others Fourthly the professors of the Gospel doe exceedingly dishonour God when they are wicked c Rom. 2.24 IV. Wee dishonour God in our lives if we doe not by our lives glorifie his Name If we be but negative Christians we are nothing for God created us unto good workes Ephes 2.10 that thereby we might glorifie his Name Matthew 5.16 VERS 10. Thy Kingdome come thy Will be done Vers 10 in earth as it is in Heaven § 1. Thy Kingdome come Sect. 1 What is meant by Kingdome Quest 1 Kingdome is taken either Figuratively to wit Sometime for the word of God The Kingdome of God shall be taken away and given to another nation Matth. 21.43 that is the word shall be taken from them Sometimes for the infusion of grace by the Spirit of God Mark 4.26 Sometimes for persons to wit either the Saints or the Church of Christ Literally for that dominion which God exerciseth which is either Generall to wit his Lordship over all men all creatures yea all the world specified in these places Psalme 29.19 and 47.7 and 97.1 Particular which is either Of vengeance anger power and wrath And thus he rules over the wicked Psalme 99.1 Of mercy and love and thus he rules over his children according to a double time viz. either Of grace in this life Or Of glory in the life to come Reade Psa 24 7. and. 44.5 Quest 2 What is meant by this word Adveniat let it come Heaven comes not unto us but wee goe unto it wherefore it should rather be Adveniamus Let us come unto thy kingdome then Adveniat let it come Answ These words may be understood two waies namely First for Declaretur let it be made known as if our Saviour would say let the world know that thou art King and that thou rulest over all And this is to be referred to the Kingdome of vengeance Secondly for Perficiatur let it be consummated and finished as if hee would say that which thou hast decreed and determined concerning thine elect fulfill and perfect both in us and in all thine Now this hath reference to the Kingdome of mercie First Adveniat regnum id est Declaretur regnum Thy kingdome come that is let thy Kingdome be made knowne This cannot bee understood of Gods generall Kingdome over all the world mentioned in the former question for God hath this already yea no Christian makes question but that God is Lord ruling and governing all the world It is therefore to be understood of his particular Kingdome to wit the Kingdome of vengeance the words being taken from the declaration of Gods wrath anger power and vengeance Teaching us Observ That every Christian ought to pray that God would shew himselfe the potent King of all the world by destroying all his enemies and the enemies of his Church Thus David prayes powre forth thy anger upon the Gentiles yea smite and destroy them in thy wrath Quest 3 Why should we pray for the confusion of the enemies of God and his Church Answ 1 First because it makes for Gods glory hee is dishonoured and contemned by the wicked who will not obey his behests but oppose his injunctions who will not be subject to his lawes but validis remis with all their might set themselves against his rule and government and will not have him to rule over them â—â—d therefore the glory and honour of God is highly advanced when as such impious obstinate stubborne and rebellious people bee cut off and destroyed Secondly because it is good for the godly Answ 2 As wee pray for the ruine of Gods enemies through our zeale to Gods glory so also wee pray for the perdition and destruction of the enemies of the Church of God through our love to the Church and true members thereof because their destruction is good and profitable for the children of God who are oppressed injured wronged and persecuted by them Bonos punit qui malis parcit d Seneca he punisheth the righteous who spares the wicked because the impunitie of the wicked increaseth their impietie towards the righteous Hence wee finde a double practise in the people of God namely I. They pray for the destruction of the Lords enemies Iudg. 5.31 Psalme 83.8 c. II. They give thanks for their destruction when God hath revealed his vengeance and declared his power in their utter ruine and downfall Read Exodus 15. Judg. 5. Ps 136. How may we pray for the enemies of God Quest 4 and Church Not onely in zeale nor onely in love but Answ 1 both mixt together For I wee may be zealous with a wrong zeale thus Paul breathed forth threatning against the Disciples of Christ and the Apostles were too ready with Elias to call for fire from Heaven but the Lord checks them for this their forward cruell zeale because it was not mixed with love but proceeded from a desire of revenge II. Some naturall respect unto the person of the enemie of God and the Church makes us oftentimes to pray only in love for his health prosperity preservation and the like and not in zeale Because he is of affinitie or acquaintance or by some bond of friendship knit neare unto us therefore we pray for him in love towards our selves but not in zeale unto Gods glory or love unto Gods Church carnally preferring our particular interest and relation unto any enemie of God or his Church before either the glory of God or good of his Church unto whom hee is an enemie And therefore whatsoever the enemies of God or his Church bee in regard of our owne Particular it is our dutie thus to pray for them First with a condition that if it may stand with the Lords pleasure and good will he would be graciously pleased to convert and turne them and of persecuting Sauls to make them preaching and professing Pauls Secondly but if not that they may bee destroyed lest they bring the people of God unto ruine or the Lords name bee prophaned by them Object Worldlings and wicked men object This prayer for the destruction of Gods and the Churches enemies ariseth out of envie and therefore can be neither good nor warrantable Answ It proceedeth not from envie but from zeale aâ—â— love Quest 5 How can a man pray for the judgements of the Lord to bee effused upon any out of love and charitie Answ 1 First wee may desire it out of our love to Gods glory who is dishonoured by their lives Answ 2 Secondâ—y out of our love unto others who are in danger to bee corrupted and tainted by their evill example when some perceive others to be wicked and to set themselves against God his law truth and children and yet prosper in their wickednes it hearten them on to the like practises And therefore in love unto these we desire tâ—at these stumbling stones may be removed out of the way Thirdly we may pray for the subversion and Answ 3 ruine of the enemies of the
thither and therefore I leave it Answ 2 Secondly I rather thinke they came hither because it was the Metropolis and therefore they hoped to finde the King of the Jewes Answ 3 there Thirdly they came hither also to bee instructed of the Priests as those who perfectly knew where the Messias was to be born for the starre not appearing unto them they knew not of themselves how to direct their course and therfore repaire unto those whom they thought were able to instruct them VERS 2. Saying Where is the king of the Iewes Vers 2 that is borne for we have seene his starre in the East and are come to worship him This verse may admit a double sense First Allegoricall Sect. 1 secondly Literall This verse may be Allegorized two manner of wayes First frivolously and foolishly Secondly fruitfully and profitably The Monkes ridiculously allegorize this Starre We have seene his starre Five starres are seene say they First a Materiall starre which is that here spoken of Secondly a Spiritual starre which is faith Thirdly an Intellectuall starre that is an Angell Fourthly a Naturall starre which is the Blessed Virgine Fiftly a Supersubstantiall starre which is Christ These as meere fansies I omit This verse may be commodiously allegorized thus First the starre signifies Religion because as the starre shineth so doth Religion and so ought the Religions a Matth. 5.16 Phil. 2.15 Secondly the East wherin the starre arises signifies Youth b Eccles 1.5 and therefore Religion and Repentance are not to be deferred unto old age c Eccles 12.1 The Jewes were enjoyned to offer up unto God a Lambe of a yeare old to Obser 1 teach us to offer up our youth and strength unto God Thirdly the most plaine and profitable Allegorie is this The Starre onely here directs Obser 2 us unto Christ teaching us there-by that none can come to Christ except hee bee enlightned from above and drawne by the Father d Ioh. 6.44 as wee have an example in Lydiâ— the Lord having opened her heart shee heard the Disciples of Christ willingly e Act. 16.14 But against the truth of this some things are objected Obiect 1 First wee are brought unto Christ by the word as appeares Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word See also Eph. 1.13 After ye heard the word of truth yee beleeved So likewise 2. Pet. 1.19 Yee have a sure word of prophesie which shines as a light in a darke place In these texts faith is attributed to the preaching of the word and not to heavenly illumination Answ This is true that faith is wrought by the word by which also wee are brought unto Christ but first the heart is enlightned from above by which it is enabled to understand the word for untill we understand with the heart we cannot aright heare with the eare f Matth. 13.15 and Rom. 11.8 Spirituall things are spiritually discerned and neither the naturall man nor the nature of man can aright understand those things that are of God g 1 Cor. 2.14.15 Obiect 2 Secondly Christ himselfe is the Starre by whom we are brought unto him hee being the bright and Morning starre h Rev. 22.16 and therefore not the illumination of the Spirit of God Answ Wee must distinguish betwixt some certaine particular and inferiour starre and that bright Morning starre Apoc. 22.16 called also Lucifer or the Day starre i 2. Pet. 1.19 c. yea more than a starre the Sunne which gives light unto all the starres k Malach. 4.2 And therefore there is an order to be observed in these things which is this First there is a starre which obscurely admonishes and moves this is the internall but common and generall motions of the holy Spirit as after Peters Sermon being pricked in their hearts they cry out What shall we doe to be saved l Act. 2.37.38 These generall motions and commotions a man may have within himselfe for a time and yet not be brought home unto Christ and without these we cannot at least ordinarily be brought unto him and therefore prayer is necessarily to bee adjoyned to the hearing of the word that so we being assisted in the hearing thereof from above it may become profitable unto us Secondly there is the word directing for this is Gods owne ordination that wee should bee taught only by his word the preaching rhereof being the power of God unto salvation m 1 Cor. 1.18.21 as we see by experience even from the word of God Philip preaches and then the Eunuch understands and beleeves n Act. 8.35.37 Peter preaches and Cornelius and all with him receive the holy Ghost o Act. 10.5.54 And therefore wee must not expect Enthusiasmes or divine revelations and neglect the word but we must have recourse to the Law and to the Prophets that they may direct us unto Christ True it is that the word doth not work in us or upon us either ex opere operato by the bare preaching of it or incantative by way of inchanting or charming of us yet wee must confesse and acknowledge yea expect and long for the operation of God in his owne ordinance the word which therefore is called the word of reconciliation p 2 Cor. 5.19 God by the word reconciling us unto himselfe and without whose gracious assistance the word will become altogether unprofitable q Mich. 3.6.7 Thirdly there is a Sun or a bright and shining Morning starre which is the testimony of the Spirit of Christ within us enabling us boldly and confidently to call God Father r Rom 8.15 and Gal. 4.5.6 which is called a Sunne Malach. 4.2 and resembled thereunto in regard of a threefold property it hath First in regard of his firme fixed and apparent light Å¿ Esa 60.1 we thereby beholding as with open face the glory of the Lord t 2 Cor. â— 18 assuring us of an interest in Christ and of salvation by him Secondly in regard of his feruent heat making us zealous of good workes and enflaming all the affections of the soule with an ardent desire to obey God in whatsoever he requires and to approve our selves unto him by true holinesse and unto others by equity righteousnesse and unblameable lives u Esa 60.3 and Tit. 2.14 Thirdly in regard of solid joy which it brings unto us when the Sunne beginnes to rise then the birds beginne to sing and most creatures delight in the sight thereof for this internall evidence of the Spirit of God doth worke in us joy unspeakable and glorious Read Isai 60.19.20 Apoc. 21.23 and 25.5 and 1. Pet. 1.8 Thus much for the Historical sense of this Sect. 2 verse wee now proceed unto his literall sense In the historicall sence of this verse Obiect I will answer an objection and then resolve divers necessarie questions The Papists to prove that the Pope hath both Regall and Sacerdotall power argue thus That power which was
in Christ the head of the Church when he was upon earth is now in the Pope his Vicar generall upon earth but Christ had both Regall and Sacerdotall power i. e. was both a Priest and a temporall King when hee was upon the earth Therefore the Pope is such both a Priest and a Prince having power Temporall and Spirituall over people and Princes The whole argument I meddle not withall referring the Reader to the learned Frenchman a Camierus Tom. 2. lib. 15. cap. 4. Sect. 1.2 3. de Temp. Papa potes I will onely prosecute one particular of the Minor proposition Wee deny that Christ was a temporall King upon earth and therefore although the Pope were his Vicar which is not yet proved by them by any unanswerable or unanswered arguments yet hath he not Regall power given unto him That Christ was a temporall King some of them b Carerius prove from this verse the Orientall Kings or wise men of the East aske where is he that is borne King of the Jewes therefore they confesse he was a King and they honour him as a King by presenting gifts unto him To this I answer first it cannot bee denied Answ 1 but that Christ was called by the Wise Men a King Secondly but whether they call him a temporall Answ 2 King or not that is the question and Carerius proves it not but others witnesse c Chrysost hom 6. in Matth. that they came unto Christ as unto God and then certainely they do not enquire for him as a temporall King Againe it is most probable and agreeable Answ 3 unto reason that they call Christ an heavenly King not an earthly as may appeare thus If these wise men had acknowledged no other thing in Christ but onely that hee was the temporall King of the Jewes that is a King of a very small people then had they had no cause to have undertaken this long journey for the sight of him but rather cause not to have moved a foot out of the way for him the earthly King of the Jewes not belonging at all unto them Answ 4 Lastly I answer when they find Christ they worship him which argues that they acknowledge him not to bee an earthly but a heavenly King for although temporall Kings amongst them were wont to bee worshiped yet none before their coronatiō when they were actually Kings which could not as yet be his nativity being neither knowne unto nor taken notice of by the Jewes and therefore all interpreters in a manner agree that they worshiped him as a God I referre the studious Reader here to Opus imperf in Matth. hom 2. and Salmeron Tract 38. Tom. 3. and Anselm s and cyprian serm de stellâ Magi and August serm 29. de tempore Divers questions from this verse may be made concerning this STARRE I will onely propound those which I conceive to bee of most weight and of greatest necessity to be knowne Quest 1 First how was Christ manifested to the wise men Answ Answer by a starre they confesse at Jerusalem we have seene his starre and they conclude that a new starre doth portend a new King Quest 2 Secondly why was not Christ manifested unto the Wise Men who were Gentiles by a speaking Angell rather then by a dumbe and silent starre seeing that he was so revealed unto the Israelites an Angell from heaven totidem verbis even in plaine termes telling them of his nativity d Luke 2.10.11 Answ 1 First some say this was done for the fulfilling of Balaams Prophesie e Numb 24.17 That a starre should rise from Iacob but this is false for the Prophet speakes there of Christ himselfe under the type of David who should tame the Moabites and all his enemies Answ 2 Secondly this was not done without a mysterie which was this the Messias was to bee notified and made knowne unto the Gentiles not immediately from heaven but mediately by the Jewes For out of Zion went the law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem f Esa 2.3 Yea to the Jewes onely were committed the divine oracles of God g Rom. 3.9 and from them flowed salvation unto the Gentiles h Ioh. 4.22 Thirdly the Iewes were more worthy then Answ 3 the Gentiles at least in the Lords esteeme and therefore God did send messages unto them by Angels the Gentiles were dogs and were but to gather up the crums that fell from them and therefore God admonisheth them by a starre i Haymo s Answ 4 Fourthly the Iewes were directed by reason in their actions and therefore God sendes reasonable Angels unto them but the Gentiles know not how to use reason aright and therefore God gives unto them a signe k Greg. s Matth. 2. ◠349. Answ 5 Fiftly Christ was revealed unto these Wise men by a starre for a two-fold admonition viz. I. That they might be admonished of the person of Christ that this Iesus who was borne at Bethlehem was that King to whom as the latine Church sings both sunne and moone and starres and aire doe chante by turnes or unto whom every thing that hath breath should sing praise l Psal 150. vers last II. This was done that they might bee admonished of the benefits they should receive by Christ viz. that by a true and lively faith in this King a new starre of the true acknowledgement of God should arise in the hearts of the faithfull which should diffuse his light and send forth his bright beames into the obscure world for where the understanding is enlightned and the affections by a true zeale throughly enflamed there is light and brightnesse in the life and conversation Sixtly and lastly I answer the Wise Men Answ 6 were skilfull in Astrologie and Astronomy and therefore God revealed Christ unto them by a starre m Chryos Calvin supra where we may observe two things first God makes Christ knowne to the Israelites to the Priests to the Persians and to Herod Secondly hee makes Christ knowne unto these by things best knowne unto every one of them and most credited Christ was manifested to the Israelites by an Angel Luke 2.10 to the Persians by a starre to the Priests and Herod by the Priests and Magi of the Persians in this Chapter Thirdly it may bee demanded what manner Quest 3 of starre it was by which Christ was revealed unto the Wise Men Many grossely and ridiculously answer this Answ 1 question which answer I will but barely recite I. Some say it was an Astrologicall constellation by a certaine influence shewing Christ because these Wise Men say we have seene his star II. Others say this was the Holy Ghost who in the shape of a Dove was seene of the Jewes when hee descended upon Christ a Ioh. ◠32 III. Others say it was that Angell which appeared unto the Sheepherds b Luke 2 9.10 of which opinion was Chrysostom But the Angels never appeared
wel viz. that thou may conceale Thine anger Prov. 12.6 The sinnes of others Prov. 17.9 But this silence is not lawfull if thou doe it onely to hide thy malice and desire of revenge c. Simulatio counterfeiting of that which is not or a meere pretence and this is altogether unlawfull It may bee here replyed Pretences are lawfull and allowable and therefore all are not forbidden Object 2 Answ I answer Pretexts are either False and this is palpable fraud and no lesse than lying being lawfull to none at any time upon any occasion and this was HERODS fault a meere false pretence True and that is either Conditionally true as our Saviour made as though hee would have gone further g Luk. 24.28 and certainly so would if they had not entreated him to stay with them Partly but not totally true and this sometimes is lawfull as Zedechiah the King bids Ieremiah the Prophet if the Princes shall aske him what he sayd unto the King h Ierem. 38.26 he must answer that he entreated the king that he might not returne to Ionathans house to dye there This he said unto the King but this was not all he sayd unto him so that it was partly but not totally true it was verum but not veritas that which he told the Princes was true but that was not all the truth I will therefore thus conclude this question I. All verball Dissimulation is evill II. All counterfetting of that which is false is evill III. All dissimulation unto evill is fraudulent yea IV. All counterfeiting and feigning also if it be for an evill end § 4. That I may come and worship him The Sect. 4 Magi came from farre to seeke Christ and from their hearts desire to finde him Herod pretends the same outwardly though the newes touch him to the quicke Hence a question may be propounded How may hypocrites and the enemies of Christ Quest bee discerned from the children of God and the true friends of Christ I answer By these notes Answ or markes of hypocrites First they are wary craftie and wickedly prudent and politicke as we see here in Herod Secondly they are diligent and industrious compassing sea and land to effect their purposes as Herod both in this verse and afterwards verse 16. Thirdly they are false in their words not sticking by lying and counterfeiting to bring to passe their projects as wee see Herod doth in this verse Fourthly they counterfeit friendship that they may kill with more freedome and safetie And thus doth Herod also in this place Fifly they suborne others to assist them vis unita fortior that many forces being conjoyned together they may the easilier prevaile and thus Herod subtilly would have had the wise men to have had a hand in this crueltie and to have assisted his bloudy purpose by their information Sixthly they are cruell breathing nothing but threatnings slaughters bloudshed and crueltie and thus did Herod vers 16. when hee was crossed of his information and intelligence from the wise men Seventhly they are no better than Atheists thinking that they can kill Christ as Herod did here or at least prevaile against him and his Thus although many outwardly professe a love unto Christ the Gospel and true Religion yet if they be inwardly enemies they may be discerned and unmasked at one time or other by some one of these markes or other Vers 9 §. 1. VERS 9. When they had heard the king they departed and loe the starre which they saw in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was Sect. 1 Wee may observe here how many impediments and lets these Wise men meet withall and yet how constant they are in their resolution of finding out Christ First the starre failes them and appeares not which was their principall guide Secondly they come then unto Jerusalem but there they finde not the babe Thirdly the Jewes unto whom they came were offended with their tidings Herod and all the people being troubled vers 3. Fourthly no man accompanies them when they prosecute the quest and search of Christ yet all these doe no whit discourage or dis-hearten them from their former intent and purpose Observ Teaching us thus much that wee are not to bee hindered by any obstacles from the course of pietie and religion but constantly to proceed on in the wayes of God notwithstāding all hindrānces whatsoever Quest Here it may be asked what lets are there in the way of Religion and how may we arme our selves against them Answ I answer First many are dismayed by reason of the greatnesse of the labour and difficultie of the worke of the Lord but let us remember that Labor omnia vincit be not weary but be industrious and thou shalt prevaile for conanti aderit Deus God hath promised to be graciously assistant to every one that in sinceritie of heart desires and endevours to serve him Secondly many are discouraged because the way of Religion is not liked by the world neither the professors thereof loved but rather despised and scorned neither this should hinder us from the service of the Lord although others be offended with thee because thou seemest by thy puritie and splendor to eclipse their credit estimation yet be not discouraged but remember Christians must bee principally carefull to please God not men a Rom. 12.3 both because wee are the servants of the Lord not the servants of men and also because wee shall be judged by God and not by man at the last day Thirdly some are with-held from the zealous profession of Religion by reason of the paucitie of companions that trace that path there are but few truly religious and therefore they dislike the practise of it but we should bee here most resolute saying as Peter sayd Although all men should forsake Christ yet we will never forsake him b Mark 14.29 though none should accompany or associate us in the worke of Religion yet this should not dismay us but with resolute Ioshua we should resolve let others doe as they will we will serve the Lord c Iosh 24.15 and 1 King 19.10 calling to minde these two things I. vivimus legibus non exemplis God doth not command us to follow Presidents but to follow precepts II. If thou desirest presidents as well as precepts remember then that thou hast many examples in this kinde to imitate both in the Old and New Testament yea Even compassed about with a cloud of witnesses d Read Hebr. 11. the whole chap. and 1◠1 and therefore follow not a multitude unto evill but a multitude of good men unto good Thus let us be like these Wise men constant in the labour of the Lord and in the course of holinesse all the dayes wee have to live not being either hindred or turned backe or diverted by any impediments whatsoever § 2. The starre which they saw in the East went Sect. 2 before them Observ
as he hath about him if hee will but spare him that which now hee carries because hee hath undertaken some urgent affaires which cannot be accomplished if now hee should be robbed In this case I say a man ought not for lucres sake to violate his promise Or II. Hostilitatis causa promises are not to be violated no not unto our enemies this the Lord reproves n Ezech 17.13.15.16 and Peter Martyr o f 364. from Augustine and Ambrose proves that the faith and faithfull promises which are plighted unto our enemies are to be observed Secondly although promises oblige in themselves as is already shewed yet God commanding it is lawful and behoveful to violate them and the reason hereof is because God is by no means to be disobeyed Disobedience being as the sinne of Witchcraft p 1 Sam. 15.23 Yea hee must bee obeyed without any delay when hee commands Here wee must consider what promises are unlawfull and in that regard to bee broken then how promises come to be unlawfull First we are to consider what promises are unlawfull or the causes why promises become to bee unlawfull the causes are either 1. conjecturall or 2. true Peter Martyr q f. 364. doth propound many causes why promises are made unlawfull viz. I. If the promise bee impossible to bee performed Or II. contrary to the wil of God or the good of Gods Church Or III. If it be evill for him to perform who hath promised it Or IV. If it were extorted by deceit and fraud Or V. If the promise were forced by violence and feare then these promises are not to be observed The true causes of the violation of promises are two Ordinary Extraordinary The Ordinary causes of the violating of promises are these First if the promise be impossible to bee performed for then of necessity it must be broken yet two things are here to bee observed I. If the thing promised were impossible to be performed before the promise was made then is he no better then a deceiver that made that promise yea if a man be not certaine that it may be performed hee sinnes because hee ought to take heed least hee should offend with his tongue r Eccles 5.4.5 and therefore every one must beware of promising those things which are either impossible or may prove impossible to him afterwards as single life because the gift of continency is not given unto all II. If the thing promised were in thy power to performe when the promise was made but after the promise becomes impossible unto thee to performe then thou art freed from thy promise because God hath hindred thee from the performance of it And this is the first ordinary cause Secondly the second ordinary cause of the violation of promises is this if the promise made be unlawfull to be performed that then it is not to be observed A promise is made unlawfull in a double regard either in respect of the Action promised to bee performed thus some promises are unlawfull In themselves the substance of the promise being wicked ſ Matth. 14.9 Mark 6.26 like Herods promise and this promise is not to be kept And the reason of it is this because the first vow and promise of obedience which we made unto God and which we are principally obliged to performe doth contradict this This promise is two-fold I. When being first made it is knowne to be unlawfull this is sinfull And herein David sinned towards Nabal a 1 Sam. 25.22 II. Or when the thing becomes unlawfull after the promise is made and then it is not to be observed As for example if a man promise upon such a day to lend his friend armour and weapons and before the day comes his friend proves a traytor and a rebell or mad and distracted he is not then to keepe his promise And the reason is this because hee is not changed that made the promise but he to whom the promise was made is changed from what he was In regard of some circumstances that is when the thing promised may be performed in regard of the substance or matter of it but some circumstances doe make it unlawfull As for example I. If that which is promised tend to the scandall of thy brother which being contemptuously and freely performed without any coaction by superiours is evill but not so if it be commanded or enjoyned by lawfull authority II. If the promise tend to the impunity of sin for this is good if it be done in mercie as David towards Shemei b 2. Sam. 19.23 but evill if by negligence and remisnesse because the Magistrate should not hold the sword for nought but for the punishment of offenders Time when the promise is to be performed and thus some promises are unlawfull either by Promise the time being altogether unlawfull for the performance of the promise as if a man should promise his friend to plow his ground upon the Lords day Or Some subsequent alteration as if a man should promise his friend to come and feast with him and make merry with him such a day and in the mean time upon some urgent publick necessitie it is proclaimed a day of solemne fasting and humiliation as in Niniveh c Jonah 3.4.5 Besides these ordinary causes of violating of promises there are extraordinary and that is the commandement of God when God forbids the performance of the promise as in this verse the Lord forbids the wise men to goe backe unto Herod according to their promise so also the Israelites borrowed of the Egyptians eare-rings and jewels and the like with promise without doubt to restore them againe but God forbids them to returne them d Exod. 3.22 11.2 12.35 Now this wee must observe that these are not to bee imitated without a particular command from the same Spirit of God Thus wee have seene what promises are unlawfull and the causes why promises are not to be performed wee are now to consider how promises are made unlawfull which may briefly be shewed first affirmatively secondly negatively I. Promises are violated and not performed by a mans owne impietie and wickednesse as for example a man perswades his friend to promise him that he will neither meddle with himselfe nor any weapon he hath and when the promise is made the other dreaming of no such thing at all he goes about to hang himself or to stabbe himselfe this promise otherwise lawfull is made unlawfull to be performed by his desperate enterprises II. Lawfull promises are not made unlawful by an Episcopall absolution but here observe A Bishop may absolve first declarativè by a power declarative as a Levite or an interpreter and expounder of the law of God that is he may shew from the word of God what promises are not to be kept and by vertue of the power and authoritie given unto him by Christ may absolve and acquit them But secondly not positively as a Lawgiver or as
us in the service of God I answer Answ a right use of the affections doth helpe us in Gods service Shame makes us blush for sinne feare makes us warie anger makes us zealous of the credit and good name of our neighbour and of the glory of God Loftinesse of minde makes us constant and resolute in our callings and duties both divine and humane Praise makes us more prompt and ready to obey vertue it being cos virtutis vertues whetstone § 3. And departed into Aegypt Aegypt was Sect. 3 a place of ill report in many things First Observ a place of noe faith nor truth but perfidious and treacherous Pompeius was slaine there Iulius Caesar was in danger of treacherie when he was there and it was a fatall place to Antonius Secondly they were persecuters of the Israelites and God makes that great deliverance of his people from them the Preface of the law b Exod. 20.1 And hence it is that God forbids them to returne any more into Aegypt but rather to goe to Babylon and submit themselves to the Chaldean captivity as Ieremiah the Prophet often perswades Thirdly the Aegyptians were most bitter and cruell enemies of religion abounding in all manner of superstition and this is that which most grieves the children of God to bee among those that are lovers of superstition and haters of religion c Psa 120.5.6 And yet notwithstanding all this Ioseph being commanded by the Lord to goe thither doth neither refuse it as the Iewes did when they were bidden by the Prophet to goe to Babylon neither doth hee flye into some other place as Ionas did who would have fled to Tarsus when he should have gone to Nineveh but goes presently when and punctually whether the Lord bids him Vers 15 §. 1. VERS 15. And was there vntill the Sect. 1 death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying out of Aegypt have I called my Sonne A man in the ford ready to sinke catcheth at every thing he feels or sees which he can reach hoping that it will helpe to keepe his head above water so Papists snatching every occasion for the confirmation of their religion laye hold upon this verse to ground their unwritten traditions upon Obiect objecting thus Many bookes truly sacred and canonicall have utterly perished and beene lost and therefore that Canon of Scripture which now wee have is not sufficient the Antecedent they confirme from Chrysostome a Hom 9. s Matth. who saith the Jewes lost some of their sacred and canonicall bookes by negligence and carelesnesse and some of them have beene burnt and therfore these Books could never be repaired or written again by Esdras seeing that they were no where extant they give us examples of this as this verse Out of Aegypt have I called my sonne and verse 23. he shall be called a Nazarite which words are not at all to be found in the Old Testament And therefore the Scriptures are insufficient without ecclesiasticall or humane Traditions Answ 1 I answer first we deny that any sacred and canonicall bookes have beene lost Answ 2 Secondly if there bee any lost as some Protestants grant as we shal see else where yet they were either historicall and not absolutly necessary unto salvation or doctrinall containing fundamentall truths which are clearely taught and laid downe in some of those bookes which we have now extant and therefore this doth not conclude the Scriptures to be insufficient Answ 3 Thirdly the proofe they bring for their Antecedent proves nothing because Chrysostome being ignorant of the Hebrew tongue followes the translation of some interpreters who hath not these two sentences which are in this verse and the 23. verse but St. Hierom learned in the languages affirmes b Lib. de opt gen interp that they are both to bee found in the Hebrew Text that is this verse in Hos 11.1 and vers 23. in Iudg. 13.5 and Isa 11.1 Yea both these sentences are to bee found in the vulgar translation which the Papists hold onely authenticall of all other translations Answ 4 Fourthly the Jewes so religiously and carefully did keep these sacred books that no one book either by their negligence or malice hath perished as shall bee else where shewed and as Bellarmine himselfe proves c Lib. 2. de verbo Dei and others are verily perswaded of d Scharpius curs Theog 137. Sect. 2 § 2. That it might bee fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet Exposit The scope of that place Hos 11.1 Is to commemorate the deliverance of Israel from Egypt by way of reproach and upbraiding of the Jewes who were so unthankefull and disobedient unto God who had done such great thing for them Hence a principall question offers it selfe to be discussed which is this How is it said here Quest This was done that it might be fulfilled c. Is this the scope of Hoseas prophesie I answer first a Prophesie is fulfilled three Answ 1 manner of wayes I. When that which is foretold come to passe as Samuel foretold Saul that his kingdom should not continue e 1. Sam. 13.14 because God had rejected him f 1 Sam. 15.23 which was shortly after fulfilled in David to whom the crowne was given II. When a thing is foretold of one time in generall which may often come to passe or when a Prophesie is given which seems to aime at some one time but the substance of it is accomplished many times as the Prophet Esay Prophesieth of the Jewes they shall heare but not understand see but not perceive g Esa 6.9.10 Which is dayly accomplished whereresoever the Gospel is preached III. When not that numericall thing comes to passe which is foretold but some thing like thereunto and thus some say the Prophets prediction is fulfilled in this place h Muscul s But because it may be replyed although something Answ 2 like unto that which is foretold come to passe yet it cannot truely be said to be fulfilled I will therefore give a second answer and that is Prophecies have many senses as may appeare by a fivefold explication of them viz. Historicall Morall Allegoricall Tropologicall Anagogicall of which I shall speake God enabling me plainely else where But because it may yet be replyed that this is full of danger seeing 1 Origen and some others have turned all Historicall narrations into Allegories and 2. because the Anabaptists doe denie the very truth of the Historie of the Scriptures embracing onely Allegories and excluding all Historicall truths as Ixion embraced a cloud in stead of Iuno I will therefore produce Answ 3 a third answer which is that one prophecie hath but one sense onely yet there may bee two parts thereof and thus Mr. Perkins answers i de unica rat concionandi This is not so plaine nor cleare unto the understanding and therefore I adde a fourth answer That
e Luk. 9.62 Secondly because it is dangerous to relapse Answ 2 such being threatned to be cut off f Rom. 11.22 and to be so severely punished that it had beene better for them not to have repented at all g 2 Pet. 2.21 because they grow worse after their relapse h Matth. 47. seven spirits worse then the first entring into their hearts and because there remaines nothing but a horrible expectation unto such as fall backe after repentance i Heb. 10.26 It may here prudently bee demanded how Quest 16 may we bee corroborated and enabled to continue in this renovation and repentance unto the end I answer Answ by a carefull observation of these two things to wit first the difficulty secondly the remedy First we are to marke and observe difficultatem perseverandi how difficult and hard a thing it is to persevere in this negative and affirmative obedience which true repentance requires of us because our enemies are many and mighty which herein continually oppose us Our first enemy is the Divell who is I. A strong enemy a strong man armed a Luk. 11.21 yea a roaring Lion b 1 Pet. 5.8 that is bold and couragious and dare affront the stoutest Christian champion none being so good that they shall escape his temptations as wee may see by divers examples hee tempted David 2. Sam. 11. hee assaults Iob chap. 1. hee sifts Peter Luke 22.31 hee buffets Paul 2. Corinth 12.8 hee accuses the godly hee persecutes the woman though shee bee the spouse of Christ Apocalyps 12.4 he contends with Michael Revelat. 12.7 yea so insolent is hee and overweening of his owne strength that hee dared to assault Christ himselfe Matth. 4. although he were God all which shewes plainly unto us that the Divell is a strong adversarie II. He is a craftie enemy and as subtile as strong being able to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light c 2 Cor. 21 14. and will fit his temptations according to our tempers if wee bee young hee will embolden us to sinne if wee bee old hee will make us blush to blame or condemne our former lives If we be young hee will shew us pleasures if we be old he will shew us profit if we be young he will make us delay to amend if wee bee old he will make us so froward that wee shall not endure to bee reproved if wee bee prophane hee will make us secure if we be religious hee will strive to make us proud or superstitious or hypocriticall thus cunningly and craftily applying himselfe to every mans disposition and naturall constitution as the Fisher fits his bait according to the fish hee angles for and according to the month hee angles in as Paul became all things to all men that he might win some so Sathan also becomes all things to all men that he may wound some Our second enemy is the World tempting us by allurements which are but the Divels baits yea many are the occasions unto evill wh ch are objected unto us by the world in every action in every place Our third enemy is the Flesh which rebells in us like an in-bred traytor labouring to destroy us And therefore considering that these three strong subtile and malicious enemies labour daily with all their strength and might to retaine us in the chaines of sinne and in the service of Satan and to detaine us from serving the Lord in true obedience wee may safely conclude that it is a very difficult and hard thing to persevere and continue unto the end in true repentance Secondly together with the observation of the Difficultie must goe along the Remedy because although it be hard yet it is not impossible as appeares by the daily perseverance of the Saints unto the end Now the remedy is to warre against these enemies to put on the whole armour of a Christian d Ephes 6.13 and to fight a good fight of faith e 1 Tim. 1.18 Quest 17 Hence it may be demanded What is the armour which wee must use for the overcomming of our spirituall adversaries Answ 1 I answer First arme thy selfe with this constant resolution that nothing shall separate thee from the love service and obedience of God neither life nor death neither Angels Principalities nor Powers nor any thing else Answ 2 Secondly bee watchfull stand upon thy watch-tower that so thou mayest foresee and learne to prevent the deceits of Satan the allurements of the world and the rebellions of thine owne nature labouring to subdue and tame them by sobrietie and watchfulnesse f 1 Pet. 5.9 Thirdly pray continually that God would Answ 3 give thee strength to withstand the assaults of Satan and enable thee to trample them under thy feet g Rom. 16.20 yea that the Lord himselfe would be pleased to bee thy protector and defender delivering thee both from evill and that evill one Answ 4 Fourthly labour for a true and lively faith whereby thou mayest bee enabled to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked h Ephes 6.16 And thus our repentance must be True and Timelie and Constant The last followes Fourthly our Repentance must bee Crescens encreasing we must labour that we may daily grow up and increase more and more in Repentance grace being given unto us not to hide it in a napkin but to profit withall i 1 Cor. 12 7. that from babes we may grow up to men of ripe yeares k 1 Pet. 2. ◠Here it may be asked quatenus quando desistendum Quest 18 how long must we labour to increase when must a period bee put to this augmentation when must wee stand still not striving to grow any more every living thing hath a time of growth and when it comes to its maturitie and height then it growes no more therefore which is our non ultra when we must grow and increase no longer I answer Never in this life Answ because so long as we are here we must still grow up and encrease more and more a 1 Cor. 4.20 that is labour that wee may bee absolute and perfect men in Christ Jesus b 2 Tim. 3.17 which we cannot be so long as wee are in the body because wee carry continually a body of sinne about us c Rom. 7.24 we must endevour to bee as perfect as our Master d Luk. 6.40 yea as our Father e Matth. 5.48 which wee can never bee because wee are imperfect both knowing obeying believing and loving onely in part f 1 Cor. 13.10 and therefore so long as we live wee must labour to grow up unto perfection § 4. For the kingdome of heaven is at hand It Sect. 4 may here be questioned what kingdome is here Quest 1 spoken of I answer Answ Not the eternall kingdome of the other world nor the terrene kingdome of the Jewes but the comming of the Gospell or the kingdome of grace by the comming of Christ so
Psal 66 10.1â— Fiftly the Baptisme of Death as our Saviour saith I have a baptisme to bee baptized with and how am I straightned untill it be accomplished d Luk. 12.50 Christ already had undergone three of these the Baptisme of the Word Water and Spirit and therefore hee doth out of hand undertake the fourth that he may be prepared for the fift Secondly this was done in regard of us to Answ 2 teach us that after the purpose of a new life Observ our temptations and trials will bee multiplied as soone as Christ is baptized hee is led aside to bee tempted and thus when we by the Baptisme of the Spirit have put on Christ with a full purpose and resolution to leave sinne and to live as becomes new creatures and the members of Christ wee must then expect more temptations and trials than formerly wee underwent as soone as the Husbandman sowes corne the enemie sowes tares e Matth. 13.25 as soone as Elijah was called to his office hee is called to suffer f 1 King 19.3 and so also the Patriarches g Heb. 11.38 VVhence comes it that our trials and temptations Quest 3 are encreased after the resolution of newnesse of life First this comes from God who hath not Answ 1 given us armour and weapons in vaine when by the baptisme of the Spirit wee have put on Christ wee have put on armour of proofe against sinne and Sathan Now the Lord armes us with this harnesse not that we should be idle but that we should fight the battels of the Lord manfully against Sinne Satan the World and the Flesh because these are enemies unto Christ whose colours we beare under whose banner wee fight and whose Souldiers we are A valiant Champion is not armed from head to foot to fit at home or rest him upon the bed of case but that he may be prepared for the battell so the Lord first armes us and then brings us into the lists Secondly this comes from the Devill because Answ 2 after the Baptisme of the Spirit wherein wee have renounced Sathan hee lookes upon us as enemies and esteemes us his adversaries no longer as servants and friends and therefore doth oppose us manibus pedibusque with all his might and the utmost of his strength While we were his vassailes he kept us in peace h Luk. 11.21 but when once we have entred into a league and covenant with Christ then he doth resist us with all his policie power craft subtilty and strength Obiect If it be thus that our temptations and trialls encrease after the purpose of leading a new life then it is good to procrastinate our conversion and to put it off till the last that so our conflict may be the shorter Answ 1 To this I answer First woe bee unto him that doth the worke of the Lord negligently i Ier. 48.10 Secondly we must goe when God calls not Answ 2 being hindred by any lets or dangers that may befall us k Acts 22.16 Answ 3 Thirdly God requires in our obedidience of him two things The first is cherefulnesse readinesse willingnesse now procrastination and delay argues unwillingnesse in us when a man delayes to doe that which God requires it is a signe that hee hath no stomacke thereunto The second is feare and an awfull respect of his sacred Majestie for the Lord requires that wee should serve him with feare l Psa 2.11 now delay argues a direct neglect of God hee that deferres from day to day to do that which God strictly commands him doth plainely testifie that hee doth not feare nor care at all to offend God And therefore let us labour by and by to put on Christ in newnesse of life meditating continually of these five things First remember the necessity of the worke how necessary it is that thou shouldest leade a new life it is the end of thy creation it is the only way unto salvation and therefore what will it profit thee to gaine the whole world and loose thy soule Secondly remember the Lords acceptation so thou shalt please the Lord and otherwise thou canst not we study often yea upon every occasion to please great ones but wee should rather study to please the Lord who is a King of Kings and a Lord of Lords Thirdly remember the danger of neglect it is no lesse then the perdition of thy soule to deferre to put on Christ by the Baptisme of the Spirit for if once thy day be past and Gods appointed time be neglected be sure the doore will be shut against thee and thou damned to the pit of hell Fourthly remember how long thou hast already neglected to serve the Lord in newnesse of life how often with the crowe thou hast cryed cras cras to morrow to morrow thou wilt serve and obey him how long like a bad debtor thou hast put off God from day to day from yeare to yeare yea all thy life time untill this present houre Fiftly remember how little time remaines behind and how uncertaine thy life is that the remembrance hereof may make thee the more carefull by and by to purpose resolve and endeavour to give thy selfe wholy up unto the service of the Lord in new obedience and true sanctification although presently hereupon thou be led aside by the Spirit to be tempted of the devill as Christ here was Why doth God permit us to be more tempted Quest 4 after we have purposed to leade new lives and to live wholy unto him then we are before I answer for these causes First Answ that Sathan might be the more confounded knowing that now we have left him and forsaken his service Secondly that we might be the more comforted in knowing that God hath enriched us with gifts and graces because otherwise the devill would never be so hostile against us The children of God in these temptations may thus argue with themselves if God had not bestowed new graces upon us the devill would not thus warre against us for he keepes his owne in peace a Luk. 11.21 and if the Lord had not endued us with new strength we could never have held out so long against the strong temptations of Sathan but long ere this had beene overcome Thirdly that wee might acknowledge the strength that God hath girded us withall and use it that by the use and exercise thereof it may encrease and we be made stronger and stronger for the worke of the Lord. Fourthly that we might be held in aequilibrio in an equall ballance when the ballance is unequall one scale is carried up and the other down so when wee are burdened with afflictions and temptations and not sensible of the grace of God sustaining and upholding us wee are with the weight of our burthen pressed downe to the ground On the contrary when we looke with a full sight upon the gifts and graces which God hath bestowed upon us and whereby wee excell many others and
and commendation of preaching Secondly ob utilitatem because of the utilitie Answ 2 preaching is profitable without miracles but miracles are altogether unprofitable unto us untill we bee taught and instructed by the word because they doe not edifie us any further than onely as they confirme the word unto us thus the Apostles preach and God confirmes the word by them preached with miracles and signes k Mark 16.20 and Acts 4.16 Answ 3 Thirdly ob instructionem for our instruction that we hence might learne that temporall blessings are not to be expected untill we bee instructed in the knowledge of spirituall graces For the true order of mercie is first to convert the soule then to heale the body Quest 2 What is the Lords end in bestowing of temporall or corporall blessings Answ The end of God herein is threefold First Probare to prove and try us thus the Lord hedgeth about his vineyard and pruneth it to try if it will bring forth grapes l Esa 5.1.2 thus he spares the tree one yeare longer and digges about it and dungs it to see whether it will prove more fruitfull than it hath been heretofore m Luke 13 8. And thus the Lord bestowes temporall blessings and corporall mercies upon us to prove us whether we will convert unto him and serve him more faithfully than formerly Secondly Damnare to leave us without excuse and for our greater judgement and condemnation the Lord giveth the former and latter raine in his season unto us n Ierem. 5.24 and therefore great shall our punishment bee if wee will not serve and obey him wee must render a reason at the last day of our stewardship and give account whether wee have improved all his mercies and blessings upon us bestowed to his glory and the benefite of our owne soules Thirdly Coronare to crowne our obedience God perswades us to feare love and serve him and bids us try him if he will not blesse us o Malach. 3.13 and therefore when wee are obedient unto his call hee makes good his blessed promises unto us If my people would sayth the Lord have hearkned unto me and walked in my wayes I would thus have crowned rewarded their obedience I would have subdued their enemies and avenged them upon their adversaries I would have fed them with the finest of the wheat and with hony out of the Rocke have satisfied them p Psal 81.13.15.16 Thus we see the first end is uncertaine the second end is desperate and it is onely the third that is sweet and comfortable because it depends upon the promises of God Read these places Exod. 23.25 Levit. 26.3 Deut. 7.13 and 11.26 and 15.5 Prov. 10.6 Lam. 3.25 In all which places God promiseth to blesse even with temporall blessings those that serve him in singlenesse of heart which promises hee performeth first for his truths sake because the word is gone out of his mouth therefore hee will make good what hee hath sayd Secondly for his childrens sake in love unto them he delights in them that delight in him and his service and therefore willingly performes with them the oath which hee hath sworne Thirdly for the sake of others that all may know that God loves the righteous that there is a reward for the righteous Esai 61.9 and that what blessings God gives unto them hee gives in love that by the experimentall knowledge hereof men may bee allured to serve the Lord. Healing all manner of sicknesses and all manner of diseases Why doth Christ rather these miracles Quest 3 than others hee could and might have wrought greater than these hee could have turned a Rod into a Serpent or stones into bread or have come downe from the Crosse or have done things greater than these Why doth hee onely these to heale and cure corporall infirmities Christ could indeed have wrought greater miracles because all things were possible and facile unto him Answ but hee chooseth rather to heale and cure feed and do good and that upon a threefold ground viz. First that he might shew himselfe merciful Secondly that hee might shew that temporall blessings come from him Thirdly that in a type hee might shew that hee onely cures the maladies and diseases of the soule First of all Christ chooseth to heale and cure and doe good rather than other miracles that hee might shew himselfe to bee a Minister of mercie full of tender compassion Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci he teacheth profitable things for the soule hee workes pleasing things unto the body and all for this end principally that hee might gaine and winne them to embrace the Gospell Teaching us Observ that God gives temporall blessings unto us that hee may the sooner draw us to spirituall graces Hence hee makes large and gracious promises unto us of temporall things if wee will but render spirituall obedience unto him Read Levit. 26. from vers 1. to 15. and Deut. 28. from vers 1. to 14. and Mark 10.30 God doth not endue us with temporall blessings that he might make us happy in this life for then hee would not afflict his children but to try us and if they lead us unto repentance then they are truly good unto us otherwise not And therefore those that abuse the good temporall blessings which God gives them either to oppression or revenge or wrong or covetousnesse or drunkennesse or gluttonie or pride or idlenesse or lasciviousnes or prodigalitie or to any prophanenesse at all make them evil not good curses not blessings unto them and may assure themselves that either God will deprive them of them or if they remain they shall be leannesse unto their soules Secondly Christ choseth to heale and cure and the like to shew that temporall things are to bee expected from him and to bee desired of him and hence hee teacheth us to pray Our Father which art in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread q Mat. 6.11 What temporall blessings come from God or Quest 4 are to be expected from him First in generall All for he is the authour and Answ 1 fountaine of every good gift and every perfect being Secondly more particularly many severall Answ 2 blessings doth the Scripture specifie to come from God as for example First victory in battle from the Lord When Moses prayes then Israel prevailes when he ceaseth praying Amaleck prevailes a Exod. 17 11. Secondly preservation or deliverance from enemies and danger comes from the Lord this was not unknowne unto Iacob who being afraid of his brother cryes unto God Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother even from the hand of Esau for I feare him least he will come and smite me b Gen. 32.11 Thirdly health or recovery from sicknesse comes from the Lord this made Hezekiah when he heard that he must die to pray unto God to adde some more dayes unto his life and he was heard c 2 King
povertie Or II. because although they have enough in regard of necessary things that is sufficient for food and rayment yet they are not content but with an unsatiable desire wish for more and grieve for the want thereof The mourning of these shal not bee turned into mirth neither Thirdly some mourne and grieve Carnaliter these are they who sorrow for the punishment but not for the sinne as Pharaoh Cain and Iudas did and therefore shall be no more comforted than they Fourthly some sorrow Impiè wickedly these are they who mourne because it is not lawfull for them to sinne freely and without any punishment either humane or divine Many grieve that there are lawes forbidding drunkennesse fornication stealing and the like and wish that there were no sinnes forbidden or duties enjoyned because then they might live merrily whereas now they mourne by reason of restraining lawes This is a most infallible token of a wicked man and therefore such mourners have neither promise of blessednesse nor of comfort Fiftly some sorrow Diabolicè with a Divellish sorrow these are they who grieve unto the death that is unto desperation thus Achitophel grieves that his counsell is not followed and to put an end thereunto puts an end unto himselfe thus Iudas mournes that he hath betrayed his innocent Master and in his agonie hangs himselfe These mourners are utterly deprived of all comfort both here and hereafter Sixtly but we must doe thus if wee desire consolation in our sorrow to wit I. lament our owne sinnes and the sinnes of the Church land and common-wealth wherein we live II. let us hope for mercy upon the condition of true and unfained repentance III. and then it is lawfull for us to weepe and mourne for our afflictions which wee groane under because they are the fruits of sinne and occasioned thereby and blessed are they that thus mourne for they shall be comforted What comfort or consolation is it that shall Quest 4 be imparted unto these mourners First the world hath many solaces for those Answ 1 that are in distresse to wit honour riches pleasure security false counsell vaine comfort fained freedome and the like which I omit to enlarge because these are not the comforts here promised Secondly the comfort of these blessed ones Answ 2 doth consist in the Holy Spirit that true comforter What comfort or consolation doth this Paracletus or Comforter give unto these mourners Quest 5 Answ Three viz. First Temporall Secondly Spirituall Thirdly Eternall First the Holy Ghost gives unto the mourners in Zion Temporale solamen temporall comforts first Providence hee will so provide for them that they shall want nothing although it bee with them as Bias said Omnia mea mecum porto that they carty all they have about them as Hagar and Iacob who had no more then the cloathes upon their backes and the water in their bottles yet when those are spent and gone hee will provide more Secondly Protection and Deliverance he will protect defend and deliver them from all evill as carefully as hee doth provide for them what is good Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of all that is either 1. takes away the affliction wholly or 2. takes away the sting thereof as he did unto Paul giving him sufficient grace to endure the temptation though he tooke not the buffet from him and therefore let us place all our hope and confidence upon God let us depend first upon him for whatsoever good temporall blessing wee stand in need of And secondly for deliverance either from the affliction if the Lord may see it good for us or from the evill of the affliction Quest 6 These are ordinary and generall things What particular temporall comforts doth this Blessed Comforter afford unto these true mourners Answ The Lord hath particular consolations First for all men Secondly for all dangers First for all sorts of men the Lord hath sundry sorts of comfort as we may instance in some few to wit Ministers Magistrates Poore men Godly men Professours First the Lord hath comfort in store or store of comforts for Ministers who are painefull and faithfull in their calling notwithstanding those many discouragements that they meet withall therein as for example First few will beleeve their doctrine this is irksome unto them and makes them in the anguish of their heart cry out Lord who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed o Esa 53.1 Secondly they are made a spectacle unto the world and to Angels and to men p 1 Cor 4.9 Thirdly sinne which by their preaching they labour to beate downe doth grow up and abound more and more Fourthly hence they grow weary of their lives as we see in Elias who desires that he may die because of the wickednes of the world q 1 King 19.4 so holy Ieremiah cries out Woe is me my Mother that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth r Ierem. 15 10. Yet let them lift up their heads and listen unto the comforts pronounced unto them For First God saith to Moses and Samuel and under them to all his Prophets and Christ to his Apostles and under them to all faithfull preachers They have not dispised you but me Secondly the Lord saith unto them feare not I am with you ſ Ierem. 1.8 Thirdly their labour shall not bee altogether in vaine in regard of others for some shall be stil converted wheresoever the Gospell is preached t Acts 17.34 Fourthly their paines shall not be at all in vaine in regard of themselves for they shall bee crowned Thus the Lord is pleased to comfort the sad hearts and lift up the drouping and hanging downe heads of his faithfull Ministers Secondly Magistrates they watch when subjects and inferiours sleepe they take care for all and yet though they bee thus faithfull and zealous they are not respected but rather disobeyed hated and sleighted by the vulgar sort of the sonnes of Beliall This is enough to make them mourne and a just cause of sorrow and therefore to comfort them the Lord bids them not to feare for hee will bee with them u Iosh 1.5 9. and their worke shall bee rewarded Thirdly poore men want in a manner all necessary things which makes them grieve but for these if good the Lord hath these comforts that 1. hee will give them needfull things though not superfluous to the supplying of their wants though not of their desires and 2. those things that hee with-holds from them hee detaines because hee sees them to bee poyson and hurtfull unto them Fourthly Godly and pious men dare not lye nor defraud nor cosen by false weights or false measures and therefore their gaines and meanes is very small but here is their comfort God will provide for them Secondly the Lord hath comforts and consolations for all perils and dangers and
part of the Church which is triumphant is lively portraied Revel 21.18 ad vers 25. but that beauty which is in the Militant Church is especially internall and spirituall not externall and corporall according to that of the Psalmist The Kings daughter is all glorious within r Psal 45.13 And therefore if we desire to be assured that we are members of the Church militant and shall be of the triumphant let us then learne I. to be subject to the lawfull and decent rites of the Church II. To be obedient to the Lawes of God and behests of Christ III. To love to agree and accord one with another in brotherly and christian-like love And IV. to endevour that we may be pure and unspotted in the hidden man of the heart Quest 4 Secondly having thus considered of the Citie set upon a hill let us now proceed to the Hill upon which this City stands And first hence it may be demanded what this Hill or Mountaine is Answ 1 First some hereby understand heaven Who shall dwell ô Lord saith David upon thy holy hill Psal 15.1 and 24.3 Hee that beleeves shall possesse thy holy hill Esa 57.13 But the word is not thus taken in this place Answ 2 Secondly some understand righteousnesse and thus Augustine sup Answ 3 Thirdly some understand Christ Chrysost imperf alluding unto Sion which is called the holy Mount Obser Psal 2.6 and 43.3 Teaching us that we are founded onely upon Christ who is the true corner stone Ephhes 2.20 21 22. the head beginning and first-borne of the faithfull Coloss 1.18 yea our alone Saviour Acts 4.12 And therefore we may not seeke helpe from any other Quest 5 May we not pray unto the Saints for succour in our distresses Answ No because he unto whom we pray or from whom we expect any blessing ought to have these three properties which are proper onely unto God and not communicable unto any other First he must have Scientiaminopiae a knowledge of our wants and necessities The Papists dispute that the Saints know our wants in speculo Trinitatis seeing them in the face of God as in a glasse But 1. this glasse is but a foolish fiction and braine-sicke phansie of their owne and it is false at the least doubtfull whether the Saints know any of our particular griefes or not 2. It is necessary that they should heare all at one time who pray unto them Yea 3. understand the hearts and hearty desires of all in distresse but these are peculiar unto God as shall be shewed Math. 6.9 Secondly hee must have Potentiam juvandi power and ability to helpe that is be able 1. to give all good things unto us which we want 2. To preserve us from all dangers we are incident unto 3. To overcome Satan our deadly enemie 4. To direct all things that befall us unto our good Now the Saints cannot give all things unto us for they are but creatures and this is proper to the Creator and Lord of all things in heaven and earth When a Papist prayes to any Saint in heaven for any blessing if that Saint should heare his prayer I perswade my selfe he would answer as Christ did to the Mother of Zebedees children who desired that one of her sonnes should sit upon his right hand and the other on his left That it was not his to give but it should be given to them for whom it was prepared of his Father u Mat. 22.23 prosperity promotion preferment and the like being ordered and disposed by him Againe the Saints cannot deliver from danger This Eliphas the Temanite knew right well when he said To which of the Saints wilt thou turne v Job 5.1 But if wee call upon the Lord he can deliver us Psal 50.15 Againe the Saints cannot enable us to overcome Satan for this power is derived unto us from God who being stronger than he can take away his armour wherein hee trusts and his captives whom he possesses binding him in chaines and setting them at liberty Lastly the Saints cannot order and dispose of all our actions to our good because they doe not know what may come to passe w Eccles 8.7 Omnia in futurum reservantur incerta But the Lord calls those things which are not as though they were knowing things to come as well as present or by-passed and hath promised by his speciall providence so to dispose of all the actions of his children that all things shall worke together for the best unto them x Rom. 8.18 And therefore we must pray to no other Thirdly hee must love us cordially having Voluntatem juvandi as well a will to helpe us as power and ability to assist us Now none hath equalled the Lords love unto us for that was infinite y Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 4.16 And thus much for the third exposition of the word Hill Fourthly some more generally understand Answ 4 by this word Mountaine and Hill onely a more glorious and conspicuous estate of the Church And thus the name of a Mountaine is given to the Church it selfe Yee are they that forsake the Lord and forget my holy Mountaine z Esa 65.11 that is the Church How and wherein is the Church of God like Quest 4 unto a City set upon a Mountaine First it is more conspicuous and in that regard Answ 1 more prone and subject to be assaulted by enemies because they can see it from farre but this followes in the next § it cannot be hid Secondly it is defended with Towers Walls Answ 2 Gates Rockes Now the Ministers of the Word of God are all these as appeares in Ieremiah Behold saith the Lord I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land against the Kings Princes Priests and people a Jer. 1.18 As the wall repelles and beates backe the darts and keepes out the enemies so in like manner doe the Ministers they oppose themselves against sinne and boldly reprove sinne not fearing the favour or frowne of any Christ calls Herod Fox Elias reproves Ahab telling him that it was hee and his Fathers house who had troubled Israel Thirdly a City built on a Hill hath watch-towers Answ 3 as we see Ezekiel 3.17 Sonne of men I have made thee a watch-man unto the house of Israel and therefore give them warning And the Ministers of the new Testament are made overseers Acts 20.28 and Heb. 13.17 And therfore they are no faithful Ministers who do not admonish their people of danger in warre if he sleepe who is appointed to stand centinel and to watch for the safeguard of the army hee is hanged by Marshall law Wherefore Preachers who are the Watch-men of this city the Church had need to bee vigilant lest they incurre the Lords displeasure against them to cut them off for their negligence and remisnesse Answ 4 Fourthly such cities as are founded upon Mountaines are most safe and
are made e Staplet Ibid. And therefore it followes not that because Christ is a Law-giver therefore he must make new lawes disanulling or opposing the old Secondly Christ saith Ego dicâ— I say not as Arg. 2 the Prophets were wont to doe Haec dicit Dominus Thus sayth the Lord and therefore Christ here opposeth himself to the law of God The reason why Christ sayth I say Answ is not because hee speakes contrary to that which his Father had spoken formerly by his Prophets but because whatsoever he speaks from the Father he speakes from himselfe which the Prophets did not Propheta ad conservos Christus ad serâ—os f Chrysost sup Christ as a Lord speakes unto his servants and therefore saith I say unto you the Prophets as the servants of the Lord speake unto their fellow servants in the Lord and therefore say thus saith the Lord. Thirdly Stapleton proves this from examples Christ saith he addes new Lawes and therefore Arg. 3 he opposeth the Law of God he proves the proposition thus First Christ saith thou shalt not sweare at all vers 34. I answer it was never lawfull or allowable by Answ 1 the Law of God to sweare by those things which Christ reproves wherefore this was no new Law Secondly Christ teacheth that Divorce is never lawfull but for adultery or fornication vers 32. I answer this was an old Law and no new one Our Saviour himselfe saying that from Answ 2 the beginning it was not allowed for a man upon every occasion to put away his wife g Matth. 19.8 Thirdly Christ teacheth us under the Gospel to love our enemies vers 44. Answ 3 This was an ancient law If saith the Lord thou meet not thy friends but thy enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt surely bring it backe to him againe h Exod. 23.4 Now none can deny but this instance doth plainely imply and injoyne love to our enemies But if any be so blind that they cannot see it or so obstinate that they will not acknowledge that it may hence bee deduced or proved that wee ought to love our enemies let him listen then to the wise man If thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eate and if bee bee thirsty give him water to drinke c i Pro. 25.21 And therefore that addition which our Saviour speakes of vers 44. Thou shalt hate thine enemy is a falsification of the Pharisees as shall bee shewed afterwards and was never injoyned by the Law of God Fourthly Christ teacheth us to love our brethren and calleth it his Commandement John 14.15.21 and 15.10.12.17 and John 13.34 and Saint Paul cals it the Law of Christ Galat. 6.2 Answ 4 This was no new commandement but an old given in the Old Testament David expresly commends and implicitly commands this brotherly love Oh how good and joyfull a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in amity and unity Psal 133. c. Yea our Saviour saith the one halfe of the Law is to love our neighbour as our selfe Mat. 22.49 which words are taken from Lev. 19.18 And therefore I may safely those rubbes removed out of the way conclude this question that certainely Christ doth not here oppose himselfe to the Law of God but to the expositions of the Pharisees Quest 2 Why did not Christ who was the true Messias ordaine new Lawes for those to walke by who were under the Gospell Answ 1 First because the Law of God was perfect Psal 19.7 and wonderfull 119.129 and spirituall Rom. 7. extending it selfe to the inward man as well as the outward for it forbids coveteousnesse and condemnes the internall concupiscence of the heart in the tenth Commandement God is to be worshipped in spirit and with spirituall worship Joh. 4.24 this also the Law commands Salomon perswades us to give God our hearts Prov. 23.26 and Moses to love and serve God with all our hearts and with all our souls Deut. 6.5 And therefore there was no need of a new Law the old being such as hath beene said Secondly whatsoever Christ taught or desired Answ 2 to teach to his Apostles and Disciples and to all his dispersed through the whole world was included prescribed and laid down in the Law and therefore there was no necessity of framing new Commandements We read of three principal Lawes which Christ commends unto all that are under the Gospell the first is to keepe the Commandements Mat. 19.17 Now this is injoyned in the Old Testament The second is to love the brethren or our brethren this also was commanded in the Law The third is to believe in Christ but this is the Commandement of the Father k 1 Ioh. 3.23 § 2. But I say unto you The scope of Christ Sect. 2 in this place is to oppose his true opinion to the opinion of antiquity and he doth not endeavour to prove this from the best most learned or most ancient Rabbines but onely from his word that he might teach us Observ that the onely fountaine of truth is in his word Christ doth not say It was said of old thou shalt not kill c. but Rabbi Salomon or Ben-Ezra doth not say so But I say unto you that hence wee might learne that the true tryall of antiquity is in the Holy Scriptures and therefore wee are commanded to search them Ioh. 5.39 to repaire to them Esa 8.20 because by them we are regenerated 1 Pet. 1.23 from them we have faith Rom. 10.17 yea they are able to make us perfect l 2 Tim. 3 16. The Church is our Mother therefore shee must be subject to God our Father for the wife ought to be so unto the husband and hence Saint Paul would have us to wave the opinion of an Angell rather then of the word of God m Gal. 1.8 much more then of a Father who is subject to errour as was shewed in the former verse Is there no use at all to be made of Antiquity Quest or of the opinions workes and writings of the Fathers and Ancients First in generall the true use of the Ancients Answ 1 is not to establish a new way unto heaven but to facilitate the old not to teach new opinions but to expound and explaine the ancient truths which are couched in holy writ Secondly more particularly the true use of Answ 2 the Fathers and ancient writers consists In these 4. things to wit First in the exposition of the Scriptures which is twofold namely either Positive as for example this exposition of Scripture is true because the Fathers so interpreted it This followes not Privative this exposition is false because none of the Fathers so give it here observe two things namely First this is no certaine or generall rule because often all the Fathers of some one time or for a long time have been mistaken as was shewed in the former verse in the exposition of Gen. 6.2 and 2 Cor. 4.4 Secondly this is
because the Divell is the author hereof as will appeare in the last section of this verse yea as swearing comes from him so it bringeth to him as was probably shewed in the example of a Gentleman riding over a bridge in Cornewall who was a notorious common swearer and upon the stumbling of his horse swore at him and presently fell with his horse â—nto the Râ—ver and was drowned saying as hee fell Horse and man and all to the Devill Answ 2 Secondly because it is an argument of a prophane person All things fall out alike to all saith the wise man to the cleane and the uncleanâ— to him that sweareth and that feareth an oath In which words he maketh swearing an evident proofe of a prophane person Eccles 9.2 Answ 3 Thirdly because God sometâ—mes remarkably judgeth this common swearing as we reade hee did in a serving man in Lincolnshire who used to sweare commonly by Gods Blood for when he lay upon his death bed continuing still in that sinne hee finally heard the Bell toule and therewith sware Gods Blood this Bell touleth for me and presently the blood gushing out on all parts of his body he dyed Quest 2 What may we thinke of the practise of those who sweare by the Masse and by the Rood Answ This is a wicked thing in a very high degree because they have beene made Idols and consequently Gods greatest enemies if a subject should give that royall honour which is due only unto the King unto a professed and proclaimed Traytor he deserved to dye and were unworthy to live that should thus esteeme his Soveraignes greatest enemy so they deserve that God should never hold them guiltlesse that thus in Gods steade set up these superstitiously used idols and then sweare by them as if they were Gods This makes the Lord breake into such impatience against the Israelites How should I spare thee thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them who are no Gods o Jer. 5.7 And againe They that sweare by the of Samaria saying Thy God O Dan liveth shall fall and not rise againe p Amos 8.14 Sect. 2 § 2. Be yea yea and nay nay What doth our Saviour meane by this affirmation and negation The Ancients did expound this doubling of the words yea yea nay nay Quest three manner of Answ 1 wayes namely First as in the conscience the thing either is or not so also it should be in the tongue Secondly as the thing indeed either is or not so also it should be in the speech Thirdly as in the mouth there is yea or nay so there should be in the deed or worke that is according to the truth of the thing and our knowledge thereof should our words be and then according to our words spoken our works should be performed Secondly our Saviour hereby would teach us Answ 2 carefully to avoid both all superfluitie of speech and all manner of oathes answering all questions either by a simple affirmation or negation § 3. For whatsoever is more then this Sect. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used sometimes signifies excellent sometimes abundant sometimes superfluous comming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra as if we should say above that which is necessary and so it is taken â—n this place whatsoever is superfluous or more than needs avoid it for it commeth of evill The Anâ—baptists hence object that all swearing Object 1 yea even before a Magistrate is forbidden because it is superfluous and more than needs for the thing enquired after may simpâ—y be affirmed or denyed First necessary oathes are not superfluous Answ 1 oathes thus Beza Secondly our Saviour saith Let your speech Answ 2 be yea and nay but when the Magistrate imposeth injoyneth and commandeth an oath then it is not ours that is in our power Areti part 1. probl 66. Our Saviours scope is here to forewarne us of all levitie and vanity in our ordinary talk and not to forbid all swearing when a weightie necessity urgeth thereunto They object againe our Saviour saith here Object 2 Whatsover is more than these commeth of evill And therefore to sweare by God before a Magistrate is unlawfull This followes not it proceeds from evill Answ therefore it is evill And thus Saint Augustine saith sup Non dicit malum est sed a malo procedit Christ doth not say that it is evill to sweare by God in it selfe but that it comes from evill thus ordinarily and without any necessity to call God to witnesse the truth of what wee affirme Can that be abused in using vvhich is lawfull Quest Wee may deprave and pollute the best thâ—ngs by too much liberty as for example 1. Answ Externall good things may bee abused 2. Internall First there are many externall and outward good things which may be abused as for example First Honour is good but yet It is not good to eate much Honey nor for men to seeke their owne glory too much Secondly Prov. 25.26 riches are good but yet a man may so set his heart upon them that they may become a snare unto him r Mat. 6.19 and therfore as we must not seek honour too much so must we not labour too fast to bee rich Thirdly Meat and Wine are good and yet they may be abused unto gluttony and drunkennesse Å¿ Eze. 16.49 Ephes 5.18 Fourthly apparell are good and yet they may be abused unto pride Luke 16 19. Act. 12.21 c. Fifthly pleasure and delight is good and yet they may be abused Luke 16.25 Prov. 25.16 Sixthly ease and rest are good sometimes and yet the abundance of ease is the cause of much evill t Eze. 16.19 Seventhly time is good but it may be mis-spent and abused Secondly there are many internall and inward good things which may be abused as for example First joy is good and yet a man may give himselfe too much to jollity and mirth Eccles 3.4 and 7.4 and 1 Cor. 7.29 Secondly sorrow is good and yet a man may be too sad and dejected giving too much way to sadnesse and griefe Eccles 3.4 and 1 Cor. 7.29 and 2 Cor. 7 10. Thirdly feare is good and yet a man may be too fearefull 1 Chron. 21.31 Fourthly knowledge is good and yet sometimes it puffes up 1 Cor. 8.1 and Eccles 1.18 c. Rom. 12.3 Fifthly Justice is good and yet a man may be too just u Eccl. 7.18 that is a man may be too cruell severe and rigid pressing the Law alwayes to the uttermost and so Summum jus summa injuria Sixthly divine Revelations are good and yet Paul was in danger to have bin puft up through abundance of them v 2 Cor. 12.7 And therefore let us labour to be sober and moderate Rom. 12 3. § 4. Commeth of evill or a male illo Sect. 4 Some reade these words Neutraliter commeth from evill some more rightly Masculine of the Divell whatsoever is more than these commeth of the
not be offended therefore wee must doe nothing that may displease him we must abstaine from every appearance of evill therefore we must disobey and resist the Magistrate rather than yeeld to such ceremonies as seeme evill to some This is to strain the Scripture beyond his native sense and to make it speake a strange language § 2. Thou shalt love thy Neighbour Sect. 2 How many degrees of love are there one towards another Quest The Ancients have these eight degrees I. Answ Some love those who love them this is naturall love II. Some love those from whom they have received or hope to receive some good turne this is mercenary love As Augustine saith Qui amicum amat propter commodum non amicum convincitur amare sed commodum Hee who loves his friend for his gaine thinkes gaine worth loving but not his friend III. Some love others because they trace the same path of impiety that they doe thus drunkards love drunkards and Hereticks love those who maintaine the same Heresie that they doe this is a wicked and diabolicall love IV. Some love others for some good worke that they have done or because they see them to be good men this love is commendable V. Some love others because they are members of the same body with them that is the children of their heavenly Father this is a spirituall love VI. Some love those who love not them and this is a gratious love Cheâ—â— Harm c. 51. p. 5â—6 There are two degrees more which the Ancients have ranked with these but they cannot be called degrees of love but rather of hatred namely VII Some love not those who love them and these are perverse persons VIII Some love not entirely any but are lovers of themselves and this is an humane corruption and infirmitie § 3. And hate thy enemy Sect. 3 The Scribes and Pharisees say this Observ but Christ rejects it and therefore we may easily affirme it to be false and this to be true That the true Christian must hate none Why must we hate none Quest 1 First because hatred is alwayes forbidden and Answ 1 ranked with those things which are evill The workes of the flesh saith the Apostle are these adultery fornication c. hatred variance c. Secondly because God loves all his creatures as followes verse 45. and therefore wee Answ 2 should herein imitate him hating none Answ 3 Thirdly because the blessed Spirit of God teacheth us to hate none and Christians ought to practise no other things then he teacheth unto them Answ 4 Fourthly the Scribes and Pharisees acknowledge that we must love our brethren now unto Christians all men are brethren either in Christ or for Christ as was shewed before verse 7. of this chapter and therefore we must love all and hate none Object But against this it will be objected the Israelites were commanded to hate the seven Nations to smite them to destroy them to make no covenant with them to shew no mercy unto them Deut. 7.1 2. Iosh 23.7 12. Answ 1 First this was a peculiar precept and therefore is no generall rule neither concludes any thing against what hath beene formerly affirmed Answ 2 Secondly although it be not allowed to hate any man for the evill that is in him yet it is lawfull to hate the evill that is in men Quest 2 How farre and in what regards is it lwafull for a man to hate his enemy There are two sorts of enemies to wit ours and Gods Answ First if they be our enemies then wee must not hate them at all Indeed it is lawfull for us to pray against them as David did arise O Lord disappoint him cast him down and deliver my soule from him d Psal 17.13 And againe O Lord overthrow thou the counsell of Achitophel Secondly if they be wicked men and so Gods enemies then these things are required of us namely First we must hate their wicked workes yee that love the Lord hate evill Psal 97.10 The flesh that toucheth any uncleane thing must not be eaten e Levit. 7.19 nor the society of sinners must be delighted in f Prov. 1.10.15 but wee must hate the wickednesse of the wicked with a perfect hatred g Psa 139 21. Secondly it is lawfull for us to pray against their malice whether it be 1. against God Or 2. Religion Or 3. Our brethren Thirdly we must decline familiarity and all intimacie with those who are Gods enemies Davids delight was in the Saints h Psal 16.3 and so must ours be not in the wicked for their company we must avoid i Psal 26.4 5. and 101.6 Esa 52.11 and that for these three causes 1. Lest by their society we should be drawne into sinne as Salomon was 2. Lest we should bee punished with them Read Numb 16.26 Prov. 13.20 and 22.24 Apoc. 18.4 3. Lest at least our hearts should be grieved and our eyes and eares offended with their wickednesse Thus Lots righteous soule was grieved with seeing and hearing the abomination of the wicked Sodomites k 2 Pet. 2.9 Here wee must distinguish between those who Oppose themselves obstinately against all goodnesse and Religion these are to be avoided and their company not to be frequented Are blind and ignorant doing evil because they know no better these are not altogether to bee shunned but as occasion offers it selfe to be instructed and exhorted Fourthly but whatsoever they be though never so bad yet they are to be loved 1. Because they are flesh of our flesh of the same species with us 2. Because it may be they shall be converted hereafter And therefore love them for that hopes sake which thou maist have of them VERS 44. But I say unto you love your enemies Vers 44 blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you § 1. Love your enemies Sect. 1 How doth it appeare that our enemies are to Quest 1 be loved First from Levit. 19.17 18. Thou shalt not Answ 1 hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him Thou shalt not avenge nor beare any grudge against the children of my people c. Where we see 1. Our enemies must be reproved and wee must not suffer them to sinne vers 17. 2. We must not avenge our selves upon them 3. We must not remember the injuries they have done unto us vers 18. Secondly it appeares from Rom. 13.9 Thou Answ 2 shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale all is comprehended in this thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe And therefore Saint Augustine saith l De doct 1.30 this precept of loving our enemies belongs unto all Thirdly it appeares from Rom. 12.20 21. If Answ 3 thine enemy hunger feed him if hee thirsâ— give him drinke and be not overcome of evill but â—vercome evill with
good If we must love God with all our heart and Quest 2 with all our minde and soule and might and strength as we are commanded Deut. 6.5 and Mat. 22.37 then where is there any place left for the love of our Neighbour First it is certaine that we must love none but Answ 1 onely in the Lord we must not love any supra contra aut prater Deum either above God or besides God or contrary to the command of God Secondly but in the Lord we may and ought Answ 2 to love men as a man is said to love his wife only and yet he loves his children also Thirdly yea those who love not men cannot Answ 3 love God Reade 1 Iohn 2.9 and 3.10 and 4.20 How must we love our enemies Quest 3 First affirmatively we must love them thus Answ 1 namely I. As they are men and so flesh of our flesh II. As they are our enemies we must not covet or desire to be avenged of them III. Yet we may lovingly reprove them for their amendment Answ 2 Secondly negatively thus we may not love them to wit I. as wicked men lest so we be found to love wickednesse which God hates II. as the enemies of God for thus wee are by Davids example to hate them Doe not I hate them oh Lord that hate thee yea I hate them with a perfect hatred m Psa 139.21 22. III. we must not love them unto death that is so love them that our love be a meanes to bring them unto perdition we must not flatter them in evill but labour by gentle reproofes to reduce them from their errours Quest 4 If to love be to esteeme as a friend then how can this agree with an enemy to love our neighbour is to hold him our friend how then can a man love his enemy that is hold him as his friend for to be a friend and an enemy are contraries We must not hold any man our enemy Answ but every one our brother friend and neighbour This our Saviour teacheth us by the parable of the man who was wounded betwixt Ierusalem and Iericho and was helped by the Samaritane concluding that we must hold every man our neighbour n Luk. 10.31 c. and none our enemy yea under the Gospell we are taught That all men are our brethren either By Regeneration or By Creation either Indeed or In hope either In the Lord or For the Lord. And therefore none are to bee held as enemies Quest 5 Why must we love those who by their deeds shew themselves to be our enemies Answ 1 First because herein wee shall imitate our God who is an examplar hereof unto us verse 45. Answ 2 Secondly because otherwise wee cannot love God If any man say he loves God and hates his brother is a lyar for how can hee love God whom he hath not seene and hate his brother whom he hath seene 1 Iohn 4.20 Answ 3 Thirdly because otherwise wee have not the Spirit of God for every one who is borne of God loveth his neighbour 1 Iohn 4.7 Answ 4 Fourthly because now none are enemies we are all one body 1 Corinth 12.12 the partition wall being broken downe so that there is now neither Iew nor Gentile which are to be hated but all must be loved Rom. 12.18 And therefore they who hate the persons of those who are without know not what Spirit they are of Answ 5 Fifthly the bond of peace is to bee preferred before all other things and therefore wee must suffer any thing rather than dissolve and break it Answ 6 Sixthly if there were any cause why wee should hate any it were for their hatred and hostilitie against us but this is no cause of hatred we being to looke upon God not man And therefore for his sake we must love those who hate us Quest 6 What are the impediments which hinder us from taking out this hard lesson of loving our enemies Answ The Remoraes or hinderances are these Impedi ∣ ment 1 First an apathia of the love of Christ were men truely sensible or heartily affected with the love of Christ towards them when they were enemies then they would not think it so strange to love their enemies but men are not sensible of this what love Christ hath borne towards them and therefore they are kept backe from the love of their enemies Impedi ∣ ment 2 Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 want of affection towards their brethren Love covers a multitude of sins and therefore the lacke of this Christian charity is an impediment which hinders us from the love of our enemies Thirdly the errour in judging of love and charity we neither know the excellencie or Impedi ∣ ment 3 valew of this Evangelicall vertue of brotherly affection neither the necessity thereof but thinke it to bee like a free-will offering and hence we are not so carefull to practise it as we ought Fourthly the love of the world and selfe-love Impedi ∣ ment 4 is another thing which hinders us from the love of our enemies Fifthly too deep an apprehension of the Impedi ∣ ment 5 wrongs and injuries that have beene offered us Sixthly an innate and naturall pronenesse unto Impedi ∣ ment 6 anger envie and hatred Seventhly the difficulty of shewing and Impedi ∣ ment 7 doing the workes of mercy and charity What are the remedies against these impediments Quest 7 The remedies or meanes by which we may be helped forward in this duty of love towards Reme 1 our enemies are these First Answ Love God and preferre God before thy selfe thy own will and all things else and then for his sake thou wilt not be unwilling to doe any thing which he requires of thee Secondly learne to see thy brother in thy Reme 2 God and to love him as a child of God and then thou wilt easily be induced to be reconciled unto him though he have offended thee Thirdly despise and contemne the world Reme 3 love thy profit and gaine lesse than thou hast done and then thou wilt not be so sensible of any injury offred unto thee in temporall things Fourthly undervalew thy selfe esteeme Reme 4 basely of thy selfe and consider if thou hatest thy brother for some wrong done unto thee dost not thou deserve to bee hated of some others for the like injury done unto them at least dost not thou deserve that the Lord should looke upon thee as an enemy and hate thee as an adversary seeing thou hast offended him more often and more grievously than all the world hath or can doe thee Fifthly Let thy conversation be in heaven Reme 5 let thy affections bee set upon those things which are above walk continually in the paths of love charitie patience humility and meeknesse and then thou wilt be the more ready to love those who hate thee and to doe good unto those who doe evill unto thee Sect. 2 § 2. Blesse them that curse you doe good to them
all our actions and see whether wee live in the Spirit and walke in the Spirit or not when wee give way unto sinne and avoid not the occasions unto evill wee should consider whether herein are wee led by the Spirit of God or by flesh and blood Fourthly we may try our adoption by our affection Signe 4 for if we love God and are zealous for his glory and would by no meanes displease him but are carefull by our sincere obedience of him to approve our love unto him then wee are his Sonnes Signe 5 The next Signe is the love of holy things that is 1. Of holy men the faithfull Saints and sincere professors of the Gospel 2. Of holy duties and the exercises of Religion Certainly those who are in deed and in truth the sonnes of God they will love both good men and good meanes unto goodnesse Signe 6 Lastly if we be the children of our heavenly Father we will love even our enemies but this comes to be considered of in the next particular And thus much for the Argument Secondly the next thing considerable is the Consequence The Argument was this Because ye are the children of God The Consequence is this therefore love your enemies as becomes the children of God as if our Saviour would say none is the child of God who doth not love his enemies Quest 3 Why must we love our enemies Answ 1 First because he who loves none but friends is guided onely by a humane spirit for wicked men can love those who love them and do good to those who doe good unto them vers 46. Answ 2 Secondly because herein we imitate Christ who loved us when we were enemies Rom. 5.8 yea prayed for those who were the instruments of cruelty even his bloody murderers Luke 23 34. Thirdly because this is a divine thing and an Answ 3 argument of a minde guided by a divine Spirit to love those who hate us and doe good unto those that doe evill unto us If wee love those who deserve to be beloved of us or those who never deserved any evill from us what reward shall we have But if we love those who have deserved evill at our hands this will be gratefull and pleasing unto God § 2. Which is in Heaven Sect. 2 Why are these words added Which is in Heauen Quest 1 To teach us Answ that the love of our enemies is not true except it be founded upon our obedience towards God Observ Or there is no true and right love unto any but onely that which is for Gods sake And therefore our Saviour teacheth us not to love for other respects to wit either for gaine or praise or our owne quiet but for the Lords sake Christ doth not say love thy enâ—my 1. Because he is a man of the same kind that thou art Or 2. Because he is ignorant and foolish for otherwise he would never have injured thee as he hath Or 3 Because he is but a dead man for if there were any life of grace in him hee would labour to be reconciled unto thee and acknowledge his wrong and who would be angry at the barking of a Dogge or for any thing that is done or said by a foole or a dead man Christ I say urgeth none of these but onely 4. The imitation of God because ye are the children of your Father which is in Heaven who doth good both to bad and good therefore from him learne to love your enemies Why must we love our enemies Quest 2 In God there are three reasons Answ why wee must love them First because God suffers him to be our enemy and permitted him to doe the injury which is done unto us and therefore we must confesse and acknowledge it to be just both in regard of God and us that is the Lord did justly permit it and we justly deserve it And therefore hate not thy Brother because he is but the instrument and the stone which is throwne at thee Secondly if thou be the sonne of God then thy enemy cannot harme thee because the Lord will preserve thee And therefore why shouldest thou hate him who cannot hurt thee Thirdly though thou be injured and harmed by thy enemy yet it shall be profitable for thee either 1. Probando by trying thy faith and patience Or 2. Corroborando by strenghtning thee more and more to undergoe whatsoever the Lord shall lay upon thee Or 3. Coronando by crowning of us because all the crosses which we endure for the Lords sake shall be rewarded And therefore why should wee hate those who doe that unto us which is thus profitable for us § 3. For he maketh his sun to rise Sect. 3 What is observable in the Sunne Quest First the Philosophers gave it many high Answ 1 praises and phrases as some of them called it the heart some the eye of the world some the fountaine of light the eye of heaven and the mind of the world some a heavenly fire a sempiternall living creature a vitall or animate planet Speusippus Answ 2 Secondly the Heathens supposed it to bee a God Agamemnon prayed unto it the Persians adored it the Egyptians called it a God Plato de republ cals it the Image or Vicar of God I forbeare here to shew how some of the Gentiles worshipped the Sun how some of them painted it how some built Temples unto it yea how others in many things compared it to a Lyon Answ 3 Thirdly Christians have called a day by it to wit the first day of the world or the Lords day hath beene for a long time called Sunday Answ 4 Fourthly wee may from the Sunne observe these things I. It is a body or substance full of splendor and glory yea comfortable to every creature read to this purpose these places Eccle. 11.17 Cantic 6.9 Psal 19.5 Mat. 13.43 and 17.2 and Act. 26.13 and 1 Cor. 15.41 Rev. 1.16 and 10.1 and 12.1 and 21.23 In these places wee may see 1. the glory and excellency of the Sunne and 2. what glorious things are compared thereunto II. the Sunne runnes continually never abating his course at all Read Psalme 104 and Cant. 1.5 III. It enlightens the world whence it is called magnum luminare o Gen. 1.6 Psal 136.8 the great light IV. The Sunne divides the times and seasons Winter and Summer Gen 1.14 V. It ripens fruit by his heat and warmth as we see by experience every yeare VI. It is a meanes of mans generation Sol homo generat hominem Aristot VII The Sunne animates quickens and vivifies the world yea without the Sunne the world in nature could not subsist But I enlarge not these things Sect. 4 § 4. And his raine to fall What is observable in the raine Quest First we might speake here of the water philosophically Answ 1 as namely I. That it is the embleme of purity both in the law of Moses as also 1 Pet. 3.21 and Tit. 3.5 II. Water is the carrier away
Luke 1.6 Thirdly because the contrary is condemned Answ 3 I. In the Old Testament Amaziah is reprooved because he sought not God with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 25.2 And II. in the New Testament Simon Magus is reproached because his heart was not perfect in the sight of the Lord. Acts 8.21 Fourthly because this is the end of the Ministery Answ 4 of the Gospel Ministers teach that their people may be perfect Col. 1 28. that as pure virgins they may present them unto God 2 Cor. 11 2. Fifthly because this the godly pray for Epaphras Answ 5 striveth fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Colos 4.12 Sixthly because we must labour to regulate Answ 6 and conforme our lives according to the will of God but that is perfect Rom. 12.2 study to know what the good and absolute and perfect will of God is Seventhly because God loves those which Answ 7 are perfect and will helpe them in the time of need The eyes of the Lord run to and fro thorowout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards him 2 Chron. 16.9 What kind of perfection must we endeavour Quest 3 after Perfection is two-fold to wit either Generall which is First Fide in faith gird up the loynes of your mind that you may beleeve perfectly u 1 Pet. 1.13 Answer Secondly Paenitentiâ in Repentance Resolution and a true Purpose of the heart First to hate leave and forsake all sins the least as well as greatest Secondly to abstaine from the appearance of evill 1 Thess 5.22 that is the circumstances of sin and all scandalous actions Thirdly to detest all evill even in the hidden man of the heart Fourthly to loath and leave all sin for ever even untill death Particular and that both Within in A right heart which is called justitia veritatis holinesse of truth w Ephes 4 24. and sincerity and truth Iosh 24.14 and 1 Chron. 29.9 and 2 Chron. 19.9 A good conscience 2 Corinth 1.12 Knowledge Rom. 16.19 and 1 Corinth 2.6 and 14.20 and Heb. 5.14 Without both in Our life and conversation here read these places 2 Samuel 22.24 Ephes 6.13 Phillip 3.15 and 2 Tim. 3.17 1 Iohn 2.5 and 4.12 and 1 King 11.4 and 15.3 Our words see James 3.2 Patience in wrongs injuries tribulations and the like Iames 1.4 The circumstances of puritie following after those things which are honest and of good report x Phil. 4.8 labouring to doe that which is good and to doe it well Quest 4 By what meanes may wee attaine unto this perfection of sincerity Answ 1 First be watchfull over thy wayes and life stand upon thy watch-Tower be a perpetuall Centinell because thy enemies are both many and crafty and strong and very vigilant Answ 2 Secondly have regard unto the Law of God let that be thy Judge marke and observe that strict purity which is therein required and remember thy duty is to labour to fulfill all righteousnesse Answ 3 Thirdly looke upon the godly and Saints upon earth and imitate them Brethren follow me and together with me them also who walke according to our example Phil. 3.17 Answ 4 Fourthly meditate upon the infinite purity and perfection of God but of this in the next Section Sect. 3 § 3. As your Father is perfect Quest 1 Must we labour to aspire to the infinite purity and perfection of God is not this insolent impiety as Gualter thinkes little lesse than the sinne of Lucifer Answ 1 First to thinke that wee can bee so perfect as God is is the errour of the Novatians and Adamites contradicted by Saint Paul in these places 1 Corinth 15.10 57. and 2 Cor. 3.5 and 5.7 Answ 2 Secondly but to aspire and strive unto this perfection is pious and to grieve because we are so imperfect is a good thing for thus doth David Psalme 120.5 and Paul Rom. 7.24 Answ 3 Thirdly and for us not to rest but as long as we live to endeavour to be nearer unto God to be more perfect and more and more resemble our God in righteousnesse and true holines is laudable and commendable yea commanded in this verse Ad similitudinem non aequalitatem Calvin s Quest 2 Wherein must we imitate our God Answ 1 First in love and charity towards our brethren and that many severall wayes namely we must imitate him I. In the object of love that is first we must love our enemies for he loved us when we were enemies Secondly wee must love the poore for he raiseth up the poore out of the dust c Psalme 113.7 8. II. in the degree of love wee must love them as brethren for the Lord loved as a Father doth his children read Psalm 27.10 and 103.13 and Esa 49.15 III. in patience towards those that wrong us for God is patient towards us though we provoke him daily IV. in our actions God gives us good things not evill and therefore we should doe good not evill unto others V. God never punisheth but for good he in all his corrections respects the end chastening us as a Father doth his children that wee might be amended a Pro. 3.12 and Heb. 12.5 Herein also wee should imitate our God never desiring that those who have offended us should be punished out of revenge but corrected that they might learne to amend VI. We must imitate God in affection he is loath to punish and grieves when he corrects but he rejoyceth to shew mercy Psalme 103.8 Ezech. 18.23 31 Thus should wee doe VII God in rigour and justice remembers mercy Mic. 7 18. so must we remembring summum jus summa injuria to use the extremity of the Law is hard and unchristian-like measure Secondly we must imitate the perfection of Answ 2 God in generall that is labour I. to be pure from evill yea from all evill and that alwayes II. to be compleate in all good things whether towards God or towards our neighbour or in our selves Tit. 2.11 Taking no liberty to doe any thing that is evill or to leave undone any thing that is good That so we may be perfect according to the similitude of our Father § 4. As your Father which is in heaven Sect. 4 Why doth our Saviour adde this amplification Quest 1 Qui es in caelis Which is in heaven had not the mention of the exemplar your Father been sufficient Our Saviour addes these words to teach us Answ That the meditation of heaven ought to incite us unto the imitation of that perfection which is in God What glory felicity or excellency is there in Quest 2 heaven that the remembrance thereof should excite and provoke us unto so hard a worke as this is here mentioned The glory of heaven may be conjectured and amplified both from the Price which it cost Answ namely blood of Christ b 1 Pet. 1 18. wherein note Quis Who bought
Church out of our love unto the children of God who are offended by them and with them as was said before Fourthly wee may begge this even out of Answ 4 our love unto themselves who are for the present both Gods enemies and the Churches for I. We desire the Lord to lay some affliction upon them though it be heavie that thereby they may learne to feare God And so by the punishments of their bodies their soules come to bee saved in the day of the Lord. This is good and profitable for them II. If temporall affliction will not humble and bring them home then we desire God to remove them away by death speedily that so their punishment may bee lesse in hell fire For if they should live longer they would sinne more and worse wicked men growing daily worse and worse and consequently their eternall judgement would bee so much the greater and more insupportable And the lesse their punishment is the better it is for them Will God heare these imprecations Certainely hee will hee hath promised to Quest 6 heare his childreÌ„ when they pray for vengeance against their owne particular enemies Answ and persecutors Luke 18.7 much more then when they pray against those who are both the enemies of God and adversaries also unto his Church Who are these enemies whom we must pray Quest 7 against First those who by their sinnes dishonour Answ 1 God the Lord is displeased with all sinnes but his name is dishonoured by some sinnes more then others and by the sinnes of some men more then others Now the more that any man dishonours God by his sins the more sure he is of perdition destruction except he repent because he is one of the Lords chiefe enemies Secondly those who by their sinnes glve a Answ 2 publike scandall to the profession of religion are great enemies both to God and his Church Thirdly those who sinne with a high hand Answ 3 and are insolent in their wickednesse against either God or his Church are some of these enemies who shall certaineâ—y perish Fourthly those who sinne desperately without Answ 4 repentance being obstinate in their transgressions and not mourning for their iniquities are of this number which the Lord will be avenged of when his children cry unto him to declare himselfe unto the world to bee King of Kings by the destruction of his and their enemies And thus much for this exposition of these words Thy kingdome come Secondly Adveniat regnum Thy kingdome come is taken for perficiatur and hath reference to the Kingdome of mercy Now in the words thus understood we begge many things at Gods hands To wit both that we may be Freed from the false Church to wit both of Sathan and His Ministers that is Persecuters And Seducers which are either Atheists Or Superstitious persons Brought into the true Church and this we desire both for All the godly that First the Church may be consummated Secondly that it may bee glorified to wit by the extension of the Limits and bounds thereof And Holy profession thereof And Pure life and good examples of professors Thirdly that they may enjoy the meanes viz. The word and The power of the Spirit with the word Our selves that we may be brought both into the Kingdome of Grace in this life Glory in the life to come Having all these severall particulars to handle in another place I will here onely speake a word or two of the two last wherin we pray that both wee and all the elect may first bee brought into the kingdome of grace and afterwards into the kingdome of glory Quest 8 Can we of our selves or by our owne power come unto the Kingdome of grace Answ To this Gerson answers Signanter dicitur in oratione Dominicà Adveniat regnum tuum id est ad nos veniat quia virtute nostra ad ipsum pervenire non possumus Very significantly doth our Saviour in this verse say Thy Kingdome come that is let it come unto us because wee by our owne power and strength are not able to come unto it Quest 9 If it be thus then how can wee promote or helpe forward this Kingdome of grace and Christ Answ We must strive to advance propagate and enlarge this Kingdom of grace by these meanes namely First by prayer as in this verse Secondly by submitting of our selves unto God by true obedience suffering him wholy to rule beare sway in our hearts by his blessed spirit Thirdly by opposing and resisting as much and as farre as lawfully we may the enemies of Christ and his Church Fourthly by comforting and helping the Church and children of God to our abilities we must doe good unto all but especially unto the houshold of faith that the faithfull who are in any distresse may be comforted and others thereby encouraged to strive to be of that societie and fraternitie who will not see one another lacke Fifthly by a good life and holy conversation for that is a meanes to convert others unto the faith and bring home erring sheepe unto Christs fold Phil. 2.15 and 1 Pet. 2.12 Quest 10 Why must we be thus carefull by all waies and meanes to bee made members of Christs Kingdome upon earth Answ 1 First because we have an expresse Commandement for it Mat. 6.33 Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Answ 2 Secondly because wee have the constant example of all the faithfull for it whose principall care hath beene still for this Answ 3 Thirdly because wee have bound our selves with an oath both in Baptisme and the Supper of our Lord that we would forsake the kingdome of Sathan and submit our selves to this Spirituall kingdome of Christ Answ 4 Fourthly because the subjects of this Kingdome are interested and made heires of all good things in this life both temporall and spirituall Mat. 6.33 Rom. 8.32 and 1 Cor. 3.21 Answ 5 Fifthly because the Citizens of this spirituall Jerusalem shall be made eternally happie and blessed in that Jerusalem which is above in the Quest 11 life to come Who are carelesse and negligent of helping forward this Kingdome of Christ and grace First those who are altogether negligent in praying fervently for the amplification and extension of this kingdome Answ 1 Secondly those who cannot endure the Answ 2 yoake of Christ but disdainefully and reproachfully cast it off from their necks Psal 2.2 3. Thirdly those who maniâ—estly and openly Answ 3 or closely and secretly warre and fight for the sworne enemies of Christ sinne sathan and the wicked opposers of the Church truth These are I. Secure sinners who sleepe in their iniquitie and cry tush no evill shall come unto them although they be not the servants of Christ but the slaves of sinne and sathan II. Those who dispute and pleade sinnes and the devils cause that is argue and reason for the upholding bolstering and maintaining of sinne III. Those who speake for side and take part with wicked
men in their wickednesse Cast in thy lot with us Prov. 1. who will rather condemne the generation of the just then of the wicked Fourthly those who will not either for the Answ 4 propagation or conservation of this kingdome bestow the least part of their estates but will rather suffer it to decay decline yea fall downe then support and uphold it with their riches The meanes to propagate the profession of the Gospell and to enlarge the publication thereof is the preaching of the word now as Saint Paul said well he had rather speake five words in a knowne tongue then ten thousand in an unknowne e 1 Cor. 14.19 So many say or at least thinke in their hearts wickedly that they had rather speake ten thousand words against preaching then five for it The preaching of the word is as a treasure which should be purchased though at a high rate Mat. 13. But there are too too many who will rather want it then buy it yea some had rather give a pound to bee deprived of it then a peny to enjoy it Certainely those who are enemies unto preaching are no friends unto this spirituall kingdom of Christ Fifthly those are faulty in this particular of Answ 5 enlarging the Church and kingdome of Christ who either openly or secretly strive to bring in errours Heresies Schismes Popery Superstition and the abomination of desolation into the Church of Christ that is into a place towne city or kingdome where Christ is professed What may wee thinke of those who are thus Quest 12 faultie in the promoting and advancing of the Kingdome of Christ First they are to be esteemed as disobedient Ans 1 and contemners of the Commandement of God Secondly we may thinke them scoffing Ishmaels Ans 2 who deride not onely the worshippers and servants but also the worship and service of God For how can they say Thy kingdome come when they labour to hinder it without palpable derision of prayer Thirdly we may thinke such to bee rather Ans 3 imitators of wicked men then of Godly and therefore are to be accounted no better then the enemies of this Kingdome Fourthly that in Baptisme and the celebration Ans 4 of the Lords supper they are perjured and forsworne and therefore are to be ranked with such as neither observe faith nor troth nor Promise nor word nor oath with God because all these they have violated most perfidiously Ans 5 Fifthly wee may truely thinke that for the present they are no subjects of this Kingdome but rather sworne enemies and therefore are unworthy to bee made partakers of any thing that is good either spirituall or temporall here or eternall hereafter Ans 6 Sixthly we may safely say that as in this life they have obeyed the Kingdome and the King of darkenesse and been rebellious and refractary rebels against the spirituall kingdome of Christ so excep they truely repentt they shall at the last day receive the wages of wickednesse eternall death and condemnation Rom. 6.23 Sect. 2 § 2. Thy kingdome come In these words we desire of God that we may be brought unto his Kingdome Quest 1 Whether by Kingdome is here meant the kingdome of grace or of glory for the word sometimes signifies the one sometimes the other and probable reasons may be given for both Answer The word is here to bee vnderstood of both the kingdomes in their order namely first we desire that we may bee brought into the Kingdome of grace and then unto the kingdome of glory Quest 2 Are there two kingdomes of mercy is Christ a double King is there not one faith one Christ one Church one Kingdome doth not the Scripture ever and anon tel us of one only Kingdome of heaven yea how can there be a double sense of one place how can such a short petition as this is have a double exposition And therefore how by kingdome can bee meant both the kingdome of grace Answ and the kingdome of glory The Kingdome of Christ is one for hee is King of earth and heaven Col. 1.20 and all things in heaven and earth are subject to his dominion Phil. 2. â—0 But there are two degrees of this Kingdome according to a double time namely I. we desire that we may bee admitted into the kingdome of grace in this life And II. in to the Kingdome of glory in the life to come The scope therefore of the petition is twofold Primarie that at length we may be brought into the Kingdome of glory now this we desire immediately finally and for it selfe because it is the perfection of a Christian and his true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chiefest good The Secondary scope of this petition is that we may be brought into the way which leades thither to wit the kingdome of grace and this we desire because it is the condition None can come into that kingdome but by this and therefore we desire to be brought into the kingdome of grace for the kingdome of glories sake Quest 3 this being first desired in our intention Here it may be demanded An fit whether there be a heaven or kingdome of glory It is wonderfull and much to be lamented to consider how farre Sathan doth prevaile not onely with Pagans but also with Christians insomuch as they doe not onely doubt of but also denie that there is any such thing yea this is the craft of the devill who will quickly make us denie if once we begin to doubt of the truth of it But it belongs to another place to shew the severall enemies of this kingdome of glory I will here onely shew the causes of this negation and then answer the question First naturall and carnall reason cannot comprehend God mans braine being a shell too shallow to containe such an Ocean And hence the wisest are soonest seduced because they will not beleeve any thing which they cannot take up Secondly our affections naturally desire that we might be ingulfed freely in the sea of pleasure that without coÌ„straint we might do whatsoever our hearts lust after facile credimus quod enixè cupimus we easily beleeve that which wee earnestly desire and therefore we spend our daies in good things thinking that there is no life after death Thirdly to denie this Kingdom of God seemes the most present remedie against the horrours of conscience It is reported that a Fryer urged so pathetically the sufferings of of Christ that he drew teares out of some of his hearers eyes which being perceived he bad them not weepe for perhaps the historie was fabulous and not true I would not belie the devill and therefore I will not affirme this for a truth but say it may be a Fable and will onely make this application of it when the conscience is strucke with horror that for sinne she shall never be admitted into the Kingdome of God but shut out from thence then the devill brings this comfort to the drouping person that it may be there is
worse then Manasses Sauls called afterwards Paul and the theefe upon the crosse and yet these repenting found remission Whose sinnes are greater then Davids Lots Noahs Peters And yet upon their repentance these were received into favour Wherefore repent and all our sinnes shall bee blotted out Esay 1.18 How must we be truely disposed unto this repentance Quest 4 First delay it not but while it is said to day Answ 1 turne from sinne Secondly labour to change thy affections Answ 2 both thy love unto sinne and thy tediousnesse and carelesnesse in that which is good Thirdly learne to change thy life and conversation Answ 3 for the time to come that is strive to bee a new creature Gal. 6.15 Cor. 5.17 Fourthly labour for faith in Christ because Answ 4 his death is the onely price of our redemption Fifthly use the meanes unto humiliation Answ 5 that is the word and examination of our selves thereby together with the fruits effects and reward of iniquitie not forgetting whom wee have offended by our sinnes our gracious God and most mercifull Mediator And thus wee have seene how the Lord pardons our sinnes freely Secondly God forgives our Debts Totaliter wholy Or the Lord remitts unto the faithfull both the whole sinne fault and guilt and the whole punishment Quest 5 How doth this appeare Answ 1 First from these phrases used by the Lord in Scripture viz. I. Obliviscendi Of forgetting I will pardon them and I will remember them no more Reade Esay 43.25 Ierem. 31.34 Ezech. 18.22 and Heb. 10.17 II. Of washing and clensing I will make you as white as wooll Esay 1.18 III. Of peace Thy faith hath saved thee goe in peace Luke 7.50 And Christ hath made peace betweene us and God through his blood Col. 1.20 Now if God have forgot our sinnes and washed away our sinnes and is in Christ at peace with us then certainely both the sinne and punishment is pardoned Answ 2 Secondly because those who are once purged have no more cōscience of those sins from which they were purged Heb. 10.2 And therefore both the sinne and punishment are taken away together Thirdly either all punishments are remitted Answ 3 with the sinne or none let the Papists shew us where there is a distinction of punishments in Scripture whereof some are pardoned in this life and some reserved to bee satisfied for after this life or in this life for to my understanding this no where appeares Fourthly because our sinnes are not twice Answ 4 punished once our sinnes were laid upon Christ who suffered for us Esay 53.56 and therefore with the guilt the punishment is taken from us Is a man bound then to make no satisfaction Quest 6 unto God There is a double satisfaction first by action Answ Secondly by passion First there is a satisfaction which consists in action or doing This is twofold to wit either To our neighbour this is necessary for the sinne is not pardoned nisi restituatur ablatum except the injured person be recompensed To God which is either of Thankfulnesse What recompence shall I make the Lord for all his mercies this is lawfull and our duty Psal 116.12 Atonement this is unwarrantable because Christ by his death hath done this Secondly there is a satisfaction which consists in Passions or suffering and thus wee cannot satisfie the justice of God for our sinnes Obiect 8 God first pardons David and then punisheth him 2 Sam. 12. and therefore the justice of God must be satisfied by temporall punishment Answ David was punished for mans sake not for Gods who never respects what is by past after it is once pardoned God correcteth David not for the satisfying of his justice for that was fully satisfied by the sufferings of Christ but that the enemies of God might not blaspheme and that others by his afflictions might learne to feare to offend the Lord. Hence then Purgatorie is but a meere trifle because after wee are washed from our sinnes by the blood of Christ wee have no neede of a second purging 1 John 1.7 Quest 7 What may we thinke of the afflictions crosses and calamities of the righteous Ans 1 First that they are not inflicted upon them in anger If Solomon sinne God will visit his sinnes with a rod and his iniquitie with a stripe Psal 89.32 but yet this correction shall bee in love Psal 89.33 and 2 Sam. 7.15 For God loves his alwaies Iohn 13.1 Ans 2 Secondly we may thinke that God in his corrections never respects the time by past but alwaies the time to come that is either I. His own glory as he did in Iobs tribulation and Pauls temptation 2 Cor. 12.9 Or II. The Churches satisfaction as he did in punishing of David 2. Sam. 12.14 Or III. The benefit and good of the person afflicted Here then observe Affliction is profitable in these three regards viz. First it saves and preserves from condemnation yee are corrected that ye may not be damned 1 Cor. 11.32 The spirit of bondage leades us unto repentance p 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Secondly it encreaseth the hatred of the by-past sinnes David sees not his sinne untill affliction be threatned 2 Sam. 12. and then hee cries out with loud clamours Psal 51. Thirdly it preserveth from future sinnes hence Davids tribulation made him more warie for for the future time Psal 119.67 and Pauls temptation kept him from pride q 2 Cor. 12 8.9 Fourthly it teacheth us the waies of the Lord. Now in affliction have I learned thy law r Psalme 119.71 Fifthly it breedes in us a wearines of the world and a tediousnesse of this life Phil. 1.23 VERS 13. And leade us not into Temptation Vers 13 but deliverer us from evill for thine is the Kingdome and the power and the glory for ever Amen This is the last petition which some cut and divide into two distinguishing it diversely First into Spirituall temptation and Temporall evill Canisius Secondly into future evils not to bee induced and present evils to be removed Thirdly into the effect Temptation and the cause that evill one and this is most probable Fourthly here is the Evill or danger and that is Temptation and the remedie which is a freedome from evill Sect. 1 § 1. And leade us not into temptation Quest 1 What doe wee in generall pray for or desire in these words Answ 1 First wee desire that seeing Sathan cannot tempt when whom or as farre as he would but onely when whom and as farre as God permits and grants that therefore our heavenly father would not give us into the hands or power or policie of the Devill that Tempter but that himself would be pleased to dispense and moderate our temptations and not to suffer us to bee tempted above our strength ſ 1 Cor. 10.13 Secondly we desire that when Sathan sifts Answ 2 and tempts us God would not forsake us or leave us to our selves or deprive us of his grace and helpe but that
Kingdome and power of all is his and therefore he alone can give whatsoever he will Cartwr ibid. Answ 3 Thirdly because otherwise the Lords prayer should not be a perfect plat-forme For the understanding hereof observe that unto a perfect prayer two things are required namely I. To beginne in faith so here we beginne Our Father c. II. To end in praise and thankes and glory unto God as here For thine is the kingdome c. And therefore to take away this conclusion were to make this most perfect form of prayer imperfect and without any praise or thansgiving unto God Answ 4 Fourthly because our Saviour had made us sollicitous and sorrowfull by putting us in mind of our enemies in the former words But deliver us from evill hee doth therefore in these words incourage us For thine is the kingdome c. that we might not feare or be dismayed Erasm sup a Chrysost ex aurea catenâ Quest 2 Are there no Kings in the world but God that our Saviour saith For thine is the kingdome Answ There are many Kings but they are all subordinate the true kingdome being onely in God who is the transcendent Lord or King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lord paramount or the onely true and independent King Read for the proofe hereof Psal 22.28 c. and 24.7 c. and 29.10 and 103.19 and Rev. 17.14 and 19.16 and 1 Tim. 1.17 and 6.15 How doth it appeare that God is the onely Quest 3 true independent King of the whole world First because hee created all things in heaven Answ 1 and earth Secondly because hee provides for all creatures Answ 2 the eies of all things looking up unto him for their food Thirdly because hee gives and establisheth Answ 3 lawes unto all the world Fourthly and all kings and governours are Answ 4 his deputies and viceroies Rom. 13.1 c. Fifthly because hee hath but onely one kingdome Answ 5 viz. In earth spirituall and militant In heaven eternall and triumphant How must we obey this King Quest 4 First acknowledge that thou art bought with Answ 1 a price and art wholly his 1 Cor. 6.20 Secondly deny thy selfe offer up and devote Answ 2 thy selfe wholy unto the Lord Rom. 12.1 Thirdly looke unto the lawes and ordinances Answ 3 of this King meditate upon them observe them and direct thy life by them Fourthly let his service and obedience bee the worke of thy whole life striving carefully Answ 4 as long as thou livest to avoide whatsoever thy Lord forbids thee and to obey whatsoever hee requires of thee that being a new creature and bringing forth new obedience thou maist become acceptable unto him 2 Cor. 5.9 17. What may wee expect from this King if wee Quest 5 thus labour to serve him Answ Our expectation doth concerne either First this life wherein we hope for and expect things belonging either unto the Body which are twofold namely both Providence in all needefull temporall things for if we serve him surely we shal be fed Protection from all evill whether enemies dangers casualties sicknesses or whatsoever Soule to wit the internal and spirituall kingdome of grace in our hearts and peace of conscience Phil. 4.7 and joy of the Holy Ghost and new strength of the spirit whereby we may be inabled to live wholly unto the Lord Gal. 2 20. Secondly the life to come to wit that eternall immortall incorruptible everlasting Kingdome of heaven for which we cry daily with the Saints under the altar How long Lord how long wilt thou deferre thy comming c Rev. 6.10 and with Saint Paul groane so long as we are absent from it d 2 Cor. 5.2 4 8. desiring from our hearts to be dissolved that we might injoy it e Phil. 1.23 Sect. 4 § 4. And the power Wee desire here that we may obey the will of God Observ and be freed from all evill because God is able to doe this for us whereby our Saviour teacheth us that Gods omnipotency is the foundation both of our faith and obedience and prayer As appeares by these three particulars First he who can doe all things whatsoever he will is to bee prayed unto but God is such a one Secondly he who can be avenged of us when and as hee pleaseth is to be feared but God is such a one Thirdly hee who can supply all our wants and relieve us in all our necessities and deliver us from all our enemies and dangers he is to be trusted unto but God is such a one Therefore his omnipotency is the foundation of our prayer obedience and trust Who must feare the omnipotency and power Quest. 1 of God First rebells and disobedient persons if the Answ 1 love of God will not draw them then let the power of God affright and terrifie them for he is able to take vengeance of them and although with much long suffring and patience he indure them long 2 Pet. 3.9 yet at last he will certainely powre out his wrath upon them Rom. 2.5 when they shall not be able to indure his anger Answ 2 Secondly the righteous should feare to offend God remembring these things 1. God is able to withhold good things from them if they sinne against him 2. God is able to bring evill things upon them if they provoke him 3. God can bring a spirituall weakenesse upon them by withdrawing his grace from them for a time as he did from Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.31 4. They are not stronger then God to tie his hands when his wrath is kindled 1 Cor. 10.22 Quest 2 If God bee able alwaies to heare and helpe then how comes it to passe that sometimes hee heares not and sometimes heares yea sometimes helpes not and sometimes helpes Answ 1 First it is true that sometimes God heares not but the reason hereof is not because he cannot but for some other cause namely 1. Because hee who prayeth unto him pleaseth him not in his life and conversation and therefore his prayers returne backe againe as an abomination unto God 2. Because the petitions which are powred forth please him not being either wicked or worldly or malitious or vaine and not heavenly 3 Because the thing prayed for is not particularly fit or convenient for the person praying in regard of some circumstances or at least because it is not best for him but God sees something which is better in one of these regards namely either First in respect of his glory Or Secondly in respect of the edification of the Church Or Thirdly for thy selfe to wit either I. For the tryall of thy patience Or II. For the strengthning and exercising of thy faith Or. III. For the augmentation and encrease of thy experience grace strength c. Answ 2 Secondly if it be a righteous man that prayes God alwaies heares him in as much as may bee good for him and never denies his requests yea observe I. Unto God nothing is impossible to doe II. For the good
betweene The Persons The Rule For the husband and the wife make but one Master two Consuls are but one Magistrate and two partners are but one Commander 2. Distinguish betweene Helpe and Service Namely between An Action The fundamentall reason of the action For he who serves thee may helpe thy friend yea in helping thy friend serves thee because it is by thy command For thus farre onely a mans servant may serve another viz. First not in all things but onely when his Masters occasions will permit Secondly not when hee will of himselfe but onely with the love and leave of his Master And therefore these things premised no man can serve God and Mammon For I. They two doe not make one Master or Governour but are diametrall opposites II. They two are not two friends but enemies as appeares by the hatred of sathan against all the Saints and children of God and the Dragons persecuting of the woman III. Their employments will never permit their servants to serve one another that is the Lord requires that we should serve him wholy and his workes we can never fully performe as long as we live and therefore he will never permit his servants to serve Mammon because he is his enemie his worke and employment will never permit that we should serve another at any time because that continually filles our hands and when wee take leave to worke any other worke we wholy neglect our Masters worke Observ Our Saviour then hereby teacheth us That no man serveth God truely but he who serveth him onely Reade 1 Sam. 7.3 and Deut. 6.13.14 and Mat. 4.10 and 1 Cor. 10.21 Quest 1 Why must wee serve God onely and the world not at all Answ 1 First because the world is contrary unto God yea so contrary that hee who serves the world cannot serve God in this verse hee who loves the world cannot love God 1 Iohn 2.16 Answ 2 Secondly as children acknowledge but one Father and Subiects one King so servants must acknowledge but one Master and serve him only Answ 3 Thirdly God is a jealous God and will not divide his honour Exod. 20.5 Nahum 1.2 The Romans would not admitt of the God of the Hebrewes because he would either be served alone or he would not bee served at all and this is the true nature of God for he will not part stakes with any but will either have all the heart or none of the heart Fourthly because except we serve God onely Answ 4 we cannot please him and by devoting of our selves wholy unto him we become acceptable Rom. 12.12 and 1 Thes 4.1 Wee are obliged unto the service of God as a wife is unto her husband to wit both affirmatively and Negatively she must love her husband and she must prostitute her selfe to none besides her husband so we must serve the Lord and none else at all besides him May we not serve the King Quest 2 Yes but in the Lord Rom. 13.1 Answ The Cantabrians answered Augustus that their houses lands possessions and riches were his but themselves belonged unto none but unto the Gods and themselves So we must remember that we are the servants of the Lord and may in him and for him serve his substitutes but wee must serve none against him Whether may wee injoy good temporall Quest 3 blessings or not First we may enjoy them in the Lord in as Answ 1 much as they were given by him Secondly we may enjoy them so farre forth Answ 2 as they accord and way stand with his service and obedience Thirdly we may enjoy them in so much as Answ 3 they may promote and advance his glory Fourthly we may enjoy them giving thanks Answ 4 unto God for them 1 Tim. 4.4 Wherein doth the service of God consist Quest 4 In these three things namely First in the obedience of his law statutes Answ and ordinances we must serve him by doing his will Secondly in subjection unto him wee must confesse and acknowledge in all humilitie that we are obliged to performe whatsoever hee requires of us being none of our owne Thirdly in a holy profession of his name before men although it bee with danger as the three children did Dan. 6.10 Quest 5 It is hard for us to devote our selves wholy unto the Lord and his service and therefore by what spurre may we be quickned or by what argument may we be moved hereunto Answ By an Argument drawne ab absurda because it is grossely absurde to serve any other for the confirmation and amplification hereof observe That he who serveth any other besides the Lord must doe it for some of these causes al which are absurd Namely either because First hee hath more warrant to serve another then to serve the Lord this is absurd for we are commanded to serve him only Mat. 4.10 from Deut. 6.13 Secondly others have as much interest in us as the Lord hath this is absurd because he is our Lord both in regard of our creation redemption and gubernation Thirdly those whom we serve are better and more worthy in themselves to be served then the Lord is this is absurd because God is Optimus Maximus Forthly others are better in regard of our selves that is it is more profitable for us to serve others thē to serve the Lord this is absurd for he is Optimus the best of all in regard of us yea our chiefest good happinesse therfore we should doe as Cato advised the Romans in the contention betweene Caesar and Pompey serve the best Fifthly we love others more then wee love the Lord this is a shame for we should love him above all as followes afterwards Sixthly those whom we serve love us more then the Lord doth this is false for he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lover of mankind yea he hath not Titulum sinere for never any shewed that love unto others which he shewed unto mankind in giving his only begotten Sonne unto death for them when they were enemies Rom. 5.7.8 Seventhly others deserve to be served better then the Lord doth this is absurd for wee have from the Lord both our bodies and soules both our being and well being Eightly the precepts and lawes of others are more just and equall this is false for all his commandements are holy and just and good Rom. 7.12 yea his yoake is easie Mat. 11.30 Ninthly others are to bee feared more then God A man is most carefull to serve him whom he is most fearefull to offend now none is to be feared so much as the Lord for others onely are able to harme the body but he can cast both body and soule into eternall destruction Mat. 10.28 wherefore he is to be served in feare Psalme 2.11 I conclude this with a history Signior Pyrho di Stipicianae being at the defence of Carignan in Piemont valiantly sustained the siege against Mous d'Augnian and all the French Camp and after that the Marquise of Vasto was
for ours it is then a signe that our treasures are disallowed and disliked by Christ Answ 2 Secondly if we heape up riches with the discommodity of others or by any wicked means it is an argument of a prohibited treasure Answ 3 Thirdly when we place our hope trust and confidence in our riches treasured up distrusting the good providence of God it is an infallible signe of an unlawfull treasure Quantum quisque sua nammorum servat in arca tatnum habet fidei b Iuvenal When men by their riches heaped up hope to bee releeved helped and succoured come what can come unto them it is an argument that their hearts are set too much upon their treasures and their confidence is too great in them Answ 5 It was said in the second answer that wee must not treasure up riches by wicked meanes hence it may be demanded how doth a man wickedly lay up treasures First when he acquireth them by unlawfull Answ 1 and unjust meanes to wit either by theft or fraud or perjury or false weights or measures or adulterated wares or by supplâ—nting of others or usury or oppression or detaining of the hirelings wages or the like Woe be to that man who gathereth riches by those meanes Secondly a man treasureth up riches wickedly Answ 2 when he keepes them too close that is reserves them I. Cruelly by denying to affoord helpe either to that Church and Common-wealth wherein hee lives when there is neede or by releeving the poore when they are in distresse Many are so carefull to keepe what they have that the poore shall rather die then bee preserved by their riches they will rather have no preaching then procure it with their purses yea the kingdome or City wherin they live shall be undone as Constantinople was rather then they will helpe it with the exhausting of their treasures I. Men sometimes reserve their riches Sordidé basely denying themselves their part of them when having riches they want hearts to use them Eccles 4.8 and 6.1 Woe be to that man who is so carefull to reserve his riches that hee withholds them in the time of need either from King Church Poore or himselfe and his Thirdly a man treasureth up riches wickedly Answ 3 when he heapes them up too much that is I. Without any necessity as was said before II. Without any measure never saying it is enough of which afterwards § 5. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Sect. 5 Our blessed Saviours generall scope is here to teach us how impossible it is for a man to serve religion and the world sincerely and ex animo What is meant by Mammon Quest 1 First some say that hee is one of the foure principall divels which are opposite to the foure cardinall vertues the first of which divels is Asmodeus which is the spirit of luxury and uncleannesse and is opposite to the vertue of Chastity the second divell is Beelzebub which is the spirit of gluttony and drunkennesse and is opposite to Temperance the third divell is Mammon which is the spirit of coveteousnesse and is opposit to Charity and liberality the fourth divell is Lucifer the spirit of pride opposite unto Humility c Dorâ—â—â—secur Ser. dominica ser 19. But certainely Mammon is not a divell because a man may lawfully make him friends of Mammon which he cannot of the divell as followes by and by Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is according Answ 2 to the Syriake signifieth gaine or lucre thus Eliâ—â— and the Chaldeans and also the Germans who derive it from the Hebrew word Mâ—â— which signifies a reproach because immoderate and unlawfull gaine is worthy of reprehension blame But this is not the meaning of the word because wee may not make us friends of evill gotten goods as followes by and by but we may of Mammon Answ 3 Thirdly some say that Mammon signifies Riches not wickedly got but unprofitable to the possessor or riches whereof a man hath no use or need Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was described by Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mammon is those riches and that substance which doth not proceed from the divell but whereof there is no necessary use This is probable and likely to be true Answ 4 Fourthly sometimes Mammon indefinitely signifies riches and wealth and so I take it to signifie in this place Quest 2 What manner of service is heere spoken of Yee cannot serve God and Mammon Answ There are two sorts of service First the service of the divell by whom some are taken captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 thus Witches Enchanters Sorcerers Magitians and the like are the divels servants Secondly there is a service of the servants of the divell namely the service of sinne and of the world which are thus distinguished I. The service of sinne is thus by St. Paul described the servants of sinne 1 yeeld themselves and are content to obey sinne Rom. 6.1 617 19. and 2. are free from righteousnesse Rom. 6.20 II. The service of the world which is the service here spoken of is a willing subjecting of a mans selfe unto the allurements and provocations and baites of the world or a yeelding unto the inticements unto evill which are found in the world Whence it is that a man cannot serve God and the world Quest 3 Why cannot a man serve both God and the world Answ 1 First because there is neither of them but requires the whole man Nemo repentè fit bonus Nemo repentè fit dives None are quickly good non are quickly rich if a maÌ„ desire to be good he must accustome himselfe to a long constant and continuall trade of religion if a man desire to be rich he must rise up early and goe late to bed and eat the bread of carefulnesse yea hee must imploy both head and heart And therefore religion and the world cannot both be served by one and the same man Answ 2 Secondly because God and Mammon are contraries the Lord labours to withdraw our affeictions from the world and Mammon strives to seduce and intice us from the Lord. And therefore both cannot be served Quest 4 What difference is betweene God and Mammon Answ 1 First Mammon vexeth and turmoileth his servants night and day but the Lord continually comforts his Answ 2 Secondly Mammons servants are never satisfied the servants of the Lord never want necessary things and having that which is sufficient are contented with it Answ 3 Thirdly Mammon at length handles hâ—s servants as enemies but the Lord calleth his no longer servants but friends Ioh. 15. yea the children and coheires of Christ Rom. 8. Fourthly he who serves MaÌ„mon must necessarily Answ 4 hate God he who serves the Lord ought to hate the world and to renounce Mammon How may wee know whether wee serve our Quest 5 riches or our riches serve us First if wee use our riches as servants sending Answ 1 them abroad at
contemptible shape sometimes in the likenesse of a Frog sometimes of a Mouse sometimes of a Spider sometimes of a Bee or Fly And therefore he is not so bloody or cruell as was affirmed Answ The Devill doth sometimes hide his malice and his sting and the instruments of his cruelty transforming himselfe into an Angell of light 2 Cor. 11.14 that so hee may the more speedily and unexpectedly destroy The Fowler hides the net and shews only the shrap the Panther hides his fangs and holds forth only his sweet and beautifull skin the Crocodile cryes like a child that cruelly he may slay men And thus bloody cruelty is covered with the vaile of crafty simplicity Object 3 The Devill is ruled governed over-swayed and commanded by an old woman yea often by an Idiot which shews that he is not thus cruell as was affirmed Answ They seeme to govern and rule him but hee in truth and very deed rules and commands them Object 4 The Devill gives riches and good things and pleasures unto his servants and therefore hee is not fierce bloody and cruell Answ Certainly the Devill will give a man two Talents of silver for his destruction as he did unto Gehazi yea set men up in slippery places that he may destroy them h Psalme 73.6.18 being willingly contented that they should spend their dayes in good things that thus in a moment hee may bring them down into the pit Iob 21.13 Sathan delivers many from paines and evils Object 5 and that by good prayers and therefore it is clear that he is not bloody and cruell First hee freeth sometimes from those evils Answ 1 which are inflicted by himselfe Non sanando sed cessando he doth not properly heal and cure evils but only cease from inflicting of evils Abdias in S. Bartholomaeo Secondly he freeth men from evils after they Answ 2 have sacrificed prayed sued and sought unto him for untill then hee hath no power over their soules Id. Ibid. And when men are content to bequeath their soules unto him for the health of their bodies then he is content to cure and heale their bodies But the Schoolmen deny fury or concupiscence Object 6 to be in the Devils Quia nil in ijs irascibile vel concupiscibile Thom. 1.59.5 Quia pertinent haecad appetitum sensitivum non intellectivum Ibid. Yea sense memory and phantasie are not properly in devils but only understanding mind or will Aquinas Certainly as these are perturbations Answ arising from sense they are not in devils but are said to be in them Allegorically because they have a cruell and deadly hatred against man-kind out of an implacable envie But the sacred Scriptures witnesse that the Object 8 Devill is fearfull and will fly away if hee be resisted Iames 4.7 for otherwise it were in vaine to resist him Ephes 4.27 First the Devill is not such a Coward as many Answ 1 make him to be the Drunkard Swearer and cruell person will say I defie the Devill and I feare him not But these are lamentably deceived for whilst openly they defie the Devill secretly they are possessed by the Devill Secondly the Devill flies only from the faithfull Answ 2 when he is resisted by them 1 Pet. 5.9 Now this power comes from heaven not from themselves for the Devill is too strong to bee overcome by any arm of flesh as we may see by those dangerous fals and direfull foiles he hath given to the best of the Saints when God but for a while hath with-held his grace If Sathan be thus fierce cruell strong and Quest 2 powerfull then how comes it to passe that hee doth no more harm then he doth Oftentimes hee would do harm and cannot Answ because his power is not absolute but subordinate Si posset quantum vult nemo justorum remaneret i Aug. s Psalme If he were able to do what he desires hee would not leave a righteous man in the world Sathanae voluntas semper iniqua potestas nunquam injusta quia habet voluntatem à se potestatem à Deo Greg. moral The will of Sathan is alwayes wicked but his power is alwayes just because hee hath his power from the good God but his wil from his wicked selfe And therefore as farre as his sleeve or chain or power will reach hee is most cruell How doth it appear that naturally the Devil Quest 3 is fierce cruell and bloody Answ It appears three manner of wayes viz. First from the nature of Sathan or the nature of an Angell For as the spirituall Image of God in man was lost by the fall of man but the naturall Image remained So in Sathan the naturall power of the Angels remaineth still but their spirituall love is changed into hatred Now the power of the Angels we know is great as appears by the slaughter of those 185000. which were slaine by one Angell in one night And therefore if the naturall power of an Angell remaine in Sathan and his spirituall love bee changed into implacable hatred then without doubt by nature he is fierce and cruell Secondly from the names given unto him hee is called a Lyon 1 Peter 5.8 a Dragon a Serpent Revelat. 12.3.9 and 20.2 Psalme 91.13 Leviathan Esay 27.1 Behemoth a strong man armed Luke 11.21 a Murderer from the beginning Iohn 8.44 Lightning Luke 10.18 An Enemy Matthew 13.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Adversary 1 Tim. 5.14 Abaddon and Apollyon Revel 9.11 Thirdly from his works consider but how grievously he afflicted Iob in his estate children body mind wife friends and dreames leaving no means unsought to make him miserable as farre as the Lord would permit him And in the New Testament we reade how hee sifted Peter Luke 22.31 and buffetted Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 Quest 4 How is Sathan this fierce and cruell enemy to be expelled and cast out Answ 1 First Negatively because he is strong and fierce therefore he cannot easily or with sluggish endeavours be expelled or cast out Answ 2 Secondly Iacobus de Valentia in Psalm 6. prescribeth unto us three excellent rules for the driving him way I. He must be cast out Cum pudore with shame and blushing that is we must learn and labour to be ashamed and confounded for our sinnes wherby we became the captives of Sathan Read these places and strive to imitate the practise of these Presidents Ezra 9.6 Daniel 9.7 8 Rom. 6.21 and 2 Cor. 7.11 Ier. 31.19 and 3.3 and 6.15 and 8.12 II. He must be cast out Cum violentiâ with force and violence that is we must resist sinne and Sathan manfully striving against them even unto blood Heb. 12.4 like Iacob who wrastled all the night with the Angell Gen. 32.24 that so wee may become strong in faith 1 Pet. 5.9 Nam quo magis videt rebellâ—nes eo acrius expugnare contendit k Greg. moral 29. The more earnestly we strive to overcome Sathan the more earnestly he strives to overcome us and therefore wee
not given the worship due onely unto God to Idols and set up the abomination of desolation in the holy place IV. They should marke if they have not invented other sacrifices besides Christ by which they hope to be saved as the Church treasure and the Popes pardon and merit of their own workes c. V. They should consider if they have not diminished and lopped off an essentiall part of a Sacrament from the Church taking away from their Laity the Cup although the contrary was both plainly prescribed by Christ and practised by his Apostles If they consider these and many more things wherin they have degenerated from the primitive Church they will have small cause to boast Secondly they erre here that boast of their Answ 2 profession and vocation without sanctification certainly outward things are insufficient to bring us to heaven for therunto is available only the application of the death of Christ revealed to the heart by faith But yet these things cohere and go together as the Tree and the fruit doth And therefore let none dreame of a vocation without sanctification for whosoever is called and regenerated is sanctified Rom. 8.30 1 Cor. 6.11 Thus we have the first reason why the Apostles must not preach to the Apostate Samaritans N. Secondly the word must not be preached to Answ 2 the Samaritanes because they were odious to the Israelites according to the womans speech The Iewes have no commerce or Communion at all with the Samaritanes Iohn 4. And hence the Samaritanes would not receive Christ into one of their Cities because they perceived he was going to Jerusalem Luke 9.53 And the Jewes thought that they could not disgrace Christ more than by calling him a Samaritane Å¿ Ioh. 8.49 So inveterate was the hatred betwixt the Jewes and the Samaritanes Why were the Samaritanes so odious unto the Quest 5 Jewes First because they being Gentiles possessed Answ 1 the inheritance of the Israelites as appeares 2 King 17. Secondly the Jewes hated them because they Answ 2 were Idolaters and that I. Under Ieroboam 1. King But II. More under Salmanassar for he brought in amongst them five Nations or five severall sorts of Heathenish people with their houshold and Country Gods t Ioseph Antiq. 9.14 or rather seven sorts of Idolaters 2 King 17. who ceased not from their Idolatry though they were extreamly punished with Lyons Thirdly the Jewes hated the Samaritanes because Answ 3 they were perpetuall enemies unto the Jewes reade Ezra 41.2.10 Nehem. 41. c. Yea when the Jewes were in affliction u Ioseph Antiq. 9.14 and 11.4.8 the Samaritanes denied that they were Jewes or any thing of kinne unto themv. Fourthly the Samaritanes were hatefull unto Answ 4 the Jewes because they despised the Prophets admitting and embracing onely the Pentatenâ—h or five Books of Moses Carthus s And Fiftly because in imitation of the Jewes Temple Answ 5 in Jerusalem the Samaritanes built one in Garizim which was founded by Sanballat in the time of Alexander the great and dedicated to Iupiter the defender of strangers 2 Macch. 6.2 and Ioseph Antiq. 11.7 8. And about this the woman disputes with Christ Iohn 4.20 Our father 's worshipped in this mountaine and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship Now the reason why they thought that God was to be worshipped in this mountaine was this because Iacob erected there an Altar unto the Lord Gen. 33.20 And because Simeon and Levy and Iudah and Issachar and Ioseph and Benjamin stood upon this mountaine Gerizzim to blesse the people when they came over Iordan Deut. 27.12 Observ 2 From the third answer we may observe That those who are enemies to the Church of God shall be rejected reade these places and we shall see that God wil love those who love his Church and hate those who hate his Church and set himselfe against those who set themselves against his Church Gen. 15.14 Psalm 129.5 Exod. 23.22 Deut. 33.29 Esa 29.7 and 41.11 and 60.12 Ierem. 12.14 Acts. 7.7 Quest 6 Why will the Lord reject and destroy the enemies of his Church Answ 1 First because the Church is the Lords portion and the lot of his inheritance and therefore those who are enemies unto the Church are enemies unto God Reade Deut. 32.9 c. Psalm 17.8 Zachar. 2.8 and 12.2.3.9 and 14.12 Iudg. 5.31 and 2 King 19.22 Esa 49.25 Ioel 3.2 Philip. 1.28 Answ 2 Secondly because it is an Argument of a wicked reprobate man to oppose the religious or religion of Christ Egone ausim vel joco lacessere August Object 1 Against this answer it may be objected Saul persecuted and opposed the Professors and profession of religion Act. 8. And yet he was no Reprobate Answer But he repented of it and continued not in it and therefore was pardoned 1 Tim. 1.13 Quest 7 How are the godly and religious opposed Answ 1 First Accusando by accusing of them unjustly of any crime Answ 2 Secondly Deridendo by deriding and scoffing them for their religion Answ 3 Thirdly Impediendo by hindring the progresse of Religion and their progresse in Religion by taking away in toto or lessening in tanto the preaching of the Word Answ 4 Fourthly Odiendo by hating them in heart And thus we have the second reason why the Apostles must not preach to the Idolatrous Samaritanes An ∣ sw 3 O. Thirdly the word must not be preached to the Samaritanes because they were not Iewes at all but Gentiles for all the Israelites were carried captive 2 King 17.6.18.20.23 and all the Cities were replenished with Heathens either by Salmanassar 2 King 17.24 or by Esar Haddon Object 2 Ezra 4.2 Against this it will be objected that they professe themselves to be Israelites Iohn 4.20 yea at the least they were mixed with Iewes for in such cases when they led any Cities into captivity they were wont alwayes to leave some and to reserve some remainders of the true Inhabitants as Ierem. 52.16 and 2 King 24.14 and 25.12 Answ 1 First when all are not carried into captivity but some are left for the most part if not alwaies the Scripture doth express it as Ier. 52.16 And therefore where no such thing is expressed we are not bound to beleeve it Secondly they doe not seeme to be mixt and that Answ 2 I. Because none knew the externall worship of God 2 King 17.26 As appeares by this message sent to the King of Assyria The nations whom thou hast removed and placed in the Cities of Samaria know not the manner of the God of the Land c. And II. Because the King of Assyria upon this message sent one Priest unto them to instruct them 2 King 17.28 Thirdly their professing of themselves to be Answ 3 Iewes was but hypocriticall and counterfeit as the Hagarens call themselves Saracens when the State or Common-wealth of the Iewes was in prosperity then they would be Iewes but when the Iewes were
we doe not serve God with our whole heart Secondly we must serve God Interpidè without worldly feare no apprehension or feare of danger must daunt us or detaine us from the service of the Lord but like Daniel the three Children and Ioseph of Arimathea wee must boldly and before men professe the Lord otherwise we doe not serve him with the whole heart Thirdly wee must serve the Lord perfectly in all things Heb. 13.21 not parting of stakes with him And Fourthly we must serve him perseverantly not being weary of well doing Gal. 6.9 And thus if we desire so to live that the worthinesse of our conversation may appeare to the Church of God and the brethren of Christ we must take heed that wee bring no evil report upon our selves either by doing that which is evill or scandalous And wee must labour to procure a good report amongst men by being zealous in our profession and holy towards our God and both in word worke and thought just and true towards all and mercifull and pitifull towards the poore and afflicted yea all this sincerely not in hypocrisie fervently not key coldy perseverantly not by starts or unconstantly and then the Lord will accept of us as worthy to be made partakers of the preaching of his Word Observ 2 Secondly wee must first enquire after the worthinesse of people before we lodge with them the Apostles must first enquire who are worthy and then goe unto their houses To teach us that we must not converse with the unworthy or those who have an evill name or fame amongst men reade Psalme 1.1 Prov. 1.15 Ephes 5.7.11 Quest 5 How many sorts of unworthy persons be there Answ Foure namely First wicked and prophane persons Secondly hereticall persons Thirdly heathenish and barbarous persons Fourthly excommunicated persons Here observe I. That the two last are alike the excommunicated person might be unto us as a heathen II. That the Gentile or Heathen is worse then the excommunicate person because we must refuse to converse with him but only for a time 1 Cor. 5. For upon his repentance he is to be admitted againe unto the Church and unto the society of the Saints III. But it seemes that for the instant or during the time of his excommunication that the excommunicate person is worse than the heathen man because with such an one while he stands justly excommunicate it is not lawfull to eat which is not prohibited in or with a Heathen But I enlarge not this disputation because the present Text speakes of the first sort of unworthy persons namely wicked prophane and scandalous men Why may we not familiarly converse and associate Quest 6 our selves with wicked and unworthy persons First because as God is a jealous God so those Answ 1 who love him are very jealous also and as a chaste honest and loving wife will not love nor delight in nor frequent the company of whores or whoremasters so the friends and loveâ—s of the Lord will not love his enemies and those whom his soule hates For those who love the Lord will hate evill in whomsoever it be And therefore if we desire to approve our selves to love the Lord we must not frequent the society of those who hate and are hated of the Lord. Secondly we must shunne all familiarity with Answ 2 the wicked because otherwise we should seeme to justifie them in their wickednes and so bring a woe upon our selves Esa 5.20 And therefore if wee desire to approve our selves to hate the corruption of sinne we must not love the company of sinners Answ 3 Thirdly we must not converse with wicked men because so we shall be made like unto them Ioas was good as long as Iehojadah lived and men learne goodnesse by associating themselves with those who are good And on the contrary the company of wicked men begets corrupt and wicked manners As we see in Ioseph who learnt to sweare by the life of Pharaoh Answ 4 Fourthly we must not frequent the society of the wicked because if we be not righteous and holy wee cannot truly love it The bond of Christian love is mutuall piety and sanctity and therefore this bond being broken there can bee no true love It is a blessed thing for brethren to dwell together in unity Psalm 133.1 But what union or concord can there bee betwixt light and darknesse good and evill Quest 7 How many sorts of companions or associates are there Foure namely Answ First grosse palpable and enormous sinners These are altogether to be avoided Secondly those who are not enormous sinners neither shew forth any life or power of religion namely meere carnal men These are unworthy to be made chosen of for intimate friends Thirdly hypocriticall professours painted tombes these are to bee avoided and turned away from because they weare Christs livery and yet serve the devill Fourthly there are sincere professours These are most and best worthy of our love and society Quest 8 With whom must wee not hold familiarity and societie Answ With the two former sorts of companions namely who either follow after evill or fly that which is good who love vice and hate vertue For if we see men to grow wicked we must leave their friendship and familiaritie Here some things may be objected Object 1 First some will say I have formerly promised to continue a league of amitie for terme of life and therefore I must not shake off my friends acquaintance though he prove wicked Answ If our friends prove wicked then we must say that we onely said we would continue our former familiaritie but we did not promise it Not that it is lawfull linguà jurare as Eunius said to sweare or say that with our mouth which our heart never thought but because First promises of friendship familiaritie and intimacie made unto any are to be understood as long as he shall continue holy and religious but if hee turn to be irreligious or wicked then those promises are annihilated and void And Secondly because we are not of our disposing but of the Lords whose wholly we are and therefore it is not in our power to make any league of friendship with the enemies of God Quest 9 Concerning the second sort of unworthy persons mentioned Question 7. it may be demanded If it be not lawfull to associate carnall men There is a manifold societie Answ to omit marriages bargaines and the like namely First to live peaceably with our neighbours whatsoever they are And this is required of us for wee must have peace with all in as much as in us lies Rom. 12. Secondly mutually to helpe one another in our wayes and callings or to exercise the office of love and charity one towards another And this is necessarily to be done unto all for in this sense and respect every one is our neighbour and so to be esteemed Thirdly mutually to use the helpe one of another in our callings this is lawfull with this proviso that
in regard of heresie hee is compared to a Wolfe Mat. 7.26 Fourthly in regard of his sluggishnesse and idlenesse he is compared to a Dog in the manger or a dumbe dog Esay 56.10 c. Secondly some by these words beware of Answ 2 men conceive that our Saviour would have them to expect all men every where to bee their enemies And it is true that the Gospel shall find some enemies and opposition wheresoever it comes Act. 17. and 19. and 28. Thirdly but I conceive that these words signifie Answ 3 somewhat more yet then this namely that hereby our Saviour would have us to take notice that the very humane nature of man is an enemy unto the preaching of the Gospel For he doth not say Beware of Lyons or Tygers or Wolves but beware of men Homo homini lupus Hence then observe That the nature of man Observ and the naturall man is alwayes an enemy to God Religion and the preaching of the Gospel Why is the naturall man such an enemy to the Quest 2 Word and Gospel and God First because he is wholly averse from God Answ 1 and will not be subject unto him Rom. 8.6.7.8 His Motto is Ais nego negos ai◠what God bids that he will not doe what God forbids that he will doe just like the Florentine who is mentioned in the second Booke of the Courtier of Count Baldessar Castilio two enemies being together in the Councell-chamber of Florence as it hapneth often in those Common-weaths the one of them which was of the house of Altoviti slept and hee that sate next unto him for a sport stirring him with his elbow made him awake although his adversary that was of the house of Alamanni had said nothing at all as yet against him and said unto him hearest thou not what such an one saith Make answer for thy selfe for the Lords require it Whereupon he of Altoviti all sleepie arose upon his feet without any more deliberation said My Lords I say the cleane contrary to that Alamanni hath spoken To which Alamanni answers why I have said nothing Altoviti said immediately Then to that thou wilt speake Thus averse is the naturall man crossing and opposing whatsoever the Lord doth or shall command Nitimur in vetita we desire nothing so much as that which is denied us like our Mother Eve who longed for no fruit so much as the forbidden fruit Answ 2 Secondly the Law doth forbid all sinne and the Gospel condemne all licentious liberty Now we being given unto sinne and not able to cease from it 2 Pet. 2.14 Hence it comes that wee are enemies unto the Gospel which forbids and condemnes it Naturall men being captives and slaves cannot endure to heare those things which are contrary to their Lord and Master Sinne. Answ 3 Thirdly the Gospel would humble us 1 Pet. 5.6 and teach us to deny our selves and therefore we oppose set our selves naturally against it because we are proud and lovers of our selves Sect. 2 § 2. Tradent They will deliver you Quest 1 What is the meaning of this delivering Answ 1 First the word is not to be understood of betraying but of accusing They shall accuse you Answ 2 Secondly there were divers Tribunals or Iudgement seats the Sanhedrims and Synagogues and Princes and Kings as if our Saviour would say There are no Tribunals where you shall not be accused and condemned Where we may see and marke the wicked craft of Sathan who rather endeavours Lege by law then Vi by force to oppresse and persecute Christ because this will prevaile even with the good as we see in the King who because there was a law decreed Daniel 6. therefore cast Daniel into the Lyons den although it were sore against his will Observ Whence wee may note That humane lawes are often opposite to true Religion this might be proved by many examples both by the law made against Daniel chap. 6. and that Idolatrous Decree chap. 3. and those Popish Lawes in Italy Spaine and France yea by that Councell that condemned Christ and that speech of the Iewes Wee have a Law and by that Law he ought to die Quest 2 How doth it appeare that mans law is often opposite to Gods truth Answ 1 First it appeares thus the Law of God in it selfe is eternall masculine diurnall cleare immoveable good yea the rule of goodnesse Answ 2 The Law of man is oft times nocturnall darke feminine infirme stained and subject to errour For seeing that all men are lyers and uncleane how can any bring a pure thing out of an impure or truth out of a lye Sect. 3 § 3. Ad Concilia unto Councels There were in Israel distinct Courts consisting of distinct persons the one principally for Church busines the other for affaires in the Common-wealth the one an Ecclesiasticall Consistory the other a civill Iudicatory Now although the tyrannie of Antiochus and the troublesome times ensuing had bred such a confusion in matters of government among the Iewes that an evident distinction can hardly be found in the New Testament yet some foot steps and imperfect tokens of both Courts are there observeable principally in Matthew 21.23 and 26.3 where the chiefe Priests and the Elders of the people are named as two distinct Consistories and each Consistorie seemeth to bee differenced by its proper name For the Secular Consistorie was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Councell and the Spirituall termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Synagogue as in this verse They will deliver you up to the Councels and they will scourge you in their Synagogues § 4. Yee shall be brought before Governors and Sect. 4 Kings Our Saviour in this verse and so forward doth foretell the Apostles of five sorts or degrees of dangers that would attend them and annexeth for their comfort the remedies with the evils as for example First the initiall and first degree of evils is the hatred of the world verse 22. Yee shall be hated of all men for my names sake Now the remedy against this evill is perseverance laid downe in the same place in these words but hee that endureth unto the end shall be saved Secondly the next degree of evils is worse and more perillous and that is that the world shall not onely hate them but also accuse and imprison them this is laid downe in this verse and the next They will deliver you up to the Councels and yee shall be brought before Governors and Kings Now the remedy against this evill is Confidence laid downe verse 19. in these words When they deliver you up take no thought how or what yee shall speake for it shall be given you in that same houre what ye shall speake Thirdly the sequent danger is yet worse and that is scourging and buffeting under which all kinds of torments are understood They will scourge you in their Synagogues verse 17. Now the remedy against this evill is this It shall be given you in that
as Mat. 24. where somethings are spoken of the destruction of Ierusalem some things of the generall judgment Or else Secondly secundum totum when the same words may be taken in either sense As I will establish the Kingdome of David my servant Psalm 89.34 This may either Historically be understood of David or Typically of all pious and religious Kings So the Lord saith of Salomon If hee sinne I will chasten him with the rods of men but my loving mercy will I never take from him Psalm 89.30.31 This may either literally be understood of David or figuratively of all the Children of God So Hebr. 13.5 I have said I will never faile thee nor forsake thee which is spoken Historically of Iosua Chap. 1.5 But the Apostle understands it Typically of all the children of God Now of this nature is this present Scripture for these things were Typically fulfilled in them and shewed forth unto us for an example 1 Corinth 10.11 As appeares thus Iohns Disciples desire to know whether Christ bee the true expected Messias or not Christ proves that he is Because I. He cures and heales the bodies of men both of blindnesse lamenesse deafnesse deadnesse and Leprosie yea all these both historically and Allegorically And because II. He enlightens the minds of men by the Gospel Christ cured their corporal maladies for the blind received their sight c. Here observe First I confesse that these things have an Hystoricall truth that is that Christ did truely and really cure corporall blindnesse as Iohn 9.29 Secondly that the Prophesies concerning Christ doe in part speake of the same as Esa 35.5 It is foretold that the Messias should open the eyes of the blind and the eares of the deafe c. yea otherwise our Saviours Argument were nothing They desire to know whether hee be the Christ or not He saith he is and proves it thus The Messias shall heale the lame blind deafe and leprous and shall raise the dead Esa 35.5.6 But I doe and have done all this Therefore I am the Messias Thirdly withall wee must confesse that the Prophet Esay in that place doth look higher then these ayming at spirituall graces as well as corporall benefits and cures If the learned Reader doubt of this let him Reade Tremes s Esa 35.5.6 and Muscul and Hyper. s Fourthly therefore it is lawfull for me to ascend or to proceed from the body unto the soul In this place then we are admonished that it is Christ who doth enlighten the eyes of the minds who purgeth us from the Leprosie of sinne who frees us from death c. Gualt s Two things are very observable in this text namely I. What we are by nature Deafe blind lame Leprous and dead And II. That all these maladies are removed and cured and that onely by Christ of these therefore in this order The blind receive their sight here two things are considerable viz. First that by nature wee are blind Secondly that by Christ wee are illuminated and enabled to see Observ 1 First by nature we are ignorant blind and blockish in spirituall things 1 Cor. 2.14 Ephes 4.18 Quest 4 What is required unto true spirituall sight Answ 1 First for answer to this Question I referre my learned Reader unto Antoninus part 1. Titul 3. Cap. 3. § 1. 2. 3. c. where many rare things are taught concerning spirituall fight Answ 2 Secondly for the satisfaction of the vulgar Reader wee will adde some things and answer that unto spirituall fight many things are required To wit First the purity of the eye For if the spirits of the eye be perverted either by Melancholly or anger or the Iaundice then all things will seeme yellow or greene or the like Thus Mala mens Malus animus If the mind be corrupted then the man is corrupted for Mens eujusque est quisque the mind is the man if the eye therfore be darke how great is that darkenesse if the understanding be perverted so is also the judgement and affections And therefore let us labour for a pure and sanctified mind free from the infection and perturbation of sinne Secondly unto sight there is required the strength of the eye that it may perfectly apprehend the object for a weak sight apprehends a thing imperfectly like the man who said hee saw men walking like trees So when in Religion we see In enigmate onely as in twilight or the dawning of the day that is see something but very darkly and obscurely wee must then labour that our eyes may be perfectly opened that therby we may be able to perceive things truely and as they are in their owne nature as followes in the next particle Thirdly unto sight is required the liberty of common sense that so wee may bee able to judge of things that differ And therefore we must not be like children in understanding as the Apostle saith When I was a Child I spake as a Child I thought as a Child I understood as a Child 1 Cor. 13.10 We must not judge of Religion or the service of God with a carnall eye or the eye of naturall reason but with an eye truely informed that hereby wee may bee able to judge of things truely and aright A melancholly man often thinkes men to be Beares and a mad man friends to bee enemies and hence often-times fleeeth in the face of the Physitian that desireth to cure him Thus in Religion we often thinke the Lord hates us because hee will not give us that which wee desire although it bee as bad as Rats-bane for us Wee cannot endure reproofe from the Ministers of God neither that they should speake unto us but desire rather that they would willingly permit us to runne headlong unto destruction And thus so long as common sense is captivated wee cannot judge of things as they are Wherefore let us labour that our understandings may be enlightned and our judgements truely informed Fourthly unto fight there is required the light of the Sun or Moon or of a candle for three things are ordinarily required unto sight to wit I. The Organ that sees and takes up the Object II. The Object that is apprehended by the Organ And III. The Midst by or through which the Organ doth perceive and receive the Object Although there bee an Object which may bee seene and the Ayre also enlightned yet if a man want eyes hee cannot see that Object Therefore unto sight an Organ is necessary If a man could see and the ayre were enlightned yet if the Object were not in fight or if we could conceive no object to be objected unto the eye then the eye could apprehend nothing Therefore unto sight an Object is necessary If there were an Organ and an Object that is if a man could see or have an eye yea that eye were open and awake yet could he not see if either there were no midst or if the midst were dark For First if there bee no midst betwixt the
presented Or as when the gates are beate open or the walls of a besiedged City broken downe or a ship of the enemies grappled withall Iosh 6.20 every man thrusts and strives to enter as fast as hee can Even so here the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence that is Christ having broken downe the wall of separation and partition and rent in twaine the veile and opened the gate of heaven to all whether bond or free Iew or Gentile Greeke or Barbarian hence of all sorts from all places many flocke unto the Church of Christ Secondly Respectu ordinis neglecti in regard of the conditions which now were abolished and disanulled namely Circumcision legall sacrifices and that hard and impossible condition Fac vives fullfill the Law and thou shalt be saved by the Law otherwise thou canst not be saved Now these being worne out of date and antiquated wee men runne unto God onely by faith in Christ hoping thereby to be saved Thirdly Respectu interni roboris in regard of inward strength and power God giving under the Gospell ordinarily a more ample spirit or measure of his spirit now of this by and by § 3. And the violent take it by force Sect. 3 These words have the force of an exception As if our Saviour would say the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence but yet not all obtaine it but onely the violent Violenti rapiunt Hence then observe That the kingdome of heaven cannot be obtained or gained Observ without a vehement motion of the heart and a desire enflamed and kindled with the zeale of faith Luke 7.29.30 What was required of the Jewes in regard of the Messias Quest 1 First that they should earnestly and greedily Answ 1 expect him and this they did Rom. 8.23 as appeares by the Proverbe Vt Iudaei Messiam and also by Iohn 1.19 c. and 4 25. Answ 2 Secondly it was required of them that they should beleeve Elias the Messenger and fore-runner of the Messiah and by and by seeke out Christ As Iohn 4.30.39 Luke 7.16 Answ 3 Thirdly it was required that having found out Christ they should follow him with joy forsaking for his sake all other things as Mat. 4.25 and 8.1 and 12.15 and 14.13 and 19.2 and 20.29 and Mark 11.9 and Luke 5.15 and 12 1. and 15.1 Answ 4 Fourthly it was required of them that they should embrace and accept of Christ upon any termes or conditions whatsoever although never so hard to flesh and blood And not like Agrippa who was almost perswaded to become a Christian or like the young man who departed from Christ sorrowfull but felling all leaving all denying themselves and taking up those crosses as Christ enjoyned them they should follow him Answ 5 Fiftly it was required of them that having once embraced and accepted of Christ they should serve him zealously all their daies And then at the end of their life they should be crowned with life eternall Now all these are required of us and all those who desire to be made partakers of the heavenly Kingdome For I. We must above all things long for expect and desire that Christ would come unto our hearts and soules II. We must beleeve his Messengers and Ministers who bring his word and declare his will unto us III. Wee must obey those directions which are taught us by his Messengers for the obtaining of him although the Rules prescribed be difficult and contrary to corrupt nature IV. Having found out Christ and obtained him we must rejoyce in him yea so rejoyce that we would part with and forsake al things rather then him V. We must then learne and labour to be truely zealous in his service and for his glory because this zeale is the fire which mollifies and softens our hearts and makes them the more easily receive divine impressions Now these things beeing well weighed and considered wee may safely conclude That heaven cannot be had without zealous desires motions and endeavours because violenti rapiunt onely the violent take it and that by force Quest 2 Wherein is our zeale to be expressed Answ 1 First in the love of Religion which we can never love too much or affect zealously enough Answ 2 Secondly we must be zealous in the encreasing of our faith and desire unfainedly and earnestly to be sealed by the holy Spirit and thereby to be assured of Christ and salvation Rom. 8.15.16 and 1 Iohn 5.10 Many desire this grace of a true and sure faith but they seeke it fluggishly and expect to obtaine it easily Cantic 3.1 But wee must be zealous in the search and enquity thereof and then we may hope that he whom wee desire should come will come and not tarry Heb. 10.38 Thirdly we must be zealous in our prayers Answ 3 for this is the most true approbation of the heart Here observe that there are two things which sharpen the edge of zeale to wit I. The sense of our want or misery for hee who conceives himselfe or his estate to be miserable will cry aloud unto God with a sad heart and a sorrowfull countenance as we see in the Publicane whereas the proud Pharisee onely gives thankes but prayes for nothing Luk. 18.11 And therefore wee must labour to be sensible of our sins and wants II. A desire of the benefit offred as Christ said to the woman If thou knew the gift or grace of God then thou wouldest aske water of me Iohn 4.10 And therefore we must labour to know what spirituall gifts and graces are excellent and wherin we are indigent and then hunger long and pray earnestly for them but because the gift and grace of prayer comes from above and without the assistance of the Spirit we cannot pray as we ought we must therefore desire the Lord to give us the spirit of prayer as also strength and power to offer up pleasing and spirituall sacrifices unto him Fourthly wee must be zealous in obedience of Answ 4 life and that with humility and submission of our wils to the will of God And thus if wee be zealous in the Profession of Religion zealous in desire and endeavour to encrease our faith zealous in our prayers and in the pious practise of our lives and conversations wee may then be certainly assured that we shall be made partakers of the kingdome of glory for Violoni rapium The violent take it by force VERS 13.14 For all the Prophets V. 13.14 and the Law prophesied untill Iohn And if yee will receive it this is Elias which was to come § 1. All the Prophets and the Law prophesied untill Sect. 2 Iohn What is the meaning of these words Quest 1 First it is expounded De scope Prophetâ—num Answ 1 thus this Iohn is he at whom all the Prophets and this Law almed and marked Thus Calvin Muscul s Why did they levell rather at Iohn then at Quest 2 Christ or why doth Christ say they all prophesied of Iohn and not rather that they all
Answ 1 the Gospell First wee must take heed of contemning the Gospell after once it hath been embraced and received for it had been better for us never to have knowne the waies of God then after the knowledge thereof to relapse and fall away 2 Peter 2.22 like the Galathians who began in the Spirit Answ 2 and ended in the flesh Gal 3.3 Secondly we must take heed of sins of knowledge whether I. In generall after illumination and a knowledge that God is an enemy unto and a swift witnesse against all sinnes and sinners for it is dangerous for such a one to sinne Or II. In particular we must principally beware of those sinnes which we know The time and sinnes of ignorance the Lord easily passeth by Acts 17. but after a man is brought to the sight and knowledge of his sinne it is dangerous then to continue any longer in it Some follow drunkennesse and ignorantly thinke it to bee but only good fellowship and not sinne or if sinne then no great one neither much offensive to God But woe be to him who knowes it to be a great sinne and odious unto God and therefore blusheth and trembleth to commit it and yet notwithstanding proccedeth to act it For such a one First sinneth against the whole ever blessed Trinity as was said even now And Secondly against his owne knowledge And Thirdly against his owne tongue wherewith I. He hath often asked pardon and forgivenesse at Gods hands And II. He hath often promised to leave it and to become temperate and sober And Fourthly against his owne conscience whom God in some measure hath circumcised and awakened And Fiftly against the holy Spirit of God who hath often admonished and checked him And therefore let all such consider how neare they come to incurable apostacy Sect. 3 § 3. They would have repented Our Saviour commends those of Tyre for good hearers that is if they had had the word they would have been more affected with it then the Galileans were To teach us That that onely is good hearing which works Repentance Observ or the good hearer is onely he who is perswaded by his hearing to repent him of his sinnes Reade Matth. 3.3 and 4.17 and Acts 2.38 and 3.19 Why is that hearing onely good which works Quest 1 Repentance First because Repentance is the condition of Answ 1 mercy and Remission we cannot be assured of mercy or forgivenesse of our sins untill we have truely repented us of them and therefore all our hearing is vaine and fruitlesse so long as it hath not wrought true repentance in us Reade Luke 3.3 and 24.47 and Acts 11.18 Secondly the scope of man is the glory of Answ 2 God for that wee should seeke in all things and above all things but wee cannot glorifie God but rather dishonour him so long as we have not by unfained Repenâ—ance turned from all sinne And therefore untill Repentance be wrought in our hearts al our hearing is unprofitable unto us Thirdly Repentance is the scope of Preaching Answ 3 as appeares Acts 26.18 and 1 Thessal 1.6.10 And therefore good hearing workes conversion But there are other scopes and ends of Preaching Object and therefore Repentance is not the Scope thereof There are other scopes of preaching besides Repentance but they are al conjoyned with this Answer yea end here as for example First one end of Preaching is knowledge Christ gave his word that men might be brought from darkenesse to light Acts 26.18 But knowledge is vaine without practise Iohn 13.17 Secondly another end of Preaching is that men might fear and tremble at the word of God Esa 66.2 because it is good to feare Proverb 28 14. But yet this feare and trembling is onely so farre good as it leades unto Repentance and no further Thirdly another end of the word is that men might reverence it and receive it as the word of the Almighty God and not of a weake man Acts 10.33 But reverence is to be perfected in obedience Fourthly another end of Preaching is to work faith in the hearers Rom. 10.15 But Repentance is partly the inchoation and beginning of faith and partly the fruit thereof Fiftly another end of Preaching is sanctity and new obedience Ierem. 4.4 Luke 1.75 Now this is no other thing then Repentance it selfe And therefore all the severall ends and scopes of preaching are conjoyned with this of repentance and end in it How manifold is Repentane or how many Quest 2 sorts thereof are there Repentance is threefold namely First fained Answ and counterfeit Secondly Temporary which lasts not long Thirdly true and unfained Quest 1 Which are the parts of true Repentance The parts of Repentance are these viz. Answ First an acknowledgement of misery by reason of sinne Secondly the deprecation of pardon for the sinnes committed Thirdly the leaving and forsaking of all sinnes for the time to come Fourthly the circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.16 or a tender conscience which cannot endure the least touch of sinne Fiftly the Baptisme of the Holy Ghost And Sixtly the washing and quickning of Christ 1. Cor. 6.11 Galath 1.20 And therefore we should examine our selves by these as by so many essentiall signes and infallible tokens of true Repentance for every one who is truly converted is brought to a sight of his sinnes to a sense of his misery and danger through sinne to an earnest desire that his sinnes were blotted out and pardoned yea is baptised with the Holy Ghost and with fire and washed with the blood of Christ and water and endued with such a soft heart and tender conscience that hee feares to commit yea hates all sinnes whatsoever Sect. 4 § 4. They would have repented Iam pridem long agoe The meaning of our Saviour here by long agoe is in the beginning of preaching as if he would say If the word had been preached to Tyre and Sidon they would have repented at the First Sect. 5 § 5. In sackcloth and ashes Quest 1 What use was there or how manifold was the use of Ashes The use of Ashes was two-fold namely Answ First Philosophicall and this was two-fold namely either I. Naturall which was either Ad abstergendum Plut. qu. conviv Or Ad corroborandum Alex. ab Alex. Or II. Morall and so signifies either basenesse or mortality Iob. 30.19 And hence both Iewes and Gentiles were wont to sprinkle themselves with ashes and to wallow in them d Stuckins 144. Secondly Religious and this was three-fold namely I. Heathenish for the Gentiles used Ashes in their Religious performances or in holy things that is First the honourable amongst them used Ashes in their sacrifices Ad lustrandum Purgandum Deos placandum Stuckins rit gent. 144. Secondly they used to keep Ashes in Pots or Pitchers which were either the ashes of their Children or kindred or of Noblemen who were burnt to Ashes after they were dead and thus reserved Or II. Leviticall and thus the Apostle saith The ashes of an
preached Or Secondly that it may be heard But Thirdly that the seed of the Word may bee received And Fourthly that it may grow up and increase and become truely fruitfull Quest 3 Whether should a Minister be grieved when hee seeth his Ministery unprofitable amongst a people and that his Ministerie is like to prove the savour of death unto them Answ Without doubt he should be grieved for Ieremie wished that his head were a fountain of teares Ier. 9.1 that hee might weepe for that people And Christ himselfe wept over Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 Object Against this this place will bee objected Christ himselfe gave thankes to God his Father that hee had hid these things from the wise of the world and revealed them unto babes Answ Christ is considered two wayes namely First as he was the Minister of Circumcision And Secondly as he was Mediator of the new Covenant Now as hee was the Minister of Circumcision and sent to teach the Iewes no doubt it was a great griefe to him when hee saw them so hard hearted that they would not beleeve But againe if wee consider him as Mediator looking up to Gods wisedome and decree he giveth God praise for passing by some and chusing others Paul looking to his charge wished that the Iewes might be saved but when in a second consideration hee looketh up to Gods will and seeth that his preaching was to make fat the hearts of that people as was the preaching of Esay then he resteth in this and rejoyceth that God is glorified Although the Spheares have their owne particular motions yet they all follow the motion of the first mover So although Christ and Paul be sorry at first for the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts yet they must follow the motion of the first mover God himselfe and rejoyce when he is glorified Quest 4 From the Text it may be demanded who can come unto the knowledge of this saving truth which Christ here saith is concealed from the wise and revealed to babes Although men are by the Gospel called to the knowledge of the truth yet onely the Elect doe attaine unto the same and that because they are effectually called by the Holy Ghost When I say that all men are called I meane by an outward calling which is especially by the publike preaching of the Gospel for by this no man is excluded from the knowledge of the truth but are rather both generally all and severally each singular person invited thereunto But by that inward calling which is by the Holy Ghost and therefore effectuall I say that only the Elect are called according to the Apostles golden chaine Rom. 8.29 Whom he hath predestinated them even them alone hee called by an effectuall calling And this is that which our Saviour here saith I thanke thee Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise that is of this world and revealed them to babes that is onely the Elect which are contemptible in the sight of the world See to this purpose verse 11. and 13. of this Chapter and Iohn 12.38 and 17.6 and 1 Corinth 4.3 and 2 Timoth. 3 7. Only therefore the Elect come to the saving knowledge of the truth who for that cause are said to bee of the truth and to heare the voi e of Christ and onely the Church is called the Pillar and foundation of the truth for they onely retaine the truth and of them only doth the Church consist and so only must know the truth Hill lib. 3. pag. 237. of the true knowledge of God § 3. Oh Father Sect. 3 Why doth our Saviour turne his speech unto Quest 1 God First because his speech is a thankesgiving Answ 1 and thankes are to be given unto God Secondly Christ directs his speech unto his Answ 2 Father to shew that he is the directer of the world and Church Arcana Dei judicia suspicit ut in eorum admirationem alios trahat Calvin s Christ admires the secret judgements of God that hee may draw others to the like admiration Thirdly our Saviour converts his speech unto Answ 3 his Father that hee may excuse the meannesse and low condition of his servants and that both I. In regard of the Pharisees and world who despised them for their low estate And also II. In regard of themselves who were discouraged by this contempt For hereby hee would have them both to know that this proceeded of and from the Lord as followes in the next verse Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Why doth Christ call God Father Quest 2 That he may shew how great reason hee hath to congratulate or rejoyce together with God Answer when he is conjoyned in so neere and strict a relation unto him as if hee would say I rejoyce that God is thus glorified for he is my Father Hence then observe That none can truely rejoyce in God Observ except he be joyned unto him by a new Covenant of filiation Rom. 8.17 Gal. 4.7 and 1 Iohn 1.3 and 1 Corinth 1.9 Hos 1.10 Rom. 5 2. and 1 Pet. 1.8 And examples hereof wee have Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 and 1 Iohn 3.1 How doth the truth evidence hereof appear It appeares by these three particulars viz. First the promises are not given by name to Peter Iohn or Andrew but only to those who are received into the fellowship of sonnes and called the sonnes of promise Rom. 9.8 Galat. 4.28 Secondly God professeth himselfe to be an enemy to the enemies of his children and therefore he is not the helper of all but only of his Psalm 8.13 c. And consequently none can rejoyce in him but those only who are assured that by a new Covenant they are made his Thirdly naturally we hate the Lord and his Law the Commandements of God being as bonds and chaines unto us which restraine us from doing that which wee greedily desire And therefore wee desire to cast off this bond and yoke and had rather the Lord would suffer us to walke in our owne wayes though the end thereof be death then constraine us to walke in the pathes of this Commandements which leade unto life Wherefore untill by a new Covenant we be united unto the Lord we cannot rejoyce in him or his service Quest 4 How may we bee made the children of God that so we may rejoyce in him Answ 1 First Pacem operando by making peace and appeasing jarres and composing strife betwixt man and man brother and brother Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the children of God Mat. 5.9 Answ 2 Secondly Benedicendo by blessing those that curse us c. Love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully hate you and persecute you That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven Mat. 5.45.46 Answ 3 Thirdly Orando by praying unto God to give us that evidence and
testimony of his Spirit that we may be enabled to call him Father Rom 8.15 Answ 4 Fourthly Patiendo by suffering and enduring patiently whatsoever afflictions the Lord layes upon us Heb. 12.8 Answ 5 Fiftly Verbum audiendo by hearing and obeying the word of God Iohn 17.13 Answ 6 Sixtly but our filiation principally consists in two things namely I. Credendo in faith in Christ Iohn 1.12 Gal. 3.26 And II. Obediendo in obedience unto God for those who would approve themselves to be the sonnes of God must put off the workes of darknesse and the old man and putting on the new man walke as becomes the children of light Ephes 5.8 and 1 Thess 5.5 And therefore if we desire to be made the children of God we must I. Be Peace-makers and Lovers II. Wee must love our enemies and do good unto those who doe evill unto us III. We must pray daily unto God to sealeou adoption in us by the evidence of his Spirit IV. We must patiently undergoe whatsoever the Lord layes upon us V. VVe must love reverence and prize the preaching of his word VI. Wee must labour to apprehend and apply Christ unto our selves by a lively faith And VII Wee must devote our selves wholly unto the service of God in a sincere and sanctified obedience Why doth Christ ascribe that unto God Quest 3 which hee did himselfe First negatively not to deprive himselfe of Answ 1 all power Chrys s for he saith afterwards All power is given unto me of my Father But Secondly affirmatively to shew that his Father Answ 2 was not moved by the importunity of others but that of his owne free grace and goodnesse he enlightned those who were of small account in the world and revealed these saving truths unto them Chrysost s § 4. Because thou hast hid these things Sect. 4 What is meant here by hiding or how doth Quest 1 God hide or blind the eyes First God is said sometimes to blind the eyes Answ 1 and harden the heart as Exod. 4 21. and 7.3 and 9.12 and 10.1 and 14.4 and Esa 44.18 But Secondly this is not so to be understood as Answ 2 though the Lord did shut up open eares and make blind seeing eyes or change a mollified heart into a hard one Nor Thirdly onely by permitting us to harden our Answ 3 selves But Fourthly by detaining of his grace from us Answ 4 whereby we should be softned or by denying to give that eye-salve unto us without which wee cannot see Revelat. 3.18 From whence wee may note that the Lord Observ 2 blinds and hardens wicked men not by changing them from better to worse but because he changeth them not from worâ—â— to better that is hee doth not harden by infusing or inferring any wicked quality into them which before was not in them but because he doth not give better qualities unto them then by nature they have in them Reade 1 Sam. 20.2 and 2 King 4.27 Gen. 18.17 For they were evill before yea altogether evill Genes 6.5 and 8.21 And therefore must not blame the Lord for their obduration or destruction because he made them no worse then they were but onely made them no better then they were which he was not bound to doe but lay the fault onely upon themselves How can the Lord blind some and not others Quest 2 seeing he is equall to all and hath professed himselfe to be no respecter of persons God doth not respect outward things Answ as honour or riches or beauty or comelinesse of person he doth not preferre Eliah before David nor Esau before Iacob But he looks upon inward things as piety iniquity pride and the like and therfore the cause of Gods blinding some will appear by the examination of the persons blinded For who were blinded the Wise Who were these wise men who were blinded Pharisees who First sate in Moses chayre Matth. 23. and were Doctours of the Law and yet Secondly could not discern of Christ but contemne and despise him Iohn 7.47 Luk 16.14 and laugh at him yea persecute him Iohn 8.37 and 3.32 And slander him calling him a Samaritane and Beelzebub And therfore because they despise the salvation of the Lord sent unto them and offered unto them in the Messias God hides himselfe from them Observ 2 From whence we may learne that God for priâ—e and hardnesse of heart takes away from men the saving light of his word and of the knowledge of God leaving them in palpable blindnesse Reade Esa 6.10 Iohn 12.40 Rom. 11.18 This is but that lex Talionis which God hath promised to observe Proverb 1.24 c. Because First I have called And Therefore Yee shall call But I will not heare But Laugh at your destruction Secondly yee have not heard But Therefore Yee shall call But I will not heare But Laugh at your destruction Thirdly despised and derided my message Therefore Yee shall call But I will not heare But Laugh at your destruction The Lord leaves none but those who first left him hee hardens none but those who are already hardened he despiseth none but onely despisers as is plaine from 1 Sam 2.30 Esa 66.4 Quest 3 How doth the Lord hide himselfe from thâ—se Two manner of waies viz. Answer First detinendo by keeping back or taking away the word and by letting out the vineyard to other Husband men Reade Amos 8.12 Acts 13.46 and 19.9 Matth. 21.41 The word is the fire which melts the dew which mollifies and the hammer which breakes the hard heart And therefore needs must the heart grow hard when the word is taken away Secondly Non benedicendo by not blessing the word the word without the Spirit is but a dead Letter and therefore when the Lord doth not speake to the heart as well as the word to the eare no wonder if the heart remaine hard and obdurates for if the word preached bee not mixed with faith which is simply and only wrought by God in the hearers it is heard and Preached in vaine Heb. 4.2 and 1 Cor. 3.7 Quest 4 Why is the Gospell and word preached hid from so many of the hearers thereof Answ 1 First because Sathan stops the eares and shuts the eyes and hardens the heart of many Answ 2 Secondly because many despise and contemne the word And Answ 3 Thirdly because God gives them over to a reprobate sense Româ—ns 1.24 26 28. Quest 5 How is the word contemned and despised The word is despised by many many waies viz. Answ First some despise the word for the meannesse and poverty of the Ministers and thus did the Pharisees Iohn 7.47 yea because this is every where usuall our Saviour therefore doth comfort his servants with this that the contempt of them reflects upon himselfe those who despise them despise him and as contemners of the Lord shall certainly perish Luke 10.16 Secondly some deride and scoffe at the word 2 Chronic. 30.10 and 36.16 Acts 13.41 Thirdly some hinder the Preaching of
the whole worke of our conversion is Gods Secondly those who bring us to God are his Instruments as wee see in Philip Acts 8.29 Thirdly it is a dutie imposed upon us by God to help one another and to labour to build up one another according to our Saviours speech to Peter when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren And therefore it being Gods owne Ordinance that we should mutually strengthen and helpe one another those may hope for mercy who are brought to Christ though by others Who are here blame worthy Quest 2 First those who neglect to bring others unto Answ 1 Christ Oh remember how great and good a worke it is to save the soule of a Brother from death Iames 5.20 And therefore how farre doe they wander from true Christian charity who regard their Brothers pleasure or substance or life yea his Oxe or his Asse more then his soule Answ 2 Secondly those are to blame who will not be brought unto Christ but despise the counsell advice instructions exhortations and reproofes which are given either I. By the Ministers as they did Ierem. 51.9 Or II. By the Magistrates as they did 2 Chron. 30.10 Or III. By friends and neighbours as Luke 7.32 Certainly these will rise up in judgement against such as would not be wonne or allured by them to come unto Christ § 2. One possessed with a Devill Sect. 2 Doth Sathan possesse any or is it onely some Quest 1 Melancholly humour that possesseth men First certainly Melancholly doth many great Answ 1 and wonderfull things and produceth very strange effects representing specters and sights to the imagination which are not present for nothing almost is more usuall then for a Melancholly man to thinke that he seeth that which he sees not yea Secondly certaine it is that the Divell is alwayes Answ 2 ready to abuse Melancholly to the deceit and hurt of the partie so affected Thirdly but it is most certain that sometimes Answ 3 possession is the worke of Sathan and not the effect of sickenesse because those who are possessed do things which are above the power and strength of nature to doe For I. Such wiil declare what is done at the present time in most remote places And II. Will overcome very strong men yea breake many and strong coards This might largely be proved but that in so plaine a thing it is needlesse to light a Candle Quest 2 Doth the Devill care for hurting of the body Is not he onely an enemy to the soule of man Answ 1 First certainely the Devill is an enemy both to the soule and body of man But yet Answ 2 Secondly his chiefest enmity is against the soule the best part of man And hence Answ 3 Thirdly he desires to infest and possesse the body because that helpes as a more ready meanes and way to destroy the soule and that I. By perverting the senses and imagination And II. By drawing the man so possessed wholly unto his service for such being not themselves are wholly guided and led by Sathan Quest 3 Are any now a dayes corporally possessed by Sathan Answ 1 First some say Obsidâ—ri nos non Possideri That men now adayes may bee both corporally and spiritually assaulted but not corporally possessed Answ 2 Secondly some on the contrary say that even at this time many are bodily possessed Answ 3 Thirdly I conceive that it is enough to say that I. There is no certaine rule given how farre the power of Sathan is restrained under the Gospel II. But probably wee may say that some things do more agree to sometimes then to other And therefore I suppose that this corporall possession did belong unto the former ages and not unto this last age of the world Here observe three distinct times First before Christ came there were sathanicall Oracles where the Devill gave responses and answers to those who came unto him and although sometimes their answers were so ambiguous that they might be interpreted either way and sometimes proved apparently false as might be shewed by divers answers given by the Delphicke Oracle yet for the most part they were true and therefore the Devill was honoured as a God Secondly in the comming of Christ the Oracles ceased giving answers and became mute And yet in heathenish places I meane amongst the Indians there are some yet and then the Devill began to rage and grow cruell against the bodies of men whence corporall possessions became frequent and that I. Partly from the malice of Sathan And II. Partly for the glory of the Gospel Iohn 9.3 Thirdly after the Church was established And now there being no need of Miracles the Devill seemes to be bound and restrained from the corporall possessions which cannot be cured by any naturall meanes but only miraculously or by meanes above nature Here as in Chap. 11. wee may say that undoubtedly in corporall evils spirituall are comprehended and therefore this man teacheth us what every man is by nature namely That by nature we are al subject to the power and dominion of Sathan as appeares thus Observ First hee is called the Prince of the world Answ 1 yea the God of this world 2 Corinth 4.4 And therefore Secondly it is necessary that either Christ free us and cast out him or we can never bee delivered and set at liberty § 3. And the man was dumbe Sect. 3 It is worth observation how the enmity of Sathan is principally bent against the tongue and speech that being the most excellent member in the body Reade Matth. 9.32 Marke 9.25 and Luke 11.14 What use serves the tongue for that the Devill Quest 1 is such an enemy unto it First in generall the uses thereof are many Answ 1 namely I. With the tongue wee glorifie God Iam. 3. II. With the tongue wee discourse with the Lord. As did Adam Iacob and Moses often III. Wee expresse our minds unto others by our tongues Vox index animi IV. With our tongues wee utter hidden and secret knowledge V. With the tongue wee pacifie and appease wrath Proverb 15.1 as Iacob did with Esau VI. With our tongues wee give both sweet comfort and sound and safe counsell unto our brethren which very difficultly would bee expressed by signes if wee were dumbe VII It is usefull for a mans selfe for therewith a man doth complaine of his want and poverty and therewith a man doth implore help and seeke remedy and therewith a man doth utter his injuries and wrongs and desires redresse It is an admirable thing to consider how great variety there is in the tongue for with that sometime wee speake gravely sometimes jestingly sometimes sharpely sometimes lovingly sometimes harshly sometimes sweetly lingua à ligando Rhoding because a man seems to have the mind of his brother as it were in his hands or rather in his tongue to bind or lose as he pleases for sometimes with the tongue a man doth incense and exasperate his brother and sometimes therewith pacifie him
unto God and how great thy debt is yea remember if thy brother sin daily against thee so dost thou against God and if thou daily forgive him a few offences thy Father daily forgives thee many But my easinesse and readinesse to pardon him Object 2 will make him more obstinate and injurious against me and therfore why should I forgive him Do thou what is thy duty to do Answ and what the Lord requires of thee and commit the successe and event unto God yea remember that although many wickedly abuse the Lords long suffering and patience unto their own destruction yet the Lord ceaseth not to bestow many mercies upon them making his Sun to rise and his rain to fall even upon such But this pronenesse to pardon those who offend Object 3 me will make others despise and slight me and therfore for this cause it is not good to bee so easie and ready to remit Saint Paul hereunto answers that glory honour Object 4 and peace are prepared by God though not by men for all those who continue in well doing notwithstanding all the lets and hinderances of the world Rom. 2. Yea those who honour God shall be honoured in heaven by God though despised on earth by men But David cursed his enemies for their mischiefe done against him and prayed for their destruction and therefore why may not I Answ 1 First sometimes it is true that David prayed against the Counsels of his enemies and that God would infatuate them and frustrate them as that of Achitophel and thus may wee desire wish and pray for the peace and prosperity of the Church and children of God and that the Lord would infatuate all the plots of the wicked intended againâ—t them Or Answ 2 Secondly David prayed for some temporall calamity to be inflicted upon the bodies of his wicked enemies that therby their soules might be saved and thus wee may desire the Lord to shew his power and justice upon obstinate sinners that therby they may learn to fear and tremble before him and turn unto him and so by a corporall punishment be freed from an eternall Or Answ 3 Thirdly David prayed for the finall destruction of his enemies and that two manner of wayes namely either I. For the destruction of all his enemies in generall whosoever or wheresoever they were Or II. For the destruction of some more particularly whom by divine inspiration he knew to be the enemies of God and his Church Now these are not to be imitated by us wee having in the Gospel both a Precept and President to the contrary First wee are commanded to blesse those who curse us and to pray for those who persecute us Mat. 5. Secondly Christ did not revile when hee was reviled 1 Pet. 2. nor curse those who crucified him but contrarily prayed for them Object 5 Wee are but men and therefore it must not be expected that wee should doe as Christ did Answ The dutie here required hath been performed by men and not only by Christ yea if we bee regenerate men wee also in some measure may perform it Ioseph although he was a man yet hee forgave his brethren who had sold him to be a slave unto heathens David was a man and yet hee forgave Saul his enemy who pursued his life Stephen was but a man and yet he forgave and prayed God to forgive those who stoned him Object 6 But I am never able to forgive my neighbour as God forgives me and therfore it is but lost labour to endeavour it Answ Indeed it is true that wee cannot forgive as the Lord forgives in regard of the quantity but wee may according to the quality if we forgive them candidly cordially faithfully and ex animo for a spark is true fire and a drop is true water Quest 5 Whether can the remission of sinnes be made void or not that is whether doth the Lord remember impute and punish those sins which once hee had pardoned for it seems by this Parable that hee doth hee first pardoning the debt and freeing the servant from his bond verse 27. and afterwards for the debt casts him into perpetuall prison there to endure eternall torments First we must here observe That this is a Parable Answ 1 and that similitudes and parables are not so to be accommodated and applied unto those things for the declaration and manifestation wherof they were propounded that they ought to agree and square with the things themselvs in all things for then they should not be parables but the things themselvs And therfore we must alwayes look to the mind of him that propounds the parable and observe for what end he propounded it and what he would have or principally aims at in the propounding of it for otherwise many absurdities will often follow from Parables Wherfore seeing this is a Parable wee ought not too subtilly to apply or rather to wrest all the words of the Parable unto the thing wherof Christ speaks but onely to consider the mind and purpose of Christ in the propounding of the Parable Secondly Christ had taught his Apostles and Answ 2 in them all of us to pardon those injuries offences and debts which our brethren have committed against us and do owe unto us verse 21.22 And then presently addes this Parable for the confirming and declaring of his purpose Now our Saviours scope herein is to shew that it is necessary that they should forgive their brethren who desire to be forgiven by their Father In this Parable I. Our Saviour propounds the example of a King who forgave a great debt unto one oâ— his servants and hereby would teach us that wee have a Master and Lord in heaven who is gentle easie to be entreated and ready to forgive sin but so that when wee are not able to pay our debts or to satisfie for our sins we beg mercy at his hands and pray unto him for pitty and pardon The King here releaseth not his servant nor remitteth his debt untill he humbleth himself before him and confesseth his present inability to pay and prayeth for mercy Thus although the Lord be naturally slow to conceive a wrath and ready to forgive yet wee cannot hope to be forgiven except we confesse our sins and humble our selvs before our God and crave mercy at his hands because upon these conditions the Lord offers mercy unto us II. Christ in this Parable propounds unto us the example of a servant who would not pardon his fellow servant and lays down the words of the King his Master unto him shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pitty on thee verse 33. And hereby our Saviour would teach us that God requires of us that we should pardon our brethren who have injured us when they aske forgivenesse of us and remit the debts of those who are not able to pay III. In this Parable our Saviour declares the words and deeds of the King unto this
is unlike in three regards viz. I. In respect of the objects or things loved For God and man who are to be loved are divers objects II. In respect of the originall For the love of our Neighbour springeth from the love of God but not contrarily III. In respect of the degree for wee are to love God more then our Neighbour Sect. 5 § 5. Thou shalt love thy neighbour Quest How can we love our neighbour at all seeing we are commanded to love God with all our heart soule and mind Answ 1 First the sincere and true love of our Neighbour is not contrary to the Love of God but according or agreeable thereunto and therefore it takes nothing away from the love of God but is rather a fulfilling thereof Answ 2 Secondly he who loves not his neighbour loves not truely his God The husband is commanded to love his wife even as CHRIST loved his Church and yet he may love his children too yea if he love not his children it is an argument that he loves not his wife a◠the mother of his children The wife is commanded to love her husband and yet she may love her children yea if shee doe not love them it is certaine that shee doth not love her husband the Father of her children Children are commanded to love their Parents and yet they may love their brothers and sisters yea if they doe not love them it is a signe that they doe not love their Parents truely And thus except we love our Neighbour we cannot love our God 1 Iohn 4.20 Sect. 6 § 6. As thy selfe Quest In what sense is our neighbour to be beloved as wee love our selves Answ In this precept Sicent As doth not denote an universall and absolute parity or equality but an analogy and resemblance which likenesse or resemblance principally consists in these things namely First as we would neither doe nor wish evill unto our selves so neither must wee unto our neighbour Secondly as we wish well and doe good unto our selves so we must also unto our neighbour Thirdly as we doe this unto our selves out of a true love unto our selves so also must we unto our brethren Fourthly as we love our selves for Gods sake so wee must love our brother for his sake also Fifthly as wee must not so love our selves that we would sinne rather then displease our selves so neither must wee so love our brethren that we would condescend unto evill rather then displease them Sixthly as we must not love our selves more then God so neither must we love our neighbour more then him Sect. 7 § 7. Vpon these two hang all the Law and the Prophets Quest 1 Wherein doth the whole Law of God consist Answ 1 First the Lord hath summed up all that he requireth in one word Love Rom. 13.10 Love is the fulfilling of the Law Answ 2 Secondly he hath enlarged this word in two In this place verse 37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe Thirdly he hath enlarged these two into ten words Deuter. 10.4 And he wrote on the Tables Answ 3 the ten words Fourthly he hath yet further enlarged them into Answ 4 Moses and the Prophets in this verse On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendent hang even as we hang a thing upon a naile Esay 22.23 so the Law and the Prophets hang upon these two precepts Fifthly Love the contents of the Law is twofold Answ 5 viz. I. Of God which consists in worship and therefore First we must worship the true God with internall worship and the love of the heart Precept 1. Secondly we must worship the true God truely Now this true worship of God is described both I. Generally that is we must worship nothing with God but worship him without all mixture of Idolatry Precept 2. And also II. Particularly where we learne that his worship is either First private for we must honour and reverence his name and not blaspheme it Precept 3. Or Secondly publike which consists in the workes of the Lords day II. Of our brother Now this love is either First externall and consists in duties which are either I. Publike and enjoyned Precept 5. Or II. Private towards our neighbour that is First towards his person Precept 6. Secondly towards his chastity Precept 7. Thirdly towards his substance Precept 8. Fourthly towards his reputation and good name Precept 9. Or Secondly internall described Precept 10. And thus we see the summe and contents of the Law Why doth our Saviour reduce all the Commandements Quest 2 to these two the love of God and of our neighbour Because as man consists of two things namely Answ a soule and a body so the body of Religion consists of these two Precepts And as we see all things with two eyes and heare all things with two eares and smell all things with two nostrils and worke with two hands and walke with two feete so in like manner in these two Precepts viz the love of God and of our neighbour we see heare and worke all things that are necessary to salvation And therefore aptly are they reduced by our Saviour unto these two Aureum opus Page 45. What is the meaning of these words On these Quest 3 two hang all the Law and Prophets The meaning is that all other legall obedience Answ which is contained in Moses and the Prophets doth spring from our love unto God our neighbour In the Prophets also is the promise or doctrine of the Gospell Object therefore CHRIST seemeth not to speake aright in this place He speaketh of the doctrine of the Law not of the Promises of the Gospell Answ as appeareth by this question of the Pharise which was the chiefe Commandement not which was the chiefe Promise And therefore CHRIST answereth him directly Vers 43.44.45 VERS 43.44.45 He saith unto them How then doth David in spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstole If David then call him Lord how is he his Sonne Sect. 1 § 1. How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord. David here Prophesying of CHRIST and ordinarily called The Prophet David may moue this Quaere How he was a Prophet and how he Prophecied Quest There were two sorts of Prophets namely Answ First some were Prophets by inspiration and office that is who continued still to be Prophets as Esay and Ieremy now these were properly called Prophets ordinarily the Jewes called them Prophetae per missionem Prophets by message Rabbi David Rimchi praefat in Psal Secondly some were Prophets onely by inspiration and these lived not as Prophets neither continued they in that calling and thus David and Daniel are called Prophets although the one was a King and the other a Courtier and these the Jewes called Prophetae per Spiritum sanctum Prophets