that euer Christ appointed a Crucifixe to bee a signe of his presence or that God willeth their Images to bee signes of his presence Thirdly the Chaire of Estate is a signe only in the Kings absence for himselfe being present the ciuill worship is performed to himselfe but Christ is neuer absent from his Church and yet in his presence they set vp an Image to remember him by Thus that Church being an open Idolater must not bee ioyned with for she is not ioyned to Christ any longer but is a professed harlot neither iâ— it so indiffereÌ„t as some think to finde saluation there as well as by our Religion The fifth ground is Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serue That this is a chiefe ground needes no proofe and therefore wee will consider first the meaning secondly the aduersaries against whom wee must contend To know the meaning the words going before will affoord vs some direction wherein Satan hauing moued Christ to fall downe and worship him with bodily worship only and requiring not the maine worship due to God but a little bowing of the bodie betokening that he was the disposer of the kingdomes of the world this Christ denieth him with this reason ratified by Scripture that it is a worship and seruice proper to God and to bee tendred to him onely Secondly the words themselues are to bee weighed By worship is properly signified bodily worship in a bodily gesture the meaning then is thou shalt with thy bodie adore the Lord for so it is sutable to Satans demaund The word serue signifieth all worship due to God both inward and outward Only This word appertaineth to both the members and so to the whole sentence for else there should bee no direct deniall of Satans temptation requiring onely the former and not the latter But some will say we may serue men lawfully how then is seruice proper to God only There be two kindes of worship religious and ciuill Religious is an action or actions of reuerence and subiection whereby a man doth acknowledge the Godhead it self or the properties thereof either in God himselfe truly or in the creature falsely These properties of God are first to bee an absolute Lord. Secondly to bee Almightie Thirdly to be present in al places at all times Fourthly to heare all men in all places at all times Fiftly to know all things past present and to come yea and the hearts of men Sixtly to be giuer of all good things and the preuenter of all euill Now any action of reuerence in signification of any of these properties is a religious worship the very intent of the minde in religious worship being to ascribe either Godhead or diuine properties to the thing worshipped Ciuill or politique worship is when men performe actions of reuerence and subiection to others as acknowledging them to bee preferred aboue themselues in gifts or authoritie Thus bowing of the bodie is sometime religious when it is done to God in acknowledging his properties and sometime ciuil performed to a man in respect of his eminency in gifts or gouernment But these words of Christ are meant only of the former and not of the latter which belongs vnto man This ground thus truly conceiued affoordeth vs these two maine points of Religion first that God is to be worshipped with religious worship Secondly that all religious worship is proper to God and due to him alone Now religious worship is two-fold first inward standing in two things faith and inward obedience Secondly outward when this inward worship is outwardly testified consisting of three principall parts first in preaching hearing and reading the word secondly in receiuing the two Sacraments thirdly in prayer and thanksgiuing publike and priuate The Aduersaries hereof are the Papists who pretend the Catholike Religion but indeed ouerthrow it in deprauing the outward worshippe of God wherein the inward is testified The first part whereof standing in the preaching hearing and reading of the word they depraue first by mingling the pure word of God with mans word and writings and authorising bookes Apocryphall as Canonicall Scripture Secondly by making vnwritten Traditions Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall as they say of equall authoritie with the Scripture Thirdly in that they teach in their Catechismes that the worship of God doth stand in obeying the Commandements of the Church as wel as the Commandements of God themselues and are necessarily to be practised vnto saluation so they worship God in vain Mat. 15.9 Fourthly in that they allow no Bible to be â—uthenticall but onely the Latin translation of Iereâ—ie renouncing both the Hebrew and Greeke fountaines and yeâ— learned Papists confesse that their Latin text iâ— corrupted and that therefore the true sense is to bee fetched from the Popes determination and from Councels and no other sense to be admitted Fiftly in that they make Images Lay mens bookes and teachers and debarre the people of the Scriptures publikely and priuately in the vulgar tongue and suffer it only to be read by them and vnto them in the Latin tongue vnknowne vnto them The second part of outward worship standing in administration of Sacraments they likewise corrupt and abolish for howsoeuer Baptisme is preserued for the substance of it in the Romish Church which as a lanterne carrieth the light it retaineth not for it owne but for the hidden Churches sake within it yet haue they abolished the Lords Supper for the substance of it first of a Sacrament they haue made itâ— reall sacrifice Secondly they haue turned the Communion into a priuate Masse where the Priest alone receiueth all and the people nothing Thirdly although in a Sacrament theâ—e must bee a distinction between the signe and the thing signified yet they make none but ouerthrow all such signification of the signes by their transubstantiation Fourthly they haue turned the bodie of Christ into a breaden God which they carrie about in boxes and worship which is as vilde an idolatrie as euer was among the Heathen not inferiour to the worshipping of Cats and Buls as gods among the Egyptians Fiftly they haue added to Christs Institution fiue Sacraments viz. Penance Confirmation Orders Matrimonie and annoynting But indeede Baptisme is a Sacrament of Penance the Lords Supper of Confirmation and further are they deceiued in the other The third part of outward worship concerneth Prayer and thankesgiuing this they ouerthrow likewise first they mocke God in praying in an vnknowne tongue not knowing what they aske much lesse seriously addressing themselues vnto the dutie which euen earthly Kings would disdaine Secondly in prayer must bee brought sense of want and contrition of heart this they cannot bring who are taught that they merit by prayer Thirdly prayer must be made in particular faith but this they make presumption Fourthly they allow praying to creatures the mediation of Saints and so denie the very substance of prayer which is to make
Some are cut off thou standest by faith be not high minded but feare Secondly wee may not be offended when we see the Gospell not receiued yea hated of men and the professors of it persecuted for many are of old ordained to be vnderminers of the truth euen to this condemnation which by disobedience they hasten vpon themselues If the Gospell be hid to any it is to them that perish Thirdly many Diuines ouershoot themselues that seeke to obscure or ouerthrow this doctrine of reprobation teaching that God for his part electeth all and that man himselfe is the cause of reprobation so as man is either the sauiour or damner of himselfe by receiuing or refusing grace offered whereas the Scripture speaketh otherwise and here teacheth vs that some men were enrolled to certen iudgement by God before all worlds The darkning of this doctrine breedeth securitie of spirit wherein grace is made so large and saluation so easie that if men will they may be saued whereas our doctrine leadeth to the feare of God and a care to walke as in his presence continually Lastly in that it is added they were preordained of old note first the time of the reiection of some men namely before all worlds Secondly the proper cause of the decree of God which must needes be in himselfe because it was before the creature was Rom. 9.11 Before they had done good or euill That is before he considered of their good or euill in his decree he decreed to loue the one and hate the other So Ephes. 1.9 whom hee chuseth he chuseth in himselfe Not informing his iudgement nor framing his counsels as man doth from outward respects he goeth not out of himselfe for any motiue to chuse or refuse but as Matth. 11.25 because his good pleasure was such This confuteth the Popish error which affirmeth that God did decree according to his foresight of faith or infidelitie the sauing of some and refusing of other but this cannot stand seeing Gods decree is in order and time before the creature which being the latter cannot bee the cause of the former The third adiunct or property of these seducers is their want of religion Vngodly men they are Vngodlines is a sinne much spoken of but not so wel known and therefore it is requisite to shew the nature of it that wee may know who an vngodly man is the rather because it is a grieuous sinne much greater than any of the seauen deadly sins of the Papists being the ground of them all Secondly because it is rooted in the bottome of the heart and cannot be so easily discerned as others though as dangerous as any Thirdly because it is a sinne more spirituall against the first Commandement of the first table directed against God himselfe robbing him of his due honour For the cleere knowledge of which consider three maine parts or properties of vngodlinesse first that it denieth God the honour due vnto him and that three waies first by ignorance it causeth the vngodly man to rob him of his honour in that he acknowledgeth not the Godhead but in his heart he inwardly denieth the prouidence the presence the iustice mercie power and the other attributes of God Psal. 14.1 The thought of the heart of the foole that is of euery vngodly man is that there is no God not that in conscience he is not conuinced of the contrarie but by reason of his wicked heart vpon occasion offered he is willing to acknowledge none Secondly by not subiecting the conscience and life to the written will and word of God but reiecting and renouncing subiection thereunto Thus Iob bringeth in the vngodly man saying to the Almightie Depart from vs wee will haue none of thy waies which is too outragious to â—ee the speech of the tongue but of the heart casting off the Lords yoke To whom the King shall say Those mine enemies that would not haue mee to raigne ouer them bring them hither and slay them before me Luk. 19.27 Thirdly by not lifting vp the heart by inuocation of God for blessings needfull and in thanksgiuing for benefits receiued the property of the vngodly man is that he calleth not vpon God Psalm 14.4 This point of Atheisme maketh a man like a beast which looketh not vp from wheÌ„ce his food falleth The second propertie of vngodlines is to attribute and giue this honour which it denieth God vnto some thing else than God as when the vngodlie man setteth his loue ioy feare or any other affection vpon any thing besides God Thus the couetous man becommeth an Idolater And 2. Tim. 3. in the last times men shall be louers of pleasures more than of God The third propertie of it is when it giueth God his due honour to denie him the true manner which causeth the vngodly man to content himselfe with a forme and shew of godlines outwardly bearing himselfe as godly but inwardly wanteth the power of it the heart is not single but full of fraud of doubling and deceit before God who looketh into it and delighteth not with the approching of the lippes when the heart is remoued By which wee see the practise of the vngodly man sundrie waies robbing God of his due honour which one sinne entertained breedeth and nourisheth sinnes of all sorts and so much wee are giuen to vnderstand in the placing of it here as the first sinne of the seducers producing a great number of sins more noted in them through the Epistle neither can any other be looked for but that the life should be plentifull in all sinnes where the heart is possessed of this vngodlines Rom. 1.26 The Gentiles acknowledged not God and therfore he gaue them vp to vile affections and this was the ground of all those sins reckoned there aboue twentie in number Abraham thought not amisse that he might easily bee slaine for Sarah his wife whom therefore he durst not confesse if the feare of God were not in Abimilechâ— Court Genes 20. giuing vs to know that where the feare of God is not in the heart there is no bones made of any sinne in the life no not of murther it selfe Vse 1. Wee are hence taught to spie out in our selues this hidden and secret sinne and heartily to bewaile it aboue all other sinnes as the mother sinne of the rest But some may say We are not tainted with this sinne we abhorre to be counted vngodly Ans. It is too common a sinne among all sorts wee haue indeede an outward forme of godlines we come to heare the word to pray to receiue the Sacraments but the most want the power of it in their hearts for first the lawes binde our outward man to this outward forme but the hearts of men remaine secure seldome thinking of their sinne and damnable estate by it and seldome sorrowing for the same and saying What haue we done Secondly many haue the forme of godlinesse whose hearts are filled with the cares of this life which choke vp
speech for in word they professed him but in their deedes denied him liuing after their owne lusts and encouraging others in the same course Titus 1.16 And this sinne is reuiued and renewed in this our age wherein too many outwardly and in word professe Christ come to the Word and Sacraments but couertly and in their deedes denie him whose liues are very full of epicurisme and earthlines and mouthes filled with blasphemies and reproches against true obedience which of them is counted too much nicenes and precisenes These are the disciples of the old Heretiques whom without repentance the like fearefull iudgements awaite which befell them Secondly we may obserue in what regards they deny Christ namely first in regard of his Godhead by withstanding the meanes of that power of Christ whereby hauing redeemed them he would sanctifie their hearts to obedience The merit of his redemption is welcome to them but they will none of the efficacie of it which sanctifieth and reneweth the inner man subdueth sinne and quickneth the life of God in them Secondly in regard of his Lordship by denying him obedience which as to a Lord is due vnto him A Redeemer they would haue him but not a Lord so euery man would haue portion in Christs redemption but their lusts must be their Lords and they seruants to sinne and Satan but these bee those enemies that will not that he should raigne ouer them who shall be brought and slaine before him Our part then is if euer wee would finde comfort in Christ to make him our Lord his counsell is that those that are laden should come vnto him for ease but the next words are take my yoke vpâ—â— thee and if wee would haue him our iustification let him become also our sanctification Vers. 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance for as much as ye once know this how that the Lord after that he had deliuered the people out of Egypt destroyed them afterward which beleeued not THe Apostle hauing propounded his principall exhortation to contend and fight for the faith vers 3. with the reason thereof vers 4. doth here begin to answere a secret obiection which might bee made against that reason thus These seducers professe Christ and looke for saluation by him what danger then can redound if we should ioyne our selues vnto them This obiection is answered from this fifth verse vnto the twentith in all which verses hee disputeth at large that there is great daunger herein seeing their end shall be destruction the summe of which disputation is contained in this reason All such persons as giue themselues libertie to sinne shal be destroyed But these seducers giue themselues libertie to sinne and therefore shall be destroyed The former part of which reason is contained in the 5.6.7 verses and the latter from the 8. vnto the 20. The former proposition is not plainly set downe in so many words but the proofe of it onely by an induction and enumeration of examples of sinners which haue bin destroyed and they be three in number first of the Israelites in the 5. verse secondly of the Angels in the 6. verse thirdly of Sodom and Gomorrha in the 7. verse In this 5. verse are two things to bee considered first the preface in these words I will therefore put you in remembrance for as much as you once knâ—w this Secondly the first example whereby the point in hand is prooued in the words following The preface serueth to preuent an obiection which might be made by the Church reading these examples that Iude teacheth them nothing but things which they knew well enough before to which he answereth that his intent is not to teach them any new thing or any vnknowne thing but to bring knowne things to their remembrance and in it three things are to bee obserued First the Apostles practise I will therefore put you in remembrance Where note the office of all Pastors and Teachers which is not onely to teach thingâ— vnknowne but to repeate and to bring into remembrance things known before This was Peters care 2. Pet. 1.12 though they had knowledge to put them in remembrance and chap. 3.1 to stirre vp and warâ—e their pure mindes giuing vs to vnderstand that knowledge in the minde lieth as embers vnder ashes and needes daily stirring vp Which admonisheth all hearers not to be offended if they heare the same thing often seeing it is the dutie of Ministers to teach the same thing often Yea hearers which haue vnderstanding in the Scriptures must be content if they heare nothing but that which they haue bin out of the Scriptures acquainted with before seeing the Apostle thinketh it meet to teach nothing else Secondly in this preface obserue the propertie of the Church which is to know the histories and examples of Scripture Christ commanded his hearers to search the Scriptures the Apostle wisheth that the Scriptures dwell plentiously in mâ—n which exhortations no doubt stirred them vp to haue the scriptures familiar vnto them euen as Timothie knew the Scriptures of a childe The state of our times is farre otherwise for Ministers cannot say as Iude speaketh for as much as you know these things I will put you in remembrance but our people pleade and professe ignorance yea that the knowledge of the scriptures belongeth not vnto them they being not booke learned but to schollers and Ministers that liue by it But wee ought to account it a propertie of euery Saint of God who is iustified and sanctified to know the Scriptures which onely are able to make them wise vnto saluation The third point in the preface is a second propertie of the Saints namely that they once know that is they know certainly vnchangeably and once for all neuer to reuoke or alter this knowledge which first informeth vs what to thinke and iudge of those men who because of diuersitie of opinions will be of no religion nor beleeue any thing vntill it be determined by some generall Councell these want this propertie of the Saints and are plaine Atheists Secondly it teacheth vs to hold our religion certainly receiuing it once for all vnchangeably In humane things wee may often without danger chaunge our mindes and deliberate but grounds of Religion must be out of al question and admit no deliberation Now followeth the first example whereby the first part of the former reason is prooued and that is of the Israelites who wittingly and willingly sinning against God were destroyed as appeareth Numb 14. In which example consider foure things first who were destroyed the people Secondly the time when after that hee had deliuered them out of Egypt Thirdly for what cause which beleeued not Fourthly the manner of the speech For the first the persons who were destroyed were the people by which word is meant a speciall people a peculiar and chosen people the seede of Abraham Isaac and Iacob a people priuiledged aboue all people of the earth to whom belonged the
couenant sacrifices worshippe of whom Christ came according to the flesâ— Rom. 3.2 and 9.4 notwithstanding all which prerogatiues the Lord destroyed them If it had been a Heathen people against whom this destruction had preuailed it had been worthie obseruation but much more when it is against Gods owne people Here then we learne that no outward priuiledge can auaile vs nor any oâ—â—ward meanes of saluation bee effectuall or fruitful to our good out of their right vse in faith and repentance Rom. 2.25 Circumcision is nothing vnlesse thou keepe the law Gal. 6. Neither Circumcision auaileth nor vncircumcision but a new creature Iudas had many great priuiledges and yet perished This made Paul though he had many priuiledges to account them all as dung in regard of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 We must not then content our selues with the meanes of saluation in the Word and Sacraments but vse them aright in faith and repentance otherwise they being out of their holy vse enioyed shall turne to our destruction and greater condemnation as they did to this people who notwithstanding them were destroied The second thing in the example is the time when the Israelites were destroyed that is after their deliuerance out of Egypt God had diuersly testified his loue to this people hauing chosen them out of all the people of the earth he called himselfe their God and hee gaue them many pledges of his loue but especially in that their great deliuerance out of the bondage of Egypt by such an outstretched arme yet for all this not long after they sinning against him hee destroyed them Whence learne that after many great blessings men not walking worthie of them but prouoking the Lord by their sins commeth a great vengeance The whole booke of the Iudges is a worthie proofe of this truth where wee shall see the people still forgetting their deliuerance and are forthwith left to Tyrants to bee afflicted for tenne twentie fourtie yeeres together The same appeareth in the Common-wealth of Israel vnder the Kings In the daies of Salomon the state was most florishing and glorious enioying a most happie peace but Salomon once forgetting the Lord and his Commandements and falling to the Idolatrie of his outlandish wiues there followed most fearefull accidents as the diuision and rent of the tenne Tribes from Iudah a long dissention and hot warre between Rehâ—boam and Ieroboam whose Idolatries brought much euill vpon their seuerall lands and at last vtter desolation the tenne Tribes being carried into Syria captiues and there ended their daies the other two Tribes into Babylon and there remained 70. yeeres which iudgements ouertook them about 400. yeeres after Iacob when hee went ouer Iordan made a vow to the Lord that if God would blesse him and giue him but food and raiment he would in way of thankfulnes returne to the Lord the tenth part of his goods Gen. 28.22 God blesseth him so farre as hee became a mightie man hauing the substance of a Prince in this abundance he forgat his vow or neglected it but what followed of it was there not horrible confusion in his familie Dinaâ— was deflowred Ruben ascended to his fathers bed Hamor was slaine and the Lord is glad to call to minde hiâ— vow Gen. 35.1 Vse This doctrine concerneth vs neerely in this land who by Gods mercie haue enioyed many of his best blessings in this our long peace hauing bin deliuered from the Egypt of Rome and haue 〈◊〉 vnder the Lords protection all the day long but as ouâ— blessings haue been and are many and great so haue been and are our rebellions raging amongst vs especially that sinne of falling from our first loue so as lâ—sse loue of God and religion is to bee found amongst vs than heretofore besides that our peace causeth men to make their heauen here vpon earth and to embrace and affect things below these sins vnrepented of will bring vpon vs daies of affliction wee hauing no more priuiledge than this people had who after their deliuerance were destroyed The third point in this destruction is the cause of it namely because they beleeued not here first obserue what kind of vnbeleefe this was To the answere of which we must know that first God had promised to Abraham that after 430. yeeres hee would giue to his posteritie the land of Canaan for their inheritance this promise they all knew well inough Secondly it was often repeated renued and namely to Moses vnto whom the Lord promised that he should be their guide yea and that himselfe would proâ—ect them in their iournie and safely conduct them thither Thirdly God sealed this promise by many and sundrie signes and miracles both in Egypt at the red sea and in the wildernesse yet for all this they beleeued not that God would accomplish these promises vnto them to bring them to that good land and further seeing the land of Canaan was a type of that heauenlie Canaan they beleeued not that God would bring them to heauen and giue them inheritance in that eternall rest by meanes of the Messias This vnbeleefe then of the promises of God was the cause of their destruction Secondly why are they destroyed for vnbeleefe rather then for their murmuring fornication and diuerse other sinnes which weâ— reade of to haue been rise among them Ans. Although they murmured blasphemed tempted God reuiled their guides c. yet this sinne of vnbeleefe was the foundation and ground of them all the which doth the more displease God in that it was the first sinne that euer was in the world and the mother of all transgression Secondly this sinne in a more speciall manner dishonoreth God in making him a lyer and so toucheth his honour more neerely Thirdly what was this destruction An. It was the destruction of their soules and bodies for their carcasses were left in the wildernesse where they fell and their soules haue their portion in the lake prepared for vnbeleeuers Reuel 21. For the furâ—her hatred of this sinne see 2. Kings 7.19 the Prince who would not beleeue the word of the Lord was troden to death and Moses not waiting but failing in his faith was barred the land of Canaan and onely saw it a farre off Vse Seeing destruction followeth vnbeleefe we must labour to see our vnbeleâ—fe and take out that exhortation Heb. 3.12 Take heede least there be in any of vs an euill heart of vnbeleefe to depart away from the liuing God which place well considered sheweth what are the degrees of falling away which are studiously to bee declined as first when a man is deceiued by sin and giueth himselfe libertie thereunto Secondly when the heart is hardened and made an euill heart Thirdly when infidelitiâ— taketh possession of the hart to rule it and cause it to call in question Gods promises and prouidence Fourthly then followeth apostasie and departure from God now wee must beware of the least and lowest of these degrees of this
A GODLIE AND LEARNED EXPOSITION VPON THE WHOLE EPISTLE OF IVDE CONTAINING THREESCORE AND SIXE SERMONS PREACHED IN CAMBRIDGE BY THAT REVEREND AND FAITHFVLL MAN OF GOD Master WILLIAM PERKINS AND NOW AT THE REQVEST OF HIS EXECVTORS published by THOMAS TAYLOR Preacher of Gods Word WHERVNTO IS PREFIXED A LARGE ANALYSIS CONTAINING the summe and order of the whole booke according to the Authors owne method TO WHICH ARE FVRTHER ADDED FOVRE BRIEFE TABLES to direct the Reader in the finding of either 1. Common places of Religion 2. More generall doctrines 3. Questions determined 4. Places of Scripture either expounded or cleered from corruption REVEL 3.11 Behold I come shortly hold that which thou hast that no man take away thy crowne LONDON Printed by FELIX KYNGSTON for THOMAS MAN dwelling in Pater noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1606. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM LORD RVSSEL BARON OF THORNEHAVGH Grace and all good blessings from God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ. RIght Honorable as it cannot be but true which Truth it selfe hath vttered Him that honoureth me I will honour no more can it be but sure payment which such a creditor hath vndertaken and not by any suretie but by himselfe to be performed Bootlesly had the world been betrusted with such a charge which by suffering some to walke through dishonour and by powring out contempt vpon others vnwittingly suiteth the condition of the seruants to the case of the Sonne who said I honour the Father but ye dishonour me Well then is it with vs that he whose bare word is aboue all bonds hath said I will honour not those who by treading downe his honour honour themselues neither whom men honour nor who honour men but those who honour him by louing him as a Father and â—eaing him as a Lord. Not that any man can inlarge his honor the infinit perfection whereof is in it selfe vncapable of any accession nor â—hat any can of himselfe expresse this honour seeing himselfe worketh â—â—th such willes and deeds also of his owne good pleasure neither that if any â—ould hee might merit the returne of honour for all that were but his â—utie nor that if any could and would hee should thereby profit God â—o whom mans goodnes is not extended nor lastly if any could and â—ould not God should thereby be disprofited for if one be wicked he â—â—â—teth not him but because the Lord who delighteth to be the portion â—f Iacob is pleased to accept the broken and homely seruice of his chilâ—â—en as an high honour done vnto himselfe and themselues as honorersâ—f â—f him and such as he by crowning his owne worke in them cannot â—ut honour But what shall be done to the man whom this King will honour Ans. If Baltazer King of Babel were to promise his highest honours if Haâ—an were to aduise Ahashuerosh King of 27. Prouinces in the bestowing 〈◊〉 what honours himselfe could wish or hope if Pharaoh should call â—gaine his Nobles to consultation how to enlarge Iosephs aduanceâ—ents no more could be either promised expected or performed than â—â—at such a one should be arraied with royall attyre as cloath of purple 〈◊〉 fine linnen with a golden chaine about his necke the Kings Ring 〈◊〉 his hand his princely Diadem set vpon his head and withall by proâ—â—â—mation published the third man or Viceroy in the kingdom Which infinite in recitall and partly for that these haue most valiantly like Dauids worthies broken thorough these Philistims forces and brought vnto vs in despight of them the pure water of the well of life among whom this our Author last named was not the least nor of so small note through the Christian world that I can thinke by my penne to adde any moment vnto his whose writings so sauory and so innocent haue sufficiently proclaimed his profound knowledge in all learning his prudent zeale his mature iudgement with an admirable dexteritie and facilitie yea I may say felicitie for herein hee raigned that I may vse the phrase of the reuerend Deane of his Maiesties Chappel properly applied vnto him at his funerals which with singular approbation he performed in the direct resoluing the obscurest doubts of Diuinitie and the acute loosing and dissoluing the hardest knots of Papists so briefly and yet so perspicuously as that his most polemicall writings being first by himself in our vulgar tongue published could scarce meete euen amongst our common people with such an vncapeable reader if any whit catechised into whom they might not conuey some competent conceit and vnderstanding of the deepest and darkest differences betweene the Papists those patrons and defenders of darknes and our selues But besides these such a tongue of the learned had the Lord God giuen him that he knew to minister and ministred according to knowledge a word in due time to him that was weary the which most weighty duty of the Ministery was so familiar vnto him that he made it his holidayes exercise as his recreation to resolue cases of conscience In his ordinary Ministry how powerfull was he Which of his hearers cannot confesse that he spake as one hauing authority Adde now vnto these his labours an holy and harmelesse life for why should I disioyne them seeing they were so happily combined in him betweene which two both of them conspiring to the glory of God and his cause was such a sweete harmonie and concent that in reading his writings any man might see the manner of his life and in seeing his life he might also therein reade his writings for his life spakâ— what his pen writ and his person was the president of his written precepts Buâ— when these vnweariable labours had quickly worne out such a candle who so freeâ—ly spent himselfe to giue others light such a life was not shut vp but by a proporâ—tionall euen a religious and christian death of the which when God made witâ— some others my selfe a beholder I could not but conceiue him a messenger onâ— of a thousand singled out by God to giue directions to others both how to liue and that well as also in the right manner of dying well who himselfe waâ— so trained to a blessed death by a holy life whereby he became both in life anâ— death a most happie and blessed man for whose written precepts concerning both the whole Church is bound to blesse God with vs but especially we his ordinarâ— hearers in Cambridge who besides were also the beholders of both cannot be 〈◊〉 so much the more strengthned and confirmed our owne heedlesse ingratitude 〈◊〉 resisting or withstanding vs by how much the eye is quicker then the eare anâ— the sight a more certaine sense then can be the hearing But we will leaue hiâ— with God and omit those worthie works which himselfe whilest he liued accoâ—â—ding as the relaxation both from the weekely labours of his calling and the dayâ— weakenes of his body would
of this Iude at his birth giue him such a name as might moue not only himselfe but his child after him to thankfulnes and confession of Gods goodnes So ought euery father in imposing his childrens names with Alpheus and euery mother with Leah make such choice of names as themselues and their children may bee put in minde yea and stirred vp to good duties euen so often as they shal heare or remember their own names The second point in this name is the variety of the names of Iude hee was called Thaddeus Mark 3.18 and Lebbeus Matth. 10.3 all which signifie the same thin gand all put in minde of the same dutie Here two Questions may bee asked First why was he called by so many names Some thinke he had all these names giuen him by the people and multitude as signifying all one thing others which is more probable that hee was thus called by the Apostles themselues rather then by his owne name that the horrible fact of Iudas in betraying his Maister should bee vtterly with his name forgotten A second question is whether may a man change his name or no If the change thereof be no preiuidce to any man much lesse hurtefull to the Church or common-welth nor offendeth the faithfull but wholy tendeth to the glory of God and good of men it may be altred and changed As Saul a great persecutor being called to be a publisher and Patron of the Gospell changed his name into Paul as also Salomon was at the first called by his Mother Iedidiah Peter at first called Simon Bariones Christ afterwards gaue him a new name and he accepted it Yet hence the too common practise of the world cannot bee warranted who for fraud and deceite doe alter their names which when it is not intended may warrantably bee done as in time of persecution in the raigne of King Edward the 6. Bucer changed his name and both called himselfe and suffered others to call him Aretius Felinus so did diuerse other worthie men in those dayes seeking no other then the glory of God and good of the Church in their owne saftie and that the Papists not knowing their names might reade their writinges without preiudice The second thing in the person writing is his office being called a seruant of Iesus Christ which is not so generallie to be vnderstood as ment of euery professor of Christ and beleeuer who is a seruant of the Lord Iesus but of a speciall seruice namely of Apostleship to which he was deputed Wherein consider two thinges First that he was called to bee an Apostle and seruant of Christ to plant the Church of the Gentiles Secondly that he did faithfully execute his function and performed his seruice First he pleades his calling for two causes first in regard of others and secondly in respect of himselfe First that his doctrine might with more attention and reuerence be receiued of others seeing he run not vnsent but was called and that to an Apostleship and therefore he spake not of himselfe but whollie and immediately directed by God Secondly for the confirming and comforting of himselfe that the Lord who had called him would stand by him both in protecting his person and prospering his worke in his hand Vse Seeing the Apostle Iude before he writeth laieth down his calling so ought all Ministers to make their calling the foundation of all their proceedings containing themselues within the compasse thereof euen as they are to teach the same dutie vnto all sortes of men that they tempt not the Lord by passing the bonds and limites of their calling Secondly in that Iude though he was of the same Tribe yea of neare allyance vnto Christ yet hee passeth by all these respectes which hee might haue stood vpon and contenteth himselfe with the title of a seruant of Christ We learne to make more account and esteeme it a greater priuiledge to be a seruant of Iesus Christ than to bee of the kindred of Kinges and allyed to the greatest Monarchs of the world Christ himselfe shewes vs what kindred should take vp our chiefe delight when hee turned himselfe from his Mother and Brethren and beholding his hearers said those were his mother sisters and brethren that heare the word of God and keepe it this alliance in the faith was neerer and dearer vnto him then that in the flesh If then thou standest vpon thy preferment striue to be the seruant of Christ which is more honorable then to be the sonne of a King to be a follower of Chist is more then to goe before the Rulers of the earth But if thou aske how shall I come to this preferment Himselfe answereth thee thou must giue vp thy selfe to heare his word and doe it that is learne to know and obey his will this is the maine dutie of a seruant endeuour to please the Lord in keeping faith and good conscience thou art in the way of preferment and art admitted a seruant of Christ. Thirdly If wee bee admitted the seruantes and followers of Christ wee must serue no other Maister but keepe our selues from being intangled either with the offences or affairs of the world as to be vassals thereto no man can serue two much lesse more Maisters of such contrarie commaundes Let none pretend to bee the seruant of Christ who by louing pleasure more thē God or seeking earth more then heauen disgrace such a profession The third thing in the person writing is the allyance Brother of Iames of which name there were two first Iames the son of Zebedeus whose death is mentioned in the 12. of the Actes by Herod the second was the son of Alpheus here mentioned First that he might distinguish himselfe from the other Iudas the traytour Secondly that he might winne further credit and attention to his doctrine seeing hee was no vnknowne person but one that came of the worthiest stock that was vpon the face of the earth and for this cause hee mentioneth his brother Iames who was better knowne as being the President of the Councell at Ierusalem and a choise pillar of the Church in his time Act. 15.13 not to credit himselfe but this Scripture which otherwise is in it selfe sufficiently powerful by the mention of him Now followes the second thing in the Salutation that is the person to whom Iude wrote in these words vnto those who are called and sanctified by God the father and preserued by Iesus Christ it is the militant Catholique Church which is liuelie described to be the number of beleeuers dispersed thorough the face of the whole world who are effectually called and sanctified and preserued vnto life euerlasting Out of which description note First who and what they bee that are members of this Church namely no wicked or profane persons but onely the elect such as are chosen vnto life euerlasting who after receiue their calling vnto holines and therein are assuredly preserued vnto life which priuiledges no wicked
Apostle calles his good purpose Rom. 8.28 yea to shew the freenes of this grace it is thence denominated and called the election of grace Secondly the meanes of this calling which in the Lords hands are diuers whereof some prepare to calling othersome are instruments of it as first the reading of the Scriptures seruing to begeâ—â— generall historicall faith Secondly afflictions in bodie goods name friends or otherwise tending to humble a man and prepare his heart as soft ground Thirdly the denouncing of Gods iudgements and threats of the law which sends to hell but giues no grace these are generall preparatiues others are instruments to effect inward calling as the preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospell which is the most principall and effectuall meanes of this speciall and effectuall vocation and to this Paul ascribes it as 2. Thess. 2.14 whereunto he called you by our Gospell that this is true consider a two fold worke of this Ministerie when it is powerfully applied to the hearts of men First it openeth the very heart of a man and laies him out to the beholding of himselfe shewing him that by his detestable sins he hath made himselfe more vgly in Gods eyes than any Toade can be in mans whereby he is prepared not to lie asleep in this estate but vnto the second worke which is to apprehend and applie the blood and merits of Christ exhibited in the Gospell for the washing and bathing of his sinfull soule that so he may be saued from wrath Thirdly the persons that are called those are mentioned Rom. 30. namely those whom hee had before predestinate those he called which seemes to be expounded in Acts 13.48 So many as were ordained to life euerlasting beleeued that is were called vnto the faith all therefore are not called It pleaseth some to teach another doctrine namely that God for his part calls all men effectually and giues them a power to beleeue if they will but the difference say they is in the will of man to prooue which they bring this comparison The Sunne shines on waxe and clay equally the waxe is softned but the clay is hardened But this is not true out of the Scriptures for it is not giuen to all to vnderstand the mysteries of the kingdome Matth. 13.11 these things are hid from most of the wise of the world and reueiled vnto babes Matth. 11.25 Knowledge is giuen to some not to others and consequently faith for they which haue not knowne cannot beleeue Fourthly the time of this calling The particular time of any mans calling is not reueiled but laid vp in the secret counsell of God in whose hands times and seasons are yet the extent of the time is large enough though stinted euen the time of this life some at the sixt houre some at the ninth and others at the eleuenth c. but not after because that then all means of calling men cease Now because men know not the date of their daies it behoues them out of hand to striue to enter not to deferre from day to day alleaging that some are called at the twelfth houre but accept of the Lords call while it is yet the acceptable time If the Lord now say Seeke my face let thy heart answere as an eccho which â—akes the word out of the mouth thy face O Lord I will seeke Psalm 27.8 such a pleasant harmonie God is delighted with If he say as the Prophet speaketh Behold now my people they are presently readie to answere Behold now our God and the rather because the Lord will be free and not stinted by thee that either he should call thee in thy crooked yeeres or not at all he will not be prescribed vnto extraordinarily to call thee at the twelfth houre as he did the theefe on the crosse when thou howlest vpon the bed of thy sorrow and gaspest vpon thy death-bed Therefore while it is called to day let vs heare the voyce and harden our hearts no more Fiftly wherein doth this effectuall calling stand Both in the outward and inward calling because the former is often in the meanes giuen to Nations people men at least to make them without all excuse but the second being secret and inward whereby the Lord makes a mans heart inwardly answere the outward calling possesseth him with a willing mind stedfastly to beleeue in the Lord Iesus and with an endeuour to please the Lord in all things thus is the heart pearced Psal. 40.6 the heart of stone changed into an hart of flesh that is made tractable and pliable Ezech. 11.19 and an heart which is a sacrifice accepted of God such an hart was Lydiaâ— Act. 16.15 when God had opened it it was heedfull and attentiue to the words of Paul this hart can rellish the sweete promises of the Gospell and no other Sixtly the excellencie of this calling which wee shall perceiue by these considerations First in that it is a great work as was the creation of man at the first Rom. 4.18 so the Apostle maketh it 2. Cor. 4.6 he that at the beginning called light out of darknes the same hath shined in our hearts c. that as God cals the first time and dead creatures come foorth to life so with no lesse powerfull voyce the Lord cals the second time the heart of man dead in sinne and it is quickened with the life of God Secondly this effectuall calling goes beyond the worke of our creation for here a man is taken out of the first Adam and set into the second and at the same instant power is giuen to beleeue being in time both together though in order faith is first and then ingrafting wherein is not onely a bare priuation as in the creation when God called things that were not as though they were but here is a plaine resistance and rebellion God calling not onely things that are not but things that would not and refuse to be Thus to raise a man out of the blood of Christ is more than to raise Eue out of Adams side to raise a dead soule from the death of sinne farre more glorious and powerfull than to raise a dead bodie from bodily death to raise a man to supernaturall life farre greater than to a naturall onely Thirdly this calling ratifies all our couenants with God Men in their Baptisme enter couenant with God but often start from it and will not stand to it so as the couenant is onely made but when as a man is effectually called the couenant is not onely made but truly accomplished and that on mans part Vse Seeing we are called of God himselfe in the ministerie of the word for Paul calles it Phil. 3.14 an high calling we must labour to ioyne the inward calling with it which is higher than that by hauing first a griefe because we cannot beleeue secondly a readie mind thirdly an endeuour to beleeue fourthly a sorrow because we beleeue no more and faile so much in the seruice
wherein wee were inthralled to sin and Satan seeing it were a madnes to returne to such bondage againe If Christ be dead for vs let that grace moue vs to die to sinne if hee being risen againe sit at Gods right hand that wee might sit there with him let that grace mooue vs to walk as those that are risen with him and haue our conuersation in heauen seeking euen while wee are below the things that are aboue and so of the rest Further the Apostle to make those seducers more odious saith not simplie they turne the grace of God but of our God into wantonnes which noteth the indignitie of their fact in which consider three things first by what meanes God becomes our God and that is not by any merit of ours but by meanes of the gratious couenant propounded in the Gospell promising pardon and remission of sin in and by Christ. Iere. 31.31 This is called the new couenant which the Lord contracteth with his people where writing his law in their inward parts he becommeth their God and they his people Secondly what must wee doe to say truly and in assurance that God is our God Ans. Wee must for our parts make a couenant with him vnto which is required a consent on either partie first on Gods part that he will be our God which we shall finde not in any reuelation besides the Scriptures but generally in the word and more specially in the ministerie of the Gospell and administration of the Sacraments annexed as seales vnto the Couenant in which God doth as surely couenant with vs as if hee should from heauen speake vnto vs. Secondly on our part is required consent of which there be two degrees first when we make an outward profession of faith heare the word receiue the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper which serue to distinguish vs from Iewes Turkes c. this is somewhat but not sufficient to make God our God seeing it is common to the very hypocrites themselues Secondly seeing hee is not a Iew which is one outwardly but which is a Iew within there is required in our consent a further degree which standeth in an inward consent of the heart whereby a man taketh God for his God which is then begun when first a man acknowledgeth and bewaileth his sinnes Secondly when he endeuoureth to bee reconciled to God Thirdly when he purposeth neuer to sin againe when this couenant is thus concluded by consent of both parties a man may safely and truly say that God is his God Now seeing wee know these things our dutie is to labour to be setled and assured in our conscience that God is our God for first in this assurance is the foundation of all true comfort all the promises of God are hereupon grounded and herein accomplished that God is our God see Isai. 41.10 Be not afraid I am thy God yea Christ being vpon the Crosse hauing the pangs of hel vpon him herein staied himselfe My God my God so Dauid Psalm 22.1 and being readie to be stoned to death comfortâ—d himselfe in the Lord his God 1. Sam. 30.6 And not onely is it the foundation of all our comfort in this life but of our happines after death it selfe being the ground of those two maine Articles of our faith the resurrection of the bodie and the immortalitie of the soule for by vertue of this Couenant alone shall wee rise againe after death to life glorie and immortalitie as Christ himselfe disputing against the Sadduces from hence prooueth the resurrection in that God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Secondly it is the ground of al obedience Psal. 95.7 the Prophet exhorting men thereunto vseth this as a reason For he is the Lord our God and wee are the people of his hands the preface of the Morall law enforcing obedience laieth the same ground For I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt see also Psal. 50.71 and whosoeuer is truly perswaded that God is his God cannot but obey him The fift propertie of these seducers is That they deny God the onely Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus are they described by their manners The Translators of this Epistle were as it seemeth of opinion that these words are properly spoken of God the Father and of God the Sonne also but by the tenour of the words in the originall it seemeth that they are all to bee vnderstood of Christ and not of the Father and are thus to be read Which denie that onely Ruler who is God and our Lord Iesus Christ. Again the tenour of the words being borrowed from the Epistle of Peter may thence be rightly expounded now Peter speaking of the same sinne of these seducers applieth it only to be a denial of Christ 2. Pet. 2.1 They denie the Lord that bought them In the words then consider two things first the sinne here condemned namely to denie Iesus Christ. Secondly a description of Christ. For the first To denie Iesus Christ is to renounce and forsake Christ and so much as in a man lieth to make his death voyd and of none effect Now because this deniall presupposeth a redemption as Peter mentioneth they denying the Lord that bought them this question is to be cleered how these men being reprobates can be said to bee redeemed by Christ Answ. Wee must not thinke that they were in Gods decree euer redeemed for then had they been saued he doing whatsoeuer he willeth Psal. 115.3 but it is to be meant in regard of themselues and other men for both in their owne conceit iudgement they were redeemed as also in the iudgement of others who are to bee led by the rule of charitie in passing their iudgement vpon men and to account of them as redeemed leauing all secret iudgements to God Secondly the description of Christ by three things first that he is a Ruler yea an only ruler a Lord and ruler ouer all things in generall in heauen earth and hell and more specially a Lord ouer his elect onely and in that he is said to be an onely ruler it must not bee meant as excluding the Father and holie Ghost but all false gods and false Christs as Ioh. 17.3 the Father is called the onely God for all outward actions of the Trinitie are common to all the persons Secondly that hee is God which is a notable place against all Arrians to prooue the Godhead of Christ. Thirdly he is said to be our Lord Ours in two respects especially first of the free donation of his Father who gaue to him a people to be Lord and King ouer before all worlds Secondly in regard of his worke of redemption which hee wrought for them who were of the Father giuen vnto him Out of that which hath bin here said we may note these two points first how these seducers denie Christ namely not openly and plainly for then the Church should haue espied them neither in word nor
is the plaine word of God euery way absolutely directing in all points of faith and loue 2. Tim. ◠5 Paul wisheth Timothy to keepe the true patterne of wholesome words in faith and loue which is nothing else but the testimonie of Scripture in points of faith and loue comprised in the Decalogue and Apostles Creede The rule of faith therefore in expounding Scripture is Scripture it selfe The second thing necessarie by their doctrine to be beleeued not contained in Scripture is that the Canonical Scripture is Gods word which truth is absolutely necessarie to saluation to be beleeued but cannot otherwise bee knowne or beleeued but onely by the tradition of the Church Ans. As euery other Arte and Science hath certaine principles of truth to proue all other precepts by but themselues are to bee prooued by none so also hath Diuinity the chiefe of al other Sciences of which kinde this is one principle that Canonicall Scripture is Gods word which not granted inferreth a destruction of all other diuine rules this is a truth therefore confirmed not a thing testified from some other but as a ground of it selfe Secondly in diuine matters saith goeth before knowledge which in humane things is cleane contrarie for if a man would know whether fire bee hot let him put his hand vnto it he shall haue experience of it and then he shall beleeue it but in diuine things first a man giueth credit and yeeldeth consent to the word and then hath experimentall knowledge for although faith hath his knowledge yet experimentall knowledge followeth faith Abraham beleeued aboue hope here faith went before knowledge Ioh. 7.27 If ye do the will of my Father yee shall know whether the doctrine bee of God nor no. Thus then we may conceiue it the tenour of the word of God is this Thus saith the Lord. If the question now be whether the Lord said thus or no I answere to beleeue the Church herein before God is sacriledge but herein we are first to yeeld assent vnto God and then after this experimentall knowledge will follow that Canonicall Scripture is the word of God Thirdly wee know that Scripture is Gods word by Scripture and not by the Church out of which being in humilitie taught and acquainted with the excellent matter of it and manner of writing the end the glorie of God and our owne saluation wee cannot but haue sufficient perswasion of the author of it and that it can proceede from none other but God himselfe Thus notwithstanding the allegations of the aduersaries the written word retaineth that perfection which needeth no tradition to strengthen or further it in that end to which it is appointed Now to the reason it selfe amplifying this sinne in this verse which containeth three points to be considered First the person that durst not raile Secondly the goodnes of his cause which was very iust and yet he durst not raile vpon the Diuell himselfe Thirdly the manner of his speech The Lord rebuke thee The person that durst not raile was Michael the Archangell whom some affirme to bee Christ himselfe others that he is some chiefe arch and principall Angel which opinion is more probable For first the Apostle speaketh of him as one in subiection and standing in awe not daring to breake the law of God for he durst not reuile the Diuell Secondly in 1. Thess. 4.16 The Lord Christ shall come to iudgement with the sound of a Trumpet and the voyce of an Archangell where is a plaine distinction betweene Christ who should come in the clowdes and the Archangell Thirdly Peter explaineth it speaking the same thing and saith The Angels giue not railing iudgement against them 2. Pet. 2.11 It is more probable then that by Michael was meant a principall Angell rather than Christ. Doctr. First from the person wee learne that there be distinctions and degrees of Angels there bee Angels and an Archangell Quest. Is there but one Archangell Ans. The Scripture speaking of Archangels vseth alwaies the singular number neuer mentioning more than one and where the Scripture resolueth not we are not to determine yet I condemne not those who haue probably held that there are more than one Secondly wee haue here an example of Angelicall meeknes and modestie Tit. 3.1 Put them in remembrance that they bee subiect to principalitie and speake euill of no man but shew all meeknes vnto all 〈◊〉 the contrarie practise of railing slandering and obtrecting is a propertie of the Diuell whence he hath his name Reu. 12.10 the Accuser of the brethren and the Aduersarie 2. Pet. 5 8. who is euer readie with one accusation or other to stand vp against euery man the malitious man whose malice caused him to stand vp against Iob and falsely accuse him of hypocrisie vnto Gods own face Let slanderers and backbiters of their brethren see hence whom they imitate and most liuely resemble Secondly consider the goodnesse of Michaels cause which was this It was the wil of God that Moses body should be buried in a secret place vnknown to any man to preuent and auoid al occasion of superstition and Idolatrie amōg the Iewes The Diuell on the contrarie would discouer it that so the Israelites might fall to Idolatrie before it herein the Archangell resisted him and stroue with him for the performance of the will of God and the maintenance of his true worship and yet in this good cause Michael durst not reuile the Diuel himselfe In this cause consider two things First the fight and contention betweene Michael and the Diuell Secondly the cause and occasion of it about Moses bodie In the former wee may obserue that there is a sharp and serious contention betweene good and bad Angels in which the good Angels labour to defend all that are in Christ against the rage and furie of the Diuell and his angels As Psal. 34.8 The Angels of the Lord pitch their tents round about those that feare him And on the contrarie the Diuell and wicked spirits cast about how to destroy the bodies and soules of men 1. Pet. 5. Our aduersarie the Diuell goeth about continually seeking whom he can deuoure This combat concerneth and is conuersant about either first the persons or secondly the societies of men The fight about the persons concerneth either infants or men of yeres First for infants the Diuell seeketh how to spoyle and destroy them especially those of elect and faithfull parents in regard of their weaknes and tendernes both of minde and bodie but the Angels of the Lord haue charge giuen thē to defend them against this malice of Satan As Psal. 91.12 They shall beare thee vp in their armes that is they shall bee as nurces to beare them in their armes preseruing them from danger Mat. 18.10 Despise not one of these little ones for their Angels alwaies behold the face of my father which is in heauen Secondly concerning men of yeeres the diuell and his angels striue to driue them out
by God Yea so farre haue they gone on in this delusion that they are become spectacles of follie to the whole world for if Iohn Baptist had had so many heads as the Papists brag of he had been a monster of men besides though the Crosse wheron Christ was crucified was no greater than as ordinarie man might beare yet so many seuerall peeces thereof they pretend themselues to haue in seuerall places as would load a shippe Ob. They say they had all those â—â—likes by reuelation 〈…〉 Ans. These 〈…〉 are but 〈…〉 illusionâ— to maintaine Idolatrie besides that 〈◊〉 the word being 〈…〉 perfect 〈◊〉 in all matters to bee beleeued or done vnwritten reuelations are no proofes of doctrine but are luâ—â—ly to be suspected The third thing in the verse is the manner of his speech in which obserue three things first what speech the Archangell would not vse He would not speake euill Secondly what speech he vsed The Lord rebuke thâ—â— Thirdly the reason or cause of both because he durst not speake euill First of this cause as being first in nature which is sâ—â—d to bee feare Now to know what kinde of feare it was consider that the 〈◊〉 is a three-fold feare first from entire nature secondly from the corruption of nature thirdly from grace The first is a naturall propertie whereby the creature seekâ— to preserue it selfe and to shunne danger which feare is not 〈◊〉 in it selfe for it was in Christ when he said his soule was heauie euen vnto the death and if 〈…〉 possible let this cup passe from me but this is not here meant The second feare proceeding from corruption of nature in men and Angels is that seruile feare when the creature feareth nothing but due and deserued punishment the conscience being guiltie vnto it selfe and accusing for sinne and the heart destitute of faith and loue of God which if it were present would cast out this slauish feare which is no other than the feare euen of the Diuels themselues who beleeue and tremble Iam. 2.19 but neither was this the feare of the Angell The third feare is from grace and it is a gift of the spirit of God who therefore is called the spirit of feare working in men and Angels a care to please and a feare of displeasing God in all things this is the feare here meant which was in the Angell In which consider three things further first the beginning of it which is faith euen in the Angels themselues whereby they beleeue the power iustice soueraigntie and Lordship of God ouer them and that they must be subiect and obedient thereunto but in man it is a faith apprehending the mercie and fauour of God reconciled by Christ this feare in Angels and men therefore is the fruite of their faith Seconâ—â—y the propertie of 〈…〉 is to make the subiect of it to feare the offence of God 〈…〉 euill of the world to 〈…〉 properly 〈◊〉 of all because by it God is displeased and in the next 〈…〉 of iudgement consequently but 〈…〉 the first place Psal. 119.12 〈…〉 trembleth for feare of thee and I 〈…〉 stand of thy iudgements This was the religious feare of Dauid first a fearing of Gods offence and then a standing in awe of his iudgements thirdly the vse of it which is to make man and Angel make conscience of sin Exod. 〈…〉 the Midwiues spare the Hebrew 〈◊〉 it will not suffer the Angell hereto reuile the Diuell The feare of God saith Salomon causeth to 〈◊〉 euery 〈◊〉 way yea it frameth to obedience and i◠〈◊〉 because it keepeth the heart from defiling it selfe Our dutie hence is to pray that the Lord would put into our heartâ— this religious feare which they containe vs in awe of his Maiestie and so keepe vs from offences wherein wee may resemble this Angell as also to be a welspring of life vnto vs not onely 〈◊〉 escape the snares of death but to quicken and prouoke vs in the wâ—â—es of life euerlasting Secondly wee must auoide the sinne which the Angell was 〈◊〉 of namely the boldnes of sinning especially in these daies wherein then aduenture and rush vpon sinne without feare or shame The second point herein is what speech the Archangell would not vse that is cursed speaking or railing iudgement Which to know what it is obserue the differences of iudgement which is two-fold either publique or priuate Publique iudgement iâ— when a man is called by God to iudge the creature and this is two-fold first of the Magistrate secondly of the Minister The Magistrate is called by God to seeke out the misdemeanours of men and according to the offence is to pronounce a righteous sentence 〈◊〉 to the taking away if the cause 〈◊〉 of the temporall life it selfe The Minister is also in the name of God to pronounce the curse of the law vpon vnrepentant sinners and the promise of the Gospell vnto the penitâ—nt Secondly priuate iudgement is when the creature passeth iudgement against â—â—other without calling from God but vpon priuate grudge anger stomacke and reuenge this is here called railing iudgement and it is practised three waies first in speaking falsehoods and vntruths against others Secondly in speaking truths but with intent of slandering and detracting from the good name of others Thirdly in misconstruing mens sayings and doings to the worst part when they may be taken in the better this railing speech the Angell durst not vse Hence we learne to make conscience of this sinne of slandering reproching and reuiling others from which the Archangell abstained dealing euen with the Diuell himselfe but many of vs who can vtter the prouerbe That it is a shame to belie the Diuell are contented yea and readie to belie and detract from the children of God our brethren by this railing iudgement Some will say what may we neuer vse this kind of iudgement Ans. Neuer no not against the Diuell but if wee would take vp iudgement against any creature let it bee against our owne selues for our sinnes here we may passe sentence freely and so escape the iudgement of God as for others wee are to iudge by the iudgement of loue which hopeth speaketh thinketh and suspecteth the best and couereth the worst euen a multitude of sinnes The third point is the speech which the Archangell vsed in these words The Lord rebuke thee Which words are a forme of prayer in which he commendeth and remitteth reuenge vnto God desiring that the Lord to whom iudgement belongeth would restraine correct and repay the Diuell for his malice Here it may bee asked what shall we doe when wee are wronged Ans. Learne of the Angell not to requite and repay euill for euill neither in action speech or affection but leaue all reuenge vnto the Lord. Zachariah being stoned to death vniustly desired no reuenge but said The Lord see and require it Christ himselfe being accused before Pilate answered nothing and when he died he prayed for those who crucified him
they may haue and yet too eagerly hunt after the world yea and be powred out also after filthie lucre no otherwise than Balaam was Now for the auoiding of this sinne let vs obserue three things which the Apostle admonisheth in the words First in that he saith they are powred out we are giuen to vnderstand that the affection of couetousnes is a most violent headstrong affection carrying a man headlong to sinne euen against conscience as it did Balaam and causing him to powre out his heart vnto wickednes Achans couetousnes could not be curbed no not by Gods speciall commandement the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garmeÌ„t did so sway with him Ahab was sicke of couetousnes no physicke could recouer him but Naboths vineyard and life Iudas for thirtie peeces of siluer was carried against al sense to the betraying of his Master and that after diuers admonitions Ananias and Saphira to saue but a little money make no bones of lying vnto the holy Ghost What is the cause of all treacheries and those most cruell murthers of fathers of mothers of seruants and strangers but the couetous heart set vpon the bootie saying to it selfe by this fact this house that land such a summe of money shall be mine which obiect in the eye putteth out all the light of religion reason and sometimes of nature it selfe Thus the heart is easily powred out vnto euill when as first it is possessed with couetousnes which Paul calleth the roote of all euill Secondly the Apostle would haue vs consider how hard a thing it is to be recouered from this sinne seeing such a sinner is powred out and cast away by the deceit of it and indeede little hope is there of the repentance of a couetous man of whom Christ was bold to say that as easie it is for a Camell to goe thorough the eye of a needle as a rich man to enter into heauen the reason is because his couetous cares choke and hinder the word from taking place in his hart and so hee frustrateth all meanes of his saluation Againe he hath renounced the true God and set vp another god in his heart The Idols in our Church are defaced and destroyed by the Magistrate but the Diuell setteth vp Idols still in the hearts of men which ought to bee Gods temples euen Riches the god of greedie men Thirdly obserue that in Gods iust iudgement the couetous man is disappointed of his hope his wages are the wages of deceitfulnes for either he atchieueth not or retaineth not the things expected as in the former examples of Achan who for the wedge lost his life with it so neither Ahab himselfe nor his posteritie euer enioyed Naboths vineyard Iudas brought backe the thirtie peeces of siluer and hanged himselfe Ananias and Saphira desirous to keepe a part of their possession lost with the possession both their liues or else if hee retaine the bootie and get and keepe also wealth fraudulently gotten and heaped vp by oppression yet hauing the thing he hath not the vse of it his couetous heart keepeth the key of it and locketh it from his comfortable vse yea and be it that he haue some vse of it yet his gaine is small for which he loseth his soule Thou foole this night shal they fetch away thy soule Vse We are all hence admonished especially aged and rich persons to beware of this dangerous sinne It becommeth Saints not to haue couetousnes once named among them Ephes. 6. Our practise is to varnish it ouer with termes of thriftines and good husbandrie and the worst it heareth of vs is scarse a smal dislike so as when wee speake of a wreched worldling we say he is an honest man but somewhat hard or worldly so as this sinne is in no disgrace among the most as it deserueth being both so odious vnto God and hurtfull vnto the sinner himselfe But let vs consider first that it easily draweth a man vnto perdition and enwrappeth him in the Diuels snare 1. Tim. 6.9 Those that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares Wheresoeuer it ruleth that man respecteth not commandement reason conscience no nor common honestie it selfe Secondly wee professe our selues to be members of Christ the sons and daughters of God now such a base sinne beseemeth not such an high profession for a Noble man or a Prince apparent to spend and trifle away his time in buying and selling pinnes and points were a madnes what a base follie were it for vs that hope to bee heires of the kingdome of glorie to bee still poâ—ing on earth and earthly things whose hearts and affections should be raised vp higher and taken vp with heauenly meditations vsing weanedly this world as though we vsed it not Thirdly Nature is contented with a little and is surfetted with abundance and yet grace is pleased with lesse and therefore if we haue food and raiment for vs and ours let vs bee there with contented 1. Tim. 6.8 Qu. But what shall we doe then doe not all men thus and may not wee seeke wealth as others doe Ans. The rule of the word must bee our direction herein and not the manner of the world and that aduiseth vs to make God our portion which lesson God himselfe taught Abraham Gen. 15.1 I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward Dauid had learned this lesson Psal. 16. The Lord is my portion This is done by setting our loue our ioy our principall care yea our hearts and affections vpon the Lord as men doe vpon their treasures By which meanes if riches increase our hearts shall not be set vpon them for they are not our portion and if we be pinched and pressed with aduersitie want or losses yet shall we not be oppressed for we want nothing but that we may well be without and haue not as yet lost any part of our portion Further in the phrase which the Apostle vseth They are powred away note a difference between the child of God and a wicked man when both of them are found in the same sinne but the one powreth out himselfe to wickednes giueth himselfe leaue to sin with full consent without restraint yea with greedines the other sinneth with consent but not full consent for being regenerate hee is not all flesh as the wicked man but partly flesh partly spirit and therefore partly willeth and consenteth to sin partly nilleth consenteth not he is not powred out without restraint as the other is but at length recouereth himselfe by repentance and obtaineth reconciliation with God Secondly we must beware of powring out our selues to wickednes but rather with Annah powre out our soules before the Lord in humble confession of sinne and petition for pardon that so the Lord may powre foorth his mercie vpon vs and shed his loue abroad in our hearts Thirdly we may not content our selues with a few or some good things for the hart may notwithstanding be powred foorth to sinne as
place is Core mentioned Secondly Dathan and Abiram were in their Tents and so were the men of Core also when the earth opened and swallowed them vers 17. But Corah and the two hundred and fiftie men were at the doore of the Tabernacle with their Censors fire and incense and were deuoured with fire from heauen vers 19. Ob. Num. 26.10 The earth opened her mouth and swallowed them that is Dathan and Abiram with Core Ans. The learned expound that place not of Cores person but his substance retinue Marke here the iust iudgement of God Corah had abused himselfe being a Leuite his office and those sacrifices which he offered by fire and the Lord destroied him by fire The same was the dealing of God with Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.2 Looke in what things men sin and dishonour God by those for the most part the Lord reuengeth himselfe vpon them so men glorie in abusing the creatures of God as meats wine and strong drink the Lord in the meane time secretly turneth the same to their owne destruction that those which are his good gifts and ordained for the preseruation of nature being byâ— men abused through Gods iust iudgement are turned to the choking and ouerturning of nature Secondly hence learne the wise counsell of Salomon Prou. 24.22 Feere God honour the King and meddle not with the seditions or with them that make alterations For although it be lawfull for a subiect being called to shew his minde what he thinketh meete for the Church or Common-wealth yet for a priuate man to attempt vpon his owne head to alter any thing standing by Gods and the Princes law is no better than sedition and is a branch of Corah his sinne Thirdly although Corah Dathan and Abiram are destroyed for this sinne yet Cores children are not destroyed but spared Numb 26.11 God in iustice remembring his mercie his care for the Ministerie was such as could not suffer the Leuites race to bee rooted out but preserued for the vse of the Tabernacle Let Gods care teach vs our dutie in this behalf namely to applie our best endeuours for the maintaining and preseruing the Schooles of learning for the vse and seruice of the Church Commendable hath been the care of many Kings and Princes in this behalf whom wee should imitate in preseruing these seed-plots of the Ministerie for herein they imitate the great King euen God himselfe Vers. 12. These are spots in your feasts of loue when they feast with you without all feare feeding themselues IN these words the Apostle setteth downe the seuenth sin of these seducers to know the meaning whereof the better consider foure things first what is meant by feasts of loue and charitie Ans. In the Primitiue Church it was a custome and manner to haue a feast before the Lords Supper made by the Communicants vnto which some brought hony some bread some wine some milke and euery one according to their abilitie contributing somthing thereunto These were here meant and called Loue-feasts because they were herein to testifie their mutuall loue among themselues as also to the poore who hereby were relieued and to the Ministerie it selfe which was by these feasts partly sustained Secondly what is meant where these seducers are called spots in these feasts or rocks for the word signifieth either and more properly the latter they are rocks because as rocks are perceiued a farre off by the seafaring men euen so the infection of these wicked men spreads it selfe very farre and againe as rockes are dangerous and troublesome to them so are these as rockes and stumbling blockes to the weake hindring them from the profitable progresse in godlines they are also rightly called spots because as a spot defaceth the countenance so their presence is an eye sore a disgrace vnto these Loue-feasts The third thing is the cause why they are thus called that is because in these Loue-feasts they feede themselues for laying aside all care of the poore of the Ministrie for whose sake this contribution was made they pampered and fed themselues riotously wasting the goods of the Church The fourth is the cause of this their riot without feare that is because they haue cast off the feare of God and man In these words therefore the Apostle chargeth these false teachers not only with intemperance in generall but also with a special kind of riot in mispending and wasting the contribution pertaining to the poores maintenance and the sustaining of the Ministerie Vse That which is spoken of these meÌ„ may be applied to these last times wherein diuers men riotously abuse the goods specially prouided for the maintenance of the Ministerie and poore as first the Romish Clergie those Locusts that come foorth of the mouth of the beast idle bellies and slow backes the most of which want learning and are vnable to teach the people yet feede themselues without feare so as their eyes are swollen with fatnes wealth they want not hauing craftily conueied vnto themselues the third part of the reuenewes of Europe but with it do nothing but pamper themselues Secondly such Patrones are here included as feede themselues with Church-liuings appointed for the relieuing of the poore and maintenance of the Ministerie in such sort as Gods people cannot bee faithfully and sufficiently taught they can bee content to depart from some ten pounds a yere to some vnable man so as they may of the rest feede themselues without feare or else as some doe serue their lusts in mispending the Churches reuenewes vpon Hawkes Hounds and other improfitable rauenous creatures Thirdly such Students whether Fellowes or Schollers of or in Colledges as mispend their time in idlenes gaming or other improfitable exercises come also within the compasse of the Apostles reprehension as feeders of themselues with that salarie or liuing which was giueÌ„ for the maintenance of the Ministerie Here a question may be demaunded namely whether those whom wee call lay men hauing Church lands liuings impropriate vnto them may bee said with these seducers to feede themselues without feare or whether can any man impropriate any Church goods or liuings without sacriledge Ans. The answer hereof is two-fold first though no good member of the Church can in good conscience seeke the harme and preiudice of the same yet the plaine truth is that the Church goods and lands may bee sometimes vpon some occasions alienated the grouÌ„d of which answere is this rule namely that the gouernours of the Church are to content themselues with things necessarie For when the people had brought sufficient for the building of the tabernacle Moses biddeth them bring no more seeing saith he there is enough so as when the Church hath too much and excesse as the Romish Church these Churches of Europe gotten by Masses Purgatorie Dirgeâ— Sacrament of Penance c. there may be admitted alienation and impropriation of Church goods and lâ—nds but so as two conditions must be
and vnfit for the Lords Supper and the rich deceiued the poore but Iude commendeth them because they were in other Churches rightly and religiously vsed Clowdes they are without water carried about of windes These words containe the eighth and ninth sinnes of these wicked men which the better to know what they are let vs a little consider the meaning of them Clowdes they are without water Iâ— pleaseth the Spirit of God in many places of the old Testament to compare Prophets and Teachers vnto clowdes and their doctrine vnto the dropping and distilling of the raine and sweet showers falling from these clowds So the Prophet Ezechiel is commaunded to set his face towards the way of Teman and drop his word toward the South and his prophecie towards the forrest Deut. 32.2 My doctrine shall drop as the raine and my speech shal distill as the dew as the shower vpon the herbes and as the great raine vpon the grasse Mich. 2.7 and 11. The word translated prophecie signifieth properly to drop or distill The reason of which comparison is rendred Isai. 55.10.11 Because as the raine falleth vpon the earth and returneth not in vaine but moistneth it and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may giue seed to the sower and bread to him that eateth so the word in the mouth of the Ministers returneth not voide but accomplisheth the Lords will and prospereth in the thing whereto it is sent in becomming the sauour of life to the saluation of some and of death vnto the death of them that perish The words then standing vpon this similitude beare this sense Though the propertie and vse of clowdes is to carrie water and raine for the vse of the earth yet some clowdes are without water euen so though all Teachers ought to bee filled and fitted with store of wholsome doctrine to powre it out for the vse of the Church yet these seducers are vtterly destitute thereof And againe as those clowdes without water are light and fitter for nothing than to be carried about with euery winde so these are altogether variable and vnconstant carried about with euery blast of strange doctrine The former of these similitudes condemneth their sinne of barrennes and vnfruitfulnesse the latter their ninth sinne of inconstancie and variablenesse Concerning the former seeing that the Apostle taketh it for granted that the clowdes are naturally ordained to containe water it may be demanded how it can be coÌ„ceiued that the clowds aboue being heauie with water should not fall to the earth seeing euery heauie thing naturally descendeth and tendeth downward Ans. The clowdes are heauie indeed for euen the windes themselues being by many degrees lighter than they haue their weight Iob. 28.25 No man therefore by wit or reason can resolue this doubt but onely from the word of God which teacheth that it is by vertue of Gods commandement giuen in the creation that the clowdes fall not Gen. 1.6 Let the firmament separate the waters from the waters by force of which commanding word the water hangeth in the clowdes and the clowds in the ayre and need no other supporters Iob setting out the Maiestie and greatnes of God in his works here beginneth That he hangeth the earth vpon nothing he bindeth the waters in the clowdes and the clowd is not broken vnder them Philosophie is too defectiue to yeeld the true reason of this great worke of God which commonly attributeth too much to nature and too little to the God of nature whose prouidence and power is herein to be acknowledged in that by his word he ordereth all his creatures vnto which he speaketh the word and they obey Secondly hence wee learne to conceiue the right meaning of that place Gen. 1.7 Let the firmament separate the waters that be beneath from the waters that be aboue By the firmament is meant the ayre or the distanâ—â— betweene the earth and the starrie skie by the waters vnder this firmament are meant the seas and floods and the waters aboue are the watrie clowdes which are diuided by the firmament or ayre in which wee breathe called the firmament of heaueÌ„ for it is the lowest of the three heauens which the Scripture maketh mention of â—eaching to the starres the second being the staâ—â—ie heauen the third being the heauen of heauens the seate of God where hee reuealeth his glorie to his Saints and Angels Those then are deceiued who out of this place dreame of a watâ—ie heauen aboue the starres Now further in that these seducers are called Clowds without water because they are destitute of wholesome doctrine wee learne first that Ministers ought to bee such as are able to teach wholesome and sound doctrine 1. Tim. 3.2 Malach. 2.7 The Priests lips should preserue knowledge otherwise they are as clowdes without water keeping the field of God barren fruitlesse which abilitie supposeth yea and imposeth the performance of diligence herein or else whether they haue knowledge or not they come vnder the rank of them whom Esay 56.10 calleth dumbe dogs which cannot or doe not barke In former ages I grant indeede there were readers appointed in the Church who could not otherwise teach but yet none were called for Teachers into the Church but such as had this abilitie of watring Gods church by doctrine more or lesse vntill heresie and schisme came in Secondly Ministers ought so to teach as they drop and instill the graces of faith repentance and obedience into the hearts of the hearers euen as the clowds drop water vpon the drie earth which sinketh into the same This was Pauls desire to see the Romanes that he might bestow some spirituall grace vpon them Rom. 1.11 This is the right handling and diuiding of the word when men shew not words but power 1. Cor 4.14 That Teacher sheweth learning that sheweth men Christ and can bee a meanes to distill Gods graces into their soules let this be the scope of those who are set apart vnto this holy Ministrie else shall they be as vnprofitable as clowdes which containe no water in them at all Thirdly if the Ministers must be as clowdes hauing water in them then must the people be as drie ground not in regard of barrennes but of thirst and desire after these drops dewes of grace distilling from the Ministerie Psal. 143.6 My soule desireth after thee euen as the thirstie land vnto which disposition wee are to preserue two things within vs first look as in drie land parcht with the heate of the Sunne there is a great want of moysture so in our soules must bee retained a sense of the want of the graces of God with an heartie sorrow for our want Our hearts must bee perswaded that in vs and of our selues there is no good thing that God can take delight in yea and the griefe conceiued must not bee small but wee must feele our selues euen dried and parched with the heate of his wrath due vnto our sinnes vntill
was the seuenth from Adam Here two questions are to bee answered first whence had Iude this historie seeing it is no where recorded in the Scriptures and how knew he it to be Enochs I answere two waies first he either had it and learned it to bee his by some tradition which went from hand to hand or else written by some Iew or secondly he learned it out of some booke which went vnder Enochs name then extant in the daies of the Apostles though now lost it is certaine that one of these waies hee had it Hence the Papists gather that the Iewes had vnwritten traditions and consequently all their traditions are to be obserued Ans. We denie not all vnwritten traditions of which some are true and profitable but wee renounce and denie all those traditions which are made articles of faith rules of Gods worship necessarie to saluation for all such doctrines are written in the books of the Prophets and Apostles which containe perfect direction and rules concerning faith manners of which kind the Romane Church holdeth their traditions to be this is of another kind it being no article of faith nor necessary to saluation to knowe whether Enoch writ this prophecie or no. Againe from the second answere others who are no Papists conclude that some bookes of Canonicall Scripture are perished and lost But this is vntrue for then first the fidelitie of the Church which is the keeper of these Oracles should be called in question and secondly in the bookes Canonicall extant not one sentence or tittle no not the sense of any sentence is lost how then should whole bookes come to be lost It is alleaged that the books of Salomon are most of them lost Answ. The bookes of Salomon which were lost were bookes of humanitie and Philosophie for hee writ of all beasts birds trees euen from the Cedar in Libanus to the hyssop vpon the wall the books of humane truth might faile but no part of Canonicall Scripture Ob. Mention is made in the Scripture of the bookes of the Chronicles of the Iewes or Kings of Iudah but these are perished Ans. They were politique histories as are the Chronicles of England or other Countries Ob. The bookes of Nathan Gad Iddâ— Shemaiah and other Prophets are perished Ans. All these as is though by the learned are contained in the bookes of the Kings Chronicles and Samuel Ob. This book of Enoch is lost Ans. First it is doubted whether it was a booke or no or went by a tradition Secondly if it was a booke it was no part of Scripture for Moses was the first penman of Scripture who liued long after Enoch The second question why doth the Apostle make choise of this testimonie of Enoch rather than some other Prophet Answ. Himselfe giueth two reasons First he was the seuenth from Adam it is therefore an ancient testimonie to be receiued and reuerenced for the antiquitie but withall it sheweth what is true antiquitie namely when a doctrine of religion can bee prooued from some Prophet or Apostle for this testimonie was a prophecie and therefore that antiquitie which the Church of Rome challengeth to her religion and doctrine is but counterfeit because they are not able to iustifie the maine pointes thereof from any Prophet or Apostle yea in these wherein they dissent from vs they cannot bring their proofe and descent from within the first hundred yeeres after Christ. It is then a vaine plea and false pretence of them to boast of the antiquitie of their religion The second reason is in the word prophecied for Enoch spoke not this of his owne head or motion but from God for no creature Angell or man can foretell things to come it being a prerogatiue properly belonging vnto God Ob. Yes but the learned Physition can truely foretell the death of the patient to come Ans. He doth not properly herein foretell a thing to come for the death of the partie is present in the signes and causes of it Ob. But the Diuell could foretell Sauls death 1. Sam. 28.19 To morow shalt thou be with me and thy sonnes Ans. The Diuell could not properly foretell it but might see it in the causes and signes Againe hee might speake so to Saule because God had made him an instrument for the execution of that iudgement and destruction so as God only properly foretelleth that which is simply to come and no man or Angell The second point is the testimonie it selfe Behold the Lord commeth c. In which obserue three points first the comming of the Lord secondly the iudgement of the Lord thirdly the cause of it in the 15. verse To giue iudgement against al men c. First of the party comming Behold the Lord commeth Where the Apostle speaketh in the time present which is put for the time to come which forme of speech sheweth the certaintie of Christs comming to iudgement who shall as certeinly come as if he were now alreadie comming Concerning which certaintie it may be demaunded first whence commeth this comming of Christ to be so certaine Ans. From the vnchangeable will of God which hath certainly decreed the same For he hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnes And thus are all other the articles of our faith most certaine in that they are grounded on the vnchangeable will and word of God Secondly how or from whence may we know this will of God to be so certaine Ans. From the manner of propounding the doctrine of it wherein the euidence of the spirit plainly appeareth saying peremptorily the Lord commeth euidently expressing the certaintie as if it were now present And the same may be spoken of the whole scripture which in it selfe is most sure and certain because it is the most vnchangeable will of God but how do we know it so to be will some say I answere by the euidence of the spirit the authoritie puritie maiestie effect and ends of the doctrine it neede not seeke euidence elsewhere than from it selfe not from man or the Church it selfe The Romish Church confesseth it is of it selfe and in it selfe sufficiently certaine but not to me or thee except the Church say so but this is a false position The Scripture is certaine both in it selfe and vnto vs and we know it so to be though neuer a man would acknowledge it the heart seasoned with grace will make the mouth confesse it Secondly the Apostle speaking in this forme he commeth for he will come wee learne to set before our eyes the comming of the Lord Iesus to iudgement and to make account of euery present day as the day of his comming the Scriptures euery where commend watchfulnes vnto vs which is to do nothing else but to make reckoning continually of this day But some will say we cannot make account daily of it for we see it commeth not neither may we enquire into the time of it Answ. Although wee cannot exactly
make account of that daye of generall iudgement yet may we well reckon vpon the day of our particular iudgement and the day of our owne death that so wee may be fitted thereto For as this shall leaue vs so that shall finde vs. A necessarie doctrine and dutie to be enforced in these drowsie daies wherein euery man almost putteth off the euill day and maketh league and couenants with death and hell the young man presumeth of length of daies the olde man dreameth he may liue one yeere longer both of them deferre hereupon their repentance in that they both are of one minde namely that their Master will yet deferre his comming Thirdly we must not only carrie within vs a conceit and opinion of this day but also must be inwardly affected with it that we may walke in awe and reuerence before God in regard of it 2. Cor. 5.11 Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord we perswade men c. Now in the latter part of this verse the attendants of the Lord in his comming are mentioned in these words With thousands of his Saints which must be vnderstood not only of Angels but men also 1. Thess. 3.13 at the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints Qu. How can this be and how shall the Saints come with him Ans. All men shall rise with their owne bodies good bad at the sound of the Trumpet then shall the Saints be taken vp into the clowdes to meete Christ and shall be made a part of his attendance but the wicked shal stand vpō the earth wishing the mountaines and hils to fall vpon them and hide them from the presence of the Iudge Which affoordeth a most speciall comfort vnto all them who know themselues to be the members of Christ they shall not need to be dismaied at that day nor feare the face of the wicked seeing they shall be receiued in the clowdes into fellowship with Christ before the iudgement begin which manner of proceeding the Apostle hauing described concludeth with the same Wherefore comfort your selues one another with these wordes vers 18. Here also may bee noted the power maiestie and omnipotencie of Christ in his second comming although his first comming was base and in the forme of a seruant now he shall come with many millions of Angels and Saints whom all creatures cannot resist let no wicked man thinke then either to absent himselfe or escape his fearefull wrath the only way to auoide it is in thy life time to meete him by repentance Vers. 15. To giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodlily committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him THe second point in the testimonie is the iudgement of the Lorde which together with the cause is in this verse described Concerning the iudgement wee must knowe that it is either generall or speciall both of them here mentioned the former in these wordes To giue iudgement against all men the latter in these words following And to rebuke all the vngodly among them In the generall iudgement it may be asked how Christ can bee said to giue iudgement against all men seeing the Saints shall come with him and hee will passe no sentence against them Ans. The meaning is he will giue iudgement vpon all men for the godly shall receiue and heare a sentence but of absolution and amongst all men he will rebuke the vngodly all persons shall come vnto iudgement without exception of what age sexe or state soeuer they be This vniuersall iudgement teacheth vs first to redresse before this day come whatsoeuer within vs would when it commeth confound vs for euery man must appeare in his owne person no Procter shall be allowed to speake or solicite for any man the secrets of all hearts must bee disclosed and euery man shall receiue accordingly to that he hath done It standeth men therefore in hand to reforme things amisse before hand for they shall appeare nakedly euen as they are Quest. How shall this bee done Ans. 1. Cor. 11.21 Iudge thy selfe before hand and thou shalt not bee iudged of the Lord arraigne examine cast and condemne thy selfe sue for pardon as for life and death and thou shalt escape that fearefull iudgement For hee that confesseth his sinnes and forsaketh them shall finde mercie Prou. 28.13 Thus doe and mercie belongeth vnto thee Vpon the same ground Paul raiseth the same dutie admonishing all men euery where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which hee will iudge the worlde in righteousnes Act. 17.30.31 Secondly seeing there is a day of vniuersall iudgment seeke in the meane time to stop the mouth of thy conscience that it may then stand with thee to excuse and acquite thee and neuer dare to offend againe and wound it for it is a deputie Iudge vnder God which if it condemne thee much more shall God the great Iudge being greater than thy conscience Thirdly hence in all actions our care should be to approoue our hearts vnto God especially in hearing and speaking the word prayer vse of the Sacraments yea and all our endeuours should be to please and obey him who one day will giue an vpright sentence vpon them all Thus the consideration of the iudgement to come made the Apostle Paul endeuour to approoue all the actions of his life vnto God 2. Cor. 5.11 So Peter 2. Epist. 3.11 seeing all these things shall be dissolued what manner of men ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlines looking for the hasting vnto the comming of the day of the Lord The speciall iudgement is laid down in the next words and they containe two things first the persons who shall be iudged All the vngodly among them Secondly the manner of their iudgement in the word rebuke or conuince The persons are set out by their propertie of vngodlinesse which is a sinne directly against God and the vngodly man is he who denieth God the honour due vnto him of whom that we might the better know him the Scripture hath giuen fiue notes or properties as first that he knoweth not or acknowledgeth not the true God aright according to his word Psal. 10.4 All their thoughts be that there is no God that is they acknowledge him not in his presence prouidence iustice or mercie Secondly he subiecteth not his body soule and conscience to the laws of God in al things but taketh libertie to liue as hee list Iob. 21.14 They say to the Almightie Depart from vs we will none of thy waies Psalm 50.16 They hate to be reformed Thirdly in heart and life he dependeth not himselfe vpon the will power prouidence and good pleasure of God but on something out of God in himself or some other creature Abac. 2.4 whereas the iust man liueth by faith the wicked man exalteth himselfe and is puffed vp as bearing himself vpon
something besides the Creator Fourthly he worshippeth not from his heart the true God he lifteth not vp his soule in prayer or thanksgiuing but as a beast receiueth blessings contenting himselfe within himselfe neuer looking higher to the hand reaching them out vnto him Iob. 21.15 Who is the Almightie that wee should serue him and what profit is it to call vpon him Psal. 14. He neuer calleth vpon God Fifthly he hateth the Church and people of God and when occasion shall serue he will testifie it by persecuting the same For he that loueth not God loueth not his adherents Psa. 44.5 They smite downe thy people O Lord and trouble thine heritage These be the notes of them against whom sentence shall passe when they shall be iudged from whence two duties are to be learned First to denie all vngodlines and to put farre from vs all the properties thereof Secondly to exercise our selues vnto godlines and all the duties therof as first to learne to know God aright both in his owne attributes and also in his affection to vs ward neuer quieting our selues till wee know him to be our Father our Redeemer our Sanctifier and this knowledge of him is life eternall Secondly to subiect our selues our liues wils affections speeches and actions to all his lawes for to shake off the yoke of obedience to any part of his word is rebellion Thirdly to goe out of our selues as being nothing in our selues and in our hearts depend vpon the will and good pleasure of God liuing by faith making him our rocke our tower our fortresse and strong defence in all estates yea in life and in death our aduantage Fourthly to worship him not only outwardly as hypocrites may doe but to serue him in our spirits giuing him our whole hearts Fifthly to loue all men but especially Gods Saints and the householde of faith affecting the particular congregations and chiefly delighting in the Saints vpon earth that excell in vertue Thus walking with God as Enoch did we shall escape this most wofull sentence which shall bee pronounced against the vngodly ones of the earth The second thing in this special iudgment is the manner of it in the word rebuke God rebuketh two waies first in mercie when as in iustice he remēbreth mercie Hab. 3. Secondly in iustice yea in anger and wrath Psal. 6.1 O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath and this latter is here meant So as thus much is here signified that the Lord will powre out his fury and his wrathful indignation vpon al the vngodly of the earth This wrathful rebuke hath two parts first the conuicting of the vngodly in their own cōsciences of all their wicked thoughts words and works and this the word also signifieth Reu. 20. The books shal be opened and all mens sinnes shall be laid open that is they shall be so discouered as they being conuinced shall not be able to denie them Secondly the punishment that shall follow that conuiction So Dauid prayeth Psa. 6. Neither chastice me in thy heauie displeasure Doct. Hence we learne that al things are fully and perfectly knowne vnto God and all things are open before him Heb. 4.13 yea they are naked and as it were vnquartered before his eyes for the Apostle alludeth to the cutting vp of a beast or the anatomizing of the creature wherein men are curious to finde out euery little veine or muskle though they lie neuer so close euen so the Lord shall finde out euery transgression although neuer so secretly conceiued and concealed and that in such sort as hee shall conuince the vngodly man whose mouth shall be shut so soone as euer his booke is open which should teach vs first in matter of religion to auoide all dissembling and hypocrisie Be that in deede what thou seemest to be for though thou maiest delude men thou canst not deceiue the Almightie but hee shall conuince thee Secondly let thy dealing before men be plaine simple without fraud couin or deceit for though thou maist glose with men who cannot conuince thee yet the righteous Lord shall rebuke thee for want of righteousnes in thy dealings Thirdly humble thy selfe before God alwaies for all thy knowne sinnes yea and for thy vnknowne sinnes also for though they be vnknowne to thy selfe yet they are knowne vnto him who will one day conuince thee of them all except thou preuent him by thy repentance The third thing propounded in the testimonie is the cause of the iudgement in these words Of all their wicked deeds which they haue vngodlily cōmitted and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him The cause is two-fold the deedes and words of men the deedes are distributed first by the propertie of them being workes of vngodlines Secondly by the manner of performing them they are vngodlily cōmitted By vngodly works are meant all sinnes against any part of the law of God whether in the first or second Table for euery sinne though it be directly against man hath in it a defect and ◠withdrawing of some dutie due to God Secondly for the manner these workes being vngodly and failing against the law are done after an vngodly manner and that worke is done vngodlily which proceedeth from an vnrepentant heart and a minde addicted and deuoted to vngodlines which is knowne and discerned to be such a one by three notes first because it purposeth to commit sinne before hand Secondly in the committing of sinne it is delighted and taketh pleasure in it Thirdly after sin it walketh in the same course yea runneth on in the same waies without remorse or repentance and this clause seemeth to be added to put a difference between the godly and wicked who both of them may commit vngodlines and be found in vngodly actions but not both committing them in an vngodly manner for the childe of God before he sinne hee purposeth it not yea he hath a purpose not to sinne so as he may say it is not only besid◠but against his purpose Secondly in his sinne he hath a resisting and strife against it and is not wholy swallowed vp in the pleasure of it Thirdly he lieth not in it but reneweth and recouereth himselfe againe by faith and repentance so as though hee doe wickednes yet hee doth it not wickedly but weakely being ouercome and foyled by corruption And hence is it that this wicked worke being found in the hands of Gods children though it deserue death yet through grace it shall be no cause of his condemnation Doct. The principall cause of condemnation is not this or that sinne but the lying and trading therein which argueth an vngodly heart to commit vngodlines indeede maketh men subiect to condemnation but to commit it vngodlily this bringeth swift iudgement Secondly a wicked man sinneth not of infirmitie for he committeth vngodlines in an vngodly manner and tradeth in wickednes wickedly the sinnes of infirmitie befall not the gracelesse sinner but the regenerate only
The faithfull could with ioy suffer the spoyling of their goods Thirdly wee must endeuour to shew all meekenes to all men vpon all occasions putting off all morositie waiwardnes and difficultie to bee satisfied and appeased Christs voyce was not life vp in the streetes he endured all wrongs forgaue all iniuries and all the members of his bodie put off likewise their wooluish dispositions they cease to be Tigers Lions Cockatrises and become Kids Lambes little children easie to be handled hardly offended and quicklie pleased which disposition we must put vpon vs. The third sinne walking after their owne lusts is fitly expounded in Eccles. 11.9 where the young man is ironically willed to walke in the waies of his owne heart and in the sight of his own eyes c. euen so these men liue in their sinnes according to the leading and lusting of their owne corrupted hearts which sin is before in the fourth verse touched and somewhat also is further to bee spoken of it in the rest of the Epistle Our contrarie dutie is two-fold first if at any time by frailtie we fall into any sin neuer to goe on in the same but break it off and returne vnto God for to walke after his owne hearts lusts is a note of a wicked person and an enemie of God Psal. 68.21 Surely God wil wound the head of his enemies and the hairie paâ—â— of him that walketh on in sinne Secondly wee are to frame our liues cleane against the lusts and inclinations of our owne hearts waging battell continually against them euer crossing and thwarting them Rom. 13.14 Take no thought to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Galath 3. They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lusts therof for whosoeuer beleeueth truly the pardon of his sinnes by Christs death cannot but mortifie the lusts of his wicked heart besides that the whole course of Christianitie is nothing else but a continuall conuersion and turning vnto God The fourth sin Whose mouthes speake proude or swelling things That is they boast themselues of knowledge holines and things not to be found in theÌ„ The same with the Diuels sinne Luk. 4. All this will I giue thee for they are mine and I giue them to whom I will wherein he sheweth himselfe the father of lying and boasting It is noted also to bee the property of Antichrist as to whom was giuen a mouth which spake great things and blasphemies Reu. 13.5 which was meant of the Emperour indeed but so as the second beast which is that Antichrist should doe all things which the first beast could doe before him ver 12. It is also the noted vice of all heretikes and seducers 2. Cor. 10.12 to exalt and praise themselues The contrarie duties are first In common speech neither to praise nor dispraise our selues for vanitie lurketh in both besides that modestie will not suffer the former and the latter is to occasion others to praise vs which is but vanitie Secondly when in speech wee compare our selues with others our equals wee must euer thinke and speake better of them than our selues Phil. 2.3 Let euery man esteeme other better than himselfe Paul comparing himselfe with the Apostles said he was the least of them all because he had been a persecutor 1. Cor. 15.9 Thirdly if any speake of his owne wants when iust occasion is offered hee must speake euen the most against himself As Paul that he was the head and chiefe of all sinners Fourthly if a man vpon iust occasion bee moued to commend himselfe first he must doe it in all humilitie and modestie so Paul speaketh of himself in another person 1. Cor. 12.1 I knew a man in Christ which was taken vp into Paradise c. And in nothing was I inferiour vnto the very chiefe Apostles though I be nothing vers 11. The fifth sinne Hauing mens persons in admiration The word person in scripture signifieth the face and outward apparance of a man and consequently the things belonging vnto the person as riches honours dignities for the which these false teachers haue men in admiration Qu. Is it not lawfull to admire a Prince or other Potentates at all Ans. Yes but when men admire them only for their person riches honours nobilitie without respect of the feare of God or true vertue this is vnlawfull and the sinne of these men wherein is also included the contempt of the religious poore yea and also of the rich themselues if they trulie feare God Iam. 2.1 My brethren haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons teaching vs that it will not stand with true Religion nor with the faith of Christ to honour men only because they are rich or noble First note here that no man carrieth so base a minde and such slauish affections as the proud ambitious person he magnifieth the great man and is seruilly addicted vnto him euen for outward respects not esteeming him for that which is indeede worthie to be respected Secondly the condition of great men for the most part is miserable who haue many to admire them but few to amonish them rich men are admired for wisedome whereas the same men if they were poore would carrie away no praise thereof Ahab had foure hundred false prophets who thus admired his person but onely one Micha who faithfullie admonished him Thirdly our dutie is to honour them that feare God rich or poore high or low it being a note of a childe of God to contemne a vile person that is a wretched sinner but to honour them that feare the Lord bee they neuer so base and yet the honourable much more if they bee found in the waies of religion The sixth sin Because of aduantage That is for profits sake where their couetousnes which before was touched is here againe taxed the effect of which affection is to blind the minde that it cannot iudge aright of persons or things it maketh a man account an enemie of God rightly honourable and to deeme the things below of highest regard Let vs weede out of our hearts this bitter roote of couetousnes which otherwise will so blind vs as we cannot truly discerne the people and things of God but take Egyptians for Israelites and accept of the red pottage in stead of the blessing Vers. 17. But ye beloued remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ. IN these words the Apostle goeth about to answere an obiection that might be made by the Church after this manner We cannot bee resolued that these men against whom yee write are so vngodly as you would make them The answere whereto is framed in the 17.18 19. verses The effect of which is that in the last times there shall bee mockers and these be no other than the men of whom he writeth and lest they should yet doubt of the truth of that he spake he bringeth in the testimonie of the Apostles in the confirmation
of the same so as his doctrine was no other than that which was before by them deliuered Where three things are to be considered first a preface to the testimonie vers 17. Secondly the testimonie it selfe vers 18. Thirdly the amplifying of it vers 19. For the Preface But yee beloued remember c. First the Apostle Iude setteth out his owne dutie and practise in that whatsoeuer he speaketh it proceedeth of loue and he is not carried away in speaking or writing with sinister affections and therefore he calleth them Beloued This ought to be the practise of al Teachers who out of their inward loue to Gods people committed vnto them are to vtter whatsoeuer they teach yea and no man in any other calling may lay aside this affection in the discharge of the duties therof seeing it is the end of all the Commandements In the second word remember is laid downe the dutie of the Church faithfull people of God which is to remember the words spoken by the Apostles of the Lord Iesus Christ. Which we also in this age are to bee exhorted vnto for very weightie reasons first it is a notable remedie against al sinne and especially the forenamed sinnes Psal. 116.11 In my haste I said all men are liars that is wheÌ„ I remembred not the word of God but forgat my own dutie and was carried away with the streame of my owne affections against faith then I failed and was foiled Psal. 119. I haue hid thy testimonies in my heart that I should not offend against thee Secondly this remembrance is a notable remedie against heresies and schismes and all false doctrines and is of much vse in these our daies wherein wee are in danger to bee seduced partly by Atheists partly by Papists and partly by carnall Gospellers against all whom wee had need to bee well fenced and armed by the reading knowing beleeuing and remembring the wordes of the Prophets and Apostles which onely are as Dauids sling to ouerthrow the great Goliahs Thirdly it is an excellent meanes to settle the conscience in the truth by perswading the same and the rather to be enforced because many alleage that there are so many Religions and opinions that they wil be of none for they knowe not which to betake themselues vnto But if these were diligent in the words of the Prophets and Apostles in reading searching and sifting out the truth in humilitie they should finde wherein to settle themselues Secondly by this second word all Teachers are to take notice of their dutie which is to whet the word of the Apostles vpon the hearts mindes and memories of their hearers so as they may learne and remember them and the rather because in former ages religion was destroyed and superstition preuailed because that men laid away the Scriptures out of their hands and betooke themselues to the exposition of other mens writings and to glosse vpon the sayings of their ancestors whereby they brought a black darknes ouer these parts of the world The Prophets and Apostles giue another direction Malachy the last of the Prophets referreth vnto Moses and the former Prophets and Iude the last of the Apostles vnto the former Apostles shewing what ought to bee the scope of all Teachers that would follow their steps Thirdly hence all Students of Diuinitie are taught what they must most remember namely the words and writings of the Apostles for these are the key of the olde Testament and of the whole Scripture which dutie if it were well obserued Popery superstition and Atheisme could not so farre preuaile but fall downe to the ground as Dagon before the Arke Thirdly he nameth the authors of the testimony who were the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ implying their authoritie and taking it for granted that whatsoeuer they spake or writ must be receiued as an infallible truth and may not be contradicted Now the better to know both what the Apostles were and what this authoritie is consider three points first their calling and the greatnes thereof They were called by Christs owne mouth Ioh. 20.21 As the Father sent me so I send you by which comparison hee designeth them to a particular and weightie calling standing in these points first as Christ was immediatly called by the Father so were the Apostles immediatly called by himselfe Secondly as Christ was sent from the Father to preach to the whole world being the great Prophet and Doctor of his Church so Christ sendeth them into the whole world for the whole worlde was their charge Thirdly as Christ was sent to reueile his Fathers will which before was hid to the greatest part of the world so they were sent by Christ to reueile the Fathers will partly in making things more fully knowne which were before but darkly shadowed and partly in foretelling things to come they all being Euangelicall Prophets In these three standeth that comparison in regard of which manner of theâ—â— sending they are aboue euen the Angelâ— themselues nay the Angels were as it were but their schollers Eph. 3.10 Now vnto principalities and powers in heauenly places is made knowne by the Church the manifold wisedome of God that is by the ministrie of the Apostles the mysteries of God concerning mans redemption haue bin reueiled to the Angels themselues Secondly consider their Authoritie which was most authenticall seeing that neither in teaching or writing they could erre being specially priuiledged therefrom Matth. 10.19 It shall be giuen you in that houre what ye shall say The peculiar promise of direction belonging to the Apostles is recorded in Ioh. 16.13 The spirit of truth shall leade you into all truth in which regard they were bold to ioyne themselues with the holy Ghost It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and vs namely in ordering the Church affaires yet here that distinction which is falsely applied to the Pope is true in the Apostles by reason of this assistance that as they were priuate men and in other causes they might and did erre but not as Apostles in performing their office Apostolicall Thirdly their worke or office they were Master builders of the Church of the new Testament yea founders therof both by teaching doctrines and informing the manners of men farre passing all Euangelists Pastors Teachers or ordinarie Ministers since their daies 1. Cor. 3.10 As a skilfull Master builder I haue laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon For the furthering of which great worke in their hands they had giuen them first a power to worke miracles for the confirming of their doctrine Secondly of giuing the holie Ghost by imposition of hands Thirdly an Apostolical rod to strike and correct obstinate offenders by the which Peter smote Ananias and Saphira with present death and Paul Elymas with blindnes Vse Marke that now the Pope claiming authoritie Apostolicall from Peter it is but a false challenge for that authoritiâ— ceased with that office and seruâ— onely to lay the foundations of the Church withall being
rock Psal. 18.1 but because God reueileth himselfe and the meanes of our saluation in the word it becommeth hence a foundation as also secondly because Christ who is the proper foundation is the summe of the doctrine therein contained Vse First let no creature draw vs from Christ for then wee are drawne from our foundation Secondly the affections of our heart towards Christ must exceed all affections of any thing besides our loue feare hope confidence and trust must settle themselues vpon him as vpon a foundation The second thing in this first rule is the dutie of euery beleeuer which is to build himselfe vpon his faith which that a man may doe sixe things are required first hee must haue in his heart a deepe sense and feeling of his miserie in such sort as not finding in himselfe whereon to be founded hee may feele himselfe to be founded vpon God and Christ euen as in laying strong and sure foundations men digge deepe and if they finde sure ground proceede on in their purpose So this wise builder laieth his foundation on a rocke Luk. 6.48 Secondly hee must haue knowledge of this doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles for vnlesse it bee knowne it can bee no foundation Thirdly a holie memorie to lay vp the word of God in their heart as in a storehouse for he that remembreth not the doctrine of saluation can neuer build vpon it Fourthly faith whereby not only we beleeue the truth of it but applie it vnto our selues this knitteth vs vnto the foundation without which the word shall bee no more profitable vnto vs than the Iewes who mingled it not with faith Heb. 4.2 for this only applieth it vnto our hearts Iam. 1.21 Fifthly the doctrine beleeued and applied must take a deepe rooting in the heart it must descend into the affections and there be imbraced vntill it hath wrought out an experience of the sweet comfort of it Sixthly there must be an vnfained obedience vnto the whole word of God Not euery one that saith Lord Lord but he that doth the will of my Father Matth. 7.21 This man buildeth wisely vpon the rocke Quest. But what is that which must be done of vs Ans. Whatsoeuer is to bee done of vs may be reduced to three heads first faith whereby the beleeuer truly resteth himselfe vpon God cleaueth vnto Christ for the pardon of sinne and renounceth all other meanes in heauen and earth Secondly repentance whereby he truly turneth from all sinne vnto God Thirdly new obedience whereby hee endeuoureth to obey God in all his Commandements Vse First here is reprooued the carnall Protestant who holdeth his religion but for forme and fashion or for feare of lawes he is altogether without foundation and in a pitifull condition seeing when the great day of the Lord shall approach whosoeuer shall want Christ their foundation shall fall before him Secondly we must neuer suffer our selues to be drawne from our faith and religion nor lose our hold of the doctrine of godlines though wee should suffer losse of lands liuings liberties yea or life it selfe if this bee once wrested from vs wee are fillen 〈◊〉 the foundation and haue lost 〈◊〉 hold of happines and life iâ— selfe Thirdly wee may not take any â—est till we be builded vpon this foundation it being the foundation and ground-worke of all our safetie and securitie for Christian men are as houses built vpon the sea shore who must looke for the waâ—â—s and billowes of afflictions one in the necke of another euen as one surge in the sea ouertaketh another how should they hold out when this raine falleth these floods come these windes blow and beate vpon their house vnlesse they be founded vpon this rocke how else should not their fall be great but this sure foundation establisheth the heart against all calamities of this present life yea in the houre of death also which otherwise is the downfall to hell yea and in the day of iudgement the sentence shall passe on their sides who are laid on this foundation they shall be found worthie to stand before the Lambe when the diuell and his angels with all sinners and sinne it selfe shall be cast into the bottomlesse lake Now as euery particular Christian man is to be a practiser of this dutie in his owne person so also may it bee fitly applied to the state of the whole land which by Gods blessing hath had for many yeeres this foundation laid within it through the which it hath been able to withstand yea and subdue many rebellions treasons forces and powers intended against it and besides hath had securitie and safetie vnder Gods protection with much peace and prosperitie Would we now know the way to haue this peace and securitie continued to vs and ours the way is to continue and abide vpon this foundation not looking backe to Poperie or superstition but taking out the wholsome counsell of good King Iehoshaphat Put your trust in the Lord and yee shall be assured beleeue his Prophets and ye shall prosper In this dutie of beleeuers marke further first how the Apostle ascribeth power to the beleeuer to build himselfe for although by nature men want this power for the naturall man cannot of himselfe so much as thinke one good thought yet the regenerate whom the Lord by his spirit hath mooued haue a power giuen them to mooue themselues and build themselues that which was before to nature impossible is made possible by grace Secondly note further the force of the word build vp which requireth not onely a building but a going on and encreasing in building as if he had said Build vp your selues more and more A dutie which neerely concernes men in these daies wherein men decline to Atheisme and Poperie which also is but a painted Atheisme when men can coÌ„tent themselues to goe backe and fall from their former loue and are afraid to bee found either hot or cold This disease of our daies hath this Apostle forwarned vs of in this Epistle being one of the last farewels of the Apostles to the Church Let vs then take notice of our declinings and doe our first works and goe on forward to perfection building vp our selues daily lest it come to passe that the Lord come against vs spue vs out of his mouth remoue our Candlesticke with his other blessings and leaue vs vnto our too late and vntimely repentance The motiue whereby this rule is inforced vpon the church is drawne from a propertie of faith which is that it is most holy Wherein to vnderstand it we will shew first what holines is properly secondly that faith is most holy For the former in this holinesse there bee two things first a freedome from all fault and blame secondly an excellencie or perfection consisting of many diuine vertues Holinesse thus vnderstood is two-fold vncreated or created Vncreated is the holines of God which is nothing else but the perfection of his properties and attributes this
Luk. 7.47 Many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much where it seemeth that loue is the cause of forgiuenes of sinnes Ans. I answere this word for doth not signifie here a cause but a reason drawne from the signe as it is also elsewhere vsed this then is the sense many sinnes are forgiuen her and hereby ye shall know it because or in that she loued much Note hence first that doctrine of the Church of Rome to bee false whereby they teach that before iustificatioÌ„ there must be a disposition and aptitude in a man thereunto standing in a feare of hell loue of God c. for by this doctrine the loue of God in man should go before iustification which is a fruit and follower thereof Secondly that is as false that loue is the soule and life of faith for though in time they be both together yet in the order of nature loue followeth after faith therfore cannot be the forme and soule thereof Thirdly it hath bin the opinion of some that faith apprehendeth Christ by loue and not by it self but this is also erroneous for loue in order followeth apprehenâ—â—on of Christ and therefore Christ is not apprehended by loue First we beleeue and being knit vnto Christ by faith then our hearts are knit vnto God by loue The third point is what is the measure of loue whereby we must loue God and man Ans. According to the two distinct parts of the word of God are prescribed two distinct measures of loue The measure of the law is to loue God without measure for it requireth that wee loue God with all the powers of our bodies and soules and with all the strength of all these powers Luk. 10.27 This measure is not now in our power to performe no not although wee bee borne anew for being still flesh in part some of the powers of our strength are withdrawne from the loue of God The Gospell is a qualification of the law and moderateth the rigour thereof it freeth a man not froÌ„ louing God but exacteth not this loue in the highest measure and degree but accepteth such a measure as standeth in 3. things first in beginning truly to loue God secondly in the daily increase in this loue thirdly in being constant in the same vnto the end this measure the Lord accepteth for perfect loue in those that bee in Christ in whom the imperfection is couered Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart that thou maist loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy soule that is as if the Lord had said I will ingraft the true loue of my selfe in your hearts which you shall increase in and constantly proceede in the same and then I will account and accept of it for the full measure of loue that my law requireth which distinction is the rather to bee considered because the Papists teach that the loue which the Lord requireth of Christians is the same for substance and measure which the law prescribeth and for the perfection of our loue they say a man may doe more than the law bindeth him vnto as if he gaue all his goods to the poore it is more than euer God in his law hath commanded and if wee loue God aboue all creatures which they say a man may doe though imperfectly it is the loue which the law prescribeth But all this is most false and so the Apostle Galath 3.10 concludeth it as many â—s are vnder the workes of the law are accursed If all men bee condemned by the law then is no man able to performe the loue and duties which it requireth but he taketh the former for granted for else his argument could not hold and therefore that none can performe the loue which the law enioyneth is true Secondly the common opinion of men is that they euer loued God with all their heart and it iâ— pitie hee should liue that doth not so but it is a mâ—â—re delusion for if it were so what needed any qualification or moderation of the law by the Gospell The fourth point is wherein standeth the loue of God Ans. 1. Epist. Ioh. 5.3 This is the loue of God that ye keepe his Commandements Ioh. 14.13 He that keepeth my Commandements is he that loueth me the reason whereof is this he that loueth God loueth his word and he that loueth his word wil bewray his loue in yeelding answerable obedience thereunto and in one word this keeping of the Commandements standeth in these three things first in faith for it must bee the worke of a true beleeuer secondly in conuersion vnto God thirdly in new obedience which sheweth many a man how miserably he hath been heretofore deluded by Satan for euery mâ—n professeth and pretendeth the keeping of the Commandements and yet the most are so farre from doing them that they know them not neither care to know them The fifth point is how a man should preserue in him the loue of God and of mâ—n Ans. First the meanes whereby man may preserue himselfe in the loue of God is two-fold first euery one must labour daily to haue his heart setled in the sense of Gods loue towards himselfe for the more he shall feele Gods loue confirmed vnto him the more shall his loue bee inflamed and increased towards God againe euen as the more wee feele the heate of the Sunne the warmer wee are Secondly wee must keepe a daily obseruation of Gods blessings spirituall and temporall which is a speciall meanes not onely to confirme and augment our loue but preserue it constant to the end Psalm 18.1 I will loue thee dearely O Lord. Why what made Dauid thus resolue himselfe the reason is rendred in the next words The Lorde is my rocke my fortresse my strength and hee that deliuereth mee Secondly men must vse the meanes whereby they may preserue their loue to men and these are of two sorts for some stand in meditation others in practise The meditations are foure The first is the consideration of the spirituall and neere coniunction of all those that are true beleeuers of which number wee professe our selues all to be who haue all one Father God one Mother the heauenly Ierusalem the Catholike Church all begotten of the immortall seede the word of God all liue by one faith in Christ and all are heires of eternall life and glorie This was Pauls motiue perswading him hereto Ephes. 4.3.4 There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all see Phil. 2.1.2 The second meditation is that the duties of loue which man sheweth to man especially the faithfull God accepteth as done to himselfe so saith the Wiseman He that giueth to the poore lâ—ndeth vnto the Lord. And Matth. 25. When I was hungrie ye fed me c. namely in my members vpon earth The third meditation is the consideration of that curse which is due to them that neglect duties of loue to man when occasion is offered
edification so as the generall commandement admitteth this limitation that men must be pleased but onely so farre as it tendeth to Gods glorie their owne good and edification So Rom. 12.18 Haue peace with all men but yet with a double limitation first if it be possible secondly if it be in you or so much as lieth in you wee must not carrie crosse and thwart mindes as being enemies vnto peace but applie our selues to the preseruation of it in our selues and others thus shall we testifie our selues to be admitted into Gods kingdome wherein the lion and lambe play together and the yong childe with the Cockatrice Isai. 11. Whereby thus much is signified that men once conuerted shall be so changed and altered that if they were neuer so fierce and cruell against the Church and one against another before yet now they shal be framed to a peaceable and meeke disposition towards all men Now to perswade vs to the practise of these rules consider first that these are the last times wherein most men are louers of themselues and louers of men for their owne aduantage euen so farre as by them they may attaine and retaine their wealth pleasures and pompe but few are they that loue men for God or his graces in them now seeing the times more call for these duties let vs bee the more carefull in them Secondly loue amongst men is the bond of societies for what else linketh man to man but loue which therefore the Apostle calleth the bond of perfection and truly for it maketh men speake and thinke one thing and perfecteth their societie Seeing then Christian societies are Gods ordinances and preserued by loue wee are to labour the more in the preseruation of it Thirdly the office and action of loue is most excellent for the manifold gifts and graces which God bestoweth on men for the vse of the Church and Common-wealth are all hereby made profitable thereunto all ordered hereunto aright and all hereby applied to their right ends and vses the gifts of knowledge tongues artes wisedome and such like without loue they puffe vp but it is loue that edifieth 1. Cor. 13. and which causeth man to applie and vse these gifts to the good of man The third rule for the maintenance of faith concerneth Hope in the next wordâ— looking for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Wherein is contained a description of hope which is this Hope is a gift of God whereby we waite for the mercie of Iesus Christ to eternal life For the better conceiuing of which grace consider in the words three things first the person on whom wee are to waite by hope namely our Lord Iesus Christ together with the properties of this waiting which are foure first it must be certaine without doubting for the Apostle ascribeth a full perswasion and assurance vnto our hope as wel as vnto our faith Heb. 6.11 neither doth hope make a man ashamed by disappointing him of the thing hoped for Rom. 5.5 Secondly it must be against hope that is against all humane hope reason sense and whatsoeuer may be grounded vpon these Thus Abraham beleeued against hope Rom. 4.18 Thirdly it must be a patient waiting on Christ Rom. 8.15 If we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it for otherwise the thing hoped for deferred maketh our waiting painfull and tedious Fourthly it must be grounded vpon the word and promises of life Psal. 130.5 My soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word Heb. 6.18 the ground and anchor of our hope is made not onely the promise but the oath of God who cannot lie although he should not sweare that we might hâ—ld fast the hope that is set before vs. The second point is the thing for which we must waite which is not for gold siluer honours pleasures but only for the mercie of God in Christ vnto life eternall by which we must not vnderstand the beginnings of mercie for these we alreadie here enioy and hauing the present hold thereof need not hope for the same but for the full measure and accomplishment of Gods mercies hereafter to be enioyed The like manner of speech hath Paul Rom. 8.20 We waite for our adoption and redemption not that wee are not alreadie adopted and redeemed but that it is not as yet fully finished and accomplished in vs as hereafter it shall be The third point is the fruite and profit of this waiting and that is life eternall and therefore is added vnto life eternall giuing vs to vnderstand that our waiting shall bring vs vnto and set vs in the possession of this life So as the description standeth in setting downe two effects of hope described first that it causeth to waite on Christ for mercie secondly that it doth not faile nor make a man ashamed for he waiteth vnto eternall life and in this expectation is put in possession of the same From the former effect we learne first to put a difference betweene hope and confidence first by hope we waite on Christ but by confidence we rest vpon him and quiet our hearts in him Secondly hope is of things to come and confidence of things present at least made present by faith Matth. 9.2 Haue confidence and thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Whence we may discerne an error in Popish religion They teach with vs that a man is to haue confidence in Christ but they include it vnder hope and will not permit that it should bee referred to faith because then they should be drawne to grant a speciall faith But that is erroneous seeing confidence is not of things to come as hope is but of things present and therefore although confidence goeth with hope yet it is no branch of it but proceedeth from faith Secondly seeing this waiting is a certaine expectation of Christ hence I gather that there is a speciall faith for if there bee a speciall hope there must needes be a special faith to ground this speciall hope vpon for wee can neuer certainly waite for that whereof we are vncertaine whether it belong vnto vs or no he that hath receiued the earnest may certainly waite for the whole summe but it is faith which receiueth the earnest of the spirit from whence our hope is raised Heb. 11.1 Now faith is the ground of things hoped for for which cause it is that hope also hath his full assurance ascribed vnto it as well as faith And hence wee may further take knowledge of another of their errors whereas they teach that hope indeed is ioyned with a certaintie but they distinguish of certaintie which is they say either of the will or vnderstanding hope they graunt hath the certaintie of will but not of iudgement and vnderstanding but this is false seeing the Apostle Heb. 12. commandeth to reioyce in hope which no man can doe vnlesse the iudgement be certaine and setled he that is not certaine of mercie can neuer hope certainly
iust in God to destroy likewise his creature ouer which hee hath infinitely more soueraigntie than man hath ouer them 4. Vse We are to be afraide to sinne against God we must resigne our will vnto his whatsoeuer it is and simplie subiect our selues vnto the obedience of the same fearing in the least thing to offend him and all this because of his Maiestie power and dominion ouer vs for this is the liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice which he requireth of vs Rom. 1.12 euen our reasonable seruing of him Further whereas all these are to bee giuen to God alone note first that the wicked Astrologer with his Arte is here condemned seeing all glorie is properly belonging vnto God but the Astrologer arrogateth to himselfe that part of Gods glorie which consisteth in the foreknowledge of things to come in that by erecting of a figure and the aspect of the starres he takes vpon him to foretel things meerely casuall and contingent as of life and death woe or wealth peace or warre wherein he entreth vpon Gods possessions Isai. 41.23 Besides that the starres neither by creation nor by any ordinance of God can bee any meanes to foretell things to come Secondly detestible is the Romish doctrine which giueth the glorie and power of God to Saints as of hearing the prayers of all men in all places and knowing the hearts Secondly it giueth to the Pope power to make lawes and to binde the conscience Thirdly it ascribeth to the Pope hiâ— Shauelings power to forgiue sins properly all which bee incommunicable properties of the Godhead Now for the time for euer Learne that it is the duty of euery child of God to dedicate himselfe vnto the praise of God and that continually Psal. 119.117 For this shall be the eternall câ—â—ling and condition of those who shall possesse the kingdome of glorie and 〈◊〉 must be begun euen in this life Lastly from the affection in the word Amen Note that whatsoeuer wee are to performe in the seruice of God 〈◊〉 must bee not of fashion but with the earnest affection of our hearts Psalme 103.1 My soule praise the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name It is said of Iosias that hee turned to God with all his soule and all his heart according to all the law of Moses so wee in like manner in our conuersion to God in our prayers praiseâ— or whatsoeuer holy worship and seruice we tender vnto him must beware lest in drawing neere him with our lips wee withdâ—â—w our hearts from him which wee shall the better performe if we carry in mind his owne commandement My sonne giue me thy heart FINIS Laus Christo nesciâ— finis THE PVBLISHERS POST-SCRIPT MAny excelleÌ„t points might I as gemmes and pearles in this CommeÌ„tarie commend vnto thy coÌ„sideratioÌ„ Christian Reader but that one shall suffice to giue notice of and direct thee vnto as worthiest of my penning and thy perusing which as it is most ioyned with the scope of this whole Epistle so most seasonably is it fitted to our present coÌ„dition and most diligently trauased by this our Author namely that The seducers of the last age especially here aimed at by the spirit of God deâ—iers of the maine grounds of Religion in doctrine and practise are the Papists and the present Romish Church The necessarie consequent whereof is directly prooued namely That we may neuer ioyne with them in their religion but for euer contend against them for the faith once giuen to the Saints which wee can neuer doe if wee auoide not their doctrines as the rockes on which wee shall necessarily suffer shipwracke or death it selfe vnto which they cannot but carrie the professors The antecedent or former part seemeth by the way to be a direct and naturall answere vnto a Popish pamphlet alreadie by three learned men sufficientlie confuted wherein H.T. by twelue triuiall articles in comparison goeth about the bush to prooue that Protestants haue neither faith nor pietie religion nor good life To whom our Author in the exposition of the third verse reioyndeth and doubling the number of those articles with aduantage in the same order prooueth the Romish faith to be aduersary in sixe and twentie seuerall solid and maine grounds vnto Christian faith and practise I will no longer stand on this part than I haue shewed who these Papists be meant by the Author from whom wee must depart and that for this end that the sequell of our separation from them may bee acknowledged most iust and necessarie By such a Papist wee vnderstand not euery one who in some things may bee Popishly affected for true faith may stand with some errors and the end of that faith be the saluation of mens soules so bee the partie aberring be framed to these two rules First he must of necessitie hâ—ld the foundation namely that in Iesus Christ alone and in no other name either Angell or man himselfe or others saluation is to be sought for If a man vpon this foundation build some wood nay stubble or chaffe though these shall be burned yet himselfe shal be saued notwithstanding as it were through fire Secondly those errors must not be ioyned with either a willing 〈◊〉 wilfull ignorance for such errors are desperate and bring swift damnation And thus where God reueiles no more but naked Christ and where there is a subiection of the heart to the word causing it to depend on the Ministrie for further and more full instruction the acknowledgement of euery diuine truth is not of such absolute necessitie to saluation but that true faith may stand with some euen Popish errors The Ruler is said to beleeue and that was by a iustifying faith when as yet he was onely ouercome by the Maiestie of Christ appearing in the miracle of raising his sonne to assent vnto and acknowledge the maine truth that Christ was the Messiah but so as himselfe and his household depended on his mouth for further instruction and became his disciples Yea euen the Disciples themselues were long after their calling and conuersion very ignorant in no small points of Christianitie Philip of the first person in Trinitie Lord shew vs the Father Others of them coÌ„ceiued of Christ as a worldly King whence two of them desire to sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left when he came to his kingdome Others of them euen after his resurrectioÌ„ harping on the same string and hearkening after temporalities expect it Others aske him when he would restore it to Israel Peter himselfe held not as hee ought the doctrine of the passion seeing hee disswaded Christ froÌ„ it Wherein marueilous ignorance descrieth it selfe in them being true beleeuers but so much the more tolerable in that first Christ reueiled no more vnto them either not opening the things or their vnderstandings to apprehend them till afterwards that hee sent the spirit of truth And secondly this ignorance
which they deeme no other then as of a peccant humor necessarily to be purged out euery fewe yeares either by murther if it preuaile in the head or by massacre if in the body of any countrie and rather then it should not they will not sticke with Blasâ—â—s at the commandement of their great Gracchâ—â— to set on fire or to blow vp euen the Capitol it selfe although nature and Gentilisme condemne such gracelesse deuotednes The late most diabolicall and furious atteÌ„pt against his Maiesty the whole state that euer was inuented the like wherof both in the contriuing and whole carriage could neuer be shewed no I thinke if there were Annals and Chronicles kept in hell it selfe cryeth out against them long ere this time in all the corners of Christendome God Almighty still deliuer his Highnes and Royall race from them and by his Maiesties meanes vs and our Land from them For how much better had it bin that his Maiesty had been moued to haue banished these vipers out of his Realmes then those who professe the same Lord Iesus and labour though with acknowledgement of too much weakenes wants to be found faithfull before the Lord and their Soueraigne But not to depart from our purpose These bee the waies wherein the Popish Baalamits would meeâ—e vs and with vs if the Lord should not meete with theÌ„ comming against them in euery corner While then they walke in these waies of Caine what booteth it vs to speake of a peace with them for while wee speake of peace they are bent to warre But bee it some peaceable consent and agreement were on their part promised yet that one consideration of the treacherie in their compactes would keepe any iudicious man from setling his conceite and affection vpon any ingenious conclusions with them which treacherie is not only practised by the persons of faithlesse Papists but is prescribed as a maine precept of that most infidell doctrine of theirs nay which euen infidels themselues would blush at in this behalfe for doth not their doctrine make it lawful for them to vse any AequiuocatioÌ„s oâ— reseruatioÌ„s as they terme them with their aduersaries almost vpon any aduantage yea and that lest they should not come to the height of impiety in giuing answere not only on their words but vpon oath before the lawfull Magistrate though not their liues but their least liberties only be touched Which doctrine till it bee reuersed how dare wee take their words or any assumpsit from them in any thing werein we would not be ouer-reached But suppose again such peaceable conclusions were not promised only but purchased what yet were we better theÌ„ before what billes or bonds would or could they lay in sure inough for our security so long as their doctrine standeth in force published in word writing that fides haereticis non est seruanda that Leagues with them are more honorable in breaking then in making how long can we conceiue would the continuance of our peace last longer then by it they could with aduantage vndermine vs But because I must shut vp many matters in few words let vs see the preiudice which would ensue vpon such pretended mediation in matter of Religion and first seeing they are a seed of the wicked corrupt children hauing forsaken the Lord in whom from the sole of the foot to the crowne of the head there is nothing but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption and seeing themselues are become open Idolaters their Cities cages of Idolatrie their seruices all Idolatrous hauing thus forsakeÌ„ the couenant of their youth seeing filthines appeareth on their skirts finally seeing by seeking their iustification by the workes of the law they are abolished from Christ and fallen from grace the which particulars haue been clearely proued by many our vnanswered and vnanswerable bookes to communicate with them by accepting yea not absteining from the least appearance of any of these euils were no other but to expose and lay our selues open and naked to all manner of danger of infectioÌ„ of our soules defection from our God in the end of destruction both of body and soule It was a dangerous disease which Israel brought out of Aegypt hauing through their long continuance there by reason of those marishes and the Riuer Nilus to which Lucretius in a distich appropriateth this disease contracted the same vpon them for the prouing and purging wherof the Lord instituted so many ceremonies and separations but farre more fearefull was that inward leprosie euen that abhominable Idolatry which they brought forth with them and which cost them so deare both in the wildernes and in the land of Canaan yea so habituall and inbred was the infection that although the Lord vsed most wise preuentions euery way yet presently vpon their deliuery out of the sea will it burst forth and become in the end their vtter ouerthrow It cannot be but the strangers which come with Israel out of Aegypt being accustomed to the Aegyptian fashion diet wil still be harping on their cucumbers leekes onyons and garlicke and draw the Israelites to the same lustings though with the loathing of Manna it selfe but such an exceeding plague shall proceed from the Lord that in perpetuall memorie thereof the place shall bee called the graues of lusting and if the daughters of Moab may haue free accesse to Israel in Sittiâ—â— Israel will easilie be ioyned to Baal Peor till the wrath of the Lord bee kindled there fall in one day three twentie thousand The certeine perill and ineuitable danger wherof the Lord wel perceiuing did not only charge his people to haue nothing to doe at all with the Heathen lest by any meanes they should bee snared but also that they should be so opposite vnto them that they should in all appearances and circumstances and yet none will say the Lord herein was too seuere and straite be vnlike vnto them both in Religious and Ciuill exercises for if they looke towards the East in their TeÌ„ples in the honor of the Sun his people shall in his Sanctuary and Temple contrarily look to the West and in the West shall the Sanctum Sanctorum be set If they offer sacrifices vnto Oxen Sheepe Doues Goates c. as vnto Gods the Lord in detestation hereof will haue his people to consume and burne these creatures before him in sacrifice and hence was it that euery shepherd was an abhomination to the Aegyptians with whom they might not eate and conuerse because they did kill eate and sacrifice those beasts whom the other worshipped as Gods If they vse to eate almost none but Swines flesh and yet neither that before they haue sacrificed of the kind to the Moone or Bacchus the Lord especially prohibiteth this meate of all other to his people they shal not meddle with it it shall be abhominatioÌ„ vnto them If their Priests make their
doctrine else but a Pharisaicall leauen alwaies to bee purged out of Churches and states as the Iewes vpon some occasions were to purge al leauen out of their howses Let no man say it is but a little and such a difference which may be tolerated for euen the Pharisies doctrine was much of it more true theÌ„ this Pharisaicall doctrine of theirs yet was their leauen hid in it as in this the nature whereof is though it be but little yet to sowre the whole lumpe In a word as Caleb Ioshua said of Canaan the land is a very good land If the Lord loue vs hee will bring vs vnto it euen so if the Lord loue vs hee will expell these Giants from vs and giue vs security in our owne land from the Anakims or if not if any of these strangers abide with vs our faithfull prayer and hope is that as Salomon numbâ—â—ing all the strangers in the land set them to worke in his Temple euen a hundred three fiftie thousand and sixe hundred so our wise and peaceable Salomon and Soueraigne will continue to set euen thousands of these to worship with vs in the Temple yea and in this one circumstance passe Salomons wisdome in not chusing ouerseers of themselues to cause them to worship The Lord Iesus strengthen his Highnes heart vnto this and many mo honorable workes and make vs happie in his long and prosperous Raigne to his renowne and glorie in this life and fruition of the blessed Crowne of righteousnes at the peaceable end of his through comfortable daies Amen FINIS COMMON PLACES OF CHRISTIan Religion more largely handled in this Commentarie 1 ACtuall sinnes pag. 121. 2 Angels their nature and fall pag. pag. 63. The combate between good and bad Angels pag. 84. 3 Apostles and Apostleship pag. 119. 4 Bookes of God pag. 48. 5 Callings pag. 43. 6 Catholike Church pag. 32. 7 Charitie pag. 135. 8 Christ a Sauiour pag. 151. 9 Christs comming to iudgment pag. 112. 10 Christian liberty pag. 30. 11 Church properties and markes of it pag. 32. 12 Church Censures and excommunicacation pag. 143. 13 Commandement first pag. 35. second pag. 36. third c. pag. 39. 14 Crosse to be taken vp pag. 34. 15 Diuinity of Christ. pag. 149. 16 Feare of God pag. 85. 17 Hope pag. 138. 18 Images pag. 36. 19 Intemperance pag. 89. 20 Iudgement day pag. 68. 21 Iustification by faith only pag. 26. 22 Keyes of the Church pag. 31. 23 Knowledge in the creatures naturall reasonable spirituall pag. 88. 24 Loue of God towards man contra pag. 15. 25 Magistracie pag. 76. 26 Mercy of God pag. 13. 27 Naturall corruption pag. 127. 28 Peace with God Man the creatures pag. 14. 29 Perseuerance pag. 11. 30 Regeneration pag. 28. 31 Repentance pag. 33. 32 Resurrection pag. ibid. 33 Reprobation pag. 48. 34 Saluation by Christ alone how to whom pag. 151. 35 Sanctification pag. 7. 36 Table second pag. 41. 37 Vngodlines pag. 49. 38 Vocation pag. 5. 39 Wisdome of Christ. pag. 150. 40 Worship of God pag. 38. DOCTRINES MORE CHOISE and generall collected and vrged in this Exposition 1 TO bee a seruant of Iesus Christ is more honour then to bee allied to Princes pag. 3. 2 Faith is a most excellent treasure pag. 17. 3 The Saints are the keepers of this treasure and must fight for it pag. 45. 4 It is a subtiltie of Satan to thrust the profane and wicked into the societies of the Saints pag. 47. 5 Publike teachers in the Church must of necessity be called and why pag. ibid. 6 Gods grace may not bee turned into Wantonnesse pag. 51. 7 No outward priuiledges are profitable 〈◊〉 of their right vse in faith and repentance pag. 56. 8 Great iudgements are at the beeles of great mercies if abused pag. 57. 9 DistractioÌ„ followeth vnbeliefe which is therefore to be vnmaâ—ked and auoided pag. 57. 10 Gods seruice is the only liberty and freedome in sinne is to be chained in bondage pag. 67. 11 The mercy of God euery way matcheth his iustice pag. 70. 12 To take a view of the sinnes of the last times is necessarie for euery Christian pag. 71. 13 Our bodies are the Lords and therefore must be giuen vp to his seruice and preserued in holines pag. 75. 14 Sleepe in sinne and spirituall dreames the cause why so fewe embrace theÌ„ Gospell pag. 73. 15 A Christians dutie is to watch and be sober pag. 74. 16 Not to speake euill of but blesse Magistrates pag. 80. 17 Scripture is knowen to bee Scripture by Scripture pag. 83. 18 The Diuel the author of Idolatry pag. 8â— 19 Not to requiâ—e euill for euill a Christian precept and an angelicall practise pag. 87. 20 Christian meeknes must be tempered with Christian zeale pag. 89. 21 Caines way may not bee beaten by Christians pag. 90. 22 Couetousnes in all but teachers especially to be auoyded and why pag. 96. 23 Contentation a speciall vertue and how atteined pag. 98. 117. 24 In feasting Gods feare must be preserued in the heart pag. 102. 25 All Ministers must be able to teach sound doctrine pag. 104. 26 Hearers ought to be as parcht land to to receaue it pag. ibid. 27 ChristiaÌ„s being trees of righteousnes must be 1. wel rooted 2. liue 3. beare fruit 4. beare good fruite in Christ the stocke pag. 106. 28 Wicked men are inwarly as vnquiet as the raging sea pag. 108. 29 Ministers as startes must receaue their light from Christ the sonne of righteousnes pag. 109. 30 All secrets of heart and life naked before God pag. 114. 31 The duty of the Church to remember the words of the Prophets and Apostles and why pag. 119. 32 To mock and scorne godlines a maine sinne of the last age pag. 121. 33 It is the property of the vngodly to follow and walk after their owne vngodly lustes pag. 122. 34 It is a great sinne to sepâ—rate from the assemblies of Gods people pag. 124. 35 To be a naturall man a fearefull sinne and who he is pag. 126. 36 Euery one ought to build vp himselfe vpon his most holy faith pag. 129. 37 The doctrine of faith a most holy doctrine pag. 131. 38 Euery man is to preserue loue towards man and the meanes pag. 135. 39 The duty of euery beleeuer is to restore and recouer offenders and the meanes pag. 141. 40 All glorie dominion maiestie and power is to bee ascribed to God and Christ of all his creatures in all things for euer Amen pag. 154. QVESTIONS DETERMINED AND the most of them disputed in this Commentarie 1 WHether this Epistle be Canonicall Scripture pag. 1. 2 VVhether a man may change his name pag. 3. 3 Whether sanctification bee from the Parents pag. 8. 4 Whether sauing grace may be lost pag. 11. 5 Whether the Scripture be to beleeued for it selfe pag. 17. 6 Whether it be sufficient of it selfe pag. 18. 7 Whether God created all things pag. 20. 8 Wherein
eternall bondage The libertie which is sweet vnto those who are freed by Christ is that they can walke before God in the compasse of their callings without those accusing consciences which continually vexe and torment the wicked men and Angels themselues Further these chaines are called here eternall because the wicked Angels stand guiltie for euer without hope of recouerie or redemption seeing Christ tooke not vpon him the seede and nature of Angels to redeeme them but Abrahams seede where note Gods infinite mercie to mankinde who being fallen haue found a meane of redemption published in the ministrie of the word whereby Gods people being bound before are loosed from their chaines but the Angels those glorious creatures being fallen found no Sauiour nor any meanes giuen by God to loose them for their chaines are eternall which infinit mercie towards vs should stirre vp our dead hearts to thankfulnes and continuall praise of Gods free mercie who hath giuen vs the blood of his Sonne to loose these chaines when wee as little deserued it as the Angels vnto whom such fauour was denied The second part of their custodie is that they are kept vnder darknes which darkenes signifieth the wrath and anger of God and want of the blessed fauour which Dauid prayed for and calleth it by the contrarie name the light of his countenance Psalm 4. and as these Angels are said to be in darknes so the Saints are saide to bee in light Col. 1.12 that is in Gods fauour Ob. But the wicked Angels are not wholy cast out of Gods fauour for they haue faith and therefore some fauour and grace of God Ans. The Diuels indeede beleeue but they haue not their faith by the gift of illumination as men haue but it riseth of the remnant of naturall light and vnderstanding left in them since their fall whereby they can perswade themselues of the truth of the word of God so 〈◊〉 their faith is not from any grace since their fall neither common nor speciall Besides this reserued light lighteneth not nor easeth but increaseth their torment Vse Seeing the miserie of the Angels is to be kept vnder darknes which is to bee cast out of Gods fauour wee learne to place all our happines in the fruition and enioying of this fauour of God and instantly to pray that the Lord would still lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs in that our whole felicitie must be placed in the apprehension of Gods mercie in the pardon of sinne and life euerlasting The second degree of their punishment is that they are reserued vnto the iudgement of the great day wherein the fulnes and extremitie of their torment is expressed for by iudgement is meant that fearefull and finall condemnation and torment which they are adiudged vnto which abideth them and is reserued for them Where we see that howsoeuer the Diuels are alreadie entred into diuers degrees of their punishment yet their full punishment and the full wrath of God is not powred vpon them till the last iudgement this themselues know as Matth. 8. Art thou câ—me to torment vs before the time That time is called here the great day because the greatest workes of God shall be accomplished in that day For first an assemblie of all men and Angels shall be made by the sound of a Trumpet who shall all be cited before Gods iudgement seate though they were resolued into dust many thousand yeeres before Secondly all the workes and intentions of men good or bad shall be in that day reueiled Eccl. 12.14 Thirdly another great worke is the giuing of a most vpright sentence vpon all men of absolution vnto the godly and of condemnation vpon the wicked Angels and men Fourthly the reward shal be giuen to euery man according to his worke to the godly free reward of life and glorie to the wicked deserued condemnation Fiftly then shall Christ God and man giue vp his kingdome vnto his Father and shall cease to raigne not as God for he shall bee still equall â—o his Father but as Mediatour for an end shall be put to all families societies Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall distinctions and gouernments so as in regard of ouâ—ward gouernment and administration this his kingdome shall cease Vse Let the remembrance of this great day strike vs with feare and reuerence of it Shall euery worke bee brought vnto iudgement Then let vs feare God and keepe his commandements it is the vse that Salomon maketh Eccles 12. and considering those terrors of the Lord what manner of men ought wee to bee in all holy conuersation saith the Lord. Yea the Diuels themselues beleeue and tremble in remembrance of this terrible and great day but how many Atheists be there worse than the Diuels themselues that make a mocke of these great workes not fearing nor acknowledging the Scriptures Heauen Hell God Diuell nor this great iudgement day but experience shall teach such fooles who in the meane time might learne so much of the Diuell himselfe but that God hath giuen them into his hand to bee led by his will to tremble at the remembrance of this dreadfull day and let all that loue the Lord shake off securitie and stand in awe and feare with another feare let their hearts bee smitten with a reuerent feare that this day ouertake them not vnawares Vers. 7. Euen as Sodome and Gomorrha and the cities about them which in like manner as they did committed and followed strange flesh are set foorth for an example and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire IN this verse is laid downe the third and last example proouing the first part of the former reason and it is the first part of a similitude The words Euen as signifying that the holy Ghost here instituteth a comparison the former part or proposition whereof is in this verse and the reddition or second part in the two next following In the example consider three things first the people who were destroyed Secondly the sin for which they were destroyed Thirdly the destruction or punishment it selfe First the people destroyed were Sodome and Gomorrha and the rest of the cities about them which cities are named Deut. 29.23 Admah and Zâ—bâ—im the reason of whose destruction is noted by the Apostle because they followed the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrha They sinned in like manner so as they being found in the same sinnes they were wrapped vp in the same iudgements Here first marke that the holie Ghost mentioneth not the persons who were destroyed but their Cities to signifie an vniuersal destructioÌ„ an vtter ruine and a total ouerthrow of theÌ„ the which heaping vp of so many words expressing the same thing giueth vs likewise to vnderstand that place in 2. Pet. 2.6 he turned their cities into ashes condemned them and ouerthrew them Whence we may note that there is a difference betweene the people of God those who will not be obedient to his word these meet with vtter destruction Gods
people may be destroyed indeed but not vtterly for we must alwaies beleeue the Catholike Church vpon earth Elias in his time could not behold it but yet there were 7000. reserued from that general apostasie of those daies When the Lord visiteth his owne house in iudgement his manner is to leaue some remnants whom he saueth lest their destruction should be like this of Sodome and Gomorrha So Isaiah acknowledgeth Except the Lord of hostes had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant wee had been like to Sodome and the people of Gomorrha Vse This may teach vs true humility in regard of our own deseruings and true thankfulnes in regard of Gods gratious dealing with vs both of which must be often acknowleged of euery member of the Church and euery man must confesse and say with the Church Lam. 3. It is the Lords mercies that wee are not vtterly consumed Secondly in these people obserue the iustice of God and his seuerity in such an vniuersall destruction sparing none but destroying euen the children with the parents who sinned not in following strange flesh as their fathers did which maketh this a strange and vnsearchable iudgement whence the Atheists condemne these bookes of Moses whence this iudgement is fetched as attributing to God crueltie and iustifying in him iniustice But herein to cleere the iust proceeding of the most righteous God we are to know first that the childe is Gods creature and the life of it is Gods hee being the Lorde of life so as hee may take it away when he pleaseth hauing power to doe with his owne as hee will Secondly children are partâ— of the parents and therefore the Lorde may iustly infold them in the punishment of their fathers sinne to manifest his greater detestation of it Thirdly children are borne in originall sinne and therefore God may iustly inroll them with their parents not onely in temporall punishments but in euerlasting condemnation also Thirdly in this people who are made examples note that as wicked a people as these haue had mercie offered them Isai. 1.10 The Prophet calles the Iewes Princes the Princes of Sodome and their people the people of Gomorrha that is such Princes and people as matched Sodome and Gomorrha themselues in wickednes and yet hee inuiteth them vnto repentâ—nce with proffer of mercie and promise of pardon yea though their sins were as red as scarlet he would then make them white as snow vers 18. Whence we may learne that the mercie of God euery way matcheth his iustice in iustice he ouerthroweth Sodome and Gomorrha and in mercie saueth those who were euery whit as wicked as they his free grace bringeth those to heauen who by their sinne equalled themselues to those whom his iustice had detruded into hell Yea it offereth and giueth repentance to them which are holden in the snare of the diuell and ruled at his will 2. Tim. 2.25 Manasseh himselfe who broke off his couenant with God by making league with the Diuell found mercie with God vpon his repentance Vse Let not the greatnes of our sinnes dismay vs from seeking the Lord thy sinnes are not aboue the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrha for which mercie hath been obtained vse thou also meanes to turne vnto God and there is mercie in store but see thou abuse not this mercie vnto sinne Fourthly note that in the same time this people of Sodome and Gomorrha was destroyed Lot escaped though he was in Sodom for at the time of the execution the Angell led him out from among them and not before Which teacheth that although the Lord seeme sometime to neglect his deare seruants and leaue them in tribulation yet the instant time of their necessitie sheweth his gratious and seasonable regard and remembrance of them The Israelites had a promise that after foure hundred and thirtie yeeres they should be deliuered from their bondage in Egypt which promise the Lord was not vnmindfull of neither for the substance nor circumstance of time for in the very same night that the time was expired their deliuerance was wrought according to the promise Our dutie hence is to learne in the middest of our afflictions with quiet hearts to rest and relie our selues vpon God waiting his time wherein hee will come in mercie vnto vs. Fifthly note that with this people of Sodom and Gomorrha the other Cities Admah and Zeboim because they followed their sinnes were likewise destroyed Where we learne to auoide the wicked manners and fashions of the world not imitating these lesser Cities which imitated the greater in their wicked manners but on the contrarie follow the example of Dauid in shedding riuers of teares when hee beheld men not keeping the lawes of God Wee should not with drie eyes behold mens impieties yeâ— for this end our hearts should be like vnto Lots when wee see the sinnes of our people breake out as the sinnes of Sodom and Gomorrha our righteous hearts should be vexed within vs in the daily seeing and â—â—aring of such vncleannes So much of the people punished Now followeth the second point in the example namely the sinnes for which Sodom and Gomorrha were destroyed in these words They committed fornication and followed strange flesh First they committed fornication Secondly they committed sinnes against nature it selfe following strange flesh To vnderstand the vilenes of these sinnes consider two things first the cause and occasion of them and that was abundance of prosperitie and plentifulnes of Gods blessings For Sodom was as a Garden of God enriched with varietie of profits and pleasures this caused Lot to chuse Sodom to dwell in This ground nourished foure bitter rootes from which these sinnes of fornication and following strange flesh did spring reckoned vp by Ezechiel chap. 16.49 The sins of thy sister Sodom were first Pride by reason of prosperitie Secondly fulnes of bread that is they gaue themselues to eating and drinking excessiuely for so saith Luk. 17.28 Thirdly Idlenes which was the daughter of their securitie Fourthly Vnmercifulnes and contempt of the poore and these must needs nourish all sinnes of vncleannes vnto which adde a fifth sinne mentioned Gen. 19.9 and 14. that is contempt of heauenlie admonition and instruction for they scorned Lot while hee warned them of their danger The second thing in their sinne is the measure of it They sinned in like manner c. The originall signifieth and implieth not onely a bare committing of sin but a giuing of themselues ouer to commit their filthie lusts and that impudently and shamelesly which the Prophet Esay noted also chap. 3.9 They declare their sins at Sodom they hide them not shewing that they were past all shame in these most shamefull sinnes Yea they boasted and gloried in them both which may be gathered in Genesis 19. â— and 9. Doctr. 1. By these sins we are taught to take a view of the sinnes of these last times vnto which that of Ezechiel vnto Ierusalem may bee properly applied Thou