THE APPLICATION OF SCRIPTVRE OR The maner how to vse the Word to most edifying By THOMAS GRANGER preacher of the word at Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincolnshire GOD IS MY HELPER LONDON Printed by T. S. for Thomas Pauier and are to be sold at his shop in Yuie lane 1616. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull and vertuous Lady the Lady IOAN LEVENTHORP temporall and eternall happinesse MADAME THe sincere conceit of your worthines consisting partly in those heauenly endowments wherewith the Lord hath beautified and adorned you as solid wisdome pietie humilitie sinceritie in all things herein shewing your selfe the expresse image of that worthy and iudicious man Sir Iohn Brograue your Father and chiefely in your Christian loue towards all that loue God and liue a godly life euen these sole considerations haue moued mee to dedicate this small and worthlesse worke to your Ladiship which if it shall please you to accept as the Widowes mite into the treasury of your other Bookes esteeming it rather by the minde of the giuer then valuing it by the weight of it selfe you shall fully satisfie my desire The Lord continue still his wonted goodnesse and louing kindnesse towards you who as he hath made you a ioyfull Mother of many faire children and carefull of their vertuous education so it would please his heauenly Maiesty to fulfill your ioy in your latter daies by beholding their vertuous courses and desired establishment here in the earth that in the end both you and they may reioyce together for euer in the promised Canaan when your Arabian pilgrimage is here finished Amen From Botterwike in Holland neere Boston in Lincoln Your Ladiships in all dutie THOMAS GRANGER THE APPLICATION OF SCRIPTVRE 2. SAM 12. 7. Then said Nathan to Dauid Thou art the man KIng Dauid had prouoked the Lord to wrath by committing two grieuous sinnes Adultery and Murther which commonly followeth the same by one meanes or other Therefore he sent the Prophet Nathan to reproue him and to denounce these iudgements against him First that the sword should neuer depart from his house Secondly that his owne sonne should take his wiues from him Thirdly that the childe begotten in adultery should die Wherein we obserue first the iustice of God in that he will punish sinne and the sinnes of them especially vpon whom he hath more plentifully poured his benefits And againe the mercy of God in that he will not suffer his children to lie in sinne and so to perish by sinne but awaketh their consciences and stirres them vp to repentance by correcting them least they should perish with the world Out of his iustice therefore mixt with mercie he sent the Prophet and the Prophet comming propounded his sinne by way of a parable that not being blinded with partialitie and selfe-loue as all men are he might giue righteous iudgement against himselfe in the person of another There were saith he two men in one citie the one rich and the other poore the rich man had exceeding many sheepe and oxen but the poore had none at all saue one little sheepe which hee had bought and nourished vp and it grew vp with him and with his children also and did eate of his owne morsels and dranke of his owne cuppe and slept in his bosome and was vnto him as his daughter Now there came a stranger vnto the rich man who refused to take of his owne sheepe and of his owne oxen to dresse for the stranger that was come vnto him but tooke the poore mans sheepe and dressed it for the man that was come vnto him Hereupon Dauid maketh answer vers 5. He was exceeding wroth and said that the man which did that thing was the childe of death and that hee should restore the Lambe fouresold In the vers 7. Nathan maketh particular application Thou art the man From this practise of the Prophet we learne that the true Prophets and Ministers of Christ must make particular application of the word of the Lord whether of commandement exhortation admonition reproofe c. to those to whom they are sent whether it be to a kingdome to a particular people or to priuate men and though worldly men being stiffe-necked and hard hearted will not yeeld themselues vnder the yoake of obedience and are therefore alway ready to make resistance yet must wee know who hath sent vs both with promise of protection and reward for the faithfull discharge of our duties and also with denuntiation of vengeance for our disobedience and rebellion Ier. 17. 19. Speake all that I command thee Ier. 17. 19. be not affraide of their faces least I destroy thee before them they shall fight against thee but shall not preuaile against thee for I am with thee to deliuer thee And in another place Sonne of man though they be rebellious yet be not thou rebellious Besides this we haue many examples to encourage vs hereunto 1 King 22. 13. 14. Foure hundred Prophets 1 King 22. 13. 14. had prophesied victory to Ahas at Ramtoth Gilead and at Iehosaphats request Micah the Prophet of the Lord was sent for the messenger aduised him wisely and discreetely as he supposed to doe the like but he answered As the Lord liueth whatsoeuer the Lord hath said vnto me that will I speake 1. King 18. 17. 18. 1. King 18. 17. 18. Thus faithfully also dealt Elias with him It is not I that haue troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that ye haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim In the obiection of Ahab vers 17. obserue the nature of blinde and obstinate sinners they make the true Prophets and Ministers the causes of their calamities and plagues whereas the cause is in themselues that refusing instruction and reformation contemne and persecute the seruants of God sent vnto them and despise the word of the Lord sent by them To this purpose note well that ignorant and rebellious speech of the high priests and Pharisees Ioh. 11. 48. If we let him thus alone all Ioh. 11. 48. men will beleeue in him and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and the Nation Here you see that they would make the Gospell to be the cause of their vtter ouerthrow and the ouerthrow of the Gospell to be the onely meanes of their safetie But these faithlesse and godlesse polititians were deceiued for that which they feared came vpon them through the wrong auoiding thereof In the Primitiue Church what euill soeuer happened to the citie or prouinces of Rome whether famine pestilence earthquakes warres vnseasonable weather c. the Christians were thought to be the causes thereof whereupon arose great persecution against them yea in these present daies many ignorant and blinde people doe yet thinke that preaching makes the world so bad as it is whereas indeede it is the want of preaching want of faith and obedience in them to the same that maketh the word so
them Answ Satan indeede by his messengers dare not admonish dehort or reprehend great ones because it would hinder the building vp of his kingdome and turne soules away from him therefore doth he by his messengers sooth and flatter them as he did Ahab Iezabell Ieroboam and such like false Prophets there hath euer beene and euer will be which at the very instant of visitation and destruction shall crie Peace Peace there shall be prosperitie health libertie and plentie all shall be well But contrarily the King of Kings and Lord of Lords dare admonish dehort and reproue all men liuing in the world by his messengers It is not they but the Lord by his owne word that admonisheth and reproueth and who dare be bold to resist the word of the Lord in whose presence the greatest potentate of the earth is but dust and ashes The wrath of the King saith Salomon is as the roaring of a Lion much more the wrath of the Lord who tormenteth not onely the body but casteth body and soule into hell fire Againe where it is obiected that they haue vnderstanding knowledge and learning heare what Ier. 5. 4. 5. Ieremie saith Ier. 5. 4. 5. Surely they are poore they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God 5. I will geâ— mee to the great men and will speake to them for they haue knowne the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these haue altogether broken the yoake and burst the bonds a sunder Riches and honours are strong temptors and Sathan is there most busie therefore saith Salomon let mee not be too rich least I forget thee If Sathan be most busie there then the word of the Lord had neede to be most plentifull there for Sathan neither can nor will haue any nay resistance or reproofe but by the word of the Lord it is that onely that bindeth Sathan else bee will beare rule wheresoeuer hee commeth Againe where riches and honours are there are or at leastwise would be soothers and flatterers Amaziahs and Doeggs Sathans instruments and inueiglers to bend and turne riches honours power and learning yea all gifts and blessings against God against his Church and the faithfull that in the fall of them Sathans kingdome may be erected and set vp in the earth who euer since the Lord threw him downe from heauen seeketh like a rebell and vsurper to thrust the Lord out of the earth to which he layeth Luk. 4. 6. claime and whereof he maketh open challenge Luk. 4. 6. All this power will I giue thee and the glory of these Kingdomes if thou wilt fall downe and worship me where he maketh himselfe Lord and disposer of the earth and all worldly things Now if riches honours and powers be followed vpon with tempting Amaziahs Doeggs Zedkijahs and such like if they see any way laid open for them how great neede is there of the word Lord and the particular application thereof in plainenesse vprightnesse truth and sinceritie to encounter the sophistrie and particular temptations of Sathan Marke this one thing Sathans word to wit his temptations and prouocations are very strong and powerfull For first he deales with men in particular Againe he prouoketh them but to that to which they are themselues inclined Thirdly his messengers and all his instruments are deceitfull workers like himselfe cunning to humour please and to flatter men thereby to blinde their eyes and to corrupt their iudgements that in doing euill they might not know what to doe Now if we contrarily shall handle the word generally and doubtfully and also mans nature being so blinded with selfe-loue as it can make no vse thereof for it owne conuersion and reformation what great aduantage giue we to Sathan we shall stand as it were like fooles talking of by-matters and pleasing our selues with our prattle whiles the old crafty foxe the olde beaten souldiour steales away Gods sheepe the soules committed to our keeping and feeding out of our hands whereas like faithfull shepheards we should giue him the encounter according to Ephes 6. 12. the onset Ephes 6 12. Doth Sathan deale with men in particular to subuert them how much more then should we deale particularly with them I meane not to particularite mens faults in publike but in loue to giue priuate instruction exhortation counsell admonition which is too little vsed now a daies yea we haue runne out so farre from that Antichristian auricular confession as that we are fallen into the contrary extremitie like them that auoyding the rocke Scylla fall into the gulfe Charibdis and as fooles that shunning one vice runne into the contrarie vice hauing no wisedome nor discretion to keepe a meane Euen so now is the whole worke of the Ministerie in many places brought to a meere formalitie of a generall and roauing sermon on the Sabbath day and what they haue heard they know not neither can make any vse thereof but for any other matter the people neither regard their Pastour nor the Pastour the People vnlesse in Tithes gathering and looking well to haue all his due which to say the truth this deuouring and Epicurish age thirsteth rather after then after the foode of their soules Sathan in these daies changing the sheepe into wolues as in former daies he changed the shepheards into wolues Hereupon commeth this generall ignorance of the worke of the Ministerie in most people hereupon commeth the contempt of the person of the Minister hereupon commeth this light regard of the word preached hereupon commeth this petulancie stubbornenesse and wildenesse as I may say of young people prophanenesse of old people of all sorts yea vpon this cause commeth this generall corruption of manners and Epicurish liuing To conclude this point if we doe consider with our selues how the men of God dealt personally with Kings Princes false-prophets and Priests as Eliah with Ahab Elisha with Iehoram Ieremie with Pashur Amos with Amaziah Micah with Zidkijah Iohn the Baptist with Herod our Sauiour Chrst with the Scribes and Pharisees Stephen with the high Priests and Elders Peter with the people of the Iewes Saint Paul with the Apostle Peter and the same Apostle with Elimas and the high Piest we haue great incouragement and confidence giuen vs to apply the Scriptures to the corruption of the times to the worlds end which is onely the true and profitable preaching such as the Lord hath commanded yea if wee shall also consider the plainenesse vprightnesse sobrietie deuotion humilitie and reuerence to Gods word of Christians in the primitiue Church comparing our selues I say with them we shall finde our selues too generally to be but slippes and counterfeits rather the Apes of good Christians then good Christians indeede being full of pride dissimu ation and craft commonly tearmed pollicie full of intemperancie mockers of true deuotion stubborne and wilfull full of subtiltie to serue our owne worldly turnes and vses of the word it selfe But
word his penitencie for his sinne and thankefulnesse to the Lord for sparing him till his sonnes daies In the 1 Sam. 3. 18. When Samuel had told to Ely the iudgements which God had threatned to bring vpon him and his house for euer for not chastning his sonnes wickednesse his answere is in penitencie and humilitie It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good and this hath beene alwaies the practise of the godly with penitent meeke humble and obedient hearts to yeeld themselues to the word of the Lord. Now on the contrary the wicked will acknowledge reuerence or regard the word of God no further then they may make vse of it for their owne carnall turnes and so farre forth as it is agreeable to them otherwise they reiect it as superfluous and vnprofitable for them When the word by the application thereof like a soueraigne salue begins to worke vpon the conscience heart affections and conuersation of life for their true and sound conuersion then begin they to shew forth the stubbornenesse rebellion and hypocrisie that lay hidde in them vnknowne to others and euen to their owne deceitfull hearts So long as the word concernes all and in particular none they acknowledge it to be the word of God but when it comes to be applied to the heart and conscience in particular then it is the word of man the Preacher speakes them of malice of some false information of his owne vncharitable disposition of indiscreete zeale or from a phantasticall spirit nothing can please them hee must walke warily hee had neede to be as wise as the Serpent and as innocent as the Doue neither for all that can hee escape mockes by-by-words or one disgrace or other Examples hereof wee haue in Ier. 43. 2. 3. Then spake Azariah Iohanan and all the proud men saying to Ieremie Thou speakest falsely the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say goe not into Aegypt to dwell there 3. But Baruch the sonne of Neriah prouoketh thee against vs c. In the former chapter they beseeched Ieremie to pray to the Lord for them that the Lord might shew vnto them the way wherein they might walke and what they should doe promising yea taking God to witnesse that they would doe whatsoeuer the Lord commanded them by him Now after ten daies the word of the Lord came to Ieremie which Ieremie faithfully declared vnto them That if they would dwell in their owne land the Lord would build them and not destroy them plant them and not roote them out that he would be with them to saue and deliuer them from the hand of Pharao but if they would goe into Aegypt for safetie and protection that then the sword famine and pestilence which they so feared should ouertake them Now they hearing the commandement of the Lord to be contrary to their plot which they had laid already and preferring their owne deuises and pollicies before the Lords will they begin to finde excuses and delayes thereby to shufle off and put away the commandement of the Lord as plainely appeareth in these two verses before alleadged Wherein obserue first that Hypocrites determine with themselues what they will doe and how and after what manner they will liue euen according to their owne iudgements and after the imaginations of their owne hearts and then in the second place they will heare what the Lord saith Now that which they thinke to be agreeable to them they praise commend and approoue as the word of GOD but when it dissenteth from them and is contrary to their owne liking when it conuinceth reproueth or toucheth them as we say then it is the word of men and not the word of the Lord And for this purpose they haue excuses arguments and reasons at will for the confirming and hardning of themselues in their owne course and trade of life Secondly obserue herein that pride of heart is the cause of rebellion and contempt of the Minister and consequently of the Lord in his person in these words And all the proud men Thirdly obserue the qualitie of secret hypocrisie when it is plainely and directly conuinced and reproued in particular it breaketh forth into open rage laying imputations on the Minister for the excuse hiding of it selfe in these words Thou speakest falsely Fourthly obserue that Hypocrites will be counted good Christians and call God their God and yet will despise their Pastours and contemne the word of the Lord spoken by them The Lord our God Fiftly note the nature of Hypocrisie they would obey God and embrace his word if they were sure that his messengers spake truth whereas indeede they are farre from all obedience hath not sent thee Sixtly note the common slaunders and imputations of common Hypocrisie But Baruch c. Another plaine example hereof there is 1 King 22. 8. Iehesaphat and Ahab being to fight against the King of Aram for Ramoth Gilead Iehosaphat prayed him to aske counsell of the Lord and so Ahab gathered together foure hundred false Prophets which agreed all in one tale For this is the resolution of euery false Prophet to please But these Prophets Iehosaphat much regarded not therefore hee asked if there were neuer a Prophet of the Lord yes saith Ahab there is yet one man Micah the sonne of Imlah but I hate him for hee neuer prophesied good vnto mee Likewise in Amos. 7. Amos hauing prophesied destruction to the wicked King Ieroboam for his Idolatrie and other sinnes that accompany the same the couetous King Amaziah accuseth him secretly to the King of conspiracie but when by that way hee preuailed not he assayed by another practise to stoppe his mouth in the 12. and 13. verses A notable example hereof also there is in Luk. 4. the Nazarens could willingly here our Sauiour Christ reade his text out of Esay and interprete the same Scripture of himselfe but when he came to reproue them for their infidilitie and preferreth strangers before them that should beleeue in him they were presently incensed with wrath and great indignation and carried him out of the citie to the top of a rocke to cast him downe headlong Furthermore it was the common practse of the rebellious Israelites alwaies to lay slanders and false imputations vpon the true Prophets and to tearme them false Prophets If they prophesied of peace and prosperitie then they generally beleeued them and if some one or few were doubtfull or distrustfull yet they would not count them false Prophets but if they conuinced them or reproued them for sinne denouncing vengeance vpon them vnlesse they repented then on the contrary generally they counted them fals-Prophets hauing them mocking them giuing them by-words imprisoning them stoning them excepting some very few If the false-Prophet spake of peace victorie and prosperitie and the same came not to passe yet they were not punished though by the law they were commanded to stone such to death but when the true Prophets spake of Gods iudgements for their sinnes they were out of hand and without any delay persecuted imprisoned murthered before the time of their triall came As I King 22. 27. Micah must be kept in prison and fed with the bread and water of affliction till Ahab returne from victorie because hee prophesied destruction but the foure hundred false-Prophets were at libertie both then and after They dealt scornefully and cruelly alwaies with the Prophets of the Lord but the lying Prophets and flattering couetous Priests wanted no preferment fauour nor countenance though their flatteries were neuer so grosse and palpable FJNJS
against Ieroboam Yea this blindnesse preuaileth much oft times with the godly as here we see in the example of Dauid of whom God testified that he was a man according to his owne hearts desire though Nathan propounded his sinne in a most plaine parable in euery particular answerable and proportionable to his sinne which he could not in so short a space forget especially hauing Bathsheba euery day in his sight which might occasion him to remember his sinnes yet here wee see hee is farre from making particular application thereof to himselfe yea and is so blinded with selfe-loue as that he vtterly condemnes that in another the like whereof he approueth in himselfe Therefore seeing that you are as young children that cannot cooke diuide and cut their owne meate it is necessary that the same be prepared for you by your spirituall nurses and fathers if you desire to reape any profit thereby You see how the great world affords meate drinke and cloathes vnto you and all things serue for no other vse then the sustenance of the body and maintenance of the person and you see how all these things must passe through the hands of the Tradesman Artificer by whose labour and preparation they become meate drinke and cloth The corne in the field and the beasts of the earth the fishes in the sea the foules of the aire are no meate for you the wooll on the sheepes backes the skinnes on the beasts backes the flaxe on the stalkes are no cloathing the trees in the wood and stones in the earth are no buildings till they be prepared and wrought by the Craftsman or Tradesman euery one cannot worke and prepare them but they that are called and appointed for the same purpose And although euery man hauing the grounds of Art in him may make a shift to feede clothe and build without the Artificer yet it is but a bad and very meane shift and as good as no shift in many things This you see to be true in bodily things euen so is it in spirituall things The word of God contained in the old and new Testament is the spirituall world hauing all things necessary for the sustenance and maintenance of the soule to eternall life therein contained These things must passe through the hands of Gods artsman or tradesman who is to worke prepare diuide and impart the same to euery one according to his estate and want You cannot serue your selues thereof no more then the Eunuch could doe without Philip. Your Tradesman or Artificer whom God hath called must doe it for you of him must you learne to serue your selues as the childe learnes of the nurse and the Prentice of his Maister Hence it is that Paul saith to Timothy 2. Tim. 2. 15. Studie to shew 2 Tim. 2. 15. thy selfe approued vnto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright And in 1. Cor. 3. 10. Hee calleth himselfe a skilfull maister 1 Cor. 3. 10 builder If then in the preparation of bodily things we desire a cunning and skilfull workeman that can handle his toole according to knowledge for our bodily profit how much more then skilfull Pastours and teachers that can handle the word according to knowledge for the good of your soules to feede you to clothe you to prepare and fit you for Gods building Therefore seeing that you cannot come to the knowledge of your selues without particular application of the word how should any man come to true conuersion for if you haue not the knowledge of your selues in particular and speciall you cannot make particular confession of your owne sinnes euen your personall sinnes whereby no other men but euen you alone haue offended God you cannot bee truely humbled for your sinnes hauing no liuely touch or feeling of sinne you cannot seriously repent for so long as you shuffle in your selues with all you will not repent till all repent you cannot pray for graces necessary because you know not your wants being poore and blinde and naked and yet thinking that you are rich you cannot hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse you cannot be truely thankefull for the endlesse loue and mercy of God in your redemption because you know not what God hath done for you in not knowing your owne sinnes and miserie you cannot receiue true and sound spirituall comfort by the Gospell for want of knowledge and feeling of your particular miserable estate These things most necessary to bee done for your soules health can ye not doe vnlesse all men doe the same so long as you stand on generalities Now all men will neuer doe these things neither will you so long as you depend on this All. Nay further the want of this knowledge of your selues which by particular application of the Scripture you must come to will make you secure vnthankfull presumptuous contemners of the word and altogether irreligious wherefore euery man in particular ought to desire personall application of the word and to pray vnto God that his Pastour might speake to his heart and conscience that he in particular might receiue instruction and edification by him and that he might not goe away emptie but returne bettered in knowledge and affection It may be obiected particular application is not for all Auditors for some are so learned and so wise as when they heare the doctrine they can make application thereof to themselues Ans It is one thing what they can doe it is another thing what they will doe and it is a third thing what is our office and discharge of our duties We may not presume of other mens doings and neglect Gods commandements and the practise of the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles Againe men euen the best men will make application generall and fauourable enough to themselues hauing so many withdrawers the continuall motions and surges of originall sinne the manifold allurements and prouocations of the euill world the continuall suggestions of Sathan implacable enemies of the best and most sanctified men so that although they be good seruants and good schollers they may forget their duties without their maisters euer and anone calling on them The second point herein to be considered is the person that is to make this particular application The person is the Lords messenger not speaking from his owne spirit and affection but shewing forth the vertue and power of the Lords spirit in him as Micah said that which the Lord hath bid me to speake that will I speake And seeing that the Lord speaketh by him being a man of like nature and infirmities with his brethren he must so speake and apply the word as to his owne selfe amongst the rest being no Lord ouer Gods heritage vrging and inforcing the word vpon the conscience as he doth the same vpon his owne vrging the practise of Christian duties vpon others without shew of taking libertie to himselfe speaking from a feeling in himselfe and shewing forth
his loue of the godly and his commiseration and pittie of the hard hearted after the example of our Sauiour Christ Mark 3. 5. he looked angerly on the Mark 3. 5. Pharises that watched him to ensnare him but mourned also for the hardnesse of their hearts Of Ieremie Ier. 9. 1. Oh that my head were full of water and Ier. 9. 1. mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Of Paul Rom 9. 3. He would redeeme the reiection of Rom. 9. 2. the Iewes with his owne damnation Otherwise hee that vseth the word deceitfully seruing his owne turne therewith against his brethren poysoneth the pure word of God with the corruption and contagion of his owne humours and affections and though he particularly apply the word yet he profiteth his hearers nothing at all neither to godlinesse nor mortification of sinne but rather fostereth cherisheth and incenseth the same in his flocke Salomon saith that the heart of man answereth to man as the face doth to the face in the water the naturall and vnsanctified heart of the hearer to the naturall and vnsanctified heart of the speaker the spirituall heart of the hearer to the spirituall heart of the speaker and the spirituall heart of the hearer hath a secret perceiuance in it to discerne betweene the word comming from a sanctified heart and the same comming from a corrupt heart Hence it is that among other reasons the same word taught by diuers men hath not the same effect in the hearer for the Lord is powerfull by his word sent by his owne messengers and the same word brought by them that are not sent becommeth fruitlesse In Act. 19. 14. 15. 16. The seauen sonnes of Scheua tooke vpon them to adiure euill spirits by the name of Iesus whom Paul Preached but the spirit answered Iesus I acknowledge and Paul I know but who are ye Here you see the euill spirit obeyed not those coniurers vsing the name of Iesus against them and why because they were not sent of God as Paul was but being without faith vse his name as it were to magicall inchantments Therefore this holy name vsed by Paul being faithfull and called was of force to binde and cast out diuels but being vsed by them being vnfaithfull and not called is as a dead letter or idle word yea it hath a contrary effect euen so wicked men in whom sinne reigneth and Satan worketh despise the word preached and vtterly hate the particular application thereof by them that are not sent for because they vse the word deceitfully and politikely for their owne aduantage it is not of force to expell Sathan and to conuert the sinner but hath rather a contrary effect namely to harden them more and to destroy the weake An example hereof we haue in the false Apostles of Corinth that preached the same doctrine of the Gospell that Paul did yet had it not the same effect but stirred vp strife enuying wrath contentioÌ„s back bitings swellings discord for though they were bigge in words shewing learning and eloquence yet had they not the power of the spirit in them therfore their doctrine was but a dead letter 1 Cor. 4. 19. 20. When I am come I will 1 Cor. 4. 19. 20. know not the speech of them that are puffed vp but the power for the kingdome of God is not in word but in power Obiection The true and faithfull shepheard that speaketh in plaine euidence of the spirit is contemned and derided of the wicked many times and his particular applications are not onely vnprofitable for their conuersion but they haue power like the mâ—n possessed with the euil spirit against him to wound him and to ouerthrow him Answ To this I briefely answere that howsoeuer prophane and irreligious persons may persecute the messengers of God with derision railing or otherwise for his plaine and round dealing with them yet notwithstanding their spirits and consciences conuince them of folly and obstinacie and telleth them that God spake to them by him and that he doth faithfully discharge his dutie and therefore they cannot but haue a feare and reuerence of his word and of his person though they striue with themselues to doe the contrary yea and outwardly doe the contrary Ioh. 7. 46. As for example in Ioh. 7. 46. The officers of the high Priests and Pharisees came to apprehend our Sauiour Christ but being come into his presence and hearing his words they had no power to take him though they had a desire to take him but returned Ioh 18. 6. this answere Neuer man spake as this man doth Ioh 18. 6. When the band of men with the officers of the high Priests came to take Iesus and he comming forth said vnto them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground for these wicked wretches being conuinced of their owne consciences were not able to abide his presence yet notwithstanding Act. 24. 26. the houre of darkenesse being come they laid hold on him In Act. 24. 26. wicked Felix trembled when he heard Paul disputing of iustice temperance and the iudgement to come yet notwithstanding he left him in bonds And the Pharisees when they were in Christs presece were touched with a sence and perseuerane of his godhead therefore he charged Mat. 12. 13. 32. them with sinne against the holy Ghost Math. 12. 32. To conclude this point then the person that is to make this particular application of the word with profit is the true messenger of God in whose person behauiour words and conuersation of life the spirit of sanctification appeareth which confirmeth the godly comforteth and strengthneth the weake conuerteth the sinner bridleth the obstinate and stoppeth the mouth of the aduersarie The third point is to whom this particular application is to be made Application of the word is to be made to all men liuing from the highest to the lowest The word of God is the rule of life and euery man is to be guided and gouerned in minde will heart affections words works by the same which he canot be without particular application thereof for his owne instruction in knowledge and reformation in manners for the word of God must not be made a vaine and idle storie no more then the Kings lawes are seeing that it is the booke of spirituall life for all men that looke to be saued euen as the Kings lawes are the booke of temporall and ciuill life for his subiects Therefore seeing that the life of the word stands in practise and the practise of the word is our life euen our spirituall and Christian life the application thereof is most necessary for all men whatsoeuer for instruction exhortation admonition reprehension consolation Obiection Who dare be so bold as to reproue great men they haue vnderstanding knowledge and learning therefore they neede not that any man should instruct exhort admonish or reprooue
if we compare our selues with our selues these foule corruptions in these latter times will little appeare to vs seeing that in these daies we can so cunningly varnish ouer yea beautifie sinne with counterfeit Christianitie and heathenish ciuilitie And this is the cause why the common sort so call for the Gospell but loue not to heare the law their consciences foaming vp mite and durt which the world sees not and because the hard heart will not humble it selfe to walke with God being of vnbridled affections therefore it seekes for false comforts soothings and flatterings in the Gospell the leauen of malice not being purged out the law being a bondage to them and a heauie burthen whereas it is a law of libertie to the Godly and for the deeper blinding and hardning of themselues they lay false imputations vpon the true and plaine-dealing Shepheard as rashnesse indiscretion too much stricktnesse and precisenesse affectation of singularitie phantasticalnesse by which tearmes they shew themselues like to the bloody and earthly Edomites for so the word signified which vnder the title of circumcision and the children of Abraham claimed to themselues the chiefe religion and hated the true worshippers Psal 137. 7. Remember Psal 137 7. the children of Edom O Lord in the day of Ierusalem how they said downe with it downe with it euen to the ground The fourth point herein to be obserued is how this particular application ought to bee taken It ought to be taken as the word of the Lord and therefore in good part whether it be with vs or against Luk. 4. 22. 28 vs howsoeuer pharisaicall people that are like the Nazarens Luk. 4. 22. 28. doe heare the word applied not as the word of God as indeede it is but as the word of man contrary to the practise of 1. Thes 2. 13. the faithfull Thessalonians 1 Thes 2. 13. To this purpose the Iewes said well had they done as well to Ieremie Ier. 42 6. Ier. 42. 6. Whether it be good or euill we will obey the voice of the Lord to whom wee send thee that it may be well with vs when we obey the voice of the Lord our God For the further explication hereof there are but two sorts of people some good some bad some sheepe some goates The sheepe doe heare and follow Ioh. 10. 27. the voice of the shepheard Ioh. 10. 27. the goatish heare with the outward eare but they goe away into strange waies and vneuen by-paths Now as touching the word and the particular application thereof the wicked in some things agree with the godly in some things they differ First ciuill wicked men whose liues and conuersations are according to their owne hearts lusts can very well abide doctrines and generall discourses especially those which flow with humaine learning and eloquence for there the naturall eare findeth some matter to feede vpon Againe the wickedest man can indifferently abide two particular applications the first is of instruction for instruction presupposeth vertue and stirs vp to good life which the worst would gladly haue the name of and so for praise and reward-sake will list to it the second is of comfort and preaching of peace which none will refuse But here is the difference when we come to make vse of the doctrine to conuincement of sinne to reproofe and to correction the hard-hearted and impenitent sinner will at no hand abide it such words sound in his eares like Micahs in Ahabs neuer good Herein they differ from the godly and leaue them alone to themselues Now begin they to shew their goatishnesse to accuse their shepheards of indiscretion of malice of priuate grudge of beleeuing false reports of particularizing and naming men in the Pulpit when there is no such matter intended or thought vpon and therefore they cannot with a patient eie euer after looke vpon him But contrarily in whom there is the loue and feare of God and the hatred of sinne which haue denied themselues and worldly lusts and warring against their spirituall enemies do desire the particular application of the word that their consciences hearts and affections may be wrought vpon in particular that they in particular may be stirred vp and awaked least they fall into the deadly sleepe of sinne This particular applying strengthneth them incourageth them and keepeth the enemie a farre off it weakeneth him and daunteth him This application is as the trayning of Christian souldiers and as it were a standing by them to tell them how to ward the stroke and to giue the stroke to auoide the assault and to giue the onset We are sluggish sleepie heauie our eyes are euer downe I meane our mindes and affections are euer on the earth and earthly things we haue neede therefore not onely to be called on but oft times to be rouzed iogged pulled by the armes and to be fet on our feet for as much as that originall corruption the world and the diuell are euer giuing vs Opium to drinke that causeth deadly sleepe if we take too much of it The godly that are growne to some good measure of perfection for these respects as also that they desire that God alone may be glorified in the earth and for the loue they beare to all men doe desire both conuincement reproofe and correction of sinne in time and season conuenient and they also that are as yet but weake yet true Christians can with patience abide the word as well against them as with them And how harsh and distastfull soeuer it be vnto them yet doe they not cast it off nor hate their pastours no more then gratious children cast off their parents admonitions counsels and commandements though in most things they be not to their liking or doe run from them when they are reproued or corrected though lewd seruants and wicked children doe so yet the louing childe and good seruant will not As for example Dauid in his place being reproued by Nathan and hauing heauie iudgements denounced against him for his sinnes what doth he fals hee to excusing defending and mittigating of his sinne like Saul and turning it lightly off as but an infirmitie as many mockers doe now a daies Doth he scorne grudge at and reuile the Prophet Doth he accuse him of pride impudencie or indiscretion or too much boldnesse for dealing thus plainely with the King No but being stroke with feare and reuerence of the true word of the Lord with compunction and sorrow for his sinne he maketh humble and penitent confession before the Lord in verse 13. I haue sinned against the Lord. The like penitent and humble answer gaue the good King Ezechiah to Esay chap. 39. reproouing him for shewing ambitiously and vaine-gloriously all the treasures of his kingdome to the Ambassadours of Babilon and also threatning the iudgements of God vpon him in his posteritie for the same The word of the Lord saith hee is good which thou hast spoken Wherein he sheweth his humilitie to the