persona From the person 2. From the person 1. From Moses if any man should have received perfection by it no doubt he that gave it But of Moses we finde Numb 20.12 Againe the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron because ye beleeved me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the Land which I have given them He was a transgressor of the law before he received it 2. And he that delivered the law was not partaker of the least promise of the law i. to enter into the promsed Land 3. His whole ministery was destructive his signes and miracles that he wrought in Egypt were plagues of Lice Caterpillers death c. and therefore he shewed himselfe the minister of Gods justice and wrath whereas the ministery of grace raised the dead out of their graves healed the sicke The ministery of the law a destroying ministery the ministery of grace a saving ministery cast out divels c. shewing plainely that it was a saving spirit 4. Exod. 34.35 The children of Israel saw the face of Moses how the skin of Moses face shone bright therefore Moses put the covering on his face till he went to speake with God 2 Cor. 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not as Moses which put a vaile over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfâ—stly looke to the end of that which is abolished Moses when he had left talking with the Lord and had come downe from the mount the skinne of his face shone so that without a vaile put over his face there was no talking with him so that the perfection of the law is to blinde and dasill their eyes that view it rather then to cleere and enlighten them But the Gospell shewes us the face of God clearely â—â—â—b ipâ—a lege â—â—om the law 〈◊〉 â—elfe 3. From the law it selfe from the tables that were broken before the law could be delivered which is in the judgement of the fathers that that covenant should be made voyd 2. And in that very time that the people should have received the law they were in the greatest trangression of it that could be namely idolatry worshipping the golden Calfe So the law to increase sinne offence betweene God and man made sinne to superabound Rom. 7. 4. A modo From the manner The Gospell was delivered not with a fearefull sound of any warlike Instrument sounding defiance but with a song of Angels 2. Part. Lex paedagog ad Christium The Law a schoolmaster to Christ Last from the manner With the blast of a Trumpet that terrified the people that was delivered with terrour shewing that that was a law of terrour and that it should exact terrible things at our hands But the delivery of the Gospell was contrary for that was delivered with the comfortable songs of Angels Luke 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men The second part Gal. 3.18 That the law is Paedagogus a Schoolmaster to Christ which likewise may be shewed by the cricumstances of the law 1. That it was delivered by the disposition of Angels in the hand of a mediator Galat. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator namely Christ Galat. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the law was our Schoolemaster to Christ that we might be justified by faith Now a mediator hath full authority and power to end the matter as he list either to establish the law or to abbrogate it So Christ because for our health he could not doe otherwise tooke order in his owne person to abrogate the old Covenant and to make a new 2. Another a charge given to Moses that the Tables should be put into the Arke of the Testimony And thou shalt put the mercy Seate above upon the Arke and in the Arke thou shalt put the Testimony which I will give thee Which was a signe of Gods presence with us the presence of God with us is onely in Christ per Emanuelem nostrum by our Emanuel 3. Another Of the vaile of Moses which was a ceremony of the mitigation of the brightnesse of the law That the vaile is now removed and we see Christ The ceremoniall law is made now spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 3.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The vaile is nothing else but the ceremonies of the law these nothing else but Christ and to leade us to him Betweene Moses and us Christ is as a vaile 4. Another Of the time of the delivery of the law It was the fiftieth day after the celebration of the Passeover the time of the first fruits An argument betweene the day of the delivery of the law and the day of the descending of the Holy Ghost At the very same time in the very same day the fiâ—tieth from the Passeover of Christs resurrection came the holy Ghost in the Gospell And though we cannot fulfill all that we should yet because these fiftie daies are the time of first fruits though we cannot offer up every action we may offer our first fruits to wit in hoatam obedientiam a begun obedience received by Christ Christ performing that which was required at our hands though not at the barre of judgement yet at the barre of grace This inchoatam obedientiam begunne obedience we shall have when we shall have new hearts not of stone but of flesh Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you Ezek. 36.26 and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will give you an heart of flesh to wit 2 Cor. 3 3. His new Testament being written in the fleshly tables of our hearts whereby we shall offer our first fruits Last Num 21.5 They protest that they will heare neither God nor Moses Numb 21.5 6 7 8. a plain desolation of the law presently upon this came the signe of Hell 6. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people which stung them so that many of the people died 7. Their humiliation The people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us 8. v. A declaration of the Gospell and of the comming of Christ And the Lord said to Moses make thee a fiery serpent and set it up for a signe that as many as are bitten may looke on it and live Which brazen serpent Christ John 3.14 applieth to himselfe 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. The Fathers 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. as they had their Cloud they passing through the Sea their Manna the water out
sell them at Otherwise as it is in Zach. 11.12 the Prophet in Christs person saith Let 's see what you will value me at they weighed for my wages 30. peeces of silver and what he esteemeth of the price we see he turneth it over to the Potter a goodly price for me to be valued at of them a price more fit to buy potsherds there is not such a price set on us God hath not valued us at so small a rate whatsoever we esteeme of the truth or Christ To know how God is to be esteemed is how he and Christ esteemed us 1 Pet. 1.18 as no corruptible thing neither silver nor gold could buy us 1 Cor. 6.20 Empti estis precio magno ye are bought with a great price more then 30. peeces of silver for it is certaine that all should have gone rather then he if it would have served therefore we must so price him for he is the truth that no corruptible thing buy us from Christ The signes of true religion likewise were handled before these foure 1. If it ascribe to God alone all things and give no part to any other 2. If it favour not man in any of his corrupted desires but urge the contempt of father mother friends and himselfe and all 3. If it be meerely spirituall and have no mixtures that were the decay of religion Mixtio theolog â—um Philosoph Judaismo the 1. in Col. 2.8 the mingling of Religion with the errors of Philosophy Aug. calleth them very well orationes Philosophorum acute abtusae and thus as Clemens Alexandrinus and Origen witnesse Platoes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Aristotles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By divers Platonists conversed to religion so divers Aristoteleans and other errors of the Philosophers crept into the Church and at length prevailed 2. The other is in Tit. 1.14 of Jewish fables i. that part of Judaisme that is abrogated more plainely Gal. 4.9 egena infirma elementa weake and beggerly elements i. Jewish ceremonies and Philosophers principles for these did the Whore mingle in her Cup. Among the 20. â—easons The signes of the sincerity of affection if we have no end or reward but our eye only upon him 4. Last is penetratio cordis circumcisio cordis that that taketh away the circumcised skinne of the heart this in its full extent giveth a marvellous scope to Non concupisces For sincerity of affection 1. Psal 73.24 Iohn 21.15 In the Psalme he saith Whom doe I respect in heaven or in earth but thee i. that he had no other end but God but the other place Diligis me plus his lovest thou me more then these then these things here on earth or else our heart is not aright for if we come not to that certainely look how farre short we come of it so farre are we short of true sincerity Of an example of a mixture that Peter would have brought in The 6. rule for the procuring of it in others 1 Tim. 6.14 there is injoyned by the Apostle that Timothy and especially all those that are in the roome of Timothy keepe the commandement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without spot without wrinkle Gal. 2.11 though Peter bring in Judaisme withstand him to his face to hinder whatsoever corruption is brought or ready to be brought into our religion Lest any man should thinke that this coram me were of no importance Aug. saith that this Coram me magnam habet emphasim Coram me this addition coram me hath a great emphasie and force and indeede so great force as it maketh a distinction betweene this commandement and the other three in this table The first rule here is that Rom. 7.14 the law is spirituall 1. For there is a great rule of it in Rom. 7.14 2. It maketh two distinctions this rule is grounded on these words gnalpanai before me coram facie humana coram luce c. in the sight of man they fall into the exterior act but coram tenebris coram facie Dei in the sight of God they come onely to the thought to the inward part of the soule and therefore properly pertaine to this Commandement and come onely to the sight of God Esa 45.7 He hath framed the light and created the darknesse therefore it is all one to him to see in darknesse and in light Psal 94.9 he made the eye and by vertue thereof he seeth whatsoever the eye can see and by a further vertue by creating and forming the spirit of man Zach. 21.1 he seeth that the eye seeth not It is against the nature of a Maker to make any thing prejudiciall to himselfe but onely the spirit of man so that as Aug. saith whether the candle burneth or be put out he seeth and that which is above all these 1 Iohn 3.20 he seeth more then our spirit can see in us though the heart cannot condemne us yet he can condemne us for hee is greater then our heart The other distinction Another thing touching this point in the morall Philosophy of Christians the distinction of bonum apparens verum good in appearance and true good this coram me before me i. God maketh it coram homine before man makes it not for coram homine or any other coram it argueth nothing else but every thing as it appeareth but it cannot truely be so except it be so to God that that appeareth so coram facie Dei that is so and for the better and plainer undestanding of this we must know how Ephes 3.16 he divideth man every one is divided into two men and the same words are used by Plato before him whereby some gather that he had read him there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outward man and the inward man Now whether of these two pleaseth God he himselfe sheweth speaking of himselfe 1 Sam. 16.7 Samuel had a liking to Sauls countenance and high and comely stature man looketh into the eyes or face or comelinesse of body but God looketh not as man looketh he looketh into the heart and consequently because he looketh into the heart Psal 51.6 for this cause it is that he requireth truth in the inward parts and for the same cause is it that Luke 17.21 the Kingdome of God beginneth within us and not as certaine Pharisee like who looke onely to the outside of the dish and rest in some externall peeces of Gods worship It is the integrity of the heart which God especially looketh at for First there is the principal rule of the Scepter of Christ set subduing our will unto Gods will there is in us a corrupt affection of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that our desire is contrary to the desire of God We desire onely to seeme as 1 Sam. 15.30 Yet honour me I pray thee before the elders of my people and before Israel that he might seeme before them to be in good state
dereliquit me Psal 40. So our heart will be gone and our mind will be wandring abroad not regarding what our tongue speakes It falls out often that as Abraham had his sacrifice ready he was no sooner gone from it but the fowles of the aire did light upon it Gen. 15. So while we offer up to God the calves of our lips Hos 14. and our course is past Psal 141. it comes to passe through our wantonnesse many foule thoughts be got upon our sacrifice and dispoyle it and the remedie that the spirit of God affords us against this infirmity is that it calls us home and tels us we are kneeling before the Majesty of God and therefore ought to take heed what we speake in his presence Therefore Bernard to keepe his mind in the meditation of God when he would pray began thus Let God arise and let all his enemies be scattered Psal 68. and Augustine to the same purpose began thus Save mee O God for the waters over-flow Psal 64. Fourthly though we have our meditation still on God yet wee shall find in our selves that our spirits are dull and heavie and have no manner of vigour to help our infirmity herein the Spirit helps and puts these meditations in our hearts whereby it kindleth as the Prophet saith a fire burning within us so that God shall be faine to say to us as he did to Moses Dimitte me let mee alone Exod. 32. Fifthly albeit we pray but faintly and have not that supply of fervencie that is required in prayer yet we have comfort that ever when we most faint in prayer there are of Gods Saints that pray for us with all instancie by which it comes to passe that being all but one body their prayers tend to our good as well as their owne for the faithfull howsoever they be many and dispersed into divers corners of the world yet they are but one dowe and as they are the members of one body so they pray not privately for themselves but for the whole body of the Church so that the weaknesse of one member is supplyed by the fervent and earnest prayer of the other Therefore when the Apostle saith The Spirit maketh intercession for us gemitibus inenarrabilibus Augustine asketh what groanings are these are they thine or mine no they are the groanings of the Church sometime in Mee sometime in Thee and therefore Samuel to shew that the Ministers of God do the people no lesse good when they pray for them then when they teach them said God forbid I should cease to pray for you and so sinne against God 1 Sam. 12.23 for he was an help to them not onely in preaching to them but in offering burnt offerings for them Therefore the people pray to Esay Lift thou up thy prayer for us For as the offering of the Minister is to put the people in mind 2 Pet. 1. so they are Gods remembrancers they are Angels as well ascending upwards by their prayer in the behalfe of the people as descending to teach them the will of God But if the Spirit that quailes in us do quaile also in the whole Church yet we have a supply from the teares which our head Christ shed on his Church Luk. 19.41 and from the strong cries which he uttered to God his Father in the daies of his flesh Heb. 5.7 by which he ceaseth not to make request to God still for us so that albeit the hardnesse of our heart be such as we cannot pray for our selves nor the Church for us yet we may say Conqueror tibi Domine lachrymis Jesu Christi Lastly because we cannot pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have two helpes also in that behalfe from the Spirit first that the Spirit teacheth us to submit our will unto Gods will because as we are men so we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. This submission we learne from the example of Christ his prayer to God his Father Transeat calix isle à me Let this cup passe from mee yet not my will but thy will be done Matth. 26. So David qualified his desire If I have found favour with the Lord he will bring mee againe but if not let him do what seemeth good to himseife 2 Sam. 15. Secondly when wee looke backe upon our prayer and see that by reason of want of fervencie and zeale it is but smoaking flaxe then the Spirit stirreth us up to desire God that according to his promise Esay 42. He will not quench it but that his grace may be sufficient for us and that he will make perfect his strength in our weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. The other thing wherein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities is that he worketh in our hearts certaine groanes that cannot be expressed which is a plaine opposition to drousie and sloathfull prayer for a devout prayer plus constat gemitibus quà m sermonibus it is not fine phrases and goodly sentences that commend our prayer but the fervencie of the spirit from whom it proceeds It is well if wee doe orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but if our prayers do draw out sighs and groanings from our hearts it is the better fâ—r then it appeares that our prayer is not a breath comming from the lungs but from the very depth of the heart as the Psalmist saies of his prayer De profundis out of the deepes have I cryed to thee O Lord Psal 130. What the Apostle meaneth by groanings which cannot be expressed is plaine for when the griefe of the heart is greatest then are wee least able to utter it as appeares by the Shunamite 2 Reg. 4. Notwithstanding as it was God that wakened in us the desire of good things so though we be not able to utter them in words yet hee doth heare etiam vocem in silentio There are mutae preces tamen clamantes such as are the silent prayers of Moses which he made in his heart to God though hee expressed it not in words to this God said Cur clamas ad me Exod. 14. Now as Martha was loath to serve alone and therefore would have Mary to helpe her Luk. 10. So the spirit doth not pray alone but doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beares together or helpes us whereby the Apostle gives us to understand that man must have a co-operation with Gods Spirit So we see the Saints of God albeit they acknowledge prayer to be the work of Gods Spirit in them for as much as we are not able to call Jesus Lord but by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. Yet they are not themselves idle but do adde endeavour as David Lord open thou my lips So he affirmes of himselfe I have opened my lips and drew in my breath Psal 119. But that we may have the help of Gods Spirit without which our endeavour is but vaine wee must still thinke upon our owne weaknesse and humble our selves in the sight of God as the Publican did Luk. 18. So the
Gratiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces for them in this life and Elysii campi the Elysian or pleasant fields in the life to come to the square of the paradise in the Scriptures For those that had done evill he had 3. Erinnyes Furies to punish them in this life and Tartarus Styx and Cocytus c. a place of trouble and lamentation Hell according to Tophet or Gehenna in the Scriptures Esay 30.33 Matth. 5.22 Now then for the law of Moses Object this question may be made If that they had the law written in their hearts before what need God have delivered it in tables of stone Answ Because the former law it was but in shards being whole in paradise Answ for Adams fall broke it in pieces So after these shards were broken smaller and smaller i. the light of nature grew dimmer and dimmer The fathers compare the breaking of the first table to the breaking of nature so that these shards could hardly be put together again Therefore because writing in the heart would not serve but decayed it was necessary it should be written in tables of stone and set before our eyes that they seeing it might againe be brought to their hearts Now then we are to see how it came to be thus that this first law i. the law of nature became to be dimmer and dimmer The reasons be three 1. that men did themselves what they could to blot it out Noluerunt intelligere rationem they would not understand counsell How the law of nature came to be dimmer and dimmer They had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because they had done evill and consulted with their hearts and their hearts told them they did evill they would no more consult with their hearts facti sunt homines fugitivi à corde suo They were made fugitive from their owne heart Saint Augustin saies quisque malus est fugitivus cordis sui that every wicked man was a fly-away from his owne heart Therefore it was expedient that flying from their hearts it might runne into their eyes that so they might be brought to their hearts againe unde fugerunt from whence they had fled 2. Because as Christ saith there ranne a superseminator a sower-over-againe i. The divell he was very busie to sow his tares in their hearts i. false principles as Vos ipsi agnoscite eritis dii Know ye your selves and ye shall be as Gods and such like So that this Cockle overgrew the wheate and choaked it up cleane Therefore it was good this seed should be sowne againe and so that it should not corrupt i. that it should be delivered in tables 3. The punishment of God because he would punish them with blinâ—nesse August 1. Confess 18. Lege infatigabili spargit deus poenales caecitates super illicitas cupiditates God by an infatigable law poures out penall blindnesse upon unlawfull lusts Therefore when men would not cherish their light it pleased God to send on them the spirit of giddinesse and slumber What knowledge they had anâ—edictum est is said before For their practise first in respect of God Tâ—is is a great thing that moved them to take sharpe revenge of God Whatsoever they found out or understood they attributed it to their own industry Rom. 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they professed themselves to be wise And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they became fooles not acknowledging that all came from God i. That little light they had they attributed to themselves and yet The planter is nothing nor the waterer but God that giveth the increase 2. In respect of God whereas it is sure that every actions goodnesse is from the end All their good deeds were either to an evill end or to no end at all As the Epicures would have all things to be done for pleasure the Platonists Propter praxin politicam for politicke or civill action the Stoicks Officium propter officium or propter virtutem omniaâ—non propter gratiam Dei duty for duty or all for vertue not for the glory of God But we know that officium is propter quiddam altius officio duety is for somewhat more sublime then duety namely the glory of God and God saith Gloriam me im alteri non dabo my glory will I give to no other and they robbed God of hiâ— glory 3. In respect of God Whereas God is no lesse offended with the breach of the first table then of the second yea sometimes more they set downe great punishments for adultery theft c. such offences as are committed against them but when they came to blasphemy and Gods injuries there is either no punishment or very little for they thought that it did not touch them which they should have set most by namely Gods honour 2. In regard of men 2. In respect of men For the second table the duties of parents and children men grew so unnaturall that they sacrificed their owne sonnes and daughters to divels children undutifull unto parents and they had their Corban for it that a man might neglect his duty to his parents if he bestowed a gift upon the Church For stealth it was no robbery in Sparta the law bare them out in it Tu quoque fac simile thou also doe the like For adultery they had their vagae libidines wandring lusts and their abominable feasts and stewes 3. In regard of themselves 3. In respect of themselves they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their drinkings drunkennesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drunkennesses even after they had sacrificed so much that as Augustine saith they did bibere mensuras sine mensura drinke measures without measure And it was a commendable thing among them therefore no marvell that God so plagued them with darknesse since they so abused the light therefore mans heart being an evill custos keeper of the law Ignorantia poena peccati subsecuta est Ignorantia poena peccati Ignorance a punishment of sinne ignorance the punishment of sinne followed after anâ— they cannot defend themselves si interrogentur à cogitationibus suis if their owne thoughts should accuse them Then came in Moses his law Exod. 3.18 the first tables were wholly Gods worke written with his owne finger which beareth a signe of the law of nature but after it was broken into fragments Necesse fuit legem dari quo tempâ—re dabatur It wâ—s necessary the Law should be given at that time it was given Moses made it new hewed out the stone wrote them himselfe and ever since delivered by the ministery of man It was necessary that the law should be given at that time that it was given for two respects 1. Si nunquam caruissemus if we had never wanted it we should have beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicentes boasting creatures 2. If it had beene given to all Nations Quo quis nunquam caruit â—d fibi attribuit What a man
Lord have spoken it in my zeale when I have accomplished my wrath in them Thou shalt bring thy judgement upon them and they shall know that thou art Iehovah 2. Title Thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy God This is the title of his jurisdiction to which title he hath claime in a double respect 1. Generall 2. Particular Generall Psal 148.5 6. For he spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created He hath made them fast for ever and ever he hath given them a Law which shall not be broken So this jurisdiction is over every thing as it is a creature The creatures as they have their law so we see 2 Pet. 3. vers last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To him be glory both now and for ever All the creatures have their rule from him Esay 1.2 Heare O Heavens and hearken O Earth for the Lord hath said I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me Deut. 32.1 Hearken O Heavens and I will speake and let the Earth heare my words The creatures of the Lord are called to beare witnesse against Israel that they were breakers of the Law of God But that law or jurisdiction being broken it gave occasion to the second namely the particular which is conditionall 1. God is our Iehovah by covenant Deut. 5. Heare O Israel the Lawes and Ordinances which I propose to you this day that you may learne them and take heed to observe them Audis sum Deus non audis non sum Deus hearest thou I am God hearest thou not I am not God Hereupon saith a Father Audias Deus sum ne audias Deus non sum If thou hearest I am God Ierem. 31.33 if thou dost not heare I am not God Ierem. 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my people Meum and tuum are relatives But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people He is ours and we are his so long as we keepe his Commandements Deut. 10.14 Behold Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lords thy Gods and the Earth with all that therein is 15. Yet the Lord hath set his delight in thy fathers to love them and did choose their seed after them even you above all people as appeareth this day In which words Moses telleth the children of Israel a strange thing Behold saith he the Heavens and the Heavens of Heavens is the Lords and the Earth with all therein and yet hath he separated thee from the rest even an handfull for so is the Church to make a covenant with thee And this is a marvellous strange mercy of God that when he will be described he will condescend to come into our description He rejecteth all his excellent titles that he might have of his most excellent creatures as the God of Heaven of Earth c. onely to have this his jurisdiction being so vile in nature and so wicked in our workes which is a great argument of his goodnesse to us ward Heb. 11.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now they desire a better Countrey that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City God was not ashamed to be called their God And as one saith very well Conjunxit utilitatem tuam cum gloria sua He hath joyned thy commodity with his own glory So he might better have said Conjunxit gloriam suam cum gloria tua He hath joyned his owne glory with thy glory So will that be verified Psal 144.15 Happy are the people that be in such a case yea blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God 3. Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt 3. Title c. A title from the last act he did but yet it serveth for a proofe of both the former in two points 1. By their estate in the house of thraldome Their estate was miserable they were servants in the servilest worke that could be they were put to the Furnace to make Bricke Exod. 5. They were in servitude unto their enemies yea to cruell enemies yea in servitude not to be rewarded but to be punished daily They were compelled to worke and yet they had no instrument provided for them for their worke they were faine also to gather their owne straw By his contemptible creatures that the delivery might be more strange and yet nothing of their tale of Bricke that they made before when they had their straw gathered them was diminished They had their children drowned before their eyes every day 2. The delivery with a mighty hand and stretched-out arme out of Egypt most strange in drowning Pharaoh and all his host by a most contemptible creature in the red Sea His two first titles have alwaies stood this last in respect of his last noble act it hath alwaies beene altered First after the worke of his creation he was called God the Creator of Heaven and Earth Secondly after the flood he was called Iah paean i. as was among the heathen Io paean Dominus dispersor aquarum The Lord that scatereth about commandeth the waters To the daies of Abraham 3. Genes 15.7 I am the Lord that brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to the time of Moses In his time Exod. 3.6 The God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob till the delivery out of Egypt here The Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Ierem. 16.14 When God should deliver them from the captivity of the North it is said that the other title should perish and it should be said The Lord that delivered us out of the captivity of Babylon and this lasted till the daies of Christ The last is prophecied of Ierem. c. 23. v. 6. Jehovah justitia nostra God our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 For Christ is become to us righteousnesse Gal. 1.8 The Father of Christ Now this great benefit being not full six weekes before the delivery of the law it must needs sticke greatly in their minds and now they being in the wildernesse where they were wholy to depend on the safegard of God so that in regard of Memoria recentis beneficii spe◠jamjam futuri the memory of a new received mercy and the hope of a future as also the place where they could rest nothing on themselves that was both a fit time and place to give the law in So that seeing the Law could not well be given in Egypt for they had evill will to goe thence nor in Canaan for there they murmured against God it was most fitly given here For their delivery was not that they should be
for we have no warrant that our other studies shall be sanctified unlesse this be first that shall after sanctifie the other So that it is necessary in all things For this attaining of knowledge as it must have his course so it must have a space of time and diligence withall the one without the other is nothing Time Psalm 46.10 vacate videte To attaine knowledge 1. time 2. dâ—lâ—gence must be used be still or take time and know that I am God They must be at leisure that they may know It will not be had at certaine times 1 Cor. 7.5 his counsell is to the man and wife not to come together for a time that they might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give themselves 1 Time To leave the use of the bed that they might vacate melâ—ori attend better things or be at leasure to prayer and fasting and by an argument à majore if we should abstaine from indifferent things then from other things that are not indifferent This Act. 17.21 of the Athenians howsoever other businesse fell out that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spend their time which is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be vacant to tell or heare of novelties then we may be ashamed that this hath not wrought that in us which it did in them For Diligence Augustines rule for this is strange 2 Diligence but it may be the rule till a better come Satis reputatur quis facere cum tantum facit pro Deo quantum facit pro mundo Ier. 4.22 For my people is foolish they have not knowne mee they are foolish children and have no understanding they are wise to doe evill but to doe good they have no knowledge Media cognitionis adipiscendae we then discharge our duty to God-ward when we are as industrious in his service as we are for the world If we bestowed but asmuch diligence on Gods statutes as we doe in the penall statutes of a Prince as 6. Micah 16. for the statutes of Omri are kept and all the manners of the house of Ahab ye walke in their counsels then we might come to some knowledge Jer. 4.22 if that paine that we take to doe evill and to deceive we would take to study the Law and to learne the Commandements of God he would not complaine of us as he doth that we perish for want of knowledge Now to the pointe the necessarie meanes First there is required prayer wisdome and knowledge Jam. 1.5 must be asked of God in the 8. Wisd v. 21. Solomon makes it a point of wisdome first to know how to come by wisdome c. 9. he makes his prayer to God for it as also 1. King 3.6 Solomons prayer for wisdome is set 10. v. that which is more that God tooke great pleasure to be desired it and this is the first meanes Secondly the other are set down Deut. 6.6.7.8.9 i. first that wee should bring it into the heart which is past the braine for this First thou shalt whet them i. our catechising or the first principles must be had perfectly How wee shall come by it it is set downe Rom. 10.17 an ordinary meanes hearing and repeating Talking of it which signifieth to conserre Writing and in that included reading which are fruitfull with other and alone A binding of them before our eyes and upon our hands not now used but the fathers interpret the having before the eyes Meditation which doth as it were put it before the eyes and for the binding it on their hands as in Physick there is a rule per brachium fit judicium de corde that the straints and veines come from the heart to the hand so it is in divinity by the arme is practise and exercise meant and this is to binde it on the armes it is a good way to make aconscience of the practise of that wee know Quod datur oranti quodaperitur quaerenti id exerce see that thou exercise and put in practice those gifts and graces which thy prayers have obtained of God Bernard But the contrary practising bringeth forth poenales caecitates for illicitas cupiditates penall blindnesse for unlawfull desires No knowledge to the knowledge of practise The heathen man saith that he that hath an habit of justice shall be able to say more of it then he that hath the perfect speculation of the Ethicks so the poorest man that hath practised his knowledge and is well practised in faith shall say more of the feare of God and of faith then the learnedest Doctor that hath not practised and so in all other things exercitium is signum potentiae and so signum scientiae Exercise is a signe of knowledge as well as of strentgh The signes of knowledge 3. Humility The next rule is of the signes of knowledge they are foure That is true that of the consequent the best rule is by the antecedent If feare want there can be no love if love want there can be no obedience The want of humilitie is a signe of no knowledge But specially that of humility Augustines prayer Domine Deus noverim te noverim me he adds they know not God if they know not themselves Vera scientia non facit hominem exultantem sed lamentantem True knowledge begets not pride but teares So the Heathen man saith Quod faciunt alii de aliis id ipse de se facit apud se Et inter sapiences sapientior qui humilior est That which other men would have others to doe that he exacted of himselfe And he is wiser then others that is more humble then others He that hath a conceit of himselfe can never come to knowledge 2. That which the Heathen give forth 2. Order and it is Aristotles in his Metaphysicks Scientis est ordinare he is a wise man that can order his doings to preferre eternall things before temporall c. But we doe contrarie it is a common order to put private profit against common profit and to preferre temporall things before eternall Therefore this is a signe that we have no knowledge 3. In the 1 Cor. 14.26 we must not be like those 3. Constanâ—ie 1 Cor. 15.58 that be children in knowledge that be carried away with every wind of vaine Doctrine and as Joel saith They are empty cloudes carried with the winde and like the waves carried with the tyde In our dayes there are more turning tempests by reason of the want of knowledge 4. That which was before alleadged 4. Practice No man doth against his certaine knowledge then if we knew God If wee practice not wee have but a foolish knowledge our actions would witnesse it If our knowledge were in heavenly things as it is in sensible we would not do against it but now we have but a pretie opinion in Divinity and therefore it doth not stay us 5. Lastly That we hinder not knowledge in others whether it
faith then of a perfect 4. A good faith estabisheth it selfe by the works of the law if it bee not a working faith it is cadaver fidei but the carcasse of faith But the fourth is that which is Rom. 3.31 a signe also of the faith of the Law a signe of a naughty faith if it make voyd the Law true faith doth establish the Law first if it be a faith that doth not strengthen it selfe 2. Pet. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things yee shall never fall For if it doe not then Jam. 2.26 it is putridum cadaver a rotten carcasse Faith is an action proper to the mind and not faith That which is Rom. 10.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that a man beleeveth with his heart wee know that it belongeth to the mind and so in Deut. 6.5 wee must love God with the mind but that is not proper to the mind If it bee once in the heart it will come out and shew it selfe it speech in actions c. but to the heart yet if it come not into the heart and kindle it also from whence Prov. 4.23 come the springs of life and all the actions and opinions of a man there shall be no action and consequently no true faith If the heart be once possessed then 2 Cor. 4.13 wee shall beleeve and therefore wee must needs speake Psal 116.10 I beleeved therefore will I speake and as it is Psal 35.10 not only the tongue shall speake but all the bones i.e. every member that wee have Psal 10. All my bones shall say Lord who is like thee The physitions have a saying that judicium à corde fit per brachium the hart will give a pulse to every part by the veines but it may be sensibly perceived by the arme and by that pulse they know the disease of the heart they use a remedy for the diseases of the heart so in the Gospell it hath a present remedie so if faith be once in the heart it will spread it selfe throughout the whole man but it doth especially declare it selfe by the arme id est in the operations and working of it and this is not by little and little or seven yeares after but as it is commonly said when any beleeved in Christ cadem horâ sanatus est he was made whole the same houre This faith must appeare in life and not in death only for so every man even the wicked will crust in God in death because he 〈◊〉 not otherwise choose Esa 66.8 Who hath heard such a thing who hath seene such things shall the earth be brought forth in one day or shall a nation be borne at once for as soone as Sion travailed shee brought forth her children the Prophet he wondreth at it yet that is the signe of true faith therefore nothing like to them that have not the fruits of their faith seene till they die for then they must trust in God whether they will or no not all their life they will not but at their death but then there is no remedy yet it is not said in the Scriptures that justus moritur ex side but vivit ex fide the just man dieth but the just man lives by faith his faith must live and not die I will not pray with Balaam let my soule die with the righteous I will rather pray the contrary and it is the duty of a Christian so to pray Let my soule live with the faithfull For the sixt precept of the affirmative 6. Rule our aâ—â—na coÌ„muÌ„â—â—atio fide to coÌ„municate our faith to others There is no mercy to be shewed to any of these wee are willed to entangle others with the meanes and use them to others profit as well as to our owne this sixt precept of the affirmative the Apostle Paul observeth Rom. 1.11.12 he desireth though strong in faith that he might be strengthened and comforted by their faith as on the other side the contrary is not only forbidden but a punishment also injoyned Deut. 13. If any intice thee to follow strange Gods if he be a Prophet if he be thy brother if he be a dreamer of dreames if thine owne sonne or thy daughter or thy wife or thy friend thou art commanded not to consent to him nor pitie him nor shew mercy but shalt put them all to the sword and he that is seduced his hand shall be first on the seducer And doing thus in extending thus our faith to the good of others wee shall receive the end of our faith the salvation of our soules Credâ—ndo quod non videmus videbimus quod non videmuâ—-Timor Dei the feare of God Faith never accepted with God before it come into the heart it comes thither if we stirre up the affections Cor sedes affectionum the heart is the fear of the affections When it cometh into the heart it stirreth Species affectionum in cor de nostro the severall affections of the heart 1. Pet. 1.9 and shall receive this answer with the Centurion Mat. 8.13 Vade secundum fidem tuam fiet tibi goe thy way and as thou hast beleeved so be it done unto thee this Gods answer will be to us merces fidei est visio Dei the reward of faith is the vision of God for in rebus supra naturam idem est videre habere in supernaturall things to see and enjoy is all one so wee shall have him credendo quod non videmus videbimus quod credimus by beleeving what wee see not wee shall at length see what now wee beleeve And thus of the duty of the minde Now to the worship of the heart Rom. 10.10 it is said that faith must come into the heart and the heart must beleeve els there can be no righteousnesse For there must be a mutuall affection of the mind and the heart for if the heart love not the minde will not long beleeve and if the minde beleeve not the heart will not love long Now the heart is the place of affections and being the place of affections wee shall know that it commeth into the heart if it stirre up the affections that are in that part to the worship of God The affections are partly such as are agreeable to our nature and such as wee wish for partly such as wee wish to be farre from us of the former kind are love hope joy c. of the other seare griefe hatred Finis usus affectionum in corde the end and use of the affections in the heart God hath ordained them both to a double use for griefe hatred feare and those that are of the two sorts are first either reines to keepe us from evill or secondly after evill committed they are our tormentors to punish us So of the other three are two
still Such is our nature and in Saul our nature bewraieth it selfe so then we see the coherence To apply it to the glory of God the common saying is Every man is delighted with that especially in the which he exceeds other and because we know that gnalpanai is a thing that God excelleth all other in for he only is a searcher of the heart therefore 't is that God delighteth so much in this Another and two more they are both Prov. 4.23 the wise mans counsell is to looke to our heart especially there is his reason because from thence commeth life and all the faculties of soule and body that is a cause containing a double reason 1. because it is the principall member therefore it must principally give glory to God 2. If it be corrupt there will be no glory by the fountaines The necessity appeareth in this that al those glorious duties before handled take them and remove them from this they are not onely not accepted before God but an abomination before his eyes therefore if our beliefe must be acceptable to him Rom. 10.10 it must come from the heart if our prayer 2 Tim. 2.22 it must come from the heart if our love 1 Iohn 3.18 it must be in word and in truth which is from the heart so likewise our obedience must be from the heart Rom. 6.17 and to conclude whatsoever we doe we must doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the heart Col. 3.23 Mandatum Inward soundnesse against inward hallownesse sincerity against mingling That which is commanded it is called by the Fathers virius integritatis the vertue of integrity they ground it on Gen. 17.1 when he beginneth the covenant of circumcision Ambula coram me walk before me what is that that is esto integer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thou perfect you shall finde it commonly used with another word as in Iob 1.1 that Iob was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they properly sound thus streight and sound the nature of the words is taken from timber in which there must be streightnesse that it be not crooked that is coram facie humana and soundnesse that it be not hollow that is coram facie divina this is for God the other man may see Luke 8.15 Christ expresseth them under these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honest and good heart Nazianzen speaking of that place in the person of God saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give me the pithâ— and not that onely but streightnesse is required without too so that without and within we must be such as is required in good timber In Exod. 25.11 37.2 all his embroydering and workes they were both foris intus without and within but for the distinguishing other Kings daughters from the Kings daughter i. the Church Psal 45.14 it is said there that her beauty is specially within for the outward beauty may be counterfeit and represented by them that are not of the Church but the inward beauty is required and that is it that admitteth no hypocrisie The defect hypocrisie That which is forbidden there is forbidden here the fault of the Pharisees Matth. 23.26 whose fashion was to make cleane the out-side of the cup quod intus autem est non curare and never regard the in-side and we see hypocrisie is the sinne of seven woes more then ever any sinne had Excessus when a man is simple without wisdome The other extreme is as in Hoseah 7.11 i. soundnesse and plainnesse the Prophet calleth it columba sine corde a Dove without a heart Matth. 10.16 Christ cals it columba sine serpenie the Dove without the Serpent It is of one that is as we reade Prov. 29.11 powring out his spirit without any manner of wisdome and discretion before every man our integrity it must be preserved with wisdome The Meanes Media Where we are commanded a good thing there is also the meanes of it commanded 1. Senecaes counsell to Lucillius for he desired integrity was that whatsoever hetooke in hand he should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other of the ancient Romanes renowned for this vertue to stand before him and it is a good meanes we have in Psal 16.8 of the same kinde but it farre better exceeds that Let a man as the Prophet there saith say I have set the Lord alwayes before mine eyes i. imagining that whatsoever he doth he is in the presence of God And if that will not move him then that in Rom. 2.16 possibly will if he set not God onely absolutely but as he sitteth when all hearts and the secrets of man shall be opened i. the adding to God the day of judgement Preac 12. the last vers Every thing though it be never so secret shall come into judgement 2. Another is Ephes 6.6 and it may be a forcible reason if this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-service satisfie not God no not to our earthly masters if God will not allow that for currant to men but will have it done even to them in singlenesse of heart surely this may be a sufficient argument to perswade us that he will much more exact it of us for himselfe 3. The last is the dealing of Christ with us for the integrity of our heart for he yeelded the integrity of his heart to us he suffered it to be ripped and pierced therefore it is reason that we should yeeld up the integrity of ours to him Bernard Iuste cor nostrum vendicat qui suum pro nostro dedit he justly challengeth our hearts that hath given his owne for ours he thought not his hands and feete c. enough i. when he had given all his members beside he thought not himselfe that he had given enough to us except he had given his heart too therefore it is not our hands and our feete that can requite it for they cannot make recompence for his hands and his feete but the integrity of the heart also is to be yeelded The Signes Nilconsâ—ire sili nulla pallescere culpa hic murus aheneus esto 1. You shall know it by that of the Heathen man you shall know a sound heart by a wall of brasse about it it is so full of courage as we see what Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.3 Mihi pro minimo est at a vobis judicer with me it is a small thing that I should be judged of you i. that the soundnesse of the heart it is it that will put courage to the heart if he be not conscius mali conscious of evill as that all the strength in the world cannot appall it Contra if we want a sound heart our courage will fall We have examples of both Mar. 6.18 Iohns courage in a good cause and in an heart accordingly affected was exalted even above the Majesty of a Prince contra where the heart was false in Peter Mar. 14.66 69. we see two silly maids outcountenanced him and he is faine to cast himselfe
to a third point that they will have a remembrance of the Sacraments this is a new question that is for the Sacraments themselves we must come to this they are no better then the Angels therefore since the Angels have refused as the Angel Revel 22.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore it must be restrained from men And Augustine on Psal 96. saith of this very well Si audirent angelos discerent ab illis non adorare angelos And we must remember the second signes of feigned worship Col. 2.18 they have Speciem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shew of lowlinesse but will at length beguile us of our reward Thus much of the continuance of it with the other and for the delivery of it from error The affirmative part The latter part of Exodus after that Moses went up into the Mount containeth the first part of this Commandement that is the manner of Gods outward worship And Leviticus containeth the second part that is how we ought to behave our selves in this worship And as the first Commandement must have Internum honorem internam laudem so this second Commandement must have Externum honorem and the third Externam laudem in word So that Honour whether it be signo or facto is the thing commanded The honour of the signe in Tishtacaveh in bowing downe of the deed in the word Servies Mat. 5.15 A candle is not lighted to be put under a bushell the maxime the Fathers have gathered thence is this Bono debetur manifestatio for candles that have bonum lucis are not to be thrust sub malo tenebrarum so that our candle must be put on a candlestick to bee made knowne This is Gods will that if we have the candle light in our soule and heart that is the internall worship we must set it on a candlestick that is we must bring it forth and shew it by outward worship it must not be a chamber godlinesse 2. We know that in copulativis utrumque faciendum est therefore we must next joyne that 1 Cor. 6.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must glorifie him also with our bodies glory being nothing else but a conspicuousnesse and enlarging of honour and praise as to glorifie is to honour and praise externally therefore it containeth honour in it Then this is requred that God be honoured both outwardly and inwardly therefore he must be honoured as well with our bodyes as with our soules and the Devill knowing that God requireth both doth therefore require the one but the bowing of the body of Christ Matthew 4. because hee knew that if God have not the Copulative body and spirit hee will have neither of both The third is Levit. 26.28 and Eccles 4.17 or as it is in some Bookes 5.1 in his Sanctuary in times and places of religious exercises wee must observe Utrumque pedem if wee must have a care of our lowest parts much more of our eares and hearts This externus honor is either signi or sacti For Tishtakebeh the signes be two as the Apostle proveth Christs humility by these two signes Phil. 2.7 8. the first is to empty our selves and deponere magnificientam nostram as it is called in the wisedome of men so he being equall to God made himselfe empty of that magnificence and gave the whole honour to God For the magnificence of our selves is in reason and will now if we can be content though our reason shew us good reason yet to submit it to the reason of God and our will to his will so outward worship and magnificence Job 19.9 he hath spoyled me of mine honour and taken the crowne away from my head then to take our crownes the best things that we have and our glory and to cast it at his feet with the Elders Reve. 4.10 is this signum So did David put off his Robes 2 Sam. 6.22 and tooke the Ephod and was contemptible in the sight of Michall but hee said it was his duty to be vile in the service of God So nudatio capitis 1 Cor. 11.14 For pileo donari was a signe of honour and peculiar to Free-men It was the magnificence of the head for ever after si cepisset pileum he became free Which signe if he laid aside he was said deponere magnificentiam and it is the signe of a servant when he honoureth his Master and it is that the Apostle urgeth men should use at Prayers and Prophecying Secondly the other is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humiliare to make us neare to the ground First into this falleth Tishtacaveh when we make that that is highest in us nearer to the ground this humiliation did the Devill require of Christ God makes it a signe of his true worship 1 Kings 19.18 in the seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal outwardly And Esay 2.9 this is his quarrell against them because there was a carved Image and a man bowed himselfe to it so the contrary is condemned and plagued 2. For honour facti that is service wee have two parts set downe Mat. 8.9 in the Centurions servant and commended of Christ First I say to one Goe and he goeth Come and he commeth that is to be at commandement The second is Doe this and he doth it that is to doe his worke In these two respects Christ will say to some in the day of judgement Nescio vos But how can or shall he say so but as a Master to his servants or a King to his Subjects but onely as they come into his jurisdiction and then this Nescio vos shall be pronounced either to those which never came to his house of Prayer or come of evill will not to doe his worke and so either they have nothing enjoyned them or hearing of him he is not made knowne to them nor have any part with him The one is of not being present the other not doing the Masters businesse Gen. 22.1 God calling Abraham he presently answereth Ecce ego This is that that God requireth we must be present at his assemblies David Psal 84.4 setteth downe his affection in himselfe that before he was called he had a great longing to goe into the Lords house When he is called then you know what Christ saith of himselfe Psal 40.7 Then said I Loe I come the same readinesse ought to be in us Wisedome Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and yee refused therefore I will take pleasure in your destruction So they that refuse to come being invited Mat. 22.8 are pronounced unworthy The manner of comming Pro. 8.17 it must be mature and vers 34. quotidie earely and dayly to waite at his doore and so shew our selves desirous to be called For service Luke 17.8 the property of a servant is to doe his Masters worke and so as he preferreth his Masters worke before his owne that is his Masters worke shall be done first and then his owne And Gen. 24. we see the practice of it in Abrahams
the Law that is of every worke commanded in the Law and all is for the prohibition of externall violence For doe the Minister what he can some will use violence Judges 17.6 No King in Israel and then every man did what was good in his owne eyes explained in this Chapter in Micha's attempt cap. 18. in the dealing of the Tribe of Dan and cap. 19. of the Tribe of Benjamin Therefore for the prohibition of these externall injuries he must be custos utriusque tabulae observe and keep both the tables Augustine lib. 3. contra Crescon Gram In hoc sciant reges a Deopraecipi ut Deo inserviant in quantum c. they are to governe according to the adaequate rule which God hath prescribed and not to meddle so farre as to doe all for and to themselves 2 Chron. 26.6 Ozias tooke on him a supremacy and 2 Chron. 29.8 Hezechias taketh on him a supremacy he will order things to himselfe The former as a King of late did whatsoever he purposed it should be good Divinity Now Hezechias he claimeth one and rightly but he looketh but for the provision of Religion it is only to see the Altars downe The primacie that a Christian Prince should have he medleth not with the action And this is all the primacie that a Christian Prince ought to have This care they must have to see Religion provided for 1 Kings 15.14 But they put not downe the high places never the lesse Asa his heart was right c. 2 Kings 18.4 Hezekias tooke away the high places c. he did prohibere quod attinet ad divinam religionem for providing of true Religion Under this is that Compulsion Compulsion Luke 14.23 to come to the service of God as he saith to the servant Compell them to come in c. Augusline contra petil he was resolute at first that no man should die or be troubled for Religion but after he changed his minde There must be soris necessitas a necessity from without that there may be intus voluntas a willingnesse within As there were diverse Donatists that being compelled and turned to Christs Religion thanked the Emperour for compelling them Therefore let the Papists sit at Sermons and so this outward compulsion belongeth to the King and is one part of his duty Because the people were Gods instruments to choose him therefore that he in love and care for them 1 Sam. 15.2 as he is made their head and as the head provideth for the body so he ought pascere eos like their Pastor to provide for them and feed them One of the Fathers on Hosea 7.5 where it is said there was a company of Wasters at the Table and them he fed till they were sick that same is pascere histriones canes but not subditos to feed a company of Players and Hounds and not his subjects but his own belly is the distruction of all In 1 Sam. 8.11 is the true description of a Tyrant Descriptio tyranni he holds opinion that all were borne to be his Drudges Pages Horse-keepers c. Pro. 28.16 A foolish King is a great oppressour the reason is because he is onely given to sensible things to pleasures c. So they are given to oppresse as did Salomon Then are they as Zeph. 3.3 Lupi vespertini evening Wolves they gnaw every one so neere that he that comes in the morning shall get nothing The Heathen say that Aristides wished that either his houshold were the Common-wealth or contra the Common-wealth his Houshold because indeed he regarded that onely Examples in Scripture Jos 19.24 Our Rulers and Governours will choose first but Joshuah made division for every Tribe and at last he desired but a small portion to himselfe and was served last Nehe. 5.28 a notable example he did not as the former Rulers nor as he might The rulers before took forty shekels of the people he for his part from the 20. to the 32. yeare of Artaxerxes for twelve yeares took not that he might And besides there were 150. Jewes and Rulers at his table In this Provision 2 Chron. 7.9 they must begin at the soule first Jehosaphat sent Preachers into all the Cities of Judah ver 7. and that our soules may be provided for The Princes chiefest care must be of Religion 1 Sam. 19.18 there must be looking to Naioth for from thence Preachers are sent into Israel Then secondly to the body here he must have a care too as Pharaoh Gen. 41.49 to lay up corne for scarcitie and see that there be plenty 2 Chron. 9.41 sending shippes abroad for forraigne commodities and for inward lacks Provide Judges 2. Chron. 19.5 Jehosophat set Judges c. And not onely that but for outward He must see there be souldiers 2 Chron. 17.2 Garrisons put in Judah and in the Cities of Ephraim which Asa his Father had taken 2. Duty of the people 2. The peoples duty answering to these That they be not breaking into Gods right Pro. 24.21 that they be not seditious or disobedient to the Prince or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quarrell about trisies There be diverse shires and incorporations in this Land by themselves and there is over every one of them Magistrates and Justices but there is but one Politia under the Prince So the Princes and Kings of the earth are but as Justices of Peace in severall Shires there is but one cheife over all God Now if one of these should goe and rebell against the Prince and should say I am set over you you must obey me he is a Rebell both to Prince and God therefore if I hearken to him I rebell with him In regard of their care over us if they take that order that God hath done Rom. 8.28 that bonis omnia bona that all things may goe well with them that are good and honest wee must obey them And in regard of their care over us it is not a giving but a rendring Mat. 22.21 he saith not date but reddite And by the rules of justice we know that cuique reddendum est quod suum est we must restore to every man his owne We have in our hands some thing of theirs Augustine Non illicita quaedam requirit dum requirit quae sua sunt it is no unjust demand for a man to demand what is his owne Christ though he was Caesaris conditor Caesars maker yet Caesari censum retribuit he payd tribute to Caesar having some thing to render being borne under his jurisdiction and living as a man They keepe tillage safe therefore they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribute for Lands and because they keep the Sea safe therefore they have vectigall custome and censum and besides Nehem. 5.15 that which he calleth the Governours bread donarium called canon regis or regni And then indiction in time of necessity and in Warres his Oblation and his Subsidies 1. Kings 11. 3. Duty of
concubine which is not a common strumpet but a concubine or else there is not this continuall keeping and then the party if she be a Virgin or a Widow it is sluprum devirgination especially in Virgins or if she be common it is fornication properly though that be given to all Beyond these this act is either once committed onely or often iterated then it is luxuria luxury for distinction he is a whoremonger that setteth after evill or that which is beyond this as Gen. 18. clamor Sodomitarum the cry of Sodome so clamor adulterii the cry of adultery of them that impudently dare defend it as if casse and Artimeas should stand in defence of it And last of all permission whether it be of private men for his daughter or wife or any of his kinsfolke and that is Prostitution Or publike in the Magistrate in suffering and tolerating Stewes as Rome doth now adayes The reason why adultery ought to be odious to every man and is so to God 1. Of all sinnes it is most brutish and that maketh a man to come next to the condition of a beast making us to lose the excellencie and nobility of our nature Ier. 5.8 like to equi admissarii adhinnientes like fed horses neighing Prov. 7.22 he followeth her straightwayes like an Oxe to the slaughter or as a foole to the stockes for correction Deut. 23.18 Thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore nor the price of a Dogge into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow c. The learned in this place compare an Harlot to a Bitch that many Dogs runne after 2. This hath a kind of dependancie on the first but yet hath a peculiar consideration There is no sin wherein the light of mans reason is so much extinguished nor that doth put it so much besides the preheminence that it hath over the affections of the minde Hose 4.11 aufert cor it taketh away the heart Eph. 4.18.19 By this the judgement of the Heathen men were darkened and their hearts hardened and whatsoever blindnesse came upon them was ascribed to this It is one of the Epithets they give to Venus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venus blindes the soule We have experience of it in Solomon we see what a sottishnesse hee grew into after this that he would fall downe to every blocke and stocke David by this fell to murther and to cover one inquity with another And it is just it should be so For the light of our actions being from God and our anoynting comming ab unctione Dei from the anointing of God as Nazianzen saith he will not commit his oyntment to such a stinking boxe for they doe nothing but cast downe and trample the Pearles of Gods Grace under their feete Matth. 7.6 3. Cyprians Of all sinnes this is most without excuse it hath not a colour other sinnes may get them a visor For God hath ordained a remedy for this affection 1 Cor. 7.2 Marriage the remedy he that will not use it is inexcusable 4. God having made marriage a holy institution and a holy resemblance of Christ and his Church it is a manifest contempt of his ordinance And also whereas God hath set to this act of marriage a promise of the increasing of mankinde contrary to this Hose 4.10 There shall be no increase to this and so by this meanes they destroy all mankinde as much as in them lieth This Sacrilegi nuptiarum the sacriligious robbers of wedlocke as Constant calleth them well and delinquentes in genus humanum trespassers against mankinde that they take away the resemblance of Christs Church and besides the world should fare the worse for them 5. Saint Pauls 1 Cor. 6.18 This is even against a mans owne body and by the pollution of it Iude. 13. they doe some out their owne shame Physitians say it is an enemy to the life of man It is one of the speciall causes that preserveth a mans life the preserving of genitalis humor the genitall humour and there is nothing that breedeth a more debility to the vegetative faculty It is a shortning of life and bringeth upon a man rotten diseases Num. 5.27 and so two wayes he is injurious to his owne body 6. It is injurious to Christ two wayes 1. In that he having paid a price for him he alienateth that which is not his owne as if a man should pull downe another mans house without any right nay palatium regis the Palace of the King Chrysostome 2. He also being a Christian doth as much as he can make his head a member of the body of an Harlot uniting himselfe to her 7. This is particular to this alone In any other sinne a man may perire solus perish alone but in this he must have one to perish with him for company So he is also injurious to the state of his brethren 8. The punishment allotted to it 1. That it should be a punishment it selfe Prov. 22.14 God will not suffer any to fall into it but onely those that he hateth and whom it hath pleased him to ordaine to punishment Prov. 6.33 It is maxime probrosum peccatum infamous And in regard of spirituall deformity Prov. 16.20 It will bring him to beggery Iob. 31.2 It shall be a fire to pursue him and his house to utter destruction And beyond all these Rom. 1.24 whereas every punishment should exceed that whereof it is a punishment it is said that these uncleane passions were brought upon the world as a punishment for idolatry and 1 Cor. 7.12 13. if any will dwell with an idolater she may but not with an adulterer and in vers 14. that the children of an idolater are holy but the children of an adulterer are profane and not holy By this we may in part weigh what accompt God maketh of the heynousnesse of this sinne Suppuratio adulterii Now for the vapour the poysoning of our nature the first motus ascendenies cogitationes motions and thoughts that arise we will leave them to the tenth Commandement onely we will meddle here with Suppuratio the festering of it The Apostle calleth it 1 Cor. 7.9 uri to burne Hose 7.4 when a mans soule is like a Bakers Oven then it is a signe that the sparke hath beene blowne where there is so great a fire Prov. 23.33 of this sinne cor ejus loquitur perversa and his heart speaketh perverse things Outwardly he saith nothing but inwardly his heart speaketh perversely Aug. Ego enim Domine saepe taceo cum cogitationes meae non tacent O Lord I hold my peace when yet my thoughts are not silent And so the Oven waxeth hotter and hotter and then is consensus consent Or when he saith utinam would to God Qui facturus est malum jam fecit he that goeth about a wicked action hath already acted it in his heart This is the cordiall passion that is to be striven against Come to the Subactum solum to the