albeit God had decreed that such should be punished yet he had not declared by any law the kinde of punishment and therefore they asked how hee should be punished as for example whether he should be hanged on a tree or burned with fire or stoned with stones or striken with the sword But this answer cannot satisfie mee for when death is appointed in the Law and the particular kinde not expressed Iosh 7 â— with 6 â— the Magistrate was left free to set downe the same as also when no punishment at all is mentioned Deut. 25 13.14 neither were the people bouÌ„d to aske counsell at the mouth of God vpon euery occasion of execution of iustice against euill doers where the manner of punishment is not limited It was the law of God that witches should not liue Exod. 22 18. Saul did wel and is commended by the Spirit of God that he cut them off that had familiar spirits out of the land rooted out the wizards yet he did not aske neither was he bound to aske counsell now or which way they should be put to death though God had not defined the particular Leuit. 20 27. This then is left to the discretion of the Magistrate when hee hath the generall to decree the particular punishment as he thinketh good In sundry places of the bookes of Moses wee finde sundry lawes set downe inflicting death vpon the offenders yet the manner of death is not named Genesis 9. verse 6. Exod. chap. 22 19 20. Leuit. chap. 20. verses 9 11 15 16 17 18. Deut. chap. 20. verse 25. and 24 17. All this were to no purpose if the Magistrate might not proceede against them ex officio without knowing the farther pleasure of God For it had bin all one as if no sentence of death had beene set downe inasmuch as they might as easily and with as little labour know the punishment in particular as when no punishment at all is expressed Neither did the Iewes take theÌ„selues to be bound in that case to enquire of God Leuit. 20 10. Deut. 22 22. Iohn 8 5. Wherefore I rather thinke they consulted with God about the quality of the work then the maner of the punishment God had threatned that whosoeuer did Worke on the Sabbath should be put to death but hee had not followed his handy-worke nor laboured in his calling he had onely gathered a few stickes True it is he had done it impudently yet it was doubt full whether this fact were within the compasse of that law or not and therefore Moses would not call the life of this man in question without certaine direction from the mouth of God For life is precious and blood being spilt is as water poured vpon the earth that cannot be gathered vp againe So then they desired to know whether this fact were worthy of death not by what manner of death he should die And as the Iewes in other things are full of fables so in this they haue deuised of their owne braines that this man was Zelophehad â—ish fable out any â—nd of whom we reade afterward in this Booke chapt 27 3. where it is saide of him that he dyed not in the conspiracie of Korah but in his owne sinne thereby casting an aspersion vpon him and charging him with an imputation which the Scripture doeth not charge him withall of which wee shall speake more afterwards But who it was and what his name was and whether he were one of the Israelites or of the straungers that came with them out of Egypt or what his purpose was it is vncertaine but whosoeuer it were he is put to death for prophaning of the Sabbath Wee learne heereby Doctrine that the Sabbath day ought wholly to be spent in religious and holy exercises The Sabbath day must bee spent religiously It is the end why it was sanctified of God that wee should sanctifie it and spend it in holy vses from morning vnto euening Genesis chap. 2. verse 2 3. Where wee see hee blessed it and sanctified it in the Garded or at least in the time of mans innocency Exodus chap 16 20. Esay 56 verse 2. 58 13. Exod. chap. 20. verse 4. This was the practise vnder the Law continued also vnder the Gospell It was the custome of Christ to preach the gospell in the Synagogues on that day he did it not for once or twice but it was his ordinary and vsuall manner So the Disciples Acts 20 17. and 17 1 2. 1 Cor. 16 1. Reuelat 1 10. The doores of the Temple were kept shut the sixe dayes but opened from morning vntill the euening vpon the seuenth day Ezek 46 1 2. There are many reasons in the fourth commandement Reason 1 drawne from the equity and liberality of God in giuing vs sixe dayes from the example of Gods rest and from the consideration of the end why it was appointed to bee kept holy all these are of great force Exod 20 4 5. Secondly this serueth to preserue men from Reason 2 barbarisme and Atheisme and all irreligions prophanenesse We see notwithstanding this comfortable profitable ordinance of God how much impiety and loosenesse is in the world but if euery man were left vnto himselfe to serue God as himselfe list to his priuat deuotions without this generall obseruation it is to bee feared wee should shortly haue no knowledge no faith no church no religion no order that the greatest part would scarfe thinke of God from one weeke nay from one yeere to another or haue any acquaintance with his word and Sacraments or reade the Scriptures or pray vnto him nay they would scarse know whether there were any Scriptures or Sacraments or not Therefore the Lord saith The Sabbath is a signe betweene mee and you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Exod. 31 13 For when doe the greatest part reade or heare or conferre or meditate or pray but vpon the Sabbath Take away therefore that day you take away all these Thirdly Reason 3 Christ Iesus vouchsafed to honour this day aboue the rest of the daies of the weeke after his resurrection and that by his speciall appeâ—â—ings in it as wel as by his rising again vpon it If we obserue and marke it wee shall see he shewed himselfe to his disciples and followers vpon that day especially First to Marie Magdalene early in the morning Iohn 20 1. and 14. Secondly to the other women as they were going to communicate to the Apostles the certainty of his resurrection which the Angels had declared vnto them before at the sepulcher Matth. 28 9. Thirdly to the two disciples going to Emmaus which also was the same day Luke 24 21 For they said it was the third day since these things were done Fourthly the same day at night he appeared to his Disciples Iohn 20 19. Fiftly he appeared for the confirmation of the faith of Thomas in the matter of his
iustly destroy thē They remember not to cast themselues vpon his protection they consider not that he may make their bed their graue and neuer bring them to see the light and the Sunne againe They neuer yet truely learned that in him wee liue and moue and haue our being Acts 17 28. Howbeit we that should continually remember the kindnes of the Lord and pray to him and praise him at all times doe for the most part forget him from morning to euening from euening to morning and one day and weeke and moneth after another and therefore it often falleth out that God giueth vs little rest and quiet Deut. 28 67. But in the morning thou shalt say would God it were euen and at euen thou shalt say would God it were morning for the feare of thine heart wherewith thou shalt feare and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 9 And on the Sabbath day two Lambs of the first yeare without spot and two tenth deales of flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle and the drinke offiring thereof 10 This is the burnt offering of euery Sabbath beside the continuall burnt offering and his drinke offering Heere is the law set downe touching the solemnity of the Sabbath before we had the daily burnt offering in these words wee haue the weekely offering wherein all things are doubled Euery day wee should set aside a part of it to God and cut off somewhat from our owne businesse to lift vp our hearts to him but the seuenth day should wholly bee spent to his glory Before they offered one Lambe now two Lambes before one tenth deale of flower now two tenth deales c. So then we are to speake of the Iewish Sabbath Doctrine The Ievvish Sabbath and the vses therof to our selves and the vses thereof to our selues This was first prescribed and appointed to Adam in the time of his innocency Gen. 2 2 this was the seuenth day from creation It is repeated in sundry other places of the word of God Exod. 16 26 they might not gather Manna vpon this day Exod. 35 2 3. and 34.21 and 31 13. Reason 1 Many reasons are rendred Exod. 31 why they must obserue this Sabbath First it is a signe betweene God and them that it is hee that doth sanctifie them Secondly it is ordained for theyr benefit and commodity and therfore should be holy to them as Christ farther teacheth Mark 2 27. The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Thirdly the necessity of keeping it appeareth because they that did not keepe it should surely dye Fourthly it is consecrated to God it is a Sabbath of rest vnto him verse 15. Fiftly the Lord propounded his owne example for hee created the world in sixe dayes then rested the seuenth See more to this purpose in the vses afterward First this rest prescribed in the law that Vse 1 they must do no manner of worke was mysticall pointing out our spirituall and internall rest and cessation from the works of sinne Esay 58 14 and 66 27. We must not do our owne wayes nor seek our own will we must ceasse from our owne workes to follow after the works of God Thus wee begin a spirituall Sabbath in this life or else we shall neuer enioy the eternall Sabbath in heauen We must begin our Sabbath here we shal finish it hereafter Therefore the Apostle saith Hebr. 4 10 11. Hee that entred into his rest hee hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his let vs labour therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of vnbeliefe All sinnes are truly and properly our owne workes because we naturally do them and can doe nothing else and we are Satans house wherein he inhabiteth Math. 12 44 we cannot please God but bring vpon our selues by them all miseries and calamities yea death it selfe So then we keepe a true Sabbath when we abstaine from our euill wayes when wee mortifie the deeds of the flesh when wee are quickned by the Spirit to leade a new life when we do those things that are well-pleasing in his sight For what shall it auaile or aduantage a man to abstaine from the works of his hands and the labour of his calling and in the meane season to nourish sinne and all euill in his heart What comfort on the Sabbath can the day-labourer find in resting from his worldly labours if hee labour nothing at all to deny vngodlinesse and all worldly and sinfull lusts What fruite shall the tradesman finde to cease from the workes of his calling when he maketh a trade and occupation of sin vpon that day to cease from making garments for others and not himselfe to learne to put on Christ What benefit hath the Physician to cease his prescriptions and to abstaine from giuing his receipts for bodily health if himselfe seeke not after the health of his owne soule may it not bee truly said to him Physician heale thy selfe Luke 4 23. What shall it auaile the traueiler to cease his trauell and yet neuer require seeke after the kingdome of Heauen What good shall the Inne-keeper or Tauerner receiue by ceasing from their ordinary victualling if they prouide not for themselues the meat that neuer perisheth and the bread that came downe from heauen but famish and pine away their owne soules Or what profit shal arise to such as wil neither buy nor sell vpon the Sabbath day when in the meane season they neuer go about to buy the truth of Gods word Pro. 23 23 not to sell away of their owne corruptions that hinder them from the best things To what end and purpose do we abstain from mustring training of souldiers if we do not learn on the lords day to fight the lords battels against the world the flesh and the diuell which are the most capital and deadly enemies that we haue not to our bodies onely but to our soules And why do we cease to put on our bodily armour our shield our head-peece our sword if wee doe not put on the whole armour of Goe the helmet of saluation the shield of faith the brestplate of righteousnesse and the sword of the spirit that we may stand fast in the day of tryall Eph. 6 16 17. Thus then wee see who they bee that keepe a good Sabbath euen they that learne to rest from sinne and cease from all their euill wayes Secondly the Sabbath also is Symbolicall Vse 2 in that it is a pledge vnto vs of our euerlasting rest in the kingdome of almighty God as the Apostle sheweth in the Epistle to the Colossians chapter 2 verse 17. The Sabbath dayes are a shadow of things to come and Heb. chap. 4 verse 9. There remaineth a rest for the people of God and farther he proueth it out of the Prophet in Psalme 95 where God promiseth not an outward such as was the ceremoniall rest of the Sabbath
in soule and body abusing our wit our memory our authority our health our liberty our riches our heart our tongue our feete our hands and all other members to infidelity blasphemy swearing lying whoredome cruelty iniury theft gluttony drunkennesse pride wantonnesse slanders and such like making them filthy dungeons and stinking sinkes for the diuell which should be the Temples of God Wherfore we must haue earnest greefe and sorrow and trembling that we haue hereby not onely broken in peeces and torne in sunder by our sinnes all the lawes of God but wee haue also by them crucified vpon the Crosse and put to a shamefull death the Lord of Life We commonly lay the whole and only fault vpon Herod and Pilate vpon the high Priests vpon Iudas and the Iewes who is not displeased with these for their cruelty herein howbeit we shold be more displeased with our selues who are as deepe by our sinnes in this sinne as euer they as we haue shewed before out of the Prophet And here I summon all prophane persons before God that haue no delight in good things and all such as with greedinesse and without shame wallow in all sin and wickednesse giuing by their leudnesse continuall and greeuous offence to the children of God If they dare presume to present themselues at the Lords Table hauing their hearts hands gored with the blood of the Sonne of God I would haue them answere what they promised to God and his Church in their Baptisme and what they now professe They promised to forsake the diuell and all his workes but sinne is one of the chiefe and principall works of the diuell What I pray you could the Lord Iesus haue done for vs that he hath not done and shall we so reward him and requite him for all his paines his agony and bloody sweat If a kings sonne finding vs in a filthy sink or miery puddle should helpe vs out with his hands and wash vs in water and put his precious robes vpon vs and after all this we thrice miserable wretches should presently cast our selues into the same againe what vnthankfulnes were this what indignity Christ Iesus hath redeemed vs from the bondage of sinne and washed vs in his blood Reuel 1.5 shall we defile our selues againe with worse then mire and dung and serue Satan and sin his and our enemies Againe we must seek to approue our hearts and consciences with loue and charity to our neighbours For we can neuer come with a good consciēce toward God except also we shew the fruites of loue to our brethren We must haue peace with all men without which no man shall see God to his comfort Heb. 12.14 We are but one bread but one body 1 Cor. 12.12 There should be a communion among all the Saints of God which also we professe to beleeue We meet al in one place as it were in one house we haue one head we heare one word we eat the same spirituall meat we drinke the same spirituall drinke we are vtterly vnworthy of all these if we be infected and poisoned with the bitter rootes of hatred strife rancour debate contention quarrelling and such like vnfauory vnsanctified fruites which shew that we are carnall and faithlesse men not fit to be called the seruants of Christ whose loue was great euen toward his enemies Verse 13. But the man that is cleane c. and forbeareth to keep the Passeouer euen the same soule shall be cut off c. The meaning is hee shall be shut out from the fellowship of the Saints Whosoeuer through meer negligence and carelesnes did put off this duty and wold not with the rest of the people of God keepe the Passeouer is iudged for it and beareth his sinne that is is guilty of a great wickednes before God Doctrine We learn hereby that they which negligently and carelesly omit the parts of Gods worship and the exercises of religion All that are carelesse in Gods seruice lie vnder his wrath whensoeuer they are celebrated in the meetings of Gods people committeth a great iniquity and lyeth vnder the wrath and iudgements God The vncircumcised male that purposely breaketh the Couenant of God shall be cut off from the people Gen. 17.14 Moses carelesly omitting the circumcision of his sonne was neere to be slaine of God Exod 4.24 He that did not conscionably and religiously keepe the Passeouer was also to be cu◠off as we see in this place and afterward he that gathered sticks vpon the Sabboth day was stoned with stones that he dyed chap. 15.32 36. Such then as bring not the offerings of God in their season and are carelesse in his worship lie vnder his wrath and deserue the sentence of excommunication For they neglect the homage and seruice Reason 1 due to God and obserue not the seasons appointed of God as we see in this 13. verse There is an appointed season for euery worke vnder the Sunne God also hath his times and seasons who hath all times in his owne hands which being neglected cannot be recalled Secondly all such as contemne the means are prophane contemners of those excellent things that are offered by the meanes and the contempt of the word is the contempt of God The contempt of this Baptisme is the contempt of the remission of sinnes the Pharisees that were not baptized of Iohn reiected the counsell of God against themselues he that contemneth the Supper refuseth the merits of Christs death and passion and is guilty of the body blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11. and maketh a mocke of the Sonne of God Thirdly such despise the wisedome of God accounting that simple weake and foolish which he in his infinite wisedome hath appointed to be the ordinary meanes of his strong arme and mighty power His waies are not as our waies his wayes are foolishnesse to foolish men 1. Cor. 1.23 and our wayes are foolishnes to the most wise God 1 Cor. 3.19 and that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16.15 as that which is oftentimes least regarded of vs is in greatest price and account with him Vse 1 Conclude from hence that the state and condition of al retchlesse hearers of the word and of negligent receiuers of the Sacraments is most wretched accurst Shall we be so sottish and simple to imagine that God hath ordained these things for nothing or that he will see his writings and seales troden vnder foot and not punish these rebels and enemies Is not he that maliciously and contemptibly defaceth the Princes broad seale a traitour against his Prince Are these then any better that reiect both word and Sacrament we see this in Ahaz when he had a signe offered vnto him from the Lord in the depth beneath or in the height aboue to assure him of deliuerance he contemned and reiected the same Esay 7.12 howbeit he neuer prospered after but grew worse and worse 2 Chron 28. True
great matter that they haue done Lastly they are greeuous sinners sapped in them that make no vse of the crosses and afflictions that God sendeth vpon them that are no whit bettered or reformed or humbled by his iudgements Vse 3 Lastly it is our duty to pray vnto God that we may be kept and preserued from this high measure of sinne Psal 19 13. The Prophet prayeth to the Lord to keepe him from presumptuous sinnes This sheweth to vs that we are ready to fall into them And what do they but publish this as with a loud voice that cry out that God is mercifull and thereupon take occasion to goe forward presuming of his mercy We should be carefull to beg from God his grace that we may resist sin in the beginning lest our hearts be hardened by it Heb. 3 13 and we thereby be drawne in the end to make no conscience of sinne â—iect If any aske how wee may know whether we be willing to leaue sin and resist it in the beginning 〈◊〉 I answer we may examine our selues by the contrary rules to the former If a man make the law of God his delight and can therefore loue it make much of it because it maketh his sinnes manifest vnto himselfe hee certainely is no louer of his sinnes Thus it was with Hezekiah when he had receiued an heauy threatning of an heauy iudgement from the mouth of God hee submitted himselfe and said to the Prophet The word of the Lord is good â—g 20 19. which thou hast spoken Secondly hee loueth not his sinnes that loueth him that reproueth him for his sins He that imbraceth that Minister or that brother that telleth him of his corruptions certainely he is not determined to imbrace and entertaine his sins Thirdly he that is so farre from excusing of his sinnes that he is ready to accuse himselfe and he that is so farre from defending and maintaining them that he laboureth to reconcile himselfe to God and to haue a cleere conscience toward God and man hee doubtlesse shall not need to feare to come to the height of sinne Lastly he declareth that he is not besotted with the loue of his sinnes that loueth God that chastiseth him euen for his chastisements sake who so soone as any crosse befalleth vnto him presently runneth home to his owne heart and condemneth his sinne and iudgeth himselfe and layeth all vpon himselfe as iustly befallen him for his sins If these things be found in vs we may reioyce and be glad that albeit we cannot but commit the acte of sinne yet we keepe our hearts and soules from delighting in sinne and the affecting thereof Thus we may acquit our selues of a great deale of the guilt of sinne albeit not of the outward acte it selfe by seeking the asswaging and lessening of it 32 And while the children of Israel were in the Wildernesse they found a man that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him vnto Moses and Aaron and vnto all the Congregation Here followeth an example of Gods iudgment vpon him that gathered stickes on the Sabbath day This is not to be considered in it selfe only but as it dependeth vpon the words immediately going before as a reason or an example of that law that whosoeuer doth any thing presumptuously or with an high hand shall die the death and albeit it be set downe after it yet I take it to haue bene done before it The Israelites had found out a man that had sinned not of ignorance or one that gathered stickes vpon necessity but they said to Moses as the Pharisies did to Christ touching the woman taken in adultery Iohn 8 4. We found her in the very acte so did they take this breaker of the Sabbath in the very acte of gathering stickes who rushed desperately against the law as a Shippe that dasheth it selfe in peeces against a Rocke for he sinned in contempt of God and his ordinances The Lord had deliuered his law to all Israel and repeated the same againe he had commanded it carefully to be kept and none to goe out of his place to gather Manna vpon that day Exod. 16 29. The obseruation of this day was the establishing of the whole law and the breach of it a destroying of the whole worship of God This did this wicked person know wel enough but he neuerthelesse would goe out of his place God hath said they should not kindle a fire throughout their generations that day Exod. 35 2 3. neither could he be ignorant of it yet he would kindle a fire to prouoke God to anger against him In this we see his sin and the manner of it he is brought to Moses and is put in ward Moses asketh counsell of God what shold be done with him God appointeth him for examples sake to be stoned to death which is done accordingly Obiect But this may seeme a small offence he did not beare any great burden on the Sabbath nor labour in the workes of his calling neither offend in any great matter he did onely gather a bundle of stickes and that as it should seeme but once he did not make any practise of it Answer I answer we must consider not onely the deed done but also the maÌ„ner of doing he did it to despise and despite God a sinne in whomsoeuer worthy of no lesse punishment then death it selfe Doctrine We learne from hence that euery sinne is so much the greater The lesse the thing is for which a man will sinne the greater is the sinne by how much lesse the thing is for which men sin I say the lesse the thing is for which a man will sinne and transgresse the law of God the greater alwaies is his sinne A man would thinke it nothing to picke vp a few stickes but the lesse it was the greater was his contempt of God that hee would runne into the breach of the law and prouoke the wrath of God for it Thus wee might speake of the sinne of our first parents God tried their obedience in abstaining from the fruite of one tree Gen. 2 17. and 3 3. yet they would taste thereof and thereby ruined themselues and al their posterity The matter wherein they sinned was small but the sin thereby was made the greater Esau is noted in holy Scripture for his prophanenes which was shewed in this that for one messe of broth he sold his birthright Gen. 25 33. Heb. 12 16. So is it spoken of Iudas that for thirty shekels he sold his Master and betraied the Lord of life into the hands of sinners Mat. 26 15. 27 5. A goodly price at which he that is God of heauen and earth heire of all things was valued saith the Prophet Zachary ch 11 13. The lesse the reward was the greater was his iniquity for thereby he made it manifest at how vile how base and small a price our Lord Iesus Christ the
withered and dry Wands and on euery rodde the name of the Prince of the Tribe being written and Aarons name on that of Leui it fell out that the Rod of Aaron receyued by the Omnipotent power of God a vegetable soule For being layde vp in the Tabernacle of the Congregation one onely night it had vpon it Buds Blossomes and ripe Almonds wherby the power of God was manifested the calling of Aaron confirmed the mouth of the Conspirators stopped the whole Congregation of Israel perswaded to rest themselues vpon the ordinance that God had appointed and setled among them It were almost endlesse to rehearse all the other murmurings against Moses and prouocations against God For when they came to the Mountaine Hor after the death of Aaron Numbers 33. verse 38 who dyed in the first day of the fifth moneth of the fortieth yeare after theyr departure out of Egypt all the people murmured most violently against Moses by reason of the scarsity of water when neyther the punishments by fire from heauen aboue them nor the opening of the earth vnder them nor and swallowing of them vp nor the often and sodaine Pestilences that seized vpon them nor any myracle formerly shewed among them neyther the loue or wrath of God could preuaile any longer with this stubborne and rebellious people then while their bellies were filled and their appetites satisfied Numb 20. but in stead of seeking for helpe and releefe at Gods hands in their necessity when they suffered hunger or thirst or any other want they repined and repented of their estate casting into his teeth who least of all deserued it all their misaduentures And albeit they were entred into the fortieth yeare wherein all trauailes troubles and miseries were to take end and that they were euen in sight of the land promised yet againe they tempted God as obstinately as in former times and neyther trusted his promises nor feared his iudgements nor regarded his miracles Neyther are we to thinke by way of Iustification of our selues or condemnation of Israel that wee are by nature better then they or they a worse people then our selues for it hath alwayes beene the disposition of the common sort to waxe weary of present things and to desire some change and alteration The multitude as Polybius doeth not vnfitly speake is like the sea where a small gale of winde causeth a great Tempest Cicer. pro domo sua ut Demost in orat de faâ—s legat They are changeable and vnconstant and as variable in their opinions as the weather is And so often as I remember the dislike and discontent of this people with such Gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth as God had set ouer them who had they beene changed and others placed in their roome would haue liked them no better I cannot forget a memorable example that fell out among the Campanes in the City of Capua during the second Punicke Warre through a mutiny among the people against their Magistrates as Liuy reporteth Liuy decad 3. Lib. 3. when as the Commons abusing their liberty would needes depose the Senate to which they were maliciously affected and weary to be vnder their gouernment any longer and agreeed to put them to death Pacuuius Calauius the head Magistrate willing to saue them when they had passed sentence vpon one Senatour to haue him executed bad in his stead to choose a good Senator and a righteous At the first all were silent and as still as midnight for default of finding a better Afterward when some odde groome past all shame and reuerence seemed to nominate one to succeede by and by they grew to lowd words and great clamors while some sayde flatly they knew not the man others layde to his charge sundry lewd and naughty vices and others obiected against him basenesse and beggery or else some dishonest kinde of Trade and Occupation whereby he gate his liuing Thus fared they and much worse a great deale when a second or third Senator was named to bee substituted in the roome of others so as it was wel seene that the men bethought themselues better and repented of that they had done already considering how much they fayled and were to seeke when they should appoint another in his place c. And so at length they were content to keepe their olde Senators It is not therefore without cause Decad. 3. lib 4. that the same Historiographer describing the beast of many heads sayth well Haec natura multitudâ—nis est aut seruit humiliter aut superbè dominatur libertatem quae media est nec spernere modicè nec habere sciunt that is See the nature and disposition of the multitude eyther they serue basely or rule proudly Liberty that is the meane betweene them both they haue neither the skill to despise with reason nor the grace to entertaine in measure But to passe ouer these things and to see how Israel passed forward toward the Land of Canaan I cannot omit that Moses omitted nothing before his death that might serue for the good of the people and to shorten their iourney what he might and therefore sent Messengers vnto the Prince of Idumea Numb 20 17. praying him that he might passe with the hoasts of Israel through his Territory into the Land promised to their Fathers which bordered it For this was the nerest way of all other from the citty of Kadesh where Moses then encamped whereas otherwise taking his iourney by the Riuers of Zared Arnon and Iordan which afterward he was constrained to do hee might haue runne into many hazards in the passage of those Riuers with his great Army And albeit Moses vsed many strong and forcible reasons to perswade the Prince of Idumea remembring him that he was of the same race and family with Israel calling him by the amiable name of a Brother they being as sonnes of one Father to wit Isaac inferring thereby that he had more reason to fauor and respect them then he had to affect the Canaanites making a short repetition of Gods blessings bestowed vpon them as also of his purposes and promises concerning them in the time to come assuring him that he would no way offend him or his people neither yet wrong any by military insolency but would restraine his army within the boundes of the common and Kings highwayes paying money for whatsoeuer they vsed yea euen for the water which them selues or their Cattle should drinke Deut. 2 27 28 yet the King not trusting faire words knowing the strength of his owne country rampard with high and sharpe Mountaines and withal suspecting as a naturall wise man that so mighty an army of strangers consisting of more then sixe hundred thousand being once entred into the heart of his countrey it would rest in their owne wils to giue him law and to refuse directions from him and so bee at their owne discretion and disposition whether to abide there or to depart
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
Math. 13 23. when he commendeth the sauing hearers and compareth them to good ground he saith He that receiued the seede in the good ground is he that heareth the word and vnderstandeth it which also beareth fruite and bringeth forth some an hundred fold some sixty fold and some thirty fold The ground that yeildeth thirty fold is little in comparison of thar which yeeldeth the increase of an hundred fold not halfe so much yet it is accounted good ground All ground is good in Gods account that is not altogether vnfruitfull and euery one receiueth praise and commendation from him who hath a good heart albeit it be mingled with many wants and much imperfection This must not make those that are weak and simple to please themselues in their weaknesse and simplicity nor cause them to be puffed vp with enuy toward such as haue a greater measure and better portion of giftes then they haue but seeing God hath appointed his word to giue vnto the simple sharpnes of wit it must stirre them vp to do their best to striue with all their strength to bee led forward to perfection and to craue a continuall supply of Gods grace which in the middest of all their infirmities and imperfections shall be sufficient for them Then it shal come to passe that albeit they behold a double portion in others and a poore pittance in themselues yet they may truly say vnto the Lord Thou wilt require no more of thy seruant then thou hast giuen him To this end speaketh the Apostle writing to the Philippians Phil. 1 6. and 2 13 I am perswaded of this same thing that he which hath begun this good worke in â—ou will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Chrâ—st for it is God that worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure The fourth Rule touching our knowledge is that we must all labour to haue so much as that we may be able to giue an account of our faith when we shall be lawfully called thereunto It is not enough for vs to say wee beleeue as well as the best and then cannot declare how we beleeue neither is it enough for vs to haue the implicite faith of the church of Rome to beleeue as the Church beleeueth then cannot tell how or what the Church beleeueth This is the Colliars faith not the Christian faith this will not shielde vs from the darts and deuices of the diuell but layeth our hearts open to all his fiery tentations The ancient Christians that beleeued in the Sonne of God were able not onely to make confession of their owne faith but to defend and maintaine the true faith against their enemies and persecuters as all histories doe declare Hab. 2.4 Ro 1 17 Gal 3 â—1 Heb 10 38. The Prophet teacheth vs That the iust shall liue not by anothers but by his owne Faith We are al taught to say I beleeue not we beleeue and therefore it is requisite that we be indued with true faith and haue such a certaine and particular knowledge of the cheefe and fundamentall points of our religion that we be both able and ready to render a reason thereof which cannot be vnlesse wee haue lerned the principles of the doctrine of Christ Hence it is that the Apostle Peter exhorteth to this rule 1 Pet. 3 15. Sanctifie the Lorde in your hearts and be ready alwaies to giue an answer to euery man that askâ—th you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse reuerence The practise hereof we haue in Stephen and Peter and 4 19. and 7 2. and 22 1. and 26 2 3. and Paul and others in the Acts of the Apostles Acts 2 15. and 3. chapt who made confession and profession of their Faith with boldnesse and cheerefulnesse so often as the glory of God did require it Now albeit the Apostles teach that wee must bee enabled to confesse our Faith and to shew before all men how we haue profited hauing a good conscience that when they speake euill of vs as of euill dooers they may bee ashamed which slander our good conuersation in Christ yet he doth not require such exactnesse and perfection to be able to dissolue all doubts to answer all questions and to vnloose al knots which is not to be looked for at the hands of the teachers themselues but as we must know the fundamental points of true religion wherupon our Faith is builded so wee must bee strengthened and grounded in them that we may be able all of vs both yong and olde to shew in whom we haue beleeued what we are by creation what by reason of our transgression and what by Faith in Christ and by the fruites of regeneration No man must bee ignorant of these substantiall points that wee may vnderstand what title and interest wee haue to the inheritance of the heauenly Kingdome Vse 3 Lastly seeing obedience is so necessarie a duty without which we cannot please God let vs labour to performe our obedience vnto him aright to which end we are to be carefull to obserue these rules of ordering and directing our obedience that it may be approued in his sight First of all we must be assured that we do these things that are warranted in the word of God and that they be done according to his will He will not be serued of vs by good intentions or humane traditions or blinde superstitions but he will bee worshipped according to his owne pleasure This the Prophet Esay expresseth chap. 29. verses 13 14. This people come neere to mee with their mouth and honor me with their lips but haue remooued theâ—r heart far from me and their feare toward me was taught by the precept of men This our â—auiour teacheth to bee a vaine and ydle seruing of him Math. 15 8. If our obedience bee framed to the doctrine of man not of God it is foolish and without vnderstanding Such is the Religion for the most part of the Church of Rome where mens inuentions are set vp and many times magnified aboue the ordinances of God There are many great feares wrought in the consciences of the poore people from the impositions of men as heauy burdens laid vpon them to obserue and keepe as eate not Col 2 21. taste not handle not vpon perill of condemnation and there are many faire promises offered to men for their zeale in running on pilgrimage honouring of Reliques visiting of Idols inuocation of Saints saying of Masses offering for the dead Dirges and such like dregs which are not in the word nor according to the word but beside the word nay against the word Col. 2 23. which things indeede haue a shew of wisedom in voluntarie religion humblenesse of minde and in not sparing the bodye which are things of no value sith they pertaâ—ne to the filling of the flesh All these therefore are false feares false deuotions false dangers false promises false prayers
albeit Iacob promised the crowne and kingdome to that tribe yet it is not by and by accomplished so that albeit his promises shall all be performed yet they are not straightway verified but are oftentimes long deferred True it is that the tribe of Iudah surmounted all the rest of the tribes at such time as God deliuered them out of Egypt yea Nahasson had the preheminence when the people were to be numbred when the Captaines of the tribes were to be chosen and when the offerings were dedicated in the Sanctuary Notwithstanding all this was but a darke shadow of the former prophesie for Iuda still remained without kingdome and principality Besides the former propheticall speech might seeme to many to carry little trueth or likelihood with it inasmuch as wee see God appointeth Moses of the tribe of Leui to be the gouernour of them After his death and decease Ioshua was Captaine and ruler ouer them who was of the tribe of Ephraim after him succeeded the Iudges who were extraordinarily stirred vp to iudge his people deliuer thē out of the hands of their enemies sometime of one tribe and sometime of another Then came Saul who was chosen king of the tribe of Beniamin all this while there is no mention of Iudah as if the prophecy were buryed in deepe silence and the birthright were vtterly forgotten yet in the end the Lord declareth that his word is not a iest and that Iacob though he were old yet did not dote when he foretold the same But to omit those things let vs obserue that God prouiding heere for the good of his people and the ordering of them appointeth officers and Magistrates ouer them and leaueth them not vnto themselues which would haue bene the occasion of all contention Thus we see how he appointeth a captaine and leader Doctrine 2 ouer euery tribe Magistrates and rulers are needfull to be set ouer the people of God From hence we may obserue that God giueth to his people rulers to fight their battels and to guide them in order and godlinesse Faithfull Magistrates are needfull for Church and Common-weath who are not onely a portion among beleeuers but the chiefe parts and stay of them in well-doing not onely in peace but in warre This we see plentifully proued vnto vs in the booke of Iudges where it is testified that the Lord raised them vp Iudges Iudg. 2 16 18. who deliuered them out of the hands of their oppressors and afterward when the Lord had raised them vp Iudges the Lord was with the Iudge and deliuered them out of the hand of their enemies all the dayes of the Iudge for the Lord had compassion of their gronings because of them that oppressed them and tormented them This is it which Iethro the father in Law of Moses saw to be profitable and necessary for the people when he admonished him to prouide men of courage fearing God men dealing truely hating couetousnesse Exod. 18.21 and to appoint such ouer them to be Rulers ouer thousands Rulers ouer hundreths Rulers ouer fifties and Rulers ouer tennes and to let them Iudge the people at all seasons This is it which Hiram acknowledgeth 2 Chron. 2. Because the Lord hath loued his people 2 Chron. 2.11 he hath made Salomon king ouer them This doth the Prophet Esay testifie chap. 22. Esay 22.20 22 In that day will I call my seruant Eliachim the sonne of Hilkiah the Key of the house of Dauid will I lay vpon his shoulder so he shall open and no man shall shut and he shall shut and no man shall open To these testimonies we might adde infinite others but in fo plentifull an argument these shall suffice to teach vs that the people of God stand in need of Rulers to go in and out before them and to order them in the duties of piety and honesty The reasons are euident First they are as the proppes and pillars of the house and Reason 1 the cause of good order among the people of God and the meanes to keepe them in all obedience On the other side through want of them many abuses are committed and much iniquity is practised While Ioshua liued and the Elders that out-liued Ioshua Iudge 2.7 the people serued the Lord all their dayes which had seene his great workes that he had done for Israel but when they were gone and gathered vnto their fathers the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim And againe chapter 4. Chap. 4.1 The children of Israel began againe to doe wickedly in the sight of the Lord after Ehud was dead And before Chapter 2. Ch. 2.19 and 8.33 and 17.6 and 19.1 and 21 25. When the Iudge was dead they returned and did worse then their fathers in following other gods to serue them and worship them they ceased not from their owne inuentions nor from their rebellious way Adde vnto these the conclusion of this booke In those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes Whereby we see that so long as God blesseth a land with Princes and Magistrates it is stayed from ruine and destruction but when they are taken away it falleth Reason 2 to the ground and cannot stand vpright Secondly no society can continue without Magistrates neither defend it selfe If an hoste be without a Generall or a city without a Ruler or an house without a gouernour it needeth not forraine force to pull it downe and dissolue it it sufficeth in short time to destroy it selfe and from among themselues will men arise that shall bring it to nothing Parity is the mother of all mutiny and confusion whiles euery one vnderprising anothers value and vertue denyeth to be commanded and being wedded to selfe-loue esteemeth himselfe the best able and most worthy to command in all the company So then whiles men ouervalue their own worth esteem better of themselues then others contrary to the rule of the Apostle Phil. 2 3. they are cast away by the tempest of dissention and torne in peeces as a body without a head by mutual emulations These diseases of a diuided and distracted multitude without vnity and authority of gouernment caused the Lord to take order for his people that when they should come vnto the land which he had promised to giue them Deut. 17.14 and that they should possesse it and dwell therein they should set a king ouer them from among their brethren Wherefore seeing Magistrates are a stay to the people in all well-doing and the want of them is the occasion of all confusion we cannot but conclude them to be so necessary as that they cannot be wanted or spared Vse 1 The vses remaine to be taught and learned of vs. The first reproofe of the Anabaptists First it reprooueth the hellish and more then heathenish Sect of the Anabaptists that ouerturne this order that God hath setled
authority vnto our consciences First God knoweth what is best for vs farre better then we our selues doe We seeke oftentimes to be aloft but God seeth it better for vs to be below we desire to be rich God seeth it better for vs to be poore Had it not bin much better for Hamman that was aduanced to honour to haue sate in the dirt or on the dunghill al the dayes of his life theÌ„ in al the height of his honour to bee hanged on the Gallowes which himselfe had set vp for another Ester 7 10. and so to taste first of the punishment he had deuised Had it not beene better for the rich man to be cloathed with rags in stead of purple robes to eate a dinner of greene hearbs in stead of his delicious fare then after all his pomp and pride to be tormented in hell fire Luc. 16 23. We are oftentimes ignorant of that should doe vs good God is ignorant of nothing We are ready to imbrace that which will do vs hurt it is God that in mercy withholdeth it from vs and vs from it A sicke person longeth greatly for those things which encrease his disease and bring him in danger of death but the learned and expert Physitian will not suffer him to taste of them A childe thinketh he is hardly dealt withall that he is restrained of his desire but his wise and discreet parents are constrained to bridle him of his lust and that for his owne good So dealeth God with vs wee are as sicke persons that must be dieted wee are as little children that must be ouerruled the Lord our God is a louing Father he is a tender Physitian ouer vs who albeit he deny vs that we desire yet he will withhold nothing froÌ„ vs that he knoweth to be good for vs. Secondly we haue this comfortable promise from him that he will neuer faile vs nor Reason 2 forsake vs whether we haue little or much whether we be in prosperity or aduersity It is he that feedeth the fowles of the aire it is he that cloatheth the Lillies of the field much more then are we assured that he will feed vs and cloathe vs who are more of value then all the rest of his Creatures This is the reason vrged by the Apostle Heb. 13 Heb 13.5 6. Be content with those things that ye haue for he hath saide I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not feare what man can do vnto me Where hee putteth vs in minde of the continuall care of God for vs and that his prouidence watcheth ouer vs which hee opposeth as a buckler against the common tentation that assaulteth vs to wit the feare of beeing quite forsaken of him and left vnto our selues from whence ariseth distrust in our hearts Thirdly nature it selfe is content with a little Reason 3 inasmuch as this is the common condition of all mankinde Princes and people high and low noble and vnnoble it brought vs naked into the world and naked it will earry and conuay vs out of the world according to the saying of Iob Iob 1 21. concerning himselfe Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away c. There are two points of mans life his entrance into the world and his departure out of the world there is but little distance as it were a steppe and a stride betweene them For what is our life but a vapour The space that is in the midst which is the time of our life betweene our birth our death hath many differences and diuersities that make vs vnlike one to another some are poore and some rich some haue great aboundance some haue nothing at all But in the point from whence we come and in the point to which we tend we all meete the beginning of our life and the ending of our daies are both alike there is no difference between them Dust returneth vnto dust and earth into the earth againe If a man haue a little iourney to make and a small way to trauaile it is folly and vanity to make great prouision for it as he that hath need but of one pitcher of water shall not deale wisely to go about to draw out a great Riuer So then to desire superfluities is to make open warre against the order of nature This reason is set downe by the Apostle in the place before alledged where the doctrine had his confirmation for hauing shewed that when God granteth vs raiment to cloathe our bodies and giueth vs foode to fill our bellies we ought to be content he annexeth this consideration to strengthen it For we brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out â—im 6 7. We see men dye daily and led to it as flockes of sheepe and when we haue taken care day and night what to eate what to drinke and what to put on we beare nothing to the earth but a winding sheete to couer our shame and to hide our nakednesse Fourthly let vs consider the contrary fruits Reason 4 Such as haue a resolute purpose to grow rich do referre heereunto all their thoghts words and deeds they so thirst after the treasures of this world that nothing is so sacred and religious which they will make any conscience to violate but they ouerthrow all law of God and man and nourish in them the roote of all euill and fall into a bottomlesse pit of al mischiefes This the Apostle meaneth when hee saith They that will be rich fall into tentation and a snare â—im 6 9. and into many foolish and hurtfull lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction Such are as poore beasts that are fallen into the snare of the hunter The diuel is a mighty hunter he hath many grins to catch vs and entrap vs walking about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure We are compassed about with the diuell and his angels as with an army of wolues and wilde beasts oppressed with iniuries and ouerborne with violence yet being vnder the protection of our God we cannot faile but bee well counterguarded He hath promised he will haue a care of vs so that the Lyons shall want and suffer hunger and not alwaies be able to finde their prey though they be cruell and rauenous but the faithful man though he haue neither teeth nor pawes nor take any mans goods away by fraud or force from him yet God feedeth him and supplyeth all his wants so that euery one should be pleased with his present estate and meanes of his maintenance how mean soeuer The vses follow which naturally arise froÌ„ Vse 1 hence and those of reproofe shall haue the first place which are of diuers sorts The first reproofe They breake out and transgresse against this principle that are discontented with their present
hang ouer our heads We may be visited with sicknesse or pinched with pouerty or haue our limbes taken from vs we may be striken with blindnesse or lamenesse and if none of all these afflictions come vpon vs yet the infirmities of old age will ouertake vs which is as the night wherein we cannot worke Eccl. 12 3. Then the keepers of the house shal tremble and the strong men shall bow themselues and the grinders shall ceasse because they are few those that look out of the windowes shall be darkned so that we should labour in the daies of our youth in the floure of our age while the euill daies come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them Age is an hastie thing it tarrieth for no man Cicero de Senect it will creepe vppon vs sooner then wee are aware Wherefore doth GOD giue vnto vs all these meanes and this blessed opportunity which being once gone cannot be called backe but that we should make vse of it There is no day but it hath his night there is no calme but it hath his storme there is no peace but it hath his warre there is no health but it hath his sicknesse Though we haue now sufficient we know not alasse what experience we may haue of want and how soone also Wee should therefore prouide in time of our health to keepe vs in our sicknesse wee should labour in youth to keepe vs in age and lay vp in time of plenty to furnish our selues against dearth and scarsity We see the prouidence that was in Ioseph he laid vp corne in the plentifull yeares to serue them saue them in time of famine and therefore he preserued the liues of many thousands Gen. 41 48. The Apostles prouided afore hand to send succour and releefe to the Church of Iudea being fellow-members of the same body Acts 11 28. and professing all one communion of Saints So the Apostle teacheth 1 Tim. 5 8. If any prouide not for his owne and specially for those of his owne house he hath denied the faith and is worse then an Infidell But Christ our Sauiour saith Lay not vp for your selues treasures on earth Obiection where moth and rust doth corrupt and where theeues breake through and steale Math. 6 19. If then he forbid all men to lay vp who shall dare to hoard vp any thing I answer Answer he forbiddeth in some sort not simply to wit to lay vp with respect to our owne priuate profite onely without respect of the good of the Church or Common-wealth as if he had said Take heed that ye gather not riches for your owne vse and benefit alone as if none should liue in the world besides your selues and so make your treasures your trust place your happinesse and felicity in them But our happinesse must be in heauen and in the life to come where it cannot be taken from vs. Againe Obiection it will be saide that Christ forbiddeth the care of the things of this life and to take thought what to eate or what to drinke or what to put on Math. 6 25. I answer there is a double care Answer a lawfull and an vnlawfull a godly and an vngodly care The lawfull and honest care is that whereby a man prouideth for things needfull in time to come For if then we should begin to prouide necessaries when we are presently to vse them we should be like to souldiers that are to seeke for armour when they should put it on or like the foolish Virgins mentioned in the Gospell Math. 25 10. that went to buy oyle for their Lampes when it was too late There is an vnlawfull care which is ioyned with distrust Such men doe neither deale vprightly and iustly in their callings to labour the thing that is good and to get the thing that is honest in the sight of all men neither yet commit the successe of their labours to the blessing of God but vse shifts that stand not with equity and a good conscience This maketh the heart heauy withdraweth vs from praier from hearing the word and from the worship of God This is that which Christ forbiddeth in this place If it be farther obiected Obiection that Christ saith Take no thought for the morrow for the morrow will take thought for it selfe sufficient vnto the day is the euill thereof Math. 6 34. I answer as before Answer that the purpose of Christ is not to perswade any to sloth and idlenesse or to slake in vs diligence in our callings but to draw vs from all inordinate and distrustful care for the morrow whereby we vexe our mindes with trouble and turmoile for things vnnecessary Euery day by reason of mans sin hath griefe enough and therefore should euery day content it selfe with his owne care and not cast his proiects for daies and yeares But while we condemne the vnlawfull carking let vs take heed we doe not cast away that honest and holy care of prouiding things needfull in time to come Christ our Sauiour had a bagge to keepe prouision for himselfe and his Disciples which Iudas bare Iohn 13 29. Hence it is also that he gaue commandement Iohn 6 12. that they should gather vp the broken meate and addeth this reason that nothing bee lost This serueth as a notable instruction for men of meane ability and small meanes to teach them to prouide in time for the maintenance of themselues and their families This concerneth artificers tradesmen husbandmen and day-labourers to seek as thrifty men to saue somewhat as they say against a wet day They must labour and take paines while their strength is great and their sight is good that when they shal be old or weak or blind and euery way vnable to follow their calling they may finde meanes to maintaine them of their owne and not seeke releefe abroad and so be a burden vnto others yea when GOD shall call them out of this world as we hold our life and all things else with the greatest vncertaintie wee may leaue our wiues and children wherewith they may liue with comfort and not depend vpon the kindnesse and curtesie of other men This is a point little regarded of drunkards and vnthrifts who if they may haue for the present to satisfie their lusts care not though they bring their seede to beggery Woe be to such mercilesse Creatures more cruel then the Tyger or the Beare exposing their posterity to a sea of miseries These are worse then the sauages infidels and haue denied the faith Let all poore men beware of idlenesse let them not spend in a moment that which hath beene long in getting let them not consume that little which they haue in belly cheere delicious fare and in costly apparell but vse the creatures of God soberly moderately sparingly considering both the shortnesse of their owne liues and the hardnesse of other mens hearts Let them not
Law they are called Priests Exod. 19.24 Thou shalt come vp thou and Aaron with thee but let not the Priests and the people breake through to come vp vnto the Lord lest he breake forth vpon them At this time Aaron and his sonnes were not consecrated to the office of the Priesthood neither was the tribe of Leui chosen to come neere to the Lord and therefore these Priests could be no other but the first borne that were sanctified vnto the Lord which is the point that now we deale withall Reason 1 This will farther appeare vnto vs if we consider what their dignitie was and wherein it consisted who excelled from the beginning in three things First he was Lord ouer his brethren according to that of Isaac when hee blessed Iacob the yonger in stead of the elder and thereby preferred him to the dignitie of the first borne Gen. 27.29 Be Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers children bow downe vnto thee The like wee see in the booke of the Chronicles Chap. 21.3 touching the sonnes of Iehoshaphat Their father gaue them great gifts of siluer and of gold and of precious things with fenced cities in Iudah but the kingdome gaue hee to Iehoram because he was the first borne Secondly he had a double portion Deut. 21.17 that is two parts of all that the father had whereas the rest were contented with a single portion And this was so firmely established and decreed that no man vpon priuate affection ought to be disinherited and the reason is rendred for he is the beginning of his strength and therefore the right of the first borne is his Thirdly he was holy vnto God and was the Priest of the family vnder his father whom for the most part he vsed as an assistant vnto him in the managing of all the affaires thereof All this appeareth plainely in the dissolutenesse that fell out among the sonnes of Iacob which was sufficient to haue wrought the dissolution and desolation of that family when Reuben sinned against his father and defiled his bed by horrible incest he was disinherited and his excellency was diuided among his brethren Iudah gate the scepter Leui had the Priesthood and Ioseph obtained the double portion 2 Chronicles Chapter 5. verses 1 2. Againe as nothing is more naturall then Reason 2 that the father instruct and direct his children and set them forward in the wayes of godlinesse and well doing so nothing is more seemely among brethren then that the elder should help the yonger the stronger assist the weaker and the richer helpe the poorer Now none could be fitter to assist the father in the Kingly and Priestly office while he liued and to second him in them both when hee dyed then the first borne who is said to be the beginning of his strength the excellency of dignity and of power Genesis Chapter 49. verse 3. Seeing then it is iust and right and profitable it ought to be confessed and acknowledged of vs. Lastly heereunto in processe of time was Reason 3 added another reason and a new necessitie of lifting vp their heads when GOD destroyed all the first borne in the land of Egypt so that there was no house wherein there was not one dead Now Exod. 12.29 inasmuch as the first borne of Israel escaped out of this common calamitie as it were a brand taken out of the fire God saith vnto Moses Sanctifie vnto me all the first borne whatsoeuer openeth the wombe among the children of Israel c. it is mine Exodus Chapter 13. verse 1. From hence we may conclude that all the first borne were consecrated vnto GOD and were to bee employed in his seruice This is indeed a type and figure and hath Vse 1 not place among vs howbeit it is written for our admonition vpon whom the endes of the world are come and offereth many good and profitable instructions for our edification This teacheth who are chiefly bound to serue the Lord. The greater our giftes are the fitter we are for God and none is to disdaine to employ themselues and all that is in them to his seruice To this purpose commeth the saying of the wise man Prouerbes Chapter 3. verse 9. Honour the LORD with thy substance and with the first fruites of all thine increase Such as haue receiued the greatest measure of grace are bound to yeeld vnto him the greatest honour and to bring forth the greatest obedience as the fielde that hath most cost bestowed vpon it giueth the greatest encrease Such as haue receiued fiue talents should gaine with them other fiue If he haue made vs as the first borne preferred vs before many other and doubled his Spirit vpon vs as it were a double portion let not vs content our selues in any wise to giue him a simple and single gift or recompence of all his labours bestowed vpon vs. The first reproofe This reprooueth those that scorne the Ministery as base and reiect the calling it selfe as needelesse and superfluous in their eyes that account it too contemptible to employ the best and chiefest of their children in it In former times the first borne were teachers of the families and Ministers of the Church vntill God set apart the tribe of Leui to serue at the altar in the temple The best things that we haue are not too good for God euen to giue them vnto him all the dayes of their life For whom are the best fittest but for him that is best He challenged the eldest to serue him the rest he permitted to the father to be employed as he saw good First God will be serued as it is great reason he should be and afterward he giueth vs leaue to serue our selues Iesse serued the king with his eldest sonne in the warres 1 Sam. 17.13 and kept his yongest at home and bestowed him about his owne businesse If any thinke his first borne to be too good to minister before the Lord he honoureth them aboue the Lord. Doth any thinke himselfe too good or too great a man to be sent as an embassadour from the Prince to forraine estates or rather doe not men sue for such high places and think themselues happy when they attaine vnto them How commeth it then to passe that men of countenance are ashamed to see their children to be the embassadours of the king of kings and to be employed in the greatest seruice to make peace betweene God and man and to saue soules from death and destruction If a man be blessed with many children if any bee more toward in wisdome in learning in iudgment in stayednesse and in giftes he were fittest for the Lord. But the Ministery of the word in our dayes through the abundance of sinne and of iniquity getting the vpper hand is grown into disgrace and contempt because men cannot abide to be reproued whereas to them that are sanctified and shal be saued it is the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 and the wisedome
the conscience They haue not their names in vaine they are not idle sounds of vaine words but they offer the signification of some duty to be performed and leade to the consideration of some thing to be practised as Shepheards call to their remembrance to be busied in feeding watchmen to proue to them that they ought to haue a vigilant care of the City of God and to be on their watch tower Messengers that they must not doe their owne businesse but his that sent thē So they are called Elders 1 Tim. 5 verse 17 19. 1 Pet. 5 verse 1. Acts 14 verse 23. and 15 2. and 16 4. and 20 17. to imprint and engraue in their hearts the cogitation and consideration of the care wisedome sobriety and stayednesse that ought to bee in men of that calling all which gifts are for the most part proper to that age for dayes shall speake and the multitude of yeares teach wisedome Iob 32 verse 7. And therefore they are resembled vnto them not because they are so alwaies in age but because they should bee like vnto them and haue the properties and qualities of them Reason 2 Secondly the Ministery is an high calling of great weight and worthinesse of great excellency and importance standing vp not only in the place of the people to offer vp their praiers but in the roome of God to declare his will to the people If then the worke bee so worthy if the office be so weighty if the calling be so honourable then it followeth by a good and necessary consequence that such ought to bee well fitted and filled with wisedome grauity and sobriety that vndertake it This is the reason vrged by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3 1 2. He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke a Bishop therefore must be vnblameable vnreproueable Who is it that mindeth to build an house but hee will looke out a fit workman for his purpose Or who will commit the gouernment of his family to an vnwise Steward that knoweth not how to mannage the affaires thereof to giue euery one his portion in due season Thē much lesse ought the Church of Christ to be committed to vnwise vnlearned vndiscreete men that are ignorant both how to rule it which way to reforme it Thirdly such as are called to this office Reason 3 must be carefull to looke vnto their waies that their calling be not blemished and their Ministery reprehended so that they ought to beare themselues worthily and wisely Euery one in the profession must labour to adorne the Gospel and walke vnblameably in the middest of a naughty and crooked generation Philip. 2 15. It is required of wiues to be chaste and keepers at home that the word of God be not blasphemed Titus 2 5. and of seruants to count their masters worthy of al honour that the Name of God and his doctrine be not euill spoken off 1 Tim. 6 ver 1. Much more then ought the Ministers to magnifie their office to beautifie their calling to watch in all things and to make full proofe of their Ministery 2 Tim. 4 verse 5. They ought to shine as bright and burning candles and as Christ saith they must bee lights of the world Math. 5. being set as a City vpon an high hill which cannot be hidden Hence it is that the Apostle saith Giue no offence in any thing 2 Cor. 6 3 4. that the Ministery be not blamed but let vs in all things approue our selues as the Ministers of God in much patience in necessities in distresses c. If onely our persons should be blamed and receiue a checke the matter were the lesse but the Ministery it selfe shall be reproched and the ordinance of God reuiled and therefore we ought to looke more carefully circumspectly to our waies that haue the eyes eares tongues of all men turned toward vs. Their eies are fixed vpon vs to behold our actions their eares are prepared to heare whatsoeuer they can of vs their mouthes are opened and their tongues vnloosed to speake euery where of vs so that we are set as vpon a stage can by no means couer our persons or our practises from the sight and knowledge of all men Lastly the Ministers is to vtter the word Reason 4 of wisedome whereby both himselfe and his hearers shall bee made wise vnto saluation The Apostle putteth Timothy in mind that he had beene brought vp in the Scriptures of a childe which are able to make him wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 verse 15. and Psal 119. the Prophet thereby was made wiser then his teachers then his enemies then the auncient Hereupon the Apostle Paul saith 1 Corinth 12 verse 8. To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit And in the first chapter of the same Epistle verse 23 24. Wee preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Grecians foolishnesse but vnto them which are called Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God Seeing then wee are to vtter the words of wisedome so called both because they are the words of the most wise GOD and because they are able to teach vs the truest wisedome we are to speak them as it becommeth them to be spoken to the end that in nothing we may be blamed or ashamed To conclude these reasons and to binde them all in a bundle together forasmuch as the Ministers of the Church are Elders both in name and nature and wee are to vtter the words of wisedome forasmuch as the Ministery that we haue obtained is a weighty and worthy calling and that it ought no way to be blotted and blemished of vs by any vndiscreete and vndecent carriage it followeth that such as are set apart to this work must be men of wisedome moderatiō of experience and excellent gouernment of themselues of their words of their gestures and of their waies whether they be publike or priuate whether they be open or secret whether they be at home or abroad Vse 1 We will now proceed to set downe the vses of this doctrine that we may be benefited and instructed by it First it serueth to reproue diuers sorts of persons that goe against this rule who albeit they be ready to receiue this truth and to approue of it in iudgement yet they transgresse it and crosse it notoriously in their practise The first reproofe Childrē made Ministers in the Church of Rome And here we are to meete with the shamefull abuse and detestable corruption that is too common in the Church of Rome where children and boies haue beene admitted and ordained to Ecclesiasticall dignities before they had any vnderstanding what the office requireth or how it can be discharged Thus hath the Byshop of Rome that challengeth to be the high Priest of the world the Vicar of Christ and the successour of Peter prophaned this calling and promoted
themselues For he saith in the place before named and mentioned Thou shalt not take the summe of them among the children of Israel that is while thou art reckoning the number and taking the muster of the other Tribes thou shalt not meddle with this Tribe who were exempted from the warres And the reason thereof is rendred Num. 1.50 Thou shalt appoint the Leuites ouer the Tabernacle of the Testimony and ouer all the vessels thereof and ouer all things that belong vnto it He calleth it sometimes the Tabernacle of the Congregation because the people assembled at it for the worship of God and sometimes the Tabernacle of the Testimony â—â—mb 17 8. â—â—abl annot Nume 1. because in the Tabernacle was placed the Arke and in the Arke the two Tables of the Testimony in which the ten commandements were written wherby God testified his will to the Israelites both what he would haue them doe and what he would not haue them to doe Verse 34. 35. And Moses and Aaron and the chiefe of the Congregation In these words beginneth the execution of the Commandement of God Moses numbring the Leuites according to their families and assigning to euery one of them their seuerall offices and charges This obedience of his is worthy of great praise inasmuch as in this description of the numbring of these families he remoueth farre from himselfe all suspition of giuing scope to his owne affections and therefore he signifieth that he did nothing of pride or partiality aduancing the Leuites before the other Tribes or preferring the family of the Kohathites before the rest of the Leuites but hath dealt in all things as became the true minister of God euen according to the commandement and commission that he had receiued of whom it is said afterward chap. 12. My seruant Moses is faithfull in all mine house â—umb 12.7 â—eb 3.5 euen as in the building of the Tabernacle he added nothing of his owne but did all things according to the patterne that was shewed him in the mount We learne from hence that whensoeuer we haue heard the word and had the will of God reuealed vnto vs we must yeeld Doctrine 1 obedience to the same The word heard must be obeyed It is a duty required of vs to practise so much of Gods trueth as is in mercy made knowne vnto vs. So did Noah Gen. 6.22 when he was commanded to make an Arke he did it as God commanded So did Abraham when he was commanded to circumcise himselfe and the males in his family Gen. 17. This is it that Moses teacheth the people after all his teaching and exhorting of them Deut. 10.12.13 Now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou keepe the commandements of the Lord his ordinances which I command thee this day for thy wealth And in the beginning of the next chapter Deut. 11.1 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and keepe his charge and his statutes and his iudgements and his commandements alwayes The Apostle Iames vrgeth this duty vpon those that are swift to heare and haue receiued the word with meeknes which is able to saue their soules chap. 1.22 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiuing your owne soules Christ our Sauiour describing the good hearers by the good ground saith They bring forthwith patience some sixty fold some thirty fold Luke 8.15 Matth. 13.23 and some an hundred fold euery one some fruit no man is barren altogether To conclude this point it was the exhortation of Moses and of the Priests and Leuites Deut. 27.9 10 which they spake vnto all Israel Take heed and hearken O Israel this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God thou shalt therefore obey the voyce of the Lord thy God and doe his commandements and his statutes which I command thee this day So theÌ„ we must all know what is required of vs to wit to be doers and not bare hearers to be practisers and not talkers to be obeyers and followers not idle professors Maruell not at all at this For first to encline Reason 1 our hearts to walke in his wayes that we haue learned is an infallible signe that we truely feare God This we see in the example of Abraham God tempted him and said vnto him Take thy sonne thine only sonne Isaac whom thou louest and offer him for a burnt offering he preferred the commandement of God before the loue to his owne sonne God accepted his willing mind and therefore he heareth this comfort Lay not thine hand vpon the lad neither doe thou any thing vnto him Gen. 22.12 for now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine only sonne from me Not that he was ignorant before but because he made that knowne to himselfe and to others which before was known to him alone and not thoroughly to Abraham himselfe For what is in vs we know not certainly our selues vntill we be prooued Thus then we see that Abrahams notable obedience in so great a tryall was an euident testimony that hee truely loued God Reason 2 Secondly obeience is alwayes ioyned with recompence God-rewarding it to the ful who is a most rich pay-master No man shall serue him for nought If Laban could say thus to Iacob Gen. 29.15 Because thou art my brother shouldest thou therefore serue me for nought will not the Lord much rather say to vs because ye are my children should ye therfore serue me for nothing The Prophet Dauid setting downe the singular fruits and effects of the word of God saith By it is thy seruant made circumspect Psal 19.11 in keeping of it there is great reward Consider brefly how it was with Abraham of whom we spake before he receiued an hard commandement himselfe to offer vp in sacrifice his only sonne yet because he delayed not to put it in present execution he receiued a threefold reward first God deliuered his sonne from death secondly he commendeth the faith of the father and thirdly he repeateth the promise to him and confirmeth his faith in it Gen. 22. Reason 3 Thirdly if we hearken vnto him he will hearken vnto vs if we serue him he will not be backeward or behinde hand with vs to serue vs. This doth the Prophet Esay point out vnto vs chap. 58.9 Thou shalt call and the Lord shall answere thou shalt cry and hee shall say Here I am On the other side if we will not hearken to obey him he will neuer hearken vnto vs neither regard when we call vpon him The wise man bringeth in wisdome crying without and vttering her voyce in the streetes Pro. 1.24 25.26 Because I haue called and ye refused I haue stretched out mine hand and no man regarded but ye
in those that follow yet there was a legall impurity and a ceremoniall vncleannes in them putting them in mind of the foulenes of sinne Thirdly such as haue touched a dead carcase must also goe out of the hoste these were also vncleane for a certaine season The first sort to wit of the lepers was infectious the two latter were accounted vncleane and abominable in respect of the law and ordinance of God that forbade those ceremonies vntill the time of the restoring of all things and yet some of them could not be auoided as the touching of the dead These are the parts the manner followeth shewing that this commandement is generall and toucheth all ages and sexes yong and old male and female Prince and subiect rich and poore there must no partiality be vsed God will haue none of these vncleane persons to be spared or suffered among his people from the king that setteth on his throne to the begger that lyeth on the dunghill Hereupon Moses saith both male and female ye shal put out without the campe shall ye put them And in the booke of Deuteronomy it is said Deut. 24. â— Take heed in the plague of leprosie that thou obserue diligently and doe according to all that the Priests Leuites shal teach you as I commanded them so ye shall obserue to do Remember what the Lord thy God did vnto Miriam by the way after that ye were come forth out of Egypt She was the sister of Moses and Aaron had gone before the women in singing the praises of God for their deliuerance at the red sea yet when she spake against Moses Num 12.14 she was shut out from the campe seuen dayes according to the law Leui. 13 4â— All the dayes wherein the plague shall bee in him he shal be defiled he is vncleane he shal dwel alone without the camp shal his habitation be The practise hereof we see in Gehazi the seruant of Elisha because he had taken two talents of siluer contrary to the wil of the Prophet he said vnto him 2 Kin 5.27 The leprosie of Naaman shal cleaue vnto thee and vnto thy seed for euer and he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow In the seige of Samaria by the Syrians it appeareth that foure leprous men dwelt out of the citie who for feare of that great and mighty hoste abode at the entring in of the gate 2 King 7.3 and were the first messengers of glad tidings that the enemies had broken vp their campe in haste and were fled away When Ahasiah presumed in the pride of his heart to execute the priests office the Lord smote the king 2 King 15. â— so that he was a leper vnto the day of his death and dwelt in a seuerall house Thus we see how this law was executed without al respect of persons or degrees and estates of men high and low bond and free master and seruant The reasons of the former commandement follow which are two in number the one drawn from the nature and condition of these vncleane persons the other from the person and presence of God The former reason concerning the foulenesse of the leprosie in these words lest they defile their camp may bee thus concluded If the lepers defile the places of their abode then they are to be remooued But the lepers defile the places of their abode Therefore they are to be remooued The conclusion of this argument is the commandement it selfe mentioned in the 2 verse so also is the second part in the end of the same verse The first proposition is to be supplyed The next reason drawne from the Lord himselfe in these words I dwell in the mids of them is thus concluded If God dwel among his people then no vncleane thing is to be tolerated among them But God dwelleth among his people Therefore no vncleane thing is to be tolerated among them The parts of this argument are partly expressed and partly vnderstood as we shewed in the former that went before and therefore need not be repeated Thus much of the commandement the execution heereof followeth in the 4. verse set downe first generally and particularly Generally the children of Israel did so Particularly they put them out of the campe as the Lord spake vnto Moses Now whereas the tents among the Israelites were threefold one of the Tabernacle another of the Leuites the third of the Tribes 〈◊〉 in Nume â—5 sundry of the Hebrews hold that such as were leprous were banished from them all three that such as had running issues were suffered in the campe but neither in the court of the Tabernacle nor among the tents of the Leuites and that such as were defiled by touching the dead were onely banished and excluded out of the court of the Tabernacle and the Tabernacle it selfe But these are more curious speculations then well grounded obseruations whereof the Hebrew Rabbins are full and seeme to be ouerthrowne in this place where they are thought to be established forasmuch as Moses ioyneth all these 3. together and turneth them out of the host â—biect Before we proceed to handle the doctrines of this diuision it shall not be amisse for vs to answer one obiection which we will do briefly and that is whether God in requiring the lepers to be put out of the campe doe respect the bodies of his people or not forasmuch as the leprosie was a contagious and infectious disease â—nswer I answere I am not ignorant how diuersly diuers men doe carry this and vnderstand hereby that God as a prudent and prouident Lawgiuer giueth wholesome counsell and direction lest contagious diseases should creepe among the people and so infect one another But this is too weake a coniecture and collection reacheth not to the purpose nor attaineth to the intent of God who respecteth the soule rather then the body For he doth not in this place giue counsel as a Phisition that prouideth for the health of his patient but he dealeth as a Physition of the soule and therefore vnder these outward rites and ceremonies he would traine them vp teach them to giue themselues to holinesse of life to study to attaine vnto and acquaint themselues with purity and to beware of all filthines and vncleannesse This appeareth in the example before set downe of such as were driuen from the company and society of men being stricken with the leprosie by the hand of God Besides this reason is rendred of their casting out of the hoste lest they should defile the campe in which the Lord dwelled Lastly we see that such as haue issues in the flesh such as touch the dead which are no infectious diseases and the one no disease at all are ioyned with the leprosie in this chapter so that the drift intent of God in this place is not to prouide for the body or to keepe the people in health and strength but for the
accusation I restore him fourefold He testifieth his repentance by his readinesse to make restitution whereas he that keepeth stollen goods stealeth still and is no better then a theefe and consequently farre from repentance Reason 2 Secondly without restitution there can be no remission forasmuch as repentance is falsely counterfeited and not truely practised God will not forgiue such as retaine with them their neighbours goods To steale from them and to keepe that which is stollen is a plaine token that we are resolued to continue in sinne He that is perswaded and determined not to depart from stollen goods which are sweet morsels vnto him is resolued to be a theefe and not to giue ouer Thus God is mocked and dallied withall and his law neglected and despised This the Prophet Ezekiel pointeth out chap. 18.7 9 12 13. and 33 15. He that hath not oppressed any but hath restored to the debter his pledge he shall surely liue saith the Lord God but he that hath oppressed the poore and needy and hath spoyled by violence and hath not restored the pledge c. he shall surely die his blood shall be vpon him Seeing then such as restore and so make recompense of that they haue taken away haue promise of forgiuenes contrariwise such as neuer make restitution haue a terrible threatning of death denounced against them it followeth that this is a duty required of all persons Reason 3 Thirdly the performance of it is a very speciall meanes to bring a blessing vpon vs a blessing I say from him to whom restitution is made For when he shall see how God hath touched their heart with a feeling of their sin that they can no longer keepe that which is not their owne albeit power be in their hand to do it it shall stirre him vp to desire and procure their good and to craue a blessing to come downe vpon them This is that which we reade in Moses Deut. 24.12 13. If the man be poore thou shalt not sleepe with his pledge c. that he may blesse thee This end is not to be neglected forasmuch as the eares of God are alwaies open to heare the cry of the poore and he hath promised to helpe them and to bring a curse vpon al their oppressors to their destruction Reason 4 Fourthly as the loynes of the poore shall blesse them that restore so God will accept it as a worke of iustice and righteousnesse and as a fruit of his spirit iustifying vs by the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus his Sonne and sanctifying vs to his glory In the place of Scripture before remembred Moses teacheth this and layeth it downe as a strong reason Deut. 24.13 where speaking of such as had taken pledges of the poore he saith In any case thou shalt deliuer him the pledge againe when the Sunne goeth downe that he may sleepe in his own raiment c. and it shall be righteousnesse vnto thee before the Lord thy God This also is a most forcible reason to mooue vs to restitution forasmuch as God setts it down as an infallible testimony of a iustifying faith and therefore the contrary is a fruit of infidelity so that we shal neuer repent vs of that we haue done nor wish it to be in our owne hands againe Reason 5 Fiftly the vniust retaining of other mens goods hindereth many good things from vs inasmuch as God will accept no seruice nor duty at our hands vntill we haue ridde our hands of things euilly gotten We may come to heare his word and to call vpon his Name and sit among the Saints and seruants of God in the Congregation howbeit we heare without fruit and we pray without profit For this poisoneth and corrupteth vnto vs the best things of God This is that which Christ teacheth vs in the Gospel of Matthew chap. 5.23.24 If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee but he hath some iust action against vs so long as we keepe any of his goods wrongfully from him leaue there thy gift before the altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift If then we desire that God should heare our prayers or be well pleased with the hearing of his word we must be careful to make recompense and satisfaction for such iniuries as wee haue offered and our brother hath sustained Now let vs come to the vses which are as Vse 1 it were the life and soule of this point that hath beene prooued First of all it serueth to reprooue all such as neglect this duty and so offend against this doctrine The first reproofe And among them it meeteth directly chiefly with those that commit sacriledge robbing the Church and defrauding the Ministers of that portion which God hath granted vnto them in his holy word The wise man saith Pro. 20.25 It is a snare to the man who deuoureth that which is holy and after vowes to make inquiry Our Sauiour himselfe saith Matth. 10.10 The labourer is worthy of his wages The Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. 9.14 The Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel This sinne came first from the man of sinne by whom tithes were first alienated and impropriations erected and Church-liuings spoiled for the maintenance of idle persons that sate still and did nothing but eate and drinke and fat themselues in cloysters as oxen in a stall and these deale with the goods of the Church as the souldiers did with the garments of Christ Matth. 27.35 Psal 22.28 Luke 7.5 they parted his garments among them and cast lots for his vesture The Centurion is commended in the Gospel that builded a Synagogue for the Iewes but these men doe what they can to pull downe Churches and to impouerish the Ministery and to destroy the soules and saluation of many whom Christ redeemed These spirituall theeues and Church-robbers must learne to pay their due and not muzzle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne 1 Tim. 5.18 They robbe God greatly of his honor and dishonour him more then the heathen did their idols which are no gods These men glory in their Christianity and yet are enemies vnto Christ So that the Gentiles that knew not God shall arise in iudgement against them and condemne them The second reproofe Secondly it reprooueth all oppressors that fill their houses with the spoiles of the poore and needy as Esay 3.14.15 The Lord will enter into iudgement with the ancients of the people and the Princes thereof for ye haue eaten vp the vineyard the spoile of the poore is in your houses What meane ye that ye beat my people to peeces and grind the faces of the poore saith the Lord God of hostes And to this purpose speaketh Micah in his prophesies against this sinne chap. 3.3 They also eate the flesh of my people and flay their skinne from off them they
returne the more This is the reason which the Apostle pointeth out Rom. 15.27 making the Macedonians and those of Achaia to be debters to them that are of Ierusalem It hath pleased them verily and their debters they be for if the Gentiles haue beene made partakers of their spirituall things their duty is also to minister vnto them in carnall things Where he calleth the faith of the Gospel and Christ with all his treasures the goods of the brethren at Ierusalem because Christ was promised to the Iewes and from them saluation came vnto the Gentiles according to the ancient promise and prophesie Esay 2.3 Out of Sion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem As then the Gospel came from them so now they wanted the carnall goods of the Gentiles and stood in need of their almes Now what are carnall goods that is vncertaine and vnsetled and vnstable in comparison of the spirituall riches and treasures of Christ if they be weighed in a ballance Surely nothing at all therfore were the Gentiles more then debters vnto the Iewes Thus also doth the Apostle reason 1 Cor. 9.11 If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we shall reape your carnall things Seeing then the hearers are debters to them that haue taught them they shall neuer be able to discharge themselues of this debt except they giue according as they haue receiued and in lieu of thankfulnesse communicate vnto them that haue painefully and plentifully instructed them Thirdly all labourers are worthy of their Reason 3 wages It is a rule of equity to pay all that haue laboured for vs and therefore it cannot without iniustice and fraud be denyed or detained as Luk. 10.7 Where he saith to the seuenty which he sent before his face into euery Citie whither he himselfe would come Matth 10.11 Into whatsoeuer house ye enter first say Peace be to this house and in the same house remaine eating and drinking such things as they giue for the laborer is worthy of his hyre But the Ministers of the Gospel are labourers they labour to husband vs to God and to plant vs as fruitfull trees in his garden they digge and delue about vs they plough vp the ground of our hearts and sow good seede in the farrowes thereof They labour in the word and doctrine and care for the Church day and night and therefore haue right and reason to bee maintained of the Church that are partakers of their labours Euery trade maintaineth the tradesman and euery art the artificer Should it then goe worse with the Minister then with other Sciences and handy-crafts and shall he alone complaine that his profession which is the best of all hath that recompence which is least of all The vses follow to be handled and considered Vse 1 First this serueth to reproue such wretched and miserable men as deny them the maintenance that is fit for them and appointed vnto them Many there are among vs that thinke it lost and vtterly perished that is giuen vnto them that pay them somewhat for a time but it is thought to be a work more then needs and therefore afterward grow weary as of a burden that they cannot beare These are neuer weary of superfluous expēces which they might both with credit and a good conscience cut off howbeit if they lay out any thing to further piety and true religion they repine and grudge at it as if they were vndone Hence it is that the Apostle saith Wee should not grow weary of well doing Gal. 6.9 forasmuch as in due season we shall reape if we faint not For hauing in the former words exhorted the people to giue their teachers temporall things and to communicate vnto them of their goods he inferreth this conclusion Let vs not be weary of well doing He that fainteth in a good course and giueth ouer before he come to the end is like to a slothfull husbandman who hauing made an entrance to plough and sow giueth ouer and goeth back before he haue fully finished his work or like vnto him in the parable mentioned in the Gospel Luk. 14.28 who intending to build a tower did not sit downe first and count the cost whether he had sufficient to finish it and therefore after he hath laid the foundation and is not able to go through all that beheld him began to mocke him saying This man began to build but was not able to make an end This hath beene the continual practise of this corrupt world to thinke it euilly bestowed which is bestowed this way being like vnto Iudas when a precious oyntment was powred vpon Christ and his feet annointed with it he cried out What needeth this waste this might haue beene sold for three hundred pence and giuen to the poore Ioh. 12.5 So likewise whatsoeuer is giuen to the Ministers of Christ is accounted to be bestowed in waste such as might as well be spared as so spent The zeale of our forefathers in former times was great they gaue to the Ministers and pulled not nor pared from them The Idolatrous Priests that serued Baal and attended at his altars were well prouided for and wanted nothing Gen. 47. Foure hundred false Prophets were richly maintained at Iezebels table 1 kin 18.19 wher as the poore and paineful Leuites that taught the people diligently haue bene glad to catch at a crust and to serue for a morsell of bread and a sute of apparell The Popish Priests that worship idols and maintaine idolatry haue had aboundance and know not what it is to want they haue no experience of necessity Nothing was thought to be too much or enough to set vp and continue a will worship after the precept and tradition of men Such as liued in blindnesse and palpable ignorance had a zeale to religion such as it was and it shall be sufficient to condemne our coldnesse and backewardnesse It was well said and obserued that in old time they were wont to say What shall we giue the man of God 1 Sam. 9. but now the Church-robbers say Come and let vs take the houses of God in our possession Psal 83.12 This is an euident token that there is small deuotion in men for the maintenance of true religion as we shall shew afterward Secondly it putteth the Ministers in mind Vse 2 of their duty that they ought to labor among them that do maintaine them and teach them in the word It is great reason that he which looketh for his hire should do his worke and that he which intendeth to liue of the Gospel of Christ should preach to others the Gospel of Christ Such as are Drones and will not labor to bring hony to the hiue are not worthy to eat of the hony Such as are dumbe-dogges and cannot barke may not eate of the childrens bread nor expect or receiue the maintenance that is due to the Ministers which are painefull Such will not or
dead are there and that her guests are in the depth of hell Such naughty women are called euery where in this booke strangers though they be too familiar and well known and thrust themselues into the company of others because they should be strangers vnto vs and not of our acquaintance There is nothing more common in them then to entice young men by wanton gestures lasciuous words and plausible perswasions to dalliance and delight It is a great fauour of God to be preserued from their baites and kept from their snares yea it is a farre greater mercy to be secured from harlots then to be kept from the pestilence they shew greater wisdome that shun and passe by their houses and company then they that forsake places persons that are infected with some dangerous and deadly disease Euery one is forward to beware hee come not neere any pest-house for feare of his life but if we assemble into harlots houses we run in danger of soule body It is an easie matter to fall into a pit where a man may be drowned but it is not so easie to get out of it The wanton woman is as a deepe ditch and a narrow pit and a dangerous hole whereinto a man may slip hastily at vnwares but he shall hardly come out from thence or deliuer himselfe without the speciall goodnesse of God pulling him as it were out of the fire and setting his feete in safety For as a theefe lurketh in a denne or wood to get a prey so doth she lye in waite and vseth baites to steale away the hearts of men and thereby preuaileth mightily with many in the world Among all dangers this is not the least that Salomon speaketh of â— 2 19. None that goe vnto her returne againe neither take they hold of the pathes of life These words do not absolutely deny repentance to them that are falleÌ„ or shut the gate of mercy against them that haue sinned but the meaning is that few yea very few escape destruction returne to saluation because they sildome repent It is a very rare thing to see a penitent adulterer they leaue the sinne when it leaueth them because they can follow it no longer but they do not repent of it they do not sorrow for it they do not flie from it Hence it is that you shall hear many old men whose strength is decaied whose bodies are withered whose feet are already entred in a manner into their graues laugh heartily at the remembrance of their tricks of youth and talke wantonly filthily of the prankes which they haue plaied so that from the abundance of the heart â—h 12 34. the mouth speaketh and their corrupt communication testifieth that they neuer soundly repented of their vncleannesse No maruaile therefore if the wise man peremptorily declare that few or none of those that are giuen ouer to this lewdnesse of life do come to repentance for albeit some few find grace yet in comparison of such as run on headlong liue securely to the end in their wickednes they may worthily be said to be none at all They are so blinded besotted that they cannot see their own filthines they are so dull and deafe that they cannot heare those that admonish them nay they hate those that reproue them The Apostle Paul exhorting the Corinthians to flye fornication â— 6 18. which was most common in those daies â—â—es to a â—fornica and esteemed a slight or no sin at all vseth many notable reasons of great weight importance worthy to be considered of vs. One reason or motiue is this that our bodies are the Lords and must be seruiceable vnto him â— 6 13. The body is not for fornication but for the Lord. Wherfore hath he giuen to vs our body but that we should serue him in our body We are not to yeeld our members as instruments of vnrighteousnes vnto sin â—6 13. but we ought to yeeld our selues vnto God as those that are aliue from the dead and so make our members as instruments of righteousnes vnto him First therefore the Apostle reasoneth froÌ„ the end of our creation Secondly the Lord Iesus is ordained appointed to be the Redeemer Sauiour not only of the soule but also of the body therefore he saith the Lord for the body 1 Cor. 6 13. Fornication and sanctification cannot stand together but are contrary one to the other so that they cannot abide in one subiect Christ came into the world to this end that he might redeeme our bodies by his death out of the power of the diuell and sanctifie them by his Spirit If then we giue our selues as seruants to obey the lusts of the flesh wee make void the glorious worke of our redemption wherein mercy iustice and truth kissed one another For herein we see the truth of Gods promise accomplished Gen 3 15. that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head and the truth of his threatning fulfilled that man offending shold die the death Herein we may behold the wonderfull iustice of God that because man had sinned man must be punished for otherwise he had not bin a iust God Lastly hereby appeareth the vnspeakable mercy of God toward mankinde who albeit his iustice were such that rather then sin should goe vnpunished he would punish it in his Son 1 Pet. 2 24. Esay 53 12. who bare our sins in his body and made intercession for our transgressions yet found out a way how to redeeme vs when we cast our selues headlong into all misery and made our selues subiect to the greatest thraldome that euer was We are deliuered from the hands of our enemies sin the world and the diuell that we should be holy vnto him that hath called vs. The third motiue is drawne from the glorious resurrection of our bodies as the former was froÌ„ the gracious redemption of our bodies If we would haue them liue with him for euer that shall raise theÌ„ vp we must abstaine from filthy lusts which defile the body therfore the Apostle saith God hath both raised vp the Lord 1 Cor. 6 14. wil also raise vs vp by his own power The author of this great benefit and wonderfull worke is God which passeth and exceedeth mans reason Hence it is that he putteth vs in minde of his power because he is almighty If it were not vnpossible vnto him to create our bodies out of the dust of the earth why shall it not bee possible to raise them out of the dust againe Nay if he were able to make theÌ„ of that which was nothing inasmuch as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 11 3. that the things which are seene were not made of things which doe appeare how much more shall he bee able to giue to euery one his body which he had before Again he teacheth that God hath raised already the Lord Christ froÌ„ death to life therefore
to the people of God and to prouide for them in their necessities and to deliuer them from the oppressions of the mighty in consideration whereof he is bold to intreate the Lord to thinke vpon him for good according to all that he had done for his people Neh. 5 19. So is it lawfull for vs to craue of God to be mindfull of vs in goodnesse according as we haue done to others and dealt toward them If we remember God we may be assured that he will remember vs. If we be carefull to heare his word he is carefull to heare our prayers according to his promise He will returne like for like care for care hearing for hearing and blessing for blessing If we be carefull to heare his voyce his eares are open to heare vs and if we blesse him he will blesse vs. And as he hath promised to heare them that heare him so hee hath threatned not to heare them that will not heare him Prou. 1 28 29. They shall call vpon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me for that they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. And to this purpose speaketh the Lord in the Prophets Micah 3 4. Zach. 7 13. They shall cry vnto the Lord but he will not heare them hee will euen hide his face from them at that time as they haue behaued themselues ill in their doings This is a greeuous threatning and full of all discomfort It is as it were the top of all misery to haue God stop his eares against vs. To liue in this sort is worse then a thousand deaths If a Subiect had a petition to put vp to the Prince and knew he would turne away his face from him how neare would it goe vnto him and how would he bee discouraged Or if a childe knew that whatsoeuer he asked of his father should be denied vnto him except he obeyed his father in that whereunto he exhorted him I suppose it would stirre vp the sonne to doe the will of his father In like manner it ought to be with euery one of vs. Seeing God hath bounded and limited his hearkning vnto our voyce when we speake vnto him with this condition that wee hearken vnto his voyce when he speaketh vnto vs it ought to moue vs to heare his word with feare reuerence and to expresse the power of it in obedience that so we may comfort our selues with assurance of Gods mercy toward vs in regard of our zeale and affection toward him Thirdly from hence we may learne to bee Vse 3 patient vnder the punishments that do befall vs. For seeing God will punish vs in the same manner that we offend when we feele perceiue that he meeteth with vs and hath found vs out and that we can no longer be hidden nor our actions from his eyes let vs stoope downe vnder his hand and hold our peace because he hath done it Let vs not fixe and fasten our eyes vpon the earth beneath nor dwell vpon the meditations of mens dealings toward vs but lift our hearts vnto God who alwaies punisheth vs iustly he being the righteous Iudge of all the world to whom is incident no vnrighteousnesse If we bee slandered and defamed by others let vs consider whether we haue not done the like to others and therefore the Lord recompenceth vs in the same kinde and as it were taketh our feet in the snare that we haue laid for others and casteth vs into the same pit which we digged for them as it fell out to Haman who was hanged vpon his owne gallowes so that as we haue wronged others it falleth out that we must receiue wrong from others This is the vse that Salomon pointeth out in the booke of Ecclesiastes Eccl. 7 21 â— Take no heed vnto all wordes that are spoken lest thou heare thy seruant curse thee for oftentimes also thine owne heart knoweth that thou thy selfe likewise hast cursed others Let vs therefore be patient in iniuries let vs not slander them that slander vs nor reuile them that reuile vs nor speake euill of them that speake euill of vs. Moses is commended that when Miriam and Aaron rose vp against him and moued sedition by reason of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married he possessed his soule with patience and bare all their reproches with meeknesse of spirit for hee was very meeke aboue all the men that were vpon the face of the earth Numb 12 3. Numb 1â— 1 It is said of Saul being made King of Israel that when the children of Belial saide How shall this man saue vs and they despised him in their hearts he gaue them not taunt for taunt nor rebuke for rebuke hee commanded not the standers by to take away their liues albeit they deserued it and he had power in his hand to do it but he held his peace 1 Sam 10 1â— and passed by their reproches as a blinde man that saw them not as a deafe man that heard them not and as a man without sense that felt them not When Shemei reproched Dauid and cursed him with an horrible curse Dauid with patience abstaineth and with perswasion refraineth others from reuenge that offered themselues to take off the head of that dead dogge so that he saide Let him alone 2 Sam. 16 â—2 it may bee that the Lord will locke vpon mine affliction and requite good for his cursing this day Hee could haue returned vpon him curse for curse nay wounds for words but he knew well enough and teacheth it to others in another place that hee which loueth cursing the same shall come vpon him Ps 10â— 1â— â— and hee that delighteth not in blessing it shall be farre from him because as he cloathed himselfe with cursing like as with his garment so it shall come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones It is well said of an heathen man Sentâ—â— Feare none more then thine owne conscience This is the right and ready way to get a good name and to keepe it being gotten to iudge of others with right iudgement and christian equity carrying a charitable opinion of euery one thinking well of them speaking the best of them and couering the multitude of infirmities as Shem and Iaphet did the nakednesse of their father This is true charity indeed and heereby we may assure our owne hearts that wee loue not in word and tongue onely but in deed and truth The counsell of the Prophet is good wholesome to this purpose Psal 34.12 13 14 15. What man is hee that desireth life and loueth many daies that he may see good Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes from speaking guile depart from euill and doe good seeke peace and pursue it The reason is because the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry whereas the face of the Lord
for his piety and aduancement of true religion sent out his Princes to teach in the Cities of Iudah not that they did take vpon them the duty of the Priests or vsurpe the office of the Prophets but because they did backe countenance authorize the Leuites they did embolden encorage the Prophets This made an easy way and passage for the receiuing and entertaining of true religion among the people with much more readinesse and cheerefulnesse then otherwise would haue bene For when they saw and considered that such noble and worthy persons were the aduancers and vpholders of the common Faith they were the more stirred vp to a zelous professing and a carefull embracing and a sincere obeying of the truth that was taught Seeing therefore such good Princes are such great pillars of the Commonwealth of the Church and of Religion the losse of them when they are taken away is one of the greatest losses threatneth the ruine and hauocke of all that is good When the good King Iosiah was taken away Lam. 4 20. being taken in the snare vnder whose shadow they liued in peace all Iudah and Ierusalem mourned for him and spake of him in their lamentations to this day and made them an ordinance in Israel 2 Chr. 35 24 Zach. 12 11. For as the enioying of them bringeth many blessings that wee may quietly resort together to the hearing of the word and peaceably sit vnder our Vines and Fig-trees and reason of the wayes of the Lord as it was in the daies of Salomon when no man may doe what seemeth good in his owne eies as in the want of them so the taking of them away is the cause of many euils of much wickednes whereof we may say as Christ doth in another case Math. 24 8. â— All these are the beginnings of sorrows True it is that the religion of God and the doctrine of the Gospel do not so stand in neede of the help of man as though they must fal wheÌ„ they fal because they are set vpon such a sure foundation that no force or power of maÌ„ can shake them or destroy them and they tooke firme root and spred far and neere vnto all quarters before any Christian Magistrates embraced them nay while they remained vtter enemies vnto them and open persecuters of them neuerthelesse it pleaseth God to vse them as his chosen instruments and by them to bring many thousands to the knowledge of the trueth and consequently to the kingdom of heauen who otherwise through their ignorance wold not see it or through their carelesnesse would not regard it or through their vntowardnesse would not accept of it 10 And the Princes offered for dedicating of the Altar in the day that it was annointed euen the Princes offered their offering before the Altar 11 And the Lord said vnto Moses c. We heard before of the offering performed ioyntly by the Princes now let vs see the Offerings which they brought seuerally For besides the Chariots and the Oxen each of these great Commanders of the people and Heads of the Tribes offered vnto God for his seruice in the Tabernacle a Charger of fine siluer waighing 130. shekels a siluer Boll of 70. shekles and one Spoone of ten shekels of Golde full of Incense al which they performed at the same time when the Altar was dedicated to God by Aaron and before they marched from Sinai where the Law was giuen toward their conquest of the promised land The waight of all the 12. siluer Chargers and 12 siluer Bolles amounted vnto 2400 shekels of siluer the waight of Gold in the Incense spoones did amount to 120. shekels of Gold which maketh of shekels of siluer 1200. euery shekel of Gold valewing ten of siluer so that the whole sum which they offred at this time was about 420 pounds sterling These Princes offered before with men and women yet now they come againe thinke they can neuer do enough toward the furtherance of the Tabernacle the worship of God The doctrine Doctrine from hence is this that they which haue most outward blessings greatest ability must be most forward in Gods worship and seruice They that haâ—e tâ—e greatest ability guts muâ—t bee mâ—st â—orwâ—rd in Gods seruice In Ezra it appeareth they al gaue according to their ability chap. 2 9. The chiefe of the Fathers when they came to the house of the Lord offered freely for the house of God to set it vp in his place So in Nehemiah it appeareth how bountifull he and the Princes and the people were They gaue much siluer and gold to finish the worke of the Lord. The examples of Dauid and Salomon in this kind are very euident and apparent for that which one of them prepared to the work and the other employed and bestowed vpon the worke is exceeding great as appeareth in the holy history 1 Chron. 18 11. c. And so much the rather we should employ our blessings and gifts to the seruice of God Reason and so giue them after a sort to him that gaue them first vnto vs because it is a sign that our affection is set vpon the worship of God and an assurance to our owne hearts that we loue him and his house 1 Chro. 29 3 4. where Dauid sheweth he gaue 3000. talents of golde of the gold of Ophir and 7000. talents of refined siluer because he had set his affection to the house of his God On the other side where is no liberality we may conclude there is no worship of God Secondly euery one is bound to glorifie God with his riches knowing that they are but stewards and dispensers of them of which they must giue an account vnto God Luk. 16 2. To this end hath God bestowed them and to this end we haue receiued them and therefore to this end they should bee employed Thirdly this is a certain rule that To whom soeuer much is giuen of him shall much be required Luke 12 48. Hee that hath little committed vnto him hath the lesse account and shorter reckning to make but to whom men haue coÌ„mitted much of him they will require more so is it with God if he haue left vs fiue talents he will aske fiue of vs againe and according as God hath put vs in trust with litle or much we must know that he looketh for this at our hands that we bee ready to employ little or much vpon his seruice euery one according to his ability This serueth to reproue the forgetfulnesse and vnthankfulnes of such as neuer consider Vse 1 the end wherefore God hath blessed them giuing themselues wholly to carnall liberty and security and so are more backeward in good things then if they had neuer receiued so many and so great blessings from God Hee hath a plentifull store-house and a treasurie of all treasures out of this he dealeth with vs and distributeth vnto vs plentifully The Apostle giueth the Church a watchword
consider two things first the commandement of God without whose authority nothing is to be imposed as necessary in the Church which is that the Priests should light the lampes not one or two but all of them to giue light in the Tabernacle to signifie the light of Gods word shining in the Church which ought sincerely to be preached and published by the teachers to giue light of knowledge to all in the house of God as the Apostle declareth of himselfe that he had kept backe nothing Acts 20 20 27 but reuealed the whole counsell of God as the Priests kept not any of the lampes vnlighted but did light theÌ„ all Secondly the obedience of Aaron to the commandement he lighted the lampes that they might giue light round about the candlestick on euery side wheresoeuer the candlesticke could be seene Vpon occasion of mentioning the candlesticke we haue a description of it verse 4 by the matter of it it was made of gold and by the forme of beaten gold according to the patterne shewed to Moses in the Mount for he was a faithfull seruant in the house of God Heb. 3 2. But of this we may reade farther Exo. 25 37 40 25 26. There was but one candlesticke in the Tabernacle made by Moses because this was sufficient howbeit Salomon that built the Temple afterward made ten candlestickes whereof fiue stood at the one side fiue on the other side 2 Chron. 4 ver 7 20. because the Temple was larger and wider then the Tabernacle and therefore moe were requisite in the one then in the other The place where the Candlesticke stood was in the Sanctuary next to the most holy place or in the first Tabernacle Hebrewes chapter 9 verses 2 9. Not in the most holy place forasmuch as the High-Priest went into it once onely in the whole yeare Heb. 9 7. whereas the lampes of the Candlesticke were renued daily But let vs come to the words as they lye in order and first touching the lampes appointed to bee lighted we must consider that the Tabernacle with all things thereunto belonging was a figure of the time present vntil the time of reformation Heb. 9 9. and when the Priesthood was changed there must be also a change of the law Heb. 7 12. All things had their signification and the truth which is as the pith and substance of the ceremonies belongeth to vs as well as to the Iewes Hence it is that the lampes belonging to the candlesticke â—â—ctrine signifie vnto vs that the word is the light of the church 〈◊〉 word is â—â—amp and 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—rch giuing light to the people as the Sun doth to the world wherby the true light of the knowledge of God of Christ our Redeemer of true righteousnesse and of saluation is kindled in the hearts of all true beleeuers Dauid is a certaine witnesse of this truth who teacheth that the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes Psal 19 8. Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path Psal 119 105. So Salomon saith Prou. 6 23. The Commandement is a lampe and the Law is a light It is plaine therefore that the lampe lighted in the Tabernacle did figure out the word of God Hence it is that the Prophet Esay saith O house of Iacob â—â—â—y 2 5. come let vs walke in the light of the Lord and afterward he sheweth that if any speake not according to this word 〈◊〉 8 20. it is because there is no light in them Reason 1 And it cannot be otherwise because the Lord which is the author of the Scriptures is light it selfe he is called the Father of lights Iam. 1 and the Church acknowledgeth when it sate in darknes that the Lord was the light of it Mich. 7 8. The Apostle saith he only hath immortality and dwelleth in the light which no maÌ„ can approch vnto 1 Tim. 6 16. And in the beginning of Iohns Gospel Christ is called the light of men Iohn 1 4. If God then be the true light how can his word but partake of his nature and be lightsome in it selfe and bring light to vs Againe the word hath in it the effects of light it expelleth darknes and is very comfortable and therfore comfort is often called by the name of light Ps 97 11. Ester 8 16. Ps 118 27 and 43 3. Iob 30 26. Lam. 3 2. So is it with the word it driueth away spirituall darknes and it comforteth and reioyceth the heart Psal 19 8. Vse 1 This doctrine serueth to reproue the church of Rome which bring in their Torches and Tapers and Candles into the Church as the setting of them vp at burials and funerals 〈◊〉 dâ— par â—â—b 2 c. 19. to signifie that the soules of the dead are aliue a superstitious custome condemned by sundry Councels as superstitious and heathenish Moreouer they obserue continually another foolish custome to set vp wax candles Taper lights before their Images and vpon the Altar in their Churches and this they do not onely in the night but in the day at noone when the Sun shineth in his strength And lest they might seeme to wander without Scripture and to be mad without reason they pretend for themselues and their superstition the continuall burning of the lampes in the Tabernacle before the Arke of the testimony Exod. 25. Bellarmine disputing of the reliques of the Saints Bellar. lib. 2. de reliqu c. 3. et 4. noteth three ends of this practise because fire is a signe of gladnesse a signe of glory and a signe of life But all this is no better then will-worship which is condemned Mat. 15 9. Col. 2 23. of which it may be said Who required these things at your hands Es 1 12 And this obseruation in the law touching the lamps is meerly ceremoniall which had an end with the Priesthood and was honourably buried with the Synagogue and is not to be raked out of the dust and raised out of the graue againe Also it is vtterly vntrue that these lampes were lighted in the day time for they were lighted in the euening burned vntill the morning and then were put out Thus doth Ahijah tell Ieroboam and all Israel 2 Chr. 13 11. that they had the Candlesticke of gold with the lampes thereof to burne euery euening Therefore it is said in the law The high Priest shall light the lampes at euen the word is betweene the twilights meaning therby both the euening and the morning Exod. 30 8 and Aaron must cause the lampes to burne continually from the euening vnto the morning Leuit. 24 3. In the booke of Samuel in other places it appeareth that they burned all night for those that kept the watch of the Lord in the Tabernacle and in the Temple but were alwaies exstinguished in the morning when it was day 1 Sam. 3 3. Thus then we reason against them from their owne
foundation The lampes vnder the law burned only in the night therefore the Papists haue no warrant to set them vp in the day time True it is Doway-Translators slubber ouer the matter in their annotations vpon Exodus and Samuel and tell vs that God would not haue darkenesse in his Tabernacle by day nor night but this is a weake and vngrounded assertion contrary to the Scripture as hath bin shewed and may also farther be shewed oâ—t of Exod. 27 21. The truth is that these noone-day Taper lights in honour of the liuing or of the dead Danae respons ad 7. Contro cap. 4. are a meere heathenish superstition as it appeareth out of the history of Herodian lib. 1. And from hence as also many other toyes did crept into the Church and therefore Hierome saith aduers vigilant Cereos clara luce non accendimus we do not light candles in the day time But we haue some reason to beare with them For to what end do they vse it in the day time but to make manifest their blindnesse ignorance Their religion is a darke and obscure religion compacted altogether of many blinde doctrines and therefore they would haue some light of their candles though they haue none of their doctrine The vse of a lanthorne and light is in a darke night There is no man in his right wits will carry a candle when the Sun shineth cleerely and brightly Durandus a great patrone of these superstitions can finde out nothing in the word written to iustifie defend these wax-candles therefore is constrained to establish them vpon the rotten decrees of Zosimus and Theodorus Enchirid. lib. 6. cap. 80 If any obiect that the Christians vsed lights lampes in their meetings I answer their meetings were in the night time for feare of their enemies For while the Church was in persecution they could not safely assemble in the day time and therefore they vsed those lights of necessity to remedy the darknesse of the night Acts 20 8. but when we haue free liberty choise of time place for the exercises of our religion that practise is not to be brought into imitation Vse 2 Againe it reproueth them that hold the Scriptures to be so darke and difficult that it is dangerous for the people to meddle with them lest they fall by them into errors heresies But we heare that the Scriptures are a lampe as a candle set vpon the table and as a Beacon kindled to shew light farre and neere What then Can the light be darknesse surely no more then the darknesse can bee light And if they be darke it followeth that either the holy Ghost could not expresse his minde and meaning more cleerely and euidently or else he would not To say hee could not is blasphemy and maketh him a weake and impotent God to say he would not were to make him an enuious God as if he did enuy the good of his Church But whatsoeuer was written afore time was written for our instruction Rom. 15 4. 2 Tim. 3 16. therfore God euery where commandeth that they should be read and heard of all high and low rich poore men and women old and young Deut. 6 9. 17 18. 31 11. Iosh 1 8. Esay 8 20. He wil haue all sorts of persons come to the knowledge of the truth that they may be saued 2 Pet. 3 9. 2 Tim. 2 25. But how shall they come to repentance and to the knowledge of the truth without the Scriptures Euery member of the Church must haue them dwell richly in them Col. 3 16. All are commanded to search them Ioh. 5 39. The men of Berea are commended for it Acts 17 11. so is the Eunuch who while he sate in his Chariot read them Acts 8 30. They also are reproued that were vnskilfull in them and slow of heart to beleeue them They are able to make vs wise vnto saluation Out of them as from an armory Math 22 29. Luke 24.25 Eph 6 16 17. Math. 4 4. 22 31 29. we must draw weapons against Satan and his instruments both defensiue and offensiue Christ and his Apostles vsed these weapons to beate downe all impiety and heresie whereas the ignorance of them is the cause of errour This armour artillery must all men procure and no man be denied to draw this sword that is a soldier of Iesus Christ From hence therefore is reproued the errour in opinion and weaknesse of iudgment resting in the common sort they perswade themselues that the knowledge of theÌ„ belongeth not to them but to the Ministers and to the learned because they take them to be so darke and themselues so simple that they are as a deepe well and they haue nothing to draw nay that it is dangerous for them to meddle with them as if they were a rocke at which they might suffer shipwracke But this is nothing so Let all such marke that they are as a light shining in the night of this present world to shew vs the right way and to leade vs a sure way forward to the end of our faith True it is we shall haue no need of it when once we come to our iournies end For as men wheÌ„ they are come to their lodging resting place require no more the helpe of the lanthorne so shal it be with vs when the daies of our passage and pilgrimage are ended and we be come to the heauenly Ierusalem we shall no more want this ministeriall light the Lord shall be the light of that City Reuel 21 2â— 1 Cor. 13.8 there shall bee no need of the Sun or Moone there to shine in it then Prophesie shall faile tongues shall ceasse and knowledge shall vanish away Furthermore we must know that the Scriptures are not hard and hidden in the fundamentall points but all things necessary to saluatioÌ„ are easie to them that will vnderstand Deu. 30 11 Rom. 10 â— â— They are like to the holy waters that issued out froÌ„ vnder the threshold of the house Eze. 47 1 which were first vp to the ankles v. 3. then vp to the loynes v. 4. which afterward became as a riuer that could not be passed ouer v. 5. In them is strong meat for men and milke for babes and children In them the Elephant may swim and the Lambe may wade No man must therfore be discouraged from searching the Scriptures which do giue vnderstanding euen to the simple Prou 1 4. Psal 119 3. and knowledge and discretion to the young man he may learne by them to reforme his waies and to know how to feare the Lord. But are not many things hard in them Doth not Peter say of Pauls Epistles that they are hard 2 Pet. 3 1â— I answer he speaketh not of the hardnes of the Epistles as appeareth by the change of the gender but that in the Epistles are many mystical points and matters of faith rather then of reason
adorning the word with this worthy title that it is as a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in our hearts draweth from thence this exhortation that we must therfore take heed vnto it 2 Pet. 1 19. Who is it that is so simple or senselesse that he will take no heed to the light that shineth round about him Euery man looketh carefully to the light and taketh comfort at the sight of it The whole world lieth in darknesse guilty of ignorance subiect to damnation The Ministery of the word is ordained to bring men out of darknesse into a maruailous light Acts 26 18. to reueale to them the knowledge of their sins and to leade them as it were by the hand the way to eternall life Vse 5 Fiftly let all vnlearned and vnconscionable Ministers know that they ought to be as lights in the world to teach the people in season and out of season If they be without knowledge or without conscience they bee lanthornes without light The dispensation is committed vnto them 1 Cor. 9 16. woe vnto theÌ„ therfore that preach not the Gospel whether they cannot or will not whether they cannot through blindnesse or whether they will not through wilfulnesse Againe they offend who as if the word were deliuered in riddles and darke parables rather to worke in them admiration then to bring vnto them instruction do flye aloft far aboue the reach of the people and do not consider that the word is a light and therefore ought to be spoken plainely and euidently that all may see it and discerne it Happy are those lights I meane those Ministers that can humble and abase themselues descending to the capacity of the simple such shall finde greatest comfort of their labours and shall reape the greatest reward for their labours As for others they may please themselues but they please not God They may delight the eare they cannot descend into the conscience They build Castles in the aire but neuer lay a sound foundation of the faith neither shall they euer be able to say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 3 2. Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts knowne and read of all men Vnto these we may adde such as spend their daies and grow old and idle in the Vniuersities who neuer desire to come abroad to take paines neither consider that the Church hath need of them These stand all day doing nothing and will not be hired to labour in the Lords Vineyard They haue liued long in the schooles of the Prophets it is high time they come abroad and leaue their places to others He that ingrosseth corne into his owne hands and will not communicate it to others but keepeth it close to himselfe Prou. 11 26. is cursed of the people but he is pronounced blessed that selleth corne to others in the daies of famine Behold we liue in the daies of famine not of bread but of preaching and hearing the word Amos 8 11. In many places the word of the Lord is precious in these daies 1 Sam. 3 1. Let them therefore looke to it that tender either the glory of the Lord or the saluation of the flocke of Christ yea or their owne good that they do not bring vpon themselues the curse of God and man which haue stored theÌ„selues with much knowledge and learning and as it were filled their garners with abundance of corne yet will depart with nothing but keepe all to themselues and suffer the people of God to starue On the other side thrice happy and blessed are they that considering the necessity of the Church the ignorance of the people the ouerflowing of sinne and the commandement of God do bring foorth the corne which they haue gathered and imploy the gifts that they haue receiued that so none of these for whom Christ died should perish for want of food Let such therfore in no wise hang backe when they are thrust forward et them not say touching building of the spirituall house of God as the people said in building of the materiall Temple The time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built Hag. 1 2. but so soone as they are called let theÌ„ not stop their eares but answer with Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth 1 Sam. 3 9. and with the Prophet Here am I send me Esay 6 8. Let not these I say obiect that the time is not yet come to build the Lords house lest they heare as that people did Is it time for you O ye to dwell in your faire houses and sicled chambers and this house lye waste Now therefore sayeth the Lord of hostes consider your waies Hag. 1 4 5. And generally let all such as are entred into this calling beware they doe not hide their gifts Luke 8 1â— let them not thrust the candle vnder the bed or vnder a bushell but set it vpon the Table seeing they are made lights for others and not only for themselues Such haue an hard and heauy account to make hereafter much is giuen vnto them and therefore much shall be required of them Lastly here is instruction for all for euery Vse one should be as a burning candle a bright shining light and is bound to let his light so shine before men Math. 5 â— that they may see their good workes and glorifie their Father which is in heauen Euery man ought to bee enlightened with the knowledge of Gods word be willing to hold out the light to others But we cannot giue light to another except we haue the light of knowledge our selues Ignorant persons are darknesse and not light children of the night not of the day The Scripture is able to make a man wise to enlighten his eies to direct his steps and to saue his soule Bellarmine confesseth Bellar. de 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. 2 that the Scripture is a light but he telleth vs that the reason is not because they haue light in theÌ„selues but because they bring light when they are vnderstood This is a right fallacy of the consequent for heereby he maketh the effect to be the cause of the cause Sibra Lâ—â—â— princâ—p Câ—â—â— lib. 4 cap. â— and so inuerteth all good order turning the cause into the effect the effect into the cause For he would haue the Scripture therefore to be light or lightsome because being once vnderstood it doth enlighten the mind But this needeth no light to discouer the fraud falsehood thereof For it is not therefore called light because when it is vnderstood it doth enlighten giue light And whether we vnderstand it or no it skilleth not for the Scripture is in it selfe a bright shining light For as the Sunne is lightsome though all men were blinde and no man did see it so the Scripture is a light albeit men turne away their eies froÌ„ it that they will not see it In the mean season
nothing in the world shold trouble vs more then that the law is transgressed God is offended Dauid was not in person stricken with the pestilence thogh it did destroy at noon day and thousands fell at his right hand ten thousaÌ„ds at his left neither came it neere him yet he was no lesse humbled grieued in his soule 〈…〉 21. 〈…〉 â—g 20.6 〈…〉 â—o 32.25 then if his body had beene stricken with many running sores Hezekiah had an expresse promise from God of adding fifteene yeares vnto his dayes and when his heart was lifted vp glorying in his riches and treasures in his siluer and gold in his armour and ointments in his spices and iewels which he had shewed to the messengers of the king of Babylon the Lord threatned that in his sons dayes all those precious things should be caried to Babylon so that he had peace and truth in his daies 〈…〉 39.8 â—o 32.26 yet he humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart both he and the inhabitants of Ierusalem The reasons are plaine for first this is a Reason 1 signe of true humiliation repentance when we can mourne for sinne being free from the least touch of punishment it is a plaine token that we are touched with a conscience for sin it selfe If only we be cast downe for sin when Gods wrath lieth vpon vs we rather complain of the punishment then cry out for the sin Secondly Reason 2 sin is able to separate betweene God and vs whereby he is dishonoured and what ought to enter deeper vnto vs then to consider how God is dishonoured We may from hence lawfully and truely Vse 1 pronounce a fearefull woe vnto them that are no way humbled when the hand of God lyeth vpon them and writeth bitter things against them doubtlesse we need craue no pardon if we affirme constantly confidently that they are desperate sinners They feare neither God nor man nor hell nor death nor damnation it selfe Esay 1.6 They haue beene stricken from the soale of the foot euen vnto the head there is no soundnes in them but wounds and bruises putrifying sores yet they will not know nor vnderstand the hand that hath stricken them Thus doth the Lord complain by the Prophet that he hath giuen them cleannesse of teeth in all their cities Amos 4.6.7.9.10 11. and want of bread in all their places yet they had not returned vnto him he had withholden the raine from them and yet they returned not vnto him he had smitten them with blasting and mildew yet they returned not vnto him he had sent among them the pestilence after the manner of Egypt and ouerthrew some of them as God ouerthrew Sodome and Gomorrha and yet they returned not vnto him Thus did they run on from euill to worse filled vp the measure of their sins that they could not be reclaimed by any punishments though neuer so greeuous I will propound one famous or rather infamous example to this purpose very remarkable in the Scriptures and that is of Ahaz the Lord brought great affliction vpon him but he sought to the king of Assyria who helped him not but not to the Lord who could haue helped 2 Chro. 28.22 in the time of his distresse he did trespasse yet more against the Lord. This was king Ahaz Woe vnto vs if it be so with vs woe bee vnto vs if his iudgements doe not soften vs but harden vs not better vs but make vs worse The fire purifieth the gold maketh it more perfect but the drosse and refuse it maketh worse then it was before So is it with impenitent persons and all the reprobate whom the Lord will in the end sweep away as dung from the earth Secondly it is our duty to walke in obedience Vse 2 to God principally because he commandeth it not for reward sake chiefly for so doe hirelings who if once the hire ceasse wil work no longer We must be obedient for loue to God his law But is it not lawful to do good in hope of reward Obiect to propound to our selus that end It is lawfull â—nswer Heb. 11.26 but that must not be the chiefe and principal end Moses had respect to the recompence of the reward wherby he did shake off all drowsinesse encourage himselfe in well doing and quicken his zeale in the seruice of God and his people neuerthelesse he had other maine ends that he aimed at The loue of God must constrain vs his coÌ„mandement bear sway in our hearts far aboue all rewards So doth Paul encourage himselfe to preach the Gospel because hee should haue a reward if he did it willingly and a feareful woe hung ouer his head is he did it not 1 Cor. 9.16 17. howbeit in another place he telleth vs that the loue of God constrained him 2 Cor. 5.14 And the Apostle Peter stirreth vp the Elders of the Church to feede the flocke because when the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare they shall receiue a crowne of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 yet himself was stirred vp by Christ our Sauiour to feed his sheepe and lambes if he loued him Ioh. 21.15 16. So then we must labour to do good though we see no reward euen in conscience of our duty to God And it is lawfull to abstaine from sinne for feare of punishment but chiefly because the righteous God hateth it and the iust Iudge condemneth it Vse 3 Lastly let vs hereby examine our selues what account we make of sinne whether it be greeuous vnto vs as it is sinne or not If it be we may comfort our selues that we haue receiued grace to humble our selues before the crosse commeth for then it is a free and voluntary humiliation If wee leaue sinne because sinne leaueth vs because we cannot follow after it because we must leaue the world because we grow weary of it because it bringeth shame and reproch because we waxe old and our youthfull yeeres are spent this repentance is not thanke-worthy but falleth out sildome to be true repentance This is a forced and constrained repentance and consequently oftentimes vnsound seeldome sincere If we yeeld obedience for conscience sake it is a token of sincerity We see the example of Peter after he had fearefully denyed his master and sworne that he neuer knew the man it pleased the Lord of life graciously to looke vpon him with an eye of mercy and to restore him by the spirit of meeknesse he had no punishment vpon him yet he went out of that place and separated himselfe from that vngodly crue and wept bitterly Matt. 26 75. Happy are we if we can doe the like This humiliation shall bring peace and comfort at the last It is a true note that we haue learned to know sinne â—f our souls can mourn in secret wheÌ„ we are in health peace at liberty and in prosperity it is a great mercy of God vouchsafed vnto vs and his Name
his souldiers willing them to bee strong and valiant and to play the men for their people and for the Cities of their God and then let the Lord do that which seemeth good in his eyes 2 Sam. 10 12. So the people of God had promise of the destruction of Iericho neuerthelesse they must compasse the walles seuen daies together and blow with Rammes hornes or else they could neuer haue entred the City Iosh 6 4 5. Secondly to neglect the meanes is no better Reason 2 then a flat tempting of God For when Christ our Sauiour was tempted to cast himselfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple he sheweth that the dooing thereof were a tempting of God Math. 4 vers 7. It is written Deut. 6 16. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God He repelleth the tentation by this Scripture Whereas therefore there was an ordinary and common way to descend by staires he could not cast himselfe downe without manifest tempting of God It is the duty of euery one in his calling to Vse 1 vse the meanes carefully conscionably that God hath appointed if euer we looke for any blessing from him Hence it is that Paul instructeth the Church of the Thessalonians to labour and worke with their owne hands and to do their owne businesse 1 Thess 4 vers 11. It was not enough for them to say they depended vpon GOD for their food and daily bread but they must worke out his prouidence by their diligence in their calling We haue no promise of blessing without this God was able to haue giuen the Israelites the Land of promise without this search yet hee would haue this meanes vsed for the manifestation of his owne glory and for their further assurance of it For meanes are granted to helpe vs not to helpe GOD vs that neede them not GOD that needeth them not Secondly we must take heed we doe not trust in the meanes although wee be commanded Vse 2 to vse them yet should we not rest in them but looke higher and lift vp our eieâ— farther otherwise they are meerely vaine eyther to helpe or deliuer vs to saue or defend The Prophets teach that an horse is a vaine thing and Princes vaine to trust in This appeareth in that proud Goliah the chaÌ„pion of the Philistims 1 Sam. 17 45. hee came in the confidence of his owne strength with a sword with a speare and with a shield but did they profit him nothing at all his helmet of brasse vpon his head his coate of male vpon his body his greaues of brasse vpon his legs his target of brasse between his shoulders the staffe of his speare like a weauers beame could doe him no good they were the god vpon whom he depended Contrariwise Dauid sheweth where his hope and trust was when he saide vnto him I come vnto thee in the Name of the Lord of hostes the God of the armies of Israel whoÌ„ thou hast defied The inhabitants of Iericho trusted in their high thicke and strong walles but this proued vaine for they found little defence and releefe in them when notwithstanding all their courage and confidence GOD laide them flat to the ground by weake and simple meanes Iosh chap. 6 verse 20. It is in vaine to trust in riches Luke chap. 12 verse 20 or in strength Iudg. chap. 16 verse 17 or in wisedome 2 Sam. chap. 17 verse 23 or in all these Ier. chap. 9 verse 23 because GOD can ouerturne them with the least breath of his nostrils Vse 3 Thirdly learne that God is not tied to vse meanes he can when he pleaseth worke without them as he did in the creatioÌ„ giuing light to the world without the Sunne and taking away the light thereof in the time of Christs passion Math. 27 45. Darknesse was ouer all the Land So he nourished Moses and Eliah forty daies without food He hath bound vs to them when he hath giuen them howbeit hee hath not bound himselfe euermore to vse them Vse 4 Fourthly seeing this is required of vs in temporall and earthly things much more is it necessary in heauenly things Such persons as will vse no meanes whereby they may come to faith and repentance do indeed no more repent and beleeue then a man can bee able to liue and prosper to grow and waxe strong without meate and drinke And heerein we are to beware of a twofold deceit A twofold decâ—it bewitching the world whereby many sorts are blinded and bewitched The end of our faith is the saluation of our soules 1 Pet. 1 9. To attaine to this we must vse the helpes and meanes that God hath left sanctified Neuerthelesse Satan perswadeth many thousands in the world that they shall attaine wel enough to this end and ariue safely in this harbour although they neuer vse the meanes and that they shall in good time reape eternall life though they neuer sowe the seeds of a sanctified life Now is the seed time now is the time of labouring and of working we shall neuer reape a good haruest and a plentifull reward if we vse not the meanes to come thither He that sitteth still and runneth not at al can neuer winne the prize or weare the garland But as it is with vs in temporall things for the sauing of the body so it is in spirituall things for the saluation of our soules Notwithstanding men are for the most part great enemies in this respect to their owne soules They say God is a mercifull God and Christ Iesus is a most blessed Sauiour we hope he wil saue vs and bring vs to heauen and yet they omit and neglect and contemne the meanes of saluation to wit the hearing of the word the calling vpon Gods Name and the receiuing of the Sacraments They that vse these carefully and conscionably declare plainely they looke for saluation as for others we regard not their words when we see they looke one way and their works another It is in vaine to dreame of saluation without vsing these We imagine an heauen to our selues without these and a saluation of our owne deuising but in the meane season let vs take heed lest we be shut out of Gods heauen and depriued of that saluation which he hath appointed for his children This serueth to meete with a peruerse and prophane opinion of such as reiect second causes as needlesse and vnprofitable which reason that if God haue elected any to saluation what need they care what they do they are sure howsoeuer they liue to bee saued and if God haue reiected any they shall bee damned how well soeuer they liue To answer these vaine and ignorant persons Two rules touching Gods 〈◊〉 obserue with me two found rules to bee knowne and acknowledged in Christian religion first the chiefe and principall cause being put and granted it is not necessary that the second and instrumentall cause should bee remoued and taken away both of them may well stand and agree together For
heare the fearefull iudgements of God daily and deseruedly threatned against vs for our sinnes and namely for the contempt of the Gospel in all places and among all persons there followeth little repentance and amendment of life nay it seemeth that God hath blinded our eyes and hardned our hearts Matth. 13 1â— lest we should returne and be saued What will folow nay what must necessarily folow whosoeuer hath halfe an eye may easily perceiue Yet see how we deceiue our selues with flattering words as Ier. 7.4 they said The veine â—onfidence 〈…〉 â—lish Goâ—pelâ—â—s The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord so wee can say Tush The Gospel the Gospel it can neuer be rooted out from among vs Popery shal neuer bee established any more But what doe we glory so much of the Gospel or why doe we put confidence in this tule For this Gospel shall bee a witnesse and giue in verdict against vs and as an vpright iudge condemne vs. And what is vnpossible vnto God what cannot his power what may not his iustice doe such as beleeue not the trueth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes 2 The. 2.11 12 shall bee damned Can we challenge to our selues any more then Gods owne people that had the law and the Prophets the Temple and the sacrifices the Arke and the Couenant or more then the Churches of Asia and other founded by the Apostles who seeth not a generall coldnesse a palpable deadnesse a fearefull declining and falling backeward generally in all places All which make a preparatioÌ„ to apostacy Papists euery where encrease and are winked at thâ—y haue beene threatned with enditements forfeitures and imprisonments but they liue at ease grow rich haue great friends and laugh all their enemies or opposites to scorne Such as haue beene zealous decay godly parents faile and a crooked generation ariseth after them ignorance aboundeth wickednes hath the vpper hand and he that setteth himselfe against euill maketh himselfe a prey Esay 59.15 Atheists swarme euery where and lift vp their hornes on high the people for the most part are fit for any change to professe Christ or antichrist to worship God in truth or in an Idoll 13 Then Moses said vnto the Lord Then the Egyptians shall heare it for thou broughtest vp this people in thy might from among them 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land for they haue heard that thou Lord art among this people that thou Lord art seene face to face c. To the former threatning is annexed an excellent prayer of Moses made in behalfe of the people We haue not many of his prayers recorded in Scripture but such as are left vnto vs are most worthy and heauenly testifying that he had the spirit of supplication in a plentifull measure and therefore no maruell being so excellent if they were also very effectuall Whereby we see it is not for nought that he is said after a sort to haue bound or chained the hands of God Exod. 32.10 and to haue preuailed more by his word then Ioshua by his sword by his prayers then the hoste of Israel by their weapons of warre Exod. 17.11 And in this place after that God had threatned to make a generall hauocke and destruction of this stubborne people as a man wipeth a dish and turneth it vpside down he standeth in the gap to turne away the wrath of God Psa 106 23. which otherwise as a mighty flood would breake in vpon them and beare downe all before it Whereby it appeareth that the words in the former threatning were not vttered definitiuely but conditionally to wit if Moses did not make intercession for them and stand betweene God and his people For if they had beene spoken simply or beene vnderstood to be spoken in that sort Moses ought not to haue prayed for them but to haue giuen place to the threatning and rested in the decree and determination of God submitting himselfe to his holy will and pleasure But he was stirred vp thereby to seeke and to sue for pardon for them and therfore he vnderstood the same conditionally The summe and effect of the prayer is The summe oâ— the praâ—â—â— of Moses that GOD would not destroy his people vtterly according as he had threatned and he moueth him to shew mercy toward theÌ„ by three reasons The first is drawne from the consideration of the enemies of the Church that they might haue no occasion to reproch the holy Name of God and to tread his glory which is higher theÌ„ the heauens vnder their feet taking occasion thereby to blaspheme him if he should destroy his people which he with a strong hand had brought out of Egypt Exod. 32.12 Deut. 9.28 and 32.27 The second reason is drawne from the nature and essentiall properties of God he is of long-suffering and great mercy c. The third is taken from the former works and examples of his great goodnesse wherein he moueth God to pitty them seeing he had oftentimes before shewed fauour toward them all which had beene vtterly lost if he should vtterly destroy them Out of these words as also out of all the reasons vrged by Moses in generall we learne Doctrine The meaâ—â—â— to reuoke Gods iudgements is 〈◊〉 and vnfaâ—â—â—â— prayer that the ordinary meanes and ready way to reuoke and call in Gods iudgements is true hearty and vnfained prayer whensoeuer his hand in any sort lyeth heauy vpon vs Ps 107.6 13 19 28. and 106.23 Iam. 5.17 18. Numb 12.13 1 King 8.33 35 37 44. The reasons First it is profitable to all Reason 1 things and is of force to obtaine euery good thing and if euery good thing then also to remooue euery euill thing from vs It obtaineth blessings of al sorts publike and priuate spirituall and temporall for our selues and for others touching this life and a better Ioh. 16.23 In that day ye shall aske me nothing Verily verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Where we see the generality of the promise confirmed by a vehement asseueration Secondly prayer Reason 2 obtaineth the pardon forgiuenes of sins Act. 8.22 Iam. 5.15 1 Ioh. 5.16 and sinne is the true and proper cause of all iudgements whatsoeuer if then it obtaine the remoouing of the cause it shall also obtaine the taking away of the effect For the cause being remoued the effect wil ceasse Thirdly it is so mighty Reason 3 that it is able to throw downe the fastest hold and surest possession that Satan hath gotten Paul hauing shewed that we wrastle not with flesh and blood that is not onely or chiefly with them but with principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse in high places prescribeth this as a meanes to subdue and ouercome them And Christ our Sauiour telleth his disciples Maâ— 17.21 Ephes 6 1â— that this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting If then it be able
some penall statute to say Alasse I knew not the law I was vtterly ignorant of it I neuer heard in all my life of any such matter For the law is passed printed and published and thou must take knowledge of it Euery man at his owne perill must looke to it and if he runne in danger of it it is his owne fault so we may say of the law of God He hath set it foorth to the view of all and all must make enquiry after it at their vttermost perill If then the Turkes and Sarazens if the Infidels and Barbarians that want the meanes shall not be excused at the day of iudgement by their ignorance how shall we thinke to escape that haue had the meanes And so doth the Lord tell them of Corazin and Bethsaida and denounceth a fearefull woe against Capernaum because they had much mercy shewed vnto them yet neuer regarded the same and therefore telleth them that it should be easier for Tyre and Sidon yea for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement Math. 11 21 23 24. Secondly woe to our times woe to the age Vse 2 wherein we liue for little knowledge resteth in the hearts of the greatest part They know nothing of God of his nature of his essential properties of the Trinity of the Law of the Gospel what faith is what iustification or repentance They are ignorant how to worship God though they be often taught they remaine euer the same men euer ignorant euer learning but neuer coming to the knowledge of the truth Two chiefe causes there are of this the one in the mind the other in the will In the minde impotency of vnderstanding they are dul to conceiue the things of the Spirit The wisedome of God is foolishnesse to them as mans wisedome is foolishnesse to God 1 Cor. 2. The other is in the will they sauour the things of the flesh wholly they finde no sweetnesse in the word their hearts are put out of taste by worldly things These as they that are euill and blinde by nature so are they become worse by nurture and education they are nuzled in ignorance all their youth for the most part a l their life parents be generally ignorant themselues and no care is in them to haue them instructed Salomon saith Teach a childe or traine vp a childe in the way that hee should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prou. 22 6. He will both sooner apprehend it and better keepe that which is taught him If this time be passed ouer it is harder to learn afterward the eies being blinded and filled with the dust of earthly things can discerne nothing and when such come to age they vtterly despise the things that belong to a better life It is with vs as it was with the Land of Egypt it was ouerspread with darknesse onely a small part where the children of Israel were being excepted so hath ignorance ouerspread the greatest part of our land For look vpon very many places they lie waste as a wildernesse for want of builders the haruest is great but there is great want of Labourers to gather together the corne Mat. 9 37. They haue blinde guides set ouer them that can do nothing to the sheepe but fleece them they can say nothing to them but Bring ye or pay ye If we cast our eies vpon such places as haue able Teachers ouer them hauing gifts sufficient to instruct them yet many of them are idle without care and conscience of their duties is it then to be wondered at that the land is full of ignorance and empty of knowledge Againe in such places where are able Ministers and willing to take any paines amongst the people according to the measure of grace affoorded vnto them yet euen there you shall finde little or no knowledge at all and where they haue bread enough they starue themselues and perish for hunger and where they may haue plenty they liue in penury and misery and want of all things They haue meate and drinke offered vnto them but they will not reach out their hand to take the same like to the sluggard that hideth his hand in his bosome and will not so much as bring it to his mouth againe Prou. 19 24. Many there are that doe manifestly and openly oppose themselues against knowledge and set themselues against seeking after it so farre as they can or dare This plainly sheweth that indeed they neuer had any true knowledge at all and others albeit they doe not directly oppose themselues against knowledge yet in the meane season which is all one they haue no loue of it neither any holy desire to come to knowledge If we consider farther how empty our churches and seats are it will appeare that our ignoraÌ„ce must needs bee very great For how should such carelesse rechlesse persons haue knowledge I am perswaded if these were well and throughly examined they would be found beyond all measure blinde and sottish olde and ignorant worse then infants and little children Knowledge of God is not naturall it is not borne and bred in vs and with vs neither is it to be gotten in our daies by extraordinary meanes seeing therefore they vse not the ordinary it followeth that they are destitute of knowledge causes of â—ance Another reason why men are so drowned in the sea of ignorance is because though they heare much yet they digest little or nothing at all like to him that seeth meate before him but tasteth none of it In the body he that eateth much and digesteth nothing cannot haue his health nor prosper so is it in the soule it may be these will heare two or three times in a quarter but they neuer make conscience to meditate on that which they haue heard but let that slippe which they haue learned and so indeede are neuer bettered by that which they heare Another reason why so much ignorance is among men is because they want exercising of themselues in the Scriptures they apply themselues to no constant reading of them or reasoning and conferring about them and therefore it is not possible for them to haue any sound and well-grounded knowledge in them at all The Ministers may wast theÌ„selues like lights in the Tabernacle yet these people will neuer attaine to any knowledge Vaine allegations of ignorant people Some alledge that their callings are such as they giue them no leisure to attend the Scriptures or to spend any time in reading But it seemeth strange to mee that men should finde a time for all other businesse vnder the Sun and yet not finde any time to further their own saluation How monstrous a thing is it that they haue time enough and enough for the bodie but can finde none at all for their soules They can finde time and leisure to prouide wealth for themselues and their children and yet carry poore starueling soules to the graue suffering them from
resurrection vpon this day Iohn 20. verse 26. Vpon this day did the holy Ghost descend and this was the first day of the creation Vse 1 The Vses follow The sanctifying separating and keeping of the Lords day is a morall duty charged vpon euery soule whatsoeuer wheresoeuer we be in what state and condition soeuer in bondage and exile vpon the land or sea in sickenesse or in health at home or abroad with our selues or with others whether we be high or low Prince or subiect master or seruant bond or free male or female all persons must know that this day must bee sanctified vnto the holy worship of God and be spent in the meditation of holy things It is not as some prophane persons haue saide that fauour of nothing but the world that rich men may keepe the Sabbath but poore men cannot for GOD will haue the poore keepe holy this day as well as the rich As with him is no respect of persons so in giuing his law hee respecteth not persons wee haue not one of the Commandements for the poore and another for the rich but they belong to all as he is God of all and will bee serued of all The Sabbath is morall And if this be not a morall duty then we should haue but nine Commandements that binde perpetually wheras they are often called the ten words Exodus chap. 34 verse 28. Deut. 14.13 and 10 4. and Christ sheweth he came not to destroy the Law but to keepe it and fulfill it Math. 5 17. Againe he saith Hee that shall breake one of the least of the commandements and shal teach men so hee shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen verse 19. he shall bee shut out of it and haue no place in it But it may be obiected Obiect we keepe not the same day that the Iewes did they obserued the seuenth day from the creation we the first day of the weeke Why then was this day changed and who changed it and whether may it be changed againe Answer I answer first touching the first the reasons of the change are to put a difference betweene the Iewish and Christian Sabbath which could not be so fitly done but by change of the day Why the Sabbath was chāged Secondly to keepe a memoriall of the day of our redemption for as the seuenth day kept a memoriall of the work of the creation so doeth this first day of the weeke of our Redemption as great a worke yea greater then the former for it was more to redeeme vs out of hell then to create vs out of nothing Esay 66 24. Thirdly to free the church from the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Iewes and to take from it they yoake that lay as an heauie burden on the neckes of those that liued in the time of the Law Actes chap. 15. verse 10. which neither they nor their Fathers were able to beare for when this day was changed it was no more tied to the Iewish Sabbath which was solemnized with many ceremonies belonging necessarily vnto it The Iewes were tied to a strict and rigorous kinde of rest they might not kindle a fire throughout their habitations Exod. chapt 35. verse 3. It was also a figure of the euerlasting rest of Gods children in the kingdome of heauen Esay 66 23. Heb. 4 9. It was obserued in remembrance of their deliuerance out of Egypt which fell out that day Deut. 5 15. Exodus 11. It was tied precisely to the seuenth day from the Creation and celebrated with sundry set rites and ceremonies Numbers 28. verses 9 10. Neuerthelesse there is a Sabbath morall and perpetuall a time to bee set apart to the worship of God to the end of the world Who alter◠the Sabba◠The next Question is who altered it I answer Christ himselfe is the author of this change The Apostles often teach that whatsoeuer they taught they receiued it from Christ they learned it at his hand before either by word of his mouth or by reuelation of his Spirit but the Apostles enioyned the first day of the weeke to bee kept as a Sabbath of rest 1 Cor. 16 1. The Church euery first day of the weeke made a collection for the poore which followed the hearing of the word the offering vp of prayers and the receyuing of the Sacraments as a fruite of them Actes 2. ver 42. Wherein obserue by the way that the Sabbath was appointed for the benefit good and comfort of the poore not for their hurt or hinderance whereby as God is glorified so the poore are encouraged to tender their seruice to God this day and the mouthes of those carnal men are stopped that would haue the rich keep the Sabbath but not the poore If any say collections for the poore were lawful Obiect and might be made any day as well as on a Sabbath I answer Answ the Apostle doth not onely say that then collections were made but this was made an Apostolicall ordinance and institution to bee done that day especially for hee commandeth the Corinthians to obserue it that day as hee had ordained it in the Churches of Galatia 1 Corinth 16 1 2. So then because he gaue such order wee may conclude it to be an ordinance The Apostles also assembled themselues vpon this day for performance of diuine duties Actes 20. verse 7. They kept this day for a Sabbath neither kept they orderly any other sauing when they came into the Synagogues of the Iewes who were so addicted vnto the Law of Moses that they would meete vpon no other day Besides it is said of Christ that after his resurrection hee taught his Disciples whatsoeuer belonged to the kingdome of God as Actes 1. verse 3. but the alteration of the Sabbath belongeth to Gods kingdome The last questiō remaineth whether it be in the liberty of the Church to change the day againe I answer it is not For as it was not at the first chāged without the authority of Christ and his Apostles directed by Christ who is Lord of the Sabbath Math. 12 8. so it can receiue no farther change without him or them But if the Church had this power thē the Church might well be said to be Lord of the Sabbath Againe the times and seasons are in Gods hand Act. 1 6. but they should be left to the Church as a treasure to dispense if it might dispose transpose the Sabbath at her pleasure Againe one day to be kept in seauen is morall perpetuall otherwise if once we depart from this simplicity that we be not tied of necessity vnto it a mā may say that one day in seuē weeks or in seuen yeares is enough and so at length it shall be said we are not bound to meete together publikely aboue one day in an hundred yeares Therefore I set it downe as an vnchangeable rule that the obseruation of one day in seuen not in fiue or one in fifteene but one in seuen
by staied and repressed it winneth ground and spreadeth farther like a canker Whereby we see it is an easie steppe and descent from one euill to another as it is to go downe a steepe hill Now the sinne of these men is three-fold First they are as blinde men that cannot see the iudgements of the Lord but accuse Moses of murther and impute to him the death and destruction of those that were buried in the earth consumed to ashes with the fire Moses was onely the Minister of God in their destruction the cause of their owne death was in theÌ„selues as if a malefactour neuer considering what himselfe hath committed should cast the cause of his condemnation vpoÌ„ the Iudge and cry out against him as a shedder of blood Secondly their vnthankfulnesse who will by no meanes confesse that they were saued the day before and sundry times besides from destruction by the intercession of Moses if he had not praied for them they had perished as one man with the seditious For they were all become as one sicke body wherein no part was sound but ful of wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Esay 1 6. They seeke his death that after a sort had giuen them life and they rise vp against him that had beene the meanes of their deliuerance Thirdly as they did condemne the innocent so they iustifie the vngodly both which are an abhomination to the Lord Prou. 17 15. Such wicked persons as God had rooted out of the Land of the liuing and turned them into the earth which was weary to beare such vnprofitable burdens they call them the people of God which were no better then a cursed crue of conspirators against God and such as he had appointed to manage the State Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall These men therefore rising vp in their stead that were fallen into the pit and defending their cause of whom GOD had taken the account doe make themselues guilty of their sinnes are iustly swept away with the iudgements of God Doctrine We learne heereby The wicked will not bee warned by former iudgements that such is the corrupt heart of wicked man that it will take no warning by former iudgements though they be neuer so fearefull and euident They had often seene how great things God had wrought among his people yet they are blinde and doe not see them they are wilfull and will not regard them they are sottish and will take no knowledge of them Psal 10 5. Esay 22 12 13 Psal 24 38 39. Luk. 19 42. Dan. 5 22. This maketh sinne out of measure sinfull The reasons First because they see God Reason 1 is a mercifull patient God he beareth long and holdeth his peace and therefore they thinke he is like vnto themselues Psal 50 21. so they abuse his patience and will do nothing Secondly they thinke the day of their iudgment Reason 2 is not neere they set it farre off from them It may be it may come in time but they hope there will be peace in their dayes Ezek. 12 27. The people iudged that the Prophet had prophesied for many daies to come and of such times as were farre off and thereupon they concluded that the daies were prolonged and euery vision failed Thirdly they loue their owne sinnes and Reason 3 out of that great loue to their sinnes they are vnwilling altogether to take notice of any iudgement due to their sinne cannot abide that the Minister or any other should giue theÌ„ warning of the same for they hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Amos 5 verse 10. The vses remaine Vse 1 First of all are men naturally so vnwilling of themselues to set before them Gods iudgements Then this serueth as an admonition to the Ministers that they should often threaten Gods iudgemeâ—â— against the wicked seeing they are so dull aâ—d vnwilling to take any notice of them or to be warned by them God worketh out his iudgements in euery place and he setteth his Ministers on worke that they should cry ouâ—â—nd not spare to publish them and make them â—owne though men be neuer so much hardened in their sinnes sometimes by reason of the profite that they make by their sinnes sometimes by reason of the pleasure that they finde in their sinnes But howsoeuer they be admonished of any iudgement present or imminent they are little affected with it they are ready to say with the Atheists 1 Cor. 15 32. Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Let vs alone with our doing for the present and we will take order for those iudgements that are to come hereafter well enough Obiect If any say it behoueth not the Minister to be so feruent and earnest in his reproofes but to handle sinne more gently because many are the worse for sharpe rebukes and few or none the better Answer I answer this is our greefe and causeth vs often to mourne in secret but yet this cannot be our discharge for we must labour to free and deliuer all men so farre as we can from the fierce wrath iudgements of God otherwise their blood would light vpon our heads and be required at our hands if they perish through our negligence It is the nature of the Cocke as some obserue that at the dead time of the night hee croweth most loud and shrill whether he doth so or not I know not but this I am sure of that the Ministers of God ought to do so when they see men to be most dull and dead in their sinnes they should be most earnest and vehement euen at the deadest times of all they must bee most zealous that so they may deliuer their owne soules and not be constrained to answer for the sinnes of those that perish Vse 2 Secondly this reproueth the age wherein we liue of much corruption because it can sleepe so securely at the noyse of Gods iudgements These murmurers in this place had heard the pittifull cry and fearefull noise of those that were swallowed vp in the earth yet they haue already forgotten that which fell out but a day before We commonly say A wonder lasteth but nine daies but behold how they had seene one of the greatest wonders in the world when the earth whose foundation the Lord hath laid to bee firme and stable that it should not be remoued for euer Psal 104 5 opened her mouth and swallowed these vnbeleeuers and they had heard with their eares their outcryes when they descended into the deepe yet this wonder lasted but one day nay not one whole day for on the morrow it was quite out of their remembrance We haue had all sorts of warnings whatsoeuer generall particular by his word by his workes by his iudgements vpon others and vpon our selues yet we take generally and particularly little warning by them How hath God dealt with many of vs and how neare hath he come vnto vs with his particular
of knowledge as is giuen of God to a spirit which cannot be little There is much more knowledge in man then is in a bruit beast by reason of that nature which God hath giuen to man aboue the beasts And there is much greater knowledge in the diuell then in all men because of his spiritual substance He hath not a body which may hinder him to see the nature quality and operation of a spirit A bruit beast is only corporal and visible man is partly corporall and visible and partly spirituall inuisible the diuell is wholly spirituall and inuisible so that being a spirit hee hath the knowledge of a spirit and consequently greater familiarity with our spirits then otherwise he could haue Secondly by his creation for he was in his first estate by creation a good angell before his fall and set by God in the Paradise of heauen as Adam was in the Paradise of the earth so that he had the same measure of knowledge giuen of God which hee gaue to other Angels So then what knowledge soeuer is in a good Angel by creation the same knowledge is in Satan by his creation and therefore must be exceeding great I will not dispute whether this knowledge be any way diminished forasmuch as hee still beareth the stampe of his creation this way Thirdly since his Apostacy he hath encreased his knowledge both of things on earth and of the wayes of God by long obseruation and continuall experience he knoweth the age of man his affections inclinations nature and disposition hee knoweth what pleaseth him best in his youth and in his age If any one man had liued from the beginning of the world vnto this day perfect in sense in body in memory in minde in reason and the like and had daily obserued all things that had fallen out heretofore he might be able to discouer wonderfull things and make himselfe much admired in the world Therefore the diuell must needes haue great knowledge seeing he hath had all these he goeth about in euery countrey and kingdome he compasseth the earth to and fro Iob 1.7 and 2.2 obseruing what is done in euery place and is well acquainted with their conuersation Fourthly he encreaseth his knowledge by communication with God or rather by receiuing commandement from God to execute his will which hee maketh knowne vnto him The Lord commanded him to appeare before him to giue an account of the works he had done God had no sooner named Iob Iob 1.8 9 10 11. but by and by he knew him well enough he knew his substance and how God had blessed him therfore neuer asketh who hee was or where hee was hee knoweth euery man by Name and hee knoweth that man is ready to make shew of religion in prosperity and in aduersity through impatience to fall away from his profession God gaue him liberty to afflict Iob in his goods in his children in his body whence then hath he this knowledg but from the reuelation of the Lord he knew that Iob should be visited with great sickenesse and with great losses in his children and goods and thus hee knoweth many other things which are to come to passe afterward And when hee hath them thus reuealed and made knowne vnto him hee goeth many times to witches and wizards and telleth them thereof and they tell it to others before they happen by which meanes he many wayes enlargeth his kingdome Fiftly by the reuelation of the Prophets in former times he attained to great knowledge by whoÌ„ many things were foretold in which also he hath knowledge can alledge Scripture to serue his turne Matth. 4.6 Lastly by continuall obseruation of naturall causes An Astronomer that is skilfull in the starres can tell nay foretell many things but Satan is skilfull in all Artes he can speake all languages in the world he is the best artist and linguist that any where can be found The second thing wherin Satans power consisteth is in his deeds and actions He mooued Caine to kill his brother and preuailed He tempted our first parents and preuailed He commeth to a witch in the shape of Samuel and taketh vpon him to tell what successe Saul should haue in the battell with the Philistims and Saul thought it had beene Samuel Hee was wont to talke familiarly with men and therefore God gaue a Law that if any consulted with familiar spirits he should die Deut. 18.11 Leuit. 20.27 which law had beene in vaine if none had consulted familiarly with them So he was a lyar in the mouth of all the false Prophets of Ahab though themselues did not perceiue it So hee possessed mens bodies as we see in the Gospel whom Christ oftentimes cast out Matth. 8.28 and being cast out they entred into an heard of swine and threw them headlong into the waters where they perished And when certaine Exorcists would haue cast out diuels in the name of Iesus the euill spirit ran vpon them and ouercame them so that they fled out of the house wounded Actes 19.16 Thus we see that Satan is of wonderfull power to teach vs not to be carelesse in resisting of him but to looke diligently to our selues 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Neuerthelesse this is our comfort that his power is limited he is as a raging beast but is tyed vp with chaine he is the strong man armed but a stronger then hee commeth and taketh all his armour from him wherein he trusted Luk. 11.21 22. And albeit he make shew to worke miracles he hath no such power and therefore hee doth them not openly but closely and in the darke as they that doe euill Lastly it reproueth the miracles wrought Vse 3 in the Church of Rome of which they talke and write so much The works wherof they boast and wherein they glory are darke and obscure they are not plain open and euident They tel vs many a sober tale in sundry legeÌ„ds of Saints liues of puling souls that haue appeared out of purgatory and haue taught prayer for the dead adoration of Saints worshipping of images such like superstitious practises all tending to abuse the people and to confirme false doctrine repugnant to the Scriptures August de vnitat eccles ca. â— of all which wee may say as Austine doth that they are vel mendacia fallacium hominum vel portenta mendacium spirituum That is either cosening trickes of deceitfull men or wonders of lying spirits But to passe ouer these let vs by this property of a true miracle examine the miracle of all miracles much made off and mightily maintained to bee in the Sacrament of the Altar so called by the Church of Rome wherein after the Priest hath vtterred and muttered a few words they teach that a great miraculous worke is brought forth because the substance of the bread which was vpon the altar is changed into the body of Christ by a strange Metamorphosis If this were true Transubstaâ—tiation no â—racle it were indeed
abuses that publikely reigned The Psalmist exhorting Iudges to their dutie and reproouing euill in them saith How long will ye iudge vniustly and accept the persons of the wicked Psal 82.2 The Apostle saith of himselfe Woe vnto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 he doth not say if I liue prophanely as also hee might haue done but he mentioneth the sinne of his proper calling as the greater euill The reasons follow First because God hath set men in seuerall places and callings and giuen them their limits and bounds that they should not passe If then they breake these bounds as the waters doe their bankes it must of necessity follow that they commit a farre greater sinne against God because they cast his cords from them and will not suffer themselues to be tyed with them as we might easily shew in the examples of Vzzah the Leuite 2 Sam. 6.7 and Vzziah the king 2 Chron. 26.19 Secondly from the proper workes of our callings we haue our name and denomination For as our calling is so we are esteemed as this man is said to bee a Minister that man a Magistrate another a master another a seruant and therefore those offences are the greatest which rush against our proper functions It is noted that when Ahab beganne to reigne he did euill in the sight of the Lord aboue all that were before him 1 King 19.30 and wherein did he euill or what is hee charged withall the holy Ghost might haue said because he shed much innocent blood but the euil wherewith he is charged is that he reared vp an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he had built verse 32. and made a groue to prouoke the Lord God of Israel to anger The vses This teacheth that all sinnes are not equal Vse 1 and that the same sinnes in seuerall persons are not equall The persons make a great difference concerning the sinne forasmuch as the person is so the sinne is Ignorance is one and the same sinne in whomsoeuer it be whether in the Minister or in a priuate man but in respect of his office in the Minister more then in another If a theefe shall robbe a man by the high way side it is an offence but it is not accounted so great an offence because it is his practise But if a Iudge which should minister iustice indifferently to all and doth sit in iudgement vpon the common theefe if hee shal rob or spoile a man it is much the greater in regard of his place and office wherein God hath set him For he sinneth against his owne calling which he professeth wheras the theefe hath through custome made that his calling albeit a foule and faulty calling Secondly as we must auoide all sinne so especially Vse 2 those sinnes that are committed against our calling against the maine scope of our profession forasmuch as they are most hainous aboue all others and doe most dishonour God and deserue the greatest punishment Some men would account it a small offence for the Prophet that was sent out of Bethel to cry aloude against the altar to returne backe and to eate bread and drinke water in the house of the old Prophet but because hee sinned against his speciall calling 1 King 13.9.16 therefore he was deuoured of a Lyon If the Minister of the word shall be ignorant in the Scriptures and not able to instruct the people he shall be more punished then a priuate man because he ought especially both to haue and to teach knowledge It is more shame for a Lawyer that professeth the law to be ignorant in the Law then for another that is no way toward it It is a sinne in fathers that teach not their children and masters their seruants but more for the Ministers not to teach their people This made Christ our Sauiour pronounce an heauy sentence against the expounders of the Law Lu. 11.52 Woe vnto you ye Lawyers for ye haue taken away the key of knowledge ye enter not in your selues and them that were entring in ye hindred The woman was created and appointed of God to be an helper and comforter vnto her husband if then she shall greeue and vexe him Gen. 2.18 her sin is far the greater then if another do it because she sinneth against her calling and creation and is thereby made the lesse excusable as appeareth in Iobs wife whom hee doth more sharpely reprooue then he doth others chap. 2.10 and 19.17 The like we might say of all other callings of the Minister toward the people and the people toward their Minister Vse 3 Thirdly it teacheth vs the cause why many of Gods owne people are more sharpely punished in this life for the most part thē others and why they suffer more for lesse sinnes then the vngodly doe heere for farre greater because they sinne against their vocation and profession because they are partakers of the heauenly calling Heb. 3.1 Which words the Apostle vseth as a reason to perswade to be obedient vnto Christ and therefore their sinnes are greater then of others that neuer had that calling which know not what this heauenly calling meaneth Moses and Aaron for a little want of Sanctifying the Name of God and that but once at Meribah were notwithstanding punished with this that they should neuer enter into the land of Canaan whereas many a prophane and wretched man that sinned a thousand times more entred into it the reason is because they sinned against their calling vnto which God had called them So likewise for the children of God to prophane the Sabbath is a greater sinne and they may looke for a more fearefull punishment for the same in this life then the wicked shall haue because they sinne against their heauenly vocation And if they be not carefull to order their families aright to looke to their children and seruants that they serue the Lord they may expect greater iudgements from God then others that peraduenture are a thousand times worse and haue their houses more a thousand times vnreformed as we see in the example of Eli otherwise a good man for he his whole house were ouerturned and destroyed 1 Sam. 4.17 18 20. because God hath a purpose to condemne prophane persons vtterly in the life to come The like wee might say of Dauid hee committed adultery but once with Bathsheba the wife of Vriah yet did GOD threaten to raise vp euill out of his owne house so that he would take his wiues and giue them to his neighbour that should lie with them in the sight of the Sunne and not long after did his son commit incest with his daughter Thus did God seuerely punish his owne seruant whiles many vncleane persons liue in filthy adultery and daily embrace the bosome of a stranger who notwithstanding taste no such punishment their houses are safe from feare neither is the rod of God vpon them Iob 21.9 Seeing this is so we should not iudge hardly and vncharitably
said that Aarons rod was laide vp before the Testimony for a token and testimony against those rebellious companies Lastly Moses is said ver 9 to haue taken this rod from before the Lord or from his sight presence where we shewed it was laide vp but we neuer reade that Moses his rod wherby his calling was confirmed Pharaohs obstinacy was conuinced and the red Sea diuided was laid vp before the Testimony So then heere is a charge commandement that Aarons rod budding bearing blossomes shold be taken the people assembled and the Rocke onely to be spoken vnto before the Israelites a promise being added and againe repeated that waters should gush from thence in abundance whereof the whole Assembly should drinke and the plenty of it should flow euen to their beasts and cattell These are the Commandements of God let vs see their obedience with their failing halting in it For it is not perfect and entire wanting nothing as appeareth by the threatning presently denounced and by the punishment afterward inflicted Indeed they gathered together the people as God commanded but they spake not to the Rock as God willed theÌ„ they were charged to speak to the Rock only yet by impatiency doubting Wherein Moses and Aaron sinned agains God they spake not to the Rocke but complained against the people and smote the Rock once and againe not commanded So then they that hitherto shewed inuincible constancy in resisting the rage of the people and maintained zealously the glory of God beleeued faithfully his promises and stood as Rockes vnmoueable against all stormes that beate against them now faile in their faith and obedience both in speaking to the people and in striking of the Rocke For they aske whether they should bring vnto theÌ„ water out of the Rocke as if it were vnpossible for God to performe what he had promised to make good the word that was gone out of his owne mouth Again he lifted vp his hand and smote the Rocke twice through impatiency and distrust August lib. 16. Cont. Faust Manich. cap. 17 so that albeit he were a notable Prophet and holy man of God and that God gaue this witnesse of him Numb 12 3. that Hee was a meeke man aboue all the men that liued vpon the earth Psal 106 32. yet as the Psalmist teacheth they troubled him with their grudgings and vexed him with their murmurings that he spake vnaduisedly with his lips Col. 3 25. Acts 10 14. Ezek. 33 20. Rom. 2 6. Psal 62 12. Reuel 22 12. But God with whom is no respect of persons who iudgeth euery man according to his waies and works doth openly accuse conuince them of sinne complaineth that they had not glorified his great Name pronounceth decreeth the sentence of death against them that they should not enter into the Land of promise And lest this failing of Moses and fall of the people should be forgotten it is named the waters of Meribah or of strife contention Thus we see their doubting and disobedience is here reproued and threatened and afterward punished which is amplified by the reason because they were so farre from strengthening the people by confirming them in the truth of Gods promises and assuring them of the due accomplishment of them that themselues wauer doubt and dishonour God For as God is much honoured when hee is beleeued and we rest in his word as in a thing vnchangeable so he is greatly dishonored when his power is not acknowledged wheÌ„ his promise is not beleeued and when his truth is not trusted of vs. Thus much of the meaning of the words as also of the order and circumstances of this history now let vs come to the doctrines that arise out of the same Ver. 1. The people abode at Kadesh and Miriam died there In this first verse where this murmuring for want of water is described by the time and place we see mention is made of the death and buriall of Miriam Micah 6 4. She was an excellent woman in the Church an holy Prophetesse Exo. 15 20 21 one that went before others in singing the praises of God after their deliuerance out of Egypt after their passing ouer the red sea and after the ouerthrow of Pharaoh his hoast yet is subiect to death as well as others Doctrine Death is common to all flesh From hence we learne that all flesh men and women high and low rich and poore godly and vngodly how great soeuer their gifts and graces be are subiect to death and mortality This appeareth Gen. 5. where in the catalogue of the fathers that liued before the flood it is said of them all they died Albeit God multiplied their daies many hundred yeares for the increase of mankinde the spreading abroad of the truth from generation to generation yet after many daies in the end al of them died So Psal 89 48. Heb. 9 27. Iob 17 13 14. ch 21 23 c. One dieth in his full strength being in all ease and prosperity another dieth in the bitternes of his soule and neuer eateth with pleasure they shall sleepe both in the dust and the wormes shall couer them And what shall I say more We acknowledge in words and see with our eies a decay and declining of of all things by experience All earthly things vnder the Sun that haue beginning Seneca de remed fortuâ—â— both haue and hasten to their ending The grasse when it is growne is mowed the fruite when it is ripe is gathered the haruest when it is ready is reaped The trees that florish in the Spring and Sommer haue their declining Autumne and their decaying Winter The Moone set in the Heauen to rule the night hath her wane The Sunne which commeth foorth as a Bridegroome out of his chamber Psal 19 3. reioyceth like a mighty man to run his race yet hath his setting and descending the farther he goeth the more degrees he passeth the neerer hee is to the end of his course The reasons of this Doctrine are these First Reason 1 because all are dust the matter whereof wee are made is the dust of the earth therefore must returne to the dust out of which we are are taken All flesh is as grasse and the glory of man is as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower fadeth falleth away The Sea neuer resteth nor standeth still but euer ebbeth or floweth so is it with the life of man it neuer standeth at one stay euery day cutteth off one part of our daies we are neerer to our end in the euening then in the morning according to the saying of Iob we are consumed from morning to euening we hasten vnto the graue as the Riuers are carryed into the Sea This is that reason which is vsed Gen. 3 19. In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou turne to the earth for out
and out of which he is shortly to depart Or will he be patching that Tent and Tabernacle which hee hath pitched for a day or two We dwell in earthly Tabernacles as in houses of clay 2 Cor. 5 4. 2 Pet. 1 14. What wisedome then is it to bestow daies and moneths and yeares in plotting plodding for the world for riches and the vanities of this life Let vs also prepare and prouide before hand for the day of our dissolution that such as God hath blessed with this worlds good set their houses and their estates in order as the Prophet in this regard warneth Hezekiah Esay 38 1. Set thine house in order for thou must dye And we may learne this necessary practise of Ahitophel though liuing in wickednes and dying in despaire of whom the Scripture saieth wheÌ„ he saw that his counsell was not followed he went home vnto his City put his house in order hanged himselfe 2 Sam. 17 23. This duty is to be thought vpon in health as that which deepely concerneth our selues and our posterity When we haue rightly disposed the things of this life let vs prepare for a Nunc dimittis let vs commend our spirits into the hands of God let vs resigne vp our selues willingly to death when we must enter into a particular iudgement For so soone as the soule is departed and separated from the body God holdeth his Sessions to which we are summoned by his messenger death to come into his presence to receiue in part according to our workes whether they be good or euill Euen as we see in the affaires of this life how Iudges and Iustices keepe their sessions and assises wherein malefactors brought out of prison are arraigned so God holdeth his time of iudgement and iustice to reward euery one according to his works We haue all a cause and case to bee tried the greatest the weightiest the worthiest that euer was handled not touching siluer gold not concerning house or land not of titles or inheritances but of the euerlasting saluation or daÌ„nation of our soules for euer and therefore it standeth vs in hand to be well armed thoroughly appointed that we come not as the foolish Virgins without oyle in our lampes or as the vnprepared guest without our wedding garment We see in temporall Courts when men haue a cause to be tried and an action to be determined either of goods or good name how carefull they are before hand to reade Euidences to produce witnesses and to search Records that the suite may passe on their sides how much more carefull ought wee to be to answer before the eternall Iudge where no man shall be admitted to appeare by his Atturney but all must come in their owne persons none shall be suffered to put in sureties This wil be a great day wheÌ„ the whole world shall appeare together at once high and low Prince and Subiect noble and vnnoble according to the description that Iohn maketh I saw the dead both great small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the booke according to their works Reuel 20 12. And was buried there Hitherto of the death of Miriam now of that which followed her death to wit her buriall See heere when life was departed what they did with the body they committed it to the earth The Doctrine from hence is this that it is a necessary duty to bury the dead Doctrine A commendable duty 〈◊〉 bury the dead This appeareth by many examples of the godly which haue practised this duty Gen. 23 4. Abraham the father of the faithfull bought a possession of burial of the Hittites who by the sight and light of nature had their Sepulchers therefore answered Abraham Gen. 23 6. 35 29 50 12 13. Thou art a Prince of God among vs in the cheefest of our Sepulchers bury thy dead none of vs shall forbid thee his Sepulcher but thou maist bury thy dead therein So ch 25 8 9. when Abraham yeelded the spirit and died in a good age and was gathered to his people his sonnes Isaac Ishmael buried him in the Caue of Machpelah in the field of Hephron where Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife The like we see done to Isaac when he gaue vp the ghost being old and full of daies his two sonnes Esau and Iacob buried him Now as Iacob did to his father so his children do to him according as hee had commanded them for his sonnes carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the Caue of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought The like may be said of Moses Deut. 34 5 6. for albeit the people buried him not neither knew of his Sepulcher lest they shold abuse it to idolatry yet rather then he should want buriall he was buried of God The men of Iabesh Gilead are praised of God and rewarded of Dauid because they buried King Saul and his sonne and aduentured their liues to do vnto him their last duty 2 Sa. 2 5 6. The same might be said of the rest of the Patriarks Prophets Iudges Kings Gouernours and Priests yea of Christ himselfe whose buriall albeit he were able immediately to haue raised and restored himselfe to life is set downe in the Gospel that his death might be confirmed and his farther humiliation manifested These examples teach that it is a christian and commendable duty of the liuing to be performed to the dead of children to bee performed to their parents and of the people of God one to another to commit the body of the deceased to the graue to put dust to dust and so to couer earth with earth And no maruaile For first among all creatures Reason 1 man is most loathsome and vgly when life is departed As in his birth and bringing foorth into the world of all creatures hee is most fraile and feeble without strength to stand without helpe to defend himselfe so being dead he is most fraile filthy and deformed He that a litle before gloried in his beauty comelinesse feature proportion is now become the mirror and spectacle of a deformed and mishapen carkasse Such a confusion and wracke hath sinne wrought and brought into our nature This made Abraham to say to the Hittites I am a stranger a forreiner among you giue me a possession of buriall to bury with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gen. 23 4. This is noted in Lazarus who hauing lien buried but foure daies his bâ—dy stanke Iohn 11 39. Reason 2 Secondly buriall is promised as a blessing from God and the want of it threatened for a plague and iudgement God offereth it as a mercy to Abraham â—5 15. that he should be buried in a ripe age and to Iosiah that he should bee put in his graue in peace â— 22 19 and
fraternity so that it is right and equall that they which are so neerely ioyned and linked by blood should performe al kindnesse each to other This reason from kindred may be thus framed If we be as brethren alied one to another comming from one root and race then deny vs not this point of courtesie to grant passage But wee are brethren alied one to another c. Therefore vouchsafe to giue vs passage The second reason is in these words Thou Reason 2 knowest all the trouble that hath hapned vnto vs c. As if they should say Wee haue had a lamentable and woefull experience of many miseries we haue been exercised with many sorrowes so as your selues cannot pretend ignorance of them you know them but wee haue felt theÌ„ you haue heard of them but we haue smarted for them In Egypt we haue had our poore infants drowned our chiefe officers chastised our selues euery way oppressed with burthens too heauy for vs to beare and nothing but slaughter and destruction breathed out against vs. Being deliuered out of Egypt when we expected an end of all miseries wee perceiued that we had changed the place but not the perill the soile but not the sorrow we haue bin pursued with enemies bitten with hunger wearied with labours and euery way inuironed with dangers By all these as by the dearest teares of our inward hearts wee craue some mercy and commiseration For it lyeth in you to make an end of al troubles and to giue vs an happy issue of them by opening vs a passage thorough your countrey that we may no longer wander in this desolate wildernesse The reason may be thus concluded If we haue bin long vexed and euilly handled now at length pity vs giue vs passage But we haue bin long vexed and euilly intreated Therfore at length pitty giue vs passage The third reason is verse 16. We cryed vnto Reason 3 the Lord he heard vs sent his Angel and hee deliuered vs. As if they should say Consider the example of God a perfect patterne of all righteousnesse he hath in mercy looked vpon our misery bee you like to him that yee may find mercy in the day of trouble It is not meet to leaue them destitute of helpe and succour whose safety God commendeth and committeth vnto you by his owne example All humane things are vnstable and vncertaine yee know not what hangs ouer your own heads The reason may be thus considered If God haue begun to be mercifull it is not meet that you should be vnmercifull But God hath begun to shew vs mercy Therefore it is not meet you should be vnmercifull The fourth reason is verse 17. and 19. Wee Reason 4 will not goe through the fields nor the vineyards c. As if they should say We desire not to helpe our selues to hurt you wee will keepe the kings high way wee will deale iustly toward all wee will offer wrong and iniury to none no not to the meanest simplest and poorest if any among vs shall take from any man by open oppression or forged cauillation wee will make satisfaction and restitution The reason is thus gathered If wee will doe no wrong or iniury to any among you then suffer vs quietly to passe But we will doe no wrong or iniury to any among you Therefore suffer vs quietly to passe This was the Ambassage of Moses this was the petition offered these were the reasons rendred thereof Now let vs see the answer of Edom denying their petition and passage thorough their countrey For fearing peraduenture the multitude of the Israelites and thinking they would make more hast to enter into their land then to depart out againe being as euill men are euer suspitious and think others as subtill and deceitfull as themselues the Edomites giue them this short but sharpe answer Thou shalt not passe So that when a man hath to deale with vniust and cruell enemies whether he vse few reasons or many all is one The Ambassadours of the Israelites whether they gaue present reply resolution of themselues or first returned to Moses is vncertain made supplication againe and renewed their request promised to abstaine from all termes of hostility offered money for water and euery commodity they should vse yet they currishly and vnkindly shut vp their compassion and issue forth with all their strength to stop their passage verifying that which Salomon saith â— 10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruel wherefore Israel turneth from them another way This is the substance of this diuision and the order obserued by the Spirit of God in the same now let vs proceed to the doctrines offered herein to our considerations first the generall and after come to the particulars Ver. 14. Then Moses sent messengers from Kadesh vnto the king of Edom. Albeit Moses himselfe were shut out of the land of promise yet he beareth the iudgement of God patiently and laboureth that the people may enter And albeit the Israelites were assured to possesse the land of Canaan had the vnchangable word and oath of God to themselues and their fathers for their farther confirmation yet it doth not make them idle and secure but it stirreth them vp to vse all good and lawfull meanes to effect the same â—ine lawfull â— to â— gods â—ace From hence we learne that it is the duty of all Gods children to vse all good meanes to further his prouidence I say howsoeuer God standeth not in need of our helpe to bring his purpose to passe who is able without all meanes against all meanes and aboue all meanes to worke out his owne will yet it is the part of all the godly to further his decree and determination by vsing all meanes that God shall put into their hands This wee see verified in this booke Nunm 13.17 where we see the diligent search of the land made by the messengers that Moses sent viewing their cities their countrey and the people that were the inhabitants therof so that albeit the land was promised of God mercifully yet it must be searched of them diligently The like practise we see in other the seruants of God When Gideon was sent to be the deliuerer of the people and commanded to goe in his might Iudg. 6.14 and 7.7 8. hath assurance giuen him to preuaile ouer the enemies and to saue Israel out of the hand of the Midianites yet he did not run and rush naked into the battell but tooke with him men and munitions vitailes trumpets pitchers and other instruments to set forward the worke of the Lord which he had to doe The necessity of vsing the helpes of second causes that God affordeth and endeuouring to the lawfull meanes appointed is shewed by the Apostle Paul for albeit the Angels of God had told him there should be no losse of any mans life among them saue of the ship onely yet the decree
the field to be tried like the fresh-water soldier that dreameth of victory before the battell Abraham then knew that he loued the Lord indeed with al his heart when he had sealed it vp with forsaking his country fathers house And God commanded him to offer vp his son to proue his faith So he humbled the Israelites and made them hungry Genesis 22 1. Heb. 11 27. Deut. 8 16. to teach and to proue them that hee might do them good at the latter end Reason 2 Secondly in respect of their enemies he will also try them whether they will shew pitie or not God hath made the needy and oppressed his treasurers and offereth those men as Obiects and occasions to open their bowels of compassion If they shut their eies and stop their eares from the cry of the poor that are in trouble they are made without excuse and themselues shall cry in the day of affliction when they shall not be heard Thus he tried the heart of Pharoah Exod. 3 18. when the Israelites put vp a supplication vnto him to let them go 3. daies iourney into the wildernesse to offer sacrifice Thus he tried the rich glutton when hee sent distressed Lazarus to his gate shewing what was the liberality of one by the pouertie of another Reason 3 Thirdly in respect of the Church of God that should acknowledge God to be the Author of euery good gift and should flye vnto him in their miseries who hath the hearts of all men in his own hand to dispose of them as seemeth good in his diuine wisedome Hee turned the heart of Esau to fauour Iacob who came against him with a band of men Let vs first of all come into the presence of GOD humbling our selues before him confessing our sinnes acknowledging our vnworthinesse of the least of his mercies and praying him to turne the hearts of our enemies to fauour vs according to the promise of his owne mouth who hath said that wheÌ„ the waies of a man please God Prou 16 7. he will make euen his enemies to bee at peace with him Thus hauing reconciled our selues to God let vs not doubt but that bee which brought water out of the hard Rock wil mollifie the stony harts of our greatest aduersaries wil make them instruments of our greatest good This we see practised by Nehemiah Nehem. 2 4 5 who prayed vnto God to giue him fauour in the sight of that heathen king and hee obtained his request The vses are these First seeing it pleases God Vse 1 to make his owne people to creep and crouch to his and their enemies we see it is lawfull in our necessitous estate to craue almes releefe of our enemies and those that hate vs to helpe vs for our needfull sustentation This condemneth the nicenesse and scruple of those that hold it vnlawfull to buy and sell to deale and Trafficke with the enemies of the Church or to be any way indebted or beholding vnto them But as we are commaÌ„ded to do good to them that are without and are debters to all men that are our owne flesh and are inioyned to succour theÌ„ in their necessities so far as we do not maintaine and helpe them against Christ so is it fitting our profession when God denieth other meanes to aske releefe and refreshing of them otherwise we tempt God in despising such meanes as he openeth vnto vs for our good Let vs not disdaine or refuse to take at the hands of men but withall acknowledge it to come from God the cheefe giuer whosoeuer be the instrument 1 Kings 1â— as Eliah receiued meat of the Rauens both morning and euening Secondly let vs neuer promise any certainty Vse 2 or assurance of the things of this life For as the Kings daughter is saide to be all glorious within so the comelinesse beauty Psalme â— and happinesse of the Church standeth not in meate nor drinke but in righteousnesse of life Rom. 14 â— peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost in the louing countenance of the Lord towards his seruants For the things that are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternal So Salomon sayeth Riches remaine not alwaies 2 Corin. â— Prou 27 â— and 23 â— nor the Crown from generation to generation And againe Trauell not much to be rich but cease from thy wisedome wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon nothing For riches taketh her to her wings as an Eagle and flyeth into the heauen And indeed this is the cause why men beare want and pouerty so impatiently because they promise immortality vnto themselues make an act of perpetuity and wholly toyle and moyle for the mucke of this world They dreame sweetly of dwelling for euer vpon the earth and make their mony and riches the god of their refuge Iob 31 â— 1 21. If Iob had made gold his hope had sayd to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence he could neuer haue spoken this in the patience of his soule The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. 1 Tim. â— Therfore the Apostle teacheth that if we haue food rayment we ought therewith to be content For we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out Wherfore let vs often and seriously enter into the meditation of the poore and low estate of the church driuen many times into a corner and constrained to seeke helpe of others thereby to teach our selues the vncertainty and slippery state of all humane things Lastly take this low estate patiently whensoeuer Vse 3 such extremities do befall vs as the lot that God hath appointed vs. â—or 10 13. Let vs consider that no tentation hath ouertaken vs but such as appertaineth to man and God is faithfull which wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that wee are able but will euen giue the issue with the tentation that we may be able to beare it 〈◊〉 12 11. â—6 Indeed euery affliction for the present is greeuous and not ioyous but afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vnto them that are thereby exercised So then we must know that we haue neede of patience that after we haue done the will of God we may receiue the promise And without this heauenly grace considering the present or eminent calamities of the Church we shall neuer be able to holde out our profession vnto the end We shall neuer apprehend the loue of God in our sufferings but be alwaies grudging repining and rebelling against the will of GOD. This made the Apostle to say â—p 4 11. I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to bee content Let vs not therefore in our necessities and calamities fret and fume rage and bee angry against God but pray for this patience the silence of the heart which is much set by of God For albeit the affliction
round about them yea whithersoeuer they went out the hand of the Lord was sore against them So that the people of God are oftentimes driuen to the wall and constrained to yeeld vnto the violence of bloody and cruell enemies Neither can we maruaile at the Lords doing Reason 1 if we consider First that his owne people sinne against him and therefore God is euen compelled to correct and chasten them howbeit in mercy not in his fury for their instruction not for their destruction This the Prophet teacheth Lam. 1 3 4 5. Iosh 7 1 4. What father doth not correct when he seeth his children run astray though he loue them deerely So God chasteneth his deerest Saints and seruants because they should not be condemned with the world It is the sinne of the godly that causeth him to lay sundry troubles and his heauy hand vpon them â—h 1 6. â—niel 9 5. â—ut 28 41. causing him to correct seuerely eueÌ„ those that he loueth most dearely as he did Dauid and diuers other of his people that we should repent thereof that God may ceasse smiting of vs. Reason 2 Secondly he maketh the aduersaries preuaile ouer his children that they may learn to rest in God alone to put their trust affiance in him and not to relie vpon vaine man who is lighter then vanity it selfe We are ready to rest vpon our selues vpon an arme of flesh rather then vpon the liuing God â—â—â—â—e 30 6. as Dauid in his prosperity said I shall neuer be moued Some trust in Horses and some in Chariots which are deceitfull helps some in Princes whose breath is in their nostrils it is expedient therfore that God should leaue vs for a time in the hands of our enemies that we may learne our owne weaknesse and acknowledge his goodnesse Chron 33 â— 12. Thus he dealt with Manasseh when hee gaue himselfe to sorcery fell into idolatry shedde much innocent blood with all cruelty when he did euill in the sight of the Lord and caused Iudah to erre and to do worse then the heathen He was led away prisoner into Babilon being put in fetters and bound in chaines But when he was in tribulatioÌ„ he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers He learned that in Babylon which he could neuer learne at Ierusalem profited more lying in prison theÌ„ he did sitting on his throne and he got more true godlinesse in his heart in the daies of his captiuity then euer he gained in the time of his prosperity Reason 3 Thirdly to harden the hearts of the enemies that they may run forward to their owne confusion For a little prosperity puffeth them vp thereby they sorget God they grow in malice and madnesse and tip their tongues with the venome of their hearts Sometimes they are lifted vp on high that God may giue them the greater downe-fall So he dealt with the men of Ai Iosh 8 6 after they had smitten many of the Israelites with the sword they rushed headlong out of the City to their owne ruine and destruction So he dealt with the wicked Beniamites triumphing in their victories glorying in their owne strength and saying one to another Surely they are smitten downe before vs as in the first battaile but the iudgment fell vpon their owne heads Iudg. 20 39. Vse 1 The vses remaine First we learne heereby not to measure the Church or the truth of religion by outward prosperity or peace which is a deceitfull measure and a false rule seeing God often humbleth his seruants vnder his their enemies True it is God sometimes giueth vnto his Church a flourishing estate in wealth and peace in glory and visible beauty to giue therby euen a taste of all kind of earthly blessings and that they might haue opportunity to serue him euery kinde of comfort and encouragement in well doing yet he oftentimes altereth the outward estate of the Church in this world and changeth the condition of his seruants from one extreme to another Let vs not therefore measure the fauor and loue of God towards our selues or others by the blessings or aduersities of this life Here the wicked many times flourish and flow in peace when the godly liue in great griefe and misery and on the other side the godly somtimes prosper haue rest and a time of breathing and refreshing granted vnto them wheÌ„ the wicked are in great distresse This is it which the wiseman teacheth Eccl. 9 1 2. All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked so that no man knoweth either loue or hatred of all that is before them No man can esteeme by any outward estate whether he be loued or hated of God for neither do the righteous alwaies prosper neither are the wicked alwaies crossed and afflicted but the wicked flourish more commonly and more gloriously then the iust and the hand of God lieth heauier and sorer vpon the godly then vpon the vngodly both sorts are subiect to death both are laide in the graue Hierom. in Eccles chap. 9. without any shew or appearance of difference between the one the other The loue of God toward the beleeuers is not discerned by the eye but apprehended and imbraced by faith Secondly we must learne not to publish Vse 2 spread abroad the miseries and calamities of the Church that the enemies may not reioyce in the daies of her tribulation We ought not to blaze bruite abroad the priuate infirmities of priuate persons Leuit 19 16. Pro. 26 20 21.22 lest we kindle coales of hatred and contention take away the good name of our brother much more are we forbidden to divulge the miseries and afflictions of the Church to giue occasion to the enemy to reioyce and solace himselfe in the sorrowes of the Saints of God We know the rage of enemies nothing is more ioyfull to them then to heare of the distresses and desolations therof Therfore Dauid after the slaughter of Saul and Ionathan by the sword of the enemy prouoketh to this duty 2 Sam. 1 19 20. O noble Israel he is slaine vpon thine high places how are the mighty ouer throwne Tell it not in Gath nor pubish it in the streetes of Askelon lest the doughters of the Philistims reioyce lest the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph Where he forbiddeth to tell and declare to the prophane enemies the fall and ouerthrow of the King his sonnes and hoast of Israel lest the Philistims should insult vpon them and scoffe at them and consequently blaspheme the God whom they serued and worshipped The like charge the Prophet Micah giueth speaking of the afflictions that should befall Israel and Iudah Their plagues are greeuous for it is come into Iudah Iudah the enemy is come vnto the gate of my people vnto Ierusalem Declare it not at Gath neither weepe yee in the house of Hophrah roule
heerein a speciall worke of Gods prouidence preseruing his owne truth and reseruing it to all posterity Few are found in the world to affect or regard the pure and sincere word of God in comparison of the multitude that seeke after humane wisedome and labour to know the nature of â—irds of Beasts of Fishes of Trees and of earthly things which delight the outward senses and rauish the vnderstanding of naturall men yet see how those bookes of Salomon that handle meere matters of humane Pâ—ilosophy which the wise men of the world hunt after are vtterly lost whereas the diuine bookes which he wrote by inspiration lesse regarded and more contemned are notwithstanding by the watchfull eye of God remaining and are reserued for the comfort of the Church for euer Lastly we reade of the Prophesie of Enoch Obiect 4 in the Epistle of Iude verse fourteenth who prophesied of the second comming of Christ in power and great glory with thousands of his Saints which Prophesie also seemeth to be among those bookes which are lost I answer Answer this could bee no Apochryphall Booke of holy Scripture for Moses was the first Penne-man or Scribe that wrote the holy Scripture whose fiue bookes are perfect and contained in them sufficient instruction for that CHVRCH whereas that Prophesie did not nor indeed could not Secondly it cannot appeare that this Prophesie was euer written Iude ver 14. It is said he prophesied foretolde the end of the world by the Spirit of God in that most corrupt age that hasted to destruction to the end that such as were ordained to eternall life might beleeue and the rest being hardened might bee made without excuse but it is no where said It was written It is said to bee a Prophesie but no word or mention is made of the writing of this Prophesie so that it seemeth the Apostle learned it by tradition from the father to the sonne as the Apostle Paul setteth downe the names of the sorcerers that withstood Moses and Aaron Neither let the Church of Rome lay the foundation of vnwritten traditions vppon this ground-worke seeing we deny not al vnwritten traditions conueied from hand to hand but only such as are made rules of Gods worship matters of faith and parts of religion necessary to saluation To conclude therefore seeing the prouidence of God the fidelity of the Church and diligence of the faithfull is so great that the whole body of the Canonicall Scripture hath beene kept entire and perfect without losse or lacke of any part or parcell of it of any booke or sentence we must detest the blasphemous shufflings shiftings of the Church of Rome that make the Scripture to be a maimed lame and vnperfect doctrine Censu Colon. dial 6. Concil Trident. sess 4. not containing all things necessary to faith and saluation whereas the Apostle teacheth that the whole Scripture inspired of God is able to make vs wise vnto saluation 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17 through the faith which is in Christ Iesus and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works Verses 10 11 12 13. And the Children of Israel departed thence and pitched in Oboth c. Here we haue painted and portraied out as in a Table certaine stations and iournies of the Israelites wherein wee may behold as in a glasse the prouidence of God protecting theÌ„ and the obedience of the people following him We see how they remoue from place to place in the wildernesse they are neuer long at one stay but either they went forward or backward as the sea continually ebbeth or floweth Now as the Land of Canaan was a figure of their rest in the kingdome of heauen so their wandring vp and downe in the wildernesse did figure and represent the condition of their life to bee vaine and transitory in this world Doctrine The faithfull are forreigners and strangers in this life We learne from hence the state of the faithfull what it is we are pilgrims and strangers in this life we are as guests lodging heere for a night but by and by we must depart and be dislodged we haue heere no continuing City This the faithfull haue in all ages confessed Iacob being brought into the presence of Pharaoh saith The whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty yeares few and euill haue the daies of my life beene Gen. 47 9. But we may say the daies of our pilgrimage are threescore yeares and ten if haply we reach so farre to which not one amongst an hundred cometh few indeed and euill we may truely call them This Abraham pleadeth Gen. 23 4 Gen 15. â—3 wanting a place of buriall to interre his dead I am a stranger and a forreigner among you giue mee a possession of buriall with you Thus he confesseth it went with him in Canaan neither was his estate any better elsewhere This the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth though a great King Psal 39 12. Heare my praier O Lord and hearken vnto my cry keepe not silence at my teares for I am a stranger with thee 1 Chr. 23 15 and a soiourner as all my fathers our daies are like a shadow vpon the earth and there is none abiding So then we see what our life and condition is wee are altogether vanity like grasse that soone withereth wee are as tenants at the will of the Lord our age is as nothing it passeth as a tale that is soone told it is as an hand-breath quickly measured surely euery man in his best estate is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe The reasons First all our daies are stinted Reason 1 and limitted as they are short and vaine so they are vncertaine and vnknowne The strongest natures and constitutions that seeme to be framed setled as a sure building to continue for many yeares yet are soone cut off are no more We see this confirmed by the daily experience of many examples as in Vzzah suddenly smitten 2 Sam. 6 7 in Iobs children quickly ouerwhelmed Iob 1 19 in Ananias and Sapphira presently destroyed Acts 5 5 10 in the rich man that had his soule in one night taken from him Luke 12 20 and in a continuall beholding the hand of God striking as pleaseth him If then vncertainty be an apparent argument of vanity we may conclude from hence our life to be vaine transitory inasmuch as God reuealeth not when or where or how we shall die and bee taken out of this life We know not when we shall die at euen or at midnight at the Cocke-crowing or in the dawning When we lie downe we know not whether we shall rise againe when we arise whether wee shall lie downe againe except we be laid in our graue and make our bed in the dust Moreouer we know not where we shall die at home or abroad When we go out of our houses wee know not
theÌ„ seeing he hath railed on the hoast of the liuing God Whereby it appeareth how he strengtheneth his faith by the experience that he had in time past of Gods helping hand nothing doubting but the same God that had preserued him from the iaw of the Lyon and the paw of the Beare would keepe him in this single combate with that Champion that defied Israel This the Apostle Paul also concludeth 2 Cor. 1 9 10. We receiued the sentence of death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that yet heereafter he will deliuer vs. The Reasons follow First his gifts are freely and frankly bestowed he neuer repenteth Reason 1 of them he neuer changeth nor altereth that which is gone out of his mouth he giueth liberally and reprocheth no man Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 11. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance so that whom he loueth he loueth to the end Iohn 13 1. and where hee hath once shewed mercy he will perseuere in in his kindnesse and he that hath begun his good worke in vs will perfect the same vnto the day of Iesus Christ He neuer waxeth weary of well-doing but delighteth in the works of mercy When the Lord would reueale to Abraham the father of the faithfull his decree touching the destruction of Sodome he maketh this the reason and motiue to moue him vnto it because he had begun already to shew him mercy Shall I hide from Abraham my seruant that thing which I doe seeing that Abraham shall be indeed a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall bee blessed in him Gen. 18 17 18. If then he neuer repent him of his gifts that he hath bestowed nor reuoketh the riches of his graces that he hath granted Then we see that the giuing of one gift assureth that a multitude shall follow after as Leah said A company commeth Secondly he is mercifull to his enemies and Reason 2 them that hate him to such as neuer seeke after him or the knowledge of his wayes hee maketh the Sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the godly and vngodly yea his mercy stretcheth to the beasts of the field and the fowles of the ayre He prepareth showers for the earth he maketh grasse to grow vpon the Mountaines he giueth to beasts their food to the yong Rauens that cry Psal 147 8 9 and 36 6 7. He saueth man and beast so that we may boldly say How excellent is thy mercy O Lord thâ—refore the children of men trust vnder the shadow of thy wings He is mercifull to our bodies in him we liue and moue and haue our being hee hath giuen vs life and breath much more therfore will he be the GOD of our spirits and maintaine our spirituall life with the continuance of his graces and sending fresh supply of his Spirit after he hath once giuen vs faith and wrought our conuersion he which hath vouchsafed some portion as it were the first fruites of his mercy will adde greater store of mercy vnto it as it were store vpon store and heapes vpon heapes The vses are next to be considered First Vse 1 we learne from hence to acknowledge his great mercy that maketh mercy the seale of mercy and one grace as the pawne pledge of receiuing and obtaining a new grace O the vnspeakable mercies of God who can sound the bottome of them or who can ascend vp to the height of them Can any tongue expresse or hart conceiue this goodnes of God teaching vs to draw an argument from his first mercy to a second and from a second to a third alwayes to arise from one degree to assure another to conclude a farther proceeding from the first beginning What man or woman hath not receiued thousands and ten thousands of mercies from the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1 3. and much consolation from the Father of all consolation and thereby so many comforts to his owne soule to assure him that he will neuer forsake him so that we may boldly with a cheerefull heart say Lord be mercifull to vs because thou hast begun to be merciful we haue receiued much mercy therefore continue thy mercy toward vs not because wee haue beene good and profitable seruants to thee or haue deserued thy fauour but because thou hast beene gracious to vs. If our owne workes if our obedience if our righteousnes were to be made the ground reason to perswade the Lord to haue compassion on vs we should build vpon a weake and sandy foundation our comfort were gone and our hearts should faile vs. For we know our owne wickednesse and our sinnes are euer before vs. But since former mercies are arguments of further mercies and the granting of one grace is a key to vnlocke the ga e and open an entrance for the rest to follow since the first loue is a testimony and token of more loue to be shewed and continued we abound with such arguments to moue his Maiesty blessed be his Name for them whereby we may be assured that he will adde mercy to mercy and fauour to fauour Thus we see how fruitefull the louing kindnesse of God is alwayes producing more as one Corne encreaseth an hundred fold This was the stay and staffe of Paul the Apostle when he was in danger of death and was brought vnto his answer At my answering no man assisted me but all forsooke me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge notwithstanding the Lord assisted me and strengthened me that by mee the preaching might bee fully knowne and that all the Gentiles should heare and I was deliuered out of the mouth of the lyon the Lord will deliuer me from euery euill work and will preserue me vnto his heauenly Kingdome to whoÌ„ be praise for euer euer Amen 2 Ti. 4 16 17 18. Secondly it is a speciall comfort to the afflicted when they are fallen into diuers tentations Vse 2 For when the Tempter cometh vnto vs and perswadeth vs that God hath cast vs off for euer and that we are none of his tempting vs to despaire of his mercy and suggesting vnto vs our vnworthinesse let vs record and recount Gods former mercies taking sweete comfort therein and stirring vp our selues to praier with assurance to be heard If he go about to perswade our harts by a strong illusion that we are not effectually called or freely iustified and elected or endued with faith and therefore shall be certainely condeÌ„ned let vs neuer yeeld to Satan nor to his Angels neither to their helpers assistants the flesh and the world When we are entised to commit sin yeeld not to the subtilties and suggestions of the diuell but flye from it and follow after the contrary vertue very earnestly When he calleth to our remembrance our sins
〈◊〉 35 â—â— and hearkened not to the words of Necho which were of the mouth of God The like we may consider oftentimes in the booke of Daniel when Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed a dreame which was not humane but diuine neyther of a naturall cause but of a supernaturall wherewith his spirit was troubled Daniel saide vnto him Dan. 2 28. There is a God in heauen that reuealeth secrets and sheweth the King what shall be in the latter daies The Reasons are euident First to set downe his great loue and fauour to his Children 〈◊〉 1. For as God did shew himselfe in sundry manners and speake by liuely voyce to the vngodly so in all the manifestations of himselfe vnto theÌ„ he had respect and reference to his Church as appeareth in the former examples Heerein therefore appeareth the wonderfull loue of God to his chosen people who hath the harts of all men in his owne hands and turneth theÌ„ about as pleaseth him This is that reason which the Prophet pointeth vnto Psal 105 13 14 15 where speaking of Abraham his posterity he saith Albeit they were few in number yea very few and strangers in the Land and walked about from Nation to Nation from one Kingdome to another people yet suffered he no man to do them wrong but reprooued Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Secondly it pleaseth God to make himselfe and his great Name knowne out of the limits and circuit of the Church 〈◊〉 2. to constraine euen the wicked to cleere him in his proceedings to acknowledge his iudgements to bee iust and righteous to giue sentence against themselues For God is holy in all his wayes and pure in all his works hee causeth their owne consciences to be witnesses against theÌ„ to accuse and to conuince them inasmuch as they become vnthankfull 〈◊〉 â— 2â— and do not glorifie him as God who is worthy of all glory and neuer leaueth himselfe without witnesse Acts 14 17. no not among the Infidels Thirdly he declareth and reuealeth himselfe Reason 3 to Infidels not because they be worthy but because by the mouth of the very Infidels he will strengthen and confirme his children True it is the cheefe and principall meanes which he vseth is to teach them by his seruants the Prophets and Apostles by Pastours and Teachers which he hath set in his church but he will also vse the tongues of prophane men to his owne glory comfort of his children This we see euidently shewed Iudg. 7 13. When Gideon came to the outside of the hoast of the enemies Behold a man told a dream vnto his neighbour and said Behold I dreamed a dreame and loe a cake of Barly-bread tumbled from aboue into the hoast of Midian and came vnto a Tent and smote it that it fell downe was ouerturned and his fellow answered This is nothing else saue the sword of Gideon for into his hand hath God deliuered Midian and all his host When Gideon heard the dreame deliuered and the interpretation opened he worshipped and returned into the hoast of Israel and saide Vp for the Lord hath deliuered into your hand the hoast of Midian Whereby we see that God made knowne his purpose to these vnbeleeuers for the strengthening of Gideons weake faith and the enabling of him to the worke whereunto he was appointed The vses follow First confesse from this Vse 1 dealing of God not onely that hee is great in â—ion and high aboue all the people but â—hat his Name is great glorious among his enemies He reigneth as King Psal 120.2 1 not onely ouer his Church but ouer all creatures and he maketh them to acknowledge his greatnesse stoop downe vnder his hand â—his we see in the Prophet Daniel chap. 6 26 27 by the decree that Darius wrote vnto all the people nations and languages that dwell in all the world I make a decree that in all the Dominions of my kingdome men tremble and feare the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish and his Dominion shall be euerlasting he refuseth and he deliuereth he worketh signes and wonders in Heauen and in Earth who hath deliuered Daniel from the power of the Lyons The like confession Nebuchadnezzar maketh before chap. 3 32 33. I thought it good to declare the signes wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me How great are his signs and how mighty are his wonders His kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and his Dominion is from generation to generation Secondly we see that God leaueth not men Vse 2 with out excuse because hee maketh knowne his truth vnto them they haue some meanes or other offered vnto them to teach them to acknowledge God and to glorifie him whom they haue acknowledged Rom. 1.20.24 So Christ our Sauiour speaketh to the obstinate Iewes Iohn chapter fifteene verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloke nor colour for their sinne Thus was Pilate the Iudge of Iewry conuinced in his owne conscience of wrongfull iudgement against Christ beeing warned of his wife to whom God had reuealed his innocency that he was a iust man as a Lambe vnspotted and vndefiled For the Euangelist Matthew testifieth that when Pilate was set downe on the iudgement seate his wife sent to him saying Haue thou nothing to do with that iust man for I haue suffered many things this day in a dreame by reason of him Mat. 27 19. This was no meere humane or naturall dreame Eccles 5 2. arising from multitude of busines or proceeding froÌ„ an euil constitution of the body or euill digestion of meate or such like ordinary causes as daily befall vs but it was diuine from the speciall instinct of God and the inspiration of the Almighty For as God the Father diuers wayes approued the innocency of Christ that it might appeare he dyed not for his owne offences but for ours for our redemption so did God send terror and trouble vpon the Iudges wife in the night season to discouer his hypocrisie make him without excuse altogether in condemning the Innocent that all the water in the wide sea was not able to wash away the guilt of his sinne much lesse the water he called for to wash his hands before the multitude when he saide I am innocent of the blood of this iust man looke you to it Math. 27 24. The staine of sinne soyleth the soule and defileth the conscience cannot be washed away with water which onely putteth away the filth of the flesh and clenseth the body but cannot enter any further Thirdly seeing God hath shewed and manifested Vse 3 himselfe to wicked men vnworthy of his fauour we may be certaine and well assured that he will neuer leaue his owne children destitute of instruction that call vpon his
not that a pit is digged and a snare to intrap them But behold how the Angel withstandeth reproueth and forbiddeth him againe to attempt any thing against his people We learne hereby Doctrinâ— God deliâ—reth from dangers 〈◊〉 knowne 〈◊〉 his peoplâ— Psal 22.9 that God deliuereth those that are his from dangers vnknowne to them and when they haue no power to deliuer themselues This the Prophet Dauid testifieth Thou didst draw mee out of the wombe thou gauest me hope euen at my mothers brests I was cast vpon thee euen from the wombe thou art my God from my mothers belly He prouided for his Church by selling sending Ioseph into the land of Egypt when they knew notâ—ing of the famine that was to come whereby he saued much people aliue Gen. 5â— â— neither were they any way able to saue themselues Herod the King inuented great mischiefe against the Messiah whereby also Ioseph and Mary were in danger he disclosed the secrer counsell of his heart to none 〈◊〉 13. but pretended worship towâ—â—d him yet wee see how God preserued them all from the imminent dangers which Christ through his tender age and his parents thorough ignorance of his bloudy purpose could not preuent by sending them out of the reach of Herod and commanding them to flye into Egypt The like we see in the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 12. where we reade of another Herod that slew Iames with the sword 〈◊〉 6. and put Peter in prison intending the next day to bring him forth to execution no doubt he kept his inâ—ent secret to himselfe yet by the earnest Prayers of the Church hee was deliuered from the imminent perill and the Church comforted In the dangerous voyage and shipwrack mentioned in the same booke wherein Paul was who had deserued well of al the Passengers had comforted them in their distresses and had assured them of safety yea they were all saued for his sake yet the vnmercifull vnthankful Souldiers consulted to kill him 〈◊〉 27 42 while he suspected nothing but the Lord deliuered him out of their hands and moued the hart of the Centurion to saue him Whereby we seâ— that the afflictions of the righteous are many some knowne to them and some vnknowne but the Lord in mercy is mindfull of them and bringeth them out of them all as hee did the Israelites in this place from the cursing and coniuring of this Sorcerer The Reasons seruing to confirme this doctrine are many First consider for this purpose the titles of God whereby hee is called for our comfort God is named a Father Will a father saue his sonne onely from the perils that he seeth before his eyes or will hee suffer him to runne into vnknowne dangers of fire or water which the childe could not vnderstand or vnderstanding could not preâ—ent but the father in his wisedome and prouâ—â—ence knoweth 〈◊〉 11. If we then that are euill know how to helpe our children how much more shall our heauenly Father that knoweth all things giue good things vnto hâ—s children God is called a shepheard will the Shepheard see the silly sheepe runne ignorantly into places of danger and not with his staffe bring them backe againe So the Lord watcheth ouer vs 〈◊〉 â—3 1 2 He will make vs rest in greene pasture and leade vs by the still waâ—ers so that his mercy and kindnesse shall follow vs all the dayes of our life Reason 2 Againe wee are garded by the Angels so that there are more with vs then are against vs. They are sent out to bee ministring spirits they incampe themselues about the Church for their protection Wherefore albeit we bee simple ignorant know not oftentimes the plots policies of our enemies yet seeing we haue such mighty helpers such safekeepers â—e must know that we shall not faile to be deliuered This the Prophet teacheth Psal 3â— 7 91.11.12 Thirdly God would stirre vs vp to bee Reason 3 thankefull and teach vs wholly to depend vpon him in all our dangers Now what is able more effectually to worke this in our hearts and to open our mouthes to the praise of our God then to haue a blessed experience of the comfortable presence of God for our deliuerance when wee neither know our owne miseries nor finde any meanes in our selues â—o rid our selues Therefore the Prophet promiseth being deliuered from the mouth of the Lyon to declare the Name of God vnto his brethren Psal â—2 20 22. and to praise him in the midst of the congregation Againe what may teach vs better to trust in him and to waite vpon him for our saluation then to consider his knowledge of our estate in the ignorance of our owne dangers Thus did Dauid behaue himselfe thus he did dwel in the secret of the most High Psal 91 2 3. and thus did hee abide in the shadow of the Almighty and being assured of his protection hee resteth in him I will say vnto the Lord. O mine hope and my fortresse he is my God in him will I trust he will deliuer me from the hunter and from the noysome pestilence The vses follow First this doctrine should Vse 1 direct vs and instruct vs to whom to go when we lie vnder the crosse For if God fore-see the dangers which wee ouer-see and keepeth vs from those perils that wee know not whither can we goe for helpe but vnto him Shall we goe to Saints or Angels Doubtlesse thou art our Father Esai 6â— 16. though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not Yet thou O Lord art our â—ather and our Redeemer thy Name is for euer Shall we trust in chariots or in horses An horse is a vaine thing to saue a man and shall not deliuer any by his great strength hope in the Lord Psal 33 17 and â—7 14 be strong aâ—d he shall comfort thine heart trust in the Lord. We cannot honour him more then when we depend vpon him and rest vpon his mercy This doth Ezra notably declare at the retuâ—ne of the Iewes from captiuity saying I was ashamed to require of the King an army Ezra 8 22. and horsemen to helpe vs against the enemy because we had â—â—oken to the King saying The hard of God is vpon all them that seeke him in goodnesse but his power hâ—â— wrath is against all them that forsake him e thought it fiâ—â—er far better to commit himselfe to the protection of God then by crauing these ordinary meanes to giue any occasion either to the weake brethren to doubt of Gods power or to obstinat enemies to blaspheme God and to say What is not the God whom ye serue able to defend you hee hath brought them out maliciously to slay them was not able to bring them againe into their land without our strength help Wherfore to stop the mouthes of the Gentiles to auoide all offences to strengthen those that were weak
idle thing to desire his last end to be like the righteous We see the vngodly liue and wax olde Iob 21 7 9 13. and grow in wealth their children prosper their houses are peaceable without feare the rod of God is not vpon them they spend their dayes in pleasures and sodainly they goe downe to the graue They are not afflicted with tedious diseases they are not tormented with long sicknesses they go away many times quietly as a Lambe their life is with greater delight their death is with greater ease then the life and death of the righteous But after this life beginneth the trouble and torment of the Reprobate Here they haue receiued their pleasures and the righteous their paines therfore these are comforted and the other confounded They must appeare before the iudgment seate of God they must come after this life to their triall they must all stand at the bar and pleade guilty or not guilty The consideration of this day of account immediately after the separation of the soule from the body made Balaam in this place cry out in the sight and feeling of the blessednesse of the Church Oh let my last end be like his From hence wee learne this principle of our faith Doctrine The reasonable soule of man is immortall That the soule of man is immortali hauing a beginning yet is without ending being seuered from the body it liueth in place either of ioy or of torment either it receiueth the reward of godlinesse or it is plagued and punished for wickednesse This appeareth by many testimonies of the word of God When the Lord had made mans body of the dust of the ground He breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a liuing soule able to liue of it selfe Gen 2 7 and by it self And afterward it is said Genes 5 24. with Heb. 11 17. Henoch walked with God and he was no more seene for God tooke him away to shew that there was a better life prepared and to be a testimony of the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body seeing hee was translated that he should not see death neyther was hee found for God had translated him Hereunto commeth the prayer of Simeon Luk. 2 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word he was ready willing to be loosed from the prison of the body and calleth death a departure from hence Likewise it is sayde in the Parable that Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16 22.23 the rich man also dyed was buried and was throwne into the torments of hel And at the passion of Christ hanging on the crosse when the penitent theefe praied Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome hee said Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Luke 23 43. Furthermore when the Lambe had opened the fifte seale Reue. 5 6 9. Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God for the testimony which they maintained Reason 1 The Reasons of this Doctrine are to bee known and considered of vs. First if the soule were not of an immortall Nature the godly of all other should be most wretched their life most miserable vnlesse they did beleeue that a time of refreshing should come from yâ— presence of God and contrarywise the condition of the vngodly should be most blessed and happy This the Apostle setteth downe 1 Cor. 15 19 20. And if the soule did not remaine after this life being separate from the body all Religion and piety were in vaine our preaching and your faith were in vaine Why are we in ieopardy euery houre and why suffer we affliction for righteousnes sake nay why do we not eate and drink for to morrow we must dye Reason 2 Secondly nothing that is immortall and transitory can cite a man before Gods Tribunall or terrifie for sinne vnknowne to any other But the soule of man accusing him for secret sinnes makâ—th him hold vp at his hand at the barre of Gods iudgement seate This we see in Belteshazzer when he saw the palme of the hand that wrote vpon the plaister of the wall of his palace Daniel 5 6. His countenance was changed his thoughts troubled him his knees smote one against another Before he was thus awaked he contemned the true God and blessed his Idols but when God manifested a small token of his power and presence he did shake tremble euery ioynt of him for feare of that sight This is the iustice of God reuenging the sinne of men that they should tremble at his iudgements that wretchedly abuse his mercies The like example we see in Felix albeit he loâ—ked for a bribe and set iustice to sale at offer and proffer yet when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come he quaked and quiuered at that discourse and was not able to endure the mention of it Now if the soule were subiect to mortality and to perish with the body it would not it could not thus accuse man nor draw him before the iudgement seate of God Thirdly the soule of man can reason of immortality Reason 3 it is vnsatiable in seeking knowledge and is not changed or altered with the estate of the body it contenteth not it selfe to rest satisfied with any thing in this life The more it knoweth 1 Cor. 8 â— the more it coueteth desireth to know the more it is able to learn It desireth blessednesse and happines it respecteth glory and good estimation after death it hath many actions and operations aboue sense and the naturall appetite of the body as to loue God to feare God to put our trust in him to beleeue in him to imbrace religion to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of hart The senses of the body cannot climbe and ascend so high to know God and to meditate on heauenly things nay they cannot reason define diuide number or order any thing Therefore the soule that performeth these things is a spirituall substance like vnto Angels not subiect to death or mortality Now let vs come to the Vses of this point Vse 1 of Religion and principle of our Fayth First it serueth to confute condemn all Atheists Epicures Libertines Sadduces and the late vpstart family of loue raised out of the ashes of the olde Saduces Ioseph antiâ— 18 cap 2 â—bel Iudaiâ— cap. 7. which deny the immortality of the soule These defie all Religion and deny any spirits either Angels of God or spirits of diuels or soules of men all which standing at defiance against heauen and bidding battel to the Lord himselfe shall one day know that they had once giuen vnto them immortal spirits when they shall be cast into vnquenchable fire and endure euerlasting torments The Euangelist noteth out this damnable sect of
what indignation yea what feare yea how great desire yea what a zeale yea what reuenge Where this care is not to please God and feare to fall againe and offend him there was neuer true repentance nor any feeling of the forgiuenes of former sinnes This were exceeding vnthankfulnes for mercy receyued and a turning of the grace of God into wantonnes to commit sinne anew that grace may abound Thirdly it is our duty to returne all praise and thankfulnes to God for this so infinit and vnspeakable mercy which appeareth in nothing more theÌ„ in the forgiuenes of our manifold sins It belongeth to God onely to forgiue sinnes therfore to him onely belongeth the glory of forgiuenes as being onely worthy to receiue all praise This Daniel confesseth in his praier O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day So the prophet Dauid prouoking all to praise the Lord alledgeth this as the cheefe reason to mooue them Which forgiueth all thine iniquities healeth all thine infirmities Psal 103 3. This also we see in the practise and example of the Apostle who mentioning his sinnes and magnifying the exceeding and abundant mercy of God in the pardon of them hee breaketh out into a thankesgiuing to the eternall God Vnto the King euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto God onely wise be honor and glory for euer euer Amen 1 Tim. 1 17. Rom. 7 25. If we haue tasted of this mercy let vs bee mindfull of this duty and if wee haue had experience of this forgiuenes let vs be carefull to expresse vnto him our thankfulnesse Fourthly wee must shew backe againe our loue toward our heauenly Father according to the measure of his loue toward vs. The greater sins he hath pardoned the greater loue should bee returned This is it which the Prophet professeth to haue wrought exceeding loue in his heart towards the Lord when he considered how gracious and mercifull he had bene vnto him Psal 116 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my prayer The practise of this duty is remembred and commended in the sinfull woman Luke 7 47. Many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much to whom a little is forgiuen he doth loue a little Let this example be continually before our eies Let vs examine our selues how neere we come vnto her in the practise of this duty Let vs behold our selues in her as in a glasse If wee haue had a blessed experience of Gods louing kindnesse toward vs in blotting out and burying our sinnes out of his remembrance let vs be answerable in loue to him againe who hath loued vs first Where little loue appeareth to God there is little knowledge of forgiuenes of sinnes Where no loue is there is no feeling of the comfort of this doctrine If we haue found God exceeding kinde and gracious vnto vs it will work an exceeding measure of loue where God hath assured and sealed vp that grace by his holy Spirit Lastly the receiuing of this mercy from God must worke in vs mercy toward our brethren that as we haue obtayned forgiuenesse of sinnes at his hands so wee should be ready to forgiue one another And so bee mercifull to others as our heauenly Father is mercifull to vs Luke 6 36. This our Sauiour teacheth in the parable of the King that would take an account of his seruants to wit that he requireth mercy where he hath shewed mercy and that iudgement shall be without mercy to him that sheweth no mercy Hence it is that the Apostle giueth this in charge Eph. 4 32. Colos 3 13. This we are also directed vnto in that forme of prayer which Christ did teach his Disciples and hath left vnto his Church warranting vs to aske forgiuenes as we feele our selues ready to forgiue This we are to apply vnto our selues and learne euerie day to be like to our heauenly Father Matth. 5 45. Who maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust If then we desire to be partakers of the goodnes of God in forgiuing the infinit debt whereby we are deeply indebted vnto GOD and would finde him mercifull vnto vs as euery one will seeme to be desirous of it let vs shew our selues ready to forgiue from our hearts the iniuries and offences done vnto vs. Among all testimonies that we may gather to our selues of Gods goodnesse and mercie towards vs none is more excellent more coÌ„fortable more certaine then this if we finde it in vs that is the pardoning and passing ouer the wrongs offered vs and a readines to forgiue euen our enemies that most enuy and hate vs and that frankely and freely as we our selues haue receyued forgiuenesse at the hands of God The Lord his God is with him These words containe the second priuiledge peculiar and proper to the Church which God hath bestowed vpon it to wit the presence of his Spirit True it is in regard of his essence and deity hee is euery where the heauen is his throne and the earth is his footstoole Psalme 139 7 8. So that we cannot hide our selues from his presence If we ascend into heauen he is there If we lye downe in the graue he is there if we take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea thither shall his hand leade vs and his right hand hold vs if wee say yet the darknes shal hide vs the night shall be light about him But in this place this prophesie poynteth vs vnto vs another presence to wit of his grace protection defence and deliuerance the presence of his Spirit sanctifying his children purging them from dead workes to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe Doctrinâ— It is a priâ—â—ledge of 〈◊〉 Church haue Goâ— presence his grace working in them regeneration and finishing all good things in them to bring them to euerlasting life We learne from hence That it is a great priuiledge of the Church to haue God present with it and president ouer it He is not farre off from those that are his howsoeuer in time of affliction and in the houre of tentation he seemeth so to them hee is neere vnto them he is euer with them he holdeth a gracious hand ouer them This is it which the Lord so often promiseth in his word truly performeth to the great comfort of all his children This is it which the Lord speaketh to Iacob going from his fathers house to Padan Aram Gen. 28 15. This also the Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth Psal 34 15 18. And lest any should restraine that exhortation and take it peculiarly to belong to him alone the Apostle extendeth it farther and applyeth it to all the people of God speaking to them as well as vnto Ioshua chapt 1 9. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is mine helper I will not fear what man can do vnto
ouer vs as he hath done them For are wee more excellent or better by nature or desert then they No by no meanes Eph. 2 1 3. we are borne dead in sinnes the heires of wrath as well as others This made the Apostle hauing made mention of the mercies of God shewed vnto him that had bene a blasphemer a persecuter and an oppressor to render thankes vnto GOD and to giue him the praise and glory Thou hast herein greater cause to blesse and praise the Name of GOD then for thy creation which onely gaue thee a being vpon the earth whereas this doth ioyne thee to GOD and entitle thee to the kingdome of heauen Verse 4. He hath said which heard the words of God and saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance Wee heard before how Balaam was inspired of God to deliuer vnto the Moabites Midianites and Ammonites the will of God Now here is offered to our considerations the meanes and manner that God vsed in giuing vnto him his diuine inspiration and that is by a vision or trance We heard before what a trance is to wit an extraordinary worke of the spirit vpon the whole man casting the body as it were in a deepe sleepe making the minde fit to receiue the things which are reuealed of the Lord. Thus it pleased the Lord to deale with Balaam at this present that his words might be knowne to be diuine not humane Doctrine In formeâ— times Goâ— reuealed dâ—uers thingâ— by visions From hence wee learne that God in former times hath reuealed diuers things vnto men by visions by dreames and otherwayes as seemed good to his heauenly wisedome God hath not vsed one meanes alone but diuers to speake to the world either by Angels or by the cloud or betweene the Cherubims or by Vrim or by dreames or by visions To this purpose there is a rule set downe Numb 12 6. If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be knowne to him by a vision and will speake vnto him by dreame This is further taught in the booke of Iob by the words of Elihu instructing Iob in the maner of Gods dealing with sinners shewing how God admonisheth them in dreames and visions God speaketh once or twice and one seeth it not in dreames and visions of the night when sleepe falleth vpon men and men sleepe vpon their beds Iob. 33 14 15. So when Paul was conuerted by the voyce of Christ the Lord spake to Ananias in a vision to goe vnto him and Paul likewise in a vision saw him comming in vnto him and putting his hands on him that he might receiue his sight Acts 9 10 12. When Peter lodging with one Simon a Tanner waxed hungry and would haue eaten he fel into a trance he saw heauen opened and a certaine vessell came downe vnto him as it had beene a great sheete knit at the foure corners and was let downe to the earth c. Acts 10 10 11. So the Apostle being compelled by the false Apostles to glory of himselfe maketh a rehearsall of the visions and reuelations of the Lord that were offered vnto him 2. Cor. 12 1. Vnto these examples wee might adde sundry others out of the Scriptures as of Iacob of Samuel of Ezekiel Gen. 46 â— of Daniel of Iohn all declaring that GOD vsed to reueale many things by visions to his seruants the Prophets and to others when it pleased him The reasons are First to discouer and Reason manifest his will vnto them sometimes to admonish them sometimes to teach them somtimes to terrifie them and alwayes to declare and reueale his heauenly pleasure vnto them as we heard before out of the booke of Iâ—b Iob 33 15 16. For it hath bene the ordinary maner of God euen from the beginning to warne comfort and declare what hee would haue done or forbid what he would not haue done both in the day time and in the night season partly by visions to such as were waking partly by dreames to such as were asleepe Reason 2 Secondly God would haue the reuelation of his will appeare to be onely his and not of themselues For howsoeuer it pleased the Lord to deale with his seruants and what way soeuer he vsed to signifie his good pleasure in all these cases he imprinted in the mindes and hearts of them to whom hee shewed himselfe certaine notes and euident tokens whereby they might expressely and manifestly know that it was his doing This we noted before to be one of the causes why it pleased the Lord to deale by visions that we should chalenge nothing to our owne selues but ascribe all vnto him Vse 1 Now let vs come to the vses First consider from hence the greatnesse and excellency of Gods hand who hath diuers wayes to reueale his will and to teach his people to call them and gather them vnto himselfe Some meanes he hath to preserue a sinner from falling and some to restore him being fallen He is the head Physician of the world he ministreth the best Physicke and of most sure and certain working He neuer faileth in his cures both because hee knoweth the nature of the disease and the working of the ingredient The woman in the Gospel diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeeres suffered many things of many Physicians and spent all that shee had yet it auailed her nothing but shee became much worse Marke 5 26. But such as seeke to God to heale the diseases of their soules and submit themselues to be his patients doe alwayes receiue from him health and depart from him better then they came Hee vseth partly preseruatiues and partly restoratiues He speaketh by admonitions in dreames and visions And these being ceased hee speaketh by chasticements and corrections he preacheth vnto vs by the Ministers of his word and by all meanes desireth to doe vs good True it is the diuell hath his visions being as it were the ape of God which are so many delusions of men as when hee maketh men beleeue they see that which they see not or perswadeth men strange things of themselues that they are that which indeed they are not 1. Sam 28.14 His drift and purpose in both is to deceiue and seduce But God vseth sundry meanes to draw vs to himselfe to draw vs out of our selues to draw vs to his kingdome He is not as a poore practitioner that hath but one plaster for euery sore or one medicine for euery disease he hath variety of meanes store of prouision for al maladies which serueth to commend vnto vs the goodnesse mercy greatnesse power and wisdome of God to be acknowledged and confessed of euery one of vs. Secondly wee learne that God neuer leaueth Vse 2 them destitute of a teacher that in a reuerent feare of his Name seeke vnto him and call vpon him We see he oftentimes admonisheth and informeth of his will such as are out of the Church and know him
asse are heapes vpon heapes with the Iaw of an asse haue I slaine a thousand men Iudg. 15 15 16. Thus the weake are made strong and the strong weake Likewise in the dayes of Saul the Israelites were all naked and vnarmed men 1 Sam. 13.19 and were not suffered to haue either swords or speares except Saul and Ionathan yet their enemies were discomfited and smitten downe before them Reason 1 The reasons are many that may be alledged First God is with his people and if hee be with them strength power courage and victory must be with them also so that they cannot fall vnlesse God fall with them which is vnpossible As then the cause is the Lords and the people the Lords and the battell the Lords so he can arme creatures of no account euen contemptible people to scourge great mighty nations Exod. 8 6 16. His souldiers in Egypt were caterpillers and flies his armies against the Philistims were mice God is infinite in power to doe as he will and what hee will and when he will and against whom he will in comparison of whom all flesh is fraile and feeble And as he is great in might so he is present in helpe and gaineth honour not by the bow nor speare nor legges of man but he fighteth for those that be his Thus doth Moses encourage the Israelites being pursued by the Egyptians Exod. 14 14. The Lord shall fight for you therefore hold you your peace Reason 2 Secondly to gain glory to his great Name seeing his power is seene in our weakenesse When our strength is smallest then is the glory of God greatest This made the Lord say vnto Gideon Iudg. 7 2. The people that are with thee are too many for me to giue the Midianites into their hands least Israel make their vaunt against me and say Mine hand hath saued me Thus Dauid assured both of the truth of his calling and the goodnesse of his cause encountereth with Goliah and sheweth that all the people should know that the Lord saueth not with sword nor with speare for the battell is the Lords 1. Sam. 17 47. So the Apostle teacheth that God vseth few weake and simple instruments to confound such as are greater in strength moe in number wiser in knowledge higher in estimation mightier in power stouter in courage That no flesh shall reioyce in his presence but he that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord 1. Cor. 1 19 31 Vse 1 Now let vs handle the vses of this doctrin First we conclude that the safty of the Church is onely of God and not of themselues so that flesh and blood is not to be rested and relyed vpon how great soeuer the meanes be and therefore the Prophet teacheth that the hilles of the robbers cannot helpe so that wee must relye on Gods helpe and cease from the man whose breath is in his Nostrils Esay 2 22. He that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright but the iust shall liue by his faith So than let vs cast away our vaine confidence in man whose life is so fraile that if his breath be stopped but a litle he is dead and cannot helpe himselfe or others God therefore must haue the praise and preferment aboue all creatures and be magnified aboue all the works of his hands Secondly this is a notable comfort and encouragement Vse 2 to doe constantly and cheerefully the duties of our calling notwithstanding the crosses and hinderances to the contrary For seeing it pleaseth GOD to put strength many times into those that are his to deliuer his Church by weak meanes against strong men let vs proceede with boldnesse in the workes of our profession and deale with a good conscience assuring our selues that God is not farre from vs. Whensoeuer wee heare of the wicked combining themselues conspiring together against the Church taking crafty counsell among themselues our hearts quake and tremble and we are brought oftentimes to our wits end wee are greatly perplexed and disquieted as the trees of the forrest are moued by the winde Esai 7 2 but we must consider that the victory is of GOD which casteth downe the mighty from their seat and exalteth them of low degree Thus doth Moses comfort Israel terrified and dismayed by the euil report the spyes had broght vp vpon the land Numb 14 8 9. If the Lord loue vs be will bring vs into this land and giue it vs which is a land flowing with milke and hony but rebell not ye against the Lord neither feare yee the people of the land fâ—r they are but bread for vs their shield is departed from them but the Lord is with vs feare them not A notable staffe to stay them vp both in respect of the presence of God with them and of his departure from their enemies And that which was a stay to them must serue also to comfort and refresh vs in all discouragements to consider that we haue a sure buckler with vs but the shield is departed from our enemies They lye open to the stroke of Gods hand he wil draw out his glittering sword against them they shall finde no shield to award the blow They are in a wofull case that hauing the Lord to be their enemy and no armour of defence vppon them to helpe themselues Wherefore whensoeuer we see these enemies of God and his people multiply and increase so that they seeme as a violent streame ready to beat down all things before them let not this disturbe or disquiet vs but learne to waite vpon God who will shew himselfe a present helpe and our GOD in the time of neede This tentation that the enemies are many and that few stand for vs few haue courage for Gods truth few shew themselues in good causes doeth greatly weaken our hearts and maketh them melt away as water we straight way conclude that the enemies must needes preuaile for we are weake and few But know this O ye of little faith and of so great feare that a good cause shall neuer faile albeit there be but few and those feeble to maintaine it Ionathan relying on God 1. Sam. 1â— 6. after his calling and a manifest signe to confirme him goeth on with a noble courage and resolution saying It is not hard to the Lord to saue with many or with few The worke of God was neuer set forward by the greatest number nay the profession of God alwayes had the fewest in number yet no enemy was able to stand against them The Apostles of Christ were few in number â— Cor. 10.4 5. and the weapons of their warfare were not carnall yet were they mighty casting downe the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of GOD and bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ Paul hauing appealed vnto Cesar and being brought to the defence of his cause saith At my first answering no man assisted me but all forsooke me I pray
the rest of the multitude were spared and the plague ceased which was begun in the hoast as appeareth in the words following Now albeit these were most liuely arguments of the wrath and indignation of God yet the Israelites continued with an high hand and a proud heart to prouoke the most High to his face so that one not of the least lowest but of the principall and cheefest among them brought an whorish woman into the hoast to despite God his people and religion This man thought it not sufficient to goe out of his Tent to those strange women but broght one of thē openly without shame into the Campe before his brethren Verse 14. before Moses and the other Magistrates yea to fill vp the measure of his abhominations to the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation therby blaspheming God reproching his Religion enticing his brethren insulting ouer Moses and the whole assembly that cryed vnto God for mercy to stay his iudgement and to spare his people Loe such was the impudency of this Zimri that notwithstanding the tumults and hurly-burlyes in the hoast yet he is not moued to repentance eyther with the punishment inflicted vpon the malefactors or by the plague of God raging among his brethren or by the teares and supplications of the godly entreating for pardon lying prostrate at the doore of the Tabernacle but in the middest of all these iudgements neyther fearing GOD nor reuerencing man he seeketh to satisfie his filthy lust in the sight of the Sunne and in the open view of all his brethren euen of the whole hoast Verse 1. Now whilst Israel abode in Sittim Before we come to speake of the sinne of the people it shall not be amisse to consider the occasion whereby they fell into sinne Wee haue heard how Balaam being hyred to curse Israel could not for God stayed and restrained him who was greedy of the wages of iniquity Wherefore he counselled Balak to bring the people to destruction by procuring them to fall into some sinne Thus he layde a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel and thereby did draw them to spirituall and carnall fornication For whatsoeuer the Israelites heere committed they did through the counsell and procurement of Balaam From hence we learne that it is a particular note of false Teachers Doctrine It is a note of false teachers to lay stumbling blockes before men and false doctrines to set stumbling blockes before men to draw them to vncleannesse and wickednes eyther against the first or second Table or both I say false Teachers which are the instruments of Satan who he hath thrust into the church haue this speciall care to bring the seruants of God into wickednesse to draw them to idolatry and to destroy theyr faith To this purpose Moses teacheth Deut. 13 1. that false Prophets shall set before them this end to entice the children of God to serue false gods but true Idols This the Prophet Ezekiel noteth chapter 13.19 that they made Gods word to serue their bellies and taught carnall liberty sowing pillowes vnder euery arme hole polluting the Name of God for an handfull of Barley and for a peece of bread slaying the soules of them that should not dye giuing life to the soules that shold not liue crying peace where God proclaimeth open warre lying to the people that heare theyr lies The Scribes and Pharisies corrupted the law by false interpretations and expositions Math. 5 22. as appeareth in the Doctrine of Christ reducing the Law to the true meaning of the Law-giuer So the Apostle declareth that those rauening wolues which should creepe into the Church of God purpose to make hauocke of the people of God I know this that after my departing shall greeuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Acts 20 29. The Apostle Paul prophesying of the comming of Antichrist calleth the doctrine of Antichrist The mystery of Iniquity 2 Thess 2 7. It is the common practise of the Iesuites and Seminary Priests scattered heere and there in the Land to bring the people to Idolatry The Reasons of this truth are manifest Reason 1 First from the counsell of God for albeit no wickednes be in the most High yet it is his wisedome and power to draw good out of euill as he did light out of darknes that so they which are his may be tryed that their faith may be proued their loue to God and the trueth manifested and his children alwayes exercised that they may be made the more carefull and watchful and so finde by experience how they can stand out vnto the end of theyr dayes in all holy obedience This reason is laide open in the thirteenth chapter of Deuteronomy verse 3. where the doctrine hath his confirmation If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams and giue thee a signe or wonder thou shalt not hearken to the words of the Prophet for the Lord your God proueth you to know whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soule And the Apostle teaching that God hath appointed that heresies shall be in the Church annexeth this reason that the faith of Gods children seated in the heart may be made manifest There must be euen heresies among you that they which are approued among you might be knowne 1 Cor. chap. 11. Another Reason is in the malice of those Reason 2 wicked men themselues For this is the nature of the diuell and the property of diuellish men and the cruelty of them both they carry a continuall hatred to the truth and the professors of it they seeke to make a spirituall slaughter and hauocke of the flock of Christ Therefore the Apostle exhorting the Elders of Ephesus prophesyeth that greeuous wolues should rage against the sheepe of Christ yea of their owne selues should men arise speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them Act. 20 30. All wolues do account and finde by experience the blood of Lambes to be sweeter thē the blood of all other beasts and therefore they are sheep-byters rather then hog-byters or dog-byters The prophane and heathen are in the power and possession of Satan already he hath made sure of them his cheefest labour and endeuour is to circumuent and subuert the seruants of God So his instruments do hate the faithful as the wolfe doth the sheep the lambes are milde peaceable and simple the wolfe bloudy beastly and cruell therefore no maruaile if they seeke to suppresse the truth and to ouerthrow the seruants of God which are the professors and maintainers of the truth 2 Tim. 3 8. Now let vs apply this doctrine to our seuerall Vse 1 vses First we may assure our owne harts of this that so long as this world continueth the Church shall neuer bee without vncleane beasts to assault it eyther heretiques or false seducers or hyrelings that regard the fleece more then the sheepe the dignity more then
the duty the profite more then the labour Some are cruell and sauage wolues not sparing to deuoure the flocke by open violence Some are cunning and crafty Foxes vndermining the faith of the faithfull Many vnstable people that are euer learning and neuer attaining to the knowledge of the truth are greatly offended because of the vanity and variety that is in mens opinions and heereupon they cry out they know not what way to take they know not what doctrine to receiue they do not know in such diuersities what to beleeue This scandall is hereby remoued and this obiection answered For seeing we learne that the end of wolues and seducers is to be occupied about Gods people to ruine them it followeth that the Church of Christ vpon earth shall alwayes haue some of these wolues and false Teachers carrying a shew of lawfull Pastors but indeed are rauening wolues Wolues shall alwayes be in the Church of one sort or other such as teach false doctrine or persecute Gods seruants or louing the hyre more then the sweate or heate of the day and the wages better then the worke and the gaines rather then the paines and labour Christ our Sauiour whē the Pharisies had spoken against him Iohn 7 47. and 8 13. and 9 16 24 and sought both by perswasion and excommunication to leade away the people to make the faithfull wise against their practises declareth his office and person in a Parable Iohn 10 14 30. wherein he compareth Gods chosen to sheepe and himselfe to a Shepheard by this occasion he aduertiseth them of three sorts of Teachers which meddle with the flocke of God the first is a Shepheard the second an hyreling the third a theefe and a robber Christ also testifieth that there shall bee false Christs and false Prophets in the Church that shall deceiue if it were possible the elect of God Math. 24 24. So then we are not to wonder at it as at a strange thing when we see diuersity of iudgements and contrariety of opinions nor by by to say A notable subtilty of the diuell to seduce men Alasse what shall we doe that are simple There are great Doctors of one side and as great Doctors of the other side I will neuer be setled in religion till all be agreed This is a notable illusion of the diuell and a subtle delusion whereby vnder a great shew of wisedom he draweth many to destruction For these men thinke they speake discreetly and wisely and yet they speak most ignorantly and foolishly For wilt thou not resolue of thy religion vntill there be a generall agreement and a full accord of all parts Then thou wilt neuer be setled nor resolued thou wilt neuer bee of any religion inasmuch as thou shalt neuer see that perfect concord which thou supposest surmisest Where the good husbandmā soweth his good seed the enuious will sowe his darnell Math. 13 25. Hence it commeth to passe that in the Church there haue alwayes beene Teachers against Teachers Prophets against Prophets Apostles against Apostles Preachers against Preachers For as God raysed vp his Prophets so hath the diuell his false Prophets as Christ chose his Apostles so the diuell called his false Apostles as God hath his Church so the diuell hath his chappell and as God hath two or three gathered together in his Name the diuell will haue twenty gathered together in his name When God sent Moses and Aaron to worke myracles in the sight of Pharaoh to warrant his calling and to bring his people out of the Land of Egypt the diuell had his two ministers Iannes and Iambres that withstood Moses and Aaron deluding the Egyptians and hardening Pharaoh in his euill When Ieremy had in the Name of God denounced captiuity to be brought vpon the people and determined the time to be seuenty years the diuell prouoked Hananiah a false Prophet to speake in the presence of all the people that within two yeares the vesselles of the Lords house shall be restored the yoke of Nebucadnezzar broken such as were carried away be deliuered out of captiuity Ierem. 28 3 11. When Micaiah prophesied the ouerthrow of Ahab and the scattering of Israel vpon the Mountaines as sheep that had no Shepheard 2 Kings 22 17 22 the diuell bestirred himselfe went out as a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets Heere we see Prophets teaching against Prophets and the seruants of God set against the seruants of the diuell This is it which the Apostle Peter witnesseth 2. Pet. 2 1 2. There were false Prophets also among the people euen as there shall bee false Teachers among you which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them c. True it is it is a great tentation when wee behold such difference and opposition Moses and Aaron saw the enchanters counterfet the signes and myracles which they wrought by the finger of God yet did they not distrust their calling nor cry out against God A man would thinke Moses and the Magitians to be of equall power and authority and one to bee esteemed as much as the other Thus the vngodly shall alwayes finde something to delude them and to hold them in blindnes Such as will not beleeue the truth shall be fed with dreames and be deceiued with lyes 2 Thes 2 10. Notwithstanding as the rod of Moses deuoured the charmers rod so the truth shall ouercome errors and the light of the Sunne shall abolish the darknesse of the night This the Apostle Paul alledgeth to comfort Timothy and in his person encourageth all the seruants of GOD and Ministers of his word shewing That he will prouide that his truth shall not alwayes be oppressed though it be suppressed for a season yet in the end it shall preuaile 2 Tim. 3 3 8. God will make it to be receiued and entertained when Satan and his instruments shall be confounded Albeit Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses and resisted the truth yet their madnes was made manifest to all Thus then we haue two manner of comforts when we see the truth not receiued Two cōforts when we see the truth of God gainsaid but resisted not beleeued but contradicted First because the Lord vseth vs no otherwise then he hath vsed his Church at all times and in all ages Moses and the Prophets had continuall warre made against them CHRIST and his Apostles were gaine-sayed and withstood therefore let vs take it patiently at this day if we suffer and sustaine the like measure at the hands of wicked and vngodly men For we must not looke that our condition should bee better then of Moses and the Prophets or what reason haue we to expect a priuiledge or prerogatiue aboue them Secondly the end shall alwayes be good the yssue blessed though it greeue vs to fight and the truth sometimes seeme to be in danger yea to be vtterly abolished let vs waite Gods leysure and consider that howsoeuer
Manna as a light meate he smote them with an exceeding great plague he slew the strongest of them and smote downe the chosen men of Israel so that the name of the place was called The graues of lust beecause there they buried the people that fel a lusting Numb 11.33 When Corah Dathan Abiram rose vp against Moses backed with certaine Captaines famous in the congregation and men of renowne they were swallowed vp of the earth and consumed with fire and on the morrow when the multitude murmured against Moses and Aaron saying Ye haue killed the people of the Lord Numb 16 41 49. hee sent a plague amongst them that quickely wasted consumed fourteene thousand and seuen hundreth besides them that dyed in the conspiracie of Korah When Dauid had sinned in numbering of the people and in glorying in his owne strength 2 Sam. 24 15 the Lord sent a pestilence in Israel and there dyed of the people from Dan to Beersheba seuenty thousand men The Apostle Iude produceth sundry examples to this purpose of the Angels that are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day of the Israelites who albeit they were deliuered out of Egypt yet were afterward destroyed beecause they beleeued not â—â—de 6 5. of those vngodly meÌ„ that turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and are ordained to condemnation The truth heere of shal more fully and wonderfully appeare in the day of iudgement when iustice onely shall bee executed and the Lord shew himselfe to the wicked onely as a terrible Iudge He shall come from heauen with al his mighty Angels with a great shout and with the Trumpet of God To render vengeance vnto them which know not God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 2 Thess 1 9. Then they shall say vnto the mountaines and rocks fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand Reuel 6 16. And to the end no doubt hereof should remaine Reason 1 in vs let vs consider the reasons The anger of God is as himselfe is infinite and without end so that nothing is able to stand before him This is it which the Prophet Dauid teacheth Psal 90 11. Who knoweth the power of thy wrath or of thine anger according to thy feare As if he should say when thine hand is any way heauy vpon vs no man standeth in awe of thine indignation and fearfull displeasure so much as thou and thine anger ought to be feared of vs. Heereunto accordeth the saying of the Prophet Nah. 1 5 6 The mountaines tremble for him and the hils melt and the earth is burnt at his sight yea the world and all that dwell therein who can stand before his wrath or who can abide in the fiercenesse of his wrath his wrath is poured out like fire and the rocks are broken by him If then his wrath be infinite without limitation of time without circumscription of place and without respect of person so that the heauens melt the mountaines are dissolued and the foundations of the earth are discouered it must needs be that when hee is moâ—ued his wrath is very full of rage and reuenge Secondly we must needs hold that plenty Reason 2 of desolation is made in the earth in the wrath of God if we consider the comparisons wherby it is expressed It is compared sometime to the roaring of a Lion which maketh all the beasts of the forrest to tremble It is a fearfull voice it maketh man and beast to stand in feare This the Prophet Amos expresseth The Lyon hath roared who will not bee afraide the Lord GOD hath spoken who can but prophesie Amos 3.4 8. Sometimes it is compared to a violent fire that spreadeth it selfe farre and neere This Moses did teach the people when he willed them to take heede to themselues lest they forgaâ—e the Couenant of the Lord their God and make to themselues any grauen image saying The Lord thy God is a consuming fire and a iealous God Deut. 4 24. 9 3. fire we know is fierce and fearfull wasting and deuouring al things before it so that nothing is able to resist the strength and force thereof VVe say in a common Prouerbe that fire and water are without mercy They are of an vntamed nature euen so is the displeasure of almighty God being prouoked by sinne intollerable vnspeakable vnsearchable without limitation of time of quantity or quality and therefore hee must needes bee armed with great wrath kindled against the vngodly Vse 1 The vses of this doctrine are very many but wee will stand onely vpon the principall First wee may conclude that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of so mighty a God It is extreme madnesse for any man to set himselfe against such a God Who is able to preuaile that hath him his enemy Take heed therefore God will not be mocked Are we stronger then he that wee should fight against him This is the vse which the Apostle maketh in the Epistle to the Hebrewes We know him that hath said Vengeance is mine I will recompence Hebr. 10 30 31 and againe The Lord shall iudge his people It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD. There is no iesting nor dallying with so fearefull and dreadfull a Maiesty who is so great in power glorious in holinesse fearefull in praises terrible in his anger and iust in all his doings Exod 15 11. The heauens and the heauens of heauens together with the earth and all the compasse of the world are not able to beare the least sparke of his displeasure when it is kindled the flame whereof shall burne vp the wicked and shall we play with him in his anger as with a little childe Alas then what shall become of the wretched soules of wicked and damnable men when his wrath shall smoke against them and the whole viole of his fury shall be powred downe vpon them O how miserable shall their anguish and tribulation be and how infinite and vnmeasurable theyr torment which shall be thus plagued condemned and cursed of the Lord what shall become of swearers drunkards whoremongers and such like in the day of the Lords wrath They shall wish that they had neuer bin borne Mat. 26 24 they shall thinke it a benefite if they had beene borne toades And if they could behold at the least in these their dayes but a shadow of the misery that remayneth for them and of the pit of destruction that gapeth for them it were sufficient to swallow them vp in heauinesse and make them euen dissolue themselues into teares and torments as passing all that can be spoken or thought thereof but now
of Tekoah when she pretendeth that one of her sonnes beeing slaine by the other the whole family rose vp against her to deliuer her son that was left her that they might kill him for the life of his brother she appealed to the king to be deliuered from the auenger of blood 2 Sam. 14 11. So 2 Kin. 6 28 8 3. The Shunamite hauing left her house and country thorough famine and in her absence some encrochers seizing vpon her land at her returne to whom goeth she but to the King to haue the same restored and he sent an Officer as it were the high Sheriffe to put her in possession againe and tooke order that they should make restitution vnto her both of her house and land all the fruites and reuenues thereof since the day shee left the Countrey See more Ester 7 3. Ier. 38 8 9. Act. 23 20 21. The Reasons First because God hath instituted Reason 1 appointed Magistrates to this purpose It is properly the office of God to be the reuenger of wrongs and to do iustice to all but he hath left Kings and Princes to bee his Lieutenants and set them to supply his place not to enrich themselues but for the good of the people as Rom. 13.4 He is the Minister of God for thy wealth not for his owne Secondly men are oftentimes constrained especially the faithfull to receiue many great wrongs iniuries from them whose might is as great as their malice If then Princes were not to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the church they must many wayes vndergo much danger and displeasure much hurt and oppression thus doth Ester reason ch 7 3 making petition for her people and her owne life For we are sold I and my people to be destroyed to bee slaine and to perish This reproueth all priuate men that forsaking Vse 1 the meanes that God hath left will bee Magistrates to themselues like Peter who when his Master was wronged drew the sword and smote off the high Priests seruants eare howbeit he is reproued of Christ Mat. 26 51. This is the disorder that Salomon complaineth of Eccl. 10 7. What then will some say Obiect shall wee suffer our selues willingly and wilfully to bee troden vnder foote as blocks and be exposed as spectacles and gazing stocks for euery one to insult ouer vs I answer No Answer God hath not left vs meerely in the hands of euill men but hath appointed vs to resort to the Magistrate But some will say Obiect wee haue complained to them oftentimes and we find no remedy they are deafe and will not heare they are partial and wiil not vnderstand they are carelesse will not helpe Answ Answ Be it so yet wee must not bee as malecontents to right our owne cause but rather continue from time to time to sollicite the Magistrate albeit he will not doe it at the first yet he may repent and doe it at the last We see this in the poore distressed widow mentioned in the Gospel remember her example Luke 18 3 4 5 shee came to an vniust Iudge and said Auenge me of mine aduersary and he would not for a while but afterward he said Though I feare not God nor regard not man yet because this widow troubleth me I will auenge her lest by her continual comming and importunity she weary me Thus it ought likewise to be with vs. Obiect But it will be said They are oftentimes wickedmen they looke for bribes and therefore wee haue little hope to haue helpe for them So was the iudge to whom the poore widow complained Answ So was Ahashuerosh wicked or else he would neuer haue sealed and set foorth so bloody and barbarous a decree for the vtter subuersion of the Iewes and besides he was an idolater and an infidel yet Esther petitioned vnto him and obtayned a gracious answer and they found a great calme after a great flaw of wind and weather that threatned shipwracke So had Pharaoh hardned his heart against GOD and his people and was no better then the former yet would not Moses and Aaron giue him ouer So was Cesar a prophane Prince yet Paul appealed vnto him from his owne countreymen the Iewes Acts 25 10. If any say Obiect we haue waited long and yet can find no redresse but matters rather grow worse and worse and we are euery day farther from succour then before I answere Answer then wee must know thus much that God calleth vs to suffer thereby to try our patience and obedience as we see in the example of the Israelites oppressed by the hard dealing of the taske-masters when they finde no release or redresse they sigh to God and grone in spirit and waire his leisure In this case it is our duty to submit our selues to his heauenly pleasure remembring what the holy and constant martyrs suffered and what the Apostle sayth Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is giuen in the behalfe of Christ not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake and 1. Pet. 2.19 And if supplication to men will not serue our turne let vs turne our selues to God and make our supplication to him And as Paul appealed from the Iewes to Cesar so let vs appeale to an higher Court from Cesar to God Vse 2 Secondly it is the duty of all Magistrates to deale iustly and truly knowing that they carry the Name of God so that their place is the place of God and their iudgement is the iudgement of God They must bee so farre from doing wrong taking away the goods of other men as Ahab did the vineyard of Naboth 1 King 21 16 that they ought to restore to euery one his right as Iehoram did to the Shunamite 2 King 8 6 and Nehemiah to the people chap. 5 11 12. Iob was a man endued with great power and authority Iob 29 7 8 as well as with much wealth and substance chapt 1 1 2 and yet he telleth vs chap. 31 A looking-glasse for magistrates that he neuer withheld the poore from their desire neyther caused the eyes of the widow to faile verse 16 he neuer saw any perish for lacke of clothing or any poore without couering verse 19 hee neuer lifted vp his hand against the fatherlesse when he saw he might helpe him in the gate verse 21 and before chap. 29 he testifieth that hee deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him verse 12 he became eyes to the blinde and feete to the lame a father to the poore and the cause which hee knew not he searched out verse 15 16 hee brake the iawes of the wicked and pluckt the spoyle out of his teeth verse 17. Heere is a looking-glasse for all magistrates to behold and a picture to looke vpon and a watchword to admonish them what to do the oppressed should be relieued and the oppressors should be restrayned and bridled Happy are such magistrates that
determined by Polycarp and Victor that euery one should follow their owne custome and iudgement and that it is a very foolish and absurd thing for such rites to separate one from another as enemies Euethes ethôn heneken allêlôn charizesthai Sozom histor lib. 7. cap. 19. Now that which is left free at liberty for either side to follow cannot bee holden necessary but to keepe the Passeouer on this day or that day is left free and at liberty for either side therefore it is not necessarie vnto saluation So then nothing is more vncertaine then Tradition for both parts pretended the Apostles and Apostolike Traditions but both of them could not be true nay Socrates taxeth them both of errors affirming that this sprang not of Tradition but of Custome And if either the one opinion or the other had any good foundation from the Apostles it might be that in the beginning and first planting of the Gospel to beare with the infirmity of others they obserued certayne dayes and times which afterward was obserued and vrged as a precept liberty being abolished and that which was retained of charity was turned into a law of necessity Again ther is no cause or reason at all why any churches or persons should contend to haue the Passeouer receiued much lesse so bitingly bitterly For Socrates speaketh well and truly that the Apostles ordained nothing of holy or festiuall daies and sheweth at large the vanity of those that striue to no purpose about it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 22. Forasmuch as the Passouer was a type and ceremony but types and ceremonies were abolished So then it was superstitiously done of such as beare the names of Christian Churches to bring in a feast of Passeouer vnder pretence that the Iewes had the same for that were to compell the Gentiles to liue as do the Iewes which Paul reproued in Peter Gal. 2 14 But these Traditions got authority in the church by little and little I haue spoken this not that it is vnlawfull to haue one day in the yeare wherein to celebrate the remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ for that were to run into extremities whereas our infirmity is allowed to haue some helpes to quicken our faith that wee might the better bethinke vs all our life what benefit the resurrection of our Lord hath brought vnto vs neuerthelesse this is established onely for order sake But to vrge this strictly of necessitie or to make a seruice of God thereof or to think that we ought to fashion our selues after the example of the Iewes to wit that as they had their Passeouer so ought wee to haue ours in these dayes were to turne all things vpside downe and to put a veile before the face of Christ that we might not see the light of the Gospel shining vpon vs. Vse 3 Lastly this Passeouer was celebrated with many circumstances whereof some were obserued onely at the first Passeouer while they were in Egypt as the preparing of the paschal Lambe and keeping it apart from the rest of the flock from the 10 day to the 14. the sprinkling of the blood vpon the doore postes the eating of it in haste and the killing of it within their owne houses but afterwardes it was done in the publike place of Gods worship Deut. 16 5 6 7 for which purpose Ierusalem was afterward chosen where it was killed by the Priestes and flayed in the Court of the Temple and the blood sprinkled on the Altar 2 Chron. 35 1 2 6 10 11 then the owner of the Lambe tooke it at the Priests hands brought it to his owne house and roasted it All these things aymed at the shedding of Christs blood and the sprinkling that is the applying of it to the hearts of all true beleeuers Ezek. 45 19. 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 9 13 14. As when the Law was commanded to bee written vpon their doore posts it pointed out the writing of it into their hearts as it is expounded by the Prophet Ier. 31 31. Hebr. 8 10. And whereas they were to sprinkle the vpper doore postes not the threshold or the floore vnder their feete it did put them and vs in minde what recouerent account and estimation wee ought to haue of the blood of Christ that wee should not treade vnder our feete the Sonne of God neither account the blood of the couenant wherewith we haue beene sanctified as an vnholy thing Heb 10 29. Some points were to be obserued at all times whensoeuer and wheresoeuer they killed and kept the Passeouer and consumed it with fire they must eat it with vnleauened cakes for all leauen must be cast out of their houses to this they ioyned bitter herbes The roasting of it with fire was a figure both of Gods Spirit Math. 3 11. Through which Christ offered himselfe to God Heb. 9 14 also of Gods fiery wrath which he was to suffer whilst hee was made a curse for vs by his death vpon the crosse Gal. 3 15 Ier. 4 4. The vnleauened loaues signifie that none can be partakers of any benefit by Christ but such as cast out the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse out of their hearts 1 Cor. 5 8. This belongeth to euery one to eat the vnleauened cakes or loaues of sincerity truth of which before chap. 9. The soure or bitter herbes which are thought by the Hebrew Rabbines to bee wild Lettuce Cichory Hore-hound Maimon treat of leauen cap. 7. and such like and were eaten with the Lamb brought to their remembrance the affliction in Egypt where their liues had beene bitter Exod. 1 14 yea more bitter then gall or wormewood where the Egyptians made their liues bitter with hard bondage in mortar and in bricke and in all manner of seruice in the fielde and heereunto the Church seemeth to allude Lament 3 15 and all these were as types of the bitter sorrowes of Christ to whom they offered gall to drinke as also of our mortification and afflictions with him For we must bee made like vnto him 1 Cor. 5 7. 11.26 Phil. 3 10. Also in the day of the first fruits when ye bring a new meate offering vnto the Lord after your weekes be out ye shall haue an holy conuocation ye shall do no seruile worke 27 But ye shal offer the burnt offering for a sweet sauour c. 28 And their meat Offering of fine Flower c. 29 A seuerall tenth deale vnto one Lambe c. 30 And one Kid c. 31 Ye shall offer them besides the continual burnt Offering c. Heere is handled the feast of Pentecost or of Weekes which was kept yeerely amongst the Iewes The feast of the first fruits of wheat haruest to giue God thankes after the gathering of their haruest This was a meane to put them in minde to honor God for sending his benefits to the sustenance of man Leu. 23 17. Deut. 16 9 10. It
In the first place whereof I range the Church of Rome For as it abridgeth the authority of Magistrates so it crosseth the authority of parents ouer their children It is notoriously knowne to the whole world how the Romane Antichrist that proud beast that sitteth vppon the seuen hils 〈◊〉 cardin 〈◊〉 vit Henr. 4. hath stirred vp the children against their parents and prouoked them partly by promises and partly by threatnings to depriue them of their dominions and liues by force of armes by which meanes bloodie warres haue bene raised and waged betweene the father and the sonne Thus they put asunder those whom God and nature hath ioyned together In like manner vnder the vizard pretence of Religion they not onely allow but exhort and entice and receiue into theyr Monkish Orders yong men at fourteen years and yong women at twelue without consent of their parents But in this place God putteth power and authority into the parents hands to disanull the vow which the daughter maketh being in her fathers house which ordinance is grounded vpon the morall Law which commandeth children to honour and obey their parents and the Apostle Paul referreth the whole matter of keeping the daughter a virgin or the bestowing of her in marriage to the will and determination of the father 1 Cor. 7 36 37. Moreouer hath not the father as great power ouer his sonne as the master hath ouer his seruant But it is not lawfull for the seruant to take vpon him the profession of Monkery without the consent of his master and therefore the childe may not do the same The answer of Bellarmine is nothing to the purpose that children are not in like subiection to their parents as seruants are to their masters but haue more power ouer themselues then seruants haue because howsoeuer Children are not in such seruile condition as seruants which is not the question it being out of question yet parents haue as great power ouer the persons of their children being within age as ouer seruants and the law of nature which bindeth sonnes is stronger then the law of men which maketh seruants and parents haue greater power ouer their own flesh then ouer strangers Vse 2 Secondly this teacheth that it belongeth as a special duty to children by all meanes to honor their parents to which they are bound with the strongest bands and this yeelding of honor vnto them consisteth in many particulars For we must be subiect vnto them Reuerence required toward parents and giue them reuerence obedience and maintenance First wee ought all the dayes of our liues to esteeme reuerently of them as also of their wise deuices of their holy counsels of their carefull instructions And this we ought to expresse in gesture in speech and in outward carriage not so much for feare of correction or looking for benefit from them but for conscience sake lest by the contrary we draw the curse of God vpon vs Prou. 30 17. Woe therefore vnto those vngodly and vngracious children that do not esteeme their parents according to the high place wherein God hath seated them ouer them that doe despise them because of some infirmities of age of nature or otherwise and therefore mocke and scoffe at them Prou. 30 11. Gen. 9 22. The second duty is obedience to their lawful commandements in performing of their will howsoeuer sometimes they may seem vnpleasant and vnpleasing vnto them Mat. 21. Col. 3 20. Iere. 35 Deuter. 21 18 19. Thus doth Iacob rest in the counsell of Rebecca his mother and yeeldeth to her wholsome admonition Genes 27 14. And this is one of the cheefe vertues that can be found among them and therefore Paul expoundeth Honor by Obedience Colos 3 20. Obedience required tovvard parents Eph. 6 1. Thus they ought to submit and subiect themselues to their godly gouernment religious discipline And as this ought to bee yeelded to them in all things so it should bee obserued in choosing their trade and order of life and taking vpon them a speciall calling to be ready to be directed by them what by their graue censure wisedome iudgement foresight they thinke fittest for them Prouer. 29 15 15 5 especially in the greatest matter of al that doth most neerely concern them I meane their marriage when they shall begin to thinke of seeking a companion to liue with them in that estate Thus all faithfull children were content to submit themselues to their parents and to be ordered by them and neuer attempt to bestow themselues in marriage without their parents knowledge Genes 24 3. So did Iacob at the commandement of his father and the aduice of his mother and by consent of them both Genes 27 46. and 28 1. This was obserued of those that otherwise led no sanctified life Genesis 21 21 yea of the very heathen themselues I wil produce one testimony among many others and that is of king Cyrus after hee had conquered Babylon and come home in triumph his vnckle Cyaraxis offered him his daughter vnto wife he thanked his vnckle and praysed the maide and liked the dowry but for giuing consent to mariage he made him this answer which I would it were obserued and followed of all Christians O Cyaraxe Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 8. tò te genos Epainô kai tén paida kai dôra boulomai de ephê sun tê toû patros gnómê kai tes metros tanta sunainesai which is englished in this manner Vncle Cyaraxis I commend the stocke the maide and the portion howbeit sayth hee by the counsell of my father and mother I wil assent vnto you as if hee had saide without their aduice I can do nothing All histories Philosophers Terent in phormion and Poets in a manner are full of the practise of this duty And no maruell for this is agreeable to the common principle in nature Whatsoeuer yee would that other men should do vnto you do ye euen so to them Math. 7 12. Sampson saw a maide in Timnah that liked him well notwithstanding hee spake not one word to her but came backe to his parents desired them to make the marriage for him They were the first whom he acquainted with his purpose not as in our daies wherein commonly the parents are the last Iudges 14 2. Get her to me for she pleaseth me well For seeing parents haue taken great paines and bestowed great cost in bringing vp their children it is reason they should reape some fruites of their labour and trauaile in the bestowing of them in mariage and thereby be acknowledged more wise and better able to prouide and foresee for them then themselues This iustly reprooueth many children in our dayes that neuer regard this duty and condemneth the common practise of our corrupt age so much degenerated and growne out of course that they neuer require nor regard the consent of their parents in their matches and marriages but make their choice after the lust of
women that had not knowne man which escaped the edge of the sword Here then wee may behold the misery that befell these Midianites for seducing Gods people and drawing them to whore dome and idolatry Doctrine Iniquity maketh the Lord to destroy people Nations Kingdomes Learne heereby that the iniquity of a people or a countrey and nation maketh the Lord to destroy them and to lay them waste sometime by the sword of the enemy as in this place sometimes by other iudgements as Deut. 7 1. where the Lord telleth the people of Israel that they should cast out and destroy many Nations and afterward chap. 9 4 he willeth them not to say that it was for their owne righteousnesse that the Lord had brought them to possesse that land but it was for the wickednesse of those Nations that hee did driue them out before them Againe in the eight chap. and the twentieth verse hee sayeth If thou forsake the Lord and walke after other gods and serue them then I testifie to thee this day that thou shalt surely perish because ye would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God So 1 Sam. 12 25 If ye shal still do wickedly yee shall perish both you and your king Mat. 23 37 38. Reason 1 The Reasons follow First they dishonour God in their liues and therefore it is iust that he should depriue them of those blessings that they enioy and make others to enioy the labours of their hands and in stead of them lay iudgements and plagues vpon them A sonne that dishonoureth his father is vnworthy to receiue any duty from a seruant So certainly it is iust with God that such as dishonour him should be depriued of his protection be left naked vnto all iudgements Reason 2 Secondly Gods iustice doth so require that where there is a generall corruption and deprauation there should be a generall desolation and where the corruption is particular the iudgement should also bee answerable When God tolde Abraham that hee would destroy Sodome and Gomorrha hee reasoneth in this manner Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked No saith God but if thou canst finde ten righteous persons I will spare the Cities for tens sake Gen. 18 verse 32. But he could finde none but Lot they had generally corrupted their waies It is not enough thogh some repent and turne vnto God those few may deferre a iudgement but they cannot keepe away iudgment for euer so long as the general state is corrupted If one man or a few forsake their sinnes it is enough that they escape the eternall punishment though they do fall into the temporall and do not saue deliuer the whole I say they haue enough if they saue themselues and haue ample fruit of their conuersion though they saue none of all the rest Reason 3 Thirdly this will make manifest the power of God Exemplary iustice may be shewed on a few but power is shewed when there are many offenders For as it is in his power to saue with few as well as with many 1 Sam. 14 6 so in this case it is the power of his iustice to destroy many A small power of a Prince will serue to destroy and subdue a small company of rebels but then is the power of a Prince manifested and openly shewed when Rebels are growne to an head and haue gotten vnto themselues some strong holde so it is vvith God the more opposition is made agaynst him the more is the glory of his power set forth when hee draweth out the sword of iustice against them The Vses remaine First of all Gods prouidence Vse 1 is heereby notably established that his eyes are vpon all men and vpon al their waies because hee destroyeth multitudes as well as particular persons His iudgements are euermore iust and that could not be except that there were cause why to destroy There must bee a cause and also a knowne cause forasmuch as though men were wicked if Gods all-seeing eye were not vpon them or if hee knew no cause he should be vniust if he shold destroy Nadab and Abihu that durst presume to rush into the presence of GOD with their strange Fire Leuit. chapt 2. verses 1 2. euen in the very act of their sinne the speciall prouidence of God came vpon them so that before they had finished their sin the plague began So it was with Ananias and Sapphira they were smitten downe with sodain death the lye was no sooner out of their mouth but the iudgement of God did lay hold on them For they fell downe and gaue vp the ghost Acts 5 5 10. Thus Gods almighty power ouer-reacheth the sinne of man with punishment before euer it be quite committed of which we saw a notable and fearefull example before in the Israelites the 11. chapter and the 33. ver recorded also in the 78. Psalme verses 29 30. They did eate and were well filled for he did giue them their owne desire but while theyr meate was yet in their mouthes the wrath of God came vpon them and slew and smote downe the chosen men of Israel Herod the King likewise while hee was in his pompe and pride was smitten of God in the very acte of his sinne while hee tooke to himselfe the glory due to God Acts 12. These such like punishments do plainly argue the prouidence of God to be ouer the waies of men and ouer all their actions doth continually waite vpon them Secondly it reprooueth those that magnifie Vse 2 themselues gather themselues together against God thinking to preuaile escape for their multitude sake This is no plea to protect our selues neither giueth any hope of deliuerance from iudgement but rather prouoketh God the more against vs. God bringeth in the people of Israel vanting thus Son of man they the inhabit those wasts of the land of Israel speak saying Abraham was one he inhabited the Land but we are many the land is giuen vs for an inheritance Ezek. 33 24. The Iewes that remained after the destruction of the City had their eies blinded with carnall security and perswaded themselues that albeit they hardened their hearts against the chastisements of God and repented not at the preaching of the prophets yet they should possesse the land and dwell in it whatsoeuer Ieremy Ezekiel and other Prophets pratled to the contrary And thus they reasoned If Abraham that was but one had the land promised vnto him then much more shall we haue it that are many Howbeit the Lord reproueth them for this presumption telleth them that their multitude shal nothing helpe them because they are not the sonnes and heirs of Abraham forasmuch as they did not the workes of Abraham but did wilfully transgresse the law of God Multitude therefore is not a note of the true Church neyther can they deliuer or excuse offenders from the wrath of God because when maine sinne many also shall bee punished
or are in our mindes as when they are releeued and helped out of theyr misery For as we remember God when we serue him so we remember the needy when we succour them It is noted of Saul and al Israel that they went to releeue Iabesh Gilead when it was beleagred by Nahash the Ammonite who would make a couenant with them vpon no other condition but that he might thrust out all their right eyes and lay it for a reproch vpon all Israel 1 Sam. 11 1 2. So did Dauid and his men goe to releeue Keilah spoyled and oppressed by the Philistims chap. 23 5. The booke of the Iudges is full of this argument they thought it theyr duty to releeue the enthralled estate poore condition of the Church lying vnder the hard yoke and heauy seruitude of the Moabites the Canaanites the Midianites the Ammonites the Philistims and sundry others So that all Gods seruants although themselues were free from trouble yet must they put too theyr hands and set too theyr shoulders and employ all theyr strength as farre as God enableth them to deliuer the Church from trouble and to procure the present benefite and good estate thereof Wee shewed before in this chapter that we must haue some compassion and a fellow-feeling of the miseries and afflictions of Gods people this doctrine goeth farther and pierceth deeper and teacheth that we must put foorth our selues to maintaine the publike cause of the afflicted church and procure the peace thereof Reason 1 And so much the rather wee ought to doe this because of the wicked mindes and wretched endes that the vngodly set before theyr eyes For what is it I pray you that the enemy the common aduersary and oppressour of the Church looketh after and layeth before him Is it the persons of them that they seeke to spoyle or is it to take away theyr goods and substance from them or any other thing that might bee deare vnto them in earthly things All these indeed are sought after but are these the chiefe marke and scope that they ayme after or would these taken away coÌ„tent them No no they shoote at a farther thing to deface the seruice and worshippe of God and to blaspheme his glorious Name being themselues the children of darknes and not able to beare the light of the truth they oppose themselues against the same The Citties and Altars of our GOD ought to bee of greatest account and in highest price more deare to vs then thousands of gold and siluer for which we must be content to leaue father and mother wife and children that we may with freedome of conscience enioy professe the truth This meditation was it that moued Ioab when he went out with a strong hand saw the enemies gathered together to roote out the Church out of the Land and the truth out of the Church to fight against them 2. Sam. 10 12. Be of good courage and let vs play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord doe that which seemeth him good wheâ—e hee sheweth that the chiefe motiue to waxe strong and valiant in battell was to maintaine the Cities and seruice of God Secoâ—â—â—y this hath promise of a great blessing Reason 2 and a good yssue it is no vaine or fruitelesse thing whereunto we are moued Many men are discomfited and quite out of heart because they see no blessing annexed But howsoeuer the persecuter and oppressor for a time preuayleth and entreth into the houses and habitations of God yet theyr destruction sleepeth not God hath reserued them as the chaffe before the winde and as the stubble before the fire Resting therefore on the gracious promises of God and knowing that Heauen and earth shall perish Math. 5 17. but no one iote shal passe or faile from his word beeing assured that the couenant that he hath made is surer then the couenant of the day and the night of the Sun and of the Moone wee must arme our selues with this assured perswasion that the destruction of the enemy is determined as Esay 16 3 4. speaking to Moab he saith Take counsell execute iudgement c then he addeth the reason for the extortioner is at an ende the spoiler ceaseth the oppressours are consumed out of the Land Esay 16 3 4. Wherefore albeit the enemies of God and his people seeme long to florish to glory in theyr wickednesse and to insult ouer the godly that are vnder the crosse yet they shall not escape the wrath and vengeance of God so that none should be ashamed to thrust theÌ„selues into danger to maintaine the common cause of the Church The vses follow First this putteth vs in Vse 1 minde of the estate of the faithfull which oftentimes endure more trouble in this world both inwardly outwardly then any other as were easie to be shewed and proued by the examples of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Iob Ieremy Dauid and Christ himselfe the perfect patterne of suffering affliction It was no otherwise with his Apostles also and experience teacheth vs that the church in this world fareth no better as it complaineth Lamen 1 12. Is it nothing to you all yee that passe by Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto me wherwith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his anger Thus it pleaseth the Lord to weane them from the loue of the world because he loueth them would haue them long after heauen and heauenly things We are oftentimes so peruerse and vntoward that we must be put into the fire that we may be refined and reformed and must endure many greeuous corrections that we may bee framed to delight in spirituall things Besides Satan and his instruments do hate vs and labour continually to seeke our destruction and therefore let vs neuer promise to our selues worldly peace and prosperity neyther be offended at the great afflictions which we heare to come vpon the godly but rather prepare our selues to looke for one trouble to come vpon the necke of another whiles we liue vpon the earth Vse 2 Secondly conclude from hence the fearefull wofull miserable estate of the church when all the friends and comforters of it are gone when they that should be the shield and shelter of it do flye backe and dare not shew theyr faces as often it falleth out then onely faith for the present and hope for the time to come must hold vp our heads that we sinke not into the bottome of despayre This is it which the Prophet saith I looked and there was none to helpe and I wondred that there was none to vphold therefore mine owne arme brought saluation to me c. And I will tread downe the people in mine anger and make them drunke in my fury c. Esay 63 5 6. When Haman the aduersary of the Iewes whose malice was hereditary vnto him and deriued from his fathers had plotted the ruine
of Rome did dispense with King Henry the eight to marry Katherine his late brothers wife So Philip the second Duke of Burgundy had a dispensation to marry his vncles wife as Ferdinand King of Naples had the like to marry his own aunt Thus hee that hath brought Kings and Princes vnder his feete chalengeth authority aboue the Scriptures and taketh vpon him to dispense with the word of God and thereby vsurpeth power aboue GOD and his word For this is one of their owne rules In praecepto superioris non debet dispensare inferior that is The inferiour may not dispense with the commandement of the superior Anton. part 3. tit 22. cap. 6. If then the Pope dispense with the lawes of God doth he not make himselfe aboue God and is not this the Antichrist or shall we foolishly looke for any other Can any thing be more filthy and vile then incest and yet hee hath not spared for filthy lucre to tollerate and allow that in the Church which the Philosopher Plato an heathen man was ashamed off in his commonwealth lib. 8. de leg For he dispensed with Philip the second late king of Spaine to marry his owne Neece Pope Martin the fift dispensed with a certain brother that married his owne sister Nay Clement the seuenth for a great summe of money licensed Peter Aluaradus a spaniard to marry two sisters at once Thus also he dispensed with Emanuel king of Portugall against the law of God to marry two sisters as Osorius testifieth Dereb gest Emanuel lib. 2. therby verifying the saying of the Apostle 2 Thess 2 4 that the man of sinne shall oppose and exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that hee as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God These marriages did GOD hate and punish in the Gentiles and for the foulenesse and filthinesse of them did God spew out the Canaanites Deut. 18 24. Thus Iohn Baptist telleth Herod that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Math. 14 4 so that the former lawes were in force in the time of Christ as well as in the dayes of Moses Againe the Apostle reprooueth the incestuous person among the Corinthians that had taken his fathers wife 1 Cor. 5 1. therefore the former lawes remained firme vnder the Gospel as well as vnder the law and hee sheweth that such fornication is not so much as named much lesse practised among the Gentiles and therefore he willeth him to bee excommunicated from the Church where was this forbidden but in the Law of Moses But to leaue this point at the present as impertinent let vs consider the degree wee haue in hand how the Popish Canons and constitutions do restraine it True it is sundry Councels in former times debarred the first degree of cousins to the intent the diuine prohibition might bee kept with the more regard and reuerence and others afterward added thereunto cousens in the second degree But when the Roman Antichrist sate in the Temple of God and had brought both Kings and Councels vnder his checke commandment then he began to domineere and all cousens to the seuenth degree were forbidden But because this was thought too hard and to sauour of couetousnesse and cruelty ioyned with pride and presumption it was brought at length in the time of Innocentius the third to the fourth degree and sod take it the matter standeth vnto this day that the Canons forbid foure degrees from coufen germans as vnlawfull But the reason which they vse is no lesse sophisticall then the law it selfe tyrannical drawne forsooth from the proportion of the foure physicall humors in mans body But what haue we to do with the Canons of this ambitious man sitting in mens consciences and ruling ouer their faith who haue turned out that beast to grasse long ago Or why should we make any reckoning or account of his supereminent and omnipotent power which he claymeth in his dispensations allowing that which God disalloweth and disallowing that which he alloweth Thus hee playeth fast and loose with the law of God as luglers do to deceiue For if the lawes of God cannot binde him why should his papall lawes binde vs and our consciences The Collegiats of Doway in their hereticall Annotations vpon Leuiticus The divinity of the divines of Doway set forth in their late translation of the old Testament are not ashamed to maintaine this assertion that all mariages in the right line and in collaterall the first degree as betweene the brother and sister are onely forbidden by the law of nature and that all other degrees depend vpon positiue lawes which haue beene and may be altered which opinion how grosse vile it is we haue before declared So then I will conclude with the saying of Beza in his 8. Sermon vpon the Cant. Touching the obseruation of holy mariage I will not stay any longer in this horrible filthy stench which neyther the Sunne can abide to see nor the darknesse of the night can couer nor the earth beare and endure Alasse O Lord how long Secondly this reproueth all such as not onely Vse 2 discourage from this marriage but dare condemne it both as impious and incestuous Others that dare not go so farre yet seeme to dislike thereof as comprised in those degrees mentioned in Leuiticus by an analogy or proportion howbeit they holde also that such mariages are not to be dissolued and that the issue of such mariages are not to bee accounted illegitimate And they make a comparison betweene these and the mariage of those that neglect the consent of their parents who may continue together if they confesse their errour do not iustifie their fact so such as are maried in this degree of consanguinity eyther ignorantly or doubtfully may vpon repentance of their error finde comfort But from hence it will follow that such as do not acknowledge any error or goe about to defend such marriages as being perswaded they are consonant to the word of God cannot find comfort nor assure themselues they may lawfully haue the cōpany one of another but stand endighted by the law if not of incest yet of a great sin against God Againe I would gladly vnderstand what breach can bee committed within the degrees forbidden which may not iustly be accounted incest Lastly wheras it is obiected that the vnkles wife which is expresly forbidden seemeth to bee as neere as the vncles son the one being of affinity the other of consanguinity it will follow from hence that all the repentance in the world cannot help nor serue to giue comfort to the mariage of cousen germans For let a man liue in incest and marry any of the degrees expressed in the law wee must know that to liue in the sinne and to repent of the sin are contrary one to the other As for example if I marry my vncles wife and afterward vnderstand I haue done against
owne glory Exod. 9.6 Rom. 9.17 Exod. 32.11 12. Secondly the seruants of God haue beene so farre carryed with a desire of promoting and preferring of it as that they haue preferred it before their owne life nay before their owne soule and saluation when they haue come in comparison together ◠32.32 ◠9.3 as appeareth in Moses and in Paul Thirdly Gods glory is most deare to himselfe if then we will bee his children tender deare vnto him we must follow his example we must prize that at the highest rate which he prizeth aboue all we must loue that which he loueth 48.11 and that ought to bee most deare vnto vs which is most deare to him Vse 1 The vses This reproueth the most part of the world who neuer set this marke before them to ayme at nor intend the glory of God in their prayers but the fulfilling of their own wils and desires and the satisfying of their owne gaine and profit It is nothing precious vnto them but lesse regarded then their owne names Euery man naturally regardeth himself and magnifieth his owne name but the name of God neuer goeth neere them Ioshua hath relation to such a point as this when he saith speaking of the Canaanites and all that inhabited the land ◠9 They shall cut out our name from the earth and what wilt thou doe vnto thy great name Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbes that a good name is rather to be chosen ◠1 then great riches and louing fauour rather then siluer and gold ◠2. it is better then a precious oyntment but if we speake of the Name of God which is glorious and fearefull Deu. 28.38 it ought to be more deare vnto vs then all the siluer gold then all the Iewels precious stones which worldlings make their heauen and happines Vse 2 Secondly let vs in all distresses and troubles be comforted with this consideration that he will respect his owne glory and therefore the good of his Church For the preseruation of the Church and the aduancement of Gods glory are ioyned together He will neuer forsake those that are his in prosperity or in aduersity because if he should any way faile of his promises he should lose much of his own glory which is vnpossible The Church shall neuer sinke vnder the burden that lyeth sore vpon it It is like the bush that burned which Moses saw in the wildernesse while he fed the sheepe of Iethro his father in law it flamed but it consumed not whereby God declared the low ebbe of the church into which it was brought distressed in Egypt but it should not be destroyed he that dwelled in the bush preserued the same Deu. 33.16 If then the glory of God shall neuer faile the gates of hell cannot preuaile against the Church Lastly we must giue no occasion of causing Vse 3 the name of God which is holy in it selfe to be blasphemed Let vs be no means to make it euill spoken off but labour by all means to be instruments of setting it forth Blessed are such as any way aduance it Euery one should aime at it high and low rich and poore master and seruant husband and wife Matth. 5.16 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 Phil 2.15 Iosh 15.8 2 Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2.24 Verse 17. Verse 18. Euery one may gaine some glory to God how meane soeuer his place how simple soeuer his calling be The Apostle chargeth the Iewes that through thē the Name of God was blasphemed because they had the law and made boast of God they knew his wil and were instructed in the word For as wicked children doe dishonour and discredit their parents 1 Sam. 8.3 so it turneth after a sort to Gods discredit in the world when they which are called the children of God and named by the name of Christ doe liue vnworthily so high and holy a calling There is none that liueth in the Church albeit in the poorest and lowest calling but if hee professe Christ and walke not according to his profession he causeth the Name of God to be euill spoken off the seruant that hath the meanest office if he will be thought religious and haue the Gospel in his mouth and do not performe the duties of his calling with great care and a good conscience hee causeth the Name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed 1 Tim. 6.1 The higher more eminent any mans place is the more scandal he giueth and the greater occasion of greefe to the godly of hardning to the wicked and of dishonor to God Let a man be as prophane as may be that neither feareth God nor reuerenceth man let him liue in the grossest sinnes that can be committed or named let him bee an open blasphemer a contemner of the word a prophaner of the Sabboth an abuser of the Sacraments and of all good things there is commonly no great matter made of it he is neither reproched no reproued But let one that professeth religion bee suddenly ouertaken thorough infirmity in any sinne or purpose of sin not onely he is taunted and traduced by the prophane multitude but the truth of God and the profession of the trueth nay the God of truth is euill spoken off dishonoured and blasphemed These things ought to goe neere vs euen to the heart and to make vs watchfull ouer our wayes seeing wee haue those that watch ouer vs to see if they can haue ought whereof to accuse vs. 17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying 18 The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiuing iniquity and transgression and by no meanes clearing the guilty c. In these words we haue the second reason drawen from the consideration of the nature or being of God which is seene by shewing mercy and iudgement both which are in his hand mercy to his owne people iudgement to his enemies This description is taken out of the booke of Exodus chap. 34.6 very comfortable to afflicted and distressed consciences So Ionah 4.2 first he is said to be long suffering then of great mercy and thirdly forgiuing iniquity and transgression If any aske Is he onely mercifull is he not also iust The answer is he wil by no meanes cleare the guilty but will visite the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children But of this latter clause we shall speake afterward verse 33.34 Out of the former Doctrine God is of great patience and much long sufferance note that it is the property of God to be alwayes of great patience much gentlenesse and long-sufferance Hee is of a forbearing nature and slow to anger expecting many dayes the conuersion repentance and recouery of sinners Esay 65.2 Ier. 35.15 and 25.5 Matth. 23.37 We haue many examples hereof in the word of God Gen. 6.3 1 Pet. 3.20 The long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing So
Luke 13.6 7 8 9. 2 Chro. 36.15 We haue all experience of this point Reason 1 The reasons first he knoweth our weakenesse our corruption and inclination to euill he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust Esay 57.16 Psalm 103.14 yea as a wind that passeth away and commeth not againe Psal 78.38.39 no better then vanity yea lighter altogether then vanity Psal 62.9 Secondly his nature is to be mercifull full of compassion 2 Chron. 36.15 Thirdly the sinnes of the wicked are not yet full they haue not yet filled vp the measure of them Gen. 15.16 Lastly he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and therefore he is not slacke concerning his promise but is long suffering to vs ward 2. Pet. 3.9 Obiection Before wee come to the vses of this doctrine we must remoue a few obiections that seeme to make against this point And first how can God bee said to be very patient and to suffer long seeing his iudgements are often said to come suddenly speedily as a whirlewind and a tempest and when they shall say peace and safety his comming shall be as the comming of a theefe in the night or as trauell vpon a woman with child 1 Thess 5.2.3 Answer I answer to be long before he come and to be swift when once he commeth are not opposite or contrary the one to the other He waiteth a long time but when the dayes of his patience are expired then suddenly destruction commeth He giueth warning after warning and will doe nothing but hee reuealeth the same to his seruants the Prophets Amos 3.7 Dan. 9.5.6 but when his patience is abused and contemned then he commeth swiftly and stayeth not The Apostle Peter speaking of the second comming of Christ to iudgment ioyneth both these together and sheweth how and wherefore he is both long in comming and yet swift in comming hee forbeareth because he is patient and hee commeth suddenly in his glory because he is iust 2 Pet. 3.9 10. first hee saith that God is long suffering not willing that any should perish then he addeth the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night Thus we see how he suffereth patiently and yet withall how he cometh suddenly Secondly Obiect the question may be asked whether the Ministers should forbeare or abstaine from threatning and denouncing of Gods iudgements against the vngodly seeing God is gentle and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse whereby they shall terrifie men without cause and make themselues lyars I answer Answer it is true that Ionah the Prophet was discouraged vpon this ground and consideration from threatning destruction against Nineueh Though he were sent against the citie with heauy tidings yet he consulted with flesh and blood fled to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord Ion. 1.3 because hee knew that God was a gracious God and mercifull repenting him of the euil chap. 4.2 But this was his infirmity and therefore he is reprooued ver 10.11 Wherefore it belongeth to all faithfull Ministers of God as a part of their function howsoeuer the iudgements of God be differred and their Sermons derided to open their mouthes boldly and to reprooue sinne earnestly that they may thereby deliuer their owne soules and saue the people that heare them 2 Tim. 4.2 Thirdly it may be asked Obiect whether it be lawfull for the godly to craue of God to be patient and long-suffering to beare with the vngodly and vessels of wrath especially considering the praier of Ieremy chap. 15.15 Lord remember me and visite mee and reuenge mee of my persecuters c. The prayer of Moses and of Ieremy seeme to be contrary Answer Answer The prayer of Ieremy is speciall and extraordinary and containeth no generall rule and direction for the Church He spake this as a Prophet not as a priuate man for hee foretold to his persecuters the vengeance and wrath of God certainely to fall vpon them the generall rule belonging vnto all is set downe by Christ Matth. 5 44. To pray for our enemies and them that hate vs. Lastly it may be demaunded Obiect whether the publishing and preaching of the doctrine of Gods patience and forbearing be not dangerous and hurtfull as seeming to tend to leade men into sinne and minister occasion of hardening the heart and delaying of repentance I answer â—ct from Gods delaying of his iudgements wee may not conclude the delaying of our repentance True it is the vngodly abuse this doctrine to licentiousnesse Rom. 2.4.5 as they do also other doctrines and the Scriptures themselues to their owne perdition the prouidence of God to idlenesse the predestination of God to wickednesse the mercy of God to prophanenesse the grace of God to wantonnesse iustification by faith to carelesnesse of good workes yea Christ himselfe to be a stumbling blocke and a stone of offence Notwithstanding we must vse the doctrine of Gods patience to our comfort and to bring vs thereby to repentance Vse 1 Now we come to the vses of this doctrine which are many seruing for instruction reprehension consolation and exhortation First of all it serueth for our knowledge and instruction and teacheth vs what a good God wee serue and worship such a one as willeth not and wisheth not the death of a sinner such a one as is gentle and gracious mercifull and pitifull Psal 145.8 9. Ezek. 18.23 and 33.11 Againe this teacheth vs what is the cause that God spareth so long both his and the Churches enemies to wit because he is patient Thus doth the Prophet tell the Israelites the cause why the Lord had spared the Assyrians so long Nah. 1.3 We see how prophane many are blasphemers of Gods Name prophaners of his Sabboth despisers of the word haters of good men iniquity aboundeth euery where We might wonder that such liue vpon the face of the earth and wherefore they are spared but that he is a God of patience and long suffring or they could not continue Is not the earth filled with cruelty oppression as it was with the old world that was destroyed with an vniuersall Flood Doth not pride fulnesse of bread aboundance of idlenesse and contempt of the poore abound as in Sodome and Gomorrha which was destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen Ezek. 16.49 So Gen. 19.24 How then could our cities and houses stand and continue if GOD were not very patient Vse 2 Secondly it serueth for reprehension For it conuinceth those that scoffe at his threatenings because God a long time descrieth his iudgements against the vngodly Hence it is that they iudge them perswade themselues of them to be no better then Scar-crowes and therefore to bee vaine and not to bee feared Such persons doth the Apostle Peter describe that mocke at the second comming of Christ which shal come as a snare vpon all them that dwell vpon the face of the whole earth Luke 21.35 2
yet shall their sinnes dye with theyr persons and be remembred no more whensoeuer the sonne forsaketh those their wicked wayes No man therefore must cast them in the teeth or vpbraid any beleeuer with the sinnes of his vnbeleeuing parents If a man come of Turkish or Heathenish parents that neuer beleeued in Christ nor acknowledged the true God yet God will accept of those that forsake this infidelity and impiety who therfore are we that we should vpbraid them with the blots and infirmities of their fathers For as the godlynesse of the father shall nothing helpe the vngodly childe but the soule that sinneth shall die the death Ezek 18 20 so the vngodlinesse of the father shall nothing hurt the godly because he renounceth it and hateth it as an enemy The practise therefore of those is euill that lade and burthen with cart-loads of reproaches those that are not to be touched in their owne persons because of the vices and sins of their parents Vse 4 Lastly we must learne that it shall on the other side be no honor credite comfort or commendation to descend from godly and worthy Ancestors if we degenerate from theÌ„ as a base and bastard brood Ezek. 18 10 13. It is the manner of many to stand much vpon their pedigree which the very heathen derided as great vanity and accounted nothing indeede their own which themselues had not done for what hath a coward to do to glory in the valour of his Fathers And they made choise rather to descend of vnnoble Parents Ouid. metam lib. 13. so themselues were noble and renowned thorough vertue then to come of worthy Progenitors Iâ—uenal Saty. 8 and themselues to grow base degenerate out of kinde This did the Prophet tell Iehoiachim Ier. 22 15 16. Did not thy father eate and drinke and do iustice iudgement and then it was well with him he iudged the cause of the poore c but thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy couetousnes and to shedde innocent blood and for oppression and violence to doe it Hence it is that Iohn the Baptist telleth the Iewes that they should not boast of theyr progenitors to say They had Abraham to their Father Mat. 3 8 9. They gloried much in this carnall priuiledge and thought the whol seed of Abraham by generation of the flesh to bee within the couenant of grace and should bee partakers of saluation and in a proud conceit of this external glory grew to contemne the Gentiles as a people forsaken of God But there is an Israelite in the couenant and an Israelite out of the couenant as there is a Iew that is outward and a Iew that is inward Rom. 2 29. 4 16 as there is an election that is generall and an election more speciall taken out of that generall There are sonnes of Abraham according to the flesh Rom. 4 16. and there are heyres of the faith of Abraham as the Lord himselfe saieth Mal. 1 2. Is not Esau Iacobs brothâ—â— Yet I haue hated Esau and loued Iacob Wherefore when the Pharisies said Wee haue Abraham to our father Christ answered If ye were the children of Abraham ye would do the works of Abraham but now ye are of your father the diuel Iohn 8 39 44. Let no man therefore reioyce in the flesh neither stand vpon the gifts giuen vnto others as it were to decke himselfe with the feathers of other birds Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles sheweth that hee might haue confidence in the flesh and if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh he had cause much more hee was circumcised the eight day he was of the stock of Israel and of the Tribe of Beniamin he was an Hebrew of the Hebrewes and as touching the law a Pharisie Yet what things soeuer might be gaine vnto him the same hee counted losse for Christs sake yea as dung that he might winne him Phil. 3 7 8. Let euery one therefore labour to haue grace in his owne heart knowing That the iust shall liue by his owne faith Hab. 2 4. forasmuch as the faith of the father cannot profit the child that is without faith 12 The sonnes of Simeon after their families of Nemuel the family of the Nemuelites c. 13 Of Zerah the family of the Zarhites c. 14 These are the families of the Simeonites twenty and two thousand and two hundred In the description of this Tribe we are to consider the small number and little company in comparison of the other Tribes and of themselues also compared with the former summe For whereas before they were 59300 they are now onely as wee see 22200. If any aske what may bee the cause of this great abatement Obiection that there were so many before now fallen to be so few Answ The reason is to bee taken out of the last history remembred in the former chapter to wit that one of the Princes of the Tribe of Simeon being accompanied with many others of that Tribe and backed and countenanced with them committed a most shamefull and shamelesse acte before his brethren and brought a Midianitish harlot into the hoast in the sight of Moses yea he was no doubt a moouer and perswader of others to commit the like wickednesse whereby it came to passe that the greatest number of this Tribe perished with him in that greeuous plague For it was reason that as they did partake with him in the Whoredome so they should communicate together in the punishment Hereupon it fell out that whereas all the other Tribes in a manner surmounted the former account or at least equalled the same this fayled much of the former summe This is to be noted of vs in this place seruing as a good commentary and exposition of the words of Moses Deut. 32 6. where Simeon is wholly left out Doctrine It is hard to forsake society with wicked men wheÌ„ we are once entred into it This teacheth vs that it is a very hard thing to auoyd shun and breake off our society with wicked men when once we are entred into it but we follow and pursue it with greedinesse till we be punished together with them It is hard to bee kept from contracting friendship and fellowship with them they are cunning to insinuate theÌ„selues and if they be not called to vs they will call themselues and if they be not bidden they are as shamelesse guesse they wil inuite them selues If at any time they be thrust out of our company they will seeke to enter againe and if the doore be barred against them they wil winde in themselues like the Theefe at the window rather then they will stand without that is they will take all occasions to force themselues vpon vs. And if we finde it hard not to contract it we shall finde it much harder to breake it off being once contracted doubtlesse neuer harder then in these dayes of sinne wherein
iniquity hath gotten the vpper hand Exod. 33 32 33. Deut. 7 2 3 4. 2 King 8 18. Reason 1 The grounds are because sin is a cunning Orator able to moue much so is euery sinner though otherwise neuer so simple a cunning Rhetoritian speaking in the enticing words of mans wisedome or rather of the diuels eloquence and therefore they seldome plead but they perswade they sildom come but they ouercome They compasse sea and land they spare no time or place or meanes to win whomsoeuer they can to themselues Prou. 7 21. Secondly our nature is prone to decline vnto euil for as sin is strong twisted as a cartrope to draw others so we are of our selues weake and feeble ready to yeeld and to giue ouer vpon euery occasion euen of our selues through our inbred corruption thogh none do entice or intrap vs much more then when we are proued and prouoked We see it by the Israelites that suffered the Heathen to liue among them they soon learned their waies and serued their idols which were a snare to them Psal 106 35 36. Vse 1 This reproueth all such as enter into league with such persons they euen offer their hands and feet to be bound as it were in chaines and they become afterward as prisoners and vassals to them The chaines of sin are small and subtle in the beginning they are not easie to be espied while they are more easie to be passed ouer or to be broken and so much lesse easie they are to bee discerned because they promise pleasure or profit liberty or life howbeit afterward hauing taken hold they do so claspe and inclose the poore prisoner that he can hardly free himselfe This is the ruine and downfall of many If wee make much of the sinner we cannot long hate the sin and therefore the Apostle ioyneth them both together and chargeth vs to auoyd both the one the other Eph. 5 7 11. Be ye not partakers with theÌ„ and afterward he addeth Haue no fellowshippe with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reproue them If then we be continualy in company with euill doers the continuall custome of seeing and hearing euil dimmeth our fight and stoppeth our eares and hardeneth our hearts and taketh away out feeling that wee can neither see the vglines of sin nor heare the cry of it nor feele the foulnes of it yea it stoppeth our mouths that we cannot nor dare not for feare of offence reproue any of theyr euill wayes but first we winke at them and afterward we ioyne with them Secondly we see hereby the error vaine Vse 2 perswasion of many men that for pleasure or profit or such like carnal respects yoke themselues with prophane persons who glorie and boast that they can easily and quickly breake off society with them whensoeuer they list leaue their company at their owne pleasure or leysure But these men are much deceiued know neither the deceitfulnesse of sinne nor cunning of a sinner nor the iudgment of God For marke when we list we shall finde by experience few examples of such as haue returned from carnall and corrupt company And heereby it appeareth to be true because when as such as delighted to stand in the way of sinners once went seriously about it to shake off their fellowes and to leaue their folly they haue bene discouraged with the difficultie of the worke and found it as hard as for a prisoner to shake off his fetters that are made fast about him When Peter lay in prison he could not with all his might free himselfe from his irons it was the hand of the Angel that deliuered him from those chaines Acts 12 7 so all the power and strength that we haue is not great enough to set vs at liberty from the snares of sinne it must be a superiour and supernaturall worke that we may confesse and say This is the finger of God The strong man keepeth vs vnder lock and key Till a stronger then he commeth and taketh from him all his Armor wherein he trusted and diuideth the spoyles Luk. chapter 11 verse 22. Nay the more strength a man thinketh he hath to withstand any sin or to resist the sinner the sooner he is ouertaken with the one the other For this perswasion ariseth from presumption in himselfe of his owne giftes and this breedeth in him security and so in the end thorough a proud opinion he hath of his great strength hee groweth so retchlesse and carelesse that he feareth not to commit any sinne whatsoeuer This wee might expresse and enlarge by the example of Peter Math. 26. The Scripture setteth him downe as a glasse before vs that so often as we looke vpon him we should take notice of our owne frailty and weaknesse And doubtlesse this is the cause why God oftentimes in his iust iudgement forsaketh men and leaueth them vnto themselues because they make flesh their arme and presume vpon their own strength Hence it is that they are oftâ—n ouertaken with those sinnes which otherwise if they had feared with a godly iealousie their owne hearts he would haue kept them from the pit of them So then it is a vaine thing for men to vse the company of those that are prophane and wicked vnder an euill-grounded conceit and foolish imagination of their own ability to stand fast seeing it is so hard a thing to forsake and shake off their society Vse 3 Lastly it admonisheth euery one that there is required great warinesse and watchfulnesse of him to forsake the company and abandon the society of those that are wicked men For the hardnesse of this duty should stirre vs vp to be so much more carefull and fearful of our selues Therefore we ought to labour after a sound faith that we may beleeue this to bee true for this is the foundation of the whole building Faith is that which wil beget feare and feare will beget diligence and circumspection to auoyde that which is euill Thus it was with Noah hee did beleeue that GOD would destroy the world or else he had himselfe beene destroyed with the vnbeleeuing world therefore also he feared knowing that hee who had threatned would performe And what did this feare work in him was it idle No it caused him To prepare the Arke to saue himselfe and to enter into it going from the rest of the world and separating himselfe and his family from them Heb. 11 7. So then these three go together faith feare and diligence Faith breedeth feare and feare bringeth carefulnesse If we haue faith to beleeue the danger of euill company and how hard it is to separate from them and to touch nothing of theirs as we heard chap. 16 26 where Moses saith Depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye bee consumed in all their sinnes this will make vs beginne to be fearefull to feare our owne estate lest we be suddenly surprized and