Mary the brother of Iames and Ioses and of Iuda and Simon and are not his sisters with vs Thus they were offended at him Hence it is that Christ saith vnto them A Prophet is not without honour but in his owne countrey and among his owne kinne and in his owne house Mar. 6.4 â—arke 6.4 It skilleth not whether the Ministers be rich or poore wise or simple noble or vnnoble if they say vnto vs Siluer and gold haue we none but such as we haue we giue vnto you Act. 3. â—ct 3.6 we must accept of them and of the word of reconciliation and account their feet beautifull that bring glad tidings of good things Though they bring heauenly treasures in earthly vessels yet the excellency of the power is of God so that the meaner the person of the Minister is the more we ought to magnifie the Author of their ministery remembring alwayes that we ought not to haue the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Thirdly for as much as God vouchsafeth Vse 3 to chuse weake agents to promote his causes and to further his workes we conclude from hence that fearefull is the estate of the wicked if their eyes were opened to behold it and their hearts enlightened to take notice of it Howsoeuer they set their hornes heads on high and exalt themselues in their owne pride yet the poorest and simplest meanes strengthened of God and armed by his power shall be able to bring them downe to the ground and to lay their honour in the dust They shall know one day that they fight against God and rebell against the most High who wanteth no weapons to destroy them he can arme the least things against them as wee see in the destruction of the Egyptians to wit lice flyes frogs grashoppers and such like all brought vpon them by the rod of Moses This vse is concluded by the Prophet Esay Chap. 27.11 Esay 27.10.11 When the boughes thereof are withered they shall be broken off the women come and set them on fire for it is a people of no vnderstanding therefore he that made them will not haue mercy on them and he that formed them wil shew them no fauour He sheweth in these words and in this place the certainty of the destruction of the enemies of the Church their defenced cities shall be desolate and left like a wildernesse But how shall this be God needeeth not the power of mighty enemies hee needeth not armies of men or legions of Angels or such like strong meanes to effect it the women shall come and set them on fire that is weake meanes and silly creatures euen such as are by nature fearefull an army of Hartes shal haue strength and courage enough when God setteth them on worke Great is the force of weake Souldiers vnder such a Captaine If they that haue the least power and pollicy be made the Lords workemen and employed in his seruice who shall be able to daunt them and to driue them from their worke who shall fray them and affright them and make the rest of them turne their backes They haue their calling and commission and they canneuer ceasse vntill they haue ended the businesse and finished the worke to which they were sent according to that which Gamaliel saith of the preaching of the Apostles being in themselues of themselues simple and vnlearned men Refraine from these men and let them alone c. for if it bee of God ye cannot ouerthrow it lest haply ye be found euen to fight against God Act. 5. Act. 5.38.39 This is little regarded or considered of the enemies of God and the persecuters of the Church they runne on in their wilde courses think they can doe what they list whereas they ly open to euery iudgement and euery creature shall be able to worke out their destruction Vse 4 Fourthly seeing it seemeth good to God to accept of their seruice that seeme farthest off and most vnlikely to doe him seruice let no man presume vpon the greatnesse of his gifts and the excellency of his calling let him not lift vp himself aboue others to think himselfe better preferre himself before his brethren neither contemne them of lower degree of meaner place of lesser gifts The heart is of the Lord the blessing is of the Lord the successe is of the Lord. Hence it is that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 4.6 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou diddest not receiue Now if thou diddest receiue it why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not receiued it 1 Cor. 4.7 Our Sauiour rebuketh a young man that would not giue ouer the world and telleth him Matth. 19.30 and 20.1.16 the first shall be last and the last first Such as in the visible Church haue the chiefe place and in the opinion of men are in greatest account because they carry the greatest name of piety and holinesse are nothing lesse inwardly then that which they appeare outwardly and therefore notwithstanding the roome and reputation that they hold in earth they shall be quite shut out of the kingdome of heauen as was verified in the Scribes and Pharisees and all hypocrites who for a pretence made long prayers but shall receiue the greater damnation This he sheweth farther by the similitude of an housholder who hired labourers at all houres into his vineyard and thereupon concludeth the point againe that the first shall be last and the last first Presume not therefore of thy selfe neither glory in thine owne workes nor boast of thine own gifts it may please God to sanctifie others to goe before vs and to make them out runne vs that sette out after vs. Hee accepteth them that are of smaller gifts and lower place and therefore we ought not to reiect them or contemne them When he chose speciall witnesses of those things that he spake and did and sent them out to heale the sicke and raise the dead and cleanse the lepers to giue sight to the blinde and to preach the Gospel he did not call the learned wise men of the world but simple fishermen and such as the world accounteth idiots and men of no fashion or estimation Such then as seeme to be behind are taken forward and made more profitable then those that were before them Wee see this in Amos Amos 7.14 15 He was no Prophet nor a Prophets sonne but an heardman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruite the Lord tooke him as he followed the flocke and said vnto him Goe Prophecy vnto my people Israel 1 Tim. 1.13 1 Cor. 15.8.9 Act. 8.1 and 9.1 Ephe. 3.8 Gal. 1.23 The like wee might say of Paul he was most vnlike to be called and to be imployed in the affaires of the Church as himselfe confesseth and the history of the Actes importeth 1 Tim. 1.13 1. Cor. 15.8 9. Act. 8.1 and 9.1 Ephe. 3.8 He confesseth that
power Christ Iesus witnesseth that hee would haue gathered the people of Ierusalem by his Ministery but they would not Mat. 23. So God promised to gather together the dispersed of Iudah from the foure corners of the earth Esay 11.12 Secondly he is euermore a present helpe in time of trouble willing to heare them with speed and ready to speak to them with comfort Whatsoeuer they aske of him they shall receiue but if he were not present with vs he could not heare vs in our need nor succour vs in our wants Psal 46.5 Thirdly Satan dwelleth and ruleth in the world He is called the prince of the world Eph. 2. who ruleth in the children of disobedience and blindeth their eyes that they cannot obey the trueth 2 Cor. 4.4 Lastly his loue his special loue is set vpon them and the loue the speciall loue of his people is set vpon him and where should he rest and remaine but among them or how should one be without another The vses This reprooueth all such as haue Vse 1 no care to dwell with God in his Church of which the number is not small in all places These are like vnfaithful seruants that care not for comming in their masters presence or like malefactors that hate nothing more then the face of the iudge So is it with euill men they like no place worse then the Church They take as much pleasure in it as the theefe doth to be in the Iaile who careth not how soone he were out and rid of his fetters The word of God is to the vngodly as bolts and gyues it fettereth and hampereth and holdeth him that he knoweth not which way to turne himselfe The Church is to him as it were a prison it restraineth his liberty he loueth no place worse then it It is otherwise with the godly man hee liketh it and preferreth it in his thoughts in his affections and in his practises aboue al other places because the Lord dwelleth and resideth therein Luk. 19.46 It is the house of prayer where the people of God meet God is neuer absent from hence and they are happy that may dwell there with him Psalme 27.4 And we may pronounce this is a certaine truth that such haue no company or communion with God that delight not to visite his Temple Let such look for no blessing at Gods hand to come vpon them Secondly this proclaimeth woe and misery Vse 2 to come vpon all wicked persons because God is not among them His presence is the fulnesse of ioy at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Psalm 16 11. where he is not there can be nothing but horrour and confusion But he is not in the Congregation assembly of euill persons It will be said Is not God euery where He is with his essence but not with his grace And they shall know he is present with them and they with him albeit they seeke nothing more then to banish him out of their presence and company They haue forsaken the waies of God and he hath forsaken them for their wickednesse Howbeit in the last day when they shall stand before the tribunall seat of the Iudge of al the world they will acknowledge their owne folly and desire to behold one comfortable day of the Sonne of man with the losse of all their pleasures in the daies of their vanity but shall not be able Vse 3 Thirdly hence ariseth comfort to Gods children to know this and to be throughly perswaded of it in their hearts Thus doth Abijah the king of Iudah comfort himselfe against his enemies 2 Chron. 13.12 Behold God himselfe is with vs and likewise Christ his disciples Loe I am with you vnto the end of the world Matth. 28.20 Hee need not feare any thing that hath God to be with him He need not feare the subiect that hath the Prince to stand for him He hath no cause to be afraid of the seruant that hath the master on his side Let euery one therefore comfort himselfe in the execution of his calling God hath set vs in the same and he will beare vs out Vse 4 Lastly it is a duty belonging vnto all men to seeke the Lord as well where he may bee found as when he may be found For as there is a time when he wil not be found Pro. 1.28 Mic. 3.4 Luk. 13.24 so there is a place where he will not be found He resteth not in the tents of wickednesse If God be sought in the society and fellowship of sinfull men hee cannot be found Hee is found in his house and Temple if we delight in his word and worship we cannot be farre from him nor hee from vs. If we shew our selues willing to heare his voyce and to goe no farther from him then that we may euermore bee within the sound of his mouth we shall be sure of his presence There he will be found as in a garden of spices The Lord is said to dwell in the highest heauens and indeed this is the city of the great king Now the Church is as the suburbes and leadeth vs the right and ready way to this citie We can neuer come to it if we do not enter by the gates of the Church Heere God keepeth his court heere we shall be sure to find him All men will seeme in loue with the heauenly Ierusalem but they care not at all for Sion They would rest in the hill of God Psal 25.1 but they desire not to soiourne in his Tabernacle They would haue heauen but they will haue none of the Church They loue to heare Mat 25.34 enter into the kingdome prepared for you but they care not for the feasts of the word and Sacraments prepared for them These doe altogether deceiue themselues and separate those things which God hath ioyned together for as much as we must long after the place of his habitation vpon earth if we looke to be receiued into the place of his habitation in heauen For God hath two houses as his dwelling places one beneath the other aboue the one I may call the lower house the other the vpper house God hath two dwelling places his vpper house and his lower house He that would dwell in the one must also dwell in the other One is the Church the other is the kingdome of glory If we delight in the first house more then in all other places let vs not doubt but be well assured that in his good time we shall haue entrance into the second house But if we will not dwell with him in his Church vpon earth we shall neuer dwell with him in glory in the highest of which Christ our Sauiour saith In my Fathers house there be many mansions Ioh. 14.2 Whereby he meaneth heauen it selfe in which all the Saints and blessed spirits of iust men perfected shall dwell with God for euer in glory and immortality If we be any way in loue with this celestiall house let
of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes Where Paul teacheth That there is no euill which couetousnesse cannot bring foorth It is a monster of many heads and a fruitfull mother of many bad children From hence oftentimes come hatred contention enuy vnthankfulnes treasons treacheries periury poysoning deceit couzenage oppression and what not It bringeth in as a violent streame contempt of God it turneth God into an abhominable Idoll It worketh a wretched trust in earthly possessions treasures more then in the liuing God It is a bottomlesse pit of all iniquity Secondly there is a contrariety betweene Reason 2 God and the world and they draw contrary wayes there is no affinity or agreement betweene them This Christ our Sâ—uiâ—ur setteth downe No man can serue two masters for either he shall hate the one and loue the other or else hee shall leane to the one and despise the other yee cannot serue God and riches Mat. 6 24. Heereunto cometh the exhortation of the Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn 2 15. The vses are now to bee thought and entred Vse 1 vpon First consider from hence the dangerous estate of the men of this world how hard it is for them to enioy eternall life and to enter into the kingdome of heauen See therefore how riches are often reserued to the hurt of the possessors wrack of the owners thereof Many seeking to enriâ—h themselues and to scrape much together for thâ—â— posterities do lose the fauour of GOD the quiet peace of a good conscience and heape to themselues wrath against the day of wrath This the Apostle Iames leadeth vs to consider Chap. 5 1.2 3. Goe too now ye rich men Weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your Garments are moth-eaten your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes If therefore outward things pull away from God hinder the duties of godlinesse then assuredly men whose heart is glued vnto them and gouerned by them they being made their chiefe treasures and the god of their hope cannot yeeld to the power of godlinesse but by a speciall and extraordinary worke of God in their hearts True it is they may hold the profession they may receiue baptisme they may partake of the Lords Supper they may heare y word they may hold saluation by Christ alone yet vnlesse they feele a peculiar sanctifying grace of Gods Spirit they shall finde an hard entrance into life and the way leading vnto the kingdome of heauen hedged stopped vp This our Sauiour teacheth his disciples vpon the occasion of the yong mans sorrowfull departure from him hauing great possessions Matth. 19 23 24. Verily I say vnto you That a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Wherefore it behoueth all rich men that haue this worldes good to pray vnto God beeing compassed with such dangers and clogged with such cares to gouerne them by his Spirit and to preserue theÌ„ that they bee not ouercome with the tentations of the world and to teach them what it is to abound Phil. 4 12. which is farre harder to know and practise then to learne what it is to want Vse 2 Secondly seeing honors and riches choke good things follow not them that walk that way and be not drawne away by the euil examples of others but follow the examples of the godly according to the exhortation of the Apostle Phil. 3 17 18 19. Many walke of whom I haue told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose god is their belly and whose glory is their shame which minde earthly things Hereupon followeth the vse before remembred Brethren be followers of mee and looke on them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample How many bee there in the Church that liue of the Gospel and therefore in reason sâ—ould preach the Gospel who corâ—upt their owne consciences and wound their owne soules by hunting after promotion and â—ignity who for money sell their master with Iudas and are carried away afâ—er the wages of iniquity with Balaam and gape after gaine onely like hyrelings who ioyne Liuing to liuing as it were house to house and fielde to field eating the fat and cloathing themselues with the wooll But they strengthen not the weake they heale not the sicke they binde not vppe the broken they seeke not that which is lost they raise not such as are fallen Woe be vnto such ydle sheepheards that feede themselues Should not the sheepheards feede the flockes Ezek. 34 2 3 4. Let not vs walke after such examples which in the iust iudgement of God are reserued to death shame who albeit they regard their pleasures aboue all yet as they walke inordinately so the things they reioyce in shall bee their confusion but let vs propound to our selues the examples of the godly for our instruction and imitation in wel-doing Heb. 6 12. That we be not slothfull but followers of them which through faith and patience inherit the promises Lastly let vs not be immoderately carefull Vse for them The more carefull wee are for these things the more carelesse wee are in better things The more our affections are set on the earth the lesse care we haue of heauen immortality It is no profit to winne the whole world with the losse of our owne soules It is an incomparable losse greater then the losse of a kingdome Iob had a great losse when he lost his Sheepe and Asses his Oxen and Camels his Seruants and his Children Iob 1 14.15 But all this is scarse to bee mentioned or spoken of beeing compared and layde in the ballance with the losse of the soule Let vs therefore be contented and rest satisfied with the estate wherein God hath set vs. A little with a good conscience and with peace is better then a stalled Oxe Prou. 15 17. Godlynesse is great gaine with contentation 1 Tim. 6 6. Let vs vse this world as though we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7 31. All is vanity nay misery if we depart not hence in the feare and fauour of God Let vs so liue that in life and death wee may be the Lords Affect not onely or chiefly the things of this life but let vs haue before vs the example of Lots wife made vnto vs as a fearefull spectacle and terrible monument of carnall and carefull thoughts whose hart was wholly set vpon those things which shee left behinde and therefore was turned into a pillar of salt We are borne againe vnto a better life If a Princes children should giue
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
Sauiour in the Parable of the Sower that went forth to sowe declareth that the seed that fell among thornes signifieth those hearers in whose hearts the cares of this life the deceitfulnesse of riches and the lustes of other things do choake the word make it vnfruitfull Math. 13 22. What was it that moued Iudas to betray his Master but for loue of money for he saide vnto the High-Priests What will you giue me and I will betray him vnto you Math. 26 15. Whereby Satan entred into him possessed his hart so that it wrought his destruction in soule and body What caused Demas a professor of the faith to forsake Paul 1 Tim. 4 10 and deny the faith surely he embraced this present world in greater loue then he did the truth that endureth for euer and caught after the shadow in stead of the body Our hearts are as a ground that is rich and ranke and bringeth foorth store of these weeds that choake the growing of the word of God we would faine come to God yet are so glewed to the world that it drowneth all desire of the world to come We offer one hand to Christ and the other to the diuell but he will haue both of them or none at all If we giue the Lord one part of our heart and lodge couetousnesse in the other we driue the Lord from vs and cause him to depart No man can serue two Masters for either he shall hate the one and loue the other or else hee shall leane to the one and despise the other ye cannot serue God and riches Math. 6 24. This made our Sauiour say How hardly shall a rich man enter into the kingdome of heauen it is easier for a Camel to goe through the eye of a Needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Math. 19 3 making it as it were a rare extraordinary worke to bring them to saluation We must vse this world as though we vsed it not and they that buy as though they possessed not knowing that godlines is the greatest gaine 1 Tim 6 6. if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out therefore when we haue foode and rayment let vs be content for they which will be rich fall into tentations and snares into many foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction What stirred vp Ahab and Iezebel to worke out the death of Naboth and his children 1 Kings 21 8. that the one of them was sicke with sorrow the other caused them to be stoned but the desire of his vineyard that was a sore in his eye and lay so fitly for him And yet when wee haue done when we haue embraced our dwellings and encroched on the bounds and borders of others when we haue ioyned house to house and land to land our neighbours hedge must be next vnto vs and hold vs hard that we can passe no further Secondly we see that our owne priuate respects Vse 2 are not the chiefe things that we must respect but seeke a sanctified vse of the blessings of this life and a warrant to our consciences for the right vsing of them These blessings of God become curses vnto vs vnlesse we vse them lawfully But if we set vp our rest vpon them and seeke our happinesse in them we prize them at a high rate Eph. 5 5. Col. 3 5. and commit the foulest and filthiest Idolatry that can be For the preferring of priuate profit before heauenly duties causeth a man to be an Idolater First because hee preferreth his riches before God or godlinesse in his affections depending vpon them as vpon God and making them the stay of his life Againe he accounteth his life to rest vpon his wealth rather then vpon the prouidence of God as his riches encrease so his hope encreaseth so his comfort encreaseth when his wealth sayleth all his hope comfort fayleth Therefore the Apostle chargeth vs to mortifie our members which are on the earth the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Idolatry for the which things sake the wrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience So then the things of this life and the things of the life to come being propounded and set before vs we are to chuse the better of them This our Sauiour taught Martha Luk. 10 41 42. that she disquieted and incumbred her selfe about many things but one thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her So likewise our Sauiour chargeth vs not to lay vppe treasure for our selues vpon the earth Where the Moth and Canker corrupt and where theeues digge thorough and steale but to lay vppe for our selues treasure in heauen where neither the Moth nor Canker corrupteth and where theeues cannot dig through and steale Mat. 6 19 20 33. Let vs first of all seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these earthly things shall be ministred vnto vs. Let our study and meditation be on heauenly things whereunto we are called Let vs take heed we lose not greater blessings by affecting the lesse Let vs remember Lots wife a fearefull myrrour and monument of carefull thoughts who got and gained nothing by all her cares Let vs waite vpon God and looke vp vnto him Who openeth his hand and filleth all things with his goodnes Ps 104 28. Let vs obey the voyce of the Lord our God and then all his blessings shall come vpon vs and ouertake vs. Vse 3 Lastly this doctrine serueth to reproue those that esteeme earthly things aboue heauenly minde their profits more then their saluation These inuert the course of nature and turne al things vpside downe they set the earth aboue the heauens and thrust downe the heauens beneath the earth This is like that confusion and disorder which the wise man speaketh of Eccl. 10 6 7. Folly is set in great excellency and the rich set in low place I haue seene seruants on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground These are like to the Gadarens that desired their swine more then Christ and had rather lose Christ and haue him depart out of their coasts then lose their swine Math. 8 34. These are of the brood and off-spring of prophane Esau who for one messe of meate solde his birthright Heb. 12 16 But we haue not so learned Christ we must looke vp to the eternall inheritance reserued for vs wee must not make our riches to be our heauen our belly to be our god our shame to be our glory and our owne profit to be our happinesse Wee must account one spark of grace and the least taste of the kingdome of heauen and of the ioyes of the life to come to be better worth and to bring with it more sound ioy of heart then all these transitory things and
then aduersity but many moe fall away by peace prosperity by riches wealth pleasures which when men are delighted and drunken with them are more dangerous enemies then affliction and aduersity We see many by experience who in the dayes of tribulation haue not giuen ouer their hold but endured slanders reuilings imprisonment hunger and thirst in a necessitous estate yet haue bene ouercome with peace drowned with sensuality and lulled asleepe in carnall security Euen as a company of Marriners so long as they are in danger of drowning through violence of winds and rage of the Tempest and working of the sea do watch and looke about them followe their calling and keep the ship from sinking but when all is safe and quiet doe fall out among themselues or delight in quaffing and care not which end goe forward so is it with vs that liue in these dayes of peace and quyetnesse we remember not what God hath done for vs neyther are led by his mercies vnto obedience We cannot deny but that our blessings haue bene many and great but as Moses complaineth Deut 32 15. Hee that should haue bene vpright when he waxed fatte spurned with his heeles For it may be truly saide of vs which is spoken against Israel we are fat we are grosse wee are laden with fatnesse and therefore haue we forsaken the Lord haue not regarded the strong God of our saluation thus like foolish people and vnwise haue we rewarded the Lord for his goodnesse and recompenced the kindnes that we haue receiued at his hands Vse 4 Lastly it is our duty to pray continually to God that wee be not ouertaken with them We liue in the dayes of peace we dwell quietly in our houses we taste not the bitternesse of affliction as our neighbours haue done round about vs let vs take heed wee fall not into pride and presumption and so by the iust iudgement of God for our vnthankfulnesse be deliuered ouer as bondslaues vnto the diuell This is it which is offered to our considerations in the sixt and last petition of the Lords prayer where we pray not to be led into temptation but to be deliuered from euill Mat. 6 13. It is not the meaning of Christ in these wordes that wee should desire of God to bee wholly freed from tentations but we craue his grace and the power of his Spirit to sustaine vphold vs that we be not ouercome yeeld vnto them that we may stand stedfast in our obedience that we may not be puffed vp with prosperity nor deiected or cast downe with aduersity This made the wiseman say to God in his meditations Giue me not riches but feede me with conuenient food for mee Prou. 30 8 9. lest being full I lye and say Who is the Lord He prayeth in that place not onely against inconuenient want and hurtfull pouerty but against inconuenient wealth hurtfull store and ouerflowing and superfluous abundance lest his heart should be lifted vp and so hee turne from the Commandements of God So then when we liue vnder plentifulnesse of outward blessings when we enioy health wealth peace and sufficiency of al things for this present life are we free from dāngers haue we no need to watch or may we be secure Surely if we will iudge aright and measure our cases eyther by the right line of Gods holy law or by our owne Christian experience we shall finde our perill to be the greater when wee haue such strong allurements and deceiuable prouocations to set our delight vpon this world then when we are holden vnder afflictions For then Satan as a subtle enemy craftily windeth in with vs and worketh vpon our hearts by occasion of these blessings of God bestowed vpon vs. For as the parching heate of the Sun will sooner make a man cast away his cloake then the boysterous and blustering winds so the gracious dayes of peace shining vpon vs wil sooner cause vs to cast off our confidence then the stormes and tempests that beate vpon vs. Moses charged the people of Israel when they were brought into the land of Promise flowing with milke and hony to beware lest they forgate the Lord which brought them out of the land of Egypt Deut. 6 12. Whilst Dauid wandered in the wildernesse was hunted out of holes by Saul into which hee was glad to creepe to hide himselfe and was trained vp in the schoole of afflictions hee comforted himselfe in the Lord his God hee made him his rocke and refuge he asked counsell of him followed his direction but when he had rest from enemies safety from dangers deliuerāce from troubles comfort from sorrowes and freedome from afflictions he fell into horrible sinnes both in the matter of Vriah in numbering of the people When Hezekiah fel sick and receiued a message that the sicknes was in it selfe vnto death Esay 38 2. hee turned his face to the wall he prayed to the Lord and besought the Lord to remember how hee had walked before him in the truth with a perfect heart but after that God had remembered him according to his prayer he forgat the Lord incontinently so soone as he was released and restored hee was puffed vp with ambition and vainglory when he shewed to the messenger of the king of Babel the riches of his kingdome the house of his Armour the greatnesse of his Treasure and the abundāce of his Spices and precious Oyntments When the rich man in the Gospel was willed to sel al that he had and giue it to the poore thereby tried whether hee loued the Lord better then riches he went away heauy and sorrowfull whereupon our Sauiour deliuereth this warning to teach vs wisedome Matth. 19 23. Verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen He doth not deny the rich man entrance or shut the doore against him but he layeth before him his danger and telleth vs how hardly hee shall enter He neuer said in the Gospel how hardly shall the poore man enter into the kingdome of heauen He neuer saide how hardly shall hee that is persecuted imprisoned reuiled afflicted and tormented enter into the kingdome of heauen But hee warneth him that liueth in abundance to looke to his footing that he do not slide and to take heed to his heart that it be not lifted vp So then to conclude when the light of Gods countenance doeth shine in our dwellings when he filleth our houses with store giueth vs an ample portion of wealth possessions when he furnisheth our table and maketh our cup to runne ouer let vs blesse the name of the Lord for our plenty which hee hath giuen vs let not vs be high minded and trust in vncertain riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs aboundantly all things to inioy which hart can wish or tongue can craue or hand can receyue Verse 2. Which called the people vnto the sacrifice of their gods The
not bee seduced and peruerted by those subtilties and suggestions but onely the Reprobate which were of olde ordained to condemnation Iude 4. 1 Peter 2 8. Christ our Sauiour fore-sheweth of the perillous times that are to come that there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders Math. 24 24. so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect He addeth if it were possible because it is altogether vnpossible both by reason of Christs intercession Iohn 17 20 21. 16 13. and also through the holy Spirit which is in them comforting them and leading them into all truth Heereunto also hee hath respect when he saith vnto Peter Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to winnow you as wheate Luke 22 32. but I haue prayed for thee that thy Faith faile not For the elect are the members of his bodye which he will saue Iohn 10 26. the Sheepe of his pasture which no man shall take out of his hand they are his people whom because he hath iustified he will also glorifie He hath loued them and whom he loueth he doth loue to the end so that no creature shall bee able to separate them from his loue Obiection Heere a question may be demanded whether the gifts and graces of God may bee lost or not Whether they may decay and die in vs or not And whether the elect may lose their saluation or not I answer Answer we must consider that there are diuers gifts of God some generall others particular some lesser and some greater First therefore wee must know that the generall or common gifts may bee vtterly taken away and quite lost as if they had neuer bene giuen neuer bene receiued This we learne in the parable of the sower Luk. 8 13 14. many that are hearers of the word receiue it with ioy and beleeue for a season yet in time of tentation fall away So the Apostle to the Hebrewes sheweth that some who haue beene enlightned and tasted of the heauenly gift Heb. 6 6. and made partakers of the holy Ghost may fall backe againe and crucifie to themselues the Son of God and make a mocke of him There are other graces and workes of the Spirit which are special and of an higher nature of greater importance these are proper to the Seruants of God such are faith repentance regeneration sanctification and other fruits of election these are of another nature and shall neuer be lost but are as a light that shal neuer be extinguished This the Apostle Iohn setteth down 1 Ioh. 3 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not that is cannot quite fall away by sinne because his seed remaineth in him neither can be sin because he is borne of God Heereunto Paul accordeth Rom. 11 29. when he saith The gifts calling of God are without repentance This appeareth euidently vnto vs in inferiour thinges of this world Consider the seede that is sowne and cast into the earth Some corne is sowne and neuer riseth but rotteth in the ground some springeth vp and promiseth hope of a plentifull haruest yet shortly after withereth this is soone vp and soone gone Some proceedeth farther it groweth vp to an eare and sheweth beautifull yet it is blasted other-some by Gods blessing continueth and commeth to a timely and seasonable ripenesse And as it is in corn so we may see the like in trees Some trees are planted and neuer take any roote some take root and neuer haue blossom some beare blossomes but neuer bring forth fruite and some by the blessing of him that is The true Husbandman both roote deepely Iohn 15 1. and blossome fairely and bring forth fruite plentifully in due season So is it in this matter touching the gifts of God Some when they haue heard the worde which seemeth sowed in the furrowes of their heart do giue a shew and offer an hope but they decay by and by and wither as fast as they began to florish Others haue taken deeper roote of earth and hold out a long time and make promise of better things yet they decay at the last as corne blasted in the eare deceiue themselues and others Others continue to the end these are planted surely and builded vpon the rocke who may be shaken but cannot fall neither shall euer be plucked vp by the roots but grow and prosper with much increase These are described Psal 1 3. 92 13 14. He shall be like a Tree planted by the riuers of waters that will bring forth fruit in due seasen whose leafe shall not fade so whatsoeuer he shall do shall prosper And also in another place Such as be planted in the house of the lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall bring forth fruite in their age they shall be fat flourishing Thus then we see that some graces may dye and wither away and also what they be namely such as are generall and common to the godly and vngodly Secondly touching the gifts pertaining to saluation they are also of two sorts some are simply necessary without which a man cannot be saued such are faith and sanctification Other be lesse necessary not alwayes going with faith but sometimes onely somtimes are separated for a time from it of this sorte are a plentiful feeling of Gods fauour boldnesse in prayer ioy in the holy Ghost and a full assurance of saluation these not being absolutely necessary nor alwaies found in them though onely proper vnto them may for a time be wholly lost in the best and most approued seruants of God Thirdly wee must know that the gifts that are simply necessarie to saluation without which no man of yeres can enter into the kingdome of heauen as Faith and Repentance considered in themselues may both wholly and finally bee lost for there is nothing in them or their nature or in vs and our nature to make them or vs vnchangeable The state of the elect Angels is changeable who keepe their originall estate by the power of God confirming them therein Wee see innumerable companies of the Angels fell downe from heauen when they were left vnto themselues Iude 6. 2 Peter 2 4. And are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great day Nothing is in it owne nature vnchangeable but GOD Iames 1 17. With whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning Hence it is that the Apostle calleth him the King euerlasting 1 Tim. 1 17. immortall inuisible the onely wise God Thus we see that this title of immortality and vnchangeablenesse is proper to God alone Fourthly those gifts and graces of absolute necessity may perish fully and finally vnlesse they be confirmed in vs by the grace of corroboration so likewise it was with the Angels they were subiect to fall without speciall strength whereby they are inabled to stand and to hold fast their habitation in heauen So then the
But wee haue a better and stronger motiue to mooue vs to suffer then the forcible weapon of necessity euen the vnchangeable purpose of God whose gracious will it is that through manifold tribulations wee should enter into the kingdome of heauen Lastly wee must haue an eye cast vpward to the rich recompence of reward that shall be giuen vnto vs. For the greater our tryals are the greater shall our reward be It is said by the Apostle that Moses chose rather to suffer aduersity with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season because he had respect to the recompence of the reward Hebrewes 11 The afflictions of this present life are all temporall and transitory they haue an end in a short space but the glory prepared and reserued for the Saints in the next life 2 Cor. 4 17. shall know no end for our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while wee looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall Our afflictions shall not continue long vpon vs they shall speedily haue an end which ought to deuoure the bitternesse thereof and swallow vp the tediousnesse that creepeth vpon vs. Thus much of the meanes or motiues to worke patience in vs. Now it remaineth that we examine our selues whether it be in vs or not The signes of patience For if we be without patience we shall neuer bee able to hold out our profession vnto the end It is as salt that must season euery duty If then this bee not found in vs we are but as time-seruers that continue for a season or as the morning dew which vanisheth at the rising of the Sunne or as the grasse vpon the house-top which flourisheth for a while and afterward withereth away Let vs therefore consider the signes and tokens whereby we may try our selues and prooue whether it be in vs or not One signe is an heart resolued to abide whatsoeuer is laide vpon vs whether it bee for sinne or for tryall For we must vnderstand that some afflictions are laide vpon vs for our sinnes and some for our tryall Examples of both we haue in the Scriptures to informe vs in these points Touching sinne the Prophet saith Lament 3 verse 39. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne When Christ had cured the man that had lyen eight and thirty yeares at the poole of Bethesda he found him afterward in the Temple and saide vnto him Behold thou art made whole sinne no more Iohn 5.14 lest a worse thing come vnto thee He had suffered a great iudgment yet the Lord threatneth him with a greater he had beene diseased many yeares yet he was to feare a worse euill Touching triall we may looke vpon Iob all whose sufferings were for triall of his faith obedience and sincerity The like speaketh Christ to the Disciples seeing a man which was blinde from his birth and asking him Maister who did sinne this man or his parents that he was borne blinde For he answered them Neyther hath this man sinned nor his parents Iohn 9 1 2 3. but that the workes of God should be shewed on him Now then whether our afflictions be to chastise vs or to prooue vs the faithfull man is perswaded and resolued to beare them If his sinnes be remitted and the guilt of them remoued he careth not though the crosse abide and continue still He that standeth thus affected hath laide vp a good signe to be knowne for his patience The pardon of our sin must more reioyce vs then the feeling of the crosse can dismay vs. Secondly when we suffer and suffer much yet we must not cease to loue the Lord that striketh vs. Though the punishment be bitter we must not hate the hand that giueth the stroke but imbrace it heartily and loue it still This affection was in Iob when he had sustained the losse of his cattell of his seruants of his sonnes and of all his substance he hated not GOD nor murmured against him but acknowledged in the midst of al Naked came I out of my mothers wombe Iob 1 21. and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the Name of the LORD Where wee see hee blesseth God not onely for his giuing but for his taking away not onely for his blessings but for his chastisements A notable example for vs to follow and a certaine signe to make triall of our patience It is the ordinary manner of wicked men when they haue receiued guifts and are filled with good things to giue God thankes and to say God be thanked but if their riches honours peace and guifts be taken away all is done their thankes are ceassed their mouthes are stopped and their tongues are tyed It is a notable saying of the Prophet Psalme 130 3 4. If thou O LORD straightly markest iniquities O LORD who shall stand but mercy is with thee that thou maiest bee feared If our loue of GOD bee prooued when his iustice is shewed and our feare when his mercy is extended toward vs we may assure our owne hearts wee haue the spirit of patience within vs. It is truely saide hee loueth the partie well that can loue him when hee hath done him iniury True it is GOD can doe vs no wrong nor deale vniustly with vs but if hee lay heauy punnishments vppon vs and we doe patiently abide them and loue God still heartily and vnfainedly it is a great comfort that we are his For who can loue God when hee is wounded by his hand but he that is vndoubtedly in his fauour and friendship Wherefore as God chastiseth those that belong to him because he loueth them so it is their duety to loue him because he chastiseth them Thirdly another signe of patience is humility and humbling our selues vnder his blowes and strokes laid vpon vs. If once we beginne to reason and dispute of the causes for which we suffer and say why should the Lord thus deale with vs or to vaunt of our sufferings in the spirit of vanity and say who is like vnto me or what man hath endured such things it is plaine and euident we are farre from true humility and consequently from true patience Iob is made a mirror of patience to all posterities to the ende of the world which did euidently appeare to be in him by the liuely fruits thereof And albeit he suffered much more then others yet in the middes of all his sufferings and losses he did not sinne Iob 1.22 and 2.10 nor charge God foolishly who being mooued to confesse his hypocrisie and being iudged an extraordinary wicked man by his extraordinary afflictions he answered Thou speakest like a foolish woman what shall we
heauen is not giuen but to those to whom it is prepared of the Father Matth. 20.23 and 25.34 But election is not of works but of grace and therefore is called the election of grace Rom. 11.5 This appeareth Ephe. 1. Ephe. 1 5.6 He hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will c. No man could be saued except Christ had come and had satisfied the iustice of God for the sinnes of the world by his precious blood for there is no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued Act. 4.12 but all his benefites proceed from grace and the euerlasting loue of God toward vs as Ioh. 3. Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the word that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life No man can be saued except he be effectually called to Christ and his Gospel outwardly by the word and inwardly by the Spirit but whence proceedeth this grace but from grace as the Apostle testifieth 2 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 1.9 Gal. 1.6 He hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was No man can be saued except he hath faith in Christ for the iust shall liue by faith Hab. 2.4 and without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11. But from whence haue we faith By grace as the Apostle witnesseth Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2.8 By grace ye are saued through faith that not of your selues None can be saued except he be iustified as Psa 34.15 16. The eies of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry but the face of the Lord that is his anger and indignation is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth But our iustification commeth from grace as Rom. 3. Rom. 3.24 We are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus No man can be saued except being iustified by faith he be also sanctified and renewed by the spirit of regeneration for except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3. But whence haue we this but from the grace of God as the Apostle expresseth Tit. 3. Tit. 3.6 The bountifulnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared and according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our Sauiour No man can be saued without good workes and a carefull and constant endeuour to walke in them for we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Ephe. 2.10 But how are wee inabled to performe them but by the grace and free gift of God as Ezek. 36. Eze. 36.26 â—â— A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you an heart of flesh and I wil put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my iudgements and doe them The like may bee saide of remission of sinnes No man can be saued without continuall forgiuenesse of sinnes for into many sinnes and offences we fall daily Iam 3.2 But this is giuen vs through his grace onely as the Prophet teacheth Esay 43. Esai 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake that is for no deserts of thine but thorough grace and fauour and will not remember thy sinnes and Ephe. 1.7 We haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Lastly no man is saued except he perseuere and continue in faith in loue in Christ in repentance in Christ and in all good works as Matth. 24. he that endureth vnto the end he shall be saued and Reuel 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life but from what root and fountaine proceedeth this gift and from whence hath it his beginning The Apostles and Prophets tel vs most plainely and directly as Iere. 32.39.40 Ier. 32.40 â— I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer I wil put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Phi. 1.6.29 and 2.13 God that hath begunne his good worke in his Saints will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Now as we haue said of all the rest so we may say of eternall life Rom. 6.23 that it is the free gift of God and therefore all his giftes and our saluation come not from our our merits but from his mercies not from our deseruings in whole or in part but from his free fauour in Christ Iesus Let vs come to the reasons and consider Reason 1 aright the causes hereof First of all God wil haue the praise and glory of his owne works and will not giue and grant ouer the same to another But if the graces of his Spirit were well deserued of vs and not freely bestowed vpon vs wee had matter of reioycing in our owne selues and of boasting against God The Apostle hauing shewed that the righteousnesse of God is made manifest without the Law saith Where is then the reioycing Rom. 3.27 and 4.2 It is excluded And touching Abraham thâ— father of the faithfull he sayeth If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Likewise writing to the Ephesians chap. 2. By grace ye are saued through faith Ephe. 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gift of GOD not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe So then he giueth all his gifts freely that he may haue the whole praise of his mercy But so much as we take to our selues so much hee loseth of his glory Reason 2 Secondly he knoweth we haue nothing of our owne we craue our daily bread and drinke at his hands We are beggers and destitute of all good things and neuer are able to supply our owne wants Our owne penury is such that we haue nothing to boast off but our misery pouerty blindnesse nakednes and wretchednesse We were saith the Apostle dead in trespasses and sinnes â—he 2.1 2. wherein in times past we walked according to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience We are vnable to thinke or to doe any thing it is God must worke in vs the will and the deed it is he must draw vs before we can runne after him or come
the couetous person that hath the greatest plenty is much more tormented with desire of more then he that is satisfied with a small portion or pittance of the things of this life It falleth out oftentimes that such as haue least charge lying vpon them are most ouer-charged with this as with a most heauy burden This is that vanity that Salomon pointeth out Eccle. 4.8 Ecclesiastes chapter 4. There is one alone and there is not a second yea he hath neither childe nor brother yet is there no end of all his labour neither is his eye satisfied with riches neither saith he For whom doe I labour and bereaue my soule of good It is not abundance or masses and mountaines of gold and siluer that can quench this vnsatiable thirst but thereby it is rather encreased For as more wood put to the fire augmenteth the flame and the heat so the desire of many by addition of wealth is multiplyed He is fitly compared to the man possessed with an vncleane spirit Chrysost in Matth. 8. hom 29. in Mat. 26. hom 82. who wore no cloathes but had his dwelling among the tombes and mountaines no man could binde him nor tame him but he brake the fetters and pulled the chaines asunder and cut himselfe with stones Mar. 5.3 Luke 8.27 He was exceeding fierce but couetous men are farre worse He that was possessed was deliuered by the word of Christ and the diuell was driuen away and left his hold but they that are seruants or slaues to their money will not hearken vnto Christ they haue so much of this earth in their eares or rather in their hearts that albeit they heare him daily preached vnto them and sounding as a shrill or loude trumpet yet they beleeue not they yeeld not they obey not The man possessed spared not such as came neere him but they spoile and rauin as wel afar off froÌ„ them as hard by them they spare none whom they catch in their snares not friends not kinsmen not brethren they teare them and rent them in pieces whomsoeuer they can compasse Hee went naked but these clothe themselues sumptuously except such as grudge themselues apparrell with the spoiles of others as if they had taken them prisoners in the day of battel and make them goe naked or in threed-bare coates that come in their way He smote himselfe not knowing what he did but these smite and kill others secretly they grinde the faces of the poore and pull off the skin from their backes He abode among the graues and tombes of the dead but these are very sepulchers themselues For what is a tombe but a stone couering the body of the dead What then are not their bodies much more wretched and miserable then those stones which couer their dead soules dead in sinne and as stinking carcasses casting out a loathsome sauour And to this purpose Christ speaketh to the Pharisees Matth. 23.27 Matth. 23.27 Ye are like to whited sepulchers full of extortion excesse full of hypocrisie and iniquity This sinne hath diuerse branches vnder it according to the diuers practises of it first The branches of coetousnesse when men seek only or principally for worldly goods neglecting or not regarding spirituall graces in comparison of them Wee are charged to lay vp our treasure in heauen Matth. 6.19 20 33. where the moth cannot corrupt it nor theeues steale it We are commanded to seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse But whatsoeuer God require of vs the greatest sort doe what they list for as Esau sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Heb. 12.16 Religion 〈◊〉 regarded So doe prophane men sell their soules for old shooes and saluation purchased by Christ at a most deare rate for a song This may seeme strange vnto some but there is nothing will appeare more true if we consider the course of the world and obserue the liues of men This is the sinne of our age wherein the least profit and pleasure is cared for aboue true religion Euery drunken feast is cause sufficient with vs to intermit the worship of god Euery prophane meeting of prophane men is valued and prized aboue the word of the eternall God Euery feast that after a heathenish manner is yeerely solemnized giueth occasion to multitudes to prophane and pollute the Sabboth that ought to be sanctified with publike and priuate duties agreeable vnto it and to set that banket at nought to which God inuiteth vs by his Ministers Our thoughts our meditations our desires our delights are so taken vp with earthly things that though there be much preaching there is little profiting though there be much teaching yet there is little hearing little obedience The second branch of couetousnesse is to put our trust and confidence in the things of this life which is the idolatry of the heart as we noted before If we set our hearts vpon our goods we make them our God and the earth our happinesse Hence it is that Christ maketh it so hard a matter for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen as for a Camel to goe through the eye of a needle Matth. 19. Matth. 19. â—â— because they trust in their riches Mar. 10.24 Mar. 10.24 Likewise the Apostle chargeth Timothy to charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded neither trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God who giueth vs richly all things to enioy 1 Tim. 6.17 The third branch is when we regard and respect onely our selues It is not enough that we doe no harme with them God requireth that we doe good Christ shall say at the last day I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not goe into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels That euill seruant that did not diuide his substance among his fellow seruants perished through his couetousnesse and he that receiued one talent and digged in the earth to hide it had it taken from him and heareth this sentence denounced against him Thou wicked and slouthfull seruant and vnprofitable Matth. 25. â— God bestoweth not his blessings vpon vs to fat our selues with theÌ„ as Oxen in a stall or as swine in a stye without all consideration of the Church or Common-wealth or of the poor but he hath made vs stewards and disposers of them to the glory of God and the good of others Verse 31. All they that were numbred in the campe of Dan c We see in this place that this last standard beareth the name of Dan whereby we see that God raiseth vp as a chiefe instrument in this mighty host one of the lowest sort one that was obscure in the family of Iacob which serueth to magnifie the mercy of God to depresse the pride of man Iacob in his last will and testament foretelleth the estate of this
saued Hence it is that in his prayer to his Father he saith I haue glorified thee on the earth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest mee to doe Ioh. 17.4 Iohn 17. Why doe we then reward him so vnkindly or what euill hath hee done vnto vs that we should deale so with him As hee teacheth that we cannot serue God Mammon so we cannot serue God and our selues There is no parting of stakes with him He hateth party-coloured Christians he will haue the whole man the whole obedience or else he reiecteth all Saul performed part of his will but because he did not all that he required hee was cast off 1 Sam. 15. Would we haue him partly to loue vs and partly to hate vs partly to be pleased with vs and partly to be offended God doth not thus diuide his loue and hatred Whom hee loueth hee loueth freely wholly effectually He so loued vs that hee spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs. The like loue ought we to returne vnto him againe Mar. 6. Herod hearing Iohn Baptistpreach the word reformed himselfe in many things Mar. 6. Act. 8.13 Simon Magus was baptized and professed the faith and continued among the people of God and wondered at the signes and miracles that were done But except our righteousnesse doe exceed the righteousnesse of these men we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen All these are halfe Christians that serue God to halfes like the Iewes that spake halfe Hebrew Neh. 13.24 and halfe Ashdod and worship God in one part and the diuell in another like the Colony of the strange nations transplanted in Samaria 2 Kin. 17.41 that feared the Lord and serued their grauen images also who while they would needes doe both are expresly charged not to feare the Lord Verse 34.35 neither to doe after the statutes and ordinances and commandements which the Lord commanded the children of Iacob whom hee named Israel So is it with all such as yeeld an vnperfect and vnsound obedience they thinke they serue God and obey his commandements but they are greatly deceiued and they may iustly be charged not to serue him at all For who required this halfe or halting obedience at their hands Against all this maimed and mangled duty we will oppose the practise of Dauid a man after Gods heart in the 119. Psalme where he many times discouereth his zealous affection as verses 5.6 O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes then shall I not be ashamed when I haue respect vnto all thy commandements Psal 119.5.6.13.101 And verse 13. with my lippes haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth And verse 101. I haue refrained my feete from euery euill way that I may keepe thy word Where wee see his manner of seruing the Lord how farre different it is from ours he had respect vnto all his commandements not to some only he refrained his feet from euery euill way not frō some only Let vs follow his worthy holy example and doe that which is right in the sight of the Lord 1 King 15.5 and not turne aside from any thing that he commandeth vs all the dayes of our life so shall Gods name be glorified so shall he be well pleased with vs and so shall wee haue comfort and others instruction through our obedience Lastly they are also reprooued The fourth reproofe that thinke it enough to serue God outwardly to bee seene of men and worship him through hypocrisie like vnto them that looke to the garment but neglect the body so doe these looke to the body but neglect the soule For as we shewed before that he who maketh no conscience of one commandement but of purpose and custome breaketh the same is guilty of all because if like occasion were offered he would breake all the rest Iames chapter 2. verse 10. So such as looke only to the outside and to turne their face toward religion doe make it manifest that there is no religion in them at all It is strange to see how smoothly and deuoutly some will carry themselues who notwithstanding bewray the hollownesse of their hearts These are they that make cleane the outside of the cuppe and of the platter Matth. 23.25.27 that are like vnto whited sepulchers which indeed appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all vncleannesse Matthew chapter 23.25 27. Thus it fared with Iudas he serued God outwardly and the diuell possessed him inwardly If a man could deceiue the eternall God as well as blinde the eyes of a mortall man there might bee some colour for this colourable worship But God is not mocked He that framed the heart looketh into the heart and searcheth into the corners and secret chambers of the heart And albeit it be deceitfull aboue all things yet it cannot deceiue him There was neuer in any age place for hypocrisie but in regard of the loose and corrupt times into which we are cast if we were but politike and wordly-wise wee would bee any thing rather then hypocrites Nothing worse then hypocrisie which is to expose our selues to all infamy contempt and reproch Religion among the greatest sort is made a by-word and the religious make themselues a prey What wisedome then is in vs to lay open our selues to such indignities obloquies slanders and false accusations and in the meane season to want the inward peace of a good conscience and true comfort of a pure heart and that which is more then all to want the fauour of God and his louing countenance toward vs who hateth vs as his secret enemies for our hypocrisie Hypocrites therefore are iustly abhorred of God man They draw neere to God with their mouthes but their mindes are farre from him Matt. 15. Their worship is like to counterfect money which is gilded outwardly but within is nothing but brasse or such like base stuffe so that all is not gold that glistereth Or like the apples which grow at the dead Sea where sometimes Sodome and Gomorrha stood which are faire in colour beautifull in shew and maruellous in greatnesse but when you come to touch them or to handle them they turne to dust and cast out a filthy sauour more vnpleasant to the nostrils then they were pleasant before to the eyes Thus it is with hypocrites they appeare beautifull before men they loue to be well thought off by them and haue many times more glorious shewes then other that are more sound within because they study nothing else but how to get the applause and praise of the world Such a one was Iudas among the Apostles Such were Ananias and Sapphira among the disciples Let vs take heede we be not like them or if we will be like them let vs know that as we ioyne with them in their sinne we must also partake with them in their punishments who dyed not the common death of
perswaded though one rose from the dead He vnderstandeth heereby the writings of the olde Testament these he opposeth against all visions and reuelations as we also do against all traditions these these I say are sufficient to bring vs to Christ to saluation to heauen These are sufficient to keepe vs from hell and destruction and euery euill way Wherefore whatsoeuer belongeth to doctrine or to good life is found in them we haue direction by them to all things whatsoeuer belong vnto vs to do It is the commendation of a good Law to leaue as little vndecided and vndetermined and out of the compasse of the Law as is possible Such as write of the gouernment of Common-wealths do giue this rule that it behoueth these rules that are well made Arist 1 beâ— li. â— 1. cap. 4. as neere as may be to determine of all things and to leaue as few as they can to the arbitrement and discretion of the Iudges Men are oftentimes passionate passions hinder iudgment and the finding out of truth The Iewes to whom were committed the Oracles of God were directed by them in the least things they had to do Our estate is not left worse then theirs who beside the same direction that they had haue also the noble addition of the new Testament which were written that we might beleeue and in beleeuing haue euerlasting life Iohn 20 31. Secondly this doctrine serueth to direct informe the Ministers what to teach preach Vse 2 vnto the people and the people what to beleeue wherein to rest whereupon to builde their faith and to settle their conscience The matter giuen them in charge to deliuer and commend to the care and consideration of the hearers is the word of God They are to teach nothing else but what Christ their Lord and Master hath commanded to be obserued Mat. 28 20. We must follow the example of Paul 1 Cor. 11 23 who deliuered nothing to the Corinthians but what he had receiued of the Lord. If they strike at sinne any otherwise their weapon is not sharpe enough to cut it downe for whereas they should draw out the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Eph. 6 17. they giue it a blow with a leaden dagger and whereas they should ouerthrow it with the push of a pike they runne at it with a bulrush It is the word that is mighty in operation and entreth into the soule is able to cast downe euery thing that exalteth it selfe against the kingdome knowledge of Iesus Christ It is the word onely that is the food of the soule and is able to affoord wholesome nourishment Let vs not teach the people our owne deuises which is to feed theÌ„with chaffe that hath no strength in it Let vs deale as workemen that need not be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright 2 Tim. 2. And concerning the people they must not affect such teaching as is most plausible but such as is most profitable not that which may please the eare but that which may moue the heart The end of our comming to the house of God must not be to delight our selues but to reforme our liues Neither ought we so much to attend what learning they shew as what sin they reproue that so we may come to repentance The more they open our vnderstandings by the key of the Scriptures the better we are to account of them Thirdly it serueth to reproue those that Vse 3 do rush headlong headstrong in their actions and course of life not caring what they do as desperate men that feare not their flesh or as foolish Marriners that runne their Ship vpon the Rockes and neuer aske counsell at the mouth of the Lord. If any aske how this may be done â—ct and say we desire nothing more then to know the mind of the Lord but how can this be seeing he is in heauen and we are vpon the earth I answer â—â—â—â—er it is not hard or vnpossible for vs to consult with God and to resolue as from God and to know his will We must search into his word for hee yet speaketh vnto vs in the Scriptures When the word speaketh know that God speaketh vnto thee and set it downe with thy selfe as a certaine truth that is surer then the heauens that when thou hearest the word thou hearest him and whensoeuer thou despisest the word thou despisest him The Scripture is as the voice of God and therefore the Prophets so often repeate this to the people in all their sermons â— 1 4 22 â—d 23.2 Heare ye the word of the Lord thus saith the Lord. A man will not aduenture vpon a temporall possession without the aduice of his learned counsell nor a sicke person vpon strange meates without the aduice of his Physition How then shall we dare in matters that concerne our soules and may put vs in hazard of our saluation to vndertake sundry actions without knowledge of the word and so without warrant assurance whether they please God Hence it is that God oftentimes reproueth his people because they did that which he had not commanded the Prophets charge them with this as a sinne against him because they entred vpon those things whereof hee had not spoken and which neuer entred into his heart as Ier. 7 31 32. They haue built the high places of Tophet which is in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom to burne their sonnes and their daughters in the fire which I commanded them not neyther came it into my heart And to that purpose saith the Prophet Esay chap. 30 verse 2. They walke to go downe into Egypt and haue not asked at my mouth c. Neither let any obiect that this is spoken in matters of great weight and importance as in points of faith or of the worship of God without which a man cannot be saued and which the word in other places hath determined for this were great iniury to the word of God to pinne it and pound it vp in so narrow a corner so short a compasse that it should be able to direct vs only in the cheef principall points of our religion and not in matters of lesser moment of our profession This doth mightily shrinke vp the sinewes of the Scripture and binde vp the armes of it which otherwise extend farre and neare Remember that in the booke of Ioshua â— 9 14. the children of Israel are charged by the Prophet that they asked not counsell at the mouth of the Lord when they entred into couenant with the Gibeonites and yet that couenant was not made contrary to any commandement of the Lord. For howsoeuer it seemeth to many that they ought to haue beene put to the sword and to haue dyed the death because they were in the number of those Nations that dwelled in the inheritance of the people of God promised to Abraham and his posterity long before yet if
the matter be well considered it will not be hard to vnderstand that with condition of yeelding themselues to the subiection of the Iewes and of conformity to the true religion of God they might be receiued For what was the cause that they were forbidden to enter into league with them but this that they dwelling among them might draw them to a false worship of God Deut. 20 18. Lest they teach you to do after all their abhominations which they haue done vnto their gods so should ye sinne against the Lord your God But when they offered to yeelde themselues to the Iewish both religion and subiection there was no feare of defiling thē or of withholding and withdrawing them from the seruice of God True it is if they did resist or withstand them as the greatest part of the Canaanites did who came out to meete them and prouoked them to battell and were so farre from submitting themselues to God his people that they stirred vp one another and ioyned their forces together to stand out vnto death it was not lawfull to spare eyther sexe or age eyther women or children eyther young or old If it had beene vtterly vnlawfull and against the expresse word of God to make any league with any of the Canaanites Ioshua and his Princes had done wickedly to haue kept their oath with them after they had vnderstood their fraud and falsehood considering that all oathes made directly against the word of God and his expresse commandement are vtterly vnlawfull and consequently to bee broken lest we adde sin vnto sin The Spies also sent out by Ioshua Iosh 2. had done euill which entred into a league with Rahab the harlot and bound themselues with an oath which oath notwithstanding was solemnely obserued Yea Salomon had done euill who in his best and flourishing state of his kingdome receiued the Amorites which voluntarily yeelded themselues vnto his obedience and that which is more to the obedience of the Lord who notwithstanding grew into one body of the Church of GOD with the people of Israel 1 Kin. 9 20. and ioyned themselues with them freely forwardly in the restoring of the Temple The like wee might say of Dauid whose example we touched before albeit the LORD had expressely reuealed in his word that there should bee a standing place where the Arke of the Couenant should rest and the Tabernacle with the seruice belonging vnto it should haue a certaine abiding and albeit there was no expresse word of God that forbad him to builde the Temple yet the LORD reprooueth his resolution albeit he commendeth his zeale and good affection because he had giuen no commandement concerning the person that should builde it 2 Samuel chapter 7 verse 7 or the time when it should be builded So then we learne by all these examples as well by such as did against the commandement as by those that did attempt and aduenture vpon things without a commandement that they are iustly reprooued that neuer regard the word of God in any of their waies neither aske counsell at his mouth that neuer consider what GOD alloweth and approoueth but rashly breake into the practise of things incident to their life and yet haue no other guide to leade them nor counseller to aduise them nor teacher to instruct them nor warrant to beare them out otherwise then their owne mind and meaning which in matters of God and parts of his worshippe are blinde and peruerse Aske these men what approbation they haue from God or what assurance to their owne consciences that they please him they are able to say nothing at all Let me tell these men that which I would haue them marke and oftentimes to thinke on it vpon their beds euen betweene the Lord and their owne soules as they will answer it before the great Iudge of all the world when they shall appeare before him that whatsoeuer you do though they be good things yet to you that are ignorant and know not what you do to you it is a sinne and in you it is no vertue It is a notable duty to heare the word of God it is one marke of Christs sheepe and one step into his kingdome but if ye come to this ordinance of God Ezek. 33 31. as the people commonly vse to come onely to do as your honest neighbours do and because the law requireth it haue no other knowledge of it your hearing is abhominable in you and no more pleasing in the sight of almighty God then if you should cut off a dogges necke to offer vnto him Esay 66 3. We are commanded to come often to the holy Supper of the Lord and to prepare our selues reuerently and religiously to that action It is a worthy instrument of God which he hath ordained for the confirmation of our faith many of vs come often vnto it all of vs at Easter but if we come vnto it onely because it is a common custome so to do and we are loath to be singular and know not that both God commandeth the practise of it and our owne infirmity cryeth out for the necessity of it his table is made a snare vnto vs and we sin against Christ so that we receiue no more benefit by eating the bread and drinking of the cup of the Lord then the Gentiles that were partakers of the table of diuels 1 Cor. 10 21. and did drinke the cup of diuels and did offer sacrifice vnto Diuels Woe then to all ignorant persons that take vpon them to performe duty and seruice vnto God and yet know not what duty seruice he requireth at their hands Oh that they would or could vnderstand that the best workes which they do performe euen such as God commandeth are no better then sinnes and abhominations in them that doe they know not what as blinde men that shoote at a marke Oh that they would or could pray vnto God to open their eyes to see their own wretchednesse and to consider that the most holy parts of Gods worship which they performe are a sacrifice of fooles that know not that they do euill Then would they learne the difference between things done in knowledge and such as are done in ignorance then would they praise GOD for the light of his truth reuealed vnto them and then would they confesse with all their hearts that they would not stand in the former state wherein they liued if an whole kingdome or all the pompe and glory of the world were giuen vnto them To conclude let them beare this away with them also that God will not be serued with good meanings or good intents which is all that the greatest part can say for themselues we are simple people we are not book-learned we meane well we hope we haue as good soules vnto God as the proudest of them all we do what we can we hope God will beare with the rest This is the religion of such as think
and Paul chargeth the Philippians to let their patient and equall mindes bee knowne to all men But of this vertue of contentation we haue spoken at large before â—he fift reâ—oofe Fiftly it reprooueth such as contemning their owne callings as vile and base become male-content and thinke better of themselues and their owne gifts then there is iust cause and better then they would indeed if they rightly and truely knew themselues Such are all ambitious and aspiring spirits that loue to be aloft and scorne to be below that seeke for themselues an higher place and a better estate then God hath alotted vnto them as if the bramble should seeke to be promoted ouer the rest of the trees If our first parents through the tentation and instigation of Satan grew discontent with that estate wherein they were created sought to be as Gods knowing good euill Gen. 3 verse 5 no marueile if their posterity draw this corruption from them as the childe that sucketh the brest of his mother Absolom through his high mind 2 Sam. 15 4. was moued to fawne vpon the people and to seeke his fathers kingdome and life also iudging basely of his present estate and climbing vp to an higher What caused the Scribes and Pharisies to contemne and disdaine Christ and his Disciples Mat 23 6 7. but this they loued the chiefe places at feasts and desired the highest seates in the assemblies and looked to be greeted and saluted by men Rabbi Rabbi What was the cause that Diotrephes would not receiue Iohn and the other faithfull Ministers of the word 3 Iohn 9. but did prattle with malicious words against them neither would he himselfe receiue them nor suffer others to entertaine the brethren He loued to haue the preheminence in the Church Loe here the horrible plague and as it were the ranke poison of pride vain-glory and ambition These are the causes of all confusion and disorder These weeds must be pulled out of our hearts by the contrary graces if we would haue any wholesome hearbs grow therein We haue many sharpe tooles lent vs put into our hands if we list to set them on worke to grub them vp by the rootes First we must consider the state of our bodies what it is We are but dust and ashes Meanes to pull downe pride and ambition and to dust we must returne Gen. 3. What a vaine and foolish thing is it to thinke so highly of our selues that were raised out of the earth do carry about vs the matter of our mortality If we had come downe from heauen and had our beginning aboue the Clouds we should haue had wherein to glory but being all of vs fraile and mortall creatures that are here to day and lye in the dust to morrow like the grasse of the fielde Math. 6 30. which flourisheth for a time and by and by withereth away what vanity hath possessed our hearts that earth ashes should waxe proud Our life standeth wholly in vncertainty it is appointed to all men once to die and after death commeth iudgement Heb. 9 27. Neither do we know at what houre the Lord will come Math. 24 42. Why then should we soare so high seeing we must lie so low Why should we say in our hearts I will ascend into heauen seeing our pompe shall be brought downe to the graue and the wormes must couer vs Secondly we are altogether set vpon sin and bring foorth the bitter fruites of our corruption in regard whereof we are more wretched then other creatures They sinne not against God they prouoke him not to anger but keepe their originall condition wherein they were created but we miserable sinners are turned out of the right way and become abhominable so that there is none that doth good no not one Rom. chapt 3 verse 12. If then we will glory of our selues or any thing in our selues we must glory in our shame hauing nothing of our owne but sinne and iniquity Thirdly we are not able of our selues so much as to thinke one good thought neither are we sufficiently furnished to doe the least and smallest duty that God requireth of vs we haue the spawne and seed of all sinne in our nature We are ready to fall into the most horrible sinnes except God sustaine vs and hold vp our heads and strengthen our weake knees We cannot set forward one foot toward the kingdome of heauen It is as vnpossible for vs to doe any good as for a dead carcase to flie We are as poore miserable wretches that are dumbe and cannot speak blind and cannot see deafe and cannot heare The Prophet acknowledgeth that he is a man of vncleane lippes Esay 6.5 and another confesseth he could not speake Ier. 1.6 our eares also are stopped so that we cannot heare the voyce of God that we might liue Ioh. 8.47 Matth. 13.13 our eyes are closed vp so that seeing wee see not but grope as blind men in the darkenesse The light shined in darkenes and the darknesse comprehended it no Ioh. 1.5 Men naturally take themselues to be sharpe eyed and quicke sighted Ioh. 9.41 but because they say We see therefore their sinne remaineth because the carnall mind is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 Fourthly whatsoeuer gifts are bestowed vpon vs we must thinke meanely and humbly of our selues and of them The Apostle willeth vs to decke our selues with lowlinesse of mind Phil. 2.3 and that each esteeme other better then themselues We know that our best gifts are stained with many blemishes we feele our owne corruptions more then the corruptions of other men so that Gods grace and our nature are ioyned together in one subiect We are not therfore to despise other men or dwell in the contemplation of their imperfections but be alwayes working vpon our selues and considering our owne vnworthinesse that so we may more and more mortifie the deeds of the flesh and grow in the graces of Gods Spirit Fiftly let vs set before vs the example of our Lord and Master Iesus Christ we must be ready to learne of him the lesson that he offereth to teach vs by word example Hence it is that he calleth all to him that are weake and weary and saith Take my yoke vpon you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Matth. 11.29 He disdained not to wash the feet of his disciples to teach them humility not only by doctrine but by practise He is a perfect patterne as of all other vertues so also of this and therefore the Apostle setteth him before vs for our imitation Phil. 2.5 6. Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God c. He made himselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon
the reasons so let vs hearken Vse 1 to the vses First of all this ought to be a strong motiue vnto vs to mooue vs to desire this calling It is an encouragement vnto vs to enter into it a good warrant that it is lawfull to desire it Who doth not desire honour excellency in this world Saul being threatened to haue the kingdom rent from him desired that Samuel would honour him among the people God lifteth vp the heads of those that are fitted to this calling Iob 33. Obiect who are as one of a thousand But is it indeed lawfull will some say to affect this calling to desire the office of a Byshop may a man seeke and sue for it I answere Answer neither euery man nor all desire is warranted There are two sorts of men two sorts of desires Some men are fitted and some are vnfit There is a desire that is good and there is a desire that is euill according as the fountain is out of which they issue proceed The corrupt desire ariseth sometimes from ambition and sometimes frō couetousnes delighting to set out themselues or coueting to enrich themselues For some are possessed and puffed vp with the spirit of pride and vaine glory setting out thēselues with shewes of worldly wisedome and magnifying themselues and their gifts to tickle wanton and delicate eares others make the Ministery as their last shift and refuge when they haue made shipwracke of a good conscience and know not otherwise how to liue This is a wicked preposterous desire For as such as haue neither learning nor honesty neither are willing to labour for their liuing when they can no longer maintaine themselues their last remedy is to turne Ale-house-keepers and to set vp tipling houses so such as haue gottē a litle smattering knowledge as shreds or scraps gathered from other mens tables haue peraduenture baited their horses in the Vniuersitie though they be as farre from sound or setled skill in Diuinity as their horses when they know not which way to turne themselues to liue neither can shift any more their scandalous and lasciuious courses being descryed and perceiued of all men beginne to thinke of the Ministery and make that a meanes to maintaine them idlely loosely and wickedly This desire is sinfull and carnall woe vnto such as thus desire the calling woe vnto such as helpe them to it and as it were hold the stirrup vnto them while they mount vp into Moses chaire woe vnto them that suffer them to haue entrance and giue them easie passage to make houocke of the sheepe of Christ and woe vnto that people that haue such a plague sent in among them to destroy their soules But besides this there is an holy and godly desire comming from the true feare of God and the zeale of his glory when he giueth vnto a man this purpose and resolution to consecrate himselfe to the Ministery of the Church and to put in practise such gifts as are bestowed vpon him The former sort desire the honour not the worke the maintenance but not the paines Such as desire it to be reuerenced are ambitious such as affect it to be maintained are couetous They that are set in this calling ought to be reuerenced but they ought not to respect that as the ende of their entrance into it they ought to be maintained but that should not be their principall marke but Gods glory and the peoples good Blessed are they that haue this godly desire blessed be God that hath put it into their hearts and blessed are that people that haue such a conscionable Pastor set ouer them to reueale vnto them the counsels of God and the mysteries of saluation These men feeling the blessing of God vpon their studies and themselues in some good measure fitted and furnished for this function are willing to exercise their giftes and employ their talent which is indeed one part of their calling Hence it is that Paul saith Ro. 1.15.16 So much as in me is I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also for I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth c. Hee acknowledgeth himselfe a debter vnto all men God is the creditor who hath giuen out his money to euery one of his seruants that they should gaine euery one to their master not to themselues the money committed is his gifts and graces that he hath distributed vnto them according to his owne pleasure so that we hauing receiued not onely to beleeue our selues but to teach faith vnto others ought to be ready willing prompt and prepared to employ such giftes as are bestowed vpon vs. Thus also doth the Apostle Peter teach the Elders 1 Pet. 5.2 to feede the flocke of God which is among them taking the ouersight therof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde c. And in the old Testament the Prophet Esay when his tongue had beene touched with a coale from the Altar and that he had heard the voyce of the Lord saying Whom shall I send doth of his owne accord offer himselfe and his seruice Behold here I am send me Wherefore Esay 6.8 whomsoeuer the Lord God shal cal immediately by his Spirit and furnish with gifts requisite for a Minister he will also touch his heart with willingnesse and readinesse to employ those graces and to set them on worke he will giue him a desire to glorifie him in the seruice of the Church and to gaine soules to his Master Christ Secondly it reprooueth sundry abuses of Vse 2 such as transgresse against this truth and dash their foote against this doctrine as against a stone as if they meant violently to oppose themselues against it or knew not that therin they fight against God which may be reduced to three heads First such as abuse their persons and tread vpon them as their footstoole Secondly such as contemne the Ministery it selfe as base and vile Thirdly such as deny them any maintenance fit for their calling One sort are wretched and prophane another proud high-minded the third worldly and couetous Touching the first sort The first reproofe it is too common a practise in the world to scorne and scoffe at the Ministers of the Gospel which is as much as to make open profession to be voyde of all soundnesse and sincerity of religion For such as hate them and despise them because they are Ministers doe despise nay despite God himselfe and Christ our Sauiour as Luke 10.16 He that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Where Christ setteth downe this as a rule whereby euery man may examine his owne heart and make tryall of his religion and piety toward God euen by his affection and behauiour toward the Ministers of God It was neuer knowne since the world
with his sword in his hand and fighting did call for aide and on the other side dispraise the practise of him that withdrew himselfe out of the battell so soone as it was begun vnder colour pretence of praying for good successe affirming that God doth not accept the sacrifice of Cowards neyther receiueth their prayers because they are vnreasonable For they held it no reason that he which shooteth not should hit the white nor that he should win the victory that abideth not the battell neyther that he should haue any good that doth nothing toward it As then victory is wonne by labour not by sloth so shall we attaine the blessings of God by our endeuour not by our idlenesse It is required therefore of euery one of vs to consider our callings wherein we are placed We haue not all of vs one calling but diuers Some are set in the priuate family and some in the common-wealth and some in the Church of God all haue not one office but diuers We are trauailers in this world as passengers in a Ship â—ut in compa â— Lygur and â—uma who being there some for one businesse and other for another purpose do neuer meddle one with another but euery one careth for the discharging and dispatching of his proper office So ought it to be with vs we haue our proper calling and proper duties to be performed therein Be diligent in the duties of it and thou maist looke for a blessing vpon thy labours Sanctifie thy daily labours with daily praier but presume not that praier shall helpe thee without thine owne labour If thou shouldst pray to God all the day long to feed thee to cloathe thee to sustaine thee and thy family the idle mans prayer auaileth nothing We must pray vnto him when we begin our labours and blesse his name when we haue ended our labours but to call vpon him determining with our selues not to take paines or not determining with our selues to take paines is no better then to dally with GOD and deceiue our selues Lastly it is our duty to seeke to be acquainted Vse 3 with the word where we shall finde that plainely and particularly set downe which we would know In what state soeuer we are set we shall haue a sure guide to begin the works of our calling to goe forward in them and to perseuere vnto the end Heereby we shall be able to warrant our workes and know what duties God accepteth and what he accepteth not It is a light vnto our eyes and a lanterne vnto our steppes Psal 119 105. It is the commendation of Gods children to be conuersant in it In darknesse we cannot go safely without the helpe of a lanterne so are wee borne and brought vp in ignorance and continue therein vnlesse wee be guided by the word of God and his Spirit Many that want the knowledge direction of the Scriptures think they liue in the light walke in the light and behaue themselues as children of the day and are in as good a case and haue as good soules toward God as they that study the Scriptures and meditate in them day night They thinke it is not for simple men to meddle with the Scriptures but for Preachers and Diuines They thinke that knowledge maketh men worse and that none are worse men that none will deceiue a man sooner then they and therefore such as seeke to know God and to serue him according to his word they call in contempt and derision Scripture men But these ignorant beasts speake by the spirit of the diuell and oppose themselues against the expresse commandements of God and the approued examples of his setuants The Lord himselfe speaketh Hos 4 6. My people perish for want of knowledge The Apostle saith 1. Cor. 14 20. Be not children in vnderstanding but in maliciousnesse be as children The men of Berea are commended Acts 17 11. because they searched the Scriptures priuately to proue the truth of the doctrine which they had heard deliuered publikely But if knowledge as is pretended do make men worse then is it euill in it selfe and not good forasmuch as that which is good cannot make a man euill What then Dare any two-legged beast presume in the prophanenesse of his wicked hart to say that to know God and his will which is most pure and holy can make a man any worse Or that the more a man knoweth of Iesus Christ and christian religion the worse he should be A vile blasphemy O detestable impiety Will it make a seruant worse to know the will of his Master Or a subiect to know the Princes lawes and statutes It will be farther obiected Obiect There was neuer more knowledge and lesse practise a man may heare many speake much out of the Bible who notwithstanding are naughty men I answere â—wer be it so yet the cause is not their knowledge but want of grace it is not in the word but their owne corruption â— 1.22 They are fooles saith Salomon that hate knowledge and are enemies vnto it For all well doing in our callings proceedeth from faith and faith is grounded vpon knowledge and doth increase through knowledge Where there is no knowledge of Gods sacred and heauenly will â—s 4.1 2. men breake out without all conscience into swearing lying stealing whoring and killing Moreouer all they that can talke of the Scriptures make shew of them to others haue not by and by the knowledge of them for as much as they may alleadge more a great deale then they vnderstand â—biect Shall none then be saued wil some say but such as know the Scriptures can we not be led by Gods Spirit and serue him except we be conuersant in them I answere â—nswer no. The Spirit guideth no man without the word We are begotten anew by the immortall seed of the word Pet. 1. â—m 1. saith Peter Of his owne accord he hath begotten vs by the word of truth saith Iames. If then we be begotten by the word to a new life we are dead without it or rather haue no being of a true Christian No man can truely serue God vntill he know how to serue him It is God that teacheth how he will be serued and he teacheth onely by his word He hath no other schoole-house but the Scriptures such as thinke to learne his will otherwhere are much deceiued and will in the end prooue themselues the disciples of the diuell not the schollers of Christ forasmuch as hee that is of God â—h 8.47 heareth Gods word yee heare it not because ye are not of God No man can be saued without faith for without faith it is impossible to please God but faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.17 No man can be saued except he be regenerated for except we be borne againe we cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. but wherewithall shall a yong man clense his
wayes but by taking heed thereto according to his word Psal 116.9 No man can be saued except he feare God forasmuch as the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1.7 whereas fooles despise wisedome and instruction But none can possibly come to the feare of God but such as earnestly endeuor to know God as we see Pro. 2.1.5 My son if thou receiue my words and hide my commandements with thee c. then thou shalt vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God None can be saued that are foule and filthy in their liues and impure in all their wayes for no vncleane thing shall enter into his kingdome but where there is no knowledge of GOD there the mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse the throat is an open sepulcher the feet are swift to shed blood destruction and misery are in their wayes and therefore the Prophet saith I haue hidden thy word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Psal 119.11 If his word dwell in vs we haue a bridle to restraine vs from euill doing and when we are ready to breake out into sinne it pulleth vs backe and saith vnto vs Doe it not It layeth before vs the wil and wrath of God it teacheth vs what we ought to doe and telleth vs the danger if we doe it not It is our duty therefore to pray to God to giue vs the vnderstanding of his word and to resolue with our selues to performe whatsoeuer we reade in it If then we haue a warrant for that which we doe out of the word we haue comfort in our callings but if we follow the motion of our owne braines and haue no other light but of our owne nature to direct vs we liue in darkenesse Such as haue the light of the Sunne do trauell safely in respect of their bodies 2 Pet. 1.19 so if we haue the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles as a light that shineth in darke places we are in the safe way to saluation and are certaine we cannot misse of a perfect direction touching all the duties of our callings 17 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and vnto Aaron saying 18 Cut ye not off the Tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Leuites 19 But thus doe vnto them that they may liue and not die when they approach vnto the most Holy things Aaron and his sonnes shall goe in and appoint them euery one to his seruice and to his burden 20 But they shall not goe in to see when the holy things are couered lest they die The particular duties of the Kohathites being declared the reason is added and rendred in this diuision and then he passeth to the duties of the next familie Heere then Moses sheweth the cause why the Priests ought to couer all the Sanctuary and the appurtenances so that they ought not to be handled of the Kohathites vntill they were couered lest such as presumed to pry into them or to meddle with them otherwise then became the dignity honour and estimation of them were stricken with sudden death and so perish in their sinnes Thus God restraineth the curiosity of mans nature and teacheth it to be wise according to sobriety We are wont to contemne the duties of our owne calling as vulgar and common and to search into the things that belong not vnto vs yea the more we are forbidden to meddle the more we are desirous to be medling The reason in this place is framed thus If the vnreuerent handling of holy things procure the wrath of God and our destruction then we must take heed to the charge belonging vnto vs. But the vnreuerent handling of holy things doth so Therefore wee must take heed to the charge belonging vnto vs and not curiously meddle with other things Thus doth God hate and his soule abhorre the contempt of holy things when men giue way to their owne affections and through curiosity search farther then God alloweth Obiect Before we proceed to the doctrine a question may be asked out of these words why God permitteth the Priests onely to handle the instruments of the Sanctuary but forbiddeth the rest of the Kohathites vpon whose shoulders he layeth the burden to beare them so that he bindeth their hands from touching of them and restraineth their eyes from beholding of them vnder a great penalty lest they die I answere Answer this was done for diuers causes in respect of the ordinances themselues in respect of the other Tribes in respect of the Leuites and in respect of the Priests themselues First of all it was prescribed to procure greater reuerence vnto these holy ordinances of God among the people For when they should see how carefully they were to be handled how circumspectly to be couered and how orderly they were deliuered from one to another it serued to touch the hearts of all men with a reuerent regard and opinion of them and to deliuer them from the contempt of men Secondly when the rest of the Tribes of Israel should behold that many euen among the Leuites themselues albeit they were to minister to the Priests to do the seruice of the Tabernacle and to draw neere vnto God aboue the rest of their brethren yet euen they were kept from the touching of the Sanctuary I say the rest of the tribes were more humbled by it were touched with a feeling of their owne vnworthines and were mooued to giue honour to the Priests of God and those that were appointed to be their teachers Thirdly all occasion and matter of enuy was quite banished and taken away when the rest of the Leuites heard with their eares and saw with their eyes that their brethren the Kohathites had a charge so ful of dāger put vpon them and committed vnto them For God threatneth to destroy all such as presumed to touch any thing that was forbidden them An example whereof we haue in the men of Bethshemesh whō the Lord smote with a great slaughter because they looked into the Arke 1 Sam. 6.19 which sheweth the greatnesse of their sinne Lastly the Priests themselues the sonnes of Aaron were admonished to take heed lest through their negligence and carelesnesse they destroyed their brethren forasmuch as if any thing remained vncouered it would turne to their destruction Heereupon two other questions Questions may arise first how it standeth with Gods iustice to punish the Kohathites for the fault of the Priests and whether the sons of Aaron should escape whose fault it was if ought remained vncouered I answer Answer the fault is not the Priests alone nor the Kohathites alone but they partake together in the sinne and should suffer together in the punishment as they are threatned Exod. 28.43 We see it also in the example of Nadab and Abihu who were consumed with fire because they offered strange fire before the Lord Leuit 10 1 2. But most plainely Num. 18.3 The Lord said vnto Aaron Thy brethren
vnder others and euery one should continue in his state and standing without breaking the bounds limited vnto him If he be cursed of God and man Deut. 27 17. that remoueth his neighbours Land-marke much more are they to be reproued that exalt themselues beyond their callings like the seruants that breake from their masters The Elements keepe their places and the whole frame of heauen earth stand by the appointment of him that set them and set forth the glory of God therein so ought it to be with vs Psal 19 1. we haue our places assigned vnto vs. In euery estate whether we want or abound whether we be full or empty wee should be content Philip. 4. and not wittingly murmure against God or enuiously grudge against our brother or fradulently purloyne away his goods For first of all may not the Lord of all doe with his owne what he will Math. 20 verse 15. Or is our eye euill and our hand false because his eye is good and his hand liberall and bountifull Or who are we that thus dispute with him Is it not enough to bee of the Kings houshold but wee must also climbe higher and seeke to be of his priuie counsell Or is it not sufficient to be seruants in the family but we must also be Stewards ouer others Is it not foolishnesse and extreme madnesse to refuse to enter into the kingdome of Heauen because we may not bee chusers of our owne way as if a seruant should scorne to doe his masters seruice except he may waite vpō him in a better coate then his fellowes We were wont to say in a common Prouerbe that beggers must be no chusers we are all of vs poore beggers and liue by almes for albeit others beg of vs yet we all stand at the gate of Gods mercy and beg our bread of him saying Math. 6 11. Giue vs this day and this day our daily bread We cannot liue one houre without him nay in him we liue and moue and haue our being Acts 17 28. If he stop our breath we are gone and therefore we must depend on him Againe it is the preseruing of humane societies common-wealths that some should be superiors and some inferiors some should honour and some be honoured some rich 1 Sam. 2 7. and some poore some weake and some be strong some learned and some vnlearned some noble and some vnnoble without this no pollicy can stand No man must thinke the condition wherein he is placed more vnfit for him then for another nor imagine that hee hath deserued better then another at GODS hand to bee preferred before him nor surmise that hee hath any thing which hee hath not receiued nor iudge by ouervaluing himselfe and his owne worth that he hath merited much more then he enioyeth 1 Cor. 12 18. We see how it is with vs in our naturall bodies euery part is not an head or an hart or an eye we haue also hands and feete and these are necessary in their places Some members are more excellent and some lesse excellent but none can be spared Such then as lift themselues vp aboue their brethren and disdaine the places appointed for them because they are not high enough do carry about them euen in their owne bodies a sufficient witnesse against themselues Thirdly the Lord thus dealeth to manifest the glory of his wisedome and power he will cast downe those whom hee purposeth to aduance and many times afflict them with pouerty whom he meaneth to enrich with endlesse glory The Apostle Iames calleth vs to the consideration of this point ch 2 5. Hearken my beloued brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which hee hath promised to them that loue him It is a generall rule set downe by Christ our Sauiour in the Gospel whosoeuer lifteth vp himselfe shall be cast downe and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Thus he dealt with Ioseph with Dauid with Moses with Hannah and diuers others yea with his owne Sonne Luke 24 to whose image we must be like who must suffer many things at the hands of sinners before he entred into his glory and the liker we are made to him the more happy are we Fourthly let vs consider that we are heere as it were in a prison or pilgrimage in a place of bondage or banishment This world was not made to be our heauen or Paradise where we should haue ioy without sorrow pleasure without paine abundance without want health without sicknesse riches without pouerty and happinesse without misery We are heere as pilgrims and strangers when wee come into our Country and enter into that City Heb. 11 10. the builder and maker whereof is God we shall rest from our labours and receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory It were too great couetousnesse to desire two heauens one in earth another aboue the earth one in this life another after this life Our Sauiour speaketh vnto vs as vnto his children Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the Kingdome Luke 12 32. We are not now at home but from home neyther can we obtaine any thing heere that can make vs happy we are like to vanity and our daies are as a shaddow that vanisheth away We sigh and are burdened because we would be in our owne habitation This world and all things in it shall haue an end and there is no trust in it Fiftly it is Gods will to prooue our patience how we will beare affliction and take vp our crosse following him as becommeth the good Disciples of Christ Not thereby to gaine any knowledge vnto himselfe but to bring vs to the knowledg of our selues Hence it is that the Apostle Iames Iames 1◠Rom. 5 4. saith The trying of your faith worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed We thinke our selues strong before wee come to the battell but what our courage is cannot be knowne vntill the field be fought If wee haue resisted the enemy in the face and not giuen backe when we haue beene assaulted we haue sealed vp to our own soules what we can suffer for Christs sake knowing that which the same Apostle saith afterward Blessed is the man that endureth tentation for when he is tryed Iames 1 12 he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Lastly let vs set before vs the example of Christ who being the naturall Sonne of God Lord of heauen and earth the heire apparent of Gods glorious kingdome took vpon him the forme of a seruant humbled himselfe Phil. 2.7 and became obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse As his birth was so was his life and as his life was so was his death He was conceiued of a poore Virgin he was borne in a stable he was wrapped in swadling clothes
ignorantly like the blinde man that hitteth the white cannot be accepted of him or looke for any reward at his hands God will accept of none to be his seruants that know him not Will any man receiue into his seruice one that cannot see to dispatch his businesse and shall we thinke that God will admit blinde men that regard not to vnderstand his wayes and want their spirituall eyes to discerne betweene good and euill This we see by sundry examples as Psal 95.10 where the Lord rendreth this reason why the people erred in their hearts and greeued him forty yeeres in the wildernesse Psal 95.10 because they had not knowne his wayes It was the cause why the Sadduces denyed the resurrection Matt. 22.29 Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God This caused the Iewes to crucifie the Lord of life Act. 3.17 Now brethren I wote that through ignorance ye did it as did also your rulers for if they had knowne him they would not haue crucified the Lord of life This is it that maketh the proud iusticiaries of the world to rest in their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 because they know not the righteousnesse of God This was the cause of the idolatry of the Gentiles Gal. 4.8 When ye knew not God ye did seruice vnto them which by nature are no Gods So what was the cause but ignorance that moued Paul to persecute the Saints he rendreth this as the reason 1 Tim. 1.13 I was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and iniurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in vnbeliefe And as it is the roote that brancheth out into many sinnes so it is as pitch that defileth whatsoeuer it toucheth turneth good affections into euill and maketh them to decline and degenerate into sinne Religion deuotion hope feare being ioyned and guided with the eye and light of knowledge please God whereas without this sight they highly displease him For religion ioyned with ignorance begetteth and bringeth forth idolatry deuotion accompanyed with ignorance is no better then superstition hope ioyned with ignorance worketh presumption feare ioyned with ignorance engendreth desperation If we haue not knowledge to support and season vs we erre out of the right way and are deceiued beyond all measure Loue blinded with ignorance becommeth sottish Zeale patience and such like corrupted with ignorance are turned into brutish and sauage passions This reprooueth three sorts of men First the practise of the Church of Rome â—reâ— that taketh away the key of knowledge from the people and seeketh to bring in palpable darknesse These false teachers cannot endure that the people should enioy the light of the Scriptures They reade them in an vnknown tongue perswading them they may be most deuout when they are most ignorant that it shall goe well with them though they haue no faith of their owne but an implicit faith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth albeit they know not what it beleeueth These are they that notably abuse the people to their perdition and bewitch them with spirituall socery as they that bring Gods iudgments vpon their heads â—â—8 â— 13. and 〈◊〉 1. â— 10. â— 1. 8. for when a land is destitute of the knowledge of God al things are couered with darknesse and the persons are liable to his fearefull iudgements as is euident by sundry places of Scripture Dauid saith the blind and lame that mocked at him were hated of his soule so that such should not enter into his house 2. Sam. 5.8 Such as are spiritually blinde shall neuer enter into Gods kingdome they are all seers that shall come thither The want of naturall sight is nothing in comparison of the want of the eyes of the minde Our Sauiour pronounceth them blessed that are pure in heart â— 5.8 because they shall see God This sight of the minde is two fold partly in this life partly in the life to come one of them vnperfect the other perfect when we shall see him as he is This is eternall life to know God â— 3.2 it is eternall death not to know him and to be ignorant that God is our father that Christ is our redeemer and that the holy Ghost is our sanctifier â—â—econd â—ofe The second reproofe is of those that are children in knowledge that liue in the light and yet can see nothing The Sunne shineth brightly in their faces yet they shut their eyes Many thinke they haue religion enough if they haue a good mind and meaning and leade a ciuil life among their neighbours who like not such busy fellowes that will be medling euermore with the Scriptures They are accounted honest men and are well liked of all they pay that they owe they are iust of their word they deceiue no man But this ciuil conuersation and honest behauiour shall profit them nothing nor be able to bring them into the fauour of God nor giue them any title to the kingdome of heauen so long as they are destitute of knowledge forasmuch as they haue God their aduersary who will contend with them and plead against them neither will he know them that regard not to know him Others despise it and contemne it like the foole or idiot that casteth away a pearle or precious stone not knowing the value or worth of it These come to the Church sometimes and heare the word of God both read preached and yet are not so much as acquainted with the histories of the Scripture the principles of religion which are as milke for yong children They know not what faith is they are not acquainted with the meanes of our iustification they know not the difference betweene the Law and the Gospel neither the vse of the one or the other they cannot discerne any thing betweene the religion of Christ and of Antichrist Lastly The third reproofe it serueth to stoppe the mouthes of all proude and malicious slaunderers of the Gospel that accuse the preaching and publishing thereof as the cause of the sinnes and enormities that abound among vs as also of the plagues and pnishments that God hath inflicted vpon the land These men vttering the froth and scumme of their soule mouthes and belching vp the venome of their poisoned hearts cry out It was neuer wel since this new religion sprung vp since there was so much teaching and preaching that we haue so much knowledge and learning that we are well the worse for it The cause of Gods iudgements is not the preaching of the Gospel but the contempt of the Gospel and because we haue the light but loue darkenesse more then the light God iustly giueth ouer such prophane beasts into a reprobate sense Our great ignorance is the cause of our sinnes and that we are children of darkenesse rather then of the day of the night not of the light Are not these ashamed to say that the light of the Sun causeth men to stumble and goe
out of the way that the Chirurgian and his salue make the soare that the iudge maketh the theefe and the law the malefactour For they may as well affirme all this as that the word is the cause either of our sinnes or of our punishments which serueth to keepe vs both from Vse 4 the one and the other Fourthly hereby we must try who be good hearers of the word and who be not All of vs should come constantly diligently and continually but many among vs come seldome We would be loath to be accounted recusants but if we should come a little lesse we might worthily be so accounted We would be loath to be accounted Papists and indeed I thinke we should haue iniury done vs to be so called forasmuch as wee liue more like vnto Atheists We wold think our selues greatly slandered to be reputed worshippers of a false God and indeed we might so forasmuch as we are found to worship no God at all They wil plead no doubt for themselues that they are saued and sanctified hearers as well as the best and they would be ready to complaine of great wrong if they should bee charged to be in the number of euill hearers Matth. 7.21 But as Christ saith in the Gospel Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen so not euery one that challengeth the title of a right hearer is a good hearer indeed but the obedient hearer that bringeth forth fruit The end of the Law is obedience as Deut. 6.1 2 3. These are the commandements the statutes and the iudgements which the Lord your God commanded to teach you that ye might doe them in the land which yee goe to possesse that thou mightest feare the Lord thy God to keepe all his statutes and his commandements which I command thee thou and thy son and thy sonnes sonne all the dayes of thy life c. heare therefore O Israel and obserue to doe it that it may be well with thee c. Wherefore the doctrine that now we deale withal is as a touchstone to try what we are whether we be fruitfull or fruitlesse hearers It will bee no hard matter if we set our minds vnto it to make proofe and tryall whether we be altogether barren in bringing forth fruits or not The fig tree that had nothing but leaues vpon it and no fruit at all is cursed and hath this denounced against it No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for euer Mar. 11.14 The dresser of his vineyard said of another figtree wheron he sought fruit and found none for there is store of such Behold Luke 13.7 these three yeeres I come seeking fruite on this fig tree and finde none cut it downe why combreth it the ground Iohn the Baptist preaching repentance to such as came out of Ierusalem to his baptisme saith Euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire Matth. 3.10 The Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes to stirre them vp to be more zealous Heb. 6.7 8. and telleth them that the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth forth hearbes meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing from God but that which beareth thornes ana bryers is reiected and is nigh vnto cursing whose end is to be burned If any be an hearer of the word Iam. 1.23 24. and not a doer the Apostle Iames maketh him like vnto a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse for he beholdeth himselfe and goeth his way and streightway forgetteth what manner of man he was No man thinketh it hard to be able to discerne of land whether it be fruitfull or barren forasmuch as the crop that the field yeeldeth will easily discouer and discry the nature of the soile If the seed of the word that is sowen in our hearts do spring vp and bring forth new obedience it is a good heart feare it not doubt not of it but if there follow no growth or increase at all it is a barren heart look to it plough it vp digge about it and dung it that it may beare fruit otherwise it shall be cut downe and cast into the fire If we must all vndergoe this tryall what hearers we are woe vnto very many that are among vs feareful wil their estate be and lamentable will their barenesse and barrennesse appeare to be in good things There is no tree more destitute of fruite then their hearts are of faith and good workes There is no ground so ful of thornes bushes as their hearts are of sinne and corruption How many are there that liue in the Church that heare many instructions exhortations admonitions threatnings from the word that might make the stones relent yet neuerthelesse the more they heare the more deafe they are the more they are charged to doe the lesse they regard to practise the more the word would soften them the more their hearts are hardened and set against the truth Psal 58. ◠they are like the deafe adder that stoppeth her eare which will not hearken to the voyce of charmers charming neuer so wisely These are they that come together not for the better but for the worse 1 Cor. 11. and make the word to be the sauour not of life to life but of death vnto death 2 Cor. 2. How many are there that haue had and heard many perswasions to piety and godlines of life and yet shew themselues more wretched and prophane then before like vnto Pharaoh who when he had heard the word of the Lord hardened his heart and would not let the people go or like the Israelites who being mooued to repentance that they should make their wayes and their workes good answered desperately Iere. 18 ◠We will walke after our owne deuises and we will euery one doe the imagination of his euill heart How many are there that haue beene often stirred vp to sobriety and temperance in the vse of Gods good creatures that are so farre from bridling their vnruly riotous lusts that they are growne more excessiue intemperate in drinking and quaffing and spare not to rise early to follow drunkennes vntill the wine inflame them and take away their wits from them Esay 5.11 Wo saith the Prophet to all such When the commandement came vnto them sin reuiued so that the commādement which was ordained vnto life is found to be vnto death The like we might say of diuers and sundry sinnes reprooued by the word God hath said Sweare not at all Iam 5.11 neither by heauen nor by earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay be nay lest ye fall into condemnation Let vs see what this hath wrought still worketh in vs haue not many the more inured themselues to that horrible and detestable sin committed against
when wee can complaine of them speake euill of them deface and euery way disgrace them as carnall men do their vtter enemies it is a true signe that our hearts are touched by the Spirit of God as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Iohn 16 verse 8. When the Comforter is come he will reproue the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of iudgement Wee haue no greater enemies then our sinnes which are many in number strong in power deceitfull in snaring and dangerous in subduing of vs. They are in number as the sand on the sea shore that cannot be reckoned and moe then the haires of our head or then the houres that we haue liued They are as strong as an army of men set in battell aray who by their power and puissance haue strooke downe the chosen men of Israel They deceiue with their pleasures as the bird is taken in the snare and as the subtill harlot that flattereth with her mouth They bring danger both to soule and body and leaue vs not till wee perish for euer and be cast into the pitte of hel from whence there is no redemption Seeing then their nature is such that they carry vs headlong with violence into perdition we should also maligne them and hate them as death nay as him that hath the power of death that is the diuell Hebr. 2 verse 14. If we finde them too cunning and crafty for vs and our selues too weake to deale against them being armed with all the forces of Satan and of the world let vs goe to him that beeing stronger then that strong man is able to take away all his weapons Luke 11 verse 22. and binde him in chaines euen the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda Reuel 5 verse 5. that is able to stop the mouth of that roaring Lyon which seeketh whom he may deuoure 1 Pet. 5 8. He knoweth wherof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust And as he is of power to helpe vs and subdue our corruptions so he is of infinite mercy to pardon vs our sinnes He knoweth what is in vs better then we our selues know our selues forasmuch as he is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things If then we confesse our sinnes truely and vnfainedly as he is faithfull and iust 1 Iohn chap 1 verse 9. so he will forgiue vs he hath made the promise and the word is gone out of his mouth which he cannot call backe againe he hath vttered his voice and he cannot deny it no more then he can deny himselfe If he should reteine our sinnes we being penitent he should forfeit and falsifie his truth which cannot agree to the diuine nature and therefore as one rightly speaketh he should be a greater leeser then we This is euidently to be seene in the Psalmes of repentance penned by the Prophet Dauid as Psalme 32. At the first he sought by all the meanes that he could to hide his sinnes hee sendeth for Vriah and vseth sundry shifts to conuey him vnto his house and thereby to couer his sinne When that pollicy would not serue he sendeth secretly to Ioab to put him in place of danger and thē to retire from him that hee might fall by the sword of the Ammonites But whiles he seeketh all meanes to couer it God the searcher of hearts doth discouer it and sendeth his Prophet vnto him to reproue him Heereby euen by the Ministery of the word his heart is touched and he is made to see the greeuousnesse of his sin against whom he had sinned then he is not ashamed to acknowledge it and to leaue a memoriall of it in the Church for the good of others Thus he found wonderfull comfort by his confession and could finde none without it I acknowledged my sinne and thou forgauest mine iniquity Psal 32 5. The consideration of the multitude of our sinnes is able to bring vs to despaire but the confession of our sinnes is able to raise vp to hope againe and to stay vs vp with the mercies of GOD which are as flagons of wine to refresh vs. When Dauid had thus confessed that he had sinned God sent him a comfortable message that cheered his heart and quieted his conscience The Prophet that before threatned thundered out the Law now applieth precious balme and powreth wine and oyle into his wounds saying vnto him in the Name of God Thy sinne is pardoned They that are escaped by the mercy of God as it were from a dangerous shipwracke out of their sinnes would not come into the same case and condition againe for to gaine a kingdome nay all the kingdomes of the world When the sinfull woman confessed her sinnes by shedding abundance of teares and wiping the feete of Christ with the haires of her head hee answered concerning her as the Lord of life and comfort Many sinnes are forgiuen her for shee loued much Luke 7 verse 47. Thus he spake graciously and comfortably to the penitent theefe on the Crosse accusing himselfe reprouing his fellow iustifying Christ confessing his faith and asking forgiuenesse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. The more often we goe vnto God and confesse our sinnes before him the better it is for vs the more mercifully he will deale with vs the greater grace he will bestow vpon vs the farther he will remoue his iudgements from vs and the neerer he will approch vnto vs. Vse 3 Lastly let vs all labour after a right confession Many haue confessed their sinnes and yet found little comfort as Pharaoh Saul Iudas the Israelites and many others If we hope to speed better then these men then we must confesse better then they did If wee sinne with them and confesse as they did we shall reape no better fruite then they did We are apt to fauour and flatter our selues wee are possessed with selfe-loue Wee cannot looke vpon other mens vertues nor our owne vices we are blinde in seeing our owne faults wheras wee are sharpe sighted and quicke eyed to espie a little mote in other mens faces Wee should rather consider our owne wants to be humbled for them then the graces we haue to be puffed vp by them No man seeth the spots that be in his owne face so he discerneth not the sinnes that are in his owne soule He that would know his deformities taketh a glasse Iames 1 23. which sheweth vnto him what he is and how he is so if we would vnderstand our secret open sinnes we must behold our faces in the law of God for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3 20. Wee must therefore examine our selues touching this duty of confession and obserue diligently the true properties of it Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Not euery one that saith I am a sinner I am vncleane is a true conuert and a right penitent Nothing is more common thē to heare men say I confesse my selfe a
a foxe discouering his subtilty and deepe deuises that other men might bee admonished to take heed of him So then to conclude we must vnderstand that the things commonly reprehended are eyther doubtfull or manifest The doubtfull are not to be reprehended whether in themselues they bee true or false worthy or not worthy of reproofe because as it was said before loue is not suspitious but couereth the multitude of sinnes and interpreteth all things to the best and expecteth with patience vntill the light manifest and time discouer the things that are as yet hidden in darknesse This is to be obserued in doubtfull things wherein lyeth such a difficulty that we cannot iudge them without deseruing to be iudged our selues and yet the vngodly and prophane persons feare not to proceed against the godly in this kind Those things which are manifestly knowne are eyther good or euill A thing which is good is to he commended of vs and nothing to be detracted from the worthinesse and excellency thereof whether it be in our friends or enemies nay we are to praise and laud the Name of God for his graces bestowed vpon them and to take them as a patterne to follow If it be euill we are commanded to admonish and exhort and reproue our brother and if he be our friend Deut. 13 6. which is as our owne soule we ought so much the rather to do it howbeit alwaies in loue mildnesse patience and compassion The euill deeds which are manifest as they must be reprehended so they may be iudged considering that Salomon saith Prou. 24 24 25. He that saith vnto the wicked Thou art righteous him shall the people curse Nations shall abhorre him but to them that rebuke him shall bee delight and a good blessing shall come vpon them Of such deeds as are manifestly good or euill the Prophet Esay speaketh chap. 5 20. Woe vnto them that call euill good and good euill that put darkenesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Whereby we do learne how to answer the ignorant obiection of foolish men Obiect who wheÌ„ they offend by continuall and common swearing by lying by blasphemy by prophaning of the Sabbath by the contempt of the word by whoredome by drunkennesse such like workes of darknesse being reproued for the same by the word Gods iudgments threatned against them are ready to say You are not to iudge of me no more then I am to iudge of you there be many now adaies will take vpon them to iudge men I am sure they do not learne that in Gods booke which saith Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged They go beyond their commission they take vpon them Gods office for he is our Iudge See heere the peeuishnesse and partiality of these men to whom it may said that out of their owne mouthes they may be iudged For who are they that trespasse against their brethren transgresse against the Law of God more then they or who sit in the seat of God proudly vsurpe a mastership and authority to iudge euen the thoughts of mens hearts beside themselues Who are they that bolster out euill in themselues in their companions and consorts and cannot abide that any good should bee done by others like those that would neither enter into the kingdome of heauen themselues neither suffer them that would enter but forbad them Lu. 11 52. Euery tree is knowne by his fruite If I see a tree bring foorth good fruite am I become a Iudge if I say this is a good tree And if I see euill fruite or no fruite do I steppe vp into the place of God if I say this is an euill tree In like manner if a man see a common drunkard or heare a wretched swearer or marke a continuall contemner of the Lords day and such as make a practise of all sinne boldly and are not ashamed if he say assuredly this is a naughty fellow doth he iudge because he speaketh the truth and telleth what he is and warneth others to beware of him What Shall he account him a good man wheÌ„ he seeth he is starke naught but theÌ„ he should be vnder the Prophets curse and bring a woe vpon his head because he calleth euill good and bitter sweete and darknesse light as we heard before And indeed if we will speake the truth such need not to be iudged of vs inasmuch as they haue giuen iudgement of themselues and haue shewed euidently what they are Touching the words of Christ alledged and pretended by them Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged Math. 7 1. they do not forbid all kinde of iudgement but condemne that which is corrupt rash and vnlawfull which one man giueth vniustly vnaduisedly and vndiscreetly of another as when we can espy quickly small faults in others are blinde to discerne grosser and greater in our selues This practise of rash iudgement breaketh out of themselues as euill sauours out of a rotten corrupt body for let a man be more carefull then themselues to serue God and to walke in his waies they will by and by enter into the secrets of his heart which God onely knoweth not sticke proudly peremptorily to pronounce that they are hypocrites whereas let a man shew them out of the plaine word of God the prophanenesse of their hearts manifested by the greeuous corruptions of their liues the open abhominations committed by them in all their waies they wil answer readily you ought not to iudge so that it falleth full vpon them which the Apostle alledgeth against such men Rom. 2 1 2. Thou art inexcusable O man whosoeuer thou art that iudgest for wherein thou iudgest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that iudgest doest the same things but wee are sure that the iudgement of God is according to truth against them that commit such things Vse 3 Lastly be carefull of this duty to maintaine the good name of our brother which is more worth then all riches and of greater value theÌ„ precious stones We ought to thinke of euery one as well as may be and extend our charity as farre as possibly we can albeit they be our vtter enemies forasmuch as loue thinketh not euill as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13 5 and in the practise of loue we are to be followers of the example of God himselfe that we may thereby shew our selues to be his children who maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and on the good â—â—th 5 45. and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniust So ought we to loue our enemies to blesse them that curse vs to do good to them that hate vs and to pray for them which despitefully vse vs and persecute vs. Iohn in his first Epistle chargeth vs to loue one another in deed and in truth â—â—hn 3 18. not in word or in tongue or from the lippes onely And Paul chargeth vs to esteeme of others
idle and negligent teachers who haue receiued many good giftes Vse 2 graces profitable for the Church of God yet neuer vse them like the couetous person that hoordeth vp great treasures but suffereth no man to be the better for them like the sluggish seruant in the Parable who hid his masters mony in the earth but wold not employ it Math 5.15 25 25. or like vnto those that couer the Candle vnder a bushell that it can giue no light vnto â—â—em that are in the house whereas it should be set vpon the table that all might haue the vse of it and benefit by it Wherfore hath God giuen greater gifts but that such should take greater pains How many are there that desire great liuings but they do not desire to bestow great labour among them Our reward shall not be according to our giftes but according to our labors For as many may haue great gifts and yet bestow little labour so they may haue great giftes and yet haue little or rather no reward except it bee for their negligence Certainly there are many that are rich in gifts who notwithstanding haue but a poore people for they keep all knowledge to theÌ„selues and impart nothing to others Such carrie the bag with Iudas but betray good christians for thirty shekels of siluer They regard not what become of Gods people so that they may enrich themselues who cause the people of God to perish and themselues perish through Balaams wages that sticketh vnto them Esay 56 10. They are dumb dogs that neuer haue enough they cannot barke they run after their own gain They neither enter into the kingdome of Heauen themselues Luke 11 52. neither suffer them that would enter It is a great sin for any to hide their gifts We must be as Iohn the Baptist he was a burning and a shining lamp Iohn 5 35. and the people were willing for a season to reioyce in his light So the Apostles were made the lights of the world Math. 5 14. and they made their lights shine before men For God that caused the light to shine out of darknes shined into their hearts to inable them to giue the light of knowledge vnto others 2 Cor. 4 6. The Ministers are the salt of the earth to season the hearts of men Vse 3 Thirdly it reproueth idle professors that wil do nothing like Demas and the rich glutton that feed themselues enrich their own coffers but will doe no good either in the maintaining of Gods seruice or toward the releeuing of the wants distresses of others Such are as câ—â—â—tous Nabal that would let Dauid being in necessity to haue nothing or like to Laban that grudged that Iacob should haue any thing These do no good but to themselues if to themselues What account wil these giue of their stewardship who forget that they are stewards It had bin better they had neuer receiued any blessings then to make none the better for them no not themselues The earth that is ful of Mines of gold is barren to bring forth any thing else as grasse and corne and trees and herbes for the vse of man so the wretched soule that thirsteth after siluer and gold busieth it selfe day and night to heape vp riches cannot bring forth any other fruit neither do any seruice to God or to the commonwealth or to the church or to himself 1 Tim. 6 â— Couetousnesse is the root of all euill and therefore it is extreame folly to delight so much in it He that is to ascend to the top of an exceeding high Mountaine should do maruellous foolishly if hee should bind heauy burthens on his shoulders and tie bolts and fetters to his feete because whatsoeuer he shal pretend he maketh it manifest that he neuer meaneth to mount vp to the top therof so likewise we being called to dwell in the holy hill of the Lord and to seeke those things which are aboue Psalme 15 â— Colos 3.1 where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father if we clog and cloy our selues with so many impediments lade our selues with so many burthens of earthly cogitations and practises we shew plainely that our conuersation is not in heauen and that we regard not to ascend vp to that place Rich men therfore that haue receiued this worlds goods and yet wil do no good with their goods are worthily to be reproued because they haue receiued much and are therby enabled to do much good yet wil performe nothing at all Rich men without religion knowledge of God withouâ— loue of his seruice and conscience of holy â—â—â—â—s haue much to answer for themselues They haue a thousaÌ„d times more means to do good then the poore haue yet they do lesse their hands are tied their eares are stopped their eies are closed their hearts are hardned Luke 16 9. They might make to themselues Frends of the Mammon of vnrighteousnes that wheÌ„ they fail they may receiue them into euerlasting habitations but they regard no such friends they make more account of their fading Mammon then they do of those euerlasting habitations They haue more time and leisure to spend in reading the Scriptures and in getting of knowledge then the meaner sort who are much distracted to prouide for their families yet commonly they bestow least time that way and for the most part haue lesse vnderstanding in the best things The Apostle denounceth a woe against such vnconscionable and irreligious men that heape vp treasure together for the last daies Iames 5 3 â— that liue in pleasure vpon the earth that grow wanton nourish their hearts as in a day of slaughter Let all such at the length remember what they haue receiued let them learn to be rich in good workes to do good to be ready to distribute and to be willing to communicate laying vp in store a good foundation for themselues against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life And touching the vse of their outward blessings and the employing of theÌ„ to the right end let them remember the words of Christ Luke 11 41. Luke 11 41. Giue almes of such things as you haue and behold all things are cleane vnto you Lastly seeing such as haue receyued outward blessings ought to bee most forward to Vse 4 do good with them we must know that thus also it ought to be in spiritual blessings If we must be faithful in that which is the least wee must much more be faithfull in the greatest and if we be vniust in little we will be vniust also in much God hath in great mercy giuen vs many meanes to abound in heauenly graces so that concerning the time we might haue been such as might be sufficient to bee teachers of others yet we haue need that one should teach vs the first principles of the Oracles of God and haue need of milke rather then of
because hee is not able to encrease and enrich them Thus then by giuing vnto a few he sheweth that he can store and replenish all the rest if it pleased him Secondly to releeue his owne seruants in time of need to deliuer their soul from death and to keepe them aliue in famine Psal 33.19 He knoweth well enough that the very mercies of the wicked are cruelty Prou. 12.10 they are handfasted and hard-hearted and they are least of all mooued to pitty Gods people he therefore prouideth for the welfare of his seruants by making one Christian brother able to releeue another as we haue plentifull examples in the acts of the Apostles chap. 4.34 35 36. Thirdly he maketh them many times to inherit the labours of wicked men and of such as are their enemies as we see his people had the treasures of Egypt Exod. 12. Psal 44.3 The Egyptians would not recompence them therefore the Lord doth recompence them Fourthly they are in Christ heires of the world for all that are sonnes are also heires Rom. 8.17 the heires of God and ioynt-heires with Christ Hence it is that some recouer their possession though al cannot according to their right and title God made all things for his friends not for his enemies who are no better then vsurpers Vse 1 The Vses follow First it reprooueth the beggerly vow of voluntary pouerty vndertaken by the Popish Order No such vow is found in the old Testament whiles vowes were most in vse and in force This is accounted a vow of perfection but it hindreth the doing of much good because it is better to giue then to receiue Act. 20.35 Wherefore the begging Fryars are boasting fooles proudly glorying in perfection when they may worthily be ashamed of their imperfections They think they deserue heauen by it when indeed they are in danger of hel For it is one thing to haue riches and another to trust in riches whereas they will seeme to cast them away vnder a colour of feare lest they should cast them away But may any among them compare with sundry of Gods seruants who kept their goods and did much good with them to Gods glory and the good of others may they euen the best of them parallell themselues with Abraham in faith with Iob in patience with Ioseph in chastity with Lot in piety with Lazarus in hospitality with Zaccheus in liberality with the godly women in charity whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrary Prou. 10.22 And as riches giuen by the blessing of God condemne no man so it is certaine pouerty can saue no man neither can it merit life and saluation as the cloystermen dreame Vse 2 Secondly obserue that riches are not euill of themselues or in their owne nature neither are they any way hinderers of Gods kingdome the fault is in the person and in the abuse of them And the best things are abused as well as riches yet we may not thereupon conclude that the best things are bad But it will be obiected Obiect that Christ saith It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Matâ—h 19. euen easier for a Camel to goe through the c. I answer Answer we must compare Scripture by Scripture as it is said Tremel in 〈◊〉 hâ—m 8. the Leuites did expound the meaning and gaue the vnderstanding by the Scripture it selfe The Euangelist Marke repeating this history expoundeth it plainely For Christ hauing said How hardly shall they that haue riches enter into the kingdome of GOD and the disciples being astonied at his words he addeth by way of explication Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God! then this followeth It is easier for a Camel c. where we see he distinguisheth of rich some are such as trust in God not in their riches some trust in their riches not in GOD. Of these that make their riches their God and their Mammon to be their hope and heauen it is true that a Camell shall sooner goe through the eye of a needle then such rich men get into the kingdome of God Mar. 10.23 24. Mar. 10.23.24 But they are thornes and snares thornes to choke Obiection and snares to catch and entangle the soule so they are called in the parable of the sower Luke 8. and by the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. I answere Answ It is true but the fault is not in the nature of the riches but in the corruption of the rich man not by the vse but through the abuse of them For if they were euill of themselues then should all rich men be choaked and snared by them drawn into euill which by the former examples and by present experience we know not be so Obiect But Christ willeth the rich man to sell the things he did possesse and giue them to the poore by this it should appeare to be vnlawfull to keep them I answere Answer this is a particular commandement giuen to him to try him and prooue what was in him to discouer his pride and hypocrisie pleasing himselfe in a false opinion of his strength sufficiency and ability to keepe the Law that so if it were possible his eies might be opened to see his owne weakenesse and himselfe to be wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked For in that he went away sorrowfull and submitted not himselfe to the voyce of Christ hee declared plainely that he made more reckoning of his wealth then he did of Christ and that he had more mind to follow the world then to obey the word deliuered vnto him Thirdly wee must learne when we haue Vse 3 these blessings to be thankefull to God that gaue them and to lift vp our eyes to him of whom we receiued them For albeit these earthly blessings bee common to the godly and the vngodly yet are they not common to all the godly inasmuch as they are giuen vnto some but denyed vnto other bestowed vppon a few but withholden from many This duty hath many branches First wee must acknowledge from whence they come The branâ—â— of thanâ—â—â—nesse and that we haue receiued them of his meere grace Woe then to those that sacrifice to their owne nette and ascribe the blessings of God onely to their owne labour and industry For except the Lord build the house the labour of the builder is in vaine and except the Lord keepe the City the watchman waketh in vaine it is in vaine for you to rise vp early to sit vp late and to eate the bread of sorrowes it is God that giueth his beloued sleepe Psal 127.1.2 True it is God hath laid vpon vs this duty to labour and requireth that euery man eate his bread with the sweat of his browes for no promise is made to the idle yet wee must depend vpon him for a blessing vpon our labours or else we are not thankefull vnto him Againe we must be carefull to vse them
Againe we must haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse neither bee companions with them Eph. 5 7 11. 1 Cor. 5 11. We must come out from among them and separate our selues from them touch no vncleane thing 2 Cor. 6 17. and then will God receiue vs as his children be a Father to vs. Moreouer all obstinate persons that giue offence should be banished out of the Church 1 Cor. 5.6 7. lest as scabbed sheep they infect the rest of the flocke The leapers were not suffered to dwell among men but turned out of the Citty and dwelt apart by themselues And wherefore was this to auoide the infection of the body How much more then ought such as haue a spirituall leprosie vpon them be kept from the company of others lest they bring first infection and after destruction vpon soule body Furthermore it excuseth not to say I haue learned it of others they were the authors and beginners of the sin What did it auaile the Israelites to fall by the example and allurement of the Egyptians or by their counsell and perswasion For it was their owne lust that carried them away headlong God punisheth all such as commit euill or any way consent vnto it Rom. 1 32. So God in the beginning punished the diuel the man the woman because all sinned albeit one by the perswasion of another Lastly it condemneth those that glory in their strength that nothing can make them worse no time no place no persons no perswasions no company They say no man shall be able to peruert them or seduce them or infect them Are these men better then Adam when he was in the garden if his place could not protect him nor his innocency keepe him they may iustly feare that other places may infect them much rather Salomon was no foole nay he was endued with great wisedome and beloued of his God Neh. 13 26. yet being too familiar with Idolaters he was ouertaken with Idolatry and became a great Idolater and his outlandish women caused him to sin Or are they better then Peter who made a most worthy confession of Christ yet being among a crew of prophane persons he was brought to deny his Master nay in a manner his owne saluatiō Be not therfore deceiued rather feare thine owne weaknes then boast of thy strength Ver. 5 6. We remember the fish that we did eate in Egypt freely the cucumbers c. But now our soule is dried away c. In these words we see how carnall men conceiue carnal things They prefer their trash before Manna as if corne being found out men should loue acorns better then corne Doctrine Carnal men prefer transitory things before heauenly The doctrine from hence is this that the transitory things of this world are preferred by carnall minded men before heauenly things The Iewes preferred their priuate commodities before the building of the Temple Hag. 1 2. So did Esau Hebr. 12 16 17. who is therfore branded of the holy ghost to be a prophane person So did the Gadarens Matth. 8 34. We haue many examples of this nature Iudas Demas the yongman in the gofpell that came to Christ howbeit he went away sorrowfull from him for if he might not keepe his possession he would none of Religion And the Reasons are plaine Reason 1 For they that are carnall are carnally minded they are nothing else but a lump of flesh from whence nothing can proceede but that which is corrupt Io. 3 6. Secondly they haue no taste at all of spirituall things as of grace of heauen of saluation of eternall life No maruell therefore if these be vile and nought worth in their eyes and the other preferred before them because where the treasure is there wil the hart be also Mat. 6 21. Col. 3 2. The vses follow First see the dangerous estate Vse 1 of carnall men and how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Mat. 19 23. It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God verse 24. Rich men are thought of the world to be the happiest men in the world howbeit they stand in a slippery place and their estate dangerous if they watch not narrowly ouer themselues This appeareth in the example of the rich glutton Luke 16 19. he could finde no time to search the Law and the Prophets he was altogether drowned and drunken in his delights he was corrupted and carried away with pompe and vanity finally he forgate and contemned the poore So was it with him that would pull down his barnes and build new and thought of nothing but of the earth he said to himself applauding his owne happinesse Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres take thine ease eate drinke and be merry Luke 12 19. This was the cause that mooued Agur to desire of God not to giue him riches least he be full deny the Lord and say Who is the Lord Pro. 30 8.9 Such as set their hearts vpon the vanities of the world doe commonly neglect heauenly things and by little and little waxe cold in them Riches are compared to thorns if then our hearts be not well fenced countergarded we shall be hurt by them Therefore doeth Christ denounce a woe against all carnall richmen because they haue receyued their consolation already Luke 6 24. They must looke for no further reward Secondly wee must not be immoderate in Vse 2 seeking after them neither be idolaters in trusting in them What was it that destroied the Sodomits was it not abundance of all things was it not excesse and superfluity Eze. 16.49 Let vs be contented with our estate whatsoeuer it bee for a little with a quiet conscience and a true heart to God is better then a fatte stalled Oxe Let vs pray for conuenient food and vse this world as though we vsed it not for the fashion thereof fadeth away 1 Ioh. 2 17. Let our conuersation be in heauen Phil 3 19. Let not our hearts bee bewitched and besotted with these things that wee may depart hence in peace when God shall call vs and so bee the Lords in life and death It is no profit to win the whole world with the losse of our owne soules Mat. 16.26 Lastly let it be our study to preferre as best Vse 3 of al the best things They are no better then fooles that would preferre rotten wood that shineth in the night before the finest and purest gold of Ophyr And who doth not willingly yeeld and confesse the folly of these Egyptians that made more reckoning of their grosse feeding and fogging in of garlicke and Onions and Cucumbers and such like grazing then of that excellent precious Manna which came from heauen We are ready to sit in iudgement vpon these and to condemne them but how many are there of vs that are like vnto them
others to do the like Eph. 6 21. Col. 1 7 and 4 7. 1 Tim. 1 12 2 Tim. 2 2. A vertue necessary for all This appeareth by the titles giuen vnto theÌ„ Reason in the Scriptures they are called Embassadors of God 2 Cor. 5 20 the witnesses of the truth Acts 10 39. 1 Pet. 5 1. The stewards of the family and seruants of the house to giue euery one their portion in due season It is required of an Embassadour to do the message of him that sent him of a witnesse to vtter the truth and all the truth and nothing but the truth of a seruant to do his masters businesse committed to his trust Secondly the good of the Church requireth it for if it haue vnfaithfull and vnconscionable teachers set ouer it that seeke not the safety of the flocke it cannot be but many of the sheepe will perish Ezek. 3.18 Lastly such teachers as are vnfaithfull bring destruction vpon themselues as well as vpon the flocke God hath commited the sheepe of his pasture to their safe and faithfull keeping such then as deale vnfaithfully shall beare their condemnation and the blood of others shall be required at their hands Eze. 33.8 Ier. 1.17 14.15 Vse 1 This grace of faithfulnesse containeth the summe of all that is required of Pastors and teachers in the execution of their Ministery and serueth to reprooue sundry abuses First of such as are ignorant and vnlearned 〈◊〉 ignoâ—â—eachers which haue taken vpon them to be teachers of others but haue not yet learned theÌ„selus These are vnfaithfull in the house of God and are not able to breake the bread of life they are entred into the sheepfold but cannot feed the sheepe they would be accounted dressers of the vineyard but are not able to labour in it These doe greatly hinder Gods kingdome and destroy the soules of men and further the kingdome of Satan and are the maine cause of much palpable darknesse and ignorance 〈◊〉 12.31 〈◊〉 33 34. 〈…〉 14. Such are much like to Ieroboams Priests taken out of the basest of the people these are fit instruments to further idolatry and all maner of impiety 〈◊〉 false â—ers Secondly of false teachers these also are vnfaithfull in the house of God destroy the soules of the people by false doctrine The former did starue them these do poison them and both wayes the people perish It is all one whether we withhold bread from them or infect it with poison Such teachers the Apostle willeth to auoide 〈◊〉 2.7 their false doctrine fretteth eateth and consumeth as the Gangrene Thirdly 〈◊〉 idle â—s of idle and vnprofitable teachers which eat the milke clothe themselues with the fleeze of the flocke but feed not the sheep of Christ These are lazie and loitering seruants that leaue their masters worke vndone care not which end goe forward these may be fitly coupled together with the first for it is all one with the people whether their teachers be ignorant or idle But touching themselues their sin is so much the greater because they can but wil not teach the people Idle persons in any society are by the Apostle branded by the name of theeues 〈◊〉 4.28 where he sheweth that not to labour is to steale not because they violently and forcibly take from others and intrude themselues into their possessions but because they are caterpillers and drones eating that for which they neuer laboured so these men that liue idlely in the Church and of the Church doe incurre the iust rebuke of spirituall theft and fellony in that they liue by the Church but doe not labour for the Church The Church setteth them or rather hireth theÌ„ to worke but these tye vp their owne hands because they would not worke they reape temporall things of the people but do not minister spirituall things to the people Fourthly of vnskilful Ministers who also are vnfaithful Against vnskilfull teachers these will needs be doing but in deed can doe nothing they will needs be working but they know neither how to begin aright nor where to make an end They can get vp into the pulpit as well as the best but when they are there they doe nothing lesse then preach but abuse the place the people themselues the word nay God himselfe A faithfull teacher must be a workeman that need not be ashamed diuiding aright the word of truth 2 Tim. 2.25 A skilfull Carpenter or master-builder knoweth by line leuell how to square his timber but a raw fellow neuer brought vp to the trade will hack and so marre and mangle the timber The Apostle compareth the Ministers to skilful builders 1 Cor. 3.9.10 not to them that can only hew and chop wood for so euery bungler can doe that renteth it and cutteth it in peeces hee careth not how so it be done A Minister must be a master in his profession Fiftly it reproueth the abuses of scandalous teachers Against scandalous teachers 1 Tim. 3 2. Matth. 5.13.14 1. Pet. 5 3. who build with one hand and pull downe as fast with the other The Apostle requireth that the Ministers should be vnreproueable the lights of the world the salt of the earth and examples to the flocke These are like images placed and set vp in crosse wayes that point the way to the passenger but cannot set a foote forward themselues like the builders of the Arke that did good to others but none to themselues they saued Noah and his family but were drowned and destroyed themselues So these may peraduenture be instruments of conuersion to others and in the end be condemned themselues Neuerthelesse their euill life doth scandalize many that are without and many that are within the Church And albeit it be a fault to stumble at these namely to heare and not to regard what they teach Mat. 23.3 1 Sam. 2.17 Against flattering teachers yet woe be to them that lay such stumbling blocks in the way Lastly of flattering teachers another sort of vnfaithfull teachers in the house of God that seeke to please men who sew pillowes vnder euery elbow that say peace peace when there is no peace that daub with vntempered morter These are politicke wise men of this world but nothing wise for the world to come who to secure themselues from danger refraine themselues from deliuering wholesome doctrine and powerfull to the conscience of the hearer If the Physitian should deale so with his patient he should kil him not cure him or the Chirurgian so handle a wound taken in the body he should not seeke the healing of the wound but the hurt of the person They dare not say as Nathan did to Dauid the king Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12.7 they dare not say as Eliah did to Ahab It is thou and thy fathers house that haue troubled Israel 1 King 18.18 They dare not say as Iohn Baptist did to Herod It is not lawfull for
rash boldnes and heady presumption of many men who nothing considering the corruption of their owne nature the vnstaiednes of their iudgement the leauen of error the subtilty of satan the craftinesse of false teachers the perswasible words of mans wisedome and the iudgement of God vpon all disobedient persons make no conscience whom they heare liuing in superstitious and idolatrous places do aduenture too far to thrust thēselues with great danger into their assemblies stick not boldly to heare the Sermons of Friars and Iesuites whereas they should rather stop their eares against such blasphemies and impieties as they are constrained to heare These presume too far vpon their owne knowledge and are oftentimes caught before they bee aware and entangled in the snare before they see it can discerne it Let vs haue eares of horne against their songs and enchantments And it serueth to meet with others that faile as much in their obedience who nothing regarding their owne frailty and weaknesse neither the deceitfulnesse together with the contagion infection of sinne dare thrust themselues into all companies and can glory that none shal be able to peruert them or to make them worse But it is easier to auoide their society Easier to auoid euil companie then to keepe our selues from euil being in it then to stand in it without yeelding to their euill We must feare our own infirmities lest we lose the graces of God A vagrant person that hath nothing to lose careth not whither he goeth or into what company he commeth because he knoweth he can lose nothing but the true man and honest traueller that carieth a charge about him and hath somwhat to lose maketh choise of times places and persons So such as are not setled in religion and are destitute of the grace of God care not where they becom or into what tentations they cast themselues al is one to them in what company so ere they be but he that knoweth himselfe aright considereth his owne frailty and he that hath any precious graces in his soule will beware to what place or company he resort least he bee robbed and depriued of them The least of Gods graces is much more precious then all the treasures of the whole earth Secondly the Ministers must watch and Vse 2 attend the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers to feed the church of GOD which he hath redeemed with his owne blood Acts chap. 20. verses 28 29 30. Earnest teaching and preaching in season and out of season is most necessary 2 Tim. chap. 4 verses 2 3. If the preaching of the Gospell be not heard all errours heresies schismes vices and impieties will flow and abound in the Church When the light is taken out of the Candlesticke all is left in darkenesse and men groape in blindnesse not knowing whither they go or in what danger they remaine The true sheepheards serue to driue away the Wolues from the flocke lest they breake into it to kill and destroy When the foode of the soule is gone it cannot but famish and perish Amos 8 11. Prou. 29 18. Vse 3 Lastly it is the duty of all considering how prone we are to yeeld vnto euill to take heed to our selues to beware of false teachers and of wicked persons lest wee lose all that wee haue learned to the end we may receiue a full reward ◠Iohn 8. We must be constant and hold out to the end keeping faith and a good conscience Let vs exhort one another to this grace of perseuerance It is better neuer to begin then not to hold out vnto the end Verse 2 3. And all the Congregation of Israel murmured c. and saide Would God we had dyed in the land of Egypt c. In these words we see their murmuring in particular They wish that they had dyed in Egypt or in the wildernesse not that they might so cease to sin and enter into the kingdome of glorie for which the faithfull desire it Philip. 1 23. but through impatience and contempt of the mercies and blessings of God for they accuse him of cruelty or couzenage or both as if hee went about to betray them and deliuer them into the hands of the Canaanites and to destroy them their wiues and children Thus these traitors do accuse God of treason and al this because they should haue to doe with powerfull enemies as if they had not found greater experience of the almighty power of God Besides they accuse him of weaknesse as well as of rigor and cruelty as if he were inferior to those accursed nations Lastly to fill vp the heape measure of their sinnes they would needs goe backe againe into Egypt This mutiny passeth all the rest that went before or follow after God did punish the same more greeuouslie then any other For after so many benefits bestowed so many remissions obtained so many iudgments inflicted so many miracles shewed they esteemed this wonderfull deliuerance from the Egyptian slauery his feeding and conducting them through that great and terrible wildernesse Deut. 1.19 no otherwise then as notable effects of his hatred not of his loue imagining and charging Moses that they were led as a prey to be slaughtered All this mischiefe hatched and harbored among them came to passe through the deceitfull report of the searchers telling them that the Citties of their enemies were strongly walled and flanked with many Towers and Castles diuers of the people were giant-like men of fearefull stature which so far ouertopped the Israelites as that they appeared to them and likewise to thēselues but as Grashoppers that is of small stature in comparison of them Hereupon they refuse to goe any further and proceeding in their insurrection they determine to cast off Moses and to leaue him to shift for himselfe so consulted to chuse them a Captaine or as they cal it now adaies an Electo to carrie them backe againe into Egypt and to yeelde themselues againe into the hands of Pharaoh They began with weeping and teares but they end in rage and madnes proceeding from one degree to another in the end seeking to murder such as exhorted and perswaded them to obedience The doctrine Doctrine Wicked me◠proceed fr◠one euill to another It is the nature of wicked men they doe not onely sin but they increase their sins and adde sin vnto sin they proceede from euil to worse and cease not till they haue filled vp the measure thereof Gen. 15.16 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Mat. 23.32 Rom. 6.19 Eph. 4.19 Being past feeling they wrought all vncleannesse For first they are compared to fooles men Reason 1 besides themselues Salomon affordeth the wicked no better title because though hee knew iudgment prepared and prouided for him due to his sin yet he runneth on like a foole in his wicked course Prou. 7.22 Lu. 15.17 adding sinne to sinne and neuer applying the threatning to himselfe Secondly they through custome
the former And therefore themselues teach that infants baptized though they cannot be tryed yet goe immediatly into heauen and receiue the crowne of life But suppose this were a good conclusion yet he plaieth the notable Sophister in that he prooueth not that sinne is not worthy of death which he ought to haue done before hee conclude that some sinnes are in their owne nature veniall For many sinnes doe not bring death which notwithstanding are worthy of death they doe not bring death through Gods mercy but they are worthy of death through their owne merit Wherefore this place of the Apostle being well vnderstood directly ouerthroweth this distinction of sin from whence it goeth about to seeke shelter and defence Vse 3 Thirdly vnder these types and shadowes heere rehearsed touching the water of separation which was made with the ashes of a redde heiffer without spot wherein no blemish was which was brought out of the host to be killed and the Priest must sprinkle her blood seuen times before the Tabernacle of the Congregation c. I say vnder these shadowes the chiefe mysteries of our faith are handled For there was no way of saluation but by Christ from the beginning ◠14 6. and there shall bee no other new way vnto the end He was euermore the doore by which all enter into the kingdome of God ◠10 9. He is the same yesterday and to day and for euer Heb. chapter 13 verse 8. This the Apostle teacheth vs plainely by alluding to these words Hebr. chapter 9 verses 13 14. If the blood of Bulles and Goats and the ashes of an Heiffer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifie to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serue the liuing God Heere the Apostle hath reference vnto the redde heiffer mentioned in this place whose ashes gathered together were sprinkled in the waters of separation and serued to sanctifie touching the purifying of the flesh so that such as were shut from the Congregation being sprinkled therewith had free liberty to come to the Tabernacle The truth of all this was Christ Iesus he is this redde heiffer his blood is the true purging Psal 51 verses 2 7. 1 Pet. chap. 1 verse 2. And as the doore postes of the Israelites were sprinkled with the blood of the Lambe so must our hearts with the blood of Christ Now of this type obserue these principall points of religion First that Christ Iesus is true man found in the forme and shape of man That hee might humble himselfe and become obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Phil. 2 verse 8. This is the cause that hee is pictured out vnto vs in the colour of the redde heiffer rather then in any other to put vs in minde of his death and the shedding of his precious blood Thus also he is described by the Prophet Who is this that commeth from Edom with died garments from Bozrah c. I that speake in righteousnesse to saue Wherefore art thou redde in thine apparell and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine fatte Esay 63 verses 1.2 This is no small comfort vnto vs especially in all tentations thogh our sinnes haue a bloody face before his face though they be red as scarlet yet the blood of Christ hath washed them away These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe Reuel chapter 7 verse 14. Hee hath a feeling of our sorrowes and is touched with our infirmities being made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 2 17 18. and 4 15. Secondly we learne from this consideration that the Heiffer must be without spotte and without blemish that Christ Iesus was a pure and perfect offering without any sinne Hebr. chapter 7 verse 26 he was holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heauens This is our comfort also and consolation for if he had bene sinnefull we should yet walke in our sinnes as an infant walloweth in his blood and the price of our redemption were yet vnpaid Hence it is that Moses doth so carefully set downe this in describing of all sacrifices burnt offerings meate offerings trespasse offerings peace offerings all oblations brought to God must be without spotte and without blemish thereby to teach the people vs to the end of the world that there was no sinne in him that tooke vpon him our sinne For hee was wounded for our transgressions and hee was bruised for our iniquities Esay 53 5. He suffered indeed for vs but the iust for the vniust 1 Pet. 3 18 and 2 22. Thirdly in that this Heiffer was such vpon whom neuer came yoke Verse 2. it appeareth that Christ being at his owne liberty bound to none offered himselfe freely for our deliuerance therefore when such as were sent to take him told him they sought Iesus of Nazareth hee answered If yee seeke mee let these goe their way Iohn 18 8. Hee gaue himselfe not by perswasion of others not by compulsion from others but willingly euen vnto the death Phil. chapter 2 verse 8. Iohn chap. 18 verses 4 5. Esay chap. 53 verse 12. His death was not by constraint for then it could not be meritorious If it had not beene voluntary they could not haue taken it away from him for they often lay in waite for him and sought to put him to death Iohn 10. verses 17 18. What he was able to doe if it had pleased him hee shewed in the Garden for so soone as hee had told them that hee was the man whom they sought for they went backward and fell to the ground Iohn 18 verse 6. He knew all things that should come vnto him yet he went forth vnto them that were come with Lanternes and Torches and weapons to take him verses 3 4. He had therefore power to lay downe his life or not to lay it downe but how then should the Scriptures bee fulfilled But they had no power of themselues to lay hands vpō him as he telleth Pilate chap 19 11. This also serueth for our comfort that Christ died not against his will but willingly and of his owne accord performing obedience vnto his Father Not that his enemies could ouercome him for he ouercame them cast thē backe to the earth with a word speaking And what words did he speake Were they terrible and dreadfull Were they words of thunder No he rored not as a lyon but spake mildely as a lamb I am he Now if the voice of CHRIST by gentle and amiable were notwithstanding so effectuall to throw them all downe headlong to the ground how powerfull shall the angry voice of Christ be to throw his enemies as with a sudden flash of lightning into the pit and paines of hell at the last
the world to be adopted thorough Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued as the Apostle teacheth writing to the Ephesians chap. 1 5 6. 1 Pet. 1 2. Thus the Church is builded vpon the vnmoueable rocke that cannot bee shaken The foundation of God remaineth sure hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2 19. Now let vs see what vses wee may rightly Vse 1 conclude out of this doctrine thus confirmed First we learne from hence that the opinion of those is condemned that bring in vniuersall grace vniuersall election of euery one vniuersall redemption of euery one and vniuersall vocatiō of euery one to the sauing knowledge of the Gospel For whereas the Church is as it wore the Parke of God impaled in from other waste Land or rather the Paradise of God wherein the wilde beasts of the Forrest may not enter this Doctrine pulleth vp the Pale and taketh away the enclosure laying it in common and ioyning it to the rest of the wildernesse The people of God are the little flocke in respect of the world Luke 12 32. We see frō the beginning of the world there was a difference and distinction betweene the sonnes of God and the sonnes of men Genesis chapter 6 verse 1 betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles betweene the circumcised and the vncircumcised betweene the people of God and those that were no people of his being out of the couenant To some God giueth faith to other he giueth not faith For all haue not faith 1 Thess 3 1. Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Many are called but few are chosen Math. 20 16 and hee chargeth his Disciples when he sent them out to Preach not to goe into the way of the Gentiles neither to enter into the City of the Samaritanes Math. 10 5. and he sheweth that it is not giuen to euery one to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Mat. 13 11. So the Apostles in spreading abroad the glad tydings of saluation and working the conuersion of the Nations to whom they were sent to preach the Gospel are commanded to remaine certaine yeares in some Cities because the Lord had much people in those places and when they were entring into other Cities the Spirit suffered them not to publish among them the way of saluation Acts 16 7. Act. 18 10. Vse 2 Secondly we must looke for a full and perfect separation of the Elect from the Reprobate of the sheepe from the goats of the vessels of mercy from the vessels of wrath when the Lord Iesus shall breake the heauens and come to iudge the quicke and the dead Indeed here is some separation made by the fan of his word by the power of the keyes by the fire or furnace of affliction yet still the chaffe is mingled with the wheate the Tares with the Corne bad fish with the good the hypocrites with the faithfull and true beleeuers But when Christ shall come with thousands of his Angels and the heauens be dissolued The bookes shall be opened and things hidden in darknesse shall be disclosed Reuel 20 12. Here a beginning is made but then shall be an absolute perfection and consummation of this separation This is opened vnto vs by the Euangelist Mat. 25 31 32 33. Seeing this separation shall come what manner of men ought we to be in all holinesse of life and conuersation Let vs search and try our owne wayes and turne vnto the Lord with all our hearts that when Christ shal appeare at the great day of the haruest and solemne season of separation we may be found good Corne and not be blowne away by the voyce of his mouth whē he shall blow the chaffe into vnquenchable fire where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But if we be not heere separated from the sinnes and corruptions of the wicked whē God separateth the soule and body we shall be separated from the comfortable presence of God we shall remaine with the diuell and his angels for euer neuer to be separated and sundred from them Vse 3 Thirdly this giueth good assurance and comfort vnto them that God will heare their prayers and respect them in their miseries For seeing they are his chiefe treasure Exod. 19 5 6 albeit all the earth be his seeing they are a kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation he will not see them want and stand in need of any thing which hee knoweth to serue for his owne glory and their good This is that vse which Salomon remembreth in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple 1 Kings 8 52 53. Let thine eyes bee open vnto the prayer of thy seruant and vnto the prayer of thy people Israel to hearken vnto them in all that they call for vnto thee for thou didst separate them to thee from among all the people of the earth for an inheritance as thou saidst by the hand of Moses thy seruant when thou broughtst our fathers out of Egipt O Lord God whereby we see that the consideration of the deere account estimation that God hath of his Church separating it to himselfe and calling it out of the world ought to moue vs with boldnesse to draw neere to the throne of grace and to comfort vs with assurance to be heard in our necessities For what can God deny vnto vs that hath giuen vs him selfe Or what can we want that know the loue of God toward vs before wee were Wherefore whensoeuer we are brought into any affliction and stand in need of helpe let vs be mindfull of the mercies of God toward vs and assure our selues that he which hath separated and sanctified vs from our mothers wombe will perfect his owne worke that he hath begun finish it vnto the day of Christ Lastly we must know that it is our duty to Vse flye from all vngodlinesse and worldly lustes and to haue no fellowship with the vngodly nor the vnfruitefull works of darknesse Tit. 2 12. This indeed is pure religion vndefiled to keep our selues vnspotted to the world This the Apostle Paul vrgeth 2 Corin. 6 14 15 16 17 18. Wee know that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe One rotten sheepe infecteth a whole flocke One leaper spreadeth the difease further to the hurt of sundry other Now there is no leauen like to the leauen of sin 1. Cor. 5.6 no infection comparable to the infection of sin no leaprosie so deadly and dangerous as the contagion of sin which bringeth danger and destruction to soule and body Therefore we must not ioyne our selues with the vngodly seeing wee are an holy people to the Lord our God he hath chosen vs to bee a precious people vnto himselfe aboue other people that are vpon the earth Wee are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a people set at liberty that we should shew forth
subiect vnto God But when he had nearkened to the olde serpent and disobeyed the commandement of God the whole course of Nature was turned he hid himselfe from the presence of God and feared the creatures which before hee ruled To conclude therefore seeing it is God who is the cause of our peace let vs rest vpon his prouidence and protection and seek earnestly reconciliation with God that wee may haue the inward peace of a good conscience which howsoeuer the world may striue to disturbe and hinder yet cannot take away from vs as our Sauiour Christ promiseth Iohn 16. verse 33 In me ye shall haue peace in the world yee shall haue affliction And againe Iohn 14 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you So that in regard of this spirituall peace of the faithfull coÌ„sisting partly in our peace with God which is the Fountaine and partly in our peace of conscience which is the fruite Psal 25 our soules are assured to dwell at ease in the middest of all troubles wee shall be comforted and by his prouidence and protection be secured howsoeuer our bodyes bee tossed and turmoyled For this spirituall peace not onely may stand but is euermore ioyned with crosses and persecutions Verse 24. Behold the people shall rise vp as a Lyon and lift vp himselfe as a young Lyon hee shall not lye downe till he eate of the prey c. In these words the estate of the Church is described after sundry conflictes in this life It hath many enemies that for a time rise vppe against it but in the end the Church shal rouze vp it selfe and arise as a Lyon who will not couch till hee haue taken and eaten his prey This shal be the strength of the people of God in subduing and ouercomming all theyr enemies This was begun by Moses prosecuted by Ioshua continued by Dauid and fulfilled by Christ Who ruleth in the midst of his enemies and shall bring all things in subiection vnder his feete Doctrine 〈◊〉 Church 〈◊〉 in the â—â—â—â—e vicâ—â—er all â—â—â—es Psal 110 1 2. From hence we learne That the Church in the end shall haue victory ouer all enemies that set themselues against it They dash themselues against the Rocke that shall breake them in peeces for howsoeuer they oppose themselues against the good estate thereof they doe but kicke against the goad as stiffe-necked hard-hearted beasts that haue not learned to beare the yoke of God nor to acquaint themselues with the wayes of godlinesse God will shew himselfe most powerfull in ouerthrowing and discomfiting the enemies of the Church This euidently appeareth by the history of the Church in Egypt in Babylon as also in the bookes of Exodus and Ester The Prophet Dauid declareth 〈◊〉 14 and 〈◊〉 8. that notwithstanding the rage of Gods and his enemies He that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision yea he shall crush them with a scepter of Iron and breake them in peeces like a Potters vessell Psal 2 4 9. This Christ our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples when he sent them foorth to worke myracles and to preach the Gospel of the kingdome to be at hand he prepareth them for the Crosse he foretelleth them what they should looke for I send you as sheepe in the midst of wolues but beware of men for they wil deliuer you vp to the Councels they will scourge you in their Synagogues they will bring you before Rulers they will betray you to your enemies and ye shall be hated of all men for my sake but hee that endureth to the ende shall bee saued Matth. 10 16 17 22. Reason 1 The Reasons are euident For first the Lord Iesus is the King of his Church he hath the keyes of hell and death He openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth Reuel 1 18. Iohn 10 28. He is the Shepheard of his sheepe his sheepe heare his voyce he knoweth them they follow him he giueth vnto theÌ„ eternall life so that they shall neuer perish neyther shall any pluck them out of his hand He is the head of the Church and quickeneth all the members of his body by whom we haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Col. 1 18. Seeing therefore Christ Iesus is the King of his Church the Shepheard of his sheepe the Head of his body wee cannot doubt but he will defend his Church saue his sheepe keepe safe and sound the members of his body that none shall be able to destroy them or to take them out of his hand Reason 2 Secondly our weaknes is not hidden from the Lord he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust yea a winde that passeth and cometh not againe Therefore the Apostle saith that God is faithfull which will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we are able but will euen giue the issue with the tentation that we may bee made able to beare it 1 Cor. 10 13. So the Prophet teacheth that the rod of the wicked shall not alwayes rest vpon the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put foorth their hand vnto wickednesse Psal 125 3â— declaring that the Lord appoints his for a time to be afflicted yet in the end they shall be deliuered and the wicked shall not be suffered in their oppressions The vses are now to bee handled First Vse 1 this teacheth for our instruction that the Church hath alwayes enemies in this world against which it must continually striue and fight There is no victory before the battaile there is no conquest before the fight We are all souldiers and warriours in this life to fight the battels of God we must not dreame of liuing euer in rest and pleasure Humility and misery must go before honour and glory the crosse commeth before the crowne we must wrastle before we can haue the garland 1 cor 9 24 25. wee must runne before we can obtaine the goale we must striue before we can haue the mastery we must labour before we can receiue the fruites we must fight before we can win the victory This is it which the Apostle sheweth vnto vs 2 Tim. 2 5 6 11 12. Thus it was with Christ first he suffered aduersity and then hee entred into glory first he endured the Crosse and despised the shame and then he was set at the right hand of the Throne of God Luke 24 26. Hebr. 12 2. This is the way let vs walke in it He is a foolish husbandman that will look to reape before he haue sowed The Disciple must not looke to be aboue his Master nor the seruant aboue his Lord. We must through manifold tribulations enter into the kingdome of heauen and all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutions This is our lot portion this is the cup which is prepared for vs to drinke
many men of a proud and prophane spirit in our dayes For when the wife who ought to bee an helper vnto her husband shall with modesty and meeknesse of spirit it admonish him for the bettering of his estate for the benefite of his wealth for the comfort of his family anâ— for the profit of his owne soule to forsake his euill company to renounce his drunkennesse or other wickednesse wherein hee delighteth what is more common then for his companions to say vnto him Wilt thou bee ruled and gouerned by her Wilt thou endure her to be thy master Wilt thou suffer her to crow and to carpe ouer thee And thus while they think to become wise men they shew themselues fooles For are we wiser then our father Abraham who accounted it no reproofe or reproach vnto him to obey the counsell of his wife when she perswaded him to cast out the bondwoman and her sonne out of his house No woman in Scripture more renowned and commended for subiection and submission to her husband yet she gaue him good counsell to her great praise and Abraham is commanded to listen vnto it for God sayd vnto him In all that Sara shal say vnto thee heare hir voice Gen. 21 12. Away then with the pride peeuishnesse of all those that take it as a discredit vnto themselues to be put in minde of theyr duty by others and refuse all counsel whereof themselues are not the authors Let vs put on the spirit of humility and decke our selues inwardly wiâ—h lowlynesse of minde to hearken to euery one that can direct vs in the which is good On the other side it behooueth vs to beware of euill counsell and of euill counsellors for they are as the instruments of the diuell and lye in waite to entrap vs. It is impossible to be free from these sonnes of Belial we shall be assaulted by them and therefore thou must be so throughly prepared against them that if thy father that begate thee or thy mother that bare thee or thy wife that lyeth in thy bosome 〈◊〉 13 6. or thy friend that is as thy owne soule shall entice thee secretly or openly to any impiety against thy holy faith or obedience remember from what bâ—tter root it proceedeth and say vnto him as Christ did vnto Peter Come behinde me satan For when Peter began to disswade him from that gâ—eat worke vnto which the Father had sanctified him and sent him into the world he sayd vnto him Get thee behinde mee Satan thou art an offence vnto me because thou sauourest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men A notable example for vs all to follow when we are moued any way to dishonour our God and to wound our owne conscience by committing of sinne 15 And he vttered his Parable and said Balaam the son of â—eor hath saide and the man whose eyes weâ—e opâ—ned hath sâ—â—â—e 16 He hath said that heard the word of God hath the knowledge of the most High and saw the vision of the Almighty and being in a trance had his eyes vncouered 17 I see that but not now I behold it but not neere there shall come a Starre oâ—t of Iacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Isrâ—el and â—hall smite the coasts of Moâ—b and shall destroy all them that are behinde me 18 And Edom shall bee possessed and Seir shall be a possession to their enemies for Israel shall do valiantly 19 Hee also that shall haue Dominion shall bee of Iacob and shall destroy the remnant of the Citie 20 And when he looked on Amalek he vttered his Parable and sayde Amalek was the first of â—â—e Nations but his latter end shall come to destruction 21 And he looked on the Kenites and vttered his Parable and said Strong is thy dwelling place and put thy nest in the rocke 22 Neuerthelesse the Kenite shall bee spoyled so long as Ashur shal hold them câ—ptiue We haue shewed already that the prophesies of Balaam doe concerne either Israel or such as were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel The prophesie belonging to the Israelites hath bene already handled Now Moses proceedeth to set downe other speciall prophesies which Balaam vttered concerning other particular Nations For it pleased God to vse the meanes and ministery of this wicked man to foretell the troubles and destruction that should come vpon them The first of all those prophesies is against the Moabites and Edomites the second against the Amalekites the third against the Kenites Against all these he prophesieth and foresheweth the ruines of their seuerall States and Dominions Now because al these were great weighty matters belonging to the subuersion not of priuate persons or families but of whole Countries and kingdomes he vseth that preface and introduction which he did before to procure credit and authority to his prophesy declaring that he was inspired by the Almighty to speake of which we haue spoken already in the beginning of this chapter Touching the prophesie against the Moabites and Edomites which is the fourth in number The fourth prophesie of Balaam and the first of those that concerne other nations that were strangers from Israel hee sheweth that the glory of the Israelites shall bee so great their dominion so large theyr kingdome so mighty and magnificent that it shal shake the Moabites Ammonites and Midianites and men of the East in peeces yea shal subdue Edom and enter into their Cities and country as their owne possession This shall be the victorious conquest of the Israelites whose glory is expressed by the name of a Starre and whose kingdome is vnderstoode by the name of the Scepter which is amplified in the beginning of the words and prooued in the end of them It is amplified by the preuenting of â—n obiection which is â—â—â—ting and may bee thus supplyed When shall this be Obiect Or is the time thereof neere that it should bee by and by looked for The answer Answer followeth I see and plainly perceiue the certain and vndoubted trueth thereof howbeit the season is not yet at hand thou O King hast no cause to feare it for it is not reserued for thy dayes bâ—t must be fulfilled after many generations For Dauid liued foure hundred years after the vttering and deliâ—ering of tâ—is prophesie in whom it was accomplished Thus he comforteth the King and declineth enuy against himselfe He proueth and confirmeth his prophesy by the courage and valour of the Israelites for they shall doe valiantly and destroy the enemies that remaine Now in this prophesie thus propounded wee are to obserue two things First thâ— interpretation of som things mentioned herein and then consider when it had his accomplishment and fulfilling which is the soundest way to vnderstaÌ„d a prophesy The words that require interpretation are in the end of the 17. verse It shall destroy all them that are behinde me Some reade them thus Shall destroy all the sonnes of Sheth
motion of sin breake out into all enormities Thes vses are in the next place to be handled Vse 1 First we may truely conclude that they are blessed that thinke of the day of their reckoning and of the time of the account that they must giue of their stewardship and so prepare their garments that they be not found naked Wee see how men in danger as in a fire comming in the silence of the night are glad to catch any thing to couer and hide themselues so must wee be clothed with Christ and put on his righteousnesse There fore our Sauiour Christ saith Who is a faithfull steward and wise whom the master shall make ruler ouer his houshold Math. 24 44 46. And to the same purpose hee speaketh in the Reuelation of Iohn Reuel 16 15. There is no way for the vngodly to escape When a thiefe hauing a purpose to doe a mischiefe commeth vpon an house in the night when all be asleep and so taketh them vnprepared and vnprofitable being in bed and destitute of all helpe they cannot escape or shift themselues out of the way There can be no preuenting of this fearefull and suddaine destruction by foreseeing the appointed time and by determining of the season before-hand so as wee may liue as we list vntill that time For as the lightning commeth out of the East and is seene into the West so shall also the comming of the Sonne of man be Math. 2â— 27. So then wee may see the blessed estate and condition of all such as wisely consider the suddain comming of Gods iudgments and the falling of men into them as a bird into a snare being thereby made circumspect and wise to preuent a mischiefe before they fall into it On the other side wee may conclude the cursed and wretched estate of all vngodly and wicked men they are suddainly taken as in a net and horribly consumed They fall into the pit before they dreamed of any danger They feele their owne misery to be without redemption before they would see it to preuent it Happy are they that see the plague comming and doe auoyde it Vse 2 Secondly it is our duty to awake out of sinne to be watchfull ouer our own soules we must not sleepe in sinne nor giue our selues to security but be careful and circumspect that wee be not suddainly ouertaken Wee ought alwayes to be occupied in the workes of godlinesse and in the duties of our calling to performe them as in the sight of God to the end that being alwayes ready wee should not feare his comming This is the charge that Christ giueth vs to be alwayes ready Mâ—th 24 44. Luke 12 35. To this purpose doth he giue this exhortation that seeing wee know not when the Sonne of man will come whether at euen or midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning we should carefully watch pray continually Mar. 13 35 36 37. Luke 21 36. And the which Christ speaketh of the end of the world must be considered of vs touching the end ofour own daies and must teach vs so to number vp our times that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome that wee should haue our loynes girt and as it were our staues in our hands that euery houre we may looke for our Lords comming The Lord would haue vs know his first comming because the knowledge thereof was profitable and necessary and therefore he reproueth the Iewes that they knew not the time of their visitation Luke 19 45. But his second comming he hath hid from vs as vnnecessary ad vnprofitable nay as dangerous and hurtful vnto vs lest we should say with the euill seruant My master doth deferre his comming and thereupon begin to smite our fellow-seruants and to eate and drinke with the drunken whereas the Master of that seruant will come in a day when hee thinketh not and at an houre when hee is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him a portion with the vnbeleeuers The seruant that knoweth his Masters will and prepareth not himselfe neyther doth according to his will Vse 3 shall be beaten with many stripes Lastly albeit he be patient let vs not put off from day to day the time of our repentance It is the exhortation of Christ to the Church at Sardis Remember how thou hast receiued and heard hold fast repent Reu. 3 3. The Prophet denounceth a grieuous woe to all them that put away the euill day Amos 6 3. that continue still in their wickednesse and think that Gods plagues are not at hand This is the mother of many euils when a man neuer considereth of the day of his death and dissolution and that the day of his appearing is neere and the time of his answering at hand he regardeth not what iniuries he offereth hee committeth many grieuous sinnes So then the consideration of the suddainnesse of Gods iudgements affoordeth a notable vse against the drowzie security and prophanenesse of those that mocke and dally with repentance as if it might bee obtayned at their owne pleasure These men thinke it a vaine thing to trouble themselues that way vntill they bee ready to dye and do lye at the very last gaspe These men regard not how they liue so they may haue time to call for pardon and to cry Lord haue mercy vpon me But vnderstand O yee foolish men that not eueâ—y one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of our Father which is in heauen Math. 7 21. The iudgements of GOD are threatned to come vpon thee as a thiefe and to sweepe thee away suddenly thou knowest not whether thou shalt haue an hour or moment giuen thee to repent Thou mayest be smitten with sudden death When thou risest out of thy bed thou knowest not whether thou shalt lye downe againe When thou lyest down in thy bed thou knowest not what may happen vnto thee before it be day Let God be in our first thoughts in the morning let him bee in our last thoughts in the euening Let vs remember him rising and lying downe Let vs call our selues to an account of our doings euery day what euil we haue done what good we haue left vndone Let vs continually commend our selues our soules our bodyes our goods our brethren into Gods hands as a most faithfull keeper by earnest and faithfull prayer and not goe into our beds as the dog into his kennell or the swine into his stye or the Oxe vnto his stall Boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Pro. 27 1. Thy self may be dead thy house fired thy goods spoiled thy Children destroyed and a thousand miseries bee multiplied vpon thee And if thy daies be prolonged the longer thou continuest in sin the harder thou shalt finde it to repent Thy heart is more hardned by custome continuance An olde ruinous house the longer it is let run the more
carefull to settle our consciences in the true feare of his Name then to settle our estates in earthly and transitory things remembring that godlinesse is profitable to all things and hath the promises of this life and of the life to come 1 Tim. 4 8 and that if first of all we seeke the kingdome of God all other things shall be ministred vnto vs Matth. 6 verse 33. Lastly it serueth to reprooue meere ciuill Vse 3 men that regard nothing but to liue ciuilly among men but neuer regard to know God to glorifie his Name So farre do the Turks Infidels go but except our righteousnesse exceed theirs wee cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Our first and cheefest care ought to be of Religion but these haue no care of it at all They regard the praise of men more then the praise of God Yee shall offer vnto the Lord two Lambs of a yeare old one in the morning the other at euen Touching the Lawes of an holy nature some were appointed as necessary for them to obserue and some voluntary Touching the necessary Lawes they are of foure sorts some were daylie some weekly some monethly some yearely or rather to speake more properly Moses speaketh heere of foure sorts of oblations or sacrifices First of such as were offered euery day Secondly of such as were offered euery weeke Thirdly of such as were offered euery moneth Lastly of such as were offered euery yeare Touching the voluntary we shall speake afterward chap. 30. The holy time that concerneth euery day is the morning and euening sacrifice offered dayly the weekly holy time is touching the Sabbath the monethly is touching the Calends or first day of euery moneth the yearely is touching the feasts of the Passeouer of Pentecost of Trumpets of Humiliation and of the Tabernacles All these lawes were in a manner before handled while the people abode at Mount Sinai If any aske the Question Quest why then they are againe heere repeated I answer first Answer because they were now come to enter into the Land beeing in a manner vpon the borders thereof chap. 27 12. God would therefore put them in minde of this Why thâ—se lawes are againe heere repeated that when they should possesse the Land they must be mindfull of his worship and their owne duty Secondly because few at this time remained aliue which had heard or if they had heard could remember these lawes that then were published propounded all being now dead except Caleb and Ioshua which were numbred before as we saw in the end of the 26 chapter Thirdly the ceremoniall worship had beene intermitted in the wildernesse for many yeares as circumcision Iosh 5 and many other like ordinances by reason of theyr continuall iournies or at least continuall expectation of them Lastly God doth heereby comfort and confirme his people after theyr manifold prouocations and murmurings testifying thereby that as a mercifull Father he is reconciled vnto them the remembrance of theyr sinnes buried and that he hath determined to do them good all the dayes of their life Now the first thing to be considered is the daily sacrifice The daily sacrifices of the Iewes the vses thereof to vs. in which was to bee offered morning and euening a Lambe fine Flower Wine Oyle these were to be offered continually as a burnt offering vpon the Altar which law was not to take place vntill they came into the Land as we heard before in the like case chap. 15 2. because in the Desert they wanted many things necessary Deut. 12 8 which was a sufficient dispensation for the omitting of them for when God doth require any thing he giueth meanes to performe it and did neuer impute it as a sinne vnto them when an ineuitable necessity did hinder them and the desire to obey is no lesse accepted then obedience it selfe Of this dayly sacrifice with the rites thereof to be performed euery morning and euening wee reade at large Exod 29 38. they must do it day by day continually So 1 Kings 18 when Eliah conuinced Baals Priests there is mention made of theyr chusing dressing and offering a Bullocke in the morning verse 26 and of his doing the like at the time of the offering of the euening sacrifice verse 36. Likewise Peter and Iohn went vp together into the temple at the houre of praier being the ninth houre Acts 3 1 this was the time being three of the clocke in the afternoone when the euening sacrifice was wont to bee offered vnto which prayer also was wont to be ioyned we see theyr practise what it was dayly now let vs come to the vses toward our selues First see from hence by consideration of Vse 1 this dayly offering a Lambe euery morning and a Lambe euery euening a great difference betweene the Old and New Testament For this law as also the rest is not obserued nor is to be obserued of the people of God in the daies of the Gospel since the comming of Christ which was obserued and ought to bee obserued before Christ came in the flesh by the people of the Iewes but in stead of these oblations and sacrifices we haue the Supper of the Lord. They were laden burdened with sundry ceremonies and had an heauy yoke put vpon their necks Acts 15 10. which neyther they nor theyr fathers were able to beare as Peter testifieth and such as were ioyned with much cost and no lesse labour and trouble euery foote they were constrained to bee vncleane and put from the Congregation and with many sacrifices and solemnities were purified againe We haue a few ceremonies if we may call them ceremonies onely two to wit baptisme once onely to bee receiued which came in place of circumcision theyr often purifications and the Supper of the Lord which came in place of the Passeouer and the other Sacrifices theyr meat-offerings and theyr drinke-offerings Obiect If any aske why God changed this forme of his worshippe or why hee abrogated those sacrifices and the whole Leuiticall seruice I answer Answ because they were instituted to bee figures of Christ and to shadow out his sacrifice Heb. 10 1 2 c. Piscat in Num. cap. 29. for the sacrifices were so many testimonies giuen of God that Christ Iesus should come into the world and offer vp himselfe a sacrifice without spot or blemish to cleanse the sinnes of the people and to make satisfaction for them vnto God Wherfore he being come and his sacrifice being offered those other sacrifices ought to ceasse and if now they shold continue they should be no better then lying signes and false witnesses and testifie an vntruth to wit that Christ should come hereafter and dye for vs who is already come and hath dyed for vs once and can dye no more Rom. 6 9 and hath fulfilled all that was written of him If any do aske farther Obiect why God would ouer-lade the faithfull in the Old
face but within it is nothing but filthines like sepulchers that appeare beautifull without but are nothing within but full of rottennes and dead mens bones Vse 1 This teacheth vs that worldly things profit not we thinke when once we haue gotten them that we are happy men when we are by them neuer the nearer to God neuer the more beloued of God neuer the nearer to his kingdome Why then should we be slaues and seruants to them or suffer our selues to be carried by them from duties belonging to God men Hence it is that Salomon sheweth that riches are reserued to the hurt of the owners thereof Eccl. 4 and 5. And many while they seeke wholly after these things they do lose peace with God and heape vp wrath against themselues Iam. 5. Vse 2 Secondly we see hereby how hardly they enter into the kingdome of Heauen that haue them Math. 19. Christ teacheth this out of the example of the rich man that went away sorrowfull when he heard mention of forsaking his riches His riches was his ioy and chiefe treasure he had set his heart vpon them and therefore to leaue them was as irksome to him as to leaue his life This mans case is not singular neither may other men thinke themselues by nature to be better The same corruption hath taken hold vpon all whosoeuer haue the worlds good haue need of a speciall grace of GOD to assist them that they be not blinded and hardned by the loue of them Vse 3 Thirdly let vs not be immoderatly carefull for them and let vs haue our conuersation without couetousnes We brought nothing with vs into the world and we shall carry as little with vs 1. Tim. 6. Heb. 13. It is no profit to winne the whole world and to lose our owne soules Math. 16.26 and therefore let vs be contented with our estates wherein GOD hath set vs. It is our duty to labour against this immoderate loue of the world not that the things in the woâ—ld are of themselues euill but because we are ready to abuse them Now if any desire to haue some helps to keep him from the excessiue loue of the world Helpes to keep vs from the loue of the world and from putting his trusts in his riches let him meditate vpon these things First such is the wickednes of a mans heart and the corruption of his nature that he maketh his outward estate if he haue riches and a plentifull and prosperous condition to be his glory and the thing wherein he reioyceth and triumpheth Psal 62 10. Ier 9 23. Dan. 4 27. Luke 12 19. Psal 36 6 7 Esay 39 6. Psal 49 16 For how doe men iudge of themselues They imagine that others will prize them as they haue learned to value themselues and that they shal be honoured and esteemed for these things they thinke that all men will admire them for their wealth and that men will account them so much more excellent then others as they are more rich and wealthy And such is the misery of our times that for the most part it is so indeed they hold an opinion of euery man not according to his properties but according to his possessions not according to his vertues but according to his goods Howbeit in this both sorts are deceiued For by this meanes it commeth to passe that it is not the man that is honoured but his riches for if they were gone the honour would fall away also We see by experience that where there is much riches there is much pride nothing is more common then to haue the heart lifted vp in prosperity They thinke riches are giuen vnto them because they deserue them better then others It is hard to keepe pride out of the heart when God sendeth wealth into the house Secondly the desire of riches is like the graue that is not satisfied It is like the sea that receiueth all waters and yet it is not full So long as the rich man seeth another before him or beyond him he cannot be quiet If he haue attained to be equall with one he will striue to be like another and so proceedeth till he come to the highest degree measure of all The more a man drinketh of the water of the sea the more he thirsteth and desireth so it is with riches such as haue tasted the sweetnes of them delight greatly in the taste they greatly prouoke the appetite to long after more and therefore no maruaile if they vse all meanes lawfull and vnlawfull to come vnto them Thirdly abundance of riches are hardly gotten without sinne for whether we obtaine them by excessiue gaining or by excessiue sparing neither are done without sin And how many are there in the world among those that are growne great wealthy in the world who so often as they behold their riches may iustly challenge themselues say These sinnes haue I committed in the getting of my goods and these duties haue I omitted in the keeping of them How then should we dote vpon these things which are vnto vs the badges and signes of our sinnes and which are as witnesses ready to open their mouthes against vs when no other eyther can or dare accuse vs Fourthly riches are common blessings to be found as well among the vngodly as among the godly yea oftentimes the vngodly haue the greatest portion of theÌ„ They haue their heauen in this life and they want nothing So then if it were possible for a man to haue the treasures of a kingdome yet he must know that he hath gotten no more then a most wicked man may haue and is by them no nearer to the kingdome of Heauen then a reprobate may be Fiftly riches are ordinarily without Gods especiall restrayning and reforming hand the occasions of much euill and wickednes of oppression of fraud of cruelty and prophanenes Riches can neuer make a man good but oftentimes make those naught that otherwise might be good why then should we reioyce in them and be possessed with the loue of them If we respect the vertue that is in riches or the power that is in man it is not possible for a man to be rich and good together neuertheles to him to whom all things are possible it is possible to make a man good in the middes of his riches without whose grace it cannot be Sixtly the vanity of the world appeareth in the vncertainty and mutability of riches should we set our hearts vpon that which taketh her wings and flyeth vp to Heauen They arise in a moment and suddainly they are gone and neuer appeare againe They are gotten with much care they are kept with much feare they are lost with much griefe Therefore it is the precept of the Apostle Trust not in vncertaine riches 1. Tim. 6 we are not soone possessed of them but we may soon be depriued of them Lastly we must giue an account to God how we haue vsed them as well as how
disciples that he must go to Ierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and chiefe Priests and Scribes be killed and bee raised againe the third day he tooke him aside and began to rebuke him saying Be it farre from thee Lord this shall not be vnto thee the Lord Iesus turned about and said vnto him Get thee behinde mee Satan thou art an offence vnto me for shou sauourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men Mat. 16 23 where by we are taught that such as are an offence to others are no better then the instruments of Satan therefore iustly beare his name Vse 1 The vses follow First this setteth downe the vnlawfull condition of such as hinder others in the profession and labour to make them fall from God Thus did the diuels as we heard before they threw downe our first parents from the hight of their happinesse therefore are reserued in chaines vnto iudgement 2 Pet. 2 4. In the Law hee is accursed that layeth a stumbling block before the blind to cause him to wander out of the way and all the people shall say Amen Deut. 27 18 hee therefore that seeketh to subuert and supplant the faith of men and to destroy the soule must needes be vnder a farre greater curse of God and man The soules of such as perish through their procuring shall cry out against them and bring downe an heauy iudgment vpon them Hence it is that Christ our Sauiour saith Who so shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that hee were drowned in the depth of the sea woe vnto the world because of offences it must needes be that offences come but woe to that man by whom offences come Math. 18 6 7 we see therefore the wretched estate and condition of all those that giue offence to others They are guilty of horrible sins against God and against their brethren O that they had eyes to see them and hearts to bewaile them Euery man is prone through the corruption of his nature to fall from God but much more when occasions are laid before them for two are stronger then one and if we haue alwayes one foot ready to slip we are in more danger of falling when wee are pushed forward Let all such consider as haue caused others to fall that the time will come when it will be required at their hands These do hunt for the precious life of a man they are soule-hunters and soule-killers and destroyers and murther those for whom Christ died These are the chiefe causes of the coldnes and backwardnesse of Religion and that so few professe it in sincerity Our Sauiour pronounceth an heauy woe against them that neither entred into the kingdome themselues neither suffred others to enter but hindred them Luke 11 52. This woe lieth vpon the shoulders of all those that stop the way of others that they cannot enter into it Vse 2 Secondly thinke it not strange when wee haue this measure offered vnto vs and when men whisper vs in the eare to take heed we be not too forward or precise and that thereby we shall lay our selues open to the reproches of the world if sinners thus entice vs hearken not vnto them It hath beene an old practice to discourage and discountenance others from obeying God It is bitter to heare and beare the railings and reuilings of carnall men and many start aside from the truth by such taunts And if these reproches proceeded onely from open enemies they might be borne more easily but it pleaseth God many times to try the faith and to proue the patience of his faithfull seruants farther and they receiue much discouragemēt from their acquaintance from their friends with whom they tooke sweete counsell together and walked with them into the house of God Iob receiued much disgrace by his owne wife that lay in his bosome as also by his three friends that were as his owne soule and came to visite and to comfort him but miserable comforters were they all as himself complaineth chapt 16 2 and chapt 19 2 3 How long will ye vexe my soule and breake mee in pieces with words these ten times haue yee reproched me c. Was not this thinke you a great tentation and assault to the faith of this righteous man to bee thus taunted and tormented by his deare friends and by his dearest wife was hee not flesh and blood as well as others to haue an inward feeling of these sorrows to drinke vp the very lees of this bitter cup was he as brasse and iron or had he a body of steele that these afflictions could not pierce him or enter into him No doubtlesse for then his patience could not bee commended vnto vs and set before vs for an example Iam. 5 11. If then it go so with vs we haue the Prophets and holy men of God for an example of suffering affliction that haue gone before vs. The Church complaineth in Salomons Song that the watchmen that went about the city found her they smote her the keepers of the walles tooke away her vaile from her Cant. 5.7 They that should bee her guard turned to bee her griefe and they that watched for her wounded her The people that professe the truth in sincerity looke to haue all encouragement from their Ministers in weldoing yet oftentimes it falleth out as with the Church before that such worke them al the disgrace they can and seeke to put them to shame that should bee their glory Phil. 4 1 and vexe them with the crosse that ought o tbe their crowne and discomfort them that indeed might be their ioy and their comfort Paul complaineth oftentimes of the Iewes and of false brethren by whom he receiued greater hurt then euer hee did at the hands of the Gentiles Tit. 1 10 11. 2 Cor. 11 26. Sometimes children haue hard measure offered vnto them by their fathers and mothers whose reioycing it should be to see their children prosper in good things yet oftentimes it falleth out they are scoffed at by them and this falleth out not onely in the bloody dayes of persecution when parents haue betrayed their owne children the fruit of their bodies into the hands of cruell persecutors but likewise in the times of peace and prosperity and the generall and publike profession of the Gospel when we seem all to embrace one faith and one Religion yet if their sonnes and daughters be zealous in the truth they mock taunt them for their precisenes and grieue the bowels of those that are and should be theyr owne bowels not onely by nature but in loue and affection And therefore Christ teacheth such children Math. 10 34 35 36. I came not to send peace vpon earth but a sword and to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter c. And a mans foes shall be they
from the desert of Sinai and pitched at Kibroth Hattaauah 36 And they remoued from Ezion-gaber and pitched in the wildernesse of Zin which is Kadesh 38 And Aaron the Priest went vp into mount Hor at the commandment of the Lord and died there c. 40 And King Arad the Canaanite c. 48 And they departed from the mountaines of Abarim and pitched in the plaines of Moab by Iordan neere Iericho 49 And they pitched by Iordan from c. Heere we haue a short abridgement of the forty two mansions and iourneyes of Israel during theyr abode in the wildernesse vntill they passed ouer Iordan and entred into the land promised to their fathers The twelue former iourneyes they dispatched the two first yeares for they abode at Sinai where the Law was giuen an whole yeare and more From Sinai to Kadesh which is in the wildernesse of Zin they finished 31 mansions in thirty and seuen yeares with the beginning of the 38 yeare And in the fortieth yeare which was the last of their wandring in the wildernesse they dispatched and finished the other nine mansions The iournies of the Israelits in the wildernesse These iourneyes of the Israelites Moses setteth downe in diuerse places as Exodus 13 17 when Pharaoh had let the people go God ledde them not through the way of the land of the Philistims although that was neere for God said Lest peraduenture the people repent when they see warre and they returne to Egypt but God led the people about through the way of the wildernesse of the red sea This is further declared Exod. 14 and 15 and in other Chapters following Of these iourneyes also we haue seene in part before in this booke And Moses in the booke of Deuteronomy chapt 1 31 putteth the people in remembrance that they had seene in the wildernesse how the Lord their God bare them as a man doth beare his sonne all the way that they went And in the Chapter following hee telleth them how they tooke their iourney in that great and terrible wildernesse by the way of the red sea and compassed mount Seir many dayes In these seuerall mansions and stations many memorable accidents fell out which Moses by naming the places would haue them to consider that none of all the workes and miracles of God might bee forgotten neyther their owne stubbornesse and rebellion nor the greatnesse of the mercies of God toward them as Psalme 102 19. This shal be written for the generation to come and the people which shal be created shall praise the Lord and Psalme 78 6 That the generation to come might know them and the children which should be borne who should arise and declare them to their children The land of Canaan promised to the fathers was faire and fruitfull flowing with milke hony but the way vnto it was rough and ragged like the way of Ionathan to the Philistims 1 Sam. 14 13 which was sharpe and steepy to which he and his armour-bearer crept with hand and foote Hence it came to passe that the people of God being deliuered out of the land of Egypt by a mighty hand and out-stretched arme did enter into a sea of troubles not onely at the red sea but while they trotted and trauelled vp downe the wildernes sometimes they went forward and sometimes they went backward Numb 14 25 sometimes they marched and sometimes they retired and neuer stood at one certaine and setled stay Besides they met with many enemies open and secret which they were to encounter withall all which in the end they saw destroyed albeit not all at one time but by litle and litle at last after many dangers escaped and infinite troubles ouer-passed vnder the happy conduct of Ioshua they found rest and peace in the promised land Now let vs come to the vses of all these Vse 1 things toward our selues forasmuch as if wee consider them aright they were as figures to them as glasses to vs to behold in them spirituall things And first wee see heereby what the life of a true Christian is The charges of a Christian building is great If we will be the disciples of Christ we must not imagine that we shall leade a soft easie and pleasant life in hight of honor in abundance of riches in pride of lifc in riuers of pleasure as if wee were in another Paradise or to bee clad in purple and to fare deliciously and sweetly euery day Luke 16 but wee must know the gate is straight and the way is narrow that leadeth to life Math. 7 we must sit downe and cast our accounts what our profession will cost vs and resolue to forsake all that we haue for the Name of Christ and account nothing so precious or deare which we cannot or will not forgoe Such was the whole life of the Patriarkes and Prophets such was the life of Christ and his Apostles and such is the life of all the faithfull seruants of God They endured afflictions they suffered reproches they resisted vnto blood They had feares without and terrours within They had experience of many miseries they felt sharpe stormes and mighty tempests that went ouer their heads This Christ our Sauiour sheweth If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but because I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Ioh. 15 19. And in another place Whosoeuer will be my disciple must take vp his crosse and follow me Math. 16 24. And heereunto the Apostle accordeth teaching that through manifold afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of God Acts 14 22. Christ and the crosse goe alwayes hand in hand and accompany each other If wee will liue with Christ we must first dye with him if wee will reigne with Christ wee must suffer with him 2 Tim. 2 11 12. So then they are greatly and grosly deceiued that suppose all such to bee highly in Gods fauour that flourish and prosper in the world and such to bee the worst sort of people whom God doth most commonly strike and correct with his hand hauing forgotten that hee doth not heere keepe an ordinary rate below to punish euery one as he is worst and to fauour or cocker him as he is best But hee singleth out such as pleaseth him and maketh them examples to others to serue for their instruction and in them willeth and warneth vs to looke vpon our selues Vse 2 Secondly as the children of Israel trauelled vp and downe in the wildernesse and went from place to place from one station to another whereas Moses reckoneth vp 42 in this Chapter so it is with all the faithfull heere vpon the earth they must testifie and professe themselues to be pilgrims and strangers in the world because wee abide not in our owne countrey This Dauid confessed vnto God Psalme 39 12 that he was a stranger and a forreiner as all his fathers were This also the Apostle witnesseth of the fathers Heb.
at the right hand of his Father Col. 3 1 2. Luke 12 32. Seuenthly it is an vnsatiable euil as a gulfe that swalloweth whatsoeuer is cast into it and as the poore ill-fauoured and leane fleshed kine that Pharaoh saw in his dreame which did eate vp seuen well-fauoured and fat kine And when they had eaten them vp it could not bee knowne that they had eaten them but they were still ill-fauoured as at the beginning Gen. 41 21. Hence it is that Salomon saith He that loueth money shall not be satisfied with it Eccl. 5 ver 10. Eightly it maketh such as are infected with it companions with Achan with Gehazi with Iudas Iscariot nay the most couetous persons are worse then that traitor and farther from the kingdome of heauen because he was touched with some remorse restored the thirty peeces of siluer whereas they keepe by them that which they haue wrongfully taken from others and yet haue no sense or feeling eyther of the sinne present or the punishment to come whereas without restitution confession they cannot be saued Vse 4 Lastly from hence we ought all to learne contentation with our seuerall estates wherein God hath set vs which should be as bounds to hedge vs in as if it were saide vnto vs Behold God will haue vs to rest and stay vpon that which he hath giuen vs and to content our selues therewith otherwise we trouble the whole order of the world and defie the Lord himselfe to his face as if wee meant to proclayme open warre against him This obedience S. Paul had learned when he professeth that he knew to be rich and to be poore to be hungry and thirsty and likewise to haue abundance Phil. 4 12. He had learned to be patient in pouerty and to be content with his estate Both these are two notable vertues and special graces of Gods Spirit This is it to learne to be rich and to abound when we do not desire to gather yet more and more neyther are proud to trust in our riches neyther take occasion by them to oppresse the weaker sort that haue no friends in the world to maintaine and defend them and finally when we so vse the world as if we vsed it not be ready to become poore for Christs sake and to leaue all whensoeuer it shall please God to lay that crosse vpon vs. This is a great blessing when such as are rich in wealth can be poore in heart and indeede greater then the former and more needfull to be vrged then the former Many will be ready to laugh at this speech to know how to bee rich But if wee consider how vnsatiable for the most part such are and how their eares and harts also are stopped with earth and clay we shall finde that it is not without great reason that Christ our Sauiour telleth vs that It is an hard thing for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Mat. 19. For they are for the most part more discontented then poore men and so farre in loue with their owne shadow for what is riches but a shadow that they cannot be satisfied And if they had the whole earth in possession they would think that too little and beginne to dreame of two earths Wherefore let vs labour after the grace of Contentation which is a vertue whereby wee are content with our present estate and such blessings as we haue lawfully gotten and rest in them with a quiet heart and bee ready to beare the burden of pouerty patiently The holy Scripture setteth before vs as in a glasse Motiues to moue vs to contentation sundry motiues to mooue vs to seek after and to practise this gift First because it is commanded of God to euery one to be content with his estate Heb. 13 5. Secondly such as are endued with it neede not feare want or pouerty or to be forsaken in theyr pouertie for God hath promised to be their deliuerer and hath sayde He will neuer forsake them Heb. 13 5. Thirdly such as are endued with it shal not be destitute of godlinesse which is great gaine to supply all things 1 Tim. 6 6. Fourthly it is a testimony of true faith resting in the will and pleasure of God Matth. 19 21 for it witnesseth for them that they haue their treasure in heauen Fiftly it maketh this life sweet and comfortable Prou. 13 15. and without it there is nothing but trouble and vexation of spirit Lastly a little with the feare of God is better then great heaps of riches treasures Prou. 15 16 17. 16 8. 13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel saying This is the Land which ye shall inherite by lot which the Lord commanded to giue vnto the nine Tribes and to the halfe Tribe 14 For the Tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers and the Tribe of the children of Gad according vnto the house of their fathers haue receiued inheritance and halfe the Tribe of Manasseh haue receiued their inheritance 15 The two Tribes and the halfe Tribe haue receiued their inheritance on this side Iordan nere Iericho Eastward toward the Sunne rising In the former words wee heard the Commandement of God to Moses touching the bounds and diuision of the Land here we see the execution of it commending his obedience wherein he encourageth the Israelites to prepare themselues to enter into the Land We haue all need to be comforted and encouraged to good duties in regard of our present dulnesse Againe we see that the consideration of the neerenesse of Gods mercies should embolden and encourage euery one to bee constant and couragious that wee faint not in the last acte This made Moses say This is the Land which ye shall inherite he doth as it were point it out with the finger and biddeth them lift vp their eyes and behold the goodnesse which God had promised to their fathers For as the consideration of iudgement at hand lying at the doores ought to moue terror and astonishment so when we behold the mercies of God before our eyes which are not prolonged for many yeares it ought to enflame vs with an holy zeale and desire to see the accomplishment of the same as Christ teacheth his Disciples touching the last day the comming of the Sonne of man Luke 21 28 When these things begin to come to passe then looke vp lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nigh But to passe these ouer let vs stay our selues a while in the consideratiō of the estate of the Church of Israel as now it stood Some were at rest other were to passe farther Some had their inheritance and some had none Some had Townes and Cities to dwell in and some were yet left to the wide world and were to wander farther Some had much and others little or nothing at all Some wanted and some wanted nothing This teacheth vs what is the estate of the
10 31 32 that saw a certaine man robbed of his money spoyled of his rayment and wounded of his body yet departed from him and passed by on the other side leauing him halfe dead But when we are so farre from releeuing them in theyr wants and comforting them in theyr distresses and helping them with our counsell that we seduce them our selues or boulster them vp in their sinnes or draw them into wickednesse we shall draw vpon our selues the heauy iudgements of God in the day of his visitation For if they shall not escape that are ledde out of the way and follow the direction of false and lying seducers of greater iudgment and sorer punishment shall they bee worthy that lay snares to catch others and draw them vnto destruction In the Prophesies of Ieremy we see Pashur the sonne of Immer the Priest threatned Ier. 20 6. that because he had preached lies hee and all that belonged vnto him should dye in captiuity And in another place the Lord denounceth his iudgements to come vpon the Prophets which haue sweet toongs Ier. 23.31 seducing the people with pleasing lies Herevnto wee may referre all ignorant Ministers which are vtterly disabled for the performance of their duty in teaching the people they haue the place but want the gifts 1 Tim. 3 2 they haue the calling but want the ability 2 Tim. 2.2 they fill vp the roomes of workmen but are not able to do the worke These commit an heynous sin not onely destroying their owne foules but bringing the people to destruction For through their ignorance and insufficiency they cast away their owne soules the soules of other men The wise man teacheth Prou. 29 18 that where there is no vision there the people decay Wherefore to conclude let all faithfull Ministers of God with care conscience be stirred vp to deliuer that Embassage which they haue receiued from God not as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ And let all the people know that it becommeth them with al patience and reuerence to receiue the word of exhortation which God hath sanctified as the meanes to worke in thē faith and obedience It shall excuse no man in the day of the Lord to say I would haue hearkened to the truth but I was deceyued I would haue walked in the right way but alasse I was seduced These are olde Adams figge-leaues which will not serue to couer our shame and to hide our nakednesse wee must seeke after the truth and learne to discerne of it from errour If we be content to liue in ignorance and voluntarily submit our selues to be led or rather misled by blinde guides that can neyther informe themselues nor vs in the wayes of the Lord if we wilfully shut our eyes because we will not see our ignorance is without excuse and for want of knowledge wee shall certainly bee destroyed Let vs all walke in the right way and make streight steps vnto our feete Heb. 12 13 that God may be glorified our soules saued we entirely preserued in the truth through Iesus Christ to whom bee praise and glory in the Church for euer Amen CHAP. XXVI 1 AND it came to passe after the plague that the Lord spake vnto Moses and vnto Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest saying 2 Take the summe of the Congregation of the Children of Israel from twenty yeares old and vpward throughout their fathers house all that are able to go to warre in Israel 3 And Moses and Eleazar the Priest spake vnto them c. 5 Reuben the eldest sonne of Israel c. 9 This is that Dathan and Abiram which were famous in the Congregation c. 10 And the earth opened her mouth c. HAuing sufficiently seene the weake estate and condition of this people who as much as lay in them rushed forward to their owne destruction and were vnworthy of the mercy of God that they might learne in the matter of their saluation to ascribe al to God Deut. 8 17. Let vs consider the power of his grace 1 Cor. 12 6 seene and made perfect in their weaknesse to the end of this booke wherein we are to marke a description partly of the holy and Ecclesiasticall Lawes giuen to the 31. chapt and partly sundry Ciuill and politicall Lawes belonging to their inheritance in the Land of promise Before both these we haue in this and the chapter following a new numbring of the people by the commandement of God wherein we must marke two things one touching the numbring of them the other touching the order to be deuised in the diuiding of the inheritance Touching the numbring of the people we must remember that this is now the third numbring since the Israelites by the mighty hand of God departed out of Egypt The first was the same yeare they were brought foorth when the summe was taken of them and a generall payment exacted of rich and poore for the prouision and preparation of holy things requisite for the Tabernacle Exod. 30 14 15 16. The second was in the beginning of the second yeare when the holy things were made and an order set downe among the people in their iournies Numb 1 and 2. The third is that which is in this place And notwithstanding the two former this was not without speciall causes The causes of this new nūbring of the people for there had beene a great change and alteration among the people since the second nūbring of them which was 38. yeares before they that were then numbred beeing dead in the plagues and punishments that fell vpon them Againe the diuision of the Land could not but by these breaches among them be very vniust and vnequall vnlesse this summe had beene taken whereas the Land ought to bee indifferently diuided and parted to ende all controuersies to cut off all occasions of enuie and emulation and to preserue loue and vnity among brethren Thirdly in regard of military discipline that they might march in good array and keep order the better among them for they were now in a manner come to hand blowes with their enemies and were ready to encounter with them Fourthly that the hand of God toward this people might be better seene and knowne to wit both his power and goodnesse in that though many thousands of them were wasted consumed in the Wildernesse yet the number of them was not diminished but rather encreased likewise his iustice and truth in that though he chastened the rebellious and refractary against him yet hee kept the promise hee had made to their fathers touching the multiplying of their seed as the starres of heauen Theod. quaest 46 forasmuch as he is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham Mat. 3 9. And to call those things that are not as though they were Rom. 4 17 18. Lastly to shew that as he knoweth perfectly and exactly the number of all that entred into the earthly Canaan so he knoweth the
number of all the faithfull that shall possesse the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen prepared for them before the beginning of the world He knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2 19 because all theyr names are written in heauen Lu. 10 20. The contents and diuision of this chap. In this Chapter obserue three things First the numbring of the Israelites which were fit for warre Secondly the commandement of God touching the diuiding of the Land of Canaan among them Thirdly the numbring of the Leuites who were appointed for the sacred warfare that is to serue the Lord in the Tabernacle In the numbring of the people fit to beare armes we may see the commandement of God and the execution of the commandement The commandement is amplified by the time by the persons that were to number them and by the persons that were to bee numbred and that by their age and ability to go to warre The time of this numbring is said to be after the plague which the learned Iunius vnderstandeth of the plagues mentioned in the 14. chap. whereby God threatened to consume all of them in the Wildernesse by little and little now some and then others according to their manifold deseruings prouocations But this exposition seemeth to mee both to be forced and farre fet and from the purpose First because the Article heere prefixed hath relation rather to one certaine iudgement of God brought vpon them at one certaine time whereas that threatning was executed at diuers and sundry times by the space almost of forty yeares Secondly by the name of plague a violent death sent froÌ„ God is betokened as for example when a man dyeth suddenly being smitten by some Angel but the former commination doth not specifie any one iudgement of that sort but without any limitation doth generally denounce a consuming of them which might bee done by naturall death Lastly they to whom that threatning is directed perished not with one plague nor after one manner nor at one time but with diuers iudgements in diuers manners and at diuers times Wherefore we must rather vnderstaÌ„d in this place that plague which is mentioned in the former chapter where foure and twenty thousand dyed for their idolatry and whoredome with the daughters of Moab 1 Cor. 10. The execution of the commandement consisteth of three points being amplified by a declaration of the place where this numbring was made by a comparison of the like example verse 4 and lastly by a particular description of euery Tribe numbred and their families the Tribe of Leui excepted Where obserue that in this rehearsall and enumeration of euery Tribe there is great difference from the former numbring when they came out of Egypt which will appeare by these particular comparisons set before vs. 1. Reuben before 46500. now 43730. 2. Simeon before 59300. now 22200. 3. Gad. before 45650. now 40500. 4. Iudah before 74600. now 76500. 5. Issachar before 54400. now 64300. 6. Zebulun before 57400. now 60500. 7. Manasseh before 32200. now 52700. 8. Ephraim before 40500. now 32500. 9. Beniamin before 35400. now 45600. 10. Dan before 62700. now 64400. 11. Asher before 41500. now 53400. 12. Naphtali before 53400. now 45400. Heere is the same order obserued which we saw before obserued in all which we are to marke that many do now exceed the former account arising to many moe in this latter computation then in the former notwithstanding the many thousands that were weeded out of the hoste of GOD as noysome plants cut vp and cast into the fire and none of the Tribes continued in one stay to teach vs to make our cheefest reckoning of that place where shall be no change any more but we shall be like to the Angels that are in heauen Verse 7 9. These are the families of the Reubenites c. This is that Dathan and Abiram c. who stroue against Moses The history of these seditious persons infecting many others with the leauen of their pride and ambition and carrying them into the pit of destruction with themselues is particularly remembred before chapter 16. They were indeed famous in regard of their places and persons but they become infamous and ignominious by theyr sinne and punishment Obserue from hence Doctrine Sin maketh places peâ—sons infamoâ— That irreligion prophanenesse and impiety make men to be reprochful Of what account and estimation soeuer they are be they neuer so rich high noble renowned in the world how famous and excellent soeuer Countries and Cities be yet this is certaine that sin maketh all places and persons infamous and dishonourable and iustly and worthily powreth disgrace and contempt vpon them as it appeareth afterward in this chap. verse 61 and elsewhere Deut. chapter 29 verses 23 24 25. 1 Kings chapter 9 verses 8 9. Ier. chapter 22 verses 8 9. Wee see this farther in many examples Caine is noted and marked of God for his execrable parricide vnto all posterity Gen. 4 15. The like we might say of Ahaz of whom mention is made to his shame and dishonour that all the glory of his throne the title of a king and the honour of Maiesty is not able to hide and couer the blot and stayne of his offences and therefore the Scripture saith of him This is Ahaz 2 Chron. 28 22. Ieroboam is often saide to haue made Israel to sinne 1 Kings 15 30. Iudas that betrayed his Master is called The childe of perdition Ioh. 17 and is as it were burnt in the shoulder with the letter R and marked out for a reprobate and left vpon record to be a diuell Iohn 6 70. that al which heare of it might feare learne to hate his sinnes So doth the Apostle set downe the names of sundry others that made shipwracke of faith and of a good conscience 1. Tim. 1 15. and 2 Tim. 2 17. 2 Thess 3 14. Heb. 12 16. the prophanenesse also of Esau is remembred The reasons follow First because piety and Reason 1 religion is the honour glory of a kingdome or Commonwealth The dignity of any place is the holines of the people that are in it Mat. 2.6 compared with Mic. 5 2. So Moses telleth Israel that if they keepe the statutes of God and do them this should be their wisedome and vnderstanding in the sight of the Nations which should heare these statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and vnderstanding people Deut. 4 6. So then all honour and glory standeth in yeelding obedience to Goâ— Secondly sinne is a most foule and filthy thing in the sight of God Reuelat. 3 18 and 16 15. Lam. 1 9. and therefore it is compared to an vncleane cloth spotted with the flesh Esay ch 64 verse 6. Iude verse 23. and to the blood of pollution Ezek. chap. 16 6 9 22 and to a dead carrion in a Toombe Math. 23 27 28. Thirdly sinne bringeth vs out of loue with God and consequently bringeth the hatred of