fixed which yet are fashtned here below these resemble coyne which is white in it self but draws a black line after it Or water in great mens kitchins which having clensed other things is it selfe fit only for the sink Unsavoury salt is hardly fit for the dunghill nor a wicked Minister for any place but hell Certainely hee is the worst creature upon Earth and who are Devils in Hell now but such as once were Angels in Heavens Pop. Rom. Carbone pollicente quipiam addente jusjarandum cum exsecratione vicissim juravit se illi nom credere Suadet loquentis vita non oratio Neither helps it any whit that their tongues are so smooth in speaking good Divinity while their hands are so rough with Esau in uttering false The Bethshemites fare the worse for being a City of Priests their priviledge doubled their offence 1 Sam. 6.19 And God would not permit Aaron the passions of another man because he was a Priest It was at the funerall of his two sons that hee is forbidden to weep Levit. 10.6 Hee must not so much lament the judgement as magnifie Gods Justice in the deserved death of those two drunken priests They comming off their ale-bench likely brought strange fire by fire they perish Immediatly therupon charge is given to Aaron and his sons that they drink not wine nor strong drink Verse 9. when they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest they dye Moreover Moses said to Aaron This is that which the Lord hath spoken Verse 3. I will be sanctified in all them that draw neare unto mee How sanctified may some say Austin answers Aut à nobis aut in nos Either by us while we preach painfully live hoilly or else on us by our just and utter destruction Seldome do loose-lived Ministers escape the visible vengeance of God forasmuch as they stumble with the Lanthorne in their hands and the words of reproofe in their mouths therefore will he seed them with gall and wormwood Ier. 23.15 By living otherwise then they teach they teach God to condemne them they carry Vriahs letters and put a sword into Gods hand as it were wherewith to undoe theÌ„ Balaam Satan's spelman as one cals him though hee blessed Gods Israel and wished well to their heaven yet for his contrary courses and counsell to Balack he was so far from inheriting with them that he was cut off by them Hophni and Phineas because they made the service of God to stink by their stinking courses so that men abhorred it for their sakes like as the Donatists pretented to do the Church for the evill life of Cecilian an ill end befell them Commonly God sensibly rejects such even in this life either rooting them out by death and making their places spue them out or else by blasting their gifts Zach. 11.17 drying up their right armes putting out their right eyes causing the night to come upon their divination and utterly refusing to be glorified by them Well it may be that they may live long as Saul did after his rejection and the Pharisees after they had fallen into the unpardonable sin The Devill also gave them many thankes as he is said to have done the Popish Priests in Hildebran's time Anno 1072 Math. Paris Hist for furnishing Hell so fast with so many soules as had perished by their default Rasis sacâ—ificulorum vertiâ—ibus magnatum galeiss stratum inferni pâ—vimentum esse proverâ— b. o screbatur And better he would thank them doubtlesse when he should meet them in hell the pavement whereof was commonly said to bee pitcht with shavelings skuls and great mens crests But surely Christs will chashiere them as the Tirshata did those turn-coat Priest * Ezra 2.61 62 63. Matth. 7. and wash his hands of them for ever Yea though they can produce and prove that they have prophecied in his name and by his name done great Miracles if neverthelesse they be workers of iniquity and albeit they have taught others Yet themselves have not done the Will of his Heavenly Father 〈◊〉 Ministers may as files 〈◊〉 others themselves remaine rough as Cariers beare bags of many for the use of them to whom they are sent A blind man may beare a torch to the lightning of others and a stinking breath sound a Trumpet with great commendation The lifelesse Heaven gives life and the dull whetstone sharpeneth Iron Noahs Carpenters that made the Arke perished in the stood and Aeneas his Pilot saved the ship Medijs palinurus in â—ndis c. and was drowned himselfe The Toades-head may yeeld a pretious stone Busonites of great vertue Medicorum tituli â—edicamenta siâ—â— pyae des veâ—ena â—â—ctant and wholesome sugar be found in poisoned cane Saint Paul gives us to know that a man may Preach profitably to others and yet himselfe be a cast-away Nolite igitur magis eloqui magna quam vivere D. Bedd concio ad Câ—â—â— saith One. Vivite concioninibus concionamini moribus Let your lives be a transcript of your Sermons your Precepts enlivened by your practise which should be as a visible coÌ„ment on the audible Word A Minister of any man had need to bee godly Mal. 2.5 6. Acts 11.24 2 Tim. 2.15 Else profanenesse will easily go out from the Prophets of Jerusalem Ier. 23. â—5 throughout all the Land as Jeremy hath it In him that is sent to winne soules saith a Divine his mouth eyes hands feet gesture conversation all had need be exact and exemplary Mention is made in the Ecclesiasticall History of one Bonnus a Church-man Sosom lib. â— cap. 28. Hominis vita magno omâ—itum consensu probatur jâ—m id non leve praejuditiâ—â— est quod nec â—â—stres repeâ—tant quod câ—lâ—umnâ—entur de Luthero Erasmuâ— Acts and Monuments who was never seen by any man to be angry or heard to sweare lye or utter any thing rash light or unbeseeming himselfe And M. Bucer whiles hee was here in England brought all men into such admiration of his integrity that neither could his friends sufficiently prayse him nor his enemies in any point find fault with his singular life and sincere Doctrine The like is reported of Master Bradford Now what a thing was this to slaughter Envy to stop an open mouth Acts and Mon. to rejoyce his friends and to cloath his enemies with their owne shame This was to shine as a light in the darke World yea as the Sunne in his strength which although some men curse as the Atlantes because it scorcheth them others hate sometimes because it discovers their deeds of darknesse Atlantes solem Orientem Occidentemque dira imprecatione contucatur ut exitialem ipsis agrisque Plin. lib. 5. cap. 8. Godwins Heb. Antiq. yet are they so convinced and dazeled with its beauty and brightnesse that few can forshame speake against it The High-Priest was the chiefe God on Earth and
Gen. 3.15 1 Iohn 3.8 The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head dissolve the devils worke as S. John expounds it By immediate revelation from him it was that Adam taught his sonnes to sacrifice Gen. 4.3 26. and his nephewes to call publikely on the name of the Lord. Yea out of the mouth of Adam divinely-directed as out of a fountaine issued all the profitable doctrine discipline knowledge and skill that is in the world Josephus tells us that by Adam and Seth two tables or pillars were made and erected Antiq. l. 1. the one of brasse the other of stone and that therein was written the word of God and certaine prophecies whereby that word was preserved for the use of the old world De civ Dei lib 15. cap. 24. Austin thinkes it may be proved out of the Epistle of Saint Jude that Enoch wrote something To mee truly saith that divine Chronologer it seemes probable Bucholcer Chron. that Moses in his Genesis collected and contrived into an entire and just body of a continuate History such things as had beene occasionally noted and here and there observed by the Fathers and left to posterity For Moses himself saith he makes mention of the Booke of the warres of the Lord. Numb 22. Iosh 10.13 And Joshua his disciple cites the booke of Jasher Hieron in Ezek 18. Parcus prolegâ—m in Genes which Hierome will have to be Genesis but others of good note dissent and doubt of it It is not unlikely that even afore Moses his time there were extant some remaines of ancient Records and Annotations the diligent perusall and carefull collection whereof together with a most profitable addition of other as yet unwritten verities to the knowledge whereof he came either by Revelation or Tradition was committed by God to his servant and Secretary Moses for the support and comfort of his poore people then groning under the Egyptian bondage or wandring in the wildernesse and of succeeding ages The late Jewes make such reckoning of Genesis that they have numbred the very letters of it which amount to 4395. Those three first Chapters thereof are the fountaine of all the following Scriptures and the common Catechisme of the Churches of both Testaments in explaining and applying whereof are spent all the Sermons and other labours of the Prophets Apostles The time betweene the Creation and the Flood Varro that great Antiquary and the most learned of the Romanes as Saint Austin holds him calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Degor Whear Method p. 25. or obscure and uncertaine which to us out of Moses is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clear and well known A very ancient Priest of Egypt that had read Moses likely told Solon the Athenian Law-giver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Timaeo You Grecians are all boyes and babies in matter of Antiquity neither is there one old man amongst you The Athenians bragge of Cecrops the founder of their City and the Thebanes of their King Ogyges and of them they terme all ancient things Cecropian and Ogygian Eras Chiliad And peradventure they will tell us that at that time folke bred out of the earth in the country about Athens as though they spake of Mush-romes and Grashoppers Long time after this came their gods and Oracles insomuch that all the Greeke History is as you would say tongue-tyed for many hundred yeares after like a brooke that loseth it selfe within thirty paces of its first spring There is not any notable thing in that story of the Greekes afore the captivity of Babylon Ezra is the latest one of them in the canon of the Hebrew writers and yet he lived afore the time that Socrates taught in Athens about three thousand and six hundred yeares after the Creation and afore any Chronicles of the world now extant in the world Diodâ—rus Siculus confesseth that all Heathen Antiquities before the Theban and Troian warres are either fabulous narrations or little better Eusebius and Clemens Alexandrinus shew that whatsoever in Plato savours of Divinity hee borrowed it from Moses whom hee meanes alwayes as some guesse by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex Strom â—â— 1. as the old saying hath it Hence also he was called by Numâ—nius the Pythagorist Moses Attiâ—us Pythagoras bade his Schollers search till they came to Unity in every thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pythag. Deut 6.4 Iliad 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proleg in Genesin pointing thereby as is thought to the one God according to that of Moses Jehovah thy God Jehovah is one Homer saith parents must be honoured that wee may be long-lived Socrates in his Apology I love and embrace you saith he O ye Athenians but yet I will obey God rather than man David Chytraus affirmeth the morall writings of Philosophers to bee nothing else but a commentary on the Decalogue Which of the Poets or Philosophers saith Tertullian hath not drunk at the Well of Moses and the Prophets Whereupon Theodoret rightly calls Moses the great Ocean of Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serm. 2 de prm out of which all the Prophets and Apostles to the last of them have watered their severall gardens What peece soever of holy Scripture followeth this is but a commentary upon this saith Pareus in the perclose of his commentary upon Genesâ— After Moses comes Joshua and gives record to Moses The Judges succeed Joshua Samuel the Judges Kings and Chronicles Samuel and the Prophets succeeded them all Among that goodly fellowship of Prophets Samuel is reckoned the first after Moses Act. 13.20 God indeed is said to have come to Balaam Abimelech Laban and some other profane persons before and after but he never concredited his Word to these as he did to the holy Prophets which have beene since the world beganne of whom it is said that the Word of the Lord came unto them like as it did to Moses the man of God None of them 't is true conversed so familiarly with God as hee did whom God spake with face to face Exod. 33.11 as a man doth with his friend Yet ought not the Prophets writings to be rejected as they were by the brain-sicke Sadducees whom therefore our Saviour refutes out of Moses onely Math. 21.31 Neither yet to be sleighted in comparison as they are by the Jewes at this day who in then Church Liturgy reade one lesson out of the Law by some chiefe person Sands his Relation of the West Relig. and another out of the Prophets by some boy or meane companion For they will in no sort saith mine Authour doe honour neither attribute that authority to any part of the Bible that they doe to their Law But this is to have the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons Iam 2.1 For was it not one God that spake by the mouth as of one of his holy Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
to be got by the Gospel if a man reade it cursorily and carelesly but if he exercise himselfe therein constantly and conscionably hee shall feele such a force in it as is not to be found againe in any other booke whatsoever Humane writings may shew some faults to bee avoided but give no power to amend them but the feare of the Lord is cleane Nemo adeo fâ—rus est qui non micascere possit Si modò culturae patientem accommodet aurem Hor. saith David and Now are ye cleane by the word that I have spoken unto you saith our Saviour Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth Philosophy may civilize Abscondit vitia non abscindit Lactan. Siresipuit à vino suit semper tamen temu'entus sacrilegio Ambr. de Elia jejunio cap. 12. not sanctifie hide some sins not heale them cover not cure them barb and curb them not abate and abolish them Ambrose saith well concerning Poleme who of a drunkand by hearing Xenocrates became a Philosopher Though hee forsooke his wine-bibbing yet he continued drunke with superstition Porphyry saith it was pity such a man as Paul should be cast away upon our religion Plato came thrice into Sicily to convert Dionysius the tyrant to morall Philosophy and could not But Peter by the foolishnesse of preaching converted his thousands Hieron de clar scriptorib and Paul his ten thousands And as Scipio was called Africanus Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus maledicus effraenotus paucissimis Dei verbis tam placidum quà m ovem reddam Da cupidum avarum tenacem jam tibi eum libera'em dabâ— c. Da libidinosum crude'em injustum continuò aequue castus clemens c. Nunquis haec Philosophorum aut unquam praestitit aut praestare potest Lactant. lâ—b â— Inst t. cap. 86. another Numantinus a third Macedonicus from the countries they conquered so had this worthy Warriour his name changed from Saul to Paul for a memoriall likely of those first spoiles hee brought into the Church of Christ not the head but the heart of that noble Sergius Paulus After whose conversion he beganne to be knowne by the name of Paul and not till then Act. 13.9 So then the efficacy and vertue of the Scripture to produce the love of God and our enemies to purifie the heart to pacifie the conscience to rectifie the whole both constitution and conversation of a man to take him off from the delights of the world and flesh to make him glory in afflictions sing in the flames triumph over death all these and more doe necessarily conclude the divine authority of the Scriptures What words of Philosophers could ever make of a Leopard a Lamb of a Viper a Childe of a leacher a chaste man of a Nabal a Nadib of a covetous carle a liberall person Isay 23.18 Tyrus turning to God and receiving the Gospel leaves hoarding and heaping her wealth and findes another manner of employment for it viz. to feed and cloath the poore people of God Two or three words of Gods mouth saith that Father worke such an evident and entire change in a man Pauca Dei praecepta sic tâ—tum hominem immutant ut non cognoscaâ— eundem esse Lactant ubi supra that you can scarce know him to be the same as in Zacheus Paul Onesimus and others Neither need we wonder hereat considering that Dei dicere est facere Gods words where he pleaseth to speake home to the heart are operative and carry a vertue in them together with his Word there comes forth a power as his bidding Lazarus arise and came forth caused him to doe so And as in the Creation he said Let there be light and there was light so in the new creation see 2 Cor. 4.6 As there the spirit moved upon the face of the waters and there-hence hatched the creature so here he spake unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.2 and at the same time breathed on them the holy Ghost Job 20.22 It is said Luke 5.17 that as Christ was teaching the power of the Lord was present to heale the people so is it still in his Word and Ordinances As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is upon thee Isay 59.21 and my words which J have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever The Word and Spirit runne parallell in the soule as the veines and arteries doe in the body The veines carry the blood and the arteries carrie the spirits to beat forth and to quicken the blood Hence 2 Cor. 3.6 spirit is put for the Gospel in and with which it worketh and grace in the heart is elsewhere often likened to seed in the wombe because it is first formed there by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit till Christ be formed in us It is the worke of the Spirit to make the seed of the Word prolificall and generative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1.21 to make it an inbred Word as Saint James calleth it not onely able but effectuall to save the soule Surely as the earth is made fruitfull when the heavens once answer the earth Hos 2.21 Rom. 7.4 so are our hearts when the Spirit workes with the Word causing us to bring forth fruit to God And this doubtlesse is that reall testimony given by the Spirit to the Word that it is indeed the Word of God Neither is he wanting in his vocall testimony that inward divine testimony above-mentioned which yet is heard by none but Gods own houshold is confined to the communion of Saints whose consciences he secretly perswadeth of this truth and sweetly seales it up to them This is promised Esay 52.6 They shall know in that day that I am he that doth speake behold it is I. And Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe And as it is promised so is it performed too for he that beleeveth hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 Iohn 5.10 Cant. 2.8 Cant. 5.2 1 Cor. 2.15 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Isay 53.1 Matth. 13.11 so that he can safely say It is the voice of my beloved that knockes The spirituall man discerneth all things for he hath the minde of Christ and an unction within that teacheth him all things to him is the arme of the Lord revealed and to him it is given that which is denyed to others to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven So that he no sooner heares but he beleeves Eph 1.13 and is sealed with that holy spirit of promise whose inward testimony of the truth and authority of the Scriptures is ever met by a motion of the sanctified soule inspired by
〈◊〉 Steale from his Captaine Heb. 10.38 by unbeliefe which they would not doe had they but to deale with a sufficient man or a creditable person Let but an Astronomer tell them that the Sunne will be such a day in the Eclipse they 'l beleeve him straight though they see no reason for it because hee is a learned man and skilfull in his Art Now who and where is he amongst us that can convince God of untruth or his word of falsehood The promises are ancient Tit. 1.2 so are the threats and precepts and hitherto they never faild or fell to the ground any tittle of them because they are the issue of a most faithfull and righteous will voyd of all insincerity or guile God the author of them is eternall and so one and the same without alteration The Eternitie of Israel cannot lye 1 Sam. 15.29 He is also simple without composition and so without contrariety Besides hee is unchangeable and repents not But whatsoever he speakes When God is said to repent it is not a change of his will but of his worke Mutatio reinon Deâ— effectus non affectus facti non consilij Repentance with man is the changing of his will Repentance with God is the willing of a change Gatak as he speakes from his heart so being I am that I am hee will not bee off and on with us but as Pilate said What I have written I have written so doth God what I have spoken I have spoken it shall surely stand Heaven and earth shall passe but a jot of the Law shall in no wise passe The grasse withereth the flower fadeth but the word of the LORD stands firme for ever Neither may we once imagine that he can forget what hee hath spoken as men many times for he hath the Jdea of all things in himselfe and every thought is before his eyes long before Psal 139.16 Ahashuerosh may forget Mordecai the Butler Ioseph the preserved City Eccles 9 15. the poore man that saved it Heb. 6.10 But God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of Love or his promise of retribution Holy men that have but a spark of Gods flame Psalm 15.4 but a drop of his Ocean will stand to their word though it turne to their losse They are children that will not lye Esay 63 8. Zeph. 3.13 neither is a deceitfull tongue found in their mouth how much lesse in his who can as soone dye as lye 2 Tim. 2.13 or deny himselfe Certainely if he say us any good we may safely seale to it seeme it never so improbable never so impossible especially since we have for our security not his word onely which yet were sufficient but his hand to shew for it yea his covenant his oath Eph. 1.13 Rom. 4.11 his seale both that privie seale of his spirit and that broad Seale of heaven in the Sacraments not in wax white or red but in the precious bloud of CHRIST who is white and ruddy as of a Lamb undefiled Cant. 5.10 1 Pet. 1.19 and without spot For which cause also the book among other things was sprinkled with the bloud of the sacrifice that by all these immutable things Heb. 6.12 in the which it was impossible for God to lye wee might have strong confidence in him who is so true of his word so firme in his promises so sure in his performances An admirable patterne of faith in Gods faithfulnesse wee have in that Reverend old couple Abraham and Sarah He having once heard from heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom 4.18 19. so shall thy seed bee staggerd not at the promise through unbeleefe cared neither for the drinesse of his owne body nor the deadnesse of his Wives but looked with the one eye on Gods promise and with the other on his power and was fully assured Likewise also Sarah though at first she faultered and laughed at the unlikelihood yet afterward when shee had better bethought her selfe she judged him faithfull who had promised and though past age and hope yet by the force of her faith shee conceived and was delivered Heb. 11.11 Bee not therefore unbeleeving but beleeve Ioh. 20. 27. 2 Chro. 20.20 Isay 7.9 beleeve the Prophets and yee shall prosper If yee will not beleeve surely yee shall not be established If I say the truth why doe yee not beleeve me Which of you convinceth mee of sinne Iohn 8.46 Pro. 8.8 Is there any thing perverse or froward in Wisedomes words It may seeme so Sic Doctor quidam Sorbouicus Grangius Jesuita apud Sharpium in Symphonia prophet Apost ep dedic Sic Rabuenabi refert sapientes Hebraeos veteres cogitasse Ecclesiastem librum occultare â—uod repugnantia continerit alijs libris contraria Pro. 8 9. Ora Lahora Iames 1.5 Wilsons Theolog. Rules say some and that one place contradicts another and this they thinke to prove out of Ezechiel 1. To this Wisdome answereth in the very next words They are plaine to him that understandeth and right to them that finde knowledge and that they may finde begge and digge for it as the Wiseman bids Prov. 2.3 4 5. Begge it I say of him that gives it richly and hits no man in the teeth Thus did Daniel the Prophet and John the Divine and that Heroicall Luther It was the saying of a godly Minister that he profited in the knowledge of the Scriptures more by Prayer in a short space then by study in a longer And we will give our selves said the twelve continually to prayer and to the ministery of the word divide our whole time betwixt these two duties Prov. 30.1 2. Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet Aug. Run therefore to Ithiel and Vcal as Agur did take unto you the words and say as He. Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man in me I neither learned wisdome nor have the knowledge of the Holy Psalm 1 19. Platonici lumen mentium esse dixerunt ad discendum omnia eundem ipsum Deum a quo facta sunt omnia Aug. de civ Dei Teach mee good judgement and knowledge open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wonders of thy Law The very Platonists could say that the light of the mind wherby we learn all things is that very GOD that made all things But then as you must begge so digge too saith Salomon digge for vnderstanding as for silver search for her as for hid treasure Do herein as the Wise Merchant or Metallary who finding a rich Mine of gold or silver is not contented with the first oare that offers it selfe to his view but digs deeper and deeper till he be owner of the whole Treasure So neither should wee ever give over in this search after knowledge of the Scriptures till we have gotten all the degrees and dimensions of it here attaineable Never had
him in their language Iob 21 14. Depart from us we will none of the knowledge of thy wayes being as glad to bee rid of him as the Philistims were of the Arke or as the Gadarens were of Christ Now how righteously shall CHRIST regest one day upon all such profane Gadarens Discecite Depart I know you not bee just as strange unto them then as they will needs be now to him fill these back-sliders in heart with the fruit of their owne wayes Prov. 14.14 and sith they have loved darknesse give them their belly full of it cast them into outer darknesse that darkenesse beyond a darknesse the dungeon of darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where they shall never see the light againe till they bee lightned by that universall sire of the last day Psalme 95. They that know not Gods wayes revealed in his word he hath sworne they shall never enter into his rest and although they always wander in heart and erre not knowing the Scriptures yet can they not goe so farre wide as to misse of Hell An ignorant person is that Leper in Leviticus his plague is in his head Lev. 13.44 he is utterly uncleane and is therefore utterly to be excluded See 2 Thes 1.7 Section 2. SEcondly this that the Scriptures are of God serves sharply to reprove our hatefull infidelity Many amongst us beleeve the Bible no otherwise then they doe humane Histories or not the strange wonders there related or no more thereof then they can see cause for or then suites with their carnall humours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost or not the menaces or not the promises or apply them not neither individuate the same to themselves but rather put all off as if it nothing concerned them and dispose of it to others Is this to mingle the word with faith to melt Ier. 31.18 with Iosiah to smite upon our thighes as Ephraim to examine our wayes with David by Gods Word Psalme 1â—9 59 Prov. 9.12 Esay 1. Esay 55. â—2 and finding our selves farre wide to turne our feete to his Testimonies Is this to bee wise for our selves to consent and obey to buy and beate Many men come to the word as they doe to feasts where they lay liberally on other mens trenchers let their owne lye emptie they reade the Scriptures as they doe news out of a farre Country as not pertaining to themselves Whereas the Bible should be read as we read the Statute-booke wherein every man holds himselfe as much concerned as if his name were there written and should therefore turne short againe upon himselfe and say what have I done Ieremy 8.6 Rev. 10.9 Prov. 25.10 what case am I in what may I doe to bee saved This is to take the booke and eate it as Iohn did this is to feed upon the hony that we have found as Salomon biddeth this is the way Esay 66.1 to tremble at the Word whilest men dwell upon it till their hearts ake and quake within them As for those that do other wise I may fitly say to them as our Saviour said to the Iewes concerning Iohn what went yee out into the wildernesse to see a Reed shaken with the wind Matth. 1 1. so what take ye in hand the booke to read or come to Gods house to heare an idle song an old-wives tale a foolish History a frivolous interlude Or if it be God that speaketh in the Word read and preached how is it that ye beleeve him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 7.30 why seeke ye with the Pharisees to make voyd the counsell of God concernning your selves Christ that by his absolute power can doe any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marke 6.5 by his actuall power can do no great matter for these unbeleevers more than wonder at them Verily Verily faith our Saviour to Nicodemus Iohn 3 11. we speake what we know and testifie that we have seene and ye receave not our witnesse Loe hee joynes himselfe with the Prophets which Nicodemus had read so cursorily and carelesly as not to have there-hence learnd the doctrine of Regeneration This sin is now the greater because as the Law and the Prophets Heb. 4.2 so the Gospell much more was written that men might beleeve Iohn 20 31. and that beleeving they might have eternall life which now they cannot enter because of unbeliefe Heb 3. ult but being cut off from Christ Romans 11 22. Revel 21 8. they are lest without among dogges and devils without heaven I say but far within hell whether they are sent and set as free-holders to whom other sinners there are but Tenants or inmates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 24 51. and are therefore said to have their part with hypocrites and unbeleevers Section 3. THirdly doth the Lord himselfe speake to us from Heaven in the holy Scriptures and is he our Maker and master Malachy 1.6 how is it then that hee is no better obeyed that his word hath no more place in us or power over us that it swayes not in our hearts that it rules not in our lives Shall hee stretch out his hand to a disobedient people doe wee provoke the Lord to jealousie are wee stronger then he Iob 9.4 hath any ever waxed fierce against God and prospered Shall we sit like sots under the sound of his word and not be sensible or shall we feele his axe at the root of our consciences and be smitten with some remorse and yet goe on in sin What became of Pharaoh that would not hearken to Moses though he came with a message from heaven of the rich glutton that made no more reckoning of Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. ult of Lots sons in Law that counted their fathers fore-warnings a meere moâ—kage Acts 13.41 Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I worke a worke in your dayes a worke which you shall in no wise beleeve though a man declare it unto you Which to prevent precious and worthy of all acceptation is that counsell of our Author Heb. 11.25 See that yee refuse not him that speaketh from Heaven see that ye shift him not off as the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—er 2 8. or send excuse as those recusant guests in the Gospell did When the truth stands at the doore of your Conscience and pleads for admittance say not as he did to his friend that came to borrow two loaves Come to me to morrow or as Felix to Paul at a more convenient time I le send for thee For if the word spoken by Angels only was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience that is every commission and omission receaved a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect hee saith not if we deny betray oppugne but if we neglect light let slip so great salvation which as first began to bee spoken by the Lord c. Heb.
same of the holy Scriptures The Platonists affirme that in the heavenly bodies is a certaine flower and quintessence in these inferiour bodies a kind of dregs and sediment Sure it is that all sciences whatsoever are but drosse and dregs to the doctrine of Divinity contained in the Scriptures there 's not a leafe nor a line not a syllable nor a particle saith S. Jerome but hath its sense and substance well worthy to be weighed and observed Here some make question whether it be their part to reade on in Chronicles Ezra and other places where are nothing but names and Genealogies which they conceive to be to us now of no great use The resolution is Pemble of the Pers Monar that they must reade on if it be but to shew their obedience to God in reading over all his sacred Word But besides there is much to be had out of the Genealogies and Chapters full of names to a wise and diligent Reader And what if we understand not can pick nothing out of some such Chapters yet we must know that those places have in them an immanent power to edifie though as yet it be not transient conveighing the profit of it to us till in some measure we doe understand it Sect. 3. SEcondly make the best of that you reade by serious and set meditation thereupon Psal 119 98 99 100. David hereby became wiser then his Teachers Elders Enemies And why Psal 62.11 when the Lord spake once he heard him twice to wit by an after-meditation Reading and meditation are both expressed by one and the same word in the holy tongue pointing us to what we must doe if we will either understand what we reade or retaine what we understand Meditation is a studious act of the minde searching the knowledge of an hidden truth by the discourse of reason A most sweet exercise to those that are any whit acquainted with it who could even wish themselves pent up as Anchorets in the voluntary prison-walles of divine meditation This this is that that makes a man see farre into Gods secrets and enjoy both God and himselfe with unspeakeable comfort We reade of Socrates that he would stand plodding of points of Philosophy A. Gellius in the same posture of body for divers houres together not sensible of any thing that was done about him And of Chrysippus that he was so transported at his study that he had perished with hunger had not his maid Melissa thrust meate into his mouth Democ. junior Crede mihi in Mathematicarum studijs etiam mo ri dulcissimum esset 'T were a sweet thing saith one to die studying the Mathematicks as Archimedes did Vir ingeniosa prosunda meditatione c sine cibo somno nisi queâ— cubito innixus capiebat per triduum totum Thuan Thuanus writes of one Franciscus Vieta Fontaneio a Frenchman so close and constant a student that he would sit many times three whole daies together in a deepe muse without food or so much as sleepe but what he took a little now and then leaning on his elbow Valere est Philosophari the study of Phylosophy is truly health saith Seneca who therfore salutes his freind Lucilius thus si Philosapharis bene est Epist 15. But I say the onely true health is to meditate with David Horum meditatio valetuâ—o mea vita mea Scultet Annoâ— in Marc. day and night on the Word of God S. Bernard saith that he had once no other masters but oakes and beech-trees Author vitae Bern. lib. 1. â— 4. that among them he had got that skill he had in the holy Scriptures that he had profited more therein by meditation and prayer Ascendamus meditatione oratione veluti duobus pedibus c. Bern. then by reading the largest Commentaries These two were the wings whereby he flew into Heaven and had his hearts desire to be taught of God Therefore shall yee lay up these my words in your heart Luk. 2.13 and in your soule c. Deut. 11.18 as the Virgin Mary did laying up what shee understood not and chewing upon it And as David did Psal 16.7 Psal 4 4. Psal 119.24 Act. 109 10. Esay 6.1 2. Anno a dâ—â—uvio 1540Vide quaeso quà m di versa siant â—oc anno in Ecclesia extra Ecclesiam Ethnici in Graecia spectant ludos â—uos Esaias in Iudea contemplatur revelatä Dei gloriam c. Buchol Chron. 541. whose reynes instructed him in the night season whilst he communed with his owne heart upon his bed and advised with Gods statutes as the men of his counsell So Eliah on Mount Carmel Daniel by the river Vlay Peter on the leads Isaac in the fields Esay among the Seraphims seeing and setting forth the Lord sitting upon his throne high and lofty when the vaine Graecians were at the same time tumultuating triumphing at their Olympick games O quà m sordeant huius mundi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animo ad coelum erecto * D. Prid Lect. O how vile are the tastlesse foolerics of earthly pleasures or the best contents that Philosophy can affoord to a mind lift up in heavenly meditation Such a mans thoughts feed hard upon the fairest objects such as are those set downe in that briefe of the Bible Iam. 1 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch saith that Corioâ—anus had so used her weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vita Cor. Philip. 4.8 till he hath turned them in succum sanguinem till the Word become an ingrafted Word setled on his soule as the science on the stock and close applyed as the playster to the sore that will surely heale Sect. 4. THirdly to Meditation joyne hearty prayer to the Father of lights for the Spirit of Revelation that unction from on high that spirituall eye-salve that so plowing with his heyfer we may understand his riddles No man knowes the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him Prov. 20.27 1 Cor. 1.11 Rom. 8.27 which is therefore called Gods candle searching all the inward parts of the belly Even so the deepe things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God But as God understandeth the mind of the Spirit so doth the Spirit understand the meaning of God and we by the Spirit have the mind of Christ 1 Cor 2. ult Reade not therefore but pray first and last that God would give us his Spirit to instruct us that he who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse would shine into our hearts that he would beate out windowes in these dark dungeons and let in the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Prayer is as the Merchants ship to fetch in heavenly commodities Prov. 31.14 2 Sam 1.22 2 Sam. 18.27 as Jonathans bow that never returned empty