would vse God Admitt a manns beast like Balams asse could speake if he should say to his master as these doe to the almighty While I am yonge and strong I must follow my pleasure you must give me leave till my olde dayes and then I wil be yours to command and give my self wholy to your service What would the owner answer thinke you would he yeeld to his beast thinke well of the motion and take him home to house and make much of him when he were aged and diseased and both vnfitt and vnable to doe busines surely noe if he could not be broken and brought to worke before he should be beaten out now though he did offer himself And must God take that from vs which we will not endure from beasts the last the worst the dregs and reffuse of our dayes must they fall to his share the only vnfit time for any thing must that be his only time and all he shall have at our hands Can we hope of acceptation and entertaynement in heaven then when men refuse and the world refuse's our service Wofull men who hath bewitched you that you should not beleeue the truth Even Satan who because he would have you wholy his owne doth therefore witholde you from being Gods till you be vnable to honour him and it be impossible he should receive you it is he that doth abuse you herin he knowe's it is with men in respect of God as with beasts in respect of men in their aged dayes they are more fit for slaughter then for service so olde men who have deferred their duty are now more like to be adjudged of God for neglecting it in time past then accepted for time to come What doth not every thing weare grow worse with age all olde things are accounted litle worth olde cloathes to put on olde houses to dwell in the same we might say of all other things in their kinde no man care's for or regared's any such But this is wonderfull that men who see that the fruit of our sin in other creatures make's them vnserviceable to vs yee see not sin it selfe abiding and encreasing in vs for soe long time should make vs soe to God Time vse age doth corrupt all other things to vs but sin the only venyme and poyson of all things make's men by this reckoning most fit for God for the only time they chuse for him is when sin hath had his greatest sway all their lives before as if the corruption of our nature and life had noe power at all to enfeeble or vnfit vs for our God Is not sin our spirituall sicknes and the only desperate disease of our whole man hath it not a corroding quality to eate quite through all the parts of our bodyes all the powers of our soules to pollute infect and annoy vs in all respects and who I pray you would entertayne an aged diseased and infected man into his house as more fit for his turne now then in his former times when he was free from these contagious maladies thinke by your owne reason what hart the Lord of heaven can have to take in these late commers being in farre worse case to serve him then the most disabled man may be to attend a Prince Now then if we see reason to conceive as we cannot but doe if the Lord enlighten our eyes that our wilfull and wofull deferring of our duty till our olde dayes doth deprive vs of harts to goe vnfaynedly to God and debarre him from having a hart graciously to accept of vs then this plea is pernicious to vs and we now we know it most jmpious in vrging it as we have done But let vs come to the fourth last plea for this proroguation of piety Plea 4 4. It is pleaded that there is mercy with God at any time even at the last cast as the theife on the crosse did well finde and soe shall we we hope why should we not even at our last breath This pretence is put vpon vs daily vpon all occasions we heare of it at all times it is layd in our dish to bolster vp rebellion against God and to barre repentance vnto life Noe word of God soe much abused no worke of God more This president of the Lords extraordinary mercy is made the ordinary packhorse to carry all mens jmpiety and seing he was pleased to be soe gracious to one he shall fare the worse with many for millious of men doe builde their gracelessues vpon this grace of his But because we finde by pitifull experience that this holy worde and this holy worke of God both being right worthy to be thought vpon with all the admiration and honor of our harts is become the commō hackney wheron every hell-hounde rides poast to his owne perdition and as he goe's kicks and winces at Gods long suffring and loving kindnes I will therefore endeavour the vttermost that I am albe to see if some may yet be recalled that are gone farre and others may be stayed that are comming after and some preuented that are setting out to run this reprobate race Vndoubtedly did men deliberate at all or could any wise consideration enter into their soule 's they could not thus plead they would not produce this rare and matchlesse example of favour and grace to support their owne vngodly prophanes jmpiety Yea and to adde another evill to all the rest in the very vse and vrging of it to wit to peruert and abuse the sacred word of God and to abase and prostitute this glorious worke of his either of which whosoever doth he doeth it to his owne destruction he destroye's himself in the very deede 2. Tet. 3.16 2. Cor. 4. 3.4 if the apostle say true in one place and in another too where he tell 's vs that if the Gospell be hid and soe it is to them that can see to doe nothing with it but to abuse it it is hid to them that are lost who are hud winckt by the divell that they discerne not the true sence vse of the same but vrge it argue from it to such ends as God doth abhorre that now his word must wounde himself and nothing shall be made such an occasion of his dishonour as that which he once did to renowne himselfe and the glory of his goodnes The Evils of it and favour for ever And how doe we jmagine the Lord will take it that his owne acts should be thus mistaken as to be made weapons against his owne majesty which he ordayned to destroy our jmpiety Doubtlesse that theife that malefactor never did halfe the robbery or any villany comparable to that which these men doe who thus abuse his example to wrong the Lord and their owne soules and the soules of others soe vnspeakeably as they doe And that they may see and vnderstand as they shall if the Lord have a purpose to save them we will crave your patience and
one peice of scripture by another to overthrow Gods worde by Gods worke and soe to divide God against God as Satan against Satan to make the Lord say a thing in one place and in another to vnsay it and finally to draw from the Lord himself a dispensation and liberty of sining that soe what he requires in soe many places of his law he shoule release and cancell in one part of his Gospell Let any man whome God hath endued with any measure of sound vnderstanding judge whether this be not to make a rent in the Lords revealed wil and if soe it be it is time for vs to judg our selues for soe doing for before the Lord will endure this the soule that doth it shal be rent from him throwne among reprobates the judgment and damnation of these disgracers of God and depravers of his holy word sleepeth not and there is noe way to shun or escape it but by a through judging of your selves in respect of this impiety which if they doe not whose mouthes have spoken it and whose myndes have thought it vengeance shall surely overtake them even that vengeance which is due to such as doe this insufferable indignity to God and his word This is the 2. step they tread who follow this way we see it sink's deeper then the former toward that dreadfull confusion which cannot be avoyed if this fearfull evill be not abandoned Let vs yet see further to the third 3. the producing and aleadging of this president of the theife thus that we may play the theiues with God and rob him of his first fruits doth breede and ingender many foule falshoods and vile blasphemyes in our harts He that proposeth this president for his apologie against the manifest light of truth we have proved maketh this scripture the patrone of such atheisticall principles as are to be abhorred in the thought of every man and not to be once vttered of any Let vs see some few of those many monstrous vntruths which we might mention Evill 3 1. it doth posesse vs with a perswasion that by authority of scripture we may rejourne the obedience that long since we owed vnto the Lord. Wheras the holy ghost is clearely opposite herevnto God calleth for nothing more as we have heard then the first and condemneth nothing more then putting off what he command's His servants such as he hath effectually called have made all the haste and expedition that was possible So saith David I will run the way of thy commandements and againe I made haste and delayed not to keepe thy righteous judgments So saith Cornelius to Peter Then I sent for thee jmmediately and Paul saith the same of himself jmmediately I consulted not with flesh and blood c. The evidence of God Psal 119.32.60 Act. 10.33 Gal. 1.16 to hasten our duty is vndeniable the sin of not doing soe is in excusable yet by these mens argumēts the same God that is soe eager for expedition doth warrāt our delay And can any thing be more false thē that God should abet these two contraries Evill 4 2. it doth patronage not only delay but presumptuous delay such as men are guilty of by presuming against all good ground they shall finde the same measure of mercy that this theife did Now to presume of pardon for a sin of presumption is to presume of more favour then the theife found for for ought we know his sin was not of presumption but either of meere ignorance if he were a Romane as some suppose him his fellow to bee or of grosse ignorance if he were a Iew. Sure it is he knew not Christ for he reviled him at the first as well as the other And must you by his example presume of delay in Gods dutyes which he never meant and of mercy for presumptuous delay which this theife never found shall God become the prop of our presumtion when it is a sin that his soule hate's and he is soe farre from having any mercy in store for it that he hath not greater store of justice heaped vp scarce against any vngodlynes they that befaulty are sayd to store or treasure vp wrath against the day of wrath that is Ro. 2.5 every day to augment enlarge and adde vnto their owne damnation This jmpiety is next neighbour to that which is vnpardonable if once a man be soe jmpudent that he dares offend presumptuously he had neede bethinke himself where he is and what he doe's the next leape may be into the bottomlesse pit especially if he shall adde this vnto all that he will father such offences vpon the Lords allowance soe turne his extraordinary mercy into extraordinary jmpiety Note David had another spirit when he prayed against presumptuous sin that he might be free from the great transgression did not the spirit of the divell posesse these wofull men Psa 19.13 they would surely doe the same But Satan ha's enough even all that he would have to make them build their presumption vpon God because he knowe's that by soe doing he shall provoke God against them to abhorre them for ever But let vs looke yet a litle further Evill 5 3. The vrging of this example thus doth loose vs bynde God we are enlarged for all our life till the last his hands are tyed that with double bands Is not this vndeniably true and a cleare consequent of this allegation doe we not presse it to put off that wherevnto we are bound not to give the Lord first of our lives but to be free to come when we will though at the last day or houre or instant doe we not take it for graunted that till we doe come we must have health peace foode and all other favours from God and that we must be accepted also So we are free God is bound we are free from duty during our pleasure and a great deale of kindnes we must have for many yeares and doe him no service but he is bound to mayntaine vs till we come and entertayne vs when we come And is it not fearfull and hydeous jmpiety for vs to seeke to enslave the Lord to our sinfull lives and to set our selves at liberty in them against him But perhaps you will say God hath bound himself saying At what time soever a sinner shall repent him and that Christ hath done the same saying he that commeth to me I cast not away Well if touching the former we graunt the truth of those words though they are not litterally expressed in any text that the Lord will refuse none but is tyed to take them when they come yet I hope it is with condition of their comming as they ought to come that is with warrant from him at his call with abilitye of grace from him to repent without both these it is an jmpossibility to come and if we come not thus as we are bounde to doe God is free to refuse vs. Note
and infaillible truth And soe having now by the way cleared this scruple we should proceede vnto our discovery of Abels sacrifice as we have it here layd downe in the words of the text which make report vnto vs what kinde of sacrifice it was and wherof it consisted But we must first take away another doubt which may be made by some how Abell could know the minde of God for these matters and soe readily offer a sacrifice of this kinde and doe it soe suitably to Gods prescription considering that as yet the law of the offering of first fruits nor any other part of the morall or ceremoniall was not given We answer it was giuen but not written as we have it now it was given in those dayes by divine tradition originaly from God to man and successively from man to man Then did the father informe the childe acquaint him with the dutyes that pertayned to piety and the children they received it from their parents obeyed it as from God And this course and manner of revealing the will of God by this kinde of traditioÌ„ endured all the dayes of the holy Patriarches and such as lived after them till Moses and also during all the dayes of Moses till that part of his life wherin the Lord employd him about the penning of this booke and that is diversly conjectured of some suppose it to be written before he went into Egypt within the compasse of these fourty yeares wherin he kept sheepe in Madian others imagine he did it immediately after his departing out of Egypt even in the first yeare therof Howbeit this as the former is no point of such importance as that we must of necessity have an exact knowledge of the same But that Gods law was delivered by this kinde of tradition till the time we speake off we nothing doubt and therefore the more foule is that slander layd vpoÌ„ vs by the papist that we acknowledg not nor endure any traditions judeede those that are popish and vnwritten we cannot abide but doe abhorre them all because none of them can be defended but by blasphemy and some of them in particular are apparantly blasphemous But that there were traditions â—â—ce to wit such as the Lord by himself or by his Angells made knowne to man man beleeved related to his posterity we doe no more deny then we doe that Moses penned this part of holy scripture which till his time was a tradition and vnwritten but can be none from that time forward And if the Lord have ceased his owne hath any man power to erect more that are none of his especially now that his holy will is sufficiently revealed in the writings of the Law and Prophets the Gospell That there were some traditions we freely confesse that any are of God now we dirictly deny those that are being not of God we detest because they are the fruit of the Popes braine who hath a very crazy head in heavenly things though he be applauded to be the head of the church and able to distill spirituall influence into it But to returne to Abel it is probable that he received the light and knowledge he had to offer sacrifice from his father who from God did instruct him how and what to doe in such duties as were to be required of him And vpon this did he embrace and obey the Lord in his ordinances which course of his and his forwardnes thus to doe in those times wherin no scripture was penned nor every man that spake of the things of God traditionally so infalliblely inspired as were all they by whome the Lord hath left his truth written to vs shall rise vp against vs to condemne our vntowardnes who refuse to be taught of God and to be obedient to him though he hath left vs a more happy way to learne then they had who had but a part of his good pleasure manifested and that not written wheras we have the whole and written vpon such records as can never be razed The saints of those times were most willing to take knowledge of the wayes of God and yeeld their obedience to them by that meanes which in comparison of ours are but meane and were but weake yet enough to bring them to God who lived by faith in the truth thus revealed The sinners of our dayes to whome the Lord hath dispenced a more absolute and most sufficient course of comming neere to him are farre from the Lord and will not give him neither such nor soe much duty as these did whose knowledg and practise is not soe much magnifyed as ours shal be manifested plagued of the Lord who looke's they should be the best schollers who have the best teaching Note Miserable will it be with those men to whome the Lord shall say these knew litle of my minde in respect of you yet have done much I made it all knowne to you yet have you done litle or nothing Let not this consideration be in vaine but thinke we how cheerefully Abel learned how conscionably he performed the worship of his God having but litle helpe to further him that we by due ponderation herof may be both ashamed for our faylings past and enforce our selves as it were by a holy violence for time to come to be more faithfull and industrious both to know and to doe what on our part we owe vnto the Lord what vnsepakeable shame is it that we should lye behinde them that have gone before vs in those dutyes wherin many of them had but few to follow nor any scripture to learne them but we have both Gods whole booke to giude vs and all his blessed saints are gone before vs yet are we exceeding short of those holy ones who lived graciously in that age which may truly be called the infancy both of the world and of the church But I will not dwell here we see the holy Ghoste beare's record of Abels offering let vs now come to the words of the text which tell vs what manner of sacrifice it was And Abel he also brought of the firstlings or first borne of his flock Exod. 22.29.30 cap. 34.19 26. Levit. 23.10.12 Num. 15.20.21 Deut. 12.17 cap. 18.4 cap. 26.1.2.11 and of the fate of them Of the first-lings or first borne that is the first encrease of cattell that the Lord gave him The Lord made a most exact law for the offeriÌ„g of the first borne both of man and beast and of all fruits vnto him and this law of his we finde to be very frequently repeated in divers places of the foure bookes of Moses Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomie And as it was often itterated by God to Jsraell soe was it faithfully obeyed by Israell before the Lord both before the captivity in Hezekiah dayes 2. Chron. 31.1.51 Neh. 10.3.32.35 and after in the dayes of Nehemiah as appeareth in the storie of their lives nay from the begining before this law
him in this his service and duty Did he not most graciously regard him and his offering hath he not put it here into his owne booke to his perpetuall prayse Heb. 11.4 1. Joh. 3. and not only here but else-where in the new testament once and againe that from the beginning to the end of the world he might be famous wheresoever either this text or those should be preached that which he hath done should not be forgotten Did he not most deeply avenge his innocent blood vpon his jmpious brother and made him the first and most fearfull spectacle of his justice and malediction to the terror of all succeding generations And which is more then all this hath not the Lord crowned him with glory and immortality in the heavens with himself as well as renouned him for holynes and piety here on earth He is the first whose soule every saw the face of God noe man ever went from earth to heaven before him among the innumerable spirits of just and perfect men who now and for ever live there with the Lord in glory He was the first martyr had the first crowne none every dyed for the Lord before him none could liue with the Lord before him he was the Lords first witnes among all the Lords worthyes this righteous Abel as Christ call's him stood in the fore-frunt of the battell shed the first blood for the faith testimony of Iesus before there was any to back or abett him And as the Lord tooke great notice of this first soe also hath he done in like manner of the rest who have began betime to be acquainted with him in his service How came Samuell to be soe rare a man and to be numbred among the most speciall favourites of God Moses Iob Daniell Noah c Why doe you not remember what we have sayd of his mother how she gave him to God in resolution before she had him and was as good as her word assoone as he was weaned doe you not remember what is sayd of himself the childe Samuell ministred before the Lord the childe Samuell this was worthy to be acounted wonderfull that a childe should minister before the Lord especially being so yong that as yet he knew not the voyce or call of God from Elyes but ranne to Ely once and againe when the Lord called vpon him about the first busines he had to doe for him What may be the cause that Iosiah is soe mightily cōmended that as if he were matchlesse it is sayd of him that there was none like before him nor any to succeede that should be such a one as this peerelesse prince was true it is that never any king either of Jsraell or Iudah no not among the good kings before or after him went soe farre in the worke of Godfor the purgatiō purifying of his worship as he did this king did surmount them all but how is it that he came to doe what none had done more then they all why he begun to worke the worke of God betime that may be a mayne reason why he did so much at eight yeare olde saith the scripture he sought the Lorde 2. King 23.1 and that is but in childe-hood all men know What should I tell you of Solomon of Timothie and such others as I might mention to this purpose nothing is more sure then this that they have beene the rarest and most excellent men in piety and religion and the most able instruments of Gods honour who in the beginning of their dayes have begun to doe good they must needes be neerest heaven who set out on their way soonest continue going on thither-warde Only it is seldome that we see any enter vpon religion soe early now a dayes they are very few that begin to be soe soone faith full Note The more are they to be admired of godly men and the more to be comforted of God who are founde sucklings in grace assoone as they are weanelings in nature and hang vpon Gods breasts when they have given over they mothers So that by all that hath beene sayd it appeareth to be a happy thing and they to be most happy men who have learned this lesson of the Lord and walked according to the light therof which leade's on directly in the way of life wherin howsoever a man may possibly meete with some molestation and misery yet the end of it will vndoubtedly be endles infinite glory with him who wil make those most glorious beyond all time who betooke themselves to glorify him betime Much might be spoken to enlarge their consolation who have harts to doe according to this instruction But of this more hereafter we now passe to our 2. Vse Vse 2 And that concerneth all vngodly persons who howsoever they will because they must and cannot for starke shame say otherwise after a sort acknowledg this our doctrine to be true yet walke most wickedly in a course farre wyde of it nay cleane contrary to it their mouthes cannot be soe monstruously finfull but they must confesse it to be a truth howbeit their hellish harts and lives doe deny it in their most jmpious practise all the dayes of their life yea they have taught their tongues to lye herin notoriously and that not to men alone but to the Lord of whome and of whose service they vse to say it is not yet time it may be time enough heareafter O yee impious children of the father of lyes can you say it is true that every one shoulde begin betime and it were not amisse if it were soe and yet tell God and men to their faces that any time is time enought hereby you shew your selves to be the very jmps of the devill who hath taught you such a language as one part of your speech confutes nay confound's another and such a practise as overturnes Gods truth which you dare not deny and confirmes that falshood which none ought to affirme Miserable soules how are yee given over of God into the hands nay into the bands of Satan who if you speake or breath out but one true word can make your life both to bely and abolish that and to ratify every jot and tittle of those infernall falshoodes that he suggests into your soules Doe yee not sin presumptuously and against the light of your owne knowledg and conscience that can thus speake and dare thus doe and is such a sin a light matter or easy to answer to the judge of the whole worlde know you will not finde it soe in the day of the great and vniversall assize when all flesh shall at once stand before him to give account and receive recompence according to what they have done Notwithstanding the world hath beene ever full hell wil be one day full of soe many of them as repent not of such as either turne God out of all time or bring him in the tayle of all the time they live
two things to be true 1. that God may be served too long 2. that the Divell may be served too litle Both which doe as naturally flow from their foule and jmpure mouthes as water from a fountayne for wherto els can their sayings tende seing as we sayd before either God or the Divell must be served of vs at all times and vntill we have sacrificed our selves to the Lord the Divell hath all our dayes And may we thinke that heaven can or will heare and beare the hydeous blasphemy of both these or either of them what may we serve the Lord too soone and too soone give over the service of Satan is the divell become the better master and God the worse that our last time may serve his turne and all the rest litle enough for the other who hath heard such things among the heathens or such speeches as doe as directly and plainely inferre and conclude them as if they did speake them How vnreasonable how irreligious are both nay how excecrable is either of the two by it self the one applaude's the Divell aboue God the other abases the Lord below the divell will either can both be sufered were not the patience of the almighty infinite these sinners would sink into hell yea into the nethermost hell but let them know forbearance is no acquittance he that doth endure this soe long will in the end avenge it with the heaviest justice and wrath that is revealed from heaven or reserved in hell as against all other soe especially against this mighty vngodlines of men then which what can be more monstrous or provoking to draw swift damnation vpon their soules that thus speake for what can be spoken to the greatest disgrace of him that is most glorious if this be not and can we once surmize that the Lord will suffer such indignity and disparagemet at our hands not power out his indignation vpon vs Especially if withall we well consider our owne jujury we doe our selves besides this jmpiety against the Lord because the lesse service we doe the Lord and the more we doe the divell the more wofull is it for vs in both respects for that litle we would give God is rejected and all that we doe for Satan is plagued and so by both we are wrapt vnder the eternall wrath of his dreadfull majesty Thus and no better then we have sayd but much worse then we can say is the sequell of this first pernicious apologie which men make against God and their owne soules in the procrastination of the power and practise of this truth Now if a man should summe vp all these together would not the totall be terrible thinke you to the soule that is guilty in the Items to assure our selves of more time of life to presume that some of that shal be time of grace to take vpon vs to dispose of that time what we will doe therin to jmagine God may have too much and the divell too litle of our service Is any one of these answerable before God much lesse are they all excusable noe noe every of them is high treason against his honour who order's all time his favour who gives all time of grace his excellency and worthines who deserues the duty of all our dayes These words must be eaten and recalled and that with more then ordinary humiliation greife and detestation or nothing can remayne but his just vengeance vpon the transgressors it is most true of this plea 1. King 1.23 which Solomō spake of Adoniahs desire that he had spoken this word against his owne life and was thervpon instantly slayne and soe might they be who have spoken these words against their owne eternall life and if the Lord should now seize vpō them to everlasting death how righteous were it vpon these vngodly wretches against whome the Apostle Iude saith the Lord will come in great glory and dreadfull power even among other things for their hard and cursed speakings of which number who can jmagine that these are not what neede such hast there is time enough heareafter for these matters wofull man that vtterest these words is there soe litle neede that God should have his glory that thou shouldst by giving it be truly happy if thy whole time were given to God were it enough nay can any time be enough for his duty suppose one man might live from one end of the world to the other from the first day to the last of all time to see both the creation and consummation of all things yea and admit that man could live without sin too and not miscarry one moment but be evermore doing that which might honour God could this man say he had given God enough I trow not for what time can be in equity enough for him whose least glory to his saints shal be infinite and eternall beyond all time and yet these accursed mouthes dare stint the Lord to the last and least and worst time of their life and thinke it enough to The Lord deliver vs saith the apostle from vnreasonable and wicked men which if these be not who are or can be Oh then let vs revoke recant and cancell presently what we have spoken wickedly byte that tongue that vttered them smite that hart that thought them accurse and excecrate that divell that suggested them least our not revoking of them rende vs from God send vs to Satan the author of them Let vs lay our hands vpou our mouthes and resolve never to open them againe to such jmpious purpose wherin the Lord of heaven is damnifyed the soules of men are damned the divell only is advantaged God is dishonoured we are vndone the divell goe's away with all the gaynes from both which he could never doe if he could not thus line the lips and tip the tongues of some prophane persons to become his trumpets to gather men to damnation by such delusions This is the first infernal plea that is devised and vrged to deceive the Lord of his first fruits of our time but have they done when they have sayd thus noe they have yet a second pretence and a third too to come Let vs exanime the former Preten ∣ ce 2 2. They plead that in age this worke may be done well enough and time enough then men are stayed and know what they doe is it not fit for young giddy heads to meddle with such matters Then there wil be more leasure when those dayes come wherin men have given over the proffits pleasures and vanityes of the world and have nothing to doe but to goe to church and serve God This they pretend The Evills of it Well but though in the former there was much in this latter there is much more presumption we will try it then we shall see it in the particulers which are the apparant consequents of this pretence which vpon due search we shall finde not to be soe seemingly plausible as they are
attention to open in particuler the heavy and hydeous evills that are committed when this instance of Gods grace is soe aledged Evill 1 1. This is to make that common and ordinary which God hath made peculiar and extraordinary Is it not thus observe and you shall see what the Lord did at one time only and never before nor since that we read off to one man only not to any other but he for a second example of such favour is not to be found in all the revealed will of God and vpon a cause and consideration which shall never be seene againe Christ being but once offred for vs. This doth every man vrge as his owne at all times and in all cases without all consideration of these perticulers before mentioned Is not this to eclipse nay to cancell the glory of the living God and to cast this most precious pearle before all swyne and trample this most holy thing vnder the feete of every prophane person that the greatest riches of his grace should be reached out to the veryest wretches in the world who build nothing but contempt vpon this loving kindnes of the Lord If it be such a wofull thing to darken the counsell of God by words without knowledge as it is sayd in Iob must it not needes be a thing more damnable to darken the kindnes of God with words against knowledge as these cannot but be to every one of those that thus abuse them Note Againe what an absurd senselesse sinfull collection were this or the like Once Balaams asse did speake therefore every asse should expect to doe the same Once the sea went back and the water stood vpright as a wall on either hand to Israell therefore every man might looke for the like passage I thinke they that presumed vpon it and followed after them found it not soe Once God sent manna and Quayles from heaven and water out of a rock why should any man care to get meate or drinke he may hope to have the same meanes to feede him Once Naaman washed in Iorden and was cleane Once men were throwne into a fiery oven and not burnt Once a bush did burne and not consume Once Christ smote all his enemyes downe with a word or two Why doe's not all the world depeÌ„d vpon these perticulers and resolve to be releived in the same miseryes by the same meanes It were a thing soone done to deliver a multitude more of the like instances wherin and from every of which we might argue as warrantably as from this of the theife But the world is wise enough not to be soe befooled in these things that belong to the body they can see and say these were all extraordinary miraculous not to be looked for againe And are ye not blinded by the prince of darknes yee sinfull soules that yee should not more clearely see the same in this that concern's soule and body too and the eternall state of both Is there absurdity in those sence in this doe those instances seeme extraordinary and may this seeme soe common cannot you hope to have the benefit of those being miraculous and must this be for all men which is matchlesse Vndoubtedly either you must looke on them all alike with a single eye and discerne them to be equally impossible or acknowledge that eye to be sinfull which can see odd's in things of the same kinde and nature especially such odd's as shall give God the honour of his favour and power in the one and rob him of both in the other But the spectacles wherwith they thus see are Satans he make's them and putts them on and teache's them to looke thus asquint on the things of God If for foode for physike for passage over sea for victory over enemyes or any such things we should thus reason the world would â—â—sse at vs as most witles fooles nay our owne bellyes our bodyes our dangers would teach vs to doe better he must famish that gapes for quailes out of the cloudes and he must perish that looke's for Naamans cure he have his throat cut that waites to have all his enemyes layd flat with a word men will say there is no proportioÌ„ of reason in these things the same doth the Lord and the truth of his religion say in this instance if thou hadst an eare opened a minde sanctifyed to heare and see it as litle reason would appeare in this one as in all the other thou wouldst as plainely see the jnevitable perdition of thy self in soule and body here as in any of those things named there Doe but consider well whither this doe not spoyle vtterly make voyd the verry marrow and pith the sap and juyce of Gods sacred word I meane the true application of the same wherin consisteth the life and vertue of all that God reveale's and he that shall dare either to abridge or to enlarge this that it either fall short of Gods boundes or doe exceede them shall finde heavy yet just measure at Gods hands The everlasting rule Act. 10.15 and expresse canon of the scripture is this That which God hath sanctifyed doe not then make common this is Gods mynde that things be not made otherwise then he meant them that every thing be let alone as he left it and not once meddled withall to any other ende Who is he that shall now against the clearest light of knowledg and conscience violate this absolute law of the eternall God But doth not every soule doe soe that vrge's this word of God and suffers Satan to be his interpreter vpon it receiving his glosse and embracing the divells commentary vpon Gods text He it is that make's this pearle even this peerelesse and pricelesse pearle as ordinary as any pibble stone that lyes in the high way I call it a pearle and I acount it no lesse then peerelesse because it cannot be paraleled in any place but was a president of wonderfull peculiarity in all respects as namely to the party by whome to the partys before whome to the party to whome it was done For the first to wit the party by whome it was peculiar to Iesus Christ who was God so could give grace and forgive sin and convert a man in one moment fully and extraordinarily I thinke it would trouble the whole world to finde an jufallible instance that ever ordinary minister or any meere man hath done as much For the second it was peculiar to the partyes before whome that the adversaryes and excecutioners of the Lord Iesus might see the power of his diety shyning at this time through all the reproach and misery of his humanity and soe be convinced as some of them were that he was the true messiah and son of God able to goe himself at that time to heaven and carry aneiher with him by the vertue that was in him For the third it was peculiar to the party to whome it was done
was given in writing Abel you see is carefull to bring his first and I nothing doubt but Adam his father did it before him as we noted before But here it way be enquired wherefore these things were offred in those times and among all the Jewes to the time of Christ and are not soe now among vs were they proper to their worship We answer they were soe as the Iewish people were a people peculiar to God and he taught them his minde after such a manner as never any nation but they had it to wit by shaddowes types and ceremonies such as were to endure for a season and to dye when once Iesus Christ the Lord of life did appeare and had fulfilled this law of Iewish rites which perished and became frustrate in Gods purpose assoone as his consummatum est was out of his mouth But if these Mosacaill rites were shaddowes what was the substance what was the truth and signification of these types and ceremonyes and of these first fruites and first borne in particuler We answer Heb. 10.1 all men must know that the whole ceremoniall law was a type or shaddow the apoctle tells vs soe in the generall every ceremonie therein did some way respect Christ who is the end of this law hath abolished the same one way or other Christ was aymed at in each offering Now for the matter meant and signifyed by these first fruits and first borne they also had their reference to the Lord Iesus who is entituled 1. Cor. 15 1â— both the first fruits of them that sleepe and the first borne of every creature Yet not to him only though principally had they their totall relation as if nothing else at all were to be shaddowed by these things but as to him to wit to Christ they were strictly and properly assigned soe in a larger sence and vse the perpetuall morality of this law was that our choysest and cheife our first and best the prime and principall not of our fruits or of our beast but of our lives of our selves should be given to the service of our God That assoone as he pleaseth to enlarge and encrease the abilityes of our bodyes and facultyes of our soules that we can once discerne betweene good and evill and are able to put a difference betweene these in our opinion and practise we should incontinently and forth-with betake our selves to worship and obey the Lord and from that time proceede in the same during all our dayes But it is further noted here in the text that Abells sacrifice was Of the fatt of his flock Fatt in scriptures hath divers references and accordingly divers sences as the nature of things to which it is referred doth require It retayneth his naturall signification when it is referred to naturall things we read of Fatnesse attributed to the earth to oyle Gen. 27.28 cap. 45.18 to wine the best of which God doth call the fattest and the fattest of any thing is the best as the fattest land the best land and soe of the rest And soe we account the fattest beast the best especially being young too as these first-borne were But when fattnes is affirmed of things spirituall or things naturall considered spiritually it carieth contrary sences and signifies both the best and the worst For we finde David where he would shew a most sinfull hart to say it is a hart as fat as brawne and the Prophet Isaiah Psal 119.20 Is 6. Mat. 23.14.15 Psal 36.2 Psal 92. â—0 and Christ after him when they speake of a hart given over of God say thus make the hart of this people fatt On the other side the most abundant and best blessings pertayning to the solacing of the saints are called the fatnes of thy house and those godly and well-growne christians who have eaten and fed freely of those divine delicates and by the benefit of them are come to some good measure of ability in good things are sayd to be fatt and flourishing But with this mysticall sence or vse of the word we meddle not in our text it is taken most properly for fat beasts the fat of his flock that is the best there So that the summe of all that is sayd here of Abells offring is this that he being made partaker of true grace and guided by God to shew it in the fruits therof doth by faith offer vnto God such a sacrifice as was now required namely the first among all the first the very best of the flock he did attend I say now required for after-ward God commanded and expected more but as yet there was no temple or tabernacle no high preist nor any Levite no fire from heaven at least that burnt continually nor many other things which came in in succeeding times some when the Arke and tabernacle was erected more when the Temple was builded and all other things set in order according to Gods prescription touching each particuler Note Howbeit Abel in the meane time doth his best and offers to his vtmost power what his present state and the present time may permit shewing therby that true grace will doe what it can though it cannot doe all it would or should in the seruice of God others may doe more in times places which afforde more meanes but sincerity will shew it self in the most that may be done for the time being though we enjoy but litle meanes or few helpes to further vs yet a sounde hart will make some honest shift to doe something that may be pleasing to God This is worth noteing by the way because it meete's fitly with their fearefull jmpiety who let all religion and piety alone because they cannot doe all like to miserable and desperate bankrupts who because they are not able to give every man all will pay nothing at all to any maÌ„ which deceit who could endure Nay learne to doe better of good Abell and all Gods saints who lived in the first times doe something the most and best thou canst and the Lord will accept thee according to the willing minde thou hast to goe as farre as weake meanes will further thee Note A man doth not more manifest weake grace in not doing Gods worke compleatly then he doth evideÌ„ce true grace in doing what he is able to doe conscionably The Lord regarde's men according to his meanes and their mindes in his service They that offred vprightly before the preisthood was ordered were as acceptable to God and some of them had as much and all of them had as true grace as any that sacrificed after Note A wise christian may employ much grace vpon litle meanes and I thinke the least meanes that ever the Lord doth give may exercise the most grace the best of vs have if we play the good husbands set it well a work But this is by the way let vs now make toward the mayne thing Heb. 11.4 we meane to handle in this offring of Abel