Sampson himselfe told his minion all his heart being besotted and almost bewitched with her loue and said vnto her There hath not come a razor vpon my head for I haue beene a Nazarite vnto God from my mothers wombe And touching Samuel his mother set him apart to this vow and said before he was borne 1 Sam 1. â— I will giue him vnto the Lord all the dayes of his life and there shall no razor come vpon his head In this number we may after a sort range the Rechabites mentioned in Ieremy chap. 35.6 who though they had wine set before them and were bidden to drinke yet they answered We will drinke no wine for Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father commanded vs saying Ye shall drinke no wine neither ye nor your sonnes for euer Now this was one part of the vow of the Nazarites and therefore we may account them a kind of Nazarites In the New Testament we see the like in Iohn the Baptist Luk. 1.15 where the Angel forretelleth that he shall bee great and shall drinke neither wine nor strong drinke and he shall be filled with the holy Ghost from his mothers wombe But these are not altogether the Nazarites heere spoken off let vs therefore come to the vow heere mentioned and consider from hence â—â—ctrine â—ng the â—es the of the â—arite was â—e and â—ctise that among the Iewes the vow of the Nazarite was allowed and approued of God vsed and practised of that people This doth Amos confirme vnto vs Chap. 2.11.12 I raised vp of your sons for Prophets and of your yong men for Nazarites is it not euen thus O ye children of Israel saith the Lord but ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke Of these also we heard before out of the Lamentations where they are set forth Of this sort are they whom Iames and the Elders speake off Act. 21.23 saying to Paul We haue foure men which haue made a vowe them take and purify thy selfe with them and contribute with them that they may shaue their heads and all shall know that those things whereof they haue beene informed concerning thee are nothing but that thou thy selfe walkest and keepest the Law And before Chap. 18.18 20. it is said that Paul tooke his leaue of the brethren and sailed thence into Syria and tooke with him Priscilla and Aquila hauing shorne his head in Cenchrea for he had a vow And as Iames perswaded him â—1 26 â—4 18 so he tooke the men and the next day purifying himselfe with them entred into the Temple to signifie the accomplishment of the dayes of purification vntill that an offering should be offered for euery one of them True it is this voluntary vow was rare and vnwonted vnder the Gospel and so much the more because the Synagogue began now after a sort to be buried and restrained Act. 15.29 howbeit the Apostle is content to retaine some of the ceremonies not that he placed any religion in them or thought them necessary of themselues to be obserued which had now receiued their deaths wound in the death of Christ but he had respect to the infirmities of the weake brethren among the Iewes that were not yet throughly instructed in the liberty of the Gospel and the freedome which Christ had brought them in regard whereof to the weak he became as weak 〈◊〉 9.19 â— 22. that he might winne the weake to the Iewes he became as a lew that he might winne the Iewes to them that are vnder the Law as vnder the Law that he might gaine them that are vnder the Law yea he made himselfe a seruant vnto al that he might gaine the more and became all things to all men that he might by all meanes saue some Thus then we see that among the Iews that were the people of God in the time of the Law were such as vowed a speciall separation to God consecrating and sanctifying and dedicating themselues to his seruice who liued as strangers vpon earth as if they were in another world being as men that had made a diuorse and diuision betweene themselues and the prophane men and manners of the world and were eminent among others and aboue others as the Cedar among the shrubs as the starres among the orbes and as the Sun among the starres The reasons why God aloweth and approueth Reason 1 of this vow are first of all because meÌ„ are by nature so proue ready to take vp chuse to themselues certaine sorts and sects of life that there is but a steppe betweene them and falling into superstition Now by binding of them in this sort he doth cast a cord about their loynes put a bridle in their mouthes Pet. Martyr in caput 13. lib. Iudic. so that this is as much as if he had said vnto them Forasmuch as I see into your harts how willing you are to deuise new formes and fashions of seruing and worshipping me ye shal not do what pleaseth you but what I appoint Thus he keepeth them within the compasse of their duty by this vow and permitting them somewhat he restraineth them from more Secondly he doth hereby curbe the people that they should not follow the trades desires of the heathen by finding them worke as it were at home wherewithall to busie themselues and hence it is that he willeth the people Deut. 12.30 to take heed to themselues that they were not snared by following the Cananites after that they were destroyed before them that they enquire not after their Gods saying How did these nations serue their gods euen so will we doe likewise So then God ordained this and such like kind of vowes to the end his owne people should not follow the fond fashions of the idolatrous heathen that dwelt round about them Thirdly Wherein the vow of the Nazarites consisteth that from hence might spring some maintenance for the Ministery whereof in all ages and times God hath shewed himselfe to haue a speciall care This appeareth euidently in the twentieth verse of this Chapter when the Nazarite offereth a Ramme for a sacrifice of a peace offering vnto the Lord a part therof is holy for the Priests vse and therefore in this vow the Lord had a respect to the vpholding and continuing of his seruice by prouiding for those that attended thereunto Now the parts of the vow are to be considered before the vses be pointed out Wee haue heard already that the Nazarites were such persons as vowed a speciall kind of holinesse The parts of their speciall holinesse are two first while they were in this vow secondly when the dayes of it were accomplished Touching the first while they continued in their vow they were bound not only to keepe a temperate dyet but they were vtterly to abstaine from wine and strong drinke from vineger of wine Verse 3.4 vineger of strong drinke and from any liquor of grapes as also from cating moyst or dryed grapes
owne glory Exod. 9.6 Rom. 9.17 Exod. 32.11 12. Secondly the seruants of God haue beene so farre carryed with a desire of promoting and preferring of it as that they haue preferred it before their owne life nay before their owne soule and saluation when they haue come in comparison together ◠32.32 ◠9.3 as appeareth in Moses and in Paul Thirdly Gods glory is most deare to himselfe if then we will bee his children tender deare vnto him we must follow his example we must prize that at the highest rate which he prizeth aboue all we must loue that which he loueth 48.11 and that ought to bee most deare vnto vs which is most deare to him Vse 1 The vses This reproueth the most part of the world who neuer set this marke before them to ayme at nor intend the glory of God in their prayers but the fulfilling of their own wils and desires and the satisfying of their owne gaine and profit It is nothing precious vnto them but lesse regarded then their owne names Euery man naturally regardeth himself and magnifieth his owne name but the name of God neuer goeth neere them Ioshua hath relation to such a point as this when he saith speaking of the Canaanites and all that inhabited the land ◠9 They shall cut out our name from the earth and what wilt thou doe vnto thy great name Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbes that a good name is rather to be chosen ◠1 then great riches and louing fauour rather then siluer and gold ◠2. it is better then a precious oyntment but if we speake of the Name of God which is glorious and fearefull Deu. 28.38 it ought to be more deare vnto vs then all the siluer gold then all the Iewels precious stones which worldlings make their heauen and happines Vse 2 Secondly let vs in all distresses and troubles be comforted with this consideration that he will respect his owne glory and therefore the good of his Church For the preseruation of the Church and the aduancement of Gods glory are ioyned together He will neuer forsake those that are his in prosperity or in aduersity because if he should any way faile of his promises he should lose much of his own glory which is vnpossible The Church shall neuer sinke vnder the burden that lyeth sore vpon it It is like the bush that burned which Moses saw in the wildernesse while he fed the sheepe of Iethro his father in law it flamed but it consumed not whereby God declared the low ebbe of the church into which it was brought distressed in Egypt but it should not be destroyed he that dwelled in the bush preserued the same Deu. 33.16 If then the glory of God shall neuer faile the gates of hell cannot preuaile against the Church Lastly we must giue no occasion of causing Vse 3 the name of God which is holy in it selfe to be blasphemed Let vs be no means to make it euill spoken off but labour by all means to be instruments of setting it forth Blessed are such as any way aduance it Euery one should aime at it high and low rich and poore master and seruant husband and wife Matth. 5.16 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 Phil 2.15 Iosh 15.8 2 Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2.24 Verse 17. Verse 18. Euery one may gaine some glory to God how meane soeuer his place how simple soeuer his calling be The Apostle chargeth the Iewes that through thē the Name of God was blasphemed because they had the law and made boast of God they knew his wil and were instructed in the word For as wicked children doe dishonour and discredit their parents 1 Sam. 8.3 so it turneth after a sort to Gods discredit in the world when they which are called the children of God and named by the name of Christ doe liue vnworthily so high and holy a calling There is none that liueth in the Church albeit in the poorest and lowest calling but if hee professe Christ and walke not according to his profession he causeth the Name of God to be euill spoken off the seruant that hath the meanest office if he will be thought religious and haue the Gospel in his mouth and do not performe the duties of his calling with great care and a good conscience hee causeth the Name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed 1 Tim. 6.1 The higher more eminent any mans place is the more scandal he giueth and the greater occasion of greefe to the godly of hardning to the wicked and of dishonor to God Let a man be as prophane as may be that neither feareth God nor reuerenceth man let him liue in the grossest sinnes that can be committed or named let him bee an open blasphemer a contemner of the word a prophaner of the Sabboth an abuser of the Sacraments and of all good things there is commonly no great matter made of it he is neither reproched no reproued But let one that professeth religion bee suddenly ouertaken thorough infirmity in any sinne or purpose of sin not onely he is taunted and traduced by the prophane multitude but the truth of God and the profession of the trueth nay the God of truth is euill spoken off dishonoured and blasphemed These things ought to goe neere vs euen to the heart and to make vs watchfull ouer our wayes seeing wee haue those that watch ouer vs to see if they can haue ought whereof to accuse vs. 17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying 18 The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiuing iniquity and transgression and by no meanes clearing the guilty c. In these words we haue the second reason drawen from the consideration of the nature or being of God which is seene by shewing mercy and iudgement both which are in his hand mercy to his owne people iudgement to his enemies This description is taken out of the booke of Exodus chap. 34.6 very comfortable to afflicted and distressed consciences So Ionah 4.2 first he is said to be long suffering then of great mercy and thirdly forgiuing iniquity and transgression If any aske Is he onely mercifull is he not also iust The answer is he wil by no meanes cleare the guilty but will visite the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children But of this latter clause we shall speake afterward verse 33.34 Out of the former Doctrine God is of great patience and much long sufferance note that it is the property of God to be alwayes of great patience much gentlenesse and long-sufferance Hee is of a forbearing nature and slow to anger expecting many dayes the conuersion repentance and recouery of sinners Esay 65.2 Ier. 35.15 and 25.5 Matth. 23.37 We haue many examples hereof in the word of God Gen. 6.3 1 Pet. 3.20 The long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing So
essentiall parts of that Sacrament I answere Answer they are able to doe this but forasmuch as they doe it without a calling their doing is as no doing their powring on of water is no better then a defiling of it For who gaue them their commission so to do When possession of any house is giuen by deliuering a white wand and turfe another man may do as much in shew he may take a wand turfe as good as the others and make a deliuery of them and yet those actions may bee idle being done without warrant neither can assure the bargaine and sale It is no great matter or hard to doe to take bread and wine and deliuer the same by reciting the words of institution and yet if it be vndertaken without a calling it is a plaine and manifest prophanation of the Supper of the Lord. If they iudge this vnlawfull how can they hold the other lawfull The people of God or any among them were as well able to handle and carry the Arke as the Leuites they were an holy people to God they were all circumcised they did all carry about in their flesh the marke and impression of the Couenant yet the Lord sorted out the Tribe of Leui to beare the Arke of his Couenant Deut. 10.8 to stand in his presence to minister vnto him and to blesse in his Name He will haue vs wholly to obey his word he regardeth not our blinde zeale or purpose to serue him except it be ordered aright To proceede Hath God onely placed order in the Church and not in the common-wealth yes in the common-wealth also wherein euery one both superiours and inferiours must doe their duty He hath appointed the Magistrates their office to minister iustice without partiality and respect of persons 2 Chron. 19. 5 6. considering that they execute not the iudgements of men but of God who will be with them This is the comely order that hee hath set this is the way wherein he will haue them walke this is the ordinance that he hath established If then lawes be bought and sold or if they be made as the spiders webbe to catch the silly flie but to let the hornet escape or if they punish the poore and let the rich escape if the weake that cannot resist be intangled and the mighty be deliuered this is a great disorder and the Lord will not haue these things handled so confusedly Let such set before them the example of God who will reward euery man according to his workes He doth not spare the wicked Rom. 2.6 and reuenge himselfe vpon the Godly but he sheweth mercy to thousands of these and will not hold the other innocent So such as God hath called to execute iudgement and sit vpon the bench of iustice must know what God requireth of them they must not peruert the right ouerturne the Seat of equity they must not turne the edge of the sword vpon the poore because they are poore nor put it away from the rich because they are rich or from the mighty because of their might or from the greater sort because they haue many friends but they must smite them with the sword of Iustice that deserue to be smitten and defend them from that wrong that the malice of the oppresser would lay vpon the innocent On the other side God requireth that such as are inferiours should obey Princes and Magistrates submitting themselues vnto them reuerencing both their places and persons They therefore are reproued as breakers of this order of God and ouerturners of States and Common wealthes that rebell against them and moue sedition among the people Such walke in the steps of Corah and his company who were consumed and destroyed according to their deserts as appeareth afterward in this Booke â—hap 16. These proud spirits and ambitious men haue neuer preuailed but euer beene punished Such are they that Salomon speaketh off Eccle. 10. â—ccles 10.6 7 Folly is set in great excellency and the rich set in the low place I haue seene seruants on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground Such persons as seeke to take away the crownes and kingdomes of Princes are the very plagues of humane societie and goe about to take away as it were the Sunne out of the firmament and to leaue vs in miserable darkenesse nay to take from vs the breath of our nostrils and to expose vs as a prey to all violence and villany Let all such know that they fight against God and therefore cannot prosper or preuaile All sedition is pernicious to the contriuer and author thereof and no iniury receiued can bee any sufficient cause for any man to plot Treasons and rebellions Let euery soule therefore be subiect to the higher powers considering there is no power but of God and that whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and therefore purchase to themselues damnation Vse 3 Lastly seeing God requireth orderly obseruation of his ordinances we learne this duty that we must be carefull to obserue it and practise it with a due regard of his Commandement This is the generall rule that the Apostle commendeth vnto vs 1 Cor. 14. 1 Cor. 14 40. Let all things bee done decently and in order Order is nothing else but the meanes of peace and the auoiding of confusion or it is a disposing of diuers things August de ciuit dei lib 19. cap. 12 Câ—cer de effic lib. 2. giuing to euery one his proper place The end of all good order tendeth to profit as on the other side the end of confusion to losse and destruction The more common generall a good thing is so much the better it is and the more to bee esteemed aboue all other The benefit of good order stretcheth farre to the land and Sea and to the house and ship to the Common-wealth and Church If it be commendable to appoint a profitable order in the lesser charge of a priuate family it is a great deale better and more excellent to manage a Common-wealth prudently and to gouerne the Church wisely Gouernment that is right presupposeth order because it is vnpossible that any man should rule rightly and duely without order For gouernment is a right disposition of those things whereof a man taketh charge to bring them to a conuenient end This is done in the Church of God when there be Pastors and Teachers to preach the word truely and to minister the Sacraments sincerely when the people hearken to them are ready to seeke the law at their mouthes This is seene also in the obseruation of these rules First Rules of order to be obserued in the Congregation when one alone prayeth for many cannot pray with a loud voice together without confusion The Minister is to bee the mouth of the people to God his voice is in publike place to be heard that the people may ioyne with him with pure and humble hearts and
sound out Achan who had stollen the Babylonish garment and wedge of gold he had hidden it priuily and conueyed it closely into his tent howbeit he could not hide himselfe but the eye of God easily espyed him so that the hoste of God could not prosper so long as he remained in it Iosh 7.4 but receiued an ouerthrow at the siege of Ai. Wherefore what shal it profit vs to be absolued by the voices and sentences of all men or to be winked at as if we were cleare innocent when our conscience accuseth vs before God or he be displeased with vs and angry against vs We must enter into our selues and consider how the case standeth betweene God vs and not thinke it enough to know how the case standeth betweene man and vs. What though we can bribe them and stoppe their mouthes and make them hold their peaces and cause them to be content to take a little at our hands when we haue done them much wrong rather then they will goe to law with vs because they are weak and we mighty they are poore and we rich they are empty and we full we shall not be able to bribe the Lord who is stronger then we are and taketh the cause of the oppressed into his hand When we haue offered iniury vnto them it is not enough to confesse our fault vnto them and to humble our selues before them and to seeke to make amends vnto them all this we may doe and then goe to hell yet there are many that doe not come thus farre So then we must remember whom we offend that is God and thereupon to account all sinne heinous and capital forasmuch as it is against the highest Maiesty of infinite power and authority The greater the person is that is offended the greater the sinne is If a man speake euill of the Iudge or Iustice he shall be imprisoned howbeit it is not so heinous as to raile at the Prince because his person is greater and higher But what are all Princes but mortall men whose breath is in their nostrils whose bodies must goe into the graue and turne into dust out of which they were taken in comparison of the immortall God who is a person of infinite and incomprehensible Maiesty If he giue vs once the sight of our sinnes and touch our hearts with a feeling of them though they were as hard as steele as sencelesse as the dead and seared as with an hote yron he can make them aliue quicke and tender enough that we shall goe roaring all the day long and finde comfort in nothing if his hand be heauy vpon vs he will turne our moisture into the drouth of Summer and make all our bones that are broken to clatter so that our life shal abhorre bread and our soule dainty meate and our flesh shall be consumed away that it cannot be seene It is not therefore for vs to dally with him as with a childe or to play with his iustice as the fly doth with the candle til she be consumed but rather let vs remember the exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 12.28 Let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence godly feare because our God is a consuming fire If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him As then we are to mark what we doe so we are to marke against whom wee doe it lest wee taste of destruction at the last and then would giue all the world if we were owners of it to be eased and released of our horrible plagues as it fared and fell out with the rich man in the Gospel Luk. 16. Let vs not thinke to escape from him by denying our sinnes as the reprobate shall doe at the last day who being accused of sin committed against God Matth. 25.44 shall answere When saw we thee a stranger or naked or hungry or thirsty or in prison but Christ Iesus will reply against them and take away all excuse from them and so stop the mouth of iniquity Verely verely I say vnto you inasmuch as ye did it not to one of these little ones ye did it not to me And heereby we may try our selues whether we haue truely repented of sinne or not if this note that abounded in Dauid be found in vs. For his conscience doth not so much accuse him for any fact and offence committed against Vriah as against the Lord himselfe and from hence came the liuely feeling of his sinne So if our conscience accuse vs much more for offending of Gods infinite Maiesty then for the iniury which we haue done vnto man if we stay not beneath vpon the earth but lift vp our hearts vnto God and consider that we haue to doe with him we haue attained to a good measure of true repentance But so long as we regard nothing but men we shall neuer behold the true face of sinne nor see it as it is in his owne likenesse To conclude let vs learne that of all enemies God is the most fearefull and terrible if he set himselfe against vs. Secondly seeing God is the person that is Vse 2 hurt and offended we learne that vengeance belongeth vnto him onely When iniury is done vnto any we must esteeme the wrong as done not onely vnto men but to God and therefore is to be left vnto him whose commandement is transgressed For except the Law of God had beene violated the creature should haue had no cause to complaine of any iniury It is the law that maketh it a sinne and an iniury as we shewed before out of the Apostle Rom. 7. No man therefore is to reuenge his owne cause but must commit vengeance vnto God and to that person that sustaineth Gods person on earth to wit the Magistrate who beareth not the sword in vaine whose iudgement is the iudgement of God whose reuenge is the reuenge of God This doth the Apostle set downe as a rule to guide vs Rom. 12.19 Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but rather giue place vnto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. A lesson often vrged alwayes confessed and yeelded vnto but smally regarded and seldome practised For as if there were no God in heauen no Gods on earth that beare his name and title men runne together like wilde beasts or as horses that rush into the battell and reuenge their owne quarrels as if sinne were wholly committed against themselues and not at all against God as if they were specially interessed in it and God had litle to doe with the matter as if the wrong touched them and no way concerned him From hence it commeth to passe that whiles they goe about greedily to reuenge wrong done vnto them iudgement falleth vpon their owne heads and God executeth vengeance vpon them for their reuenge and so while they goe about to hurt others the greatest hurt falleth vpon themselues and while they shew themselues
Lord plagued him and his house with great plagues vntill hee had restored her If a bare purpose to commit adultery and that ignorantly called for iudgment vpon an heathen king how much more shall the liuing in this sinne bring moe stripes vpon vs that liue in the light of the Gospel haue the truth plainely reuealed vnto vs forasmuch as he that knoweth his masters will doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes The third crying sinne is the oppression of such persons as are destitute of helpe which is ioyned with cruelty as for example such as are widdowes fatherlesse strangers poore innocents whose cry God hath promised to heare and to helpe them This we heard before out of the booke of Exodus If you afflict them in any wise and they cry at all vnto me Exo. 22 â—â— Deut. 154. I will surely heare their cry and my wrath shall waxe hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widdowes and your children fatherlesse The Prophet Habakkuk prophesieth against such and painteth out their sinne in liuely colours chap. 2 9 11 12. Woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that he may set his nest on high that he may be deliuered from the power of euill c. The stone shall cry out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shal answer it One shall say Woe to him that buildeth a Towne with blood another shall make answer and stablisheth a City by iniquity These oppressers do sucke out as it were the blood and life of the needy that haue none to whom to cry out for redresse but in the eares of the Lord. They dare not buckle and encounter with the mighty for as when the pot of earth and of yron meet together the earthen vessell is dashed in peeces so when the mighty and the needy striue the poore man striueth against the streame and bringeth much misery vpon himselfe Their helpe is onely in God the Father of all consolation If men stop their eares against them and will not rescue them out of the snare of the fowler and the net of the hunter let them abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty and shroud themselues vnder his wings who wil couer them with his feathers and heare them in their afflictions The last crying sinne is the poore labourers wages that are wrongfully and vniustly deteined this also cryeth aloud and neuer ceaseth vntill God hearken to the cry of it Many thinke it goods well gained that can be gotten from the poore but they shall finde it fret as a canker and consume as a moth the residue of their substance Hereunto commeth that law of the Lord Deut. 24 14 15. Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is poore needy c. thou shalt giue him his hire neither shall the Sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and setteth his heart vpon it lest he cry against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee Where wee see that this consideration of committing sinne against God ought to enter into vs to restraine vs from doing wrong against any especially the poore and needy brother or the stranger that is in the Land And to this purpose speaketh the Apostle Iames chap. 5 4. Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped downe your fields which is of you kept back by fraud cryeth the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of Saboth â—ld â—cryâ— Whereby it appeareth that there is a double kinde of crying one of iniquity and wickednes the other of the oppressed and afflicted If one of these ceasse yet the other shall neuer ceasse crying It falleth out oftentimes through the power and might of the greater sort that the poore dare not mutter or murmure if they begin to cry out and complaine their mouthes are soone stopped because their angry lookes make them afraid of their displeasure their seuere threatnings are too heauy a burden for them to beare but the other shall neuer giue ouer crying the sinne of the oppressors shall cry against them for vengeance as we see wheÌ„ Abel could not cry yet his blood cried and was heard Sinne hath a voice more shrill then the sound of a Trumpet for that be it neuer so loud vanisheth in the aire cannot pierce the Clouds whereas the noise that issueth and proceedeth from sin out-reacheth the Clouds entreth into the eares of the Lord of hosts What then Must we imagine that sinne is a bodily thing â—he cry â—e it that hath a mouth to speake a voice to cry No this cry is nothing else but the vnchangeable order of Gods iustice punishing sinne euen as at the instance and importunity of the innocent party a iust Iudge cannot but releeue the oppressed and punish the guilty and so doe iustice according to the office committed vnto him As if it were said blood will haue vengeance vncleannesse will haue vengeance oppression will haue vengeance fraud and deceit will haue vengeance God cannot but punish all these crying sins because he is a iust Iudge otherwise he were vnrighteous It is the nature of all sin to prouoke God to enter into iudgement with the sinner but especially these horrible and abhominable crimes mentioned before And as it is the nature of sinne to cry out to GOD for vengeance so it is the nature of God to punish sinne and to take vengeance of it Therefore they greatly deceiue both themselues and others that make him like to one of the gods of the Gentiles not to be offended at all or very little displeased with sinne and not to regard what men doe As if iustice were not essentiall vnto him or as if he could deny himselfe or as if he could ceasse to be God for as soone he may do these as the other But if it can in any sort agree to him â—ent Paâ— in Gen. 4. that he can bee not willing to punish sinne then he can also not hate sinne forasmuch as to hate is nothing else but to be willing to punish reiect And if it be incident to him not to hate sinne then also it will follow that hee can loue and like sinne If he can loue sinne he can deny himselfe and destroy himselfe he can like of the workes of the diuell which is vnpossible to do and horrible blasphemy to affirme Lastly seeing whatsoeuer is of the nature of sinne is against God it directeth vs what Vse 5 we are to do when we haue any way sinned and desire to haue peace of conscience we must not goe to Saints or Angels whom wee haue not offended who are not able to be reuenged of vs but it is our duty to call for mercy at his hands against whom onely wee haue sinned and to seeke to be reconciled to him whose lawes we haue transgressed and who is able to cast body and soule
without which we haue no saluation we must examine our harts by this note that is found in all the members of the body one toward another If any member be hurt or endangered the rest are ready to helpe euery one according to his office the foote runneth for it the eie looketh vpon it the hand stretcheth out it selfe for the good thereof If it be so with vs in the dangers and desolations of the Church we haue comfort in our owne hearts we carry a witnesse about vs that we are liuely meÌ„bers of Christ But if we haue no feeling no compassion no pitty toward them that suffer for Christs sake we are dead and rotten members we want life and quickening in Christ wee cannot assure our selues that as yet we are engrafted into his body Therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 6 2. Beare you one anothers burden and so fulfill the Law of Christ Againe Who is weake I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not 2 Cor. 11 29. And in another place Be of like affection one to another reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12 15 16. Hereunto the Apostle accordeth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 13 3. Remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if we were also afflicted in the body teaching vs heereby that their condition must be as our owne condition and their trouble as our owne trouble So the Prophet vttereth his affection Lam. 2 11 13 20 that although he should bee preserued from the iudgement executed yet beholding Sion lying waste he cryeth out Mine eies gush out water for the destruction of the daughter of my people thy breach is great like the sea And afterward he stirreth vp his zeale Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done thus Wherefore whensoeuer God offereth vs the sight of any chastisement vpon our brethren at home or the neighbour-Churches abroad we ought not to be as those that are dull sencelesse and past feeling but to haue a simpathy of their sorrowes and draw out the bowels of compassion toward them Vse 2 Secondly woe and woe againe to them that are secure that laugh when the Church weepeth that liue in brauery and excesse wheÌ„ the Church putteth on sackecloth and ashes that fill and feast and fat themselues with all delicates when the Church fasteth that awake not out of their sleepe when the iudgements of God are heere vnto them This the Prophet reproueth Esay 22 12 13 14. In that day did the Lord of hoasts call vnto weeping mourning and to baldnes girding with sackcloth behold ioy gladnes slaying oxen killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine for to morrow wee shall die When we are once come to this carelesnesse and contempt of our brethrens condition the threatning denounced in these words following shall fall vpon vs Our iniquities shall not be purged from vs vntill we die A fearefull sentence of a greeuous iudgement to teach vs humility and to driue away all security Hereunto also cometh the saying of Amos chap. 6 1 2 3 4.5 6. Where we see he pronounceth the wofull estate and condition of those that liued without feare and regard of Gods iudgments neither remembred their brethren carried into captiuity and liuing in great aduersity We liue in the time of the distresses and wants of the Church This calleth vs to practise this duty of seeking the good of the Church and vsing all good meanes by supplication to God and by petition to men for the redresse thereof Especially let vs be mindfull in our prayers of the peace of Ierusalem Because of the house of the Lord our God 〈◊〉 â—2 6 9. 〈◊〉 â—8 This was the prayer of the Prophet Lord be fauourable to Sion for thy good pleasure build the wals of Ierusalem If then we would haue both the Common-wealth and our priuate wealth to florish we must tender the good and florishing estate of the Church we must be tender-hearted to procure the prosperous estate therof Câ—â—rch â—ommon 〈…〉 For the Church and Common-wealth are as those twins which are said to weepe together and to laugh together they florish together they fade together they fall together So long as pure religion and preaching of the Gospel are maintained it cannot goe ill with the common-wealth they are as a brazen wal as a strong fortresse and bulwarke as a Castle of defence to keepe out all inuasion of enemies and crying in our streetes For the one addeth strength vnto the other whilest the Common-wealth fighteth against the visible enemies of the Church by counsell and authority August epist 1. poster the Church fighteth against the inuisible enemies of the Commonwealth by praier and supplication If then the Church be spoiled the publishing of the Gospel be hindred the Commonwealth cannot long goe free but the foundation thereof is dangerously shaken which hath no promise to be kept in good estate but as it is a Nurse to the Church and a Lanterne to hold the light of the word The like might be said of priuate families and of particular persons wee haue no assurance of the protection of God of the continuance of our estate in peace farther then wee promote his glory and giue entertainment to the Gospel We see in the second booke of the Chronicles ch 36 15. when the people of Israel came to this height of iniquity to mock the messengers misuse the seruants of God which he sent vnto them rising early Because he had compassion on his people and on his habitation then he brought vpon them the King of the Caldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuary spared neither yong men nor virgins ancient nor aged God gaue them all into his hand So Christ saith Mat. 23 37. O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets stonest theÌ„ that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her wings but yee would not Now what followeth this contempt of the word and neglect of the Gospel Behold your habitation shall be left vnto you desolate To conclude therefore let vs promote true religion and then we shall prosper and be safe otherwise we haue no promise of blessing Lastly this doctrine of pittying the Churches Vse 3 troubles serueth most fitly to condemne the contrary practise of those miserable and mercilesse men that are without all humanity naturall affection that are borne of wolues nourished of tygers and haue sucked yâ— milke of most sauage beasts or rather the poyson of aspes and vipers whose very bowels of mercy are the breathings out of cruelty as the wise man speaketh Prou 12 10. who are so farre from pittying the miseries of others and helping them in their distresses that they adde to the heape of their afflictions oppresse
his perfection that wee may offer our selues to our most louing Father and obtaine of him the blessing of righteousnes And this some of our aduersaries themselues cannot but approue Pigb de fide iustifie con ro 2 and haue giuen their own fellowes the slip Besides this Doctrine standeth best with the glory of God which shineth more clearely in our saluation obtained by iustice imputed then by iustice inherent For suppose there were a miserable and desperate debter perishing and languishing imprison were it not farre more honourable gracious for a Prince wholly to pay the debt and to cancell the bond hand-writing standing against him then to put into his hands a stock of money wherby himselfe might be enabled to worke out his debt Therefore the Apostle teacheth that we are made the righteousnesse of God in Christ and are saued by grace thorough â—ith not of our selues it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Eph. 2 8 9. Thus Paul concludeth also concerning Abraham the father of the faithfull Rom. 4 2. Thus doeth Christ determine this question drawing a comparison froÌ„ the brazen serpent Iohn 3 14 15 16 for he teacheth that the sonne of man must be lift vp on the crosse as the serpent was on the pole in the Wildernes that whosoeuer belâ—eueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Let vs then renounce all met it and righteousnes in our owne selues flye to the merits and righteousnes of Christ according to the practise and example of the Apostle Phil. 3 8 90 I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be dung that I might win Christ and might be found in him not hauing minâ— owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith Hereunto cometh the reason of the same Apostle Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse now to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iusâ—ifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4 3 4 5. True it is works are necessarily required as the fruites of faith and of iustification by faith but our iustification is one thing our sanctification is another for they are made seueral graces distinct gifts 1 Cor. 1 30. neither is it likely that the Apostle would repeat the same thing twice without cause And in another place he concludeth that a man is iustified by faith without the worke of the Law if it be of grace it is no more of works for then were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no 〈◊〉 graâ—e for theâ— were worke no more worke Rom. 3 〈◊〉 11 6. Therfore it is truely said that good works follow a man being iustified but do not go before in him that is to be iustified Neither let any say It is absurd that one should be made righteous by the righteousnes of another for the righteousnes of Christ is both his and ours His as being inherent in him as in a subiect Ours being giuen vnto vs and imputed to vs so that by iâ— we are iustified before God and accepted to eternall life And that horrible blasphemy is this to teach that by the Popes indulgences wee should bee made partakers of the merits and good works of the â—â—ints and to deny it as most vnreasonable what we should be partakerâ— of the â—â—â—ries and righteousnes of Christ Iesus But as the transgression of Adam was both his and ours also not his alone â—â—r ours alone but his and loâ—â—s together because hee stood in onâ— places and we were in his loyns so is Christs righteousnes and obedience his and ours And why should not the righteousnes be of another Bernard 〈◊〉 1 0 seeing guilt is of another As another maketh vs sinners why should not another make vs righteous and iustifie vs from sinne It might seeme to flesh and blood as vnreasonable that the brazen serpent in this place being an artificiall worâ— made with mans hands without sence life should restore health and giue life to such as were mortally bitten yet we see by beholding it they were recouered Moreouer the people stung by the fiery serpents â—ryed out in the anguish and bitternes of the paine yet none was able to helpe himselfe or his brother by his owne power of strength or by any acte wrought by him no nor Moses himselfe could minister any cure oâ— comfort vnto them but onely the graces of God directing them to looke vpon the brazen serpent set vp for when GOD had appointed them one way they must not seeke another way so although a man feeleth the sting of the old serpent that is sinne Ferus in lâ— Matoâ—â— yet no man can deliuer himselfe or others nay if he should flye to the works of the Law they can do nothing The Law sheweth the disease it is Christ that must take it away it is God that must shew mercy it is faith that must iustifie vs. We affirme therefore with the Apostle Gal. 2 16 that we are iustified freely not of the Law not by the Law not of works not of our selues not of the works of the Law but by faith all matter of boasting is excluded iustification by grace is concluded that God may be all in all Fiftly great consolation ariseth from this Vse 5 comparison and similitude to all such as â—â—e weake in faith feele the corruptions of their hearts pressing them and the tentations of Satan often ouercomming them alwayes assaulting them For we haue great comfort giuen vs to enter into the combate and to fight the battels of the Lord against the enemies of our soules by consideration of these fierce and fiery serpents True it is they did continually bite sting the children of Israel for otherwise there had bin no need of the brazen serpent yet they could not destroy them they did not ceaffe to vexe theÌ„ but they could not wound them vnto the death for they had a remedy at hand to helpe themselues they looked vpon the brazen serpent and were healed So hath God restrained the rage and malice of all the enemies of our peace and saluation For howsoeuer the diuell his angels are alwaies tempting prouoking and seeking to 〈◊〉 vs as men do wheat yet their homes and â—ot short and their strength is diminished their will to hurt is greater then their power of hurting so that they cannot execute the câ—uelty they desire as the Lord himselfe testifieth from the beginning Gen. 3 verse 15. Albeit therefore the battell be long the skinnisâ— oftentimes hot bloody albeit we take many a foyle and haue the Bucklers beaten to our heads albeit we be felled with the stroke and driuen to fight vpon our knees yet the victory shall be ours
I answere Answ the Lord hath giuen them other bookes to reade when he sayth Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5 39 hereby they shall be led into all truth and be sure to be preserued from errour and euill But as cunning and crafty theeues when they meete with a poore simple foole or a little child doe take theyr treasure or money from them â—nd giue them babies and pictures to play withal to keepe them quiet from crying or complayning so doe the Popish sort deale with Gods people they take from them the rich treasure of the holy Scriptures whereby all theyr iugling and deceit would be discerned and giue them puppets and images to be their play-fellowes which are the doctrine of vanity Ierem. 10 15. Zacharie 10 2 and they are teachers of lyes Habakkuk 2 18. Neyther let them reply that the Prophets condemne the images of false gods and that they make the images of the true God For wee shewed before that this cannot serue their turne forasmuch as the commandement forbiddeth the images of the true GOD Deuteron 4 12.15 Acts 17 29. Againe they obiect Obiect that they doe not worship the images themselues but so farre as they haue relation to the Saints whereof they are images I answere Answer the Israelites so often reproued for worshipping of images did withall professe that they worshipped not the idols themselues of wood or stone but God in them as in making the golden calfe they had a respect to GOD who brought them out of Egypt Exodus 32 3 4. And the mother of Micah witnesseth that shee had dedicated the siluer vnto the Lord to make a grauen and molten image Iudges 17 3. So Ieroboam hauing made the golden calues sayth Behold O Israel thy gods which brought thee out of the land of Egypt 1 Kings 12 28 for hee meaneth the image and similitude which representeth the true God Hos 2 26. And not onely the Israelites who could not be so sottish as to beleeue that the calues which themselues had made and had lately made had freed their fore-fathers out of captiuity but the Gentiles themselues excused their idolatry in this maner as Austine witnesseth I doe not serue and adore that stone which I see but I serue him whom I doe not see And who is that a certaine diuine power which is inuisible which hath the charge ouer that image August in Psalm 9 6. As for other obiections drawne from the Cherubims and the brasen serpent wee haue spoken of them sufficiently before chapt 21. Lastly wee haue from hence occasion offered Vse 3 vnto vs to laud and magnifie the Name of God that hath freed vs from the darknes of idolatry and the danger of Idolaters except wee will runne into the same againe He hath placed vs where wee haue the Gospel like the Israelites in Goshen and hath opened our eyes to see those follies Let vs not with vnthankfull hearts desire to returne againe into this seruitude The Lord hath chosen to dwell among vs and hath planted his Church in our kingdom let vs labour to approue our obedience in his sight lest hee take the light of the truth from vs and bestow it vpon a people that wil bring forth the fruits thereof So long as the true worship of God continueth among vs our countrey shall be famous and renowned On the other side all places lose their honour and dignity when once they are defiled with sinne and consecrated to idolatry Gilgal was famous many wayes for many memorable things that happened there yet through idolatry there practised it became so infamous that the people of Iuda are forbidden to resort thither The like might be said of Beth-el which in former times was the house of God but was afterward for the same cause turned into Beth-auen an house of vanity Hos 4. Ierem. 7 12. Psalme 78 60. What shall wee then say of the Popish pilgrimages to Rome or to the holy land but taxe them of ignorance and superstition For be it that these places retayned theyr ancient dignity and maintayned the Religion of God in his purity yet should there bee no reason to go thither to worship forasmuch as all difference of places is taken away Ioh. 4 23. Ierome trauayled himselfe to the holy land and liued there and yet he sayth It is no commendation to haue seene Ierusalem but to haue liued well at Ierusalem this is praise worthy And Bernard after him Wee must not seeke after the earthly but the heauenly Ierusalem not by pilgrimage on foot but by bettering our affections Epist 319. ad Lelbert Abbat And if God require not of vs to resort to such places though they enteâ—â—ayned the truth then doubtlesse much lesse to trauayle so farre vnto them being now degenerate wholly dedicated and deuoted to Antichristianity and idolatry in which respect they are now become reprochfull hatefull and infamous to God al goodmen For we are not to esteeme them as they were but we must take them as they are that is full of superstition and consequently dangerous to come at them But if yee will not driue out the inhabitants of the land from before you it shall come to passe c shall be prickes in your eyes c. In these words we see the threatning which God denounceth against the carelesnesse and negligence of this people in the execution of that commandement of God The Lord will doe vnto them as hee had thought to doe vnto theyr enemies From hence wee learne that coldnesse and caresnesse in the seruice of God is a great and greeuous sinne Want of zeale in the cause of God Want of zeal in Gods cause is a grieuous sinne to be newters or indifferent men not caring or regarding which end go forward is a foule and fearefull sinne before him Iudges 1 21 27 29 31 33 2 2 3. 1 Kings 18 21 and 2 Kings 17 33. Gal. 3 1. Reuel 2 4 3 15 16. Gal. 5 7 Such are the greatest number of our professours Some would reconcile the Papists and vs that is light and darknesse Christ and Belial the Temple of God and idols Some serue theyr turnes by theyr profession so long as they may gaine and grow in credit vnder it Some professe religion as they professe the Lawes of the kingdome to wit as a ciuill thing and matter of good policy to keepe the people in subiection and obedience being ready to change as the time and state changeth Some hate them that are faithfull and forward so much that they can abide no zeale in religion nor in obedience that terme them madde fooles and giddy headed spirits which desire to feare God and to walke according to his word O miserable persons that which GOD hateth is commended and that which hee commandeth is reuiled and euill spoken of The grounds It is as naturall to a man Reason 1 to sinne as it is to draw the aire as experience teacheth in all subiect to humane infirmity
are commanded to giue no offence to Iew or Gentile or to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10 32 neyther to them that are within nor to them that are without But by such mariages the papists are offended the ignorant people that know not the law are offended the weaker sort that ought to be respected are offended and many of the godly brethren are offended and generally not some fewe but the whole multitude I answer Answer heere is much a doe about offence and this is in effect as much as to say that all men take offence at it howbeit this conceyte is ouer lauish I confesse if this were true in euery part there were iust and necessary cause to forbeare our Christian liberty for a time rather then to giue an vniuersall offence But I neither see nor heare of any such scandals or exceptions taken by the multitude which also are the ignorant sort against such matches Touching the offence of the multitude or ignorant sort which are dayly in vse and practise before theyr eyes neither is there any reason or likelihood that they should take such offence because they were the parties to the law-making in the high Court and Councel of Parliament for the lawfull liberty of such matches and they haue the tables of degrees in manie places hanging openly in theyr Churches to be seene and read of all and carry often about them or at least haue in their houses the English Bibles expressing the same in commoÌ„ vse Touching the offence of the particular weaklings Touching the offence of the weake such as it may be are or at least may be in any estate when any such appeare and are knowne they are much to be respected and a long time to be borne withall but yet not alwayes for there is a time of ignorance to bee allowed to such or rather a time wherin they are to learne and to be instructed til the Christian liberty be sufficiently made knowne vnto them This hath beene already thoroughly performed to any that haue minds to learne or hearts to enquire or eares to heare and therefore there is no reason that theyr wilfull ignorance and causlesse offence should still hold our Christian liberty in perpetual slauery and seruitude This therefore onely remaineth further to be performd in regard of their offence to proffer the meanes of satisfaction and resolution by opening to them the truth wherein if they wil still persist obstinate and stiffe-necked against the cleere shining thereof in their faces as the Sun at noone day then I may well say the offence is taken by themselues and wilfully holden rather then giuen by others and then they haue more neede to learne a rule of charity of the Apostles mouth then to teach vs one which is not to iudge their brother nor to condemne another mans seruant but themselues seeing he doth stand or fall to his owne master Rom. 14 4 10 and euerie man at the last day shall giue accounts for himselfe to God that iudgeth the quick and dead before whose iudgement seate all must stand And therefore they are not to iudge theyr brother in that which he doth to the Lord with thankfulnesse as did those that did eate to the Lord with thankefulnesse verse 6. and were not to be iudged by theyr brethren therein where if I do not mistake I take the offence to bee the more forcible then in this of the marriage of couzen germans because that offence was grounded vpon the ceremoniall Law of God then buried and abolished whereas this offence in the marriage of cousen germanes is grounded eyther vpon the rotten post of our owne fancy or vpon the ragged peeces of the Popes Canons Besides the fauouring of the weake brethren in those ceremonies of Moses Law was onely in the time of the infancy of the Gospel but when once in farther growth and deeper roote taken of the Gospel they were vanished by the cleere manifestation of the truth then they were mightily oppugned by the Apostles and the offence little fauoured In this case do we stand at this day in this matter of marriage between cousin germans after so long abolishing of those popish Constitutions to the contrary Touching the offence of the Papists and sufficient manifestation of the law of God against them so that the offence of the Papists is little to bee regarded especially seeing it tendeth to the bringing of vs backe againe to their Canonicall seruitude that is the Antichristian yoke which God forbid For seeing we are escaped from them why should wee suffer our selues to be entangled therewith againe and why do we not rather stand for the christian liberty whereunto the Lord hath called vs And if we will soberly and seriously consider of this matter we shall find that offence is rather giuen to a Papist by refraining that Christian liberty of Gods Law then by professing vsing of it in such marriages as are against their Canon And by making scruple of such mariages as are prohibited by the Popes Canon doe we not confirme the Papists in the idoll subiection to the Popish Canon and make them still to iudge amisse of the Christian liberty giuen vnto vs by Gods Law and professed also by our owne Lawes To conclude a Papist no doubt would be more offended in his conceyte to see any refuse theyr Canonicall obedience by approouing or making such matches prohibited by them whereas by refrayning or not approouing such mariages great occasion is giuen to make the Papistes thinke well of theyr Canon and of him that made it Lastly from hence ariseth comfort to those Vse 3 that are already entred into such marriage as now we iustifie to bee lawfull Howbeit as they that disswade marriage in this kinde do notwithstanding professe ingenuously that they seeke not to intangle any mans Conscience that hath so matched so in like manner I write not to perswade or encorage any that are free to match this way neyther doe I see why any should bee discouraged from it or left comfortlesse that are already entred into it Againe albeit I teach the lawfulnes of this marriage yet I would haue no man presume to enter and aduenture vppon the same with doubt of mind and perplexity of conscience because then it becommeth sinne to him forasmuch as hee doeth it not in faith Lastly where the ciuill Magistrate doth restrayn and prohibit this degree it is meete reason that the people should forbeare the same as in all other ciuill ordinances which are not repugnant to the morall law of God True it is in Geneua and other free Cities there is some restraint of this degree as appeareth by the Confession of â—axony sect 18. Harmony of the Church sect 18. touching marriage neuerthelesse touching the lawfulnesse of the marriage of cousin germans Beza is plaine in his obseruations vpon that Confession when he sayth Wee admonish the people diligently that they doe not thinke that this degree is