them to the sight to mooue pitty in the seer Seeing therefore iudgements be the wages of sinne make vs fall before the enemy and bring vpon vs many calamities let al such as lye vnder any chastisement alway search ouer their wayes and descend into their owne consciences to see how they haue moued him to wrath and prouoked him to be their enemy This we see in the example of Ioshua wheÌ„ he saw the men of Ai preuaile ouer them and the people of God to turne their backs when he saw they were destitute of Gods defence who would no longer go out with theyr Armies he sought to finde out the true cause he humbled himselfe before God and neuer ceased vntill the sinner were apprehended examined condemned and executed Ioshua 7 7. The like practise doth the Prophet prescribe Lam. 3 39. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe to the Lord let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto God in the heauens saying Wee haue sinned and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared This is the right way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements Manie haue fought out other wayes to weaken the force of the enemy aad to preuent the iudgements of God as in time of warre by arming themselues by hiring of soldiers by drawing confederates in time of dearth by robbing stealing lying defrauding shifting such like in time of pestilence by seeking to Witches and Wizards by taking themselues to flight and such other wayes But the Prophets and holy seruants of God in such times when wee lye open to wrath haue called vs to Repentance stirred vs vp to prayer mooued vs to humiliation and acknowledgement of our sinnes which haue deserued such chastisements Let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider with our selues what the lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angrie with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his gracious fauour againe Vse 3 Lastly this serueth as a notable aduaÌ„tage for the seruants of God when they haue any dealings against wicked men we haue comfort and encouragement from hence that wee shall assuredly preuaile against them because we haue to do with weak and naked men that are out of Gods protection If two goe into the field to fight and one of them be vnarmed and haue no weapon to defend himselfe he lieth open to the lust of his enemie to be wouÌ„ded and spoyled of his life who taketh comfort to see his aduersary come out against him without his armor So is it a blessed and comfortable thing to the children of God when they are constrained to meddle with euil men which are the enemies of God and of his trueth they haue comfort in God both in that themselues are vnder the couerture of his Armour and protection and in that theyr enemies are naked men and lye open vnto euerie iudgement This is it which is afterward remembred vnto vs in this booke where Ioshua and Caleb comforted the people agaynst the Canaanites saying If the Lord loue vs hee will bring vs into this land and giue it vs which is a land flowing with milke and hony but rebel not ye against the Lord neither feare ye the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them and the Lord is with vs feare them not Numb 14 9. Abijha the king of Iudah made this his great comfort going against a mighty army and spake to this effect vnto their enemies 2 Chro. 13 10 12. Where wee see that such as turne vnto God with all their hearts and worship him aright haue God their Captaine and Protector he is their buckler and defence but such as are enemies to God and his people Numb 14 1â— 43. are those that receiue many blowes and take many knocks on their heads and yet want a shield to safegard themselues but lye open to euery danger and cannot looke for victory they haue no armour of proofe to defend themselues This is a wofull and wretched condition yet so is it with all the vngodly who haue banished the Lord far from them For as he is farre from them in the practise of their life so hee will not bee neere them in the time of their distresse Let vs then make much of this comfort and lay it as precious balme vnto our hearts let vs be assured when wee haue to deale with the world or to wrastle with Gods iudgements if we haue the testimony of a good conscience that God is our defence and deliuerance wee shall not need to be dismayed nor feare what man can do vnto vs. For there cannot be a more notable encouragement in danger or in death theÌ„ to haue assurance of the prouidence and protection of God The Prophet Dauid greatly comforted himselfe in the sweete meditation of this presence of his hand Psal 23 1 4. and 27 5. 31 20. Let vs therefore be bold and of good courage in the causes of the Lord for where he is there is safety from danger peace from distresse and assurance neuer to be ouercome There dyed foure and twenty thousand The falling into idolatry and whoredom brought a great plague vpon the people not onely to the destruction of many of the Princes among them but to the ruine of many thousands of the people See here the greatnes of the plague and what hauock was made when wrath was kindled God did not spare them but executed his fierce indignation vpon them How great a iudgement was this and how were they weakned by it Hereby we learne That the wrath of God against sinners is vnspeakable Doctrine Gods wrath â—eing moued â—n full of rage greeuous and terrible His wrath beeing moued is full of rage and worketh great desolations and destructions in the world This is it which Moses setteth downe in his song Deut. 31 22. Fire is kindled in my wrath shal burne vnto the bottome of hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines c. This hath the Lord euer shewed in the examples of his iustice When the old world multiplyed their sinnes and abused the patience of God that abode in the dayes of Noah his wrath consumed men women children beasts fowles creeping things and all that had the breath of life vpon the face of the earth Gen. 7 21. So when the â—odomites exceeded in lust of the flesh in pride of life and in security of heart The Lord rained vpon them Brimstone and fire out of heaueÌ„ and ouerthrew the Cities of the plain and all the inhabitants of the Cities and that which grew vpon the earth Gen 19 24. The history of the manifold murmurings and rebellions of the people of Israel in the wildernesse is a plentifull witnes of this truth When they lusted for flesh and loathed
as the feete in respect that they beare the whole frame that standeth vpon them Hence it is that the Prophet threatning from God a greeuous iudgement to fall vppon the Land for the sinne of the people saith Behold Esay 3 1 2 3 4 the Lord of Hoastes will take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah the stay and the strength euen all the stay of bread and all the stay of water the strong man and the man of warre the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the Captaine of fifty and the honourable and the Counseller and the cunning artificer and the eloquent man and I will appoint Children to bee their Princes and babes shall rule ouer them If then the remouing and taking away of the chiefe parts be a punishment surely the giuing of them and the continuing of them must of necessity bee the giuing of a blessing vnto vs the continuing of a blessing among vs. When they are gone the light is taken away and we liue in darknesse our defence is gone and wee lie open to the enemy the foundation is pulled away the house falleth the breath is gone and the whole body dieth The benefit which we receiue by our Kings and Princes by our Rulers and Gouernors will yet farther appeare if we consider the discommodities and confusions of an Anarchy wherein is no Ruler but euery one would sit at the sterne and command ouer others the sword of iustice is banished and the sword of iniustice is in a mad mans hand nay in thousands and millions of mad men force and violence beare sway riotousnesse is set at liberty good men are oppressed innocency is troden vnder foot and all wickednesse is set aloft These effects and infinite other not to be numbred of the same nature must needs follow where Magistrates beare not rule but where they are setled the godly are encouraged the vngodly feare To conclude therefore this point it is an happy Kingdome wherein the Princes are obedient to the Law of God and nature of the Land Magistrates to the Princes priuate men to Magistrates children to their parents seruants to their maisters and all men keepe themselues within the limits of their callings and beeing linked in loue one with another al of them with their Prince do enioy the sweet fruites of peace and true quietnesse of minde Vse 3 Thirdly this must put Magistrates in minde of their duty For wherefore are they necessary to be ouer the people and to what ende hath GOD lifted vp their heads aboue their brethren Is it to giue them bare titles of honour and dignity and to tread vpon their brethren and to trample them vnder theyr feet No God aduanceth no man for such purposes but it is in respect of his people to do them good to procure their wealth and to prouide for the welfare both of their soules and bodies As then they are to haue much honour great reuerence and due obedience performed vnto them so they must know that sundry duties are to bee practised of them First then The duties of Magistrates it is required of them to maintaine and set vp true religion to giue entertainment to it and those that do professe it They must procure that God may bee worshipped and serued to which end they are made keepers of both the Tables to see that God bee glorified among his people as Psal 78 70 71 72. He chose Dauid his seruant and tooke him from the Sheepe-folds euen from behinde the Ewes with young brought he him to feed his people in Iaacob and his inheritance in Israel so he fed them according to the simplicity of his heart and guided them by the discretion of his hands It is not enough for them to haue a care that peace and tranquility may bee maintained among their subiects for so far the Gentiles proceed that know not God but they must take order that the Law of God may bee obserued 1 Tim. 2 2. and piety and godlinesse continued among the people committed to their charge True it is a peaceable and quiet life are great blessings and most worthy effects of a wise religious Magistracy but these are not sufficient nor the principall duties to bee regarded forasmuch as it is not enough to leade a ciuill life but a sanctified life that hath the glory of God euermore before it and therefore they must consider that they shall giue an account at that great day not onely how peaceably and politikely they haue ruled but how religiously and zealously they haue gouerned their people Secondly it appertaineth vnto them to deface Idolatry and abolish all monuments of superstition and to cast out all Idols not onely out of their Temples but so much as lyeth in them out of mens hearts This duty God commended to Moses in sundry places Deut. 7 5 6. Thus ye shall deale with them ye shall ouerthrow their Altars and breake downe their Pillars and cut downe their Groues and burne their grauen Images with fire for thou art an holy people vnto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to bee a precious people vnto himselfe aboue all people that are vpon the earth And what his zeale was in maintaining Gods honour and in reuenging the dishonour done vnto him in this kind Exod. 32 1 19 20 28. appeareth by his defacing and destroying the golden Calfe that was erected in his absence for when the people saw that he tarried long ere he came downe from the Mountaine they saide Make vs Gods to goe before vs c. but as soone as hee came neere to the host and saw the Calfe dancing his wrath waxed hot he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces he grownd the Calfe to powder hee strewed it vpon the water he made the Children of Israel drinke of it and caused about three thousand of them to bee slaine with the sword It is recorded to the euerlasting commendation of Asa 1 Kin 15 12 13 â—8 4 5 and 23 4 5 6. that he tooke away the Sodomites out of the Land and put away all the Idols that his Fathers had made and he put downe Maachah his mother also from her estate because shee had made an Idoll in a groue Asa destroyed her Idols and burnt them by the brooke Kidron The like we might say of Hezekiah and Iosiah whose names are blessed in the booke of God and renowned for rhe discharge of this duty Thirdly Idolatry being defaced and Idols taken away they must prouide that pure and sincere doctrine may bee deliuered preached by the Ministers of the word For in vaine it is to abolish superstition except care bee had of the true religion that the name of God may bee knowne vpon earth and his sauing health may be spread abroad among all their people When the King of Ashur heard that the Colonies that he had planted in
the people on the Sabbath daies and other solemne meetings repaired to the Prophets when the Priests either were ignorant could not teach or else were idle would not teach But heerein they greatly deceiue themselues Others when they may heare it do heare it in other places thinke themselues in good case and feele no want and so neglect the ordinary meanes of edifying their consciences and of aduancing the Gospel and kingdome of God euery one in the place whereunto by more speciall duty he is bound and where he may haue a more speciall promise of blessing They then that are careles to prouide an ordinary sufficient Pastour in their seuerall parishes whereby the people are for the most part vntaught as a field that bringeth foorth weeds bryars for want of tillage do greatly faile in this duty that now we vrge deale withall to wit that euery flocke should haue his owne Shepheard This containeth many branches vnder it First we must vse the ordinary meanes that God hath sanctified to this purpose we must pray to the Lord of the haruest to send labourers into his haruest We are ready to pray for an healthy body whē we are sicke but we forget to beg an healthy soule when we are ignorant We that are the Lords remembrancers let vs giue him no rest vntill he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world Esay 62 7. Esay 62 7. We want these labourers because we are wanting vnto ourselues whereas if we did constantly craue this blessing wee should finde grace in time of need Mat. 9. The Ministers are our spirituall Physitions vnder Christ This we pray when we craue that Gods Kingdome may come euery where and that euery Lanthorne may carry a bright shining light in it Secondly wee must bee content rather to bestow somewhat to attaine to this blessing then want it it being a precious pearle which when a man hath found he selleth all that he hath and purchaseth it Matth. 13. Math. 13 46. Salomon that was not ignorant of true wisedome Prou. 23 23. counselleth all men to buy the truth but not to sell it This will try vs what account we make of this blessing and in what price we haue it Thirdly it is our duty to reioyce in spirit when it is liberally bestowed vppon vs and graciously supplied vnto vs which serueth to put vs in minde of these profitable meditations Wee must testifie our thankfulnesse to God for his holy ordinance set vp among vs lest he be constrained to take it away from vs for if once he pull vp his standard he will remoue also and be gone We must submit and subiect our selues vnder it that our iudgements may be rectified and our wils and affections setled in the truth We must confesse it to be no small part of our happinesse that with vs are the Ministers of the Church and the seales of the Couenant 2 Chron. 13. Let vs preferre his Courts before all other places of resort Psal 27 4. and 84 10. Let vs lament the estate of Iewes and Gentiles and all particular places among our selues that want these signes of Gods fauour and tokens of the Couenant to witte the Word and Sacraments and the Ministers of them both Who can but lament to see so many silly sheep ready to be deuoured of the wolfe and as a prey in the iawes of the Lyon We ought to haue compassion vpon such if there be any bowels and pitty and mercy in vs and if we haue not stony hearts we ought to melt and mourne for these things Lastly let vs earnestly long for their ioyning to the Church that such as wander from the sheepefold may be ioyfully brought home vpon the shoulders of the Ministers who ought to seeke them out Then we shall haue one Shepheard Ezek. 37 22 Iohn 10 16. and one sheepfold then we shall with one minde and mouth glorifie God Thus is the Church of the Iewes brought in by Salomon in his Song chapt 8. desiring most heartily the conuersion of the Gentiles Cant. 8 8. We haue a little Sister and shee hath no breasts what shall we doe for our sister in the day when shee shall bee spoken for Thus ought we to be affected toward the Iewes We haue also a sister that hath no breasts to nourish vp children let vs haue a desire to procure and further her saluation forasmuch as wee haue a promise that the Iewes shall bee called and conuerted vnto the faith of Christ Rom. 11. Vse 4 Fourthly let the Ministers bee carefull to discharge their calling and to teach the people in season and out of season They must be lights of the world and as sauoury salt to season them with wholesome doctrine It is a streight account that they are to make not for siluer or gold or such like corruptible things committed vnto vs but for mens souls the price of Christs blood Acts 20. Neuer was there such a reckoning neuer was there such an account eyther giuen or taken as shal be at the great audite when it shall bee saide vnto vs Come giue an account of thy stewardship for thou maiest be no longer steward Luke 16 2. This consideration is profitable both for the people and the Pastour himselfe Let the people thinke with themselues that wee do not trouble them more then is needfull busie our selues more then wee haue thankes for our labour True it is wee serue many thanklesse masters that could be content wee should spare our paines but we cannot so discharge our consciences deliuer our soules Let the Minister thinke 1 Cor. 9 16. that a necessity is laide vpon him and woe vnto him if hee preach not the Gospell Oh that this day of account were euer set before our eyes how would it set vs on fire and kindle our zeale and diligence This doubtlesse were enough and more then enough to open the mouthes of them that now are dumbe and cannot speake and make them lift vp their voyces as a Trumpet to tell the people of their sins and the house of Iacob their iniquities But the watchmen are blinde they are all ignorant Esay 56 11. they are all dumbe dogs they cannot barke they can looke to their owne gaine but they endeuour not to gaine soules to God There is not a soule that perisheth by our negligence but we must answer for it when the blood that we haue shed shal be required at our hands This will be an heauy day when the blood of many soules shall cry out for vengeance and shal accurse vs that euer wee came among them to be the occasions of their destruction and damnation Now we must know Motiues to moue the Ministers to diligence that in the Scriptures we haue many motiues to spurre vs and to stirre vs vp to diligence and to encrease all care in vs to do our duties First the excellency of our Office It
is a seruice that is well pleasing in his sight forasmuch as we shew thereby that we do not depend on the pleasure of men but rely our selues vpon the authority of God And as it is the praise and triall of a good subiect who is content to beleeue and obey the lowest messenger and least officer that commeth vnto him with a message and commandement from his Prince so heereby it appeareth that we are true Citizens of the kingdom of God his adopted children if we heare his word with feare and reuerence albeit it be preached vnto vs by the meanest and poorest of all Gods seruants On the other side as it is a note of contempt toward the Magistrate himselfe to disobey or resist any Serieant or seruant that commeth from him how base soeuer he may seeme to be so wee make our selues guilty of rebellion and high treason against GOD when wee despise such as speake in his Name and contemne them that haue authority committed vnto them from the most high All such as loathe the truth for the Teachers sake when their owne consciences conuince them that it is the word of God which soundeth in their eares let them assure themselues and perswade their owne hearts that the contempt of their persons redoundeth to the Sonne of God yea to the Father himselfe Let them marke this point weigh it diligently who take it hainously when they are reprooued of men equall vnto them or inferiour to them or if they be contemptible to the world by reason of their poore estate The fourth reproofe Lastly it reproueth those that go about to shake the faith of many and to weaken the assurance and certainty of our saluation hauing the promises thereof propounded vnto vs in the doctrine and by the writings of the Apostles Hence it is that sundry scoffers and prophane spirits aske the question who is Paul and who is Peter or what is Iohn that wee should of necessity beleeue them Who gaue them authority or whence haue they power in the Church to set downe and prescribe vnto vs a rule of faith The doctrine that now we deale withall serueth very fitly to stoppe the mouthes of these Atheists and containeth a soueraigne preseruatiue against the poison that they offer vnto vs inasmuch as Christ the eternall Sonne of God maketh them his messengers his witnesses his heraulds to spread abroad his sauing health and auoucheth that he speaketh in them acknowledgeth himselfe to be author of that truth which they deliuer Gal. 1 8. so that if an Angell from heauen should preach any other Gospel then that which they haue preached to the Churches hee must bee holden accursed This therefore we ought to apply vnto our selues and gather as an argument of great comfort that when remission of sins and eternall life are promised to them that are truely penitent and lay hold vpon Christ by a liuely faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles we must assure our selues it is the voice of Christ and he will ratifie it in the highest heauens Neither is this true onely touching the Apostles themselues that had their calling from God and not from men and were conuersant with Christ in the daies of his flesh but likewise of all the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ that haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen committed vnto them When we assure forgiuenesse of sinnes to those that haue contrite and broken hearts it is no doubtfull or vncertaine assurance but grauen with a diamond and written as it were with a pen of steele to continue for euer forasmuch as it is the assurance of Christ and of God himselfe The voice of the Minister is not the voyce of a priuate man but of one that is a publike person it is as the voice of Christ himselfe Art thou humbled and cast downe for thy sinnes and doth thy soule cleaue vnto the dust He sendeth his Minister vnto thee and putteth the word of reconciliation into his mouth so that if thou vnfainedly turne vnto God be as well assured of the mercy of God toward thee as thou heardst Christ himselfe say vnto thee as he did sometimes to the sicke of the palsie Sonne bee of good cheare Math. 3 2. thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Againe when the Ministers of God on the other side doe threaten and thunder out the sentence of condemnation against the vnbeleeuers and such as cannot repent this also is no lesse the voice of the Sonne of God which no power of the world nor authority of man can hinder or call backe forasmuch as whose sinnes they reteine they are reteined Iohn ◠This iudgement howsoeuer it be either denied or derided or doubted off among the vngodly yet will Christ make it good and execute the same vpon them to their confusion This doctrine reacheth to the true Ministers of the word who haue their calling from God his word As for the Bishop of Rome that challengeth sole authority to forgiue sinnes and will haue all his decrees and decretals no lesse acknowledged then the word of God it is more then childish and ridiculous For he hath nothing common with the Apostles and cannot proue his succession wherein he glorieth by any sound reasons and yet arrogateth more vnto himselfe then GOD gaue or the Apostles tooke or the Church acknowledged to be due vnto the Apostles forasmuch as the Lord tied thē by an expresse commandement that they should teach the people to obserue those things which he had commanded them Vse 3 Thirdly this serueth to informe the Ministers that it concerneth them much to adorne their calling and to magnifie their Ministery that it bee not blemished and euill spoken off through their default This ought aboue all other things to be a spur vnto vs in our sides and as a fire kindled within our bowels to inflame our hearts with a zeale of Gods glory with a loue of his people with a care to discharge our office committed vnto vs with an earnest desire to encrease the kingdome of Christ Iesus For seeing God accounteth vs as his owne Embassadors sent out to do his wil and vouchsafeth to ioyne our labour with mans saluation we are bound in duty and conscience to preach the Gospel truely purely painefully sincerely and soundly It is required of vs not onely to teach but to teach the truth and to teach the truth with a right affection For we can neuer challenge the names and titles of being the Messengers of God vnto our selues and to be respected as the person of Christ himselfe except we preach the pure word of God and commend to the Church the pure doctrine of Christ If wee preach corruptly and make merchandise of the word of God and mingle wheat with chaffe and good corne with darnell or that which is worse we are not to bee accepted receiued as Christ but to be reiected and refused as false teachers that speake in their owne
argument of loue and charity greater loue then this can no man shew So saith Christ to Peter When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luke 22 32. Iam. 5 19 20. Secondly this serueth to condemne the Vse 2 practise of many men in our times and to testifie that they are farre from God and can haue no assurance to themselues that they are his children and beare his image God is desirous to seeke out and to saue them that are lost Luke 13 1â— like the good Shepheard that leaueth 99 in the wildernesse and this was the end of the comming of Christ But we are for the most part carelesse in this duty few do thinke it to belong vnto them Others are so farre from seeking to conuert that they rather seeke to subuert others and of these the number is farre greater then of the former who doe crosse by all meanes they can the purpose and desire of God He laboureth to saue and they to destroy he to build and they to pull downe he to plant and they to root vp hee to bring to heauen and they to hell These are of their father the diuell and his lustes they do they ioyne with him they labour for him they aduance and enlarge his kingdome and they seeke to bring moe vnto him This is a fearefull sinne which we must repent of or else we shall repent of it when it is too late Lastly this must teach euery one to haue a Vse 3 speciall care of his own saluation seeing God is so desirous of it For euery man should bee more carefull of his own good then another or of anothers It is so in the body it ought also to be so in the soule We cannot be more carefull of our owne saluation then God is therefore seeing he is so desirous of it let euery man labour to doe what in him lieth toward his conuersion that so God may accept of him But some will say Obiect It lieth not in my power to conuert my selfe I can do nothing vntill it please God to worke it I answer Answer doe that which is in thy power and God will giue a blessing It lieth in thy power to heare the word to reade the Scriptures and to attend to the Ministery of it Come diligently and constantly to the place of Gods worship God will worke in thee his grace to thy conuersion If thou do not neuer accuse God but the frowardnesse of thine owne will which failest in that which thou art enabled to do For if we say wee desire saluation and yet despise the meanes we deceiue our selues On the other side from hence ariseth matter of special comfort to euery one that truely endeuoreth his owne saluation and can make enquiry into his estate whether he be one of that number that shall be saued or not For although hee be clogged with many sinnes and daily addeth more vnto the burden yet let him not despaire nor thinke they shall hinder his saluation This is his comfort that with God all things are possible and when the desire and power of God go together how great soeuer his sinnes be he shall not neede to doubt of his saluation Let him looke vp to Christ his merits do surmount all our sinnes 4 And thou shalt lay them vp in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the testimony where I will meete with you 5 And it shall come to passe that the mans rod whom I shall choose shall blossome and I wil make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel whereby they murmure against you 6 And Moses spake vnto the children of Israel c. The Lord goeth forward to declare his wil to Moses and foretelleth his great and miraculous worke that in one day the rod should bring forth buds blossomes and fruites to stay the murmuring of the people All miracles serue to some good end and as a kinde of Sacraments do confirme some doctrine These rods were not greene and growing but were long since cut off from their trees and altogether withered â—â—c Com. â—â—b 17. and according to the opinion of some were such as the Princes for honors sake did carry when they executed iudgment Wherfore it was vnpossible according to the course of nature that any of them should bee fresh and flourish and bring forth fruite For as they were all of them laide vp together so they were all of them alike dead and without life and therefore whereas Aarons rod flourished and by flourishing the vigor of life appeared to be in it it manifested apparently the power of God and the Priesthood of Aaron If any obiect â—ection that the emulation and murmuring could not by this meanes bee taken away betweene the house of Aaron and the rest of the Leuites seeing his name onely was written vpon the rod and not the names of any of them 〈◊〉 I answer that seeing God shewed forth his power almighty in that rod which had the name of Aaron vpon it it was a plaine signe and infallible token that Aaron was chosen to the Priesthood and that al others were excluded from that dignity and so the people confesse in the end of the chapt Now whereas God in the flourishing of the rod saith that he would shew whom he had chosen hee declareth that in bestowing his giftes and benefits in the church hee doth not respect any mans merit but dealeth with euery one according to his owne good pleasure Aaron was not aduanced to the Priestly dignity by any vertue of his owne but meerely through the grace of God So are wee adopted and made heires of euerlasting life not through our own workes or merits but by Gods fauour seeing it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Ro 9 16. Of this we haue spoken before chap. 2. v. 18.19 Touching this miracle which God purposeth and promiseth to worke in the sight of all Israel wee learne Doctrine That God hath from time to time wrought miracles against the course of nature for the good of his church God can work miracles aboue Nature when it pleaseth him Hee is not tied to the ordinary course of naturall things but he worketh extraordinarily so often as it pleaseth him All times and ages of the church witnesse this truth and testify the miraculous workes of his hand in the Sun in the Moone in the Aire in the Waters in the Fire in the Earth and in all creatures both high and low Thus he plagued the Egyptians Psal 105 27 29 30 32 34 c. Thus he dealt with his owne people when they came out of Egypt Psa 78 12 13 14.15 16. Leuit. 9.24 Ioshua 10 12 Iudg. 6 21 13 19. 1 Kings 18. In the New Testament we haue sundry miracles of Christ our Sauiour and the miracle of al miracles accomplished which was prophesied long before that a Virgin should conceiue and beare a sonne Esay
7. verse 14. Math. 1. verse 23. Luk. 1 31. The Reasons follow First that so he might Reason 1 worke faith in them that otherwise would not beleeue Thus doth God take away all excuse when he worketh aboue nature as Exod. 4 1. When Moses was sent to the Israelites in Egypt to tell them of their deliuerance that God had heard their grones and sighes had seene al their troubles and miseries he alledged that the people wold not beleeue him nor hearken vnto his voice and therefore did the Lord inable him to turne his rod into a serpent the serpent into his rodde that so they might beleeue that the Lord God of their fathers had appeared vnto him Exod. 4 5. Againe he is willed to put his hand into his bosome and when he pulled it out it was leprous as snow verse 6. and putting his hand into his bosome againe when he pulled it out Behold it was turned again as his other flesh verse 7. Whereupon the Lord saith If they will not beleeue thee nor hearken to the voice of the first signe they wil beleeue the voice of the latter signe verse 8. And if they would not beleeue either the one or the other hee is yet willed to take the water of the Riuer and to poure it vpon the dry land and the water should become blood vpon the dry land Secondly God getteth glory hereby among Reason 2 his children his praise is by it set forth when by nothing else Wee are mooued at strange things Iohn 11 15 45. and taught to beleeue Lazarus was raised from the dead who had lyen in the graue foure dayes ver 39. to shew forth Gods glory verse 40. Math. 9 8. Luke 13 13. and 23 47. So that miracles serue to worke faith in vs and to gaine glory to God The Vses First consider from hence the greatnes and Vse 1 power of God who is to bee compared vnto him Esay 44 24. and 45 5. None of all the creatures be they neuer so excellent in strēgth and glorious in power can do such things therefore nothing can be matched with him let him therefore be preferred aboue all This is the vse vrged by Moses in his song of thāksgiuing after their passing ouer the red sea Exod 15 10 11. and Psal 77.12 13 14. He is the onely author of miracles hee it is onely that properly doth them and no other For a miracle is a worke wrought aboue the strength of nature as we shall shew more largely afterward But no creature can worke aboue the course of nature he onely that is the author of nature must do it Obiect But it may bee obiected that some of the Prophets did raise the dead as Eliah 1 Kin. 17 21 22. and Elisha 2 King 4 34 35. made Iron to swim being an heauy thing to ascend vpward 2 Kings 6 6. commanded fire to come from heauen being a light thing to descend downward 2 Kin. 1 10. healed many incureable diseases 2 Kings 5 10. and wrought many great workes Heb. 11 33 34 35. So did the Apostles raise the dead cleanse the Leapers restore sight to the blind healed the sick cast out diuels and this was their office calling to which they were appointed Math. 10 8. Answer Acts 5 15. 19 12. I answer the gift which they had was the faith of miracles And this was done in this manner God reuealed vnto them by his Spirit that he would worke such and such a miracle when they prayed thereupon either by commanding the euill spirit to depart in the name of Christ or by imposition of hands in other workes they wrought the same They hauing this knowledge by reuelation of the purpose of God beleeued the same and were as the mouth of God and the hand of God being his messengers to signifie what he would do Marke 11 22 23. Heb. 11 33 34. They then had no power of their own it was the diuine power onely that wrought them Obiect But some will say that the diuels can work miracles contrary to nature and therefore it is not proper to God Answer I answer hee can worke wonders but not miracles For though euery miracle be a wonder yet euery wonder is not a miracle He can do things extraordinary or otherwise then the common course of nature but he cannot worke aboue or against nature Thus he caused fire to fall from heauen the winds to blow downe dwelling houses as we see in the history of Iob. Hee also caused blisters and vlcers to arise in his body and without question they were true vlcers as the Scriptures plainly setteth downe and Iob truly felt Iob 2 7 8. Howbeit this he did no otherwise but by the force of nature for he cannot make raine or thunder or lightning or winde or storme or tempest this is the worke of God and commeth from his hand Gen. 7 4. Deut. 11 14. 28 12. 1 Sam. 12 17 18. 1 Kin. 8 35 36. God only sendeth the raine the diuel cannot make it and 17 14. 18 1. 2 Kin. 3 17. Iob 5 10. and 28 26. and 37 23 45. Psalme 105 32. 107 25. 135 7. 147 8. 148 7 8. Ier. 5 24. 10 13. 51 16. Zach. 10 1. Acts 14 17. Iames 5 18. The deuill cannot make the matther whereof the rain is ingendred They then are deceiued that thinke the deuill is able to make raine or haile or snow or vapor or the least flye that flyeth in the aire or the smallest worme that creepeth in the earth Neuerthelesse when the matter of stormes tempests is prepared of God he can gather it and hasten it and make it more terrible and carrie it from place to place from country to country For as hee can assume a body but not make a body so he can vse the winde but not create the winde If stormes and windes might bee raised and framed by the power of satan they might be said to execute his word he might be said to be the father of the raine So then briefly it is safest to hold this as a trueth that God caused the fire but satan brought it vpon Iobs flocke God caused the winde but satan draue it vpon the foure corners of the house For when once they are raised satan hath power by Gods permission to carry and transport them from Region to Region so that when naturally they blow one way he can besides nature turne them another way neuerthelesse he is not able to send winds or raise tempests where none are It may be further said Obiection that the sorcerers of Egypt did bring forth Frogs and turne water into blood and rods into serpents and such like Ex. 7 11 22. 8 7. I answer Answ it may be satan did fetch these frogs and serpents from other places and conuey them in a moment into the presence of Pharaoh and of his Princes for the effecting whereof more
betweene sinne and sinne both in nature and in the punishment due vnto them some are greater some lesser some worther of greater punishment and some of lesser yet the least sin committed in thought and motion deserueth euerlasting death and separation from the gracious presence of God if he deale with vs according to the rigour of his iustice and looke vpon vs without the satisfaction of Christ The writers and teachers of the Popish Religion publish to the world that wee hold the sottish Paradox of the Stoikes that all sinnes are equall The Papists slander vs 〈◊〉 make all siâ— equall the contrary whereof is manifest in the harmony of the confessions of our Churches And why do they slander vs with this dotish doctrine or vpon what foundation doe they ground this accusation forsooth because we hold that all are mortall But this is a weake consequent and will not proue the point for which they alledge it All men are mortall euen Princes as it is said in the Psalme 82.6 shall we hence conclude that the people are equall to Princes because they are alike subiect to mortality In the breach of the seuenth commandement there are sundry sortes of vncleannesse and incontinency forbidden as fornication when men defile themselues with filthy harlots and concubines adultery betweene them that are married incest committed with such as are neere in consanguinity or affinity the sinne of the Sodomites Who leauing the naturall vse of the woman burne in lust one toward another man with man working filthinesse Rom. 1.27 reuenged with fire and brimstone from heauen Gen. 19. Among all these seuerall kindes there are degrees of sinne one is greater then other adultery worse then fornication incest then adultery and Sodometry then them all and all these by the confession of the Papists themselues are mortall and yet by their owne confession also one is more heinous and horrible then the other If then their conclusion bee good against vs that we hold all sinnes to bee equal because we teach that they are mortall how should it not stand as strong and firme against themselues that they also hold all these sinnes to be equall fornication as bad as incest and adultery as heinous as Sodometry because they teach that they are all of them mortall The like absurdity wee might easily inferre against them in the rest of the commandements and that out of the Roman Catechisme But to vnderstand this point the better let vs consider that our Churches teach no other doctrine then the Scriptures teach that as all sinnes proceede out of the same fountaine of corruption and infidelity so all of them make vs guilty of eternall death and damnation vnlesse we obtaine pardon by faith in the Mediatour Christ Iesus Luke 12.47.48 All sinnes whether committed of ignorance or knowledge deserue stripes either many or few and these stripes are no other then eternall punishments as appeareth by the wordes of the Apostle 2 Thes 1.8 so that they which know not God neither beleeue the Gospel shall be punished in hel because according to the opinion of the Papists themselues when the Lord shall come in flaming fire to iudge the quicke and the dead Purgatory shal vtterly ceasse and be no more the prison dores shall be broken the fire shall be quenched the place shall be emptyed and the poore soules shall be discharged then shall be a gaile deliuery they shall be quit by Proclamation To vnderstand this the better we must know that sinnes may bee said to bee mortall or veniall three wayes â—s may â—d to bee â—ll or veâ—â—hree â—s First in regard of the euent Secondly in regard of the cause Thirdly in regard of the nature of the sinnes themselues They are veniall in regard of the successe or euent which doe obtaine pardon and when forgiuenesse followeth them though they be in themselues most greeuous as 1 Ioh. 5.16 where the Apostle calleth those onely sinnes vnto death whose reward certainely is eternall death and those not to death which may bee forgiuen howsoeuer in their own nature they merit damnation Thus we may say that Dauids adultery and murther were veniall sinnes because howsoeuer in the nature of them they were deadly yet were they veniall in regard of the euent because Nathan said vnto him The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye 2 Sam. 12.13 â—ss ordin in â—r 11. No sinne is veniall so long as we follow it and no sinne is mortall when once we forsake it Pro. 28.13 All sinnes are made veniall by repentance no sin is veniall without repentance Secondly sinnes may bee said to bee veniall in regard of the cause from whence they proceed whereupon they sooner obtaine pardon because they are not done of malice and a setled purpose but of ignorance and infirmity as Paul sheweth this to bee the cause why his sinne was veniall vnto him and why he obtained mercy and forgiuenesse because he did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 And in the fifteenth Chapter of this booke it is said the Priest shall make attonement when a priuate person or the whole Congregation hath committed any thing through errour or ignorance and it shall be forgiuen them for it is ignorance Numb 14.25 These sinnes springing from this fountaine are damnable in themselues from hence it came that Paul was a persecuter and a blasphemer but the Father of all mercies and compassions gaue him pardon because hee sinned of ignorance and infirmity So then his sinnes were veniall in regard of the euent and of the cause But sinne considered in the nature of the thing it selfe is not veniall but deserueth temporall and eternall punishment Now the Papists themselues teach â— Popish 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne that sinne is truely and properly called veniall when it is so in it owne nature and deserueth onely a temporall punishment either in this life or in the life to come so that if God would examine it and enter into iudgement with it according to his most rigourous and seuere iustice hee could not punish it with eternall death for as much as in it owne nature it deserueth pardon or at least some slight or temporall punishment And of these the controuersie is betweene the Church of Rome and vs and not of those that are veniall by the euent or by the cause But the Scripture teacheth vs that all sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 This is a true and perfect definition of sinne for euery transgression of the Law is sinne and euery sinne is a transgression of the Law From whence wee reason thus Euery transgression of the law is worthy of death Euery sinne is a transgression of the Law Therefore euery sinne is worthy of death The first part is plainely proued by many places Gal. 3.13.10 Deut. 27.26 Matth. 5.22 whereby it is manifest that the Prophet the Apostle and Christ himselfe speake generally without limitation that whosoeuer committeth any
sword and trouble of war to be thankfull for our long peace and prosperity and pray for the continuance thereof among vs. We may sit euery one vnder his Vine and vnder his Figge-tree we may rest in peace in our gardens and Orchards reasoning of the wayes and conferring of the word of the Lord whilst manie of our neighbor-Nations are shaken and tossed with the tempest of wars and all things round about vs are in an vprore Let vs desire God to spare them and bee touched with a feeling of their sorrowes And if there be such fearefulnes and deuouring in the sword let vs cast off all dissentions and debates let vs cut the cords of all contention and liue peaceably as brethren one with another Hereunto the Apostle Iames perswadeth ch 3 15 16. 4 1 2 This wisedome descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuellish for where enuying strife is there is sedition all maner of euil work From whence are warres and contentions among you Are they not hence euen of your pleasures that fight in your members Let vs take heed we giue no occasion of contention nor sow the seedes of diuision which in time to come may yeelde a comfortlesse croppe of cares and conf sions Let vs not go forth hastily to strife lest thou know not what to doe in the end therof when thy Neighbor hath put thee to shame Pro. 25 8. It is in vain to desire considerations and conditions of peace when we haue layde the foundations of warre like as the bow being drawne and the Arrow discharged it is too late to wish it may doe no hurt where it falleth For after that the coales of contention be once kindled there is no long expectation for the fire to flame and burne amaine with a swift course euen as when a cloud is gathered to his thicknesse the storme of raine that hath bene long in breeding is ready to fal and disperse it selfe It belongeth to all wisemen to foresee a mischiefe before it happeneth â—â—iard hist â—â—b 4. et 10 it is the reward of men vnhappie to lament it when it is once felt The counsell is without fruite that commeth after the fact it is too late to apply the remedy when the euil is hapned The souldier serueth to no turn that beginneth to march when the battell is done The Medicine that is ministred out of time worketh not to the benefite of the Patient It is too dangerous to broach a vessel of poison and haue the vertue of the Antidote or counter-poyson vncertaine or farre to seeke A smoke suffered long to continue conceiueth a sparke a sparke of fire let alone ingendreth a flame and the flame burneth without mercy and measure Let vs therefore resist the first beginnings as it were the first motions of malice and strife Small things increase by concord great things fall and come to ruine by discord and disunion We must therefore desire peace and follow after it albeit it seeme to flye from vs let vs pursue it with all our strength vntâ—l we ouertake it bring it home as a blessing into our owne houses and habitations as a man of warre concludeth 2 Sam. 2 26. Shall the sword deuoure for euer knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end how long then shall it bee ere you bid the people returne from following their brethren As if hee should say If we shall ioyne army against army and forces against forces wee shall fall downe on euery side one brother shall deuoure and destroy another without pitty and compassion This serueth to reprooue those that prouoke to baâ—tell without cause and delight in warre as in a matter of sport and play who delight to shed blood as water Thus speaketh Abner Captaine of the hoast 2 Sam. 2 14. Let the yong men now rise and play before vs. Whereby we see that murther is made as a game pastime to laugh at Let euery man liue contented with his owne estate Great is the benefit of contentation Beware of ambition and aspiring thoughts The power of many rising suddenly to heighth and Soueraignty 〈◊〉 â—â—st Hal. 〈◊〉 taketh end with a ruine more suddaine They are like to a tree that groweth till he commeth to his height and then is plucked vp by the roots in a moment The heauy stone commonly ouerwhelmeth it selfe with his own waight Whosoeuer coueteth the fruite and neuer considereth the height of the tree whereon it groweth let him take heed that whiles he laboreth to climbe to the top he fal not with the boughs which he clasps and embraceth with both his armes It is the part and property of a wise man to consider alwayes his owne estate whereas the vaine ambitious man liueth for the most part in the remembrance contemplation of those things which make him to forget himselfe Let vs therefore all labour in our places to quench this thirst before it doe grow to be as a dropsie that can neuer be cured especially it standeth great men of high callings vpon euen the greatest men of highest callings in hand to looke to this swelling of the heart an euill whereunto they aboue all other are most inclined that they lift not vp their hearts against their Brethren Deut. 17 10. neyther forget that they are mortall and fraile men Lastly seeing the sword respecteth no person neither old nor yong neither learned nor Vse 3 vnlearned but destroyeth father and son maketh the wise widdow and the childe fatherlesse it is our parts when we see such iudgements present or imminent to humble our selues vnto God to desire him to remoue the fearfull noise and rumor of warre and in the meane season to pray that wee may vse our peace aright lest he bend his Bow and shoote his Arrowes and draw his glittering sword vpon vs. We see how Hezekiah when he saw the hoast of the King of Ashur sought the Lord carefully and prayed vnto him to fight their battels 2 Chro. 32 20. 20 3. so Iehoshaphat when a great multitude banding themselues together came against him set himselfe to seeke the Lord reconciled himselfe to him asked counsell of him proclaimed a Fast thoroughout all Iudah Thus the Prophet Lam. 5 20. considering that the strong men were troden down and the enemy reioyced at their trouble prayeth vnto God because the sword deuoured without and the people were ledde into captiuity Behold O Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell mine heart is turned within me for I am full of heauinesse the sword spoyleth abroad as death doth at home VVe liue as yet in great plenty and prosperity we enioy life and liberty we sleepe quietly in our beds and rest in our houses in peace we heare not the sound of the trumpet the clattering â—f armour the fury of the enemy the noise of gunshot the cry of the wounded we see not the blood of the slaine on the right hand and
Cor. 10 1 neither suffer them to passe away from them without obseruation Doctrine The Ministers of God must reprooue sharply But to omit this we see in the behauiour of Moses what ought to bee the practice of the Ministers of God He was a great Prophet of God and he reproueth the people to preuent further euill very sharply Hence we see that the Ministers of God that haue the office of teaching committed vnto them must not reproue faintly coldly and carelesly but sharply earnestly zealously feruently and powerfully Esay 40 3 they must be as the voyce of a cryer not of a whisperer Hos 4 1 2. Thus did all the Prophets teach and so did the Apostles Ier. 2 2. Ioh. 7 20 37. The grounds of this are very apparent Reason 1 First because wee often deale with those that are dull of hearing men commonly are deafe and so vnfit to heare those things that belong to their peace therfore doth the Lord require of his Ministers that they cry aloud and lift vp their voyce like a trumpet Esay 42 18 Christ our Sauiour when he was preaching oftentimes cryeth out He that hath eares to heare let him heare Secondly many are fast asleepe had need to be awaked He that will speake to a man that is fallen asleepe had need to cry aloud as Eliah telleth the Priests of Baal 1 Kings 18 27. So the Ministers must deale with such as sleepe in sinne and security nay they are cast into a dead sleepe that they can neuer be raised but by the powerfull voyce of God speaking in his word Ephes 5 14. Ioh. 5 25. Thirdly the hearts of men are forestalled and possessed with the pleasures and delights of the world and so they speake to men occupied about other matters and such as haue no leisure to attend to the word nor any thing but the world If a man haue a quicke eare and be broad awake yet if hee be talking or not attentiue or muse vpon other matters he cannot heare he must be called and cryed vnto and all little enough to stirre him vp Such as were busie about the world when they were called set light by the word Math. 22 5 they regarded not the messengers sent vnto them Fourthly the Minister is Gods mouth and Messenger as the Magistrate is Gods hand the mouth denounceth his anger the hand executeth his iudgment and vengeance The Minister is his mouth to accuse conuince and threaten the Magistrate is his hand to punish for which end hee hath committed a sword vnto him 2. Cor. 10.4.5.6 1 Cor. 4.20.21 Fiftly such as are in danger of their liues or see other in danger doe not speake coldly but earnestly call for help with al the strength they haue So dealt the Angel with Lot when he lingred in Sodome Gen. 19 15.16 hee had a commandement giuen vnto him to arise and to take his wife and his daughters and a threatning annexed lest thou bee consumed in the iniquity of the city and then he caught hold vpon him and took him and his wife his daughters by their hands and brought them forth and set them out of the city Now the people of God are in like danger through sinne how then should the Minister deliuer his owne soule or saue the people if hee performe his message coldly and not earnestly as if hee would pull them out of the fire lest they be burned Iude verse 22 23 or out of the waters lest they be drowned Vse 1 Wee learne from hence the great backwardnesse and vntowardnesse of men to euery good worke For what neede this sharpe reproofe zeale in the Minister if they were ready to heare and plyable to be taught But we are so dull and deafe of hearing so fast asleepe in sinne and so forestalled with the world that we heare no more then dead men A man would thinke that when we are called to life and saluation nay before we are called we should runne of our owne accord so soon as it is said to vs Arise the Master calleth who should sit still ought not euery one to cast away all impediments and to make haste vnto him and yet we see how backward the most part are in the best things The things that wee affect and desire and delight in halfe a word will serue to perswade whereas on the contrary there must be no small adoe to make vs apprehend heauenly things wee are so dull and dead to conceiue them One obserueth well Most men are like to hounds that most men are like vnto hounds which haue long eares that hinder them from looking vpward and yet they are sharpe sented for the earth so is it with earthly-minded men they are sharpe sented touching earthly things but they are slow to heare and vnderstand heauenly things Deuter. 29 2. Moses complayneth of the Israelites that albeit they had heard and seene yet they knew and discerned nothing This people though dead long agoe seeme to bee reuiued and risen againe for this is true of this age if euer of any that when wee should be awakened by the preaching of the Gospel we are made the more obstinate and haue our eares stopped either with the pleasures or the profites of the world that we cannot heare the voyce of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely These are spiritually possessed by Satans policy like him in the Gospel that was made both deafe and dumbe Mat 9. Man is said to stoppe his eares so is Satan and so is God also all worke and concurre in this Man stoppeth his eares first through his owne corruption the diuel stoppeth mans eares by his allurements and tentations God stoppeth them by his iust iudgement Man stoppeth them as a sinner the diuell as a tempter and God as a Iudge Whosoeuer would not haue God giue him ouer either to his own corruptions or to Sathans tentations must take especiall heed of the stopping of his own eares For the true cause why the diuell stoppeth and the cause why God stoppeth is nothing else but a mans owne stopping of his eares which goeth before Let euery man therefore take notice of his owne naturall deadnesse and seek to him vnfainedly that onely can open the eare who openeth no man shutteth who shutteth and no man openeth Let vs labour to heare God speaking vnto vs in his word and so shall God heare vs when we cry vnto him and we shall receiue euery good thing needfull for vs and haue them sanctified vnto vs for our benefit in this life and for our comfort and saluation in the life to come Secondly this teacheth the Ministers for Vse 2 I must come to them lest I may seeme to pull on eyes when I goe abroad and to be blind at home to put on zeale and feruency in deliuering the word of God to the people as the Prophets were commanded There are many that regard not how it be deliuered so it be deliuered they care not
how the houre be spent so it be spent and respect not what they say so they haue said somewhat which is as fond a thing as if hee that buildeth an house should neuer regard with what stuffe he buildeth or hee that soweth whether he sow in the highway among the rockes and thornes or in his field Many there are that goe vp into the pulpit that neuer spend themselues nor waste their spirits nor decay their strength they are rather like those that are halfe asleep or stand vp to tell a tale or to vtter a dreame Whosoeuer is ignorant of the state of his people that neuer considereth hee speaketh to a deafe people that cannot heare but is carelesse in his place endangereth his owne soule and the soule of the people committed to his charge Hee then that would teach aright must put on zeale and be earnest in the Lords cause that so he may worke vpon their hearts and leaue stings in their consciences as Acts 2.37 while Peter preached they were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Wee say commonly that cold coales heate no body It must therefore first come from his owne heart there must be heat there or else there shall neuer come any heate to others We see by experience that cold iron and hote can neuer be mixed together but before they can be tempered they must both of them be well heated in the fire so except the heart of the Minister and of the people be heated hee shall neuer fasten any thing vpon them or worke any good in them It is true it is the worke of the Lord to heate the soule as it is he that warmeth the body this hee doth by instruments the fire and the Sunne so hee doth the soule and conscience by his Ministers and by his word All parents are charged to whet the Law vpon their children Deut 6 7 if parents must do this to their children then much more ought the Ministers of God to be earnest in this duty If any aske wherein this earnestnesse and feruency consisteth I answer not barely in crying out with a loud voyce as many suppose For many men haue no voyce to speake loud and there are many that speake loud who haue little heate or zeale in them Some will be as earnest in alledging a bare testimony of Scripture as others can be in making application These doe it more out of vse or custome then from any feeling or touch of conscience in themselues Seeing then the earnestnesse that we require may be without the loudnesse of voyce and the loudnesse of the voyce may bee without earnestnesse wee must find it elsewhere to wit in the power of the Spirit that speaketh in him It is not the earnestnes of the voyce that is so much required albeit it falleth out many times where the heart is truly affected that there the voyce will be extended to the vttermost and yet euen in a weake voice proceeding from a weak body a Minister may truly shew the zeale of his heart as well as if the word were deliuered with a loud and powerfull voyce and God requireth no more then a man hath 2 Cor. 8 12. The Apostle saith that his bodily presence was weake among the Corinthians and his speach held as contemptible 2 Cor. 10 10 whereby it seemeth he was not one of the sonnes of thunder that had a great voyce neuerthelesse we find that the power and efficacy of the Spirit did both appeare and abound in him So then the Ministers of God must be zealous and feruent in their places that so they may the better discharge their consciences and also bring the more profit to those that are committed vnto them Vse 3 Thirdly it condemneth those that censure the Ministers of God for their earnestnes and zeale in deliuering the word of God Such persons as are ready to commend a seruant that is earnest in doing his Masters will with a good affection will condemne the Minister of God when hee deliuereth the word with such earnestnes These spare not to say to him as Paul did to Festus Act. 26 24 that they preach as if they were mad or beside themselues But if the answere of Paul will not serue and suffice these men who replyed to that accusation I am not mad most noble Festus but speake forth the words of truth and sobernesse Acts 26 24.25 let them take the words of the Prophet Hoseah chap. 9 7 the spirituall man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity The abundance of iniquity and the obstinacy of wicked men running on in their sinne as a violent flood that runneth ouer the bankes were able to make the Minister mad with crying to them to leaue their sinnes and to forsake their euill wayes when they are so set vpon them that say the Minister what he can and let him cry out as loud as he list they will not abate one haire or a pinne of their pride or remit one houre of their prophaning the Sabbath or drinke one draught nay not one drop the lesse or the couetous person giue one penny or halfe penny the more to relieue the needy members of Christ I say the consideration of this were able to make the Minister euen mad in deliuering of his message which God hath put into his mouth If a father should be beside himselfe for the wickednesse of his gracelesse children would not euery man pitty the father and spit in the faces of those children and hold them worthy of all punishment but what would they say to such children as should go vp and downe and boast themselues that they were the causes of their fathers madnesse Are there not some graceles hearers O that there were not too many that when they haue made their Minister as it were mad with reprouing them that will insult ouer them and glory among their companions that they haue made their Minister preach as if he were madde howbeit if it be for the glory of God and the benefit of his people they need not care nor esteem to be iudged of men or account it any disgrace from the mouthes of gracelesse people to be accounted mad we must walke through good report and euill report it skilleth not therefore though wee be reputed madde so it bee for a good cause for the beating down of prophaning the Sabbath of contempt of the word of oppression pride couetousnes and such like enormities There was not a man more meeke vpon the earth then Moses yet when he came from the mount and saw that the people had sinned he presently grew so angry that hauing the two Tables of the Law in his hand written by the finger of God he threw them downe to the ground and brake them in pieces The people of this generation account their Ministers for a lesser matter then this to bee mad and out of their wittes but while they cry out aloud that their contempt