against all the Diuels temptations neuer fell the least iot that might be from his most pure and perfect obedience no nothing in any the least thought but abode firmely in his stedfastnesse to the end and remaining for euer a perfect and princely high Priest according to the order of Melchisedech who was both a King and a Priest as we reade in the holy Scriptures Psalme 110. and often repeated in the Epistle to the Hebrewes And beside we haue often heard from the testimonie of many Scriptures that he knew no sinne that he is the Lord our righteousnesse c. Perfect therefore is our redemption by our Prince and Sauiour Christ whereby he hath deliuered vs from all our vaine thoughts and motions and from the verie originall corruption and sinfull contagion of our nature as well as from all our actuall transgressions and rebellions against euerie Commaundemēt of the most holy righteous Law of the Lord our God seeing he continued in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to do them To him therefore together with the same God who is by Christ our heauenly Father and to the holy Ghost three persons one God most wise holy righteous mercifull be all honor and glorie both now for euermore But are we so discharged by our Sauiour Christ that we need not to make any reckening of the originall corruption of our nature and the immediate fruites thereof that is of our vaine thoughts and loose and wandring motions and lustes so farre foorth at the least as we giue no consent to be led by them and to commit the outward actions thereof Nothing lesse for although through the mercies of God because of that reconciliation vvhich our Sauiour Christ hath made by his bloud they shall not be imputed vnto vs vve must neuerthelesse be vvatchfull in striuing against them vve must instantly sigh vp vnto God from the secrets of our soules pray alvvaies for the forgiuenesse of them and for his grace to suppresse them and finally vve must most tenderly cherish all contrarie good motions thoughts and meditations vvhich God by his holy Spirit by the ministerie of his vvord shall put into our hearts It is very true our hearts ought to be as nimble and readie through the grace of God to resist all secret temptations and lusts as our nature is rife and lauish to cause them suddenly to arise and start vp We should be as readie alwaies to pray to God against them as they are prest and readie to solicite vs to withdraw our hearts from God This euill lust and concupiscence of ours must be watched and fought against continually after the example of the Apostle Paule Rom. 7 euen so long as we carie about vs this corrupt nature of ours as against a monster of manie heads Alwaies euill thoughts and motions will haue the first foot in euery matter The Lord in the beginning cursed the Serpent because it was the Diuels instrument to bring sinne into the world when as before there was no euill lust in mans pure nature How we are to repent and obey this Commandement Wherefore seeing euer since the entrance of euill lust this hath bene and is the Deuils secret meanes to entice and draw vs vnto all sinne it ought to be more odious vnto vs then any serpent can be I would heare yet one thing more of you What thoughts and motions do you meane by vaine thoughts and wandring lusts and motions All thoughts motions and lusts whatsoeuer they are they are all of them vaine and sinfull which be not agreeable to the word and will of God and which tend not to the right ends that is to the glorie of God to the benefit of his Church people It is true for as the Apostle saith Whether ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glorie of God 1. Cor. 10.31 So we may say whatsoeuer ye thinke mind or deuise let it be to the glorie of God But seeing by the meanes of the contrarie vanitie and euill coueting which is in vs our minds are most feeble and fickle in themselues touching all good thoughts and meditations that we cannot stay our hearts in them we may see from hence most liuely how great and vrgent cause we haue alwaies to lift vp our eyes to our Sauiour Christ who was and is still lifted vp vnto vs like vnto that healing serpent which was lifted vp by Moses in the wildernesse that by faith in him we may obtaine helpe euen a soueraigne counterpoison against the stingings of this venimous serpent who hath so deepely and so deadly conueyed his poison into vs. We may see also what great cause we haue to be continuall in praier to God that it wold please him to sanctifie our hearts that the thoughts and meditations thereof may be acceptable vnto him according to the prayer of Dauid in the 19. Psalme VVe may perceiue likewise what great cause we haue to acquaint our selues with the holy Sacraments and to make due vse from these sensible assurances of Gods loue that thereby we may the rather haue power against the vanitie of our minds c. Let vs learne to make the Lord our portion And let Christ our Sauiour be in steade of al couetable or desirable things vnto vs according to the doctrine which we haue heard out of the 16. Psal and as we reade Song of songs chap. 5.16 that Christ is to the Church in steade of all sweet things It leades vs backe to the first Commandement and thence through all the Commandements yea wholly delectable that is according to the Hebrew word there vsed all whatsoeuer is worthie to be coueted or desired And thus this 10. Commandement which is as it were the period and full point of the Law of God the end as one may say of the race or gole of humane charitie it directeth vs backe againe to the first Commandement and euen to God himself the onely true fountaine of all loue and the most worthie to be loued of all and for whose sake also we should according to this Commandement perfectly loue euerie neighbour according to that which we reade 1. Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained The Law of God therfore as also the obedience thereof may be compared to a circular course the end whereof is as one may say the beginning of the same or to a golden chaine the linkes whereof are so fastened together that no one can be sundred from the whole by reason of their mutuall connexion and knitting together in the which also the last is alwaies next to that which soeuer a man shall recken for the first It is also so large a circuit that no man can euer make his walke out of the compasse or command of it Finally in somuch as loue ought both to begin
17. verses and in the 2. Epist of Peter the 1. Chap. from the 16. verse and so forth to the end of the chapter Let vs peruse these places turning to them in our Bibles But that we may go forward How are the holy Scriptures to be vsed of vs that we may haue the knowledge and faith of them to the end that we may giue glorie to God and obtaine saluation by the direction and comfort of them We are most reuerently and religiously to acquaint our selues with the often reading of them and hearing them read and calling vpon God by earnest prayer that he would giue vs the right vnderstanding of them Yea this is to be done both publickely and priuately What are we principally to obserue in reading of them How the holy Scriptures are to be read and marked The orderly course of the holy Storie how one thing followeth another in order of time and therein chiefly how both the Lavv of Moses and also all the rest of the Prophets do giue one concordable and consonant witnesse vnto Iesus Christ concerning his nature his tribe his person his office by doctrine types figures and prophesies And againe how all things written taught prefigured foretold in the whole Scriptures haue had their full accomplishment and blessed effect from time to time in their proper seasons But haue we nothing else to obserue in the reading of the holy Scriptures Yes for beside the doctrine of faith and the vndoubted confirmation thereof we are vvith like diligence and reuerend regard to marke all holy instructions for good life with the promises of all kindes of blessings belonging thereunto and likewise all warnings against sinne and the threatnings thereof and therewithal also the good examples of the godly and their blessed ends for our incouragement to liue as they haue liued and the euill examples of the vvicked and their cursed ends that we may auoid their wayes These things indeede are verie good and necessarie to be obserued in the reading of the holy Scriptures but here a scruple or doubt ariseth If the holy Scriptures onely be able to make vs wise vnto saluation and to guide vs in the right way of glorifying God what is to be thought of other good books and godly writings whether we enquire of those which be called Apochripha vsually bound in our Bibles or anie other written by godly and learned men heretofore or now last of all in these our dayes They may be greatly profitable as helps for our weakenesse if good discretion be vsed in reading of them that is if too much time be not spent that way from the reading of the holy Scriptures themselues and if we trie all other vvritings by the holy Scriptures which alone in matters of saluation haue authoritie and credit of themselues and no other further then they do agree with them and so haue allowance from them For the ground perfection of the knovvledge of God and our ovvne saluation is onely to be found in them To this purpose that is worthie to be diligently noted How the holy Scriptures are to be preached and heard which King Solomon saith of the reading of all writings besides the holy Scriptures and those that are most agreable to them that it is an vnprofitable wearinesse to the flesh and a burthensom vexation to the fraile mind of man Eccles chap. 1.18 and ch 12.12 This obserued let vs go another step forward Is it sufficient for the vnderstanding of the Scriptures and for the obtaining of faith c. that we do onely reade them No but as the Lord at the first and so from time to time chose and sanctified some speciall men vvhome it pleased him to vse as his holy instruments to vvrite dovvne his Scriptures once for euer so it is and alvvayes hath bene his pleasure to call and furnish many other vvith vnderstanding and vvith the gift of teaching and exhorting aboue the rest to minister a more cleare full light of his heauenly knovvledge vnto his people and to stirre vp and avvake their consciences to a more effectuall embracing of the same then they could by their ovvne reading attaine vnto This is manifestly to be seene euerie where in the Scripture The Lord by his holy Prophets calleth for hearing as the most effectual meanes of knowledge faith and obedience So doth King Salomon throughout the booke of the holy Prouerbes So doth our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Matth. 13.9.16.17.18 and in the Reuelation Chap. 2. chap. and 3. It followeth therefore that with like reuerence and that also of speciall necessitie that we acquaint our selues with diligent hearing of the Scriptures preached and taught in the ministerie thereof Further it is necessarie that they be carefully meditated vpon in euerie of our hearts apart by our selues and also conferred of one with another both publikely and priuately At whose mouth especially ought the knowledge and doctrine of the holy Scriptures to be heard and learned of vs a 1. Cor. 14.34 35. 1. Tim. 2.12 c. Priuately vviues of their Christian husbands Likevvise b Gen. 18.17.18.19 Exod. 12.26 ch 13.14.15 Deut. 4 9.10 chap. 6.6.7 ch 11.18 Ps 78.1.5.6.7 Pro. 4.3.4 c. and chap. 22.6 Ephes 6.4 children and seruants of their godly parents and maisters and c Deut. 33.10 Mal. 2.7 Luk. 12.41.42 1. Cor. 3.1.2 Heb. 5.12.13.14 ch 6.1 13.17.22 Iames 1.19 Gal. 6.6 parents Maisters seruants children and all both priuately and publikely of their faithfull Pastors and Teachers Seeing the principall meanes of knowledge and faith and of all grace with the blessed and prosperous growth and increases thereof is the hearing of the word publikely preached and taught it shall be good for vs before we proceede any further to stay a while vpon this matter What is required to the profitable hearing of it so preached and taught amongst vs To the profitable hearing of the vvord preached and taught three things are necessarie The first is a Eccles 4.17 Act. 10.33 preparation before vve come to heare The second is b Matth. 13 9. Act. 16.14.15 attention in hearing The third is c Iames 1.22.23.24.25 care to make good vse practise of that which vve haue heard To each of these points manie things are necessarie as you haue bene instructed shew therefore first of all what is requisite to due preparation That vve may come rightly prepared to heare the vvord of God as vve ought these fiue things are necessarie First a d Matth. 28.19.20 2. Cor. 4 6. Rom. 10.14 Act. 3.31 perswasion in our heartes that it is the holy ordinance and commandement of God that vve should heare and also that it is most necessarie and profitable for vs so to do Secondly e Psal 119.18 Ephes 6.18 that vve make our prayers to God that he vvould prepare vs as being of our selues altogether vnfit to heare Thirdly f Eph. 5.13.14 ch 6.12
deceiue poore ignorant soules and hath more shew of carnall reason whereby subtile heads may more plausibly contend for the maintenance of the same according as the Apostle reasoneth against the false Apostles which made shew as if they had bene faithfull Ministers of the Gospell where notwithstanding they subtilly laboured to bring in the ceremonies of the Law and the worshipping of Angels a Philosophicall kind of preaching c. into the faith and worship of the Gospell 2. Cor. chap. 11.1 c. Col. chap. 2. and in the Epistle to the Galathians But more to this purpose reade Reue. chap. 17. Wherefore that which is truly sayd of the Popish artolatrie or worship of the bread in their Sacrament of the Altar that it is the most abominable idolatry of all other because it doth most nearly ouerthrow the truth of Religion and the purity of the worship which God in it requireth vnder the greatest pretence of Religion that may be so may it be sayd of the rest of the Popish idolatrie being compared with the idolatries of the heathen which were more grosse and further remoued from the appearance of true worship which Popish worship seemeth to haue And what though it pleased the Lord sometime to manifest himselfe and his holy Angels by outward similitudes and likenesse of things as of men c. to Abraham to Moses to Isaiah to Ezekiel to Daniel Yet seeing Israel was forbidden to make any such representations to themselues by the art of caruing casting in the mould grauing painting needle worke or any other way it followeth by like strength of good reason that howsoeuer since that time the holy Ghost by the appearance of clouen tongues and Christ being glorified after his ascension shewed himselfe to Paule and Iohn and though before that at the transfiguration of our Sauior Christ Moses Elias appeared in visiō to Peter Ieames Iohn it followeth I say by like strength of good reason that they are not to be artificially pictured resembled to any religious vse and worship among Christians no more then the other were among the Iewes Nay seeing Christ himselfe while he was vpon the earth was not worshipped with religious worship but onely then when he gaue some token of his diuine power and glory And Paul and Barnabas vehemently forbad all that diuine worship which the heathen idolaters would haue honoured them withall and Peter forbiddeth Cornelius exceeding measure in his bowing to him and the Angell forbiddeth Iohn to worship him though he appeared in great glory before him much lesse are their images though they were neuer so liuely and gorgeously pictured set forth and aduanced to be worshipped with any religious worship either higher or lower with Doulia or Latria c. The onely pictures which the Lord alloweth as seruing to teach and instruct in the right way of his worship are his owne works according to that in the 19. Psal 1. c. and Ioh. 5.17.36 and the preaching of the Gospell Rom. 10.18 by an allusion to the former Scripture in the Psal and Gal. 3.1 Yet so as the Lord will not haue the works of his owne hands worshipped but himselfe onely who created and made them according to the example of Abraham Gen. 14.22 Reade also Deut. 4.19 Acts 17.24 and Ier. 8.1.2 and Zeph. 1.5 Finally if we will please God in representing his diuine Maiestie by any image we our selues must be the image of him walking in true righteousnesse and holinesse according to his most righteous and holy lawes and commandements which is our onely true wisedome whereby we are renewed according to the image of God and shall shine as lights in the middest of a wicked generation Hitherto therefore of the euill things forbidden in the second Commandement Now on the contrary I would gladly heare of you which are the good duties commanded First the Lord commandeth that we willingly admit and imbrace his owne word works for our only rule of all our knowledge of God to direct vs how he wil be worshipped serued not only inwardly with spirituall worship wherof we haue answered before but also in the outward declaratiō exercises therof Secondly that from a wise faithfull louing zealous reuerend and dutifull heart we do both priuately and publikely professe practise asmuch as lieth in vs euery one in his calling place both Christiā Prince Magistrate Minister of the word and euery other gouernour and maister of family Duties commanded both ioyntly as it were with one shoulder and apart by euery mans particular indeuour and constancy in labour to promote further and aduance the same the diuine seruice and worship of God according to the prescript rule of his word And that all of vs be carefull to profit our selues and helpe forward one another in knowledge faith and repentance and in all other spirituall graces by the externall actions and exercises thereof Thirdly God commandeth that we do very carefully shun auoyd and watch against all meanes and occasions whatsoeuer would endanger vs to idolatry or any false superstitious worship Fourthly that to the same end we hold our most neare friendship and familiarity and our onely religious Communion and societie with those that professe and declare themselues to be the true worshippers of God we altogether constantly frequenting the places appointed for the holy assemblies and meetings of the people of God Fiftly that euery of vs all with one consent chiefly the ciuill Magistrates and Ministers of the Gospell shew approue our selues wisely discretely zealous against all idolatry euery point of false superstitious worship to the quite abolishing and rooting of it out from among his people to the vttermost of our power Finally that as touching indifferent things as they are called that is to say such things as be not of idolatrous superstitious institution and inuention but yet haue in their kind bene superstitiously idolatrously abused be not of necessary vse for the worship of God that the Christian Magistrate in commanding or not commanding and the stronger Christian whether Minister of the word or any other in the vsing or not vsing of them be charitably wise and carefull that thereby he giue no offence or cause of stumbling to the weake and that they preiudice not the Christiā libertie wherwith Christ hath set vs free And that the weaker more tender conscienced Christians labour after that soundnesse of knowledge perswasion in such cases actions as may well be construed that they stumble at no causlesse offence whereby their comfortable and zealous proceeding in the wayes of the Lords pure worship seruice should be slacked or hindred That according to the first part of this answer the word of God and his works both of creation and gouernement in the world and also of regeneration and sanctificatiō in his Church according to the instructions of the word must be the rule of our knowledge it may