they may erre yea the Priest Heb. 5.2 Because they are but in part sanctified and every man hath some part of the old man in him as Saint Paul 2 Cor. 11.5 who had gone as farre as any other confesseth of himselfe Philip. 3.12.13 Rom. 7.17.24 Therefore may they in part strive against their owne judgement and be drawne by temptation to defend errour Sometime against their owne conscience for though errour in judgement arise ever of ignorance yet errour in act as in teaching in defending and maintaining of error is joyned often with knowledge and ariseth not out of ignorance but want of grace and sanctification Because the promise of incessant assistance Reason 3 and infallible guidance was never made to any but to the Apostles because they were to plant Churches where there never had any been before and to establish a new forme of Church government and worship of God never used or heard of before therefore to them John 14.26 and 16.13 which was not a perfect and absolute illumination which the Apostle professeth he had not 1 Cor. 13.9 but an infallible suggestion of things as occasion required Which is understood not of things that were expedient for them to know as Christians nor as teachers which they had already but as Apostles 1. To be planters of new Churchs and new government Now that this was promised to them onely I prove for it is added he will shew you the things to come a priviledge that no Pope or Patriarch ever durst challenge and if not this will passe by vertue of that promise why the other when they are both in one and the same promise therefore it was to them alone yea not so much as the extraordinary Prophets of the old Testament had it either promised or performed as Greg. super 1 Reg. 3.8 observeth for they had not the Spirit extraordinarily alwayes infallibly guiding them save when they came with some speciall message from God which is manifest by the errour of Nathan when he was out of his message 2 Sam. 7.3 And of him that was deluded by the false Prophet after he had done his message to Ieroboam and made to transgresse the commandment of the Lord 1 King 13.2.18 and 19. which he would not have done if he had not been deceived for before he would not do it for all the Kings offer vers 7.8 and in Jer. cap. 42.4.7 This serves to confute the doctrine of Popery Vse who hold that the Church cannot erre nor a Councell which is the representative Church but they have brought it to a narrower scantling for the question is wholly about one for whatsoever they talke of Church or Councels it commeth in conclusion all home to the Pope he it is alone that cannot erre For the Church they grant that any particular Church in the world may erre save the Curch of Rome that too if the Pope should translate his Sea from Rome as Peter did from Antioch thither Bell. de Pont. Rom. 4.4 For Councels that a generall Councel may erre if the Pope do not confirme it Ibid. 4.3 And è contra Idem de Conc. author 2.2.5 But if all be true that we have shewed he may erre But Bellar. de Pontif Rom. 4.3 proveth he cannot for Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and so for the Pope and so he cannot erre It is answered First that by faith is not heere meant an historicall faith but a justifying faith not a generall faith but a particular nor that by which we beleeve God but in God which fails not by errour so it be not fundamentall for so should we condemne all who ever have lived But when a man doth fall wholly from grace and ceaseth to be a member of Christ And that it is so appeares out of the drift and scope of our Saviour Christ for his drift was to arme and protect Peter against that triall and temptation that he then foretold him of not against errour in teaching the Church but against Apostasie in time of triall Therefore saith Theophilact in Lucam he sheweth him the particular temptation for our Saviour would not arme there where he was not to be hurt where there was no danger not put an helmet upon the head when the heart and breast was to be strucken And thus much Bellarmine confesseth when he makes Peters fall to be a matter of fact to cast utterly off his former profession and not of faith and therefore it was perseverance in the habit of justifying faith not infallibility in the matter of historicall faith that Christ prayed for which so differs that a man may have the one that is justifying faith and yet hold an errour not fundamentall to the death as Bellarmine contends for the Fathers divers of them And the other that is a right beliefe of the generall points of religion and yet not have justifying faith nor saving and sanctifying grace as Bellarmine contendeth the Pope cannot erre and yet confesseth he may want saving grace Secondly it is answered that that he prayed for here was a thing not proper to Peter but common to all the Apostles yea all the elect and if the gift and grace be common to all and conceived Joh. 17.9.10.20 by the same person in effect the same for all upon which ground the ancient Fathers apply this place to all the Apostles yea to all the elect and if to all then helps it them but a little The second proofe he cannot erre is Matth. 16.18 The gates of hell shall not prevaile against the Church whence they first reason that the foundation and roofe of the Church cannot erre such as Peter and the Popes his successors I say nothing that it is not yet proved that the Pope is Peters successor nay it is manifest that he succeeded rather Simon Magus then Simon Peter But I say that Peter is not the rocke In the words saith Augustine there is difference betwixt Petrus and Petra both in the Greeke and Latine Againe the rocke here is not Peter but Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 and 3.11 whereunto agrees the Fathers and their owne writers also late writers whereby all colour of argument taken from this place for the Pope is utterly quashed But grant that they begge then must it either be in regard of his person but that cannot be for the Church cannot be builded upon flesh and bloud Or in regard of some superioritie and place above the rest But as that cannot be proved so the contrary is manifest 2. Cor. 12.11 Or of his doctrine taught by him and of the faith of Christ confessed by him and so it is true Now this was common to him and all the rest For as Iohn is called a Pillar Gal. 2.9 so was Iames as well as Peter and all the rest as Revel 21.14 To which is that Ephes 2.20 with whom the Prophets are joyned because they writ the Scriptures which is indeed the foundation of our faith they
of it in Priest and people hee forsakes not their assemblies but cōmmunicates with them in their service sacrifices Men ought not to separate themselves from a visible congregation or assembly a visible Church for the abuse of it Doctrine and the corruption of it it being not in fundamentalls As here the Prophet did not neither read we of any Prophet who left the Church but in most corrupt ages remained there reproving and threatening them praying and mourning for them but not forsaking them It is that Ezek. 9.4 they are noted as St. Augustine Observeth that mourne for the corruptions of the time not who separate themselves from the Church In the New Testament we find not Christ nor his Apostles to forsake the Church but remaine in it though marvellous corrupt teaching reproving correcting mourning for it So of the Pastors of the six Churches of Asia their corruptions noted and their Angels biding with them To this purpose is that Hebr. 10.24 25 38 39. Because no man ought to separate himselfe from the true Church of Christ Reas 1 Now such is an assembly professing the true saith notwithstanding other coruption for as holinesse if it might be supposed without true saith cānot make a true Church but false doctrine and errour in the foundation overthrows it for being a Church So è contrà corruptions in manners cannot make it no Church when true faith is taught and maintained Because separation and excommunication from a particular Church is the most heavy and greatest censure of the Church Reas 2 which as no man should incurre by his evill behaviour so no man ought to inflict upon himselfe for the corruptions of others who happily deserve to be separated themselves To condemne all those who withdraw themselves from our assemblies because of corruptions amongst us Vse 1 crying out of those who will remaine among them to the benefit of the good that is there to be had But to such an one I say as Augustine answered Petilian That he did not well to leave Christs heape of Corne Non habes quod objicias fiument is Dominicis paleam usque ad ventilationem ultimam sustinentibus à quibus tu nunquam recessisses nisi levior palea vento tentationis ante adventum ventilatoris avolasses Aug. cantr Petilian Cap. 1.18 because the chaffe was in it till the great winnowing day and that he shewed himselfe to be lighter chaffe driven out by the wind of temptation that flew out before the comming of Christ the winnower What folly is it for a man to leave the Jewells and Plate in the Cold-finers shop because to the Iron tongs and black coals What warrant have they when as Noah left not the Arke for all the uncleane beasts To teach every man not to be so offended for the corruption of the times Vse 2 as to separate himselfe from the Church for them * Si amarent pacem non discinderēt unit atem Aug. contr lit Petiliani lib. 24. broken unity saith August And in another place A vessell of honour ought to tolerate those things that are vile * Vas in honere sanctificatum debuit tolerare ea quae sunt in contumelia nec propter hoc relinquere domum claritatis Dei ne vel vas in contumeliam vel stercus projectum de domo sit Aug. contr epist Parm. lib. 3.5 and not therefore to forsake the house of God lest himselfe be cast out as a vessell of dishonour or as dung That certainly which is 1 Cor. 5.13 Put away from your selves the wicked person is to be understood of those who have authority which if they exercise not is their sinne not mine or thine Shall I forsake the good and the Church where I may be safe for their evill Nec quisquam sine consensu cordis sui ex ore vulneratur alieno Let no man then separate himselfe for why should a good pure and sound member separate it selfe from those that are corrupt and cut it selfe off both to make the whole worse and to lose to it selfe the good it might have by abiding For us The Prophet who had the least hand in the sinnes and was the least cause of the burden he feares and as it were mournes and seeketh how to avoid it when the Priests who were the cause of it are secue and carelesse It often falls out Doctr. that the faithfull mourne and feare the plagues they foresee when they who have deserved them sleep securely and rather provoke God still Mich. 1.8 Therefore will I mourne This hath beene by your meanes Here is the reason why God will not accept their prayers because they are authors and principall causes of the evill and sinnes amongst them The prayers of hypocrites and wicked men Doctrine whether Ministers or Magistrates or private men whether superiours or inferiours cannot be profitable to the Church nor others for whom they pray nor accepted of God This is manifest here as also by that where the prayers of the wicked are rejected with divers such places This the Lord taught when in his Law he commanded that the Priest should first offer for himselfe Levit. 4.3 and Heb. 5.3 Because they are not profitable for themselves Reas 1 neither shall be accepted much lesse for others Not for themselves Isaiah 1. and 66. Because they are in Gods sight abhominable Reas 2 Prov. 15.8 such cannot prevaile with him Balaam prayed for the people of God Object and was heard for them and yet he was a wicked man Numb 23.19 20. A truth it is Answ St. August so answereth Parmen contr Epist Parm. lib. 2. cap. 8. proving they ought not to separate themselves as they taught because men are pollured But for the example I think we may say Balaam was not heard saving his judgment because he certainly never prayed hee did prophesie indeed in a certaine former of prayer therefore that speech of his is accounted a blessing because he did ominate and foretell happy things which would befall to the people of God But he never prayed indeed for his heart went against it it was utterly against his will who for the wages of Balac would rather have desired to curse onely hee was compelled to it by the Spirit of God Therefore he was not heard which prayed not but the Spirit of God which in the good worketh the affections and suggesteth words did onely put such words into his mouth for any good that should come by them to the people of God as for the terrour and destruction of Balac who had set himselfe against the people of God to shew him tha not they before him but he should fall before them This sheweth the folly and the vancity of the reason of some Popish and Popishly affected who plead for lenity Vse 1 connivence and impunity because the King and his Children the Realms and Dominions may enjoy so man prayers from them unto the Lord their Jesuites and Priests and all would pray
being put for their writings Out of all which nothing will follow for the Pope or nothing in speciall manner I will trouble you with no other reasons onely I will shew you this chalenge is false because many of them have erred The first shall be Marcellus or Marcellinus who offered up sacrifice to Idols and by the Councell of Sessa was made to recant it The second Liberius whom Hierom and Athanasius affirme to have been an Arrian one that denied the Deity of Christ Thirdly Thirdly like to him was Felix who was an Arrian as the same Hierom writeth Innocent the first made both Baptisme and the Eucharist necessary to salvation of infants Augustine lib. 1. contra Iulian. Peligian cap. 2. The latter of these errours was condemned by the Councell of Trent Sessio 5. sub Pio quarto Ca. non 4. Fourthly Leo the first who died as Arrius did an Arrian Fifthly Siricius accounted Matrimony pollution Sixthly Vigilius accursed all who affirmed that there be two natures in Christ Seventhly Honorius the first which taught as Melchior Canus confesseth that Christ had not two wills or operations Eighthly In Concilio Romano Pope Stephen the sixth he abolished all the Acts of Formosus his predecessour and commanded all that had received Orders from him to be ordered againe and thought that the Sacrament depended upon the vertue of the Minister Ninthly in concilio Ravennae habito Iohn 9. disanulled all the Acts of Stephen and Sergius the third all that Formosus had done And so that which Iohn had done and approved the Acts of Stephen Some of these must needs erre Tenthly Gregory the seventh whom Cardinal Benno in his writing of him who lived at the same time makes an Heretick a Necromancer a seditious and a Simonist an adulterer not the worst Bishop but the worst of all men A right Hellebrand Eleventhly Celestinus the third allowed heresie to breake the bond of marriage and that a man might marry againe if his wife fell into heresie and è contra So Alphonsus de Castro Twelfthly Iohn 22. or 21. who held that the soules separated from the bodies saw not God nor rejoyced not with him before the day of judgement and was forced to recant it with sound of trumpet by the University of Paris for feare of losing his Popedome as Iohn Gerson writeth in his Sermon of Easter Thirteenthly Iohn 23. or 22. was accused in the Councell of Constance for denying eternall life and the resurrection of the body All which with many moe prove manifestly against them that the Pope can erre and hath erred and so may still Bellarmine I confesse hath a great many of shifts and evasions to cleare his holy Fathers but they are so light and foolish they are not worth the studying on for the most part This teacheth us how dangerous a thing ignorance is Vse 2 even in every Christian for if it be the cause of errour in the Ministers it will be in the people And if the Ministers all one and other are subject to errour if they erre and the people be without knowledge they will go after taking errour for truth because they are able to distinguish neither the one nor the other If it were infallible and certaine that their guides could not erre nor their Ministers be deceived it were no matter though they were never so ignorant but when it is most certaine that they are subject to it and their erring will not excuse the people though the other answer for their abusing and mis-leading of them their ignorance is very dangerous and that implicite faith Popery so much commends damnable And in them and others who would perswade the people they may be ignorant and a little or no knowledge is required of them it is suspitious as if they meant to make a prey of them to broach some errors among them For then saith Chrysostome theeves go to stealing when they have first put out the candle and then do men utter their bad wares when they have dim and false lights To perswade all men to labour for knowledge Vse 3 and to increase in the knowledge of the Word and Mysteries of salvation That they having the rule of truth and falshood the word of God may not be carried away with the errour of one or many be they never so great or learned Erre they may be they never so learned for they know but at the best in part and erre oftentimes they do because they are not wholly sanctified For as the greatest part of a Church is wholly unsanctified so the best are but in part sanctified and so are subject to partiality and errour yea may both erre and defend errour against their knowledge some violent temptation of pride pleasure and profit and such like carrying them thereunto seeing none now is incessantly guided and governed by the Spirit Then had they need of knowledge that they may try and discerne the spirits and doctrines and he that is not carelesse which end goes forwards not retchlesse for his soule whether it walke in the paths of truth or in the paths of errour will not be carelesse for it and to grow in knowledge But if they erre how not we Lookers on may see more then players We may allude to that Prov. 28.11 The rich man is wise in his owne conceit but the poore that hath understanding can try him And God often to the simple reveales things when hid from wise Matth. 11.25 to humble them and know themselves but men It is a thing that cannot be denied because stories of all times do manifestly prove it that sometimes errours and heresies have so much prevailed that the most part of them who held and possessed great places of office and dignity in the Church of God either for feare flattery hope of gaine or honour or else mis-led through simplicitie or directly falling into errour and heresie and departed from the soundnesse of the faith so that the sincerity of religion was upholden and the truth defended and maintained onely by some few and they molested persecuted and traduced as turbulent and seditious persons enemies to the common peace of the Christian world To say nothing of the times of Christ and after him of the first Churches in the Acts. This was the state of the Christian world in the time of Athanasius when in the Councell of Seleucia and Ariminium the Nicence faith was condemned and all the Bishops of the whole world were carried from the soundnesse of the faith save Athanasius and some few Confessors banished with him So that Hieron contra Luciferam Ingemuit totius orbis miratus est factum se Arrianum So Hilarius contra Aux Episc Mill. complained that the Arrian faction had confounded all Paphnutius in the Councell of Nice for the marriage of Ministers was alone But yee are gone out of the way Though they succeeded them in their places yet not in their faith not in the truth of
doctrine There may be an ordinary and externall succession of place and person without succession of faith and truth of doctrine Doctrine Manifest here in these Priests who held the places and did ordinarily succeed the Priests who were specially approved of God yet did not succeed them in faith and in soundnesse of truth And as it was in the times before often a succession of the one without the other And this is first manifest by the former doctrine for when it often happened that all the ordinary Priests such as had the outward succession were in errour God exciting extraordinary Prophets to reprove them as Isaiah Ieremie c. It must needs be that there was a separation of these two In particular it is manifest in the time of Elijah 1 King 19.14 So when wicked Ahaz was King 2 King 16.11 Vriah the high Priest corrupting the worship In the Church of the Jewes in Christs time it was so for they condemning Christ and his followers as schismaticall Joh. 9.22 and 12.42 This is further proved Acts 20.29.30 These had their succession from the Apostles and held the same seats the same places which the Apostles held yet had snot the same truth and faith So out of the Ecclesiasticall stories it is manifest that the Arrian Bishops as Eusebius Nicomediens and Eustathius and others did derive their succession of place persons seats and Churches from the Apostles For they were called chosen and ordained after the custome of the Church and had no new but the lawfull calling So of the Donatists and Paulus Samosatenus in the Church of Antioch succeeded Peter as well as they did at Rome And the Greeke Church judged by the Papists schismaticall hath her personall succession not onely 1200. yeares as they confesse from Constantines time but long before from Andreas the Apostle as Nicephorus lib. 8. Chronol cap. 6. Because the grace of God Reason 1 and the truth is not hereditary that men should leave it at their pleasure to their heires and successors as they can their places and seats for John 3. as the winde so the Spirit blowes where it lists Not living men can make others whom they gladly would partakers of their faith and truth how should the dead and departed living men more likely Because as in a common wealth new Lords new lawes Reason 2 and succeeding men have different mindes affections wills desires ends c. and so change many things so it is in the Church And though they should leave them it as an inheritance yet we see children hold not their patrimony but many spend all so of this And as is said of Himeneus and Alexander that they made shipwrack of faith 1 Tim. 1.19.20 So of others Then falls to the ground the doctrine of Popery Vse 1 making this externall and personall succession a note of the Church and by it would prove theirs to be the true Church But if there may be such a succession without true faith and if true faith onely makes a true Church then can it be no true nor certaine note Besides it is not certaine nor expressed in the word of God that the Pope was Peters successor no not in place but to be proved onely by tradition and not to be deduced out of the Word as Bellarmine de Rom. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 12. confesseth And so the maine point whereon the government and Hierarchy of the Papacie dependeth hath no word in the Scriptures to prove it and so the whole is hanged upon the conjectures of men as upon a rotten threed For the Scripture not affirming it what assurance can there be for matter of faith the matter must needs be suspitious and doubtfull Againe even the histories which is their proofe are in such various opinions that a man can hardly tell whom to follow touching Peters comming to Rome and his immediate successors Some say he came to Rome in the first yeare of Claudius the Emperour some in the second some in the fourth some in the tenth and it may be that none of these is true sure it is all cannot be true For his successors Tertullian maketh Clement his next successor Optatus nameth Linus and then Clement Irenaeus maketh Linus then Cletus then Clement If they differ thus what certainty where should faith finde any sure ground If then the succession at best is questionable and doubtfull if it may be certaine and yet be dis-joyned from the succession of faith as it is most certainly in them and true faith onely makes a Church then can this be no true note of the Church To teach us not to be deceived with the glorious shew and great boast of such succession Vse 2 specially when there is an apparant digression from the faith or a probable doubt of corruption in it For what succession soever be it never so long or glorious as a greater could not be then these Priests and people could have objected unto the Prophet yet if it be without truth of doctrine and true faith which is the very soule of succession it is nothing else but a very dead carkasse whereas true faith without any such outward succession establisheth and maketh a Church And indeed one of the purest and most excellentest Churches was without such a succession For the Church of which Christ in his owne person was Authour and Master in which the Apostle was brought up instructed had no succession And yet none will or dare deny that it was the best and purest Church For whom succeeded Christ and his Apostles Did he succeed Aaron and the Leviticall Priesthood Did he elect his Apostles out of them Nothing lesse For he succeeded not Aaron but Melchisedech being a Priest after his order not the others and so the succession was interrupted for many hundred yeares and so may be still And on the contrary there may be succession and no true Church when the faith is corrupt and not sound which made the Fathers when they speake of succession not urge a naked and externall succession but a true succession and such as was joyned with the succession of faith and religion * Non sanctorum filii sunt qui tenent loca sanctorum sed qui exercent opera eorum S. Hierom. They are not the children of the Saints who hold their seats but who follow their workes * Nonex personis fidem sed ex side persones probari oportet Tertul. lib. de Prescr avers Haeret. We must not prove the faith from the persons but the persons from the faith So say we let them prove the persons from the faith and not faith from the persons They have not the inheritance of Peter who have not the faith of Peter All which shewes they would not have us to stand upon the succession of the place and person but the faith and doctrine * Non habent haereditatem Petri qui fidem Petri non habent Ambr. lib. 1. de poenit c. 6. This wil prove
our Church to be a true Church Vse 3 though we have no succession externall and personall which separated from faith makes no Church but we have succession of faith which makes a Church for if these may be separated if there may be a Church where there is no personall succession as before If a personall succession and no Church as also before we holding the true faith of Christ the true doctrine of salvation are notwithstanding the want of personall succession the Church of Christ If they understand an extraordinary succession such as hath oftentimes been in the Church we say we have it Neither hinders that which the adversaries object that an extraordinary succession ought to be confirmed with miracles which we have not for the calling of the Prophets was extraordinary yet had they no miracles to confirme it let them shew us what miracles Ieremy Ezekiel Ioel Hosea Amos had who were called extraordinarily or Iohn Baptist John 10.41 Besides what miracles needs there when as our Pastors either deceased or living bring in no new doctrine or new faith nor erect a new Church but restore the old faith and repaire and purge the Church foully corrupted And whereas they deny us any ordination of Ministers because they which are lawfully ordained must be by an Apostle or one succeeding him immediately they be all fictions of their owne without a word of the Scripture for they are true Pastors which are called of their flockes and of the lawfull Magistrate teaching the people and doing those things which good Pastors should do And for Bellarmines distinction of calling or election which he acknowledgeth was sometime alone of that the people did chuse and grants may be good but not ordination It is answered if election be good we contend not much about ordination for they who have authoritie to chuse and call have to ordain If an orderly ordination be not to be had And finally if all Bishops should be Arrians and such as would ordaine none but them of their owne sect as sometimes they were must ordination by them be necessary or we must have no Ministers Then ought men to labour for knowledge Vse 4 that they be not deceived by the face of men and the Church but that they may know what is the true faith and who they are that bring it knowing them to be the Pastors of the Church by their doctrine Mat. 7.15.16 This fruit is doctrine Yee have caused many to fall by the Law The second thing reproved in them in seducing or mis-leading others making them to fall into sinne It is a manifest corruption in the Ministers of the Church Doctrine a thing wherein they are farre unlike to their faithful predecessors whereby they are made unacceptable unto God when their preaching or carriage is such as men by them are kept in sin caused or occasioned to sinne As this proves it and Isaiah 3.12 Ezek 13.22 And this is done either by not preaching or very negligently that they cannot know what to doe and so must needs sinne and offend Or by not reproving by which they doe not thinke thir sinnes to be sinnes but remaine in them according to that Levit. 19.17 or by dawbing as Ezek. 13.10 and promising life unto them notwithstanding their sinnes as vers 22. or by bad example as Gal. 2.12.13 Because it is against the main and principall end of his calling Reason 1 which is to turne men from sinne and Satan to God and godlinesse and righteousnes As then it is a fault for men to go contratry to the main end of their calling or trade any Artificer as when he should build to pull downe when he should make to marre when he should cure to wound And if we may speake familiarly as we complaine of Tinkers for making two holes when they undertake to stp one or of Chyrurgions that make two wounds when they professe to cure one made already so must it needs be a corruption in these Because he crosseth the desire of God Reason 2 who delighteth much in the conversion of a sinner and would have men converted from sinne and not kept in them This will convince many Ministers of corruption degenerating from the Prophets faithful Ministers of God Vse 1 who so walk in their Ministery as men are hardened by them caused and occasioned to sinne they preach so seldome and carelesly instruct the people they have charge of they reprove so little or smooth so much or are so corrupt and licentious And this not in the Church of Rome only but in the reformed Churches which haue justly separated from her so that sinne abounds every where Now woe be to such watchmen for they shall answer for the bloud of those perishing soules and that which perisheth shall be made good soule for soule And woe unto such dawbers Ezek. 13.13 This may serve for an Apologie for the Ministers of God Vse 2 when they preach and exhort and reprove and threaten but with small thankes from those that heare them yet seeing the contrary is corruption and a degenerating from the faithfull and their steps and a meanes to make them unacceptable to God their Lord and Master It may speake for them if they thus preach and practise It may be if they preached all peace all placentia and waken never a secure man out of his sinne they would cunne him more thanke and all speake well of him But woe unto you when all men speake well of you saith Christ Luke 6.26 this is a signe of a false Prophet a corrupt Teacher but blessed on the contrary vers 22.23 when they speake but that which he hath commanded and do but that he hath enjoyned them Isaiah 58.1 For want of which he reproves and threatens the false Prophets and will condemne all Ministers A Physitian hath two sonnes of a Prince committed unto him the one taken with a frenzie the other sicke of a lethargie upon paine of the Princes displeasure if they mis-carry and be not cured by his default for him to lose life for life if he should be heard and seen chiding and beating and binding the one and pinching and nipping the other and using all such meanes as might cure them he were not to be blamed Yee have broken the covenant of Levi. This is the third thing and the generall of the former the former being a proofe of this that the covenant was broken when they had failed in these particulars Of the covenant and the conditions of it and so of the keeping and breaking of it hath been spoken vers 4. and 5. One thing may we observe which will serve for more generall use which is from this that by two particulars they are made guilty of the breach of the whole covenant One or two particular offences makes a man guilty of the whole covenant which he hath made with God Doctrine And to speake with Jam. 2.10 He that is guilty of one is guilty of all
the businesse was through the occasions of the Roman Sea intermitted more then 20 yeeres from the dissolving of the Councell till Sixtus the V. performed it Lucas Burgensis in a particular tract hath collected all the Corrections made in that Edition That of Sixtus was two or three yeeres after purged by Clement the VIII and yet Brugensis hath found a Catalogue of Errata still and brings in Bellarmine confessing as much and yet the worke from the first to the last was not lesse then of 46. yeeres and boasted of with high and Papall language Sixtus his Bull is now left out of the Bibles and so is Clements Breve Apostolicum out of most Antib Bibl. p. 162. which yet the reader shall finde carefully preserved and to good use by Amama in his Antibarbarus Biblicus Wee for our part count no Translation authenticall and esteem it a tyrannie both in the Popish and Lutheran Churches that no man without circumlocutions and insinuations and apologies may shew the very least dissent But the strife about the Translation equals not that which hath been about the Sence The Acts that have beene used by the Romanists for the settling and establishing The Right of Interpretation upon the Bishop of Rome have been well known wherby they have laboured to make him the Oracle to the world as the Turkish Mufti is by the relation of Busbequius in those parts Busbeq epist 3. finding it to be the most expedite way to gaine the opinion of the publique and authorised interpreter But we have little reason to yeeld over the Title to him knowing how readie he and his servants are to make advantage of every thing that hath any likelihood to advance them yea how they wrest and abuse Scriptures to the maintenance of everie cause of theirs especiallie the intolerable pride and usurpations of the Pope Arch B. of Cant. in his 2 enlarged Edition of his most learned relation of the Confe sect 26. nu 12. p. 209. An instance of this wee have in that notable observation which my Lord of Canterbury his Grace hath made upon the Frontispice of John de Puente his booke of The Agreement of the two Catholike Monarchies where the Text Genes 1.16 is applyed as Innocentius had done long before and the words Luminare Majus The greater light are over the Portraiture of Rome An observation out of a Picture whereby his Grace hath done the same service for the discovery of the Romish Arts which that other noble protestant my Lord Duplessis Myster Iniqui in presat did out of another picture or Frontispice printed before two bookes one at Bononia An. 1608. the other at Naples An. 1609. wherein Pope Paul the V. is lively pictured in a Table with this Inscription TO PAUL THE FIFTH VICE-GOD THE MOST INVINCIBLE MONARCH OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMON WEALTH AND THE MOST STOUT MAINTAINER OF THE PONTIFICIAN OMNIPOTENCIE This Table hangs within a triumphall Arch on either side hung with Crowns Diadems and Scepters after the severall fashions and wearings of the Kings of the whole world At the foot of the Arch sit on the one hand Europe and Africa with these words of the Prophet Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queens thy nursing mothers on the other hand Asia and America with the following words With their face towards the earth they shall licke up the dust of thy feet Esai 49.23 Above there are winged Schroles in one upon the right hand over some ruines of buildings is that text in Jer. 27.8 but somewhat altered The Nation and Kingdome which will not serve him that Nation will I punish saith the Lord with the Sword and with Famine and with pestilence In the other on the left hand that place Dan. 7.14 applyed with more blasphemy There was given him dominion and a Kingdome and all people shall serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed Others also of them have beene as bold with the holy Text. The Bishop of Bitonto in his Sermon at the opening of the Councell at Trent Hist Conc. Trid. l. 2. ad m. 15.45 advising men to obey the Councell said Else it will be said the Popes light is come into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light So applying the Text Joh. 3.18 But the judicious writer of the History notes it That many were offended with that speech It will alwaies prove an intangled title to the Pope Who then must be the Judge Erasmus is faine to leave his Butcher and Fishmonger wrangling in this point Eaas Colleq 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when they have said all yet unresolved There are many that would cast it upon the Fathers and that we must stand to what they say But that were to make them not expounders but lawgivers Wee regard them highly but yeeld them not the Royalty of a Mint as Mornay speakes besides we neither finde all difficulties explicated by them D. Fr. White Orth. Faith ch 4. parag 1. nor in what they doe explicate an agreement In the very Councell of Trent another saying of Cardinall Cajetans That a new sence of Scripture is not to be rejected though it be against the old Doctors seeing power is left now also to interpret was by some much commended who thought it a tyranny to forbid the faithfull the use of their owne proper ingenie others indeed opposed it accounting License worse then Tyranny among others Richard of Mans a Franciscan friar went so farre as to say The Doctrine of faith is now so cleared that we ought to learne it no more out of the Scriptures which heretofore were read in the Church for instruction but now only are read to pray by not to study There were not many that adhered to him the better part elivered themselves as Dominicus à Soto did That it was fit to keepe every wit within limits for matters of faith and manners but else to leave them to their liberty for the sense Others of them yet more plainely That it was not fit to restraine the understanding of the Scriptures to the fathers only whose expositions were most part Allegoricall seldome ltierall and those fitted to their owne time And many men have profitably used their liberty especially such as have sought out the literall sence The Allegory Luth. in Gen. 30. Luther cals it a beauteous whore that inticeth idle men who thinke themselves in Paradise and Gods bosome when they fall upon such speculations Such was their interpretation who by the cleane beasts in the Arke understood Virgins and by the uncleane Married Persons See Bp. Morton Appl. pn 2. l. 5. Ch. 15. And theirs upon Psal 74.13 Thou brakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters that is Devils are expelled by holy water sprinkled by the Priests Luke 5.4 Duc in altum that is Peter goe thou to Rome the head and chiefe Citty and
not one or two Nations of them but to all the world This overthroweth the Church of Rome Vse who limit the Church which is enlarged by God affirming that to be only the Catholique Church which is at Rome or which is subject to the Romish tyrant how then is it to all Nations are all subject to it Catholique saith August Epist 48. ex communione totius orbis how Catholique when it is but a particular Church what is Catholique but universall Now to speake thus the Romane Catholique Church is to say the particular universall Church which in any reasonable mans eare is most absurd But some times particular Churches were called Catholiques Object So they were Answ but then as August Cont. Epist Fundani cap. 4. Every Church did it and no one Church assumed this prerogative unto it selfe more then another neither was Catholique opposed to particular but to hereticall The Catholique faith was accounted the true faith and the Catholique faith opposed to Heresie and the Catholique Church to hereticall Churches And in this kinde the Church of Rome can lest challenge it to it self for it is least Catholique being in many things hereticall The Jewes corrupting and contemning the worship of God the Gentiles are called through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles God by the sinnes of man takes occasion to worke good to others Doctr. and to magnifie his mercy and goodnesse so here by the sinnes of the Jewes he bringeth good to the Gentiles and glory to his owne Name Because he may take from the wicked any just occasion of accusing his providence and government Reas 1 because he suffers sinne to be that could prevent it which indeed is a sinne in him that doth it not who is bound to it but it is not so with God The Physitian is not to be accused when he maketh his patient sick to bring him to health lesse here God not making him sinne but leting him alone to his own corruptions Because he is most wise Reas 2 good and powerfull and would so manifest himselfe by bringing light out of darknesse good out out of evill for to make good or to work good by good would nothing so manifest this To make some excellent work of pure gold is no great thing a slender Artizant and a small skill will doe it but of base lead to make pure gold is admirable Alchymie so to bring good out of good is Humanum but good out of evill Divinum Why then should any be punished for sinne Object or why should not men sinne that the goodnesse of God may be more magnified Such two objections were made to St. Paul Rom. 3.5 6 7 8. Solut. where also his answer is to the first verse 5. this is most absurd for then should God judge unjustly which no man may suppose that he which is the judge of all the world should be unjust and addeth absit which he useth often when he speaketh of things which should not once be thought and which the minde of a holy man ought to abhorre once to thinke of To the second he answereth verse 8. whose damnation is just Shewing that such an error is so farre differing from his doctrine that he condemns both it and the teachers and suggesters of it For good is not an effect of the evill that it of it selfe brings forth any such thing but that comes by the wisdome power and goodnes of God He hath given man a law that he must follow and not doe other things upon expectation of effects for a man may be condemned for the evill whatsoever effect it brings forth by the goodnesse of God as Judas And if any man thus reason it is as if he that had been sicke of some desperate disease which when he is cured and the skill of a Physitian grown famous by it he will againe surfet to fall into the like disease that the Physitian might be more famous or as if poore men and beggers should resolve still to bee in need and to begge because that might magnifie the bounty and magnificence of the rich When we see the hatred and malice of men to profit others Vse 1 by their persecutions in word or deed so that they are made more zealous and carefull more upright and entire there is no excuse for men nor thanks to them to be given but the glory is to be given to the Lord who thus turns things makes good out of evil Persecuters unto the Martyrs saith Saint Augustine are as the hammer is to gold as the Mill to wheat as the oven to bread as the furnace to mettall profit them worke them and purge them but no thanke to them it is not out of the nature of them but from the skill of the Gold-smith the baker c. for they would consume the gold with the drosse the wheat with the chaffe and bruise them in peeces if he did not temper and moderate and use them for the good of them so it is in this Rom. 8.28 We are in the latter dayes Vse 2 wherein iniquity hath got the upper hand and sinne doth abound it is matter of griefe and trouble if we consider what they are and what of themselves they bring the wrath of God his rod and plagues yet are they or will be lesse troublesome when we consider that God can and will turne them to his owne glory and the good of his Church To converse among venomous creatures to have to doe with ranke poyson is fearefull and troublesome as they are simples and in themselves but when they are once skilfully tempered by the Art of the Apothecarie when the Physitians skill hath made a just and good composition of them then though it be not altogether toothsome yet it is not so troublesome nor hurtfull unto men So in this For imitation Vse 3 to teach us to endeavour to make good out of evill and by the sinnes of men our owne or others take occasion to glorifie God the more or to helpe and profit our selves or others by our owne sins or others under our charge to be humbled both to repentance as also to true humility and lowlinesse of mind as Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 21. In the finnes of others not to triumph over them but to blesse the mercy of God and magnifie his goodnesse that he keeps us from the like who have no lesse in us the seed of them than they have accounting our selves as much beholden to God for keeping us from those sinnes as if we had committed them and he had remitted or pardoned them to us As Augustine My Name is great Here is the ground of all the worship of God which follows being smitten with a reverence perswasion of his greatnesse and Majesty they worship and serve him The ground and foundation of all true and sincere worship of God Doctr. is the perswasion and acknowledgment of his greatnesse and the want of it cause of contempt of God and of
hath decreed it and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Some understand these words of his second comming as the others of the first As August and Theodoret But Cyril and Rupert otherwise as we and the third and fourth verses prove it because those things are exercises of the Church upon earth In the Prophesie we first observe what toucheth the forerunner That he is sent and the end of his sending I send Math. 11.10 It is said God the Father sendeth noting the unity of essence Christ is God equall to the Father and coeternall with him Doctrine 1 Revel 2.8 first and last Christ he sendeth Ministers and appoints them over particular charges Doctrine 2 as Pastors Re. 2.1 My messenger or Angel Iohn is the inessenger of Christ one by whom he would make his will known and the spirituall and heavenly verity manifest unto his people which is not peculiar to Iohn but that which is given unto all the Ministers of God and so teacheth us a generall thing The Ministers of God are his messengers and Angels to receive from him and reveale to Doctrine and teach his people his will and pleasure those by whom he will convey unto them the knowledge of his divine Mysteries which is not to be understood exclusively as if they should have no knowledge of it by any other means But this is the principall means by which he hath ordained thus to manifest it Hence is this name of Angel or messenger so usually iven unto them And that of Embassadours 2. Cor. 5.20 And that of any Interpreter Iob 33.23 And that they bring is called the Lords message Haggai 1.13 Hence that Math. 29.19 go ye and teach Luke 16.29 Abraham said unto him they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Because of mans infirmity Reason 1 therefore he speakes not himselfe neither sendeth by an Angel which is one by nature knowing the naturall feare of a man that he is able to indure neither As that sheweth Deuter. 5.25 26. Now therefore why should we die For this great fire will consume us if we heare the voice of the Lord our God any more we shall die For what flesh was there ever that heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have and lived Luke 1.11 12. Then appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord standing at the right fide of the Altar of incense And when Zacharias saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him As also his superstition who would leave attending the message and worship the messenger As Revelat. 22.8 But he willing to have the message rather regarded sends it in earthen vessells Because they might know better and more fitly Reason 2 to deliver and apply this word both with more compassion and with other affections seeing they are partakers of the like infirmities and so better know the infirmities of men It is the reason the Apostle giveth why the Priesthood was taken from men to be for men in things appertaining to God Heb. 5.1 2. Which is that the Apostle said 1. Cor. 9.20 Vnto the Iewes I become as a Iew that I may win the Iewes to them that are under the law as though I were under the law that I may win them that are under the law Which was saith Augustine * Compassione misericordiae non simulatione fallacia fit enim tanquam agrotus qui ministrat agroto non cum sefebrem habere mentitur sed cum auimo condolent is quemâ—dmodum sibi ministare vellet si ipse aegrotaret sic spse aliis aegrotantibus ministrando compatitur August Epist Hierom Epist 9. In compassion pitying them not in dissimulation to deceive them He became as a sicke man himselfe to tend the sicke not feigning that he had a fever but with such a tender and condoling heart as he would be tended with if himselfe were sicke To confute those who thinke any sufficient for the Ministery Vse 1 to be Gods Messenger Vide. Cap. 2. verse 7. doc 1. use 1. To reprove all ignorant Ministers Vse 2 and to admonish men to take heed how they take this calling Vide ibid. verse 6. and 4. Vse 3 To confute those who thinke there is no necessary to heare Gods Ministers Vide ibid. doc 2. use 1. To teach men to make conscience to heare the Ministers Vse 4 Vide ibid. And he shall prepare the way before me Here is Iohns office alluding to an harbindger before a Prince whose duty it is to prepare the way for his Prince remove all lets and impediments that he may passe more easily and more freely So ought Iohn according to that Luke 3.4.5 And it is all ohe with that Luke 1.17 To make ready a people for the Lord. To whom he would come Iohns preaching then is the preparing of a people and Christ comes when men have entertained that Men who would receive Christ Doctrine must entertaine his word by his Ministers and be first prepared by it and then will he come Luke 1.76 and Rev. 3.20 If any heare my voice He shall prepare the way Iohn prepares the way for Christ by preaching repentance and bringing men to the sight and acknowledgement of their sins which is manifest by his preaching Matth. 3.2 3 7 8. As Christ comes to none but such as have received the word Doctrine So to none but to such who have so received it that by it they are brought to the sight and feeling of their sins and to see and acknowledge their fearefull condition and damnable estate by reason of their sins Therefore it is that one speaking of this of Iohns comming and preparing saith it is like as when the sicke is admonished oif the comming of the Physitian that he knowing and feeling his disease might reverently receive him and submit himselfe to him So in this And to this end belongs that Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you As also when he sendeth his Apostles abroad Matth. 10.6 7. But goe rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And as ye go preach saying the kingdome of Heaven is at hand Luke 1.76 77. And thou babe shalt be called the Prophet of the most high for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies And to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins And the Lord whom ye seck The second Prophesie touching Christ the Lord In this verse he Prophesieth of his person and comming and he is first called the Lord that is King and Governour of the Church Christ is the Lord and King Doctrine and the Governour of his Church the government of it is his peculiar and proper Whom ye seek whom ye desire Christ was desired and sought for of the Jewes two waies as they were diversly affected some were meer naturall men they sought for him as a temporall deliverer others
had faith and they sought for him as he was a spirituall deliverer It is like in all circumstances he meaneth here the faithfull seeking of him and their desire who desired his comming The fathers in the old testament sought for Doctrine and desired the comming of Christ There is a double comming of his one in the flesh another to judgement one in humility another in honour one as a servant another as a King to be judged and to judge of the first and the base comming is it here spoken This Christ sheweth in Abraham being the father of the Church and and so hath the more weight for he desiring of it they must needs John 8.56 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day And more generally Luke 10.24 I tell you many Prophets and Kings desired to see the things that ye see And 2.25 Old Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel Because they had so many promises of his comming every where Reason 1 in the law and the Prophets which believing they could not but expect and desire Faith breeds hope and hope is a patient abiding for the thing hoped for Rom. 8.25 Now that a man hopes for that he desires Because they had so many Prophesies and promises of his sufferings Reason 2 to free them from the wrath of God and to bring them happinesse Now that they well knew could not be as he was God which is impatible and incorruptible therefore he must be man which made them desire that this might be This condemns the Anabaptists Vse 1 who thinke the faithfull people before Christ did only taste of the sweetnesse of Gods temporall blessings without any hope of eternall happinesse for if they had a desire and a seeking after Christ and his comming they must needs have more then temporall things they looked after when the Prophets did so often and so fully speake of his outward basenes and sufferings As Isaiah 53. By whom they would not looke for outward things so many as were enlightened like unto the An baptist is the Catechisme of Trent In explicatione symboli making a difference betwixt Church and Synagogue they say that Synagogue is therefore applied to the people that were under the law because like bruit beasts which most properly are said to be congregated and gathered together they respected intended and sought nothing but only outward sensible earthly and transitory things Who if they sought for Christ and desired him and waited for salvation by him must needs waite for more To teach us that now we have the injoying of that Vse 2 they hoped for and desired we should as much joy and rejoyce in it as they desired it It is that which Christ specially reproved in the Jewes John 8.56 That they were so unlike Abraham he rejoycing and desiring him being absent but they contemned him being present As if he expected that if they were the children of Abraham they should have more rejoyced in his presence and in him being come then he could desire the day and comming And so ought we to do Seing Christ saith Luke 10.23.24 Blessed are the eies which see that ye see for I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things that you see and have not seen them and to heare those things which ye beare and have not heard them It is that which if we see indeed by faith makes us happy For though we cannot see him now bodily or heare him personally as they who lived in same age yet we may both hear the see him in the preaching of the Gospel face of face As 2. Cor. 3.18 And so ought to rejoyce in him Not as Christ saith of the Jewes touching Iohn John 5.35 They rejoyced for a season in his light but more constanly if we have faith so well will S August de doctr Christi 1.38 saith * Juter temporalia atque aterna hoc interest quod temporale aliquid plus diligitur ante quam habeatur vilescit autem cum advenerit non enim satiat animam Aeternum autem ardentius diligitur adeptum quam desidâ—ratum August de doct Christi 1.38 This is the difference betwixt things temporall and eternall that which is temporall is more affected be fore it is enjoyed but when we have it we grow weary of it because it satisfies not the soule But that which is eternall is more loved when we once enjoy it then while we look for it To teach us if they desired so greatly his first comming Vse 3 we ought more his second comming seeing that was but as Bernard in infirmitate ut justificat in weaknesse to justifie us This shall be in gloria ut glorificat In glory to Crowne us The spirit of God Revelat. 22.17 Useth a borrowed speech from a Virgin espoused desiring the day of marriage that as she desireth it much more then her espousalls though that she did so ought they and as she desireth his person though in infirmity and basenesse but more when he is in glory and comes to endow her yea possesse her of infinite riches possessions and glory So it should be in a soule espoused to Christ If they desired him as a servant and we ought to rejoyce in him while he was in the shape of a servant how ought we to desire him as a King If his standing at bar where he was condemned as a Malefactor how his comming in the clouds when he shall sit upon a glorious Throne and come in the glory of his Father Shall speedily come The time immediately after Iohn begun his office And this was fulfilled Marke 1.14.15 which serves to the proofe As that this is the Messias whom the Prophets foretold of So to prove the truth of the Prophesies and that the old and new Testament answer one another as the two Cherubims looked face to face And that as one saith * Testamentum vetus erat veluti quodam cor tina in quâ divina mysteria tegebantur quae suerunt in novo Testamento reserata The old Testament was as a curtaine close drawne within which divine mysteries were hid which in the new Testament were exposed to so open view Shall come The comming here is not his birth no more then of Iohn nor his bodily comming but the execution of his Ministerie comming preaching working miracles instituting and celebrating Sacraments or other duties of his calling which though it might give us just occasion to speake of his propheticall office which also may be observed when he is called Angel or Messenger Yet hence may we observe that the Ministerie is not so base a thing as it is commonly esteemed Vide. Mala. 2.4 Vnto his Temple They who literally understand these words do by them prove Christ to be the true eternall God of Israel one with the Father for that Temple was consecrated but to one God of Israel and the Prophet here appropriates it to Christ Even the Messenger of the Covenant Christ
similitude but certainty That as they were acceptable to the Lord and Scripture which is truth hath said it so as certainly shall these sacrifices be accepted Then When they are pure and their offerings pure not else though they be Iudah and Ierusalem whatsoever their number glory and dignity is God accepts no mans prayers Doctrine and service moved by any outward things as dignity of persons vertue or place or office nor outward priviledges if they want faith and holinesse vide Cap 1.9 Then shall they be acceptable When they are purged and not before A mans prayer shall not be accepted unlesse he be purged Doctrine and clensed reconciled to God and justified and sanctified è con tra vide Cap. 1.10 As in old time and the yeares afore Here is amplified the former the acceptation of their offerings either by similitude as those so these or the certainty set downe that as certainly as they were received and were acceptable so certainly should theirs be It is as certaine a truth that God will graciously Doctrine and favourably accept the offerings prayers almes and other the spirituall service of those under the Gospel as it is certaine he did graciously accept the offerings of Abel Abraham Iaacob the holy Patriarkes and other of the forefathers now this is certain for it is apparently set down in the Scriptures as Gen. 4. and 22. and such then the other the 11. to the Heb. proves the one and is applied Cap. 12.1 to prove the other manifestly unto us For they are brought onely for a provocation to those duties but as an assurance of the like acceptation To this purpose for prayers is that Jam. 5.16.17.18 Because God as he is ever one and the same in himselfe Reason 1 so is he to all those who are his the like affected to them as a father loves all his children and will accept the service of one as of another will heare the request of the yongest as the eldest Because they have the same thing Reason 2 which made their prayers and workes pleasing and gave them boldnesse to the throne of grace Heb. 11.4.6 Which is faith Because they have the same spirit helping their infirmities Reason 3 Rom. 8.26 And the same Mediator giving them favour in his eies boldnesse and entrance Ephe. 3.12 Yea and the spirit in greater measure and more abundance and the Mediator more manifested unto them Then have we no need at all to pray Vse 1 and invocate the Sâ—ints departed that they would commend our prayers to God and pray for us when we are certaine our prayers may be heard as well as theirs Upon this ground sure it was that in all the Scriptures we find not any thing touching this no succeeding ages praying to their predecessors not Iaacob and the Patriarkes to Abel or Abraham not the posterity ever to them not the people to their Prophets departed not in the Gospel ever found either Precept or Practice of it nor in the Primitive and first Church for divers hundred years after Christ If Bellar. l. 1. de sancto beatit C. 20. give us it for a reason why the Fathers before Christ neither prayed in particular for the Church upon earth neither were prayed to because they were absent from God and did not enjoy his sight and presence but were in Limbus and not in heaven The same reason can e give them that for a long while after Christ there was none because it was doubted in the Church whether the faithfull departed out of this world be immediately received into heaven and enjoy the happy presence of God or whether they remaine and stay in Abrahams bosome or some place of rest till the day of the resurrection yea Iraencus Iust Martyr Tertullian and others thought that they abode in some part of hell or in some hidden and invisible place sequestred from the presence of God til the second comming of the son of man Therefore must it follow that invocation is but an innovation But to conclude seeing they know not our wants nor can take notice of our prayers heare us neither can we have any certainety of it if it were so and are certaine from the word of God that our prayers shall be heard as well as theirs We have not need to pray to them nor reason to induce us to it we neither in this nor any other thing adore them but as S. August de verâ religione 55. We honour them for imitation but adore them not for religion This teacheth us the priviledge Vse 2 those who are reconciled justified purged and sanctified have above others because they may both have accesse to God and have assurance to be heard To encourage every one that is Gods Vse 3 to doe service unto him to bring offerings and offer up their prayers being assured before-hand that they shall be accepted not onely heard but graciously heard not onely received but favourably received therefore ought they to come with confidence and boldnesse unto the throne of grace And if at any time they be fainting and doubing whether they shall be accepted or no let them call to mind how God hath received others and their offerings and apply this unto it and so strengthen and encourage themselves with assurance to be graciously accepted seeing they know God is the same now that before he that is not onely as a father like affected to his children but that which a father is not able to doe that to oft as to another to the youngest as to the eldest to the children of the Church of the Gentiles as it were his second wife as of the Jewes his first wife Provided they have the same faith the same spirit the same mediator when they come unto him which others have had who have beene graciously accepted then shall they be certainely received If they object that they are not so worthy as others have not such strength of faith such greatnesse of grace and such like I answer first this smells of infirmity and pride that as they thought to be heard for their much babling so these for their great worthinesse And secondly that children who seeke any thing from their father and hope to receive as others have done doe not looke upon their worthinesse but the naturalnesse of their fathers love VERS V. And I will come neere to you to judgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the sooth-sayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vex the Widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of bosts AND I will come neere unto you in judgement The Prophet having spoken of the effect of Christs power touching the godly and faithfull and in them he speakes now of it in respect of the wicked whom he would judge and condemne neither should there be any evasion from his judgements neither any way to
them we are now lesse fortunate then in former times because we suffer the Christians and because we do not with that religion and devotion worship Iupiter and other of the Gods as we did before therefore are the Gods angry with us so the Papists from a temporal felicity measure piety and gather that God doth favour them because he gives them these outward things by it would condemne us and al other Churches But if the Heathen reasoned absurdly they conclude not well but very impudently but if the conclusion would follow it would be on our sides rather then theirs who have for these 48. yeares not been inferiour to any Kingdome in the world for peace plenty and prosperity and specially when we have beene most severe not in persecuting but correcting of their impieties Idolatries For projustitiâ persequentes persecutores sunt propter flagitium correctores August contra lit Petil. lib. 21. ca. 84. And for victory in warre which is the principallest they stand of we have given them more foiles then ever they us and have often carried the day and triumph both by sea and land blessed be our God for it Therefore must they let this argument this weapon goe or else we will sheath it in their owne sides If this be a blessing Vse 3 then have we cause to stirre up our selves and soules to God to give him thankes for that he hath performed to us which he promised to this land and people that we have had such peace plenty and prosperity as we have beene accounted of all blessed and happy and of our enemies mightily maligned and envied That we use that of August de Civit. D. l. 1. c 7. Quisquis non videt caecus quisquis nec laudat ingratus quisquis laudanti reluctatis in sanus est And yet seeing it is no perpetuall blessing but such as the Church is often deprived of and hath beene let us see we walke worthy of it lest he pull us downe as low as he lifted us up high and make us as vile as he hath made us honourable As he did divers times with his people Deuter. 29.22.24.25 which was then and shall be when they are worse and walke unworthy of this and we be as Salvian ad Catholicum Ecclesiam lib. 1. * Ac sic nescio quomodo c. I know not how but thy felicity flights against thy selfe so much as thou art encreased in people thou art almost as much encreast in vices by how much thou hast more abounded thou hast lost in discipline and thy prosperity hath brought with it a great encrease of evills for the professors of the faith being multiplyed the faith it selfe is lessened and her children encreasing the mother is sicke and thou O Church of God! art made weaker by thy fruitfulnesse and the more children the lesse strength for thou hast spread through the whole world the professors of thy religious name but not having the power of religion as if thou wert rich in men poore in faith wealthy in multitude needy in devotion enlarged in body strengthned in spirit c. VERS XIII Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord yet yee say What have we spoken against thee Your wards have been slout against me Your words have been stout against me faith the Lord of Hosts The Prophet proceedeth to reprove this people of another sinne and to expostulate the thing with them The sinne of it is the denying of Gods providence both over the evill and good not punishing the one and not providing for the other This people afflicted of God with penury and want for other of their sinnes but especially for spoiling God his Levits and Church they thought and spoke blasphemously against God but accusing his providence as not regarding those who worship and professe him but such as dishonoured him and were wicked and never would they accuse themselves of their sinnes which is that he saith their words have been great against him they spoke hard and odious things of him as the words following shew that these were they Yet yee say What have we spoken against thee They answer for themselves not denying simply that they had spoken any such thing but putting God to his proofe as thinking that he did not know nor understand as those who had oftentimes said among themselves that God regarded not the things here below neither tooke notice of what men did Therefore this question of theirs tendeth not to any deniall of the deed but to the tempting of God For if hee could not or did not answer directly and shew them what they had said then would they conclude as before they had that he did not regard nor understand the things that were said and done by men which if he did then could he tell in particular what words they had spoken against him and not thus insist in the generall Your words have been stout Observe Doctrine God takes notice of the words of men as well as their actions and will reprove them for them and call them to an account and judge them Jam. 2.12 Your words have been stout against me They deny the providence of God and his wise disposing of things upon earth among men as the verses following shew and so are accused to have spoken against God himselfe though they have not denied him or blasphemed him They who deny the providence of God Doctrine and his governing of things here below do speak proudly and wickedly against God specially if they deny his providence and government in disposing the states and affaires of men This is the sinne these are chalenged withall Such was that which we have Psal 73.11 And they say How doth Bod know it or is there knowledge in the most High If it be referred to the tenth verse it is the infirmitie of Gods people if to the ninth it is the pride of the wicked In either it is a sinne against God And that Psal 94.4.5.6.7 They prate and speake fiercely all the workers of iniquitie vaunt themselves they smite downe thy people O Lord and trouble thine heritage they slay the widow and the stranger and murther the fatherlesse yet they say The Lord shall not see neither will the God of I cob regard it Such were they Zeph. 1.12 And at that time will I search Jerusalem with lights and visit the men that are frozen in their dregges and say in their hearts The Lord will neither do good nor do evill Job 22.13.14 But thou sayest How should God know Can he judge through the darke cloud The clouds hide him that he cannot see and hee walketh in the circle of heaven Ezek. 9.9 Then said he unto me the iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great so that the land is full of bloud and the citie full of corrupt judgement For they say The Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth us not Because God doth chalenge these things unto himselfe