somthing lesse that he desireth and so there is equality when nimis is punished with minus For this equality of it it must be in the father and in the child if equality be not broken in them here is no injustice For the Fathers say frustra requirit debitum qui non impendit indebitum to require a debt and not to pay that that is due is no justice as GOD saith Deut. 32.6 Do ye so reward the Lord O foolish people and vnwise Is not he thy father that hath bought thee He hath made thee and proportioned thee and qui contristat patrem suum merito contristatur à silio suo that is If we being GODS children grieve him it is a good right we should be grieved of ours Another is that Gen. 17.7 in regard of the visible Covenant in the Sacrament he is the GOD of vs and our seed so when the father breaketh the Covenant he saith out of Matth. 27.25 Let this mans bloud be super nos filios nostros upon us and on our children 2. To the sonne first sure it is and all agree in it that in a temporall punishment because filius is res patris a possession of the fathers therefore he may temporally be punished the body may be punished Deut. 1.1 in regard of the Covenant made with us and our seed it must suffer as we doe But for warrant of the equalitie his nature is it that GOD findeth as Cantic 2.15 the Church findeth a nest of young foxes they have yet destroyed no vineyards nor worried any lambes but if they grow up sure it is they will doe both Now the question is Whether the Church may say capite nobis vulpeculas c. take us these young foxes Because there is a poysonous nature in the scorpions eggs therefore we may tread them under-foot And it standeth with justice For Ps 51.5 As soone as ever the seed is warmed it conceaveth sinne assoone as sinne commeth there is no way to recover it DEUS tui seminis tui he is not only our quod but the quod of our seed Therefore justly may it be destroyed Then there is no way to recover it but by contract of marriage for that as Hose 2.2 GOD hath sent them a bill of divorcement Plead with your mother for she is not my wife nor I her husband but let her put away her fornications out of her sight adulterers from betwixt her breasts And so consequently they have no interest in the Covenant because as its Deut. 31.6 They have gone a whooring after them that are no gods after gods of strange lands and Job 31.12 it is said It should be a fire that should devour to destruction and root out all his increase Then there is a third thing to be put to both these namely a propagation of this sinne by an education whereby every one is delighted to bring vp his owne children as he himselfe was as 1. Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we doe like our fathers Our fathers have worshipped Baal and we do so also Symmachus saith That Religion that commeth to us having continued thus many yeares let vs keepe it still And the propagatian of this sinne proceedeth as it were a leprosie If it once take hold in the father it continueth in all the posteritie yet GOD when he executeth this judgement exequitur chirographo suo non paterno it is for his owne debt not for his fathers But in this case jus meriti is left and we flie to jus beneficii we plead not merit but mercie And it is the obligation betwixt the child GOD and not the father and GOD it must be gratuitum his free Covenant that we must hold by Therfore we must remove from the the Court of Justice to the Court of Mercie where we have not jus meriti but jus beneficii By the which as Augustine saith well good fathers have wicked children ne virtus videretur esse haereditaria least virtue should seeme hereditary And againe wicked fathers have good children ne malitia serperet in infinitum least naughtinesse should grow on to be infinite To resolve these First it is certaine here is no punishment for the grapes that are in the fathers mouthes but in their owne 2. This punishment is only in respect of Justice but miseretur cujus vult he will have mercie on whom he pleaseth And he have mercie once then this which Gregorie saith only he qui imitatur gravatur he that imitateth sin it is he that feeleth the smart of it The bond of this Commandement is agravated as Ezek. 18.28 it is said If he turne from all his sinnes that he hath done he shall surely live and not die But now the matter is removed from the former question GOD saith Jer. 8.7 I will speake suddenly against a nation to destroy it But of this nation against whom I have pronounced Turne I will repent and it shall stand i. e. I will speake suddainly I will build a nation but if they keepe not my precepts I will not as we see 1. Sam. 2.32 There is a good purpose to have established Levi his house in Eli but now there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever but Jonah 3.10 God said Nineveh shall be destroyed but by a new decree reversed These come from other Courts And this serveth for all Gods commandements The use to be made of this First to breed a carefulnesse on both sides in Fathers to their children and in children to their Fathers but 1. Sam. 11.15 the punishment is upon the Fathers For their children why that we Secondly may learne as Deut. 26.5 to acknowledge our selves to be sonnes of Idolatry and every one sayd before the Lord his God My Father was a Syrian who being ready to perish c. and all to say with David Psal 106.6 Wee have sinned with our Fathers wee have committed iniquity and dealt foolishly and as Dan. 9.8 to pray that wee may not beare our Fathers sinnes And as backward so forward Gen. 18.19 It is said of Abraham that he would take order that his Family should serve God after him a mutuall care for the building up one of another The promise is mercy it proceeds from zeale There is a zeale for a thing and against it a zeale to doe good Esa 9.7 the increase of his government and peace shall have no end c. Zelus Domini exercituum perficiet hoc the zeale of the Lord of hostes will performe this and as it is said of that zeale Cantic 8.6 it wrestled with the grave and death so that the taking away of that part of zeale is a great paine and Ezek. 16.42 the promising of that jealousie is threatned by this he promiseth mercy A great promise because it containeth all promises and benefits of God and therefore if wee be purged from sinne or what good soever wee doe it cometh from his mercy Againe for Mercy as
man and when we have obtained them and peradventure shall not get them without much labour they may Esay 59.5 be as a spiders webbe to us that may suddenly be swept away They are uncertaine 1. money for theeves 2. merchandise for the winds 3. building for fire 4. possessions for unrighteous Judges and all these for the bands of the Sabees that is our enemies Or as a Cockatrices egge which he that eateth of dieth and that which is trodden upon breaketh into a serpent Augustine Habent si non sinem suum finem tuum habent si non finem tuum finem suum quisquis est contemptor vitae suae est dominus tuae They have if not their owne end yet thy end they have if not thy end yet their owne end whosoever is a despiser of his owne life is Lord of thine 1. The uncertainty of many in danger of the seas winds stormes of unrighteous Judges the bands of the enemy Mans life hath 300. diseases and odde A little poyson overcommeth it if one care not to be hanged he will not care to kill thee Augustine proveth that a man is brickle in respect of them by his great grandfathers glasse that lasted three or foure mens ages Divintiae autem fragillimae ergo in his nulla faelicitas but riches are most brickle therefore in them is no felicity But in comming to God there is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full contentment and perfection Stability ergo felicitas summa unica therefore both chiefe and onely felicity For as Christ said to the woman of Samaria if thou wilt have the water of life you must goe to God the fountaine of all goodnesse God is universale bonum Iohn 4.14 primum bonum fons boni primum ens fons essentiae aeterna mens God is the universall good the first good the fountaine of goodnesse the first being the fountaine of being the eternall mind Experience of the true waies of comming to God 3. Ab experientia From experience in David Psal 16.12 In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure forevermore Experience of the false waies of cōming to God in Salomon who through the whole booke of the Preacher confessed that in the whole world he found 1. inanity 2. vanity 4. Confessed also by the heathen before Christs time 4. The confession of the heathen in Sybils oracles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be happy to live happily declareth the felicity of man to be the union to God Pythagoras his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 golden sayings Plato 10. of the rep and in his phaedo Hermes Plutarch Simplicius upon Epictetus Iamblichus of the Egyptian mysteries Cyrill against Julian No felicity but in comming to God Thus is hath beene proved 1. By particular exceptions 2. by demonstrative arguments 3. by experience 4. by the confession of the heathen Augustine in his meditations saith Domine creâsti nos ad te nunquam ergo quietum erit cor donec pervenerit ad te O Lord thou hast created us to thy selfe the heart therefore will never be at rest till it shall come unto thee To come velest in itinere vel in appulsu is either 1. in the journey or 2. in the arriving The last steppe is commonly adventus the advent or comming There is duplex felicitas a twofold happinesse Viae vitae of the way of the life of the way which is penultimus finis the penult end and of the life which is finis ultimus the last end Walking and going in the way of his commandements Or as the Rabbins there is felicitas atrii triclinii the happinesse of the porch and of the parlour In respect of these two felicities 1. in itinere 2. in appulsu 1. in the journey 2. in the approach No perfect felicity in this life Ratio nil ab omni parte beatum neque quicquam ab omni parte miserum The reason there is nothing absolutely happy nor is there any thing in every respect miserable Children are accounted free men quia spe liberi because free through hope we in this life are happy quia spe felices because happy through hope The reason quia vita quam sic vivimus non est vita nostra sedvia ad vitam caetera habent hîc vitam suam Because the life we thus live is not our life but the way to life all others have here their owne life 2. It is not possible to come to felicity in this life Heb. 6.19 the state of man is compared to a ship felicity to an anker hope to a cable The way to come to God Now the way to come to God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve Comming to any thing is a motion Omnis motio est ab appetitu ut moveatur appetitus cognoscenda ipsa via Ignoti enim nulla cupido Every motion is from the appetite that the appetite be moved the way must be knowne for there is no desire of a thing unknowne Therefore the way must be knowne Via ad Deum accedendi duplex the way to come to God is twofold 1. By reach of mans reason 2 By beleeving The Manichees according to S. Augustine in a bravery against the Christians The heresie of the Manichees next to Atheisme held that errour that men were to come to God by reason not by beliefe Atque adeo dicere solitisunt Christianos imponere jugum credendi non autem aperire fontem sciendi And so they were wont to say that Christians did impose the yoke of beleeving but did not open the fountaine of knowing This way because it best pleased man did most and longest prevaile atque adeo hi haeretici apud omnes omnium aetatum homines valuerunt plurimum ubique floruerunt And indeed the Heretickes prevailed exceeding much amongst all men of all ages and flourished every where In so much that if any Philosophers had associated themselves to religion they were first Manichees This also is manifest from this for that Faustus his errour was most dangerous and of longest continuance The like sect is in our daies The way of beliefe the best way to come to God of reason worst Quaeristae querists who will have a reason of every thing and so farre as you can goe with them by reason so farre will they goe with you no further Then we must prove that the way of beleefe is most convenient and necessary of reason most inconvenient and worst 1. If we come to God by reason then should none but excellent wits be saved because none beside them are capable of demonstrative reason But that way is inconvenient which but few can goe in Such is the way of reason of saith contrariwise if this were it were all one as if a company should take a journey and because some of the company could leape over hedges and ditches they should still make a high way through hedges and
Chaldean paraphrast or to Ionathan or to Rabbi Shimâ—on tâ—e sonne of Ishai or to Rabbi Moses the sonne of Nichar or to Rabbi Haccodesh Whether Christ should be an earthly Monarch and to all the ancient Rabbins that lived before the comming of Christ then were the matter at an end But they give more credit to the latter Rabbins which all were moved with envie against Christ Rabbi Salomon Nizahon For the first whether the Messias comming should be an earthly Kingdome See Esay 53.2 but especially verse 6. Esay 53.6 8. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all But they shift this off and say It s meant of the whole people But after he saith He shall die for his people And it were absurd to say the people shall die for the people neither could they die Psal 22.16.18 They pierced my hands and my feete Psal 22 16 17 18. they parted my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture which cannot be understood by David Zach. 9.9 Zach. 9.9 The King of Zion shall come to thee poore and kumble sitting on an Asse most plainely Dan. 9.26 And after 62. weekes Messiah shall be slaine Daniel 9.26 c. This the elder Jewes could not conceive and Philo Iudaeus understandeth it of the sanctification of the high Priest But he might easily gather that this place was meant of the Messiah by Iohn the Baptist that sent two of his Disciples to know whether he were that Christ or no but especially that place of Daniel troubleth them insomuch that Nizahon falleth into these blasphemous words that the Prophet was deceived and over-seene Reason against the Jewes 1. Haggai 2.8 That the Messias of the world should be the expectation of the Gentiles How should it be a comfort to the Gentiles Reasons against the Jewes to have a stranger raigne over them which is forbidden the Jewes Deut. 17.15 16. There shall not be a stranger to raigne over them 2. For as much as it is plaine that the Messias should be that that giveth felicity to all the world I would know of them how Abraham Isaac and Iacob could be saved by an earthly Prince and temporall they being dead many hundred yeeres before his time This they shake off so weakely that they are faine to say It shall be as they say no bigger then it was before as also the City God will not call the Saints from the fell-city that they have with him to an earthly banquet Whether Christ be the Messiah that they and all the true Jewes shall returne to life againe But that is absurder than the first For first they doe themselves injury to thinke that the Land of Iury as also their Temple can hold all the Jewes that ever were 2. They are utterly injurious to the Heavenly soules to call them out of an heavenly paradise out of Abrahams bosome to come into an earthly paradise The third is common By this there should be no purgation of the soules from sinne for this earthly Kingdome cannot purge the soule it belongeth onely to the body The second part That Christ is not the Messias 1. Gen. 49.10 That the Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from betweene his feet till Shiloh come It was sure that before the captivity it was altogether in Iudah till the leading of the captivity continued In the captivity they had it by one of their brethren that was called the King of captivity And after the captivity it continued till it fell betweene Aristobulus and Hircanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex multitudinis deportatae who striving for it were both dispossessed and Herod an Idumaean placed in their roome and then was the time of Christ Now if they shift this off and say that the Macchabees were not of the Tribe of Iudah Object but of Levi and so deny the prophecy Sol. The prophecie is divided Sol. that either a King or a Law-giver should be of the Tribe of Iuda And that there was a Law-giver even till Christ was borne its manifest for they confesse that Simeon Iustus Note whose song we have in our Liturgy was the last of them and ever since the whole company of their Sanedrim dispersed The third answer Object They say that in the prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not a Scepter but a Tribe so that it is meant that Iudah should be a Tribe till Shiloah come Even that way they are confounded For ever since that time Sol. all the Tribes have beene promiscuae confused and the Emperours presently after that they had heard that In Iudaea nascetur orbis dominus the Lord of the World should be borne in Iudaea sought to roote out the Jewes and especially that Tribe that Christ should come of and so it made them to confound their Genealogies 2. Dan. 9.25 Daniel receiveth this Oracle from the Angell that from that time to Messiah c. What these seven weekes are it s shewed in the Gospell that they stand for yeeres so counting for every weeke seven yeeres 49. And so long was the Temple in building for three yeeres they were in building the walles and gathering themselves together the other 46. in building the Temple as the Iewes said to our Saviour from that time to the comming of the Messias 490. yeeres 3. Hag. 2.10 The glory of the last house shall be greater then the first But in the first Temple there was thâ— Arke of the Lord the pot of Manna Aarons rod the shew-bread c. the second Temple had none of these but the Prophet saith the second Temple should be more glorious This glory they cannot finde unlesse it be in the time of Christ for forty yeeres after his death it was destroyed so they make this no prophecie Petrus Galatinus de arâ—â—â—is Two Famous companies among the Iewes the schollers of Rabbi Shamma 2. Of R. Hillel but the latter the more famous Petrus Galatinus out of the third of their Talmud that the schollers of Rabbi Hillel considering thâ—se three prophecies Daniel Haggai Esay though they lived 50 yeeres before his time hoped that he should be borne in those daies being thereto induced by the end of the 60. chapter of Esay That God would hasten his comming In the same chapter of the Talmud on that place Esay 9.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finale in all copiâ—s in that place onely against the nature of the letter Whereupon Rabbi Thalumma doth hold it is an Oracle sâ— that iâ— is the number of the yeeres betweene Esay and Christ his comming i 600. yeeres 3. They say This a principle among the Iewes that the vaile should not open not the voyce of the Lord faile till the comming of the Messiah that the prophecie of the second Temple should not cease which
we may seeke and finde naught for they should finde none yet verse 27. they would needs goe out to seeke and found none This is a curious inclination of our nature it cleaveth fast to us 1. Sam. 6.19 The men of Beth-shemesh would needs know what was in the Arke but they payed well for it 50070. men of them were slaine for that one action so here God enacted that none should touch the mountaine and that for the beast much more for man Numb 14.45 the people of Israel that would enter into the Land contrary to Gods Will are soone slaine Verse 44. yet they presumed obstinately to goe up to the top of the mount But the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses departed not out of the Campe. 45. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites which dwelt in that mountaine came downe and smote them Two things 1. To goe up into the mount 2. To touch the mount It s nâ—t tâ—e law that these men have desire to know it s but to goe up into the mount to gaze which was altogether unprofitable They have omitted the thing and searched for the times and places and consumed them to Hormach It was no necessary thing for the people to ascend the mountaine yet the people itched after it and when they should come there they would not be so hastie to know as to gaze so that the knowledge was not so much sought of them as the place therefore it was an idle thing and odious to God We see the very same hath raigned among the sonnes of men Acts 1.6 Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Matth. 24.3 Tellus when shall these things be and what signe shall be of thy comming and of the end of the World But as Christ answereth them there It s not for you to know the times and the seasons which my heavenly Father hath put into his owne power So Moses here It s not for you to touch or ascend into the mountaine it pertaineth not to you This then must be our wisedome as it is Deut. 29.29 Hiddâ—n things belong to God and those that are manifest to us We must say to our selves as Moses said to the people It s not for you to ascend up into the mountaine More excellently Rom. 12.3 Not to be wise above that we ought but to be wise unto sobriety We must therefore keepe our selves in the limits which the Holy Ghost setteth downe As temporall death or punishment here is for trangressors and those that be over-curious in seeking out quiddities so Pro. 25.27 Qui scrutator est majestatis divinae opprimetur a gloria The curious inquirer after divine Majesty shall be overwhelmed of glory Those that are overcurious in seeking things unnecessary shall seeke with ignorance and lose the knowledge they had of necessary things 1 Tim. 6.4 they shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 languish they shall be sicke with foolish questions deceiving others and themselves to They shall be alwaies a learning but never know any thing A fearefull example of Salomon Preach 1 17. I gave my heart to know wisedome and knowledge madnesse and foolishnesse I knew also that this is a vexation of the Spirit August Qui inventa veritote aliud quaerit mendacium quaerit He that having found the truth seeketh any thing else seeketh a lie This overmuch curiosity made Salomon subject to the grievous points of Idolatry We are then to know our barres about the law unum est necessarium One thing is needfull Fourth point of the del very or the law There is added of the learned another point not as a point of preparation but as a necessary motive in the delivery of the Law necessary meditation of the law gathered out of the delivery of it and it may be comprehended in the points of the delivery of the law Heb. 12. à v. 17. to the end whatsoever terrible thing there was the Lord caused them to concurre at the delivery of the law vers 9.16 first in a thicke cloud secondly with thunderings and thirdly lightnings fourthly the sound of a Trumpet sounding exceeding loud 18. fifthly Mount Sinai on fire and a vapour of smoake sixthly the quaking of the mount and as David Psal 20.8 The voice of the Lord made the wildernesse to tremble the wildernesse of Cades All these as they are fearefull sights and objects of the cogitation of man so it was the purpose of God to shew his law in terrible things to terrisie them withall And we see it tooke effect For first the mountaines and rockes trembled in the next chapter the people fled and desired Moses that they might heare God speake no more to them And Moses himselfe Heb. 12.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So terrible was the sight that Moses cried out and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I exceedingly feare and quake This fourth point is a circumstance of the manner of delivery which though it be not of requiring the preparation yet Heb. 12. the Apostle useth it as a great argument to stir us up effectually For whatsoever thing is terrible either to the eye to behold or to the heart to thinke 18. v. 31. Mount Sinai was all on a smoke because the Lord came down upon it in fire and the smoke therof ascended as the smoke of a furnace and all the mount trembled exceedingly So that this wrought such a requisit reverence in the people that the Lord said Deut. 5.29 O that my people had alway such an heart to feare me c. These sights and sounds because they are past affect us not But yet that argument of the Apostle Heb. 12.25 26. may affect us If the delivery of the law be so terrible if the law Act. 7.53 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it being delivered by the hands of Angels be so dreadfull when God in the power of his Majesty shall come to require it how dreadfull shall it be And this shall more plainely appeare by the conference of circumstances of the delivery of the law and of the day of judgement 1. The delivery of the law was done by Angels A collation of circumstances in the delivery of the Law and in the day of judgement 1. By Angels 2. Darknesse the requiry shall be by God himselfe 2. Here is mention made of a thicke and darke cloud Amos 5.18 that it shall be a darke and gloomy day that there shall be darknesse and no light Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord what have you to doe with it the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light 19. As if a man did flie from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even darknesse no light in it Jude v. 13.
persona From the person 2. From the person 1. From Moses if any man should have received perfection by it no doubt he that gave it But of Moses we finde Numb 20.12 Againe the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron because ye beleeved me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the Land which I have given them He was a transgressor of the law before he received it 2. And he that delivered the law was not partaker of the least promise of the law i. to enter into the promsed Land 3. His whole ministery was destructive his signes and miracles that he wrought in Egypt were plagues of Lice Caterpillers death c. and therefore he shewed himselfe the minister of Gods justice and wrath whereas the ministery of grace raised the dead out of their graves healed the sicke The ministery of the law a destroying ministery the ministery of grace a saving ministery cast out divels c. shewing plainely that it was a saving spirit 4. Exod. 34.35 The children of Israel saw the face of Moses how the skin of Moses face shone bright therefore Moses put the covering on his face till he went to speake with God 2 Cor. 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not as Moses which put a vaile over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfâ—stly looke to the end of that which is abolished Moses when he had left talking with the Lord and had come downe from the mount the skinne of his face shone so that without a vaile put over his face there was no talking with him so that the perfection of the law is to blinde and dasill their eyes that view it rather then to cleere and enlighten them But the Gospell shewes us the face of God clearely â—â—â—b ipâ—a lege â—â—om the law 〈◊〉 â—elfe 3. From the law it selfe from the tables that were broken before the law could be delivered which is in the judgement of the fathers that that covenant should be made voyd 2. And in that very time that the people should have received the law they were in the greatest trangression of it that could be namely idolatry worshipping the golden Calfe So the law to increase sinne offence betweene God and man made sinne to superabound Rom. 7. 4. A modo From the manner The Gospell was delivered not with a fearefull sound of any warlike Instrument sounding defiance but with a song of Angels 2. Part. Lex paedagog ad Christium The Law a schoolmaster to Christ Last from the manner With the blast of a Trumpet that terrified the people that was delivered with terrour shewing that that was a law of terrour and that it should exact terrible things at our hands But the delivery of the Gospell was contrary for that was delivered with the comfortable songs of Angels Luke 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men The second part Gal. 3.18 That the law is Paedagogus a Schoolmaster to Christ which likewise may be shewed by the cricumstances of the law 1. That it was delivered by the disposition of Angels in the hand of a mediator Galat. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator namely Christ Galat. 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the law was our Schoolemaster to Christ that we might be justified by faith Now a mediator hath full authority and power to end the matter as he list either to establish the law or to abbrogate it So Christ because for our health he could not doe otherwise tooke order in his owne person to abrogate the old Covenant and to make a new 2. Another a charge given to Moses that the Tables should be put into the Arke of the Testimony And thou shalt put the mercy Seate above upon the Arke and in the Arke thou shalt put the Testimony which I will give thee Which was a signe of Gods presence with us the presence of God with us is onely in Christ per Emanuelem nostrum by our Emanuel 3. Another Of the vaile of Moses which was a ceremony of the mitigation of the brightnesse of the law That the vaile is now removed and we see Christ The ceremoniall law is made now spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 3.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The vaile is nothing else but the ceremonies of the law these nothing else but Christ and to leade us to him Betweene Moses and us Christ is as a vaile 4. Another Of the time of the delivery of the law It was the fiftieth day after the celebration of the Passeover the time of the first fruits An argument betweene the day of the delivery of the law and the day of the descending of the Holy Ghost At the very same time in the very same day the fiâ—tieth from the Passeover of Christs resurrection came the holy Ghost in the Gospell And though we cannot fulfill all that we should yet because these fiftie daies are the time of first fruits though we cannot offer up every action we may offer our first fruits to wit in hoatam obedientiam a begun obedience received by Christ Christ performing that which was required at our hands though not at the barre of judgement yet at the barre of grace This inchoatam obedientiam begunne obedience we shall have when we shall have new hearts not of stone but of flesh Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give you Ezek. 36.26 and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will give you an heart of flesh to wit 2 Cor. 3 3. His new Testament being written in the fleshly tables of our hearts whereby we shall offer our first fruits Last Num 21.5 They protest that they will heare neither God nor Moses Numb 21.5 6 7 8. a plain desolation of the law presently upon this came the signe of Hell 6. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people which stung them so that many of the people died 7. Their humiliation The people came to Moses and said We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and against thee pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us 8. v. A declaration of the Gospell and of the comming of Christ And the Lord said to Moses make thee a fiery serpent and set it up for a signe that as many as are bitten may looke on it and live Which brazen serpent Christ John 3.14 applieth to himselfe 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. The Fathers 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. as they had their Cloud they passing through the Sea their Manna the water out
other then to God Concerning this word it is tetragrammaton a word of foure letters much written of and much spoken of and divers speculations gathered out of it as namely that there are three letters according to the number of the three Persons in the Trinity and and that of those three letters the first signifieth Power the proper adjunct of the Father The second wisedome and knowledge the proper adjunct of the Sonne The third love the proper adjunct of the Holy Ghost And that the second letter is doubled to teach us that the Second Person should take on him two natures of God and Man The diminution of Jehovah in Jah that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Deum diminutum God in the Diminutive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praise ye Iah whereof there is such manifold use in the Psalmes But plainely this may be sufficient for us that it is a name taken from Being as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse to BE. The effect of it is expounded Rom. 11.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever That he is from none for none by none but all things for him by him and from him and as his being is most so is his power Therefore he hath no promise in his title no commission as to be commanded of any as all earthly Princes have because his power is highest For earthly Princes fetch all their power from him Omnes Reges terrae ab aâ—to suam habent potestatem All the Kings of the Earth have their power from an other as by Commission as our Prince hath in his title Dei gratia Angliae c. By the Grace of God of England c. Therefore he is ab aliquo from some other only God hath no commission but is in himselfe without a supreame He onely may command simply he hath no dependance of any either of Being or Power but all things depend on him The force of the reason is Psal 104. v. 29.30 When thou hidest thy face they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they die and turne againe to their dust When thou lettest thy breath goe forth they shall be made and thou shalt renew the face of the earth And when he looketh not on us but turneth away his face yea when he breatheth not on us we come to nothing There the Prophet saith that streames proceed from his countenance as beames to every creature and if any of them be stopped that creature that it should come to dieth And verse 30. that he is the onely breath of all the world and that his breathing on the creatures giveth life and at the drawing in of his breath all perish Now if we would imagine of any man in the world that with his looking on us could preserve our lives and looking off us could destroy that had our life at such an advantage certainely we must be marvellous ready to please him And yet such is our dependance on God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was as it hath two significations so it hath two uses in Scriptures significations First essence 2. The effect thereof 1. Use for his essence 2. To give effect to wit is essence Exod. 3.14 I am hath sent me to you He calleth himselfe I am Ero I shall be sent this And howsoever there be comparisons of him in time in respect of us yet in regard of his induring he is for ever without all time he is alwaies Ero shal be Revel 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning the ending saith the Lord which is which was and which is to come The Almighty The eternity of his essence even I am α Alpha and ω Omega the beginning and the ending which is which was which shall be Heb. 13.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same yesterday to day and the same for ever And this taketh from us the hope that we may have of earthly Princes A man if he hath offended against an earthly Prince either he may escape by going out of his Dominions or by out-living him but there is no hope of escaping out of the Lords Dominion Psalm 34 7. The Angell of the Lord is round about them that feare him and delivereth them He pitcheth his Tent round about us he compasseth us as in a circle If we runne from one end of the world to the other we are still in his Dominion he can fetch us from any place So in respect of God we can be in no place but he will be with us Amos 9.2 Though they dig into hell thence shall mine hand fet them though they climbe up into Heaven thence will I bring them downe and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence And though they hide themselves from my sight in the bottome of the Sea thence will I command the Serpent and I will bite them Obadiah vers 4. If we should flie up as high as the Eagle and build our nest among the Starres c. for height for depth Amos in the depth of the Sea nay if they should dig to hell Psalm 139.7 Secondly Psalm 139.7 to last longer then the Prince So in respect of Gods being we cannot out-last him The time is infinite for his Name is Ero shall be and he shall alwaies be Ero shall be in time Therefore we must needs obey Secondly of his truth in bringing to effect that which he promiseth us Exod. 6.3 God said that Abraham and the Patriarkes knew him by the Name of Almighty not by that Name of Iehovah as yet i. One that is as good as his word Yet then shall my night be turned to day It is plaine Genes 15.6 that Abraham beleeved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Iehovah and it was counted to him for righteousnesse And God saith vers 7. I am Jehovah that brought thee out of Vr c. Yet God saith to Moses that the Patriarkes knew him not by Iehovah but by Almighty To reconcile these places we must understand that by Iehovah is meant here the bringing to effect this generall promise So long as God maketh a promise so long is he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Lord or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God c. but when he hath brought it to passe then he is Iehovah So the Patriarkes knew him Iehovah by some particular promise as Abraham in the birth of Isaac Noah in the delivery from the deluge Lot in the delivery from the destruction of Sodome but they never knew him by the Name of Iehovah in bringing to passe the greatest and generall promise of Canaan In this sence Ezek. 5.13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my wrath to cease in them and I will be comforted and they shall know that I the
himselfe after he had set his house in order The meanes of the wise men brought to nought More plaine in Esay 19.11 the meanes of the wisemen are brought to nought the wise counsellors of Aegypt the Lord in fatuavit eos the Lord hath made them give foolish counsell and Psalm 20.7 8. Some put their trust in Charriots and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God They have stumbled and are fallen but we are risen and stand upright And as here are cursed by God the ordinary meanes as cloth food Physick wisedome c. So God to shew how little he dependeth on his secondary causes doth oft times bring his purpose to passe without meanes There is no defect of vertue in the Lord though there be a defect of meanes in nature Yea and sometimes contrary to the nature of the meanes as Iosh 6.20 in the fall of the Walls of Jericho it is attributed to the blast of Rammes hornes The like is Judg. 3.13 by the tale of a dreame of a Barly loafe tumbling from above into the host of Madian and overthrowing one of the Tents and the exposition thereof Gedeon with three hundred men with Trumpets in their hands and empty pitchers and lamps within their pitchers very unfit weapons for the warres put to flight all the Madianites and made them to runne upon themselves so 2 Kings 7.6 the whole host of the King of Syria was put to flight none pursuing them but a pannicus terror a pannick terrour came upon them on the sudden which was by a certaine imagination that they thought they heard a noyse of Chariots and Horses and a noyse of a great army that the Hittites and the Aegyptians came against them to helpe Israel And seing then God giveth meanes when he will and worketh without them when he will wee must trust in him whether wee have the meanes or no A Protestation of the Prophet David and therefore that wee should be like affected as David was Psal 3.6 though he were in the midst of 10000. men of warre compassed about with them on every side yet he would not feare but as it is in the end of the 4. Psal lay him downe and sleepe trusting in the safety of the Lord How the children of God ar◠to stand affected when they have no meanes and as Exod. 14.13 Moses counselleth the children of Israel when the Aegyptians pursued them with their Chariots though their enemies were behind them and the Red sea on the one side and the Wildernesse on the other that there was no way for them to escape yet to stand still and to put their trust in the Lord and they should see the power of the Lord as they did So Rom. 4.19.20.21 the Apostle being to shew a patterne of true faith setteth downe before us Abraham that had no meanes either in his wife or in himselfe his wife was barren 1. by nature and 2. by age himselfe 100. yeares old past the age of getting children yet neither considering the deadnesse of Sarahs Wombe nor of his owne body held fast by faith the promise of God nothing doubting of the same which God tooke not from him therefore he received the blessing in Isaac The naturall man if once his meanes begin to faile either he falleth into despaire or else flyeth to indirect and evill meanes And as wee must thus trust in God when wee see no meanes so must wee be sure to be farre from the way of the wicked Who if God once faile then do they not only lose their hope they have in his meanes but cast him away too and berake themselves to his enemie and his evill meanes Such meanes are of those who in despaire of their health leave God and his lawfull meanes and flye to Sorcerers c. Esa 8.19 it is shewed there There is a restraint for seeking meanes at sorcerers hands that it is condemned 1. Chron. 10.13 the casting away of Saul out of his kingdome and out of the favour of God and his damnation both in body and soule is ascribed to that that he sought and asked counsell of a Familiar Beside these if any do that which Esay saith Esa 29.15 of them that turne Devises and digge deepe their counsells that men may not see them but they know that it is but a turne and a wrong Devise and therefore Woe is pronounced against them and God knoweth the deepe fetches of policie of such men as thinke they deceive God as they deceive men Over reachers in bargaining this is common so Esa 8.12 there is another meanes confederacie a suppressing of those that have gifts and that is their strength for bringing to passe of lewd things an unlawfull meanes and condemned Another to make vantage of a mans oversight as the money that many can get by that meanes when they have once got it it is their owne wee must rather harken to his counsell 1. Thes 4.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man go beyond and desraud his brother in any matter to be able to circumvent a man in dealing it is condemned And when none of these meanes will serve then our last refuge is that Jer. 18.18 come this Jeremie troubleth us wee must have a devise against him and that is this let us smite him with our tongues that is let us raise up some slanderous reports of him let us slander him and so he shall not be better thought off then wee and so none will give eare to his words But there is a bitter prayer of the Prophet against them which God no doubt heard vers 19. to the end of the Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beleife in healy things If in compassing of earthly things we can beare we shall also beare in the compassing of heavenly things whether the means be with us or not with us Wee returne now to that wee said in the beginning hereby wee shall know if it please God to blesse us with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith in heavenly matters i.e. if in the compassing of earthly things and in our earthly dealings wee can put our trust in the Lord wee must not be Leo in villa Prov. 22.13 and think that our hornes can cast downe much and so consequently that wee need not meanes but if the meanes be with us wee can trust in the Lord so if wee have them not yet to put our trust in God Another thing is they can be without them themselves in respect of themselves they are very confident but if it once come to semen nostrum either flesh or profit there is a distrust and it is to be feared that many that might have beene saved in the state of single life have fallen from God and hazarded their owne salvation by mistrusting that God will not as well provide for their children Many for their children have brought themselves into hazzard of their salvation as
â—â—iplex Our love to God is mixt with feare for a three-fold reason 1. Reason The doctrine of feare sheweth plaine that it is vaine 2. Reason The reason why it pleased God when love commeth to command feare is threefold 1. that the vaine dreame of many spirits of error dreaming of a perfection in this life might be overthrowne Prov. 28.14 Beatus qui semper pavidus If any have perfection in this life he cannot fall if he cannot fall feare is superstuous but because we might know that during this life there is an unperfect perfectnesse therefore this feare is alwayes necessary 2. The children of God feele alwayes in themselves how feeble their faith how doubtfull their hope how cold and unsavory their prayers how slacke their repentance and how all the rest of the duties are weakened in them in some more in some lesse as the Spirit in measure more or lesse communicateth to them as they did in David yet if feare remaine we shall recover our selves to God againe and he that loseth it not Prov. 28.14 his heart shall never be hardened there is a good preservative for the heart Though all other duties be failing yet if this tarry there shall come no despaire Bernard saith In veritate comperi that he knowes the truth of it by experience that for the keeping recovering assuring of the vertues and duties that God hath commanded there is not a more profitable rule then to feare while the grace of God is present with us The Fathers Custos omnium virtutum est timor Feare is the guard of all other vertues and when that is once departed then there is nothing left but to feare and never rest till we have made our selves fit for the receiving of it againe knowing this quia si deficit illa deficis tu if once thy feare decay thou decayest with it and when we have recovered it then to feare lest we should lose it againe for feare of relapse will make us more circumspect Jerome calleth it Custodem omnium virtutum the preserver of all other vertues 3 That this excellent duty love 3. Reason the effect of this feare might not waxe carclesse Cant. 3.1 Love fell asleepe with her beloved in her armes and her beloved was gone so if there be not a mixture of feare with our love it falleth asleepe and waxeth secure and so it loseth her beloved therefore that we may be sure we keepe love in our armes and keepe her waking there must be a mixture of feare with it So in these three Reasons feare is necessary even in our perfect estate And withall this wee see how that Solomon Prov. 1.7 as also David Psal 111.10 how they call it the beginning of wisedome As feare is the first so it is the last worke and thus is timor castus Col haadam This filiall feare the whole man or the summe of all The Negative part and Col haadam the whole man In the end of the Preacher the conclusion of all things Feare God and keepe his Commandements Prov. 14.27 it is called fons vitae the feare of the Lord is a well-spring of life c. Faith is the beginning of Christian religion as principles of sciences so feare is the beginning as the first worke so the other the reverent feare that is the conclusion of all things There is forbidden here first want of feare the effect whereof is hardnesse of heart and that is of two sorts and the first is a way to the second The first commeth of a false erroneous perswasion Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against those that set their heart on evill is not speedily executed the children of men they harden their hearts there goeth away feare and the conclusion of this is Psal 50.21 they will say to us God is like to us that will suffer men to do wickedly and let them goe unpunished whereas Rom. 2.4 they ought to have reasoned that God doth delay his punishment that we should not delay but be brought to repentance Prov. 29.1 If we delay and profit not by it his destruction will be sudden upon us By this meanes commeth it to passe which the Prophet saith Psal 36.1 that his heart giveth him that there is no feare of God before the eyes of the ungodly Gen. 20.11 as Abraham said there is no feare of God in this place therefore no care of the Commandements of God no care of duty According as thou art feared so is thy displeasure 2. So secondly because there must be still a proportion betweene the object and the power apprehending Psal 90.11 our feare if it be not according to the power of Gods wrath we shall not have so reverend an esteem of his judgements as we ought not that we can feare God as much as he ought to be feared Si contereremur usque ad pulverem though we grind our selves to powder though we should tremble till one bone fell froÌ„ another yet there is a measure Our feare must goe farre beyond mans tradition Esa 29.13 when a man is sure he feareth God beyond mens precepts Mat. 15.2 that he abstaineth from such things as mans law forbiddeth not nor punisheth if he goe no further then mans law his feare is short This then is the triall of our feare if we make the like conscience of doing those things which mans law doth not forbid as of those which both Gods and mans law do take hold of This feare is in respect of an object that is not to be feared it pleaseth God to punish the feare of man 2. wayes 1. In this life Psalm 53.6 2 Prov. 10.24 that whereas they give over the feare of God that which they most feare shall fall on them as Exod. 1. and 1 King 12.11 Againe as want of feare is forbidden so on the contrary to feare that we should not feare Psal 53. the reprobates have this for their punishment v. 2. Corrupt are they and become abominable in their doings v. 6. They were afraid where no feare was c. Trepidaverunt timore ubi not erat causa timoris So we see where superstition and the religion of God are mixed there is small account made of Gods feare that he hath set downe and of the other what man hath invented there is great feare of conscience So likewise Luk. 12.4 the feare of man is forbidden Revel 21.8 the fearefull that for feare have transgressed their portion shall be with the unbeleevers We have examples Pharaoh was afraid of the growing of the Israelites into too great a number and made edicts to kill the male children of the Israelites 1 King 12.27 Jeroboam feared the heart of the people would returne to their Lord Rehoboam if they should go up and do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem and therefore he made two calves of gold and so brought the people to Idolatry Mat. 2. Herod was afraid that hee should lose his Kingdome therefore
all the benefits that he hath bestowed on me the beginning middle end and chiefe end of it is the glory of God For this glory all that is made is made therefore after the accomplishment of the dayes of his worke presently he instituted the seventh day for his praise and glory Gen. 2.3 this was mans state in Paradise after man fell all had perished Esa 24.13 but that God might have a company to glorifie him and of those that perish Prov. 16.4 they are kept for the day of evill that his glory might beshewed How God may be exactly glorified it is shewed in the Psalmes and Psal 50.23 he saith plainely he that ossereth me thankes giveth me glory and yet more plainely and fully 2 Cor. 4.15 all things are to this end that most plenteous grace through the thanksgiving of many might returne to his glory For as the Heathen said it is certaine that graius animus est meta benignitatis gratitude is the end of bounty and it is the Lords aime in penning and therefore we see in the Obligation wherein he bindeth himselfe and us Psal 50.15 Call upon me and I will heare you and if I doe heare you you shall praise me he that receiveth ought receiveth it with this condition else he is but an usurper and is to make account for it This thanksgiving by the learned of the Hebrewes is made to consist of foure parts according to the foure words that they finde usually set downe by them that give thankes 1. The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a confession and for that 1 Cor. 4.7 we have nothing but we have received it Psal 121.1 and that from above the hils i. no inferiour creature hath given it us and from above these hils not to imagine as the Priests of Israel 1 Sam. 6.9 that if the Kine went not with the Arke that way that it was wont it was by chance 1 Iam. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above and how from the Father of lights this is our confession so neither are we to dissemble that which we have received August Qui habere se affirmat quod non habet is temerarius est so qui non confiâ—etur se habere quod habet ingratus est He that saith he hath that which he hath not is rash and he which confesseth not that he hath that which he hath is unthankfull and so consequently we are to use them as dans and not as innatis as free not naturall gifts 2. The second part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 16.6 it is I like well I am content he saith his lot is well fallen unto him it liketh him and so consequently whatsoever we have that we finde a rich portion in it and are content this is the worthy valuing of Gods gifts which excludeth the disease of the Israelites that could never be content and were never well though they received very much but murmured 40. yeeres for all his promises 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annunciabo I will declare it that we tell it to others so Psal 66.16 he cals them that feare the Lord I will tell you saith he what he hath done for my soule and Psal 111.1 he professeth that he will tell it in the congregation in a publike assembly and Psal 40.9 in magna congregatione in the great congregation and because that was not enough therefore Psal 56.5 omnibus gentibus to all the Nations as indeed he hath and that being not great enough Psal 22.31 to his seede Psal 71.18 to all posterity and Psal 40.9.10 that which is contrary to this I will not refraine my lips I will not keepe backe I will not hide thy righteousnesse c. 4. The fourth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venue Come ye but that pertaineth to the sixth Precept or Rule This thanksgiving is prayer made as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that good that we did want so thankes for receiving that good the first example is out of Abrahams houshold Gen. 24.27 his servant gave thankes presently after he had found a wife for his Masters sonne Dan. 2.20 for a secret revealed to him So for the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians Exod. 15.1.20 the song of Moses Iudg. 5. the song of Deborah and Baraâ— after the victory over Sisera As there is a deprecation for others Dâ—pâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 so an interpellation for others Act. 11.18 for the benefit of the Gentiles It is called complementum oraâ—ionis the perfection and end of prayer because it is the especiallest thing in prayer which tends at Gods glory it is especially to be commended therefore we will speake a little more of the excellencie of it and how it pleaseth God David hath this testimony that he was a man after Gods heart Chrysostome examining why he was a man after Gods heart more then Abraham or Moses c. he saith he can finde no other reason then that he did perceive Gods desire to have his name praised more then the rest of the Saints and so laboured more plenteously then any other and so deserved that title above any other for Psal 55.17 he protesteth for prayer that he will keep his houres morning noone and evening every day thrice hee will pray but Psal 119.164 it is not thrice that will serve him but that must be done seven times a day but vers 62. Psal 119. he would give thankes to God at midnight according to that wisdome God revealed unto him that he knew Gods minde did he pray Psal 6.5 that he might yet live to give him thanks for in death no man remembreth thee and who will give thee thankes in the pit Ps 118.17 I will not die but live and declare the workes of the Lord this is his desire that he may not yet die and he giveth no other reason but this if his body come once into the grave he cannot glorifie God Thus ought every man desire to live and therefore our life to be deare unto us for this end Psal 39.15 O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I goe hence and be no more seene therefore this is the end of mans life and consequently it must not be slacked while we live here and it is not the end of mans creation alone but it is also the end of the creation of the Angles to put us in minde of an excellencie that then we doe that the Angels doe as Luke 2.14 their song is Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory to God in the highest Revel 7.12 they cry and say Let all praise glory honour thankes power be given to God c. In which consideration David Psal 108.1 when his tongue was to be occupied in praise and thanksgiving then he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his glory his glorious member his best member and in deede this is the way to make all our members glorious to bestow them on Gods praise in glorifying him so if any man be
willing to beare the punishment still so onely let me be assured that I shall have forgivenesse of my sinnes the guilt taken away and I am content to let the Crosse lye upon mee still He that is contented he hath laid up a good signe 2. Tolerane amare i. When our bearing and enduring of paines it worketh not in us a murmuring or a discontented mind but so affecteth us as we can notwithstanding love God with his chastisement and for his chastisement Job in the end of his 2. Chap. saith Blessed be the name of the Lord even for his afflictions When it is Benedictus Dominus in donis suis Blessed be the Lord for his gifts then Jobs wife will say that Grace as well as he but when it commeth to ablationibus suis The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away that is it that maketh the true note of difference betweene the true patience and the counterfeit and as it hath beene said of the affections that that turneth it to the contrary is a most sure and true note So from mercy feare Psal 130.4 Mercy that thou mayest be feared Mercy properly stirreth up love and justice feare When an affection is stirred up that properly stirreth up the contrary that is a most true note the love that is in us provoked by the justice of God and the feare by his mercy these are true and uncounterfeit otherwise they are in the wicked sometimes That when 〈◊〉 affection 〈◊〉 wrought pâ—â—â—râ—n â—lâ—â—câ—um sâ—â—â—n that is a â—â—â—ere affection but if it come from a contrarie object that is it as the heathen man saith cum amare possis post injuriam a man loveth him well that can love him that hath injured him So when that that the world counteth injurie is past when a man can amare Deum not post injuriam though we count it so he that can love after that his love is true 3. 4. We have a speciall use of them because the fathers in the Primitive Church had much adoe to make the people understand how the patience of a true Christian and a Donatist should be distinguished and therefore they used these two notes 1. that in the Donatists suffering and you shall find it in them that suffer in our dayes you shall find in them a spirit of vanity and pride The spirit of patience is the spirit of humilitie whereas true patience is humble as the Prophet saith Tacui Domine quia tu fecisli I kept silence O Lord because thou hast done it That humblenesse and silence that appeareth in the martyrs sufferings is a true marke When a man falleth not into disputation concerning the causes for which it is laid upon him nor bursteth into speeches how great torments he hath suffered c. but either tolerat gemit or else respondet pro Deo he either beares it and mourneth in silence or if he reply it is on Gods behalfe as Job 1.22 and 20.10 In all this did not Job sinne with his lips he did not give out that that might bewray his impatience The other is called alacrity for this they coÌ„monly note that in their Circumcellions sufferings that they had not an alacrity but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were not moved but that not being not moved was not with alacrity they grounded themselves upon Rom. 8.37 in all these In some diseases a mans flesh shall be able to suffer any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to overcome is to match them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoyce for the suffering of them 6. Reg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we do more then overcome he that not onely suffereth but rejoyceth that which is noted in the Apostles Act. 5.41 that they departed from the councell after they had beene whipped not grieved but rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ the other suffering importeth no feare or griefe but it hath no alacrity Last is the precept for procuring it in others for it is not enough for every man to say in his owne soule Why art thou so impatient O my soule c. but also Psal 27.16 that we may be able to say to others Sustine Dominum wait on the Lord that we do what we can by our comfort and gifts to make them patient as on the other side Not to give any words or occasion to move impatience in others if there be any provocation in others to impatiencie as his wife Job 2.10 as if affliction be come upon him and they counsell him to give over if we should continue in uprightnesse till we suffered for it we must answer them as his answer was to his wife that we set our selves against them that hold that we are to beare good things but not afflictions And this is the knowledge that every one is to have so especially it concerneth them Prov. 19.11 Doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur Patience espeally required in the learned and as Gregorie saith Tanto minus quisque cognoscitur esse doctior quanto minus convincitur esse patiens The lesser our patience the lesser our knowledge ever Thus much for the first proposition 1. Thou shalt have a God The 2. Proposition Thou shalt have mee for thy God and that containeth but one vertue Habebis me Dewn called True religion or religion the other are the extremes The 3. Proposition Thou shalt have none other Gods but me 1. Thou shalt have one alone 1 True Religion and thou shalt have me alone and that also containeth one vertue i. sincerity not mingling true religion with any other 2 Sincerity Besides these out of the word gnal panai there is grounded integrity 3 Integrity that we be not hypocrites and lastly in regard of the verbe erunt which runneth through our whole life Perseverance The 2. Proposition 4 Perseverance that it is not enough to have a God unlesse he be the true God 1 That there is no man but that he doth bestow all his affections actions and actions upon some one thing Aug. unusquisque comeditur ab ali quo zelo which is Religion for sure it is that the affections of the mind and actions of the body in every one are all bent to some one thing and that to him that is our God for either they are bestowed upon an idoll a falfe God 1 Cor. 8. which is nothing or else upon the God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 that is the Devill or else as it is Phil. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whose end is destruction whose God is their belly upon the belly the flesh or else Ephes 5.5 on the idoll of the covetous man i. upon money and wealth the service whereof is as he saith there idolatry therefore touching all these Mention of 4. false gods 1 Idols 2 God of this world 3 Their pleasure lust 4 Their owne goods it is that
the Prophet Psal 4.2 maketh his complaint that there is a generation of men that turne the glory of the true God into dishonour i. are not carefull to deliver unto him his true honour And therefore 1 Tim. 6.20 to have scientiam falsi nominis i. to follow vanity and lies and come to have the fruit as Hosea they shall eat the fruit of lies i. Griefe of mind smart of body confusion of soule therefore to have it is not sufficient but we must also have the truth And indeed that which the heathen man Plato saith of this is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man if he will have a thing he will have it according to the truth Every soule if it have not the truth it is not because it is not desirous of the truth but if it find not out the truth it is against the will of it unlesse it goe against nature Gen. 20.9 When as Abraham had made answer to Abimelech not in truth as he thought Every mâ—n for knowledge is desirous to have the truth Abimelech being an heathen could tell him that he had done those things that he should not so these men can say that see meerly by the eye of reason that truth is it which wee all seeke after But that which is yet more strange Gen. 3.1 the Devill begins there Yea is it true indeed hath God said indeed Ye shall not eate of every tree of the garden so that he himselfe being the author of lies Now when â—t commeth to practise Aug. distinction bonum dulce bonum amabile wee will first seeke after yet this is his desire that the woman should make him a true answer So we see the mighty force of truth that howsoever it is not sought in practise yet in judgement not onely good men but also the wicked the Heathen yea and the devils themselves would not willingly be beguiled but witnesse to it This Commandement is because of our triall and our triall is because it â—s precious in Gods eyes and that is because it is the course of nature The end and scope of the Law and the Lord the Lawgiver it is in respect of triall which before was named 1 Pet. 1.7 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the triall of our faith is more precious to the Lord than all the riches and goods in the world This triall of us hath bin the cause why God hath permitted doth permit so many errours heresies and false worships Deu. 15.11 We may say in a fit coÌ„parison that albeit God hath plenty and abundance of all things that he could have made all rich yet for the triall of a liberall and a compassionable mind in the rich he would suffer the poore alwaies to be So it may be said of truth it had beene an easie matter for him to have taken order for every one to have had the true profession but onely for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our triall 1 Cor. 11.19 Ideo oportet esse haereses inter vos therefore there must be heresies among you that there may be a triall and that they may be knowne that are sound and true He said fiat lux facta est let there be light and there was light As easie had it been for him to have said fiat veritas let there be truth let there be great plenty of truth there should have bin nothing else but truth only He hath given a cause and a reason why he suffereth errour that they may be tried that seeke after the truth The meaning is this Psal 138. â— that forasmuch as it being set downe that God hath magnified his word and truth above all i. that it is the highest thing that he maketh account of and most highly esteemeth it therefore he would have it diligently to be sought of us that we should shew our estimation conformable to his and that we likewise should esteeme it and magnifie it above all things and this is Pauls counsell and this is the end and he would thus have his glory sought For the necessity of it we need not speake much of it for it hath partly beene handled heretofore And for as much as truth and true religion is a way and is called so 2 Pet. 2.2 and that way must bring us unto the right end then necessary it is we find it if we find it not aliquis erit terminus eunti in via but error immensus est if a man keepe the right way he shall at length come to the end of his journey Jam. 1.8 but errour hath no end Therefore it is requisite By the spirit of truth and the way of truth we shall come into the truth The thing commanded is Religion or true religion veri nominis religio which Christ Mat. 13.35 under the name of the Kingdome of heaven likeneth to a pearle and him that sought after it to a Merchant that sought many pearles and at the last found one of inestimable value and when he had found it he sold all that ever he had and bought it Herein are three things 1. that we seeke the truth 2. that when we have found it we rest in it 3. that it be to us a girdle Then this desire is first an earnest studie and applying of the mind to find out the truth among errours and falshood in the world ought to be in us Whereas the common manner is this every man in that religion he is borne in he will grow up in it and die in it and we presuppose our selves to have found the pearle before we seeke it and so when our studies begin to ripen we only sticke to some learned mans institutions Deut. 4.32 Moses seemeth to be of another mind it is not onely an exhortation but commeth in the way of a commandement that the Israelites they should enquire into all antiquities and in all parts and ends of the world whether there were any such religion as theirs and that they had nothing but truth it selfe and wisedome it selfe So that this is the first thing As there is inquisitio dubii so there is examinatio veri Esa 65.1 Rom. 10.20 that no man do suppose that he hath found the truth before he hath sought it and Mat. 7.7 he that seeketh for it he hath a promise that he shall find it The promise of the calling of the Gentiles that God would be found of them that sought him not is not a patterne for us in this case but as we are to enquire into all doubts so are we to examine all truths among the pearles that sundry shew us and promise us that they have worthy stuffe for us we must take that course that we can distinguish that all those are not such pearls as that a man should sell all that he hath for them but that we indeed have the inestimable pearle that the Merchant found and bought with all that hee had Hereditary religion religion upon offence
this is the punishment of God upon Ministers that they shall fall into such a company that will not heare because they had dull eares themselves in hearing before and not onely that Pro. 28.9 but also to speake to a dull people The fifth Rule of signes The Commandemâ—nt it selfe is signum i. Mal. 1.14 a way to examine us God maketh there a very abject and as Augustine saith an unlawfull comparison to compare himselfe to a great King on earth and vers 8. he reasoneth If you should offer such a gift to your Prince would he accept thy person If we would heare him as we would heare a great Prince 1 Sam. 19.8 Jonathan to David To morrow is the day of the month you will be looked for for my Father will see your place empty And our place may be empty that is we may be absent for divers causes First 1 Sam. 19.14 sicknesse Lawfull causes of absence from Church for so Micholl answered to Saul for David Secondly 2 Sam. 20.28 the answer of Jonathan for David He went to Bethel for my family said he offereth a sacrifice to day so if a man be to offer a sacrifice himselfe he may be absent from Sauls sacrifice for it is best to be the principall agent in Gods service Thirdly Mat. 9.13 Misericordiam volo potius quam sacrisicium the workes of mercy to visit the sicke is lawfull c. because they be meanes ordained for the duty of charity therefore for such a duty we may depart and leave the other duty The second signe Judg. 9.7 the meditation of this talio Looke as you heare so you shall be heard Heare what I say and I will heare what you say It is a good signe if we can say Even as I heare even so heare me O Lord. The third signe Psalm 119.63 79. If we be companions of those that worship God and if those persons be more deare to us because they are reverent and zealous in Gods service and the other more odious because they be cold it is a good signe The sixth Rule Accessory to procure it in others Hierome on Numb 36.13 no man may be a curtaine in the Lords house unlesse he hath a hooke and a tache Quilibet verus Christianus est cortina patris to draw on another brother Psalm 42.4 Davids affection I remember it with joy John 1.41 45. of Andrew to his brother We have found that Messiah and of Philip to Nathaniel We have found him of whom Moses in the Law did speake c. 1 Cor. 11.33 the Rule spoken of before one to stay for another and one to bring another that they may by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same mind and one accord The contrary condemned and punished Acts 13.8 in Elymas for seeking to hinder the Deputy from receiving the Gospell he was stricken with bodily blindnesse c. Order is taken Com. 1. for the inward worship and Com. 2. for the outward now he proceeds to the Commination or Sanction which containeth a penalty on the breakers and a reward for the keepers of the Commandement Every Commandement sancitur praemo poena If it be asked why this Commandement is the first that hath this punishment set downe as the fifth Commandement is said to be the first with promise Ephes 6.2 We have three reasons for the justifying of Gods worke in it First because that as Deut. 25.2 the punishment must be proportionable to the fault and the sinne against the first Commandement is hidden and in the wombe in our hearts and bosomes that God onely can see it and view it therefore the punishment of it also is left to God and Acts 17.30 he is content to oversee it But this because it comes into the light of the Sunne and is to be seene of every body in this respect God hath more particularly pronounced a punishment against it 1 Tim. 5.20 that others may feare According to the rule of justice Malum ubi contingit ibi moriatur if the fault be open so shall the punishment also be if private so also And seeing this is committed in the sight of all therefore to be punished in the sight of all The second is that whereas every punishment is brought in Ut prohibeat impetum ad turpia and our impetus or inclination being marvellously whetted to the breach of this by profit and safety the best Oratours annexed to it I speake of that corruption wherein every head is full of new platformes that it will devise to it selfe and that we cannot be vile in our owne eyes as David was 2 Sam. 6.22 but of this that sometimes it falleth out as God foretold Revel 14.9 that the Beast getteth place and then he that will not receive the marke of the Beast in his forehead he shall neither buy nor sell and not that onely but hee shall be rent in pieces Here then is the motive that man can be content to leave God and bow downe to the Beast if they can be perswaded they may thereby enjoy temporall commodities and security of this life for come what Religion will they are ready for all And in regard of the comming with these reasons not onely of that the Devill counted a great thing Job 2. the saving of mens Skinnes but the Fleeces also peace and tranquillity so because this profit was annexed it was necessary there should be a punishment cohibere impetum hunc to stop our inclination Thirdly because we see Dan. 3.6 6.8 and Acts 4.18 Edicts and Commandements contrary given out i. for receiving of a false invented worship that men should at the sound of the Trumpet fall downe and worship the golden Image else to be cast into the middest of a hot fiery Furnace And that who so should pray to God within thirty dayes should be cast into the Lyons denne And an edict that the Apostles should speake no more in Christs name Therefore it was necessary that God should give a countermaund and a contrary edict And that as Princes say Qui secus faxit he that transgresseth shall forfeit this and this So God should say If you will not bow downe and give me this worship you shall forfeit you and your children after you and your childrens children shall be subject to mine indignation This for the reason why God hath made it a penall Statute The Sanction or establishment is divided into Commination visiting the iniquity c. Promise and shew mercy c. The preface was touched before in the beginning of the Law Of Jehovah thy God Now of fortis zelotes strong and zealous the two words that remaine they containe the certainty of bringing to passe that which he threatneth or promiseth here in this Commandement For mighty signifieth that there is no hinderance in performance of it He is able to doe it It falleth out that where men whose armes and hands are shortened conceive mighty wrath and indignation but there wanteth
strength and therefore are not feared as 2 Sam. 16.13 great malice and hatred in Shimei yet it was nothing but an handfull of dust and because he wanted might it was faine to end in words onely Whereas if hee had beene mighty his anger would more have prevayled So the want of might is many times the hinderance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mighty so in Esay 31.3 and in other places of the Scriptures it pleaseth God when he opposeth himselfe to men Aegypt is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is such strength in God that mans weaknesse is not able to match it In Hebrew there be two words given to God that comprehend the whole nature of strength first * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnoz the second * * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cayl The first is that we call Robur internall strength the other externall strength either of Weapons or Armes c. 1. For the first as when it pleaseth the H. G. to debase the strength of man 1 Cor. 1.25 that the weaknesse of God is stronger then the strength of men so Exod. 8.19 when he speaketh of Gods strength and the mighty wonders which he wrought in Aegypt he compareth it to the finger of God Which finger Psal 144.5 if it doe but touch the Mountaines it will make them smoake and not onely his finger but more the puffe the winde of a mans mouth is the least thing and weakest and yet he saith At the proceeding of it out of his nostrills the foundations of the Hills were discovered and the ground removed Psalm 18.15 This is positive and not onely this but also privative Psalm 104.29 If he doe but hold in his breath all things perish or he cast his eye aside the World comes to an end in a moment Secondly for fortitudo strength or munitions without him albeit this is sufficient to move us yet that Jer. 23.29 Is not my Word even like a fire saith the Lord and like an Hammer that breaketh the stone And Psal 7.13 Except a man returne he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready For the other his powers and Legions of Angels Psalm 68.17 twenty thousand but in Dan. 7.10 they are said to be more Thousand thousands and tenne thousand thousands of heavenly souldiers Luke 2.13 Legions of heavenly souldiers Besides in the 8 9 10. of Exodus Armies of the basest creatures Lice Frogs Caterpillers Grashoppers c. By which he brought mighty things to passe against the great princes as Psal 105. 2. Zelotes Jealousie that seemeth to import thus much It might be thought all one for God whether we did afford him this outward worship or not and that he careth not nor regardeth this outward manner and therefore conceiveth no anger against the breach of it therefore he to take away all such doubt setteth this downe that he is a regarder and a jealous regarder of this Psalm 10.13 he ascribeth to the wicked this speech Tush God he regardeth it not The other possibly will make us regard yet there are but few that make regard whether he can therefore he hath taken upon him that that implyeth the speciallest regard that can be and betokeneth such an affection as is in them that have a regard Jealousie is the excesse of love whereby every man regardeth a thing so as Numbers 5. that he cannot abide it to be common to any with him as he that is Impatiens consortis and cannot abide to have any one part common but he must have it whole himselfe 1. For the first Impatiens consortis when he will have no fellow 2 Cor. 11.2 the Apostle saith he was jealous over them with the zeale of the Lord that he might present them a pure Virgin to Christ onely 2. For the second that he must have the whole Psalm 69.9 The zeale of thine house hath even devoured me and Christ hath applyed it to himselfe It is an affection that it must devoure the whole man and eate him up cleane and separate him so that he have no fellowship with any other such regard then hath God to his outward worship This affection in it selfe is good else God Numb 5.14 would not have given that Commandement allowing the spirit of jealousie Yet by reason of hitting or missing in us it is joyned and mingled sometimes with other affections and when we misse of our purpose wholly then it is Zelus amarus ex laesa concupiscentia as James calleth it Quia extra non sentit quod jutus concupiscit and this griefe stirreth up another Vindicem laesae concupiscentiae Nahum 1.23 such anger as will have revenge and further then that Prov. 6.34 35. a raging and universall revenge Now then if this fall into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it proveth not to be like a sparke in a stack of Straw or falling into an heape of Chaffe which maketh a flame and vanisheth away but like a sparke of fire falling into a barrell of Gunne-powder bearing up all before it According to mans strength is his anger The Kings anger is death and the eternall Kings eternall death of body and soule Luke 12.5 For avoyding error touching this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is affirmed of God what is to be thought of it and what profit we may have of this affirmation Whether there fall any affection of man into God It is certaine it doth not if a man speake properly if he speake not by a metaphor And to them which say Indignum est haec de Deo dici we must answer with Augustine Indignum certe est si quid quod de eo diceretur inveniretur dignum but we cannot for our great and glorious titles of Majesty magnificence glory are nothing to his glory Magis congrua accommoda sunt humanae imbecillitati quam divinae majestati so this is spoken for mans infirmity The applying of it to the Scriptures 1. Whereas it is said in many places God is not as man that he should repent him and in other places that it repented him that he made man c. For reconciling of such places his rule is Cum negantur istae affectiones de Deo significari immutabilitatem cum dicuntur de Deo efficaciam that he will worke effectually So that these affections here shew that God will doe as men doe which have the like affections not that he hath these affections but that he produceth these actions that they doe which have those affections Secondly also as Augustine saith that those things are affirmed of God and man eodem verbo sed non eodem modo For jealousie in man may be light and for no cause but in God with knowledge and wisedome mans jealousie knoweth no order it is disordered and raging in God it is tranquilla justitia Thirdly to these two we may add the end that it is convenient to the same nature these two being observed that
visitation is for justice so here should have beene merces and not misericordia not Mercy but wages but our reward doth argue non mercedem but gratuitum amorem not wages but mercy Now that it is called a work operans misericordiam and the other i.e. his justice but a visitation i. e. a thing intermitted that is also a speciall thing to bee observed the nature of his justice is restrayned to the fourth generation and his mercy is extended to thousands so here is a proportion the one containing the other two hundred and fifty times not that the mercy of God is greater then his justice but because he is more delighted in the action of the one then of the other The reward is promised to them that love him the manner of love is according to the love of God because he is jealous for us that wee might bee jealous for him that wee may say as 1 King 19.20 Elias zelo zelatus sum I have beene very jealous for the Lord God of hosts sake zelantes potiùs quà m amantes The triall of this love consisteth in keeping the commandements i. e. that if it be not a commandement it is not from him and therefore whatsoever was without them was not from love Another it is very certaine that the righteousnesse of speech and the true signe of loving him had beene the keeping of him but he saith not so but the keeping of my commandements the reason is because he is able to keepe himselfe and needeth not our keeping therefore he hath set our love to bee tryed by two things First by mandata or praecepta mea his commandements Secondly minimos istos his little ones for the commandements it is said Wee keepe him in his parâ—â—â—â—â— and his love in mandata Hosea 4.10 that they kept them not 2. for the other Mat. 25.45 quandiu uni ex istis minimis non fecistis neque mihi c. in as much as yee did it not to one of the least of these yee did it not to mee And the third thing is this that our estimation of them must be such that wee thinke them worth the keeping as Psal 19.10 David accounteth of them as dearly as of much fine Gold of Ophir and Psal 119.72 Thy law is dearer to mee then thousands of gold and silver For keeping by this word Keeper wee must understand that God hath made us keepers of his commandement Now the property and charge of a Keeper is to preserve that thing that he keepeth as from himselfe so from others and to see and have regard that it be neither lost by negligence nor cast away nor broken nor hurt but kept sound till his comming that gave them to him in charge For the losse of Gods commandements 1. King 20.40 For the breaking of them Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall breake the least of these commandements c. shall be called the least in the kingdome of God but a contemptuous threatning is Psal 50.17 Now that they may be safely kept and as it is Prov. 4.21 it is best to lay them up in that place that is surest even in the middest of our heart For the keeping in regard of others wee must not say as Cain of Abel sumne ego custos c. am I my brothers keeper for as Caine should have beene keeper of his Brother that others kill him not so wee should be keepers of Gods commandements that others breake them not Wee must have the commandements of God not only observanda but also consenvanda not only observe but conserve them And if wee performe this duty wee shall doe as they doe Prov. 16.17 he that keepeth them keepeth his owne soule by them So much of the 2d Commandement The III. Commandement Thou shalt not take the c. THe object of this commandement is the Name of god or his glory The thing commanded is a reverent taking of his Name comprehended in this word praise And the proper place of Gods glory is in this commandement by reason of the object which is his name by the which he is glorified And this his glory is such as for it Esa 43.7 he created all things For mine owne glory I created them and for this that which was before his Creation his predestination Ephes 1.6 unto which wee must joyne our praise Now if they must be made like to their creator if the worke must be according to the minde of the maker it is well therefore that end which moved him to make us must be our end and therefore all our actions and thoughts must come to this to be as it is 2. Thes 1.12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you In the second Commandement be these two respects First that the honour exhibited in outward behaviour is exhibited to one that is present Secondly that the honour exhibited is given to the party himselfe for to him alone it must be done Now the worship of the Tongue which wee call Praise goeth beyond these and is most excellent for it is of him that is absent and to others and not to himselfe Though God be present every where yet when wee in our actions and speeches speake of him to others there is praise and so it goeth to him And yet there commeth a further portion of glory So that it is not only true Luk. 14.8 that honour is given to the person but also to his Name Psal 29.2 Give to God the glory due unto his name which giving of glory is properly called praise for the worship of God is made an especiall glorification of God Psal 50. vers last he that offereth me praise glorifieth mee which sheweth that it is allone to give glory to God and to give him praise Now this praise hath his proper place in our mouth Psal 34.1 With my mouth will I praise thee the instrument chiefe in this office is the Tongue and by performance of this our tongues are made glorious Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will be talking of wisdome and his tongue will speake of judgment The manner how this praysing is to be performed is set downe in Moses Deut. 32.3 I will publish with my mouth give yee glory to God i. e. one must report and they that heare must give glory to God Now as was said before in the word Glory accordingly as it is taken both in divinity and out of divinity there is more then either in honour praise or worship because all these are directed that the party on whom they are bestowed might be glorified And the matter of glory hath proportion to Claritas the brightnesse in glasse and in other such visible things that as they are seene a farre off so that party to whom such honour is given it is in such sort that he might have a name a farre off and knowne Therefore for this cause in Psal 66.2 the Prophet having exhorted men to praise he goeth further and
be thus zealous and so if it be for the name of our Father or any of those that we receive benefit by wee will thinke ill of our selves if we take not the quarrell upon us God is not to be accused to punish those that take his name in vaine To conclude as it is most certaine that Gods name is glorious in it selfe Psal 8.1 How glorious is thy name in all the World So it must be in every one of us If thou wilt it shall be glorified by thee willingly if thou wilt not in spite of thy teeth whether thou wilt or no he will be glorified Exod. 14.4 And I will harden Pharaohs heart so I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon all his Host Deut. 14.2 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord. We must be as the Israelites or wee shall be as Pharaoh Hee that will not glorifie Gods name with the Israelites shall glorifie it with Pharaoh that is by suffering Gods punishing hand For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse The end of the third Commandement The IV. Commandement Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. THE outward worship was divided into the generall or state and temporall worship The reason is this because whereas God commandeth the inward worship of the Soule in the first Commandement both of knowledge and will and in the second hee would have manifest and knowne outwardly the submitting of our knowledge wisedome and reason by reverence a worship the submitting of our affections or will by yeelding reverence of gesture and for this outward gestnre because it could be performed onely to him he would not have it done then onely but when wee were dealing with others and to others that the glory of his name might be magnified in speech and therefore the duties of the third Commandement are injoyned and these three perpetuall and generall besides these three in the fourth Commandement he taketh order that there be not onely a generall profession but also a set day a solemne profession wherein there should be a publique profession of these duties and those and wherein they should all be brought to â—ight Levit. 23.2 3. The feasts of the Lord which ye shall call the holy assemblies even those are my feasts Six dayes shall worke be done but the seventh shall bee the Sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall doe no worke therein It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings The end of the Sabbath A great and holy assembly for this end either that they might be sanctified and all taught or that they might practice them to his glory in the great congregation It is true and that the Heathen man saw well Publicorum cura minor the common care is not the best care But that that is looked to of all is cared for of none and cometh to be regarded of none and so no doubt would men have dealt with God had not he provided a particuler day for himselfe and setled it by a Commandement and that in very particuler manner By that continuall and generall Sabbath they have no day of rest The drift of God in adding this Commandement shall be seene For the Commandement it selfe generally it is full out as long and longer then the second Commandement of many words and therefore moveth us to a due and no lesse consideration of it We see for the duties of the second Table foure of them are ended in a word because common honesty and writers as Philosophers politick and civill Lawes have taken order for them as in manslaughter whoredome and theft c but the fifth because God seeth there is an humour in us that will not willingly yeeld to subjection therefore it was necessary that God should fence it with a reason So likewise in the tenth there is a great particularity used in it because men thinke that their thoughts are free and not to come into judgement and therefore they may have their Concupiscence and Will free But now in the first Table every Commandement hath his reason but above them all in particular this Commandement it includeth six respects that are not found in any of the rest 1. That where the rest runne either barely affirmative as the fifth or barely negative as the rest in this both parts are expressed Affirmative in these words Remember thou keepe holy c. Negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. So that our desire and inclination to the breach of this Commandement is both wayes met withall 2. That not onely to our selves but to all others that pertaine to us which in a full ennumeration and a wonderfull kind of particularity God proceedeth here to reckon them up that with us or by us may be violators of this Commandement 3. In the other we see how the case standeth they all are imperative and they runne peremptorily the word here used though it be of the Imperative Moode yet it is rather a word of intreaty Remember and may be a note of separation from the rest this Commandement therefore imperat persuadet doth both command and perswade in the word Remember 4. Againe beside the Commandement it yeeldeth a reason and perswadeth but not with one reason as the other but with one maine reason indeed and three others so that this exceedeth all by the multitude of perswasions 5. Another is this that we see in the former Commandement the reason is fearefull so it is in the second Commandement In this it is a farre more easie and reasonable for the great and maine reason is this that we should doe no more then God hath done 6. That as we see by the preface annexed Recordare Remember when we know it is that word that we expresse an especiall charge by because we thinke that it maketh no matter that it is but a trifle whether a duty be broken or kept and therefore he wileth and chargeth us to have an especiall regard of it and not forget him The Commandement as it standeth is divided into the 1. Precept and 2. Aetiologie that is the reason or perswasion First the Precept Remember that thou sandine a day unto me a day of rest to the Lord. For the understanding of it wee must know what is meant first by day of rest or Sabbath secondly what by sanctifying A day of rest or Sabbath properly in the Originall tongue betokeneth such a rest as there hath a worke gone before it Cessaâ—iâ— such a rest is plainely set downe Levit. 25. When the Land hath beene laboured and tilled six yeares he chargeth it to be suffered to rest the seventh yeare and lye fallow a politick Law So that after a labour of six dayes this is it that God requireth that there should be a day of ceasing Sanctifying is here attributed to two in this Commandement in the end that the Lord sanctifyed the Sabbath here in the beginning that wee must remember to sanctifie it The
one thing that is whatsoever is done it must throughly be done it must be alonely done the reason is because we are res integra finita finite creatures and if two things be done at once one part of our thoughts will be taken from the other we cannot wholly intend two things at once this is our case But it was the case of our Father Adam in innocency because he had a naturall soule and finite therefore he was not able wholly to intend the dressing of the Garden in six dayes and to intend the whole sanctification of the day of rest commanded Gen. 2.3 now because of this God would have a solemne profession of body and soule and therefore this was the end why God instituted blessed and sanctified the seventh day so that it commeth for a remedy against distraction to be intended to any other use especially in the solemne worship of the Lord that takes up the whole man and necessarily suffereth no distraction therefore it doth not suffer him to be intended to any other use Now if being then in that case he could not we that have more impediments to withdraw us we had need of a remedy against our distraction And thus cometh the rest in because that this totall solemne sanctification cannot be performed without ceasing from the rest of our workes and labour because unlesse we doe rest we cannot sanctifie Therefore is it that this is commanded with our sanctification a day of rest otherwise whereas our resting hindreth our sanctification it must bee taken away And indeed Christ doth acknowledge Mark 2.27 that man was not made for the rest but for sanctification Sanctification was his end and man was made for it rest is a subordinate end and man was not made for it but rather that for man and as it is 1. Tim. 4.8 a mans bodily labour so his bodily rest profiteth nothing but to this end applyed God liketh it not There is beside in the commandement another word Remember and because that is properly of a thing past therefore it referreth to some place or time before and there is mention of the Sabbath but in two places before one is Exod. 16.23.24.25 but that is not it for God in the end adding God blessed it referreth us to that place where the same words are Gen. 2.3 and so we know that we are referred thither And by this occasion falleth in that first question that many thinke it is a Ceremony and sundry are so perswaded and hold that men are not bound to sanctifie it since Christ Our Saviour in the case of difference and resolution of Polygamie hath taken a good course and order hee goeth to the beginning how it was ab initio non sic ab initio from the beginning it was not so to call it to the first institution for that is it that giveth the best judgement and the last first end is the true end A thing is not said to be ceremoniall if a ceremoniall use or end be annexed to it for then not one of the tenne morall Commandements but it should bee ceremoniall for they have some ceremonie annexed to them but that is a ceremony whose first and principall end is a ceremonie which this day of rest cannot be The reason because Paradise and mans perfection and a ceremony cannot agree in the state of a mans innocencie The reason is because that before there was a Saviour there could not be a type of a Saviour and before there was sin there needed no Saviour So consequently needing no Saviour needed no ceremony and needing no Saviour nor ceremonie it could not be ceremoniall But that was it that Adam having in the six dayes a naturall use in his body of the creatures should for the glory of God on the seventh day have a spirituall use and consideration So that this remedy against Distraction is the first and principall and generall end though other ends were after added as Deut. 5.15 it pleased God to add this reason that they might remember the benefit of the deliverance out of Aegypt but this was but finis posterior a particular and after end and necessary So it were well if we might add to our dayes of rest the memory of our benefits And Exod. 23.12 God yeeldeth a politique end the ceasing of beasts and men that they may returne more fresh to their labour there is moreover no better nor certainer way to keepe off our enemies those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6.12 those spirituall wickednesses the preaching of the Law then is a meane to enable us to withstand the crafty and subtile suggestions of sin and Satan And if any will say that beside these ends there was figured by this rest that rest we shall have from sinne by Christs death True but yet it is an accessorie end in the Sacrament of Circumcision Circumcision is ceased and the Passover so is the Sabbath but the Sacrament of initiation is not ceased there were two ends of it 1. The first was to seale us to his preventing or following Grace 2. The other to bee a figure of the circumcision of the Heart of the Sacrifice of the world this is ceased So the seventh day is ceased but there is another day there is a day remaining because the end of it was immutable from the beginning The reason of it selfe is so forceable and plaine that without bringing in a manifest absurditie it cannot bee avoided when they see these endes to carry us to the Institution and that in Paradise But you will say Adam never kept it neither was it kept till Exod. 16. Which should in the very misliking seeme an absurd thing that GOD two thousand yeares before a thing should bee put in use should consecrate that thing to Sanctification and all that while it should bee to no End And indeed the sort of the Heretikes that held that materia prima was so made of GOD a great many yeares before the world and it abode by him till the world was made They are confounded by the Fathers by this that no man of wisdome doth make any thing to stand by him many yeares before it can bee put to any use Therefore GOD useth not so to doe but when hee shall have use of any thing then to blesse it This prooveth that this day resteth on the consciences of men and that the institution riseth from GOD immediately even in Adams innocencie Wee must understand that Deut. 4.13 GOD maketh there a plaine distinction betweene Ceremonies and the morall law by this manner That the one proceedeth from him immediatelie the other by the ministerie of Moses and that very same is Deuterenom 5.31 Againe beside the Confusion and breach of Order a thing which GOD misliketh one of the Fathers on these words saith Nunquid Saul est inter Prophetas What is Saul amongst the Prophets Not a Prophet by profession they wondred at it that hee should bee amongst the Prophets one saith
is that he bringeth in that thy man servant and thy mayde may rest as well as thou Another is added Deut. 5.15 the estate of servants Gods care of the Common-wealth and we know that in the Spartane and other Common-wealthes there hath beene Insurrection by reason of overburthening of servants therefore is this put in a preservation of the Common-wealth Gods providence is great in providing of this 4. So likewise of the next member of Beasts Psal 36.6 his mercy and providence is extended to the beasts so Prov. 12.10 to the soule of the beast that is he will take order that the beasts be not tired because the earth shall have her Sabbath One end of Gods providence for them is the restrayning of our covetous humour who rather then we will omit any little gaine we will put our land and cattell to the uttermost and wee care not to what paines Againe another that by beholding the beasts doing their duties we might be the more moved to the doing of ours We must therefore note that God commands not their rest as delighted therewith even as Jonah 3.5 the beasts commanded to fast not that God was delighted with their abstinence or was acceptable to him but onely this that as the Ninivites seeing their beasts pyned before them they might consider of it and be moved the more so here seeing the beasts to keepe Sabbath they might remember to keep it 5. The last is the stranger within thy gates The Gates of an House or a Citie in Scripture signifieth Jurisdiction or Defenced protection That as then he is in his Gates so he is in his Jurisdiction so whosoever commeth under anothers Gates as he cometh for protection if he be be injured so he must confesse that hee must be under his Jurisdiction that for any godly duty hee may command him and Gen. 19. Lots intercession for the Angels Therefore came they under my roofe that they might receive no harme and as he had a care that they might receive no injury so ought we have a care of their soules As Nehem. 13.19 the men of Tyrus and Ashdod so long as he had any hope to reclaime them he suffered them to bring in their Wares but after hee saw they would bring in their Wares for all his warnings and threatnings he tooke order that the Gates of Jerusalem should be shut against them in the end of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation of the Sabbath And so we see both for Workes and for Persons in severall and particuler The maine reason is vers 11. For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven c. As wee said before that a rule for discerning precepts is Ratio immutabilis praecepti facit praeceptum immutabile if the reason of a Commandement be immutable it maketh the commandement to be immutable and so consequently because the reason is to sanctifie Gods name when we shall be glorified in Heaven we shall there doe it we shall there onely intend it untill we come thither we have but finite soules and canot intend it wholly this reason being immutable that it shall there be done of us in the state of glory when we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One to One So may we likewise say of this it being a reason abexemplo from Gods owne example For concerning that this axiome The Creatour is to be followed of the Creature in that he commandeth it is an immutable reason for as much as it is the example of God nor can receive any time of exception because I have rested I propound the same to thee Therefore it pleased God to use this reason as most forcible He maketh use of others besides this Exod. 23. and Deut. 5.15 those he useth as proper to the Jewes this reason of the benefit of the Creation is here forced being greatest as well for the use as the duties which God that day cals for to be performed by us in an especiall manner the consideration of his goodnesse wisedome power and eternitie So also for the meditation of it in that day as the 92. Psalme was made for that day As for the continuance of the memorie of the Creation and keeping men from Paganisme for if it had been duly kept then that great doubt that troubled all the Philosophers so much Whether the World had a beginning had beene taken away And therefore this day being one especiall meanes that men might not fall into Atheisme is therefore sanctified of God to be a day of Rest Augustine on Genesis intreating of the Creation saith That it is true that it might have pleased God to have said Fiat totus Mundus let all the World bee made in one moment as Fiat lux let there be light in the first it had beene all one to his Omnipotencie to have made it as well in a moment as in six dayes his inquisition is What then should move God and hee findeth no reason but this that men might proceed in the musing of and meditation of the Creation in the same order that God hath taken in the Creation else they should have been in a maze Therefore Psal 104. David when he entreth a discourse of the Works of God he useth an order and Basil and Ambrose have written bookes of it that men might begin to thinke and give themselves to necessary thoughts and wholesome cogitations And this is thought to be the course that was in the Primitive Church For the substance of the reason it selfe generally to move all to doe as God hath done nothing moveth a man so as a notable example as Christ John 13.16 Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example When he saw his Disciples given to pride and would have them brought to Humility What way taketh he He taketh up a bason of water and a towell and putting off his upper garment washeth their feet and when he had done vers 15. he saith Wott yee what I have done Exemplum dedi vobis Yee call me Lord and ye doe well for I am so If I that am your Lord wash your feet how much more ought you to wash one anothers feet And in the 1 Cor. 11. Paul propoundeth a marveilous example Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ And therefore he himselfe may doe that I have done my selfe and because I that needed not have rested therefore must thou rest that needest it The last reason of the three Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day he did not onely rest himselfe but he hath consecrated it also and besides his example hee hath annexed a solemne Institution So that it shall be to us a Mercatura animae the market day of our soule both for amendment of the weeke that went before and for a better life in the weeke to come But this is not the reason the force of the reason is in this because God hath blessed and hallowed it therefore this is a marveilous strange kinde of opposition Seeing
sufficient There was city against city and that was the occasion of the Civill government And indeed this Ecclesiastica potestas the Ecclesiasticall government would have been sufficient to have governed the whole World but that as David saith Psal 32.9 there is in some another nature They are like the Horse and wild Mule that will runne upon men and offer violence and injury and consequently there must be another power to bridle those Now then the great reason of the Common-wealth why they would be under one man and of giving potestatem vitae necis The great reason of the Common-wealth power over life and death to one man their maxime is Praestat timere unum quam multos better to feare one Wolfe then to have every Wolfe to be his controller and to have his life continually in hazard Gen. 9.6 A magistracy and the sword was appointed by God and so consequently Gen. 14.18 Melchisedech whom the best writers agree to be Sem tooke upon him a Kingdome and tooke upon him a way to defend the Church and people of God The chiefe end of a Common-wealth is to serve God Praecipuus finis re publicae cultus De◠1 Tim. 2.2 Which Abraham not finding in Caldea where he was pars patriae one of the countrey chose rather to live solitarily by himselfe Exod. 5.13 the same end is noted Israel being under a strange King in Aegypt that knew not Jehovah desired to goe and serve the Lord in the Wildernesse out of the Land of Aegypt Psal 122. the Church and Countrey are both joyned together and 2 Chron. 11.13 14. the Levites ran from Jeroboam out of all the suburbs and possessions and came to Juda and Jerusalem For Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from ministring in the Priests of sice before the Lord Deu. 17.18 as soon as the King is set in his throne he must get him a copie of the Law For this a man may forsake his Countrie if his end be gone that is the service of God 2. End peace After this end came in the other as the second end quietnesse That is in three points in this order Because Pastor is applyed to the Minister much adoe there is Pastor in the word more often applyed to the Magistrate then to the Minister in urging great and extraordinary diligence in them But it is strange that Pastor in the Scriptures being oftner attributed to the Magistrate no such diligence is required of him The first metaphor from that signification is given to the Magistrate Gen. 49.24 to Joseph and Psal 78.71 to David Secondly Num. 27.17 metaphorically So also provide a man over them that they be not as sheep without a shepheard Now that they might not stray as sheep because it is good for sheep to keep together for feare of the Wolves therefore it is first that they might be fedde And then for that there falleth dissension among them Ezek. 34.18 21. I will judge betweene sheep and shepheard vers 23. And I will set up a shepheard over them even my servant David c. There are the fat and the leane sheep and what doe they The fat sheep having fed and drunke trample the grasse and trouble the water that the leane sheep can eate and drinke nothing but such and vers 21. they will strike one another with their hornes c. Now for the keeping of the fat from the leane in the inside of the fold that they may feed quietly This is the second end 3. Now besides John 10.12 because there is a Wolfe without the fold an outward enemie that is forraigne invasion here is the third end to be quiet from forraigne invasion from the great Goats and Wolfe We see how the causes depend one of another The first end of Princes to be nutricii ecclesiae nourishers of the Church pascere nos non seipsos to feed not themselves but us The second is to be procurers of peace at home The third to keep off forraigne invasion plaine in exemplo regis non boni by an example of none of the best Kings Saul 1 Sam. 11.5 he lookes there ne quid sit populo quod fleat that the people have no occasion to weep they be not disquieted by Nahash the Ammonite c. so we see the end Now to the duties Usurpation An usurpation is here too as well as in Ecclesiasticall government Judges 18.7 In Laish men were quiet because there was no usurping Prov. 8.15 Per me reges regnant By me Kings raigne saith Salomon As hee is the doore Practises of usurpers so they that enter rightly enter by him but he saith contra Hosea 8.4 Regnaverunt sed non per me they have set up Kings but not by me So there bee some Usurpers of Magistracie Videlicet such as be not called as Hebrewes 5.4 but doe as Amos 6.13 Assumpserunt sibi cornua that is potestatem c. take unto themselves hornes by hornes is meant power We have an example in Abimelech Judges 9. Ambition is the usurper his meanes be verse 2. his friends But now they are growne more impudent they will say it themselves Abimelech had more blood in his face he desired his friends to say for him and he doth by humbling of himselfe seeke friendship and verse 4. When they had little better consideration of them he getteth him a few light brayned fellowes to ayde him verse 5. and 21. those that had right to it he drove away These are the three practises of Usurpers which Jotham verse 15. and 16. telleth them in a Tale and so sheweth them what manner of fellows they are c. The Magistrate being set in his charge rightly by God the division of 1 Pet. 2.13 14. commeth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under Officers as in Warre the Captaine in Peace the Judge The cause of under officers The reason of Under officers is Deut. 2.9 Moses confession Exod. 18.13 Jethro telleth him he is unable to beare the burthen of the whole government Numb 11.16 is Gods approbation Deut. 17.16 they have authority to make a King and Deut. 16.10 to make under Officers Here note that these under Officers are given to helpe the King Underofficers must not bee too many therefore that there be no more granted then will serve to help the King that the Realme be not clogged with too many Nehem. 5.15 They themselves handle them not hardly but their servants their under Officers oppressed the people Therefore that is gravamen reipublicae a burthen to the Common-wealth which the people cannot beare So it is against policie and against justice too for they must have their Fees to them Generall dutyes So the duties in generall of both What manner of men they should be What manner of men they should be And the first is this Whom God calleth All elections must be according to that rule Deut.
it is not so much as is thought Job 1. the Devill saith of Job he is righteous indeed but not throughly and as he ought And when we cannot doe that that we cannot either deny it to be in him nor to be in that measure that it is in him then we wreake our selves upon the gifts and we come to extenuate the gift it selfe Tush it is a base gift it is not so good a thing there doth not so great good come of it it is better to be well read c. And then a fourth way perhaps the gift is such as all cannot but see it is a rare gift then we begin to shew a defect in another gift in that part of learning wherein he is defective he is no body he can doe nothing in such a thing And then we goe to the use and usage of it But he abuseth his gift at the least wise we will finde some fault with some imperfection in his life one thing or other ever standeth awry So was Christ dealt with Matthew 9.34 when the power of God was seene to be great in him in casting out Devills c. they said he did it by Beelzebub c. And Matthew 13.35 Why was it more in him then in another man there can be no great matter in him we know his bringing up he is but the Carpenters Sonne c. and then Matthew 9.11 they fly to sift his conversation he was an eater and drinker with Publicans c. Now his part that hath the gift correspondent hereto is 1. Corinth 15.10 to know who it is that hath separated him and that there was nothing in him naturally but it was given Ezek. 28.17 there be many that will prodere sapientiam indecore with too well thinking of themselves they loose all they haue therefore it is best to acknowledge the giver and to be humble And he may humble himselfe thus as the Apostle though not with the defect of other gifts Rom. 7.24 with the body of sinne that he carryeth about him and so if he can bring himselfe 1. Coriath 15.10 if the grace of God be in him and not in vaine for it may be in vaine in respect of doing good in the Church for it is commonly seene that there be many great gifts without fruit in many men Secondly it may be in vaine in respect of himselfe that as the Preacher saith he may be wise and never doe himselfe good by it And last of all not onely for this life but for that to come 1. Cor. 9. he may Preach to other be a Minister and at last be a cast-away himselfe if he be not humble And as Eccles 6.2 3. mans conceit will rend him like a Bull like a wild Bull so that neither he himselfe of himselfe nor any other shall receive any profit of him or his gifts The duty is set downe Rom. 12.10.16 that he goe before other in giving honour that is to make himselfe equall to those that be his inferiours vers 16. The second of the Inferiour seeing God 1 Cor. 4.6 doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separate men by their gifts not that they should live alone but he giveth them a degree of separation from others in bestowing on them a more excellent gift for the good of others therefore cometh the second The duty is praeferre or praeeligere to give it the place of preferment before another which is not so great a gift as it is For certainely where God hath placed his greatest and best gifts there he hath pointed the finger that that man should have the greatest preheminence The Apostle willeth them 1 Corinth 12.31 study for the better gifts Why so Because verse 7. by them they shall doe the greatest prosit And so consequently he is summo jure and even by lex talionis to have the best place to doe the most good in So meane gifts God giveth for meanes places great gifts for great places This is his order Pro. 3.15 4. If there should be an election between gold silver precious stones and learning learning is to be chosen before the other Pro. 8.11 Therefore he would have the greatest regard to be had of it It is strange that this being the second point in all morall Phylosophie the first being Bonum eligendum malum fugiendum that which is good is to be chosen and that which is evill to be avoyded this the second Quod melius est eligendum of two goods the best is to be chosen and the third ê malis minimum of two evils the least that that being a principle of morall Phylosophie yet now we must prove it though it be a ground and when we have proved it men cannot obtaine it But the reasons are 2 Sam. 7.14 A fort of wicked men is met and they cry the counsell of Hushai is better c. therefore we will follow it Esay 40.20 The Idolater that is to make an image he will choose lignum forte lignum melius the best timber he can get It is a sensible thing by naturall reason yet we cannot be brought to practise it 2. Now then there cometh another sinne by another reason Those that founded such places as these are had this reason saith the Lawyer that they would give their goods to a Colledge and not to their Kindred because if they made of their owne kindred heires they should have haeredes promiscuos they knew not whether their posterity should be good or bad but here they should have haeredes ex optimis the best should be heires of the whole land This was the institution but now it is otherwise Now besides this a third For when as they gave their statutes many things run bare affirmative but the Canon of the Law saith Clarissimè exponunt legislatores se summevelle quod maneant sub virtute sacramenti I charge thee to deale faithfully with me according to my will in the statute This is summe velle mandare sub virture sacramenti yet this is disapointed There is an evill opinion of some which thinke that we are in such cases like Potters because these matters are res premii And so whatsoever we doe we may doe it ex mera gratia as we will But God was not of that minde for if he were to what end in making under officers moderators such as Masters of Colledges should he appoint them their qualities of knowledge understanding c If these qualities be set downe it is very certaine such elections should be Esay 49.2 We are to pick them as chosen shafts and hide them in the Lords Quiver It is thought to be spoken of Scholers more plainely God himselfe 1 Sam. 15.28 Samuel saith But now he hath taken thy Kingdome from thee and given it to thy neighbour that is thy Better This is no injurie It is the Devills election to take from the better to give to the worse 1 Kings 2.32 David moveth Salomon of a scape in his time
could say What accusation bring you against him Acts 25.16 Festus saith It is not the law among the Romans to condemne any man before his accusers come They that are able amongst you come down and I will heare them in this plea. Deut. 17.6 and 19.15 God would not have bloud shed at the witnesse of one man but either by his owne confession or he must be convinced by two or three witnesses And in regard of this as Chrysostome saith was Christs Act though he knew Iudas to be a thiefe yet because his theft was not manifest because he was sons damnatus condemned as guilty he did not cast him into prison the law would take no hold of him he did it so craftily and wilily So that judgement may proceed aright 1. He must be a subject borne 2. He must be lawfully convicted and so proceeding the law may proceed on him Where one side is broken the other will be broken too We see it by plaine experience that it hath alwayes happened i. if a Prince come once to spare a party that is guilty surely it will come to passe that he will put to death an innocent contra 1 Sam. 15.9 Agag and the chiefe of the Amalekites men appointed by Gods prescript to die were spared by Saul and 1 Sam. 22.18 he causeth an innocent company of Priests a whole City to be put to the sword contrariwise 1 King 20.42 Ahab first began by putting to death Naboth the innocent and afterward ibidem hee doth not kill Benhadad sed dimittit eum dignum morte but let him goe that was appointed to destruction therefore his life shall goe for his life For whereas clemencie is commendable in a Prince yet the rule and ground in Divinity is this As he must diminish that that is his owne arbitriment so the punishment set downe by the law he may not diminish but if the punishment be left to his arbitriment then he may alter it Now for increasings of punishments otherwise then God hath set downe Deut. 17.12 that in theft or in any other crime that is not capitall of its owne nature but with a contempt for theft mentis and an high hand elevata manus proterve petulanter lifted up both wickedly and saucily contemptus contempt which is ubique damnabilis every where damnable neglectus neglect onely is culpabilis culpable To the second case ut ante Ezek. 34.18.21 he hath a sword given him As he must have a pointlesse sword as the Lawyers call it whereby he seeth good rule kept amongst his subjects and taketh order that the grasse be not trampled by the fat Sheepe so he hath another sword which hath a point which they call gladium exteriorem against the Wolfe and that is warre The authority of bloud-shed in warre it being plaine 1 Sam. 25.28 quod praelians praelia Dei thou fightest the battels of the Lord therefore it should seeme that the Lord hath some battels to fight More plaine Deut. 20. where the whole order of warre and conditions are set downe in the second verse how they must goe to warre and how it must be enterprised The Priest shall exhort to fortitude vers 5. The Officers shall make a Proclamation of separation of those that goe out from those that tarry at home vers 10. When they shall come to any City to encounter with their enemies they should first offer them peace and vers 12. if they will not take it they should not spare them and vers 11. they have leave to take all the wood of the Countrey round about them to make them forts As in the law Gen. 9. for the Sword and the Gospel Mat. 26.52 doth not take it away and as Aug. saith very well 4. de civit Dei upon Luke 3.14 If it had beene unlawfull Iohn would have said to the Souldiers Abjicite arma deserite militiam throw away your aimes and forsake your colours but he saith offer injurie to no man accuse no man falsely and be content with your wages and so teacheth them their duty in warre and and doth not take it away therefore warre is lawfull Conditiones 3. liâ—iti belli That warre may be lawfull the common distinction is three fold to make it so 1. As the party must be a Magistrate in the one so in the other a Physitian both to wound and cure for the first here it must be done ex justa authoritate by lawfull authority Iudg. 1.1 After Ioshuahs death the people of Israel that could not goe out to warre till they had received authority from God they would first receive a lawfull guide And David 1 Sam. 17.37 untill Saul was made acquainted with his enterprise would not fight with Goliah 2. It must be a just cause and it is a patterne of just warre 1. to defend our selves 2. to resist others As Abraham Gen. 14.15 for the recovery of Lot in which respect he had a losse and injury he under-tooke it And secondly according to jus gentium one Nation hath power over another for an injury not for every light iniury and small but to revenge some notable course of injuries So it must be for weighty matters Iohn 22.12.13 for a matter of Religion as they thought and for civill matters Iudg. 20.23 that the whole multitude of the Tribes of Israel rose up to revenge the fact of the Tribe of Benjamin 3. It must be done with a right precept set downe Deut. 23.9 When thou goest out with thine hoste against thine enemies keep thee from all wickednesse that is the spoyle and the prey which was the end of them 1 Sam. 15.9 Ravening must not be our end and purpose but with this to flie evill And as Abigail said to David Quia praeliaris praelia Domini idcirco ne inveniatur apud te malum because thou fightest the battels of the Lord let no evill be found with thee see that no evill be found in thee Otherwise if there be not this we know what David said to Solomon of Ioab 1 King 2.5 that the bloud of warre stucke to his girdle and shooes therefore he willed Solomon to punish him Else if it be lawfull and thus qualified it is a vertue and it is a part of fortitude as in the other part of fortitude there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reformation of justice so in this Christian fortitude whereby for our Countrey for our Church we are willing to hazzard our life 2 Sam. 10.12 propter pop nostrum urbes Dei nostri for our people and the City of our God A third thing depending upon these because as we said before necessitas est exlex necessity hath no law nay more then that necessitas dicit legem legi necessity imposes a law upon the law therefore in the case of necessity which we must take pro imprudente necessitate for unlook'd for necessity not imminent onely but pro termino indivisibili but even for that instant in that case
give the Law into his hands But because by this departing from our right we pluck upon us a grievouser burden then we can beare and make them offer it the oftner therefore there is a Magistrate and we may lawfully have recourse to him for redresse yet so we observe certaine rules 1. Exod. 18.22 Moses saith he will not have every trifle brought before him Now any thing that will beare an action in Law may be brought before him but non quod opus est sed quod necesse est such as if it be not remedied will breed a further inconvenience and such as nothing but the Law can remedy 2. 1 Cor. 6.4 5. Saint Pauls devise is there to put up the matter first to the Saints and to the Brethren among whom we live and not be brought ad formam civile into forreine Courts whereas a great promise is given to two or three gathered together in the name of God in such cases 3. Christ upon the occasion of having the offer of dividing the inheritance Luke 12.15 he saith Man who made me a Judge or a Divider over you Take heed of covetousnesse that is his first note so men must looke that they doe it not of covetousnesse 4. That they will have every mans tuum to be suum and then Esa 10.12 a man in regard of his wealth or strength or alliance with Judges must not begin to enter suit or over-tread the poore 5. And last Iames 3.16 that in all we goe with charity that our doings may not savour of gall as the Heathen said of the Judge the forme of words in the Law Si jus est adversarii habeat ille if it be none of mine heare me not in these great matters The conclusion is Prov. 25.8 See in thy matters thou goe not forth hastily to strive and his reason is lest thou know not what thou shalt doe in the end And many there be that repent themselves when they come to end their strife 1 Sam. 25.31 It is a good saying of Abigail I doubt not but my Lord will never repent himselfe that hee hath not shed bloud causelesse If a man refraine himselfe from evill words and hath borne injury he shall never unwish it but if he doe the other he shall often repent him 6. Rule Accessary Exod. 2.3 for the negat where Moses seeing two Hebrewes strive he endeavoured to set them at peace And for the affirmative Matth. 5.9 Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God The VII Commandement Thou shalt not commit adultery IT is as the other was in words very briefe And it pleased God here to delineate unto us what reckoning he maketh of the vices that dispose us to adultery as concupiscence c. by the vice it selfe 1 Cor. 7.4 It containeth as uncleannesse so also unjustice and that great because the man he hath not power over his owne body but the woman and contra In this word we see what accompt he maketh of those vices that are subordinate unto it The commandement is expounded Ordâ— maâ—dâ—â—â— Levit. 20.10 Matth. 5.27 and 1 Cor. 6.15 and 7. tot The order is this The principall cause why there must not be murther was because man was the Image of God Now we see the Image of God was specially in chastity and purity So one of the Heathen Poets Bacillides Deus est mens pura God is a pure minde and that is especially in this Commandement The truth whereof is plainely gathered Gen. 37. by the contrary It is the first thing our Parents did so soone as their eyes were open And they saw themselves naked and were ashamed to see their uncleannesse c. Which shewed the Image of God was lost So for the end 1 Thes 4.4 Sâ—â—pus mandâ—tâ— vel finis quadâ—â—plex 1. The Commandement is availeable for the Church Mal. 2.15 2. For the Common-wealth Levit. 18.27.28 the land defiled by the uncleannesse of the inhabitants 3. And for particular persons two kinds 1. That every man it is occulia lex naturae a Law even of nature as of God that whereof he is chiefe he will have it wholly and alone Prov. 6.34 The jealousiâ— of a man often the rage of a man and dearer then any ransome 2. Is his name the legitimation and assurance of his children Deut. 23. no bastard in sanctuario c. As likewise the chastity of his wife And these foure are the end Now for the affection it selfe and ground of the Commandement The ground of the Commandement as it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heat before for the other so here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire that this dealeth with And every part of concupiscence is not evill Col. 3.5 but he putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malam concupiscentiam evill concupiscence as if there were some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lust not evill Rom. 13.4 he willeth us to have providence or care of the flesh but not to fulfill the lust of it More plaine There is in man as in other creatures a desire to preserve it selfe and secondly of his species kinde therefore these two desires because they were most necessary it pleased God to ordain a bait for both that men might be allured to them For as there is a pleasure in eating and drinking so also in the act of generation Then there is a ground In maxime necessariis maxima voluptas maxime allicit in things most needfull the more pleasing the delight the greater allective And there is another Quod maxime allicit maxime corrumpit that which allureth most corrupteth most and the reason is quia appetitus tendit ulâ—ra modum because the appetite knoweth not what is enough For we perswade our selves that if the doing of it once be good the doing of it oftner will be better and so we shall come to doe it too much because the appetite knoweth not what is enough So falleth in corrupt custome for the course of our nature is when it avoideth any evil it avoideth it so vehemently that somtime if there be any good with it it putteth out the good too So if it desire the good it will desire the evill too therefore temperance to the middle therefore they say vertue standeth opposed to fortitude and temperance Temperance magis in defectu as Fortitude magis in excessu This concupiscence of the flesh as it is in us so in beasts and hath the lowest place and as Plato saith it is alligata ventri tied to the belly as a man would tie an asse or a horse to a manger Now being in the lowest place and having a necessary use it is necessary in maxime necessariis ordo est maxime necessarius in things most necessary order is chiefely to be observed The order is that they should not take up a mans life onely if there bee a great course in the lower faculty then the upper is quiet When that that is inferiour is
towards our heavenly countrey such as Iob speakes of Dominus dedit Dominus abstulit Iob 1.21 By gift he meaneth the felicity that is reserved for us after this life the Kingdome of Heaven that whereof our Saviour saith to Martha Luke 10. Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her That which is a stay to us in this life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard all which are reserved for them that love God 1 Cor. 2. these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as well the one as the other come from God So much we are taught by the adjectives that are joyned to these words Givings are called good and the Gifts of God are called perfect In which words the Apostles purpose is to teach us that not onely the great benefits of the life to come such as are perfect are of him but that even that good which we have in this life though it be yet imperfect and may be made better is received from him and not else where Who doth despise little things saith the Prophet Zach. 4.10 God is the Author both of perfect and good things as the Image of the Prince is to be seene as well in a small peece of coine as in a peece of greater value so we are to consider the goodnes of God as well in the things of this life as in the graces that concerne the life to come yea even in this To thinke that which is good 2 Cor. 3. Of him are the small things as well as the great Therefore out Saviour teacheth us to pray not onely for that perfect gift ut advenia Regnum but even for these lesser good things which are but his givings namely that he would give us our daily bread Under Good is contained all gifis both naturall or temporall Those givings which are naturall as to live to move and have understanding are good for of them it is said God saw all that he made and lo all was good Gen. 1. Of gifts temporall the Heathen have doubted whether they were good to wit riches honour c. but the Christians are resolved that they are good 1 Iohn 3. So our Saviour teacheth us to esteeme them when speaking of fish and bread he saith If you which are evill can give your children good things Luke 11. And the Apostle saith Hee that hath this worlds good 1 Iohn 3. For as Augustine saith That is not onely good quod facit bonum sed de quo fit bonum that is not onely good that makes good but whereof is made good so albeit riches do not make a man good alwaies yet because he may do good with them they are good The gift which the Apostle cals perfect is grace and glory whereof there is in this life the beginning of perfection the other in the life to come is the end and constancie of our perfection whereof the Prophet speaks Psal 84.12 The Lord will give grace and glory The Apostle saith Nihil perfectum adduxit Lex The Law brought nothing to perfection Heb. 7. that is by reason of the imperfection of our nature and the weaknesse of our flesh Rom. 8.3 To supply the defect that is in nature grace is added that grace might make that perfect which is imperfect The person that giveth us this grace is Jesus Christ by whom grace and truth came Iohn 1. And therefore he saith Estote perfecti sicut Pater vester coelestis perfectus est Matth. 5. And by this grace not only our sinnes are taken away but our soules are endued with inherent vertues and receive grace and ability from God to proceed from one degree of perfection to another all our life time even till the time of our death which is the beginning and accomplishment of our perfection as our Saviour speakes of his death Luke 13.32 In the latter part of the proposition we are to consider the place from whence and the person from whom we receive these gifts the one is supernè the other à Patre luminum Now he instructeth us to beware of a third errour that we looke not either on the right hand or on the left hand that we regard not the persons of great men which are but instruments of God if we have any good from them all the good we have it is de sursum the thoughts of our hearts that arise in them if they tend to good are not of our selves but infused into us by the divine power of Gods spirit and so is whatsoever good thought word or worke proceeding from us This is one of the first parts of divinity Iobn Baptist taught A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above Iohn 3.27 This was the cause of Christ ascending into Heaven Psal 68. He went up on high and dedit dona hominibus and the Evangelist faith the holy Ghost which is the most perfect gift that can come to men was not yet given because Christ was not yet ascended Iohn 7.39 Therefore if we possesse any blessing or receive any benefit we must not looke to earthly meanes but to Heaven The thing which is here mentioned excludeth the fourth errour we thinke that things come to us by fortune or customably he saies not that good things fall downe from above but they descend qui descendit proposito descendit Our instruction from hence is that they descend from a cause intelligent even from God himselfe who in his counsell and provision bestoweth his blessings as seemeth best to himselfe for as the Heathen man speakes God hath sinum facilem but not perforatum that is a lappe easie to receive and yeeld but not bored through to let things fall through without discretion When the Prophet saith Tu aper is manum Psal 145.15 he doth not say that God lets his blessings droppe out of his fingers Christ when he promised to his Disciples to send the Comforter saith Ego mittameum advos Iohn 16.7 Whereby he giveth them to understand that it is not by casualty or chance that the holy Ghost shall come upon them but by the deliberate counsell of God so the Apostle postle speaks Of his owne will begat he us by the word of truth The person from whom is the Father of lights The Heathens found this to be true that all good things come from above but they thought that the lights in Heaven are the causes of all good things therefore is it that they worship the Sunne Moone and Starres Iames saith Be not deceived all good things come not from the lights but from the Father of lights The naturall lights were made in ministerium cunctis gentibus Deut. 4. and the Angels that are the intellectuall lights are appointed to do service unto the Elect. Heb. 1.13 It is the Father of lights that giveth us all good things therefore he onely is to be worshipped and not the lights which he hath made to
that he denyeth men two things first that we know not what to pray for secondly that we know not how to pray for both these defects we have a double supply for Christ as he is the light of the world Joh. 8. hath directed us what to pray for by that forme of prayer which he hath prescribed unto us and the holy Ghost who is compared to the wind that bloweth where it will instructeth us how to pray for that it stirreth up our affections so that we pray with fervencie of spirit and utter our desires unto God with sighes that cannot be expressed for as a man that travelleth must have a knowledge of his way so he cannot take a journey in hand except he have a good wind to set him forward to this end we are taught not onely by the wisedome of God the Father what to pray for but from the power of his Spirit we have those motions kindled in us whereby our prayer is made fervent Touching the persons whom the Apostle chargeth with this twofold ignorance they are not the common sort of men but even the Apostles themselves for he includes himselfe in the words We know not So Christ said not to the Heathen men Nescitis quid petitis Matth. 20. but to his Disciples James and John so that this is generally true of all men that they know not what to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ought except Gods Spirit help them It is true that we have a diffused knowledge of good and evill and a desire to be partakers of the one and to be delivered from the other for Ignoti nulla cupido but we must have a distinct knowledge that is whether the thing we desire be good or no There is an estate of life which is contemplative and another Active and our infirmity is such as we know not which of them to take our selves unto but oftentimes we thinke that course of life to be good for us which albeit it be good in it selfe yet turns to our overthrow so that when we desire of God to place us in any such course of life we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. taking it for a contented course for our selves whereas it falls not out so This will appeare more plainly both in things temporall and spirituall The sonnes of Zebedee in their suit to Christ Matth. 10. had a desire to obtaine some good thing at our Saviours hands and they could not bethinke themselves of any thing better than to be exalted to some place of honour and therefore desired that one of them may fit at his right hand and the other at his left hand but Christ told them they asked they knew not what for honour it not fit for all men they were the Disciples of Christ and were to drinke of the cup of affliction and therefore willed them to be mindfull of it and not to affect that which was not for their good Likewise in spirituall things we may erre and hereof we have example in Saint Paul whom a man would thinke to have knowledg enough so that he would not aske the thing that was not good for him he had the messenger of Sathan sent to buffet him and hee prayed that it might be removed from him which seemeth to have have beene a reasonable petition but God answered him that hee asked he knew not what it was more necessary for him to be exercised withthe temptations then not and vvhereas he desires to be so pure as not once to be driven to evill God told him that his grace was sufficient for him for it was his will to perfect his strength in his weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. Therefore if vve have any revelation from flesh and blood Matth. 6. that persvvadeth us that this or that is good for us vve must know that all such are false and that we must suffer our selves to be directed by Gods Spirit who knoweth better what is good for us then we our selves But to the end that we should not erre the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us and therefore we may be sure that although we know not how to pray in such sort as may please God yet the Spirit of God who knoweth the secrets of the counsell of God will make that prayer for us which shall be both for our good and also according to Gods will 1 Cor. 2. It cannot be verified of the holy Ghost which is God that hee either prayeth or groaneth but the Apostles meaning is that he makes us to make intercession and hath that operation in our hearts that he makes us to groane So when the Apostle Galat. 4.6 sayes that the Spirit cries Abba Father his meaning is that by it wee cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Againe the Spirit is said to make intercession for us because it sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. for from the love of God proceeds this love and affection in us that we desire him and all his blessings and therefore make our prayers to him to that end which is nothing else but explicatio desiderii so that we do not so soone desire any good thing but we are ready to pray for it So sayes the Prophet Lord thou knowest my desire and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 36. Likewise when our desire is delayed so that we obtaine not the thing wee would have then wee are cast into sorrow which is wrought in us by the Spirit which is in us and by prayer for it is the Spirit of God which kindleth this fervencie of desire in prayer as Augustine saith Tepida est omnis oratio quam non praevenit inspiratio every prayer is luke-warme which is not prevented with inspiration The first thing that the Spirit of God workes in us is that he inclineth our hearts to pray to God for the good which wee lacke which is a thing not in our owne power and therefore David thankes God that he found in his heart to pray 2 Sam. 7. for when we would settle our selves to pray Nihil tam longè abest à nobis quà m orare ut decet Now being thus untoward in our selves the Spirit of God comes and helps our infirmitie and as the Psalmist saith He opens our hearts to pray By this meanes it comes to passe that a man having his affections cold shall on a sudden feele in himselfe a desire to pray and shall say Domine paratum est cor meum Psal 108. Secondly whereas the Lord saith Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 87. We find this infirmity in our selves that when wee have found an heart to pray yet we cannot open our mouthes and therefore David sayes Open thou my lips Psal 51. and so must we sue to Christ that he will give us words to speake for God hath a key both to our tongue and will Thirdly having begun to pray that falls out many times which David complaines of Cor meum
it Eccles 12. During this our exile and pilgrimage we are not onely to consider that we looke upwards with our faces which moved the Heathen to meditate on heaven but chiefly that in our soules wee have the Image of God imprinted ought to move the people to thinke of God and to set our minds onthings above Col. 3. Albeit we be here in a farre country farre from our fathers dwelling yet we must not forget our fathers dwelling house Luk. 15. The poition is in heaven which our Father will give us and that we seeke to be acquainted with the lawes of that country where our inheritance lyeth that we may guide our lives according to the same lest being rebellious we deprive ourselves of our right and be disinherited Secondly seeing we know that we are not in our owne country we must say as Absolon did Why am I come hither if I may not see the Kings face 2 Sam. 14. He being an ungratious sonne was desirous to see his father then it shall be a shame for us that are all the Sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. if we have not a longing desire to come before the presence of God our Father Psal 42. and except we have a desire to enter into the Courts of the Lord Psal 84. except that with the Apostle we desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1. the first begotten of many brethren and if with our Father God we lay up our treasure in heaven and count it our chiefe felicitie to be there then would we thinke upon heaven more then we doe For where our treasure is there must our hearts be also Matth. 6. But because we altogether set our hearts on earthly things therefore it falls out that our heart is as a heavy clodde of earth and unable to lift it selfe up to heavenly meditation Thirdly as wee desire to be in heaven in our Fathers house so our conversation must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. we must not live by the lawes of earthly Princes and Acts of Parliaments but by an heavenly law though we be strangers on earth yet we are Citizens of heaven and must carry our selves according to the lawes of our country being alwayes desirous to do that which pleaseth our heavenly Father though there were no humane law to compell us thereunto and whereas naturall men have for the end of their civill actions bonum commune a common utility we that are spirituall must make bonum coeleste the heavenly good our end we must do well because God will behold our well-doing favourably and the Angels of heaven will be glad of it Luk. 15. Christ who is the Lord from heaven did subject himselfe to the will of God his Father Not my will but thy will be done and as hee that is heavenly so must they that will be heavenly as we now beare the Image of the earthly so shall we port are imaginem coolestis 1 Col. 15. He while he lived on earth did guide himselfe by an heavenly law and we that remaine on earth must expresse his image by the imitation of his obedience It is true which both our Saviour Christ and John Baptist said That that is borne of the flesh is flesh and so that that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth Job 3. But there must be an imitation and we must set our selves forward towards our heavenly country But because it is not in our power to doe this of our selves for that as Christ sayes No man can come to mee except the Father draw him Joh. 6. therefore wee must pray with the Church in the Canticles Cant. 1.4 Trabe me and to this end doth the holy exercise of fasting and mortification serve greatly that wee may as it were with Doves wings flye up into Heaven As the word Father doth shew us not onely our dignity but our duty also so the word Heavenly doth not onely give us a hope of heaven but also teacheth us that seeing our Father is heavenly wee must live by the lawes of Heaven As we are carefull to be made partakers of the inheritance which God hath prepared for us so we must be as carefull to please him and to do those things which are agreeable to his will We must not onely know Quid sperandum what is to be hoped for but Quid praestandum what is to be performed of us If we pray not onely with confidence because God doth take us for his sonnes but also with invocation with devotion and reverence knowing that our Father hath his dwelling in heaven and we are pilgrims in earth Thus shall we be veri adoratores Joh. 4. true worshippers As we know we shall have our part in heaven so we must begin our heaven here on earth and this shall be done if we adde our endeavour to those things which we pray for at the hands of God as August prayeth Da Domine ut pro quibus oramus pro iis laboremus Grant Lord that the things we pray for and crave of thee for them we may also labour THE NINTH SERMON Hallowed be thy Name HAving ended the first part of this prayer which we called Invocation consisting upon the power and goodnesse of God we come to the petitions themselves which are seven of which the first concerneth God the other concerne our selves or they may be divided as the dayes of the weeke whereof as one falleth out to Gods portion the other to be imployed in our owne affaires So of these petitions the first doth immediately concerne the glory of God the other sixe the supply of our owne necessities in the beginning we heard that it is expedient to know not onely what we are to aske but in what order what first and what second touching which point we are taught by this forme of prayer that that petition which concerneth the sanctification of Gods name is Caput votorum and that all other things that we either desire or pray for in our owne behalfe ought to stand after it and that wee must both desire and pray for the sanctification of Gods name before any thing that we desire either for our selves or for our brethren whether it be for the removing of evill or for the obtaining of good for as before we learned what his love is to us in that he vouchsafed to be our Father so hereby we shall expresse our love againe to him if when we come to pray to him for our necessities we be carried away with such a desire of the glory of our heavenly Father that we forget our owne selves and desire onely that his name may be sanctified which duty Christ doth by his owne example commend unto us In this forme of prayer we are put in mind of that which before was required in the law of works for as there vve learned that God is not honoured aright except he be loved above all things because he
but to thy name give the glory Psal 115. So that all men are no lesse desirous of their owne honour and glory then the builders that built Babell that said Let us get us a name Gen. 11. But such as are thus affected and carried with the love of themselves are not fit to sanctifie the name of God as our Saviour speakes How can yee beleeve seeing yee receive glory one of another and seeke not the glory which is of God Joh. 5.44 As we may not usurpe Gods honour for our selves so we may not defie Princes for we see how ill that voyce was taken Vâ—x Dei non hominis the voyce of God and not of man Act. 12. neither may we give divine honour to the Apostles and Prophets of God The Heathen people said of Paul and Barnabas Gods are come downe to us in the shape of men and they would have sacrificed unto them but the Apostles not willing to admit this sacriledge rent their cloathes and cryed We are men subject to the same passions that you your selves be Act. 14. for we are desirous to give honour if not to our selves yet to others but here Christ tels us that no other name is to be sanctified but the name of God whereof we should be so carefull that we ought to pray that Gods name may be sanctified by others if not by our selves though we in our owne persons cannot hallow it yet sanctificetur nomen tuum Let thy name O Lord be sanctified Hereby as we pray for the gift of the feare of God which is one of the seven vertues which are set downe Esay 11. because wee do truly sanctifie God when we make him our Feare and Dread Esay 8.13 So wee pray against the vice of pride which is the contrary to the vertue of Feare so shall we obtaine the blessings Matth. 5.23 Blessed are the poore in spirit c. And upon this petition is grounded not only whatsoever Hymne or Psalme is sung of the Congregation but even the end of all Assemblies is to ascribe Holinesse to God and to sanctifie his Name for his benefits bestowed upon us And in this they acknowledge first their owne unworthinesse secondly they blesse him for his goodnesse extended toward them thirdly they do not acknowledge it in themselves but do tell it forth as the Psalmist speaketh O come hither and hearken all yee that do feare God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soule Psal 66. Fourthly to this end they lift up their voyces in singing to the end they may make the voyce of his praise to be heard Psal 66. And among other benefits we are to praise and blesse his name for the benefit of Sanctification which we have in the name of the Lord Jesus secondly for the Meanes whereby this Sanctification is offered and wrought in us which is the Word as Christ saith O Father sanctifie them in thy truth Joh. 17.13 For the perfection of sanctification that we shall have after this life when we shall be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 when we shall continually sing with the heavenly Angels Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Esay 6. And howsoever when we desire of God that his name may be sanctified we seeme like naturall children to forget our owne necessities in respect of the care we have to Gods glory yet even then we pray no lesse for our selves then for God for the Lord hath promised Them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 and Christ saith That if the Name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in us we also shall be glorified in him 2 Thess 1.12 Et sanctificando nomen adveniet Regnum In sanctifying his name his kingdome shall come as the next Petition is If while we remaine on earth our whole desire be to sanctifie Gods name we shall at length come to the place where we shall day and night sing as the Cherubims do Esay 6. And with the heavenly Host of Angels sing Glory to God on high Luk. 2. we shall fall down before his Throne saying alwaies Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and praise for ever Rev. 4.11 THE TENTH SERMON Thy Kingdome come HAving intreated of the first petition touching the holy estimation of Gods name we are consequently to speake of those sixe that concerne our selves whereof the first three are spent in praying for that which is good in the other three we pray for the removing of evill The first two petitions or the summe of them is excellently expressed by the Propher Psal 84.11 And by our Saviour Matth. 6.33 for agreeable to the words of David and of Christ our Saviour in the first petition wee aske for glory and seeke for the Kingdome of God in the second for grace and righteousnesse in the third for the good things of this life which shall not be withheld from them that leade a godly life but shall be ministred unto them that upon earth doe seeke Gods Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof Wherefore as of things which concerne our good the first both in order and nature is the Kingdome of God for the first thing in our desire ought to be the Kingdome of God according to the commandement of our Saviour and we are to account all things but dung in respect of it Phil. 3.9 Hereunto is required the spirit of Wisedome and Vnderstanding Isa 11.2 that may teach us to contemne all earthly pleasures in respect of the heavenly Kingdome Here our Saviour condemneth that capitall vice that reignes in those men which in the world live of their owne and take no further care but to establish for themselves a Kingdome upon earth But if according to his direction we fixe our desire upon the Kingdome of Heaven and by despising the world doe labour for the vertue which consists in the purity of the heart then shall we have the blessing that is promised to the pure in heart Matth. 5.8 that is they shall be exalted to see God Now when he saith None shall see my face and live Exod. 33. they that truly make this prayer shall behold his face in the Kingdome of glory These two first petitions have relation to the Invocation for as God by the word Father doth expresse his love to us and for that he is in Heaven doth give us hope for an heavenly estate so we in these petitions doe first desire that whereby our love towards him may appeare while we prefer the sanctifying of his name before the regard of our owne good secondly we declare our heavenly Hope that may come of being partakers of his heavenly Kingdome Howsoever God will not have any mans name Hallowed or Glorirified but his owne as he speakes of himselfe Esa 42. My glory will I not give to another yet he will communicate his Kingdome to us and therefore in our owne behalfe weare taught to pray Thy Kingdome come In the
to us that was offered to the Fathers for we beleeve to be saved by the faith of Jesus Christ as well as they Act. 15.11 and wee have no other Sacraments then those which the Jewes had of whom Saint Paul saith They all did eate the same spirituall meat and dranke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10. and therefore it is meete likewise that we should make the same prayer that they made and indeed there is no Petition in the Lords Prayer which is not found in the Old Testament used by the Church of the Jewes For that which the Prophet prayeth Psalm 57.6 Lift up thy selfe O God above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth Psal 67. That thy way may be knowne upon earth c. is nothing else but the hallowing of Gods Name Secondly Remember mee O God that I may see the felicity of thy chosen Psal 106. It is nothing else but an exposition of the second Petition where we pray Thy Kingdome come Thirdly these words of the Prophet Psal 143. Teach mee to do the thing that pleaseth thee is a full comprehension of the third Petition where we desire that his will be done Fourthly the eyes of all things do looke upon thee and thou givest them meat in due season Psal 145. and the prayer of Solomon Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food meete is a full expressing of the fourth Petition Fifthly My misdeeds prevaile against mee O be mercifull to our sinnes Psal 65.3 is a summe of the fifth petition and the condition of this Petition is found Psal 7. wherein the Prophet saith If I have done any such thing or if there be any wickednesse in my hands If I have rewarded evill to him that dealt friendly with mee yea I have delivered him that without a cause was my enemy then let my enemy persecute my soule whereby he desireth no otherwise to be forgiven of God then as he doth forgive his brother Sixthly that which the Prophet prayeth Psal 119.37 Turne away my eyes that they behold not vanity and Psal 143. Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips is that which Christ teacheth us to pray Lead us not into temptation Seventhly Redeeme Israel from all trouble Psal 25.20 in affect is as much as Deliver them from all evill which is the seventh Petition Lastly looke what reason Christ teacheth us to use here the same doth David use 1 Chron. 29. Therefore having the same prayer that the Jewes had it is meet that wee should have the same conclusion that they had and the same is they said Amen and so do wee Touching the use of this word it is found in Scriptures to have two seats or places and accordingly two severall expositions to wit in the beginning and in the end before and behind In the beginning as in the doctrine of the Sacrament of Baptisme concerning which our Saviour saith Amen Amen except a man be borne of the water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. And touching the Sacrament of the holy Eucharist Verily verily except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee have no life in you Joh. 6.33 And touching the effect of prayer Christ saith also Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall aske the Father in my name hee will give it you Joh. 16. In those places the word Amen is used and thereby our Saviour laboureth to expresse the truth of that which he doth teach In the end likewise it is said as Psal 41.13 Psal 72. Psal 87.50 Praised be the Lord for evermore Amen Amen And in the New Testament when the Apostle sheweth That of the Jewes according to the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.5 Here the word is used and set behind to signifie that wee desire that that may be performed which God before by his Amen hath affirmed to be true Therefore David having received promise from the Lord by the hand of Nathan saith Let the thing that thou hast promised be Amen Let there be an accomplishment of the same 1 Chron. 17.25 So when the Prophet Hananiah had prophesied in the name of the Lord I have broken the yoke of the King of Babell and after two yeares will I bring againe into this place all the ornaments of the house of the Lord Jeremy the Prophet said Amen the Lord do as thou hast said Jer. 28.6 As in the beginning it ratifieth the truth of Gods promise so being set in the end it signifieth the desire of our hearts for the accomplishment of the same and this desire alwaies followeth and is grounded upon the promise of God and the truth thereof In which regard the Prophet saith Remember me O Lord concerning thy word wherein thou causest me to put my trust Psal 119. and therefore to Christs A non in the beginning where he promiseth Verily verily whatsoever ye aske in my name Iohn 16. we may boldly adde our Amen in the end that his Amen may be performed and by right doe we ground our Amen upon Gods Amen for he is called Amen that is truth Esa 65.16 So the Apostle expresseth it when speaking of Jesus Christ he saith Thus saith Amen the fault fall and true witnesse Revel 3.14 Therefore S. Paul saith of Christ that in him all the promises are made to us yea in the beginning and Amen to us in regard of the certaine accomplishment 2 Cor. 1. The reason of our Amen is because not onely faith but trust and confidence doth proceed from the truth of God fides hath relation to Gods truth but fiducia or confidence is setled upon Gods faithfulnesse and both are affirmed of God Moses saith of God that he is verus and fidelis Deut. 32. and Esay The Lord is faithfull Esa 49.7 8. Paul in the new Testament Hee is faithfull that promised Heb. 10. He deemed him faithfull that promised Heb. 11. For there are two things required in faithfulnesse without the which a man cannot be said to be faithfull the one is ability of which Abraham doubted not of Gods faithfulnesse being fully perswaded That what he promised he was able to performe Rom. 4.21 the other is will and readinesse to doe touching which the Apostle saith Faithfull is he that called you ipse faciet 1 Thes 5.24 These are the parts of faithfulnesse and they are both found in God and therefore not onely God the Father is true but Christ is said to be the truth Iohn 14. and the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of truth 1 Iohn 5.6 So that albeit men deale so untruly that it is verified of them ad men are lyers Rom. 3. Yet God abides faithfull and cannot denyâ—h myselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 So much the Prophet teacheth when he saith the mountaines shall be removed but the thing which be hath spoken shall not faile Esa 58. And