borne of all sorts of cattell as of Beeues of Sheep of Goats as also the prices of the rest according to the Priests estimation Ezek. 44 30. Neh. 10 36. Likewise they had the first borne of men redeemed at a certaine price to wit at fiue shekels a man Fourthly there was appropriated vnto theÌ„ the first fruites of wine of oyle of wooll of corne and of their dough Numb 18 13. Deut. 18 4. Nehe. 10 35. Fiftly he had all the oblations and vowes and whatsoeuer was dedicated vnto God and separated from the common vse Numb 18 8. Ezek. 44 29 30. Sixtly the meat offerings the sin offerings the trespasse offerings the heaue offerings and the shake offerings and the shew-bread Numb 18 9 11. Leuit. 24 verse 9. Mat. 12 5. Seuenthly the aboundance and multitude of the sacrifices yeelded vnto them a great alowance of the peace offerings they had the brest and the shoulder of others they had more of euery sacrifice they had somewhat Numb 18 18. Leuit. 7 31 32 34. Deut. 18 3. Leuit. 7 8. Eightly all the males were to appeare thrice a yeare before the Lord Exod. 23 15 and 34 20 but none were to appeare empty before him Ninthly if any man had defrauded his neighbour and purloined his goods from him and he haue no kinsman to recompence the trespasse vnto the trespasse is to be recompenced to the Lord euen to the Priest Numb 5 8. The dooer of wrong is not to retaine it but it shall remaine to the Priests vse in case the owner be dead and haue left no kinesman behinde him Lastly all these former duties were to be paid in kinde if any desired to redeeme them he must pay not after his owne pleasure or price but according to the Priests valuation and must adde a fift part thereunto if any part or parcell were detained Leuit. 5 15 16 he was to bring a Ramme for an offering to make good that which he withheld as an ouerplus to adde a fift part thereunto Wherefore all things being duely considered the maintenance of the Priests and Leuites was both liberall and honourable Liberall in regard of quantity and quality Honourable in respect of the manner inasmuch as they were commanded to bring their offerings or gifts into the Temple Philo de honor Sacerd. that from thence they might receiue theÌ„ as from the hands of God himselfe lest the people when they brought any of their duties should vpbraid the Priest as if he were beholden vnto them This is the fashion and corrupt course of many vnthankfull wretches in these our daies that plead for nothing but for their backes and bellies and coffers that care not whether religion goe forward or backward that hit the Ministers in the teeth with their paiments and liberality toward them thinke they liue an easie and pleasant life by the sweat of other mens browes So then seeing the Ministers vnder the law that serued at the Altar had such meanes of maintenance that they might giue themselues wholly to holy things much more ought the Ministers of God in the time of the Gospel to be well prouided for For as their office is greater so the reward of their labours should be better Our Sauiour teacheth Math. 11 verse 11. that he which is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then Iohn and the Prophets that is the Ministers of the Gospel haue receiued an higher calling then all that went before them and therefore there ought not to be a lower respect had vnto them God therefore would haue them well maintained as not pompously so not poorely as not wallowing in superfluity so not wanting through necessity They must be releeued bountifully not liue beggerly liberally not sparingly or pinchingly to the end they attend and imploy themselues in the duties of their callings and not to be driuen or distracted from them through penury The Apostle pointeth vnto this in the Epistle to the Galatians ch 6 v. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate vnto him that teacheth in all good things And in the 9. chapter verse 7 of the former Epistle to the Corinthians he confirmeth this truth at large Who goeth a warfare at his owne cost Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not the fruite of it c. The Ministers are the Captaines or Colonels of the Lords host they are the planters of his vineyard they are the shepheards of his flocke and therefore ought to haue maintenance from the Church 1 Cor 9 9 10. Secondly it were a kinde of wrong and iniustice to muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne 1 Tim. 5 11 the calling of the Minister is laborious they are the Lords ploughmen seedmen and haruest-men His ploughmen to plough vp the ground of mens hearts Ier. 4 3 4 to harrow them and as it were to fashion them anew that so they may be fitted to bring foorth fruite when all thornes and thistles are grubbed vp and remoued His seed-men to sowe the precious and immortall seed of the word in their hearts whereby they are regenerated and borne anew Luke 8 verse 11. 1 Pet. 1 verse 23. His haruest-men to gather his corne into his barne that the sonnes and daughters of almighty God may haue the food of life broken vnto them and not perish through famine Thirdly the Minister communicateth spirituall things vnto the people which are of much more value then all temporal and earthly things Hence it is that the Apostle saith Is it then a great matter if we reape your carnall things As if he should say 1 Cor. 9 11. If we bestow vppon you the greater we may well receiue the lesser things not as a beneuolence but as a recompence albeit no sufficient compensation of our labours can be bestowed vpon vs forasmuch as they owe vnto vs euen themselues as Paul speaketh to Philemon Fourthly as the Leuiticall Priests for their seruice in the Sanctuary had a large and liberall maintenance so ought the Ministers of the Gospel They which minister about the holy things liue of the things of the Temple D. Downâ—â— in his serâ—â—â— of the digâ—â—â— and duty of the Minister and they which waite at the Altar are partakers with the Altar euen so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel 1 Corinth 9 verse 13 14. This condemneth the couetous practises and niggardly dealings of worldly minded men toward the Ministers who account them that attend vpon this calling vnworthy any allowance as being in their foolish opinion and diuellish conceit an idle and needlesse and fruitlesse function These men are of so wretched and corrupt consciences and so voide of the feare of God and man that whatsoeuer they can cunningly purloyne and fraudulently conuey away from them they thinke it well gotten and gained But let these men know and lay it vp in their hearts and apply
seruants of corruption but the Lords freemen Let them reioyce and bee glad because their names are written in heauen Christ willeth the seuenty Disciples to reioyce in this and not so much that the diuels were subdued vnto them Luke 10. so ought it to be with vs we should finde no ioy or coÌ„fort in our riches treasures and in our store and aboundance of earthly things in comparison of those vnspeakable benefits which we receiue from Christ and enioy by Christ If we had all things without him they might delight the eye and outward man but they could not comfort the heart nor refresh the weary soule Math. 16 26. For what is a man profited if hee shall gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man giue in exchange for his soule Let vs then learne heereby what true comfort is and wherein it consisteth there is no comfort without Christ he is the substance of the Gospel and there is no glad tydings can come to the soule where he is not Verses 9 10. And euery offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel which they bring vnto the Priest shall bee his euery mans hallowed things c. In these last words of this diuision we haue the application or conclusion of the former law amplified by an argument of the like God had appointed in his Law that the Priests should receiue the oblations and hallowed things to sustaine them Leuit. 10 12. Now euen as these things belong vnto them so God appointeth that such things as are stollen and haue no owner or heire aliue shall be brought to them in case the persons be dead or not knowne to whom they might of right belong Thus doth God prouide for the maintenance of them that serued him We learne from hence that the Ministers of the Church that labour therein Doctrine The Miniâ—â—â— of the châ—â—â— ought to be maintained ought to be maintained of the Church I will not handle in this place whether tithes be due by a diuine right or not but rather come to the equity of it that in the time of the Gospel the Pastours of the Church ought to liue of the Gospel For if in time of the Law the Priests that serued at the Altar had a plentifull allowance as it were a liberall dyet as wee haue shewed before forasmuch as they had benefit by the sacrifices and oblations by first fruites and tenths and such like then it followeth necessarily that the Ministers of the new Testament should haue also a good reward and recompence for their paines and labours And it followeth not by equall comparison but from the lesse to the greater seeing their office is greater the least in the kingdom of heauen being greater then Iohn Baptist Math. 11.11 and therefore the hire of their labor ought not to be lesse To this purpose speaketh the Lord by the ministery of Moses in many places of the Law In the booke of Genesis wheÌ„ Abraham returned from the slaughter of the Kings Gen. 14. â—â— Heb. 7 4 he gaue him tithes of all the spoiles that he had taken in warre God had dispersed the Leuites among all the Tribes and assigned theÌ„ Cities to inhabite in all their quarters to the intent that sound doctrine should be taught throughout the whole Country They had no inheritance alotted and assigned vnto them God promiseth to become their portion and therefore the people ought not to defraud them Deut 12 12. The Leuite was euer to be with them that was within their gates He assigned also to Aaron and his sonnes a worthy portion so that none that serued at the Altar had any want To this purpose the Apostle speaketh to the Galatians chapter 6 verse 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate vnto him that teacheth in all good things This precept the Apostle giueth to them that are taught toward their teachers wherein he layeth downe these particulars first that the Ministers are to be maintained Secondly they are to be prouided for at the costs and charges of the Churches Thirdly that they are to be sustained honestly liberally and bountifully to the end the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne might appeare not to be muzled The elders that rule wel ought to haue double honour giuen vnto them 1. Tim. 5.18 Not that all ought to be giuen into the Ministers hands that they should abound and others want that they should liue richly or riotously others beggerly as hypocrites dealt among the Pharisies and as it is now in the Church of Rome where they deuoure widows houses and vnder a colour of this commandement haue drawne dry the treasures of Princes and eaten vp the fatte of the land as their Abbies and Monasteries euery where testifie so that they haue builded them pallaces and castles like Princes of the spoiles of other men but the Apostles meaning is that they ought to haue an honest pension and contribution giuen vnto them not abounding in superfluity but contenting themselues with a sufficiency according to the rule of the Apostle Hauing food and rayment let them bee content Reason 1 This trueth is farther confirmed vnto vs by the force of reasons as it were by strong cordes that cannot be broken First the Apostle writing to the Corinthians handleth this argument at large where he setteth downe sundry similitudes which serue fitly and notably to illustrate the same as it were so many lights brought forth to open and discouer the nature of things that are darke and doubtfull The souldier that goeth forth to battell â—or 9.7 fighteth not at his owne costs but hath his pay and wages of his Captaine that hath called him The Planter that planteth trees eateth of the labour of his hands and tasteth of the fruit of the things he hath set and grafted The Shepheard that feedeth a flocke eateth of the milke of the flocke The sower that goeth out to sow reapeth that which he hath sowed and gathereth it into the barne The Ministers of the Gospel are the Lords souldiers to fight his battels against sinne and Satan by the two-edged sword of the word they are the chariots and horsemen of Israel King 2.12 â— 13.14 they plant as gardiners they sow as husbandmen they feed as sheepheards and therefore they all ought to haue a recompense for their labours and maintenance for their persons answerable or agreeable to the worke that is in their hands Reason 2 Secondly such as are taught and instructed by the Ministers are debters vnto them All honest men are bound to pay their debtes or else they are no better then theeues There is a mutuall band and coniunction betweene the Minister and the people and either of them oweth a necessary duty vnto the other It is a part of naturall equity that when we haue receiued a benefit we should recompence our benefactors They that haue receiued much are bound to
of Moab had deuised and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him that ye may know the righteousnesse of the Lord. Wee haue heard what great preparations were made what charges the King defrayed to bring his purpose to passe and yet preuaileth nothing against the Israelites his onely refuge was patience a cold comfort to rest in his onely reuenge was complaint a weake weapon to fight withall Wee haue heard of Balaams comming to curse the people of his diuinations sacrifices and prophecies his chiefest wages was the Kings wrath a cold contentment his highest honour whereto he was aduanced was to take his heeles and be gone a poore preferment Thus much of the order obserued in these words Touching the doctrines that arise from this diuision wee haue already handled at large such as are heere offered to our considerations When Balaam speaking of great afflictions that shall fall vpon sundry places and people sayth That GOD shall doe this chapter 21 verse 6. he teacheth that GOD is author of all chastenings and punishments there is no euill in the city which hee hath not done Besides hee declareth that GOD rayseth vp one euill man to scourge another chapter 21 verse 25. Lastly hee setteth downe the manner of Gods punishments to be proportionable and answerable to the offences and dealing of men chapter 24 verse 20. GOD punisheth in the same kinde as man sinneth They that tooke away the Empire from others haue the Empire taken from themselues GOD dealt with them as they had dealt with others and caused them to perish with the sword that drew the sword vpon others Now let vs proceede to the handling of other doctrines which may be gathered from hence Verse 14. The shippes also shall come from the coastes of Chittim and subdue Ashur and shall subdue Eber and he also shall come to destruction In these words as we haue declared in setting downe the method and meaning of them Balaam prophesieth of the rising and falling of great Princes and Empires They had their heads lifted vpon high and were aduanced vnto the greatest honour but suddainly they came tumbling downe and all their glory lay in the dust From hence we learne Doctrine Such as are in greatest place of honour many times fall suddainly that great men mighty Princes sometimes in greatest honour suddainly decay come to nothing they are in a moment cast downe and left destitute when they little thinke of it and come to great extremity This we see verified often in fighting great battels such as not long afore were in great pompe in the middest of souldiers men of might and great command hauing strong armies and many chariots are suddenly brought low into great misery flye for their liues and are glad of a poore harbor to saue their liues as we see in Sisera in Saneherib and sundry others Iudg. 4 16. Behold this in proud Haman he gloried in his fauour with the people in his greatnes with the King in his grace with the Queene who had none to the feast but the King and him he repined and was euen consumed with enuie to see one looke vpon him and not doe reuerence vnto him but on the suddaine he lost both honour and life and was hanged himselfe on the gibbet which hee had set vp for Mordecai that spake good for the King Ester 7 10. This wee see in Agag king of the Amalekites he flourished in his kingdome and his people liued securely in their cities but Saul came suddainly vpon them slew the people and tooke the King aliue And when he thought the danger gone he said merrily and pleasantly Truely the bitternesse of death is passed then did Samuel hew him in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal 1. Sam. 15 32. This likewise appeareth in Nebuchadnezzar whom Daniel compareth vnto a great and strong tree the height thereof reached vp vnto heauen the sight thereof to the ends of the earth the boughs thereof were faire and the fruit thereof much it made a shadow vnder it for the beasts of the field and the fowles of the heauen dwelt in the boughes thereof and all flesh fed of it Dan. 4 18.19 who as he walked in the royall palace of Babel and gloried in the worke of his own hand saying Is not this great Babel that I haue built c. while the word was in the kings mouth this voyce came downe from heauen Thy kingdome is departed from thee So they droue him from men they turned him out of his kingom they made him eat grasse as oxen his body was wet with the dew of heauen This sudden alteration in a moment somtimes befalleth the faithfull seruants of God Dauid was made a great man in Israel beloued of the Princes honored of the King aduanced to be his sonne in law of whom they sang by course in their play and said Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand 1. Sam. 18 7. but on 〈◊〉 suddaine hee was in exile among the wilde goates and constrained to put his life in hazard in a strange countrey So Iob was one of the greatest and richest men in all the East who in the turning of an hand became one of the lowest and poorest so that they mocked and derided him Iob 30.1 whose fathers hee refused to set with the dogges of his flockes that is with the meanest of his house Reason 1 Neither can wee much maruaile at this change of the place and estates of the sonnes of men confirmed vnto vs by all experience in the examples of Pharaoh Achitophel Saul Sifera Saneherib Herod and of infinite others in the acts and monuments of the Church seeing this falleth not out by chance or fortune but it is the Lords doing and the worke of his right hand This is the reason that Iob expresseth Now I am their song I am their common talke they abhorre me and flie farre from me and spare not to spit in my face because that GOD hath loosed my cord and humbled me Iob 30 9 10. This Hannah in her song toucheth 1. Sam. 2 7.8 Where we see the Lord lifteth vp hee pulleth and putteth downe according to his owne wil and pleasure who maketh the highest tyde to haue the lowest ebbe Reason 2 Secondly as he worketh his owne will so hee will humble and abase the sonnes of men to make them know themselues Wee thinke our selues great men wee will ascend aboue the height of the clouds and exalt our selues aboue the starres wee lift vp our hearts aboue our brethren and will be like the most High so that God is constrained to bring vs downe to the graue lay our honor in the dust that we may know we are but men whose life is but vanity vexation of spirit We should neuer be humble and lowly in our owne eyes vnlesse we saw how God casteth downe the mighty from their seates scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts and sendeth the rich
will teach vs to giue the glory to his name and to lift vp our hearts in thanksgiuing to him Lastly it becommeth vs to ascend as it were Vse 4 by steppes to an higher comparison from the body to the soule and from the meat that perisheth to that which endureth to euerlasting life For seeing wee vnderstand that GOD is thus carefull to feede our bodies it is much more reason that we should seeke at his hands the nourishment of our soules If we haue not this skill and consideration in vs the Fowles of the aire and the beasts of the fielde will bee witnesses against vs to condemne vs. This is the voyce of faith the other the voyce of Nature Nature is wise enough to tell vs when wee want prouision for the body but it must be the office of faith to tell vs when wee want food for the soule Wee are ready to cry out oftentimes What shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be cloathed Mat. 6. but few feele the wants of their soules though they be like to perish and pine away wherefore our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. chapter 6. verse 33. First of all to seeke the Kingdome of God and then all other things shall bee ministred vnto vs. 57 And these are they that were numbred of the Leuites after their families of Gershon c. 58 These are the families of the Leuites the family of the Libnites and the family of the Hebronites c. 59 And the name of Amrams wife c. 60 And vnto Aaron was borne Nadab Abihu Eleazar and Ishamar 61 And Nadab and Abihu dyed when they offered strange fire before the Lord. Wee haue here the third and last part of the chapter touching the numbering of the Leuites apart by themselues branched out into three principall families but specially Aaron is insisted vpon to whom the Priesthood was giuen who is described both by his parents and by his posterity and among his posterity Moses againe singleth out the fact of Nadab Abihu who died when they offered strange fire before the Lord. And albeit we haue spoken of this before chap. 3 4. yet being offered again let vs consider better of it For whereas God commanded fire to bee duely and diligently kept alwaies burning vpon the Altar wherewith the sacrifices were to be consumed and must neuer be suffered to go out Leuit. 6 9 12 13. they presumed to offer sacrifice with strange fire and therefore dyed before their father for as well they might haue taken a strange beast as a strange fire the one beeing no lesse forbidden thē the other Wherby we see the euil persons are cut off betimes 1 Chro. 24.1 2 and are not suffered to liue out halfe their dayes This heauenly fire which GOD sent to consume his sacrifices was brought into the Temple built by Salomon and there it continued from one generation to another vntill the destruction of the Temple and the City The 2. booke of Macchab. not Canonical True it is the author of the second book of Macchabees telleth vs a tale that when Nehemias had builded the Temple and the Altar he offered sacrifice with this fire for when tht Fathers were ledde into Persia the Priests that were deuout tooke the fire of the Altar priuily and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water where they kept it sure so that the place was vnknowne to all men wherefore he sent for the posterity of those Priests that had hid it howbeit they could finde no fire but thicke water which being sprinkled vpon the wood and sacrifice there arose a great fire so that euery man that saw it maruelled 2 Maccha 1 18 19 20 21 22. Wher we see two things are coupled together the building of the Temple and Altar by Nehemiah and the sending of fire from heauen by God these may well bee ioyned the one being as true as the other But it is plaine by the whole Scripture that Nehemiah builded not the Temple if we shal consider the circumstances either of the persons or of the time or of the place For the Altar was builded by Zerubbabel and Ioshua in the reigne of Cyrus so soone as by his proclamation they returned from the captiuity of Babylon to wit the seuenth moneth after Ezra 3. And touching the Temple though the foundation beganne to be laide while Cyrus himselfe yet liued yet it was not ended finished before the sixt yeare of the reigne of Darius Nothus Ezra 6 which was many years after Iohn 2 20. But Nehemiah was then in Babylon and not yet come to Ierusalem forasmuch as hee obtained leaue of the king of Persia to go thither in the 20. year of Artaxerxes Mnemon the successor of this Darius Ezr. 4. 7. Neh. 1 2 by which computation of time it will appeare that the Altar was builded an hundred yeares and more and the Temple finished at the least 30. yeares before the comming of Nehemiah so that the author of this second booke of Macchabees is not a little deceyued in his Chronology and discouereth that he wrote by a meere humane spirit according to his owne confession in the shutting vp of the booke wherein hee craueth pardon for his slips and ouersights 2 Ma. 15 38 3◠we see there was great need he shold do so Now from the former premisses I reason thus This fire discouered to Nehemiah was kindled of God when he had builded the Temple and the Altar But he neuer builded the Temple and the Altar Therefore this fire was neuer kindled of God Againe the author of that booke testifyeth that after Nehemiah had receyued this fire from God the king of Persia built a Temple vnto it but wee may truly affirme hee neuer built any such Temple forasmuch as the Iewes neyther had neyther indeed might haue any other Temple then one and that at Ierusalem before the comming of the Messiah which the Lord had chosen to put his name there It might be that the kings of Persia that king in particular might builde a Temple to fire which they worshipped as God howbeit this is spoken by way of supposition and hath no relation to the fire here spoken off Neyther can this be vnderstood of the Tēple at Ierusalem but must be referred to some other built elswhere if haply any were built at all For it is sayde that after the Temple and Altar were builded and Nehemiah had offered sacrifice this came to the eares of the king of Persia and then hee commanded this supposed Temple to be erected Againe Nehemiah expressing his iourny vp to Ierusalem and comming to the sepulchers of his fathers maketh no mention of the finding of any such fire which no doubt he wold haue done if any such had beene offered vnto them For he reporteth many sundry things done by him in that booke hee mentioneth their offering of sacrifices with great ioy and gladnes chap.
Word and Sacraments hee will haue his Ministers also vnder the Gospel sufficiently prouided not onely of sustenance and maintenance but also of houses and habitations fit for them that they might waite vpon their office without disturbance or distraction This teacheth vs Doctrine The ministers must be proâ—ided of all things necessary for them that the Ministers of the church must be prouided of food rayment of houses and dwellings and of all things necessary for theÌ„ This is proued at large in this place heere it is commanded in the booke of Ioshua it is performed and executed as wee may reade in Chap. 2.1 2 3 4 c. where we see particularly what Cities euery tribe gaue as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses The like we see in the prophesies of Ezekiel Chapter 45. verses 1 2 3 4 c. that when the Messiah is exhibited and the Gospel preached throughout the world the Land shall bee otherwise diuided so that part of it shal be assigned to the house of the Lord part shall belong vnto the Priests and to the Leuites verse 4 and 5. shewing thereby that the Ministers of the Gospel must bee maintayned By the law of nature euery man was bound to giue something for the furtherance of Gods seruice of such temporall goods as GOD had giuen him Gen. 14. verse 18. and 28. verses 20 22. Leuit. 27. verse 30 Numb 18. ver 28 Deut. 14. verses 28 29. 2 Chron 31. verses 4 5. It is noted touching the zeale of good king Hezekiah when hee had appoynted the courses of the Priests and Leuites euery man according to his seruice hee commaunded the people to giue the portion to the Priests and Leuites and by and by they brought in aboundance the first fruites of Corne and Wine and oyle and Honey and of all the encrease of the fielde and the Tythe of all things brought they in aboundantly Neyther doth this belong onely vnto the Reason 1 times of the Law but likewise of the Gospel For the ministery of the Gospel is much more glorious then of the Law and the calling of the Ministers of Iesus Christ is greater then of those that serued at the Altar for as Iohn was farre greater then any of the Prophets that went before him so hee that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then hee as Matth. chap. 11. verse 11. If then the Leuites were so bountifully and liberally dealt withall whose seruice was to take end at the exhibiting of the Messiah then much more ought they whose ministery and seruice must stand and continue for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edifying of the body of Christ till wee all come in the vnity of the fayth vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ Eph. 4 12 13. Secondly that they may attend to the holy things of God be no way disturbed For seeing the Apostle giueth it in charge that they must giue attendaÌ„ce to reading to exhortation to doctrine 1. Tim. 4 13. how can they watch ouer the flock and giue themselues to these duties except they haue prouision made for them accordingly or how can they prepare a Table wel furnisht for the people in the church when they haue nothing to set on their tables in their owne houses Or deale bread vnto the hungry when they are hungry themselues or how can they fil the people with the food of the soule when the people suffer them to bee empty and to want the food of the body Lastly it is required of the Ministers that they should be giuen to hospitality as well as to teach 1 Tim. 3 2. the Apostle ioyneth both these together But how shall they shew worke of charity when they haue not to supply their owne necessity Or how shall they entertaine strangers when they are not able to maintaine their owne families Or how should they doe this good vnto the Church when they themselues want it in theyr owne priuate houses Vse 1 The Vses remaine First this reproueth the corrupt dealing of wretched and miserable people who detaine from the Ministers their liuelyhood whereby they should help themselues and releeue others The Popish sort thinke nothing too good for their priests and shauelings but we haue those that thinke euery thing too good for Gods faithfull Ministers their maintenance is too stately their diet too dainty their apparrel too costly their houses too lofty they could be content they were put to earne their liuing with the spade and shouell They will not willingly affoord them any thing and they thinke it well saued which is purloyned from them They are accounted the best husbands that can most cunningly and craftily go beyond them and such as can thrust a new custome though it were neuer heard of before vpon them to defeate and defraud them of that which is due vnto them doth account himselfe to leaue his land in the best state to prouide exceeding well for his posterity and to rid his demeanes of a very great bondage In former times tythes were counted as a debt to the Minister now it is helde a bondage or slauery to pay them And yet these are they that cry out with open mouth against the cruelty and couetousnes of the Clergy like Iudah that exclaimed against the incontinency of Tamar when himself was guilty of no lesse crime Gen. 38. Secondly it reproueth such Patrons as enrich themselues with the liuings of the Church who present other to the place but retaine to themselues a share out of the same These doe bestow the benefice but they keepe the benefite neuer considering that it is a snare to the man who deuoureth that which is holye and after vowes to enquire Prou. 20 25. Now that is to be accounted holy which is dedicated to holy vses whether it be to the worshippe of God to the maintenance of the Ministers to the furtherance of schooles and good learning or to the releefe of the poore and therefore the abolishing or diminishing of these is condemned as sacriledge against God Deut. 23 23. Their forefathers were liberall in furthering the worship of Images nay of the diuel himself imagining it to be the seruice of the true God they spared not to enrich those that were seducers and ringleaders to eternall damnation thogh they were also vnlearned and vngodly vnfit for that calling yet somwhat they gaue them out of baptizings and the other counterfet sacraments out of burials trentals masses months minds euery thing yeelded some see and stipend whereby they grew rich in the world whereas the children of these grudge to giue any thing to their learned and godly pastors which God hath in mercy bestowed as a speciall gift vpon the Church but giue theÌ„ cause to complaine of their wants of meere things necessary The Prophet Malachi is not afraid to pronounce that such vnconscionable dealing
the Lord Obiect Ephes 6. Ephe. 6.4 If any obiect against these commandements They will be vnruly and disordered albeit they be neuer so well brought vp and though their parents be very carefull they will be very carelesse and therefore they were as good holde their peace as to speake to them and not to be regarded Answer I answere so it is sometimes but alwayes it is not so Many that haue feared GOD with all their housholdes haue receiued much comfort by their children and seruants that haue had good instruction put into them as pure and wholesome liquour into a vessell and haue seene the fruite thereof to the vnspeakeable ioy of their hearts This we might shew at large in the reformed families of Abraham and Cornelius and sundry others As they planted and sowed good seede in the parts of their families as it were in a fruitfull field so they reaped a plentifull haruest Abraham had seruants that were also Gods seruants Gen 24.12 and 14.14 Act. 10.7 and prayed earnestly vnto him Cornelius had a souldier that waited vpon him that feared God yea all his band of Italian souldiers were Christian souldiers Againe we must trust GOD with the effect and successe of the education that we giue them He will worke thereby by his Spirit in all that belong vnto him as seemeth good to his heauenly wisedome If he doe not giue a blessing for causes vnknowne to vs but knowne to him let vs leaue Gods secret yet iust iudgments to himselfe The third particular branch is to pray to God for them to guide them in his wayes and to blesse them in his feare and to blesse our labours bestowed among them This wee see in Iob Iob 1.5 Chapter 1. toward his children When the dayes of their feasting were gone about he sent and sanctified them and rose vp early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all for he said It may be that my sonnes haue sinned and cursed God in their hearts He was carefull for those which were committed vnto his charge and feared they might offend God in their meetings albeit hee knew no such euill by them The wise man saith Happy is the man◠that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Prou. 28. Prou. 28.14 A like example wee haue in Dauid Psalme 72. where he prayeth for Salomon Giue the king thy iudgements O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings sonne hee shall iudge thy people with righteousnesse and thy poore with iudgement So then the faithfull are to entreate and craue from God the continuance of his couenant to their children and to begge from his handes an holy and sanctified seede We must not presume because we are faithfull and haue receiued to beleeue that therefore our seede must of necessity be so likewise for then we shall but deceiue our selues Let not vs therefore faile in crauing a blessing from God vpon our children if we desire to make them heires of blessing Fourthly it is required of vs to reioyce in the blessing of God vpon them and to giue him praise and glory when he vouchsafeth to shew mercy vpon them and vpon vs. If hee did leaue them in their sinnes and in that corruption which they receiued from vs Psal 51. as it were by inheritance we could not finde iust cause of complaint against him who is bound neither to vs nor to our children but forasmuch as he sheweth much mercy to our posteritie as he hath done vnto vs we haue matter of praise and thankesgiuing giuen vnto vs whereby also we shall procure their farther good It is noted of the Iailour Actes 16. Act. 16.34 that he reioyced that they of his houshold also beleeued in the Lord. He accounted it not sufficient for himselfe to beleeue nor reioyced onely in his owne saluation but forasmuch as God had vouchsafed greater mercy vnto him to call his family also to the faith this cheered his heart much more If we haue tasted of the like mercy let vs not be forgetfull of the like duty Lastly it belongeth vnto vs for the furtherance of their good to giue those all good encouragement in well doing that are conscionable in their duties to God and to vs we are bound to praise and commend them to comfort them to cheere them vp and to defend them against all malicious enemies that seeke to disgrace them The Apostle Paul willeth parents not to prouoke their children lest they be discouraged Coloss 3.21 It is a meanes to coole and quench zeale to finde discouragements in godly proceedings On the other side we ought to shew all dislike and hatred against euill and an angry countenance toward such as are vnreformed The Prophet touching the right ordering and good gouernment of his house declareth that hee would not know a wicken person and him that hath an high looke he will not suffer Psal 101.4.5 His eyes should be vpon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with him hee that walketh in the perfect way hee shall serue him This is a good meanes to make both houses to prosper and kingdomes to flourish when the godly are aduanced and the euil doers are beaten down but when euil is set aloft and goeth vnchecked and vncontrolled and godlinesse is driuen to the wall it prognosticateth and foretelleth the ruine and vtter desolation of those societies albeit for a time they may continue When they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wildernesse Wee haue hitherto spoken of the destruction of Aarons sonnes before the face of their father now let vs see for what cause it was done The sinne of his sonnes is remembred to be this they offered strange fire that is such as was not appointed and commanded of the Lord they tooke not the fire from the altar to burne incense with all which came downe from heauen and was preserued by the diligence of the Priests vntill the captiuity of Babylon Now whereas the authour of the second booke of Macchabees telleth vs that whē their fathers were led into Persia the Priests that were then deuout tooke the fire of the altar priuily Macch. 1.19 and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water where they kept it sure so that the place was vnknowne to all men hath no testimony of trueth out of the sacred Scriptures as we shal shew more in the 26. Chapter of this Booke of Numbers Moses maketh mention of this example of the sinne and punishment of Aarons sonnes to the end the Leuites should be more wise and wary in the execution of their office because God hereby sheweth that they shal neuer escape his hand that do not rightly discharge the duties committed vnto them For the examples of Gods iudgements vpon the corrupters and contemners of his worship must make vs more carefull and fearefull to offend Now whereas they are punished according to their
had ouercome his enemies now he might ouercome himselfe and his owne affections Cicero orati pro Marcel which was a greater and nobler victory then the former Thus he sheweth himselfe religious toward God as well as righteous toward men The like we see in the Law set downe by an expresse commandement Exod. 22.10 11. If a man deliuer vnto his neighbour an asse or an oxe or a sheepe or any beast to keepe and it die or be hurt Deut. 21.8 or driuen away no man seeing it then shall an oath of the Lord bee betweene them both that hee hath not put his hand vnto his neighbours goods and the owner of it shall accept thereof and he shall not make it good This precept directeth when and in what cases to take an oath to wit when the matter is doubtfull and cannot otherwise be decided forasmuch as the owner of the goods is charged to rest therein and to acknowledge himselfe well satisfied This we see farther in the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 1.21 I call God for a record vpon my soule that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth He did not breake out into this swearing of an ordinary custome but the glory of God and the saluation of that Church required it in which cases we are allowed and warranted to vse it and not otherwise Reason 1 The reasons will better confirme this vnto vs then bare testimonies taken out of the Scriptures which neuerthelesse out to be sufficient where no farther proofe is vsed First God will not hold him guiltlesse that abuseth his Name negligently or vnnecessarily He will surely punish them that sweare vainely This penalty or punishment is annexed to the commandement Exod. 20. The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine It is an heynous sinne albeit it bee thought light before men and then the iudgement also shall be heauy that hangeth ouer their heads that transgresse this Law The free forgiuenesse of sinnes is the fountaine of all happines both present and to come Psal 32.1.2 for the man is blessed whose sinnes are forgiuen and whose iniquity is couered blessed is that man to whom God will impute no wickednesse and therfore we must needs be in continuall misery so long as our sinnes are retained This is a fearefull thunderbolt to afright vs from the prophaning of his Name he will honour those that honour him but such as despise him shall come to destruction Secondly the end of practising an oath is Reason 2 to decide strifes and to determine controuersies which disturbe peace and hinder Christian charity It cannot be but offences will come and many occasions of quarrels and contentions about matters of this life arise daily betweene man and man which could not conueniently be taken vp except we had the lawfull vse of an oath to confirme some necessary truth as when it serueth to manifest the glory of God or to cleere the good name of our brother or to obey the commandement of the Magistrate or to maintaine our owne credit This is set downe Heb. 6.16 Men verily sweare by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife I call that a necessary trueth when a doubtfull cause called into question cannot be decided without an oath as we see the practise Rom. 1.9 God is my witnesse whom I serue with my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne that without ceassing I make meÌ„tion of you alwayes in my prayers It was necessary for the furtherance of the saluation of the Romanes that they should be perswaded of the Apostles affection toward them but the testimony of men failed to prooue this trueth and therfore he was driuen to take vp an oath and to appeale vnto God This is also at large deliuered by Salomon in that prayer which hee made at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.31 If any man trespasse against his neighbour and an oath be laid vpon him to cause him to sweare and the oath come before thine altar in this house then heare thou in heauen and doe and iudge thy seruants condemning the wicked to bring his way vpon his head and iustifying the righteous to giue him according to his righteousnesse Thus we see the constant and continuall vse of an oth among Gods people in matters of weight and importance in their most serious and substantiall affaires Thirdly the Name of God is most fearefull Reason 3 in praises glorious in holinesse great in might and doing wonders and therefore it ought not commonly to runne in our mouthes without necessary cause This is vrged by the wise man Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to vtter any thing before God for God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therefore let thy words be few And the Lord saith Deut. 28.58 Iudg. â— If thou wilt not obserue to doe all the words of this Law that are written in this booke that thou mayest feare this glorious and fearefull Name The Lord thy God he will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed c. If then the Name of God be great and glorious it is not commonly to be vsed of vs to be turned in our tongues and to be trodden vpon with our feet Vse 1 Now let vs consider what vses may be made of this vnto vs. It reprooueth sundry abuses corruptions both in opinion and practise in iudgement and in life As first of all the Anabaptists a proud and fantasticall crue of cursed and damnable hereticks that trouble heauen and earth ouerthrow Church and Common-wealth destroy Magistracy and Ministery disanull the word and Sacraments and make religion to be no better then a doctrine of liberty These teach that it is vnlawfull to sweare at all either in priuate vse or in place of iudgement This is to runne into another extremity and to faile as much in the defect as other doe in the excesse For albeit all swearing be not lawfull yet it followeth not that all swearing is vnlawfull But to abolish all manner of swearing and all vse of an oath because some abuse it and vse it vainly â—r in vita â—g is like vnto him who to take away drunkennesse abolished the vines and would not suffer any to grow in his common-wealth or as if a man would suffer no corne to grow because some will surfet with it There is no good thing but hath beene or may be abused The doctrine that is according to godlinesse is many wayes abused When Paul magnified the mercies of God in his sonne Christ so that where sinne abounded â— 5.20 grace abounded much more men of euill spirits arose that abused this to carnall liberty and turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and wrested the Scriptures to their owne perdition sect 1 The obiections of these heretikes are not many but somewhat they alleadge for themselues First they obiect the commandement
of the Lord in the exposition of the Law Mat. 5.34 I say vnto you sweare not at all neither by heauen c. If it be forbidden to sweare at all then it is made vtterly vnlawfull I answere â—wer the purpose of Christ is to reprooue the false interpretations of the Scribes and Pharisees who wrested the Law and restrained it contrary to the meaning of the Lawgiuer They taught the people to beware of periury and swearing falsly and that if so be men sweare truely it was lawfull to sweare commonly as if God tooke no regard of our ordinary communication and of our common talke contrary to the doctrine of Christ else-where that of euery idle word much more then of idle othes men shall giue an account at the day of iudgement Matth. 12.36 His purpose is not to condemne the right vse of an oth â—6 13 which is expresly commanded of God in many places and practised by the Patriarks Gen. 14. by the Prophets 1 king 17.1 by the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. by the Angels Reuel 10.6 by the Iudges Iudg. 15.12 by the kings 1. Sam. 24. and by the Lord himselfe Psal 110.4 Heb. 6.17 And therefore simply it is not a sinne to sweare If any reply in their name and behalfe that once it was lawfull but now it is not in the time of the old testament but not in the new we must know that the Prophets prophesying of these times of grace vnder the Gospel declare that the Church or Christ should sweare by the Lord Esay 1â— 1â— Iere. 4.2 and therefore he neuer wholly for bad it who came not to destroy the Law and abolish the Prophets but to fulfill and performe the Law Matth. 5.17 Moreouer the Pharisees that were the teachers of Israel taught that it skilled not though men sware vainely by heauen by earth by the creatures so long as they suppressed the Name of God Wherefore Christ the true interpreter of the Law teacheth the contrary to wit that it is a sinne against the third commandement not only to forsweare but to sweare vainely and commonly by what name and in what manner soeuer it be yea albeit the Name of God be not mentioned considering that he which sweareth by the altar sweareth by it Matth. 23.20 21 22. and by all things thereon he that sweareth by the Temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein and he that sweareth by heauen sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon This errour of these Pharisees is maintained or at the least practised commonly by the common sort they thinke they may sweare as they list so that they sweare truely and if they haue trueth on their side they take liberty to sweare and sweare againe without controlement Secondly they alledge also the saying of the Apostle Iames chap. 5.12 Obiect 2 Aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen neither by the earth neither by any other oath but let your yea bee yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation I answer Answer wee must not alwayes take the words of Scripture generally as they seeme to be caryed but limit them according to the circumstances of the Text and the scope of the words The Apostle saith All things are lawfull for him 1 Cor. 6.12 but it must be restrained to things indifferent not forbidden in the Law for such things as are forbidden are not lawfull If then we would vnderstand Scripture aright and not wander from the sound interpretation of it we must seeke and search out the sense according to the intent and meaning of the Spirit of God otherwise not only infinite inconueniences but diuers absurdities impossibilities heresies contradictions and impieties will follow as when Christ saith Ioh. 10.8 All that euer came before me are theeues and robbers c. Shall wee conclude from hence that Moses Esay Ieremy Iohn Baptist and all the Prophets were no better then theeues and robbers because they went before Christ in time No he pointeth out such as professe themselues to be the doore of the sheepe and receiued or shewed any other then himselfe So Paul saith hee tooke all things to bee lawfull for him what then might he doe what he list might he be an idolater an adulterer a blasphemer and such like no but herein he preuenteth an obiection and answereth by supposition that albeit all things were lawfull yet he would not bee brought vnder the power of any thing So in another place he saith I am made all things to all men 1 Cor. 9.22 Doth he heereby make himselfe a Libertine or establish Libertinisme or purchase a protection for euery man to doe what seemeth good in his own eyes Not so but in matters that are indifferent which may be done or not done with a good conscience he changed himselfe into all fashions and applyed himselfe to the conditions of all that by all meanes he might saue some So in this place when the Apostle saith sweare not at all we must not cleaue seruilely to the letter nor stiâ—ke to the bare words but know that the Scripture standeth in the right meaning so that the doctrine of the seruant is not different from the Lords and Masters that sent him to wit to condemne lightnes in swearing whereby the Name of God is defiled directly or indirectly which ought to be accounted of all men most holy and vsed with the greatest respect and reuerence that can be But in cases of importance and necessity we haue examples beyond al exception of God himselfe of the Prophets and Apostles that haue vsed an oath as we noted before which could not haue beene if the vse of an oath had generally and vtterly beene vnlawfull The second reproofe Secondly to omit this sect and to proceed it reprooueth such as take the oathes of persons that are vnfit and vnmeet to take any oathes For seeing an oath must be taken vp soberly discreetly and aduisedly and onely in cases of necessity when the trueth cannot otherwise be decided it conuinceth such of temerity and want of discretion that make no difference of whom they take an oath The end of an oath ought to be to confirme the trueth but the testimony of some is suspected and of others presumed to be false Many are not to be admitted as witnesses as children furious persons drunkards common lyars such whose bodies are withered and consequently their memories decayed such as are idiots and lunatikes common swearers ruffians and such as are of euill report rogues and straglers that haue nothing to lose nor no where to dwell infidels heretikes and vnbeleeuers all these are as it were boared in the eare or burned in the hand or branded in the forehead for vnsufficient persons because either they doe not know the vertue and validity of an oath nor the difference and distinction of matters whereupon they are produced and which are to be decided or being accustomed to euill may easily be
with a vow for a certain time for dayes or moneths or yeres they to the end of their life account it worse then sacriledge to forsake their dens and cloisters These heere mentioned did consecrate and separate themselues to the Lord onely they to Saint Benedict to Saint Francis to Saint Dominicke and such like counterfeit Saints These entred not into this vow as if it were meritorious and auaileable to obtaine remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation as appeareth by the sacrifices which they were commanded to offer for their sinne when the time of their vow was expired they affirme that they merit heauen thereby for themselues and can spare an ouerplus for others through their works of supererogation These abstained from wine nay from all that commeth of the grape but they albeit boasting of Angelicall perfection will not be brought vnder this yoke but caratâ benè cute are indeed wine bibbers great drinkers of wine These did nourish their haire and suffered it to grow vntill the end of their vow but they shaue their crownes leauing a little circle in which they greatly reioyce as if it did merit no lesse then the crowne of heauen These came not neere to the dead nor approched any carcasse of their dearest friends to be defiled thereby but they are ordinarily and commonly at burials as willingly as at bankets for while other men mourn they are mery while others weep they sing and as vultures they looke for the death of rich and noble men not so much to pray for them as to make a prey of them Lastly these Nazarites might freely marry wiues as appeareth in Samson and Samuel they vowed not virginity to liue in adultery but it was lawfull for them to marry wiues notwithstanding their vowes Besides they neuer vowed counterfeit pouerty or sottish obedience to any superiours but the Monkes and Fryars abiure Matrimony and detest it not fornication and vncleane lusts contrary to the precept of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.2 To auoid fornication let euery man haue his owne wife and euery woman haue her owne husband They vow pouerty but the most of them liue pompously and proudly and prodigally And what maner of vow is this to vow to liue by the sweat of other mens labours whereas Paul warneth Ephe. 4.28 Let him that stole steale no more but let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth And in another place He that will not labour let him not eat 2 Thess 3.10 Moreouer they vow obedience But to whom to the Generall of their Orders indeed too generall an obedience to their Superiour without respect to him that is Superiour contrary to the precept of the Apostle 1 Corin. 7.23 Yee are bought with a price be not ye the seruants of men What is more common among them then to say I hold of Saint Francis I am of Dominicke I am of Saint Benedict whereas Paul reprooueth such among the Corinthians as would be accounted Christians yet said I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas and I of Christ 1 Cor. 1 1◠for is Christ diuided was Paul crucified for you or were yee baptized in the name of Paul Thus we see the Popish doctors doe but dally and delude the world while they would perswade vs that their Monkish votaries are like the Iewish Nazarites wheras the contrary appeareth by this comparison that there is no coherence or communion betweene them any more in nature then in name and as well they may perswade vs that there is a corespondence and agreement betweene the Prophet Eliah and the Priests of Baal nay euen betweene Christ himselfe and the sonnes of Belial Fiftly if these Nazarites had touched the Vse 5 dead or the dead touched them howsoeuer they had passed many weekes or moneths of their vow and were come euen to the ende thereof yet their vow was made voide they were to begin the weekes or moneths of their vow againe ver 12. The dayes of his separation before shall be vtterly lost because he is defiled which teacheth vs a necessary point to bee considered in our obedience and how carefull we ought to be to keepe our selues from the corruptions and contagions of the world that we fall not from GOD because when once we depart from the wayes of righteousnesse all that which we haue done before is out of date it shall not be reckoned in our accounts but be forgotten of God according to the saying of the Prophet Ezekiel chapter 18.20.24 27 28. as these words following testifie The soule that sinneth shal die 18 20 28. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnes and committeth iniquity and doth according to all that abhomination that the wicked man doth shall hee liue All the righteousnes that he hath done shall not bee mentioned in his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in the sin that he hath sinned in them hee shall die As on the other side When the wicked man turneth away from his wickednes he shall saue his soule aliue he shall surely liue and shall not die It is not therfore enough for vs to begin wel if we do not continue constant all our labor is lost nay it had bin better for vs if wee had neuer begun We see this in Lots wife what auailed it that she went out of Sodome and trauailed with her husband toward Zoar giuen vnto them as a City of refuge when as shee looked back and was therfore turned into a pillar of salt The like we might say of Iudas what did it aduantage him to preach the Gospell to worke miracles to be an Apostle to bee conuersant with Christ and to sit at his Table when after all these priuiledges hee betrayed his master ioyned with the Pharisies entertained couetousnes shewed himselfe to be indeed a diuel the son of perdition and in the end hanged himselfe What should I speake of Phygellus Hermogenes Hymeneus Philetus Alexander and such like mentioned 2 Tim. 1.15 2 17. 4 14. If then we looke to haue any reward and recompence of our labor hope to attaine to the end of our faith which is the saluation of our soules let vs so runne that we may obtaine let vs so saile in the Sea of this world that we neuer giue ouer vntill wee arriue in the hauen let vs bee faithfull vnto the death that we may receiue the crown of eternall life Lastly these Nazarites were notable Ornaments in the Church and farre separate from the common sort they laboured after perfection of sanctification and striued much to excell others yet when they had ended the daies of their vow 13 14. they must bee brought to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation offer their offering vnto the Lord which teacheth that our best workes such as proceede from the best men and done with the best endeauour of purity and holynesse euen
our care and endeuour be to dwell with him first in his other house which is the lower house of which sort is euery particular assembly where God doth also dwell to which he giueth lawes and ordinances as an housholder vnto his house of this Paul speaketh 1 Tim. 3.15 Thou must know how to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God Let vs examine our loue to the one by our loue to the other our loue to the kingdome of heauen by our loue to the kingdome of grace If we care not for the former we shall neuer haue entrance into the latter God must know vs to be guests in his first house otherwise he wil neuer acknowledge vs as his friends in the second To the many thousands in Israel The words in the original are to the ten thousand thousands a certaine number for an vncertaine A notable description of the church of God Doctrinâ— Whence obserue that the people which belong to God are many thousand thousands The peopâ—â— that beloâ—â— to God aâ—â— many thoâ—sand thoâ—sands They are a great flocke of sheepe they are a plentifull haruest of corne they are a wonderfull hoste and army of men This God promised to Abraham Gen. 15.5 he brought him forth and said Looke now toward heauen and tell the starres if thou be able to number them for so shall thy seed be Rom. 4.18 So Psal 2.8 Psal 72.9 11. Aske of mee the heathen for thine inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Thus Esay prophesieth of the amplitude of the church Chap. 54.2.3 Enlarge the place of thy tent c. In the New Testament Christ telleth vs that many shall come from the East and West and sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Matth. 8.11 so that his elect children are many in number For first of all the mercy of God is the Reason 1 more manifested thereby Hee might iustly haue reiected all because all had sinned in Adam but the more to manifest the greatnes of his goodnesse and the largenes of his compassions it pleased him to call and gather together a great people that they might take hold of his mercy and sing of his louing kindnes to his glory Rom 11.3 God hath concluded them all in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercy vpon all By nature all are alike all vnbeleeuers all disobedient all miserable the elect are no better then others by birth He speaketh heere of beleeuers among Iewes and Gentiles Secondly Christ Iesus will not lose the price of his death neither suffer it to be void and of none effect He died for many and therefore many belong vnto him as sheep of his pasture and as members of his body The Apostle teacheth that by the obedience of one not a few but many shall be made righteous euen as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom. chap 5.19 And the Euangelist Saint Matthew declareth Christ in the deliuering of the Cuppe at his last Supper said This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes 〈◊〉 26.28 〈◊〉 2.10 whereby he brought many sonnes to glory Thirdly none is able to count the number of them which are as the starres that are innumerable and as the sand on the sea shore This made Balaam pronounce afterward in this booke chap. 23.10 Who can count the dust of Iacob and the number of the fourth part of Israel And Iohn speaking of the number of them that were sealed saith he saw a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues clothed in white robes and palmes in their hands Reuel 7.9 They must needs be many thousand thousands seeing the number of them is without number Vse 1 The vses follow See heere the key to open and vnlocke sundry places of holy Scripture speaking of an vniuersality appointed vnto life and eternall glory as where it is said God would haue all men saued 1 Tim. 2.4 all men to come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 that Christ dyed for all 2 Cor. 5.14 2 Pet. 2.1 These speeches must be vnderstood of an vniuersality and generality of the elect onely for they alone are elected they alone are iustified they alone are redeemed they alone shall be glorified They must not be vnderstood though they speake of all and extended to euery particular of Adams seed nor be taken of euery particular person but must be limited and restrained to beleeuers of all sorts and conditions as Rom. 10.12 God is rich to all that call vpon him and Gal. 3.22 the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise of faith in Iesus Christ might be giuen what to all no but to all that beleeue Ioh. 11.52 There is therefore an vniuersality and a world of beleeuers as wel as of vnbeleeuers and they are expressed vnder the word All because they are many in number and consist of thousand thousands which cannot be accounted and therefore Iohn saith Christ is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Ioh. 2.2 that is for the sins of all the elect and beleeuers dispersed thoroughout the world To conclude Christ may be said to saue all as he is said to heale all sickenesses and diseases among the people Matth. 4.23 and 9.35 that is some of all sortes and kinds and as the Pharisees are said to tithe all herbes Luk. 11.42 that is all sorts Vse 2 Secondly we may gather from hence that most glorious shal the name of Christ be when all meeâ— together in one to magnifie his grace and mercy toward them as appeareth Reu. 7.10 11 12. The Angels and the Elders ascribe blessing and glory and power and thankesgiuing vnto God When we shall all sing Hallelu-iah in the heauens what a sweet and pleasant melody will this make O how should we labour to be of this company that we may beare our part euery one in this triumphant song Hence it is that the Iohn saith Reue 19.1.3 I heard a great voice of much people in heauen saying Alleluia saluation and honour and power vnto the Lord our God and againe they said Alleluia Blessed are they that accompany the Saints to sing with them with heart and voyce Alleluia If we be not of this communion of Saints we cannot tune the right accent we cannot be in the number of these sweet singers our musicke iarreth and hath a discord in the eyes of God he will soone find it out Heere the godly seeme to bee thinly sowen as wheat couered with chaffe and so the song to consist of a few voyces onely The corne which seemeth little while it lyeth in the heap and maketh no shew when once the fanne hath scattered away the chaffe it appeareth to be much in quantity so when the Lord Iesus at his second
sanctified Hob. 10 12 14 Now they offer these kind of Beasts rather then any other because they had heard that the God of Israel commanded them to offer Bullocks and Rams vnto him so that they would giue him his owne desire and please him with the seruice he seemed to bee delighted in But God regardeth not sacrifices that are offered with a corrupt heart Psalm 50 9. Againe they offer seuen Bullocks and seuen Rams vpon the seuen Altars because as this number was thought to be holy so it was supposed to bee of secret vertue seeing God sanctified separated from the beginning the seuenth day and nature hath left examples of sundry seuens in the heauens as the Pleiades the Planets and many other Lastly he commandeth the King to stand by the sacrifices and burnt-offerings very deuoutly and whiles they were burning he withdraweth himselfe seeketh a secret place to worke his feats as the witch of Endor did 1 Sam. 28 13 and as Sorcerers do to the end that by this separation of himselfe he might raise a superstitious opinion in Balak of his doings and the better being solitary to put in vse his ceremonies The euents ensuing after these actions before handled are double First in God and afterward in Balaam God appeared to this prophane man as he hath done to diuers of his enemies for his childrens sake not for their own sakes as also Elisha saide to Iehoram As the Lord liueth in whose sight I stand if I had not regarded the presence of Iehoshaphat I would not haue looked toward thee nor seene thee this day 2 Ki. 3 14. Now as all hypocrites please themselues in theyr outward ceremonies so Balaam telleth God what Sacrifices he had offered vnto him that he had spared no cost nor charges And as he thought he had done well so he looked to haue beene respected he telleth of his good deeds he boasteth of his works he numbreth vp his burnt offerings he hopeth by these allurements that God would change his mind He thought him to bee as one of the gods of the Gentiles which were diuels not Gods and they that sought vnto them sought vnto diuels not to God But whereas he gloryeth in the works of his owne hands and putteth confidence in his worship performed to God he receiueth no answer heereof only the Lord willeth him to returne backe to the King his master that set him on worke and speak vnto him what should be put in his mouth Touching Balaam he goeth hee obeyeth he vttereth a Prophesie before the King and his Nobles The first prophesie of Balaam speaking after the manner of the true Prophets not moued by the spirit of the diuell but inspired by the Spirit of God and declaring truly what he had receiued of God The Prophesie and Parable of Balaam is first vttered then the effect of it is set downe and declared The Prophesie hath three points to be considered First the entrance Secondly the substance and matter it selfe Thirdly the conclusion Touching the entrance into the Prophesie it is taken from the present worke now in action and detecteth the folly and dotage of Balak who had sent from far to fetch a Sorcerer and doubted not of the force of his diuinations seeing he was cunning in the East manners Thus were Idolaters giuen ouer by the iust iudgement of God to beleeue lyes The substance of this Propheticall speech followeth first propounded and afterward proued and confirmed For he sheweth that Israel is blessed of God and therefore not to bee cursed Israel is protected of God as with a shield and therefore it lyeth not in his power or in the power of any man to make them a cursed people to be had in execration and detestation This sentence is vttered by way of an interrogation and asking a question for the greater force and giuing power vnto it for the better assurance of the truth of it and to put it out of doubt How shall I curse where God hath not cursed Or how shall I detest where God hath not detested Now hee proueth that they could not be cursed of God nor hurt by the enchantments of the diuell nor annoyed by the deuices of men first by his owne testimony in the present seeing of them and the comely order obserued among them From the top of the Rockes I did see them as if hee should say The very sight of this people and of their gouernment daunteth my heart and dasheth my purpose so that I am called backe from conceiuing a thought of cursing them both by the authority of God and by the presence of theÌ„ which I behold Secondly by the purenesse and holinesse of the people they walked with God they dwelled in his presence they obserued his Lawes they submitted themselues to his ordering and gouernment they embraced his religion they separated themselues from the Gentiles they abstained from theyr superstitions they would haue no fellowship with them they differed from them in theyr Lawes in theyr Religion in their life in theyr sacrifices in theyr sacraments and other ceremonies The conclusion and shutting vp of this Prophesie is double and contayneth two points First in respect of Israel Secondly in respect of Balaam himselfe Touching Israel hee pronounceth the blessing of God towards them that they should encrease as the dust of the earth and as the sand on the sea-shore which is innumerable according to the promise made to Abraham Gen. 12. Heb. 11 12. And to moue the heart of Balak and of all the Moabites the more he vttereth it by way of asking the question and doubling it he encreaseth Gods mercy toward them and saith hee could not number the fourth part of Israel Touching himselfe he testifieth that the blessednesse of this people was great in regard of the life to come and therefore wisheth that in death he might bee like them that after death he might be partaker of the same happinesse with them But wishers and woulders were neuer good Christians For this is a peeuish peruerse kinde of wishing not to performe that which belongeth to the blessednes of eternall life and yet to wish and desire it to come vpon him The effect of this vnlooked for Prophesie is set downe by a question and an answer The Question of the King expostulateth the matter with him why he blessed the Israelites as one forgetting himselfe and vnmindfull of his businesse wheras he was hyred to curse them being his enemies The answer of Balaam casteth the fault vpon God and excuseth himselfe For the same God that opened his mouth constrained him to vtter this blessing against his will As if he should say I haue vsed all my skill and practised my arte to the vttermost but no sorcery wil preuaile against them why then dost thou checke and controlle me for that which I can by no meanes remedy redresse â—â—â—stion But the question may be asked whether his charmes and coniurations could
12. how is it then that he omitteth this miracle Doubtlesse if he had receiued so great miraculous a benefit he would not haue forgotten it neither indeede could without note of vnthankfulnesse which was farre from that deuout and religious man Furthermore the setting vp of this miracle of the new-found fire hid in the pit and after discouered by the Priests and kindled by the Lord is the weakning and shaking of a great mystery and foundation of the Christian religion For it is written that the Iewes were stirred vp by the Prophets to proceed cheerefully in building of the Temple because the glory of that latter house should be greater then of the former Hag. 2 9 which prophecy is agreed vpon to be fulfilled in that Christ was borne while the second house stood which he made famous and renowned by his presence by his doctrine by his miracles Luke 2 46 7 8. There also did the Apostles begin the preaching of the Gospel which taking his beginning from Sion and Ierusalem was spread abroad from thence into all the earth Many were the priuiledges and prerogatiues of the Tabernacle framed by Moses and of the first house builded by Salomon they had the fire from heauen the Arke of the Couenant the pillar of the cloud the Vrim and Thummim and the succession of the Prophets but the second house built after their returne from captiuity wanted all these therefore while it stood the Messiah must come being greater then all these that through his presence who was to be the ruler in Israel Mic. 5 2 the glory of the latter house might be greater then the former and so the prophecy should be fulfilled But if this story were true which is broached by the writer of that book the latter Temple should bee more glorious and famous through this miraculous fire then the former For in the former the sacrifices were onely consumed with fire that fire was sent from God and nourished by the continuall ministery and attendance of the Priests but in the latter temple they should haue had not onely the same fire with the other but the fire preserued by a wonderfull miracle that in a contrary element Fire burned â—nto water water into fire yea heere are many miracles heaped together for as that fire was preserued in water so of that thicke water into which it was changed was the fire kindled againe 2 Macab 1 22 and that which is more when the sacrifice was consumed Nehemiah is said to haue commanded the water that was left to be powred on the great stones whereby was kindled a flame which was consumed by the light that shined from the altar verse 31 32. And this is so apparent that the Iewish Rabbines that haue the vayle before their eyes or rather before their harts haue acknowledged the truth herof that the 2 house had not that fire which the former had contrary to the opinion of that writer And yet notwithstanding the euidence of the former reasons and the confession of the Iewes themselues hee sticketh not in the next chapter to alleage the Prophet Ieremy as if he had commanded them that were carried away to take with them the Tabernacle the Arke and the fire as hath beene signified 2 Maccab. 2 1. But to leaue all these assertions deliuered with warrant let vs come to the doctrine offred to our considerations in the destruction of the 2. Doctrine It is a sin to decline from the worship of God sons of Aaron because they offred strange fire to wit that it is a sin impiety which the Lord leaueth not vnpunished for any man in the outward worship of God to decline from the Law of God He appointed to burne euery sacrifice with fire taken from the Altar which was continually kept and nourished for that purpose They altered Gods ordinance and are therefore striken suddenly from heauen so that it is a great sinne for any Church or particular person to swarue from the Law of God in the worship of God as appeareth by many examples testimonies of holy Scripture 1 Sam. 13 12 13 14. 2 Chro. 26 16 17 18. Math. 15 9. Col. 2.20.21 22. The grounds are plaine first because the Reason 1 word of God is the rule of all things that wee are warranted to do and more generally it is the rule of Gods worship so that to decline from this rule to the right hand or to the left must needs be a great sinne which GOD abhorreth Deut. 12 8 13 32. In an art to vary from the rules of the art is a great errour thr carpenter and mason are guided by their line and leuell the Law of GOD is the square and rule of his worship the more closely wee keepe our selues to this rule the more warrantable are our workes if wee decline and depart from it wee wander in errour and the farther we goe from it the more we are out of the way Secondly that starting and swaruing from the Law reprooueth and checketh the wisedome of God who is Wisedome it selfe Pro. 9 1 as if we were able to direct him and knew what belongeth to his worship better then himselfe An artificer in his worke cannot abide to bee checked and controlled by those that know not so well what belongeth vnto it as he doth Iam. 4.12 so the wise GOD the supreme Lawgiuer cannot endure that men should decline from the order which hee hath settled and established in his worship and prescribed vnto them in his Word and therefore he accounteth it a great sinne and impiety in any that attempt the same This reprooueth the Church of Rome Vse 1 which is as a body infected with many diseases and running sores For their whole worship in a maner is an apostacy from God full of dangerous wounds that cannot be cured as wee may see by their worshipping of images prayer in a strange tongue communion vnder one kind and an hundred such like horrible corruptions which are so many prophanations of the worship of God These men set the Law of God at nought and thinke themselues wiser then he and preferre their owne traditions before his commandements and so worship him by the precepts of men Math. 15.6 which is a vaine worship and maketh his Law of none effect Secondly it serueth as a direction to the Vse 2 Church what they receiue to godly Magistrats what they establish by their authority that in the worship of God they alwayes set the law of God before their eies allow nothing but that which is grounded vpoÌ„ the rules of the same that they adde nothing to it take nothing froÌ„ it For this cause the King must write him a coppy of the Law in a booke that it may be euer with him that he may reade in it all the dayes of his life and learne to feare the Lord his God Deu. 17 18 19. This was taught to Ioshua chap 1 8 and