the Saints to hinder the best workes Zach. 3 1. Luke 8 12. like a subtill serpent that he may seduce deceiue vs as he did our first parents we may be assured he commeth freely and frequently into the company of his professed seruants which are his children Ioh. 8 44. For as Christ speaketh that where two or three are gathered together in his Name he is in the midst of them so wheresoeuer two or three are met together at his pleasure to his liking and for the doing of his will he will be in the midst of them though not in a visible manner to tempt theÌ„ to euill and to make them glory and continue in their euill If then we feare such a companion let vs forsake such company If we will needs frequent the company of wicked liuers we cannot auoâ—d the society of Satan Do we then see any place where drunkennesse where whoredome where vanity where blasphemy and all impiety is maintained vpholden we may conclude and as it were write vpon the backside of it and vpon euery doore and poste within it This is the diuels house here are the workes of the diuell to be seene heere is the diuell in a speciall manner present with his teÌ„tations with his allurements with his instruments to ruine the soules of men and to bring them to confusion and destruction Thirdly it is our duty to frequent those Vse 3 places that make knowne his Name vnto vs and spread abroad his sauing health among al people Here we may haue familiar accesse to him be admitted into his presence In praier we talke familiarly with him Gen. 18 27. where Abraham saith he had taken vpon him to speake to the Lord and in his word he talketh familiarly with vs and therefore do the Prophets continually cry out to heare the word of the Lord and tell vs that the Lord speaketh to his people What an high honour is it to a subiect to haue free accesse to his Prince and to come into his chamber of presence we are so honoured of God to come to him without checke or controlement the more boldly we preasse into his presence the more welcome we are No man is reproued for coming too often The faithfull haue accounted it a great part of their happines to haue liberty to meet together with one minde with one mouth to glorifie God to set forth his praises This made the Prophet say Lord Psal 26 8. I haue loued the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth On the other side they haue lamented their condition with a lamentable bitter cry when they haue bin banished from the place of Gods worship driuen to seeke harbour and habitation among the vnbeleeuers Then their soules longed and fainted for the Courts of the Lord Psal 84 2 and 137 1 2. their hearts and their flesh cryed out for the liuing God yea they wept and lamented when in captiuity they remembred Sion They longed for the Courts of the Lord but many among vs long greatly to be out of them They accounted it a great greefe to be out of the house of God but we account it a great greefe to abide in the house of God They were neuer well nor quiet so long as they were from the worship of God we are euen sicke and discontent so long aâ— we are at it Finally they were banished from the Lords house we banish our selues they were compelled to be absent we cannot be compelled to be present We wold be thoght to be willing to haue God in our company to desire to haue accesse vnto his presence but if this were truly in vs we would loue the place of his dwelling We shall bee sure to finde him in his word to meete with him at the Sacraments and to speake with him by our prayers This then reproueth the carelesnes of all such as make no reckoning of Church-assemblies that account one day or houre of the day spent in their owne pleasures vanities better theÌ„ a thousand in the Courts of the Lord. These are weary of the heauenly Manna it is a light and a loathsome food This is a fearefull sinne to pollute the holy things that he hath sanctified and set apart to holy vses These are scornfull beasts and prophane persons there is but a step betweene them and atheisme They are men without religion and tread vnder feete the Sonne of God and account the blood of the new Testament as a prophane thing Hereby we see the height of that sinne which is too rife and common to wit the carelesse wilfull and negligent forsaking of the holy things of God These are come to the highest steppe of sin and are set downe in the seate of scorners Psal 1 1. These haue faith iustly denied vnto them and haue not the grace giuen them to beleeue because they contemne the meanes by which they might beleeue be saued Act. 13 48. And doubtlesse he that maketh no coÌ„science of Gods worship will also if occasion shew it selfe make as little conscience of any thing else that belongeth vnto his brother To conclude let vs haue no part or fellowship with these men but carry earnest affection to the exercises of religion hungring and thirsting after them with longing desires When one Sabbath is ended we should wish for the next when one Sermon is finished we should desire another when one Communion hath beene celebrated we should enquire when the next shall follow euen as the Gentiles besought Paul and Barnabas to preach to them the next Sabbath day Acts 13 42. the same things they had offered to the Iewes O that this zeale were found in vs then would God be found of vs O that we would enquire after him he would offer to vs his gracious presence in this life we should be sure to enioy his glorious presence in the life to come CHAP. VIII 1. AND the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 2. Speake vnto Aaron and say vnto him When thou lightest the Lampes the seauen Lampes shall giue light ouer against the Candlesticke 3. And Aaron did so c. IN the latter end of the former chapter wee haue seene how God gaue answer vnto Moses from aboue the Mercy-seate between the two Cherubims according to his promise before Exod 25 22. In this chapter is recorded what he spake Wee haue also learned what was the sanctification of the other Tribes testified by the solemne offering that they brought at the dedication of the Altar heere Moses entreateth of the sanctification of the Church-officers wherein obserue two things the first touching the Priests the second touching the rest of the Leuites For such as serued at the Altar either were taken into the order of the Priests or else were of the rest of the Tribe of the Leuites that serued in inferiour places about the Tabernacle to assist the Priests in their offices Touching the Priests we are to
it were brought downe to reside and remaine among vs. So long as the word which is the scepter of his kingdome is with vs we shall not need to feare he will goe from vs neither shall be constrained to make long iourneyes to seeke him out When once his word is departed and the Gospel gone his standard is remoued and he is quite turned from vs. It is in vaine to dreame to find him when we cannot find him in his word Hence it is that Abijam telleth Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne that God was gone from them seeing he had driuen away the Priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron and on the other side he ioyneth together the presence of the Lord and the preaching of his word saying Behold this God is with vs as a Captaine 2. Chron. 13.12 and his Priests with the sounding trumpets to cry an alarme against you This then is a speciall token of Gods speciall presence when he sendeth his word as a gracious raine vpon his inheritance and thereby watereth the dry furrowes of the barraine hearts of his people Thirdly we haue the promise of his presence and the seales thereof in his Sacraments whereby we are at one with him and he with vs. Whensoeuer we meditate of our baptisme the Sonne of God doth witnesse vnto our spirits that we are cloathed with his righteousnesse as with a garment Gal. 3.27 for all such as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ Whensoeuer we receiue the Supper of the Lord hee sheweth vs that he is our food and that the bread which we eate at our tables and in our houses doth not nourish vs better then we be nourished by his substance at his heauenly table insomuch that we liue in him by him and through him according to the testimony of Iohn Ch. 6. Ioh. 6.54.55 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed Thus we are spiritually one with him and mystically he is one with vs so that we haue a communion with him as the members haue with the head so that we must receiue it as most true which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 10.16 The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the body of Christ the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Fourthly when we come together in the Church to call vpon his Name he is neere vnto vs and most familiar with vs. For our LORD Iesus Christ assureth vs that he is there among vs whensoeuer we are assembled in his Name and by lifting vp our eyes and holding vp our hands toward heauen wee shew that our coming thither is to present our selues in the sight presence of our God To this purpose our Sauiour saith Math. 18 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the middest of them so that we must consider that we are heere not onely before the Angels of heauen but also that the Sonne of God both seeth and heareth vs. True prayer doeth ascend vp to Heauen as Incense and lifteth vs vp to talke familiarly with God and bringeth downe his blessings vpon vs except we vse this heauenly exercise whereby we speake to him he is a stranger to vs and we are strangers to him Lastly he dwelleth among vs whensoeuer he preserueth vs from euill and deliuereth vs from our enemies If the fauour of GOD were not a shield buckler about vs to preserue and protect vs from our enemies wee should lie open to ten thousand dangers and deaths If our Lord had not a continuall care ouer vs and stood not mightily for our defence we should bee a prey to the iaw of the Lyon and should perish euery minute of an houre We are of our selues ouer-weake and haue no meanes to deliuer our selues this is our comfort that God is on our side dwelleth among vs. Let vs also take heed we walk in feare before him and doe not prouoke him to wrath and indignation against vs by committing euill in his fight who can abide nothing that is prophane or polluted as Deut. 6 15. The Lord that is in the middest of thee is iealous beware therefore that his wrath kindle not lest thou be rooted out of the Land which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee To this purpose the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 6 16 17 Yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell among them and walke there and I will be their GOD and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch none vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty This sheweth that we ought to walke alwaies as in Gods presence and to consider euermore that his eye is vpon vs. Our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost for him to dwell in If then we shall defile them and make them as swine-styes we greeue the holy Spirit whereby our adoption and redemption are sealed and driue him from vs and chase him away out of our hearts Vse 2 Secondly albeit the placing of the Tabernacle in the middest of the host be gone and past long agoe and were verified among the Iewes vnder the shaddowes of the Law yet it serueth to teach vs to what end God hath instituted ciuill States and Common-wealths in this world to wit to be staies and proppes to the Church to vphold and strengthen the same that the people of God may assemble together in peace and quietnesse and be free from all dangers of malicious enemies that labour to do euill to the Sanctuary To this purpose the Prophet teacheth Psal 102 2â— 22. and 122 3 4. that The Name of the Lord shall be declared in Sion his praise in Ierusalem when the people shall be gathered together and the Kingdomes to serue the Lord. And Psal 122. Ierusalem is builded as a City that is compact together in it selfe whereunto the Tribes euen the Tribes of the Lord goe vp according to the Testimony to Israel to praise the name of the Lord. Heereby we are put in minde of three notable duties First of all let all persons Princes and people high and low do good to the Church of God and imploy their best endeuours to promote the glory of God and the safety of the Church For wherefore was the Tabernacle taken and pitched in the middest of all the host not placed in a corner nor set in the skirts of that mighty army but was inuironed round about with the strength of Israel but to
Captaines and Moses himselfe disdained not to set their hands to worke No doubt many of the people ioyned with them as helpers forward but the principal men and heads of the families are heere named because they did direct strengthen and encourage others that were vnder them by their good example The doctrine arising from hence is this That publicke persons vnto whom God hath granted honor and principality Doctrine All Supeâ— must giue eâ—ample to â— Inferiors and preferred before their brethren are not only to informe their inferiors and giue directions vnto them by word but by their example and practise to go before them All superiors are to teach by example of life as well as by word of mouth their inferiors So then we are all from this example of the zeale of Moses and forwardnesse of the Princes of the Tribes to consider that it is required of cheefe personnes whose heads are aduanced aboue others to haue in them a zeale and forwardnes to further good things in others that so their care may be answerable to the place wherein God hath set them This is proued vnto vs in the example of Eliud one of the Iudges who hauing slaine Eglon King of Moab and knowing there was a greater worke behinde to do it is sayde he blew a Trumpet in Mount Ephraim he assembled the people and he went before them saying vnto them Follow me Marke here how he thought it not enough to shew the Children of Israel what was to be done and to direct them in the way but himselfe ioyneth with them nay goeth before them hee followeth not his owne ease hee seeketh not his owne pleasure he layeth not the burthen vpon them to keepe at home himselfe but being fitted called of God hee began the enterprize and looked for the issue from him His example not onely in speaking but in going before them was very auaileable The like we see in Dauid whose zeale for the Lords house had euen eaten him vp hauing an intent to cal the Arke home to Sion from the house of Abinadab he called the people together â— 6 1 5 he praised God with instruments of musicke he danced before the Arke and gaue a notable testimony how feruent he was and with what ioy of heart he went about it The like practise wee see in Salomons sonne who sate in his Throne when once the Temple was builded when the worke of the Lord was finished and when the people were assembled hee in their sight and hearing doth dedicate the Temple with a fruitfull comfortable and passionate prayer and intreateth the Lords gracious presence when in that holy place they should call vpon him 1 Kin. 8 22. The like forwardnes in the workes of the Lord wee finde in Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah Ezra Nehemiah Zerobabel Mordecai and sundry others these went before others in zeale and accounted it a shame reproch vnto them to be matched in goodnesse of those whom they ouer-matched and ouer-mastered in greatnesse This made Iosua say who was Gouernor of the people I and my house will serue the Lord Iosh 24.15 This made Dauid say Psal 101 2. I will walke in the vprightnesse of my heart in the midst of my house This made the Apostle say 2 Thes 3 7. speaking of the idle that walked inordinately and would not worke Ye your selues know how yee ought to follow vs for wee behaued not our selues inordinately among you vrging his owne example to prouoke and pricke them forward Reason 1 This truth will yet further appeare vnto vs when we shall consider how it is proued and vnder-propped by strength of Reason â—irst it is the Lords dooing to make them a distinct people and order by themselues Hath he aduanced them to no purpose had he no end in choosing them from among their brethren and setting them in degree of dignitie before them We know that all Gods workes haue som end which he respecteth he worketh nothing idlely euery action hath his special and proper end His separation of them to rule in the Land or Church is that they should execute the things that concern Gods glory with all zeale This we see in the booke of Ester ver 4 when she was desirous to shrink backe and not aduenture her selfe beholding the hazard of her life and the danger of death before her eyes except the king did graciouslie respect her and fauâ—urably hold out his golden scepter Mordecai presseth her with this reason Who knoweth whether the LORD hath brought thee to the kingdom for such a time And Nehemiah aimeth at this in chap. 6. ver 10 11. where being counselled to hide his head and to shut the doores of the Temple vpon him because the enemies would come sodainely vpon him and slay him hee opposeth his calling Should such a man as I fly Who is he being as I am that would go into the temple to liue I will not go in As if he shold say God hath promoted me to this place of honor hath brought vpon me the dignity that I neuer looked for and therefore I will aduenture to stand out in the discharge of the worke of the Lord inasmuch as promotion commeth neither from East nor West but from him Secondly such as are aduanced aboue others Reason 2 lye open to wrath and iudgement as well as others Albeit they bee great in the world and can plead with men yet they cannot pleade with the Lord seeing the greatest men lye open to the greatest punishments If therefore they would not kindle Gods wrath against themselues against their houses and against their posterities they must go before others in all godlinesse and instruct them by word and by example This is the reason that king Artashasht vseth Ezra 7 23. Whatsoeuer is by the commandement of the God of heauen let it be done speedily for the house of the God of heauen for why should he be wroth against the realm of the King and his children So in Num. 25 4 9. the Lord commaunded a thousand of the Rulers of the people to be hanged before him against the Sunne because they stayed not the people from ioyning themselues to Baal â—cor In like manner because Eli reformed not his sonnes but suffered them to run forward in their sins who through their extreme wickednes caused all Israel to abhorre the offerings of the Lord his house was destroyed 1 Sam. 2 31. his sons were slaine and himselfe brake his necke with a fall from his seate The Vses are these First of al see how comfortable Vse 1 it is to all inferiours when the Lord blesseth a land and people to giue them faithfull Rulers godly Princes zealous Nobles righteous Magistrates painfull Ministers by whose example and practise they are led and guided to all wel-doing It is an ancient saying Of what disposition soeuer Princes are â—laudianus the people will not be vnlike â—hem Experience in all ages and places teacheth vs
Euery worde of God is the word of a great person and euery part and parcell of it is the Decree of a King nay of the King of Kinges to whom all Kinges and Princes are subiect and must rise vppe from their Throne when they appeare before him whose Throne is the Heauen and though they bee Lordes of the Earth they must resigne their Crowne vnto him that hath the earth for his footestoole and therefore the greatest regard and respect must be giuen vnto it For a Heb. 2 2 3. as the Apostle teacheth Hebr. 2 2 3. If the word spoken by Angelles was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receyued a iust recompence of reward how shall wee escape if we neglect so great saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lorde and afterward was confirmed vnto vs by them that heard him Woe vnto them therefore that reiect the food of their soules and surfet of this heauenly Manna and do not hunger and thirst after the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby Neither let any obiect Obiection If God did speake we would heare and if he did call wee would answere if hee did threaten wee would feare and if hee did teach we would obey but so long as all proceedeth from man as sinfull as our selues wee cannot be so affected Answere This was the Obiection of the Reprobate rich man in the Gospell who albeit his Brethren had Moses and the Prophets yet hee would haue Lazarus sent from the dead vnto his Fathers house to testifie vnto them b Luke 16 28 29 30 31 Lest they should come into that place of torment But what was the answer of Abraham If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neyther will they be perswaded to amend their liues though one arise from the dead againe If we reason on this manner with the rich man and put on his affection let vs also take heede lest wee haue that recompence of reward that the rich man had He supposed that extraordinary meanes would worke extraordinarie effects and vndoubtedly procure the conuersion of those to whom they were sent but therein hee was vtterly deceyued and if wee were not Fooles and blinde we would not follow so foule and fearefull an example Wherefore to informe our iudgement aright and reforme our affection we are to obserue two points first we must acknowledge that it is Gods mercy to speake vnto vs by men like vnto our selues and subiect vnto the same infirmities and passions that we are who applyeth himselfe to our weakenesse and respecteth our capacity who are not able to abide his presence who is so glorious in holynesse fearefull in praises doing wonders We see this in the Israelites at the deliuerie of the Law when the voice of God sounded in theyr eares they ran away and could not abide it they feared to be consumed at once cryed out vnto Moses c Exod. 20 19 Talk◠thou with vs and wee will heare but let not God talke with vs lest wee dye When the Lord reuealed a part of his glory sitting vpon an high throne the angels couered their faces were not able to abide the beauty brightnes of his maiesty the lintels of the doore cheeks moued the house was filled with smoke the Prophet himselfe said d Esay 6 5. Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell in the middest of a people of polluted Lippes for mine eyes haue seene the King the Lord of hostes In like manner if God should appeare vnto vs and vtter his voice from heauen we should feare and quake and fall downe as dead men and cry out with great astonishment Alas we shall dye beecause we haue seene and heard the Lorde as many of the Fathers did then we would make request to haue the Ministers of the worde speake vnto vs whom now we despise and whose word wee contemne as base and contemptible It is therefore to bee accounted and receyued as a notable token of his great mercy toward vs that he sendeth vs to school to learne of our Brethren to whom wee may freely and familiarly resort for counsell in our doubtes for comfort in our afflictions for knowledge in our ignorance for instruction in godlinesse and for resolution in all our wants Secondly we must labour to perswade our owne hearts that it is his word which we heare and his Ministers that speake vnto vs and that it is our duty to heare them as the Lord himselfe whose Messengers they are whose calling is from him and whose mouths he hath opened to speak his word with boldnesse as it ought to be spoken Let vs craue this mercy at Gods hands to resolue vs of this point and to settle our consciences in the full assurance of it This will be a forcible means to make vs heare it and regarde it as Gods owne ordinance ought to bee heard and regarded And vntill wee haue learned this Lesson we can neuer reuerence the preaching of the worde as is required of vs either for the aduancement of Gods glory or the comfort of our owne soules Let vs therefore perswade our selues of this and set it downe as a principle and firme conclusion that as the words of the Prophets and Apostles are of great authority euen the word of the eternall God most vndoubtedly to bee receyued and most assuredly to bee beleeued so likewise the words of all Gods true and faithfull Ministers truely expounding and faithfully giuing vnto vs the naturall sense and meaning of the Scriptures and gathering sound doctrine out of them for the instruction and edification of the people of God grounding all they teach on the sure foundation of the Prophets and Apostles the words I say of Gods Ministers in these dayes are no lesse to be esteemed and acknowledged the word of God himself then if Esay or Ieremy thē if Paul or Peter or any of the rest did write or speak vnto vs. For the Scripture standeth not in words letters or syllables but in the sense vnderstanding So long then as the Minister vttereth not the conceits of his own brain nor deliuereth the traditions and precepts of men but holdeth himself to the doctrine of the Scripture which is the touchstone to try truth from falshood to descern the word of God from the word of man hee is no otherwise to bee heard and the Gospell no otherwise to be receiued from his mouth then if some Prophet of God or Apostle of Christ were among vs. For wee must not haue the Faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons but when the same faith the same truth the same word is preached both by the former Prophets and Apostles and by the ordinary Ministers of the Church of the times wherein wee liue if it should bee receiued when it is published by them and reiected when it is deliuered by these a
and spake vnto you but yee would not heare nor answere I saide Obey my voyce and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walke ye in all the wayes that I haue commanded you that it may bee well vnto you but they would not obey nor encline their eare but went after the counsels and stubbornnesse of their wicked heart went backward and not forward I haue sent vnto you all my seruants the Prophets rising vp early euery day and sending them yet would they not heare mee but hardened their neckes and did worse then their Fathers Thus hee layeth open their sinne therefore no maruaile if that hee threaten to stretch out his hand against them so that the famine should pinch them the sword shoulde slay them the pestilence should waste them the dogges should teare them the wild beasts destroy them and the fowles of the heauen deuoure them Secondly as it reproueth those that refuse to heare The second reprâ—ofe so it condemneth such as onely heare and go no further these rest in it as if they had done their duty and as if no more were required at their hands But know this and marke it that outward seruice separated from inward obedience is not respected but reiected of God This naked hearing is an halting with God which he cannot suffer If we keepe from him the heart he careth not for the eye or the tongue or the eare This is it which the Prophet saith When ye fasted and mourned in the fift and seauenth Moneths Zach. 7 5 6 7 euen these seuenty yâ—ares did ye fast vnto me Doe I approue it Should ye not heare the words which the Lord hath cried by the ministery of the former Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited and in prosperity and the Cities thereof round about her when the south and the plaine was inhabited To like purpose is Esaiah bold and saith What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices Esay 1 11.12 13.14.15 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rammes I desire not the blood of Bullocks when ye come to appeare before me who required this of your hands to tread in my Courts Bring no moe Oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabboths c. they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them and when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mâ—ne eyes from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare Were not these his owne ordinances Did not hee appoint the solemne times of his worship and command sacrifices and oblations to be offered vnto him Yes he set them in his Church and was the Author of them but they perfourmed them in an euill manner without faith without repentance without loue without conscience and therefore as they did them God loathed them So may it be saide of our common and customary hearing remoued from faith obedience Who required it at our hands The Lord cannot abide it he cannot suffer it it is a burden vnto him that he cannot beare God ioyneth hearing and obeying together and cursed is hee that maketh a diuorce betweene them This doth the Prophet Ieremy denounce against all hypocriticall hearers chapt 11. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Iere. 11 3 4 5 Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Couenant which I commanded vnto your Fathers c. He protested vnto them and their Fathers rising early and saying Obey my voyce yet they would not obey nor incline their eare but euery one walked in the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart thus they made a conspiracy against God and hee brought his curses vpon them Thus our Sauiour teacheth it shall bee with many in the last day that saw his person and heard his doctrine they conuersed and continued with him and were partakers of his miracles and ministry who shall then begin to say We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes Lu. 13 26 27. but he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity Woe shall then bee to all such hearers and cursed shall their state and condition be These haue an heauier account to make then such as neuer were hearers and neuer had so great mercy offered vnto them Hence it is that Christ pronounced sundry woes against Bethsaida Corazin and Capernaum who had the worde and other meanes of saluation offered vnto them yet liued without repentance and are pronounced to bee worse then the Sodomites For the greater mercies are abused the deeper iudgements are deserued Let vs sette this Capernaum a Citty in Galile before our eyes and looke vpon it as in a glasse that therein we may behold our selues The Lord Iesus was brought vp there and because hee did so much frequent it and was conuersant there many thought hee had beene borne there so that it is called his owne City Mat. 9 1. Secondly the miracles which he wrought there were many he healed the seruant of the Centurion and a man that had an vncleane spirit Math. 8 5. in so much that the Nazarites as it were enuying and repining thereat that that place should be preferred before them saide vnto him Whatsoeuer we haue hâ—ard done in Capernaum do it heere likewise in thâ—ne owne Country Luc. 4.23 thereby implying that the greatest part of his miracles had not beene done among them but among the Capernaites Thirdly there he began to preach saying Repent Math. 4.13.17 Mark 1.14 Iohn 6 59. Luc. 4.31.32 for the Kingdome of heauen is at hand and there he preached of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood likewise hee taught on the Sabboth day in their Synagogue with power and authority so that they were astonied at his doctrine In all these respects and priuiledges partly of the presence of his person partly of the working of his miracles partly of the preaching of his Gospel Christ pronounceth that they were lifted vp to heauen Mat. 11 23.24 highly aduanced aboue many other Townes Cities that wanted the seeing and hearing of him but because they became vnthankfull and to all these did not ioyne true obedience hee denounceth against them that they should be brought downe to hell the reason hereof is rendred in the next wordes For if the great workes which haue beene done in thee had beene done among them of Sodome they had remained to this day but I say vnto you that it shall be easier for them of the Land of Sodome in the day of iudgement then for thee An heauy doome and a most fearefull sentence and yet most iust and righteous if it bee weighed in the ballance of iustice The sinnes of Capernaum greater then of Sodome Gen. 19 3. Rom 1 27 28. Ezek. 16. Sodome indeede was guilty of vncleannesse and
albeit many things fell out to restraine the course of liberality as their multitude importunity and ingratitude that are in need yet he could not be hindred by any of them from shewing mercy vnto them â—eut 24 53. considering that if we feed them their bellies shall blesse vs if we cloath them their loines shall blesse vs if we visite them in sicknesse their bodies shall blesse vs nay their soules shall blesse vs albeit their tongues reuile vs and their mouthes be full of cursing and bitternesse Let vs therefore turne our selues from them vnto God who will reward euery good worke euen to a cup of colde water Heereby we shall testifie our religion to be sincere hereby we shall be like our heauenly Father assure our hearts that we are his children hereby we shall be made conformable vnto Iesus Christ our head who being equall in glory with his Father and being in the forme of God made himself poore that he might enrich vs hereby we shall prouide well for our selues by making vs friends with the riches of vnrighteousnesse yea hereby we shall heape coales of fire vpon the heads of all vnthankfull persons doing good for euill and shewing mercy to them that doe not deserue any mercy at our hands 25. The standard of the Campe of Dan shall be on the North side by their armies the Captaine of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the sonne of Ammâ—shaddai 26. And his host and those that were numbred of them were threescore and two thousand and seuen hundred 27. And those that encampe by him shall be the Tribe of Asher and the Captaine of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the sonne of Ocran 28. And his host and those that were numbred of them were forty and one thousand and fiue hundred 29. Then the Tribe of Naphtali and the Captaine of the Children of Naphtali shall bee Ahira the sonne of Enan 30. And his host and those that were numbred of them were fifty and three thousand and foure hundred 31. All they that were numbred in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seuen thousand and sixe hundred they shall goe hindermost with their standards We are now come to the last standard expressed in these wordes These three Dan Asher and Naphtali that is the Tribes that descended of them being three of the sons of Iacob doth the Lord in this place cast into the last squadron to make vp the fourth battailion And albeit they were set in the last and lowest company of the army yet wee do not reade that during the long time of their tarriance in the wildernesse which was the space of 40 yeares they opened their mouthes against the ordinance of God or murmured through impatience and discontentment at the order established among them neyther did other murmure at them albeit some of the children of the handmaids were preferred before the naturall sons of Leah and Rahel An hoast of men consisting of great multitudes is like a full or corpulent body that needeth not any external meanes to throw it downe it being ready to ouerweigh and ouersway it selfe through it owne heauines Many estates and kingdomes arising from small beginnings as it were large stoods from little fountains haue proceeded swelled so great Liuy in the Preface to his History that the bignes thereof is comberous to themselues and the puissance of so mighty people hath wrought their own destructioÌ„ Thus it fel out in the commonwealth of Rome whose proper power strength wanting a forrain enemy to encounter with all wrought it owne ruine so that it had no greater opposite then it owne too great felicity Epito Flor. But not to trouble our selues with forraine examples let vs briefely touch the example of the Disciples of Christ they were few in number they were a little company like a small boat that might be easily ruled and gouerned inasmuch as they had the best Maister that euer was to stand at the sterne yet they no sooner heard of Christs departure out of the worlde but they condemned parity and contended for superiority Math. 20 20. Thus we see what our nature is one man cannot abide any to be his equall another cannot suffer any to bee before him Wherefore to cut off all occasion of emulation and to teach them the benefit of contentation the Lord assigneth to euery Tribe his standing place and they in humility and obedience rested in the roome ranke that God in mercy appointed for the generall benefit of the whole and the particular good of euery one among them Verse 25 26. The standard of the Campe of Dan shall be on the c. The three combined together in this army whereof Dan was principall the other two Asher Naphtals were assistants are indeed the children of the handmaids inasmuch as Rabel in greefe of her barrennesse giueth her maid vnto her husband who beareth him Dan and Naphtali Leah also following her sisters example giueth him her maid who beareth bringeth forth Asher There can no reason bee assigned by man why they should go march in this order then in any other but onely the good pleasure of God yet they are quiet and striue not one against another being brethren one to another From hence we learne that euery one Doctrine 6 ought to be conteÌ„ted with his present estate I say Euery one is to be content with the condition wherein God hath set him how meane soeuer our condition be yet God requires it as a special duty at our hands that therewith we be content Hereunto commeth the commandement giuen by the Apostle 1 Corinth 7 20 24. Let euery man abide in the same calling wherein he was called To the same purpose hee teacheth elsewhere that Godlinesse with contentment is great gaine and afterward 1 Tim. 6 8. Hauing food and rayment let vs bee therewith content And as he deliuereth this doctrine by precept so hee sealeth it vp by practise and experience Phil. 4 11 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to bee content I know both how to be abased I know how to abound euery where and in all things I am enstructed both to be full and to bee hungry both to abound and to suffer need It is a great and wonderfull knowledge and very hard to be practised to know to be rich that is to vse riches soberly it passeth our reach vnlesse we haue a speciall and extraordinary grace giuen vnto vs. We must learne also what it is to be poore which is as hard a lesson as the former forasmuch as we are ready to murmure vnder the Crosse whereas though wee should walke naked be hungry and thirsty be afflicted and passe by the sword yet we ought to be patient our trust must not faile which we haue in God who will feed vs in the time of famine Reason 1 The reasons heereof are of great force and carry
with his hands the thing which is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Secondly it is very comfortable to vs to be busied in them we must looke for a blessing vpon vs and them while we continue in them God appeared to Moses in a slame of fire out of the middes of a bush while he kept the flocke of Iethro his father in Law Dauid was chosen and taken from the sheepefolds to feed the people of God The Lord tooke Amos Amos 7. â—â— as he followed the flocke and said vnto him Goe Prophesie vnto my people Israel While the shepheards were attending their flocks by night and abiding in the fields an Angel of the Lord brought them tidings of great ioy which should be to all people that to them was borne that day in the City of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.10 11. The like we might say of Iacob while he was faithfull in his calling the Lord appeared vnto him He chose his Apostles as they were busie in their callings and painefull in them Gen. 31. â— Matth. 4â— 21 and â—â— Peter and Andrew as they were casting a net into the sea Iames Iohn his brother as they were mending their nets for they were fishers Matthew the Publican as he sate at the receit of custome he saith vnto him follow me who arose immediatly followed him Mat. 9. While we walke in our callings we may look for a blessing but when once we goe from them and either forsake our calling or busie our selues in other mens callings we can expect no blessing at his hands for when we leaue them he leaueth vs when we returne to them he returneth to vs. Thirdly euery one must iudge and esteeme his particular calling to be the best and fittest for him The Apostle confirmeth this by his owne practise and example Phil. 4 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to bee content This will arme vs against all discontentment and murmuring against God and make vs quietly to keepe our owne standing When Absolon was not content with the place of a Subiect and to be accounted the Kings sonne but said O that I were Iudge among you 2 Sam. 15 4. then he sought his fathers kingdome â— 20 24. When the sonnes of Zebede contented not themselues with the calling of Disciples but were enflamed with the thirst of honour and desire of dignity to be the greatest in the kingdome of Christ then arose enuy and heart-burning among them It is altogether vnpossible that we should rest well pleased with our callings and conditions and not climbe aloft aboue the places wherein we are set except we set downe this as our rest that our calling such as God hath appointed is the fittest and meetest for vs. Lastly euery one is bound to glorifie God in his calling though it be neuer so meane or base Wiues are charged to be obedient to their owne husband that the word of God be not blasphemed Tit. 2 5 10. Seruants are commanded to please their masters in all things that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things Tit. 2 10. That the Name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed 1 Tim. 6 1. This ought to be propounded vnto vs and set before our eyes to make it the end of all our actions that whether we eate or drink or whatsoeuer we do we may do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. It is not the highnes or lownesse the greatnes or meannesse of our calling that God so much respecteth as the sincerity of the heart of him that walketh in his calling If it be not sound all our actions are corrupt We must not think that onely men of high callings are to giue glory vnto God it is a common duty required of all and woe vnto vs if we do it not The heauens declare the glory of GOD much more ought man endued with reason and vnderstanding 27. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izeharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Vzzielites these are the families of the Kohathites 28. In the number of all the males from a moneth old and vpward were eight thousand and sixe hundred keeping the charge of the Sanctuary 29. The families of the sonnes of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Southward 30. And the chiefe of the house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Vzziel 31. And their charge shall be the Arke and the Table and the Candlesticke and the Altars and the vessels of the Sanctuary wherewith they minister and the hanging and all the seruice therof 32. And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest shall be cheefe ouer the cheefe of the Leuites haue the ouersight of them that keepe the charge of the Sanctuary Now we come to Leuies second sonne We haue spoken before of Gershon of whom came the Gershonites It followeth to speake of Kohath for to him his posterity were committed the most honourable offices as we shal see afterward in the next chapter Touching whom we may obserue as we did in the former these particular points First the families that descended of him which are foure in number the Amramites the Izeharites the Hebronites and the Vzzielites verse 27. Secondly the number of the males that came of them to wit eight thousand and sixe hundred verse 28. Thirdly the place where they pitched to wit the South-side of the Tabernacle verse 29. Fourthly the ouerseer or superintendent of them namely Elizaphan the sonne of Vzziel verse 30. Fiftly the charge and function committed vnto them were the chiefe things within the Sanctuary verse 31. Sixtly the ouerseer of all these ouerseers and the chiefe of them that were the chiefe was Eleazar the sonne of Aaron who had authority ouer all the Priests and Leuites verse 32. He was vnder Aaron appointed to haue the ouersight of them that had the charge of the Sanctuary For Aaron himselfe was the high Priest and his eldest sonne Eleazar was vnder him as it were the second Priest euen as in the reigne of Zedekiah the high Priest was Seraiah the second Priest was Zephaniah as we reade in the second booke of the Kings chap. 25 18. The Captaine of the guard tooke Seraiah the cheefe Priest Zephaniah the second Priest and the three keepers of the doore See the notes on the Geneua Bible The second Priest is thought to be one appointed to succeed in the high Priests roome and to supply his place if he were sicke or otherwise hindred and letted by necessary occasions Of this family of the Kohathites came Moses and Aaron And albeit the Lord appeared in speciall manner to Moses called him to be a most excellent Prophet to whom he reuealed himselfe as it were face to face and chose him to be the Gouernor of a mighty
the staues of it 15. And when Aaron and his sonnes haue made an end of couering the Sanctuary and all the vessels of the Sanctuary as the Campe is to set forward after that the sonnes of Kohath shall come to beare it but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die These things are the burden of the sonnes of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation 16. And to the office of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest pertaineth the oyle for the light Exod. 30 34. Exod. 30 24. and the sweet incense and the daily meate offering and the annointing oile and the ouersight of all the Tabernacle and of all that therein is in the Sanctuary and in the vessels thereof In this diuision the particular charge beolnging to the sonnes of Kohath is both propounded and confirmed Touching the speciall parts heere remembred First Aaron and his sonnes as ouerseers of the rest are charged when the hoste of God remooueth to couer the Arke of the Testimony the Table of shew bread the Candlesticke of light the vessels of oyle and such like Secondly the duty of the Kohathites is set downe that so soone as Aaron and his sonnes haue made an end of couering the Sanctuary and all the instruments of the Sanctuary they must come to beare both it and them as it was deliuered vnto them prouided that they did not touch any of them or meddle with them vntill they be couered lest they be destroyed Thirdly the office of Eleazar the Priest the sonne of Aaron is specified to him belonged the oyle for the light the sweet incense the daily meat offering and the anointing oyle with all the ouersight of the Tabernacle These seuerall points thus largely laid open may seeme needlesse and vnprofitable to be thus particularly rehearsed but as all things were done in types and figures vnto them so they had their vses to them and serue also for our instruction to the end of the world Touching the instruments belonging to the Tabernacle and the vessels that were vsed as the oyle the lamps the candlestickes the shew bread the incense and what were the significations of them we haue already declared in the bookes of Exodus and Leuiticus Now we wil onely call to remembrance these three points and briefly note what we are to learne from thence First the Tabernacle was remooued from place to place and the parts of it taken asunder and ioyned together This was a figure of the Church and sheweth that the faithfull so long as they liue in this Tabernacle of the body â— Pet. 1.13 are absent from the Lord and so shall continue vntill they obtaine a stable inheritance in the heauens We are not as yet come to the rest Deut. 12.9 and to the inheritance which the Lord our God shall giue vs. We haue heere no continuing citie to dwell in we are as Pilgrimes and strangers in this world We seeke a countrey else-where Let vs therefore vse this world as though we vsed it not 1. Cor. 7.31 Be not deceiued with the glorious and glittering shewes of earthly things If we did consider the frailty and vncertainty of all humane things heere beneath that they are the suttle and sugred baits of Satan which catch and condemne many thousands in the world Tim. 6.6 and bring men to many foolish and noysome lusts that drowne them in perdition and destruction we would not so easily wound our consciences and sell our soules for gaine as the maner of many is who in all things wherin they haue dealings and doings with others regard nothing but their owne wealth albeit it be ioyned with decay and vndoing of our brethren Secondly obserue in this place that the Sanctuary together with all the frame and furniture thereof was couered with badgers skinnes a very sure couering to teach vs that the whole Church euery particular member thereof are vnder the protection of God as it were vnder a couering Hereunto the Prophet alludeth Psal 27.5 In the time of trouble he shall hide me he shall set me vp vpon a Rocke And the Prophet Esay chap. 4. 5 6. The Lord wil create vpon euery dwelling place of mount Zion and vpon her assemblies a cloude and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for vpon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a couert from storme and from raine This ministreth great comfort to all the faithfull seruants of God to consider that howsoeuer the Tabernacle was subiect to the violence of winde and weather yet it could sustaine no harme because it was most surely and safely couered against all iniuries tempests and stormes whatsoeuer None lie open to such troubles and turmoiles as the Church none are so garded regarded as they are It were vnpossible that we should hold out and continue in our profession against such dangers except we had a couering vpon vs as the helmet of saluation He is our defence and a buckler round about vs. He will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs so that we may boldly say The Lord is my deliuerer I will not feare what man can doe vnto mee Lastly we see the Tabernacle had diuers and sundry instruments in it belonging to the worship of God and sanctified and set apart to holy vses so is it in the Church of God the word the Sacraments the preaching the praiing the praysing of God the gifts of sundry sorts bestowed vpon the Church are all of them sacred and holy by the speciall institution of God Hereunto doth the Prophet Zachary allude chap. 14. 20 21. In that day shall there be vpon the bels of the horses holinesse vnto the Lord and the pots in the Lords house shall bee like the bolles before the altar yea euery pot in Ierusalem and in Iudah shall be holinesse vnto the Lord of hostes and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them and seeth therein for in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hostes The things that God hath appointed to the glory of his Name and the furthering of his worship are al of them holy and there is as it were grauen vpon them Exod. 28.36 as once on the forehead of the high Priest Holinesse to the Lord. Hence it is that the word is called the holy Scripture and all other things belonging to the seruice of God are holy also This teacheth how wee should bee affected when we present our selues in the presence of God and come to be partakers of the ordinances of God Heere are holy things for such as are holy if we come vnto them with sanctified hearts and touch them with sanctified hands Such as come prophanely vnto them receiue no benefite by them He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his praier is
them that mourne in Sion and hang downe their heads through feeling of the wrath of God for their manifold sinnes they are to be comforted as well thereby as if the Lord himselfe from the highest heauens should comfort them and speake peace vnto their consciences There cannot be a greater enemy to the sauing hearing of the word then to imagine this that we haue nothing to doe with God but all with man when we heare the word This shaketh attention cooleth zeale breedeth negligence and hindereth obedience Secondly this serueth to reprooue all such Vse 2 as yeeld no obedience vnto God and his will but rebell against him openly and stubbornly and will doe nothing at all that hee commandeth These are not vnfitly called traitors and rebels against God The name of a traitour is most odious among all men no man can abide to be so accounted But what shall it auaile vs to be faithfull vnto men and vnfaithfull to God to obey them and to disobey him Moses telleth the people of Israel that they haue beene rebellious against the Lord Deut. 9.24 from the day that he knew them Such as rose vp against Aaron and would not submit themselues to Gods ordinance in his Ministery are called the children of rebellion Numb 17.10 and they are exhorted not to rebell against the Lord Numb 14.9 It is a vaine thing to say we are no traitors we hate the name of treason if we nourish open rebellion against God who is the King of kings Such as set themselues against Gods word and yeeld no obedience vnto it are rancke traitors and we need craue no pardon if we call them the children of rebellion Secondly it reprooueth such as prolong the time with God haue no leisure to hearken yet vnto him and so make him attend vpon them No man man must stand to debate or consult with flesh and blood whether he should obey God or not the wisedome and pollicy of man must not bee our counsellours they will deceiue vs and withhold vs from yeelding obedience vnto Gods commandements In his matters we must not pleade pollicy but when he commandeth we must with all speed yeeld obedience 1 King 13.9.18.19.21.26 The Prophet that contrary to Gods commandement did eat bread and drinke water in the house of the olde Prophet was deuoured of a Lyon this was the iudgement denounced against him Foras much as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord and hast not kept the commandement which the Lord thy God commanded thee c. thy carcase shall not come into the sepulchers of thy fathers The fruit of al disobediēce is our owne destruction notwithstanding our owne good intents which may please our selues but cannot please God When we haue his word we must not suffer our selues to be deluded by traditions by visions or by pretended reuelations The onely word reuealed vnto vs must put al other meanes to silence and make them giue place He that was commanded by the word of God to strike the Prophet and refused it was slaine by a Lyon 1 King 20.35 Let these examples make vs wise and their falles teach vs to stand vpright It is extreme folly to yeeld to the false and fained perswasions of ignorant men who goe about to tell vs that it is not so necessary a duty to obey the word of God deliuered vnto vs as many would make vs to beleeue that we shall be hated and derided of all men and therefore it is better for vs to seeke the fauour and good will of men and the applause of the world then to be singular and so contemned Let not vs be lulled asleepe with these sweet songs which are no better then cunning enchantments neither be led a side by such deceitfull counsellers as goe about to bring vs into eternall perdition Thirdly it reproueth such as part stakes betweene God and themselues and regard not to yeeld entire obedience vnto him but obey to halues For as Agrippa was perswaded somewhat to become a Christian so are these resolued a little to obey Saul was commanded to root out the Amalekites with all that was theirs from man to beast but he set his owne wisedome before the wisedome of the Lord sparing Agag and the better part of the sheepe to offer sacrifice vnto him But God spared not him for his kingdome was rent from him and giuen to his neighbor that was better then he The children of Israel were streightly charged of God to destroy the nations into whose land he would bring them lest by suffering them among them and by ioyning themselues with them they should learne their manners and serue their Idols which would turne to their ruine and destruction They executed part of his commandement they destroyed many of them took their cities yet because they saued a part and spared a remnant of them they found them by wofull experience to be thornes and prickes in their flesh Iudg. 2.3 and afterward they liued many yeres in their slauery and subiection as the booke of Iudges doth witnesse God looketh for full and perfect obedience so that there is no halting or faultering before him We see how Ananias and Sapphira were smitten with sudden death because they kept backe part of the price of that which they had vowed and dedicated vnto God Act. 5. This turned to their vtter destruction albeit they were taken to be zealous and forward disciples So shall it be with vs if we be like vnto them Let vs take heed of hypocrisie let vs labour to be entire and giue him the whole heart Vse 3 Thirdly let vs seeke after knowledge and vnderstanding of the will of God For how can that seruant practise and performe his masters will that neuer knoweth nor regardeth to know what he requireth or can that subiect obey the law of the Magistrate that is wholly ignorant of the Law The Apostle requireth that the word of Christ dwell richly in vs in all wisedome Col. 3.16 The true knowledge of God is the fountaine and foundation of all true obedience From hence as from a roote spring forth and spread abroad faith in Christ hope in the promises loue to the brethren the true worship of God and feare of his holy Name As on the other side from ignorance proceed infidelity distrust despaire presumption hatred of God malice superstition idolatry disobedience and all impiety Hence it is that the Prophet Hosea complaineth that God had a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land and that there was much ryot and excesse of vnrighteousnesse among them by stealing lying whoring swearing and killing because there was no knowledge found in that people thereby implying Hos 4.2 that they were vtterly destitute of all grace and goodnesse of all piety and true religion Such as know not God nor his will are ignorant what pleaseth or what displeaseth him and therefore cannot but offend him in both He that doth the will of God
heed how we heare Luk. 8 whē we come into his house Christ teacheth that in hearing the Ministers we heare him and in refusing them we refuse him Math. 10. The Apostle commendeth the Galatians for the performance of this duty that they were as carefull to heare him as to heare Christ himselfe chap. 4 14. My tentation that was in my flesh ye despised not nor reiected but receiued mee as an Angell of God euen as Christ Iesus What could he say more for them Or how could he better set foorth their zeale then to giue this testimony of them that they accounted of him in regard of his paines in the Ministerie not as an ordinary man not as a faithfull Minister onely not as an elect Angell onely but as Christ himselfe the head of men and Angels whose person he did represent and whose Church he did feed with wholesome doctrine This example should all of vs follow this doth the Lord require of all true Christians that they receiue his Ministers as his Messengers and reuerence them as himselfe in regard of their doctrine and haue thē in singular loue for their workes sake This we see to be worthily practised by Cornelius as well became a religious Captaine and a deuout Christian Acts 10. ◠10 33. We are all heere present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Loe how great the dignity of the Ministery of the Church is loe how great the excellency of the Ministers of God is we must heare them as if we heard God forasmuch as they are sent of him they preach his word they deliuer no more then they haue receiued and he hath commanded them to publish it in his Name But alasse it is most horrible to behold the contempt that they suffer and the basenesse that is cast vpon this calling which is one of the causes of those greeuous plagues and iudgements that are brought vpon the world The disgrace and ignominy vnder which they lie greeueth the hearts of all the godly and not only greeueth their hearts but pierceth the Clouds and doth not onely pierce the Clouds but reacheth vp to heauen and doth not onely reach vp to heauen but entreth into the eares of the Lord of hosts and not onely entreth into his eares but doth stretch it selfe vnto God himselfe and returne vpon Christ the Prince of all Prophets which ought indeed to pierce and enter into the hearts of all prophane persons and serue to terrifie all those that reuile them and speake all manner of euill against them for the truths sake Let vs remember the saying of the Apostle touching the Thessalonians 2 Thess 2 13. When ye receiued the word of God which yee heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeue This is a worthy commendation of this Church and a notable example which we ought to set before vs to follow it so that we must heare the word as Gods word whose force it carrieth with it Many heare it that do not heare it as Gods word It is a rare thing to finde such an hearer Some heare and then rage and storme when they are reproued Acts 7 57 17 18 and 22 23. Others refuse to heare at all and thinke such as make conscience of hearing to be more curious precise then there is cause Others embrace the word but yet not as the word as we see in Papists and hypocrites The Papists affirme that the Scripture or word written hath no authority in it selfe except it be allowed approued of the Church What other thing is this then to embrace the word but not as the word The hypocrites also doe not receiue the word with due reuerence nor expresse it in true obedience as their life doth witnesse against them These haue men onely in their thoughts and haue not God in their sight they may be said after a sort to receiue the word but they cannot be said to receiue it altogether as the word For if they did seriously and earnestly acknowledge it to bee of God and to haue him the author of it they would not leade their liues in that loose manner that they do Thirdly it reproueth those that contemne the doctrine of the Gospel The third reproofe for the poore and obscure conditiō of the Ministers that preach it For what I pray you was the estate of the Apostles Were they rich and renowned in the world Peter and Iohn going vp together into the Temple at the ninth houre of praier answered the lame man that expected to receiue something of them Siluer and gold haue I none Acts 3 6. Were they much befriended applauded of men The Apostle declareth and complaineth that all men had forsaken him and no man stood with him 2 Tim. 4 16. And Christ himselfe foretelleth that they should bee hated of all men for his Names sake Math. 10 ver 22. Were they honoured and magnified aboue others Or did they liue at ease and in pleasure Paul spareth not to paint out their life 1 Cor. 4 9 I thinke that God hath set foorth vs the Apostles last as it were appointed to death for wee are made a spectacle vnto the world and to Angels and to men Were they clad in purple and fared they deliciously euery day Did they dwell in gorgious houses and Princely pallaces In the words following he telleth vs how it fared with him and the rest of his brethren they were not attired in soft raiment they did not surfet through excesse Verse 12. but euen vnto this present we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and haue no certaine dwelling place And yet notwithstanding these manifold aduersities and trials the Sonne of God pronounceth of them He that heareth you heareth me and iudgeth the wrongs to be done to himselfe which they suffer Let not vs therefore require honour or riches or glory or pompe or outward dignity in the Ministers of the Gospel but rather consider the goodnesse of God toward vs who knowing that we are not able to beare and abide his infinite Maiesty hath instituted the Ministery of his word that by men equall vnto vs and like to our selues he might teach vs his will and instruct vs in his word We shewed before that when the Lord himselfe in his owne voice preached to Israel at Mount Sinai they were so terrified and afraid that they asked for Moses that he might speake vnto them If the matter stood thus with them that had seene the wonders of God in the Land of Egypt and not many daies before had passed the red sea as it were by dry land what shall befall vs if he should vtter to vs his terrible voice as a most mighty thunder If then we heare patiently and obey readily the word that is brought vnto vs by weake and fraile man it
those men that accused Daniel and to cast them into the den of Lyons who had the mastery ouer them and brake all their bones in peeces or euer they came at the bottome of the denne Dauid sinned in committing of adultery with the wife of Vriah his faithfull seruant and destroyed him with the sword of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 11â— he is paied home and punished in his owne kind for God by way of rewarding and seruing him as he had serued others as a iust iudge doth raise vp euill against him out of his owne house His owne sonnes breake out into the same sinnes and he kindleth such a fire in his owne family that they rise vp against him and one against another Absalom spreadeth a tent and lyeth with his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel Amnon deflowreth his sister Tamar to reuenge this Absalom killeth his owne brother Experience teacheth vs that blood requireth blood so that the murtherer requireth vengeance of God albeit peraduenture he escape the hand of the Magistrate We see this in Ioab he shed innocent blood and escaped a long time as if it had bin forgotten but at length his blood was shed and his hoare head went not downe to the graue in peace This is it which Christ telleth vs 1 King 2. â— Matth. 7.1 2. Iudge not that ye be not iudged for with what iudgement ye iudge ye shal be iudged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you againe He that rashly and vniustly censureth others feeleth at one time or other the smart of it in the like kinde for God rayseth vp others iustly albeit they defame him vniustly that therby he may be recompensed This is that which Samuel bringeth into the remembrance of Agag the king of Amalek 1 Sam. 15.33 As thy sword hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother bee childlesse among women so he hewed him in pieces before the Lord. Neither need we goe farre to fetch examples of this trueth or turne ouer histories of ages past for we haue it sealed vp to vs in our daies and times wherein we liue I meane in those of the pretended holy league in our neighbor kingdome they confederated themselues to root out true religion and the professors therof out of the face of the earth they bend all their forces to effect it but the Lord that sitteth in heauen laugheth them to scorne and hath theÌ„ in derision he hath rewarded theÌ„ to the full and that in their owne kind he turned their weapons vpon themselues and sheathed their swords in their owne bowels as he dealt with the Midianites that slew one another Iudg. 2. â—â— The example of Haman is famous and well knowne he set vp a gibbet to hang Mordecai because he bowed not vnto him Ester â— â—â— howbeit himselfe was hanged vpon it and fell into the pit he had prepared for another but Mordecai escaped and was deliuered and aduanced who spake good for the King as appeareth in the booke of Ester Reason 1 The reasons are euident to be seene and easie to be found out First the iustice of God is thereby cleered and the mouth of iniquity stopped For what haue we to alledge or answer for our selues when God retaileth vs according to the sinne that wee haue committed Doubtlesse we haue no excuse or pretence or allegation for our selues but wee must confesse with our owne mouthes euen against our selues that God is righteous and we are vnrighteous This appeareth in the booke of Iudges in the example of Adonibezek being taken by Ioshua and the people hee had his thumbes and great toes cut off for he confessed that the iustice of God had found him out and requited him in his kinde according to his owne cruelty Iudg. 1 ver 7. Threescore and ten Kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off gathered their meate vnder my Table as I haue done so God hath requited me and they brought him to Ierusalem there he died If then God bee iust he cannot but measure all his actions by iustice for no vnrighteousnesse is found in him as he will make men themselues confesse Reason 2 Secondly the Lord cannot abide a measure and a measure they are an abhomination vnto God as Prou. 20 23. Diuers weights are an abhomination to the Lord and a false ballance is not good The Iudge of all the world cannot but deale iustly and truely This reason is expressed by the Angel of the waters Reuel 16 5 6. Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shall be because thou hast iudged thus for they haue shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke Where he concludeth that their blood must be shed that delighted to shed the blood of others because God is a righteous Lord. His iustice shineth among men in all places in that he recompenceth the wickednesse of men by a like punishment sent from him so that their punishment is answerable to their sinne Reason 3 Thirdly the vngodly are fully worthy of such punishment It is meete that malefactors haue their deserts how then can they complaine of iniquity or iniustice so long as they receiue their owne and he paieth them the debt he oweth them with their owne mony GOD will giue to euery man according to his workes Rom. 2. and giue their wages according to their merites This reason is also added in the former place of the Reuelation where the Angel chargeth them that they had shed the blood of the Saints and putteth them in minde that God had done them no wrong when he gaue them blood to drinke then he annexeth the reason for they are worthy â—euel 16 6. If then wee consider the deserts of men how great they are we cannot maruaile wheÌ„ at any time we behold the hand of God stretched out against them in this manner and recompencing them with such measure Fourthly let vs marke what God requireth Reason 4 at the hands of Magistrates in his Law to wit that they recompence like for like Moses saith in the Law Thou shalt pay life for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe Exod. 21 24. Such a blemish as he hath made in any such shall be repaied to him Leuit. 24 20. Neither was this law repealed or disliked by Christ our Sauiour Math. 5 38. Forasmuch as in that place he onely condemneth the abuse of it by priuate persons according to their priuate affections and lustes of reuenge who are not Magistrates If then the Lord will haue the higher powers recompence the sinner according to the manner of his sinne we may not doubt but he that is aboue all will measure his workes according to the rule of iustice which is most equall Therefore whatsoeuer measure we mete Luke 6 38. Matth. 26 52. Esay 33 1. it is iust
in their best thoughts We are debters one to another and do owe a mutuall duty Rom. 1 12 14. Our duties are not arbitrary and indiffrent but necessary to which we are bound in an obligation tying vs to the performance thereof for euer For is it left to our choice and discretion whether we will pay the debts which we owe nor not Hence it is that Paul a worthy and excellent Apostle requested the prayers of the Churches persons to whom he wrote and the people were wont to bee mindfull of their Ministers When Peter was in prison earnest praier was made by the church for his deliuerance Acts 12 5. 15 40. They stand as it were in the forefront of the battell and Satan with all his instruments do most of all fight against them Zach. 3 ver 1. As then Christ giueth in charge that we should pray to the Lord of the haruest that he would send foorth labourers into his haruest Math. 9 38. so we ought to pray for a blessing vpon their labours which are sent forth by the gracious hand of God The want of this maketh their paines to be vnprofitable vnto vs. Ver. 24. The Lord blesse you and keepe you Now we come to the particular parts of this blessing First the protection of the Church is to be prayed for that it would please God to keepe it guard it and defend it The doctrine arising hence is this God is to be praied vnto to be the protector preseruer of his church Doctrine God is to be praied vnto to keepe and defend his Church This must we continually desire of him our mouth must be opened and our heart enlarged This we see to be figured out and represented in the couering of the tabernacle while it wandred in the wildernesse the which was as it were a portable or moueable Temple it had a large and sure couering made of Badgers skinnes sewed together to hide and preserue the same the appurtenances belonging vnto it this did signifie the safety and sure estate of the Church and of euery true member thereof sitting vnder the shadow shelter of the most High whereunto Dauid alludeth Psal 27 5. In time of trouble hee shall hide me in his pauilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me vpon a rocke To this also hath the Prophet reference Esay 4 5 6. There shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a couert from storme and from raine This also was shadowed out in the order of the Tabernacle set in the midst of foure most mighty battailions or squadrons surrounded by the Leuites so that none of the heathen or stangers could approch by reason of these puissant and powerfull armies which guarded the same and were as a wall and bulwarke vnto it on euery side This protection was also promised vnto the Israelites in times of greatest danger when they might seeme to lye open to euident perils both of domestical insurrections of forreigne inuasions while they were celebrating their solemne feasts euery male was commanded to appeare before the Lord Exod. 34 24. I will cast out the Nations before thee and enlarge thy borders neyther shall any man desire thy Land when thou shalt goe vp to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in the yeare We are commanded to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and for the building vp of the walles thereof Psalm 51 18 and 122 6 7. Our daily praier therefore must be that he would do good to Sion in his good pleasure for our brethren and companions sake we must say Peace be within thy walles prosperity within thy Pallaces The reasons warranting and mouing vs to pray that the Church may be secured are first Reason 2 because as the state of the Church standeth so it goeth commonly with the common-wealth The Church is the life of the commoÌ„wealth by which it liueth and as the soule by which it breatheth For as the soule quickneth the naturall body so doth the Church giue motion and strength to the politike body If the Church be well seene vnto it cannot goe amisse with the ciuill State Hence it is that the Lord willed the Iewes to seeke the peace of the City whither he had caused theÌ„ to be carried away captiues and to pray to the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall yee haue peace Ier. 29 7. Secondly howsoeuer the state of the church standeth so our owne particular estate remaineth whether it haue cause to reioyce or to be sorry euen the same cause haue we both of the one and of the other For how can the childe chuse but prosper while the mother is in health and prosperity Or how can it but be weake and sickly by the weaknesse sicknesse of the mother The Church is the mother of vs all we sucke both her brests as it were the sincere milke of the old and new Testament We know that the man which goeth in a shippe vpon the sea his desire and praier is for the safety of the whole Ship no lesse theÌ„ for his owne particular because he knoweth his owne estate dependeth vpon the estate of the whole Ship and therefore he hath good reason to pray for it And what is the Church of God but as it were a Shippe floting vp and downe in the sea of this world tossed too and fro with the rough and raging windes of the wicked and therefore we ought to pray earnestly for it â— 11. lest as Iacob said of Esau the mother and the childe be destroyed together Thirdly it is required of vs to haue a fellow feeling of the wants and necessities of our brethren as well as of our owne as Rom. 12 10 15. Bee kindly affectionated one to another with brotherly loue reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe because we are all members one of another If one member of the naturall body suffer all the rest suffer with it so the troubles of the Church should goe as neere vnto vs as our owne priuate griefes and troubles Lastly the Church hath sundry enemies which plot the death and destruction thereof and seeke to ruine and subuert them that belong vnto it in body and soule The cheefest and greatest that setteth the rest on worke is Satan â—4 8 a man-slayer from the beginning a roaring lyon seeking whom he may deuoure The instruments that he imployeth like the wheele of a clocke that giueth motion to the rest are the flesh the world false teachers The flesh is full of darknes doubting the seed of al euil The world is an hook ready to catch vs baited partly with pleasures and profits with honors and promotions and partly with threatnings â— terrors and persecutions of enemies False teachers come disguised in sheepes clothing and armed with errors heresies which may be
to his glory and to the good of others Wee must referre them to him as we haue receiued them of him As all riuers runne into the sea so all our riches should returne to God Thirdly we must be ready and willing to leaue them whensoeuer God shall call for them For hee that bestowed them may he not require them againe when he pleaseth we must leaue them rather then leaue him If we haue this godly resolution then may we perswade our owne hearts that we are thankefull for them Thus it was with Iob 〈◊〉 1.21 when he could say The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Fourthly wee must not put our trust and confidence in them and if riches encrease 〈◊〉 10. we must not set our hearts vpon them because then we commit grosse idolatry with them This is a fearefull sinne Many such idolaters it is to be feared remaine stil in great store among vs â—nd albeit idols be banished out of our Churches yet many doe yet set them vp in their hearts This idolatry is so much the more dangerous because it is more close and secret coloured vnder the name of vertue practised by such as detest popery and idolatry and therefore is lesse perceiued and discerned Lastly we must not account these the chiefest riches or the best treasures inasmuch as the vngodly haue commonly the greatest share of them Luke 12. and 16. and therefore we must labour to be rich in faith 〈◊〉 6.11 in loue in righteousnesse in godlinesse in patience in meekenesse and in all good workes Heere is true riches if we adorne our selues with these we shall be truely rich although we be poore Reuel 2.9 and though we haue neither siluer nor gold Acts 3.6 yet he hath giuen vs all things 2 Pet. 1.3 And though we haue nothing at all yet we possesse all things 2 Cor. 6.10 89 And when Moses was gone into the Tabernacle of the Congregation to speake with him 〈◊〉 iâ— with 〈◊〉 then he heard the voyce of one speaking vnto him from off the mercy seate c. Hitherto of the offerings of the Princes receiued of Moses and giuen to the Leuites Two tribes offered one wagon and euery wagon had two oxen therefore they offered sixâ— wagons and to draw them twelue oxen These were thus distributed â—ret comment in 7. cap. Num. the Geâ—shonites had two wagons and consequently foure oxen commited to them the Meratites haâ— foure wagons and consequently eight oxen so that they carryed the greatest burdens Touching the Kohathites the third family of the Leuites nothing was bestowed among them because to them were committed the vessels of the Sanctuary which were carryed vpon their shoulders so that they had no need ether of wagons to beare them or of oxen to draw them themselues seruing in stead of them both In this verse we see the oracle of God speaking to Moses We might note heere that God spake diuers wayes to his Church in the old Testament as also that all blessings come from God to vs through Christ the true propitiatory couering our sinnes out of Gods sight and reuealing Gods will to vs that wee should know it and haue benefit by his Priesthood But to passe ouer these we may note that Moses went into the Tabernacle The Tabernacle signifieth his Church There is God to be spoken vnto The doctrine Doctrine is this God is present in a speciall manner in places set apart for his worship True it is God is euermore present wheresoeuer his Church is assembled hee is euery where the heauen is his throne and the earth is his footstoole howbeit wheresoeuer his Church and people are assembled hee is present with his Spirit with his grace and with his blessing and assistance Hence it is that the place appointed for his seruice is called his face Gen. 4.14 This is afterward called the presence of the Lord verse 16. So Psal 46.5 God is said to be in the middes of the City of God And Christ teacheth that wheresoeuer two or three are gathred together in his name he is in the middes of them Matth. 18.20 So then wheresoeuer the place of Gods worship is there is God euer present For first he hath promised to dwell there Reason 1 Where dwelleth the master of the house and where is he readiest to bee found but where he dwelleth as Psal 132.13.14 The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue desired it Secondly he is knowne by a speciall worke of his presence sanctifying Reason 2 those that are his by his word heereupon the Prophet saith Psal 87.2 3. The Lord loueth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Iacob glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Thirdly he delighteth in his own ordinances Reason 3 In Iudah is God knowne his Name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion Psal 76.1.2 It is Gods ordinance that we should meete together in one place for this cause hee commanded the Tabernacle to be builded and afterward the Temple these he sanctified for the word for sacrifices and for prayer these doth the Lord loue and in those doth he take pleasure and with them will he vouchsafe his presence This being an euident trueth from hence we must learne so to carry our selues in such places as are sanctified and set apart for his seruice as that wee may call him to bee a witnesse of our sincerity Will a subiect dare to behaue himselfe rudely and vnreuerently in the presence of his Prince or the child in the presence of his father How then ought wee to stand in awe of the Maiesty of Almighty God whose glory is incomprehensible who dwelleth in light that none can attaine vnto Heerepon the wise man saith Eccle. 5.1 Keepe thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they consider not that they doe euill No man ought to come before the Lord vnprepared or to set his feete in the Lords house rashly and vnreuerently Were it not vnseemly and vnciuill to enter into a kings pallace with foule and filthy feete defiled with dung and myre or to sit downe at a Princes table with vnwashen hands And is it not more vndecent and vndutifull to come into the house of the great King the King of Kings and to be partakers of his Table before wee haue cleansed and sanctified our hearts This was shadowed out at the giuing of the law by commanding them to wash their garments and to abstaine from their wiues Exod. 19.14 15. Thus they were to be prepared before they receiued the Law Likewise before they could behold the wonderfull workes of God they were spoken to to pull off their shooes because the place whereon they stood was
we do not deny that the Scripture being vnderstood doth enlighten our mindes but it is not therfore lightsome because it is vnderstood of vs for then the light therof should wholly depend vpon our vnderstanding Thus if we vnderstand it it shall be lightsome but if we vnderstand it not it shal not be lightsome Nay which is much more absurd if one man vnderstand it it shal be light if another man vnderstand it not it shall not bee light thus at one and the same time it shold be both light not light The truth therefore is that the Scriptures are lightsome two wayes â—â—e holy â—â—â—iptures are â—o wayes â—â—â—â—tâ—ome First in respect of them selues secondly in respect of vs. In respect of themselues they are alwaies lightsome of theÌ„selues and haue light in themselues In respect of vs they are lightsome when we vnderstand them and receiue them and light by them But to returne to the former matter the Minister should be the principall light to hold out the Lanthorne to bring men to heauen and to worke in them repentance as Iohn the Baptist is said to be a burning and a shining light Ioh. 5 35. But euery one also in his place must be a light to shine in knowledge and obedience in doctrine and in life On the contrarie when men are as candles put out there falleth great hurt to the church The danger heereof may be discerned by common experience in an hauen towne if the Lanthorne be taken downe or the candle put out which should direct the ships in the night season into the hauen al the ships and the soules that saile in them are left to the mercy of the winds which are without mercy and so all perish by miserable shippewracke In like manner if men haue no light in their hearts to guide them into the hauen and harbour of the church and consequently of the kingdome of heauen they doe as much as in them lyeth betray their owne soules and drowne themselues in eternall perdition Verse 3. And Aaron did so c. The obedience of Aaron is here described and the Candlesticke set in the Tabernacle described It is saide to be of golde as Reuel 1. the most precious of all Minerals for two causes First because as Gold excedeth all other mettals so the Church exceedeth all other societies of men because in it saluation is only to be found Esay 46 13. all other beeing ordained to preserue this safe and sound Esa 45 14. 49 23. Reuel 21 24 26. Yeâ— it is the glory and honour the beauty and ornament of all other societies kingdomes cities townes houses and persons to be parts of the church inasmuch as otherwise they are parts of the world of the kingdome of darknesse yea aâ— dogs swine and vncleane beasts Ephes 22 11 12 13 c. Secondly because it is most precious deare to God and to Iesus Christ as gold is to man because it is an holye company sanctified by the blood of Christ whom it cost deare to redeeme it Acts 20. The Candlesticke in the Tabernacle was to hold the light for the direction of all that were therein from Euening to morning continually Exod. 27 22. It is the vse of euery Candlesticke to hold to keepe to preserue to continue and to yeelde forth the light to the benefit of others This doth mystically represent the church Doctrine teacheth that the church is as the Lords golden candlestick appointed to hold and keepe the light treasury of the Word for euer It is the office of the church to holde and keep the word for euer that it should neuer bee lost or embeselled from vs to the end of the world And as the Candlesticke was to hold the light to the first comming of Christ so is the church to preserue the truth vntil the second comming of Christ It is therefore the office of the church and of euery true member thereof to keepe in it and to publish abroad and to hold out to those that are in it the truth of Gods word to direct their pathes aright as Deut. 31 20. The booke of the Law after that it was written was by the Lord himselfe committed to the Israelites to be kept in the side of the Arke of the couenant The Prophet Esay sheweth That the Word should go forth out of Sion where it was kept into the middest of the earth Chap. 2.3 And the Apostle declareth that the Iewes had the Oracles of God committed vnto them of trust Rom. 3 2. and that to them appertained who were the onely church the adoption and the glory and the Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises Rom. 9 4. And Paul is said to haue written vnto Timothy that hee should know how he ought to behaue himselfe in the house of GOD which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar ground of the truth 1 Tim. 3.15 By all which testimonies wee are taught that the Church holdeth and bringeth the truth Esay 41 27. and conueieth it vnto vs and that wee can no otherwise receiue it or be partakers of it For further proofe heereof obserue with Reason 1 me the titles that are giuen vnto it It is a safe keeper or treasurer to keepe as it were vnder locke and key the holy Iewels of the olde and new Testament that they be neither corrupted by Heretikes nor destroyed by other enemies It is as a cunning Goldsmith to try euery thing Whit. de Scrip. quaest 3. Cap. 2. for as he discerneth pure gold from counterfet mettalles so the church discerneth true Scripture from false or forged books and writings It is as a crier to publish and make knowne the decrees of almighty God It is an Interpreter to expound the sence and to open the meaning of the Scriptures according to the proportion of faith set forth in other parts Secondly it is a great honor and wonderfull preferment that God giueth vnto the Church aboue al other societies and places of the world besides And indeede there can bee no greater honor then to be put in trust with such a treasure If a man should vpon trust commit vnto another a great treasure and make choyse of him to leaue it with him it is a signe he honoreth and respecteth him before and aboue others so is it betweene God and his Church he hath laid vp his trueth in his Church as in his store-house Ps 147 19 20. He hath giuen his word to Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel he hath not dealt so with other Nations as for his iudgements they haue not knowne them This made the Apostle say What is then the preferment or aduantage of the Iew Or what profit is thereof circumcision much euerie day shewing thereby that God committing his Oracles vnto them did aduance and prefer them farre aboue all other Nations Thirdly the church is the house
habitation of God who is light it self in whom only is light properly to be found who dwelleth in light that none can attaine vnto 1 Tim. 6 16. Hee hath called his Church his rest and the place where his honor dwelleth Psal 132 13 14. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for euer heere will I dwell for I haue desired it Vse 1 This condemneth the Papistes who stand from the verdict of this doctrine as men endited of two crimes and errors first they accuse the Scriptures left vnto vs in the Originals to be corrupted the old Testament by the Iewes the new by Marcion and other heretikes But it is a vaine surmise without proofe or probability touching the corruption of the original fountaines which notwithstanding the Romanists pretend thereby to make a way to bring in the Latine translation to be the pure authenticke Scripture and consequently to bee preferred before them which is as foolish and vnreasonable as to make the mistris to walke on foot like a seruant Franci Luc. in Epist ad Serlet and to set her handmaid on horsebacke therefore some of their own frends are ashamed of this vanity It is a shame they say to belye the deuill It is a crime to taxe the Iewes of a crime wherof they are not guilty It is wel knowne that howsoeuer they stand affected vnto Christ yet they alwayes were and now are very religious respectiue in keeping the text sound and sincere and cannot by any meanes be induced to choppe and change to adde or to diminish any thing And doubtlesse had they not bene trusty and faithfull would God haue trusted them with this true treasure yea though that Church were oftentimes corrupt yea sometimes an Harlot or an Apostat yet the ouer-ruling prouidence of God hath alwaies wrought in them a care and conscience this way both for their owne future happy estate and the benefit of posterity to come to keepe the ancient records euidences of the Scripture sound sure and sincere This appeareth further by the Sermon of Christ in the Mount reprouing the false interpretations of the Scribes and Pharisies who had very grossely corrupted the meaning of the Law Mat 5 21.27 31 33 38 43. 16 6. The church of the Iewes was neuer more corrupt then in the dayes of Christ yet could they neuer be touched nor be iustly charged with this horrible crime of offering violence to the holy bookes of Scripture And if they might haue bene endited of this detestable forgery â—hrist would not haue omitted this greater fault who often reprooueth them of lesser offences Besides our Sauiour willeth the Iewes to search the Scripture which the Prophets had left vnto them by diuine inspiration hee sendeth them vnto these as then they had theÌ„ to try the doctrine of the Pharisies by them Ioh. 5 39. Iohn 5 39. which hee would neuer haue done had they bene corrupted and themselues the corrupters of them Moreouer touching the Iewes seeing they were mortall enemies to Christ if they were minded to corrupt the Scripture they would haue corrupted for their own aduantage such places out of Moses and the Prophets as concerned Christ whome they hated but these remaine entire by which they are fully conuinced and confuted Andrad lib. â— defens Tridâ—â— Hieron epi. 7â— ad Marcell And therefore one saith well that such as holily and religiouslie handle the Hebrew Text do find therein more notable testimonies of Christ then in the Latine and Greeke Copies Now if the true Church had lost the pure and perfect fountaines of the Hebrew and Greeke Text how could it bee a faithfull keeper of his Will and Testament Howbeit GOD hath euer had a care of his word and truth euen then when he committed the same to the custody of the Church Another error of the Romane church is that they make the churches authority to bee our supreame ground and stay of our faith and set it farre aboue the Scriptures themselues These assertions are found in their writings touching the Scripture It is not authenticall without the authority of the church that the authority of the Scripture dependeth on the authority of the Church necessarily Ecchi â—â—cbirâ—â— Pighi lib. 1. de Hierar eccl cap. 2. that we are not bound to take them for Scripture without the authority of the Church that in respect of vs the church hath absolute authority to determine which is Scripture and which is not that the Church hath power to make a booke not Canonicall Stapl. to be Canonicall and one of them vttred this impudent and shamelesse blasphemy that the Scâ—ipture should bee of no more credit then Aesops Fables Hermaâ—â—m without the approbation allowance of the church Howbeit as wee must not take from the church hir right so we must take heed that we giue not to it more then is due and so rob God of his honour and glorie and derogate from the excellency and authority of the Scriptures They make the Church the light it selfe and not the Candlesticke to hold the light say that it also is called light I answer it is a borrowed light receiuing all the light it hath from the word as the Moone doth from the Sun They make it to be the authorizer of the word and hold that it is of no force or credit but is as a dead letter and inken diuinity without it This is no better then to hang the word and consequently Cal in infâ—â—â— lib 1. cap. 7. the promises of God the kingdome of heauen saluation it self vpon the pleasures of men wheras the church is founded and grounded vpon the word not the word vpon the Church as Peter is builded vpon Christ not Christ vpon Peter All the authority that the Church hath be it neuer so great it hath it from the Scripture for how do we know whether the Church erreth or not but by the Scripture The Church cannot giue vs faith whereby we beleeue in Christ and lay hold of eternall life it is the Scripture that worketh it by the inspiration of the holy Spirit The Scripture is the chiefest and the highest court from whence is no appeale but we may appeale from the iudgement of the Church to the Scriptures not from the Scripture to the Church The Church that is the company of the faithfull are not lords ouer our faith they are ruled by faith not ouer-rulers of our faith True it is the Church is a means to bring vs more speedily to know the Scriptures as the woman of Samaria was a meanes to bring the Samaritans to beleeue in Christ 〈◊〉 4 42. but as they when they had heard Christ beleeued not so much for her report as for that themselues had heard him speake so after the Scriptures are discerned and pointed out vnto vs as by the finger of the Church we beleeue them to bee the word of
this is the end that God aimeth at Reason 3 in all his threatnings not the destruction of them that are threatned but their amendment Ezek. 18 23. Haue I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die saith the Lord God and not that he should returne from his waies and liue and ch 33 11. Why will ye die O house of Israel The vses First consider that in the greatest Vse 1 and most fearefâ—ll threatnings of Gods heauy iudgements theâ—e is comfort remaining and hope of grace and mercy to be found there is life in death and health in sicknesse if we can change and amend Thus do the Princes of Iudah profite by the threatnings of the Prophet when he had threatned desolation of the Lords house and the destruction of the whole Land for which the Priests and people would haue put him to death they pleaded the practise example of good Hezekiah for the comfort of themselues and the people of his time and thereby stirred vp themselues to feare the Lord and to turne from their euill waies Ier. 26.18 The place is worthy to be considered where the Princes shew that Ieremy did no more theÌ„ Micah had done before him yet Hezekiah and all Iudah did not put him to death but feared the Lord and besought him of mercy and the Lord repented him of the euill which he had pronounced against them But it may be obiected Obiectioâ— If God threaten one thing and doth another it may seeme his will is changeable and that he hath two wils I answer Answer the will of God is one and the same as God is one but it is distinguished into that which is secret reuealed as the Church is sometimes visible and sometimes inuisible yet but one Church The secret will is of things hidden with himselfe and not manifested in the word The reuealed is of things made knowne in the Scripture Deut. 29 29. and by daily experience The secret is without condition the reuealed with condition and therefore for the most part it is ioyned with exhortation admonition instruction and reprehension But no man is exhorted and admonished to doe his secret will because no man can resist it the reprobate and diuels themselues are subiect vnto it and must performe it Rom. 9.19 Vse 2 Secondly it is the duty of the Ministers to propound the threatnings of GOD with such conditions prouoking and perswading all men to repentance and amendment of life offering grace and mercy to the humble and broken hearted 〈◊〉 1 4 14. â—2 3 Esa â— 16. They are to preach not onely the law but likewise with the law the Gospel And thus they are said both to bind and loose both to retaine sins and to forgiue For as Eliah by his earnest and zealous prayer did both shut vp the heauens 〈◊〉 4.25 Iam. â— 18. and open the windowes of heauen so that it gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruit so the Ministers of God by their earnest zealous preaching do shut vp the kingdome of heauen against all obstinate persons â—â—th 16.19 and also open the heauens to such as are penitent To propound the threatnings of God without condition is to bring men to despaire and to take from them all hope of mercy and forgiuenesse Thirdly it is the duty of the people whensoeuer Vse 3 they heare the theatnings of God to stirre vp themselues to repentance thereby to preuent his wrath and to stay his iudgements Let vs take heed we doe not rush on as the horse in the day of battell 〈◊〉 12.11 12. to our destruction And thus haue the seruants of God vnderstood his threatnings and accounted them as a Sermon of repentance as we heard before of Hezekiah king of Iudah and all Iudah with him when Micah the Morashite prophesied saying 〈◊〉 26.18 Thus saith the Lord of hostes Sion shall bee plowed like a field Ierusalem shall become heaps they fell not into desperation neither concluded an impossibility of obtaining pardon and the continuance of the Temple of the citie and of the whole kingdome but besought the Lord and feared his Name the Lord repented him of the plague which he had denounced against them And no maruell that this godly king conceiued the meaning of the threatning in that manner for so did the King of Niniueh an heathen and idolatrous king vnderstand the threatning of Ionah no otherwise Who can tell if God will turne and repent 〈◊〉 3 9. turne away from his fierce anger that we perish not Thus also did Hezekiah before named vnderstand the message sent to him from God by Esayah when he was sicke vnto death 〈◊〉 3â— 1.2 Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue and therefore he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord of life Let vs make this vse of the Ministery of the word and of all the threatnings contained therein to bee stirred vp to repentance and obedience lest we be destroyed If there be no change in vs let vs looke for a change from God and he will neuer change his threatnings except we change our liues and conuersations Vse 4 Fourthly seeing the threatnings of God suppose a condition we must also know how we ought to vnderstand his promises to wit with a condition The threatnings of GOD haue a condition of repentance the promises haue a condition of faith and obedience Esay 1.19 God hath made many mercifull promises vnto vs in his holy word howbeit he hath no otherwise bound himselfe vnto vs then wee will acknowledge our selues bound in duty to serue him We must not only consider what God promised to vs but withall remember what he requireth of vs. Hence it is that the Prophet saith I will speake suddenly concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to built it and to plant it Ier 18.9 10. but if it doe euill in my sight that it obey not my voyce then will I repent of the good wherewith I saide I will benefite them He hath promised to loue vs but he requireth at our hands to loue him againe He hath promised to forgiue vs our trespasses but he chargeth vs to forgiue them that trespasse against vs. He hath promised to be a Father vnto vs but he looketh for at our hands that we walke before him as obedient children Lastly if God threaten and no repentance Vse 5 followeth then certainely the threatnings pronounced will come to pâ—sse God threateneth not in vaine he terrifieth not without cause If we doe not preuent them they will preuent vs and take vs away suddenly See the fearefull examples of the flood of Sodome of the destruction of the ten tribes of Ierusalem and of the Iewes of the seuen Churches of Asia and other Churches planted by the Apostles supplanted in the wrath of God all assure vs of the truth of this point Consider our owne wayes in our hearts We liue where wee
would make them right beggers indeed So that as Ieroboam made the basest of the people to be the Cleargy so they make the Cleargy to be the basest of the people and desire to bring them to their doores crouching creeping for a crust of bread But we demand that for which we haue laboured of duty not of curtesie and as a recompence not as a beneuolence not as their vassals but as Steward 's set ouer the family or Captaines ouer the host In the law the people were charged with tithes of foure sorts First such as were paid distinctly and directly to the Leuites What tithes were paied in the Law Secondly such as were deducted out of these and to be leuied for the vse of the Priests both these kindes of tithes are touched in this chapter Thirdly such as the people laid aside for the furnishing of their sacred and solemne feasts when they should be at Ierusalem to which the Priests were ordinarily inuited Deut. 14 22 23 28 29 and 26 11 12. Lastly such as euery third yeere were gathered for the releefe of the straÌ„gers the fatherlesse the widow and the poore This last sort I will not deny to be in nature of an almes but such tithes as were paied to the Priests and Leuites were paid as wages is for worke This will bee plainely proued by the doctrine of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9 7. producing the examples of souldiers gardners sheepeheards such like all which claime a recompence of debt not of deuotion If then a common souldier lawfully requireth his stipend of that people for whom he fighteth Tithes are not almes the Minister also fighting for the people against their spirituall aduersaries may do the like and if he that planteth a vineyard he that feedeth a flocke may of duty chalenge to eate of the fruite of the one and the milke of the othâ—r then the Minister that planteth the vineyard of the Lord and feedeth the flocke committed vnto him may iustly claime to liue vpon the same Againe almes do alwaies exceed the desart of him that taketh the almes they testifie the mercy of the giuer not the merit of the receiuer for charity is more worth then single thankes and good deeds are to bee valued aboue bare words But it is not so in paying tithes of temporall things all which cannot sufficiently counteruaile the worke of the Ministery 1 Cor. 9 11. Is it a great matter if we shall reape your carnall things And the Apostle is bold to tell Philemon that he did owe to him euen himselfe verse 29. It is a principle written in the heart of man by nature to pay him his wages whom wee set on worke not to send him away empty that laboreth for vs. As then the labourer hath right to his wages so the Minister hath his right and part in the goods of those whom he teacheth among whom he laboureth and therfore when he receiueth his tithes he doth not take almes but receiueth his owne hauing as good right vnto the tenth part as hee that paieth it hath to the other nine No man can say that the begger is worthy of almes he receiueth them by the law of charity but cannot claime them as due by the rule of iustice The day labourer that hath laboured all day and wasted his strength and spirits would thinke scorne though he bee a poore man to receiue his hire for his labour in the nature of an almes as the begger taketh a peny at the doore and shall the Minister receiue his wages as a gift or as a gratuity The housholder that hath agreed with the labourers for a peny a day saith vnto them when he came to pay them Math 20 14. Take that which is thine own and goe thy way as then they receiued their duty so doth the Minister receiue his due his duty Vse 3 Thirdly they are also iustly reproued who treading in the steps of the Bishop of Rome do deteine from the Ministers of the Gospel the tithes appointed vnto them which are not vnfitly called Gods auncient dâ—maine founded originally vpon the law of nature For as we learne by the light of nature that there is a God and that he is to be honoured so the honour that is due vnto him Sr Henry Spelman de non temerandis Eccles cannot be performed without Ministers neither can the Ministers attend their function without maintenance To this I will adde the saying of the wise man Prou. 3 9. Honour God with thy riches For seeing he is the high possessour of heauen and earth Gen. 14 19 and giueth life breath and all things vnto vs Acts 17 24. it is our duty to render backe somewhat vnto him again thereby acknowledging that wee hold all of him in chiefe except wee will yeeld lesse vnto him then the Infidels did to their heathenish gods Now we honour God with our riches How to honor God with our riches not onely when we vse them soberly without excesse righteously without oppression and châ—ritably without defrauding of the poore but when we employ them religiously toward his seruice The Nicodemites were content to become Christians thus farre as to giue their hearts to God so that they might haue liberty to dispose of their bodies as theÌ„selues pleased but these will steppe one steppe farther they professe to worship God both with soule and body so they may be discharged dispensed withall from honouring him with their riches They will willingly offer the calues of their lips so they may be freed from the calues of their stalles They can be content to trauaile from the East with the wise men to fall down before him and worship him Bernard but they cannot abide to open their treasures and present vnto him gifts gold frankincense myrrhe Mat. 2 11. Paul had almost perswaded Agrippa to become a Christian when hee exempted those bandes and chaines and if euer we will perswade these to become Christians we must also except these bandes and chaines that wee speake off for they are very heauy vnto them they cannot abide them The tithes are the Lords he hath reserued them to himselfe as a rent of the tenant due to the Landlord or as a tribute and subsidy due to the king therefore when they are not truely paid Deut. 14 28. as GOD commandeth but are vnconscionably deteined he complaineth that he is robbed and spoiled Mal. 3 10. so that if wee giue not vnto the Lord the tenth who hath giuen vnto vs the other nine Serm. de Teâ— pâ—re 219. Sr Fraâ—â—â—â—â— let vs take heed lest he resume the nine parts and leaue vnto vs the tenth onely And I may say as a worthy and learned knight of our times saith Such as haue taken away the Churches dowry and s poiled her of it it had bene great reason they should haue made her a ioynter to recompence the wrong they had offered and the losse
manner we vse to inueigh against the Iewes for crucifying Christ and deliuering vp the Lord of glory into the hands of sinners ◠26 27 we accuse the partiality of Pilate the treachery of Iudas the enuy of the Pharisies the malice of the high Priests the villany of the false witnesses the cruelty of the souldiers the taunts of the passengers and the hard-heartednesse of the whole people But we consider not that the same originall corruption is in vs that was in them by the sway swinge whereof beeing all the sonnes of olde Adam we would haue done as they did if we had liued in those times So when we heare or reade of these murmurings and mutinies of the children of Israel we are commonly wont to reuile them to defie them and to account them the vilest people vnder the heauens But wee must ceasse to wonder at them and learne to confesse our owne corruption of heart and pronenesse to yeeld and fall downe in time of tentation vnlesse we be stayed vp by the mighty hand of God For albeit he be most gracious and merciful vnto vs hedgeth vs round about with many blessings and compasseth vs with riches of grace on euery side yet we forget thē all if any one crosse do any way lie vpon vs. If the Lord touch vs with sicknesse as with his little finger with losses with crosses with pouerty or any misery such is our impatiency that we alwaies dwell vpon the meditation of that want we looke vpon it with our eies we handle it with our hands wee tosse it in our mindes and neuer remember the multitude of his mercies the peace of a good conscience the louing countenance of the Lord the seale of our adoption the assurance of our saluation the sweet taste of his loue shed in our harts by the holy Ghost so that one trouble doth more daunt vs and strike vs to the heart then many blessings can comfort refresh vs. But God taking away outward blessings giueth spirituall to his children doth sweeten the bitternesse of the crosse with inward consolation and doth recompence it with heauenly grace whereby wee gaine more in the spirit then we lose in the flesh Secondly we are taught heereby to pray Vse 2 to God in our troubles to hold vs vp and stay vs with his grace that wee fall not from him For seeing at all times and vpon all occasions of want we are ready to repine and murmure against God who can stand by his owne power or by the strength of his owne free will When a man holdeth fast a staffe in his hand so long it standeth vpright as he reteineth it but if he withdraw his hand neuer so little it falleth Carry vp a stone to the top of a Mountaine so long as thou staiest it there it abideth but if thou leaue it it rowleth down of it own strength euen to the bottome So vnlesse the Lord in our calamities and crosses that befall vs do stay vs by his heauenly hand strengthen vs by his Almighty power we break out into vnthankfulnesse forgetfulnesse impatiency grudging against him This made the Apostle after the reckoning vp of the idolatry fornication murmuring and tempting of Christ to exhort them that He which thinketh he standeth must take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10 12. As then we ought all to take speciall notice knowledge of the corruption of our hearts and behold a liuely and expresse image of our nature in the glasse of this people so it is our duty to call vpon God from whom euery good giuing perfect gift proceedeth to put to his helping hand that we may learne to depend vpon him that we may know how to want and how to abound and in euery condition to submit our selues to his heauenly pleasure For we shall neuer be able by our owne strength to subdue our owne corruptions nor to preuaile ouer our owne lustes nor to ouercome the tentations that oftentimes assaile vs vnlesse wee bee assisted from aboue Vse 3 Lastly our corruption of heart prone to murmure and complaine against God whensoeuer he trieth our faith obedience and patience with any misery warneth vs to seeke all holy meanes remedies Remedies against murmuring and distrust to represse this rage and repining against God which may bee as sure helpes to further vs in this way to furnish vs with strength able to hold vs vp in the day of triall First let vs consider the high prouidence of God ruling all things in heauen or earth and ouerswaying all creatures that nothing falleth out without his will pleasure as our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 10 29.30 For who giueth vs our bodies Who clotheth the Lillies that Salomon in all his glory was not like one of them Who feedeth the yong Rauens that cry vnto him Who sustaineth the wicked that are his enemies Who prouided all things for man in the beginning before he was made created Is it not the Lord whose all the beasts of the forrest are and the beasts on a thousand Mountaines So that the resting of our selues vpon this prouidence that he wil feed and cloathe vs and care for vs must take away the greefe of al our wants that ouerpresseth and oftentimes ouercommeth vs. Againe we must learne the benefit of contentation and to grub vp all distracting and distrustfull cares as noysome weeds out of our hearts bearing with patience and meeknes of spirit whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth This minde was in Iacob when he went farre from his fathers house Gen. 28 20. he did not desire siluer or gold house or lands but onely a competent conuenient liuing If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on then shall the Lord be my God So the Apostle teacheth Godlinesse is great gaine 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8 Phil. 4 11 12.13 if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that wee can carry nothing out therefore when we haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content And in another place I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to bee hungry to abound and to haue want I am able to do all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Lastly let vs set our affections on things which are aboue Col 3 2. and not on things which are on the earth If we beleeue that God doth forbeare and forgiue vs our sinnes not deale with vs according to our deseruings if he sanctifie vs with his Spirit make our bodies Temples of the holy Ghost if he turne vs to himselfe working our conuersion which is as great a worke as at the first to create vs
without which we haue no saluation we must examine our harts by this note that is found in all the members of the body one toward another If any member be hurt or endangered the rest are ready to helpe euery one according to his office the foote runneth for it the eie looketh vpon it the hand stretcheth out it selfe for the good thereof If it be so with vs in the dangers and desolations of the Church we haue comfort in our owne hearts we carry a witnesse about vs that we are liuely meÌ„bers of Christ But if we haue no feeling no compassion no pitty toward them that suffer for Christs sake we are dead and rotten members we want life and quickening in Christ wee cannot assure our selues that as yet we are engrafted into his body Therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 6 2. Beare you one anothers burden and so fulfill the Law of Christ Againe Who is weake I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not 2 Cor. 11 29. And in another place Be of like affection one to another reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12 15 16. Hereunto the Apostle accordeth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 13 3. Remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if we were also afflicted in the body teaching vs heereby that their condition must be as our owne condition and their trouble as our owne trouble So the Prophet vttereth his affection Lam. 2 11 13 20 that although he should bee preserued from the iudgement executed yet beholding Sion lying waste he cryeth out Mine eies gush out water for the destruction of the daughter of my people thy breach is great like the sea And afterward he stirreth vp his zeale Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done thus Wherefore whensoeuer God offereth vs the sight of any chastisement vpon our brethren at home or the neighbour-Churches abroad we ought not to be as those that are dull sencelesse and past feeling but to haue a simpathy of their sorrowes and draw out the bowels of compassion toward them Vse 2 Secondly woe and woe againe to them that are secure that laugh when the Church weepeth that liue in brauery and excesse wheÌ„ the Church putteth on sackecloth and ashes that fill and feast and fat themselues with all delicates when the Church fasteth that awake not out of their sleepe when the iudgements of God are heere vnto them This the Prophet reproueth Esay 22 12 13 14. In that day did the Lord of hoasts call vnto weeping mourning and to baldnes girding with sackcloth behold ioy gladnes slaying oxen killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine for to morrow wee shall die When we are once come to this carelesnesse and contempt of our brethrens condition the threatning denounced in these words following shall fall vpon vs Our iniquities shall not be purged from vs vntill we die A fearefull sentence of a greeuous iudgement to teach vs humility and to driue away all security Hereunto also cometh the saying of Amos chap. 6 1 2 3 4.5 6. Where we see he pronounceth the wofull estate and condition of those that liued without feare and regard of Gods iudgments neither remembred their brethren carried into captiuity and liuing in great aduersity We liue in the time of the distresses and wants of the Church This calleth vs to practise this duty of seeking the good of the Church and vsing all good meanes by supplication to God and by petition to men for the redresse thereof Especially let vs be mindfull in our prayers of the peace of Ierusalem Because of the house of the Lord our God 〈◊〉 â—2 6 9. 〈◊〉 â—8 This was the prayer of the Prophet Lord be fauourable to Sion for thy good pleasure build the wals of Ierusalem If then we would haue both the Common-wealth and our priuate wealth to florish we must tender the good and florishing estate of the Church we must be tender-hearted to procure the prosperous estate therof Câ—â—rch â—ommon 〈…〉 For the Church and Common-wealth are as those twins which are said to weepe together and to laugh together they florish together they fade together they fall together So long as pure religion and preaching of the Gospel are maintained it cannot goe ill with the common-wealth they are as a brazen wal as a strong fortresse and bulwarke as a Castle of defence to keepe out all inuasion of enemies and crying in our streetes For the one addeth strength vnto the other whilest the Common-wealth fighteth against the visible enemies of the Church by counsell and authority August epist 1. poster the Church fighteth against the inuisible enemies of the Commonwealth by praier and supplication If then the Church be spoiled the publishing of the Gospel be hindred the Commonwealth cannot long goe free but the foundation thereof is dangerously shaken which hath no promise to be kept in good estate but as it is a Nurse to the Church and a Lanterne to hold the light of the word The like might be said of priuate families and of particular persons wee haue no assurance of the protection of God of the continuance of our estate in peace farther then wee promote his glory and giue entertainment to the Gospel We see in the second booke of the Chronicles ch 36 15. when the people of Israel came to this height of iniquity to mock the messengers misuse the seruants of God which he sent vnto them rising early Because he had compassion on his people and on his habitation then he brought vpon them the King of the Caldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuary spared neither yong men nor virgins ancient nor aged God gaue them all into his hand So Christ saith Mat. 23 37. O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets stonest theÌ„ that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her wings but yee would not Now what followeth this contempt of the word and neglect of the Gospel Behold your habitation shall be left vnto you desolate To conclude therefore let vs promote true religion and then we shall prosper and be safe otherwise we haue no promise of blessing Lastly this doctrine of pittying the Churches Vse 3 troubles serueth most fitly to condemne the contrary practise of those miserable and mercilesse men that are without all humanity naturall affection that are borne of wolues nourished of tygers and haue sucked yâ— milke of most sauage beasts or rather the poyson of aspes and vipers whose very bowels of mercy are the breathings out of cruelty as the wise man speaketh Prou 12 10. who are so farre from pittying the miseries of others and helping them in their distresses that they adde to the heape of their afflictions oppresse
word of God is preached and deliuered hee speaketh to vs and calleth vpon vs to heare him If then wee would haue God regard vs when we cry to him we must respect him wheÌ„ he calleth to vs. We cry by prayer he calleth vs by his word Therefore it is that the Lord often denounceth and threateneth all impenitent persons that hee will despise them that despise him and will not heare them praying vnto him that will not heare him preaching vnto them as Pro. 1.24 26 27 28 29. Zach. 7.11 12. Mic. 3.4 Prou. 28.9 Of all comforts that we feele in this life none is greater then to pray vnto God in our troubles with assurance to be heard this the vngodly with all their rage and cruelty can neuer take from vs. Therefore this is a sore iudgement when God openly professeth and proclaimeth that hee will not heare our prayers crying vnto him in our miseries When wee are reiected and forsaken of men in our afflictions yet we haue our recourse and refuge vnto GOD and wee are comforted How wretched therefore is the estate of all vnrepentant sinners who stopping their eares at the hearing of the Law doe make all their prayers to be abominable So did God threaten his people to number them to the sword because saith he I called Pro. 28.9 Esay 65.12 and ye did not answer I spake and ye heard not but did euill in my sight and did chuse that thing which I would not If then wee would haue God open his eares to heare vs let vs acknowledge it to be our duty to open our eares to heare him God will neuer stop his eares against any but those that haue stopped their eares against him Vse 4 Lastly learne to acknowledge the greatnesse of Gods mercy and louing kindnesse and returne the praise and glory of his owne workes to his great Name As he hath heard vs graciously so let vs beare our selues thankfully in rendring to him the calues of our lips and offering to him the sacrifice of praise Euen as he filleth vs with his mercy let vs fill our mouthes with his praise and the memoriall of his Name Psal 116.12.13 and 145.18 19 21. and say What shal I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits toward me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. This vse the Prophet teacheth Psal 145. hauing declared that God sheweth himselfe neere to those that call vpon him and feare him he addeth My mouth shall speake the praise of the Lord and all flesh shall blesse his holy Name for euer and euer If I can say when all men forsooke me the Lord took me vp I haue beene running into the pathes of death and was neere to destruction but thou hast brought me backe shewing me the wayes of life and saluation I haue beene ignorant and thou hast instructed me If I haue this experience of his goodnes so many waies toward me he openeth my mouth to praise his mercy and I can neuer sufficiently magnifie his Name that hath brought so great things to passe for me This practise is likewise taught Psal 107. Psal 107.8 15 21 31. where the Prophet mentioning sundry deliuerances that God sheweth his people in times of famine and in the dayes of affliction by land or by sea he doubleth oftentimes his affection Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sonnes of men He deliuered them the Canaanites and they vtterly destroyed them See heere the vncertainety of warre The Israelites after their ouerthrow fight againe and haue the victory They were at the first ouercome and taken prisoners by their enemies but now they preuaile get the vpper hand Albeit the righteous fall for a time yet they are not cast off for euer Psal 37.24 and 144.1 2. for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Great deliuerances giueth he to his seruants he teacheth their haÌ„ds to fight and their fingers to battel he is their strength and their fortresse their tower and their deliuerer their shield and in him they trust The horse indeed is prepared against the day of battell Prou. 21.31 1 Sam. 14.6 but saluation is of the Lord to whom it is not hard to saue with many or with few This the Prophet setteth downe Psal 81. Psal 81.13.14 Oh that my people had hearkened vnto me and Israel had walked in my wayes I would soone haue humbled their enemies and turned my hand against their aduersaries Heereby we learne that howsoeuer God thinke it meete that his Church lie vnder the crosse yet in his good time hee helpeth he forsaketh it not for euer Doctrine Though â—â— Church lye long vnder the croffe â— God learâ—â— it not for eâ— uer but returneth againe in great mercy and compassion Albeit affliction dwelleth vpon the seruants of God not onely for a moment but oftentimes presseth them for a long season that they haue no breathing time Iob 7.19 No not to swallow their spittle as Iob speaketh yet in due time God is not vnmindfull and forgetful of them Hereunto commeth the saying of the Psalmist Hee endureth but a while in his anger Psal 30.5 but in his fauour is life weeping may abide at euening but ioy commeth in the morning This the Lord expresseth in the Prophet Esay 54.7 For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee We see this point largely declared in the booke of Iudges Iudg 3.8 â— when God raised vp enemies against the Israelites and sold them as a vile thing of base account for whom he tooke no mony yet when they called and cried vnto him he sent them a deliuerer who saued them out of the hands of their aduersaries This appeareth in the histories of Ioseph of Iob of the Church in Egypt of Dauid of Daniel Gen. 41. 1â— Iam. 5 11. Exod. 12 â— Psal 18.1 Dan. 6 23 who first indured shame and the reproach of the crosse yet afterward hee returned vnto them when the time of refreshing came from the presence of God The reasons are plaine First his eares are Reason 1 alwayes open to the cryes of his children hee putteth their teares in his bottle of remembrance and writeth them in his Register Psalme 5â— so that when they cry their enemies shall turne their backs for God is with his This he saith Exod. 2. the children of Israel sighed for the bondage and cryed and their cry for their bondage came vp vnto God Exod. 2 2â— and 3 7. Then the Lord said I haue surely seene the trouble of my people which are in Egypt I haue heard their cry and moane for I know their sorrowes and I will deliuer them verifying that in the Psalme Psal
heerein a speciall worke of Gods prouidence preseruing his owne truth and reseruing it to all posterity Few are found in the world to affect or regard the pure and sincere word of God in comparison of the multitude that seeke after humane wisedome and labour to know the nature of â—irds of Beasts of Fishes of Trees and of earthly things which delight the outward senses and rauish the vnderstanding of naturall men yet see how those bookes of Salomon that handle meere matters of humane Pâ—ilosophy which the wise men of the world hunt after are vtterly lost whereas the diuine bookes which he wrote by inspiration lesse regarded and more contemned are notwithstanding by the watchfull eye of God remaining and are reserued for the comfort of the Church for euer Lastly we reade of the Prophesie of Enoch Obiect 4 in the Epistle of Iude verse fourteenth who prophesied of the second comming of Christ in power and great glory with thousands of his Saints which Prophesie also seemeth to be among those bookes which are lost I answer Answer this could bee no Apochryphall Booke of holy Scripture for Moses was the first Penne-man or Scribe that wrote the holy Scripture whose fiue bookes are perfect and contained in them sufficient instruction for that CHVRCH whereas that Prophesie did not nor indeed could not Secondly it cannot appeare that this Prophesie was euer written Iude ver 14. It is said he prophesied foretolde the end of the world by the Spirit of God in that most corrupt age that hasted to destruction to the end that such as were ordained to eternall life might beleeue and the rest being hardened might bee made without excuse but it is no where said It was written It is said to bee a Prophesie but no word or mention is made of the writing of this Prophesie so that it seemeth the Apostle learned it by tradition from the father to the sonne as the Apostle Paul setteth downe the names of the sorcerers that withstood Moses and Aaron Neither let the Church of Rome lay the foundation of vnwritten traditions vppon this ground-worke seeing we deny not al vnwritten traditions conueied from hand to hand but only such as are made rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to saluation To conclude therefore seeing the prouidence of God the fidelity of the Church and diligence of the faithfull is so great that the whole body of the Canonicall Scripture hath beene kept entire and perfect without losse or lacke of any part or parcell of it of any booke or sentence we must detest the blasphemous shufflings shiftings of the Church of Rome that make the Scripture to be a maimed lame and vnperfect doctrine Censu Colon. dial 6. Concil Trident. sess 4. not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation whereas the Apostle teacheth that the whole Scripture inspired of God is able to make vs wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Verses 10 11 12 13. And the Children of Israel departed thence and pitched in Oboth c. Here we haue painted and portraied out as in a Table certaine stations and iournies of the Israelites wherein wee may behold as in a glasse the prouidence of God protecting theÌ„ and the obedience of the people following him We see how they remoue from place to place in the wildernesse they are neuer long at one stay but either they went forward or backward as the sea continually ebbeth or floweth Now as the Land of Canaan was a figure of their rest in the kingdome of heauen so their wandring vp and downe in the wildernesse did figure and represent the condition of their life to bee vaine and transitory in this world Doctrine The faithfull are forreigners and strangers in this life We learne from hence the state of the faithfull what it is we are pilgrims and strangers in this life we are as guests lodging heere for a night but by and by we must depart and be dislodged we haue heere no continuing City This the faithfull haue in all ages confessed Iacob being brought into the presence of Pharaoh saith The whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares few and euill haue the daies of my life beene Gen. 47 9. But we may say the daies of our pilgrimage are threescore yeares and ten if haply we reach so farre to which not one amongst an hundred cometh few indeed and euill we may truely call them This Abraham pleadeth Gen. 23 4 Gen 15. â—3 wanting a place of buriall to interre his dead I am a stranger and a forreigner among you giue mee a possession of buriall with you Thus he confesseth it went with him in Canaan neither was his estate any better elsewhere This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth though a great King Psal 39 12. Heare my praier O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee 1 Chr. 23 15 and a soiourner as all my fathers our daies are like a shadow vpon the earth and there is none abiding So then we see what our life and condition is wee are altogether vanity like grasse that soone withereth wee are as tenants at the will of the Lord our age is as nothing it passeth as a tale that is soone told it is as an hand-breath quickly measured surely euery man in his best estate is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe The reasons First all our daies are stinted Reason 1 and limitted as they are short and vaine so they are vncertaine and vnknowne The strongest natures and constitutions that seeme to be framed setled as a sure building to continue for many yeares yet are soone cut off are no more We see this confirmed by the daily experience of many examples as in Vzzah suddenly smitten 2 Sam. 6 7 in Iobs children quickly ouerwhelmed Iob 1 19 in Ananias and Sapphira presently destroyed Acts 5 5 10 in the rich man that had his soule in one night taken from him Luke 12 20 and in a continuall beholding the hand of God striking as pleaseth him If then vncertainty be an apparent argument of vanity we may conclude from hence our life to be vaine transitory inasmuch as God reuealeth not when or where or how we shall die and bee taken out of this life We know not when we shall die at euen or at midnight at the Cocke-crowing or in the dawning When we lie downe we know not whether we shall rise againe when we arise whether wee shall lie downe againe except we be laid in our graue and make our bed in the dust Moreouer we know not where we shall die at home or abroad When we go out of our houses wee know not
nine There are none found that returned to giue God praise saue this stranger that was a Samaritan Secondly seeing we must giue God thanks Vse 2 for benefits receiued of what sort soeuer they be then especially we must praise him for spirituall blessings that are of an higher nature belong to a better life This the Prophet Psa 103 1 3. thought vpon prouoking himselfe to praise the Lord preparing his hart with his tongue to extoll his mercies he beginneth with this Which forgiueth all thine iniquities healeth al thine infirmities For wel did he know that if a man enioyed the world at wil and yet wanted the perswasion of the pardon of his sins and reconciliation towards God it were nothing For what shall it profit a man if hee win the whole world and lose his owne soule c. Mat. 16 26. When Israel was oppressed in Egypt it was ioyfull tydings to heare of a deliuerer and they rendred praise to God for their deliuerance When they had bin carried to Babylon and accomplished the yeares of their bondage prophesied by Iere. 25 12. and the Lord brought again the captiuity of Sion they seemed at the first like them that dreame Ps 126 1 2. Then was their mouth filled with laughter their tongue with ioy then the heathen confessed The Lord had done great things for them Then the church sang The Lord hath done great things for vs wherof we reioyce Suppose the case stood with any of vs bodily as it standeth with al of vs spiritually without any supposition at all that we were taken by enemies bound in chains cast into prison sticking fast in the mire pinched with famine and wasted with despaire of euer comming out of such a dungeon that lying thus without helpe or hope a king shold come vnto vs smite off our fetters free vs out of prison pay our ransome and promote vs to honor in his kingdome would we not render vnto him al possible thanks depend on him all the daies of our life But we are deliuered from greater enemies and from greater dangers from sin hell death darknesse the diuell and damnation For as the diuell doth exceede all bodily enemies and hell fire infinitely surpasseth the pains of this life which endure but for a season so we must consider that our deliuerance being greater our Thankesgiuing must not be the lesse but our praise must bee answerable to his power who hath cut the cords of our enemies and restored vs into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Let vs acknowledge our selues tied to this duty to offer to him the offering sacrifice of praise for the spiritual blessings of our redemption and saluation for his word Gospel he hath not so dealt with euery nation people This is the onely recompence that we can make him to giue him all the glory How shal we requite his mercies Ezek. 16 4 5 6. who finding vs neither washed in water nor swadled in clouts nor pittyed of any but cast out in the open field to the contempt of our person and polluted in our own blood couered our filthinesse annointed vs with oyle cloathed vs with broidred worke girded vs with fine linnen decked vs with ornaments and entred into a couenant with vs to become his Shall wee come before him with burnt offerings and Calues of a yeere old Will the Lord be pleased praised with thousands of Rams and with ten thousand riuers of oyle All these be as nothing For all the beasts are his and the beastes on a thousand Mountaines yea all the world is his and whatsoeuer therein is Psal 50 10 14. The seruice sacrifice wherein he delighteth is an humble contrite and thankfull heart which is more acceptable to him then all sacrifices that haue hornes and hooues Offer therefore vnto him praise and pay thy vowes vnto the most High which thy lips haue promised in the presence of all his people Vse 3 Thirdly let vs acknowledge this truth that his name is most glorious and confesse the greatnesse of his name to be worthy of al glory Let vs not set vp our owne names nor sacrifice to our owne nets nor say wee haue escaped by our owne power but thorough the fauour and kindnesse of God as the Prophet teacheth Psalme 124 1. Let vs not claime the praise of God to our selues nor rob him of his honour but confesse that his mercy endureth for euer This vse the Prophet teacheth Psal 8 1 9 where setting downe many arguments of the praise of God which he sheweth in the earth he concludeth the maiesty of God to be worthy of all honor O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world None can praise him aright except hee be touched with a feeling of Gods greatnesse goodnesse and maiesty euen as our prayers are colde when wee haue a small and slight feeling of sinne Vse 4 Lastly seeing praise and glory is due to God for his blessings it is our duty to pray for thē and to aske them at his hands When the Prophet Psal 50 15. had stirred the people vp to offer vnto God praise he addeth withall Call vpon him in the day of troble so will he deliuer thee and thou shalt glorify him For when wee come to him by praier and haue experience of his goodnes who deliuereth our soul from death our eies from teares and our feet from falling and are assured that our helpe commeth neyther from the East nor from the West nor frō the wildernesse that is from the North nor South inasmuch as Iudea was on both sides included and compassed with a Desert Psal 75 6. we are hereby prouoked and pricked forward to cast downe our selues and all our glory at his feet to magnifie his mercy to exalt his praise on high and to say with the Prophet Ps 115 1. Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glory for thy louing mercy and for thy truths sake But if we trust in our owne strength and rest in our owne labours and think the good things we possesse be the works and fruits of our own hands not the blessings gifts of God we shal neuer giue him praise for them but set vp our selues in his stead to the dishonor of his name to the confusion of our owne faces and to the hindering of the course of his blessings toward vs. Let vs therfore confesse that euery good and perfect gift commeth downe from aboue from the father of lights and then wee shall render him the Calues of our lips Verse 18. O Well whom the Princes digged c. We haue already declared in the former doctrine that the people gaue thanks to God for sending them water miraculously and supplying their want in that necessity Here we see offred to our consideration who were the chiefe workemen and principall Labourers in digging the Well the Princes Heads of the people the
and fals past let vs cal to minde the remeÌ„brance of Gods mercies past and rest in them as in a Sanctuary or place of refuge against all the stormes that Satan raiseth and the floods that hee sendeth to sinke our soule in the gaping gulfe of hellish despaire So long as God bestoweth vpon vs one drop of mercy let vs neuer doubt of his great goodnes to be continued toward vs and to dwell in vs for euer Wherefore the Apostle Paul saith We reioyce in tribulation Rom 5 3â—â— knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. This is an excellent notable vertue to be throughly acquainted with Gods prouidence dealing toward vs wrought in vs by patience to haue experience of his continuall eye watching ouer his Now we can say to our endles comfort in this manner God hath kept mee from many dangers he hath blessed mee with many graces he hath assisted me against many enemies I will therefore still trust in him and depend vpon him thus one benefit draweth on another From this experience we haue a certaine hope of his mercies to be continued toward vs and are assured of the truth constancy of Gods promises and of his good wil toward vs so that in all tribulations and afflictions we must consider with our selues the former benefits of God and from them gather new hope of the continuance thereof whose mercy is a Fountaine that neuer can be dry but springeth vp to euerlasting life and as a Tree that is alwayes greene and yeeldeth the sauory fruites of righteousnesse Thirdly this Doctrine teacheth a notable Vse 3 difference between God and man in bestowing of benefits We see men are soone weary of their liberality cannot abide continuall beggers It is not so with the Lord our God rich in mercy aboundant in kindnesse and plentifull in redemption toward all that call vpon him The more bold wee are in asking the more bountifull he is in granting It is a common thing in the richer sort to checke a man for often crauing and to vpbraid and reproch the poore with those things they haue bestowed vpon them as when they say Why do you alwayes come to me and beg of me I haue giuen you this and that at this time and at that time in such and such a place aske no more of me for if you doe you shall go without Thus do men reproue and reproch for often demanding But see the different dealing of God to our endles comfort vnto the faithfull be doth neuer vpbraid his benefits he is not vnwilling to grant he refuseth no mans person he giueth liberally and bountifully to all that come vnto him This is also a singular comfort to the weake conscience and afflicted soule wheÌ„ he is tempted to reason thus Will God heare me or respect me Will he shew his louing countenance toward me a greeuous sinner a miserable and wretched sinner a silly and simple soule Aske boldly of him he reprocheth none as the Apostle Iames teacheth chap. 1 5 6. If any of you want wisedome let him aske of God who giueth to all men liberally reprocheth no man and it shall be giuen him The oftner we aske the better we are accepted The more we do desire the more alwayes we doe obtaine He chargeth vs to call vpon him in the day of trouble and assureth vs of our deliuerance Psal 50 15. He would haue all come to him that are heauy laden with promise to be refreshed and eased This is a notable encouragement to all persons to flye vnto God not to runne to Saints or Angels which neyther can heare vs nor giue any gifts vnto men Let vs alwayes be ready to craue of him praise him for his mercies receiued seeing they assure more vnto vs as we see the Apostle doth who hauing experience that God had deliuered him and gathering from thence that God would deliuer him breaketh foorth into this thankesgiuing To whom bee praise for euer and euer Amen 2 Tim. 2 18. Lastly let vs not stand in feare of any enemies Vse 4 that rise vp against vs and conspire to hinder the peace of the Church and stop the passage of the Gospel when God beginneth to take the cause of his people into his owne hand and smiteth any of his enemies on the iaw-bone the rest are reserued to the like destruction For wherefore doth God punish his aduersaries and enter into iudgement with them Wherfore doth he visite them strike them downe with his right hand Is it onely to take vengeance on their sinnes to shew his iustice in their confusion No it serueth for the comfort and consolation of his seruants that howsoeuer God be patient yet in the end they shall not escape This did Ioshua the Captain of the Lords hoast teach the people and men of warre chap. 10 24 25 when they had brought out those Kings vnto Ioshua which they had taken he called for al the men of Israel and said vnto the chiefe of the men of warre which went with him Come neere set your feet vpon the neckes of those Kings and they came neere and sâ—t their feet vpon their necks And Ioshua saide vnto them Feare not nor bee faint hearted but be strong and of a good courageâ— for thus wil the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight Where we see that as God destroyeth not all the enemies of his Church at once but singleth out some that the rest might haue a time of repentance so if the rest despise the riches of his bâ—untifulnes patience and long-suffering Not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth them to repentance Ro. 2 4 they shall be bound vp in the same bundle and be cast into the fire as the Tree that being spared brought forth no fruite The Lord saide vnto Moses Feare him not for I haue deliuered him into thine hand and all his people and his Land This King of Bashan was a strong and dreadfull enemy descended as we haue shewed of the race of the Gyants mighty in body fearefull to behold terrible to the Israelites as may appeare by the comfort ministred vnto them For God neuer exalteth and raiseth vp in vaine he neuer willeth any to cast off feare where no feare is From hence we learne Doctrine The enemies of the church are not to bee feared That the enemies of the Church are not to be feared Howsoeuer such as set themselues against the people of God be many mighty growing in strength excelling in malice raging with cruelty yet must not Gods seruants bee fearefull and distrustfull by dreading the power of men but alwayes relye vpon God keeping faith and a good conscience depending vpon him in life and death Thus did the Lord strengthen the feeble hart of Hezekiah
withall For he endured as he that saw him which is inuisible Some were racked Heb 1â— tempted tormented burned stoned would not be deliuered A wicked man is a very dastard and coward He feareth euery creature which is a great iudgment vpon him that will not feare God The darknesse of the night the solitarinesse of the place the falling of a leafe the crawling of a worme the flashing of the lightning the cracking of the thunder the guilt of conscience doth terrifie them But the godly are endued with true fortitude magnanimity of minde springing from the grace of faith and are bold as a Lyon Prou. 28 1 they are resolued of Gods presence with them and of his prouidence ouer them being ready to say with Dauid The Lord is my light and my saluation of whom shall I bee afraid The Lord is the strength of my life whom then shall I feare Though an hoast pitched against mee mine heart should not be afraid Psal 27 1 2 3. This made the Apostle when he heard that bands and afflictions abode for him in euery Citty to say What do you weeping and breaking mine heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Acts 21 13. The faithfull indeed walke thorough maâ—y tentations on the right hand and on the left and enter into many combates yet they shâ—nne not the brunt of the battell nor feare to loke the enemy in the face nor shrink backe from the push of the Pâ—ke because they haue put on the whole armour of God and haue their hearts setled and their heads coâ—ered in the day of triall Therefore the Apostle exhoâ—teth that we should be strong in the Lord and put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell to resist in the euill day Eph. 6 11 12 13. It is not enough for vs to prouide armour and to haue it lying by vs as we see men in â—heir houses haue Pikes and Halberts Corslets and Muskets hanging by the wals waxing rusty through want of vse but we must put them on and buckle them about vs wee must alwayes haue our loynes girt â—â—e 1â— 35 our lights burning hauing on the brest-plate of righteousnesse taking the shield of faith and drawing out the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Neither is it sufficient to defend vs to put on armour but we must put on the whole armour of God We must be armed from top to toe and leaue no part vnarmed and vnguarded lest the enemy espye his aduantage and worke our destruction We must be armed within and without before vs and behind vs in soule and in body in tongue and eare in head and heart For if Satan who as a roaring Lyon seeketh whom he may deuoure finde vs in any part or member naked vndefended we lye open to him to surprize vs at his pleasure and to bring vpon vâ— swift damnation Dauid was armed with the armour of God being a man after Gods owne heart buâ— because wheÌ„ he saw the beauty of Bathsheba 〈◊〉 11 1 he made not a couenant with his eyes not to lust Satan ensnared him to commit folly At another time leauing his eares vnarmed and setting them open to the false information and accusation of Zâ—â—ba 〈◊〉 1â— 3 he was drawne away to peruert iustice and to betray the cause of the innocent and to condemne the iust without hearing So four eare be at any time vnarmed it is ready to heare and receiue and beleeues slanders false tales against our brethren If the Helmet of saluation do not couer our head if the toong be not fenced the diuell will set thâ— on work to deuise euil slanders and to publish them to the disgrace and discredite one of another Ionah was a man of God and a Preacher of repentance to the Niniuites yet because he left his tongue vnarmed and did not set a watch before his mouth he brake out into an open and insolent contempt of God saying I doe well to be angry vnto the death chap. 4.9 Seeing therefore we are compassed about with such an army of enemies that watch all occasions and seeke all opportunities against vs they are greatly deceiued that make the life of a christian to be an easie and ydle profession take the Gospel to bee a profession of liberty as the enemies of the grace of God obiect against vs for it may cost vs dearly euen the resisting vnto blood and the forsaking of all earthly commodities that the woâ—ld holdeth in greatest price Let vs therefore as wise builders Luke 14 28 sit downe and cast our accounts before hand what our worke may cost vs. For such onely as continue to the end shall be saued Secondly let vs goe boldly forward in the Vse 2 duties of our calling The Church of God is not alwayes in one state Sometimes it liueth in quiet and peaceable times when the Gospel is publikely preached professed taught receiued with liberty of meeting together with freedome of conscience without opposition or gain saying as by the blessing of God it is among vs. Sometimes the truth of God is resisted the professours are persecuted the Gospel is suppressed and oppressed by the rage of the enemy the faithfull are slaine and put to death with all kinde of cruelty Notwithstanding let vs not feare their feare 1 Pet. 3.14 15 neyther be troubled but sanctifie the Lord in our hearts be ready alwayes to giue an answer to euery man of the hope that is in vs with al meeknesse and reuerence So then the godly should not feare the threatnings of the vngodly nor so be troubled as therby to abstain from such necessary duties as their callings do leade and direct them vnto but on the contrary make the Lord theyr feare and theyr dread and make a bold confession of the precious faith they conceiue as those that labour to maintaine a good cause with a good conscience Let vs all goe forward with courage and constancy in our callings let vs performe with diligence the duties laid vpon vs and albeit crosses do crosse vs in the way and many dangers meete vs wee must not shrinke backe but stand fast and goe forward in our profession This should be in all Magistrates that are as the Gods of the earth and the Ministers of iustice they must bee men of courage to performe the duties of theyr calling Exodus chapter 18 verse 13 they must bee endued with the spirit of power and of godly boldnesse to goe through with euery good worke with a constant resolution and not stand in feare of any man considering that the cause is the Lords which they handle They must call and compell others to walke in their duties that so the sword of the Magistrate may be ioyned with the word of the Minister This
not that a pit is digged and a snare to intrap them But behold how the Angel withstandeth reproueth and forbiddeth him againe to attempt any thing against his people We learne hereby Doctrinâ— God deliâ—reth from dangers 〈◊〉 knowne 〈◊〉 his peoplâ— Psal 22.9 that God deliuereth those that are his from dangers vnknowne to them and when they haue no power to deliuer themselues This the Prophet Dauid testifieth Thou didst draw mee out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers brests I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly He prouided for his Church by selling sending Ioseph into the land of Egypt when they knew notâ—ing of the famine that was to come whereby he saued much people aliue Gen. 5â— â— neither were they any way able to saue themselues Herod the King inuented great mischiefe against the Messiah whereby also Ioseph and Mary were in danger he disclosed the secrer counsell of his heart to none 〈◊〉 13. but pretended worship towâ—â—d him yet wee see how God preserued them all from the imminent dangers which Christ through his tender age and his parents thorough ignorance of his bloudy purpose could not preuent by sending them out of the reach of Herod and commanding them to flye into Egypt The like we see in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 12. where we reade of another Herod that slew Iames with the sword 〈◊〉 6. and put Peter in prison intending the next day to bring him forth to execution no doubt he kept his inâ—ent secret to himselfe yet by the earnest Prayers of the Church hee was deliuered from the imminent perill and the Church comforted In the dangerous voyage and shipwrack mentioned in the same booke wherein Paul was who had deserued well of al the Passengers had comforted them in their distresses and had assured them of safety yea they were all saued for his sake yet the vnmercifull vnthankful Souldiers consulted to kill him 〈◊〉 27 42 while he suspected nothing but the Lord deliuered him out of their hands and moued the hart of the Centurion to saue him Whereby we seâ— that the afflictions of the righteous are many some knowne to them and some vnknowne but the Lord in mercy is mindfull of them and bringeth them out of them all as hee did the Israelites in this place from the cursing and coniuring of this Sorcerer The Reasons seruing to confirme this doctrine are many First consider for this purpose the titles of God whereby hee is called for our comfort God is named a Father Will a father saue his sonne onely from the perils that he seeth before his eyes or will hee suffer him to runne into vnknowne dangers of fire or water which the childe could not vnderstand or vnderstanding could not preâ—ent but the father in his wisedome and prouâ—â—ence knoweth 〈◊〉 11. If we then that are euill know how to helpe our children how much more shall our heauenly Father that knoweth all things giue good things vnto hâ—s children God is called a shepheard will the Shepheard see the silly sheepe runne ignorantly into places of danger and not with his staffe bring them backe againe So the Lord watcheth ouer vs 〈◊〉 â—3 1 2 He will make vs rest in greene pasture and leade vs by the still waâ—ers so that his mercy and kindnesse shall follow vs all the dayes of our life Reason 2 Againe wee are garded by the Angels so that there are more with vs then are against vs. They are sent out to bee ministring spirits they incampe themselues about the Church for their protection Wherefore albeit we bee simple ignorant know not oftentimes the plots policies of our enemies yet seeing we haue such mighty helpers such safekeepers â—e must know that we shall not faile to be deliuered This the Prophet teacheth Psal 3â— 7 91.11.12 Thirdly God would stirre vs vp to bee Reason 3 thankefull and teach vs wholly to depend vpon him in all our dangers Now what is able more effectually to worke this in our hearts and to open our mouthes to the praise of our God then to haue a blessed experience of the comfortable presence of God for our deliuerance when wee neither know our owne miseries nor finde any meanes in our selues â—o rid our selues Therefore the Prophet promiseth being deliuered from the mouth of the Lyon to declare the Name of God vnto his brethren Psal â—2 20 22. and to praise him in the midst of the congregation Againe what may teach vs better to trust in him and to waite vpon him for our saluation then to consider his knowledge of our estate in the ignorance of our owne dangers Thus did Dauid behaue himselfe thus he did dwel in the secret of the most High Psal 91 2 3. and thus did hee abide in the shadow of the Almighty and being assured of his protection hee resteth in him I will say vnto the Lord. O mine hope and my fortresse he is my God in him will I trust he will deliuer me from the hunter and from the noysome pestilence The vses follow First this doctrine should Vse 1 direct vs and instruct vs to whom to go when we lie vnder the crosse For if God fore-see the dangers which wee ouer-see and keepeth vs from those perils that wee know not whither can we goe for helpe but vnto him Shall we goe to Saints or Angels Doubtlesse thou art our Father Esai 6â— 16. though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not Yet thou O Lord art our â—ather and our Redeemer thy Name is for euer Shall we trust in chariots or in horses An horse is a vaine thing to saue a man and shall not deliuer any by his great strength hope in the Lord Psal 33 17 and â—7 14 be strong aâ—d he shall comfort thine heart trust in the Lord. We cannot honour him more then when we depend vpon him and rest vpon his mercy This doth Ezra notably declare at the retuâ—ne of the Iewes from captiuity saying I was ashamed to require of the King an army Ezra 8 22. and horsemen to helpe vs against the enemy because we had â—â—oken to the King saying The hard of God is vpon all them that seeke him in goodnesse but his power hâ—â— wrath is against all them that forsake him e thought it fiâ—â—er far better to commit himselfe to the protection of God then by crauing these ordinary meanes to giue any occasion either to the weake brethren to doubt of Gods power or to obstinat enemies to blaspheme God and to say What is not the God whom ye serue able to defend you hee hath brought them out maliciously to slay them was not able to bring them againe into their land without our strength help Wherfore to stop the mouthes of the Gentiles to auoide all offences to strengthen those that were weak
in faith albeit it were not in it selfe vnlawful to aske aide and to craue helpe of the higher power but onely in respect of circumstances he proclaimeth a Fast hee humbleth himselfe before God and looketh for all helpe to come from him Secondly let vs not stand in feare of them but feare him before whom all things are naked and open who discloseth the hidden things of the heart Luke 12.2 who hath said There is nothing couered that shall not bee reuealed neither hid Prou. 15 12. that shall not be knowne Hell and destruction are before him how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men Indeede the heart of man is an hidden thing and an vnsearchable thing howbeit God not onely searcheth the heart and trieth the reines Iob. 26 6. but vnderstandeth the deepest things of the earth hee knoweth the state of the dead and damned soules that are in hel which things of al other are most hidden from the eyes of man Albeit therefore the vngodly conspire against the Church neuer so closely and albeit they conspire neuer so deepely to hide their counsels from Gods al-seeing Spirit yet he shall finde them out in their sinnes and bring them vnto iudgment he shall bring to light their priuy deuices and scatter them in their owne imaginations in his good time This serueth to put life and courage into vs to lift vp our hands which hang downe and strengthen our weake knees Let vs not feare them that feare not God but feare God and comfort our selues in him Vse 3 Thirdly seeing God breaketh the snare of the Fowler that is hidden and setteth his seruants at liberty that want the knowledge of the danger and meanes of escaping let vs seek betimes to be parts of his family to bee citizens of his Kingdome to bee members of his body and to bee children of the true Church that wee may be vnder the protection of this mighty God whose presence is euery-where whose Throne is the heauen whose footstoole is the earth whose Dominion is infinite If a man abounded in wealth liued in honour bathed himselfe in pleasures yet if hee be not in the number of the faithfull hee cannot take any sound comfort in all these For all outward blessings in an vnsanctified man are vnsauoury To them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure Titus 1 13. but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled To the pure are all things pure but the vnfaithfull defile all things that they touch and handle Their sweet sauours and pleasant smels are stench Their good meats and strong drinkes are gall and worme-wood Their delicious fare is as poyson Their costly apparell is as a menstruous cloath Their beds of ease are sinkes of sinne Their life is a death The best things they doe are foule and filthy So long as we continue in this estate Acts 1â— 9. Hebr. 11.6 and haue not our hearts purified by faith we cannot please God For without faith it is impossible to please him neither can we be vnder the wings of his defence This therefore shall bee our comfort to bee sheepe of his fold that hee may be our Sheepheard to seeke vs when we are lost to bring vs home when we are gone astray to feed vs in his green Pastures to pull vs with his right hand out of dangers when we are falling into them Otherwise if we content our selues to be in the Church and labour not to bee of the Church wee can looke for no defence or deliuerance from him but rather destruction of soule and body and calamity vpon calamity to fall vpon vs. Fourthly this doctrine teacheth that seeing Vse God bringeth vs out of vnknowne and desperate dangers that we think not of how much more can he and will he deliuer vs when wee knowing them doe call and cry vnto him for helpe that we may escape them If hee be not farre from vs when we doe not pray vnto him but be found of them that sought him not Esay 6â— and 59 â— and answere them that asked not for him how much more may we assure our selues that hee will preserue vs from dangers when we craue his aide and assistance seeing his hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eye dimme and darke that he cannot see and behold our miseries that are vpon vs. This doctrine therefore serueth greatly to comfort and incourage vs to pray vnto him in all our afflictions and to increase a double care in vs to powre out our Meditations before him How many in their troubles and crosses into the which they are fallen beginne to sinke downe vnder the burden and to cast off their confidence which notwithstanding hath great recompence of reward Surely if wee did wisely consider the watchfull eye of Gods prouidence ouer vs who fore-seeth our dangers before they come and preserueth from the troubles which wee through our blindnesse and ignorance cannot vnderstand we may assure our selues of the presence of his hand when wee know our selues to bee in trouble and pray vnto him for deliuerance out of trouble When a sonne hath had experience of the louing kindnesse of his father in pulling him out of danger as it were out of the fire which hee saw not to bee kindled against him can hee doubt or despaire of the care of his father ouer him or thinke hee will leaue him when he calleth vnto him for helpe out of dangers that are seene and felt Doubtlesse hee that hath an eye to fore-see dangers will haue an eare to heare in the time of danger Let this comfort vs greatly and cheare vp our hearts while wee lie vnder the crosse let vs perswade our owne soules that hee which performeth the greater will alwayes be ready to accomplish the lesse hee that deliuereth from the pit that was hidden will helpe vs to escape from that which lieth openâ— and hee that discouereth a secret snare laide to entrap vs will not leaue vs nor forsake vs when we entreate for succour in the midst of our greatest afflictions that wee finde and feele to be vpon vs. Lastly we are admonished by this fauour Vse 5 of God towards vs to giue him the praise and glory of his owne workes True it is when we haue vsed al holy meanes for our deliuery yet the praise is due to the Lord. How much more therefore ought wee to render all thanksgiuing to God when he hath done it without our meanes and confesse that hee hath done great things for vs Thus did the people when they returned out of Babylon as the Prophet declareth Psal 126. Vhen the Lord brought againe the captiuity of Sion we were like them that dreame then was our mouth filled with laughter our tongue with ioy then said they among the heathen The Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce He watcheth for vs when wee rest hee waketh
potters vessell So then when the wicked say peace peace vnto themselues and thinke themselues sure of their purposes they shall faile in the midway and suddainly come to destruction verifying the saying of Salomon Prou. 11 7. The hope of the vniust shall perish Reason 1 The reasons are first because as they set themselues against the Church so God setteth himselfe against them Can we then maruaile that they are confounded and consumed against whom God opposeth himself they are the enemies of God and God professeth himselfe their enemy Who euer arose against him and prospered Who euer fought against him and preuailed They shall consume as the fat of Lambes before the fire and melt as the waxe against the Sunne This hath beene the faith and assurance of the Church of God in all their dangers that haue threatned and assailed them namely that God would take their cause into his hands and reuenge the wrong done vnto them Therefore when the enemies tooke crafty counsell against them and consulted cruell things to compasse their destruction saying Psal 83.12 Come let vs cut them off from being a nation let the name of Israel be no more in remembrance and let vs take for our possession the habitation of God they prayed to God to confound their enterprizes to fil their faces with shame to make them afraide by his iudgments to turne them vpside downe as a wheele to persecute them with his tempest that they might be as stubble before the wind as the fire burneth the forrest and as the flame setteth the mountaines on fire Reason 2 Secondly they trust in lying words that cannot profit and consequently they cannot prosper because no man by his own strength or the power of his owne hand can bring any thing to passe God scattereth the deuices of the crafty and taketh the wise in their craftinesse so that man cannot by his care and confidence attaine to the fruite of his desire Hagg. 1 9. For God bloweth vpon it and it commeth to nothing The vses of this doctrine remaine to be Vse 1 considered and handled First marke heereby the vnhappy estate of those that haue onely eyes of flesh to rest vpon the things which they see Nothing shall be able to helpe them wofull therefore is their condition This the Prophet teacheth Ier. 17 5 7. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord but blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is So then all they that make not God their Lord are vnhappy If the vngodly did consider these things that they setting vp their rest vpon vaine things and putting their confidence in a broken reed cannot prosper it would bee a notable meanes to bridle their vanity and to suppresse their folly If we should see a man naked vnarmed to go into the field against his enemies and perswade himself with a blast or bullrush to thrust them through and throw them down on euery side and make no doubt to get the victory we would thinke him sâ—ttish and pitty his folly wee would wish him to keepe a good dyet and keepe himselfe and his head warme fearing the man were breeding mad But thus it is with all the enemies of God and his people that raise great hope by their owne deuices and imagine great matters by their own counsels they are as distracted and distempered men they are in a miserable and wofull condition leaning vpon a bulrush and setling their trust and rest vpon a rotten reede They build vp the tower of confusion God will come downe against them and diuide their tongues as hee did at Babel Gen. 11.8 Wofull therefore and wretched is the case of all those whose confidence raised vp to high attempts falleth on the ground they trust in an arme of flesh and are deceiued for GOD laugheth them and their inuentions to scorne They attaine not to the end of their desires but are disappointed and so their hope perisheth and this is chiefly in death when they shal remaine in misery for euer Secondly let vs not rely vpon such vaine Vse 2 things nor rest vpon deceitfull vanity nor waite vpon lying dreames and deuices of men for then all our expectation shall deceiue vs. What man is there in his right wits that would in danger leane on the spiders web and yet thinke to be deliuered Who would trust to a broken staffe who would lay his strength vpon a weake reed This is it that Bildad one of Iobs three friends vttereth ch 8 14. 20 5 6. where he teacheth That the reioycing of the wicked is short the ioy of hipocrits is but for a moment though his excellency mount vp to the heauens his head reach vnto the clouds yet he shal perish for euer like the dung they which haue seen him shal say where is he His confidence also shal be cut off his trust shal be as the house of a spider therfore it can minister no comfort to such as catch hold vpon it Heereunto come sundry exhortations of the Prophet in the Psalmes Psal 62 10. 20 7 125 1. If we rest vpon God we shall haue a sure staffe that shal neuer faile we build vpon that hope that shall neuer make ashamed They that trust in the Lord shal be as mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer Vse 3 Lastly seeing the glory of our enemies shall end in shame and their vaine reioycing be buried in confusion let vs all take comfort and cheere vp our selues and one another when we see the enemies of the Church plot and conspire against the Church Albeit they lay their heads together and be very busie to stoppe the course of the glorious Gospel yet this is our hope that their hope is but on the spiders web the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile against the Church and themselues shall worke out their owne destruction Thus doth the Prophet comfort himselfe Psal 49.5 6 7. Let this stay our faith and comfort our hope when wee see mighty plottings subtill proceedings deepe deuices and conspiracies of the wicked For why should we feare seeing they wait on lying vanities and forsake their owne mercy See this in the example of Pharaoh of Haman of Sancherib of Herod and sundry others If other enemies in our dayes follow their deeds let them also feare their ends And for this purpose the Prophet speaketh vnto them Esay 8 9 10. Gather together on heapes O ye people ye shall be broken in pieces and hearken all yee of farre Countries gird your selues and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selues and ye shall be broken in pieces Take counsell together yet it shal be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs. Thus the enemies shal be confounded thus their counsels shal be ouerturned so
me This is it which Christ our Sauiour often alledgeth for the comfort of his disciples Ioh. 14 18. Math. 18 20 28 20. I will not leaue you comfortles but I will come vnto you Loe I am with you to the end of the world The reasons are these First his presence appeareth Reason 1 that the faithfull might be assured of his protection and defence beeing gathered together by his power without which they could not haue any comfort If the souldiers should bee destitute of the presence of theyr Captaine the wife of her husband the people of their King they would remaine comfortlesse and in continuall feare to do their duties and performe their allegeance But hauing their continuall presence they haue continual assurance and ioyfulnesse in theyr place and charge committed vnto them otherwise the best seruants of God most painfull in theyr callings should be in the worst case and condition To this purpose Christ sayth Goe and teach al nations to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commanded you and lo I am with you alway vntil the end of the world Mat. 28.18 19 20. Seeing therfore God wold not haue vs danted with danger or discouraged with feare but to go lustily forward where he hath called vs we cannot doubt of the assurance of his presence with vs in all assayes and assaults whatsoeueâ— shall be offered vnto vs. Reason 2 Secondly he is ready to heare their prayers to helpe them in their distresses to yeild them those things that they stand in neede of If he were absent from vs not present with vs hee could not consider of our wants nor succour vs in our necessities nor deliuer vs from our enemies nor refresh vs with his helpe while we walke through the valley of the shadow of death Therefore when Christ teacheth Mat. 18 20. that by the grace of his Spirit and the power of his Deity he is in the middest of the Church he confirmeth it hereby that whatsoeuer they shall desire it shall be giuen them of his Father which is in Heauen Vse 1 Let vs now proceed to the vses of this Doctrine First it followeth from hence if God be still with his Church then there is neuer any separation diuorcement between God and his Church betweene Christ his members so that whosoeuer would find the Lord to be his God he must be in the Church of the Church Christ is sayd to walk in the middest of the seuen golden Candlestickes â—â—â—l 1 13. that is of the Church Christ is euermore in his Church and whersoeuer the Church is there is Christ No man shall euer finde Christ as a Sauiour but in his Church The Emperour is to be acknowledged whersoeuer his standard is the King is where his Court is So there is alwayes a neere coniunction betweene God and his Church Where he is present with his grace there is his Church We shall not need to say with Martha Lord if thou haddest beene heere my brother had not bene dead Iohn 11 21. for God is euer with vs in all dangers he standeth present by vs His left hand is vnder our head 〈◊〉 2 5. and his right hand doth embrace vs. This is a notable and singular comfort to all the true members of the Church who are assured of the spirituall and speciall power and loue of God toward them supporting them and staying them vp with both his hands that they fall not from him through weaknes and infirmity of the flesh And seeing his loue is such vnto vs that he will not be farre from vs but in all our troubles embrace vs in both his armes this ought to stay and strengthen vs in all trials and confirme vs in all tentations which are as it were so many stormes and tempests beating vpon the barkes of our soules and threatning to make shipwracke of them We are ready in all our troubles when wee finde not present help at hand to suppose the Lord to be farre from vs. We are impatient of delay wee cannot abide to waite the Lords leysure So soone as we are entred into the Furnace of affliction that we feele the flames thereof to scorch vs and the anguish therof to enter into our bones by and by we thinke that God should helpe vs euery moment and minute appeareth to be a day and euery day seemeth a yeare vnto vs vntill hee scatter the coales and pull vs as a fire-brand out of the fire This made the Prophet in the heat of his affliction to cry out Why standest thou farre off O Lord and hidest thee in due time euen in affliction Psal 10 1. Wherby we see that the children of God are wonderfully assaulted the flesh wrastleth against the Spirit sometime preuaileth and for a time getteth the vpper hand So the same Prophet saith Psal 13 1 2. 22 1 2. How long wilt thou forget me ô Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from me c. And againe My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and art so far frrm mine health and from the words of my roaring c And in another place Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he shew no more fauour Is his mercie clean gone c. Thus his faith was assaulted and his hope tryed that he should not fal into infidelity and yeeld to distrust in God But seeing our doctrine affirmeth that God is neuer from vs howsoeuer hee seemeth to delay and deferre his helpe let vs learne how great soeuer our conflicts be not vtterly to despaire of Gods mercy though it tarry Waite Habbak 2 3. for it shall surely and certainly come and not stay when the time euen the appointed time commeth So when the faithfull recouer theÌ„selues out of the former tentations as it were out of a gulf ready to swallow them vp they gather strength of Faith rest vpon the power presence of God and waite with patience the Lords leysure and confesse it was their owne infirmity This the Prophet Dauid setteth downe in Psal 40 1. and 42 5 11. and 43 5. and in diuers other places Thus it standeth all of vs vpon when affliction tryeth vs when the flesh tempteth vs when satan winnoweth vs and all of them consenting and conspiring together seeke to ouerthrow vs to consider that howsoeuer God oftentimes deferreth to help vs yet he is still present with vs and to assure our selues that doubtles he is not farre from euery one of vs. Matth. 15 21. It is the will and pleasure of God to try our faith to stirre vp our zeale to exercise our patience and to teach vs to make greater account of his blessings wheÌ„ we haue obtained them but in the end to our endles comfort he will declare by the effects of his loue and fauour that he was neuer indeed absent from vs howsoeuer we iudge so according to the weaknes of the flesh and hee for a time hide
vs aboue other nations The more he hath honoured and exalted vs aboue others the more vile and odious we shall become he will poure shame contempt vpon vs he will make vs a mirrour and example of his iudgements to others vnlesse we bring foorth fruites answerable to so great goodnesse Who so is wise-hearted let him consider these things Verses 22 23 24. God brought them out of Egypt their strength is as an Vnicorne for there is no sorcery against Iacob Hitherto wee haue spoken of the spirituall blessings bestowed vpon the Church to wit the forgiuenesse of their sinnes the presence of the Spirit and the vse of the word Now followeth another priuiledge being an effect of the former that nothing shall hurt them they may fall into many afflictions but none shal be able to destroy them He alludeth in this place to the practise of the Vnicorne purging and clensing the water with his horne against the poison of venomous beasts From hence we learne Doctrine No attempt◠shall hurt th◠Church that no meanes and attempts shall hurt or ouerthrow the Church Whatsoeuer the enemies of God and his people imagine what counsell soeuer they take what mischiefes they deuise God will make them frustrate and of none effect This truth appeareth by sundry examples in the word of God When the Church of God was in Egypt the Egyptians said Let vs work wisely with them lest they multiply they vexed them with bondage they destroyed their children they oppressed them with burthens they plagued them with taskemasters and euery way they encreased their miseries Ex. 1 2 3. yet after all these diuellish practises they preuayled nothing against them This appeareth likewise in the ambition and pride of Haman Ester 3. and 7 and 9. He thirsted after blood but the plot he had contriued was disappointed and he fel into the pit which hee had digged for another the snare was broken and the Church was deliuered Infinite are the examples that might be produced to this purpose of the Churches dangers and deliuerances The Prophet Dauid handleth this argument at large in sundry Psalmes In the 91. Psalme verses 3 4 5 c. he assureth those that trust in God that into whatsoeuer dangers they fall they shall neuer miscarry nor be dismayed in theyr afflictions Where the Prophet meaneth that howsoeuer these afflictions may come to the godly yet they shall not bee able to hurt or hinder their eternall peace with God but he will make them and all things besides to further theyr saluation This is it which the Apostle teacheth at large Rom. 8 35 37. Thus we see that no attempts can hurt the Church inasmuch as God taketh the wise in their craftinesse and scattereth the deuices of the wicked Iob 5.13 as he turned the wisedome of Ahithophel into foolishnesse The Reasons of this Doctrine seruing for confirmation of vs are direct euident For Reason first it is God that watcheth ouer his to deliuer and to preserue them from all the dangers that go ouer theyr heads We shall not neede to feare hauing so good a keeper being assured of right good keeping He will alwayes protect vs by his great power and infinit goodnesse This the Prophet handleth at large Psal 121 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. So Moses declaring the cause that Balaams curses coniurations did not preuaile but were turned into a blessing sayth It was because the Lord loued his people Deut. 23 5. No policies can preuaile where there is such a keeper who being on our side what skilleth it who bee set against vs Reason 2 Secondly hee hath appointed the Angels also to guard and defend them to pitch their Tents round about them to bee ministering spirits sent out for their good which alwayes behold the face of their Father which is in heauen God is the cheefe watchman whom nothing can escape the Angels are second watchmen vnder God whom God hath deputed to that office to serue the necessities of the Church This the Prophet Dauid that sweet singer of Israel setteth downe Psal 91 10 11 12. Where the prophet proueth that no crosse or calamity shall come neere them or their dwellings to hurt them because not onely God himselfe will care for their defence but appoint the holy Angels as his heauenly messengers to preserue them Not that the helpe of God is not sufficient or that we should put our trust in their helpe but to teach vs for our comfort that we haue God and all the hoast of heauen as an army ready mustered marshalled to succour and sustaine vs in all our dangers Now it remaineth to consider what Vses Vse 1 may be made of this Doctrine First we must confesse to our singular comfort that great is the power and goodnesse of God which can neuer faile or forsake those that are his No counsell or wisedome or policy can escape his knowledge or encounter with his power we see this notably in this example before our eyes This false Prophet Balaam was an enemy of God and of his people he had set both his heart to couet and his tongue to saie all his purpose was to curse the people hee leaueth nothing vnattempted to compasse and contriue his enterprize yet we see all is vanity and commeth in the end to nothing Great therfore is the power and might of God We heard in verse 19. that he was constrained to say That God is not like to mortall men therfore we ought to be ashamed to call the truth or power of God into question wherein there is neither want nor weaknes All the power that is in men and Angels is nothing to the infinite power of God Let vs therefore acknowledge and confesse this might and maiesty of God let vs in all our dangers and calamities reuerence it and rest in it Let vs not measure it by ordinary meanes but know that he is able to work as wel without means and against meanes as by meanes The faith of Abraham is commended by the Apostle Ro. 4 18. Heb. 11 That aboue hope he beleeued vnder hope and that God was able of the ashes of Isaac offered vp in sacrifice to raise him againe to life 〈◊〉 2. Secondly wee may in assurance of his fauour conclude the blessednesse of the people of God and their happy estate and condition yea we may truly say with the Psalmist Psal 144 15. Blessed are the people that are so yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. None are harder assaulted none are better protected Their confusion is sought but they stand in the strength of God This is a great blessing to be shaken and yet to abide firme in stormes and tempests Happy are they that haue so vigilant a watchman as the Lord is That City is safe that kingdome is sure that house is quyeted that soule is secured that hath such a keeper What City vpon the earth sauing the City of
of the church rauishing as it were all his senses and so astonishing him that he is not able to finde words sufficient to expresse the glory thereof For heere we see he compareth the happinesse and blessednesse of the Church to the Valleyes Gardens Cedars and such like all to this end to shadow out vnto vs the value and worth of it that it farre surmounteth all other societies and is most precious deare in the sight of God Heereby then wee learne what is the Doctrine true Church The Churâ— is more excellent anâ— precious 〈◊〉 all other â—ces it exceedeth all other societies of men and is most precious and deare vnto God and vnto Christ We see then how from hence we learne that aboue all other companies and fellowships in the world the Church is most excellent and beautifull and of GOD most respected This hath plentifull testimony of other Scriptures The Prophet saith The Kings daughter is glorious within her cloathing is of broidered gold Psal 45 13. Hereunto come the titles and commendations giuen vnto the Church in sundry places dispersed in the booke of Canticles chap. 2 2. and 4 13. and 5 9. Shee is the Rose of the field the Lilly of the valley the fairest among women an Orchard of Pomgranats a Fountaine of Gardens a Well of springing waters the Spouse and Sister of Christ the beauty of the earth the glory of the world and being compared with other societies as a Lilly among Thornes like the Apple among the Trees of the Forrest It is a Citty whose walles and gates are of precious stones and the streetes thereof of gold Reuel 21 2 19. It is compared to a woman cloathed with the Sunne and had the Moone that is all corruptible things which are vnstable and vncertaine vnder her feete As the Doctrine by these euidences is Reason 1 made cleare so by the Reasons whereby it is proued it may be yet made much clearer For first it is more excellent then all other societies as gold aboue all other mettals because in it alone saluation is to be found and no where else When the vniuersall flood came and couered the face of the whole earth what place wouldest thou preferre before the arke in which Noah and his family were saued and out of the which all the world beside was drowned So saluation is taught and receiued in the Church damnation is to be found and felt out of the Church Can there be a greater priuiledge had then to haue our souls saued or a greater losse then the losse of our soules Wee reade in the Scriptures of many great and exceeding grieuous losses Iob lost all his camels and his asses his oxen and his sheepe his seruants and his sons all his goods and riches Saul lost his kingdome and his life But all these are pettie losses and damages in comparison of the incomparable and inestimable losse of the soule which is a perpetuall separation from the glorious and comfortable presence of God according to the saying of our Sauiour Math. 25 16. What shall it profite a man if he winne the whole world and then lose his owne soule Or what shall a man giue for the recompence of his soule The truth of this reason the Lord himself expresseth in the Prophet saying I will giue saluation in Sion and my glory vnto Israel Esay 46 13. The wealthiest country vnder heauen hath not this treasure the greatest Monarke in the world hath none of this merchandice the richest merchant that compasseth sea and land and trauaileth into the furthest part of the earth cannot bring home with him this pearle of vnualuable price it is only to be found in the city of God which is his Church for in mount Sion and in Ierusalem shal be deliuerance Reason 2 Secondly all other sorts and societies of men are appointed and ordained of God to serue and preserue this This is it which the Prophet Esay saith Esay 45 14. It shall be the honour of Kings and Princes to doe seruice to the Church and to promote the good of it It is the end for which God hath lifted vp the heads of rulers and gouernors aboue their brethren to promote the good of the Church and to aduance the glory of God This the Prophet speaketh of in the Psalme Psal 78 71. that God chose Dauid his seruant tooke him from the sheepefold and preferred him before his brethren euen tooke him and from behinde the ewes with yong brought he him to feed his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel so he fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart and guided them by the disâ—retion of his hands The like we see in the book of Ester when the destruction of the Church was determined and contriued Mordecai said to Ester Ester 4.14 If thou holdest thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy fathers house shall perish and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time So what power strength ability or meanes soeuer God hath giuen he looketh for this duty and thankfulnes at our hands to seek the safety of Sion to aduance the glory of Ierusalem and to know that hereunto we are called Thirdly the beauty of all other cities and Reason 3 societies standeth in this that they are parts and members of the Church This is the glory of kingdomes and countries whereby they are beautified in that they belong to the true Church for otherwise all places are as cages of vncleane birds nay as lodges of vncleane spirits and all persons are as dogges swine as Tygers and vncleane beasts Hence it is that the Apostle describing what wee are by nature saith Eph. 2 12. Yee were at that time without Christ aliants from the commonwealth of Israel strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without GOD in the world If then it beautifie other places and persons it must needes be beautifull it selfe If it giue grace and glory to others that ioyne themselues to it it must needs be both gracious and glorious it selfe For whatsoeuer causeth a thing to be so must needes be so it selfe much more The vses of this doctrine are excellent as Vse 1 the nature of the Church is For first we conclude that they must needs be most happy blessed of God that are members of the Church For howsoeuer the world account them miserable grinning at them with their teeth nodding at them them their heads gaping at them with their mouthes hissing at them with their tongues and euery way contumeliously reproaching them with their words yet they are deare and precious in the account of God and in the reputation of Christ Iesus who bought them at a great price and redeemed them with the ransome of his owne blood 1. Pet. 1 18 19. Behold what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that we should be called
to mercy in regard of of the great recompence of reward that is laid vp for mercifull men The example of the Sunnamite before remembred is a notable worthy example to teach vs this vse and to enforce this duty vpon vs. She stirred vp her husband to good things and made him that was willing more willing him that was forward more forward shewing her selfe mindful of the end of her creation which was to be an helper vnto him especially in the best things Gen. 2 18. She said Behold I know that this is an holy man of God that passeth by vs continually let vs make him a chamber that hee may turne in thither when he commeth to vs. 2. Kings 4 9. It is not enough for vs to be ready and resolute to doe good to those that are of the houshold of faith and thereby to testifie our faith in Christ but God requireth of vs to consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fellowship that we haue among our selues as the manner of some is but let vs exhort one another and that so much the more because yee see that the day draweth neere Heb. 10 24 25 This serueth to reproue such as are backward in doing good and cause others to be backward such as are not content themselues to doe nothing but are ready to disswade and discourage others from workes of mercy as we see the Apostle Iohn reproueth Diotrephes who was so farre from receiuing the brethren that he forbad them that would and thrust them out of the Church Iohn 3.9 10. He was backward himselfe and made others backward his malice did not onely keepe him from doing good to the Saints but prouoked him to hinder and restraine others These are like the Scribes and Pharisies which did shut vp the kingdome of heauen against men neither entring themselues into it nor suffering those that would enter Math. 23.13 These are like vnto the enuious Iewes who grew to that desperate madnes against the Lord Iesus that they would neither receiue the Gospel themselues nor suffer it to be preached to others but forbad the Apostles to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued to fulfill their sinnes alwayes 1. Thes 2.16 They are like to Elimas the sorcerer who was so farre from beleuing the doctrine of the Apostles Act. 13 8 that he openly withstood them and maliciously sought to turne away the Deputy from the faith And all these may fitly be compared to the dog lying in the manger which will neyther eate the hay himselfe nor suffer the Oxe or Cattel that would to eate of it These shall haue the more fearefull condemnation answering to God both for not doing good and for hindering such as would doe good These both shut vp their hands and hearts froÌ„ all duties of loue and tye vp the hands of others so that a double woe hangeth ouer their heads which without repentance will fall vppon them Lastly this Doctrine is both an encouragement Vse 4 vnto vs in well doing and a great comfort in all aduersities It is an incouragement to consider that what loue and seruice soeuer we doe shew to the Saints it is put vppon the Lords accounts and is kept in his remembrance and shal not be blotted out for euer This is the tenour of the couenant which he hath made with vs to haue the same friends and enemies with vs. Such as are our friends to doe vs good he will account as his friends to doe them good such as are his enemies to hurt vs he will proceede against them as with his vtter enemies to root them out and to destroy them This is a great honour and dignity of the faithfull It argued a very neere league of amity that Iehoshaphat made with the King of Israel when he ioyned with him saying I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horses wee will ioyne with thee in the war al mine is at thy commandement 1. King 22.4 2 Chron. 18.3 This is the society and fellowship that God hath with his people our friends shall be his friends our enemies shall be his enemies our troubles shal be his troubles our wrongs shall be his wrongs our persecutions shall be his peâ—secutions This is it which the Prophet declareth touching the Lord He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Zach. 2 8. So precious and deare are they to him and so tender is his loue toward them that when the enemies rise vp against them to hurt them it goeth as neere to the Lord as any thing can do We know how tender the eye of a man is it worketh more griefe then to receiue a wound in any other part to haue the apple of the eye striken but the Church is so deare to God that he can no more suffer the enemies to hurt it then a man can abide to be thrust or pierced in the eye How could the Lord expresse how earnestly and ardently he loueth vs and how carefull he is for our safety better then vnder this comparison and therefore the Prophet entreateth the Lord to keepe him as the apple of his eye Psal 17 8. to hide him vnder the shadow of his wings This is it which our Sauiour signifieth in the description of the last iudgement that when one of the least of Christs brethren haue bene hungred and we haue fed them haue beene thirsty and wee haue refreshed them haue bene strangers and wee haue lodged them haue beene naked and we haue clothed them haue beene prisoners and we relieued them Christ Iesus himselfe is refreshed and relieued visited and harboured in his members Math. 25 40 If the Lord Iesus liued now vpon the face of the earth in pouerty great want if he wanted meate to eate or clothes to put on ought wee not to relieue him nay who is it but would say hee is ready to doe it But euery faithfull man is vnto vs as Christ himselfe whatsoeuer is done to him is done to Christ himselfe and Christ Iesus though heire of all Lord of the world doth esteeme account it as done vnto himselfe On the other side when the poore members of Christ are in want not releeued are sick and not visited are hungry and yet not sustained Christ himselfe is vnuisited vnregarded A man would be ashamed to doe thus to Christ in person but inasmuch as we do it to the persons of our brethren and his members hee counteth it as done to himselfe as he speaketh in the Gospel Verily I say vnto you Math. 25 â— inasmuch as yee did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to mee This likewise is that which Christ spake to Paul from heauen at his conuersion When he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord and had obtained letters to bring them bound to Ierusalem that professed Christ he heard
if there were no witches Secondly the diuell cannot kill man or beast at his pleasure to gratifie a witch Thirdly the sending of the diuell by a witch cannot giue him any power and commission to do any thing Fourthly he is more forward and ready to do euill then the witch can be and therefore it were peeuish and preposterous to imagine that the lesse forward vnto wickednesse should set on him and procure him to euill that is more forward so that the witch doth not prouoke forward the diuell but the diuell bearing sway in her heart setteth her on Fiftly the diuell is the commander the witch is but his seruant hee ruleth with power in the children of disobedience and is the god of the world she by the righteous iudgement of God is seruant and subiect vnto him Can any then be so silly and simple to beleeue that the lesse can giue power vnto the greater the weaker to the stronger Lastly as the diuell cannot hurt a poore Fly before hee haue power granted vnto him by a greater power then his owne so when he hath liberty is he so sottish that he will not execute his power vnlesse some witch or sorcerer send him So then wee conclude that witches sorcerers enchanters are the bond-slaues of Satan and haue themselues no power to doe or to authorize him to doe any thing But whensoeuer God giueth him power to afflict as the executioner of his vengeance he vseth them as his instruments not to receiue helpe by them but onely for a colour that he may draw multitudes into sinne and carry them he along into condemnation Let vs not therefore stand in feare of any sorcerers but of God from whom al chastisements come whether such as he inflicteth with his owne hand or such as hee giueth the diuell power to lay vpon men as we see in the history of Iob chap. 1 and 2. and therefore they should humble vs and bring vs vnto repentance The vngodly look no further then to the witch they fret against her they neuer looke vp to God nor consider the cause why the diuell hath power ouer them they seeke not to appease Gods wrath But the godly seeke to take away the cause that they may remoue the effects If our sinnes haue prouoked God and the enemy touch our bodies or goods we must fal down before his Throne humble our selues in prayer entreate the Lord to turne away his displeasure stand fast in faith and patience and waite vpon God for our deliuerance If we endure tentation we are blessed and shall be crowned with the crowne of life Iam. 1 12. And thus much touching the vaine attempt of Balaams sorcery CHAP. XXV 1 NOW whilst Israel abode in Shittim the people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab 2 Which called the people vnto the sacrifice of their gods and the people eate and bowed downe c. 3 And Israel coupled himselfe vnto Baal-Peor wherefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled c. 4 And the Lord saide vnto Moses Take all the heads of this people and hang vp to the Lord before this Sunne 〈◊〉 21 6. that the indignation of the Lords wrath may be turned from Israel 5 Then Moses said to the Iudges of Israel Euery one slay his men that were ioyned to Baal-Peor 6 And behold one of the children of Israel came and brought vnto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the Congregation of the children of Israel who wept before the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation WEe heard in the last verse of the former chapter how Balaam arose and went his way from Balak the King of Moab A man would now in reason suppose that the danger were past and the storme cleane ouerblowne after his departure and the Israelites wholly set at liberty But euen as a piece of Ordinance being discharged it is too late and in vaine to wish it may not hurt where it lighteth so Balaam had put that in the head of Balak before hee departed and tooke his farewell which was a snare vnto the people of God whereby it came to passe that he hurt more being absent then he could hurt present and wounded them being further off whom he could not strike neere at hand For he annoyed theÌ„ with this counsell that could not touch them with his coniuring sowed that seed whereof sprung vp so plentifull an haruest that albeit he were gone yet his aduice remained and cast forth such a stinking breath and filthy sauour as smelled rankly in the nostrhils of God and infected greatly the people against whom it was plotted and contriued Now wee haue noted before chap. 24 14. that this was the crafty and diuellish deuice of this sorcerer when hee saw hee could not curse and bewitch them to entice them to whoredome to eate of things sacrificed to Idols reproued by the Apostle 1 Corinth 10 14. and after to worship their false gods and the Idols of their owne inuention Balaam knew that Gods fauour was a sure defence against all inuasion of enemies hee knew that sinne leaueth vs naked of Gods protection bringeth in the flouds of his vengeance vpon vs. This wicked wretch knew that they could not be plagued and brought vnder vnlesse theyr God were offended with them whose fauour and friendship is a wall of brasse and as armor of proofe that no weapon can pierce it no engine can batter it no force can make a breach to enter vpon it But when we sinne against him we are stripped of our armour and are left open to all violence Exod. 32 25. This is such a principle as was not vnknowne to the vnbeleeuers Iudith 5 20 21. And thus did Balaam teach Balak to lay a stumbling blocke before Israel to prouoke and entice them to sinne against God by setting before them the beautifull women which might allure them to fornication and draw them to Idolatry by inuiting them to theyr Idoll-feasts and bringing them into theyr Idoll-temples which thing we see heere to come to passe For the childreÌ„ of Israel did commit fornication with the daughters of Moab they went to theyr sacrifices worshipped Baal-Peor Psal 106 28 29. did eate the sacrifices of the dead and prouoked God with theyr owne inuentions as t e Psalmist teacheth In the former part of this booke we haue seene how through famine and wearinesse and want of waters they fell to murmuring impatiently and vnthankfully against God Now hauing passed ouer all these disaduantages discommodities and being entred into part of the Country where some of the Tribes had â—heyr habitation Possessing Cities that they builded not Fields that they sowed not Vineyards that they planted not houses that they filled not they fall from God through lustes and pleasures committing bodily and spirituall fornication with the daughters of Moab Deut. 6 10 11. Thus they are ouercome by allurements and enticements of
diuels Fish in the sea that is all soules in Purgatory Moreouer as this course of interpretation turneth the Scripture into Allegories so it ouerturneth the rules of Interpretation Saint Augustine in his famous bookes of Christian Doctrine handleth at large the manner how to expound the Scripture and what wayes are to be taken to find out the true meaning therof De doct chri lib. 1. 2 3 Hieron in Esai cap. 19 Where he teacheth that seeing the loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the whole Scripture that must be a false interpretation which doth not build vp in this loue that we must expound the darke places by the plaine the fewer by the greater number that the study of artes knowledge of the toongs is necessary that we must expound Scripture by Scripture that wee must distinguish betweene precepts precepts betweene those that are giuen to all and those that were particularly directed to certaine persons that we must diligently marke all circumstances what goeth before and what followeth after that we must pray vnto him that is the Author of the Scriptures who onely is able to reueale the meaning of his owne word These rules are diligently to be considered of al those that come to expound the Scriptures As for hidden and secret sences we know them not we acknowledge them not we beleeue them not but leaue them to those that seeke an hidden diuinity and a secret religion deuised in their owne braines which will not abide the tryall of the light And thus much touching the true vnderstanding of this diuision and of ouerthrowing the false interpretation thereof now let vs come to the Doctrines that arise out of the same Verse 16. Againe the Lord spake vnto Moses saying c. We heard before the heauy wrath of God that fell vpon the Israelites the heads of thē were hanged the rest of the people were plagued with a sore plague there died in one day foure and twenty thousand But did the Midianites escape the hand of God that were the enticers of them who offered theyr daughters that they should commit fornication with them No they did not escape God giueth Moses charge to draw the sword against them and to destroy them Heere then we are to obserue the order which God obserueth in punishing The Midianites sinned first but the Israelites are first punished The Israelites sinned after the Midianites but the Midianites are punished after them From this course of Gods iudgements Doctrine God doth first chasten his owne people wee learne this Doctrine that God first chasteneth his owne people Howsoeuer he will not suffer the vngodly to escape nor to goe away without punishment but executeth his iust iudgments against them yet he will begin with his owne Church lay the rod vpon them in the first place He could if it had pleased him haue punished these Midianites first as the principal authors of all this mischiefe but he beginneth in iustice with his Church which were drawne to idolatry and adultery by them Thus the Lord dealt with Moses and Aaron when the people murmured through want of water repented of their going out of Egypt and rebelling against God assembling themselues in tumultuous manner against the seruants of GOD that had led them in the wildernesse and carried them in safety as vpon Eagles wings These were the first and chiefe in the offence yet because Moses and Aaron beleeued not the Lord to sanctifie him in the presence of the children of Israel they were first punished and not suffered to bring the congregation into the land which hee had giuen them Num. 20 12. This wee see further confirmed vnto vs in the latter end of the booke of Iob he had indeed offended God and spoken vnaduisedly with his lippes but his three friends had offended much more grossely then he for the wrath of God was kindled against them because they had not spoken of him the thing that is right like his seruant Iob Iob 42 7. Neuerthelesse Iob is rebuked first albeit he were the party that had lesse offended First God findeth fault with Iob and secondly hee findeth fault with his companions The holy history teacheth vs that Iehoshaphat ioyned in affinity with Ahab and went into the battell with him True it is he sinned grieuously in helping the wicked and louing them that hated the Lord for the which he is reproued of the Prophet yet many good things were found in him and he was righteous in respect of Ahab 2. Chron. 19 1 notwithstanding the wrath of the Lord began first to fal vpon him and he had perished in the fight being compassed by his enemies vnlesse hee had cryed vnto the Lord to helpe him who moued them to depart from him 2 Chron. 18.31 This is it which the Prophet Ieremy declareth at large shewing the order of the Lords proceeding in punishing such as sinne against him first he will rayse vp the Caldeans to chastice his Church and then the Caldeans themselues shall not escape I will send and take to me all the families of the North and I will bring them against this Land against the inhabitants therof and this whole land shall bee desolate and an astonishment and these nations shall serue the King of Babel seuenty yeeres when the seuenty yeares are accomplished c. Ier. 25 9 11 12. This is it which the Prophet complaineth of in the Psalme These are the wicked yet prosper they alwayes and encrease in riches Certainely I haue cleansed my heart in vaine washed mine hands in innocency c. Psal 73 12 13. And if we consider eyther the state of the Church generally or the condition of the members of the Church particularly we may in all times and ages see the truth of this doctrine and conclude with the Apostle Peter The time is come that iudgment must begin with the house of God 1. Pet. 4 17. Reason 1 The reasons will further open vnto vs the certainty of this truth and serue to cleare the iustice of God in obseruing this order For first as hee that honoureth the Lord shall bee honoured so they that despise the Lord shall be despised 2. Sam. 2 30. But none more dishonour GOD then his seruants offending against him whose sinnes presse him downe as the sheaues do a cart They open the mouthes of the vngodly to speake euil of God and his trueth If then Gods owne people the lot of his inheritance doe despise him and cause his Name to be blasphemed if they neglect his honour and turne his mercies vnto security and his grace into wantonnesse and so with a proud heart and an high hand set themselues against it can he beare it and wil hee not be reuenged on such a nation as this 1. Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2 24. There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his owne children rise against him and offer all villany vnto him So
or not or another diuerse from it or whether any wise Athenian could precisely tell when and by what workman euery peece and parcell was patched and supplied vntill the old was wholly gone or when and at what time it ceased to bee that ship and became a new ship The Romane Religion is almost become like this shippe it hath bin patched and peeced at seuerall times by cunning workmen there is little or nothing remaining of the old ship wherein Peter fished I meane of that Church wherein they say Peter sate as Bishop one error succeeding another and one heresie making way for another vntill little faith truth is found among them Notwithstanding all the secret conueyances made in that Church it is not hard in very many particular points to shew the beginning proceeding and establishing of the same touching pardons and indulgences touching the Popes supremacy vsurped the Images of the Trinity and the beginning of Idoll worshippe touching the merit of workes forbidding of marriage The Masse one of the greatest Idols began not all at once but came to this height by degrees It were endlesse to name all that might be alledged and to shew how and by whom these points were resisted and the truth euermore defended Secondly this serueth to condemne the Vse 2 foolish practise of popish pilgrims who vndertake long and laborious iournies to Ierusalem and the land of Iudea or to this that Idoll and make it a meritorious worke to visite eyther the Sepulcher of our Lord or the Image of our Lady For albeit this Land haue bin heeretofore famous because the Law came from Sion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Eâ—â—y 2 3 and because Christ himselfe liued and preached and wrought many miracles there and it be oftentimes called The holy Land yet the presence of Christ infused no holines into it more then into any other place And all the Papists in the world shall neuer be able to prooue that it is more meritorious to goe to Ierusalem in a pilgrims weed then to go to Antioch or Ephesus or Constantinople or any other City in the East or West or that it is more acceptable to God or auaileable to the soule to trauaile thither then for the English to go to London or the French to Paris The house where the King resideth all the while he is there is an honourable house and there the Court lyeth but when the king is once remoued out of the house it is afterward neuer a whit the more honourable for the kings beeing there before so is it in this case albeit Christ in his life time and the daies of his flesh did many great works and wonders in it yet being ascended and the Christian religion also remoued there remaineth no more holines in that place then in any other and therefore it is great vanity and idolatry for any people to practise such impiety These are like to the Pilgrims among the Turkes Sarazens The turkish Pilgrims that go yearely with great shew of deuotion to Meccha to visite the Sepulcher of Mahomet and account it a work very meritorious The Cittie 's Gilgal and Beth-el were sometimes famous and renowned Cities yet true religioÌ„ being once remoued the Prophet chargeth the people not to come at them and to haue nothing to doe with them Hos 4 15. Hence it is that Christ saith Iohn 4 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth If then we may worship God with great benefit to our selues and as great glory to him in our owne Country I see no cause why we should resort to Ierusalem or go on pilgrimage to Rome or any other place forasmuch as we may lift vp pure hands euery where and be heard 1 Tim. 2 8. But thus these crafty workmen keepe the peoples heads busie with outward deuotions and shewes of holinesse that they may not espy their fraud and deceit in greater matters Lastly this teacheth all men how they may Vse 3 make themselues to bee of good name and their houses and habitations truely famous to wit by holinesse and true religion by faith repentance which are the ornaments of all Christians Thus shall the noble man make himselfe and his house truely noble If they worshippe God aright they shall haue true worship with God and man for he will honour them that honour him 1 Sam. chap. 2 verse 30 and without true religion the most noble blood is stayned and taynted and neuer restored since the treason and rebellion of Adam against God For that which maketh a man reprochfull or any place reprochfull is sinne and wickednesse which make our names rotte Prou 10 7. See then the difference betweene the iudgement of God and man Men do commonly magnifie Cities by the stately buildings goodly Monuments that are found in them but this is no true or well grounded fame the true praise and commendation of any City is the piety of the Citizens A well ordered Towne or City embracing zealously true religion The True praise commendation of a City and maintaining the worship of God in integrity drawing out the sword of iustice against vice and countenancing the faithfull in their godly courses is indeede a right famous and flourishing City Ierusalem the City of God and the praise of the world Psal 122 3 4 5. and 87 3 and 48 11 12 13 was neuer so famous for her buildings and stately Towers and outward magnificence as it was for the word and worship of God Wee see then heereby who they are that are the honor and ornament of Cities of Townes and of houses to wit such as honour God and are truely zealous and religious and likewise who are the shame and reproch the blot and blemish the dishonour and disgrace of them to wit such as are wicked and prophane Do we see a City or Towne or priuate house full of drunkards of blasphemers of light and lasciuious persons these are they that poure contempt vpon them and bring shame infamy vnto them Euery one therefore should be carefull to looke to their charges committed vnto them the Magistrate to gouerne the people the Minister to looke to the flock Ouer which the holy Ghost hath made him Ouerseer euery father and mother to haue an eye to their children and euery master and gouernor to looke to their seruants as their seuerall charges that their houses may not be houses of wickednes of riotousnes of deceit of cursing and euill speaking but rather the houses of God All men are ready to condemne the Ministers that are absent from their flockes and to call for residency at their hands but let these look also vpon themselues and consider the duties of their own callings Doubtlesse all Gouernors haue a certaine kinde of residency required at their hands All gouernors of houses haue a kinde of residency required at their hands and their presence is meete to be among them
Princes hold their Crownes and Scepters by the gift of God and therefore none but hee that gaue them can take them away from them They were accountable to him but to no mortall man whatsoeuer Ambros in his Apol. of Dauid chap. 10. and therefore Dauid saide To thee onely I haue sinned Psal 51 4. And this teacheth them a good lesson to remember that they must one day appeare before the iudgement seate of God and plead before his barre guilty or not guilty as now their subiects doe before them This then is the Regall tenour to hold immediatly from God to whom they must doe homage and fealty for their Crownes and Kingdomes It is not vnknowne what exorbitant courses the Bishop of Rome hath taken exalting himselfe from a Christian Pastour to bee an Antichristian Pope and from a Pope to a temporall Prince and from a temporall Prince to be a supreme Monarch ouer all and to haue omnipotent power as a vice-god on earth Such Almain-leapes in good time there is good hope will breake his backe nay his necke and free the Christian world from his yoke and bondage worse a thousand times then the slauery of the Israelites in Egypt when God shall open the eyes of all Christian Princes to see his vsurped ambition dominion which God grant for the glory of his Name and the saluation of the poore people that are held in more thē Turkish captiuity Lastly we must acknowledge that Magistrates Vse 3 are of great necessity forasmuch as the end of their Office is the good and benefit of the people ouer whom they are placed Lam. 4 20. They serue as a comfortable shadow to preserue vs from the scorching fires of raging persecuters like the gourd of Ionah which came ouer his head to deliuer him from the heare of the Sunne Ionah 4 6 8 which serueth to condemne the Anabaptists which cannot abide any gouernment or gouernors whereas we must learne to pray for them and to be subiect vnto them which are the Lords Shepheards ouer his flocke without whom nothing is to be seene but miserable disorder confusion of all things Iudg. 18. For a Commonwealth without a Gouernor is as a body without an head as a shippe without a Pilot as an army without a Leader or as an house without a Ruler The losse of a good and godly Prince is a great losse and greatly to be lamented 2 Chron. 35 verse 24. Zach. 12 verse 11. CHAP. XXVIII 1. AND the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 2. Command the Children of Israel and say vnto them My offering and my bread for my sacrifices c. 3. And thou shalt say vnto them This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer vnto the Lord Two Lambes of the first yeare without spot day by day for a continuall burnt offering 4. The one Lambe shalt thou offer in the morning and the other Lambe shalt thou offer at euen 5. And a tenth part of an Ephah c. 6. It is a continuall burnt offering c. 7. And the drinke roffering c. 8. And the c. MOSES hauing set downe the numbering of the people proceedeth to handle the lawes vnder which they ought to be wherof some belong to Church-matters and some to the Common-wealth some sacred and some ciuill Such as are holy haue the first place and that worthily which order sheweth that the Common-wealth can neuer be well established vntill the Church be rightly ordered Doctrine The first and chiefe care is to be had of the Church and matters of religion The first and chiefe care is to be had of the Church and afterward of the ciuill state Commonwealth They begin at a wrong ende that begin with matters of policy as if a man should be very carefull to looke to the body but be carelesse of looking to the soule or should haue regard to the foote and vtterly neglect the head It was euermore the manner of the godly religious Kings of Iudah to beginne first with Church-matters and looking to religion and ordering the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments as wee see in Dauid Iehoshaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah So did Zerubbabel immediately after their return from captiuity as wee see in the booke of Ezra Reason 1 And no maruaile for true religion is the soule and life of the Commonwealth without this it cannot prosper and florish but is as a dead carkasse without life it may carry a goodly shew and seeme to promise peace perpetuity but it is not well grounded and will deceiue in the end witnesse the Monarchies of the world which all receiued theyr decaying and declining in theyr times seasons of which before chap. 3. Secondly true religion is that onely which instructeth all sorts in true obedience teacheth them to performe theyr duties which is the meanes to establish a Commonwealth to order it aright when euery one knoweth his standing and no man encrocheth vpon the calling of another and the contrary bringeth confusion Thirdly euery one is charged to seeke the glory of God aboue his owne good and to set vp him before our selues For as he wil not giue his glory to any other so we ought to take heed we do not rob him of it But when we haue the first care to establish matters of religion then we shew that we are zealous of his glory First then they are deceiued that thinke it Vse 1 enough to make lawes for preseruation of publike peace and tranquility that euery man may keep and enioy his owne that wrongs and iniuries may be suppressed and banished The cheefest care ought to bee of Gods seruice and worship otherwise our Common-wealths shall differ little or nothing from the states and gouernments of the heathen Heere then is a lesson for all Law-giuers if they desire to haue Christian Commonwealths to begin with Christian religion and looke to the Church and there lay a good foundation He that would build an house to stand against stormes and tempests that will beate against it and seeke to beare it downe will be sure to begin with the foundation make sure work there so such as desire to haue a flourishing Commonwealth and all estates as a goodly building to grow vp and prosper in it must make religion the foundation and then it shal be sure to stand because that is as a rocke that shall neuer fayle nor fall Vse 2 Secondly hereby also we may try our selues whether we belong to God or not if in the first place we regard duties of piety and godlinesse and be more carefull to feare God thē to feare man then we are truely religious and may assure our selues we are true members of the church We must make him our feare who is able to cast body and soule into hell Matth 10 rather then man who can but kill the body if kill the body Iohn 19. Let euery one of vs therefore bee more
then to keepe the dayes they thought it enough to leaue the works of theyr calling though they did neuer forsake the works of the flesh and therefore he chargeth them that their hands were full of blood verse 15. So is it with vs we rest for the most part in the outward ceremony in honouring God with our lippes and bodily presence in his house we bring no more but our outward eares to heare and neglect the preparation of the heart and yet flatter our selues as if we had done all that he requireth Howbeit God reiecteth and refuseth such duty at our hands hee cannot abide the seruice and sacrifice that is offered in this manner Hence it is that he saith I hate I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies though yee offer mee burnt offerings and your meate offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fatte beasts Amos chapter the fift the 21 and 22 verses Not that almighty GOD hated or abhorred the thinges themselues hee did not reiect their works but the euill of their works Esay chapter 1 verse 16 so he cannot abide that we come before him in that corrupt manner but we assemble for the worse and not for the better and by our corruption turne his sauing ordinances into sinne 16 And in the fourteenth day of the first moneth is the Passeouer of the Lord. 17 And in the fifteenth day of this moneth is the feast seuen daies shall vnleauened bread be eaten 18 In the first day shall be an holy conuocation c. 19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by sire for a burnt offring vnto the Lord two young Bullocks one Ramme and seuen Lambes of a yeere old c. 20 And their meate offering shall be of c. 21 A seuerall tenth deale c. 22 And one Goat for a sinne offering c. 23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning c. After this maner c. 25 An on c. Wee come now to the yearely feasts and sacrifices whereof the Passeouer hath the first place wherein beside the dayly sacrifice they were to offer two young Bullocks and one Ramme and seuen Lambs of the first yeare without blemish for a burnt offering and their meat offering must be of flower mingled with oyle and they must eate vnleauened bread seuen dayes the first day the seuenth must be an holy conuocation wherein they must do no seruile worke Of this feast wee reade at large Exod. 12 18. Leuit. 23 5 7. Deut. 16 1. Of this feast we haue also spoken before at large chap. 9 2 3. And it was of great importance euen the foundation of all the benefits which the Iewes receyued at Gods hands without which they had beene no people separated and dedicated vnto almighty God This Paschall Lambe was not a bare ceremony Vse 1 without doctrine and instruction The Iewes departed in great haste out of Egypt And how not armed or with bannners displayed as if theyr enemies had stood in feare of them but they went out like a company of poore fugitiues or banished persons The women carried theyr children vpon theyr shoulders the men tooke vp theyr stuffe vpon theyr necks and fled out of the Land as Lot did out of Sodome for theyr liues They were a people that had no skill to handle the sword or weapon of warre defensiue or offensiue they had beene vsed like Oxen for labor and like Asses for burden And when they must depart it was saide Get you hence Exod. 12 29 they must trusse vp the Corne they had grownd and bake cakes by the way to eate This solemnity they obserued yearely wherin they did eate cakes without leauen which serued to put them in minde that when theyr fathers departed out of Egypt they were a poore distressed people and ranne away like silly Lambes pursued by deuouring wolues This should teach all of vs that God would haue vs remember such deliuerances out of danger as he hath sent vs. We are apt to forget what he hath done for vs as the Iewes were and therefore we must consider to what end God commanded his people to celebrate this feast euery yeare that not for one day but for seuen dayes together and doth so often vrge it vpon them as we see in the Scriptures And albeit this feast haue no place in the new Testament but is iustly abrogated abolished because the shadow must giue place to the body and the ceremony to the truth yet wee must not thinke the commending of it euery where to the Church to bee in vaine For it serues to put vs in minde both of Gods mercy and goodnesse vnto his Church who though he bring them into sundry perils that are ready to oppresse them yet he is ready to deliuer them out of all yea when things seeme to bee most desperate and also of our duty toward him to giue him thankes for our deliuerances and to praise his Name Secondly from hence it followeth that it Vse 2 was a vaine and friuolous controuersie which troubled sundry Churches and rent in sunder one of them from another touching the keeping of the Passeouer Some would haue it kept on the 14. day of the moneth after the manner of the Iewes and others on the Lords day after lest the Church should follow the Synagogue Victor Bishop of Rome did threaten all the East Churches with the censure of excommunication because they celebrated the Passeouer another day then on the Lords day But Ireneus and other holy Bishops reproued him of obstinacy of pride and arrogancy wrote vnto him that he did not well in that he cut from the vnity of the body of the Church so many and so great Churches of Christ which obserued the order deliuered vnto them from ancient times as appeareth in Eusebius For the Churches of the East pretended that they followed Iohn and Philip and the Churches of the West alledged the examples of Paul and Peter for theyr warrant and one clayme was fully as good and haply as true as the other This strife doth the Bishop of Rome at this day nourish and renew againe that had bene long buried in the graue and couered with ashes by his new Calendar and thrusteth vpon the Church his owne ordinance concerning the obseruatiō of Easter as a diuine precept and consequently necessary to be kept and obserued of the Church vsurping iurisdiction and authority ouer all Churches to rule ouer them and their faith at his pleasure Cardinall Bellarmine going about to establish traditions against the all-sufficient doctrine of the Scriptures auoucheth that we must necessarily beleeue that the Passeouer is to be kept in the new Testament on the Lords day onely because they haue bene accounted heretikes who kept it otherwise and yet this cannot be proued by the Scripture I answer the former controuersie was at the last thus defined and
bound her soule 7 And her husband heard it and held his peace in the day when he heard it then her vowes shall stand c. Now Moses intreateth of such vowes as were made by those that are vnder the authority of others as children vnder their parents concerning which the father hath authority to disanull them Hereby the power of all parents is so magnified and aduanced that a vow made immediatly to God is frustrate there is a meere nullity of it except they confirme it They haue power to make it good and they haue power to make it voide Doctrine Great is the iurisdiction authority of parents ouer their children Heereby wee learne that great is the authority and iurisdiction of parents ouer their children by the Law of God and Nature The very heathen haue this truth shining in their hearts that parents are to be honoured and that their authority should be inuiolable Exod. 20 12. Eph. 6 1 2. Ierem. 35 6 7 8 c. Gen. 27 8 43. and 28. 2. When the father sayth Goe the child goeth when he sayth Arise he ariseth when he sayth Come he commeth Christ our Sauiour giueth testimony of his perfect obedience whom all both men and Angels stand bound to worship and to whom euery knee must bow of things in heauen of things in earth and of things vnder the earth Philip. 2 yet hee was subiect to his parents and went with them Luke 2.51 1. King 2.19 The reasons are euident Reason 1 First the precept of honouring parents hath the first place in the second Table and is set before all other so that next vnto GOD we are bound to reuerence them to whom we are most bound and it is the foundation and band of obedience to all the rest of the commandements that follow For if men doe not stand in awe of the Magistrate the father of the Common-wealth and the Captaine of the people all the other would soone be violated 2 Kings 20 5. Againe the Apostle teacheth that this is the first Commandement with promise Eph. 6 2 it hath a speciall promised annexed of long life Thirdly children receiue great and manifold blessings from the hands of theyr parents and gouernours and likewise are freed from many euils and dangers that otherwise they might fall into Fourthly patents giue life and breath and beeing after a sort vnto them for children receiue all these from thē Fiftly parents are honoured by sundry titles and names the which are giuen to God himselfe Matth. 23.9 One is your father which is in heauen therefore call no man your father vpon earth Obiect 1 Touching this impregnable and inuincible truth sundry questions may be asked and diuers doubts to be remooued As first seeing their authority is so great why doeth our Sauiour speake of hating father and mother as Luke 14 26 If any man come to me and do not hate his father and mother he cannot be my disciple Answ I answer Christ speaketh in that place comparatiuely that is wee must not regard them in respect of himselfe whom wee ought to loue aboue all and so it is expounded Mathew 10 37 Hee that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me To loue our parents next after GOD is piety but to loue them more then God is impiety Wee hate them therefore when we loue them lesse then God in comparison of whom we should hate our liues Obiect 2 Secondly Christ forbiddeth vs to call any man father as we haue heard before Matth. 23. Answ I answere Christ condemneth not the name or appellation giuen to men simply for then he should be contrary to himselfe where he alloweth the title to earthly fathers Math. 7 9. Marke 7 11 and the Apostle should bee contrary to his master 1 Cor. 4 15. Therefore he meaneth that no man is or can be our Father as God is to wit that we should trust in them and make them the authors of our life and the giuers of all good things that come vnto vs. Obiect 3 Thirdly what if our parents be euil persons and vngodly ought we then to obey them yeelde vnto their authority who are by their wickednesse vnworthy thereof Answ I answer It skilleth not whether they bee good or euill touching our obedience For euill parents are our parents and euill Magistrates are Magistrates and euill Ministers are Ministers Seruants are commanded to bee subiect to theyr masters not onely vnto them that are good and gentle but to them that are froward 1 Peter 2 18 so ought children to yeeld obedience vnto their fathers though they be euill Hence it is that God saith generally in the Law Honour thy father and mother not honor them when they are good onely But it will be farther obiected What if they Obiect 4 be excommunicate persons may they then be obeyed or should children then do any dutie to their parents and is not that to set light by that censure I answer Answer Excommunication rightly vsed is indeede the most greeuous iudgement that can bee inflicted in this life both in respect of the soule and of the bodie and is as it were the messenger of death It is a great punishment to be banished from a well ordered City much more to be thrust out of the Church which is the Common-wealth of God and of his Son Christ Dauid did greatly lament his estate and condition when hee wanted the holy assemblies of the faithfull among the Infidels and could not come into the presence of God with his people and did thinke himself driuen away from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord 1 Sam. 26 19. Who would not tremble and be afraid to bee deliuered vp vnto Satan 1 Cor. 5 6. the enemie of God The children of Israel were deliuered ouer to Nebucadnezzar and other wicked tyrants to be afflicted and they bewailed exceedingly such bodily captiuity Psalme 137 1 2 how much more fearful then ought the excōmunicate person to esteeme it to be deliuered vp not to wicked and vngodly men but to satan himselfe The prince that ruleth in the hart of the children of disobedience Notwithstanding all fellowshippe and familiarity with them is not denyed to vs. It is lawfull for the family to conuerse with the gouernors of the family though they be excommunicate persons The wife may not deny due beneuolence nor the childe dutifull obedience if he bid them go they must goe or to come they must come neither are they by such behauiour culpeable or guilty of their sinne of which we see more before chap. 5. Fourthly if the sonne be a Magistrate Obiect 5 the father a priuate man it may bee demanded whether he be to yeeld obedience to his father I answer Answ though the father must obey the sonne as hee is a Magistrate yet in another respect the sonne must obey the father as he is the father so that neytner is the sonne to bee depriued of the honour and
two points First The contents of this chapt the seuerall mansions and stations where the Israelites rested and stayed Secondly a law and commandement how they should behaue themselues toward the Canaanites and how their land should be diuided among thē Touching the first that is theyr iournies in the Wildernesse it is set downe generally v. 1 and 2. and then particularly how God led them from place to place first he noteth the place from whence they went till they came to the red sea afterward notwithstanding theyr often infirmities and fallings from God he brought them in despite of their enemies and all opposition of flesh and blood to the borders of the Land which many of the faithfull before them desired to see but did not see it onely they beleeued the promise in theyr heart The people of God had long bene deteyned in slauery and bondage now GOD brought them forth with a mighty hand and an out-stretched arme killing all the first born of Egypt and destroying their Idols in which they trusted whereupon the Egyptians were striken with such a sudden astonishment and amazement that they were not able to resist and withstand the Israelites but were compelled to open them a free passage to depart Thus thē they went out early in the morning hauing eaten the Paschall Lambe the euening before they had liued many yeares in great heauinesse and endured many tentations in the Land of Egypt but they go out thence with their young and with their olde with their sonnes and with their daughters with their flocks and with their heards in great ioy much comfort of heart so that they might say with the Prophet Psal 126 1 2. When the Lord turned againe the captiuity of Sion wee were like them that dreame then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing then saide they among the heathen The Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we are glad Thus doth the Lord turne the ioy of the wicked into heauinesse and contrariwise the heauinesse of his children into ioyfulnesse This teacheth vs Doctrine The Church is preserued from all dangers and deliuered from bondage that God preserueth his Church in the midst of dangers when it wanteth humane defence and protection and deliuereth it out of bondage and slauery wherein it is holden Exod. 12 22. Ezek. 9 6. True it is God doth many times giue ouer his people to serue hard masters and to suffer many calamities for a time yet in the end he deliuereth them when they call vpon him Ier. 25 11 12. Mic. 2 10. This truth standeth vpon good grounds Reason 1 For first when he deliuereth them into the enemies hands he doth it to correct them and not to corrupt them to bring them the neerer vnto him not to cast them farther off from him wherby it appeareth that he hath a purpose and meaning to redeeme them and to bring them out of their hands Secondly God will neuer cast off his people he loueth them with an vnchangeable loue and therefore will accept them and receiue them vpon their repentance and humiliation He hath a speciall feeling of their miseries and therfore he will giue them deliuerance Thirdly God will magnifie his owne mercy and power toward his people by giuing them deliuerance It would haue beene a great dishonour to the great Name of God if he had suffered the Egyptians to hold their rodde euermore ouer the Israelites and the loynes of his people to be clasped and compassed therewith therfore to shew his mercy and power toward them to magnifie his owne honour he sent them deliuerance and brought them out of that horrible seruitude and captiuity Vse 1 This gracious dealing of God admonisheth the enemies of God into whose hands hee hath for a time deliuered his people to bee Lords ouer them not too much to tyrannize and triumph ouer them because howsoeuer God suffer them to bee vnder their power for a while that they lift vp their hands against them and trample them vnder their feete yet the Lord will not forget eyther to bee iust or mercifull he will take them out of the snare of the hunter and the more they haue insulted ouer them in the pride of their harts the greater shall be their deliuerance yea their deliuerance shall bee the cause of the destruction of these enemies Thus did Moses speake to the Israelites These Egiptians which yee haue seene ye shall neuer see them againe any more for euer Exod. 14 13. So then we may conclude the wofull and wretched condition of all the Churches enemies because albeit they seeme for a time to be as it were Lords of the earth and to haue power in themselues to doe what pleaseth them yet their turne shal be the next and their destruction sleepeth not For when the Israelites were deliuered out of the hands of the Egyptians that were cruell masters ouer them it was not onely the cause of their shame but of their destruction also as appeareth in the death of all the first borne and in that hee drowned Pharaoh and his host in the red sea so that these things being duely considered the wicked haue no cause at all to triumph and insult ouer the children of GOD when they haue gotten them in subection vnder them Secondly this teacheth euery soule that Vse 2 belongeth to God if he fall into this captiuity and estate to be ruled by cruell Lords that they should suffer it with all patience this is but for a while Heauines may abide at euening but ioy cometh in the morning Psal 30 for God will surely deliuer them What though the bondage bee sharpe and bitter yet this must be their comfort they shall haue deliuerance out of all and ought to nourish such hope in them that although they see no meanes of deliuerance yet they must looke vp to God and waite his leysure and in the ende they are sure of an happy yssue Exod. 3 9. God neuer afflicteth vs without iust cause and therefore we should looke vpon our selues and search our owne hearts and labour to beare patiently our afflictions whatsoeuer they be whether they come before or after repentance For doubtles whosoeuer shal search his owne wayes shal not onely finde that God hath bin iust in punishing his sinnes but that hee hath also bene mercifull in not laying greater iudgments vpon him as iustly he might haue done and therefore hee ought not to murmure against him but patiently to beare his hand knowing that the greatest punishments that almighty God inflicteth vpon vs are nothing so great as those which wee haue deserued at his hands Thirdly we ought all to labour to be members Vse 3 of the true Church that so these priuiledges may belong vnto vs. It is a very great honour to liue vnder Gods protection and to abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty If we be deliuered at any time
of Rome did dispense with King Henry the eight to marry Katherine his late brothers wife So Philip the second Duke of Burgundy had a dispensation to marry his vncles wife as Ferdinand King of Naples had the like to marry his own aunt Thus hee that hath brought Kings and Princes vnder his feete chalengeth authority aboue the Scriptures and taketh vpon him to dispense with the word of God and thereby vsurpeth power aboue GOD and his word For this is one of their owne rules In praecepto superioris non debet dispensare inferior that is The inferiour may not dispense with the commandement of the superior Anton. part 3. tit 22. cap. 6. If then the Pope dispense with the lawes of God doth he not make himselfe aboue God and is not this the Antichrist or shall we foolishly looke for any other Can any thing be more filthy and vile then incest and yet hee hath not spared for filthy lucre to tollerate and allow that in the Church which the Philosopher Plato an heathen man was ashamed off in his commonwealth lib. 8. de leg For he dispensed with Philip the second late king of Spaine to marry his owne Neece Pope Martin the fift dispensed with a certain brother that married his owne sister Nay Clement the seuenth for a great summe of money licensed Peter Aluaradus a spaniard to marry two sisters at once Thus also he dispensed with Emanuel king of Portugall against the law of God to marry two sisters as Osorius testifieth Dereb gest Emanuel lib. 2. therby verifying the saying of the Apostle 2 Thess 2 4 that the man of sinne shall oppose and exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God These marriages did GOD hate and punish in the Gentiles and for the foulenesse and filthinesse of them did God spew out the Canaanites Deut. 18 24. Thus Iohn Baptist telleth Herod that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Math. 14 4 so that the former lawes were in force in the time of Christ as well as in the dayes of Moses Againe the Apostle reprooueth the incestuous person among the Corinthians that had taken his fathers wife 1 Cor. 5 1. therefore the former lawes remained firme vnder the Gospel as well as vnder the law and hee sheweth that such fornication is not so much as named much lesse practised among the Gentiles and therefore he willeth him to bee excommunicated from the Church where was this forbidden but in the Law of Moses But to leaue this point at the present as impertinent let vs consider the degree wee haue in hand how the Popish Canons and constitutions do restraine it True it is sundry Councels in former times debarred the first degree of cousins to the intent the diuine prohibition might bee kept with the more regard and reuerence and others afterward added thereunto cousens in the second degree But when the Roman Antichrist sate in the Temple of God and had brought both Kings and Councels vnder his checke commandment then he began to domineere and all cousens to the seuenth degree were forbidden But because this was thought too hard and to sauour of couetousnesse and cruelty ioyned with pride and presumption it was brought at length in the time of Innocentius the third to the fourth degree and sod take it the matter standeth vnto this day that the Canons forbid foure degrees from coufen germans as vnlawfull But the reason which they vse is no lesse sophisticall then the law it selfe tyrannical drawne forsooth from the proportion of the foure physicall humors in mans body But what haue we to do with the Canons of this ambitious man sitting in mens consciences and ruling ouer their faith who haue turned out that beast to grasse long ago Or why should we make any reckoning or account of his supereminent and omnipotent power which he claymeth in his dispensations allowing that which God disalloweth and disallowing that which he alloweth Thus hee playeth fast and loose with the law of God as luglers do to deceiue For if the lawes of God cannot binde him why should his papall lawes binde vs and our consciences The Collegiats of Doway in their hereticall Annotations vpon Leuiticus The divinity of the divines of Doway set forth in their late translation of the old Testament are not ashamed to maintaine this assertion that all mariages in the right line and in collaterall the first degree as betweene the brother and sister are onely forbidden by the law of nature and that all other degrees depend vpon positiue lawes which haue beene and may be altered which opinion how grosse vile it is we haue before declared So then I will conclude with the saying of Beza in his 8. Sermon vpon the Cant. Touching the obseruation of holy mariage I will not stay any longer in this horrible filthy stench which neyther the Sunne can abide to see nor the darknesse of the night can couer nor the earth beare and endure Alasse O Lord how long Secondly this reproueth all such as not onely Vse 2 discourage from this marriage but dare condemne it both as impious and incestuous Others that dare not go so farre yet seeme to dislike thereof as comprised in those degrees mentioned in Leuiticus by an analogy or proportion howbeit they holde also that such mariages are not to be dissolued and that the issue of such mariages are not to bee accounted illegitimate And they make a comparison betweene these and the mariage of those that neglect the consent of their parents who may continue together if they confesse their errour do not iustifie their fact so such as are maried in this degree of consanguinity eyther ignorantly or doubtfully may vpon repentance of their error finde comfort But from hence it will follow that such as do not acknowledge any error or goe about to defend such marriages as being perswaded they are consonant to the word of God cannot find comfort nor assure themselues they may lawfully haue the cōpany one of another but stand endighted by the law if not of incest yet of a great sin against God Againe I would gladly vnderstand what breach can bee committed within the degrees forbidden which may not iustly be accounted incest Lastly wheras it is obiected that the vnkles wife which is expresly forbidden seemeth to bee as neere as the vncles son the one being of affinity the other of consanguinity it will follow from hence that all the repentance in the world cannot help nor serue to giue comfort to the mariage of cousen germans For let a man liue in incest and marry any of the degrees expressed in the law wee must know that to liue in the sinne and to repent of the sin are contrary one to the other As for example if I marry my vncles wife and afterward vnderstand I haue done against
earnest and importunate with Iethro who as he was a man of great yeares and much experience and of no lesse iudgment vnderstanding which appeareth by his counsell that he gaue to Moses for the appointing of Iudges ouer the people so he was a fit and perfect guide in all those quarters himselfe inhabiting on the frontiers thereof at Midian What was the answer and issue of this request of Moses Intepreters are diuided doe much vary about it as also who this Hobab was and whether he yeelded to this motion or not I assent to those that take it to be Iethro and albeit it may seeme at the first sight by that which we reade Exod. 18 Exod. 18 â— Iudg. 1 16 â— 4 11 1 Saâ— 15 6. 1 Kâ—â— 10 15. 1 Chr. 2 55 Ieremy 35. and in this chap. that he yeelded not but returned backe into his owne country yet because it appeareth by diuers other places of Scripture that the posterity of this Hobab wer mingled with the Israelites and had that reward which Moses heere promiseth it is most probable and lâ—kely that this his returne backe mentioned in Exodus was rather to fetch away his family and to take his leaue of his owne country by setting things in order theÌ„ with a purpose to abide there 1 Ki. 19 20. like to the departure of Elisha from Eliah But whether this Hobab were Iethro himselfe or his son or whether in his own person he returned we leaue in doubt howbeit these two things are builded vpon certainty that Iethro did go backe againe that his posterity came afterward to the Israelites But why doth he so vehemently desire to haue this Hobab the guide of their way Obiect was not the all-seeing eie of God sufficient vnto them had not he promised to conduct them and had they not the pillar of the Cloud to go before them It is true Answer yet humane helps wheÌ„ they may be had and God offreth them vnto our hands are not to be neglected The vsing of lawfull means doth not oppose or confront the prouidence of God For faith standeth well with lawfull meanes Nay it is rather a signe of infidelity tempting of God to cast away such helpes and furtherances as we may obtaine and to boast of onely faith in God in the pride of our hearts True it is we must not put our trust in men whose breath is in their nostrils nor depend vpon the meanes as our chiefest confidence but in the liuing God lest we set vp men and meanes as Idols and offer sacrifice vnto them Therefore it is the duty of the faithfull to vse such meanes as God giueth them for their good Indeed he can work without meanes but we must attend vnto his will not stand vpon his naked power without his will But of this afterward Doctriâ—â— There câ—â— to be a câ—â—munion 〈◊〉 earthly â—â—â—sings The point which heere I will obserue is from the offer that Moses maketh to Hobab who might be instead of eies vnto them because he was skilfull in al the parts places through which they shold passe he was well acquainted with those deserts and knew what commodities and discommodities they should meet with in the wildernes if he would be partakers with them in the sowre he should aso enioy the sweet and he should haue his part in the blessings that God should bestow if he would impart vnto them the benefit of his knowledge and therfore there ought to be a communion of earthly things among all those that professe the same faith and religion In the primitiue Church no man accounted any thing his owne no man kept the temporall blessings of this life to his owne vse onely but they had all things common Act. 4.32 neither was there any among them that lacked verse 34. Thus doth Iohn Baptist teach the people that came to his baptisme He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none and hee that hath meat let him doe likewise Luke 4.11 So dealt the widow of Sarepta toward Eliah she had onely an handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruse 1 King 17.12 yet euen of that little pittance she made a cake for the Prophet verse 15. So it was with Iob as he sheweth in the defence of his owne innocency and integrity chap. 31. he withheld not the poore from their desire ver 16. he did not cate his morsels himselfe alone but the fatherlesse and widdow did eat thereof ver 17. he saw none to perish for want of clothing or any poore without couering ver 19. therefore hee did distribute to the necessity of the Saints Rom. 12.13 and was giuen to hospitality Reason 1 For the whole multitude of them that beleeue are of one heart and of one soule Act. 4.32 As they haue but one faith so they haue one desire to glorifie God and to honor him as if they were but one man Secondly we are one flesh Esay 58.7 therefore to deale our bread to the hungry is to feed our selues to bring the poore home that are cast out of their houses is to harbor our selues to couer the naked is to clothe our selues We are members one of another as parts of the same body whereof Christ is the head and therefore it cannot be but we must haue a compassion and fellow feeling of the wants and necessities one of another 1 Cor. 12.26 Rom. 12.5 Wee must be like affectioned one to another Vse 1 This serueth for reproofe For we haue many that appropriate vnto themselues that which God hath giuen or lent vnto them for the good of others It is noted as the speech of couetous Nabal to say Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I know not whence they be 1 Sam. 25.11 The like is the speech of Laban as couetous as he Gen. 31.43 These daughters are my daughters and these children are my children and these cattell are my cattell and all that thou seest is mine Wee are taught in the Lords prayer to call it our bread and not my bread It is remembred of the leapers that they entred into some of the tents of the Syrians who had forsaken them and did eat and drinke and carried thence siluer and gold and raiment hiding the same to their owne vses only 2 Kin. 7.8 howbeit they by and by recal themselues and say one to another We doe not well this day is a day of good tidings and we hold our peace c. Now therefore come that we may tel the kings houshold So should it be with such as haue gotten this worlds good not prouide for themselues onely but haue respect vnto others Secondly such are iustly to be accused as contemne those that are in pouerty who cannot abide them or are ashamed of them and think themselues disgraced by theÌ„ Let such take heed lest
God also be ashamed of them Prou. 22 2. The rich and poore meet together saith Salomon the Lord is the maker of them all And againe Who so mocketh the poore Prou. 17.5 reprocheth his maker and he that is glad at calamity shall not be vnpunished It is a fearefull sinne for any to presume to mocke his Creator and euery one would be ashamed to be so accounted howbeit they cannot auoide it but are iustly taxed with this crime Little doe these consider the vncertainty of all humane things how one is exalted another cast down suddenly that God often chuseth such as the world reiecteth and on the other side they are an abomination vnto him who are highly esteemed in the eyes of men Iam. 2.5 1 Cor. 1.26 Mat. 11.5 Thirdly they are reproued that repine at the good estate of others whereas we should be ready to communicate vnto them and not thinke they haue too much already Such were the labourâ—rs that wrought in the Vineyard who had no lesse then was their bargaine yet they thought others had too much Matth. 20.12 13 14 15. Lastly it reprooueth such as doe wrong and iniury to those that haue little and small meanes to withstand violence so that they lie open to iniuries and oppressions and therefore Salomon saith Rob not the poore Prou. 22.22 because hee is poore neither oppresse the afflicted in iudgement for the Lord will defend their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoile them True charity seeketh not her owne but the good of others Secondly it is our duty to releeue and refresh Vse 2 with our goods the poore estate of our needy brethren The example of the pitiful Samaritane leadeth to the practise of this point For when he saw the poore traueller lie robbed and wounded in the way by mercilesse and bloody theeues Luke 10.33 he bound vp his wound he powred wine and oyle into them and gaue direction to haue him looked vnto and wel prouided for though they were strangers the one to the other The Priest and Leuite passe by him and regarded him not in his misery and necessity as if they had not seen him The Lord hath made vs stewards of the things of this life we must giue an account of the vse and imployment of them Whatsoeuer goods we haue are the Lords to whom the earth and the whole furniture of it belongeth and he hath bestowed them vpon vs on this condition that we should despense them to those that haue need and distribute them to such as are in want Hinderances of liberality To this as we haue many hinderances so wee haue also sundry encouragements which ought to weigh downe the former One cause pulling vs backe from the practise of liberality is a false opinion that we conceiue and weake ground that we build vpon namely that the goods which we haue whether left by inheritance or otherwise purchased are wholly and solely our owne left to our own wil. For we must all confesse that we haue our masters goods in our hands We are Stewards and must giue vp our accounts Luke 16 2. The first Christians professing the same communion of Saints thought nothing they had to be their owne but these will not let goe their hold perswading themselues that all is their owne Othâ—â—â— are hindred by a vaine needlesse feare that themselues shall want or at leastwise may want before they die This conceit proceedeth from distrust and sauoureth ranckly of infidelity For if they did beleeue the Scriptures or durst relie themselues vpon the sure word and gracious promise of God they would finde that liberality is the way to abound not a meanes to bring any to want as Prou. 19 17. and 28 27. Psal 37 25. No man feareth to lend a rich man that standeth vpon his word but he which hath pitty vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord and that which he hath giuen shall he pay to him againe God becometh surety for the poore who neuer falsified his word to any that which they cannot he both can and will pay let vs not feare to lose by our liberality so long as he is become our paymaster A third sort are hindred by an idle and friuolous pretence that they haue families and charges of their owne they haue wife and children to prouide for Had not thinke you the first Christians so likewise Might not they haue as faire excuses to hinder them as these Yet they shrunke not vnder the burden though it lay heauy vpon their shoulders but they sold that which they had Acts 4. and 5. and made it common so farre as the necessity of the Church required it Others will replie say Alasse I am poore my selfe and haue but a little and therefore can giue no releefe or refreshing to others Let such consider the poore widowes mite Luke 21 4. Was not she poore had she not a meane estate God accepteth a willing minde where there is not a wealthy man 2 Cor. 8. All that do not receiue should giue euen all â—hat are not in need Eph. 4 28. as the labouring man that getteth his liuing with his labour the seruant that taketh wages who hath none to prouide for but for himselfe and the poore These are oftentimes very liberall nothing sparing of their masters goods but will giue nothing of their owne This is rather stealing then giuing and deserueth the title of robbery then of charity or liberality Lastly others alledge that the poore are oftentimes lewd wicked idle and vnthankfull True it is none are to be maintained in an idle course of life punish them for their idlenesse but releeue them in their needinesse If they be loose and lewd this may be a meanes to make them much better and more thankfull for thereby we shall heape coales of fire vpon their head The Apostle after a sharpe reproofe of idle persons 2 Th. 3 13 saith Bee not weary of well-doing And though it fall out that the tongues of the poore curse vs yet their loines shall blesse vs Iob 31 20. and their owne hearts consciences shall conuince them And hence it is that the wise man commandeth vs Eccl. 10 1 to cast our bread vpon the waters because though it seeme vtterly lost as if we should plow the barren sands yet after many dayes we shall finde it These are the chiefe discouragements which as stones of offence lie in our way to stoppe the course of liberality On the other side Encouragâ—ments to â—â—rality we haue many good encouragements to helpe vs forward to this duty First it hath a promise of great blessing annexed vnto it made by him from whom all blessing commeth as we noted before He will not suffer so much as a cup of cold water to goe vnrewarded Math. 10 42. Againe how highly Christ accepteth of it appeareth heereby that he accounteth of it as done vnto himselfe Mat. 25 40.
nothing Another sort seeing the Ministery so vilified and seeking to shun that rocke do rush and dash themselues violently against another for they giue almost no reuerence at all to the Liturgie neither care to affoord vs their presence at the same But we must walke in the golden meane betweene both these giuing to each that which is meete without comparing the one to the other and so yeelde obedience to both In the one God speaketh to vs in the other we speake to God The Wiseman handling them both beginneth with the preaching and hearing of the word as the most principall part of Gods worship and afterwards he proceedeth to prescribe rules of praier Eccl 4 5. Acts 2 42. So the church is saide to haue continued in the Apostles doctrine in prayers They then deceiue themselues that vnder a pretence of receiuing the prayers of the church do contemne the Ministery of the word and think they haue done enough if they haue bin present at them saying We haue godly praiers published and set forth by commaÌ„dement of the Prince why cannot men bee contented with them These speake through hypocrisy and would seeme zealous of publike prayers howbeit they are like to Iudas he cried out against the waste of the ointment as if it might haue bin better bestowed vpon the poore He seemed very carefull of the good of the poor but hee spake this not that he cared for the poore but because he was a theefe and bare the bag Ioh. 12 6 So do these men talk much of prayers as if they were so zelous that they were altogether giuen to prayer howbeit they do not this for any zeale to prayer or for any great care they haue to frequent theÌ„ but thereby to seeke a couer for their owne negligence in hearing the word Such as liue vnder an vnpreaching Ministery thinke themselues well enough when as notwithstanding they want a chiefe and principal part of Gods seruice the ordinary meanes of saluation Ro. 10. Iam. 1. On the other side such as ascribe al to preaching and regard not the prayers of the Church are blame-worthy this must be done but the other must not be left vndone It is the office of the Ministery to perform both Act. 6. and the duty of the people to bee present at both yet great is their negligence this way if not contempt Vse 3 Lastly from hence ariseth great comfort to such as are weake in faith and in the giftes of faith For God will not reiect vs or our prayers though we be not able to performe them as we ought to do Albeit we come vnto him halting and borne by others yet he will embrace vs and receiue vs. This may bee a notable motiue to encorage vs to this duty Christ hath promised that he will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede Math 12 20. Blessed are they that come to him creep on hand and foote if they cannot walâ—e vpright but woe vnto them that come not at al. If wee haue but a graine of Mustard seede of faith he cherisheth it and accepteth of vs. Let vs therefore come vnto him by prayer howsoeuer we come by our selues or by others forasmuch as our comming to him shall haue a reward See more of this before chap. 6. Rise vp O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flie before thee This is the prayer made when they began to march This prayer is short but it is verie effectuall The summe and substance is to commend vnto God the good and preseruation of the church from the many enemies of it As if he had saide O merciful God which hast promised thy presence among vs go thou before vs and scatter thine and our enemies put theÌ„ to flight which seeke to stop our way and to hinder vs from entering into the land of Canaan which thou hast promised vnto vs. The prayer consisteth of two parts a cause and the effect The cause is Gods arising to the defence of his seruants wherein he speaketh after the maner of men because properly God neither riseth vp nor sitteth downe as also he neither slumbreth nor sleepeth Psal 121 4. But it is spoken in regard of a new worke whereby he manifesteth his help to be ready at hand and sheweth that he shrinketh not backe in time of neede from those that are his Sometimes he is saide to lie still and to be as it were asleep when he doth beare with patience Illyr câ—au Sâ— and suffer the wicked to rage and run on against the righteous and against religion so when he beginneth to take the cause into his owne hand both by defending his children and maintaining his owne glory against the wicked hee is saide to arise and stand vp Esay 2 21. as 2 Chro. 6 41. Psa 44 23. 82 8. 132 8. The reason of the speech is borrowed from men who can do no work of any moment or account while they lye still but if they wil go in hand with any thing they must rise vp The effect of his arising is the scattering of his enemies If he once arise to the help of his people then followeth quickly the fall of his enemies If he fight for them They shall flye before him as chaffe before the wind and as wax melteth before the fire so the wicked perish at the presence of God Psa 68.2 We might note from hence that when once God sheweth himselfe for his people the enemies are quickly put to flight Exod. 14. When Pharao pursued the Israelites and ouertooke them at the redde sea and that their hearts began to faile and fall away to be troubled and as it were to melte away Moses said vnto them Feare not stand stil and see the saluation of the Lord which he shal shew you this day 13. The Lord shal fight for you and you shal hold your peace 14. Deut. 28 7. and Ro. 8 31. If the Lord be on our sides who shal be against vs This is a great comfort to the Church 2. Chro. 15 2. The Lord is with vs if we bee with him Againe let euery faithful soule apply this to himself and gather assurance by it to stand vnmoueable vnder the shadow of the almighty Lastly it noteth out the wretched miserable condition of the enemies of God and of his children for when they thinke to arise God wil giue them a sodain and shameful fal But I onely point out this point and proceed to the consideration of the titles which Moses giueth to the vngodly â—â—â—â—rine he calleth them the enemies of God â—â—e wicâ—â—â—â—e Gods â—â—i s and â—â—â—â—m such as hate him So then obserue that al wicked men are vtter enemies to God they hate him they abhorre him they cannot abide him They say in their hearts There is no God Psal 14 1. God hath forgotten he hideth his face hee will not require it Ps
10 11 13. The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it Psal 94 7. Depart froÌ„ vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies what is the almighty that we should serue him and what profit should we haue if wee pray vnto him Iob 21 14 15. Exod. 5 2. Mal. 3 14. In the second commandement the Lord saith that hee would visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of theÌ„ that hate him Exo. 20 5. Howsoeuer therefore they pretend friendship and loue to him as Iudas did to Christ yet their hearts are farre from him they hate him and cannot abide him Reason 1 And no marueile For first they fight against his Lawes and resist his ordinances They wish there were no God no hell no heauen For as they are the friends of God that do his commaundements so doubtlesse they are his enemies that will not submit themselues to his kingdome nor do his wil. Hence it is that Christ saith Luk. 19 27. Those mine enemies which would not that I should reigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me They that will not haue him to reigne ouer them and in them are his enemies but such are all the vnregenerate therefore they are Gods enemies Secondly they are vnder the dominion of the Prince of darknesse who is Gods professed enemy he ruleth in them to him they giue homage and obedience From him they will not depart and of him they shal receiue their wages So Christ telleth the Pharisies they were of their father the diuel Ioh. 8 44. they did the lusts of the diuell and therefore they were the children of the diuell The God of this world ruleth in them and therefore they can bee no better then the enemies of God 〈◊〉 2 19. for of whoÌ„ a man is ouercome of the same hee is brought in bondage Lastly the godly that seeke to feare the Lord are both called and accounted the friends of God as Abraham was Iam. 2 23. To this purpose speaketh Iehoshaphat in his prayer 〈◊〉 20 â— Art not thou our God who didst driue out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel and gauest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for euer If then the faithfull be the friends of God doubtlesse the vnfaithful what are they but his enemies Vse 1 Tâ—e Vses First conclude from hence that most certainly God wil be their enemies Wil he hold friendshippe with those that care not for his loue and fauour that professe and proclaime though not in wordes yet in their workes that they are and will bee his enemies No doubtlesse â—e will cast them ofâ— he will renounce them for being any of his people Thus the Prophet speaketh Psal 78 â—6 He smote his enemies in the hinder parts hee put them to a perpetuall shame And Esa 63 10. â—hey rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against theÌ„ Would any man haue the displeasure of great men Do not all men feare to haue such as are in high place to become their enemies But behold he that is higher then the highest and greater then the greatest is an enemie to all wicked persons as they are enemies to him Who would not therefore make all possible haste to come out of such a wretched condition as pulleth the enmity of God vppon his head and setteth God against him Secondly let no man glory in their fauor Vse 2 friendship or that they are any way nere vnto them or great with them He that toucheth pitch cannot but be defiled with it Hee that is inward with Gods enemies will learne in time to be enemie also Wâ—e must therefore auoid their company and entertaine no familiarity and acquaintance with them They are Gods enemies and they are enemies vnto vs why then should not we be enemies to them The Prophet setting downe the note of the Citizens of heauen maketh the contempt of the wicked to be one Psal 15 4. He in whose eies a vile person is contemned The Prophet Elisha witnesseth and auoucheth euen to the face of Iehoram the King of Israel that had it not beene that he regarded the person presence of Iehoshaphat he would not once haue vouchsafed to looke vpon him 2 King 3 14. Whatsoeuer titles they claime and challenge vnto themselues this is their true title they are the enemies of God and we must haue no society with Gods enemies Thirdly it sheweth the certaine destruction Vse 3 of all the vngodly for they are his enemies and can they then prosper They fight against him and he will fight against them are they stronger then he or able to preuaile against him No in no wise for though hand ioyne in hand and all of them should combine theÌ„selues in one against him yet the breath of his mouth shall blow them away and they shall not stand in iudgement before him To this end they are compared to chaffe which the winde scattereth away Psalm 1. The godly are like a Tree planted by the Riuers side that bringeth foorth his fruite in due season his leafe also shall not wither but the vngodly are not so they are like the chaffe they are of no more reckoning or account with GOD then the chaffe is with men in comparison of the good corne Hence it is also that they are compared to dung they cast vp as soule and filthy a sauour in the nostrils of almighty God as dung doth in the nostrils of men Therefore the Church in their praier against them Psal 83 9 10. desireth God to do vnto them as vnto the Midianites as to Sisera and Iabin at the brooke of Kison which perished at Endor and became as dung for the earth So doth Ahijah tell the wife of Ieroboam that the Lord would bring euill vpon the bouse of Ieroboam and take away the remnant of his house as a man taketh away dung Iob 20 7. till it be all gone 1 King 14 10. Let them therfore magnifie themselues neuer so much lift vp their hornes on high they are of no price they are in no account they are of no estimation with God they are lothsome and abhominable to him Their sins cry aloud in his eares they haue a stinking sauour in his nostrils they are odious in his eies they greeue his heart and can they escape May we not make an vndoubted conclusion from all these things that they shall certainly perish Vse 4 Lastly to shut vp this point it is a duty required of all of vs to seeke to be at peace with God and to giue vnto him our hands or rather our hearts For so long as we stand out against him and bid him open defiance there can be no peace betweene him and vs neither any hope at all of reconciliation For as Deut. 32 41. If he whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on