the secrets of God And that they may serue God in truth in holines righteousnes all the dayes of their life And now to returne to your worships I most humbly beseech you to accept this my poore labour which I offer vnder your names to the whole church of God The which as I know it commeth vnlooked for not only in respect of your selues but also of diuers other that knowe me aswel in that countrey where I was born as also in other places so also it may seem very rash and needles For who am I that I should take vpon me to publish any thing The vnworthiest of many hundreds the vnablest of many thousands And yet seeing many things more simple lesse needful profitable are both permitted and suffred to come abrode I am not altogether discouraged neither hath any man iust cause to accuse me in this my simple enterprise I knowe these be the dayes of learning knowledge that there be great store of learned deuines in our land whom I beseech the Lorde to blesse Mar. 12.42.43 Luk. 21.2.3 and yet the two mites of the poore widowe cast into the treasurie amonge the great giftes of the welthy are not to be refused The causes that moued me to dedicate this first fruit of my simple trauaile vnto your worships aboue al other are these First your great goodnes from time to time shewed towards me and my friendes the which called vpon mee contitually to shewe some token of thankefulnesse for the same For I must needes confesse that it hath vttered it selfe many and sundry ways and that not without a certaine friendly or rather fatherly care of my well dooing Secondlie that it might be a meane through the assistaunce of Gods spirite to kindle and inflame your heartes with an earnest zeale to the glorious gospell of the sonne of God by dayly and continuall exercise and practise wherein you might be sufficiently furnished with spirituall armur to endure constantly vnto the ende as good souldiers of Iesus Christ against all the assaults of Sathan and his wicked instruments which doe or may come in sheepes clothing to deceaue you and to betray your soules from the way of saluation For of this am I certaine that there will not want false prophets entycing you from Christ and that many stumbling blockes wil be cast namely and especially in your way Master Mistresse I efferis as once hertofore I presumed to aduertise you priuately by letter to the ende you might be discouraged from the way of the Lorde But beware I beseech you againe of their Angelicall or Seraphicall shewe of heauenly life Haue not by and by their doctrine in admiration but carefully looke vnto the clawes of these spirituall wolues and indifferently without affection examine the grounde of their profession by the rule and touchstone of the worde of God and you shall prooue that they deale deceitefully with guile that they be false Apostles and deceitefull workers that they goe about to beguile your senses and to blinde your eyes that they call you to worship an Idoll in steed of the true and liuing God and that they would lead you out of light into darknesse from truth into error from knowledge vnto ignorance If you shall vouchsafe to reade this little booke and to examine it throughly indifferently by the word of God and then it beeing effectually confirmed by the same to make your profit accordingly and as it is committed to your protection so to maintaine and defende it I shall not onely be satisfied and thinke my payes sufficiently recompenced but also be greatly encouraged hartily to pray vnto the Lorde to encrease the giftes of his holy spirite in you that you may goe forwarde more and more to performe that dutie in obedience which he requireth at your handes that you may ouerleape all the lets that Sathan can cast in your way continue in the certainty of true faith and that you may be fully setled vppon the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ being assured that the same onelie is of sufficient abilitie to drawe you out of the dungeon of death And I beseech your worshippes that as God in aboundant measure hath mercifully endued you with all thinges necessarie for this life whereof many thousandes feele the want so without ceasing you would prayse and magnifie him for the same And as you are so nearely ioyned together not onely by reason of your possessions but especially by the bonde of mariage that you are brethren sisters that so you would ioyne togeather in the sincere profession of the glorious gospel of the sonne of God and so goe forward more and more in practise therof that the gospel being rooted in your heartes it may bring foorth sanctification the true seale of your adoption that you may feele his goodnesse in the assurance of that euerlasting and heauenly truth Beware of these two cankers I beseech you that corrupt the whole world I meane pride and couetousnesse Let them not once be named among you as becommeth sainctes Eph. 5.3 Col. 3.5 A day will come when the Lorde will fill your hope with better things then al this world can giue you Stande fast in his trueth in these slippery dayes and aboue all let his glorye and the aduancement of his worde be deare and precious vnto you In Gods matters let his will bee the rule thereof and not your owne wisedome and affections Examine your selues often by it and neglect not the pure preaching of the same Delight in the lawe of the Lord and be good examples to others Care not for the contempt of the worlde but holde fast a good conscience that you may be approued of God And our Lorde Iesus Christ giue you the forgiuenesse of all your sinnes and the peace and comfort of your conscience The Lorde let all his blessinges fall vppon you that you may see the riches and treasures of his mercie that you may be filled with all fulnesse with the spirit that you may behold the glory of the kingdome of god those thinges be reuealed vnto you by his spirite which hee hath prepared for them that loue him Amen The third day of December Anno. 1586. Yours for euer to cōmand in the Lorde Iohn Frewen To the Christian Reader THE matter substance of this booke as I nothing feare to offer and commende vnto thee gentle Reader for thy profitte and instruction in the wayes of the Lorde beeing fully assured that it is the sincere trueth of God and the perfect path way vnto saluation firmely grounded vppon the rocke Christ and sufficiently warranted according to the writinges of the holy Prophetes and Apostles so the Methode manner of setting some part of it downe is not I must needes confesse so exquisite and orderly as I my selfe desire and as thou being learned maiest easily perceaue and discerne One especiall cause of this want is this when I wrote
therefore vseth the wordes indifferently as beeing of one meaning Therefore by Christes owne wordes to beleeue in Christ is to eate Christ 230 Of the presence of Christ in the supper CHrist our Lord is indued with a true and natural humane body the truth substance wherof is not taken away by the glorificatiō thereof after the resurrection as the holy scriptures and the articles of our faith do plainly declare Ph. 2.7 Heb. 2.17 for they teach vs in expresse words that there is a diuine and humane nature of Christ to be acknowledged and confessed in one and the same person so that there bee no confusion made of the diuine humane natures of Christ neither of them taken away of vs For although Christ were then in heauen when hee liued vpon the earth and was in this life Io. 5.17 and now also when he is gone vp into heauen Ma. 28.29 Io. 14.18 is neuerthelesse present with the faithfull vntill the end of the world yet the scriptures teach vs that thereby it is not to be concluded that the humane nature was then corporally in heauen when it was fastned vpon the crosse no more then it is now present vpon the earth when it is in heauen also that the vnity of person remayned vndeuided because that the property of the natures remaining cānot seuere or part the same In the meane season it is known to al the faithfull that Christ together and vnseparable true God and man suffered in that part in that which he was subiect vnto suffering that is in his flesh and bloud and that he suffered nothing in that parte in which he could not suffer as namely in spirit or deity Notwithstanding because of the abiding properties of 2. natures yet no man saith that Christ is deuided into 2. persons althought therefore Christ verye GOD and man remain in one and the same person It therefore followeth not that the body of Christ aswell as the diuinity is in this earth and in al places for the humane nature reteyneth his property in Christ therefore he is not corporally in or with the bread yet neuertheles we haue not a supper without Christ For the same Christ which is corporally at the right hand of God and according to his humane nature is not present in this earth Act. 1.11 Mat. 26.11 the very same Christ wholly as the true son of righteousnesse is present in the supper by his spirit power life working I meane in the congregation of the faithful in their harts which celebrate receaue the supper with true faith 231 Christ feedeth vs with his substance OVr Lord Iesus Christ did not onely become mortall man like vnto vs in all things sinne only except to be a brother in deed to al thē that ioyne themselues to him in faith but also he norisheth vs with his substaunce he is our head Heb. 4.15 Io 8.55 Eph. 2.22 4.15 and we must draw our life from him through the vertue of the holy ghost He hath geuen vs a witnesse heereof in his holy supper which we haue as a most certaine pledge and therefore as often as we come to this table wee ought to be confirmed in this that our lorde Iesus Christ is made one with vs and that we can neuer be separated from him That if he be rich we shal not need to feare pouerty if he be strong we shal not need to feare weakenes if he bee the righteousnes of God we shal not need to feare our sins if he be the wisdome of God 1. Cor. 1.30 24. 2.7 we may boldly come vnto him to be made new creatures Moreouer our Lord Iesus Christ doth witnesse that he receiueth vs to him and will haue vs fed with his owne substance and therefore let vs bewarre that we come not to this table vnlesse wee haue this remembraunce whereof the Apostle speaketh the second to Tim. 2. For first of al this is required that we be instructed in the worde And yet it is not enough for vs to be instructed but it must be forcible in vs and wee must consider that if we come to it daily it is a study to exercise our selus with all the daies of our life let vs take diligent heed that we present not our selus to receaue the supper of our lord Iesus Christ vnlesse we haue this before our eyes Ma. 11.19 17.30.31 c. that is vnles we behold the sonne of God which made himself vtterly of no reputation for vs suffered most shamefull reproch and that he went down euen to the lowest and bottomlesse pit of damnation and frō thence was exalted into glory that in the end we might be receaued with him 232 Against the reall presence in the Sacrament OVr Lorde Iesus Christ in his last supper gaue bread vnto his disciples and bread he himself did eate and not his owne body For the eating of Christs body hath a promise of remission of sinnes Christ eating the sacrament had no remission of sins therefore Christ did not eate his owne body Furthermore we are taught in the scripture that Christ is risen ascended into heauen Ma. 26.28 Ma. 28.6 Luk. 24.6 and sitteth on the right hand of the father all the which is spoken of his natural body therefore it is not on earth included in the sacrament I came out from the father saith Christ came into the worlde againe I leaue the world and go to the father the which comming and going he ment of his naturall body Io. 16 28 therefore it is not now in the world One selfe same nature receaueth not in it selfe any thing that is contrary to it selfe but the bodye of Christ is an humane nature distinct from the deity and is a proper nature of it selfe therefore it cannot receaue any thing that is contrary to that nature and varieth from it self But bodily to be present bodily to be absēt to be on earth and to be in heauen Act. 3.21 all at one present time be things contrary to the property of an human nature therefore it cannot be said of the humane body of Christ that the selfe same body is both in heauen and also in earth at one instant either visiblye or inuisibly 233 The wicked do not eate the body of Christ THe Doctors and teachers of the Romish church among other their blasphemous errors and peruerse doctrines do striue for and perswade men to that carnall eating in the sacrament with which as they themselues confesse damnation may be ioyned For they directly against Christs owne words do affirm that the very wicked men and horrible sinners as Iudas and such like doe eate in the sacrament the very reall and naturall body of Christ as fullye as Peter or any other sainct of God or other faithfull Christian hath done or doth The which doctrine of theirs as it is reprochful to the body bloud of
that he might be the Lorde both of the quick and the dead Ro. 14.9 And therefore it is good reason that he should haue the soueraigne rule seing he hath not spared himselfe for our redemption and saluation 34 Wee muste worship God alone VVe are straightlie forbidden of the Lord to worship anye together with him or to admit any worship of him Ex. 20.3 beside his owne which he hath left vs in his worde The Lorde would haue vs to seeke all good thinges at his hands alone and cannot abide that wee shoulde haue other Gods before his face For inasmuch as he hath taken vppon him to care for vs and to honor himselfe by shewing forthe the treasures of his grace vpon vs 1. Pet. 5.7 it shal not be lawfull to darken the lighte of his goodnesse by seeking to obteyne that Ps 55.22 at the hands of any other the gifte of whiche hee hath reserued to himselfe alone for the glory praise of the riches of his grace For let vs be assured that whensoeuer we seeke to any other then him for any part of our welfare we doe as it were hyde the brightnesse of his face that he cānot be seene in the full shewe of his mercie howe he is affected towards vs while they by stepping betweene conueye some praise of the gifte and mercie to themselues Heere wee see all passage to the virgine Marie angels or saincts whatsoeuer to bee stopped vp Mat. 11.28 and the waye to God opened vnto all in their necessities to runne thither with an assured hope ease comfort and refreshing by reason of the promise 35 Images are forbidden in the Lawe of God BEcause there is no comparison betweene God whiche is an euerlasting spirite incomprehensible and a materiall bodye mortall Ex. 20.4 Deut. 5.8 corruptible and visible therefore the Lord commaundeth vs in the second commandement of the first table that we shoulde not represent him in anye visible image Hee forbiddeth not the making of all kinde of images but when they are made to some superstitious ende as either to expresse the Godhead or by that meanes to bring him somewhat nearer to vs or to our vse or to stirr vp or kindle in vs anye kinde of deuotion or as we commonlie saye to put vs in a good minde If we come where they are we must not bowe vnto them nor worship thē neither for there owne sakes whiche is the grosser errour nor yet for others whome they are made to represent whiche also is bad inoughe God is more excellent and greater then that he may be represented by any image For when as heauen and earthe and all thyngs conteined within the compasse of them cannot represent God muche lesse shall vile images made with mens hands doe the same which haue neither life nor mouing nor any thing at all like vnto the most mighty God Esay 44.9 Act. 15.20 17.6 1. Cor. 5.11 Ro. 1.23 as witnesseth the holy Ghost by the mouthe of the Prophets Furthermore the Apostles of Christ them selues with one consent and very earnestly haue forbidden Christians the worshipping of images and before time the holy prophets haue prophecied that the churche of Christians should haue no images 36 Idolatry is enemie to the true seruice of God Great reason it is that we should bee carefull first of all to serue God and to yeelde vnto hym onely the honor and glory which beelongeth vnto him And that we maye well begin to doe so we must abhorre idolatry the which the wise man calleth vanity and lies and so likewise do all the prophets in diuers places In all agee and amongst all nations Pro. 30.8 Esa 41.29 44.9 Ier. 2.5 10.3.14.15 14. it is and hath bene vsuall that the idolaters euen those which are the deuoutest do giue themselues vnto dishonestie filthinesse and vncleannesse vnto oppression and crueltye euen with an vnbrideled lust and desire And the prophetes also doe make greate complaints thereof do reproch the idolaters that they haue forsaken God an that they haue their handes full of bloud So then if wee will beginne earnestlie to serue God we muste begin first to hate idolatrye following the doctrine that Iacob gaue to his houshold Gen. 35.2 Ex. 20.3.4 and God in the beginning of his Lawe And heerewithall lette vs learne to renounce our owne wits and be willing to be broughte to the knowledge of the euerlasting power and diuinitye of God that wee maye glorifie him as God and not turne away our selues from him vnto superstition and idolatry the whiche if we shoulde do wee shall deserue to haue the wroth and indignation of God to be powred vpon our heades as vpon the wicked and vngodly and to giue vs vp vnto a reprobate minde for to condemne vs eternally 37 God and not images is to be worshipped AS we may not take vppon vs to worship any besides the Lorde no more it is lawfull for vs to giue any worshipp to the Lorde Ex. 20 4. Esay 20.4 but onelye that whiche is allowed in his worde And therefore hath hee forbidden vs to make any grauen image imagining that waye to please him and to do a worke acceptable in his sighte For some of those whiche bowe vnto grauen images thinke and say that the Lord is serued therein and that they do it not vnto the image but vnto the Lord represented vnto them in the same But the Lorde in the commaundement Deu. 5.8 forbiddeth aswell the false worship of the true God as the giuing of any parte of his true woorship vnto a false God I meane vnto any besides the onely true God It commeth all from one fountaine to dare be bolde to giue vnto him anye worship besids that which he hath cōmaunded and to worshippe any other besides himselfe which thing he hath in many places plainely forbidden And so he represseth this intollerable boldenesse of man that in his owne deuotion will presume to please the Lord either in the worshipping of others or in any other manner of worshipping him then he himselfe hath opened in his worde 38 We muste worship God according to his worde WE are instructed of the Lorde to do nothing as seemeth vs especially when there is anye question of the seruice of God that we attempt nothing after our owne fantasies but that wee sollowe in all simplicitie that which he appointeth by his worde without adding of any thing vnto it whatsoeuer For assone as we shall haue declined neuer so litle herein Deut. 4.2 12.32 what euer wee alledge to make our cause good God wil not leaue vs vnpunished For it is no vaine threat when God saieth in this second commaundement Deut. 5.9 that he is a Ielous God which visiteth the iniquity of parents vppon their children Wherefore let vs note first of all that forasmuch as we are by nature ouermuch giuen to idolatry this threatning of God commeth always before our
our conditiō so that in mind we burne with the desire of a better our dooinges can neuer be perswaded that they must so neerely be looked at but that they may borrowe a little of conscience equitie to make the prouisiō according as the desire directeth This doth the Apostle cōfirme in plaine speech to Timothy where after perswasion to be content with that we haue because the gaine of godlines is great he telleth vs plainly that they who wil be rich 1. Tim. 6.9 fal into many temptations snares and many noisome lusts This is the danger of them that are fallen so fa◠into friendship of a better estate that they wil be rich This being once set down and determined not only cōscience is constrained to depart but also thankfulnes to God for our present estate doth in like manner forsake vs. 70 The exposition of the ninth commandement IN the fift commaundement of the seconde Table the Lorde our God vnder one kinde Eph. 4.25 Ps 15.2 doeth giue vs a generall doctrine meaning that wee may not speake any thing to the reproch of our neighbour falsely Pro. 21.1 that we should neither lye flatter nor dissemble that we should neuer tell false tales behinde our neighbours backe that wee should not in priuate offences speake any thing 1. Co. 13.7 1. Pet. 4.8 Pro. 11.12 Mat. 18.15 16.17.18 although it be true to the hurting of our brothers good name if by priuate admonitions he may be woone Hee heareth false witnesse that of hatred enuie friendshippe or affections eyther concealeth or vttereth not the truth or by his witnesse ouerturneth the same Truth in all matters by this lawe is commaunded and lyes dissimulation flatterie and whatsoeuer is false and fained is forbidden 71 What it is to beare false witnes IF wee will obey God wee must maintaine the honour and credite of our neighbours as much as lyeth in vs. For when hee hath forbidden vs to hurt his good name he willeth also on the contrary side that we maintaine the honor estimatiō of al. Deu. 5.20 Now it is not sufficiently maintayned in his estate when we harme it not except we withall procure the good therof Ex. 20. i6 Therefore when we shall come into iudgement we must take heede of hurting those by any false report any lying or any forswearing Leu. 19.16 whose honor and good we are bounde to procure For he which shall beare false witnesse against his neighbour hee killeth and robbeth him asmuch as he can and he doth all the euill whiche proceedeth from periury And this is the cause why God commaunded in his Lawe that the witnesses shoulde be the first which should lay hands to the execution of him that was punished for any euill deede Deut. 17 7 to the ende it might be knowne that by their voices and by their tongues they had putte him to death and that the witnesses should be put in greater feare of speaking otherwise then the trueth when euery one shoulde think he hath to render an accompt to God if he shall haue beene a witnesse against anye man So then when question is of being a witnesse euery one must deepelie consider of the matter and take diligent heede he enlarge not his conscience but that he speake in pure simplicity that which he knoweth to bee true before God And here we are to think not onely of false witnessinges which shal be against the life of a man but of such also which concerne their goodes and estimation And thus are we warned in all respectes to procure the honor and profit of our neighbours Pro. 10 12 when we are to beare witnes And yet not so that vnder this shadowe of couering the iniury of him that hath offended or of preseruinge his goods we lie before God For if the honor of men be deare vnto vs what ought the honor of God to bee if we will make comparison If God haue a regarde and care of vs which are but poore creatures let vs not thinke that in the meane time he will forget himselfe But if by false witnesse wee seeke to beare out and bolster him that hath offended if we couer the faulte and dissemble it It is certaine that wee blaspheme the name of God and deface his glory asmuch as lyeth in vs. 72 Against slaundederes and lyars THere is no man but desireth to haue a priuie freinde which is no talker and babler to the end that if he haue any thing in his heart which doeth trouble and grieue him that he may safely open the same vnto his freind that he may be somwhat eased and relieued he hopeth also that that which he hath declared shall be kept secret or at leastwise that the thing shall not bee expounded otherwise then it was spoken and that hee will not labour to hurte him nor to bring him into hatred with his neighbour Ex. 20.16 Deu. 5.20 Leu. 19. i6 according to this commaundement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour There ar some which think and beleeue that it is not euill done to reueale secretes to condemne their neighboures and to publish their imperfections but the holye Ghoste heere condemneth all suche personnes calling them slaunderers by the mouth of Solomon Pro. 12.13 And it is notwithout good cause that such people are condemned For first of all they are hipocrits secondly they are transgressors of the Law Mat. 7.5 Thirdlye they set themselues before the Law in condemning it Speake not euill one of another brethren He that speaketh euill of his brother speaketh euill of the Lawe Iam. 4.11 and condemneth the Law and if thou condemnest the Law thou art not an obseruer of the Lawe but a iudge Infideiitye vnfaithfulnesse hath taken roote in their harts whereby they are ledd to betray their neighbors in discouering that which they ought to keepe secret Moreouer if we be not ledde by loue we cannot be faithful vnto our neighbors for to dissemble their imperfections 1. Cor. 13. there is no strength in vs that is worth any thing except it bee exercised by loue And if by loue we must exercise faithfulnesse the whiche is set against false witnesse bearing it followeth that the slaunderer is ledde with hatred to discouer the secret and consequently that he is a murtherer 1. Io. 3.15 1. Io. 3.14.25 For whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslear He that loueth not his brother abideth in death Yet neuerthelesse let vs not feare to bee accused of slaunder though we accuse them which leade a slaunderous life though we rebuke them reprooue them and threaten them either priuatly or publickly and though we labor to gette them punished and chastened to the end that slaunders may be taken away from the people of God Ma. 18.17 1. Tim. 5.20 2. Tim. 4.2 and the offendors brought again vnto God by true repentaunce so much as we can Otherwise we should be
stoutly in sight against all the impedimentes of their Faith Thus also Paule commaundeth vs to doe 2. The. 3 13. that wee bee not weary of well doing And in an other place he saith 2. Tim 2.5 that no man is crowned except hee striue lawfully Wee must therefore beare all things with a bolde minde and stoute courage which the Lord shall lay vpon vs. 109 The dutie of Christians IT is the parte of Christians so to liue so to behaue themselues and so to suffer all thinges that Christ onely may be the cause of the hatred and persecution which they suffer and then this is and ought to bee a comforte vnto vs that if wee suffer for Christ then are wee his then shall wee say with the Apostle Paul Wee labour and are rebuked because wee trust in the liuing God 1. Tim. 4.10 which is the sauiour of all men especially of those that beleeue This is a great consolation and comfort that how great soeuer the dangers bee if faith bee present it is able to lift vp a discouraged harte For hee that onlye continueth to the ende committing himselfe vnder the tuition and protection of the Lord He I say at length shal be safe although he bee deliuered to the deathe and hated of all men Ma. 10.22 This safetye and health is promised not by resisting but by suffering as the Lorde doeth plainely declare Luk. 21.19 By your pacience saith he possesse your soules The which containeth a woonderfull consolation They whith fight vnder princes are doubtfull of the victorye but Christe promiseth victory without all doubte to them that fight to the ende Let vs not therefore feare or doubt to fight for the glorie of the Lorde Mar. 13.13 althoughe the whole world rise against vs beecause an happye and prosperous ende is promised vnto vs of Iesus Christ the sonne of God which is a faithfull keeper of our saluation if wee continue 110 The Fruite of our communion with the death of Christ IF Wee bee Christians then muste appeare in vs the signe of our Communion with the deathe of Christe whose fruite is that the flesh be crucified with all our concupiscences Ro. 6.8 Howbeit we may not therefore count this communion as none because as yet wee doe feele some reliques of the flesh to liue in vs But wee are continually to study for the encrease therof vntil we are come vnto the marke For it is well if our flesh bee continually mortified and wee haue well profited when the fleshe being subdued hath yeelded to the holye Spirit And there is an other communion of the deathe of Christ whereof the Apostle Paule speaketh in diuerse places 2. Cor. 4 10 and namely to the Corinthians as touching the bearing of the Crosse after whiche followeth the participation of eternall life Newnesse of life muste bee followed after of Christians the whole course of their whole life for if they ought to represent in themselues by the mortification of the fleshe the Image of Christ and life of the spirit That muste bee done once for all but this muste continue still Not as though the fleshe were mortified in vs in a moment but beecause wee muste not reuolte or go backe in mortifying the fleshe For if wee turne backe vnto our filthines we denie Christe Ro. 8.10 of whom wee cannot be partakers but by newnes of life 111 God is not the authour of sinne ALthough God giueth the firste mouing power and strength in all manner of actions which wee must confesse to be good as proceeding from him and ordereth and disposeth all euill Ro. 9.14 which is a peruerting of the good that commeth from God and proceedeth from Sathan and the corruption of mans nature so that he cōuerteth the same alwaies in the end to his glory and the benefit of his elect as we see in the persecution of the wicked and the infirmities of the godlye Ps 19.9 yet is hee by no meanes to be charged as the authour and cause of sinne and euill When it pleased the almightie to shewe foorth his infinite power wisedome goodnes in the creation of thinges visible and inuisible bodily and spiritually it pleased him for the illustration and setting forth of the glory of his goodnes to ordeyne that euil shoulde proceede out of the freewill of his reasonable creatures And this his ordinance is good For although euill bee naught and cursed be he that saith euill is good Esay 5.20 yet that there shoulde bee euill which is Gods ordinaunce it is excellent good The excellencie of goodnes cannot so well appeare and be knowne as by the comparison of the contrarie which is euill Therfore it is perfect good that euill should be the manifestation of that which is good we see that in all the creatures and workes of the worlde God hath ordeyned that his glorie should shine in contraries As to the intent that the beautie and glorie of light should be seene and knowne to bee such as it is he hath ordeyned darkenes For if he had created light to be perpetuall without anye chaunge of darkenes howe had it bene possible for men although liuing in the light to haue knowne the excellencye of light and so should God haue bene defrauded of the glory of so beautiful profitable and comfortable a creature Therfore euen as by darkenes we learne howe to esteeme light and by bitter that which is sweet and euery other thing by his contrarie euen so by the deformity of euil we are taught how great is the excellent comelines of that which is good and so the ordinance of God that there should be euil is perfect good 112 God cannot be accounted the cause of sinne THat the glory of gods mercy might appeare in the saluation of his elect and his iustice in the condemnation of the reprobate Ro. 9.22.23 it was necessary that there should be euil and so necessarie that otherwise there shoulde haue bene no matter for the mercye iustice of God to worke vpon for if there should haue bene no sinne nor euil Ps 19.9 wherein then should the mercie of God haue bene seene in pardoning forgiuing sinnes if there should haue bene no transgression how should the glory of Gods iustice haue shined in punishment And thus it is euident that god by no means may be coūted the author of euil which he hath not created made or wrought but ordeined that it should proceede from the freewill of his reasonable creatures for the illustration of his glory Let vs therefore tremble at his righteous iudgements who doth al thinges according to the good pleasure of his will and hath made the wicked man for the daye of his wrath and yet by no meanes is the cause of his wickednes If any man be not satisfied with this aunswere Ro. 11.33.34 he may enter further vnto the vnmeasurable depth of Gods iudgement into the which he maye rather finde an
the flocke of the lord to feed it to preserue it in health and to keepe it from diseases and hurt the which is done by doctrine exhortations reprehension rebuking comfort prayers administration of the sacraments and by the example of a godly and vncorrupt life as may bee proued and knowne many waies by the writings and examples of the Apostles Furthermore it is necessarye of all Christians to be knowne howe they ought to behaue themselus towardes the ministers Io 21.15.16.17 2. Tim. 4 2. Tit. 2.7 and what they ought to thinke of them Chieflye therefore in their function or calling not their persons but Christ that worketh by them is to bee considered Wherefore we must receaue their doctrine when they preach the word of God purely euen as the doctrine of Christ For Christ saith in expresse words in the Gospell he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Lu. 10.16 Wee muste not looke that Christ should come downe from heauen againe and speake vnto vs seeing he dayly speaketh in his church by his ministers which preach the word of Christ Also the ministers for their parts must behaue themselus honestly well and Christianlike in doctrine life and conuersation They must not seeke their owne honor or gaine but the honor of Christe and profit of his Church They must not thinke that they cannot erre but must suffer themselues to be admonished 1. Pet 5.2 being neither stuborn rash nor proud They must not attribute or geue too muche vnto themselues 2. Tim 2.24 but muste bee lowlye gentle sage paineful and faithfull 204 The true duty of the ministers of the gospell THe true ministers of the gospel must not only haue a sweet and amiable voyce to drawe those to the flocke which yealde themselues teachable and suffer themselues to be taught but they must also disclose and driue away the Wolues and the theues they must haue a loude voyce to cry out against all them that scatter the flocke This is the thing whereunto Gods seruaunts muste imploye themselues if they purpose to execute their dutie Tit. 1.9 They must not onely bee instructed to teache other but bee strong and constant to make it good and to fight when question shal bee to maintaine the doctrine of truth that it may remaine safe and sounde Eze. 3.17 The Prophet Ezechiell compareth them to such as kepe watch in a watch tower and surely it is a charge yea and that a verye mightye and heauye charge while other men sleepe to watch and haue a care of al the flock The name and title also which the holy Ghost attributeth vnto the ministers sheweth plainelye what it is Ma. 5.13 Ez. 34.2 1 Co. 4.1 that GOD calleth them vnto and what they ow to his Church that mē may not think they shal be accounted faithful in the meane while geue themselus to rest and sleepe and to follow the pleasures and lusts of the flesh For God doeth not choose them whom he placeth Shepheards in his Church for any outward shew but he bindeth them to his people for otherwise we cannot serue God but by imploying our selues to serue his whole flock and the greatest honor that the ministers of his worde can haue is to be diligent in seruing all the faithfull 205 The calling of the Ministery THe calling of the ministery and preaching of the gospell is no deuise of any mortall man but the ordinaunce of the liuing God It was hee that ordeyned Moyses and the Prophets 2. Pet. 1 21. The prophecy saith Peter came not in the olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Mar. 3.13 The Lorde Iesus himselfe called appointed and sent forth into the world his apostles to preache the gospell It is the holye Ghoste which ordeyneth faithfull ouerseers to feede the Church of God Act. 20 28. It is Christ also at this day which appointeth Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of his sainctes The firste preacher that euer was vppon the earth was GOD himselfe Eph. 4.11 he preached to Adam in Paradise that comfortable Gospell Gen. 3.16 the seede of the woman shall breake the serpents heade After that hee stirred vp Noah and Lot Moses and the Prophets what shal be said of Dauid and Solomon of the which the one was a moste victorious prince 1. Kin 3. and the other moste welthye and yet haue they gotten more glory and credite by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches and triumphes The first minister and preacher of the newe testament was Iohn the Baptist Of whom Christ our Sauiour sayeth There was not a greater Prophete Ma. 11.11 Mar. 2.2 among womens children Christe himselfe also was a preacher of the Gospell and witnesseth that he came into the worlde to that purpose Mar. i6 i6 After him the Apostles also were sent into the worlde to the same end Seing then that God himself and his sonne Iesus Christ haue vouchsafed to preach the worde seeing so famous men as the Prophets and Apostles were ordeyned to this purpose it must needes followe that the office of preaching is most famous worthye and excellent 206 With what doctrine ministers muste be furnished IF So bee that the Ministers of Christs Gospel wil do their duties as they ought to doe in the erecting and in the enlarging of Christs kingdome by pure preaching of the worde they must not then stande vppon trifles 1. Tim. 1.4 2. Tim. 2.23 vpon curious and vnprofitable questions but they must labour to edifie in all godlinesse This grace of GOD which was shewed at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ is dayly to be published and preached of them Tit. 2.11 For surely it is a wonderfull secreat that GOD shoulde bee manifested in the fleshe and that therewithall hee should shew vs his heauenly glory to the end that wee might bee vnited thereunto and therfore if all the Ministers and Preachers of Gods worde 1. Tim. 3.16 shoulde neuer cease from shewing foorthe the wisedome which GOD hath vttered in the person of his onely sonne the tyme assuredly shoulde not bee spent in vaine Furthermore whosoeuer will preach the gospell faithfully and profitablye hee muste firste of all and chieflye vrge the doctrine of repentaunce To repentance must be ioyned the doctrine of remission of sinnes Ma. 11.28 which belongeth only to them that repent that are humbled and cast downe that feele in their conscience the torment of sinne and condemnation it doth not appertaine to ignorant and senselesse men to hypocrites infidels athistes iusticiaries prophane and carnall men Mat. 9.13 for these haue nothing to do with the doctrine of remission of sinnes 207 Diuersitie in giftes among the ministers NEcessarie it is that euerie minister preach but yet all such shall not be condemned which haue not such like and so full