c. In these words the Apostle sets forth the greatnesse of the Apostasie of the Galatians by the effect thereof which was to cause him to feare least he had bestowed labour in vaine amōg them First the occasion of the words must be considered and that is expressed in the former words ye obserue daies and moneths And hereupon he saith J am in feare of you And thus Paul teacheth that workes set vp as causes of saluation with Christ make void the Ministerie and grace of God It may be said this is meant of ceremoniall workes and so it is true I answer it is indeed spoken of ceremoniall workes but it must be inlarged to all workes without exception For Paul saith c. 5. v. 3. If ye be circumcised ye are bound to fulfill the whole lawe Hence then it followes that the doctrine of iustification by workes is an errour in the foundation and beeing distinctly and obstinately maintained there is no hope of saluation Againe here we see the fidelitie of the Apostle Paul and it stands in two things the first is his painefull and wearisome labour to gaine the Galatians to God The second is his care that the foresaid labour be not in vaine And in this example of his we learne three things The first that they which are or desire to be dispensers of the word must doe it not for the bellie or for lucres sake or for the praise of men but simply for this ende that they may gaine soules to God The Scribe that would haue followed Christ for gaine was repelled with this answer that Christ had not so much as a place where to lay his head Math. 8. 20. and to preach for by-respects is to make a marchandise of the word of God 2. Cor. 2. 17. The second is that ministers after the example of Paul must be labourers indeed 1. Cor. 3. 9. and workemen 2. Tim. 2. 15. And they must shewe themselues to be so by their care and industrie in winning soules to God And it is not sufficient now and then to make a discourse vpon a text Thirdly Ministers of the word must be watchmen Ezech. 3. 14 and Heb. 13. 17. their office is not onely to gaine and call men to God but also to preserue and keepe them in Christ which are alreadie called Thirdly here we see the condition of the Church of Galatia and of all other visible Churches vpon earth that they are subiect to Apostasie It may be said how can this be considering true beleeuers cannot fall away Ans. In the visible church on earth there are foure kinds of beleeuers The first are they which heare the word without zeale and they are like the stony ground The second are they which heare knowe and approoue the word The third are they which heare knowe and approoue the word and haue a taste of the power thereof and accordingly yeeld some outward obedience The fourth are they which heare knowe approoue and keepe the word in that they beleeue it and are turned into the obedience of it The three first may fall quite away the fourth cannot And by this meanes it comes to passe that visible Churches vpon earth may fall away because of them that professe the faith three to one may vtterly fall away The vse This must teach vs that are members of the visible Church to feare and to suspect our selues and not to content our selues because we haue some good things in vs but we must labour to be sealed vp to the daie of our redemption and to lay vp a good foundation against the time to come 1. Tim. 6. 18. By seeking to haue in vs such good things as are proper to the Elect as vnfained faith in Christ and conuersion to God from all our sinnes It may be demanded how Pauls labour should be in vaine Ans. It was in vaine in respect of his owne desire and affection to saue all the Galatians secondly it was in vaine in respect of the whole bodie of that Church wherof many were hypocrits It was not in vaine in respect of the elect nor in respect of the counsell of God Isa. 55. 11. Againe it may be demanded what must be done when the labours of our callings are in vaine Ans. We must follow the calling and commandement of God whether we haue good successe or no and whatsoeuer come of it Paul feares least his labour is in vaine and yet he still labours When Peter had laboured all night and caught nothing he saith at the commandement of Christ In thy word will I cast out my net Luk. 5. And thus to doe whatsoeuer follows is true wisedome and the feare of God For it must suffice vs that the worke we take in hand is pleasing vnto God And though it be in vaine in respect of men it is not so before God Isa 49. 4. and 2. Cor. 2. 18. This must euery man remember in his place and calling for the establishing of his minde against all euents V. 12. Be you as I for I am euen as you I beseech you brethren ye haue not hurt me at all The words in this verse to the 16. verse are an answer to an obiection The obiection is this we see now by these sharpe reproofes that Paul hath changed his minde toward vs and that he hath turned his loue into hatred The answer is be as I I am as you the speech is very effectuall and significant and it is like the common prouerb Amicus alter ego alter idem that is a mans friend is all one with himselfe The sense of the words is Be as I looke that your minds be not estranged from me but tender me euen as your own selues for I Paul am the same that euer I was I respect and tender you euen as mine own selfe And least the Galatians should say see ye not how Paul commands imperiously be ye as I therefore he addes I beseech you brethren I command you not In the next words he addes a reason of his answer thus Hatred presupposeth a hurt or wrong to be done ye haue done me no hurt or wrong therefore ye may not thinke that I hate you When Paul saith be as I I am as you we learne that there must be a speciall and mutuall loue betweene the teachers and the people Paul saith that he did inlarge his heart for the Corinthians and he requires the like of them 2. Cor. 6. 11. 13. Teachers must shewe their loue by tendering the saluation of the people by all meanes euen as their own soules Paul could haue found in his heart to haue beene accursed for his countrimen the Iewes Rom. 9. 〈◊〉 He desired that he might be offered vp as a drinke offering vpon the sacrifice of the faith of the Philippians Phil. 2. 18. When the Israelites had sinned Moses stands in the breach as it were in the face of the Canon betweene the wrath of God and them by his praier to stay the iudgement of
bondage 5 To whome we gaue not place by subiection for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you Paul had said before that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised now he addes For all the false brethren that is though the false brethren did what they could to the contrarie Here then Paul sets downe who were the cause that Titus was not circumcised namely certaine persons at Ierusalem and them he sets forth by two properties they are false brethren and they crept into the Church Touching the first by it we learne that the Church of God vpon earth euen when it is at the best hath wicked men and hypocrites in it In Adams family there is Cain in the Arke there is Cham in Christs family or schoole there is Iudas In the Church of Ierusalem planted and gouerned by the chiefe Apostles there be false brethren The true sheepe be often without and wolues within Therefore we may not so much as dreame of a perfection of the Church of God vpon earth so long as wicked men be mixed with true beleeuers Againe these aduersaries of Paul are called false brethren because they ioyned Circumcision with Christ as a necessarie cause of iustification and saluation Hence it followes that the Church of Rome is a false Church because it ioynes workes with Christ in the case of our iustification and that as meritorious causes Their second propertie is that they crept into the Church which I conceiue on this manner The Church of God is as a sheepefold or house Ioh. 10. 1. Christ is the onely dore Now Pastours that teach Christ aright are saide to enter in by this dore they which teach any other way of saluation are said to clime in an other way and they which teach Christ ioyning some other thing with him in the cause of saluation are said to Creepe in because in appearance they maintaine Christ and yet because they adde something to Christ they neither enter nor continue in the true Church with any good warrant from God In this they are like the serpent Liuing creatures were all placed in Eden and Man was placed in the garden of Eden called Paradise and so were not beasts How then comes the serpent in why in all likelihood it crept in And so doe false brethren into the Church Hence I gather that false brethren are not true and liuely members of the visible Church though they be members in appearance For if they were in their right place they should not be said to creepe in The true members of the Church creepe not into the mysticall bodie but are built and set vpon the foundation by God It may be alleadged that they are baptised and thereby made members of the Church I answer that faith makes vs members of Christ and consequently of the true Church and baptisme doth but seale our insition into Christ and serues as a meanes of Admission into the outward societie of the congregation and the outward washing doth not make any man a member of Christ. Againe it followes hence that false brethren are not members of the Catholike church For the visible church is part of the Catholike and therefore they which are not reall members of the true visible church are not members of the Catholike Againe in that false brethren creepe into the congregation hence it appeares that no man can set downe the precise time when errours had their beginning For the authors thereof enter in secretly not obserued of men The enuious man sowes his tares when men be asleepe Math. 13. It sufficeth therefore if we can shew them to be errours by the word though we cannot designe the set time when they began The time when a shippe sinketh we often obserue but the time when it first drew water we doe not Let the Papists thinke vpon this Paul hauing thus declared who were the causes that Titus was not circumcised goes on and shewes how they were causes The effect and summe of his declaration is this They vrged the obseruation of the Ceremoniall law as necessarie and hereupon we resused to circumcise Titus First therefore Paul sets downe how they vrged circumcision and that by three degrees First they come in priuily Secondly they spie out their libertie Thirdly they labour to bring them into bondage Againe Paul sets downe the manner of their refusall in three things We gaue not place for an houre We gaue not place by subiection We gaue no place that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you The first degree or steppe in their vrging of circumcision was that They came in priuily that is they ioyned themselues in fellowship with the Apostles in shew pretended the furtherance of the Gospel yet indeed meant nothing lesse though their fraud wickednes was not perceiued Here then the foūdation they lay of all their naughtie dealing is their dissēbling which Paul here notes condemns On the contrarie our dutie is to be indeed that which we professe our selues to be to professe no more outwardly then we are inwardly and to approue our hearts to god for that which we professe before mē The second steppe or degree is that they spie out the libertie vvhich Paul and the rest had by Christ that is they conferre with the Apostles and inquire of them what libertie they haue by Christ in respect of the Ceremoniall lawe of God and this they doe not of a minde desirous to learne but for aduantage sake There be two kinds of spying one lawefull the other vnlawefull Lawefull as when in iust and lawefull warre we inquire into the counsells and doings of our enemtes Numb 13. 1. Vnlawefull when men prie into any thing or matter to finde a fault Thus hypocrites spie faults in the persons and liues of men that they may haue somwhat whereby to disgrace them Math. 7. 4. Thus Atheists prie into the scriptures that they may confute them Thus sundrie hearers come to sermōs that they may carpe Thus our enemies inquire into our religion that they may finde as they suppose exceptions vntruthes and contradictions And in the Church of Ierusalem false brethren inquire how farre Christian liberty extends that they may ouerthrow it This kind of spying is a common fault we must take heede of it and apply the eie of our minde to a better vse First we are to be spies in respect of our owne sinnes and corruptions to spie them out Lam. 3. 40. Let us search our waies and inquire and turne againe to the Lord. Again we are to plaie the spies in respect of our spirituall enemies that we may finde out the temptations of the flesh the world and the deuill Thirdly we must be as spies in searching of the Scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. that we may vnderstand the words of the lawe of God and find comfort to our soules The third and last degree of vrging is that the false brethren seeke to bring the Apostles in bondage
Paul saith It is written In the testimonie I consider three things the condition of two Churches the change of the condition the ioy that is vpon the change The condition of the Church of the new Testament in these words Barren that bearest no children thou that trauelest not the desolate Barren The Christian Church is so called because by the vertue and strength of nature it beares no children to God no more then Sara did to Abraham Ioh. 1. 13. 1. Cor. 3. 7. Secondly it is so called in respect of the beginning thereof when the Iewish church was yet standing till the spirit of God was powred forth vpon all flesh after the ascension of Christ and before this the number of them which were conuerted to God was very small and therefore Christ himselfe complained that he spent his strength in vaine Isai 49. 1. Thirdly it is so called in respect of the latter times of the church in which Christ shall scarce finde faith vpon the earth Luk. 18. 8. Further that the church is barren it is declared by the signe because she neither brings forth child nor beares Desolate that is without husband in appearance by reason of the crosse and affliction and without children because at the first the christian church was constrained to hide herselfe in the wildernesse Reuel 12. 14. It may be demanded howe the catholike church should be desolate Answ. The estate of the church is twofold inward or outward The inward estate stands in the true knowledge of God in Christ in comfort touching remission of sinnes and life euerlasting in the hearing of our praiers in protection and deliuerance from all spirituall enemies in the gifts of the spirit faith hope loue c. In respect of this estate the church is all glorious within and neuer desolate Psal. 45. 13. The outward estate of the Catholike church stands in visible assemblies in the publike Ministerie of the word and sacraments in a gouernment according to the word of God In respect of this second estate the Church may be in desolation This was the condition of the Church in paradise vpon the fall of our first parents of the Israelites at Mount Horeb when they worshipped the golden calfe and in the daies of Elias Rom. 11. 3. and afterward 2. Chron. 15. 3. When Christ suffered the sheapheard was smitten and the sheepe were scattered After Christs ascension all the earth worshipped the beast Reu 13. 12. Hence it followes that the Catholike church is not a visible estate or companie of men vnder one visible head because in respect of her outward estate shee may be for a time in desolation And as this is the estate of the church so is it also of the meÌ„bers thereof They shall be hated of all men Luk. 21. 17. Men shall thinke they doe God good seruice when they kill them Ioh. 16. 2. And Christ himselfe was a man without forme or beautie Isai. 53. 2. Hauing an husband in these wordes the condition of the Iewish church is set forth that shee is married or espoused to God who is her husband Ezech. 16. 8 9. Ose. 2. 19. The like may be said of any other church and namely of the church of England The vse This must teach vs to dedicate our bodies and soules to God and Christ and to giue the maine affections of our hearts vnto him as our loue and our ioy c. Secondly we must adorne and trimme our selues with grace that we may please our husband Psal. 45. 12. Thirdly we must be the glory of Christ as the wife is to her husband 1. Cor. 11. 7. and that is by subiecting our selues to Christ and his lawes Againe if we beâ—roath our selues to Christ indeed we may assure our selues that Christ is our Christ and that he hath giuen himselfe vnto vs and consequently that he will sanctifie vs Ezech. 16. 9. protect vs as an husband doeth his wife Gen. 20. 16. and indowe vs with all things needfull for this life and the life to come Ezech. 16. 10 11. The second point is the change of the church of the newe Testament because shee shall cease to be barren and bring forth many children This is the promise of God and hereupon Paul concludes that the church is a mother of all beleeuers both Iewes and Gentiles Obserue that the promise of God is of infinite vertue in his time and place In the beginning God said let there be this or that and it was so Of like vertue is Gods promise if we can waite his leisure God promised that after 430. yeares the Israelites should be deliuered out of Egypt presently when the time was expired nothing could hinder the promise Read Exod. 12. 41. Therefore our dutie is to rest on Gods promises in all times both in life and death The third point is the ioy vpon the change Reioyce Here are two things to be considered The first who must reioyce Answ. The church Gods kingdome is the place of ioy Rom. 14. 17. Reioycing belongs to the people of God Psal. 68. 3. 106. 5. The musicke of the Temple was typicall and figured the ioy of the Catholike Church where is the assurance of remission of sinnes and life eternall The second point is in what must the church reioyce Ans. In the redemption of Christ and the fruit thereof the conuersion of sinners to god For the prophet had shewed at large the passion and sufferings of Christ Isai 53. and hereupon he saith Reioyce thou barren The Israelites were commanded to feast and to be merrie before the Lord Leuit. 23. 40. 1. Chron. 29. 32. that is before the Lords Arke which was the pledge of his presence Now this Arke was a figure of Christ and the myrth before the Arke signified that the foundation of all our ioy lies in our Reconciliation with God in Christ. The angels in heauen greatly reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner and at the returne of the prodigall sonne the fat calfe is killed The vse It is false that religion breeds Melancholie and cuts of all mirth It doeth not abolish mirth but rectifie it nay it brings men to true and perfect ioy Our first and principall ioy must be that we are in Gods fauour reconciled to God by Christ Luk. 10. 20. In Dauid the head of his ioy was the good estate of the church Psal. 137 6. And all other pettie ioyes must flow from this and be sutable to it Breake forth this signifies that the church vpon earth is as it were pent in with present greife Our ioy in this life is mixed with sorrow The paschall lambe was eaten with sowre hearbes to signifie that we feele no sweetnesse in the blood of Christ till we feele the smart of our sinnes We here must reioyce in trembling Psal. 2. 11. Ioy is sowne for them that are vpright in heart Psal. 97. 12. Crie in our earthly ioyes we must be moderate and sparing we must not eate to much hony
of the Apostles 2. Tim. 3. 14. Hence it appeares to be a fault in sundrie priuate persons when they read the Scriptures to gather priuate opinions to broch them to the world This practise hath beene the foundation of heresies and schismes in the Church Secondly Paul writes with consent that he might the better mooue and perswade the Galatians to receiue his doctrine which he is nowe to deliuer Hence it appeares that the Consent of Pastors and people is of great excellencie For the better conceiuing of it and the meaning of the text I will handle three points The first is what is the force of consent wherein stands it and where it is nowe to be found For the first Consent is of force to prepare the heart and to mooue it to beleeue as Augustine saith I had not beleeued the Gospell except the authoritie of the Church had mooued me And this is all it can doe For it is the word that is the obiect and the cause of our faith the word it selfe workes in vs that faith whereby it is beleeued And Paul in this place vseth consent not to worke a faith in the Galatians but onely to stirre vp a liking of his doctrine Two errors of the Church of Rome must here be auoided One that Consent is a certaine marke of the Church It is false for Consent may be among the wicked in the kingdome of Antichrist Reuel 13. 16. In the kingdome of darkenesse all is in peace Againe dissention may be among the godly as betweene Paul and Barnabas Paul and Peter in the church of Corinth there were schismes 1. Cor. 11. Consent therefore simply vnles it be ioyned with true faith and true doctrine is not of force to declare vnto vs the true Church The second errour is that the catholike consent of beleeuers in pointes of religion is the true and liuely scripture and that â—he written word is but a dead letter to it and to be iudged by it for his sense and meaning But all is contrary For the written word is the first perfect pattern of the mind and will of God and the inward consent in the hartes of men is but a rude and imperfect extract and draught of it The second point is wherein standes this consent it must haue his foundation in Christ thence flow to the members as the oile from Aarons head to his garments Psal. 133. and it standes in three things consent in one faith and doctrine consent in affection whereby men be of one hart Act. 2. 47. consent in speach 1. Cor. 1. 10. The third point is where it is now to be found The Papists say that they haue true and perfect consent among themselues and that fathers and Councells be on their side and that we haue no consent among our selues I answer first that they haue not the coÌ„sent which they pretend for the proper points of Popery were not known to the apostles nor to the Apostolicall churches but were taken vp in the ages following by little and litle Secondly such doctrines as the papists make articles of faith are but opinions and coniectures in the fathers and Councles Thirdly the things which the Papists hold are the same peraduenture in name but they are not the same indeede with that which the fathers hold neither are they holden in the same manner as for example the purgatory which the fathers hold is a thing far different from the purgatory of the papists and so all the rest Of consent they may bragge but they cannot shew it As for our selues we all consent in the foundation of religion There is difference about the descent of Christ into hell The thing we all hold namely a descent the difference is in the manner whether it be vertually or locally There is difference about the paines of Christ in his agony and passion yet all acknowledge the infinite merit and efficacy of the death of Christ. There is difference about the gouernement of the visible church on earth For the substance of gouernemant all agree but for the manner of execution and administration they doe not That Christ is present in the Eucharist that his body and blood is there to be eaten and drunken all our churches agree and the difference is only touching the manner of his presence namely whether it be spirituall or locall And this is the mercy of God that in all our differences the foundation of religon is not rased Let vs pray for the continuance and increase of this consent Thus much of the persons that write now follow the churches to which the Epistle is sent to the churches of Galatia At this time the Galatians had made a reuolte and were fallen from iustification by the obedience of Christ so as Paul was affraid of them Chap. 4. and yet he called them churches still vsing great meekenes moderatioÌ„ His example must we follow in giuing iudgement of churches of our time And that we may the better doe this and the better releeue our consciences marke three rules The first is that we must rightly consider of the faultes of churches Some are faultes in manners some in doctrine If the faults of the Church be in manners and these faults appeare both in the liues of ministers and people so long as true religion is taught it is a church so to be esteemed and the ministers must be heard Math. 23. 1. Yet may we seperate from the priuat company of bad men in the church 1. Cor. 5. 11. and if it be in our liberty and choise ioyne to churches better ordered If the errour be in doctrine we must first consider whether the whole church erre or some few therein If the errour be in some and not in all it remaines a church still as Corinth did where some denied the resurrection because a church is named of the better part Secondly we must consider whether the church erre in the foundation or no. If the errour or errours be beside the foundation of religion Paul hath giuen the sentence that they which build vpon the foundation haie and stubble of erronious opinion may be saued 1. Cor. 3. 15. Thirdly inquiry must be made whether the church erre of humane frailty or of obstinacie If it erre of frailty though the error be in the foundation yet it is stil a church as appears by the example of the GalatiaÌ„s Yet if a church shall erre in the foundation openly and obstinately it seperates from Christ and ceaseth to be a church and we may seperate froÌ„ it may giue iudgement that it is no church When the Iewes resisted the preaching of Paul and had nothing to say but to raile Paul then seperated the Church of Ephesus and Rome from them Act. 19. 8. 28. 28. It may here be demaunded why Paul writes to the Galatians as brethren and calls them Churches seeing they haue erred in the foundation and are as he saith vers 6. remooued to another
that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed 9 As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach vnto you otherwise then ye haue receiued let him be accursed An obiection might be made against the former conclusion thus But the most excellent among the Apostles Iames Peter Iohn by your leaue teach an other gospel then that which Paul had preached To this obiection he makes answer in this verse negatiuely that whosoeuer teacheth another Gospell is accursed whatsoeuer he be In this answer three things are to be considered a sinne the punishment thereof and a supposition seruing to amplifie the sinne The sinne is to preach in the cause of our iustification any other thing beside that or diuers to that which Paul taught the Galatians though it be not contrarie Thus much the very words import and the same wordes are againe vsed in the next verse And Paul bids Timothie auoid them that teach otherwise that is any diuers doctrine as necessarie to saluation beside that which he taught 1. Tim. 6. 3. And the reason of this sinne is because God hath giuen this commandement We may not depart from his word to the right hand or to the left neither may we adde thereto or take therfrom Iosu. 1. v. 7. 8. Deut. 4. 12. Before I gather any doctrine hence this ground is to be laid downe that Paul preached all the counsell of God Act. 20. 27. And that which he preached beeing necessarie to saluation he wrote or some other of the Apostles Ioh. 20. 31. This beeing graunted which is a certen trueth two maine conclusions followe One that the Scriptures alone by themselues without any other word are aboundantly sufficient to saluation whether we regard doctrines of faith or manners For he that deliuers any doctrine out of them and beside them as necessarie to be beleeued is accursed The second conclusion is that vnwritten Traditions if they be tendered to vs as a part of Gods word and as necessarie to saluation they are abominations because they are doctrines beside the Gospell that Paul preached And the Romane religion goes to the ground because it is founded on Tradition out of and beside the written word Learned Papists to helpe themselues make a double answer One is that they are accursed which preach otherwise then Paul preached and not they which preach otherwise then he writ But it is false which they say for that which he preached he writte Augustine hauing relation to the text in hand saith that he is accursed which preacheth any thing beside that which we haue receiued in the legall and Euangelicall scriptures Againe he saith that he must not teach any more or any other thing then that which is in the Apostle whose words he must expound The second answer is that to preach otherwise is to preach contrary Because as they say precepts and doctrines may be deliuered if they be diuerse and not contrary As the Gospell of Iohn and the Apocalyps were written after this epistle to the Galatians which are diuers to it though not contrarie the like they say of the canons of councells and that Paul Rom. 16. 18. put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beside for contrarie I answer thus The proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated beside or otherwise signifieth thus much properly and we are not to depart from the proper signification of the words vnlesse we be forced by the text And the place in the Romans in his proper and full sense must be turned thus Obserue the authors of effences besides the doctrine which ye haue learned And Pauls minde is that they should be obserued that teach any other diuers or distinct doctrine though it be not directly contrarie The Gospell of Iohn and the Apocalyps written afterward propound not any diuers doctrine pertaining to the saluation of the soule but one and the same in substance with that which Paul wrote The Canons of Councels are traditions touching order and comelinesse they prescribe not any thing as necessarie to iustification and saluation Againe the Embassadour that speakes any thing beside his commission is as well in fault as he that speakes the cōtrarie though not so much The second point is the punishment Let him be accursed Here are three things to be considered The first what is it to be accursed Ans. God hath giuen to the Church the power of building and it hath 4. degrees Admonition Suspencion from the Sacraments Excommunication Anathema And this last is a censure or iudgement of the Church whereby it pronounceth a man seuered from Christ and adiuged to eternall perdition Rom. 9. 5. 1. Cor. 16. 22. And he is here said to be accursed that stands subiect to this censure The second part is who are to be accursed Answer Hainous offendours and desperate persons of whose amendment there is no hope And therefore this iudg ment is seldome pronounced vpon any We finde but one example in the newe Testament Paul accursed Alexander the Copper-smith 2. Tim. 4. 14. And the Church afterward accursed Iulian the Emperour Other examples we finde not any The third point howe the Church should accurse any man and in what order Answer In this action there be foure iudgements The first is Gods which is giuen in heauen whereby he doeth accurse obstinate and notorious offendours The second iudgement pertaines to the Church vpon earth which pronounceth them accursed whome god accurseth It may be said howe comes the Church to knowe the iudgement of God whereby he accurseth Answer The word sets downe the condition of them that are accursed and experience and obseruation findes out the persons to whome these conditions are incident The third iudgement is giuen in heauen whereby God ratifies and approoues the iudgement of the Church according to that whatsoeuer ye binde on earth shall be bound in heauen The last iudgement pertaines to euery priuate person who holds him in execration whome God hath accursed and the Church hath pronounced so to be If he heare not the Church the Church pronounceth him to be as a Publican and heathen then saith Christ let him be a Publican to thee Thus must the text be vnderstood Hence we we are taught to be carefull in preseruing the puritie of the Gospell because the corrupters thereof are to be accursed as the damned spirits Hence againe it appeareth that the Church in accursing doth but exercise a Ministerie which is to publish and testifie who are accursed of God Lastly hence we learne that priuate persons must seldome vse cursing because God must first accurse and the Church publish the sentence of God before we may with good conscience vtter the same They therefore which in a rage accurse themselues others deale wickedly We are called ordinarily to blessing not to cursing The third point is the fupposition of things impossible on this manner Put the case that I Paul or any other of the Apostles should
text that Iames Peter Iohn are made equall all being pillars and Iames is first named and that not without cause For not Peter but Iames was the President of the councell of Ierusalem because he spake the last and concluded all Act. 15. 13. Therefore the first naming of Peter in other places of scripture is no sufficient proofe of his supremacie Thirdly Peter here is said to make a couenant with Paul that he shall be the Apostle of the Gentiles and Peter of the Iewes But if Peter had bin head of the Church for 14 yeares togither and had but known the primacie which the Papists giue to him he would not haue consented to this order It is alleadged that Paul was the cheife Apostle ouer the Gentiles in respect of paines and labour and not in respect of iurisdiction I answer this distinction hath no ground in the word of God Againe Paul was an Apostle and vsed his Apostolicall authoritie ouer the Gentiles and there is no Ecclesiasticall person that is or can be aboue an Apostle For he was simply to be beleeued in preaching and writing and had extraordinarie power giuen him by God to punish them that rebelled Againe Paul here saith that the Gospel was committed to him and Peter that is that they were put in trust with it Hence we learne 3. things The first that the Gospel is not ours but gods and that men are but the keepers of it For this we are to praise God The second is that the ministers of the word are to keep and maintaine the truth of it with all faithfulnesse and good conscience and further to apply it to the best vse and to the greatest good of men For this charge lies vpon them that are put in trust The third is that the Gospel is a speciall treasure For this we in England are to giue vnto God all thankfulnes specially by bringing forth the fruits of the Gospel In this dutie the most of vs come short and therfore we may iustly feare least God take from vs the gospel of life and giue it to a nation that will bring forth the fruit of it Moreouer in that Paul saith that God was mightie by him and Peter to the Iewes and Gentiles we are to consider the efficacie of the Ministerie Of it three cautions are to be obserued The first that grace or power to regenerate is not included in the word preached as vertue to heale in a medicine Paul saith He that planteth and he that watereth is not any thing 1. Cor. 3. 7. To regenerate is the proper worke of God not agreeing to angels no not to the flesh of Christ exalted aboue men and angels For the vertue to renew or regenerate is not in it as in a subiect but in the godhead of the sonne The second caution is that grace is not inseparably annexed and tyed to the word preached for to some it is the sauour of death to death The third is that the preaching of the word is an externall instrument of faith and regeneration and the proper effect of it is to declare or signifie And it is an instrument because when the ministers of the word doe by it signifie and declare what is to be done and what is the will of God the spirit of God inwardly inlightens the minde and inclines the heart to beleeue and obey Hence we learne that it is a magicall fiction to suppose that fiue words For this is my bodie should transubstantiate the bread into the bodie of Christ. Secondly we learne that the Sacraments doe not conferre grace ex opere operato by the worke done For the word and Sacraments are both of one nature Sacraments beeing a visible word Now the word the preaching of it doth not conferre grace but onely declare what God will conferre Thirdly by this it appeares that charmes or spels haue not force in them to cure diseases and to worke wonders but by satanicall operation For the best word of all euen the word preached hath it not Lastly we are here to be put in mind that we loose no time in hearing of the word for it is a meanes whereby we are clensed and renewed Euery branch that bringeth forth fruit God purgeth it by his word and other meanes that it may bring forth more fruite Ioh. 15. It is a thing to be obserued that the Apostles at Ierusalem acknowledged Paul to be an Apostle because he had the gift of an Apostle and because his ministerie was powerfull amōg the Gentiles Therefore they which haue the gift of teaching by whome also God is powerfull in the conuersion of sinners are Ministers certenly called of God Let them thinke on this that vtterly condemne the ministerie of the Church of England For many teachers among vs can shew both the gift of teaching and the power or efficacy of their ministery It is worth the marking also that the Apostles are called Pillars Here we see what is the charge of the ministers of the word namely to sustaine and to vphold the Church by doctrine praier counsel good life Elizeus is called of Ioas The charrets and horsemen of Israel 2. King 13. 4. And the Church of God vpon earth is called the Pillar and ground of trueth in respect of the Ministerie of the word 1. Tim. 3. 15. Againe in that all ministers in their places according to the measure of gifts receiued are pillars they are admonished hereby to be constant in the truth against all enemies whatsoeuer It is the praise of Iohn the Baptist that he was not as a reed shaken of the winde Math. 11. 7. All beleeuers are to stand fast in temptation against their spirituall enemies Eph. 6. 13. and this they shall the better doe if they be directed by the good example of their teachers Thirdly in that Ministers are pillars we are taught to cleaue vnto them and their ministerie at all times in life and death For we are liuing stones in the temple of God Christ is our foundation and they be pillars to hold vs vp and therefore not to be forsaken Deut. 12. 19. Furthermore Paul at this time was not accounted a pillar for he saith thus Iames Cephas Iohn are accounted pillars as who should say I am accounted none Thus Paul goes through good report and euill report and is content to be contemned Lastly the example of concord among the Apostles is to be obserued in that they giue the right hands of fellowship one to an other 10 Warning onely that we should remember the poore which thing also I was diligent to doe In these words Paul sets downe the fourth and last signe of his approbation at Ierusalem on this manner At my departing the Apostles warned me to remember the poore and of no other thing did they giue me warning therefore there was a full and perfect consent betweene vs. In the wordes two things are set downe the Apostolicall warning and the practise of it by Paul The warning
seeke deliuerance This conformitie with Christ in his passion is an infallible worke and token of the child of God and a signe that we are crucified with Christ. Againe here we are to take notice of the false faith of many men They can be content to beleeue that Christ was crucified for them but there they make a pause for they doe not beleeue that they are crucified with Christ. Their faith therefore is but halfe a faith and their profession is according For they haue the forme of godlines without the power thereof They thinke that they beleeue the Articles of faith aright but they are deceiued For to beleeue in Christ crucified is not onely to beleeue that he was crucified but also to beleeue that I am crucified with him And this is to know Christ crucified Lastly here we are to consider the abomination of the Church of Rome For it most abuseth that which is the greatest treasure in the world namely Christ crucified For they make a very Idol of him in that they worship him in at and before painted and carued Crucifixes For there is no such Christ in heauen or in earth that wil be present when we pray and heare vs at Crucifixes Againe they giue Latria diuine honour to deuised and framed crucifixes and thus they robbe Christ of his honour Thus much of our Communion with Christ in his passion now followes the second part of preparation namely Abnegation J liue yet not I any more that is I liue a spirituall life yet not as I as a naturall man For in that regard I carrie my selfe as a man crucified or after the manner of a dead man suffering nothing that is in me by nature to raigne in me that Christ alone may liue and raigne in me Here is a notable dutie to be learned we beeing crucified with Christ must carrie our selues as men crucified and that in three respects First in respect of corruption of sinnefull nature For in regard of our sinnes we are to esteeme our selues vnworthie of meat drinke sleepe breathing yea we are to esteeme ourselues to be as vile as any of the creatures vpon earth and we are to denie vngodlines and worldly lusts not suffering any of them to raigne ouer vs. Secondly we must carrie our selues as dead men in respect of the good things that belong to nature as honours riches pleasures friends all which in respect of preparation of minde we must daily forsake for Christs sake not suffering any of them to take place in our hearts Lastly we must be as dead men in respect of our owne reason and will and we must tread them vnder foote making Gods will our wisdome and will and giuing it lordship and dominion ouer vs our owne wills in the meane season lying dead in vs. Thus are we to carrie our selues as dead men and we are to be carefull of it that God may haue pleasure in vs we must forget our owne people and our fathers house Psal. 45. 10. That we may buy the pearle we must sell all we haue our wills our affections and the dearest things in the world He that would liue when he is dead must die while he is aliue and we must now lay out our selues as dead persons Corruption of nature reason and will must be dead in vs that Christ alone may liue and raigne in vs. The third point concerning spirituall life is touching the Originall and well-spring thereof in these words That Christ may raigne in me For the better conceiuing whereof three points are to be obserued The first that Christ is not onely the Author with the father the H. Ghost but also the Roote of life hauing life in himselfe that he may conuaie it to all that beleeue in him He is the true vine and we are the branches Ioh. 15. 1. he is an appointed head to his Church Eph. 1. 22. he is the prince of life Act. 3. 15. he is a quickning spirit 1. Cor. 15. 45. And in this regard is he said to liue in vs namely as a roote in the branch or as the head in the members The second point is that there must be an Vnion with Christ before we can receiue life from him and he liue in vs. If ye abide in me and I in you ye shall bring forth much fruit Ioh. 15. 4. We must be grafted with him before we can be conformable to his death and resurrection Rom. 6. 5. And againe we must be taken out of the wild oliue and set in the true oliue Rom. 11. 24. Thus much Paul signifieth when he saith Christ liues in me Of this coniunction two things must be noted The first that it is a substantiall vnion in that the person of him that beleeueth is vnited to the person of Christ. For we must eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood before we can haue life abiding in vs Ioh. 6. 53. and our bodies are members of Christ. 1. Cor. 6. 15. Againe this Vnion is spirituall because it is made by the bond of one spirit 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit we are baptised into one bodie And no man is to maruaile that we on earth should be ioyned to Christ in heauen By ciuill contract man and wife are one flesh though distant many miles asunder why then may not we be ioyned to Christ by vertue of the couenant of grace considering no distance of place can hinder the beeing of the spirit of Christ in vs. The third point is that after this vnion with Christ he must further communicate himselfe vnto vs before we can liue by him and he in vs. To this purpose S. Iohn saith that God hath giuen vs life that this life is in the sonne that he which hath the sonne hath life 1. Ioh. 5. 12. For the conceiuing of this truth two questions may be demanded One in what order Christ giues himselfe vnto vs Ans. Christ first of all giues his flesh and blood that is himselfe and then secondly his gifts namely the efficacie and merit of his death The institution of the Lords Supper sheweth plainly that we are not partakers of the benefits of Christ vnlesse first of all Christ himselfe be giuen vnto vs. The second question is how Christ can be said to liue in vs Ans. He is not in vs in respect of locall presence but by the supernaturall and speciall operation of his spirit 1. Cor. 6. 17. The operation of the spirit is threefold The first is when God imputes the righteousnes of Christ to them that beleeue and withall giues the Right of eternall life and the Earnest of this right namely the first fruits of the spirit Hereupon iustification is called the Iustification of life Rom. 5. The second is Viuification by the vertue of the resurrection of Christ. Phil. 3. 10. And this vertue is the power of the Godhead of Christ or the power of the spirit raising vs to newnes of life as it raised Christ from the death
that there is a great want of the grace of God among â—s Therefore take heede of it 30 But what saith the Scripture put out the bond-woman and her sonne for the sonne of the bondwoman shal not be heire with the sonne of the freewoman The second answer to the former obiection is in these wordes that they which hate the children of promise shall at length be cast out of the house of God Obiect I. These wordes cast out the bondwoman are the words of Sara to Abraham therefore they are not the words of scripture Ans. The words were vttered by Sara but they were afterward approoued by God Gen. 21. 12. and thus they are the voice of scripture Obiect II. Sara is commended for her subiection to Abraham 1. Pet. 3. 6. yet here shee speakes imperiously Cast out the bondwoman Ans. Shee speakes this not as a priuate woman but as the voice and mouth of God and that no doubt by instinct from God And therefore the words shee vttereth are to be esteemed as the commandement of God This her case is extraordinarie and not to be followed Thevse I. All carnall hypoâ—â—ites mockers of the grace of God shall be cast forth of Gods familie though for a time they beare a sway therein This is the sentence of God Let vs therefore repent of our mocking and hereafter become louers of the grace of God as Christ was Mark 10. 21. II. Consolation the persecution of the people of God shall not be perpetuall For the persecuting bondwoman and her sonne must be cast out The rodde of the wicked shall noâ— rest vpon the Lot of the righteous Psal. 125. 3. This is our comfort III. All iustitiarie people and persons that looke to be saued and iustâ—fied before God by the law and the workes of the law either in whole or in part are cast out of the church of God and haue no part in the kingdome of heauen The casting out of Agar and Ismael is a figure of the reiection of all such Behold here the voice of God casting downe from heauen the greatest part of the earth the Turke the Iew the obstinate Papist with the stepmother the Romish church 31 Then brethren we are not children of the seruant but of the freewoman The conclusion of the whole argument following directly from the 27. verse If we be children of the promise then are we children of the freewoman and not of the bondwoman consequently we are iustified and saued without the works of the law by the meere grace of God causing vs by faith to rest on the promise of God whose substance and foundation is Christ. CHAP. V. 1 Stand fast therefore in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and be not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage THese words are repetition of the principall Conclusion of the whole Epistle Which was on this manner I Paul am called to teach and my doctrine is true therefore ye did euill to depart from it and your dutie was to haue stood vnto it Further they are collected and inferred vpon the conclusion of the last argument vsed in the last chapter thus Ye are children of the freewoman and therefore ye are free and therefore ye should hold fast your libertie In the words two maine points of doctrine are propounded The first is that by nature we are all intangled with the yoke of bondage For the better conceiuing of this I will handle three points the nature of this bondage the signe of it and the vse Touching the nature of it Our spirituall bondage stands in three things The first is bondage vnder sinne which Paul teacheth when he saith I am carnall sold vnder sinne Rom. 7. 14. Here remember that by sinne is meant Originall sinne which hath two parts Guiltines in the first offence of Adam which is imputed to all mankind and the disposition of all the powers of the soule to all manner of euill whatsoeuer And this rebellious disposition is like a leprosie infecting the whole man and it raignes like a tyrant ouer the soule of man by tempting intising and drawing him from one actuall sinne to another so as he can doe nothing but sinne Iam. 1. 14. The second thing is obligation or subiection to all punisâ—â—ment both temporall and eternall And it hath three parts The first is Bondage vnder Satan who keepes vnrepentant sinners in his snare according to his owne will 2. Tim. 2. 26. he rules in their hearts like a God 2. Cor. 4. 4. and hath power to blinde them and to harden their hearts till he haue brought them to eternall death Heb. 2. 14. The second is bondage vnder an euill conscience which sits in the hearts of offendours as an accuser and a terrible iudge and lies like a wild beast at a mans dore readie euer and anon to plucke out his throat Gen. 4. 7. The third is bondage vnder the wrath of God and the feare of eternall death Heb. 2. 15. The third part of this bondage is the obligation to the ceremoniall law It pertaines not to all mankind but onely concernes the Iewes to whome it was a yoke of bondage Act. 15. The signe of this bondage whereby it may be discerned is to keepe a course or practise in sinning Ioh. 8. 34. He that commits sinne is a seruant of sinne or againe a life led according to the custome and fashion of this world in the lust of the flesh or the lust of the eye which is couetousnes or in the pride of life Eph. 2. 2. 1. Ioh. 2. 16. The vse We must learne to see feele acknowledge and bewaile this bondage in our selues Deliuerance belongs onely to such captiues as know themselues to be captiues Luk. 4. 18. and labour vnder this bondage Matth. 11. 28. Thus did Paul when he saith I am sold vnder sinne and O miserable man who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death To feele this bondage is a steppe out of it and not to feele it is to be plunged into it Secondly we must pray earnestly for deliuerance The dumme creatures sigh and trauell till they be deliuered from their bondage much more then must we doe it Rom. 8. 22. Thirdly we must learne to detest whatsoeuer is of our selues because it wholly tends to bondage Lastly we must be content with any affliction that God laies on vs though it be lingring sicknes pouertie imprisonment banishment For God might worthely lay on vs all shame and confusion because we are by nature slaues of sinne and Satan The second maine doctrine is that by grace there is a libertie pertaining to the people of God Here I consider foure things 1. what this libertie is 2. the author of it 3. the persons to whome it belongs 4. our dutie touching this libertie For the first Christian libertie is called the Good or commoditie of Christians Rom. 14. 16. It is a spirituall Right or condition lost by Adam and restored by Christ. I say spirituall because
teaching admonishing exhorting and by example of good life A particular calling whereby men are called to some estate of life in the familie Church or common wealth And according to the seuerall conditions of particular callings must euery man in his place doe the good he can The magistrate must vse his office first for the maintenance of the Gospell and then for the execution of iustice The minister must preach sound religion in loue of the soules of men The master of the familie must cause his househould to imbrace the Gospell and frequent the exercises of religion Lastly euery man that is in a trade or office must apply himselfe to the vttermost of his power to do all he can for the good of his countrie and he must so deale that he may be helpefull to all with whome he deales and hurtfull to none We are or should be trees of righteousnes our fruite must be meate for others and our leaues for medecines We must be as candles that spend themselues to giue light to others 14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word which is this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Fulfilled comprised Rom. 13. 9. One word One precept for the H. G. calles precepts words It may be demanded how the whole law should be fulfilled in the loue of our neighbour Ans. The loue of God and the loue of our neighbour are ioyned together as the cause and the effect and the loue of God is practised in the loue of our neigbour For God that is inuisible will be loued in the person of our neighbour whome we see and with whome we conuerse And the first commandement of the law must be included in all the commandements following and thus the loue of God is presupposed in euery commandement of the second table he therefore that loues his neigbour loues God also Thou shalt loue vnderstand both the affection and the duties of loue Thy neighbour any one that is neare vnto vs in res 〈…〉 t of mans nature Isai. 58. 7. though he be our enemy yet i◠by any occasion he be offered vnto vs of God he is our neighbour As thy selfe these wordes signifie not the measure of our loue as though we should loue our selues in the first place and thē our neighbour in the second place for there are some cases in which we are to loue our neighbour more thē our selues As for example we are more to loue the soule of our brother then our temporall life and a good subiect is more to loue the life of his prince then his owne life here then the H. G. signifies what must be the manner of our loue the word as signifies not quantitie but qualitie and that we are as truly and earnestly with loue to imbrace our neighbour as our selues The scope The words cōtaine a reason of the second Rule which may be framed thus to serue our neighbour in duties of loue is the keeping of the whole law therefore this seruice must carefully be performed The vse Here we see that the end of a mans life is to serue God in seruing of man for this is the summe of the whole law Seruants are commanded in seruing their masters to serue god and to do whatsoeuer they doe as vnto God Col. 3. 23. And so euery man in his place in dealing with men must so deale as if he were to deale with God himselfe Therefore most men prophane their liues when they make the scope and drift therof to be the getting of riches and honours And though they haue great charges that is no excuse for the principal end of our liuing here is to performe seruice to men and in this seruice to do homage to God for which homage God will giue the honour and riches which he sees to be conuenient for vs. Secondly here we may obserue what is true religion and godlines namely to loue and serue God in seruing of man He that saith he loues God and yet hates his brother is a lier 1. Ioh. 4. 20. And here it followes that to liue out of all societie of men though it be in praier and fasting after Monkish fashion is no state of perfection but mere superstition for that is true and perfect loue of God that is shewed in duties of loue and in the edification of our neighbour Againe the hypocrisie of sundrie Protestants is here discouered If they come to the Church and heare sermons frequent the Lords 〈◊〉 they thinke they may do afterward what they will and many such are frequenters of tauernes and alchouses and are giuen to riot and licenciousnes But it is not inough for thee to be holy in the Church thou maiest be a Saint in the Church and a Deuill at home True religion is that which shewes it selfe in thy priuate house priuate dealings and in the course of thine owne life such as thou art in thy particular calling such art thou indeed and truth what showes soeuer thou makest before men 15. If ye bite and deuoure one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another The sense If ye bite Here Paul alludes to the fashiō of wild beasts as lions wolues c. And by biting we are to vnderstand all iniuries in words as railing cursing slandering bacbiting c. Deuoure here Paul vnderstands all iniuries in deed or violence euen to the shedding of blood Take heed lest here Paul signifies that contentions dissentions breed the destruction and desolation of the Church The scope These wordes are a second reason of the second rule drawne from the dangerous effect of the contrarie thus Contentions breed the desolation of the Church therefore do seruice one to an other by loue The contents In the words Paul deliuers 3 things The first is that there were greeuous contentions in the Church of Galatia The like also were in the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 3. The cause of the former contentions were differences in points of religion Some of the Galatians no doubt withstanding circumcision and the most of them standing for it For herevpon great were the dissentions of the Churches in Iudea Act. 15. 2. Obserue then that vnitie is not an infallible and an inseperable marke of the Church of God Vnitie may be out of the Church and dissention in the Church as here we see It may be obiected that there is peace in the kingdome of God and that there the wolfe and the lambe dwell together Isai. 11. Ans. This is but in part verified in the kingdome of grace vpon earth and it is fully accomplished in the kingdome of glorie in heauen Againe it may be alleaged that the Church is the companie of them that truly consent in one and the same faith Ans. That is properly meant of the Catholike Church but the case is otherwise in particular Churches where true beleeuers are mixed with hypocrites wherevpon ariseth much dissention And of true beleeuers some are more carnall then spirituall and
twelue Patriarkes Andrew and Peter Iames and Iohn II. for those that are of affinitie Thus the kinsemen of Christ are called his brethren which the Helvidians not obseruing thought they had beene his naturall brethren by the virgin Marie thus Abraham and Lot are called brethren Gen. 13. v. 8 14. though Lot was but his brothers sonne Gen. 14. 12. Thus Iacob the nephew of Laban calleth himselfe his brother Gen. 29. 12. and so Laban calleth him v. 15. III. for men of the same countrey Thus all the Iewes are called brethren one to another Deut. 17. 15. From among thy brethrē shalt thou make a king ouer thee and Deut. 23. 19. Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother and Rom 9. 1. Paul saith he could wish himselfe anathema or accursed for his brethren that is the Iewes IIII. for those of the same religion 1. Ioh. 3. 16. We must lay downe our liues for our brethren Matth. 23. 8. One is your Doctor to wit Christ and all ye are brothren 1. Cor. 5. 11. If any that is called a brother be a fornicatour with such a one eate not To these we may adde a fifte acception for all those that are confederate or otherwise ioyned together by the bond of nature humanitie societie or friendship Thus Ahab calleth Benhadad his brother that is his friend 1. King 20. 32 33. thus Simeon and Leui are called brethren in wickednes that is confederate in euill Thus all men are called brethren one to another by reason of the bond of nature Gen. 9. 5. at the hand of a mans brother will I require the life of man In all countries those that associate themselues together in warre after a speciall manner are called sworne brethren Now we must not restraine the word brethren to those that are brethren by nature or by affinitie or by countrey neither inlarge it to all those that are brethren by the bond of nature but onely to those that are brethren in the fourth acception that is to say brethren in religion or brethren in the Lord though they be flase brethren if they be brethren at least in outward profession for reproofe beeing a part of Ecclesiasticall Discipline belongeth not to those that are out of the visible Church as to Iewes Turkes Pagans because our Sauiour Christ saith If he heare them not tell the Church and if he will not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as a heathen man and a Publican Which cannot be vnderstood of him that is a heathen or Pagan alreadie And Paul saith 1. Cor. 5. 11. If any that is called a brother that is a Christian be a fornicatour c. and then he addes in the next verse what haue I doe to iudge them that are without that is such as are no members of the Church to whom Ecclesiasticall Discipline reacheth not doe not ye iudge them that are within that is such as are of the visible Church such as doe subiect themselues to the censure and discipline of the church It belongs therefore to those that are of the Church at least in shew but specially to those that are of the same particular Church liuing vnder the same particular gouernment Albeit the case may so fall out that those of another Church professing the same religion with vs may be reprooued and censured yea one Church may admonish another for they beeing members one of another are to procure the good one of another as Paul teacheth by the similitude of the head and the members of the same bodie 1. Cor. 12. Therefore all that are in the bosome of the Church euen the mightie Princes and Potentates of the earth are subiect to reproofe if they doe offend thus Nathan the Prophet reprooued Dauid 2. Sam. 12. and Azarias the Priest rebuked Vzziah 2. Chr. 26. 18. Paul reprooued Peter to his face Gal. 2. 11. Therefore those men yea those Magistrates or Monarchs that cannot endure the least reproofe and will not yeeld their necks to Christ his yoke and their backs to therod of Ecclesiasticall censure are greatly to be censured for herein they contemne the ordinance of God Let thē consider that they are not better then King Dauid who hauing sinned patiently indured reproofe by Nathan Let thē remember how King Vzziah was stricken with leprosie for resisting god in the ministry And here the popish sort come to be taxed who exēpt their cleargie men as they call them frō all reproofs ecclesiasticall proceedings in thrusting them into some one monasteryor other lest their exemplarie punishment should be a blemish or disparagement to their order and profession whereas Paul would haue the ministers and Elders yea all superiours to be reprooued as well as others so it be done in order with due respect as after I will shewe Thus Paul biddeth the Colossians that they should say to Archippus Take heed to thy ministerie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it Coloss 4. 17. II. We are bound to reprooue all that are in the Church to whome we owe dutie of loue but we are to loue our superiours as much if not more then others therfore we are bound to reprooue them as well as others III. There is greater reason we should reprooue them then others 1. Because they beeing in higher place are in greater danger of falling then others and therefore haue more neede of admotions and reproofes 2. Because they haue many that will flatter them but fewe or none that will or dare reprooue them It will be said all are not to be reprooued which liue in the Church for some be scorners who as Salomon saith must not be reprooued And our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth vs to cast pearles before swine Matth. 7. 6. I answer that onely open scorners contemners persecuters of the word are to be excepted otherwise all wicked men are to be censured and rebuked For 1. Christ speaketh of manifest contemners of religion when he saith that they are like swine which trample pretious pearles vnder their feete and of persecutors when he saith that like dogs they returne againe and all to rend them 2. Christ beeing here vpon earth did not hinder the Pharisies Sadduces Publicans and harlots from comming to his sermons much lesse would he debarre them of this censure of the Church 3. The woman of Syrophenissa though called a dogge yet eateth of the crummes that fall from the childrens table Matth. 15. 27. 4. Paul did often admonish and rebuke the Corinthians though they were carnall and fleshly minded therefore all men though neuer so publike notorious offenders if they be not opē scorners or persecutors of the knowne trueth are to be reprooued Obiect Profane men which notoriously offend and scandalize the Church by their wicked liues haue no fellowship with Christ but are to be accounted as dogs out of the Church I answere 1. They are not to be counted dogs which doe acknowledge their faults the greatnesse of their
that may be simply to euery one to hinder all euill whereas to the nature of the generall or vniuersall good 〈◊〉 things appertaine First that all things should be good in some measure of goodnes Secodly that some things should be better then others Thirdly that those things that are defectiue in goodnes that is euills should be ordayned to the common good as in a well ordered house all the parts thereof are good in their kind Secondly some better then others as Paul saith In a great house there are vessells of gold and siluer of wood and stone some for honour and some for dishonour 2. Tim. 2. 20. Thirdly those that are destitute of goodnes as sinkes draughts and other like places seruing for base though necessarie vses are ordained to the common good of the whole house which it cannot want And therefore if the master builder to preuent these particular euills should leaue them out of his building he should preiudice the common good of the whole house which cannot be without them Thus much of the first part namely the duty Now I proceede to prosecute the second which shews first to whome we must do good and secondly the order to be obserued therein We must do good vnto all but specially to those which are of the houshould of faith Touching the first It may seeme that some among the Galatians were of the Pharises mind who thought they were bound to loue their friends but not their enemies or of this perswasion that they were not bound in coÌ„science to do good vnto the healthen amongst whom they liued as being professed enemies of Christ opeÌ„ persecutors of his Church But Paul teacheth theÌ„ vs another lesson wheÌ„ he coÌ„mands vs to do good vnto all sutable to that of our Sauiour Christ loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that hurt you and persecute you Matth. 9. 44. Let vs consider the good Samaritans practise Albeit there was mortall hatred betwixt the Iewes and the Samaritans Ioh. 4. 6. Yet he seeing his deadly enemie wounded and halfe dead had compassion vpon him powred wine and oyle into his soares bound vp his woundes set him on his owne beast brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him the like ought we to doe euen to our enemies as occasion shall serue Luk. 10. 30. For if we must doe good to our enemies beast his oxe or asse going astray in bringing him home againe Exod. 23. 4. Much more ought we to doe good to our enemie himselfe For the more beneficiall and communicatiue we shewe our selues to be the greater goodnesse we shewe to be in vs as the fountaine which powreth forth his streames vnto all and the candle which standeth vpon a candlestieke shineth vnto all and not to it selfe being couered with a bushell The reasons why we ought to doe good vnto all euen to our enemies are principally foure The first may be taken from the grounds of loue and beneficence which are in all men euen in the wicked themselues nowe the grounds of loue are specially three the first is the image of God which beeing in all men yea euen in prophane persons in part ought to be the loadstone of loue to draw our affection vnto it The second is communion and fellowship in the same nature and therefore we ought to be beneficiall vnto men because they are men though we will not doe good homini yet we must doe it humanitaâ—i as the Philosopher said The third is participation in the death of Christ in that all men haue part in Christ as well as we for any thing we knowe Secondly God whose example we are to followe as hath beene said is good and bountifull vnto all causing his sunne to shine as well vpon the badde as the good and his â—aine to fall as well vpon the ground of the vniust as of the iust beeing kinde vnto the vnkind and to the wicked Thirdly we must doe to others as we would they should doe to vs. Therefore if we beeing in distresse would be glad to receiue good at the hand of a wicked man we ought in the like case to doe good vnto him Fourthly our profession and the reward which we looke for require this at our hands for if we doe good vnto them onely that doe good vnto vs or if we be friendly to those onely that are friendly to vs what singular thing doe we for euen the Publicans doe the like and so hauing our reward here in this life we can expect none other after this life Matth. 5. 47. The second point which containeth the order to be obserued in doing good is laid downe in these words Let vs doe good to all but specially to those which are of the houshould of faith By them of the houshold of faith we are to vnderstand those which by faith are of the same familie with vs namely of the same Catholike church vpon earth the house of God beeing often put to signifie the Church of God as 1. Tim. 3. 15. The house of God is called the Church of God the ground and pillar of trueth Ebr. 3. 2. Moses was faithfull in all Gods house that is his Church and thus this phrase is expounded Eph. 2. 19. Ye are no more strangers and forrainers but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God So that by them of the houshold of faith we must vnderstand onely the faithfull Indeed among men not onely children but also man-seruants and maide-seruants are counted to be of the family but God accounts them onely to be of his house that are Saints by calling and sonnes by faith The rest are bastards and not sonnes they are it may be in the house but not of the house for true sauing faith doth characterize those that are of the familie of faith euen as fanaticall dreames fantasticall opinions allegorizing of the literall sense of the scripture denying the resurrection of the flesh doe characterize those that are of the familie of loue Hauing the meaning coÌ„sider the dutie which is to do good principally to the faithfull the Saints seruants of god that is we must do good vnto theÌ„ before others more theÌ„ to others which are not of the same familie as Dauid saith My well-doing reacheth not to thee but to the saints that are in the earth them that excel in vertue Psal. 16. 2 3. For it is alone as if the Apostle should haue said As it is fit and conuenient that they that are of the same familie should be helpefull and beneficiall one vnto another rather then to those that are of another family So it is requisite that those which are members of the same bodie nay sonnes and daughters brethren and sisters hauing the same God for their father the same Church for their mother Christ for their elder brother begotten of the same immortall seede nourished with the
15. Obiections against Baptisme of Infants Answered 261 Children of Turkes and Iewes are not to be baptised 261. 30 Children of professed Papists may be Baptised two cautions obserued 261. 32 Children of wicked christians and of parents Excommunicate may be Baptised 262. 15 Baptisme is to be administred but once 262. 26 Of the place of Baptisme 263. 1 The vse of Baptisme 263. 9 Papists abuse baptisme 377. 12 We must be bearers and how 490. 32. Beare one with another 491. 492 Beleeuers must be Bearers and sufferers 168. 169 Foure kindes of Beleeuers in the visible church 319. 6 Why beleeuers are called childrē of promise see promise Funerall beneficence 603. 21 Vitall beneficence 603. 25 Blessing came by the curse 203. 20 There is a good and lawfull kind of boasting 89. 12 Boasting is either lawfull or vnlawfull 455. 11 whether Bondage may stand with Christian religion A treatise of spirituall Bondage 364. 39. Our spirituall bondage stands in 3. things 365. 1 Of the nature signe and vse of it 365. What is ment by Brethren 5. 38 61. 25. The name Brethren of force to perswade vs to vse gentlenes 466. 29 Brethren taken foure waies in Scripture 469. 39 Burdens of two sorts what they be 520. 24. To beare one anothers burden what 520. Bearing of our owne burden what it is 520. 35 Vses vpon this that euery man must beare his owne burden 528. 6 Sinne a burden to wicked Angels man god and the creatures 528. 11. What kind of burden sinne is 528. 27. The Iewes sporting at the threatnings of the Lord calling them the burden of the Lord. 529. 10 Mens Burdens are of two sorts 489. 3. Foure sorts of those burdens that may be borne of others as well as of our selues 489. 9 The two first sorts borne three waies Jbid. 20 The two latter how to be borne Ibid. Sundrie obiections against Bearing only our owne Burdens propounded and answered 520. 35 to 528. Infants beare the burden of Adams sinne and why 521. 15 True beleeuers freed by Chirst frō a threefould burden 527. 26 How Christ and we are said to beare the Burden of our sinnes 527. 39 C Pauls Calling was not by the church of Antioch 2. 23 It differs from the calling of other Apostles 2. 23 A good calling necessarie for a minister 3. 1 The Anabaptists arguments that a man may preach without a calling answered 3. 7 Euery lawfull calling is of God 3. 22. Foure reasons why ministers calings must be manifest to their consciences and to their auditors 3. 31 Three notes to knowe whether a man be called to the ministerie 4. 10. Three kinds of calling in the Church 4. 25. Two sortes of calling 34. 1 Three kindes of extraordinarie callings 34. 4 Three rules to be obserued for the triall of an extraordinarie calling 34. 22. God in his eternall counsell assignes to euery man a calling 48. 1 The child of God in his conuersion hath not power to resist the inward calling of God 306. 35 Who calles who are called what is the calling of God 398. Men answer the calling of god three waies 399. 1 Gods calling is either operatiue or significatiue 399. 7 Euery man ought to haue two callings 404. 28 Carnal vide natural Roman Catholykes like vnto the ould False prophetes for outward shewes 612. 2 Their outward shewes stand in foure particulars ibid. 3 Ceremonies are of two sortes 231. 13. Ceremonies considered three waies 309. 39 Charming a kind of wichcraft 429. 37. How we may discerne of charmes 403. 10 Two degrees of Gods children 336. 4. VVhy beleuers called children of promise vide promise Who are the children of Abraham vide Abraham A Child of God is two waies 536. 26. A Child by grace is three waies 36. 28. The excellencie of this benefit to be the Child of God 236. 39 The duties of Gods children 238. 2. 238. 24. A Treatise of the authoritie that parents haue in disposing their children 274. 28 Children must be subiect to their tutors and gouernours 276. 25 What a man must doe to be assured he is Gods child 277. 14 What the vnion with Christ is vid. Vnion Is what respect they are said to be one with Christ 265. 1 How all beleeuers are made one with Christ 265. 3 Of the donation of Christ. 265. 36 Of our receiuing of Christ. 266. 15 What communion with Christ is 266. 23 How the Lord Iesus is put on 267. 4. Of the apprehension of Christ. vid. Apprehension Why Christ called Sonne vid. Son Whether the Sonne be God vide Sonne Christ tooke not to himselfe the office of a Mediatour 281. 16 A treatise of Christs incarnation why how farre forth and how he was made flesh 282. 4 Of the vniting of the flesh to the godhead of the Sonne 284. 12 Of Christs subiection to the law 285. 35. Of Christs obedience in fulfilling the law 286. 18 Of the application of Christ. vide Application Christ crucified the storehouse and treasurie of the Church which is shewed in fiue points 630. 25. 28 Why Paul gloried rather in the crosse of Christ then in his resurrection 631. 23 The Papists wicked glorying in the crosse 632. 1 Christ is called our Lord in fiue respects 652. 25 Christ was made a curse for vs. vide Curse How Christ suffered the wrath of God 200. 1 Christ must be really learned before he be taught 53. 9 When Christs obedience beganne and ended 119. 14 How Christ could obey being God and satisfie for vs beeing man 120. 4. In what order Christ giues himselfe vnto vs 146. 8 Christ is God 5. 25 Christ which giues grace and peace why called our Lord 12. 38 How Christ is said to giue himselfe 13. 26. Two endes why Christ gaue himselfe 14. 38 Christs death and sacrifice was voluntarie 14. 10 Euery man must applie the gift and sacrifice of Christ vnto himselfe and how it may be done 15. 22 How they of the old testament were partakers of the bodie and blood of Christ 21. 35 Christ is the great Prophet and doctour of the church 36. 39 Christs office stands in three things 37. 2. Christ teacheth those that are to be teachers two waies 37. 37 What a Christian is 449. 21 A Christian is Christs fiue waies ibid 22. The vses of one beeing Christs ibid. 31. The office of a Christiā man 451. 5 The Church of Rome no church of God 9. 24 How the Church can be wasted why the Lord suffers it to be so 43. 24 30. Authoritie of the church no principle 433. 39 Vnity is not an infallible inseparable marke of the church 407. 18 Three certen marks of the catholike church 335. 1. 1 Why the Christian church is called barren and desolate 357. 1. 14 The estate of the church is either inward or outward 357. 18 The vse that ought to be made that the church hath Christ for her husband 358. 9 The catholike Church on earth is said to be in heauen for two