the whole Tribe as appeareth by the largenes of the offering and by the first Prince that offered Thus we see that they being set vp in high place aboue others do also goe before them and giue them good example in the best things seeke to further them in Gods worship We learne hereby Doctrine that albeit God be to be serued of all Such as are of high st place ought to bee more forward in good things then others and that all persons should shew themselues forward and ready to further the worke of the Lord yet aboue all other the chiefe and heads of the people are to be guides of the way and leaders vnto the rest The Prophet teacheth that vnder the Gospell Kings shall be nursing Fathers and Queenes shall be Nursing mothers to the Church Esay 49 23. Dauid exhorteth Kings to be wise and the Iudges of the earth to be instructed to serue the Lord with feare and to reioyce with trembling Psa 2 10 11. When the people saw the zeale and feruencie of Hezekiah that he spared no cost to further the worship of God it kindled in them a loue to do his seruice and they reioyced exceedingly 2 Chron. 30 24 25. Such therefore as are aduanced aboue the people as the head is aboue the body ought to be more zealous forward in the waies of God then others that are of the lowest sort Thus it ought to be because they must Reason 1 know they lye open to iudgement as well as others if not before others Topheth is prepared of old for the King as well as for the subiect It is made deepe and large as well for the one as for the other Esay 30.33 God accepteth no mans person Nay they are for the most part chiefly pursued and ouer-taken with iudgements as Ezra 7.23 Artaxerxes decreed that all should returne and build the house of the God of heauen For why should there bee wrath against the Realme of the King and his sons And to this purpose it is saide in the Psalme 82 6 7. I haue saide ye are Gods and all of you are children of the most high but ye shall dye like men and fall like one of the Princes Secondly they sinne by their example and giue offence vnto others When they fall they make others fall with them as a mighty Oake casteth downe the low and little shrubs that grow nere it So then they offend not only by their owne transgression as a priuate man but all their actions are exemplary and they bring a great scandall vnto others They are as a city set vpon an hil or as a light vpon a Beacon that is seene farre and neere when they sinne they make others sinne with them For this cause Salomon saith Prou. 29.12 If a Ruler hearken to lyes all his seruants are wicked Thirdly wherefore are they separated in calling and condition and why are they aduanced to honor Is it to magnifie themselues is it to sit at ease or to liue in pleasure or to delight them in their high titles or to please themselues to see others creepe and crouch vnto them No but to be pillars in the house of God and to serue the Church Hence it is that Nehemiah saide Nehem. 6 11. Should such a man as I fly Or who is there that being as I am would goe into the Temple to saue his life As if hee had sayde Should I flye that am a Ruler of the people I will not doe it And Mordecai perswadeth Ester to goe in to the King and to aduenture her life for the deliuerance of the Church by this reason chap. 4.14 Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time as this Hee putteth her boldly in minde that God had aduanced her to honour and made her inherite the throne of glorie to the end she should honour him againe and referre all the glory she had attained to the setting forth of his glorie Vse 1 This teacheth vs that it is a dangerous state where are no Leaders or Rulers to goe before the people and to hold them in Gods seruice there of necessity godlinesse must decay Iustice fall to the ground and all duties of Religion sinke downe as in an army where are no Commanders in a family where are no Gouernours in a ship where are no Pilots what is there but all disorder and confusion The last part of the booke of Iudges setteth forth the truth heereof at large the Israelites corrupted themselues with Idolatry they defiled the worship of God and God gaue them ouer to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient being filled with all vnrighteousnesse fornication and such like wickednesse and what was the occasion of al Iudg. 17 18. 19. In those dayes there was no King in Israel but euery man did that which was right in his owne eyes And it is obserued by the Author of that Booke that the people feared the Lord all the dayes of Ioshua a godlie Gouernour and all the dayes of the Elders that out-liued Ioshua who had seene all the great workes of the Lord but when they were dead and buried The children of Israel did euill in the sight of the Lord Iudg. 2 7 11. and serued Baalim Wee must therefore needes acknowledge the happinesse and blessednesse of that people that haue godly Gouernours such as Moses and Ioshua and Dauid and Iehoshaphat and Hezekiah and Iosiah and such like to teach them and guide them in the wayes of godlynesse This is a great mercy and fauour of God Vse 2 Secondly we may conclude that wretched and miserable is their condition where Gouernors are cold and carelesse in Gods seruice and enemies to the aduancement of his glory The Prophet sheweth that the Chiefe had no knowledge and the great men had broken the yoke and burst the bonds Woe therefore vnto the Land the Lord would visit for these things and his soule be auenged on such a nation as this Ier. 5 5 9. If it be within the walles of a priuate family that zeale be found in the Gouernours it will appeare oftentimes in the lowest seruant which goeth to the doore as in Rhode Acts 12 14. She dwelled in a godly family where manie were gathered together in prayer intreating the Lord to work Peters deliuerance when she heard his voice standing without and knocking at the doore shee could not open the gate for gladnesse but ran in to acquaint them with that glad tidings If Cornelius bee a deuout man and one that feareth God hee shall haue seruants and soldiers to attend vpon him to be deuout also Acts 10 2 7. If the Courtier or Nobleman whose sonne was cured do beleeue his whole house will beleeue also and follow his example Ioh. 4 53. If the Iaylor desire to know how to be saued and if once himselfe become a beleeuer he shall not beleeue alone his houshold will beare him company
Epistle to the Hebrews teacheth touching the faithful Heb. 11 33 34 that through faith they subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the armies of the aliants All these testimonies and examples of the old and new Testament set forth expresly this truth that it is a lawfull thing and allowed to the godly to follow the warres The reasons to confirme this truth do follow Reason 1 First God doth command it and therefore doth allow it as iust and lawfull For hee doth not will things because they are iust but they are iust because he willeth them Now the holy Scripture affoordeth sundry testimonies of this truth and setteth downe the precepts commandements that God gaue to his people to bee their warrant to vse their weapon So he commanded them to destroy the Canaanites Deut. 7 2 3. The Lord thy God shall giue theÌ„ before thee and thou shalt smite them thou shalt vtterly destroy them thou shalt make no couenant with them nor haue compassion on them Thus he commanded Saul to slay the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15 2. who set vpon the people of God when they were come out of the Land of Egypt and as God commanded the worke so he gaue a blessing vnto it so that those enemies were brought to destruction For we reade in the holy history that God said vnto him I remember what Amalek did to Israel how they laid waite for them in the way as they came vp from Egypt now therefore go and smite Amalek and destroy ye al that pertaineth vnto them and haue no compassion on them but slay both man and woman both infant and â—uckling both oxe and sheepe both Camell and Asse Many other precepts are found in the word of God which we cannot stand vpon But God the Lord of hoasts commandeth nothing that is vniust vnlawful therfore war rightly vsed is lawful warranted Secondly as God gaue direct and expresse Reason 2 commandement so the people of God going forth to battell were to call vppon him for a blessing and to sanctifie the worke by prayer and in so doing haue beene heard Things in their owne nature vnlawfull are so foule and filthy that no prayer and inuocation of Gods name can cleanse them nay they make such prayer foule and abhominable If an idolater going to worship his Idol and serue the creature which is the work of mans hands should poure out his praiers all day long 1 Kin. 18 26. as the Priests of Baal did to bee heard O Baal heare vs what were this but a bellowing or beating of the aire or what profit should they receiue by it But the people of God hauing praied for good successe building themselues vpon the commandement of God vpon the promise of blessing and vpon the example of the faithful haue earnestly praied and effectually obtained that which they asked and desired This we see in the practise of the sonnes of Reuben and of Gad and of halfe the Tribe of Manasseh 1 Chr. 5 19. Valiant men able to beare shield and sword and exercised in war when they made warre against the Hagarims they were holpen against them they deliuered into their hands for they cryed to God in the battell he heard them because they trusted in him Seeing therefore God commandeth and blesseth and heareth and deliuereth such as go to warre it must needs follow that war true religion may well stand together so that one and the same man may bee both a warriour and yet religious Let vs make vse of this point First it serueth Vse 1 to conuince the cursed sect of the Anabaptists and other spiritualists who glory of the Spirit and vnder a colour of seeking peace and establishing vnity and concorde ouer all the world do bring in detestable doctrines and absurd opinions as if none were the true Church but onely themselues True it is it were to be wished that all persons and nations maintained amity and league one with an other and that there might be no more vse of the sword but this is rather to bee wished then expected and may sooner bee spoken then it will be obtained and effected They obiect the Lawe of God Thou shalt not kill Obiection 1 Exod. 20 and the words of Christ Resist not euill Answere Math. 5. But these and such like places must be vnderstood of priuate persons and of priuate reuenge It is vnlawfull for any person without a publike calling to that duty to kill another but a publike Officer may and ought to do it So did Moses kill the Egyptian Exod. 2 12. with Act. 7 25 Numb 25 8. 1 Kings 18 40 so did Phineas those that committed fornication as appeareth afterward in this booke so did Eliah to the Priests of Baal that committed Idolatry and seduced the people And thus it is in all lawfull warres for souldiers haue a publike calling they seek not priuate reuenge and therefore the battell is saide 2 Chro. 20 15. Not to be theirs but the Lord of Hoasts Likewise there is a priuate reuenge which Christ forbiddeth and condemneth but the publike reuenge committed to the Magistrate who beareth not the sword in vaine must bee duely and diligently executed that euill may be taken away out of the City of God For as in necessity it is good for mans body to cut off a rotten and dead member betimes lest the sound parts be corrupted and the whole body perish so it is profitable for the safety and security of humane society to sweepe away as dung hurtfull and noysome Citizens before they infect others that liue among them Wherefore so long as wicked men liue vp on the face of the earth and so long as the Diuell stirreth vp his instruments to set themselues against God and his truth and his seruants so long there will be vse of the sword and of the Magistrate to handle it Wherefore the Apostle calleth vpon vs to cal vpon God for Kings and Princes and them that are in authority that vnder them wee may liue a peaceable and quiet life 1 Timoth. 2 2 Ro. 13.1.2 3. in all godlines honesty If then these be the ends of Magistracy to maintaine peace to settle quietnesse to establish religion and to confirme honesty of manners surely it may be discharged and perfourmed by one that is religious and fearing God Besides God promised as a speciall grace and fauour to the Church of Christ in the new Testament that Kings should be the nursing Fathers Queenes the nursing Mothers of it Esay 49 23. which could not be vnlesse a godly and faithfull man might beare the Office and discharge the calling of a Magistrate and take vengeance of the wicked maintaine the cause of the righteous Secondly wee learne heereby that no calling Vse 2 and
Bonif. â—he mart but now when as they had golden cups they had woodeÌ„ Ministers What shal it auaile to hang the wals of the church with costly and curious ornaments to haue pillars shining with Marble and the couering glistering with golde whilst in the meane season there is no good choise of the Ministers that may attend on holy things and preach the Gospell in trueth and sinceritie Whatsoeuer the naturall man esteemeth of glorie and garnishing whose vaine imagination like the childe that is delighted with toyes and babies is carried away with goodly shewes to the eie with pleasant smels to the nostrils and with pleasing sounds to the eare yet when we haue learned to iudge aright to esteeme of things by the vertue and valew of them not by the sight and appearance we will confesse that among all others that is the goodliest Temple and hath the most glorious ornaments and monuments in it where the word is most soundly preached and the Sacraments in the best manner deliuered This we ought to account the beauty and ornameÌ„t of a Temple and doubtlesse without these it wanteth much of his lustre it is as a ruinous and ragged building let it bee otherwise neuer so richly garnished This appeareth euidently at the building and erecting of the second Temple after the captiuity when the people that had seene the surpassing glorie of the first house to wit the Temple of Salomon the mirrour of the world saw also the simple beginnings and weake foundation of this they wept with a loud voice Ezra 3 12. yet the Prophet telleth them that the glory of the second house should farre exceed surmount the Temple of Salomon as Hag. 2 3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory and how do ye see it now Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing Yet hee biddeth them be of good comfort and telleth them that the glory of the latter should be greater then of the former house But wherein stood this glory or in what did it consist not in the building not in the stones not in the vessels it wanted the Mercy-seate the Arke the Tables the Vrim and Thummim and such like heerein therefore consisted the greatnesse of the glorie of it that while this stoode Christ Iesus should come to be the light of the Gentiles and the glory of the people of Israel Lu. 2 32. And this doth Haggai teach Chap. 2 27. that the Desire of all nations should come and so the Lord would fill that house with glory A notable argument to conuince the Iewes who haue seene with their eyes this Temple long since destroyed and not one stone left vpon another that was not throwne downe Math. 24 42. and yet they do foolishly to this day looke for another Messiah So likewise the Euangelist Matthew speaketh of Bethlehem that it was not the least among the Princes of Iudah because out of it should come a Gouernour which should rule his people Israel Math. 2 6. Yet the Prophet Micah out of whom the sentence is taken sheweth That it is little among the many thousands of Iudah chap. 5 2. This may seeme to imply a contradiction to be little and yet not little howbeit we must vnderstand that this place which is in it selfe or compared with others small and litle yet through the birth of Christ it should bee made famous and preferred before manie other in Iudah Behold therefore wherein the glory of any place or people consisteth to wit in giuing entertainment vnto Christ and in embracing the Gospel which bringeth saluation to all men And this is the glory of particular persons not to surmount in strength nor to abound in riches nor to excell in wisedom Ierem. 9 2â— but to know the Lord and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ and him crucified Ioh. 17 3. It is our glory to seeke the glory of God if we haue learned Christ we haue learned the way vnto true glory So then to conclude we receiue practise whatsoeuer is fit and decent in setting vp and adorning of churches but wee refuse and reiect all excesse curiosity and superfluity as nothing at all furthering the worship of God nothing fitting the Gospel of Christ nothing auailing the saluation of maÌ„ nothing helping to the kingdome of heauen the folly whereof is so palpable and apparent Perf. satyr 2. sacro quâ—d 〈◊〉 aurum that the wiser sort among the Gentiles reprooued it and inueyed against it and saw that golde in Gods worship auailed nothing at all Lastly this putteth vs in minde of a necessary Vse 3 duty belonging to all to assemble men women and children all that are of vnderstanding for the hearing of the word and other duties of faith religion For wherefore is it the will and pleasure of God that houses and places of purpose shold be builded Is it for shew or for the name It were vaine and foolish so to surmise as if he delighted to put his people to idle expences No it is for preaching for prayer and for the Sacraments Therefore was the Tabernacle erected vntill which time was no certaine place assigned afterward they had the Temple at Ierusalem and Synagogues in all parts of the land that God in theÌ„ might be publikely serued and worshipped Great was the zeale of Dauid to these gracious assemblies His soule longed for the Courts of God Psal 5 7. 8. 27 4 〈◊〉 122 1. 13 7. and 84. as the Hart desireth the water brookes His soule was athirst for God for the liuing God to appeare before his presence His teares were his meate and drinke while hee was kept from these places and while they daily said vnto him Where is now thy God He poured out his very heart when hee remembred how he had gone with the multitude and brought them forth into the house of God in the voice of praise and Thankesgiuing He was glad when they saide vnto him Wee will go into the house of the Lord. And as it was with him so was it with other the faithfull They were earnest to come vnto these assemblies they were loath to depart from them they were greeued at their owne absence that they could not be at them beeing driuen away by the enemies The commandement of the Lord is generall that their Captaines their Elders their Officers and all the people should gather together Who is it then shall pleade an immunitie or dispensation from this dutie May Women or Children No they are expressely charged to assemble themselues Deut. 31 12 13. and ch 29 verses 10 11. Men Women and Children from the hewer of thy Woode vnto the drawer of thy Water euen all of them must come together that they may heare and learne and feare the Lord their GOD and obserue to doe all the wordes of the Law But is then the stranger exempted No he is willed to meete together with the rest
Come to Heshbon let the City of Sihon be built and repaired c. The end of this Song made of the people of GOD was to keepe a perpetuall memory of the victories that God gaue to the Israelites and to teach the posterity to come how they came to be owners and possessours of these Citiss We learne from hence That it is the duty of the faithfull to remember and publish the works of God Doctrine It is our duty to remember publish the great works of God whereof we are partakers or witnesses Whensoeuer GOD sheweth any of his works of mercy or iudgement toward our selues or others toward soule or body we must not hide them and bury them in forgetfulnesse but spread them abroad and make them knowne to others This appeareth in sundry places of the word of God The Prophet teacheth this duty Psalm 105 1 2. Praise the Lord call vpon his Name declare his workes among the people Sing vnto him sing praise vnto him and talke of all his wondrous works And Psal 107 8. Let them confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works among the sonnes of men So likewise Psalm 111 2 3. The works of the Lord are great and ought to be sought of all them that loue them his worke is glorious and beautifull and his righteousnesse endureth for euer So Psal 66 16 5 he prouoketh all men to heare what God hath done for him Come and hearken all ye that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done to my soule and in the same Psalme he reproueth the dulnesse of men that are cold in the consideration of the works of God Come and behold the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the sonnes of men When the Shepheards had found the word of the Angel true and seene the Babe laide in the Cratch Luke 2 1â— They published abroad the thing that was told them of that childe to the great wondring of all those that heard it And when the man out of whom a legion of diuels was departed besought Christ that he might tarry with him Iesus sent him away saying Returne into thine owne house and shew what great things God hath done to thee so hee went his way and preached throughout all the Citty what great things Iesus had done vnto him When Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch from whence they had beene commended to the grace of God to the worke which they had fulfilled hauing gathered together the Church They rehearsed all the things that God had done by them and how he had opened the doore of faith vnto the Gentiles Acts 14 27. The practise of this duty Christ commanded to the man that he had dispossessed Mark 5 19 20. Goe thy way home to thy friends shew theÌ„ what great things the Lord hath done vnto thee how he hath had compassion on thee so he departed and began to publish in Decapolis what great things Iesus had done vnto him and al men did maruaile All which precepts and examples teach vs that it is not enough to haue receiued Gods benefits and to be mindfull of them our selues but also we are bound to make others according to our places to profite thereby and to praise God for them agreeable to the words of Peter and Iohn to the councell Wee cannot but speak the things which we haue seene heard Acts 4 20. The Reasons of this Doctrine are diuers Reason 1 whether we consider God or our selues or the faithfull with whom we liue First in respect of God inasmuch as it standeth vs all vpoÌ„ to set forth his glory with al our strength and might This is the chiefe and principall end that we must ayme at in all our waies to seeke to gaine glory to his great Name according to that generall precept of the Apostle Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe do all to the glory of God So when God doth make knowne to vs the workes of his owne right hand this must be one motiue to stirre vs vp to spread them abroad that thereby his Name may be glorified and his sauing health published among all Nations Acts 11 1â— as we see the practise in the Apostles Secondly in respect of our selues For this is a notable signe and token of a true and liuely faith that we beleeue the works of God and lay them vp deeply in our hearts when we hide them not vnder a bushell nor couer them in the ashes but lift vp our voice as a Trumpet to declare to others what our selues haue learned This the Prophet testifieth in his owne practise I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing I beleeued and therefore did I speake Psalm 116 verses 9 10. This is not peculiar to the Prophet onely to testifie his faith by the words of his mouth but is made generall and common to others by the Apostle 〈◊〉 4 13. Because we haue the same spirit of Faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore I haue spoken we also beleeue and therefore speak Such as do not beleeue the words and workes of God can neuer be fit instruments to giue notice of them to others but such as doe in heart beleeue them cannot but with the tongue confesse them thereby to assure their owne hearts and to confirme their owne faith more and more Reason 3 Thirdly we must haue respect to others For as Christ speaketh to Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren so when we beleeue the workes of God wee must labour to bring all other to a sound faith and right iudgement It is our duty to hunger and thirst after the saluation of others and being called to the profession we must toll the bell to others There is no man that hath bene truly acquainted with the workes of God and hath in conscience bene conuinced of the vndoubted truth thereof but ought to bee as a publike Cryer and as the Lordes Herald to blaze them and publish them abroad for the good of others This is the reason that mooued the Prophet Dauid to make such often so many protestations 〈◊〉 1 71 to speak of al his wondrous workes to tell his maruellous workes to publish the praises of the Lord his great power This is the reason that Peter immediately after his deliuerance out of prison came vnto Mary where many were gathered together in praier to intreat the Lord for the enlarging of his liberty saying vnto them Go shew these things vnto Iames and the rest of the Bretheren Acts 12 â—7 So then whether we do consider that it is required of vs to seeke the glorie of God to testify the assurance of our Faith or to win our brethren wee must acknowledge that it is a speâ—iall duty laide vpon vs to publish the workes of God whereof any of vs be witnesses of the truth whereof we are conuinced Indeed Christ
sword and trouble of war to be thankfull for our long peace and prosperity and pray for the continuance thereof among vs. We may sit euery one vnder his Vine and vnder his Figge-tree we may rest in peace in our gardens and Orchards reasoning of the wayes and conferring of the word of the Lord whilst manie of our neighbor-neighbor-Nations are shaken and tossed with the tempest of wars and all things round about vs are in an vprore Let vs desire God to spare them and bee touched with a feeling of their sorrowes And if there be such fearefulnes and deuouring in the sword let vs cast off all dissentions and debates let vs cut the cords of all contention and liue peaceably as brethren one with another Hereunto the Apostle Iames perswadeth ch 3 15 16. 4 1 2 This wisedome descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuellish for where enuying strife is there is sedition all maner of euil work From whence are warres and contentions among you Are they not hence euen of your pleasures that fight in your members Let vs take heed we giue no occasion of contention nor sow the seedes of diuision which in time to come may yeelde a comfortlesse croppe of cares and conf sions Let vs not go forth hastily to strife lest thou know not what to doe in the end therof when thy Neighbor hath put thee to shame Pro. 25 8. It is in vain to desire considerations and conditions of peace when we haue layde the foundations of warre like as the bow being drawne and the Arrow discharged it is too late to wish it may doe no hurt where it falleth For after that the coales of contention be once kindled there is no long expectation for the fire to flame and burne amaine with a swift course euen as when a cloud is gathered to his thicknesse the storme of raine that hath bene long in breeding is ready to fal and disperse it selfe It belongeth to all wisemen to foresee a mischiefe before it happeneth â—â—iard hist â—â—b 4. et 10 it is the reward of men vnhappie to lament it when it is once felt The counsell is without fruite that commeth after the fact it is too late to apply the remedy when the euil is hapned The souldier serueth to no turn that beginneth to march when the battell is done The Medicine that is ministred out of time worketh not to the benefite of the Patient It is too dangerous to broach a vessel of poison and haue the vertue of the Antidote or counter-poyson vncertaine or farre to seeke A smoke suffered long to continue conceiueth a sparke a sparke of fire let alone ingendreth a flame and the flame burneth without mercy and measure Let vs therefore resist the first beginnings as it were the first motions of malice and strife Small things increase by concord great things fall and come to ruine by discord and disunion We must therefore desire peace and follow after it albeit it seeme to flye from vs let vs pursue it with all our strength vntâ—l we ouertake it bring it home as a blessing into our owne houses and habitations as a man of warre concludeth 2 Sam. 2 26. Shall the sword deuoure for euer knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end how long then shall it bee ere you bid the people returne from following their brethren As if hee should say If we shall ioyne army against army and forces against forces wee shall fall downe on euery side one brother shall deuoure and destroy another without pitty and compassion This serueth to reprooue those that prouoke to baâ—tell without cause and delight in warre as in a matter of sport and play who delight to shed blood as water Thus speaketh Abner Captaine of the hoast 2 Sam. 2 14. Let the yong men now rise and play before vs. Whereby we see that murther is made as a game pastime to laugh at Let euery man liue contented with his owne estate Great is the benefit of contentation Beware of ambition and aspiring thoughts The power of many rising suddenly to heighth and Soueraignty 〈◊〉 â—â—st Hal. 〈◊〉 taketh end with a ruine more suddaine They are like to a tree that groweth till he commeth to his height and then is plucked vp by the roots in a moment The heauy stone commonly ouerwhelmeth it selfe with his own waight Whosoeuer coueteth the fruite and neuer considereth the height of the tree whereon it groweth let him take heed that whiles he laboreth to climbe to the top he fal not with the boughs which he clasps and embraceth with both his armes It is the part and property of a wise man to consider alwayes his owne estate whereas the vaine ambitious man liueth for the most part in the remembrance contemplation of those things which make him to forget himselfe Let vs therefore all labour in our places to quench this thirst before it doe grow to be as a dropsie that can neuer be cured especially it standeth great men of high callings vpon euen the greatest men of highest callings in hand to looke to this swelling of the heart an euill whereunto they aboue all other are most inclined that they lift not vp their hearts against their Brethren Deut. 17 10. neyther forget that they are mortall and fraile men Lastly seeing the sword respecteth no person neither old nor yong neither learned nor Vse 3 vnlearned but destroyeth father and son maketh the wise widdow and the childe fatherlesse it is our parts when we see such iudgements present or imminent to humble our selues vnto God to desire him to remoue the fearfull noise and rumor of warre and in the meane season to pray that wee may vse our peace aright lest he bend his Bow and shoote his Arrowes and draw his glittering sword vpon vs. We see how Hezekiah when he saw the hoast of the King of Ashur sought the Lord carefully and prayed vnto him to fight their battels 2 Chro. 32 20. 20 3. so Iehoshaphat when a great multitude banding themselues together came against him set himselfe to seeke the Lord reconciled himselfe to him asked counsell of him proclaimed a Fast thoroughout all Iudah Thus the Prophet Lam. 5 20. considering that the strong men were troden down and the enemy reioyced at their trouble prayeth vnto God because the sword deuoured without and the people were ledde into captiuity Behold O Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell mine heart is turned within me for I am full of heauinesse the sword spoyleth abroad as death doth at home VVe liue as yet in great plenty and prosperity we enioy life and liberty we sleepe quietly in our beds and rest in our houses in peace we heare not the sound of the trumpet the clattering â—f armour the fury of the enemy the noise of gunshot the cry of the wounded we see not the blood of the slaine on the right hand and
many men of a proud and prophane spirit in our dayes For when the wife who ought to bee an helper vnto her husband shall with modesty and meeknesse of spirit it admonish him for the bettering of his estate for the benefite of his wealth for the comfort of his family anâ— for the profit of his owne soule to forsake his euill company to renounce his drunkennesse or other wickednesse wherein hee delighteth what is more common then for his companions to say vnto him Wilt thou bee ruled and gouerned by her Wilt thou endure her to be thy master Wilt thou suffer her to crow and to carpe ouer thee And thus while they think to become wise men they shew themselues fooles For are we wiser then our father Abraham who accounted it no reproofe or reproach vnto him to obey the counsell of his wife when she perswaded him to cast out the bondwoman and her sonne out of his house No woman in Scripture more renowned and commended for subiection and submission to her husband yet she gaue him good counsell to her great praise and Abraham is commanded to listen vnto it for God sayd vnto him In all that Sara shal say vnto thee heare hir voice Gen. 21 12. Away then with the pride peeuishnesse of all those that take it as a discredit vnto themselues to be put in minde of theyr duty by others and refuse all counsel whereof themselues are not the authors Let vs put on the spirit of humility and decke our selues inwardly wiâ—h lowlynesse of minde to hearken to euery one that can direct vs in the which is good On the other side it behooueth vs to beware of euill counsell and of euill counsellors for they are as the instruments of the diuell and lye in waite to entrap vs. It is impossible to be free from these sonnes of Belial we shall be assaulted by them and therefore thou must be so throughly prepared against them that if thy father that begate thee or thy mother that bare thee or thy wife that lyeth in thy bosome 〈◊〉 13 6. or thy friend that is as thy owne soule shall entice thee secretly or openly to any impiety against thy holy faith or obedience remember from what bâ—tter root it proceedeth and say vnto him as Christ did vnto Peter Come behinde me satan For when Peter began to disswade him from that gâ—eat worke vnto which the Father had sanctified him and sent him into the world he sayd vnto him Get thee behinde mee Satan thou art an offence vnto me because thou sauourest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men A notable example for vs all to follow when we are moued any way to dishonour our God and to wound our owne conscience by committing of sinne 15 And he vttered his Parable and said Balaam the son of â—eor hath saide and the man whose eyes weâ—e opâ—ned hath sâ—â—â—e 16 He hath said that heard the word of God hath the knowledge of the most High and saw the vision of the Almighty and being in a trance had his eyes vncouered 17 I see that but not now I behold it but not neere there shall come a Starre oâ—t of Iacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Isrâ—el and â—hall smite the coasts of Moâ—b and shall destroy all them that are behinde me 18 And Edom shall bee possessed and Seir shall be a possession to their enemies for Israel shall do valiantly 19 Hee also that shall haue Dominion shall bee of Iacob and shall destroy the remnant of the Citie 20 And when he looked on Amalek he vttered his Parable and sayde Amalek was the first of â—â—e Nations but his latter end shall come to destruction 21 And he looked on the Kenites and vttered his Parable and said Strong is thy dwelling place and put thy nest in the rocke 22 Neuerthelesse the Kenite shall bee spoyled so long as Ashur shal hold them câ—ptiue We haue shewed already that the prophesies of Balaam doe concerne either Israel or such as were strangers from the Common-wealth of Israel The prophesie belonging to the Israelites hath bene already handled Now Moses proceedeth to set downe other speciall prophesies which Balaam vttered concerning other particular Nations For it pleased God to vse the meanes and ministery of this wicked man to foretell the troubles and destruction that should come vpon them The first of all those prophesies is against the Moabites and Edomites the second against the Amalekites the third against the Kenites Against all these he prophesieth and foresheweth the ruines of their seuerall States and Dominions Now because al these were great weighty matters belonging to the subuersion not of priuate persons or families but of whole Countries and kingdomes he vseth that preface and introduction which he did before to procure credit and authority to his prophesy declaring that he was inspired by the Almighty to speake of which we haue spoken already in the beginning of this chapter Touching the prophesie against the Moabites and Edomites which is the fourth in number The fourth prophesie of Balaam and the first of those that concerne other nations that were strangers from Israel hee sheweth that the glory of the Israelites shall bee so great their dominion so large theyr kingdome so mighty and magnificent that it shal shake the Moabites Ammonites and Midianites and men of the East in peeces yea shal subdue Edom and enter into their Cities and country as their owne possession This shall be the victorious conquest of the Israelites whose glory is expressed by the name of a Starre and whose kingdome is vnderstoode by the name of the Scepter which is amplified in the beginning of the words and prooued in the end of them It is amplified by the preuenting of â—n obiection which is â—â—â—ting and may bee thus supplyed When shall this be Obiect Or is the time thereof neere that it should bee by and by looked for The answer Answer followeth I see and plainly perceiue the certain and vndoubted trueth thereof howbeit the season is not yet at hand thou O King hast no cause to feare it for it is not reserued for thy dayes bâ—t must be fulfilled after many generations For Dauid liued foure hundred years after the vttering and deliâ—ering of tâ—is prophesie in whom it was accomplished Thus he comforteth the King and declineth enuy against himselfe He proueth and confirmeth his prophesy by the courage and valour of the Israelites for they shall doe valiantly and destroy the enemies that remaine Now in this prophesie thus propounded wee are to obserue two things First thâ— interpretation of som things mentioned herein and then consider when it had his accomplishment and fulfilling which is the soundest way to vnderstaÌ„d a prophesy The words that require interpretation are in the end of the 17. verse It shall destroy all them that are behinde me Some reade them thus Shall destroy all the sonnes of Sheth
of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds To conclude this vse seeing God hath thus aduanced vs let not vs disgrace our selues but maintaine our dignity and adorne our profession that wee may finde comfort by it in our chastisements and afflictions A Starre shall come out of Iacob We haue seene in the former Doctrine the glory of the Church that the people of God are set apart by Christ to be spirituall Kings vnto GOD the Father a dignity giuen to them by him Now before we passe from this place let vs consider of the title that is giuen vnto Christ where we see hee is compared to a Starre and called a Starre that shall come out of Iacob This Starre wee haue shewed typically to signifye Christ who is called the Light of the world the Sunne of righteousnesse the morning star the day-spring from on high He is called by this name 〈◊〉 â—easons 〈◊〉 Christ is 〈◊〉 a Star and described by this title First because hee is the fountaine of all saluation and comfort Secondly to teach that all men by nature walke in darknesse and in the shadow of death Thirdly because he will giue those that are his the light of knowledge in this life and the light of perfect glory in the life to come by which they shal be as starres of heauen and shine in the firmament afterward Heereby we learne that Christ Iesus is as the morning starre vnto vs â—â—â—rine â—â—st Iesus â—â—e Dayâ—â—â—ing in 〈◊〉 hearts bestowing vpon his people two excellent priuiledges blessings First hee riseth vp as a bright starre in our hearts casting from the the thicke clouds of blindenesse and taking away the darke mistes of ignorance enlightning them with the true sauing knowledge of God sufficient for saluation begun heere in this life but shall be perfected in the life to come Secondly he will bestow vpon vs the light of perfect glory in the kingdome of his Father by the which we shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and as the starres for euer euer These are two vnspeakable mercies vnprizable vnmatchable to be deliuered out of the kingdome of ignorance and to bee brought into the kingdome of light to be glorified in heauen and to be made partakers of eternall life So then we see by this comparison that by Christ we haue the light of vnderstanding shall haue the glory of immortality to know God euen as we are knowne Touching the first clause that he will manifest all the mysteries of God vnto his Church the Prophet Ioel foretelleth chap. 2 28 That he will poure out of his Spirit vpon all flesh their sonnes daughters shall prophesie their olde men shall dreame dreames and their young men shall see visions they shall be all taught of God and they shall know him from the least to the greatest So our Sauiour sayeth to his Disciples Math. 13 12. To you it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen Now saith the Apostle we see as in a glasse darkely but then wee shall see face to face now I know in part but then shall I know as I am known 1 Cor. 13 12. Touching the second clause that the faithfull shall receiue the light of perfect glory after this life the Prophet Daniel witnesseth That they which bee wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many vnto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer â—an 12 3. The performance heereof is remembred where thousand thousands out of euery nation kindred and tongue praise the Lambe for that hee hath made them Kings and Priests to reigne ouer the earth Reason 1 The truth of all this will yet better appeare vnto vs if we marke the Reasons First Christ hath receiued a fulnesse of the Spirit and graces without measure that they might flow vnto all his members who receiue from him grace for grace sufficient for their places in the Church heere and for their saluation afterward For in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge as a Fountaine that is without bottome which can neuer bee drawne dry Col. 2 3. Therefore the Euangelist saith That of his fulnesse wee all receiue and grace for grace Iohn 1 16. So then Christ is full of heauenly graces and spirituall gifts that we might bee annointed by him and receiue our portion froÌ„ him For he obtained them not to keepe them to himselfe or to couer them vnder a bushell but to bestow them vpon his Church So long as he is full we need not feare to be empty Iohn 1.14 so long as he is stored we cannot be destitute If once we depart from him it is in vaine to look for one drop elsewhere Secondly he hath obtained by prayer of Reason 2 his Father who can deny him nothing that from him we should receiue the light of glory because as he is ioyned to the Father and one with him so we shall be ioyned to him receiue of his glory Heere we know in part and prophesie in part and all good things are vnperfect but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part and vnperfect shall bee done away 1 Cor. 13 10 for as he being Mediator between God and man hath receiued of the Father so shall we receiue of the Father being in him This he speaketh to his Father Ioh. 17.22 23. The glory which thou gauest me I haue giuen theÌ„ that they may be one as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee Christ is the band or knot of the vnion betweene God and vs for in him the Mediator heauen and earth is as it were ioyned together which otherwise could not be So then when he shall appeare wee shall appeare with him cloathed with righteousnesse and cloathed with his glory which he also receiued to make vs partakers of Thirdly such as keepe his words they loue Reason 3 Christ and they that loue Christ are beloued of him and of his Father so that he will shew himselfe vnto them and withhold no good thing from them This Christ our Sauiour setteth downe Iohn 14 21. The vses of this title giuen to Christ being Vse 1 called the starre of Iacob are diuers First this teacheth vs that they haue no property nor interest in this Starre eyther touching the light of sauing knowledge or the brightnesse of heauenly glory that liue in blindnesse and ignorance that follow the works of darknesse delight in sinfull pleasures and leade a loose and lewd life If we haue no light of Christ shining in our hearts scattering the blacknesse of darknesse from our soules and yet looke to receiue any comfort or refreshing from him when this Sunne of righteousnesse shall appeare in glory wee are vtterly