and spake vnto you but yee would not heare nor answere I saide Obey my voyce and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walke ye in all the wayes that I haue commanded you that it may bee well vnto you but they would not obey nor encline their eare but went after the counsels and stubbornnesse of their wicked heart went backward and not forward I haue sent vnto you all my seruants the Prophets rising vp early euery day and sending them yet would they not heare mee but hardened their neckes and did worse then their Fathers Thus hee layeth open their sinne therefore no maruaile if that hee threaten to stretch out his hand against them so that the famine should pinch them the sword shoulde slay them the pestilence should waste them the dogges should teare them the wild beasts destroy them and the fowles of the heauen deuoure them Secondly as it reproueth those that refuse to heare The second reprâ—ofe so it condemneth such as onely heare and go no further these rest in it as if they had done their duty and as if no more were required at their hands But know this and marke it that outward seruice separated from inward obedience is not respected but reiected of God This naked hearing is an halting with God which he cannot suffer If we keepe from him the heart he careth not for the eye or the tongue or the eare This is it which the Prophet saith When ye fasted and mourned in the fift and seauenth Moneths Zach. 7 5 6 7 euen these seuenty yâ—ares did ye fast vnto me Doe I approue it Should ye not heare the words which the Lord hath cried by the ministery of the former Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited and in prosperity and the Cities thereof round about her when the south and the plaine was inhabited To like purpose is Esaiah bold and saith What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices Esay 1 11.12 13.14.15 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rammes I desire not the blood of Bullocks when ye come to appeare before me who required this of your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no moe Oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabboths c. they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them and when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mâ—ne eyes from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare Were not these his owne ordinances Did not hee appoint the solemne times of his worship and command sacrifices and oblations to be offered vnto him Yes he set them in his Church and was the Author of them but they perfourmed them in an euill manner without faith without repentance without loue without conscience and therefore as they did them God loathed them So may it be saide of our common and customary hearing remoued from faith obedience Who required it at our hands The Lord cannot abide it he cannot suffer it it is a burden vnto him that he cannot beare God ioyneth hearing and obeying together and cursed is hee that maketh a diuorce betweene them This doth the Prophet Ieremy denounce against all hypocriticall hearers chapt 11. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Iere. 11 3 4 5 Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Couenant which I commanded vnto your Fathers c. He protested vnto them and their Fathers rising early and saying Obey my voyce yet they would not obey nor incline their eare but euery one walked in the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart thus they made a conspiracy against God and hee brought his curses vpon them Thus our Sauiour teacheth it shall bee with many in the last day that saw his person and heard his doctrine they conuersed and continued with him and were partakers of his miracles and ministry who shall then begin to say We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes Lu. 13 26 27. but he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Woe shall then bee to all such hearers and cursed shall their state and condition be These haue an heauier account to make then such as neuer were hearers and neuer had so great mercy offered vnto them Hence it is that Christ pronounced sundry woes against Bethsaida Corazin and Capernaum who had the worde and other meanes of saluation offered vnto them yet liued without repentance and are pronounced to bee worse then the Sodomites For the greater mercies are abused the deeper iudgements are deserued Let vs sette this Capernaum a Citty in Galile before our eyes and looke vpon it as in a glasse that therein we may behold our selues The Lord Iesus was brought vp there and because hee did so much frequent it and was conuersant there many thought hee had beene borne there so that it is called his owne City Mat. 9 1. Secondly the miracles which he wrought there were many he healed the seruant of the Centurion and a man that had an vncleane spirit Math. 8 5. in so much that the Nazarites as it were enuying and repining thereat that that place should be preferred before them saide vnto him Whatsoeuer we haue hâ—ard done in Capernaum do it heere likewise in thâ—ne owne Country Luc. 4.23 thereby implying that the greatest part of his miracles had not beene done among them but among the Capernaites Thirdly there he began to preach saying Repent Math. 4.13.17 Mark 1.14 Iohn 6 59. Luc. 4.31.32 for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand and there he preached of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood likewise hee taught on the Sabboth day in their Synagogue with power and authority so that they were astonied at his doctrine In all these respects and priuiledges partly of the presence of his person partly of the working of his miracles partly of the preaching of his Gospel Christ pronounceth that they were lifted vp to heauen Mat. 11 23.24 highly aduanced aboue many other Townes Cities that wanted the seeing and hearing of him but because they became vnthankfull and to all these did not ioyne true obedience hee denounceth against them that they should be brought downe to hell the reason hereof is rendred in the next wordes For if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day but I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee An heauy doome and a most fearefull sentence and yet most iust and righteous if it bee weighed in the ballance of iustice The sinnes of Capernaum greater then of Sodome Gen. 19 3. Rom 1 27 28. Ezek. 16. Sodome indeede was guilty of vncleannesse and
whether they bee good or euill Then shall the faithfull be fully glorified and inherite the crowne of eternall life This howsoeuer it bee oftentimes and faithfully promised of God yet hath bene and is derided of many who shall in the end pay the price of their folly and infidelity feele that Gods truth is stable and surer then the heauens 2 Pet. 3 3 4. This is it which the Apostle Peter testifieth This first vnderstand that there shall come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers dyed all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation But whatsoeuer these Atheists dreame of the glorious appearance of Christ his second comming and howsoeuer they put the euill day farre from them yet the Lord of that promise is not slacke as some men count slackenesse but is patient toward vs and wold haue no man to perish Neuerthelesse the day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the night in the which the heaueÌ„s shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melte with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp This we see not yet performed 1 Thess 4 17. neither are we made partakers of eternall life when we shall euer rest remain with the Lord and nothing shall separate vs from his glorious and comfortable presence This doctrine therefore serueth to vphold our faith in this point And whensoeuer we reade of any promise that God hath in mercy made to his Church albeit it be for a time deferred not presently accomplished let vs waite with patience and build our Faith vpon the experience of his former promises which wee see already fulfilled and say with the Apostle 2 Tim. 1 12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue coÌ„mitted to him against that day We are sure wee builde not in the aire we beate not the ayre but we builde vpon aâ—sure foundation that shall neuer decay or deceiue vs. For who euer put his trust in him and was confounded Or who did set vp his rest on him and went away ashamed Hence it is that Christ saith Math. 5 17 18. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them for truly I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shall not scape till all thinges be fulfilled This is needfull for vs to consider remember for our faith is often shaken with doubting and infidelity that which we see not we many times beleeue not and so we are shaken through our weakenesse as with the winde but we must make God our rock and rest on his vnchangeable word who is trueth it selfe and cannot lye Secondly seeing Gods promises are so Vse 2 surely grounded vppon the immutabilitie of Gods truth that it is vnpossible that they should faile or he deceiue this teacheth that it is as true that his iudgements shall not faile but follow the wicked at the heeles For God is as vnchangeable in the one as in the other It is a foolish error to imagine that God will vndoubtedly performe the promises of his mercie and not the threatnings of his iustice True it is many presume of his goodnes but they doubt of his righteousnesse This is to set vp an abhominable Idoll in our hearts and to denie the infinitenesse of his glorie and maiesty and to deuise a God made altogether of mercie If God be true in the one he is also as true in the other if hee faile in the one he changeth also in the other This vse is directly concluded by Ioshua in the exhortation that he maketh to the people that they should not ioyne themselues to the idolatrous Nations but loue the Lord their God and cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart when he saith Chap. 23. ver 14 15. Behold this day do I enter into the way of all the world and ye know in your hearts and in all your soules that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you but all are come to passe vnto you nothing hath failed thereof Therefore as all good things are come vpon you which the Lord your God promised you so shall the LORD bring vpon you euery euil thing vntil he haue destroyed you out of this good Land which the Lord your God hath giuen you In which words hee teacheth that his threatnings are of the same nature with his promises and his iudgements as certaine as his mercies 2 Kings 7 1 2 17.18 This appeareth by a notable example which God shewed at the breaking vp of the long siege of Samaria he promised to the faithfull that would beleeue plenty and abundance the next day and hee threatned to the Prince on whose hand the King leaned that he should see it with his eies but he should not eate thereof Here God did promise good and threaten euill Did he shew forth the worke of his mercy and not of his iudgement of his goodnes not of his wrath Yes of his wrath and iudgement for the people trod vpon him in the gate and he dyed as the man of God had said so it came to passe This serueth to shew the wofull estate and condition of all vngodly men vnrepentant sinners for howsoeuer they flatter themselues put away the euill day far from them being deluded and as it were charmed with a proud presumption of Gods mercies yet the threatning of God the curse of the Law and the terror of their conscience which standeth against them shall abide for euer and therefore so long as they go forward in sin and proceed in the wickednes of their hearts they haue iust cause to mourne and lament forasmuch as the threatnings manifested in the word are inuiolable and vnchangeable Let all those that lye in any sin repent while it is called to day hear his voice lest the curse of the Law which shal certainly be fulfilled do seize vpon them and they be carried to vtter destruction The Prophet Esay denounceth many woes against wicked men Esay 5 8 11 18 20 21 22. Wo vnto them that ioyn house to house and lay Field to field til there be no place for the poore Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue til night Woe vnto them that draw iniquity with cordes of vanity and sinne as with Cart-ropes Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euil of good which put darknesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweet sweet for soure Woe vnto them that are wise in their own eyes prudent in their owne sight Woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine and to them that are strong to
those men that accused Daniel and to cast them into the den of Lyons who had the mastery ouer them and brake all their bones in peeces or euer they came at the bottome of the denne Dauid sinned in committing of adultery with the wife of Vriah his faithfull seruant and destroyed him with the sword of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 11â— he is paied home and punished in his owne kind for God by way of rewarding and seruing him as he had serued others as a iust iudge doth raise vp euill against him out of his owne house His owne sonnes breake out into the same sinnes and he kindleth such a fire in his owne family that they rise vp against him and one against another Absalom spreadeth a tent and lyeth with his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel Amnon deflowreth his sister Tamar to reuenge this Absalom killeth his owne brother Experience teacheth vs that blood requireth blood so that the murtherer requireth vengeance of God albeit peraduenture he escape the hand of the Magistrate We see this in Ioab he shed innocent blood and escaped a long time as if it had bin forgotten but at length his blood was shed and his hoare head went not downe to the graue in peace This is it which Christ telleth vs 1 King 2. â— Matth. 7.1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what iudgement ye iudge ye shal be iudged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you againe He that rashly and vniustly censureth others feeleth at one time or other the smart of it in the like kinde for God rayseth vp others iustly albeit they defame him vniustly that therby he may be recompensed This is that which Samuel bringeth into the remembrance of Agag the king of Amalek 1 Sam. 15.33 As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother bee childlesse among women so he hewed him in pieces before the Lord. Neither need we goe farre to fetch examples of this trueth or turne ouer histories of ages past for we haue it sealed vp to vs in our daies and times wherein we liue I meane in those of the pretended holy league in our neighbor kingdome they confederated themselues to root out true religion and the professors therof out of the face of the earth they bend all their forces to effect it but the Lord that sitteth in heauen laugheth them to scorne and hath theÌ„ in derision he hath rewarded theÌ„ to the full and that in their owne kind he turned their weapons vpon themselues and sheathed their swords in their owne bowels as he dealt with the Midianites that slew one another Iudg. 2. â—â— The example of Haman is famous and well knowne he set vp a gibbet to hang Mordecai because he bowed not vnto him Ester â— â—â— howbeit himselfe was hanged vpon it and fell into the pit he had prepared for another but Mordecai escaped and was deliuered and aduanced who spake good for the King as appeareth in the booke of Ester Reason 1 The reasons are euident to be seene and easie to be found out First the iustice of God is thereby cleered and the mouth of iniquity stopped For what haue we to alledge or answer for our selues when God retaileth vs according to the sinne that wee haue committed Doubtlesse we haue no excuse or pretence or allegation for our selues but wee must confesse with our owne mouthes euen against our selues that God is righteous and we are vnrighteous This appeareth in the booke of Iudges in the example of Adonibezek being taken by Ioshua and the people hee had his thumbes and great toes cut off for he confessed that the iustice of God had found him out and requited him in his kinde according to his owne cruelty Iudg. 1 ver 7. Threescore and ten Kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my Table as I haue done so God hath requited me and they brought him to Ierusalem there he died If then God bee iust he cannot but measure all his actions by iustice for no vnrighteousnesse is found in him as he will make men themselues confesse Reason 2 Secondly the Lord cannot abide a measure and a measure they are an abhomination vnto God as Prou. 20 23. Diuers weights are an abhomination to the Lord and a false ballance is not good The Iudge of all the world cannot but deale iustly and truely This reason is expressed by the Angel of the waters Reuel 16 5 6. Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke Where he concludeth that their blood must be shed that delighted to shed the blood of others because God is a righteous Lord. His iustice shineth among men in all places in that he recompenceth the wickednesse of men by a like punishment sent from him so that their punishment is answerable to their sinne Reason 3 Thirdly the vngodly are fully worthy of such punishment It is meete that malefactors haue their deserts how then can they complaine of iniquity or iniustice so long as they receiue their owne and he paieth them the debt he oweth them with their owne mony GOD will giue to euery man according to his workes Rom. 2. and giue their wages according to their merites This reason is also added in the former place of the Reuelation where the Angel chargeth them that they had shed the blood of the Saints and putteth them in minde that God had done them no wrong when he gaue them blood to drinke then he annexeth the reason for they are worthy â—euel 16 6. If then wee consider the deserts of men how great they are we cannot maruaile wheÌ„ at any time we behold the hand of God stretched out against them in this manner and recompencing them with such measure Fourthly let vs marke what God requireth Reason 4 at the hands of Magistrates in his Law to wit that they recompence like for like Moses saith in the Law Thou shalt pay life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe Exod. 21 24. Such a blemish as he hath made in any such shall be repaied to him Leuit. 24 20. Neither was this law repealed or disliked by Christ our Sauiour Math. 5 38. Forasmuch as in that place he onely condemneth the abuse of it by priuate persons according to their priuate affections and lustes of reuenge who are not Magistrates If then the Lord will haue the higher powers recompence the sinner according to the manner of his sinne we may not doubt but he that is aboue all will measure his workes according to the rule of iustice which is most equall Therefore whatsoeuer measure we mete Luke 6 38. Matth. 26 52. Esay 33 1. it is iust
condemn our churches our ministers our sacraments to be no true Churches of Christ no true Ministers of Christ no true Sacraments of Christ And concerning our Liturgie or forme of publike praier read and prescribed to bee read they account it Antichristian they vtterly detest it and account it abhominable no more acceptable to God then the offering of Swines flesh was vnder the Law which the Lord abhorred as if they had instead of his appointed sacrifices cut off a dogs necke And albeit we haue the examples of all other Churches vnder heauen as presidents that go before vs in this practise and albeit wee follow them as they followed Christ yet they wil not allow vs to be like to them nor wil permit that to the people of God which he here prescribed to the Priests yea albeit they haue no examples whom they can pretend to follow yet they wil be singular in their own conceits condemn al others that will not ioyne with them The 136. Psalme was sung in the congregations long after Dauids daies as appeareth 2 Chro. 20 21. what Did they therein offer vp swines flesh Hezekiah that godly king that set his whole heart to seeke the Lord whom the Lord healed of an incureable disease â— Kings 21 1. Esay 38 8. and wrought a miracle in the heauens to assure him of deliuerance from his enemies this good King so much regarded of God togither with his Princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the words of Dauid and of Asaph the Seer 2 Chro. 29 30 so they did according to the kings commandement sing praises with gladnes they bowed their heads worshipped 2 Chro. 29 30. Did the King and the Princes command the Leuites to offer vp swines flesh or was their seruice no better accepted then the cutting off of a dogs neck or did it any whit quench their zeale or slake their deuotion that the words were not their owne but penned long before by Dauid the Prophet and Asaph the Seer No they praised the Lord with gladnes of heart and humblenes of mind which they testified by this sign that they bowed their heads and worshipped Obiect But it will be saide This was a thansgiuing I confesse it was but if it be lawfull to vse a set forme of praising and thansgiuing Answer then also of praying and making petition because there is a like reason of both And that we may the better see their errour and themselues confesse they are deceiued let vs examine som of their obiections in this place the rest we will reserue vnto the 10. chapter Numb 10 35 36. where we shal haue farther occasion to search more into this point One obiection which Obiection 2 they alledge is this that this set seruice is to quench the spirit 1 Thes 5 19. and to limit him that teacheth vs to pray to tel him how farre he shal go and to appoint him his banks and bounds beyond which he may not passe whereas we shold pray as the Spirit moueth giueth vs vtterance To vse a set forme or if you list to call it so a stinted forme of praier Answer is not to stint the Spirit but to helpe the Spirit But doth the Spirit of God need the help of man Obiection 3 Is not he al-sufficient by himselfe of himself Answer He standeth not in need of vs but is most sufficient howbeit the Spirit in vs is weake the worke of the Spirit is vnperfect and is perfected not all at once but by degreee If all the true seruants of God had receiued a perfect measure of grace and if all that haue the Spirit of God had the same Spirit fully without any defect or infirmity they should not neede any humane helpes but haue sufficient store of their owne So then to the former obiection I answer 3. things First if hee that taketh a booke and readeth a set prayer did stint the Spirit then he that taketh the Scripture into his hands and readeth a chap. out of the old or new Testament and then staieth goeth no farther might as wel be said to stint the Spirit Or he that heareth another pray should stint the Spirit also because all such as heare the prayers of others are stinted what to heare All cannot neyther ought to bee speakers either in the priuate house or in the house of God 1 Cor. 14 40. this were to breake the order of decencie required in prayer now such as are hearers of others haue words after a sort prescribed vnto them and limited how farre to goe and yet cannot such hearers be iustly taxed to limit or to quench the Spirit Againe obserue that the Spirit of God is neuer stinted or curbed neither can rightly be said to be quenched so long as it is kept within his owne bounds that is the limits of the holy Scripture as it ought to be Hee then that prayeth the prayer of Christ or the salutation of Paul or a Psalme of Dauid which he hath premeditated before or committed to memory cannot be said to quench the Spirit except we will imagine that the Spirit can be against himselfe Lastly to quench the Spirit is to oppose against the voice of the Spirit Rom. 1 18. to crosse and contradict the Spirit and to with-holde the truth in vnrighteousnesse Therefore althogh a man doeth not speake euery thing that the Spirite putteth into his head and into his heart yet hee cannot be charged to quench the Spirit except he set himselfe against it that with a set purpose to gainsay and resist it As for example when wee craue of GOD to feed vs with food conuenient for vs Pro. 30.8 to make vs content to eate our own bread 2 Thes 3 12. though we do not expresly pray to God to keep vs from vsing vnlawful shifts vngodly meanes whereby we seeke to get into our hands the goodes of other men yet we cannot be said to quench the spirit except we refuse so to pray because wee purpose to liue and thriue by iniuries and oppressions by fraud and deceit then indeede we quench the Spirit because we controll the voice of the Spirit speaking to vs in his word Again they obiect Obiection 4 that the scripture techeth that we know not what or how to pray Rom. 8 26. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we shold pray for as we ought c. but when we haue a set forme of prayer framed to our hands and the booke lieth before vs wee know then what to pray and neede not the helpe of the Spirit and therefore such cannot say with the Apostle they know not what to pray for as they ought This is a silly collection and indeede a meere cauillation I answer therfore 2 things Answ First by setting downe the meaning of the words We know not what wee should pray for as we ought to wit of our selues as 1 Cor. 2 14 15.
4.8 â—â—m 4.16 â—or 3.9.10 〈◊〉 12.3 â—or 3.8.10 euen a greater measure of glory after a faithful discharge of the duty when the great Shepheard of the sheepe shall appeare in glory It is not therefore to bee maruelled at that Paul euery where magnifieth the grace of God who had chosen him to be a master-builder in his house to lay the foundation thereof more precious then the gold of Opâ—ir or then siluer tryed in a furnace of earth purified seuen times 〈◊〉 12.6 Now if the calling be in it selfe honourable ought it not then to be honored and how shall it be honored if they that be in the calling be not maintained and what shold their maintenance be but as it may be agreeable to their place they hold And if the maintenance must hold correspondence with the honour of the Ministery wee doubt not to affirme and auouch that the recompence of the labours of such as are painful and faithfull in this calling ought to be very bountifull and liberall Our Sauiour saith of this calling â—â—k 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Hee hath committed vnto them the keyes of the kingdome of heauen â—â—tth 16.19 Tel mee if thou were desirous to see one of the kings houses glistering with much gold and shining with pearles and precious stones and at length shouldest finde one that carryed the keyes who being intreated should forthwith vnlocke the doores and bring thee euen into the kings priuie chamber wouldest thou not make much of him and honour him aboue others The Ministers of God are they that keepe the keyes of the gates of heauen they haue power from Christ and vnder Christ to open the dores ought we not therefore to loue theÌ„ Chrysost hom 2. in 1. Thessal to reuerence them to honor them This made the Thessalonians receiue the Apostles doctrine 1 Thess 2.13 not as the word of man but as the word of God and he beareth the Galatians witnesse Gal. 4.15 that if it had beene possible they would haue plucked out their owne eyes and haue giuen them to him Our Sauiour telleth his Apostles Matth. 18.18 that whatsoeuer they shall bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they shall loose on earth shall bee loosed in heauen Did not Pilate thinke himselfe aduanced to great honour that he could say Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee Ioh. 19.10 and haue power to release thee If a Prince should impart to any of his subiects this authority that as high Marshall he should haue power to put in prison whomsoeuer he would and againe to release them and let them goe Chrysost de sacerd lib. 3. toto sere lib. 1. he would be thought happy and worthy of honour in all mens iudgments It hath pleased the God of heauen earth to bestow a Ministeriall power to giue authority subordinate vnder his to the preachers of the Gospel to forgiue sins and to retaine sinnes saying Ioh. 20.23 Whosesoeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them and whose-soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained As Eliah by his earnest prayer 1 King 17.1 Luk. 4.25 Iam. 5.17 did shut the heauens that it could not raine vpon the earth and againe by his prayers opened the windowes of heauen that the earth did drinke in the raine and brought forth herbes meete for the vse of man So the Ministers by their earnest preaching doe open the kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers and do shut the doore against all impenitent sinners and by the power of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 5.4 doe commit such to perpetuall imprisonment and doe deliuer them to Satan for the destruction of the flesh if haply by this meanes the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord. This power doe the Ministers execute vpon earth which the Angels themselues do not nor cannot exercise in heauen To what end haue we spoken all this touching the power and authority of the Ministers Surely from thence to infer that their maintenance ought to be answerable to their Ministery and to shew that if wee withhold from them their due we withhold from God whose deputies they are deny him his right for all the tithe of the land Leuit. 27.30 whether of the seede of the land or of the fruit of the tree is the Lords it is holy vnto the Lord and consequently we hinder the worship of God and thereby as much as lyeth in vs destroy the soules of many thousaÌ„ds which otherwise might come to repentance acknowledging of the truth Remember therefore these two Principles See more of Tithes in the 18. chapter which both ioyne in one that the tythe of the land is the Lords verse 30. and that the tenth shall bee wholly vnto the Lord verse 32. As then we doe tender the continuance of the worshippe of God so we should render to the Minister his due maintenance that he may receiue comfort and encouragement in the worke of the Lord and thereby make it manifest that we are ready to bring to God the best sacrifice we haue and so to serue him in the best manner Thirdly acknowledge from hence that it Vse 3 is our duty to honor God with al our substaÌ„ce and that wee can no way so well imploy our goods as when God is honoured and glorified by them The wise man saith Pro. 3 9. Prou. 3.9 Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruites of thine increase And we heard before that Abel brought to God of the fattest sheep he had Exod 23.19 and 34.26 he offered vnto him the best Gen. 4. he offered a better sacrifice and also a greater sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11 4. He spared for no cost he brought not the worst he had or what came first to hand thinking that whatsoeuer he brought was good enough for the Lordes seruice and to be consumed with fire but he gaue the best hee had and would haue giuen better if he could Whosoeuer doth to the vttermost the best he can doth make it plain he would do better if he could From this practise of Abel had the Law his foundation that was afterwards written that nothing which was lean or lame Deut 15.21 Leuiti 22.20 or maimed or mishapen or blinde or any way blemished should be offered to the Lord. If any ask how this belongeth vnto vs. I answer the Ceremony is ended in Christ howbeit the equity remaineth and bindeth vs for euer Now then if the question be further demanded how this Law reacheth to vs and how we may honor him with our first fruites and riches I answer by giuing to him the best in euerie kinde that we haue This consisteth in many particular branches and teacheth vs diuers particular duties First of all here is offered that to
4.2 1 Cor. 1.31 Lastly to bring the aduersaries of this doctrine once more to plead for vs against themselues They teach that no man can certainly know that he hath true merits without a speciall reuelation or that he shall persist and perseuere in them vnto the end whereupon we inferre and conclude that therfore we may not beleeue that we shall obtaine eternall life for our workes sake for that were to torture and torment mens consciences to set them vpon the racke that were neuer to giue peace to the distressed soule but to leaue it in doubt and perplexity wheras the Apostle gathereth the quite contrary from the doctrine of iustification Roman chap. 5.1 Being therefore iustified by faith wee haue peace with God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ But from the popish doctrine of iustification wee see there followeth no effect of peace no tranquillity or quietnesse of conscience because they are taught to stand in doubt of their reconciliation and attonement with God Fourthly this serueth as a great consolation Vse 4 to such as are carefull to doe good and to shew foorth good workes that they shall in time reape if they faint not This was good Nehemiah assured of and therefore accordingly he desireth God to remember him chap. 13 31.14 Remember me O my God for good and a little before Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I haue done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof And chap. 5.19 hauing declared his care to releeue the poore and distressed among the Iewes and his own conscience bearing him witnesse of his sincerity in this behalfe he prayed to God Thinke vpon mee my God for good according to all that I haue done for this people Obadiah had comfort by the workes of mercy shewed to the persecuted seruants of God who in the reigne of Ahab hid an hundreth of the Lords Prophets in a caue 1 Kin. 18.13 and fed them with bread and water and he had the fruite of it he was the first to whom glad tidings was offered in the daies of famine when heauen was shut vp that it yeelded no raine and was made an instrument to publish it to others No worke shall fall to the ground but come vp in remembrance to our comfort This is as true and certaine touching the workes of euery seruant of God as if the Angel that spake to Cornelius were sent vnto him to say vnto him Thy workes are come vp in remembrance before God Anâ— as God saith that he keepeth the tears of his children in his bottle so he keepeth the workes of his â—â—ildren in his booke This is and so it ought to be a great encouragement to vs in well-doing to consider that the number the greatnesse and the measure of all our good workes shall be registred and recorded by him It is spoken in deed for our capacity for God needeth no writings of record or bookes of account the meaning is he wil neuer forget our good workes but as certainely remember them as if he had put them all particularly in writing Hence it is that the Lord saith so often to the seuen Churches of Asia to whom hee commanded Iohn to write hee knew all their workes nothing was hidden from him nothing vnknowen vnto him Vse 5 Lastly seeing good workes are in so great account with God it is necessary that we learn what good workes are that are pleasing in Gods sight and how they are to be done of vs. For there is more required to a good worke then the bare deed done A good worke is a duty commanded of God What a good worke is performed by a regenerate person and done in faith ayming at the glory of God and the good of man Wherby we see that sundry points are required to make a worke accepted of God First of all the worke must haue the wil of God which is the rule of all goodnesse and righteousnesse to warrant the same that so we may doe them in an holy obedience vnto him For except he appoint them hee doth not approoue them and vnlesse he command them he doth neuer commend them Will-worship is abominable to God and euery where reiected when men thrust vpon God their owne inuentions in stead of his seruice Col. 2.22.23 Deut. 12.32 Euery good work is commanded in the word either expresly or generally God is in vaine worshipped when for doctrines the commandements of men are taught and obserued This reproueth the Romish Religion maintaining â— t a man may do good works which are neuer required or appointed of God and likewise the blinde deuotion and superstition of the people that if they in their worship haue a good intent and think no man no harme they doe a good worke Secondly gooâ— workes must be done by a regenerate person that is in the state of grace that is a member of Christ and borne againe by the holy Ghost If we bee not reconciled to God in Christ made acceptable through him wee are as euill trees that cannot bring forth good fruit whereas no man can gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles Matth. 7.16 The person must please God before any thing that commeth from him can please him for he had respect to Abel Gen. 4.4.5 and then to his offering but not to Caine and therefore not vnto his offering Hence fal to the ground the workes of Turkes and Infidels and meere ciuill men who often abstaine from outward sinnes liue orderly among men and do works of mercy iustice liberality yet in them they are not good because they proceed from a corrupt heart The like we may say of the workes of all vnregenerate persons bee they neuer so beautifull in the eyes of the world they are but beautifull sinnes in the sight of God whether they eate or drinke or walke sleepe or buy or sell or come to Church or heare the word or pray or receiue the Sacraments the rule of the Apostle standeth for euer Vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their minde and conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 Thirdly good works must be done in faith because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Now there is required in a man a twofold perswasion first an assurance that God hath willed and commanded it to be done for he that giueth almes and yet doubteth whether God would haue him to giue almes sinneth Secondly a perswasion in his own conscience of his reconciliation to God in Christ This is iustifying faith which purifieth the heart and doth fit and inable it to bring forth a good worke There is a double vse of this gift it maketh vs to begin the work well and when it is once done it serueth as a cloake or garment to couer the defects and imperfections of it applying the merits of Christ The last
and tempest while they are secure and thinke nothing of their end while they eate drinke and are drunken and giuen to vnlawfull pleasures the iudgement of God shall be as a swift messenger or a sodaine winde that shall blow them away as chaffe For though God in patience beare with them and put off his iudgements for a season yet when they do come they shall come swiftly and sodainely Indeed it often maketh the best of Gods children to stumble to see the prosperitie of the wicked and greeue much to see men lying in their sinnes as swine in the mire or dogges in their vomit to grow great and continue long without any crosse or affliction but let them waite but awhile and sodainly they shall see the iudgements of God to ouertake them in their greatest ruffe and riot into which they breake Let no man therefore enuy them their honour and glory their riches and prosperity for they all shall bee turned into curses and iudgements Who would repine at it to see a theefe carried along thorough faire fields and greene meddowes in a rich coach to the gallowes or place of execution There is cause rather to bee greeued at it and to pittie him then to enuy him so likewise why should we enuy at the prosperity of the wicked considering it is the highway that leadeth to death and the verie occasion of their ruine they staÌ„d in danger euery houre to be ouertaken with the iudgements of God which come sodainely that they shall haue no time to make their peace or to reconcilde themselues by true Repentance Psal 37.35 36. We haue cause therfore to mourne for them and not to murmure at them Thirdly from hence ariseth comfort to the faithfull What though on the one side the Vse 3 wicked prosper encrease in riches though their eies stand out for fatnesse and cruelty compasseth them as a garment and they haue more then heart can wish And what though on the other side the godly are afflicted and in trouble though they be in want and oppressed though they be in misery and suffer many wrongs Psal 73.13 yet we must not be discouraged nor say We haue clensed our hearts in vaine and in vaine wee haue washed our hands in innocency forasmuch as they are brought into desolation as in a moment they are vtterly consumed with terrors as a dreame when one awaketh Verse 19 20. Let vs therefore bee of good comfort and not shrinke away they are like the grasse or flower of the field which groweth and flourisheth to day and to morrow withereth and is cast into the Ouen or rathey they are much more brittle and subiect to a speedier change Let vs commit our wayes vnto the Lord and trust in him let vs giue all diligence to walke in his waies which are sanctified and holy waies that we may not be reputed among the wicked and so partake with them in the sodainnesse of their downfall Let vs waite patiently vpon him for yet a very litle while and the wicked shall not appeare thou shalt looke after his place and yet shalt not finde him sodaine destruction shall seize vpon him as a sergeant and he shall be caried away as with a strong whirlewinde in a tempestuous and stormy day Vse 4 Fourthly it is our duty to watch and attend with all care for the time of iudgement The day of the Lord or the time of iudgment is twofold generall and particular Generall when Christ shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead in the end of the world when the pillars of the earth and the whole frame of heauen shal be dissolued Particular at the day of our death when euery particular soule must appear before the barre and giue an account what iâ— hath done Great will be our misery if God come find vs carelesse and secure If a man knew at what houre the theefe would come doubtlesse hee would watch and not suffer his house to bee broken through Marke 13 35 36. And this is the cause wherefore it pleased God to conceale from vs as well the day of iudgement as the day of our death hee would not haue vs know either the one or the other to wit wheÌ„ he will come or when we shall dye to the end we should alwayes watch and pray and be in readinesse hauing our loines girt and oyle in our lampes Nothing is more certain then that he will come Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied of it before the flood that the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints Iude verse 14. howbeit nothing is more vncertaine then when he will come for the Angels in heauen and the Sonne himselfe as hee is man know it not but the Father onely Mat. 24 36. Mar. 13 32. So nothing is more certain then our death and dissolution and nothing more vncertaine then the time thereof that we should learn to looke for him euery day nay euery houre nay euery minute It is well obserued by Austine that the Lord would haue vs to know the time of his first comming Aug Epist ad Hesych because the knowledge thereof is profitable and necessary and therefore doth the Lord reprooue the Iewes that they could iudge the face of the sky but they knew not the day of their visitation because he that is ignorant of the first comming can neuer prepare himselfe for his second coÌ„ming Zâ—â—ch de fâ—â— seculi But the day and time of his second coÌ„ming is hidden from vs because it is not expedient for vs to know the same lest we shold say with the euill seruant My master doth defer his comming and so fall to beate our fellow-seruants Luke 12 45. We must be wise-hearted and looke for him euery day and not foolishly promise to our selues a long time of his tarrying lest we deceiue our selues and begin to eate and drinke and to be drunken whereas the Lord of that seruant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him Mat. 24.50 5â— and in an houre that he is not aware of and shal cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth And if wee may not say our master doth delay his comming as euil seruants then we may not say 2 Peter 3 4. where is the promise of his comming as prophane scoffers and mockers do that walke after their owne lusts But bee it that the generall comming of Christ were farre off yet his particular comming to euery one of vs cannot be farre off but is nere at hand we know not whose turne shal be the next woe vnto vs if we be taken vnprouided So then we see that God hath concealed his comming both generall and particular not to our hurt but for our good Lastly this serueth to admonish all men Vse 5 that seeing the iudgements of God shal come sodainely and that sodaine death and sodaine
thee to haue thy brothers wife Matthew 14. verse 4. They dare not say to the Scribes and Pharisees as Christ did Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharises Matth. 23. hypocrites but they are afraid of offending All these sixe sorts are vnfaithful teachers we haue shewed the causes of their vnfaithfulnesse they are vnfaithfull through their ignorance vnfaithfull through their errours vnfaithfull through their idlenesse vnfaithfull through their vnskilfulnesse vnfaithfull through their scandales vnfaithfull through their flattery Vse 2 Secondly this reprooueth the people that vpbraid the Ministers with too much teaching for it is required of them that they bee found faithfull They must teach instruct in season and out of season but many carelesse hearers aduise them to spare their labours Paul saith Woe vnto me 1 Cor. 9.20 21 22 23. if I preach not the Gospel he laboured greatly that by all meanes hee might saue some Many tell vs we aâ— too busie and doe meddle with reprouing sinne more then wee need but how then should we be found faithfull in the Lords businesse or how shall wee escape the punishment of vnfaithfulnesse in the great day of account None shall receiue the incorruptible crowne of glory but such as haue beene faithfull and none shall be exempted from eternall iudgement that haue beene vnfaithfull Such men care not how little they heare that thinke the Ministers preach too much nay they could be content to heare nothing at all whose reward shall be according to their negligence Vse 3 Thirdly it is the duty of the Ministers to labour for this vertue and to approue themselues to God in a faithfull and carefull discharge of their callings This is a duty which God so often and so strictly commandeth and by the execution of that commandement we are said to saue men by preaching Ministers are said to saue Iob 33.24 Rom. 11.14 1 Cor. 9.22 1 Tim. 4.16 and to deliuer from the pit of hell This shall also bring vnspeakeable ioy and comfort peace and quietnesse to our consciences when we are desirous to discharge our duties in truth and sincerity Happy are they that haue this testimony of their consciences that they haue this way promoted the glory of God aduanced the kingdome of Christ and furthered the saluation of men Oh how happy were it for vs that it might be said of vs as it is of Moses in this place that we haue beene faithfull in his house and thrice happy shall we be if at the last day our Lord and master comming from heauen as a man that beginneth to take an account of his seruants shall say vnto vs Well done Mat. 25.21.23 good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull ouer a few things I will make thee ruler ouer many things enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. If I should stand to set down particularly the parts of this faithfulnesse whereby wee may procure the commendation to ourselues which is giuen to Moses I should stand too long The Ministers must be men of knowledge otherwise how should they teach knowledge they must be men of zeale of painefulnesse and diligence of an holy and vnblameable life of sincerity and vprightnesse They must reproue sinne as God punisheth sinne that is without respect of persons in whomsoeuer they find it they must keepe backe nothing but reueale the whole counsell of God Finally they must take heed to themselues and to the flocke Act. 〈…〉 ouer which the holy Ghost hath made theÌ„ ouerseers verse 28. Lastly that which is heere particularly applyed Vse to the Ministers ought to be extended enlarged to all others which haue receiued any calling from God in what place soeuer God hath set vs we must be faithfull in it The Magistrate must bee faithfull in the gouernement of his people Psal 101. â— he must sing of mercy and of iudgement The Iudge must be faithfull in the ministring and executing of iustice Exod. 18. â— hauing courage and hating couetousnesse knowing that they iudge not for man but for the Lord. 2 Chro. â— The householder must be faithfull in ordering and reforming of his family and walke in his house with a perfect heart Psa 101.2 To conclude all inferiours must also be faithfull in their place to yeeld honour and reuerence to shew trust and diligence toward their superiors Ephes 6. â— 7 8. considering that God hath set them in their places remembring that euery man may gaine glory to his Name if he be found diligent how meane soeuer his calling is and knowing that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth the same shall hee receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free 9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he departed 10 And the cloude departed from off the Tabernacle and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow and Aaron looked vpon Miriam and behold she was leprous Now we come to the execution of the sentence For when euill doers stand dumbe before the iugde and can answere nothing for themselues but confesse themselues guilty what remaineth but to proceed to the punishment as we see in the example of Achan who confessed he had sinned against the Lord God of Israel and was stoned with stones Ioâ—â— 7. â— and of him that came to the feast without his wedding garment so soon as he was taken speechlesse hauing nothing to answer for himselfe the king said vnto the seruants Mat. ◠〈…〉 The oâ— the 〈…〉 chapâ—â—â— Binde him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into vtter darknesse The punishment is partly signified in that the wrath of God by a metaphor drawen from men is said to be kindled so that he would heare the offenders speake no more vnto him declared by the departure of the cloude and partly inflicted she became leprous white as snow that is she was stricken with the most greeuous kind of leprosie because she was the author procurer of this murmuring Leuit. 〈…〉 Howbeit afterward it is in part repealed reuersed wherin we may see both the occasion the mitigatioÌ„ of the punishment The occasions are two first the request of Aaron made to Moses not to God â—â—quest 〈…〉 who refused to hear him lying in his sin or rather not sufficiently humbled for his sin as also he did Iobs three friends 〈…〉 8. he would not receiue a sacrifice at their hands but Iob must pray for them lest he deale with them according to their folly This request of his is both generall for himselfe and his sister that their sinnes may be pardoned and not imputed vnto them and likewise speciall for Miriam that she might not be a spectacle and gazing stock to the whole hoste and a monument of Gods iustice for euer but might bee healed of that foule and vncleane disease â—rayer of 〈◊〉 The other occasion is the prayer of Moses directed to God his hand had stricken and made
see in the booke of Kings 1 Kings 1â— in Hiel the Betheliâ—e according to the word of the Lord which hee spake by Ioshua the sonne of Nun. The like we see in Zachariah when resting in the power of nature and the strength of his owne body he beleeued not the Angel be was striken dumbe and could not speake vnto the people Luke 1 20. A memorable example also we haue in the streight siege of Samaria where a Prince answered the man of God and saide Though the Lord would make Windowes in the heauen could it come so to passe 2 Kings â— 19 20. And hee saide Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eate thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trod vpon him in the gate and he dyed The Reasons heere of are euident For first Reason the Nature of GOD is true and vnchangeable Heauen and earth shall passe but one iote or tittle of his word shall not passe but shall bee fulfilled This is that which is vrged afterward in this booke Chapter 23.19 1 Sam. 1â— God is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold repent Hath he said and shall it not bee done hath he spoken and shal he not accomplish it Seeing therefore God is vnchangeable with whom is no variablenesse or shadow of turning hee will let none of his words fall to the ground he is in one mind and who can turne him yea he doth what his minde desireth Reason 2 Again who can hinder him or say vnto him Why doest thou thus No might no power no policy can withstand him in his workes albeit men rebell neuer so much and resist neuer so mightily against him There is great power in Princes they are able to bring mighty things to passe and to crosse the attempts of others yet sometimes they are crossed and resisted themselues It is not so with the Lord our God 〈◊〉 33. Who is in the heauens and doth whatsoeuer he will He hath the hearts of all euen of Princes in his own hand â—â—b 21 1 as the Riuers of waters he turneth them about as pleaseth him This made the Apostle cry out 〈◊〉 11.33 â—5 â—9 19 O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen him first and he shall be recompenced And who hath resisted his will So then whether wee consider the nature of God without change or the weaknesse of man without power wee may safely and truely conclude that all the threatnings which haue bene pronounced and denounced by the mouth of God shal be verified and performed without any altering or diminishing of them Vse 1 Let vs apply this to our selues and gather assuredly from hence the wofull estate of all wicked and vngodly men For seeing he doth not dally with vs or scare vs without cause so that all his threatnings faithfully denounced shall be vndoubtedly accomplished how shal they escape so great condemnation as lyeth at the doore and hangeth ouer their head Howsoeuer therefore they put away the euill day farre from them and liue as if God sate idle in heauen beholding all things but punishing nothing knowing all hearts and thoghts but not regarding the workes of men saying We haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement 〈…〉 16. though a scourge run ouer and passe thorough it shal not come at vs for wee haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanity are we hid yet hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision For what followeth Your couenant with death shal be disanulled and your agreement with hel shal not stand when a scourge shal run ouer and passe through then shal ye be troden down by it This is that which the wise man saith Eccles 8.11 12 13. Because sentence against an euil worke is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the children of men is full set in them to do euill Though a sinner do euil an hundred times and God prolongeth his dayes yet I know that it shal be well with them that feare the Lord but it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes he shall bee like a shadow because he feareth not before GOD. And to the same purpose the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh Chap. 12 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. where the Prophet reprooueth two sorts of persons open deriders of Gods word as if it should neuer be performed and such as prolong the euill daies as if the plagues were for many yeares and should not come in their dayes But God expressely and directly meeteth with them both and bindeth them together in one bundle declaring and making it plaine to their consciences that when he speaketh the word it shall be done and when hee pronounceth a decree it shall stand Thus in all ages of the Church satâ—n preuaileth with the children of disobedience and draweth more to destruction by presumption then he is able to do by desperation Let vs not harden our hearts thorough the deceitfulnesse of sinne Esay 55 6. Let vs seeke the Lord while hee may bee found and cal vpon him while he is neere Secondly let vs ground our faith in the vndoubted Vse 2 performance of those iudgements that are yet to come as that the Lord Iesus at the appointed time will breake the heauens and will come to iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearance and in his Kingdome that the wicked shall rise againe and stand before the barre of Gods throne These things we see not yet accomplished for all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation HeÌ„ce it is that Mockers arise which walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3 3.4 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp Yea When they shal say peace and safety 1 Thess 5 3. then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and they shall not escape Thus the Prophet Malachi prophesieth Behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all the proud Malachy 4 1. and all the wicked doers shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp and shal leaue them neither roote nor branch Thus then we see a day of iudgement is decreed and determined and remaineth for the appointed time but at last it shall come and not lye though it tarry wait for it shall surely come and not stay Thirdly wee must not be dismayed when Vse
The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to all that call vpon him in trueth he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will saue them Thus the Lord Iesus being zealous in prayer confesseth that his father alwayes heareth him Iohn 11. â— Thus the Angel telleth Cornelius That his prayers are heard Thus the Apostle also teacheth Iam. 1.5 Acts 10 â— If any man want wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him And in the last Chapter Iam. 5 1â— 17 18. Is any among you afflicted let him pray and the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Helias was a man subiect to like passions as we are he prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and sixe moneths and he prayed againe and the heauen gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruit The reasons to assure vs of this truth are Reason 1 first the prâ—mise gone out of his own mouth and the assurance of his owne word who can neuer deceiue nor falsifie his truth This is it which Christ our Sauiour vrgeth Matth. 7.7 8. Aske and it shall be giuen you Seeke and yee shall find Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you for whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall bee opened This is the ground and foundation of our faith in prayer to wit the promise of God without which we can haue no confidence or trust in the mercy of God Againe what man heareth not accepteth Reason 2 not granteth not the requests of his children that come vnto him Men that are euill and corrupt that haue scarce a sparke of the loue that is in God will not turne away their eyes from the miseries of their children much more then will God open the treasures of his graces to bestow vpon vs. This comparison our Sauiour presseth Mat. 7.9 10 11. Where the doctrine hath his confirmation What man is there among you which if his sonne aske him bread would giue him a stone Or if he aske fish will he giue him a serpent If ye then which are euill can giue to your children good gifts how much more shall your Father which is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him And the Prophet saith â— 49.15 Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet I will not forget thee Let vs come to the vses of this doctrine Vse 1 First it teacheth the blessed estate of the Church and a great priuiledge that the faithfull haue so that no man should say 〈◊〉 3 14. It is vaine to serue God and what prosit is it that wee haue kept his commandements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hostes But it will be said Heere they are in troubles and torments here they suffer sorrowes and afflictions euery day Be it so â— 8.37 38 Yet herein they are more then conquerors through him that loued them so that neither life nor death shall separate them from Iesus Christ our Lord. The Lord is the Sunne and shield vnto vs â— 84 11. the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly So then their tribulations and afflictions shall not hinder their blessednesse but by manifold troubles we shall enter into happinesse and euerlasting life Let our present care bee to serue the Lord and then we shall bee safe vnder his protection and not feare what man can doe vnto vs as the Prophet teacheth Psa 118. 5 6 7. I called vpon the Lord in trouble and the Lord heard me and set me at large the Lord is with me therefore I will not feare what man can do vnto me I shall see my desire vpon mine enemies Let vs therefore walke worthy of this blessed estate and condition seeing wee haue God neere vnto vs and ready to heare vs so often as we poure out our meditations before him There is no comfort like vnto this in this life whereby we obtaine health in sicknesse riches in pouerty safty in danger rest in trouble ioy in sorrow comfort in aduersity So then howsoeuer the vngodly accounteth the life of the faithfull contemptible and miserable aboue all other yet wee see one are truely happy but they For if I can say I haue been hungry and the Lord hath fed me I haue been naked and he hath cloathed me I haue beene sicke and he hath restored me I haue been in dangers and hee hath deliuered me I haue a blessed experience of Gods fauor giuen vnto me and an assurance of future happinesse reserued for me in the heauens Vse 2 Secondly let vs acknowledge it to bee our duty to call vpon him in the day of trouble and in all our necessities to come vnto him For if the righteous cryeth and the Lord heareth him yea deliuereth him out of al his troubles let vs flye vnto him Pro. 18.10 the name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous â—unneth vnto it and is exalted Heere is the onely refuge of the godly against all troubles and aduersities hereby we are instructed to whom we should runne and repaire in all need and necessities A strong Castle secureth those that flye vnto it for succour and defence Such is the fauour of God toward the elect in Christ who are sanctified by the holy Ghost he protecteth those that flye vnto him and they shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty This the Prophet presseth Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Let vs not looke to the hilles or mountaines to men or Angels let vs not trust in friends or in riches in power or policy but know that our helpe cometh from the Lord which hath made heauen and earth who will preserue our going out and our comming in from henceforth and for euer This serueth to condemne the Church of Rome Ioh 14.13 1 Ioh 2.1 who refuse the mediation of Christ to come vnto God and set vp Saints and Angels in his place to vsurpe his office But we are sure that Christ Iesus wil neuer faile vs nor cease to discharge the calling appointed vnto him of his Father Why then doe we not goe directly vnto him that gently calleth and louingly allureth vs Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden Matt. 11 18. and I will refresh you Thirdly doth God heare vs when we call Vse 3 and when we aske doth he answer Then it standeth with the right of reason and with the law of equity to heare him when hee calleth vpon vs and cryeth vnto vs. For whensoeuer we pray vnto God we speake vnto him and call vpon him to heare vs. Whensoeuer the
children partakers of his victory And the Apostle Paul confirmeth the same Rom. 16 20. The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your feet shortly Wherefore albeit there bee in this life and wicked world many beastly minded men that spread their armes far and neare seeme euen to dazle the eies of others through their riches honors power friends aliance might credite possessions dominion ouer others so that none dare mutter a word against them yet the time is appointed cometh quickly that the godly shall sit in thrones of glory iudge these wicked wretches that haue beene enemies to the Church they shall stand at the bar like poore caitiffes and receiue froÌ„ Christ and his Saints the sentence of condemnation as 1 Corinth 6.2 3. Paul calleth the Saints of God to consideration of this prerogatiue and checketh them that they would submit themselues to the vngodly Doe ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world If the world then shall bee iudged by you are yee vnworthy to iudge the smallest matters Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels How much more things that pertaine to this life If then the Lord bring the wicked downe and make them stoope to his seruants in these dayes of their pilgrimage wherein iniquity is often aduanced how much more shal we see our desire vppon our enemies when Christ which is our life shall appeare Col. 3 4. 1 Iohn 3 â— for then we shall appeare with him in glory and bee made like vnto him and see him as he is This the Prophet assureth the Church Mal. 4 2 3. Albeit therefore we be persecuted pursued in this life and finde no rest or refreshing any where yet there shall be a sudden change of our condition when we shall triumph with Christ ouer all principalities and powers that lift themselues vp against God who shal â—â—ue shame and contempt powred vpon them The coming of Christ shall lighten things hidden in darknesse and make a manifest difference betweene the godly and the vngodly Let vs waite for his glorious appearance let vs hold fast till he come that which we haue that no man may take away our crowne This Christ our Sauiour who hath ouercome the world assureth Reuel chapter 2. verses 26 27. Hee that ouercommeth and keepeth my worke vnto the end to him will I giue power ouer Nations and hee shall rule them with a rod of iron and as the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken And the Apostle Peter assureth vs that the Lord is not slack of his coming as some men count slacknesse but is patient toward vs that we should not perish but come to repentance But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night â— 3 8 9 10 in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp Then woe shall be to the wicked then they shall be cast down and neuer be able to rise againe then they shall howle and weepe and lament and neuer bee comforted againe whereas the godly shall lift vp their heads because their redemption draweth neere When it shall be a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation vnto them that trouble you but to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels 2 Th. 1 6. This therefore is a great comfort vnto vs giueth peace to our soules that he will deale with all the vngodly as Ioshua did with the Kings which he had conquered and subdued in battell For he commanded them to be brought out of the Caue where they were hidden and called for all the men of Israel and saide vnto the chiefe of the men of war which went out with him Come neere set your feet vpon the necks of these Kings and they came neere and set their feete vpon their necks and Ioshua said vnto them Feare not nor be faint-hearted but be strong and of a good courage for thus will the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight Iosh 10 24 25. So wil Christ Iesus deale with al our enemies who is the Captaine of the Lords host he will poure shame and contempt vpon them and therefore let vs not stand in feare of them to turne out of the right way and to forsake our profession but be stedfast and vnmoueable abounding alway in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Thus if we be faithfull to the death we shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory Vse 3 Lastly obserue and marke how God magnifieth the Ministry and is able to enforce the wicked to the acknowledgement of himselfe and the true Ministers of his word and let this comfort vs in the midst of all contempts and disgraces of our God of our religion of our faith and of our persons Ah we Ministers despised by prophane men let vs marke and consider this and lay it vnto our hearts let vs beare their contempts contumelies thrown vpon vs. In their extremities they shall acknowledge vs they shall reuerence our Calling they shall magnifie our Office our Ministery and Doctrine they shall iustifie vs desire our prayers they shall stoope they shall stoope when it pleaseth God And let this suffice all true Teachers Preachers of the Gospel of Christ that the power of the truth is such as that it maketh the enemy bow the knee vnto it which before seemed to haue no ioynt to bend This is the time which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it when he giueth vs a comfortable experience of this doctrine that the enemies of God and our enemies are driuen to resort and repaire vnto vs and such as made iestes and songs of the word and of the Ministers of the word cry out O Ezek. 33 31. how beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tydings of good things Rom. 10 15. There is none of vs all poore contemned men that labour in sincerity in the vineyard of God beare the burden of the worke and the heate of the day but sometimes God lifteth vp our heads and honoureth vs in the world that we should not sinke downe vnder the burden and maketh our mortall and greatest enemies beseech vs to be good vnto them and to helpe them in their extremities The people of Israel despised the ministery of Samuel would not hearken vnto him but when they saw the lightning and heard the thunder and felt the raine at that vnseasonable time They feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly and they saide vnto him Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not 1 Sam. 8 7 and 12 18 19. Let this profitable meditation of Gods mercy toward vs deuoure and swallow vp all disgracing and defacing of
nature and without all meanes and sometimes against all meanes the euidence of this truth is cleared the power of GOD is manifested and the mouthes of all Infidels and of iniquity it selfe is stopped Our faith must goe beyond reason if wee will professe our selues schollers in the schoole of Christ In the schooles of the Philosophers reason goeth before assent but in the schoole of GOD first we haue vse of faith and after followeth discourse of reason Let vs therefore learne to magnifie the Scriptures and by the authority of them tread and trample vpon all Atheisme and Prophanenesse As many miracles as wee finde expressed and wrought by the finger of God so many testimonies and euidences wee haue against these patrones of Nature who being wholly carnal corrupt know nothing that is spirituall These deny the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soule that so they might escape the sentence of the eternall ludge by whom they shall bee iudged in the last day and shall know to their confusion that there is a GOD whose power is infinite Exod. 34 7. who will not make the wicked innocent but visit the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children and vpon childrens children to the third and fourth generation and reward euery one according to his workes Hee is able to bee reuenged on all his enemies who shal sooner pul their hearts out of their brests then God out of their mindes This Moses setteth downe Deut. â—2 Deut. 32 39 42. Beholde now for I I am he and there is no gods with me I kill and giue life I wound and I make whole neither is there any that can deliuer out of mine hand If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold on iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and will reward them that hate mee I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood and my sword shall eate flesh for the blood of the slaine and of the captiues when I begin to take vengeance of the enemy This is Gods arrow against all Atheists this is a fearefull thunder-bolt throwne down vpon their heads which shall crush them in pieces testifie their destruction which shall come vpon them when there is none to helpe Let such therfore betimes acknowledge a God of Nature that he may bee to them a GOD of grace let them confesse him to worke when he will by extraordinary meanes that he may direct them in the ordinary pathes that leade to saluation and eternall life let them reuerence him as the ruler of the world that hee may rule in their hearts by his Word and Spirit and Sacraments whereby he applieth to vs his heauenly gifts Secondly let vs learne by this miraculous Vse 2 manner of working to trust in him when all meanes faile vs and tye not him to the ordinary course of second causes that is able to make the Sunne and Moone to stand still as in the pursuit of Ioshua Iosh 10 1â— 2 King 2â— and to bring the Sun backe againe many degrees in the Diall of Ahaz as in the comforting of Hezekiah and to turne the Sunne into darkenes Math. 27 as we see in the time of the passion of Christ He is able to doe whatsoeuer hee will and more then hee will doe It is an easie matter for euery man to say he trusteth in God and boast of his faith when no meanes faile him when hee hath abundance and store of all things when hee is fed to the full with his hid Treasure that they leaue the rest of their substance for their children Iob. 29 6â— when God compasseth them about with his mercies That they wash their pathes in Butter and haue the Rockes to powre them out Riuers of Oyle as Iob speaketh it is quickly said and spoken that we will relye vpon God and acknowledge his prouidence But if GOD blow vpon our meanes they shall doe vs no good hee can take vs from them as hee dealt with the vnfaithfull rich man Luke 12 2 Iob. 1 â— or hee can take them from vs as hee dealt with his faithfull seruant Iob Wee must therefore depend vpon him in time of war as wel as of peace in want as wel as in time of wealth in sicknesse as in health when he shall make the heauen as iron and the earth as brasse when hee shall take away the staffe of bread when hee shall cause thee to walke through the valley of the shadow of death thou must then cal on him for thy daily bread and say with Iob Loe though he slay me Iob 13 15 Prou. 16.3 1. Pet. 5 7 yet will I trust in him Commit thy wayes and workes vnto the Lord and thy thoughts shall bee directed Cast all your care on him for hee careth for you Such wee are indeed as wee are in aduersity Such is our faith as it is found in the day of temptation Wherefore let vs lift vp our eyes to him that sitteth in the heauens and swayeth all things by his prouidence and say with the Prophet Psal 28. The Lord is my strength Psal 28 7 â— 37 39 40. and my shield mine heart trusted in him and I was helped therefore mine heart shall reioyce and with my Song will I praise him The Saluation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord he shall be their strength in the time of trouble For the Lord shall helpe them and deliuer them he shall deliuer them from the wicked and shall saue them because they trust in him Thirdly let vs not doubt of the promises Vse 3 or prouidence of G G D who is able to make good the words of his own mouth how incredible or vnpossible soeuer they seeme in our eies Therfore the faith of Abraham the Father of the faithfull is commended by the Apostle that aboue hope he beleeued vnder hope that he should be the Father of many Nations 〈◊〉 4 18 19. and he not weake in faith considered not his own body which was now dead neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe neither did he doubt of God thorough vnbeliefe but was strengthened in the Faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that he which had promised was able to doe it This is a great comfort if at any time wee see the miseries and ruines of the Church if wee beholde the desolation hauocke that is made of it that God is able to restore the flourishing estate thereof again God can work aboue meanes without so that albeit we can see with an eye of flesh no way to worke the safety of the Church let vs not despaire or cast away our confidence and hope which hath great recompence of reward We reade how God saued Israell when there appeared no meanes of deliuerance in the eyes of men the rockes and mountaines hemmed them in on both sides the red Sea was before them 〈◊〉 14 13 â—4 the hoste of the Egyptians marched
Manna as a light meate he smote them with an exceeding great plague he slew the strongest of them and smote downe the chosen men of Israel so that the name of the place was called The graues of lust beecause there they buried the people that fel a lusting Numb 11.33 When Corah Dathan Abiram rose vp against Moses backed with certaine Captaines famous in the congregation and men of renowne they were swallowed vp of the earth and consumed with fire and on the morrow when the multitude murmured against Moses and Aaron saying Ye haue killed the people of the Lord Numb 16 41 49. hee sent a plague amongst them that quickely wasted consumed fourteene thousand and seuen hundreth besides them that dyed in the conspiracie of Korah When Dauid had sinned in numbering of the people and in glorying in his owne strength 2 Sam. 24 15 the Lord sent a pestilence in Israel and there dyed of the people from Dan to Beersheba seuenty thousand men The Apostle Iude produceth sundry examples to this purpose of the Angels that are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day of the Israelites who albeit they were deliuered out of Egypt yet were afterward destroyed beecause they beleeued not â—â—de 6 5. of those vngodly meÌ„ that turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and are ordained to condemnation The truth heere of shal more fully and wonderfully appeare in the day of iudgement when iustice onely shall bee executed and the Lord shew himselfe to the wicked onely as a terrible Iudge He shall come from heauen with al his mighty Angels with a great shout and with the Trumpet of God To render vengeance vnto them which know not God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 2 Thess 1 9. Then they shall say vnto the mountaines and rocks fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand Reuel 6 16. And to the end no doubt hereof should remaine Reason 1 in vs let vs consider the reasons The anger of God is as himselfe is infinite and without end so that nothing is able to stand before him This is it which the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psal 90 11. Who knoweth the power of thy wrath or of thine anger according to thy feare As if he should say when thine hand is any way heauy vpon vs no man standeth in awe of thine indignation and fearfull displeasure so much as thou and thine anger ought to be feared of vs. Heereunto accordeth the saying of the Prophet Nah. 1 5 6 The mountaines tremble for him and the hils melt and the earth is burnt at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein who can stand before his wrath or who can abide in the fiercenesse of his wrath his wrath is poured out like fire and the rocks are broken by him If then his wrath be infinite without limitation of time without circumscription of place and without respect of person so that the heauens melt the mountaines are dissolued and the foundations of the earth are discouered it must needs be that when hee is moâ—ued his wrath is very full of rage and reuenge Secondly we must needs hold that plenty Reason 2 of desolation is made in the earth in the wrath of God if we consider the comparisons wherby it is expressed It is compared sometime to the roaring of a Lion which maketh all the beasts of the forrest to tremble It is a fearfull voice it maketh man and beast to stand in feare This the Prophet Amos expresseth The Lyon hath roared who will not bee afraide the Lord GOD hath spoken who can but prophesie Amos 3.4 8. Sometimes it is compared to a violent fire that spreadeth it selfe farre and neere This Moses did teach the people when he willed them to take heede to themselues lest they forgaâ—e the Couenant of the Lord their God and make to themselues any grauen image saying The Lord thy God is a consuming fire and a iealous God Deut. 4 24. 9 3. fire we know is fierce and fearfull wasting and deuouring al things before it so that nothing is able to resist the strength and force thereof VVe say in a common Prouerbe that fire and water are without mercy They are of an vntamed nature euen so is the displeasure of almighty God being prouoked by sinne intollerable vnspeakable vnsearchable without limitation of time of quantity or quality and therefore hee must needes bee armed with great wrath kindled against the vngodly Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine are very many but wee will stand onely vpon the principall First wee may conclude that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of so mighty a God It is extreme madnesse for any man to set himselfe against such a God Who is able to preuaile that hath him his enemy Take heed therefore God will not be mocked Are we stronger then he that wee should fight against him This is the vse which the Apostle maketh in the Epistle to the Hebrewes We know him that hath said Vengeance is mine I will recompence Hebr. 10 30 31 and againe The Lord shall iudge his people It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD. There is no iesting nor dallying with so fearefull and dreadfull a Maiesty who is so great in power glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises terrible in his anger and iust in all his doings Exod 15 11. The heauens and the heauens of heauens together with the earth and all the compasse of the world are not able to beare the least sparke of his displeasure when it is kindled the flame whereof shall burne vp the wicked and shall we play with him in his anger as with a little childe Alas then what shall become of the wretched soules of wicked and damnable men when his wrath shall smoke against them and the whole viole of his fury shall be powred downe vpon them O how miserable shall their anguish and tribulation be and how infinite and vnmeasurable theyr torment which shall be thus plagued condemned and cursed of the Lord what shall become of swearers drunkards whoremongers and such like in the day of the Lords wrath They shall wish that they had neuer bin borne Mat. 26 24 they shall thinke it a benefite if they had beene borne toades And if they could behold at the least in these their dayes but a shadow of the misery that remayneth for them and of the pit of destruction that gapeth for them it were sufficient to swallow them vp in heauinesse and make them euen dissolue themselues into teares and torments as passing all that can be spoken or thought thereof but now
or are in our mindes as when they are releeued and helped out of theyr misery For as we remember God when we serue him so we remember the needy when we succour them It is noted of Saul and al Israel that they went to releeue Iabesh Gilead when it was beleagred by Nahash the Ammonite who would make a couenant with them vpon no other condition but that he might thrust out all their right eyes and lay it for a reproch vpon all Israel 1 Sam. 11 1 2. So did Dauid and his men goe to releeue Keilah spoyled and oppressed by the Philistims chap. 23 5. The booke of the Iudges is full of this argument they thought it theyr duty to releeue the enthralled estate poore condition of the Church lying vnder the hard yoke and heauy seruitude of the Moabites the Canaanites the Midianites the Ammonites the Philistims and sundry others So that all Gods seruants although themselues were free from trouble yet must they put too theyr hands and set too theyr shoulders and employ all theyr strength as farre as God enableth them to deliuer the Church from trouble and to procure the present benefite and good estate thereof Wee shewed before in this chapter that we must haue some compassion and a fellow-feeling of the miseries and afflictions of Gods people this doctrine goeth farther and pierceth deeper and teacheth that we must put foorth our selues to maintaine the publike cause of the afflicted church and procure the peace thereof Reason 1 And so much the rather wee ought to doe this because of the wicked mindes and wretched endes that the vngodly set before theyr eyes For what is it I pray you that the enemy the common aduersary and oppressour of the Church looketh after and layeth before him Is it the persons of them that they seeke to spoyle or is it to take away theyr goods and substance from them or any other thing that might bee deare vnto them in earthly things All these indeed are sought after but are these the chiefe marke and scope that they ayme after or would these taken away coÌ„tent them No no they shoote at a farther thing to deface the seruice and worshippe of God and to blaspheme his glorious Name being themselues the children of darknes and not able to beare the light of the truth they oppose themselues against the same The Citties and Altars of our GOD ought to bee of greatest account and in highest price more deare to vs then thousands of gold and siluer for which we must be content to leaue father and mother wife and children that we may with freedome of conscience enioy professe the truth This meditation was it that moued Ioab when he went out with a strong hand saw the enemies gathered together to roote out the Church out of the Land and the truth out of the Church to fight against them 2. Sam. 10 12. Be of good courage and let vs play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good wheâ—e hee sheweth that the chiefe motiue to waxe strong and valiant in battell was to maintaine the Cities and seruice of God Secoâ—â—â—y this hath promise of a great blessing Reason 2 and a good yssue it is no vaine or fruitelesse thing whereunto we are moued Many men are discomfited and quite out of heart because they see no blessing annexed But howsoeuer the persecuter and oppressor for a time preuayleth and entreth into the houses and habitations of God yet theyr destruction sleepeth not God hath reserued them as the chaffe before the winde and as the stubble before the fire Resting therefore on the gracious promises of God and knowing that Heauen and earth shall perish Math. 5 17. but no one iote shal passe or faile from his word beeing assured that the couenant that he hath made is surer then the couenant of the day and the night of the Sun and of the Moone wee must arme our selues with this assured perswasion that the destruction of the enemy is determined as Esay 16 3 4. speaking to Moab he saith Take counsell execute iudgement c then he addeth the reason for the extortioner is at an ende the spoiler ceaseth the oppressours are consumed out of the Land Esay 16 3 4. Wherefore albeit the enemies of God and his people seeme long to florish to glory in theyr wickednesse and to insult ouer the godly that are vnder the crosse yet they shall not escape the wrath and vengeance of God so that none should be ashamed to thrust theÌ„selues into danger to maintaine the common cause of the Church The vses follow First this putteth vs in Vse 1 minde of the estate of the faithfull which oftentimes endure more trouble in this world both inwardly outwardly then any other as were easie to be shewed and proued by the examples of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob Ieremy Dauid and Christ himselfe the perfect patterne of suffering affliction It was no otherwise with his Apostles also and experience teacheth vs that the church in this world fareth no better as it complaineth Lamen 1 12. Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto me wherwith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his anger Thus it pleaseth the Lord to weane them from the loue of the world because he loueth them would haue them long after heauen and heauenly things We are oftentimes so peruerse and vntoward that we must be put into the fire that we may be refined and reformed and must endure many greeuous corrections that we may bee framed to delight in spirituall things Besides Satan and his instruments do hate vs and labour continually to seeke our destruction and therefore let vs neuer promise to our selues worldly peace and prosperity neyther be offended at the great afflictions which we heare to come vpon the godly but rather prepare our selues to looke for one trouble to come vpon the necke of another whiles we liue vpon the earth Vse 2 Secondly conclude from hence the fearefull wofull miserable estate of the church when all the friends and comforters of it are gone when they that should be the shield and shelter of it do flye backe and dare not shew theyr faces as often it falleth out then onely faith for the present and hope for the time to come must hold vp our heads that we sinke not into the bottome of despayre This is it which the Prophet saith I looked and there was none to helpe and I wondred that there was none to vphold therefore mine owne arme brought saluation to me c. And I will tread downe the people in mine anger and make them drunke in my fury c. Esay 63 5 6. When Haman the aduersary of the Iewes whose malice was hereditary vnto him and deriued from his fathers had plotted the ruine
withered and dry Wands and on euery rodde the name of the Prince of the Tribe being written and Aarons name on that of Leui it fell out that the Rod of Aaron receyued by the Omnipotent power of God a vegetable soule For being layde vp in the Tabernacle of the Congregation one onely night it had vpon it Buds Blossomes and ripe Almonds wherby the power of God was manifested the calling of Aaron confirmed the mouth of the Conspirators stopped the whole Congregation of Israel perswaded to rest themselues vpon the ordinance that God had appointed and setled among them It were almost endlesse to rehearse all the other murmurings against Moses and prouocations against God For when they came to the Mountaine Hor after the death of Aaron Numbers 33. verse 38 who dyed in the first day of the fifth moneth of the fortieth yeare after theyr departure out of Egypt all the people murmured most violently against Moses by reason of the scarsity of water when neyther the punishments by fire from heauen aboue them nor the opening of the earth vnder them nor and swallowing of them vp nor the often and sodaine Pestilences that seized vpon them nor any myracle formerly shewed among them neyther the loue or wrath of God could preuaile any longer with this stubborne and rebellious people then while their bellies were filled and their appetites satisfied Numb 20. but in stead of seeking for helpe and releefe at Gods hands in their necessity when they suffered hunger or thirst or any other want they repined and repented of their estate casting into his teeth who least of all deserued it all their misaduentures And albeit they were entred into the fortieth yeare wherein all trauailes troubles and miseries were to take end and that they were euen in sight of the land promised yet againe they tempted God as obstinately as in former times and neyther trusted his promises nor feared his iudgements nor regarded his miracles Neyther are we to thinke by way of Iustification of our selues or condemnation of Israel that wee are by nature better then they or they a worse people then our selues for it hath alwayes beene the disposition of the common sort to waxe weary of present things and to desire some change and alteration The multitude as Polybius doeth not vnfitly speake is like the sea where a small gale of winde causeth a great Tempest Cicer. pro domo sua ut Demost in orat de faâ—s legat They are changeable and vnconstant and as variable in their opinions as the weather is And so often as I remember the dislike and discontent of this people with such Gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth as God had set ouer them who had they beene changed and others placed in their roome would haue liked them no better I cannot forget a memorable example that fell out among the Campanes in the City of Capua during the second Punicke Warre through a mutiny among the people against their Magistrates as Liuy reporteth Liuy decad 3. Lib. 3. when as the Commons abusing their liberty would needes depose the Senate to which they were maliciously affected and weary to be vnder their gouernment any longer and agreeed to put them to death Pacuuius Calauius the head Magistrate willing to saue them when they had passed sentence vpon one Senatour to haue him executed bad in his stead to choose a good Senator and a righteous At the first all were silent and as still as midnight for default of finding a better Afterward when some odde groome past all shame and reuerence seemed to nominate one to succeede by and by they grew to lowd words and great clamors while some sayde flatly they knew not the man others layde to his charge sundry lewd and naughty vices and others obiected against him basenesse and beggery or else some dishonest kinde of Trade and Occupation whereby he gate his liuing Thus fared they and much worse a great deale when a second or third Senator was named to bee substituted in the roome of others so as it was wel seene that the men bethought themselues better and repented of that they had done already considering how much they fayled and were to seeke when they should appoint another in his place c. And so at length they were content to keepe their olde Senators It is not therefore without cause Decad. 3. lib 4. that the same Historiographer describing the beast of many heads sayth well Haec natura multitudâ—nis est aut seruit humiliter aut superbè dominatur libertatem quae media est nec spernere modicè nec habere sciunt that is See the nature and disposition of the multitude eyther they serue basely or rule proudly Liberty that is the meane betweene them both they haue neither the skill to despise with reason nor the grace to entertaine in measure But to passe ouer these things and to see how Israel passed forward toward the Land of Canaan I cannot omit that Moses omitted nothing before his death that might serue for the good of the people and to shorten their iourney what he might and therefore sent Messengers vnto the Prince of Idumea Numb 20 17. praying him that he might passe with the hoasts of Israel through his Territory into the Land promised to their Fathers which bordered it For this was the nerest way of all other from the citty of Kadesh where Moses then encamped whereas otherwise taking his iourney by the Riuers of Zared Arnon and Iordan which afterward he was constrained to do hee might haue runne into many hazards in the passage of those Riuers with his great Army And albeit Moses vsed many strong and forcible reasons to perswade the Prince of Idumea remembring him that he was of the same race and family with Israel calling him by the amiable name of a Brother they being as sonnes of one Father to wit Isaac inferring thereby that he had more reason to fauor and respect them then he had to affect the Canaanites making a short repetition of Gods blessings bestowed vpon them as also of his purposes and promises concerning them in the time to come assuring him that he would no way offend him or his people neither yet wrong any by military insolency but would restraine his army within the boundes of the common and Kings highwayes paying money for whatsoeuer they vsed yea euen for the water which them selues or their Cattle should drinke Deut. 2 27 28 yet the King not trusting faire words knowing the strength of his owne country rampard with high and sharpe Mountaines and withal suspecting as a naturall wise man that so mighty an army of strangers consisting of more then sixe hundred thousand being once entred into the heart of his countrey it would rest in their owne wils to giue him law and to refuse directions from him and so bee at their owne discretion and disposition whether to abide there or to depart
Church were many wicked liuers of whom the Apostle saith e 1 Cor 10 5. 1 Cor. 10. With many of them God was not pleased but they were destroyed in the Wildernesse Yea such as were the chiefe among them and excelled in godlinesse aboue the rest as the Cedar doth the low shrub had their failings and infirmities as wee see in Aaron in Miriam and in Moses himselfe as we shall see afterward in this booke Wherefore they are deceiued that seeke for a Church in this life without spot or wrinkle Such in former times were the Donatists and such in our dayes are the Anabaptists whoe shall looke vntill their eyes fall out before they shall finde any company or society wholly separated from al contagion of hypocrites Epicures Libertines and such like loose liuers Christ compareth the Church vnto a draw net cast into the Sea which gathereth fish of all sorts both good and bad Againe heere is comfort for the sincere Ministers of the Gospell to whom the dispensation of the Word and sacraments is committed that they ought not to forsake their calling when they behold the greatest part of their charges and Congregations to take no profite and to receiue no instruction by their ministery but to continue and waite with patience vntil f 2 Tim. 2 26. God wil giue them repentance that they may come out of the snare of the diuell of whom they are holden captiue to do his will Fourthly we learne the vnchangeable loue of God toward his people It is euident by Vse 4 this booke more then by the former how diuersly they prouoked him to wrath by their sinnes as their lust murmuring impatience vnthankfulnesse idolatry and fornication they tempted him in the wildernesse whereby they deserued not onely to be depriued of the Land of Canaan but to bee excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen Notwitâ—staâ—â—ing God continued their mercifull Lord still so that his election is immutable g Iohn 13 1. and whom hee loueth he loueth him to the end What then shall we sinne that grace may abound God forbid nay how shall wee that are dead to sinne yet liue therein As his graces guifts are without repentance so they must leade vs to repentance and cause vs to expresse backe againe vnfained loue vnto him who loued vs first Vse 5 Fiftly we haue set before vs many fearefull examples of Gods heauy indignation against sinne and sinners Hee punisheth the murmurings of the people fretting fuming against God in their extremities he taketh vengeance on their idolatry and committing fornication he chastiseth their sedition emulation breach of the Sabboth contempt of authority luste tempting of God and such like wickednesse that thereby wee might learne the feare of God and be admonished to auoide the same sinnes which will bring vpon vs the same or gteater iudgements euen temporall and eternall punishments For God is the same God to them and to vs he will shew himselfe iust and righteous in all his wayes a Psal 5 4. that hee is not a God that loueth wickednesse and that euill shall not dwell with him Hence it is that Paul alluding to these famous and remarkable examples of his iustice saith b 1 Cor. 10 11 These things came vnto them for examples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the worlde are come Let him therefore that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him Lastly as wee haue fearefull examples and Vse 6 threatnings of the Lawe manifested in this booke so on the other side wee haue comfortable promises of the Gospell touching our saluation and redemption by Christ Iesus who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification For hee is truely and plainely preached in this booke a type of whom wee haue in the brasen Serpent c Num. 21 9. Iohn 3 14 and 12 32. lifted vp in the wildernesse and healing those that were bitten of the fiery Serpents which Christ expoundeth Ioh. 3 to be meant of his death and lifting vp vpon the Crosse That euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Likewise the Rocke which Moses did strike yeelding vnto them abundance of water as out of a plentifull Fountaine the Apostle expoundeth of Christ for he saith d Num. 20 10 and 21 16. 1 Cor. 10 4. They did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and the Rocke was Christ The like we might say of Manna of the ashes of the red Cow of the Nazarites besides the sacrifices and ceremonies burnt offerings meat offerings and purifications which were figures painting and pointing out the sacrifice â—nd sufferings of Christ Iesus But because we haue spoken somewhat of them before and more remaineth to be spoken heereafter we will passe them ouer at this time without farther consideration This serueth to confute those which hold that all things were carnall to the Fathers that they had no knowledge of the Messiah but onely a carnall imagination of earthly things These are disciples brought vp in the damnable schoole of Seruetus an arch-enemy to the faith who contradict the Apostles in many places and make the Iewes as Swine fatted in a Stie groueling vpon the earth and neuer lifting vp their heads to a better life The Apostle Peter reasoning against such as taught the necessity of circumcision saith e Act. 15 10 11 Why doe yee tempt God to lay a yoke on the Disciples neckes which neyther our Fathers nor we are able to beare but we beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they doe Thus wee see Christ was onely the way to Gods Kingdome and that by faith in him the Fathers looked for saluation as well as we Our Sauiour testifieth f Iohn 8 56. that Abraham reioyced to see his day and saw it and was glad So the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith g Heb. 13 8. Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for euer As therefore the Couenant of GOD touching life and saluation is for substance one and the same so there is one faith one hope and way to attaine to the Kingdome of heauen for the Fathers in the time of the Law and for vs in the time of the Gospell Thus much of the generall vses of this booke The last point which wee propounded in the beginning to be handled h The diuision of this booke into his parts is the diuision of this booke that we may orderly proceede in the seuerall parts of it Some do diuide it into two parts according to the Chronology or computation of time obserued heerein for in the first nineteene chapters he handleth those things which happened in the wildernesse from the second yeare of their departure out of Egypt to the fortieth yeare
poure in strong drinke Heere are many woes and fearefull threatnings of many miseries and do the vngodly thinke to escape or that these things doe not deepely concerne them Our Sauiour denounceth a great woe against all contemners of the Gospell telleth them It shal be easier for Tyre Sidon nay for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of iudgement Mat. 11 22 24 then for them Must not these denunciations be accomplished Or do we remaine as Infidels and think they shall neuer be performed Or if they be performed that we shall be exempted or excused It cannot be that his word should fall to the ground and take none effect Let vs feare these terrible threatninges humble our selues before him and forsake our euill wayes let vs betake our selues vnto him and let vs turne vnto his word for the word will neuer turne vnto vs and bend it selfe to our pleasure The Scripture is full replenished with such heauy threatninges as may serue to strike a feare and terror into our hearts The Prophet Amos Amos 6 1 3. denounceth a Woe to them that are at ease in Sion that put farre away the euill day and approach to the seate of iniquity and are not sorry for the affliction of Ioseph The Prophet Malachi foretelleth Mal. 4 1. that the day commeth which shal burne as an Ouen and all the proud yea all that doe wickedly shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp and shall leaue them neither root nor branch These threatnings are surer then the heauens which shall passe away but these shall neuer passe away and therefore woe to them that repent not nor returne to the Lord for they must needes be taken suddenly in them as in a snare and no man shall be able to deliuer them They may thinke themselues forgiuen or at least forgotten but poore soules they are deceiued It is not length of time that can helpe them nor strength of their arme that can saue them nor the wedge of Gold that can deliuer them for Riches auaile not in the day of wrath Prouer. 11 4 nor serue to pacifie his indignation but righteousnesse deliuereth from death Thirdly as we learne the truth of God in Vse 3 his threatnings so there ariseth from hence a most excellent ground of assured comfort for all Gods seruants to establish their hearts in the immutability of all his promises Manie are the particular promises set downe in the word as many as are there mentioned so manie particular cōforts are ministred vnto vs as from the hand of God to the end that wee beleeuing them and as it were clasping our armes about them might haue strong consolation and boldnesse to come to the throne of grace Wherefore whensoeuer we feele the weaknesse of our faith we must haue recourse to his word As they which haue a dim sight and weake eye vse the helpe of their Spectacles and thereby finde comfort so should we when we are at any time troubled with doubting helpe our spirituall eye-sight with often looking into the glasse of his word and meditating continually vppon his promises It were endlesse and infinite to speake of all his gracious promises mentioned in his worde some are of temporall blessings and other of spirituall and eternall in both wee ought to rest vpon the vnchangeablenesse of his will who is not as man that he should any way deceiue vs as those that vse to promise much performe little His promise is certaine and very good payment if wee dare trust him of his word Psal 37.25 It is he that hath saide I haue beene yong and am old yet I saw neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seede begging bread It is hee that hath spoken Heb. 13.6 7. I wil not faile thee neither forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is mine helper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me Mathew 6 33 It is he that hath promised Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee ministred vnto you We see how much many men vexe torment themselues about earthly transitory things they feare they shall want before they die and giue themselues to vnlawfull shiftes to maintaine themselues and their estate the reason heereof is because they haue vnbeleeuing hearts they cannot cast themselues and their care vpon the Lord they will not seeke his loue and fauour they labour not to be reconciled to him in Christ Iesus and whatsoeuer he promise vnto them of his word they beleeue nothing at all Take an example of Gods prouidence ouer his people whiles they walked and wandred in the Wildernesse they had neither seede time nor haruest and they were an huge multitude of more then sixe hundred thousand beside women and children yet hee sustained them and prouided for them till hee brought them into the land of Canaan He is not as a poore Father that hath moe children then he is able to sustain or as a state that is constrained to disburden it selfe of their superfluitie and ouerflowing multitude and so to send out many Colonies to plant themselues in other places he hath al the earth in his own power is able to prouide for all his children that wait vpon him and put their trust and confidence in him This must be our comfort in time of triall and tentation that he hath promised neuer to faile vs nor forsake vs and albeit mans promises may deceiue vs and his deede come short of his worde yet no iot or portion of Gods promises shall remaine vnfulfilled and therefore in all our necessities let vs possesse our soules with patience and wait constantly for the accomplishment thereof which in due time shall take good effect The fault is in our selues who will not lay hold vpon the same he hath saide he will be our tower of defence and City of refuge to shield vs from danger all distresse but we will not trust him of his word but vse vnlawfull meanes for our deliuerance That which hath bene said of transitory and temporall blessings may also be spoken of eternall God hath promised the renuing of our hearts the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the kingdome of heauen as Ier. 31 32 33. Heb. 8 10 11 12. Esay 40 1 2. I will put my Lawes in their minde and in their heart I will write them I wil be their God and they shall be my people I wil bee mercifull to their vnrighteousnesse and I wil remember their sins and their iniquities no more These are great and precious promises heere are sweet comforts of life and saluation offered vnto vs on Gods part let these be to vs as the Anchor of our soules both sure and stedfast These are immutable things Hebrew 6 18. Wherein it is vnpossible that God should lye and therefore let vs be established in them and lay hold vpon that hope which is set before vs.
Samaria were deuoured of Lyons he commanded that one of the Priests which had been brought from thence 2 Ki. 17 26 27. should be carried thether to teach them the manner of the God of the Country so that the superstitious King thought it his duty to see them instructed in the truth A notable example of a godly and religious care this way is in Iehosaphat who 2 Chron. 17 6 7 8 9 10. so soone as hee had taken away the high places and the groues out of Iudah hee sent out sundry of the Leuites that they should teach in the Cities and they taught in Iudah and had the booke of the Law of the LORD with them and went about throughout all the Cities of Iudah and taught the people This is the foundation and stay of all Kingdomes to giue entertainment to the word of God this maketh a wise King and a wise people So long as Magistrates countenance the truth and Preachers of it they secure theyr owne estates and are blessed of God which ought to bee an encouragement vnto them not to bee slacke or slothfull in spreading abroad the Gospell of Christ Lastly because it were troublesome and tedious to go about to rehearse all their duties we breefely number vp the rest It is their duty therefore to be good examples of piety and godlinesse of life to the people and to prouide for them al things necessary for the body to aske counsell of the mouth of the Lord in theyr weighty affaires that is the ministery of the word and to yeeld obedience vnto it to exhort their inferiors in time of publike calamities to earnest repentance and to expresse the same by prayer and fasting to know the cause throughly before they proceed to giue sentence to punish euill dooers and defend the innocent and to establish such positiue lawes as are necessary for the maintenance of order and decency in the Common-wealth Vse 4 Lastly seeing Magistrates are necessary for the Church and Common-wealth it putteth those that are vnder them in minde of theyr duties partly in regard of themselues partly in regard of the Magistrates and partly in respect of God Touching themselues they must know they be no burdens to the Common-wealth nor superfluous parts that may be spared they are as the head or heart of the body or as the eye in the head all depend vpon their welfare so all depend vpon the Kings and Princes welfare If he be vpholden the Common-wealth standeth if he be vnregarded the Common-wealth falleth He is as necessary as the Sunne in the Firmament yea as fire and water and breathing without which we cannot liue If we iudge otherwise of this ordinance of God we are deceiued wrong both them and our selues Againe we learne that their life and continuance is greatly to bee desired of Gods seruants It is the part and duty of all Subiects to craue their safety and protection that they may safe-guard and protect both Church and Common-wealth Yea Rulers themselues in regard of this end which ought daily to bee before their eies may desire of God to lengthen their daies and to continue their happy reigne that together with the Saints they may do seruice to God in his Church in this respect I say they may desire life not so much aiming at their owne priuate good for in that respect it were better to bee dissolued to be with the Lord as respecting the generall vtility of their people What greater glory what higher honour can they haue then this to be the stay and defence of the church that otherwise were like to decay and goe to ruine and to continue the seuerall parts of it in well-doing That good King Hezekiah foreseeing by the word of the Lord the miserable estate of the Church that should bee after his death and considering with great anguish of heart the wofull effects that were like to follow he turned himselfe in his bed to the wall and wept and was greeued to depart hence Esay 38 18 ◠saying The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that go downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth but the liuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I do this day the father to the children shall declare thy truth He desired of God to liue and prayed vnto God to prolong his daies not to lift vp himselfe aboue his brethren not to glory in the smoke of lofty titles not to tyrannize ouer the people not to command the things that are vniust or to punish such as do not deserue it but to do good to the Church and to set foorth Gods praise Death indeede which bringeth the dissolution of nature is a welcome guest to them that are the Lords all the godly do make themselues ready to receiue him to meete and entertaine him and so Kings Princes among the rest howbeit in this respect that the Church may bee benefited by them it is no matter of impiety to desire a longer continuance among Gods people much more then is it the duty of such as are vnder them and gouerned by them to desire their continuance as the daies of heauen and as the course of the Sunne to bee Nurses to the godly This was wont to be a common salutation vsed of the people toward theyr Princes not onely of the Infidels but by the faithfull seruants of God Dan. 2 4 and 6 21 and 3 9 and 5 10. When the King came to visite Daniel being cast into the den of Lyons the Prophet so soone as hee heard him saide O King liue for euer that is GOD grant vnto thee a long life Last of all whensoeuer we haue a wise and worthy a godly and religious Prince giuen to vs it is our duty to be thankfull If the Lord grant vnto a Land a prudent and prouident Prince to reigne ouer thē whose heart is bent to seeke the Lord and to serue the GOD of his fathers the people that breathe vnder his shadow must praise the holy name of God It is their duty to pray that princes may be such and to commend them to God with all faithfulnesse For if they must pray for others much more for them When Salomon was annointed with oyle taken out of the Sanctuary they blew the Trumpet and all the people said God saue King Salomon 1 King 1 39 So the Apostle writing to Timothy exhorteth that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men For Kings and for all that are in authority 1 Tim. 2 1 2 3 that wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour Now as we are to pray for them so wee are to praise God for them wee are not to forget the least blessings nor to be vnmindfull of smaller benefits and therefore we are much more bound to be thankfull
by iustifying of vs by sanctifying of vs and by working in vs such like effect Against mans merits and deserts Secondly this doctrine ouerthroweth all merits and deserts of man which abolish the free grace of God Gods mercy is our merit our workes are not neither can bee our merit If our election be by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of workes then is it no more grace otherwise work were no more worke as the Apostle concludeth Rom. 11.6 We are iustified through faith in Christ in him standeth our saluation and by his merits we are made righteous Christ Iesus is the corner stone of the building Ephes 2. he is the foundation of the building forasmuch as other foundation none can lay 1 Cor. 3. he is also the highest stone of the building notwithstanding the mountains Zach. 4-6 that is the strongest opposition of enemies But let vs see what merit is What merit is that our vnderstanding may be the better and our iudgement the sounder touching this matter Merit is a worke vndue to which we are not bound making the reward and recompence that was not due to be due When a debter satisfieth his creditour he paieth that which he oweth him he giueth no more then is due vnto him by Law and equity by reason and conscience neither doth he deserue any thankes but through the fault of men as the heathen knew well enough Terent. in Phorm Act. sc 1. who confesse that such was the corruption of the times that when a man brought to another euen his owne he was to be thanked Christ our Sauiour a better master teacheth vs this more fully Luk. 17.8 Luc. 17.8 9.10 When a man hath a seruant who girdeth himselfe and serueth him till he haue eaten and drunken Doth he then thanke him because he hath done the things that were commanded him I trow nay so likewise ye when ye haue done all those things that are commanded you say Wee are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that which was our duty to doe Wherefore we make a weake plea to plead our owne merits who haue nothing but by the merits of Christ But it will be obiected Obiection that we find in Scripture no mention at all of the merits of Christ I answere Answere It is true concerning the word it selfe Neuerthelesse if they will conclude any thing against the merits of Christ because the bare name in so many letters and syllables is not extant in the word of God they may as well gainsay the Trinity refuse the Sacraments deny the Catholike Church and hold the Sonne not to be consubstantiall with the Father Forasmuch as none of these are expressed there But if they meane and vnderstand the thing it selfe then we haue the merits of Christ plentifully preached vnto vs in the holy Scripture to whom the whole worke of our saluation is ascribed The Apostle teacheth Ephe. 1 14 that our redemption is a possession purchased by him that is purchased by the merit of his death And in the former Epistle to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.6 he saith God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine saluation by our Lord Iesus Christ that is procured vnto vs by his merits So in the twentieth chapter of the Actes Paul in his exhortation to the Elders of Ephesus willeth them carefully to feed the flocke of God Act. 10.28 which hee hath purchased with his owne blood where he maketh the blood of Christ meritorious And elsewhere he saith we are iustified by his blood and reconciled to God by his Sonne and so shall be saued by his life Rom. 5.9 10. Rom. 5.9 1â— If then we challenge any thing to our selues we take so much from Christs worthinesse He was not bound in any bond vnto vs who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall to God Wherefore our workes can challenge nothing at Gods hands for as much as whatsoeuer wee can doe is as due debt vnto him Thus the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. Rom. 8.1 Brethren we are debters not to the flesh to liue after the flesh whereby he vnderstandeth the contrary as a member opposed but we are debters to the Spirit to liue after the Spirit So then our spirituall life is called a debt which is true in many respects First How all the we can doe â— due vnto God in regard of our creation Secondly in regard of our redemption Thirdly in regard of our glorification Our spirituall life is due to God in regard of our creation because it is God that hath made vs and not we our selues we are the worke of his hands who hath created vs according to his image and therby bound vs as by a strong band to know him and worship him Hence it appeareth that Adam himselfe in his estate of innocency could haue claimed nothing of God by merit because whatsoeuer he was he was it by him whatsoeuer he had he had receiued it through his gift so that he should haue paide him with his owne which deserueth no thankes as we heard before True it is man fell away defaced and deformed this image and made himselfe liable to eternall destruction howbeit he could not thus shake off the yoke of his necke nor the fetters from his feet nor acquit himselfe of the debt and obligation when of a debter to God he made himselfe a bondslaue to the deuill A debter riotously wasting his goods and carelesly consuming the stocke and substance that he hath and thereby making himselfe a bankrout is not discharged of his debt but standeth bound to pay it as before God will not loose his right nor let go his hold and therefore albeit we are started backe from him he remaineth the same as he made vs so we remaine obliged vnto him Hence we see what is the reason why God commandeth duties of vs in his Law that neither wee nor our fathers are able to performe â—ow God reâ—ireth imâ—â—ssibilities 〈◊〉 our hands If a father should require that of his son or a master exact of his seruant that which were vnpossible to doe as to trauell an hundred thousand mile in one day or to flye vp to heauen might he not be thought to be a tyrant But the case standeth not betweene God and vs as betweene a father and his children or betweene a master and his seruants For he chargeth no more vpon vs then hee had inabled vs to doe and had giuen vs strength to performe so that if there be any impossibility to do it the fault resteth in our selues and not in God It is no cruelty in him to require so much of vs as he doth but iniquity in vs that doth disable vs. He abideth the same that he was but we abide not the same that we were so that there is no change in him but the change is in vs so that
for discouraging the people that brought little children vnto him who ought rather to haue encouraged them Or why doth Christ tell them they knew not of what spirit they were Ioshua had no euill meaning when hee aduised Moses to forbid those that prophesied in the host Numb 11 28. Peters meaning had no hurt in it when he would not permit Christ to wash his feet Iohn 13. Iohn 13 8. Yet doth Moses reprooue Ioshua as one carried away with the spirit of enuy and Christ telleth Peter that if he washed him not hee had no part in him So then we are to vnderstand that as there is a God and that God will be worshipped so he will be worshipped according to his owne word and will If we decline from his will expressed in his word we may well please our selues but we cannot please him we may thinke our selues wise but he holdeth vs for no better then fooles wee may for a time go on in our ignorant courses but hee will in the end cal vs to a reckoning for them and set all in order before vs to the confusion of our faces Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to study to acquaint our selues with the Scriptures and let vs reade them with all diligence The word is a Christian mans true and perfect guide and in all doubts it is his Counseller Let it not grieue vs to be ruled by it nor account it an heauy burden or an vneasie yoke to be held hard vnto it 2 Pet. 1 19. seeing it is so sure a way for vs to walke in Let vs take this to be our guide and wee shall neuer step one foot awry As the Teachers of the word are not to deliuer that which they neuer receiued of the Lord to his people so we must follow no more then is warranted vnto vs from thence it must be shewed vnto vs there before obedience be yeelded vnto it Hee hath prescribed in it a forme of seruing of him that onely he accepteth other he abhorreth and punisheth The examples of Nadab and Abihu mentioned in this place afterward againe in this booke do preach this doctrine vnto vs and cry out aloud as with a liuely voice that wee should take heed by their harmes In other things God is full of patience but in this he is full of wrath and his iealousie burneth as fire He hath authority ouer his house to appoint his owne worship and he cannot endure to haue it taken away from him by any man Wherefore it behoueth vs to search the Scriptures that wee may learne his will and we must suffer them to dwell plentifully in vs that we may obey his will First we must know it before wee can obey it if we decline and depart neuer so little from it our worke is out of square The Prophet reproueth Saul because he performed his will to halfes and saith vnto him Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 15 22. Hee commanded Ioshua Iosh 1 8. to haue the booke of the law continually before him and he pronounceth those blessed that delight in it and do meditate vpon it day and night Psal 1 2. Woe then vnto those that hide the booke of God from the people and take away the key of knowledge that they should haue no entrance into the kingdome of heauen These are they that are the murtherers of many thousand soules that might come to the knowledge of the truth if these false Prophets did not locke vp and keepe close the Scriptures from them and therefore they are guilty of shedding blood and bring a famine not of bread a thirst but not of water the people cannot heare the words of the Lord. They feed them with lying legends with deceitfull fables and with humane traditions which do no better then starue them and are not able to keepe life in them whiles in the meane season they hide the Scriptures in an vnknown tongue so that albeit they heare them yet they cannot profit by them Thus the blind leade the blind vntil both the leader and he that is ledde fall into the ditch And woe vnto those also that liue in the Sun-shine of the Gospel yet shut their eyes that they should not see They haue the light brought vnto them they need not say Who shall ascend into heauen Deut. 30 12 13 14. or who shall descend into the deepe to bring it vnto vs that we may heare it and do it Neither neede any say Who shall go ouer the sea for vs and bring it vnto vs that we may heare it and doe it But the word is very nigh vnto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou maiest do it It is brought vnto our doores preached vpon the house tops that is it is set foorth openly it is published by authority it may bee professed with liberty of conscience and no man is endangered to lose life or limbe or to haue one haire of his head touched for it Such are the dayes wherein we liue that we may truely say with the Apostle If our Gospel be hidde it is hidde in them that are lost 2 Cor. 4 3 ◠in whom the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine vnto them As these men are ignorant so they are willingly ignorant they know nothing because they will not vnderstand They professe themselues to be Christians and yet they haue many of thē no more knowledge of Christ then Turks and Infidels What a lamentable thing is it that such as beare the Name of Christ should know nothing touching Christ It will bee thought strange that any such should bee found in such a flourishing Church as ours is where the Gospel is sincerely taught hath had a free passage so many yeares It is true indeed it may seeme very strange and yet alas it is too common Let the Ministers of the word take an account of those that come to receiue the Supper of the Lord what they haue learned let them make a through search and suruay how they haue profited and they shall finde that to bee true which I affirme Many know nothing at all what Christ did for them neither euer heard what hee should do for them his Name they confesse hath often come to their eares and they haue heard very many speake of him but they know not how or which way they should bee beholden to him or indebted vnto him for any thing or what he hath done for them Is it not possible that many of the Saracens or sauages should heare know more of Christ Iesus then these falsely called Christians As this is enough to breake the hearts of the
the reason followeth verse 11 12 13 in which God himselfe assigneth the cause why he did take vnto himselfe the Leuites to succeed in place of the first borne For vnto this time the first borne both in the priuate families in the publike assemblies of the Israelites did execute the Priests office as persons consecrated vnto God as we haue shewed and expounded Exod. 13 and 19 chapters and as we shall shew farther in this chapter Hence it is â—w the first â—ne are said be the â—ds that he saith Euery first borne is mine which is to be vnderstood not in regard of the common right of creation as sometimes the earth and all that filleth it is said to be the Lords and all the beasts of the Forrest but they are so called in another respect For the better vnderstanding whereof Things are said to be the Lords in three respects we must consider that things are said to bee the Lords in three respects First in regard of duty and seruice Thus all creatures are the Lords because he is their Creator and maker in regard whereof euery thing created oweth a duty to him as to the great Lord to whom all things visible and inuisible owe their homage as Psal 24. the Prophet saith The earth is the Lords and all that therein is and he rendreth this reason For hee hath founded the world c. Secondly all creatures are said to be the Lords also in regard of that power and authority whereby he ruleth all to which iurisdiction of his all men how wicked peruerse soeuer they be are subiect Thus Cyrus King of Persia though he knew not the Lord yet is said to be the Lords Shepheard and his annointed and to performe all his pleasure Esay 44 28 and 45 1. He did the worke of the Lord ignorantly and blindly yet God was his Lord and he his seruant in proclaiming that Ierusalem should be builded and the foundation of the Temple erected So the Prophet speaking of the world and of all things therein contained saith They continue this day according to thine ordinances for all are thy seruants Psal 119 91. as if he should say All creatures in heauen and earth continue safe and sound euen from the beginning to the present times wherein we liue and so they shall doe vnto the worlds end through thy word and appointment so that as they were created by thy word and are preserued in their estate so they are at thy commandement to do thy will euen as seruants obey their masters Thus the diuelles though they resist him and rebell against him may be saide to be his seruants because they are constrained to serue his prouidence They be farre from yeelding faithfull seruice and dutifull obedience vnto him yet they must stoope downe vnto him he hath in such sort put his hooke in their nose and his bridle in their lippes and his chaine on their hands and his fetters on their feet that they cannot start from him but they shall doe him seruice for the execution of his secret will Therefore the Prophet saith Psalme 135 verse 6. Whatsoeuer the Lord pleased that did he in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all deepe places To the same purpose the Apostle writing to the Philippians and speaking of the power of Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equal vnto God saith chap. 2 verse 9 10 God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name which is aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow of things in heauen things in earth and things vnder the earth and that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of GOD his Father Thus also the beasts of the Forrest are the LORDS and the cattell on a thousand Mountaines Psal 50. Not only because all creatures owe a duty vnto him but because they are gouerned by his rule ordered by his power and ruled by his prouidence Thirdly some things are saide to be the Lords in respect of a propriety and immediate right that he hath in theÌ„ being separate from the vse of man For then they become the Lords when they are alienated from men Thus tithes in the word are said to be the Lords Leuit. 27 30. All the tithes of the Land both of the seede of the ground and of the fruite of the trees is the Lords it is holy vnto the Lord. Where the last words expound the former according to the vsuall manner of the Scripture and shew in what sense tithes are the Lords because the propriety is not in man but in God onely forasmuch as that which is holy to the Lord is separate from man and from his vse and cannot bee alienated by him without sacriledge and vsurpation So in this place the Leuites are saide to be the Lords and the first borne are said to be the Lords not onely in respect of their duty to him and of his power ouer them for thus all creatures are his all people and nations of the earth are his and in these respects not onely the tithes are the Lords but the other nine parts as wel as they But they are sanctified to him and are to bee imployed in his seruice being separated from the vse of man as the rest are appointed and left to the vse of man Thus then the Lord challengeth authority to bestow the tenths of their encrease so that man could not employ them to himself without sacriledge If any of the Leuites sâ—ould be taken from the Altar sent into the wars they had prophaned Gods seruice and abused their persons to another end then GOD had ordained The like might be spoken also of the Sabbath that is the Lords day he claimeth it to his owne vse he separateth and sanctifieth it to his owne seruice The sixe other daies are ours and God giueth vs liberty to call them ours and to bestow them as ours in our owne businesse Exod. 20 9. Reuel 1 10. Such therefore as make no conscience to take the LORDS day from him and vse it as their owne are spirituall theeues and meddle with that which is not their owne If their seruants should deale in such sort with them and imploy any of the sixe daies in their owne worke and leaue their businesse vndone they would quickly complaine of the iniury Or if any of their neighbours should come into their house and take away any part of their goods we would bid them learne to know their owne and be ready to call them theeues But we deale with GOD a thousand times worse then wee would suffer other men to deale with vs. We can take the Lords day nay the Lords daies one after another and spend them about our owne profits and pleasures and vanities and yet neuer consider the wrong iniustice we offer vnto the Almighty Oh that men would lay this vnto their hearts
yet neuerthelesse many neuer lay it vnto their hearts Secondly it is required of the Ministers of Vse 2 the Gospel whom the holy Ghost hath made ouerseers of their seuerall flockes to looke to their whole charge from one quarter or corner of it to another Neither may they thinke they haue discharged their duties by casting an eye ouer some part of their congregation but they must ouerlooke and ouerview it all throughout considering they are to giue an account for euery soule that dyeth through their ignorance or through their negligence There is none of them but they are content to take benefit and to receiue maintenance from the poorest and lowest that depend vpon them and therefore as they are not ashamed to receiue temporall things of them so they ought not to disdaine or refuse to minister vnto them in spirituall things For if we take from them their goods and seeke to doe no good to their soules we rob them and steale from them nay so much as lyeth in vs we are no better then murtherers and manslayers Wherefore we must endeauour to set vp the candle vpon the Table in the Lords house that it may shine and giue light to all that are in it Let vs as the Lords trumpetters sound the siluer Trumpet of the word aloud that all the hoste of God may heare the sound therof or at least may be without excuse if they doe not prepare themselues to battell A good Prince taketh care for all his poore subiects and receiueth them into his protection and beareth the sword for their preseruation The soule of man quickeneth the whole body and euery part of it it giueth life to the hand as well as to the head and to the foote as well as to the eye as well to the parts that are lowest as to such members as are highest so that no limbe is destitute of the functions and operations of it The head serueth to the benefit of euery member which by certaine ioynts and bonds are knit vnto it that they receiue plentifull encrease and want no succour or strength necessary for any part how little and meane soeuer it be So ought it to bee with the Ministers of the Gospell who are made as it were stewards of the Lords family Luke 12.42 which is the Church they must giue them their portion of meate in due season Blessed is that seruant whom his master when he commeth shall find so doing Mat. 24.46 This serueth to reprooue such as absent themselues from their charges because they are small and all proud and lofty spirits that thinke it a disgrace and dishonour vnto them to submit themselues to the lower sort and to take paines to bring them to the knowledge of true religion Hereby indeed they starue the fewest soules but the losse of one soule is more heinous then the killing of many bodies For the body may die yet the soule may bee saued in the day of the Lord. And this is one cause of Non-residency in that such as are of proude spirits doe scorne the simplicitie and pouerty of their hearers Wheresoeuer there is an haughty man and high-minded A rule to be obserued there can by no meanes be an heart to serue the Lord in his Ministery Where ambition and vaine-glory beare sway they are alwayes ioyned with the contempt of others which ought not to be among the Ministers for how then shall the poore the weake the simple be instructed by them The Minister of the word must be affable easie to be spoken withall and familiar with the meanest and lowest he must abase himselfe to reason and conferre and conuerse with the poore Artificer and tradesman as wel as with the Yeaman or Gentleman or rich man The Apostle hath laide before vs his owne example how he behaued himselfe when he was at Ephesus Acts 20.18 19 20. Ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you at all seasons seruing the Lord with all humility of mind and with many teares and tentations which befell me by the laying in wait of the Iewes and how I kept backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but haue shewed you and haue taught you publikely and from house to house c. He was not inferiour in giftes to any euen the deepest doctours in our dayes but went farre beyond them all 2 Cor. 12.2.4 he was caught vp to the third heauen euen into Paradise and heard vnspeakeable words which it is not lawfull for a man to vtter yet he made himselfe equall to the lowest and stooped downe to euery degree 1 Cor. 9.22 that by all meanes he might saue some Humility is a notable vertue that decketh adorneth all Christians and is necessary to be in all that professe the feare of God Col. 3.12 and is oftentimes commended vnto vs among the fruites of a regenerate person which the Spirit of God would haue vs beautified withall The Apostle Peter chap. 5.5 6. giueth this exhortation Be all of you subiect one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proude and giues grace to the humble humble your selues therfore vnder the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time This heauenly gift is opposed to that vaineglory pride and ambition which naturally groweth in vs as Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife and vaine-glory but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme other better then themselues Howbeit this vertue is most notable and necessary aboue all other to be in the Ministers of Gods word as Christ himselfe both by word and by example in his continuall practise taught his disciples Matt. 11.29 Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules And when he had washed his disciples feet he said vnto them Know ye what I haue done to you If I your Lord and master haue washed your feet yee also ought to wash one anothers feet for I haue giuen you an example that ye should doe as I haue done to you Ioh. 13.14 15. The place of the Apostle is worthy of our remembrance to this purpose 1 Thess 2.7 We were gentle among you euen as a nourse that cherisheth her children c. Where Saint Paul noting out his meekenesse and diligence in preaching vnto them sheweth it by a familiar comparison taken from a naturall nourse-mother who thinketh no seruice too base or meane in the washing and wringing in wiping and cleansing in feeding and bringing vp her tender infant What is it that she will refuse to doe what paines wil she not take for her childe what sauours is she content to endure how ready is she to breake her sleepe and rest in the night season and neuer repineth at it and albeit it be teasty and wayward yet she maketh much of it and loueth it neuer a whit the lesse Thus it ought to be with the Ministers
is a seruice that is well pleasing in his sight forasmuch as we shew thereby that we do not depend on the pleasure of men but rely our selues vpon the authority of God And as it is the praise and triall of a good subiect who is content to beleeue and obey the lowest messenger and least officer that commeth vnto him with a message and commandement from his Prince so heereby it appeareth that we are true Citizens of the kingdom of God his adopted children if we heare his word with feare and reuerence albeit it be preached vnto vs by the meanest and poorest of all Gods seruants On the other side as it is a note of contempt toward the Magistrate himselfe to disobey or resist any Serieant or seruant that commeth from him how base soeuer he may seeme to be so wee make our selues guilty of rebellion and high treason against GOD when wee despise such as speake in his Name and contemne them that haue authority committed vnto them from the most high All such as loathe the truth for the Teachers sake when their owne consciences conuince them that it is the word of God which soundeth in their eares let them assure themselues and perswade their owne hearts that the contempt of their persons redoundeth to the Sonne of God yea to the Father himselfe Let them marke this point weigh it diligently who take it hainously when they are reprooued of men equall vnto them or inferiour to them or if they be contemptible to the world by reason of their poore estate The fourth reproofe Lastly it reproueth those that go about to shake the faith of many and to weaken the assurance and certainty of our saluation hauing the promises thereof propounded vnto vs in the doctrine and by the writings of the Apostles Hence it is that sundry scoffers and prophane spirits aske the question who is Paul and who is Peter or what is Iohn that wee should of necessity beleeue them Who gaue them authority or whence haue they power in the Church to set downe and prescribe vnto vs a rule of faith The doctrine that now we deale withall serueth very fitly to stoppe the mouthes of these Atheists and containeth a soueraigne preseruatiue against the poison that they offer vnto vs inasmuch as Christ the eternall Sonne of God maketh them his messengers his witnesses his heraulds to spread abroad his sauing health and auoucheth that he speaketh in them acknowledgeth himselfe to be author of that truth which they deliuer Gal. 1 8. so that if an Angell from heauen should preach any other Gospel then that which they haue preached to the Churches hee must bee holden accursed This therefore we ought to apply vnto our selues and gather as an argument of great comfort that when remission of sins and eternall life are promised to them that are truely penitent and lay hold vpon Christ by a liuely faith according to the doctrine of the Apostles we must assure our selues it is the voice of Christ and he will ratifie it in the highest heauens Neither is this true onely touching the Apostles themselues that had their calling from God and not from men and were conuersant with Christ in the daies of his flesh but likewise of all the faithfull Ministers of Iesus Christ that haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen committed vnto them When we assure forgiuenesse of sinnes to those that haue contrite and broken hearts it is no doubtfull or vncertaine assurance but grauen with a diamond and written as it were with a pen of steele to continue for euer forasmuch as it is the assurance of Christ and of God himselfe The voice of the Minister is not the voyce of a priuate man but of one that is a publike person it is as the voice of Christ himselfe Art thou humbled and cast downe for thy sinnes and doth thy soule cleaue vnto the dust He sendeth his Minister vnto thee and putteth the word of reconciliation into his mouth so that if thou vnfainedly turne vnto God be as well assured of the mercy of God toward thee as thou heardst Christ himselfe say vnto thee as he did sometimes to the sicke of the palsie Sonne bee of good cheare Math. 3 2. thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Againe when the Ministers of God on the other side doe threaten and thunder out the sentence of condemnation against the vnbeleeuers and such as cannot repent this also is no lesse the voice of the Sonne of God which no power of the world nor authority of man can hinder or call backe forasmuch as whose sinnes they reteine they are reteined Iohn ◠This iudgement howsoeuer it be either denied or derided or doubted off among the vngodly yet will Christ make it good and execute the same vpon them to their confusion This doctrine reacheth to the true Ministers of the word who haue their calling from God his word As for the Bishop of Rome that challengeth sole authority to forgiue sinnes and will haue all his decrees and decretals no lesse acknowledged then the word of God it is more then childish and ridiculous For he hath nothing common with the Apostles and cannot proue his succession wherein he glorieth by any sound reasons and yet arrogateth more vnto himselfe then GOD gaue or the Apostles tooke or the Church acknowledged to be due vnto the Apostles forasmuch as the Lord tied thē by an expresse commandement that they should teach the people to obserue those things which he had commanded them Vse 3 Thirdly this serueth to informe the Ministers that it concerneth them much to adorne their calling and to magnifie their Ministery that it bee not blemished and euill spoken off through their default This ought aboue all other things to be a spur vnto vs in our sides and as a fire kindled within our bowels to inflame our hearts with a zeale of Gods glory with a loue of his people with a care to discharge our office committed vnto vs with an earnest desire to encrease the kingdome of Christ Iesus For seeing God accounteth vs as his owne Embassadors sent out to do his wil and vouchsafeth to ioyne our labour with mans saluation we are bound in duty and conscience to preach the Gospel truely purely painefully sincerely and soundly It is required of vs not onely to teach but to teach the truth and to teach the truth with a right affection For we can neuer challenge the names and titles of being the Messengers of God vnto our selues and to be respected as the person of Christ himselfe except we preach the pure word of God and commend to the Church the pure doctrine of Christ If wee preach corruptly and make merchandise of the word of God and mingle wheat with chaffe and good corne with darnell or that which is worse we are not to bee accepted receiued as Christ but to be reiected and refused as false teachers that speake in their owne
will raise vs also We are the members he is the head Therfore if the head be aliue he will no◠leaue the members dead so that if he be risen frō the dead we shall rise againe How thē shall we that are appointed to glory defile our bodies beastly lustes the end and wages whereof is shame and ignominy Seeing then Christ Iesus hath determined to make our bodies glorious let vs not make them foule and infamous for as much as the reward of fornication is shame not glorie If then we look that these fraile and mortall bodies should be partakers of immortality at the last day let vs keepe them as fit vessels to receiue honor and glory and euerlasting life It is no small offence to pollute the body of Christ with filthines and vncleannes which God raiseth frō the dead and maketh it sit most glorious in the heauens The fourth motiue to worke in vs the detestation and to lay before vs the danger of whoredome is this the members of Christ are not to bee made the members of an harlot but our bodies are the members of Christ therefore we ought not to make them the members of an harlot Now the bodies of the faithful are called the members of Christ because Christ is the head of the church and performeth the office of an head vnto it into which all the elect are grafted by faith If any man were asked whether he would willingly rent or pull away a member from Christes owne body to make it the member of an harlot he would vtterly deny it he would be ashamed of it he would be ready to defie him that should charge him with it Howbeit the Apostle feareth not to lay that imputation vpon such as commit fornication they separate themselues quite away from Christ so that it must needs be a deadly sin which parteth and pulleth vs from him Wherefore hee saith Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ 1 Cor. 6 15. Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Hereby then we must learne how heinous whoredome is because wee are the members of Christ but by it we make our bodies the members of an harlot which is as much in effect as to turne Christ himselfe into an harlot and to make him a whoremaster then which nothing is more reproachfull and dishonorable vnto the glory and maiesty of Christ Colos 1 18. Eph. 1 22. For the Church is the mysticall bodie of Christ which hee hath redeemed with his blood whereof hee is the head and by his Spirit so ioyneth it to him that it is made one spiritual body with him So then euery faithful person is one member for his part of the body of the Church and of Christ the head ioyned with him by faith quickned by his Spirit He that ioyneth himself therfore to an harlot is made one body with an harlot so that of the members of Christ hee shall make them the members of an harlot and thereby cease to be any longer the members of Christ then which what can be more dangerous to vs or more reprochful to Christ or more dishonorable to God The fift motiue to disswade from fornication is because this sin is committed against the body whereas all other sins are without the body He that committeth whoredom defileth and abuseth his own body and leaueth a proper staine and blot vpon it making it both the subiect and the obiect of his sin It is not so with the theef or the murtherer or the slanderer they deale with the life with the goods and with the good name of another But the whore-master vseth his bodie as the instrument and sinneth against his owne body more then any other Hence it is that the Apostle saith Flie fornication euery sinne that a man doth is without the body 1 Cor. 6. ◠but hee that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne bodie If a man kill himselfe he hurteth indeed his owne bodie howbeit he vseth sworde or knife or fire or water or some such like instrument which is out of the body but the fornicator both vseth and abuseth his owne body he maketh it either instrument or obiect or subiect or all of them The sixt motiue that is vsed is this That our body is the Temple of the holye Ghost whereupon the Apostle would haue it inferred that a fornicator is a sacrilegious person because he hurteth and wrongeth the temple of God But Whosoeuer defileth the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the temple of God is holy which temple we are 1 Cor. 3. ver 17. Temples are ordained and appointed for holinesse and pure actions and are not therefore to be prophaned with filthinesse forasmuch as they be consecrated and dedicated to God which is most pure and holy To this purpose he speaketh and argueth What 1 Cor. 6 13. Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy ghost which is in you which ye haue of God If our bodies be Temples they ought to bee kept cleane and decent of vs. The Apostle nameth the bodie in this place as hee did also before in regard of the matter he hath in hand to the end hee might withdraw vs from the defiling and poluting of our bodies Wee heard alreadie that our bodies are the members of Christ heere he saith Our bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost not that our soules are excepted and exempted for they are made partakers of Christ and we are the Temples of God in soule and bodie as hee speaketh in the second Epistle Ye are the Temples of the liuing GOD. 2 Cor. 6 16. If he dwell in vs let vs beware of fornication because he will not inhabite and abide in defiled bodies He is the spirit of purity therefore we must be pure he is the spirit of holinesse therefore we ought to be holy otherwise we are not his He will dwell in a clean house therfore not in a stye of vnclean and filthy swine Let vs take heed we greeue not the spirit of God whereby wee are sealed vnto the day of redemption Eph. 4. The Gentiles knewe by the light of nature that they ought to keepe their temples swept and garnished Christ whipped out of the temple such as bought sold in it yet what are these but lime stone and such corruptible stuffe how much more then ought wee to looke to our selues our souls bodies that we do not defile them and God destroy them The Temple of Ierusalem was burned and the Arke carried away for the sinnes of the people there is no holinesse of place can priuiledge vs if sound Religion be wanting in them that inhabit it Thus was it also at the destruction of Ierusalem foretolde in Scripture after the Gospell of Christ was preached the abhomination of desolation was set in the holy place so that one stone was not left vpon another
especially to tempt and seduce them These are great motes in Satans eies as marks set vp for him to shoot at because these do most of all seeke the subuersion of his kingdome and the withdrawing of others out of his snares wherein he holdeth them captiue and therefore he hateth them to the death We see he began with Christ and he euermore desireth to hit the fairest marke and to strike downe the highest tree It was a cunning policy of a crafty captaine to command his souldiers to strike at no part of the enemy but at the face and the king of Syria commanded his chiefe commanders to fight neither with small nor great saue only against the king of Israel â— 22.31 Such is the policy of Satan he desireth to winnow and wound the chiefest and choicest of al and he hath oftentimes preuailed as we see in the examples of Noah Lot Dauid Moses Aaron Salomon and many others yea he bendeth his forces and fury so much the more to ouerthrow and ouerturne these because he knoweth that in ouer-mastering them he commonly in their fall giueth the foile to diuers others It is noted that Satan stood at the right hand of Ioshua to resist him Zac. 3.1 So Paul was assaulted aboue his fellows because of his rare and excellent gifts this was the cause why he was so much maligned And Christ telleth his disciples that Satan desired to winnow them â—2 31 them I say aboue others as their calling was aboue others for they were the master-builders and laid the foundation of the Church vpon which others builded Let al those therfore whose place and calling and gifts make theÌ„ euident eminent aboue others take heed to themselues to their carriage and conuersation let them labour to cleaue more closely to God â—5 36 and so to let their light shine before men that they seeing their good works may glorifie their Father which is in heauen These are as chiefe Captaines of the hoste and the ensigne-bearers of the Church to shew the way to others and to go in and out before them in an vnreproueable and vnblameable course and though they draw not all vnto them by their example yet their forwardnesse and feruency their zeale earnestnes shall serue to instruct many others Vse 3 Thirdly seeing these Nazarites must keep themselues from wine and strong drinke as also from eating fresh or dryed grapes so long as the daies of their separation endured or learn hereby that it is our duty to fly from all euill euen all the occasions and allurements of sin whatsoeuer though they be neuer so pleasant to the eye or sweet to the taste inasmuch as we shall find them in the end to be more sharp then vineger more bitter then wormewood more deadly then poison Abner the Captaine of Saul and of his sonne accounted warre as a sport which yong fellowes did make howbeit he confessed the end would prooue bloody 2 Sam. 2.26 when he cryed out Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternesse in the latter end so howsoeuer the foole make a mocke of sinne and it seeme pleasant and profitable at the first yet the end wil be mourning and lamentation This did Zophar teach in the book of Iob Though wickednesse bee sweet in his mouth though hee hide it vnder his tongue yet his meate in his bowels is turned it is the gall of aspes within him c. Hence it is that the Apostle Iames saith Iam. 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widows in their affliction and to keepe himselfe vnspotted from the world If we doe this then we shall bee true Nazarites separated from the world and brought neere vnto God then we shall bestow our mindes and meditations vppon him and withdraw our cares and cogitations from the desire of earthly things When God called Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees Gen. 17.1 he required of him to walk before him and to be vpright Such a spirituall Nazarite was Noah God saw him iust in that prophane age when all the earth had corrupted their wayes Gen. 6. Such a Nazarite was Lot in sinfull Sodome 2 Pet. 2.7 when he vexed his righteous soule from day to day beholding the vncleane conuersation of those cursed Sodomites Thus was Noah out of the world while he was in the world thus was Lot out of Sodome even while he was in Sodome and thus should our conuersation be in heauen while we haue our being and dwelling vpon the earth Phil. 3. Such a Nazarite was Nathaniel in whose spirit there was no guile Ioh. 1. for as he is said to be an Israelite indeed so it may be said he was a Nazarite indeed And as these were holy vnto God so must we labour after purity and offer vp our bodies an holy and liuing sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 Euery one that calleth vpon the Name of the Lord must depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 We must labour to be cleere from the workes of darknesse and from the sinnes of worldlings and wicked persons marking what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7 1. Cleanse you selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God For as these Nazarites were not to taste of the iuyce of liquour of the grape so we should not intermeddle with any sinne but shunne and shake off the same much more then we would to be defiled with mire and dirt 2 Cor. 6.17 remember the counsell of the same Apostle What agreement what fellowship is there betweene light darkneâ— therefore come out from among them and separate your selues touch no vnclean thing then shall we be the sonnes and daughters of the Lord Almighty Vse 4 Fourthly consider from hence the false ground that the Papists build vpon to establish the Monkish and Fryarly Orders wherby they build an house vpon the sand which cannot continue For from this ceremony and vow of the Nazarites being a more strict kind of life in the abstinence from sundry pleasures that others lawfully tooke in the moderate vse of the good creatures of God and consequently a profession of greater holinesse by sequestring themselues from the company of men to giue themselues wholly to prayer and meditation Bellar. contro 5. cap. 5. lib 2. de Monachis the Popish doctors goe about to defend the Monks and Friars and that swarme and rabble of Locusts that came out of the bottomelesse pit and to set vp their vnorderly Orders to be a profession of life of greater holinesse and perfection aboue others which the common sort cannot attaine vnto Howbeit if we consider the matter aright compare them together we shall see there is no agreement nor likenesse betweene them This vow was grounded vpon the word of God and warranted from thence the Monkish life is deducted from the puddles of mans inuention These bound themselues
thee This mystery of the Trinity Vnity was taught from the beginning of the world howbeit the fuller reuelation of it was reserued to the times of the Gospel when the light of the truth did shine as the sun at noon daies Math. 3 16 17 Hence it is that at the baptisme of Christ Iohn saw the spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him and heard a voice from heauen saying This is my beloued Son in whom I am well pleased and when he sent out his disciples into all the world Math 28 19. he willed them to Baptize in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy Ghost So doth the Apostle speake 1 Iohn 5 7. 1 Iohn 5 7. There are three that beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost these three are one So in this place when he mentioneth the Lord three times it may note out the Trinity of persons and when he saith I will blesse theÌ„ it pointeth out the Vnity of the Godhead and so we learn to confesse and beleeue that there is one God three persons Thirdly we are taught from hence that al good things must be asked of God and of no creatures in heauen or in earth forasmuch as it is hee onely from whom all blessings come If then we feele any wants in our selues as who is it that findeth not manie we know to whom to go Iames 1 17. we are sent to the fountaine or head-spring euen to the Father of lights Hee is able to furnish vs and fill vs with that which we haue not hee is able to increase the measure of that which we haue hee will not see any want to them that are not wanting vnto themselues Fourthly seeing we must aske a blessing from God wee are thereby put in minde that by nature wee lye vnder the curse of God threatned by the Law by which commeth the knowledge of sinne Romanes 3 20. And the same Apostle Galat. 3 verse 10. sheweth that euerie one is cursed that continueth not in all things vvhich are written in the Booke of the Law to do them We are stained and defiled with sin from our birth Psalme 51.5 Iob 14. verse 4. Wee see then what is our naturall estate and condition wee are not heires of blessing wee cannot claime challenge any portion to our selues in any of the mercies of God there is nothing our owne but the curse of God the wrath of God the iudgement of God these wee may truly cal our own these are our lot this is our cup to drinke this is due vnto vs in regard of sin which we drinke in daily as water which we continually swallow as bread Let vs not therefore blesse our selues as if wee had some title to the blessings of God but consider that we lie vnder all the curses of the law Deut. 28 so long as we are vnregenerate or impenitent but when once we are in Christ haue receiued truly to beleeue then we are deliuered froÌ„ the curse and haue right to his blessings Fiftly this solemne blessing commanded in this place to the Priests doeth shadow out Christ Iesus which was sent of God that according to the promise made to Abraham all the nations of the earth should be blessed in him For as they blessed the people when they departed out of the congregation so did Christ wheÌ„ he was to depart out of the world as the Euangelist testifieth Luke 24 50 51. hee led them out as far as to Bethany and he lift vp his haÌ„ds and blessed them and it came to passe while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried vp into heauen All blessings indeede doe come from him and by him and thorough him they are conueyed vnto vs. So then the Office of blessing which vnder the law was committed to the Priests doeth truly and properly belong to Christ Iesus the high priest of our profession Caluin harm in Euang. through whoÌ„ we receiue spirituall blessings in heauenly things Eph. 1. He is the onely author of all blessing yet that his grace might be more effectuall to vs it was his wil pleasure that the priests in the beginning should as mediators blesse in his name To this purpose appertaineth that which is read in Psal 118 26. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord we do blesse you out of the house of the Lord. The Apostle teacheth Heb. 7 7. that it is a sign of excelency to blesse others because without all question and contradiction the lesse is blessed of the greater therfore when Christ the true Melchizedek and the eternall priest came into the world to offer vp himself it was meete that in him should bee fulfilled whatsoeuer was shadowed out by the Legall figures so that he blessed the Apostles openly with a solemne rite of lifting vp his hands to the end the faithful should fly vnto him so many as desire to be partakers of the grace of God to become rich in all heauenly things Lastly the priests are to blesse the people What then are they able to blesse haue they the blessings of God in their own brest and can they giue them to whom they list no it is God only that can blesse curse True it is this is giuen afterward to Balaam the false Prophet to be able to blesse and curse whom he wil chap. 22 6. As also it is in our daies to the bishop of Rome the true successor of Balaam rather then of Peter with whom he hath nothing like But the priests do blesse by praying for a blessing pronouncing the people of God to be blessed So then we see hereby Math. â—6 â—â— Iohn 20 2â— how the Ministers are said to bind and to loose to forgiue sins to retaine sins not that they haue an absolute power to do these things for it is God onely that properly can forgiue sins it is he that can take away the guilt and punishment of them the Ministers only do it ministerially publishing forgiuenesse and assuring remission of sins to al that are penitent and contrariwise preaching that there is no forgiuenes to the impenitent As then the priests did blesse onely as the Ministers of God so did the Disciples of Christ and so do the Teachers of the Church remit retaine sins onely as the Ministers of Iesus Christ who speake in his name Ver 23. On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel Now let vs come to the particular doctrine And first there is laid before our eies a set and solemne forme of praier enioyned to the priests to be vsed commonly and continually in the assemblies Doctrine A set forme of prayers lawfull to be vsed From hence we learne that a set forme of prayer is lawfull to bee vsed whether publikely in the Church or priuately in the family This point is the more strongly inferred from
strong meate Heb. 5.12 being altogether babes and vnskilfull in the word of righteousnesse not hauing our senses exercised to be able to discerne between good and euill They therefore are in a wofull and wretched estate that haue long liued vnder the preaching of the word the meanes of regeneration in this life and of saluation in the life to come and yet are more ignorant faithlesse fruitlesse disobedient and prophane then such as haue had no such meanes nor liued where the sound of the Gospel hath beene so plentifully heard Hence it is that Christ denounceth fearefull woes against Bethsaida Corazin and Capernaum where he had preached many Sermons and wrought many miracles he threateneth to cast them downe to destruction and telleth them that it should be easier for Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for them Matth. 11.24 The Sodomites had an heauy punishment in this life to be destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen and to taste of a more heauy iudgement of fire and brimstone that burneth in hell and yet those vnthankefull cities that brought not foorth the fruits of the Gospel shall haue sorer iudgment for their disobedience at the day of iudgement when the Iudge of all the world shall appeare to iudge the quicke and the dead If a man after he haue receiued some benefit from another shal presently fly in his face and offer him open wrong and iniury it is certaine that the iniury indignity is much more grieuous then if he had receiued no benefit of him at all so when a sinner hath receiued great and singular benefits from God his sinne is made the greater by offending him What blessing is greater then the word when the kingdome of heauen is offered and opened vnto vs and what sinne can be so great as to reiect it and to account our selues vnworthy of eternall life Let vs therfore take heed how we vse his gifts and endeuour to profit by the meanes that he affordeth vs for our saluation lest it goe worse with vs then with the Turks and Infidels For except our righteousnes exceed others certainely our punishment shall be greater then theirs and then it had bin better for vs that we had neuer heard the preaching of the Gospel then hauing heard it proudly and presumptuously to reiect it 18 On the second day Nethaniel the sonne of Zuar Prince of Issachar did offe◠19 He offered for his offering one siluer c. In these words as also before and in the words folowing we see what is offred to wit siluer and gold they spare nothing they are no niggards they bring the best things that they haue Neither doe they bring the best in a sparing maner but they deale bountifully and liberally The doctrine Doctrine offered the duty required from hence is this We must serue God with the chiefest and choisest things we haue We must seru the Lord with the best things wee haue and imploy the best things that are fit for his seruice and that in a large and liberall maner according to our seuerall places persons callings conditions and abilities We reade that to further the building and furnishing of the Tabernacle men and women as many as were willing-hearted brought bracelets earings rings Exod. 35.22 and tablets precious stones and iewels of gold euery man that offered did offer an offering of gold vnto the Lord no man came empty Verse 27. So did the Rulers Princes yea they were so forward that the workemen complained that the people brought too much for the seruice of the work which the Lord commanded them to make Exod. 36.5.25.1.2 How farre are we from this in our dayes may we say of our times The people bring much more then enough for the worke of the Lord Oh that we might come but one degree behind them that it might be said our people bring enough But we cannot truely testifie so much The Israelites thought they neuer brought enough we thinke we neuer bring too little They offred more thē they were cōmanded we bring no more then we are compelled constrained to bring They brought willingly we giue grudgingly They offered with a glad and cheereful heart we will do no more then Law vrgeth or not so much They brought of the best we think the worst good enough for God and his worship and his Ministers The Prophet Malachi cryeth out against this sinne chap. 1.14 Cursed be the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great king saith the Lord of hostes and my Name is dreadfull among the heathen The Spirit of God commendeth Araunah for his forwardnes bountifulnes in Gods seruice 2 Sam. 24.22 Let the king take and offer what seemeth him good to the Lord behold heere are oxen for burnt sacrifice and threshing instruments of the oxen for wood all these as a king he gaue vnto the king This also appeareth notably in Salomon touching the building of the Temple 1 King 5.17 and 8.63 and 6.21 22. 2 Chro. 30.24 The king al Israel offered sacrifice with him 22000. oxen 122000. sheepe at the dedication of the house of the Lord. The like we see in Ezekiah and if we go no farther thē to Abel in the beginning of the world he shewed forth the practise of this duty for he brought of the firstlings of his flock Gen. 4.4 and of the fat therof vnto the Lord and if he had had a better thing to bring no doubt hee would haue brought it So that this hath bin the practise alwaies of the best sort to offer in the best manner the best they haue vnto the best that is to the Lord himselfe Reason 1 This they did that God might euermore dwel among them according to his promise Exod 25.3 4 6 8. A great iudgement it is to haue him leaue vs and depart from vs. Nothing driueth him away sooner and causeth him to deny his presence then our dealing deceitfully with him Secondly if we giue not to God of the best the worst sort shall rise vp in iudgement and condemne vs the very idolaters that worship the workes of their owne hands Rom. 1.25 and turne the trueth of God into a lie shall goe before vs into the kingdome of heauen they thinke nothing too much they are content to spoile themselues that they may adorne their idols Exod. 32.2 3. Exod. 32.2.3 The Israelites desiring to haue an image of God to goe before them were content to breake off the golden eare-rings which were in the eares of their wiues and of their sonnes and of their daughters So is it with the Papists they account nothing too deare and precious which they are not ready to bestow vpon their images and such like will-worship Thirdly no man should repine to giue vnto God his own the best things we haue whose are they by right but his
and he called the name of the place Taberah Here we see the punishment of their sinne Obserue from hence â—â—ctrine that among other iudgements of God 〈◊〉 is one of â—â—â—s iudgeâ—â—â—ts fire is to be esteemed as one Thus he destroyed Sodome and Gomorrha Gen. 19.24 and burnt vp both cities and people So a fire went out from the Lord and consumed Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron because they offered strange fire Leuit. 10.2 Eliah the Prophet did call fire from heauen and consumed the captaines with their fifty 1 Kin. 1.10 The like we see afterward chap. 16.35 according to that in the Psalme The flame burnt vp the wicked Psal 106.18 Reason 1 This must be acknowledged to be a greeuous and fearefull iudgement because we say commonly and truely fire and water haue no mercy And we see by neuer failing experience that it is so Secondly it is one of the titles of God expressing his nature that he is called a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 and 9.3 Vse 1 This teacheth vs that if it please God to lay this iudgement vpon vs at any time whatsoeuer the meanes or instruments be whereby it commeth whether by negligence or wilfulnesse or by the immediat hand of God wee must alwayes lift vp our eyes to heauen and submit our selues with patience to him wee must not rest in second causes but acknowledge his prouidence and consider what is said in this place that the fire of the Lord consumed the campe We must therefore no otherwise account of it Vse 2 Secondly it is our duty in this regard to serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare 〈◊〉 2.28 29 We must take heed to our selues lest we forget the couenant of the Lord our God we must make no grauen image or the likenes of any thing which he hath forbidden 〈◊〉 4.23 It is reason we stand in feare of him that is able to destroy vs suddenly and to arme his creatures as his souldiers to consume vs in a moment Thirdly it warneth vs that at the last day Vse 3 the whole world shall be consumed with fire and the elements shall melt with heat and the heauens shall passe away as a scrolle Seeing then all these things shall be dissolued 2 Pet 3.11.12 What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conuersation and godlines looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God! Wee neuer read nor heard of moe burning of townes houses theÌ„ within these few yeres testified by the continuall collections for the releefe of such persons as haue receiued losse that way It is a lamentable sight and mooueth much commiseratioÌ„ to see a few houses consumed to ashes these particular burnings put vs in mind of that generall burning Particular burnings put vs in mind of the generall burning when all things that worldly men so much esteem and for which they labour gape so greedily shal be on fire What should we so much delight our selues in costly apparell bespangled with gold and siluer or why doe we dote and set our affections so farre vpon the treasures of this life which wee know must all be burnt vp like stubble Lastly we are hereby admonâ—shed of a more Vse 4 terrible fire and â—â—ore fearefull spectacle then all the former for they are but as painted fires in comparison of the last fire Esay 30.33 which the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle It was a fearefull fire fell vpon Sodom which burned their cities to ashes 2 Pet. 2.6 but their soules suffering the vengeance of God in eternall fire was more fearefull Iude ver 7. Matth. 25.4.1 Mar. 9.44 2 Thess 1.8 This is called euerlasting fire which neuer shal be quenched Into this shall the reprobate be cast be tormented in those flames These plagues are infinite vnspeakeable incomprehensible without end without ease without intermission without remedy without profit Other iudgmeÌ„ts haue some good vse many times bring profit to the sufferers after they haue been exercised by them but these shall bring none at al there shal be weeping gnashing of teeth Againe when the people first murmured God did not punish them as appeareth in the booke of Exodus they had not yet receiued the law but after the law was giuen knowledg shined as a candle in their hearts to direct theÌ„ God spared them not but entred into iudgement with them so soon as they sinned against him We learne hereby Doctrine that knowledge the light of Gods word receiued into our hearts encreaseth sin and iudgement Knowledge encreaseth sin and iudgment The seruant that knew his masters will and did not prepare himselfe to do according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes so saith Christ of the Iewes Luke 12.47 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had not had sin but now they haue no cloake for their sinne For ignorance doth in some sort excuse that is make the sin not to be so great Again Reason 1 all colour and excuse is taken from such as haue the meanes of knowledge Ioh. 15.22 Luke 12 48. they cannot say they knew not Ioh. 12.48 the word shal iudge them at the last day which they haue heard This then teacheth that none sin more greeuously then such as liue in the bosome of the Church heare his word and receiue his Sacraments It had been better for them that they had neuer knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it 2 Pet. 2 22. to turne from the holy commandement deliuered vnto them and the last state of that man is worse then the first Matth. 12.45 Againe marke from hence the cause why iudgment beginneth at the house of God 1 Pet 4.17 1 Cor. 11.32 because here is the greatest light here God hath vouchsafed the greatest mercy heere he hath rained vpon his owne city while other places remained dry and withered As then they haue tasted the greatest mercies so they must be touched with the sorest iudgments Deut. 28.15 Lastly it standeth the Church in hand and euery true beleeuer to walk as wisely in the day redeeming the time Ephes 4 15.16 because the daies are euill If the word do not worke our conuersion it shall further our condemnation and wee make our selues two-fold more the children of hel then others that haue not been partakers of such graces He called the name of the place Taberah God doth not content himself to punish their murmuring but setteth vp a memorial or monument of their sinne thaâ— others might be taught and instructed by it to feare by giuing a new name to the place where the sinne was committed calling it Taberah that is a consumption or a burning The like we see afterward in this chap. ver 34. Doctrine Learne from these examples The iudgements of God are both punishments and
though one be surbordinate to the other yet both of them as good friends ioyne hand in hand and neyther of them ouerthroweth the other The Sunne doth not in vaine rise and set euery day thogh God as the first cause created the light The fields are not in vaine ploughed and sowed by men and watered with the early and latter raine from heauen although GOD bringeth foorth corne out of the earth and giueth bread to strengthen mans heart Psalm 104 verses 14 15. Our bodies are not in vaine refreshed with food albeit God be the life and the length of our daies Acts 17 28. And thouching our soules it is not in vaine to beleeue in Christ to repent from dead works to heare the preaching of the Gospel and to yeeld obedience thereunto although our saluation and eternal life be the free gift of God Rom. 6 23. Secondly whosoeuer is predestinated to the ende Zâ—nch de â—tribut 〈…〉 cap. 2. they are also predestinated to the meanes without which the end cannot possibly be attained Such as are appointed to eternall life are also appointed to the meanes by which life euerlasting may bee got and obtained For almighty GOD hath from euerlasting decreed both the ends and the meanes not the end without the meanes nor the means without the end but both of them and none must make any diuorce betweene these God himselfe hath prescribed vnto vs the meanes to bring vs to the ends all that shall be saued wil carefully vse them No man well aduised will reason thus If it be determined by Gods prouidence that I shall recouer my health there is no need that I vse either food or physicke and if it be otherwise determined I shall vse in vaine the helpe either of the one or of the other forasmuch as Hezekiah receiued such promise of deliuery and recouery yet he must take a lumpe of figges and lay it for a plaister vpon the boyle that he may recouer Esay 38 21. No man in his right mind will argue thus If God haue ordained that I shall come to my iournies end I need not goe ouer the bridge I may leape into the water I am sure I shall be safe and not be drowned Or if it be determined that theeues shall not rob me nor haue any power ouer me I may thrust my selfe into all companies I may trauaile into dangerous places at all houres of the night and though I stand there of purpose they shall not be able to lay hands vpon me nor to spoile me of my goods If this kinde of reasoning be extreme folly how is it that we see not the vanity of the other Lastly as God appointeth good meanes to Vse 5 bring vs to the end of our faith so it is required of vs to beware of euill meanes and euill waies which leade to hell and tend to destruction There are many in the world that perswade themselues they may follow their euill waies with greedinesse and delight and yet that they shall escape death and damnation well enough that albeit they sowe to the flesh yet they shall not reape corruption Thus hee tempted and seduced Eue in the garden that she might eate freely of the forbidden fruite and yet she should neuer die the death but be as God knowing good and euill Gen. 3 4 5 But we must know that God hath linked together as with a brazen chaine that cannot be broken the pleasures of sinne and the punishments of sinne Rom. 6 23 and 8 2. The Apostle ioyneth sinne and death together coupleth them together as the cause the effect for the wages of sinne is death Thus we see the diuels cunning to beguile teaching that we need not to do good things and yet wee shall come well enough soone enough easie enough to heauen and that we may follow euill things and yet we shall escape hell and destruction See more of this afterward chapter 20. 17. And Moses sent them to spie out the Land of Canaan and saide vnto them Goe you vp this way Southward and goe vp into the Mountaine 18. And see the Land what it is and the people that dwelleth therein whether they be strong or weake few or many 19. And what the Land is that they dwell in c. Albeit the Lord had promised to Abraham and his posterity to giue them the land of Canaan for a possession yet hee will haue them beare themselues wisely and warily prudently and circumspectly in the search and viewing of it to enquire into the people their Cities their Land their multitude their strength and so to get a perfect knowledge of them and for this cause doeth Moses so carefully instruct them The doctrine Doctrine The faithfull must deale wisely in all their enterprises Wisedome is a gift required of the faithfull in all their enterprizes to doe nothing headily rashly rawly and ignorantly We must deale not onely lawfully iustly honestly and godlily but wisely prudently politikely Rebecca hearing of the purpose and intent of Esau waiting opportunity to kill his brother and being desirous to preserue them both but especially Iacob conueyed him away Gen. 27 verse 43. The like appeareth in Abigael 1 Sam. 25 18. she preuented Dauid and the mischiefe hanging ouer her owne head and is therefore commended by Dauid himselfe So 2 Sam. 20 16 17 18. And 2 King 4 verse 23. we haue a notable example in the Shunamite she wisely dissembleth the cause of her iourney lest she should greeue the heart of her husband onely she desireth leaue and liberty of him to goe â—o the Prophet So Acts 23 verses 6 7. Paul knowing the great iarre and diuision in iudgement among those of the assembly which consisted of two sorts or sects partly Saduces which denied the resurrection and partly Pharisees which acknowledged it he taketh aduantage of the present opportunity to seuer them and to deliuer himselfe Prouerbs chap. 13 verse 16. Rom. chapter 16 verse 19. For first wisedome is more worth much Reason 1 better then all weapons of warre Prou. 21 verse 22. A prudent man is to be preferred before the valiant and indeed he can do more Hee can by counsell take a City wherein the valiant are and by his stratagems throw downe the bulwarkes and Castles thereof Eccl. chapter 7 verse 12 and cha ver 9 13 14 15 16. Secondly if Gods seruants should not Reason 2 deale wisely they should lie open to euery enemy to be hurt and destroyed to be ouertaken and circumuented in an excessiue hand The times wherein we liue are dangerous the persons with whom we deale are pernicious the sleights of Satan that dealeth against vs are mischieuous his instruments are growne cunning and crafty Prou. 1 verses 11 12. If then wee should not deale as well wisely as lawfully wee should not bee able to withstand them If we should not order our affaires discreetely and with good aduise forecasting the issues and preuenting their attempts we should
any good consequent that though euery sinne in Gods iustice bee adiudged worthy of eternall death that therefore it doth equally deserue it See more of this chap. 19. Vse 2 Secondly from this doctrine receiued it followeth that the punishments of hell are diuers also according to the different desart of sinne Luk. 12 47 48. Math. 23 15 and 11 22 24. They that breake the law and teach others to do the like are twofold more the children of hell then others They are the children of hell that transgresse the law but they that lay a stumbling blocke before others and draw them out of the way are guilty of a farther sin and consequently of a greater punishment Sodome shall be cast into hell but Capernaum shall descend deeper and suffer more This must we lay to our hearts forasmuch as we are like to Capernaum not to Sodome Euery man must receiue at the last day according to his euill workes but Gods iudgements shold not be right if he did iudge sinnes to be equal and punish sinnes equally On the other side we may conclude that there are degrees of glory in the kingdome of heauen which serueth to stirre vs vp to labour to out-goe and out-strippe others considering that we shall receiue a greater reward It is a point seruing to animate and encourage all men in well-doing to know that the Magistrate shall receiue according to his care the Minister according to his paines and euery one according to his duty and obedience in the life to come Vse 3 Lastly hence is a direction for Magistrates seeing offences are different there ought to be a difference in punishment of malefactours All lawes should not be written with blood neither all punishments take away life But if lesser sins should be punished sharply great more remisly it were against the rule of reason and the law of equity Hence it is that Christ teacheth that among the Courts of the Iewes they alwaies punished according to the quality of the offence and did not make an equality among offenders Mat. 5 verse 22. Verse 31. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his couenant c. Here is the description of this sin whereby we see whervnto it tendeth being once entertained Doctrine We learne from hence Sin is come to the height when men are bold to sinne that men are come to the height of sinne when they commit sin boldly and boastingly proudly and presumptuously Esay 3 9. Numb 25 6. 1 Sam. 16 22. Ier. 3 3. Prou. 2 14. The reasons Reason 1 For this manner of sinning is without any signe of grace is done in contempt of God and his lawes as we see in this place Reason 2 Secondly this kinde of sinning doth cry to heauen and calleth downe iudgement so that he cannot but punish it seuerely Gen. 18 ver 20 21. This reproueth the sinnes of our times for Vse 1 as we liue in the light of grace so we are come to the light of sinne because some maintaine sinne and others brag boast of those sinnes that they haue committed and greatly delight in them Psal 52 3 4. Esay 1 23. 2 Pet. 2 15. The sinne of these men is so much the greater because heere we haue the coupling and combining of two sinnes together sinne and the loue of sinne Where there are two strong poisons mixed together there the party is in great danger that drinketh of that potion so it is in this case two sinnes being ioyned in one sinne impudency in sinning that person is much more guilty This boldnesse and impudency is also accompanied with impenitency for certainely he that sinneth with an high hand and with a proud heart caÌ„not repent and leaue his sinne he cannot be sorry for it and turne vnto God but lyeth vnder a great measure and degree of euill Secondly let such as are guilty of these bold Vse 2 and presumptuous sinnes breake them off by true repentance and by reforming such as are committed to their charge For euery sin must be repented off but greater sinnes must haue greater repentance for them therefore wee should labour to repent of all whether they be moe or few greater or lesse once committed or often that so God may passe by vs wheÌ„ his iudgements run through the world Take heed therefore of presumptuous sinnes Some are suddenly ouertaken these sinne Gal. 6 1. but not so greatly as they that runne willfully and violently into euill It is an euill to take the Name of God in vaine though it be in heate and in haste howsoeuer but it is worse to sweare and blaspheme in cold blood in common talke that without remorse The corrupt affection in these is worse then the action of sinne Such as once fall into drunkennesse cannot be excused but they sinne doubly and trebly that delight in drunkennes haunt drunken houses and keepe drunken company and nourish all occasions to bring themselues to commit sinne vpon sinne So it may be said touching the breach of the Sabbath he sinneth that pretendeth some necessity of some great busines and that he is vnwilling to absent himselfe froÌ„ the house of God and doth it sildome but he that maketh a common practise of prophaning the Lords day sometimes by saying at home in his chamber sometimes by walking abroad in his fields sometimes by lying in an alehouse sometimes by sitting at tables cards do offend much more and come into the number of presumptuous sinners Obiect But some peraduenture will aske the question How may a man know whether he sin with an high hand whether he be come to the height of sinne to sinne presumptuously To this I answer Answ it is no hard matter to discern thy estate by these notes â—w to know â—o sinneth 〈◊〉 an high â—ed First whosoeuer disliketh and hateth the word of God may iustly feare and suspect himselfe For he that cannot patiently endure to reade it or to heare it read or preached because it layeth open his sin and as a true glasse maketh his corruptions manifestly to appeare he certainely is a bold and presumptuous sinner So long as a man is content to submit himselfe to Gods ordinance and to be willing to heare his sinnes reproued so long there is hope of such a sinner Againe they sin purposely and proudly and presumptuously that are offended either with the Minister or with a priuate friend that reproues him for his sins These are louers of their sins and are resolued to dwell in them because they hate those that loue them and out of loue admonish them of their euill waies And if peraduenture they haue failed in the manner of their reproofe these by by conceiue that they haue sinned more in reprouing then themselues in committing the acte it selfe Thirdly they are passing apace to tht height of sinne that excuse and lessen their sinnes or else defend them such as say it is no such
Sabbath and Sacraments If a man should doe nothing but practise treason and rebellion against the King despising his word and contemning his Proclamations in what a fearefull condition would we account him to be And when the King himselfe should appoint a day wherein he would haue his owne person specially attended and wholly waited vpon if his houshold seruants should refuse to giue him any attendance but waite worse vpon him that day then any other and giue themselues wholly to attend vpon their owne pleasures would he not thinke himselfe notably abused and discharge such of his seruice and were they not sure to run into his displeasure and to procure iudgement vpon themselues Notwithstanding this is the state of many among vs. God hath commanded vs to reuerence his Name his Sanctuary his Sabbath his Word his Ministery if then we shall dare to sweare blaspheme openly to reiect the word of God and to abuse the Sabbath by following after our pleasures and profits our sports and recreations and thereby practise after a sort against the person of GOD himselfe do they not prouoke me to my face saith the Lord and shall they go vnpunished No certainely they shall not his iudgements shall ouertake them for these things God hath ordained and enacted as by a solemne Proclamation that all sorts that professe themselues his seruants should waite vpon him on the Sabbath he is then determined to set foorth the greatnesse of his glorious Name and the riches of his house and the might of his power and the honour of his Maiesty it is his will and pleasure that men women children should assemble together before him to giue him attendance shall we answer with Korah and his company in the next chapter We will not come vp Numb 16 14. And albeit we be not so impudent and shamelesse to say so yet it is little better because we do not appeare before him Nay we serue our selues by walking in our owne waies and many serue Satan the enemy of God by following his wayes with greedinesse If wee giue vp our selues to our pleasures and profits we serue our selues when we giue vp our selues to our sinnes and delight in drunkennesse and such like wickednesse vpon that day we serue the diuell And in truth let any man marke it he shall see that God is no day worse serued of the common sort then vpon his owne holy day so that when he requireth all our seruice he can get little or none at all at our hands Vse 4 Lastly let no man flatter himselfe in performance of duties vnto men and thinke himselfe in good case because he liueth vnblameably in the eyes of the world We must learne to deny not onely worldly lustes but all vngodlinesse and we must liue not onely soberly righteously but also godly in this present world Titus 2 12. Christ gaue himselfe for this purpose to purge vs from al iniquity and to purifie vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of all good workes And indeed the sinnes of the first Table are the greatest most hainous sinnes and deserue the greatest plagues of God and most fearefull condemnation he will reward with euerlasting fire not onely such as know not their duties to men but such as know not God neither obey the Gospel of Iesus Christ 2 Thess 1 8. And this is noted as a maine cause of the destruction of the olde world to wit disobedience to the word 1 Pet. 3 20. When the Israelitish womans sonne whose father was an Egyptian blasphemed the Name of the Lord and as it were thrust him through with horrible curses Leuit. 24 11. he is commanded to be put to death and stoned verse 16 23. These sinnes are euery where little thought vpon and supposed to be either no sinnes at all or very little ones But mans iudgement is corrupt in the matters of God How the breaches of the first Table are greater then the breaches of the second except we looke vpon sinne with the light of the Scripture and if we shall paralell the sinnes of the first Table with the sinnes of the second in equall degree the greatest of the one with the grossest of the other both done in knowledge alike and ignorance with ignorance comparing deeds with deeds words with words thoughts with thoghts the breaches of the law beeing thus considered are farre greater against the first then against the second Table because they are cōmitted immediately against the person of the great God as rebellion against the person of a Prince is greater thē the insurrection against another the murthering of a Prince more thē of many others 2 Sam. 18 3. See then from hence the wofull abuse of our sinfull times prophane people Such as would seeme to make conscience of stealing of whoring of robbing and false witnessing in iudgement and hold them vnworthy to liue vpon the earth that commit these things marke their waies in matters that concerne the most high God possessour of heauen and earth and you shall euidently perceiue they thinke it no euill or enormity to be ignorant of GOD and his word to maintaine superstition and set vp humane traditions to abuse his Name by cursed oathes to prophane his Sabbath by cursed or corrupt workes to despise his Word and to refuse his Sacraments These are so ordinarily so openly so impudently committed with bold nay with brazen faces and defended also by those that do them as if we would despite God to his face and thrust him out of his kingdome and from the gouernement of the world I will tell you what I haue obserued by the common course of the world that moe perish through ignorance and prophanenesse then do by all the deeds of vnrighteousnesse Satan preuaileth more among the people by bringing them to a prophane life and keeping them in sottishnesse and blindnesse touching the will of God then by murther whoredome and theft laid together I know I speak this to many that haue most wretched and swinish hearts but no eares to heare and therefore regard their owne pleasures more then they doe their saluation These are the dangerous daies spoken off by the Apostle 2. Tim. 3 1 4 5. God in his mercy amend them if not let them that be ignorant be ignorant still 1 Cor. 14 38. and he that is filthy let him be filthy still Reuel 22 11. that so they may fill vp the measure of their sinnes Math. 23 32. 36 And all the Congregation brought him without the Camp and stoned him with stones and he died as the Lord commanded Moses It may seeme strange at the first that they should consult with God what to do with this prophane person seeing the Law had appointed death for him that transgressed this commandement Exod. 31 14. and 35 2. why then did they enquire or wherefore did they put him in minde to know what should bee done vnto him Some answer that
his mercy that we are not vtterly consumed Lam. 3.22 When Eli heard the punishment that God had determined to bring vpon him and his house for the wickednesse of his prophane sonnes he answered with all humility It is the Lord let him doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him 1 Sam. 3.18 God loueth a broken and contrite heart it is a sacrifice wherein hee greatly delighteth Lastly let vs make our whole life a continuall practise of vnfained repentance and labour for godly sorrow that wee may mourne and afflict our soules for sinne because it is sinne a breach of Gods law and displeaseth him Sinne will not lodge long where it is not cherished and made much off and entertained with delight It is as a ghest that will not lodge in such houses where he is not welcome but if once you make much of him and delight in him then he is an importunate and a shamelesse ghest you shall hardly rid your house of him In the word of God wee finde sundry meanes and motiues to moue vs to enter these meditations Motiues moouing vs to repentance First the commandement of God himselfe so often vrged and repeated Ier. 3.12 and 8.6 and 18.11 This was the voyce of Iohn crying in the wildernesse Repent bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Matth. 3.8 This doctrine was preached in Paradise to our first parents and was afterward figured out by circumcision before the Law and by their purification after the Law Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane Againe such as repent not lye vnder the bondage of Satan they are as captiues prisoners bound to obey his will and to doe him seruice 2. Tim. 2.26 Thirdly such as die without repentance remaine for euer without remission and forgiuenesse They are lost children and must needs perish if they repent not before 2 Pet. 3.9 Luke 13.3 Fourthly the threatnings denounced executed vpon the rebellious and disobedient are made examples and admonitions vnto vs his vengeance iustly fallen vpon others should serue to amend vs 1 Cor. 10.5.6 2. Pet. 2.3 4. Psal 7.11 12. Fiftly the certainety and suddennesse of the last and generall iudgement which shall come as a theefe in the night when the heauens themselues shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall bee burnt vp What manner of persons therefore ought wee to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse 2 Pet. 3.10 11. and 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of God that wee may receiue the things done in this body whether good or euill This last day is called a day of Reuelation Rom. chap. 2. ver 5. Lastly we must bee all ledde to repentance by the vnspeakable fruits that follow it as pardon of sinnes reconciliation with God peace of conscience hearing of our prayers and in the end blessednesse in the heauens Ezek. 33.11 CHAP. XVIII 1 ANd the Lord said vnto Aaron Thou and thy sonnes and thy fathers house with thee shall beare the iniquity of the Sanctuary and thou and thy sonnes with thee shall beare the iniquity of your Priesthood 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Leui the tribe of thy father bring thou with thee that they may be ioyned c. 3 And they shall keepe thy charge and the charge of all the Tabernacle onely they shall not come nigh the vessells c. 4 And they shall be ioyned vnto thee and keepe the charge c. IN the latter end of the former Chapter the people are brought in confessing their sins and crauing pardon of God Wee heard their greefe and sorrow for their sinnes and bewailing their transgressions past and saying Shall we perish vtterly and is there no hope of forgiuenesse Now we haue in this Chapter the answer of God to this question which did proceed from a feeling of their sinne and a feare of present death which they had iustly deserued For Moses declareth how God shewed himselfe reconciled notwithstanding their manifold prouocations he cannot keep his anger for euer but returneth vnto them in mercy when they turne vnto him by repentance The deuision of this Chapter Concerning the which reconciliation we must consider in this Chapter two points first the persons procuring the attonement which were the Priests Leuites attending to the Ministery of the word and Sacraments secondly the things appertaining vnto them and to their charge as also the next Chapter deliuereth such things as belong to the people Now the commandement belonging to them both to wit both to the Priests and Leuites which are heere said to be brethren All the Mâ—nisters ough to be as children Matth 23.8 2 Pet 15. Heb. 13.22 1 Pet 12. is directed to Aaron and not to Moses because this was a meere Church matter Ecclesiasticall not ciuill and his Priesthood was newly ratified to him by the authority of God and by a notable miracle in the flourishing of the Almond rod Chap. 17.8 The summe and effect is this that the Priests should minister in the Sanctuary at the Altar but the Leuites should minister vnto the Priests and both of them both for themselues the people First therefore the charge of the Sanctuary is committed to Aaron and his sonnes and to the ouersight of the Leuites to the eight ver that the seruice of God might not be prophaned either by themselues or by any other lest they made themselues guilty of sinne whereby the Lord would signifie that there was indeed no cause why any should enuy them this dignitie forasmuch as it was ioyned with such danger and difficulty The burden of the Priesthood was so great and lay so heauy vpon their shoulders that they were threatened to be punished if the worship of God which ought to bee performed with all reuerence were prophaned through their default From hence we learne that as euery sin is in it owne nature great so are these sinnes the greatest and most heinous which are committed against a mans particular place and calling wherein God hath set him â—e â—nnes â—test â—e â—ed â— mans ar Iob 2.9 The Prophets denouncing iudgements against sundry persons doe single them out for neglecting of personall duties The Prophet Micah threatneth the Rulers and men of might that they hate the good and loue the euill Who plucke off their skinne from off them and their flesh from off their bones they breake their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot and as flesh within the cauldron Mic. 3.2 3. Thus also he noteth out the falsehood of the Prophets that made the people of God to erre and cry peace ver 5. The idolatrous kings are most of all taxed for the abuse of their calling not so much for priuate faults as other men but for their erecting or suffring of idolatry which they ought to haue pulled downe yea the good kings are often blemished that way because they reformed not the
manner we vse to inueigh against the Iewes for crucifying Christ and deliuering vp the Lord of glory into the hands of sinners ◠26 27 we accuse the partiality of Pilate the treachery of Iudas the enuy of the Pharisies the malice of the high Priests the villany of the false witnesses the cruelty of the souldiers the taunts of the passengers and the hard-heartednesse of the whole people But we consider not that the same originall corruption is in vs that was in them by the sway swinge whereof beeing all the sonnes of olde Adam we would haue done as they did if we had liued in those times So when we heare or reade of these murmurings and mutinies of the children of Israel we are commonly wont to reuile them to defie them and to account them the vilest people vnder the heauens But wee must ceasse to wonder at them and learne to confesse our owne corruption of heart and pronenesse to yeeld and fall downe in time of tentation vnlesse we be stayed vp by the mighty hand of God For albeit he be most gracious and merciful vnto vs hedgeth vs round about with many blessings and compasseth vs with riches of grace on euery side yet we forget thē all if any one crosse do any way lie vpon vs. If the Lord touch vs with sicknesse as with his little finger with losses with crosses with pouerty or any misery such is our impatiency that we alwaies dwell vpon the meditation of that want we looke vpon it with our eies we handle it with our hands wee tosse it in our mindes and neuer remember the multitude of his mercies the peace of a good conscience the louing countenance of the Lord the seale of our adoption the assurance of our saluation the sweet taste of his loue shed in our harts by the holy Ghost so that one trouble doth more daunt vs and strike vs to the heart then many blessings can comfort refresh vs. But God taking away outward blessings giueth spirituall to his children doth sweeten the bitternesse of the crosse with inward consolation and doth recompence it with heauenly grace whereby wee gaine more in the spirit then we lose in the flesh Secondly we are taught heereby to pray Vse 2 to God in our troubles to hold vs vp and stay vs with his grace that wee fall not from him For seeing at all times and vpon all occasions of want we are ready to repine and murmure against God who can stand by his owne power or by the strength of his owne free will When a man holdeth fast a staffe in his hand so long it standeth vpright as he reteineth it but if he withdraw his hand neuer so little it falleth Carry vp a stone to the top of a Mountaine so long as thou staiest it there it abideth but if thou leaue it it rowleth down of it own strength euen to the bottome So vnlesse the Lord in our calamities and crosses that befall vs do stay vs by his heauenly hand strengthen vs by his Almighty power we break out into vnthankfulnesse forgetfulnesse impatiency grudging against him This made the Apostle after the reckoning vp of the idolatry fornication murmuring and tempting of Christ to exhort them that He which thinketh he standeth must take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10 12. As then we ought all to take speciall notice knowledge of the corruption of our hearts and behold a liuely and expresse image of our nature in the glasse of this people so it is our duty to call vpon God from whom euery good giuing perfect gift proceedeth to put to his helping hand that we may learne to depend vpon him that we may know how to want and how to abound and in euery condition to submit our selues to his heauenly pleasure For we shall neuer be able by our owne strength to subdue our owne corruptions nor to preuaile ouer our owne lustes nor to ouercome the tentations that oftentimes assaile vs vnlesse wee bee assisted from aboue Vse 3 Lastly our corruption of heart prone to murmure and complaine against God whensoeuer he trieth our faith obedience and patience with any misery warneth vs to seeke all holy meanes remedies Remedies against murmuring and distrust to represse this rage and repining against God which may bee as sure helpes to further vs in this way to furnish vs with strength able to hold vs vp in the day of triall First let vs consider the high prouidence of God ruling all things in heauen or earth and ouerswaying all creatures that nothing falleth out without his will pleasure as our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 10 29.30 For who giueth vs our bodies Who clotheth the Lillies that Salomon in all his glory was not like one of them Who feedeth the yong Rauens that cry vnto him Who sustaineth the wicked that are his enemies Who prouided all things for man in the beginning before he was made created Is it not the Lord whose all the beasts of the forrest are and the beasts on a thousand Mountaines So that the resting of our selues vpon this prouidence that he wil feed and cloathe vs and care for vs must take away the greefe of al our wants that ouerpresseth and oftentimes ouercommeth vs. Againe we must learne the benefit of contentation and to grub vp all distracting and distrustfull cares as noysome weeds out of our hearts bearing with patience and meeknes of spirit whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth This minde was in Iacob when he went farre from his fathers house Gen. 28 20. he did not desire siluer or gold house or lands but onely a competent conuenient liuing If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on then shall the Lord be my God So the Apostle teacheth Godlinesse is great gaine 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8 Phil. 4 11 12.13 if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that wee can carry nothing out therefore when we haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content And in another place I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to bee hungry to abound and to haue want I am able to do all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Lastly let vs set our affections on things which are aboue Col 3 2. and not on things which are on the earth If we beleeue that God doth forbeare and forgiue vs our sinnes not deale with vs according to our deseruings if he sanctifie vs with his Spirit make our bodies Temples of the holy Ghost if he turne vs to himselfe working our conuersion which is as great a worke as at the first to create vs
in the beginning How precious and sweete was it to our taste How zealous and forward were we in hearing the Lord and calling others thereunto But in these dayes wherein wee haue it continued in plenty and abundance that wee may sit vnder our Vines and Figtrees conferring and reasoning of the wayes of God how many loathe it how many neglect it how few receiue it who doth prize it as he ought to do We are cloyed with the preaching of the word we are hart-sicke of peace and prosperity It were an happy and blessed cure to restore vs to the former dayes of our health This surfet is the common sicknesse almost desperate disease of our Land that all her spirituall Physitions know not which way to turne their hands and their heads to cure recouer her Such as once haue taken a surfet by eating any meate are ordinarily prescribed by the Physition to fast to bring them to a stomacke and appetite againe and whensoeuer the body is distempered by repletion the way to recouer Fernel de morb caus cap. 14. is to take the dyet as the masters of that faculty do affirme So God as the chiefe Physition of the soule when we once begin to loathe and abhorre our meate and to surfet of the food which he sendeth bringeth vpon vs most worthily and iustly the famine of his word And do we not see if we be not altogether blinded how hee beginneth now for our sinnes to dyet vs and many assemblies ranged in goodly order which made heauen and earth to ring and resound with the praises of God to be left as sheepe dispersed abroad and wandring in the Mountaines without a Shepheard This is that which the Lord long since threateneth to his people as one of his sorest and sharpest iudgements Behold the daies come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord and they shall wander from sea to sea and from the North euen to the East shall they run to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it c. Amos 8 11 12 13. A great greeuous Thunderbolt throwne downe vpon the heads of all carelesse contemners of the word they shall haue it taken from them The childe that is plentifully and fully fed and hath whatsoeuer he craueth and calleth for at last waxeth wantoÌ„ he beginneth to play dally with his meat he breaketh it into peeces casteth it to the dogs therefore it is necessary sometimes that he should be abridged pinched and cry heartily for it before he haue it So doth God deale with vs when the food of his heauenly word is danled and dallied withall and troden as a vile thing of base worth vnder our vncleane feet he is constrained to take away the benefit of his word ftom vs make vs oftentimes in the anguish of our spirit to call and cry vnto him in the want of it before he restore the same vnto vs againe And yee that are the Lords remembrancers Esay 62 6 7. keepe not silence and giue him no rest vntill he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world Let vs repent and returne betimes eueÌ„ while it is called to day lest the Gospel be taken away from vs. For as we shewed before among all sinnes the contempt of the word is one of the chiefest that cryeth to heauen for vengeance to fall vpon vs. This the Lord Iesus teacheth in many places Whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your words when ye depart out of that house or that City shake off the dust of your feete truely I say vnto you it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement then for that City Mat. 10 14 15 and 11 23. Acts 13 51. This serueth to comfort the Ministers in the course of teaching and sheweth how much God esteemeth his Gospel and striketh a feare into all rebellious contemners of his word This ceremony of shaking off the dust from the feet vsed among the Iewes serued to be as a figure of cursing as a witnesse against the inhabitants of that wicked place as if they corrupted the earth and infected the places of their abode with their contagion The Apostles of Christ were not commanded to vse such a solemne kinde of denunciation and detestation against murderers drunkards adulterers theeues false witnesses periured persons such heinous malefactors but against the contemners of the Gospell which teacheth that God is not more offended with any offence then with the contempt of his word therefore he affirmeth that such shall be more greeuously punished theÌ„ the Sodomites who were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen Gen. 19 14. This toucheth vs neerely who yet enioy the Gospel and liue vnder the shadow and protection of it let vs remember that we are fallen from our first loue and liking of it let vs repent and do the first works lest the axe being laid to the root of the tree he come against vs shortly and remoue our candle-sticke out of his place except we repent from our harts Ver. 6. Wherefore the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people c. Hee sheweth in these words whence the punishment of fiery serpents came vpon them not by chance or fortune not from the nature of the soile and wildernesse it selfe but from God So then the present iudgement vpon them is amplified by the author The Lord sent them This teacheth that all punishments diseases and iudgements of what sort and condition soeuer are inflicted vpon vs by the hand of God Doctrine All punishments and â—sitations anâ— inflicted vpâ— vs bâ— the haâ— of God Whatsoeuer visitations fall vpon vs and the rest of the sons of men are laid vpon vs at the will pleasure of God This appeareth in Moses when the old world was not spared but a generall flood brought vpon the vngodly God warned Noah to prepare the Arke to the sauing of his houshold and saide Gen. 6 7 1â— An end of all flesh is come before mee I will destroy from the earth the man whom I haue created from man to beast to the creeping thing and to the fowle of the heauen And speaking of the destruction of the Sodomites who were exceeding sinners against the Lord he saith The Lord rained vpon Sodome and vpon Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heauen Gen. 19 24. So â—hen Abimelech King of Gerar tooke away Abrahams wife afterward was constrained by the hand of God to restore her it is said Gen. 21 17 18. God healed him and his wife and they bare childreÌ„ for the Lord had shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah Abrahams wife This point is also at large confirmed Leu. 26 16 17. If ye will not obey me
they would not enter into their fieldes they would not meddle with their vineyards they would not drinke of their water freely yet see with what a terror and trembling they were stricken at the approch of the Israelites neere their borders And this was the heauy hand of God vpon them as Moses declareth Deut. 2. This day will I begin to send thy feare and thy dread vpon all people vnder the whol heauen which shall heare thy fame and shall tremble and quake before thee Heereby we learne for our instruction That the enemies of God and his people are many times afraid where no true cause of any feare is Doctrine Euil men fear where no feare is Euill men are often afrayd of the people of God that faine would liue in peace So Saul liued in continual feare of Dauid 1 Sam. 18 15 29 he was vexed disquieted in heart and neuer in rest although hee weâ—e harmlesse though he sought peace and ensued after it yea the more Dauid prospered the more Saul feared him So did Pharaoh and the Egyptians feare the Israelites when they began to multiply and increase in abundance Exod. 1.12 Thus Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust and holy man reuerencing him greatly hearing him gladly doing many things at his preaching Mark 6 20. Thus the high Priest feared the Apostles and the officers of the people Acts 5 26. WheÌ„ Herod and the rest of Ierusalem heard of the birth of a new King they were greatly troubled and perplexed in mind Mat 2.3 Al these things confirme the truth of this doctrine verifie the saying of the wise man The wicked flye when none pursueth but the righteous are bold as a Lion Prou. 28 1. Reason 1 The Reasons are these First because an euill man carrieth in his owne bosome a conscience for sinne which striketh and accuseth him which citeth and summoneth him before the barre of Gods iudgement seate Albeit no man can bee deposed against him albeit none can giue sentence and iudgement against him yet hee carrieth that about him which is instead of all Mala mens Tert. 〈…〉 1. sc 2. malus animus as the Poet sayth An euill minde an euill meaning an euill conscience arraigning him at the Tribunall of the eternall Iudge who shall giue to euery one according to his workes It shall serue as plaintiffe witnesse iudge and executioner against him This is confirmed vnto vs by many examples in the word of God When Cain had slaine his owne brother shed his innocent bloode which cryed for vengeance vnto heauen the reuenging hand of God pursued him Gen. 4 10 12 17. liuing as a runnagate and vagabond vpon the earth and fearing the sight of euery creature to bee armed against him he began to build a City to hide his head to yeelde him comfort to prouide for his safety and to defend him from iniury but there also the iustice of God ouertooke him the vengeance of his hand followd him and he was driuen from that enterprize The like we see in Belteshazzer Dan. 5.56 when there appeared fingers of a mans hand which wrote ouer against the Candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall of the Kings Palace albeit hee knew not the substance and signification of the miracle whether it fore-shewed good or euill yet he carryed his witnesse with him that could not be bribed or corrupted so that his countenance was changed his thoughts were troubled the ioynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one agaynst the other This terror of conscience the Lord fortold as the punishment of sinne Leu. 26 17 36 37. and Deuteronomy 28. verses 65 66 67. Againe no maruel if the wicked be oftentimes Reason 2 smitten with feare as with the spirit of giddynesse because they want the shielde of Fayth and the helmet of Hope which are as two strong Anchors to hold the shippe that it be not shaken in peeces with the stormes or dashed on rockes or drowned in the water or swallowed in quicke-sands A liuely fayth in the Sonne of God is the mother of all true comfort the peace of the soule the life of good workes the key of heauen for beeing iustified by Fayth Rom. 5 1. We haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Wee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Ro. 8 15. We haue boldnesse against the day of Iudgment there is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare for feare hath painfulnesse and he that feareth is not perfect in loue 1 Iohn 4 17 18. The stronger our faith is the lesse is our feare as one increaseth the other decreaseth If our faith bee little our feare is great as our Sauiour sheweth in the example of his disciples tossed with a tempest on the sea crying vnto Christ saying Master saue vs we perish Mat. 8 25 26. who saide vnto them Why are yee fearefull O ye of little Faith Now let vs come to the Vses If this be the Vse 1 nature of the wicked that he carrieth about with him a troubled and trembling conscience then a wicked man is a very coward faint-hearted being afraide of euery thing True it is there are many who neyther feare God nor the diuell who seeme to be valiant to aduenture their flesh and to expose themselues to desperate dangers in fighting and quarrelling as the manner of sundry Ruffians and swashbucklers is who feare not to meete any man in the field at any weapon and for euery crosse word are ready to giue the stab yet bring these ventrous and foole hardy fellowes to encounter hand to hand with the enemies of our soules to wrastle against spirituall wickednesses in high places and to striue as for life and death against pride prophanenesse against concupiscence of the flesh and contempt of the word against idle games of euill report against our lustes and sins which fight against our owne soules we shall see no childe so weake and willing to turn his heeles as these Ruffian-like spirits who albeit they walke with long blades by their sides or long poles on their neckes and iet vp and downe as â—ords of the earth ready alwayes to lay the hand vpon the dagger and to pick a quarrell at euery word yet they haue not the hand or the heart to strike one stroke to conquer sin and the tyrany of the diuell in themselues but yeeld themselues like slaues and captiues to do his will and are led away to destruction as an Oxe to the slaughter Notwithstanding this is true valour and manhoode to wound more and more the corruption of the old man He is stronger that conquereth himself then he that winneth a City Prou. 16 32. He is a better man of his hands that ouercommeth his own concupiscence then he that hath the vpper hand
therefore and be holy for I am the Lord your God Now what a foule shame and reproch is it for those who professe Iesus Christ haue solemnly vowed in baptisme to renounce the diuell and the works of the diuell yet in their trials and tentations to consult with the diuell to abiure the Lord of life and to resort to witches and wizards the very instruments of the diuell then which nothing can be imagined more horrible Let vs therefore all take heed of this practise let vs beware of all compact and society with the diuell let such as hate it learne yet more to hate it and flye further from it and such as haue followed this way and followed after these abhominations craue pardon of God and confesse their owne wickednesse Secondly acknowledge heereby the difference Vse 2 betweene the godly and the vngodly So soone as the sonnes and daughters of God are smitten they cast their care on God and quiet their hearts in his will They turne vnto God by true and vnfained repentance and bring foorth fruites worthy amendment of life They beleeue in God and trust in him for helpe they say vnto him Thou art my saluation As for the vngodly when they are visited with any iudgement are punished in soule or body or goods or children or seruants or cattell they do imagine that they are hurt by witches and presently chalenge and charge some one or other of witchcraft then by and by they send out without delay for feare lest they should come too late to some cunning man in whom they repose al their confidence and so they make the diuell their God Furthermore this is their common practise to foretel things to come by chattring of Birds by crying of Râ—uens by turning down of Salt by hauing a Hare crosse him in the way by sudden bleeding and such like which are accounted vnlucky and ominous signes Thus doth the diuell craftily creepe and cunningly conueigh himselfe into the ignorant mindes of vnbeleeuing people by making them retaine the remnants of the olde superstition when hee cannot preuaile to bring in the diuellish diuination practised in former times Therefore the Lord saith by Moses Deut. 18 10 11.12 Let none be found among you that vseth witchcraft c. This also the Prophet reproueth Esay 8 19 20. The children of God must in all their afflictions aske counsell of God by his word and by his Ministers They do not waite vpon lying vanity nor forsake the mercy of God They say Though the Lord would kill me yet will I trust in him Iob 13 15. Though they be brought to the gates of hell they will not ceasse to depend vpon him Thirdly we learne in all our dangers to Vse 3 seeke comfort at Gods hand while he may be found This is the vse that we ought to make of all our troubles and tribulations thereby to be drawne and driuen nearer vnto God vnto his word and to stoop downe vnder his mighty hand This humiliation we see in Iob he did not seeke to Gods sworne enemies for helpe he sought not to cunning men and women he did not aske counsell of Coniurers he knew he must seeke to the Lord and lift his eyes to him that had made the wound saying The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. Iob 1 21. We must not therefore renounce the Lord in the day of our calamities but cleaue vnto him with full purpose of heart Let vs say with the Prophet Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks hee is my present helpe and my God Psalm 42 5 11 and 43 5. Wherefore if it be the practise of the wicked in their troubles to seeke to the diuell let vs on the other side goe vnto God Who killeth maketh aliue who woundeth and maketh whole who bringeth low and exalteth neyther is there any that can deliuer out of his hand Deut. 32 39. 1 Sam. 2 6. Let vs make the word of God our chiefe stay and comfort This was the practise of the Prophet Dauid Psal 119 29. Except thy Law had beene my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction And this is the end for which the Scriptures were penned by the Prophets and Apostles that in our distresses we should not be left destitute as the Apostle declareth Roman 15 4. Whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of Scriptures might haue hope Though God for a small season bring troubles vpon his dearest seruants yet he will not alway keepe them in heauinesse he will returne againe in compassion at his appointed time For he endureth but a while in his anger but in his fauour is life weeping may abide at Euening but ioy commeth in the Morning Psalm 30 5. So then afflictions shall not alwayes claspe and compasse the loyns of the godly the daies and yeares the houres and moneths of their sorrowes are numbred and determined And albeit we as euill measurers of times seasons do iudge euery houre a day and euery day bee reckoned with vs a yeare of affliction yet if we had wise hearts to number our dayes aright eyther in respect of Gods eternity or in respect of the due desart of our sinnes or in respect of the glory of immortality reserued for vs in the heauens it would make vs rest in God and to possesse our soules with patience to consider whatsoeuer our crosses and losses are yet he is able to recompence them another way and render them an hundred sold into our bosomes This we see in the example of Iob before remembred vpon whom the Apostle Iames willeth vs to looke saying Take my brethren the Prophets for an example of suffering aduersity and of long patience Iam 5 10 11. which haue spoken in the Name of the Lord Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made For the Lord is very pittifull and mercifull For albeit he did drinke deepely of the cup of afflictions God for a season did hide his face from him yet with euerlasting mercy hee had compassion vpon him his substance was encreased his cattell were doubled other sonnes daughters were granted his honor was augmented and his dayes were prolonged vpon the earth The like mercy of God we see in the words of the Prophet to Amaziah he had hyred Israelitish souldiers for an hundred Talents of siluer he was commanded to dismisse and cashire them 2 Chron. 25 9. Because the Lord was not with Israel nor with all the house of Ephraim Then the King saide to the man of God What shall wee doe then for the hundreth Talents which I haue giuen to the host of Israel Then the man of God answered The Lord is able to giue thee more then this This is that which Christ
bringeth foorth sin and sin when it is finished 〈◊〉 7 14. bringeth forth death Likewise it is a leauen which leaueneth the whole lumpe and therefore no maruel if it proceed by little and little from one degree to another Reason 2 Secondly euill men are giuen ouer of God into a reprobate sence by his iudgement so that it is no maruell if they become vile and abhominable This Paul declareth Rom. 1 26 29 30. This is likewise noted of the sonnes of Eâ—i who albeit they were reproued of their father that they caused the lords people to trespasse Yet they continued in their sinne and obeyed not his voice because the Lord would stay them 1 Sam. 2 24 25. And the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians maketh mention of the vnbeleeuing Iewes who killed the Lord murthered the Prophets persecuted the Apostles withstood the truth and forbad them to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued To fulfill their sinnes alwayes for the wrath â—f God is come on them to the vtmost Seeing therefore such as cast away the warnings of God are theÌ„selues cast off and giuen ouer of God to fill vppe the measure of their sinnes and seeing sinne is of it selfe fruitfull branching and budding as a Tree fretting as a canker sowring as a leauen growing as a childe multiplying as the fish in the waters wee are not to maruell if men once beginning to sinne cannot be staied and stopped from whatsoeuer they haue imagined to do Now let vs apply this doctrine to our vses Vse 1 First seeing the vngodly proceed and perseuer in sinne assuredly great shall bee their iudgement and as they increase in sin so shal they increase their punishment and hoord it vp as a treasure against the day of wrath This the Apostle setteth downe as an euident trueth Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp as a Treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath c. This ought to bee a terror to all the vngodly to consider that as their hearts are hardened and their consciences seared so the plagues and punishments of God attend vpon them and alwayes grow according to the degrees of their sinnes This the Lord threatneth in the Law Leuit. 16 21 23 24. If ye walke stubbornly against me and will not obey me I will then bring seuen times moe plagues vpon you according to your sinnes but if by these ye will not bee reformed by me but walke stubbornly against mee c. Thus we see the equall proportion betweene our sins and Gods punishments Secondly see how dangerous it is once to make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience and to wound our soules by falling into sinne The further a disease runneth and the longer it continueth the more vncureable it is The further a fire spreadeth the more it consumeth The more sin groweth to an head the more the Spirit of God is quenched the worke of grace is diminished the assurance of comfort is weakned and lessoned Let vs therfore alwayes keep a diligent watch ouer our soules let vs seeke to cut off all occasions of euill and endeuour to stoppe the first beginnings If a disease be taken in the beginning before it spread and seize vpon the vitall parts it is easily cured A fire when it is first kindled is quickely quenched The Spring of the yeare is the best and fittest season to purge out euill humours and to apply medicines vnto the naturall body When a shippe hath an hole that it beginneth to leake it is soone stepped So if we will labour and striue to purge out the olde leauen betimes beforâ— it gather strength we shall with more ease lesse difficulty be able to withstand the force thereof whereas the more sinne is practised the more the heart is hardned according to the saying of the Prophet Ier. 13 23. Can the Blackmoore change his skin Or the Leopard his spots Then may ye also do good which are accustomed to do euill Therefore the Lord seeing that Cain had offended and that his countenance was deâ—ected which were the fore-runners of murther stirred him vp to looke vnto these things Gen. 4 7. If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou doest not well sinne lyeth at the doore This is that vse which the Prophet pointeth out Esay 5.11 18. Wo vnto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sins as with cartropes Woe vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse and to them that continue vntill night till the wine do enflame them Where hee teacheth the wofull and miserable condition of all those that runne from euil to worse as it were adding drunkennesse vnto thirst and warneth vs to take heed lest at any time there be in any of vs an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart from the liuing God Vse 3 Lastly seeing the vngodly being reproued of God and checked of their own conscience continue in their euill we must know that on the other side it belongeth vnto the faithfull according to the trueth of the word reuealed vnto them to grow in grace more and more and to make euery day some step to the king dome of heauen So many as are truly grafted into Christ as it were into a vine must draw iuice from him continually and bring foorth fruite plentifully according as hee teacheth Iohn 15.22 Euery branch that beareth not fruite in me he taketh away and euery one that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorth more fruite It is the commendation of the Church of Thyatira Reuel 2 19. That their works were more at the last then they were at the first Let vs begin to beleeue in Christ and to expresse the power of godlinesse neither let vs be terrified and dismayed from a constant resolution to forsake sinne and embrace righteousnesse with the hardnes and difficulty with the lets and stumbling-blockes that lye in our way with the troubles and tentations that abide for vs all these are hard in the beginning A setled course and a continuall practise of faith and repentance shall make the matter easie and the way plaine before vs. An Apprentice that first beginneth to learn his trade and occupation is much troubled at the strangenesse of it he findeth in himselfe great vnfitnesse and vntowardnesse he saith he shall neuer attaine vnto it he shall neuer go through with it and the reason is because he hath not vsed it but when once he is entred into that course he taketh delight in it and wondereth at his owne folly and simplicity A Scholler that first beginneth to reade to write or to learne any liberall Art is discoraged through the hardnesse of it and if he might bee put to his choise had rather giue ouer then hold out but vse and custome makes it easie
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
saluation with fear and trembling seeing the day of account commeth and seeing we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receyue the things which are done in this body whether they be good or euill so soone as the some body are separated Let vs remember our Creator in the daies of our youth Eccl. 12 1. Let our conuersation while we liue vpon the Earth be lifted vp to the heauens Let vs mortifie the lusts of the flesh and not walke in the wayes of our owne hearts assuring our selues that for al such things God will bring vs to iudgement Therefore the Apostle Peter speaking of the dissolution of the world the passing away of the heauens the melting of the elements the burning of the earth and the destruction of the vngodly draweth from these words this exhortation Seeing therefore all these things must be dissolued what manner of persons ought ye to bee in holy conuersation and godlines looking for and hasting vnto the comming of that day of God 2. Pet. 3 11 12. Let vs set this day before our eyes whatsoeuer we do and then we shall not sinne for euer Let vs arraign our selues at his bar and thereby prouoke one another and be prouoked our selues to our duties For if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. Let vs be carefull to lay a good foundation of saluation and neuer giue ouer vntill wee haue Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith and receiue the spirit of adoption to cry in our hearts Abba Father For if wee depart out of this life without faith in Christ and without hope of saluation it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne Matth. 26 24. as Christ speaketh of Iudas the son of perdition For what will it profit vs to winne the whole world then lose our own soules To liue in pleasure to haue all that our hart can wish or desire for a season and afterward to be tormeneed in hell fire for euer Vse 5 Fiftly this is a great and exceeding comfort to the childreÌ„ of God to know that after this short this weak this feeble this fraile life our soules shall returne to the Lord and be lifted vp to the kingdom of heauen Let vs therfore prepare our selues for death that we may bee fit vessels for eternall lâ—fe and commend our soules into the haÌ„ds of God at our departure This was it which the Apostle practised Phil. 1 23. 2 Cor. 4 18 5 1.2 The greatest afflictions that can befall vs heere are nothing in respect of the blessed reward of immortality as the same Apostle teacheth Rom. 8 18. I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed to vs. Let vs not feare the enemies of the Church they may separate the soul from the body but they can neuer separate the soule from God They may kill the body but they cannot kill the soule They may take from vs a little momentany pleasure of this life but they cannot keepe vs from the presence of God at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore This is that which Christ teacheth his Disciples Mat. 10 28. Nay they haue no power ouer the body further then God permitteth them as Christ answered to Pilate glorying in his authority saying Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and to loose thee Thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue therefore he that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sin So then let vs not feare their feare whose power is limited is limited restrained death with one stroke shall set vs at liberty and free vs from the yoke of all oppression to our vnspeakable and endlesse comfort Contrariwise this is a dolefull and woful doctrine to the wicked and vngodly who liue here after their owne lusts follow their pleasures delighting in vanity and forgetting God to consider the perpetuity immortality of their souls and that they must giue a streight account of all their wayes and workes This must needs be a doctrine of fear and terror vnto them able to break their stony hearts and astonish their inward senses and dash them vpon the rockes of hopelesse and helplesse desperation What can be more heauy newes to a seruant that hath wasted consumed his masters mony with riotous liuing then to heare of a day of reckoning account to be giuen of his Stewardship So is it with all the vngodly they feare nothing more then their appearing before the heauenly Iudge to be tryed according to their workes Oh it were well with them if their soules were mortall that they might sleepe in the dust and lye in the graue for euer to bee buried with their bodies neuer to bee raised againe Oh their case were happy and thrice happy shold they be if they might neuer come to iudgement or had beene borne as toades and serpents or wormes of the earth that liuing their life they might also dye their death But it shall not be so with them their case shall not be so well the end of this life bringeth them into eternal torments and when they haue tasted the first death the second death shall take holde on them Then they shall pronounce a thousand woes against themselues then they shal wish they had neuer bene borne Then they shall weepe and houle without recouery then they shall gnash with their teeth and gnaw their tongues for anger Mat. 22 12. Reuel 6 Luke 23 TheÌ„ they shal desire the mountaines to fall vpon them and the hils to couer them from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of â—he Lamb c. For as they are happy that die in the Lord beeing ioyned to him and freed from all sorrowes so they are wretched and a thousand times miserable that depart hence out of Gods fauour haue the sinnes of their youth and age accompanying them to whom he will say Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels Matth. 25 41. We see how the consideration of the Sessions or Assises striketh a terror into the heart and conscience of the guilty malefactor how much more then shall the solemne day of the Lords last iudgement amaze affright and astonish the Reprobate who haue drawne sinne vnto them as with Cart-ropes and haue cloathed themselues with shame as with a Robe This wil be a day of blackenesse and of darkenesse a day of clouds and obscuritie a day of horrour and confusion vnto them that dwell vpon the face of the earth when God shall come to iudge without respect of persons For what rest or comfort can the malefactor take when he is alwayes in expectation of the comming approach of the Iudge Whereas the godly haue peace of conscience and shall lift vp their heads
2 2 3. If the Lord had not bene on our side may Israel now say if the Lord had not bene on our side when men rose vp against vs then had they swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs. Then the waters had drowned vs the streame had gone ouer our soule then had the swelling waters gone ouer our soule Praised be the Lord c. Lastly let vs lay vp these things in our Vse 3 hearts and know the nature of our enemies and the greatnesse of our own danger Let vs consider the present perill and estate of the Church and looke for such enemies Let vs all watch ouer our selues and weigh our calling and condition It is not a calling to outward peace and prosperity neither must wee looke here to find carnall ease and delight but when one trouble and tempest is ouer-blowne and the griefe of one affliction is ended wee must not then grow carelesse and secure wee must not lull our selues asleepe in the cradle of sensuality but in the end of one affliction wee must looke for another to beginne alwaies to keepe watch and ward knowing the frailty of our owne flesh remembring Satan to be an enemy of our peace and happinesse and considering our life to be as a continuall warfare so long as we tarry in this Tabernacle If wee be compassed about with many enemies and to be put into the furnace of affliction made exceeding hot let vs still haue comfort and consolation God will make the end glorious the issue happy Dan 7 28. This vse is taught and practised by the Prophet Daniel where a vision of foure beasts is shewed vnto Daniel and the calamities to come successiuely vpon the Church of the Iewes thereby fore-shewed he apprehended this doctrine by faith and kept it in his memory to remaine with him for his comfort and instruction for euer Wherefore let vs not promise rest to our selues after one deliuerance the enemies will gather themselues together againe and when wee haue victory ouer one tentation let vs prepare our selues for a new combat and make ready our armour for another assault Luke 4.13 Iob 1. and 2. This wee see in Christ the head of the faithful This wee see in Iob a man that feared God and eschewed euill who hauing vanquished Satan in one tentation hee returned eftsoones and redoubled his forces vpon him with another If this practice of the diuel were well pondered and throughly considered it would not onely preuent and redresse much impatiency but worke much peace and contentment in our hearts For what is the cause that we are so impatient vnder the crosse murmuring against God in our trials and tentations accounting them heauy and intollerable burthens vnto vs but because we promise to our selues peace and pleasure in the dayes of our pilgrimage and wee dreame of an heauen here vpon earth But if wee will profite aright in affliction whereby our faith is tryed 1 Pet. 1 7. and made much more precious then gold that perisheth wee must looke continually to be assaulted if we would not suddainly be surprised so come as a prey into the iawes of Sathan Verse 13.14 Thou shalt not see them all So hee brought him into the field of the Watchmen c. We haue heard before how the enterprises of Balaam were disappointed of God and so the wisedome of the wise confounded Now the King seeing himselfe crossed in his purpose and desiring to make an end of this matter carrieth him vp to another place where he might onely see a part of the Israelites his enemies Why doth hee take this course â—urely because he thought he feared the sight of that great multitude and considereth not the vanity of his sorcery Howsoeuer therefore they might see with their eyes and as it were feele with their hands God fighting against them yet both of them proceede in their purposeâ— the King in prouoking the false Prophet in hearkning and obeying Loe how obstinate the wicked are in euill setled with a full resolution to continue in their course so that albeit they change the place yet abide in their former purpose and cannot be brought to acknowledge their own folly From hence we learne Doctrine Wicked men in their euil successes lay the fault vpon second causes that wicked men when they haue euill successe neuer look vp to God whom they haue offended nor consider their sinnes whereby hee is prouoked but lay the fault in second causes and in anything rather then vpon themselues This corruption appeared in our first Parents immediately after their transgression For when they saw the filthinesse of their nakednesse and the miserable experience which they had gotten losing the good Gen 3.12 13 and enioying the euill Adam laide the fault vpon the woman as the woman did vppon the serpent and could not be brought to acknowledge their owne offence When the Philistims were plagued and the hand of God was sore vpon them for abusing the Arke they did not strike their hand vpoÌ„ their thigh and confesse they had sinned but doe ascribe all things to blinde-chance and vncertain fortune whereas nothing is done without the decree and prouidence of God Therefore determining to send backe the Arke they reason thus 1. Sam. 6.9 If it goe vp by the way of his owne coast it is the God of Israel that did vs this great euill but if not wee shall know then that it is not the hand that smote vs but it was a chance that happened vs. This like wee see in the Aramites when they had ill successe in the battell against the Israelites they said 1. Kings 20.23 Their gods are gods of the mountaines and therefore they ouercame vs but let vs fight against them in the plaine and doubtlesse wee shall ouercome them Heereunto accordeth the saying of the Wise man Prou. 19.3 The foolishnesse of a man peruerteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord that is when the scourge of God lyeth sore vpon the transgressours for despising the Word for abusing the Sacraments or for practising any wickednesse they learne not by his plagues and iudgements to accuse and iudge themselues but accuse God as the authour of their euils and aduersities and murmure against him for dealing so rigorously sharply with them like to the dogge that byteth the stone but looketh not after him that casteth it The reasons First wicked men want the Reason 1 knowledge of the true God to iudge of their crosses and afflictions and therefore no maruaile if they bee disquieted and fret through the euill successe they haue in their enterprises This made the wise Salomon to say Prou. 19.3 They sâ—et against the Lord. The want of sound iudgment and a right vnderstanding is the mother of all the corruptions which are in vs and of the sinne which we commit For we should ascribe to our owne folly the things that goe not well with vs
and the heart to feele the horror thereof together with the heauinesse of his wrath indignation for the same This made Cain to speake desperately My punishment is greater then I can beare Gen. 4 13. This made Iudas to do desperately when he wrought his owne destruction and hanged himselfe Mat. 27.5 This made Dauid to say If thou Lord streightly markest iniquities who is he that shal be able to endure thy iudgement They then are grossely deceyued and most vnhappy who thinke happinesse to consist in committing of sinnes with all greedinesse These are in the number of those fooles howsoeuer worldly wise that make a mocke of sinne Prou. 14 9 12 13. There is a way that seemeth right to a man but the issues thereof are the wayes of death euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauines The world hath alwayes bene full of such fooles but if they depart hence without the feeling of Gods fauor in the forgiuenesse of their offences it had beene good for them that they had bene bruite beasts or that they had neuer bene borne as it is sayd of Iudas Math. 26 24. No vncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Such as haue not their sins pardoned haue no part in Christ Out of Christ there is no saluation nor vnto such any imputation of his righteousnes Sinne shutteth vp the way that leadeth vnto life it separateth vs from God and his Kingdome it maketh vs the children of the diuell God displeased with vs for they that are in the flesh cannot please God Thirdly we see some are happy in this life Vse 3 and attaine to the certainty of their saluation The saluation of the Church standeth in the remission of their sinnes Luke 1 â—7 We doe not then begin to be happy when at the end of our dayes we enter into the kingdom of heauen but while we are vpon the earth we lay the foundation of our happines and set the first stones of it or else we neuer attaine vnto it We are all in this life builders 1 Cor. 3 9. We haue a great and waighty work to set vp it requireth a long time and great labour to bring it to passe and perfection Euery day of our life shold adde somwhat to the building this day should make it in greater forwardnesse then the former Let vs diligently consider these things and seriously examine our selues what wee haue done for the furthering of our saluation whether wee haue alreadie made an happy entrance into it So soone as we begin and the first stone is laid the doore of the kingdome of heauen is opened vnto vs. The further we proceed the neerer wee come to the marke This our Sauiour preached to his hearers Iohn 5 24. Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word beleeueth him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnatioÌ„ but hath passed from death to life When Zacheus was conuerted to the faith and testified the sincerity of his repentance by actuall restitution he saide This day is saluation come vnto this house forasmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham Luke 19 9. So the Apostle speaketh Rom. 13 11 Considering the season it is now time that we should arise from sleepe for now is our saluation nerer then when we beleeued it And in that holy Praier of Christ recorded by the Euangelist Iohn hee saith This is eternall life to know thee to be the only very God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Iohn 17 3. This is the great mercy of God to giue vs here a taste of the glory to come We haue heere as it were the first fruits of eternal life and by hope possesse that which we shall really inherit so wee may truly say with the Apostle 2 Tim. 1 12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day Heereby we see that it is not a doctrine of pride and presumption as the Church of Rome teacheth to beleeue the remission of our owne sinnes For generally to beleeue that God forgiueth sinne or that some men haue their sinnes forgiuen is no priuiledge of the Church but the common faith of the diuels Iam. 2 19. All the Articles contain the confession of a speciall faith and a particular application to our selues As I must beleeue God the Father to be my Creator the Son my Redeemer the holy Ghost to be my Sanctifier so I am bouÌ„d to beleeue the remission of mine owne sinnes the resurrection of mine owne body and that life euerlasting shall be giuen to me Thus the Apostle speaketh Gal. 2 20 I liue by the faith of the Son of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me This special faith must be the faith of vs all Vse 4 Lastly from hence we are put in minde of sundry good duties necessary to bee practised of vs. First seeing euery true member of the Church hath the forgiuenes of his sins giuen assured vnto him it is our duty to acknowledge our selues to bee greeuous sinners to haue godly sorrow for them which may cause repentance not to be repented of and to seek pardon by dayly prayer for the forgiuenes of them at the hands of God â—â—g 8 46. Hee resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble He filleth the hungry with good things and sendeth the rich empty away He is ready to forgiue and to haue compassion on his children he is slow to anger and of great kindnes Hee doth not deale with vs after our sinnes nor reward vs according to our iniquities Hence it is that the Apostles haue taught and the godly haue acknowledged themselues greeuous sinners yea euen the most regenerate as Dauid Daniel Paul and others Seeing therefore we haue a promise of forgiuenes as it were a priuiledge aboue others of the world it behooueth vs to haue in vs an humble acknowledgement of our sinfull estate ioyned with godly sorrow and earnest prayer for the forgiuenes of them Secondly it is required of vs to haue a reuerent care and feare not to offend him any more as heeretofore wee haue prouoked him yea a most earnest studie and desire to please him better theÌ„ we haue done This the Prophet teacheth Psal 103 3 4. If thou O Lord streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand But mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared This was the instruction that Christ gaue vnto the diseased man whom he had healed when hee found him in the Temple hee saide vnto him Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Ioh. 5 14. Thus the Apostle Paul describeth true repentance by the fruites and effects of it 2 Cor. 7 11. Behold this thing that ye haue bene godly sorry what great care it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues yea
his countenance from vs. Moreouer this serueth to teach vs that in our troubles and necessities we stand not in need of the intercession of Saints and Angels wee shall not neede to pray vnto them to be our Mediators to God the Father For seeing God the Father is neere vs yea euen at hand shall wee turne our backes to him and goe from him seeing he turneth to vs to giue vs helpe This inuocation of Saints hath neither commandement to moue vs to pray nor example to go before vs in the practise nor promise to assure vs that we shall be heard The direction that we haue in prayer is to go to God and to say to him Our Father which art in heauen Mat. 6 9. This the Prophet acknowledged when he sayde Psal 73 25. Whom haue I in heauen but thee I haue desired none in the earth with thee God is euermore present with vs the Saints departed are absent from vs they know not our particular wants Esay 63 16 Psal 94 9. 1 King 8 39. they vnderstand not our desires they are ignorant of the motions of our hearts and the estate of our liues Besides wee are charged to worship the Lord our God to serue him onely who onely searcheth the hearts tryeth the reines as the God that made them in the beginning Let vs therefore go directly and immediately to God and when wee haue helpe at hand let vs not seeke helpe farre off Let vs still trust in the liuing God for vaine is the helpe of Saints or Angels Were not hee a foolish man and worthy to perish who in extremity would refuse the helpe of an expert excellent Physitian present with him able to helpe him willing to helpe him offering to helpe him and giue him present ease and yet calleth and cryeth to some Mounte-banke a thousand miles from him not so able not so skilful not so ready to releeue release him And are not they much more simple and sottish that when God willeth them to call vpon him in the day of trouble and promiseth to heare and deliuer them will not come to him but fly from him to the Saints Psal 50 14. that know neither him nor his griefe When the Prince is present and calleth to come to him were it not madnes to go to the subiect So forasmuch as Christ saith Come vnto me all ye that are weary and laden and I will ease you Matth. 11 28 let our soules answer Lord we will come accept thou the prayers of thy seruants Vse 2 Secondly we learne from hence That as God is neere to all those that feare him not onely in respect of the presence of the place but is with them by the presence of his fauor granting their prayers and succouring them in their aduersities so he is farre from all the wicked and vngodly not in place but in help He will not grant their requests he wil not be their shield and buckler hee will not know them in their miseries He is indeede neere to all that call vpon him euen to all that call vpon him in truth but he stoppeth his eares against the prayers of the vngodly which are abhomination vnto him Psal 145 18. This is it which Salomon teacheth Prou. 15 29. The Lord is farre off from the wicked but hee heareth the prayers of the righteous Great is the iustice of God vpon the wicked and great is his fauour towardes the godly True it is in respect of place God filleth heauen and earth He is not far distant froÌ„ vs forasmuch as in him we liue and mooue and haue our being Actes 17 27 28. but touching his grace he is farre from the dwellings of the vnrighteous hee is farre from hearing theyr voyce and regarding their necessities he leaueth them to themselues and withdraweth his holy Spirit from them So then albeit God bee in euery place and nigh to all things yet God will not heare them no more then men heare such as are very farre off when they call and cry out vnto them This is it which the Prophet Dauid setteth downe Psal 119 155. Saluation is farre from the wicked because they seeke not thy statutes And the Prophet Esay accordeth heere unto Chapt. 59 1 2. The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot heare But your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare They regard not his word therefore he giueth not them his helpe They will not heare him when hee calleth by his word therefore hee will not heare when they call vnto him by their prayers He is far from them because they runne farre from him and will not know his wayes nor regard his truth that he offereth vnto them Wherefore great is the misery and destruction of the wicked that shall come vpon them they shall call but the Lord will not heare they shal cry but he wil not answer The righteous in this world doe seeme to be cursed and forsaken of God but they are blessed and happy and this is not the last part of their blessednes and happines that he heareth their prayers On the contrary side the vngodly seeme to themselues to others to be the onely happy men in the world but they are wretched and miserable and through theyr malice blindnes and obstinacy this is not the last part and portion of theyr misery that they haue no agreement with God hee heareth not their prayers but abhorreth theÌ„ their thoughts and all their workes When we are in affliction the cheefest comfort and stay to rest vpon is that God is neere vs and ready to help vs. The wicked want this staffe to leane vpon God professeth himselfe their enemy he refuseth their prayers he forsaketh and casteth them away out of his presence They can haue no peace of conscience nor comfort in trouble they shall houle in their miseries and not be heard Zac. 7 13. This shall especially appear at the last day when the heauen shall not receyue them the Lord shall not know them no creature shall comfort them no mercy shall be shewed vnto them theÌ„ they shall weepe and waile without redemption and without release Thirdly it is our duty to behaue our selues Vse 3 in all our actions and dealings as in his presence It behooueth vs to set him alwayes before vs and to know he continually walketh among vs. It is remembred of Henoch that he walked continually before God Genes 5 22. that is all his life time hee considered that the eye of God was euer vpon him knowing that all things are naked and manifest before him Heb. 4 13. Thus the Apostle chargeth Timothy in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Iesus Christ which vnder Ponâ—ius Pilate witnessed a good confession to keepe the commandements which he gaue vnto him without spot and vnblameable If the childe
maketh all other blessings to be curses and iudgements vnto them that are destitute hereof therefore we must all call our selues to an account what account we make of it We should make it our meate and drinke a treasure for the obtaining whereof rather then want it we wold sell all that we haue but alas what thankefulnes hath it wrought in vs We are like vnto the Iewes they had this glorious light brought among them but they loued darkenes more then light because their works were euill If we be weary of this heauenly Manna let vs take heede lest the Lord grow weary of vs if we cast away his word he wil cast away vs and forsake vs for euer The Lord biddeth vs take heed to the sound of the Trumpet Ier. 6 17 let vs not answer presumptuously wee will not take heed let vs beware of securitie remember from whence we are fallen And let him that glorieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth the Lord and his word to his saluation Ier. 9 24. Vse 2 Secondly it followeth that wheresoeuer God hath established this his ordinance there certainly hee hath a Church and chosen people and some that belong to eternall life for whose sake it is sent among them For as the Spirit of God is the soule of the church quickning it and giuing it life so the word is this soules instrument or the seed wherby it worketh and the onely essentiall marke thereof so that where it is sincerely taught 〈◊〉 â—2 and constantly professed there certainly is a Church Where it is not there is no true Church albeit it haue neuer so goodly and glistering a shew but a very carrion carkas of a church without the life of the Spirit but as an house without light as the world without the Sun as a kingdome without the Law The Prophet Esay calleth it the standard of God saying I will lift vp mine hand to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people they shal bring thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters shall be carried vpon their shoulders Esay 49. verse 22 Where the Lord Iesus is compared to a King and Captaine and therefore all that will haue comfort that they are members of the church must range themselues vnder it as soldiers vnder the banner of their Chieftaine otherwise they remaine as men In darknes in the shadow of death as stragling and runnagate soldiers out of the campe and as dissolute men vnder no law to gouerne them For they are the vilest and basest that liue without it very dogges and swine They of the Church are Gods chiidren and the word is the Childrens food belonging to them onely When the Canaanitish woman would haue beene partaker of Christs Ministery Mat. 15 26. he answered It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it vnto whelpes But other are as vncleane and filthy beasts This which now hath bene spoken serueth to ouerthrow two sorts of people first those of the Church of Rome which make other markes and notes of the Church as antiquity vnity vniuersality succession subiection to the Pope and such like counterfet markes of their counterfet church and leaue this which is the most certaine and inseparable note This proueth vnto vs plainly that these which most of all boast of the name of the Church are indeede neyther the Catholike Church nor any sound part thereof because they want the immortall seede to beget them the milke and meate of the word to feede and norish them yea it is accounted an high point of heresie to haue read the Scriptures and none is permitted to looke into them without a license so heinous a sin it is to haue the word Secondly it censureth condemneth the Donatists Anabaptists Brownists and those of the separation which condemne our Churches to be no Churches our Sacraments to bee no Sacraments our Ministers to be no Ministers and in effect our religion to be no religioÌ„ because we do not with them in matters accidental fully agree albeit we do consent in matters fundamental we lay Christ alone for the foundation on which we build our saluation we lay hold vpon him by faith only we preach Christ crucified truly by their owne confession powerfully They hold themselues to haue receiued faith among vs by our Ministery before they made this rent and breach in the Church and that the end of such fayth if they had dyed in it had beene the saluation of theyr soules See the books of Greenwood Iohnson Let them therefore return and cause others to return ioyne with vs in hearing the word preached seeing where it is rightly established there must of necessity be a true Church And albeit some of them haue written many of theÌ„ haue spoken against our Church yet let them follow the example of that sonne Matth. 21 29. who answered his father stubbornly that he would not work in his vineyard but afterward repented earnestly and went his wayes Vse 3 Thirdly all such as are this way honoured and blessed must be carefull to vse the word as an honour and a blessing by imbracing it by entertaining it by magnifying this blessing of God in truth and not in opinion in heart and not in face in workes and not in words that we may walke worthy the Gospel and of the Lord that hath called vs and shew our selues carefull to bring foorth the fruites thereof saying with the Apostle Rom. 10 10. How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Hitherto rendeth the exhortation of the Apostle 1. to the Thessalonians ch 2 11 12. Let vs be carefull to keepe this treasure among vs lest the kingdome of God bee taken from vs. Otherwise instead of being the water of life to saue vs it will be a sea to drowne vs instead of being the sauour of life to life it will turne to bee the sauour of death to death instead of being meate to feede vs it will bee our bane to destroy vs instead of good tydings to refresh comfort vs it will proue the saddest and heauiest newes that euer came to our eares and that day the blackest day that euer came ouer our heads Thus our Sauiour threatned Capernaum which hee had honoured with his presence blessed with his preaching aduanced by his dwelling in it and lifted vp with his miracles Mat. 11 26. Thou Capernaum which art lifted vppe vnto heauen shalt be throwne downe to hell c. Look vpon the seuen Churches of Asia we see what is become of them Behold what the contempt of the Gospel hath brought vpon the Iewes the like hath not falne vpon any people since the beginning what mischeefe miserie did not fall vpon them It cannot bee denied but God hath blessed vs as much as euer he lifted vp the head of Capernaum and hath magnified his mercies and loue vnto
he shall not preuaile ouer them for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Indeed God is able to foyle him and destroy him at once and to giue vs a full and finall conquest ouer all the powers of darknesse in a moment if it pleased him but lest we should bee puffed vp in pride and forget our selues lest wee should leaue calling vpon the Name of almighty GOD and the sorrowing and sighing for our owne weaknesse lest we should be besotted with selfe-loue fall asleepe in security the Lord will worke by little and little he will proceed as it were by liâ—â—â— and leuell he will roote out our spirituall enemies by degrees Let vs not therefore looke to be freed wholly from tentations but know that it is profitable for vs to be exercised vnder them And let vs be sober and watch seeing our aduersary the diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure whoÌ„ if we resist stedfast in the faith he will flie from vs 1 Pet. 5 8 9. Iam. 4 7. Let vs put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against all the assaults of the diuell And let vs remember that he is resisted and driuen away not by any superstitious crossing of our selues which is no armor of proofe but by faith by prayer proceeding from faith which are of great force and effect 25 Then Balak said vnto Balaam Neither curse nor blesse them at all 26 But Balaam answered and saide vnto Balak Told I not thee saying All that the Lord speaketh that must I do 27 Againe Balak saide vnto Balaam Come I pray thee I will bring thee vnto another place if so bee it will please that God that thou maiest thence curse them for my sake 28 So Balak brought Balaam vnto the top of Peor that looketh toward the wildernesse 29 Then Balaam saide vnto Balak Make me heere seuen Altars and prepare me heere seuen Bullocks and seuen Rammes 30 And Balak did as Balaam had saide and offered a Bullocke and a Ram on euery Altar Thus much touching the Prophesie it selfe now followeth the last part to wit the issue and effect therof both in Balak and in Balaam For heere we see the King chafing the Sorcerer excusing hee commanding and the King obeying First of al when Balak perceiued that hee was deceiued of his hope and expectation his wrath is kindled and he chargeth the hyreling that if he will not curse the people as he appointed yet he should not blesse them as he had enterprised For the wicked had rather haue the truth of God smothered buried in silence then themselues offended and disappointed The mercenary Prophet excuseth himselfe that he was vniustly accused hauing foreshewed that it was not at his choise to hold his peace or to speak what he would but was constrained by a superior power to open his mouth and to vtter that which was deliuered vnto him After this answer the king taketh him vp into another place to Peor in which Mountaine their Idoll had a Temple hoping that at the last the God of Israel would change his minde and grant his request Behold the peruersenesse of vnbeleeuers who albeit they be crossed in their euill intentions inuentions yet they proceed in their purposes and betweene voide hope and vaine feare hold on their courses in the blindnesse of their hearts Therefore Balaam seeking to keepe his credite and entertaining the King in an expectation of better successe to come reneweth his former practise commanding seuen Altars to be builded and seuen Bullocks and Rams to be prepared to whom the credulous King obeyeth and suffereth himselfe to be deluded by the diuellish sorceries and idolatrous sacrifices of that false Prophet These particular points haue beene before considered and the principall Doctrines arising from hence likewise opened Ierom lib. 2. apolo aduers Ruffin For heereby we see the rage and fury of the enemies to be vnsatiable and vnappeaseable albeit their might be not answerable to their malice nor their power so great as their desire to hurt they are like the sea that neuer resteth but casteth vp mire and grauell No malice or cruelty can be comparable to the malice and cruelty of a naturall man vndertaken for religion or rather against religion and the truth of God The father in this case hath not spared the son Math. 10 35. the brother hath betrayed the brother to death a mans enemies haue beene they of his owne house and they haue beene as wolues one to another Againe we see how euill men albeit they be crossed in their attempts yet will not giue ouer but returne to their former sinnes As the dogge to his owne vomite So deceitfull a bayte is sinne ensnaring the conscience that hardly they returne that are holden in the chaines thereof hauing satan at their elbow to tempt them and their owne corruptions within theÌ„ to helpe them forward Notwithstanding it shal not be amisse for vs to obserue the points laide before our eyes one in the person of Balaam the other in respect of Balak the third in respect of them both Verse 26. Balaam answered and saide vnto Balak Told I not thee saying All that the Lord speaketh that must I do We haue oftentimes noted before that the words which Balaam deliuered he spake as moued and inspired by the Spirit of God his prophesies are not mingled with his owne dreames and deuices as drosse with pure gold as chaffe with cleane wheate or as saw-dust with wholesome meat these came not from the will of man nor proceeded from any priuate motion and interpretation he was guided and directed by the holy Ghost and therefore he saith in this place All that the Lord speaketh that must I do and in the chapter following If Balak would giue me his house full of siluer and gold I cannot passe the commandement of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine owne minde what the Lord shall command that same will I speake Numb 24 13. So then he declareth that in vttering pronouncing these prophesies he was limited and restrained his tongue tyed vp to that which God should put in his mouth Numb 22 38. He was not left at liberty to speake at randon what he would he must speake onely that which the LORD would haue him Doctrine It belongs to the Ministers to deliuer Gods word onely and wholly From hence we learne that it is a duty belonging to all the Ministers whom God hath separated and called to that Office to deliuer the will of God fully perfectly as they haue receiued it of God without adding to it or detracting from it True it is the Ministers of the Gospel haue now no extraordinary reuelations or immediate inspirations God doth not appeare or reueale his word vnto them eyther by dreames in the night or by visions in the day neither do they heare his voyce froÌ„ heauen
and betweene kingdome and kingdome no maruaile if waging of warre effusion of blood be deriued from him as frō the principall and chiefe cause Secondly sinne is so vgly a monster that it Reason 2 hath separated vs from God and disordered al the affections of men and made them enuious cruell bloody couetous ambitious and treacherous one against another as great loue as among Wolues as great mercy as among Lyons This the Apostle setteth downe Titus 3 3. And to the very selfe same purpose the Apostle Iames speaketh in the fourth chapter verse 1. From whence are warres and contentions among you Are they not hence euen of your pleasures that fight in your members By the law of creation we were created to abide in a fellowship with God and in an vnion one with another But when sin brake in we fell from God and one from another into all misery Thirdly the wise God disposeth all things Reason 3 by his prouidence and turneth the actions of men to set foorth his glory the glory of his mercy in preseruing of the good and the glory of his iustice in ouerthrowing of the vngodly True it is among all the works of men nothing seemeth so vnbrideled and vnlimited as warre yet it is ordered and determined of God so that not a Sparrow falleth vnto the ground without the will of our heauenly Father This is noted in the holy history touching the rough answer of Rehoboam whereby the tenne Tribes reuolted from the house of Dauid and bloody warres continued between them where it is saide It was the ordinance of God that the Lord might performe his saying which he had spoken by the Prophets 2 Chron. 10 15. and 11 1. So the people are prouoked both to praise the Lord for the auenging of the cause of his seruants by destroying theyr enemies and preseruing them aliue Iudg. 5 2 21. and to acknowledge his iustice in ouerthrowing and consuming all theyr aduersaries Iosh 1 5. Numb 31 1 2. insomuch that there was no man able to withstand them The vses are now to be made of this Doctrine Vse 1 First seeing warres carry an ancient stampe vpon them that in all times man hath risen against man nation against nation and kingdome against kingdome and as mighty hunters haue chased and pursued one another to death let vs not maruaile when we heare of warres and of rumors of warres nor bee dismayed when wee perceiue people in fury carried like wilde beasts one against another these things should not seeme strange vnto vs neyther need we to admire them as the wonders of the world Rather it behoueth vs to enter into this meditation to consider that iniquity doth abound Mat. 24 7 ◠that the charity of many waxeth cold For the more these stirres tumults and insurrections do encrease gather strength the more doth charity decay the fruites of loue languish and pine away among vs and the more ought we to be prepared for the approching of the second comming of Christ to iudgement Then will he make an end of al diuision and contention that are now sorife and common in the world Secondly seeing the mischiefe of war hath Vse 2 bene from olde not lately bred as a new birth but the childe of former times say not the old times are better then these grow not wanton weary of things present to loathe the blessings we do enioy as the manner of many men is We complaine that wee are fallen into euill times we praise the dayes that are past consider not we murmure against God who hath made all things good gouerneth all things well Such is the impatiency of men at the feeling of present calamities that they are ready to breake out into a mutiny and murmuring against him vpon whom they lay the cause of heauy and hard times The present state of things is greeuous because present troubles are neerely felt and former discommodities are forgotten long ago This we see notably expressed vnto vs in the example of the Israelites whose present condition was loathed and that past was desired they cryed out the former times are better would God we were againe in the Land of Egypt where we sate by the flesh-pots whē we eate bread our bellies full Exod. 16 3. Numb 26 3 and 11 5 21 5 we remember the fish that we did eate for nought the Cucumbers the Pepons the Leekes the Onyons and the Garlike But they had forgotten the fiery furnace and making of Bricke they had forgotten the drowning of their Infants and the hard taske-masters that were set ouer thē they remembred not theyr seruice sore labour with all manner of burdens and bondage and cruelty insomuch that they vttered many sighes and grones grew weary of their liues And thus it is with many of vs though former times were more lamentable yet the present are more loathed How many are there that commend the dayes already past and magnifie the times of the forefathers then all things were cheape then all things were plentifull now all these are deare and hard to come by These are like those Idolaters that Ieremy complaineth of in his prophesie that saide Wee will burne Incense to the host of heauen as we haue done we and our fathers for then had we plenty of victuales were well felt none euill but since we left off to burne Incense to the heauenly bodies and to poure out drinke-offerings vnto them we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue bene consumed by the sword and by the famine Ieremy 44 vers 17 18. Thus do many of the men of our times they esteeme religion by the backe and belly and measure the truth of GOD by the line of their owne making to wit by feeding and filling of the body But we must consider that plenty and dearth warre and peace sicknesse and health are sent of God and acknowledge them to be his works who is constrained for the abuse of his blessings and the contempt of his word to take them from vs and to scourge vs with his roddes to bring vs to repentance This is that vse which Salomon teacheth in his Ecclesiastes chapter 7 11 12. Be not thou of an hasty spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles Say not thou why is it that the former daies were better then these For thou shouldst not enquire wisely of this thing What sinnes breake out in these last dayes that were not in the former Were not hatred malice enuy murther debate whoredome adultery idolatry sedition couetousnesse pride treason and such diuellish practises and inuentions in all ages from the beginning When Adam had but two sonnes borne vnto him Gen 4 8. 1 Iohn 3 12. was not one of them a murtherer Did not Caine hate his brother and slay him And did not his posterity fill vp the measure of theyr sinnes and make the earth to stinke with their vnsauory works of
away empty Luke 1 52 53. Vse 1 The vses follow to be obserued First from hence consider and confesse the difference betweene earthly and heauenly honour between the honour of men and that which is of God Earthly honour when it is at the highest can giue no assurance of continuance nor minister peace of conscience nor satisfie with the benefite of contentment because it endureth but for a season but the honour which we shall enioy after this life with God is like himselfe Hee is vnchangeable and without shadow of turning hee is constant and euer like himselfe so is the honor and glory which he hath reserued for vs It is laide vp as a treasure in heauen where neither the moth nor canker corrupteth and where theeues neither dig through nor steale Math. 6 20. We see what the fauor and friendship of men is wee see what the highest preferment is that men can attaine vnto both they and their aduancement fall as the Sommer fruite and their place knoweth them no more But the honour which wee shall finde in heauen and enioy with the glorious Saints of God in the heauenly habitations lasteth for euer and there shall be no end thereof What foolishmen are we therefore and more then foolish that so much admire the vaine glory of the earth and haue our eyes dazled with the deceitfull beauty of the dignities of this world and doe not consider the stablenesse of that glory reserued for vs which time shall not consume nor the enemy abolish Hence it is that the Apostle Iohn saith Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him and the world passeth away with the lust thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer 1. Iohn 2 15 17. All earthly things last and endure but for a season men are mortal riches are vncertaine fauour is vanity honour is changeable treasures are transitory pleasures are mutable profites are corruptible friends are fading and oftentimes turne to be enemies onely the treasures of heauen the fauour of God the pleasures of eternall glory the riches of the world to come are immortall and neuer decay For all flesh is as grasse all the glory of man as the flower of the field the grasse withereth the flower fadeth but the word of the Lord endureth for euer 1. Pet. 1 24 Thus we see that there is as great difference betweene earthly and heauenly honour as is betweene heauen and earth Secondly we must learne to vse this world Vse 2 as though wee vsed it not and make it as the hand to helpe vs and further vs toward the kingdome of heauen The hand is made to serue vs and not wee to serue it Wee must learne to place the world vnder vs not aboue vs we must make it seruant to vs not Lord ouer vs we must teach it to obey not suffer it to rule ouer vs as the Church is described to be cloathed with the Sunne but hauing the Moone vnder her feete Reuel 12. For seeing humane things are transitory mutable and changeable it standeth vs vpon to haue our conuersation in the heauens and to cast the eyes of our mindes toward the estate of glory and the eternall happinesse prepared for vs. A pilgrim in a strange land hath alwayes his eyes toward his iourneyes end is greatly grieued when he wandereth out of his way Wee are pilgrims in this world and are farre from home so that our hearts should be fully and wholly set on euerlasting life and bee grieued when wee are hindered from the straight way This is the exhortation of the Apostle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 29. Many follow it with all greedinesse albeit it be full of vanity But if we esteeme of heauen or regard the saluation of our soules wee ought to be little affected to the things of this life neuer setting our hearts vpon them but desiring to dwell in that house where wee shall abide for euer Many there are that liue long in this life and haue beene many dayes vpon the face of the earth who neuer thinke of the kingdome of heauen nor dreame of another world nor meditate of the life to come vntill they lye at the last gaspe and are going the way of all flesh which is a most wofull and miserable thing to consider Let vs not suffer Sathan thus to circumuent vs and this present world to abuse and bewitch vs the deuill is a deceiuer the world is but a shadow and hath no true and enduring substance in it Abraham the father of the faithfull is commended by the Spirit of God who being called of God willingly obeyed to goe into the place which afterward hee should receiue for an inheritance Heb. 11 8. so that he departed from his kindred fathers house not knowing whither he went and by faith he abode in the land of Canaan as in a strange countrey and as one that dwelt in tents A naturall man would thinke hee had made a simple change and be ready to condemne him for a foole but the Scripture giueth this reason as the cause that mooued him to wit euerlasting life for hee looked for a city hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God In comparison heereof let vs make little account of this transitory life or of any the vaine profits pleasures or honours that may be found in it Lastly let it not grieue vs to see euil men Vse 3 exalted and set aloft they hold their possessions and honour with the greatest vncertainty that can bee in their life time and when they are taken from hence they can carry nothing with them of all that they possesse They are oftentimes depriued suddainly of all things they desire and doe most of all delight in Sometimes they are taken away from their goods sometimes their goods are taken away from them and sometimes albeit neyther they be taken from their goods nor their goods taken from them yet God in his iustice depriueth them of the comfortable vse of them while they doe enioy the possession of them This is the vse that the Prophet Dauid toucheth Psalme 49 5.16 declaring the vanity and vncertainty of mortall things and the suddaine fall of all flesh he addetâ— Wherefore should I feare in the euill dayes when iniquitie shal compasse me about as at mine heeles Be not thou afraid when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is encreased for he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after him We haue knowne many by our own obseruation gone on a suddaine that looked not for any change Wee haue seene them set on high and suddainly they haue come to nothing Who is ignorant that great trees grow til they be great 〈◊〉 câ—â—t de 〈◊〉 Alex. â— 7. and then be plucked vp from the root in a moment It is a foolish
he is not tyed to any guide or Gouernor We are put in minde heereof by Moses Deut. 29 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that wee may do all the words of the law God is not tyed to his reuealed wil the Law-giuer is aboue his law For the law must be vnderstood with this restraint and limitation except God command the contrary who is free and not bound to ordinary rules He commanded Moses in the building of the Tabernacle to make the Cherubims and other similitudes as also afterward when the people were stung with fiery serpents to set vp a brazen serpent which without his commandement had bin a breach of the second Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the similitude of any thing in the heauen aboue or in earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth Exod. 20 4. He commanded Ioshua to compasse the City of Iericho seuen dayes with the men of warre and the Arke of God seuen dayes together and therfore also on the Sabbath day Iosh 6 15 which without the Commandement of God had bin a breach of the fourth Commandement Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day So God proued Abraham and charged him to offer his son which he could not haue done without horrible murther Gen. 22 1. except God had commanded it being a breach of the sixt Commandement Thou shalt not kil In like manner God willed his people to aske iewels of siluer and iewels of gold of theyr neighbors the Egyptians Exod. 12 35 wherby they spoyled them but neuer made restitution vnto them which without a peculiar direction from God had not stood with the eyght Commandement Thou shalt not steale Thus thē we see for the encrease of our knowledge how the Law of God is to be vnderstood to wit with this caueat and prouiso Vnlesse it please God to command the contrary who alwayes worketh according to his owne will For as such as haue to do in the Statutes of earthly Princes do teach to restraine them and vnderstand them thus sauing the Kings prerogatiue so are we to do in the interpretation of the law of God alwayes to vse this exception of Gods prerogatiue For if Princes claime a prerogatiue aboue theyr lawes much more are we to giue vnto the eternall God a prerogatiue and priuiledge aboue the lawes giuen to the sonnes of men Secondly we learne from hence that all examples Vse 2 set downe in Scripture are not set downe for our imitation albeit reuealed for our instruction Our Sauiour in the Gospel reproueth his Disciples who would haue called downe fire from heauen vpon the Samaritans to consume them pretending to follow the example of Elias saying vnto them Yee know not of what spirit ye are Lu. 9 59. The examples of the godly set downe in Scripture are of foure sorts The first generall and common standing in the law of nature taught in the ten Commandements commanding vs to worship God to honour our parents to doe wrong to no man Hence it is that we are cōmanded to follow the faith of Abraham 1 Cor. 11 1. the chastity of Ioseph the zeale of Dauid the patience of Iob the repentance of Peter the attention of Lydia the restitution of Zacheus and such like these are set before vs both for our instruction and for our imitation Secondly the godly haue many infirmities and imperfections whereby it commeth to passe that some of theyr actions are sinful and vngodly which are set downe for vs not to follow but to auoyde Such are the incredulity of Moses the adultery of Dauid the idolatry of Salomon the drunkennesse of Noah the incest of Lot the ambition of the Apostles These are not written that we should alledge the fals of the Saints to warrant and iustifie our sinnes but to teach vs that no mā is free from sinne in this life seeing the elect and regenerate do offend that we should not being suddainly ouertaken with sin despaire of Gods mercy that we should be watchfull and looke to our footing seeing these men sinned beeing adorned with such great gifts so highly in Gods fauour that shined as Starres in the Firmament and were eminent aboue other men as the Cedars aboue other Trees Thirdly some things were well done of the Fathers that cannot bee followed of vs without offence to God as those that were ceremoniall and endured only vntill the comming of Christ and the restoring of all things by him as the cutting of the foreskinne the offering of sacrifices the killing of the Passeouer which cannot be brought into vse and practise againe Acts chap. 15 ver 1 5 without iniury to Christ and the abolishing of his death Lastly some examples were singular and proper vnto those to whom they were giuen so as neyther others in those dayes nor we in our times may any way follow them without the same inspiration of the Spirit and of this number is the zeale of Phinehas mentioned in this place and such extraordinary examples as we named before Thus we see both that all examples of the faithfull are not to be practised and likewise what are to be followed and what are not to be followed Heereby we learne to meete with all prophane men who resolue to continue in their sinnes defend themselues with the slips and faylings of the faithfull These men sinne with the godly but they repent not with them they fall asleepe with them but they arise not with them out of sleepe Heereby also the Church of Rome is conuinced who alledge the making of the Cherubims of the brazen serpent and such like to iustifie their imagery and idolatry by the example of Moses which we haue shewed to be speciall not generall commanded to him not warranted to all Lastly hereby they are condemned that would bring in any of the ceremonies of the law which are long since buried together with the Synagogue cannot stand with the simplicity of the Gospel and with the sufficiency of the death of Christ Lastly as no man must bee rash in pretending extraordinary callings so we must take heed we bee not rash in censuring the doings of other men Do we know or can we vnderstand the motions and inspirations of other men What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2 11. We may not therefore examine theyr callings by our owne nor measure extraordinary actions by ordinary rules especially in the times of the decay of religion of the ruines of the Church of the planting of the Gospel when God doth many times giue some of his people speciall motions guide them with an extraordinary direction of his Spirit but euery man must looke to the warrant of his owne worke No man must presume aboue his calling but euery man must be wise according to sobriety and consider what
iustly destroy thē They remember not to cast themselues vpon his protection they consider not that he may make their bed their graue and neuer bring them to see the light and the Sunne againe They neuer yet truely learned that in him wee liue and moue and haue our being Acts 17 28. Howbeit we that should continually remember the kindnes of the Lord and pray to him and praise him at all times doe for the most part forget him from morning to euening from euening to morning and one day and weeke and moneth after another and therefore it often falleth out that God giueth vs little rest and quiet Deut. 28 67. But in the morning thou shalt say would God it were euen and at euen thou shalt say would God it were morning for the feare of thine heart wherewith thou shalt feare and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 9 And on the Sabbath day two Lambs of the first yeare without spot and two tenth deales of flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle and the drinke offiring thereof 10 This is the burnt offering of euery Sabbath beside the continuall burnt offering and his drinke offering Heere is the law set downe touching the solemnity of the Sabbath before we had the daily burnt offering in these words wee haue the weekely offering wherein all things are doubled Euery day wee should set aside a part of it to God and cut off somewhat from our owne businesse to lift vp our hearts to him but the seuenth day should wholly bee spent to his glory Before they offered one Lambe now two Lambes before one tenth deale of flower now two tenth deales c. So then we are to speake of the Iewish Sabbath Doctrine The Ievvish Sabbath and the vses therof to our selves and the vses thereof to our selues This was first prescribed and appointed to Adam in the time of his innocency Gen. 2 2 this was the seuenth day from creation It is repeated in sundry other places of the word of God Exod. 16 26 they might not gather Manna vpon this day Exod. 35 2 3. and 34.21 and 31 13. Reason 1 Many reasons are rendred Exod. 31 why they must obserue this Sabbath First it is a signe betweene God and them that it is hee that doth sanctifie them Secondly it is ordained for theyr benefit and commodity and therfore should be holy to them as Christ farther teacheth Mark 2 27. The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Thirdly the necessity of keeping it appeareth because they that did not keepe it should surely dye Fourthly it is consecrated to God it is a Sabbath of rest vnto him verse 15. Fiftly the Lord propounded his owne example for hee created the world in sixe dayes then rested the seuenth See more to this purpose in the vses afterward First this rest prescribed in the law that Vse 1 they must do no manner of worke was mysticall pointing out our spirituall and internall rest and cessation from the works of sinne Esay 58 14 and 66 27. We must not do our owne wayes nor seek our own will we must ceasse from our owne workes to follow after the works of God Thus wee begin a spirituall Sabbath in this life or else we shall neuer enioy the eternall Sabbath in heauen We must begin our Sabbath here we shal finish it hereafter Therefore the Apostle saith Hebr. 4 10 11. Hee that entred into his rest hee hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his let vs labour therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of vnbeliefe All sinnes are truly and properly our owne workes because we naturally do them and can doe nothing else and we are Satans house wherein he inhabiteth Math. 12 44 we cannot please God but bring vpon our selues by them all miseries and calamities yea death it selfe So then we keepe a true Sabbath when we abstaine from our euill wayes when wee mortifie the deeds of the flesh when wee are quickned by the Spirit to leade a new life when we do those things that are well-pleasing in his sight For what shall it auaile or aduantage a man to abstaine from the works of his hands and the labour of his calling and in the meane season to nourish sinne and all euill in his heart What comfort on the Sabbath can the day-labourer find in resting from his worldly labours if hee labour nothing at all to deny vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinfull lusts What fruite shall the tradesman finde to cease from the workes of his calling when he maketh a trade and occupation of sin vpon that day to cease from making garments for others and not himselfe to learne to put on Christ What benefit hath the Physician to cease his prescriptions and to abstaine from giuing his receipts for bodily health if himselfe seeke not after the health of his owne soule may it not bee truly said to him Physician heale thy selfe Luke 4 23. What shall it auaile the traueiler to cease his trauell and yet neuer require seeke after the kingdome of Heauen What good shall the Inne-keeper or Tauerner receiue by ceasing from their ordinary victualling if they prouide not for themselues the meat that neuer perisheth and the bread that came downe from heauen but famish and pine away their owne soules Or what profit shal arise to such as wil neither buy nor sell vpon the Sabbath day when in the meane season they neuer go about to buy the truth of Gods word Pro. 23 23 not to sell away of their owne corruptions that hinder them from the best things To what end and purpose do we abstain from mustring training of souldiers if we do not learn on the lords day to fight the lords battels against the world the flesh and the diuell which are the most capital and deadly enemies that we haue not to our bodies onely but to our soules And why do we cease to put on our bodily armour our shield our head-peece our sword if wee doe not put on the whole armour of Goe the helmet of saluation the shield of faith the brestplate of righteousnesse and the sword of the spirit that we may stand fast in the day of tryall Eph. 6 16 17. Thus then wee see who they bee that keepe a good Sabbath euen they that learne to rest from sinne and cease from all their euill wayes Secondly the Sabbath also is Symbolicall Vse 2 in that it is a pledge vnto vs of our euerlasting rest in the kingdome of almighty God as the Apostle sheweth in the Epistle to the Colossians chapter 2 verse 17. The Sabbath dayes are a shadow of things to come and Heb. chap. 4 verse 9. There remaineth a rest for the people of God and farther he proueth it out of the Prophet in Psalme 95 where God promiseth not an outward such as was the ceremoniall rest of the Sabbath
no maruaile therefore if men decline it is a part of the old leauen for what man is it that sinneth not 1 Kings 8 46. The power of sinne euen in the regenerate is as a Law and therefore wee doe as wee would not Romanes 7 yet not I but that sin which dwelleth in me Secondly they lye vnder an heauy and fearefull curse that doe the worke of the Lord negligently which hee will haue executed diligently carefully cheerefully and zealously Ierem. 48 10 Cursed bee hee that doth the worke of the Lord deceitfully but all such as are luke-warme in the Lords businesse are deceitfull workemen they are loyterers rather then labourers and therefore they may not looke to haue the wages of laborers Thirdly such are vexed with a spirituall consumption losing the heate of the Spirit and the life of grace and fall to decay by litle and litle as Reuel 2 5 thou hast lost thy first loue For as they that haue a consumption of the body the naturall heate decayeth and threatneth death so such as haue a consumption in the soule the spirituall heate diminisheth and threatneth destruction For such churches and persons become in time barren in good thing but plentiful in euill things Esay 5 3 4. The vses follow First this reprooueth the miserable times Vse 1 wherein wee liue wherein men seeme to bee cast into a dead sleepe There is a general lethargy hath possessed vs that nothing can awake vs. Wee haue had not onely the trumpet of Gods word sounding in our eares but many other iudgments but who stirreth or starteth vp at the noyse thereof Who repenteth him of his wickednesse saying What haue I done euery one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Ierem. 8 6 if wee tarry till the last trumpet come woe vnto vs for that shall awaken vs and sweepe away all the impenitent into hell and none shal be able to escape Our Sauiour teacheth that from the dayes of Iohn the Baptist vntill now the kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Math. 11 12 where he sheweth that after the Gospel beganne to bee published by the ministery of Iohn who was sent to prepare the hearts of the people they were very greedy and as it were couetous of the truth and couragiously brake into it with all theyr strength and force that they could make Thus it was in the dayes of the Apostles For as at the preaching of Iohn the souldiers the Publicanes and people came vnto him Luke 3 10 12 14. saying Master what shall we doe so when they preached repentance in the Name of Iesus they that heard them were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Acts 2 37. But is it so in our dayes alas we may say the kingdome of darknes suffereth violence the kingdome of this world is wholly sought after and euery man presseth into it Luke 16 16 but as for the kingdome of God wee are content to let it alone Some are open enemies to the Gospel and the preaching of it serue Satan with all their power Some are secure and care for nothing they let al alone and sit still like those that sate idle in the market place and laboured not in the vineyard Some stop their eares and harden their hearts and when the Ministers of God will not apply themselues to their humors they goe backe Some desire to heare sweete and pleasant things to bee flattered in their sinnes and to haue cushions sowed vnder their elbowes If a sonne should no otherwise honour his father then we honor God doubtlesse he would disinherite him and cast him off for euer Or if a seruant should in such sort serue his Master would hee not put him out of his seruice and turne him out of his dores The diuell hath a part of our seruice the world another and shall wee thinke that God will accept a third This were to serue him to halfes or not so much But halfe a man is no man and halfe a Christian is no Christian Euery naturall thing groweth till it be perfect herbes plants trees Euery tradesman and artificer seeketh to encrease onely the Christian sitteth still and doth nothing God the Father left not off the worke of creation till the whole hoste of the creatures was ended Genes 2 1. Christ Iesus ceased not the worke of redemption till it was finished Ioh. 17.4 A builder leaueth not off when hee hath almost builded Paul said I haue finished my course 2 Tim. 4 7 not almost finished there is no comfort in this no more then to bee almost saued which is not to be saued at all If we be cold in Gods seruice we are almost his seruants that is not at all Secondly God will not be dalied withal in the matter of Religions eyther wee must serue him wholly and acknowledge him throughly as wee should or not at all If Baal be God let vs goe after him without wauering So long as wee are neyther hote nor cold wee worship him in vaine and may be assured that hee will spew vs out of his mouth This is no better then to serue him with the halt or blinde or leane or lame which he abhorreth The Lord saith by the Prophet Cursed bee the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of hostes and my Name is dreadfull among the Gentiles Mal. 1 14. This is no better then to serue God with the off all of our affections and to turne vnto him halfe our face and the other halfe to our owne lustes and pleasures This is such an indignity and indecency that a man of any place or reckoning will not take it at our hands Offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke is it not euill offer it now vnto thy gouernour will hee be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Malachie 1 8. Take heede therefore wee doe not play with God Hee that playeth with fire may bee scorched and consumed with the flames of it but our God is euen a consuming fire Deuteronom 4 24 and 9 3. Hebrewes 12 29. No man dare dally with a Prince or with his Lawes whose wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon but there is one Law-giuer who is able to saue and to destroy Iames 4 12. No man will bee bold to iest with edge-tooles wee say commonly that it is dangerous but the Lord is a shield and the sword of excellency Deuter. 33 29 and if his word be compared to a two edged sword going out of his mouth Reuel 1 16 nay if it bee saide to be quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing euen to the diuiding asunder of soule and spirit and of the ioynts