first to the commandement then to the example or practise of it Touching the precept or commandement howsoeuer it may carry some shew yet if we marke it the place rather marreth their market then helpeth the matter For the confession of faults heere spoken off is in time of sicknesse at the priuate houses of the diseased when the sicke person acknowledgeth to the standers by that come to visite him wherein and in what manner he had offended them the standers by wherein they had offended him and both of them desired to be reconciled one to another and so depart hence in peace Math. 5 verse 23. It was not made therfore alone and apart in the Church in time of health in the eare of the Priest in the supposed holy time of Lent a little before Easter or before they prepared themselues to heare Masse Secondly here he requireth that we confesse our sins and offences one to another not all to one so that this text belongeth to mutuall confession not to sacramentall confession Whereby we may euidently proue that their popish Priests are as well bound to confesse themselues to lay-men as the lay-men are bound to confesse themselues to popish Priests Otherwise how can we be said to confesse one to another If any confesse vnto me and I confesse vnto none how haue we kept this rule How haue we confessed our faults one to another Thirdly as we are commanded to confesse our faults one to another so we are also charged to pray one for another for the Apostle ioyneth these two together But they are ashamed to say that this pertaineth onely to the Priest to pray for others wherfore then should confession pertaine vnto him more then the praier heere spoken off forasmuch as there is a like respect of both these Confesse one to another and pray one for another This point therefore is so cleere that the Rhemists themselues confesse â—em Annot. â—lam 5. that it is not certaine but onely probable that the Apostle speaketh here of sacramentall confession and besides Cardinall Caietane in his Commentaries vpon the same place obserueth that it cannot be vnderstood of the Sacrament of Confession â—etan comâ—n in Iam. 5. because the Apostle doth not say Acknowledge your faults to the Priest but one to another Touching the practise of the people that came to Iohns baptisme they confesse their sinnes in generall and not all of them in particular not compelled vnto it but voluntarily moued For if they had confessed their sinnes particularly Iohn must haue stood from morning to euening many yeares together because Ierusalem and all Iewry and all the Country about Iordan came vnto him in which number no doubt were many thousands and an innumerable company that were neuer shriuen before so that their confessions must be very long he must of necessity haue shriuing worke enough all the daies of his life therfore it was vnpossible there should bee a particular enumeration of all their sinnes â—he second â—proofe Secondly it reproueth such as hide their sinnes and cannot be brought to confesse theÌ„ Such as do deny them faile in this duty and are farre from true repentance and consequently from free forgiuenesse They haue skill and will to set out other mens sinnes and to stretch them at large to the vttermost that they may make them seeme greater then they are but touching their owne offences either they will not vnderstand them or they will excuse them and you shall be sure to get theÌ„
euery exercise of our religion euery fruite of our most holy faith This is commended to haue bin in Ephraim by the Prophet After that I conuerted I repented and after that I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea euen confounded because I did beare the reproch of my youth Ier. 31 18. Hypocriticall confession is no confession Fourthly The fourth property we must confesse our sins with an hatred of them For where there is no feeling of sin there can be no pardon of sin and therefore Christ calleth such to him as were weary and heauy laden and ready to faint fall downe vnder the burden of them Mat. 11 28. The Prophet confesseth Psal 38 4 5. that his sinnes were as a weighty burdeÌ„ too heauy for him so that he went crooked bowed very sore So long as sinne appeareth vnto men small as a mote light as a feather pleasant as a sport that it groweth to be as common with them as going in the high way drinking iniquity as water and delighting in it as in meat drink it is plaine they know not the nature of it Many hypocrites like Iudas haue confessed their particular sins who said he had sinned in betraying innocent blood Math. 27.4 but it is of custome without conscience or of passion without remorse or of feare without change because they are weary of the punishments that lie vpon them but are not weary of their sins that are the causes of them their plagues seem heauy but their sins seeme light â—e should â—e greeue 〈◊〉 punishâ—t wheras the sins that are in vs should more greeue vs then the iudgements that are vpon vs. Such men are for the present touched with the stroke of Gods hand but after they haue confessed and the punishment is remoued they are the same that they were before and are found no changlings they returne againe to their old sinnes as the dogge to his vomit and practise that which before they seemed to abhorre Let vs therefore hate sin much more then the punishment lest we be as malefactours that oftentimes cry out for the punishment but seldome or neuer for their offence Sinne is the breach of Gods law and the procuring cause of all punishment If we be carefull to stay the cause we shall quickly and easily stay the effect and if we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord. Fiftly â—e fift proâ—ty our confession must not be extorted or enforced but freely and willingly performed Many men confesse their sinnes but this is no free wil offering they are forced vnto it by the rigour of the Law or by the anguish of the soule or by violence of sicknesse or by feare of death or by the cracke of Gods iudgement or by the censure of men If we be as forward to confesse them to the glory of God as we were forward to commit them to his dishonour we haue comfort in the performance of this duty and it will worke in vs repentance neuer to be repented of But if necessity compel vs to this as it did Pharaoh and Iudas and Achan while the rod was vpon their backs or God otherwise had found them out it is our crosses that make vs confesse and not our sinnes as Psa 78. When the wrath of God was heauy vpon them so that he slew them and consumed their dayes in vanity and their yeeres hastily then they sought him and they returned and sought God early they remembred that God was their strength and the most high God their redeemer but they flattered hem with their mouth 〈◊〉 78.36 and dissembled with him with their tongue Euery duty must be performed to God cheerefully if it be done otherwise God regardeth it not 〈◊〉 sixt proâ—y Sixtly this must be obserued in our confession that we ought not so farre to dwel vpon the meditation of our sins that we forget the mercies of God and faith in his promises and forgiuenesse of our sinnes Iudas confessed against himselfe his owne particular sinne in betraying his master and shedding of innocent blood howbeit this being wrested from him through horrour of his conscience and the fearefull apprehension of Gods wrath he neuer expected any mercy but went his way solitary 〈◊〉 27 5. and hanged himselfe desperately Hee had no beleefe of pardon nor hope of fauour nor desire of repentance and therfore his confession serued to no other end but to acknowledge as on the one side the Iustice of God and the equality of his wayes so on the other side the merit of his owne punishment and the sealing vp of his owne iust condemnation by his owne mouth It was farre otherwise with Peter after he had denyed and abiured his master Mat. 26.75 he repented of his sinne and wept bitterly for the same he beleeued the promise and laide hold on mercy and was saued This confession was ioyned with faith which sanctified it to his comfort Confession ioyned with infidelity is no confession for vnbeleefe is as a bitter root that poisoneth it and maketh it vnsauory and vnhealthfull Seuenthly The seuenth property it belongeth vnto vs and to our confession to ioyne prayer to God for the pardon of our sinnes It is our duty together with our acknowledging of our faults to aske forgiuenes and to pray for mercy to the God of all mercy against whom we haue trespassed without which all is in vaine Thus did not Caine that despaired and cryed out that his sin was greater then he could beare Gen. 4.13 and therefore receiued no comfort nor grace in time of neede How many and great soeuer our sins are let vs neuer giue ouer prayer for pardon It is one of the engines of the diuel whereby he betraieth our soules and he catcheth many in his snare He knoweth that they are holden fast as slaues in chaines and fetters that are perswaded to giue ouer prayer He is in the way to Atheisme that prayeth not at all Psal 14.4 He is forsaken of God that thinketh it needlesse and superfluous as appeareth in Saul when the noise that was in the hoste of the Philistims spred farther abroad hee said vnto the Priest that brought the Arke of God Withdraw thine hand as if he had said 1 Sam. 14.19 There is now no time to aske counsell of the mouth of God Numb 27.21 It is otherwise with the seruants of God though they haue bene ouercome by the strength of their corruption by want of watchfulnesse by the subtilty of sin and by the tentation of Satan yet they would neuer shut vp their mouthes from the inuocation of the Name of God and from calling for mercy at his hands We see this in Dauid both in the booke of Psalmes in other places Psal 51.1 We see it in the penitent Publican Luk. 18.13 and 15. â—1 and in the prodigall son that returned to his fathers house We see it in the Israelites
cannot labour and therefore ought not to eate 2 Thess 3.10 We must care more for the feeding of the flocke then of our selues and feare more the losse of the sheep then the lacke of the fleece for which I pray you is more to be desired and of more price the sheepe it selfe or the fleece it carryeth Is not the sheepe is it not for them that Christ dyed and ought we not to leaue ninety and nine in the wildernesse and seeke out that which is lost or strayed that it starue not and perish Ezek. 34 2. Woe therefore vnto the shepheards of Israel that eate and cloathe themselues with the wooll that strengthen not the diseased neither heale the sicke nor binde vp the broken nor bring againe that which was strayed neither seeke out that which is lost Woe vnto such as are entred into a painefull calling and yet will take no paines in it that haue a great work to do and yet leade an idle lazie life that take vpon them the labour of the Ministery yet follow their pleasures and pastimes and doe nothing lesse then labour What calling requireth greater study to furnish themselues with matter and to bring out of their treasury things both olde and new And yet many there are that are entred into it that scarce bestow one houre in a day and sometimes in a weeke to preach the word and to giue euery one in the family their bread in due season Hence it is that some preach not at all neither thinke it to be their duty to preach to the people Others doe it so rawly and vnreuerently that the stuffe they bring will not abide workemanship and the meate they set forth is vndigested Such is their pride and ignorance that they dare vtter whatsoeuer commeth into their idle braines and their foolish mindes and they feare not to sit downe in the chaire of Moses that are not worthy to stand at the plough taile or to sit in the Artificers shop forasmuch as none of these ordinary trades and occupations can be discharged and performed without some preparation and yet these dare ascend into the Pulpit and stand aboue the people in the Name of God without any meditation Others there are that are of no ability neither haue any gifts to teach None more forward to catch from the people and none more backeward to preach to the people for indeed they are not able What should the Church doe with such blinde guides When Christ sent his disciples before he went to Ierusalem to a town that was ouer against them and told them they should find an asse bound and a colt with her cōmanding them to loose them bring them vnto him ◠21.3 19.29 and charging them If any man said ought vnto them to say that the Lord had need of them so it were fit that these two-legged and dumbe-tongued asses were loosed sent away howbeit we cannot say that the Lord hath need of them or that the Church hath need of them ◠5 13. ◠14.34 Neither can we say they are the salt of the earth forasmuch as they haue lost their sauour and therefore are thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out neither are they meete for the land nor profitable for the dunghill but to be trodden vnder foot of men To these we may ioyne such as are better able to teach but no whit more willing that hide their gifts in the earth and couer them vnder a bushell like to that vnfaithfull and sloathfull seruant that exercised not the talent he had receiued The more God hath bestowed vpon them the more he requireth at their hands Vse and practise encrease the gifts that are giuen vnto vs but idlenesse and sluggishnesse doe diminish them Though they haue mouthes to speake yet if they open them not they may be called dumbe dogges as well as they that are ignorant Though they haue tongues and throats to vtter a voyce yet if they hold their peace they may be called idle shepheards forasmuch as they are the worke of mens hands and not of Gods Though they haue their eyes in their head and can see farre yet if they shut them and close them vp they may be called blinde guides that take vpon them to direct others but cannot gouerne themselues For it is all one to the people whether their Ministers be ignorant and cannot teach or whether they be idle and will not teach seeing both these waies the Church goeth to ruine And if there be any difference such as are able to preach and will not do the greater hurt For touching these poore and silly soules that can doe nothing they are not much regarded or followed euery man can point them out easily but as for those that are counted great Clearks and take themselues to be no small fooles they draw many eyes after them the people haue a great opiniō of them they submit themselues vnto them and seeke no further They begin to thinke that if hearing of the word were so necessary for them as some greene heads precise fellows would make them beleeue surely then those Ministers would preach more often for they know Gods will they are not ignorant of his word So then the blind and vnlearned Ministers are hurtfull but the meanest sort of men in a manner can say of them Alas our Minister is no body he is not able nor meet to teach vs and therefore we must seeke food abroad or else we are like to be famished whereas the other sort are counted graue and stayed men deepe Diuines and great scholers and the hearers so hang vpon their sleeues that they will heare no other they checke those that goe about to controlle him or his doings they say If wee were out of the way he would tell vs and if so much teaching were needfull he would teach vs if these things were euill he would not vse them for he knoweth what is what as well as the proudest of them all Neuerthelesse Christ our Sauiour teacheth Luke 10.42 that one thing is necessary and that is the hearing of his word but these haue learned a heerer way to heauen then Christ could shew them and more wisdome then he could teach them But let them take heed that their wisdome be not turned into folly and while they seeke a neerer way to the kingdome of heauen let them beware lest they neuer come there For if they wil learne nothing but when they list and how they list and of whom they list and content themselues with a cold collation once in a moneth or twice in a quarter or foure times in a yeere they will hardly attaine to sound knowledge and vnderstanding in the mysteries of godlinesse and they shall be as farre from science as their teachers are from conscience Other Ministers there are that so ouerlade themselues with liuings that their maintenance is greater then their labor and are willing for single
are like to male-contents that had rather liue vpon the spoiles of others then take paines themselues wishing that all things were in a tumult confusion and combustion that they might catch the goods belonging vnto others holding this principle that it is good fishing in troubled waters Wherefore it is a notable exhortation of the wise man Prou. 6.16 17 18. 19. These sixe things doth the Lord hate yea seuen are an abomination vnto him a proude looke a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood an heart that deuiseth wicked imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that speaketh lyes and him that soweth discord among brethren Of this kinde there are many seuerall sorts first a relation of the bare words against the meaning as Matth. 26.69 At the last came false witnesses and said This fellow said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to build it in three dayes Christ spake some such words Ioh. 2.19 but neither altogether the same neither to the same end and purpose because he spake of the Temple of his body This is a breach of the ninth commandement the which albeit it be more cunning in the rest yet it argueth greater malice when for want of other matter and better proofe we set their owne words vpon the racke and stretch euery ioynt of them out of their place Secondly to open the secret sinnes of our neighbour to any man especially if hee commit them of infirmitie contrary to the general rule of Christ Matthew 18. verse 15. If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he shall heare thee thou hast gained thy brother This is the right and ready way to gaine our brother to make his sinne secret and as it were to couer it with a garment so long as there is any hope by priuate exhortation and admonition to winne him To blaze abroad and to publish to the knowledge of others their frailty is not the way to gaine them but to stirre them vp against vs and to harden their hearts and to stop their eares when wee speake vnto them For except it appeare vnto those whom we exhort or reprooue that wee loue them and that our admonitions proceed from that fountaine we shall neuer doe them any good neither will they euer regard our words but they will seeme harsh and vnpleasant vnto them Thirdly euill suspicions when nothing can be done of our brother be it neuer so honest or religious but we suspect the worst of it and speake the worst of it whereas loue is not suspicious but hopeth all things endureth all things beareth all things beleeueth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 Hence it is that the Apostle teacheth that the end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained 1 Tim. 1.5 and in the last Chapter of that Epistle he yoketh enuy strife railings and euil surmisings together the which whosoeuer follow after do know nothing concerning godlinesse Lastly to accuse our neighbour for that which is true and certaine through hatred and malice and with a purpose to hurt and destroy if we can him that we accuse and against whom we complaine as appeareth 1 Sam. 22.9 in the example of that dogged and diuellish enemy Doeg who was appointed ouer the seruants of Saul he said I saw the sonne of Ishai when he came to Nob to Ahimelech the sonne of Ahitub who asked counsel of the Lord for him and gaue him victuals and the sword of Goliah of whom Dauid sath in one of his Psalmes Thy tongue deuiseth mischiefes Psal 52.2 3 4. like a sharpe razor working deceitfully thou louest euill more then good and lying rather then to speake righteousnesse thou louest all deuouring words O thou deceitfull tongue All these particular points teach vs to beware of whispering and construing of all things in the euill part Vse 2 Secondly it condemneth all rash iudgement when we iudge amisse of others both of an euill minde and for some euill end Christ giueth vs warning to beware of this wickednesse Matth. 7.1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what measure ye mete it shal be measured to you againe And the Apostle Iames maketh the like exhortation chap. 3.1.2 My brethren be not many masters knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation for in many things we offend all Cicer. act 2. in Verr. These rash and rigorous iudges neuer regard nor consider their owne offences they can search and sift into other mens actions as men winnow wheate and yet are carelesse of themselues The heathen accounted it intolerable to reprooue other men when themselues are as faulty This is no better then Pharisaicall hypocrisie This is done diuerse wayes The first is when a man hath done good things holily purely The firâ—◠〈◊〉 of iudgeâ—â—â—â— and sincerely we iudge them done hypocritically dissemblingly and wickedly This iudgement is a wrong iudgement and forbidden in the word of God This was the practise of the diuell toward Iob chap. 1.9 and 2.4 He was a iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill Satan charged him to doe all hypocritically only because God had blessed him and made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that hee had on euery side so that his substance was increased in the land and therefore he suggesteth that if God would put forth his hand now and touch all that he had he would curse him to his face As the diuell himselfe dealeth so deale the children of the diuel with the faithfull He is the old serpent which deceiueth the world and accuseth our brethren before our God day and night Reuel 12.9.10 so also doe his children that beare his image and are transformed into his likenesse These are vniust and wrongfull censurers of the deedes and actions of other men whereof there are many in the world If the godly giue themselues to prayer a duty that God so often commandeth and his children haue so often practised with great fruit and successe and would not omit or giue ouer though it should cost them their liues Dan. 6.11 it is censured to be counterfeit holinesse If they be troubled more then other men and are chastened euery day their enemies hit it in their teeth that they are plagued for their sinnes If they be afflicted in conscience that they feele the burden of their sinnes pressing sore vpon theÌ„ they are iudged to be madde and out of their wits If they delight to heare the word publikely and to be conuersant in reading and searching of the Scriptures priuately they are accused to be precise and whatsoeuer they doe they shall be charged to do it not sincerely but corruptly not in trueth but in outward shew not from the heart but from the mouth and lips onely This was the offence of Eli toward Hannah he being a
the Minister of GOD to attend the issue Shee stood to be iudged he to be the instrument of the iudgement She was to come vnto iudgement he to bring her vnto iudgement Thus we haue runne ouer the principall questions that were to be touched Analys Iunij in Numer in handling whereof I haue followed the iudgment of the learned who haue discussed and resolued these doubts and difficulties before me Now we are to proceed in order to the doctrine arising from hence Verse 15.16 Then shall the man bring his wife vnto the Priest c. We see in these words that the man is to bring his suspected wife to the place and meanes of her tryall If euery one that was suspected might be put away many husband 's not louing but growing weary of their wiues would readily entertaine any the least flying report and thereupon take occasion to be diuorsed from them Wherefore to the end that euery one suspected shold not by and by be condemned the Lord ordaineth that he should bring his wife to the Priest and before him vndergoe such tryall as is appointed for her Doctrine None is to be accounted guilty before tryall We learne from hence that it is Gods ordinance that no innocent person should be oppressed in iudgement and none at the priuate pleasure of any ought to be condemned before their tryall Euery person must hold vp his hand at the barre before he be pronounced guilty This appeareth plainly in the Law of Moses decreeing against idolatrous cities if the children of Belial haue withdrawne the inhabitants of their citie saying Let vs goe and serue other gods which ye haue not knowne Deut. 12.14 15 and 19.18 Then shalt thou enquire and make search and aske diligently and behold if it be truth and the thing certaine that such abomination is wrought among you thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword destroying it vtterly and all that is therein c. Where we see that in the matter of idolatry which God aboue many other sinnes abhorreth as that which goeth neerest to his heart and as it were pierceth into the very marrow of his worship and seruice he would not haue euery suspicion to be taken or euery report to be receiued but hee will haue the matter examined and the trueth tryed out and searched to the full before any processe be made out against them Hence it is that Salomon complaineth of the contrary course oftentimes obserued Eccles 7.15 All things haue I seene in the dayes of my vanity there is a iust man that perisheth in his righteousnesse and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in hâ—s wickednesse To this purpose speaketh the Apostle Iames chap. 5.5.6 against the abuse of their power in rich men Ye haue liued in pleasure on the earth and beene wanton ye haue nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter ye haue condemned and kâ—lled the iust and he doth not resist you Thus we set it is no new thing to see innocency it selfe trodden vnder foot and innocent persons condemned The Apostle Peter setting downe the duties of Magistrates willeth those to whom hee wrote to submit themselues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the king as supreme 1 Pet â—3 â— or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent by him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well So that it is the ordinance of God that euill doers should be punished and that such as doe well should be commended and rewarded and therefore no innocent person ought to be discountenanced or put to death This trueth is strengthened vnto vs many Reason 1 wayes First by example which is beyond all comparison and exception for no man may compare with him no man dare except against him I meane the example of God himselfe who goeth before vs in the practise heereof that we should follow him in this duty Before he brought vpon the world confusion of tongues he is said to goe downe among them to see their fact Gen. 11.6 Thus he dealt with Adam before he pronounced him guilty and denounced iudgement vpon him hee called vnto him Adam Where art thou hee examined him and asked him farther Gen. 3.11 Whether he had eaten of the fruit of the tree in the mids of the garden of which he had said Thou shalt not eate thereof lest thou die In like maner he dealt with Caine chap. 4.9.10 before hee pronounced him cursed from the earth which opened her mouth to receiue his brothers blood from his hand and that he should be a vagabond and runnagate first he examineth him Where is Abel thy brother then he endighteth and conuinceth him What hast thou done the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me for vengeance So in the eighteene chapter of the same booke before he destroyed Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone from heauen he said to Abraham Gen. 18.20 21. Behold the cry of Sodome and Gomorrha is great and because their sinne is very grieuous I will goe downe now and see whether they haue done altogether according to the cry of it which is come vnto me and if not I will know Whereby he would instruct vs that before wee enter into iudgement with any person or pronounce sentence vpon any people he first taketh good consideration of the fact which causeth his punishment So ought it to bee with euery one of vs wee must lay before vs this example if wee would be the children of our heauenly Father Secondly it is the ende of all Magistracy Reason 2 to protect and countenance the Godly but to roote out and destroy the vngodly to be a praise and protection to the one but a terrour and feare to the other as Romanes chapter 13. verse 3. Magistrates are not to bee feared for good workes but for euill wilt thou then bee without feare of the power Doe well so shalt thou haue praise of the same c. After that Iehoshaphat had beene reprooued by the Prophet he called the people againe to the honouring of the Lord he set Iudges in the Land throughout the citties of Iudah and said vnto them Take heed what ye doe for ye execute not the iudgement of man but of the Lord and he will be with you in the iudgement wherefore now let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receiuing of reward 2 Chron. 19 6 7. He would not haue the stronger to oppresse the weaker and the high to ouerbeare the low and the rich to eate vp the poore like the greater fish that deuoure the lesse but that euery one should receiue according vnto his workes whether good or euill Reason 3 Thirdly it is an abhomination to God for any to oppresse the innocent and as great
so deuout in prayer that euerie day they were mindfull of their owne dutie towarde him and of his mercy toward them so that sometimes at midnight they rose vppe and sometimes both euening and morning and at noone they praied vnto him and hee did heare their voyce as in the 55. Psalme and the 17. verse and Psalme 119. Dan. 6. Lastly seeing God aboundeth in grace Vse 3 and goodnesse aboue our desires it is our dutie to render vnto him againe the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing For how shall we receiue such vnspeakeable kindnesse and not giue him the glorie Or how shall he open his hands in so liberall and large a manner and we shut our mouthes against him If he be so gracious to remember vs how shall we be so vnmindefull and vnthankefull vnto him This vse is concluded by the Apostle Ephes chap. 3. ver 20 21. hauing shewed that God is able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that we either aske or thinke he addeth in the next words To him bee praise in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all generations for-euer Amen If we would diligently consider what God hath done for vs wee shall bee compelled to confesse that GOD hath many times preuented vs with his liberall blessings and that hee hath bene mercicifull towards vs aboue all that wee are able to craue or conceiue What then Shall wee do nothing to him againe True it is we liue not in a giuing age we are hand fast and loue not to part with any thing Do wee so reward the Lord Shall wee receiue all good things at his handes and returne nothing to him againe Shall wee finde him better to vs then we desire and shall he find vs worse then he deserueth at our handes Let vs therefore giue him praise for his vnspeakeable and vnsearchable mercies let his name be glorified in the Church by vs. Hee sheweth his power especially in the Church by worke and word and therefore it is great reason hee should receiue praise in his church Hence it is that the Prophet saith In Iudah is God knowne his name is great in Israel Psal â—6 1 2 3 and â—â— 2 â—â— in Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion there brake hee the arrowes of the bow the sword and the shielde and the battell Heere then he teacheth vs that God maketh his name glorious and famous But where In Iudah His name is great But where In Israel and that because he wroght a marueilous worke in ouerthrowing the army of Senacherib which threatned destruction to the Church but it was destroyed it selfe To this purpose wee reade in another psalme Sing forth the glory of his name make his praise glorious say vnto God how terrible art thou in thy workes through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies bee in subiection vnto thee The like we might say of the worde of God as it is Psal 147 19 20. Hee sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and iudgements vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with euery Nation neyther haue they knowne his iudgements and in another place he teacheth Psalme 138 2 that he had magnified his name aboue all things by his word Let this then stand as a firme principle that God because he sheweth himselfe diuers waies in his Church to wit by his word and workes is therefore to bee glorified and honoured especially in it Hee is gracious indeede to all mankinde howbeit he blesseth no persons in comparison of the members of his Church so that he is to be praised in no places among no persons so much as in his Church according to that saying of the Psalmist Psal 65 1 2. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion vnto thee shall all flesh come Now God may bee saide to be glorified in the church two waies God is glorified two wayes first priuately secondly publiquely Priuately when euery man seuerally and apart by himselfe doth serue him and worship him and set forth his praise For we do receiue euery priuate man of vs seuerall blessings and benefites not common to others these wee are to acknowledge particularly and priuately and GOD accepteth this seruice at our hands Publikely when wee meete in the assembly and congregation of the faithfull that are fellow members of the same bodie that so hee may receiue praise by the mouths of many witnesses Doubtlesse God alloweth the former and hee is delighted with the priuate sacrifice of euery one and accepteth the calues of our lippes but especially hee is well pleased with the publike prayers and praises that are performed by many This did Dauid promise to giue vnto GOD because hee had not a greater to promise or to performe Psalme 22 23. In the middest of the congregation I will praise thee True it is God standeth not in neede of our praises neyther gaineth any thing to himselfe thereby which hee had not before For as euery beast of the Forrest is his and the cattle on a thousand mountaines Psal 50 10. so wee can yeelde him nothing but it must first proceede from him and bee giuen vnto vs. Hee is perfect of himselfe and needeth no supply from vs for what can the begger that hath nothing giue to the King that hath all in his power Neuerthelesse hee is delighted in our obedience to his will and well pleased with our performance of that which he requireth We must therefore acknowledge our selues vnworthy of the least of his mercies wee deserue not one bit of bread or one droppe of wateâ— In him wee liue and moue and haue our being The Land of Canaan was giuen to the Israelites of mercy not of merit because hee loued them not because they loued him not thorough their godlinesse and goodnesse but through the wickednesse of the nations The Lord is our righteousnesse Ierem. â—â— â— Ephe. â—â— â— and he hath made vs accepted vnto his Father Wee are of our selues wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked wee are not able so much as to thinke one good thought There is nothing due to vs but shame and confusion yet such is Gods grace goodnes toward vs that where sin hath abounded his mercie hath abounded much more If we aske of him garments to couer our nakednesse he will beside them decke vs with Ornaments and cloath vs with broidred work and attire vs in siluer and gold he will put bracelets on our hands a chaine about our necke a Iewell on our forhead earings in our ears a beautiful crown vpon our heads If wee aske of him bread to eate he wil together with it giue vs wine to comfort the heart and oyle to make vs haue a cheerefull countenance so that wee shall eate fine floure and honie Ezekiel 16 13. He is like vnto Iael that entertained Sisera he asked water and she gaue him milke she broght forth Butter in a Lorldly dish Iudg. 4 19. and 5 25. We
especially to tempt and seduce them These are great motes in Satans eies as marks set vp for him to shoot at because these do most of all seeke the subuersion of his kingdome and the withdrawing of others out of his snares wherein he holdeth them captiue and therefore he hateth them to the death We see he began with Christ and he euermore desireth to hit the fairest marke and to strike downe the highest tree It was a cunning policy of a crafty captaine to command his souldiers to strike at no part of the enemy but at the face and the king of Syria commanded his chiefe commanders to fight neither with small nor great saue only against the king of Israel â— 22.31 Such is the policy of Satan he desireth to winnow and wound the chiefest and choicest of al and he hath oftentimes preuailed as we see in the examples of Noah Lot Dauid Moses Aaron Salomon and many others yea he bendeth his forces and fury so much the more to ouerthrow and ouerturne these because he knoweth that in ouer-mastering them he commonly in their fall giueth the foile to diuers others It is noted that Satan stood at the right hand of Ioshua to resist him Zac. 3.1 So Paul was assaulted aboue his fellows because of his rare and excellent gifts this was the cause why he was so much maligned And Christ telleth his disciples that Satan desired to winnow them â—2 31 them I say aboue others as their calling was aboue others for they were the master-builders and laid the foundation of the Church vpon which others builded Let al those therfore whose place and calling and gifts make theÌ„ euident eminent aboue others take heed to themselues to their carriage and conuersation let them labour to cleaue more closely to God â—5 36 and so to let their light shine before men that they seeing their good works may glorifie their Father which is in heauen These are as chiefe Captaines of the hoste and the ensigne-bearers of the Church to shew the way to others and to go in and out before them in an vnreproueable and vnblameable course and though they draw not all vnto them by their example yet their forwardnesse and feruency their zeale earnestnes shall serue to instruct many others Vse 3 Thirdly seeing these Nazarites must keep themselues from wine and strong drinke as also from eating fresh or dryed grapes so long as the daies of their separation endured or learn hereby that it is our duty to fly from all euill euen all the occasions and allurements of sin whatsoeuer though they be neuer so pleasant to the eye or sweet to the taste inasmuch as we shall find them in the end to be more sharp then vineger more bitter then wormewood more deadly then poison Abner the Captaine of Saul and of his sonne accounted warre as a sport which yong fellowes did make howbeit he confessed the end would prooue bloody 2 Sam. 2.26 when he cryed out Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternesse in the latter end so howsoeuer the foole make a mocke of sinne and it seeme pleasant and profitable at the first yet the end wil be mourning and lamentation This did Zophar teach in the book of Iob Though wickednesse bee sweet in his mouth though hee hide it vnder his tongue yet his meate in his bowels is turned it is the gall of aspes within him c. Hence it is that the Apostle Iames saith Iam. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction and to keepe himselfe vnspotted from the world If we doe this then we shall bee true Nazarites separated from the world and brought neere vnto God then we shall bestow our mindes and meditations vppon him and withdraw our cares and cogitations from the desire of earthly things When God called Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees Gen. 17.1 he required of him to walk before him and to be vpright Such a spirituall Nazarite was Noah God saw him iust in that prophane age when all the earth had corrupted their wayes Gen. 6. Such a Nazarite was Lot in sinfull Sodome 2 Pet. 2.7 when he vexed his righteous soule from day to day beholding the vncleane conuersation of those cursed Sodomites Thus was Noah out of the world while he was in the world thus was Lot out of Sodome even while he was in Sodome and thus should our conuersation be in heauen while we haue our being and dwelling vpon the earth Phil. 3. Such a Nazarite was Nathaniel in whose spirit there was no guile Ioh. 1. for as he is said to be an Israelite indeed so it may be said he was a Nazarite indeed And as these were holy vnto God so must we labour after purity and offer vp our bodies an holy and liuing sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 Euery one that calleth vpon the Name of the Lord must depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 We must labour to be cleere from the workes of darknesse and from the sinnes of worldlings and wicked persons marking what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7 1. Cleanse you selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God For as these Nazarites were not to taste of the iuyce of liquour of the grape so we should not intermeddle with any sinne but shunne and shake off the same much more then we would to be defiled with mire and dirt 2 Cor. 6.17 remember the counsell of the same Apostle What agreement what fellowship is there betweene light darkneâ— therefore come out from among them and separate your selues touch no vnclean thing then shall we be the sonnes and daughters of the Lord Almighty Vse 4 Fourthly consider from hence the false ground that the Papists build vpon to establish the Monkish and Fryarly Orders wherby they build an house vpon the sand which cannot continue For from this ceremony and vow of the Nazarites being a more strict kind of life in the abstinence from sundry pleasures that others lawfully tooke in the moderate vse of the good creatures of God and consequently a profession of greater holinesse by sequestring themselues from the company of men to giue themselues wholly to prayer and meditation Bellar. contro 5. cap. 5. lib 2. de Monachis the Popish doctors goe about to defend the Monks and Friars and that swarme and rabble of Locusts that came out of the bottomelesse pit and to set vp their vnorderly Orders to be a profession of life of greater holinesse and perfection aboue others which the common sort cannot attaine vnto Howbeit if we consider the matter aright compare them together we shall see there is no agreement nor likenesse betweene them This vow was grounded vpon the word of God and warranted from thence the Monkish life is deducted from the puddles of mans inuention These bound themselues
The naturall man knoweth not the things of the spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned So we may say the naturall man cannot tel how or what to pray but the spirituall man that iudgeth al things knoweth both how what to pray Flesh blood reuealed not the knowledge of Christ to Peter Math. â—â— â— but the Father which is in heauen so flesh and blood cannot reueale to vs what we should aske in prayer but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Where wee see hee opposeth the Spirite vnto our selues in that which we cannot do we shall haue the Spirit to bee our teacher and to instruct vs how to perfourme it Secondly it is falsely supposed that when wee haue a praier composed to our hands and we reade that praier that then we need not the helpe of the Spirit For need we not the helpe of the Spirit to make vs lift vp our hearts to God to giue vs a feeling of our wants to keepe vs froÌ„ earthly cogitations wandring thoghts to stirre vp faith in vs with assurance to receiue whatsoeuer we desire and many things of like sort the which if they be wanting whether our praier be conceiued or prescribed read in the booke or made without the booke it is of no vertue or value neither doth God accept thereof Secondly this is a great comfort to such as Vse 2 as are weake and yet withall willing to come to the throne of grace to such I say as haue not the gift to conceiue and inuent praier theÌ„selues Let them from this ground heare a word of consolation Let no man discourage such from prayer neither let such discourage themselues For shall they neuer pray or should they neuer fall downe before the Almighty O yes let them come they ought to come if the mercy of God cannot allure theÌ„ let their owne infirmity constraine them If they cannot conceiue a praier themselues shall this excuse them for the intermitting of this duty Let them come to God and vse the praiers of other men As he that could not come vnto Christ by reason of his impotency did not reason thus within himselfe Alas I am not able to goe to him of my selfe I will therefore neuer seeke helpe or labour to be cured Nay he rather reasoned thus as it appeareth by the meanes he vsed I am not able to goe to Christ of my selfe â— 19. I will therefore be borne of others rather then not seeke helpe at all so should we reason I cannot pray of my selfe I will therefore helpe mine infirmity by vsing the benefit of other mens praiers which is no more then to vse the feete of others when we haue not the vse of our owne And as it was all one to him that was taken with a palsie and brougâ—t in a bed to Christ by the hands and helpe of others to be borne to Christ and to be able of himselfe to come to Christ because hee was cured and made able to walke Luke 5 24.25 So should it be to vs if we come vnto Christ whether we come and beg the graces which we want in our owne words or whether we beg them in the words of others it skilleth not greatly neither is it much materiall so that wee doe obtaine It is not the excellency or eloquence of words or variety of matter that God respecteth â— 13 14. we must come euermore in the Name of Christ and for his sake we shall be heard If the man sicke of the palsie had beene able to walke to Christ and not stood in need to be brought vnto him what other gracious answer could he haue looked for then that which he receiued â—5 Arise and walke So if all persons that liue in the bosome of the Church were well able to put vp their owne supplications in their owne words and had the greatest graces of knowledge and inuention what fruite could we reape and receiue of such our prayers but to be regarded and to haue that comfortable answer which Cornelius had and heard Acts 10 4 31. Thy praiers are heard and had in remembrance in the sight of God As then Dauid did admit Mephibosheth to his table though he were lame of his feete so doth God receiue vs though our seruice wee performe vnto him be weake and many waies defectiue as he did those that came to the Passeouer 2 Chron. 30. Lastly we must learne that albeit God allow Vse 3 vs to pray vnto him by the help of others yet we must striue to goe further and labour in all things to grow to perfection Hebr. 6 1. There is no man that hath any infirmity but doth gladly seeke the meanes to remedy redresse the same the lepers to be cleansed the blinde to recouer their sight the lame to walke the deafe to heare not to be able to pray to God and to lay open our wants to him is a great want and a greater blemish and defect in the soule then to be blinde or deafe or lame is to the body O that all had eyes to see this hearts to bewaile it It is allowed to weake Christians to vse set formes as to him that hath weake eyes to vse spectacles But we must not euermore stand at one stay nor be alwaies as children that must bee taught to goe and be stayed vp with the hand of another It is a great weaknesse to be alwayes weake and to continue in our weaknesse all the daies of our life It is our duty to grow in knowledge in iudgment in vnderstanding in faith and such like gifts If any aske Obiect how shall we be able to attaine to this gift and how shall we be furnished to pray according to the present occasion our owne present necessities I answer Answer wee must obserue these few particulars First we must take notice of our particular sinnes that they may be acknowledged Secondly we must labor to feele our particular wants thaâ— we may haue them supplied Thirdly wee must call to remembrance the speciall benefits that GOD bestoweth vpon vs that hiâ— Name may be praised Againe that we should not please our selues too much in our owne ignorance sundry cautions conditions are to be marked in vsing set formes of prayer Cautions to be marked in vsing set â—ormes of prayer as first of all we musâ— labour for the graces and affections shewed in the said prayers by the makers composers and pen-men of them that we may pray with the same spirit by which they did endite them For to pray aright and to make it auailable it is not enough to be present at prayer or to heare a prayer read but we must ioyne attention with our presence and with our attention humility and with humility faith and with faith lifting vp of our hearts to him that sitteth in heauen to whom we pray For many a one that cometh to the place of praier and into the company of them that pray
sufferings of Christ must purge themselues of their olde leauen that is ought by vnfained and renewed repentance to be purged and washed from their wickednesse and vncleanenesse bring with them a cleere and good conscience an holy resolute purpose to serue the Lord in truth and sincerity in holinesse and righteousnesse The Israelites must haue no leauen in any of their houses and habitations while the Passeouer lasteth whosoeuer kept any was to bee cut off from his people Exodus 12 verses 8 15. and 13 3 7. Leuiticus 23 verse 6. Numbers 28 verse 17. Deuteronomy 16 verse 4. Ioshua 5 verse 11. 2 Chronicles 30 13 21. and 35 17. Ezra 6 verse 22. Ezek. 45 verse 21. Math. 26 verse 17. c. The Apostle expresseth the meaning heereof 1 Corin. 5. ver 7 8. Let vs keepe the feast not with olde leauen neither with the leauen of maliciousnes and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth purge out therefore the olde leauen that ye may be a new lumpe for euen Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. We therefore that professe our selues to be true Christians should at al times but then especially when we celebrate the remembrance of Christs death in the vse of the Sacraments prepare our selues in a most religious and holy manner that so we may come aright to his glory and our comfort When Iacob was appointed by God to offer sacrifice at Bethel he sanctified and prepared all his people Gen. 35 verses 2 3. All that came to the Passeouer were commanded to sanctifie themselues 2 Chron. 35 4. The Priests were commanded to sanctifie themselues and to prepare their brethren verse 6. This consisteth in two things in purging out of the olde leauen of sinne and in being a new lumpe endued with the gifts of sanctification that is to leaue off to do euill and to learne to do good And we must in doing good things prooue our selues in these few particulars what our knowledge faith repentance and charity is Knowledge is the ground and foundation of all the rest and therefore it is required of all to vnderstand the grounds and principles of our Christian Religion especially we must be acquainted with the doctrine of this Sacrament both with the signification of the signes and the graces sealed vp by them Faith also we must haue in vs which is in truth the first sauing grace it is the hand which we stretch out to touch Christ in whom all fulnes dwelleth of whose fulnesse we all receiue Col. 1 19 and grace for grace Iohn 1 16. without whom we can do nothing that is good Iohn 15 5. and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Hebrewes 11 6. This is the roote the fountaine the mother of all graces they are as the branches the streames the daughters of faith Hereby we apprehend Gods infinite loue and mercy in Christ Iesus and are perswaded that all our sinnes are pardoned and that Christ together with all his benefits is receiued Repentance which is a consequent of faith is a changing of the minde an earnest loathing of that which is euill and an earnest louing of that which is good We must learne to hate our particular sinnes we must mourne and lament in our inward bowels for them and we must iudge our selues lest the Lord enter into iudgement with vs and so we prouoke his wrath against vs and those that belong vnto vs and stirre him vp to bring greeuous plagues and fearefull iudgements against vs 1 Cor. 11 28 31. Wherefore nothing ought to bring greater greefe to vs then this to consider that we haue so heinously offended the Maiesty of God and as our sins pierced him so let vs pierce our owne hearts with this speare of repentance that we haue so wickedly mispent our time abused his benefits contemned his patience abused our creation calling redemption baptisme soule body word Sabbaths yea all the gifts and graces of God that we haue in deed and in truth ioyned and euen conspired with Herod Pilate Annas Caiphas Pharisies Souldiers passengers Iudas the rest of the Iewes in crucifying the Lord of life If any aske how can these things be The Prophet telleth vs He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities Esay 53 verse 5. The chasticement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed so that we must acknowledge that our iniquities were the nailes that pierced him and our transgressions the speare that wounded him We must labour to feele the greatnesse and horrour of our sinnes withall striue to fashion our selues after the image and likenesse of God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our liues Let vs prepare our hearts and bodies to be his Temple to dwell in and not make them as sinkes for Satan and all foule spirits Thankfulnesse is the next duty that is required that we may be able to say vnfainedly with the Prophet Dauid considering how great things the Lord hath done for vs Psalme 116 verses 12 13. What shall I render vnto the LORD for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And vndoubtedly if they be no better then theeues robbers which receiue their corporall food and neuer lift vp their eyes to heauen which cannot be sanctified vnto them but by the word and prayer â—â—m 4 4.5 if such I say be vsurpers that take the creatures of God without thankesgiuing how much rather ought we to giue thanks to God for this heauenly food the nourishment of our soules The Israelites in remembrance of their Egyptian deliuerance were commanded to continue the Passeouer for euer 〈◊〉 12.24 should not we then much rather keepe our Christian Passeouer for our spirituall deliuerance from our spirituall bondage of spirituall enemies and say with the Prophet in a sweet feeling mediâ—ation of these mercies Blesse the Lord O my soule 〈◊〉 103.1 c. The last duty is charity toward our brethren the former cannot be truely in vs without this 〈◊〉 13.35 By this shall all men know that we are his disciples if we loue one another The effects and fruits of it are described It suffereth long â—or 13.4 it enuyeth not it is bountifull c. It is required in so strict a manner that if our gift be ready in our hands to offer vnto God yet if wee be at ods with our brother â—â—â—h 5.24 we must set it by vntill we be reconciled God is loue 1 Ioh. 4.16 Satan is nothing but malice and enuy If we come in loue we come to Gods Table if we come in hatred we come to the diuels wee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord 〈◊〉 10.21 and the cup of diuels we cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the Table of diuels Let vs not therefore deceiue our selues in thinking perswading our selues we
then they be the children of God that mourn because they cannot meete with the rest of their brethren in the Temple and at the Table of the Lord certainely they must be the children of the diuell that mourne and lament because they are at them and such as do willingly and wilfully contemptuously and presumptuously absent themselues from them It is noted of Christ our Sauiour that he earnestly desired or as it is in the Originall by doubling the word with a desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 22.15 I haue desired to eate this Passeouer with you before I suffer whereby he sheweth his feruent affection to ioyne with them in this duty So should it be with vs when one Sabboth is ended we should long for the next when one Communion is done we should be ready to enquire after another when one Sermon is ended we should prepare for another and account no day in the week so gracious so welcome so comfortable vnto vs as the Lords day then let vs cheere vp our spirits and refresh our soules with such prouision as God hath appointed for vs. Secondly it is a great iudgement of God Vse 2 vpon men howsoeuer they account of it and whatsoeuer they esteeme of it when they are giuen ouer to their owne waies and regard not at all the waies of God Nay it is an euident token of Gods heauy iudgement to be depriued of the Word and Sacraments of the exercises of religion and of the meetings of the godly as Psal 74 1. the church crieth out O God why hast thou cast vs off for euer Psal 74.1 Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheepe of thy pasture We all confesse that dearth and famine is a greeuous plague howbeit commonly we know no other then the famine of the body when the tongue cleaueth to the roofe of the mouth for thirst and when the children say to their mothers Where is corne wine but God threatneth a greater iudgement then the famishment of the body to wit Lament 2.12 the pining and consuming away of the soule Amos 8.11 through the famine of the word It is accounted a great reproch for a subiect to be denyed the presence and protection of his Prince and the freedom of his countrey but these banish themselues from the presence of God We shold be al voluntary Communicants but many are voluntary excommunicants they exclude theÌ„selues from the Church and execute the censures of the Church vpon themselues The Church complaineth as we heard before that the Lord cast them off but these cast off themselues froÌ„ the Church from God from his ordinances It is an euident signe of most strange prophanenesse and deadnes of heart when men haue no delight no feeling no comfort no sweetnesse in the exercises of religion when they cannot feed heartily of the fatlings and drinke greedily of the wines that are prepared by God foâ— his family the most delicat delightfull souls food that can be in the world to wit the hearing of the word and the receiuing of the SacrameÌ„ts of which more afterward Chap. 11. Gen. 25. â—4 Heb 12 1â— Esau is a pattern of this prophanenesse who esteemed of these precious things more vilely then of a messe of meat of the good of his soule then of the filling of his belly of future happinesse then of a present and momentany pleasure Many such Esaus we haue in our dayes as wretched and prophane as he Lastly it ought to be the first and chiefest Vse 3 thing in all our wishes and desires we shold carefully expresse it in our loue and zeale to haue the pleasure and profit of Gods house in greatest account for our good for euer This made the Prophet say Psal 26.8 and 27.4 and 84.10 O Lord I haue loued the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth I haue desired this one thing aboue all other that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life one day in thy courts is better then a thousand elswhere O what will be their portion in this life and what will be their punishment in the life to come who haue banished these desires out of their hearts and renounced them in their practise accounting the time tedious and the day lost that is spent this way O that such could consider betimes the feareful end and fall that waiteth for them so long as they grow more and more weary of the heauenly Manna that would fall vpon their souls as a gracious raine vpon the tender herbe And as for vs that thorough the goodnesse of God liue vnder the Ministery of the word and haue the Sacraments rightly ministred vnto vs let vs know confesse that it is our duty to reÌ„der al praise thaÌ„ksgiuing vnto God to labour to walke worthy of our calling to expresse the power of them in our conuersations to pray vnto him earnestly for the continuance of them among vs and our posterities lest thorough our great vnthankefulnesse and the abuse of them they be taken from vs giuen vnto another people that will bring forth the fruits thereof Verse 8. And Moses said vnto them Stand still c. In these words we haue Moses his consultation with God for heere seemed to be a kind of coÌ„trary or Antinomy that is one law against another The vncleane might not come to the sacrifice and besides it was an heinous offence to omit this exercise of their faith and profession of their religion no lesse then excommunication As for the touching of a dead body or burying of the dead it is a duty of charity of humanity and of necessity should a work of such due respect and importance that might not be auoided debar them from the Passeouer These therefore seemed to be in a distresse on both sides and knew not which way to turne themselues in this maze they might not come and yet they might not well abstaine they must bury the dead and yet the buriall of the dead did exclude them What shall they do between these two rocks that threaten shipwracke if they do not bury the dead they shew want of charity if they doe they barre themselues from a duty of piety and could not partake of the Passeouer vntill the next yeere Moses confesseth himselfe in this case after a sort intangled knew not what to resolue therefore for his and their satisfaction he resolueth to referre the matter wholly to God forasmuch as he had no authoritie to institute for them a new Passeouer Doctrine This teacheth vs in all matters of doubt to aske counsell at the mouth of God In alâ— doâ—â—â— we must asâ—â— counsell of God But how may this be for we cannot ascend vp to heauen to speake vnto him I answer he speaketh vnto vs at this day and that two wayes 2 King 1 1â— and 19.1 2. and 22.11 Maâ—th 2.4 Act. 15.2 2 Chron. 3
in the new Moone in the time appointed on our solemne feast day for this was a statute for Israel and a law of the God of Iacob As then the Iewes on the feasts appointed of God did set forth his praises with singing and instruments of musicke of all sorts the Trumpet Psal 150 3 4. the Psaltery the Harpe the Organs the Timbrell the Cymbals so ought the faithfull vpon the Lords day and at all other times set foorth the spirituall praises of God with heart and voice And this was the moneth wherein many feasts met together after the time they had gathered in the fruites of the earth and receiued many blessings at the hand of God that so they might in their publike meetings praise God for them and pray vnto him to giue them grace to vse them soberly and moderately to the glory of his Name to the comfort of themselues and to the refreshing of their poore and needy brethren Thus we see there is a twofold Trumpet or rather a twofold sound of the trumpet one is a terrifying sound which may be called the Trumpet of the Law proclaiming the wrath of God both against sinnes sinners of which we reade Zeph. 1 verses 14 15 16. The great day of the Lord is neere it is neere and hasteth greatly euen the voice of the day of the lord that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble distres a day of wastnes desolation a day of darknes gloomines a day of the Trumpet and alarm gainst the fenced Cities c. The other is a comforting sound which is the Trumpet of the Gospell whereby troubled and distressed consciences are lifted vp and called to reioycing of which the Prophet Esay speaketh chapter 27 13. It shall come to passe in that daie that the great Trumpet shall be blowne and they shall come which were ready to perish in the Land of Assyria and the outcasts in the Land of Egypt and shall worship the LORD in the holy Mount at Ierusalem So then it is our duty to blow this Trumpet of peace to testifie our ioy and gladnesse when God bestoweth any benefits vpon vs Psalm 33 and 118 1 2 and 47 5 6 and 48 1. 1 Chron. 15 28. 2 Chron. 5 12 13. and 15 14. Vse 4 Fourthly these Trumpets as we haue already noted serued for diuers vses according to the diuers and diffrent sounds that at the hearing of the noise of them the people might by and by vnderstand what it meant and themselues must do This teacheth vs and we are put in minde of it by the Apostle that as in the host euery blast was vnderstood so in the Church euery voice should be vnderstood and all things should be done to edifying that they might vnderstand the wordes of the Preacher what he speaketh vnto them as 1 Corinth 14 7 8. Euen the things without life giuing sound whether Pipe or Harp except they giue a distinction of the sounds how shall it be knowne what is piped or harped For if the Trumpet giue an vncertaine signe or sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell So likewise you except ye vtter by the tongue words easie to be vnderstood how shall it be knowne what is spoken for ye shall speake into the aire that is vainely or idlely to no end and purpose There is no edification in an vnknowne tongue he that vnderstandeth it giueth thankes well but the other is not edified Paul himselfe saith of himselfe Verse 17. he had rather speake fiue words to be vnderstood then ten thousands in an vnknowne tongue that by his voice he might teach others verse 19. Yet he giueth thankes to God that he spake with tongues more theÌ„ they all to whom he wrote verse 18. Besides how shall the people answer Amen at the giuing of thankes seeing they vnderstand not what is spoken verse 16. Againe he sheweth that there are many kind of voices in the world and none of them are without signification therefore if we know not the meaning of the voice we shall bee vnto him that speaketh Barbarians and he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian vnto vs verse 10 11. Euery one must seeke to excell as he may most edifie the Church vers 12. Rom. 14 19. Moreouer he saith If I conceiue publike prayers in the congregation in a tongue not vnderstood the Spirit moueth and inspireth me well neuerthelesse the meaning substance of my praier bringeth no fruite or profit to the Church or to them that heare me because they may well gaze and gape vpon such a one or haply admire him be astonished at him but they may depart as wise as they were before inasmuch as they receiue no benefit by such praiers v. 14. Hence it is that he saith he would pray with the Spirit and would pray with the vnderstanding also he would sing with the Spirit he would sing with the vnderstanding also v. 15. Strange tongues are not a benefit to the people that heare them without vnderstanding but a iudgement and punishment v. 21 and therefore such should keepe silence if there be no Interpreter v. 28. To conclude all publike exercises of our religion praying reading preaching singing and receiuing of the Sacraments must bee vsed in a knowne tongue This serueth to lay open the grossenesse of the Romane religion which haue the Scriptures in an vnknowne tongue which sometimes the speaker himselfe doeth not vnderstand but neuer the people to whom he speaketh A most vncomfortable religion that leadeth men in the darke and standeth in this other chiefe parts of it meerely vpon policy If you blindfold a man you may do with him what you list so the Romanists deale that their iugling may not be espied and their spirituall or rather carnall couzenage not discerned The Lord more and more open the eies of the people that they may see this which is so palpable that many of their owne side haue wished the disorder to be amended â—â—â—ot in 1. 〈◊〉 14. Lyra saith If the people vnderstand the praier or the blessing they are better brought to God and doe more deuoutly answer Amen To him consenteth Caietan who gathereth out of this doctrine of the Apostle â—â—â—ment in 1. 〈◊〉 14. that it is bettâ—r for the edifying of the Church that publike praiers in the hearing of the people should be said in a tongue common to theÌ„ all And for our selues let vs acknowledge Gods mercy that hath deliuered vs from that misery and bondage restored vnto vs his truth which lay and yet lieth buried in the papacy Let vs walke worthy of the light of the Gospel that is brought home vnto vs and bring foorth the fruites of it to his glory But if we refuse to heare the Lord speaking vnto vs by his seruants and to obey them speaking vnto vs in a tongue well knowne vnto vs the wonderfull thinges of God let vs take heed he do not send
God also be ashamed of them Prou. 22 2. The rich and poore meet together saith Salomon the Lord is the maker of them all And againe Who so mocketh the poore Prou. 17.5 reprocheth his maker and he that is glad at calamity shall not be vnpunished It is a fearefull sinne for any to presume to mocke his Creator and euery one would be ashamed to be so accounted howbeit they cannot auoide it but are iustly taxed with this crime Little doe these consider the vncertainty of all humane things how one is exalted another cast down suddenly that God often chuseth such as the world reiecteth and on the other side they are an abomination vnto him who are highly esteemed in the eyes of men Iam. 2.5 1 Cor. 1.26 Mat. 11.5 Thirdly they are reproued that repine at the good estate of others whereas we should be ready to communicate vnto them and not thinke they haue too much already Such were the labourâ—rs that wrought in the Vineyard who had no lesse then was their bargaine yet they thought others had too much Matth. 20.12 13 14 15. Lastly it reprooueth such as doe wrong and iniury to those that haue little and small meanes to withstand violence so that they lie open to iniuries and oppressions and therefore Salomon saith Rob not the poore Prou. 22.22 because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will defend their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoile them True charity seeketh not her owne but the good of others Secondly it is our duty to releeue and refresh Vse 2 with our goods the poore estate of our needy brethren The example of the pitiful Samaritane leadeth to the practise of this point For when he saw the poore traueller lie robbed and wounded in the way by mercilesse and bloody theeues Luke 10.33 he bound vp his wound he powred wine and oyle into them and gaue direction to haue him looked vnto and wel prouided for though they were strangers the one to the other The Priest and Leuite passe by him and regarded him not in his misery and necessity as if they had not seen him The Lord hath made vs stewards of the things of this life we must giue an account of the vse and imployment of them Whatsoeuer goods we haue are the Lords to whom the earth and the whole furniture of it belongeth and he hath bestowed them vpon vs on this condition that we should despense them to those that haue need and distribute them to such as are in want Hinderances of liberality To this as we haue many hinderances so wee haue also sundry encouragements which ought to weigh downe the former One cause pulling vs backe from the practise of liberality is a false opinion that we conceiue and weake ground that we build vpon namely that the goods which we haue whether left by inheritance or otherwise purchased are wholly and solely our owne left to our own wil. For we must all confesse that we haue our masters goods in our hands We are Stewards and must giue vp our accounts Luke 16 2. The first Christians professing the same communion of Saints thought nothing they had to be their owne but these will not let goe their hold perswading themselues that all is their owne Othâ—â—â— are hindred by a vaine needlesse feare that themselues shall want or at leastwise may want before they die This conceit proceedeth from distrust and sauoureth ranckly of infidelity For if they did beleeue the Scriptures or durst relie themselues vpon the sure word and gracious promise of God they would finde that liberality is the way to abound not a meanes to bring any to want as Prou. 19 17. and 28 27. Psal 37 25. No man feareth to lend a rich man that standeth vpon his word but he which hath pitty vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and that which he hath giuen shall he pay to him againe God becometh surety for the poore who neuer falsified his word to any that which they cannot he both can and will pay let vs not feare to lose by our liberality so long as he is become our paymaster A third sort are hindred by an idle and friuolous pretence that they haue families and charges of their owne they haue wife and children to prouide for Had not thinke you the first Christians so likewise Might not they haue as faire excuses to hinder them as these Yet they shrunke not vnder the burden though it lay heauy vpon their shoulders but they sold that which they had Acts 4. and 5. and made it common so farre as the necessity of the Church required it Others will replie say Alasse I am poore my selfe and haue but a little and therefore can giue no releefe or refreshing to others Let such consider the poore widowes mite Luke 21 4. Was not she poore had she not a meane estate God accepteth a willing minde where there is not a wealthy man 2 Cor. 8. All that do not receiue should giue euen all â—hat are not in need Eph. 4 28. as the labouring man that getteth his liuing with his labour the seruant that taketh wages who hath none to prouide for but for himselfe and the poore These are oftentimes very liberall nothing sparing of their masters goods but will giue nothing of their owne This is rather stealing then giuing and deserueth the title of robbery then of charity or liberality Lastly others alledge that the poore are oftentimes lewd wicked idle and vnthankfull True it is none are to be maintained in an idle course of life punish them for their idlenesse but releeue them in their needinesse If they be loose and lewd this may be a meanes to make them much better and more thankfull for thereby we shall heape coales of fire vpon their head The Apostle after a sharpe reproofe of idle persons 2 Th. 3 13 saith Bee not weary of well-doing And though it fall out that the tongues of the poore curse vs yet their loines shall blesse vs Iob 31 20. and their owne hearts consciences shall conuince them And hence it is that the wise man commandeth vs Eccl. 10 1 to cast our bread vpon the waters because though it seeme vtterly lost as if we should plow the barren sands yet after many dayes we shall finde it These are the chiefe discouragements which as stones of offence lie in our way to stoppe the course of liberality On the other side Encouragâ—ments to â—â—rality we haue many good encouragements to helpe vs forward to this duty First it hath a promise of great blessing annexed vnto it made by him from whom all blessing commeth as we noted before He will not suffer so much as a cup of cold water to goe vnrewarded Math. 10 42. Againe how highly Christ accepteth of it appeareth heereby that he accounteth of it as done vnto himselfe Mat. 25 40.
off the Pope but they haue tasted the leauen of superstition and sauour strongly of Popish reliques and remnants that remaine in them these will tell vs of the former times of olde how good they were and what plenty they had then of all things when they had the olde religion but since this new learning came vp we haue had dearths and famines and penury of all things These are like the Iewes Ier. 44 18. since we left off to burnt incense to the hoste of heauen and to powre out drinke offerings vnto the same we haue wanted all things and haue been consumed by the sword and by the famine Ezek. 16.17 18 19. Hos 2.8 but when we burne incense to the hoste of heauen we had plenty of vitailes and were well and saw no euill Besides I could answer them that their pratling of plenty is a tale of idle brains for neuer were their harder times then in the times of superstition In Q Maries dayâ—s they made bread of acornes as some liuing can remember and neuer were Gods blessings more plentifull theÌ„ in the daies oâ— the Gospel But be it al were true which they tel vs it is a fals rule to measure true religion by the belly Thus doe carnall men sauour nothing but carnall things and preferre their flesh pots before Manna Let vs therefore hearken to the counsell of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.10 Phil. 2.14 Against such Salomon speaketh Eccle. 7.12 Say not thou What is the cause that the former dayes were better then these for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this Vse 2 Secondly it is our duty to beware of vnthankfulnesse which is the mother of all murmuring For as the Apostle biddeth vs to take heed there be not in any of vs an vnbeleeuing heart to depart away from the liuing God so we must beware of an vnthankefull heart to depart from him which is a capitall offence and a mother sinne Vnthankefulnesse a mother sinne Iob 34.18 19. And that wee may see what an vgly and mishapen monster of many heads it is let vs consider what deformed daughters it bringeth forth into the world verifying the common prouerbe Like mother like daughter Ezek. 16.44 First it maketh vs to preferre base I may say beastly things before better and to lift vp the earth aboue the heauen Secondly it bringeth hardnesse of heart and maketh vs without feeling of good things Thirdly it stoppeth the course of Gods blessings after a sort dryeth vp his hand that he cannot stretch it out to doe vs good For who will bestow any thing vpon an vnthankefull person Fourthly it maketh vs like vntamed heifers the more we haue the more we spurne and kicke against God like the pampered horse Deut. 32.15 that lifteth vp his heel against him that feedeth him to the ful Fiftly it is a theefe which taketh away all that wee haue and euen robbeth and bereaueth as of such blessings as once we enioyed or as a violent fire that wasteth and consumeth whatsoeuer we had gathered together For as thankefulnesse to God vnlocketh Gods treasury and maketh way and passage for vs to obtaine more so vnthankefulnesse shutteth the dore that leadeth to the storehouse of his blessings nay it fretteth away like a canker whatsoeuer we haue receiued already Sixtly it bringeth downe Gods iudgements as it did vpon the Israelites sometimes fire sometimes plagues sometimes serpents and sometimes one iudgement and sometimes another vntill they were all consumed none of them escaped vnpunished For as Salomon speaketh Prou. 17.13 who so rewardeth euill for good euill shall not depart from his house Shall we sinfull wretches so reward the Lord that hath done vs good to do him euill Seuenthly it blindeth our sight and pulleth out our eyes that we cannot discerne our owne estate nor consider aright what we haue it maketh vs turne the blessings of God behind vs and to set the least crosses before vs it maketh vs enuy at the condition of others that they haue greater honours riches and liuings then wee haue Lastly it exasperateth men very much to see themselues to be euilly rewarded and smally regarded at their hands to whom they haue done good as we see 1 Sam. 25.10 and 2 Sam. 10.6.7 how much more then doth it prouoke the most High and how carefull ought we to be to beware of so foule an euill Lastly if we would auoide and preuent this Vse 3 sinne of murmuring to which we are so prone we must learne to be thankefull to God for all good things and continually call to mind that they come from no other but from him Ier. 5.24 Iam. 1.17 For as vnthankefulnesse is a kind of idolatry refusing to giue honour to whom it is due so thankefulnesse testifieth our loue feare faith hope in God of whom we receiue all things This duty hath many branches For such as are thankefull must acknowledge in their hearts and confesse with their mouthes the goodnesse of God toward them so did the good Samaritan healed of the leprosie Luke chapter 17. verse 18. so doth Dauid Psal 66.16 Secondly they must be patient and well pleased with the will of God though thereby our owne willes bee crossed and curbed We must in silence and subiection to his holy and heauenly pleasure yeeld vp our selues and our whole life to bee ordered by him Psal 4.4 and 29.9 and 37.7 Esay 30.15 and giue the praise to him for them Iob 1.21 because euen in iudgement he remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 in all our crosses he sheweth his loue vnto vs and dealeth better with vs then we deserue who might iustly cast vs into hell fire and yet doe vs no wrong nor giue vs iust occasion to complaine against him Thirdly we must be content with our places callings and estates auoiding couetousnesse and ambition Phil. 4.11 Heb. 13.5 Fourthly we must set our hearts constantly to obey God in pouerty penury in afflictions and in all aduersities Phil. 4.12 Heb. 10.34 Fiftly we must be ready to distribute communicate the good blessings which wee haue receiued vnto others knowing of whom and to what end we haue receiued them When the fountaines of Gods mercies flow to vs let our fountaine be dispersed abroad and riuers of waters in the streets Prou. 5.16 When the cloudes haue dropped downe raine and watered our land let vs breake our bread to the hungry and couer them that are naked We can neuer be truely thankfull vnto God if we be not carefull to do good to his seruants for his sake Lastly we must shew our selues thankefull by yeelding obedience to God by labouring to please him in all things This is a reall thankefulnes and this the Lord looketh for at our hands this is the consummation and perfection of the former and without it all the rest are of none effect Verse 2 3. And the people cryed vnto Moses c. the fire of the Lord burnt among them c.
and tempest while they are secure and thinke nothing of their end while they eate drinke and are drunken and giuen to vnlawfull pleasures the iudgement of God shall be as a swift messenger or a sodaine winde that shall blow them away as chaffe For though God in patience beare with them and put off his iudgements for a season yet when they do come they shall come swiftly and sodainely Indeed it often maketh the best of Gods children to stumble to see the prosperitie of the wicked and greeue much to see men lying in their sinnes as swine in the mire or dogges in their vomit to grow great and continue long without any crosse or affliction but let them waite but awhile and sodainly they shall see the iudgements of God to ouertake them in their greatest ruffe and riot into which they breake Let no man therefore enuy them their honour and glory their riches and prosperity for they all shall bee turned into curses and iudgements Who would repine at it to see a theefe carried along thorough faire fields and greene meddowes in a rich coach to the gallowes or place of execution There is cause rather to bee greeued at it and to pittie him then to enuy him so likewise why should we enuy at the prosperity of the wicked considering it is the highway that leadeth to death and the verie occasion of their ruine they staÌ„d in danger euery houre to be ouertaken with the iudgements of God which come sodainely that they shall haue no time to make their peace or to reconcilde themselues by true Repentance Psal 37.35 36. We haue cause therfore to mourne for them and not to murmure at them Thirdly from hence ariseth comfort to the faithfull What though on the one side the Vse 3 wicked prosper encrease in riches though their eies stand out for fatnesse and cruelty compasseth them as a garment and they haue more then heart can wish And what though on the other side the godly are afflicted and in trouble though they be in want and oppressed though they be in misery and suffer many wrongs Psal 73.13 yet we must not be discouraged nor say We haue clensed our hearts in vaine and in vaine wee haue washed our hands in innocency forasmuch as they are brought into desolation as in a moment they are vtterly consumed with terrors as a dreame when one awaketh Verse 19 20. Let vs therefore bee of good comfort and not shrinke away they are like the grasse or flower of the field which groweth and flourisheth to day and to morrow withereth and is cast into the Ouen or rathey they are much more brittle and subiect to a speedier change Let vs commit our wayes vnto the Lord and trust in him let vs giue all diligence to walke in his waies which are sanctified and holy waies that we may not be reputed among the wicked and so partake with them in the sodainnesse of their downfall Let vs waite patiently vpon him for yet a very litle while and the wicked shall not appeare thou shalt looke after his place and yet shalt not finde him sodaine destruction shall seize vpon him as a sergeant and he shall be caried away as with a strong whirlewinde in a tempestuous and stormy day Vse 4 Fourthly it is our duty to watch and attend with all care for the time of iudgement The day of the Lord or the time of iudgment is twofold generall and particular Generall when Christ shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead in the end of the world when the pillars of the earth and the whole frame of heauen shal be dissolued Particular at the day of our death when euery particular soule must appear before the barre and giue an account what iâ— hath done Great will be our misery if God come find vs carelesse and secure If a man knew at what houre the theefe would come doubtlesse hee would watch and not suffer his house to bee broken through Marke 13 35 36. And this is the cause wherefore it pleased God to conceale from vs as well the day of iudgement as the day of our death hee would not haue vs know either the one or the other to wit wheÌ„ he will come or when we shall dye to the end we should alwayes watch and pray and be in readinesse hauing our loines girt and oyle in our lampes Nothing is more certain then that he will come Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied of it before the flood that the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints Iude verse 14. howbeit nothing is more vncertaine then when he will come for the Angels in heauen and the Sonne himselfe as hee is man know it not but the Father onely Mat. 24 36. Mar. 13 32. So nothing is more certain then our death and dissolution and nothing more vncertaine then the time thereof that we should learn to looke for him euery day nay euery houre nay euery minute It is well obserued by Austine that the Lord would haue vs to know the time of his first comming Aug Epist ad Hesych because the knowledge thereof is profitable and necessary and therefore doth the Lord reprooue the Iewes that they could iudge the face of the sky but they knew not the day of their visitation because he that is ignorant of the first comming can neuer prepare himselfe for his second coÌ„ming Zâ—â—ch de fâ—â— seculi But the day and time of his second coÌ„ming is hidden from vs because it is not expedient for vs to know the same lest we shold say with the euill seruant My master doth defer his comming and so fall to beate our fellow-seruants Luke 12 45. We must be wise-hearted and looke for him euery day and not foolishly promise to our selues a long time of his tarrying lest we deceiue our selues and begin to eate and drinke and to be drunken whereas the Lord of that seruant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him Mat. 24.50 5â— and in an houre that he is not aware of and shal cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And if wee may not say our master doth delay his comming as euil seruants then we may not say 2 Peter 3 4. where is the promise of his comming as prophane scoffers and mockers do that walke after their owne lusts But bee it that the generall comming of Christ were farre off yet his particular comming to euery one of vs cannot be farre off but is nere at hand we know not whose turne shal be the next woe vnto vs if we be taken vnprouided So then we see that God hath concealed his comming both generall and particular not to our hurt but for our good Lastly this serueth to admonish all men Vse 5 that seeing the iudgements of God shal come sodainely and that sodaine death and sodaine
is highly to be praised and his goodnesse to bee acknowledged toward vs whiles others are hardned in their sinne and freedom from punishment emboldneth them to their destruction 13 And Moses cryed vnto the Lord saying Heale her now O Lord I beseech thee 14 And the Lord said vnto Moses If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seuen dayes let her be shut out of the campe seuen dayes and after that let her be receiued in againe In these words we haue the prayer of Moses and the answere of God when we cry God heareth Where we see it is our duty to pray one for another to commend the causes of others vnto God When we see them in misery and affliction we must be intercessors for them We must doe it for our enemies and them that hate vs and haue done vs wrong So it was with Moses in this place Againe it appeareth hereby that the rebukes of parents are not lightly and slightly to be regarded of children when they threaten or shew an angry looke or a frowing countenance it should worke shame and sorrow in them 2 Sam. 14.24 Great is the authority of parents ouer their children and great should be the reuerence of children toward their parents of which we shall speake more chap. 30. They are ouer their children in the Lord and must gouerne them in his feare Neuerthelesse the authority of God is much more ouer vs then ours is ouer our children therfore his chastisements ought to goe neerer to vs and more to humble vs then the threatnings and chastisements of earthly parents Heb. 12.9 10. We haue had the fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence shall we not be much rather in subiection vnto the Father of spirits and liue for they verely for a few daies chastened vs after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might bee partakers of his holinesse The power of parents is a limited power for they must rule in the Lord and the obedience of children is a limited obedience for they must obey in the Lord Eph. 6.1 but the power of God is absolute ouer his children and our obedience to him must be in all things Besides we may gather that God heareth the prayers of his seruants diuers wayes sometimes hee granteth whatsoeuer we aske sometimes he giueth more then we aske sometimes he heareth in part that which we desire and in part heareth not part the granteth and part he denyeth and sometimes he giueth not the same which wee aske but some other blessing like it or greater then it and sometimes he granteth our petitions when he asisteth vs comforteth vs and giueth vs patience to beare that he layeth vpon vs of al which we haue sundry examples in the word of God And howsoeuer it pleaseth him to deale with vs and whether soeuer of these wayes he heareth our prayers wee must submit our willes to his will and rest our selues contented with that he sendeth Moreouer greeuous sinners and open and grosse offenders should bee shut out of the Church wherof we haue at large spoken before chapter 5. where we haue handled the whole doctrine in a maner of excommunication but when they be penitent are throughly humbled for their sins they must be admitted into the Congregation againe and receiued into the bosome of the Church to be partakers of the priuiledges thereof Howbeit through the corruption of Church officers and the abuse of the censurers of the Church â—e abuses of â—â—communiâ—â—â—ion some are cast out that ought to be kept in and nourished as obedient children of the Church Thus it befell to the blinde man he gaue glory to God being made to see but he was cast out of the Synagogue by the Pharisies Iohn 9 34 35. Hee was a worthy member of the church hee beleeued in Christ and worshipped him It is a comfort to all such as are thus intreated Againe others are kept in the church and fostered in it who iustly deserue to bee throwne out by the power of the keyes and to haue the spiritual sword drawn out against them so it was with the incestuous Corinthian that married his fathers wife 1 Cor. 5 1. hee deserued iustly to bee put away from among them yet they suffered this sword to rest in the sheath and purged not out that old leauen but suffered him to remaine among them 1 Cor. 5 1 7 13. Such remissenesse and negligence was found in the churches of Pergamus and Thyatira Reu. 2.14 15.20 Others that are iustly banished out of the Church for some notorious crime committed against God and offence giuen to the Church are notwithstanding vniustly kept out after their repentance and humiliation so it was with the penitent Corinthian he was much humbled for his sinne and offence 〈◊〉 taketh 〈◊〉 for reâ—ing the â—mmuni◠〈…〉 into the â—ch aswel 〈◊〉 putâ—ing 〈◊〉 out of â—hurch yet the Church was not so careful to receiue him in as a member againe as they ought to haue bene but as before they kept him in when he should haue bin reiected so now they kept him out when he should haue bene receiued 2 Cor. 2.7.8 9.10.11 And if any be thus dealt withall as many haue bene in former times let vs consider that our cause is not strange and singular it is no other then hath befaln sundry the deere children of God before vs. Let her be shut out of the Campe seuen dayes c. Notwithstanding the former prayer of Moses Miriam must be put out from among them Moses though he were much wronged yet neuer complained to God against his brother sister nor against their wrongs yet God will not pardon but punisheth for those wrongs For albeit he did passe ouer those iniuries yet God will not passe them ouer and though he did not cry to God yet their sinne did cry and God heard that crie The Doctrine is this that though Gods children pray not against their enemies that wrong them and oppresse them â—â—â—â—rine 〈◊〉 Gods 〈◊〉 put 〈…〉 yet their wrongs cry out aloud and God heareth and punisheth the doers of wrong The faithfull are of a patient nature and holde their peace when they are laden with cart-loades of iniuries and reproches neuerthelesse God will not hold his peace they are meeke as Moses was and put them vp but God will not put them vp nor suffer them to go vnpunished When Abel was slaine by the treachery of his brother he could not cry out but after his death his bloode cried out for vengeance Gen. 4 10. Heb. 11 4. and 12.24 Hab. 2 10.11 Iames 4.5 So did Naboths bloode cry for vengeaâ—â—â— when he was dead and that cry was heard And no maruell For it is the office of God to execute vengeance hee is the Lord the auenger Reason 1 that will not hold the wicked innocent nor cleere the guilty Exod. 34 7. Hee hath said Vengeance is
they may be bold and confident in dangers Psal 23 4. No enemy shall hurt them no danger shall ouerthrow them The enemies may oppresse them for a time but God is not farre off if he be on our side who shall be against vs Vse 2 Secondly woe be vnto all the enemies of God they cannot stand nor prosper which serueth to terrifie all euill dooers They are as out-lawes or rebels that liue no longer vnder the protection of law or Magistrate so are the vngodly proscribed of God and lye open to iudgement They are as souldiers without weapons they haue neither shield nor buckler nor brest-plate nor helmet nor sword their loynes are vngirt their feet are vnshod their heads are vncouered in the day of battell they lie open as naked men to be wounded and destroied They haue nothing to defend them or to doe them good all creatures are against them nay the Creator himselfe Vse 3 Lastly it is the duty of the faithfull to look to their waies seeing the Lord is with them and dwelleth among them He is a God of pure eies he seeth vs and all our waies let vs therefore carry our selues vnspotted of the world and labour to be holy as he is holy Leuit. 11 44. and 19.1 and 20 7. lest we giue him iust cause to leaue vs. If we haue any friend come vnto vs we are willing to giue him the best entertainment we can we are loth to depart from him we are willing to content him how much more ought wee to receiue the Lord for we may expect more of him and bee assured of defence protection from him greeue him not therefore nor his Spirit by our sinnes So long as they are fostered in vs he cannot be welcome vnto vs neither shall we be welcome vnto him They will driue him away make him depart from vs. Our bodies should be the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6 19. and therefore we must remember that as we are not our owne but bought with a price so we ought to glorifie God in our body and in our spirit which are Gods 10. But all the Congregation bade stone them with stones and the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before all the children of Israel These rebels had raged against God no maruaile therefore if they raged against his seruants who notwithstanding had not vsed any rigour or force against them onely they perswaded theÌ„ to trust in the promise of God and boldly to proceed on their iourney toward the Land But this is accounted as an hainous crime and they deale with them as men worthy of death according to the saying of Salomon Prou. 9 7. He that reproueth a scorner getteth to himselfe shame and hee that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himselfe a blot Thus we see how wicked men can abide no reprofe nay they cannot suffer a word of exhortation they cannot abide that others should do better then themselues Againe such as are carnal and corrupt are prone to hatred malice and reuenge yea when no cause of offence is offered vnto them See also how God protecteth his seruants in times of danger But to passe ouer these points from hence obserue that such as are Gods seruants Doctrine Such as are gods seruâ—â—â— shall be eâ— intreated and stand for good causes shall be persecuted maligned and euilly intreated as if they were murtherers and malefactours Though they deserue to be fauoured and loued yet they shall be hated cursed and contemned So it was with Moses when he came to Pharaoh moued him to let the people goe Exod. 5 1 2 5 6. Dan. 3 19 and 6 16. Acts 4 20 21. and 5 18. Iohn 16 2. 1 Kings 13 4. Thus was it with Eliah and Elisha thus was it with Michaiah Ieremy and thus it was with all the Prophets Math. 23 34. The reasons because the world hateth the Reason 1 truth and the professors of it The Preachers and professours of it because they manifest publish the truth Gal. 4 16 The truth it selfe because men loue darkenesse more then the light inasmuch as their owne deeds are euill Iohn 3 19. They are chosen out of the world therefore the world hateth them whereas if they were of the world the world would loue his owne Iohn 15 19. Secondly Satan is their enemy and seeth Reason 2 that by them his kingdome is in danger to be ouerthrowne hence it is that he rageth and raiseth persecution that thereby he may stop their mouthes stop the course of the truth Reuel 2 10 and 12 13. Thirdly God will haue his seruants tryed Reason 3 in their faith patience constancy and obedience Reuel 2 10. We must learne to walke through good report and euill report and bee ready to renounce all rather then the truth which we must buy at any rate Prou. 23 â— but neuer sel it though we might gaine all the world because all such gaine is the greatest losse Math. 16 verse 26. The vses follow First maruaile not at it wheÌ„ Vse 1 we see this come to passe neither condemne the truth or the professours of it 1 Iohn 3 13. Maruaile not if the world hate you Let vs comfort our selues with this consolation that it is no rare thing neither is our case singular neither do we suffer alone it hath beene the lot of all Christians nay of Christ himselfe let vs not seeke to be better then he was the seruant may not be aboue his Lord if they haue persecuted him they will persecute vs Ioh. 15 2. Christ himselfe pronounceth such as suffer for righteousnesse sake to be blessed for so did they persecute the Prophets that were before vs Math. 5 12. Many men in the world are discouraged from godlinesse of life and walking in a sincere profession because they see the godly persecuted and the vngodly to prosper and flourish therefore Iohn doth forewarne not to maruaile heereat because this ought not to seeme strange vnto vs it hath beene so from the beginning and so it hath continued The world though it be full of changes yet changeth not his nature neither taketh vpon it any other shape Wherefore we must not ceasse from godlines for hatred of the world but rather goe more zealously forward remembring the words of Christ Math. 11 12. The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Secondly we must reioyce vnder the crosse Vse and be glad when we suffer for the truth not as euill doers 1 Pet. 3 17 and 4 15. but for well doing So did the Apostles Acts 5 41 so did the Hebrewes chap. 10 34. They considered with themselues that they had in heauen a better an enduring substance they accounted it a great honour that they were accounted worthy to suffer for his Name they knew that they were made partakers of the sufferings of Christ and that the trying of their faith would worke patience Iam.
foule or dung so filthy as we are through corruption Iob 14 verse 4 and 25 verse 4. Esay 64 6. Titus 1 15. There is no sent or sauour no carcasse so corrupt and ready to infect as that which proceedeth from our selues What it is that doeth chiefly infect wherby we defile our selues and one another This Christ teacheth Math. 15 verse 18. Those things which proceed out of the mouth come foorth from the heart and they defile the man Keepe out sinne from the heart and the plague shall neuer defile the man euery one therefore must labour to cleanse the heart Thirdly seeing it is caused by sinne wee must learne to search and finde out the true Vse 3 cause of the plague The enemies of Gods word will make the Gospel the cause of the pestilence and of all other calamities So did Ahab Iehoram make the Prophets the principall procurers of the famine which fell out in their daies 1 Kings 18 17. 2 Kings 6 31. Thus dealt the heathen with the christians that liued vnder the heathen and persecuting Emperours when any famine or pestilence or ouerthrow befell among them they imputed all to Christians and cryed out to haue them persecuted and punished as appeareth at large in the Apology of Tertullian These are blasphemous mockers and deriders of the holy faith of Christ which open their mouthes against heauen The chiefe cause of the plague is the contempt of the word Ier. chapter 29 17 19. Lastly euery one of vs must learne how to behaue our selues in the troublesome times of Vse 4 this heauy iudgement We must haue a tender feeling of their distressed condition that lye vnder this greeuous hand of GOD. The Church is compared to a body wherof Christ is the head Eph. 4 ver 16 and the faithfull are members Romanes 12 4. 1 Corinthians 12 12. They make but one body though they be many different members and are all vnder one head and therefore are to helpe one another to beare one anothers burden and so fulfill the law of Christ Galathians 6 2 1 Corinthians 12 verse 24. Let vs consider the seuerall duties belonging to seuerall persons in the day of visitation The duty of Magistrates is then especially to see religion established The duty oâ— Magistraâ—â—â— time of thâ— plague euill doers cut off from the City of God and all disorders remoued Psal 101 8. They must humble themselues and cause the people to humble themselues They must appoint fasting and praier that thereby they may moue the Lord to call backe his iudgement We haue a notable example of this in the King of Nineue Ionas 3 6â— when he feared a generall iudgement to come vpon himselfe and his people he rose vp from his throne and laide away his robe from him he couered himselfe with sackcloth and sate in ashes yea he proclaimed that neither man nor beast herde nor flocke should taste any thing and that they should cry mightily to GOD saying Who can tell if God will returne and repent and turne away from his fierce anger that we perish not Ion. 3 6 7 8 9. Here is a good president for Kings Princes what by their owne example publike decrees they ought to do that there may be a common humiliation of all estates 〈◊〉 dutie of â—â—â—â—sters in 〈◊〉 of the â—e It is the duty of the Ministers to preach the worde most earnestly both the Law and the Gospell in season and out of season to perswade to repentance to comfort the feeble-minded out of Gods word to stirre vppe the poore to patience the rich to liberality and all men to compassion and commiseration It belongeth vnto them as it were to stand in the gappe they must aboue others pray earnestly to God Amos 7. verse 25. knowing that the prayer of a iust man auaileth much if it be feruent Iames 5 16 17. So was it with Moses and Aaron when the plague was begunne he willed Aaron to take a Censer who ranne into the middest of the Congregation and stoode betweene the liuing and the dead offering Incense and making attonement for the sinnes of the people Numbers 16. verse 48. It is the duty of all parents to teach and instruct their children from whence 〈◊〉 dutie of â—â—â—â—nts in 〈◊〉 of the â—e for what causes God sendeth the pestilence and other calamites Deut. 6.7 They must goe before them in a good example of life Genesis chap. 18 19. and if they should see all other carelesse and negligent in this duty yet must they say with Ioshua chap. 24. verse 15. As for mee and mine house we will serue the Lord. It belongeth vnto them to call their families vnto priuate humiliation as Ester did chap. 14. verse 16. and euery day they should offer vp sacrifice for their seruants and children after the example of holy Iob chap. 1. verse 5. and pray for their safety and welfare and euerie day giue thankes for their most mercifull deliuerance while in the meane season so many fall on their right hand and on their left It is the dutie of rich men in time of contagion 〈◊〉 dutie of 〈◊〉 men in 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 to haue as at al other times so then especially a diligent care of the poore because then the greatest occasion is offered to doe good We must not shut them vppe in their houses and then shut vp our compassion from them as it were in a close prison without releefe It is the commendation of the Christian Church after the ascension of Christ that they had all things common and no man said that ought of the things which hee possessed was his owne neither was there any among them that lacked Acts 4 32 34. If they did this in the neede of the Church how much more ought we to prouide for those that cannot prouide for themselues He is not worthy to beare the name of a Christian that at such times would withhold things necessarie from those that are withholden from the companie of others Woe vnto those that would adde so great affliction to those that are deepely afflicted already The foure Lepers that were put out of the city according to the law dwelt apart by themselues at the entering in of the gate for feare of infection were notwithstanding prouided for in the streight siege of Samaria so long as there was any thing in the city they wanted not but were prouided for 2 Kings 7 4. So it ought to be among vs. It is the dutie of the poore needy to arme themselues with patience The dutie of the poore and needy in time of the plague as a shield buckler in time of trouble knowing that nothing falleth out without the prouidence appointment of God He will not lay more vpon vs then he will enable vs to beare but with the tentation will make an happy issue 1 Cor. 10 13. hee will comfort vs in our tribulation 2. Cor.
Sabbath and Sacraments If a man should doe nothing but practise treason and rebellion against the King despising his word and contemning his Proclamations in what a fearefull condition would we account him to be And when the King himselfe should appoint a day wherein he would haue his owne person specially attended and wholly waited vpon if his houshold seruants should refuse to giue him any attendance but waite worse vpon him that day then any other and giue themselues wholly to attend vpon their owne pleasures would he not thinke himselfe notably abused and discharge such of his seruice and were they not sure to run into his displeasure and to procure iudgement vpon themselues Notwithstanding this is the state of many among vs. God hath commanded vs to reuerence his Name his Sanctuary his Sabbath his Word his Ministery if then we shall dare to sweare blaspheme openly to reiect the word of God and to abuse the Sabbath by following after our pleasures and profits our sports and recreations and thereby practise after a sort against the person of GOD himselfe do they not prouoke me to my face saith the Lord and shall they go vnpunished No certainely they shall not his iudgements shall ouertake them for these things God hath ordained and enacted as by a solemne Proclamation that all sorts that professe themselues his seruants should waite vpon him on the Sabbath he is then determined to set foorth the greatnesse of his glorious Name and the riches of his house and the might of his power and the honour of his Maiesty it is his will and pleasure that men women children should assemble together before him to giue him attendance shall we answer with Korah and his company in the next chapter We will not come vp Numb 16 14. And albeit we be not so impudent and shamelesse to say so yet it is little better because we do not appeare before him Nay we serue our selues by walking in our owne waies and many serue Satan the enemy of God by following his wayes with greedinesse If wee giue vp our selues to our pleasures and profits we serue our selues when we giue vp our selues to our sinnes and delight in drunkennesse and such like wickednesse vpon that day we serue the diuell And in truth let any man marke it he shall see that God is no day worse serued of the common sort then vpon his owne holy day so that when he requireth all our seruice he can get little or none at all at our hands Vse 4 Lastly let no man flatter himselfe in performance of duties vnto men and thinke himselfe in good case because he liueth vnblameably in the eyes of the world We must learne to deny not onely worldly lustes but all vngodlinesse and we must liue not onely soberly righteously but also godly in this present world Titus 2 12. Christ gaue himselfe for this purpose to purge vs from al iniquity and to purifie vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of all good workes And indeed the sinnes of the first Table are the greatest most hainous sinnes and deserue the greatest plagues of God and most fearefull condemnation he will reward with euerlasting fire not onely such as know not their duties to men but such as know not God neither obey the Gospel of Iesus Christ 2 Thess 1 8. And this is noted as a maine cause of the destruction of the olde world to wit disobedience to the word 1 Pet. 3 20. When the Israelitish womans sonne whose father was an Egyptian blasphemed the Name of the Lord and as it were thrust him through with horrible curses Leuit. 24 11. he is commanded to be put to death and stoned verse 16 23. These sinnes are euery where little thought vpon and supposed to be either no sinnes at all or very little ones But mans iudgement is corrupt in the matters of God How the breaches of the first Table are greater then the breaches of the second except we looke vpon sinne with the light of the Scripture and if we shall paralell the sinnes of the first Table with the sinnes of the second in equall degree the greatest of the one with the grossest of the other both done in knowledge alike and ignorance with ignorance comparing deeds with deeds words with words thoughts with thoghts the breaches of the law beeing thus considered are farre greater against the first then against the second Table because they are cōmitted immediately against the person of the great God as rebellion against the person of a Prince is greater thē the insurrection against another the murthering of a Prince more thē of many others 2 Sam. 18 3. See then from hence the wofull abuse of our sinfull times prophane people Such as would seeme to make conscience of stealing of whoring of robbing and false witnessing in iudgement and hold them vnworthy to liue vpon the earth that commit these things marke their waies in matters that concerne the most high God possessour of heauen and earth and you shall euidently perceiue they thinke it no euill or enormity to be ignorant of GOD and his word to maintaine superstition and set vp humane traditions to abuse his Name by cursed oathes to prophane his Sabbath by cursed or corrupt workes to despise his Word and to refuse his Sacraments These are so ordinarily so openly so impudently committed with bold nay with brazen faces and defended also by those that do them as if we would despite God to his face and thrust him out of his kingdome and from the gouernement of the world I will tell you what I haue obserued by the common course of the world that moe perish through ignorance and prophanenesse then do by all the deeds of vnrighteousnesse Satan preuaileth more among the people by bringing them to a prophane life and keeping them in sottishnesse and blindnesse touching the will of God then by murther whoredome and theft laid together I know I speak this to many that haue most wretched and swinish hearts but no eares to heare and therefore regard their owne pleasures more then they doe their saluation These are the dangerous daies spoken off by the Apostle 2. Tim. 3 1 4 5. God in his mercy amend them if not let them that be ignorant be ignorant still 1 Cor. 14 38. and he that is filthy let him be filthy still Reuel 22 11. that so they may fill vp the measure of their sinnes Math. 23 32. 36 And all the Congregation brought him without the Camp and stoned him with stones and he died as the Lord commanded Moses It may seeme strange at the first that they should consult with God what to do with this prophane person seeing the Law had appointed death for him that transgressed this commandement Exod. 31 14. and 35 2. why then did they enquire or wherefore did they put him in minde to know what should bee done vnto him Some answer that
the earth but this ought especially to be considered on this day Wee must dispatch all worldly businesses before that they do no way disturbe vs and distract vs. And when the day of the Lord is come wee must assemble together that so there may be an holy conuocation Leuit. 23 verse 3. It was the custome of the people to come together at such times Luke chap. 4. verse 16. Paul sheweth that at Antioch Hee found the whole City assembled vpon the Sabbath day Acts 13 43 44. This assembly is called Gods army Psalme 110 3. It was counted an happy thing to dwell in the Lords house Psal 27 4. and 84 4. Then ought the word to bee both read and preached so was it in the time of the law Acts 15 21. And both of them did Christ himselfe performe ordinarily Luke 4. ver 17 20. It is a part of the Ministers sanctifying of the Sabbath by doing the same The idle ministery is a great cause of prophaning the Lords day both in themselues and in others It is the duty of the people to heare the word with all reuerence and attention to marke and lay vppe in their hearts what they haue heard to the end they might put it in practise And when wee are departed we should spend the rest of the day in priuate duties as Prayer Reading Meditation and Conference things not greatly regarded of the greatest sort We are soone weary of the best things and quickely loathe that we should chiefely loue The cause why we profit not by the publike Ministery is the want of the performance of these duties priuately 38 Speake vnto the children of Israel and bidde them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put vpon the fringe of the borders a Ribband of blew 39 And it shall be vnto you for a fringe that ye may looke vpon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and do them and that ye seeke not after your owne heart and your own eies after which ye vse to go a whoring 40 That ye may remember c. This is the law of making Fringes vpon the foure quarters of their vesture whereby they couered themselues that they might looke continually vpon them and remember all the commandements of the Lord and doe them Of this reade Deut. 22 12. These Fringes and Ribands serued them for a monument that they might consider they were a people consecrated vnto God not as Infidels to walke after their owne fancies For vpon these were written some parcell of the Law This was also the cause that the Iewes were commanded to haue the Law written vpon the postes of their doores and likewise that they should beare it about them euermore decke themselues with it that it should be as a ring vpon their fingers as a bracelet vpon their hand as a frontlet before their eyes that is alwayes in sight and remembrance To this end also it must bee written vpon the frontiers of the Land vpon the gates of the Citie and vpon the postes of euery mans priuate house Deut. 6 8 9 that they might haue euery day euery way occasion giuen vnto them to talke and conferre of the word of God sitting walking and lying at home or else abroad This vsage was afterwards abused by the pride and hypocrisie of the Pharisies as Christ chargeth them Matth. 23 5. who because they would bee thought to haue a more speciall holinesse then the common sort had made long gardes and sentences of Scripture written vpon them that might bee seene a farre off But for our selues we must consider that though this ceremony bee no longer in vse and that these Fringes and Laces are shadowes which ended at the comming of Christ yet an instruction remaineth to vs to exercise our selues in his law day and night Psalme 1 2. Iosephus reporteth of the Iewes that they knew the Scriptures as well as their owne names whereas many among vs scarse know the names of the Scriptures Wee learne from hence That all sorts both yong and old of what condition soeuer â—ne are enioyned to know the doctrine of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 must â—owâ— the â—ces and the wil of God reuealed in them Deut. 6 6 7. Ioh. Iohn 5 39. Coloss 3 16. 2 Tim. 3 15. Psal 119 9. 〈◊〉 1. The Reasons First because God hath appointed such as are gouernors ouer others to be teachers of them that belong vnto their charge Such as are fathers and masters of Families are bound to instruct their children and seruants therefore none ought to be without knowledge Ephes 6 4. Gen. 18 19. But how shall they be able to do this except they haue knowledge whereby they may bee able to performe this duty Secondly ignorance is the cause of all error because the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God and the wisedome of God is foolishnesse to man So then being of our selues blinde and wanting the light of the word we must needs goe astray Hence it is that Christ saith vnto the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures Math. 22 29. Thirdly the want of knowledge is the cause of sundry fearfull iudgements spirituall and temporall Hosea 4 6. inward and outward Esay 1 3 7. So then as ignorance is the cause of sinne so it is the cause of iudgement the reward of sinne If wee care not to know him but neglect and contemne the meanes of knowledge no maruell if we be punished Vse 1 This reprooueth the church of Rome of an horrible iniury offered to the people of God They teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and keepe the Scriptures in the Latine tongue as it were vnder locke and key And albeit they haue translated them or the greatest part of them into English yet they set out sharpe edicts ratified vnder an horrible curse that no Lay man as they speake shall presume to reade them vnlesse they be specially licensed by their inquisitors and confessors directly contrary to the end of the Scriptures which were written that we should beleeue and by beleeuing haue eternall life Iohn chapt 20. verses 30 31. They beate downe ignorance and teach that all ought to know the Lord from the highest to the lowest Ieremy 31 30. and that God will poure out his Spirit vpon all flesh Ioel chap. 2. ver 28. Wheresoeuer he vouchsafeth great means hee requireth a great measure of knowledge This discouereth the byshop of Rome to bee no better and indeede no other then Antichrist making lawes contrary to Gods lawes and yet binding the consciences of men vnto them But it will be saide that the vnlearned and vnstable peruert them 2 Pet. 3. and therefore it is dangerous to reade them I answer bee it that some do so shall all therefore be forbidden the free vse of them All things euen the best are abused meate drinke apparrell the Sacraments Christ himselfe and
would make them right beggers indeed So that as Ieroboam made the basest of the people to be the Cleargy so they make the Cleargy to be the basest of the people and desire to bring them to their doores crouching creeping for a crust of bread But we demand that for which we haue laboured of duty not of curtesie and as a recompence not as a beneuolence not as their vassals but as Steward 's set ouer the family or Captaines ouer the host In the law the people were charged with tithes of foure sorts First such as were paid distinctly and directly to the Leuites What tithes were paied in the Law Secondly such as were deducted out of these and to be leuied for the vse of the Priests both these kindes of tithes are touched in this chapter Thirdly such as the people laid aside for the furnishing of their sacred and solemne feasts when they should be at Ierusalem to which the Priests were ordinarily inuited Deut. 14 22 23 28 29 and 26 11 12. Lastly such as euery third yeere were gathered for the releefe of the straÌ„gers the fatherlesse the widow and the poore This last sort I will not deny to be in nature of an almes but such tithes as were paied to the Priests and Leuites were paid as wages is for worke This will bee plainely proued by the doctrine of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9 7. producing the examples of souldiers gardners sheepeheards such like all which claime a recompence of debt not of deuotion If then a common souldier lawfully requireth his stipend of that people for whom he fighteth Tithes are not almes the Minister also fighting for the people against their spirituall aduersaries may do the like and if he that planteth a vineyard he that feedeth a flocke may of duty chalenge to eate of the fruite of the one and the milke of the othâ—r then the Minister that planteth the vineyard of the Lord and feedeth the flocke committed vnto him may iustly claime to liue vpon the same Againe almes do alwaies exceed the desart of him that taketh the almes they testifie the mercy of the giuer not the merit of the receiuer for charity is more worth then single thankes and good deeds are to bee valued aboue bare words But it is not so in paying tithes of temporall things all which cannot sufficiently counteruaile the worke of the Ministery 1 Cor. 9 11. Is it a great matter if we shall reape your carnall things And the Apostle is bold to tell Philemon that he did owe to him euen himselfe verse 29. It is a principle written in the heart of man by nature to pay him his wages whom wee set on worke not to send him away empty that laboreth for vs. As then the labourer hath right to his wages so the Minister hath his right and part in the goods of those whom he teacheth among whom he laboureth and therfore when he receiueth his tithes he doth not take almes but receiueth his owne hauing as good right vnto the tenth part as hee that paieth it hath to the other nine No man can say that the begger is worthy of almes he receiueth them by the law of charity but cannot claime them as due by the rule of iustice The day labourer that hath laboured all day and wasted his strength and spirits would thinke scorne though he bee a poore man to receiue his hire for his labour in the nature of an almes as the begger taketh a peny at the doore and shall the Minister receiue his wages as a gift or as a gratuity The housholder that hath agreed with the labourers for a peny a day saith vnto them when he came to pay them Math 20 14. Take that which is thine own and goe thy way as then they receiued their duty so doth the Minister receiue his due his duty Vse 3 Thirdly they are also iustly reproued who treading in the steps of the Bishop of Rome do deteine from the Ministers of the Gospel the tithes appointed vnto them which are not vnfitly called Gods auncient dâ—maine founded originally vpon the law of nature For as we learne by the light of nature that there is a God and that he is to be honoured so the honour that is due vnto him Sr Henry Spelman de non temerandis Eccles cannot be performed without Ministers neither can the Ministers attend their function without maintenance To this I will adde the saying of the wise man Prou. 3 9. Honour God with thy riches For seeing he is the high possessour of heauen and earth Gen. 14 19 and giueth life breath and all things vnto vs Acts 17 24. it is our duty to render backe somewhat vnto him again thereby acknowledging that wee hold all of him in chiefe except wee will yeeld lesse vnto him then the Infidels did to their heathenish gods Now we honour God with our riches How to honor God with our riches not onely when we vse them soberly without excesse righteously without oppression and châ—ritably without defrauding of the poore but when we employ them religiously toward his seruice The Nicodemites were content to become Christians thus farre as to giue their hearts to God so that they might haue liberty to dispose of their bodies as theÌ„selues pleased but these will steppe one steppe farther they professe to worship God both with soule and body so they may be discharged dispensed withall from honouring him with their riches They will willingly offer the calues of their lips so they may be freed from the calues of their stalles They can be content to trauaile from the East with the wise men to fall down before him and worship him Bernard but they cannot abide to open their treasures and present vnto him gifts gold frankincense myrrhe Mat. 2 11. Paul had almost perswaded Agrippa to become a Christian when hee exempted those bandes and chaines and if euer we will perswade these to become Christians we must also except these bandes and chaines that wee speake off for they are very heauy vnto them they cannot abide them The tithes are the Lords he hath reserued them to himselfe as a rent of the tenant due to the Landlord or as a tribute and subsidy due to the king therefore when they are not truely paid Deut. 14 28. as GOD commandeth but are vnconscionably deteined he complaineth that he is robbed and spoiled Mal. 3 10. so that if wee giue not vnto the Lord the tenth who hath giuen vnto vs the other nine Serm. de Teâ— pâ—re 219. Sr Fraâ—â—â—â—â— let vs take heed lest he resume the nine parts and leaue vnto vs the tenth onely And I may say as a worthy and learned knight of our times saith Such as haue taken away the Churches dowry and s poiled her of it it had bene great reason they should haue made her a ioynter to recompence the wrong they had offered and the losse
cometh and saith The churle shall not haue it or hee shall not haue so much I will part stakes with him and so turneth vpside downe the distribution that God hath made making himselfe wiser then God and bringing vpon his owne head the due and deserued curse of God For if the Lord pronounce him accursed Deut. 27 17. Prou. 22 28. Deut. 19 14. that remooueth the bounds and markes of his neighbour of ancient time set as the listes and limits of mens possession how much more accursed shall he be that changeth the bounds which God Dan. 7 13. the ancient of daies hath made in the world hauing giuen the earth to the sonnes of men Wherefore God maintaining his owne right and office sheweth himselfe a iust auenger of such pride and presumption as the Apostle reasoneth 1 Thess 4 6. Let no man defraud or oppresse his brother in any bargaine for the Lord is an auenger of all such things c. The vses are these First it teacheth vs to Vse 1 be content and well pleased with that estate wherein we are put and placed by the hand of God This will be a notable meanes to keepe vs from rushing violently into the possessions of other men Let vs not suffer our hearts and affections to ouerflow the bankes and bounds of our condition but rather shew our thankfulnesse to God for our present estate considering that how much or how little soeuer we haue we haue more a great deale theÌ„ we haue deserued Therefore the Apostle saith I haue learned in what state soeuer I am therewith to bee content Phil. 4 11. 1 Tim. 6 6 7. Heb. 13 5 6. Secondly we must be carefull to giue to euery Vse 2 one his own that we do no way oppresse the fatherlesse and the widow neither do iniury to the stranger lest they cry to the Lord he heare them and his wrath be kindled then saith the Lord I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Exod. 22 22 23 29. Againe we must not vse false weights and deceitfull measures to enrich our selues by the spoiles of others Leuit. 26 35 36. Ye shall not do vniustly in iudgement in line in weight and in measure c. Now greater iniustice there cannot be then to turne the measures of iustice to be instruments of craft and subtilty Therefore Salomon saith Diuers weights and diuers measures buying with a greater and selling with a lesse or selling to the wise and warieâ— buyer with the greater and to the simpler sort that trust them too farre see not their fraud with a lesser thereby deceiuing others to enrich themselues both these are such an abhominatioÌ„ to the Lord as he wil not leaue vnpunisht Lastly we are from hence instructed to restore Vse 3 that which is wrongfully gotten otherwise we cannot truely repent of our oppression It is a bad practise vsed of many that grinde the faces of the poore as the Lyon roaring after his prey or the wolfe in the euening which leaueth not the bones till the morrow which do vse deuoutly to bequeath their soules to God presently giue their euill gotten goods to their heires and therefore God oftentimes bloweth vpon them so that being vnrighteously gotten they are vnthriftily wasted and consumed The reason is because with such goods they likewise bequeath the curse of God It is an euill practise of seruants to conueigh from their masters and of one man to purloine from another the substance that they haue If such will haue God pleased with them and heare their prayers they must make recompence and restitution of things wrongfully taken vniustly deteined as we haue shewed before at large ch 5. This offer did Samuel make 1 Sam. 12 3. Behold here I am beare record of me before the lord before his annointed Whose Oxe haue I taken Oy whose Asse haue I taken Or whom haue I done wrong vnto Or whom haue I hurt Or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blinde mine eies therewith and I will restore it you The like wee see in Zaccheus Lu. 19 8. He stood forth in the day of his conuersion and saide vnto the Lord Behold halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold The performance of this duty is the pathway to life Ezek. 33 15. Restore and thou shalt liue The contrary leadeth to death they are worse then Micah the Idolater then Iudas the betraier of his master Iudg. 17 3. Math. 27 3 Wherefore it behoueth al oppressors to practise the counsell of the Prophet 〈◊〉 4 24. Let my counsell be acceptable to thee break off thy sins by righteousnes thine inquities by mercy towards the poore let there be an healing of thine error Otherwise there is no promise of pardon or hope of life or assurance of mercy if God haue made him able thereunto Verse 20. Hee answered againe Thou shalt not go through Then Edom came out against him with much people and with a mighty power We haue already handled the request of the Israelites now let vs consider the answer of the Edomites wherein we see they deny their petition and withall come out with an hoast of men to stop their passage The people of Israel spake kindly and did no way deale iniuriously against them to prouoke them but they answer roughly and currishly they deale also maliciously and cruelly against them â—trine 〈◊〉 enemies 〈◊〉 church malicious â—cruell We see heereby as in a glasse the nature of the enemies of the Church they are mercilesse malicious destruction and calamity is in their waies their feet are swift to shed blood the way of peace they haue not knowne Prou. 12 10.2 Kings 8 11 12. Thus dealt Hazael with Israel and Pharaoh was no better before him If all the pictures and patternes of mercilesse tyrants in the world were lost they might all be painted to the life in the histories of these two Exo. 1. 2. For one of them did set their strong cities on fire slew their yong men with the sword dashed their infants against the stones and rent in peeces their women with childe The other so enuied the growth and increase of the children of Israel that they threw their male children the fry and seed of the Church into the waters A like plot and practise against the Church wee reade in the Booke of Ester when Haman was exalted and his seate set aboue all the Princes that were in the kingdome hee sought to destroy all the Iewes without difference of sexe or age Ester 3 1 6 13. The booke of the Lamentations is plentifull in this point as Ch. 5 4 5 10. c. Reason 1 The Reasons are plaine and euident whether we respect the Church it selfe or the enemies of the Church Their malice exceedeth toward the Saints
they are redeemed by the blood of Christ and we are put in trust after a sort with the price therof We haue a great account to make in that day in the great day of the Lord let vs therefore stirre vp our selues to feede the flocke of God that dependeth vpon vs. And surely the cause of the ruine and desolation of many Churches is the negligence and idlenesse of the Pastors thereof Mat. 13 24 25 For while the Husbandmen sleepe the Enemie soweth tares among the wheate From hence it commeth that the people liue in ignorance lye in open sins and are carried away with euery blast of false doctrine whithersoeuer false Teachers will carry and conduct them This the Prophet Esay expresseth Chap. 56 9 10 11 12. All ye beasts of the field come to deuour euen all the beasts of the Forrest their watchmen are all blinde they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogs they cannot barke they lye and sleepe and delight in sleeping and these greedy dogs can neuer haue enough and these sheepheards cannot vnderstand for they all looke to their owne way euery one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose Where hee teacheth that the people are ready and ly open to be seduced by Atheists by Papists by Libertines by Familists by Anabaptists by Brownists wher there are blind guides and idol sheepheards euil beasts and slow bellies that feede themselues but feede not the flocke And hee noteth foure monstrous vices and capitall sinnes that poisoned the Church First albeit they were appointed watchmen yet they were blind their iudgment corrupted They were made Seers and yet did not see Lights and yet were in darknesse 1 Sam. 9 9. Teachers and yet were vnlearned Instructers of others and yet wanted knowledg themselues Matth. 6 23. If then the light be darkenesse how great is that darknes Secondly they were sluggish and slothfull dogs they cannot for drowsinesse and lazinesse open their eyes to see or their mouths to bark And when they are called vpon and spoken vnto saying How long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe They answer Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep Prou. 6 9 10. Thirdly they are greedy of their owne gaine couetous and giuen to filthy lucre being carried away by the deceite of Balaams wages Lastly they are giuen to belly-cheere and all riot Iude v. 12. They follow their pleasures and pampering of their bellies making them the god whom they serue and do not serue the Lord Iesus The Apostle said I seeke not yours but you 2 Cor. 12 14. but these might say otherwise of themselues I seeke not you but yours And are not such Pastors to be found among vs that through couetousnesse Epicurisme regard not the duties of their calling They ioyne liuing to liuing as those that ioyned house to house they liue at pleasure they eate they drinke they feast they say Esay 56 12. Come I will bring wine and we will fill our selues with strōg drinke and to morrow shall be as this day much more abundant Heereby they are made vnfit vnable to do the duties of their Calling so as like crammed dogs they lye bathing and beaking themselues by the fire and though neuer so much harme be done in Gods churcn they cannot be made to awake and bark in any season to warne the people and to fray away the Wolfe But if any goe about to raise and to rouze them vp out of their sleep they disquiet their consciences too much and trouble their patience so that they are ready to gnar yea they begin to snap and snatch at him with their teeth So that the best way is to follow the counsell of our Sauiour which he gaue cōcerning the Pharisies Mat. 15 14. Let them alone they be the blinde leaders of the blinde and if the blinde leade the blinde both shall fall into the ditch Seeing then such as teach not the people ouer whom the holy Ghost hath made thē Ouerseers can neuer soundly desire the after-good of them it behoueth such to labor with all their strength to builde vp the people in knowledge faith and obedience that so God may haue a people to serue him after their departure Lastly it standeth euery one vpon that hath Vse 3 the gouernement of others whether it bee in the Church or in the Common-wealth or in the priuate Family to looke to their charges that by their godly care and holy endeauour God may be worshipped serued after their departure This is to bee considered of Magistrates Ministers and Gouernours of houses The Magistrate ruling in the Commonwealth whether it bee the King as the superiour or whether it be other Gouernours as they that are sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well must prouide to the vtmost of his power for the godly and peaceable estate of the kingdom or incorporation where hee remaines by maintaining the Ministery by promoting Religion and by executing Iustice This Moses did as we saw before Deut. 31 2 6 7 8 he assembled the people he signified his departure hee encouraged them against their enemies took order for their welfare after his death by appointing Ioshua to succeede him and to bring the people into the land which the Lord had sworne vnto their Fathers Thus Ioshua dealt Ioshua 23 ◠walking in the steps of Moses his master hee giueth the people charge to worship the true God to sticke fast vnto him with full purpose of heart to loue him to fear him to serue him in vprightnesse and in truth and to put away the gods which their fathers serued beyond the Riuer Thus did Dauid set his son vpon his throne before he dyed 1 Kings 2.2 3. and gaue him a great charge to maintain that Religion which he had established The dutie of all Ministers when they are dying and departing this life is to prouide as carefully as they can that the good worke begun by them may be furthered by their successors and that the trueth which they haue planted may not bee supplanted pulled vp by the rootes by such as shal enter into their labors It is not enough for them to labour in their own persons while they liue but to endeuour that others may succeed them in piety as well as in place in diligence as well as in office Thus dealt Christ our Sauior in calling his Apostles thus dealt the Apostle in ordaining elders in euery City 〈◊〉 1 5. and appointing Pastors and Teachers in seuerall places so soone as they had gained them to the faith Lastly it is the dutie of all Fathers and masters of families to prouide for the soules and saluation of all such as are vnder their iurisdiction and gouernment euen of such as are the meanest and lowest in the house to charge them to know the true
sicknesse is from God the manner of it the measure of it the time of it the matter of it is of God which giueth good assurance and affiance that God will be mercifull and gracious vnto vs seeing he striketh vs that is our Father and in the stroke be it neuer so sharp he cannot forget his former compassions but he will make all things fall out to further our saluation neither will hee lay more stripes and strokes vpon vs theÌ„ we shall be able to beare He will make a way for vs to escape 1 Cor. 10 13. Psal 56 8. Psal 11 3. Cant. 2 6. he will make our bed in all our sicknesse hee putteth our teares in his bottell his left hand is vnder our head and his right hand doth embrace vs. Let vs comfort one another in these things Vse 3 Thirdly it standeth vs vpon whensoeuer his hand is vpon vs to seeke to him for health that smiteth and no man healeth that maketh the wound and no man restoreth We are directed by this consideration to whom to seek for our recouery to wit first to the hand that striketh and next to goe to mans helpe which is his ordinance We must not first seeke to the Physition as Asa did 2 Chron. 16 13 but first be reconciled to God the chiefe Physition of soule and body and pray vnto him in our trouble as Hezekiah did Esay 38 2. Let vs neuer looke that any means be they neuer so excellent shall profite vs and prosper with vs vntill we be at peace with God and haue renewed our repentance from dead works for our daily sinnes This the Apostle sheweth Iam. 5 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray This condemneth those that seeke to witches and wizards and forget the God of their saluation 1 Sam. 2 6. who killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe Let vs thereby be put in mind of our death which is Gods messenger and serieant to arest vs and to bring vs into his presence Let vs euer prepare our selues to depart in peace cOnsidering that as the home of death shall take vs so the day of iudgement shall finde vs. Here we repent or else we repent neuer Chrys hoâ— de Lazaro Basil de moral 1. Reg. 2. Here is time of changing and turning but after this life there is no more place of repentance but an horrible expectation and fearefull looking for of iudgement which shall deuoure the aduersaries The Scripture teacheth that Caine that euill man was of euil one and slew his brother wee may multiply thousands of yeares since he vttered that fearefull and comfortlesse speech Gen. 4 13. My sinne is greater then ca be pardoned my punishment is greater then can bee suffered yet when Christ shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and dead hee shall appeare no otherwise at the last day theÌ„ as he was taken out of this life The like wee might say of Esau of Saul of Iudas and of others who ended their daies in desperation as they died so they shall be iudged abide for euer after iudgement As they turned not to God their Creator while they liued so they shall receiue no ease or alteration in their estate when they are once departed and haue receiued iudgement of whom we may say as Christ once spake of Iudas It had beene good for these men if they had neuer beene borne Mat. 26 24. For not to bee is ten thousand times better then euer to be in a liuing death in coÌ„tinuall horrour and desperation where their worme dieth not the fire neuer goeth out Mark 9 4â— This was the vse that Hezekiah made of his sicknes Es 38 10 11 I said in the cutting off of my daies I shall goe to the gates of the graue I am depriued of the residue of my yeares I saide I shall not see the Lord euen the Lord in the Land of the liuing I shall see man no more among the Inhabitants of the world Wherefore in sicknesse we are taught to seeke health of God and to bee put in minde of our mortality Lastly when God hath shewed mercy vpon Vse 4 vs in our deliuerance let vs spend the residue of our daies in a godly conuersation It is a common and ordinary matter to make solemne promises and protestations to becOme new men if we recouer Many do then lament the former errors and ignorances of their life but when they haue obtained mercy at the hands of God when they haue found a blessing and beene restored they become as leud and prophane as they were before And this moued Christ our Sauiour to exhort the impotent man to sinne no more lest a more greeuous iudgement were brought vpon him Ioh. 5 14. We see how Hezekiah being healed the third day after he went vp to the house of the Lord to praise him 2 King 20 â— Esay 38 18 to speake of his goodnesse who had seene his teares heard his praiers and who had remoued his afflictions The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth but the liuing the liuing hee shall confesse thee as I do this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth This duty is required of vs al when we are deliuered from our sicknesse or sorrow from trouble calamity to be thankfull to God and mindfull of his mercy Let euery one examine his owne heart how he hath practised this duty what vse he hath made of his affliction There is none of vs but hath a blessed experience of Gods goodnesse toward him hee hath oftentimes preserued vs from dangers restored vs from sicknesse deliuered vs from diseases freed vs from troubles happy are we if thereby we haue profited vnto amendment of life and in the study of godlinesse and be carefull that we fall not backe againe into our former offences We must not be like to Pharaoh who returned to his vomit and the hardnesse of his heart â— 7.13 14. after hee was freed from the plagues of God lest with him we be destroyed by the iust hand of God The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people which stung the people so that many of them died God might haue destroyed these euer-murmuring Israelites by the Canaanites or Edomites their aduersaries hee hath men and Angels at his booke and commandement to afflict them and ouerthrow them but he sendeth stinging serpents which tormented theÌ„ and a multitude of venomous beasts vpon theÌ„ that they might know that where with a man sinneth by the same also he shall be punished as we shewed before The Doctrine from hence is that GOD hath all creatures in his owne hand â—ctrine â—d hath all â—atures eueÌ„â—â—malest to â—ploy in his â—uce which â—ing â—ent do â—euaile and he armeth them at his owne pleasure to execute his will and being so imploied they
of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes Where Paul teacheth That there is no euill which couetousnesse cannot bring foorth It is a monster of many heads and a fruitfull mother of many bad children From hence oftentimes come hatred contention enuy vnthankfulnes treasons treacheries periury poysoning deceit couzenage oppression and what not It bringeth in as a violent streame contempt of God it turneth God into an abhominable Idoll It worketh a wretched trust in earthly possessions treasures more then in the liuing God It is a bottomlesse pit of all iniquity Secondly there is a contrariety betweene Reason 2 God and the world and they draw contrary wayes there is no affinity or agreement betweene them This Christ our Sâ—uiâ—ur setteth downe No man can serue two masters for either he shall hate the one and loue the other or else hee shall leane to the one and despise the other yee cannot serue God and riches Mat. 6 24. Heereunto cometh the exhortation of the Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn 2 15. The vses are now to bee thought and entred Vse 1 vpon First consider from hence the dangerous estate of the men of this world how hard it is for them to enioy eternall life and to enter into the kingdome of heauen See therefore how riches are often reserued to the hurt of the possessors wrack of the owners thereof Many seeking to enriâ—h themselues and to scrape much together for thâ—â— posterities do lose the fauour of GOD the quiet peace of a good conscience and heape to themselues wrath against the day of wrath This the Apostle Iames leadeth vs to consider Chap. 5 1.2 3. Goe too now ye rich men Weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your Garments are moth-eaten your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes If therefore outward things pull away from God hinder the duties of godlinesse then assuredly men whose heart is glued vnto them and gouerned by them they being made their chiefe treasures and the god of their hope cannot yeeld to the power of godlinesse but by a speciall and extraordinary worke of God in their hearts True it is they may hold the profession they may receiue baptisme they may partake of the Lords Supper they may heare y word they may hold saluation by Christ alone yet vnlesse they feele a peculiar sanctifying grace of Gods Spirit they shall finde an hard entrance into life and the way leading vnto the kingdome of heauen hedged stopped vp This our Sauiour teacheth his disciples vpon the occasion of the yong mans sorrowfull departure from him hauing great possessions Matth. 19 23 24. Verily I say vnto you That a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Wherefore it behoueth all rich men that haue this worldes good to pray vnto God beeing compassed with such dangers and clogged with such cares to gouerne them by his Spirit and to preserue theÌ„ that they bee not ouercome with the tentations of the world and to teach them what it is to abound Phil. 4 12. which is farre harder to know and practise then to learne what it is to want Vse 2 Secondly seeing honors and riches choke good things follow not them that walk that way and be not drawne away by the euil examples of others but follow the examples of the godly according to the exhortation of the Apostle Phil. 3 17 18 19. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose god is their belly and whose glory is their shame which minde earthly things Hereupon followeth the vse before remembred Brethren be followers of mee and looke on them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample How many bee there in the Church that liue of the Gospel and therefore in reason sâ—ould preach the Gospel who corâ—upt their owne consciences and wound their owne soules by hunting after promotion and â—ignity who for money sell their master with Iudas and are carried away afâ—er the wages of iniquity with Balaam and gape after gaine onely like hyrelings who ioyne Liuing to liuing as it were house to house and fielde to field eating the fat and cloathing themselues with the wooll But they strengthen not the weake they heale not the sicke they binde not vppe the broken they seeke not that which is lost they raise not such as are fallen Woe be vnto such ydle sheepheards that feede themselues Should not the sheepheards feede the flockes Ezek. 34 2 3 4. Let not vs walke after such examples which in the iust iudgement of God are reserued to death shame who albeit they regard their pleasures aboue all yet as they walke inordinately so the things they reioyce in shall bee their confusion but let vs propound to our selues the examples of the godly for our instruction and imitation in wel-doing Heb. 6 12. That we be not slothfull but followers of them which through faith and patience inherit the promises Lastly let vs not be immoderately carefull Vse for them The more carefull wee are for these things the more carelesse wee are in better things The more our affections are set on the earth the lesse care we haue of heauen immortality It is no profit to winne the whole world with the losse of our owne soules It is an incomparable losse greater then the losse of a kingdome Iob had a great losse when he lost his Sheepe and Asses his Oxen and Camels his Seruants and his Children Iob 1 14.15 But all this is scarse to bee mentioned or spoken of beeing compared and layde in the ballance with the losse of the soule Let vs therefore be contented and rest satisfied with the estate wherein God hath set vs. A little with a good conscience and with peace is better then a stalled Oxe Prou. 15 17. Godlynesse is great gaine with contentation 1 Tim. 6 6. Let vs vse this world as though we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7 31. All is vanity nay misery if we depart not hence in the feare and fauour of God Let vs so liue that in life and death wee may be the Lords Affect not onely or chiefly the things of this life but let vs haue before vs the example of Lots wife made vnto vs as a fearefull spectacle and terrible monument of carnall and carefull thoughts whose hart was wholly set vpon those things which shee left behinde and therefore was turned into a pillar of salt We are borne againe vnto a better life If a Princes children should giue
the world to be adopted thorough Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued as the Apostle teacheth writing to the Ephesians chap. 1 5 6. 1 Pet. 1 2. Thus the Church is builded vpon the vnmoueable rocke that cannot bee shaken The foundation of God remaineth sure hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2 19. Now let vs see what vses wee may rightly Vse 1 conclude out of this doctrine thus confirmed First we learne from hence that the opinion of those is condemned that bring in vniuersall grace vniuersall election of euery one vniuersall redemption of euery one and vniuersall vocatiō of euery one to the sauing knowledge of the Gospel For whereas the Church is as it wore the Parke of God impaled in from other waste Land or rather the Paradise of God wherein the wilde beasts of the Forrest may not enter this Doctrine pulleth vp the Pale and taketh away the enclosure laying it in common and ioyning it to the rest of the wildernesse The people of God are the little flocke in respect of the world Luke 12 32. We see frō the beginning of the world there was a difference and distinction betweene the sonnes of God and the sonnes of men Genesis chapter 6 verse 1 betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles betweene the circumcised and the vncircumcised betweene the people of God and those that were no people of his being out of the couenant To some God giueth faith to other he giueth not faith For all haue not faith 1 Thess 3 1. Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Many are called but few are chosen Math. 20 16 and hee chargeth his Disciples when he sent them out to Preach not to goe into the way of the Gentiles neither to enter into the City of the Samaritanes Math. 10 5. and he sheweth that it is not giuen to euery one to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Mat. 13 11. So the Apostles in spreading abroad the glad tydings of saluation and working the conuersion of the Nations to whom they were sent to preach the Gospel are commanded to remaine certaine yeares in some Cities because the Lord had much people in those places and when they were entring into other Cities the Spirit suffered them not to publish among them the way of saluation Acts 16 7. Act. 18 10. Vse 2 Secondly we must looke for a full and perfect separation of the Elect from the Reprobate of the sheepe from the goats of the vessels of mercy from the vessels of wrath when the Lord Iesus shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead Indeed here is some separation made by the fan of his word by the power of the keyes by the fire or furnace of affliction yet still the chaffe is mingled with the wheate the Tares with the Corne bad fish with the good the hypocrites with the faithfull and true beleeuers But when Christ shall come with thousands of his Angels and the heauens be dissolued The bookes shall be opened and things hidden in darknesse shall be disclosed Reuel 20 12. Here a beginning is made but then shall be an absolute perfection and consummation of this separation This is opened vnto vs by the Euangelist Mat. 25 31 32 33. Seeing this separation shall come what manner of men ought we to be in all holinesse of life and conuersation Let vs search and try our owne wayes and turne vnto the Lord with all our hearts that when Christ shal appeare at the great day of the haruest and solemne season of separation we may be found good Corne and not be blowne away by the voyce of his mouth whē he shall blow the chaffe into vnquenchable fire where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But if we be not heere separated from the sinnes and corruptions of the wicked whē God separateth the soule and body we shall be separated from the comfortable presence of God we shall remaine with the diuell and his angels for euer neuer to be separated and sundred from them Vse 3 Thirdly this giueth good assurance and comfort vnto them that God will heare their prayers and respect them in their miseries For seeing they are his chiefe treasure Exod. 19 5 6 albeit all the earth be his seeing they are a kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation he will not see them want and stand in need of any thing which hee knoweth to serue for his owne glory and their good This is that vse which Salomon remembreth in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8 52 53. Let thine eyes bee open vnto the prayer of thy seruant and vnto the prayer of thy people Israel to hearken vnto them in all that they call for vnto thee for thou didst separate them to thee from among all the people of the earth for an inheritance as thou saidst by the hand of Moses thy seruant when thou broughtst our fathers out of Egipt O Lord God whereby we see that the consideration of the deere account estimation that God hath of his Church separating it to himselfe and calling it out of the world ought to moue vs with boldnesse to draw neere to the throne of grace and to comfort vs with assurance to be heard in our necessities For what can God deny vnto vs that hath giuen vs him selfe Or what can we want that know the loue of God toward vs before wee were Wherefore whensoeuer we are brought into any affliction and stand in need of helpe let vs be mindfull of the mercies of God toward vs and assure our selues that he which hath separated and sanctified vs from our mothers wombe will perfect his owne worke that he hath begun finish it vnto the day of Christ Lastly we must know that it is our duty to Vse flye from all vngodlinesse and worldly lustes and to haue no fellowship with the vngodly nor the vnfruitefull works of darknesse Tit. 2 12. This indeed is pure religion vndefiled to keep our selues vnspotted to the world This the Apostle Paul vrgeth 2 Corin. 6 14 15 16 17 18. Wee know that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe One rotten sheepe infecteth a whole flocke One leaper spreadeth the difease further to the hurt of sundry other Now there is no leauen like to the leauen of sin 1. Cor. 5.6 no infection comparable to the infection of sin no leaprosie so deadly and dangerous as the contagion of sin which bringeth danger and destruction to soule and body Therefore we must not ioyne our selues with the vngodly seeing wee are an holy people to the Lord our God he hath chosen vs to bee a precious people vnto himselfe aboue other people that are vpon the earth Wee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at liberty that we should shew forth
saluation with fear and trembling seeing the day of account commeth and seeing we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receyue the things which are done in this body whether they be good or euill so soone as the some body are separated Let vs remember our Creator in the daies of our youth Eccl. 12 1. Let our conuersation while we liue vpon the Earth be lifted vp to the heauens Let vs mortifie the lusts of the flesh and not walke in the wayes of our owne hearts assuring our selues that for al such things God will bring vs to iudgement Therefore the Apostle Peter speaking of the dissolution of the world the passing away of the heauens the melting of the elements the burning of the earth and the destruction of the vngodly draweth from these words this exhortation Seeing therefore all these things must be dissolued what manner of persons ought ye to bee in holy conuersation and godlines looking for and hasting vnto the comming of that day of God 2. Pet. 3 11 12. Let vs set this day before our eyes whatsoeuer we do and then we shall not sinne for euer Let vs arraign our selues at his bar and thereby prouoke one another and be prouoked our selues to our duties For if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. Let vs be carefull to lay a good foundation of saluation and neuer giue ouer vntill wee haue Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith and receiue the spirit of adoption to cry in our hearts Abba Father For if wee depart out of this life without faith in Christ and without hope of saluation it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne Matth. 26 24. as Christ speaketh of Iudas the son of perdition For what will it profit vs to winne the whole world then lose our own soules To liue in pleasure to haue all that our hart can wish or desire for a season and afterward to be tormeneed in hell fire for euer Vse 5 Fiftly this is a great and exceeding comfort to the childreÌ„ of God to know that after this short this weak this feeble this fraile life our soules shall returne to the Lord and be lifted vp to the kingdom of heauen Let vs therfore prepare our selues for death that we may bee fit vessels for eternall lâ—fe and commend our soules into the haÌ„ds of God at our departure This was it which the Apostle practised Phil. 1 23. 2 Cor. 4 18 5 1.2 The greatest afflictions that can befall vs heere are nothing in respect of the blessed reward of immortality as the same Apostle teacheth Rom. 8 18. I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed to vs. Let vs not feare the enemies of the Church they may separate the soul from the body but they can neuer separate the soule from God They may kill the body but they cannot kill the soule They may take from vs a little momentany pleasure of this life but they cannot keepe vs from the presence of God at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore This is that which Christ teacheth his Disciples Mat. 10 28. Nay they haue no power ouer the body further then God permitteth them as Christ answered to Pilate glorying in his authority saying Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and to loose thee Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue therefore he that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sin So then let vs not feare their feare whose power is limited is limited restrained death with one stroke shall set vs at liberty and free vs from the yoke of all oppression to our vnspeakable and endlesse comfort Contrariwise this is a dolefull and woful doctrine to the wicked and vngodly who liue here after their owne lusts follow their pleasures delighting in vanity and forgetting God to consider the perpetuity immortality of their souls and that they must giue a streight account of all their wayes and workes This must needs be a doctrine of fear and terror vnto them able to break their stony hearts and astonish their inward senses and dash them vpon the rockes of hopelesse and helplesse desperation What can be more heauy newes to a seruant that hath wasted consumed his masters mony with riotous liuing then to heare of a day of reckoning account to be giuen of his Stewardship So is it with all the vngodly they feare nothing more then their appearing before the heauenly Iudge to be tryed according to their workes Oh it were well with them if their soules were mortall that they might sleepe in the dust and lye in the graue for euer to bee buried with their bodies neuer to bee raised againe Oh their case were happy and thrice happy shold they be if they might neuer come to iudgement or had beene borne as toades and serpents or wormes of the earth that liuing their life they might also dye their death But it shall not be so with them their case shall not be so well the end of this life bringeth them into eternal torments and when they haue tasted the first death the second death shall take holde on them Then they shall pronounce a thousand woes against themselues then they shal wish they had neuer bene borne Then they shall weepe and houle without recouery then they shall gnash with their teeth and gnaw their tongues for anger Mat. 22 12. Reuel 6 Luke 23 TheÌ„ they shal desire the mountaines to fall vpon them and the hils to couer them from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of â—he Lamb c. For as they are happy that die in the Lord beeing ioyned to him and freed from all sorrowes so they are wretched and a thousand times miserable that depart hence out of Gods fauour haue the sinnes of their youth and age accompanying them to whom he will say Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Matth. 25 41. We see how the consideration of the Sessions or Assises striketh a terror into the heart and conscience of the guilty malefactor how much more then shall the solemne day of the Lords last iudgement amaze affright and astonish the Reprobate who haue drawne sinne vnto them as with Cart-ropes and haue cloathed themselues with shame as with a Robe This wil be a day of blackenesse and of darkenesse a day of clouds and obscuritie a day of horrour and confusion vnto them that dwell vpon the face of the earth when God shall come to iudge without respect of persons For what rest or comfort can the malefactor take when he is alwayes in expectation of the comming approach of the Iudge Whereas the godly haue peace of conscience and shall lift vp their heads
Israel that hee had done great things for them saying How great things hath the Lord wrought This is the substance of this Prophecy now the conclusion followeth shutting vp the whole with an admiration and commendation of the power and glory of Gods people whose courage and happinesse shal be so great in subduing and subuerting their enemies that as the Lyon resteth not till he hath gotten his prey so they shall not put vp their swords and dwell in peace vntill they haue sheathed them in the bowels of their enemies and seene the destruction of them before their eyes The meaning of the words is not that they should be cruell and rauenous or to stir them to be barbarous and beastly in shedding mans blood and spilling it on the ground as water that cannot he gathered vp againe but to declare and assure that their harts were valiant and victorious so that they should be able to withstand all that did stand against them This was performed and accomplished in Ioshua and Dauid Psal 60 10. 2 Sam. â— 2 â— who fought the battels of the Lord and trod downe their enemies Iosh 23.10 One man of them did chase a thousand for the Lord their God fought for them as he had promised them but especially it was verified in Christ Reu. 5.5 who as the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda rose from the dead led captiuity captiue and hath put all things in subiection vnder his feete Verse 18. He vttered his parable and said Rise vp Balak and heare hearken vnto me thou sonne of Zippor This is the entrance of the Prophecy wherein he mooueth Balak to attention by three words rise hearken heare And when hee chargeth and commandeth him in the Name of GOD to rise vp he requireth of him to giue eare with meeknesse and reuerence This wee see in the booke of Iudges when Ehud appointed to bee a deliuerer of the people saide to Eglon King of the Moabites I haue a message vnto thee from God Iudg. 3 2â— then he arose out of his throne So when Samuel was to annoint Saul King ouer Israel to be gouernour ouer Gods inheritance he saide vnto him Bid thy seruant goe before vs but stand thou still now that I may shew thee the word of God that thou maist heare it with reuerence 1 Sam. 9 27. To the same purpose it is noted 2 Kings 23 2 Chro. 34 that when the Law of God was read Iosiah stood by the Pillar and made a couenant before the Lord. The like wee see in the booke of Nehemiah when Ezra the Scribe read the Scriptures to the people and gaue the interpretation of them All the people stood vp in token of their reuerence and attention Neh. 8.5 So in this place Balaam requireth Balak to rise and stand vp when he was to speake vnto him in the Name of the Lord as if he should say Albeit thou be a King and sittest in the throne yet I come vnto thee from the King of Kings thou rulest ouer thy subiects but thou must bee content to suffer God to rule ouer thee thou requirest silence and subiection to thy selfe but thou must hold thy peace hearken with all reuerence respect when he speaketh From Doctrine hence we learne All reuereâ—â— and attenâ—â— is due to tâ—â— Word Sâ—craments whatsoeuâ—â— the speakâ— be that the Word of God is alwaies to be heard with great reuerence wonderful attention Whensoeuer wee come to the exercises of Religion we must come with humility and humblenesse of mind albeit they be deliuered and brought vnto vnto vs by wicked vngodly men The truth of this doctrine is confirmed vnto vs by diuers precepts proued by many promises and sanctified by sundry examples out of the Word of God Touching precepts when Moses exhorted the people without adding or diminishing to obserue the Law he saith Deut. 4 1 34 12.13 Now therefore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances and to the Lawes which I teach you to doe that ye may liue and possesse the land And afterward Gather the people together men women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates that ye may heare that ye may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe obserue all the words of this Law and that your children which haue not knowne it may heare it and learne to feare the Lord your God This Salomon teacheth Eccl. 4.17 Take heede to thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they doe euill Hereunto accordeth the saying of our Sauiour so often vrged Mat. 13 9. Reuel 2 17 9 and 3 6. He that hath eares to heare let him heare Touching the promises made to such as come with such an affection we may reade in the Prophet Esay chap. 66 2 5. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words And againe Heare ye the word of the Lord all ye that tremble at my word Lastly touching the examples of the faithfull that haue gone before vs in the performance and practice of this duty wee haue a cloud of witnesses recorded vnto vs. The Israelites after their returne from captiuity are commended Neh. 8 2 3. that when Ezra the Priest brought the Law before the congregation both of men and women read therein from the morning vntil the mid-day the eares of all the people hearkned vnto the booke of the Law So when Samaria was called conuerted to the faith of Christ by the preaching of Philip Acts 8 5 6 10 11 it is said that the people gaue heed with one accord to those things which he spake hearing and seeing the miracles which he did as before they had giuen heed from the least to the greatest to the enchantments of Simon the sorcerer And in the sixteenth Chapter ver 14. the Spirit testifieth that Lydia heard the Apostles diligently whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended vnto the things which Paul spake The Apostle Peter writing to the dispersed Iewes testifieth this 2. Pet. 1.19 We haue a sure word of the Prophets to the which ye do well that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place vntill the day dawn the daystar arise in your harts All these precepts commanding promises assuring and examples confirming this doctrin do teach that it is our duty to stirre vp our attention and to be forward to learne Gods wil with all reuerence and readinesse when it is reuealed and deliuered vnto vs. Reason 1 The reasons heereof are plaine and euident For first it is God that speaketh vnto vs so often as his word is preached among vs. He is a most mighty and terrible GOD whom wee worship and in whose presence we stand hauing all power and Maiesty in him who is euen a consuming and deuouring fire
his countenance from vs. Moreouer this serueth to teach vs that in our troubles and necessities we stand not in need of the intercession of Saints and Angels wee shall not neede to pray vnto them to be our Mediators to God the Father For seeing God the Father is neere vs yea euen at hand shall wee turne our backes to him and goe from him seeing he turneth to vs to giue vs helpe This inuocation of Saints hath neither commandement to moue vs to pray nor example to go before vs in the practise nor promise to assure vs that we shall be heard The direction that we haue in prayer is to go to God and to say to him Our Father which art in heauen Mat. 6 9. This the Prophet acknowledged when he sayde Psal 73 25. Whom haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in the earth with thee God is euermore present with vs the Saints departed are absent from vs they know not our particular wants Esay 63 16 Psal 94 9. 1 King 8 39. they vnderstand not our desires they are ignorant of the motions of our hearts and the estate of our liues Besides wee are charged to worship the Lord our God to serue him onely who onely searcheth the hearts tryeth the reines as the God that made them in the beginning Let vs therefore go directly and immediately to God and when wee haue helpe at hand let vs not seeke helpe farre off Let vs still trust in the liuing God for vaine is the helpe of Saints or Angels Were not hee a foolish man and worthy to perish who in extremity would refuse the helpe of an expert excellent Physitian present with him able to helpe him willing to helpe him offering to helpe him and giue him present ease and yet calleth and cryeth to some Mounte-banke a thousand miles from him not so able not so skilful not so ready to releeue release him And are not they much more simple and sottish that when God willeth them to call vpon him in the day of trouble and promiseth to heare and deliuer them will not come to him but fly from him to the Saints Psal 50 14. that know neither him nor his griefe When the Prince is present and calleth to come to him were it not madnes to go to the subiect So forasmuch as Christ saith Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you Matth. 11 28 let our soules answer Lord we will come accept thou the prayers of thy seruants Vse 2 Secondly we learne from hence That as God is neere to all those that feare him not onely in respect of the presence of the place but is with them by the presence of his fauor granting their prayers and succouring them in their aduersities so he is farre from all the wicked and vngodly not in place but in help He will not grant their requests he wil not be their shield and buckler hee will not know them in their miseries He is indeede neere to all that call vpon him euen to all that call vpon him in truth but he stoppeth his eares against the prayers of the vngodly which are abhomination vnto him Psal 145 18. This is it which Salomon teacheth Prou. 15 29. The Lord is farre off from the wicked but hee heareth the prayers of the righteous Great is the iustice of God vpon the wicked and great is his fauour towardes the godly True it is in respect of place God filleth heauen and earth He is not far distant froÌ„ vs forasmuch as in him we liue and mooue and haue our being Actes 17 27 28. but touching his grace he is farre from the dwellings of the vnrighteous hee is farre from hearing theyr voyce and regarding their necessities he leaueth them to themselues and withdraweth his holy Spirit from them So then albeit God bee in euery place and nigh to all things yet God will not heare them no more then men heare such as are very farre off when they call and cry out vnto them This is it which the Prophet Dauid setteth downe Psal 119 155. Saluation is farre from the wicked because they seeke not thy statutes And the Prophet Esay accordeth heere unto Chapt. 59 1 2. The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot heare But your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare They regard not his word therefore he giueth not them his helpe They will not heare him when hee calleth by his word therefore hee will not heare when they call vnto him by their prayers He is far from them because they runne farre from him and will not know his wayes nor regard his truth that he offereth vnto them Wherefore great is the misery and destruction of the wicked that shall come vpon them they shall call but the Lord will not heare they shal cry but he wil not answer The righteous in this world doe seeme to be cursed and forsaken of God but they are blessed and happy and this is not the last part of their blessednes and happines that he heareth their prayers On the contrary side the vngodly seeme to themselues to others to be the onely happy men in the world but they are wretched and miserable and through theyr malice blindnes and obstinacy this is not the last part and portion of theyr misery that they haue no agreement with God hee heareth not their prayers but abhorreth theÌ„ their thoughts and all their workes When we are in affliction the cheefest comfort and stay to rest vpon is that God is neere vs and ready to help vs. The wicked want this staffe to leane vpon God professeth himselfe their enemy he refuseth their prayers he forsaketh and casteth them away out of his presence They can haue no peace of conscience nor comfort in trouble they shall houle in their miseries and not be heard Zac. 7 13. This shall especially appear at the last day when the heauen shall not receyue them the Lord shall not know them no creature shall comfort them no mercy shall be shewed vnto them theÌ„ they shall weepe and waile without redemption and without release Thirdly it is our duty to behaue our selues Vse 3 in all our actions and dealings as in his presence It behooueth vs to set him alwayes before vs and to know he continually walketh among vs. It is remembred of Henoch that he walked continually before God Genes 5 22. that is all his life time hee considered that the eye of God was euer vpon him knowing that all things are naked and manifest before him Heb. 4 13. Thus the Apostle chargeth Timothy in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ which vnder Ponâ—ius Pilate witnessed a good confession to keepe the commandements which he gaue vnto him without spot and vnblameable If the childe
not deale faithfully with his people Such as either hide the truth or withhold it in vnrighteousnesse such as conceale or corrupt the word to please mē vndergo the curse of God and bring vpon themselues the heauy wrath of God This appeareth in that charge which the Lord gaue to the Prophet Ieremy chap. 1 17. Thus the Lord dealeth also with the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 3.18 and 33 6. So the Apostle saith A necessity is laide vpon me and woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9 16. Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine are now to bee handled First of all it followeth that they must know the Scriptures they must not bee young Plants Idol Shepheards blinde guides dumbe dogs sleepy watchmen vnsauory salt which is good for nothing but for the dunghill if for the dunghill Luk. 14 35. Mat. 5 13. It is a shame for a guide not to know the way for a Seer to be blinde for a Messenger to bee dumbe So then all Teachers should make conscience to furnish themselues as wise Scribes and good Stewards with profitable competent knowledge spending their dayes in getting the vnderstanding of the Scriptures that they may minister a word in due season and be able to feed their fellow-seruants with wholesome food leading them to the fountaines of life So then the knowledge of the word of God and the gift of interpretation cannot be separated from the function calling of the Minister and God doth disclaime and disauow such as are without knowledge that they shall be none of his Pastors Teachers Thus he speaketh by the Prophet Hosea chap. 4 6. Because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me Who would not maruaile if a Prince should appoint a Messenger or Embassadour to goe to a people which had no legs to goe no tongue to speake no language or reason to deliuer his message Who then can be so absurd as to thinke that the wise God the Lord of Lords and King of Kings would appoint any to be as his mouth and the Messenger of his will which cannot teach and deliuer his will Who is it that hath an house to builde that will chuse such Carpenters and Masons as haue no skill to lay a stone or to hew their timber or to handle their Tooles Who will retaine or entertaine a Shepheard to keepe his sheepe an husbandman to till his ground a Captaine to leade his army a Steward to prouide for his family a labourer to do his work that is altogether ignorant and hath no knowledge to do these things Now God is more prudent and prouident then mortall man and therefore he will reiect and refuse all such as are not able to discharge the Office committed vnto them through ignorance God requireth knowledge in all the people much more in such as take vpon them to be the Teachers of the people which should not onely haue knowledge themselues but teach knowledge to others that they do not perish for want of knowledge The Spirit of God mentioneth this to bee one of the cheefest causes that religion perished among the ten Tribes and that Idolatry was erected and continued among them euen vntill they were carried away to perpetuall captiuity in that Ieroboam made of the lowest and rudest of the people 1 King 13 31 and 13.33 Priests of the high places who would might consecrate himselfe to that calling The condition of the Iewes was neuer more dangerous and desperate and neerer to destruction and desolation then when they had blinde watchmen and such Priests set ouer them as had no knowledge which made the Prophet Esay call for all the beasts of the field to deuoure them and all the beasts of the Forrest to eate them vp giuing this as the reason For their watchmen are all blinde and haue no knowledge Esay 56 9 10. Hence it is that the Prophet Malachi teacheth That the Priests lips should preserue knowledge the people seeke the Law at their mouth for they are the Messengers of the Lord of hoasts Mal. 2 7. This therefore sheweth and condemneth the grosse and greeuous sinne of many amongst vs that occupy the places of Pastors and cannot feede that run before they were sent take vpon thē to be lights and yet are darknesse These can haue no comfort in their calling because they were neuer designed or called of God to this place For whomsoeuer he calleth to any function hee enableth in some measure to discharge the duty which hee hath required of them They indanger their owne soules the soules of many other for when the blind leade the blinde both fall into the ditch Greg. hom 11. in Ezekiel and one saith truely that we murther the soules of such as we see runne the way of destruction when we are carelesse and hold our peace Vse 2 Secondly it behoueth all the Ministers of the word of God to make conscience to deliuer the truth and all the truth vnto the people howsoeuer it be taken according to the example of the Apostles Peter and Iohn answered vnto them and saide Whether it bee right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge yee for we cannot but speake the things which we haue seene and heard Acts 4 19 20. And Paul exhorting the Elders and Ouerseers of the Church of Ephesus setteth before their eyes his owne practise that he had kept back nothing that was profitable but had shewed them all things necessary to saluation I take you to record this day that I am pure frō the blood of all men for I haue concealed nothing but haue reuealed vnto you all the counsell of God Acts 20 20 26 27. If we be carefull and conscionable in doing this duty faithfully to God and his people we shall reape and receiue more sound comfort thereby then by the powerfull effect of our Ministery True it is all painfull Teachers esteeme nothing more nor so much as of the people whom they haue gained to God and godlinesse accounting them their ioy their crowne 1. Th. 2 19 20. and their glory and yet we may reape more true comfort and consolation by discharging our duties carefully then by sauing soules and by turning many to righteousnesse if we could winne whole kingdomes to God For we may saue others from death and conuert a sinner from going astray out of his way and yet after this our selues become reprobates wee may be the sweet sauour of life to life to others and not our selues to God Thus was it with many Priests of loose licentions life vnder the Law Thus it was with Iudas who wrought miracles preached the Gospel and conuerted soules as wel as the rest of the Apostles yet was the sonne of perdition And thus no doubt it was with the Scribes and Pharisies that sate in Moses chayre and taught the people what they should obserue and doe like vnto
those workmen that builded the Arke for others but were drowned themselues Let vs then labour after the especiall comfort consisting in the deliuerie of the whole will of God that though our hearers perish and go vnto destruction yet wee may find peace and comfort to our own harts This was it which the Apostle rested in hee preached Christ not onely as a Sauiour to theÌ„ that beleeue but as a Iudge of them that contemne him he saith We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued in them which perish to the one we are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life for we are not as many which make merchandize of the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speake wee in Christ 2 Cor. 2 15 16 17. Thus doth the Prophet Esay prophesie concerning Christ bringing him in on the one side complaining of the contempt of his preaching and on the other side comforting himselfe that his worke was approued of God I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing but my iudgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God Esay 49 4. If we be found faithfull we shall be partakers of this comfort blessed shall that seruant be whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing So then this duty serueth to comfort such as haue taught the word of God not only truely but wholly and onely so that they are able to appeale to the consciences of their hearers to witnesse with their sincerity Thus did the Apostle Paul in many places In the 20. chap. of the Acts vers 18 26 he saith Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men Where he maketh them witnesses of his diligence in preaching and of the discharge of his duty in his calling and therefore they could not deny it Thus he speaketh in his second Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 3 v. 1 2 The like manner of speaking dealing hath beene vsed by the Prophets and Apostles as appeareth in sundry places yea by Christ Iesus himselfe Samuel cleareth himselfe before the people Behold heere I am beare record of me befere the Lord and before his Annointed 1. Sam. 12 3. So Christ speaketh Which of you can accuse me and rebuke mee of sinne Iohn 8 46. This is a great and singular comfort to all the Ministers that in truth shal be able to auouch to their people this their diligence vprightnesse and to say in the face of the Congregation Ye know that I haue done my duty I take you to record that I haue admonished you I haue blown the Trumpet and taught you the way of saluation This is expedient and necessary for the Minister to vtter of himselfe both in respect of the godly and vngodly of the godly that their soules gained to the faith might cleare him and God haue the glory Of the wicked his aduersaries that they might be left without excuse that their mouthes might be stopped they haue nothing iustly to lay against him But contrariwise when the people haue beene ignorant and without instruction thorough the want of performance of this duty this should bee as great a greefe and anguish of spirit and bring as great trouble of conscience to consider his negligence and want of loue to their soules that were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ Thirdly this serueth to confute and conuince Vse sundry errors and to correct sundry euill practises and corrupt abuses First it meeteth with many errors and heresies of the church of Rome which maintaineth the sowre leauen of false doctrine and poysons the truth of God with their owne inuentions And seeing the Minister is to set downe but the truth of God we must learne to detest apocryphall additions and their humane traditions both which are a derogation to the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures For touching the Apocryphall Bookes which they haue lifted vp into the chayre of estate and giuen them equall power and preheminence with the Canonicall Scriptures they are but base counterfet coyne and no part of the Churches treasure they haue drosse mingled with them are not pure and perfect mettall They were not endited by the Spirit of God nor penned by the Prophets 〈◊〉 3 16. Pet. 1 19. the Lords Secretaries as the Scriptures were which haue God for their author and the holy Prophets for their Penmen Againe they were neuer committed of trust to the Iewes nor receiued of them into the Arke as not onely the fathers but the aduersaries themselues confesse and acknowledge but the ancient Church of the Iewes receiued and approued all the Canonical Booke Rom. 3 2. God did commend them to their care committed them to their custody for this was one chiefe priuiledge of the Iewes that they were credited with the Oracles of God And howsoeuer they shewed their ignorance in false interpretations yet they discouered no vnfaithfulnesse in wilfull corruptions additions alterations or manglings of any Bookes for then they should haue beene charged with this â—â—h 5 21. as well as with the other Lastly they containe sundry things that disagree from the true Scriptures of God likewise from theÌ„selues as might be declared and demonstrated by many particulars Seeing therfore these bookes called Apocrypha were neyther penned by the Prophets nor deliuered to the church of the Israelites neither are free from diuers contradictions we conclude that the Church of Rome hath no warrant to equal them with the holy Scriptures make them of like credite and authority with the Scriptures Againe 〈…〉 Ses 4 they offend in teaching humane traditions in making a word vnwritten equall with the word written and holding the Scriptures to be vnperfect maimed lame not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation not fully enabling the Minister to discharge his Calling But the holy Scriptures are perfect absolute and all-sufficient to teach the truth to conuince errors 〈◊〉 3 16 17. to correct vices and to instruct in righteousnesse yea to make the man of God perfect and throughly instructed in euery good worke and are of strength ability and sufficiency to make him wise to saluation Lastly they are accursed that adde any thing that take away any thing froÌ„ that which is written Deut. 4 2. Prou. 30 6. Reuel 22 18. and therefore no such vnwritten verities are to be taught or preached to the people as the matter of our Sermons or the instrument of our faith or the means of our saluation Moreouer it serueth to redresse and amend sundry corrupt practises too common and familiar among the Ministers of the Gospel Some in stead of building vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus
but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth He that setteth his sonne to schoole will look he should learn somewhat and not euer stand at one stay We are trained vp in the bosome of the Church which is the Schoole-house of Christ wee must therefore euery day be profiting and going forward God accepteth not of those that looke backward or stand at a stay hee will know them that seek more and more to know him Thirdly it is our duty to beg and craue at Vse 3 Gods hands the knowledge of his will who openeth the eyes of the blinde and giueth vnderstanding to those that seeke it We haue a gracious promise to be heard Mat. 7 7. in the prayers and petitions that we make vnto him Hence it is that the Prophet Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and endued with a singular portion of Gods Spirit craueth the enlightning of Gods Spirit and desireth still to be taught of him Psal 119 verses 18 27 31 73. Thus doth the Apostle pray for the Ephesians chapter 1 verses 17 18 that God would giue them the spirit of wisedome and enlighten their mindes to know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches are of his glorious inheritance in the Saints A notable direction for all of vs how to behaue our selues when we come into the house of God and tread in his Courts namely not to rest vpon our naturall gifts nor to trust in our mother-wits which are too short and shallow to reach vp to the height and to sound the depth of the mysteries of God How many are there in the world of an high reach and of a deepe conceite in the matters of the world that attaine to no measure of knowledge in the matters of God Talke with them of the things of this life they are able to discourse with great insight many of Gods children inferiour to them few equall with them none can go beyond them They can contriue and dispatch businesse of the world with great facility you cannot speake to them of any thing of this nature but by and by they apprehend it and conceiue it But enter communication with them of heauenly things of the knowledge of God of faith in Christ of the saluation of their soules they can conceiue nothing they are as blinde as Beetles they are simple and ignorant as little children that know not the right hand from the left This should offer to our wise carefull cōsiderations a double meditatiō First it serues to humble those that haue these gifts of nature and are wise in their owne conceit and to make them equal with those of the lower sort seeing all their gifts which Nature hath adorned them withall are not able to set them one foot forward toward the kingdome of heauen nay being vnsanctified they are further off from saluation then others of smaller gifts This made the Apostle say Let no man deceiue himselfe if any man among you seeme to be wise in this world let him be a foole that he may be wise for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God and the Lord knoweth that the thoghts of the wise be vaine 1. Cor. 3 18. Where hee teacheth euery one to be ready to deny himselfe and his carnall wisedome whose beginning is from the flesh and whose end is death to the end wee may be truely wise in heauenly things pertaining vnto euerlasting life Secondly this serueth to comfort the children of God that want the worldly wit of naturall men and are not able to diue so deepe into earthly things as they though they be simple in matters of this world yet if GOD haue giuen them a taste of the glory of the world to come let them rest in spirituall knowledge and giue God the praise that hath opened the eyes of their mindes and inlightned their hearts to haue a feeling of it This our Sauiour taketh occasion to practise and to offer praise and honour to God in a sweete remembrance of this dealing of God I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes it is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such Math. 11 25 26. Though wee be simple in the world yet if wee be wise in GOD though weake in the world yet if we be strong in GOD though wee be accounted as fooles and silly ones of the sharp wits of the world yet if wee haue learned Christ Iesus know the exceeding measure of his loue toward vs let this be our comfort and consolation that God hath abundantly recompenced the want of those outward things by giuing vnto vs an happy and holy aduantage in heauenly things And indeed all those are learned that are taught of God and they vnlearned that are not taught of him althogh otherwise they abound in other knowledge Such as haue learned Christ Iesus and him crucified and so are become new creatures in him they are learned though they know neuer a letter in the booke For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome knowledge Col. 2 3. He that hath not learned Christ is vnlearned Althogh otherwise he be neuer so learned for if he be not regenerate and borne anew but committeth sinne with greedines he hath not seene him neither hath knowne him 1. Ioh. 3 6. Wherfore let vs al learne from hence to depend vppon God for his blessings vpon vs especially when we enter the Lords courts and come to heare his word let vs confesse that we are not able of our selues to vnderstand his will and desire him to open our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Act. 16 14. for otherwise wee shall depart away as ignorant and blinde as wee came wee shall neuer soundly rest in the truth that is deliuered but alwayes be ready to carpe and cauill at it to wrangle and reason against it saying How can these things be And then it may be said vnto them as Christ speaketh to the proud Pharisies who gloried in their owne insight thought all men blind beside themselues If ye were blinde ye should not haue sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth Iohn 9 40 41. Let vs then be ready to renounce our worldly wisedome and to deny our selues and begge the assistance of Gods Spirit to be our inward teacher and instructer that so we may heare with profit and comfort Vse 4 Lastly learne to be thankfull to God foreshewing this grace and mercy to vs his vnworthy seruants when he reuealeth and maketh knowne vnto vs the hid things of God touching our saluation without which wee haue liued in darknes in the shadow of death and in the estate of damnation Hee hath not vouchsafed this mercy vpon all but hath passed ouer many thousands in the world which know not truth from errour nor light from darknesse hee might haue passed
these things are hidden from their eyes and cannot enter into their hearts yet this shall bee the end of all those that worke iniquity God will raine downe vpon the wicked snares fire brimstone stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the iust Psal 11 6 7. On the other side wee must needes acknowledge and confesse that it is a blessed thing to be at peace with God It is a great blessing to liue at peace in the world and to be in vnity with men among whom wee liue but much more sweet and comfortable is it to be at one with the eternall God so as hee haue no controuersie against vs. This is it which the Prophet concludeth Kisse the sonne lest he be angry so ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2 12. So then as the estate of all the vngodly that are vnder the wrath of God is most miserable so the condition of the godly how soeuer accounted of by the vnfaithfull of the world is happy and blessed who are safe vnder the wings of God and shall bee deliuered in the day of iudgment Secondly wee must be wise and circumspect Vse 2 to take heed that we doe not kindle it to our owne confusion This is the exhortation of Moses to the people Take heed that there bee not among you man nor family nor tribe which should turne their heart away from the liuing God that there should not be among you any roote that bringeth forth gall and wormewood for the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoke against that man euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Deut. 29 8. This serueth to reprooue such as are in this point like the horse and mule that are without knowledge and haue no vnderstanding They neuer regard the iudgments of God present they neuer seeke to preuent them being to come This is it which our Sauiour toucheth in the Iewes when he came neere the citty he wept for it and sayd If thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hid from thine eyes Luke 19 42. It is therefore our duty to labour to know the times of his iudgments It is vnpossible to auoid the wrath of God vnles we haue a care to know it The wrath of GOD to come vpon the sonnes of men is foreknowne three wayes First The wrath of God to come is forâ— knowne thrâ— wayes by the oracles of the Prophets and by reasons drawn out of the Word of God Secondly by signes and wonders which God sheweth in heauen or in earth or in the sea Thirdly by plagues and punishments that he sendeth the which as they are the beginning of his anger present so they are testimonies and tokens of greater iudgments to come And as we haue shewed before that the wrath of God is resembled oftentimes to a consuming fire so we vnderstand that a fire is already kindled will grow greater by these three meanes before expressed to wit Zanch de diâ—â—â— attrib lib. 4. c. eyther by the report of credible witnesses or by beholding of the smoke ascending or by sensible perceiuing of the flame breaking out which is a fearefull signe of a farther fire and a greater burning except it bee speedily quenched and preuented First the wrath of God is foreshewed vnto vs by the words of the Prophets and Apostles which were inspired by the Spirit of God and foretell the wrath of God to come vpon vs for our sins And as the Law of God setteth downe sundry threatnings and curses so the Ministers of God out of the same doe denounce the iudgements of God gather that the wrath of God hangeth ouer a kingdome or City by an infallible conclusion without repentance For where sinne reigneth there the wrath of God cometh but in this Nation or City or Family sin reigneth wherfore the wrath of God hangeth ouer such a Nation City or house Such threatnings denounced by the seruants of God 〈◊〉 28 20. 〈◊〉 26 21. Cor. 11 30. collected by certaine reasons out of the Scripture are not to be despised but feared not to bee passed ouer but to be preuented not to be derided but to be applyed to our consciences that if we finde those sinnes in vs wee may labour earnestly to repent of them For albeit the Ministers of God do not speake by special inspiration and reuelation of the Spirit as the Prophets yet their threatnings are not voide and vaine but are grounded vpon effectuall reasons of the word and the beholding of present wickednes that aboundeth euery where We must not therefore account them as scar-Crowes which cannot hurt for God will make them powerful in the mouths of his seruants so that they which will not be perswaded to feare them shall bee constrayned certainly to feele them whether they will or not Another meanes to giue vs vnderstanding of Gods wrath before it falleth is by the vndoubted signes and tokens which are as the messengers of God and the fore-runners of wrath which we see in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters For whensoeuer God is determined in his heauy but yet iust iudgement to bring any plague vpon the world and to make manifest his fierce indignation he vseth to send certaine tokens of his anger to testifie that it is not farre off which are as the sproutings of the fig-tree signifying that sommer is neere Thus doth Christ foretell the destruction of Ierusalem and the end of the world by the signes which shal go before them 〈◊〉 24 32. saying Learne the parable of the Figge-tree when her bough is yet tender it putteth forth leaues ye know that the Sommer is nere so likewise ye when ye see all these things know that the kingdome of God is neere euen at the doores These appeare in the Sun in the Moon in the Starres in the Elements and in the creatures when the course of nature is altered changed 〈◊〉 de bell 〈◊〉 lib. 7. cap. â— the very insensible and vnreasonable things doe preach repentance vnto vs and therefore are to be marked and not despised Lastly the former punishment is a fore-runner of a further iudgement the smaller of a greater and the first of a second God broght sundry plagues vpon Pharaoh king of Egypt but such as came after pressed and punished him more then such as went before When Christ had foretold many euilles that should come vpon Ierusalem for their contempt of the Gospel and their refusing of all grace offered vnto them he addeth Mat. 24 6 8. The end is not yet all these are but the beginning of sorrowes as if hee should say there shall moe in
vnbeleeuers but letteth them alone and spareth them as though hee had forgotten their workes or had not seene their sinnefull wayes yet they must know that their transgressions are recorded in the booke of God and shall come to account For hee suffereth those whom he loueth not to waxe ripe yea to rot away in their sinnes and in the meane season hee chastiseth those whom he hath adopted to be his children Gen. 15. The state of the faithfull is in the fight of man and in the iudgment of the world more miserable then the state of the despisers of God which rest at ease and welter in all pleasures They seeme to bee forgotten of God and vtterly forsaken of helpe so that they pine away with sorrow of heart whereas the wicked lift vp their heads and set their hornes on high they are merry and make a mocke of sinne in the despite of God and in scorne of all godlinesse Alas how would this trouble and torment vs and bring vs to our wits ends if wee had not this doctrine that iudgement entreth first into the house of God and that when God shall haue finished all his worke vpon mount Sion then will hee not spare the wicked Esay 10 12. God will indeed keepe corrections first in his owne house seeing he loueth them most and seeketh to cleanse them from their sinnes hee will visit them in the first place lest they should be condemned with the world and then a most horrible vengeance is prepared and a stormy tempest is made ready for those that haue long abused his patience and hardned their hearts not knowing that his long sufferance ought to haue led them to repentance 1. Cor 11 32. This serueth as a notable comfort on the one side to all the godly that are tryed by afflictions of long continuance We must consider that the more the Lord loueth vs the more forward he is in visiting of vs and when he seeth wee haue stepped awry and are gone out of the right way of saluation hee watcheth ouer vs to bring vs home againe to him with speed This is that which the Apostle teacheth the Church of Corinth For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe for if we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged but when we are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord because we should not be condemned with the world Let vs not therefore despise the chastening of the Lord neyther faint when we are rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth and hee scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth if therefore we be without correction c. Heb. 12 5.6 Euen as when a man beholding two children committing euill correcteth one of them and letteth the other go free the standers by will say surely that was his sonne which hee did smite and chasten but the other was not Besides we are assured that the wicked shall perish and that the vngodly shall bee punished Secondly this serueth to set forth the wofull condition of all the reprobate for when they see how GOD dealeth with his owne deare children chastening them for their sinnes and sending them great afflictions as appeareth in Dauid that the sword departed not from his house that God did visit him with sundry other iudgements in his children all the dayes of his life it ought to be a feareful threatning to the wicked to make them afraid of the reward which is laide vp in store for them in the life to come This is that which Salomon calleth to their remembrance Behold the righteous shal be recompenced c. Prou. 11 31. And to the same purpose speaketh the Apostle Peter The time is câ—me that iudgement must beginne at the house of GOD 1. Peter 4 17. If it first beginne at vs what shall the end be of them which obey not the Gospel of God And if the righteous scarsely bee saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Woe therefore to all wicked men how wretched shall their end be how horrible shal their destruction be when God commeth to giue them the hire and wages of their worke Let them therefore repent of their euill waies and call vpon God betimes before the euill daies approch and before iudgment do come vpon them Vse 3 Lastly from hence arise sundry duties to be practised as well of the children of God that lye vnder chastisement as of others that are beholders of it First seeing God will begin his chastisements vpon his owne children it teacheth them when they are punished to consider and search out the true cause therof and to call vpon him to pardon theyr sinnes True it is hee is able to preserue them in the time of trouble he is ready to regard their prayers but their sinnes are lothsome to him and doe turne away his louing countenance from them according vnto the saying of the Prophet Esay 59 1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot hear but your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God your sins haue hid away his face from you that hee will not heare When our sinnes are heartily confessed they shall be freely pardoned and when they are pardoned God is reconciled vnto vs and when he is reconciled his iudgements shal be remoued Secondly let vs begin a new life walke in the wayes of righteousnes for as Salomon teacheth Righteousnesse deliuereth from death Prou. 10 2. Wee must turne from our wickednes and then God will turne from his iudgements Wee are ready to cry out in the time of our affliction but we are not so readie to practise true religion If wee would call in Gods iudgement we must turne to him by amendment of life Lastly when we see the Lord strike his owne children wee must behold it with an eye of compassion So soone as we see their miseries and calamities that ly heauy vppon them we must shew our selues to haue a feeling of their afflictions wee must expresse our pitty we must manifest our kindnesse and wee must declare the bowels of our loue toward them This is it which Iob requireth at the hands of his friends in the daies of his sorrow Iob 19 21. The wicked haue despised me when I rose they spake against me all my secret friends abhorred me and they whom I loued are turned against me c. Where we see he sheweth that God had chastened him that his brethren stoode farre from him that his acquaintance were strangers vnto him that his neighbors had forsaken him that his familiars had forgotten him that his seruants disdained him that his wife loathed him that the wicked despised him that his secret friends abhorred him thereupon hee cryeth out for some to pitty him in his misery and to comfort him in his extreamity This duty should be performed by vs to testifie our loue vnto the seruants of God and so
Lastly this daily sacrifice importeth the daily sacrifice of prayer which we ought to offer Vse 4 to God as our dayly seruice due vnto him 1. Kings 18 36. Rab. Menachem fol. 115. And thus do the Hebrew Doctors speake The continuall sacrifice of the morning made attonement for the iniquities that were done in the night and the euening sacrifice made attonement for the iniquities that were by day It is therefore required of vs to pray vnto God not once in a moneth or once a weeke nor onely vpon the Sabbath day or publikely in the assemblies of the faithfull but we must remember him daily that remembreth vs euery houre The time of prayer is euery day and that in respect of our daily sinnes Fine strong motiues to stir vs vp to praier our daily wants dangers tentations and decayes so that we must obserue the rule of the Apostle Pray continually 1 Thess 5 16. These are fiue strong motiues to stir vs vp daily to performe this duty so that we may say with the Prophet I waite for the Lord my soule doth waite euen in his word do I hope my soule waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning c. Psal 130 5 6. First to speake of them in order we haue daily sins We prouoke God euery day and therfore are taught daily to pray for forgiuenes to say If thou Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand Ps 130 3. For as he lades vs daily with his benefits so we lade him daily with our sinnes so that they are a burden vnto him he is weary to beare them therfore we should make euen reckoning with the Lord euery day and renew our repentance euermore Secondly we haue dayly wants and who feeleth them not and therefore it is our duty daily to bewayle them and daily to craue the supply of them If there be any feeling of grace or sparke of Gods Spirit in vs we cannot bee ignorant that we want both temporall spirituall blessings for body and soule A blinde man may see them they are so great and so many Thirdly we haue dayly dangers euery creature if God giue vs ouer is able to work our destruction We go not from home but our returne is vncertaine no man can assure himselfe of safety If we get vp on horsebacke in the slipping of one foote we slip into danger sometimes into death If we be in the house the misstepping of one foot bringeth trouble If a man enclose himselfe in his garden a serpent may byte him If he walk in the streetes a tyle from an house may strike him downe nay dead Where can a man secure himselfe or how long or from whom When we haue escaped one danger may we afterward promise vnto our selues safety nay wee are presently in danger of another danger as we see in the Syrians who when they had escaped the sword of the Israelites fled to Aphek into the Citty for refuge But there a wall fell vpon twenty and seuen thousand of them that were left and slew them 1 Kings 20 30 so that it is with vs as the Prophet Amos speaketh as if a man did flie from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him Amos 5 19. Therefore our onely safety standeth in prayer and in sanctifying the Name of God and begging his assistance Fourthly we haue dayly tentations bodily and ghostly arising from the flesh the world and from the diuell Our aduersary the diuell neuer resteth but walketh vp and downe like a roring Lyon seeking whom he may deuoure Iob 1 7. 1 Pet. 5 8. He is neuer ydle nor weary he is an importunate suter he will neuer giue ouer nor take any denyall and therfore Christ saith Math. 26 41. Watch and pray that ye enter not into tentation the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weake and he instructeth his Disciples Luke 32 21 that Satan desired to haue them that he might sift them as wheate howbeit he telleth Peter he prayed for him that his faith should not fayle Among all these tentations pleasure and prosperity are none of the least when we enioy health wealth peace and liberty ease and abundance If euer we forget God it is most commonly when we are full Psalm 30 6. Deuter. 6 6 7.8 c. Luke 21 34 35. Lastly wee haue dayly decayes in good things It is with vs in the matters of the soul as it is in the state of our bodies Our naturall heate and moysture wherein the life consisteth is dayly impayred and would quickly consume were not nature dayly supplyed by meate and drinke whereby the decayes of these as it were the breaches made in nature are made vp so would faith and repentance and other graces of God be weakned and diminished dayly in vs if they were not encreased by the continuall vse of the Word of the Sacraments and of Prayer and therefore we must not ceasse to stirre vp these gifts in vs lest they be as a spark of fire in greene wood which will soone go out if it be not kindled So then this morning euening sacrifice shold direct vs how and when to worship God wee must remember him in the morning in the euening hee must be in our thoughts first and last we must begin the day and ende the day with him Let him be in our first meditations when we awake out of sleepe If the heart and thoughts be well setled in the morning they are like to be better ordered and disposed all the day after This made the Prophet say Psalm 5 3. My voice shalt thou heare in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my praier vnto thee and will looke vp and Psalm 22 2 and 53 17 and 119 55 62 164. Dan. 6 10 Then are the faculties of the soule most fresh and cheerefull then are the senses comforted and refreshed because of the nights rest and therefore best able to performe any duty to God or man Againe the morning is a time wherein the world and the businesse of this life haue not yet forestalled and possessed our hearts and affections and therefore wee are then the most fit to perform any special or spiritual duty required of vs. Lastly it is the first part of the day and therefore the most worthy to be consecrated to God after wee haue newly tasted his great mercy in the night past which he might haue made euerlasting darknesse vnto vs neuer raised vs vp againe Moreouer as the greatest part neglect this time so doe they also at euening they forget what blessings they haue receiued what dangers they haue escaped what tentations they haue resisted what wants they haue obtained what decayes they haue supplyed and repayred for which they should giue him thanks and lastly what sinnes they haue committed in the day for which God might
and of the Land of Canaan but the eternall rest with Iesus Christ in heauen This do none attaine but onely the faithfull and now we are in the way that leadeth vnto it wee are not yet in possession of that rest 2 Corinth chapter 5. verse 7. As then the passenger doth not sitte still but alwayes is going forward and further vntill he come to his iournyes end so ought wee to make continuall steppes in the faith vntill we come to receiue the ende of our faith which is the saluation of our soules 1 Pet. chapter 1 verse 9. Why eternall life is called a rest Now we must vnderstand that eternall life is called a rest for two causes First because thē and there wee shall rest from all our workes that is from our sinnes for then we shall sinne no more but shall know God euen as we are knowne no euill shall dwell there When the Angels had sinned they were immediately cast out and are reserued in chaines to euerlasting perdition Iude verse 6. Secondly wee shall rest from all troubles and miseries of this life Reuelat. chapter 14 verse 13 and hence it is that this place of rest is called by the name of Abrahams bosome Luke 16 22 23 because Abraham and all beleeuers that are the sonnes of God do there quietly rest and repose themselues as the childe in the bosome of his mother Vse 3 Thirdly it teacheth vs to auoyd all prophanenesse vpon this day of the Lord the works of our callings and the pleasures of our owne hearts are meere prophanations of this holy day Euery one will be ready to confesse that it is a great sinne eyther for the husbandman to goe to plough or for the tradesman to follow his businesse or for the day-labourer to worke or for the handy-craftesman to apply his vocation howbeit for a man to giue himselfe to his sports pleasures and delights they thinke there is some greater liberty Howbeit it seemeth a most ridiculous thing to me that God forbiddeth to the poore man his labour and alloweth to the rich man his pleasure to permit that which is lesse necessary and to restraine that which is more necessary But let vs see what we are to hold as well of the one as of the other out of the Law of God First Adam himselfe was commanded to sanctifie this day which God had blessed Genesis chap. 2 2 and the people in the wildernesse are forbidden to gather Manna Exod. chap. 16 verse 6. For this day is a market day for the soule and a time to prouide spirituall food farre more excellent and precious then Manna Iohn chap. 6 verse 58. 1 Pet. chapter 2 verse 3. Secondly our ordinary buying and selling keeping of fayres or markets on this day to whom we may ioyne those that bring theyr wares and commodities into Church-yards that after morning prayer they may vent them among the people This is another abuse among vs which toucheth the buyers as well as the sellers And if such commodities bee brought vnto vs we ought not to buy them Nehem. 13 15. For what maketh sellers among vs but because they easily finde those that will take their cōmodities at their hands It is certaine if there were no buyers there would be no sellers Thirdly there ought to be no carrying carting vpon this day lest God lay some heauy burden vpon vs too heauy for vs to beare Ierem. 17 21 22. Many carriers offend this way and as they breake the Sabbath themselues so they are the cause of the breach of it to many others Fourthly we must not follow our labours no not in haruest time when we might claime the greatest priuiledge and the season seemeth to offer vnto vs liberty and to giue vs a dispensation yet euen then we must rest prouided that our corne and prouision for the yeere be not in danger to bee lost for then God will haue mercy and not sacrifice Math. 12 7. If wee may saue the goods of others much more our owne And if saue the life of our beast much more our corne wherby our liues are preserued Fiftly they are reproued that wander from their places that runne about after euery pleasure or profite or feast a common abuse prophanation of the day almost in all places Exod. 16 29 these are like prophane Esau who sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Hebr. chapter 12 verse 16 so do they sell the word and sacraments for small trifles These are louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. chapter 3 verses 4 5. and many of them make theyr belly theyr god Philppians chapter 3 ver 19. And touching theyr profits they take great gaine to be godlinesse not godlines to be great gaine the first Epistle to Timothy chapter 6 verses 5 6. Sixtly the Iewes were forbidden to build the Tabernacle vpon this day which was a place consecrated to God for his seruice and worship Exodus chapter 31. verse 15. It is not therefore lawfull to builde Gods house with materiall stones vpon that day but wee must labour to bee liuing stones built vp a spirituall house and an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ the first Epistle of Peter chapter the second verse 5. Seuenthly they are reproued that keepe a carnall sabbath vnto the diuell not an holy Sabbath to God who spend the time in carding dicing drinking surfetting reuelling and such like This is the diuels sabbath and no better then to serue him The diuels Sabbath They are euill vpon any day but worse vpon this day Saul was offended when he saw Dauids place empty at his Table but how often may our places be seene empty at the Lords Table and in his house Lastly not to regard the hearing of the word whereby wee may encrease in good things and learne our duties to God man The neglect of these duties bringeth many iudgements and curses of God vpon our heads Amos 8 4. Nehem. 13 17 18. Ier. 17. verse 27. Vse 4 Thirdly we must labour to performe obedience to God vpon this day without wearinesse or distraction both publikely and priuately It is our duty to heare the word preached in it 2 Kings 4 23. Luke 4 16 Acts 13 14 15 15 22. We must exercise our selues in the Word and Sacraments pray with the Congregation lay vp in our hearts what wee haue heard meditate vpon it conferre about it and seeke to encrease in knowledge faith and obedience otherwise the Sabbath shall passe from vs without profite We must try our hearts and liues whether we goe forward or backward or stand at a stay If we do these things then shall we be wise obseruers of this day and haue the blessings of GOD come downe vpon vs Exod. 31 13 17. Ezek. 20 12 20. Esay 56 2 3 4 c. and 58 13 14. Ier. 17 24 25 26. Vse
is called the feast of haruest Exo. 23 16. 22 29. Their fruits when they were ful ripe and gathered were broght offred to God Maimony in treatise of first fruits cap. 22. The Hebrew Canons teach that they were to bring first fruits of seuen things onely of Wheat of Barly of Grapes of Figs of Pomegranats of Oliues and of Dates and that if a man brought any other besides these seuen kinds they were not sanctified Moreouer that they bring no first fruits of liquors saue of oliues and of Grapes and if they bring other they are not receiued There is no measure of first fruits set in what measure or quātity they ought to bring them neuerthelesse they teach that the least quantity which men might bring was one of sixty as the greatest was the fortith part so that they might bring what they would betweene forty and sixtie for their first fruites This feast is also called Pentecost that is fifty dayes because there were seuen weekes betweene Easter and this so as there were 49. dayes between these two feasts whereunto one being added for the festiuall day it selfe it made fifty This ceremony is now no longer in vse but instruction from it and by it remaineth The Iewes were as yong children and God ruled them according to their infirmities Gal. 4 1. Now let vs see the Vses Vse 1 First it teacheth vs not onely that GOD hath set vs in this world but fostereth feedeth vs in it hee maketh the earth to yeelde fruite so that we liue by his bounty and liberality Therfore the will of God was that the Iewes should keepe a yearely feast to him to giue him thankes that thereby they might be prouoked to acknowledge all the year after that they were sustained by his hand and that they were as it were Gods tenants in the land Deut. 26 9 10 Leuit. 25 23. So then they were to thinke thus with themselues we haue offered sacrifice to God after haruest whereby we are put in minde that it is he that hath sent vs our sustenance by giuing vs the early and the latter raine sending vs fruitfull seasons and filling our hearts with ioy and gladnesse So then this yearely solemnitie of one day was not as a pasport or discharge of farther dutie as if they might forget God all the rest of the yeare but rather to be a means to schoole them all the year after that if we haue any thing wherwith to succour our selues and sustain our liues it is Gods blessing who hath pitty and compassion vpon vs. By this wee are taught to the worlds end and are put in mind not to swallow Gods benefits as swine without thinking vpon him but rather so often as we eate or drinke we should be ready to giue him thankes and as he openeth our mouthes to receiue his creatures so should wee open our mouthes to poure out his praises It is he that heareth the heauens that the heauens may heare the earth and the earth the corne and the corne his people Hos 2. Secondly the first fruits figured out Gods Vse 2 Church which is a people separated and sanctified vnto him from the rest of the worlde This is a true description of the true Church and by this we must try whether we be parts and members thereof or not It is not enough for vs to be in the Church to make vs to be of the Church For many be among vs that are not of vs saith the Apostle Iohn in his first Epistle and the second chapter If we be of the Church we must bee a company called and culled out of the world Iohn 15 19 for these two are opposed the one to the other the world and the Church The whole world lieth in wickednes but we know that we are of God 1 Iohn 5 19. The Apostle Iohn speaking of them both comparing one with another saith Yee are of God little children they are of the world 1 Iohn 4 4 5. As then the first fruits were separated from the rest of the heape and sanctified vnto God so is the estate of the true Church and of all the members of it Ier. 2 3. Iames 1 18. Reuel 14 1 they are sanctified to GOD and to his seruice in whom he greatly delighteth This is the priuiledge of the regenerate aboue the vnregenerate that they are created a new in Christ Iesus They are his spouse Hos 2 19 23. Eph. 5 25 his children Ioh. 1 12 his seruants Rom. 6 16 trees of righteousnesse planted by his right hand Psal 1 3. Esay 61 3 an holy Temple Eph. 2 20 21 an holy Priesthood and a royall generation 1 Pet. 2 5 9 Reuel 1 6 and 5 9. It behoueth vs therefore to walke worthy of our calling Eph. 4 1 toward God and men toward God giuing him all glory Reuel 1 6 and doing whatsoeuer hee commandeth Ioh. 15 14 toward men hauing our conuersation honest 1 Pet. 2 12 and nothing at all regarding the hatred of the world Iohn 15 18 19 c. Of this see more afterward Thirdly hereby the Lord taught the Iewes to deale liberally toward other their brethren as he had dealt liberally toward them according as he had blessed them Where hee bestoweth much there he requires the more and whatsoeuer they did they must do it willingly and cheerefully Deu. 16 10 11. A man may giue all his goods and yet do to God no good seruice yea and giue his body to be burned 1 Cor. 13 3. True it is he did after a sort lay the bridle in their owne neckes and left it to their owne choice to offer what they thoght best in their own eyes 2 Kings 4.42 yet he adds as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee Deut. 16 therefore they must come to an account for it When he had giuen them a good and plentiful haruest that the cart was pressed with the sheaues their cup did ouerflow from whence came it or to whom were they beholding for it Was it not to him to him onely It is he that openeth his hand wide vnto vs also that our hearts should be opened in like maner toward him God dealeth not alike toward all and hee requireth not alike of all As euery man hath receyued abundantly at his hands so ought hee to impart vnto his brother for that is the end that God aimeth at and the seruice that hee looketh for They that deuoure Gods blessings without pitty are no better thē theeues and as caterpillars that eate vp the fruites of the earth Heb 13 16 Hos 6 7. Our goods can no way profit him Iob 35 6. True it is he requireth sacrifices oblations howbeit such as thinke to discharge themselues by coming to the church by offering their gifts there do beguile themselues but cannot beguil the Lord that seeth the heart forasmuch as all their doings are no better then hypocrisie if they be not mercifull to their bretheren
And as GOD requireth it so hee will accept of it and giue a blessing vnto it and to all those that with care and conscience shall vse it Albeit it bee of small value in it selfe yet GOD hath ordained it to an excellent end euen to humble the soule and it shall be auaileable to that purpose which is no small benefit As water in Baptisme and the bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord are little or nothing worth considered in themselues and as the rest appointed on the Sabbath can little further vs if we goe no further howbeit they bring a great blessing to such as vse them with reuerence faith and repentance Neuerthelesse we are not to trust in these outward things but these outward ceremonies must leade vs by the hand to higher matters lest God send vs away empty as wee came Ezra 6 21 or else the fast of the beasts in Niniueh shal be as good as our fast Ionah 3 7 for they were couered with sackcloth and did neyther feed nor drinke water These vertues are the acknowledging of our owne vnworthinesse also watchfulnesse humility zeale hope of mercy at the hands of God and assurance to obtaine that which wee aske of him in prayer These are no smal graces and benefits For the seruants of GOD by their abstinence from meate and drinke confessed themselues vnworthy so much as of a crumme of bread or of a drop of water by putting on sackecloth vnworthy of the worst ragge to couer their shame and nakednesse They depriued themselues of the benefite of sleepe and cut themselues shorter of it then at other times to stirre vp themselues to perseuerance and watchfulnesse in prayer and other holy duties They put dust and ashes vpon their heads to testifie what they had deserued euen to bee as farre vnder the earth as they were aboue it yea to be depriued of life and to bee stricken with death for their sinnes and to be worthy of eternall condemnation Fasting is to be ioyned with prayer And for the practice of all these they quickened their prayers and as it were added wings vnto them that they might more easily pierce the heauens and present themselues in the presence of God and therefore prayer and fasting were ioyned together Ezra 9 5. Nehem. 1 4. Dan. 9 3. Iudg. 20 26 Luke 2 37 and 5 33. 1 Cor. 7.7 True it is prayer is auaileable without fasting but fasting is neuer auaileable without prayer For fasting is not the worship of God but onely an helpe to it But heere obserue that notwithstanding this exercise of our faith be so often commanded so often commended so often practised so often blessed yet Satan hath not ceassed from time to time to mingle darnell yea poyson with it so thogh it remaine yet it remayneth without profit As hee hath corrupted prayer it selfe so he hath blended and infected the exercise of holy fasting If hee should haue gone about vtterly to take them away his craft would soone haue bin espied therefore he goeth about another way What the Popish fasting is And let vs a little see what the Popish fasting is according as it is deliuered and practised by themselues For contraries set together doe serue to illustrate one another Their fasting is defined to bee a subtraction or diminishing of our meate or dyet Alex. ab Halâ—s Durand lib. 6 cap. 7. according to the institution or doctrine of the Church at times appointed vnder paine of mortall sinne to make satisfaction for sinnes and to merite the grace of God and life euerlasting Thus by appointing fastes they ouerturne the right ends of fasting and by their intention of satisfaction for sinne and procuring of eternall life and such like horrible detestable and intollerable blasphemies they destroy the onely sufficient satisfaction of Christ The Church of Rome charge vs to bee enemies to fasting and that our doctrine is a doctrin of liberty but we are enemies only to their abuses and corruptions not to fasting it selfe neyther doe wee allow the breach of fasting dayes Wee hold that it is a Christian exercise needfull to be vsed for the humbling of our soules and the enabling of our selues to the duties of prayer and repentance as often as the time shall require besides our Church hath publike fastes in the time of any generall infection or affliction and our people are instructed and called vpon to faste priuatly also when the cause is more priuate The difference betweene them and vs is this We reiect their set dayes Difference betweene the Church of Rome and vs touching fasting and their name of fast vpon those dayes by distinction of meates for conscience sake wherein they place the worship of God and in the endes which they propound to themselues to wit merit and satisfaction And as they bring in these inuentions so they neglect such exercises of Religion as of right ought to bee ioyned with the outward abstinence Their fasting is onely a forbearing of flesh and things that come of flesh on certain and set dayes allowing to themselues in stead thereof not onely fish which is as good and nourishable as flesh but that which is daintier as wines march-panes conserues and such like sweet meates in as great measure as can be so that they eate as often and as good as we doe euen when they professe to fast if not better 12 And on the fifteenth day of the seuenth moneth ye shall haue an holy conuocation yee shall doe no seruile worke and ye shall keepe a feast to the Lord seuen dayes 13. 14. 15. 16. And yee shall offer a burnt offering a sacrifice made by fire of a sweete sauour vnto the Lord thirteene yoong bulloakes two rammes and fourteene lambes of the first yeare they shall be without blemish And their meat offering c. 17 18 19. And on the second day yee shall offor twelue young bullockes two rammes fourteene lambes of the first yeare without spot And their meat offering c. 20 21 22. And on the third day eleuen bullockes two rammes fourteene lambes of the first yeare without blemish And their meate offering c. 23 24 25. And on the fourth day tenne bullockes two rammes and fourteene Lambes c. Their meat offering c. 26 27 28 And on the fift day nine bullockes two rammes and fourteene lambes c. And their meate offering c. 29 30 31. And on the sixt day c. 35 36 On the eight day c. Of the feast of Tabernacles or of ingathering at the yeares end The last feast mentioned in this chapter is the feast of Tabernacles and of ingathering of the fruites of the land in the end of the yeare when they had gathered in their labours out of the field Exod. 23 16 and 34 22. This also was kept in the seuenth moneth for the space of eight dayes and therefore how they should come before the Lord and what they should offer
In the first place whereof I range the Church of Rome For as it abridgeth the authority of Magistrates so it crosseth the authority of parents ouer their children It is notoriously knowne to the whole world how the Romane Antichrist that proud beast that sitteth vppon the seuen hils 〈◊〉 cardin 〈◊〉 vit Henr. 4. hath stirred vp the children against their parents and prouoked them partly by promises and partly by threatnings to depriue them of their dominions and liues by force of armes by which meanes bloodie warres haue bene raised and waged betweene the father and the sonne Thus they put asunder those whom God and nature hath ioyned together In like manner vnder the vizard pretence of Religion they not onely allow but exhort and entice and receiue into theyr Monkish Orders yong men at fourteen years and yong women at twelue without consent of their parents But in this place God putteth power and authority into the parents hands to disanull the vow which the daughter maketh being in her fathers house which ordinance is grounded vpon the morall Law which commandeth children to honour and obey their parents and the Apostle Paul referreth the whole matter of keeping the daughter a virgin or the bestowing of her in marriage to the will and determination of the father 1 Cor. 7 36 37. Moreouer hath not the father as great power ouer his sonne as the master hath ouer his seruant But it is not lawfull for the seruant to take vpon him the profession of Monkery without the consent of his master and therefore the childe may not do the same The answer of Bellarmine is nothing to the purpose that children are not in like subiection to their parents as seruants are to their masters but haue more power ouer themselues then seruants haue because howsoeuer Children are not in such seruile condition as seruants which is not the question it being out of question yet parents haue as great power ouer the persons of their children being within age as ouer seruants and the law of nature which bindeth sonnes is stronger then the law of men which maketh seruants and parents haue greater power ouer their own flesh then ouer strangers Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth that it belongeth as a special duty to children by all meanes to honor their parents to which they are bound with the strongest bands and this yeelding of honor vnto them consisteth in many particulars For we must be subiect vnto them Reuerence required toward parents and giue them reuerence obedience and maintenance First wee ought all the dayes of our liues to esteeme reuerently of them as also of their wise deuices of their holy counsels of their carefull instructions And this we ought to expresse in gesture in speech and in outward carriage not so much for feare of correction or looking for benefit from them but for conscience sake lest by the contrary we draw the curse of God vpon vs Prou. 30 17. Woe therefore vnto those vngodly and vngracious children that do not esteeme their parents according to the high place wherein God hath seated them ouer them that doe despise them because of some infirmities of age of nature or otherwise and therefore mocke and scoffe at them Prou. 30 11. Gen. 9 22. The second duty is obedience to their lawful commandements in performing of their will howsoeuer sometimes they may seem vnpleasant and vnpleasing vnto them Mat. 21. Col. 3 20. Iere. 35 Deuter. 21 18 19. Thus doth Iacob rest in the counsell of Rebecca his mother and yeeldeth to her wholsome admonition Genes 27 14. And this is one of the cheefe vertues that can be found among them and therefore Paul expoundeth Honor by Obedience Colos 3 20. Obedience required tovvard parents Eph. 6 1. Thus they ought to submit and subiect themselues to their godly gouernment religious discipline And as this ought to bee yeelded to them in all things so it should bee obserued in choosing their trade and order of life and taking vpon them a speciall calling to be ready to be directed by them what by their graue censure wisedome iudgement foresight they thinke fittest for them Prouer. 29 15 15 5 especially in the greatest matter of al that doth most neerely concern them I meane their marriage when they shall begin to thinke of seeking a companion to liue with them in that estate Thus all faithfull children were content to submit themselues to their parents and to be ordered by them and neuer attempt to bestow themselues in marriage without their parents knowledge Genes 24 3. So did Iacob at the commandement of his father and the aduice of his mother and by consent of them both Genes 27 46. and 28 1. This was obserued of those that otherwise led no sanctified life Genesis 21 21 yea of the very heathen themselues I wil produce one testimony among many others and that is of king Cyrus after hee had conquered Babylon and come home in triumph his vnckle Cyaraxis offered him his daughter vnto wife he thanked his vnckle and praysed the maide and liked the dowry but for giuing consent to mariage he made him this answer which I would it were obserued and followed of all Christians O Cyaraxe Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 8. tò te genos Epainô kai tén paida kai dôra boulomai de ephê sun tê toû patros gnómê kai tes metros tanta sunainesai which is englished in this manner Vncle Cyaraxis I commend the stocke the maide and the portion howbeit sayth hee by the counsell of my father and mother I wil assent vnto you as if hee had saide without their aduice I can do nothing All histories Philosophers Terent in phormion and Poets in a manner are full of the practise of this duty And no maruell for this is agreeable to the common principle in nature Whatsoeuer yee would that other men should do vnto you do ye euen so to them Math. 7 12. Sampson saw a maide in Timnah that liked him well notwithstanding hee spake not one word to her but came backe to his parents desired them to make the marriage for him They were the first whom he acquainted with his purpose not as in our daies wherein commonly the parents are the last Iudges 14 2. Get her to me for she pleaseth me well For seeing parents haue taken great paines and bestowed great cost in bringing vp their children it is reason they should reape some fruites of their labour and trauaile in the bestowing of them in mariage and thereby be acknowledged more wise and better able to prouide and foresee for them then themselues This iustly reprooueth many children in our dayes that neuer regard this duty and condemneth the common practise of our corrupt age so much degenerated and growne out of course that they neuer require nor regard the consent of their parents in their matches and marriages but make their choice after the lust of
conuersation of their wiues Againe the Apostle Paul teacheth the wife to feare her husband Ephes 5 33 and Peter teacheth the same Shee must haue her conuersation with feare 1 Pet. 3 2. This duty is seated in the heart and helpeth to set in order all other duties This will shew it selfe in meeknesse of Spirit which is in the fight of God of great price and in obedience in all lawfull things that not by constraint but willingly and readily as seruing Christ without murmuring or gainsaying If they performe these things they shall be christian wiues and the daughters of Abraham and Sarah to their great comfort Such will do their husbands good and not euill all the dayes of their liues Prou. 31 12. Hence it is that Salomon sayeth A vertuous woman is a crowne vnto her husband Prou. 12 4 but she that is stubborne and disobedient maketh him ashamed and is as rottennesse in his bones A good wife is not onely an honour but an ornament vnto her husband and therefore is compared vnto a crowne of gold If shee had beene compared vnto the ring vpon his finger it had bene a great Ornament if to a Chaine of Gold about his necke it had beene a farre greater but behold while shee keepeth her selfe in her place and dischargeth her duty with loue and subiection she is said to be a crowne vnto him then which what greater honour and glory can there be And therefore in another place he saith Houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers but a prouident wife is from the LORD Prou. 19 14. On the other side he sheweth that it is better to dwell in a corner of the house top thē with a brawling woman in a wide house Prou. 21 9. And againe A continuall dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike Prou. 27 15 and 19 13. Lastly it is the duty of husbands seeing Vse 3 authority is committed vnto them ouer theyr wiues and as it were the brydle put into their hands to loue them tenderly to defend them from euils and to cherish them as their owne flesh as Christ Iesus doth the Church Eph. 5. The heathen king could tell Sarah that her husband was as a couering of the eyes Gen. 20 16. It is his duty therefore to dwell with his wife according to knowledge giuing honour to the wife as vnto the weaker vessell 1 Pet. 3 7 as beeing heyres together of the grace of life that their praiers be not interrupted And why are they commanded to dwell together but that the husband should yeeld to her these 4. things first good example secondly instruction thirdly maintenance lastly employment in her calling for his good and the good of his family CHAP. XXXI 1. AND the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 2. Auenge the children of Israel on the Midianites afterward thou shalt be gathered vnto thy people 3. And Moses spake to the people saying Arme some of your selues vnto the warre and let them goe against the Midianites and auenge the Lord on Midian 4. Of euery Tribe a thousand throughout all the Tribes of Israel shall ye send to the warre 5. So there were deliuered out of the thousands of Israel a thousand of euery Tribe twelue thousand armed for warre 6. And Moses sent them to the warre a thousand of euery Tribe them and Phinchas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest to the warre with the holy Instruments and the Trumpets to blow in his hand MOSES hauing taken order for the Church now commeth to the ciuill plantation and to the inheritance of the Land This had beene promised to theyr fathers Gen. 15 now they begin to preuaile and to receiue as it were the first fruites of it to assure them of the full and finall conquest of the rest Obserue in this Chapter the history of the battell fought against the Midianites The contents of this chapt who combining themselues with the Moabites as we see saw chap. 25 drew the Israelites to whoredome by the counsell of Balaam when they despayred to preuayle against them by the sword By this meanes they defiled themselues with Idolatry also and prouoked the wrath of God to the destruction of many thousands among them The parts of this Chapter are three First of the procuring causes of this warre Secondly the manner how it was followed fought Thirdly the euent and yssue of the whole The first part is in these words wherin we see the Commandement of God and the preparation vsed to accomplish this commandement For Moses sendeth them foorth and with them Phinehas the Priest appointeth souldiers to execute that which GOD commandeth out of euery Tribe Obiect From this arise diuers doubts that are to be discussed First why doth God command vengeance in this place that forbiddeth it else where Rom. chapter 12 verse 19. Deut. chap. 32 verse 35 Answer I answere this may not seeme strange vnto vs neyther should we thinke there is any change in GOD but wee must know the difference and distinction betweene the reuenge of God and of priuate men True it is God will haue his children beare iniuries patiently and to giue place to wrath and to ouercome euill with good Rom. 13 4 yet hee retayneth power to himselfe to execute vengeance against his enemies and neuer disclaymeth that office nay he challengeth it as proper to himself For he wil execute iustice and iudgement by himselfe and his ministers so often as it pleaseth him Numb 25 16. So then albeit the faithfull must bridle the desire of reuenge and not retaile like for like yet when God calleth and appointeth them to be executioners of his wil and wrath he putteth a sword into their hand and when the cause is iust their calling is lawfull Thus we see This is called the reuenge of the Lord verse 3. how souldiers are warranted to shedde blood for they are called to be magistrates onely it is required of such that they be carried kindled with an holy zeale of Gods glory not with priuat hatred grudge and reuenge which make a thing lawful to them vnlawfull Secondly Obiect the question may be asked what is meant hereby that Moses shall be gathered to his people I answere that he should dye Answ the body returning to the earth the spirit to God that gaue it Eccl. 12 7 for with him are the spirits of iust men made perfect Heb. 12 23. So it is said of Abraham Gen. 25 8 he gaue vp the ghost and died an old man full of dayes and was gathered to his people that is to his fathers Gen. 15 15. So then heereby wee must learne the immortality of the soule for Abrahams body was gathered to the body of Sarah onely for he was buried in the sepulcer with her So it is said of Isaac Gen. 35 29 hee was gathered to his godly forefathers and of Moses himselfe afterward Deut. 30 50 as also of Aaron before chap. 20 24. But it will be
and turning to God wee must not put off the matter from day to day The lepers that were cleansed delayed this duty all of them on onely excepted and in the end vtterly did forget it When wee delay a duty thinking to doe it better afterward it groweth quite our of minde The Prophet sayth To day if you will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Psal 95 7 8. Heb. 3 13 Esay 55 6. If we put off our repentance a while who is sure to haue the meanes offered him againe whereby God ordinarily worketh repentance Who can tell whether hee shall heart the word of God preached to him any more The word is translated from place to place we are translated from life to death frō our house to the graue and we know not whether wee shall carry our selues when wee are gone from the Church or be carried by others to the Church againe Besides the longer wee delay our repentance the more hard and difficult it will be because a thicke skinne will grow ouer the heart that it will bee past feeling and sinne will take deeper roote through custome and continuance and therefore wee must set vpon it betimes There lacketh not a man of vs therefore wee haue brought an oblation This was an extraordinary mercy receiued It is a great blessing of God to ouercome the enemy and to obtaine the victory but thus to ouercome and to haue such a victory required an extraordinary thankesgiuing We learne from hence Doctrine It is our duty in extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thanks that as men ought to returne thankes to God for al his blessings so they ought for extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thankes and praises As in times of distresse it is our duty to humble our selues and in extraordinary visitations to vse extraordinary humiliation so when God sheweth any mercy especially extraordinary the Church hath great cause to bee thankfull accordingly and vpon that occasion to bee stirred vp to set forth his noble praise Exodus 15.1 2 c. Esay 38 9. Hezekiah returneth great thankes for his great deliuerance Luke 1 46. Psalme 145 7. The grounds follow Reason 1 First all acknowledge that they are tyed to some duties for blessings receiued Now this is the onely recompence that we can make we cannot requite him to come before him with burnt offerings with calues of a yeare old hee will not be pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousands of riuers of oyle Mic. 6 6 7 hee hath shewed vs what is good and what he requireth of vs the onely accepted sacrifice and seruice is an humble contrite and thankfull heart Psal 116 13 14 this is more acceptable to him then all sacrifices that haue hornes and hoofes all the fowles of the mountaines are his the wilde beasts of the field and the cattel vpon the hilles and therefore he willeth vs to offer vnto him thankesgiuing and to pay our vowes to the most High and to glorifie him for our deliuerances Secondly the least mercies of God such as are most ordinary continuall deserue thanks yea the greatest thanks that we can possibly giue that the tongue and heart should ioyne together in that action for the least drop of his mercy is greater then our deserts then how much more doe his greatest mercies and blessings deserue the greatsst thankes and praise at his hand to performe the same with all our soule with all our mind and with all our strength Hence it is that the seruants of God as we see in Dauid Hezekiah and others after wonderfull and great and mightie deliuerances did vse to penne their songs and often to repeat them to quicken the memoriall of Gods blessings and his kindnesse that they had receiued and thereby to stirre vp their owne hearts and the hearts of others that they might be more closely knit and linked vnto God The like we see in Ionah when he was deliuered from the Whale that had swallowed him vp where the waters compassed him euen about to the soule the depth closed him round about and the weedes were wrapt about his head Ionah 2 5 9 that his deliuerance might seeme after a sort a resurrection from the dead as indeed his lying in the belly of the fish three dayes and three nights Ionah 1 17 did figure out the resurrection of Christ to be so long in the heart of the earth Math. 12 40. I say when he had receiued such a deliuerance what could he do but sacrifice vnto God with the voyce of thankesgiuing and pay that which he had vowed considering that saluation is of the Lord Thirdly Nature it selfe doth teach that the greatest blessings should haue the greatest thankfulnesse inasmuch as great blessings fill the heart more full of ioy now where the heart of a man is extraordinarily ioyfull there the mouth of a man also ought to be extraordinarily thankful Fourthly it standeth with equity that in all things that we do toward God we should do them in proportion and in this matter of thankfulnes wee ought to make out thankes to bee in some sort and in some weake measure proportionable to his blessings The vses remaine First how glorious ought Gods Name to be in all places who doth daily lode vs with Vse 1 his benefites He dealeth not sparingly with vs but liberally thereby to magnifie his great Name that all the world might acknowledge his greatnesse and sing to his praise saying O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth who hast set thy glory aboue the heauens Psal 8 1 2 3 c. Secondly this reproueth many of vnthankfulnes Vse 2 howsoeuer they seeme to themselues to be very thankfull yet they are not proportionably thankfull and therefore they may be said not to bee thankfull at all because they giue not according to his workes and therefore he requireth of vs that wee should praise him according to his blessings But alas which of vs doe not for the most part receiue much of him and returne little or nothing vnto him againe It is not enough for vs to say God be thanked and then thinke wee haue performed all that can be required of vs but as we receiue double mercy so should wee yeeld double obedience Lastly this teacheth Vse 3 euery man that he should consider Gods dealing toward him and what blessings hee hath receiued from him that so hee may see how much thankfulnes he oweth vnto him For where the gifts of God are encreased vpon a man there he hath much cause of thankfulnesse If others that haue receiued lesse blessings from God haue beene more thankfull vnto him for them how shall we escape that haue greater blessings if we shew our selues lesse thankfull Let euery one enter into the meditation of these things Wee haue receiued blessings of all sorts generall and particular what Nation hath beene honoured and aduanced like vnto ours what people haue receiued such deliuerances
blood Do not our Gentry for the most part think it their glory to haue their hands embrewed in the blood of innocents What conscience is made of fighting quarrelling for point of pretended honour but in truth for assured dishonour and disgrace vnto them to their names and to their posterity for let thē set what varnish soeuer they please vpon their combates they shall carry the marke of an horrible sinne to their graue God grant it bee not to hell and the place of perpetuall torment and if euer GOD open their eyes they will weepe day and night for it and bee humbled for it all the dayes of their liues Secondly Vse 2 it is the duty of Magistrates especially and of all men generally in their places to make diligent search enquiry when blood is shed by whom the blood hath beene shedde and if the murtherer bee not found they shold craue pardon at the hands of God And touching the Magistrates and others I would commend to them the consideration of two things first that they be carefull that no man dye innocently that they put no man to death without cause Ier. 25 14. of which we shall speake afterward in the end of this chapter Secondly when murther is committed all men must do their endeuour to the vtmost of their power and meanes to detect the authors of that bloody acte Hence it is that God requireth that when a body is found slaine vpon the ground in the Land which he had giuen the Israelites to possesse and it is not knowne who killed him then the Elders and Iudges shall come forth to the dead body and wash their hands ouer a Bullocke whose head was striken off and protest and say Our hands haue not shed this blood neither haue our eyes seene it O Lord bee mercifull to thy people Israel whom thou hast purchased and lay not the guiltlesse blood vpon them and the man-slaughter shall be forgiuen them Deut. 21 7 8 9. Where we see that the killing of one man is a defiling of the whole country and what care the Lord hath of the life of euery man For murther is so hated of God that albeit the dooer thereof be vnknowne yet hee would haue a solemne cleansing and cleering thereof to be made And see what God requireth at the hands of the Magistrates and ministers of iustice It is not enough for them to protest that they haue not committed or supported or fauoured any euill when causes and complaints haue beene brought before them but they must search carefully and enquire diligently of disorders albeit no man sollicite or seeke vnto them yet themselues must be watchfull in their places Howbeit this duty is oftentimes ill obserued and slenderly practised For how many are there that thinke themselues fully discharged and flatter themselues with a fond imagination that they are greatly to be commended when they patiently giue men the hearing and make countenance to helpe them But God is not contented with this he will take an account of them of a farther duty and will not take it for a sufficient discharge to bee able to say though it be truly There was no information giuen no man made any complaint If then Magistrates that haue the sword of iustice put into their hands to cut off euill doers from the City of God shall suffer any wickednesse to lurke in any Citty or corner they themselues are guilty thereof and it is as much in Gods sight as if they had giuen theyr consent to the practising of it These are they that must after a sort answer for the whole body of the people if euill doers be suffered to nustle vnder them through their negligence Vse 3 Lastly it is the duty of euery one to beware of all occasions and allurements that may draw vs to this bloody sinne For as there is a murther of the hand so there is a murther of the tongue which is therefore in holy Scripture resembled vnto a Razor to a sword to coales to arrowes to poyson to fire all which kill and are the instruments of death and likewise there is a murther of the heart of which the Apostle Iohn sayeth Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer and yee know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him Iohn 3 15. So then we are guilty of this sinne euen by anger and malice in the heart onely and shall haue our portion in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone If any man haue not a feeling of this in his heart hee is more then dead and if he labour not to repent of it it argueth him to be past all grace and so out of the number of those which shall see God to their comfort For albeit such haue the shape and forme of men yet they haue the hearts of the very beasts If they had the right vse of reason in them and the gouernment of theyr corrupt appetites and affections it could not be but that they would haue a care of the life of their brethren and which is more of theyr owne liues also So then euery man should examine himself and try his owne heart how farre he hath bin guilty of this sinne of murther in euery kinde and branch thereof that so wee may humble our selues Albeit it bee but the anger of the heart yet it is murther in the sight of God is therefore as well to be repented of as the outward acte of murther it selfe To this wee may ioyne the sinne of enuy when men so repine at the good of others that they cannot bee quiet or contented because they want that which others haue and haue not so great a portion as they for this also we should humble our selues and labour continually against it To conclude we see also what crueltie and hard-dealing is oftentimes vsed against poore labouring men that get their liuing by the sweate of their browes and yet many thinke they may vse them as they list eyther with turning of them off with an halfe-peny for a peny or else in exchanging other things for their worke which haply are not worth halfe the money or in keeping backe their wages for weekes moneths or yeares which Saint Iames speaketh of Chapter 5 verse 4. Behold the hyre of the Labourers cryeth and the cryes of them are entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath Let vs labour by all meanes to keepe our selues free from bloud and not onely from the outward acte it selfe but from the inward thoughts of the heart as enuy hatred and malice as also from the slaughter of the tongue by cruell and cursed speeches Such a murtherer was Shemei when hee railed vpon Dauid True it is hee charged him to be a murtherer but the murther might iustly and fully bee discharged vpon himselfe for he was the man of blood and a sonne of Belial 2 Sam. 16 7 8. Indeed if a man haue an iniury done vnto him it is lawfull for him
most comfortable p. 563 b. Faithfull must vse meanes to further Gods prouidence 577. they must deale wisely p. 579. b. they are greeued for the sins of others 504 they shall be euilly intreated p. 596 b. Faithfull faile in many things 735 a. 736 how said to walke in all the Commandements 736 b. they may fall into the same sinnes againe 772 they are forrainers in this life 822 they are brought into the inheritance of the wicked 845 b. they are men of courage 864 b. they bring a blessing vpon their families p. 1080 b. Faith true of an applying nature p. 1232 b. False Teachers p. 1036. Familiarity with Idolaters to be auoided p. 1219. Famine of the word p. 780. Fast the kindes of it 1153 a. what it is ibid. it is to be ioyned with praier 1154 the popish fastes ibid. Fathers comforted that haue euill children 134 their duties See duties Fauour of God must be cheefely desired 432 b. 433 mans happinesse standeth therein p. 433 b. 434 a Feare wrought two waies p. 269 b. Fellowship with wicked p. 1049 b. 1050. Feast of the Sabbath 1140 of the New-Moones 1143 of the Passeouer 477 1146 of Pentecost 1148 of Trumpets 1150 of fasting 1152 of Tabernacles p. 1155 b. Fire one of Gods iudgements p. 525 a. First borne the Lords p. 145. 158 b. First fruites p. 630 631. Flesh eaten before the flood p. 150 b. Food of the soule p. 532 a. Forefathers stood vpon p. 586. Foreseene works p. 87 a. Forgiuenesse by man how farre p. 298. Forgiuenesse of sinnes 654 b. a notable benefit 955 what it is 311 a. 340 such as want it are most miserable p. 340 956. Forgiuenesse three fold p. 298 b. Forme of set praier 513 b. 424 b. against those that condemne it 512 their reasons answered p. 426 b. 512. Fornication not indifferent 380 it is knowne vnto God 381 motiues to auoid it 385 it bringeth iudgements 1052. b. auoid the occasions 1055. See adultery whoredome Freedome ciuill 181 and spirituall ibid. Free will confuted 90 a. what free will man hath p. 90 b. G. Gaine a tentation p. 886 b. Gaming and Gamsters p. 142 b. Genealogies p. 174 b. Gifts what may be lost what not p. 24. 25. Gifts of Moses whether diminished p. 535. b. Glebe of the Church p. 705. Glory of God 605. it is the triall of doctrines page p. 232. God is the Author of the Scriptures 1. hee performeth all his promises 41 b. how hee is present and how farre off 81. 958. 595. hee bestoweth his gifts freely 85. yet by meanes 546 a. how he requireth impossibilities p. 89. God disliketh mens deuises in his worship 141 b. he ordaineth the officers of his Church 146 b. he chuseth weake meanes p. 175. God will haue all places taught 197. and haue a learned Ministery p. 199 a. God hath not giuen to all alike p. 243. God punisheth sinne in his owne kinde 390 he will make knowne the innocency of his 396 b he bestoweth more vpon them then they desire 403 b 683 he knoweth all secrets 410 b. why hee holdeth his peace at our afflictions page 413 b p. 572 a. God hath two schoole-houses 443 b two dwelling places 520 hee vnderstandeth all mens wayes p. 558 God searcheth before he punisheth 562. he heareth not such as lye in their sins 568. hee mingleth his chastisements with mercy 573 b. he respecteth no persons 575. how he is saide to come to a people p. 596 a. God deliuereth from dangers vnknowne to his 902 he is vnchangeably true 952. he prouideth for his 1113. he is of much patience 606. not to be abused p. 778. God visiteth the sins of fathers vpon children 615 b. he punisheth for sinnes of impiety 640 b. he would haue all brought to repentance 678. he is not to be accused for not giuing it Ibid. he giueth life to the dead 683 b. iust in all chastisements p. 691. God chastiseth his owne children 739 he loueth his people 759 b. heareth their prayers 760 784 b he deliuereth them vnder the crosse 786 b. he is mercifull to greeuous sinners p. 809 b. God is mercifull to the mercifull 993 b. accounts our wrongs as his owne 996 a. he chastiseth his owne first p. 1050. Gods presence what it signifieth p. 283. Gods dwelling is among his people p. 519. Gods wrath moued is full of rage 1077. it is foreknowne three wayes p. 1078 b. God setteth bounds to all mens possessions p. 1225. God tolerateth things which he neuer alloweth p. 1247 Godly See Faithfull Good name 357. haue care of each others 398 401. especially of Gods name p. 400. Good is to be commended in whomsoeuer it abideth p. 1257. Gospel of Iames counterfet p. 348 b. Gospel contemned a greeuous sin 796. it needeth no new miracles p. 685 a. Greatest part See multitude Guilty none before triall p. 362. Guilty ought not to be spared p. 1252 b. H Hollowing of Churches p. 436 b. Harlots to be auoyded p. 384 b. Hatred none like to that for Religion p. 764. Head taken diuersly p. 436 a. Hearbes soure p. 1147 b. Hearers duty p. 474 Hearing 13 b. it is a Iewel for the eare 234 a. wherein it consisteth p. 13 b. Hearing the same things p. 238. Heart p. 145 b. Hebrewes how they entitle the Scriptures p. 8 a. Hiding of gifts p. 463. Hin what p. 626 1143 b. Honour God with the best 348. it draweth from God p. 863. Hope of euill professors more then of ciuil men 120 b. of wicked is vaine p. 937. House of God what p. 563 b. Housholders p. 573. Humility p. 77. a Hipocrisie 31 976 582. the markes of it Ibid. at last it is vncased 588 b. the heinousnesse of it 589 a. nothing worse then it p. 1126. Hipocrites 446 b. often in the church p. 11. I Iealousie what 347 a. whereof it consisteth Ibid Iewish lawes touching inheritance p. 1127 a. Iewes had knowledge of the Messiah p. 498 b. Idolaters honored their Prophets p. 914. Ignorance abounds 142 b. the danger of it 170. it is the root of disobedience 250. a great sin 526. it shal excuse none 931. the causes of it Ibid. Ignorant what they are p. 172 251 b. Ignorant Ministers p. 229. Image of God what p. 422. Images not to be worshipped p. 789 b. 790 792. Imposition of handes 434 a. 469 Ministers ordained by it ibid. Impropriations p. 702. Inheritance of the Israelites p. 1257 b. Infants without baptisme 486. they belong to the Couenant p. 1081 bi Inferiors must reuerence their superiors p. 541. Innocency p. 596 b. Innocent person not to be put to death p. 1252 a. Instruction to the Ministers p. 697 a. Instruments weake God chuseth p. 105. Intents excuse not p. 141 b. 170 b. Iobs children godly p. 1130 b. Iosephus tale of Moses wife disproued p. 500. Ioseph and Mary brothers children p. 1270 a. Irony p. 895. Ismael whether he repented p. 1171. Israelites 42 mansions in the wildernesse p.
them might flourish also If they had bin grieuously afflicted the Church must also haue tasted of the same cup in some measure Thus were the people of God commanded to pray for the peace of Babylon the place whither they were carried captiue which was giuen them as a Sanctuary and place of retire Ier. 29. Ier. 29 7 Seeke the peace of the City whither I haue caused you to be carried away captiues and pray vnto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye haue peace God giueth the Infidels prosperity and blesseth them with an extraordinary peace howbeit hee respecteth the good of his Church therein Lastly herein we are to consider also the iustice of God For the Lord purposing to execute his iust iudgments vpon the Kings of the earth for their idolatries oppressions violences tyrannies murthers adulteries and such like impieties hath raised vp from time to time some to serue him in the execution of his high iustice against them punishing those that are euill by others as euill as themselues For this cause to make way for the accomplishment of his decrees hee maketh some Nation to grow strong and mighty as the oakes of the forest and to flourish for a while as the Cedars in Libanus that he may vse employ them as a staffe in his hand to chastise the rebellions of the vngodly and when he hath poured out his wrath vpon them and executed his indignation to the full he casteth the rod into the fire raiseth vp another for the consuming of them The Assyrians The foure Monarchies ouerthrowne one another the first Monarchy of the world ruled in a manner all Nations for many yeares After them arose the Persians who subduing the Assyrians obtained the Monarchy and reigned likewise a long space many Kings succeeding one another in that royall seate Then came the Grecians who preuailed against the Persians as they before had done against the Assyrians made themselues Monarches and masters of them and almost of the whole world Last of all all these being cut downe and so grubbed by the rootes that the place of many of them is no more to be known the Romane Empire abolishing the former succeeded in the souereignty possessed the dignity first in Rome and after in Constantinople Thus the sword of one hath bin drawne out against another al hath bin ruled by the iust iudgment of God to punish those that neither loued nor imbraced the truth The like we might say of Tamerlane the Tartarian the scourge or God terrour of the world he was raised vp of God and had his time who whipped the Turks by him as they had serued others All these horrible tyrants prospered in the world but it had a sudden end because it was neuer wel grounded But to leaue them and to come home to our selues let vs learne what maketh vs to prosper what shall make our names great and our families to flourish when all other shall wither as the grasse that to day is greene and to morrow is cast into the Ouen it is the imbracing of true religion Bethlehem was in it selfe little among the thousands of Iudah â—ich 5.2 â—ath 2 6. yet it was notwithstanding exalted and aduanced because out of it came Christ to rule his people Israel The Temple of Salomon was of wonderfull glory and renowne yet the Lord telleth the people after their returne out of captiuity that the glory of the second Temple â—ag 2 9. euen of that latter house should be greater then of that former and in this place he would giue peace by him that is the Prince of peace In like manner hee telleth Iosua that if the book of the Law depart not out of his mouth but that he meditate therein day and night obserue to do according to all that is written therein then hee shall make his way prosperous and shall haue good successe in al his enterprises â—osh 1 8. Do we then desire to be happy Do we wish blessednesse Labour to bee truely religious and to haue the power of godlinesse dwelling in thy heart Aduance it And it shall aduance thee Prou. 4 8. and â— 4. it shall bring thee to honour when thou dost imbrace it This is the way to finde fauor and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man As for others that make a mocke of religion and doe not chuse the feare of the Lord that neuer regard to set it as a precious plant in their soules and in their houses they may peraduenture builde their nests on high for a time and make their children great vpon earth for a season but in the end their names shall consume as dung their roote shall bee rottennesse and their bud as dust that is suddenly blowne and borne away with a violent winde Vse 3 Thirdly must the ministery be established among all people vnder heauen Then let euery one of vs be careful for our parts to plant it among vs and to bring it home to the places of our abode In the most corrupt and ruinous times of the Church the people were carefull of this duty Micha in the booke of Iudges is saide to haue entertained and maintained a Leuite to instruct him and his family and said Now I know that the Lord will do mee good seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest Iudg. 17 13. It is noted in the Acts of the Apostles that when Paul and Barnabas were come to Salamis they preached the word of God in the Synagogues of the Iewes they had Iohn also for their Minister Euery place therfore ought to haue their proper Pastour as euery flock their Shepheard and euery City their watchman Dauid was carefull aboue all Princes to settle good order among the Leuites that God might be serued and the people edified He diuided them into certaine orders Acts 13 5. 2 Sam. 6.2 1 Chr. 23 6. that so their labors might be equally indifferently diuided for the benefit of all persons He was zealous in bringing home the Arke of God Iehosaphat sent out Leuites to instruct the people This is a duty that doth neerely concerne vs our families not onely to be content to heare it abroad and to resort to it in other places but to ioyne together to bring it home to our owne doores or parishes that we may haue prouision of food our selues and not be driuen to seek for it elsewhere A point wherin alas we are too carelesse and thereby make little conscience to seeke after knowledge For how many thinke themselues discharged froÌ„ hearing the word and attending to the ministery of it because they haue not the word ordinarily taught among them If it were setled among them they could be content to giue the Ministers the hearing but if they haue it not they neuer thinke it any part of their duty to resort to the places where they may be instructed 2 Kin. 4 23. as
the people on the Sabbath daies and other solemne meetings repaired to the Prophets when the Priests either were ignorant could not teach or else were idle would not teach But heerein they greatly deceiue themselues Others when they may heare it do heare it in other places thinke themselues in good case and feele no want and so neglect the ordinary meanes of edifying their consciences and of aduancing the Gospel and kingdome of God euery one in the place whereunto by more speciall duty he is bound and where he may haue a more speciall promise of blessing They then that are careles to prouide an ordinary sufficient Pastour in their seuerall parishes whereby the people are for the most part vntaught as a field that bringeth foorth weeds bryars for want of tillage do greatly faile in this duty that now we vrge deale withall to wit that euery flocke should haue his owne Shepheard This containeth many branches vnder it First we must vse the ordinary meanes that God hath sanctified to this purpose we must pray to the Lord of the haruest to send labourers into his haruest We are ready to pray for an healthy body whē we are sicke but we forget to beg an healthy soule when we are ignorant We that are the Lords remembrancers let vs giue him no rest vntill he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world Esay 62 7. Esay 62 7. We want these labourers because we are wanting vnto ourselues whereas if we did constantly craue this blessing wee should finde grace in time of need Mat. 9. The Ministers are our spirituall Physitions vnder Christ This we pray when we craue that Gods Kingdome may come euery where and that euery Lanthorne may carry a bright shining light in it Secondly wee must bee content rather to bestow somewhat to attaine to this blessing then want it it being a precious pearle which when a man hath found he selleth all that he hath and purchaseth it Matth. 13. Math. 13 46. Salomon that was not ignorant of true wisedome Prou. 23 23. counselleth all men to buy the truth but not to sell it This will try vs what account we make of this blessing and in what price we haue it Thirdly it is our duty to reioyce in spirit when it is liberally bestowed vppon vs and graciously supplied vnto vs which serueth to put vs in minde of these profitable meditations Wee must testifie our thankfulnesse to God for his holy ordinance set vp among vs lest he be constrained to take it away from vs for if once he pull vp his standard he will remoue also and be gone We must submit and subiect our selues vnder it that our iudgements may be rectified and our wils and affections setled in the truth We must confesse it to be no small part of our happinesse that with vs are the Ministers of the Church and the seales of the Couenant 2 Chron. 13. Let vs preferre his Courts before all other places of resort Psal 27 4. and 84 10. Let vs lament the estate of Iewes and Gentiles and all particular places among our selues that want these signes of Gods fauour and tokens of the Couenant to witte the Word and Sacraments and the Ministers of them both Who can but lament to see so many silly sheep ready to be deuoured of the wolfe and as a prey in the iawes of the Lyon We ought to haue compassion vpon such if there be any bowels and pitty and mercy in vs and if we haue not stony hearts we ought to melt and mourne for these things Lastly let vs earnestly long for their ioyning to the Church that such as wander from the sheepefold may be ioyfully brought home vpon the shoulders of the Ministers who ought to seeke them out Then we shall haue one Shepheard Ezek. 37 22 Iohn 10 16. and one sheepfold then we shall with one minde and mouth glorifie God Thus is the Church of the Iewes brought in by Salomon in his Song chapt 8. desiring most heartily the conuersion of the Gentiles Cant. 8 8. We haue a little Sister and shee hath no breasts what shall we doe for our sister in the day when shee shall bee spoken for Thus ought we to be affected toward the Iewes We haue also a sister that hath no breasts to nourish vp children let vs haue a desire to procure and further her saluation forasmuch as wee haue a promise that the Iewes shall bee called and conuerted vnto the faith of Christ Rom. 11. Vse 4 Fourthly let the Ministers bee carefull to discharge their calling and to teach the people in season and out of season They must be lights of the world and as sauoury salt to season them with wholesome doctrine It is a streight account that they are to make not for siluer or gold or such like corruptible things committed vnto vs but for mens souls the price of Christs blood Acts 20. Neuer was there such a reckoning neuer was there such an account eyther giuen or taken as shal be at the great audite when it shall bee saide vnto vs Come giue an account of thy stewardship for thou maiest be no longer steward Luke 16 2. This consideration is profitable both for the people and the Pastour himselfe Let the people thinke with themselues that wee do not trouble them more then is needfull busie our selues more then wee haue thankes for our labour True it is wee serue many thanklesse masters that could be content wee should spare our paines but we cannot so discharge our consciences deliuer our soules Let the Minister thinke 1 Cor. 9 16. that a necessity is laide vpon him and woe vnto him if hee preach not the Gospell Oh that this day of account were euer set before our eyes how would it set vs on fire and kindle our zeale and diligence This doubtlesse were enough and more then enough to open the mouthes of them that now are dumbe and cannot speake and make them lift vp their voyces as a Trumpet to tell the people of their sins and the house of Iacob their iniquities But the watchmen are blinde they are all ignorant Esay 56 11. they are all dumbe dogs they cannot barke they can looke to their owne gaine but they endeuour not to gaine soules to God There is not a soule that perisheth by our negligence but we must answer for it when the blood that we haue shed shal be required at our hands This will be an heauy day when the blood of many soules shall cry out for vengeance and shal accurse vs that euer wee came among them to be the occasions of their destruction and damnation Now we must know Motiues to moue the Ministers to diligence that in the Scriptures we haue many motiues to spurre vs and to stirre vs vp to diligence and to encrease all care in vs to do our duties First the excellency of our Office It