Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	worship_n	write_v	young_a	17	3	5.6518	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09376	A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon the 11 chapter to the Hebrewes preached in Cambridge by that godly, and iudicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executours, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.	1607 (1607)	STC 19677.5; ESTC S2273	415,205	614

to be slaine at this Passeouer but in his own familie he killed his owne lambe and inioyned the people from God to doe the like in theirs The like phrase is often vsed in the scripture Iosua 5.3 Iosua is said to circumcise the sonnes of Israel which was almost a thing impossible for one man to doe But the meaning thereof is this that Iosua inioyned procured that all the people should be circumcised and saw it done And so wee must vnderstand this place Now in this that Moses did in this manner celebrate this passeouer wee are taught this lesson that Gouernours and Superiours in their place must procure that those which ●e vnder their gouernment doe keep the commandements of God and especially those which concerne Gods worship It is the commandement of the Lord by Moses that the King should haue the lawe written that hee may learne to feare his God and keepe all the words of this lawe written to doe them Now how shall the king doe all the words of the lawe seeing there bee many commandements that doe not concerne him nor his place but his subiects and other particular men of other callings Surely thus Hee must doe those in his own person that concerne him in his place and then see that his subiects and seruants doe likewise such duties both towards God and man as concerne them in their places This is a speciall point concerning all Magistrates and Superiours whatsoeuer and therefore Paul saith Rom. 13.4 The Magistrate beareth not the sword for nought but for the wealth of Gods people that is for their good not in body onely but principally for the good of their soules And therefore euery gouernour either of towne or kingdome and euery master of a family within the compasse of his calling is to see that those which are vnder him keep Gods commandements especially those which concerne Gods worship When a magistrate shall do this then the praise honour of the whole is giuen to him as here the killing of the Passeouer is ascribed to Moses because he saw that the people did it So on the contrary if the Magistrate be negligent in his duty hee becomes the greatest sinner of all for then the sinnes that are committed through his default are ascribed to him Nehemiah reproouing the Rulers tels them that they brake the Lords Sabbaoths Nehem. 13.13 when as not onely they but the people also brake them yet there he chargeth the sinne of the people vpon them because it came through their negligence As if any sinne be committed in a family through the defect of the gouernour of the family it is not only the sin of the particular partie but the gouernors sin And so when any man sins in breaking the Sabbaoth it is not only the sinne of that particular man but of the gouernours to whom he is subiect And therfore gouernors must see that Gods cōmandements be kept of those that be vnder their gouernment But here some may obiect as indeede some abuse the place to this end that it seemes no man may bee barred frō the L. Supper for the like reason is in the Lords Supper that was in the Passeouer but Moses kept the Pasouer himselfe and commanded al the people of Israel so to doe therefore no man is to be put from Gods table Ans. It is true indeede that in Egypt at the celebration of the first passeouer Moses kept it himselfe cōmanded euery Master of a family among the Israelites to do the same the reason hereof was because at the first institution the Passeouer was both a signe and a means of a temporal deliuerance besides the spirituall and therefore there was great reason then why all the Israelites should eate the Passeouer and none be put back because all of them were to escape the temporall punishment which God was to inflict vpon the Egyptians But afterward the Lord made a lawe that if any were but legally vncleane hee might not eat the Passeouer but must stay til the next moneth thē come and onely the cleane must eate thereof so that the Lord himselfe did inhibit som from that Sacrament wherby it is plaine that the celebration of the Passe-ouer is so farre from giuing warrant to this confusion and carelesse admitting of all to the communion that rather it proueth that there must be a distinction made and a separation of the vnworthy from the Lords Table Those which are fitly prepared are to be receiued But notorious offenders who are morally spiritually vnclean are to be put back till by repentance they haue testified their worthinesse 3. Let vs consider the signification of the Passe-ouer For the Paschal Lambe was a signe of Christ the true Lamb of God shadowing out diuers things worthy our obseruation as first the Lambe for the Passe-ouer was to be a Lamb of a yeare olde without spot or blemish which signified vnto vs that Christ was that immaculate Lamb of God and without spot as Peter calleth him 1. Peter 1.19 Secondly the Paschall Lamb when it was killed eaten had no bone of it broken so was it cōmanded Exod. 12.46 Numb 9.12 signifying that Christ when he was crucified should not haue a bone of him broken as S. Iohn applieth the former Texts Iohn 19.36 Thirdly the Paschall Lamb must be eaten with sower hearbs Exodus 12.8 signifying that no man can feele any sweetnes in the bloud of Christ till he haue his heart full of bitternesse for his sinnes and with Hanna be sore vexed and troubled in minde so as he can poure out his soule before the Lord 1. Sam. 1.15 The want of this is the cause why so many do heare Gods word and receiue the Sacraments and yet reape no benefit by them Fourthly before the Paschall Lambe was eaten all leauen must be remoued out of their houses This had a notable signification which we neede not to ghesse at seeing the holy Ghost hath set it downe namely that wee must remoue all olde leauen of corrupt doctrine Matthew 16.12 out of our hearts and the leauen of sinne and wickednesse out of our liues if wee professe communion with Christ. This is a point worth our marking for vnlesse we doe so wee shall haue no benefit by the sacrifice of Christ for if we will liue in this olde leauen we must neuer looke to receiue Christ Iesus into our hearts Lastly euery person receiued the passe-ouer in haste with shooes on their feete with staues in their hands and their clothes girt vp Exod. 12.11 yet this we must vnderstand onely of the first passe-ouer in Egypt for Christ did eate it sitting Now this ceremonie vsed in the first passe-ouer signified thus much that if we looke to haue benefit by Christ we must be of this minde to be alwaies ready to leaue this world and be prepared to go when whither God shall call vs We must not haue our hearts glewed to earthly things but alwaies ready

must learne to follow this notable practice of these godly Patriarchs and looke what meanes they vsed for the increase of their faith the same also must we vse and that diligently so shall we grow and increase and waxe strong in faith as they did The third fruit of their faith is this And receiued them thankefully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the originall signifieth to salute and that not onely by speach but any way else as by imbracing c. and therefore in this place is not vnfitly translated And receiued them thankefully that is they tooke them kindly at Gods hands This is a notable fruit of faith whereby they are commended that seeing the promises of God afarre off did yet take them most kindly at Gods hands But here wee must consider how they tooke them kindly namely by doing 2. things 1. By an action of their heart 2. By an action of their life The action of their heart was this that howsoeuer the promise was not accomplished in their daies yet they were wōderfully glad therof for our Sauiour Christ said to the Iewes Your father Abrahā reioyced to see my day he saw it was glad It did Abrahams heart good to see Christ afarre off and so we may safely thinke of Sarah Isaac and Iaacob that their hearts were also rauished with ioy to heare the wonderfull promise of God concerning the Messias and to thinke of the most ioyful performance which they knew should follow in due time Secondly they tooke this promise kindly by the practice of their life for when they came to any strange place as wee may often read in the story there they built vp altars offered sacrifice vnto God and called on his name All which they did to testifie their inward ioy thankful acceptance of Gods promises in Christ and of the promised Land thogh neither were accōplished in their daies Now as touching our selues the same maine promises of God that were made to Abraham Isaac and Iaacob hath the Lord made and continued vnto vs nay we haue the same already accōplished we see the same verified more euidently and plainely than any of the Patriarchs did Which being true our duty is to take the same much more thankefully and kindly at Gods hands than they did or could doe because we haue more light and knowledge in the promises of God than euer the Patriarchs had But wee haue iust cause to bewaile the daies and times wherein we liue for whereas we should take the promises of God most ioyfully and kindly the case is farre otherwise For generally it may be said of our nation and people that in regard of the mercies and promises of God wee are an vnkinde people And that this is true for the most part in all of vs if we● will but a little examine the matter we shall find too apparant by many euidences for first let any of vs be brought to a place where we may behold some vaine Enterlude or Showe a man would not thinke how wonderfully we are rauished therewithall so as we could find in our hearts to spend whole daies in beholding them But let vs be brought to heare the Gospel of Christ his holy word preached and taught as it was vnto Abraham Isaac Iaacob wherein they much reioyced and there we sit heauy and drowsie so as the Word seems loathsome vnto vs one houre is so tedious as we hardly hold it out without sleeping and if it passe the houre a little O how impatiently our nature takes it All which shew plainly that we haue no such ioy to heare of Christ and his mercifull promises as these godly Patriarchs had so that we are both hard hearted vnkind altogether insensible of so great fauours of our God towards vs. Secondly consider mens behauiour in Gods worship It is euident that the greatest part of people worship God but in formall shew for fashions sake These godly Patriarchs Abraham c. built altars in euery place where they came and offered sacrifice vnto God to signifie their kindnesse willing heart towards God for his promises But now men worship God formally not in way of thankefulnes but either because the Law cōpels them to it or else because it is a custome and order which must be kept For proofe thereof take some one of the common sort aske him why he commeth into the congregation he will say he commeth to doe as other men doe but what they doe he knoweth not or what he himselfe ought to doe he cannot tel nor careth much to know Others also come to worship God but aske them how they doe it they will say by saying ouer the ten Commandements the Lords praier and the beleefe But if the word be either preached or read they regard it not thinking that all Gods worship stands in the repeating of those three things Which sheweth that they worship God but for fashion sake and with little more than a plaine lip-labour Another sort there are which come neere to God with their lips but their hearts are farre from him for though their bodies be present in the congregatiō yet their hearts are wandring about their worldly businesse or the works of sinne so that we may truly say God is not worshipped with faith in the heart And therefore wee are an vnkinde people and quite degenerate from the faith of our fore-fathers these holy Patriarchs who receiued Gods promises so kindly and thankfully Thirdly we haue the word of God daily preached and taught vnto vs but how many be there that make conscience of obeying the same in their liues and callings Men doe come and heare and should learne but when they come home they doe s●at contrary to that which is taught Now there can be no greater vnthankfulnesse nor vnkindnesse towards Gods then this that men should heare and not obey for disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft nay the Lord himselfe saith that he that maketh no conscience of obedience in his life is in his actions of Gods worship no more acceptable vnto God then a murtherer is when he kills a man Wherefore seeing obedience is so rare to be found among vs and disobedience aboundeth euery where it is a plaine argument that we take not the promises of God kindly nor thankfully at his hands for if we did we would at least endeauour our selues to doe what God commaunds in his Law and desireth in his Gospell and so be thankfull vnto GOD for his mercies shewing forth our thankfulnesse by our obedience So that it standeth vs in hand euery man to looke vnto himselfe for his owne part seeing God hath giuen vs his Gospell the meanes of our saluation that therefore wee receiue and embrace the same least God doe either take the same from vs or vs from it for we may be sure that the one of these two will followe if we do daily heare and make no conscience to

offred him for though the common opinion be that he was but 13. yeares olde yet the more receiued opinion of the best Writers is that Isaac was 25. or 27. yeares olde How then could Abraham being an olde man of more then 120. yeares be able to binde Isaac being a young and lusty man and lay him on the altar to kill him For though Abraham had a commaundement to kill Isaac yet wee finde not that God commaunded Isaac to suffer himselfe to be killed now Nature moues euery one to seeke to saue his owne life and to resist such as would kill vs. How then was Isaac brought to yeeld thus farre to his Father For answere heereunto wee are to knowe that Abraham was no ordinarie man but a Prophet and that an excellent and extraordinary Prophet So God himselfe testifieth of him to Abimelech Hee is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee yea he was esteemed and reuerenced as a Prophet an honourable man euen of the heathen The Hittites tell him Thou art a Prince of God amongst vs. Genesis 23.6 Now being a man of so high place and so great regard euen in the world doubtlesse hee was of much more authoritie in his owne house It is therefore very likely that hee tells Isaac his sonne that hee had a speciall commaundement from GOD to kill him in sacrifice Now Isaac being an holy man and well brought vp hearing this is contented to be sacrificed and obayes his Father herein This I speake not as certaine but as most probable and it is the iudgment of best learned who haue had good experience in the Scripture This circumstance well obserued serues greatly for the commendation of them both of Abraham the Father that had so religiouslie brought vp his onelie Sonne that was most deere vnto him that hee would not resist the will of GOD reuealed vnto him though it cost him his life Oh that Parents would followe Abraham in so doing to their children then would it goe well with the Church of GOD. Againe Isaacs behauiour is heere admirable that hee would not resist his weake and aged Father but suffereth him to binde him and to lay him on the Altar yeelding himselfe vnto death when his Father tolde him My sonne GOD will haue it so This example must bee a patterne of obedience not onely for children towards their parents but for vs all towards Gods ministers when they shall tell vs what God would haue vs doe we must submit our selues and yielde though it turne to our bodily paine and griefe for Isaac yeelds though it were to the losse of his life But alas who will follow Isaac For let the minister speake against our carnall pleasure and vnlawfull gaine let him crosse our humour and affections then wee refuse to heare and will not obey Nay if the minister of God as the Lords priest come with the sacrificing knife of Gods word to the throat of our sin to kill the same in vs that so we may bee pure and acceptable sacrifices vnto God doe we not resist him and say in our hearts Wee will none of this doctrine Or if he like a Prophet of God come and offer to binde our consciences with the cordes of obedience and to lay our affections on the altar of the Law then we resist and are either too yong or too olde too rich or too learned or too great to be taught and bound to obedience But let vs know that if wee will bee true Isaacs euen the sonnes of faith and obedience and the true heires of Abrahams faith as wee would beare the world in hand then as he did submit himselfe to be bound of his father so must wee yield our selues to the ministers of God to bee bound by his word and suffer the same word to be in vs the two edged sword of the spirit to cut downe sinne and corruption in vs and to make vs newe creatures that so both in body and soule wee may become pure and acceptable sacrifices vnto our God Thus much of the facte it selfe wherein Abrahams faith is set forth Now follow the Arguments or reasons whereby the same worke of faith is commended vnto vs. The first Argument is taken from the great impediments which might hinder his faith and they are in number three First that he was brought to this worke not by ordinary command but by an extraordinary course in temptation Beeing tempted Secondly that he was to offer his own childe yea his onely begotten sonne Thirdly that he who had receiued the promises must offer him and kill him in whom the promise was made For the first impediment In the ordinarie translation it is read thus When he was tried But that is not so fit beeing rather an exposition of the meaning than a translation of the word For the very word signifieth to be tempted and the meaning is when he was tried I would therefore rather read it thus when he was tempted or beeing tempted as the word signifies In the handling hereof first wee will intreat of the nature of this temptation and then come to the circumstances belonging to the same Temptation as it is here vsed may be thus described It is an action of God whereby he prooueth and makes experience of the loyaltie and obedience of his seruants First I say it is an action of God This is plaine by the testimony of Moses in Genesis Gen. 22.1 where if we read the history we shall finde that God did prooue Abraham Obiect But against this it may be obiected that Saint Iames saith Iames 1.13 God tempteth no man and therefore no temptation is the action of God Answ. That place in Iames is thus to bee vnderstood God tempteth no man that is God doth not stirre vp or mooue any mans heart to sinne Yet further it will be said That temptation is an action of Satan for so in the Gospel wee may read Mat. 4.3 that hee is called the tempter Answ. Some temptations are the actions of God and some the actions of Satan God tempteth and Satan tempteth but there is great difference in their temptations first in the manner for Satan tempteth a man to sinne against the will of God and to doe some euill God tempteth a man to doe something which shall be onely against his owne affections or his reason Secondly God tempteth for the good of his seruants but Satan tempteth for the destruction both of their bodies and soules Againe I say Whereby he makes triall c. Here some will say God knowes euery mans heart and what is in them and what they will doe long before and therefore hee needeth not to make triall of any man Answ. God makes triall of his seruants not because hee is ignorant of that which is in their heart for hee vnderstandeth their thoughts long before but because he will haue their obedience made knowen partly to themselues and partly to the world so that hee makes triall of his seruants