be thus zealous and so if it be for the name of our Father or any of those that we receive benefit by wee will thinke ill of our selves if we take not the quarrell upon us God is not to be accused to punish those that take his name in vaine To conclude as it is most certaine that Gods name is glorious in it selfe Psal 8.1 How glorious is thy name in all the World So it must be in every one of us If thou wilt it shall be glorified by thee willingly if thou wilt not in spite of thy teeth whether thou wilt or no he will be glorified Exod. 14.4 And I will harden Pharaohs heart so I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon all his Host Deut. 14.2 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord. We must be as the Israelites or wee shall be as Pharaoh Hee that will not glorifie Gods name with the Israelites shall glorifie it with Pharaoh that is by suffering Gods punishing hand For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse The end of the third Commandement The IV. Commandement Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. THE outward worship was divided into the generall or state and temporall worship The reason is this because whereas God commandeth the inward worship of the Soule in the first Commandement both of knowledge and will and in the second hee would have manifest and knowne outwardly the submitting of our knowledge wisedome and reason by reverence a worship the submitting of our affections or will by yeelding reverence of gesture and for this outward gestnre because it could be performed onely to him he would not have it done then onely but when wee were dealing with others and to others that the glory of his name might be magnified in speech and therefore the duties of the third Commandement are injoyned and these three perpetuall and generall besides these three in the fourth Commandement he taketh order that there be not onely a generall profession but also a set day a solemne profession wherein there should be a publique profession of these duties and those and wherein they should all be brought to â—ight Levit. 23.2 3. The feasts of the Lord which ye shall call the holy assemblies even those are my feasts Six dayes shall worke be done but the seventh shall bee the Sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall doe no worke therein It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings The end of the Sabbath A great and holy assembly for this end either that they might be sanctified and all taught or that they might practice them to his glory in the great congregation It is true and that the Heathen man saw well Publicorum cura minor the common care is not the best care But that that is looked to of all is cared for of none and cometh to be regarded of none and so no doubt would men have dealt with God had not he provided a particuler day for himselfe and setled it by a Commandement and that in very particuler manner By that continuall and generall Sabbath they have no day of rest The drift of God in adding this Commandement shall be seene For the Commandement it selfe generally it is full out as long and longer then the second Commandement of many words and therefore moveth us to a due and no lesse consideration of it We see for the duties of the second Table foure of them are ended in a word because common honesty and writers as Philosophers politick and civill Lawes have taken order for them as in manslaughter whoredome and theft c but the fifth because God seeth there is an humour in us that will not willingly yeeld to subjection therefore it was necessary that God should fence it with a reason So likewise in the tenth there is a great particularity used in it because men thinke that their thoughts are free and not to come into judgement and therefore they may have their Concupiscence and Will free But now in the first Table every Commandement hath his reason but above them all in particular this Commandement it includeth six respects that are not found in any of the rest 1. That where the rest runne either barely affirmative as the fifth or barely negative as the rest in this both parts are expressed Affirmative in these words Remember thou keepe holy c. Negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. So that our desire and inclination to the breach of this Commandement is both wayes met withall 2. That not onely to our selves but to all others that pertaine to us which in a full ennumeration and a wonderfull kind of particularity God proceedeth here to reckon them up that with us or by us may be violators of this Commandement 3. In the other we see how the case standeth they all are imperative and they runne peremptorily the word here used though it be of the Imperative Moode yet it is rather a word of intreaty Remember and may be a note of separation from the rest this Commandement therefore imperat persuadet doth both command and perswade in the word Remember 4. Againe beside the Commandement it yeeldeth a reason and perswadeth but not with one reason as the other but with one maine reason indeed and three others so that this exceedeth all by the multitude of perswasions 5. Another is this that we see in the former Commandement the reason is fearefull so it is in the second Commandement In this it is a farre more easie and reasonable for the great and maine reason is this that we should doe no more then God hath done 6. That as we see by the preface annexed Recordare Remember when we know it is that word that we expresse an especiall charge by because we thinke that it maketh no matter that it is but a trifle whether a duty be broken or kept and therefore he wileth and chargeth us to have an especiall regard of it and not forget him The Commandement as it standeth is divided into the 1. Precept and 2. Aetiologie that is the reason or perswasion First the Precept Remember that thou sandine a day unto me a day of rest to the Lord. For the understanding of it wee must know what is meant first by day of rest or Sabbath secondly what by sanctifying A day of rest or Sabbath properly in the Originall tongue betokeneth such a rest as there hath a worke gone before it Cessaâ—iâ— such a rest is plainely set downe Levit. 25. When the Land hath beene laboured and tilled six yeares he chargeth it to be suffered to rest the seventh yeare and lye fallow a politick Law So that after a labour of six dayes this is it that God requireth that there should be a day of ceasing Sanctifying is here attributed to two in this Commandement in the end that the Lord sanctifyed the Sabbath here in the beginning that wee must remember to sanctifie it The
is that he bringeth in that thy man servant and thy mayde may rest as well as thou Another is added Deut. 5.15 the estate of servants Gods care of the Common-wealth and we know that in the Spartane and other Common-wealthes there hath beene Insurrection by reason of overburthening of servants therefore is this put in a preservation of the Common-wealth Gods providence is great in providing of this 4. So likewise of the next member of Beasts Psal 36.6 his mercy and providence is extended to the beasts so Prov. 12.10 to the soule of the beast that is he will take order that the beasts be not tired because the earth shall have her Sabbath One end of Gods providence for them is the restrayning of our covetous humour who rather then we will omit any little gaine we will put our land and cattell to the uttermost and wee care not to what paines Againe another that by beholding the beasts doing their duties we might be the more moved to the doing of ours We must therefore note that God commands not their rest as delighted therewith even as Jonah 3.5 the beasts commanded to fast not that God was delighted with their abstinence or was acceptable to him but onely this that as the Ninivites seeing their beasts pyned before them they might consider of it and be moved the more so here seeing the beasts to keepe Sabbath they might remember to keep it 5. The last is the stranger within thy gates The Gates of an House or a Citie in Scripture signifieth Jurisdiction or Defenced protection That as then he is in his Gates so he is in his Jurisdiction so whosoever commeth under anothers Gates as he cometh for protection if he be be injured so he must confesse that hee must be under his Jurisdiction that for any godly duty hee may command him and Gen. 19. Lots intercession for the Angels Therefore came they under my roofe that they might receive no harme and as he had a care that they might receive no injury so ought we have a care of their soules As Nehem. 13.19 the men of Tyrus and Ashdod so long as he had any hope to reclaime them he suffered them to bring in their Wares but after hee saw they would bring in their Wares for all his warnings and threatnings he tooke order that the Gates of Jerusalem should be shut against them in the end of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or preparation of the Sabbath And so we see both for Workes and for Persons in severall and particuler The maine reason is vers 11. For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven c. As wee said before that a rule for discerning precepts is Ratio immutabilis praecepti facit praeceptum immutabile if the reason of a Commandement be immutable it maketh the commandement to be immutable and so consequently because the reason is to sanctifie Gods name when we shall be glorified in Heaven we shall there doe it we shall there onely intend it untill we come thither we have but finite soules and canot intend it wholly this reason being immutable that it shall there be done of us in the state of glory when we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One to One So may we likewise say of this it being a reason abexemplo from Gods owne example For concerning that this axiome The Creatour is to be followed of the Creature in that he commandeth it is an immutable reason for as much as it is the example of God nor can receive any time of exception because I have rested I propound the same to thee Therefore it pleased God to use this reason as most forcible He maketh use of others besides this Exod. 23. and Deut. 5.15 those he useth as proper to the Jewes this reason of the benefit of the Creation is here forced being greatest as well for the use as the duties which God that day cals for to be performed by us in an especiall manner the consideration of his goodnesse wisedome power and eternitie So also for the meditation of it in that day as the 92. Psalme was made for that day As for the continuance of the memorie of the Creation and keeping men from Paganisme for if it had been duly kept then that great doubt that troubled all the Philosophers so much Whether the World had a beginning had beene taken away And therefore this day being one especiall meanes that men might not fall into Atheisme is therefore sanctified of God to be a day of Rest Augustine on Genesis intreating of the Creation saith That it is true that it might have pleased God to have said Fiat totus Mundus let all the World bee made in one moment as Fiat lux let there be light in the first it had beene all one to his Omnipotencie to have made it as well in a moment as in six dayes his inquisition is What then should move God and hee findeth no reason but this that men might proceed in the musing of and meditation of the Creation in the same order that God hath taken in the Creation else they should have been in a maze Therefore Psal 104. David when he entreth a discourse of the Works of God he useth an order and Basil and Ambrose have written bookes of it that men might begin to thinke and give themselves to necessary thoughts and wholesome cogitations And this is thought to be the course that was in the Primitive Church For the substance of the reason it selfe generally to move all to doe as God hath done nothing moveth a man so as a notable example as Christ John 13.16 Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example When he saw his Disciples given to pride and would have them brought to Humility What way taketh he He taketh up a bason of water and a towell and putting off his upper garment washeth their feet and when he had done vers 15. he saith Wott yee what I have done Exemplum dedi vobis Yee call me Lord and ye doe well for I am so If I that am your Lord wash your feet how much more ought you to wash one anothers feet And in the 1 Cor. 11. Paul propoundeth a marveilous example Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ And therefore he himselfe may doe that I have done my selfe and because I that needed not have rested therefore must thou rest that needest it The last reason of the three Therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day he did not onely rest himselfe but he hath consecrated it also and besides his example hee hath annexed a solemne Institution So that it shall be to us a Mercatura animae the market day of our soule both for amendment of the weeke that went before and for a better life in the weeke to come But this is not the reason the force of the reason is in this because God hath blessed and hallowed it therefore this is a marveilous strange kinde of opposition Seeing
that Saul is heterogeneum amongst the Prophets it will fall against order for a Ceremoniall precept to stand in the middest amongst morall commandements For every Ceremonie or Type because it was a foretelling of the Gospell therefore must bee referred to the Gospell as the shadow to the bodie for indeed Ceremonies are Evangelicall So there is not onely this but also a Confession of the Law and the Gospell in the Decalogue Againe this being helde as a principle that the Law of Moses is nothing else but the Law of Nature revived and that a resemblance of GODs Image if that wee say that this Precept is Ceremoniall then must wee say that in the Image of GOD some thing is Ceremoniall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to abide but for a time But all things in him and in his image are eternall according to his nature And so consequently in the Law of Grace Againe when CHRIST delivereth to the Scribes the summe of the ten Commandements Thou shalt love the LORD c. It is no question but it is a summe of the Commandements Then in that part of the summe Thou shalt love the LORD c. Wee must finde the religious observation of the Sabbath and so Morall the love of GOD in which it is contained else our Saviour had delivered an imperfect summe Lastly a dangerous way is taken for bringing in one Ceremonie and the Papists as Parosius and Politian◠they will bring in another for they will have the second Commandement also to bee ceremoniall and there is no reason why there may not bee as well three as two and so foure and five and so all Therefore the best institution the best way for upholding the duties Eternall and to keepe them without blemish is to hold that part of the ten Commandements to deny all Ceremonies in the law as comming of the nature of the Commandement but they are plainly Morall 6. To come to the time of the Gospel Eph. 2.15 wee hold that all ceremonies are ended and abrogated by CHRISTS death but the Sabbath is not which is plaine by Matth. 24.20 for there CHRIST denouncing the overthrow of Jerusalem bids them pray that their calamitie befall not in the winter or on the Sabbath day Wee know this destruction fell out long and many years after CHRISTS death when all ceremonies were ended the Vaile rent c. Now then if hee should have prayed that their flight might not bee on the Sabbath and that were abrogated as a Ceremonie hee should have prayed that it might not have beene on that day which indeed should have beene no day Therefore it is necessarie that it bee counted no Ceremonie 7. Another is that to chop and change one day for another is not abrogatio but commutatio Judaismi 2. So the Seales of the Covenant of their owne nature are thinges morall though in regard of some other respect they bee ceremoniall Yet in the other that are meere typicall there is no manner of commutation but they are cleane taken away for if wee grant that the waxe candles the copes c. are not the Jewes but changed where as Judaisme is not to bee but as it is Eph. 2.15 Hee hath broken downe the wall hee hath taken away c. It is manifest that in stead of the Jewes seventh day in the Apostles dayes another seventh day was ordained Therefore it was not as the Ceremonies but as the Ministerie of the Covenant and Seales of the Covenant and the Day of the Covenant For wee see Act. 20.7 where as the Apostles called together the Disciples in the first day of the weeke which is our Sabbath now to heare the Word and breake bread And 1. Cor. 16.2 hee willeth them in their meetinges they should every one in the first day of the weeke put aside by him and lay up as GOD had prospered him that there might not bee gatheringes when hee came And Revel 1.10 it is plainelie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The LORDS Day So then we see plainly in the whole time the Apostles lived it being changed by them and not taken away Therefore not of the nature of the Types of the Law But when the old Covenant ceased then ceased the Ministerie of the old Covenant The Priesthood of Levi was changed and given to all Tribes and in stead of it is our Ministerie And as the Seales of the Covenant ceased the Ceremonies of the Covenant as Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe and in their place our Sacraments Baptisme and the LORDS Supper so the Day of the Covenant is taken away and in place of it is put the LORDS Day None of them being in his first end ceremoniall but as having a continuall use the Sabbath lasteth as long as the Church militant The reason which might seeme to have moved the Apostles to change this day De ratioue mutationis Sabbath may bee fitly taken from the institution of the Sabbath in the time of the Law For as then nothing was more memorable then the day of his Creation so when it pleased GOD that old thinges should cease there was a benefit that did overshadow the former Therefore from that day wee now celebrate the memoriall of CHRISTS Resurrection and became of the other worke also concurring fifty dayes after the great and inestimable benefit of Sanctification and the people by speaking with strange tongues and the memorie of the benefit of creation being as well shewed in the first day of the weeke as in the last and so have wee it by great reason established of the Creation Redemption Sanctification of the three speciall benefites wrought by the three Persons And so much for the clearing of that place The three Verses that follow 9.10.11 they are thus divided First they give light to the Commandement thus the 9. and 10. is nothing els but an expounding what the LORD meaneth And secondly at the eleventh Verse There is a reason yeelded why they should yeeld obedience to this And in the first there is an order taken as well concerning Works as concerning Persons For works sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thou hast to doe For persons thou thy sonne c. Againe in the first part there is an affirmative six dayes shalt thou labour c. and a negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. 2. There is a permission sixe dayes thou shalt worke and doe all c. Sixe dayes hath GOD bestowed on thee but the seventh day hee hath kept to himselfe hee hath bestowed sixe dayes on thee the seventh is GODS Now in these two oppositions there are two by-by-reasons included for the maine reason is in the 11. Verse 1. By right of Creation we are GODS and all ours for he made us of nothing and so might challenge us and our dayes so that standing in this case we could not challenge one day to our selves insomuch as if it had pleased GOD but to give us but one
Sabbathum Jehovae maneat unusquisque in loco suo neque egrediatur quispiam to morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord abide ye every man in his place and let no man go out on the seventh day Which is a great abuse with us 6. In Exod. 31.13 there is a matter that goeth beyond all these neither may the contrary course be taken for there in the Chapters precedent in the 28 29 30. God having set downe this platforme for the building up of his Tabernacle and willed Moses presently to goe in hand with it yet he saith in that thirteenth verse Notwithstanding I will have my Sabbath kept which is as much to say that in that worke that might have best shew and might seeme the best and lawfullest and make most to his glory yet he would have his Sabbath kept and not broken for it because in other matters ye may refraine in this ye may not And so vers 15. he taketh order for the universall day Whosoever he be that doth any manner of worke on the Sabbath day is judged worthy of death Nomanner of worke the universall terme And Numb 15.35 it is executed upon one that brake the Sabbath Jer. 17.27 he there protesteth for polluting the places of his rest that he will visit them with a plague of fire and such a one as should burne up the Pallaces of Jerusalem and should not be quenched The Prophets are great urgers of this Commandement above all other Commandements and where this plague of fire is threatned there goeth before a prophaning of the Sabbath and we may observe that there hath not beene any strange visitation by fire but some notable profanation of this day hath gone before and it is usuall among us also So when it shall please God to visit us with the like judgement wee know where to have the cause of it Therefore to conclude this place those that goe out to gather Manna that carry burthens that buy or sell that gather in harvest or vintage that journey and travell up and downe and to speake as it is Exod. 31. generally let not them thinke it is otium or Sabbatum Jebovae that it is the keeping of the Sabbath Augusline 3. Serm. de quadrages non sabbathum Domini est sed sabbatum Tyri The 37. Canon of the councell of Ments tempore Caroli The 35. Canon of the first councell of Triburia The 1. Canon of the second councell of Mascon injoyne a holy observation of this day In the 37. Canon of Ments there is a deprivation of the Communion for three yeares against that party that goeth to pleade causes or keepe Markets belike it was their custome in those dayes to pleade causes on the Sabbath So in the councell of Triburia the like order was taken and likewise Concil matisconense it was larger for the fault milder for the punishment for it was but for halfe a yeare And as one saith God commanded the rest not for the rest it selfe but onely Quia toto die hoc Deo tantummodo vacandum and to give over himselfe body and soule to God Here then falleth in the question concerning the strict observation of the Sabbath Quest 1. which was injoyned the Jewes and whether the same also doth lye upon the Christians Unto this Commandement Resâ—l as to every Commandement there were ceremonies Two the one for not dressing their meate the other for not building their fire on the Sabbath day Exod. 35.3 which are both ceremoniall The reason for there is no externall duty of the Law but it may be performed of any man of any Nation throughout the World But it is well knowne that those that are under the Poles they cannot live one day without fire and to let their fire goe out it were the utter destruction of them all and therefore because it is such an externall action it is certaine it is not morall The like may be said concerning the provision of meate for they that are under the hot Zone under the Equinoctiall their provision will not last them but one day therefore these Acts cannot be kept in the whole World therefore ceremoniall So the Christian is released not but that they could be performed of the Jewes and therefore a peculiar precept to the Iewes because they had no hinderances To make yet a further question Quest 2. Whether all those six rests are absolutely to be holden or not and whether on the Sabbath all of those before mentioned as to gather Manna to travell c. be simply unlawfull We answer to this No no further then the precept Eth hasshabbath c. for that our rest must be a sanctification the outward rest is Destinatum sanctificationi ideo quiescimus ut sanctificemus So whereas our quies is not destinata sanctificationi where the sanctification can be cum quiete with Rest there it is lawfull where it cannot bee there it is unlawfull Certaine it is that a man may rest and not sanctifie and so he may sanctifie and not rest and therefore it is said there are many resters and few sanctifiers In these cases the sanctification standeth thus either upon the meanes of our sanctification or else in the declaring of our sanctification that is in the practice of it Whereas a mans rest cannot agree with both these the rest because it is not destinated to them may be left the rest being a subordinate end And the rule is in Logick Tantum destinati sumendum est quantum ad finem prodest so much of any thing appointed is to be taken as conduces to the end wherefore it is taken as if you will take a purge you must take so much as will serve to purge and where his end riseth there must also the destinate arise Mat. 12. for the meanes of sanctification Christ defending his Disciples against the Jewes which indeed were altogether urgers of the bodily rest he sheweth that the rest in regard of the sanctification may be broken as of the Priests in sacrificing and indeed it is the most laborious time for the Minister but hereby they are blamelesse because they are in opere cultus Domini exercised about divine worship And so shall you reade Acts 1.12 mention made of a Sabbath dayes journey out of 2 Kings 4.23 for there the Shunamite comming to het husband for her Asse he saith to her Why should you goe to him to day it is neither the Sabbath day nor the new Moone The meaning is this that the Shunamite was wont to goe out to heare the Prophet and because she had not meanes shee would ride forth Therefore where the meanes of sanctification are wanting a man may take a sabbath dayes journey he may goe where they are used to be gotten Thus for the first part of sanctification Now of this first part of sanctification the meanes is lesse acceptable to God then the second part thereof which is the practice of the worke of
thing is commanded there all things are commanded that are of the same kinde And wee finde Levit. 16.31 and 25.32 That the day of Humiliation or a Fast is called there a Sabbath an ordinance or as Augustine sayth well If the estate of Innocencie had continued then there had beene but one onely day to have beene observed of Christians and that had beene wholly spent in the giving of Thankes c. But since the Fall there commeth by the wants wee feele in our soules that GOD is not onely Glorified Sacrificio Eucharistiae with the Sacrifice of Prayse and Thanksgiving but also Sacrificio spiritus tribulati humiliati with the Sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart Quia bonum perfectê vt volumus non possumus And so alleadgeth that place of Paul the bond that lyeth upon us cannot bee so accomplished of us as it ought to bee and so consequently wee have ofter occasions to glorifie GOD in this forme or way of Humiliation for At tonement then wee have of the other and the portion of this Sacrifice Rom. 12.2 is greater then the portion of the other so that as the other tendeth to the initiation of the joyes to come so this tendeth to the mortification in this present life It is the Ordinance of God that there should be a day of both It is strange thing that whereas some doe agree that the exercise of fasting is morall and not a ceremonie yet they will not grant the same performance to the Sabbath it selfe And the reason that it is morall is because whatsoever was a ceremonie it might not at any other time be used in any other place or order then was prescribed of God in the book of Ceremonies but this of fasting hath been otherwise in Joel 2.15 and Zac. 7.5 in the fifth and seventh month they had both upon an extraordinary cause And Zachary not that only but also in the tenth month which had it been a ceremonie had been unlawfull to doe But a ceremonie in the time of the Law was tyed to certaine places and times Againe that our Saviour Luke 5.35 as he doth there give a reason why his Disciples should not fast so he sheweth plainely that after the Bridgroome was taken away from them after his taking up into glory they should fast and so consequently when he should be taken up into glory it should continue Lastly the practise of the Church Acts 13.3 at the sending forth of Barnabas and Paul of private fasting as of Paul 2 Cor. 11.27 In muli is jejuniis in fasting often and his precept 1. Cor. 7.5 even of those that are Marryed that they might sever themselves for a time to give themselves to Fasting and Prayer shew plainely that it was accounted lawfull then and therefore practised And for the later part of the Primitive Church the Bookes of the Fathers are exceeding full of the praise of this exercise herewith they did so consume themselves that they might say with David Psal 109.24 Their knees were made weake with fasting and their flesh had lost all fatnesse This Sabbath of humiliation or day of fast receiveth the division of a publike exercise or private Publike as to which the silver Trumpets must be blowne Joel 2.15 Private which none might know off Matth. 6.16 it must be done as privately as may be so that this is onely the difference for the ends and parts they concurre and are the same no difference The ends and reasons of a publike fast are these 1. Either for the turning away of some evill or for the procuring of some good and because malum is paenae or culpae evill is either of sin or of punishment for both these and specially the punishment either our owne or upon some other Our owne either present mali grassantis or impendentis hanging over our heads For present evill When the Church or Common wealth hath any of the shafts of the Lord sticking in their â—â—â—es as Chrysostome saith very well on Joshua 7.6 a publike fâ—â—â— and upon the overthrow in Judges 20.26 and consequently 〈◊〉 â—he time of Captivity under the Philistims 1 Sam. 7.6 and in 〈◊〉 time of dearth Joel 2.13 When as the judgement of God 〈◊〉 as not yet come but onely imminent 2 Chron. 20.3 and Jehosoâ—hat feared and set himselfe to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah a publike fast Hester 4.16 Goe and assemble all the Jewes that are in Susan and fast ye for me and neither eate nor drinke in three dayes neither day nor night and I and my Maids will fast liken I se c. Jonah 3.5 When Ninive was threatned with destruction within forty dayes When this punishment lyeth not upon us but upon the Churches about us Zach. 7.3 Solemne Fasts for the Churches dispearsed in Babylon and Chaldea To come to Malum culpae to the Fault because there is a great affinitie therefore we see though there was no visitation to the Jewes they matching themselves with strange wives yet therefore Esra 9.12 they are forbidden to match their sonnes with the daughters of the Gentiles And though it be an evill example 1 Kings 21.12 At the command of Jezabell a Fast is proclaimed Last for procuring of some good Acts 13.3 and 14.23 The one at the ordayning of the Apostles the other at the ordayning of the Ministers that it would please God to make them sit for the worke unto which they were called In this duty of fasting if we respect the punishment onely or the visitation of God no doubt it is hard to make it Statarie at a set time a prefixed day neither hath the Lord appointed so for that Jom appormi a day of expiation Expiare peccata sua jejunio and so consequently it hindreth not but that there may be set dayes and a set fast and it is more expedient it should And as these are the causes which when they befall the whole people ought to make a solemne Sabbath to move all so the same causes when they concurre but to a private man then cometh out the second the private exercise of it 2. The causes are the same either when we are under the hand of God 2 Sam. 12.16 there David himselfe alone fasteth when it is not upon us but threatneth us and hangeth over us 1 Kings 21.27 Ahabs Fast though not inward yet not unrewarded of God when as the Prophet Elias threatned for the unrighteous putting of Naboth to death When it is not our owne case but pertaineth to others it may be lawfully used as Psal 35.13 David saith That when they were sick hee fasted When it is no punishment but a fault onely so that it be Propter languorem boni 1 Cor. 7.5 When the prayer loseth some part of his fervencie when it is not so fervent or when there is any tentation Christ saith there was such a kinde of spirits as that without prayer and fasting they could not bee cast out Matth 17.2
to have sentence pronounced against us for our owne consciences will condemne us For comming 2. Assiduity Because in the second place we see by Act. 17.21 an humour in the Athenians whiles Pauls doctrine was they came gladly as Luk. 23.8 Herod rejoyced when Christ came to him hoping to see some miracle wrought by him Augustine calleth the three daies journey of the people monstrum diligentiae the wonder of diligence therefore as they Acts 2.46 daily continued and resorted together c. and Pro. 8.33 Waiting daily at my doores and giving attendance at the posts of my doores so are we to doe the like and never to intermit this exercise Cyrill Villa non est peccatum sed si impediat est peccatum The Farme is no sinne but if it hinder that is a sinne Excuses ordinary Not to be admitted 1. Businesse 2. Play Math. 20.6 He reprehended them that stood in the market idle Non sunt istae institutiones sicut homiliae these institutions are not as Homilies for if we misse a Sermon we may redeeme it if we once misse this exercise we cannot have a perfect building Comparatur enim aedificio si vel una desit pars totum sit imperfectum aedisicium necesse est it is compared to a building in it if one part be wanting then of force the whole Fabricke is imperfect Therefore we are to follow the Apostles counsell Ephes 5.16 Redeeming the time because the daies are evill Then are we not to excuse our selves whether it be by excuse or businesse as Matth. 22.5 for though the things of themselves be lawfull and good yet where they come to hinder the knowledge of God they become sinne Or by play Gen. 25.27 no other reason given of Esaus idlenesse then that he was a man of the field and loved his pastime and gaming Or by Idlenesse Exod. 32.16 The people sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play Or by a spirit of unlustinesse as Esay 29.10 The Lord hath covered you with the spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes Ergo deponenda quaelibet impedimenta therefore all impediments must be laid aside Yet if sicknesse or any other impediment hinder us then are we to follow the counsell of the Apostle Eph. 5.16 of redeeming the time 3. Forasmuch as we see by Matth. 22.11 that every commer is not welcome 3. Idlenesse but he that hath his wedding garment and commeth prepared as he ought 4. Spirit of unlustinesse Videndum quomodo audiamus Take heed how we heare Bona bene good things well 2 Chron. 29.34 the Priests being too few adhuc imperfecta existente religione to slay all the burnt-offerings their brethren the Levites helped them till they had done the worke and other Priests were sanctified for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves then the Priests And seeing 1 Chron. 29.18 when David had taken as good order as he could he directed his prayer to God that it would please him to prepare the hearts of the people And for the Gospell Matth. 3.3 the office of John was to prepare the way of the Lord and to make streight his pathes Therefore we are to be prepared as the Lord requireth which though it be so manifold that the wise men of Israel have set downe 48. things to be used yet may they be reduced to two First Wherein our preparation to hearing doth consist 1. The purpose of the heart that which the light of nature hath set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the purpose of our heart to frame our lives accordingly Act. 11.23 Barnabas his first exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. And this is the first whosoever will heare must heare with this condition that he convert it to his life and put it in practice quia hic finis est for this is the end Psal 119.9 A young man must rule his life according to the word to this end to cleanse his waies Ergo he that practiseth not that which he heareth faileth in this first point Luke 12.1 Christ calleth the doctrine of the Pharisees there leaven Sic dici potest doctrina Christi fermentum Christi so the doctrine of Christ may be called the leaven of Christ whose property is as 1 Cor. 5.6 to turne the whole lumpe into the property of it selfe So if we heare the doctrine of Christ it must be leaven to us But the leaven turneth the taste of the lumpe into the taste of it selfe To this purpose a most fearefull place Deut. 29.18 That there be not among you man or woman nor family nor Tribe which should turne his heart this day from the Lord our God to serve the gods of these Nations and that there be not any roote among you that bringeth forth gall or wormwood The second thing is prayer ◠Prayer Because as David saith Psal 10.19 when the Lord hath prepared ones heart then he bendeth his eares to his prayers Againe the feare of God is wisedome wisedome cannot be got except it be asked for of God as Iames 1.5 If any one lacke wisedome let him aske it of God c. Practise whereof in Salomon 1 King 3.9 praying to the Lord for wisdome and the Lords approbation that he required wisedome in the same place vers 10. Matth. 21.13 Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur My house shall be called the house of prayer These short prayers are those the fathers call ejaculationes Of such is the Psal 119. full as vers 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law And in the middest when he feeleth himselfe dull vers 37. he saith O turne away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in the way And in the same place concludeth with thankesgiving saying I will thanke thee with an unfained heart when I shall have learned the judgements of thy righteousnesse By these and such like we must seeke to be upholden Effect of our prayer preparing to the catechisme For the effect of our request that forasmuch as Eccles 12.11 the words of the Lord are likened to goades and nailes as on the contrary Psal 19.10 to Honey-combes we are to pray that it would please the Lord that we may as well feele the nayles of his threatnings as the Honey-combes of his mercy Thus must we believe that there be such things in the word though we have no feeling of them yet the Saints of God have felt them If this might also be in us it would pricke us forward as Genes 32.11 Jacob prayeth to be delivered from the hands of his brother Esau but contrariwise If we might feele the sweetnesse and delight of this Honey-combe so that we might have a love to them the diligence would necessarily follow for Delectatio diléctio diligentia ex se pendent Dilectio
man and when we have obtained them and peradventure shall not get them without much labour they may Esay 59.5 be as a spiders webbe to us that may suddenly be swept away They are uncertaine 1. money for theeves 2. merchandise for the winds 3. building for fire 4. possessions for unrighteous Judges and all these for the bands of the Sabees that is our enemies Or as a Cockatrices egge which he that eateth of dieth and that which is trodden upon breaketh into a serpent Augustine Habent si non sinem suum finem tuum habent si non finem tuum finem suum quisquis est contemptor vitae suae est dominus tuae They have if not their owne end yet thy end they have if not thy end yet their owne end whosoever is a despiser of his owne life is Lord of thine 1. The uncertainty of many in danger of the seas winds stormes of unrighteous Judges the bands of the enemy Mans life hath 300. diseases and odde A little poyson overcommeth it if one care not to be hanged he will not care to kill thee Augustine proveth that a man is brickle in respect of them by his great grandfathers glasse that lasted three or foure mens ages Divintiae autem fragillimae ergo in his nulla faelicitas but riches are most brickle therefore in them is no felicity But in comming to God there is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full contentment and perfection Stability ergo felicitas summa unica therefore both chiefe and onely felicity For as Christ said to the woman of Samaria if thou wilt have the water of life you must goe to God the fountaine of all goodnesse God is universale bonum Iohn 4.14 primum bonum fons boni primum ens fons essentiae aeterna mens God is the universall good the first good the fountaine of goodnesse the first being the fountaine of being the eternall mind Experience of the true waies of comming to God 3. Ab experientia From experience in David Psal 16.12 In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure forevermore Experience of the false waies of cōming to God in Salomon who through the whole booke of the Preacher confessed that in the whole world he found 1. inanity 2. vanity 4. Confessed also by the heathen before Christs time 4. The confession of the heathen in Sybils oracles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be happy to live happily declareth the felicity of man to be the union to God Pythagoras his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 golden sayings Plato 10. of the rep and in his phaedo Hermes Plutarch Simplicius upon Epictetus Iamblichus of the Egyptian mysteries Cyrill against Julian No felicity but in comming to God Thus is hath beene proved 1. By particular exceptions 2. by demonstrative arguments 3. by experience 4. by the confession of the heathen Augustine in his meditations saith Domine creâsti nos ad te nunquam ergo quietum erit cor donec pervenerit ad te O Lord thou hast created us to thy selfe the heart therefore will never be at rest till it shall come unto thee To come velest in itinere vel in appulsu is either 1. in the journey or 2. in the arriving The last steppe is commonly adventus the advent or comming There is duplex felicitas a twofold happinesse Viae vitae of the way of the life of the way which is penultimus finis the penult end and of the life which is finis ultimus the last end Walking and going in the way of his commandements Or as the Rabbins there is felicitas atrii triclinii the happinesse of the porch and of the parlour In respect of these two felicities 1. in itinere 2. in appulsu 1. in the journey 2. in the approach No perfect felicity in this life Ratio nil ab omni parte beatum neque quicquam ab omni parte miserum The reason there is nothing absolutely happy nor is there any thing in every respect miserable Children are accounted free men quia spe liberi because free through hope we in this life are happy quia spe felices because happy through hope The reason quia vita quam sic vivimus non est vita nostra sedvia ad vitam caetera habent hîc vitam suam Because the life we thus live is not our life but the way to life all others have here their owne life 2. It is not possible to come to felicity in this life Heb. 6.19 the state of man is compared to a ship felicity to an anker hope to a cable The way to come to God Now the way to come to God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve Comming to any thing is a motion Omnis motio est ab appetitu ut moveatur appetitus cognoscenda ipsa via Ignoti enim nulla cupido Every motion is from the appetite that the appetite be moved the way must be knowne for there is no desire of a thing unknowne Therefore the way must be knowne Via ad Deum accedendi duplex the way to come to God is twofold 1. By reach of mans reason 2 By beleeving The Manichees according to S. Augustine in a bravery against the Christians The heresie of the Manichees next to Atheisme held that errour that men were to come to God by reason not by beliefe Atque adeo dicere solitisunt Christianos imponere jugum credendi non autem aperire fontem sciendi And so they were wont to say that Christians did impose the yoke of beleeving but did not open the fountaine of knowing This way because it best pleased man did most and longest prevaile atque adeo hi haeretici apud omnes omnium aetatum homines valuerunt plurimum ubique floruerunt And indeed the Heretickes prevailed exceeding much amongst all men of all ages and flourished every where In so much that if any Philosophers had associated themselves to religion they were first Manichees This also is manifest from this for that Faustus his errour was most dangerous and of longest continuance The like sect is in our daies The way of beliefe the best way to come to God of reason worst Quaeristae querists who will have a reason of every thing and so farre as you can goe with them by reason so farre will they goe with you no further Then we must prove that the way of beleefe is most convenient and necessary of reason most inconvenient and worst 1. If we come to God by reason then should none but excellent wits be saved because none beside them are capable of demonstrative reason But that way is inconvenient which but few can goe in Such is the way of reason of saith contrariwise if this were it were all one as if a company should take a journey and because some of the company could leape over hedges and ditches they should still make a high way through hedges and
ditches Deus antem habet viam suam regiam God hath his owne high way 2. Besides the goodnesse of wit paines are necessarily required and divers are commonly of such weake natures Gods way is so easie that aswel the weake â—s the strong may walke in it that they cannot take such paines Many also cannot intend such paines because their callings are not for it but are busied otherwise so that the most part should be excluded from this way But that way is inconvenient which lieth through many inconveniences 3. We see by daily experience before we come to Divinity how many yeeres we spend so that all who are cut off before they come to these yeeres should be debarred this felicity But God hath set downe his way a short way so that we need no more but believe assecuti sumus and we have attained Porphyriâ—s his objection against saith But they use to object one thing against faith which Porphyrie against the Christians of his time That it is a signe of simplicity to be too credulous and that was a stoppe to many at that time that they would not come to God by beleefe lest they should be misliked But the Philosopher can tell them that none is too credulous Nisi qui aut stulto The solution aut improbo credit but he that believeth either a foolish or a wicked man But these two necessarily are excluded from God Deus enim ipsa veritas falsum dicere non potest Deus ipsa prudentia neque fallere neque falli potest Ideâ— perfectae veritati perfecta sapientia perfectae honestati perfect a conjuncta est justitia nullus ergo incredulitati locus For God who is truth it selfe cannot lie God who is wisedome it selfe can neither deceive nor be deceived therefore to perfect truth is joyned perfect wisedome to perfect honour perfect justice no place therefore is left for incredulity That the way of beleefe is firme and grounded upon Gods Word â—s proved from foure effects Now that this way of beleeving is sure and that this whereon it is grounded is the Word of God though set forth by men it may appeaâ—â— by tâ—ese foure effects or circumstances as Origen against Celsus 1. healing of incurable diseases as leprosie dropsie palsie men possessed with foule spirits such as physicke durst never attempt to cure 2. They raised divers from death 3. They shooke the powers of Heaven 4. Simple and unskilfull men proved wonderfull and skilfull in one day of all tongues Therefore there must needs have beene in them a Divine power that wrought these things in them Therefore we see it in the certainety of the effect though not in the certainety of the cause Credulity more in reason then in faith This suspition of credulity is more in the way of reason then of beleefe three reasons 1. There being 288. sects of philosophy and every one having his reasons for his opinion therefore in that way there must needs be many crosse-waies Cum veritatis via sit simplex unica since the way of truth is simple and one therefore impossible it is that a man seeing such diversity of opinions should not be but in greatest uncertainty and doubt Adeóque in incredulitatem labatur vel maximam and so fall into great incredulity 2. Arist 1. Demonstr That there is no necessary thing without the mixtion of contingency in it therefore no absolute demonstration Therefore nothing but is subject both to knowledge and contingency ubi hoc where this is there is uncertainety Therefore nothing but may have diversity of opinions by reason of our memories and the confusion of our notions 3. And chiefely in cognoscendis primis causis In knowing the first causes they themselves confesse that they are in the darke both in respect of the object quia immaterialia because immateriall and in respect of the fountaine and cause of our knowledge quia principia rationis meae a sensibus ducuntur Deus coelestia sensibus non subjiciuntur The memory is able to reteine distinct notions because the principles of my reason are drawne from sence but God and divine things are not subject to sense as the Philosopher saies in his metaphysicks God is a thing above reason God above nature and sense Sense can give no rules of God and celestiall natures For our reasons and understanding are confounded illa autem simplicia inconfusa but they are simple and unconfounded Therefore we cannot come to him by reason therefore there must be some other way Now that it is necessary that there can be no other way then beleefe If they should take away beleefe Without beliefe no humane society there should be an overthrow of all things and so they should neither be friends to any nor any to them If any one were to report any thing to another that was not at the sight of that thing and he to whom this thing were reported should not beleeve them unlesse they brought their proofs for the least circumstance non adigeret eos ad insaniam would it not make them mad 2. August in his booke to Honoratus August cap. 10. de utilitate credendi of the utility of beleeving If one should come to me and say to me Augustine shew me the true way by reason then I say to him you come to me in dissimulation and hypocrisie not in any good meaning then will he protest his good meaning and bolster it out with words as much as he can Faith which they deny in words they prove by their acts then will I say I beleeve you yet you cannot perswade me by reason now therefore seeing you will have me to beleeve you in this is it not equity that you beleeve me seeing the profit of your beleefe doth not redound to me but to you 3. None of them all dare once call in question the words of a Prince and God being at least as good as a Prince ipsius verbo non credendum existimare quanta impietas to thinke hat this word is not to be beleeved what impiety 4. Arg. apertum manifestum de actu quem vocant patres explicito it is plaine and manifest concerning the act which the fathers call explicite There is none of them all but doth beleeve and ought to beleeve therefore the way of beleefe is not altogether to be rejected The necessity of beleeving There are certaine matters which are to be knowne that cannot be demonstrated by reason or sense c. but must necessarily be beleeved as whâ—ther he whom he calleth his father be his father c. Istiusmodi quotidie creduntur quia ratio ea persuadeâ—e non potest Such are daily beleeved because reason is not able to perswade them in these we can say no more but that we beleeve them Among which is the comming to a place We therefore making God the end of our journey must beleeve that he is Si
great company of men 2 Into celestiall bodies 3. Into those beasts that did any good to the Egyptians 1. canes ibides crocodiles dogges snypes crocodiles and so brought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plurality of Gods after they came to worship as Juvenal Quorum nascuntur in hortis Numina their Garden-gods or those things that grew in their gardens for Gods 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheisme Then 3. was it an easie matter to bring in a doubt whether there was a God And this was the cause as some thinke why Diagoras Theodorus brought in this doubt 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antitheisine Omnes diaboli actiones ed tendunt ut ipse colatur tanquam Deus at que adeò ut persuadeat hominibus se Deum esse All the divels actions tend to this that he may be worshipped as God so may perswade men that he i◠God Examples of Antichrist these esteeme the worship of the devill the rule of their life The second point wherein foure things whether there were a God and by a soolish argument they brought in that there was no God 4. When the Divell had brought them to Atheisme it was impossible that they should stay long time in it therefore commeth in fresh upon them shewing them some of his lying wonders and prophecies and strange signes and so brings them againe to religion and so by these wonderfull signes bringing himselfe into admiration with them maketh them to follow his religion and to worship him as God Apollonius Thyanaeus Iamblichus Julian the Apostata first they were of no religion after they fell to worship the divell and proved necromancers conjurers sorcerers The same succession in the East-Indies to whom the Gospell was preached by Thomas after falling into contentions about religion they grewat the length to the worshipping of his ugly image and worship him till this day The second point the confutation of their opinion that held with Atheisme 1. The causes of it 2. Their reasons that they were led by to it 3. That those things that were put for Gods were not Gods viz. that nature fortune c. is not governour of the world 4. Ipsa quaestio the question it selfe For he that will come to God must beleeve that there is a God In generall of those five false opinions and orders of them how they hang one on the other 1. That there was a time when there was no society among men but were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 companions of beasts and wandred like beasts 2. By the devise of some excellent man they were brought into one politicall body 3. Cum non possent homines in suis contineri officiis when men could not be conteined in their duties they began to enact lawes 4. When lawes were not able to bridle them but that in secret they would not sticke to commit great offences as murder c. When this would not serve then wise men intended this to worke this perswasion in mens minds that there was another oculus eye and invisible essence that did see also these things that they did in secret and would punish them for their sinnes if not in this life yet in the life to come and that most severely both in body and soule This they say and prove nothing yet are these they that will beleeve nothing unlesse great proofes be alledged for it therefore they condemne themselves by their owne Cities came of inhabaed tamilies not of wandring wild-men seeing they can neither alledge reason nor authority but all their ground false 1 If there were first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wild men it was degenerando non generando by degenerating not by generating For either they were outlawed or sequestred themselves from company for committing of some notable offence 2. That they came into a society è Nomadibus beastly savages it is manifestly false homo enim a primo instituto est animal politicum for man even from the first institution is a politicke creature For these politicall societies came first of houses familiae in vicos excreverunt vici in civitates fa milies grew up into streets or Villages and these into Cities 3. Lawes were after religion Vt poetae testantur Ethniet as the Heathen Poets testifie No Lawes in Homers time yet religion the stories of the Heathen doe testifie that lawes began almost a thousand yeeres after religion It s impossible that religion is a devise of man Reasons hereof 1. The universality of religion For when religion was too weake because men became so brutish lawes were made to be as it were snaffles and bridles for such Horses and Mules The universality of the perswasion of the worship of God not only written in the heart of every man but also in the consent of all Nations therefore impossible to be a devise of man Within these hundred yeeres the Spaniards and Portugals found out Nations in the Antarticke part of the World both in the South and West parts that had no dealing with any other Nation because they were with out apparrell marriage c. that had no lawes no governments that were most necessary things yet were they not without religion and they had some things which they called their Gods and worshipped them as God indeed Therefore seeing there is no Nation without religion yet some have beene knowne to have no dealing with other Nations it cannot be a devise of man or a devise of propagation But religion is not of propagation Object Solu 2. The diversity of religions without any analogy of the one to the other But if it be objected that those Nations had it of their borderers This may be another argument against them for they are so farre from taking religion one of another that there is as great a variety herein as may be possible without any proportion of one religion to another Diversitas simillimarum gentium the diversity of like Nations but all devises that come of any devise will have some analogie with it For some as the Jewes worship an invisible thing i. God himselfe all the Gentiles visible as Heavens Starres Planets Elements Birds Beasts Snailes Plants as Garlicke and Onions some a peece of red cloth hanged upon a pole some the first thing that they met that they worshipped as God all that day manifestum ergo religionem è propagatione non esse ortam adeoque neque ab humano instituto It is manifest therefore that religion came not of propagation and therefore neither of humane institution 3. Falshood can claime no kindred but of time for onely truth is without all time Opinionum commenta delet dies naturae judicium confirmat time vanquishes the inventions of opinions but confirmes the judgement of nature Therefore every thing besides truth brought in by mans inventions or by any other thing whatsoever weareth out but religion was and shall be perpetually religion weareth not there is no antiquity but religion is beyond it
est sua peccata patriae suorum quantum fiori potest tegere all of nothing So for a man to come to this that he wil not conceale his fathers mothers or friends faults to speake against his owne country and countrymen yea against himselfe is against the nature of man cannot be wrought in man but by a supernaturall cause This we see the holy men in the Scriptures did It is naturall to every man so farre as he can to cover his owne faults and the faults of his Countrey and friends Moses when no necessity bound him confessed that he came of a cursed stocke spared not his brother Aarons fault in making the Calfe but committed it to writing spared not his sister Miriam in the cause of murmuring no not his owne fault in murmuring against the Lord at the waters of strife Numb 11.11 dispossessed his owne children and would not have them to succeed him in the Magistracy a very unnaturall thing but preferred Ioshua yea he put by his owne Tribe and the Tribe of Iuda and preferred Ephraim This is not able to agree with the naturall man but must come from an higher cause Therefore the writers of these bookes must be inspired by God 10. Whereas the whole drift of the greatest Philosophers and most learned men was to teach how Kings should enlarge their Kingdomes and to be in credit with Princes and great men this teacheth that life is the contempt of life It teacheth the contempt of the world and worldly honours The Prophets they never sought to be in favour with Princes but were so farre from that that they answered them not so much to that they asked as to that they should have asked therefore this is supernaturall Therefore the true way and from God not from man Against the Iewes The next point as God is a Spirit so must his worship be spirituall so we finde in the Scriptures not onely forbidding of images and shadowes but also a flat negative And as in the case of Gods unity though false religion may agree with the true in the first point yet not in the second so in this regard howsoever they exclude images yet they fault in this that all their worship is ceremoniall bodily and rituall consisting in matters of ablution and outward types And though there be types in the old Testament yet he proclaymeth every where that he abhorreth them for he will have a contrite heart and onely the circumcision of the heart Therefore as man is bodily and his notions fall into the compasse of the body so as that worship that commeth from him is bodily whereas the worship that commeth from God is spirituall 2. To this may be added that of Miracles and Oracles to confirme this religion as the other did in confirming their religion They were not done in corners but in the sight of Pharao in the middest of all his servants 2. Againe they were not frivolous but they that have felt them have got good by them 3. They are not imitable nor expressible by the art of man as the dividing of the red Sea the causing the Sunne to stand still in Ioshuahs time the making of Ahaz Diall to goe backe 10. degrees both which Areopageta saith are in the Persian Oracles The raining of Manna from Heaven Iannes and Iambres were not able to imitate Moses For Oracles of the Gentiles they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise Oracles speake as King Philip would have them and that they were very ambiguous and needed Delio natatore the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo to expound them Therefore Porphyry said that their Oracles commonly had Posticum a backe-dore These doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise are not doubtfull need no Delius natator the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo Last most of the heathens Oracles came not to passe but in the Scriptures they came all to passe some three hundred yeeres before some 500. some a thousand some three thousand as the dilatation of Iapheth which happened not before the calling of the Gentiles And this for confirmation both of the old and new Testament common to the Jewes aswell as to us those that follow are proper to Christian religion 1. Aug. 23. de eivitate Dei out of Porphyrie de regressu animae of the regresse of the soule the greatest enemy that ever the Church had That it is no true religion that doth not yeeld a sufficient purgation to the soule of man Moreover he addeth there that the Platonists received from the Chaldees that the purgation of the soule of man cannot be nisi per principia but by the principles we know that Plato his principles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father the mind love an enignaticall speech of our Trinity But this i. the purgation of the soule of man no religion teacheth but ours for it teacheth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word tooke upon him sinfull flesh to purge away the sins of man therefore ours the true all the rest are meerely bodily for all their exorcismes and sacrifices are bodily and not spirituall and so withall the God of the Christians is not like to the heathen gods for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who loveth man i. he delighteth not in cutting mens throats or burning them to afhes as their divels had virgins babes old men young men good men offered up to them And the sacrifices of beasts in the old law were onely used for two respects 1. That they might be types of those things that are in the Gospell 2. To be an admonition to men to shew them that they have deserved to be thus killed and sacrificed God was so farre from having men to be sacrificed to him that he himselfe came downe to give himselfe a Sacrifice for our sinnes And what greater love can be then for a man to give his life for that he loveth for his friend therefore no greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to man then this In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty 1. Ioh. 1.1 Now for the Gospell 1. For the witnesses In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty First for the skill There is never a one of them but can say we write and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon and which our hands have handled Not as Homer Plato and the rest that had their things from other and by report And withall the writers of the Scriptures writing them when the world bare greatest hatred against them and yet never any durst write any booke against Moses in his time or against the Gospell in these daies And de probitate testis concerning the honesty of a witnesse The honesty of a witnesse there can be no better reason given then that Tacitus giveth That they testifie best quibus nullum est mendacii pretium that have nothing for their labour
and so here the Prophets and the Apostles had nothing for their paines whereas if this religion were false he had reaped perpetuall ignominie and shame For the credit of the story eternall testimonies he had in vaine deprived himselfe of all pleasure wealth and preferment For the credit of the story concerning first the nativity of Christ secondly his death For his birth we know the Oracles of the Sybillae were in greatest account among the heathen and held as true of all men and if those be they which we have there is nothing which can more plainely set forth the birth of Christ his life his death For there we may see every action set downe and almost every circumstance That they be the same first those two verses that Lactantius citeth we finde in these Secondly those that the heathen cite as Tully one saith that they were the very speculum Historiarum the mirrour of Histories And we read that many of the learned men in these latter daies as Marcellinus Secundanus were converted to the Christian religion onely by reading those verses Cic. 1. epist to Lentulus There is much adoe who shall bring Ptolomy the last into his Kingdome againe Lentulus maketh great suit his reason was because that it was the Oracles of Sybillae that presently upon the reducing of Ptolomee Prodiret dominus orbis The Lord of the world should appeare 2. Of divination Vocandus nobis Rex ex quo salvi simus He is to be called of us a King of whom we may be saved Tacitus and Suetonius say that in the time of the Gentiles especially in the time of Vespasian it was said throughout the whole world that the King of the world should come out of Iury and therefore his flatterers went about to perswade him that it was meant by him Therefore we shall finde that Augustus Tiberius and the other Emperours did labour to roote out the Nation of the Jewes and especially that Tribe that the King of the world should come out of Rodiginus and Voluteran leave this on their credit in their writings That among the monuments of Egypt they found an Altar of Isis dedicated Virgini pariturae to the Virgin that is to bring forth And like to that de Templo pacis of the Temple of peace that it should stand quoad virgo peperit untill a virgin hath brought forth a child So Postellus witnesseth from the Druidae that they had an Altar with this superscription ara primogenito Dei an Altar to the first begotten Sonne of God Suetonius saith that about the annunciation of Mary the yeere before his incarnation as it were on a faire day in a great assembly of the people at Rome there appeared a Raine-bow about the Sunne of a golden colour almost of the same brightnesse with the Sunne save that the colour of it was more yellow And the Augures being asked a reason of it they answered that God would invisere humanum genus visit mankind When Christ was borne the same day were seene three Sunnes in the firmament not three parelii Images of the Sunne Sueton. in the life of Vespatian Virg. 4. eglog Tacit. 21. of his story that after met and went into one which cannot be in a meteor for that it is in a fixed cloud so that 3. parelii Images of the Sunne cannot come into one to which the Augures answered that he was then borne whom both Augustus and the people and all the world should worship this was a signe of the mystery of the Trinity therefore it is said that at the next meeting of the Senate Augustus gave over his title Dominus orbis Lord of the world and would no more be called so And it is reported that on the same day there ranne out of a shop in Rome for the space of a day as it were a river of Oyle which some take for a signe of his spirituall annoynting But the chiefest is of a Starre that appeared mentioned in the Scripture as also of the Heathen that confessed it was stella maximè salutaris Virg. eclog. 4 the luckiest Starre that ever appeared for mankind 2. Pliny 25. chap. calleth it stella crinita sine crine a blazing Starre without crest And many by cogitation of this Starre have beene converted to the truth as Charaemon among the Stoickes Caladius among the Platonists upon the inquiry of the estate of that starre went into Jury and became a Jew For his death Signes for his death we finde that the ancient wise among the Egyptians using not to write by letters but by characters when they would expresse vitam aeternam eternall life it should be done per signum crucis by the signe of the Crosse whereby they shewed a badge that should necessarily concurre with the action that should be the salvation of the world Math. 27.45 Mark 15.33 Concerning the two things that the Holy Ghost hath set downe i. the universall eclypse of the Sunne and the universall earthquake so often and so much cast into the teeth of the heathen that they are ashamed to deny it Of the earthquake Pliny 2.25 ch of both Phlegon Trallianus 13. lib. Chron. testified of all the Heathen not to have come by any naturall cause For the earthquake there can be no universall motion in any thing for in nature every thing that is moved must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s owne stay but this earthquake went throughout the world for the universall eclypse of the Sunne many were converted by the strangenesse of it as Dionysius and Apollophanes For first the Sunnes eclypses are all particular this was universall 2. It was at the feast of the Passover which was 14. day of the Moone when the Moone was just at the full flat oppositly contrary to the rules of Astronomy and the reason of man 3. In the Emperour Tiberius his raigne it is said that presently upon the eclypse there was an universall defect of Oracles of which argument Plutarch hath a whole Treatise M. Aâ—reliâ—s 3. Chinades inâ—ulae â— Cyclades wherein he saith that one Epithe ses one that was in great credit with the Emperour sayling by Cyclades heard a voyce as it were comming out of one of the Ilands with great yelling as they thought or could conceives of spirits to make report that the great God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pan was dead The Emperour afterward hearing of this called together all the wise men and Magitians But none could tell Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Hebrew child who commandeth the blessed Gods enjoynes me to leave this house and straightwaies to goe hence into hell therefore thou being silent depart hence from our Altars what this great God Pan should meane Nicephorus saith that the Emperours from Augustus to Adrian did not onely enquire the cause of this defect from wisemen but also caused them to raise up the spirits themselves One asking the Oracle at Delos
of the Rocke so they had also the signes of the Gospell Their being under the Cloud and passing through the Sea like to our baptisme Manna to Christ his body the water out of the rocke to his blood The order of the uses of the law Opoâ—tet vocare ad calculum We must câ—ll to an account 1. Vse of the law Yet two necessary points That where there is no perfection in the law through the imperfection of nature yet it is â—aedagogus ad Christum a schoolmaster to Christ To make this more plaine Christs wise dome must be ours That a man must often call himselfe to accounts how he hath used his talent Matth. 25.14 God is compared to a Housholder that will take account of his servants of those talents that he delivered to them at his departure We must vocare talenta nostra ad calculum call our talents to account and not doe as the wicked and foolish servant that is noted of great folly for hiding his talent in the ground Then for the first use of the law it is our Tabula supputationum table of accounts It containeth our credita debita what things are owen to thee and what thou owest it s the table that we must cast our accounts by it sheweth us where we are and telleth us our accounts est remedium ignorantiae a remedy of ignorance Now because it sheweth us that our debt is much greater then we are able to pay and that it sheweth us the strength of sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 that it is so strong that it bringeth us to that Revel 2.5 Memor esto unde excideris remember whence thou art fallen shewing us our miserable estate the image of God from whence we are fallen and hell into which we shall fall whereof the one will worke in us a griefe the other a horrour the law is that if our debt be greater then we are able to pay our goods children and our selves must be sold and payment made 4. When it hath once gotten us to this that we may be condemned in the whole summe Secundus legis usuâ— ducit nos ad Christum ducit nos ad aeneum serpentem 2. Vse of the law leads us to the brasen serpent Christ The covenant of faith being entered into us then have we this use of the law 1. It puts us in mind of the great deliverance of Christ from the law 2. It granteth grace in that measure that is required in this life The law sheweth the finne and the remedy Exod. 20.1 c. when sinne and we have reckoned it hath her minister and Scrivener the conscience to subscribe and set seale to this great debt And thus will the 3. use of the Law come that it will be humiliator an humbler And so as it is Gal. 3.23 It shutteth us up in the dungeon and imprisoneth us and this is a remedium superâ—iae a remedie of pride Then commeth in the second use of the law That forasmuch as we see our condemnation is just and that we can never discharge so great an account it maketh us seeke for a surety to defray the whole summe for us It doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drive us to thinke of a surety namely to the brazen Serpent as Moses did the Jewes that is Christ And of these two uses two other uses will follow 1. It serveth us as an Arrow shot into us to put us in remembrance of our great deliverance and guideth us over the billes of accounts that we seeing that much is forgiven us might love much The other Psal 119.59 to teach Quid retribuam Domino What shall I render to the Lord to turne our selves into his pathes and to draw no more debt upon Christ then needs The preface of the Law ANd God spake all these words and said c. till the 18. verse The summe of all these words and in effect the body of the law containes two parts The style verse 2. I am the Lord thy God c. 2. The charge which receiveth the whole ten precepts In every law according to the positions in mans law is required 1. Wisedome 2. Authority For the wisdome of God Deut. 4.8 And what Nation is so great a Nation that hath Ordinances and Lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day Moses challengeth all the lawes and the Nations of the World The wisdome of a law is best seene and tryed by the sufficiency of it For his authority it is rerum agendarum telum This is alwaies the preface of every law and is here in the second verse In every edict and Proclamation the beginning is with the stile of the Prince whereby he challengeth by his prerogative Royall to doe what he list For this authority is the common reason of the whole charge of the law and is annexed to every Commandement that hath a reason as to the 2 Where there is a reason given it is from hâ—s authority 3 4. For I the Lord thy God c. For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse For in six daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. And if it be true that men need not a reason to perswade them to a benefit then surely not to this because it is a benefit and a priviledge as Psal 147. v. last He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have the Heathen knowledge of his lawes Yet it pleaseth God to adde his reason from his owne person though indeed profit be a sufficient Orator Chap. 19 v. 2 3 4 10 12 14 16 18 25 28 30 31 32 34 37. Chap. 20. v. 7 24 26. Chap. 21. of Leviticus v. 8 12 15 23. The reason of the new Testament annexed Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow unto me of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and every tongue shall confesse to God The parts of the preface In this stile or authority are three parts according to three titles The first title of his Name Jehovah Secondly the title of his jurisdiction Thy God Thirdly the title of that notable act he did last Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt c. Such prefaces in their Edicts and Statutes doe earthly Princes use 1. Is the name of the Prince Caius Caesar 2. The jurisdiction Emperour or King of such a Countrey 3. The last noble act he did as when the Romans had overcome Germany every Caesar was called Germanicus or when they had overcome Affrica Scipio Affricanus Scipio the conquerour of Affrica And alwaies the last triumph did drive out all the former For the Name first Jehovah I Jehovah not I am Jehovah It argueth his nature power and benefits Thou art Lord. The name of his nature it cannot be denied Psal 83.18 That they may know that thou whose Name is Jehovah it is communicable to no
malè operantis At semper corrupta malè defendentis The mind of him that worketh evill is not alwaies corrupt but the mind of him that defendeth evill is ever corrupt Scandalum Scandall or offence For scandalum sic de eo statuendum scandall or offence thus we must determine of it In a thing indifferent if it be not de praecepto of the precept And if we know that by the omitting of it we shall doe good and by the doing of it we shall doe hurt peccatum est si fiat it is a sinne if it be done If it be commanded potius scandalum admittatur quà m veritas deseratur let rather a scandall be suffered then the truth should be deserted If it be not de praecepto of the precept or in praecepto in the precept and the manner of the doing of it be commanded and I know that will offend my brother I am yet bound not to doe it but to stay and no longer then I can informe the party that is offended that it is a lawfull meanes that I use But if after sufficient information the party will still be offended then it is scandalum acceptum non datum an offence taken not given and we may doe it The second part The rules of restraint The second part to make the restraint as narrow as may be The Hebrewes said that there be universall precepts of the Scriptures which we would judge like to particulars but beare a larger interpretation are all enlarged as generals either in the signification of the words or in their derivations This practise of enlarging and restrayning the one hath beene a token of good interpreters the other a marke of evill interpretors August de mendacio of a lye saith that the question still lyeth about the assumptions Non ex regula veritatis sed ex propria cupiditate non quod ille fugiendum judicat sed quod ipse magis horrescit Not from the rule of truth but from ones owne desire Not that this man judgeth it a thing to be avoyded but that another doth more detest it As men in their private actions so in interpretations wicked interpretors keepe them to this rule Math. 5. examples of both The Pharises rules be narrow though their phylacteries be abroad The commandement Non jurabis they restraine to either Non pejerabis vel non jurabis per nomen Jehovae Thou shalt not forsweare or sweare by the name of Jehovah But our Saviour by the first rule sheweth that they are not to sweare at all but that their conversation should be yea yea and nay nay Vt amplificat etiam ab intentione Dei as he doth also amplifie it from the intention of God He sheweth them that God would have his name an end of all weighty controversies but not of every foolish controversie and so doth confound both theirs Non occides Thou shalt not kill They restraine it to innocent men onely but a man might revenge an injury offered to him But Christ by the third rule of extention doth make anger and wrath murder because it s the seed of greater offence and commands us to love our enemies For the breach of wedlocke Non moechaberis Thou shalt not commit adultery For the occasions they accounted not but yet that was strange that they might make as many divorcements as they would and that they might marry as many as they would But Christ by the fourth rule of extention doth exclude even the occasions Luk. 10.25 The parable of the Samaritan an expounder of the Law and Christ rest on this terme Neighbour which they restrained onely to them that dwelt neere them but Christ by the rule of aequipollens extendeth it to every man So Christs interpretings warrant extensions Though it be true that the Rabbins say that its necessary to extend and to restraine but more necessary the first The rules of restraint lesse necessary then the rules for extending yet rules must be set downe of restraint also A rule Consuetudo est optima legum interpres Custome is the best interpreter of the law in mans judgement but in the interpretation of Gods Law its most false it s the worst interpretor In civill law communis error facit jus common errour makes a law Consuetudo est optima legum humanarum interpres divinaruÌ„ pessima Custome is the best expounder of hum ne laws but of divine lawes the worst say they but in Gods Law it s no rule Consuetudo cedat authoritati divinae custome must yeeld to divine authority These rules have no place in the ten Commandements there is no errour can plead custome or so common ut faciat jus it make a law If this could have beene it s no question but the interpretation of the seventh Commandement would have beene good of polygamy for it had prevailed amongst them 3000. yeeres But it s condemned by Malac. 2. and of Christ out of him The like is of divorce which was an ordinary custome from Moses to Christ his daies If Iehosâ—phat walk not after Gods law but after the custome of Israel he is blamed if he leave not Ahabs society he is of the same society The reason why custome is to give place to Gods lawes In the positive law of man its necessary to sever in every law jus positivum naturae ut necessariò consequatur repetitio repetitio arguit praesupponit deliberationem The positive law and the law of nature and necessarily must follow a reherasing now this repetition argues and presupposes a deliberation And oftentimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is their custome the afterwit is better then the former But the law of God was set downe at the first so wisely that it cannot come into the forge of man no afterwit can be better then this way in the law of God Howsoever it goeth with mans law yet in Gods lawes usus authoritati cedat Per principium in lege Dei omnia examinanda Let custome give place to authority In the Law of God all things are to be tryed by the principle How many waies we may finde where a commandement holdeth not 3. Rules 1. That which every Prince challengeth to himselfe a prerogative royall to dispense with his owne positive law It commeth à dispensando from dispensing which is nothing else but to doe as a Steward of a family doth Dispensatio continua est privilegium A continued dispensation is a privilege Superveniente causa princeps habet potestatem dispensandi legem Vpon just cause the Prince may dispense with the law Tertullians answer to the Heathen The Stewards office is to allot to every man his portion of meate in due season either more or lesse as he seeth that every man needeth This if it be continuall is called a priviledge This being granted to earthly Princes with a greater right it may be granted to God For their dispensations commonly proceed from their will which may be corrupt
Christ Joh. 17.3 Of God the Father and the Deity we read 1 Tim. 6.16 that no man hathever seen him And Moses could see but his back-parts and when he saw them he was afraid and did hide his face Therefore 't is sufficient for us to know them For as much as our knowledge is to be referred to our worship we must labour for no more then must serve for his worship i. things revealed to us in the Scriptures The I. Commandement Thou shalt have no other c. COncerning God for the Unitie of his Essence and Trinitie in Persons and so what he is to us we are bound to know And that is set downe Exod. 29.46 The rule of our knowledge Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God that brought them out of the Land of Aegypt that I might dwell among them I am the Lord their God The Scripture doth not onely set downe what he is in himselfe but what he is in relation to us So in Exod. 34.6 God maketh Proclamation of his owne Attributes The Lord There be in the Scripture certaine things set downe concerning his nature also concerning his attributes wee are also to know his actions then besides what the goodwill of God for us to be directed whether in generall as wee are Christians or in particular as wee are every man in our severall vocations the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie and transgression of sinne not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the children and upon childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Besides these that God hath done for us what we are to doe for him namely the knowledge of his will both in regard of the generall what all are to doe and in regard of the particular calling which every one hath what we are to doe Now the meanes whereby we come to this It is well said of the Heathen Ponenti finem ponenda media he that would attaine unto the end must use the meanes In them the order must bee thus 1. To remove the impediments removenda impedimenta 2. That must be first placed which is first primo prima 1. For the first In Pro. 1.16 is set downe there is a company that will not sticke to draw evill upon evill Prov. 1.16 My sonne if sinners intiee the consent not c. such as will lactare hominem intice a man unto evill it is called Evill counsell or as it is Pro. 19.27 my sonne if thou wilt remove the impediment heare no more the instruction that causeth thee to erre from the words of knowledge The instructions that cause us to erre Instructions causing us to erre or the impediments to be removed be threefold either 1. In our selves or 2. Without our selves 1. 1. Our owne reason Within us our owne reason That which is set downe Deut. 12.8 ye shall not doe after all these things that we doe here this day that is every man whatsoever seemeth good in his owne eyes And Ephes 4.17 in the vanity of our owne reason This therefore I say and witnesse in the Lord that yee walke not henceforth as other Gentiles walke We must give over our reason for that was the errour of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vanities of their mind 2 Cor. 10.5 for heavenly knowledge all our strong holds all our mountaines of reason must be cast away or throwne downe and brought into captivitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and every thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pulling downe of strong holds and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a bringing into Captivity Where it doth resist we must cast it downe as in the mystery of the Trinitie where it striveth with us it must bee brought into captivity 2. Those that are without us are two First in the 1 Pet. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tradition of Elders tradition of our Elders least we take Religion by inheritance a great impediment Such as our Fathers have taught us we will doe Our rule must be Scrutamini Scripturas Search the Scripture and we must receive nothing by tradition so farre as it standeth not with this rule 2. And secondly in the 2 Chron. 17.4 of Jehosaphat But sought to the Lord God of his Father 3. The fashion of the world and walked in his Commandements and not after the trade of Israel to doe as they doe now adayes and after the manner of the place The common trade of the World must be no rule for us unlesse it agree with our rule it must be removed for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fashion of the people and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof hath beene spoken before and a sharp wit to doe whatsoeuer our reason will tell us are the rules of mans wisedome these must be cast away 1 Cor. 3.18 If any man will be wise let him be a foole in this world let him give over the rules of mans wisedome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was Luthers rule Si quis vult were sapiens esse in Aristotele stultisicetur in Christo and the rules of worldly wisedome must be received so farre forth as they be equall to the foolish rules for if we become not little ones in our owne wisedome and fooles in regard of mans wisedome Christ will not account us among them that he speaketh of Mat. 11.25 for whom he thanketh God that he hath revealed his mysteries unto them and not to the wise of the world Rom. 1.22 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this professing themselves to be wise was the cause why the wise men of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 became such fooles Now to the meanes themselves they were partly before handled Therefore we will be shorter in them But if any desire a direction for this part first we must be perswadad thus of Gods knowledge We must have the perswasion of the necessity of it Luke 10.42 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the one needfull thing and that no vocation can be more necessarie Though civility will not let men say that they spend more time in that that shall not profit and lesse upon that which is necessary because they thinke good to spend some times in it yet they shew that this in respect of other things is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a by-worke they are meere Scepticks in this one needfull thing their study is a studying for pride or discoursing at table they read Authors as the Butterflie suckes the flowers to paint her wings but this must not be so spent on the tongue No other knowledge shall prosper without this Christs counsell Mat. 6.33 that this must first be sought and then other things will follow Primum quaerite Regnum c. First seek the Kingome of God
for we have no warrant that our other studies shall be sanctified unlesse this be first that shall after sanctifie the other So that it is necessary in all things For this attaining of knowledge as it must have his course so it must have a space of time and diligence withall the one without the other is nothing Time Psalm 46.10 vacate videte To attaine knowledge 1. time 2. dâ—lâ—gence must be used be still or take time and know that I am God They must be at leisure that they may know It will not be had at certaine times 1 Cor. 7.5 his counsell is to the man and wife not to come together for a time that they might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give themselves 1 Time To leave the use of the bed that they might vacate melâ—ori attend better things or be at leasure to prayer and fasting and by an argument à majore if we should abstaine from indifferent things then from other things that are not indifferent This Act. 17.21 of the Athenians howsoever other businesse fell out that they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spend their time which is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be vacant to tell or heare of novelties then we may be ashamed that this hath not wrought that in us which it did in them For Diligence Augustines rule for this is strange 2 Diligence but it may be the rule till a better come Satis reputatur quis facere cum tantum facit pro Deo quantum facit pro mundo Ier. 4.22 For my people is foolish they have not knowne mee they are foolish children and have no understanding they are wise to doe evill but to doe good they have no knowledge Media cognitionis adipiscendae we then discharge our duty to God-ward when we are as industrious in his service as we are for the world If we bestowed but asmuch diligence on Gods statutes as we doe in the penall statutes of a Prince as 6. Micah 16. for the statutes of Omri are kept and all the manners of the house of Ahab ye walke in their counsels then we might come to some knowledge Jer. 4.22 if that paine that we take to doe evill and to deceive we would take to study the Law and to learne the Commandements of God he would not complaine of us as he doth that we perish for want of knowledge Now to the pointe the necessarie meanes First there is required prayer wisdome and knowledge Jam. 1.5 must be asked of God in the 8. Wisd v. 21. Solomon makes it a point of wisdome first to know how to come by wisdome c. 9. he makes his prayer to God for it as also 1. King 3.6 Solomons prayer for wisdome is set 10. v. that which is more that God tooke great pleasure to be desired it and this is the first meanes Secondly the other are set down Deut. 6.6.7.8.9 i. first that wee should bring it into the heart which is past the braine for this First thou shalt whet them i. our catechising or the first principles must be had perfectly How wee shall come by it it is set downe Rom. 10.17 an ordinary meanes hearing and repeating Talking of it which signifieth to conserre Writing and in that included reading which are fruitfull with other and alone A binding of them before our eyes and upon our hands not now used but the fathers interpret the having before the eyes Meditation which doth as it were put it before the eyes and for the binding it on their hands as in Physick there is a rule per brachium fit judicium de corde that the straints and veines come from the heart to the hand so it is in divinity by the arme is practise and exercise meant and this is to binde it on the armes it is a good way to make aconscience of the practise of that wee know Quod datur oranti quodaperitur quaerenti id exerce see that thou exercise and put in practice those gifts and graces which thy prayers have obtained of God Bernard But the contrary practising bringeth forth poenales caecitates for illicitas cupiditates penall blindnesse for unlawfull desires No knowledge to the knowledge of practise The heathen man saith that he that hath an habit of justice shall be able to say more of it then he that hath the perfect speculation of the Ethicks so the poorest man that hath practised his knowledge and is well practised in faith shall say more of the feare of God and of faith then the learnedest Doctor that hath not practised and so in all other things exercitium is signum potentiae and so signum scientiae Exercise is a signe of knowledge as well as of strentgh The signes of knowledge 3. Humility The next rule is of the signes of knowledge they are foure That is true that of the consequent the best rule is by the antecedent If feare want there can be no love if love want there can be no obedience The want of humilitie is a signe of no knowledge But specially that of humility Augustines prayer Domine Deus noverim te noverim me he adds they know not God if they know not themselves Vera scientia non facit hominem exultantem sed lamentantem True knowledge begets not pride but teares So the Heathen man saith Quod faciunt alii de aliis id ipse de se facit apud se Et inter sapiences sapientior qui humilior est That which other men would have others to doe that he exacted of himselfe And he is wiser then others that is more humble then others He that hath a conceit of himselfe can never come to knowledge 2. That which the Heathen give forth 2. Order and it is Aristotles in his Metaphysicks Scientis est ordinare he is a wise man that can order his doings to preferre eternall things before temporall c. But we doe contrarie it is a common order to put private profit against common profit and to preferre temporall things before eternall Therefore this is a signe that we have no knowledge 3. In the 1 Cor. 14.26 we must not be like those 3. Constanâ—ie 1 Cor. 15.58 that be children in knowledge that be carried away with every wind of vaine Doctrine and as Joel saith They are empty cloudes carried with the winde and like the waves carried with the tyde In our dayes there are more turning tempests by reason of the want of knowledge 4. That which was before alleadged 4. Practice No man doth against his certaine knowledge then if we knew God If wee practice not wee have but a foolish knowledge our actions would witnesse it If our knowledge were in heavenly things as it is in sensible we would not do against it but now we have but a pretie opinion in Divinity and therefore it doth not stay us 5. Lastly That we hinder not knowledge in others whether it
still Such is our nature and in Saul our nature bewraieth it selfe so then we see the coherence To apply it to the glory of God the common saying is Every man is delighted with that especially in the which he exceeds other and because we know that gnalpanai is a thing that God excelleth all other in for he only is a searcher of the heart therefore 't is that God delighteth so much in this Another and two more they are both Prov. 4.23 the wise mans counsell is to looke to our heart especially there is his reason because from thence commeth life and all the faculties of soule and body that is a cause containing a double reason 1. because it is the principall member therefore it must principally give glory to God 2. If it be corrupt there will be no glory by the fountaines The necessity appeareth in this that al those glorious duties before handled take them and remove them from this they are not onely not accepted before God but an abomination before his eyes therefore if our beliefe must be acceptable to him Rom. 10.10 it must come from the heart if our prayer 2 Tim. 2.22 it must come from the heart if our love 1 Iohn 3.18 it must be in word and in truth which is from the heart so likewise our obedience must be from the heart Rom. 6.17 and to conclude whatsoever we doe we must doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the heart Col. 3.23 Mandatum Inward soundnesse against inward hallownesse sincerity against mingling That which is commanded it is called by the Fathers virius integritatis the vertue of integrity they ground it on Gen. 17.1 when he beginneth the covenant of circumcision Ambula coram me walk before me what is that that is esto integer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thou perfect you shall finde it commonly used with another word as in Iob 1.1 that Iob was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they properly sound thus streight and sound the nature of the words is taken from timber in which there must be streightnesse that it be not crooked that is coram facie humana and soundnesse that it be not hollow that is coram facie divina this is for God the other man may see Luke 8.15 Christ expresseth them under these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honest and good heart Nazianzen speaking of that place in the person of God saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give me the pithâ— and not that onely but streightnesse is required without too so that without and within we must be such as is required in good timber In Exod. 25.11 37.2 all his embroydering and workes they were both foris intus without and within but for the distinguishing other Kings daughters from the Kings daughter i. the Church Psal 45.14 it is said there that her beauty is specially within for the outward beauty may be counterfeit and represented by them that are not of the Church but the inward beauty is required and that is it that admitteth no hypocrisie The defect hypocrisie That which is forbidden there is forbidden here the fault of the Pharisees Matth. 23.26 whose fashion was to make cleane the out-side of the cup quod intus autem est non curare and never regard the in-side and we see hypocrisie is the sinne of seven woes more then ever any sinne had Excessus when a man is simple without wisdome The other extreme is as in Hoseah 7.11 i. soundnesse and plainnesse the Prophet calleth it columba sine corde a Dove without a heart Matth. 10.16 Christ cals it columba sine serpenie the Dove without the Serpent It is of one that is as we reade Prov. 29.11 powring out his spirit without any manner of wisdome and discretion before every man our integrity it must be preserved with wisdome The Meanes Media Where we are commanded a good thing there is also the meanes of it commanded 1. Senecaes counsell to Lucillius for he desired integrity was that whatsoever hetooke in hand he should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other of the ancient Romanes renowned for this vertue to stand before him and it is a good meanes we have in Psal 16.8 of the same kinde but it farre better exceeds that Let a man as the Prophet there saith say I have set the Lord alwayes before mine eyes i. imagining that whatsoever he doth he is in the presence of God And if that will not move him then that in Rom. 2.16 possibly will if he set not God onely absolutely but as he sitteth when all hearts and the secrets of man shall be opened i. the adding to God the day of judgement Preac 12. the last vers Every thing though it be never so secret shall come into judgement 2. Another is Ephes 6.6 and it may be a forcible reason if this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-service satisfie not God no not to our earthly masters if God will not allow that for currant to men but will have it done even to them in singlenesse of heart surely this may be a sufficient argument to perswade us that he will much more exact it of us for himselfe 3. The last is the dealing of Christ with us for the integrity of our heart for he yeelded the integrity of his heart to us he suffered it to be ripped and pierced therefore it is reason that we should yeeld up the integrity of ours to him Bernard Iuste cor nostrum vendicat qui suum pro nostro dedit he justly challengeth our hearts that hath given his owne for ours he thought not his hands and feete c. enough i. when he had given all his members beside he thought not himselfe that he had given enough to us except he had given his heart too therefore it is not our hands and our feete that can requite it for they cannot make recompence for his hands and his feete but the integrity of the heart also is to be yeelded The Signes Nilconsâ—ire sili nulla pallescere culpa hic murus aheneus esto 1. You shall know it by that of the Heathen man you shall know a sound heart by a wall of brasse about it it is so full of courage as we see what Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.3 Mihi pro minimo est at a vobis judicer with me it is a small thing that I should be judged of you i. that the soundnesse of the heart it is it that will put courage to the heart if he be not conscius mali conscious of evill as that all the strength in the world cannot appall it Contra if we want a sound heart our courage will fall We have examples of both Mar. 6.18 Iohns courage in a good cause and in an heart accordingly affected was exalted even above the Majesty of a Prince contra where the heart was false in Peter Mar. 14.66 69. we see two silly maids outcountenanced him and he is faine to cast himselfe
we consider our owne judgement in the case that is not our owne touching those things which continue not if we compare Christianity to a tree what account is made of that fruit that is bitten in the blossome or that is wind-shaken that is rotten or worme-eaten or that cannot come to the gathering If we consider the hatred of the husbandman Hosea 6.4 against the morning cloud he knoweth it is a deceitfull cloud and that it is not like to raine all that morning Amos 8. of the summer fruit that even it rotteth in the hand of him that beareth it or as Luk. 8.13 of the seede that falleth on a stone wall that groweth but yet there returneth no profit of it neither the mower neither the reaper filleth his hand or bosome of it or thus In our possessions in our vessels we occupie how glorious a shew soever there be in glasse yet we better esteeme of peuter and wood then of it or in our possessions more of a poore croft or a seely close than of a faire house rents and all in regard of continuance Seeing then it is our practise we must needs by that condemne our selves It is the desire of all not to beat the wind not to runne in vaine this vanity may be in two respects 1. In the behalfe of the party of Christ untolerable to make him so royall a person Pretium non vile laberis to come downe from heaven to be borne to live amongst us and to dye in so unworthy an order being of great excellencie Laber irrius supra emmen laborem The want of perseverance makes a mans action ipso facto vaine and that in vaine and all because we continue not whereas he went through all and would not suffer the cup to passe away but dranke it up cleane this is the price of all his labours mans continuance otherwise it is more griefe to him then it was for him to suffer and that vaine suffering is more to him then all the torments he suffered that wrought so upon him that hee cryed Eli Eli c. That is a thing may happily move us to perseverance 2. And for our selves our case standeth thus as 2 Pet. 2.22 our washing is but a vaine washing for there is after a casting up and we returne to our wallow and vomit and what are we better for our washing Num. 6.12 of the ceremony the Nazarite that vowed more particularly to Gods service and lived a strater life than all other if he had at the last day of accomplishing his rite but touched a dead body he must have begunne all those daies anew for all that was done afore was counted as nothing The same in figure that Ezekiel in truth setteth downe Ezek. 18.24 Looke in what houre he giveth over his righteousnesse it shall be as if hee had not done a righteous deed Therefore if we will not lose the fruit of our former labours we must looke to our perseverance He shall not onely not bâ— better for it but be worse otherwise a worse thing shall follow not onely Christ and we shall lose our paines but that man that hath swept his house and garnished it keeping it empty there shall come the same spirit and not that alone but seven more and how the end of that man shall be worse then the beginning i. we shall make our state much worse without hope of recovery Intuitu praeâ—â—i 4. Last to prevale with them that are the children of grace that the reward which he purposeth to bestow on us shall not be a reward of dayes and yeares but it shall be an endlesse reward for ever Seeing it hath pleased God not to reward us as hirelings but have the inheritance of sonnes it is no reason that we should labour as hirelings It is somewhat hard to find the signes of it because it is a signe it selfe and ever and sure it is as the Philosopher saith that our labour should be proportionable to the price of our labour we should not serve as hirelings for a yeare or tearme but quamdiu that our obedience endure quamdiu nos as the reward quamdiu ille wee are to serve him in our eternity seeing he rewards us with his The signes the principall signe is perseverance the Gentiles could see this that this is a signe it selfe à posteriori that deceiveth not so could the heathen say Ante obitum nemo supremaque sunera foelix Esse potest but after that was past they could pronounce what was in him It is an especiall signe for as much as in Joh. 10. it is Christs note and indeed it is the note that doth infallibly separate the true professour and the hypocrite If you take this gratiam gratis datam Praecipuum perseverantiae signum perseâ—â—rantia grace as a free gift as sharpnesse of wit c. you shall have it in as great measure in the hypocrite as in the true professor if a glorious profession they commonly goe beyond in that if diligence it falleth out alike sometimes more But when the wolfe commeth Joh. 10.12 there is a distinction for then continueth the true shepheard and will lay downe his life for their safety and the hireling betaketh him to his flight In hearing we may make the like difference of seed so whether a man be begotten with mortall seed that is whether in hearing of a Sermon which because it is made of good words peradventure he shall be moved for a while or of the immortall seed when as not any thing in man moveth him but the power of the word the pure and immortall seed that will continue notwithstanding a man may have use of these two notes to be able to judg of the like So whether we be humbled before God or before his judgements if that it will continue if this it will continue but for a while But we may have two notes to judge of this 1. If we have that Phil. 3.12 which the Apostle so earnestly urgeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if that he should say I do not looke backe but I still looke forward and consider not how long I have continued i. I flatter not my selfe in respect of my life past non dicere sufficit si dixisli sufficit defecisti not to say I have done enough if we say we have done enough it is a signe we are yet farre short So whensoever we are moved to looke back we must not hearken to them that would tell us how farre we have gone but follow on still toward the hope of the reward and presse to the marke Whereunto Gregory on Gen. 28.12 his allusion of the life of a Christian man to Jacobs ladder For there Jacob saw the Angels ascending and descending but none standing still Quando desinis esse melior incipis esse deterior When we cease to be better we begin to be worse for
is mention of Moloch there is nothing else meant by it but the Starre of Saturne and there is also mention made of the Star of the god Rempham Fifthly after those things that are in Heaven then he commeth downe to the earth and there is forbidden the serving of any in earth to men as the Images of Baal Pâ—rizzim Baal Peor Baal Zebus Hercules Antidotus Muscarum Secondly Women as was that of Astarothe Thirdly of fowles as Ibis in Aegypt the Owle amongst the wise Graecians Fourthly Serpents as the Otter and Crocodiles and Belus was one while worshipped in the shape of a Dragon Fifthly Wormes as the Snailes among the Troglodytae Sixthly Plants as Isis in Aegypt and all other things whatsoever even things made by art as pieces of red cloth as Strabo testifieth of them that were towards the East and West Ezek. 8.14 2 Kings 23.11 Jer. 44.17 Exod. 6.32 1 Kings 12. Golden Calfe Sixthly All that is in the water as Syrens water-snakes fishes Neptune god of Philistims Dagon his similitude was like a male watersnake Aesculapius was worshipped under a watersnakes shape There was occasion given him by the Gentiles of all those that are here forbidden so that we are not onely forbidden our Simile but also our Paterne Now Deut. 4.12 13 14. Moses making as it were a Comment on this Commandement saith Remember this that when God came into the Mount ye saw no likenesse or similitude but onely heard a voice and ergo a voice say the Rabbines because a voyce not being able to be painted nor drawne into any shape it was never like to deprive God any way of his honour But the reasons they weigh thus much in the Chap as if he should say If it had beene the will of God that there should have beene any Image he would have shewed you somewhat when he came into the Mount but you saw nothing but heard onely a voyce take heed ergo that you correct not God and make to your selves any Image And as it is Heb. 11.1 it is the nature of faith to be rerum invisibilium not to see Now to bring visible things into Religion and Faith it is the next way to dishonour God and the overthrow of Faith and Religion Joh. 4.23 Christ himselfe telleth the Woman that the time was come when all Ceremonies and invented places for worship should goe for nothing and even the very Temple at Jerusalem God would not accept it But this was it that should be accepted that they should worship him in spirit and truth whereunto nothing is more opposite than Images no truth being in them but onely the shew of a truth and visible Then they will aske if all likenesses be condemned why was then that of the Cherubims permitted yea prescribed by God to be made for that was a resemblance Heb. 9.5 But yet it was no such * * * Num. 21.8 2 King 10. resemblance as they define an Image to be quod habet exemplar in rerum natura For the Cherubims were made round like two young men or boyes without armes and in stead thereof with two wings But for that matter it is plaine that he made them not to be worshipped but if he would have had them worshipped he would not have put them into the darkest place but they were put into the Sanctum Sanctorum where none ever came but the high Priest and he but once in the yeare And they were made as appeareth Exod. 25.22 to this end that the high Priest might know from whence God would give answer But Tertullian in his Book De Idololatria Tom. 2. pag. 447. answereth this fully God saith not that an Image may not be made But non facies tibi that we make not any to our selves But they say then Why did Moses make an Image and he hath that objection in the same place Ait quidam Cur ergo Moses ex aere fecit serpentem His answer is there Quod idem Deus lege vetuit similitudinem fieri extraordinario praescripto aeneum serpentem fieri fecit Tibi eundem deum observa Legem habes eam observa quod si post praeceptum factum sine libidine feceris tu imitare Mosem i. ne facias nisi deus te jusserit licuit deo legem ponere licet ei quod vult si idem deus diceret tibi Facies qui dixerat Non facies jure faceres God by his generall law forbade that any Image should be made then by an extraordinary cause by an extraordinary priviledge of an extraordinary matter caused an Image to be made except you have particular commandement from God as Moses had doe not you make any Image Concerning this point we have shewed on Gods behalfe what did move him to make this restraint now it followeth that we shew that in regard of our selves and our owne corruptions it is necessary this restraint should be made Tertullian in the same Book De Idololatria setteth it downe that before the Flood even during the dayes of Seth the worship of God was corrupted with Images and that Enoch's restoring was nothing else but the restoring of the true Religion unto her purenesse againe and that he is ergo said in his dayes to have walked with God This is it that Tertullian saith For the likelyhood of it since Adam we have example of it that it was true for Jacob by being in the house of Laban had learned to take Teraphim gods of Images to mingle them with God The reason of this is in Gen. 6.3 God will trouble himselfe no more nor set himselfe against man and his reason is because man is wholly evill fleshly i. though hee consist of two natures one of flesh and bones the other of the spirit yet he suffereth the grossenesse of the flesh to overgrow the purenesse of the spirit and to corrupt it turning the spirituall nature into flesh so that we wholly become flesh and ergo love that with which the flesh is delighted i. sense Insomuch as the Apostles many times in their writings and Paul giveth us warning to take heed of the flesh of the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning of this is that we have an affection in us and that affection is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desire to feele or see him This was Saint Thomas his disease that would not beleeve except he did feele his wounds and see him himselfe c. And it was the disease of Mary Magdalen about the death of her brother Master if thou hadst been here he had not dyed And we see it was not hers alone but of all the Apostles they desired that Christ might stay to erect an earthly kingdome and that they might be with him alwayes insomuch that he was faine to tell them that except he were taken from them the Comforter could not come to them Such a thing there is in Religion In Exodus Moses had been in the Mount but
Images of such men and from thence as appeareth by the fifth Canon of Carthage into the high wayes as Crosses in memory of such a one that dyed and from thence to the Church-yards then to the Chuch-walls then to the Church-porch and doore and so at last into the Church and to the Altar Here was magnum ex parvis sed ex pravis principiis And the like is to be feared of us for we have them in our Parlors already So we see the beginning and causes of Images in persecution first a desire to please secondly an inordinate mourning Now in the peace of the Church there fell out two other causes First because they would have their Church as rich as themselves For in the 2. Nicene Councell Sect. 4. is an Epistle of a Noble man of Syria that had built a Church for the Christians to one Nilus he had made the Wals white but not contented therewith thought thereupon to have all the creatures of God painted whâ—rein he desired his advice Who answered that his advice was there should be no such thing but that he would be contented with the simplenesse of the Christian Churches but if hee would needes paint he should write nothing but the story of the Bible and sentences of the Scripture For it is seemlyer then beasts c. So that one cause was by reason of their wealth they desired things pleasant to the eye Secondly another cause in the same place was that of Paulinus a Bishop of Nola in Campania that having occasion of a Journey into Syria and so into Aegypt and having none to preach to his people in his absence because he would his people to have some teacher in his absence thought good to paint on the wals the whole story of the Bible and did so that they might preach to them and so their Preachers and Schoole-masters were nothing else but painted wals But this is not any way to be commended in him and the effect was accordingly For it so came to passe that they grew to be ignorant and had no other teacher but the very wals And as Syrenus saith because their Pastors began to wax dumbe Images therefore their Images were their Pastors But it is certaine by the writings that to the dayes of Hierome there was none such So is the reason of the second Commandement A briefe recapitulation of what was said before The second Commandement was divided into first the charge secondly the penalty the charge of two sorts concerning the manner of Gods externall worship First Non facies c. Thou shalt not make Second Non adorabis c. Thou shalt not worship In the first is restrayned 1. Exemplum in these words Sculptile Imago 2. Exemplar or the patterne In things above or in earth or in the water c. The Exemplum of two sorts either particular and then most usuall Sculptile Yet so that whatsoever else there is of the same kind whether fusile or ductile or conflatile there are words in the Law for every one of them and therefore God was so manifold in setting downe all the words Or for taking away all quarrelling he hath set downe the common name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Temunah and Col temunah all likenesse which condemneth the metaphysicall notions abstracted from all matter and in the matter all kind of likenesse whether Idols or Images true or phantasticall and all are comprehended in Temunah let Arias and Pagnine be their Judges For further exposition of this there was added out of Deut. 4.2 and John 4.23 the glosse of Moses and Christ concerning the generall restraint of this there were seven reasons remembred Now for the Exemplar we shewed it was necessary because there was nothing almost but the braine of Man had abused it which was declared by five things in Heaven sixe in the Earth and three in the waters Then we came to the particular question of Images handling these three points First what might be alleadged out of the Scriptures for them Secondly what reason there was for them Thirdly how at what time by whom and by what meanes they came into the Church For the first in their Rhemish Testament but one place found in all the New Testament Heb. 9.5 Vetus arca habebat Cherubim and that is taken out of the Old Exod. 25.18 and so confesse none to be in the New And in the Old that of the Cherubims and of the Serpent is all they can shew for them Unto which both our answer is ut ante chiefly that of Tertullian There were priviledges for them if they can shew the like priviledge for the Crucifixe or any other Image in the New Testament it is somewhat for them Generi per specieÌ„ non derogatur they have no expresse commandement for any Image Againe the ends of both are otherwise the Cherubim was not to represent God but to be a place out of the Church from whence God would give his answers Exod. 25.22 And the Brasen serpent being a point in Physick not in Divinity the end of it was health to the sting with serpents therefore they make nothing for the worshipping of Images But 2 Kings 18.4 when the Brasen serpent began pati abusum to be abused we see how he used it Which sheweth plainly how little affinity it had with this Commandement So the Cherubs should have been served if they had been abused by the people But God had taken order for them for none could come to them but the high Priests and that but once in the yeare Secondly for the reasons 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely in the Israelites but also in the Apostles and in Moses Exod. 33.18 he desired to see God and he had nothing shewed but his back-parts This being condemned 1 Cor. 3.3 and being not onely in regard of the people of God that this made them draw every thing to Idolatry but even in the heathen Aug. lib. 4. de Civit. Dei cap. 21. saith that Varro spyed it that it brought great inconveniences to Religion his reason quia facile contemaere divos in stoliditate simulachrorum It was also shewed 2. nimium is a broad way to superstition and it is a vaine assertion of theirs that there can be no nimium in Religion And Aug. in Psal 101. scorneth it and saith that if we doe so we may soone bring a rock into the Church because it did represent Christ too So for the time when and the Authors by whom Images began we have shewed out of Ireneus 1. that the Crosse came first from the Valentinians the Images of Christ and his Saints from the Gnosticks 1. Iren. 24. in Epiphan 27. heres Lib. 3. the Image of the Virgin Mary from the Collyridians August in his 13. Booke contr Adimant giveth foure reasons First the policy of Hereticks to claw the Heathen persecutors being themselves inclined to them Secondly too much mourning for the dead noted 1 Thes 4.14
he will worke the like effect as men doe for the breach of Wedlocke Out of these we have three commodities First we learne that we are of dull spirits not feared with Gods proper names of justice c. but he must take other of raging men so jealousie we feare but when we heare that God is just we heare it without any great motion Secondly that of Tertullian Lib. 2. contra Marcion Utitur Spiritus hoc vocabulo ad exaggeranda ejus scelera that sinne is so odious a thing and so vile that if it were possible would make God angry and to be that he cannot be Thirdly it is the Apostles use that he maketh of the justice of God as we see in 1 Cor. 11.29 he protesteth himselfe to be jealous that we our selves might be jealous that is that every man enter into his owne heart and consider what God is and say thus What saith God that he is jealous let us consider what God is and againe what we are how excellent hee is and how vile and wretched creatures we are Why then it should appeare that this should pertaine to us and not to him and rather of our selves and our owne salvation there is nothing worthy in us that he should be jealous of And this for the entry to the thing Now to the thing it selfe Visiting the finnes c. This commination hath two things 1. The censure of the sinne 2. The punishment The censure is by two names First by hatred for if it bee love that maketh us to keepe the Commandements then it must be hatred that maketh us to breake them But can any thing hate God The nature of God is essentially good Solut. nay goodnesse it selfe which can no way come to be the object of hatred Againe sundry of his effects come from his love and they are such as the very wicked love them and him for them because he bestoweth on them their being life sense moving But there is another kind of effects that proceed indeed from his love by which he would have us preserved and so consequently he giveth us Commandements Cohibentia voluntatem inordinatam that bridle our licentious will and these are they that make him to be hated of us For when a man is given to his owne will and is drowned with the zeale of himselfe then he must needs hate those Commandements because they are adversaries and contrary to his will and affection and indeed God commeth to be hated by too much love of our selves For it would have all our desires to be free to our selves and any that doth oppose it selfe it hateth it So then as God saith Mal. 1.5 Your eyes shall see it and you shall say The Lord will be magnified upon the borders of Israel Secondly I have loved you saith the Lord And ye say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacobs brother yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau and made his Mountaines wast c. Expounded Rom. 9.13 to be nothing else but that he did not choose Esau Then are we said to hate God when there standeth a case betweene his will and an inordinate affection of ours when his will is not chosen but our inordinate affection is preferred and our minde Hoc est odisse deum deum non eligere For God loving us it is the will of God that when the question commeth his loving being so exceeding good to us as that it challengeth us wholly and that love is Vinculum conjugale and therefore the love of the Lord should be Amor conjugalis which hath no third thing but aut amat aut odit non est medium Mat. 6.24 either he must love or hate Deut. 22.16 the Maids father shall say to the Elders I gave my Daughter to this man to Wife and he hateth her c. and chap. 24.3 And if the latter husband hate her and write her a bill of divorcement c. treating there of love betweene married persons he saith If a man marry a wife and hate her that is cease to love her and begin to be weary of her If shee be not onely and wholly loved she is hated because these duties are joyned to one alone there can be no third thing 2. The other name which God calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity perversnesse peevish and perverse the having of it is to meete with the opinion and censures of men as Dan. 3.14 Nebuchadnezzar to the three Children What disorder is this in you that you will not serve my god nor worship the golden Image that I have set up For the observing and not transgressing of this Second Commandement they were called perverse fellowes and disordered Subjects because they obeyed not the Kings decree Therefore God sheweth the truth who are disordered even those that are breakers of this Commandement and so it shall be found at the judgement of judgements at the last day of judgement God saith Exod. 23.2 A man must not follow a multitude to doe evill his reason is because in doing so he shall become perverse But the voice and judgement of the world is cleane contrary But the resemblance of it that is commonly made of the Fathers is of a pond full of Crabs a perverse swimming fish for she swimming backwards and a fish that were cast into the pond should swimme right they would charge her of not swimming right because she swimmeth not backward as the rest But God Christ the Prophets and Evangelists the Apostles tell us it is not so but that they are disordered that breake this Commandement And this for the censure 2. Now for the punishment It were enough to be found among the hated of God but God moreover addeth here a visitation the meaning of it we haue 1. Sam. 7.16 the word betokeneth the Circuit of a Judge as Samuel went his Circuit year by yeare to Bethel Gilgal and Mispeh and judged Israel And out of our owne practise or as we our selves terme it the Visitation of a Bishop And because visitare is to goe to see it presupposeth absence and so an intermission and it doth very fitly resemble the judgements of God For the forbearing of them as it is Luke 19.44 Dominus requiret de manibus vestris he will require it at our hands to know the time of our visitation As there be some that say the Lord is long a comming so there be some that say he will not come at all That say Non requiret Dominus as Ps 10.12 therefore for the patient waiting of the just for the judgement and glory of God that they may know that it 's a sure thing that he will come as a Judge and though he be long a comming yet at the last he commeth and then he taketh order so certaine we should be of the requiring of our sinnes at our hands though he seeme as though he would not come at all The visitation of God we find to be fitly resembled to this his
one thing that is whatsoever is done it must throughly be done it must be alonely done the reason is because we are res integra finita finite creatures and if two things be done at once one part of our thoughts will be taken from the other we cannot wholly intend two things at once this is our case But it was the case of our Father Adam in innocency because he had a naturall soule and finite therefore he was not able wholly to intend the dressing of the Garden in six dayes and to intend the whole sanctification of the day of rest commanded Gen. 2.3 now because of this God would have a solemne profession of body and soule and therefore this was the end why God instituted blessed and sanctified the seventh day so that it commeth for a remedy against distraction to be intended to any other use especially in the solemne worship of the Lord that takes up the whole man and necessarily suffereth no distraction therefore it doth not suffer him to be intended to any other use Now if being then in that case he could not we that have more impediments to withdraw us we had need of a remedy against our distraction And thus cometh the rest in because that this totall solemne sanctification cannot be performed without ceasing from the rest of our workes and labour because unlesse we doe rest we cannot sanctifie Therefore is it that this is commanded with our sanctification a day of rest otherwise whereas our resting hindreth our sanctification it must bee taken away And indeed Christ doth acknowledge Mark 2.27 that man was not made for the rest but for sanctification Sanctification was his end and man was made for it rest is a subordinate end and man was not made for it but rather that for man and as it is 1. Tim. 4.8 a mans bodily labour so his bodily rest profiteth nothing but to this end applyed God liketh it not There is beside in the commandement another word Remember and because that is properly of a thing past therefore it referreth to some place or time before and there is mention of the Sabbath but in two places before one is Exod. 16.23.24.25 but that is not it for God in the end adding God blessed it referreth us to that place where the same words are Gen. 2.3 and so we know that we are referred thither And by this occasion falleth in that first question that many thinke it is a Ceremony and sundry are so perswaded and hold that men are not bound to sanctifie it since Christ Our Saviour in the case of difference and resolution of Polygamie hath taken a good course and order hee goeth to the beginning how it was ab initio non sic ab initio from the beginning it was not so to call it to the first institution for that is it that giveth the best judgement and the last first end is the true end A thing is not said to be ceremoniall if a ceremoniall use or end be annexed to it for then not one of the tenne morall Commandements but it should bee ceremoniall for they have some ceremonie annexed to them but that is a ceremony whose first and principall end is a ceremonie which this day of rest cannot be The reason because Paradise and mans perfection and a ceremony cannot agree in the state of a mans innocencie The reason is because that before there was a Saviour there could not be a type of a Saviour and before there was sin there needed no Saviour So consequently needing no Saviour needed no ceremony and needing no Saviour nor ceremonie it could not be ceremoniall But that was it that Adam having in the six dayes a naturall use in his body of the creatures should for the glory of God on the seventh day have a spirituall use and consideration So that this remedy against Distraction is the first and principall and generall end though other ends were after added as Deut. 5.15 it pleased God to add this reason that they might remember the benefit of the deliverance out of Aegypt but this was but finis posterior a particular and after end and necessary So it were well if we might add to our dayes of rest the memory of our benefits And Exod. 23.12 God yeeldeth a politique end the ceasing of beasts and men that they may returne more fresh to their labour there is moreover no better nor certainer way to keepe off our enemies those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6.12 those spirituall wickednesses the preaching of the Law then is a meane to enable us to withstand the crafty and subtile suggestions of sin and Satan And if any will say that beside these ends there was figured by this rest that rest we shall have from sinne by Christs death True but yet it is an accessorie end in the Sacrament of Circumcision Circumcision is ceased and the Passover so is the Sabbath but the Sacrament of initiation is not ceased there were two ends of it 1. The first was to seale us to his preventing or following Grace 2. The other to bee a figure of the circumcision of the Heart of the Sacrifice of the world this is ceased So the seventh day is ceased but there is another day there is a day remaining because the end of it was immutable from the beginning The reason of it selfe is so forceable and plaine that without bringing in a manifest absurditie it cannot bee avoided when they see these endes to carry us to the Institution and that in Paradise But you will say Adam never kept it neither was it kept till Exod. 16. Which should in the very misliking seeme an absurd thing that GOD two thousand yeares before a thing should bee put in use should consecrate that thing to Sanctification and all that while it should bee to no End And indeed the sort of the Heretikes that held that materia prima was so made of GOD a great many yeares before the world and it abode by him till the world was made They are confounded by the Fathers by this that no man of wisdome doth make any thing to stand by him many yeares before it can bee put to any use Therefore GOD useth not so to doe but when hee shall have use of any thing then to blesse it This prooveth that this day resteth on the consciences of men and that the institution riseth from GOD immediately even in Adams innocencie Wee must understand that Deut. 4.13 GOD maketh there a plaine distinction betweene Ceremonies and the morall law by this manner That the one proceedeth from him immediatelie the other by the ministerie of Moses and that very same is Deuterenom 5.31 Againe beside the Confusion and breach of Order a thing which GOD misliketh one of the Fathers on these words saith Nunquid Saul est inter Prophetas What is Saul amongst the Prophets Not a Prophet by profession they wondred at it that hee should bee amongst the Prophets one saith
I have done it see you doe not resist me but see yee submit you selves to my ordinance that is God is resisted if his Ordinance be resisted and Rom. 13.2 he that despiseth his ordinance despiseth him therefore that God hath hallowed we must not pollute We see then how farre this rest is to be kept and what is required to the sanctification The substance of the fourth Commandement consisteth especially in these two things 1. in the outward rest of the body 2. the other the End to Sanctifie it As before we must Remember it both in the weeke before the day come partly because then we are to yeeld account of the former dayes workes to God In singultu scrupulo cordis with sorrow and trouble of heart partly also as Augustine saith Ne quid operis rejiciatur in diem festum that we put not off any businesse untill the Sabbath and when it is come as Gregorie 11. Mor. 3d. Epist because there are two things the one Aliorum exempla the example of others will make us forget duely to sanctifie it The other Ludorum spectaculorum studia the desire we have after sports and pastimes wee are therefore then the rather to sanctifie it for Esay 58.13 Delicatum Domini Sabbatum the Sabbath of the Lord is a delicate thing Because these two therefore engender a forgetfulnesse we must both remember it aforehand add then also when it commeth The thing that we are to remember is a day of rest to sanctifie it Augustine in two words comprehendeth it well Otium sanctum a Holy Rest or returning from labour And if we aske A returning from what labour the words following shew from what workes A Canon of the Church sheweth it Quod ante fieri poterat quod post fieri poterit What might have beene done before and what may be done afterward must be rested from And whatsoever is meant by the labours and works of the weeke dayes that must be ceased from of us on the contrary Ab eo quod nec ante fieri poterat nec postea poterit non est ita avertendum that which could not be done before and that which cannot be done afterward may on that day be done by us The reason why it must be thus Aug. Epist 157. ad Optatum and Jerome upon Ezek. 20. concerning that the distinction of the bodily rest is for sanctification For out of Eccl. 3. they take this for a ground that there is nothing but must have his time and consequently that we appoint certaine times for our bodies for repast as of sleepe c. in which time we take such order as that we be not let by any thing and as he saith there the more serious a thing we are to deale with the more we seeke that nothing be done with it but that onely and wholly The cheifest care to be had of the soule that nothing trouble it frō his whole meditation but to this end it is meet wee be even solitarie as Augustine saith and we thinke we take a good order in it so So in the Law of Nature there is a time for the soule and the building of the same for procuring holinesse to it for declaring holinesse in it and so consequently that wee are because it is a serious matter to use no lesse diligence in the cases thereof then that there may be no other thing to hinder us And it is a matter so plaine that we see even the councell of Trent taking order for keeping of holy dayes hath set downe Quae abhis qui humanarum occupationum negotio detinentur omnino praestare non possent that this body entermeddle not it selfe with worldly affaires So many of the Fathers as write upon that Psal 46.10 Vacate videte quod ego sum Dominus be still and know that I am God shew by the course of wisedome the same that the Philosophers require that Postulandum secessum ut melius intendamus a full Vacation from cares that a mans head be not occupied with thoughts in worldly matters but that his soule might wholly intend this day and the body might be at command with the soule therefore the forbidding of workes in this Commandement is not therefore because the workes of themselves are evill but onely because they would distract the minde and would not suffer the whole man wholly to intend the workes of the Sabbath The substance of this Commandement I sayd consisteth of these two parts Rest and Sanctification The Rest is the first part otium It is a very strange thing that the nature of man is so altogether given to be contrary to Gods will and wisedome so that it falleth out on both sides contrary Where the precepts are laborious Nota. and of travell and paine there they will be idle and where the precepts are not laborious and of no paine there rather then they will not breake the Commandement they will take paines and wee will even against our natures make our selves businesse and we will pick out that day of all dayes of the weeke that he hath chosen so that we make it a kind of pollicie to make advantage of that day and to find labour in that day which hee hath denyed us to labour in This for the easinesse of the Commandement and perversenesse of man Concerning this rest there are six Countermands The first thing that wee finde Countermanded here is Exod. 16.26 there God taketh order in Elim before the Law was given that from their very necessary labour from gathering Manna they should cease the reason is because it is mercatura animae the soules Market there is a better thing then Manna John 6.58 and 1 Pet. 2.3 speaking there of the heavenly food of that day doth preferre it before Manna 2. A second forbidding in Nehem. 13.15 not onely the gathering of Manna or the going out to gather but though it bee brought us yet a plaine countermand and execution upon it sheweth that it is unlawfull So we are forbidden as from gathering of Manna so from buying of Manna To this belongeth Buying and Selling all Markets and Faires on that day forbidden 3. From carrying burthens Jer. 17.21 22. there is a great commination against those that carryed burthens on that day that made it their carriage day that hee would bring a plague upon them and that such as is there mentioned that is Captivity So we must not carry on that day except we will that God give us a burthen that is Captivitie 4. A fourth thing forbidden Exod. 34.21 because this carriage and inninge of harvest and grapes might seeme to be a matter of great necessity therefore he saith that both in Seed-time and Harvest and Vintage his Sabbaths should be kept that is so as that the provision of the whole Common-wealth must give place to the Rest of the Lord. And that is for carriage 5. For journeying and travelling on the Sabbath day Exod. 16.29 Cras erit
our selves with honour and long life Secondly the convenient proportion of the promises and that it is most just for that it is said of the Heathen Si reddideris benesicium gratis tuere tu beneficium if he become thankfull orna quantum potes In our birth we received a benefit from our Parents that is life being thankfull to them this benefit shall be preserved Therefore God will have life to be preserved of them of whom we had it 1 Tim. 4.8 Piety one of the speciall parts wherof this is hath promises of this life and of that to come The Heathen man saith if all the Adverbs were linked together and bene male well and ill were out it were to no purpose Therefore God Deut. 5.16 addeth an explication of this That thy dayes may be long And that it may goe well with thee Augustine ut non solum vita longa sed laeta that thy life may be not onely long but chearefull Now the means he saith shall be our Parents that by their blessing they may prolong our dayes he hath annexed his blessing to the blessing of the Parent For this blessing of life in the Scripture came from Noah the blessing first was to Sem of the life to come and to Japheth of this life God shall perswade Japheth c. shewing that the Parents giving it from the soule and Faith Heb. 11.20 21. making it a fruit of faith By faith Isaac blessed Jacob concerning things to come c. It will worke miracles Sem and his seed had a great priviledge for the World to come Japheth for this life and a curse to Cham both for this life and the life to come his seed hath alwayes beene in subjection and they have had small light of Religion and small sparkes of the Gospell Againe in the blessing from Isaac on Jacob legatur locus perpendantur circumstantiae Gen. 27.7 c. He blessed him with c. and he was blessed He loved Esau more and so no doubt the blessing had been his but that by Gods providence it was carryed to Jacob Gen. 48.20 A strange blessing for the manner and mighty for effect was that of Jacob on Josephs sonnes and Gen. 49. He to Joseph because he had fed his Father blesseth him with the blessing of the Heaven the Ayre the Deepe and that Tribe continued longest in prosperity Psal 115.15 Vos estis benedicti Domini ye are the blessed of the Lord and so consequently the blessing being of the Lord of which Parents be instruments it is instrumentally to be ascribed to the blessing of the Parents because it is they that have made it by their blessing All this is to provoke the prayer of the Superiours Whether is this promise fulfilled Quest A busie nature may supply many objections and our experience will shew us the contrary obedient and dutifull Inferiours have dyed betimes disobedient stubborne and contumacious children have prospered and lived long Therefore it is certaine that the wise man saith Eccles 9.2 3. that all thing in this World be alike to all men the reason is this Gen. 27. God shall give thee of the fatnesse of the earth Isaac he could give it to Jacob and after he giveth it vers 39. to Esau so God shall give to thee as to thy Brother Pro. 13.16 they are distinguished Immortality length of dayes are the gifts of the right hand Glory riches and preferment are the gifts of the left hand and prosperity is common to both and the reason is Ne homines cupide prosequantur Sol. 1 lest men should be set too eagarly upon getting And adversitie is common to both Ne illa turpiter effugiatur For why should a man sweat if he thought he might not get out of adversitie More reasons There is common adversitie Why God giveth to some of his adversitie and not to some of the wicked because if he should give to all the wicked 2 Pet. 1.3 4. there would be no judgement contra if he should give all adversitie to his children then Psal 11.12 certe Deus non respicit nos Gods providence should not be in this World therefore that he may shew that he hath a providence he will give to some of his these good things And that he may shew that he hath a Judgement he will give them to some of the wicked He would not have these good things to be altogether in the wicked because then they would thinke that God had not the disposition of them And as Habak 1.16 they would sacrifice to their Not and to their Yarne and contra if good men should have all and the Devill none then the Devill would say as he did Job 1.19 Nunquid servit Deo gratis Doth Job serve God for nought How then First bene male must come in it is not so much long life as the comfort and delight which we enjoy in our life which is here promised as a blessing Wherefore 1 Kings 19.4 Elias he quits God with his promise I pray thee take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers and Deut. 5.16 it is expounded They shall prolong your dayes so long as you can live prosperously and well It must be a benefit if a man have a promise of a long life if it come to be a displeasure it were better not to have it Life may be a displeasure in two respects Now in two respects life may be a displeasure First in regard of the evill time 2 Kings 22.20 Huldah saith Josiah was a good King but there were evill times over the Land therefore shee saith That to take him away from this evill time God would shorten his dayes Secondly Esay 55.1 In regard of himselfe lest he should be corrupted The time shall not greive him but shall corrupt him Raptus est ê facie maliciae Enoch Enoch was taken away from the earth because else he would happely have been corrupted or contra would have fallen into a marveilous griefe of minde And this is one answer Another answer they say Sol. 2. is this That although he take them away upon this condition yet it is not a sufficient compensation But as out of Mark 6.23 When Herod had promised halfe his Kingdome it is certaine if he had given her his whole Kingdome it had beene no breach And so if God promise vitam prolongatam a prolonged life and give for it vitam perpâ—tuatam eternall life here is more then halfe in all As he that promiseth twelve peeces of silver and giveth twelve peeces of gold or he that promiseth to give a Vessell of Beere and giveth a Vessell of Wine breaketh not his promise But the last and most sufficient answer is this Sol. 3. There is no temporall thing of this life that doth cadere in promissum Dei fall under a promise of God but onely as it shall helpe and further the next life This life is but via ad vitam the way
unto life so that whatsoever he promiseth in this way he promiseth but as it shall helpe to the end Infima pars faelicitatis perfectae est terrena faelicitas this earthly felicity is no felicity except it dispose us to that felicity in Heaven Because as we said it muâ—â— cooperari bonis in bonum Rom. 8.28 it must worke together for their great good else it is not Gods promise Ut ita disponatur de minimo quemadmodum convenit summo or Ne peri culum fiat de maximo And so it is very certaine that as it is not prejudiciall to the life to come God keepeth it And therefore as one saith we lose our life pro Rege Lege Grege for the King the Lawes and the People David he hath cases When there cometh a case of Gods then Psal 69.7 for thy cause suffer we reproach and the zeale of thine House hath even consumed me Or when the case of the truth cometh or of faith then 2 Tim. 4.3 fidem sequere lose thy life to keep the faith Or when we are in a case pro grege for the people we must be made an example for the ages to come James 5.10 as the Prophets were In these cases falleth it out that if a man doe yeeld to this life he shall live but yet this life shall be derogatory and prejudiciall to his other life And yet God doth when we lose vitam nostram this life not onely reward us with vita gloriae a life of glory but also with vita memoriae a life of memory Psal 112.6 the righteous erit in memoria aeterna shall be in everlasting remembrance And how Pro. 10.7 memoria ejus erit in laude sancta his memory shall be blessed they shall say Praised be God that ever such a man was borne It is noted Esay 22.16.6 by one of the Fathers that there is an unchoosing when a man is chosen as when a question is asked Quis est ille Who is that or how got he in by that very question it sheweth a fault As contra Quomodo non venit ille Why cometh not he this is a plaine election in foro justiciae in a court of justice So they say quomodo mortuus est iste Oh how bravely hee dyed this maketh his praise to bee glorious And Quomodo mortuus est iste How chance he turned his Religion this sheweth that he was unworthy to live The prolonging of wicked mens dayes not of the promise yet 4. â— reasons be of it Now againe as before the prolonging of evill mens dayes it is 〈◊〉 of the promise yet GOD rendereth foure reasons of it First 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if God peradventure may give them repentance that not cutting of them off betimes is the meanes of returning backe againe We see it in Pauls conversion if he had been cut off in the time of his persecuting what an excellent Apostle had been lost Againe by not cutting off of Salomon what an excellent Saint he came back againe to God This is the first Secondly 2 Kings 21.24 and 16.20 he hath respect to their Progenie as not letting Achaz live he had lost Hezechiah And not letting Ammon live he had lost Josias and so consequently that these may come he suffereth them to live Thirdly Esay 10.5 because God must have rods of his wrath therefore wicked men may be Ashur may be the rod of his wrath for the tryall of his Church Fourthly and lastly It is an universall Document for all that will doe it Rom. 9.22 that God to make his power and wrath knowne suffereth his vessels of wrath that we might learne to be much more patient and long suffering in our injuries And yet God is even with them First Esay 66.24 the godly shall come forth and looke on their condemned carkasses They are condemned persons and shall condemne one another 2 Kings 9.31 Jezebell she condemneth Zimri and Absalom 2 Sam. 16.17 shewed himselfe unkind and grieved his Father and yet he could condemne Hushai for leaving his friend Secondly and the second punishment vermis eorum non morietur their worme shall not dye so their life is not laeta vita a life that hath any delight in it Augustine eorum consciencia paena their conscience is a continuall tormenter Thirdly and ignis eorum non extinguetur their fire shall not be put out their name shall be an abhorring to all flesh it shall be put out Psal 34.16 or else Prov. 10.7 it shall be a rotten name And so consequently we may see how the Preacher Cap. 8.12 saith for all their long life it shall come notwithstanding without the compasse of the promise The end of the Fifth Commandement The VI. Commandement Thou shalt doe no murther ITt was said that whatsoever duties were betweene man and man in particular pertained unto the fifth Commandement Now these duties that are commonly called promiscua promiscuall duties follow in the foure next Commandements The sixth concerning the life of man the preservation of it the seventh concerning chastity or the preservation of wedlock the eighth concerning his goods the ninth concerning his good name The Commandement is exceeding short God providing for the memory of man therefore he hath made choyce in one word The commentary of the Commandement to signifie a great catalogue of sinnes making choyce of murther which is almost the highest that hee might shew the under affections are to him no lesse odious then murther it selfe which if they had not beene expressed in this word would have seemed light The Commandement then is expounded in the Law it selfe Lev. 19.17.18 By murther he meaneth tale-carrying that may redound to mans bloud standing against the bloud of his neighbour hating his brother not rebuking suffering him to sinne revengement or mindfulnesse of wrongs Our Saviour Christ also Matthew 5.22 and so from thence to vers 27. at the 38. vers and so by the end giveth a large exposition or commentary on this Commandement The like hath Saint Iohn almost through his first Epistle and especially cap. 3.14.15 where he saith plainely that whosoever hateth is a murtherer and so consequently doth shew plainely that God rather giveth his Law to the heart the fountaine of the affections then to the actions that man doth take order for Those places we must weigh and consider when we have weighed them we shall finde it true that the Apostle saith Ephes 4.27 that this affection of anger and hatred is the gate of the Devill whereby Anger the Devils gate as Iames 3.16 there is way made for strifes and debates and to a great many of evill workes 1. The order of depending of it The fifth Commandement was concerning the beginnings and authors of our life The order therefore no object commeth next better to be entreated of then life it selfe which floweth as an effect out of the other that every man should highly esteeme it in himselfe and
the opposition to stealing to labour to have to give to others that need shewing this that the poore must alwayes be in our minds and every one must say I doe worke for them as well as I doe worke for my selfe 1 Cor. 29.14 David speaking of the Temple vers 1. saith Quod de manu tua accepimus damus tibi What we have received of thine hands that wee returne to thee speaking of the applying of his preparations to the building of the Temple and not that Ad quid perditio haec Why was this waste Marke 14.4 And good affection Deut. 15.21 if there be any evill favoured thing either maimed or blinde or lame or that had any other deformity that is given to God there is plaine order taken against it and the affection of Solomon Prov. 3.9 in the good part Honour the Lord with thy riches and tithes and Mal. 3.9 in the evill part Ye spoyle him and ye shall have a curse and as August Date Dabitur give and it shall be given unto you Date dabitur two brethren shall be two brethren Now for the second use 1. For the poore because as out of it Prov. 15.9 it is sinne if he doe not give therefore every one must give except he himselfe be in extrema necessitate extreme necessity 2 Cor. 8.12 his reason is Every one shall be accepted not according to that he hath not but according to that he hath As for this first part Luke 21.4 if but two mites there greatly commended of our Saviour Christ and for the other Marke 7.41 even to the cup of cold water in Christs name there shall be a reward given And giving and lending they are both enjoyned Matth. 5.42 And rules for them Acts 2.45 he saith they parted their goods as every one had neede 1. they had respect to the need of every party not as the prodigall of whom the Heathen male fit ei qui fecisti choracibus he fared the worse for his former luxury whereas they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces thou hast made them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prostitutes prostituting them without regard Now then 2 Cor. 1.13 their almes must not be so that other men might have and they want that other men might finde ease by it and they disease whereas others that have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passio a transient passion there is no hold in it so when their liberality doth perire liberalitate perish by their liberality it commeth so that is for the measure 2 Cor. 9.7 God doth not love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a giver of necessity but a cheerefull giver it must not be wrung out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither searching curiously nor with weighing and sifting what the party is or whether he be such a one as is worthy for that the Heathen could say that these were given not homini but humanitati to the man but to humanity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow-feeling compassion is due to nature and we ought to yeeld to the law our approbation these in free gifts In matters of justice we are to looke to the man and Prov. 3.28 he putteth another he will have it done out of hand and when as a man hath he must not bid him goe away and come to morrow but give then Ambrose Pauperi dabit potum cum acidatur panem cum mucidatur he will give the poore his drinke when it is sower and his bread when it is mouldy according to these rules And thus doing Psal 128.2 a man shall be sure to eate the labours of his hands Psal 41.3 the Lord will have a regard to him in his sicknesse he will bee his Physitian Psal 37.25 his seede shall not begge not onely corporall blessings but Dan. 4.27 it shall abrumpere peccata breake off his sinnes When a man feeleth his bowels open it is a good signe and symptoma of forgivenesse As Acts 10.2 when Cornelius gave almes his calling was neare and Luke 11.41 Give almes and all things shall be cleane unto you This outward ceremoniall But Iames 1.27 It is right and pure religion and undefiled to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in adversity And not onely this but also warranted by 1 Tim. 6.19 he saith we shall have a good foundation against the day to come as out of the sentence of Christ Mat. 25. the latter part of that Chapter this is that that commeth in rationem to be accounted for I was hungry and you fed me or fed me not and the reason we may alledge out of v. 27. for there it is said he asketh the unprofitable servant why he gave not his money to exchangers The Exchangers to whom we must put the Lords money be pauperes Ambrose on that place enquireth who be those Trapezitae money-changers he speaketh of and findeth out at last that they be pauperes that be campsores the poore that be those money-changers as he calleth them and therefore he saith if a man be to goe into another Countrey and in this respect he carry money with him hee might be met with by theeves and so be eased of his money and secondly if he carry mony that will not be currant and allowable in that Countrey that he is to go to and therfore he goeth to the Exchanger and delivereth him the money and takes a bill of his hand and carries but that with him and so feareth neither the one nor the other that he is sure they will not take and so he shall be sure of mony that will passe there and so he compares the state of a mans life to a Traveller who doth not load himselfe with that which may either indanger his life by Theeves or will not passe currant in the Countrey whither he goeth but laies out his money here that he may receive it there Now as Iob 1.21 he saith Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and 1 Tim. 6.7 We brought nothing into this world neither shall we carry any thing out if we carry any thing with us we shall be spoyled as we go Psal 76.5 The proud are robbed they have slept their first sleepe they shall rise in the mornining and finde nothing in their hand And then secondly if a man Iob 35.7 could have it in his hand it is not gold nor silver will serve there for it is not currant there Then as before in the temporall passage it is best to make us friends of the temporall Mammon and to deliver here and to receive the worth of it there as Ambrose saith to be dives in libro sigillato rich in the sealed booke that Cornelius Act. 10.4 his almes entâ—ed into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the committing of it here to his Factors and exchangers that is the poore for whom Christ is surety Matth. 19.21 25.40 What ye doe to them ye doe to me and I will make it good and his bill which
which onely seeke after these things Matth. 6. do obtaine them at Gods hands much more will God grant them to us which professe our selves Christians and his Children Secondly for the Limitation it is not mihi non meum but give us and give our the reason is that as Salomon sayes Prov. 5.6 Our wels may flow out abroad and that there may be rivers of waters in the streetes and that not only we may not be burdensome to others but that we may have to give to them that have need Eph. 4. Sixthly for the word Hodie our Saviour teacheth us to pray Give us bread this day and as the Apostle speakes Heb. 3. Dum dicitur hodie the reason is because life is but onely dies not seculum And the Wise man saith Talke not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth We may not say to our soule Soule thou hast store of goods laid up for many yeares We see by his example what may fall out Luk. 12. For as much as the continuance of our life is uncertaine our desire must be that God would give us sufficient for our present want Howbeit this makes not for them that are carelesse for the time to come for such are sent to learne wisedome of the Ant Prov. 30. which provides for Winter and not onely the Saints at all times have beene carefull and provident for outward things as Joseph who counselled Paraoh before hand to lay up corne to feed him for seven yeares space during the famine Gen. 41. But our Saviour himselfe gives charge that that which remaineth should be saved and nothing lost Joh. 6. And it was his pleasure that Judas should beare the bagge for his and their provision to teach us that he alloweth provident care for things earthly But by this word daily our Saviour condemneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or immoderate care for worldly things whereby the soule is rent and divided and not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5. which is required of every man for his owne houshold and is both lawfull and honest Here ariseth an objection how a man having filled his belly or being ready to leave this world may say this prayer The answer is first Multi dormierunt divites qui surrexerunt pauperes therefore our desire is that as we have enough now so we may be preserved in this estate and that God would not change plenty into poverty Againe though wee have bread and it continue with us yet it is nothing without that beata pax therefore though we have the thing it selfe yet we are to desire that which is the life of bread which is a power to nourish then that God will give us the sanctified bread which is the heavenly Manna and grace that as we worke for bread in our vocations so we remember to sanctifie it by invocation for else it is usurped bread THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON And forgive us our Debts AUgustine interpreting our Saviours words of the shutting of Heaven in Elias time Luke 4.23 compared prayer to a key that hath power to open Heaven from whence all blessings descend unto us and to shut the bottomlesse pit of Hell from whence all evils proceede Prayer is a meanes not onely to draw all grace from God Prov. 12.2 but it is obex mali flagellum daemonis as the name of Christ is Oleum effusum Cant. 1. because by it we receive all good so the name of the Lord is Turris fortissima Prov. 18. for that it saves and defends us from all evill As these are both truely affirmed of Gods name so by the Invocation of the name of God we have this double benefit that wee doe not onely receive all good by it but also are delivered from all evill In the three former Petitions our Saviour hath taught us to draw grace from God in these three latter we are taught to use that kinde of prayer that concernes the removing of all evill called Tekinah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deprecation The evill is of three sorts of sinnes past and to come and of the evill of punishment In the first of these three Petitions we pray against the guilt of sinnes past that God would not charge us with them in the second against the running issue of sinne to come that God would not suffer us to sinne hereafter in the third that God would turne away from us all those plagues that our sinnes deserve both in this life and in the life to come and these three Petitions are fitly opposed to the three former To the Kingdome of glory we oppose our sinnes to the doing of Gods will temptation to naturall good things the evill of the world to come and the miseries of this life from both which we desire to be delivered when we say deliver us from evill The Petition consists of debts and forgivenesse but before we handle them we are to speake first of the necessity of this Petition secondly of the goodnesse of God that penneth the Petition for us What need we have to pray to God for remission of our sinnes appeares hereby because our sinnes do make a partition betweene God and us Esa 59. the effect whereof is that our mis-deeds doe turne Gods blessings from us and doe keepe good things from us Ier. 5.25 Now having already desired at Gods hands the glory of Gods Kingdome the good of grace for the doing of his will and all outward good things necessary for this life we are of necessity to pray that God will forgive us our sinnes which otherwise will hinder us of these good things and as our sinnes doe hinder Gods graces that they cannot come to us so they hinder our prayers that they cannot come to God for our sinnes are as it were a cloud to hide God so that our prayers cannot goe through Lam. 3.44 So that except we desire the forgivenesse of our sinnes we shall in vaine pray for the three former good things Besides our sinnes are a plaine hinderance to Gods Kingdome for none shall come thither but such as are uncorrupt and voide of sinnes in the whole course of their life Psal 15. Et nihil impurum ingreditur illâ—c no uncleane thing shall enter thither Revel 21. Therefore the Prophet saith hic est omnis fructus auferantur peccata Isa 27.9 Secondly the goodnesse of God appeareth herein that he hath endited us a prayer to aske remission telling us that it is possible to obtaine remission of sinne It is true that by our sinnes wee have made our selves uncapable of all good things but yet we see the goodnesse of God that as we have still dona so he teacheth us to say condona Where he teacheth all men to pray for good things we learne that we are all mendici Dei but in that we are taught to aske forgivenesse of sinne we see that we are malefici Dei the malefactors of God such as have need of pardon and
it to be smoaking flaxe or utterly quench it Presumption on the other side is as Gunpowder to it which being throwne into it it will blow it up and make it flye all about the house Christ was to take heed of over-heating his Faith Luther upon the Galatians saith the 91. Psalme is no meete study for many mens humours in our dayes they had more need of a corrosive to eate out the sore from the roote and bottome Now to the answer which consisteth of sixe points First what it is to tempt God Secondly wherein Thirdly the manner how Fourthly this proposition Thou shalt not tempt Fifthly the reason why we may not Sixthly though he be our God and we on the Pinacle these be no arguments for us to presume I. First whosoever will not use such ordinary meanes as God hath appointed tempteth God If he use extraordinary as here the devill would have Christ doe when no body went about to thrust him downe wilfully to have cast himselfe downe were great madnesse or when a man hath a faire paire of staires to goe downe by to call for a Cherub to carry him or for the wind to fly downe Psal 18.10 were as great wantonnesse There is an humour in man that we are all given unto by nature to be marvellously desirous to try conclusions in matters that are rare and unknowne unto them contemning things common and to be fond after strange novelties It was told them as plaine as could be that they should not reserve of the Manna till morning and they needed not to have reserved it they had fresh every day and yet forsooth they would needs keepe it if it were but for an experiment sake to try whether it would stinke or no Exod. 10.20 And though they were forbidden to gather on the Sabbath day and on the Eeven had enough for two dayes and it was told them they should find none yet they must needs try When a thing cannot be had without great difficulty it is our manner to have a vehement longing after it as when David was in a Hold and the Garrisons of the Philistims were in Bethlem then being thirsty no water would serve his turne but that in Bethlem 2 Sam. 23.15 But when three mighty men had broken into the host of the Philistims and had brought him of it he cared not for it II. For the second we are to know that where neede is as the Heathen speaketh there a man may commit himselfe to the providence of God and rely upon him For we have heard that where the meanes faile us God hath yet in store his foure Prerogatives therefore when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thanke-worthy and it is the practise and property of Faith to say boldly with Abraham when he saw nothing present that even on the hill God will provide Gen. 22.14 When our enemies are behinde us and the red Sea before us then to looke for a way through the Sea and to expect Manna out of heaven and water out of the Rocke is much worth So our Saviour when he and his company were in the Desert where no meate was to be had fed them miraculously but being neare to the Towne where they might have it he dismissed them When Elias was in distresse and all meates failed him then the Angell brought him meate 1 Kings 19.6 When Hagar and Ismael were in the Wildernesse and the water in the bottle spent and she in great heavinesse then God comforted her from heaven Gen. 22.17 When the Israelites were in the Desert then they had an Angell to lead them Exod. 22.20 When Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were cast bound into the fiery Furnace then God sent them an Angell to be their deliverer Dan. 3.25 And so when Daniel was throwne into the Lyons den not when he put himselfe in God sent his Angell to stop the Lyons mouth Dan. 6.22 When we are deserti indeserto and all meanes faile it is time to trust in God as Job did Our conversation therefore must be without covetousnesse and wee must bee content with those things that we have for he hath said He will not faile us nor forsake us Heb. 13.5 This is out of the compasse of tempting God and this is as much as the Psalme could warrant him to looke for Looke upon it and you shall see that it expresseth such dangers as could not be prevented by mans care and industry As from the snare of the hunter ver 3. who useth to lay it so as we cannot see it to avoyd it Vers 5. Thou shalt not feare the arrow that flyeth by day An Arrow we know will reach a man farre off before he be aware And so throughout the Psalme they are things out of our defence therfore they had need of Angels helpe but when we have meanes to helpe our selves Gods omnipotency is for the time discharged Eutichus that fell out of a window by heavinesse of sleepe was restored to life by Paul Act. 20.9 This then is Christs answer If there were no staires and he must needs goe downe it were a good Scripture to meditate on III. Thirdly as it is a point of Gods power to helpe without meanes so hath he in his wisedome appointed meanes there be degrees whereby we ascend to the effect they are as a paire of staires Where these are we must use them but when he offereth as a strange signe it is scrupulous and foolish nicenesse to refuse it As when God bade Ahaz aske a signe Esay 7.21 and he would not for tempting God he was too precise he was but an Hypocrite Moses asked a signe and had it and God was well pleased with it And so did Gedeon also to assure himselfe of delivering Israel by him Judg. 6.36 In great weighty and extraordinary callings it was allowable to request a signe but when there is no need or when there be otherwise sufficient as Matth. 16.1 where many miracles were daily done before their eyes and where though they had never so many more yet they would not have beleeved on him Such were the Scribes and Pharisees that for every trifling occasion they much have a signe from Heaven Thus to grate upon Gods omnipotent providence is sawcy malepertnesse For ordinary matters there be ordinary meanes to serve our turnes and for extraordinary there be extraordinary wayes and meanes reserved that we neede not let fall our trust in matters corporall We all confesse there be meanes as they which will not worke may not eate 2 Thess 3.10 In warfare there is no victory to be hoped for without fight building of rampiers and making of darts and shields 2 Chron. 23.5 onely in spirituall matters we thinke to doe well enough though we never pâ—â—â—oo our endeavour we lay all upon God and trouble not our selves There is but one degree or step in all Christianity it is no more but out of the font to