order and superiority in Church and State they not only despising and speaking evil of Civil Dignities and Dominions as we have formerly shewed at large but opposing and disturbing the state of all Ecclesiastical Order None were such bitter enemies to the faithful Apostles and Ministers of Christ who were the Shepherds Guides Governors Beda vocat Diotrephem haeresiarcham 3 Joh 10. and Overseers by Christ set over the flock and family of his Church None laboured so much to pour contempt upon them and their Doctrine prating against them as John speaks of Diotrephes with malicious words and all that they themselves with Corah might have the preheminency and be look'd upon as Simon Magus their Master to be the only great ones Act 8.10 2 Cor. 10.13.11.18 they commending themselves boasting of things without their measure glorying after the flesh drawing Disciples after them and labouring by winding into the Church to work the faithful Ministers out Cum Core pereunt propterea quòd ficus ille docendi Auctoritatem fibi praeâ— ripuerunt Oecum Hoe est negotium baereticorum non Ethnicos convertendi sed nostra evertendi nostra suffodiunt ut sua aedificent Tert. de praescrip Haereticus est qui alicujus temporalis commodi maxime gloriae principatusque gratiâ falsas novas opiniones gignit vel sequitur Cont. Ep. Paâ—m c. 3. In a word as Oecumenius speaks though they were never so unfit though uncalled yet their main study was to snatch all authority of Teaching to themselves And as Tertullian speaks of Hereticks Their work was not to convert Heathens but to overturn the labours of faithful Teachers and to pull down them to build up themselves And Augustine defines an Heretick to be one who for any worldly benefit especially for glory and preheminence either frames or followes new opinions Of this more pag. 269 Part 1. 2 The great sinfulness of this gainsaying appears sundry wayes It was made up of 1 Contempt of Gods Ordination Moses and Aaron were both placed in their Governments by Gods appointment both immediate and express Prov. 8.15 Rom 13.1 God was more opposed then these his Servants and therefore truly doth Moses tell them that this their gathering together was against the Lord. Num. 16.11 Though Dathan and Abiram Reubenites had the right of natural primogeniture yet do they vainly challenge Preheminence where God hath subjected them If all Civil Honour flow from the King how much more from the God of Kings His hand exalts the poor and casts down the Mighty from their Throne How unsufferable a presumption is it for dust and ashes to go about to mend his work and to subject his Ordination to their own humour 2. Regardlesness of the Publick They cared not what ruin and woe they brought upon the whole company of Israel by the loss of their lawful godly and able Governors so as they might accomplish their own private Designs They were desirous to raise themselves upon the destruction of thousands and their endeavour was to remove away Israels Shelters and Shields their Saviours Shepherds and Pillars yea and at one blow to behead Six hundred thousand men to turne Gods Garden into a Wilderness Gods well govern'd Family into a Den of Thieves and to hasten the death of their Political Parents though thousands of children would have celebrated their Funerals with tears 3. Hypocrisie and falshoood The Rebels pretend that all the Congregation was holy and that Moses and Aaron lifted up themselves Every word was a falshood Numb 16.3 So was Israel holy as Moses and Aaron were ambitious God lifted them up over Israel and they dejected themselves and what Holiness was there in so much Infidelity Idolatry Mutiny What could make them unclean if this were Holiness The Israelites had scarce wip'd their mouth since their last obstinacy but these Pick-thanks tax their Governors and flatter the people and yet all this not out of love to these fond and flattered people of whom they intended to make no other use but to be stirrups to advance themselves into the saddle of Government They pretend that all the people in regard of their holiness might make as near approaches to God as their Governors but their Design was hereby to appropriate all Administrations into their own hands and to wipe the poor people of that which now they laboured to take away from their Governors namely all Power 4 Discontentedness with their present condition While they look'd upon the fâ—w Rulers that were above them they never thought of the many thousands of people who were below them They did so discontentedly look upon the difference between the Levites and the Priests that they considered not the difference between the Levites the people and their thankfulness that they were above so many was drowned in discontentment that one or two are aâ—ove them 5 Envy at and repining against the due advancement of their faithful Governors They envied Moses in the camp and Aaron the Saint of the Lord Psal 106.16 Had Moses and Aaron been but fellowes with the Rebels none had been better beloved but now they are advanced the malice of these Rebels is not inferior to the Honour of their Governors their fault was that God had set them up not that they had ever opposed God or hurt Israel so that the trouble of the Rebels was not the badness of their Governors but the goodness of God The cursed humour of plain down-right Envy which is not troubled that things in the world go ill either in point of sin or sorrow but that they go so well or no worse 6 Pride and ambition Quotics hominibus desidero praeesse toties Deo meo praeire contendo Aug. in Psal 1. They aspired to a Dignity in which God had placed others and for and to which they were neither called nor fitted Their ambition to be above the people made them desirous to be likewise above God who had put others into that Dignity They who were not fit for the Ore Cum indignus essem poni ad romum positus sum ad gubernaculum Aug. Si ille qui virtutibus pollet invitus debet accedere quid de illo qui vitiis sordet Perald Non honorantur ex dignitate sed potius dignitas exhonoratur ab ipsis Id. desire to sit at the Stern Though the thing they desired was good yet their desiring thereof out of Gods way was wicked If they who are fittest to govern should not accept of rule unless they be drawn then they who are unfit should not run to take it Should ambitious Corahs get Power by running they would not be honoured by their great place but their place dishonoured by them 7 In infection and contagion disperst to others Corah draws in Two hundred and fifty into the Conspiracy famous in the Congregation and men of renowne The Plague-sore in this one Corah infects a great part of Israel The contagion was worse
those who better deserved to keep then he to get the Government 2 His Employment with that of the rest of the Levites is mentioned Numb 16.9 to be honourable Numb 3.12.16.8 9. they being separated by God from the congregation of Israel to be brought near to himself to do the service of the Tabernacle and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them The Levites were brought nearer to God then the other Tribes though not so near as the Priests Numb 18.3 1 Chron 6.46 49 Aarons sons the Priests served in the Sanctuary in praying for the people and offering Incense and Sacrifice but the rest of the Tribe of Levi were not to come nigh the Altar upon pain of death Numb 3.9.1.50.3.6 7 8.4.3 4.7.5.18.6 Deut. 10 8. 1 Chron. 6.48.9.28 29 2 Chro. 26.18 1 Chro. 23.28 29. but served in Offices inferior to theirs Their work was 1 To attend the service of the Sanctuary according to the command of the Priests When the Tabernacle was moveable they were appointed to take it down carry set it up and to keep all the Instruments thereof and also with the Priests to carry the Ark of the Lord To wait upon the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord in the courts and in the chambers and in the purifying of all holy things Their work was to watch about the Tabernacle and afterward the Temple to defend it 1 Chron. 9.27 They also were to have the over sight of the Shew-bread Meat-offerings unleavened cakes and of all manner of measure and size they being to see that all measures both of dry and moist things which were used in Gods service might have their just proportion and that there might be a due length and breadth of all things that used to be measured by the mete-yard All manner of just measures for the things belonging to the House of God were to be tryed by the measures and sizes which the Levites kept and these were called the measures of the Sanctuary whether the Levites had the ordering of civil measures and sizes or no is uncertain 1 Chro. 16.4.23.30 2 Chron. 8.14.20.19 30.21.31.2 Nehem. 9.5 2. The work of the Levites was to sing praises to God and they praised him both by singing holy Songs and Hymns and also by Musical Instruments 3. The Levites were to teach the people the Law according to the good word of the Lord 2 Chron. 30.22 and 35.3 and this Employment was common both to the Priests and Levites Deut. 31.10 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9. and 31.4 Ezra 7.10 11. Nehem. 8.7 8. and 9.4 5. 4. To the Levites it also belonged with the Priests to take cognizance and to judg in causes about Holy things 2 Chron 19.8 10 11. So that the Priests and Levites were the two Ecclesiastical Orders in Israel employed about holy things the Levites making the lesser the Priests the greater and higher Order and yet both called Brethren Numb 18.6 And in process of time by the appointment of God when the Worship of God was to be stationary and fixt in one place David divided the Levites into sundry Orders and Ranks according to their Families for the discharging of their several functions and Ministeries they having their several courses of waiting and charges allotted to them See 1 Chron. 28.13 and 23. per tot and 25 c 2 Chron. 8.14 2 Chron. 35.4 5 10. The reason of the separating of the Levites to the worship of God is plainly mentioned in Scripture Numb 3.12 So Num. 8.16 I have saith God taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in stead of all the first-born because the first-born are mine for on the day that I smote all the first-born of the Land of Egypt Exod. 12 23 I hallowed unto me all the first-born in Israel The first-born then were Gods by a particular right of Redemption as well as Creation and therefore were in especial manner to serve him In other Creatures the first born were to be sacrificed to him if they were clean beasts and if they were not to be ransomed at a price for the maintenance of the Tabernacle Now instead of taking the first born of mankind to his service he appointed that the Levites should be peculiarly set apart for it And he chose to be served by one Tribe rather then by a number of first born taken out of many Tribes as Learned Interpreters conceive for prevention of confusion discord and division in holy Services and by the Tribe of Levi rather then any other for their Zeal of his Glory in revenging the indignity done unto him in the worshipping the Golden Calf Exod. 32.26 28. To conclude this Distourse As Israel was separated from all other people to be the Lords peculiar Lev. 20.26 so were the Levites separated from the sons of Israel to be the Lords Numb 8.14 And the employment of the Levites of which this Corah was a chief and among whom he was famous was though inferior to the Priests who were nearer to God in their attendances very honourable And therefore from the high honour thereof doth Moses argue against the ambition of this rebellious Corah whose desire it was to invade the Priestly Dignity also Seemeth it saith he a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the Congregation of Israel to bring you neer to himself Numb 16.9 to do the work of the Tabernacle c. If it be an honour for the greatest Subject to have the meanest Employment about the body of an earthly Prince how much greater is the advancement of the highest sons of men to have the lowest degree of peculiar service to God and truly David though a King went not an inch below his state in not disdaining the Office of a door-keeper in the house of the Lord and in putting on a linnen Ephod 3. For the Posterity of this Rebel Corah we find in Scripture that they were 1 Spared and exempted from this destruction of their father 2 Afterward that they were employed by God in his service which some of them did holily discharge 1 That they were spared is expressed Num. 26.11 The children of Corah died not neither did the fire from heaven nor the opening of the earth hurt them Whether they were in their fathers rebellion and were spared by the Prerogative of free mercy or for Gods care of his Ministry or whether they consented not to the sin of their father as it is most likely or whether they repented upon the warning given by Moses Numb 16.5 I determine not the Scripture being silent Nor will it be needful here to relate that fabulous invention of the Jewes by whose relation God wrought as great a miracle in the saving of Corahs children as he did in the destroying of Corah himself for they write That when the earth opened and swallowed up the father the children were taken up in the air and there remained hanging
outwardly pompous in their attendance apparel diet buildings c. but let them shew themselves dignities 1 In their entrance into their places and 2. in their deportment when they are entred 1. For their entrance let it not be sordid and unworthy in the way of suing by freinds mony c. Such should be prefer'd not as would have places but such as places would have Olives Vines Fig-trees refuse their honours brambles catch hold on preferment Sauls modesty in hiding himself when chosen King detracted not from his dignity when he accepted it Cùm omnia faceret ut imperare deberet nihil faciebat ut imperaret It was an high commendation of Theodâ—sius the Emperor that when he had done all that could make him worthy to rule he would do nothing that he might rule The worthiest to govern are they often who think themselves unworthiest Eò dignior erat quo magis se clamabat indignum Hier in Epitaph Nepot Let Christ herein be the pattern who humbled himself but he left his exaltation to his Father How is dignity debased when they are advanced not who deserve best but bid fairest when mony makes the Magistrate and shall provide preferment for him who is not at all fit for that What wonder is it to see that they who buy their places deer should afterward sell justice deer also 2 In their deportment when they are entred let Magistrates keep up their glory by wisdome and understanding if no Christian much lesse must a Magistrate be a child in understanding A fool cannot be harmlesse A King in our English expression imports as much as cunning From the old Saxon word koning or knowing Wisdome makes a mans especially a Magistrates face to shine Wisdome and Magistracy cast a reciprocal lustre upon one another Solomons wisdom made him more glorious and sought to then his wealth It was a notable speech of our Henry the first A King without Learning is but a crowned asse That creature is but contemptible under the richest ornaments If a rulers calling hinders him from the study of many commendable parts of Learning yet let it put him upon such studies as are necessarily requisite to the understanding of government Prov. 14.8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way 2 To preserve dignity a Magistrate in his place must carry himself couragiously Solomons throne was beset with Lions not with Apes they who oppose vice had need of heroical spirits cowards are fitter to be slaves then rulers A Magistrate in his own cause should be as flexible as a reed in the cause of God as stiffe as an oak a timorous ruler is a Hare in a Lions skin All dare meddle with him who dares meddle with none And its just with God that he should suffer by the subjects who dares not make their sins suffer by him 3. Let dignity be upheld by the hatred of covetousnesse base and filthy lucre how unseemly is it for a golden spade to dig in a dunghill for the robe of an Emperor to stop an oven Let not these who are called Gods grovel in the earth what is not cheap to him to whom mony is dear How unfit is it for a Magistrate to soar high in respect of his place and at the same time like the kite to have his eye fixed upon the dunghill or carrion It 's the judgment of God against covetousnesse that they who follow gain as their God shall yet account another a base miser for doing so It was a noble speech of Themistocles who seeing a precious stone upon the ground bid another take it up For thou said he art not Themistocles 4. To preserve dignitie let Magistrates carry themselves usefully industriously for the publick good There 's a neer conjunction between dignity and duty The shadow of honor attends upon the body of service It was a true speech of the wise old counsellers to Rehoboam 1 Kings 12.7 If thou wilt be a servant to this people c. they will be thy servants The tree which is most deeply rooted flourisheth and spreads most and the person who is most deeply and lowly engaged in service shall best flourish and spread in renown Empty are those Titles which are only obtained by Birth Retinue and Favour c. The Titles of Most Illustrious Excellency Right Honourable c. bestowed upon an uprofitable Governor are but nick names and upbraidings for his not being what he should and is said to be and as unduly given him as the names of wholesome drugs are put upon empty boxes in the Apothecaries shop 5. Let Dignity be upheld with piety Holiness is the lustre of all other accomplishments and the most lasting foundation of honour They that honour me will I honour If Religion at the Bar make the profane Magistrate to tremble much more may Religion on the Bench dismay a profane Offender When the Lusts of wicked Subjects make them willingly to reproach Religious Rulers their consciences shall make them unwillingly to honor them Never did those Magistrates long preserve their owne names who suffered Gods to be profaned The greatest Potentate on earth cannot be loose and ungodly by Authority their place will not bear them out in it Religion is no disparagement to Magistracy How needless how unsutable is it for great ones to fear nothing more then to have a name to fear God 4. Observ 4. How highly is God provoked when he makes these Dignities and Glories unglorious It 's no small offence that puts the Lord upon pouring contempt upon Princes that makes him stain the pride of their glory and cover it with shameful spewing When Manasseh shall be fetterd Jehoiakim be a broken Idol buried with the buriall of an Asse Jer. 22.19 24 and the Signet upon his right hand plucked thence and thrown on the dunghil Nebuchadnezzar turned into a Beast c. when the Lord deals thus with Rulers they should look beyond a rebellious head-strong people they have Negâ—tium cum Deo Their work is to look inward and upward to study what their sin hath been which hath incensed God to debase that which he commands all other to honour If the Lord suffer people to cast off the yoak of their obedience to Princes surely Princes did first cast off the yoak of obedience to God 1 Sam. 2.30 They who despise God shall be lightly esteemed If it be the Lord who subdues the people under Princes Psal 18.47 it is he that subdues Princes under their people Its God who stilleth the noise of the seas and the tumult of the people Psal 65.7 If he remove the banks and bounds of his protection the proud waves both of seas and popular tumults will overflow the highest mountains If at any time Princes are overborn by such an overflowing scourge let them examine themselves whether they have not transgressed the bounds of Gods Commandments whether if God deal with them as with Saul Manasseh
greatest worth that it sees in any thing beside Christ is this that it may be be left for Christ 4. It is an industrious thirst 't is not a lazy veleity but a desire which takes pains for the thing desired it suffers not a man to sit still but makes him seek knock ask cry call sell all wrastle strive all Scripture-expressions it offers violence to and makes an holy riot upon heaven It s like fire that will not be smothered It saith as Elijah to Obadiah As the Lord liveth I will shew my self It stands not for any cost it turns every stone Like the arrow drawn to the head it flies apace It 's not like the desire of the slothfull which slayes him because his hands refuse to labour Prov. 21.25 5. It s a resolved waiting permanent thirst Gen. 49.19 Luk. 2 25. Iratum colit numen Hence we frequently read of waiting for the Lord and his Salvation and Consolation It stayes the Lords leisure and will not away though the Lord seems to deny No waters of discouragement shall quench it It doth not cast off hope because it cannot presently find comfort T is good saith the soul that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord Lam. 3.26 Like one who goes to an house to speak with one much his Superiour the spiritually thirsty soul will tarry the Lords leisure for his coming to it 6. It s a thirst determined and limited to that One Thing upon which it s set Nothing else will serve its turn nor will it be brib'd or put off with any thing in stead thereof Whom saith the Psalmist have I in heaven but thee Psal 73.25 Psal 27.4 and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee One thing saith David I have desired of the Lord that will I seek after What have I said Abraham so long as I go childlesse and what have I saith the soul so long as I go Christless Land riches honours children c. are good but yet they are not Christ A bag of gold wilnot serve him who is perishing with thirst in stead of a cup of water 7. It s a returning progressive thirst 't is never fully satisfied on this side Heaven it puts upon craving and seeking again and again The earth desires not rain once onely in a year but a return of showres the latter as well as the former rain nor doth refreshment with drink to day make a man regardless therof to morrow Davids desire was to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever The least degree of spirituall relief Psal 23.6 Psal 27.4 satisfies and stayes a Christians stomack to the world but the greatest takes not away it s further desires of Christ 8. It s a thank full thirst it blesseth the Lord for every drop of grace with the Psalmist Psal 63.5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shal praise thee with joyfull lips Oh! saith the soul Lord who shall praise thee if I do not A soul satisfied with mercy Psal 103.3 Rom. 7.25 1 Tim. 1.17 Nibil leve quo anima reparatur is a spirituall Psalm sung out in the praises of God Blessed be God who hath blessed us saith Paul with spirituall Blessings as soon as ever Paul had said Christ came into the world to save sinners whereof he was chief he adds his Doxology Now to the King immontall c. What a delightfull fragrancy comes from and what a face of freshnesse greennesse cheerlinesse is upon the face of the parched grasse and Plants after a shower of Rain Oh! what a spirituall freshnesse of joy is upon what sweetly breathings of praises issue from that soul which God hath relieved with his spirituall Showres of Love and favour The souls greatest trouble is now that it brings not forth more fruits of new obedience after those Showres and it s now as boundless in duty as heretofore it was in desires 7. Obs 7. Seducers are wont to make great shews and appearances of worth in themselves and their Doctrines These Seducers seem'd to be full watery clouds whose wombs were big with the rain of instruction and holinesse but for all this the Apostle tels us they were clouds without water Heresie is compared to leaven Mar. 8.15 and among other reasons for its puffing and raising the dough This spirituall Leaven puffs up men with an undue and excessive opinion of their own parts and Graces The Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous 2 Pet. 2.20 and despised others Luk 18.9 No doubt think they we are the people and Wisdome shall dye us with Job 12.2 They are vainly puft up by their fleshly minde Col. 2.18 The Ministers of Satan desired to be accounted the Ministers of righteousnesse False Apostles 2 Cor. 10.12 commended themselves measured themselves by themselves and compared themselves among themselves They measured and esteemed themselves according to their own mind and judgment and not according to their reall worth or excellency Regnat luscus inter câ—cos They also never considered the excellency of others who were much beyond them in worth but onely such who were of the same pitch with themselves or as some understand the place they commend and receive praises from one another and among themselves And whereas the Apostle saith vers 13. that he would not boast of things without his measure he intimates that these Seducers boasted beyond all the bounds or measure of their gifts and calling or according to some that they boasted of their labouring in the Gospel beyond the measure and term of Pauls Labour Theophilact and Oecumenius conceiving that these Seducers falsely boasted that they had propagated the Gospel to the ends of the earth and that according to the Psalmist Psal 19. Their line was gone through all the earth and their words to the end of the world Arius vainly gloried that God had revealed something to him that was hid from the Apostles themselves Vide Danaeum in descriptione arboris Haeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. Haer. 24. Montanus boasted that he was the Paraclet or Comforter himself Simon Magus the father of these hereticall seducers boasted that he was the mighty power of GOD. Hereticks boldly inintrude into things which they have not seen they professe knowledg falsely so called The disciples of Basilides voyced themselves onely to be men and all others to be swine and dogs saith Epiphanius and Nazianzen tels Eunomius that he was he means in his own Conceit a beholder of things which to all others are invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. in Orat. 33. an hearer of things which it is not lawfull to â—tter that he was taken up to heaven as was Elias that he had seen the face of God as had Moses that he was rapt up into the third heavens as was Paul Thus the Papists stile some of their Schoolmen Angelicall
in the word Behold 2. That Description of the judgement to the regard of which we are incited which description of the judgement hath two parts 1. The coming of the Judge to judgement 2. The Carriage of the Judge in judgement 1. In His coming to judgement I observe 1. His Title The Lord. 2. His approach Cometh 3. His Attendants With ten thousands of Saints 2. His Carriage in judgement is observable 1. Toward the wicked wherein I consider 1. The manner of his judging which is to be by way of conviction to convince 2. The Parties to be judged all the godly Which Parties are considerable 1 In their Nature so they are ungodly 2 In their Numbers and extent so they are said to be all the ungodly 3. The Causes of the judgement which are two 1. Their Works considerable in their general nature said to be ungodly 2. In the particular manner how they were committed which they have ungodly or ungodlily committed 2. Their Words where is to be noted 1. What kind of speeches they uttered hard speeches 2. By whem they were uttered ungodly sinners 3. Against whom against him 2. In the second viz the Application of this Prophesie v. 16. Jude shewes that these Seducers were the ungodly which hereafter are to be judged and this their ungodliness Jude there discovers by several signs 1. Their discontentedness 2. The following their lusts 3. Their boasting 4. Their admiration of mens persons 1. I begin with the Preface and in that first with the consideration of the Person here mentioned Enoch the seventh from Adam EXPLICATION Three things here I shall enquire into by way of Explication 1. In what respect Enoch may be said to be the seventh from Adam 2. Why the Spirit of God in Scripture doth exactly set down the genealogies and successions of the Patriarchs whereby it comes to be known that Enoch was the seventh from Adam 3. Why Jude chusing to alledge the prophesie of Enoch cals him the seventh from Adam 1. For the first Enoch was so the seventh person from Adam as that both Adam and himself must be computed to be two of that number Enoch was not so the seventh from as to be the seventh after or the seventh that came of Adam The like expression is used Mat. 1.17 All the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations into which Abraham and David themselves must be taken to make them up fourteen And thus the scripture frequently reckons Enoch the seventh as Luke 3.37 38. 1 Chron. 1.1 2 3. Gen. 5.3 6 9 12 15 18. 2. Enoch was not so the seventh person from Adam as that there were no more then seven persons begotten from the time of Adam to Enoch for all those six Patriarchs mentioned before Enoch are said to beget sons and daughters and of those sons and daughters there came likewise a great number but Enoch is called the seventh from Adam because he was exactly the seventh in that particular direct line from Adam to him 2. For the second The Spirit of God so exactly mentions the succession of the Patriarchs of old for sundry reasons As first To discover his care to keep and uphold his Church by shewing where it was in what families it continued and how it was by his goodnesse preserved and propagated in all even the worst and most corrupt ages of the world The posterity of Cain was to be totally destroyed by the flood and God swept them away with the beesome of destruction to what end therefore should they be so fully recorded but the seed of Seth was to be preserved both in the deluge of waters and of all succeeding calamities and therefore their descents and successions are punctually recorded 2. God hereby shewes the great delight which he took in speaking of his Church and Children and their concernments above all other people in the world The sacred history mentions the posterity of Cain but occasionally and by the way as the relation thereof had a necessary connexion with the history of the Church and as making it more clear and complete and therefore the scripture relates not either the successions or actions of those without the Church in a constant course or series of history nor doth it use that exactnesse and industry in treating of them which it useth in setting down the affaires of the Church Hence it is as Rivet well notes that those things which seem to be of lesse moment and weight are so diligently described in Scripture story as Jacobs flocks his pilled rods of poplar and hasel the conceiving of the flocks before them and bringing forth cattle ring-straked Vid. Riv. exercit pag. 630 631. iâ— 30. Gen. speckled and spotted c. when as the holy story passeth over in neglective silence the beginnings and progress of the great Empires and Dominations of the world as of the Assyrians Egyptians Grecians c. subjects in appearance more worthy the mentioning the Lord herein saith the fore mentioned Author being like a Master of a family Ut patri familias cura major est liberorum et domesticorum quam latisundii sic etiam apud Deum majoris sunt mâ—menti familiae piorum quam quaevis aliae quae in toto orbe dominationi ejus subsunt Ut parons liberorum et familiae ita curam gerit ut suorum gestus sermones actiones omnes observet et quaecunque ipsis accidunt diligentissimè consideret sic Deus in familiis piorum tamquam in domo suâ— observat et numerat capillos illorum actiones studia et gressus eorum respicit c. Riv. in Gen. pag. 632. who doth not with so much care and delight regard his grounds and fields abroad as he doth his familie and children with their carriage and concernments at home in his house where he diligently and delightfully observes all the speeches gestures actions of his little ones and whatever befals them c. 3. God by this exact delivering the successions and genealogies of the Patriarchs would shew the excellency and antiquity of the scriptures above all other historical writings in the world which are not able to afford us a certain Cronologie concerning the times of the Patriarchs before the flood 4. Especially by this recording the successions of the Patriarchs the Lord discovers who they were of whom the true Messiah came according to the flesh and this he doth both for the honour of Christ as man whose pedigree that it might be perfect was to be preserved and distinctly drawn as far as from Adam as also for the confirmation of our faith touching his incarnation the Scripture mentioning the order and names of all his progenitors even from Adam and thereby suffering us not to doubt of the truth of his humane nature unless we wil imagine that all the names and successions of his progenitors mentioned from the beginning of the world to his birth were fabulous and fictitious and so make the continued line from Adam
respect to persons is mentioned When Naaman the Syrian is said to be honourable they render the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 19.7 Septuag admired in his person So Deut. 10.17 the Lord regardeth not persons 2. For the second what admiring of persons is to be condemned as unlawfull Certainly all kind of admiring of persons is not unlawfull before God nor disallowed by this Apostle Honour to the persons of others may lawfully be given Even for those gifts and endowments wherewith God hath furnisht them whether outward or inward for the outward glory and majesty which God gave Nabuchadnezar all people trembled and feared before him Dan. 5.19 And God commands honour to parents naturall and politicall and the elders who rule well are to be counted worthy of double honour And some are deservedly preferr'd before others for their age calling gifts graces relation to us But severall wayes admiring of persous is unlawfull I shall reduce them all to these two heads 1. As this admiration of man doth more particularly concerne 1. God 2. Man 1. The admired 2. Man 2. The admirer 2. Man 3. Others 1. As it may concern God And thus we admire men sinfully 1. When we so admire man as that we honour him without eying Gods Command the lowest service must be done in obedience to the highest master our earthly parent must be honoured and admired because our heavenly Father injoynes it An Earthly master must not be honoured and served with an eye onely to his Command but out of Conscience of duty to Gods Command Herein must we resemble that noble Roman who disdaining to bow before a forreigne Prince when he came into his presence let fall his ring which he stooping to take up and thereupon the Prince insulting the Roman utters these words Non tibi sed annulo I bow not to thee but to take up my ring Or as that Frederick Barbarossa who kneeling down before the Pope to receive his Crowne said Non tibi sed Petro not to thee but to Peter The Apostle makes the application when he injoynes servants to be obedient unto Masters as unto Christ not as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ Eph. 6.6 7. and not as men-pleasers but c. fearing God Col. 3.22 2. When we so admire men as to honour and serve them in those things which they command against God our earthly Lord must be obey'd but our heavenly Lord must be preferred When these two come in Competition we are disobedient unlesse we be disobedient Against my heavenly fathers will I neither owe buriall to my dead nor obedience to my living Father Whether it be right to obey God or man saith the Apostle judg you Ephraim was oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the Commandement Hos 5.11 3. When we so admire men for any excellency as not to give the glory thereof to God the sweetnesse of the stream must not make us forget the fountain Men must be honoured as instruments not adored as deities It was cursed and it proved costly flattery which was given to Herod when the people shouted It is the voice of God and not of a man because he gave not God the glory he was smitten and eaten up of wormes Act. 12.22 23. That must not be offered to any which the best never durst take namely the praise of having or doing any thing of themselves How fearfull have holy men been in their highest performances lest any of Gods glory should cleave to their fingers When Peter had wrought that great Miracle of healing the creeple and the people greatly wondered fearing the sinfull admiring of his person he takes all from himselfe and casts all upon Christ Yee men of Israel saith he why look ye stedfastly upon us as though by our own power or holinesse We had made this man to walk The God of Abraham c. hath glorified his Son Jesus c. Barnabas and Paul rent their clothes when the people were about to sacrifice to them I laboured saith Paul more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 Who is Paul or who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye beleeved I have planted Apollo watered but God gave the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thing c. 1 Cor. 3.5 6 7. the Corinthians faith was not to stand in the wisdome of men but power of God 1 Cor. 2.5 39. People are commonly in extreames either they deifie men or nullifie them Either they make them dwarfs or Gyants but for people so to admire any men as to ascribe their conversion or edification to them as if men were not onely Gods instruments and Christs servants but Gods and Christs themselves and as if their grace were from the abilities of the teacher and not from the power of Christ is a very plainly sinfull admiring of mens persons even to an unchairing of Christ and a lifting up of man into his Seat to a depriving the shepherd and Bishop of our soules and a substituting another in his roome In a word It is all one as to thanke the ax for building the house and to attribute nothing to the Carpenter Nor indeed is it any other than idolatry 4. When we so admire and honour men as to put that trust and Confidence in them which we owe only to God Thou saith Job art my confidence Job 31.24 He is the confidence of the ends of all the earth Ps 65.5 Put your trust in the Lord. Psal 4.5 Trust in him at all times Ps 62.5 so Psal 37.3 But men though never so full of love skill strength must not have our trust Put not confidence in a guide Mic. 7.5 It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in Princes Psal 118.8 Every man at his best state is altogether vanity Ps 39.5 Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2.22 Man is to be us'd as a wand in our hand not lean'd upon as our staffe or support in subordination to not sin stead of God onely as one that can help us if God will help him as one that of himselfe cannot move or undertake much less accomplish any good for us Oh how oft hath God snapt in sunder all these rotten crutches in England and how many lectures of vanity hath he read upon men in greatest admiration 5. When we so admire men as to fear their power more then Gods Men are sinfully admired both when they being for us appear to us so great as that God need not help us when they being against us they appear so great as that God cannot help us Man is idolized both by looking upon him as one that can work without God much more by looking upon him as able to work against God How sinfully did the Israelites admire
the persons of the Gyants in Canaan in respect of ther strength and stature How sinfully did David admire Saul when against Gods promise he said he should perish by his hand thus the Israelites sinfully admire the Egyptians when upon the sight of them notwithstanding the word and works of God they tell Moses in their march that he tooke them away to dye in the wildernesse Exod. 14.11 Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall dye c and forgettest the Lord thy maker Isa 51.12 The fearing of man is the forgetting of God 6. When we admire mens goodness or what of God we see in men their persons loving the message for the messenger the liquor for the vessel holy instruction for the sake of him who gives it and so hearing the word of God as the word of man this is to prefer a man of God before God in a man or rather man before God And contrary to what Tertullian speaks not to judg of persons by faith but of faith by persons 2. Admiration of persons is sinful as it concerns Man and 1. As it concerns the admired and so admiration of persons is sinfull 1. When we admire such persons as are not able to bear their own admirations A proud man having done any thing commendably is not yet fit to be commended Some weak braines will be turn'd with a small quantity of wine others more strong will indure more Herod was intoxicated with applause when the people cryde him up for a God but Paul and Barnabas rend their clothes and are ready to sacrifice themselves when the people meditate a sacrificing to them A weak stomack cannot concoct fat morsells he is a man of strong grace who can hear his own commendations without hurt Nothing more discovers a man then the praising him It s as the fining pot for silver and the furnace for gold Prov. 27.21 2. When we so admire persons as thereby to make a prey of them or to overthrow either their bodies or soules Thus the Herodians Matth. 22.16 admired and honoured Christ telling him that he was true and taught the way of God in truth and regarded not the person of man but all this was but to intangle and destroy him by bringing him on to answer to a captious question Thus afterward Christ was betrayd with a kisse and not seldome have we known that men have laine in ambush behinde the thickets of commendation and admiration and so unsuspectedly faln upon the unwary and credulous hearer Jael gives her nail soon after her milk and poyson is oftnest drunke in gold Thus after the death of Jehoiadah the Princes of Judah came and made obeysance to King Joash whereby they prevaild with him to leave the house of the Lord 2 Chr. 24.17 and to serve groves and Idols and thus as Ecclesiastical history tells us Simon Magus cry'd up Nere above the clouds and accounted and cald him a God to make him the greater Enemy to the Christians Thus Tertullus admired the person of Felix that thereby he might stir him up against Paul Act. 24.2 3. When we so admire persons as to cover hide and excuse their sin because of their greatnesse A sin the greater in regard that greatnesse ought to be so far from being a cloke for that it is an aggravation of sin and makes it the more hainous A wicked person in scripture phrase is but a vile person by so much the more vile by how much the more he corrupts and abuses any eminent gifts and endowments which God hath bestowed upon him The word speaks as basely of rich wicked ones as they think contemptibly of Gods people That wicked King was very low in the eyes of the holy Prophet who said were it not that I regard the person of Jehoshap at King of Judah I would not look toward thee nor see thee 2 King 3.14 See more of this before pag. 2. part 14. Unsanctified greatnesse is most likely to be pernitious and therefore should be most reprehened 2. Admiration of persons is sinfull as it concernes the admirer and so 1. When we so admire persons as thereby onely to advance and advantage our selves and that 1. either in profit and gaine or 2. in honour or reputation 1. In profit and thus these seducers here admired great ones and honoured their greatnesse for their own advantage servilly cringing and crouching to them for filthy lucre they gave them great titles and flattered them in sin and assented to them in every thing that they might fill their purses and as Peter speaks through covetousnesse did they with feined words make merchandise of people hereby shewing that they neither served Christ nor indeed those whom they flatterd but their own bellies at once laying off both the Christians and the Man 2. In honour and and reputation and for this end sometimes the persons of great men are admired as Mr Fox tells us that the bloody Tyger Steph. Gardiner was wont to admire the person of Henry the 8. speaking of him to others with greatest honour and calling him his gracious Lord and Master onely to be lookt upon as his favourite though he knew that the King never loved him But for honour hypocrites commonly admire the persons of good men admire their persons I say though they imitate not their practises Thus Saul desired the presence of Samuel to be honoured before the people Thus the Scribes and Pharises admired the dead Prophets onely to be accounted as they were holy 2. When we so admire persons as withall to imitate their sins and imperfections Thus these seducers were so admired as that many followed their damnable errors putting no difference between their faces and the warts their speaking and stammering The falls and folly of the admired are commonly the snares of the admirers and the error of the master oft the tentation of the scholar It s very hard to admire the person of another and not to imitate his imperfections 3. Admiration of persons is sinfull as it concernes and hurts others and so 1. When for some commendable actions or endowments we so admire a person who is in most things very discommendable and a known wicked person that thereby we give occasion to the hearer who is though wicked yet not so wicked as he to judg his own condition very good and to blesse and flatter himselfe in his sin as thinking that he deserves Commendation as well as or better then the other This I have ever thought to be one stratagem whereby the hands of the wicked have been strengthned in sin and a stumbling block which some either weakly or wickedly have laid before others Thus I have oft heard even with grief when in funerall Sermons a prophane drunkard a swearer an adulterer or one perhaps at the most but civilly honest hath for some few good deeds been cryed up and even sainted by the Preacher that the wickedest persons have been ready to